[Watchtower to Robin, do you copy.]
"I do, Batman."
Standing at the edge of a high-rise building, Tim Drake faced the ruined cityscape and tapped on his comm device to respond.
[Then let's begin the briefing.]
Tim nodded, and the Dark Knight began.
[Two hours ago, an irregularity was observed in Belle Reve Penitentiary following a sudden blackout.]
[Almost all inmates escaped, and the League was dispatched to handle them.]
"Until Codename: Cosmo attacked."
In response, Batman went silent over the line before eventually continuing.
[Approximately an hour and a half ago, an unidentified dimensional rift tore through the sky. Under Wonder Woman's request, I performed a brief scan of it. Before I could relay the result to her, she was attacked by a new entity we've dubbed 'Cosmos.']
Tim shrugged and continued to listen.
[He quickly dispatched our strongest heroes, including Superman, after which he corrupted them with his abilities.]
Tim shivered, glancing at the ruined cityscape once more.
Just as Batman had described, after the villain named Cosmos descended, he exercised a strange ability and took control of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter.
These three heroes went on a rampage afterward, and had it not been for Flash, thousands would have been dead by now.
As for the now mind-controlled heroes, one had been rendered inactive after the League sent in their powerhouses to restrain Martian Manhunter.
[With the aid of Ray Palmer, the Atom, who examined J'onn's body, we discovered a microscopic symbiote embedded within the bodies of the controlled.]
"So we're dealing with a parasite that can control heroes?"
Tim, finding such a discovery uncomfortable, ruffled his dark hair.
[For now, such is our conclusion.]
"Is it contagious?"
[Atom remarked that it's aggressive, but so far, it's shown no signs of propagating or spreading.]
Tim sighed and tapped his badge.
"Bat's, what about Superman and Wonder Woman? How do we deal with them?"
[Currently, the Atom has observed that these symbiotes—or parasites, as you prefer to call them—are sensitive to electricity.]
"Then a strong enough EMP should free them?"
[In theory, yes…]
Batman's sudden pause made Tim frown before his eyes widened in realization.
[…You're probably noticing this by now, but for the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman, an EMP would only affect them from the outside which is ineffective because the parasite is within them.
Meaning physical combat is a must.]
"What about Kryptonite-infused lightning? Metamorpho or even Firestorm could pull that off—at least in Superman's case."
[Such a concentrated attack would put Kal-El in an indefinite coma. We can't have that now that we have a new villain in town.]
Batman's response was logical, leaving Tim guessing how to proceed.
The fact that he and Damian hadn't been teleported out of here meant the Bat had a job for them, but whatever it was, he was dragging it out by emphasizing how dire their situation was.
"So what do we do now?"
[Normally, I'd have you dispatch your team to handle Superman, but they're currently dealing with another breakout in Arkham.]
"Wait—Belle Reve wasn't the only target?" Tim exclaimed, shocked by the revelation.
[Blackgate, Arkham, and even the Phantom Zone deep within the Fortress of Solitude were all hit. Currently, all Leaguers, including your team and the Titans, have been sent across the globe to contain the problem. We still don't know the objective of this situation, but we do know one thing: Superman and Wonder Woman must be returned to normal before they break through the barrier we've placed around the state.]
"Then what's our mission?"
[Exactly five minutes from now, four teleportation beams will strike the city. Each beam contains a potential solution to our problem.]
"Why four, though?"
[A distraction—or a plan B, in case you can't reach the materials in time.]
[The Watchtower will transmit the coordinates of the beams before impact, so secure one—specifically the one closest to you—and handle Superman.]
"Wait… shouldn't you be handling Big Blue?"
Tim was more than aware of his limits. As someone who'd been teammates with a half-clone Kryptonian, he knew how far-fetched it was to say he could fight one.
It wouldn't even be a fight—just a humiliating defeat, or death, depending on the kind of Kryptonian.
[Diana and Kal are relative in strength, but you have more chances of defeating Superman than Wonder Woman. Unlike the Man of Steel, her weaknesses are less front-loaded. So leave her to us and handle Superman.]
"Easier said than done!" Tim scoffed—only for Batman to drop an even greater bombshell.
[Of course, I wouldn't assure your safety if I hadn't thought of a solution.]
"What do you mean?"
Tim crossed his arms, somewhat taken aback.
[You captured a Metahuman, right?]
"Oh, that one."
Turning his head, he glanced at the gray-haired teen being watched intently by Damian.
[Depending on how you use his abilities, he should serve as a great help in fighting Superman. But now the problem is… how do you convince him?]
A/N:
It's a pleasure to write to you again, my dear readers. Author here.
Honestly, when I decided to write a fanfic, I originally intended to write one about Marvel—specifically the X-Men.
Then I realized one thing: I know the X-Men, but I have never actually read one of their comics in my life.
Now how would I write something I've barely read? So, I shifted my focus to DC.
As a kid who grew up watching Justice League Unlimited and Teen Titans, before the movies or the DCAU films like Flashpoint, and later reading a few New 52 and Rebirth books, I'd say I wasn't illiterate about their world.
At the very least, I was more knowledgeable about this universe than Marvel, so I chose the DC Universe as my setting.
And because I love the characters so much, I've hardly given the main character time to shine—but that ends here.
From the next chapter onward, the point of view will shift to the MC. His abilities, his background, and how he'll influence this universe will finally be revealed.
So have a good read, and if you want to support me, you can leave a review to help me improve my writing or check out my new novel: Mercenary God: Reborn with a Talent for Fighting.
Thanks again for reading my book, and good luck to you all.