Toying With The Warriors, Message To The Reach.

Ethan stood in his workshop, a sleek room filled with the hum of advanced machinery and the faint glow of holographic screens. On the center table lay Jaime Reyes' scarab armor, its intricate alien design radiating a faint blue hue. Jaime stood beside Ethan, shifting nervously as he watched the tech genius work with unparalleled focus.

"Are you sure about this?" Jaime asked, his voice filled with both hope and uncertainty. "I mean, the scarab isn't exactly... cooperative sometimes."

Ethan smirked, not looking up from the delicate task at hand. "Trust me, Jaime. I've studied the scarab's neural network thoroughly. This cloaking device will shield it from The Reach's manipulations. Once installed, they won't be able to override or track it anymore."

Helios, Ethan's AI companion, chimed in from a nearby console. "Integration of the cloaking device is proceeding at an optimal rate. Success likelihood: 98.3%."

Jaime raised an eyebrow. "What about the other 1.7%?"

Ethan glanced at him with a reassuring grin. "That's the fun part of science, isn't it? Now hold still and let me finish."

Ethan carefully held a small, hexagonal device between his fingers. The cloaking unit was a marvel of engineering, combining elements of Aether Industries' cutting-edge quantum encryption and the reverse-engineered alien tech he had salvaged from previous encounters. It was no larger than a coin but capable of masking the scarab's energy signature and severing any external commands from The Reach.

"Okay, Khaji Da," Ethan said, addressing the scarab directly. "Time to cooperate. This isn't just about Jaime—it's about protecting you too."

The scarab's faint hum grew louder, its artificial voice resonating through Jaime's armor. "Acknowledged. Defensive protocol will allow integration."

Jaime blinked in surprise. "Wait, you're listening now? That's new."

Ethan chuckled. "It knows when it's in good hands."

With surgical precision, Ethan placed the cloaking device into a recessed compartment near the base of the scarab. The alien armor shifted subtly, its metallic components adjusting to accept the new addition. Ethan's fingers moved deftly as he linked the cloaking unit to the scarab's neural network.

"Helios, begin the synchronization process," Ethan instructed.

"Synchronization initiated," Helios replied. On the nearby screen, a series of cascading data streams showed the progress.

As the process continued, the scarab's glow intensified briefly before stabilizing. Jaime felt a slight vibration through the armor as the device integrated fully.

"That's it," Ethan said, stepping back and wiping his hands on a cloth. "It's installed and operational. Your scarab is now cloaked from The Reach's network. They won't be able to override it or detect you anymore."

Jaime flexed his fingers, feeling a subtle shift in the armor's responsiveness. "It feels... lighter. Like a weight's been lifted."

"That's the cloaking device severing the Reach's influence," Ethan explained. "Now, you can fight them without worrying about being shut down mid-battle."

Jaime looked at Ethan, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thanks, man. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Ethan smiled, his expression serious yet confident. "Just focus on the fight, Jaime. The Reach won't know what hit them."

As Jaime suited up, Ethan turned to Helios. "Prepare for the next phase. The Reach thinks they can toy with Earth. We're about to prove them wrong."

________________________________________

The breach opened in the middle of a

smoke-filled street. Jaime and Ethan stepped out into chaos—a town engulfed in flames, its streets littered with wrecked vehicles and crumbling buildings. Civilians screamed and scrambled for safety as the scarab invaders unleashed destruction with cold precision. The national guard, though valiant, was being obliterated, their bullets ricocheting off the scarab warriors' advanced armor.

Ethan surveyed the carnage, his face calm yet unreadable. His attention was momentarily caught by a battered toy store nearby. Walking over, he kicked aside rubble and retrieved a clown mask, half-charred but intact. He turned to Jaime, placing it over his face.

"What's with the mask?" Jaime asked, already suited up in his Blue Beetle armor.

Ethan's voice came out distorted, slightly mocking. "A little flair. Besides, they won't know who's sending them back in pieces." He tilted his head toward the battlefield. "You save the people. I'll handle the toys."

Jaime hesitated. "Ethan, are you seriously going into this without a suit?"

Ethan chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "I don't need it anymore. Go, Jaime. Do your job."

As Jaime flew off to evacuate civilians, Ethan stepped into the heart of the battle, his footsteps eerily calm amidst the chaos. The ten scarab warriors turned to face him, their glowing blue eyes locking onto the man who dared to approach.

"Another insignificant earthling?" one of the scarabs hissed, its voice dripping with disdain.

Ethan tilted his head, cracking his neck. "Insignificant? Oh, I'm flattered. You must think highly of yourselves."

The scarabs didn't waste time with banter. One of them raised its arm, a plasma cannon forming from its armor. The energy blast roared toward Ethan, but he didn't even move. The beam struck him squarely in the chest, engulfing him in a fiery explosion.

When the smoke cleared, Ethan stood unscathed, casually brushing ash off his jeans. "That's it? Come on. Impress me."

The scarabs hesitated, their tactical systems analyzing the anomaly before them. Then, as one, they attacked. Energy beams, kinetic projectiles, and razor-sharp plasma blades converged on Ethan in a synchronized assault.

Ethan remained rooted, allowing the onslaught to rain down on him. Beams scorched the ground around him, blades struck his skin with metallic screeches, but nothing penetrated. He barely felt a thing.

"My turn."

With inhuman speed, Ethan surged forward, his hand shooting out to grab the nearest scarab by the throat. He slammed it into the ground with enough force to shatter the asphalt, the shockwave throwing debris into the air. Before the scarab could react, Ethan raised a fist and drove it into its chest, caving in the armor. Sparks and liquid energy spilled out as the warrior convulsed, then went still.

The remaining nine scarabs hesitated, momentarily stunned by the sheer power of the man before them.

"Don't stop now," Ethan taunted, his voice carrying through the battlefield. "I was just starting to enjoy myself."

Two scarabs charged him from opposite sides, plasma blades extended. Ethan sidestepped the first, catching its arm mid-swing. With a twist, he ripped the limb clean off, then used it to deflect the second scarab's blade. Spinning on his heel, he hurled the severed arm like a javelin, impaling the second scarab through its chest.

The others regrouped, attempting a coordinated attack. Four of them formed a firing line, unleashing concentrated energy blasts while the remaining three flanked Ethan with melee weapons.

Ethan leaped into the air, avoiding the energy barrage, and came down hard on one of the melee scarabs. His foot crushed its head like a tin can. As another lunged at him, Ethan caught its blade mid-swing, snapping it in half before driving the jagged end into the scarab's torso.

The scarabs with ranged weapons recalibrated, switching to guided projectiles. Miniature rockets screamed toward Ethan, trailing blue light.

He smirked beneath the clown mask. "Cute."

With a wave of his hand, a burst of silvery energy emanated from him, detonating the rockets mid-air. The scarabs recoiled, but Ethan didn't give them a chance to regroup. He dashed forward, a blur of motion, and grabbed two of them by their heads. Slamming them together with a sickening crunch, he tossed the mangled remains aside like garbage.

Only one scarab remained. It stumbled back, its confidence shattered. Ethan stalked toward it, his steps deliberate.

"Tell your masters," he began, his voice cold and measured, "Earth isn't as vulnerable as they think. And if they want it…" He leaned in close, his masked face inches from the scarab's glowing eyes. "They'll have to deal with me."

The scarab hesitated, then activated its teleportation device. In a flash of blue light, it vanished, leaving Ethan standing amidst the wreckage."

Jaime returned moments later, carrying a group of civilians to safety. His armor was scorched, his breathing heavy. "I got as many as I could," he said, landing beside Ethan.

Ethan removed the clown mask, tossing it aside. "Good work, Jaime. Let's get the rest out of here."

As they surveyed the ruined town, Ethan's gaze hardened. The Reach had made a statement, but so had he. If they wanted a war, they'd get one—and Earth wouldn't go down without a fight.

As Ethan and Jaime stood amidst the ruins of the town, Jaime's scarab began to hum faintly, signaling incoming communication. Ethan's advanced earpiece buzzed at the same time. Recognizing the encrypted signal, Ethan tapped his ear.

"Ethan," Batman's gruff voice came through, his tone sharp, "What's going on in Texas? My satellites picked up massive energy readings, and the destruction is significant. Reports are coming in about alien invaders."

Ethan glanced at the wreckage around him, then at Jaime, who was helping a group of frightened civilians to safety. He replied calmly, "Relax, Bruce. The situation is under control."

Batman's voice sharpened. "Under control? My scans detected multiple hostile units armed with advanced technology. Civilians are in danger. What's the status?"

Ethan smirked faintly. "Status? Nine down, one sent back with a warning. The town's safe now. I told you—I've got this."

There was a brief silence on the other end, then Batman's voice returned, laced with suspicion. "Nine down? You mean you handled this alone?"

Ethan shrugged, though Batman couldn't see it. "I had help from Jaime here, but yes, mostly alone. I'll drop by the Batcave later if you want a debrief, but trust me—it's handled."

"Handled doesn't mean over," Batman replied. "The Reach is a significant threat, and they don't give up easily. If they sent scarabs here, they're testing Earth's defenses. I'll coordinate with the League to monitor further activity."

Ethan's tone turned serious. "You do that. But tell the League to stay out of Texas for now. The Reach came for me, so I'll make sure they think twice before coming back. This is personal."

Batman paused, his voice softening slightly. "Don't underestimate them, Ethan. They're not a threat to take lightly."

Ethan's lips curled into a grin. "Oh, I'm counting on them to underestimate me. I'll see you at the Batcave."

He ended the call, exhaling deeply. Jaime approached, his expression a mix of awe and concern.

"Was that Batman?" Jaime asked, still catching his breath.

"Yeah," Ethan replied, his voice nonchalant. "He wanted to know what's going on. Told him it's sorted."

Jaime tilted his head. "Sorted? Dude, you just wiped out a squad of alien scarab warriors like it was a warm-up. Are you sure this is really over?"

Ethan turned, his eyes glinting with determination. "It's not over yet. But it will be. Let's get out of here."

He tapped his earpiece, signaling Helios to prepare a transport. The two heroes departed.