The watchtower
Superman flew in through the hanger after getting off work. He had spent the better part of the day getting his work at the daily planet in order since no emergency came up as from the other night.
The halls were devoid of people as he floated along while his ears picked up and tuned in to Kara and Diana's voice talking in the cafeteria.
There was also a familiar voice he never thought he would hear for a very long time chatting them up. His enhanced hearing and perfect memory made it possible for him to distinguish and store every members unique voice incase of emergencies during missions. This voice was supposed to be miles away under a veil of heavy god magic.
She's finally succeeded in convincing her mother he thought after looking through the walls with his X-Ray vision and watching them.
"Superman!" Kara called out suddenly only hearing his heartbeat when he came round the corner because of the non stop stories being shared between them.
Earlier in the day after her usual hours in the library, she went to Volunteer in rebuilding metropolis City after doomsday attack. She appeared in civilian clothing and was helping clearing the various destroyed stores when she bumped into Diana in her civilian disguise with her sister doing the same. She had only recognised her in the crowd because of her unique heartbeat.
Wow! Guess they were both blessed by their goddess was her first thought when she saw Cate.
They ended up partnering then sneak off and teleport back to the watchtower, something about getting some food and Diana promising her sister.
"How could you not tell me Diana had a sister!"she accused knowing Superman is the only member to have actually seen Themyscira when the queen had invited him sometime back.
"It's not his fault, I asked him not to tell anyone because she wasn't ready" Diana tried to defend him as she smiled at his sudden arrival.
Since their first encounter fighting darkseid together and him coming into his powers, shes still amazed at how for all the power and abilities he possessed he was always so humble and polite. A trait shown by him donating 90% of his superhero earnings to charities.
Clark was glad for Diana's intervention otherwise Kara would have kept on accusing him without a doubt going further to tell on him to the Kents which meant trouble for him.
"It wasn't my secret to tell Kara," he reiterated standing next to the group focusing on the new girl whose mouth formed an O while looking wide eyed at him.
Definitely Diana's sister he thought. The resemblance was uncanny to both her and their mother, Queen Hippolyta.
"Diana" he nodded and smiled at her.
"Kal" she smiled back.
"You've been busy" he gestured to their not so clean civilian clothes and shoes immediately guessing which activities they had indulged in.
"We met volunteering down in metropolis. It's going to take a few weeks before everything settles down." Kara voiced with sadness.
A lot of lives had been lost she thought wondering how metropolis will turn out before looking sideways and gesturing to Superman.
"Cate, this is my cousin Clark or Superman, whichever you want to call him." Then gestured to Cate "Clark this is Cate, her sister (pointing to Diana who was busy eating) and my new best friend.
"I've already met her Kara" though he acknowledged her with a nod of his head like the others.
Kara rolled her eyes at that.
"I believe they met when my mother invited Superman to Themyscira after the first Darkseid invasion." Diana thought back to when he had loved her home so much because it had the cleanest and freshest air to breathe, something someone with his heightened sense of smell could appreciate. Lack of modernization (noise from vehicles, machines etc) also lead to it being calm and soothing to his sensitive ears. She and Kal sat in a cave on top of the highest hill in the island overlooking the shoreline sharing their life stories well into heroism feeling the ocean breeze and taking in the site.
Clark smiled thinking of the same memories.
"Why didn't you tell me about Kara?" cate turned to her sister "She could have been coming to the island to hang out" If her mother allowed Superman on the island then she wouldn't have minded Kara to visit once in a while which would be made easier by her ability to fly.
"It's complicated Cate" she looked at Kara then Clark who knew the reason. Kara only arrived on earth late last year and it took quite sometime for her to adjust. Cate accepted the answer for now with the intention of grilling her sister for answers later which by the sigh escaping Diana's lips meant she knew her plan.
"Let me take this time to welcome you to the league, I've heard so much about your skills." Clark smiled gesturing around the watchtower.
"She's not here to join us Kal, I promised her a tour of the watchtower and a chance to meet some heroes. Kara was kind enough to come with us." Diana informed him knowing Cate was still shy and getting used to conversing with men, something Kara noticed too.
"Yeah Supes, she's here for two months and I will be her designated tour guide" Kara beamed at the thought of someone other than her cousin that she could fly with.
"Speaking of tours, we should start before it gets crowded in here" kara suggested. This was the perfect time before every hero active on that day reported back and the halls be filled.
"I believe we should. Kal, I'll walk with you" Diana stood up and joined Clark walking to the control rooms direction.
"I thought his name was Clark" Cate whispered to Kara who waved her hand dismissively towards the two of them.
"Kal El is his birth name but Diana is the only one who ever calls him that aside from Superman." She explained having come to the conclusion of them being best friends for sometime in order to do that. When not in the presence of other heroes they used their real names instead of their hero ones.
"Okaay…" explanation made sense to her but all else was pushed to the side when they entered the control room. She stared at the hero Kara had called Victor in his seat in front of the huge computer when she was introduced to him by Diana. Clark was typing away into the machine.
"Flash has been looking for you" Victor informed Clark who was rushing through the news channels incase there was an emergency.
"Is this about the bet?" Diana asked interested in the outcome of the result between Ben and Clark.
"What bet?" came from Kara and Cate. It was the first time his cousin was hearing of it.
"it's nothing Kara" Clark dismissed but Victor explained.
"It's about Superman here (gestured to the busy Clark) arm wrestling Ben."
Kara had a thoughtful look on her face, "incase one wants to place a bet, what is to be done?"
"I've sent you the link. Just tap into it." Victor instructed while Diana and Clark were currently looking at a report on the screen.
"Almerac was under attack?" Kara was surprised after quickly reading over the report.
"Whats almerac? Should we be worried?" Cate asked noticing the grim expressions on their faces. Victor's face was neutral having already gone over the report.
"Oh, it's a planet with a very annoying queen" Kara answered her. She had come to learn of Queen Maximas infatuation with her cousin from her female colleagues though had never met the royal. Probably kidnapped some innocent Prince from his home she thought.
"Yes. Hal sent in a report stating their arrival will be delayed as they have returned to OA." Victor spoke up. "the guardians want to investigate the invaders as they had no information on them prior to the invasion"
"Wasn't Ben with Hal? Did he help in stopping it?" Kara enquired hoping they were okay.
"Yes he did. They are expected back in the next 24 hours." Hal had informed Victor that.
"It seems the flash will have to wait" Clark chuckled knowing how impatient the speedster was.
"Why don't you show Cate around while I speak to Diana?" Clark suggested to his cousin "it will give you time to fill her in on the happenings"
"Who's Ben? I would like to place a wager as well" He heard Cate ask and comment before tuning out of their conversation.
"Hal has a theory the invaders are from another universe" Victor finally revealed to the two founding members "Batman is on his way"
"Inform the avengers to meet us in the boardroom. They may know something about them since they are also from another universe." Diana instructed "Don't mention the invasion to the rest of the league. We don't need them worrying about invasions right after the whole doomsday situation."
The Increased chatter in the tower indicated the heroes had started teleporting in to give their reports.
"I am headed to my room to change for the meeting" she informed Clark who had joined Victor at the monitor waiting for the avengers and the founding members to assemble. They had to get to the bottom of whatever was going on.
Undisclosed warehouse
Nightwing was covered in cuts and bruises from being tortured for hours on end. This was the time batman's training on perseverance and torture methods came in handy as he knew what to expect before the torture began.
After watching thefootage of doomsdays attack and defeat at the hands of the league, his kidnapper came back and tortured him for information regarding the avengers not knowing he was as clueless as they were when it came to that subject. Batman had not yet introduced nor explained their sudden arrival to him.
Loud shouts and groans of pain reverted his attention back to the present. Bane was being tortured for information on his new supplier. Aside from his jacked up steroids, he was actually a decent soldier who had not yet spoken a word.
Talk about code of silence in criminals he thought. Soon it would be his turn again in the chair.
Atleast the Bat's alive, he consoled himself after having found that out from his kidnapper who taunted him on his severe injuries. How he knew that was a mystery.
A shot rang out in the warehouse and from the sudden silence he knew Bane was no longer a matter of interest.
"Such a waste of potential" the kidnappers voice was heard walking towards nightwing. "if only he had what I needed."
"Yeah…well…we can't get what we want all the time" came his retort before groaning in pain at the stab wound inflicted upon him signalling another round of torture.
Breathing heavily with two stab wounds, Nightwing drifted in and out of consciousness due to the sheer pain he was feeling.
"Where are those heroes shacking up with the justice league from!?" the kidnapper asked pointing a gun to his head. This had gone on long enough and if this batman's sidekick did not have any answers for him then he would clean up and start again but with another subject from the very many options of human heroes he could pick from.
"Do what you must" nightwing spat back coughing. And spitting out blood on the floor.
"Figured as much" followed by a gun shot.