"No he is not."
My support came from an unexpected place; Captain Atom. "I say we let him join."
The next person to agree was Batman, of all people. Was it something I said, or did?
"We'll discuss it with the rest of the league," he said. "But he has my vote."
"Same here," Green Arrow added.
"Considering his knowledge of us and what he may recall in the future, it may be unwise to turn him away," said Red Tornado, his robot voice sounding awfully like music.
Martian Manhunter spoke next. "Even without entering his mind, I can sense his distaste when he mentions The Light. If we can't trust his intentions, we can at least trust his dislike for them."
"The boy wanted to go into Cadmus alone," said Aquaman with a hint of disapproval, though that mellowed into the opposite with his continuing words. "I'd call that recklessness if he didn't come to us for guidance and tutelage."
That left Wonder Woman. She looked me in the eye and then at her colleagues. "That stunt with the lasso… it would've been a no from me if I wasn't certain it worked on you. What was that anyway?"
With one foot already in the door, I chased away the hesitation and spoke up. "It's one of the rewards. Nothing can interact with my mind without my permission. Same goes for my blood, hair, or any biological samples."
Their reaction was as expected. Wonder Woman took a moment before responding.
"That sounds awfully convenient," she said. "Whatever the case, my colleagues are right. It is unwise to leave you on your own with The Light out there. Powers or not, you've made it very clear the kind of means available to them and the lengths they'll go to."
"You won't get any complaints from me," I said and threw my hands up.
Was it pessimistic of me to think they'd refuse my request without any consideration? Maybe. But expecting the worst had saved me from a lot of disappointment and heartbreak, so I wasn't changing.
"We'll have a proper discussion later," Batman drew our attention. "Report here at 9:00 AM. The league will have a verdict by then," he said to me specifically.
I pulled back my sleeve and checked the time on the wrist computer. "9:00 AM tomorrow? Oh, it's already today."
"Before we leave," the Atlantean King said, "the details in your letter about Orm's betrayal were sparse. Are you sure he answers to The Light?"
It took a bit of thinking after his question, but the old noggin coughed up something. "What I remember, and this is in the future, is him wearing a set of purple armor while spying on a playdate in the Allen house… I think."
"He wanted to kill everyone there to get back at you and the League. Yeah, I remember now, Mera was there too, with your…" I paused and looked at him to see if it had already happened, and thankfully, I didn't need to finish that sentence.
"Point is, he was going to kill everyone there, but The Light didn't want that kinda heat from the league, so they decided he'd become a liability and had him… removed. Lady Shiva, who had joined them at that point, beheaded him."
Aquaman right now looked exactly how you would expect someone to react if you told him he'd soon be having a child and a dead brother all in one breath.
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry."
The king of earth's seas closed his eyes, inhaled and exhaled lightly. "Do not apologize. You are not at fault."
He turned to look at Batman and Manhunter. "I will require your help in ascertaining Orm's treachery."
They both nodded.
"Thank you," he said to them and then me. Wonder Woman gestured to her lasso after that and I let go. Things quickly dispersed after that. Green Arrow shook my hand and offered his thanks before following suit and leaving through the Zeta-Tube.
Soon, only Batman, Captain Atom and I remained, the nuclear hero expressing his surprisingly immense gratitude. I truly didn't expect this.
"I didn't get my family back, but my son no longer believes I'm a traitor and criminal."
"I'm just glad something good came from this. That bastard Eiling deserves worse than jail," I said, noticing how quickly his smile changed into a frown.
"The general got away. We don't know how."
Damn it. "The Light. It has to be them."
"Why would they help him?"
"I don't know, but one thing they don't do is turn away people or more accurately possible pawns. If you can make their goals more achievable by even a single percent, they will take anyone in, under their boot of course."
"Thank you once again," Captain Atom nodded and went for a final handshake. "See you in a few hours."
"Thank you for vouching for me."
"It's the least I could do."
While the computer read out the captain's designation as he departed, Batman approached me and I reached into one of my many pockets for a piece of paper. I unfolded it, skimmed the contents and held it out towards him.
"These are some of things I've been able to remember."
He grabbed the sheet, glanced at it for a few seconds and then folded it with a single hand before stuffing it somewhere on his utility belt.
'That thing has to be a bag of holding or something.'
"We're leaving."
"Okay."
I followed him to the Zeta-Tube and on the way there, passed by a door that led to a gym. This was the Hall of Justice. The weights here had to be rated for people with super strength right?
"Mike, you there?"
"I never left."
"I really wish I could go in there right now. Though asking if I can spend the night will make them more suspicious."
"Considering that your request to join them will be addressed today, the only problem with this situation is your patience, or rather, the lack of it."
"Tch. Don't get cheeky with me."
"I am an Artificial Intelligence. I have no idea how to be 'cheeky.'"
"Right. And I'm as pale as a jade beauty."
Our exchange was unfortunately cut short by the Justice League Computer System. "Recognized- Batman: 01. Elliot Rath: A03. Authorization- Batman 01."
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"This is Elliot Rath," Batman began the meeting and summoned a hologram with the subject's full body image.
"Yesterday at 11:37 PM, he showed up at the Wayne Manor, claiming he sent the letter we discussed one month ago. I immediately sent word, notifying the team and seeking assistance from a few key members in ascertaining the truth," Batman said, glancing over to Zatarra once he finished.
"It is as he says. Right now as we speak, all divination attempts I've made using different spells all point straight to this young man."
Wonder Woman picked up from where he left off. "I confirmed as much with my lasso, though his ability to refuse its potency worries me."
"Refuse it?" Black Canary asked.
"The boy claims he gets rewards for achieving significant undertakings, like a quest in a video game," Aquaman answered. "According to him, one of these abilities makes him immune to any subversive or controlling effects he does not approve of."
"That is accurate. I could sense his mind when I arrived at the manor yesterday, but it was closed off in a way I'd never seen," added Martian Manhunter.
"But he let you in?" Flash asked.
"Yes," the Martian responded, "and I corroborated everything Wonder Woman's lasso unveiled. He did not lie to us. Everything he told us about his origins, intentions and goals were true. Though on the subject of goals, there is a third one he chose not to reveal."
Hawkwoman spoke up, asking the question of almost everyone' minds. "Is he another plant for The Light? Do they know that their clone agent is free?"
"No," Martian Manhunter corrected. "He …detests The Light greatly. Any psychic worth their salt would sense this if he spoke about them in their presence."
The winged woman pressed on, unsatisfied with that answer. "Then what about this third goal? How can we let him join us if he's harboring secrets that might harm us?"
"I do not know what the goal is. I restricted my presence in his mind to the facts pertaining to his existence in our world and the claims he's made," Manhunter said. "What I do know, is that it is related to the things he expressly stated that he wants from us."
"Training and experience," Captain Atom and Green Arrow said at the same time.
Manhunter assented. "Yes, but let's not forget allies. To achieve this third goal, he believes his strength and intelligence are not enough."
"What goal could make a young guy like him seek us out and spill all his secrets?" Flash asked, earning a series of nods.
"Protection," Red Tornado said all of a sudden, drawing every eye in the room. "I believe he wants to be strong enough to protect himself and the world. He called his knowledge of the threats in this universe a curse, and mentioned that he planned to seek training elsewhere. The only reason he approached us was because he suddenly gained abilities and realised we could give him what he needed."
"So, he wants to lead the League some day, is that it? Pretty ballsy guy," said Captain Marvel.
"No. It's not about the League. I may not have intruded where I wasn't needed, but I sensed his stray thoughts and emotions when he asked if he was wrong to come to us. He was fully prepared to leave and find someone else. Whatever his plan is, it includes all of humanity."
"Why don't we just ask him?" Superman asked while looking around. "You did say he's been very forthcoming."
Hal Jordan spoke up next. "Where is he now?"
"Here," Batman said and changed the image in the hologram. Elliot's light effigy disappeared and a live feed of the gym in the Hall of Justice replaced it.
Clad in gray gym clothes, the subject of the conversation had come earlier than Batman stipulated and asked to use the equipment in their gym, citing the desire to test his limits. He'd been there for over 45 minutes now.
"Hmm, he's pretty strong," Captain Marvel gave his two scents when he made out the weight Elliot was bench pressing. He looked towards Batman, saying something that had been on most minds since the discussion began.
"What about you Bats? You've been awfully quiet."
"My stance on his addition to our ranks is clear. Meticulous investigations support J'onn's claim. He's been nothing but honest with us. Genetic testing and isotope analysis of his hair prove that he's only existed for two months, matching what he told us of his origins.
Analysis of this morning's questioning with multiple facial and behavioural algorithms provide the same results. Manhunter confirmed his mental age and Zatarra his spiritual one. If this is a scheme by The Light, then it is an overly elaborate one."
"Okay then. What's next?" asked John Stewart.
"Likely due to his knowledge about the future, he deduced that we'd be sending the team into Cadmus. He asked to be part of it, stating that he planned to go there anyway. As some league members have already pointed out, having him out there risks The Light becoming aware of him."
"I agree," said Hawkman. "Keeping him close is the right play."
"What if he turns out to be an enemy?" asked Wonder Woman.
The edge of Hawkman's lip perked up slightly as his eyes took on a savage glint. "Then we keep him closer."
No one present didn't know what the Thanagarian truly meant.
Batman changed the hologram's display back to Elliot's full body image and the voting began. "All those in favor of inducting Elliot Rath as a probationary member of the League," he said.
Every hand went up. "Aye!"
"All opposed?" Batman looked round the table, finding nothing but silence and calm stares.
"Then we are adjourned."
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Long past the disbelief stage at this point in my life, I scrolled through the screen of the datapad I'd just received, designs, blueprints, chemical formulas, theorems and a bunch of other miscellaneous things passing by in a blur.
Excited by finally getting an accurate reading on my physical strength, I'd settled into a comfortable but rhythm and intense workout session, hoping that I'd boost the gains from the spider bite even further.
Because I know Spider-Man did the same.
When I jumped onto the superpowered treadmill for the third time today to put my speed and endurance through more stress, a familiar notification popped up, informing me that I had joined the Justice League.
The brief moment of broken concentration made me slip, and at the speeds I was going, the treads launched me into a somersault, one I easily took control of to land on my feet.
Hoping that the cameras no doubt watching me had somehow gone on the fritz for this brief blundering moment, I held open an arm and the reward that nudged me incessantly dropped into my hands out of thin air.
That's where the datapad, an archive containing every scientific and technological development made in the Cyberpunk universe, came from. It was such a boon and also not at the same time.
I mean, this was DC. The tech level here exceeded that of the corporate-ruled hellscape by such a significant margin that it wasn't even fair to compare them.
Still, this datapad was priceless. My mind lit up like a Christmas tree when I thought of the synergies. Maker Affinity and the scientific knowledge alone was enough for me to take some time and reel in my emotions.
Miniaturization and Efficiency with the various cybernetics and technology actually froze my mind from the sheer amount of possibilities running around in my head.
Thankfully, I wasn't alone in this place. I heard someone clear their throat next to me and I blinked and looked up from where I was seated.
"Hey," I stood up and swept a glance at Batman, Wonder Woman, Manhunter, and Captain Atom. "Sorry if I didn't hear you. I got distracted."
"Did you get another message?" Batman asked in a way that suggested he already knew.
"Yes," I said and waved the tablet. "It's an archive of technology. I recognize the world it's from. It's less advanced than this one, but they have some interesting stuff worth exploring."
"We'll have a full debrief about your powers and these messages later," said the Bat. "We've discussed your request. There is one question you must answer before we go any further."
"Will this decide if I'm in or not?"
"It won't, but it will be further proof of your intentions."
"...Okay." I grabbed the offered lasso and it lit up.
"You said you want training, experience, and allies. What will you do when you have all three?"
Ahh that. "...Remember the other world I told you about, the one I chose instead of this one?" I asked and looked at the heroes. "There's an organization there called SHIELD. Think of them as a global peacekeeping force that handles not just mundane threats like terrorists, but also superpowered ones like hostile aliens.
They worked with their version of the Justice League, The Avengers, and any hero willing to work with them to find, fight, and contain anything that threatened humanity. I don't think I need to say the obvious. Nothing of the sort exists here, just you guys.
Not that you guys are bad or anything," I hastily added. "It's just that, if in some freak accident, through some insane plan, or at the hands of a powerful enemy you guys fall or subverted, earth would be left completely defenseless.
That's what I want to avoid. That's why I want to recreate SHIELD, or at least, something close to it."