Arias walked out of his office and toward the lone elevator, where two guards stood before the metal doors, their expressions alert.
When the doors opened automatically, Arias stepped inside, and the guards instinctively moved to join him.
With a slight smile, Arias turned his head just enough to meet their eyes; his own glowed a faint, steely hue as his telekinesis took hold. The guards immediately froze, their limbs locking as if seized by an invisible vice.
They exchanged a bewildered look, eyes wide, helpless to resist.
As the elevator doors slid shut, releasing them from his control, one guard muttered, "Shit," then quickly reached for his communicator, pressing a button on his chest. "Alert, Arias Markovic has entered the elevator alone. He prevented us from following by force. Orders?" His voice, worried and direct, crackled through the secured channel.
But, an unanticipated voice answered. "Stand down and hold your positions." It was unmistakably Batman, the words chillingly calm.
A second later, the commander's voice came through, tense and reprimanding. "Batman, hacking into a secure line is an offense. I advise against repeating it."
Batman responded in an icy tone, "And I advise you keep your men on a tight leash—if you don't want them dead." The line crackled with static as Batman disconnected after saying this.
Down in the lobby, Batman stood before the polished metal doors, arms crossed, his expression unreadable beneath the cowl.
Just then, a soft **ding** sounded, and the doors slid open to reveal Arias's form within. He stepped out with a slow, measured gait, his eyes sweeping the empty lobby, save for Batman.
Guards and military personnel had all been stationed outside, their attention fixated on controlling the massive crowd of protestors roiling around the tower's perimeter.
Arias's gaze settled on Batman, and he showed a faint smile. "It's so quiet in here, I might almost believe the government's given up on spying on my every move."
Batman didn't flinch. "You'd do the same in their position."
Arias stepped forward, stopping just a foot from Batman, his smile chilling. "Wrong," he corrected, crossing his arms. "If it were me, I'd have already eliminated the enemy."
Batman's frown deepened, his voice edged with skepticism. "Then why haven't you ended the war with your so-called powerful weapons?"
Arias chuckled, the sound low and unbothered. "Because the U.S. government isn't my enemy. They're just a parade of greedy, corrupt puppets whose masters view me as a threat to their grasp on global power. And unfortunately for them," he added, his voice softening into an almost conspiratorial tone, "they're right."
Without waiting for Batman's reaction, Arias turned and gestured toward a lounge area across the spacious lobby. Plush leather armchairs sat arranged near a low, coffee table, flanked by elegant potted plants and glass panels offering a subdued view of the city lights beyond.
"Shall we?" Arias motioned for Batman to follow, and he did, walking in silence behind him.
They sat across from one another, with Batman clearly wary of Arias.
Batman leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. "I won't waste time," he began. "I'm here on behalf of the Justice League and the U.S. government, to ask if you'd agree to a definite ceasefire—until all sides can settle terms for a peace summit."
Arias leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest as a small, wry smile curved his lips. "Interesting." He tilted his head, his gaze difficult to pin. "Well, like I said before, if you want to discuss anything to do with Markovia, contact its Queen. Though I imagine she'd be quite open to the idea, if certain conditions are met."
Batman's jaw tightened. "What sort of conditions?"
Arias shrugged with a faintly amused expression. "Who knows? I'm only speculating."
Silence stretched between them as Batman studied him, his eyes narrowing at the faint smirk on Arias's face. It was clear to Batman that Arias had no intention of giving a straight answer, and trying to coax one would be a waste of time.
Standing up, Batman looked down at him. "Alright, then I'll do just that."
Arias gave a slight nod, his expression unchanged as Batman turned and walked towards the exit. He remained seated, his gaze fixed on the detective, unperturbed, as if watching the start of a game he was confident he would win.
As Batman stepped out into the night, he took in the scene before him. Military personnel and guards stood in ranks, forming a barrier around the tower, facing the many protestors crowding the streets beyond.
He exhaled and let out a quiet sigh that carried the weight of his thoughts. Just then, his communicator crackled to life, and Alfred's voice came through, sounding concerned. "Judging by that sigh, I take it things didn't go well?"
Batman's gaze swept over the roiling crowd, and he replied quietly, "Not exactly. But I think I'm beginning to see why Arias Markovic returned to Gotham. I need to talk to Superman. Send him a message."
"Will do, sir," Alfred calmly replied before the line disconnected.