Y/N stepped out of the dark limousine. He followed Bruce up the long walkway towards a large, dark manor. The flight to Gotham had been nice, although a little slow for Y/N's taste. He couldn't deny the luxury of flying in a lazy boy while sipping champagne, though.

With his bag slung over his shoulder, the young man walked with Wayne towards his family home. The mansion was huge and had a gothic appearance, almost like something straight out of an old horror movie. Faded, sandstone paint covered the old building with specks of black soot peppered near the windows.

Before Bruce could even approach the large, wooden doors leading in, they were opened by a face all too familiar to the millionaire vigilante. The old man on the other side wore a black, sleeveless vest over a white collar shirt. A delicate tie hung from his neck and a pair of rounded bifocals rested on his eyes. He nodded to Bruce in understanding, a smile creeping on his face.

Alfred: Welcome home, Master Wayne.

Bruce nodded to him, stepping all the way in.

Bruce: Thank you, Alfred.

Alfred: I suspect it was a profitable trip?

Bruce: See for yourself.

He indicated to the man behind him and continued making his way into the large foyer. Alfred looked over and noticed a young man with a red shirt and grey sweatshirt on. He recognized him from his and Bruce's conversations regarding the matter.

Alfred: Good evening, Mr. L/N. I hope the flight over was to your liking.

Y/N: Yeah, it was great! I don't get to fly too often.

Alfred: I suspect not, especially considering you could cover the distance better with your own two feet on the ground.

He gave Y/N a wink while taking his bag. Y/N looked at him in confusion and surprise.

Y/N: I'm sorry, you are...

Bruce: Y/N, this is Alfred. He's the one in charge around here.

Alfred nodded his head. Y/N shook his hand gratefully before stepping into the foyer. The young man let out a low whistle upon seeing everything.

The room was large with delicate, intricately drawn paintings on the wall. A brass chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the room with a warm yet gothic glow, almost as if it were the middle of winter. A stairwell to the side was adorned with a fine wood railing and a well kept carpet.

Following Bruce through the manor, Y/N now found them to be standing in a large study room. The walls were lined with bookshelves, some of which hadn't looked like they'd been touched in years. A fish tank sat close to a large window near the back of the room. A nearby desk was covered in papers and neatly stacked books. Y/N was so taken aback by the room that he nearly bumped into a small table and armchair.

Alfred: I am sure you will find things comfortable here, Mr. L/N.

Y/N: Comfortable? This is a palace compared to my place!

Bruce: Alfred, take his things to the room and meet us downstairs.

The old butler nodded, walking towards the stairwell. Y/N followed Bruce throughout the study room.

Y/N: So, you got like a hidden room where you keep your stuff? Maybe some equipment kept in the storage closet? A secret seance room?

Bruce walked over to his desk. He pulled on one of the corner pieces, sliding it open to reveal a secret compartment. Y/N hadn't even realize that was there. It looked like it had been designed into the pattern of the desk.

Bruce pressed a small button located on the compartment. Behind Y/N, a grandfather clock split in half and moved with the bookcase behind it. It slid outwards to reveal a set of secret doors. Behind them appeared to be a small service elevator.

Bruce walked into the elevator. Y/N was still reeling from the surprised movement of the bookcase behind him. He then followed Bruce into the elevator. Pressing a button, Bruce closed the bookcase doors and the elevator began its descent. 

The elevator moved down at a quicker than expected pace. The steel walls gave way to dark stone. Rough patches of rockwork and stalagmites began to appear.

Y/N eyes went wide when the elevator dropped down into an opening. As they descended, lights around the cave in front of them began to automatically turn on, illuminating the dark cavern with an ominous glow.

Y/N began to smile wildly when he saw all that was illuminated. Metal walkways connected cliffside ledges. In the corner of the room, a large set of computers and monitors had been set up with a swivel chair placed in front of them. On another ledge, a large, long, black vehicle sat parked in place. On yet another ledge, various pieces of equipment and suits were put on display.

The elevator finished its journey, landing on the ground with a thud. Bruce walked off it and over to a set of computers. Y/N stepped out slowly, taking in everything. A wide grin was plastered on his face.

Y/N: Whoa. 

Y/N suddenly took off, running around the room at high speeds. He ran onto various platforms, taking in every little detail. He stopped in front of a row of Bat suits, all coming in various designs and colors. There was a blue and grey one, one with a gun holster, one with a pair of mechanical wings, and another with a scuba mask and air tank on its back, which Y/N guessed was the one Wells had sold to Wayne.

Running across another walkway, Y/N stopped beside the black car. He looked at the long, sleek design. A large thruster engine was placed on the back. The windows were tinted black and lined by a pair of batwing fins placed on either side of the car. 

Y/N: Dude, I remember seeing this on the news as a kid! What's it's horsepower? Going by the design, estimated fuel tank size, and thruster engine, I'd say 250.

Bruce: Y/N.

Bruce was standing by a desk with a set of books and files strewn about. Y/N rushed over to him, stopping in front of the brooding man.

Bruce: You said you knew a bit about Brainiac.

Y/N: Just a few mentions here and there, mostly Egyptian mythology. Not much. 

Bruce indicated to the files and books around him.

Bruce: I've been digging up anything I can find on the matter. Take all the time you need to-

Y/N grabbed and sped read through every file, book, and pamphlet on the table. He managed to get through it all in less than ten seconds. After finishing, he sat down in a small, swivel chair placed next to the desk.

Y/N: Alright, so there's little if any major accounts on Brainiac. What is known is that he was worshipped as a deity from the stars by a small group of Egyptians at some point in time. A god of knowledge and intellect. Although his total reach is unknown as very few hieroglyphics and texts remain on him.

Bruce: He must have visited Earth before. Must not have stayed very long.

Y/N: Yeah, it's said he was a collector of worlds and kingdoms. Guess he didn't find Earth all too thrilling at the time. It's said that he left something behind, some kind of pod made out of an unknown metal.

Bruce thought for a moment, putting on his glasses and placing his finger on his chin in contemplation.  

Y/N: My guess is the pod was the one who sent out the signal you intercepted. 

Bruce: Earth might just be of interest to him now.

Y/N: Yeah, but my question is why? Why now? What makes Earth so special now? And more importantly, where is the pod?

Bruce: I think you are living proof of why Earth is so special now. The entire planet has changed over the Millenia. Central City alone houses hundreds of your... meta-humans? Is that what you call them? As for the pod... I think we've already encountered it before.

Y/N looked at him with confusion and interest. Bruce took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

Bruce: About a decade ago, when the big boy in blue was last seen.

Y/N sighed, realizing what he was implying. The last battle of Superman.

Bruce: Reports indicate that he was up against some kind of alien creature, a beast made of metal. In the skies of Giza, they pushed each other to their limits. Both came crashing back down. When the smoke cleared...

Y/N: Superman was reported dead. No one found him or the metal pod.

Bruce nodded. Y/N remembered seeing the news broadcast when he was a kid, how the world fell silent when the man of steel had been reported as missing, defeated. 

Bruce: The last son of Krypton was surely an item of interest for Brainiac. The pod must have sent out a signal to contact the mothership, letting it know Kal El was here.

Y/N: Yeah, but that was over a decade ago. Even if it took Brainiac that long to get here, why is there now a new signal? What's sending it out if the pod was destroyed?

Bruce: There may be something more to it.

Bruce turned around and walked towards his large computer station. Y/N stood up and saluted him.

Y/N: Looks like the Bat's on the case.

Y/N chuckled at his own joke. Bruce didn't reply, only staring with a blank, dull expression. Y/N had noticed a change in the man's tone since he first met him. He was no longer the grateful, grinning millionaire he'd seen at the press conference or met in S.T.A.R. Labs. Now, Bruce was more quite, stern, not responding much to jokes.

As they were talking, Alfred had made his way down into the cave. He walked over and stood next to Y/N.

Alfred: Don't take it hard, Mr. L/N. Master Bruce has always been a bit closed off to others.

Y/N: Has he always been like this? 

Alfred: Not always. I once remember him as a curious, excited little boy.

He paused before continuing, his eyebrows sinking.

Alfred: When he was very young, the master's parents were gunned down right in front of him. I fathom to think what happened the young mind of that little boy that night. Since then, he has dedicated his life to making sure all criminals fear him, so no child has to go what he went through.

Y/N looked back at Bruce with sympathy and a new understanding. Having lost his own parents at a young age, Y/N could relate to him. Both had dealt with it in their own ways. While Y/N plunged himself into discovering the unknown, Bruce had isolated himself into becoming the unknown. 

Alfred: If I may be frank, sir, a part of me hoped that he would have turned out like you.

Y/N looked at the old butler in confusion.

Y/N: Me?

Alfred: A young man who wants to do the right thing, fighting the scum of this planet, but also making sure to let others in, letting relationships flourish and retaining an optimistic view on life.

Y/N: Well, I nearly wasn't like that. I had others to pull me out of the darkness. And if I may be frank with you, good sir, it looks like Bruce has one of his own.

As they were talking, Bruce turned around in his chair and looked at them.

Bruce: Alfred, do you have to tell him my life story? 

Alfred: Only if it widens your circle of trust.

Bruce continued to stare at him before turning to the younger man.

Bruce: Y/N, here. 

Y/N walked over to join Bruce at the computer station. Wayne pointed to a series of images he had pulled up.

Bruce: While it isn't exact, a group of archeological explorers uncovered a series of metal artifacts buried in the sand outside of Giza. 

Y/N: Why wasn't this reported?

Bruce: Don't know. The files on it seem to indicate that the lead scientist wanted to keep it hidden for the time being. A Dr. Silas Stone.

Y/N: Silas Stone? Didn't he have a son named Victor Stone? One that was said to be one of Central City's best football players?

Bruce: Yes. Victor Stone was a skilled quarterback on the Central City High School football team. He also had a smart mind, 4.0 GPA, and skills as an auto mechanic.

Y/N: He took the team to state at least three times.

Bruce looked back at the man, confused as to why he knew such a specific thing about this football player.

Y/N: My foster father was a fan of the team. He made sure to catch up on every game.

Bruce went back to the images, pulling up an image of Victor himself.

Bruce: Victor Stone was killed alongside his mother in a car accident about two years ago. Silas retreated into his work. Many of his colleagues said he was obsessed with the artifacts found in Egypt. No one was was sure what he was doing, though.

Y/N: Where is he situated?

Bruce: Mercury Labs.

Y/N thought for a moment, looking at the images displayed before him. He noticed the gravesite where Stone's family was laid to rest. He noticed something peculiar about it. The grave only had one name on it, Silas's wife. Victor was nowhere in sight. Thinking for a moment, he responded.

Y/N: I wonder if Victor is actually dead.

Bruce: Police reports indicate not much was left of him after the accident. His entire lower body had been lost, leaving just his right arm and everything above the waist. What makes you say he could be alive?

Y/N: I've seen lots of people who should be dead return from the grave. Some... changed.

Suddenly, the computer screens began to flicker and change. They flashed through static and a series of unidentified photographs. Some of the screens flashed red.

Y/N: Uh, Bruce, tell me you're the one doing this.

Bruce: This isn't me.

Some of the screens flashed to show quick videos of Silas working on something, a purple energy core about the size of a soccer ball, and a series of screams. On the main screen, a string of letter spelled out a phrase. "COME FIND ME".

Then, just as quickly as they began, the flashes stopped. All the screens went dark before flickering back on to what they had been before. Y/N and Bruce looked at one another in shock.

Bruce: Looks like we'll be paying a visit to Mercury Labs.