"You're going to be getting a new green lantern."

 

The orbiting satellite that the justice league used as its headquarters had a very special room. That room didn't contain anything special. A few terminals, a few view screens on the walls, and a large round table in the middle. It contained seven high-backed chairs, each one with the symbol of a certain superhero at the top. What made the room so special was the sheer amount of science and magic that had been poured into the walls, ceiling, and floor of that room to make it the most secure room imaginable. There was no known way to get in or out except through the two exits (and one hidden exit that Batman had installed). Teleportation, extradimensional travel, and even shrinking down to the size of a quark wouldn't be enough as there was a force field that was completely impenetrable, as long as it was active.

 

The field needed to be raised and lowered for people to exit and leave, but otherwise, while the field was up, there was no way in or out. That included listing devices, spy lasers, radio waves, and the works. Of course, the field had different settings. Sometimes you wanted access to the computer network outside the room, or to the cameras around the station. The room acted as also a war room, with the holographic projector set up at the center of the table. But, in a pinch, the place could become as opaque as a singularity, as far as communication was concerned.

 

This was the room the founding members of the Justice League used to hold their meetings.

 

Currently, the founding members were Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, The Flash, Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern. The position of green lantern was variable. Whoever was the current Green Lantern of Sector 2814 sat at the table. This was a bit of a concession made by the guardians of Oa. They objected to Hal Jordan joining the League, but when he insisted, because of his reputation and the amount of good he had done for the green lantern Corps in the past, they made an exception. Normally, they felt such an agreement led to divided loyalties, so they agreed only on the condition that the title of Green Lantern joined the league, not Hal Jordan specifically.

 

This meant that if Hal Jordan needed to be pulled from sector 2814, a replacement would be sent and he would take Hal's place. This had happened a half dozen times in the past, and usually, Hal returned quickly enough. Normally the Guardians don't like having so many green lanterns from the same planet in the corps at the same time, but when they sent a ring into the area, it sought out Guy and he proved himself to be a good lantern. Blunt, direct, and rude, but a good lantern and proved his loyalty to the Guardians. They were happy to have him be a sort of 'Float'. He was assigned to other sectors as needed.

 

On the day before Superman was attacked by Doomsday, Hal Jordan and a fair number of Lanterns all got pulled from their respective sector to deal with a sudden issue. It shouldn't have taken long, but it quickly grew out of control as it turned out to be a trap set by the Sinestro Corps. Hal was in the thick of things, but when word of what was happening to Superman reached him, he ordered Guy to return to Earth to help. Since then, he was filling in for Hal, waiting for the word when he would return.

 

"Because apparently, Hal is getting assigned to a special mission. He will be gone for months, maybe more."

 

Batman remained impassive at this news, "Is there a reason you aren't staying?"

 

Guy nodded, "The guardians knew this was going to last a long time, and given how much trouble Earth causes, they decided they needed another lantern as a backup in case they need to pull me. Well, turns out Earth has a new Green Lantern who goes by the name of John Stewart. However, he agreed to join the corps, only on the condition he gets to remain on Earth." He snorted, "You should have seen the looks on the Guardian's faces when John took the ring off and started to leave." He smiled as he shook his head slowly, "Snot-nosed punk, but I got to admit, I like his style."

 

Guy held his hands out to the sides and spread his arms wide, "What can I say? I know I got seniority, but I'm just a big softy at the end of the day, so I agreed to leave and he could have the post. So they're gonna put the training wheels on his ring and he's going to be stuck in the solar system, I'll have the rest of the sector to myself."

 

Wonder Woman spoke up, "What's he like?"

 

Guy shrugged, "He's a Marine from Detroit. Bit of a chip on his shoulder, but you don't get to be a lantern unless you are as stubborn as a mule. He'll work out fine. Kilowog is in charge of the poozer's boot camp. He'll be ready in a week." Guy leaned forward resting his elbows on the table, "Which brings me to the main reason I asked for this meeting." Guy's eyes darted around the table, "When John shows up, I'm to head back to Oa. The Guardians told me to bring that Combo Lantern back with me." He straightened up and spoke with finality, "One way or another."

 

"I have a problem with that."

 

Superman was in attendance via telepresence robot. It was a robot built with Kryptonian technology and a direct link to Superman. Quite useful considering he was in a medical bed in his fortress of Solitude. His heart was on the mend, but it might be weeks of constant bombardment with concentrated yellow solar radiation before he was in fighting trim. For now, the league lowered the room's barrier enough for his quantum entangled communication link to let him attend this way. The robot sat right on the edge of the uncanny valley, so it came across as a little creepy.

 

"If you ask him and he leaves with you voluntarily, that's fine, but he hasn't committed any crimes that I know of." The robot folded its arms.

 

Batman spoke up, "And I have a problem setting the precedent of deporting Earth citizens to the custody of alien worlds without due process."

 

Guy tapped a few buttons on the console before him and some documents popped up, "I've been looking into him. Yes, he helped save Superman's life, but since then he's been seen consorting with known criminals, including The Penguin, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman." He pressed another button and several profile pictures popped up along with camera footage, "Not to mention he was seen transporting women who were the victims of human trafficking, as well as possibly involved in the murder of six agents working for the Ibanescu crime family."

 

Batman interrupted, "There is no evidence those individuals were murdered, much less Mister London was involved."

 

Guy snorted, "Yeah, and I'm a blue-nosed baboon."

 

Wonder Woman turned to Batman, "Gotham is your stomping ground. What do you think about... what's his name?

 

The Flash smirked and let out a chuckle, "Everyone's calling him Hotrod because of his color scheme." The flash put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair clearly showing off his red and yellow outfit, "Which I happen to like, I might add. He's a snappy dresser in my book."

 

"I've checked him out quite extensively. While he seemed to be hanging out with a rather unsavory crowd, I believe it's because he's trying to help people. A 'keep your friends close, and enemies closer', situation. He tends to be a bit on the psychoanalytical side of things and keeps talking people into changing their lives." He paused to let that sink in, "Usually for the better."

 

J'onn folded his hands as he addressed Batman, "To what end?"

 

"He's had a rough life. He and his friends were kidnapped from their world and drafted as child soldiers in a different universe." Batman spoke calmly, carefully picking his words, "His friends all died and his side in the war was overrun by an invading army of demons. He went to ground and after waging a guerrilla war for seven years managed to defeat the invading army and drive them out. He then spent the next two years rebuilding the local government before deciding to go home. In the process of returning home, there was an accident, he found those rings and wound up here."

 

Batman took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I believe he's trying to find a way home and in the meantime, he's trying to help people. It doesn't seem to be any more sinister than that."

 

Guy narrowed his eyes, "Got any proof of that sob story?"

 

Batman shook his head, "Circumstantial only."

 

The Flash leaned on his elbow as he turned to Guy, "Okay. Even if he did it, that's a local matter, hardly a crime worthy of the Guardians of the Universe. Why have they got a problem with this guy?"

 

Guy tapped a few more buttons. A picture of Jake appeared, focusing on his two rings, "He doesn't have a lantern for recharging his rings." Guy leaned back, "Maybe it's hidden very well. But we think he just doesn't have one, of ANY color." Guy raised a finger, "The only ring that we know of that doesn't need a lantern are Anti-Lantern rings. Those things run off the life force of the user. Which means if he doesn't have a lantern for recharging his rings, he's draining the life force of those around him."

 

Batman shook his head, "They don't do that. They only soak up ambient emotions."

 

Guy snapped his head towards Batman, "WHAT? You know he drains people's emotions and you didn't tell anyone?"

 

Batman glared, "It cannot penetrate mental defenses, yet it can still soak up emotions, therefore it isn't DRAINING anything. It just absorbs the emotions people give off."

 

Guy folded his arms, "Maybe. Or maybe he's a goddamn psychic vampire. Either way, the Guardians want to check him out. Even if he ISN'T sucking the life out of everyone around him, his rings are breaking the rules of how rings work. Such dangerous artifacts can't be allowed to exist."

 

Batman tilted his head back slightly, "So they mean to destroy his rings, either way?"

 

Guy looked at Batman like he had gone insane, "Of course! Hello! Rings powered by hate and fear? You want those things out there in the universe?"

 

Batman nodded once, "Well then. It looks like I was correct to plan ahead." He pressed down on a single button on the panel in front of him, "Alright, O'Brian. Bring him in." The back entrance to the meeting room opened and in walked Jake London, wearing handcuffs and escorted by Plastic Man. Batman leaned back in his chair, "I think the subject of this deportation hearing should have the right to defend himself."

 

 

 

Batman allowed himself the slightest smirk as he enjoyed the look on Guy Gardner's face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Don’t you?”