Chapter Five: Joining the Team

His fingers thoughtfully tapped against the surface of the desk. Colonel Mustang gazed across the desk toward the Justice League and the Elric brothers sitting on the furniture before him. Lieutenant Hawkeye stood quietly beside the door to the office. The taps of his fingers began to match the ticks of the clock that hung solemnly in the lonely office, slowly letting the seconds echo and collapse into silence as they whizzed by. A heavy sigh escaped Mustang.

"Just when I don't think it can get any more difficult…" Mustang groaned.

"I understand that this very difficult to comprehend, at the very moment. In fact, it's pretty hard for us to comprehend everything as well, to tell you the truth." Superman said.

"Just who are you people? What do you do?" Mustang asked.

"I guess you could say we're the same thing you are, colonel. We're just protectors of civilians, but from a totally alternate universe. Darkseid must've opened a portal to this universe via the use of his technology to…" Before Green Lantern could finish, Mustang cut him off:

"By the way, who is this Darkseid character?" Mustang asked. Superman stood up..

"He's nothing more of a maniacal tyrant…willing to expense everything and everyone to establish a throne to every world that exists. The sooner that he's put down, the sooner that everyone will be safe. If he's here in your world, then it's beyond a shadow of a doubt that your people are in danger as well." Superman explained. A heavy silence hung in the room once again, and Colonel Mustang stood to his feet.

"It's against military code to allow people we don't even know to know about our missions and information. If I'm lucky, they'd just fire me from my occupation…" Colonel Mustang explained.

"We understand." Superman replied.

"Are you kidding? These guys are a vital aid…!" Edward protested..

"…however, this is a matter of national security now. If what you say is true, then we have no choice but to have you aid us in this quandary." Colonel Mustang explained. Wonder Woman stood up from the couch and stood next to Superman.

"So, we can help you?" Wonder Woman asked. Colonel Mustang's eyes shifted from Wonder Woman's face down toward her chest. Lieutenant Hawkeye rolled her eyes in the distance, and Batman narrowed his own. Colonel Mustang then quickly turned his attention back toward her face.

"Only for the time being." Colonel Mustang replied. The door of the office opened, and the towering Major Armstrong stepped into the room. He quickly made a salute.

"Yes Major?" Colonel Mustang asked.

"Colonel, we've been given orders to investigate the outskirts of the city. It is said that there was a disturbance somewhere in the woods. Something's coming to the city." Armstrong reported.

"That must be Darkseid." Superman said.

"Then you're going to have to come with us. You know more about this enemy than we do." Mustang replied. "We can come back later and make an investigation of the criminal we've captured. We'll keep him under lock and key until the time being."