The main chamber was crowded now. Forty seven heros either sat in the chairs lining the walls or stood along them, or hung from the walls themselves (this, obviously, was only available to those whose powers meant they didn't have to take the ground). The globe above the table rotated lazily still, but its red blinky things had multiplied since Ethan had last seen it.
Batman stood at the head of the table and a hush fell over the room.
"Thank you all for showing up for the meeting" Batman said. "I called this emergency session for two reasons. The first is that there will be a short security screening for all active members of the team, using a special detection method I'll explain momentarily. The screening is now complete and all forty seven active members are cleared."
A confused murmur swept over the room. The other heroes looked at each other.
"Cleared of what?" Green Arrow asked, voicing the question many others had.
"Vampirism" Batman replied.
The murmuring ceased, instantly and completely.
"I should explain" said Batman, and he paused for the appropriate length of time before continuing. "Three days ago Superman encountered a vampire in Metropolis. A real, genuine, undead vampire drinking blood from a poor helpless civilian. Said vampire was captured and contained. Preliminary examination revealed it was not in fact not a metahuman but rather a genuine vampire"
Batman tapped the console and the globe expanded to show red blinkys at his marked points.
"As of three days ago, I investigated the vampire sightings in every major metropolitan area. EVERY member of the League who swept their areas found vampires in the city. Gotham-6, Central City-3, Star City-4, Coast City-2, and Atlantean waters-"
he tapped the holographic Aquaman,
"-three attacks on surface vessels along the coast."
"That, according to Aquaman, we'd previously attributed to surface world piracy. Further investigation revealed... other predators."
The room got louder. Batman scanned the room. There, he caught Ethan's eye. "I need your cooperation for the investigation into these vampire sightings" said Batman. "You see, Ethan has an unusual ability that may prove to be invaluable."
Batman gestured at Ethan.
"He is a new hero who joined us recently, some of you may know him as Light, the independent agent who has plied Metropolis for the last three months. He is Superman's brother from an alternate universe, which is not the topic for tonight's meeting."
Some curious faces turned towards Ethan. One suspicious, one thoughtful. Beast Boy's mouth is a silent
'whoa.'
"Light's ability is that he can passively sense the presence of vampires, within a radius of a kilometer. This has allowed him" said Batman, "to identify four vampires in Metropolis embedded in the local human population through means as yet unascertainable."
"That's the security screening?" said Wonder Woman. "You had him check us all out?"
"Exactly," said Batman. "Given the suspicions around the vampire infiltration we needed to establish that we were free of vampire influence ourselves before pressing on."
Another wave of hushed comments washed over the room. Raven's expression was unchanged, but Ethans noticed her dark eyes following him carefully, assessing. Ethan could sense she knew something about him that he didn't know about himself.
"The immediate priority," said Batman, "is that we use Light's abilities to determine what the extent of the vampire incursion on our cities is. Once we have a general idea mapped out we'll press on systematically. There's no need to reinvestigate every possible vampire, but we need a working knowledge."
"How do we start?" Flash queried.
"You've detected four vampires in Metropolis apart from the one Superman saw?" Batman asked Ethan. "Can you take us to them?"
Batman looked around the room. Forty seven eyes turned on Ethan. Ethan adjusted uncomfortably. "Not precisely," he said. "I know what they look like, I know a general area where I detected them, but I didn't follow them home or do anything like that. I can tell you where it was I saw them- the financial district, the waterfront restaurant, the two residential areas- but nothing more than that."
There was a long pause.
"That'll do" said Batman, after a while. "Just tell me the specific locations and if possible the time when you detected each one. The names of the streets where they appeared, anything that might help identify the people. Give me everything you remember. I'll do the cross-matching."
Ethan breathed a sigh of relief. "The first one was in the financial district, a woman" he said. "I saw her in a coffee shop at the corner of the fifth and Morrison- Brewed Awakening, I think the sign said- standing by the window, reading the paper. Business casual, brunette, early thirties in age probably."
Batman's fingers flew over the keyboard, cross-referencing satellite photos, business directories, and security cameras by using Ethan as a reference which he knew wasn't legal. "The second was at a restaurant near the waterfront" he continued. "Sal's Seafood place on Harbor Drive. A man, probably waiter or bartender, based on his uniform. Tall, thin, dark hair."
One more click.
"The third and fourth were both in residential areas on the west side" he recalled. "One was walking a dog along the street, the other getting in a car outside an apartment building on Birch Street, three blocks south of the elementary school at three o'clock in the afternoon."
Batman paused to absorb this, Ethan could see the data tumbling over in his head, and pulled up some preliminary reports on the four places. Surveillance coverage, nearby hotels, points of entry and departure.
"That'll do" he said finally. "Superman, Wonder Woman, and Flash, you're with me. We'll go over to each of these locations, confirm the identities of the vampires we're dealing with, and set up surveillance before we move on."
"What about me?" Ethan asked.
"You stay here" said Batman. "Your job is detection, Light. Until we have a working knowledge of what we're dealing with I can't afford to put you at risk who might be the only one who can find this vampires."
Ethan opened his mouth to object, then swallowed. He knew what Batman was saying. He understood, perhaps more than anyone else in the room, what his powers were and what they weren't. His Sequence 8 abilities were formidable enough on an individual basis, but in a mission like this he was more liability than hindrance. More importantly, if anything were to happen to him and his detection powers lost, the entire vampire hunt would be set back months if not years. A waste of time and resources the entire world simply didn't have to spare.
"I'll wait" said Ethan.
The ready room was right next to the briefing chamber. Nightwing was waiting for him there, already prepared to brief him on what developments Batman wanted him to know about.
"The ready room is available" said Batman. "You may remain here while we work. Nightwing will inform you of any important developments as they occur."
He turned to the assembled heroes. "Full operational security protocols regarding this file are now in effect. That means whatever this room discusses remains in this room" said Batman. "Do not discuss it with anyone outside of this facility unless I, personally, have authorized you to do so. If you have any questions, save them for the debriefing. Dismissed."
He swept out of the room with all the dramatic flair of a cape trailing a super-hero. Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Flash followed closely behind.
Most of the audience trickled out on their own after that. The room was emptied of its usual occupants except Ethan and Nightwing, who offered a short-nod and tight handshake in farewell. Starfire even paused to send him a warming smile
Then he was all alone
Waiting
It was the only thing Ethan could do now.
Ethan shifted back in the waiting room, staring through the reinforced viewport. He could see most of the operations floor beyond the security glass, where the League's security team which seemed to Robot's that were doing all the works to keep the league running
Ethan closed his eyes, letting his thoughts spiral inward, when the monitor beside him blinked to life.
The monitoring system had automatically loaded the League's internal network. In theory, Ethan should not have had access to it, but Nightwing's earlier authorization allowed him to observe as the search continued.
[01:17] BATMAN -- EN ROUTE TO TARGET ALPHA FINANCIAL DISTRICT ETA 4 MINUTES.
[01:23] SUPERMAN -- VISUAL CONFIRMATION FEMALE INDIVIDUAL MATCHING DESCRIPTION FOUND IN APARTMENT ABOVE BREWED AWAKENING APPEARS TO BE SLEEPING HEAT SIGNATURE ANOMALOUS.
BATMAN: ANOMALOUS HOW?
SUPERMAN: LOWER THAN BASELINE HUMAN. SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER. DECREASED METABOLIC FUNCTION WITH REDUCED CIRCULATORY EFFICIENCY
BATMAN: CONSISTENT WITH UN-DEAD PHYSIOLOGY. HOLD POSITION. DO NOT ENGAGE UNTIL ALL TARGETS HAVE BEEN LOCATED AND WE MOVE IN SIMULTANEOUSLY.
[01:24] WONDER WOMAN -- TARGET BETA IS CONFIRMED TO BE IN THE WATERFRONT RESTAURANT ON HARBOUR DRIVE A MALE EMPLOYEE WAITER OR BAR TENDER BASED ON ATTIRE TALL DARK HAIR.
[01:25] BATMAN -- TARGET GAMMA AND DELTA LOCATED ON MAPLE STREET AND 20TH WARD RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT IN THE WEST A WOMAN WALKING HER DOG AND A MAN GETTING IN A CAR OUTSIDE HER APARTMENT BUILDING THREE BLOCKS SOUTH OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THIS AFTERNOON AS SOON AS IT CLOSES AT 3 PM.
[02:41] BATMAN -- ALL FOUR TARGETS CONFIRMED AND UNDER SURVEILLANCE BEGINNING COORDINATED CONTAINMENT IN 15 MINUTES FLASH YOU HAVE THE WATERFRONT SUPERMAN YOU HAVE THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT WONDER WOMAN YOU HAVE THE WEST SIDE TARGETS I'LL COORDINATE FROM OVERLOOK.
[02:42] FLASH- READY.
[02:42] SUPERMAN - READY.
[02:42] WONDER WOMAN - READY.
[02:57] BATMAN - EXECUTE.
The monitor went dark for a long ten minutes during the actual operation, but the moment it went out Ethan leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes. If this operation is successful he should be able to digest at least a percentage of the potion. For every step the League found in the darkened corners of Metropolis and wherever else the vampires had burrowed in, he had an opportunity to go and root them out.
Ethan knew he was a good agent for detecting threats like this, but it was through going there personally that he could truly shine. Every one of his abilities was made to counter them
The monitor pinged again, interrupting his thoughts.
[03:08] BATMAN - ALL FOUR TARGETS CONTAINED AND IN PREPARATION FOR TRANSPORT TO SECURE HOLDING DEBRIEFING TO FOLLOW AFTER AN HOUR OF REST.
Ethan exhaled. Four down, but how many more across the rest of the world? There was no doubt in his mind, after hearing of what had already been discovered, that there would be many more in the coming months. He did not know whether vampires had infiltrated all cities on all continents, but either there were dozens more or thousands, and Ethan's duty was to find each one.
The debriefing was at 4:15 the next morning, following a night of operations. Not many of the League stayed in Metropolis, but Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Ethan filled the chamber for the report. The other agents had left for their own cities with instructions to remain especially vigilant in the coming days.
Batman stood at the front of the room, no cape for this occasion and instead revealing clearly defined features of a man clearly in his prime.
"Four vampires contained, all confirmed via physical examination and Superman's unique abilities. Age assessments vary between fifty and three hundred years post-turning and all were found to be fully developed and competent predators" said Batman. "None were freshly turned. That means they must've been placed here by outside sources."
"I assume they had handlers" said Wonder Woman. "Vampires of that age wouldn't embed themselves in human cities without an overarching goal or direction."
"Precisely" said Batman. "Interrogations will proceed immediately. We need to determine what their master's plans are in regards to the rest of the world. As for you, Light-"
He turned to regard Ethan with a critical glint in his eye. "The evaluation of your abilities is confirmed to be legitimate and effective" said Batman. "The four vampires you identified were correctly assessed. As far as I can tell, you're not lying about your abilities. They are, for now, unique to you."
"Thank you, but I don't take that as a compliment" said Ethan.
"No, but this means you're going to be busy" said Batman as he turned once more to his monitor. "Every major city on the planet will need to be swept. The League can provide transportation, protection, and general support, but you'll have to do the seeing. We'll establish a rotational schedule based on priority levels, starting with Gotham."
"When do we start?"
"Tomorrow" said Bruce as he got ready to do his own work. "Get some sleep. You're going to need it."
Later that evening, after being shown the guest quarters deeper in cavern, he was surprised to discover how tired the mountain made him feel. Long nights alone waiting for a fight always left Ethan anxious, and though the wariness never left him entirely, a soft nap in the ready room always kept it at bay.
Ethan awoke hours later with no idea of what time it was. He blinked groggily and opened his eyes to view the dim room, now illuminated by the faint light of the rising sun. Ethan sighed and leaned back to let the warm current of the Sun flow gently through him.
Another long day remained for him
Clark was the one to find Bruce in the observation deck, which was dimly lit save for the long line of monitors. He did not speak until he saw the familiar trenchcoated figure.
"You wish to talk," said Bruce without turning.
"I want to know what you think, honestly," said Clark.
"Concerning that Light character?" asked Bruce.
"Concerning the vampires, the detection ability, and yes, whether or not you believe what he told us."
Clark crossed the room and rested against the doorframe. In the distance, the monitors continued to feed data to Bruce, occasionally updating as Superman arrived at the scene. The lines on Bruce's face were carved with the markings of a hard week, not because it had been particularly brutal, but rather because it had come unexpectedly. It had not prepared him for this, and there were few things in this world that affected Bruce Wayne like this.
"This detection ability is real," said Bruce. "The four vampires he identified have been confirmed via independent analysis plus the other vampires he found on Gotham. His detection rate seem to be perfect but the source of this power is unusual. It shouldn't affect anyone"
"But it does effect mine" said Clark. "He's my brother, and if there is something wrong with him-"
"There is nothing wrong with him," said Bruce in a low, clipped voice. "If anything, he's doing better than most metahumans with powers. He hasn't used his powers for his gain in any way bad. Rather from all the footage I checked he genuinely seems to want to help people. And that is information I'll use, regardless of how I choose to treat him."
"I believe that he believes his powers come from helping people" said Bruce after a long pause, the monitors still feeding information to him. "And I accept the validity of his detection ability. Those two facts are sufficient enough. That is all that is needed."
"That's not what I asked," said Clark.
"No, it isn't. I don't believe that a stranger from an alternate reality with powers he can't explain is anything other than exactly that: a stranger from an alternate reality with powers he can't explain. The origin isn't of interest yet. We have more pressing matters, including the location of any other vampire nests and the identities of those responsible for their creation. And, of some potential interest to us both-"
Clark turned to face Bruce, his sharp blue eyes searching the hero from head to toe. "Do you believe he is lying to us? About the origin of his powers, I mean."
"I believe he wants to do good in the world, and as far as I know, the ability to do some good through detecting evil has helped him accomplish that," said Bruce, crossing the room to pause beside Clark. "I believe he isn't lying. But it's more complicated than that."
"You always find it more complicated than it is," muttered Clark. "It is not easy, but that has never stopped you, has it?"
"No" said Bruce. "It shouldn't be. Things like that always come with a strong attached. It isn't supposed to be that easy"
"It should be easy" said Clark.
"Perhaps," said Bruce without looking away. "Perhaps it is not. I have no intention of interrogating him or observing him any more closely than I already have. I believe he is telling us the truth, and I accept the legitimacy of his powers for the good of the mission. That should be enough, don't you think?"
Clark stared long and hard at the man. Bruce had no patience or need for easy things in life. His world, his world as Bruce Wayne, was built upon a foundation of lies, manipulation. He was perhaps one of the best at what he did, but even Bruce had his limits. He had trusted people and he seemed to want to trust Ethan too
Not completely, at any rate. It would be foolish not to consider other factors, however, and Clark knew this. Bruce turned back to the computers. "There are still contingencies to consider regarding the vampires, the League operatives, and Ethan's role in all of it."
"I believe that this is the most dangerous time we have had in a long while. There are variables we cannot control and variables we can only hope to classify," said Bruce. "But I trust that you will make the proper decisions as we move on."
"Always," said Clark.
"Then you'll listen to me when I say it's time to go."
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T/L: GOD DAMN IT. HOW THE HELL DOES HE WRITE CHAPTER THIS LONG?? Anyway this is the final part of this chapter combine they were 5k something words.