Chapter 21: The Justice League and Avengers Join the Fray
Ding dong… ding dong…
Allen politely rang the doorbell of Wayne Manor.
Alfred, the ever-gentlemanly butler, answered the door with a refined demeanor. "Sir, the young master and the others have been expecting you."
Last night, as soon as Bruce returned home, he pulled up Allen's records from Arkham Asylum. The information was suspiciously sparse—almost as if Allen had materialized there out of thin air only recently. There were too many inconsistencies.
However, given their past acquaintance and the fact that Allen didn't seem to harbor ill intentions, Bruce chose not to investigate further. Besides, he had other pressing matters at hand.
"Alfred, this is my first visit, so I brought a little gift."
Allen pulled out a strawberry cake from his coat—something he had conveniently acquired along the way as free loot.
Alfred awkwardly but graciously accepted the cake, its box already crushed out of shape.
Wayne Manor was truly magnificent, designed in the style of an aristocratic European castle.
Led by Alfred, Allen took an elevator down into the Batcave.
By the time they arrived, Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin, Damian Wayne, and Batgirl were already waiting.
The Bat-Family had more members, but Bruce didn't think it necessary to summon everyone. After all, an escape from Arkham and Blackgate wasn't exactly a world-ending crisis.
Still holding a grudge from last night's embarrassment, Damian shot Allen a glare. Just thinking about that lukewarm burger he had tucked under his armpit made his stomach churn.
"Now that everyone's here, let's analyze Bruce's last known movements."
Nightwing removed his mask, revealing his sharp and handsome features. His real name was Dick Grayson, Bruce's legitimate ward.
Though he had since spread his wings and joined the Teen Titans, he still operated in another city as a crime-fighter.
By day, Dick worked as a police officer. This time, he had specifically taken a leave of absence to help.
Familiar with the system, he navigated the console and pulled up Bruce's tracking data, analyzing any useful clues.
"You guys go ahead. Let me know if you find anything."
Allen, utterly clueless when it came to encrypted Bat-tech, strolled around the Batcave instead.
Bruce was notoriously meticulous, so all the electronic systems in the Batcave were uniquely encrypted—even the keyboards were customized—to prevent unauthorized access.
"At 1:30 AM, Bruce's tracker showed multiple stops across Gotham's high-rises, each lasting between ten to thirty minutes. He must've found something important. Then, the signal disappeared at Wayne Tower…"
Dick traced the route and pinpointed the last suspicious location.
The problem?
Wayne Tower was Bruce's own building. That meant he had been abducted in his own home.
Just then, a notification popped up on the screen:
[Justice League is requesting a conference call…]
Everyone exchanged glances, hesitating. Normally, Bruce handled these meetings.
"Answer it. This might be important," Damian decided.
With Bruce absent, his son had the authority to make the call.
The video feed connected, displaying several familiar faces.
Superman. Wonder Woman. The Flash. Aquaman. Cyborg. Green Arrow. Green Lantern. Martian Manhunter. The core Justice League members.
"Bruce isn't here?" Clark asked, puzzled by the group of younger heroes.
"My fath—"
"I'm here."
Just as Damian was about to explain, a deep voice cut in.
A familiar Batman stepped forward, and Nightwing instinctively vacated the seat.
"What do you need?" Batman interlocked his fingers under his chin, his expression serious.
The Bat-Family subtly exhaled in relief. If Bruce was safe, then the situation wasn't as dire as they feared. They'd get the details later.
Clark kept the briefing concise. "We detected unusual energy fluctuations in the Southern Hemisphere. A magnetic field has formed over the Akania region. We're assembling a team to investigate."
"Sorry. I can't make it."
"Why not?" Clark frowned.
"I'm not feeling well. You know, men have those days too."
For a moment, not just the Justice League but the entire Bat-Family twitched.
A grown man complaining about that?
Wait…
Something was off.
Dick glanced around, realizing someone was missing.
He turned back to the seat—then it hit him.
That wasn't Bruce.
Allen had vanished.
And one of the Bat-suits was missing from the equipment rack.
Dick subtly leaned in, whispering, "Arkham and Blackgate inmates have escaped. We're occupied in Gotham. Bruce inhaled Joker's toxin and still hasn't fully recovered."
It was a rushed cover-up, but the League had no time to verify.
After all, Batman was just a regular human relying on gear. If he had been ambushed with Joker's gas, it made sense that he'd be incapacitated.
"Get some rest. We'll handle this mission without you," the League members nodded before disconnecting.
Only Green Arrow remained on the call.
"You're not Bruce."
Oliver and Bruce were brothers-in-arms. They had trained together in the League of Assassins. They had strategized side by side. They had even… courted the same women.
He knew Bruce too well.
"Green Arrow, I refuse to admit I'm Allen."
Allen crossed his arms with a smug grin.
"…Allen?"
Oliver pulled back his hood, eyes widening in shock. "You're alive?! I spent over a decade pulling every string I had to find you!"
"Why were you looking for me?" Allen narrowed his eyes. "I don't owe you money, do I?"
"..."
Yep. It was definitely him.
That insufferable attitude was unmistakable.
"Where's Bruce?" Oliver cut straight to the point.
Allen huffed. "Don't even mention it. He ran off with Catwoman, leaving me with five kids to take care of. Can you believe that?"
"..."
Did he even hear himself?
Bruce and Catwoman eloping?
And leaving him behind?
Nightwing finally interjected, explaining the real situation.
Oliver, while skeptical, didn't press the issue. He had his own crisis to handle—one affecting hundreds of thousands of lives. Gotham was already in capable hands.
As soon as the call ended, five pairs of furious eyes locked onto Allen.
Batgirl, Stephanie Brown, fumed. "So, we're just baggage to you, huh?"
"Oh, my dear children, you're all my precious little babies. Daddy would never abandon you," Allen teased, flashing a toothy, insufferable grin.
The five immediately brandished their weapons.
[Avengers requesting a conference call…]
Just as they were about to beat him senseless, another notification popped up.
Silence.
In recent years, the global surge of superheroes had led to the rise of two dominant factions—the Justice League and the Avengers. Their paths often crossed, sometimes as allies, sometimes as rivals.
The video connected.
Captain America's face appeared.
"Batsy, heard you guys ran into some trouble. Need backup?" Steve asked.
Allen froze—then grinned as he stepped forward.
"Listen up, you tight-assed old man. Who the hell are you calling 'Batsy'? I'll unbuckle my belt and give you a real taste of discipline."
As he started undoing his utility belt, the Bat-Family immediately lunged to stop him.
This was not getting past the censors.
The call abruptly cut off.
Meanwhile, in Avengers Tower, Steve sat frozen, eyes wide in horror.
Tony, adjusting his armor, raised an eyebrow. "What's with that face? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Steve slowly turned to him.
"Tony… I think I just saw your uncle."
Clang!
Tony's screwdriver slipped from his fingers.
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