The air smelled like smoke and something inherently fleshy. Like meat left to cook too long and burnt tires all rolled into one.

Some heroes were scattered in the mangled Watchtower, licking their wounds as Batman strategized the next move. The Atom was busy bickering with Aquaman over at a control panel about ‘diagnostics’ only one of them cared about.

Wonder Woman had noticed the grim expression on Batman’s face but didn’t question it at the moment, because he’d come forward in his own time.

Six hours of planning. Six hours of Cyborg, Atom, Mr. Terrific, and Batman huddled in the lab on the third floor. Everyone was itching for a fight by the time they were done, eager to end Doomsday once and for all.

Superman lay out of commission, the man of steel having taken the brunt of it all to allow most the heroes to make an escape. He was plastered up in the med bay being cared for by their best. But he would still be able to hear the announcement with his powers.

Heroes gather together in the central room, a hologram spinning in the center of the device that was built and what it does. That isn’t what has Batman looking more brooding than usual, it’s the activation time.

A hush falls over everyone, taking in the gravity of that statement.