Chapter Text
Below the earth of an abandoned and barren embassy, a gathering began in a cave.
It began small—two misfits and oddballs by any standard of the day, but once before they had been known as Justice League International!
Standing by the towering monitors within the cave base was Batman, the Dark Knight. His arms crossed as he looked broodingly at the glowing screens. He was contemplating the files laid out across the multi-screen display, each with names and faces attached to them.
At Batman’s side was one of his closest and, indeed, one of his oldest friends. Towering even above the costumed Batman, his own suit reflective of the monitors’ blue glow, was Booster Gold, the Greatest Hero You’ve Never Heard Of!
Once a disgraced football player from the twenty-sixth century, Michael Carter made the courageous… or perhaps foolish, decision to return to the twenty-first century to become a superhero and gain his fame and fortune!
Years have gone by, and the man who was once decried as only being in it for himself became what no one might have expected… a hero. A leader. A friend.
These two old allies have been brought back together, years after the disbanding of the team they were once on. It was not for football night or to catch up on old times.
No.
An old foe, Maxwell Lord, returned from the dead, bringing with him all of their secrets. To combat him, the unlikely friends decided to do what many would say was impossible -- or, more likely, just inadvisable.
They are going to reform…
THE JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL.
Booster squinted some, his feet heavier on the ground than usual. He leaned in, as if the giant computer screen in front of him wasn’t flashing the logo at him already.
Somewhat uncharacteristically, Batman sat crookedly in his chair, shoulders turned enough to stare at Booster expectantly. He was waiting for a reaction.
“No fucking shit,” Booster finally got out of his system.
“Language, Michael,” Batman warned. He then waited again, but Booster had no intention of speaking out of turn. There were turns.
Sometimes Booster felt like he was still in grade school around Bats.
“It’s a solid plan. Our history with the League and the League’s unique relationship with Max Lord makes us not only the most likely to understand the gravity of this situation, but also places us and those closest to us in the position of being prime targets for whatever plans Max has next,” Batman said clearly. Then, for emphasis, adds, “It’s a good plan. If we execute it correctly.
Booster couldn’t look away from the logo of his charter team, the League that literally made him the man, the hero he was. It felt different, seeing it in its flashy colors and group tested font years later.
Maxwell Lord’s physical powers might have been that of psychic control and persuasion, but Booster felt his real superpowers were in tainting every memory that used to make Booster happy.
“You want the people who were most affected by Max, who were most influenced by Max to make his first run at controlling superheroes, to come back together, willingly, and put everything they love on the line for it,” Booster said for clarification. He ripped his gaze from the screen to stare at Batman directly.When he was still barely in his twenties, he would have been far too intimidated to do so. “And they’ll do this after watching me and the others fall flat on our asses trying this for months. For what?”
Batman scowled. But that was not exactly a new expression. He always scowled.
“Because it’s the right thing to do,” Batman said decisively.
His frown tugging down in the corners, Booster folded his arms and glanced around the compound again. It was barren and cold, already looking abandoned after less than seventy-two hours since their failed mission with Max.
“That’s not enough for people,” Booster urged. “You can’t expect someone to keep getting up when they’ve never even smelled victory before.”
“You’ve done well,” Batman said evenly.
It was Booster’s turn to scowl as he snapped his head back in Batman’s direction. “Hardy har.”
“I’m being serious,” Batman said almost soothingly. “When did you become such a pessimist?”
Booster stared daggers at the cowl. Unbelievable.
“So what can I tell people that’ll change their minds?” Booster asked, half curious and half mocking. “Max kicked my ass—again —and then posted a verbal victory lap on Viewtube that has been seen over four hundred million times already. You expect any of the rest of the League to not be some of those views?”
“Tell them the truth, Michael,” Batman said, a little more testily. He turned his chair to square himself with Booster directly. “Say it’s time for them to step up the way your team has since Brightest Day. How could anyone possibly say no to that?”
Booster dragged his hands down his face. It was going to be a rough recruitment drive.
“You know I only joined that team because Lord literally mind-controlled me into it, right?” Helena Bertinelli, better known as Huntress, looked at Booster Gold over the coffee he had brought her in a vain attempt to try to win her over.[1]
“That’s why you should join us in fighting him!” Booster flashed his million-dollar-grin at her.
She shook her head. “I appreciate you thinking of me, but I’ve already got a team. I don’t exactly have time for another right now, especially one where I’d have to deal with him.”
“I don’t know, I think I’d like to see you try to strangle him again.”[2]
She smiled, almost fondly. “Don’t let Batman hear you joking about that.”
Booster frowned. “Joking. Sure.”
“Have you considered retiring?” Buddy Baker, part-time stuntman and full-time family man asked. It was clearly a leading question. Probably one that would lead to a negative answer.
“Not really,” Booster said, brushing the crumbs off his jacket as easily as he did the question. “Guess you’re not interested in leaving California even for the weekends.”
“You always say it’s for the weekends, but I miss all my kids’ soccer games all the same,” Buddy countered. “And I’m not trying to corner you, Booster, I’m saying, it might be easier for you to let things go if you’ve got other stuff to worry about. Like what’s outside of the suit.”
“Outside of the suit there’s still a lot of people that can get hurt by whatever Max’s next move is,” Booster said firmly. “Including kids at soccer games. I thought you, of all people, knew that.”
The words were out quicker than Booster’s sense could catch up and before he knew it, Buddy was glaring at him in a rather unfriendly fashion. There was a pain like a wounded animal behind Buddy’s gaze.
“Friendly advice,” Buddy said. “Don’t attempt to lecture me about the price of this job. Not anymore.”[3]
“Oookay?” Booster asked, wondering if he should have checked the news. He paused but Buddy made no moves to fill the silence. So Booster got up to let himself out. “Right.”
“Look, it’s not that I don’t get it,” Wally West, the Fastest Man Alive, Probably, He and Barry Allen Haven’t Exactly Settled That Yet, said. “It’s just—with the twins and Barry being back and everything—things are busy.”[4]
“And the League,” Booster said
“And the League,” Wally agreed. “You know, it’s not a slight, Booster. I’m only on the reserve list, anyways.”
“Isn’t it? You hear how the rest of them talked about us. Everyone always writing us off. Saying we were a joke. We had a Martian Manhunter, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Power Girl, Captain Marvel, and Black Canary on our team. We went toe-to-toe with Doomsday, and half of our team nearly died in the process. We were the only team that took into consideration that half of us had bills to pay because not everyone was a billionaire, and gave us a stipend.
“A stipend that came from Max,” Wally pointed out.
“And the U.N.! We were helping heal the world from Cold War tensions, dealing with international incidents, and nuclear war!” Booster’s voice was getting louder, and he knew it. “But everyone chooses to forget that part, don’t they? They’d rather think about the time that-that Ted and I pretended to get our bodies scrambled by the teleporter, rather than admit we built something.”
“I loved being on the JLI, Booster,” Wally said. “But… I’m not the kid I was when I was on that team.” He shrugged. “I moved on. And maybe if I didn’t have as much going on... but I’m kind of a stay-at-home dad right now. To twins. With superspeed.”
“Got it,” Booster said, fighting to keep the scowl off his face. “I’ll see you around.”
He punched the wall, then he punched the lockers, then he punched the chair.
“Are you through?” Batman said from the other side of the chair.
Booster nearly leaped out of his skin. “You’re still here?”
“I am,” Batman said, turning the chair around. “I’ve been working.”
“Okay, well while you were working, I”ve learned that I can’t stand anyone I thought I knew,” Booster snapped back.
“That’s not true,” Batman responded. “You still like Guy Gardner. Which means your tolerance for sane, reasonable people must be higher than most.”
“Well,” Booster said, pointing at the list on the computer, “Maybe we should put Guy higher up than everyone else on this list. Because they all suck.”
“Can I call you ‘Ray’ in public?” Booster asked after using Ray for the fifteenth time since they rounded the school’s field. He got distracted, briefly, by the college players as they practiced on the tackle dummies.
“It’s my name, Booster,” Ray “The Ray” Terrill offered back, picking up some footballs to place in the bin. One escaped with some effort. “Can you grab that?”
“It’s also your other name. You might want to think that through,” Booster offered, bending over and grabbing the football in one hand. It fit like an old glove. He was quick to put it back where it belonged.
“Yeah, it’s like I was seventeen when I decided to join an internationally sanctioned team of superheroes or something,” Ray said pointedly. “Which, I was only for about three minutes. Really. I’ve been on almost every team for about three minutes.” He looked seriously at Booster. “It’s not my fight, Booster.” He paused. “Ever think of going by a name other than Booster?”
Booster frowned. “Nope.”
“I’m flattered, Booster, but the Birds of Prey are keeping me busy,” Dinah said.[5]
“Is it true you’re in a band now? I heard you’re in a band.”
Dinah Lance, the Black Canary, who had been on the JLI even before Booster was, shook her head and smiled.
“Barbara and I are working on expanding operations. We’re recruiting. Miss Martian, Vixen, and that Rocket girl from Dakota. Not to mention all of our reserve contacts to keep in touch with like Question, Zatanna, Ice and Fire. Plus, Helena and myself, of course.” She took a sip from her drink.
“Reserves?” Booster repeated, tense. Bea and Tora hadn’t said anything to him about joining the Birds of Prey
“Well, Beatriz says the two of them need to keep themselves mostly free for… well, you. And the League.”
Part of Booster relaxed when she said that.
“Besides. After everything that’s happened lately... I really have too much on my plate.”
Oh right, her ex was in jail, pending trial for murder. [6]
“I guess,” he said, grudgingly.
“Look, I—I know we haven’t seen each other much since everything went down. But I just want to say… I’m sorry about Ted.”
Booster nodded briefly, his body immediately tense. “Yeah.”
He left pretty quickly after that.
“Batman didn’t tell you I was already on the Outsiders?[7] I feel like Batman should’ve told you. So I guess that means he wouldn’t. Good ol’ nocturnal sociopath,” Rex said as good naturedly as someone who, well, looked like Rex Mason could say.
“What does Batman have to do with any of it?” Booster asked, poking around the expensive looking ornaments in the Stagg Estate. “This is about bringing the League back together.”
“Please,” Rex said sympathetically. “This has Batman written all over it.”
“It doesn’t have to, it could be my idea,” Booster said. He hardened his face before looking at Rex again. “Could you think of anyone more ready to go after Max than me?”
Rex frowned. “That’s Batman, alright,” he sighed. “I’m already on the Outsiders, Booster. If you guys really need Metamorpho for something, just tell Batman to call me over.”
Booster wasn’t even sure which part annoyed him when he walked out. He decided to go with all of it.
“I left the team at the beginning,”[8] Doctor Kimiyo Hoshi said, not even looking up from her microscope. There was a lot of commotion that she was not paying attention to. Maybe it was just like that in S.T.A.R. Labs. So Booster ignored it, too.
“I know,” Booster admitted, hand to his chin as he awkwardly stood in costume behind her.
“I left when you and him joined,” Kimiyo reminded him. “That never settled right with me. And I am always right.”
Calling it a sting didn’t even begin to address it. “We could use your judgment along with your skills,” he offered instead. “It can only be a positive to have someone around who could see through max from the beginning.”
Turning around, Kimiyo was stone-faced. “I have survived being a hero this long by seeing bad ideas and avoiding them,” she said solemnly. “This will be a bad idea. And I encourage you to rethink it.”
Booster didn’t, but he did rethink who should be on the old JLI Christmas Card list.
Booster kicked the door on his way in and immediately leaped back on one foot because it turned out that of course Batman lined everything with lead.
“Goddammit!” Booster hissed, like his day hadn’t been long enough.
Batman didn’t have the decency to turn around. “Language.”
“Sorry,” Booster said. He stomped his stubbed foot down, still throbbing. “Actually, I’m not. Since when were you such a stickler for language? Mister I’m the Goddamn Batman—”
“I’m reinforcing good habits in you,” Batman said. “Like not giving up. Get back out there.”
“Those were fun times,” Kent Nelson, the seemingly eternal agent of the Lords of Order, said fondly. He looked to his wife and partner in sorcery, Inza, beside him. “They were an adventurous bunch. I’m certain you remember.”
“Certainly,” Inza said, leaning forward and pouring fresh tea into Booster’s cup. “Of course, they were also chaotic times. The Gray Man. Manga Khan.”
The Tower of Fate was upside down that day and trying to drink tea on the ceiling, Booster decided, was nausea inducing. He tried politely, but the moment his lips touched the cup, the tea obeyed gravity and began pouring out through the tower below them. Booster grimaced.
“The important thing,” He said, putting the teacup back on the table, “is that the League still stands for things. And the people who were a part of it still stand for things. Which means it’s their responsibility—our responsibility—to set things right.”
Kent and Inza seemed contemplative, considering. Booster raised his eyebrows curiously and leaned forward in his chair.
Looking at Inza, Kent’s demeanor changed. “They were chaotic times, Inza, I believe you were right. Why, Nabu took human form himself. That business with the unfortunate mind control happened.”
Booster squirmed uncomfortably. He did as much as he could to not think about Queen Bee and her machinations.
What it did to Ted.
“Not all chaotic, my love,” Inza countered, her own demeanor shifted to a more peaceful and pleasant one. “Why, the joys of taking the helm on myself are quite fond for me.”
Rubbing at his temples, Booster looked at the couple. “I’m afraid I’ve got a commitment. Is there any way I could come back soon and get an answer from you? After you’ve thought about it, of course.”
The two stared at each other meaningfully, clasped hands, and then looked back to Booster.
“The answer is no, Booster Gold. We are sorry,” Kent offered. “The new Doctor Fate[9] requires training and support. We cannot so easily leave our great-nephew at this critical time in his power’s development.”
“You should come by anyway,” Inza added. “This is a place of healing. And you have many trials ahead of you.”
“Sure,” Booster grunted, heading back on unsteady ground from where he came. “One of them is trying to find someone for the team,” he muttered under his breath.
“Is this really your first time in Fawcett?” Mary Marvel asked, back in her brilliant red costume and its yellow bolt shining.
It had been a long time since she looked like herself again. Booster was happy for her, even if there was still something off.
“Well, it’s always been kept so clean and pristine without anybody outside of your bunch having to step in,” Booster argued. “A League could use that kind of energy.”
Mary tested her skirt’s length. “Booster Gold, I don’t think Fawcett is clean and safe because of me. I’m still so new at this. Fawcett has just been blessed with the Marvel family.”
Booster frowned, his brow crinkling in confusion. “You’ve always been good. You were a great addition to the League.
It was Mary’s turn to look confused. “The League? Like the Justice League? Me?”[10]
Scratching at his head, Booster looked at her more than a little bewildered. Uncertain of what to say to that, Booster rubbed at his nose then glanced off. Fawcett City really was a beautiful place. A wholesome place. A very strange place.
“Where’s the Captain?” he asked.
“Rock of Eternity,” Mary answered. “He’s concerned about the Sins… concerned about Adam… concerned about the rest of us in the family.”
“Lots to be concerned about these days, kid,” Booster agreed. He held open his arms invitingly. “How about you guys let me know if there’s anything I can do to help?”
He let out a huff as she collided into him, with super speed, hugging him tight enough to bruise. Mary’s face wasn’t visible, instead buried into Booster’s chest.
“You’re the only adult that makes sense sometimes, you know that?” she asked.
Well, Booster supposed there was a first for everything.
“I must admit, after what’s happened the last time I was near Maxwell Lord, I can’t imagine it would end well for anyone if I were to be near him again,” Superman said, hovering just enough above to be eclipsing the sunlight.[11]
There was one part of Booster which wanted to say fair enough , but that part has always been easily drowned out by other parts. Especially around Superman. “What? Don’t think you’ll be able to hold him off this time?”
It’s worth it for the grimace that cracks Superman’s stoicism. “Listen, I even came here as a favor—”
“Superman,” Lois Lane said pointedly from Booster’s side. She was holding her jacket close to her as the wind whipped at them.
Booster was so used to heights he’d barely noticed how harsh the winds were at the top of the Daily Planet. He thought maybe Superman should offer his cape if he was so great of a guy—then he refocused. He was there for a reason.
“We need people,” Booster tried again.
“I can’t be one of them,” Superman reiterated, slightly more genuine.
“Then why see me at all?” Booster asked in frustration. He looked back to Lois, since she offered the setup to begin with, but she wasn’t looking at him.
“I know how you’re feeling right now,” Lois said, so softly Booster wondered if he was supposed to be hearing it at all. “I am, too. It’s just… don’t you remember how he felt about them? How much he liked them?”
“Feels, ” Superman corrected, equally as low. “ Likes. And I do. But that’s not worth the risk. It’ll be more than just the two of us probably by the time he gets back. We need to consider that.”
“Okay,” Lois said, unconvinced, heartbroken. Her hand was precariously placed over her abdomen.[12]
Booster glanced a few more times between them before cartoonishly walking backwards and out of their direct path. He truly was invading on something and, despite his fair bit of Superman trivia by that point in time policing, he had no idea what.
Sitting down with a thud, Booster sent the computer chair spinning.
“You should do this,” Booster said. “Who says no to Batman?”
“You’d be surprised,” Batman answered.
Booster squinted at him. “Why are you in the corner hiding in the shadows?”
“You looked like you needed the chair,” Batman answered without answering anything at all.
“I understand your reasoning, Michael,” Wonder Woman said. “Max Lord truly is one of the greatest threats we have ever faced.”
“You’re the only one who’s ever really beaten him,” Booster said.[13]
“Did I? Or did I simply cause Brother Eye to unleash all of its power in an attempt to avenge him?” Diana shrugged. “I do not regret what I did. But it was not as clean of a victory as we might like.”
“He’ll be coming after you. He already has.”
“Yes.” Diana looked thoughtful. “And I will always be available should you need help. But… there are some responsibilities that must take precedence. There is something wrong with Themyscira and an illness is gripping my people.[14] My family has stretched itself thin, and I’ve neglected my role as their support in lieu of my work for the world. I owe my family this, as you owe your family your full attention at this time.” She smiled. “As you said once, I was not truly one of you. But I am honored for your inclusion and your invitation.”
She touched his arm. “I have faith in you.”
That was why Wonder Woman was his favorite.
“Yes,” was the first thing that came out of Guy Gardner’s mouth when Booster walked into the bar.
“What?”
“You’re putting our League back together, and yes. I’m in. I want to punch that son of a bitch in the face over and over again until he’s shitting teeth.” Guy slammed his beer onto the bar harder than necessary. “I should have been there with you.”
“You didn’t remember,” Booster said. He sat down at the bar.
“Doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have been there, ” Guy snapped. “I mean, you guys had Atom there, but Guy Gardner, your glorious leader, wasn’t? That’s bullshit, and you know it.”
“Are you trying to get me to say I missed you, Guy?”
“Don’t be stupid,” Guy scowled at him. “You guys are hopeless without me.”
“Ah, so you missed us. I’ve got it.”
Guy stared down at his bottle.
“It’s our League. And you’re not going anywhere without me.” He pointed at Booster. “Especially since you’re dragging Jaime around with you. Do you have any idea how much his mom would kill me if you guys let anything happen to him? It would not be pretty. She’s one tough lady.”
“”He’s a good kid,” Booster said, accepting the bottle of beer the bartender handed him.
“He is,” Guy agreed. “Ted would be proud.”
They toasted to that.
“Booster. It is good to see you again.”
“Hey, J’onn,” Booster said, forcing himself to smile.
J’onn’s nose twitched. “Is that—”
Booster’s grin became a little more real that time. “Of course.”
He handed J’onn the package of double-stuffed Chocos,[15] which the Martian took with a genuine smile of his own.
“I am… sorry about how I reacted, recently,” J’onn said carefully.
“It was some sort of psychic thing,” Booster shrugged. “It’s okay.”
“No. It is not,” J’onn opened the package and ate a cookie, thoughtfully. “Maxwell Lord is truly one of the most dangerous men we have ever encountered. And we made him that way. With our trust.”
Booster looked away.
“We were aware of his flaws, his desire for control. But… none of us saw his betrayal coming. And few have paid as high a price for it as you have.”
“You died, J’onn,” Booster pointed out. “That’s a pretty high price.” And he’d been coordinating an interplanetary war when Ted had tried to reach out to him. As far as excuses go, Booster had to admit J’onn’s were pretty high up there.
It was still hard, of course, knowing that Ted had been desperately reaching out, begging people to believe him. About Brother Eye, about OMAC, about the trail of mysteries that had led right to Max’s doorstep.
But J’onn wasn’t near the top of the list of people who Booster blamed for that.
“I’m sure you’re too busy,” Booster said. “I mean, you’ve got the real Justice League and everything. But Batman and I are putting the League together. Our League, I mean. To take down Max.”
“I am not too busy, Booster,” J’onn said quietly. He offered Booster a cookie. “I will be happy to return to the JLI.”
“How in the world did you find me?” Nathaniel Adam said, his containment suit crusted with tarnish.
If he hadn’t been made of pure nuclear fallout wrapped in a man-shaped wrapper, a few weeks in the Neolithic era probably would have made him look even worse for wear.
“I have my specialties,” Booster said. He took a moment to turn just enough to wave off Rip and ignore the way his boss-mentor-whatever was looking at him cross-armed and annoyed. When the familiar zip of Rip transporting out sounded, Booster approached his teammate. “You know, you really need to take more consideration for the time stream when you do your little explodey-time move. It leaves a real wreck of things that takes weeks of clean up. All that chronal energy pulled around in all directions.”
Booster pulled himself up on the rock Nate was sitting on and sat close to him, catching the same view of ancient earth that Nate had been staring at for hours or days or weeks.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Nate said, though there was a lot more relief in his voice than when he normally talked to Booster. He looked at Booster meaningfully. “So we won?”
Cringing, Booster pulled his knees up to his chest.
“Goddammit,” Nate sighed under his breath. “You should’ve just left me here.”
“Your name is cleared and Max is on the run,” Booster said. “You are absolutely not staying here. Nuclear explosions in the present? Pretty bad. Nuclear explosions in prehistory? Yeesh.”
Nate stared down to his knees, solemn and unconvinced.
Booster frowned, running a hand through his hair, then bumped his shoulder against Nate’s. “Hey, we’re not done yet,” he said. “I mean, unless you’re done. We’re still going after Max, but no one will think twice, I mean, after all he put you through—”
“The hell I’ll let you guys do any of this without me,” Nate argued back. He paused, then looked at Booster seriously. “Who’re we, this time?”
Sniffing, Booster leaned back. “Great question. I’m working on it.”
Booster walked in and opened his mouth, but what came out was a string of noises and nothing resembling words.
“Go to sleep, Booster,” Batman said with a strange sort of affection in his tone. “We can handle this tomorrow.”
Confused but appreciative, Booster leaned back against the wall, closed his eyes, and slid down to the floor.
“No, I meant go home. Or to the couch. Not…” Batman sighed.
A few minutes later, Booster stirred just enough to notice there was a blanket on him.
“And you watched it, nyet ? The video? His—his stupid American face!” Gavril Ivanovich rants, cranking the bolt on the neck of his Rocket Red suit. It still had a lot of damage to it from their fight with OMAC-Prime.
“It’s hard to have not seen it, Gavril,” Booster said, still uncomfortable after all of the years seeing anyone other than Dmitri in the suit. It made sense—Dmitri was never the only one in it—but the feelings were still there.
“Sorry, I forget,” Gavril muttered, cranking away again, “you’re one of the Americans.” He looked up. “At least we beat it. At least we took away his toys.”
Booster kept thinking about it, about the choice to have him distract Max while the others fought the machine. It worked until it didn’t.
A gnawing part of him wondered if it was ego more than practicality that had gotten him in his position.
“What is it we do next?” Gavril asked, shaking Booster from his thoughts.
With a breath of relief, Booster leaned back on his heels. “I’m glad you asked.”
“ — but I just wanted you all to hear it from me… Maxwell Lord. That I will be watching them. For the good of all of us. ”
Booster stared at the computer screen, feeling a twitch in his eyelid even as Karen Starr, CEO of Starrware Labs and full-time Supergirl look-alike, turned her computer screen back around.
“Can you believe that?” she asked, angry enough for the vein in her forehead to pulse.
“Yeah,” Booster said, feeling like he didn’t have much left to say about the video.
“I’ve probably seen it thirty times,” she informed him. “Analyzed it, did a speech pattern analysis on it.”
“Wow,” Booster said, still at a loss.
Karen frowned, setting her strong jaw as she leaned back in her seat. She looked at Booster. “I want back at him. For us. For Ted.”
“Good,” Booster said, finally feeling his convictions again. “Let’s do it.”
“Oh great, have you figured out where headquarters are going to be?” Tora said before he could even close the door behind him. “We’re almost done packing, but I don’t want to put away the dishes until we know where we’re going.”
He glanced around. “When did you two move in together?”
“When I saw how she was living, ” Beatriz da Costa, superheroine, spy, and occasional model said, her hands on her hips. “It was filthy, Booster.”
Tora looked guilty, as if it was her fault for being basically catatonic with depression and trauma after coming back from the dead. “I kind of lost my lease while we were running around,” she added.
“Well, Bruce is springing for rent, so we’ll probably be fine this time,” Bea said firmly, dumping an armful of green jackets of various cuts, shades, and fabrics into an open box. “At least he better be, given half the things I’ve heard he’s bankrolling these days.”
“Are you spying on him?” Booster asked
“I’ll stop spying on him when he stops spying on the superhero community as a whole,” Bea announced wryly. “Anyways, grab that hard drive from the counter, will you? It’s got the files I’ve got on Max from Checkmate, plus everything else I’ve managed to put together from my other contacts. Should give us a place to start.”
“I apologize for every prank I’ve ever pulled on you, including the time Ted and I straightened your hair in your sleep,” Booster said earnestly.
She tossed her green curls over her shoulder, smug.
Then he remembered. “Oh, and by the way…”
“What is it?” Tora said, kneeling over a box full of pulpy spy thrillers that Bea loved to read.
Booster rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.
“Guy’s on the team.”
“Oh, excellent!” Tora said, lighting up.
Bea had a strange look on her face, then she turned back to Booster.
“I’m rooming with Tora.”
“What?” Tora said.
“I know how this goes. I. Am. Rooming. With. You.”
“Guy and I are adults, you can’t—”
Booster decided that discretion was the better part of valor and beat a hasty retreat, texting Tora the address so that they know where to come when the two of them finish rehashing their own sexual tension via Guy Gardner.
“So you think this Max Lord will come after Jaime again?” Bianca Reyes said, handing Booster a cup of coffee.
“He seemed pretty interested in him,” Booster said, nodding. “I’ve gotten Batman and some other people to increase your home security, so hopefully we’ll at least have a warning if he makes a move on this side of things.”
“Thanks, Booster,” Jaime Reyes himself said, his smile tense. Booster couldn’t exactly blame the kid. The last time the team had gone up against Max, Jaime had ended up tortured and nearly died at the man’s hands.
“If you want, Jaime, we’ll keep you in the loop about things, but I mostly just came by to tell you that your family is as safe as we can make them.”
“Hey, what?” Jaime said, straightening up and frowning. “Keep me in the loop? What, I’m off the team?”
Booster blinked. “Well, I mean, I figured you’d be busy with the Teen Titans. And after the last time…”
“Last time is exactly why I want to kick this guy’s—butt,” Jaime said, eyeing his parents quickly. they were politely ignoring his near-slip. “And like, the Titans are huge.” That was definitely true, from what Booster had heard. “They can spare me while I help you guys out.”
“One moment,” Bianca said, dangerously. “Two teams? That seems like it will be cutting into your time on college applications.”
“Not to mention your grades,” Alberto Reyes said, also looking disapproving.
“I can manage it! Besides, it’s the Justice League!”
Booster held up his hand when Jaime looked at him pleadingly. “I’m going to defer to your actual parents on this one, Jaime.” At Jaime’s look of betrayal, he gave in a little. “That said, we’ve got geniuses on the team. A lot of people would be able to help with tutoring, and I’m sure we can get Batman to ask Bruce Wayne to say that this is an internship with Batman Inc., if he ends up needing that extra boost for college applications.”
The Reyes looked at each other. “Who all is on this team?” Alberto asked.
“Well, you’ve already met Guy Gardner, Fire, and Ice,” Booster said, counting them off his fingers. Plus Batman, Martian Manhunter, Power Girl, Captain Atom, and Rocket Red.”
“And you,” Bianca said, giving Booster a look that says she was remembering that Booster kind of kidnapped her son and dragged him across the country to Gotham during the Crisis.
“And me,” Booster said, guiltily, because the literal entire world was at stake, in his defense.
He probably should have left a note, though.
Bianca and Alberto looked at each other.
“Alright,” Bianca relented. “But only so long as you keep your grades up. If they drop, you’ll have to leave one of the teams.”
Jaime punched the air and cheered before he hugged his parents tightly. Then he ran upstairs to gather some things so he could have spare clothes at the compound.
“I’ll look after him,” Booster told them.
Bianca gave him a smile that was almost fond. “You and those others… you really care for him, don’t you?”
“He’s a good kid,” Booster said.
“He worried a lot, you know. About Ted Kord. What he’d think of him.”
Booster found himself smiling, genuinely, for the first time in a while. “Oh, that’s easy. Ted would be so, so proud. Just like the rest of us.”
And just like that, there was a Blue Beetle on the JLI again.
Booster stuck his hands in his pockets after he put the flowers down.
“Well. We’re going after him.” He paused, looking around the graveyard. It was pretty empty, except for a burly guy in a leather jacket whose black hair was marked with a dramatic skunk stripe, and that guy looked too busy smoking a cigarette and leaning against a tree to pay any attention to Booster. “It’s not going to be the same, without you guys.”
Booster sighed. “I wish—I just wish you guys were here, you know? It’s going to be crazy and dangerous and—and there’s this kid, Sue, you’d love him. He’s friends with Traci. And he’s so young, and he’s going to be involved in all of our shit and I’m… I’m scared for him. I’m scared for all of them, but him especially.” He rubbed his arms, feeling a strange chill in the wind.
“Miss you both. Can’t believe we never got to laugh about the Supernova thing, Ralph. You know, you’re the only one who figured it out? I don’t think even Bats knows that one, and that guy knows pretty much everything. Showing him up even now, huh?” Booster grinned without humor.
“I’ll try to come back sooner,” he said. “Sorry it took so long. But well… things. Things are busy.” And he’d been spending less time in public cemeteries ever since he’d relocated Ted’s body after Blackest Night.
He adjusted the flowers, so they weren’t covering up the names.
RANDOLPH“RALPH” WILLIAM DIBNY
SUSAN “SUE”DEARBORN DIBNY
“I’ll be back,” he said, and then he turned around and left the graveyard.
Still leaning against the tree, Jason Todd snuffed out his cigarette under his boot. “Who the hell was that?”
“An old friend of ours,” the ghost of Sue Dibny said, arm in arm with her husband.
“Well, I think the ghost is clear now,” the ghost of Ralph Dibny said, beaming at her, and then at Jason.
Jason Todd, formerly Robin, formerly the crime lord known as the Red Hood, shrugged. “If you say so,” he said, starting down the hill towards the graves. [16]
Looking down at his paper list and finalizing the checks and crosses, Booster strolled into the compound’s monitor room. “Okay,” he said, “I can’t believe how long this took but. There. I talked to absolutely everyone.”
When he looked up, he was expecting annoyed scowls or stony lack of expression. He was hoping for some acknowledgement or, maybe, an apology. He was not even sure what for, but he was sure he was owed one.
What he couldn’t expect was to see someone utterly different in front of him.
She stood in the center of the room, arms crossed and confident. She was wearing a black costume with a full mask. A yellow bat was on her chest. He liked the shimmer of her cape but thought it could strangle her if she stepped on it. Which she could because the cape was draping the floor.
“Uh,” Booster said intelligently before glancing off then back to her. “This will seem like a weird question, but is this the right universe? Because… I’ve totally done that one before.”
“Booster Gold,” she said, like she had been practicing it.
He blinked at her. “Yeah?”
“I am Black Bat,” she informed him. “I’m here for Batman.”
Booster tilted his head. “Wait, I remember you… Batgirl?”
“No,” she said hesitantly before walking over to the computer and pressing a few buttons. The screen changed before Booster’s eyes to reveal a large bat, the same as on the new Batman’s chest. That became a globe. Bats began popping up across the countries. “Batman wants this. For you.”
“I knew it,” Booster said, walking forward. “He’s been training me to be Batman all along.”
She stiffened and looked at him. “No. Me.”
Whistling through his teeth, Booster put his hands on his hips. “Well, you’ve got his sense of humor down for sure. So good on you there.”
“We work together now,” she informed him.
Booster looked down his list on paper and penciled in Black Bat? He then looked to the screen, grimacing, before trailing his pencil up to the top at Batman. With a heavy sketch, he marked through the check.