Manhunter's stomp

Lady Shiva was battered and ****. Cassandra Cain was down. Duke Thomas was choked.

"Transmissions beyond Gotham are completely jammed." The Manhunter's voice echoed dauntingly. There was a reason he was the man–the final boss. He oozed killing intent and authority. It dripped from every ounce of his machine-coated body. "No Justice League, no Wonder Woman, and no Superman."

Angel Breaker cackled. "Good, good. Then all we need is plan B to succeed and we shall summon the Chosen One–as my Angel Breaker foretold."

Was this it? Was it up to Aaron to save the fucking world? All while wearing sweatpants, a Daily Planet shirt, and an anti-metahuman gun that probably wouldn't affect his enemies?

His miracle of a hiding spot was great but not a safe haven. Angel Breaker and the Manhunter were waiting, the lead woman facing ahead and scanning the surroundings. Aaron had discreetly switched to crouching behind the back of the desk, away from them. He couldn't risk them seeing a single hair of his.

"So…you refuse to give up?"

"Yes."

Aaron froze. That was Cassandra's voice. He contemplated peeking at the battle, risking his hiding spot, and he eventually did. There she was, the five-foot-five woman trembling as she raised her fists. Back facing him, her hood and mask destroyed, he couldn't see her determination but he could feel it in the air. The attack that had rendered Duke Thomas **** didn't keep her down. Aaron was torn by joy and terror.

The Manhunter was strong. Too strong. The longer he fought, the more of his armour's capabilities he showed and the more unbeatable he seemed.

"Unparalleled magic and unparalleled technology," Angel Breaker said, cackling. "We are the best of two worlds while you…you are a mere human with a decent right hook."

"I don't care."

Cassandra ran at them.

The first slash of magical energy was side-stepped by the skin of her teeth. Aaron nearly presumed she had been consumed by terrible red power. She hadn't. She duelled Angel Breaker in close quarters with her bare hands. Her hands slapped and blocked her sword, and a hiss came from the melted flesh.

Cassandra must have lost her mind, Aaron thought. Touching that blade spelled ****, yet she continued to do it anyway. Angel Breaker was well-trained and although was slower than Cassandra she could still read her movements.

Cassandra weaved left. A fist thrusted itself in the taller woman's side. Her body contorted. An opportunity. A side-kick, a jab, a rear hook, a knee to the stomach–

Hisssssssss!

Orphan's armour burned. She pushed, she pushed, she pushed–

"You little piece of…!" Angel Breaker yelled and her blade cut a slice of hair as the ninja ducked and sweeped her legs. She broke her fall by stabbing her blade into the ground and surprised Cassandra with an axe kick. It missed. Cassandra revolved behind her and delivered three pressure point attacks.

Angel Breaker's expression twisted in agony and she fell forward on one knee, weak and panting. Cassandra stood behind her and without hesitating aimed an air-bending foot at the woman's temple–

"Gah!"

Cassandra Cain was winning, but the Manhunter wouldn't allow that. A searing pain came from her back, a blast of a repulsor beam, and Cassandra dropped to her knees.

The Manhunter approached her, his glowing gauntlet pointed at the back of her neck. "Most impressive, Orphan. No, perhaps I should call you Batgirl. To deconstruct Angel Breaker's movements, to eliminate the difference in raw power, you are truly a woman of immense ability."

"Ngh…" Cassandra growled but was unable to act. She bit her teeth tightly as if demanding herself to move, three lines of blood seeping from the corner of her lips, yet nothing came of it. She bled for nothing but pain and her inevitable demise.

"I…I just wish to help people," the Manhunter said sadly. "I genuinely wish it hadn't come to this, Batgirl. I had a family once. I knew how it feels to love them and to care for them. To want them to live. To fight for them with your life. This mission of ours, the calling of the Chosen One…it will fix it all. Hope WILL return."

Hope.

Hope…

"Ha…"

Aaron saw hope but not in the way Manhunter suggested. Through his spine, he experienced a chill so deep that it brought a smile to Aaron's grimace.

'Finally! Where the fuck have you been?' Aaron nearly laughed. Almost his entire neck stuck out as he watched.

In the shadows, behind the red menace, was the greatest power in Gotham City.