"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
A loud almost blood curdling scream echoed out through the watchtower, it was so loud and so horrifying that all active heroes onboard stood up from what they were doing and started rushing towards the source of the sound—believing that something truly awful must be onboard for someone to make such a scream.
"Did you hear that!?"
"What the hell!"
"Come on we need to check it out!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"Are the walls shaking?"
The shouting only seemed to get louder which made those on the station even more unnerved, especially the staff who were not heroes but instead maintenance workers and engineers. The closer the heroes got to the source of the scream the louder it got and the louder it got the more it sent shivers down their spine. Until eventually the sound was cut off and there was a loud ringing sound through the speakers of the station indicating an impending announcement.
*Attention all leaguers, please dismiss the sound of screaming you no doubt just heard, there is no emergency... maybe a small one, but it's medical in nature*
The heroes who had stopped what they were doing—whether it was eating, sleeping, shitting—paused in place at the announcement. Captain Valor, still clutching a half-eaten sandwich, rolled his eyes at Shadowstrike, who'd dropped her training gear mid-spar. Across the hall, Techweaver, who'd been tweaking a gadget, muttered under his breath, while Starflare's glowing aura flickered in annoyance. Meanwhile, Blitz, who'd sprinted from the restroom, cursed as he noticed toilet paper trailing from his shoe, stumbling back toward the bathroom with a scowl, the white strip flapping behind him.
Meanwhile, in the Medical Bay, Kara had been swiftly moved with the aid of Raven and the Atom. Only five to ten minutes had passed since Kara's water broke, and barely two minutes had elapsed since the pain escalated from intense discomfort to overwhelming waves of agony, each surge more excruciating than the last. Raven, who had been by her side, used her magic to levitate Kara through the corridors to the medical bay, and Kara's screams echoed so fiercely that they seemed to rattle the watchtower's reinforced bulkheads.
Ray Palmer, who was still on the station working on an alternative treatment for Kara and Mark's baby, was startled when Raven burst into the medical bay with Kara floating in tow. "Quick, nurses!" Ray shouted. The on-duty nurses rushed over and helped guide Kara onto a specially reinforced bed designed to withstand her strength. Ray attempted to wrap a blood pressure cuff around her arm, but with a simple flex of her muscle the device whirred and sparked, unable to calibrate to her. A nurse adjusted the bed, and its hydraulics groaned slightly under Kara's continued thrashing, while another hesitated before attaching sensors to her abdomen. The room buzzed with urgency as Kara gripped the bedrails, and the metal creaked audibly under her clenched fists, bending from the force.
"WAAAAAAHHH! Where's Mark?!" Kara screamed. "I need him!"
Raven, who stood close, placed a hand on Kara's shoulder and said, "It'll be okay, Kara. I sent a message to Mark, but he hasn't replied yet. I reached out to Kori, and she promised she'd track him down. He'll be here soon."
Kara's body tensed as another contraction hit, and her knuckles whitened as she gripped the rails, causing the metal to groan louder and dent further. "NNNNGGGH!" she cried. "I need Mark here! Please!"
Ray leaned in and said, "Kara, I need you to try and answer a few questions. How far apart are the contractions? Have you had any unusual symptoms—bleeding, dizziness, anything like that? When did the pain start getting this intense?"
Kara groaned, and her head thrashed side to side, too overwhelmed to respond. Raven said, "The contractions started about ten minutes ago, maybe five minutes apart now. She hasn't mentioned bleeding or dizziness, just the pain. It got bad about two minutes ago, right before we got here."
Raven looked at Ray and said, "Atom, can you give her something for the pain? She's suffering."
Ray shook his head and replied, "None of the medications we have would work on her physiology, her system would burn through them too quickly. Even if they did, we can't risk using the kryptonite needles or scalpels in storage—it could harm the baby. Especially if the baby is half Kryptonian."
Raven said, "There has to be something, Ray. She can't keep going like this."
"AAAAAHHHH! No!" Kara shouted. "No pain relief! Don't harm the baby!" Her body trembled as another contraction wracked her, and the bedframe shuddered under her involuntary grip.
One of the nurses moved to Kara's side and said, "I'm going to check your dilation, alright?" She slipped on sterile gloves with a soft snap and carefully positioned herself, using a reinforced instrument to conduct the exam. She said, "You're at about six centimeters." She glanced at Ray and added, "Progressing quickly."
Raven stepped back, and her hands clasped tightly, feeling helpless. She knew the agony of childbirth, and seeing her best friend in such pain twisted her heart, "Please, Mark, get here soon," she whispered.
___________________________
Mark panted as he rested on his knees in the partially destroyed construction site. David was defeated, Dr. Juice's plans were foiled, and he had destroyed all of the androids or whatever they were. *Did I get all of them?* Mark thought to himself. He shrugged it off; it didn't matter, he could go back later and handle it if it turned out to be a problem. *All in all, pretty good work,* he thought. He moved to stand up, grunting slightly at the burning in his ribs.
"Eve, can you run a medical check on me?" he said as he put a hand to his ribs.
[Affirmative, scanning now]
It took a few seconds, but Eve showed him a projection of his body through the HUD in his mask. "Multiple breakages on your fifth, sixth, and eighth ribs, several arm fractures and muscle tears, and a minor concussion... not too bad," he said to himself as he inspected it.
[Suggestion, seek medical help]
"I appreciate the suggestion, Eve, but I've got bigger things to worry about now. Can you handle it?" he asked.
[Affirmative, I can support the breakages and boost your natural healing]
"You're the best," Mark said with a grin before he lifted off the ground and started floating out of the construction site. He was about to shoot off and head toward the group of B-Class heroes he'd met, but a shout echoed across the area, stopping him.
"MARK!!!" someone shouted.
Mark turned to the voice, recognizing it, and as he focused on the source, he sighed. Kori was flying toward him. Not that he disliked her, but he didn't have time for a tumble with her—the city was in chaos.
"MARK!!!" she shouted again, flying at top speed, too fast to slow down. Mark caught her as she barreled toward him, preventing her from zooming past.
"Kori, what's wrong?! Why are you flying around like a maniac?" he asked. He looked at her sweaty, frantic expression and noticed she was panting, as if she'd been flying for a while.
"Mark... Kara!!!... baby!!!" she said, gesturing wildly with her arms.
Mark grabbed her shoulders and shook her. It wasn't gentle, but it wasn't hard enough to hurt her. "Kori!" he shouted. "Calm down and tell me what is wrong."
Kori took a deep breath and said, "It's Kara! She is having the baby. You have to come now!"
Mark's eyes widened, and his heart raced. "She's giving birth?! Now?!" he said. Panic set in. "Shit, shit, shit!" He hadn't managed to get Harley and Lucy to the watchtower yet, and he'd hoped for a few more days before Kara went into labor. He had to move now. Mark let go of Kori and shot off toward Galatea's apartment building. Regardless of the chewing out he'd get from Harley, he had to get her up there now. They'd be safe, and the Atom could analyze Lucy's DNA.
"Mark, where are you going?!" Kori shouted as she followed him, struggling to keep up with his speed. Mark didn't answer; he was too preoccupied with thoughts of Kara and the baby, hoping she was okay. Raven had been alone for her birth in that terrible place, and he didn't want to miss Kara's birth too.
At Mark's speed, he reached the apartment in less than thirty seconds. He landed on the balcony, ran to the door, and ripped it off its hinges. "Harley?!" he shouted as he looked around.
"You could be a little more mindful of other people's possessions," a voice said from the kitchen. Mark turned and saw Galatea, still dressed in Supergirl's outfit, drinking a bottle of wine.
"Where are Harley and Lucy?!" Mark asked as he walked over to her.
"Who da hell's out here hollerin'?! I just got Lucy down for a nap!" Harley shouted from another room.
"Does that answer your question?" Galatea said, rolling her eyes as she took another sip.
Mark rushed into the room where Harley was rocking Lucy in her arms, the baby now awake after Mark's noisy entrance. "What are ya, a freakin' elephant? Keep it down when my lil Lucy's sleepin'," Harley said.
"Harley, we need to leave now," Mark said as he walked over to her. "Get a bag of clothes for yourself and Lucy, not too much stuff. We can get the rest later." He grabbed a bag from the cupboard and put it on the bed.
"Only place I'm goin' is my bed. I need a damn nap after what you pulled last night," Harley said.
"Harley, this ain't a joke. We need to go now!" Mark said. Harley saw the look in his eyes and realized he was serious.
"Where we goin'?" she asked.
Mark said, "We're going to the watchtower."
Harley asked, "Why?"
Mark paused for a moment and said, "I came to find you because I wanted to know if we had a child from the time we were together."
Harley's face hardened, and she said, "Why's that?"
Mark said, "Because my wife is having a baby, and the baby will die if we don't analyze Lucy's DNA."
Harley's anger flared, and she swung her fist at Mark's chest, then hit him again and again, her punches landing with loud *thuds* but having no effect on his body. She shouted, "You lousy bastard! I thought you came back 'cause you wanted me, 'cause you wanted to be a family!"
Mark said, "I do, Harley. Everything I said was true. I won't leave you." He stepped closer, ignoring her fists. "But I won't abandon my family to do it."
He said, "Please, Harley, come with me."
Harley said, "What if I say no?"
Mark didn't respond, but his silence made it clear he would force her if necessary.
Harley said, "Heh, maybe you ain't so different after all." She picked up Lucy and walked to another room, adding, "I'll be packed in ten minutes, ya jerk."
Mark sighed and rubbed his face before leaving the room.
Galatea said, "Wow, Mark, you sure know how to charm the ladies."
Mark said, "Not now, Galatea."
At that moment, Kori landed on the balcony. She saw Galatea, frowned, and said, "Shouldn't you be giving birth now?"
Galatea rolled her eyes, flicked the top off another bottle of wine, and downed it in one gulp.
Mark said, "That's not Kara. It's just a clone."
Galatea said, "Just a clone? I'm the better version."
Mark said, "Ignore her." He turned to Kori and said, "Get one of the Javelins ready so we can take Harley and Lucy to the watchtower."
Kori opened her mouth to ask why, but Mark said, "Just do it!!!"
Kori flinched, but nodded and said, "I'll be back soon." She flew off.
Mark regretted shouting at her, but he didn't have time to answer questions. He needed to stay focused and get Lucy up to the watchtower. Just then, Sam and Cass stepped out of a side room. Sam said, "What's going on?"
Cass signed, 'Why is everyone shouting?'
Mark ignored them and turned to Galatea. He said, "Get out there and finish cleaning up the creatures that are still rampaging."
Galatea said, "I don't want to. It's boring... like babysitting."
Mark said, "We had a deal."
Galatea said, "It's too boring. Besides, there ain't much left to do, those C-Class heroes that showed up have mostly solved everything."
Mark said, "Listen, I need you to—" Before he could finish, the walls exploded inward, and Lucan and Anissa crashed through, slamming into Galatea and taking her through the opposite wall and out into the city. Mark swore and moved to chase after her, but Nolan crashed through the ceiling and slammed into Mark, driving him through every floor of the building until they hit the ground in the reception area. Mark tried to punch him, but Nolan caught his fist and pinned it to the ground. "Stay out of this Mark!" Nolan shouted as Mark struggled under his grip. "The girl is coming with us, and so are yo—"
Mark connected his free hand with Nolan's face, grabbed his neck, and drew him into a headbutt, which let him kick Nolan off and launch him into the wall. "You're not taking Kara anywhere," Mark said before charging after his father. He drew his fist back, aiming for Nolan's face, but his father caught it with his Promethium arm. Nolan dragged Mark toward him and threw a right hook into his damaged ribs with such force that the shockwave shattered the floors and walls around them.
"AGHH," Mark said as blood filled his mouth. He gritted his teeth, gripped the back of Nolan's neck with his free hand, kneed him in the stomach, and spun around, throwing him through the wall and multiple buildings. Mark flew straight up, exiting through the top of Galatea's apartment. He whipped his head around, searching for Galatea and her attackers, but saw nothing until she came crashing through Wayne Tower with Anissa on her tail. He watched as Galatea fought Anissa evenly, even gaining an edge due to her wider range of abilities, but Lucan tipped the scales in Anissa's favor despite being weaker.
"Shit..." Mark said to himself. He sent a message to Kori and said, "Get Harley and everyone to the watchtower. I'll be there as soon as I can." After sending the message, he shot toward them, intent on helping Galatea. Before he could reach them, his father tackled him out of the sky, grabbed him by the head, and smashed him into buildings as they flew, carving large grooves in them. Nolan threw him across the street, letting him skid off the concrete, crash into cars, and slam into a gas station, which exploded into flames.
Nolan floated down in front of the station, watching Mark stand up in the fire. "You've been given more chances than any Viltrumite would've since the dawn of our empire," Nolan said. "You were offered things Viltrumites would have to work thousands of years to earn."
Nolan blurred in front of Mark, lifted him by the throat, and said, "Yet you still chose these insects." He slammed his fist into Mark's stomach, making him cough up blood. "You are a disappointment... all that power, and you waste it," Nolan said, spitting on the ground.
Mark looked up at his father with narrowed eyes. "I'm giving you one chance. Get off me and leave this planet for good, or I'll kill you," he said.
Nolan smiled and said, "Atta boy."
Mark slammed both fists down on Nolan's arms, freeing himself, then sent two quick punches to each side of Nolan's stomach before delivering an uppercut to his chin. The force extinguished the gas station fire and sent Nolan flying up, but before he could go far, Mark grabbed his foot and whipped him down into the concrete, leveling the area. Nolan kicked out, sending Mark skidding back, then shot off the ground, intent on tackling him. Mark gestured down with his hand, increasing the gravity's weight, making Nolan hit the ground, then gestured to himself, changing gravity's direction, pulling Nolan toward him. Nolan stopped himself mid-flight but couldn't avoid the punch Mark delivered to his stomach.
Nolan grunted and moved to counterattack, but Mark tackled him through multiple buildings. Nolan roared, brought his arms up, and slammed them down in a sledgehammer strike. Mark hit the floor and bounced, but twisted out of the way, avoiding Nolan's feet-first slam. They charged each other, clashing in the building and destabilizing it with a shockwave. They grappled, pushing through walls and ceilings, each delivering blows. Mark headbutted Nolan, and Nolan returned the strike.
Unfortunately for Mark, Nolan was still stronger, giving him the advantage in grappling. Nolan bent Mark's arms back and tossed him through the ceiling. Mark crashed through half a dozen ceilings before shaking off the dizziness. Seeing Nolan shoot after him, he held out his hand and fired multiple red spheres.
Nolan growled, a flash of anger crossing his face at seeing the power Mark used to defeat him last time. He held out his cybernetic arm, slapped the spheres away, and continued as Mark kept firing. Eventually, Nolan reached Mark and punched him in the stomach, sending him out the top of the building into the sky. Before Nolan could follow, Mark held out both hands and slapped them together. Nolan tensed, expecting an attack, but nothing happened. He relaxed slightly, keeping his eyes on Mark. "What was that supposed to be?!" he asked. "An invisible attack or something?!"
"Or something," Mark said.
Nolan chuckled and moved to fly after Mark, but the hairs on his neck rose. He turned to see all the red spheres Mark had shot flying back toward him. "What, you think just because you hit them away, they disappeared?" Mark said, laughing. Nolan growled and tried to fly up to Mark, dodging the spheres, but Mark increased the gravity around him, slowing him down. Nolan roared, drew his arms in, and braced to block the imminent attack.
*BOOM*
Windows shattered across the district below as the sky lit up in a crimson hue. Mark floated down, clapped his hands to dissipate the smoke, and revealed Nolan, his white spandex partially destroyed, his skin tinted red. "You can't beat me. I'm stronger than I was, both in my Viltrumite and Meta powers," Mark said, moving in front of Nolan.
Nolan lowered his arms, steam rising off his body, and smiled. "I'm not weak enough to be outdone by my son, not yet at least," he said.
Mark clenched his fists, ready to continue the fight.
"But it isn't my job to fight you. I can't afford to make any more mistakes, so I'll be joining the others," Nolan said.
Mark frowned. "What do you mean it's not your job to—"
Before he could finish, a white blur slammed into Mark, taking him out of the sky and throwing him into the ground.
Mark skidded, spun onto his feet, and stopped. He looked up, scowling at his attacker. Out of everyone, he didn't expect Battle Beast standing before him.
"Mark Grayson!" Battle Beast shouted, walking toward him with a fierce grin. "I have come to resume our fight, as I said I would."
"Make it one worthy of my time!"
___________________________
Meanwhile, Galatea crashed through Wayne Tower's glass windows, shards exploding outward as Anissa barreled after her, slamming her into a steel support beam that twisted and groaned under the impact. The two women tore through the building's interior, smashing through concrete pillars and reinforced walls, reducing entire floors to rubble and dust. The shockwaves from their punches collapsed ceilings, sending concrete and office furniture crashing to the streets below, where cars crumpled and gas trucks ruptured, igniting fireballs that swallowed adjacent storefronts in flames. Galatea twisted mid-air, grabbed Anissa by the shoulders, and hurled her through the tower's core, shattering elevators and snapping cables, the debris cascading onto the lobby.
Anissa shot back up and tackled Galatea, and drove her through the tower's roof into the open street, cratering the asphalt and splitting the road in half, the impact toppling traffic lights and igniting a row of parked cars into a chain of explosions. "Where's the baby?!" Anissa shouted, slamming her fist into Galatea's chest with a massive boom that shattered nearby windows and sent glass raining down, which started to slice through pedestrians that were trying to escape the destruction. Galatea laughed and grabbed Anissa's arm, and spun her into the side of a bank, the reinforced vault wall crumpling like paper. "Baby? Why can't you get a man to put one in you?" Galatea said, grinning. She unleashed a searing beam of heat from her eyes, carving a molten gash across the street, melting asphalt and steel as Anissa flew aside, the blast igniting a delivery truck into a fireball that consumed the area.
Lucan dove in from above, slamming into Galatea with a force that sent her crashing through the bank's remains, collapsing the rest of the structure into a heap of rubble, the shockwave leveling a row of shops across the street. "Forget her answers!" Lucan shouted, his face contorted with rage from their last fight. "We'll beat it out of her later!" He charged, delivering a flurry of punches to Galatea's torso, each blow cracking the ground beneath them and sending tremors through the city block. Galatea countered with a blindingly fast kick to Lucan's chest, sending him through a multi-story office building, its glass and concrete exploding outward, debris raining down and crushing people below, splattering blood all over the sidewalk. "Weak!" Galatea shouted, firing another heat blast from her eyes, scorching the ground where Lucan landed, melting the pavement into a bubbling pool as he shot away.
The city shuddered as their fight demolished the financial district. Galatea grabbed Anissa, flew upward, and slammed her through a digital billboard, its steel frame snapping and sparking, the debris crashing into a crowded intersection below, crushing cars and collapsing a pedestrian bridge, while this happened Galatea slammed her fist into Anissas kidney and liver sveral times. Anissa broke free, tackled Galatea, and drove her into a construction site, their impact toppling a crane that smashed into a skyscraper, shattering its lower floors and sending a cloud of dust across the block. Galatea laughed, "You're both weak!" and unleashed a wave of icy air from her mouth, freezing the area, Anissa held her arms up in a cross but couldn't prevent herself from being frozen; Galatea then rushed in and punched her, cracking the ice and sending her crashing into a cement mixer. Anissa roared and short towards Galatea, and delivered a double-fisted strike to Galatea's face, snapping her head back and breaking her nose with a crack, blood streaming down her chin. Galatea snarled, grabbed Anissa by the neck, and hurled her through a warehouse.
Lucan rejoined, tackling Galatea into a subway station, their impact shattering the concrete platform and derailing a train, its cars piling into a twisted heap, sparks igniting fuel that sent flames roaring through the tunnels. Galatea spun, grabbed Lucan's arm, and twisted it with a sickening snap, breaking it as he roared in pain. "Aww did someone break their arm again!!!" she shouted, delivering a flurry of punches to his chest, each blow shaking the station and collapsing its ceiling. Lucan staggered but countered, grabbing Galatea and slamming her into a support pillar, cracking it and bringing down part of the station's roof. Anissa join in feet first, kicking Galatea through the station's walls into the street, where they crashed through a row of parked buses.
Galatea laughed, firing a heat blast that caught Anissa's shoulder, scorching her shoulder and throwing her into a wrecked car, she intensified the beam melting the vehicle into slag. "You're pathetic, and to think you believe you're the pinnacle of evolution!" Galatea said, flying upward and diving straight into Lucan with her head which cracked his entire ribcage, "AAAAGHHH!" He choked, as blood filled his mouth. Galatea then grabbed the back of his neck and delliver punch after punch to his face—almost breaking his skull with the force. She then dragged Lucan through a series of power lines, and shoving his face into a transformer which electrocuted him. Lucan broke free and slammed his good arm into her stomach and spun around finishing it with a kick which sent Galatea into a freeway overpass, the structure crumbling under their impact, cars tumbling into the wreckage below. Anissa joined, grabbing Galatea and hurling her through a water tower, the structure bursting and flooding the street with torrents of water. She then flew after her and flipped forward delivering an axe kick to Galatea, one that she managed to block, but the force launched her down to the ground where Lucans fist met her back. Galatea yelled out in pain, the first serious pain she had felt this entire fight.
Her eyes glowed red as she turned around and faced Lucan. With a loud roar she unleashed a blast of her heat vision that sent Lucan smashing into the ground, but it didn't stop there. The beam kept pushing him digging a huge groove in the street.
The fight started to grow more brutal, each blow shaking the city. Galatea unleashed a thunderclap, shattering every window for blocks and destabilizing a high-rise, which collapsed in a cascade of concrete and steel, burying streets in debris. Anissa tackled her into a train yard, their impact derailing locomotives that crashed into fuel tanks, triggering explosions that lit the skyline in orange and black. Lucan, clutching his broken arm, dove in, slamming his shoulder into Galatea's chest, sending her through a factory where Anissa took advantage and got her in a headlock and tried to hold her. Galatea countered by head butting Anissa and repeatedly slamming her elbows into her sides, when she let go Galatea hit her with a blindly fast right hook and uppercut before grabbing her and flying her through a suspension bridge, its cables snapping, the structure collapsing into the river below, waves of water and debris flooding the banks. She fired another heat blast, this time at full power, directly into Lucan's stomach, the beam searing through his uniform and flesh, little boood pouring from the wound as the heat seared the flesh.
However before Galatea could press the attack, Nolan crashed into her from above, driving her into the ground with a force that cratered the street, collapsing nearby buildings into piles of rubble and fire. Anissa and Lucan, despite his injury, scrambled to their feet and grabbed Galatea's arms, pinning her to the shattered pavement as she struggled. Nolan loomed over her, his fists clenched, and began pummeling her face and chest, each blow landing with a thud that shook the ground, cracking the asphalt further. Blood streamed from Galatea's mouth and nose as she thrashed, but Anissa and Lucan held firm . Nolan's punches grew faster, harder, each one collapsing more of the street around them, the city a smoldering ruin of fire, rubble, and ash as Galatea's resistance weakened under the brutal onslaught.
"Tell us where the child is," Nolan said as he stopped brutalizing Galatea, blood dripping from his knuckles. "Do so now, and you will be given permission to join the Viltrum Empire and assist in raising the child."
"Nolan, you can't m—" Anissa said.
"Silence!" Nolan shouted, glaring at her. "The child will need someone to guide them in their abilities. Do not question me again." He turned back to Galatea, who spat a glob of blood onto the ground beside her.
"You guys are fucking idiots," Galatea said, laughing. Her laughter grew so loud that Lucan and Anissa exchanged glances, wondering if she'd lost her mind. Her defiance only enraged Nolan further, and he resumed pummeling her, each blow shaking the shattered pavement, sending cracks spiderwebbing through the rubble-strewn street.
*SCREECH*
Nolan, Anissa, and Lucan shouted in pain as a high-pitched sound erupted nearby, piercing their ears like daggers driven into their brains. The distraction loosened their grip, and Galatea seized the moment. She kicked Nolan in the stomach, sending him skidding back, slammed her fist into Lucan's nose with a *crack*, blood streaming down his face, and grabbed Anissa, hurling her through a nearby building, collapsing its facade into a pile of rubble and sparking fires.
Nolan, knocked out of the sound's range, growled and scanned the area for its source. His eyes locked onto a black jet hovering several stories above, sonic waves pulsing from a weapon mounted beneath it. "Batman!" Nolan shouted, launching off the ground, cracking the asphalt around him. He aimed to tear the jet apart, but as he closed in, dozens of missiles streaked toward him, locked on target. Nolan didn't flinch, flying straight through the barrage, covering his face as the missiles detonated around him.
The explosions stung more than he expected, the concussive force rattling his bones, but they couldn't inflict lasting damage. With a fierce grin, Nolan swiped his hand, clearing the smoke, and covered the final distance to the jet. He slammed into it, crumpling the metal like foil, and reached for the pilot's seat, only to find it empty.
*BOOM*
The jet's self-destruct triggered, the explosion engulfing Nolan in a fireball that lit up the night sky, collapsing nearby buildings into smoldering ruins. Nolan roared, his voice echoing through the financial district as he burst from the flames, unscathed but furious. He whipped his head around, scanning the shattered cityscape, and spotted a lone figure standing on a rooftop several blocks away, silhouetted against the burning skyline. Batman.
Nolan blitzed through the air, a streak of white and red, and landed in front of Batman with a thud that cracked the rooftop. "Come back to die?!" Nolan said, his face twisted with murderous intent.
"I've come back to do what I should've done ten years ago," Batman said, staring him down through the lenses of his cowl.
Nolan laughed. "You should've stayed gone," he said, drawing his fist back, aiming to punch straight through Batman's head.
Batman's armored glove shot up, catching Nolan's fist with a clang, stopping it cold. Nolan's eyes widened in shock, his arm trembling against the grip. He noticed the suit he wore—thick black plates covering Batman's body, not the usual cape and cowl but a hulking power suit, its surface gleaming with reinforced alloys, hydraulic joints humming faintly. "What is this?!" Nolan said.
Batman reached back with his other hand, the suit's hydraulics creaking as the plates shifted, amplifying his strength. He threw a punch, the force slamming into Nolan's chest with a boom, sending him crashing through the building behind him. Floors collapsed in a cascade of concrete and steel, sparks and flames erupting as Nolan's body carved a path through the structure, disappearing into the dust and debris.
"Batman to Global Justice, kill Viltrumites on sight."
(AN: So we are back and the action is popping off. Some of you might be confused about Battle Beasts return, don't worry it'll be explained next chapter. Next chapters will be fighting and wrapping up the mid arc finale, and having Kara and Marks baby be born. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter.)
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