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***
AF-twenty-four-the silver table froze before Will's eyes. The smooth door was like the beginning of a new life on the space station, like the first step into a hero's life. And Will was here, as one of those writing the great heroic history of the DC universe.
When he went inside, it was quiet and still. There were people walking and talking outside the door, barely audible, as if to keep him from forgetting that Will wasn't alone.
The silvery walls and ceilings greeted him almost indifferently, but at the same time important and inspired. It was as if everything here had been elevated to an absolute, imbued with a heroic sublimity with a pinch of excitement and poignancy.
No wonder Will's hands were shaking with excitement. It was like coming to a new place of work for the first time, in a new city, for the first time, and immediately rushing into the thick of it, where only the best results were required, because saving people was no joke.
It is a Feat and the Greatest Responsibility that is not bestowed for nothing.
And that's exactly how he had been checked by the head of trade when Kirill had found himself in Moscow, surrounded by buildings rising to the sky, glittering no worse than the night stars. That's when he thought his life had changed forever. He'd been thrown straight into work, left alone at his desk in a stressful environment. And had to make it through as best he could, because there were no other options given - it was either you or you. To put it mildly, not everyone was able to withstand such stress, and not everyone had the courage to stay put.
Prospects are deceptive, especially when you don't know what lies behind those mountains of opportunities that suddenly fall into your hands. Kirill didn't understand how he was going to cope.
I had mixed feelings then. I kind of wanted to show my best side in front of the boss, but my nerves were shaky and I was afraid of screwing up. Moreover, on the first day he had to work with strangers who were better than him in everything. They have hundreds of orders, and Kirill - only a dozen, and that test, when almost everything was done for him. In short, the case was extremely unpleasant and very exciting.
Now Will found himself in a similar situation, only he had zero heroic deeds behind him, unless you counted a successful victory over a bandit and a complete madness on the World of War that he still didn't understand.
All, absolutely all the trouble he'd gotten himself into was because of Vanessa.
Because of Vanessa Wayne, he was immediately sent on a mission. On his first day right after his "simplified entry" into the Justice League!
"What the fuck?!?!?!?!?"
"Sure, it's nice to have a high opinion of me, but fuck... they didn't even let me watch the professionals work from the outside," - and the cartoons I watched didn't count, because real life was much harsher.
In real life, probably no one would ever spare him or talk during a fight to buy time for a "heroic turn".
"Damn, with Vanessa as the leader? Are they out of their minds? Wasn't the Falcon hijacking enough for them?"
If Will hadn't been afraid that Vanessa would take offense, he would have said that she wasn't exactly a leader. I knew in his ass she'd do something like steal the Falcon.
Or maybe he was angry at her for the past and now he just didn't trust her, because despite her caprices, the girl was smart. But it seemed that Will was the only one who had to control this unpredictable and willful lady.
Sur.
Will sighed.
«If I'd known she'd pull this crap on the first day, I wouldn't have accepted her offer to be a team. She's a workaholic like her dad, though... I should have known she'd rush right out to do the mission and grab me. - Will slapped his forehead in unpleasant realization.
The surge of emotion almost drowned out his surroundings, and there was a sudden knock at the door, distracting him from the important revelation. A friendly voice came from the other side:
«Hey, Will, will you let me in? - said Beast Boy.
«Oh, yeah, now.
Will walked over to the silver screen that acted as a kind of key and intercom. If you put your hand on it, the door would open. Will did just that.
"It's a good time to get distracted."
A cheerful Beast Boy appeared on the doorstep and flew into the room with a jerky jerk and spat on the blood.
«I'd hate to go on that mission, it's going to be a mess," he sighed, casting a lazy glance at Will. - Are you ready for your first outing?
Will didn't know Beast Boy much, but some episodes of Titans spoke of him as a lazy, buffoonish, and irresponsible hero who could sometimes pull off cool feints. There were even times when he would send green animals on missions together, and at that moment he was sitting on the couch in the Tower of the Titans, watching shows, playing games, and eating popcorn. Sure, that was comedy, but who knew, maybe this talented slacker came up with something else.
«Kind of, but I'm still trying to tune in. I think Vanessa's in too much of a hurry.
«Oh, don't worry," he waved his hand, yawning boredly, "she's always like that, but she only cares about getting the job done. I worked with her once, and it was okay.
«Something tells me that's not quite true," Will grinned.
«Well... maybe, at any rate our missions overlap.
Beast Boy suddenly became serious and jumped out of bed.
«Look, there's actually something going on lately. I'm not sure what it is, but Raven's been a little restless lately. She says there's something evil looming over the world, and Damien... he's always saying that Batman's on some big case outside of Earth. Do you think maybe... maybe they're putting us in charge of the job, and they're lounging around on other planets?
Will arched an eyebrow.
«You know, that's something only you would think of," he laughed. Then he thought about it, remembering the last conversation he'd had with Bats. - Listen, were you nervous on the first mission, too?
«Uh, just a little bit. You know, I don't want to show off, but, uh, I'm the coolest guy on my team, right?
«Oh, really, just like that? Why don't you take it higher? - came a mocking female voice from the side.
Will and Beast Boy cast a surprised glance toward the door, but it was closed. Just to the left of it, in the wall, Raven's head appeared, hidden behind a black mask over her eyes and hooded by a purple cloak. A small, neat chin, beautiful facial features, and smooth, commanding lips set in an emotionless line spoke of an arrogant disposition hidden behind complete indifference. Aristocratic pale skin with a slight violet tinge reflected a tall, only remotely hinting at a non-human origin - straight from the fierce depths of Hell. Like a ghost, the girl stood boredly in the center of the room, exposing her dead pale skin with her hood pulled down.
«If that's the case, then why do I have to look for you here when Damian and Superboy have already gone on a mission," she said.
«I was just in the bathroom for a while... and when I came back, they were gone. Yeah, constipation's a bitch, heh-heh.
Raven gave him a hard, baleful look, and took him by the ear.
«We don't have much time, let's go.
«Oh, come on, you're not the one who's been slacking off. Why don't we go get something to eat? Ouch!
«I look at you and think you don't seem to be bothered by assignments at all," Will grinned.
Beast Boy and Raven cast strange looks at him.
«It comes with experience, Willard Light. First excitement, and then indifference and gloom," Raven said boredly.
«Can't we still watch the show...? Ouch!
«Anyway, we gotta go.
The atmosphere had somehow simplified with the arrival of these two, and Will was no longer nervous, except for the slightest bit.
It was more of a mystery to him how Raven could speak so easily and calmly to the Beastmaster, even though she was a walking Catastrophe herself. Her very presence here always seemed to Will as something extremely strange, because, in fact, this girl was a kind of Pandora, keeping in herself an infinite number of dangers. Her family, where the father owned millions of worlds in his dimension, was worth it.
Will had the impression that it was extremely dangerous to leave such a young lady on Earth, but it was also dangerous to touch her. The situation was twofold. Raven could let Trigon on Earth, but only because she didn't love her father, the Earth was still intact. What a sweet girl.
Perhaps in this world only Will knew that Raven was actually one of the most powerful characters in the DC universe.
«Nice to meet you again, my name is Willard Light," he extended his hand to Raven.
But she reluctantly held it out to him, and they performed a languid handshake.
"If you can't stop it, lead it."
«You have a surprisingly powerful aura for someone new to the Watchtower. You're a bit like me when I first started out, too, with my second self," she grinned wryly.
«I prefer to take things one step at a time.
Raven gave Will a disinterested glance and lifted Beast Boy into the air with a sweep of her finger before opening the door to the room and flying out into the hallway.
«Save me, Will! - said Beast Boy, clinging to the wall with his hands.
«Come on, it's just an assignment," Will muttered, skeptical of the Beast Boy's laziness.
Raven took one last breath and tossed it to Will:
«Good luck on your first mission, Willard Light. If you die, don't worry, I can bring your spirit back so you have time to say goodbye to Kara," Raven grinned.
«Oh...thank you, you're so kind.
And then they left, locking the door behind them.
"All right, time to get busy. Finally get to see Harley and try out the suit Vanessa gave me."
Will finally opened the box, and saw a black piece of cloth that looked like some kind of cosplay, but felt noticeably different to the touch. The piece of cloth resembled the fabric of body armor, but in reality Will had no idea of its composition. It was heavier than a typical rag, and clearly more elastic.
Will took the suit in both hands and froze, contorting his lips in a ridiculous grin.
"This symbol..."
... Was carved on his chest with the Red Bat. That symbol was more important to Willard than Vanessa or even Batman.
Will remembered the drug-addicted teenagers dying, the gunshots, the dead bodies, and the countless crimes that swept through the Gotham of the future. When a terrible threat of succeeding crime loomed over Gotham City. Emerging as if from the past, Batman Future reminded the criminals that even after decades of Batman's disappearance, his reputation had gone nowhere.
Literally out of nowhere, towering over crime standing on the tallest tower, the Batman of the future, or Terry McGinnis, took to the path of the hunt.
And at that moment, the very streets of Gotham seemed to be pierced by a strident, piercing chorus of voices, and the bats soared once more over the foggy streets of the underworld.
Criminals once again began to fear the shadows cast by the moon, reviving in the hearts of criminals the ancient fear of demons lurking in the shadows of Gotham.
Those who had previously taken refuge in them to commit crimes began to flee away at the appearance of vague bat-like outlines. Their eyes flickered, and the uncertainty as they emerged from their lairs to rob and kill now turned to fear of one single person.
With the return of Batman, there was no escape for them. There was no hiding place or hope that they would go unpunished. No matter where they hid or how hard they tried to get away... nothing could save them.
Will hurriedly threw off his clothes, not caring at all about what lay ahead.
At the mirror, in his new suit, a dark silhouette waited for him, gleaming slightly against the bright lamps. His cloth-covered muscular frame and strong chin stared back at him menacingly and confidently, as if he were his own enemy. That must have been the effect Bruce sought when he made his costumes - to make himself not only a strong, but also a fearsome Symbol of the enemy of all criminals.
Knight of Vengeance.
Batman.
Will involuntarily curled his lips into a line and glanced sideways at himself. It didn't look like much, but the visual model was a bit tense, what with the piercing gaze through the pale lenses.
He looked stronger and more confident in that suit.
Everything had changed since the World of War, and his own body, despite his lack of training, was bulging with muscle. It was worth it for the rock-hard biceps, which, when tensed, were almost the size of melons. In addition, despite its heaviness, the suit made it easy to move and breathe freely.
Will put on the mask and numerous sensors flashed before his eyes, flickering on and off in seconds.
"Willard William Light. Age: nineteen, height one hundred eighty-seven centimeters, eyes blue, brunette, weight seventy-six, build strong, health indicators normal..."
The voiced data resounded in his ears as Willard Light managed to fish out the general data. He put a palm hugged by a black glove and sighed.
"Initial access granted. Welcome, Master Light. I am your new assistant, Liberty Van. Ready for a promising and lasting partnership with the future Hero of Gotham City."
«Liberty Van? - Will had a chuckle on his lips," What is this?
«Master Bruce felt that name suited me best. I will support and guide you in your arduous mission to save lives. This suit is customized to your body and will allow you to perform even the most difficult tasks efficiently.
«Interesting. Well, well... what are my options? Oh, that's right, can you tell me, so what, I'm, uh, Batman now?
«You received a costume and Liberty Van from Master Bruce, but your heroic name has not yet been assigned. Do you wish to select it and transfer it to the base of the Watchtower?
«Like what?
«You have limited access to the Watchtower as a member of the Justice League. I can transmit your name registration request in an online form by voice command.
«It's awfully convenient," Will nodded thoughtfully.
«You're taking too long, Willard Light," Vanessa's voice sounded harsh in my ear, clearly displeased. - Hurry up, now.
«I know, I know...but let me deal with Liberty Van for a while.
«Liberty-van...? - A slight surprise could be heard in her voice.
«Yeah, why?
«No, it doesn't matter. I'm waiting for you at the teleporter, you have two minutes.
The connection's been severed.
«Hmmm... heroic name, huh? It's odd that Batman would trust me with this costume. I thought he was pretty careful about that sort of thing.
«Master Bruce anticipated your questions and left an encrypted message, in a single copy on this suit.
«The only copy...? Now it's even weirder. Liberty, please run a message.
«I'm starting it up.
A hologram flashed before Will's eyes. Batman stood in front of the Bat-computer and turned toward him. As expected, his imposing dark silhouette was lost in the shadows of the cave.
***
West End, Gotham art was prevalent here. In the sense that the walls of the houses were painted by "street artists". The bridges over the roads were filled with slum-dwelling boys and girls who were into street sports, drugs and illegal racing.
«Why do you think Batman trusted me with this suit? It's not like him," Will said thoughtfully.
«He trusts you, that's all I know.
«Trusted? - Will asked in surprise. - But Vanessa, Batman doesn't trust anyone.
"That's odd. He told me to be careful and stay alert. Batman would hardly trust me with a suit over nothing, eh. Is there really something unpleasant ahead of us?"
Willard and Vanessa stepped out of the phone booth. The intrusive smell of gasoline hung in the air, and the gray, old-fashioned buildings of the West End loomed overhead. This was his remote eleventh district, famous for the Joker's constant attacks on industrial facilities and laboratories where the toxic objects needed for his "toys" could be found.
Not surprisingly, this time Harley Quinn was spotted here with her gang.
Vanessa, ignoring Will's question, turned distractedly to the suit's built-in computer, clacking her fingers fluently on the virtual keyboard.
«Focus on the task at hand," she said.
«Hmmm..." Will grumbled unhappily, changing the subject, because it was easier to get a demon out of Vanessa than the truth, "Okay, so why is Harley here? Does she need something for Joker?
«Harley acts unpredictably, but she has certain interests. And the Joker... I wish I could figure out where he disappeared to first," Vanessa said glumly, bringing the virtual map into the air in front of them. - She had been spotted near the Newfuche lab where the Titans had been sent.
«Coincidence?
Vanessa silently took off into the sky on jet engines, leaving Will to watch in surprise as she disappeared onto the roof.
«Think less, do more," Vanessa quipped.
«Okay," he shrugged.
"Going into Active Mode, Master Light.
The suit's de-restriction has been triggered:
A tenfold increase in physical stats is unlocked.
Cloaking device unlocked.
Increased vision abilities unlocked.
Enhanced ballistic defense unlocked.
Protection from heat, electricity, water and low levels of radiation unlocked.
The remote communication facility is unlocked..."
Another network of messages flashed before his eyes. The dense fabric of the suit and all the modifiers built into the exo-skeleton chafed Will's skin and muscles to a slight ache, making him unpleasantly tsk-tsk. His back straightened noticeably, physical and tactile sensations improved slightly, and the sounds of passing cars roaring by hit his ears hard. Clenching his fist, Will played with his fingers as if trying to catch intangible control of the situation.
"The movements have gotten better, and all without a drop of chakra," he thought.
«Now I see how it works. No wonder she got Bane.
Vanessa appeared on the edge of the roof, pulled a small trinket from her Bat Belt, and tossed it upward, straight up toward the sky. Spinning in the air, the black ball took on the shape of a bat and flew sharply upward, toward the unfriendly clouds of Gotham City.
A voice boomed in Will's ear:
«I'll give you a picture of the holographic map and put the Observer's camera on a separate sensor. He'll help us see a live aerial picture so we don't get ambushed. Follow him or the map where I've plotted the route. I've marked the point where Harley Quinn was last seen," Vanessa explained, drawing a map of the West End in front of Will's eyes.
«You already have it all planned out.
«It's basic stuff, you'll get used to it soon enough," she said distractedly.
«That's easy for you to say...
Vanessa's already gone.
Will sighed unhappily, jumping up and throwing his arms out to the sides. And three meters above the ground... already appeared in front of them. It would seem... he didn't say a word, but Liberty Van had correctly miscalculated his wishes and soon the retractable wings were flung to the sides and the engines built into his boots gave off heat. Will soared into the air and, after losing control slightly in flight, landed confidently on the roof of a five-story building.
The view from it was, of course, beautiful. One might even say heroic. Right in front of Will, the entire eleventh district of identical five-story houses and restaurants appeared. Along them, unsuspecting people walked along the sidewalk. Above their heads, the sky was frowning, preparing for the arrival of real fall, and the wind was blowing coolly against their faces. In the distance they could see an intersection with cars standing on red, through which Vanessa was flying at that moment.
"Judging by the map, we'll have to cross a couple neighborhoods," he sighed, starting to run forward.
This time, the new leap into the sky came out most successfully, but he wanted to experience the increased power now.
Having flown over the house already confidently, Will landed on yet another roll-top and with a burning excitement running all over his body, yelled loudly:
«Wow, my body moves like a ball, and I'm not even using chakra! It's hard to imagine what would happen if I used acceleration in this suit," Will glanced at his hands.
His toe froze on the edge of the roof, and a rapid downward fall began. Will deftly caught hold of the balcony railing and threw himself across the road, right over the passing cars and the cheerful crowd of children, in which a little girl threw a surprised finger at him.
«It's Batman!!!
The wind beat in his face, and whipped around his body like he was a bird in a battle with the air elemental, with one exception - his movements represented twisting and sharp, lightning-fast jerks.
With a new deft landing, Will finally paid attention to the smoothness of his own movements. His body moved as it should, and did not let him make a mistake, even at high speeds and with incredibly awkward movements. It was as if he was floating like a fish in water, and nothing mattered to him.
It hadn't even gotten to chakra control yet, and remembering those moments, Will involuntarily stopped and exhaled.
«Hey, didn't they move us far away? - Will said.
«I'm almost there. Use your powers.
«I'm telling you...I'm not quite sure how to control them yet.
Yeah, and after that incident on World of War, the feelings were mixed.
«It's about time you learned," Vanessa cut her off, "I'm temporarily disconnecting, I noticed something strange.
«Wouldn't it be better to wait for me?
"I know I got a little carried away with the tests though..."
Vanessa passed out, and Will froze by the roadside in complete silence, wondering if she was going to be okay?
"Okay... she's not even missing in there, she'll survive," he thought, straightening up confidently and kneading his shoulders. - "I have the impression that I can roll mountains now. Time to try some new feints."
There was responsibility on her shoulders for this assignment, as a warm up. Vanessa was out there somewhere, already on the trail of the enemy, all because of her ambition leading her into the middle of nowhere. Now she's hooked Will as well, so here's his "warm-up" for the rookie. I'm sure she's been used to getting into the thick of things since she was a kid, following Batman. And if you think about it, Batman sent the Robins on missions when they were only fourteen years old, and Will was already eighteen. Yes, the approach is a bit odd, but Batman's training was extremely effective despite the risks.
And if Vanessa was doing well so far, Batman's approach was justified.
Will wondered why Bats would even let someone like him go on missions with his own daughter? Was it because he believed in her so much, or because he had high hopes for her? It was an open question, and it was hard to find a definitive answer.
Remembering the past conversation with Batman and Diana's words, Willard tilted his head somberly.
«I don't like this at all.
It would take at least fifteen minutes to run to Vanessa, which was a surprising amount of time, considering the equal strength of their suits. If Will had been fooling around, he should have been no more than five minutes behind, but he was ten minutes behind.
She used the costume to its full potential....
Knowing how Vanessa liked to rush things... Will didn't have much time left before she was in trouble.
***
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