The harsh burn of Jack Daniel's travelled down Nolan's throat, settling in his stomach and spreading a faint warmth through his chest. He rolled the glass between his fingers, studying the amber liquid with an expression of mild suspicion before taking another sip.
"So," he began, glancing across the table at Dre. "I still can't believe you actually like this shit."
Dre chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "It's nostalgic to me. Besides, I'm a free man now, boss. I've got some catching up to do."
Nolan scoffed. "You were living like a king in that hotel room. I saw the bottles of this swill sitting in there."
"That's besides the point." Dre rolled his eyes and reached for the bottle, pouring himself another generous measure. He seemed considerably more relaxed than he had been in the courthouse, though there was still a lingering tension in his shoulders. "Besides, there's a difference between drinking in a hotel room because you're stuck there and drinking because you can finally go wherever the hell you want."
"Is there?"
"Absolutely."
Nolan shook his head, amused, and took another drink. They had found a quiet place to sit away from the hotel staff and the usual activity of the Continental. It wasn't quite a celebration, at least not one Nolan had intended to arrange, but after weeks of hearings, arguments, and the constant threat of Dre being sent away, he thought the man deserved an evening without having to worry about what a judge or prosecutor might do next.
Dre was the first to break the comfortable silence. "So, what's been happening lately? I feel like I've been gone forever."
It was clear he wanted to get back into things as quickly as possible. Dre had spent weeks confined to a hotel room, restricted in where he could go and who he could speak to. Even with Amanda keeping him informed about Star City, there was a difference between receiving reports and being involved. Nolan suspected he was already itching to get back to work.
"I'm sure you've been in communication with Amanda, so I won't go over Star City." Nolan set his glass down. "She's been performing perfectly, by the way."
"She has." Dre nodded, a trace of pride entering his voice. "Better than I expected, if I'm being honest. I was worried she'd be too soft to keep things under control, especially with everything happening around the hotel and the rail yards. Turns out I was wrong."
"We both were." Nolan smiled faintly. "That's a good thing."
Dre raised his glass in agreement. For a moment, they allowed the praise to sit between them. Amanda had earned her position, and Nolan was pleased to see that Dre had recognized it as well. There had been some concern about placing someone relatively inexperienced in charge of so much responsibility, but she had proven capable of handling the pressure. More importantly, she had begun making decisions of her own rather than waiting for someone else to tell her what to do.
"Trouble."
The word came out quietly, almost as an afterthought. Nolan had been looking down at his drink, but his expression had changed.
Dre straightened. "Hm? What do you mean, boss?"
Nolan laughed, leaning back and looking towards the ceiling. "We're in trouble."
Dre studied him for a moment, waiting for the explanation.
"I've been playing both sides," Nolan continued. "I've given information to the Justice League, and I've given information to the Light. Until recently, I was able to keep those arrangements separate. That became considerably more difficult when Lex Luthor approached me at the Metropolis opening and made it clear he wasn't particularly pleased with my involvement."
"Lex Luthor?" Dre repeated.
"That's right."
Nolan picked up his glass again but didn't drink. "He knows I passed information along. He didn't make a scene, and he didn't threaten me outright. That would be too simple. But he made his displeasure known, and I doubt he'll let it go. The Justice League are still off-world, dealing with their own problems, but once they're back, I imagine they'll have a few questions of their own. They won't be particularly happy to discover I've been speaking to their enemies."
Dre exhaled slowly, taking in the information. "So we've got the light on one side and the Justice League on the other."
"More or less."
Nolan tilted his head back against the chair and let out a tired sigh. "All in all, we couldn't have picked a better time for you to come back."
Dre was quiet for a moment. He looked down at his drink, turning the glass slowly in his hand before taking a long swallow. When he looked up again, his expression had changed. The exhaustion and frustration that had followed him through the trial were still there, but something else had begun to take their place.
"Trouble, huh?" He gave a low chuckle. "Yeah, I'd say we're in a lot of trouble. But I have to admit, boss, the chaotic times are usually when we've gained the most. It's when things get interesting. We've spent the last year or so building, expanding, and trying to keep everyone happy. That's important, but it gets a little dull after a while."
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table.
"I'm ready. Just point me where you want me to go."
A smile slowly spread across Nolan's face. It was reassuring, in a way, to hear Dre say that. Not because Nolan particularly wanted trouble, but because he knew the man understood what they had built and what it would take to protect it. Dre wasn't interested in sitting around waiting for the next problem to arrive. He wanted to meet it on his own terms.
"That's what I like to hear."
Nolan reached for his phone, though he didn't dial immediately. "I've been thinking about what we can do next. I've put together a few strategies, but most of them aren't going to be viable unless we grow. Significantly."
Dre raised an eyebrow. "How much are we talking?"
"Enough that I don't think you'll be bored."
"Sounds expensive."
"It will be."
Dre laughed. "So what do you need me to do?"
Rather than answer, Nolan unlocked his phone and began dialing. He placed the call on speaker and set it on the table between them. A moment later, the line began to ring.
Once.
Twice.
"What's up, boss?" Naima answered. There was some background noise, followed by the faint sound of someone shifting closer to the phone. "I'm here with Marcy."
"Good. Say hello to Dre."
There was a brief pause before Marcy's voice came through, bright with excitement. "We just heard the news! Congratulations, Dre."
"Thank you. Glad to be back."
"Glad you're back, Dre," Terrell added, his voice joining the call as another connection came through.
Dre grinned. "We need to catch up properly. Drinks, food, the whole thing. I feel like I've missed half my life."
"Don't worry," Naima replied. "There's plenty waiting for you."
"I'm holding you to that."
Nolan let the exchange continue for another moment. It was good to hear them together again. Marcy, Naima, Terrell, and Dre had each become important pieces of the Underpass, and although their responsibilities often kept them apart, they understood one another in a way that few outsiders could. They had built something out of very little, and Nolan knew that their loyalty was one of the few things he could still rely on without question.
"All right," he said at last.
The conversation quieted almost immediately. Even through the phone, Nolan could sense the shift in attention. Dre put his glass down and leaned forward, while the others waited for him to continue.
"We've spent a lot of time consolidating what we have. Gotham is established, Star City is growing, and Metropolis is finally operational. We've got the hotels, the charities, the businesses, the transportation routes, and the beginnings of a network that can move information without relying on systems that anyone with enough money and technical knowledge can compromise." He paused, looking between Dre and the phone. "But we're still thinking too small."
"What are you suggesting?" Marcy asked.
"Recruit aggressively."
Nolan let the words settle before continuing.
"I want to flood the cities with the Underpass."