All the superheroes had participated in the recent epochal battle. Honestly, fighting on a barren continent was already the best choice, but guided by certain malicious voices, citizens chose not to believe. They thought it was all fake, all lies.
Superheroes couldn't go door-to-door handing out flyers, explaining who Darkseid was, what impact a cosmic tyrant would have on their lives, or how harmful he'd be to their future employment prospects.
Ordinary people only cared about what happened right in front of them—energy stock prices, Super Bowl champions, calculating their salaries at home to see what they could buy. That was their entire lives.
Telling them about fifty-two parallel universes was like talking to a brick wall. They couldn't brainwash people or use administrative intervention. Thea genuinely had no good solution—she could only leave the problem for the League to solve.
"What's the President's response?" Batman asked.
"Maintain the status quo. Our system allows dissenting voices—that's her advisors' recommendation..." Thea said casually.
Moira could be called the Justice League's only official channel now. She bore enormous pressure too—Thea didn't want to make Mom's position too difficult.
Sounds ridiculous, but Batman could swagger into the Hall of Justice only because of a government pardon.
No matter how high his public approval, his criminal record stacked three meters (ten feet) high and filled five safes. From a legal standpoint, spanning nearly twenty years of activity, he was a certified fugitive—the most wanted kind.
His pardon was issued simultaneously with Luthor's. Though Bruce Wayne had been Gotham's police commissioner for years, Batman's warrant remained active until just before the war, when he received a "pardon for meritorious service."
Otherwise, dealing with government pursuit while fighting Darkseid was Batman's original timeline fate.
"Use your reporter identity to help explain." Thea glanced at Superman, speaking vaguely.
This brought up Batman's bad precedent—he wore a mask constantly, making their seven-person group a mess of who knew whose identity and who didn't.
For instance: Aquaman and Green Lantern didn't know Superman's real identity.
Only Superman, Thea, and Diana knew Batman's true identity.
Thea's identity was public knowledge worldwide—easy enough.
The world knew Diana Prince, but not that she was Wonder Woman. The heroes all knew though...
The remaining three knew each other's identities in various crossed patterns.
In short, the relationships were messy, making their forms of address quite awkward.
Superman agreed readily. Thea knew the effect wouldn't be significant—when the elite knew about the crisis, harmony prevailed. Now that the crisis was over, troublemakers jumped out.
Seeing her disinclined to talk, Batman proposed a new topic. The Justice League couldn't rely on just seven people—they needed fresh blood. Even if not immediately joining, candidates should be listed.
"Alright, I propose one: Green Arrow..." She spoke as if discussing a stranger, her expression unchanged.
Batman's face twitched. Green Arrow Oliver Queen's qualifications were perfect—all seven in this room basically knew him.
But he was too close to her! To restrain her influence and prevent the League from becoming the Queen family's new conference room, he absolutely couldn't let Green Arrow in—at least not yet.
"That can be considered for the alternate list..." Batman ultimately didn't outright refuse.
"Black Canary?" Thea proposed another candidate.
Batman felt slightly depressed. Don't think I don't know your relationship with Merlyn—this Black Canary is your relative too. After thinking, "A very justice-oriented lady. Also for the alternate list."
They intermittently proposed several more names—Firestorm who'd performed outstandingly in battle, and the Atom who'd built his suit and made quite a name for himself.
Young heroes were all rejected. Per Batman's words, the Justice League wasn't a daycare—anyone joining had to have combat ability. Finally they compiled a modest list for future observation. Green Arrow's name predictably topped it.
"This person appeared in Gotham. I think his activities are highly suspicious—we should investigate." At the meeting's end, Batman produced a stack of photos distributed to everyone.
Thea picked up a photo and examined it. A blond young man wearing goggles and a yellow-blue skintight suit. The photo was blurry—he was emitting an energy wave that stopped a speeding car. Though he seemingly saved citizens, the car still flew away and crashed into a shop.
Batman's attached information noted the car's collision into the shop injured eleven people. Gotham police were searching for him—anyone with information should contact authorities, etc.
This was Booster Gold, right? Thea scrutinized the photo from every angle. Her impression wasn't too deep—she only knew of him. Another time traveler, if she remembered correctly—a fellow contemporary of Reverse-Flash from the twenty-fifth century.
His son was an old acquaintance of Thea's—the famous captain of the Legends' Waverider, Rip Hunter!
"Never seen him, don't know him." She didn't reveal the truth. Booster Gold wasn't a bad guy anyway—if something came up, he'd contact the Justice League himself.
She didn't take it seriously, but Green Lantern enthusiastically went with Batman to capture Booster Gold.
Booster Gold's tech equipment was quite formidable. After a week of pursuit with two sightings, the guy seemed decent enough, but Hal's bear-like temper meant they started fighting after two sentences. Both times he escaped.
...
At the next meeting, Batman proposed everyone mobilize together for capture.
"This guy's technology is very advanced, and he seems to have some magical effect—everyone around him experiences misfortune. We tracked him for a week—three traffic accidents occurred near him. All three times he saved endangered VIPs, but destroyed the main postal building, five police cars, injured twenty-five officers, thirty-nine civilian bystanders, property damage..."
Batman rambled on, but it all boiled down to one thing: this was a magic user or someone with a misfortune-inducing ability.
Thea nearly spat in his face. Magic my ass! He's a time traveler who knows lots of doomed wealthy people's information—what's strange about that? The injuries were completely caused by Booster Gold's inability to control his powers—this guy was textbook big dreams, low skills, and careless.
But she couldn't say this. Seeing her beloved's difficulty, Diana volunteered to help.
When the warrior princess mobilized, things were different. In less than two hours, they dragged Booster Gold back like a sack of potatoes.
The disheveled blond man was brought into the Hall of Justice. With the Lasso of Truth wrapped twice around his neck, he spilled everything at once.