CHAPTER 247

[Batman tried speaking up but could only make muffled grunt sounds as his lips were also sealed]

"Huh? I didn't quite catch that."  Ace let go of the non-contact restrictive grip he had over Batman's neck.

"I said, I don't kill." He clarified.

"Yeah, yeah. Your famous no-killing rule and all. But oh, you do have quite a lot of blood on your hands, Batsy." Ace pulled him through the air, just a bit closer to cover up the small distance between them but not too close.

"For example, each time Joker murdered the innocents, like children or a defenseless pregnant lady, or maybe some random dude just because he felt bored and short on entertainment. Whose hands do you think those bloods are on? Not his, but yours because you could have prevented all that if you had just ended the fucker a long time ago."

"You think the thought of that doesn't hunt me every time I put on the mask? But killing wouldn't solve anything as there's no going back from that."

"Of course it would. Well I've said my piece and have to go now before some other annoying fucker shows up." Letting go of Batman, he dropped to the floor as Ace began to float off it.

"This little task force of robots you've put together wouldn't end well, believe me." Batman squinted his eyes with a serious gaze upon hearing this. "Don't say I didn't warn you." Ace added before zapping off into the night sky.

Leaving behind Batman who clenched his fist in frustration, angry at his own powerlessness which caused him to be at the mercy of not only Ace but also Jamie.

Two robots made their way to him, the rocket boosters beneath their feet slowly turned off as they descended to the ground.

…

[Lex Luthor's POV]

With the privilege of being a billionaire, Lex was alone with a visitor at the Warden's office. Mercy had come to pay him a visit as they discussed means of going forward once he is released from jail, when they got sidetracked by the news on Gotham City that evening.

"Ace the Tyrant seems to be a bone in the neck of the Justice League. Have we been able to make contact with him yet?" Lex asked Mercy, clearly interested in making Ace one of his meta-minions, or at least an expendable pawn.

"No sir, he seems to disappear from every scene he makes an appearance." She replied.

"Ask around, use our network and connections to find him, someone must know something and could lead us to him." He instructed as he poured himself a glass of red wine, which he drank at the Warden's office whenever he was in the mood for a drink.

Lex walked over to the window and peeked through it, peeping at the empty courtyard as he watched the guards patrol.

"Yes sir, but I don't think Ace would be willing to work under anyone but himself. He sees himself to be above others and does as he fancies, that's how he got the name Tyrant after all." 

With a sudden turn, he looked back at Mercy as he replied.

"Don't you think I've thought that over?" Lex asked, taking a sip from his glass as he continued. "Everyone has a price, find out what he's might be and give it to him in exchange for his cooperation when I need it."

"I know that. But sometimes you are so blinded with how smart you are that you have no regard for how another person thinks or feels." She replied.

"Imagine having someone who's powerful enough to stand up to the Justice League, under my control. Someone who's strong enough to stand his own against overwhelming League members." He spoke as if impressed by how much of a free spirit Ace was, almost jealous even.

"Give me an update on the ongoing project, I would likely work towards a shorter sentence depending on how this project goes."

"Everything is proceeding smoothly as planned."

"Tell Professor Ivo to pick up the pace with the project, I might be out of here sooner than planned." His instructions were followed with a dubious smirk before taking another sip of wine. "If he brings up any sort of excuses, you know how to motivate him."

"Of course." 

…

[THE LEAGUE'S HOME BASE AT WASHINTON DC]

The League Tower was somber, the usual air of quiet confidence replaced by a palpable tension. Batman, Green Lantern' Wonder Woman, Cyborg, and Nightwing had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Ace and Jamie, and the weight of their failure was evident.

The rhythmic clanking of metal against metal echoed through Cyborg's workshop. He stood in the center, stripped to his core frame, his mini android army bustling around him, repairing damaged circuits and replacing shattered components. His face was a mask of concentration, but there was an undercurrent of frustration in his eyes.

Cyborg muttered to himself, "How did he manage to evade my attacks so easily? Ace could have killed me if he actually wanted to, I need to get stronger. After the incident with Darksied, I knew I was no match for him but he made it so vividly clear this time around."

While deep in thought, he got flashes from the time Ace deflected his own plasma beam at him and it exploded upon impact with his shield.

Before he got the chance to brace himself, Ace already had him held up high in the air with his telekinesis, and then ripped off not only Cyborg's robotic arm, but also his leg this time around.

One of his mini androids beeped in agreement, its tiny hands working diligently on a particularly damaged section of Cyborg's arm, rebuilding his laser blaster.

While at Wonder Woman's quarters, Diana paced back and forth, her eyes blazing with anger. The room, usually a sanctuary of calm, was now filled with the tense energy of her frustration. She clenched her fists, her Amazonian pride wounded deeply by her defeat in the hands of Ace.

"To be once again bested by the likes of Ace," she spat, her voice low and spiteful, yet with a touch of intrigue. It was very rare to see a man who could beat her in a fight, 'Too bad he is on the wrong side of the law, I would very much like to see what he looks like beneath that mask.' She thought to herself.

She stopped and took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging within her. She knew she needed to understand the motives of their opponents better, not just for her pride, but for the safety of the League.

That begged the question. Why was Ace and and the unknown man fighting against each other at first, then came together to fight off the league later on?

She pondered on the question but was unable to come up with an answer.

As everyone tended to themselves, Batman sat in the medical bay, meticulously patching himself up. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, replaying the fight against Jamie over and over. He was bruised and battered, but his mind was sharper than ever, replaying the eveing.

Nightwing entered the room, his own injuries evident but secondary to the concern etched on his face. "Bruce, what do we do now?"

Batman looked up, his eyes hard and calculating. "We underestimated them, Dick. Ace was always a wildcard, but other dude...He was something else, and that's saying a lot for someone I've never heard of. He took us both on, solo, and won. That's not something we can ignore."

Nightwing nodded, frustration mingling with determination. "I've never seen anything like it. He fought with a precision and power that was...unnatural."

Batman sighed, leaning back slightly. "Ace's power is almost a given, but other's skills and abilities were unexpected. We need to gather more intel on their motives and why they were fighting themselves but still acted friendly with each other. We can't afford another miscalculation."

Nightwing's face morphed into a more serious expression, crossing his arms. "Where do we start, Bruce?"

Batman's eyes narrowed, his mind already racing ahead. "We start by finding out everything we can about this guy. Background, abilities, weaknesses. Ace's unpredictability is a given, but we have nothing on the other. We need to understand who he is and what his relationship is with Ace."

"They were just having a fight against one another and causing that much damage to Gotham, I can't imagine what horrors would have happened if they actually wanted to cause harm to the city on purpose." Dick shook his head, refusing to imagine such an horrific scene for Gotham City.

"That is why as we work on a plan to subdue Ace and the other, we shouldn't instigate them by any sort of reckless actions."

Unable to hold the thought, Nightwing spoke out loud. "If only Superman was on earth and could join us in that fight, we would have definitely gotten the upper hand and brought one of them into custody."

"He had more pressing matters to attend to. Either way, what's done is done." Batman replied, squinting his eyes a little as he did so.

The atmosphere in the League Tower was heavy, a stark contrast to the usual camaraderie and sense of invincibility. Every member felt the sting of defeat, the bruising of their pride, and the urgent need to regroup and reassess. The tower, a symbol of their strength and unity, now felt like a fortress under siege, its defenders wounded and wary.

As the night wore on, the League members each dealt with their defeat in their own way. Cyborg continued his repairs, his mind working as furiously as his hands. Wonder Woman trained relentlessly, each strike of her sword a vow to never be caught off guard again. 

Batman dived into his research, tunnel visioned at the monitors in front of him. While all that went on, Green Lantarn was nowhere to be found.