Chapter 50 - The Talk - Part 6

Earth-Washington-Amanda Waller Residence

A car pulls into the driveway of a house belonging to a significant political figure in Washington and the leader of CADMUS. She parks the car, grabs her briefcase, and heads inside her home.

Once inside, she locks the door and turns on the lights, ready to relax after a tough day. The past few days have been filled with responding to one crisis after another.

Her team was initially formed to deal with superhuman individuals who declared themselves as heroes, with Superman being their main concern. This powerful man had become a problem for those in charge, as he was beyond their control. Politicians, both good and bad, worried about Superman disagreeing with their policies and paying them a visit. Despite his reputation as a hero, they saw him as a potential weapon that could destroy them if he turned against them. This fear led to the creation of CADMUS, aimed at controlling or neutralizing him and others like him.

Now, Amanda had to focus on other individuals like Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Cyborg who showed up during a recent invasion. They displayed great abilities, nearing Superman's level. She even researched Wonder Woman's history from old records. Additionally, she managed projects to develop ways to contend with Superman, this included dealing with stubborn scientists. She also had to handle fallout from an alien invasion. Her past few days were very busy and now, all she wanted was a hot shower and rest.

Just as she closed the door and turned towards the living room, she noticed an unexpected figure sitting on her sofa. The sight alarmed her, and she reached for her gun , but a batarang pinned her briefcase to the wall before she could grab it.

"Pleasure to meet you, Amanda Waller," Batman said calmly, rising from his seat and beginning to walk towards her.

"I can't say the same. I wasn't expecting the Bat of Gotham to visit me in Washington. What brings you here?" Amanda Waller responded, regaining her composure.

"We need to talk," Batman stated.

"About what? What could we possibly have to discuss?" Amanda retorted.

"About CADMUS. About your cloning and metagene experiments," Batman replied, narrowing his eyes and leaning in to emphasize his seriousness.

Amanda became alarmed at his words. "How does Batman know about classified information? Is there a leak? Who?" These questions echoed in her mind.

"Sorry, Batman, but I have no idea what you're talking about," Amanda replied, maintaining her poker face.

"Don't play games, Waller. I have evidence of your work. Stop those experiments immediately," Batman declared in a stern tone.

Upon hearing that he had evidence, and knowing Batman's reputation, Amanda Waller believed him and dropped her facade. Her voice echoed throughout the room, revealing her fury, "And who exactly are you to tell me to stop, Batman? Are you under the impression that you have the authority to make that decision? I answer to the President of the United States, not to a vigilante dressed in a bat costume."

Pausing for a breath she continued,"Yes, I'm aware you've fought alongside those 'heroes', but can they truly be trusted? You, at least, are a human like us. We know your methods and conduct, we have some semblance of trust in you, but they? They're walking, talking weapons. That Superman isn't even from our world. He's an ALIEN, for God's sake! He can fly, he's bulletproof, he can reduce buildings to rubble with his BARE HANDS. He might as well be a god. The only weakness we know of, Kryptonite, is a scarce resource."

Reaching till here her tone became icy,"So, tell me, BATMAN, why doesn't the thought of him walking around without a leash make your skin crawl? How would you deal with him if he were to take over this world? Or what if he were mind-controlled to assassinate the President? WHAT THEN, BATMAN? WHAT THEN?"

Batman listened to her tirade, his expression unreadable behind his mask. He understood her fear, her need for control. He himself had contingency plans for every member of the Justice League. It would be hypocritical of him to dismiss her concerns outright. However, what he could not accept was the current direction of Cadmus, the experimentation on, and cloning of lives.

With a calm, steady voice, Batman replied, "I understand your fears, Waller. I've considered the similar worst-case scenarios and have my own contingencies in place IF ever they become necessary. So, I am not against Cadmus preparing for such contingencies. BUT..." He leaned in closer, his tone turning frighteningly serious, sending chills down her spine. "Experimenting on lives...cloning lives...is CROSSING A LINE. Find other ways! Trust me they exist. Don't take the easy way out. If you continue down this path, be prepared for a visit from ALL the heroes."

With his stern warning given, Batman turned to leave. He had made his point, and now it was up to Amanda Waller to heed his words or face the consequences.

Batman vanished into the night, leaving Amanda Waller alone with her thoughts. She reflected on her work at CADMUS, which had drawn attention faster than expected, especially from Batman. The potential visit of the heroes, whose capabilities she knew all too well, was a threat she couldn't ignore.

Yet the question lingered: How had Batman discovered their experiments? Was there a leak within CADMUS? Waller dismissed the idea. She trusted her team—they were professionals, and she held leverage over most of them. The explanation had to be different. Batman was a master detective, so perhaps he had merely pieced together the clues. Regardless of his discovery method, CADMUS was now exposed. Moreover, he strongly suggested other potential solutions to handle Superman, he clearly knew something that she and her team didn't.

She grabbed her phone and dialed a familiar number. After two rings, someone answered. "We have a problem," she stated immediately. The person on the other end of the line remained quiet, waiting for her to elaborate. "Batman is aware of the experiments and claims to have proof. He's threatened to unleash all the heroes on us."

The silence at the other end of the line was intense. Waller knew the person on the other end was absorbing the information. After a seeming eternity, the voice finally responded, "We'll handle it, Waller. We always do."

Finishing the call, Waller felt a wave of unease. Batman's visit had changed the game. CADMUS was no longer in the shadows. They were under the spotlight and needed to prepare for whatever was to come.

Returning to the Batwing, Batman soared through Washington's airspace. Aware that Amanda Waller, may not heed his warning, he started strategizing. He recognized the importance of informing the Justice League about CADMUS.