Justice League of America - Batman: The Stone King by Alan Grant (best books to read for self development .TXT) 📕

Batman gasped for breath, sickened by the stench of decay, already beginning to feel light-headed, unable to breathe from lack of oxygen. In vain his hands struck at his opponent, seeking a pressure point or a weak spot. Whatever he did, the Stone King seemed invulnerable to it.

With a sudden crack the glass display case shattered, and Batman seized what might be his last chance. He brought his legs up, positioning his feet against the Stone King's chest. Exerting all of his remaining strength, he straightened his knees, at the same time yanking hard at the creature's pelt.

The Stone King howled with anger as he went sailing over Batman's head, impacting against the door frame with such force that the wood splintered.

Batman leaned against the wreckage of the display case, massaging his rasping throat, striving to get his breathing back to normal. Scarecrow's fear gas was still in his Utility Belt, if he could only reach it in time.

But the Stone King recovered first, a new hatred glinting in his red eyes as he prepared to renew their battle.

Desperately, Batman flung himself aside as the Stone King lunged, sweeping his fist in a downward arc that disintegrated what remained of the cabinet.

All right, Manhunter, the thought flashed from Batman's mind. I could use a little backup now.

"Excuse me." The Stone King turned at the sound of a new voice.

J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, stood a dozen feet away.

Before the Stone King could react, J'onn dived at him, grasping the hairy, reeking body in a near-unbreakable bear hug.

Even as the Stone King flexed his muscles, exerting all his strength to try and break free, J'onn's grip tightened around the creature's chest. Suddenly, he brought into play his Martian ability to change the density of his molecules. In an instant, each brawny arm weighed half a ton.

The pressure he exerted was phenomenal.

A high-pitched scream of intermingled rage and pain burst from the helpless Stone King's lips as his body began to disappear. Hands and feet dissipated into thin air, the effect quickly raveling through his entire body until it swirled like mist in a wind.

Then he was gone, and J'onn unfolded his arms. The sudden silence was broken by glass shards breaking underfoot as Batman moved to where he'd left Cassandra. She was still unconscious, but was she okay?

With one hand Batman checked that her pulse was still steady; with the other he hit the emergency button on his tiny cell phone. He spoke a few words into the receiver, then thumbed it off before turning to the green-skinned Justice Leaguer.

"Thanks," Batman said. "Though you might have saved me a few bruises if you'd joined in earlier."

J'onn was surprised. "You knew I was there? Even though I was invisible?"

Batman shrugged. "From the moment you followed us into the building."

J'onn should have guessed. Batman was the greatest detective in the world. His senses were honed to an incredible degree. During their career with the League, J'onn had seen him do a hundred things that no other man could.

"I wasn't sure what you were up to, so I decided to tag along," Manhunter explained. "I tried to contact Superman and the others when I returned from Mars. When I failed, I came to Gotham. My Martian vision revealed the Batmobile's hiding place."

Batman nodded. He'd been wondering how Manhunter found him.

"I wasn't sure if your actions were a deliberate ploy to attract the Stone King," J'onn went on. "So when he appeared, I thought it best not to interfere unless I absolutely had to."

"And I didn't want you to interfere," Batman admitted, "unless it was necessary. I did still have one trick in my book, but I couldn't get to it in time."

Just then they heard the distant dick of a key in a lock, and a security guard shouting, "Who's there? Come out with your hands up. I'm armed!"

Batman took one last look at Cassandra, lying as if asleep, then motioned J'onn to follow him through another exit.

They left the building and vanished into the night, the wail of an approaching ambulance telling Batman his call to the emergency services was being answered.

They were seated in the Batmobile before either of them spoke again.

"The girl was very brave," J'onn said. "I hope she will be all right."

"She has no physical wounds," Batman told him. "I think it's just the effect of shock on her sensitive mind. I also think the risk she took may have paid off."

Batman had taken off his gauntlets and pulled a small plastic tube from his Utility Belt. He squeezed it into his palm and rubbed the cream into various parts of his body that had been cut or bruised.

"Synthetic shark cartilage," he told J'onn. "Speeds up healing."

Quickly, Batman ran over the whole story, from the disappearance of the rest of the team to the events that had led up to tonight's break-in.

J'onn was incredulous. "So the Stone King is the reincarnation of a five-thousand-year-old shaman who has possessed the body of a young student? And he has power enough to defeat Superman and the others?"

"He certainly did something with them." Batman's voice was grim. "He appears to be one of the most powerful enemies we've ever encountered. And he intends to kill everyone in the world . . . in just over twenty-four hours!"

CHAPTER 11

Earthlights

The Moon, October 31–All Saints' Eve

The view of Earth was spectacular.

The planet hung in the velvet darkness of space. Behind it, the sun glittered like a fiery yellow diamond, a beacon of hope in the vast inky cosmos.

High in the Watchtower, Batman and J'onn J'onzz had no time to appreciate the beauty outside. Both were seated at workstations, punching in data for Oracle's computers to sift, appraise, and analyze.

One entire wall was taken up by a telecommunications screen that showed a map of the world. Twenty feet high by almost forty feet long, it dominated the room, dwarfing the two heroes. As they entered their