CHAPTER 191

The fight against Darkseid and his forces had reached its climax. Both for the heroes and the inhabitants of earth, it was at its most crucial phase yet, but they've unfortunately hit a sudden snag with their plans. 

Cyborg, who literally held the key to putting an end to the fight, was unable to create a connection with the mother box in order to open a series of portals which was supposed to serve as vacuums and clean the townspeople of Apokolips from the face of this world and back to theirs.

While Cyborg continued to work on a solution to bypass the issue, Ace continued to engage Darkseid. 

An abrupt hit from Ace sent Darkseid crashing into a minivan which he lifted off the ground and hurled it at Ace. Maintaining his usual demeanor, the vehicle split in half upon reaching him, resulting in an explosion behind him. 

Darkseid charged in, throwing a hefty blow at Ace who easily dodged it with a side step. He immediately landed a direct blow on Darkseid's solar plexus and quickly followed up with an uppercut which lifted Darkseid off the ground before suddenly appearing above him and vigorously striking Darkseid into a crated ground. 

"Come on." Cyborg muttered in frustration, trying to establish a solid connection with the mother box. Suddenly, four wires emerged from the mother box, making way to his forehead as he finished establishing a connection. The fabric of space was split open as numerous portals appeared all over the city and beyond, sucking in every being from Apokalips, including the defeated commanders and the parademons. 

Mantis was being pulled by the vacuum-like force from the portals, but refused to let himself get sucked away as he kept on engaging Superman in their 1v1. "Now is our chance." Superboy said as he saw Darkseid resisting the lodestone pull from the portal.

He flew at Darkseid, blasting him with his heat vision as he gave him an uppercut. Wonder Girl tossed her lasso around his leg and pulled him off balance. 

Superboy flew towards him with both fists ahead of him. Just as he was about to hit him, Darkseid hit him to the ground, pulled him up, smashed him against the ground, and placed his knee upon Superboy's chest. 

"I will crush you like a nut." Darkseid growled as he raised his arm into the air. As he brought it down Wonder Girl's lasso whip grabbed hold of his hand and Superman arrived at the scene after managing to send Mantis through a portal. Then he punched Darkseid off of Superboy. 

"Force him through that portal." Batman instructed and hurled exploding batarangs at Darkseid as he made emphasis on the portal behind Darkseid. 

Cyborg shot him with laser blasts as Beast Boy turned into a gorilla and punched Darkseid, who retaliated by grabbing Beast Boy and used him to hit Wonder Girl who was about to land a blow. 

As they continued with their synchronized attacks, Darkseid was finally in position and Superman along with Superboy simultaneously punched him in the chest. 

Half of his body went through the portal and he held on to the edges, refusing to get sucked away. Darkseid reached his arm to grab Raven's cloak but Ace immediately descended upon the scene, intervening as he smacked off Darkseid's hand from grabbing hold of her and delivered the final blow which sent him back to Apokolips. 

"Are you okay?" Ace asked Raven, a slight hint of concern in his tone.

"Yes I am, thanks." Raven replied to him, having a nervous smile on her face as she turned away to hide her blushing cheeks from everyone while they celebrated their victory. 

Regaining her composure, she turned back to Ace in an attempt to dismiss the awkwardness in the air and Indulge in a casual chat. "Am guessing you got my…" She said as she turned around, only to see Beast Boy standing behind her and with no sign of Ace. 

"Got your what?" Beast Boy asked as he raised an brow. "It's nothing." She replied, taking in a deep breath and walking past Beast Boy to join up with the others, while he stared at her with a confused look on his face. 

Their fight against Darkseid, the Destroyer of Worlds, had finally come to an end and it called for a celebration. Concurrently, it happened to be on the day of Christmas but unfortunately no one was feeling merry.

… 

[Tom Hendricks POV] 

It's been a few days since Christmas, a.k.a Darkseid's invasion. The cities were focused on rebuilding as citizens did their part in getting everyone through their loss, neighbors being there for one another as they heal, you know, all that crap. 

With most of the heroes still recovering from their injuries, there's been a major increase in crime rate and the police already have their hands tied with returning order to the cities. 

So trash cleaning was left to the heroes and vigilante's who didn't sustain serious injuries while fighting off the parademons. 

The authorities have been in search of Lex Luthor and there's still been no sign of him, almost as if he vanished into thin air. LexCorp kept going about their business as usual, even in the absence of the CEO. 

The government focused mainly on rebuilding the city of Metropolis, and after pulling a few strings as Ghost, I was able to hijack the contract and pass it on to a contractor under me. He was the CEO of a renowned construction company, and I was getting forty percent of his profits. 

I guess in the near future I will dabble a little in politics, pulling the strings of the political warfare of a country sounds interesting. 

"Hey Tom, are you there?" I heard Jason say from the other side of my room door, before following up with a knock on the door. 

"Yeah, just a sec." I replied to him, closing my laptop's screen as I telekinetically opened up the door for him to get in. 

"It's quite unusual for you to request a talk, hope all is good." I said to him, playfully squinting my eyes in suspicion. Our rooms were more like our sanctuaries, and we rarely made any intrusion. 

"Nah bro, all is good. Just that you've been cooped up in your room lately, and I can only assume you've been busy." He said as he casually walked around my room, touching one thing after another. 

"Yeah, I've been sorting out a few things." I replied, realizing I still haven't revealed my identity as Ghost to him. "I also notice your early hour returns from patrol." I added. 

"Yeah, a lot of criminals are trying to take advantage of the current situation." 

"Hope you aren't pushing yourself too hard bro, you look exhausted." I said to him, taking note of the eye bag beneath his eyes. 

"No matter how many times they get busted, they just never learn. I have to do things in my own way and as hostile as I possibly can, making them fear Red Hood as much as they fear Batman." Jason replied before taking a seat on my bed. 

"I noticed you seem awfully close with Selina." There it was, the actual reason he came to my room that evening. 

"It's not what you're actually thinking, it's more like a casual and carefree relationship between our public identities." I nonchalantly defended, a smirk creeping across my lips as  flashbacks of our time together back at that night party suddenly emerged at the back of my mind.

"What's with that look?" Jason asked, leaning closer as he looked at me with suspicion in his eyes.

"It's nothing, I just remembered something." I said in an attempt to brush him off whatever scenario he had playing up in his head. 

"You two are fucking, aren't you?" He said, choosing not to beat around the bush as he went straight to his conclusion. 

"I know you aren't the least concerned with my sex life, so just stop with the teasing already." 

"Okay, okay… I just wanted to remind you that she has a complicated relationship with Batman, so be careful when she's around you. Don't accidentally spill confidential information while you are pillow talking after some good sex." He advised, getting up to his feet and headed for the door. 

"Thanks for the advice man, but I assure you there's nothing to be worried about." 

"Okay, if you say so." He replied before walking out of my room, shutting the door behind him. 

Come to think of it, Selina seemed awfully intent on getting closer to me and involving herself in my personal life. Guess I have to keep a close eye on her whenever we're together. 

For now I have to get back to designing both the house and company building that I am having the contractors build for me in the process of rebuilding Metropolis. I've already had my fill of Gotham City and would make another temporary move to Metropolis where I intend to create a legal company out in the light, while my business in the criminal underworld as Ghost remains in the shadows. 

"Damn, I might end up becoming the next Lex Luthor."