Chapter 75: 75

| Mount Justice - July 23 The entire team stood at attention in the mission room, their postures stiff as Batman paced in front of them. The lighting of the mission room made his presence even more imposing, the shadows accentuating the hard lines of his cowl. "This was meant to be a covert reconnaissance mission," Batman began, his voice low and authoritative. "But part of being a hero is understanding that we will never have full control over a situation. More often than not, we are reacting, adapting." His piercing gaze swept over them, his expression unreadable. "You noticed a change in the mission parameters, assessed the risks, and acted accordingly. Because of that, a terrorist organization was dismantled, four dangerous criminals have been apprehended, and the Kobra-Venom shipment was destroyed before it could reach the market. Additionally, you secured a sample for analysis, which could help prevent future developments of the formula." He stopped pacing, turning fully to face them. "Well done." There was a collective release of breath—one that had been held since the beginning of the debriefing. Even Joseph, who had remained stoic, felt his shoulders relax slightly. Batman had a presence that demanded perfection, so receiving his approval meant something. "You are dismissed," Batman continued, his tone sharp as ever. "Aqualad, Starfire, Nova—stay behind." The rest of the team didn't hesitate, quickly filing out of the room. "Starfire," Batman said, turning his attention to Kori. "You formulated a plan mid-mission, adapted to the changing circumstances, and ensured the team's success. Your leadership was decisive so I want to appoint you to lead the Team." Kori's green eyes widened slightly before she turned toward Kaldur, silently asking for his opinion. "I am not opposed to this arrangement," Kaldur said calmly, his posture as composed as ever. "Your actions speak for themselves." Batman nodded. "Then as of now, I am appointing you as the leader of the team. Aqualad will remain as your advisor." After a brief moment of consideration, she met Batman's gaze and nodded firmly. "Then I accept." "Good," Batman said simply. "The two of you are dismissed." Aqualad and Starfire gave Joseph a quick glance before leaving the room, leaving only him and Batman behind. Batman turned his full attention to Joseph, his piercing eyes studying him. "You have a question for me." Joseph crossed his arms. "Why did you want me on this team?" His voice was even, but there was a tinge of curiosity. "The others—Kori, Kaldur, Robin—they're already enough for any covert operations the League needs. So why me?" Batman was silent for a moment before answering. "Truthfully? You qualify for the League," he admitted. "But you're too young. The burden of saving the world shouldn't fall on the shoulders of someone who hasn't figured out his own life yet." Joseph scoffed. "But I have figured out my life. Finish school, maybe university, protect Chicago, grow my company, and take down Leviathan and Intergang with it." "Priorities change," Batman said, his voice even but firm. "It would be unfair of me—or anyone—to expect you to dedicate yourself fully to this life before you've had the chance to live it." Joseph's jaw tightened. "I don't need to 'live it.' I already know what I want." Batman took a step closer. "I understand that you want to take down those organizations. So do we. But even with League resources and Interpol cooperation, tracking them down takes time. The kind of time that requires patience." Joseph exhaled through his nose, irritated but unable to argue the point. "Truthfully," he admitted, "I don't feel like I belong on this team. I'm sure I could handle everything alone. I get the value of teamwork, but I had to hold back just to give the others a chance to contribute." Batman regarded him for a long moment before speaking. "If you don't want to be here, that's your decision. But surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals is important. Even the strongest warriors don't fight alone forever." For a moment, Batman's words hung between them. Joseph wasn't sure what to say to that. Then Batman placed a hand on his shoulder. "Regardless of what you decide, the team appreciates your presence. Think about that." And with that, he turned and left, leaving Joseph alone in the mission room, staring after him in thought. ** | ??? - July 23 A darkened conference room. Eight massive monitors formed a circle, each displaying a different figure shrouded in shadow. The Light had convened. "So," a deep male voice said, laced with irritation. "Sportsmaster was captured. The Kobra-Venom shipment is destroyed. And the Team continues to be a thorn in our side." "Sportsmaster was careless," another voice said, slightly distorted. "But he left behind a sample of the Kobra-Venom in his gear. Our League of Shadows operative recovered it before the wreckage was discovered." "Good," a third voice responded. "With that, we can reverse engineer the formula. The loss is unfortunate but not unrecoverable." "The real issue," another voice chimed in, "is that this Team of young heroes has disrupted our plans again. They are no longer a minor nuisance. They are a legitimate threat." A cold, feminine voice cut through the discussion. "Then we will deal with them accordingly. For the Light." One by one, the monitors shut off, leaving the room in total darkness.