Chapter 90: Ripples in Dark Waters
The mountain fortress stood silent beneath Himalayan stars. In the central chamber, Ra's al Ghul watched footage from the FBI minimum security facility on a tablet, his tea growing cold beside him. The videos had been released by the Justice League after growing allegations that Batman was aiding the Architect.
Talia entered, closing the door behind her. "You wanted to see me?"
"Sit." Ra's gestured to the chair across from him. "Have you reviewed the recent prison incident?"
She nodded, pouring herself tea. "Multiple dead. Notable Victim Firefly. Batman was there but failed to stop it."
"Not just failed but utterly dominated." Ra's replayed a section—the creatures hunting through corridors, Batman's desperate fighting. "The Detective has faced Clayface, the Talons, Killer Croc. He knows shapeshifters. Yet this one fooled him completely."
"You think it's significant?"
Ra's set down the tablet. "I think someone made Batman look like an idiot on purpose. The timing, the theatrics, the final reveal—it was designed to humiliate him publicly." He sipped his tea. "And I wonder why?"
"So what do you want to do about it?"
"Nothing. Yet." Ra's smiled slightly. "Batman has been righteously lecturing the world about proper justice for years. Now someone's showing him the consequences of his restraint, and he's losing. Badly. Let him struggle. Let him question his methods. When he's desperate enough..."
"You'll offer an alliance," Talia finished.
"Or at least a conversation." Ra's picked up the tablet again. "Besides, the Architect is doing excellent work in Gotham. Crime rates are down. The corrupt are terrified. Fear is a better deterrent than Batman's revolving door at Arkham ever was."
Talia studied her father's expression. "You sound almost pleased."
"I'm practical. If someone else is cleaning up Gotham's filth more effectively than the Detective, why should I interfere?" He stood, moving to the window. "Though I am curious who they are. This level of intelligence along with his powers.."
"Want me to investigate?"
"Carefully. Very carefully." Ra's turned back to her. "Don't engage. Don't interfere. Just... watch. I want to know if this Architect is someone we need to worry about, or someone we might work with eventually."
"And if they're a threat?"
"Then we'll deal with them. But for now?" He glanced at the tablet showing Batman's humiliation. "For now, I'm content to watch the Detective squirm."
---
**LexCorp Tower, Metropolis**
Lex Luthor's office was quiet. He sat at his desk, reviewing quarterly reports, when Mercy entered with a folder.
"The prison analysis you requested."
Luthor took it, flipping through pages. Security footage, autopsy reports, witness statements. He paused on a photo of the creatures. "Biological manipulation. I wonder how he did it. Meta powers or Advanced Tech.."
"Interesting." Luthor set down the folder. "And Batman was there?"
"He got played. He handed Firefly over to the Architect thinking it was Wonder Woman." Mercy pulled up security footage on the wall screen. "Complete infiltration. Perfect impersonation."
Luthor watched the footage with interest. "He is capable for sure."
"Any lead on this Architect?"
Mercy shook her head. "No trail so far. Just some call cards and unfortunate victims. No direct contact."
Luthor drummed his fingers on the desk, thinking. "Those high up in military should be hot on their seat right now, dont you think Mercy? Still this is good for us."
A slight smile crossed Luthor's face. "The more the Justice League looks fallible, the easier my next U.N. proposal goes through. Nothing sells enhanced security measures like watching the World's Greatest Detective get fooled by a shapeshifter."
" Also we need better identification protocols to prevent infiltration. I will make it myself." Luthor stood, straightening his suit. "For now, set up a meeting with Senator Hawkins. I want to brief him on enhanced threat response before the League does damage control."
---
**Undisclosed Location**
Amanda Waller sat in the reinforced briefing room, surrounded by screens showing footage from Blackgate. Her coffee had gone cold an hour ago. She didn't care.
"Run the casualty list again," she said.
Her analyst pulled up the document. "....deaths confirmed.. guards...cocoons ..Firefly escaped custody and was later found—"
"I know what happened. I want to know why we didn't see it coming." Waller leaned back in her chair. "This Architect has been operating for months. Bodies piling up. And nobody flagged him as a national security threat until he embarrassed Batman on camera?"
The analyst shifted uncomfortably. "The targets were criminals. Eventhough he had once massacred some officials, the higherups suppressed the news to deny their corruption and incompetence. We don't usually—"
"That's the problem." Waller cut him off. "We wait until something's already a crisis before we act. This individual infiltrated a federal facility, killed multiple people including some government guards. I even got the report that Batman had warned the FBI about this attack but that stupid FBI agent suppressed it for his promotion."
She pulled up a map showing the Architect's known activities—Gotham primarily, with the one incident in Star city. "Pattern analysis. What do we know?"
"Targets are always criminals who escaped justice. Corrupt officials, violent offenders. The methods are... extreme. But there's clear selection criteria."
"So he's got principles. That makes him predictable." Waller highlighted several cases. "I want to set up an intial contact with him."
The analyst looked skeptical. "You think he'll talk to us?"
"I think he might be useful. Or at least containable if we understand how he operates." She turned back to the screens. "But first, we need to know if he's a legitimate threat to our nation or just a very effective vigilante with boundary issues."
"What's the difference?"
"The difference is whether we try to recruit him or eliminate him." Waller returned to her seat. "I will set up a task force. Small, discreet. Their job is to establish contact."
"And if we find him?"
"We assess. Is he someone we can work with? Someone who can be reasoned with? Or is he a loose cannon who needs to be put down?" She pulled up the footage again. "I need to know if that was necessary force or if we're dealing with someone who's lost control."
The analyst made notes. "Resources?"
"Whatever you need. Priority alpha clearance. I want answers in two weeks." She paused. "And keep this quiet. No Justice League involvement. No Bat-signal. This is our operation."
"Understood."
After the analyst left, Waller sat alone with the footage, watching the carnage play out again. Batman beaten. Federal security compromised. A vigilante operating with impunity.
She picked up her phone, dialing a classified number.
"It's Waller. I need a specialized task force assembled. Intelligence gathering and potential contact operation." She paused, listening. "Target designation: The Architect. Yes, the Gotham vigilante. Because Batman just proved the Justice League can't handle him, and I'm not waiting to see what he does next."
She hung up, eyes on the screen.
"Let's see if you're interested in having a conversation," she muttered. "Or if you're just another monster who needs putting down."
Notes : Really busy....😮💨