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

Using Justice League technology, Plastic Man and the Atom teleported from city to city. The former's flexibility, coupled with the latter's ability to change his size, made them ideal for rescuing survivors trapped underground.

Wonder Woman used her vast powers to tunnel deep into the planet's mantle, where she labored tirelessly for days on end to repair destabilized seismic fault lines.

Superman seemed to be everywhere at once. His super breath cooled and extinguished hundreds of raging fires. He used his strength to hold up sagging buildings, while his heat vision fused and sealed the damaged structures. And his X-ray vision found survivor after survivor who would otherwise have been missed.

Gotham City had escaped with relatively little damage, for which the battle-weary Batman was grateful. He devoted his time to helping Oracle, acting as anchorman for the unprecedented relief efforts she was so brilliantly coordinating.

Global recovery would be long and slow, and would take every ounce of aid the super heroes could give. But, in time, humanity would come to terms with its shock and grief.

It was almost three weeks after the catastrophe when the Justice League met up again in the Watchtower.

They teleported in from wherever they were in the world, replying to a summons broadcast by Green Lantern. The Emerald Warrior was already waiting, seated at the large, circular conference table in the operations room.

Wonder Woman and Superman arrived simultaneously, followed instants later by the Flash and J'onn J'onzz.

"What's the problem?" Superman demanded. "Not . . . the Stone King again?"

"No problem at all," Green Lantern assured them as they took their places around the table. He broke off as Batman appeared, then waited for the vigilante to seat himself before announcing, "I figure it's time I got my explanation. Or am I fated never to learn why you and Manhunter ganged up on me that night at the pyramid?"

"It's simple," Batman told him. "You were still hypnotized."

Green Lantern frowned. "But you and Manhunter freed us from the Stone King's influence," he protested. "I snapped out of it, just like the others."

"The others snapped out of it," Batman corrected him. "Not you. I quickly realized that. Although you seemed to be fine, you were in fact still under the spell of a deeper hypnosis."

"I was?" Green Lantern was skeptical. He looked to the other team members, hoping for corroboration.

Wonder Woman shrugged. "We're as much in the dark as you are," she said to Lantern.

The Emerald Warrior glanced back at Batman.

"Okay," he nodded, "lay it on me. How could you tell I was still under the Stone King's influence?"

J'onn J'onzz took up the story.

"Our first indication was the demonic figure you conjured up to carry Cassandra and Jenny Ayles to safety," the Martian began. "It was too out of character–as if it wasn't your will that was powering your ring. That demon was something the Stone King might produce."

"I think we all noticed that," Wonder Woman admitted. "But we merely accepted Lantern's explanation that he didn't have time to think of anything else."

"When Batman asked you to probe the energies with your ring," Manhunter continued, his gaze fixed on Green Lantern, "you claimed you had already done so. But you were imprisoned in the rock, not in control of your own thoughts. You couldn't have used the ring."

Puzzled, Lantern shook his head. "I guess not. But I had this overwhelming impression that I actually had used it."

"The final clue"–Batman took up the story again– "was when the Stone King created those bodyguards. He only made five, yet there were six of us present. He must have figured that he didn't need one for you. You were his ace in the hole, his secret weapon to use against us if all else failed."

"You could have been wrong about Lantern," the Flash pointed out. "I noticed these things, too, but it didn't occur to me that there was anything out of the ordinary."

He paused, then added wryly, "Guess that's why Batman's a detective, and I'm not."

"So the Stone King hit me with a double whammy?" Green Lantern shook his head in wonderment. "Incredible!"

"I couldn't tackle you on my own," Batman resumed. "I had to wait till J'onn figured it out, too, and used his telepathic power to negate your personal force field. With the threat you posed negated, we were free to attack."

"So where did the fear gas come from?" Flash wondered. "Or is that something you carry around as a matter of course?"

Batman told them how his early suspicions had led him to visit Scarecrow at Arkham Asylum. "The Stone King tried to use fear against me," the vigilante concluded. "I figured, if I ever got the chance I'd reverse roles. I almost used it when we were attacked after J'onn realized the secret of the pyramid's disappearance. In retrospect, it's a good thing I didn't"

"You mean"–A slow smile spread over Superman's face–"You made the Stone King afraid of–"

"Bats."

Superman and the others laughed out loud.

"Combined with your actions underground, the fear was enough to upset the balance of the forces he was absorbing," Batman concluded. "When the energy escaped from his control, it turned against him . . . and destroyed him."

The Rash shook his head in admiration. "So the world is saved, thanks to a fear of bats."

"Hey, I know what that feels like." Green Lantern rubbed his jaw ruefully. "But it only needed a punch on the chin for me to learn!"

Batman rose to his feet, and the others followed as he walked to the observation balcony.

Stars spattered the inky blackness, shining steadily, without the twinkle caused by an atmosphere. As one, the Justice League gazed toward distant Earth, a view that humbled even the mightiest of heroes.

From here it looked as it always did, serene and blue and beautiful, with no trace of the scars left by the Stone King's evil.

Epilogue

Nepal, January 1

The snow-capped Himalayas reflected the light of the dawn like a mirror.

Pale pink fingers of