Author's Note:

Well, here we are, the first Author's Note I've had to do. This chapter introduces a couple of new characters to the story. First, everyone's favorite DC politician Oliver Queen makes an appearance as the Green Arrow. Then, near the end, an original character of someone else's (I know what you all are thinking: OH MY GOD OH MY GOD what's up with that?) called Alysyn McArthur (although the last name doesn't appear here). Alysyn is an original character of Jenni Lynn's (that's the username – go read her stories, they're quite good), and as such, is NOT mine. However, we'll see why I chose to use this character instead of one of my own shortly.

This chapter also expands the character of the Emperor a little bit more, including revealing his first name. It also involves more than a little bloodshed, so please, bear with me (I did change this to an 'M' rating, so, if you don't like it, sucks to be you).

But, with all that said, please, enjoy the new chapter, and know that I have more coming soon.

The night was dark and the streets of Star City were empty in the earliest hours of the morning. Ever since San Francisco had been destroyed several weeks earlier, people had been leaving the city, going somewhere else, somewhere they hoped would be safer. Mayor Oliver Queen had almost begged his citizens to stay in his city, promising that he could keep them safe, but not even his attempts could keep people in their homes. Whole apartment building were empty. Schools were half-full. Oliver knew how Hal must have felt when Coast City was deserted. It... weighed on his mind. He was used to protecting millions of people, both as mayor and as the Green Arrow, and seeing the people he had sworn to save have to flee in droves... he wanted this Emperor character dead.

He jumped between two buildings, out on patrol again. He wondered why he even bothered anymore. It wasn't like the old days when things had a chance of working out. Everything had changed. He remembered old times, when he felt like he and the other capes had a chance of actually making a difference. He didn't feel that way anymore.

Must've been habit. Ollie had always liked routines, even though he tried like hell not to get caught up in them.

He perched on a ledge and looked down into an alleyway. Nothing. It was turning out to be just another quiet night in his... Wait a minute. Something's moving down there. He pulled his bow off his back and nocked an arrow, taking a second to quickly aim and released the string. The arrow struck the ground next to where he had seen the moving shape and ignited, sending red light spreading through the alley like a flare. It illuminated a dumpster, a couple of trash cans, a bum sleeping near the middle, and a tall man standing next to the bum. Ollie fired another arrow quickly and swung down on it, landing right next to the man.

"Hey, buddy," he said, looking at him. "What're you doing messing with the bum?" The man said nothing, but turned around slowly toward the Arrow. His hair was rough and short, his nose long and gently pointed. He had a strong face and was unshaven. The Arrow recognized that face from the files that Batman had shown him.

It was him. He was in his city. And Oliver had his chance.

He dropped his bow and shot his right fist out at the Emperor's face, hitting him hard and staggering him back. His left lashed out into the other man's stomach and his right connected with his face again, this time smashing against his nose with a sickening crunch. Ollie smiled when it happened – he had broken the son of a bitch's nose, but his good spirits to be fighting the very man he had wished to be able to faded quickly when he realized that the Emperor was smiling, too. The terrorist reached up and adjusted his nose until it was back in what he guessed was the right spot. Then he spoke.

"Oliver Queen," he said, some kind of Central European accent playing on the edge of his voice. "I had been hoping to see you, though I do wish you hadn't tried something as foolish as breaking my nose." He walked toward the costumed hero, who had readied himself for another round. Oliver threw another right, but the Emperor was ready this time and quickly stepped out of the way. Too quickly. Oliver was thrown off balance, and the Emperor's own fist lashed out and struck the Arrow's ribs. The hero was thrown against the wall of one of the buildings. He groaned and stood again, touching his side, feeling out the damage. Apparently, with that one punch, he had broken three ribs and managed to slam him into a wall three feet away with enough force to knock the wind out of him and cause dots to float in front of his eyes.

Oliver knew that he was very possibly in trouble.

"I hope, Mr. Queen, that we can stop this now." The Emperor walked closed to Oliver. "As I'm sure you have now realized, I am much stronger and much better at het vechten than you are." He turned around and began to walk away. Oliver stood up and grabbed his bow again, and nocked another arrow. He drew the string and aimed at the mans back, and fired. The arrow struck him in the shoulder, and the Emperor stopped walking. He reached behind him and pulled the arrow out, then spun and threw it at the hero. It struck him in the arm, but before he could recover, the Emperor had crossed the several feet between them and had slammed his foot into the Arrow's knee. He sank to the ground, crying out in pain as the Emperor slammed his fists into his face.

Oliver's blood flew around the alleyway as the onslaught continued. No... he thought. Can't... let 'im... need to.. call...

But it didn't matter. The Emperor gave a final cry and smashed his fist down, through Oliver Queen's face, and into the concrete of the ground, leaving a small crater. He pulled his fist out, covered with blood and brain. He breathed heavily. "Shouldn't have shot me in the back," he muttered to himself as he shook his hand to try to get some of the Green Arrow's innards off of him. He heard footsteps and turned to face the new person.

"Is something wrong, Goddard?" a feminine voice asked. The Emperor sighed.

"No, Alysyn, everything is fine. Just... found something interesting. Come. Jervis is waiting for us." He wrapped his coat around him and shoved his hands in his pocket. Alyce ran a hand through dark, reddish-brown hair and sighed.

"I know that something is going on, but I won't ask about it unless you want to tell me." The Emperor crossed the few steps between them quickly, getting close to her but not close enough that she could consider it a threat.

"Alyce, if something happens you that you need to know, I'll tell you." He started walking down the street. "Until then, let my guilt be my own. Haast omhoog, Hatter is probably growing impatient."