Artemis and Kevin snuck through the compound quietly. Their eyes and ears alert for anything that could prove a danger to them. As the two turned a corner, they noticed a small troop of guards outside a door.

Artemis narrowed her eyes and slowly drew back her bow, ready to unleash an arrow. Kevin reaching into his small belt and grabbed a small U shaped boomerang. The two nodded at each other and dived out from their cover, alerting the guards to their presence and taking a few of them down at the same time.

Within the cell they stood guard at, Dick smirked as he heard the gunshots and slowly stood up. Wally watched as he cracked his fingers and then placed a hand upon the cell door.

"Aren't you injured?" Wally asked.

Dick chuckled. "There was a reason I wanted to take the pain." He said as he closed his eyes. "Ares, God of War, give me strength." He whispered and with a mighty push, he had shoved the door of it's hinges and onto the ground, catching the guards off guard.

Artemis and Kevin widen their eyes as the door was blown of the hinges and Dick stepped out.

"You're being manipulated." He said.

The guards blinked and aimed their weapons at him. Dick sighed. "Jackson James is not what he says he is. He wishes to start a third world war. And if you can draw anything from this, it's because he is one of the six children of Ares." He said.

The guards Readied themselves to fire before the compound shook and a dark laugh echoed through the halls. "What was that man?" One of the guards asked.

Dick smirked. "Manipulation unleashing his power upon those who came to find what was causing the sudden hostility." He answered. "So I'm going to give you a choice. Join us and fight to preserve your people, or continue to fight for my cousin and ignite the third world war." He finished.

The guards glanced at each other before lowering their weapons. "We fight alongside you." Their captain said.

Dick nodded. "Then go and round up your fellow men, inform them that you've all been manipulated."


Manipulation hovered in the air, his red eyes sweeping the area. He had long caused his sword hands to vanish. He glanced down at the defeated forms of the heroes who had dared to attack him. "Such foolish nature to even consider fighting me. A Martian, a half Kryptonian, a half Atlantean, a Green Lantern and a mere boy. Do you heroes have anyone worthy of fighting?" He asked.

"Perhaps they do cousin." Dick said as he stepped forward. His eyes locked upon Manipulation.

"Cousin. Is it time for me to teach you a lesson?" Manipulation asked.

Dick smirked. "The other way around cousin." He replied.

Dick put one foot in front of the other. He bent down slowly and lowed his hands to touch the ground, he glanced up at Manipulation and with a mighty battle cry, he leapt into the air fast, his eyes narrowed upon his target. With speed and strength, he punched Manipulation square in the chest, sending him flying into a nearby building.

Dick landed upon the ground once more and glanced up to see Manipulation fly forward. His eyes narrowed. "You will pay for that cousin." He yelled, and with speed, he fired several blasts of fire his hands.

Dick raised his bracelets and blocked them with ease. He could feel the heat radiating of them, but he payed no mind to it. He then quickly tapped into the speed his boots granted him and raced fast, his movement appeared as a blur of dark red and dark blues with white thrown in the mix, like a speedster.

Wally watched with amazement as Dick ran up the side of a wall and then leapt of it, kicking Manipulation into the ground.

Manipulation groaned in pain before he stood up, only to be greeted by Dick's fist in his face. He barely had time to register the attack before he was greeted with an onslaught of punches.

Artemis watched as Dick punched Manipulation hard, sending him flying into a wall. She heard the yell of rage as Manipulation flew into the air and then raced back down with speed.

Dick felt something burning inside him, a flame, like hellish fire. He felt the power rush down his right arm, an orange glow emitted from his right hand as it lit up with fire. He widen his eyes before narrowing them quickly. With a smirk, he stood ready and faced Manipulation, watching as his cousin flew straight towards him.

Superboy slowly opened his eyes and leaned up, he widen them when he saw Dick standing ready to punch Manipulation, his right hand alight with fire. But it didn't harm him. He glanced to either side of himself and saw that his fellow teammates were also shocked at this development. He watched as Dick punched Manipulation hard, causing Manipulation to scream in pain and fall to the ground.

Dick glanced down at Manipulation who rested upon his hands and knees. "It's over cousin. You lost. There will be no world war." He said.

Manipulation laughed and then lifted his head to face Dick, his body slowly fading into the air. "This was only the beginning of the end. There will be a war. Two sides, the old and new. Fighting for control over the cosmos. And only one side will survive the slaughter." He said, vanishing into the air. Leaving The Team concerned at the recent development.