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It's the end of the world, again, for the fourth time this month, there was no getting out of it; they needed all the help they could get. With a little trepidation Bruce actually made the call home for back up.
The Justice League didn't know about his kids, they didn't know about ANY of his kids. Batman was a myth for ages, no one outside of Gotham believed in him or his little bats. Bruce had been a vigilante in Gotham for about fifteen years before the Justice league was even formed. In the early days of the League there was no way he would have been comfortable revealing his children to people with such great powers, especially before he knew he could trust them. Now he had been thinking about introducing them…but it seems that he's only impulsive when it comes to adopting children, because he’d been dragging his feet on the decision for over a year.
“We need to call in anyone we can to help.” Wonder Woman addressed the gathered heroes. “Anyone that might be willing to fight for our planet, if you think the other Lanterns can get here quickly enough send out a call, Barry if you think your Rogues’ would help bring them in. We need every bit of manpower we can get.”
The grim faced heroes spent a few minutes contacting anyone they could, calling in favors and giving warnings to loved ones. Batman looked over the current plans they had to confront the invaders. There were many ways they could improve said plans, they would need to make a few adjustments to account for the skill sets that his family could bring to the fight. He was so lost in thought he didn’t notice everyone else was finished calling in their reinforcements. He also didn’t hear Hal joking to Barry that of course Spooky had no one to call because he was a ‘lone bat.’
The JLA gathered around Batman assuming he had a battle plan, they didn’t actually expect him to activate the communications system and start a call to his Bat Cave.
The younger bats were messing around in the cave when the call came in. The Bat-computer lit up with an incoming message from the Watchtower. All of the kids froze. B was already at the Watchtower so why is anyone calling the cave?
Jason hit Damian in the arm.
"I told you he would know that you broke the vase earlier."
"It's not my fault." Timmy said. Raising his hands to protest his innocence.
Cass rolled her eyes and hit the button to connect the call.
Batman’s face filled the screen. Cass could see that Bruce was troubled, maybe even afraid. She very rarely saw that expression on his face, unless one of them was in danger then it stayed there until it was clear that they were fine. She tilted her head a visual cue of curiosity that she tended to use when she didn’t feel like speaking.
“Earth is being invaded,” he began.
The play fighting in the background slowed to a halt. Damian slowly lowered the dagger aimed at Tim who Jason still had trapped in a headlock. Duke shimmered back into visibility with a bag of glitter poised to pour over Damian’s head.
“...we have two and a half hours before the Krimmal reach the outer limits of our engagement zone, in three hours we should be fully locked into battle. The Justice League does not have sufficient power to assure victory. Come to the Watchtower, within the hour so that we can go over the appropriate plans, call in the others.”
Bruce pulled up the video call feature on the watchtowers com unit. He started a call. Then another, then another, then another. He didn’t see the way that Hal stilled from his joking manner or the way that Superman looked surprised to see his hidden allies. He didn’t notice the way that Barry stilled at his matter-of-fact assessment of their chances on their own. He just did the hardest thing in the world for him and asked for help.
Dick Grayson was never one to hide in the shadows, he didn't like pretending he didn’t exist. He didn't like not meeting the Justice League just because his dad was paranoid. But he had his other siblings to think about so he obeyed. It didn't, however, stop him from meeting some of the other heroes on his own. Then he found out that the Flash had a mentee about his age, and well all bets were off. Dick made sure to run into them, while they were out on patrol. He may have been doing this for a longer time than both of them combined but that didn't mean that he wanted to continue doing it alone. He figured that maybe he and the younger mentees could form their own team, even if no one knew about his relationship to Batman.
Dick founded the Titans and worked with many of the Justice League’s younger proteges. He was sure not to be too familiar with Batman anytime they had to work together. His dad thought it would be safer if he didn’t appear connected to his hero persona. They had a long history of ignoring each other professionally by now which meant he was surprised to receive a call from the Watchtower when he was hanging out with the Titans.
Dick pulled up the call on the screen overriding the Mario Kart death-match he and the others were playing. Batman’s face filled the screen. Dick was pretty good at reading B’s micro expressions when he was wearing the cowl, whatever was happening was serious. B was worried. Worse than that B was showing that he was worried.
“...we have two and a half hours before the Krimmal reach the outer limits of our engagement zone, in three hours we should be fully locked into battle. The Justice League does not have sufficient power to assure victory. Come to the Watchtower, within the hour so that we can go over the appropriate plans, bring your team and anyone else you can get a hold of.”
The Titans looked at Nightwing in confusion.
“Was that Batman? How do you know Batman?”
“Everybody be ready to leave in fifteen we got a planet to protect.” Dick skillfully ignored the question, making a few calls of his own and suiting up.
Talia did not expect her beloved to contact her from his precious Watchtower. She knew he had built the orbiting base for him and the other heroes but she had never expected to receive a call from him while he was there. He didn’t often contact her at all, except for his bi-monthly heavily encrypted data drop that contained pictures of Damian, his art, his pets and an update on his education and what he was doing as Robin. It was a sweet but unnecessary gesture, for surely her beloved knew she had spies watching Damian at all times.
Fatherhood suited him. The beginnings of the great man she had known in the League had bloomed beautifully and suddenly like the rare desert flowers, when he started acquiring children. It was a shame that he didn’t think the two of them belonged together.
His face was more lined than she remembered; he looked tired. Maybe, that was just the grim message he had to share.
“...The Justice League does not have sufficient power to assure victory. Come to the Watchtower, within the hour so that we can go over the appropriate plans, bring your team and anyone else you can get a hold of.”
Apparently, Fatherhood had taught her beloved more than she thought, he had never asked for help before. He was almost worthy of her now, maybe there was still hope for them.
It was rare for Selina to have a chance to hang out with her friends. Ever since Harley and Pamela got together she just felt like a third wheel. But tonight was Girl’s night: wine, gossip, ice cream, and shitty romance movies. Needless to say Selina was pissed when the communicator B had made her carry started pinging with a message halfway through the first bottle.
“Uggh, honey why do you let him control you like this?” Harley moaned, annoyed with the interruption. “Didn’t you tell him it was Girl’s night?”
Selina went to her purse and pulled out the blasted thing to turn it off. Instead she accidentally accepted the call. Selina opened her mouth to tell off her sometimes lover but paused when she saw the tightness in his jaw. Something was wrong, something was very wrong.
“..The Justice League does not have sufficient power to assure victory. Come to the Watchtower, so that we can update you on the plans, bring the girls if they are willing.”
“Batsy asked for help? Pammy, say we can go. I want to hit something.” Harley bounced up and down clapping her hands in excitement. Pamela’s eyes followed her girlfriend's braless bouncing nodding her head. Harley of course took that as agreement and wriggled into her fighting clothes.
“Come on get ready, I want to smash stuff.” Harley picked up her hammer and faced the other two. “Oh, I bet Crocy would like to smash stuff too, and maybe Frosty would like to help.” Harley pulled her phone out and started dialing.
Batman had called for help. He knew it was necessary but he still didn’t like admitting he wasn’t good enough. He looked up at the other JLA members. He still didn’t notice the slight shock on their faces and instead asked who had confirmed they would be coming.
Barry was the first one to snap out of his daze.
“Captain Cold confirmed that he, Golden Glider and Heatwave would be there. He was going to reach out to the rest of his Rogues but he couldn’t say for sure if they would work with us.”
Batman nodded and pulled up a dossier on each of the mentioned ‘super-villains’ double checking their strengths to incorporate into his plan.
Wonder Woman was the next to report. “I was unable to get a hold of all of my sisters but one of them should be able to help us up here. The rest of the Amazons are willing to protect the earth if the battle reaches the surface.”
Batman nodded and pulled up two more dossies of Cassie Sandsmark and Donna Troy, he missed Diana’s look of surprise at him knowing the names of the two heroes she considered sisters.
Hal finally shook off his stupor and reported that none of the Lanterns would be able to reach them for four days, by which time the battle would probably already be decided. But they had turned this way anyway just in case they could make a difference. One by one the other Heros reported on their allies. Batman nodded and already had Dossiers on every single one of them, complete with strengths, weaknesses, common fighting moves and who would be potential good teammates for them.
Soon the Zeta tubes started announcing the arrival of their allies. By the time the room was filled there were hundreds of heroes and quite a few supervillains too. Barry looked overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people crammed into the meeting hall. He was standing next to Captain Cold's crew, his nephew was standing next to his own team in the opposite corner and he even thought that he’d seen his grandson running around somewhere.
Batman stood in front of the gathered mass with Superman and Wonder Woman flanking him. The Golden Trio of the JLA ready to guide them in their battle.
“The Krimmal reach the outer limits of our engagement zone in a little over 90 minutes. Nightwing I want your team to take charge of the south sector, Red Hood take the Outlaws and cover the north sector. Signal you and Red Robin will use his team to handle infiltration. Robin, you will coordinate with Talia’s League and direct them as you see fit, their job is to pick off stragglers and prevent any Krimmal from starting a nesting ground.”
“Shouldn’t the teams be under one of the Justice League members?” Green Arrow asked. Oliver and a few of the other Leaguers were beginning to look highly confused; who were these people that Batman was giving orders to and why were they team leaders.
Every single bat swiveled their heads and tilted them in unison to look at the Green Arrow in inquiry.
“That is sooo creepy.” Hal whimpered.
“I’m giving the best people the jobs; Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin and Robin can handle the pressure, they have teams they know well and they know my methods. I trust them to be able to handle their missions if their communications get cut off. You are part of my team, therefore would not make a good team leader, you have still not mastered the flexibility to rework a plan mid-battle and account for enemy movement at the same time. Each of them have met and acceded my standards for a leadership position.”
“Yep, the world really is ending if Batsy is handing out compliments.” Harley's bright voice rang out over the hushed crowd.
“Black Bat, I want you to coordinate the remaining Assassins, Deathstroke get your missions from her.” Bruce paused to receive a nod of acknowledgement from Deathstroke, Ravager and Renegade why Dick called them he would never know but their type of violence just might help. “Catwoman, you are in charge of the Gotham rogues, keep Harley on task. Spoiler take Barry and the Central City rogues and cause chaos.”
“Got it B-man” Steph nodded and moved over to the Flash and Captain Cold. “You the idea man?” she nodded a greeting to Cold, “we should talk after the briefing.”
“The rest of you are under my command like normal. Team Leaders check your missions and brief your teams. We have about an hour left, Speedsters make sure you eat and stock up on power-bars.”
“So how bad are we still screwed, B?” Red Robin slid up next to Batman and asked.
Batman said nothing, his face did not move an inch.
“Got it, getting more back-up, they will be here in like half an hour, tops.”
Batman did not relax, not one bit. Red Robin sent out a Code FM over his holo-glove with date time and coordinates.
Moments later a dozen blue portals opened in the meeting room. Each portal let out a Red Robin, well a Tim anyway and at least one other bat, some had just two or three bats but others had the full clan to help. Some even had siblings that the current clan hadn’t met yet, like Harper, Jarro, Helena or Terry. There were at least eight more Batmen, seven Nightwings, a few Talons, Spoilers, Batgirls, Red Hoods, at least one of every version of Robin, and even a Batwing.
“You called Spleen-less Wonder?” one of the Red Hood’s called out to Red Robin.
Batman lost a little of the tension in his eyes. This might not be the ‘End of the World’ after all.