CHAPTER 210

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[David Lance POV]

Batman and his little entourage began to close in. Nevertheless I remained calm.

It was true that without the rings I was considerably weaker. But be that as it may, I wasn't so weak as to not be able to deal with this situation.

Batman and Harley were hardly a challenge, and Aquaman while strong in his own right, he lacked the power to finish me off.

The only one in their team that posed a threat to me, was the Flash, his speed would be extremely difficult to deal with without the rings, but I would manage.

~You know, I never pictured you as a stupid guy, Batman,~ I said, making sure Batman saw me sign. ~Unwise, totally, but not stupid. I mean, sure I don't like you, but I always thought you were pretty darn smart. After all, the smarter you are the better you are at rationalizing bad choices.~

Batman narrowed his eyes. "It's there a point you're trying to get at?~

Jumpy aren't we?

I smiled. ~There is. And the point is, have you forgotten what my real power is, and what it could do to a populated area like this one?~

Batman tensed at this, visibly.

~The Joker needed a nuclear bomb, all I need is a whisper,~ I continued, staring at the group with cold detachment. ~So go ahead, test my patience. Test how far I have fallen.~

Harley groaned at this, facepalming herself. "Why do I always like the crazy ones! Even the silent one has a crazy bone! Is this my punishment for shoplifting as a teen God?!"

For a moment Batman stared at me silently, as if trying to discern whether I would actually do what I was threatening to do, or not.

I wouldn't, not in a lifetime, but he didn't know that, and that alone was more than enough to force him into thinking.

"You wouldn't do that," Dinah said.

~I wouldn't? Then by all means, go ahead and test that theory,~ I challenged.

"Let's go, we are leaving," Batman said after a few moments. "I didn't come here to capture, not really. I just wanted to see the man I was dealing with, now I know."

Another moral dilemma where he jacks his ego from a podium of his own making.

Fuck you Batman, fuck you and everyone dumb enough to follow you.

~You know, I had it with you all. I saved this world from destruction, not once, but twice, and all you can see it's how my methods to achieve that go against your moronic code of honor,~ I replied, my eyes burning into his with a glare carrying nothing but pure rage. ~You think you're above everyone because you let others make the hard choices. You let the government make the call whether or not the villains live, you let everyone but yourself see the truth of this accursed world. Well, guess what? There isn't a single country in the world with a court that would convict me!~

Batman remained silent.

~Sure, I killed people I didn't have to. But, even so, they wouldn't convict me. They would honor me, why? Because I gave them back their power!~ I grinned, pointing all around. ~The US Government is back on the horse, thanks to me. Every government is back on their own horse thanks to me, and because of that, instead of a villain, I would be marketed as a hero.~

Batman narrowed his eyes. "You make a lot of presumptions about what would happen. Eager to find out?"

I rolled my eyes at him again. ~Remember well, Batman, the world congratulated Superman for killing the Joker, what do you think they will do for me? Sure, some will fear me, hate me even. But those in power, those with the "ability" to decide my destiny should you capture me, well, they would love me.~

Perhaps Wioska was right. Perhaps I had done enough for this universe.

Having said my peace I turned around and started walking towards the bar, when all of a sudden a boom tube opened in the middle of the street just a few feet away from where I was standing.

I jumped back, taking some distance from the portal opening.

I didn't need much to know who was coming.

Darkseid.

Leave it to my luck to have the biggest challenge I have left here to come when I'm at my weakest.

"We meet again, Red," Darkseid spoke, walking through the tube into the middle of the street.

Fuck fuck fuck FUCK!

I can't fight Darkseid without the rings, at least not without destroying the fucking earth in the process, which would beat the point of fighting him to begin with.

Seeing Darkseid in the middle of the street, and my reaction, Batman adjusted his priorities, changing his body language in a way that left clear I was no longer his target.

"I didn't come here for a battle. Fighting you as you are now is beneath me," Darkseid said, his voice as cold and dark as I remembered it to be.

"Then why did you come?" Batman pressed.

"To congratulate Red," Darkseid replied. "You destroyed not one, but two of my enemies. A reward is due. Even if you are to die at my hands at a later time, Darkseid rewards competence."

He came… to earth to reward me?

"Mother Box, create a kinetic field of energy around Red and I," Darkseid ordered, and as soon as those words left his mouth, we were covered in a reddish dome of energy, leaving everyone outside, except of course, Darkseid and I. "I've been told you can't speak without the rings. And that you don't do so out of the feeble fear of destroying your surroundings. I don't share your concerns, but for the sake of a conversation. This dome will allow you to speak."

A dome of energy capable of redistributing the power generated by my voice.

He works fast.

He did his homework about my powers.

"Now, let us talk."

Normally that would be a poor choice of words for anyone, but Darkseid, he's one of the few I could probably have a conversation with without hurting him.