It had been two weeks since Alex had arrived on Earth.
During that time, many things had changed.
It was no longer strange for him to wake up and find himself inside a human body. He had stopped paying attention to every breath, every movement of his fingers, or the weight of his feet against the ground. He had even begun to get used to simple things like eating, sleeping, and feeling cold.
Alex Mercer's identity was also beginning to feel less artificial.
He had documents, an address, a bank account, and a history that explained where he came from. None of it was truly his, but little by little, he had stopped feeling like someone who was simply pretending to be a person.
He still had memories of his old life. His family. His friends. His home. The accident.
But now those memories existed alongside a new reality.
And one of the things that had changed the most during those two weeks was his powers.
"Again," Batman said from the other side of the table.
Alex sighed.
"We've been at this for almost three hours."
"Two hours and forty-seven minutes."
Alex looked at him with an exhausted expression.
"That doesn't make it much better."
Superman, who was watching from one of the platforms in the Batcave, let out a small laugh.
"I told you Batman doesn't consider three hours to be very long."
"I'm starting to understand."
Batman ignored the comment and placed several different objects in front of Alex: a metal sphere, a block of stone, a piece of crystal, and a small electronic device.
"I want you to analyze them without touching them."
Alex closed his eyes.
At first, nothing happened.
Then his perception began to change.
He no longer simply saw the objects.
He saw their structures.
The stone stopped being a solid surface and became a vast organization of particles. The metal displayed a different structure. The crystal had more orderly internal patterns. The electronic device was far more complex.
Alex opened his eyes.
"I have them."
"Can you distinguish their components?"
"Yes."
"Without altering anything?"
"Yes."
Batman nodded.
"Then start with the stone."
Alex raised one hand.
The stone slowly began to change shape. There was no explosion or flash. It simply stopped having the structure it had possessed a few seconds earlier.
First, it became a sphere.
Then a cube.
Then it returned to its original shape.
Batman observed the result.
"What did you feel?"
Alex thought for a few seconds.
"I don't feel like I'm moving the stone. It's more like... reorganizing it."
"And what happens if you try it with something more complex?"
Alex looked at the electronic device.
"I can try."
"Do it."
Alex focused his attention on one of the internal components.
Without opening the device, a small piece moved inside it.
Batman watched carefully.
"Now return it to its original position."
Alex did so.
"Could you do it with a biological structure?" Batman asked.
Alex remained silent.
Superman intervened.
"Maybe that test can wait."
Batman looked at him for a few seconds.
"Fine."
Alex gave a small smile, grateful for the interruption.
"Thanks."
"Don't worry," Superman replied. "I'm also trying to keep Batman from turning your life into a laboratory."
"Too late," Alex muttered.
Batman continued with the tests.
During those two weeks, they had discovered something important: Alex's powers did not seem to simply grow in strength.
They were becoming more precise.
At first, he needed to concentrate just to modify small objects. Now he could do it much more easily. He could alter materials without touching them and, under certain circumstances, even work on several structures at the same time.
His spatial manipulation had also evolved.
Alex could make an object disappear and make it appear several meters away without needing to see it directly. He had even learned to leave small spheres of energy at different points around a room and sense where they were even when he couldn't see them.
But there was still one thing Batman wouldn't let him do.
Teleport himself.
"Not yet," Batman said.
Alex crossed his arms.
"You've been saying that for two weeks."
"And I'll keep saying it until we have enough data."
"And when will we have enough data?"
"When I can determine exactly what happens during the displacement."
Alex looked at Superman.
"Is he always like this?"
"Yes."
"I see."
"No, you don't," Superman replied with a smile. "You still haven't experienced the part where Batman prepares a test for something you didn't even know you could do."
Alex shook his head.
"Great."
---
During those two weeks, Superman and Batman had not remained on the sidelines either.
As members of the Justice League, both understood that the other heroes and allies on Earth needed to be informed about Alex's presence. However, they also knew that revealing too much could cause an unnecessary reaction.
For that reason, Superman had taken responsibility for maintaining direct communication with Hal Jordan.
Batman, on the other hand, had sent him more detailed information about the test results.
Hal had received reports on Alex's development, his new abilities, and the fact that his behavior remained stable.
The League's information had been combined with the data the Green Lanterns had obtained during their first encounter.
And finally, the time had come to present everything to the Guardians.
---
Far from Earth, on Oa, Hal Jordan stood before the Guardians alongside John Stewart, Guy Gardner, and Kilowog.
A projection displayed images of Alex.
"Before we begin," one of the Guardians said, "we want to know if there is any additional information provided by the Justice League."
Hal nodded.
"Yes. Superman and Batman have kept us informed over the past two weeks."
The image changed.
Now it showed Alex during one of the tests performed in the Batcave.
"According to Superman, Alex has progressively adapted to his new condition. His behavior remains stable, and he has shown no signs of hostility."
John added:
"Batman also conducted tests to determine the nature of his abilities."
Guy crossed his arms.
"And apparently, he learns pretty quickly."
Kilowog looked at him.
"That wasn't in the report."
"It is now."
Hal continued.
"The tests confirmed several abilities that we were unable to fully study during our first encounter."
The image showed a piece of metal.
"Matter manipulation."
The piece slowly changed until it became a sphere.
Then a stone appeared, taking on different shapes.
"He can reorganize material structures with great precision."
The image changed again.
Now it showed the small electronic device.
"He can also perceive internal components and manipulate them without physically opening the object."
One of the Guardians watched closely.
"And the spatial ability?"
Hal nodded.
A metal sphere disappeared from a table and appeared several meters away.
"He has also demonstrated the ability to displace objects without physically traveling the distance between the two points."
"Teleportation?"
"We still can't confirm that," Hal replied. "Batman believes he may be altering the object's relationship with space."
One of the Guardians remained silent for a few seconds.
"And his limits?"
Hal shook his head.
"Unknown."
John intervened.
"The most important thing is that his abilities are evolving. He doesn't appear to simply be accumulating more energy. He's learning to use them with greater precision."
The Guardians studied the information.
Then the geometric symbol appeared again.
The room fell silent.
"Has this still not been identified?"
"Correct," Hal replied. "Neither the rings nor the Justice League have found a known reference."
"Batman found nothing?"
"Nothing."
"Superman?"
"Nothing either."
The symbol remained floating before them.
Hal continued:
"There's something else."
The Guardians turned their attention toward him.
"During our first encounter, Alex was able to perceive the energy structure of my ring. According to him, he could see how the ring's energy was connected to something much larger."
The Guardians' expressions changed slightly.
"Did he understand what he was seeing?"
"No."
"Can he do it again?"
"Probably."
One of the Guardians spoke gravely.
"Does he know where it comes from?"
"No."
"Does he know what it is?"
"Neither."
Hal paused.
"But there is something we do know."
They all looked at him.
"The Justice League does not consider him an immediate threat."
John nodded.
"Superman has been close to him throughout his adaptation, and Batman has supervised his tests. Neither has found any indication of hostile behavior."
"And you?"
Hal looked at the image of Alex.
"Neither do we."
One of the Guardians looked at the symbol again.
"Then we will continue monitoring him."
"Should we intervene?"
"Not for now."
The Guardian paused.
"As long as he remains stable, the Justice League will continue supervising him. The Corps will maintain surveillance from a distance."
Hal nodded.
"Understood."
Before the communication ended, another Guardian spoke.
"If his abilities continue to evolve, we want to know."
"You will."
The transmission ended.
For several seconds, none of the four Lanterns spoke.
Guy was the first.
"Well... that was reassuring."
John looked at him.
"I don't think that word means what you think it means."
Kilowog burst out laughing.
Hal, however, continued staring at the blank screen.
There was something about that report that didn't quite fit.
The Justice League was watching Alex.
The Green Lanterns were watching Alex.
And now the Guardians were watching him too.
Meanwhile, Alex didn't even know exactly what he was.
---
Back in the Batcave, the session continued.
Batman placed a small metal sphere on the table.
"Last test."
Alex let out a sigh.
"Another one?"
"This one will be different."
Superman smiled.
"That doesn't necessarily mean it will be easier."
Alex looked at him.
"Thanks for the support."
Batman activated the screen.
"Make it disappear."
Alex extended a hand.
The sphere disappeared.
"Now make it come back."
Alex closed his eyes.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then he opened his eyes.
The sphere appeared again on the table.
Batman observed the result.
"Where was it?"
Alex thought for a moment.
"I don't know."
"Can't you sense it?"
"No."
"Then how did you bring it back?"
Alex looked at the sphere.
"I didn't search for it."
Superman stepped a little closer.
"What did you do?"
Alex frowned slightly.
"I don't know exactly. I just... felt where it needed to be."
Batman remained silent.
This was different.
Until that moment, Alex had needed to perceive the object in order to displace it.
This time, he had done something else.
He had found the location before the object.
For an instant, a strange sensation passed through Alex's mind.
Something familiar.
Something he couldn't explain.
And then he heard that voice.
You're not ready yet.
Alex closed his eyes.
The voice disappeared.
"Alex?" Superman asked.
Alex looked back at both of them.
"I'm fine."
Batman watched him carefully.
He didn't seem convinced.
But he didn't press the issue.
Not yet.