INJUSTICE 2

INJUSTICE 2 is a 2028 live action American superhero drama, tragedy and adventure film based on the highly popular 2017 video game of the same name and the Detective Comics comics, is yet another installment in the long-running DC Extended Universe and is the sequel to INJUSTICE (2025 Film). Still strictly on life support following the massive step-away from Snyder, the DCEU finally saw itself gaining a little bit of traction and not straying away from it. However, superheoro fatigue had risen more and more in the upcoming years with less and less people willing to pay any money to see anything, thanks once again to the MCU's box office smashing schemes. Regardless, the risky gamble made to cram most of the DC comics popular heroes and villains together and put the 2013 story to the big screen with their reputation and integrity on the line ended up paying off.....but only just. The film made well over its estimated budget enough to not be considered a flop at the box-office but not to where it was a monster success either, especially with the film garnering mostly mixed reviews. However, it did smash record numbers on HBO Max, instigating enough fan support for yet another follow-up.

That was easy. What would come after that was the same old story.

The film is produced by DC Films, Atlas Entertainment and RatPac Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It will also be produced by Charles Roven and Peter Safran. Finally, the film will be directed and partially written by the man who did the first film, Ben Affleck.

Main Cast[]

Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne / Batman

Henry Cavill as Kal-El (Clark Kent) / Superman

Chloë Grace Moretz as Kara Zor-El (Kara Denvers) / Supergirl

Gal Gadot as Diana of Themyscira (Diana Prince) / Wonder Woman

Bradley Cooper as Barry Allen / The Flash

Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan / Green Lantern

Sterling K. Brown as Victor Stone / Cyborg

Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry / Aquaman

Margot Robbie as Harleen Quinzel (Harley Quinn)

Morena Baccarin as Selina Kyle / Catwoman

Jensen Ackles as Jason Todd / Red Hood

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson as Black Adam

Ghassan Massoud as Ra's Al Ghul

Aiysha Hart as Talia Al Ghul

Elodie Yung as Nyssa Raakto

Aubrey Joesph as Virgil Hawkins / Static Shock

Jurnee Smollet as Dinah Laurel-Lance / Black Canary

Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon / Oracle / Batgirl

Steven R. McQueen as Tim Drake / Red Robin

Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle

Jaden Smith as Jason Rusch / Firestorm

William 'Billy' Brown as John Stewart / Green Lantern II

Vanessa Morgan as Koriand'r / Starfire

Peyton List as Terra Markov

Taissa Farmiga as Rachel Roth / Raven

Kevin Grevioux as Atrocitus

Will Smith as Floyd Lawton / Deadshot

Idris Elba as Robert DuBois / Bloodsport

John Cena as Christopher Smith / Peacemaker

Daniella Melchior as Cleo Cazo / Ratcatcher 2

Bryce Dallas Howard as Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy

Kristen Wiig as Barbara Ann Minerva / Cheetah

George Eads as Leonard Snart / Captain Cold

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Waylon Jones / Killer Croc

Dave Bautista as Bane

Kevin Bacon as Eobard Thawne / Reverse Flash

Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth

Danny Glover as Lucius Fox

Michael Douglas as Professor Martin Stein

Alycia Debnam-Carey as Donna Troy

Viggo Mortensen as Jay Garrick

Derek Mears as Alec Holland / Swamp Thing

Cole Sprouse as Garfield Logan (Beast Boy)

Diane Lane as Martha Kent

Helen Slater as Alura Zor-El

Christoph Waltz as Zor-El

Ayelet Zurer as Laura Lor-Van

Michael Shannon as Zod

Blake Levely as Carol Ferris

Sergi Constance as Zeus

Ray Porter as the voice of Darkseid

??? as ???

(More coming soon)

Synopsis[]

Superman had been incarcerated at Stykers with the promise that he'll never get out as Bruce Wayne and his Insurgency attempt to restore society after the fall of Superman's regime; however, the arrivals of Supermans long lost cousin, Kara Zor-El and the tyrannical ruler known as Darkseid and his Armada, whose son Superman butchered years before, forces Batman to consider freeing the imprisoned Superman to help combat the threats.

Plot[]

A resting glimmering sunset and a dimmer sapphire sky shines over the terrain of Krypton: A planet with such promise and prestige on the verge of collapse.

For 100,000 years, Krypton was a race spread throughout the stars, seeking new worlds to explore and expand upon. For centuries to pass, their civilization flourished up until the very end. Following the establishment of artificial population control, the expansion of other planets was deemed unnecessary and any space outposts were abandoned, resulting in the residents of Krypton mining out of the core of their planet and exhausting their natural resources as a result.

As a result, their planet's core became unstable and their homeworld was mere moments away from collapsing. The only downside is nobody knew when.

Which would’ve been the worst possible time to ever think of conceiving a child and bringing them into the world.

Kara Zor-El (Chloe Grace Mortez) daughter of Zor-El (Christoph Walz) and Aulra (Helen Slater) stood in a sci-fi looking hall hearing the screams of Lara while she's in labor with her husband Jor-El in with her encouraging her during the process

Kara was impatiently pacing and worried for her Aunt

Aulra: Kara try to remain calm. Lara will be fine.

Kara: I hope so. This is the first natural birth Rao knows how long. Aunt Laura's life maybe hanging by a thread.

Zor-El: Be brave my child. They know what they're doing.

Aura: Zor tell us again why you're brother asked all of us here.

Zor-El: He wasn't specific. Ever since the planet's core was broke he's been jabbering building a new hope for race. He's even asked the council none stop for the codex.

Kara: We're all gonna die aren't we? Why can't we stop it like we stopped Darkseid when he invaded the planet.

Zor-El: Sometimes there are things we can't stop my child. Darkseid was only different cause he invaded but subdued by General Zod's army. This....is just another natural cause.

Kara faced down in disbelief and soon Laura's screams ceased and baby cries were heard which Kara turned in silence a tear falling from her left eye

And not a moment too soon Jor-El (Russell Rowe) came out approaching them

Zor-El: Brother.....how is she?

Jor-El: She's alright. Kara....why don't you go in to see Lara and your new born cousin. I have to talk to your parents about something.

Kara nods and walks passed him with Jor turning to his brother and sister in-law

Zor-El: Something wrong brother?

Jor-El: As you are aware....Krypton's time is fast approaching. I still haven't been able to claim the Codex yet. But....when I do.....there will be time.....where you will have to tell Kara something important.

Aulra: How Important?

While that was taking place Kara came in Jor-El's lab with Laura (Ayelet Zurer) still laying on the table holding her new born son barely minutes old and Kara was both touched and amazed

Lara soon happened to notice Kara walking in

Lara: Kara come in.

She approached her cautiously and as she got closer she had a closer look at her new born cousin Kal-El

Kara covers her mouth in awe

Kara: Ohh....he's precious.

Lara: His name is Kal....and our hopes will be within him.

Kara reached down and rubbed Kal-El's baby cheek and he let out a soft coo and Kara grew a grin

Kara: Can I?

Lara: Course mind his head.

Lara slowly handed baby Kal to his cousin's hands and she lifted him closely at her face

Kara: Hello Kal. Hi....

They both smiled at him as his eyes slightly opened letting out a yawn with a coo but this moment of joy was destined to be short lived

~One Kryptonian month later~

Time had run out.

Jor-El had traveled to Kandor on his pet H'Raka, standing in front of the Kryptonian Law Council and warning them the planet is about to collapse because of the council's decision to harvest the planet's core to serve their civilization's depleted energy reserves. They dismiss his claims but before Jor-El can do anything else, General Zod overthrows the council in a violent coup, instigating a civil war.

Luckily, he and Laura placed Kal in a spaceship with a stolen Growth Codex in hopes of sending him to Earth.

Jor’s efforts did not go far as Zod uncovered his plan. A fight ensues, with Zod stabbing and killing Jor, while Lara launches Kal-El's ship to Earth. The ship was safely escaping Krypton's atmosphere while the Sapphire Guards intercepted the coup's forces and arrest Zod.

The World Engine Kryptonian ship now hovers above the court where inside, the councilmen were giving out their sentence upon the likes of General Zod (Michael Shannon) and his renegades, following the recent murder of Jor-El.

Councilman: General Zod......

Looking down upon him.......

Councilman:.....for the crimes of murder and high treason, the Council has sentenced you and your fellow Insurgents......to three hundred cycles of somatic reconditioning.

Which was a fancy way of saying: imprisonment in the Phantom Zone.

Councilman: Do you have any last words?

Nothing about this punishment made Zod more understandably frustrated than everything else but he doesn’t decide to lash out about it until the last possible minute, getting into the councilman’s face, forcing the guards to hold him back; handcuffed and all.

Zod: YOU won’t kill us yourself! You wouldn’t sully your hands but you’ll damn US to a black hole for eternity!

He spits in his face.

Zod: Jor-El was right: You’re a pack of fools; every LAST one of you.

Just before he was about to turn back, Zod turns his attention to Lara.

Zod: And you.......You believe your son is safe?

He gets no answer from Lara; just a blank stare.

Zod: I will find him, Lara. I WILL reclaim what you have taken from us. I WILL FIND HIM!

Making his “final words” and his intentions clear upon his sentencing, nothing was going to change Zod’s mind. Not this would affect the Councilmen or even Lara. They had already made up their mind.

The same cannot be said for the one outside eavesdropping over the entire situation.

Kara Zor-El had been perched up against the outside of the Main Council briefly looking back at the former war general and his allies being encased and confined in an unknown material before the strange sarcophagi were sent up to the ship above.

Not much can be said about how she took it because, in the back of her mind, all she was thinking about that was “Good Riddance.” But that mattered little considering the eventual aftermath to come with the planet soon to erupt. Having done her eavesdropping, she does NOT get too far before being startled and surprised, getting her arm grabbed by her mother Alura within getting a foot away from the High Law Council.

Her mother wasn’t mad. She looked just as terrified and mortified as her daughter was coming off the situation.

Kara: Mom?

Alura: Now is not the time. Come with me, Kara, and stay close.

Quickly moving efficiently and with a purpose, she takes her daughter by the arm and brings her with her just as Kara looks back up at the Kryptonian World Engine ship blasting off, taking Zod and his allies in captivity to be taken into the Phantom Zone.

At least that’s one crisis averted.

But the other was far from preventable. And believe me, Kara tried to explain that to her mother when they arrived at her “workshop", meeting with her father there.

Alura: I’m telling you; you’ll thank me for this later.

Kara: But what are you—these—we can’t stay here. You remember what happened to Argo City months ago? Sucked, beamed up, devoured. Now it’s gone. Millions of people.

Alura: Believe me, that was only the beginning.

Kara: The—what’s happened?

Zor-El: Our time's run out; we’ve finally exhausted our natural resources for as much as we could and it’s destabilized the planet's core. Krypton won’t hold together much longer.

Kara: But all of your research; isn’t there something we could do?

The panicking tone in her voice was all the more evident to the current predicament they were in at the moment but luckily for them, there was a way out.

The only issue is there would be no turning back from this, as both mother and father glance at each other and back to her.

Alura: That’s why we’re here.

Finally making it to her separate chamber, both doors peel open automatically as they go inside and Alura leaves Kara to look around and get a first person perspective of literally all that her mother had worked on. Her mother, being a scientist just like Jor-El, had no issue showcasing the latest of her trinkets and tools and SOME of her latest Kryptonian projects.

One that she didn’t bother hiding in plain sight was one literally right above Kara’s head: a spaceship.

Kara: Spaceship?

Alura: Your uncle Jor-El told me of a planet that can sustain Kryptonian life. I had to make a ship like this just for your cousin Kal.

The mentioning of her cousin rose questions.

Kara: Kal? He’s—he’s still just a baby.

Zor-El: Which is why you’ll need to protect him. Teach him our ways.

The confusion came over her. While she wasn’t necessarily terrible at watching over her younger cousin, she still had a lot more to learn so the fact that her parents were telling her this, at the last second no less, was more or less a final confirmation that this was made to be permanent as of now on.

One Kara didn’t catch until a few seconds later.

Kara: Me teach him? What about you?

The look on her mother’s face, following that statement, was more heartbreaking than any other words could ever do. She practically knew what that meant next and from the looks of it, she was near to the point of tears already.

Her father exchanged the same look out towards her; one of disappointment and sorrow.

Kara: No.....No. No. No, I won't leave you! Please, please don't make me!

Alura: We can’t come with you. But you’ll never be alone.

Kara: How will I—

Alura: You belong to the house of El, Kara. A house of Hope. Just know that there will be no correct path in life. You will lose your way many times.

Zor-El: What’s important is that you find your way back to the brave girl you always were. Be wise, be strong and always be true to yourself.

Kara might as well be having a nightmare right now. Every child’s worst nightmare is to have to lose the ones they care about but she didn’t think it would be this soon.

Taking a few mild steps back onto the platform to let the information sink in, Kara just couldn’t resist hugging her mother and father in tears, coming to the realization that this would be the last time seeing one another.

Alura: Never forget that. Never lose hope.

Seeing how she was already on the platform, not much work needed to be done from there. Moving slowly away from the platform with Kara standing directly below the Starcraft ship, Alura eased over to the panel not taking her eyes off her daughter for a single second as she presses down on it, turning off the anti-gravity.

She hardly noticed it yet.....

Kara: But whe—Wait, where am I going?

Zor-El: The Starcraft will lead you there. After that, the choice is up to you.

It took Kara seconds to realize she was actually being beamed up into the Starcraft. By the time she did though, it was too little, too late.

Kara: I can’t—wait, what are you—NO!

Beamed up into the rear end of the Starcraft, the ship's outer shells wrapped around the pod exit with the House Of El symbol over the outer shells. With the ship being topsy turvy, Alura had to use the panels to flip the Starcraft right-side up so the thrusters were facing down opposite of the platform.

All that was left was to blast off.

Lady Alura, phantom drives are coming online.

Alura: Proceed to ignition.

Pressing down on the ignition button, the thrusters from the back of the Starcraft were boosted by the ion drive, creating an electronic propulsion and accelerating positive ions with electricity, leaving a giant gust of smoke in its wake. It blinds Alura and Zor-El momentarily as the Starcraft gained elevation and blasted off. Kara could feel the vibration through the inside as she once again tried to keep herself in check.

Her tears had all been dried up at this point but the notion that she’d never see her mother or father again was too much for her to bear.

Luckily, a brief little liquidized portable screen near the front booms light in front of her face turning her attention to it. The sight she sees on the screen gives her some reason to cheer up as she sees another Starcraft miles ahead of her currently on the trajectory path to Earth. Knowing that Kal was in there gave her some pause for thought overshadowed by joy.

She wouldn’t be alone.

But still, it wouldn’t be easy for her

Kara: Hold on, Kara. Hold on......

No sooner does she say that, than the Phantom Drive activates, opening a portal through which the starcraft disappears and phase through the burning sapphire skies, exiting the atmosphere of the dying planet.

For both Zor-El and Alura, this wasn’t a simple task.

It wasn’t all that easy for Lara either.

Losing her husband, and having to give up her son, it couldn’t have been harder than it had to be if she had aborted the launch like Zod had told her earlier. But her choice had already been made up. Her fate was all but certain.

Glancing at her late husband's battle armor for one last time before sealing it away, all Lara takes is one look outside the window to get a glimpse of the impending doom vastly approaching.

Lady Lara, shouldn’t you find refuge?

Lara: There is no refuge, Kelor. Jor-El was right: This is the end.

Having to look out the window to the sight of instantaneous death fast approaching, pits of lava and ruptured earth split through the surface of Krypton, inching its way closer and closer throughout the terrain. Hard to be optimistic at a time like this when it really was the end but Lara knew she had made the right choice to let her son live.

Anything to let him continue Krypton's legacy.

Lara: Make a better world than ours, Kal.

As the pits combust through one another and quickly spread throughout the area, another out of lava bursts through the window to completely drown and cover Lara in a blanket of ash and fire, causing the House Of El to explode and killing her instantly.

No sooner does that happen does the core of Krypton collapse entirely and the planet combusts, exploding in an INSTANT FLASH of light and destruction. Unfortunately for Kara, her Starcraft barely being caught in the explosion's blast radius was enough to drive her off course.

She couldn’t see anything from the inside but she could feel her trajectory being shifted and pulled way off course, leaving her shooting off through the never-ending vacuum of space away from the current path of her cousin's Starcraft.....

.....almost guaranteed to be lost forever.

Kal! No! No, please! KAL!

~Title sequence: INJUSTICE 2~

~46 years later~

The lost civilization where Billy Batson first got his powers and where be became Shazam home of Black Adam

Where he retreated to after the Regime fell knowing now the Regime members are fugitives now it was the safest place for him but a day after returning Adam went into deep meditation

As his trance pulled him into deep DEEP limbo Adam begin to twitch in his vision saw an image of the speed of limit and suddenly entered...........

......a space

No ordinary space but the space where Krypton use to be the remains was an asteroid field his point of view went deep into the deserted space of flying rocks but something shinned at a distance

Adam flinched again in his P.O.V. he viewed close where the shinney spot was and as it zoomed closer and closer and closer.........

.....and CLOSE enough

It turned out to be.....a space ship similar to Kal's ship from before and it was frozen

Adam woke from his meditation and was curious what he saw

Out in the same space that lied Krypton's floating graveyard near the frozen ship a portal opened and entered out was Adam protected by his magic to breath in space and found the ship

He levitated it to him and took hold of it and brought it back with him to Kahndaq

Adam placed it down in the courtyard pulled it open by his magic where cold steam burst out and as soon as it cleared.......

....Adam saw Kara asleep in it

Adam: Shazam!

His spell forced the girl to open her eyes and slowly sat up and moaned in exhaustion and stretched out

Kara: What....where....where am I? Kal?

Adam: How do you know the name?

Kara looked up and startled to see Adam

Kara: Who are you?

Adam: Black Adam. Protector of Kahndag. I am a friend of Kal El.

Kara: You know my baby cousin?? WHERE IS HE?! I WAS SUPPOSE TO PROTECT HIM!

Adam: Before I answer that. Tell me who you are. It's important I know as well as it's important of the power you will gain here and I will you teach you everything you need to know.

Kara was nervous but given her cousin which is revealed to be Superman just now she had to put her trust in him when knowing he's a friend of his

Kara: My name.....is Kara Zor-El.

Black out to two more years after that we hear a gauntlet being hit and Bruce Wayne's voice

In my years of fighting crime as Batman. I learned one simple truth.

The screen opens again revealing Bruce Wayne (Ben Afflack) attending a trail with the united nations to learn the full story of the civil war between Batman's Insurgency and Superman's Regime and what created the mad man their greatest defender became

Bruce: That every thug every thief and even every serial killer is the hero in their own story. My friend Clark Kent....who you all know as Superman...was no acceptation. Seven years ago the Joker drugged him with Kryptonite and Johnathan Crane's fear toxin which tricked him into killing his pregnant wife who you all know as the Pulitzer prize winning reporter of the Dailey Planet: Lois Lane. At the moment of her death the trigger the Joker linked to her heart beat NUKED all of Metropolis. So when Superman killed the Joker I understood why we all did. But what he failed to understand.....once that line is crossed.....there was....NO going back.

The politics muttered at once as Bruce continued

Bruce: He gave himself the Justice League and the Teen Titans a new mandate. He created Regime to end war and crime before it's ever begun any means necessary. But he was blind by rage he couldn't see his good intentions were leading him to a path of tyranny and evil. THAT'S how our greatest hero became our greatest threat. Those that signed with him did it out of fear or believe he was right. And because of that I was forced to assemble the Insurgency to rebel against him and for the past five years the war raged with many lives lost. Dick Grayson my son. My friends Oliver Queen Billy Batson Jim Gordon Helena Berinelli and Alex Luthor they all paid the price for defying him and now it has been two years since the fall of the Regime

The muttering got louder

Bruce: Superman is now in custody. Jason Todd my other son who later escaped off the grid may have helped stopped him but his part in the Regime still make him a fugitive. As well as Wonder Woman who escaped from Theymisicra a year ago. We can't forget why we locked them up. And Black Adam remains at Large yes but....they will not attack without us knowing. I assure you. So.....I will....take your questions now.

Taking another momentary break and having to replay all the events through his head, it seemed difficult to even think about the thing Bruce was before and compare it to Clark now. But the past is the past, even though it can’t be fixed.

All of these piping voices blurring in and out, Bruce eventually turned his attention to the report of his choosing.

Bruce: Yes, sir?

Man: Mr. Wayne, your intentions might be noble but given Superman's past record during the Zod invasion, what's the stipulation if an invasion like that happens again?

Bruce: I understand people's concerns that without Superman, there’s possibly a dark cloud hanging over all our heads but we will know of it before it happens. And many of my allies possess the potential in dealing with those scenarios if I can’t. Even Superman's clone who possesses his abilities who we keep contained at Striker's island. Next question.

Woman: Mr. Wayne? If the clone of Superman is just as powerful as the original, is it possible it might relapse just as the real Superman did? Will we need to be worried?

Bruce: If the unthinkable should occur, I’ll set up another Contingency for that to stabilize him. Nevertheless, I will never let Superman’s terror upon the Earth EVER happen again.

That was the only clip bit Bruce kept on rewinding over and over and over again later that sunset up at WayneTech as it kept showing him on T.V answering that last question constantly as Bruce kept rewinding it on an endless loop.

Nevertheless: I will never let Superman's terror upon the earth EVER happen again.

Having enough, Bruce mutes the T.V before turning towards the window as Lucius Fox (Danny Glover) walked in and paused the broadcast entirely on his own merit. Turning his attention to Bruce, he was staring out at Gotham from the window. With Dick Grayson and James Gordon dead, and Alfred Pennyworth gone from the premises, Lucius Fox had become Bruce's chief advisor in his absence. Lucius believed in Bruce's plan to rebuild Gotham and Metropolis, but he wasn't afraid to call him out every now and then.

Lucius: Isn't your goal to reassure people, Mr. Wayne? Reminder: you're not alone in rebuilding both Gotham and Metropolis. But if we don't change ANY minds soon....

Bruce interjected before Lucius could finish. "I thought that's why you hired that overpaid PR firm, Lucius…"

Though he didn't show it, Lucius felt mildly annoyed at Bruce's reply. He felt the billionaire was missing the point.

Lucius: I'm only saying that convincing folks to move back into their cities is a lot harder when they're afraid someone or.....something is gonna knock buildings down on them again.

Bruce: I understand they're afraid. But Clark is never getting out. I made that clear.

Lucius: And what of the others that escaped.....Diana? Black Adam? Barry? They're still out there. And.....seemingly immune to prosecution.

Bruce knew that Lucius had a point. Though Wonder Woman was imprisoned on Themyscira, the U.S Government had expressed a desire to prosecute her themselves. Black Adam, being the ruler of Khandaq, could only stand trial if he was here on American soil; as long as he stayed with his nations, there was nothing the United States could do.

Lucius wasn't finished making his point.

Lucius: Now I know you rebuilt Brother Eye to keep tabs on all of those loose ends but the public doesn't know it. And their worrisome will get worse if we don't tell them.

Bruce: Brother Eye's secrecy is critical, Lucius. Our enemies can't fight something they don't know exists. If the public knows, it's likely they'll know of it too.

Lucius' remark about Brother Eye? Now that wasn't something Bruce could exactly concede to, hence his right response.

Lucius: You raise a taken point, sir. But just follow an old friend's advice; one we paid those PR people so much money for.

“And what's that?”, Bruce implored Lucius to explain, raising a single eyebrow.

Lucius: Be a little less Batman and a little more......billionaire playboy. Get around in the daylight. Take Ms. Kyle out on a getaway one weekend; give your newborn daughter a stroll in the park. Focus groups, show people to feel safer when they see you smile.

Not much can be dissected from his facial expression but in his mind, Bruce knew Lucius had a point. He couldn’t leave Gotham, let alone take a momentary break from his daily routine without warning or concerning the people that things were gonna be under control.

Especially since he had TWO jobs at once: being the playboy asshole......and being the ass-kicking vigilante. All Bruce could say to that was a simple 'Hmmm'. The billionaire playboy had always been a façade for Batman, but Bruce didn't feel it was as necessary anymore, ever since Superman outed his secret to the world.

Speaking of which.....

phone vibrates

The built-in vibration on his phone at the center of the table began ringing, and Lucius and Bruce both knew what that meant.

Lucius: And I think THAT would be your other job.

He doesn’t even look down at the phone. Bruce just keeps staring at Lucius as he picks up the phone without answering and turns back towards the window, his image reflecting off of him before glancing at Lucius about to make his exit.

Lucius: Bruce, I know you’ve been trying a lot recently to widen your circle of trust but you might need to push those boundaries a little harder. Nobody wins all by themselves. Not even you.

Bruce thought about that. He was always a skeptical and suspicious one, but after seeing one of his closest friends fall from grace and impose a dictatorship onto the world, he found it even harder to trust people. Still, perhaps Lucius had a point, he needed allies he could rely on.

Knowing Alfred would’ve probably said the same thing if he were here, he takes Lucius’ message by heart as he finally picks up the phone and answers.

Bruce: Hello? Yes. On my way.

Merely an hour passes by and that phone call came very much in handy. Bruce was left with a few visitors at his own house, which was deemed private property not long after Bruce’s identity went public. However, “visitors” wasn’t the right word to describe them.

Allies would be the more appropriate description.

Dinah Lance (Jurnee Smollett) and former GCPD detective Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez).

The last thing Renee expected was for her to be in Batman’s personal home or be called to, yet again. Not that it mattered to Dinah. Unfortunately, this was just as personal to her as it was to everyone else still recuperating from the war and both her and Dinah had as much taken from them as given back.

Not only did they lose a significant other but they lost a fellow Bird of Prey too: Huntress.

Both were still far from 100%, mentally, but they vowed to use the depression he felt towards this world and each other to channel their motivations into working to make the post-Regime Earth a better place. Still, as she and Black Canary waited at the stairway, she decided to say something to lift their own spirits.

If not her own.

Montoya: As a reception area, this might need a lot of work.

No sooner does she say that does Bruce just stroll his way out another door right above the railing near the stairs. Glancing down at Dinah and Renee, he barely pulled up a smile on his face as he leaned on the railing. But still, he was glad, content even to see the duo.

Bruce: Dinah. Montoya. Glad to see you stop by on such short notice.

Dinah: You’re lucky I found a sitter.

Bruce didn't respond to the now-blonde superheroine. Instead, he activated a secret panel in the wall behind him, opening up an elevator. Bruce let his hand out, inviting Montoya and Black Canary into the elevator. The three all got in the elevator.

Despite being in that elevator for what felt like to be over an hour, it really took nearly 7 to 10 minutes. That elevator just moves VERY, VERY slowly and boy does it take its sweet time. At the very end of it, however, they all reached the intended destination.

When the elevator stopped and opened, they found themselves in a….semi-familiar location.

Bruce: As Barry once said: “It’s like a cave.....like a Batcave.”

Dinah: Sounds like Barry to me.

The sight of the Batcave within itself, from the Batmobile, his office, the waterfall, all the over-expensive props, satellite link-ups, specialized laboratories, personalized gymnasium, docking and hanger space, Vaults listed from 1A to 9Z, a vast library and a brand new teleporter hooked in near the elevator they just got off from; saying that Bruce was always busy down here would be a slight understatement.

He practically lived down there more than he lives in his own home......

.....which is expected.

The problem is the Batcave at his lake house had to be locked down; Bruce had momentarily moved his base of operations over to his old estate, aka, the former Hall Of Justice following the dissolution of the Regime and their downfall.

With them taken care of, Bruce took extra precautions to insure nobody associated with him got in cleanly.

Bruce: The 18th-century frontier hero Tomahawk once discovered a gargantuan bat, owned by Morgaine le Fey of Arthurian legend, inside what would become the Batcave.....eventually. I didn’t discover the caves until as a boy, I fell through a dilapidated well on this very estate. But it wasn’t my base of operations nor did I consider it until I rediscovered it yet again when I returned to Gotham years later.

Montoya: No nights off, huh? Gotta keep popping up on people by surprise?

Bruce: Some schedules are more difficult to break than others.

Not even halfway through the tour, Bruce decides to give the two aquatinted guests the best view right then and there as they just trudged up the stairs. Within the eyesight of the Batcomputer, Bruce just speaks silently into his watch as the screens of the Batcomputer switch views almost seconds later.

Montoya was actually paying attention to that once she caught it out of the corner of her eyes. All she got was Dinah smirking at her.

The screens extensively switch to a sight of the one and only Brother Eye at Titans Tower, a pillar decorated with many advanced computers.

Bruce: And THAT......is Brother Eye.

Montoya: Brother Eye?

Dinah: Yeah, I think you reminded me about that. The one over at Titans Tower? The surveillance hub?

Bruce: Yes. But it’s a LOT more than that. It’s a communications hub linking together every satellite and server on the planet. It warns us when troubles coming and guides us when trouble's here. Hooked it up as a special favor for the Titans to use as their personal supercomputer.

"Well now, must take a real genius to operate it", Renee says, bedazzled.

Well......isn’t THAT convenient?

With the voice booming behind the chair in front of the Batcomputer, a boot on the panel spun the chair around, revealing the newly reformed Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) sporting a corset underneath her multi-colored red and black jacket, leather tights, and strap-on boots. Apart from the change of attire, she still looked, sounded, talked, and felt like the same ol’ Harley.

Harley: I don’t know about genius......but I still got a PhD.

She grinned as she blew up a piece of bubble gum.

Montoya: H--Harley....???

Harley: Just call me Harleen, sweetie. It basically runs the map now. DINAH!

She rushes to her, giving her a tight hug which definitely raised Renee's eyebrows a little bit. No question that she looked a little confused, given how late Harley's redemption came. Didn't stop the former doctor from pulling her into the hug too.

To think this is how far they've come.

Harley: Ahh, the ol' Birdies back together again.

Montoya: I--I'm sorry Dinah? Since when was Quinn actually working with.....?

Dinah: Some things you just can't question Bruce on.

She looks up at him.

Dinah: Emphasis on SOME.

Harley: That's right. You all sure came a long way.

Montoya: An ocean away. But the change of scenery is nice.

Dinah: I'm surprised you called us, Bruce. Because last time I checked, things were going well now.

Montoya: So what's the error in the Regime free world?

Bruce: Dismantling the Regime created gaps in global security. We're doing all we can to cover them, but we've stretched thin as it is and we’re still vulnerable. But this.....this is something much bigger. Harleen?

Harley: Right-o, Bats.

She went back to the bat-computer, sliding back into the roller chair before typing in on screen, bringing up a worldwide map, and zooming in on a location, revealing a familiar image.

More like a familiar adversary.

Harley: One of the last bits remaining of the Lazarus pit. Ra's-man's favorite pools. They've been disappearing one by one along with two ninja cults fighting over them since the Regime fell. One of them calls themselves "A Rebellion" against the League. And whoever they are are destroying every trace of the butternut squash.

Bruce: Two days ago, I found two ninjas dead at the old Approximate Church. Both were from the League of Assassins. When I set the crime scene, both had the same familiar injuries: consistent with slashing attacks from a long sharp blade. Like their own swords.

Dinah: So it was basically a sword duel?

Bruce: From what my analysis showed. But the third sword I found there was dropped in a hurry. The blood type didn't match the other bodies. Someone got away.

Dinah: Who?

Bruce: We don't know. Whoever it was got away and injured themselves. Whoever did it got cut. When I picked up her trail, it lead me to Elliot Memorial hospital where an initiation was being prepped by more League Ninjas and they were discussing a rebellion. And since then, we’ve been tracking the remains of the Lazarus when we learned they were being destroyed. By who or why we don't know.

Harley: But what we do know is that Ra's-man's she-deviling ninjas are gonna ship him a butt-kicking-load of that Lazarus stuff from a hideout out in Slaughter Swamp. And what I hate most about swamps is they're VERY mosquito-y.

Montoya: Slaughter Swamp? Then I guess it's a good thing I picked up extra bug spray.

Dinah: Well, you better hope it's enough if there's a swarm.

Bruce: I need you three to stop those shipments before they reach Ra's forces, wherever his body is. If I know them, they'll definitely make another pit to revive him.

Dinah: What about you, Bruce? You're not joining us for the party?

Bruce: I'm afraid I can't leave Gotham without worrying the public. Since Hippolyta informed me of Diana's escape, people have been on edge.

He wished with all his heart that he could get back into the cowl to aid them at Slaughter Swamp. Part of him wanted to see what had become of the man known as Ra's Al Ghul. He had been pronounced dead not long before the war officially ended, and Bruce only found out about his potential return from the grave when they began investigating his forces.

Montoya: Even when Barry was released?

Dinah: He may have reformed but people still don't trust him. I certainly haven’t.

Bruce: I wouldn’t expect you to. Selina is away covering something else for me so someone has to stay and watch over Helena.

The name gives her pause for thought.

Dinah: Helena?

Harley: Oh didn't you hear? Kitty lady and B-man named their baby daughter after poor Huntress. She is such the cutest baby bat ever. Makes you wanna squeeze her bat wings out!

Bruce: It's a way of honoring her.

She doesn’t say anything shortly afterward. She only gives out a smile and nods while holding herself together.

Dinah: Well, congratulations.

Bruce: Thank you. But whatever you guys do, remain vigilant.

Dinah: Hehe, you've been saying that a lot recently.

Harley: Don't worry about a thing, B-man. With this crew on the job, what could go wrong?

Wrapping her arm around Dinah while her arm was around Harley's hip while they walked to the exit, they couldn’t see the plethora of confused face from the former GCPD detective from her recent change of attitude.

Would you want to believe that Harley had turned?

Well, there’s the proof.

Harley: So how's baby Connor?

Dinah: Fussy lately. Just like his father. He's starting 2nd grade in a month.

Harley: Wonderful!

Dinah: How's Ivy though?

Harley: Paranoid still about her plants. But she's great too; it’s a long story.

By the time they both get to the exit, Renee immediately snaps her head directly back to Bruce with a concerned look on her face. Of course, causal Bruce doesn’t suspect much from it.

Bruce: Questions?

Montoya: I know this sounds like me....being a hypocrite considering I've worked with her already but.....do YOU think you can really trust Harley? Especially with her past history?

She wasn't wrong for thinking a few steps ahead; it was the former cop in her after all. But it was a question she really wanted to be answered.

Bruce: She's been a different person since Joker died. It’s taken a while but she has made progress.

He pauses.

"Mostly", Immediately, he adds that further clarifying that she hadn't completely changed.

Montoya: Mostly?

Bruce: Take my word for it: I have taken precautions with her.

Renee tries to cackle slightly. But she looks back yet again, seeing Harley grab a blade from the rails and putting it in her back pocket which made her raise an eyebrow.

The only thought running through his head is simply: “Seriously, the hell is wrong with her?”

But if she got through with her once, she can definitely do it again.

Bruce: Excuse me.

Showing himself out of the room leaving Montoya to herself to catch up to the rest of the Birds of Prey, it might’ve been for the better. Down the stairs and past his long line of luxury automobiles, he makes it into his office in one piece before shutting the door.

Locking it in place, he’s lost in silence for a few paltry few minutes but not for long. Turning himself around near his desk, he sees a baby crib perched up in the corner.

Then there was cooing.

Almost immediately, a faint smirk perks on the side of Bruce’s face. Peeking over the carriage and seeing his brand new baby girl staring up at him with all smiles and babbling incoherently, just pulled on his heartstrings more than he was expecting it to. By the time he carries baby Helena out of the crib and into his arms, Bruce was already lost in the moment.

While Batman might be tough as nails, he’s only human, and not even the Dark Knight could pass up the sight of his newborn daughter.

Next destination: Slaughter Swamp.

It’s 8:57 p.m eastern time. The same swamp which brought the creation of Solomon Grundy to life, was also one of the few areas used for extensive deliveries and transportation extremities despite being on the outskirts of Gotham City and the birthplace of an undead zombie. Slaughter Swamp was just as gross, husky, and muddy as Harley assumed it would be, and there were somehow even more mosquitos than she figured there would be.

But it’s not like the League Of Assassins cared. Cause they didn’t.

And neither could she. She couldn't let the disgusting atmosphere of the swamp get to her, though – she had to complete a mission for Batman. She, Black Canary, and Montoya peered their heads just enough to see what was going on.

20 plus assassins roaming the area in unison with 6 of them each guarding over that particular safehouse near the bay like a pack of loyal war dogs, keeping eyes and ears peeled to literally everything on the other side.

As for the rest, they would normally carry distinct black emblems and supplies up to their mountain lairs as part of a strict regimen associated with their practices. This time around, it would be different. While they would still be delivering to their mountain lair, this time they were carrying Stone pots

Montoya: See that?

She hands the binoculars to Black Canary as she takes a closer look at the area. Seeing the same thing the rest of the girls saw only rose her suspicions and maybe even confirmed a thought she had almost an hour earlier.

Canary: Pots. Whatever’s in them is what they need to refill the Lazarus.

Montoya: I’m definitely missing something here. What’s wrong with—

Canary: Ra’s and his League Of Assassins have been familiar with the Lazarus Pit for the last several centuries. It brings eternal life upon those who use it.

Harley: And that’s when you head towards the looney bin.

Montoya: What?

Harley: There’s a catch to it: it drove him bananas, forced him to do his wife in and......well.....

~Silence~

Harley: There’s that.

Montoya: How concerned should I be?

Suddenly, Dinah forces her down into the bushes further with Harley following suit as one of the Assassins by the pier caught eyes at them briefly. While she kept her suspicions up, she just moved backwards towards the house as more of them keep carrying pots inside.

Compelled to ask the obvious question, she just asks......

Ninja: How much longer?

Ninja #2: Near the end. Fear not. We'll be ready for tomorrow's attack….

Little did they know that Harley had heard it from where she was since Bruce took the initiative to hack into whatever communications he had given them. It made it easy for them to keep their eyes and ears on the whole situation. Her walkie-talkie caught the brief conversation.

While not enough, it gave them a little more exposition for them to figure out when this would be happening. Still, Canary couldn’t help but question this whole raising an eyebrow.

"Tomorrow?" Canary expected that the attack would occur sooner than later, but tomorrow? She hadn't prepared herself for that. 

Harley: Cheeky monkeys.

Montoya: I don't like where this is going.

Canary: Any suggestions, Renee?

The former detective couldn't even begin to lay out a gameplan, for the three were unaware of the mammoth vines creeping behind them until it was too late. Before any of them knew it, they were all suddenly grabbed and taken aback by roots and live vines, trapping them and tying them up simultaneously from their feet all the way up to their necks, dragging them off as they all tried to crawl away.

Being tied up and hung upside down as they struggled was alarming. But no one could fathom to scream, or else their cover would be blown. However, that was the least of their worries, for who approached them next was what shocked Harley beyond belief.

A human-plant hybrid with a corset divided at the chest, rooted in thick leaves by the leg warmers, and the bracelets made its presence known. The seductive, dangerous, charming, and sexy Mrs. Pamela Isley (Bryce Dallas Howard) a.k.a Poison Ivy.

Ivy: The disgruntled drunk and the Black Canary; two halves of the Birds of Prey. Here to tango?

However, it takes almost no time for her attention to turn directly to Harley. She was the last person she hoped to run into at THIS time or day and age.

Ivy: Harleen?

The clown pops another piece of gum, satisfied enough at getting her lover's attention.

Harley: Red, honey! I didn't know you’d be here....you here to take down---

Ivy: Shh!

She covered Harley's mouth, looking back as the two ninja's heard their voices. However, she didn’t bother to hide from them.

Neither knew exactly what was going down but they knew something was going on.

Ninja # 2: What was that?

Ninja # 1: I don't know. Keep them moving and I'll go see what that's about.

Ivy: Harleen, what'd you doing here?!

Harley: I told you I had business to take care of back in Gotham. Bats has been keeping taps on the Ninja losers so he sent us--

Ivy: Damn it; should’ve known. I never trusted that playboy nutcase; look where he's dragged you too. The last thing I want is to jeopardize your life.

Canary: Harley, can you tell your girlfriend to let us down?

Harley: Working on it....Red, what's even going on? What don't you want me to--

Before Harley could finish, the Ninja came over and looked at the four held captive with its sword out, ready for use. Unfortunately for Harley, reality was about to rain down on her like a ton of bricks as the ninja walked up to the three captured heroes.

Its mannerisms, however, were the last thing any one of them had expected as it sheathes its sword away, nodding at Ivy.

Ninja: Nice work Ivy. Quite the catch.

Montoya: Aww, you Son Of a—

Ivy faced down as Harley looked at her with more confusion in her eyes and a SUBTLE pinch of betrayal in her heart.

Harley: Red? You're with them?

Harley felt betrayed and heartbroken. She was always waiting eagerly for the day she would reunite with Ivy. She had dreams of Ivy reforming and fighting the good fight alongside her and Batman. To see that a day like that would never come tore Harley apart on the inside.

Fortunately for her, a heavy sigh washes over Ivy. She was clearly broken up about capturing Harley....despite doing this on her own free will.

Ivy: Harleen…..you have to understand. Your man, Bruce was supposed to better care for the Green. All he's done is remodel the concrete jungles of Gotham and Metropolis. From where I sit, there's much of a difference between him and Superman.

Black Canary scoffed at Poison Ivy. She had a point that Bruce was focusing more on the urban jungles than the lush forests and swamps. But it confused her as to why she would think The League of Assassins would be any different

Canary: Ugh....if you ask me, you're a few cones short of a pine if you think your new friends care about your precious green.

As everyone kept talking, Harley reached into her back pocket, grabbed her knife, and started to cut the vines without any notice.

Ivy: Ra's Al Ghul will keep his promises. Or he and Talia will be my next victims.

Canary: Uhh….. I don't want to be all corrective but....didn’t Talia die in an aircraft accident?

Ivy: The Al Ghuls have a way of surviving situations much worse than that.

Harley continued to let her semi-betrayed spirit shine through. "Oh, Red. Why you makin' me do this?"

Wasting no time, she cuts herself down, tossing the knife to Dinah as she freed herself and freed Montoya. Not soon after they landed, the Ninja charged in but Canary held him off sliding underneath him and dropkicked him square across the face.

Canary: Renee, GO! I'll hold them off.

Montoya: What about Harley?

Canary: She can handle herself. Find the Pit, stop the shipment!

She obliges, running off as an entire wave of ninja assassins charges in from the fare side to ambush Canary.

Divide and conquer, unfortunately, was the logical step in this course: Black Canary holding off the actual assassins while Montoya going off to find the Pit and the shipments.

As for Harley and Ivy....it was couples counseling time.

Harley: Please, let me get you out of here sweetie. We can go on another summer getaway. Drive the boys crazy. Ya know? Like the good old days....

Ivy: The old days were fun....and our time was wonderful, Harleen. But here....it's all business.

Harley: Yeah? That makes two of us.

Ivy: Please Harleen. Just leave while you have a chance. I don't want to hurt you. Not like.....HE did.

Harley: I can't let Ra's-man have any more sleepovers with that Lazarus stuff.

At this point, the two lovers, separated on opposite opposing sides, had no choice. It further broke Harley's heart at how far it had to come to. But this wasn't personal.

It was strictly business.

Harley: Don't hold back then. I can take it.

Ivy can only smile at the remark.

Ivy: If you say so.......

What Ivy does next comes out of no where

Grabbing Harley and pulling her face to her face kissing her aggressively good thing Ivy didn't had her poison lipstick on yet or Harley would be a goner

Both lunatic lesbians moaned in their kisses but Harley sedated her putting her with serum to put her out

Ivy gasped passing out sliding down on her and falling flat to the ground

Harley: No more sleep overs for you.

Harley caught up with Dinah who beated all the Ninja's down

Suddenly they heard bubbling noise turning around to see the water of the swamp bubbling up it was small at first but grew aggressively

Something was coming out of the water and it was no Alligator.....it was something bigger

Dinah and Harley readied themselves to fight but.....what came out.....was nothing she hoped to be

Swamp-Thing (Derek Mears) and like Poison Ivy must have been working with the league to protect the Green too

Swamp-Thing: This swamp.....is protected!

Harley: Swampy? But I heard you were dead.

Swamp-Thing: Like Dr. Isely I guard the Green. The plant life of the Earth. And as long as it lives I cannot DIE!

Harley: Wait a minute Swampy! It ain't us you wanna bash. We're the good guys. I'm good now.

Swamp-Thing: Good Bad I care little for humanity. But I do care.....when my swamp burns!

He attacked making Dinah black flip and make her bird call to sending him down in the river again

But it wouldn't keep him down for long for long

He burst back up and Harley fired her guns which barely slowed him down which is when she took smoke pellets from her mini pouch and lighting them up and throwing them at Swamp-Thing blinding him

Giving Black Canary the opportunity of making her bird call blowing him away and falling back and slamming a tree but attacked again

Both back flipped and avoiding his attack

Harley: Momma always said I a had black thumb.

Harley ran up to Swamp-Thing flipping over his head and kick it in the back with Dinah attacking him the stomach and Harley leaped up again and land on top of him legs on his shoulders and held up a lit up lighter

Harley could light him up if she wanted but didn't given she was trying to reason with Swamp-Thing

Harley: Now you ready to be all ears? It's Ra's-man and his band of Ninja's you want. They're fighting over Lazures shit with Rebel Ninja's and they're in your backyard. We came to stop them!

Swamp-Thing: Hmm.....I see.

Swamp-Thing gently put Harley down and eyed the ninja's near by and tied plant vines around them forcing Calvery Ninja's to retreat with any they had

Swamp-Thing: If they return....I'll be ready.

Harley: Aw Swampy you are amazing. You know Bats is always looking for more recruits. If you want in the team we'd love to have ya.

Swamp-Thing: I would consider that. Should our interests align again. For now go. This swamp must heal.

Swamp-Thing walks back in the river sinking in the further he got and disappears under the water

Canary: Well....you handled that well. Are you okay.....after Ivy?

Harley: I will be. Just....I can't get a break in relationships. But I got no time for moping. We need to catch up with Montoya.

Dinah! Dinah come in!

Harley: Speak of the Devil.

Canary taps her ear

Canary: I'm here. We had trouble but all under control. What's your status.

I'm in a sewer. Get down here right away I think I found something.

Canary: Alright we'll be right there.

As for both of them, they kept on running as far from the safehouse and pier as possible. Not willing to take a break inbetween, they both kept sprinting onwards and onwards towards the nearest mountain that they could see.

Not once did they bother looking back…..

By the next step they took, Dinah instinctively slid to a stop, blocking Harley off from going ahead of her. Inching their heads down and looking ahead, deciphering what Montoya meant by sewer took no time. At some point while she was running, she didn’t mind her step and ended up following STRAIGHT through solid ground and ended up falling down through the earth.

Thank god for Bruce packing extra Batclaws in his inventory to give out, otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to land safely.

Only one way to find out what she was talking about.

Canary: Thinking what I’m thinking?

Harley: Spread your wings and fly.

The two just push into each other, hands wrapped around the others hips….and they both jump in, down the hole.

Both got stuck in freefall.

With Harley whooping not even half of the way down, she was having way too much fun with this. Luckily, she also had a disposable Batclaw from out her jacket. Shooting the grappling hook upwards towards the surface, it barely sticks itself within the walls of the earth. It barely slowed them down but that didn’t stop the former doctor from thinking otherwise.

Harley: I got you!

Spoke a little too soon as the claw detached itself from not being in a proper leverage position. Almost immediately, the difference could be felt.

Canary: HARLEY!

Harley: AAARGH!

Once again, they were back into freefall.

Luckily, Canary takes the Batclaw from her and takes another shot at it. Blindly eyeballing the top, she shoots the grappling hook and by the time it finally gets to the surface, it latches on tighter then last time, almost yanking them back upwards.

But apart from that, the Batclaw caught both of them in time. And this time, it wouldn’t be letting loose.

Harley: Wha—?

Canary: No. I got you.

Brief little smirks peek over both of their faces as they finally slow down a little bit as the Batclaw propels them further and further beneath the mountain.

By the time they got more than 100 ft. below the surface, things got dark.

Really quickly.

Luckily, Canary had a flashlight on hold by his belt. Finally landing on solid ground, he shines his light on the direction heading forward as Harley just repelled the grappling hook back down to the Batclaw. Moving forward with the light guiding their way, movement came into view.

Montoya barges in front of the light, briefly startling the two other Birds of Prey.

Canary: Jesus, Renee. We were on the way down.

Montoya: Sure took your sweet time. I didn’t know what that was.

She informs her, pointing directly behind her. Oddly curious, Canary shines the light in her direction and what they saw next was......

.....quite odd.

They saw a small yet fresh supply of the Lazarus stream right in front of them in a puddle. Turns out THIS particular mountain lair for the League Of Assassins lead out from Gotham’s main water supply as well as the old abandoned Gotham Water Company which extended out to the dockyard which was miles away.

There was no way of determining whether or not this was what they were looking for, but the fact that something this sacred was kept under wraps right under their nose, it just rose even more suspicions to the point where they thought THIS WAS IT.

Harley: Is this—?

Canary: Don’t know. But if it is, it won’t be for long.

Not wanting to waste time, she quickly pulls out yet another borrowed item from Bruce: his explosive gel. Approaching the Lazarus fountain, she shakes the spray gun before coating the top of the fountain with the gel and backing up.

But before she could even ATTEMPT to make a move with pressing the detonator, cold steel gets pressed by the side of her neck via katana Sword. It quickly alerts Harley and Montoya with caution.

Turn around. Slowly. And give me the detonator.

Despite Montoya and Harley having guns on them and Dinah with a high pitched voice on deck, literally having a sword thrusted near the side of her neck was already alarming enough already. One wrong move and they’d all be done in, practically jeopardizing the mission as well. Even though something COULD be done.....

......the obvious choice was obvious.

Obeying orders, Dinah slowly turned herself around with the blade still on the side of her neck as she gets confronted by a woman sporting a black face mask.

Once the mask came off, then came the initial reveal.

Nyssa Raatko (Elodie Yung): estranged daughter of Ra’s Al Ghul and the younger sister of Taila.

Still feeling somewhat threatened and getting a nod-on from his Montoya, Black Canary gives Nyssa the explosive gel detonator.

Nyssa: Thank you, Mrs. Queen.

As she unsheathes her sword away from the side of his neck and stands down, another army of Assassins cane out from directly behind her. This time, both Montoya and Harley got a little defensive, pulling out their guns.

Same thing with the rebels, unsheathing their swords.

Rebel: Trespassers! We guard this site in the name of our new leader!

Nyssa: You’re relieved. All Of you, stand down.

Montoya: Wh-who are you?

Nyssa: If you were sent by Batman....then you would know who I am.

Canary: Nyssa.

Harley: What?? Tailey's baby sister? Guess you're not so dead as everyone says you are.

Nyssa: Sorry to disappoint.

They hand her the detonator

Nyssa: Thank you....Birds.

Montoya: So you're with the rebellion against your father?

Nyssa: The Rebellion are with me. And that zombie who calls himself my father is blind by his own hate. Or that his other daughter joined Superman's empire just to misdirect her Beloved Bat. Love struck idiot.

Harley: Yeah sorry about your big sis.

Nyssa: She was always a loyal fool. To my father and now to Superman. Her own children even gone under ground. But I am neither. Ever since Superman's rein rose from Metropolis he has forced the League's hand more than ever. More innocent blood spilled by his hand during the war and after it. Ra's has increased the League's grip by assembling a band of scum called....the Society.

Canary: That's unlike Ra's to recruit those he hunts in his conquest.

Nyssa: After Talia aliened with the Regime the League became vulnerable leaving my father desperate enough to assemble this Society forcing me to build this rebellion.

Montoya: Still unlike him to make a second legion of doom.

Nyssa: There's a rumor that someone is pulling strings someone looking for Superman. We don't know who but if we don't stop it soon the Insurgency's victory will be all for nothing.

Canary: What do you want Nyssa?

Nyssa: I am NOT your enemy. We're on the same side. I want that thing....who was once my father stopped as you do. Let me speak to Bruce. I know where the last remaining Lazures pits are but I can't destroy them alone. I need your help to destroy them and finally let that monster die.

Harley: You know B-man's not gonna allow that. He's not a killer anymore. Neither am I.

Nyssa: He's already dead clown. He has died a thousand times! And every time he enters that pit he comes back worse than last time. More evil more rageful more hateful and more crazed! I tremble each time I think about what he would become if this---

Nyssa sets the detonator destroying the fountain with any remaining Lazarus chemicals

Nyssa:---had fallen into his hands. But with him gone the League will answer to me. And it will shed no more innocent blood. The Assassins will leave Gotham and Metropolis and never return.

Montoya: Say we agreed to you helping us....how can we trust you?

Nyssa: Because I swear by mother's spirit and her grave. Batman wants the League out of Gotham forever I am the only one who can make that happen. And in return you all help me stop my father AND my sister for good. Ra's and Superman will never possibly terrorize the Earth again. But it's up to The Dark Knight how long their war rages.

Nyssa throws them the detonator and Harley catches it

Harley: Well....what'd you guys think? I mean Bats always said she's the most reasonable in the Al Ghul clan.

Canary: Before we do anything....let's call Bruce and tell him what we know.

Seeing no reason to turn this down if she WAS, in fact, on the right side, Dinah just tapped on her earpiece as both Montoya and Harly looked at her awaiting answers.

Canary: Bruce, it's me. We found another Lazarus fountain. It’s destroyed but....you have a so-called friend of yours who's leading a rebellion.

Nyssa. I've kept tabs on her since Elliot Memorial. Bring her back to the cave soon as you're done.

Canary: You sure?

She's been the most reasonable member of the Al Ghul family. I do.

Canary: Whatever you say.

She cuts transmission off and turns back to Nyssa.

Canary: He wants to see you too.

Nyssa: Good.

With the Earth rotating on its axis, the sun was barely peeking out from the other side of the globe, shining its light down as it prepared the morning for whoever was on THAT side.

But there was more where that came from.

In orbit, there’s the sight of a person stuck in and out of motion on the other side of the planet; FLYING out in orbit.

Kara Zor-El was seemingly having the time of her life gazing over the sight of the oceans and the land and just the shear majesty of Earth. To her, it was a beautiful sight underscored by tragedy. It made sense why Kal was sent here out of all place.

Kara: Beautiful.

In only a short time, Kara had learned both English and Khandaqian. Black Adam was impressed with how quickly the cousin of Superman adjusted to life on Earth. Well, life in Khandaq, that is.

Needless to say, the scarred Khandaqian king had trained her well, using the powers that Earth's yellow sun granted her.

Back on Krypton, she had no special powers under the effects of the natural red sun on Krypton. When she was found however and brought to Earth, she had found herself absorbing the effects of its yellow sun. As a result, she gained abilities, like her cousin before her. Kara's dense molecular structure and bio-electric aura gave her the ability to withstand damage that would normally kill a human being. This also extends to bullets, lasers and even the effects of space. Like her cousin, she can also move at speeds, exceeding the world's fastest fighter jets and apply the same speed to reach the sun within seconds. It also gives her the ability to lift and punch things made of metals and even inflict serious injury to beings of lower or equal strength.

That being said, it was a lot of stuff to get used to; Adam’s overbearing “protective nature” being the worst. For all the potential she showed, Adam wasn't fond of her hopeful and optimistic attitude. It reminded him of Billy Batson, the deceased superhero Shazam. He remembered where Shazam's attitude got him – a cruel death at the hands of Superman. Black Adam would be sure to whip this attitude out of Supergirl. He even went so far as to forbid her from leaving his country, thinking the world wouldn't be ready to see another member of the House of El.

His efforts have proved fruitless. She wouldn’t be tethered down.

Having her head up through the clouds long enough, she zooms through the stratosphere, past the rising sunrise and proceeds to head back down to solid ground.

Zooming past the rising sun and a few nearby pyramids, she just dipped around through the air before sweeping in through one of the few temples around and landed on her own two feet.

Not much breathing room could be given to her however as she was startled from behind by Black Adam. He was not alone however.

The recently released Diana of Themyscira (Gal Gadot) was present alongside him.

It took a little while but once Kara finally got through the use of her powers, she and Black Adam freed her from Themyscira in the messiest fashion possible. No less than a few months after her arrival.

She too was kept in refuge here ever since, just like Kara.

The thing here is that it turns out she wasn’t as limited of her appearances as Kara was meaning nobody could see her….but Diana could technically still be seen. But given how limited freedom Kara had here, it’s safe to say staying still was excessively difficult.

Diana: Kara. Where were you?

Kara: Just, in the clouds. Listening.....

Black Adam: If someone had seen you.....

Diana: How many times do we have to tell you: it’s dangerous outside Kahndaq.

Kara: Seriously? How long do I—

Diana: We need to wait for the right time, Kara. You blow our cover now and Kal might never be free.

With the “safety” of the mystical city, Kara would find herself told not to make her presence known as Diana and Black Adam planned on breaking Superman from his solitary confinement. Despite this, Kara was more rebellious and determined and wished to explore her newfound powers while on Earth, and use them to help the people.

Needless to say with the endless pacing and muttering to herself, her frustrations knew no bounds.

Kara: I spent decades lost in space, stuck in hypersleep until Adam found my ship. But now I'm cooped up here.

Diana: Alright, how can we make you more comfortable? Tell us anything.

Kara: You seriously ask me that? It's the same thing I been asking for a year now.

She approaches her calmly, gripping her hands.

Kara: Let me out, Diana.

She also turns to Adam.

Kara: Both of you. You’ve taught me what all the powers I inherited here can do. This world needs help. Earth's people are so divided.....like my uncle and Zod were. Always fighting...... a resolution without end.

Diana: That, unfortunately, is the world without Kal-El. Batman has eyes and ears everywhere. We will save your cousin when the time is right BUT.....he cannot know about you until we are ready.

Kara: I'm not afraid of some.....some DEMON!

Black Adam: He is no demon, Kara. Only a man in a mask.

Kara: Whatever! I'm still not afraid of him! UGH! I can—I can bend steel with my own bare hands!

Diana: So could your cousin yet he's still Bruce's prisoner.

That had Kara pause for a moment, knowing her abilities, she also knew of her weaknesses. Before freeing Diana from her Themyscira dungeon, Adam did taught her of avoiding ANYTHING that glows green because that was possible Kryptonite that can likely effect her too along with red solar energy.

Kara: Well.....what good are these powers if I can't help little Kal?

Diana: We told you he's NOT an infant anymore.

Kara: I know! I know! But....those are the only memories I have of him. He was born a month before Krypton blew and the times I had with him.....babysitting and.....he was still like a little brother to me. And now that he's held by the Bat.....I was—I was supposed to protect him while he was still a baby and if I'm not allowed to help him, I’m failing even at THAT.

Again, her frustration can be felt.

Black Adam: Kara.....I give you my word: we will free him.

Diana: And the time will come, Kara. We will save Kal. Batman WILL pay for his crimes and answer to us.

Comfort and solidification. That’s what Kara needed in this time of confusion and discomfort; the time for action still wasn’t right. But this was what she needed.

Hope. It is what the House of El stood for.

Kara: I do have one question: Kal and this…..this Batman used to be friends? How’d they grow apart?

Tough question to be honest about.

But to keep Kara on their side and not give Batman a new ally to keep the Regime from ever returning they told her a truth from THEIR certain point of view

Diana: About a decade ago Kal was raising a family with one of our own she didn't had powers but she was one of us. Lois Lane. Kal loved her with all his heart they were having their first child.

Black Adam: But her and the child died before it even got to live. Even his home was turned into a wasteland.

Diana: Kal's family and all of Metropolis were all murdered by a madman called the Joker. A monster Batman let run wild for decades. He tricked Kal drugging him into carrying his wife out in space. She lost breath and because of the surgery the Joker performed on Lois her death set off a massive explosion destroying all of Metropolis.

Kara: That's awful.

Diana: The Joker was executed for his crimes and Kal tended to bring peace but Batman never wanted it to end all cause he lost his precious psychopathic clown died he betrayed Kal and to insure the world never has peace he locked him away.

Black Adam: I was the only one who escaped when the Regime were all taken in by Batman's Insurgency. A year after I found you we freed Diana from Theymiscira for our plan to free Superman.

Diana: There are even traitors that joined Batman in capturing Superman: Jason Todd Barry Allen and Terra Markov. They all must pay for their betrayal.

Terra: Why would they betray him?

Diana: Because Bruce corrupted them.

Apparently they weren't telling her about Billy Batson or Dick Grayson meaning THAT was a lie

Kara's gut was telling her there was more than what they were letting on but her worry for Superman was distracting her from it

Kara: So when do we help Kal?

Diana: When the time comes but until then....you must remain here. It won't be long.

Long or not they all knew another war was coming it was just a question when but little did they know especially Diana.....a hooded figure with a staff shaped as a lightning bolt was watching them from a distance mainly....at Diana....but why

We come back to the second back where the Birds bringing Nyssa with them and she told Bruce what she told them Baby Helena was up and Harley was feeding

Harley: There you go baby-bat. Yes you are such sweet little bat aren't you? Aren't you?

Bruce seemed to take this well but not approving of Nyssa killing her own father and sister

Bruce: Our best chance to stop Ra's is preemptive strike.

Montoya: That sounds more military than vigilant. You try calling the army?

Nyssa: I have an army.

Bruce: And we'll have to reline on that for awhile. When we broke up the Regime we had to start back from the ground up.

Montoya: So what? We let Nyssa's rebels storm in and massacre the whole lot?

Bruce: Ra's is their leader. Take him down and the League will summit. But Nyssa will not kill him.

Nyssa: I told you he's already dead.

Bruce: We're still not executioners Nyssa. But be wary of running into any members of the Society. All though I'm still unsure why Ra's assembled them.

Nyssa: He's working with someone who wants to kill Superman. Ra's wants him dead too for crippling the League making him desperate to assemble them.

Bruce: Either way they're more coordinated than we knew.

Dinah: Next stop: Arkham City. Guess I better call the sitter. Mommy's coming home late.

Bruce: Dinah if this is more than you're comfortable with I'll have Static Shock Blue Beetle ad Firestorm take it from here.

Dinah: No I can do this.

Bruce: You been out of the fight since STRIKERS. You have a family Dinah.

Dinah: And you're family too Bruce. I couldn't be there to finish the fight against Superman or see him fall. I'm Goddamn sure finishing this one....for Ollie.

Bruce: I understand. Good luck.

Harley walked by handing Bruce his daughter

Harley: Here you go boss. You might wanna change her. She just made a stinky.

Bruce: Thhhhh---thanks.

And then all four boarded the Batwing again lifting off heading for the condemned Arkham City where the civil war ended

Not much can be argued there…..at least from Dinah’s perspective. It was her choice to avenge Ollie and if she paid the price for it, then that was on her.

Black Canary sighed at the thought of Superman's fall. She always had a hard time even looking at Superman nowadays – going off the deep end, baring the face of the man who murdered her husband. She loved that Green Arrow can rest peacefully now, but she wished she could've helped to topple Superman's Regime.

She didn't want to think about it any further. As she said to Bruce, she was going to make it up for it by helping to take down the Society – and she was going to give it everything she had.

Bruce watches the Batwing blast off, the Doppler effect blowing past him as waves crash upon the platform he stands over.

They were in good hands. Confidently, he backsteps to the platform, cupping and carrying his daughter down; the elevator doing most of the work for him. She really needed a diaper change.

Quickly.

His attention turns back to work after tending to the baby’s needs, sitting back in his chair in front of the Batcomputer to sink it all in, his back arched against the keyboard. He breathes heavily, staring back at a glass of water a foot away from his left hand.

Lucius’ words rang through his head once again: Be a little less Batman and more billionaire playboy. That’s one plus his daughter allowed him to manage to balance between that and his duty to protect the city.

And the world.

A few seconds pass, however, and he suddenly starts breathing in and out of sync until he began hyperventilating. The rate or tidal volume of breathing eliminates more carbon dioxide than the body can produce. But that wasn’t all as he stumbles and falls back from his chair, shattering his glass of water.

The usually calm cool and collected Bruce goes into and out of shock suffering from sudden periods of intense fear that may include palpitations, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, numbness......all the symptoms were there.

He saw images back to back to back repeating endlessly in his head.

A barren wasteland.

The Greek Omega symbol.

Betrayal.

Cities being robbed.

Countless death and misery.

For the UNITY!

Finally phasing out from the random access memories, Bruce just sat there phoned out, paralyzed, shaken, and stirred from the images he suffered through. Similar to that of his Knightmare almost a decade ago, nothing seemed to have changed and yet, it felt closer than it had back then.

Bruce knew this was no coincidence. This was supposed to mean something and to him, it probably wouldn’t be long before it arrived.

As he again tries to construct the images he received, albeit against his best concerns moving back from that panic attack, everything slowly begins to black out for him.

And then......nothing.

~Arkham City~

The four stood at the main entrance which was condemned but apparently they were actually heading for Wonder Tower

Montoya: If Ra's is in Arkham City why are we going to this tower.

Nyssa: Because he's actually UNDER Arkham City. Before the walls were built he stumbled upon ancient museum called Wonder City.

Harley: I heard of that place. Joker talked about it when Hugo Strange Initiated Protocol Ten. He said that was a display for a safer future for Gotham. It's also the home of the legendary mechanical guardians.

Nyssa: Exactly.

Montoya: So what's Ra's doing here?

Nyssa: Before my father hired Strange he built a temple here using unlimited technology to create a Lazures here. That's why I can't destroy it alone. Thankfully when my sister and I were here I know how to get in.

And that she does

Once they take the elevator down they gain access to Wonder City where they hear cheering behind the steel walls after opening the secret passage with Nyssa's sword they fallowed tunnel where the cheers got louder then they peaked from the sewer hole seeing a crowd of Ninja's cheering facing the entrance to the temple

The giant main doors opened....appearing from them was the head of the Demon himself. The Master of the League of Assassins the man who cheats death

The Great Ra's Al Ghul (Ghassan Massound)

At his appearance the Ninja's kneed down silencing their cheers and they were low enough for Nyssa and the Birds to see him

Canary: Ra's. Al. Ghul.

Nyssa: Father.

Ra's Al Ghul: My brothers and sisters our time has finally come. In a few short hours we will break the yoke of oppressions. Forever! No more Regime. No more Rebellion. Today...the world welcomes it's new masters: The League of Assassins.

They gave a yell raising their swords

Ra's Al Ghul: However! Due to extreme circumstances we been forced to build a temporary truce but this was only possible since they hated the Regime as much as we do. And this truce will only stay active till Superman is obliterated for dismantling the Legue and corrupting my daughter Talia. Brothers and Sisters I present to you......THE SOCIETY!

The League cheers on uproariously as the rest of the Society emerges from beneath the stage and made their presence known…..or to be specific, the few Society members available. To the right of Ra’s came Bane (Dave Bautista) and Cheetah (Kristen Wiig). To the left of Ra’s came Captain Cold (George Eads) and Eobard Thawne (Kevin Bacon) of all people.

Ra’s extended his arms again, and all the assassins raised up their swords in excitement.

"Low self-esteem…not that guy's problem”, Montoya quipped in response to all of this.

Dinah was more concerned about the situation.

Canary: That's definitely gonna put a dent in our plans.

Nyssa: Nowhere left to go but forward. Follow me.

They did. Begrudgingly.

This world is doomed.

Nothing but the booming voice over the loudspeakers overrides everyone’s sense of hearing walking past brick road after brick road underneath Arkham City. With Nyssa leading the charge with two of her elite rebels and Black Canary not too far behind with Harley and Montoya, it was a wise decision to let the one with the most experience lead the way.

Cities like Gotham will grow to resemble how breaking through the streets, continuing up into the sky. Structures will grow to blot out the sun and the people who live in them will be choked by the pollution they create.

That voice booming over the vast majority of them did feel somewhat nerve-racking in terms of uneasiness......all except for Nyssa. Coming past one gate and another gate, by the time they get to ANOTHER gate, they’re confronted by sphere-headed robots: the Mechanical Guardians of Wonder City.

Robotic annoying little bastards.

Prepared to duel, Nyssa unsheathes her swords prepared to deal with them herself but she doesn’t get the chance as Dinah took the initiative with her Canary Cry, blasting the robots back towards the wall and disabling them all with force.

Safe to say, Nyssa was slightly annoyed about that.

Nyssa: Continue.

Eventually, when no space remains, this world will die, struggling for breath as man’s mistakes nail the coffin shut.

Finally, after another minute of walking through empty brick roads that lead to nowhere, they come face to face......with a wall.

Another dead end?

Canary: Dead end.

Nyssa: Hold.

Sensing something was out of the ordinary, Montoya just steps up to the “wall” and bangs on the surface. It was rigid, dusty, hard. This wasn’t a wall, more like it was a door.

And to further her suspicions, the floor beneath her was caved in awkwardly enough as it is without the bricks on the road being out of place. But as she moves the bricks out of the way, she can confirm her suspicions: the former detective in her fulfilled.

Montoya: It’s not a dead end. It’s a secret door powered by an underground generator.

Nyssa: Wise one.

But this doesn’t have to be your future, Gotham.

Not wasting time, she pulls out the Remote Electrical Charge, another gadget she borrowed from Bruce, aims it down at the generator and fires, leaving the generator turning just grinds on a dime just as the wall opened up like an elevator shaft, revealing......

There is a better way.

......the abandoned, collapsed streets of Wonder City.

Behind this wall is mankind's chance for survival. A glimpse at a future based on an amazing discovery. A discovery that will allow Gotham to rise like Lazarus, becoming a beacon of hope for this world. Are you intrigued? Then step closer.

They do......unwillingly.

Witness the future of Gotham City. The heart of Gotham's future beats with Lazarus technology. The power of Lazarus is pumped into every street, every home, providing clean, safe energy. Mechanical Guardians will serve you, watch over you and where necessary, protect you from the worst of mankind's sins. Ladies and Gentlemen, allow us to present to you the future.......Wonder City!

Boy, was Nyssa ready for THAT to be over.

Nyssa: I dreaded the day when I’d have to return here. The sight of the original Lazarus sends shivers down my spine; it’d only get worse every time I have to—just look at him.

Canary: Just wish things were normal for once?

She nods.

Nyssa: Afraid there’s no such thing, unfortunately.

Harley: That's the nature of life, things come and go, daylight turns to night, spring turns to summer, fall then winter, and then comes round again. Life is about ebb and flow, continuity and change, that's how it is designed to be—

Right as she finished up, she gets herself snagged from behind as she gets dragged into the shadows of a nearby alleyway

Only ONE person actually noticed that somebody was missing from the overall group.

Nyssa: Hold.

Soon as she holds her hand up, everyone just stops.

Nyssa: Somethings off.

Canary: More like SOMEONE.

Right as she turns back......

Canary: Harley’s missing.

Now in that alleyway, you can tell that Harley wasn’t the best at staying particularly quiet.

SHHHHH! Shhh, shhh, shhh. Easy now, easy now.

Even IF Harley didn’t really have any problem with staying quiet even for a complete stranger, she wouldn’t tolerate it without a challenge. But the thing is it wasn’t a complete stranger.

Her eyes just eradicated with light, blossoming with joy once she saw it was Catwoman (Morena Baccarin) who “delightfully captured” her, if you will. It was a good thing she was in an Assassins uniform though. She’s used to being a mole: breaking hearts, blowing minds, being a traitor in most of them.

Catwoman: Cat got your tongue?

No need to wait for that response. A smirk later from Harley and she’s hugging Selina like she was reunited with her mother.

Harley: Thanks, Kitty. I was hopin' you was Bruce's mole.....

Catwoman: For all the good it did in the Regime, Ra's never trusted me enough to share the whole rebellion war thing.

Harley: Well if it makes you feel better little Helena's been an Angel while you were away.

Catwoman: Thank you. It's hard to be a mom and be a criminal at the same time. I learned that the hard way awhile back.

Harley: I....can imagine.

Catwoman: Have you heard from Bruce? I tried calling him but no response.

Harley: He's probably tending to the Rug-bat right now. We'll try him again but right now we gotta help Dinah Renee and Ninja-Girl.

Catwoman: Ninja-Girl?

Harley: Sorry I meant Nyssa. Ra's-man's other daughter. She's leading these rebels against her own father.

Catwoman: Then I hope she's better than Talia. I don't know what Bruce ever saw in her. But anyway we'll help the others. First I need to get back to Gotham. If there's anything left of it.

Harley: Left of it?

Catwoman: Ra's been talking about an attack something about another alien invasion. I don't know when they'll strike but I rather be ahead of it than let it catch us off guard.

Harley: Oh....hey Nys said Ra's was working with someone looking for S-Man....maybe that's who's planning to invade.

Catwoman: I hope not. If this mystery someone is this big and powerful as Nyssa says.....I hate to think of the result.

Harley: So what next?

Catwoman: Like I said I need to get back to Gotham and tell Bruce what's coming.

Harley: What about the Birds?

Catwoman: They're big girls. They can take care of themselves. They'll meet up with us soon if not we'll come back. Right now let's go.

Selina and Harley ran out with the League and The Society marched forward like a military squad

Walking out from the entrance of the Chamber of the Demon, prompted the Birds and Nyssa to go into hiding for the time being. Bane, Cheetah, and Captain Cold were left leading the charge with the Reverse Flash nowhere in sight.

Despite Ra’s being at full health and his actual whereabouts from the war a mystery, the actual Lazarus Pit was still being reconstructed following the end of the war and the battle of Old Gotham……thus the purpose of the other half of the League of Assassins being held off at Slaughter Swamp to find one of many Lazarus fountains to help restore the pit…..

….thanks in turn to Ivy’s assistance.

But alas, the one crucial element they essentially needed to move forward with their plan was put on the back burner until Ivy came back. If only they knew…..

So they had to wait.

Cheetah: He laid it on a little thick, Bane.

Bane: Soldiers are always motivated to sacrifice their lives, Minerva. These ninjas aren’t any different. Hate has been a perennial motivator for this group for centuries.

Captain Cold: I just hope you don't turn that hate on us. Or this is over..

Bane: As long as we have a common agenda, Captain, you have nothing to fear.

Cheetah: You mean as long as we follow his orders. I don’t know what good that'll do us if Ivy doesn't report back soon.

Bane: Calm yourself. We'll make the first wave without her. Cheetah, Cold, you'll lead it.

Captain Cold: We already lost the shipment at Elliot Memorial. Hope your "Master" can wait for a longer delivery.

Bane let’s out a soft ‘Hmm’. His allegiance to the League of Assassins not passing by unnoticed.

Bane: Soon, the League will make their presence known....and I will take my rightful place at my Master's side with Talia. But for now--

BUT for now.......

Bane immediately bolted and looked back to see Montoya, Nyssa and Canary standing by the open wall behind them as Nyssa had her sword unsheathed, Montoya held her rifle at standby with Canary standing ready.

Montoya: How about a few words from the brave and the bold?

She rolls a flash bang grenade along the floor as it blows up in Banes face, blinding him and the other two momentarily. Blindly blasting his ice gun in avid blindness, the only thing the Captain got back from that was a bloodcurdling Canary Cry through the smoke, knocking everyone back.

Canary: I’m the brave one, right?

Montoya: Might be bold enough to disagree.

The main three quickly recovered from the flashbang seeing three on three. Being on even odds doesn’t mean it would be easy, however. The assassin ninjas lurking behind them only unsheathe their swords in preparation.

Cheetah: The saboteurs of Slaughter Swamp, I presume.

Montoya: Saboteurs? Don’t kill the messenger, lady.

Not waiting for permission, Renee just fires her rifle again, only for Captain Cold to freeze up a barrier with his gun to block said bullets. Literally seconds later, he breaks through the ice wall and just tackles her down below.

Socking her across the jaw endlessly, the former GCPD detective has to kick him off before smacking Cold across the face with the butt of her rifle. It just hits his goggles, however.

In retaliation, he freezes Montoya’s rifle as it just shatters on the floor.

Montoya: Well, that’s emasculating.

Cold: Jumanji?

Montoya: Yeah.

Cold: Ahh......got a soft spot for the classics.

Cold quickly fires a glacier grenade before trying to smack Montoya with the gun itself but she ducks and guts him in the stomach and knees him again in the face, this time knocking his googles off and dropping his ice gun.

Montoya: Hope it wasn’t that soft.

Spoke too soon as Cold kicked her legs out from underneath him and quickly froze them in place, rendering him unable to move.

Thinking quickly, she again pulls out the REC (Remote Electrical Charge) only to have the fun kicked away.

Cold: Uh-uh.

Now Bane was......bound to be tough but he isn’t one for learning from his mistakes all too easily. Slapping his tubes on as the venom just absorbs into his body and up his head, it makes Nyssa sigh frustratingly.

Nyssa: Can this baffling idiot not make his weakness ANYMORE obvious?

Canary: Can’t help himself, it seems. One of us needs to distract him while the other snips his tubes.

Nyssa: Go. I’ll keep Bane busy.

Soon as she says that, Cheetah pounces over Bane and just rolls one over Nyssa as she just slams her head into the ground. Rolling over with a monkey flip and elbowing Cheetah square across the face, it stunned her briefly.

So that left Dinah with the venom-sucking luchador.

Canary: Wanna hear a song, Bane?

Bane: Rather a symphony of breaking bones.

Canary: Oh, don’t worry. I’ll sing for you but you’ll feel the pain.

Boy, did she sing for him.

Her canary call stunned Bane down to one of his knees, barely dragging him amongst the floor even as he covered his ears. Nothing really budged, though.

It did, however, prompt about a quarter of the Ninja assassins to flank her almost immediately; prompting Dinah to keep her eyes peeled towards not only them but Bane too on the off-chance she gets distracted with any of them.

She sighs heavily.

Canary: This again?

She makes another bird call knocking them all off their feet Bane just on one knee and while he was distracted Dinah drew her daggers ran up to him flipping over Bane and slices off his tubes

Bane yells falling flat on the ground and tries to steady himself when on his palms

Bane: No.....

Canary: Yes.

Launches a kick knocking him down again

Nyssa clashed with Cheeta's claws with her sword Nyssa avoided being scratched but then kneed Cheetah in the gut forcing her down

Montoya and Cold struggled on pulling on the freezing the gun but she elbowed him in the chin taking the gun and freezing HIM in it

With their opponents down they regrouped

Canary: Any sign of Harley?

Montoya: Not a trace. But where's Dracula?

They heard a yell from above Ra's was leaping down raising his sword Nyssa flipped over blocking her father's attack with her own sword saving the others

They turned seeing more Nija's approach them

Ra's Al Ghul: Nyssa. My youngest daughter.

Nyssa: Father. What a monster you let yourself become.

Ra's Al Ghul: Indeed. But not a bigger monster than what the Kryptonian became. But I'm afraid you and your allies have overstayed your welcome.

Canary: We'll be happy to check out but you're coming with us.

Nyssa clashed swords with her mad father while Dinah and Renee fight the remaining Ninja's

Their swords clashed yelling with Nyssa yelling in fierce and Ra's chuckles and struggling each other's swords face to face

Ra's Al Ghul: If only your sister was here.

Nyssa: She always looked up to you till Wayne and that murdering alien came along.

Ra's Al Ghul: The Detective was always afraid to do what was necessary. Superman nearly destroyed our legion.

Nyssa: Who are you working for?!

Ra's Al Ghul: I work for no one I only made a deal with someone who wants the Kryptonian as much as I do. He'll be along.

They continued clashing their blades

Most of the remaining Ninja's were beaten down but reinforcements kept coming

Montoya: Dinah. Why don't you give these boys a lullaby.

Canary: My pleasure.

She makes her bird call again forcing the Assassins to fly back

Nyssa disarms Ra's kicking him down and pins him to the ground with her boot

Nyssa: There's no way back for him now.

She raises her sword but Canary grabs her arm

Canary: We'll take him back to the Batcave. Bruce will have him committed at S.T.R.I.K.E.R.S.

She looked at her with disapprove and back at Ra's but after a long moment staring at him she sheaved her blade

Nyssa: Then all that's left is to destroy the last Lazarus Pit.

Nyssa removed her foot off him and Montoya cuffed him

Canary: Surprised that worked. Let's call it a day find Harley and get out of here.

Ra's suddenly chuckled

Montoya: Never a good sign when you slap the cuffs on and they start chuckling.

Ra's Al Ghul: Pitiful fools. You won this battle but I'm afraid you loose the war.

From behind them a boomtoob portal opened sucking them in Nyssa manage to escape but Dinah and Renee weren't so lucky they were pulled into the boomtoob and it closes with Ra's laughing and the Society recovering

As if the mission could not have ended more abruptly for the heroes. Another layer to Ra’s underlying scheme had been unveiled in the most unpredictable manner possible in a way that not even those associated with him were left confused as to what had just happened.

This wasn’t what Bruce had hoped or expected going into this. Neither did Harley or Selina.

Unbeknownst to them, they had already hightailed it back to Gotham and the Batcave, content that the Birds and Nyssa would be able to handle the on-going threat on their own. That’s the thing about confidence: sometimes it’s justified. Other times….

….it’s terribly misinformed by the own barrer.

And both ladies caught notice of that, firsthand, upon walking back into the Batcave. Up the stairs and past the waterfall amongst a string of chuckles blocking out the laughter, they eventually bare witness to the horror of Bruce unconscious on the floor.

He was still twitching, convulsing, barely flopping like a dead fish.

Selina: BRUCE!

Both ladies sprint for the man, sliding down to his level. Harley struggles to scooch his upper body up to Selina, gripping him by the shoulders from behind.

Harley: What happened?

Selina: He must've had another seizure.

Harley: Another?

Selina: No time, Harley! please!

Harley: I'll get the sedative.

She's quick to for the medic containers at the far end of the room, grabbing a sample of sedatives from one first aid kit. Thankfully, needles were nearby.

With carefully placed in the other, she rushes back to Selina’s side.

Harley: Alright, roll up his sleeve.

Selina did as Harley asked, also holding onto his left shoulder. Harley injected her former enemy with IV sedation. Normally, IV sedation works quickly, with most people falling asleep roughly 15 to 30 minutes after it's been administered. Once the IV sedation is removed, people begin to wake up in about 20 minutes and be fully recovered from all sedative effects within six hours.

However, a minute of worry passes until Bruce gasps suddenly, jolting up under seemingly no stress or worry at all. His breathing slows down, his heart restructuring the proper blood flow and pressure; the rest of his body restoring a form of natural equilibrium.

Bruce had become a master at using “microsleeps” throughout the day; akin to the real-world “Uberman sleep schedule,” where people fall unconscious for an undisclosed period of time. It divides sleep into 20-minute naps, taken every four hours. An extremely dangerous method to engage in, it's no wonder how his obsessive need to become a nearly superhuman vigilante drove him to engage in this risky behavior.

Even more so how he recovered from the sedative as quickly as he did.

Selina: Oh thank God.....Bruce, what the hell happened?

Bruce: It's.....nothing.

He gets slapped for his brooding attempt at brushing the dire situation under the rug.

Selina: That was NOT nothing. Like the last two episodes you had last month?

Harley: You’ve been having some problems since Alfred left. A LOT.

Bruce: But I'm fine now.

Selina: You won't be. Not ‘till you get some rest. It's time to be Bruce Wayne for a day or two. We'll handle the monitoring.

Bruce: What about Helena?

That's why we cut our honeymoon short.

Looking back, both Selina and Harley took notice of more company: four legs not far off from the computer. Tim Drake (Steven R. McQueen) and Barbara Gordon (Leslie Grace) were back in town, following a brief honeymoon cut short, evidenced by a diamond ring on Bab's finger while holding baby Helena.

Selina: Hey.

Barbara: Hey.

Quick but subtle.

As for Bruce, from his perspective, he was glad that someone else was taking care of the baby given his state and Selina having to be.....her.

He didn’t smile but they could tell he was proud of them.

Then again, the positioning that he was in didn’t need to be much clearer.

Barbara: Bruce?

Tim: Di-did he have another attack?

Selina nods.

Tim: How is that—did nobody mention the Parademons?

Soon as he said that, Bruce began to hyperventilate again. Breathing in and out of sync, the process continues AGAIN.

Barbara: Tim!

Tim: What? I didn’t even mention it!

Harley: Right......and then you said it, by name, while denying having said it!

Selina: Sedative!

Handing baby Helena to Tim, Barbara has to rush over to the containers at the end of the room again and get yet another needle as Selina held up Bruce’s shoulder again as he looked inches away from passing out.

Jabbing the sedative in Bruce’s shoulder again, she just had to look back and wait as the effects slowly take over. Bruce finally started to gain control of his breathing as the sweating stopped.

Rinse and repeat the process.

Barbara: You and that mouth, Tim...

Tim: What? That's the whole reason Bruce rebuilt Brother Eye in the first place after he told us what Superman said to the Joker before he killed him.

“Before he killed him.”

Damningly, that secretive side of Bruce hadn't gone to waste as of yet. Nobody else apart from Bruce knew what he was talking about.

Selina: What does he mean, Bruce?

Barbara: You didn't tell them?

Bruce: can only nod 'No'.

The silence was deafening as he brought himself up to a vertical basis.

Bruce: The raid on Ra's is another loose end. Superman's links to these visions, the dreams I had during the Justice League is what I have been trying to track since the day it came to be. I’ve never stopped trying to find it.

Selina: So that was nothing more than an inside job? That doesn’t explain why Ra's--

Bruce: I needed to make sure it wasn’t related to whatever I saw in my head, Selina. You need to understand.......the Parademon invasion at Washington? That was just the first wave to something bigger. It doesn't end with that hairball.

Vaguely mentioning Kalibak, Bruce recollects himself yet again, his chest puffing in and out. He knew he was just the puppet to a much grander scheme; from that point onwards, that's where he focused the majority of his time to try and unearth.

And now he didn’t know where to look or where to go. Everyone else in the room didn't take long to catch on; of course, the million-dollar question is....

Barbara: So who’s really pulling the strings here?

Bruce: I really wish I could tell you but.....

He honestly didn't know anymore.

Sighing in and out heavily, it was one of the few moments you’d ever get to see the human side of the Dark Knight. 27 years as the Caped Crusader and now, his visions have him trapped in a position in which no matter what came next, there might not be any escape.

Bruce: God, I don’t know what to do.

Selina: You need a long REST.

Bruce: No.

Selina: YES, you do. Babs, give me a hand, c’mon.

Without hesitation, Barbara helped Bruce up and both she and Selina wrapped both of Bruce's arms around their shoulders and carried him down the stairs and away from the Batcomputer.

This left Boy Wonder: number III with Harley. And the awkward ambiance was rapid from the start.

For Dinah and Montoya, awkward couldn't have been the best way to describe the predicament they were literally dragged into.

Before Montoya and Black Canary knew it, they found themselves on a ship, unlike anything they had ever seen before. The fact the wormhole disappeared behind them as fast as it spit them out was alarming enough but it was hard enough for the teammates to even comprehend the interior of this ship. It was coated in deep colors of gray, red, and orange, almost like the scorching sun but in a sunset gaze type of presentation.

Every crevice of this behemothing juggernaut was coated with discarded metal and heavily furnished black concrete lit up by flames in the walls held on torches; orange cracks seeped out of the corners of everything. There were also strange symbols embedded into the ground, symbols Canary and Montoya couldn't even begin to recognize.

Everything the ship did reveal to them spoke out less like a plane and more like a primary fleet carrier. One designed for war.

Instinctively, Montoya and Black Canary reached out for each other, putting their backs up against one another in preparation. As capable as they were together, the rest of their team wasn't here.

And neither knew what their odds were.

Canary: Renee?

That was all Black Canary could say as she continued to let the appearance of the ship sink in.

Montoya: I, uh…I got nothing.

And she meant it. She had no remarks or insights regarding this ship, for it was too bizarre and foreign. Between aliens that could fly, mystical lanterns, gods, and anthropomorphic mammals, it was no surprise she'd think she'd seen it all.

Yet, life has a way of proving you wrong.

Your compliance is mandatory, Earthlings.

That deep and somewhat dry voice alarmed Montoya and Canary, with the former nocking another pistol in preparation. Their attention was immediately taken aback at a truly terrifying sight before them; their lips curled as they bore witness to what lay before them.

Somewhat out of breath, they both look up and both women forget to keep breathing. Petrification.

Canary: Holy shit.....

Coast City, California.

An urban center located less than half an hour from Edwards Air Force Base and twenty minutes from Fort Rock, that specific area of interest was home to one of the most......unlikely of heroes, in recent memory. But given what he’s been through, he’s not one to be in a good mood.

A sleep-deprived Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds).

It might as well be better if he WAS sleep deprived so maybe that way he can drown himself in his own hatred and doze himself back further down his personal rabbit hole.

His life had been a living hell since the fall of the Regime, considering how he was a part of the problem, to begin with. The only reason why he wasn't rotting behind bars with the rest of his “teammates” is that he had already done his sentence.

On Oa.

The Guardians did not take kindly to Hal going against the codes of the Green Lantern Corps and siding with their most infamous enemy all for Earth's “safety”. For five years, he had been in cahoots with Superman until an old friend from his past knocked him out of his stupor.

Hal had been in deep regret and hatred for himself ever since his conviction on Oa and afterward, he hasn’t been the same man since.

It looked like he didn’t want to LIVE anymore.

Suddenly, a knock on the door awakes him from his perpetual limbo.

Hal: Argh! What? Coming!

A reckless yet continuous flow of knocks from his front door knocks him out of his sleep. The knocking continues as Hal sturdies himself, barely stumbling out of bed and falling flat on his face.

Hal: Thomas, come on. I’m coming! Sheesh!

Finally getting up to his feet and in some reasonable clothing no less, he finally approaches his door only to get bombarded with more knocking. Fed up with the repetition, he unlocks the door and just swings it open.

Soon as he does though, he gets a gun in his face and he puts his hands up. His ex, Carol Ferris (Blake Lively) was holding the gun.

Hal: Woah.

Carol: Start talking.

Only a few minutes later, she’s inside of his apartment with the gun still in her lap, staring sternly at Hal as he doesn’t even try to look back at her as he just taps his foot impatiently.

It was just like Bruce talked about: how could he be fine with what he’s done but completely object Carol in the process? It all came rushing back to him now.

Carol: You’re kidding, right?

Hal: I wish I was.

Carol: Unbelievable. It’s ridiculous when it comes to you, Hal. Every time I think you can’t possibly do something any stupider, you fucking blow last week out of the water!

Hal: You don’t have to dumb it down, ok? I get it, I fucked up. But I just didn’t think—

Carol: That there’d be repercussions? Consequences? You didn’t think for one splitting essential quarter decimal of a second that you’d get away with what you did?

She had a good point.

Hal: I didn’t think about any of that.

Carol: There’s a lot of things you don’t think about before you jump to it. It’s sad that THIS is how I’m gonna remember you and that’s pathetic in its own right.

Hal: Yeah, well.....

He just frantically looks down at his watch as if he’s just ticking down the hours left he had to live.....if so he chose.

Hal:.....John gave me enough of that when I was doing my time.

Carol: John cared so much about you. Why else would he come and put his foot down on you? Let me just ask you something else....

She just scooches forward.

Carol: When you were.....when you went yellow.....did you think for a second of what I would feel if I saw you wearing it?

Hal: Of course I did. There was never one day rushing by that I ever NOT thought about you. It's just.....

Carol: Just what?

Speaking from literally the deepest darkest pits of his heart, he spilled it loose.

Hal: I choked. When I backed down from executing an inmate of Blackgate….that was when I asked him if there was another way. Then he told me to picture you in Lois's position.....if you got taken....if your death would blow up Coast City....

Finally, Carol began to lower the gun.

Hal:....and that's when I swung the ax. THAT was when my ring stopped working on me.....Sinestro sensed it and he came to me. Said the only way I could help Superman was to accept and embrace my fear. And that same fear.....

He couldn't bring himself to continue. He sighed heavily.

Hal: Just give me a minute.....

Bolting up and walking out of the room, Carol didn't know whether or not this was another trick. Hal hadn't exactly been known for being the most mature of the Justice Leaguers; more like comic relief if anything. The butt of so many jokes. And yet, something inside her made her feel....contemplative.

….she put the gun down on the coffee table and Hal grabbed a ring box

Carol: Oh no. No no no no. Don’t even think about it.

Hal: This ain't another proposal.

Said box held an old relic from his past: one he was once sure would never open back to him again. Upon opening it, his second chance was revealed.

His old Green Lantern ring.

Carol: Your.....ring? The guardians gave it back?

Hal: The Guardians......locked me up. John convinced them to train me to overcome my fears again. To EARN the second chance I was being presented.

Carol: I don't know, Hal. Why trust YOU again?

Hal: You can’t.

The first step of progress: admitting when you have done wrong.

Normally with everything that goes on in this world, people often wish that things could change; that'd they be different. But Life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced. The more one learns about its imperfections, the more one can catch its irony. It takes sadness to know what happiness is, noise to appreciate silence, and absence to value presence.

All three ravaged within the confines of Hal's mind prior to and after his sentencing. And only such a therapeutic unveiling could be arisen by the person closest to him that he hurt the most.

The nightmares would forever plague him, torment him, rip him apart from the inside out; Hal could never truly withtake the sound of silence the same way again. But the noise is what pursued him to strive to make things right, if not with those he wronged, then with himself.

Even if it meant he'd never truly find redemption.

Suddenly, a piercing loud screech from the outside of the window bolts Hal up and out of self-loathing; startling Carol as well. The sight they sees on the other side was confusing and downright terrifying.

A sentient, genetically modified bug pounding up against the window, screeching at him with insect-like pincers scrapping against the glass.

Hal: Eww.

Unfortunately, that was just the prelude to a more serious threat than anticipated: the bug finally inching away from the window only revealed more of the same outside his apartment window. Tens, fifties, hundreds of them were buzzing and flying and screeching around all over the entire city like giant mutated wasps.

Some with two sets of wings, others with multiple pincers, some with glowing axes.....and others just had guns.

Parademons.

Hal: What the hell?

Carol: Hal?

He turns.

Carol: There’s more where that came from.

With him watching behind her, the news bombards their vision. Flooded with grey and gloom and doom,

she frantically changes the channel constantly back and forth again and again and all the news channels were discussing the same topic at the same place at the same time.

The same news reports were flooding in from all over the globe: demonic beasts were invading. Flooding the streets, investing their fear into innocent people, and killing them, was more than a sign.

It was a message that no one would be safe.

Immediately, Hal just takes Carol by the hand and drags her out of his apartment. He didn’t forget his ring.

Too bad Carol left her gun on the coffee table.

Rushing out of Hal’s apartment, they were bombarded by pedestrians running over one another and running over them to get to safety and to get to higher ground. The Parademons were in full effect: blasting civilians, trashing buildings, infesting the sky with their presence.....it truly was the stuff nightmares were made of.

Not to mention the unbridled pattern of chaos being spread. The fires and flames raging on through the streets.

Carol: What the hell is happening?

A blazing horn from a pickup truck just blasted through the air as it skids off the road for a brief moment and unfortunately as it turns over on its side, it was in the direction to knock out an elderly old man.

Quickly springing into action, Hal literally jumps into the way and tackles the old man out of the way just before the truck flips over on itself and crashes into the post office.

He has to help him up rather quickly. he brings him back into the dorm of the apartment complex before leaving him there and rushing back outside.

Hal: Carol.

Carol: Yeah?

Hal: I need you to call 911. Get the cops down here. Tell them to set up a perimeter near the safest area they can find. It doesn’t matter how close or how far it is, make sure they set up a perimeter and get the civilians off the streets.

Carol: And you?

He can only stare down at his ring box. Only one viable option at this point.

Hal: Green Lantern's got this.

Carol looked at her former love of her life as he took his ring placing it on his pointy finger and after many years he retakes the oath

Hal: In brightest day in blackest night....no evil shall escape my sight.

The ring began to shine with Carol at surprise that the ring was finding him worthy again and Hal continues the oath

Hal: Let those who worship evil's might.

Hal began to morph into his green suit but it looked like armor this time as if the Corps had an upgrade with suit

From there....The Green Lantern....had returned

Green Lantern: BEWARE MY POWER! GREEN LANTERNS LIGHT!

Carol was amazed but dumbstruck that Hal re morphed into the Green Lantern

Green Lantern: Get help. Find a place to hide. I'll find you again.

Lantern flew out the window after opening it and then started blasting at the Perademons which drew more of their attention and flew at him shrieking

Green Lantern: Last time you guys attacked your buddy Kailiback got busted open you want some what he had?

The Pera's shrieked and attack and Lantern blasted a green wall image blocking their attack and forced them back

Hal even flew in the center of town saving many people running in panic as possible drawing the Pera's near them away by making them fly at him or blasting them only to get grabbed by one

It shrieked he grunted in frustration while struggling to get free till.....

....another green beam was fired hitting the Perademon in the face forcing it off Hal and falling

Lantern looked above him it was his college and friend from the GL academy John Stewart (William Brown) another Green Lantern of Earth and who straighten Hal out of the Regime

Green Lantern II: Didn't I teach you anything Hal?

Green: On your right!

At an instant he turned and beamed a net trapping the Pera's coming his way and tossing them aside

Green Lantern: Nine O'clock!

John blasted up catching two Perademons off guard

Green Lantern: Six!

He looks down with three Pera's flying at him but dodges them and beams a rope at them tying them up and forces them down impacting on the pavement

Hal beams a street light and ties it around them

Green Lantern II: Still a rookie I see.

Green Lantern: Been out of the game for awhile. That's on me.

Green Lantern II: Fair enough. You even know what the hell's going on?

Green Lantern: So far just another Perademon invasion.

Green Lantern II: And I'm guessing they came from that ship in the sky.

Green Lantern: What ship?

Green Lantern II: The Guardians sent me to check on ya then I saw a ship on above the Earth. It was big.

Green Lantern: How big?

Green Lantern II: DAMN big.

Green Lantern: Damn indeed. We need to find Bruce. We might not being on speaking terms right now but he'll know what to do.

They heard a crack in the sky and looked up they saw a boomtoob but it was bigger than the one at Wonder City but what came out of was a whole sworn of Perademons

Green Lantern II: Bruce will have to wait. We better clean house first.

Green Lantern: Just like old times huh?

Green Lantern II: Indeed.

The Pera's shrieked and fly down at them

Green Lantern II: Let's go to work!

Two against possibly hundreds? What’re the odds?

Better than what every poor pedestrian on ground level had to deal with and suffice.

Despite most of the Parademons making a complete U-haul in their objectives to chase after two of the outspoken warriors involved with the race that got involved in the first war to prevent Earths' conquering centuries ago, the remainder of the giant bugs stayed beneath the clouds, on ground level, basking in the abject misery of the citizens of Coast City.

And they made sure to take their time.

The few unlucky civilians intent on driving out of the city were about as unlucky as the prone bystanders outside; Parademons just lifted the cars up off the road in unison and chucks them elsewhere.

Sometimes they just shoot the cars to bits. Others let their insect-like pincers Pierce the metal and stab the poor inside to death. If they weren’t trying to get the hell out of dodge, they’re running around….

….hiding inside buildings or behind tables…..

…..or screaming.

Carol didn’t end up much better; most of her time was spent frantically running all about the streets trying to get to the closest officer she could find. The best bet was to get them to set a perimeter around the city or even better, extend out to the airfield.

Unfortunately, when an entire city’s in panic, people will jump at the first opportunity to flee for their lives and run for the hills.

The next minute was her lost in the crowd, constantly being ragdolled and pushed back and forth amongst the scared civilians. Either pushing her forward, pushing her back, bouncing all about; nobody had any time for patience amongst the scared, confused and

At one point, she got pushed onto the back of another confused random man, just as paranoid about the situation as everyone else. His reaction did not help matters.

Man: Hey hey hey! Get off me!

Carol: Argh, sorry.

She struggles against his dangling body, her grip loosening before she gets ragdolled again and falls, her back eventually crashing against the front of a dented car amongst the unbridled chaos.

Not so easy to remain undetected for long. But just when she was about to jump back up at her feet…..

….horror appears.

ANOTHER boom tube materializes from within thin air right when the sky begins to crack and break itself apart all while the ground began to shake. This pulsating extra-dimensional point-to-point travel portal resonates a loud BOOM throughout the streets, blowing out windows and streetlights and strobe lights from miles apart from one another.

And then there were all the power lines and power boxes nearby that were shorted out. Most of Coast City was left without any electricity.

Everyone falls over from the Doppler effect of the extra-dimensional doorway effectively pulling everyone down to their knees and back; Carol not being immune to this either. But with that came another revelation, one even more terrifying than the attempted invasion itself.

The Parademons stopped too.

One by one, they all regrouped in the air, crowding next to one another. Standing in wait, it looked very much in tow with a bowing stance.

Every. Single. One of them.

This sight did not go unnoticed by the two Green Lanterns, watching countless of the bugs essentially stop pillaging and fighting midway through to play the beginning portion of Spiders and Flies.

Lantern: Am I dreaming?

Lantern II: Nope, you're seeing exactly what I'm seeing.

And that included the warping Boomtube, essentially wrapping every single inhabitant in that city around its finger, dangling on the anticipation of who could step out from whenever, wherever. If the Parademons were lying in wait, barely lined up like soldiers about to be sent off to war, it was every bit as serious as intended.

Finally, a shadowy figure emerges from within, blurry from the eloping waves before gradually stepping out from the blinding lights...

.....and lo, did the demon descend upon the Earthlings to deliver a merciless, never-ending smiting upon the poor fragile hearts of the wee humans.

A heavy-set, large, and imposing figure of grey, crinkled skin and darker blue armor standing at attention, arms poised behind his back, stance firm, stature demeaning but attentive. Evil purely resonated from within him. His eyes were colored red, but it was the crackling crimson energy emanating from them that sent fear into every single person that dared to make eye contact with the boulder-like specimen.

All civilians froze in fear while the Parademons railed in cries with their voices, screeching to the sky that their leader, their master, their God had arrived on schedule.

Enter the New God, UXAS. Enter.....DARKSEID (Ray Porter).

The tyrannical Lord Of Apokolips had finally come to Earth for the first time. And what a time to invade.

Darkseid promised to invade earth one day from the nightmares Bruce had since first rivalry with Superman and had predicted his invasion for years and now he had to pick seven years after Superman went down a dark path

Bruce funded the Justice League to prepare for his arrival but now that they're divided his plan seemed critical now

Darkseid: Hal Jordan and John Stewart the Green Lanterns of Earth. I....am Darkseid.

He fires laser beams from his eyes stunning the Lanterns off guard and approached them with hands behind his back

Darkseid: From what I hear the Corps dedicates peace and justice through out the Galaxy. But your cause is useless to me.

Green Lantern: So you're the source of all this. What do you want?

Darkseid: I seek the one you call: Superman. For years I believed the Inhabitants of Krypton were all extinct. But Superman is among the last. And.....he murdered Kaliback.....my only son.

Both Lanterns widen their eyes remembering the last Pera invasion in DC where Superman did indeed kill Kaliback to save the world and if THIS was the Daddy Superman mentioned who wasn't coming to save him this time........THAT was him

So it seems this invasion was out of grief of a vengeful father a powerful overlording father

Green Lantern: Oh....

Green Lantern II: Oh is right. Hate to burst your bubble Darth Vader but Superman's no friend to us now. Not since some maniac like you did in his wife and his own son.

Darkseid: I am aware of that. But my arrival here was long overdo. A planet collecting scum tried to collect my world back when you all fought for the same cause. But now this world no longer is in need of wait for my arrival and will summit to my conquest.

Green Lantern: We'll never serve you.

Darkseid: Serve? No Hal Jordan of Earth. I conquer worlds over the skulls of my enemies. And then....send them oblivion with Krypton. And I will do the same to this planet. Unless......you surrender The Kryptonian to me.

Green Lantern II: I get your grudge I do but we don't trade lives. Not even our enemies.

Darkseid grabbed him with his giant hand gripping his shoulders John grunted in pain and frustration

Green Lantern: JOHN!

Darkseid: If you value your life and the lives of this pitiful planet....

Green Lantern II: Kiss my ass rockhead. You want him? Get him yourself! I ain't your lapdog.

Darkseid threw him and he raised his hands allowing his Perademons to scatter

John landed hard and Hal tended to him

Green Lantern: You ok?

Green Lantern II: We're not gonna stop him on our own. We need to get to Bruce.

Green Lantern: You go. I'll slow him down anyway I can.

Green Lantern II: Hal I know you're crazy but not stupid. He'll crumble you like paper!

Green Lantern: This is my city John. Carol's here too I can't leave her to face this invasion

The second Lantern went silent then nodded understanding

Green Lantern II: Just don't get killed. I'll be right back with backup.

Hal nods and John flies away leaving him to thwart off the invasion alone

Sadly it wasn't just Coast City for long other cities had boomtubes opening everywhere even Gotham and Metropolis

And Pera's came from all of them causing a world wide panic

Back at the Batcave Barbra was tending baby Helena rocking her and giggling at her coos

Barbra: You are such a cutey. Are you gonna be brave and strong like your father? Hm?

As for Tim he took over Bruce's place on monitoring the mission the League and the Rebels

Tim: Brother Eye. Give me an update on the team at Wonder City.

I cannot do that Tim Drake of Earth.

Tim: And why not?

Because I am not Brother Eye.

The voice sounded like it was being compromise even caught Barbra's attention still carrying the baby

Static and interference were on every screen which made them both backup even Bruce stubbornly coming back in the room disobeying Selina's order on staying in bed and saw what was happening

And out of the static.....Darkseid's face appeared on every screen and Bruce....remembered him from his.... Knightmare

I am Darkseid.

Bruce: Darkseid......

Tim tries to shut it down and restart

Bruce: NO TIM!

Static shocked him forcing him to yell and fall back

Barbra: TIM!!

Barbra aided her husband while still carrying Helena in one hand and Selina and Harley came running in seeing it too

You cannot regained control. Over the past days Brother Eye's power has been absorbed by the technology of my ship. It is now under my control. You.....fragile humans captured and imprisoned a murdering Kryptonian. Kal-El The Superman.

Bruce: Then maybe we're not so fragile.

To prevail against him you harnessed advanced sciences: Nano-technology satellite communications other worlds. I will take these tools from you unless you give me Superman.

Bruce: Why? What'd you want with him?

He murdered my son Kaliback and now he will answer to me. If not your planet will pay for his crimes against my family. You have one Earth Day.

And then he cuts out with Brother Eye still beyond their control

Also beyond control was Hal’s attempt at handling the situation.

Not willing to stand down to the formidable foe, he takes a brief step back before swinging at Darkseid with a giant fist. It breaks on impact but Darkseid? NOTHING.

Absolutely no reaction from Darkseid apart from the same blank, vague and annoyed reaction. His face was completely unfazed from the punch and it pretty much spelled complete disaster right then and there.

The Parademons screech and roar.

Darkseid: Past experiences have left you ill-prepared. Crawl on your knees and beg for my favor.

He refused.

Charging forward with the same tactic in mind, that bare-knuckled fist comes up again.

As soon as he smacks Darkseid again with the fist, Darkseid immediately mollywhops Hal with a right hand of his own with so much force, it launches him back and dents him into the walls of the post office before he lands flat on his keister.

That unfortunately wasn’t the end of it as two Parademons decided it’d be a great idea to just curbstomp the man while he was already down.

Fed up with it, he just slams his ring down with a low velocity shockwave dispersing the two Parademons away from him. Before long, he looks back at Darkseid.

Lantern: That all you got? It’s not all I got.

Being the hopelessly stubborn man he is, he relentlessly charges forward, this time formulating and rolling through with a steam train.

It breaks within point blank distance of the New God causing the train to shatter and for Hal to flip over himself in agony as he scrapes his face amongst the floor. There’s blood already trickling out of his forehead and mouth from the impact but Hal was VERY resistant.

Even as he stumbles up to a vertical basis, he sternly looks up at the new God with his back turned towards him.

Talk about disrespect.

Lantern: I’m not DONE with you yet!

Foolishly charging forward yet AGAIN this time with a hammer in hand, Darkseid snaps his head back to Hal just as he smashes the hammer over his head AGAIN to no reaction. Quickly grabbing his hand to break the hammer, Darkseid grips ahold of his arm….

….and with just a slight twist, SNAPS his right wrist into pieces, as Hal screams in agony.

Carol: HAL!

Flustered and frustrated, she picks up a ROCK out of all things and as soon as he throws at the back of Darkseids obscene bald head to no immediate reaction. Eventually, he chucks Hal over to her as they both fall over one another.

She’s quick to notice Hal barely fading in and out of consciousness, not to mention how his right wrist was literally snapped out of place from the New God.

And with it, is ability to properly use his ring nose-dived off a regulation diving board.

Carol: Hey hey hey. C’mon, stay with me now. You stay with me, ok?

He can barely even see her.

But Darkseid and his Parademons could see everything at hand: the start of either Earths demise or enslavement. But just like everything, it starts with progress......and in time.

His Parademons once again screech and roar before flying off and leaving the scene as well as the city in ruins as the fires raged onwards and the destruction laid bare. As for the smug Darkseid, he casually walks back and away from the scene without even looking behind at the image of the burning city. But THAT......

......that wasn’t even the half of it.

As a boom tube formulates out of thin air and the Lord Of Apokolips just phases right through it as he vanishes, more rumbling occurs.

Not from down below, but from up above.

Rolling through the cumulonimbus clouds through the skies, a sight that literally spoke Hell roams on right through; an Apokoliptian warship rears through; butt ugly brownish-red and oblongly shaped, the outside of this warship put everyone’s attention on notice.

If the inside was spectacle to behold; the outside didn’t help matters.

Carol: Holy shit.

Once more, mass panic ensues as civilians are left running with their tails between their legs, dispersing amongst whatever’s left of their beloved Coast City. But even that wasn’t gonna be enough.

As the ship hovers above the city in the most ominous way possible snapping into place and remaining motionless, the bottom thruster of the ship hovers in place, rotating around itself as the thruster only opens further and further like a manhole cover.

Creaking further wide out, the only thing it had to show for it was whirring.

Robotic yet increasing highly in frequency.....whirring. In doing so, it revealed its occupation as not a thruster.....

....but a full-scale Apokoliptian plasma gun.

Carol: Hal?!

Lantern: Get behind me.

She obliges. And just in time too.

After a full minute of charging, the bottom thruster beneath the warship simply shoots down a concentrated beam of fusion plasma, in the form of an incredibly fast but unstable stream of orange-red light, similar to a sunset gaze. If it hit, all of Coast City would be wiped out entirely as entire buildings, streets, vehicles, and people, In general, would be annihilated within seconds.

Worse of all, he wouldn't be able to get a headstart, following his dislocated right wrist.

Hal, in a last-ditch effort, quickly shuffles the ring onto his OTHER hand, flashes back into Green Lantern.....

......and launches a dome-like shield around him, Carol, and all of Coast City. And yet, that could only get Hal so far.

Normally, this type of blast stored within a weapon emits a burst of blue, green, or even yellow-hot plasma which is strong enough to burn through armor and flesh with ease. Here, the sheer velocity of the blasts' recoil and energy dispersal massively trumped the efforts of the handheld weapons on a 10 to 1 scale.

Hal struggled against the plasma cannon slowly and surely inching further down to him. Going airborne did little to help him; with one arm and all the willpower he could muster not being enough to combat against Darkseid, it was all a matter of delaying the inevitable....

Carol: Don't let go. Don't let go!

Lantern: TRYING!

....and they couldn't hold him back for much longer.

Suddenly, everything blacks out for Hal.

Minutes pass and Hal’s eyesight eventually begins to recover. Blurry the first second but then clear the next, he’s left floating in mid-air thanks to his ring and regained his composure. Unfortunately, that’s where the good news ends.

Because as soon as he looks down, his mouth drops to the floor.

Coast City, ALL of it, was gone.

No more buildings, no more districts, no more avenues, no more places of business.

Literally, NOTHING left of Coast City was here. All that remained was a barren wasteland in its place of a crater.

Lantern: Please tell me I’m dreaming. Tell me this isn’t real.

He didn’t give in to his frustration, though. Breathing in and out as calmly and as smoothly as he could, the lack of the city did make it easier to see ONE thing directly below him. In the giant crater where the city used to be, all he sees is Carol, supposedly knocked out.

Lantern: Carol.

He quickly flies down to the crater and gets down to his knees as he removes his mask and just tends to her body.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t see the issue yet.....

Hal: Hey hey hey. I’m here now, ok? I’m here for you.

......not until it was too late.

Hal: Carol? Carol?!

No reaction. No movement. No pulse.

NOTHING.

Hal: Get up, please. Get up!

Now he was panicking.

Quickly thinking, he starts pressing down on her chest, applying CPR to her.

Hal: C’mon, c’mon. Stay with me, stay with me. You STAY with me, ok?!

Nothing.

Hal: Carol, please! I did everything I could; don’t do this to me! You gotta fight for me, Carol! YOU GOTTA FIGHT!

Still nothing.

The truth was as bittersweet and painful as he had hoped it WOULDN’T. The very thing he didn’t want to happen just happened. Finally having lost hope as he stops administering, Hal knew he was too little too late.

He might’ve stepped into Superman’s shoes before but now he didn’t have to for the nightmare had truly become a reality.

Even sicker in grief and regret but digging more deeper into anger somehow, he suddenly bolts off the ground and starts screaming in agony with his hands gripped to the back of his head as his eyes were sparkling with red energy. An indication of someone attempting to stoke out his rage and anger.

But his willpower was more effective than his rage. He eventually breaks free from the surge of anger and maintains his state. The issue here is at what cost?

Anger was not gonna bring Carol back.

Hal: How did I let this happen?

Promises, promises, promises.....

There are those who follow their promises full force, full power taking great care to stay within biologically set parameters lest they break, and even then vow to heal and continue onward at first chance. Bruce has never had fully enough time to make due with such a promise to heal.

While not verbally swearing to Lucius he'd follow his advice, he intended on it. Not to mention not suiting up without worries of further alarming the public.

Darkseid poked the bear, unfortunately, so all bets were off on him staying prone for long. Despite pleas to take a rest following his last two panic attacks, Bruce refused.

Batman needed to come out again.

Minutes passed in what felt like moments after he suits up again; he walked over to the Batwing and starts its engines simply by pressing his belt, he couldn’t help but to look back at Selina, with a look of concern on her face. She knew she wasn’t going to get him to stop anytime soon; barely going strong in his 50’s still, it’s no wonder the impact he’s left on Gotham let alone the world was as large as it was.

But then again, he had a family to take care of. And not even a year had passed since the new couple had been threatened and challenged as well as their baby....

.....which is part of the reason why he felt the need to do this NOW more than ever.

Finally climbing on the opening passage, it automatically locks him in which pulls him into the jet. Turning slowly away from the waterfall, his gaze is centered ahead of him on the runway.

Selina: Bruce.

He doesn’t turn to face her but he, at least, acknowledges that she’s there.

Selina: I’ve always known you were capable of some of the highest and toughest groundwork imaginable but.....that’s the issue nowadays. Because this is the first time I’m worried about you.

Batman: Even when there’s more important matters to worry about?

Selina: Bruce, you’re overbooking yourself than how you usually do. You’re working too hard and you need something or SOMEONE to take the edge off.

Batman: I’ll have a better chance if I don’t have to worry about you.

Selina: Oh, SHUT UP.

She bangs hard on the window as he finally turns to face her.

Selina: Just stop the stoic bullshit and let me help you. You want everyone to believe you’re this invulnerable, infallible, unmovable object but it’s not true. You’re human......just like everyone else. I’ve seen your scars, I’ve seen past your trauma. Hell, I’ve even heard you snore, ok?! This—you can’t—this isn’t you anymore.

Batman: It never was.

~Silence~

Selina: Meaning What?

Batman: The man you see before you is not the same as he was back then.

That was the last thing he said to her before the afterburners kicked in on the personal advanced fixed-wing aircraft and within a few seconds off, the Batplane takes off.

Launching out from underneath the manor like a slingshot, the Batman had left its cave and ventured out into the foggy yet orange sunset-ridden haze of Gotham.

He turns his gaze down to his intercoms, making a quick call to Lucius.

Batman: Lucius. We got problems.

The news has been crazy, sir. There's been moral panics all about. Already, Paris, Cairo, and earlier Coast City just vanished.

Batman: How is that possible?

I'm not sure, Bruce. But I'll find out soon; could be looking at another invasion.

Batman: Track down Virgil, Jaime, Rusch and Professor Stein; give me their locations. I'll pay them a visit afterward. We're gonna need all available hands on deck.

Bruce, you're not going......there. Are you?

Batman lowered his expression, not knowing how to properly answer that question.

And he didn't had to Lucius knew Bruce too well what he truly answers when he goes silent

Bruce no! After all the harm he caused for five years?! You're not seriously considering---

Batman: I got no choice. But he's not leaving that cell Lucius. But all I know is that Darkseid has been in my head for years. He was the source of my nightmares of Gotham becoming a Wasteland. He even sent Stephanwolf AND Kaliback that was him. And now he's back. And he's here for Clark.

And what makes you think he's just gonna tell you how to stop him? He probably won't unless you let him out.

Batman: He'll talk. Clark is beyond reason but he still cares about this world as much as we do. MORE than I do. Just find the Professor and the boys. And.....maybe Alfred....if you can find him.

I'll try. Good luck sir.

The Batwing flew over the ocean

Back at Kahndaq Adam and Diana saw Darkseid's ship in his looking and something about it gave the murdering rouge amazon some Dejavu like she saw it before

It made her think back to Ares Steve Trevor and Stephenwolf

Diana: Great Hera. Where else besides Metropolis?

Black Adam: Almost everywhere: Gotham. Beijing. Moscow. So many cities all at once.

No.....

Adam and Diana turned to that voice Kara had her hand on her mouth like she saw a ghost from her past

Kara: It's him......

Diana: Who Kara? Who is it?

Kara: It's Darkseid!

Diana somehow knew that name herself it's if it ran down her spine almost feeling what Kara was feeling

Adam wasn't sure so he grew more curious

Black Adam: Who is this Darkseid you speak of Kara Zor-El?

Kara: The Warlord of Appakalips.

Diana: Steffanwolf and Kaliback's world?

Kara: Yes. He's their master. A long time ago when I was a child Darkseid invaded Krypton. My uncle Jor and General Zod forged an alliance and rebelled against Darkseid's army of giant bugs! The war lasted for days so many lives were lost but soon enough my uncle and Zod manage to drive him out of Krypton. But he promised he'd be back. He must have found me and......oh Rao.....

Diana: What Kara?

Kara: We need to get Kal....NOW!

Diana: And we will Kara. But we need to know exactly what we're dealing with. Besides the invasion and the war on Krypton what more do you know about Darkseid. If there's anything important about him we must know as much as you do.

Kara: I....I don't know much as Jor and Zod did. But I do know Darkseid's rein has been an empire that strikes fear across the galaxy for a millennia. It's unclear how old he is. Darkseid's conquest through out the galaxy has been unstoppable. I don't even know if there was anyone who stopped besides my uncle and Zod. Darkseid has an army of giant insects called Perademons commanded by him and his finest warriors. Granny-Goodness. Steffanwolf and his son Kaliback.

Hearing her call Kaliback Darkseid's son drew Adam and Diana to look at each other knowing Superman killed Kaliback at DC and Darkseid is here for revenge

Diana: Alright tell us more on the way. Let's suit up....and we go to STRIKERS.

~Dakota Science Museum~

A group of science majors in Dakota University were on a field trip for their major

During the tour Virgil Swan (Aubrey Joesph) and his good friend Richie Foley (Jace Norman) were minding the tour till Virgil heard noise from above

It was coming from outside above the roof and he looked back where the entrance was and the noise faded but Virgil knew something was going on out there

Richie even noticed his friend wasn't focused on the tour

Richie: What is it?

Virgil: Something's not right.

Indeed it wasn't cause all of a sudden Pera's busted in walls shrieking and the staff and visitors all panicked and ran

Virgil and Richie fell back looking up at the incident

Two Perademons nearly attacked them till Virgil raises his hands blasting electricity and frying it

Richie: Too close dude.

Virgil: I know. I need a distraction.

Richie: Right.

Richie got up and ran to the group

Richie: QUICK THERE'S A WAY OUT OVER THERE!

The crowd ran where Richie directed them and Virgil started running for the exit but Richie saw his friend's back pack on the floor

He grabbed it and.....

Richie: VIRGIL!!

...He turned back and Richie threw him his pack he catches it with one grip and unzips it with his costume in it

He looked at Richie who nods at him and then Virgil ran out seeing more Perademons flying all over Dakota he ran in an alleyway bursting in electricity morphing into his suit

Entering Dakota's gotta be Superhero.....STATIC SHOCK!!!!!!!!!!

Rolling on through, Static was quick to evade ongoing blasts from the Parademons plasma assault rifles. Morphing into a small stream of electricity, thanks to his upgraded suit, it also turned out to be a blessing in disguise; Static quickly being able to zig-zag to whatever Parademons he saw fit….

….and zap them.

Catching two in a row, he electrocutes them both, stuck on a hot streak. One unlucky Parademon is able to shoot through the rapid fire stream of electricity blazing around him and his fellow soldiers.

But to no avail.

Finally, Static emerges from the electricity trail, tackling one Parademon down to the ground before sensing another one behind him, airborne. Quickly thinking, he pushes his own hands out, an electromagnetic force bolt shooing out and frying the pincer-shaped Parademon out the sky, knocking it into three others huddling behind it.

Unfortunately, that’s when the numbers game started to sink in for Virgil. There were over twenty of these bugs crowding around him, snarling, screeching, reading their weapons around him all while poor helpless civilians were left running for the hills.

His lack of knowledge on this ongoing invasion made it evidently clear where he stood in this debacle. But still, heroes don’t give in easily.

Subconsciously, his Static Saucer rumbles around in his book-bag before firing out like a missile. Instinctively, Static barrel-rolls over the disc as it decapitates a full row of Parademons.

Just the tactic needed to get him and the others outside.

Quickly jumping aboard his disc, Virgil only hovered above the other recovering airborne Parademons. The new disc is, in fact, six interlocking hexagonal discs composed of a lightweight yet very durable metal alloy.[3] When not in use, the disks are stacked on top of each other for easy concealment in Virgil's duffel bag.

Unfortunately, he was still a kid and the adrenaline more or less got to his head. One lucky Parademon finally caught a break, tackling Virgil off his disc and slamming back down to the concrete. Virgil was quick to roll back to his feet and punch it back….

…..and another one…..

….and another one…..

….but more kept coming in, the numbers game overcrowding Virgil beyond comprehension. The pressure finally pushed him back and the Parademons all ganged up on him, scratching at him, clawing at him, stomping down on his prone defenseless body.

Not entirely defenseless, however.

Static: Get off.....my......BACK!

Ingenuity comes in handy once again. Static generates an electromagnetic shield around him, repelling the Parademons back and buying a little bit of space away from them.

While confined within the barrier of his own making, he decided, now, to hone into the mental barriers of his own mind. Ever since his Bang Baby physiology kicked in, Static was able to mentally connect and hone in radio waves on mass, meaning he could listen in on police broadband, music stations, news networks, and tap into phone lines without having to make calls.

Every single station had the exact same message of horror sprinkled throughout: Invasion.

There was one broadcast, however, that came off more chill, refined, calm in hindsight. And through the echoing vibrancy, it appeared to be calling his name. Not deep enough to be his dad, however.

Virgil? Virgil?

Confused but nonetheless intrigued, Static takes his airpods from his pocket and hones into the incoming transmission.

Static, can you hear me?

Static: Lucius?

Oh, thank goodness. I was worried I couldn't reach you.

Static: You mean despite all the....

He gets briefly interrupted by a Parademon trying and failing to get through his force field, electrocuting itself in the process.

Static:....Insecticons tearing apart Dakoda? Just a regular Thursday for me!

It's not just there, Mr. Hawkins. It's happening everywhere else at an alarming rate. Batman specifically requested your presence to combat the threat and insisted he meets you in person.

Static: Where?

Beneath Wayne Enterprises. Bruce will brief you when he gets there.

That was all the pep talk he needed.

Cutting off the feed, he closes his eyes, taking a much-needed deep breath. Generating raw electromagnetic energy through his body and calling his Saucer to him, he dispels his shield and jumps aboard his Static Saucer....

....hovering away from the Science Museum at rapid speeds before teleporting away.

All the way down to Strykers Island, specifically the Red Sun Prison on the other side of it, is where the more unstable bunch of baddies have been held up prior to the fall of the Regime two years ago.

Of course, the most dangerous inmate in the Red Sun Prison needs no introduction because his reputation practically speaks for itself.

The Man Of Steel.

The former High Councilor.

The Last Son Of Krypton.

Clark Joseph Kent/Kal-El (Henry Cavill).

Laying down with his arms wrapped around his legs in place, he was stuck incarcerated in this cell comprised of Red Solar energy and was set to be STUCK there for the rest of his life because Bruce apparently didn’t have any internal respect left for the Man Of Steel to actually finish him off for good.

Since the lights were equal to that of the actual Red Sun from Krypton, it had the same effect on him in there then it did back home: it caused him to be stripped of his powers and become equal to humans in weakness. Considering how he’s been stuck in there for last few years and he’s been sitting in there all alone with nothing but a desk and a photo with him and Lois, one would think that MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, Clark would regain some common sense after all that happened.

Except madness is like gravity. All it takes is a little push.....and you’re stuck in the deep end.

All he had seen these last two and a half years were a gray metallic background with that red sunlight generator shining on top of its head, as it always did. Superman merely sat there in his prison uniform – he had gotten used to just sitting there and thinking for days at a time. He was always thinking about what he was going to do when he got out – even as the years passed by, he wouldn't give up.

He knew he would be let free one day.

Looking down at the photo with Lois and massaging the crumbled edge of it, almost brought a tear to Clark’s eyes.

At least until he felt a familiar presence from behind him. He does his best to shield his anger and frustration.

Kal: You’re wearing the suit. Am I trouble again?

He gets up, turns around and sees Bruce in his Batman attire.

Batman: What does it look like?

Kal: Like you haven’t seen the full picture yet.

~Silence~

Kal: It didn’t have to be this way. The war, the pain, all the lives that’ve been lost......I think—I think it could’ve been different if you had just been a friend.

Batman: I’m not responsible for the blood on your hands.

Kal: Oh, you SANCTIMONIOUS FUCK!

He quickly PUNCHES the glass with tremendous pressure and force. So much force in fact that he literally broke his hand in the process. It didn’t phase Bruce at all and it didn’t seem to affect Clark either despite the blood trickling down the back of his hand as he stared down at the puddle.

Nothing but pure frustration.

Kal: I’M supposed to be the alien here! Why are YOU incapable of a HUMAN RESPONSE!?

No response back as he just backs away holding his hand as it continues to twitch and just kneels down.

Kal: I regret a LOT of what happened......but I don’t regret what I was trying to do for the planet—and what WE could’ve achieved TOGETHER.

Getting cocky and ticked off again, he approaches Bruce again up against the glass.

Kal: But, no. Lois.....GONE. Our son......GONE. And you turned your back on me. You judged me, saw the worst in me, FOUGHT me.

He scoffs.

Kal: Well, congratulations. YOU WON. The world is yours.

Batman: I don’t WANT the world. I want only to repair you tore apart.

Kal: And you WANT to do that? Rebuild the status quo? Give them back their petty squabbles over land and religion and money? I don’t doubt you can. A mind like yours can shape the world ever so easily. But Batman’s vision for the world would be truly terrifying......and nobody’s left to tell you the truth.

Now he was starting to pry back at those layers.

Kal: Alfred’s gone. Dick’s gone.......and you turned Jason away. You failed ALL OF THEM......and you’re proud of that?

The usual blank expression on his face......apart from some molding twitching underneath the cowl.

Frustrated, Clark just sighs heavily and gets to the point.

Kal: Alright, Alright. Why are you here?

Batman: Darkseid. Tell me what you know.

He, unfortunately, was asking the wrong person.

Kal: You’re tugging on the wrong cape.

Batman: Washington D.C. Boomtube. Parademons. Kalibak.

Now that THAT memory was placed back into Clark’s head, he could remember that battle, the terror, the fear, that moment where he split Kalibaks head open like a walnut......it all came back to him.

It all made sense but he should’ve seen the consequences coming.

Kal: Kalibaks dad.

Batman: You butchered his son.

Kal: His son was a murderer. Daddy wasn’t going to come save him then. Why would he wait ‘till now?

Batman: I put you in here and got you down to the weakest point I could get you. You don’t think he won’t take every opportunity to run you down as you are?

Good point.

Kal: So he’s coming for revenge.

Batman: How do we stop him?

Kal: You can’t. Not without me.

Whether it was either a promise or some sort of contractual obligation or agreement, Bruce STILL wasn’t willing to be on the offensive and allow a helping hand…..despite the promise he made to Lucius only an hour earlier. How ironic is that: telling Clark to get over the loss of his wife and child and yet he can’t do the same for his loved ones......and Dick Grayson.

Batman refused to go that far.

Darkseid was a dire threat; the prime catalyst behind his decisions for almost a decade, why he’s been nothing but the mere shell of his former self......but NOTHING could be enough to free Superman. He felt bad that this trip was for naught, but he had to find another way to take down the Lord Of Apokolips.

So he turns away from the subject at hand, slowly walking away from the man who murdered HIS son.

Batman: I’ll find a way.

Turning his back away from him, he just proceeds to walk out.

Kal: That’s it, go. Turn your back on me once again.

Frustrated and pissed, he just bangs his fist against the glass, blood smearing everywhere.

Kal: Hide behind your little Bruce Wayne mask, convince your subjects you’re the one to lead. But you and I know the truth: once you take the reins, you’ll never return the world to the people. You will always seek ULTIMATE CONTROL because in the end, under that mask, you’re just a scared little brat trying to stop TWO BULLETS!

THAT stopped Bruce dead in his tracks. Nothing pisses him off more than that day he couldn’t save his parents.....but then again, Clark was right in a way.

“Open your circle of trust.”

He just couldn’t trust Clark. So he CONTINUES to walk away.

Kal: Damn it, you asshole! This is MY FIGHT, Bruce! You need me now more than ever! Bruce! BRUCE!

Clark gritted his teeth as he saw Batman exit the room. He had finally been granted the opportunity to confront the man who took his world away, and now Batman was taking that away too. He walked around his prison cell – more desperate than ever to escape his confinement, something he didn't think was possible. First, he would take out Darkseid– and then, with the help of his followers….

….anything would go from there.

~6 Years Ago~

Barry Allen (Bradley Cooper) was not the first man to take on the mantle of 'The Flash'. That honor went to a man named Jay Garrick (Viggo Mortensen), who became the Fastest Man Alive in 1960. Nevertheless, Barry managed to reach a level of fame and popularity Jay could have never imagined – though Barry himself never thought he could live up to the likes of him. Jay and Barry always got along well, as they had a deep respect for each other.

That's why it broke Barry's heart to see Jay on his deathbed like this.

As Barry looked down at the ground, Jay began to cough roughly, causing the former to jump up in worry.

"B-Barry…." Jay muttered out, his voice sickly and feeble.

Barry's eyes widened in concern; he replies soothly.

Barry: What is it, Jay?

Jay: H-have I ever told you…how proud I am of you?

Barry let out a small smile and blushed. "You have, Jay. At least a dozen times…"

Jay: Well…I'm gonna do it one more time, Barry. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better successor as The Flash, but as a man, Barry…as a man….you truly have it going for you. Iris…she's such a wonderful gal. I hope you two have a long and happy life together. And Wally, he's shaping up to be an excellent protégé….

Barry sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

Barry: He's getting there, I'll admit that…but the kid still needs some more training.

Jay: You know, I never really talked about Hal with you that often. Alan and I always enjoyed how you two got on so well, even though ol' Alan wasn't exactly fond of Hal himself….

He let out a weak chuckle and began to cough, this time even more roughly, hoarsely while Barry watched anxiously.

Jay: Barry…before I go join Joan and Alan, there's something I want you to do.

Barry: Anything, Jay.

Clearing his throat, he says…..

Jay: Promise me, Barry…..promise me that no matter how bad things get, no matter how tough things get, always stay on the good path. I'm very proud of you for always doing the right thing – and it's important that you stay that way. Your heroism and bravery is something the world can't afford to lose…

Jay began coughing very violently, and then he lay stilly on the bed….

….and all of sudden, Barry could hear the painful sound of flat-lining.

The Crimson Comet had passed away, and the Scarlet Speedster began to tear up as he stared at his deceased idol.

He thought about Jay's last words – it was a big promise to fill, but Barry knew he couldn't let the original Flash down. Jay was right in that sometimes, it might be hard not to give in temptation and fear…but Barry believed that he could pull it off. He had to, for Jay's sake. He started at Jay's classic helmet, lying by the hospital room's window, and a determined look showed itself.

~Present Day~

Only a YEAR since Jay’s death had passed before Metropolis, and all the pain and misery that followed it, took place. Barry couldn't think about that memory without dying a little on the inside. For the last year, the convicted Regime criminal had been cooped up in the Arctic away from the city life and the massive media attention that came with it.

He had broken the promise Jay made him swear to take – when Superman fell from grace and slowly took over the world, Barry was right there with him. People died in the process– and while Barry would always mourn, he was also relieved that they weren't around to see the path he took after Metropolis.

Iris West was there to see him go down that path, and she completely gave up on him after being a blinded sheep for so long. Even after his reformation and participation in taking down the Regime, he couldn't bring himself to talk to Iris. As for Hal…well, things between Barry and Hal eventually went south.

The closest person he could talk to was Bruce, who gave him a second chance and recently granted him a job at the Luthor-Wayne Climate Research Station where he was stationed. But even then, Bruce was always preoccupied with helping the world recover from the Regime. Barry had basically nothing anymore......and he had been retired ever since then.

The Luthor-Wayne Climate Research Station, well, that wasn’t much of a second chance to start with. It didn't help that the people there at the station weren't too fond of Barry, due to his time with the Regime. The sole exception was his boss, Doctor Randall (Jordana Brewster), who was softer on Barry than anyone else.

On what had to be the slowest of Thursdays, as Barry walked down the hall and thought of all of this for what felt like the millionth time, he peered into a room to see the good doctor herself who appeared to be distressed by something.

Barry: Need a hand?

Randell: Honestly, Barry, I don’t know. Sat links out. Internet and phone are down. Maybe this old ham can help us.

Hey.

Both him and the Doctor turn around. Turns out neither he wasn’t the only one alone with her. Turns out Terra Marakov (Peyton List) was also amongst the rare pardoned felons who had joined the Regime only to help tear it down following a sign of guilt.

She, too, had been forced into retirement and following a lack of any credible positions to take up after the fact, had to join Barry up north.

Terra: You filling in ok? People treating you well?

Barry: Let's just say people here aren't thrilled to live in close quarters with the Flash, convicted Regime criminal.

Terra: You’re forgetting another convicted Regime criminal.

And she points to herself.

Randell: PARDONED Regime criminals. Nothing ever turns around as quickly as it seems. Just give it time, guys. It’ll come around.

Barry: Easy for you to say.

He chuckles. Barry hoped they would, but it he was being honest with himself, he didn't think that was very likely.

Sitting down and just causally kicking both feet up in the desk and sipping his coffee down, Barry just watched from a distance away as the doctor reaches down to a stereo audio equalizer, flipping the comm links on and off for quick re-test.

Luckily, it was working.

Rotating the knob a little to the right and back to the left for stability, everything was set as Randell spoke into the mic.

Randell: L-W Base. Are you there?

Barry didn't at all like the sound of the reply.

Doctor Randall? Thank God! Comms are down everywhere! These space ships showed up, dropping a bug army on the city! They're killing everyone!

Terra walked up to Doctor Randall, growing ever more concerned.

Randall: Where are you?!

Cooped up—Metropolis! I'm not sure how long we can –

Just then, contact was lost. Doctor Randall tried to re-establish it, but to no avail.

Terra: What the hell just happened?

Randell: I don’t know......

She shuts the comms off completely as she just eyes over at both Barry and Terra in the most obvious manner ever as if they knew what she was about to say.

Randell:.....but someone’s gotta get down there.

Barry: No.

Randell: How fast can you get to Metropolis?

Barry was taken aback by his associate's question.

Barry: They don’t call me the fastest alive for nothing but I’m pretty sure our pardon agreement was pretty clear on “no powers.”

That reply only left her exasperated.

Randall: You think that matters when aliens are invading?!

Barry: If you’ve seen the stuff I’ve seen.....

Terra:.....or committed the crimes we did, you’d understand we don’t deserve this.

Randall: It’s not about what you deserve, it’s about gaining that second chance. You both helped tear down the Regime. That's why Mr. Wayne asked me to take you both in. And if Batman thinks you've earned a second chance after everything, who are either of you to argue?

Truer words haven’t been spoken before especially at this rate with aliens invading the planet. After thinking about it for a moment, both Barry and Terra had to concur, nodding towards one another. Doctor Randall was right. They might hate themselves for what they’ve done but this is another chance for them both to take redemption upon themselves and fully atone for their sins. They had to finally come out of the shadows and re-emerge as the alter egos they once grew towards, if only just this once.

But they both needed new outfits, having disposed of their old ones long ago.

Literally no problem for Barry at all; he fashioned a new outfit out of whatever materials he could find in the back and just raced out of the station to find out what the situation was in Metropolis.

As for Terra......it was gonna take her some time to get a new outfit.

Or so Randall thought as Terra just smirks mildly.

Kneeling down by her bed a few minutes later, she pulls out a grey suitcase and lifted it to her bed. Opening the hatches to the case, a black and grayish white suit was shown, with a utility belt and equipment from Wayne-Tech servers to increase her powers curtsy of Bruce and Lucius themselves.

And then….there were goggles.

Her demeanor just drops as she slowly reaches for them; a gift from both her former doctor Julie Madison.....and her dearly departed Beast Boy.

The last thing he ever actively gave to her.

Terra flashed back like the day after Terra rejoined the Titans after proving she's trustworthy after the events with Deathstroke he gave her the goggles as a welcome home present

Though the Titans didn't trust her at first and took time till they did Beast Boy forgave her instantly Starfire a week later Cyborg two weeks Nightwing and Robin two weeks in a half Red Hood and Raven....barely

Even wore them each time on a mission and when her and Garfield went on dates just when they were rebuilding their relationship

And just when it finally became whole again......the Nuke of Metropolis happened bringing her back in the dark path with Superman and the Regime till Billy's death

When coming back to reality Terra was tearing up still mourning for the death of her love and guilt for crimes with the Regime and been trying to make things right since

Which was why she been with Barry and Randall given Starfire and Raven were passed forgiving her but Terra was interrupted when her name was called out

It was Barry in his old Flash suit

Barry: Are you ready to go?

Terra looked at the goggles again and gripped them turning back to Barry

Terra: Yeah. Let's make things right again.

Soon the back door burst opened with the Flash speeding out and Terra levitating a large piece of the snowy ground and jumped on it and flying after Flash straight for Metropolis

Terra: BARRY GO! DON'T WAIT FOR ME!

The fastest man alive extends hand from his head and went in full speed and in 25 nano seconds he made it to Metropolis where Perademons were slaughtering many civilians and capturing a handful for Darkseid

The ones they took alive were formed in a group circling them they were trying to get Superman's scent from them but didn't caught a wind

A pera grabbed a man to snack on his head but thankfully the Flash speeded up hits it from behind next thing he speeds to another breaking it's wrist and upper cuts it

The other Pera's shrieked and the Flash hit them in full speed he was invisible to them and they were all down for the count

Meanwhile on Darkseid's ship the ruthless Overlord himself sat in his thrown viewing a holographic image of the Flash fighting the Pera's

Ra's himself was there interested in what was happening

Darkseid: As you predicted Al Ghul....Barry Allen has returned. But the girl isn't with him as you said.

Ra's Al Ghul: She will be there. My task force is ready. They will enjoy this.

Darkseid: Indeed. But I do fear if Wayne does not surrender Kal-El his arrogance will become this planet's end.

Ra's Al Ghul: You do not need to worry about the Detective. I know how to manage him.

Darkseid: If you could do that....he'd either be dead or we'd have Superman by now. Remember Al Ghul without me you wouldn't stand a chance against you own daughter's rebellion.

Ra's Al Ghul: I just hope you hold up your end of the bargain. Cause I only forged the Society for you. Given they hate Superman as much as I do they're still scum to me. My legion only stands for true justice.

Darkseid: I'll handle my part. You just make sure they do theirs.

Guess you could say Ra's and Darkseid's alliance was pretty fragile but only active due to their mutual enemy: Superman

As for Canary and Montoya they were stuck in some titanium glass wall Darkseid sealed them in Canary couldn't break it down with her bird call and both Birds banged on it in frustration and desperation

Back in Metropolis Terra finally arrived and saw Pera's heading her way Terra caught two in her powers forcing them to hit the ones behind them

Five more flew at her shrieking and she launched debree from the ground at them and in a matter of time she met up with Flash

Flash: What took you so long?!

Terra: Traffic. A bug load of traffic.

All of a sudden Terra was caught in a streak of ice freezing her up to her head in a block of ice forcing her to fall off her debree and it the ground

Flash: TERRA!

He speeded to her as she chattered her teeth freezing cold and Barry looks up seeing the just encountered Captain Cold

Flash: Leo?

Captain Cold: She ain't warming up with your knee at absolute zero.

He aim's freezing Barry's right leg in ice trapping him from running

Flash: For fuck's sake Cold! Look around!

Captain Cold: I know right crazy day. Kind of like when Superman lost his goddamn mind and you and this brat went right along with him.

Terra: bbrrr---p--p--punish us later.....fuck I'm cold!

Flash: Yeah we have to help these innocent people!

Captain Cold: Innocent? They didn't seem so innocent when they cheered Superman and Wonder Woman when they executed my sister!

Flash: I'm sorry Leo. I never should have gone on with them this long. But you never hurt people. You're better than that.

Captain Cold: Once upon a time I was.

Cold…..coldly replies while angrily grabbing Barry and throwing him to the other side of the block, pinning him to the road with his gun pointing back to his foot.

He was about to pull the trigger again only to be pounced from behind by large rocks, knocking him aside.

Flash turns, seeing Terra hovering her hand about, fully cracking open the ice on her leg by force. The bruises would sting long after this but

Terra: Still in neck deep in trouble?

Flash: A couple of minutes ago wouldn't been so bad either.

Terra: What'd you gonna do?

She would laugh but her leg was still far from 100 percent since her knee was still recovering.

This gave Cold the opportunity he needed, shrugging the rocks off of him, he slid underneath Barry, via the distraction, and kicked Terra back. Sliding back up to his feet, Barry just kicks Cold in the chest but Cold was able to get in several good punches and kicks at him.

Barry did manage to get in some good jabs here and there.

But his body, in general, served as quite the handicap. Rusty.

He barely avoids another front kick only for Captain Cold to blast at him with his cold gun again, having to dodge when Cold repeated the attack.

Barry decided to see if the old Snart was still in there.

Flash: Look, Leonard…I'm sorry about Lisa, Mick, and everyone else. But you can't give up on yourself like this!

Cold only sneered.

Cold: The world changed, Barry. You yourself changed right along with it, so why get upset over me, huh?

Flash: You have to move on.

Cold: TOO LATE. My heart's frozen.

Barry had to accept that he simply had to fight the ice rogue now.

He used his super speed and gave Cold several jabs and hooks to the face in rapid succession, back and forth. No hope for Leonard to get out until Barry deliberately slowed down to trip him up. Cold still tried to fight Barry, but it was easier for the speedster to dodge his attacks. Finally, he snatches Cold's gun and breaks it apart, before giving Cold a mighty kick with his good leg.

And one last punch in the face for good measure.

Barry sighed as Cold fell to the ground unconscious.

Flash: Guess we both let each other down.

As he lamented sadly, Flash was pounced on hyper speed and just vanished with no buildup or leeway whatsoever, leaving Terra in a dent of confusion.

Terra: Barry?!

Before Barry could take the time to so much as breathe, some being showed up out of nowhere and kicked in the chest – both Barry and this menace were flying hundreds of feet away. The danger stopped in his tracks, but Barry was sent flying another hundred feet away, groaning in pain as he did so.

He sat up only to see he was being confronted by...….

An old ghost of his past.

Eobard Thawne a.k.a the Reverse Flash.

Reverse: Ra’s said you couldn’t resist a good crisis.

Flash: Eobard Thawne?

There was no question that Barry was confused. But then again, it did not surprise Barry to see Thawne attacking him in the middle of this invasion. Thawne was always about giving Barry hell – and only about giving Barry hell.

Flash: You don’t belong here.

Reverse: And miss the return of Barry Allen?

He gloats and scoffs silently, nodding his head ‘No’ before socking him across the jaw not once but twice and then kicking him away. Seeing how personal this already was for Barry, he figured the only way to truly settle this was to lure Thawne out of here, so he raced out of the city, with Thawne trailing close behind......

.....leaving a trail of dust, debris, and electricity in their wake.

This left Terra miles out, trying to catch up. Again.

Terra: Not making this easy on me.

Meanwhile the second Lantern finally made it to the Batcave where Tim but no one was there nothing but Pera's since Darkseid took over Brother Eye the Bat Family had to evacuate the cave

Selina suited up and her and Harley went to meet up with Bruce Tim and Barbra took baby Helena with them somewhere safe but since they left Perademons came crashing in looking for Superman no doubt and John just happened to show up in the nick of time

Green Lantern II: Oh fuck me.

It didn't take long for the demons to notice him and shrieked loudly

They fly at him till he beams his ring at them forcing them back

He beams a green image rope tying up the ones behind the first Pera's but more came in through the tunnel the Batwing flew out of

But behind them.....Hal came in catching up to John and he was on a war path after loosing Carol and his city just like Superman lost Lois and Metropolis he was in utter grief he SLAUGHTERS the Pera's by ring images of stabbing weapons and slicing the demons in half

John saw and grew concern but had to stay focused on the fight

It took hours but eventually they drew them away at least those Hal didn't kill yet he was out of breath John knew something was wrong

Green Lantern II: Hal....

Green Lantern: Those sadistic fucks!

Green Lantern II: Hal calm down. Tell me what happened.

Green Lantern: They got Carol....

Green Lantern II: What....?

Green Lantern: And all of Coast City! They're gone!

John felt horrible that his friend lost everything like their former friend but he had to be sure he wouldn't fall back on Superman's side again not by fear but by vengeance that could make him into a RED Lantern

He had to give him....the Pep talk

Green Lantern II: Hal....listen to me....don't let Carol's death.....don't let it be for nothing. You don't want to repeat the same mistakes as you did in the past. Do you?

Green Lantern: I....no.

Green Lantern II: You saw what became of Superman when Lois died. Carol would not want you to repeat it. Not even after your own mistakes.

Green Lantern: I know....but at least promise me....Darkseid will stand trial.

Green Lantern II: That I can guarantee.

Amussing.

The Lanterns were on alert of that voice

It was Darkseid.....appearing on Brother-Eye

But your efforts are wasted. Surrender the Kryptonian to me or more cities will pay the same price.

Green Lantern: You're gonna pay for what you did!

The Earth is already under my finger tips. But what I'll do next.....is on you and Bruce Wayne. My son's murderer will either be handed to me or this dead rock will.

Green Lantern II: Not before we send your ass to the scrapie. Superman's already doing his time. That should be enough for you. So pack up your giant moths and go back to Appoklise or we're gonna find you and kick your rock ass.

Fools! You have no idea what you're dealing with but I promise by the time I have every city in my grasp I will focus all my attention you and your team of heroes. Superman will pay for the murder of my son. And ANYONE who gets in my way!

The screen shuts off leaving the Lanterns determine as ever

But they knew this was a threat much bigger than them. Then the Corps.

Then the entire Justice League.

They were going to need extra hands on deck.

A set of hands Barry would’ve liked to have milliseconds ago.

He and Thawne were left super-speeding all the way to the plains of the Midwest, hearing the occasional moo of a cow as they did so. Barry turned around to the opposite direction, and Thawne did the same thing almost right afterwards. After a minute, the two found themselves in night-time Gotham, both trying to avoid getting run over by traffic.

After speeding under a bridge, Thawne jumped above a semi to catch up to Barry. Barry attempted to swing at Thawne, but the Reverse-Flash dodged and swung at him. Barry flung into a small car, which was forced to brake. Barry kicked Thawne towards another car, and traffic began to freeze.

Barry super-sped Thawne towards another car, and began punching him repeatedly. Barry landed two jabs to Thawne's face, but his nemesis was able to dodge the third jab and send Barry towards another car, where he landed some punches of his own.

They kept ramming each other into cars in an attempt to take the other out before Barry finally had enough and ran off, with Thawne trailing right behind. Barry tried to throw another swing at Thawne, and he was able to dodge it again. Thawne deliberately lagged behind, just so he could catch up and deck Barry, sending his fellow speedster flying once more, this time to the nearest abandoned movie theater.

As Barry got up, Thawne decked him again, and Barry was sent a dozen or two feet away. Barry barely had the means to fully be the old him. He was stiff, somewhat brittle and nowhere NEAR as fast as he was before.

Retirement did a number on the Scarlet Speedster.

Reverse: I ran a long way from the future to hurt you, Barry. But this timeline? It’s all wrong.

Flash: Ngh......then go back to your own time, “Reverse-Flash”.

Thawne again kicks Barry in the chest with a malicious smirk on his face and angry eyes.

Reverse: You think I havent tried?! There’s a complication, Barry. The Regime – you know, that group you helped into power – killed one of my ancestors and now I’m stuck in a paradox.

He almost snarls under his breath.

Reverse I may not be able to go home.......but at least I can HURT YOU!!!!

Fed up with it, Barry just dashed past Thawne dishing out punch after punch in quick succession. However, the grim smug smirk on his face was still present as quickly clocks Barry from the opposite direction with a lariat, turning Barry inside out.

Thawne then slammed Barry's head into the brick pavement, and Barry yelped in pain as a river of blood trickled down his nose.

Reverse: Though, I must say…..I never thought you would affiliate yourself with something like the Regime. I thought you actually cared about heroism and justice and all that idealistic nonsense. Jay would've been ashamed of you. And now you really think you can play hero again?

Furious and pissed off that Thawne mentioned Jay Garrick, it made Barry lose his temper but there wasn’t much he could do as Thawne grabbed Barry's head.

Reverse: You can't make up for what you've done.

Barry wasn't prepared for what happened next.

Thawne opened up A TIME VORTEX, and before he knew it, they were in Ancient Egypt. From the looks of it, it was around the time the Old Kingdom was constructing the Sphinx. Thawne had taken them on one of the boards the Egyptians were using, and he smashed Barry right into the Sphinx's nose.

As Barry was trying to grasp what just happened, Thawne took them even further back in time – to the Cretaceous Period. He used Barry to smack a Tyrannosaurus that was finishing up a dead carcass. Before the Tyrannosaurus could react any further, Thawne went back to the present – seconds before he even departed in the first place, slamming Barry right into his past self.

As their past selves departed, Barry groaned quite loudly while Thawne let out a slasher smile.

Reverse: You lose, Barry.

Suddenly, the sound of a bloodcurdling scream echoes through the air as Terra literally pounces in on Thawne and wraps chunks of wet Earth around Reverse-Flash’s legs and arms to try and hold him down.

Needless to say, despite the pressure she was holding back on her geokinesis, Thawne was not impressed at all....

......evidenced by the smug look on his face and threat malicious smirk.

Terra: Leave Barry alone!

Reverse: Tormenting people serves a purpose.

Vibrating his legs and hands at a constant speed to release himself, the earth wrapped around his body breaks completely. Terra sends a rock-hail his way but Reverse-Flash doesn’t even bother trying as he breezes right through and decks Terra across the jaw.

She immediately begins to crawl and scurry away but to no avail.

Reverse: You know Terra, you might think there’s redemption in that shriveled heart of yours. But in my future......you’re quite lost.

He kicks her aside so he can see her face and vice versa.

Reverse: No mother, no father, no brother......no Garfield. ALL ALONE.

Before Thawne could attack Terra again, a giant green hammer showed up out of nowhere and sent Thawne flying towards the nearby theater. The sudden shock of it surprised both Terra and Flash. They were not expecting anybody to rescue them considering all they’ve done.

But nevertheless, they were stunned to see none other than Hal Jordan. How he managed to regain his old green uniform, Barry and Terra had no idea.

Terra: No no no. Not today.

Flash: Hal? How......

Lantern: Good to see you too, Barry.

Before he could answer, Thawne ran back from the theater and decked Hal in the face, seeing how he let his guard down for THAT ONE second.

Reverse: Well, well, well, if it isn't Hal Jordan. This just got a whole lot more interesting.

Hal could only sneer at the yellow-clad meance.

Lantern: An alien invasion threatens everyone and everything on this planet, Eobard, and you're still trying to beat up Barry?

Thawne lets out another smirk before super-speeding towards Hal and Barry, repeatedly punching both in the face and chest, before Barry decked HIM in the chest and uppercutting him. Yet Thawne's attention wasn't on Barry anymore, though – it was on Hal.

Decking him across the face again and by the back, Lantern blows him back with a makeshift shield before throwing it only for Thawne to dodge. Thing is it didn’t look like either one of them were trying. Colliding with each other, they both get into a test of strength pushing up against and off one another.

Reverse: Now, if I recall, you went and joined your old pal Sinestro, Mr. Jordan…...you became Superman's lackey, then you and Barry fell out.

Thawne chuckled before slamming Hal into a wall at super speed, choking him by the neck.

Reverse: But you and I both know Barry well enough.

Thawne began to vibrate his hand, intending to phase it through Hal's chest. Not a pleasant way to go out.

Reverse: Killing you will still get something out of him. His mother wasn’t even CLOSE to enough for me.

Flash: Excuse me?

Hearing the conversation from afar, he had to process everything he heard back to the tragic day where he lost his mother and almost lost his father for good. Looking back on it , everything started to come together.....and it only made Barry that much more angry.

Flash: YOU......you were the one that killed her, WEREN’T YOU?!

Reverse: I’m EVERY BAD DAY you ever had.

Just as he was about to finish off Barry's former friend, Barry himself tackled Thawne and kicked him in the chest, before knocking him woozy with his own fast punches and sending him flying towards some trash. Hal formed a machine gun construct and began shooting towards the Reverse-Flash, knocking the debris away from the theater.

The two began to overwhelm the evil speedster. Thawne would've been able to take on just of them, but both…it was quite the challenge.

Barry jabbed Thawne in the face twice and in the chest twice, and Hal created a green monster truck and swung it towards the speedster, before creating a mace to bash him with. Barry grabbed Thawne by the head and slammed him into the nearby trashcan before kicking him in the stomach. Thawne managed to punch Barry in the chest twice, but Hal began bashing the Reverse-Flash with his mace again. Thawne managed to kick Hal, but the Green Lantern formed a giant hand, with which he grabbed the yellow-clad speedster and threw him towards the theater walls.

The dust settles as the sign had fallen on top of him. With both Barry and Hal standing over him, the last thing he wanted was a triple threat indicating when Terra finally got up.

Thawne groaned loudly – he couldn't take this anymore, so he super-sped away from the scene.

Barry considered following him, but instead decided to question Hal and see what had happened with him over the past five years.

Flash: By the way, who’s dead hand you’d pry that ring from?

Lantern: It doesn’t work that way. The ring chose me.

Flash: Even when you bailed on them to—

Knowing where this was getting, Hal had to shove a cork in Barrys mouth to keep his gums from flapping.

Lantern: Trust me, I’m aware of everything. But I had to work for it to get the trust back.

Terra: So......

Lantern: The Guardians offered me a chance to redeem myself, Terra. A chance to make up for everything…..

Hal let out a deep sigh before popping the cork out of Barry’s mouth.

Lantern: I'm sorry for what I did for the Regime, Barry. I really want to make things right. I betrayed everyone......and I lost the one I cared for the most cause I didn’t know any better. That’s the worst part.

Both Terra and Barry could see that the sorrow and the regret in Hal's voice was genuine, and his pain.....it was something they knew they could relate to.

Flash: All people have been reminding me…..is how I failed to be a hero. How hard it's going to be to regain people's trust and how it changes you in a way that you’ll never be the same again. Guess we're both on that path.

Lantern: We have a long way to go, guys. It'd be a lot easier if we're together.

Hal let out both his hands, as an offer of trust – and friendship.

Both Barry and Terra paused for a moment......before smiling and accepting.

As they shook hands, big smiles let out from all of them. They were glad to have each other's friendship again and finally something from the old days had come back.

About time you guys made up.

Looking up, Hal sees John not far behind, landing in his path. Surprises just kept piling up for the Flash.

Flash: My god....John?

Lantern II: Barry. Terra.

Terra: Least I know we don't have to question you?

Lantern II: If you did, it wouldn't be me who kicked Hal's ass two years ago.

Lantern: Don't push it, John.

Flash: Well......I guess I hope Bruce doesn't mind two Green Lanterns.

He raised an interesting point.

Lantern: Speaking of .... any of you know where to find him? We tried the cave; no luck....

Terra: We WERE gonna try him at Strykers. That's where he's holding Superman after all.

Knowing that, chilled Hal down to the spine knowing he was going to be in the same building as the same man who was once his friend.

He wouldn't have to deal with that for, at least, a few more minutes.

Most of the superheroes from the old days had fallen. Most of them either died or went into hiding. However, since the fall of Superman, two new superheroes had found themselves on Batman's doorstep and had been under extensive training waiting for the proper occasion to arise.

Blue Beetle and Firestorm.

Jaimes Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) was the third person to take on the name 'Blue Beetle' after Dan Garrett and Ted Kord. He had the Scarab that Dan Garrett had found back in the 30s, and while Garrett – unlike Kord – had managed to use the Scarab's power, it had done something else for Jaime: given him an suit of blue and black armor that covered his entire body. It gave him such abilities as flight, enchanced endurance, and the ability to create weapons and unleash powerful hand blasts.

He had no idea how to activate the Scarab, however, which is why he came to Batman for help.

Firestorm, meanwhile, was unlike anything the old days had ever seen. Firestorm was actually two people – the stern Professor Martin Stein (Michael Douglas) and his brash African-American student, Jason Rusch (Jaden Smith). When fused together, Jason Rush would gain a red and black outfit while Martin remained active in their shared conscience. In addition to traditional superhuman abilities and the power to shoot out fire, Firestorm was capable of nucleokinesis, molecular transmutation, and matter manipulation. The two bickered quite a bit, but they stayed together for a common cause: To help make the post-Regime world a better place.

The two were currently sparring in a remote area in yet another Batcave underneath Wayne Enterprises and Bruce was present there after his visit to Superman, looking on as the two had battled for about a good hour. Firestorm and Blue Beetle showed a lot of promise, but while Professor Stein was reserved, Jason and Jaime were both young and energetic. They weren't the exact kind of people Batman had in mind for a new age of superheroes, but as of now, they were all he had.

Beetle: You really wanna keep this up, Jason?

Firestorm: Yep. Loser’s the others’ sidekick.

Beetle: Alright, I warned you. Hope you don’t mind second billing.

Firestorm: Feel the fury of Firestorm!

He yelled as he shot out fire towards Blue Beetle.

Blue Beetle dodged all the fire blasts, and he smirked. His left arm assembles an arm cannon, allowing him to blast towards Firestorm.

Firestorm blasted as much fire as he could towards Blue Beetle, and while the latter managed to dodge most of it, the last blast managed to hit him, knocking him down to the ground. It didn't take long for Blue Beetle to get up.

Beetle: Just another day in the life of Jaime Reyes.

Whipping out his giant claw blade to slash at Firestorm, it was a sign of worry for the latter.

Firestorm just managed to dodge the claw blade, and blasted more fire towards Blue Beetle. Only one problem.

The professor was all in Jason’s head and it was messing with his concentration.

Firestorm: No, Professor! I know what I'm doing!"

Only he could hear Professor Stein when they were merged as Firestorm, so neither Blue Beetle nor Bruce could know the full conversation.

Firestorm: No, Professor, I swear! I can do this! Just trust me!

Blue Beetle decided to take advantage of the distraction, sprouting his wings from the back and grabbing Firestorm, flying upwards before throwing him down to ground level. Once Firestorm landed, Blue Beetle activated both arm cannons this time and began blasting repeatedly at Firestorm with rapid procession.

Seeing that Blue Beetle had already won due to Firestorm's slip-up, Bruce had seen enough. He claps his hands, a signal that it was time to wrap things up.

Bruce: That's enough.

Blue Beetle and Firestorm listened to Batman's orders and ceased their fighting. Firestorm, in a flash of light, separated back into Jason and Professor Stein, while Jaime’s face mask retracted.

The trio walked up to Batman to see how they did.

Bruce: Blue Beetle, you have improved greatly since you started; it’s clear you’ve been practicing. But you act far too cocky in battle.

Jaime: Hey, I’m ready to level up.

Bruce: Better, but not good enough.

He turns to the other quarter of the trio.

Bruce: Jason, Professor Stein…you're showing improvement too, but you need to work on your accuracy and control. That also means no arguing in the middle of combat. Being distracted can leave you vulnerable.

Stein: I understand that.

He replied, before facing Jason with a glare.

Stein: But Jason here still needs to understand our full potential.

Rusch: I told you, Professor. We got this!

Stein: There are more to our abilities than shooting fire, Jason. We are capable of manipulating the matter around us, of transmutation. The sooner you understand that, the better we'll do as a unit, as superheroes.

Rusch: We'll get to all of that, Stein! But shooting fire, it works!

Jaime can only facepalm as the two argued. Bruce was not in the mood for this.

Thankfully, the elevator dinged on the far side of the cave. And in doing so, signaled somebody arriving.

Our steps Virgil, exhausted, famished and yawning. Catching onto Lucius’s call from hours earlier, the path to get from Dakoda City to Gotham was loud, boring and rather hideous at the same time. Luckily, his eyes illuminated when his eyes focused on Bruce.

He nods at him.

Virgil, sensing he stepped into something important but was needed regardless, just drops his bag on the elevator. He rushes to the center, with no one saying a word.

Bruce: Glad you can make it, Static.

The name drop raised some eyebrows.

Jaime: Static? As in—

Rusch: No way, you’re Static Shock?!

Virgil: Well, I—

He shrugs, given it was already out there now.

Virgil: Yeah, but it’s just Static. The last name doesn’t really roll off the tongue.

Stein: The simple things that matter sometimes.

Virgil: Yeah.

He extends his hand out towards Virgil and Virgil, being the polite man he was, couldn’t not shake the hand of the Professor.

Stein: I’m Professor Martin Stein. Former Nobel Prize-winning physicist.

Virgil: Nice.

Jaime: Hey man, I’m Jaime Reyes.

Virgil: Virgil Hawkins.

Rusch: Jason Rusch. Nice to have another guy on the team.

Jaime: You can say that again.

Bruce once again walked up to Jason, Stein, Virgil, and Blue Beetle, and their attention was now on the Dark Knight. Jason began to make motions with his hands as he tried to figure out what to say. Cause he knew what was coming.

Bruce: I trust you’ve heard what’s happening outside.

Virgil: Yeah, it’s why I got held up.

Rusch; What do we do about this invasion, Batman?! About a dozen cities have vanished off the face of the Earth!

Bruce: All we know so far is that a being named Darkseid is spearheading this invasion, and he's after Superman. It's not much…..but it's enough for me to give you two, Virgil and Jaime a task.

Jaime: Really?

Rusch: Yes!

Virgil: Alright, we’re listening.

Stein adjusted his glasses and came closer to Batman. "What can we do?"

Bruce: I need you; all of you to go to the Lex Luthor Prison for Metahumans and guard Clark. We can't risk the chance of Darkseid getting to him.

Stein was content with such a job; Jaime and Virgil nodding at each suggested the same but Jason was less pleased.

Rusch: This is some bullshit.

The fact he whispered that to Blue Beetle just quietly enough to where Batman couldn't hear him, was an achievement. It did nothing to hide the fact that the brash one wanted more than what was being offered to him.

Rusch: We can help out with the invasion! Come on, Batman – guarding Superman?

Stein: Jason. We should trust Batman's judgment. Now is not the time for talking back.

"That's enough,” Bruce said in a voice even sterner than usual, trying to quell Jason and Stein's argument. "Trust me, Jason. It's for the best."

Once again, the elevator dings. Someone else was here.

Out steps Terra, Flash and both Green Lanterns stepped out the elevator, startling Jaime and Jason as they entered the room. They were not in the know about Flash or Hal Jordan switching sides under any circumstances...

...and Bruce wasn't exactly fond of this surprise either.

Before them lied a sea of crates and messy papers, and at the center of the room were the kids, the professor, and Bruce himself. Didn't take long for any of them to catch the elephant in the room.

Wasting no time, Bruce walked up to Barry and Hal, but he had a scowl on his face. While he never looked happy, he seemed particularly angry in this case. He gave the Green Lantern a death glare before making eye contact.

Bruce: Barry, why the hell didn't you tell me you were bringing Hal?

Barry only rubbed his neck and let out an 'uh' to which Batman narrowed his eyes. Bruce narrows his eyes over to the two Regime turncoats and the other Green Lantern.

Bruce: Come with me, the three of you. We need to have a talk. Hal, stay there. The rest of you are dismissed.

Those four just walked near the edge of the corridor on the railings, while Hal remained by the entrance and the kids headed back for the elevator; they had a job to do.

Once it was just the five of them, Bruce immediately shot a dirty look at both the Flash and Terra.

Bruce: No.

They did NOT come here only for Hal to be scolded and rejected AGAIN by Bruce. The other three tried to talk him into trusting him but it seemed worse than when Hal tried to do it himself.

Terra: Come on, Bruce. This isn't like before.

Flash: Yeah, don't we need all the help we can get?

Bruce: NOT his.

Flash: You gave us a second chance.

Bruce: Because you two got your heads straight and helped take down Clark. If he was still in charge......he'd still be wearing yellow.

John: You’d actually be surprised how much I straightened him out since you won. The whole Corps would have come for him if Clark didn’t wipe them all out. Believe me, the Guardians told me themselves.

Bruce: We’ve suffered enough from Darkseid already. I'm still not allowing it.

And impact caused a crate to crate to brake loose from it's hook and would have crushed Bruce and Barry but Hal beamed his ring making a giant hand image grabbing it soon as he walked in

He places it down and confronts Bruce himself

Hal: Bruce there's no excuse for my actions I get it. Even Carol hated me for it. You were right about her before. But I'm not that guy anymore. I understand you'll never trust me again. But you should trust John. Trust the Guardians. This ring means something. They put me through hell to get it back.

John: It's true. I was there when it happened.

Hal: Yeah Carol's gone Coast City is gone. But do you see me building my own Regime? Much as I want to punch Darkseid's heart out I'm still willing to let him stand trial. I want to do what Clark couldn't those years ago.

Silence flooded the room Bruce's expression didn't change and Hal wasn't gonna beg he turned around walking to the exit

Hal: Fine. Just know I got my orders. Just thought it'd help if we cooperate.

Bruce felt this was against his better judgement but.....given the invasion he knew was coming was finally happening and his original plan to stop it is now divided thanks to the Joker he knew Barry was right they needed every help they can get

Bruce: Lantern....

He stops and turns slowly to him

Bruce: Maybe I was wrong too. Despite what the war has made us into.....I know we want the same thing. Maybe it's time I widened my circle of trust.

Mild silence again came between them till Hal walks back

Hal: What can I do?

Bruce: Terra and John need to go to Titan's tower and recruit Starfire and Raven. You are going to Atlantis. Our circle of trust needs Aquaman and his Marines.

Terra: Whoa whoa whoa timeout Bruce. In case you been in the batcave for too long I'm not their favorite person anymore. Especially not Rachel's. I mean Superman wasn't the first person I betrayed them to.

Bruce: That's why they'll need to widen their circle of trust too. Even why I'm sending John with you case they attack first and ask questions later.

Barry: Even if you get them over you still think Arthur will help? He only sided with you to keep Superman out of Atlantis. Plus he's been off-radar since the Regime fell.

Hal: Yeah and plus.....he didn't even like getting roped into the Regime by Superman anyway. He sure won't be happy to see me.

Bruce turned and walked back when pulling his mask back on

Batman: Get use to it.

Bruce never gives anyone a choice not even anyone his side

Terra: I see some things don't change.

Another thing you get use to honey.

The four looked back seeing Catwoman and Harley enter

Barry: Selina?

Catwoman: Barry.

Terra: Harley.

Harley: Awe sweet the gang's back together.

Barry: Some of us.

John: And some of us need to get the rest.

Catwoman: Then you better get on it. We don't have much time.

Outside of STRIKERS it was being monitored and bugged for every conversation was being listened to through radio.....in the mask.....of the Red Hood at his own base out of the Batcave's radar

Jason Todd (Jensen Ackles) had been monitoring the STRIKERS since his escape waiting for the day Superman might try to escape so he could kill him for the murder of his brother Dick Grayson

From what he heard on the bug he knew Bruce was reassembling the Justice League from the Insurgency AND the Regime and he wasn't....pleased

Red Hood: You're a real piece of work Bruce. Always afraid to do what needs to be done. If you killed Superman yourself maybe these aliens wouldn't be here.

Jason walks back to a box on a top shelf taking it and opening it....revealing.....a SINGLE Kryptonite bullet

One he has been saving the last two years to put in between Superman's eyes.....or in his heart

Jason never forgave Clark for using him lying to him and murdering Dick and promised himself if a possibility came that Superman may escape Jason made his own Kryptonite weapon carving it....into one single bullet

And he saw this.....as the opportunity he was waiting for he removes his helmet observing the Kryptonite bullet closely

Jason: One way or another it ends here Dick....weather he dies.....or we all do.

Strykers was one thing. ATLANTIS......that was a different story.

After the airport battle as well as Metropolis and the fall of Superman, the King Of Atlantis, Arthur Curry a.k.a Aquaman (Jason Momoa) made the tough decision that he wanted nothing to do with the surface world ever again. He fled back to Atlantis to avoid any possible US prosecution and cut his kingdom off from the rest of the world, despite Mera and Vulkos' pleas. He would make sure that no surface dweller ever came anywhere close to Atlantis, and he never wanted to see any of his old allies again.

But his forces could not stop Hal or Barry from coming to Atlantis, and as unhappy as he was to see the Flash and Green Lantern, he decided he would at least hear them out before removing him from his kingdom. Still, Aquaman wasn't pleased with Hal's request.

Nothing but utter silence from both sides, frantically looking at each other in unison.

Flash: So.......yeah, this is awkward.

Arthur: Yes, it is.

Lantern: We all have those days.

He tries his best to hide his frustration as he just walks off of his throne and just glances over at the hologram of the Darkseid’s warship. This just made his point all the more painfully obvious to him.

Arthur: So Bruce wants me to send my Marines up to fight his battles? Like the time Superman sent you down here to order me to sell my soul and my kingdom away via contract, Barry?

Barry wasn't happy that Aquaman was bringing up the Regime, feeling that the two situations couldn't be compared, but he decided to keep that to himself.

As for Hal, he didn’t need any kind of explanation.

Lantern: Hey. Me and Barry, we were both on the wrong side of that war. But you turned away before it was too late.

Arthur: Because I had a duty and I couldn’t abandon it. The next time my people's blood is spilled, it will be for Atlantis, not the surface world.

He slammed down his trident to emphasize his point.

Flash: That’s bullshit.

Arthur: Bullshit is my middle name and I got a real shaky relationship with the truth.

Lantern: And the truth is you’re one of us too, Arthur. Your father…..

As he placed his hand on his chest, Arthur saw where Hal was going, but he wouldn't concede.

Arthur: My father WAS human, but my mother was queen down here. They made me who I am today and I take that with the utmost respect because my duty is to Atlantis. The Regime turned the minds of many so I can’t afford to trust you, Jordan – you or any other surface dweller.

Getting frustrated with Aquaman putting his pride before reason, Barry pointed to the warship hologram.

Flash: And when that's on your doorstep?!

Arthur: Scarlet, Atlantis will defend itself.

Just as Aquaman said that, the Ship hologram disappeared – and Hal had an idea of what that indicated – technology going down was the first sign of an impending attack from Darkseid.

Lantern: Maybe sooner than you think. We need to help each other.

To his dismay, Aquaman still wasn't interested in aiding Batman.

Arthur: I don't need any distractions. Now leave. And remind Batman: Stay out of my seas.

Lantern. Damnit, Arthur! Now is not the time for you to hold onto your arrogance!

Before continuing any further, once again his eyes just spark with red energy as the aura just pulsates throughout his body and he screams and yells in massive agony.

RAGE......

It was more difficult this time around to actually get out of that little anger filled motion in his head but in the end.......he still resisted.

Lantern: No! I......am NOT leaving.

Arthur just gritted his teeth. Now he was losing his patience.

Arthur: Do I need to remind you whose kingdom this is?

He tightened his grip on his trident and simply slammed Hal in the face with it. The Green Lantern was taken by complete surprise, so before he could even think to imagine anything up before Aquaman slammed him with his trident two more times, scooped him up in the air with his trident, and threw him towards the golden walls of Aquaman's throne room.

Aquaman then slammed his trident onto the floor and called forth a tentacle that jabbed Hal into the air before vanishing.

Hal had enough of this – if he had to fight his former friend, so be it.

He imagined up a city bus and rammed the sea king with it. As Aquaman got up, Hal created an F-16 fighter jet construct and launched it toward Aquaman. Finally, he created an ICBM and threw it toward the King of Atlantis. Hal walked up to Aquaman as he continued to launch missiles toward him, gritting his teeth as he did so.

Arthur gritted his own teeth again, charging toward his former teammate. Hal created a shield with a star on its center and blocked the king's trident with it, forcing the trident out of Aquaman's hand and created a giant fist. He punched Aquaman with it, sending him flying toward the ground again. He began to breathe heavily and sighed as Aquaman got up.

Lantern: I'm sorry. I…I didn't come here to fight.

Aquaman said nothing, but Hal could see the regret on his face, and he sighed again. He was somewhat surprised that Barry didn’t get involved at all.

Flash: Look, this is exactly what happened up there. First, they take out communications. Then.....

Suddenly, it felt like the very ocean itself was shaking as Hal and Aquaman heard the sound from above. However, it wasn’t an earthquake.

Flash:......then they invade…..

Parademons were incoming.

Popping sounds of ships storming in like torpedoes caught Barry's attention as much as it did to Hal and Aquaman as they took notice of each of the ship's crashes and landings. There was no stopping them from coming in but the same couldn’t be said for keeping them out since the former was losing patience.

Lantern: They're your oceans, but it's also my sector. Let us help for once.

Just then and there, Darkseids' parademons began to storm the throne room, flying in and screeching loudly. Aquaman sighed as he realized he had no choice but to swallow his pride.

Aquaman: Both of you, cover me!

Lantern beamed a brick wall to block their way as Flash speed circling the giant insects punching them left and right and when distracted enough the Green Lantern beamed a garbage truck running the Perademons down

But suddenly Hal was SLASHED from behind.....by Cheetah who obviously was sent by Ra's to infiltrate Atlantis

Barry looked back and saw Hal on the floor with Cheetah smirking sinisterly at the Fastest Man Alive

Cheetah: Hmm....I thought the only Regimer down here to torture would be Yellow Lantern. Who's back in Green.

Flash: Cheetah....

Cheetah: Let's not beat around the bush. I only want Wonder Woman. I thought she might be down here. Tell me where is your Amazon friend?!

Flash: Either you don't have social media or haven't been on it but didn't you hear? I unfriended her after she let Superman kill a kid. And so did Atlantis AFTER Superman seduced her to the Regime.

Cheetah: LIAR!!

She snarled like a real leopard running with her feet and hands nearly pouncing on Flash but he speeded back to dodge her and she turned to him like a predator to it's prey

Cheetah: I don't need a golden lasso to make you tell the truth!

As Flash was occupied by Cheetah Lantern recovered only to notice Cheetah didn't come alone.....

....Bane entered the room where the Pera's came in throwing an Atlantean Guard aside

Bane: Al final (At last) Hal Jordan returns.

Green Lantern: Good to be back where I really belong Bane. Kinda like you in a prison cell.

Bane: Even as a Yellow Lantern you never showed me the proper respect. But I will show you how easily your will can be broken

Flash vs Cheetah

Green Lantern vs Bane

And Aquiman vs Perademons

Cheetah snarls as she tries to slash Barry but speeded avoiding her attacks throwing punches

Bane increases his venom to buff himself up and tries to grab Hal but blasts his ring to keep him at bay

Arthur however...SLAUGTERS every Perademon in his way with his triton

The fights seemed to last forever till minutes after Barry speeds behind Cheetah and grabs her by tail and throws her out of the room in top speed

Flash: Bad kitty.

Bane nearly grabbed Hal till he flew over him beaming his ring a blade and SLICING off his tubes leaking out his venom

Green Lantern: Break this.

After the Society members were taken care of Lantern and Flash met up with Aquiman still holding off the Perademons and killing them

Hal beamed a minigun shooting at them as Barry speeded punching them and soon were all dealt with

Flash: How we doing?

Green Lantern: Not good. I gotta bad feeling Bane and Cheetah were just the beginning.

Aquiman: My people are getting flanked. Hold this line. Be our rear guard.

Green Lantern: We're on it.

Flash: And you?

Auiqiman: I'm the vanguard.

The king of Atlantis runs out of the room

Flash: Got to hand it to him he doesn't give up on his city.

Green Lantern: None of us did.

By then Flash knew he wasn't referring Coast City

Flash: Are you okay?

Green Lantern: Yeah. I just---

The next thing he feels was that burning feeling again

Flash: Hal? Are you alright?

Green Lantern: Sorry. I was....somewhere else.

Suddenly, Cheetah pounces back up, snarling before pounced onto Flash, he was quick to kick her off before dashing past and beside her.....BRIEFLY grabbing and yanking her tail.

Yelling loudly, she swiftly kicked him off, making Lantern blast his ring and catching her in green chains which only tied her hands. In almost no time flat, she kicked Hal too which broke the image, setting her free.

Hal had to remember Cheetah's magical background and capabilities – that meant he couldn't just curbstomp her.

Cheetah repeatedly slashed at him – and each one hurt worse than the last. She tried to claw at him again, but he blocked her and created a giant hammer to swing her into one of the throne room's walls. Flash circled her in speed swinging punches at Cheetah only to be tripped by her tail.

Still tripping over his own feet.

Lantern brought back the hammer, bashing Cheetah in the back with it for over a minute straight. It knocked her off her feet for awhile.

But still, she still got back up.

Flash: Hell of a first date.

Cheetah: You're not my type.

And on cue, Bane also surprised the two friends, hoisting Hall up in the air and hoisting him across the room, slamming into the wall. Hal barely catches himself as he landed and in doing so, took notice of a sight he sorely misunderstood.

Yes, a few of Banes tubes were sliced. Unfortunately, having finally learned from his weaknesses beforehand and hearing his pleas, Ra's made Bane a new and improved venom receiving suit, making his supply usage almost unlimited.

The only way to actively put him down now was a LOT of hard hitting.

Something that both Barry and Hal took notice of quickly. Now it was a tag team bout.

Cheetah leapt right back up and tried to claw at Barry again, but he vibrated a forcefield around his body to prevent her from doing so. Unfortunately, it deactivated all too quickly as he had to slide underneath Cheetah, tank her by the tail and began bashing her around with it. Cheetah tried to strike at Barry again flipping up from the attack and yanking her tail across, but he kicked her straight across the face, sending her flying into the same wall she had just crashed into. She leapt at him once again and managed to claw him a few times – but then Barry decide to take a page out of Reverse Flash’s playbook.

This time, HE opened up the time vortex, took them BACK to Ancient Egypt. Barry had taken them on one of the boards the Egyptians were using, and he smashed Cheetah right into the Sphinx's nose.

Then he took her back to the Cretaceous Period. He used Cheetah to smack a Tyrannosaurus that was finishing up a dead carcass. Before the Tyrannosaurus could react any further, Barry went back to the present – seconds before he even departed in the first place, slamming Cheetah right into her past self.

As their past selves departed, the impact FINALLY knocked the feline lady out.

Flash: Glad we have Selina and not you.

Now Bane charged towards Hal, but the emerald warrior MERELY dodged him before creating a gigantic hand, with which he grabbed Bane. He began to slam him across the floor over and over again as he just tossed the luchadore around like a ragdoll. He did this for about a minute before the hand vanished.

Bane groaned as he began to get up, and Hal only levitated above him. Hal created another ball of fire and shot it at Bane – he then created more balls of fire and shot each one of them at him.

Continuously.

Green Lantern. This really isn't a fair fight, Bane.

Bane charged at Hal AGAIN, only getting in two kicks and a punch to the stomach before Hal created a machine gun again and began to fire at Bane.

Green Lantern: You may have broken the Bat, if you think you can break a Green Lantern, you got another thing coming.

Hal created a giant mecha leg and used it to stomp Bane. He had the leg split into it and levitated just above them and adding the hind parts of the legs, before imagining up giant hands which he used to clasp Bane. He created the torso and arms of the mecha, and put himself in the center. He created the head and launched it against Bane. Then the head flung on top of the giant mecha, and Hal aimed the wrist cannons at Bane. Bane groaned, but it was too late.

Hal blasted at Bane and sent him flying.

Bane was outmatched, but he wasn't one to give up.

He charged at Hal and got in two more kicks, but he was getting exhausted. As Hal went for a punch, Bane avoids the maneuver before head-butting Hal and kneeing him in the face. Grabbing the opponent, he punches him in the gut, launches him upwards with an uppercut to the face, and then grabs his left leg before slams him into the ground.

Bane looked secure to finish the job, flipping Hal over, poising for his infamous backbreaker. Luckily, Hal materializes a giant hammer and with one single smack, launches it at Bane, sending him flying into a crumbled unconscious heap on the floor.

Hal breathed heavily, and Aquaman walked up to him, just as Flash caught up with them as well. Based on the look on Arthur’s face, it’s safe to say he was more than pleased now to have them both around.

Aquaman: We're locking down the gates, but the fight's not over.

Hal took a deep breath before turning to face Arthur.

Lantern: So, where's this leave us?

Aquaman: You both put yourself at risk for my home and the people that I care about. Maybe you can be trusted.

Both Hal and Barry were glad to hear those words – Arthur had finally swallowed his pride.

Flash: So…..you're in?

He hated to disappoint them both, but he had to say it how it was.

Aquaman: I wish I could but I can't. I belong here, defending my people.

They both nodded, for they understood.

But NONE of them could have possibility anticipated what came next.

A red light appeared in their peripheral vision, the corner of their eyes, and they turned to see a red portal out of dark forming – and at the center, there appeared to be blood splattering. A giant red figure began to come forth from the portal, and to Aquaman's bafflement, a cat also came forth, meowing as it did so.

Nothing about this sight spoke volumes to any of them but not as much as it did to Hal, once again coming face to face with Atrocitus (Kevin Grevioux), leader of the Red Lantern Corps.

Atrocitus: Hal Jordan!

Hal already knew who this was, but he didn't know why he was here. Aquaman, on the other hand, was left confused as to what had just happened.

Aquaman: Red Lanterns?

Lantern: Atrocitus and Dex-Starr, agents of vengeance. Powered by rage…

Flash: Might wanna let him handle these two ring to ring.

Quickly taking the initiative, he rushed Arthur out of the room with them as Atrocitus walked up to Hal menacingly, with Dex-Starr trailing close behind.

Before long, they began to circle one another.

Lantern: You’ve been messing with my head now, haven’t you?

Atrocitus: The Sinestros Corps slaughtered millions and their victims demand vengeance. You might’ve cast off their ring......but you are not absolved.

Lantern: You’re not the first person to tell me that.

The two opposing rivals just face closed one another in unison.

Atrocitus: Dex-Starr would tear your heart out and LAP in your blood. But I would not worry about that now, Hal Jordan. I have not come to fight you.

Now even Hal was confused as he raised an eyebrow. Atrocitus could see his fellow Lantern's confusion and knew he had to clarify.

Atrocitus: I have instead come to offer my alliance.

Hal walked up towards Atrocitus, completely baffled.

Lantern: Come…come again?

Atrocitus: I know that the terror of Darkseid has come to your world, Jordan. Countless worlds have perished because of him – His path of death and destruction cannot be allowed to stand. Not anymore. His victims also demand vengeance! The Red Lanterns have bolstered their ranks just enough – we can help. I wish to help avenge the worlds destroyed by Darkseid.....

A little contractual obligation would be fine here but not without some form of threat as Atrocitus formulates a sword made from molten rock and smoldering lava besides Hal’s neck.

Atrocitus:......and maybe, I won’t need to ravage your corpse.

Hal wasn't sure of what to say at first.

This was something he never would've expected to hear from Atrocitus. As he thought about it, he was initially reluctant about the idea, but then he realized that Atrocitus could compensate for Aquaman. What Batman lacked in Aquaman's Marines, he could make up for in Atrocitus' Red Lanterns – though what Batman would think of Atrocitus was another matter entirely.

But they were low on options.

Lantern: Fine. You got a deal.

Atrocitus: Excellent choice.

He just smiles menacingly, and Dex-Starr let out another meow.

Half an hour passed……and things weren’t getting any better.

Not even at Titan's Tower when John and Terra showed up and Kori (Vanessa Morgan) and Rachel (Taissa Farmiga) were surprised but....unpleased Terra happen to show up after everything that happened in the war and given Terra now had a record betraying the Teen Titans TWICE

First time was with Deathstroke in his plan against them and take over Bludhaven and Gotham

Second time was with Superman to destroy Gotham but out of grief of loosing Beast Boy to the Joker when he nuked Metropolis JUST when their relationship finally became official

Since the fall of the Regime Starfire and Raven ran the Teen Titans mostly on their own Tim did all he could but focused more on his marriage with Barbra Victor was locked up at STRYKERS with Superman for his crimes in the Regime and Dick.....well....as you all know....died during the war

And yes since Jason's escape Raven has been looking for him and understood why he never came to see her since he's still a fugitive and a Regime criminal but Rachel did receive unknown love letters and flowers to her and knew they were from him but still haven't seen one another since his arrest so it was just her and Starfire basically

Kori still mourns for Dick and there have been hard times given Deadman only visited her in her dreams he only visited Jason to guide him back to his senses though he only lead him out of the Regime so not fully but that and Jason's escape were the only times he saw him

But getting off topic Kori and Rachel weren't happy to see Terra for good reasons but only let her in cause of John they were aware of the invasion but didn't want Terra's help

Rachel: Hell no.

Terra: Rachel I know I'm not your favorite person hell I wouldn't be here if I didn't had to be. But this is above my broken record right now....this Dark...Side guy whoever he calls himself is invading and Bruce says---

Kori: We know about him. In fact the Tameranians were aware of his conquest.

Terra: Then you know we can't let the war stop us. Besides....I helped take down Superman.

Kori: Maybe but it does not change your history in the Regime.

Rachel: Not even close when you helped Slade try to destroy us!

Terra: You know what I don't need this! I mean Dick and Garfield would rather be out there fighting then living in the past!

That would have caused a fire out given Terra brought them up if John hadn't beamed a wall between them with his ring

John: We don't got time for this! Cities are being destroyed and a handful of innocent people are already gone. Carol is one of them and we're damn lucky Hal didn't loose it the same way Superman did!

Rachel: Why did you even let him out?!

John: I didn't. The Guardian's let him out and they gave him a hell of a trail to earn back his ring.

Terra: And I been with Barry at Alaska helping support everything in the cause.

Kori: Terra....it's not that we don't want to forgive you.

Rachel: Speak for yourself.

Kori: I get you only joined the Regime cause of Garfield. Victor joined cause he lost his father. We all lost so many. Just.....how can we be sure....there won't be a third betrayal?

Terra: Truth is you don't. That's why Bruce said something about a circle of trust.

Kori: He isn't wrong about that. Despite everything that happened....when push came to shove you always came through.

Rachel pulled her hood on and opens a portal on the wall behind her and walks backwards in it and it took a minute for them to notice her missing and Terra sighed and she decided to face her herself

Knowing where she was going Terra later stood outside her room takes a breath and.....knocks on the door

There was no response and there didn't need to be she knew she was in there

Terra: Rachel....I get we're not on the best terms. But I don't know if you remember....we...had an understanding.....when the Regime fell it was right when Barry me and....

Terra didn't think bringing Jason up was her place given back when Dick was killed she taunted Raven about him

Terra: You get it....but we had something then. You even know I willingly turned myself in. I left when Superman killed Billy. And I know Garfield wouldn't join the Regime I know that now. But people are dying. And we're the only things standing between them and the end of the world. But I promise you'll never have to see me again after this is ov----

Her door cracked open before she could finish which put them both in an awkward silence

Rachel: Terra.....I mourned for Garfield too. And Dick....even.....when you and Victor.....I'd be lying to myself if I said I didn't hate you. But I stopped....after you turned away from Slade....slowly. Superman was understandable cause you and Garfield already started when he died. And the way I feel about Jason.....when he was in the Regime....I now I understood why Gar didn't give up on you when you worked for Slade. And if Bruce thinks....we have to.....trace a circle back for trust.....maybe Gar would us to.

Terra: He would.

Raven comes out fully pulling her hood down

Rachel: I know you did the right thing in the end. And when you saw Superman murder Billy and that came brought you back to your senses......that....is something.

Terra: So...do we have another understanding?

Rachel: Let's save the world first. And if we live through this....we'll see what happens.

Seems the Circle of trust winds up easy at the end of the world and speaking of the end of the world......

.....Darkseid's ship had finally entered the atmosphere and it was hovering the clouds above Metropolis.....

....the invasion was now moving to the second phase

Rolling on through the thick layers of clouds up above, Darkseid’s warship was made visible out of the mesosphere and through the Earth – just in a growing distance of almost everyone who had the privilege to see anything.

Of course, civilians ran for the hills.

Hal and Atrocitus could see that the threat of Darkseid was getting exponentially worse and worse, seeing the giant ship loom over Gotham as they flew on with Dex-Starr. Hal knew he would have to try and keep Atrocitus' alliance. Still, as they flew closer to the warehouse, Hal felt uneasy around the Red Lantern.

Atrocious: I can feel it within you, Jordan.

Turning his head to face Hal, to which he was wondering where this was going.

Atrocious: The rage. The pain. The hatred you feel for yourself.

Hal groaned – he knew Atrocitus was right, but he couldn't let this get to him. There were more pressing matters at hand.

Green Lantern: Not now, Atrocitus.

Atrocious: How can you forgive yourself, Jordan?

Hal didn't want to answer that at the moment – and thankfully for him, he didn't have to cause minutes later, they had already arrived at the warehouse underneath Wayne Enterprises. Given the building had been evacuated mere hours earlier when the Beetle and Firestorm were training, it was the best Bruce could manage.

Flying in through the roof, they both headed for the central room with relative ease….and without the usage of the elevator.

Barry was down there thankfully, and he was quick to turn around, unable to mask his sudden dumbfounded expression with what he saw. He wasn't surprised to see that Aquaman hadn't come with Hal, but he was surprised to see who Hal brought instead.

Hal: Barry, he's offered his help. Atrocitus, this is Barry Allen, the Flash.

Saying that to Barry which to him...…well, he didn't know what to think.

Barry: Erm…pleasure, Atrocitus. Come with me.

Hal, Atrocitus, and Dex-Starr followed Barry to a map in the corner of the warehouse, passing by an earlier version of the Batmobile. Before Barry could say anything, Bruce burst into the room, holding his head and barely steady.

Not even waiting to say anything, Barry and Hal rushed to his aid, helping Bruce up to a vertical basis slowly.

Barry: The hell happened with you?

Bruce: Another panic attack.

Hal: And you wait to tell us this NOW?

He didn’t even bother to answer the question because right away, Atrocitus got his attention the moment he entered the room, quickly eyeing him down.

Bruce: You're not Aquaman.

Hal was quick with the introduction.

Hal: Bruce, Atrocitus. Atroctius, Bruce – erm, Batman.

Bruce: I demand an explanation, Hal.

Hal: Atrocitus is the leader of the Red Lantern Corps – their rings are powered by rage and vengeance just as the Green Lanterns are fueled by will and Sinestro by fear. I thought you'd like them, seeing how you once said you were vengeance and all that.

Hal let out a small chuckle, but Bruce’s face told him that he was not in the mood for jokes.

Hal: Alright, look, I get that he looks all ugly and scary, but he came to Atlantis and offered his alliance. The Red Lanterns can make up for Aquaman's Marines. Sorry, Bruce, but we can't afford to be picky right now.

He just had to pause and pondered before reluctantly agreeing with Hal.

Bruce: Fine.

A sigh of relief came over Hal. With all of that done, Barry was able to focus on the map.

Barry: I circled around the globe. He’s got more of these damn ships being positioned in these major cities.

THAT had Hal worried.

Hal: Even with Atrocitus' Red Lanterns, we're still badly outnumbered. What's the plan?

This left Bruce having to pause for a moment before he crossed his arms and spoke.

Bruce: We have to evacuate the occupied cities before taking on Darkseid. But we need firepower.

Atrocious: My Red Lanterns can only attack Darkseid’s ships. They don't have the intelligence to help evacuate.

Hal: Any hitters on the Wayne-Luthor Payroll?

Hal piped in before Bruce could respond to Atrocitus.

Bruce: Only Static, Blue Beetle, and Firestorm. But they're the last line of defense if Darkseid moves in on Superman.

Even with that reply, it’d be a miracle if that actually works out. But that’s when Barry then had to bring up a reality Bruce REALLY didn't want to be reminded of.

Barry: Well, if Darkseid doesn't try busting him out of prison, Adam and Diana will. And the worse things get, the more people think we should let him out to help.

Both Bruce and Hal stared at Barry for a bit. Barry felt awkward, but he didn't regret what he said.

Barry: I'm just saying.

Barry raised his hands up with uneasiness.

Hal conceded to himself that Barry had a point, and turned to face Batman.

Hal: Let's hope the new kids can hold the most wanted man in the galaxy.

Bruce: Static, Blue Beetle, and Firestorm are green. But together, they're the most powerful team we have.

It still won't be enough.

Having Atrocitus suddenly interject the conversation, he just walked up to Bruce, frustrated with the Dark Knight.

Atrocious: Even we have heard of the Last Son of Krypton. How he went from champion to tyrant – how he decimated the Green Lantern Corps and took over the Earth. He is a dangerous, vile man. But we have also heard of his power - you can't deny it…..'Batman'. No matter how powerful these 'green' heroes are, you must ask yourself if you're willing to take a chance….

Quickly turning himself away, Bruce then paused for a moment before walking away, with Dex-Starr meowing. He was left in deep thought; for it was a nagging switch itching on in his head that he admittedly had thought about repeatedly for the last few hours since his visit.

Letting out Superman had its dangers and risks – but he was thinking that maybe, just maybe, Atrocitus had a point…..

Bruce: Even if that works, Superman WILL relapse and rebuild the Regime. Then the war will start all over again. I don't attend to go through that hell again.

Hal: Bruce......

He looked back at him.

Hal: I don’t want him to get out of there as much as the next. But....maybe Clark is our only hope.

Bruce: I know.

Back at STRYKERS the four walked down the hall with cells discussing their assignments here

Rusch : For real guys. Batman does not think we're important. He's out fighting aliens and what do we get? Guard duty.

Virgil: Yeah but we're guarding Superman.

They happen to pass Christopher Smith's (John Cena) cell and across from him Victor Stone's (Sterling K. Brown)

Jaime : And his lapdogs.

Rusch: Who already have guards. We're redundant.

By the time they reach Kal's cell Professor Stein placed his hand on Jason's shoulder

Stein: Jason you need to step back. Take in the bigger picture.

Jaime: Yeah I rather be in here than out there. I mean my suit's an alien war machine. Virgil can make massive electric chain reactions and your guys' Firestorm Matrix? We could take on Darkseid and boom--accidently blow up the world.

Virgil: He's right. Mr. Wayne says that guy packs massive power and mixing our powers could lead to countless casualties.

Stein: That is correct. We haven't mastered our powers yet.

Rusch: My god listen to yourselves you three! We're bad asses! And bad asses belong on the front line!

Stein: This IS the front line. Darkseid running amok is a crisis. Darkseid and Superman both? That's an apocalypse.

Jaime: So we're the only thing between a crises? And an apocalypse?

Virgil: Looks like it.

Rusch: Hmm....I can get behind that.

An Earthquake was felt which startled Cyborg and Smith they looked out as Jaime morphs into Blue Beetle with Kal passing in his cell with his hands behind his back

Another impact was felt with everyone unaware.....

....lasers cut a hole above the hall and who came in.....

....was The Red Hood given Superman hadn't escaped yet he wanted to be there when it came he had his Kryptonite bullet in side pack on his belt and loaded his guns with sharp military bullets he still had from the Regime troops

Red Hood: Be with me Dick. We both know he can't ever be allowed to escape bro.

Another impact was felt and Kal had his hands on the glass he looked around out his cell

Blue Beetle: Darkseid?

Rusch: Or the Superman fan club

Virgil: Either way....

Virgil pulls on his mask

Static: It's time for action.

Stein: Agreed. I suggest we fuse.

Stein and Rusch joined hands igniting flames in their palms FLASHING bright blinding them uniting....as Firestorm

Static: HOLY SHIT!!

Firestorm: Game on!

The Red Hood storm down the halls unaware of the large hole in the hole above him and the beat up guards

Diana Adam and Kara were already here but....they weren't alone....because some guards appeared dead slain...by a Ninja Sword...and it wasn't Ra's or Nyssa

A riot was outside the prison holding up signs saying: FREE SUPERMAN! And above them Kara....now Supergirl carrying Diana and Black Adam hovered in

Blue Beetle was scanning Superman's cell with his scan vision making sure the red solar was still active and they were

Static: Well?

Blue Beetle: The Red Sun Cell's secured Static. It has to be the Power Center.

Firestorm: The Power Center? If that bad boy goes down those generators shut down. And we're as good as fucked!

Blue Beetle: And he flies right out then we're all fucked!

Static: Not if you guys set it back. Go on I'll keep an eye on him.

They ran out leaving Virgil to watch the Man of Steel alone.....

....or was he.....

....The Red Hood happen to be right outside the red solar room

Red Hood: The kid....I'll have to post here and wait for the right moment.

Clark stared at Static with a mild smirk in fact the power was dimming......and able to glow his heat vision mildly

Smith sat in his cell waiting for something to happen impatiently next thing he heard was another impact and the ceiling of his cell rumbling and then it was RIPPED clean off.....by Supergirl

Smith: Am I....dreaming?

Apparently not...cause he then was tossed a bag by her

Black Adam happen to be at the Generators and tended to shut them down to free Superman

He stopped it by zapping it but Beetle and Firestorm were right behind him

Little did he know that Firestorm and Blue Beetle were crouched begin one of the few cabinets there as they watched them as they tried to figure out what to do.

Or did he?

Firestorm: Here's the plan: One of us takes out Adam, the other restarts the generators before Superman gets loose.

What they didn't know was that Black Adam could hear, though he was about to make that fact perfectly clear.

Adam: A feeble plan.

He moved away from the power center and towards the two younger heroes. So there was no reason for them both to hide any longer.

Adam: It's more likely you will die here.

My beloveds standards seem to have dropped since last I saw him.

The sound resonating out of nowhere immediately drew confusion to the three young ones, all except for Adam. And then in a puff of smoke and ashes, it completely blinds Beetle and Firestorm. Not knowing what happened or even where to go next, Jaime foolishly tires shooting through the smoke only to get handicapped from his elbow and then a palm strike to the nose later, he gets his head slammed hard onto the railings.

Firestorm was quick to disperse through the smoke only to see Talia Al Ghul (Aiysha Hart) step through the smoke and ashes, and make her presence felt.

Talia: Simians. You are SO desperate to impress Batman.

Blue Beetle couldn't help but find that amusing, though he didn't show it.

Beetle: Oh really? If your “beloved’s” weak, what's that make you?

Talia was genuinely taken aback by Blue Beetle's remark, and Black Adam could only watch as Talia surprisingly struggle to find a good retort. Finally, she decided she wouldn't try.

Talia:…I take after my father.

Now Firestorm and Blue Beetle's situation had been complicated – one of them had to fight off Talia, and the other Black Adam, before either one of them could restart the generators. Jason didn't think this would be too much of a problem, however. He wanted to be the one to boot up the generators, and Talia…..well, Jason didn't think she could quite fight the Nuclear Man. Plus, Martin was very vocal about his disdain for the League Of Assassins, even though only Jason could hear.

Plus with Static still upstairs, it’s really up to the both of them.

Firestorm: You take on Adam, Jaime.

Blue Beetle charged towards Black Adam while Firestorm blasted out fire towards his opponent. Talia dodged the fire and kicked Firestorm in the chest – this was one more blow than Jason expected, but he was not to be deterred. He continued to blast out fire towards Talia, in addition to the occasional punch and kick.

Needless to say, Talia was NOT PLEASED.

Talia: Do not condescend, chimera. You may have two minds but my father and I have wisdom of Immortality.

She swung her sword as Firestorm dodged, throwing flaming fists as countered them evening the odds.

Jason!'

Martin tried his best not to throw off Jason in his head, but he was still frustrated.

Remember what I told you when we trained with Jaime the other day? There's more to our abilities than blasting fire!

Firestorm: Professor, we could take on this bitch!

I know, I know, but do…something! Anything!

Jason decided that Martin had a point, but he couldn't think of anything to create just as Blue Beetle and Black Adam continued their fight.

Beetle: Argh! I got this! I—Argh!—got this!

He says as his cannon fire gets deflected off of Teth-Adam with ease, and gets bombarded with a strand of lightning for his troubles. In doing so, it captures Jaime in an invisible force field, lifting him off the ground as he convulses in agony.

As Blue Beetle yelped, Black Adam looked at the lad with a disapproving look.

Adam: You're a naïve boy with too much power. Much like the deceased Billy Batson.

Black Adam did have the advantage of experience, and he continued repeatedly torturing the young man, increasing the amplification on his lightning; the poor boys Scarab being his only means of shielding.

In doing so, it retroactively retracts its wings on Beetles back and he flies straight upwards. Turning back down, Beetle began to ready his arm cannon, but Black Adam unleashed more lightning with the wave of his hand before the young lad could use it. When he got the opportunity, he began firing upon.

Blue Beetle was able to get some shots in, grinning as he did so. However, Black Adam grabs him by the neck and slams him down to the ground, firmly. Black Adam then levitates away – and with the wave of his hand, Blue Beetle found himself in a storm of lightning.

Blue Beetle couldn't give up – too much was at stake. He charged towards Black Adam and got in a few lucky shots to Adam's chest with his arm cannon and began to punch him. He got in a few good jabs before Black Adam blasted him with a big boot to the chest. Blue Beetle morphed his arm cannon into a wrist blade and began to slash Black Adam with it. The two repeatedly punched and kicked before Blue Beetle got an excellent slash off to Adam's face – he then morphed his wrist blade back into an arm cannon and blasted it towards Black Adam's face, with multiple shots firing off in rapid succession finally knocking him back.

Still, the god refused to go down.

Beetle: Ay Dios Mio (Oh my god).

Adam: How dare you call yourself a warrior?

Needless to say, the ruckus downstairs was only one-third of the issues stuck on Virgil's plate on top of guarding the Man Of Steel turned High Councilor.

Once more, Virgil is forced to sit in semi-meditation, honing into the nearby frequency waves overtaking the prison facility. And in doing so....alarms blare through his ears.

Intruders of a different kind. Cyborg and Peacemaker escaped. All the more reason to go after them.

Kal: Virgil, right?

For being the most powerful being on the planet, he sure seemed rather calm behind his red-sun cell. Arms crossed, back straight, posture undeterred; it was a testament to how far and fast he’s grown as not just a man but a force of nature.

That he could command Static’s attention by simply calling his name. And Virgil, in his heart of hearts, almost felt himself shriveling up inside.

Nevertheless, it was still a question. One he’d be stupid to not answer.

Static: Yeah, what’s it to you?

He says, finally turning around to face him.

Kal: You’re in a fight you don’t understand.

Static: Really? Cause I’d say I know enough.

Kal: You don't know Darkseid. Nor does Bruce. He can't be stopped without my help.

Static: You know, if we just let you out and you stop Darkseid, you'll just start this Civil War all over again. Sorry Supes, but you're never getting out of that cell.

Clark sighs heavily, knowing this kid wasn't gonna be easy to convince.

But the underlying layers with that came down to the inevitability of the bigger threat at their doorstep. The last thing any of them wanted was for the world they loved to be tied down under the heel of yet ANOTHER tyrannical alien.

Kal could be dealt with later. Darkseid needed to be dealt with now.

Kal: Darkseid’s too much for Batman. I'm your only chance.

Static only took a quick look back at the hallway leading towards the other cells before walking up to Superman's cell.

He still wasn’t convinced.

Static: Here's the thing, Superman. Batman asked us for our help. He didn't draft us, ask us to sign a loyalty oath, or threaten us with jail.

Superman was not deterred in the least.

Kal: And yet, he won't go far enough to insure peace. That's why he'll fail.

Static: Think that’s any better than cracking down on us for making tiny mistakes? There really is no line you won’t cross?

Kal: I don’t hurt children, Virgil—

Static: Didn’t stop you with Shazam.

The silence was unnerving for the next few seconds. Kal had no response to that.

You're goddamn right about that.

Both looking back they see The Red Hood approaching who couldn't keep himself from remaining vigilant

Kal: Jason??

Static: Whoa! Who's side are you on?

Red Hood: My own but I'm not here to fight you kid. I'm gonna make sure he stays where he belongs if he values his life.

Static: I guess that's fair. Just don't think I can cover you from Mr. Wayne if he finds out you're here.

Red Hood: Bruce doesn't worry me but I think you'll need to help your idiot friends. They sound like they're in trouble. I'll take next watch.

Kal: You didn't really come here for guard duty have you Jason?

Red Hood: I had this place bugged for a long time. Waiting for the day you try to escape so I can finally kill you myself.

Kal: Still out for revenge.

Red Hood: Think I don't have a good reason? That's what you and Bruce have in common. You still think I go far. Well there's far and there's too far.

Kal: Who are you to judge me?!

Red Hood: After lying to me Terra and Victor...killing my brother and best friend Dick...you gone far enough Superman!!

Not long after he says that, he feels pressure mounted up against the back of his helmet; a sonic cannon to be precise. Very hard.

Cyborg was right on the money, his cannon aimed squarely at the back of his head.

He scoffs underneath the helmet, knowing full well this wasn’t going to be easy pickings. But he welcomed the challenge.

Red Hood: Really lost your balls, haven’t you Tin-Man?

Cyborg: Least I have balls to stay on the right side.

Red Hood turns pointing his gun

Red Hood: Then this is far as you go.

Cyborg: One warning Jason. Help or get out of the way! We're breaking Superman out!

Red Hood: Like fucking hell he is! The only way he's leaving that cell is a Kryptonite bullet in his head! Do you even care what he did to Dick?!

Cyborg: He should have stayed out of the way!

Red Hood: I'll take that as a no. I’ll even tell Kori you said that.

Jason fires aiming for his human face but Victor blasts his cannon frying the bullet and Jason rolls around dodging the sonic beams and then another showdown begins

Cyborg: You really turned on us fast enough.

Red Hood: I go my own way now.

Cyborg: That's a good way to get yourself killed. Did you forget which side your on?

Red Hood: I'm my own boss now. Not Bruce....not even Superman....me.

Cyborg: Then it's time to put you down.

Back at the power generators Adam took the apprehend on Firestorm while Talia had Firestorm pinned down

Talia: I pray the spirits will be kind to you.

She raised her dagger but it was suddenly knocked out of her hand by a sherkin

Talia turns and stepping in....was her own sister escorted by two rebellion ninja's Nyssa

The daughters of the Head of the Demon reunited....but...hardly a happy family reunion

Talia: Nyssa.

Nyssa: Talia.

Static arrives and blasts Black Adam off Firestorm and ties metal around him straining it on him so he can't move Static helps him up then they tend to Beetle's aid then they observe the sibling rivalry when they began to circle each other staring at each other with determination

Nyssa: Since when did you started bullying children?

Talia: Don't concern yourself with them. We have unfinished business....sister.

Blue Beetle: SISTER?!

Nyssa: I heard you gave up the will of the Demon's head to serve Superman's rule. Just to jump Bruce's bones again. What a foolish love sick simpleton you've grown into.

Talia: It was your selfishness that forced me to grow up alone. Our father never would pass his mantel to a woman.

Nyssa: I had to forge my own path.

Talia: And you left me.....knowing I would suffer to father's hand.

Static: And I thought I had sister's issues. Guys I think we should let the ladies rassle out their family counseling.

Blue Beetle: What about Adam?

Static: He's not going anywhere. Let's get back Cyborg and Peacekeeper aren't in their cells.

They leave the room with Nyssa and Talia stopped circling

Nyssa: So you wish to settle this score now.

Talia: I stand with my friends.

Nyssa: You allied with the Regime. You shamed our mother.

Talia: Mother was always ashamed of me.

Nyssa's men approached but she raises her hand stopping them

Nyssa: No. This is family business. Do not interfere.

The Rebels stood down and Al Ghul sisters drew their swords

With one last stare Nyssa yells and charges at Talia and began clashing swords

Their fighting patterns were equaled given they were both trained by their father yelling and clashing the sisters were fierce in this fight

Talia swings a kick buy Nyssa ducks clashing on with their blades Nyssa swings a punch hitting Talia in the jaw but Talia trips her and Nyssa falls to the flour

Talia flips over her sisters prone body but barely misses Nyssa, the latter rolling out the way.

She gets one hit in with a pele kick shortly after recovering but Talia is quick to be on the defensive again, ducking the next kick and shoving aside her sister when going for a punch.

Swords go out again and their metals clash.

Up above, the odds are only slightly in Victors favor, gripping his hands intertwined with Jason’s as he pushes him back. His feet skidding across the floor, Red Hood hardly tries to counteract Victors strength and durability; he knew he didn’t have much of a chance.

But that was the least of the former Robins’ worries.

Jason simply lets go of his grip, thus forcing Victor to fly directly past him. He stops himself before he collided with the wall.

Cyborg was quick to redirect his thrusters, all of them, and fly back towards the Red Hood. Flipping himself over Victor, he tries to sweep him under the leg to no avail only for Static to zoom in, blasting at Victor only for him to deflect it with his ray shield.

Not much pressure was put up against the shield nor was much being bossed up against either. So it was obvious both sides were holding back.

While the distraction was being set up, Jason practically threw a flash bang grenade over at Victor as the smoke blinded him and made him lower his shields, allowing Virgil to further blast him back near the railings near the end of the cell.

But Victor was having none of it.

He held out his hand as it shifted to his plasma cannon, absorbed the electricity......and then SLAMMED his fist down to the ground as it executed this huge shockwave, knocking both Jason and Virgil off their balance and off the platform as they tumbled down to the lower levels.....

.....BRIEFLY passing Blue Beetle and Firestorm on the way back.

Luckily, the two tried their hardest to catch themselves as Jason quickly whipped on his Red Hood helmet, unsheathes his own swords and just buries them into the wall as he slows himself down. Virgil was not so lucky. Even though he tries to summon his own board back to him, it wasn’t all that fast enough as Virgil ended up bouncing his head off of the wall before sliding down further.

Just when it looked like he was about to go splat, his saucer finally catches him in the nick of time as both him and Jason landed back down in the power core near the generators.

Unfortunately, they loom onwards to see that Black Adam is nowhere to be seen. However, in doing so, Jason does discover Talia fighting her sister.

His presence briefly halts the fight between the two siblings.

Red Hood: Talia.

Talia: Jason Todd.

Before anything else can be said or done, more smoke and ashes are dispersed throughout the floor and this time, it’s Nyssa who rolls on through and interrupts, flipping over Talia’s head, around the back, and takes her down with a crucifix head scissor.

She recovers alongside Jason, who tries to press forward but Nyssa slightly pushes him back.

Nyssa: No......YOU stay back.

He wouldn’t budge. It makes Nyssa sigh heavily; the fight needed to continue regardless.

That left Blue Beetle and Firestorm upstairs to deal with the seemingly heartless Cyborg.

Firestorm: What's your melting point, Cyborg?

Firestorm asked before shooting out fire toward the Tin-Man. These strands of fire were much more concentrated than his usual blasts, coming from two separate points that would converge right before impacting Cyborg. Cyborg got his shield up to deflect the blasts, and he was just barely hanging on.

He gritted his teeth and as he felt the fire get more overwhelming, he finally had enough and shot it all back towards Firestorm, sending the latter flying. The heatwave ended up blowing Beetle back also.

Neither Blue Beetle nor Firestorm were having any of this.

Jaime decided that he wasn't holding back anymore – he created his wrist blade with his right arm, and the head of a mace with his left arm, and he began to simply pound on Cyborg, all the while Firestorm was trying to think of something to create. Blue Beetle slashed at Cyborg with his wrist blade a few times before switching it up in his arm cannon, and he began to blast at Cyborg.

Cyborg deflected it, and he was about to gain the upper hand. He began to blast at Blue Beetle repeatedly, in addition to punching and kicking him.

Firestorm wasn't going to let Blue Beetle fall down again, and he was creating six steel bars while Cyborg continued to pound on his friend. Again.

And again.

He gritted his teeth as the work was extraneous, but finally, he managed to pull it off. There were six steel bars levitating in the air, controlled by Firestorm. Cyborg failed to notice them as he was too busy fighting Blue Beetle so Firestorm used this distraction and launched all six of the steel bars at Cyborg…..

….and that’s when the good news ended.

Cyborg, once again, knelt down and let off another shockwave, pushing Firestorm back towards the wall and sending him to the ground.

Exhausted but victorious for the moment, he tosses Blue Beetle aside.

Cyborg: Amateur hours over, rookies.

Now the only thing standing in-between him and Superman’s cell…..was the computer. Withholding the extensive power to remain constantly plugged into the Internet, taking in and processing vast amounts of code and data, he found himself handicapped thanks to a new anti-virus Batman installed within his mainframe and neural network.

In doing so, it limited a good chunk of his abilities outside the usual flight, blast and ground pound.

This left Cyborg having to type into the computer by sheer luck, trying to hack into the cryptography to decrypt it and free the Man of Tomorrow. Even with that though, hacking was not an easy game to play.

Kal: How did you even get out of your own cell?

Cyborg: The Regime. Adam and Talia are disabling the main generator. Wonder Woman's outside keeping what's left of the guards busy.

Kal: But if it wasn't her, who let you out?

It was me.

That sweet female voice caught Clark's complete attention like he knew the affliction in its voice from another time.

Turning his head up, his sight unveils a genuine sight for sore eyes. His own older but now younger cousin from Krypton, Kara hovering down to Superman's cell. Her cousin…he couldn't believe his eyes. Now he was the one who felt like his dreaming as he actually recognized his blood relative.

She had created herself an outfit similar to the one Superman used to wear: crimson red cape and boots, and a black belt device, over a tight-fitting, blue skinsuit with red trimming. Some things she added on her own included the lack of sleeves, the presence of red gloves that went all the way to her elbows, and her House of El glyph with the 'S' reversing the yellow and red color scheme from Superman's.....and instead using red and silver.

Approaching her lost cousin's cell, the glass was the only thing standing between them. Given her Kryptonian blood, the red solar rays prevented her from busting him out herself. But nothing could ruin this moment.

Supergirl: Kal? I-I know you don't remember me but as you can see--

Kal: Kara?

Kara is suddenly rendered breathless, was quite surprised to see that Superman knew who she was. Superman got closer, and he placed his hand on the glass. They just started at each other as they let this moment sink in.

Supergirl: You recognize me, Kal?

Kal: I remember an image stored on my ship before I was sent to Earth. Was that--was that you?

That was something to think about it, and in retrospect, she realized she shouldn't have been surprised. It made sense to her that Jor-El would've stored her image on her cousin's ship. Still, she couldn't help but lament.

Supergirl: Sorry I'm a few decades late. You and I left Krypton together but the explosion threw my ship off course. Way off course.

Kal: And yet you haven't aged a day. How is it possible?

Supergirl: While you were growing up here I was on ice. Spent the last few decades in cryosleep 'till Adam found my ship; brought me here. He told me everything you were going through. I hope you can forgive me for not being here during then.

Kal: I never thought I'd see any family again. Someone with my eyes. My flesh and blood. You....you even knew my parents.

Still, Kal shook his head, still trying to let the moment sink in. Kara could only comfort him via approaching the cell, resting her hand over the glass as well.

Supergirl: Oh Kal.....they loved you so much.

You think now that Superman was finally reunited with any family it would bring him back to his sanity and his crimes in the Regime would grow heavy on him that the good man who was the true Kal-El the true Clark Kent the TRUE Superman would return......

....but sadly wouldn't be likely yes Clark is happy to have his cousin back but Lois dying in AND by his hands in space carrying their child still haunted him and still determine to rebuild the Regime kill Darkseid the Society and every criminal in hopes Kara will stand by his side

But they had a bit of an audience The Red Hood and Static met up and saw the family reunion Jason was DISGUSTED and Virgil curious

Static: ANOTER Kryptonian? I thought Supes was the last of his kind.

Red Hood: Well....doesn't look like it now. I wouldn't be surprised if she's just as bad as Superman. Or he manipulates her like he did me. This won't be easy cause I have ONE Kryptonite bullet and I'm saving it for Superman. But with this kid our options are flawed.

Static: Why didn't you say so before?

Red Hood: I DID say so before.

Jason wasn't patient with rookies I mean that's how his relationship with Tim

Then looks like you can use backup.

Speak of the Devil.....

Jason and Virgil turned around and saw the Teen Titans behind them

Red Robin Batgirl Starfire Terra and Raven had arrived

Red Hood: Timmy.

Red Robin: Hey Jas. Long time.

The bat brothers embraced patting each other's shoulders laughing and Barbra after him and it didn't take long.....for Jason to notice Rachel behind her

Red Hood: Rachel....

Raven: Hi....

It was a silence for a moment till Tim breaks it

Red Robin: This place was all over the news. We left Helena with Lucius and suited up and met up with Starfire Raven and Terra at Titans Tower.

Red Hood: Helena?

Batgirl: Bruce and Selina's daughter.

Red Hood: So they finally settled.....I never thought it happen. Given Selina's in the grey as I am. Either way I must been gone longer than I thought.

Terra: John went to meet up with Batman Flash and Lantern. They're on their way.

Red Robin: So what's the scoop Jas?

Red Hood: The Regime are here to brake Superman out. Black Adam's tied up at the generator room Talia's having....family time with her sister. Diana's down stairs slaughtering the guards. And turns out Superman's not the last of his kind after all cause another Kryptonian is in there with him and Victor.

Starfire: Another Kryptonian? How is that possible?

Static: Said something about hyper sleep.

Red Robin: Wherever she came from we have to stop them. Starfire what's the plan?

Starfire: Raven and Terra will stop Wonder Woman. Static you and I will handle the second Kryptonian. We can over power her together.

Red Hood: Then I guess the rest of us will handle Victor. And help the other two. Just like old times?

Red Robin: Very much.

Another impact was felt

Supergirl: Diana needs a hand. Cyborg how long?

Cyborg: Give me five more minutes. Then it's lights out.

Kara looks at Kal in worry

Kal: Go.

Supergirl: I don't want to leave you again.

Kal: Don't worry about me. I'll be here when you.

She nods still worried

Supergirl: We're getting you out I promise.

Never gonna happen!

Kara barely turns when a starbolt from Starfire was thrown at her knocking her to the ground

Raven and Terra had gone after Wonder Woman and everyone stood in confrontation Barbra tended to Beetle and Firestorm and Cyborg....looked

Cyborg: Don't do this guys.

Red Robin: Then don't force us Vic.

Supergirl: Let him go!

Red Hood: Listen whoever you are that BASTARD is a liar and a murderer! He took someone important to Kori and me away and only way he's getting out is death.

Supergirl: Murd----YOU'RE THE LIAR!! KAL WOULD NEVER HARM ANYONE!

Red Robin: Then you're in for a sad disappointment.

Cyborg: I don't want to fight you guys now BACK DOWN!

Starfire: We won't allow the Regime to rise again Victor.

Cyborg: Then you all leave me no choice.

He points his cannon but Tim throws a disrupter temporarily disabling his systems

Red Hood: Neither do you.

From there Starfire uses her deceased boyfriend's famous words

Starfire: TITANS GO!

Easy pickings.

Thanks to the new anti-virus, Victor was still rendered unable to access all his capabilities. And the disrupter only made it worse, making it so he couldn’t move at all.

Which made it all the more easier for Starfire to swoop in beneath the controlled chaos and tackle Cyborg away from Superman and back towards the hallway straight down. Tackling him down before rolling over, that was about all Kori could do.

Victor couldn’t move after all.

Starfire: I’m not happy with this, Victor.

Plain and blunt with that statement, it spoke volumes of disappointment that had been building up for years. Despite her compassion, it was growing increasingly difficult to pull through on Victor when he simply wouldn’t listen.

She flies off back to the red cell, leaving her former teammate prone and immobile.

This left everyone else in the room to make due with the new girl on the block. As a recovering Blue Beetle and Firestorm took notice upon waking up, the sight of the Teen Titans fending off against another Kryptonian was as much a sight for celebration as it was for anguish and worry. The situation had worsened far beyond what they had expected.

All Jaime and Rusch could do was nod to one another before finally getting up.

Supergirl went straight to work on Barbara, the latter still two years off from having her back fixed by extensive care. She wasn't feeling the full brunt of effort being displayed yet but Kara was definitely testing her, kicking very hard and knocking her all about.

Babs tried to sweep the leg but hits nothing but air. She does get one hit off following an enzigiri kip up off her chest before landing on her feet. It barely staggers the Girl of Steel and as Batgirl went for another punch, she blocks it.

The other hand? Kara blocks that too.

Batgirl: So you’re the new It girl.

Supergirl: Don’t sound so happy about it.

Batgirl: Let’s just say Kryptonians give me headaches. The hell should I call you?

Supergirl: I’m Kara Zor-El of Krypton. Daughter of Alura and Zor-El….and I don’t fear easily.

Batgirl: Right. Supergirl it is.

Barbara alleviates the pressure she was applying down on her, and let’s go, arm dragging her over shoulder with minimum effort. Kara couldn’t even attempt to hide her dumbfounded shock and awe.

Supergirl: Wai—how did you—?

No verbal response back. Batgirl simply throws herself forward, missing a flying kick before going for a sweep. Kara goes for a punch, Barbara blocks it and then counters the next one with an elbow.

Another one follows and then she stuns Kara with her cape. Following the brief confusion, she fires her Batclaw at her and reels in it. Unfortunately, while Kara could be reeled in, the momentum that came with it allowed Supergirl to tackle Batgirl off balance with easy, tackling her down.

Without thinking, she quickly chucks Babs off the floor and throws her back to the wall….

…..an effort thwarted by Red Robin coming in and catching her in mid-air.

However, in doing so, they left themselves wide open. A strong gust of air immediately blows both of them back to the wall; Kara putting her super breath to good use.

But then comes that classic adage: never take your eyes off your opponent.

Beetle gets the jump on Kara, tackling her from behind and just tossing her towards Kal’s cell. He goes for a punch and she avoids it.

Firestorm gets in, launching a stream of fire at her with a simple flick of his hands. Kara puts super breath to use again, extinguishing the flames before receiving a fireball for her troubles.

Amidst the distraction, Beetle again puts his suit and Scarab to good use, popping out an extra pair of legs for leverage and the only response Jaime got was more attempted swings at him. This also left Kara alternating back and forth between holding him down and flying around trying to keep the bug boy from moving around so much.

The next time Kara did jump, Beetle intertwined two of the legs together and gave Kara an opening to land on his back. Beetle’s actual arms could barely reach for the fully grown Kryptonian but luckily, his free legs were able to take care of that, tackling Supergirl off his back and back to the side of the cell. Struggling out of the claws was rather problematic given they possessed the same superhuman strength and durability, rapid movement and omnidirectional motion as the rest of Beetle’s suit.

Both arms charges straight for Kara’s face, the silver-painted metallic tips of the claw biting down chomp chomp chomping at the bit the closer it inches right up to her face. Her fatigue greatly reduced her strength, barely able to hold the claw back as her hands began to slip and slide further down the tips and inching it closer to her.

Supergirl: Ugh…..creepy little bug.

Beetle: Hey, don’t judge a book by its cover.

Supergirl: I…..judge you….by the company you keep.

Toughening it out, Kara is quick to take the legs and bend them, thus giving her free range to throw Beetle over her head.

Not long after that, she rushes to Firestorm, grips him tightly by the arm before slamming him into the glass of the cell and then throwing him into Blue Beetle.

Supergirl: Stay away from him!

Firestorm was quick to look up to her....and smirk.

Firestorm: Another Kryptonian huh? The Professor knows how to deal with you guys.

Green fires began emitting from Firestorm's hands, and kryptonite radiation started to emanate as well. Supergirl collapsed onto the ground, struggling to get up as she could feel herself weakening rapidly.

Supergirl: D’oh! N-no......Kryptonite.....

She struggled in pain and tried to stand, not giving up on her baby cousin but the poisonous radiation was getting to her. Her skin was turning a sickish color of pale, green veins popping out of her skin. Kara couldn't even gravitate up to a knee.

Supergirl: You're--HNGH!---just as bad as---as Wonder Woman----Black Adam say.....

Firestorm: Just surrender and this will stop.

Supergirl: Errgh! Kryptonians. Never. Surrender.

Firestorm: That makes sense. Since your buddy in that cell killed so many innocent people!

She still struggled to get up, but Firestorm wasn't letting up.

Supergirl: Liar!

Ignoring her pain and focusing on her anger, she got up, to the best of her abilities, and punched Firestorm twice, as hard as she could – she was still regaining her power due to the kryptonite, but the blows were powerful enough as she AGAIN tossed him beside Jaime who just recovered.

Supergirl: We're freeing Kal-El! Like it or not!

No sooner does she say that than she gets tackled by Starfire.

Starfire: Never gonna happen!

Kara pushes her off

Supergirl: Tameranian? I thought you were all harmony.

Starfire: And I attend to keep Dick Grayson's murderer in his place

Supergirl: KAL IS NOT A MURDERER!

Starfire could tell by her outburst she was unaware of Superman's crimes and being manipulated by the Regime but either way she could not let this mysterious Kryptonian free Superman

But Supergirl launches at Starfire and they fly around fighting each other till Kara is hit from behind by electricity

She yelled and fell by being stunned and Static caught her flying on his saucer

Supergirl: Who are you?

Static: The name's Static. I'm a popular guy.

Kara forces herself off her and both Static and Starfire chase after her in the air

Back with the Al Ghul sisters they were still clashing their blades kicking and punching as Adam began recovering and tended to brake himself free from the metal Static wrapped around him

Talia swings a kick flipping Nyssa in the air and hits the floor hard and Talia holds her sword to her neck when pulling her by the head

Nyssa: Do it.....sister.

Talia stares Nyssa in the eyes with anger and sadness in her own

Nyssa: Since I lead the rebellion....father would want you to.

Talia with little love she still had for her sister she couldn't do it but she couldn't let her stop her either so she knees her in the jaw knocking her out while Black Adam finally got free and finishing the Rebel Ninja's with his magic

Talia: You're late.

Black Adam: But the Teen Titans are not. We must help the others.

Adam and Talia left the room leaving Nyssa unconscious

Meanwhile a carnage took place on a flour below Superman's cell Wonder Woman was slaying every security guard there they been stabbed cut open and strangled by her lasso all were dead....but one

The last guard was scared once Diana approached him with her sword with dark intentions

Guard: Please lady I got kids.

Wonder Woman: Then you should have thought of them before you supported the Insurgency.

The man turned away as Diana lifted her sword but the floor she stood on shook and BURSTS knocking the rouge amazon off her feet

It was Terra making that wall burst and Raven opened a portal for the surviving guard

Raven: It'll lead you outside. Go.

The guard runs in the portal and it closed and Diana recovers and was angry with the way Raven and Terra stopped her from killing an innocent man

Wonder Woman even remember facing Raven on Theymiscira and Terra at Arkham City

Wonder Wonder: Raven. Terra. You would both be wise not to stand in my way.

Terra: Two years and you're still cold and ruthless Diana?

Raven: She's far gone Terra.

Terra: Knew that when she let Superman murder Billy.

Wonder Woman: Darkseid will soon send us to oblivion and you still won't release Kal? He and the Regime are Earth's last chance for survival.

Revan: And that's the problem Diana even if he does stop Darkseid we know of your tempts of rebuilding the Regime. We WON'T allow it.

Diana wasn't gonna let that stand she clanged her sword and shield together

Wonder Woman: The Regime WILL rise again!

Terra: Never again!

Wonder Woman yells lunging her sword but Raven casts it making it fly out of her hand and sticking to a wall Terra interacts with her shield making it lung at Diana's face

For a minute they had her stunned till Diana clings her metal gauntlets creating a godly impact forcing Terra and Raven to fly back and hit the walls crashing through wall to wall

Wonder Woman draws her lasso and tended to choke them both to death

Thankfully Raven sat up seeing the murdering rouge Amazon approaching and her eyes shine pure white

Raven: Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!

Raven launched a spell at Diana forcing her back and se drops her lasso too

Terra manage to stand up and both approached and Wonder Woman was getting more angry she picks her sword back up and turns to them coming and swings away with them avoiding getting cut best as possible

All Terra could do was remember her five D’s: dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge. With a lot of ducking and very few diving, Terra was unable to avoid getting a few splices of hair sliced off her head.

But finally, she snaps her arms upwards, using the texture of the floor to create an Earth-like barrier. And quickly, she pushes Diana back with it. The former Amazon princess is quick to crush the Earth with just a single slice….

….only to be blasted back towards the wall thanks to powerful bolts of concussive energy from Raven.

She lands on her feet, however. Terra bolts forward, failing to land a hyper-extended elbow as Diana slides underneath her and clobbers her with a discus knee to the face, rendering the terrakinetic woozy. She grips her by the back of her neck and just tosses her backward.

A portal appears out of nowhere, sucking Terra in before she collided with the wall and drilling her back into the room from the ceiling. Raven was quick to save Terra and from then on, keep Diana at bay.

Raven stomps down on the floor beneath and with the cracked ruble, constructs sharp blades of boulder with them. Hurdling them at Diana, it was child’s play. Swiping away more of the Earth, she doesn’t get long before Raven’s up to her old tricks, constructing a telekinetic barrier around her and bouncing the sword out of Diana’s hands.

Undeterred Diana was. She hurls her shield at Raven who quickly vanishes, leaving Terra to duck to avoid beheading. Previous seconds wasted, Terra quickly unlodges the earth surrounding the stuck shield…..

….and shatters it, meaning more shards to send towards Wonder Woman.

And on top of that, Terra gripped her hands tightly and yanked back, thus having the floor literally pull itself from underneath Diana and having her fall on her back. It left her open for Terra to get a running start and stomp down on her head.

Given Wonder Woman rolled out the way, she was unlucky.

Rolling out the way, she’s quick to sucker punch Terra, immediately knocking her down to the floor. Terra scurries underneath Diana, kicking her leg out her from behind. Running again, she knees her in the back of the head.

Noticing her lasso not far from her, Terra is quick to scurry over to it but Diana was even quicker; too quick for her. One spinning tornado kick later and Terra was left dizzy once again. Diana then launched her lasso around Terra’s neck and wrapped her leg around it while then yanking back and pulling Terra forward.

In doing so, Wonder Woman then clobbers Terra with the butt of her shield, uppercutting her.

This left Slade’s former apprentice flat on her back again and in agony with Diana towering over her.

Wonder Woman: Deathstrokes’ mistake with you is obvious.

Having to look at Terra this way was sickening. But being blind to what she’s become, she only unsheathes her sword shortly afterwards before grabbing her by the neck and hoisting her up.

Wonder Woman: I actually feel sorry for you, Marakov. May you find the peace in death that you did not find in life.

Terra: Today’s not my day.

She says while gripping her hands tightly, closing her fists. In doing so, the foundation of not just the office but the entire hallway began to shake and unravel.

Not a major distraction but still a distraction nonetheless. Terra took advantage of it, jumping off the wall and vaulting over Diana while gripping ahold of her arm and slamming it into the ground. One dropkick to the chest later and Diana once again was left mildly staggered.

Azarath Metrion Zinthos!

One cry from Raven out of nowhere, blasts Diana a full 50 feet away from both girls. It was just enough wiggle room for Terra to escape, vanishing with Raven while the rest of the hallway collapses on top of and around Wonder Woman.

Pure luck, Raven and Terra had against her.

The rest of the Titans upstairs were not that fortunate. Supergirl was running on sheer determination alone, barely making mincemeat out of everyone despite a loss in energy.

Her attention turns back to Firestorm, the latter almost draining her life force with Kryptonite fire no less than a few minutes ago.

Supergirl: You know what? I WAS gonna go easy on you but after that little Kryptonite stunt? Yeah, I think I’m gonna like hurting you.

She blasts her heat vision at Firestorm only for him to block it with his heat shield, ironic considering both of their arsenals are comprised of using heat. But thinking-wise, Kara blew her freeze breath at Firestorm as he took a step back to avoid the cold.

Unfortunately, the cold freezes his shield and allows Supergirl to leap forward and shatter it, launching him back.

As he tries to put himself back on the offense by launching two huge fireballs at Kara, she only dodges them both…..whilst accidentally kicking Static off his saucer and his saucer launched Firestorm halfway across the room and square into the wall.

Static: ARGH! Sorry!

Sadly that was the LEAST of their worries the power on the cell was now dying down and the red solar beams shut down

Even Raven and Terra saw the power shut down from their location especially Diana when standing back up

Raven: No.....

Red Hood: This is it......

With no one noticing Jason saw this as an opportunity to load one of his guns with the single Kryptonite bullet for now they had little time before Superman regained full strength

He takes it and his left gun and loads it in ready to avenge his brother

The Titans and the rookies however......were in a tight pickle

Blue Beetle: The Red Sun Generator's! They've shut down!

Static: If he breaks out it's over!

Firestorm: We need to reactivate that console before Superman powers up.

Batgirl: I'll deal with that.

Cyborg: I don't think so Barb. My systems are back on there's no way I'm letting you to those controls.

Red Hood: No? Then how bout this metal head?

Jason lifted his hand and pressed a button on his gauntlet that played something that Jason recorded when he confronted Cyborg earlier

Do you even care what he did to Dick?!

He should have stayed out of the way!

Everyone was in utter shock Kori the most of course and Tim and Barbra looked at him in disbelief and Starfire turning away from Kara her eyes......shined bright green her teeth grinned in utter rage at her former Titan

Jason was a man of his word that he'd tell her he said that and it was his plan to get Cyborg away from the cell

Victor looked up at Kori already regretting saying that earlier he knew now his bitterness and role in the Regime got the better of him

Victor: Kori....I didn't mean to----

Cyborg had no time to finish Starfire yelled in fierce she ATTACKS him crashed him through the floor forcing him to the bottom floor

Jason's plan had work

Red Hood: Batgirl you're up.

Batgirl: I'm on it.

Barbra ran to the controls but was suddenly stunned by a beam of magic she yelled feeling the burns and fell

Red Robin: BABS!

They looked back it was Black Adam who blasted at her he and Talia just rejoin the party

Red Hood: Bastards!

Red Robin: Attack my wife will you?!

Robin drew his baton and charged at Adam

Red Robin: TIM NO! NO!!

Adam blast him too forcing him to the floor too Jason still needed to save his Kryptonite Bullet for Superman so he pouched the gun carrying it and took his other way

Red Hood: Static. Keep Supergirl distracted. Firestorm take Black Adam Beetle get the rays back on. Talia is mine.

That drew her to draw her sword as Adam went at Firestorm with Jason loading his second gun

Red Hood: Ready to duel with the Devil?

Talia: May the spirits be kind to your soul.

Red Hood: My soul is the least of your worries.

He fires at her but she deflects his bullets

On the level Terra and Raven continued fighting Wonder Woman but were all startled by an impact above them

Starfire and Cyborg crashed through the ceiling and she pinned him down the floor and all three women observed with Kori's eyes still shining green with anger boiling in her

Starfire: Superman....MURDERED Dick! And you don't CARE?!?!

Cyborg: Course I care....what I meant was if Dick stayed out of the way he'd still---

THAT did not help Victor's case Kori yelled pounding him three times in the human face

And would have done permanent damage if Wonder Woman hadn't thrown her shield at her and knocked her off

Cyborg recovers barely a minute and see's Raven and Terra coming behind her and launched his sonic rays at them

Wonder Woman: Is Kal free yet?

Cyborg: Almost. The Red Solars are down but he's not at full strength yet. The other Titans are trying to stop us with the help of rookies.

Wonder Woman: Then we don't have time. We must stop them any means necessary. Come.

Diana takes Victor's robotic arm and she leaps them up the hole Starfire made as she and the other two recovered

Terra: Are you alright Kori?

Starfire: I will be....soon as I disable Victor permanently.

Terra: Why? What'd he do?

Raven: Whatever it is we don't have time. If the power's out I'm to assume the Red Solar Reys are out too right?

Starfire: Yes.

Raven: Then we have to get them back on. Superman can't EVER get out.

Terra: Then what are we waiting for?

Terra levitated a floor chunk hopping on it and the three fly up the hole after Wonder Woman and Cyborg

Too bad they were gonna miss most of the fun.

Jason spent a lot of his time deflecting and bypassing a lot of Talia’s offense with ease, a testament to how well she and Ra’s had trained him in the past. She goes down low only for Jason to flip directly over it and using his own sword, slices Talia across the face.

Undeterred, she bounces forward, rolling through an attempted sword slash all while the rest of the room is engulfed in unbridled chaos.

Only Superman was nonchalant about the violence.

An opportunity, however, eventually came through.

Firestorm's efforts against Adam proved…..fruitless for a time. Despite a killing blow to Adam’s abdomen area and heated right hook, Adam needed only ONE maneuver to shut Firestorm down.

He just grabbed him by the throat, slowly levitating up high as the young but brash hero struggles to alleviate the pressure from his neck.

Adam: Such power does not belong in hands as unworthy as yours.

Jason! Containment field!

Firestorm: What? Really?

It’ll work! Hurry!

Low on options but taking notice of his professors guidance for once, Firestorm only had to take deep breaths and pulse his hands behind his back.

In doing so, his containment field, comprised of a reddish-orange digitized fire explosive wave blew himself out of Adam’s grasp while sending the god back miles worth.

The feedback from the shield launched him over Talia, thus brushing her from the side and taking her out of the fight as well….much to the Red Hood’s dismay.

This luckily only left the trained yet brash Supergirl and Static was barely doing his best at keeping him at bay. Recovering quickly, Static bolts back to his feet only to see Supergirl aiming a lunch directly at her but he catches the fist.

An unusual pause came between them.

Static: Names Virgil Hawkins.

Surprised by the friendly manner of this youngin, Kara, at least, found some decency to answer back.

Supergirl: Kara Zor-El. Fair warning: this’ll hurt.

A huge punch to the gut later, Static is trembling on the floor in his knees just as Kara grabs him by the air and flings him across the room as well only for his saucer to catch him in mid-air.

But that distraction cost her.

She gets a grenade blown into her face blinding her as Starfire, out of left field, whips her fiery hair up in Kara’s face, blinding her before uppercutting her with a power punch. As she as begins to get up again, Red Hood jumps off Kori’s back and dropkicks Supergirl into the explosion as it launches her upwards, and Red Hood plugs her from below with his pistols before rolling backward, jumping up and planting a sticky bomb on her back, unbeknownst to her.

While in the air, Batgirl with some assistance from Tim, rocket kicks Kara across the face before slamming down onto the upper half of her back with her heel blades, breaking her fall.

Not even giving Kara a moment to breathe, she lifts her up with the heel of her boots before kicking her in the back of the head and launching her into Red Robin who charges at her with his staff. After slicing them a few times, Robin backflips and poses as Shurikens pass by and slash at her while Blue Beetle sprouts two appendages in his back which thrusts at Supergirl, his hands become maces and later energy cannons that attack her, the energy cannons combined into one with a powerful blast that hits her as a devastating coup de grace.

After the entire overabundance of the assault, Supergirl finally fell over, exhausted and tired. But she wasn’t knocked out. Blue Beetle finally took the time to rush over to the console in front of the red cell, tampering with all the buttons before finally rebooting the system.

Just in time.

At least, they could go out of their way to say that this was a victory.

Terra and Raven finally appeared alongside the other Titans, relieved that the crisis was averted for now.

Static: Oh man........By the way, where’s, uhh......

Raven: Donna? Haven’t seen her for a while.

That raised some eyebrows. The attention was averted back to the barely unconscious Supergirl.

Batgirl: Same physiology as her cousin. When she got exposed to our sun, she got the same abilities Clark did. Unfortunately, it looks as if she wasn’t taught to properly harness them.

Red Robin: But still, I don’t remember any fights like this being so easy. She certainly packed a wallop.

There’s mild chuckling.

Firestorm: Should’ve surrendered.

Beetle: But guey! We just took down a Kryptonian!

Starfire: You’re right. We did.....

Nobody was watching however as Cyborg hovered back up to the platform, inching up to his feet behind them and typing in his wrist before sliding it briefly to the right. Almost immediately, there’s a mild blackout in the room.

All except for the cell Clark was held up in.

Suddenly, in a single slash, Blue Beetle, Firestorm, Static and all three of the Titan girls got knocked back within eye distance of one another and were left reeling from the critical sword slash they all felt. It was just the distraction the Regime needed to recover.

Within more ashes and more smoke, Talia steps through once again, this time holding Nyssa up by the hair and tossing her aside as the others recovered.

Batgirl: Well…..this isn’t going well.

Soon as she says that, Wonder Woman skyrockets through the air and just lands on the platform, with a stern look plastered over her face.

Static: And it just got worse.

Both Talia and Cyborg went to Kara’s aid as she groaned slightly, all while Black Adam came to their side as well. Starfire and Raven couldn’t help but to very sternly look over at Cyborg, still pissed that he hasn’t learned his lessons yet.

Wonder Woman: I applaud you all. You fought valiantly, but this battle’s over.

It wasn’t a fair fight: it still left the Titans, Static and the other two at a loss at what to do. Despite the obvious numbers advantage, half of the team can barely do any damage to the others without the special pills, even with knowing their weaknesses. And the other half is still learning the ropes which makes them liable to misfire and screw up.

The odds weren’t aligned to go in the Titans’ favor. That is, until Martin put a questionable idea into Jason's head.

And it was damn near Suicidal.

Firestorm: You want me to do what?! Professor, that's crazy. Maybe we can control it, but –

Firestorm just stood there for a moment as Superman's followers all looked at him with confusion and apathy on their faces. The same with his own temporary teammates. Unfortunately, judging from the look on his face, Firestorm had been talked down, giving in to the crazy tactic.

He REALLY didn’t want to do it but in his mind, he saw no option.

Firestorm: Damn it.......You're right, no other option. Get out of here, Jaime! ALL OF YOU!

Taking a step back, Firestorm just clapped his hands together, immediately extracting and absorbing atomic energy as he held his arms further and further apart which, in turn, unlocked the Firestorm Matrix. This was the last thing anybody in the room wanted but Blue Beetle was horrified the most to see him forming the center for an atomic explosion.

Beetle: Jesucristo, Jason! You're gonna nuke us?!

Static: The hell’s wrong with you?!

Firestorm: It's the only way. Now go!

They wouldn’t. But that didn’t mean the other side was worried as well. Wonder Woman wordlessly signaled for everyone else to stay as she tried to figure out what to do about Firestorm.

Firestorm: Leave. Now. Or you're gonna get a helluva lot worse than a sunburn.

Wonder Woman: You'd blow up Metropolis rather than let Superman go?

The center began to increase rapidly, but Firestorm still kept his cool.

Firestorm: I'd save the Earth.

Intent to keep his promise regardless of what that’d mean for the rest of the planet, Firestorm refused to budge. While Red Hood and Black Adam simply brace for impact, Raven took the initiative to wrap the rest of the Titans in a protective dome to shield them from the incoming blast.

Cyborg did the same for Kara and Talia.

Wonder Woman didn't want things to go down this way, so she thrust out her sword in a desperate attempt to try and stop Firestorm. But just then, an object flew out of nowhere and knocked the Amazon's sword out of her hand before It snapped back towards its point of origin.

It was a Batarang.

Firestorm, stand down!

Hearing that yell in such an angry tone and voice, made Firestorm stop charging energy immediately.

As expected when everyone turned up to the shadows, there lies the Batman, lying above the balcony. Getting comfortable, he jumps and glided down to the ground and walked around, analyzing the situation around him – specifically the look of undeterred glaring faces from the other side.

One of which was Talia.

Talia: Is this what you wanted? To watch this world burn?

Batman ignored her crappy remark and walked straight to the computer, no one knowing his true intentions......until his attention was taken by Supergirl.

Needless to say, the addition of ANOTHER Kryptonian in the mix already gave him a headache. But he didn’t mind; he couldn’t LET it get to him.

Supergirl: So you’re the one Diana’s told me all about.

Batman: Who are you?

Supergirl: Superman's overprotective cousin.

Now that just made it worse.

Batman: I’m not Kal’s enemy.

Supergirl: Locking him up against his will? THIS sure is a funny way to show it.

Batman: You haven’t heard the whole story.

At that point, she bounces forward and gets up in his face, anger seething through her eyes. She didn’t care to hear the whole story as long as her cousin was in safe havens.

But still, the realization of the whole thing– her existence had been kept from Batman, and he found that irritating.

Unfazed, he looks back at the computer console and begins typing.

Wonder Woman: You’ve kept so many secrets, but you can't stand it when one is kept from you? Don’t you think it’s about time you give that a rest and listen to reason?

She gets no response back.

Wonder Woman: Bruce, just stop with this! You can't beat Darkseid.

Batman turned his head to face his former friend.....and what he said next came as a complete surprise to everyone.

Batman: You're right, Diana. I can't........

He placed his hand on the scanner, and the red sun generator was turned off. Atrocitus' words had gotten to Batman, and the Red Lantern was right – as bad as Superman was, he had to be freed. Upon deactivation of the cell, the doors slid open slowly and Superman was now free.

Everyone just looks on with elation at best and confusion at worst. No one actually expected Bruce, the most stubborn and iron-willed member of the original JLA to resort to this kind of solution. Even more, when he had multiple ways in which to handle the ongoing threat without really needing help from the others.

Red Hood was the only one physically torn by his 'fathers' decision. He wished to never have to look at the corrupted alien again....and yet Bruce just made it all the more easier for him to pop a cap through his brain and be done with it.

But as Jason readies his gun from behind.....Starfire stops him; arguably the one just as angry at Kal as him.

She can only nod her head 'No' at him. This was not the time or the place.

Kal merely walked out of the cell, wondering where things would go from there. Taking a deep breath, the sweet yet metallic flow of air breezes through his skin and body, finally able to walk freely again.

The first thing he did, asking the Dark Knight, looking him right in the eyes......

Kal: You're ready to stop Darkseid by any means necessary?

Batman: By the means at hand.

The way Batman said that, made it clear he still lived by his no-kill rule. Even Kal knew that something was up.

It felt queasy.

Kal: What's your game? You're always three moves ahead.

Batman: Saving the world is enough for now.

There was a brief pause.

Kal: I'm never going back in that cell.

Batman: We'll cross that bridge later. Right now, the world needs us…

There was silence – now everyone was wondering where things would go from here. But all that happened was the Dark Knight making his brief appearance and then exiting as quickly as that.

Luckily, this gives Clark and Kara some closure as they approach one another.....

....and then hug.

Back in Darkseid's ship in his throne room he stood with his hands behind his back staring down at Gotham and Metropolis waiting for either a sign or lead on Superman or Batman surrounding him to him

He heard steps behind him and looks back and the Head of the Demon himself walked in

Ra's Al Ghul: You summon me....Darkseid?

Darkseid: There has been a surprising development. Kal-El is free....but he has agreed to help Batman stop us. But....my Perademons detected he is not really the last Kryptonian after all. There is another refugee.

Ra's Al Ghul: Two Kryptonians? How is that possible.

Darkseid: It doesn't matter Al Ghul. This is an opportunity we cannot let pass. Continue as planned Al Ghul. Kal-El of Krypton is not at full strength and I rather get to him before he is. But remember......I will only leave the Earth at piece.....when BOTH Kryptonians are in my grasp.

Ra's looked at him like an employee being unappreciated by his dick of a boss he didn't like being ordered around like he was lacky but went along for now but for how long could he keep this up?

Back at STRIKERS all former members of the Justice League and Teen Titans were now at a truce meeting between Insurgences and Regimers Talia and Nyssa sat across the table and slightly locking eyes to each other

Red Hood locked eyes at Harley remembering her involvement when Joker tortured and killed him but what kept him calm....was Raven holding his hands everybody else uncomfortable but calm as they can be

Selina opened a rolled up blueprint to explain the strategy

Catwoman: Thanks to Flash's recon we have locations for every ship of Darkseid's fleet.

Looking at Catwoman and hearing her voice made Wonder Woman extremely ANGRY her hate for her has been burning for the last two years Diana always hated Selina given her past reputation and when she was EVER reformed Bruce thought of recruiting her in the Justice League and when she spied on the Regime for Batman

Diana wanted to draw her sword and SLICE her head off her teeth kept gridding the more Selina spoke

Catwoman: They're targeting major cities on every continent. Betas are being offloaded on the outskirts.

As she continued Bruce signaled Firestorm and both got up walking to across the room

Batman: Give us privacy.

He looked down waving his hand creating a mild ring of fire around them

Firestorm: Listen Batman....about what happened earlier I know I nearly fucked up---

Batman: Language.

Firestorm: Sorry. My point is....we---I know shouldn't have tried to blow it up. I was only trying to scare them out.

Batman: That was reckless. Don't EVER pull a stunt like that again. You can make up for it by finishing another mission. Discreetly.

At the meeting

Catwoman: We have to evacuate these cities before hitting the flagship. But we'll need the communications restored first. And the only way we can....is if Cyborg fixes Brother-Eye.

Cyborg: I'm not Bat-Tech support!

Starfire: Guess you would say that to Dick too is it?!

Red Hood: Even if he asked you to do it!

Victor was just reminded harshly that everyone thinks he doesn't care about Dick anymore

Cyborg: I didn't mean....

It's not even the issue anyway Victor.

Everyone even Batman and Firestorm walking back to the table saw Supergirl AND Superman in armored attire resembled in his others walking in the room

Diana was...HIGHTEN of his look but Jason and Kori looked at Dick's murderer with a grudge

Superman: Kara told about how Darkseid invaded Krypton and how my father and Zod manage to stop him. She says we have less than 48 hours before Earth is destroyed.

Batman: Without tight coordination we'll loose valuable time.

Superman: So that means we fix Brother Eye.

Cyborg: Goddammit!

Firestorm: Language.

Batman: Catwoman Harley and Red Hood will join you. You'll need their help clearing any Pera's there and getting in the Batcave.

Red Hood: Hold up old man! Why do I have to tag along in this?! Especially with the jester that helped the Joker torture me?!

Harley: Cut a girl a break will ya?

Batman: Because you have the best infiltrating experiences. Plus I don't want your grudge on Clark to jeopardize the mission.

Red Hood: Touche.....How do we even get in get in anyway?

Catwoman: The old underground. There's a tunnel entrance under Arkham Island.

Cyborg: I'm taking you three to Arkham Asylum?

Harley pops her gum

Harley: Promise it won't be awkward or nothing.

Superman: I'll need time in the solarium at the Fortress of Solitude. That is if you haven't torn it down yet.

Batman: Not yet.

Superman: Talia Adam you're with me.

Wonder Woman: And the rest of us?! We can't just sit here.

Batman: We plan our attack. Once Brother Eye's back online we mobilize. BUT there's ONE rule. There is NO Regime. Not anymore that force is over and it's gonna STAY that way. So we do. NOT. I mean NOT kill. Is that clear?

Both Superman and Wonder Woman grew angry at Batman stating his no kill rule to everyone

Kara saw Kal's reaction to that and that's what grew her first concern she wasn't liking the look on her now full grown cousin's face

Batman: Let's go.

Everyone stood up and Diana takes Kara by the arm in a tight grip

Wonder Woman: You're with me.

Supergirl: I want to stay with Kal.

Wonder Woman: Now!

Supergirl: But---

Superman: Go with her Kara.

Kara looked at him in surprise hearing how strict he was with her as Diana as she pulled her away fallowing everyone else leaving Batman and Superman the only ones in the room

Batman and Superman were left alone at the roundtable. This whole time, a tarp had been laying on the roundtable, and now Superman took notice. Like his old friend was trying to hide something else from him.

Superman: Why'd you keep it?

Batman: Keep what?

It left Batman confused until Superman simply pulled the tarp off the roundtable to reveal......

.....the cracked JL symbol lying on top.

The once proud logo of the World's Greatest Super Heroes now bore cracks, ironically representing the broken state of the League; a team that was meant to showcase the broken pieces of each of its members on display but still represent the team that was willing to do whatever it took to protect their homes and the people they loved.

The team Bruce, Alfred and Diana constructed together.

They stared at it for a moment, before Batman answered.....

Batman: Hm. Forget that was there.

Batman turned and walked away without even acknowledging it by firsthand. Once again, this left Clark babbled by how cryptic Bruce was acting; subtle annoyance rumbling from within.

It wasn’t long seconds after leaving that Bruce decided to make a contact call to some anonymous users.

Batman: Yes, it’s me. Need you do something for me.......How soon?

Upon leaving, Clark just sighs heavily and leans up against the table only to catch shiny metal glistening from the other side of the room.

His head is quick to shoot up to the corner of the room, noticing Cyborg’s back perched up against the wall, arms crossed and left foot lying against it.

Superman: Thought you left.

Cyborg: I needed some time.

Superman: Time for what?

It takes a while for him to respond.

Cyborg: Time to think this through.

Pushing himself off the wall, he takes his sweet time heftily breathing in and out, taking full notice of the very risks he withstood just standing in front of the fallen Man Of Steel turned High Councilor. It served no lingering sense of urgency in the past; a past that consisted of constantly following through on Clark’s orders like a good little lapdog.

All for the death of his father and the death of his own humanity.

And yet the one blight from his past that he couldn’t escape kept biting at him from within; like a parasite. One that continued to pound him into submission every day inside of that cell.

Cyborg: I’ve had time to dissect everything we’ve done together.

He pauses.

Cyborg: We......we both did our bids here.

Kal couldn’t help but to tilt his head, awed and taken aback. More confused than appalled, it didn’t exactly help that outside of his body stature loosening in sadness, the manner in which Victor was speaking was sounding more like a resignation than just regular seeds of doubt.

Superman: What are you saying, Victor? Seven years, you’ve stood by me since the beginning and now you’re getting cold feet?

Another roaring cloud of silence rolls between the two. Victor grips Clark by the shoulder.

Cyborg: I need to know if we’re really the good guys here.

Superman: Victor......of course we are. But…..good guys and bad guys are just a quarrel exasperated by those who refuse to know the truth and are headstrong in their beliefs for a better world. The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just. We do what needs to be done and that depends on whatever’s necessary.

Cyborg: Necessary? I—Look, I was all about it when my old man got caught in that nuke......but I couldn’t think......didn't think, back then. Now I can see that we’ve hurt innocent people.

Superman: We’re not hurting them. Only those who deserve it.

Cyborg: Did Billy deserve it?

Finally, he mentions the hypocritical teen wizard shaped hole in the wall. And once again, no response is ushered out of Kal-El; a bafflingly alarming sight. Murdering a child should not be a source of pride or admission.

Seeing how this wasn’t going to generate much of a response, Vic had to let the matter slide for now. There were other important matters to take care of.

Cyborg: We gonna finish talking about this later, ok?

Superman: I’ll set it up a private meeting back at the Fortress for us when you’re done. For now, go on ahead.

Victor, feeling somewhat appalled by his sense of honesty walks out the room. Once again, Clark had a chance to breathe.

A boom tube appeared right by the Botanical Gardens within Arkham Asylum, and Cyborg, Harley, Red Hood and Catwoman emerged. The boom tube disappeared, and the three were stranded from that point on. Cyborg, for his part, was also wary of the two women he was forced to tag along with. He was not going to let himself forget about their dubious pasts anytime soon, especially Harley. A part of him, deep down, REALLY to kill Harley right now for her part in Metropolis' destruction.

But he had to restrain himself, if ONLY for the time being. Except Harley made that excruciatingly difficult for Victor to do, considering she let herself take charge in leading the way.

Situated on Arkham East of the Asylum, they already went scoured through most of Arkham West: the Penitentiary and Medical Facility as well as the Intensive Treatment center smack dab in the middle of Arkham North.

Checking the Botanical Gardens on the east side had no shortage of annoying loose ends as well. Meaning she technically lead the group in a circle and with no clear direction on how to get to this Asylum Batcave. Sooner or later, SOMEBODY had to state the blatantly obvious.

Catwoman: Can we just cut the bullshit already? Face it, Harley. You don’t know where you’re going.

Harley: No, we ain’t lost. We can’t be. We’ve followed directions exactly.

Red Hood: We didn’t need any directions, it’s called the MEMORY BANK, Quinn.

Harley: Well, do you ya even know where we are? You’re the one who didn’t want to stop and get directions.

Cyborg: Cause we didn’t need any! We already knew!

~Silence~

Harley: Just trying to help.

Red Hood: Ughhh......great. Just.....this is just perfect. One chance was all I needed to fix things up with Bruce f__kin’ Wayne and I end up getting lost in the woods with the cat lady, the tin-man and YOU, Quinn!

Harley: Alright alright you don't have to get all aggravated about it! I'm just trying to make up for my deeds too!

Red Hood: I KNOW! I know. I.....look, I.....

He sighs heavily before briefly stopping.

Red Hood: You know it's not easy being around you. Each time I see you.....

Harley:.....it reminds you of him, I know. And....I know it won't change anything but......I am sorry, Red Wonder.

The fact that she was nudging the side of his cheek didn’t make him feel any better about that apology.

Harley: Rough landings so far. But Bats said we have to work together on this.

Again, he sighs heavily. That extensively meant putting in twice the amount of work needed to get his hands on Supes again…..assuming the opportunity ever presented itself again.

But that also meant having to willingly let down his guard. For someone who never complained about being a loner, that was one thing he found no joy in admitting easily.

Red Hood: I just…..have to make things work this time.

Cyborg: We all have to make up for something. Hopefully by the time this is over, we’ll all have some redemption. The question is…..

He turns to Jason, letting the women take the situation on for themselves.

Cyborg: You REALLY willing to put up with this?

Red Hood: If you know what’s best for ya, you make a move.....

He cocks a gun to the side of his head.

Red Hood:......and I’ll blow the human side of your face off.

Cyborg: Would it kill you to not hold a grudge?

Red Hood: And would it kill you to dissect any common sense? Step back between the clear and gray line and try to see from the OTHER persons point of view. The Titans were your family too.

Finally some internal pressure from within him, he puts his gun down and away from Vic. Again, Vic does take some seconds to think it through.

Catwoman: Alright, this way.

Finally taking charge, Selina leads them down the gravel road leading up towards the old Arkham Mansion, the former residence of Amadeus Arkham, became a regular part of Arkham Asylum after Amadeus went insane. It included a Records Room, doctor's offices, and a Library.

And inside, a functioning elevator that would allow them to head down to the Batcave. Unfortunately, after the last time intruders invaded, it was perceived off limits.

Meaning the four would have to take the long way.

They hadn't been walking for so much as a minute before pheromones appeared out of nowhere, though all three had an idea of who was responsible.

As for Jason, he hadn’t seen this in quite some time.

Catwoman: Ugh! Pheromones!

The coughing wasn’t excessive but it was enough, as a chemical factor, to act like hormones outside the body of the secreting individual, to impact the behavior of the receiving individuals. That was the last thing ANYBODY wanted.

Cyborg swapped out his cannon for air ventilation, with which he began to suck up the pheromones. But while him, Jason and Selina were able to avoid the potential side effects, Harley was not so lucky.

As she began to drift off consciousness, she began acting drowsy and woozy in her body language, almost surrendering control and Catwoman began to get worried.

Catwoman: Harley? You okay?

Harley did not respond. She couldn’t.

She just looked like she was weakening and sickening up.

Then all of a sudden, through the mist of the pheromone dust, Poison Ivy appeared from out of nowhere with this sly yet fabricated smile over her face, grabbing Harley by the shoulders. With a very smug look on her face, Poison Ivy stroked Harley's cheek.

Catwoman: Pamela. Don’t you do it.

She does dare.

Catwoman: Don’t you d—

Ivy kissed Harley square on the lips. While the lip contact might not have been poisonous, the pheromones were already doing its job since Harley had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA where she was.

Ivy: Sweet, sweet Harley. This time, you'll be a good girl for Mama.

She gave Harley a slight push before walking away a few feet.

Harley is barely able to keep herself balanced on her baseball bat but seconds later, she didn’t have to as her look of sickness quickly turned to one of sadistic glee, and Cyborg, Red Hood and Catwoman both braced themselves.

Harley: Hey, kiddies! Let's play 'Eeny Meeny Miney.....MURDER!

Catwoman: You boys take care of Ivy. Harley and I need to have a girl talk.

Red Hood draws his guns with Cyborg arming his canon

Ivy: I prefer my men no natural.

Cyborg: And I prefer my women sane.

Ivy: Who can be sane in this world?

Red Hood: Why? Waiting on your next victim Ivy?

Ivy: No. Looking for a hot date.

Red Hood: You just found them. And we don't have flowers honey.

Both Jason and Victor fired at her chasing her away from Selina and Harley who were both ready to pounce on one another

Harley: CAT FIGHT! MEOW!

Catwoman: Sorry Harleen. This won't kill you but it ain't gonna tickle either. I'll try not to leave a scar.

Selina in hances her metal cat claws near gear made by Lucius she lunged by Harley flips over her and kicks her from behind

Catwoman took her whip wrapping it around Harley's right leg pulling her down and she falls

Selina tended to pin her down but Harley kicks her off

Ivy launches vines from her hands and whips Jason's guns out of his hands and ties him in them Cyborg takes another blast which hits Ivy forcing her away from Jason

Victor cuts him free with saw latched out of his hand and Ivy recovered making a hot pose

Red Hood: Hate it when the villains get hot.

Cyborg: Yeah. That's how they tempt ya. What'd you say we give this bitch the sonic boom?

Red Hood: You use to do that with Dick.

Cyborg: Still think I don't care what happened to him?

Red Hood: Depends.....showed me what impressed him so much.

Cyborg: I got the sonic if you got the boom.

Ivy chuckled as she approached them with evil intentions and both former titans ran on the walls between them

Victor readied his cannon with Jason arming ray a bomb but Ivy made the grass grow and pull them down tying them up very tightly

Red Hood: Sneaky bitch!

Selina flipped kicked Harley then dragged her with her whip throwing her to the main entrance of Arkham

Harley tried to get back up but when she turned around Catwoman launched a kick in the face knocking her out on the ground

Catwoman: Poor baby. That backstabbing bitch did a number on you.

Next thing both Jason and Victor were tossed back beside her

Catwoman: What the hell happened to you two?

Red Hood: What'd you think?! We got our asses handed to us!

Cyborg: Harley's girlfriend's a real man eater.

Ivy: Arkham gave us so many memories Selina. Bewitching guards. Late night ladies poker. Mandatory shock therapy.

Selina gave her a cross-eyed expression

Ivy: Oh that's right. You were spared. Thanks to your vigilante billionaire boy-toy.

Catwoman: I didn't ask for special treatment.

Red Hood: The hell with this tea party. It's harvest time.

Ivy: Oh you boys are just dying to hurt me aren't you? It won't bring back what any of you lost. Your precious Nightwing.

Jason was about to attack for that but Catwoman held up his hand to him stopping him

Next thing they heard Harley on the ground groaning in pain it seemed whatever Ivy infected her with was taking effect

Ivy: Poor Harley smelled the wrong roes and now she's going into shock. Bye bye baby down.

Catwoman: What the fuck is wrong with you?! I thought you two were a thing!

Ivy: We were. Till she started helping Batman rebuild this concrete monstrosity. The Earth belongs to the in virement NOT man.

Catwoman: Oh that's it. Your green ass is grassed. You two keep Harley alive. THIS is personal.

Jason and Victor walked to Harley as Selina stared down at Ivy with death in her eyes

Catwoman: You know Pam? I am sick of this saving nature bullshit. Look what it's made you do to the only person that ever brought your humanity back. You and Harley started as fucking BFF's later lovers. She saved you when her ass clown ex took over this dump and two years ago she saved you from Superman! And this is how you repay her?! Betrayal?! Tempted murder?! Harley dumped Joker for you! Cause she loved you for Christ sake!

Ivy: I had to make a difficult choice Selina. It was either Harley.....and the Green. I CHOSE the green. And now all I have is the green.

Catwoman: You're insane. And now that I think about it....you're crazier than the Joker.

THAT whipped that smirk off her face and looked at her with a death stare she never liked being compared to any of the villains or being called worse than them given she believed she was saving the world from mankind

Ivy: What did you say?

Catwoman: You heard me. You're WORSE than the Joker. He abused Harley and almost got her killed God knows how many times. YOU are ungrateful to Harley after she bailed your ass out many times saved your ungrateful life from the Regime and she became a better person for you. And your stupid plants matter more than EVERYTHING she did for you! You.....2000 times worse to Harley.....than Joker....EVER was!

A heated yet utterly tasteless remark; one that Selina herself knew wasn’t true. But the statement was out there.

And she got daisy-channed upside down, weeds popping up from the soli beneath her and wrapping her in roots and vines alike. Tightening up around her abdomen and calves, Ivy intended to make Selina suffer painfully for that back-handed remark.

And SLOWLY.

Ivy is left almost pouncing toward her, quickly closing the gap between the two of them. It took a special kind of gravitas and balls to actively infuriate Pamela this much.

Ivy: You got......some nerve....calling me that.

Catwoman: Harley's suffered enough.

Ivy: And so has our home, Selina. I'm making it a better place.

Catwoman: People are DYING, Pamela!

Ivy: EXACTLY!

This was only a tiny silver of what Selina or anyone else in general had to put up with when it came to negotiating or just having a simple conversation with the botanist turned redheaded environmental eco-terrorist extremist. Her attitude spoke of that one kid in a group whose always stuck up their butt about what they think is sophisticated and just and is absolutely exhausting trying to be mutual with them.

And yet this is what was expected out of her for decades in change. The only thing that came even remotely close to breaking her down and dropping her facade was Harley. And she looked to nip the only light in her life in the bud.

The temptation was high for Jason to do something; pulling out a portable glue grenade from his jacket.

But then Selina said this.

Catwoman: We're more than just our masks, Pamela. The world's changed since Metropolis, mostly for the worst.....and I know a thing or two about wanting simplicity.

Ivy: You should've cut the leash off your neck when you had the chance.

Catwoman: I tried and all I got for that was my daughter scarred for life and Bruce seconds out from collapsing every day. Even if I wanted to leave, go back to the days when the cowls were on and the claws were out with no strings attached.....

~Silence~

Catwoman:…..it wouldn’t change how much I love my family. And given the opportunity, I’d give up all the money in the world for them. Without hesitation.

A sweet but rather domesticated way of saying ‘When the world is in peril and you have the opportunity to stop it to protect the people you love, now is not the time to be picky.

Darkseid’s quest of conquest would mean not just no more Harley. But no more Earth, no more nature.

Harley told her the EXACT SAME THING shortly before the end of the war between the Insurgency and Regime and it went similarly to this. The bludgeoning recollection of Deja Vu began eating at Ivy; her eyes and face twitching in conflict.

Catwoman: Your ‘babies’ matter more? Fine. Talk all you want but you better convince yourself of that first.

There was no heat in her voice, as if her heart beat so steadily, even though she took a different view from Ivy's own. This was her way of dealing with things.

Despite the tall barriers that distanced the two former friends, an understanding, of sorts, was reached. Selina suddenly felt the weeds and vines around her body loosen and slither back down through the soil, releasing her from the thorny

No sooner is she released do the vines and weeds wrap around Ivy, engulfing her in more shades of green and phosphorus before enlarging. Eventually, the mutant tentacle-like plant vines slithered away.....

....and Ivy was gone.

Almost right away, Selina runs back towards Harley, the latter still deeply in shock. Her body still convulsing, it prompted more concern from her than the men.

She was her friend too after all.

Red Hood set his visor to Tactical Vision, scanning through multiple layers of Harley's prone, comatose body via a red layout. From the skin, muscles and skeletal systems, he got the same result: there was a pulse.

Barely. He hardly seemed happy about it, still.

Catwoman: Dammit Harl, don't you dare die on me. Vic, you got a defibrillator in there?

Cyborg: Yeah....but---

Catwoman: USE IT!

Cyborg rolled his eyes; his intention not set on being bossed around. But they all were on a mission here so he had to make due or else. So his hands shift around, morphing into defibrillators, simultaneously switching on the reactors on his hands before pressing down on Harley 's chest.

He pumps her up a few times, but seemingly to no avail - much to Selina's devastation.

After the third pump, Selina pressed down her pulse again.

Catwoman: Harleen…?

Thankfully, her lips slowly raise up in a grin before letting out a whisper.

Harley: Again....Again....

Red Hood: She's gonna fine.

Catwoman took Harley's hand and helped her up

Harley: Where's Red?

Catwoman: She went away sweetheart. I'm really sorry she hurt you.

Red Hood: Just do yourself a favor Quinn: Stay away from her.

Cyborg: Yeah maybe Superman had the right idea about her on STRYKERS.

Harley: Try to kill me....like Joker.....she wanted me to leave him and this is how she---if I see her again I'll slice her red lips off her She-Hulk face!

Catwoman: Harleen no.

Harley: She was gonna---I can't believe I fell for another psychotic---

Red Hood: She knew exactly which buttons to push. It's not your fault. It's what scum like her and the Joker do.

Cyborg: But you outgrown them both.

Harley: I guess.

Catwoman: Do you need to sit this out Harleen?

Harley: No. We got a job to do. I'll be fine.

Catwoman: Alright. Let's go boys.

Selina with Harley behind her and the guys fallowing them went ahead into the Arkham Tunnels

It had been abandoned for a decade since Joker took over the Asylum Cyborg shinning a flashlight from his arm lead shinning their path

Harley however soon wondered about the Birds of Prey since they weren't heard from since Wonder City

Harley: You think we'll ever find Dinah and Monny when we get to Darkseid?

Cyborg: Seriously? They're probably already dead.

Red Hood: Well so much for showing care.

Harley: Yeah why you gotta say that?

Cyborg: I didn't mean it like that. I'm just saying Darkseid looks like the type of guy that just discards everything. Black Canary and Montoya definitely not the best.

Catwoman: I'd take them over you any day Victor.

Cyborg: Take it easy I was just saying it's a theory.

Red Hood: Well your old Regime theories aren't gonna regain anyone's trust Vic.

Cyborg and Catwoman kept going but Jason stopped seeing Harleen just standing there sadden

Given he still wasn't in the best terms with her he knew she was having it rough after Ivy when he was in the Regime he had the same problem with Raven

The Red Hood walked back to her to show ANY mild concern for her

Red Hood: Shit....hey.

She looked up at him with a tear falling from her right eye

Red Hood: You ok?

She nods folding her arms

Red Hood. Canary and Montoya are fine. We won't know what's happened to them till we find anything from them.

Harley: Yeah....

Red Hood: We're gonna get this fucker alright?

She nods again and they look back to see Selina and Victor were father away from them

Harley: Hey guys wait up!

They caught up with the two and came to a brick wall at the end

Catwoman: Here we are.

Cyborg: A brick wall? What is this some kind of joke.

Red Hood: Chill your gears not everything is what it seems.

Selina and Harleen rubbed around the wall and felt the loose pads they nod to each other and pushed them both at once which opens the wall like a secret entrance

Catwoman: Harleen you and Jason wait here. Make sure you no one fallows us.

Red Hood: We're on it.

Cybrog: After you please.

They walk in leaving Jason and Harley on guard duty

Harley: So....you and Raven kiss and make up yet?

Red Hood: I don't see how that's any of your business.

Harley: Just making conversation.

Red Hood: Well let's make it later. We gotta make sure none of Darkseid's goons and human bugs aren't fallowing us.

Cyborg and Catwoman walked deeper and deeper into the tunnel till they finally reached the Batcave and Selina's gut was telling her something wasn't right

Catwoman: It's too quiet.

Victor lift his right arm to open his screen scanner and picked up two signals

Cyborg: We got bogeys. And I don't think they're bats.

Suddenly a freeze ray was fired out of no where Victor activated his ray shield deflecting it saving himself and Selina from freezing

They soon saw they were being approached by Bane and Captain Cold

Catwoman didn't have time to respond. A thick ray of cold ice was fired toward the two, and Cyborg was forced to get his shield up to deflect the freeze ray as a quick reaction stance.

Slowly walking towards them, Bane had an assault rifle in hand, preparing for the inevitable fight.

Bane: I told Ra’s you were loyal to the Bat.

With that being said, he had mixed thoughts on his suspicions being proven right.

Bane: He called me paranoid. At least he listened when I said Batman wouldn't relinquish his caves so easily. Soon, not just this place, but all of Gotham will be mine.

Cyborg: Fat chance, amigo.

Bane: Do not butcher my language.

He slams against the floor.

Catwoman: I got business with Bane.

After a brief pause, Bane again fires his rifle this time at VICTOR, leaving Cyborg to charge toward him. While he still shooting at Cyborg, who deflected his bullets with his shield, Cold was quick to brush off Victor to the side with another blast from the gun.

It left Bane on his lonesome to approach Catwoman slowly but menacingly and with malice.

No question about who gave him specific orders on who to attack.

Bane: Of all the ways to hurt the Bat, tormenting YOU is one of my favorites.

Underneath that mask, Bane was grinning at the thought of hurting Selina Kyle once more to get a reaction from Batman.

Catwoman: Yet you've NEVER broken me.

She quipped, before getting out her whip and attacking Bane with it. She was not holding back in the least like she was with Harley. She went for the non-armored parts of his outfit, and even with the venom tubes increasing his stamina and power, each lash hurt like hell for Bane.

Meanwhile, Cyborg formed a smug smile before yanking the gun out of Snart’s hands and backslapping him across the face. Quickly thinking, he blasts Snart back in the chest with only his thrusters.

In doing so, he crashes Snart into Bane, briefly discombobulating him.

An irritated Bane turned directly towards Cyborg, swatting Catwoman aside before charging forward knee-first and slamming it against Victor’s head before wrapping around his arm.

Unfortunately, he gets pounded and he’s sent flying.

Bane again, whips out his rifle and began shooting at Cyborg with tremendous speed – Vic could barely keep up, and then two of the bullets struck his arm and chest.

Now he had enough.

Victor, famished but rageful, tackles Bane fully off the floor and began pounding at Bane with punches and kicks, eventually busting him open as blood poured down his mask. Vic brought him down to a knee and ripped off two of his arm tubes.

This gave Catwoman time to get back up and continue her assault on Bane. Despite his weakened state, he punched and he kicked, and she retaliated with her whip. Though he was bleeding, Bane wasn't deterred. He gave the feline lady a powerful bow to the stomach, then kicked Catwoman in the face, sending her down to the ground. He then grabbed her by the neck, and began to choke her. To this, Cyborg blasted at Bane, causing him to let go of Catwoman, who slashed the tube attached to his head with her claws.

Bane collapsed onto the ground, humiliated at being defeated this way AGAIN.

But not before Selina took the honors and knocked him out with a soccer ball kick.

Cyborg walked up to Catwoman, and the two just simply look at each other. With no more distractions, they were finally ready to finish what they came here for finally.

Catwoman: Ready to meet Brother Eye?

Cyborg: About damn time.

It wasn't long before they reached Brother Eye – or at least, what used to be Brother Eye.

Cyborg analyzed the contraption as he tried to figure out what to do, typing like a madman.

Cyborg: Systems still running. Brother Eye needs a clean power source…...something Darkseid can't touch.

Catwoman: The Cave's got backup generators. That should do it.

Brother Eye finally began to initiate.

Brother Eye is online.

After a few seconds, Brother Eye's blue screens turned red.

Warning! Victor Stone has infiltrated the Bat Cave. Deploying countermeasures!

Cyborg went back to the panel and tried to hack into Brother Eye, desperate to avoid any troubles. Batman's cryptography was just as good as Ray Palmer's, which Cyborg expected – but he had to decrypt this fast.

Luckily, he could, and Brother Eye no longer saw him as a threat.

Cyborg let out a deep breath before he heard Selina commanding.....

Catwoman: Brother Eye, bring geo-sync comms online.

Brother Eye obliged, and both Cyborg and Catwoman were happy at this success.

Cyborg: Got through.

Catwoman: Bruce, the comms are yours.

Through the mild night skies in Gotham, Batman kept track of and heard everything that was just being said in the Batwing; soaring through the airs of mild tranquillity circling up in the sky.

Batman: Copy. Brother Eye, broadcast on the old Justice League band and Teen Titans.

Broadcasting......

Brother Eye managed to scan through the Batcomputers system and scout up any and all profiles on the former Justice League members as well as the Teen Titans before tapping into their communications.

Batman: We're back online, everyone. We have one hour to evacuate civilians before we engage Darkseid and the fleet. You all go ahead and start without me. There's one more thing I have to do.

The Battwing flies on over the ocean

Diana and Kara soon arrive in the middle of Metropolis and caught sight of Darkseid's flagship

Supergirl: That ship....I never forgotten when it was in the skies of Krypton. I hate it so much. Where should we start?

Diana didn't respond she looked at the ship and the entire street below with hate and rage burning in her eyes

Supergirl: Diana? Did you hear me? We don't have much time.

Wonder Woman: Batman's strategy is all wrong. ALL of his strategies are always wrong! Delaying our offensive is pointless! It's one less hour before Darkseid sends us all to Hades. Saving these people could doom billions more!

Supergirl: But I can hear them down there Diana. All of them. They're afraid like I was when I was a child and didn't have my powers. And I look at us and just think....we can give them hope....like Uncle Jor did for Krypton.

Wonder Woman: Hope is not enough anymore.

Supergirl: Why do you say it like that?

Wonder Woman was about to reply till an egal flew over them it shrieked when flying over them and something about it seem so familiar

It's like she knew it from somewhere

Supergirl: We don't have time. Let's get down there.

Kara flew down to the streets Diana sighed she had no intention of fallowing Bruce's plans she did not care Bruce won't allow killing she was going to kill anything ANYONE that gets in her way

A perademon approached a helpless mother and her baby she turned away when it reached for her but it was grabbed and pulled away by Supergirl and she threw it across the road

Kara then offered the woman her hand

Supergirl: It's okay I'm here to help.

The woman see's Kara's logo matching Superman's and then she gets up at a panic afraid of her

Mother: GET AWAY FROM US!

Supergirl: What??

Mother: Leave me and my baby alone!

She ran with Kara looking confused seeing other people reacting the same way as the Mother to Kara

Man # 1: She's wearing Superman's symbol!

Man # 2: She'll kill us all! RUN!!!

The people ran and scream they were more afraid of Kara than they are of the Pera's

Supergirl: NO! PLEASE! I ONLY WANT TO HELP!

No one would listen to her they just all ran from her she didn't know why everyone was afraid of her all cause she was wearing Krypton's symbol of hope

Diana however wasn't caring as she slaid every Perademon in her path she stabbed cut sliced them with her sword and bashed them with her shield

Her actions scared the rest of the civilians they ran and screamed too

Supergirl: I don't understand. Why they all afraid of us?

Wonder Woman still didn't answer her mainly cause something else caught her eyes

It was the hooded figure with the lightning bolt staff again it was staring mainly at Diana again and once it saw her see it it turned and walked in an allyway

Wonder Woman: Hold this line Kara. I'll be back.

Diana walked where the hooded figure disappeared at and seeing there was a dead end she was dumbstruck.....

.....but then.....the figure appeared behind Diana which seconds after she drew her sword holding it to it

Wonder Woman: Who are you?!

A minute too soon...it pulled down it's hood revealing to Diana to her surprise.....

....it was Zues (Sergi Constance) the king of the Gods Supreme ruler of Olympus and.....Diana's father

She lowered her sword nervous ye angry knowing really how she was conceived

Zues: Well....you can call me father....if you wish.

Wonder Woman: You are no father of mine. I know how you seduced my mother and made her your pawn.

Zues: And that's what you are to the Kryptonian. If you allow him to regain control over the earth he will cast you aside like the slave you were to him.

Wonder Woman: HOW DARE YOU! Kal and I love each other! We will rule this planet together again!

Zues: Exactly what your mother felt about me. You only fill the holes of his mortal spouse. The Kryptonian has NEVER truly looked on anywhere. His only intensions is control over you and the Earth. Even if you defeat Darkseid you will suffer in his slavement more than anyone.

Wonder Woman: If you're so sure of that why are you here?

Zues: To offer you redemption. Despite the innocent blood on your hands your blood is mine Diana and that makes you a Goddess. It's time you came to Olympus and started acting like a real one.

Wonder Woman: I rather to still be rotting in Theymiscira Dungeon than ever live as a God like you.

Zues: You foolish child. Your hate has blinded you Diana. As has the Kryptonian. Mankind can never be preserved. There will always be war and death. Creating more for him will never end it. You are incapable of this meaningless bloodshed.

Wonder Woman: For a father you clearly know nothing about me. When Batman tore down the Regime man's world called me a tyrant. My mother and my Amazon sisters disowned me. But I will show them what a Tyrant really is looks like when we kill Darkseid. The people will beg for deliverance and I will give it to them Darkseid's head. Once again it will fall upon the Regime to restore peace and order. Bruce and the traitors that fallow him will be punished. Then I will return to Theymscira and deal with my sisters weather my mother summits or not. If they do not heed my commands they will bow to force of Superman's rule. The Regime WILL rise again.

Zues: NO!!!!

Zues's outburst created an impact all of Metropolis even Kara felt it

Diana fell back dropping her sword she looked up at her mighty father and for the first time in a long time....felt fear knowing what the great and powerful Zues

Zues: I will not leave this lying down. There will be NO Regime! I'll insure it weather if I have to lock you up at Olympus. You're not a Tyrant.....you're my daughter Diana. If you continue to shed more blood after the fall of Darkseid I will stop you. But I'll give you one last choice Diana. Leave the Kryptonian before he has a chance to rein again. Or....come with me to Olympus. You have till midnight.

Thunder clashes with lightning striking at Zues becoming the same egal from earlier shrieking as Diana saw him flying away

Arrogance: an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions. An exuberant trait passed down fully to the former Princess of the Amazons with little to no deviations.

Diana found herself stumped, if only just this once. For all the talk she spewed about peace and Justice, humility, honor and hope, she no longer shared any qualities with her past self and for once, something felt queasy. Within the pit of her stomach, she felt…..dirty. If she really meant what she preached, Zeus wouldn’t have even showed up.

Before Wonder Woman could even think of what to respond with or how to conjure this going forward, a huge concussive force of energy blew her back about a hundred feet away, chipping herself against three separate rooftops before crashing amongst the road, causing even more panic. Shocked and distracted, Wonder Woman was immediately poised to glare over at the person responsible for such a distraction as she recovered.

Only, she realized in horror that said person responsible had both of her silver bracelets up in a X formation, eradicating in a golden shield from the feedback of the blast.

Her friend turned student turned new protector of Man’s World, Donna Troy (Alycia Debram Carey) emerged from the smoke, much to Diana’s annoyance.

She had enough family counseling for one day.

Donna: Diana.

Wonder Woman: What are you doing here, Donna? I have no time for this. The world is facing a fate worse than death and you dare to interfere with my mission again?

Donna: Your mission to reassemble the Regime? Not a chance.

Wonder Woman: You won't learn, will you? Without Kal, the world will be nothing but in dust.

Donna: The world or you?

Wonder Woman: I don't have time for this.

Diana was about to storm pass Donna, only to get her path blocked by her sword, not to mention how tightly she grabbed her arm.

Donna: You're not going anywhere.

More aggravated than actively angry, Diana forcefully pushes Donna five steps away from her. An immediate sign of the former Princess holding back.

Wonder Woman: I'm WARNING you. Step. Aside.

Donna: No! I'm bringing you back in.

Wonder Woman: Your defiance makes you unworthy to wear that armor.

Donna: Yet you're still wearing that tiara?

Wonder Woman: Donna, it was BESTOWED on me.

Donna: By women who now despise you. Every women on that island but me and your mother. You dishonor her vision by doing Superman's bidding!

Seeing how she wasn’t going to get through to her older “sister” any longer, she proceeded with her task.

The two sisters continued onwards, banging and striking their swords against one another with the cold steel sparking all over the place. Nobody was able to get a hit on the other.

Finally after what seemed like forever, Donna slid underneath Diana with a slice to the leg before clocking her with a discus knee strike.

It only fazes Diana slightly before she just slams her bracelets together and knocks Donna back a few feet. With her shield blocking most of the blast, it barely affected her. However, she wasn’t done yet.

She threw the shield to no avail as Diana skidded underneath it and as Donna attacked, she kicked back up, kicked her in the gut, knees her to the face, and attempts to sweep her by the legs. But Donna flips over it and kicks Diana’s head in with a rolling kick.

Unfortunately for them, somebody’s trigger fingers were getting itchy.

Target sighted.

Suddenly, a bullet is fired just as Diana flips Donna right-side up only to knock her woozy by throwing her shield.

However, she blocks the incoming bullet as it skids amongst the pavement road, which would've called a temporary halt to the brawl if they had allowed it.

Donna, unfortunately, was not. She recovered quickly, her shield broken and frustration plastered over her face.

Having been forced to do this towards her ally turned foe, Donna had her hands tied.

Wonder Woman charged towards her, with her shield up for defense, but Donna kept that look of disappointment on her face as she, again, clashed her bracelets together, with the force blasting at Wonder Woman, sending her flying towards a nearby bar named Ace o' Clubs.

She got up at the sight of the bar owner, Bibbo Bibbowski, aiming a rifle at her out of panic.

Before either of them could say anything, noises began to rouse up, coming from the back door. He no longer pointed his rifle at Wonder Woman, but towards the door.

Someone tried to open the door, leaving an uncomfortable silence between Bibbo and Wonder Woman as the Amazon had no idea who it could be. That is until the doorknob began to freeze up, with the entire door soon following until it all shattered. Bibbo began to lower himself down in anticipation.

Just then, Reverse Flash zoomed in from out of nowhere and began circling around Wonder Woman. Bibbo and the two patrons in the bar panicked and ran towards the front door while Thawne continued to circle Wonder Woman, punching her over and over with a superspeed barrage of blows.

While he continued on, footsteps crunching down over the snow could be heard as Captain Cold entered the room from where the door used to be. Quite a versatile fella.

Cold: Your heart's so cold, Wonder Woman. Let's put you on ice.

Thawne stopped pummeling Wonder Woman and zoomed towards Captain Cold, standing next to his “associate” with that smug grin again.

Wonder Woman got up and glared at the two. She wasn't too doubtful of her chances.

Captain Cold aimed his gun at Wonder Woman and blasted towards her, to which the Amazon used her bracelets to not only dodge the blast but send the ice towards Thawne, freezing the Reverse-Flash where he stood.

Captain Cold smiled at the sight.

Cold: Nice rope-a-dope.

Wonder Woman: Gave up your code of honor, Snart?

Captain Cold sneered at her comment regarding his code of honor.

Cold: Need a refresher course? You're not so pure yourself, Amazon. You - you executed Golden Glider! She was my sister!

Wonder Woman: A sister you led into a life of crime. She paid for your mistakes!

She felt she didn't have time to battle Cold – she wanted to deal with him as soon as possible. So she sliced at him, despite missing. He blasted at her three times, but she dodged the ice blasts and sliced his gun into two, before finally getting an opening as she uppercuts him and guts him in the stomach....

....before slicing his left hand off.

Cold yelled in pain, and then he began to breathe heavily.

Cold: You're not better than me, Wondy!

Wonder Woman: There will never come a day when I sink to your level. Fighting me won’t bring Glider back, Leonard.

Cold: But, at least, killing you will make me feel better.

Wonder Woman yelled out in anger before grabbing Captain Cold by the neck and holding him up in the air. Cold grunted and instinct had him try to break free with his remaining hand, which the Amazon ignored.

Luckily, he had a few freeze blasts on hand.

He drops them right below him as the blast freezes and locks Diana into position where she was. Cold just kicks himself out of her grasp, still struggling with one hand.

Charging forward, he slides underneath her and shoots a small grenade from out his belt. It then emits a large icy field to slowly hurt Diana and eventually freeze her As he takes his time and just socks her with one arm. By the time he starts to use his feet, Diana was already breaking free.

By the time she does, she grabs ahold of his foot and slams him up against the bar. Quickly grabbing ahold of him afterward, she lifts him up around the shoulders and then just powerbombs him straight through the bar lounge.

Wonder Woman: Fear not, Snart. You WILL see Lisa again soon.

Her arm tightly grips around his neck again; the temptation to crush his throat expanding greatly with each passing thought. Lifting him off the ground with ease, she had him exactly where she wanted him.

Cold, however, took notice of this surprisingly sorrow look of reluctance on Diana's face before it fades back to coldness, staring at him. She remembered what Batman said about not killing – she just didn't give the slightest damn.

Wonder Woman: My condolences.

However she heard a noise, and she turned around to face Thawne, red lightning surrounding his frozen body. The ice began to crack, and his eyes began to move.

After a few more seconds, Thawne broke free of the ice and tackles Wonder Woman, turning her inside out and only just saving Captain Cold.

But Diana kicks him off and rolls on the floor till both stand back up ready to attack

Wonder Woman: Eobard Thawne I presume. Barry told me you're some kind of traveler.

Reverse Flash: Yeah. And let me tell you about the future. You think you're immortal but in my time Diana.....

He speeds behind her pushes her back down

Reverse Flash: You and Superman....are quite dead.

He grabbed her by her hair tending to punch the daylights out of her face but she lunged her gauntlet at him bashing him off

Diana picks her sword up but Thawne speed kicks it out of her hand and slaps her Reverse then pins her down just only for her to KNEE him below

Reverse yelled in painful agony and fell aside she picks her sword back up and tended to execute him and Leo but.....

....when she swings her blade was blocked by another......

....it was Donna

Donna: Don't even think about it.

She forced her back and when the two former Amazon Sisters clashed blades the injured villains took this opportunity to escape

Zeus was bad enough of giving Diana an ultimatum but Donna was not gonna let her go scot-free

They kept banging their swords which tore the club apart Donna rolls over the bar with Diana trying to slice and dice her but she countered them

Donna elbows her knocking Wonder Woman down on the floor again flipping back over the bar Donna pins her down taking titanium chain cuffs and tended to slap them on her wrist

Donna: In the name of the Sacred Theymiscira of the Amazons you're under arrest Diana.

But before she could slap them on her wrists Perademons burst in shrieking giving Diana an advantage by kicking Donna away and escaping leaving her to fight the Pera's on her own

Kara landed on a roof after saving many who only responded to her with more fear she didn't understand why when all she done was try to help them

But....THAT was now the LEAST of her worries

Girl of Steel.

Supergirl looked back seeing herself being confronted by Cheetah

Cheetah: You are a rare RARE find. No wonder Darkseid wants you....dead or alive.

Supergirl: Darkseid....?

Cheetah: Kryptonian's aren't just vulnerable to Kryptonite....they're weak under magic.

She raises her claws

Cheetah: And these claws cut....like magic.

Supergirl tended to fight back but Cheetah slashes her in the stomach which stuns her to the ground

Minerva would have finished her there but.....

.....Wonder Woman appears bashing her off Kara with her shield and tended to her

Wonder Woman: Hang in there Kara. The Gods will protect us.

Kara struggled to breath and Cheetah recovered painfully pissed and bashes her shoulder to reinstate it and both long time enemies locked eyes to each other

Wonder Woman: Minerva.

Cheetah: Diana. Welcome back.

Wonder Woman: I'm surprised someone so feral still fallows Ra's Al Ghul's orders.

Cheetah: No Princess. I only joined Ra's to draw you out of hiding. My own quarry.

Wonder Woman: A fool's errand. Like when you sought a God's power but found the Cheetah's curse.

Cheetah: More like the Cheetah's gift. I'm stronger faster and.....thirsty. So thirsty....for Amazon Blood.

The two settle their old score with Minerva clashing her claws on Diana's sword while Kara tried to get back up but felt herself being held from behind

It was Harley she manage to catch up while Catwoman Red Hood and Cyborg monitor at the batcave

Harley: You alright Blondie?

Supergirl: Harley?

Harley: Shhh. Sit tight honey. Just let Aunty Harleen work on that scratch.

Harley put pressure on Kara's wound till her powers heal her the way she was showing care to her was nothing like what Diana and Adam told her about her

Kara learned from them about Harley's relationship with the Joker and her involvement in Metropolis but this utterly confused her more than everyone being afraid of her Harley....was NOT as cruel and insane as she was told she was

Wonder Woman and Cheetah continued fighting they bashed each other to push forward on one another

Cheetah: THESE ARE MY HUNTING GROUNDS!

Wonder Woman: TIME TO CLIP THOSE CLAWS!

Diana pulls back and BASHES her down with her shield

Wonder Woman: Your curse can never be undone. This is the peace you deserve.

She grabs Cheetah by the neck and Harley and Kara saw what was happening

Supergirl: What is she---?!

Harley: Better let the grown ups talk sweetie.

Diana lifts Minerva up and about to stab her but her sword was shot out of her hand....by Harley

Harley: She's had enough Wonder Bread.

Wonder Woman: This isn't your business clown.

Harley: Did you have wax in your ears bitch?! BATS SAID NO KILLING!!

Diana gritted her teeth the way Harley lectured her she threw Cheetah aside landing hard on the floor which Kara didn't understand why Diana was acting like a complete psychopath as Harley was the caring ally

They were complete opposites of what she was told of them

Wonder Woman: After your involvement with Kal's family's murder you DARE to lecture me?! Tell me Quinn: How much blood is on your hands?

Harley: Well....not gonna lie. Buckets full honey. But all that was cause I was trying too hard to impress the wrong guy. Kinda like you with S-Man. Especially after you let him murder poor sweet little Billy!

She was right. She was ABSOLUTELY right.

Superman had deceived and fooled her just like the Joker did all those years and she just let it happen all for his love and approval. Now the process was repeating for Diana.

Hearing that only angers her. She felt that for all her loyalty to the Man of Steel, she did what she did because it was the right thing to do. And she sure as hell didn't like Harley comparing the two of them. She gritted her teeth before dropping Cheetah and began to charge towards Harley. Harley, no initiative needed, began shooting only for Diana to dodge the bullets with her bracelets and kept charging until she went up….

….and impaled Harley near the stomach with her sword.

Supergirl: NO!!!!

Quickly as Harley bends over, coughing up blood, Kara’s horror comes alight.

Wonder Woman wasn't going to claim another victim today – Krypton's last daughter would make sure of it. Wonder Woman only raised her sword as she kicked Harley down to the ground…..and Supergirl kicked the Amazon with enough force to send her flying a hundred or so feet away.

With Wonder Woman out of the way, Supergirl ran up to Harley.

Kara: You're losing too much blood. If I don't dualize it soon....

Harley: I've had worse.

Supergirl: I don’t know if you have. Cause this is gonna hurt. A lot.

There’s a soft chuckle there.

Harley:....Even better.

Kara used her heat vision to solidify the wound so that she wouldn't lose any more blood. Seething her teeth, it wasn’t long before the clown yells out in pain, but it was worth it – Supergirl had saved her life.

Barely.

Diana soon recovered, DISPLEASED in Kara’s defiance, not just attacking her, even more seeing her tend to the wounds of the enemy.

Wonder Woman: What are you doing, Kara?!

Supergirl: What am I doing?! What are YOU doing?! I'm stopping you before you make a mistake.

Wonder Woman: That lunatic deserves to perish.

Supergirl: For what?! She’s had no trial! She’s defenseless.

Kara could not understand why Diana was being heartless and expected her to do the same; how could she after all she was taught on Krypton? Wonder Woman's behavior was unbelievable…..yet, her locked away on Theymiscria by her own Amazons sisters started to fit in a piece of that oblong puzzle.

Now it started to click for her.

Supergirl: I don't believe you! You told me Amazons fought with honor.

Wonder Woman: There’s only honor in victory. Superman has loved me better than my own sisters could ever have!

Supergirl: How dare you talk about my baby cousin that way! He'd be sick with you as I am!

Not taking anymore of Kara's defiance, Diana had just about enough of Supergirl – she was going to put the teenager in place.

Tacking the imitative, she bashes Supergirl with her shield and kicked her in the chest. Supergirl wasn't going to take that standing down and let Wonder Woman beat her up, so she blasted Diana’s shield out of her hand with her heat vision.

She grabbed Wonder Woman by the neck and flew up into the air, throwing Wonder Woman back towards the cement ground. Wonder Woman speedily flew back up and punched her hard enough to send her flying.

Now it was Wonder Woman grabbing Supergirl by the neck, and she flew them down to the ground, using Supergirl to smash the bronze statue of Superman, a rather odd hypocritical testament to the man Kal once was.

Wonder Woman knew her sword wouldn't do much against the Girl of Steel, so she grabbed her again, slammed her down to the ground, and began decking her repeatedly, and with all of her strength. Supergirl began to groan in pain – she wasn't going to back down. Not to this killer.

She blocks the last punch before kicking her off, kipping up to her feet quickly.

She’s quick to burst ahead at full speed, just in time too before Diana clashes her bracelets together; mere inches before they can clash.

Pulling her arms apart, Kara just headbutts her across the face.

Stuns her.

Diana, aggravated, puckers her lips and headbutts Kara back.

Stuns her too.

This left Kara a little groggy but in doing so, she slides up from underneath Diana, still gripping her arms and turns Wonder Woman inside out. Just as she gets up, Supergirl clocks her with a roundhouse kick.

Still, she refuses to stay down.

Supergirl: I trusted you to reach me.

Wonder Woman: You still have much to learn down here.

Supergirl: Like how to lie?

Wonder Woman: To eradicate those who deserve to die.

Kara had enough it was clear to her that Diana wasn't as noble as she told her she was disgusted enough to outburst

Supergirl: I thought you were my friend Diana....but now I see maybe your own mother locked you up for a GOOD reason!

Diana grew angry for that and was about to attack till Diana was hit from behind.....by Donna

She had thwarted the Perademons at the bar and caught up with Diana

Donna: I'm not letting you run Diana. You're going back to the Dungeon! Like it or not!

Wonder Woman: Like Hades I will!

Once again they clashed and Kara didn't want to leave her to face Wonder Woman alone so she blew her ice breath to freeze her feet Wonder Woman saw it coming and dodged it and as a result freezing Donna's feet instead

Supergirl: Oops

Oops is right Donna was stuck and in ice and Diana turned to Supergirl in rage

Wonder Woman: You're making the same mistake as Barry Jason and Terra Kara.

Supergirl: Maybe they didn't like you being a murderer either Diana. And who is this Billy Harley mentioned?

That was the detail Diana hoped she never ask given he never mentioned him to Kara but her expression didn't change

Wonder Woman: He was a traitor that questioned your cousin. He was put rightfully in his proper place

Oooh! If Kara knew about Billy's age she would know just how low Diana sunk saying that

Either way Kara had no reason to believe her anymore she just turned to Donna melting the ice off her ankle with her heat vision to Diana's surprise

Wonder Woman: No!

Wonder girl was free and attacked the Rouge Amazon again clashing her down

Donna: Thanks.

Supergirl: Are you an Amazon like Diana?

Donna: I'm nothing like her I mean I wasn't born an Amazon but I'm not a murderer like her. I'm Donna.

Supergirl: I'm----

Donna: I know who you are. You're the Kryptonian that busted Diana out of the Dungeon.

Supergirl: And I regret it now. I didn't know she was evil.

Donna: She's not really evil. She's just been manipulated like the Queen was long ago. But I have to get her back to Theymiscira.

Supergirl: We could use your help to stop Darkseid.

Donna: Gladly but first Diana must be locked up.

Never!

They looked back seeing Wonder Woman stand back up and she clashed with Wonder Girl again but with the help of Supergirl this time she tried to pull her away but Diana pushed her off

Wonder Woman then pins Donna to a wall with her armored boot

Wonder Woman: We trained you well Donna but you still have much to learn!

Diana rases her blade till.....

....a gun was fired on the wall above them: A warning shot

The three looked back and saw it was Deadshot (Will Smith) aiming his laser sighting at Diana's head

Deadshot: Don't you fucking move!

They didn't and he motioned Kara to get Harley help

She nods and runs up to her Diana tended to stop her but Deadshot gave her a second warning shot near her feet

Deadshot: I said don't move goddamn it!

Supergirl picks Harley up gently

Supergirl: You're gonna be ok.

Kara flies off with Harley which Diana was dissatisfied in her mind Kara betrayed the Regime too

Supergirl: Don't worry I'll get you to a Doctor. Kal and I can protect you.

Harley:....Superman.....? Hehehe....Oh Blondie....you're funny....

On one hand, Harley couldn't believe it – was Supergirl truly this oblivious? She honestly felt a little bad, wondering how Supergirl would handle the truth.

Still, she felt bad. Harley let out a weak chuckle.

As Supergirl flew away from the smoldering buildings of Metropolis, she couldn't help but wonder what the clown meant.

This left Wonder Woman face to face with the alleged man who never misses of the Suicide Squad.

Wonder Woman: Blood money won’t save you, Lawton. Can’t believe Waller protected you.

Deadshot: As long as it meant the people got their cities back, I was down for my freedom and theirs. Plus, I was the best attack dog she had.

Wonder Woman: Yet you’re wasting bullets.

Deadshot: It only takes one.

Wonder Woman: Feel comfortable with your shots now, though?

Deadshot: Are you just gonna deflect them?

Wonder Woman: Finding out might kill you......

Floyd only shrugs at the thought.

Growing impatient, slashes at Deadshot’s stomach only for Deadshot to take out his rifle, lock and load, and heave it down on Diana’s head. He then throws his rifle into the air and proceeds to pummel the Amazon with his knife and wrist mounted guns. He then grabs the rifle as it falls from the sky, slings it over his shoulder, and shoots his opponent in the head.

Unfortunately, the bullet literally bounces off of Diana’s forehead and then slings back to Floyd as it nails him straight through the shoulder.

And then, all of a sudden…..

…..a torpedo shaped-sized human charges at Diana at high speeds, plowing into her and knocking her back miles back, effectively removing her from the field of battle.

Floyd was quick to hold onto his shoulder and even more so to see Christopher Smith, the Peacemaker himself (John Cena) rolling through after following through with his human torpedo attack, thanks to his helmet.

That was a sight he never really expected; seeing the man who previously killed Flag save his life, switching sides so easily.

Without hesitation, Peacemaker walks up to Floyd and gripping ahold of his other hand, lifts him up slowly.

Cutting somewhere in Florynce Darkseid's fleet hadn't invaded it yet but that's where the Batwing was flying to.....

....to find Alfred

Batman lands on a patio of a hotel room but....saw the screen doors broken open from the outside with the glass of the floor inside

Batman: The hell?

He walked inside and saw Alfred's room was a wreck glass on the floor furniture torn open and flipped over and blood trails which Bruce worried for the worse for his long time friend and the father figure he had after his parents were murdered

Batman: Alfred.....Brother Eye. Activate Image Analysis.

Image Analysis: Activated.

Batman: If I'm going to find Alfred I need to set up a crime scene through Image Analysis and find out what happened to him. I can link anything together to view images of anyone that was here during the event.

Bruce put in his detective mode in a new vision he designed sometime after the Fall of the Regime

Bruce starts by linking the blood trails to the glass chips but the link didn't match

Batman: No match. Thank God.

He then link then link the glass to the ripped up couch and found a match and the Image Analysis revealed a figure busting in through the screen door

Batman: Someone indeed break in through the screen door. The impact caused the glass to fly across the room shredding the couch. But the Analysis doesn't ID the figure that broke in.

He then looks up and saw a Samurai Sword stuck in the wall

Batman: The hell....I seen that sword before.

He analyzes it detecting fingerprints on the handle and ID a positive match

Batman: These fingerprints are a match for Ra's Al Ghul. Confirming he was who broke in here and attacked Alfred. But what has he done to him?

Bruce then linked the sword to the glass on the floor

Batman: Ra's came in through the screen door startling Alfred sitting on the couch. Ra's threw his sword but Alfred dodged it by leaning back flipping the couch over before the blade of the sword stuck in the wall.

The Dark Knight then walked behind the couch linking where Alfred landed to where Ra's came in

Batman: Alfred stood back up and ran to the fireplace while Ra's chased him through the room. Alfred grabbed something to use as a weapon and attacked Ra's when he was three steps away from him. Alfred got an open hit on him. Alfred stabbed Ra's in the left side stomach. Confirming the blood of the floor belongs to Ra's. I need to find that Benefit Alfred used to defend himself if I'm gonna find out the rest.

Bruce searched around the place for the Benefit and soon found it on the kitchen floor with more blood stains

Batman then links it to the other blood trail

Batman: Alfred ran for the door but Ra's manage to grab him by the right shoulder and threw him into the kitchen Alfred quickly got up when Ra's charged at him. He lunged his elbow in Ra's jaw and stabbed him again in the back of the left shoulder. While Ra's was stuck Alfred ran out the door. He must've escaped. Ra's pulled the Benefit out of his shoulder and ran out after them.

He deactivated his disactivated his detective mode still a puzzled about something.

Batman: I must've missed something. Alfred knows he wouldn't shake Ra's off that easily. He had to of leave me clue.

He walked back to the living room rewinding the images when Alfred fell over the couch and replayed

Batman: After Alfred fell over the couch he threw something under it before getting up. But what?

He deactivated his detective mode again lifts up the couch

It was a chip that goes to a cell phone Bruce picks it up analyzing it and then he plugs it in his right gauntlet connected a signal where on his holographic image with Alfred himself (Jeremy Irons) appearing on it

Master Bruce?

Batman: Alfred thank God. Where are you?

I had to lay low. Master Al Ghul attacked me last night. To my relief some Ninjas drove him off. Have the League turn on him?

Batman: Not exactly. Nyssa is a leading a rebellion against him. It must have been her men that chased him off.

She always was the wisest in the family. But the next thing I hear aliens are invading again.

Batman: You heard right Alfred. And it's what I feared more than Superman loosing control. Darkseid is finally here.

Bloody hell. What does he want?

Batman: Revenge. For the murder of his son: Kaliback.

Does that mean....?

Batman: He's here for Clark yes. And I can't stop him without him.

Sir...I hope you're not telling me what I think you're telling me.

Batman: I had no choice. But still have what I built in case he ever got out. I'll use it if Clark relapses after Darkseid is naturalize and recon he will. But I'm afraid it turns out....Kal's not really the last of his kind. There's another Kryptonian.

Another? Who is it?

Batman: A teenage girl named Kara Zor-El. She claims to be Superman's older cousin and protector but was frozen in cryo-sleep after Krypton was destroyed slowing down her aging process. Black Adam found her and brought her here. And like Clark she inherited the same powers as him when arriving here and now she's resumed her duty in protecting Clark. Even from me.

Does she even know about Mr. Kent's crimes?

Batman: I don't know. I don't think Adam and Diana told her about that. I do know they're pulling her strings. But we can't worry about that right now. Where are you now?

I'm at the islandly cafe. Apparently when word got out about aliens returning to earth they made random places into shelters.

Batman: Stay where you are Alfred. I'll be there soon.

He cuts the transmission

And not long after that one ends, another call comes blaring through.

Not a really convincing sign. But Batman presses down on his wrist, answering the call and thus opening the door to forbidding doom.

How fortunate that you’ve come so far to greet the presence of a man no less deserving than you, Bruce. Rather surprised I haven’t been to your house as of yet.

No time was needed to dissect whose voice that was.

Batman: Ra’s.

All those decades slipping and passing by, who would’ve thought we’d cross paths again? Luckily, I just so happen to be the equalizer in this exception. Go onwards and say your goodbyes. Maybe perhaps then, when your grief dissolves into anguish and anger, maybe THEN will you unlock the full potential needed to finally face me.

Bruce didn’t need speculate as to what he meant by that because the end picture once it came together was not pretty.

I have left enough life in him for some final words.......IF you hurry.

Now Bruce was furious.

Batman: ALFRED!!!!

Bolting out of the room, effectively ending the brief conversation, Bruce is quick to bolt out of the closest window, his Batwing ready on stand by to catch him before making a direct U-turn and blasting off.

The newest cafe nearby was the former Ditta Artigianale, a place where it boasted coffee made with beans from a choice of worldwide sources, plus brunch options at sidewalk tables. Now it was a homemade shelter for those seeking refuge amongst those who followed or supported Superman’s tyrannical rule.

Unfortunately, a pile of dust, ruble and fire laid in its wake; a sight that didn’t take long to catch the Batman’s notice, much to the shock of those unlucky civilians on the roads and sidewalks. Ladders, trash cans, cabinets, columns, even the ceiling had collapsed onto what was once a delectable place to eat, drink and just hang out.

Immediately upon exiting, Bruce immediately toggles his Detective Vision: augmented vision lenses built into the cowl of his suit, to scan the eradicated area. No other objects were highlighted through the debris; this scope of vision unable to detect any faint signs of human life or other hazardous materials nearby.

However, one thing does eventually come up on the sidewalk.

A trail of dry blood.

And the rest of it led back to inside.

Charging on in, Batman rushes inside the burning building much to the amazement of the crowd, running amongst the hallway while keeping an eye on the blood trail on the floor beneath him.

Down the stairs, past the lobby and running through the main floor like a manic, he was desperately going against the clock here.

Batman: Alfred?! ALFRED?!

Still following the blood trail, it lead to a dead end all the way down to the janitors room, still covered in dust but nowhere near as messy as the upper levels. Figuring that this is probably where it all came together, he didn’t bother waiting. He bursts through the doors to find the room a complete mess.

This is where that blood trail had left to: underneath the pile.

That’s when he heard VERY light sounds of groaning underneath the wreckage.

Batman: Alfred?! Hold on, ok. I’m gonna get you out of there.

Racing against whatever seconds were left down there, he had to shrug off all the cans and ladders and just shove the cabinets off one by one before getting to the collapsed bits of the ceiling. Shoving off the debris bit by bit and there lied Alfred flat on his back, blood trickling out his mouth, his glasses broken and his skin looking more pale than usual.

Kneeling down and lifting him off the ground, he sees just how badly injured his former butler and father figure was; not to mention......a sword to the chest.

No question who was behind it now.

Alfred: B-Bruce?

Batman: You’re gonna be alright.

He felt Alfreds' old ridgy shaky hands vibrating over his shirt as he weakly grabs ahold of him, just as Bruce slowly pulls the sword out Alfreds’ chest. But none of that could be more shaking than what Alfred said next.

Alfred: Do-Don’t add me.....to the weight you carry......

Nothing but excessive coughing and hacking results in more blood trickling out from his mouth. Bruce tried to keep him upright but it was too little, too late.

Alfred laid back as the light in his eyes slowly dwindled away and his pulse faded.

This could not have come at a worse time. They had been through it all; the rouges gallery, Joker, Superman, Steppenwolf, the League, Metropolis, the war with the Regime. It was a long tremulous, jagged road to justice that Bruce effectively dragged Alfred into.

A nightmare he’s tried to prevent forever.

And not only did most of his friends die, but now he was the only person who meant anything and everything to him, the one who truly gave a damn about his cause after his parents were murdered right in front of him......

....so did he.

The last thing Bruce ever wanted, and he was ABSOLUTELY aside himself.

Batman: NO!

Furious, he slammed his fists down upon the pavement only for his gauntlet to shock electricity from its sprouts. He took notice of the shock gauntlets wrapped around the base of his elbows and hands.

Immediately, he got himself an idea. If this didn’t work, then there’d be no hope.

Setting up the exact measurement and velocity needed, he presses down on Alfreds' chest and shocks him once, attempting to jumpstart his heart.

No reaction.

He shocks him AGAIN, no reaction.

Bruce: Come on, dammit!

The third time, nothing happens.

But he doesn’t give in easily.

It took six shocks, SIX SHOCKS to the chest to fully resuscitate Alfred as he immediately took a deep breath and began upchucking before coughing in pain.

That was one crisis averted for now as he lifts him up, slowly.

Hours later Alfred at a hospital with Bruce unmasked but still in suit facing down

Alfred: I know I haven't always supported what you do. But....I now understand. Go. They need you out there sir.

Bruce: I can't.

Alfred: What do you mean?

Bruce: I can't defend Gotham. Or Metropolis. I can't even defend my own friends. Clark was right.....I failed you.

Alfred: No. I failed you sir. I left when you needed me. This war changed everything indeed. Including my faith in you. And my old age makes me arrogant but it was only cause I worry about you. When your parents died I looked at you as my own son. I hope you can forgive me.

Bruce: I don't think I can forgive myself.

Bruce turned away with Brother-Eye speaking in his ear but turned him off

Alfred: Master Bruce...now is not the time for doubt. We both knew this day was coming ever since the Zod invasion. And I know.....your assembly against was divided when Joker destroyed Metropolis....but.....at least they're still standing to stop it. But they can't do it without you.

Bruce: I can't do it.

Alfred: No you can't. Not on your own. Bruce there are times where you have to be reminded....that you are a man. Not an island. And a man's will of success is not just by brawns and intelligence.

Bruce: You sound like Barbra now.

Suddenly to their surprise a wormhole burst open Bruce knew it was by the portal it was Cyborg's teleporter who obviously reestablished it after fixing Brother-Eye

And who came out of it was the entire Bat-Family in costumes and unmasked: Selina Barbra Tim and Jason

Bruce: What'd you all doing here?

Tim: Do you really have to ask?

Bruce didn't reply and everyone turned to Alfred

Alfred: You all still have a bloody sense of timing.

It didn't take long for Alfred to notice Jason

Alfred: Master Todd....?

Jason: Hi old man.

Alfred: It's good to see you dear boy.

Jason: It's good to see you.

Alfred: You're all grown up. Hehe....how are you?

Jason: I been worse.

Selina: We all have.

Barbra: How you feeling Alfred?

Alfred: I'd be better....if Master Bruce would keep his chin up.

Selina turned and walked to him

Selina: Hey.....I'm feeling bad enough about my own mistakes. You don't get to feel bad for things that aren't your fault. I don't want Helena learning that from her father.

Bruce mildly grin and he nodded

Alfred: They need you sir.

Silence till.....

Bruce: No. They need us.

All the bat-family looked at him in determination

Soon later.....

.....they all stood together back in masks staring at the sun set

The Batwing rose up above them and all looked up at then each other

Red Hood Batgirl and Red Robin teleported back to Gotham while Batman and Catwoman grappled up to the Batwing flying back

The Bat and the Cat had one last stop to make; a much needed detour with some unfinished business to dig up.

Back at the Fortress of Solitude, it was uneventful.

At first.

Superman was angered to find storage equipment and elevator platforms at his old base of operations – evidently, people had taken to trying to pick apart everything from the Fortress for safekeeping or for research. He would put a stop to that once the threat of Darkseid was over.

But he had other matters on his mind – his powers were restored......MOSTLY.

He flew down from the Artic sky towards Black Adam and Talia, ready to take on Darkseid. But he needed more than brute force and meandering mind games to finally rid the universe of the Lord Of Apokolips, and he knew it.

Breathing in and out heavily, it felt relieving to be HIM again.

He turned his head to Talia.

Superman: Did you find anything?

Talia: I analyzed the Kryptonian data like you asked. You didn't miss anything – they just didn't have an answer for Darkseid.

He was very visibly frustrated with her response.

Superman: There has to be something. A blind spot, a weakness. Brute force won't be enough.

While Superman was worrying about how they would take down Darkseid, Black Adam was getting worried about his country.

Black Adam: If your powers are restored, I should leave for Kahndaq -make sure its defenses are prepared.

Superman: Darkseid hasn't attacked it yet?

Black Adam: The Rock of Eternity's magic hides Kahndaq from prying eyes – But I don't expect him to be fooled forever.

Before Superman could say anything to Black Adam, another cape flocking in the wind caught their attention as Supergirl flew into the Fortress after she delivered Harley to the medic wing as promised.

Supergirl: Kal, we need to talk.

Superman: Give me a minute, both of you.

Hearing his request, Black Adam and Talia obliged and walked away while Superman levitated back down the ground. Kara was happy to finally make her concerns known.

And to get her cousin alone.

Superman: Talia told me what happened. Is Diana all right? Are you ok?

Supergirl: Yeah. Diana’s fine. We ran into a lot of trouble but.....

She has to collect her breath before dropping her bombshell.

Supergirl: We barely made it…..and—and then, she was going to kill Harley. She didn’t have any look or sense of remorse come over her. I-I never saw her this......cold blooded.

Superman: Yes......it is unfortunate......

Supergirl: I know. I just—what was she thinking?

She found herself relieved to see that Superman seemed to be in agreement with her; a faint glimmer of hope that perhaps not all was as it was made out to be since he was locked in that cell.

But the response she got back wasn’t what she was expecting to hear at all.

Superman: It’s unfortunate that Diana chose NOW to deal with Harley......even moreso, that YOU got in the way.

Supergirl: What?

Kara was both confused and horrified to see her cousin in line with Diana's view. So Kal decided that he need to enlighten the younger Kryptonian on Harley's story.

Superman: Quinn helped Joker ruin me when they turned me into a weapon of mass destruction. He spent decades sickening her mind beyond repair.

Supergirl: Then for Raos sake, get her a doctor.

Superman: What she has can’t be cured. By the time she relapses, innocent people will die.

Supergirl: Innocent people are dying now! She was.....she was helping us!

Superman: Don’t be naive, Kara. Harley’s a criminal. It doesn’t matter whether she was in the right mindset or not; she still cost me everything and her teaming up with Batman only makes it worse. The only mistake I made was not dealing with her sooner.

He briefly turns himself away, facing the opposite direction. He felt confident enough that he got his point across. But if only he knew how resistant and persistent Kara was.

She was not backing down.

A brief pause later and Kara starts to piece the puzzle together. What she saw didn’t make her feel any better but she needed confirmation.

Kara: Kal, I have to know. People say the Joker……he was executed. Is it true?

She really was out of the loop with a lot more than it was perceived she thought. He was surprised to see that nobody didn't tell her who killed the Clown Prince of Crime.

So again, he felt he had to explain himself.

Superman: You can’t POSSIBLY understand what he took from me. He stole the life me and Lois would’ve had together. Our child was going to be someone like me in the world: another Kryptonian. Someone who would’ve made me feel less alone. The Joker wouldn't stop with my family. I took one life to save MILLIONS.

Supergirl: But you didn't stop at one, did you Kal? How many? HOW MANY?!

No response was given since Clark didn't answer right away, and Supergirl was left frustrated, and angrily grabbed his shoulder and turned him to her eyes.

Supergirl: TELL ME!

Still no response.

Green Arrow, Manhunter, Nightwing, Shazam, and everyone else Superman killed during the time of the Regime came flooding back to his memory. Superman lamented to himself how many fellow heroes he killed in that five year timespan…..but he didn't regret any of it. He wanted to bring peace, and they got in the way, so they had to dealt with. And if he had to kill any other heroes in the near future, so be it.

Kara, ashamed and dumbfounded, placed her hand on Superman's 'S' insignia.

Supergirl: Our symbol is supposed to mean "Hope". But everywhere I go, people are AFRAID of this.....and now I know why.

Dumbfounded and in shock, Kara found it hard to look back up at her younger cousin in a familiar light now; all the time spent over those past two years training her body, toughening her resolve, learning all these languages and laws and rules and principles of this world….

…..it couldn’t have been all for nothing. She just wanted her cousin back and this was who was left in his place? A tyrant? She couldn’t have felt anymore disappointed.

And Kal caught notice. Sighing softly to himself, a faint glimmer of doubt peeks in as he shakes his head. If he could go back to the way things were in the past, when he resembled the status quo and the League was family, he might’ve had his way.

But he knew he was too far gone. There was no coming back from the war, from the Regime.

From any of this.

Superman: Kara....I never wanted this. This is how I wanted things to turn out, honestly. It's just......when I held back then......and even NOW, we......we’ve been slaughtering each other for millennia. And I couldn't let it go on no more; I had to step in and STOP that violence! We need strong leadership. The people I’ve grown to love and care for, we have to protect them from themselves......whatever it takes.

Supergirl: I can't believe what I'm hearing......Batman was right about you.....you have changed!

Superman: I don't want to hear any more about Batman. He turned against me when I needed him the most. Him and these LAWMAKERS with their endless debates have led our world to ruin! The Regime created peace and it will do so again.

Nothing but pure bewilderment came over Kara as she could only stand there in silence and let all of this sink in. She could not believe the cousin she was supposed to protect was saying this; almost mirroring the exact quotes General Zod gave before Kryptons destruction and his imprisonment in the Phantom Zone.

At this rate, there was no convincing her otherwise.

Supergirl: You're not the same baby I held at birth.....the same cousin I babysat for, fed you your formula, changed your diapers.....

Only ONE question popped out of her mouth and boy, was it ever accurate.

Supergirl: Who’s.....who’s son are you: Jor-El's? Or......GENERAL ZOD'S?!

She flew away in a rage.

Superman called her name, but she ignored him – she didn't want anything to do with him. Not now.

Kara had no idea what she was going to do. But as of right now, the only viable choice was to go to Batman – she wanted to know if he would tell her the truth. How things really went down. But there was opposition she would have to face first.

Don't let Kara leave the fortress!

Kara's path was suddenly blocked by Talia but she was not in the mood for anything stopping her after the terrible truth she found out about her cousin

Taila: Hold on Kara.

Supergirl: You're as twisted and psychotic as your father! I don't blame Batman for dumping you!

Talia: My beloved never understood the destiny father build for us!

Talia drew her sword but given the mt of strength they have Kara could easily crush but unlike Clark she melted her sword with her heat vision and lunged at her knocked her out

Supergirl: Ra's should have set a better example.

She was about to fly away but she was zapped by a beam...by Black Adam

Black Adam: You will summit Kara Zor-El!

Supergirl: SUMMIT YOURSELF! Ever since you found me....everything you and Diana told me...half truths! LIES! ONLY TO COVER UP YOUR OWN EVIL!!

Black Adam: You see the world as a child does. Good and evil are not constants. Their meanings only defined by those with power.

Adam blasts again but Kara easily dodged it this time and lunged her palm at his face but then Black Adam grabbed her wrist and threw her behind him

Kara landed hard on the floor but she blasted her heat ray at him but Adam blast a spell to deflect it

But the rage and fury inside Kara made her push forward on him then when Adam was distracted enough Supergirl speeded behind him and kicked him odd

But Adam got up right after and beamed at her again and she hit an iced wall cracking it

Adam hovered at her all blunt expecting her to summit to him

Black Adam: Summit.

Supergirl: NEVER!!!!

She launched at him and crashed him through the floor and started pumbling him in the head repeatedly with tears in her rageful eyes till it knocked him out cold

Supergirl: Lucky for you I find power in restraint!

Kara please.

Supergirl looked up seeing Superman hovering down trying to reason with her but Kara looked at him with the tears still running in disgust and feeling betrayed by him and who can really blame her

Superman: I KNOW this is hard on you. Believe me. No one feels worse about it than I do. But with our powers we can't hold back or the ones we love will pay the price.

Supergirl: YOU BETRAYED YOUR OWN FAMILY!!

Kal faced down not really blaming Kara for being blunt at him

Supergirl: YOUR PARENTS PUT THEIR LAST HOPES IN YOU!!! THEY SACFRIFICED EVERYTHING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!!!! CRUSHING THEIR HOPES AND DREAMS IN YOU BY REPEATING ZOD'S CRIMES SEEMS TO BE A PITY POOR WAY TO REPAY THEM!!!!

Superman sighed still facing down he finally got reunited with someone of his own blood who in a way was starting to make him understand why Bruce had to stop him

Supergirl: HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF?! A PART OF ME WISHES YOUR PARENTS WERE TO STRAIGHTEN YOU OUT!!! BUT ANOTHER PART OF ME IS GLAD THEY'RE NOT HERE TO SEE YOU LIKE THIS!! DO YOU SERIOUSLY THINK THIS MONSTER YOU'VE BECOME WOULD MAKE THEM PROUD?!?!?!?!

Superman: I'm not saying it would. But all I wanted was to insure no else would loose their families like I lost mine. The Joker would never stop killing! He just kept taking! and taking! AND TAKING! NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES BRUCE LOCKED HIM UP IN THAT ASYLUM HE ALWAYS ESCAPED!! I was gonna name my son after my earth father. There was so much I wanted to do with him. On his birthdays and Graduation....and that NEVER got to happen....because of that FUCKING CLOWN!!!!

Kara then understood his pain for she felt it the way he yelled

Supergirl: Kal I'm sorry I wasn't here when I was suppose to. I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you save Lois and Jon. But they and Metropolis weren't your fault.

Superman: YES IT WAS! I killed them Kara! The Joker drugged me! He made me see Lois as General Zod himself! And it forced me to carry him to space....I didn't see her...until it was too late. I watched her die floating in space and it killed our son and all of Metropolis! I promised myself....never again.

Supergirl: This isn't who we are Kal. This isn't who YOU are. Our ancestors build the house of El for hope. It isn't ruled by fear.

Superman: HOPE isn't enough to save the world! Without me they'd be dead!

Supergirl: They’d be free! But we can free them together! We can’t just kill them; YOUR PARENTS WOULDN'T WANT THIS FOR YOU!

Superman: WELL, WHAT IF ZOD WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG?!

Few things sting harder than hearing someone you care about speak out something so derogatory and damaging towards something they once showed genuine care for; even moreso if that was the very thing they swore to never fight against.

Years of doubt, frustration, misery and self-indulgence molded the former Clark Kent, a once-proud wholesome man who stood proudly by his hardline values and ethics into a cynical, brutal, hate-filled tyrant AT BEST and bitter man driven by remorse, anger, and sadness at WORST. The latter ultimately being tugged at and peeled back as these last few years are away at the once proud barrier of the House of El’s legacy.

To hear him doubt those teachings? To claim Zod maybe had a point in his crusade?

The pain of that betrayal burned even stronger into Kara’s brain. The fact he expressed remorse for his actions hinted at her younger cousin not being too far beyond redemption…..

…..but he needed to be knocked down his pedestal, if only for a little while. It left Kara almost snarling her teeth.

Supergirl, having had enough from her cousin, made the first move, blasting him back with heat-vision in the chest. Kal was quick to redirect the trajectory of the blast before punching her into the statue of Jor-El and Lara, smashing the former's head off in the process.

Kara took a moment to note the fallen head of Superman's father before charging right back towards her cousin.

Now it was Superman gritting his teeth and yelling in frustration before he tried to use his freeze breath against her, but Supergirl dodged it and delivered a powerful kick to the face, sending Superman flying a few feet.

As the two exchanged blows and blasts of heat vision and freeze breath, Supergirl was still trying to let it sink in that she was going up against her own cousin. The very cousin she had promised her parents she would protect.

Her last living relative.

But she couldn't let that get in the way – she wouldn't let familial ties blind her to Superman's faults.

Superman tried to heat-vision her in the face, but Supergirl deflected it with freeze breath and heat-visioned him the leg. She furiously flew towards her cousin, but Superman froze her in place…..momentarily to get some breathing room.

When she did break free, it was to her disadvantage; he yanked her by the arm and slammed her face into the ground.

Kal finally began to gain the upper hand and began to punch and heat-vision Supergirl repeatedly. They may have had the same powerset, but Superman had little over two decades of experience against Supergirl and her anger and inexperience was showing a lot. For a minute or two, Supergirl wasn't able to get in a single punch.

But she figured that since she took down Wonder Woman and Black Adam, her cousin couldn't be that much more of a stretch.

Finally, she was able to block one of Superman's punches, and punched him square across the face, staggering him right back. And with one swift kick to the gut and a sliming roundhouse, it sent him back flying. She began to punch and kick him repeatedly before finally grabbing him by the arm and slamming him into the ground below.

He was left laying there for a solid minute, just enough for the two cousins to catch their breaths. Supergirl slowly flew towards him, landing on her own two feet.

Supergirl: I can still help you…..

This was effectively pleading, somewhat in the bargaining phase, not willing to give up hope on Superman.

Black Adam flew towards the two Kryptonians as Kal got up slowly.

Black Adam: Think about all you've lost, Kara. What if you could've saved Krypton?

Supergirl paused for a moment, remembering the memory of seeing her mother and father killed before her eyes before her rocket departed off the planet. She remembered how helpless she was – and how much she wished she had the powers she wielded now.

Supergirl: I—I still think about it every day!

Black Adam: Then stand with us.

She’s left surveying the messy terrains of this room, her standing in the midst between two all powerful titans. She did, however, catch notice of Talia no longer being in the room.

Before she could question that, rumbling sounds and explosions could be heard in the distance with each undeniable boom, crash, scream and warp ringing through Kal and Kara’s ears. Supergirl was horrified as to what that meant. This shouldn't have been happening right now, but it was, and she didn't know what to make of it.

But she did know exactly what it was. And WHO it was.

Supergirl: No no no no no! It’s Darkseid! He found us!

Black Adam: Then we fight back! I must go to protect Kahndaq. If he learns of me, he will surely find it.

Superman: Go; we'll hold him off. Meet us back at Metropolis.

Black Adam: What about her?

Superman: All that matters now is stopping Darkseid. But when this is over….

He turns back towards his older cousin.

Superman:…..you need to make a choice. You're either with me or against me.

Kara couldn't help but feel heartbroken – the last thing she ever wanted was to be at odds with her cousin like this. But Superman was right – Darkseid was the top priority at the moment. Still, she couldn’t resist the urge to cry.

Tears still ran from Kara's eyes as her cousin expected the same thing from as Diana did earlier. She could not go against what her parents and uncle taught her; part of her was even glad Jor and Laura weren't here to see their son like this.

But another part made her wish they were here to talk to him out of this.

Out of nowhere and with no forewarning, an enlarged 12-foot tall hand ripped through a mutating Boom Tube out the other side of the room and just grabs Clark with little to no notice, taking everyone by surprise.

Superman: Argh!

Supergirl: KAL!

Zipping forward, she attempts to grab him out of the hand but Parademons flew from out of the Boomtube, essentially clawing her out of the sire and tackling her down. With extra attacking the outside, it was rapturing and tearing down the Fortress, shard by Kryptonian shard.

One of those shards broke off from off the ceiling and it fell directly onto Kara, knocking her out momentarily.

With Black Adam maneuvering out the way for cover, it couldn’t help Kal as the hand crushes him in its grasp before pulling the Man Of Steel through the Boom Tube.....

.....to the outside of the Fortress.

Almost immediately, he’s drained of his energy. Exhausted and feeling a sprain in his left arm, he had to grab the back end of his shoulder and twist it back into place as he gritted his teeth in pain.

The Parademons quickly turned their attention to the Man Of Steel, creeping, flying and festering around him like a horde of angry wasps sticking out its nest.

They couldn’t smell any fear from Superman. No scent ever showed itself.

Leave us.

The voice was new, at least to Superman. For the Parademons, it was a cold, sterling reminder as to what would happen if they didn’t obey. Quickly, they dispersed from the Fortress, swarming around like flies and leaving Superman on his lonesome to face the giant a few feet away from him with his arms around his back.

Clark stands steadily tingling as he glances over at the figure in front of him....

…..Darkseid.

Darkseid: Kal-El of Krypton. We meet at last.

Superman: Darkseid I presume.

Darkseid: In all years of conquest I have watched you for a very long time I never thought things would be personal between us. There was a time when I wanted us to be partners. Friends. Perhaps Father and Son. But all that died with my REAL son.

Superman: Then you should have kept him on a leash or was it you who sent him to attack Earth. If so you're more responsible for his death than I am.

Darkseid: Fool. We thought you were going soft. We never thought you were capable of havoc. You were all about good and then you grow ruthless and unmerciful. What exactly happen to you Superman? Did Stephanwolf let out the fierce in you? Did Brainiac take control of your mind? What happened to the wimpy Superman that cared sacred the lives on this planet?

Superman: If you must know.....a madman murdered my family! Along with ALL of Metropolis! He took EVERYTHING from me! Leaving with nothing but to stop all crime from happening before it does!

Darkseid: Hmm...My condolences to your family. However.....you still murdered mine.

Superman: He should not have been invading here in the first place. He brought it on himself! As did you!

Darkseid: Kaliback's death will be avenged!

Superman: I don't take that threat likely.

Superman charged at him but Darkseid blocked his shot with just one hand

Darkseid: Please tell me that wasn't your best.

He didn't care he kept attacking but Darkseid kept blocking his attacks and then Darkseid blasted his laser eyes at him Superman yelled in pain weakening him completely Kara defeated the Pera attacking her in time to fly out to see Darkseid hurting him she tried to get there to help them but....he spotted her

Kara froze in the air with him carrying Kal by the head his giant hand completely covering his whole head in a tight grip and he grinned at Supergirl sinisterly

Darkseid: You must be Kara Zor-El. I know we haven't made acquaintance but I was told you were there during my invasion on Krypton.

Despite how hurt and angry she was at Superman for his murder record her protection tempts still kick in seeing the way Darkseid was torturing him

Kara's tears still flowed as she yelled at the wicked Warlord

Supergirl: PUT HIM DOWN!! NOW!!!!

Darkseid: You mean THIS son killer?

He held him up gripping his head tighter Kara could hear his muffled screams under his hand flashbacking to Kal's birth loosing him in space reunited with him at STRYKERS to now made Kara grit her teeth and her eyes burned in red

Supergirl: I SAID PUT HIM DOWN!!!!!

She launched at him POUNDING him forcing him to drop Superman he looked back seeing Kara force Darkseid into the snowy ground just for him to punch her off him

Kara fell back rolling sideways with Clark speeded up and kneed down to his cousin

Superman: Kara...I'm here.

Darkseid stood up with the Kryptonian duo looking back at him they heard shrieks from behind them Perademons were coming their way shrieking but Darkseid held up his hand ordering them to stand down

Darkseid: Leave the Kryptonians to me.

He stared deathly at them who both while they stand their ground

Supergirl: We'll take him together.

Superman: Agreed.

Darkseid: I am challenged not only by the murderer of my own son....but a mere child?

Supergirl: Our God Rao will protect us.

Darkseid: There is no Rao only Darkseid.

Superman: Stay away from my cousin.

Darkseid: Whatever I can't control I must destroy.

Superman: Who the hell do you think you are?

Boy, was THAT a wrong answer.

Darkseid: I am MANY THINGS, Kal-El. You couldn’t begin to imagine half of them. But for now.......I shall take the role of executioner.

He can see his eyes glistening up and radiating with red as Clark saw exactly what he was about to do. Determined to make the first move first, he charges forward with as much speed and velocity as he could before he finally gets up to point blank range and socks him square in the face.....

......causing a shockwave.

After a few seconds with no reaction from either man, Superman backs up almost immediately gripping his hand as he goes down to a knee; his hand writhing in agony.

The Red Solar energy hadn’t completely wore off of him just yet.

Distracted, Darkseid blasts Clark with his Omega beams, much to Kara’s horror.

Darkseid: Your final gift for the sorrow you have caused me.

He blasts him again as Clark flips over on the ice with blood dripping from his mouth.

Darkseid: A fast death; infinitely preferable to the shame of leaving your precious Earth defenseless. On Krypton, it wouldn’t have mattered much differently. Your legacy has been one of fear and distrust - a pariah desperately seeking the favor of a world that cursed your name......and forever tainted your image.

Unwilling to give in to the rule of this tyrant, Supergirl stepped up to the plate. Balling up her fist and charging forward with one punch, she socks Darkseid with an uppercut to the chin.

It barely effects him or moved him from the impact. He took the punch but no damage was being taken.

Undeterred and determined, she continues to deliver onslaught after onslaught of punches before slamming down on Darkseid’s back with an axe handle and then kneeing him in the face. By the time she goes for yet ANOTHER punch.....

.....Darkseid stops her.

Darkseid: You DARE strike me?!

Kara struggled more than she had the right to, almost fidgeting her way out of his grasp out of pure desperation. A massive gust of wind does bombard both Kara and Darkseid’s field of vision; Superman utilizes his super breath to try and create distance between the two.

All he ended up doing was annoying the Lord of Apokolips further.

With one single headbutt, Darkseid launches Kara back miles away. It left Superman the chance to, once again, go for a strike. But Darkseid catches the punch again.

Not only holding his hand back but crushing it as well, Clark could feel bone after bone after bone snap within his hand and his wrist as he went down to a knee. Just like with Hal Jordan, he forcefully snaps his arm out of place as Clark just laid there writhing in agony.

He then boots him across the face before slamming Kal amongst the icy terrain by his legs and then tossing him further towards a sunken ship.

Crawling amongst the ice and slipping over himself to get back to his feet, Clark, in sheer desperation, launches his heat vision only for Darkseid to retaliate back with his Omega beams.

Needless to say, it was VERY one-sided.

Forcing his beams into Superman, he walks forward with his hands behind his back as he cranks up the pressure forcing Superman down to the ice unable to keep the beam struggling even. Then he gets kicked upside the head for his troubles as Clark skids among the ice once more....

.....only for Darkseid to leap forward and literally stomp on his head, as it bounces off his heel, cracking the ice beneath him.

Darkseid: THIS is where you belong, Kal-El: UNDER MY HEEL.

Kal struggled dearly…..but perhaps not as much as Bruce mentally.

His father figure nearly died because of the mess he dragged him into. There was only so much one man could grasp before such internal bindings ate away at his soul; among the many other things that remained seconds away from tearing the Dark Knight apart. But he couldn’t let this slide.

Ra’s needed to answer for this. And Selina agreed.

So it was back to Arkham City for him. Back to the discarded Wonder City.

Batman and Catwoman ventured through the entrance hall seeing dead bodies hung up some were even rebels

Bruce and Selina tended to confront Ra's and end the Society's crusade and hopefully find out what happened to Dinah and Montoya

Suddenly Bruce felt another pain in his chest he dropped to his knees which drew Selina to tend to him

Catwoman: Are you alright? Is it another sedgier?

Batman: Just....give me a minute....

Batman tried to ignore the pain while standing back up with Cat holding on to him

Batman:....I'll be alright.

Catwoman: No you won't. I'm taking you back to the cave.

Batman: No. My sedative. It's in the packet on belt.

Selina looked down opened his packet and saw he was down to one

Catwoman: There's only one.

Batman: We can't worry about it now. Hurry.

She ejects it into his neck which took a few seconds but the pain was soon gone

Catwoman: If you have another seizer like this before we face Darkseid it'll be over. Seriously Bruce what'd you want me to do? What do I get Tim Barbra or Jason.....?

Batman: I'll make it.

Bruce as always was a man on a mission too determine let anything stop him even natural illness

Selina's anxiety was really getting to her enough that finally if there anything to steal and had to choose between that or Bruce....for the first time since the first events in Arkham City she chose Bruce

However then smoke popped up and were ambushed by four League Ninja's

Batman and Catwoman took two each countering their sword attacks Selina then whipped one Ninja then tied the other's legs together and pulls her down

Bruce breaks the third Ninja's sword with his gauntlet punching her in the face and kicking the other in the stomach and all were beaten down

Catwoman: And I thought Diana fought dirty.

Batman: We're getting close. Let's keep moving.

They proceeded forward and then not long after they made it to Ra's's temple only to be ambushed by more Ninja's

Leader Ninja: You should not have trespassed! Now you must be---

Stop!

The Ninja's stood down and entered......Talia with her group her of Ninja's

Batman: Talia.....

Catwoman: Aren't you supposed to be at the Fortress of Solitude with Superman?

Talia: Superman is at full power now but why I'm here is maybe show my father Superman's true intentions and maybe he'll help us destroy Darkseid.

Catwoman: Remember when Superman tried to recruit him? That didn't end well last time.

Talia: It doesn't concern you thief! I---

Talia was interrupted by......a boomtube and all looked back to see Ra's stepping out of it with his hands behind his back and smirking mainly at Bruce

Batman: Ra's Al Ghul.

Talia: Father.

Ra's Al Ghul: Welcome Detective. Daughter. Ms. Kyle.

Batman: What's all this about Ra's? Darkseid hired you to throw us off his back?

Ra's Al Ghul: I am not one of hire. I only formed an alliance with Darkseid to rid us of Superman.

Talia: Father we need Superman to save the Earth.

Ra's Al Ghul: Yet you'll allow your new Master to rule it again? He merely brought the League of Assassins to the brink of extinction. Superman must be exterminated!

Batman: Leave it Ra's. Tell me about the Society. It's not like you to recruit a team of villains.

Ra's Al Ghul: They're only to thwart the rebels and any Regimers.

Batman: Well it ends now Ra's. Give us the Boomtuber. Now.

Ra's Al Ghul: If I did you would stand no chance against Darkseid. But....there is one solution I can offer you Detective. Take my sword. Kill me. Use the Lazures Pit to achieve immortality and great power. You will be more powerful than both Darkseid AND Superman. It is your destiny.

Batman: I will never kill again. Not even you.

Ra's Al Ghul: And that....is your final answer? Hehehehehe......

No reaction, no response, not even a hint of ANYTHING resonated from the Dark Knight. As usual.

Ra’s didn’t mind it. He often knew the true identity even behind the cowl after all. But he caught something; a deeper sense of resentment than usual.

Ra’s: He lives.

Batman just nods “Yes”.

Ra’s: Should’ve let the old man be at peace.

Batman: Peace is a strong word to insure for someone who’s spent the last three decades governing over a traumatic young man who dedicated his life’s work to war on crime.

Ra’s: “War”?

Chuckling as uneasily as he did, it only meant the worst. He only sets his sword down while his ninja assassins only stepped aside with caution.

Ra’s: You yourself fought the decadence of Gotham for years with all your strength, all your resources, all your moral authority. And the only victory you achieved was a lie. Even you need to understand that Gotham is beyond saving, and must be allowed to die.

Batman: Not until these lungs give out.

Again, Ra’s just chuckles. Knowing how hopefully stubborn and paranoid the man behind the cowl normally is, he knows he wouldn’t convince him otherwise.

No answer back was given. So that would, in fact, be his final answer. Once again, he chuckles.

If there was no way to convince him, then he’d have to handle this the hard way.

Ra’s: You refuse to do what is right. So now......only one of us is going to leave this chamber ALIVE.

Batman: We’ll see.

Seeing how both men were men of their words, both parties had intended to keep it that way. Picking his sword up again and unsheathing the plating around the metal, he only just stares at his rival with malicious intent.....

......only for the walls to collapse in on itself as endless rain of sand pours in from the confines of the chamber, blocking Batman’s peripheral vision as he just became bombarded and blinded by the sand with everything and everyone being blacked out.

Upon waking up, Batman is quick to discover where he was......or the lack thereof.

A barren wasteland covered by a sandstorm.

It wouldn’t be that big of an issue if it didn’t look similar to his nightmare. Once again, the past imagery of the wasteland pops into his head with the Omega lambda sticking out from the rest of the scenery, reminding him exactly what was happening and what was bound to happen if he didn’t succeed in stopping Darkseid.

As the pressure once again intensified from within, the Dark Knight started to hyperventilate yet again. Setting down to a knee while breathing in and out of sync, he barely avoids falling into shock as he just exclaims loudly and brings himself to his feet again.

But out of the blue Ra's himself appears from the sky landing hard on the ground

Ra's Al Ghul: You should have killed me when you had the chance!

Ra's lunged struck by lightning becoming a sand figure but Batman dodges the attack just for the Sand Ra's multiplied into five

Batman knew this wasn't real but he still had to fight to find the real Ra's and fought off the first two Sand Ra's that nearly took Bruce's head off and when punching third one it flashed back into reality for a short while seeing he punched the real Ra's then flashbacked into the wasteland

Catwoman saw what was happening and knew something was off she tend to run to him but felt a hit in the cheek out of no where by Talia

Talia: I believe you and I have some unfinished business as well. Bigger than I have with my own sister.

Selina stood up whipping the blood off her mouth

Catwoman: We're supposed to be working together. Case you forgot we have an alien invasion. Besides last time I whooped your skinny ass after you murdered Holly.

Talia: Your actions aren't anywhere close to be cleaner than mine.

Catwoman: Aware of that but....burglary is not an option for me anymore.

Talia: What my beloved see's in you I'll never know. All though you are with his stands between us and our destiny.

Catwoman: Destiny? Jesus Christ. Is it crazy bitch season? Cause I don't know who's more insane. You Diana or Ivy.

Talia drew her sword

Talia: You have a lot of nerve.

Catwoman: Story of my life.

She draws her whip and then two of Bruce's love lives began their own faceoff

Selina launched her whip but Talia gave it a CLEAN slice off to the top and lunged at her but Selina countered her blade with her claws and both clashed

Bruce fought off the three remaining Ra's in the hallucinating wasteland

He defeats one with a punch in the chest another behind him with a kick in the stomach

The third appears as Ra's himself yelling clashing sword but Bruce counters his attacks then grabbed the blade pushing it back

Ra's Al Ghul: GIVE......IN!

Then Bats forced his blade near his neck flashing them back to reality

Batman: NEVER!

Batman’s gauntlets clicked aside the metal with Ra’s sword, almost melting together in unison: the means two men are willing to go to if it means they achieve peace. But Ra’s hatred of the criminal underworld was extensive, far exceeding that of a typical eco-terrorist as he believed that the mass eradication of the population of Gotham was beneficial for the world.

This made Bruce the enemy begrudgingly, despite the lengths he’s usually willing to do this.

But now both Ra’s and her daughter had leverage to use against the World’s Greatest Detective…..and Talia was keeping her squarely at bay.

Despite Selina’s high-end acrobatics and use of evasion, the daughter of the Head of the Demon was quick to put a temporary halt on her offense after one quick slice gone wrong.

She misses the sword strike and just when Selina pounces on her, slashes her and jumps back to create distance, Talia quickly gripped her sword and simply swung it upward….

….uppercutting Selina and temporarily knocking her woozy.

Finally, she had the cat burglar right where she wanted him. But of course, greater issues mattered. So she drags Selina up to her knees and places her in a sleeper hold variant, the cold metal of her sword inching against Selina’s neck.

Bruce’s attention was adverted.

Talia: We were meant to rule over this Earth; to wipe it clean of the scum of humanity; only we can do this. I just found another way in doing such a thing.

Batman: And what does that make Ra’s alliance with Darkseid?

Ra’s: A means to an end.

Batman: Helping him destroy the planet.

Ra’s: It deserves to be cleansed from the sins mankind embedded into its very core; something you cannot possibly foresee unless you do what needs to be done.

Talia: For once…..I agree.

A stalemate appeared to be in order.

Talia: Take his blade. Kill him.

Ra’s: Accept your destiny.

Both father and daughter wanted a known adversary of theirs to kill but for completely different reasons: one for legacy and the other for a misguided power struggle.

Ra’s had always viewed Batman as perhaps his one true successor. And with the planet in peril and Ra’s deal on the verge of being lived through, it only seemed like the proper time for Batman to cement himself as fully, if not the new Head of the Demon, then the one who usurped Ra’s Al Ghul and took his place.

A proposition Bruce wouldn’t dare think twice about again.

Batman: You know I won’t do that.

Talia: Then, beloved……what comes next…..is unavoidable.

The room swirls around in a whirlwind yet again; Batman’s vision snapping back to the Sandy ruins and Ra’s body in front of him morphs into yet another sand castle.

It crumbles before him. He’s back in the illusion; Talia and Selina remain missing from this fever dream.

Eventually, sand ninja demons pop up from beneath the sand en masse; many of them backing away from the Dark Knight creating a constantly revolving ring just as Ra's himself pops up from the sand.

A meditating Ra's levitates and descends through the air as a giant gust of wind pushes Bruce back through the sandy ruins.

Ra's: WItness the TRUE POWER of my LAZARUS PIT!

Ra's then morphed a giant sand image of himself with man size sand Ra's's surrounding them

The giant sand Ra's then drew it's sword and bashed it down nearly hitting Bruce but he barley dodged it then giant electric swords burst out of the ground and moved towards him but he barley dodged them too

The Giant Sand Ra's then threw surging at him barely dodged them too but one cut a piece of his cape off

Batman had enough of this the world was near it's end and fighting Ra's may have blew precious time and Darkseid could blow up the world anytime even if the JL and TT members did their assignments

Batman then took a grapple gun connecting it to an electrifying machine making a taser pistol

Bruce took a shot but missed cause more giant blades bursting of ground coming his way

He took another but missed again barely avoiding the Sand Ra's's swinging it's sword

A third shot but this time.....he hit him guess the third time really is the charm

The electric shot broke Ra's meditation his sand images dissolved Ra's let out a frustrating and monstrous yell and he fell in the sand

Only to burst out and attack Batman with his sword but like earlier Batman countered his blade with his gauntlets and then....HEADBUTS Ra's and pumbles him with punches directly in his fist

Batman then takes his sword then kicks Ra's back snapping them both back in reality Bruce then hears his name being called out and he turns around to see Talia taken Selina hostage and holding a blade to her throat

Catwoman struggled by Talia's grip on her was too tight Selina can't even scratch her to get free Talia's dagger was too close to her neck

Catwoman: Please Bruce.....

Talia: Listen to me beloved and listen well. You WILL kill him. You and I will lead the league assassins together against Darkseid and rule by my side cause if you do not join us....I will KILL the only person you have ever loved.

Catwoman: Is this part of your plan?

Batman looked back to Ra's and knew Talia would do it given she's become more unstable than usual since she joined Superman but Bruce thought carefully of his next move he took an remote control battering from his belt and barely tilting his head around

Talia: Do it.

Batman looked back

Catwoman: NO BRUCE!

And suddenly.....The Dark Knight threw the battering flying behind Talia then launches at her then hits her in the back of her head Selina took the advantage and SLASHED Talia in the face and struck her back

Catwoman: This is for Holly bitch!

Selina kept beating at Talia and kicked her hitting a wall Talia was down for the count

Batman....then turns to Ra's thinking back when he nearly killed Alfred

He couldn’t give into those impulses. Not again.

He was better than that.

Unfortunately, Ra’s simply would not let up.

Ra’s just leaps off of the ground and just charges at the Dark Knight only for him to slide underneath the blade and kick him square across the face. Once again, the Sandy ruins return.

Coming back with another punch across the face, a palm strike, three guys punches and an elbow, Ra’s is quick to turn it around by meeting his sword with the blades on Batman’s gauntlets and swiping up, slashing Batman past his chest and then past his neck.

Dodging and disarming the sword with ease, Batman then finds himself on the onslaught of a flurry of sword slashes, having to use his gauntlet blades on his arm to defend himself.

Literally a full 30 to 35 seconds into the flurry, Ra’s switches it up as he again goes for the chest but Bruce barely catches the blade.

Following an elbow and another punch to the face, Ra’s is quick to avoid the boot as he slices Bruce by the legs, forcing him down to a knee. Despite Bruce still keeping his guard up, Ra’s found a blind spot and exploited it, allowing him to take over.

Taking advantage, he stabs him, this time through Bruce’s hip.

He doesn’t exclaim loudly through the pain, but he does groan softly.

Ra’s: I saw potential in you? An ordinary man wearing a cape who was not willing to do what was necessary? A fools errand, on my behalf.

This allows Ra’s to take Bruce off his feet.

Ra’s: If you can’t muster the strength to fight injustice, then you can’t escape

Batman: Who said anything about escaping?

He flips a explosive gel grenade directly underneath Ra’s as he sets it off, exploding and rupturing the sand and debris all around him as the imagery of the wasteland finally fades away for good. Eventually, they were both back in the chamber room.

Only this time, everything’s on fire.

Batman: You never did learn to mind your surroundings!

Adding further insult to injury, Batman headbutts Ra’s before he monkey flips him over him as Ra’s immediately kicks back up. Once again, he isn’t fast enough as he gets met with a flurry of punches to the face as Batman guts him with his knee before slamming Ra’s into the butt of his sword and kicking him back as he then grabs it himself.

Seconds later and he gets met with another Remote Control Bat-a-rang that just brushes Ra’s aside. But it wasn’t done there.

The Bat-a-rang spun around in a circular motion as four of them taps and hits against all four containers of the Lazarus machine before all the vats explode and combust simultaneously within one another......

.....only for the floors above to simultaneously combust and crumble as well since the Lazarus machine was connected and wired to every single floor via tubes.

Standing in the midst of the smoke and ashes as everything just crumbled before him, Ra’s barely dodges a quick-fire Batclaw only for the claw to whip him back the other way as he propels towards Batman. Flipping over Ra’s, Bruce slams him to the ground putting all his weight on him as he grips his sword by the handle.

This wasn’t the first time he’s been in this predicament as Bruce just stared at the cold tainted metal on the blade; the same blade that’s been used to bathe in the blood of Ra’s enemies. He knew what Ra’s wanted him to do and judging by the look on his face, he didn’t like it.

Ra’s: That’s it. Take it all.

Time and time again, he’s been tested with that notion of doing WHATEVER was necessary to accomplish peace even if it meant at the expense of another life. Bruce knew EXACTLY what that feeling was like: to lose all stimulation of control and to go down a path you’d ever recover from. Despite the difficulty of staying true to his mentality and his paranoid state of mind, this wasn’t the time to break the pattern he’d worked so hard for to recover.

He couldn’t risk it.....not in the midst of this soon-to-be reality of what was his knightmare. Looking over at Selina; it only made the decision more precarious.

Before he says anything, the ceiling caves in as ruble falls down all over the place, making it worse since the building is already collapsing all over itself. Looking up through the huge collapsed hole, is where he finds the Batwing hovering way above the building dangling down.

Backup plans for his backup plans.

Would he break his code?

No.

But would the world be a little less dangerous with Ra’s not around?

Yes.

Batman: You weren’t a good man, Ra’s. But you had......conviction.

His way of saying: “I won’t kill you but I don’t have to save you.”

He had every reason to get out at this rate.

Stepping away from Ra’s, Selina makes it back to his side; the both of them grappling Batclaw’s up to the Batwing without even looking upwards and shooting themselves up out of the collapsing building.

But not without taking Ra’s sword with him.

This left the Head of the Demon on his lonesome, with his daughter.

Ra’s: Detective.......I’m proud of you.

He doesn’t get up, he doesn’t try to move, he doesn’t do anything.

He just closes his eyes and accepts his fate as the debris just crumbles down and flattens him all while the rest of Elliot Memorial Hospital is reduced to nothing.

As for the Kryptonians, there wasn’t much to do.

By the time Superman got back up to his feet and zooms right past the Fortress, all the way around to the back and toward the mountain, it ruptured into a hail of snow as Supergirl was chucked out the remains of the mountain into Kal. Both cousins stumble and flip over on the surface in pain before just exchanging looks with each other.

Even together, they barely stood a chance against Darkseid.

Darkseid: Fools. Your puny abilities are nothing compared to my wrath.

Supergirl: It's no use even together we don't need to stand a chance! We need the others.

Superman: I can still take him.

Superman got up about to launch at the Overlord but Kara stopped him by stepping between him

Supergirl: Kal I told you what he's capable of when he invaded Krypton. Your father and Zod had an army to hold him at bay. We need to rally Bruce Diana and the others.

Superman looked back at Darkseid and he approached them with his hands behind his back they were out of options

Kal then nods to his cousin

Superman: Let's get out of here.

The two Kryptonians flew away with Darkseid looking up at them frowning he wasn't finished with the Kryptonians just yet

He then opened the boomtube walked in and it closed no doubt transporting him back to the Flagship which was over Metropolis

It's shadow covered the entire city it began to shake empty car alarms went off dead civilians lied everywhere and survivors were on yawts and in shelters

Lucius himself holding Bruce and Selina's daughter stood staring out to the disaster in worry until.....

.....the Batwing flew over Wayne Tower Fox grinned and gave them a nod

The Batwing flew across the water heading for the heart of Metropolis

Catwoman: I just heard from Superman and Supergirl. They're almost here. The others will be tackling the fleet soon. Shouldn't we head back for Gotham?

Batman: Darkseid controls the entire fleet from that Flagship. We take him down we take them all down.

Catwoman: Then if Superman wasn't bad enough this could be the fight of our lives.

Batman: Could be.

Selina's scanner detects bogeys coming out of the time ship

Catwoman: Contact: Perademons dead ahead!

Pera's did indeed fly out from the ship Batman armed the weapon systems firing at any Perademon flying at the Batwing

He clears them away......at first.....till more came their way......but the Kryptoian duo appear from cracks in the sky blasting their heatwaves at the Pera's clearing the skies more

Catwoman: They gave us an opening.

Batman: Locking on the Flagship.

The Batwing flies straight for Darkseid's ship locking on it

Catwoman: FIRE!!

Batman launches two missiles but.....

....Darkseid reappearing from the boomtube from earlier and sat back on his throne

Darkseid: Activate shields.

Ray shields beamed around the Flagship deflecting Batman's missiles and catching the Batwing causing it to go out of active

Catwoman: Five seconds for impact!

Batman: Prepare to eject!

Catwoman: Three seconds!

To their surprise......

.....their frenemy flew in and caught the Batwing with his bare hands lifting it upside down Bruce and Selina happen to see Clark outside

Superman: You're welcome.

Batman nods to him and gets the Batwing back in active and Superman turned it back up and it flew again

Superman: What I missed?

Batman: Darkseid's ray shield created a concussive feedback loop.

Superman: And let me guess: The harder we hit it the harder it hits us.

Catwoman: Looks like it.

Kara launches pass the Batwing and Superman flying at the ship

Superman: KARA!!!

Supergirl yells throwing a punch but the shield bounced her off and it electrified her trying to pull her in but Kal flies in to save her but it catches him too and it pushes them away causing them to fall

Darkseid: The Kryptonians are incapacitated. Prepare to launch first impact.

The warship wastes no time whatsoever quickly trudging its way into position, hovering directly over Superman’s beloved Metropolis, similar to that of Coast City. Its daunting size caused many of the citizens to flee for their lives in a desperate attempt to escape whatever fate they thought the Skull Ship would bring upon them.

But for some of them, it was a futile effort. Darkseid looked down at his rivals' city with contentment, pleased but also disappointed in how easily he was dismantling Superman’s will one by one.

The bottom thruster of his warship hovers in place, rotating around itself as the thruster only opens further and further like a manhole cover, revealing the full-scale Apokoliptian plasma gun once more.

After thirty seconds worth of charging, the bottom thruster beneath the warship simply shoots down a concentrated beam of fusion plasma, in the form of another fast and unstable stream of orange-red light. And almost immediately, entire buildings, streets, vehicles, and people were burned alive and vaporized within seconds.

Neither Kal nor Kara saw any of this.

Not even seconds later after Metropolis was demolished, Superman woke up to black skies, only to stare at his cousin, who still laid unconscious. He walked up to her and used his X-Ray vision to make sure that she was still alive. If it didn’t go his way, he would be furious.

When he saw that her heart was beating and her pulse was still very much strong, Superman sighed slightly.

But now, he focused his attention on the warship. But as he flew up, he noticed something was off about Metropolis – and he realized, to his horror, that all of it was gone.

Not a single trace of Metropolis was left.

Superman: No. NO!

Yelling out in anger, he began charging toward the warship. He briefly forgot about the forcefield, so he was surprised to be sent flying back. He was undeterred, and he began bashing into the warship with all his might.

The next time he bashed into it again was the time he actually needed to recuperate because he didn’t stop until he noticed his nose was bleeding.

But Superman simply wiped it off.

Undeterred by being interred, the Man of Steel charged into Darkseid’s warship again, then flew towards the opposite side of the ship and bashed it from there. He began flying around the fleet ship at superspeed, hitting the fortress as fast and hard as possible.

The more he kept this up, the more likely it would be that the shield would eventually break.

Darkseid just sat there on the throne chair in the middle of the room, and he could begin to feel the ship shake.

Darkseid: Resilient.

Once Superman charged towards the ship again, an Omega beam burst through the walls of the warship, essentially blasting Kal out of midair.

He was stunned to be suddenly sent flying back – towards the crater at the center of Metropolis. He lay there, unable to find the strength to move for a few moments.

He groaned as he got up, and saw that the warship had only moved closer to the ground. It was positioned straight ahead of the Man of Steel – it was almost as if it was a daunting skull-like face staring down at Superman.

Superman merely stared right back, refusing to give up. But in doing so…..he realized felt an inkling of familiarity with this Apokoliptian warship. A sign of Deja Vu.

Back to 2013.

The Zod invasion.

This wasn’t a warship. It was a WORLD ENGINE.

Another giant ray of orange energy rockets down towards Superman. With its power, it quickly overwhelmed the Kryptonian, who could do nothing to resist, screaming aloud.

Supergirl had gotten back up, and she was flying around in an attempt to look for her cousin. She saw what was happening to her cousin, and she flew toward the scene as fast as she could – but it was too late. Superman began to look as if he was disintegrating, and he could only groan in pain.

Then there was another miniature explosion that rocked the area, and the crater was consumed by a mushroom cloud. The blast was enough to send both the Batjet and Supergirl flying back.

By the time they both recovered, they could only see the aftermath of the crater with nothing but smoke and dust rupturing the entire landfill.

Batman: Clark.

Supergirl: Kal…...

Having to exclaim that as the smoke refused to fade away was hard – because she could not find her cousin anywhere.

Minutes turned to a hour and STILL, Kara saw no sign of him.

Finally, the black skies had disappeared, replaced by an orange tint.

Wearily, Batman landed his Batjet into the crater and walked out alongside Catwoman – to see Supergirl solemnly sitting on a rock. If only he could see her holding back tears.

The Flash suddenly super sped into the crater, with Atrocitus flying towards the scene almost immediately after and Static zipping down to catch up. None of them said a word, they just looked around at the crater. Batman hardly noticed the two – he just walked up to Supergirl.

Static could tell something was wrong.

She didn’t have to turn around to see he was there. Based on what she said next in a hurt, regretful voice, Bruce could tell that she was on the brink of tears.

Supergirl: I couldn't find his body. Can't—can’t hear his heartbeat. I was supposed to protect him. From this. From you. And now he's gone….I'm sure that's the best news you heard all day.

To her surprise, she heard him say......

Batman: Kara......I’ll miss him too.

The way he said that told Kara the entire story: he was just as depressed about this fiasco as she was. But still, she couldn’t help but to turn her head to Batman, shocked by what he had just said.

Supergirl: You will? Y-you mean that?

Right here and now was a better opportunity than never to give Kara the full story. Taking himself out of the Batman persona and being himself back down to earth as Bruce Wayne, he just causally walks over to the other side of the rock before sitting himself down next to Kara.

Noticing his unusual body language, she just laid back and kept her distance as Bruce twitched......

.....and then took his cowl off.

Bruce: He was a good friend once. He was...like a brother to me since Harvey went off the deep end. And like him, I trusted Clark with my life. He helped me regain my sanity; Reminded me of what my parents really wanted for me. But the Joker got to him.....and I wasn't there to stop it. I lost my friend Clark. And--I've missed him ever since.

Supergirl: I....didn't even know....

Bruce nodded silently.

But then both he and Kara looked over at the sound of an impacting blast on their right as a boom tube appeared. It also caught Flash, Static and Atrocious’ attention.

And out came both Lanterns (Hal and John), the Teen Titans, Nyssa, Cyborg, and finally Aquaman.

Both Hal and John had to leave the action in Gotham to accompany Cyborg to Atlantis, for the sea king was finally forced to swallow his pride. They all noticed Superman's absence – and deep down, Cyborg was happy that the Man of Steel wasn't in sight.

He was finally able to admit, within himself, that this cause of action was not going to do him any good.

Bruce: Let me guess. Atlantis?

Arthur: Gone. I should’ve listened. And now.....we all die together.

Bruce: We're not giving up yet. Did anyone hear from Beetle or Firestorm?

Red Hood: Not since Gotham.

THIS IS YOUR FAULT, BRUCE!

Everyone turned to see Diana approaching the leader of the Insurgency with Adam close behind. By the time she landed, she just glares angrily right at the Dark Knight.

Wonder Woman: Kal and I would have beaten Darkseid. And now thanks to you, the planet is in ruins! You should have followed our lead.

Having enough of the Amazon and her aggressions, Kara angrily shoved Wonder Woman away.

Supergirl: Stop it, Diana! There's bigger fish to fry with Darkseid; we have to stop him!

Wonder Woman: Not with him!

Supergirl: Why do you hate Bruce so much?! All he's done was try to do what's right! While you're so blunt on everything! You didn't even lift a finger to help anyone!

Wonder Woman: That's enough! You're coming with me!

Wonder Woman grabbed Supergirl on the arm but she PUNCHED her hand off it which hurt Diana like a wrist twist

Wonder Woman: Ahh!

Supergirl: No! I am not! You want to be dishonorable as any rouge Amazon that's your choice! But I will NEVER be as rotten to the core as you! For the daughter of Zeus you're more HADES'S daughter than his!

Wonder Woman froze hearing that being reminded of Zeus's visit to her and him being against the Regime too

Such Discord.

They all looke to see Darkseid's holographic image beamed from the ship

It's no wonder Earthlings have yet to expand their civilization beyond the confines of their planet.

Green Lanter: Did you seriously waited up there just to gloat?

My fleet has now taken postions all across your planet. In one more hour they will destroy everything. And I will blow up this misserable planet. Unless...you surrender Kara Zor-El. She is the last sole survivor of Krypton's destruction. And my last oppertunity to learn Kryptonian wisdom. Surrender her to me....and I give you all my word....I will leave Earth in one peace.

Bruce: Even if we did how would I know that you'll even honor that deal? I'm afraid we won't take it.

The choice is yours Bruce Wayne. You have one hour to reconsider.

The hologram disappears and Kara faces down

Supergirl: Thanks for giving a new girl a chance but....maybe I should go. It's probably the only way to save the Earth.

Bruce: Not a chance. We don't give up friends. We'll find a way to disarm Darkseid's defenses. We have to.

Cyborg: We could try shorting it out. But we'd need to generate an insane mt of power.

Black Adam: Maybe science isn't the answer. I can drive the immense magical power from the Rock of Eternity through the gateway in Kahndaq. But I need an artifact a medium to channel it. Something that can withstand the power.

Aquaman: How bout the Trident of Atlantis?

Black Adam: Yes...that just might work.

Catwoman: We disarm Darkseid's ship defenses then what? Darkseid controls everything on that ship.

Cyborg: But I did cut him off from Brother Eye. It's possible I could make a signal disrupter that could block his network. If you shut down Darkseid's weapon defences we can possibly take down the whole fleet in the cities in one move.

Bruce: Then that's our plan. Aquaman Adam get to Kahndaq. I'll recruit Static Firestorm and Blue Beetle. Victor you rally the Teen Titans.

Bruce pulls his mask back on

Batman: It ends here.

Wonder Woman: For Darkseid and then you Bruce.

Supergirl: No. I won't let you.

Diana grew angry looking at Kara as another Regime traitor but her expression didn't change Kara was NOT gonna let Diana have her way no matter what

Supergirl: I'm going with you Bruce

That angered Diana more

Batman: Stay close to me.

Bruce walked to the Batwing with Kara fallowing him pissing Diana more than ever

Adam and Arthur nod to each other

Returning to Titans Tower minutes later The Red Hood tagged along with Cyborg giving it wouldn't be safe for him alone with his record with Superman and his approval with Starfire after what he said about Dick

Victor was nervous and felt he should aboard but Jason wasn't likely to let happen

Cyborg: I don't think I can face them.

Red Hood: Don't be a wuss. It's not easy for me to be here either but you don't see me chicken out.

Cyborg: You're saying you never chickened out on Raven?

Red Hood: Seriously why is everyone up my ass about her?

Cyborg: Do you really have to ask?

Jason knew he had a point which is why he didn't reply to that they walked in where in the main hall Tim Barb Kori Rachel AND Terra were monitoring everything

Tim: Brother Eye. What's the status of Darkseid's invasion?

Fleets are moving in at every city. Perademons are scattering everywhere. The status is in hyped to be 50% critical.

Barbra: Jesus Christ.....we're not gonna make it are we?

Tim: Don't talk like that honey of course we will.

Kori: Batman's last report confirmed Superman vanished off the grid either he's dead or Darkseid's captured him.

Rachel: Either way we need a plan and we need it now.

If I know the old man he always has one.

The Titans turn around and happen to spot both Jason unmasked and Victor standing from the front entrance

Seeing Cyborg wigged out Starfire to light up her hands in green star bolts but Tim grabbed her shoulder calming her down and Raven seeing Jason had her chilled in her bones

The former Regime members walked down the from the steps to regroup with the Titans

Jason: Still slow ahead Timmy?

Tim: Not as slow as you are to load a gun.

The Boy wonder brothers chuckled patted shoulders while hugging and later Barbra hugged Jason

Jason: Well.....you guys really look like crap.

Barbra: It hasn't exactly been our best day at the office.

Kori: Why are you here Stone?

Calling him by his last name confirmed to Victor he was not in the best place in Kori's eyes

Victor: I get I fucked up Star. The Regime. Dick. Hell everything. But you know we're all on the same side. I mean you're letting Terra back in.

Terra: Because unlike you I opened my eyes after Superman killed Billy.

Victor: I get it. I should have turned away too. And I didn't. It's just......my dad was caught in that Nuke too. We all knew Joker wasn't the only maniac capable of causing a massive destruction like that. I was so sure they repeat Metropolis if they had a chance!

Jason: And it has been repeated.....Metropolis is gone.....AGAIN! along with Coast city. No doubt Gotham is next.

Victor: But this time.....no more judge jury and execution. I really miss the team.....and I know I'll have to do a lot to rebuild all of your trust.....but I'm willing to take any trial you'll put me under.

The others stood in silent and Tim approached him and held out his hand

Tim: I say....welcome back Vic.

Victor grinned and shook his hand Starfire wasn't fully on board with this but was willing to give him another chance Dick would have done the same as Tim

Rachel lifted up her hood and walked out and Jason was the first who saw her Tim saw too and signaled him to fallow her and he nods

Jason went after her and fallowed her up on the roof Raven went stood viewing the second aftermath of Metropolis and Darkseid's flagship hovering above it

Jason: It's awful isn't it?

Raven looked back pulling her hood back off and both viewed the ship there

Rachel: Darkseid can surely give Trigon a run for his money.

Silence came between them not knowing what to say to one another

Jason: This....rooftop is where we met.

She eyed at him

Jason: I mean....we got acquainted here....after you....saved me from....almost being killed in training.

Rachel: I remember.

Jason: When I first saw you I didn't know what to expect except what I thought.....I mean back then I was still.....

Rachel: Yeah....you saw in my head as I saw in yours.

They went silent again staring where the ship was and Jason turned directly at Rachel

Jason: I am sorry I never came for you.

Rachel: You couldn't even if you wanted to. Brother Eye still had Titans Tower monitored.

Jason: Still....it's been two years and all it took was the end of the world to bring us back together.

Rachel: It's heartwarming.

Jason: Hey....

Jason reached for Raven's face gently turning her to face him

Jason: I missed you.

Rachel held back her emotion but hard to hold back a tear

Rachel: I missed you.

From there Rachel and Jason embraced a passionate kiss Raven wrapped an arm around his neck and the other on his shoulder with both of Jason's hands around her waste

The reunited couple didn't know if they'd live through this and time was precious to them

In Raven's room her and Jason took a moment of love making kissing and hugging while rolling around under the covers Rachel laid on him kissing him with the camera moving to a window

It really was not the proper time or place to lay on some holy loving with the end of the world a mere hour away……

….especially with the rest of the team either trying their heads around what to do next, or actively using Brother Eye’s satellites to take a more sanctioned opportunity to look at what they were dealing with.

Channeling the source directly from its neural interface, Barbara was typing lightning fast on the keyboard; felt like she was Oracle all over again.

Tim: Best hands in the business.

She scoffs and chuckles.

Barbara: Brother Eye, give me a closeup on Darkseid’s warship.

Within seconds of the reply, the main computer quickly zooms in pixel by pixel, digitizing a closeup of Darkseid’s warship, still hovering directly over the now barren wasteland that once hosted Superman’s great city.

And still, an orange-red pulsating beam trickled out from its bottom thruster, leveling the wasteland and all other nearby areas. The only question left was…..why was it still there?

Leveling Metropolis would’ve already dealt a big enough blow to Superman’s psyche and ego and making a claim to go after Kara would definitely make things worse but what more could Darkseid possibly want from them?

From HIM?

Barbara: Something isn’t right. Said we have an hour to reconsider but I’m trying to piece together why.

Tim: You mean outside trying to make empty threats?

Barbara: These threats aren’t anything but empty. See what he’s done in the past few hours? He obliterated defenses, wiped multiple cities off the face of the map and…..he may have just killed Clark.

Jason: Yeah, King Zant isn’t fucking around.

Victor: What is that?

The question almost went on deaf ears; the Titans still actively trying to adjust to having more than one traitor back on the same side. Let alone the one who was the most stubborn of the bunch to leave last.

But Victor did get the others attention, almost breathless as he viewed the warship clearly.

He’s quick to take over, mutating his arms into keys to hack into and override their computer to not only get a closer look at Darkseid’s primer carrier but to further get extensive diagnostics on it as well.

And the results……were nothing short of terrifying.

Victor: I’ve seen this before.

Jason: Where?

Victor: Steppenwolf. I saw what he meant. The day we sent him back, I saw Darkseid......in my head. Steppenwolf asked me, “Do you see it? It’s beautiful.”

This just draws more curiosity from the others.

Victor: The vision Bruce was warned about.....it spoke of ravaged cities, all of them being terraformed for habitation; a primordial hellscape of an apocalyptic wasteland.

The manner in which he spoke not only added relevance to Bruce's year-long mission with the League but it spoke a familiar tongue of Deja Vu: one that occurred back in 2013, not long after Superman first showed himself to the public.

Barbara: Are….are you saying…..what I think you’re saying?  

He can only nod.  

Victor: That’s not a warship. It’s a World Engine.

  And almost immediately, the gravity of the situation has just multiplied ten-fold. The danger was very real before but now, it’s a race against the clock.   

Take down the shields and stop the ruler of Apokolips or have Darkseid terraform the Earth and kill everyone in the name of conquest and revenge.

  The faster Adam and Arthur got done, the quicker they could proceed.

It didn't take long for Aquaman, Black Adam, and the Red Lanterns to get to Kahndaq – and when they did, they wasted no time in heading to the gateway. When they reached the gateway, Black Adam, Aquaman, Atrocitus, and Dex-Starr all walked up to it while Bleez, Zillius Zox, and the other Red Lanterns stayed about a hundred feet or so behind at Atrocitus' command.

Given the situation they were all in, it took little convincing for Atrocitus’ to join Arthur and Teth-Adam on their short and brief journey.

Black Adam: The Rock of Eternity is hidden here in a pocket dimension. Since before my encounters with Billy Batson, I've refrained from opening the gateway to it even before Darkseid's invasion.

Aquaman: Because it would draw his eye.

Black Adam: Precisely. And once the door is opened, it's only a matter of time before Darkseid unleashes his wrath upon Kahndaq.

Atrocitus: A fight I look forward to.

There was a long pause before the former champion of Kahndaq slowly approached the gateway, prepping himself to call out to the rebuilt Rock of Eternity that shielded his new home.

Black Adam: Ancient ones, unveil the golden path to me, in your names.

Lightning slowly began to emit from Adam's hands, the rest of it coursing through the rest of his body.

Black Adam: Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, Mehen!

And with that, an enormous blast of lightning shot down towards Black Adam. The lighting emitting from his body was strengthening, and now there was lightning flickering from his eyes. It wasn't long before Adam was able to channel that extensive force, slowly storing the lightning into his chest….

…..from where he shot it towards the gateway.

Aquaman and Atrocitus silently watched as Black Adam opened the gateway from the ancient ones' power.

It wasn't much longer before Black Adam finally got the gateway opened, and he turned his head to face Aquaman and Atrocitus.

"Let's work quickly." Black Adam said rather softly, wanting to get this done as soon as possible.

Aquaman looked up at Atrocitus.

Aquaman: Atrocitus, stay behind for when Darkseid sends his forces.

Atrocitus nodded, and Black Adam and Aquaman began to walk towards the gateway. But they wouldn’t have much time left to get far; they were about to find out how quickly Darkseid’s forces would arrive.

They were startled by Pera's holding Montoya and Canary hostage

Seems Darkseid's kept tabs on Kahnadag till the time came to attack and were looking for the Rock of Eternity and it seemed they were here to bargain with the Birds lives for the rock

Adam though closed it at an instant to keep the Pera's from getting in

Atrocitus: Something tells me the Flag Ship is on it's way. Kahndah will be Darkseid's.

Aquaman: By using pawns?

Atrocitus: My corpse always say pawns usually achieve great victories. If you're willing to sacrifice them.

Adam blasted those that aren't holding Dinah and Montoya catching them off guard Atrocitus beams his red ring to pull them away Adam and Arthur fought off the Perademons

6 Pera's were fried by Adam's magic and Aquaman wacked five more with his triton and pierced a sixth with it but more kept coming from the fleet ship above and just as the Birds recovered Dinah step forward to the first batch

Black Canary: I got the Calvery.

Black Canary made her bird call blowing away the Pera's with Adam flying up to the ship but the hardly stopped coming

Arthur lifted his triton and attacked any Pera's in his way

Aquaman: I WILL avenge Atlantis!

He whacks and pierces any demons in his way and Montoya shot any in hers

Montoya: Lock me up will you?!

She kept firing and Adam blasts the fleet ship while the Pera's were distracted and with the power he drew from the rock of eternity he was able to apply so much pressure to the ship and it EXPLODES

Not long after the remaining Pera's were delt with and after that the Four walked up to the Rock of Eternity and Black Adam reopens the portal and to their surprise......

....Blue Beetle finally flies in long after STRYKERS

Black Canary: Blue Beetle?

Montoya: We were beginning to think you were dead.

Blue Beetle: The Scarab's hard to kill. Batman said you guys needed a hand. I thought you might like a sidekick.

Aquaman: And where are the other two?

Blue Beetle: Static was dealing with the Perademons in Dakota. But now he's on his way back to Gotham. I have no idea where Firestorm is. We got separated. I just hope he's still alive.

Black Adam: We can't worry about it now. Come along.

And right that second all five entered the portal

They were now at the Rock of Eternity.

The orange tint was now replaced by a lifeless gray. The three walked by several statues representing Egyptian lore, until they were at the statutes of the six gods from where Black Adam drew his power. Now that they were where they needed to be, Aquaman finally decided to question how this would be carried.

Better late than never, I suppose.

Aquaman: How does this work, exactly?

Black Adam: We imbue your trident with a spark of the Rock's power. When its full might is released, it will seek out your weapon. Your thoughts will guide the wizard's power to the final target.

Shortly after that, Adam just sat himself down on the throne that divided the six statues. He was ready to do this.

Aquaman: I‘m ready when you are.

Lightning began emitting from all over Adam as he began to fuse and radiate himself with the power that the old gods had bestowed upon him. Fuming and taking over his body, Arthur knew the next step ahead of time.

And in doing so, led Beetle and the Birds away, with Adam telepathically opening the portal to led them back to Kahndaq. Anything to avoid what would happen next.

Three to five minutes passed since harvesting energy from the Rock and it left Blue Beetle, Montoya and Black Canary impatient.

Beetle, however, felt a little dizzy after exiting out the portal again, stumbling down to his feet. Dinah helped Jaime up as she couldn’t help but to ask a…..unusual question of sorts.

Canary: Ted?

Beetle: Jaime? Reyes?

Canary: Oh, right. Sorry, Jaime. It’s just—you remind me of Ted Kord.

Beetle: Don’t blame you for thinking that. He was better at this than I am.

Canary: Always room for improvement. How's your head?

Beetle: Empty.

As he quipped back, Dinah just smirked.

Canary: Just like Ollie. So not much has changed after all.

Their attention was taken when Atrocitus, Bleez, Dex-Starr, Zillius Zox, and the other Red Lanterns, all floating above the ground and all staring right at the two. Needless to say, Jaime was almost scared shitless.

Beetle: Erm….hola….

Given how uneasily that was ushered, he was unsure of what else to say.

Before Jaime could reply, the gateway to the Rock of Eternity opened back up, and Aquaman came running through, his trident now indued with the Rock's power.

Aquaman: All of you! Out of the way!

The two obliged, and Aquaman ran past them. When he stopped running, he slammed his trident onto the ground – and he breathed heavily.

Back at the Rock of Eternity, Black Adam began to absorb the Rock's power, with lots of lightning flickering all through his body – even his eyes were emitting the lightning. He let out soft grunts, having never felt this much power before in centuries.

SHAZAM!

Yelling out his signature cry, he channeled the lighting through his chest again, unleashing it all out of the Rock of Eternity and towards Aquaman. Embedding his trident into the ground barely did the trick; the velocity of the lighting pushed Arthur further back as his feet skidded across the ground.

When Aquaman felt the lighting, he couldn't help but groan in pain – it did hurt a little. But he persevered, and he was able to channel the lightning now. He held his trident up, and with it, went up the lightning.

Back at the crater, Batman, Catwoman, the Green Lanterns and Supergirl were waiting silently, and patiently. Supergirl didn't really have anything to say to Batman – she was just waiting to see any signs that Black Adam and Aquaman were accomplishing their goal.

Little did Kara know that Nyssa was with them as well. She didn’t usher a word to her, nor did Nyssa do the same to anyone....

.....at least until he saw her father’s sword hanging on Batman’s hip.

Upon seeing that, she had to assume the possibility that maybe he did as he promised.

Nyssa: Bruce?

He turns to her.

Nyssa: That sword. Is it done? Is he—?

Batman: I did what needed to be done.

Bruce took an unusually long time to reply back in that manner. He wasn’t really proud of what he had to do.

It took another few seconds for Nyssa to give another reply.

Nyssa: Good. The loyalists will scatter. And I'll be true to my word. The League has no business in Gotham from now on.

Batman: Nyssa.......don't make me regret this.

No response back was given. Nyssa just nodded firmly and just sat back down.

Batman: Victor, where's that signal disruptors?

His patience was now wearing a little thin.

Coming right at ya.

Immediately afterward, Cyborg came through a boom tube with Red Robin and Batgirl close behind. When the boom tube vanished, Cyborg threw both signal disruptors right into Batman's hands.

Cyborg: All you have to do is hit the triggers and let technology handle the rest.

Batgirl: We tried to work out the kinks to get it beyond a certain distance but it still only jams a local area. You need to get within arm's reach of Darkseid to get them both to work.

Kara cracked her knuckles with a smile on her face.

Supergirl: Good.

Just then, black skies suddenly appeared from out west, and Batman, Supergirl, Cyborg, and everyone else all had their eyes on it. Seconds after they appeared, cracks of lighting began to pop up – and the final crack unleashed an enormous wave of lighting, which charged right towards the warship.

After about a minute of watching the lightning attack the warship, Cyborg brought up a holographic panel and analyzed the results.

Cyborg: They did it! Shields are down!

Batman: Supergirl, Lanterns, Cyborg, on me! Robin, Batgirl, help the others fight those Perademons!

Nyssa: Mind giving me a lift?

Supergirl: Better hold on tight, then.

Just as Cyborg took off, Batman closed the Batjet's window as he and Selina flew up towards the warship – with Supergirl and the Lanterns trailing close behind with Nyssa on Kara’s back.

Perademons near the Flagship chased the Batwing but Kara and The Lanterns cleared the way by blasting them with heat ray and ring beams

It gave Batman and Cyborg the chance to fly in the landing pad in the ship three Perademons chased them but Vic blasted them with his cannon barely forcing them away but one blast from the Pera's hit the Batwing and it crashed landed on the floor hitting any Pera's in the way

Bruce punched through the glass of his windshield and crawled out jumping down landing hard on the floor on his feet but The Dark Knight found himself surrounded by more Perademons Cyborg was still fighting those that chased them

Bruce knew he couldn't defeat this many one reached for him but of the blue they were blasted at by Kara's heat ray with the Lanterns behind her blasting their rings too

Green Lantern: Kara go help Bruce. We'll keep these bugs busy.

Green Lantern II: And show them what happens when they mess with my planet.

Supergirl: On my way.

She flew down to Bruce while he walked into a hall and fallowed him

Bruce took a tracer from his belt to track down Darkseid's signal and walked deep into the alien tunnel of the flagship

Supergirl: How much further?

Batman: The signal's getting stronger. This way.

They walked further and found a large door and it automatically opened they had a feeling Darkseid was expecting them Kara was the first to walk in for she recognized this room

Supergirl: I know this floor. This is where my Uncle and General Zod negotiated with Darkseid.

Batman: I'm guessing it didn't take.

Supergirl: No. Uncle Jor tried to be reasonable but Zod declared war out of protecting Krypton.

Batman: How did they stop him Kara?

Supergirl: I don't know I only saw the Negotiation through the codex.

Suddenly both Bruce and Kara were caught off guard by ray shields trapping them and looked around guards up looking around them and right before their eyes Darkseid appears from the shadows with Perademons behind him

Darkseid: Kara Zor-El. Until recently I thought your cousin was the last of your kind. And now that I have you.....he will be. Killing you will make him suffer the pain he made me suffer when he killed my son.

Supergirl: What'd you mean he----? He's still alive?!

Darkseid: Not when he see's you die.

The ray shield around her electrified her to stun her out cold she fell and fall on the floor

Darkseid shut her shields down and had the Pera's take her away

Darkseid then turn to Batman

Darkseid: Bruce Wayne....you have failed in every effort you planned to stop me. Your league against me divided by a puny clown. And now the earth will crumble beneath my feet! Dispose of him.

Darkseid walks away as the shields around Batman shut down the Perademons were about to strike......

.....until......

They were ALL behind pumpled from behind like Dominos.......

.....by The Man of Steel himself

Superman looked back at the Pera's he didn't hit and believe it or not they got scared of him and flew away

Superman: Yeah you all better run!

Kal turned to Bruce and to his surprise Clark......offered his former friend a hand

Bruce was hesitant but took it and he helped him back up

Batman: And I thought I could make an entrance.

Superman: And I thought you could handle yourself.

Batman: Depends on tactics.

Superman: Fair enough. Where are the others?

Batman: Handling the fleet. Cyborg and the Lanterns are on the ship thwarting Darkseid's forces.

Superman: And Kara?

Batman: Captured. She's aboard the ship somewhere.

Superman turned away angry it was bad enough he lost Lois and that Kara was pissed at him for his crimes but the fear of loosing her too overwhelmed her

Batman: Kal....we'll find her. But we only have 20 minutes before Darkseid destroys the Earth.

Superman: Then we don't have time to loose. Our only chance in saving Kara and the Earth.....is working together.

Batman: So partners again?

Superman: Just like old times.

Batman grappled up as Superman flew up after him and when reaching the next floor and by the time they reach it.......

....they happened to run to......Static and Firestorm

Breathing hoarsely and barely standing, the electric kids and the one technically fused with his professor had spent well over at the last 15 to 20 minutes butchering every other available Parademon they stumbled across. In a vein effort to get to Darkseid first, they blindly scoured through the warship as well.

They were on the ship longer than either Justice Leaguer was.

Thankfully, depleted energy and hydration was all they were missing. Other than that, they were ok.

Superman: That’s your walking bombs?

Batman: What’re you doing up here?

Static: Lucius called me off, told me to get Jason and the professor after……

He shrugs his shoulders; an indirect gesture pointing towards a messy encounter which meant barely him or Firestorm got out e tact enough to where they could even be here.

Firestorm: Professor said he’s a bright one. I’d say Virgil’s in my good books too.

Superman: Well, there’s that.

Bruce and Kal than just stared at each other.

The Titans were more than likely taking care of the rest of the Parademons on terra firma so that really only left them on the ship to take care of the threat at large. Cyborg, Nyssa and the Lanterns weren’t far behind but Darkseid called for all the help they could get.

Superman, uncharacteristically, offered his hand out to Virgil who contemplated the gesture for a while. Eventually, he took his hand and Kal helped him up.

Superman: We need all the help we can get.

Static: You know this isn’t permanent, right?

Superman: Well aware, Virgil.

Almost aiding him side to side like an old woman having to cross the street, it took both Virgil and Firestorm off guard. Not for long however, as Batman diverted Firestorms attention.

Batman: Did you get it?

Firestorm: Get what? Oh right right, yeah.

Golden flames materialize out from his hands as he raises his arms up and after forty five seconds of waiting, a weapon was re-materialized.

A shard of gold Kryptonite: exactly the weapon Bruce told Firestorm to get for him.

Firestorm: You…..are going to use that…..right?

Once more, Bruce has to stare at his former friend from behind, taking a massive lead with Virgil as they dove deeper into the ship. His mind froze constructing a sure-fire answer to such a simple question.

Kal had proved in short intervals from time to time that the Superman of old earth was still locked up inside of that shriveled-up, battle-tested heart. The man who once stood for hope, peace, magnificence and excellency actively contemplating his decisions every step of the way?

There was something to that. But the risk was still too high, otherwise, Bruce would’ve tasked Jason and Professor Stein to collect the shard in the first place.

Batman: We’ll see.

As cryptic as he can, Bruce leaves the conversation at that before storing the shard on his belt and walking away. Firestorm was quick to catch up.

The long tremulous walk across the ship yielded no such dividends; every external fiber that went into making this warship, amongst the others, was picked out to have it be as convoluted to figure out as possible to the average intruder.

Superman’s X-Ray vision barely did the four any favors; the least that happened was they were not left having to stumble back around in circles over and over again. However, luck finally came through and the four could catch a minor reprieve before the big shebang.

All four of them packed tightly close to each other; eight pairs of legs hardly sliding the eroded metal beneath them as they came across the next door. Kal did the honors, pushing the large revolving doors wide open.

The throne room.

It was coated in deep colors of gray, red, and orange, almost like the scorching sun but in a sunset gaze type of presentation, a sight two Birds were subjected to just days earlier before their conditional release.

Every crevice of this behemothing juggernaut was coated with discarded metal and heavily furnished black concrete lit up by flames in the walls held on torches; orange cracks seeped out of the corners of everything. There were also strange symbols embedded into the ground, symbols that Bruce was able to crack almost immediately.

Kneeling beside it, it showcased a “Ω”, the 24th and last letter of the Greek alphabet. In Greek, it represents the end of something, the last, the ultimate limit of a set, or the "Great End."

Batman: Omega Lambda 7 x L 9.

Static: Isn’t that Greek?

Batman: Without getting into a lesson in Greek, Omega signifies a grand closure, the conclusion of a large-scale event.

Firestorm: And that's him up front?

Just a single finger redirecting all of their attention put the ball squarely out of their court once again and amongst flames sparking beneath and aside the runway leading up to the throne, Darkseid stood firmly above to greet them.

He took his time approaching the four heroes brave enough to confront him, each step echoing with a thunderous boom to signify his domineering stature over every essential thing he touched, saw, or engineered.

Superman was quick to notice Darkseid uncharacteristically smirking. From the look on his face, he was amused that Kal was never dead to begin with. He knew.

His eyes were primarily laser-focused on Bruce this time around, though......much to everyone’s surprise.

Given how this was the very thing Bruce had been trying to avoid for a decade straight, the painful reality of having to come face to face with it didn’t make the Caped Crusaders' job any easier.

Once again, Darkseid just smirks.

Darkseid: I do respect you.....Bruce Wayne. When humanity is at my mercy....I pray that they remember you.

Batman: Your kind all make the same mistake.

Darkseid: And what would THAT be?

Batman: Thinking you’re too big to fail.

Darkseid: Your hypocrisy is evident, sniveling cur. My Parademons can smell the fear off of you. You’ve seen this day coming for so long.

Batman: Think I haven’t planned for this?

Darkseid: Plans are of no use to a DEAD MAN.

That shuts him up.

After that burn, he finally turns back towards Superman. And needless to say, he wasn’t pleased.

Darkseid: Your....friend is a genius without peer and yet, even an errant intellect like him recognizes my superiority, Kal-El. In time, all life will bow to MY will.

Static: Unless we stop you.

Firestorm: We’ll find a way.

Batman: We always do.

This was a pleasant surprise, nonetheless as it showed how things weren’t all that black and white for the former duo after all. It felt relieving for either of them to actually be on the same page and on the same side again. Felt just like old times, the way it used to be.

But as Kal approaches Darkseid eerily with everyone just watching onwards, a big fight feel echoes throughout the warship, one the Parademons noticed

Darkseid: You truly are a glutton for punishment, Kal-El. I’ve already beaten you once already. What makes the outcome of this encounter any different than before?

Superman: Because THIS time, I won’t stop until you’re just a greasy smear on my fist.

The Lord of Apokolips found himself nodding. He appreciated that drive in him.

Superman: Let's go.

Almost immediately, he just blows him back with a double punch to the chest, making the first move as Darkseid skids across the floor, barely moved by Superman’s strikes.

Superman then charged toward Darkseid and went in for a punch, but Darkseid deflected it and punched Superman in the face twice, sending him down to the ground. Batman charged toward Darkseid as well, heading in for a kick and a punch, but he easily blocks both attacks and punched Batman hard enough to send him flying as well.

Then again, it was made pretty clear that Superman was the only one capable of doing any actual damage to the New God. The best Batman or any of the others could do was distract him.

As Batman and Superman got up, Darkseid crossed his arms and merely stood there as he shot out his Omega beams directly at Superman only for him to respond back with his heat vision. Unfortunately, Darkseid's was much stronger if not more balanced than Superman as Clark struggled to keep himself balanced.

Finally, the beams bounced Clark back to the wall.

Jumping off of it though, he’s met with a right hand.

Static was quick to intervene as he got up on his saucer, about to charge toward Darkseid, but another Omega beam redirected the Dark Knight's trajectory, and threw Batman towards him as they both crash hard by the nearby window.

Batman laid there, struggling to get up.

As for Static, he couldn’t help but to notice Darkseid gripping Superman’s head like a grape. Applying pressure to the head and tanking upwards as Superman began to scream in agony, it looked as if he was about to rip his head clean off.

Not if he had anything to say about it.

Acting quickly, Static formulates Electromagnetic Energy compressed into a large ball of lightning and throws it right at the back of Darkseid's head. It catches his attention despite not feeling anything, and he lets Superman go.

Immediately following that, he’s met with his Static saucer as he just catches it without even looking. Static hopelessly goes for measly punches and kicks despite having no leverage on him.

Thankfully, FIrestorm's fireballs was a good enough distraction for him.

Giving enough time for the Man of Steel to launch at Darkseid knocking him to the floor

Static: ALRIGHT SUPES!

Firestorm: You're cheering for him?

Static: I know it's temporary but he's on our side in this.

Firestorm: Fair enough.

Darkseid slowly got back on his feet chuckling with Superman frowning

Darkseid: Fools...you are only delaying the inevitable. Earth's time...has come

Superman: Over my dead body.

Darkseid: Exactly the plan. But not before I take your cousin the same way you took my son.

Superman: Where's Kara?!

Darkseid: Awaiting trail weather she lives and becomes my slave. Or......to be condemned to painful execution.....and I will make you watch for Kaliback !

Superman: Oh you really shouldn't have said that.

He really shouldn't have....

....Clark’s firery heat ray eyes lid up fueling his rage he launched at him throwing fists at him throwing fists at his jaws

But Darkseid grabs his fists gridding his teeth lightning up his own red eyes

Darkseid: I am far surpassed your strength! You cannot match my wrath! You are only a Kryptonian! Of which I have killed thousands when I invaded your puny planet!

They both blasted their ray beams combining them in a full blast duel

Static and Firestorm turned away from the beams shining the room as Bruce still struggled to stand by catching the action

Batman: Clark.....

They both forced their beams to one another both roaring awaiting impact it got heavier it shook the ship

The others in the ship felt it

Cyborg: What the hell is going on?!

Green Lantern: It's gotta be Darkseid. He be ready to blow up the Earth.

Green Lantern II: Then let's not waste time come on!

They flew on their way as the beams continue to hit

It would certainly cause a chain reaction in the room soon and would have if Batman hadn't barely stood up....

And shot his shock gun at Darkseid from behind stunning him for Superman's heat ray to hit him in the face striking him down

Darkseid was down for the count

Superman: That's for everyone you killed on Krypton...and Earth.

The team gathered around him

Superman: With him down we can take control the ship maybe pull back the fleet in every city.

Batman: Good idea. Should also draw the Perademons away.

Batman went to the panels putting a bat controller on them and took control of the Flagship and he then shut down all holdings on the ship

Which in a result released Kara in the cell Darkseid was keeping her

She frowned in confusion but soon heard Batman and Superman's voices with her hearing

Supergirl: Bruce...Kal....

She flew out of there

Bruce saw on the radar that the entire fleet were all pulling back

Static: It's working!

Firestorm: We won!

They high fived and Batman contacted the whole League

Batman: This is Batman. Superman's alive. Darkseid is down.

The entire fleet is pulling away! The demons too!

Superman: We did it. Now we just need to find Kara.

Batman: Hold on. I just need to deactivate the bottom thruster to stop the terraformation.

Kal is suddenly bum-rushed by a quickly recuperated Darkseid, seemingly impervious to the onslaught of damage he had received previously. One single gargantuan flick of his finger blasts Superman back down the runway, the back of his head clashing against a hanging torch.

Static is quick to jump on the Apokoliptian’s back, clinching down on his shoulders and supplying 50,000 volts of electricity through him. More than enough to electrocute the regular human, Darkseid is left only mildly annoyed at his efforts.

He flicks him away and Static is left hitting the floor hard.

Yet another stream of fireballs blasts Darkseid with full force; Firestorm then sent a stream of fire at the New God; an effort that proved fruitless after ten futile seconds of essentially throwing darts against the wall and nothing sticking.

In desperation, he flies up to a Darkseid and spins around, temporarily blinding the man as he then throws two enlarged Atom balls at him. Both projectiles eventually staggered the man.

Finally, after why felt like forever, Catwoman felt the need to get involved as she jumped an impossible height onto the back of Darkseid's neck, wrapping her whip around his neck and allowing Nyssa to get a few strikes of her own.

Despite hitting a lot of the vital areas where a normal human would be rendered defenseless, Darkseid, again, was no human.

However, after back-flipping Darkseid underneath the chin, she throws her sword at him as it barely grazes the side of his neck all while Selina had to lay low to avoid it. Then he back-headbutts her and just tosses her over his head, crashing and burning right into Nyssa, taking both of them out of the equation for now.

He didn’t even bother looking down at his neck. With one flash, Selina’s whip was vaporized.

Now only Batman remained.

Batman was quick to turn back around, sensing a disturbance. Once he did, he was immediately bombarded with the sight of Darkseid fully recovered and throwing a punch at him. He punched Batman two more times – even as he lost energy, he was still powerful enough to knock him around.

Kryptonite pills could hardly mask how badly the Caped Crusader was injured. Leaning back towards Darkseid’s throne and the controls installed within gave Batman seconds at best to either move away or come up with a counterattack.

Instead, he whipped out his explosive gel, sprayed some into his knuckles, and made his move.

The next time Darkseid attacked, he missed the big boot.

Enough leeway distance later, Bruce attacked but punching Darkseid with the explosive gel on his hand was the equivalent of punching adamantium abs. Not only did it hurt him worse than any of his other attacks combined but it actively launched Batman back towards the ground, rolling down the runway….

….while Darkseid stood there mildly affected by the attack, staggered and annoyed.

Still, he wouldn’t fall to a knee.

Finally, he was alone with Superman once more; a distinctive fantasy that he actively delayed and then denied since he first came to this miserable mudball. Thunderous footsteps reverberated throughout the throne room, instinctively waking Clark up.

He could only bring himself to kneel on all fours; the beating he received putting a massive strain on the voice in his head to tell him to get up, and keep fighting.

Darkseid reached out for Kal-El again, clamping his hand down over him as he looked into his eyes. Wrapped tightly around his neck, he could tell Clark was already drained of energy.

Darkseid: While your cousin is taking her final breath, Kal-El, I want you to see your adopted homeworld bow down before me. Only THEN will I allow you deaths' sweet release.

The temptation to strangle the life out of Kal-El crept up dangerously close; relishing in the defeat of his new rival without having to so much as bat another eye. His eyes were eradicated with energy, another smile peeking through his usual stone-cold facade.

He suddenly felt a massive blast of heat vision against his back, and he was forced down to drop Clark to the ground. But once again, Darkseid wouldn’t go down to a knee.

Supergirl had arrived on the scene, with Static close behind her. But then she collapsed, still weak from the earlier exposure to Kryptonite.

Glaring toward Supergirl, an obvious sense of frustration came over the Lord Of Apokolips. But at the same time, came respect. He admired her courage, her conscience, her resilience, and her resolve. It made him question for a brief second whether or not she was actually worth the extra endeavor at wiping her out alongside her cousin.

With her resolve, she could be the most powerful entity in the galaxy under HIS wing. But he said it himself: nothing was going to stand in the way of his vengeance.

Static: Locking her up like a damn animal? You’ll regret that!

Immediately following an electromagnetic force bolt, which again did NOTHING against Darkseid, he flicks him away yet again. Virgil is barely able to catch himself.

He then turns back towards Superman and flashes his Omega Beams at Kal......

.....only for Kara to hastily make the leap over towards him, jumping in the way of the blast as it knocked her back towards a panel near the hallway doors.

Superman: Hey! Enough!

Superman hopeless punches Darkseid back once more only for the New God to smack him away.

Turning his attention back to Supergirl, he began to approach Kara methodically, ready to attack her if the opportunity presented itself. At this point, Kara was BARELY conscious as he hoisted her up.

Darkseid: Impressive. I am almost sorry that this is where your existence ends. Under MY guidance with your fearless untapped power, you could’ve become the most powerful being in the universe. You would’ve lived a glorious life on Apokolips as captain of my army. Your life......HERE......will be NOTHING in comparison.

Supergirl: But........at least it’ll be MY life.

Glaring at her, still, this time with more anger buried beneath his eyes, his eyes radiated brightly, crackling bright red as he prepared himself to blast her with his Omega beams.

Before he could, a large concussive force blew Darkseid a measurable distance away all while Kara caught herself in mid-air. Finally, somebody was actually able to knock Darkseid down to a knee.

His attention once again diverted, Wonder Woman came into his line of sight, her bracelets out and glistening with white and gold as she had clashed them together in a bid to save Kara. Needless to say, Kara was every bit as surprised as Diana expected her to be.

Supergirl: Diana?

Wonder Woman: Stay close behind me.

No sooner does she help her up does Batman finally come back into the fray, stumbling out the hallway doors before staring at Diana firmly, but also in relief.

While he wasn’t in any way pleased with the path she took beforehand, the simple fact of the matter is she’s helping them stop this. And once again, it took him back to when things worked out well for them back then.

As a team.

Finally, Darkseid gets back up to his feet. He had enough of just about all of them.

Wonder Woman: Steppenwolf's uncle, I presume.

Darkseid: Amazon......Kryptonian.....HUMAN. You’re all persistent, but primitive theatrics will not save you.

He doesn’t even get a step forward before getting bombarded by more concussive feedback, this time courtesy of a sonic cannon. Cyborg, flying in with his thrusters, took his time landing beside his old teammates.

Cyborg: You missed me.

Exchanges are only visually glanced back and forth between Diana and Victor, the two Regime members willingly standing side by side with Batman after being so reluctant in this forced partnership since Darkseids arrival.

Victor nods at her and she nods at him back.

And then comes the Calvary.

Warping booms in from above as Hal Jordan and John Stewart fly in, side by side and flanking Cyborg’s left.

The Flash torpedoes his way in, zipping past everyone and heading for Superman’s location. Picking him up quickly and standing him aside the rest of his teammates, it took him no time to realize what was happening.

Superman: Barry?

Flash: We’re right here. We got your back.

Last but not least, a flustered but invigorated Aquaman comes through, backing Flash on his right and patting him on the shoulder.

He nods at him, and he returns the sentiment.

The odds now drastically altered to Darkseid’s disadvantage. He now had the original Justice League, two Green Lanterns, and Supergirl to contend with and all at once, no less.

Batman: Just like old times?

She chuckles mildly.

Wonder Woman: Just like old times.

The Justice League and Supergirl vs. Darkseid.

Superman: Justice League!

He locks eyes at Darkseid who stares back with death in his eyes

Superman: Unite.

Yells were made as the Lanterns were the first to charge at him fallowed by Diana and Arthur

Cyborg and Flash stood together ready Batman fired his grapple to glide his way fallowed by Static and Firestorm

The Kryptonian duo lead the attack both yelling with Kara's eyes in tears while at the same time angry

Darkseid lifted his arms up with his eyes glowing bright red

Darkseid: This is for you....my son.

The attack begins The Lanterns thwarted him with their rings as Flash speeded to him throwing speed punches

But the warlord grabbed Barry throwing him at John knocking them both to the floor

Aquaman steps in alongside Wonder Woman

Aquaman: For Atlantis!

He lunged his Triton but Darkseid grabbed it with just one bare hand and forced it to the the handel hitting him in the forehead forcing him back

Next up Diana clashed her sword on Darkseid's gauntlets with Hal launching at him but Darkseid blasts his eye beams at him and the first Lantern was forced back hitting the floor

What Darkseid does next was grab Wonder Woman with her torso wrapped in his giant hand and his eyes lid up again he was gonna fry the Rouge Amazon

But Darkseid felt an electric sting on his back forcing him to drop Diana

It was Batman shooting him with his electric rifle Static flew over him blasting him with electric beams with Darkseid turning away to avoid the beam light from blinding him

His electric shocks barely tickled him with Batman taking another aim from a distance and shoots again just only to distract Darkseid enough for him to not notice Firestorm to light up a ring of fire around him

Firestorm: GOTCHA!

Darkseid: NOT!

Darkseid walked through the flames with no effect hardly scratched his armor or rocked skin

Firestorm: No way! What are you immortal?!

Darkseid replied with a single punch like Hulk punched Thor in Avengers sending Firestorm flying across the room and crash through a wall

Darkseid turns around just for the Man of Steel to launch at him again and both clashed at each other again

Darkseid: TIME TO DIE FOR KALIBACK!

Superman: Tell him Superman said hi....when you see him in hell!

They struggled on one another and Kara launches at him from behind her cousin

But Darkseid spotted her just seconds before she was a meter away from him

Darkseid kicks Kal back and grabs Kara with a giant grip forcing Kara to let out groaning painful cry as he squeezes her

Darkseid: As promised I will take his family...as he took MINE!

Darkseid then THROWS Kara through a window and outside the ship right before Kal's eyes

Superman: NO!

Kara forced out hurdled outside heading down the ground she could barely contain herself while screaming

Tumbling backward and rolling in midair, entering freefall immediately was a given for the young Kryptonian.

Gravity all but began to gradually drag the girl back to ground level, actively pulling her down through the clouds while Kara, mentally, felt trapped. Feeling the massive waves of air pushing back against her, her body started preparing before they were forced to let go, entering the fight or flight response mechanism.

The fight or flight response starts as a chemical reaction in the brain, activating the sympathetic nervous system. Once their bodies realized the threat of a fall, their brains reacted to give them a boost of energy, mainly strength and speed. The hormone epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) facilitates this physical response. When people talk about adrenaline, it's really the fight or flight response.

And right now, her brain was hardwired on flight....yet it wouldn’t stop her from actively fighting the wind.

No less than a few feet detached from the ground, two options presented themselves: brace for the inevitable impact to come or catch herself. With 75 feet remaining, Kara let the gust of wind flip her over repeatedly….

…..and finally, her cape comes into play. She stops herself firmly, catching herself in the Nick of time but also tiring herself out.

A steadily unsteady heartbeat is sensed, Kara catching on while she catches her breath. Her attention turns back towards the warship where all the action was going down.

But then she turns to the Metropolis crater, still bludgeoned with the terraforming blast coating the entire city…..whatever was left of it. Curiosity pricks up her eyes and ears; a particular idea was forming but it would only depend on how long the Justice League could hold off the tyrannical ruler of Apokolips.

And back up above, they were doing just that…..barely.

Wonder Woman was one of four left standing aside the Lanterns and Cyborg, her resilience not knowing any bounds as she tried, in vain, to even the playing field by cutting up the distance between them.

Darkseid, with only one forearm at use, Hardy exerted any physical effort.

Wonder Woman: Find another world.

Darkseid: I will have victory, Amazon.

He punched her in the face twice and kicked her hard enough to send her toward the wall. Batman, out of nowhere, let out another smoke grenade and then proceeded to throw his explosive batarangs toward the New God. Darkseid only gritted his teeth and grabbed Batman by the leg, throwing him around as he did with Superman. When he let go of Batman, the Dark Knight landed a clean hit to the face, before proceeding to punch and kick him several times.

With Darkseid getting weaker, despite not showing it, Wonder Woman could take him on more efficiently. But Darkseid was still a force to be reckoned with. He deflected one of her hooks and punched her in the face twice before kicking her in the gut.

But then he felt another blast of sonic cannons – Cyborg got back up.

Working together on the same page in a while, the two began to punch and kick Darkseid around together, and there was little he could do. Cyborg heat-visioned him again, and he yelled in pain before uppercutting him square on the chin and further kicking his face in. Darkseid was quick to swat Cyborg away….

…..but he was yet to notice Flash zipping by and around him in a semi-circle, delivering a barrage of punches before kicking him towards Wonder Woman, who clashed her bracelets again, delivering the blow that rendered him woozy.

But even then, it wouldn’t be enough.

Darkseid: Flee.

Launching his Omega beams again, this time Diana was the one to block them.....only to get Darkseid EXACTLY where she wanted him.

Darkseid kept blasting and blasting and BLASTING and Wonder Woman waited for a moment to strike but was futile when he grabs her and lifted her off her feet

Darkseid: Now the galaxy will know that Earth's Heroes have fallen by the night of Darkseid!

Out of the blue Darkseid was zapped from behind by a starbolt he dropped Wonder Woman as he fell on the floor

The Teen Titans arrived geared up ready for the final round

Red Hood: More like they'll know how we kicked your rock ass asshole.

Red Robin: Leave it Jas. TITANS: GO!

The entire younger team attack at once Darkseid didn't had time to counter them since he barely got back up

Terra shook the floor to keep him down

Raven casted a spell to throw him around

Starfire blasted a star beam in his eyes blinding him Darkseid groaned in frustration

The Robin Brothers did their own sonic boom only it was their own bird sonar's throwing them at Darkseid exploding at once at him

Darkseid falls flat on the ground though now his strength was dying down he was just more angry just when the League recovered

Outside Kara locked eyes on the ship...with a new.... finishing plan of her own

Darkseid attacked her planet tried to kill the cousin she swore to protect no more.... Supergirl was now gonna end it here and now

With the League (Except Superman) and the Titans all standing together Darkseid stood up for the final stand

Darkseid: I was willing to spare you all after Superman's head was on my wall. But your defiance has COST all of you... DEARLY! Now it is your time....to DIE!

The two teams readied as Darkseid lunges at them but felt grabbed from behind

It was Superman and his eyes burned bright red he was in full rage and he was done playing around

Superman: No....MORE!

Batman: CLARK NO!

Wonder Woman: DO IT KAL!

But before anything could happen Supergirl launches up like a missile flying straight up to the ship

Luckily for everyone on the ship Raven senses her saying her three words

Raven: Azerath Netrion ZINTHOS!

Raven shielded everyone with a magic barrier Kara hits the ship....

BOOM

Like a supersonic rocket blasting through the air and escaping the atmosphere, it was too quick for anybody but Superman himself to catch with the naked eye; a stunt reminiscent of one he almost pulled off back in 2013 with Zod’s invasion.

But the end result was the same: the ship was going down. And Supergirl, this time, would be the reason why.

Except she wasn’t done.

Extra damage was inflicted on the hull and through the armor as Kara dipped in and out, back and forth constantly, crashing through the ship again and again and again. She insisted to destroy every individual crevice of this terraforming warship; leave no traces or evidence of it behind.

That do mean the inhabitants from inside needed to get the hell out.

While the Parademons shrieked and scurried about all while Darkseid looked about mildly annoyed, Raven was quick to activate a teleportation rune around everyone in vicinity to her and in a quick flash of light….

….they all vanished.

The Justice League, Teen Titans, Static, Catwoman and Nyssa landed outside somewhat hard within the crater that now resided what was left of Metropolis. No solace in tarmac or building rooftops, just gravel and sand and pebbles overtaking their field of vision.

And then they looked up.

The warship practically splintered in pieces, fracturing at the seams before finally collapsing and tumbling to the ground, no less than a few feet away from them.

Not one solitary shred of intelligent life forms seemed to be left behind or coated over the ship's remains as Superman was the first to crawl out of the crater and assess the wreckage before him. The other members valiantly caught their breaths, gazing below at the aforementioned carnage laid out before them.

A gust of wind tickles the ground, blowing past them quickly.

Their eyes once again are directed up, seeing Supergirl, alive and well, landing carefully.

Her eyes go straight to her cousin, whom despite his heinous actions, she was glad to see was still mostly in one piece, never mind the outcome that would surely follow after this.

The two Kryptonian cousins hug and embrace.

Black Adam, Black Canary, Blue Beetle and Montoya finally arrived at the scene, having missed all the fun. But they looked contempt enough at knowing it might very well be over.

Canary: What happened here?

Wonder Woman: We won.

Static: Is—is it over?

He spoke too soon.

A hand pops out from the wreckage, startling everyone but Batman and immediately everyone turns their gaze and weapons back to the burst hand trembling. Gripping its fist, it crawls out from below, discarding the shredded metal beside it….

….revealing Darkseid, STILL ALIVE, but battered nonetheless after the endless onslaught the teams delivered to him. Almost crawling on his knees to escape the wreckage, it was a sight that was, at least, acceptable for the adversaries.

The ruler of Apokolips, the one who foretold his own arrival to Earth to claim it as his, the one who sent his own nephew to retrieve the Motherboxes and fail.....was crippled down to his knees in front of his enemies.

Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Superman: First, Krypton......now Earth?

He stares angrily at Diana. Given how much he’s manipulated her in the past, this time was no different.

Superman: No other world should suffer this.

He didn’t get a response back from that.....and he didn’t mind. He felt he knew what had to be done, and no one was going to tell him otherwise as he began to approach Darkseid with his eyes glaring up with red.

Unfortunately, Batman knew where this was going.

Batman: Clark, no.

Placing his hand on his S insignia, he stopped Superman in his tracks. Needless to say, Clark wasn’t too fond of this.

Batman: Let me take it from here.

Clark couldn’t help but to sneer at this. He practically knew ahead of time what Bruce was probably going to do but in hopes that maybe Bruce will take the opposite route and do what was actually necessary for once, he backed off.

He wouldn’t be too happy with the outcome, however.

Darkseid, however, would be a different story.

Darkseid: You still stand?

Batman: Like you said, I'm persistent.

Staring at the main source of his nightmares for the last decade, he decided to sink to his level by literally kneeling down to face him and decided to give him a personal one-on-one.

What he said......was once again, going to mark out a personal outrage from the others.

Batman: After all the hell you’ve put us through......after what you put ME through, you deserve to never see the light of day again......

He grips the back of his head.

Batman:......but it’s a lost cause. You’re not worth the risk.

Superman: Are you—BRUCE!

Batman: The cities wiped from the collection......go find your pal Brainiac. Tell him how we can restore them.....

He, again, faces closes Darkseid firmly, looking deep into his cold, red, beady eyes.

Batman:......and don’t ever come here again; or else you WON’T be going back.

Keeping HIS word, Bruce just backs up and away from Darkseid, confident in everything he’s just said.....only to have his cowl slapped off by Superman for ONCE AGAIN, letting a dangerous individual roam free despite all he’s done.

It was at this moment that Clark was really beginning to lose his patience. It got to the point where Kara got involved and Clark had to shove her back, grabbing Bruce by the fabric of his suit.

Superman: How long do you plan to keep this up?! How much longer are you going to tow the line between life and death when it matters the most?

Bruce: He deserves no better than the rest that came before him.

Superman: And look where that leads us now? You let him free, who knows how many others suffer the same wrath as the people here?

The arguing was making Barry’s head hurt. This constant butting heads never made him feel good at ALL.

Darkseid: I am.....a man of my word.

Everyone in the room turns to Darkseid as he finally gets off of his knee, forcing the others to perch themselves into a ready position......just in case the worse occurs.

But the exact opposite happens.

Darkseid: I’ve tasted the bitter end of defeat for the first time and for that.....I applaud you, Bruce Wayne. But as for YOU, Kal-El.....

He points towards him.

Darkseid:.....know that your imminent death is LONG overdue. I hope you appreciate that everything that happens from this point is on your hands. The skies will rain fire, the oceans will boil, the streets will run red with the blood of billions. Only then, after your last pitiful hope is extinguished, will your life....end.

~Silence~

Superman: If I were you, I’d pray that day will never come.

Darkseid: If I were YOU......I’d pray I don’t go deliver on that promise MYSELF.

Having said his piece, with his left arm behind his back, he presses down on his personal remote, and a Boom Tube BOOMS in from behind with the coordinates set back home, Apokolips.

Darkseid: Return.

Following the reply from their master, all the remaining Parademons parked around the ship just screeched loudly and all flew back behind Darkseid and through the Boom Tube back to Apokolips.

Soon enough, Darkseid started to move. It looked like he actually was going to go without a fuss. Appears he would ACTUALLY go quietly.

Definitely made some people on the other side a little ecstatic.

Static: Hehe....yeah, yeah, that’s right! Go on, you mangy buzzards! And don’t come back!

That.....probably wasn’t the right thing to say as Darkseid stopped dead in his tracks and SLOWLY turned around to everyone.

Darkseid: Savor your moment of triumph, Superman. But remember.......victory has its price.

He flashes an Omega beam from his sockets as the beams just zig-zag past Batman, past Supergirl, past everyone else......

......and then the beams just plows straight through Kara as her mouth drops wide open, dropping her sword.

Wonder Woman: KARA!

Diana just runs to her side as she takes in the imagery before her.

Clark was the one that was the most pissed off about it.

Superman: Bastard!

Superman flies at him with blistering fury and revenge once more; for any single murder is a living reminder of when the Joker murdered Lois and their unborn son.

But Darkseid flashes a quick smirk and disappeared into the portal as the Boom Tube vanished before he could get to him. The former world's greatest hero yelled out in anguish, frustrated that Bruce let the grunt escape when they could’ve stopped him right then and there.

Why you’d let him go, Bruce?

He hears Clark’s irritated voice from behind as he gets nothing but the thousand yard state from him. But what else did you expect from him? He let the tyrant who just killed his ex and helped another mystery man imprison most of the Earths cities escape.

His response didn’t do much to calm his nerves.

Bruce: Even if I agreed that he should’ve died, it wasn’t worth it.

Superman: Oh, is that so?

Bruce: You can’t deny it was the only way.

Clark, again, sneers at this.

Superman: No, it wasn’t. With more time and Cyborg’s help, we could’ve taken control of his warship and it would’ve obeyed me.

Cyborg: Hell no!

Victor snaps as he just armed his cannon at Superman in defense as everyone else approached Batman and Superman with caution. Needless to say, nobody was expecting it this late in the game.

All eyes were on him; the former heart of the team finally making his intentions known.

Superman: You too, Vic?

Cyborg: We can't take any chances. And I sure as hell ain't your lap dog anymore, Clark. I know what you did to Dick. To Billy. To my friends! No more!

Everyone was taken aback by this. Both Barry and Jason looked at Cyborg for a moment for talking on. Jason couldn’t help but perk a smile underneath his helmet, seeing how Victor FINALLY grew back his balls and realized which side is the right one.

But that left everyone at an impasse with Darkseid out of the picture. For Batman, this was always an inevitability: that not long after Darkseid’s death or retreat, the Regime would attempt to fight the Insurgency for a winner-takes-all gambit in hopes of regaining back the control that was taken from them. And yet that also seemed to underlying the big question Bruce and Clark were alluding to.

Was letting Darkseid go the best move or was it smarter to kill him right there on the spot? And even more damningly, was it worth letting Superman back into power?

The debates roared on from then on.

Flash: Look, Victor is right. We can't be sure…..

Aquaman: What we can be sure of, however, is that Darkseid put everyone else at risk.

Wonder Woman: This is no different than Joker. If you'd killed him, we might –

Bruce: It was never going to be that SIMPLE, Diana!

Superman: Yes it is, Bruce! Don't you ever learn?! Metropolis, Coast City, Detroit, Seoul – all gone! How many more innocents need to die before you accept that some lives have to be taken?!

Not one word was ushered at that moment because Bruce already knew what he wanted to say.

Bruce: Never again.

Briefly turning away, Clark sneers yet again.

Superman: Typical. I figured you loved HIM more than anything else.

That brought pause to everyone. as well as sudden flash of anger from Bruce.....cause he knew what HIM meant.

Bruce: What?

Superman: No wonder why you never wanted him dead. You loved having Joker around: your constant nemesis. The two of you played your stupid game and none of you cared whether people died or not.

Bruce: You know that’s not true.

Superman: Then why didn’t you stop him? If you hadn’t done something sooner, it wouldn’t have been this way. I would have loved that child more than anything. I already did......And look at you. You’ve been sitting in the dark for decades straight, ignoring Dick, ignoring Jason, ignoring Tim, ignoring anyone and everyone that’s come to comfort you......and this is all you’ve become. How many friends did they have in Metropolis? Have you asked them? Have you held them? Consoled them? Treated them as equals like your own firstborn?

Face closing him and he still couldn’t see signs of whether or not Bruce was being affected by this speech or not.

Superman: Your parents died and left you with everything but your identity and your dignity, Bruce. What’s YOUR excuse for not being a father?

He then slashed Superman with a bladed shard of some kind– and everyone jumped back in surprise. Bruce than stabs him again JUST for that comment and watches as blood quickly trickles out from Superman's chest, and he could only kneel down, holding his chest in pain.

Then he looked at his hand – and his blood-stained palm.

He didn’t understand it.

Superman: My powers? How did you –

Bruce: Gold Kryptonite. Courtesy of Firestorm.

Perhaps the rarest form of Kryptonite to ever exist in meteorological studies, it is also perhaps the most dangerous and most powerful meteor rock in existence because it can give Kryptonians permanent wounds, can strip them of their powers for good through a long enough exposure, and, in huge amounts, it can kill a Kryptonian.

Its irreversible effects left Clark stumbling to his feet, maintaining balance. His powers would return shortly but he had to wait for it.

Superman: Get up, Kal. Get up.

Imploring himself as he continued to kneel onto the ground, Superman tried to get up, and Batman just stared at him with his cowl back on.

Then came a.....rather familiar remark.

Batman: Stay down! If I wanted it, you’d be dead already! Enough exposure, and you'll be de-powered permanently!

Superman. This madness.....has to END, Bruce!

And indeed, it was about to come to its culmination.

As the two superhero titans, two of the greatest heroes to ever grace this family turned bitter old men stood firmly apart from one another and readied themselves for the inevitable battle to come, everyone had their sides figured out.

Batman had Supergirl, Hal, John, Barry, Cyborg, Static, Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Firestorm, Red Hood and the rest of the Teen Titans all backing him up, ready to give him their aid, all believing that Darkseid should be spared.

Black Adam and Wonder Woman kept their loyalty to Superman, and wholeheartedly agreed with him about what should be done with Darkseid. Aquaman and Atrocitus, of all people, uneasily stood firmly beside the Man of Steel as well. Neither of them were fond of Superman but decided they would also fight with him, agreeing that Darkseid needed to die.

Nyssa just backed away from everyone crowding around each other. Before long, she drops smoke beneath her feet and disappears.

This was it.

It was time to settle this once and for all.

And so after years of peace and rebuilding the damage the war between the Insurgency and the Regime began all over again

Only this time Batman had more allies than Superman due to the reformed former Regime members

Superman still parallelized by the Golden Kryptonite threw his fists for Batman to counter

Bruce nearly stabs him with it but Clark grabbed his arms and both struggled on one another

Clark gripped his wrist forcing Bruce to drop the golden blade and Diana ran in and kicked it away

She nods to him to finish it and Kal grabs The Dark Knight by the throat but Kara pulls him away forcing him to look at his cousin

Supergirl: Stop this now! You don't have to do this!

Superman: So you chosen him over your own cousin?

Supergirl: If it's the only way to stop you. I won't let you destroy our symbol of hope more than you already have.

Superman: I told you hope isn't enough to save the world anymore!

Hal flies in lunging at Superman forcing him to let go of Bruce

Kara and the rest of the bat family helped him up

Jason locks his emotionless red masked eyes on Superman knowing it was now near to shoot him down for good....

He grabs one of his pistols loaded with the single kryptonite bullet

Hal and Victor confront Superman as he stands

Cyborg: Stop now Clark!

Green Lantern: It's over!

Wonder Woman draws her sword but John blasts his ring knocking her sword out of her hand and Flash speeds behind her bending her arms behind her

Flash: Uh uh!

But Diana elbows him in the jaw

The Second Lantern then lunges at her knocking her away assisted by Red Robin and Batgirl

Hal blocks Clark's path soon for Adam to grab Kara from behind

Only for Raven and Starfire to save her by Blasing him off him the Regime was now outnumbered

But as for Arthur he charges at Bruce but he dodges his Triton and threw him a smoke bomb blinding him for a bit

He coughs out then Batman kicks him back and throws punches at the King of Atlantis in the face and kicks him away

Superman launches a punch at Hal forcing him back and fly at him

Lantern blasts his ring to beam a shield to counter Kal's attacks till he punches it hard enough to disapper forcing Hal back again

Superman launches at Lantern but Hal flies up looks down at his former friend beaming a giant green hand grabbing Clark in a firm grip

Superman tries to struggle with no effect and then Hal throws him away

Hal launches up after him but Atrositis flies after him

With the Titans Kara Flash and Lantern II fighting Diana and Adam Aquaman tries to stab Batman only for him to keep dodging

Bruce then grabs the Triton then they struggled with it

Batman: Arthur stop this! You helped us stop Clark before now you're following him?

Aquaman: I'm not following anyone! Not even you back then! You've never understood Atlantis Bruce! We are an ancient people with an old fashioned sense of justice.

Batman: Then Atlantis needs to get with the times.

Aquaman managed to bash at Batman with his trident three times, but Batman was quick to break this streak and began blitzing around his former comrade with extra coordinated strikes to the legs and joints. Aquaman quickly bashed his head into Bruce’s, and when the Flash was sent back, Aquaman slashed at him with a lightning storm from his trident.

Bruce was quick to avoid the incoming blast, and he punched Aquaman in the chest with a few good bumps from his shock gloves, briefly stunning Arthur. Aquaman gritted his teeth and tried to deck Batman in the face, but the billionaire dodged and further disoriented him with a tornado kick to the head.

Luckily, Aquaman slams his trident down, calling another brief lightning storm to blind Bruce. He grabs Bruce by his head and slams him into the wall…..

….only for the Flash to kick him in the leg from behind.

The two resumed decking and kicking each other for about a solid minute, until Aquaman began to bash at the Scarlet Speedster with his trident again. Barry had enough of this – he needed a trick to take down Aquaman. He began to vibrate his hand, and as Aquaman charged towards him, he launched his vibrating hand towards him, knocking the sea king out.

Flash: We’re tired of fighting you, Arthur.

Meanwhile, John felt overwhelmed at having to fight Atrocitus again, though fighting alongside Hal again would’ve made him feel better. It reminded him of the camaraderie he shared with Hal in the past. He was using every trick he had – he even sent out a mallet towards Atrocitus. By the time Atrocitus broke it, he set launched an explosive towards him, and slammed the Red Lantern into a wall.

He was quick to recover and launch him back al while John slid underneath him and sets a mine underneath Atrocitus, but Atrocitus destroyed it by crushing it completely with his foot and with a blast from his ring, sent a blast towards John that was powerful enough to almost knock him out.

But the former marine still stood tall. Atrocitus gritted his teeth as he charged towards the unconscious archer, only for John to knock him towards the wall with a giant green fist.

Atrocious: This time, I will make sure Hal Jordan meets his demise!

Atrocitus growled as he looked at where Darkseid left his Omega lambda where he left, and then back towards John.

Atrocious: I sense the rage within Hal Jordan, John Stewart. He may have overcome your fears, but he still betrayed the Green Lantern Corps and hurt your allies. How can he forgive himself?

He sighed.

Lantern II: He can't. Told me time and again that he hates himself for what he’s done. But his will is stronger than his hate.

This time, John created a machine gun construct and began shooting at Atrocitus. Many of the construct bullets did hit Atrocitus, but he was not going down so easily. Atrocitus began blasting at John repeatedly, and did manage to hit him once. John grunted loudly and gritted his teeth before constructing up a sword. He began using the sword to slash at Atrocitus with all his might, though the Red Lantern was eventually able to blast him away. Then came a ball of fire as he launched it towards Atrocitus before punching him in in the stomach, to which Atrocitus let out a horrible growl.

The two began to blast at each other with their rings repeatedly. John could feel the sweat on his face. It had been years since he truly fought another ring wielder like this. Atrocitus created the Butcher and had it charge towards John, but John in turn created Ion – the embodiment of will – and sent it clashing towards the Butcher. It got to the point where he created five ICBMs and sent them all towards Atrocitus. Atrocitus managed to get in some final blasts towards John before the Green Lantern created a mace and bashed Atrocitus with it multiple times until he was out cold.

The other Green Lantern stared at Atrocitus for a moment before he saw Supergirl collapse to the ground fighting Wonder Woman.

As she readied her sword, Hal took over for him, grabbing the Amazon with a giant green hand and sent her flying hard enough to send her crashing and it knocking her out momentarily.

Unfortunately, Superman immediately hurled a fist at Hal knocking him woozy and with his hand around his face, flew off.

Meanwhile, Black Canary managed to punch Black Adam right in the face while Cyborg blasted at him twice.

Enraged, he attempted to shock Black Canary in the chest with his lightning, but Cyborg blasted at him before he could do this. Black Canary and Cyborg both punched and kicked Adam repeatedly, while the Kahndauqian managed to trade some blows of his own. Black Canary then let out her Canary Cry towards him, and it did manage to temporarily stun the God. But then Adam slammed his fists through the ground, dispersing a lightning shockwave towards both Canary and Cyborg, sending Dinah crashing to the ground.

Wonder Woman was quick to get up to her feet again, with intentions in mind, leaping with her sword to impale Canary whilst she was on the ground, but Cyborg intercepted her with a haymaker punch. The Amazon was furious with Cyborg for his betrayal, and cried out in rage as she aimed her sword towards him. He created a shield and deflected her sword and kicked her in the stomach twice.

He then let out an advanced land mine and sent it towards Wonder Woman, and she was sent towards the wall. She decked and kicked Cyborg repeatedly, but Cyborg was able to shield himself and slammed Wonder Woman into the wall, punching her back as hard as he could before kicking it hard enough make her fall unconscious to the ground......

.....for now.

While he got Dinah off the ground, Batman, meanwhile, managed to grab the gold kryptonite shard from Wonder Woman before he got up and tried to land a punch towards Black Adam, who dodged it. Black Adam grabbed Batman and flew up and away through the skies.

Luckily, Selina saw and grabbed ahold at the last second taking her along with them.

John accompanied Barry as they went to Supergirl's aid, leaving them alone with the rest of the Titans.

Flash: Get up, Kara. You’re alright.

Supergirl: Batman knew they'd double cross him. We have to move! Where’re they off to?

Red Hood: Gotham.

It was the first thought that popped in and it wasn’t farfetched to see that carrying out there.

So with almost no prompting, Raven takes the initiative for Jason, casting a rune around the rest of her teammates there and teleporting them away.

It was nighttime in Gotham now.

Black Adam stopped when he was just above the buildings of Gotham, and he held Batman around the shoulders, gripping him in a bear hug. Of course it didn’t take long for him to notice Catwoman dangling by his foot.

Black Adam: There is no escape.

He says before Batman headbutted him in the face.

Black Adam: You wish to fall? So be it.

He basically dropped Batman, and then kicks Selina off of him as they both plummeted towards the ground. As he landed closer to the ground, the Dark Knight managed to activate the glider components in his cape, catching ahold of Catwoman just in time as both landed safely onto the ground.

Black Adam landed near Batman, frustrated at his opponent's constant tricks.

Batman: Go back to Kahndaq, Adam. Stay here and you'll be prosecuted.

Black Adam: You'd have to capture me, Batman! And I've underestimated you for the last time!

Black Adam shot lightning towards Batman, but Batman dodged and launched explosive batarangs towards Black Adam. Black Adam remembered what he did with Philippus all that time ago, and he decided he would just use that move to finish Batman off, but as he charged towards Batman, the Dark Knight headbutted him again. Black Adam began to shoot lightning towards Batman repeatedly, but he had an idea. He activated a button on his gauntlet right as Black Adam shot at him with more lightning.

Black Adam punched Batman in the face twice before slamming him into a brick wall. He began to electrocute Batman, glaring menacingly at him in the process. But then he heard the humming of a car, and he turned to see the Batmobile charging right towards him, and he was too late to dodge it. The Batmobile rammed into Black Adam before stopping about 20 feet away. Batman seized the opportunity and threw more explosive batarangs towards Black Adam, before kicking him in the chest twice and punching him in the face, sending him down to the ground.

Even THEN.....he wouldn’t stay down.

Luckily, Catwoman took the initiative as she jumps at Adam and kicks him in the face before leaping off and landing flat-dab on a nearby motorcycle. Without even thinking twice about it, she starts the engine just as Adam starts charging at her. Bending backwards Matrix-style to dodge him, she starts riding the motorcycle and quickly whips out another whip and uses it to grab Adams legs and drag them along the ground. After slamming him amongst a brick wall as he rolls onto the open road, she then returns, pulls the motorcycle upwards and jumps off as it falls onto him, exploding violently.

Finally, Black Adam laid knocked out as

Bruce breathed heavily.

Catwoman: All that ancient wisdom. Wasted.

Three minutes earlier, however, was when both Clark and Hal burst through the clouds and entered Gotham airspace, blaring through building after building, breaking the sound barrier and shattering multiple glass windows in the process.

Their brawl dragged out to over 300 seconds and frustration was beginning to mount up for the former High Councilor.

Hal created a giant hammer, one that briefly reminded Superman of his old friend Steel for a moment, and he bashed Superman around with it for a short while before Clark parry’s it with his forearm and punches Hal right in the solar plexus.

He then tackles him, sending both of them flying towards the streets below before crashing down into the crater they made.

Multiple civilians witnessing the carnage flee. Both grunted as they got up from the pile of destroyed cement they had created, and Superman glared at the Green Lantern before him.

Superman: How can you be against me on this?! He destroyed Coast City! Think about Carol, Hal – Darkseid needs to pay!

Hal sent the glare right back.

Lantern: No, Clark! My rage won't bring back Carol. Just like yours couldn't bring back Lois.

Hal created F-16 jets and threw them all towards Superman, before creating a city bus and ramming it into the former Man of Tomorrow. Superman heat-visioned Hal and punched him in the chest and the face, and Hal responded by creating constructs of steel bars and slamming them all towards Superman. Superman tried to use his freeze breath at Hal, but the Lantern dodged.

Hal punched Superman twice and then kicked him the stomach before wrapping him in green coil and slamming him down to the ground.

He charged towards Superman, but Superman used his frozen breath to keep Hal in place.

When Hal broke free, he was able to deck and kick Hal a few times. He had just about enough of Hal Jordan – this would be the last time he would ever have to deal with him. Hal gritted his teeth and attempted to punch Superman, but Superman blocked Hal's hand….

…..and crushed his fingers yet again. Hal screeches in pain, now unable to use his ring, before Superman gave him one more punch in the face, knocking him out.

Superman's eyes burned red as he prepared to incinerate Hal with his heat vision.

But then Barry and Supergirl super-sped into the scene along with Terra and John to try and hold Superman in place, only for him to push them away.

Kara locked eye contact with her cousin as she got up.

Supergirl: Kal, stop! These are your friends!

Superman: My friends should be helping me instead of standing in my way!

Before long, they both charged towards each other before Superman quickly kicked Supergirl back, throwing her into one of the nearby buildings.

Not even a second after he reacted, Barry basically slapped him silly twice before rupturing Clark with multiple gut punches, keeping him in place long enough for an Earth pillar to shoot out from beneath him and send him flying.

Soon as he starts falling back down to the ground, an eroded ball of Earth the size of the Daily Planet globe smacks him further across the sky.

Flash: Heh. Thanks, Terra.

With a brief nod and grin from her, Barry just zipped forward to try and catch up to Clark, seeing just how far he was zipping by. It was pretty fast.

Taking an opportunity to strike, he slid amongst the road and onto the buildings on the side, lining himself up to strike. But once he finally leapt off the strike, Clark basically faked possum, turning over at the last second to gain control of his flying and mollywhopping Barry halfway across the sky.....

......as he crashed through the roof and crash-landed into the upper levels of the defunct and abandoned Gotham theater.

Superman then glared at Barry as he got up.

Superman: This is on YOU, Barry. When you defected, the Regime fell. You left us vulnerable to Darkseid! You shouldn't have lost your nerve – and for what?! Is this to make up for your meaningless promise to Garrick?!

Barry shook his head in frustration.

Flash: You're right. I am trying to honor Jay. And in case the thought didn’t pass you by, I lost my nerve when I didn't stand up to you the first time. Never again.

Superman then felt blasts from behind, and he grew more enraged at the sight of Cyborg.

Superman: What do you think you're doing, Victor?

Cyborg: Finally taking your ass out. I can't believe I let you run me blind for so long. Today, I make it up to the Titans; I make up for what I've done.

Clark’s anger dissipated into confusion once he saw Dinah hop off Victor's back and just glare straight over at him. Clark really thought that he actually killed Dinah all those years ago so this came out as a bit of an unpleasant surprise.

And that’s exactly what Dinah was hoping for.

Superman: Dinah?

She nods, before lifting up her jacket, showing off the nasty scars from his heat vision those years ago. Those heat vision scars required a lot of stitches.

So she didn’t need to prove if it was really her.

Canary: I didn’t need the heat vision scars to prove it, you know.

A heavy sigh leaves Kal. This was more tedious pointless busy work he had to clean up.

Superman: You shouldn’t have come back.

Canary: Bruce shouldn’t have let you out. But no use complaining - at least now, I finally get what I came for.

Superman: You know this isn’t what’s best for Connor; knowing he won’t see his mother again. I nearly cut you in half.

Canary: And I made those ears BLEED, Clark.

Superman: Didn’t stop me, did it?

Canary: This time, the volumes going up to 11.

Three on one.

Canary makes her bird call forcing Superman back to fly back hitting through an abandoned building hitting wall after wall

Dinah wasn't kidding about the volumes and soon as he hit the floor hard he was nearly out blackness covered his vision from the beating he took from Darkseid Kal hardly could pick himself up

He groaned softly as he slowly lifted his head up barely opening his eyes but almost blind.....when a bright light shined right in front of him

Superman couldn't make it out until.....a shadowed figure of a woman carrying what appeared to be a baby came out approaching him....the voice echoed in his ears sounding familiar

Clark? Can you hear me Clark?

Superman: L--Lois?

It's alright Clark. I'm here now. Jon and I missed you so much.

Superman shed a tear for the first time in years as the baby cries echoed from the light

Let go of your hate Clark. There is still light in you. Come back to me. I love you.

Superman: Lois.....

The light began to fade and the shadow of Lois and the baby disappeared with it

Superman: Lois! LOIS!!!!!

Kal's head dropped down punching the floor busting through it in anger and sadness

It's is if....Lois was trying to reach him from the other side but how

That will be answered later as Batman and Catwoman called the Batmobile jumping in as it stopped

Catwoman: We have to end this now.

Batman: We will. Lucius. We stopped Darkseid but Superman's relapsing. Is it ready?

Atomic Flexible Titanium suit equipped with Kryptonite energy. You'll move faster than ever and best of all counter any of Superman's attacks. It's stored in the Batcave as we speak sir.

Batman: Thanks Lucius. Selina find Kara. Tell her to lead Clark to the Batcave.

Catwoman: On it.

Selina quickly kisses Bruce and hops out of the boatmobile as he drives off

Deep under the Batcave a wall opens up and Bruce walks in quoting: On.

Lights turn on automatically and he walked towards the main hall where a bat container stands

He dials on a computer inserting a code unlocking a code and the container opens revealing the powered bat suit Lucius mentioned

He first dawns the gauntlets attaching automatically

The boots doing the same

And then.....the cowl

Revealing Powered Kryptonite Rayed Batman

Hal Jordan, once again, is left one on knee, having most of the air kicked out of him and four broken fingers to add more fuel to his troubles. The ring almost fell off his hand not long after Superman left him and that left him with the agonizing task of cracking them back into place one by one.  

First the pinky.

  Then the thumb.  

Then the middle fingers.

  Before finally getting to his index. Each crack hurt worst than the last but the resilience of the former air pilot showed with each excess grunt and pull. Hal gets no breathing room even after he alleviates most the pain.  

He bares witness to John bouncing off the concrete and flipping over towards to Hal. 

 No words were exchanged between the two as Atrocitus’ monster frame landed mere feet between the two of them. With a sinister smirk, he attempts to smack Hal back but John gets in the way by mere inches. 

 Exhaustion hardly deters him as he pushes Atrocitus back.

  Both men’s arms glow brightly with their radiant energy, as their fists ball up tight. With a defiant huff, both men charge at each other…

…and as their fists and rings clash, entire avenues and blocks are leveled by the explosive feedback of both their energy fields overlapping. 

 Nothing but a freakin’ cloud of smoke erupts throughout the entire area as it blinds John momentarily. By the time he actually does come to and his eyesight recovers, he still sees Atrocious, this time flat on his back, unresponsive.

  Funny how most of his Red Lantern members including his cat Dex-Starr just stood there in complete awe and infatuation. They just saw their leader get manhandled by the effectiveness of Hope, not the embodiment of anger. 

 Around the time the cat let out another meow, Hal finally trudged on up to his feet. At least, the man messing with his head was gone for now. 

 Lantern: He can’t be—Is he?

  Soon as he says that, Atrocitus just bolts out out of his position snarling in anger, startling both of them.  

Lantern II: Of course he isn’t.

  By the time he’s finally up to his feet, he just slams his first down to the pavement, frustrated, flustered and absolutely with his head full of steam.  

He was pissed.....as he should be.

  Atrocitus: This world is burning! And once it is ashes, you both will BEG FOR VENGEANCE!  

 Finally getting his point across and having been fed up with all of this, he warps open his portal forming as blood continues to splatter all over the corner. Atrocitus, among with his other Red Lanterns and Dex-Starr phase straight through the portal as it crushes itself down to size and takes them back home.  

All that was left was a puddle of Atrocitus’ blood. 

 Lantern: Yeah.....the Guardians don’t need to know about that one. 

 As of this point onwards, the Red Lanterns were no longer a priority.

  What was a priority however was Superman. 

 Effortlessly swapping away fists of fury from Black Canary, Flash and Cyborg, an uneasy alliance at that, his powers being restored at full did nothing to deter their combined efforts at pummeling Kal as much as possible. Despite a few swift dodges, Dinah’s offense was relentless.

Meanwhile Supergirl was back in action flying in the air till she was pounced out of no where

By Diana they both land on the ground hard Diana drew her sword staring down at Kara with seriousness and determination

Kara stood up looking up at the murderous Amazon in disgust and also determination

Wonder Woman: How dare you defy us Kara!

Supergirl: You're a monster Diana. You lied to me about everything!

Wonder Woman: No. Batman too would not see a better vision for the world. And you sided with him betraying your own cousin.

Supergirl: Betr----are you THAT blind from your own rage?! Kal is destroying the hope his ancestors built. My uncle wanted nothing better for him than this. I will NEVER go against it. Never.

Wonder Woman: Then....you will have to DIE.

Kara backed up just as Diana raised her sword but...

... out of nowhere a whip was launched wrapping around Diana's neck and pulled VIOLENTLY by Catwoman

She strangled Diana with a vengeful force choking Diana as she yanked her away from Kara

Catwoman: This is for Helena bitch!

By that Helena the Huntress she named her daughter after Selina's friend and Montoya's lover who Diana murdered by choking her with her lasso

Selina was returning the favor to Diana only without killing her

She choked her enough for Diana to drop on her knees and Catwoman kicks her down face first

Kara ran up to Selina looking down at the pit cold Wonder Woman

Supergirl: Is she?

Catwoman: No honey she'll live. But Bruce needs us.

Supergirl: With what?

Catwoman: He needs you to lead Superman to the Batcave. He has a plan on stopping him.

Supergirl: I can't believe I'm going up against my own baby but full grown cousin. I was supposed to protect him. Now I have to fight him....

Catwoman: Honey....you know there's no other way.

Supergirl: I know. I'll find him.

Wonder Woman slowly regained her consciousness and soon as she looked up vision regained focus...

....Zues in eagle form posted on a roof edge staring down at her

Diana knew it was her god father ruler of Olympus staring down at her the time limit Zues gave her was almost up he was gonna come for soon Diana lowered her expression

She soon turns her gaze to Supergirl carrying Catwoman taking off no doubt to find Superman

Wonder Woman looked back up the Eagle Zues....was gone

Precious time……trickling away.

Not that Superman was in any rush, however. He just stood there, mildly inconvenienced by Flash repeatedly running around him in a tornado in an attempt to disorient and blind him. At best, his warped speed only blurred his vision.

Not that it was enough to avoid a tackle from Cyborg…..because it wasn’t.

Despite charging at him and slamming him up against the closest support beam he could find, he slams Kal right through, giving enough leeway for Clark to alleviate the pressure and turn it around. He’s quick to slam Cyborg to the floor, practically scraping the visible side of his face down on the wooden floor, scaring him.

Cyborg, agonized, uses his thrusters from his legs to blow Kal off of him to achieve some form of distance. As he flips over and landed feet first, Cyborg was quick to pull on his shoulder and release a missile barrage from his back.

All the missiles either bounced off of Superman or deflected to other parts of the room, destroying it.

Thank you no one else was around at that moment.

Superman fired his heat vision but Cyborg instinctively brought his shield. Similar to last time, however, the shield could only withstand so much heat so instead, he repels the trajectory of the blast…..

….indirectly turning Kal around as his heat vision cuts through the support beams, the roof and incinerates the floor beneath the two of them.

They both fall through, but they eventually catch themselves amongst the fallen, fluttering debris.

Not even a minute after landing, Cyborg knees Kal in the face before elbowing him hard and clocking him in the back of the head again to a very mild-mannered reaction. The problem is Kal could dish the same attacks out harder.

And he did exactly that.

Despite a killing bow to his stomach, Superman’s version of the same attack blew Cyborg back about a full 10 feet away. And just for an extra kick in the pants, he froze him with his freeze breath.

Not long after that, Flash jumps on him from behind, rolls over him, and does a better job on behalf of blinding the Kryptonian with a Thunderclap. Once again, it levels the area around the two.

Seconds later, Black Canary floors Superman with a dropkick to the face that staggers him.

From a distance The Red Hood took high ground above the commotion was taking place he took one of his guns and other parts to forge it into a sniper rifle

The time had come to finally avenge his brother and he had to do it while he was distracted one slip could jeopardize his plan he spent the last two years building

With Kal stunned by another bird call from Dinah and threw in punches and kicks like Jason she was in rage trying to avenge her husband

Superman blasted his heatray but Dinah countered it with another bird call to stun him again and then Flash speeds in throwing a kick but in his own speed Clark grabs his foot forcing him back

Jason then loaded his customed built sniper with his SINGLE kryptonite bullet

Red Hood: There.

When Flash was down on the floor Dinah and Kal clashed elbows staring dead at one another

Black Canary: You took Connor's father away....just BEFORE he was born!

Superman: Ollie almost killed my mom Dinah!

Black Canary: You know Goddamn well it was an accident!

In an aimming vision Jason aimmed his riffle directly at Superman's heart

Red Hood: This is it Dick.

He shuts one eye under his helmet

Red Hood: This is for us.

He slowly began to pull the trigger he was a second away from firing this would have been the end of Superman but.....

NO JASON!

Red Hood: WHAT?!

Another familiar ghostly voice called out to him like Superman heard Lois's voice but what Jason heard....was a male voice and he knew it from anywhere

Red Hood: Dick...?

While Red Hood was distracted Superman forced Dinah back and she landed beside Flash

As he recovered he saw Superman hovering over him

Superman: This is on you Barry. When you Jason and Terra defected Batman won the war! You left the Regime vulnerable to Darkseid! You shouldn't have lost your nerve!

Flash: Fuck you Clark! The only time I lost my nerve was when I didn't stand up to you the first time! Maybe Billy would still be alive if I did. Never again.

They fight in full speed it blew the room away even Dinah and the frozen Cyborg

Flash got an advantage when he ran in full speed around the world circling back to hit Clark from behind

But it failed Superman turned in speed grabbing Barry by the throat

Superman: Too slow Barry

And then he choked slams him to the floor

Superman: Stand up to that.

Superman would have finished them till...

KAL!

Superman rolled his eyes with Kara behind him floating him

Superman: I can't forgive you so easily this time Kara. You picked Bruce's side over your own cousin.

Supergirl: There's still hope Kal. I know you're angry and afraid. Ever since....you lost Lois.....

The mention of her name.... remembering he heard her not so long ago....made him tear up and clutch his fists

Superman: You know what's funny Kara? I use to be afraid.... afraid my powers would make people afraid of me. Afraid who I'd hurt if I wasn't careful. And that cost my earth father's life.... every second every day....I spent my whole life holding back! And later my fear cost me Lois! That's....why I can't hold back anymore!

Heart broken her cousin won't stop she knew what she had to do now fallow what Selina instructed her to do

She launched out with Kal launching after her they flew through Gotham with Wonder Woman catching up joining the chase

Supergirl: Bruce Selina.... they're chasing me now.

Good work honey.

Lead them to the tunnel under Arkham it'll take you to the cave

Supergirl: Understood.

No, they found us there last time. Head to the Mansion and lead them down to the Cave from there. Got something in store for them.

Supergirl: You sure?

Trust him on this, Kara. This’ll work.

Not finding much of a reason to argue with the experts, she took them for their word and made a de-tour....a very LONG one at that, all the way back to Wayne Manor.

A relatively mild chase on the surface with both Superman and Wonder Woman easily keeping up at top-notch speed, Kara knew she couldn’t keep this up for long and her faith laid heavily in whatever the hell Bruce had planned back at the abandoned Wayne Manor where the Justice League once resided.

He always had a backup plan for his backup plans.

One minute passed before she reached her intended destination, barely taking the lead ahead of her former Boy Scout cousin and his Amazonian arm-candy. With no time to be polite about the ensuing property damage, Kara had to shoot through the higher balcony of the eroding mansion.

It surprisingly left the two other aliens screeching to a halt, taking firmly into notice that Supergirl had led them straight into the hands of the Caped Crusader YET AGAIN; never mind the prospect of baring witness to the headquarters they once called their own effectively reduced to dust and grime.

At the moment, that didn’t matter.

Wonder Woman: She led us right to him.

Kal sighs.

Superman: It’s no surprise she brought us here, honestly.

Of course, it isn’t.

Diana and Kal quickly placed their backs to one another, circling the area. Their ears immediately perked at the omnipresence of another voice located in their vicinity, their senses were now on high alert.

And with that sense of alertness came quick reflexes.

Quickly thinking, Superman flashes his heat vision behind him……as the beam collided with Red Robin’s bullet shield. Barely withholding the effects of the blast, Robin had to ground his own shield and then spike back off the ground to redirect the blast.

It was a hassle but it paid off.

He was the only one standing in front of the Mansion, much to Kal and Diana’s mild annoyance.

Wonder Woman: You have no jurisdiction here, Robin. Step aside.

Red Robin: I beg to differ.

Wonder Woman: I won’t ask you again, Tim.

He smirks.

Red Robin: Good. Cause we weren’t asking.

‘We’ as in the other people guarding the Mansion as well, crowding up behind him.

Batgirl glided in from above while Starfire, Raven, and Terra floated in from the side. Pretty soon, Static zipped in quickly, Blue Beetle and Firestorm made their presence felt in due time and even Cyborg boomed in just in the nick of time, having broken out of his temporary cyrostasis.

All the Teen Titans were accounted for. Except for Red Hood.

Ominous.

Starfire: I said letting you out was a bad idea, Kal. What happens next is on the both of you.

Superman: Then you'd put the world in bigger jeopardy than Darkseid.

Meanwhile the Red Hood stood out after hearing the ghostly voice of Dick Grayson remembering seeing him as Deadman at the Fortress of Solitude and STRYKERS

Red Hood stood up still trying to call out to him

Red Hood: Dick? Dick if you're there please say something!

At first nothing and Jason just about gave up taking a part his riffle and unloading the Kryptonite bullet and loading it back in one of his pistol

And then....

Jason...

He turns startled again pointing his gun

Red Hood: Grayson....if you're there....say anything cause there's not much time!

Dick still not appearing but...this time spoke echoes

I need you...to trust me Jas. Everything depends on it.

Red Hood: Why?

Do you trust me..... brother?

Red Hood: You know I do.

Then remain calm.

The Red Hood took a breath placing his guns back in his pouches closing his eyes

And after a chilling feeling Jason opened his eyes glowing shiney and lift his arms staring at his hands

Red Hood: Wow Jason. You sure been eating your vegetables. You're stronger than I was when I was alive. Now to find Bruce.

It's obvious Deadman had possessed the Red Hood but why and what did he needed to find Bruce for?

That was soon to come as the Titans continued fighting Superman and Wonder Woman till Batman and Catwoman appear from above landing hard on the floor getting their attention

Both Kal and Diana grew more serious as the Titans stood ready with Kara still sad but determined

Supergirl: I warned them about Diana. But I didn't think you'd turn on me too Kal.

Superman turned to his cousin in disgust and serious

Superman: After Darkseid attacked Krypton you should want him dead more than anyone. Instead of under mining me.

Supergirl: Like I said earlier I wish your parents were here to talk some sense into you. But thank Rao they can't see what you become. When General Zod tried to take over Krypton Jor and council had to fight against him. That's who you come from Kal!

Touching his logo again made Superman hesitant again

Supergirl: You're NOT a High Councilor Kal! Not a Regime leader! THIS is who you are! Not this.

Superman: Maybe. Maybe not. But I wonder....IF Jor-El had been more like Zod...maybe they'd both save Krypton!

That pushed it Kara refused to hold back dishonoring the House of El willingly this time

Superman: And I will save the Earth!

As their confrontation starts Wonder Woman confronts Bruce

Wonder Woman: This is the last time you interfere Bruce! No more secrets. No more schemes.

Batman: Schemes? I'm not the one who Clark stoked with their worst fears.

Diana yells and charged him but Batman easily countered her his new suit made him as strong as her but she bounced back elbowing him

Wonder Woman: To pacify Man's World. Kal gave us steel no compassion.

Batman: But you didn't bring peace. You started a war!

She immediately throws her shield at him, but Bruce dodges it by bending backward. But his eyes laid off his opponent for a brief second, allowing Diana to strike forward with her sword.

But Bruce blocks it with the blades on his arm gauntlets.

Unfazed, Diana lets go, swinging her sword at Batman only for him to keep countering it and dodging it. Eventually, Bruce was able to stop the blade yet again, letting her guard down and forcing her back.

Throwing her to the ground, Diana recovers almost immediately.

Batman: You're going against everything you once stood for, Including your meaning of an amazon.

Wonder Woman: How dare you tell me what it means to be an amazon!

She swiftly moves forward yet again.

This time, Batman followed the same pattern as before. Soon as he caught an opening, he slammed down on Diana’s arm with his elbow and SNAPPED the sword out of her hands with his knee. Following a chop to the back of the neck and a knee to the face, Diana retaliates with a straight punch to the abdomen and sweeping him by the feet.

Bruce barely recovers immediately and gets met with a stiff forearm, thus sliding him across the decomposed grass.

Growing flustered and frustrated, she takes out her lasso but not before Batman leapfrogs over the lasso, barely skimming Blue Beetle along the way. When she brings the Masson back around, Batman rolls on through, glides over, and kicks her back again to the ground. It makes her drop the lasso, but not any more than her guard.

She dodges all punches until a concussive force slams up against the back of her head.

Diana was quick to stop the trajectory of the Static saucer and toss it back behind her. Static hardly avoids his own weapon but the tactic once again pays off. Batman is able to break her guard and slam her down with a hip toss.

This left Supergirl and her own cousin in a test of strength, pushing their own arms up against the other…..shaking the very ground they all stood on.

Superman’s recent vicious streak proved fruitful against Kara, overpowering her bit by bit, almost taking her down to a knee.

Luckily, someone else takes the bait, tackling Superman from afar. With Cyborg taking the initiative, he followed it up with a massive spinebuster, spiking his head and upper back off the grass. It was Starfire's turn, not long after Victor rolled on through the attack.

Kori blinds Kal from afar with a litany of starburst blasts; disorienting the Kryptonian for her to make a move. She wraps her arms around his neck and squeezes.

Starfire: You took him from me!

Kal quickly swats her over his shoulder, as she clashes into barrelling Blue Beetle.

She is quick to recover, screeching in a fit of blind rage and charging straight ahead at the former High Councilor, beating him senselessly with blow after blow after blow to the body all while Kal does little but try to delay the onslaught. 

Out of the bloom The oddly personality Red Hood leaped down landing on his feet standing up and observed everything

Batman and Catwoman were fighting Wonder Woman and The Teen Titans and Supergirl

Red Hood for some reason was mainly eyeing at Starfire

Red Hood: Kori...

The way he spoked Starfire's earth name it was merely obvious Jason... isn't exactly Jason especially when talking to Dick Grayson Star Wars style

Seeing Raven about to strike at Superman from behind he sprinted just when Raven says her three words

Raven: Azerath Netrion ZINTHOS!

She blasts her spell but Superman speeded dodging it and blasts his heat ray stunning her

But before she could hit the floor Jason catches her

Caught off guard but relief seeing who she believes is her love

Raven: Jason...

Red Hood: Not exactly Raven.

Confused and dumb struck

Red Hood: I always said you and I had a bond. You were in my head at my worst. Plus when I recruited Jason you were the first he gained a closeness with.

Suddenly it was obvious to her

Raven: Dick?

That's right Deadman was possessing Jason why that's to be revealed

Red Hood (Deadman): There's no time to explain. Just listen to me carefully.

While that was going on Wonder Woman knocked Batman sending him from wall to wall through the manor

And then she turned to Selina with death in her eyes

Wonder Woman: I been wanting to kill you since Bruce brought you the League.

Catwoman: Oh really it wasn't cause I stole your tiara?

For that Diana made a yell and charged but Selina scratched her in the face and kicked her in the stomach and she pride her shield out of her own hands and lunged it up her chin

Catwoman: Frisbee!

She throws it and hits her in the torso sending her through the halls Batman crashed through

When Diana tend to recover a grapple was fired and a Batclaw wrapped around her legs

She turned pissed off more Batman pulled her to him

Batman: No more bloodshed Diana. You disgraced your sister's more than ever.

Wonder Woman: I had it with your lectures Bruce! Your excision will be PAINFUL!

She yanked the line and and lunged at him but Selina whips her from behind giving Batman the chance to kick her down

Meanwhile Deadman explains his plan to Raven and she was puzzled about this

Raven: This sounds a bit much Dick. Are you even sure this will work?

Red Hood (Deadman): It will if Barry and Bruce were right about him from the beginning. Because we all know Bruce is never gonna break his code again. And Clark is never gonna stop. Kara can't even talk him out of it. And if we don't proceed with this....well a dark future of never ending wars will destroy the planet and countless lives will be lost.

Raven: I'll have to look into myself by meditation.

Red Hood (Deadman): Understood. I have to get to Bruce and let him know of this.

Raven: Just watch out for Diana. She's out of her Goddamn mind. Worse than before.

Red Hood (Deadman): Only cause Superman's pulling her strings. Deep down she's still the same Diana Prince we know. Right now we got work to do.

He turns till Rachel calls out to him compelling him to turn back to her

Raven: It's good to see you again.

Red Hood (Deadman): And you. How's Kori?

Raven: Best you ask her yourself.

He saw no need to. Her blood-drunk craze, almost beating Clark to a pulp was all the visual evidence Dick needed. She was still mourning.

Red Hood (Deadman): I’ll get to that when the time comes.

Having spoken his piece, the possessed Red Hood leaps away. He was lucky he brought Raven away from the fight to give her some peace and quiet……whatever was left, after all.

Luckily, she had a similar method of achieving that. She found herself manifesting her "Soul-Self" through astral projection, crisscrossing her legs and floating into the air. Once more, she planned to project her consciousness for therapeutic purposes to aid in her own meditation.

She needed no interruptions.

Raven: Azarath Metrion Zinthos......

Wonder Woman's defenses were running low on steam inside the discarded manor.

Diana cracked her lasso at Selina, only for her to barrel roll straight through the whip and swept her by the feet. Quickly recovering but not fast enough, Selina grabs ahold of the lasso and smacks Diana across the face with it.

Wrapping it around the former Amazonian princess, she found herself in a precariously similar situation. Batman once ended a fight between her exactly like this: submitting her to her own Lasso of Truth and thus, having her numbed down long enough to deal with the real big bad at play.

Selina, however, appeared to have different opinions in mind. Not content with just binding her up, she wrapped another layer of the Lasso around Diana’s neck and starts pulling back. A tight squeeze; Diana found it difficult to breathe rather quickly. Selina had once refrained from choking her out before….

….but now, the rules were off the card.

And the notion didn’t go past Bruce.

Batman: Catwoman…..

Catwoman: I never got my dues for Helena. She has to pay.

Batman: You don’t have to pay with her.

She pauses. She’s been in this situation before all too well.

Batman: You’ve paid enough. Both of us.

Breathing calmly, the choice was evidently clear to her. What good was this going to bring her beside a false sense of satisfaction? The Amazons have more to deal with her than Selina did and that? Entitlement?

Payback?

That was the old her.

Catwoman: Olympus can have you.

She releases the lasso, leaving Diana breathing but in no condition left to fight.

Raven went in deep meditation and the more she dwell into it the more her vision bloomed

She did see many things of what tomorrow may lead everyone too even Gotham hell the world

Raven see's Batman winning the battle here putting Superman in the phantom zone vowing to be back

But then later Darkseid releases him to punish him more but takes over Apokalips leading him to ask the rebuild Justice League for help but Superman wins that fight seeing Kara brainwashed to stand with him

The later wars show the League of assassin's and a milita lead a mysterious ninja woman and masked with bat ears blue screen military gear and heavy armor quoting: *I waited long enough Batman dies tonight.*

The war ending of Batman killing Superman with just a neck twist but with no choice and Wayne Manor.... BLOWING up

Raven woke up horrified now understanding Dick's unknown plan to us why Superman has to be stopped for good to prevent this

From behind her Static finally shows up sweaty and out of breath

Static: Yo Raves. You alright?

Raven: I'm fine. And you're just in time. We have to stop Superman any means nessercary. Di--Jason is about to help Batman with him. Everything depends on it.

Static: Why?

Raven: What I saw was futal. If Batman does win with Superman still a tyrant.... they'll still be fighting only leading to many possible alternative futures. Many battles will be fought causing Bruce's nightmare to really happen.

Static: And when you say many battles....how many do we win?

Silence

Raven:....One.

Batman just tied up Wonder Woman with Selina still facing down to her sure she still wanted to kill her for Helena but.... Diana wasn't worth it

Just then Superman hovers down with Bruce looking back spotting him

He stands up ready for the final confrontation he nods to Selina telling her he's got this where she lets him handles it

When facing each other Kal looks down chuckling

Superman: Remember when we met Bruce?

Batman: Like if it were yesterday. I thought with your might you would wipe humanity off the face of the earth. I was still grieving for Jason. I was driven by Joker then too.

Superman: Yeah. I thought you were criminal forcing innocent people to live in fear. I felt you were just as a threat with your judgejury and excision. But we were both wrong.

Batman: And what was our wake up call....was our mother's having the same name.

Superman: And people joked about it since. Was offensive....but I'll admit it was kind of silly.

Batman: I suppose.

Superman: You know Bruce.... fighting on the same side again it brought back memories.

Batman: Felt like old times.

Superman: Yeah but I guess we both knew it would end this way.

Batman: You remember that night....when you told me Lois was pregnant.

Superman: Like always you knew. Even before I did. Even before Lois told you too. She wanted you help surprise me in Smallville.

Batman: She loved you. And wanted your happiness.

Superman: Yeah she did. When I met her she found the ship injured by my father's defense drone. I saved her but she kept digging but when she found out she kept my secret. And later you came.

Batman: I want you to know Clark.... despite our differences.... I had nothing but respect for you. I hope you knew...know that....you showed me justice doesn't always have to come from the darkness.

Superman: And you taught me sometimes it does.

Batman: Those were all good memories.

Superman: From another lifetime.

Silence

Batman: I miss what we use to be then.

Superman: Me too.

Both just sigh heavily, upon the realization that those days may never come back again.

Distracted by their conversation, Superman suddenly and abruptly ended their reminiscing by flying towards Batman and punching him towards the chest. He decided right then and there that he wouldn't kill Batman like he would’ve done to Hal, Barry, and Cyborg.

He had other plans.

Still, he wouldn’t hold back.

Superman: We both knew it would come to this.

Batman: It was only a matter of time.

And neither would his former ally.

Superman: I’m not gonna enjoy it......so I’ll try to make it PAINLESS.

Both were tired of their decade-long charade – it was time to end this.

Bruce is left making the first move, gliding through the air to strike Superman down. But Kal effortlessly tackles him out of mid-air and slams him through the floor, shattering the rusty wood and debris everywhere.

They tumble downward and downward, spiraling beneath the Earth before crashing through another ceiling….

….down to the Batcave.

Neither man took no comfort in staying down for long, landing on the railing bridging between the waterfall and Batmobile stationing.

Attempting to make a bold yet fast move-in, Bruce just slides in underneath Clark only to back-kick him in the chin and then gut punch him three separate times. Clark blocks the punch and then knees Bruce in the face once before choking him over the railing as he could hear his throat sort of giving out. Clark then tosses Bruce along as he slides amongst the floor only to shoot out from his Remote Electrical Charge, which doesn’t even graze the Man Of Steel.

Shooting out Batarangs, they don’t do much either.

By the time Bruce goes for another punch, Clark barely blocks it and just jabs Bruce straight in the mouth. Then HE gets punched in the mouth and a kick to the leg and a back elbow later, Clark was once again on the receiving end of the Dark Knights onslaught.

But once Bruce hurled his cape around at him to distract and stun him, by the time he does it for a third time, Clark heat-visioned him while in the air, launching him back further.

To add further insult to injury, Bruce was now blinded by his own cape. How embarrassing.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Superman just causally floats over to Bruce blinded as he tries for a strike but immediately gets a knee for his troubles. It knocks him woozy all while Clark rips the cape off the rest of his suit and just stares at him from behind.....

.....but not before using his own words against him.

Superman: Tell me: DO YOU BLEED?

He knees him in the face again.

Superman: Because this time......you will.

Upon slamming Bruce down and burying his face into the grates on the railing, he then punt kicks Bruce square across the face with so much force that it turns the Dark Knight inside out as he lands flat on his back. Even more so to where he knocked Bruce’s cowl off of him AGAIN.

Stumbling up to a knee and using the railing as leverage to get back up, Clark finally gets the sight he’s been longing to see for a while the next time Bruce just stares at him.

He was bleeding from the nose and the mouth and it was trickling down his face, passing through the grates of the railing.

Ignoring the stream pouring down his face and mouth, Bruce got out the shard of gold kryptonite, and managed to slash Superman once last time before Superman grabbed him by the neck and threw him off the railing and down to the lower levels as he crashed and burned onto the Batmobile. He was nowhere near the waterfall.

Superman then flew towards him, but the Caped Crusader let out a smoke grenade. Due to his weakening powers, the Man of Steel was caught off-guard for a moment, and this allowed Bruce to get in a few more punches and kicks. He then began to throw more of his batarangs towards Superman before grabbing him by his head and slamming him into the brick wall.

Clark, however, headbutts Bruce back one more, heat-visioning Batman's chest armor before kicking and punching him a few times. Bruce was sent down to the ground, and as he tried to get up, Superman punched his back several times trying to reenact what he did nearly a decade ago; trying to make sure he could hear Bruce’s spine break. The unfortunate matter is since the suit was packed with Kryptonite, it made Clark all the more weaker and weaker as the bones in his hand started to started to snap.

By the time his skin started to glow with green and his veins started to pop out, Superman pressed down to a knee for a quick second as he felt himself getting sick. However, his response timing wasn’t off by that much as he barley stopped Bruce’s foot from hurdling down on him and basically uppercuts him through the waterfall and into his office where the Batcomputer was as he smacked his head face first into the screen, cracking it.

Trudging to a vertical basis, Superman struggled to even get up to the floor while Bruce struggled to get up PERIOD, and as Superman just slammed his foot down into Bruce’s back, the Dark Knight let out a weak groan.

He didn’t pass out.

Just exerting more pressure onto Bruce’s back, slowly but surely, he began to feel something snapping in the lower areas of the spine. Bruce continues to groan.

Luckily, he pulls out a familiar last minute resort from his utility belt and just drops it.

Once again, curtesy of the Ultrasonic Bat Beacon, it pulsates this sonic pulse that screeches up against Superman’s ears and called an entire swarm of Bats to the area as he fell to the floor.

Thanks to getting into contact with the Kryptonite in Batman’s suit, he wasn’t able to react to them this time unlike before.

Which meant he wouldn’t be able to see what was coming next: Supergirl flying in towards him.

She simply tackled Clark away from Bruce, grabbed her cousin by his arm, and flew both him and herself out of the Batcave...

...out of the ground...

...through Wayne Manor...

...and into the sky – out of Earth's atmosphere.

She flew towards the sun at top speed, circling around it before throwing Superman towards the asteroid belt.

With a painful grunt, she heat-visioned Superman to increase the velocity at which he would crash into the meteors and back down toward the Earth. Superman could only grunt as he crashed back into Gotham at insane speeds – with two or three tiny asteroids following him and crushing him not long after crash-landing.

Needless to say, Clark had to have been rather lucky to survive that because the effects of the Kryptonite from earlier wore off as he stumbled back down from orbit. And he was as far away from Batman and the rest of the Insurgency as possible; a tactile decision to give Kara some one-on-one time with her younger cousin.

Supergirl levitated down beside him, amongst the crater.

Supergirl: Let's not fight anymore, please. We're family.

Superman: Not since you joined Batman.

He says tumbling up to his feet.

Meanwhile Dick still controlling Jason approached Batman and Catwoman she added him as they notice him coming

Batman: Where have you been?

Red Hood (Deadman): Improvising. Only this time I'm behind the weal.

Bruce and Selina frowned in confusion Jason's tone was a little more cocky he was never like that not even when he was Robin

Red Hood (Deadman): Oh sorry forgot I was in another especially a hard ass like Jason.

Catwoman: Why are you talking like that?

Red Hood (Deadman): I got no time left so I'll spill. It's Dick.

Confused and dumbstruck again Batman and Catwoman didn't know what to think so Dick explained something only he and Bruce knew

Red Hood (Deadman): The night of my parents murder you told me you felt as powerless and angry when you lost yours. When I asked if the pain ever goes away you want to say yes but there will be dark roads to cross. You never told this to Jason or Tim.

Batman didn't need to be a detective to know that his eyes widen flashbacking to finding Dick's body the night Superman murdered him

Batman: Dick....? How....?

Red Hood (Deadman): I don't have time to explain. Just listen to me carefully.

While Deadman explains the mystery plan he told Raven Wonder Woman still on the floor tied up was still out cold as a shadow approached above her

It was Zeus

The supreme ruler of Olympus stared down at his rogue demigoddess daughter with disappointment and mild sadness

Diana was warned he'd come for her if she did change her path and since she didn't he knew what must be done

Zeus: It's time Diana.

Back outside above the Kryptonian cousins kept fighting and clashing more vicious than the fight with Zod

Kara swings a punch at him but he grabs it

Supergirl: I'm not gonna let you destroy yourself Kal!

Superman: The only things I'll destroy is everything in my way!

He kicked her landing through Wayne Manor landing hard in the batcave getting their attention

Thankfully Deadman had just finished explaining the plan

Red Hood (Deadman): It's time. Remember what I just said.

Catwoman: I just hope you're right.

Batman: He is. It was always the key.

Red Hood (Deadman): And Bruce....?

Silence

Red Hood (Deadman): Remember to forgive those that hurt you since my death. Even Jason for his bloodshed. You must let my death go. You are the greatest father I ever knew no matter how much I pushed you away. My life would have been ruined if not for you. Now....your other sons need you. Jason Tim don't turn your back on them.

Batman held back a tear but...it flowed under his mask and soon....

....Dick left Jason's body who woke up confused seeing he was in the batcave not knowing how

They turn to see Superman hovering down the hole Kara came through and the minute Red Hood spotted him his rage boosts back up

Red Hood: Superman.

Jason takes his gun loaded his single kryptonite bullet with Batman seeing it

Batman: JASON NO!

Jason elbows Bruce down and Catwoman afterwards and turns to his brothers murderer and takes aim

Red Hood: Time to die murderer!

Kara looks up seeing Jason aiming his pistol at her cousin and X-rays it seeing the deadly powered bullet

Supergirl: NO!

Titanium composite hollow point bullets with a C4 kicker. Fastest, most explosive ammo in the world.

One head, one bullet. Dipped in Kryptonite. ONE SHOT.

Jason squeezes down on the trigger, releasing the firing pin, which moves forward with great force. The firing pin strikes the primer, causing it to explode. The spark from the primer ignites the gunpowder, the rifling in the barrel causing the bullet spin as it travels out of the barrel.

Speed and escaping gases from the bullet produce a "bang” as it exits the chamber, its trajectory aimed towards the former High Councilor.

A familiar case of Deja Vu. The last time Superman was hospitalized because of a Kryptonite bullet, he barely got made it out to tell the tale. And taking into account it wasn’t the first time he’d been injuried by a similar weapon thanks to Bloodsport, he had no initiative to not take the bullet.

Unfortunately, he didn’t need to.

Supergirl, in the most selfless act of self-sacrifice, pushes her own cousin out of the way before jumping in the way of the bullet….

….and taking the hit.

The force of the bullet immediately grounds Kara, putting the entire room in stunned silence except for the obvious.

Both (Superman and Batman): KARA!

Having already pierced through the skin, Kara holds her stomach in considerable pain, convulsing and twisting in agony. Similar to before, the poisonous radiation was getting to her; her skin turning a sickish color of pale, green veins popping out of her skin.

For once, Kal’s protective instincts kick in. He immediately grips Jason by the neck, gripping his fingers around his trachea too for good measure. Batman tried to come to his aid but is completely brushed aside.

In fact, Bruce is flown back up through the floor and up back outside of the Manor. Rolling on through, he is left woozy upon landing.

He finds the Titans all coupled behind him, recovering themselves after a sturdy and girthy beatdown taken and delivered at easy measure. With the exception of Cyborg and Raven, everyone else barely recovers.

Red Robin: How’d it go?

Batman: Not good.

And that’s as far as he could go into his explanation. The front of the manor crumbled apart and falls, putting everyone outside at attention.

Through the smoke, Supergirl hovers out but quickly collapses. Raven, catching the root of the problem immediately, teleports her over to the others and sets her down gently.

Raven: Easy, easy.

Supergirl: Kry—Krypton—

Raven: Yeah, I thought as much.

Blue Beetle: Uh, we got more trouble!

Pointing back towards the front of the now totaled manor, Superman now shows himself. Through the smoke, two other silhouettes follow closely behind him…..

….Red Hood and Catwoman being held by the throat.

Terra: He wouldn’t.....

Cyborg: Yes, he would. Given how far he’s gone, there’s no question he’s gonna let loose.

Static: Then why we standing around?!

Batgirl: No, stop!

Both her and Starfire stop them from moving ahead.

Starfire: We all know how these situations turn out. No more lives will be lost today.

A move had to be done. But not now, especially with Superman intending to go full Homelander on two important allies to the Insurgency just to prove a point.

Bruce is left being the middleman in-between, exhausted and with a broken suit in his possession.

Superman: “Agamemnon Contingency: File forename ~ Detective. While Batman is a master strategist and combatant, he is only human. The best way to cut off his and limit his strategic abilities, offensively or defensively, would be to distract him. His parents are an excellent blind spot as is his endless crusade to protect the innocent. Taking hostages is a great distraction, particularly if they’re friends or family.”

His gaze turns to Jason, sinking deep into his thoughts on how Superman could have been a father a long time ago if he had just done the right thing. Yet Batman is the father now, four times over at this point, and what better way this time to teach Bruce the lesson he wanted him to learn for all these years now?

How ironic.

Superman: You know, Bruce.....I, too, thought of retirement. And the last time I talked to Lois, I told her how badly I wanted to achieve peace, so his father would not bail on him, break his promises, leave him out on everything.....just to go save the world. That was the WHOLE reason I wanted to do this: to create a world where Jon wouldn’t have to spend every second of every day frantically growing a third eye, looking over his head to see distractions, chaos and death wherever it spreads.

~Silence~

Superman: Your clown friend robbed me and Lois of the life I wanted to build for him.

Bruce: Yet killing criminals is just the way to make your son safe? How would he understand that?

Superman: Because then he wouldn’t have to carry the same scars as you or me! The burden of us wasting our lives away over these petty squabbles! Nor his children and his children's children. Not even your daughter's children! But how you would know.....

He just glares over at Selina, her look spelled out everything that needed to be said.

Superman: Joker could have took Selina while she was pregnant if I hadn't done him in.....I saved you from that pain and this is how you repay me? Well, now you're about to know what that feels like. THEN......you can look me in the eyes.....and tell me you're sorry.

Batman nods and Superman was more bitter than ever but Bruce didn't stop

Batman: I think everything hinges on tonight. I don't want either one of us killing the other. But we're running out of alternatives. Clark you are still a good man Clark and I think I forgot about that completely after Dick. Cause whatever happens from here.... it's on us. You can't possibly be living with yourself the more you carry this rage.

Kal's grip on Jason and Selina began to tighten with his anger growing more

Batman: You need to know something I should have told you before. Before Joker....

Raven continued healing Kara trying to pull the Kryptonite bullet out of her

Batman: Despite our differences then and now.... I had nothing but respect for you. I hope you knew....KNOW that you showed me justice doesn't always have to come from the darkness. I know deep down....you still know that.

Superman got where this going and it pissed him off even more

Superman: That's it? THAT'S FUCKING IT?!

He lets go of Selina and Jason and launched at Batman grabbing him and slamming him to the wall everyone prepared to stop him even the recovering Titans but Bruce held out his hand signaling everyone not to attack and they stepped down

Superman: THAT'S YOUR BIG TRUMP CARD BRUCE?! YOU THINK I'LL STOP BECAUSE YOU'LL TALK ME OUT OF IT?!?!

Batman: Not me. Her.

Superman: What??

Out of the blue a bright light shines and everyone saw it

Even Raven as she continues healing Kara and finally got the Kryptonite bullet out crushing it

As Starfire observes it closely

Jason and Selina got up seeing it too

The light shifted with Deadman to Starfire and all of the Titans shock with a female figure behind him

Starfire: Dick...?

Red Robin: It can't be.

Red Hood: He's always been here Timmy.

Superman looked back and was just as shocked to see him as well

Superman: What in Rao?

Deadman: I know what you're gonna say Superman but....I have someone here who wants to talk to you.

He stepped aside and to Kal's bigger surprise....it was the ghost....of Lois herself (Amy Adams) carrying a baby in a blanket

Everyone was in deep shock as Kara began to recover slowly

Lois: Hello Clark.

Clark's heart skipped multiple beats he let's Bruce go and hovered to her Selina and Barbra and Tim tended to him as Clark observed the spirit of his deceased wife closely and the covered child she was carrying

Superman: You're.... you're not really here...are you Lois?

Lois: I've always been here Clark. I never left. And I know everything that's happened.

Superman's guilt began to grow hearing that

Lois: Every life was once sacred to you. Is it not anymore?

Superman: Of course it is. I only want to give the world peace.

Lois: By murdering anyone who disagrees with you? Clark look what this peace has done to you. How many more husbands wives children or even your own friends will you kill for peace? Oh Clark..I wish I could have told you sooner. Please don't destroy yourself for me anymore. Remember that farmer's dream. The faith your real parents and earth parents had for you. Don't let my death turn you into this monster that's killing you. Please....

The way she pleaded the reality began hitting him

Superman: How did it come to this?

Lois removed the blanket and revealed the spiritual image of their son's face who looked up at his father and what hurt Clark more...he couldn't touch him or Lois given they were spirits he couldn't hold back his tears

Kara looks up and saw Lois too with Superman dropping on his knees melting down to the horror of the reality he's realized

It all came back to him like a storm

Superman: What have I done?

Lois hushed him as Kara ran to him

Supergirl: Kal.

Superman: I am so sorry Kara.... I'm so sorry....I deserve to die.

No.

The Kryptonian cousins and ghosts looked back with Batman approaching

Batman: You still don't get off that easily. We need to put you back in your red solar cell at STRYKERS.

Superman: That won't be enough anymore.

Silence came as the reformed man of steel stands up with his tears flooding

Superman: You'll have to put me in the Phantom Zone. STRYKERS will be the first place Darkseid will look when he returns. And he will.

Batman: I know. And when he does we'll need you again we'll release you each time we'll need you.

He looked back at Lois who reached for his cheek despite he couldn't feel her he now knows Lois never really left him as Dick went to the Titans first to Kori who was tearing up

Starfire: Oh Dick... I thought you were gone for good.

Deadman: No one's ever really gone Kori.

He says that…..but Kori could tell that it wasn’t all that different on the other side; him being a ghost and all.

She sees those gravity-drawn shoulders painting a picture of his heart as if neither it nor his soul would welcome a beat. Seeing in his eyes that his brain had built some new walls with him so lonely on the other side…..brought her no semblance of comfort despite his soul not being able to rest. All she wanted, and needed was comfort.

And even that, Dick could not give. The temptation was high to touch him but at what cost? He couldn’t feel her.

The rest of the Titans, including Terra, Blue Beetle, Firestorm, and Static gathered around the former Nightwing. Awed but also distraught.

Deadman: I’m proud of all of you. I see you’ve managed to carry on in my absence; I have full confidence in Kori to lead the rest of you.

Everyone looks over at Starfire, the latter appearing just as shocked as everyone else.

Deadman: And Victor?

He turns his gaze back towards the reformed Cyborg.

Deadman: Glad you’re back with your family.

Victor felt his stomach churn at the statement. It was refreshing that his former leader held no grudges but the guilt would always remain with him so it was from that moment onwards that he’d have to dedicate the rest of his time to make up for all of it.

He can only bring himself to nod.

Dick nods back…..before his spirit dissipates up into the air and vanishes.

Soon enough, Lois’ spirit does the same…..but not without a final say. Mouthing ‘I Love You' before she vanishes, was a solidification that what she and Kal had could never be broken, that what he did was not his fault but that he had to do the right thing.

A hard choice to make but the right one. One that Kara had difficulty adjusting to……but one she knew she had to let happen.

~2 months later~

Months had passed since Superman’s attempt at rebuilding the Regime was thwarted yet again. As expected though, recovery had been running slow. Given how some cities had to be rebuilt and remodeled from stretch since those select cities were wiped off the face of the planet, it only made the matter at hand all the more difficult.

With all bets down, Bruce made it his personal mission to make sure that Superman, for now, never sees the light of day again.

How?

Thanks to Kara’s help, he had processed and constructed together a Phantom Zone projector at the Fortress Of Solitude to send Clark through there, let alone in his Strykers prison outfit.

On top of that, he had him placed in iron-tight cuffs with a single shard of Kryptonite in the middle of them to prevent him from breaking out.

Bruce also had lights hovering and shining over Clark, dosed with gold Kryptonite energy to render him human and to weaken him further when the day comes that he would eventually escape.

Cause Bruce knew better.

After a few extra minutes of monitoring the Gold Kryptonite lights, the feedback from Bruce’s virtual computer told Bruce that Clark is now rendered 100% human and can no longer pose a threat to anyone else for the foreseeable future.

So as it delivers the news, the lights shut off.

Bruce: Kara, it’s safe now.

Hearing his voice from a measurable distance away, Kara just floats downwards and approaches Kal with caution, knowing the utter monster her baby cousins become.

It was still hard to take everything into consideration.

Kal: Let’s get this across: even without my powers, the Phantom Zone won’t be able to hold me forever. You think this is the best thing for everyone, I’m trusting you to make it so…..but if you ever need me—

Bruce: Trust me, you’ll be ready when you come out. I’m counting on it......

He backs away, giving Kara space with her cousin again.

Kara: Kal. Look, I don’t—I wish.....

Kal: We were family, Kara….

Kara: And we still are. You still mean a lot to me but this is for your own good. I hope one day you can understand that.

He faces down, shaking his head in shame.

Kal: My mission now lies with you. Promise you’ll do what I failed to.

Ashamed and guilt-ridden, she hugs him tightly......for she was having to abandon her cousin yet again.

It hurt her, both mentally and physically since she was in contact with the Kryptonite shard on his cuffs. But she didn’t care.

Kara: I love you.

Kal could only bring himself to rest his head on top of her’s. Aside from that, he didn’t respond.

Having to cut the hug short, Bruce just sighs heavily as he takes a Phantom drive that Kara gave her and slots it in the hole, which in turn.....

......activates the projector and formulates a black hole portal leading to the Phantom Zone.

Kara had to quickly back away as the magnetic pull of the Phantom regularity had already suckered Kal in completely compared to last time. Luckily, the Phantom energy singularity was greatly reduced so that it would only suck HIM inside and given how a few pieces of his skin and hair began to fling off.

Eventually, he stopped trying to fight it as he flew back as the black hole sucked him into the Phantom Zone completely. Bruce has to yank the drive out of the port for the portal to disappear.

Nothing but silence erupts afterward.

Bruce: Are you ok?

Kara: No. I mean—

She just looks down beneath her shirt and just peeks at the insignia given to her. It made her contemplate whether or not this was her duty.

Kara: This symbol was supposed to give people hope.....and he made them fear it.

Bruce: That symbol's meaning is up to the person who wears it.

A lot of memories had been flooding back to him ever since. But now, one memory, in particular, was coming back – the Justice League's formation. He remembered how he and Diana founded the League, with Victor, Hal, Barry, Arthur, and so many more by their side. It was a happier memory, and he thought of it as he glanced back up at Supergirl.

Bruce: When Diana and I founded the Justice League, we never governed people. We protected them; plain and simple. Maybe.....maybe the world could use a team like that again.

Kara: What are you saying?

He held out his hand toward Supergirl, and there was a pause as the younger hero looked at him.

Bruce: Welcome to the circle of trust.

She just looks around her as she contemplated her thoughts together before looking back at Bruce – and shaking his hand.

Kara smiled unevenly before it fades and she nods firmly. She was determined to restore the people's faith in the House of El, and Kryptonians in general.

~Many Months later~

There Bruce sits, in a meeting with President Stillwell in the White House in what has to be a $10,000 suit with his leg crossed over the other as he just pipes in to what the President had to say. The former Vice President, Stillwell was forced to step in after the death of President Kane.

Darkseid’s attack left the world devastated. Millions dead, many more thousands homeless. When President Stillwell asked that I head up the emergency response, this time, I couldn't refuse.

Once the President stuck out her hand, after a few seconds of thinking, Bruce took her hand and shook it. The last time he got involved in politics or anything involved in government, he got stuck in Arkham City.

This time it was different.

As for the others, slowly but surely, the process of reforming the Justice League was taking place. Their old base of operations, the Hall Of Justice back at Wayne Manor, may have been under strict damage….

….but it was still the best place to sign up their army of new recruits for the Justice League.

Jaime, Jason, Professor Stein, Terra, Kori, Rachel and Kara......all the Teen Titans just so happened to be getting their promotions, moving onto to higher, bigger and better things.

Static was one of the first few to get called up and officially signed up for the team.

And so did everyone else.

The job demands required that I leave the Justice League in Barry's and Hal’s hands.

Both Hal and Barry just nod towards one another before officially signing up Terra to the group as well. And she was on the verge of tears as she just ran up and hugged them both.

Together they're molding the younger heroes into a force of good unlike any Earth has even seen.

Victor just couldn’t help but to watch from afar while he watched all the Titans get promoted up to the Justice League with the exception of Kara herself. Jason has his eyes on him for the longest time and the same applies with everyone else.

He didn’t need to apologize however; he already had chosen his side once he came back to help.

Again, Jason, finally seeing Victors humanity click back to him, just hugs him tightly as the others watch from afar.

Even Harley Quinn herself had received her notice and had been called up to the team as well…..via a notice while she was still at the hospital.

Ginormous scars through her stomach had to be stitched back together carefully following the aftermath and she was prohibited from leaving the hospital on short notice. Luckily, she had some visitors to pass the time.

One day, she found herself surprised by the arrival of Deadshot, Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Meichior) and to her surprise, Peacemaker.

As much a shock to her as it did to Bloodsport and Cleo, the shock did wear off quickly. He wouldn’t have been here if he was still on the opposing side…..not that sides would’ve mattered now, now that the war is over.

Harley: Yo—you came.

Floyd: How can I forget the Squad?

For now, momentarily, the Suicide Squad was back together.

Welding and forging together a construct circuit board within yet another weapon, Bruce had recently made a promise to himself and to Helena, that he’d try harder to be Bruce and not Batman; stay off the streets for now on. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be hard at work.

After welding for what had to be three hours straight, he finally took this time to stop. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he felt arms wrapped behind him as he turns back towards Selina and just hugs her tightly.

A brief glare and a kiss later, Helena comes in.

But with that, I had to stick to my promise. As of right now, I'm only semi-retired.

He just watches as Helena coos louder and louder, and to both his and Selena’s surprise, she’s walking towards them.

Their baby girl learned how to walk, albeit in an awkward fashion. But awkward is common in the world of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle.

Again, Selina hoists her daughter up as Bruce gets a good glimpse of the ring on her finger. Looking down at his, he couldn’t help but to smile and think how fresh a turn his life took.

People think I’m all about beating up bad guys, striking terror into the hearts of the underground. But when you get down to it......when you take away the cape and the cowl and the letter “T” in Batman......

He again kisses Selina and hugs her and Helena tightly, keeping his family close and entering this new.....chapter in his life.

But not before he heard......

Helena: Ba......man.

......I’m all about protecting the innocent.

While it was alright for Bruce, it was a different story for Kal completely as he laid in place above an entire field of rocks as if they were all locked in place by a magnetic field and stuck in its gravitational pull. But in reality, this is exactly how the Phantom Zone operated.

A timeless dimension—a vast expense on nothingness. A prison for Kryptons worst criminal element......and Kal was now one of them.

Still bound by his Kryptonite cuffs and dimmed by the effects of the gold Kryptonite beams, Kal was just as human as he ever was.

I haven’t been slacking, though. Behind the scenes I've been preparing for Superman’s return.

Kal just coldly looks back behind him at the sight of those he hoped he’d never see again: Faora-Ul, Nam-Ek, Tor-An and the rest of what used to be Zod’s loyalists.

Glancing back and away from them, he can only stare out into the void of nothingness, a tiny twinkle in his eye as he slowly looked up.

Kal swore to me to be ready once he got out the Phantom Zone one day. I'd be foolish not to take him at his word.

While one Kryptonian laid in the confines of his own guilt and regret, another Kryptonian was needed to fill in his void and to take his place.

That’s where Kara comes in.

Sporting new casual attire: a yellow sweater with a red plaid shirt underneath, jeans, glasses and a new hairstyle, she had drastically changed a lot since the first two years she had been cooped up on Earth. Upon her decision to move away from the big scenes, she had made it a priority to make herself seem and look as normal as possible.

Part of the process meant getting a job and what better place to work at than.......CatCo Worldwide Media?

Upon arrival in National City, California, Kara applied to find a job there as the assistant to one Cat Grant under the pseudonym: Kara Denvers.

Upon acceptance to CatCo Worldwide Media, Kara had managed to keep her identity pretty top secret from everyone. But that didn’t mean the bare stench of who she really is wasn’t going to come back to bite her.

Feels surreal having to tell myself this but it’s just the way I feel. Having to understand the way this world works is frustrating in its own right.....strange how much I agree with Kal on that one. And yet my mind can’t really process all that occurred on that tragic day.

She just looks down at her hands, trembling, as it brings her back to......THAT memory.

My hands still shake and tremble when I remember Darkseid’s war on Krypton, the legacy it left on my people, my family. There isn’t a day that goes by where I wish I could take it all back from him.….

Once again, she sighs heavily feeling disappointed how she couldn’t live up to her promise. But based on the look on her face, she didn’t look all that worried then before as she slowly walks off.

I wanted to give all the world he stole a second chance…..give my cousin another chance. But I’m so grateful for the Justice League’s help. Barry, Barbara, Virgil, Professor Stein; they’ve already taught me so much.....and now I’m learning things the right way, the way it was meant to be done.

Shortly after stepping out the CatCo building an hour later, her heightened super senses kick in as she began to hear voices of panic, disarray and fear all throughout town. And from looking all around, in both directions, it was clear she had a void to fill in for her cousin.

And she didn’t mind. Not anymore.

While I still have much to learn about this world, one thing is clear: there is a light, a spirit in all of us that cannot be snuffed out. That won't give up. I need their help. I need them to hope. Hope that they will remember that they can all be heroes. Hope that when faced with an enemy determined to destroy their spirit, they will fight back and thrive. Hope that those who once may have shunned their will, in a moment of crisis, come to their aid. Hope that they will see again the faces of those they love......And perhaps even those they’ve lost. That I’ve lost. That we’ve all lost.

She then just ducks for the nearest alleyway only to fold away her classes and drop her bag to the side while looking back up to the sky, knowing just how big of a role she had now. It’d be a while before she’d regain the people’s trust in Kryptonian’s but that insignia she wore....and what it meant.....

......that’d all be up to her.

I couldn’t save Krypton. I couldn’t save my mother. But I can still save Kal-El. I won’t let history repeat itself again; I WON’T lose another home. No hero can save everyone, but a REAL hero never stops trying. And Earth desperately needs that hero.

At this point, with a slight smirk peeking out through her lips, she just continues trudging forward before swatting her sweater off of her and just unbuttoning her red plaid shirt until the “S” insignia pops out and glistens brightly.

The NEW beacon of hope had arrived.

Sounds like a job for Supergirl.

~Cuts to credits~

Mid-Credits Scene[]

Screen was dark and we later hear female voices echoing

I think this is it.

It's all caved in.

They're both here though. They have to be.

We hear rumbling sounds and a rock was pulled off the screen....

.....by a Ninja from Nyssa's rebellion against the League

And her and other two Rebel Ninjas digging the fallen debree on the Lazarus lab under Wonder City with Nyssa herself standing in with her hands behind her back

After much time Talia's body was they first they dug out

Ninja # 2: Mistress we found her.

Nyssa: Bring her outside the doors.

The second Ninja carried Nyssa's sister's corpse down and placed her outside on the cold floor

Nyssa approaches examining her body and nods

Nyssa: You loyal fool. You say you suffered under Father's rule but don't you know how much I suffered? Even if Bruce joined your crusade Superman would have killed you both and the Regime would still have high power.

Silence with the screen facing Talia's body and back to Nyssa

Nyssa: But despite our differences.....I still love you sister.

Surprisingly Nyssa bent down kissing Talia's forehead marking the sister love she still carries for her

Mistress!

Nyssa turned back and her three rebel fallowers carried Ra's body and placing it down

Nyssa walked to it looking down at the Demon's corps in anger and emotionless

Nyssa: Father. What a monster you let yourself become. And for what? Power? Control? At least the world will never have to fear you again.

Ninja # 3: My lady. I'm afraid the Demon and Talia aren't the only problems.

Nyssa: What do you mean?

Ninja # 2: Our spies in the League confirmed...they were tracking the twins.

Nyssa: Twins? You mean Talia's children?

They nod

Nyssa: And you're telling me this now?! Did at least find them or anything on the children?

Ninja # 1: No Mistress. At least they would have if they hadn't retreated. Or if we hadn't interfered. We can pick up their trail if we fallow their lead I mean should we?

Nyssa: No. Let them be.

Silence

Nyssa: I won't let my sister's children suffer as I have suffered. I promised Batman once the rebellion defeats the League they will shed more innocent blood. But if we pull the children in our crusade I can't hold that promise. It's best they have better lives than me... Talia Ra's....even Bruce.

Silence with ominous music screen cuts out

Post-Credit Scene[]

Training room; Titans Tower.

2nd floor.

On one side of the room: Jason Rusch, Jaime, Donna Troy, Virgil and Kara.

On the other side: Kori, Rachel, Tim, Barbara, Terra, Professor Stein and Jason Todd.

At this current timeframe, their work ethic and how they risked their lives to help them fend off against both Darkseid and Superman had impressed the core members of the Titans so much, that they decided that the next generation of Titans is here.

Victor couldn’t pass up this chance to be there either.

It was going to take a while before the others actually would welcome him back to the team with open arms. Needless to say, the consent of one wouldn’t be enough for the rest of the team. The start of his redemption would come here.

Around the time they all were inducted into the Justice League, Starfire was given the rank of leader; a role in which Dick always wanted her to have one day.

As for Raven, she was ok being the second-in-command.

With little to no hesitation whatsoever, Kori just flat out says.....

Starfire: Perhaps you all ARE Titans material.

Virgil: What?

Rusch: For real?

Jaime: You really think so?

Rachel: We’re positive.

Stein: All four of you have displayed tremendous feats of valor, heart, courage, determination.......and self-control.

He eyes over at Jason when he said that.

Tim: Needless to say we’re all proud of you. If we hadn’t enlisted our trust in you....

Barbara: If BRUCE hadn’t enlisted his trust in you.....

Terra:.....there might’ve not been a tomorrow.

All four of them kept their professionalism intact as they got moved up to the next big level. Being a Justice Leaguer and a Teen Titan was exciting but don’t expect any warm fuzzies for the time being.

Rachel: Now the real work begins. We’ve done a excellent job thwarting evil a few months ago but now is not the time to start slacking off. We must stay vigilant.

Starfire: New threats and unparalleled horrors arrive on the horizon each and every day so to prepare for everything, you must train for anything. That was an important lesson instilled to me by the Warlords of Okara.

Rusch: Argh. Them again?

Jaime: Dude.

Brief pause of silence.

Starfire: And so it shall be instilled in all of you. Let’s pair off. Those not fighting, watch and learn.

Didn’t need to tell anyone else twice.

Jason (Rusch) paired up with Jaime almost immediately while Donna sort of went off to the side next to Victor. Raven and Jason (Todd) had each other, Tim and Barbara stayed close and Terra had Static to worry about.

However, Kori could see Donna was chatting with Cyborg though near the back of the room.

Victor: You sure this is what you want?

Donna: Do I look unsure to you, Victor?

Victor: No, no. Just….me and Diana and…..

He breathes heavily, stopping himself from digging an even shallower grave with his words.

Donna: My mother has already slated that I take over my sisters place as protector of Man’s world. Anything to make up for her wrongdoings, I am more than obliged to do so. While what you all did was on your behalf, you were manipulated by someone who his grief and anger consume him.

Considering how far Diana has fallen, it made perfect sense.

Donna: Just give it time, Victor. We all need to recover.

With her stepping off and “pairing” with Victor, that just left the new girl right in the middle to be the first to show off what she can do.

Everyone had their eyes laser focused directly onto her. Kara was being thrust into the fire from the offset.

Starfire: Well, Kara.......as much as I didn’t have it in me to admit, your fire and resolve was greater than I had speculated. I judged you too quickly due to my history with Kal.....and I’m sorry. But how did you do it? How do you cope with darkness?

Kara: I don’t give up hope.

Starfire: Grayson would’ve liked you......but that’s a story for another time. I have valuable wisdom to share.

Kara: You can definitely say I’ve gotten pretty used to my powers.

Starfire: Let our powers do the talking.

Kara steps forward, but not before she takes the bobbin out of her hair. She just cracks her neck slightly as Kori just readies her baton.

This should be interesting.

Kara: Are you ready?

Starfire: Let’s start your audition.

~Cuts out~

Survivors[]

(Coming soon)

Deaths[]

Carol Ferris ~killed by Darkseid, personally
Jay Garrick ~ succumbed to cancer years ago
STRYKER Guards ~ slaughtered by Wonder Woman (Off screen)
More STRYKER Guards ~ Gutted and strangled by Wonder Woman
Ra's Al Ghul ~ crushed
Talia Al Ghul ~ crushed

Featured Songs[]

Darkseid Theme song
3 Doors Down ~ It's Not My Time
INJUSTICE 2 Theme song
Thirty Seconds To Mars ~ From Yesterday
Sophie Burrell ~ Tranquillity
Ananya Birla ~ Unstoppable
12 Stones ~ World So Cold
Starset ~ Infected

Main Cast Gallery[]

(More Coming soon)

Sequels[]

Static Shock?

Batman: Children of Arkham

Girl Of Steel

Teen Titans III

INJUSTICE: Gods Will Fall

INJUSTICE: Fallout

(Coming soon)

Prequels[]

(More coming soon)

MMPA Rating[]

The following film is rated "R", for excessive violence, imagery and strong language throughout....

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INJUSTICE 2

Contents

Main Cast[]

Synopsis[]

Plot[]

Mid-Credits Scene[]

Post-Credit Scene[]

Survivors[]

Deaths[]

Featured Songs[]

Main Cast Gallery[]

Sequels[]

Prequels[]

MMPA Rating[]

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