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Flash was the first one to find out. Technically second, including Superman, but he didn't really count since he knew Batman pre-league.
It had been right after a long battle, with some new type of alien trying their shot at taking over the world. The Justice League had stopped them, of course, but only after a hard, intensive fight. It left the whole league exhausted, and wishing for nothing more than a good night's rest. Especially for the Flash, who had been given the oh so important job of running around the globe playing messenger as the rest of his team tried to shut down the alien transmitter jamming any and all electronic communications. Long story short, Flash was tired. He was tired, and sore, and a tad bit miffed that he hadn't seen any real action in over a week.
"Flash, Flash are you there?" Superman's voice came in through his communicator. The sudden noise made him jump, tripping over himself in the process. The collision was far from graceful, as he had still been running at mach speeds. “Flash! What just happened? Are you alright?”
He groaned, thanking his lucky stars that he’d been over dry land, and that the area surrounding him was relatively clear. Luckily his regeneration had prevented any serious injuries, but man did it hurt. He had left a pretty long skid mark in the ground too.
“Flash!!!” Superman’s voice dragged him back into reality.
“Y-Yeah, yeah I’m here, sorry.” He said, pushing himself off the ground and dusting off, “I tripped. You’re voice just popping up out of nowhere like that scared the living daylights out of me. Mind giving a guy a warning before you pull something like that? Geez!”
Superman sighed, "Sorry, I just wanted to call in to say that we've destroyed the transmitter. The alien mothership is already starting to retreat. Good job on keeping communications going. You did well."
Flash couldn't believe it. It almost sounded too good to be true. The war was over? Did that mean he could finally sleep? He turned, and was about to leave for home when Superman continued.
“But…”
Of course. Of course he wasn't done. He was never done. Why would he ever even hope for something that elusive.
“We haven't been able to locate all league members yet, specifically Batman. He’s not answering his com, and, while that isn't all that unusual, he went off alone a while back and nobody’s seen him since. Just try to find him and make sure he’s okay.”
Flash slumped. “Aww, come on Supe’s, really? You’ve had me running all week! And besides, this is Batman, Batman! The guy hates me!”
“Oh, come on. He doesn't hate you.”
“Oh, no, sorry, you’re right. Batman doesn't discriminate, he hates everyone equally. Can’t someone else do it? You’re fast right? I mean, not as fast as me, but still fast. What about Manhunter? Zatanna? B’wana Beast? Anyone?”
“Sorry Flash, everyone else is already on assignments either tracking down other members, or helping with the clean up, and I can't because I’m up here managing them all. Come on. It’s just this one, last, short job and you can go home.”
“Fffffffffffffffffffffffine.” He conceded.”
“Great! I’m sending his last known location to you now. Make sure to call when you find him. Good luck!”
Flash would have laughed if he hadn't wanted to cry. Short. Superman said it would be a short job. Yet, here Flash was, running around the continent for almost four hours trying to find him. At this point, he was ready to give up. If Batman really didn't want to be found, then he wouldn’t be. It was as simple as that. Flash’s finger was to his ear, right about to tell Superman he was heading home, when he heard it.
“W-Wally…”
The voice was weak, and hoarse, and was a different pitch than he was used to, but it was him. It had to be him. Because no one knew his identity. Know one except him. Batman knew everyone's after all.
“Bats!” He turned, spinning around as he tried to find him.
“D-Down… Down here.”
Flash froze. There he was. Lying face down under a pile of rubble, a large beam sticking straight out of his shoulder.
“Might need… bit of help.” Batman grunted, gritting his teeth as he tried to push himself up with his one good arm.
Now Flash really knew he was screwed. Not only was Batman, the invincible Batman, trapped helplessly under a slab of concrete, but he was asking for help, from the Flash no less.
“W-Woah! Bat’s, what happened?!?” Flash asked, zipping over to him.
“Earthquake.” He grunted, still trying to drag himself out. “Pushed some lady out of the way. Trapped.”
“Y-Yeah, I can see that, b-but I mean, what did they do to you? How did you, you of all people, get trapped under concrete?”
“Just… told you. Now You gonna… just stand there or… help.”
“O-Oh! Yeah right! Should I… um… take the pole out? Or—”
“No! Take… Take it out now and it’ll… bleed out. Just… focus on getting this off me.”
“S-Sure.”
Flash made quick work of clearing the debris off of him. It wasn't long before the last slab was gone and Batman was free.
“You should… call the league. Legs feel broken and… probably concussion, don't… Don't think I can walk out of here.”
“K-Kay, sure.” Flash stood, brushing some loose bits of rubble off before calling.
“Flash! Did you find him?” Superman answered from the other end.
“Y-Yeah, but he’s not doing so well. You're probably gonna have to beam us up. Is the transporter fixed yet?”
“No, but we can send a shuttle. Try to hold out until we get there.”
“Kay, will do.” Flash hung up.”They’re on their way.” He said, sitting down as he turned back to Batman, “But it might take them a while. Try to hold on ‘till they do.”
Batman didn't say anything, simply grunted his acknowledgment.
“Uh, hey, Bat’s? You, uh, you never did answer my question. How did you get trapped under there? The aliens didn't inject you with something, did they?”
Batman turned, looking a bit pale and confused, “What?”
“Well, I was just wondering ‘cause why didn't you just get yourself out?”
He blinked, “Because I… couldn't?”
“Look, I mean if you're embarrassed or whatever it's fine, but I’ve gotta know ‘cause Superman and myself and the rest of the league are in some serious trouble if the aliens have some sort of power nullification ray or serum or something. I mean they got you of all people!”
“Think I might… be in worse shape then I thought… don't really… understand what you’re asking.”
“Bat’s! You’re the freaking Batman! Why didn't you just faze, or smash it to pieces, or blow it up with your mind powers or something?”
Batman propped himself up on his good elbow, leaning in towards Flash. His eyes narrowed as he looked him up and down.
“U-Uh, Bat’s, that’s a bit too close for—”
“What have you been smoking?” Batman said, his face devoid of any and all emotion.
“W-What?!? Bat’s, I don’t—”
He leaned in closer, cutting him off again as his eyes narrowed further boring into him with every ounce of strength he had. “Flash! You are a member of the League of Justice. A founding member no less! Others look up to you as an example. You’re required to uphold any and all standards when it comes to the League. So I’ll ask you again. What. Have. You. Been. Smoking.”
“N-Nothing! Nothing I swear! For goodness sake, I don't even drink!”
Batman looked him over again. “You’re... telling the truth.”
“Yes! Of course I am, gosh!”
Batman grunted before leaning back, seemingly satisfied. “Then what the hell was all that about.”
“What was what about?”
“All that garbage about mind powers. You don't…” He paused, raising an eyebrow at him, “You don't seriously think I can do all of that… right?”
“M… Maybe?”
“My God Flash!!!” Batman yelled.
“Hey, language!”
“I... I don't even know how to respond to that! Explode things with my mind? Seriously? Seriously?!? How dumb can you possibly get? Every time, EVERY time that I think you’ve reached the absolute, positively lowest you can physically, mentally get, you prove me wrong. This even goes below the time you scared the postman half to death thinking he was me!”
“Hey! It was an honest guess! There were tons of clues pointing to him as your secret identity!”
“For Christ’s sake the man’s black Wally!”
“The term’s African American!”
“I don't give a damn!”
“Language!”
“Fuck you!”
The two sat in silence for a bit, quietly waiting until they could see a shuttle silently approaching in the distance.
“So… uh… Bat’s?” Flash asked.
“What.” He snapped.
“If you… If you… uh…”
“Spit it out.”
“What, what can you do?”
“What?”
“I mean, like, power wise. You’re a real secretive guy and all, so I’ll understand if you don't want to tell me, but, what exactly are your powers?”
Batman sat there, contemplating for a moment before he chuckled. It was a real, honest to goodness chuckle. From the Batman. The color drained from Flash’s face, as he saw his life flash before his eyes.
The last time Flash saw Batman chuckle was when Superman was trying to figure out whose holographic replica should have been the final boss in one of their new training courses. Superman had thought that his own was a better fit than Batman’s.
The argument had gotten so heated than Wonder Woman had to step in before someone got hurt or worse. It was eventually decided that the feud would be settile by a one on one duel. The League hadn't wanted the rest of its members to see one of the founders in any sort of negative light, so attendance was for founders only. At the start of the match, Superman had told Batman that he would go easy on him, and not to have any hard feelings when he lost. Batman didn't say anything, he just chuckled. Then the match began. Needless to say, Superman didn't question him again.
“I don't have any.”
Flash froze. Did he… Did he just hear that correctly? “W-What did you say?”
“I don't have powers. Don't need them either. I’m just an average, every day human being.”
“What?!?”
“Well,” Batman continued, not really paying Flash much attention, “I guess average is a bit of an understatement. I have training in more types of martial arts than some people can count, and am fluent in almost every major language in the world, including a handful of regional ones that probably won't ever have much use outside of their respective areas, I’ve got training in forensics, and went through the police academy before realizing it wasn't really my thing and leaving. I’m an expert tracker, a master escape artist, and I’ve got an IQ of over 190, so… yeah. Not exactly average, but I am still very human and very powerless. You don't need powers to be successful, you know. Green arrow certainly doesn't need them.”
Flash stood there gaping as the shuttle slowly started landing behind them. “B-But isn't Green Arrow supposed to be super rich or something?”
“Oh, yeah. And I’m loaded. Like way, way loaded. As in, payed for the entire watch tower and no one even noticed the money missing loaded.”
“W-Wait you what?!?”
“Well who do you think payed for the thing, Green Arrow?”
“W-Well… I don't know, maybe? I haven't really put much thought into it."
Batman groaned, rolling his eyes as two medical personnel hoisted him up and placed him on a stretcher. “Really? Really? If he payed for all of this, then why do you think he wasn't one of the founding members?”
“Well… I…”
Batman sighed. “Whatever."
Flash took a seat next to Batman's gurney and buckled in.
"Look, Flash, despite the… misunderstanding. I wanted to say… thanks.”
“What?”
“You’ve been working all week with little to no sleep. It can take its toll on people unused to it, hell, even I have problems with it from time to time.”
“Language.”
“Don't interrupt me when I’m speaking to you! Look,” he took a deep breath, “All I’m saying is, it couldn't have been easy, when Superman told you to go look for me. So, thanks.”
“How did you know…”
Batman smiled. That was the second time today. Flash didn't think he had been this lucky in all his life. “Mind powers.”
“Hey! Not funny!” Flash scolded, but he smiled anyway, closing his eyes as the shuttle took off. And as he drifted off to sleep, he got the feeling that maybe, just maybe, they all were a little bit more human than they let on.