To Kiss a God

Chapter Two: The Injustice League

Despite the high-tech bat-suit, getting thrown against a concrete wall still hurt like a bitch.

Cursing internally, Bruce barely had time to leap behind a stray car to avoid pulverization by hunk of concrete. Deciding that a direct assault on the rapidly growing massive green plant was proving impractical, he shot a cable upward toward a city building, letting his momentum carry him to the brick roof. Standing on the slated tiles, smoke ascending from the wreckage of downtown Metropolis, he took in the complete scene below.The creature continued to toss anything within it's grasp, the massive tendrils wrapping around a car and catapulting it at a building. As far as he could tell, the titanous plant, courtesy of Poison Ivy, was still growing. And even more disconcerting, the plant's growth rate was increasing.

From what he could discern, the Injustice League's strategy seemed to be more about preoccupying the available members versus causing any real damage. Which led Bruce to believe that it was the growth of the plant that was intended to cause the most harm. As he surveyed the scene below, neither Clark or Diana could be found. Immensely disconcerting considering they were perhaps the two most powerful members of the Justice League. Without at least one of them, he hesitated to say battle could be won.

He spotted Cyborg battling against the creature known as the Atomic Skull and Wotan from his perch. It was evident that despite Cyborg's capable equipment he was at a clear disadvantage. A fact he intended to change.

Swinging that down from the roof, he kicked the Atomic Skull unconscious with a swift roundhouse kick. Years of meditation and training executed perfectly.

"He was mine," yelled Cyborg preceding to blast Wotan away from some unfortunate civilians. He ignored him entirely. He ignored them entirely, there were bigger problems.

If the whole fight was intended to disorient the Justice League members, it was succeeding - chaos reigned supreme. It was hard to distinguish how many villains were present because of a nefarious green mist that was swirling around the blocks. The mist combined with the plant specimen made a coordinated attack on the Injustice League difficult and just impractical without Clark or Diana.

"Any word from either Superman or Wonder Women?" He inquired to Hal through his Communication device. There was static noise, followed by a cracking response,

"Diana's with me down on 5th Street but no sign of Clark." Bruce felt something in his chest tighten. Where was Clark? But at least one of the titans was present, they had a chance of winning now...

"Does she have idea where Clark is?" He heard a explosion through the earpiece. Smoke billowed up over a building on another street, the air becoming grey and hazy.

"No."

Where are you, Clark?

Slipping under a fallen beam, he shot a detonator on the plant and calculated that he would need to place at least three more to destroy the creature. His thoughts swayed from his task at hand. Clark may have been god-like in power and prowess but he was still fallible. He stealthily worked his way around the mammoth creation, planting two more detonators.

He was seconds from placing the last fuse when he was blown backward. Count Vertigo appearing before him followed by the Black Atom.

Flinging one of his batarangs toward the Black Atom and aiming a smoke bomb at the ground, he dived behind some rubble.

Only to hear the click of a gun being loaded as a sickly cackle sounded behind him.

It was a noise that haunted his nightmares just as persistently as his reality.

The Joker put the steel nozzle to his head, having moved around to face him. A perverse grin split over his scared lips, reminiscent of skull cracking.