Saving the Multiverse | Avengers, DCEU & Arrowverse Crossover

VI. Chapter 116: "Interested in her skill set"

Iceland

"Don't count on it, Batman,"

"Why not?" Bruce questions.

"Because, I don't like you coming here, digging into my business, getting into my life. People from Atlantis tell me to do this, now you are telling me to do that. I just want to be left alone,"

"Is that why you help these people out here, in the middle of nowhere? Because you can just leave?"

"I help them because no one else does," Arthur Informs Bruce.

The two reached the shoreline.

Arthur starts to take off his jacket, paused before taking his sweater off, hearing Bruce speak again, "You want to protect them, you need to work with me,

Arthur makes his way closter to the shoreline, "Strong man is strongest alone... You ever heard that?" He questions pulling off his sweater.

"That is not a saying," Bruce frowned, he shifts his head to the side, "that is opposite of what the saying is," He replies with his brows farrowed.

"Yep," Arthur responds tossing his sweater.

The Atlantian steps into the water and adds, "it doesn't mean I am wrong."

Bruce takes to steps forward, "You ever hear of Superman?...He died fighting next to me,"

"My point. Exactly," Arthur turns towards the water.

Bruce shakes his head in frustration he needed more answers, "What's in the three boxes?" He asks.

The waters now up to Arthurs ankles, "It is ancient history," he responded.

Bruce couldn't believe this. After all the trouble he went through to get here, this dumbass was going to act like this with him.

"What is it? Mankind is melting the polar ice caps, destroying the ecosystem... they got it coming?"

Arthur shrugs, facing Bruce, "Hey, I don't mind if the oceans rise," he says, finishing with a smile.

"How about if they boil?" Bruce questions.

Arthur chuckles, ignoring what Bruce just said, "Dressed like a bat... you're out of your mind Bruce Wayne," Arthur takes a leap back, his arms crossing infront of him allowing him to get a good distance before he hits the water and when he does, Arthur shoots off with tremendous speed.

Bruce looks out towards the waterfront, "Doesn't mean I'm wrong," he responds to no one making his way back to the Jet, where Alfred is waiting.

ʚ✯ɞ

Wayne Jet

A sigh escapes Bruce's lips. His attempt to persuade Arthur was proven to be futile and he couldn't help but reminice their conversation while he shaves his beard. Bruce shakes the rasor underneth the Running water, before lifting it to his right cheek, the Blade removing any traces of the saving creme.

Alfred enters the main cabin of the plane, gripping an expresso press, "So, you have no way of reconnecting with this... Aquaman?" He questions placing the pot on a table next to several empty cups.

"Well, I put a tracking device in his coat, but he left without it," Bruce responds placing the rasor on the sink, grabbing the towel patting down his face, "It may, in fact, not have been his coat," he mumbles finding himself stridding towards Alfred

"Those squares, from Luther's notes...I think they must be containers of some kind," , crossing his arms over his chest.

"Of what?" Alfred questions handing Bruce a small cup.

Bruce shrugs, answers begin popping up in his head, "Money? power?" Bruce questions,

"I don't know what they contain, but," Bruce sighs, "it is something to start a war over,"

They both stare down at the remenents of Luthors notes briefly, before alfred walks over to another table, also burried in paper. He swipes away some of the notes revealing a tablet embeded in the table. Once Alfred presses The 'W', for wayne, a ray of screens are lowered, playing clips and data on their recruitments.

"Well, we had luck with two people on the team list,"

"Sarah?" Bruce perks up.

"No, not her. J'onn J'onzz and a Barry Allen, of City. He's off the grid, Squatting, I think. Moves and often.

Bruce narrows his eyes, "A disappearing Act?"

"He does visit his father. In prison. For murdering his mother."

"Jesus," Bruce shakes his head.

"Young Barry always defended his father's innocence, but he was nine and nobody listened to him,"

"We have someone at the prison?" Bruce questions uncrossing his arms moving passed alfred.

"Oh yes, we will find the address,"

Bruce takes in a deep breathe, "What about uh, Sarah?"

"It's a maybe for her, she mentioned having trouble using her powers,"

"You don't think that's just an excuse?"

     "I think it's her way of dealing with such a great loss, she has no one Bruce. You should know better than anyone, what that feels like?" Alfred mumbles.

Bruce changes the subject, "and Diana?"

"Well, you have her number...I don't expect to make 'all' the calls," Alfred says taking a long sip of his tea.

Bruce scoffs saying, "You could have called her,"

Alfred licks his lips trying to keep himself from smiling, "Oh, well then, perhaps I should fly to Paris with a handwritten note: Will you be Bruce's teammate, check yes or no?"

Bruce crosses his arms once more, "I'm only interested in her skill set."

Alfred laughs, commenting, "I'm sure you are," pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Can we?" Bruce questions, gesturing towards the screens.

"Ah yes. Facial recognition is a bit dodgy on this one, but we got a partial match. A Victor Stone. genius IQ, football scholarship to GCU, and... deceased,"

"Figures. It seems nowadays all we can find are fairy tales and ghost stories," Bruce mumbes scratching his forehead.

"One misses the days where one's biggest concerns were exploding windup penguins,"

Bruce smiles at the old memory, taking the seat next to Alfred, "The simple life," Bruce chuckles.

Alfred simply nodded and then broke the silence with a soft tone.

"I don't recognize this world."

Bruce responds, "I don't have to recognize it, I just have to save it."