Chapter 63: 63

The Justice League was founded in February 2003 when seven heroes—Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter—joined forces to repel an Appellaxian invasion. Initially, their alliance remained a secret, operating from a hidden base known as the Secret Sanctuary, a cave hollowed out in Mount Justice by Superman and Green Lantern. By May 2004, their numbers had grown to ten with the additions of Green Arrow, Hawkman, and Hawkwoman. Two years later, the Joker uncovered their base's location and launched an attack, forcing the League to go public. In August 2008, six more heroes—Zatara, Captain Atom, Black Canary, John Stewart, Captain Marvel, and Red Tornado—were inducted. To ensure security, the League relocated to an orbiting satellite called the Watchtower while maintaining the Hall of Justice as a public front. Now, with their Thanagarian and Green Lantern members absent due to intergalactic conflicts, the League convened in the Watchtower for a meeting. Seated at the central table, Batman, the League's current leader, surveyed the assembled heroes before speaking. "Recent events have made it clear that the League is stretched too thin. It's time to add new members," he stated. "I nominate Icon," Wonder Woman said without hesitation. "He's been doing great work in Dakota City. Starfire and I have worked with him before." A hologram flickered to life, displaying Icon's image and known details. "All in favor?" Batman asked. Every hand rose. "Atom has been instrumental in protecting Ivy Town and Star City," Green Arrow added. "I nominate her." The hologram updated. "All in favor?" Unanimous agreement. "I nominate Plastic Man," Flash chimed in. "I've worked with him multiple times. He may have started as a thief, but for the past seven years, he's been fighting the good fight—and he's been effective." Another nod of approval. Before Batman could move on, Captain Marvel spoke up. "Wait, what about Nova? He's been a hero longer than Icon, and Chicago has been much safer under his watch." The hologram shifted again, now showing Nova's file. It listed his past as the thief known as Flux, his heroic deeds, his abduction by the Gordanians that escalated intergalactic tensions, and his eventual transformation into Nova under Captain Atom's mentorship. He had patrolled multiple cities before taking over as Chicago's protector, proving himself to be highly effective. Batman folded his arms. "We have a rule: only legal adults are considered for League membership," he reminded them, subtly acknowledging the unspoken exception of Captain Marvel. "Nova has done well in Chicago, especially considering Captain Atom's hands-off approach. But how he works with other heroes remains to be seen." "Speaking of working with other heroes," Wonder Woman interjected, "have you considered our young protégés' desire to work together?" Batman's expression darkened. The young heroes had disobeyed orders, hacked League systems, and endangered lives. He had forbidden them from acting alone again. But they had stood their ground. They argued that they had done exactly what they were trained for. Batman had been considering it. "If they want to work together, it will be on League terms," he finally said. "They'll operate out of our old headquarters, the Secret Sanctuary. Does anyone want to oversee them?" "I'll train them," Black Canary volunteered. "I volunteer to supervise the young heroes," Red Tornado added. Martian Manhunter leaned forward. "Can my niece join them?" His niece, M'gann M'orzz, had secretly bonded with the Bio-Ship meant for him, stowing away on his trip from Mars to Earth last month. Though he had never met her before, after contacting her parents and gaining their permission, he had taken her in as his protege. "Of course," Batman agreed. "I'll also see about having Nova join them. The team will handle covert missions, while the League continues managing high-profile cases." Wonder Woman nodded. "Reconstruction at Cadmus is underway. Guardian is in charge, with Dr. Spence as acting chief scientist. He's vowed to reform Cadmus—no more secret breeding projects, no more will-suppressing G-Gnomes." Batman took a final glance around the room. "That's all. Dismissed." Superman was the first to leave. Batman had noticed his silence throughout the meeting. He knew why. Superboy. Superman had a strong moral compass, and the circumstances of Superboy's creation—engineered as a weapon—troubled him. It wasn't just an ethical dilemma. The fact that Superboy shared his DNA made it personal, complicated. And Superman's distrust of Cadmus extended to everything they had created—including Superboy himself. He would give Clark a push but ultimately it was up to Clark himself. Only time would tell if their rift would mend.