Justice Lords Limitless Act 2: EndWar

A rap-tap-tapping echoed from outside stately Wayne Manor's large oak doors. With caution, Bruce approached the entryway. "Who is it?"
There was a muffled answer. It was nowhere near intelligible, but it was there. Without bothering to repeat himself, Bruce looked to the security monitor displaying the outside entrance and, much to his surprise, saw Diana standing with her arms crossed over her chest in a huff and a scarf wrapped about her face tightly. Despite the scarf obscuring half of her face, he recognized her through the screen.
Hurriedly, Bruce opened the two large doors and welcomed the woman. "Diana! What are you doing here?" Ugh, that felt unnatural.
Diana brushed past him and immediately entered. "I don't feel safe."
Come in, why don't you? Bruce closed the doors behind her then quickly led her into a parlor that had a kitchenette. As he prepared a warm drink to calm Diana's nerves, she unloaded on him everything that had been happening to her. The glares, the constant harassment, the threats... She understood their anger at first, that was why she'd been going by an assumed name. But now it was getting to be too much.
After she finished, Bruce took a moment to collect his thoughts. "I see." He took another pause. "Diana, I'm sorry you're experiencing this. We expected pushback from the public so you know there are already proper channels you should raise these issues with. Relocation is all they can offer you."
"Exactly!" Diana sighed. "Great Hera, Bruce. It won't matter! I've already spoken with the director of the rehab center as well as the authorities. They don't even seem to care!" She pounded her fist against the wall in anger. "I've moved twice now and changed my name, but who I am, who I was, always gets out." Diana looked at the spot she had just struck. Not even a scratch. "I'm not even the same person anymore. I can't fight them all off if they attack me." She closed her eyes as tears teased the corners. "I can die, Bruce. I don't want to die."
The two sat in silence as Bruce worked out how best to reply. It was a rare moment of weakness in Diana, one he'd never really seen before. He had to choose his words carefully. "To say 'I know what you are going through' would be a lie. I don't know, and to be honest; I don't think I ever will know." He moved in and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. A friendly gesture. "But I want to help you; however, what I can do through the Wayne Foundation only stretches so far. Relocation to a different suburb or even a different city is all I can offer you and, well... I can't do much else."
Diana understood and she hated that. She didn't want to understand that Bruce was doing all he could to ensure her safety. She didn't want to understand that the most he could offer was lousy relocation and maybe, just maybe, a better home security system. In fact, she understood she was already stretching his charity with her unannounced arrival. She made her way to the door in defeat.
Bruce watched her go, he felt a pang to reach out and keep her safe. She'd been stripped of all her exotic abilities and then thrown, helpless by all accounts, into the very people she'd once subjugated with a golden fist. As unfair as it seemed, it was at least far better than how a few other Lords had fared. He kicked aside the desire to protect her in favor of the more practical, and legal, approach. He would work to get her relocated to a more distant part of Gotham. The Somerset District, as much as he didn't like its proximity to Arkham Asylum, was also a quiet and more remote part of the city. "I promise that I will visit soon. Until then, catalog what you experience and take pictures if you can. The stronger the case for your safety, the more that can be done."
"You better visit... They shrink away when you come." Diana paused at the door and managed a smile. "I hear that he is back."
Bruce played dumb. "Who?"
"The Batman." The way she said it, she almost sounded excited.
"Oh, I've heard rumors, but nothing concrete," he scoffed as he dismissed Batman's return to the nightlife.
Diana gave a half-laugh and asked if he thought Batman would be watching over her.
"If I were him, I would be," Bruce replied with a slight smile.
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"Mawk, you idiot! You could have been killed!" Kimber's voice wavered between anger and surprise. Moments ago she and her boyfriend had been walking down the boulevard on their way home from the strip mall when they had been suddenly surrounded by a small gang of youths. The trio demanded the couple hand over their cash and goods at knifepoint. Instead of complying, Mawk unleashed raw fury upon the three would-be gangsters until they could only limp home.
"What? They deserved it," Mawk replied coolly. "Did you want them to take the clothes we literally just bought?"
Kimber flung her arms around his neck and peppered his cheek with kisses. Usually, she wasn't prone to such a public display of affection, but after that night, she sort of felt responsible for Mawk and his well-being. It was her presence at his party that brought pain into Mawk's life. Though the attack was blamed on Jean-Paul Valley's zealotry, Kimber knew better. If she hadn't been there, Mawk wouldn't have been injured. She still had nightmares about the party; about watching Jean-Paul slice Mawk's gut open. She shivered as she pulled away from him, her nose rubbing against his and her hands running down his shoulders as she did.
Her mind couldn't get the images of him beating the thugs down out of her head. The recklessness of the action aside, he'd actually shown some good form. In the past, he'd never really cared to learn how to fight, often he'd relied on his size when it came to physical altercations. But this time he'd actually thrown punches instead of wild haymakers, more like a boxer than a scrapper. Curious, she squeezed him and realized just how much muscle he'd packed back on in just the last few months. She frowned. "Are you... bulking up? You know what the doctors said about exerting yourself physically, damn it!"
Mawk sheepishly grinned. "Please, I was a star football player in high school; all that muscle doesn't go away like that," he said with the snap of his fingers. "Kimmie, it's just some light exercise to keep my spirits up. Doctor gave the okay!"
"If you say so..." She agreed verbally but she didn't believe him. She'd been with Mawk on and off since their Sophomore year in high school and she was confident that he had never been that big. Couple that fact with the months he had been in and out of the hospital and relegated to limited physical activity as he healed, Kimber was certain that this was a new development. Even so, she decided not to press the issue any further. After all, he'd just bought her a healthy number of tops from Threaded and they were on a date. Maybe he just wanted to keep up his appearance to her? Looking a gift horse in the mouth was never a good idea. Pushing the issue would just agitate both of them.
Mawk unlocked the car and slipped into the driver's seat of his convertible as Kimber placed her bags in the trunk. As he waited for his date to get in the car, he controlled breaths and rested his hands, still shaking from the adrenaline rush, on the dash. His mind was racing. The fight had been invigorating, rejuvenating, but it had also been costly. The teens were light work but maybe he'd shown his hand too much? After all, Kimber had swooned into his arms but she'd also scrutinized him. She was more astute than he'd expected. He'd have to remember that.
The car shook a bit as Kimber slammed the trunk closed and ran her finger along the shiny and curvy red car frame. Her mouth twisted to the side as the events again replayed in her mind, this time judging the street fight. He'd been careless a few times, turning his back to a target while focusing on another, leaving him blatantly open a few times. Tunnel-vision: a problem she'd had to deal with herself when she'd first started as Batgirl. She had to step in a few times, unbeknownst to Mawk, to cover his back. She revised her summary of the events. Despite his display of form, he was still just a brawler; and a careless one at that.
"So..." Mawk broke the silence. "You still feeling the movies?"
"Uh huh," Kimber mumbled, mind still preoccupied.
"Terrif'!" Mawk exclaimed, doing his best to shift the attitude in the car. "I don't want to miss the previews!"
Mawk pulled out of the parking space carefully, then exited from the lot. As he watched the cross-traffic, his trademark grin returned. "Oh, and by the way," he said, "Don't think I didn't see you get in your licks, too. I saw the way you 'accidentally' would trip or bump them when I had my back turned. You were trying to hide it, but I saw."
Kimber looked up at him and smiled nervously. "What do you mean?"
"I know you can fight, Kimmie. I mean, you're the daughter of a cop! Why wouldn't you know some of the basics? I don't know why you're trying to hide it, but it's alright. Your secret's safe with me." He winked at her, then pulled into traffic.
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"When are we going to do something?" Kent paced the floor in anticipation. They had been hiding out in Star City for too long and he was getting antsy. Not because he was impatient for the justice he deserved against the Dark Knight, but because they had not left their hideaway for days.
"Patience. We're still trying to find her," Stewart replied evenly. He already knew that Wonder Woman was 'rehabilitated' and that the Martian was supposedly nothing more than an inactive, inert alien patient at Arkham. But Shayera's whereabouts were still unknown. For whatever reason, she was hidden and hidden well.
"Look, we have to do something soon. I'm starting to get cabin fever here. I need to stretch my legs... and my powers. I have to know what my upper limit is now, and I'm sure you're eager for a test run of that gaudy ring of yours, too. So what better way to let off some pressure than enforcing law and order?"
Stewart tensed up and his grip threatened to crush the ceramic coffee cup in his hand. He knew his partner was right: the longer they hid, the safer they were; but the longer they hid, the weaker they became.
During his time in Blackgate, Stewart had done his best to stay in top form. The gangs in the prison made sure of that. Most of the other inmates were locked up because of him. However, they quickly learned that he was still a formidable fighter without his ring. He exercised daily and though he didn't pick fights, he sure as hell ended them. Even so, he recognized that a year of captivity had dulled his skills. Fighting the Calaveras de Santa Presca, an offshoot of Bane's gang in Blackgate, was not even close to fighting the Batman.
With a resigned grumble, Stewart went to the closet to change. "Fine. Let's go."
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Curtis Walker watched as two men, one in blue and one in gray, shook hands behind closed glass doors. They exchanged a few words and one of the men glanced in his direction and then pointed his way. The other man nodded a few times in a confirming way and smiled before a final goodbye was exchanged and the man in the gray headed his way.
"Everything went well?" Curtis asked, doing his best to hide his excitement.
"Of course," the man in the suit replied. "Mainland Associates are more than satisfied with the promised product. You did good work, kid. Keep it up."
Curtis brimmed with pride. He had been working for Wayne Enterprise's tech division, WayneTech, since the second week of summer and quickly gained a reputation for being one of the most efficient intern field techs in his branch. Though he wasn't sure why the company had stationed him in Star City, he was glad for the change of scenery. Sure, Star City had its share of problems and yeah, the commute from Gotham to Star City was at times hell on earth, but it wasn't the first city to spawn a super-criminal and that was enough to keep him happy.
He and his supervisor exited the Mainland Associates office building where the company car waited for them, idling against the curb. The hired driver opened the passenger doors for both WayneTech employees and Curtis slid into the back and scooted into the far seat.
As Curtis buckled in, his boss, seated next to him, opened his phone and read through a few missed texts from his husband as he waited for the driver to get in the car. "Well, Walker," he said without looking up from his phone. "Day's ended early so why don't we get some grub? Your choice."
"Wait, really?"
"Sure, why not."
"I saw a Bibbo's Burger on the way here earlier..."
"Off Cardinal. I know the one," the man in front replied. He finished his text and then began keying in the address as the driver settled into his seat.
"You're getting Bibbo's?"
"Yeah. My treat." The supervisor tilted his head in Curtis' direction. "Use the company card. I'm sure Mr. Wayne can cover it."
Curtis couldn't help but smile. The money was great, the benefits were awesome, and because of his hard work, he would soon have enough saved to move from his father's place to an apartment of his own. He was still on the schedule for Star City for three more days yet he had already finished his demonstration of the latest in network security WayneTech had to offer. The potential client was so impressed that they had signed on the dotted line after only a few hours of deliberation, not a few days. The last three days would be his to explore the city.
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Kent sat down on a bus stop bench just outside the doorway of the hideout. He tugged uncomfortably on the dumb jacket Stewart had forced on him. He'd managed to purchase a vintage blue tee-shirt with his iconic S-shield printed on it, dirt cheap considering recent events, but Stewart was adamant that he not wear something so polarizing. At first Kent assumed it was out of jealousy considering Stewart wouldn't be in Green, but then he remembered 'Superman' was not held in the highest esteem. Even so, he wasn't too happy about hiding who he was. They wouldn't be hiding forever.
As he waited for Stewart to join him in the sun, his thoughts drifted to Lois and how she was. After he'd been moved to the more secure S.T.A.R. Labs facility, she hadn't been able to visit him. Not that she'd visited him often. While he'd been incarcerated, Lois Lane had only visited him a handful of times – and one of those times it had been for an interview – a rather scathing and clinical interview.
He remembered the first day she'd visited him in holding. She glared at him with an intensity he'd never seen before. The tense eye contact had felt like an eternity and he'd expected that glare to be the extent of her visit, so when she addressed him, the shattered silence felt profane. She'd made a harsh quip about how the tables had turned: when he'd last seen her, she'd essentially been a prisoner in her own apartment for her safety, and now he was a prisoner – for the world's safety. Had the situation been less grim, he would have laughed. He knew she wasn't a fan of what the Justice Lords had done, but now that it was over he wanted to see her again.
Stewart exited the ramshackle hideout and approached him. "Ready?"
Lois would have to wait for now. He had work to do. The sunglasses on his face disguised him enough for no one to recognize him and he'd tousled his hair for good measure. He looked over at his partner. Stewart's ring definitely had some new tricks. It hadn't just projected a façade of clothing over his body, it had also subtly changed his facial features. He now looked like a slightly younger, thinner man. Kent grinned. "I wouldn't even recognize you."
"It's supposed to be a disguise," Stewart replied, missing the humor in his friend's voice. "If people recognized me, then what would be the point?" He brushed by Kent with his hands in his jacket pockets and headed down the sidewalk
Kent rolled his eyes as he stood from the bench to follow. "Sometimes I wonder which one of us is really the alien."
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Curtis exited the parked car and entered the fast food joint. The juicy fattening smells of burgers and fries filled his nasal cavity as he inhaled deeply. He'd been up working since seven and the demonstration had taken three hours. Aside from a disappointing bag of air that happened to have a few chips in it, he hadn't eaten all day. His eyes scanned the menu as he tried to rein in his hunger before ordering. "Can I get a double patty and a medium Soder Cola Blitz, please?"
The less-than-interested cashier nodded mechanically and then asked if that would complete his order.
Curtis looked out the door to where his supervisor and the driver still sat. When he knew he had their attention, Curtis gestured at the menu. The driver shook his head and the supervisor gave him a flippant wave. "Yeah, that's it," Curtis replied. He handed over the sleek, black WayneTech company card nervously. He wasn't sure why, but he had a distinct worry that the card would be declined. His worry proved unfounded as his receipt printed out and the disinterested cashier messily ripped it from the machine and handed it over.
"Order 85. Next!"
Curtis quietly thanked the teen behind the counter and then sat down at a table, alone.
He watched the patrons of the eatery with a curious eye. Some stood around the counter awaiting their orders, others sat at tables gorging on fast food and talking with each other. One thing that stood out to him was just how friendly the people seemed to be. Unlike in Gotham, a lot of these seemingly perfect strangers found ways to at least have brief conversations with one another. Despite the restaurant being moderately full, Curtis' order did not take more than five minutes. He had to hand it to the Bibbo's staff, their service was always lightning-quick.
"You guys really didn't want any?" He held up the bag to try and tempt his companions as he got in the car. "It's good, you know."
His supervisor shook his head. "Had some at their first location when I was on a trip in Central City. Ended up eating it nearly every day for a month straight. I guess you could say I'm over it."
Curtis nodded his head, then turned his attention to the driver. "Roland?"
"Sorry, sir," Roland replied. "But the wife already packed me a lunch. She's on a health kick again, and I can't chance upsetting her."
"Oh, tough break." Curtis sunk his teeth into the junk food.
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"So, aside from super strength, any idea what other powers you still have?"
Kent shook his head. "Being cramped underground in the detention cell didn't let me explore my options." He turned his head and looked at Stewart. "And being saved just to be stuffed in another dank room didn't help."
"I said I was sorry." Stewart straightened up angrily as he walked, his posture mirroring his insincere apology. "It's the best we could– Hang on." He held up his hand and looked at his ring. It faintly glowed. "It's picking up something."
Kent closed his eyes. There was a time when he would have been able to hear nearly everything and distinguish whatever John's ring was detecting, but thanks to a certain power-stripping weapon, all of the mutations he had picked up from Earth's yellow sun were gone. He could still hear more than the average man – much more, actually. However, it was a fraction of his former power. He couldn't hear everything anymore. And he couldn't wait for his fingers to wrap around Batman's throat and throttle the life from the mortal. "What is it?"
"This way." Stewart marched toward an alleyway and faced the dark path, pausing at its mouth. "Some things never change, huh?"
Kent nodded and then led the way into the alley. On approach, he heard a muffled moaning. Just behind an industrial trash dumpster, he saw two men roughing a third man up: one had his hand clamped over the target's mouth as the other attacker relentlessly pounded his fists into the victim's stomach.
"Barely year's gone by..." Stewart's disguise shifted in a crimson aura from clothes to his militant bodysuit and flew to engage with his face contorted.
Kent rushed forward as well and slammed his shoulder into the closer attacker's side. The man was knocked into the brickwork of the building a few feet away and then slid to the ground unconscious. Simultaneously, Stewart zapped the man restraining the victim with his ring and then finished him off with a swift boot to the face. "Not bad for old men, huh?" He grinned at Kent.
"Who are you?" The victim stuttered in shock.
"Green – er – Crimson Lantern and this," Stewart gestured to Kent, "is—"
"Superman," Kent interrupted. He took off his sunglasses and the stupid purple jacket Stewart made him wear revealing his Superman tee shirt. He stepped forward with determination and offered a confident but comforting smile.
The man, instead of thanking Kent or Stewart, quickly made a bee-line out of the alleyway while shouting for the police.
"What the hell, country boy?" Stewart exclaimed in barely restrained rage as the man ran away. He knew what was coming next. "You couldn't help being the center of attention for one day?"
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At a stoplight, Curtis looked through the tinted window. He slurped up what remained of his drink and then chased it down with some fries. "Never thought I'd see someone rock Big Blue's symbol again."
"Huh? Maybe the guy's wearing it ironically?" The driver looked out the window and chuckled. "It's a little early for Halloween, eh?"
"He looks to be in a rush, too" Mr. Browning added.
The light turned green. As the car accelerated, the three occupants watched the curious pedestrian sprint down the sidewalk. The sight of the man bolting on the opposite sidewalk garnered only a nervous chuckle from the driver, but when someone in a black and red glowing jumpsuit followed after the first man, Roland stopped chuckling and a furrow creased his brow. At the same time, sirens picked up.
"Roland! Behind us!"
The driver jerked the wheel sharply to the right curb just as a squad of police cars raced by them. The squad narrowly missed the driver's side and they screeched to a halt in front of the two strangely-dressed men, cutting them off. The officers exited their vehicles in one smooth motion, guns drawn and demanding full surrender over their car speakers.
Curtis could only watch from the car's back window as the scene retreated into the distance.
"Good ears, kid." Mr. Browning said as he caught a fleeting glance of the unfolding incident in the side mirror. "Roland, long before we're back at the hotel?"
"Should be there in ten... Get out of this crazy scene."
Curtis numbly kept watching through the rear window. Wow... He watched as the man with the blue shirt managed to flip a squad car onto its side with minimal effort. That must have been Superman...
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"I told you to ditch the stupid shirt!" Stewart scolded his partner over the sound of gunfire. He didn't feel like having a brush with the law so early, but there was no way past it now.
He'd instructed Kent to not wear anything that would be recognizable as Superman. Even so, the man was adamant on wearing the shirt so Stweart had instructed him to at least cover it up. That was the point of the jacket and shades. But Kent apparently didn't care. He wore the blasted S-shield and tore off the jacket the first chance he got, outing both of them in the process. That was exactly what had gotten them into this mess. Stewart let loose another volley of energy bolts as cover for Kent to tip over another police cruiser.
"Two more cruisers, and we should be able to get away before more show!" Kent grunted as he finished tipping the car. A crimson wall separated him from another hail of bullets as he rushed to the bus stop from where the Crimson Lantern was taking cover.
"Remember the good ol' days when you could fly and were bulletproof?" Stewart joked.
"Oh, now you have a sense of humor?" Kent grimaced and chucked a bus stop bench at a group of cops. As the bench knocked down an officer, Stewart materialized a crimson shield, effectively putting a stop to the gunfire for a while.
"I'm just saying," Stewart continued with a beleaguered smirk, "Would make getting out of this situation easier."
"Shut the hell up." Kent cocked his head. He could hear one officer frantically radioing for backup, but that wasn't all he heard. There was someone behind them. "You hear that?"
"What?" Stewart turned just in time for a green arrow to whiz by his ear. "What the devil?"
Crouching on a nearby fence was a man dressed in green padded tights and a dark green vest with a matching bycocket. In his hands was a green compound bow and a green hood hung from his back under which a curious quiver of arrows protruded.
"Who the hell are you?"
The emerald archer ignored all inquiry. "I always hoped this day would come. Been wanting to do this for a long time. That was a warning shot." He nocked another arrow. "And this is the real deal." He let the arrow fly and its blunt tip struck Stewart in the sternum, sending the former hero to the ground.
"That was a mistake, little man." Kent rushed forward to grab the mystery attacker.
Without missing a beat, the green-clad fighter drew and fired a volley of arrows. Kent simply batted them away with his hands and leaped, tackling the man to the ground. "Who are you?" he demanded.
"The name's 'Green Arrow'." He squinted behind his domino mask. "And you are in my city."
With explosive force, Green Arrow knocked the super-powered man off of him. He then rolled back just as Kent stood and fired another arrow. This arrow, with a boxing glove on the tip, smashed into Kent's face. This victory was short-lived, however, and Green Arrow was blasted back by a dark beam.
The archer struggled to stand. "Oh, I got something special for you, Army-boy." He threw a blue ball at Stewart and then fired an arrow after it. Stewart flinched at the thrown object allowing enough time for the arrow to puncture the ball. A fine yellow powder exploded and covered Stewart. "Just for you. Love that shade; goes with your eyes." The archer smirked.
Stewart simply arched an eyebrow. "That your best shot, cowboy?"
Green Arrow's masked eyes turned to fear as he realized that the yellow powder had no effect.
From behind him, Kent's unfazed voice rang out. "You'll have to try harder than that."
The green-clad man found himself flanked; but with this scuffle distracting Stewart, the energy shield the renegade Lantern had used to block the police dissipated. Now with a clear line of fire, the police opened fire on all three participants. Stewart regenerated the dark red energy barrier between the police and himself and Kent, ensuring that the officers would not interrupt. But just before Kent could make a move to subdue Green Arrow, smoke enveloped the three combatants. The trio started coughing and waving their hands, completely oblivious to an unseen fourth party swooping down and scooping up the archer.
Once he was on top of a nearby building, Green Arrow looked at his rescuer. "I had that!"
The younger man before him, dressed in a dark orange and black suit, shook his cowled head. "If that is how you planned to take them down, you won't live long."
Green Arrow cracked a smile but his demeanor was still threatening and upset. "And who are you supposed to be?"
The caped young man pointed to the 'R' on the cape buckle at the center of his chest. "You've never heard of 'Robin' before?" He looked at the archer. "Because if you're trying to be Robin Hood, back off. I've got dibs on the name."
"Robin?" Green Arrow frowned. "As in 'Batman and Robin'?" He turned away just as Kent, recovered from the smoke, jumped to the top of the building. "Your mentor has done enough 'helping'." He launched an arrow at Kent.
Robin threw a few shurikens at Kent as well, slowing the former Man of Steel. "I'm pretty sure you could use my help about now."
Crimson Lantern rose slowly from street level and hovered behind Kent, his dark aura distorting the world around him. From below, both Robin and Green Arrow could hear the utter confusion from the police force on the street.
Green Arrow looked from the rapidly approaching Kent to the closing-in Stewart and then to Robin. "How about this?" He readied a trio of trick arrows on his bow. "If you help me take down these two jokers," he fired the arrows to keep Stewart back, "I'll give your mentor a second chance. Deal?"
Robin smirked under his cowl. "Deal." With a quick spring forward, he tackled the recovering Stewart to the ground.
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Diana looked up from the dinner dish she was preparing to the sunset outside her window. The reds and purples of the sky calmed her, and as she watched the birds fly overhead, she felt a pang of nostalgia for the days she was as free as they were. A movement on Earth disturbed her musings and she looked at the house across the street. Her neighbor was heading over, and he didn't look too happy.
"Hera be with me." She whispered a quick prayer and then hid a kitchen knife behind her back.
Ding dong.
"Who is it?" Diana peered through the peephole. It wasn't just the one neighbor: he had joined a group of individuals already gathered on her doorstep.
"You know who it is, woman," spat a man in front.
Diana didn't open the door. "What can I do for you?"
A woman's voice spoke up. "We would just like to talk with you, sweetie." Though her voice was melodic and soft, Diana knew that her intentions were likely anything but pleasant.
"I'm sorry... It's getting late and I'm going to sleep soon," she stammered. "I will have to speak with you all tomorrow." Perhaps when the sun isn't setting on the horizon.
She turned from the door and could nearly feel the glares beyond it.
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"So are you gonna go see her?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh, come on." Batgirl thumped Batman's arm lightly a few times. "I was on my way to the 'Cave when I saw that woman leaving the Manor! That was Wonder Woman, right? And you were visiting her for a few weeks a while ago." She grinned at her mentor as the night air whipped her hair into her face. "You should ask her out."
Batman's eyes narrowed. "No."
"What do you mean 'no'? She's so into you!" Batgirl could hardly contain her amazement. "And don't deny that—"
"She is an obstacle," Batman interrupted, eyes still set on the streets below Wayne Tower.
"She's afraid," Batgirl countered quietly.
"She was trained by the best Amazon warriors. She will be fine."
Sirens silenced further conversation. They both looked down to the street. Two fire trucks rushed opposite the flow of traffic with lights blaring. From the duo's perch, it seemed more like two angry red ants among a colony of black.
"What's that about?" Batgirl asked. She looked at her heads-up display to make sure she was tuned in properly to Gotham's emergency channels. She was, but they were all silent on this matter. Whatever the emergency was, it wasn't being made public.
Batman didn't reply; he recognized the direction they were heading in. He quickly jumped from his perch. His cape activated and he began his glide.
"I'm right behind ya, boss." Batgirl's voice came over his cowl's radio.
"No!" Batman growled back immediately. "I'll handle this on my own."
"But—"
"Go back to the cave."
"But surely—"
"That's an order!" he barked again.
"Yes, sir." Batgirl released her cape, fired her grapnel at a building to her left, and boosted into a glide in the direction of Wayne Manor.
Batman reached a specific crossroad and landed on top of an apartment complex. From there, he watched the two fire trucks roll by below him. Do not turn left, he thought as if he could will them in any other direction. But turn left they did and his fears were confirmed.
He had a cache nearby where he could change his skin. Batman would only complicate matters where the fire trucks were going, but Bruce Wayne could be a welcomed sight. With little more thought given to what was happening, Batman raced towards his safety cache with his next stop being Diana's neighborhood.
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A peculiar smell filled Diana's lungs. Smoke! She bolted up fast and looked around her room. She quickly got up from her bed and rushed to the door then paused; the knob was hot. Very hot. She could feel it radiating heat with her hand inches away from it.
What do I do? In the past, she would have burst through the door unharmed, her magical Amazonian skin would have kept her safe for all the time needed to escape. Unfortunately, now she was— "Human." She uttered the word like a curse under her breath. Soon the flames would overtake her room. She needed a way out.
She rushed to the connected bathroom and soaked a towel in the sink. She wrapped the cool, drenched towel around her hand and then managed enough courage to open the door. The flames were right there, just waiting to lick her up.
"Great Hera!" She slammed the door and used her covered hand to smash out her second-story bedroom window. Looking outside, she saw the fire department pulling up. Already one truck had started dowsing the house's lower level with water.
"Up here!" she shouted.
This got the attention of the firefighters... and a disgruntled neighbor. Before he could be restrained, the man threw a Molotov cocktail at her window, engulfing the window-side of her room in flames as well. Unsure of what to do next, she did the only thing she could do. She wrapped the water-logged towel around her mouth and nose and sat on the floor, waiting for the end.
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Bruce sat in his car across the street. His anxiety levels were rising as the scene continued. "I shouldn't have changed. As Batman, I could have gotten her out by now."
In the fire department's defense, they would have gotten her out sooner had the man not thrown the Molotov, but even still they were taking a longer time than Bruce would like. He was about ready to get out of his car and do it himself when finally two firefighters smashed down the front door to get inside. "About time."
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From her spot on the floor, she could hear the firefighters struggling to get to her. The first one to ax through the door began blasting water over the scene with a portable hose as the second one grabbed hold of Diana from the waist.
"C'mon, Trevor!" the water-spewing one cried out. "I don't have much fluid left!"
The man holding Diana covered her with a fire-retardant quilt. "Keep your head down, Wonder Woman," he instructed.
Between coughs, Diana managed to ask for the man's name.
"My name's Captain Trevor; Steve Trevor." The trio approached the stairs and started their descent to the first floor. "Stop!"
Just as the three stopped running, the ceiling gave way, blocking their path.
"What now?" the other fireman asked.
Steve looked to the flaming pile before them and sighed. "They just don't make 'em the way they should, huh?" He kicked the pile that was once the ceiling and some of the debris gave way. The flames took part of the stairs with it. "Great..." He turned to Diana. "Think you can make the jump?"
Diana managed a nod. "Perhaps." She felt like she was about to cough up a lung, but if her life depended on a leap of faith, then she would take it.
"On the count of three." The other fireman started counting. "One. Two. Three!" The trio jumped too little too late. The stairs gave way and they fell.
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"No!" Bruce watched from his car as part of the second floor collapsed into the home. "Diana!" In one explosive motion he was out of the car.
"Sir, stay back!" A firefighter called out as he continued to aim the hose at the house. Another two firefighters blocked Bruce and others to prevent them from approaching the flaming wreck.
Before Bruce could retort back, three people emerged from what remained of the front door: the two on each side being supported by the man in the center.
"Trevor!" Two firemen rushed forward to collect the three. The fireman on the right side was quickly taken to a fire truck and his helmet removed. The man still standing, Trevor, escorted Diana a safe distance from the house to a waiting ambulance.
Bruce rushed to her side. "Diana! Are you alright? I was in the area when your home's alarm system went off and notified me." It was a terrible lie but considering the circumstances, he didn't think she wouldn't think much about it.
Paramedics lifted and placed her on the awaiting gurney and Steve removed his helmet to take his first breath of fresh air. Diana reached out and took Bruce's hand.
"I'm fine, Bruce. But a little late for a visit, don't you think?"
Bruce managed a smile. "I suppose this isn't the best time for me to discuss relocation? I spoke with the administrators of the facility and—"
Diana closed her eyes as paramedics began loading her into an ambulance. "Once again, I don't think that would be enough." The doors to the ambulance slammed closed as the first responders quickly prepared to transport her to Gotham General.
Bruce looked to Steve and then to the retreating ambulance. "Will she be okay?"
Steve slapped Bruce's back heartily. "She'll be fine, man. She's Wonder Woman, remember? It'll take more than a burning house to keep her down. Just some rest and fresh air and she will be right as rain." He turned to the charred remains of her house as the fire finally started to die down. "Her condo on the other hand..."
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"You fought a good game today, kid." Green Arrow was lying on a gravelly rooftop out of breath.
"You're not so bad yourself," Robin shot back at his new circumstantial ally. "What with the bow and all." He, too, was winded. He sat with his back against a chimney stack, staring into the starry sky.
"Hey, I'd better be good with it if it is my schtick."
They hadn't actually won the fight against the Crimson Lantern and Superman. But they had forced the two veteran fighters to retreat after more police forces arrived, and that was basically the same thing in their book... At least for today. "So what, exactly, did your mentor send you here for?"
"Recon." Robin stood slowly and walked to the building's edge. He peered over the ledge of the roof at the street below. "He's paranoid about something other than those two superpowered perps running free."
Green Arrow huffed. "Really? What could be worse than those two running amok?"
Boom.
"I dunno." Robin shrugged. "That, maybe?"
It didn't take the two long to get there: Robin glided from rooftop to rooftop while Green Arrow swung from rooftop to rooftop. Upon arriving near the scene, it was readily apparent that neither Kent nor Stewart was the cause of the explosion. Instead, just one man with strangely pointed hair and rich green eyes. About his shoulders was a regal green cape.
"Oh, don't tell me someone is already stealing my look!" Green Arrow stood from his vantage point and readied an arrow.
"Green must be in this season..." mused Robin. "Hang on a tick." He raised one hand before Green Arrow's bow and used the other to hold binoculars to his eyes. "Oh, terrif..."
"What?"
Robin replied quickly, "We need to get out of here, now."
"Why? It's one walking fashion faux pas." Again the Emerald Archer readied his arrow. "We just held off Superman and a former Green Lantern. We can handle this guy."
Again Robin blocked Green Arrow's shot. "No, we can't. Trust me on this."
The two stared at each other, neither one backing down for a time. Finally, Green Arrow nodded, begrudgingly, and lowered his bow. "Fine."
Suddenly, Green Arrow spun around and let his arrow fly. It struck true, nailing a woman in dark garb and a face mask to a rooftop pigeon coop. "C'mon."
Robin didn't need to be told twice. He and Green Arrow approached the spy quickly but cautiously. His fingers wrapped around the woman's neck fiercely. "Who are you?" He did his best to sound demanding.
The woman's eyes breathed fire. "I am merely a messenger," snarled the woman in a heavy accent. She wrenched her arm free of the arrow and kicked her knee into Robin's chest. Even through the padding he could feel the bruising hit. On instinct, his fist shot upward and connected with her chin, knocking her back.
"I got your back, kid!" Green Arrow leaped over Robin and let loose a flying kick. Stunned, the ninja fell. Not wanting to give her a second chance, Green Arrow clamped his foot across her neck. "I have questions. You have answers. Cough them up unless you feel like breathing through a tube."
The ninja looked around but refused to relent. In a strange, discordant motion she managed to worm her way from under Green Arrow's boot and struck him behind the knee. Before he even knew what was happening, Green Arrow was on his knees before the woman and felt the cold steel tip of a knife pressed against his throat. He looked up at the woman towering over him.
"You are a fool believing you could contain a shadow," she berated him. "And now, you die a fool's death."
"Maybe in another life, princess." Green Arrow nodded behind her.
She only had a moment to turn before Robin's bo staff connected with the base of her skull knocking her out.
"Y'know," Green Arrow stood as he spoke. "We make a pretty good team."
"Sorry." Robin thumbed a trigger on his belt. "I'm already taken."