Aquatica

Chapter 11: Injustice For All

"I'm just saying! If Luthor has that much money, then why doesn't he live somewhere nicer?"

"Evie, is now really the time for this conversation?"

"I'm only thinking out loud, Bats."

One whole hour. That's how long Batman, Green Lantern and I had been hiding outside of the room Luthor was using while he interrogated 'Superman'. An hour is a long time to wait while your only company is a guy dressed in green who isn't your biggest fan, and a guy dressed as a bat who you may or may not know their secret identity. So I did what I always do when I'm nervous and in a position I don't want to be in...I ramble.

"Could both of you shut up? I'm trying to listen," Lantern snapped. Well, isn't he being grumpy today? I opened my mouth to say something else but Batman nudged me in the ribs and shook his head. I rolled my eyes. Of course, it would come down to Batman to make sure I didn't get in trouble.

"So, this is how it ends. You know, I've carried this around for years waiting for just the right moment but now that it's here, I almost feel a little...let down," Lex said.

"Okay, so he's been in there an hour already and he's just now starting his monologue? What kind of villain is he? Usually these things start right off the bat." I grumbled, crossing my arms and trying to move into a more comfortable position.

Lantern glared at me and I glared right back. After about five seconds we both turned towards the door in order to hear a little better.

"Any last requests?" Luthor asked Superman.

"Luthor, I have to know. Those weapons you sold to the terrorists, how—"

"How did I get them through customs?" Luthor interrupted. "A gift here, a bribe there. When money talks, people listen." We heard footsteps heading towards the door, before they stopped. "Like Stafrose of the shipping company. Or Schneider, the Interpol agent who looked the other way."

"Well gentlemen, that sounds like enough evidence to put him behind bars for a couple years, don't you think?" I said, standing up and shaking my legs out. Beside me, Lantern and Batman both got ready to go in the room and arrest Luthor.

"Sounds like you're going to have company in prison." We heard 'Superman' say. Well, there's our cue.

"Are we ready?" I asked, grabbing my staff off my waist and extending it.

"Just another minute," Batman said.

We heard rushing footsteps and then Lex exclaim, "It can't be! The Kryptonite—"

"Won't protect you any longer." The deep and accented voice of J'onn said.

"Now can we go?" I asked, itching to put Luthor in a jail cell where he belongs.

Batman opened the door and we all stepped in. "You're usually more careful, Lex," Batman said. "You slipped up."

"And you're going down hard." Lantern said. He used his ring to wrench the Kryptonite out of Luthor's hands. It flew across the room and into Batman's hands. The annoying green, pulsing light disappeared when he put it in a compartment of his belt and we could all actually see again.

"Mission accomplished," Batman said, speaking into his communicator.

Luthor backed up towards his desk, and I had a bad feeling about this whole thing. This just seemed too easy. Luthor was a genius and probably had a million different escape routes planned. I stepped forward and walked to Luthor's right side.

"So much for your image as the benevolent businessman," J'onn said. Lantern and Batman walked over so that we were all surrounding Luthor. "This is the end of an era."