Justice Evolution: Episode 001.5 - Injustice For All

Justice Evolution Episode 001.1: Injustice For All is the one and the half episode of season one.

Metropolis
(Superman was in Lex Luthor's office which glowed a green lantern-like aura from the radiation of Green Kryptonite. Superman was on his back weakened from the radiation of the rock that was now resting in the hand of Lex Luthor. Lex Luthor was a healthy man in his early 30s. He had no sign of any hair and was pretty well built for a business man. He wore a custom made business suit complete with a white collar, a white shirt and tie with a gray vest. His shoes looked pretty normal to the untrained eye but they must have cost more then small car.)

Lex Luthor: So this is how it ends…You know, I've carried this for years waiting for just the right moment." (He showed the kryptonite in his hand feeling safe.) "But now that it's here, I almost feel a little… let down…almost" (he smirked watching Superman's anguish.) "Any last requests?"

Superman (Clark Kent): "Luthor… those weapons you sold to the terrorists… how did…"

Lex Luthor: How did I get them through customs? A gift here, a bribe there… When money talks people listen… like Staffros at the Shipping Company… or Schneider the Interpol agent that 'looked the other way. (Admitted Luthor never feeling his control weaver. In fact he was playing with the Kryptonite, rubbing it in Superman's face.)

Superman (Martian Manhunter): Sounds like you're going to have company in prison. (Returned Superman as strong as ever, shocking Luthor beyond belief that he could move, never mind stand straight. Lex rushed in front of him shocked at how the tables have turned, desperate to regain the upper hand. But even at arm reach the Kryptonite had no effect. Luthor's shock was now replaced by confusion)

Lex Luthor: It can't be! The Kryptonite…!?!

Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz): "Won't protect you any longer." Finished 'Superman' in a voice that was not his own. He started to change his shape until he became the Martian ManHunter, J'onn J'onnz.

Lex Luthor: "NOOO!"

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "You're usually more careful, Lex." (Spoke another voice. Luthor looked at the door and blocking the exit were Batman and Green Lantern.) "You slipped up..o."

Green Lantern (John Stewart): "And you're going down hard." (finished Green Lantern using his ring to pull the Kryptonite out of Luthor's hand and to Batman's who placed it in an isolated pocket on his belt.)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "Did you get it?" (asked Batman looking at a corner in the room.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "I can see it becoming a hit for prosecutors, judges, lawyers, and journalists and people everywhere." (Responded the voice. A figure fell from the dark ceiling revealing itself as Nightcrawler without his image ducer on, dressed in his X-Men suit. He revealed a tape recorder and pushed REWIND.) "(STOP) It's raining men! Alleluia it's raining men! Tonight…" came the voice. "EH? Whoops… (hehehe) must have gone too far back." (All heads turned to him with some with confusion, others with annoyance.)

All (Batman, Green Lantern, and Lex Luthor): Oh boy… (sighed the heroes and even Luthor except for Martian Manhunter until Nightcrawler found the right set).

Lex Luthor: (Recorded); "(STOP) 'How did I get them through customs?... A gift here a bribe there… When money talks people listen…(STOP).

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): and that's our latest hits for this month. (Batman pulled out a transmitter.)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): Mission accomplished. (The heroes advanced to take him in while Luthor took a step back and approached his desk.)

Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz): "So much for your image as the benevolent business man. This is the end of an era…"

Lex Luthor: "The end of your era, maybe." (Lex countered pulling out a remote, from his jacket, and pressing a button. A craft the size of a helicopter appeared outside and started firing lasers at the heroes who proceeded to dodge them. Lex got on the ship and fired two missiles at them to finish the job, destroying the whole floor. As he flew trying to get as much distance as possible between them, the debris from the explosion started pulsing until it flew everywhere revealing the heroes protected by Lantern's power.)

Green Lantern (John Stewart): "Why do they always run?"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner) "Because you make it too easy for them…(Then Nightcrawler saw how long his rocket's escaping the building in an instant as he looked at the destroyed office and gave placed his hands on his side.) "Wow, he sure can run when he really wants to..." (Meanwhile, having seen this coming, Superman appeared from a close building and gave chase. Two missiles flew out of the rocket, one he managed to avoid while the other hit him sending the hero down. The first missile was intercepted by Green Lantern creating a wall in which to detonate as to not hurt anyone. Luthor was confident; he managed to avoid capture and was now on his way to freedom when a horrible pain started to kick in and he found himself holding his chest and mid torso in pain.)

Lex Luthor: "Arggg…rggghhh!". (Thus the ship lost control and started to go down almost hitting the street had Superman not caught it just as it was about to crash. After stopping it from crashing, he picket it up and flew it to a safe location, but, opening the hatch, he found Luthor weak and in pain and still holding his chest and loosing consciousness.)

Watchtower
(Nightcrawler was in the Watchtower doing some light sparing with a stroll doll. He could only do so much, seeing as he could cause more damage to the station and the life support system, which Batman had warned him about. Turning to Superman he noticed him looking out the window at the Earth in thought about with guilt on his face.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Where are you looking!" (Nightcrawler approached Superman and asked…) "A cent for your thoughts."

Superman (Clark Kent): "Hmm? Oh nothing, just thinking about something."

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "You've been sitting here brooding like you just shot a dog. What's the matter? We can't have one of our best slipping?" (Superman sighed and turned back to the planet looking at it intently.)

Superman (Clark Kent): "It's Luthor. After I caught him, I took him to a doctor… because he let himself exposed to the Kryptonite for so many years, it caused a form of blood poisoning and now he is dying…"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "That's very unfortunate… of well 'live by the drug, die by the drug' isn't that what you people say?"

Superman (Clark Kent): "… he blames me for it…"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "…and you believe him?"

Superman (Clark Kent): "… I don't know. The Kryptonite is part of Krypton and I am Krypton. Maybe if it weren't for me, he might not have been this way..."

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "(Sign) listen, get over it… it wasn't your fault… the Universe doesn't revolve around Luthor and a lot more people owe their lives to you… we can't save everyone… and he did it with his own hand. You never forced the Kryptonite in his hand…"

'Maybe I did...'. Superman didn't look any better but inside he knew he was right... he shouldn't sulk on it too much longer…

Smallville
(As morning came in Smallville, Kansas, Kurt head for the extra credit newpaper article at Smallville High as Kara with the senior member Samantha Baxter saw him coming in showing them a set of photographs of Luthor)

Kurt Wagner (Nightcrawler): Behold!.... Miss Baxter, Kara! A capture of Lex Luthor, I call it... the End of an Era!

Samantha Baxter: Kurt....... This is wonderful, how did you manage to get this

Kurt Wagner (Nightcrawler): "I am a member of a fan group around the world… we help each other and sort of appreciate/idolize the superheroes. They snap pictures of any sighting they get or any important events that might have anything to do with the Justice League then post it or sends it to the rest. I know the guy that took the pictures in Metropolis and he was kind enough to make copies and send them to me…" (Samantha had a wary look on her face as she processed the information.)

Samantha Baxter: "That's brilliant, Kurt! All the news show these days get their videos from youtube and other video sharing sites. It was fate that our school met you! "

Kurt Wagner (Nightcrawler): Wonderbah! "Thank you, Miss Baxter!"

Samantha Baxter: "Oh please… don't call me 'Miss Baxter'… call me Sam."

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): Thanks, Sam! (Then as Sam was prepare to edit the picture into the newspapers she saw Kara was falling in love with Kurt)

Samantha Baxter: If you want to date the guy, why don't you ask him, Kara! (even though Kara stared confused at Sam, she realized that she was right)

Styker's Island
(Two days later at Styker's Luthor had been in prison for one day now and it was enough for him. It was night time and he was trying to sleep but his neighbor had another plan. He was listening to the opera. After reconfiguring an antenna he managed to send a video message to his neighbor who happened to be the Ultra-Humanite, a genius who managed to transfer his mind and personality into the body on an albino ape, now he had both the super intelligence and strength making him a very dangerous enemy.)

Lex Luthor: "Humanite! How can you stand that noise?"

Ultra Humanite: "Music is one of the few small pleasures I'm allowed in here, along with a few others. You should try the culture channel... It might improve your disposition."

Lex Luthor: "The only cure for my disposition is some freedom."

Ultra Humanite: "That's not what I hear…"

Lex Luthor: "…I need your help…and I can make it worth your time…"

Ultra Humanite: "What do I need with money?"

Lex Luthor: "Everyone needs money… the only question is 'how much?'." (Catching on… the Humanite formulated a plan. When the guards would come with the dinner tray, the next night he would shock them with an electric rug, he created, out of parts of the television, VCR and a computer he'd been allowed to have. It worked perfectly and soon he released Luthor. He and Humanite were on the run. They managed to scale the walls due to Humanite's strength and agility. They hotwired a van and made their way through the city, they noticed that all the police cars were already aware of their escape. Humanite having done his part didn't expect this but Luthor did, and he was no fool himself, he created a incendiary bomb out of parts and contraband in prison.)

Ultra Humanite: "What we need is a little diversion…" (Luthor opened a package he kept revealing the bomb, after setting the timer, he threw it at a building causing it to catch fire in a large explosion. Batman heard the news on the police frequency and had arrived at the sight to see the occupants were already being evacuated.)

Little Girl: "Daddy help!" (one girl at the top floor called from a window.)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "I need backup here. Fast!" (called Batman on his radio.)

Little Girl: "Ugaahh! (BOOM!)" (screamed someone behind him. Looking back he saw Nightcrawler teleported in front of him as he grabs him by the shoulder and part of the Batmobile as they teleported in the street of the building)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "How did you… never mind… we have a little girl on the top floor." (Batman stated, the girl was far more important now.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Got it."( Nightcrawler started crawling up on the side of the building fast avoiding hotspots. Batman used his grappling hock and pulled himself up the 5th floor. Nightcrawler having reached the floor first found the little girl in a fetal position in a corner, as she saw him, she wasn't afraid of him)

Little Girl: "I-I'm scared!"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Don't be…I promise it's going to be alright…" (Nightcrawler reassured her smiling and started running for the window but a section of the roof fell and blocked the exit. So they turned to the door and to the exit downstairs. Batman knocked down the flaming door and both were now at the 5th floor.)

Blond Woman: "SOMEONE HELP ME!"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "There's someone else here! Take her! I'll search…" (Nightcrawler gave the girl to Batman to take down stairs. Nightcrawler teleported in different location safe enough as he found the young woman screaming. Nightcrawler ran for her and found her a suport beam trapped her inside away from the exit, lifting it up with all his strength he called to her.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Come on!" (She crawled under the piece of burning lumber and followed him to the stairs. Batman ran as fast as he could with the little girl down the stairs. Luckily Nightcrawler's super speed away of the flamesas he reached the first floor. The roof above the stairs started to give and started to crumble. The building was old and the floor and stairs were made out of wood, he knew that they wouldn't be able to hold together much longer. Just as Batman reached the exit, the section of roof above the stairs fell apart bringing the stairs down with it in a blaze of fire.) Batman put the girl down having heard her father's call.

Trina: "Daddy!"

Trina's Father: "Trina…"

Trina: "That blue man is still inside!" (she remembered turning to the building everyone following her. Nightcrawler was now in real trouble. He was stuck on the 5th floor with the woman. If it was just him he could use his teleportation ability to get out of there with the woman. He decided that the only way to escape the building out now was through the roof. With the woman and him out of the building as the people were shocked at his appearance. The people were silent for a while before they started to jump in applause and cheers. Nightcrawler waved at them and turned to his teammates as the woman reunited with her daughter and husband.)

Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol): "Do you always have to make a show of everything?" shot Hawkgirl.

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "You know you like it when I do that." Beside, This is the first time people aren't desping me for saving a life! (They were just about to leave when Naruto felt someone pulling his tail.) "Hmm… what is it?" (He turned around and saw a little girl, Trina, looking behind her he saw the woman that he saved in the arms of a man, who he guessed was her husband. He bent down to her level; she had blond hair tied in a pigtail. She looked like she was worried about something.)

Trina: "Um… thank you for saving my mommy…" (she spoke before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his left cheek. After a while, she let go and looked at him. He smiled at her; she knew he did because how his face moved in the mask and how his eyes bent.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "You're very welcome." (He stood up again and petted the top of her head with his right hand making her smile.) "Take care of your mother for me, alright?"

Trina: "You got it!" (she ran back to her mother and father and hugged them. He turned around and saw the people who had smiles on their faces. He joined Batman and Hawkgirl and saw that Superman and Flash arrived and they too had smiles on their faces. He couldn't take the smiles they were giving him, feeling a little emberassed.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): Where is Luthor and Humanite?"

Superman (Clark Kent): "We couldn't pick up their trail…".

The Flash (Wally West): "No bigy it's just two guys, how much trouble can they cause us?"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Somehow I have a feeling that that's going to come back and haunt us…"

Metropolis Picture Store
(The next night, criminals were called for a job here. Soon Cheetah, a fusion between a woman and a cheetah came in, only to be welcomed by another mutant, Copperhead, this one was a combination of Human with a copperhead sneak with fangs and silted eyes. Both had a job and Copperhead tried to come on to Cheetah only to be scratched on the arm. He in turn hit her with his tail causing her to role and hit something. Turning around she was met with the side of a human-like person except that he was well beyond being human. He was a little over 2.5 meters tall, pale as a ghost, with a huge body that put the biggest weightlifter to shame, he had some teeth but they were yellow from decay and yellowish eyes. He tried to pet the 'kitty', but the said 'kitty' gave the giant a good scratch on the hand. The giant soon attacked both the 'kitty' and Copperhead and soon it turned to a full fight. It only lasted less then a minute as a slender man dressed in a all black body suit with a top hat, shades and carrying a magic cane that controls a form of dark energy stopped them. His name was Shade. A fifth person joined the group; this one was another woman named Star Sapphire. She was dressed in a suit similar to green lantern's only that the color was pink and instead of a full body suit, hers covered her midsection letting a portion of her legs to be see while the rest down to her feet were covered in dark pink long but flexible boots. Also she didn't were bracelets but she did wear gloves. Covering the top half of her face was a pink mask that went past her head and cut in a V, the bottom angle of which reached her scalp. She also had a long black hair similar to Diana's and her lips were covered in dark purple lipstick. On her mask was a jewel of sorts that seemed to be the source of her power. The power itself was very much like Green Lantern, as in she was able to control a pink energythat could take any shape, and by covering her whole body with it, she could use to fly. She flew down to the others and wasn't too impressed.)

Star Sapphire (Carol Ferris): "Uh… common criminals? Is this what I've been reduced to?"

Lex Luthor:"Criminals yes, but common... Most certainly not…" (responded Luthor coming down from the third floor in a damaged glass elevator with the Ultra Humanite.)

The Shade (Richard Swift): "Lex Luthor? Well… the plot thins…"

Lex Luthor: "Cheetah, Sapphire, Grundy I'm glad you could make it… and of course you all know the Ultra-Humanite."

Ultra Humanite: "Charmed…I'm sure."

Copperhead: "Cut the cortices Luthor! What do you want?"

Lex Luthor: "Each of you is the best in the world at what you do and I am in need of your unique services."

Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva): "My talents don't come cheaply."

Lex Luthor: "You'll be paid handsomely… if you can do one simple job…"

The Shade (Richard Swift): "What kind of job?"

Lex Luthor: "…destroy Superman and the Justice League…"

Watchtower
(Nightcrawler, Hawkgirl, Flash and Batman were on duty this time. Actually Batman wasn't on duty; they suspected that he was there to follow the developments of Luthor's escape. Flash, Nightcrawler and Hawkgirl were all playing poker on a table with Flash telling them about how he put the fire out. Nightcrawler leaned over and caught Flash's little story.)

The Flash (Wally West): "… and I had those flames out before the firemen even stepped off their trucks."

Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol): "That's fast…" (Hawkgirl responded. She took two cards.)

The Flash (Wally West): "Heh, fastest man alive." (Flash smiled. He took one card.)

Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol): "Which might explain why you can't get a date…"

The Flash (Wally West): "Yeah… heeeyy! What's that supposed to mean?"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Ohh, looks like you're too slow Flash…" (poked Nightcrawler.)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "Quiet." (Batman finally spoke stopping at a channel and turning the volume up. They got up from their seats, put their cards down and approached Batman.)

Metropolis News Reporter: "A dangerous hostage situation has developed here at the Federal building. So far the Ultra-Humanite has refused to speak with negotiators; a freak of science the Humanite is reportedly a genius who is also extremely dangerous… "

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "No 'biggie', right?" (muttered Batman getting up. Hawkgirl put her hands on her midsection and glared at Flash. Nightcrawler quickly jabbed Flash in the arm.)

The Flash (Wally West): "Aw… what was that for?" (asked Flash rubbing his arm.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "You jinxed us…" (They all went for the Javelin with Nightcrawler stopping to look at the cards. Hawkgirl had two pairs, Flash had three jacks and he had a full house.)

Metropolis Federal Building
(Humanite was still holding the hostage whenfor the Justice League arrived. Consisting of Batman, Nightcrawler, Superman and Green Lantern. Lantern made an energy field around Humanite's weapon and tugging it away, Superman went in and flew straight at Humanite in a spear, making him release the hostage and tacking the genius inside with him. While Superman was trying to punch Humanite out, Batman was checking on the hostage.)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "Look for other hostages!" (he suggested/ordered to Green Lantern and Nightcrawler.)

Green Lantern (John Stewart): "Right!" (answered Lantern while Nightcrawler nodded and ran inside.) "I'll take the left side…" (Lantern flew to the left side of the building on the first floor while Nightcrawler took the right.)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "You're safe now…"( Batman said to the hostage.)

"But you're not. Aaaggghh!" (She returned and lashed out quickly to scratch him. She revealed herself as Cheetah wearing a wig and an overcoat. Lantern heard the sound of another fight and before he could open the door. The door and the hinges were broken apart and Grundy attacked with fists punching hard. Nightcrawler didn't miss it either and just as he turned his head around, he bent over to the side avoiding a katana that nearly opened up to his throat. The sword was quickly pulled back. "(STJJ!)(STJJ!)" two cuts in form of an X appeared on the door before it was broken into pieces as a person jumped out and tried to cut Nightcrawler in half. he quickly pulled the katana and paired with the sword strikes, but couldn't avoid a hard kick to his chest that sent him skidding back into the main hall. Superman was immobilizing Humanite when he heard the sounds of a crash and saw John getting attacked by Grundy, then he looked up at the first floor and saw Nightcrawler getting up and jumped back to avoid a cut from a katana. Superman was distracted long enough to have someone shoot a ray of pink light in the back of his head knocking him out.)

Star Sapphire (Carol Ferris): "Surprised?" (Batman was fighting Cheetah and was on the defensive. He was almost bitten by Copperhead but the dark knight heard him coming and flipped him over his head. But the snake-man landed cleanly near Cheetah and both engaged the hero in a co-op fight. Nightcrawler pulled himself together and avoided another slash. He pulled his kunai back and looked at his opponent. He had a look to him wearing armor on all his muscles and a black body suit with a mask colored orange on the left and black on the right. He had a katana in his hands and was well built. The person winced slightly and finally spoke)

Unknown Villain: "Not bad… looks like there is some challenge here…"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Same to you",But first, "You got a name?"

Daethstroke: "Deathstroke… remember it… because it'll be the last name you hear..." (He returned with a hidden smile.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "You sound confident. I hope you have the moves to back up those words!" (both attacked in a burst of speed and agility. Meanwhile Superman was getting up only to be assaulted by a rampaging Grundy, who then used him like a punching bag. Luthor look happily at Superman's pain and smiled slyly.)

Lex Luthor: "I'm going to enjoy this…" (Grundy's fun was interrupted by Hawkgirl who burst through a window and hit him in the side with her energy mace sending him in a support column causing it to fall on him. Cheetah attacked Batman who only threw her over his head, but Copperhead attacked from behind and nearly hit the hero had Flash not intervened.)

The Flash (Wally West): "(Bumm!) Down, boy!" (said Flash punching the snake back. Cheetah attacked Batman again but was caught in Wonder Woman's lasso.)

Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva): "Let me… go!"

The Flash (Wally West): "Relax lady, this will all be over soon…" (commented Flash making a run for the stairs. Then Shade came out of the shadows)

The Shade (Richard Swift): "That's what you think…" (he used his stick to cover Flash entirely in dark energy and pushed him into a wall knocking him unconscious. Hawkgirl engaged Sapphire in an arial duel and was hitting her furiously with her mace but Sapphire's pink energy held out against the fury of attacks. Shade decided to assist her and used his cane to encase Hawkgirl in its energy using it to bring her down and suffocate her. Batman saw this and dashed at Shade giving him a high kick in the head making him drop his cane and loose control of his powers releasing Hawkgirl. Batman approached Hawkgirl to determine her state but was fired upon by Sapphire. He countered by throwing a batarang in her forehead making her misfire at a pipe above. The pipe fell off and nearly hit Diana had she not caught it, but, in the process, had to release Cheetah who ran away. Diana tried to run after her but was attacked by Sapphire and was now deflecting the shots with her bracelets. The fight went on and on with neither actually having an advantage over the other. Nightcrawler had a few cuts from Deathstroke but nothing serious but the assassin himself wasn't fairing any better, the hero managed to disarm him of his sword and now both were fighting hand to hand. Cheetah tried to attack Nightcrawler from behind but he teleported behind and flipped her aside.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Down kitty…". (Deathstoke was about to hit him again but was tackled to the ground by using his super speed and enhanced dark energy strength, giving him a hard elbow to his ribs. Nightcrawler looked around and noticed that Grundy was about to attack Diana when he jumped at him and gave him a dark energy kick in the head staggering him. Grundy tried to attack Nightcrawler again but when his fists came down, the ninja transformed into a puff of smoke surprising the undead man who looked around for him.

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "Aaagghhhh!" (roared Grundy looking for him. Finally an answer in the form of a big dark energy blast. "(Hisss)(BOOM!)" as the blast provided the perfect distraction as the zombie man raised his hands to his head and closed his eyes. he uses his super speed and teleportation to appeared from three different sides and kicked him with all their might in the air. He was met by the real one who spun until he was right above Grundy. He opened his form and pushed his legs down hitting the zombie right in the abs slamming him down hard into the floor.

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "AAAghhhh!" (Grundy groaned in pain as he was now in a small crater. Nightcrawler got up but he soon found himself dodging blasts of pink energy from the Star Sapphire. He kept dodging and dodging until he heard a roar. Turning around he noticed Grundy back to his feet and angry. He jumped away just in time because the zombie struck, breaking te floor where his feet were.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Damn, you're pretty durable, big guy. But can you take this?" (Nightcrawler jumped back a few feet and now held his hand to the side forming his trademark move. He ran at his opponent full speed avoiding his fists and launches a giany duo dark energy blast)

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "AAAHHH!" (Grundy felt something hit his abdomen, a pushing sensation like a huge strong punch and the twisting his skin and clothes until he was blasted back into a wall. Superman was fighting Humanite and was having a hard time immobilizing him as the ape kept countering his attacks. Batman engaged Luthor in a fight, trying to put this to an end. Luthor raised a gun at him but the dark knight tackled him to the ground and lifted him by his collar but was met with a head butt from Luthor followed by a punch in the jaw sending him back slightly. Luthor made a run for the gun and reached it but just as he was about to fire, one of Sapphire's rays was deflected by Diana and hit the platform he was standing making him fall to sure death.)

Ultra Humanite: "There goes our pay check…" (commented Humanite before jumping and catching Luthor before he hit the ground.) "I'd hate to see anything happen to you Lex." (He commented putting him down.)

Lex Luthor: "I'm sure…" (Batman watched from above not paying attention to his surrounding until...)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Ahhh!" (Copperhead took advantage of the situation sneaked up on him from behind and used the special fangs in his head piece to bite Batman poisoning him. He held on as best as he could but was hit by Lantern's ray slamming him into the wall behind him, knocking him unconscious. Superman tried to apprehend Luthor but Humanite got in his way and was not trying to hold him back but he had a very hard time.)

Ultra Humanite: "Luthor! They're too well organized! (Butzz!) Ahhh" (Humanite warned Luthor before getting a punch in the face. Lantern was using his ring to try to catch Shade but the magician's cane covered the energy and pushed it back.)

The Shade (Richard Swift): "Let me get us out of here. It's either that or prison again…" (Faced with the odds, Luthor had no choice and accepted the sour taste of defeat for now.)

Lex Luthor: "Alright! Do it!" (As soon as he agreed, Shade's darkness crept all over the building and outside covering everything in darkness. Lantern used his ring to clean the building but their opponents were gone.

Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol): "They're gone…" (Flash ran up the stairs to look around and found someone as he pointed at Copperhead.)

The Flash (Wally West): "Look! We still got one of them." (Superman flew up and saw Batman on the floor.)

Superman (Clark Kent): "But they got one of us…" he turned Batman and saw that he was sweating and breathing hard from the poison. (Nightcrawler jumped up and saw the dark knight.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Damn it!" (he punched the wall with enough force to leave behind a hole.)

Watchtower
(At the Watchtower, Batman was starting to wake from the effects of the venom. Waking up but still weaken, he could recognize Superman and J'onn by his bed.)

Superman (Clark Kent): "Welcome back. We were afraid we'd lost you."

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "Luthor and the others… what happened?

Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz): "They got away… all but Copperhead"!

Superman (Clark Kent): "I'm heading down to Stryker's to interrogate him."

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "Alright… let's go." returned Batman lifting himself off the bed.

Superman (Clark Kent): "No! You're staying here! That venom almost killed you"

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "So?"

Superman (Clark Kent): "So you're staying here!" (returned Superman lifting his index finger to make a point. Batman seethed in anger, although his face didn't show it. Shortly after, Superman left to search for Luthor leaving Batman and J'onn alone in the infirmary. But Batman wasn't the type of man that'd listen to reason, he got up in less then a minute and left the infirmary with J'onn following, vaguely knowing what Batman was thinking. Soon the dark knight was in front of a computer counsel tapping the keyboard like a master. He was searching for any equipment that Luthor could have smuggled and if he could make a connection to where his hideout could be.)

Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onnz):"You really should be resting…" (Batman remained silent and continued his work.) "… I know this must be hard for you… feeling vulnerable. You're the only one of us without special powers… But you don't need to prove yourself! You're a valued member of this team and we're only trying to…"

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "I'm taking a shuttle…" (said Batman, now on his feet and facing J'onn, his covered eyes daring J'onn to try something.) "Unless you want to try and stop me."

Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz): …' (thought the martion.) '…no.'

Metropolis Pictures Store
Lex Luthor: "'The best at what you do', WHAT WAS I THINKING?"

Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva): "We did everything we could"

Lex Luthor: "Did you? Did you fight like your lives depended on it! Did you fight to the last man!"

Deathstroke: "Huh… look around you Luthor… These people aren't assassins. Most of them didn't make their first kill."

Lex Luthor: "What about you! You were supposed to be one of the best but a mutant in a space-like suit mopped the floor with you!" (Deathstroke tightened the grip on his sword in anger.)

Deathstroke: "Watch your tongue Luthor!... or I might have step on it… I didn't loose to him, he ran away… the next time I fight him. I'm going to split him in half…"

Lex Luthor: "And the rest of you?"

The Shade (Richard Swift): "You get what you pay for, Luthor."

Lex Luthor: "Are you saying you want more money? THAT you want to be reworded for FAILURE? I ought to take the whole lot of you and…(guh!)" (Luthor didn't have time to finish, he found himself helpless with his neck in Grundy's arm two feet above the ground.)

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "and WHAT?" (dared Grundy tired of this scolding. Deathstroke pulled his sword flashing it. He planned to step in but decided to wait and see through.)

Lex Luthor: "Aghh, go ahead… kill me… you'll be saving from months of bedpans and feeding tubes, and you'll guarantee that none of you will get a penny from me..." (With no way around it, Grundy let him go with a quick)

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "you're crazy…" (The doors suddenly slammed open revealing the outline of a person.)

The Joker: "And what's wrong with that? It's done wonders for me." (Spoke the figure stepping in the light revealing the Joker. He was 6'3 feet tall man with green hair slicked back, his eyes were dark red with yellowish whites, with a full white face and black circles underneath his eyes and no visible eyebrows. He had a long pointed nose, yellowish teeth and dark red lips. All in all his face could freak any normal person out; add that with an insane ear to ear smile and you get an all expense paid trip to your therapist. He was dressed in purple tuxedo with two tails on his coat reaching his butt, with a flower in his left chest-pocket. Underneath the suit was a light green shirt with a purple bow tie. He outfit was complete with a pair of gray gloves over his hands and a pair of expensive shoes.)

Lex Luthor: Get out of here! (Joker moved closer and faked a pout)

The Joker: "Oh Lexy, I'm hurt! How could you have this little party without inviting me?" (said the Joker now with an airhorn in his hand a party hat on his head. If anything, Luthor was getting more annoyed.)

Lex Luthor: "It's not a party. Grundy, get rid of him!" (Grundy followed through but Joker stepped in and blew the airhorn which was actually a spray can full of gas. Taking one whip of the gas and Grundy chocked and fell face first on the floor in a heap. Disposing of the hat and can, Joker returned to the businessman.)

The Joker: "But seriously Lex, you need me."

Lex Luthor: "Like I need skin rash." (Then Joker played around with Luthor's collar before stepping forward and sitting on Grundy)

The Joker: "Maybe so, but I know something you don't know… I know how the bat thinks…"( finished Joker presenting the tracking device that had been planted on the leader's collar in their battle.)

(The next night, the night was quiet and clear; Batman recovered fully from the venom and was on the hunt. He followed the signal to the abandoned Metropolis Picture Store. He descended from the roof on his grappling hock on the top floor. He made his way to the edge of a rail; looking down two floors below him he found the injustice gang playing cards around a huge round table with a big spotlight above them. Cheetah, Shade and Sapphire were out with both women leaning on the table while Deathstroke was making holes in the table with a big army knife.)

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "How long we wait here?" (asked Grundy taking a card.)

Lex Luthor: "Patience Grundy, patience."

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "Grundy, not like waiting…" (Batman never saw it coming."(boom!)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): Arg!" (Joker sneaked up behind him and hit him in the side of the head with a heavy leather bag. Batman fell from the high and landed on the table hard breaking it in half and shocking most of the criminals.)

The Joker: "HahahahahahaHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" (Joker's maniac laugh sounded through the building, and rocks falling out of the bag he had hit Batman with. Meanwhile in Metropolis Federal Building of their battle looking for clue to where the Injustice Gang are)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): 'Hm… let's see, how can I find them?' (thought Nightcrawler looking at the site where he had thought the previous night.) 'They were here and then that darkness covered everything and they just vanished. Hmm' wondered the blond. 'Agaahh, I can't figure anything out for now… better take a break.' (Nightcrawler left the Federal building and decided to take a run up the wall to the top. 'Might as well train a little by jumping over these buildings… as he uses his super speed to surface or jump higher. Suddenly, Nightcrawler remembered Batman's condition and picked up his earpiece.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Watchtower? Watchtower this is Nightcrawler, J'onn can you hear me?"

J'onn J'onzz (Martian Manhunter): "This is the Watchtower, I hear you loud and clear, Nightcrawler."

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Hi, J'onn, what's the situation on Batman?"

J'onn J'onzz (Martian Manhunter): "The anti-venom worked, but Batman left soon after a small argument with Superman."

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Tell me all about it…" (said Nightcrawler as he crawls on a wall. J'onn told Nightcrawler what had happened.) "I see, I understand... alright J'onn… I think I will…" (Just then he felt almost tire, he suddenly starts teleporting to search.) "sorry, J'onn I have to leave… I got something." (Nightcrawler closed the com-link and ran for the location. Reaching there, he took a good look around the building. It was pretty big, abandoned and spacey. At this point, Nightcrawler could have done a lot of things. He could have called the Watchtower, he could have called the police, he could have busted in himself but doing a stake out was probably the most unusual one he could choose. The reason was that these people were different and for some reason they fascinated him… Day turned into night and while taking a bite out of his instant burger bomb, he noticed a lone figure jumping on the roof. As far as he knew, there was only one person with pointy ears and a black cape.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "He's good, for a normal human. He shouldn't be underestimated…" (Soon Nightcrawler heard all the commotion inside and rushed in the building breaking the door. He eyes caught sight of an unconscious Batman with the bad guys all around him.) 'I've got no choice now'. He made a shadow clone and left it outside.) "A mutant gotta do, what a mutant's gotta to do." (A quick nod was his response and he rushed for the door breaking it down.)

The Joker: "Heh, let's play…"

Lex Luthor: "Get him!" (Immediately Cheetah started to dash for him with her reflexes but Nightcrawler swiftly avoided her attacks. She went in for closer attacks but her hand was caught by Nightcrawler who threw her back in the group of criminals knocking down Shade. Sapphire saw her chance and started to fire blast after blast of energy.)

Star Sapphire (Carol Ferris): "Stay still darling; let me warm you up a little."

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Sorry, but if you turn the heat down, I might take you out to a movie."( Responded Nightcrawler as he crawls on walls to avoid getting hit. But one hit managed to connect to the wall he was jumping from causing him to loose his crawling. Nightcrawler fell on the ground but teleported himself up) "Just to be fair, I'm giving you guys one last chance to give up."

All: "Ahahahaahaha…" the criminals laughed hardly at the blond.

Lex Luthor: "Give up? You must be crazy… look around you… you're the one that should give up. "

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "If you mean that I'm outnumbered, then I can fix that problem. " (Nightcrawler uses his super speed and dark energy enhanced strength to punch and kick Grundy, Shade, Cheetah, and Sapphire several times as this slightly frighten Luthor). "Do you still think you got the advantage here?" (Neither responded, instead all sneered at the mutant and a wordless command was sent to each of them. Round II started…)

The Joker: "Bravo, bravo that was quite a show…" (the voice of the clown sounded in the whole room where was surprising.) "Here, have a prize…" (said the Joker from standing above Batman. The maniac pulled out a doll and threw it at the muatnt, before it hit the ground; it exploded in a mixture of poisonous gases. As it was spreading toward Nightcrawler as he began to sneeze)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "(Achooo)( achoo)(achoo!) Damn it…" (Nightcrawler jumped away coughing before he would die from the toxic gas but some effects started to take place. His eyes hurt and were watery. It felt hard to breath and that gave the giant Grundy enough time to close the distance between them and punch Nightcrawler hard in the head. The force of the punch sent him to a wall hard enogh to be cracking. Shadowman was now at their mercy as he felt unconscious…)

To be Continued

Watchtower
Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz): Batman, come in…please respond. Nightcrawler come in…(sigh) (J'onn was out of options. Just two hours ago he got a call from Nightcrawler saying that he found the criminals, but closed the communicator before indicating where said location was. Now, he could find neither Nightcrawler nor Batman and it was starting to make him worry.)

Wonder Woman (Diana Prince): Still no word?

Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz): No. We lost him. And we can't track the communicator, which means that either Kurt turned it off... or it was destroyed.

Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol): Typical teenagers. He runs off with a half-baked plan and leaves us in the dark.

Wonder Woman (Diana Prince): Nightcrawler is an experienced warrior, I'm sure he can handle the situation.

Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol): He seems pretty cocky to me…must come with the age. He is the youngest member.

Wonder Woman (Diana Prince): I agree that he is young. But his age doesn't mean that he can't handle himself on the field. The invaders, Aquaman and, from what Lantern told me, the Green Lanterns of Oa can vouch for him.

Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol): Look princess, where I came from I was a detective and I have enough experience busting kids his age that were driving hovercars, going to schools, picking up dates and having a good time with other women. You know what the difference is between those kids and kids on Earth? (Diana and J'onn thought about it and looked at her intently waiting for the answer.)

Wonder Woman (Diana Prince): "What?"

Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol): Legalized prostitution…and strict child protection. (Responded Hawkgirl getting an annoyed look from the Amazon princess, she considered prostitution one of the worst sins a fellow sister could do freely.) So you can see from my experiences where I stand with this! (Flash who had heard most of what Hawkgirl said, made himself known.)

The Flash (Wally West): "Yeah, that's pretty true, but how many 18 year old mutants do you know with teleporting, dark manipulation, levitation and super speed skills that can take on giant robots, do some hocus pocus with punches, crawling on walls, and can see in the dark, especially from a different earth? (asked the Flash getting a grumble from Hawkgirl.) Or is it because he's been kicking you butt since he…Ugh (Flash was interrupted by a mace to the head.)

Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol): It has nothing to do with that!

All (Martian Manhunter, Flash, and Wonder Woman): Yeah, right. (thought the rest of the group with puff.)

Wonder Woman (Diana Prince): Regardless, Nightcrawler hasn't given us any reason to doubt him as of yet. I'm sure whatever's got him tied up, he can handle…

Metropolis Picture Store
(Back at the Metropolis Picture Store, It had been a few hours since both Batman and Nightcrawler were capture and were both tied back to back in special metal restrains with a special neon light projecting a barrier around them. They were positioned in such a way that Batman's right side and Nightcrawler's left side were facing the entrance. Soon the Injustice gang entered with Joker leading the flock. He approached the still knocked out Batman and gave him a quick slap to wake him up.

The Joker: Wakey wakey, bats. (Batman came to with a grunt and recognized his long time nemesis.)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): Joker… I should have known you'd be in on this.

The Joker: Really! I've become so predictable? Heh. (Cried the criminal dramatically. He turned to Luthor and snapped.) You're not going to leave him like this! Are you!

Lex Luthor: Why?

The Joker: "Hello! He's still alive!"

Lex Luthor: "And he's going to stay that way until I say we don't need them anymore!" (Joker approached Luthor and put a hand around his shoulders.)

The Joker: "Lex, heh Lex. Listen to someone who knows…Don't wait…kill them now!" said the Joker whispering the last part and pointing at the gun on Luthor's shoulder strap.

Lex Luthor: You don't like my decisions? Then LEAVE!!!" (Luthor hiss at the shouldering Joker in the side. Joker grunt and took a step back.)

The Joker: ...and they say I'm 'crazy'… (Luthor turned around to the rest of the criminals and none looked too convinced by Luthor security measures, in fact with the exception of the Ultra-Humanite and Deathstroke, all of them were as stiff as attack dogs ready to pounce on the heroes like predators. Luthor's left eye began to twitch at the gravity of annoyance in the air, while Batman looked bored.)

Lex Luthor: WHAT! Those restraints are pure titanium, they'll never get loose, along with the mutant unable to teleport away. And the stasis field will prevent the Martian from locating them.

Batman (Bruce Wayne): Who is 'them'?

The Joker: Why yes… it seems that a little blue elf crashed our party. But it was a little too much for him… ahh kids today, too much television and computers" (spoke the Joker returning full force and turning to the screen) "Remember kids, too much television and computer is bad for you, so listen to uncle Joker and live! Ha, hahaha" Hahahahahaaha!!! (he finished in a hysterical laugh and both scared and confused the others in the room.) "I guess the Agony Toxin I gave him had a little too much kick… Hahahaha!" (laughed Joker looking at Batman trying to prey a reaction out of him. It was at this time that Nightcrawler started to mumble something.) That should be the effect now. Oohhh, come again? (asked Joker closing in and grinning as Nightcrawler started to mumble again but this time more loudly and he actually made coherent words.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): Ohh… d-don't… nooo…. (He spoke shifting slightly; this caused a significant boost of pride in the Joker.) …No… don't slurp it all… y-you… you have to… take it all… in your mouth… ahh… just like that… then you start to bite it all in… smell… taste… that's it… ahh… (spoke the mutant which caused varying expressions from everyone including Batman. All of them felt like a brick just hit their heads and while Cheetah had raised an eyebrow that started to twitch with a 'wtf' expression on her face, Sapphire's eyes were as wide as plates. Shade's placed his head down hiding a giggle that came to him, the expression was copied by Humanite after looking at Nightcrawler as though he were crazy. Deathstroke choose to palm his face while sighing. Luthor was the funniest; he all out slapped his face with an audible 'SMACK'. Joker continued to look at Nightcrawler with the same 'wtf' he kept all though the mumbling, while Batman was doing his best, and luckily for him succeeded, in keeping the laughter inside, although if he weren't in this situation and alone he would all out laugh to his heart's content. Nightcrawler just succeeded in making a fool out of the Joking Prince of Crime without even trying and in his sleep.)

Deathstroke (Slade): "The 'Agony Toxin' you say? Yeah, sounds to me like he's having the worst time of his life.

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): Uh… Grundy not get it.

The Shade (Richard Swift): Don't try to… you'll get too many ideas.

Lex Luthor: "What next?" (asked Luthor with a twitch.) "Are you just going to stand there and listen in? WAKE HIM UP!"

The Joker: "Wake up Elfey!"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): Uh- Uham? No I swear! I never touched your!…. (Nightcrawler woke up before stopping to look at his surroundings and then at the people at his left.) 'Oh great, after having a great dream about burger bombs, I wake up in a nightmare…' (Nightcrawler turned his head back to the person who woke him.)

The Joker: "Nice of you to join us… sleep well?"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Y-you…." (Said Nightcrawler narrowing his eyes.)

The Joker: "Me…"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): You….I don't know you. (Everyone in the room flat lined at Nightcrawler and nearly fell down.)

The Joker: How can you not know me!

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): Well, you're not the first white-faced-mascara-wearing-weird-eyed freak I meet. But man, you do top most of the weirdoes I've seen. (explained Nightcrawler casually getting an annoyed grunt from the Joker and a laugh from the others.) Then again, it looks like you found the right club. Hey Luthor how did you meet these guys? The internet? You guys meet on the same chatroom or what?

Lex Luthor: "That's none of your concern."

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Okay, but they just look like the homeliest bunch I've ever seen."

Lex Luthor: "Do you ever shut up?"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner):"No, not when I'm awake… "

The Joker: "Don't worry, we can solve that little detail quicker than you can scream for your life."(Muttered the Joker pointing his gun at Nightcrawler 's face. Then a sword appeared on Joker's gun pushing it to the side.)

Deathstroke (Slade): "He is only trying to stall for time and annoy you enough to make a mistake. A very desperate maneuver in a very desperate situation…"

Star Sapphire (Carol Ferris): "It's a pretty cheap plan if you ask me…"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "That costume and hairstyle of yours is even cheaper."

Star Sapphire (Carol Ferris): "Why, you little blue scum!" (Sapphire tried to get to him and make a hole of his face but was held back by Cheetah, Shade and Luthor.)

Lex Luthor: ENOUGH! Just ignore him! And if you say one more word, I can either gag you or break your vocal cords!

Batman (Bruce Wayne): Just be quiet.

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): Fine, I get it, I get it. No reason in entering a battle of wits with unarmed opponents…

Lex Luthor: (Sigh) Now, both of you must have a passkey or an access code I can use against your friends. Where is it?

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "Guess!" (replied Batman with a grin.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Whoops! Must have left it in my other cape…" (offered Nightcrawler. Note: Nightcrawler doesn't wear a cape.)

Lex Luthor: "Fine. Grundy open them." (Grundy appeared with Batman's belt and tried to force it open.)

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "Arggggghhh!" ( that is until he was hit by 1000 volts of electricity by the defence mechanism.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Sweet…" (intoned the mutant, with the light reflecting off his eyes.)

The Joker: "I told you." "Wanna go for door number 3?"

Lex Luthor: "Shut up! Sapphire, open the other one."(Now Sapphire was no fool, she saw first hand what Batman's belt could do, so she didn't take any chances. She used her powers to open Nightcrawler's belt and scatter the contents on the floor. some burger bomb wrappings, a bat communiator, and an U.S.B. with X-Men design on it. Most of the criminals breathed a sigh of relief because nothing they expected happened. Then Cheetah grabs the U.S.B. wondering herself)

Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva): What does this contain?

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): Nothing much, but if you want to see it's secrets, you won't be able to without a code first!

Ultra Humanite: I think I can be able to crack the code!

Lex Luthor: "Bring them upstairs, I'll take care of them… (said Luthor to Sapphire who proceeded to gather all the U.S,B. and bat communiator, puting them back in the belt before she used her powers to lift both the belts before she followed after Luthor. Soon she and everyone except for Grundy and Humanite were in the elevator.) Humanite, Grundy, watch them. (While Batman and Nightcrawler were both tied up and watched. Luthor tried to use his computer expertise and an advanced console with some scanning equipment to crack into the belt and search for his goal along with cracking the code on Nightcrawler's U.S.B.)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "Grundy, what is Luthor paying you for this?"

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "Money, lots of it."

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "As much as he is getting?" (asked Batman pointing at Humanite.)

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "I don't know…"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Well there you have it…"

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "What do you mean?"

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "Look at all you had to put up with, you should be getting more."

Ultra Humanite: "More then me? Preposterous…" (cut in Humanite taking a seat on the chair and reading a newspaper.)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): "Is it?"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "You're right, I mean, it's not like he is going to make it an equal share. Luthor is probably going to cut your pay the most…" (Grundy put two and two together and he started to growl angrily. Upstairs Luthor was trying to short-circuit the belt, while the downloading of the U.S.B.'s almost completed. The results started to appear in the form of small sparks followed by explosions from the belt.)

Star Sapphire (Carol Ferris): "Careful, just because you won't live to see old age doesn't mean we don't want to." (Their conversation was cut short when noises of a brawl started to sound from the stairs from bellow.)

Lex Luthor: "What was that?" (wondered Luthor out loud until he recognized the voices guessing what was happening.) "I should have known…" (The rest of the gang returned below in time to witness Grundy and Humanite fighting each other rolling around the floor.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Go Grundy!"

Ultra Humanite: "Unhand me! You worthless zombie!" (demanded Humanite completely ignoring Luthor and the rest.)

Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold): "Take…that…back!"

Deathstroke (Slade Willson): "Good help is so hard to find these days…" (taunted Deathstroke amused but refusing to show it. By this time, Luthor's right eye began to twitch uncontrollably.)

Lex Luthor: "STOP IT! RIGHT NOW!" (he barked. The order seemed to work since they both stopped with Grundy holding Humanite in a head lock. But one more bonk escaped him before he smiled like an idiot.) "You imbeciles are killing me faster than the Kryptonite!"

Both (Grundy and Humanite): Sorry! (Luthor approached both the heroes.)

Lex Luthor: You did this, didn't you! (Batman didn't flinch while Nightcrawler looked as innocent as possible.) Well it won't happen again. Cheetah! Take over here, if our guests cause any more trouble, shut them up!" (By the time Luthor returned to his Lab in the upper section, pain started coursing through his body. The stress was making it worse. Grundy, Sapphire and Shade saw this and were starting to whisper about getting paid before he died. They also didn't try to hide it very well, seeing how Luthor heard every word and sent them away. Left alone with Humanite, he was starting to think his options.)

Lex Luthor: "I can't give up now… I need to buy more time…Can't you help?"

Ultra Humanite: "Perhaps… but… it will cost extra." (Said the apeman considering possibilities, and getting a grunt from Luthor. There was no sentimentalism in crime.)

Stryker's Prison
(While this was happening, Superman and Flash were trying to interrogate Copperhead. But that proved to be a dead end. Everyone knew that Superman was practically a pacifist with weaker criminals. So, the criminal didn't even budge. Maybe it was the honor between criminals, or because he just wanted to be trouble, or because he was afraid of Luthor's wrath. Right now, Superman regretted not having either Batman or Nightcrawler along.)

Superman (Clark Kent): "Watchtower, this is Superman. Any word on Batman or Nightcrawler?"

Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz): "Negative, Superman. Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl have left to search any trail in the city. I'll call you if we find anything, over."

Metropolis Picture Store
Batman (Bruce Wayne): (Telepathy); "So, when is the backup coming?" (Asked Batman telepathically, but the mind talk actually came from Nightcrawler).

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): (Telepathy): "Wow, you… argh. You can speak telepathically? I had no idea."

Batman (Bruce Wayne): (Telepathy): "Actually, you're the one who's using telepathy. Since there's a lot of things you don't know about me, perhaps there isn't a lot about you I know or the limits of your powers. So when are the others coming?"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): (Telepathy); "What others?"

Batman (Bruce Wayne): (Telepathy); "You must have told the others that we were here before you got captured, right?"

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): (Telepathy); "Ahahaha (sigh nervously). No, I pretty much heard you were in trouble and busted the door in. Then I picked a fight with the others and that feminine looking guy got me with a smoke doll."

Batman (Bruce Wayne): (Telepathy); "Well, thanks a lot for your hard work, good job" (Returned the Batman with sarcasm getting a grunt from the mutant.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): (Telepathy); "You're lucky to be alive.

Batman (Bruce Wayne): (Telepathy); But coming here alone was stupid."

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): (Telepathy); "Look who's talking mister Teamwork. J'onn told me you had a pissing contest with Clark and you go off and get yourself caught. Yeah, never would have thought of that...".

Batman (Bruce Wayne): (Telepathy); "I can take care of myself." (Growled Batman low).

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): OH!!! Really!!!

Cheetah (Barabra Ann Minerva): "Hey! You two shut up!" (said Cheetah frustrated that they were, mostly Nightcrawler shouts a bit. She knew the entire time that they were talking telepathically but choose not to intervene. She soon discovered that she couldn't understand anything.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): "Well, what are we supposed to do?"

Cheetah (Barabra Ann Minerva): "Keep quiet and we will get along just fine. Get on my bad side, and I'll sink my claws in yours. (Cheetah hissed the exotic woman showing her claws. Ten minutes passed after while being bored and Nightcralwer was already getting tired.)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): Okay…this sucks. Hey kitty! What's your name?"

Cheetah (Barabra Ann Minerva): Why should I tell you?

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): You said you wanted to get along. I figured we could start with names.

Cheetah (Barabra Ann Minerva): Just Cheetah and you are?

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): I'd like to tell you my name but I like to keep things like that 'private'.

CHeetah (Barbara Ann Minerva): Huh, I can understand that…

Nightcralwer (Kurt Wagner): (Telepathy: That's strange, she looks like a cross between human and some catlike beast. Is this some kind of X-Gene?) (Nightcralwer obseve Cheetah from afar you could guess that she was wearing some kind of fur costume, but up close, said 'costume' gets more and more detailed until she actually looks like all the hair, fur and claws are coming out of her skin. Just as he hesitantly spoke to her)…were you born like this?

"If by 'like this' you mean like a freak of nature…then no, this is the result of my own actions." She answered not paying him much attention.

"'By your own actions'? You mean you choose to become like this?" asked Batman, he didn't know why he asked, he just found it intriguing. He remembered reading about something like this in his information network.

"Look who decided to join, I never took you for a listener." Shot the blond with a smirk.

Batman didn't respond but if he could he would look the young man in the eye and give him a glare that would make Mister Freeze crumble to snowflakes.

Cheetah only smirked but decided to answer their questions. In fact, she found it pleasant that someone actually wanted to hear her story. "Why are you so curious?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I wanted to know how you got to be like that... because I know some people who were born a little like you, because they were genetically born with abilities and in different shapes and sizes as they continue grow. So I wanted to know if maybe you were like them.

"Well, I don't know about that…but I became like this through science." Responded the feline.

"You mean through genetics, right?" said Batman.

"That's right…I used to be a scientist working on ways to enhance human capabilities with animal characteristics."

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): Why would you do something like that?

"We live in a rough world. My initial objective was to enhance the human immune system, because most animals have a natural resistance to human illness, I was hoping to give the world cures for cancer, HIV, diabetes. At first we were barely reaching any stage of research because changing a certain characteristic is basically rebuilding the human genome from scratch." Explained Cheetah.

"I think I get it…" responded the blond unsure.

Batman decided to clear his uncertainty. "The human genome is basically a blueprint of humans. In detail, the genome is different for every living human, but they share certain characteristics like the immune system, even though some are weaker than others, the basic concept is the same with some pros or cons like allergies." Answered Batman.

"Oh! I get it! It's like a forest…" offered the ninja.

"Huh?" deadpanned Cheetah.

"You know, a forest is made of tress with every three made of wood but still different from each other in shape or strength." Clarified the ninja with a grin under his mask.

He actually understood it like that? wondered both Cheetah and Batman with a confused look and annoyed frown respectively.

"So what happened?" asked the ninja again.

Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva): After some initial months of documentation and a year of tests and research we discovered that it was impossible to modify the immune system without affecting the other genes in the body. Simulations and animal tests resulted in the patient's life expectancy lowering... considerably but that was only the tip of the iceberg. There were a lot worse results than that.

"So you discovered that the answer wasn't in just modifying the immune system." Continued Batman.

Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva): That's right. For the patient to remain stable, it was necessary to modify certain characteristics of the human body so that it could adapt to the immune system, like glands in the brain or body for chemical secretion.

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): So? What happened?

Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva): My research opened whole new worlds with so much to do.

Batman (Bruce Wayne): But so little funding.

Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva): You know about that?

"You didn't have enough for research subjects…so you used yourself." Answered the hero.

Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva): The initial results proved promising with enhanced speed, strength, flexibility and senses. My immune system was boosted to superhuman levels. I reached peak human conditioning. I had unlocked a new stage of human evolution. (Cheetah spoke with enthusiasm and pride remembering the peak of her career. Nightcrawler and Batman looked intrigued as they followed her story, However Cheetah's smile disappeared a small tear fell from her eye.) Then... it started. Due to my experiments and changes my body could no longer produce the necessary hormones to continue natural human aging. The body is always changing, always. Your body is not the same as last year or last month or last week or yesterday. The transformation was slow and painful, all of my human body hair fell out getting replaced by this fur, my nails changed and became claw-like, and gradually my body became more like a cheetah, and as you can see, my spine extended into a tail. "(Cheetah spoke as she was moving her long tail over the men's faces. Just as Nightcrawler saw his own tail moving.)

Batman (Bruce Wayne): What happened next? (Nightcrawler looked very interested. Nightcrawler seeing the Batman's face, he knew what happened next but let her continue.)

Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva): I think you know. My 'condition' needed treatment, I wanted to regain my humanity, but power always wins over idealism, and my financiers were ready to do whatever it took to gain power. So instead of treatment, I was experimented on and analyzed like a lab rat. They wanted to know how to get all the pros, all the strength without the drawbacks. Heh, I literally became my own work. I couldn't take it anymore, I escaped and ran away. The project was closed and all evidence erased. My work, my life, gone... just like that. Maybe this is divine punishment, for trying to change the order of things, for trying to play God. (Both heroes were silent; they didn't know how to respond to that, but Nightcrawler nevertheless saw how cruel humanity in this earth can be when they're too corrupted or ignorant with power.) And now I'm a freak, a lesser human. My co-workers, financiers, even people I considered friends, all have abandoned me. I became an outcast. (Cheetah answered as she regretfully remembering the past. After hearing the abuse and treatment Cheetah was given, Nightcrawler shouts out as he grins his teeth/upper twin fangs in rage)

Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner): That…THAT IS STUPID!!! (His words caused Cheetah to turn her head in surprise. Of all the answers she didn't expect anything like this.) They were with you from the beginning. You worked together for the same ambition, the same cause and dream, and then they abandoned you like it never meant anything to them! To me, those people are less human then you'll ever be!

This surprised Cheetah, this man was very interesting; she never expected something like that coming from anyone. No one could see it, but even Batman was surprised, even he wasn't expecting anything like that, and for some reason he didn't feel like arguing with him, even for shouting it out. At that moment, the kid, no, the man behind him earned more respect.

Huh… what a strange kid…thought Batman with an invisible smirk.

Cheetah didn't know how to respond, her ears were glued to her head like a cat but her whole body felt like a cold shiver just went up her back. Just when she was about to answer the elevator opened and out came Humanite.

"Luthor sent me to relieve you…" said the genius.

"…okay." She answered, she felt relieved that she was saved from such a situation but just as she entered the lift, her eyes landed on the ninja, and she got a sense of melancholy.