Change III // White Rabbit, Jaina Hudson, Hadiyah

"Ah! Ah! Aah~! Oh! Oh! Fuck! Ah! Ohh~! Unh! Unh!"

Jaina was currently getting stretched by the biggest cock she had ever seen. Through the window, the light of dawn was revealing her beautiful face but she couldn't even bother to give a response. On her knees, getting clapped doggy-style, the brown woman's brain had turned to mush from the overstimulation.

To her left was her twin, her other half, White Rabbit. The bunny girl with the long ears was also in a similarly precarious position; ass high, face down, but rather than a big fat white cock, she was on the losing end of three skillful fingers.

Aaron Reigner, she came to realize, was no ordinary man. He wasn't just ramming into her willy-nilly, he was thrusting into her with a goal in mind. Hitting points and sensitive zones she didn't even know were there. He was landing combinations and blessing her with highs and lows she couldn't possibly have achieved on her own or with any male for that matter.

Bruce Wayne certainly hadn't made her feel this way. He was a careful lover who enjoyed bringing pleasure to both parties. But Aaron? He was different. He was here for pleasure, period, He didn't care whose it was.

Jaina let out shrill moan after shrill moan. Her throat was dry but she was somehow able to speak.

"Deep…so deep…oh! Oh! Oh! Unh! Oooh~!"

Then when he decided to ramp things up, Jaina was completely at his mercy again. Begging, wanting, receiving. Her mind was a mess of ecstasy and cock. Her insides felt soft and sticky yet sensitive and easily provoked. To say she was fucked was an understatement.

He removed his fingers from White Rabbit and grabbed Jain's brown ass cheek tightly. Jaina didn't know what was happening at first as he thrust into her as deep as he could. She felt her very core get kissed by the warmth of his dong.

He dumped one last load inside her. Her Indian womb accepted his white seed and her walls quivered as he throbbed and throbbed. He was shooting hard and fast despite the hours of creampies and orgasms. He was a metahuman, she guessed, whose sex abilities were uncontested. Jaina's eyes began to lose strength. Her counterpart, however, was able to stand behind him, tempt him away as soon as his orgasm was finished.

Jaina appreciated the substitution. She needed a long, long nap after the thrashing he gave her.

On the other end, Aaron was having the time of his life. Jaina and White Rabbit were metahumans and one hell of a duo. They were able to withstand his cock for hours on end.

The most impressive was White Rabbit.

Right now, he was on his back as the rabbit rode him. Curling her rear, taking in his cock, moving and moving so that he could reach so, so much of her cunt. He was stretching her walls, exploring, but it was of her volition. Hands on his back, Aaron smiled as he watched her pleasure herself, as she used him as a human dildo.

It was amusing, to be frank.

Her expression was constantly distorting. Attempting to smile and keep control but always losing to the sea of pleasure he was offering her. Aaron didn't even have to move his hips, his big fat dick did all the work for him.

"Ohh, you're good," White Rabbit commented with a desperate look of arrogance. "You're amazing~! Mmmph~!"

"Uh-huh."

He bucked his hips up, penetrating her womb again. She gasped and came again. Her fluids secreted on to his pelvis.

"How about you go faster?" Aaron said. "Maybe then I'll feel something."

His words sparked her sense of competition. White Rabbit began hopping up and down his cock again. Faster, faster, faster. The sound of flesh clapping echoed. Hadiyah, who was in the kitchen and making breakfast, could undoubtedly hear it.

They were fucking like rabbits, plain and simple. They were going faster than an ordinary human couple, faster than a man and woman could ever wish to go.

White Rabbit was hopping up and down, up and down. Her boobs swung wildly but in spite of their weight and size she didn't slow down.

Aaron grabbed onto her mounds and pinched her nipples. The white woman bit her lips, holding back a moan.

"Good enough for you?" White Rabbit asked, panting.

"Almost," Aaron responded, licking his lips.

Then, like he did with Jaina, he ramped things up. He started moving. White Rabbit stood no chance. She was faster than him, for sure, heaving down his cock like a blur, but Aaron had figured out her pattern. He knew exactly when to strike–

"Oooh~!"

–and when he did, she promptly stopped from the recoil of pleasure. Immediately, Aaron fucked her into a oblivion. Hips slamming up, up, up, reaching deeper and deeper inside her. White Rabbit experienced more orgasms in this minute of fucking than she ever had with Bruce Wayne or previous lovers. Aaron was on another plane of existence.

He wasn't just good, he was godly. His cock was fat and stretched her, and he went in deeper and harder than a man had any right to.

The king-sized bed, which was worth more than Aaron's monthly pay, shook and groaned. Obscene sounds of the spring began to emanate.

Her form curled over, her lips pecking his chest. Aaron allowed her to rest at that moment. Admittedly, five hours of straight sex was taking a toll on him. He needed a breather.

The room door opened and in came Hadiyah. She was casual, wearing a hoodie and her hijab, but displeased at the situation. Hearing her bed creak and shake under the weight of a woman getting fucked was not amusing.

"Are you done?" Hadiyah asked. She, under normal circumstances, would find this abhorrent. But because of his subtle hypnosis, only mild annoyance crossed her face. "Breakfast is ready. I expect you to finish up."

The message sent, she closed the door..

When White Rabbit rose, she stared back at him fearfully. A small smile appeared on his face as his cock throbbed. There was trepidation as well as longing in her eyes. She wanted this but she also knew the ramifications; when she and Jaina reunited into one, she wouldn't be able to feel her legs for the next week.

Aaron didn't care. Her sweaty, glistening tits were too tempting to hold back. He threw his hips up and drilled into her cunt once again. The bed frame started to break.

She came fifty times in the span of twenty minutes. If it wasn't for her augmented physicality, she might have been sent into a coma.

***

The kitchen was twice the size of Aaron's living room. Feeling the marble under his feet and the twin ceiling fan lights was ethereal. It was like he was in a mansion. It wasn't, of course, but the sensation of wealth seeped into his mind nonetheless.

Hadiyah had made falafel-spiced dhal with eggs, smoky eggplant and zhoug. He wasn't acquainted with Arabic cuisine but he was open to trying it. The young woman was already sat, moody but patient.

"Thanks for making all this," Aaron said.

"Will Jaina be coming?" Hadiyah asked. Aaron shook his head. Hadiyah inhaled sharply. "Of course."

She was acting normally but also not. It was a complicated set of instructions he gave her during her hypnosis. One, anything he did would not be considered strange. Two, she would keep quiet about their relationship and Jaina's secret identity; and three, she would inform him of updates in any investigation she was conducting. Hadiyah was under his control and she didn't even know it. It was perfect. It was unethical.

'I could just make her forget all this. I could just move on.' But thinking about the potential dangers of Leviathan made him pause. Aaron had never been someone who trusted others. The only individual he could really trust was himself and….Cassandra, if he was being honest. He didn't want to risk it.

The food tasted amazing. Spicy but savoury and he asked for seconds. Hadiyah supplied without a remark. Once their plates were empty, they took to the sink. Washing dishes was easy with two people. Wash and dry. Wash and dry. Her sink was massive and her drawers were so vast she just needed to shove them inside. Conversation was dry. Neither of them were social butterflies, after all.

"Where will you go after this?" Hadiyah asked.

"Work. It's a Wednesday." He checked the giant clock on the wall to his left. "I'll have to leave in about half an hour."

"I see."

Hadiyah, in her baggy trousers and hoodie, wasn't a sex object. But Aaron felt his balls ache regardless. Plus, he had taken the day off yesterday because of Riko and Izzy. His supervisor was sure to dump a bunch of work on him. It was going to be a long day. He needed something to jumpstart him.

"Bend over," Aaron commanded. "On the table. Now."

Hadiyah rolled her eyes but couldn't find it in herself to defy him. She pulled her pants and panties, bent over on the expensive wooden table, and spread her pussy for him. He sighed as he dropped his pants and got hard. He rubbed his cock against her glistening cunt, waiting for her to get aroused. He tested her insides with a finger and found that she was actually more horny than him.

Upon entry, Aaron was reminded just how fucking tight she was. Her legs shook.

The hijabi was unrecognizable as his pelvis smacked her rear over and over again. He went deep enough to stir her instincts and emotions. Her desires.

A small moan slipped past her lips. Her eyes rolled back as her cunt was stretched and penetrated.

Aaron smiled. "So this is how you would actually act during sex. Quiet, disciplined, and submissive. Interesting."

Indeed, since his hypnosis was limited, she wasn't as loud. She bit back her moans as she felt the overwhelming pleasure. Sweat poured down her face. Her dark blue hijab became slick from the heat.

Her mouth remained open, shaking as he railed her on the table. The furniture was expensive and more than capable of handling his thrusts and weight.

"W-wait," Hadiyah whimpered, "W-wait!"

Aaron slowed down till he was only swaying his hips back and forth. "What's wrong?"

"J-Jace," she gasped, feeling him kiss her womb. "He's coming! He's coming very soon!"

Aaron tilted his head. He should have been alarmed but he wasn't. His head was frizzled from all the sex. "Why?"

"He…he…" Since his cock was inside, sliding teasingly, almost like torture, Hadiyah was struggling to form coherent sentences. "He can't remember, ah, last night. I think…I think Jaina must have slipped something in his drink. T-Tamara Fox and Vol were the same. They texted me that they were very, hah, drunk that night and…mmph…had to carry I-Iman Avesta to her apartment."

"Do they remember me?" Aaron asked, stopping completely, the tip of his dick massaging her innermost depths.

"I-I don't think so. They said they don't remember much from the moment they got into the l-limo."

"Interesting."

It didn't make much of a difference. Nobody there was inherently bad. Regardless, he supposed he could count this as a lucky break. It was better to remain unknown than to be in the conversations of Jace Fox, the Batman of New York.

"Why is Jace coming here then?"

"He's Batman," Hadiyah continued between sobs of pleasure. "We meet up occasionally to discuss plans. I told him during the party that I found a clue about White Rabbit, who stole a precious metal in New York."

"A precious metal, huh?"

'Could this be connected with the five metals Penguin was talking about?'

Aaron's thoughts were suddenly cut off by the sudden noise of the front door. He could hear the door knob turning and the security system making a beep of acceptance. He must have had the keys to her place. Duh. He was Batman, she was Nobody.

'Fuck.'

Her cunt squeezed him. His presence seemed to light Hadiyah up, though not enough to defy him or his cock; to remove herself from him.

Oh well.

Whether they met now or after, it didn't and wouldn't matter. He kept fucking Hadiyah as if it was just another job, ignoring the incoming steps of Jace Fox.

"Hey, Hadiyah, what is that s–"

The young man stopped and his eyes went as wide as saucers. His pupils reflected the scene bestowed upon him. Hadiyah, his crush, the woman who he had known for a decade, was flat on the table, pants down, with her face roaring with ecstasy.

"H-Hadiyah…?" Jace called out, unable to tear away from the scene. He hadn't even noticed Aaron, the white man fucking his crush.

"J-Jace," Hadiyah replied, her lips wet. She tried to speak. She tried to muster an excuse. "I…I–"

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Aaron began clapping her cheeks all over again. He didn't hate Jace. As a matter of fact, he liked the young man. It was unfortunate that his crush had such a great, tight cunt. Especially in this situation where it seemed to squeeze him for all he was worth, challenging him to thrust and fuck her brains out.

"Oooh~! Ah! Oh~!"

Jace heard the claps but he didn't say anything. Jace was stuck there, rooted to the marble floor, his dark complexion redder than a tomato's. It was awkward. It was humiliating.

"I…I thought you…" Jace stopped himself as Aaron continued to thrust and fuck her. As he wasn't making a grand statement here. When Jace finally glanced up at Aaron, the young black man swallowed thickly and quickly switched back to his girl best friend. "I-I confessed to you, I thought you…you're Muslim!"

"S-sorry, Jace, I–" Hadiyah gasped and moaned. "But his cock is too good!"

His eyes went wide. Aaron blinked twice, stopping for the briefest of moments. He had cucked people before but never like this. It felt oddly gratifying but also mean-spirited.

"Hey, Jace," Aaron called, gaining his attention. "Just focus on yourself, man."

Then, he started ramming into her again.

Jace looked lost. Destroyed. He stood there, watching Hadiyah, the love of his love get railed by him.

And Hadiyah? Her fingers were gripping the end of the table, her body getting rocked to and fro. She was an unrecognizable beast, sweating and orgasming and gasping. She was a woman in her purest form. She looked Jace in the eyes, letting him know she didn't care. She loved Aaron's cock and she was going to drain all his nut out.

That was exactly what happened.

Aaron groaned, sheathed himself inside her, and came.

Jace watched.

Hadiyah howled. "T-thank you! Thank you~!"

It was the first time she had screamed. Finally, he thought to himself. Her true personality, after all the fucking, was wearing down into another submissive bitch. An easily controllable fuck doll. Her cunt was breached by the tsunami that was his spurts of cum. Shooting deep, deep inside her, managing to make her shake and moan without having to thrust. The warm sensation was heavenly.

"Mmmmhhaa~!" Hadiyah swooned as she hit cloud nine. She had orgasmed what must have been a hundred times. It was impossible but Aaron somehow managed to make it possible. He gave a monster load Jace would never be able to replicate in a million years.

When Aaron pulled out and slapped his cock onto her ass, he could sense Jace's shock and fear. He was bigger than him. It was obvious. Aaron was significantly larger than his father, Lucius, so of course he would outclass Jace as well. The genetic lottery was in Aaron's favour to an absurd degree.

Aaron wiped the sweat off his forehead and glanced up at Jace again. "Chin up, dude. There are other girls out there."

Jace didn't respond and the familiar awkwardness of being naked in front of a male returned. Like with Todd and Noah, it was just plain weird and Aaron quickly pulled his pants up. Hadiyah, however, was not able to do the same. She was completely, thoroughly, UTTERLY destroyed. Her cunt was dripping endlessly with his cum. She was gasping for air, panting like she never had before. She was, to put it simply, a beast of lust. Needy and wanting but defeated.

Her brown eyes stung with tears of joy. Her hijab was damp with sweat with tucks of hair escaping the sacred garment. Jace scanned his violated crush and burned the image into his memories. His pants tightened from the sheer absurdity of the situation. It was so fucked up that it was arousing, Jace thought to himself, but he couldn't stop his bodily reactions. His instincts wanted her but was imprinted with the reality that she was taken by someone better.

It was baffling to compare his lousy tent to Aaron's semi-erect bulge. A penis shouldn't have been that big, that different from another, yet reality was reality and Jace couldn't deny the truth in front of him. At his best, Jace was half the man he was; half the size, half the potency, half the masculinity. Jace could see the outline of the man's balls too and they were ridiculously large. In every facet of manhood, this white man dwarfed him, like David to Goliath. A pebble to a mountain. A man to a god.

"I'm addicted," Hadiyah admitted. "C-can you blame me?"

Aaron flicked his gaze between Jace and Hadiyah. The conversation, it seemed, had ended there. Hopefully he didn't instill a cuck fetish in the poor guy…

'Ugh, now I feel really bad…'

A minute passed and the dribbling sound persisted. Her panting didn't slow. Her eyes did not melt into the sharp pupils of logic that Jace was accustomed to. Hadiyah was just…raw sex right now.

"I…I'll see you later, Hadiyah," Jace muttered. He walked away without another word. The door clicked open and shut in the same instant. It was sad and pathetic.

'Sorry, dude...'

From the way he had glanced at him, the Batman of New York had no idea who Aaron was. He was too traumatised from his crush getting raw dogged to digest anything and whatever Jaina had put in his drink wiped him clean from last night's events.

Talk about luck.

Aaron checked the time again. "I have to go to work soon," he grumbled to himself.

In the living room, in the corner of his eye, he saw Hadiyah's open laptop. Its bright screen was tempting him to snoop. He checked the clock again, sighed, and went ahead with the intention to poke around.

***

Having millions in the backpocket was nice. He could taxi in and out of work without a problem. Since he arrived early and his coworkers weren't in the area, his supervisor was unexpectedly kind to him. He patted Aaron on the back and said, "Good work with Iman Avesta. She told me you did a great job."

"Thanks, sir."

"No problem, dude. I hope your sister is doing alright," his supervisor said, genuinely sorry. Seeing the older male feel such sympathy for a person that didn't exist put a little guilt in him.

Aaron wore a thin smile. "Me too, sir."

It was off to the cubicles after that. Although his supervisor appreciated his presence at the party, he did still skip Monday. His excuse of a family emergency didn't irk him too much, however, and he was let off with the same amount of work on an ordinary day.

Aaron sat in his black leather chair, mulling the information he received from Hadiyah. 'So Jaina stole a metal in New York. I doubt it's a coincidence. It has to be one of those five special metals the Penguin mentioned. Batmanium, Dionesium, Electrum, Nth Metal, and Promethium. With them, you can become a god…'

But Hadiyah's laptop said otherwise. Her records claimed it was not the power of a god that the five metals gave. Rather, it opened a portal into the Dark Multiverse.

'Whatever that is,' Aaron thought. 'Something called Perpetua and the Darkest Knight tried to destroy everything. They failed, of course, but the metals still exist. The question is: what would happen if someone brought the metals together again? Would they open another portal to the Dark Multiverse? Or something else?'

There was a knock on his cubicle wall. He spun and smiled when he saw it was Iman. "Hey, how's it going?" A pause. He looked her up and down. The tight, grey business suit was on but her disciplined demeanour was totally lost. "You alright?"

"Hungover," Iman replied, clicking her tongue. "I think somebody must have messed with our drinks…"

It was probably Jaina. She had to meet with Hadiyah, after all.

"I left with Hadiyah so I have no clue what happened. Are Jace and Tamara Fox alright?" Aaron was impressed with his acting skills. Iman didn't suspect him in the slightest as she sighed.

"They're alright. I don't think it was them either." Iman groaned and sighed again. "Maybe I'm just getting old and paranoid. I thought there was another woman but maybe not…"

"Maybe," Aaron said, shrugging his shoulders. "By the way, was there something you wanted?"

"No, no, I was only here to check up on you." Iman smiled as if it was painful. "Thank you, Aaron. Mrs. Tanya Fox seemed to love you. I think her husband was also impressed. Our building might get additional funding."

"All thanks to you," Aaron said smoothly.

Iman rolled her eyes. "All thanks to you, you mean."

"But nobody will know it," Aaron said. "I'm fine with that."

"I can tell. But thank you, again. You showed me a wonderful time yesterday. I hope we can continue to work together."

Iman put forth a hand. Aaron thought about her words carefully. 'Does she want me to act as her date from now on? Hm…'

"Of course." Aaron shook her hand and smiled. "What are friends for?"

Iman stared at him and lifted a brow. "That's the first time I've seen you smile like that." Hearing that remark, Aaron's lips immediately went flat. Iman chuckled, slipped from his grip, and said, "Until next time, Aaron."

"Sure…"

Was it bad that he was beginning to open up? Smiling? Acting less emo and more like a social butterfly?

'Don't think too hard about it. Focus.'

He entered data, picked up phone calls, and put his whole being into working. The time flew by faster than he anticipated. Nearly three people weren't here today due to concerns over the pipe leak last week, which the company understood and was lenient over.

A buzz suddenly came from the table. His phone, which had been resting for the past six hours, vibrated to life.

> Riko: Hey. Are u busy

It was Riko. The twenty-one year old vigilante who he had accidentally led on. He hesitated to type a response.

> Aaron: no. what's up?

> Riko: Do you have a place for us to hide?

Aaron stared at the message. A terrible ache sank into his stomach.

> Aaron: give me a second

> Riko: Assassins found us. We are on the run rn

> Aaron: ok

'Think, think, think. A place to hide, a place to hide. A location that won't compromise me or them…'

His memories flashed to Tanya Fox's charity event. He talked to a certain someone. Someone who possessed knowledge of the Bat Family and who worked with them.

'Yeah, maybe that would work…'

> Aaron: are Dax and Dre still stable?

> Riko: Yes. They can walk and move.

> Aaron: do you know Thompkins clinic?

> Riko: Down in Crime Alley? y

> Aaron: go there. Dr. Jada Thompkins will help you.

> Riko: Are u sure it's safe?

> Aaron: I can guarantee complete anonymity

It was a gamble in reality. He couldn't say with absolute certainty that the Thompkins were involved with Bruce Wayne, but he was confident enough to send the Robins off. His deductions were rarely ever wrong.

Moreover, he could tell that Jada and her mother were truly kind individuals. They would accept a patient irregardless of their status or wealth. If their patient couldn't afford to pay, it still wouldn't matter. If they were a criminal or an illegal immigrant, they would still continue to supply healthcare.

That was the kind of family the Thompkins were. They extended their generosity to everyone, even strangers.

He heard the rumours during No Man's Land. How there was a single clinic every criminal swore to protect and spare. He hadn't put it together when he first met her but the Dr. Thompkins of West Mercy and the Dr. Thompkins of No Man's Land were the same. A woman of dedication and compassion. Her daughter was the same. Her daughter would do the same. Aaron was confident in that much.

> Aaron: they can also patch up Dax and Dre better than I ever could. I'm guessing they can't run or do crazy moves? They need to see someone ASAP and regardless of the assassins chasing after you

> Riko: Yes. You're right.

> Riko: Thank you.

> Riko: From the bottom of my heart ♡

Aaron reddened from the heartfelt gratitude. He wasn't able to muster up a response and simply sent a thumbs-up emoji.

He spent the remaining hours at the Wayne Tech building working diligently. He followed orders to the letter, actually engaged with his peers, and overall just started to do things better. Admittedly, it was difficult becoming social and less emo, particularly with individuals whom he had never talked to.

The third lunch break arrived and rather than sit by himself and quietly eat his lunch, he decided to join Noah and Todd. The two were patrolling security guards, a duo welcomed and recognizable on every floor of the building. Before, he hadn't spared them a glance. He simply didn't care. However, with what happened three weeks ago, he couldn't help but notice them. There was always a wave or a nod or an acknowledgement of some kind between him and the duo.

Aaron thought he might as well pursue a friendship with them.

"Hey guys," Aaron greeted. The two sat on the staircase of his floor. Close enough that his coworkers would talk about them and let him know that they were indeed here.

Noah was the serious one and he watched Aaron sit next to him curiously. The security guard outfit gave him a stronger image.

"Something up?" Todd asked.

"Not really. I'm just bored." Aaron realized just how awkward and bad he was at this. "Er, what do you guys do here? Sit and talk?"

Todd and Noah exchanged glances.

"Pretty much nothing," Todd responded, shrugging.

"Don't tell me you got a life epiphany after the attack," Noah said, smiling slightly. His deep, buttery voice put Aaron at ease and he was able to respond in a similarly joking manner.

"Sort of. I know a lot of the security team have been doing that. I thought I might as well join in."

"A lot of us?" Noah snorted. "More like everyone, including Todd over here," he joked, jabbing a thumb at him.

"Hey, that's mean." The geeky security man pouted. "If it wasn't for all that, I wouldn't have worked the courage to call my brother again."

"They got into a bad fight. Todd lost, of course."

"Hey!"

He caught them several times at the charity event and knew they were a funny pair from the amount of laughter that followed them. Even so, Aaron didn't expect to laugh alongside them so quickly. No wonder they were so popular.

"Speaking of, you see what was on the news?" Todd said, switching subjects like an excited child. His companion rolled his eyes.

"It's superhero related, not politics, by the way," Noah informed him.

"Superhero news is way better than politics. No offence if you're into that," Noah said, offering a non-apologetic smile. "But! It's about the new Justice League!"

"The one Harley Quinn was rumoured to be in?" Noah asked, brows scrunched in annoyance. "I can't believe the new Superman even considered her. That's why I like the old one better. He was smarter about things."

The strong response to the new Superman threw Aaron off. He assumed Noah to be more tactful than that.

"I think so," Todd replied, pushing his glasses. "Apparently, the team consists of Doctor Light, Frost, Frankenstein, Booster Gold, the new and third Aquaman, and Robin! Oh, and the two Blue Beetles!"

"There's two Blue Beetles?" Noah remarked, brow raised.

"Yep! And–drum roll please–Supergirl!" Todd nearly leaped in his seat. "Kara-Zor-El!"

"He's her biggest fan," Noah told Aaron, sighing. "He has seven different posters of her in his room."

"Wait, wait, wait, that makes me sound like a weirdo." Todd waved his hands in front of him as he tried deflecting the accusations. "She saved my younger sister once. She lives in Metropolis, see, and like…ever since then, I've admired her. Purely platonically."

"If he met her, he'd definitely faint," Noah mocked.

His ears turned red from mortification but Todd didn't give up. "So what? She's Supergirl! She's an icon! Literally the fifth most famous superhero in the world! Her name is synonymous with hip and cool!"

Noah chuckled and turned to Aaron. "What about you? Do you have a favourite?"

"Wonder Woman," Aaron answered after three seconds of contemplation. "I like her stances on social issues."

"Fair enough. I'm a Martian Manhunter guy myself," Noah said. "He can read minds, shapeshift, use telekinesis and super strength. The jack of all trades."

"Kinda like you, Noah," Todd interjected. He locked eyes with Aaron and explained, "This dude Noah is good at everything we do. Computers, hacking, exercising, push-ups, sit-ups–"

Noah cringed, shy from the praise. "Okay, we get it–"

"Basketball, soccer, essays, database entry. Oh, yeah, we do sports every other week. It's a thing the security team does."

Aaron nodded along, pursing his lips. "Cool."

A group of ladies came by, eating yogurt and laughing, and the trio shifted to the side. Their break was almost finished.

"I'll see you guys later then," Aaron said, standing up.

"We're here at pretty much every break, so swing on by." Todd smiled brightly. "We could use the company."

"So next time?"

"Next time," Noah assured.

***

Hours flew by and work came to a close. It was Tuesday and not too busy but Aaron was told to stay by his supervisor. Going down the elevator, he received a message.

> Hadiyah: White Rabbit took me to her apartment and showed me the metal she stole. It's the God Killer blade made of Eighth Metal.

> Hadiyah: It is the purest metal of the gods of Greece and other pantheons. 1 step from Nth Metal, the Ninth Metal, & 2 steps from Xth Metal, the Tenth.

> Hadiyah: Deathstroke the mercenary and Cheetah, Wonder Woman's nemesis, wielded God Killer according to the Guild of Detection's library. I scanned it and found traces of magic on it too.

'Well, that's one hell of a bombshell to drop on me right when I'm going home. Also, she stole a god killing sword? I have to give White Rabbit credit, that is insanely impressive.'

> Aaron: Nth Metal is one of the 5 metals that Leviathan is searching for but this isn't that?

> Hadiyah: No. This is Eighth Metal. Nth Metal is above it as the Ninth Metal. Its functions are different. Eighth Metal is an energy amplifier. Nth Metal is a non conducting metal capable of negating the laws of reality such as gravity and the limiters within one's soul. It is also super reactive.

> Hadiyah: God Killer's purpose is to slay gods and channel magic. It was last left in the Amazon Armory of Themyscira before it was stolen by someone, not White Rabbit.

> Aaron: So someone stole the God Killer and White Rabbit stole it from them? Is that what happened?

> Hadiyah: I believe so. The Guild of Detection only knows so much. I tried asking Vol about whether the blade could be used for something. Nothing.

> Aaron: How much did you tell him?

> Hadiyah: Very little. We both work for Jace's Batman and he knows I like to do my own field work. I tell him to do something and he hacks and researches without question.

Good. He didn't need an unknown breathing down his neck.

He exited the elevator and loitered at the entrance. The outside chill tickled him as the doors opened and closed.

> Aaron: What's the guild of detection btw

> Hadiyah: A group of the world's greatest detectives. Batman, Martian Manhunter, Detective Chimp, Elongated Man, Hawkman, Sue Dibny, Hawkgirl, The Question, and many others. I was recently introduced to it.

> Aaron: They must have a robust library then.

> Hadiyah: The information is all physical. Paperwork, files, etc. The guild's headquarters is a four-floor library.

> Hadiyah: It has existed for tens of thousands of years. Nobody knows who founded it or when it was made.

> Aaron: So I assume you took the case of the stolen God Killer blade?

> Hadiyah: With Batman's permission, yes. He doesn't suspect a thing.

> Hadiyah: My theory is Leviathan needs Eighth Metal for their plan. Meaning, they need more than the just five metals of the Dark Multiverse.

First it was Batmanium, Dionesium, Electrum, Nth Metal, and Promethium; and now Eighth Metal and Tenth Metal? What kind of plan were Leviathan concocting? What was the connection? The end goal?

> Aaron: Keep working.

> Aaron: I'm counting on you ☆

'Was that too corny?'

He pushed past the embarrassing thoughts and shoved his phone in his pocket. The streets of Gotham were the same. Dark, moody, and in a sort-of rush as nightfall came upon them. Aaron called up a taxi much to the surprise of the folks he normally tagged along with. They didn't speak since it was a silent, unacknowledged relationship but he could see the betrayal in their eyes.

'My bad,' he said in his head. Getting in and reducing the fifteen minute walk to a five minute drive felt alleviating. He checked his contacts which just three weeks ago had only consisted of his supervisor. Now, rather than an empty list, there were names: Tam Fox, Tanya Fox, Vicki Vale, Iman Avesta, Riko Sheridan, Shrug-R, and Hadiyah.

He gave the taxi driver a hefty tip of a thousand dollars. He was feeling good about himself today and watching the old driver burst into tears moved his heart. He shook his hand, awkwardly hugged and comforted the older male, and left.

'It's darker than I thought.' The clouds were turning into a deep and terrifying shade of grey. Rain was imminent and he suspected thunder too.

Droplets fell on his head. To an ordinary person, it wouldn't have been noticeable, but to Aaron it felt like a light sting.

'I should get going–'

"Err, sir?"

A weak hand tugged on his wrist. He glanced down to his left to see a young girl half his height looking at him with puppy-dog eyes.

"Um, sir, is it going to rain?"

Her outfit was utterly despicable. Torn in several places and older than the taxi car that had dropped him off. Aaron's gaze darted between the little girl and the sky.

"I think so." Aaron paused. "Where are your parents, kid?"

The girl shook her head. "Don't have any."

Aaron blinked. She was alone, in the middle of the streets with a stranger, ragged and dirty, and asking about the weather. "You're an orphan," he said, his lips going dry. "Where is your caretaker?"

"She left me," the girl answered quietly. Sorrow and fear gripped her. She continued to look at him with courage, however. "Do you know where the shelter is? I'm lost."

He considered her small form. Her cheeks were splotched with dirt and her arms were like twigs. Her hair was blonde and entangled, to the point where Aaron wondered if it hurt. His heart ached at the sight of the poor thing.

'Dammit…'

Aaron wanted to sigh. He wanted to hit himself. Alas, he couldn't deny it. He couldn't ignore her. He had to extend a helping hand.

"Hey, kid." He kneeled down to her level. "What's your name?"

She seemed surprised by his sudden kindness. "...I'm Chloe."

He attempted a child-friendly smile. "I'm Aaron. How long have you been here?"

Her face scrunched up into confusion. "I've been staying close to the dumpster for a week, I think. It's a good hiding place."

'W-weeks? How did I not notice…?'

No, he DID notice. He just didn't care. All of a sudden, flashes of the little blonde girl begging for his help rammed into the emotional part of his brain. His heart ached. Guilt coursed through his veins. Aaron pursed his lips, wanting to smack the past version of himself, and he forced another smile.

"How about staying with me?" he suggested. "I'll make you some dinner. Does macaroni and cheese sound good to you?"

Her blue eyes shone with excitement. "Dinner? Yes!"

She was too young to give such an expression. Desperation, excitement, and a tinge of fear. He was a stranger, after all, and as an orphan wandering the streets she heard the whispers of what happened to kids who went with older men.

Aaron wanted to be the one to make a change. To be the beacon of hope for this lost orphan.

***

Chloe was for the most part a quiet girl. She ate with her hands and didn't complain at how difficult it was to eat macaroni and cheese. He actually had to go out of his way to teach her how to use a spoon and fork.

"It's like this, see? The edge of your middle finger and your thumb."

"Isn't it better to hold it like a shovel?" Chloe asked. She demonstrated her point and Aaron laughed.

"Er, I guess it's fine if you're a kid?"

Her cheeks puffed up at his remark. "I'm not a kid," she said pompously, imitating him perfectly. "See?"

She was also very gullible. It was probably why she followed him in the first place. Chloe, although cast out, must not have encountered many criminals. No, perhaps she did, and simply continued to hope.

CRACK! RUMBLE! BOOM!

The kitchen suddenly flashed blue. Lightning crackled and struck, tainting the misty sky, and for an instant there was panic. Chloe froze like a deer seeing headlights.

Time passed. The kitchen returned to its dull colour, to the yellow light of the wall scones.

Aaron clicked his tongue and asked, "Are you alright?"

"M-mhm." She gulped. "Y-yeah." She hiccuped and released her fork. Tears began to form in the corner of her eyes. Across from him was a child needing comfort and he…didn't know what to do. He sat in his chair like an idiot, waiting for someone or something to happen.

"Um, er." Aaron got from his chair and came around to her. He patted her on the shoulder and said, "There, there, Chloe. It's just lightning."

"I-I know." Chloe bit the bottom of her lip and held back her tears. "S-sorry, sir."

Aaron was immediately alarmed. "Hey, it's okay to cry. There, there…"

That was all he could say because that was all he knew how to say. His gaze switched from Chloe, to the ceiling, and then the table.

"H-hey, want to watch TV?" Aaron suggested in a hurry. "Uh, have you watched League of Super Pets? It's about Krypto the Superdog rescuing the Justice League with his friends."

She sniffled. "Will Hawkgirl be in it?"

"I think so." He literally didn't know but the response came before he could think about it. Chloe wiped her tears and gave him a small smile.

"Okay! Let's watch!"

Off they went to the sofa. Chloe swung her legs eagerly, finding the motions and the half-soft, half-hard furniture amusing to smack. Aaron cleaned the dishes and returned with the television remote.

"Woah. Your TV has a lot of apps," Chloe commented. "The ones on the store windows only play the same movie over and over again."

"It's a smart TV," Aaron replied. "It has a dozen services on it. Netflix, Disney Plus, everything."

"Disney? Like Mickey Mouse!?" Chloe exclaimed.

"Yes, like Mickey Mouse."

"Wowow." Chloe turned to the TV with a fresh set of eyes. She wasn't just excited, she was invigorated. "How much are we allowed to watch?"

"We can watch until we go to sleep."

That was exactly what they did. As the lightning and storm brewed outside, Aaron and Chloe watched children's movie after children's movie. It was almost three o'clock by the time they were finished with their marathon, leaving Aaron with baggy eyes and Chloe as a zombie.

Aaron had a spare bedroom she let her sleep there. Pulling the blanket over her tiny body, the small bundle of joy napped.

"Good night," he said, closing the door. He sighed in relief and slowed his elevating heart. "I drank way too much Pepsi there," he muttered. He checked the time on his phone and grimaced. Considering work started in almost six hours, he thought about calling in.

'Screw it.'

He had already told the supervisor about his fake circumstances regarding his sister. He sincerely doubted he would kill him for skipping one more day.

So that was what he did. He left his supervisor a voicemail and took a long, cozy nap.

…

…

…

It was like blinking in and out of reality. One moment, he was on his bed, staring at the void that was his ceiling, and the next he saw the worried face of a little girl.

"Um, Aaron, sir?" she called, poking him on the cheek. "Are you awake?"

"I'm up," Aaron said, not wanting to lose face. He sat there on his bed for a few seconds, eyes empty and baggy. He glanced at his alarm clock. It was ten o'clock.

Stifling a yawn, he said, "What's up, Chloe? Come up."

"Err, I just, um…" Reluctantly, Chloe joined him on the bed and crossed her legs, expression downcast. "Should…should I leave? You were asleep, so…"

Aaron blinked through his sleepiness. "What…" He held back a yawn. "...what do you mean, Chloe?"

She squirmed and refused to make eye contact, preferring to stare at the blanket. "It's hard to explain. Um…"

He scanned her and attempted to read her mind. He inhaled and suddenly said, "You know, I'm an orphan too."

Her head snapped up at him, surprised. "Really?"

"Yep," Aaron popped. "No parents. No siblings. It was pretty lonely. Luckily, my orphanage was decent and I was able to get into a good high school and university. I wasn't poor or rich but I do understand how you feel. It's difficult to trust people, right?"

Chloe bobbed her head up and down. Anxious but now feeling safer with his words. Sympathetic.

"How old are you?" Aaron asked.

"I think…nine."

"Nine?" Aaron repeated, amping up his astonishment. "You're younger than you look."

A chuckle broke out of her and she beamed shyly. "Thank you."

"You know, it's amazing you were able to survive for so long by yourself." He offered her a hand. "Really, Chloe. You're amazing."

"T-thank you," Chloe said, laughing and grabbing his hands. As if they were fake adults, they shook hands and exchanged smiles. "So…ah, can I…can I stay?"

"Of course you can. As long as that's what you want," Aaron said. "The streets of Gotham are no place for a kid."

"I know." She bit her lip again. "I…I'm scared. The Joker, Poison Ivy…all those people scare me."

Aaron pitied her. Growing up on the streets, uneducated and unknowing, hearing whispers of the Joker's murderous spree and Ivy's calls for human genocide. It was too much. Nobody deserved to listen to such atrocities. Nobody.

"They kill and kill…and the criminals grow worse and meaner…" Chloe was close to crying but she remained steadfast in her speech. "I'm so scared. I wish Batman could save us all."

Seeing her vulnerable and afraid, meek and resolute, gave Aaron a level of clarity he had never had before. He decided, right then and there, to try and protect this little girl. To truly make an effort to help rebuild the world.

Because this…

This COULDN'T go on.

Gotham could not continue to be a hellhole for the next hundred years. It just couldn't. He wouldn't let it. Children on the streets, supervillains attacking workplaces, the rich stealing from the poor, and the poor in turn stealing from the working class. That was the state of Gotham City right now and it was HORRIBLE.

He pulled her into a hug and said, "Me too, Chloe. Me too."

Aaron was talented. He was blessed. He was a metahuman. He had the ability to do something about the world. And he would. But make no mistake, he wasn't a superhero. He wasn't a villain or an anti-hero or anything like that. He simply didn't have the motivation or the personality to do it. He was an office worker and he would stick to his strengths. He would continue down this road as a puppet master. A background character. A shadow. The man who secretly reigned over Gotham City. Vicki Vale, Tanya Fox, We Are Robin, Hadiyah, Jaina Hudson/White Rabbit…he had so much to choose from. So many influential women…