1960: Global Aftermath
1960 AD - Universe M54331Z-B
Rolling up her driveway to the ramp that lead to her front door, Barbara Grayson looked around her neighborhood. It had been five years since she had signed for the Superhero Registration. The government had, in return for her abandoning her cowl that had made her Batgirl, given her and Dick Grayson (the former Nightwing, who had also signed the Registration Act before proposing to Barbara so they could start their new lives together) a large stipend and the ability to relocate to anywhere in the world they wanted to start a fresh, new life.
The place they had decided to stay was Mariner Bay. They had decided to move to that area because of the Donna Winslow. Ever since the Superhero Registration Act occurred and her relationship with Bruce Wayne had dissolved, she had moved back to her hometown to pick up the pieces of her broken life. Although she wanted nothing to do with either Barbara or Dick, they wanted to be close by on the offchance she ever changed her mind. They both had seen Bruce Wayne as a father figure, and after he had married Donna she had grown to become a mother figure for them. They couldn't turn their back on her at the time she likely needed it most.
As Barbara pulled her wheelchair into her home, she noticed the mail on the ground from where the mailman had slipped it through the mail slot. Grabbing the instrument known as a "gopher" she kept by the door, she scooped up the mail and set in on her lap.
"Hey, Honey!" Dick said from the kitchen as he heard he come in.
"Dick! You're home early! Great!" Barbara said excitedly as she wheeled herself to the kitchen.
"Yeah. I got my paperwork done early so the manager let my department go home for the weekend." Dick said as he finished making his peanut butter sandwich.
"Well, he was smart promoting you to supervisor, then." Barbara said as she winked at him. "I remember before you were a super you'd normally need to stay at work longer on Fridays!"
Leaning on the counter and putting a smug look on his face, Dick shrugged. "I guess you're right. I am the best, aren't I?"
Punching him in the hip, she laughed. "You're such a goof."
"Ouch!" Dick said, fake limping away. "Watch it! I have a basketball game tomorrow and I need to be in tip-top shape!"
Reaching out her hand, holding the mail, she handed it to her husband. "Stop being a whine-baby and read the mail, would ya?"
"Fine, fine," He said. "Bills, bills, bills, and... huh? Do you have an 'Uncle Jack'?"
Pursing her lips, she shook her head. "Not that I can recall."
Opening the letter, Dick began to read outloud: "Dear Nightwing and Batgirl..."
"What!?" Barbara said, her head darting up.
Dick furrowed his brow as he continued to read: "'It's me, The Joker! I am currently writing to you from Akham Asylum. Apparently SHIELD had spies in the midst of the League of Assassins. Who knew, huh!? Well, I've been captured and I'm going through rehab here. Unfortunately for me, I have to write letters to those who I have wronged. As you can imagine, I am beginning to have carpal tunnel because of all the letters I have to write. Do not worry... I have no idea where you live. I write the letters and SHIELD and-slash-or the CIA sends them out for me.
"So, first to Nightwing: I am very sorry I hurt you for so many years. You deserved better.
"To Batgirl: My apologies for that incident with'- Hey, Barbara? I think that's enough..." Dick said, stopping.
She shook her head. "No. I want you to continue."
Sighing, Dick nodded. "'-for that incident with the metal rod. I really hope you can forgive me for that.
"Well, I am having a very horrible time here. You have no idea what sorts of tactics they use on us to get us to become better people. Let's just say we are being put to good use here with volunteering to better the community. I have met some nice people here, though. I may even be getting married soon! I'll let you know how that goes, kay?
"Well, I hope things are going well for you. I understand that you guys didn't think of inviting me to your wedding. It makes sense. Ol' Bats would probably be against it, huh? Well, I don't know when the next time I write you will be, but just know that I am always thinking of you two. You both hold a special place in my heart. Very special. On that note, Batgirl? I totally forgive you for literally stabbing me in the back. Promise. No grudges here!
Signed,
The Joker'."
"Well, at least he's locked away..." Barbara said. She looked down and realized she had been clutching her arm rest so tightly her knuckles were white and she had been losing feeling in her fingers.
"He's a sick and demented psychopath. I don't know why they just don't give all those loonies up in Arkham the death penalty," Dick said. "The world would be a better place without them."
"Agreed," Barbara said bitterly. "And I have no idea how they could use those criminals in community service projects. That sounds like a lot of money to rehabilitate the unhelpable."
Dick nodded as he tore up the letter and tossed it into the recycling bin beside him. "So, let's just get that out of our head, huh? How's about pizza tonight?"
Plastering a smile on her face, Barbara nodded. "Sounds great. You pick the place, okay?"
As Dick began to go through his coupon drawer, Barbara eyed the recycling bin. She couldn't help but wonder what Joker was doing right at that precise moment...
. . .
The Joker howled as he flew through the air, having been pushed off the building he had been on by Spider-Man. "I could use some help here!"
"I got ya, Sweetie!" The archer known as Cupid said as she said an arrow at her recently obtained husband. She and Joker had really hit things off and had been married a few days earlier.
Joker felt the arrow zoom by his head and pin his suit jacket to the side of the building he had fallen off. "What a honeymoon, eh, Babe?"
Shooting another arrow at Spider-Man, Cupid laughed. "You can say that again!"
"What a honeymoon, eh, Babe?" Joker repeated as his wife had suggested.
"Shut your mouths, please." Deadshot said over his microphone as he aimed his gun at Spider-Man. "I can't concentrate over you two idiots."
"Amanda! He's picking on me!" Joker complained.
From her base of operations, the CIA agent known as Amanda Waller groaned. "Joker? Shut up before I activate your chip. Got it?"
"Hey! That's not fair!" Joker cried out as he continued to hang off the side of the building. "When I joined the Suicide Squad you said that you'd only blow off my head if I didn't do the mission. Nowhere did my contract say you could do it because of my annoyances!"
Amanda smirked. "I guess I must've forgotten to add that in. It's a byline. Now shut your mouth and grab that vigilante."
The Suicide Squad was a top secret project by the CIA to attempt to put to good use the "talents" of the villains who they had locked up. Offering the villains a chance to continue to use their powers and not spend the rest of their lives locked up, those who accepted were given surgeries to implant a chip into their brain that was linked up to the CIA. If any of the members of Suicide Squad stepped out of line, they would have the chip explode, which in turn would blow off their heads. It was the incentive needed to keep them in line and on task.
Agent Venom was the man leading that particular task force. The Suicide Squad dealt mostly with tracking down vigilantes who continued to work despite the Superhero Registration Act. Shooting his artificial slime webbing, he swung from the building he had been on and landed in front of Spider-Man.
"Peter." Agent Venom said before he turned off his microphone.
"Flash... c'mon, man. You know I'm only trying to help everyone!" Spider-Man protested. "You don't need to do this!"
"I'm already doing more than I'm supposed to by not spilling your identity. I'm giving you the opportunity to still go back to your normal life! MJ loves you, man! Don't throw that away!" Agent Venom said as he kept his gun trained on Spider-Man.
"MJ wouldn't love me if I wasn't the man that I am," Spider-Man retorted. "She loves me because I'm willing to sacrifice myself for everyone else. It's who I am."
"Then join the Avengers, bro," Agent Venom said.
Spider-Man laughed, shaking his head. "That boat's long gone. I've been branded a vigilante. If they allow me into the Avengers, then they risk the other heroes gaining a larger fanbase like we used to have, Flash. People will start hoping us vigilantes will turn over a new leaf. If we're put away, though, it shows the government has no mercy for us and we'll continue to be hated by everyone. I mean just this morning I saved a little old lady from a mugger and she punched me!"
Agent Venom sighed. "I'm sorry, man... But this is my job. I need to bring you in if you won't stop. Now, I'm giving you another chance here. Leave now and promise you won't go back to crime fighting. I'll make it look like you beat me and got away. Just... just don't go back to being Spider-Man."
Spider-Man clenched his fist. "I can't do that!"
"Please don't make me put you down..." Agent Venom said.
"I got a clean shot," Deadshot said over the audio system. "Let me know when I can hit him."
"It's Agent Venom's call," Waller reported. "Whenever he's done chitchatting and turns his mic back on, that is."
"Please, Pete!" Agent Venom demanded. "Do the smart thing!"
Cupid, unbeknownst to them, stood on a different building with her arrow trained on Spider-Man. Going to private mode, she said to Waller: "I'm ready."
Waller nodded as she went to private speak herself. "Fire. I'm tired of these games our agents have trying to help their friends. He's a menace and needs to be an example of."
Joker approached Cupid and laughed. "Ready to take him out, Dear?"
Cupid let go of the arrow. "More than happy."
"Huh?!" Spider-Man said as his Spider Sense (an ability allowing him to sense danger) kicked in. He jumped up as the arrow almost hit him.
"Whoa!" Agent Venom said as Spider-Man jumped. He did not see the arrow, because it sailed past and off the building's roof.
"Fire! He's attacking!" Waller said to everyone. It was going exactly as she planned.
"Firing." Deadshot said as the crackshot began to shoot.
"No! Pete, run!" Agent Venom said.
"This is more exercise than I've gotten in years!" Spider-Man said as bullets and arrows whizzed past him.
"Venom! Fire now!" Waller ordered.
Sighing, Agent Venom did as was asked, trying to only maim Spider-Man. He frowned as he saw an arrow sink deep into Spider-Man's left soleus.
"Ahh!" Spider-Man said as the pain shot through him. He was so focused on his leg he didn't notice the bullet going straight for his chest.
As the bullet hit him midair between buildings, Agent Venom jumped forward and caught him. He swung over to the closest building and set him down.
"Peter!? Peter!?" Agent Venom yelled. He checked for a pulse. Nothing.
"We did it!" Joker declared as he and Cupid made their way to the roof.
"Yeah... you sure did..." Agent Venom said. "Waller!? It wasn't supposed to end like this!"
Waller smirked in her base. "He shouldn't have run, then."
Deadshot then made his way to Agent Venom and patted him on the shoulder. "What did you expect when you teamed up with criminals, kid? Grow up and stop whining. We got work to do."
Clenching his jaw, Agent Venom stared at the lifeless body of Spider-Man, Peter Parker, before him. He felt sick to his soul. As a helicopter landed on the roof to pick up the body, he turned and followed the Suicide Squad back to their own plane to get back to base.
. . .
The former Spider UK, William Braddock, stood next to King T'Challa, the king of the country of Wakanda and former Black Panther. They were on a ship headed toward an island off the coast of Wakanda called Mysterio Island. With them was the former Avenger, Auric.
"Thank you for allowing us use of your boat, William." T'Challa said as they watched the waves crashing.
William smiled at T'Challa and Auric. "Why, of course. Anything for former allies."
Auric sighed heavily. "I really do appreciate it. My dreams have been intensifying. I can't get them to stop... I hope you allowing me to find a place to hibernate for a season will allow me to find a way to get my head on straight..."
T'Challa looked at Auric sadly. "I still don't know why you just don't go to SHIELD to help you, old friend!"
"There's... something else I haven't told you," Auric began as a confession. "I do not like the direction things are going with your Human government. Hunting down former heroes and stopping the progression of other heroes does not sit well with me. I am losing my confidence in this branch of herodom."
William nodded slowly. "Ah... I think I understand, chap. You aren't just going to hibernate for yourself. You're running away so that the government doesn't use you in this business in which you don't agree."
"Correct," Auric said.
Looking out into the distance, Mysterio Island got closer and closer. "Well, then... We will place you here so you can find yourself, old friend."
"And remember," Auric began. "If there ever comes a time when my services are needed, do not hesitate to call upon me!"
Nodding, William turned to face Auric. "Will do. Will do. Now we'll be landing any moment now. I have the perfect cave ready for you, too."
"Thank you both very much. And T'Challa?" Auric said.
"Yes, Auric?"
"I wish you the best of luck with the sickness hitting the animals of your country. Although it is a lingering testament of the League of Assassins, I know that just as they were extinguished someday a talented doctor will find a way to cure the animals. I just know it." Auric said.
T'Challa smiled. "So do I, old friend. Now, let's get going. You have a hibernation to get to."
As Gold Magic surrouned Auric, he waved goodbye to his former allies. "Thank you for everything! And may the Power protect you!"
. . .
ATOM shot a paralyzer blast at the bank robber, causing him to fall instantly to the ground. Satisfied with his work, he turned and began to fly away. As he did, he saw Iron Man floating before him.
"Oh, boy..." ATOM said as he saw his nemesis.
"That's right, Ray. End of the line." Iron Man said as he shot an EMP to deactivate ATOM.
"Ah!" ATOM cried out as he shrunk. Just as he had thought, he grew too small for the EMP to pick him up.
"Seriously, Ray? Come on... I'm just doing my job." Iron Man said as he shot a blast net to try and capture the tiny vigilante.
"So am I!" ATOM cried out, flying to Iron Man and slipping into his armor.
"Please stop this!" Iron Man demanded.
"I'll stop when I'm too old to operate this suit!"
"Don't you think I like what you do!? I'm only doing this because you are going against the government, man. If I hated you, I'd tell the government your secret identity. Come on, Ray... Just stop causing problems. You know how much time you'd save if I didn't have to chase you around!?"
"But you don't." ATOM replied as he found a circuit to deactivate Iron Man's suit, which he did.
As Iron Man crashed to the ground, he groaned. "I guess I'll see you next time..."
"Guess so..." ATOM said as he flew off. He didn't know how long he had until he was caught, but until that day came he wouldn't stop being the hero that he was.
. . .
Deadpool sighed as he walked through the Amazon Rainforest. He looked up at the Time Force Camera floating above him as if he could see it.
"Oh, hi! Nice to have you here!" Deadpool said to the Future: Omega Ranger.
"What!?" Omega demanded. "How is he seeing me yet not changing the Timeline!?"
"Beats me... I mean, this isn't a Timeloop, so if he can see you it technically means we've changed the past... yet we haven't?" Sophie stated, confused.
Deadpool laughed. "No, no... I was actually talking to myself in the year 1960. If anyone were to have been near me right now, they'd think I was crazy talking to myself, just like I actually am. I'm just able to perceive what will happen before it happens. So in reality I'm just talking to you as if you will be here. Get it?"
Future: Omega Ranger frowned. "Actually... no, I don't."
"Good!" Deadpool said as he continued to walk through the foliage. "Now, it's pretty stinky how things have turned out for us heroes, huh?"
"Yes. I really think the government is making a bad decision with that Registration Act," Omega replied.
"Me, too! Wow! We must be twinners or something, huh!?" Deadpool said excitedly. "It's almost as if there's some sort of conspiracy theory, huh? Woops! Spoiler alert!"
"Huh? Seriously!?" Sophie demanded.
Suddenly, Future: Omega Ranger felt someone tap him on the shoulder. Jumping up out of his chair he spun around to see Deadpool standing behind him in the Hall of Legends next to his Chrono Workstation.
"Wha... huh!? How!?" Omega Ranger demanded.
"Whew! I've waited ninety years to be able to finish this conversation!" Deadpool announced. "And this place looks much better than it did in my head. I just love what you've done with the place."
"Oh, it's older me!" The Deadpool on the screen from 1960 said. "Wow! I aged very well!"
"What the heck is going on here!?" Omega Ranger demanded, looking from one Deadpool to the other.
Deadpool 2050 began pointing and laughing at Future: Omega Ranger. "Can you believe this guy!? Haha! What a fuddy dud!"
"I know, huh!?" Deadpool 1960 remarked, doubling over with laughter as he held his stomach. "Oh, look at me! I'm Sam! I'm so confused!"
Future: Omega Ranger furrowed his brow behind his visor. "Well, if you can get in here, you can get me out."
"Nope. You need to stay in here," Deadpool 2050 replied. "Sorry, but ya' gotta finish the Archives. That history is gonna be important where you'll be going."
"Where I'm going!? What does that mean!?" Future: Omega Ranger demanded.
Deadpool 1960 wagged his finger. "Nuh-unh! You're not supposed to find out about that until much later."
"But when you do find out... Hmm... I'm interested to see how you react!" Deadpool 2050 said, putting his hand to his chin in thought. "My precognition can only go so far, you know."
"What the heck are your powers, anyway!?" Omega Ranger asked, flustered.
"Well, I was the son of a general. I went on a mission once with Hugh Jackman and then I was given the powers of many different Mutants. Sadly, my dad sewed my mouth shut. Then I had laser vision! The end!" Deadpool 2050 said, leaning on the Chrono Workstation.
"What!? You're going with the X-Men Origins movie synopsis!? But that movie killed our characterization!" Deadpool 1960 declared.
"Yeah, but Days of Future Past sure did fix it, huh?" Deadpool 2050 replied to his past self on the screen. "I'm stoked to see what Ryan Reynolds will do as us!"
"You and me, too, brutha!" Deadpool 1960 agreed.
Future: Omega Ranger's shoulders slumped down. "Why in the heck are you even here, again?"
"Well, duh!" Deadpool 2050 said. "First, I had to be here to make the dialogue I said ninety years ago make any sense. Otherwise you'd be watching me on the screen say things to you that made no sense! Then the illusion would be ruined!"
"And that's what Jessica Tandy would've done!" Deadpool 1960 replied.
Deadpool 2050 scratched his head. "Huh? I guess I must've skipped a portion of the script... I don't remember how that fit in..."
Deadpool 1960 shrugged. "It's okay. We can't all be perfect."
"My brain hurts..." Sophie replied as she tried to keep track of the discussion.
"Anyway, another reason I'm here is to drop little hints of future storylines to the reader!" Deadpool 2050 said. "And I'm doing it via a comedic narrative pipeline, too!"
"Um... thanks, but... I'd really prefer you skip the foreshadowing and just straight up tell me how to get out of here so I can end the war happening on Earth," Omega said.
"No can do! Like I said, you need to finish the Archives!" Deadpool 1960 said.
"Actually, I said that," Deadpool 2050 replied.
"Semantics..." Deadpool 1960 said, shrugging it off.
"Anyway, please remember stay strong when indexing these files. Anubis Cruger has a very good reason that he sent you here to do this," Deadpool 2050 said. "I wish you luck and also that your legs won't cramp as you sit there, hour after hour."
"May the Power protect you, Sam!" Deadpool 1960 said from the screen. "Oh, and future me?"
"Yes, past me?" Deadpool 2050 answered.
"Have fun fighting alongside Flash, Quicksilver, Impulse, and the Fantastic Four. Tell them all I said 'hi'!" Deadpool 1960 said as he began waving.
"Will do! Now let's go fight C- I mean, that bad guy!" Deadpool 2050 said.
"Ugh! Just tell me already!" Future: Omega Ranger yelled.
"Tsk, tsk... no patience! You'll find out once you start archiving Tainted Birth, okay? That story is super dark, but super fun! Okay, buh-bye!" Deadpool 2050 said as he performed a backflip. As he did, a Time Vortex appeared and he flipped himself into it.
"Good luck, Sam!" Deadpool 1960 said as he leapt into some trees.
"Time Force Cameras!? Lock onto him and follow him!" Future: Omega Ranger demanded.
"Unable to. The person requested has vanished from our radar," The computer replied.
"Well, that was extremely annoying," Sophie replied.
"Yeah... I mean... yeah, that was annoying," Omega agreed. "I guess we just continue archiving..."
. . .
Batman stood on the roof of a building. It was the middle of the night as he stared out, looking for any crimes. He sensed something move behind him, but knowing who it was by the way the air moved he didn't flinch.
"Bruce... I waited for you this morning and you didn't show up." Green Lantern stated as he landed on the roof. "Although you have some natural gifts when it comes to your Power Ring, I still need to teach you some of the advanced stuff."
Batman sighed. "I was busy, Hal."
"That's the third practice in a row that you've been 'busy'," Green Lantern retorted.
"This time of year is always... hard for me..." Batman replied.
Green Lantern felt as if he'd been hit by a bus. He had completely forgotten what month it was. It was the month in which Bruce's parents had been gunned down. It was also the month Batman had originally married Donna Winslow. He had picked that month to be able to have something good offset what had happened to his parents. Unfortunately for him, it hadn't worked out the way he had wanted.
"Bruce... I'm sure Donna would take you back..." Green Lantern said.
Batman scoffed. "And that's what makes this even harder. I made a commitment to defend my city. Although Hawkgirl and Arrow may have made similar commitments and backed out of them because of the Superhero Registration Act, I haven't. I'm not like them. Oliver has Felicity he was able to go back to. He is able to be with her and forget the darkness in him. I can't do that. I can't turn my back on Gotham. Because of that I will always be hunted. I couldn't drag Donna into it. I had to divorce her..."
"No, you didn't. Donna is a big girl. She can choose for herself," Green Lantern answered. "She wanted to, and probably still wants to, stand by your side through thick and thin. I... I don't agree with how you abandoned her."
Batman clenched a fist and turned in anger to stare at Green Lantern. "I did not abandon her. I left her with seventy five percent of my fortune. She will be taken care of!"
"Life is about more than money!" Green Lantern yelled.
"It's not abouty the money! It's about the security!" Batman yelled. "I couldn't have my wife and son wondering everyday whether I'd be caught by the Suicide Squad or not!"
Green Lantern was taken aback. "Your son!?"
Batman sighed. "Donna found out shortly after the Registration Act that she was pregnant. That's when I decided I had to leave. I... I never wanted anyone to know about it. His name is Damian."
"Damian Wayne, eh?"
"No, Winslow. I have a rogue gallery that actually happens to know my secret identity. That was yet another reason I left Donna: she and Damian went back to her maiden name. I had Alfred scrub the database to make it look like she and I were never married," Batman replied.
"She still must be devastated..." Green Lantern stated.
"Yes, but at least they are still alive..." Batman countered.
"Which is not the same I can say for you!" Joker yelled as he jumped on Batman, tackling him.
"No!" Green Lantern yelled, pointing his Power Ring at Joker. Before he could do anything, he was shot in the chest by Deadshot. It bruised his chest, almost penetrating his suit.
"How much did you hear, Joker?" Batman said as he kicked the menace off of him.
"Nothing I didn't already know, Brucey." Joker replied as he jumped onto his feet.
Batman frowned. "How long?"
"I've always known your 'secret identity', Bats!" Joker said, laughing.
"Why did you never attack me personally, then?" Batman said, standing as the wind blew his cape back.
"Because that would've been no fun!" Joker yelled. "You and I are the same person! We both are out of our minds, but we're fighting on opposite sides of the battle. I would want to be taken down on the battlefield, and I know you want the same."
"I should end your life after what you did to Barbara and Tim..." Batman said as he pulled out a batarang.
"But you won't! You know the real reason you never ended me? It's because you know you need me! I'm a proton and you're an electron! We both need to exist to make things exciting!" Joker said, pulling out a pistol.
"Then maybe once you're gone, I can finally be free of this fight..." Batman said. "If Batman exists because of The Joker, I can finally put Batman to rest by putting you to rest!"
Batman threw his batarang at Joker as the prankster shot it out of the air. As he did that, Batman rolled forward and leapt ahead, tackling Joker at the waist. In the process of doing that, though, he felt an arrow sink past his armor and pierce him in the back.
"Agh!" Batman yelled as he let go of Joker, falling to his knees in pain.
"Thanks, Honey!" Joker said as he kicked Batman in the face.
Cupid stood on the building across theirs, smiling. "Not a problem!"
As Joker began to beat on Batman, Green Lantern shot beams of Green Energy at Deadshot. Being the perfect sniper he was, though, Deadshot was unseen by Green Lantern due to the great perch he had picked for himself.
"Come out!" Green Lantern demanded.
"I'm sorry, Green Lantern..." Agent Venom said as he descended onto Green Lantern. At the last moment, a Green Energy forcefield appeared and caused Agent Venom to bounce off and land on a building nearby.
"I'm a hero!" Green Lantern demanded. "Go fight a villain!"
"According to the law, you are a villain," Agent Venom said as two Agents of SHIELD appeared beside him: Hawkeye and Black Widow.
"Stand down now, Green Lantern!" Black Widow declared.
"Give us your Power Ring and cease your illegal activities or suffer the consequences..." Hawkeye said, drawing his bow back, aiming an arrow at Green Lantern.
"Look at you... Siding with villains!" Green Lantern yelled. "Batman, a hero among heroes, is being beaten by The Joker and you're allowing it!"
Before he could say another word, Deadshot took a shot at him. The bullet was made from an experimental tech that was seemingly able to harness Yellow Energy. Unfortunately for Green Lantern, it worked. He was shot through the heart, life ending instantly.
"Come on, Waller!" Agent Venom demanded. "This isn't an assassination mission!"
"It is now," Waller said. "It's been five years. They've had enough warnings. Joker? Finish Batman."
"No!" Agent Venom yelled. As he ran to save Batman, Black Widow jumped in front of him.
"Don't do anything stupid, Thompson," She warned.
"I've watched two good men lose their lives today. The only stupid thing I could do next is let a third man fall as well," Agent Venom declared.
"Sorry, Flash. Orders are orders." Hawkeye said as he shot an arrow at Agent Venom with a sonic device attached to it. SHIELD had discovered the Symbiote species were sensitive to high frequency sound, and in case Agent Venom ever went rogue they outfitted Hawkeye with tech to put him down.
Before the arrow landed on the ground to emit its signal, Vibe appeared and shot a shockwave at it to cause it to explode. He then turned and hit Black Widow to get her away from Agent Venom.
"Huh!?" Hawkeye demanded. "We have another vigilante here! Deadshot! I need you to take fire! Deadshot? Deadshot!?"
Suddenly, another voice entered into Hawkeye's ear. It belonged to Spider-Girl. "Sorry, but he's currently been taken down. He'll have to get back to you later..."
"We've been compromised!" Hawkeye yelled. Before he took another step, Hawkgirl flew in and hit him across the face, knocking him out before he even landed on the ground of the roof.
"Two down!" Hawkgirl said as she rounded back to help Agent Venom and Vibe. Several SHIELD agents were storming in as it happened, ready to fight.
"Good timing to change sides..." Spider-Girl said as she landed next to Agent Venom.
"What are you guys doing here!?" He demanded, especially surprised to see Spider-Girl and Hawkgirl for they were Registered Heroes.
"After we heard what happened to Peter, we started following the Suicide Squad to stop it from happening again," Spider-Girl answered.
"We were too late for Hal, though..." Hawkgirl said sadly as she hit a SHIELD agent.
"Yah!" Black Widow cried out as she dived at Vibe.
"Kaboom!" Vibe said as he emitted a blast from himself at Black Widow. He did just as he had planned: because he telegraphed to her what he was to do by saying it, she readjusted and jumped up to avoid the hit. Because she did, Hawkgirl was able to swoop in and grab her.
"Go to sleep." Hawkgirl said as she whacked Black Widow over the head with her mace mallet.
Meanwhile, Cupid wathced as Joker continued to beat Batman. She found his dominance over Batman to be very attractive.
"Maybe I can exist without you, Bats!" Joker cried out as he kicked Batman in the throat as he lay on the ground on his back.
"Ugh... Just end it then..." Batman managed to cough out as he felt another kick to the ribs.
"Alright! I will!" Joker yelled as he picked Batman up by the throat. He then dragged him over to the edge of the building. "And now, Bruce Wayne, is the end of-"
"Agh!" Batman yelled as he grabbed Joker by the ankle. He watched as Joker tripped and fell off the side of the building.
Dangling off the side of the building as Batman held his ankle, Joker began to laugh. "Ah-hahaha! I done goofed that one, huh!?"
"I hate you..." Batman said.
"End me now, Bats!" Joker ordered.
"No... that won't do any good." Batman said as she slowly began to pull Joker up.
"But it will, Batman! You'd finally have vengeance on your family!" Joker yelled.
"Ghosting you won't mean a thing to them." Batman said as he clenched his jaw in anger.
"That's where your wrong, Batsy! You see... I'm the Red Hood!" Joker yelled out gleefully.
Batman stopped for a moment. Groaning in anger, he continued bringing Joker up. "Lies."
"Not a lie! Before that Pai Zhua Master pushed me into that vat, I was the leader of a crime ring known as the Red Hood! It was Ra's al Ghul's way to slowly have us infiltrate America!" Joker yelled. "We targeted the Wayne family because they were the richest family in America. You know how Ra's loves destroying the status quo! Imagine how much things would've changed had I been able to mow you all down!"
"Shut up!" Batman roared as he pulled Joker onto the roof. "Even if what you say is true, I won'tthrow you off this roof. I won't let you turn me into you! You're right... we're both broken, but... The only thing separating me from you is that I have morals. I won't sink to your level."
Pushing off Joker, Batman pulled himself up to his feet. Leaving the Clown Prince laying on the roof behind him, Batman began to limp away. As he did, Joker jumped up and pulled out a modded gun. It had enough kick to pierce Batman's armor.
"Say goodnight, Brucey! This is the same gun I used to end your parents! I'm now gonna finish what I started! Say hello to your parents for me!" Joker yelled.
Injured, Batman knew he wouldn't be able to move out of the way in time. He slowly turned and stared straight into Joker's eyes, ready for the end of his life.
"Joker!" A voice was heard from across at another building.
Both Batman and Joker turned to see a figure standing in the shadows. "You have failed this city!"
Several arrows flew through the air, sinking into Joker's chest. Blood spurted out of Joker's mouth as he began to laugh.
"Wow... I did not see that coming..." Joker said as he fell backward off the building.
"No!" Batman yelled. He reached forward for Joker, but it was too late. He was gone.
Using a zipline to cross over, the person who shot him made his way to Batman. It was Green Arrow.
"Oliver... What are you doing here?" Batman asked.
"Making sure we don't lose anymore heroes," Arrow answered simply.
"SHIELD is monitoring this area. You're a registered hero, Oliver. Knowing you were here, breaking your agreement... the government will end everything about Oliver Queen," Batman said.
"I know. We know." Arrow said, pointing to another building as Hawkgirl, Agent Venom, and Spider-Girl fought off SHIELD agents. "But we couldn't sit by knowing that the Suicide Squad was going to start ghosting what true heroes remained. Bruce... they got Green Lantern and Spider-Man. I think Ray Palmer is next."
Batman sighed. "This is bad news indeed. I have to get you guys to safety."
"Bruce... you're burned, too. Joker was saying your name during the whole fight. The government knows you are Bruce Wayne," Green Arrow revealed to Batman.
He sighed. "At least Donna and Damian are safe... Okay. We have to go incognito. Meet me at the old Hall of Justice. We'll go from there."
Green Arrow nodded. "I'll tell the others. Are you sure you're okay?"
Sighing, Batman said, "They're just injuries. They'll heal. Good luck, Oliver... and thank you."
"No, thank you for staying true to what I should had five years ago," Green Arrow said. "I just hope it's not too late to fix all this."
"Me, too, Oliver." Batman said as he shot a grappling hook. Using it as a zipline, he moved to a different building, disappearing in the shadows.
Meanwhile, on the roof of another building below, Cupid was leaning over Joker. "No! No!"
"Suh... Sorry for the... bad honeymoon..." Joker said, coughing blood.
"I'll get 'em, Honey! I swear!" Cupid yelled.
"No... no, you can't..." Joker said, pointing to Cupid's stomach. "You gotta... take care of the bun in the oven..."
"What!?" Cupid gasped. "I'm... huh?"
Joker nodded. "It's an old League of Assassins thing... I can feel it."
"But we've been married only a week!" Cupid protested.
Joker shrugged. "What's done is done, Sweetie... Please, raise my kid up... to... get revenge!"
Cupid nodded slowly. "I will, my love."
Feeling his body start to seize, he looked up at his crying wife. "Why... why... why so... serious!?"
And with that, Joker was gone.
. . .
Zordon of Eltar looked at Alpha 5 from his tube. "Any update from the Magic Realm, Alpha?"
Alpha 5 shook his head. "No, Zordon. They said they are still blocked from being able to cross over from the Magic Realm in large numbers to Earth. The force field blocking the Magic Realm put in place by SHIELD is very strong. We still have no idea where they got such technology!"
Saba sighed. "Zordon... is this the doing of the United Alliance?"
Zordon nodded, looking to Alpha 5 but replying to Saba. "It seems as if the United Alliance of Evil has infiltrated Earth's government. I believe they are trying to erase the group of heroes established here on Earth while also blocking the heroes from the Magic Realm. Since Dark Specter's plan to attack Earth failed five years ago, I believe he is setting things up now for another attack. He needs to ensure Earth's current champions are out of the way, though. He fears me and knows if I have any of my chess pieces still in play that I will be able to defeat him. We must not get complacent, Alpha. We need to stay diligent in ensuring we keep ourselves as strong as possible to stop Dark Specter."
"And what about Nick Fury? Can't you get him to stop hunting the heroes?" Alpha 5 asked.
"No. He is bound by the law of the United States, unfortunately," Zordon replied. "He is doing more than he should already by keeping the identities of the non-registered heroes secret. We have to do things on our own for now. So, Alpha? Have you found any place you can start breaking at the force field blocking the Magic Realm?"
"Yes. There seems to be a weak spot in a forest outside of a small town named Briarwood. I will start chipping away at the force field there," Alpha 5 reported.
"Perfect," Zordon said. "Also, I fear we may need to finish our Power Ranger project. With the Dino Power Coins."
"But we were unable to get the Power Morphers online!" Alpha 5 objected. "Without a power regulator a Human would eventually get destroyed from all the Morphing Energy!"
"Yes, but I actually do have a design that will work now," Zordon said. Focusing, he caused a hologram to appear on the Viewing Globe. It was from his memory: it was the morpher on Burai-A's belt. Zordon had noticed it when he had fought alongside Burai-A when he had morphed into the Ultra Green Ranger. He had noticed the Power Coin in it matched the designs of the Power Coin Burai-B had once used and figured the buckler housing it must have been a Power Morpher.
"This is excellent, Zordon!" Alpha 5 exclaimed. "Where did you find it!?"
"It's a gift from another Timeline," Zordon said. "Now let us get to work on it. I have a feeling that sooner rather than later we will be needing this team of Power Rangers to defend the Earth from a great threat. To meet this threat, we will need a team with a power and a force we've never seen before. A mighty morphing team the likes of which Dark Specter will not be able to defeat!"
. . .
Lieutenant General McKnight walked into the office of General of the Army Rex. GA Rex smiled behind his desk as he watched McKnight enter.
"Please... have a seat." GA Rex said, motioning to the seat before him.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, sir." LG McKnight offered, taking a seat.
"Good." Rex said as he adjusted some items on his desk. "Now, do you know why I called you in?"
"No, sir," McKnight answered.
"Well, earlier today we were able to end the lives of two vigilantes: Spider-Man and Green Lantern. Outside of being unable to secure the Power Ring off the fallen Green Lantern, the Suicide Squad seemed to trigger some... unhappy consequences due to their actions. Several people who had once been Registered Heroes broke their treaty and attacked tonight, saving the life of Batman, attacking Hawkeye, Black Widow, Deadshot, and Cupid, and ending Joker's life. They were also able to convert Agent Venom to their cause," Rex revealed.
McKnight let out a heavy sigh. "That is quite the blow, General Rex."
"Yes, it is," Rex answered. "Thunderbolt Ross and Amanda Waller were over the project. They... no longer are. They've been... reassigned in a way. I need someone better working directly under me. How does a promotion as a four star general sound to you, McKnight?"
Sitting up straighter than he had been before, he nodded. "Yes... Yes, sir. It sounds like something I am ready for."
"Good." Rex said, smiling as he looked over the papers on his desk. "I have many plans which I will need you to supervise. Some of them will only be in effect decades from now. But if you're in this for the long haul, I believe together we could create a new world order, free of the chaos of our current status quo."
McKnight nodded, a solemn look on his face. "I am the man for the job. I guarantee it."
"Good. Now head over to Waller's old base and rearrange the Suicide Squad. You know what? Just end the program. I won't be needing it. We'll just use SHIELD to hunt down the vigilantes," Rex said.
"Should I... terminate the Suicide Squad?" McKnight asked.
Rex chuckled as he shook his head. "My, my... you are the perfect candidate for this job. No, no, that won't be necessary. Just have them shipped back to Arkham. Just get your ducks in a row first, organize SHIELD, and get to work tracking down the vigilantes. Do that until you hear further word from me."
"Sir, yes, sir." McKnight said as he stood up and left the room.
As he did, Rex looked down at his desk. The file on top of his papers read: "Classified - Alphabet Soup". Smiling, he took the folder off the table and went to his safe. Inputting the code into it, he slipped the folder inside and closed it. Returning to his desk, he closed his eyes and just kept smiling, knowing everything was falling into place exactly as he had planned.