Chapter 25

The first step to freedom

Having a secret meeting at midnight was not an uncommon affair for Lionel Luthor, but the place was not of his liking. He considered himself a reasonable man, but there was something about the reunion, that made him feel anxious. Maybe it was because of the discussion he had with Lex that morning; it was one of the worst conversations they ever had. The boy simply refused to do what was required of him, he needed to get married soon, after all, he had turned eighteen and was not a kid anymore. Lex did not want to marry any of the prospects he had for him, and Lionel had lost his patience. The things he said were harsh and painful, and he saw the hurt in Lex's eyes, but he had to make him understand that in order to rule, he was going to make sacrifices.

When Lionel arrived at the meeting, he knew something was wrong, but it was too late, and while he laid in a pool of his own blood, his last thought went to his son.

Lex

When Lex was accused of murder, there was no trial. He was toss into one of the most obscure dungeons of his own castle and left there to rotten. Confused and outraged, he tried to exercise his authority as heir of the throne, but he was ignored. His days passed in a completely darkness, with only water and a few pieces of hard bread to eat, he lost track of time. He tried to extract some information from his guards, but it proved to be useless, since they were all mute. He passed his days planning how to escape, but the starvation and weakness had taken its toll on him. Then, one day, he heard a noise outside his cell. A man was contemplating him, with fascination as if he were some kind of freak, and even in the dark, he knew that the man was smiling.

"How the mighty have fallen! And to think that not so long ago you were considered the brightest mind of our era, but in reality you are nothing more than a pampered boy. Do not worry though; soon your problems are going to be over. Tomorrow, you will be hang in the plaza," said the man from the shadows.

In that moment, something inside Lex snapped, the desperation and sadness he used to feel all those past days gone, and there was only left a fierce drive to live. The next day, he killed his first man during his escape and to his own astonishment; he felt not a single ounce of remorse. Once outside the dungeons, he managed to get inside the secret hideout passages inside the castle. He was glad for his father's paranoia that allowed him to have a hideaway full with food and supplies and from there; he witnesses the turmoil of the invasion and the carnage that followed.

He witnessed too the arrival of Clark, and watched his transformation into a ruthless soldier, just like his father wanted him to be, and that perturbed him, because something that he had always secretly admired from Clark was his kindness, which was totally gone now.

It was also from his hideout that he observed the confrontation between Diana and Clark. Now with the princess of Themyscira in front of him, he knew he had to play well his cards, if he succeeded, he would gain a powerful ally, if not, he would gain an enemy, so he attempted one thing he usually never try: ask for help.

"I need your help."

"Why?"

"From what I saw there, you are very powerful, and that is very useful for me. The rest is a long story, and I promise I would tell you all about it, but right now, we have Parademons all around us, we need to move."

"Where?"

"There is a place nearby where we can be safe and plan our next move."

"Our next move? What makes you think I would help you? I'm on a mission."

"To stop Darkseid," hurried to reply Lex.

"How do you know that?"

"Everybody wants the same thing," interject almost brusquely Lex, "Trust me, is not as easy as it seems. Now follow me...of course, if you please my lady," he concluded, back-pedalling from his rude manners for a moment.

Diana lowered her sword and followed him through a series of halls. They kept walking until Lex stopped in front of a door, and then when he opened it. Diana found herself inside a large chamber; perfectly lighted and well furnished with a hefty handsome table, tall and elegant chairs and large tapestries, if she did not know better, she could think for a moment, they were inside a castle.

Lex went for a bottle of wine that was in the middle of the table and opened it, pouring some into a cup, he offered it to her, but as she refused, he drank it himself. For her part, Diana was still fidgety, and decided that she had enough of mysteries.

"I would like to hear that story, you thought it was too long to be told before."

Lex, smiled smoothly at her, and took a slow sip of wine. "In that case it will be better if you sit down, my lady."

Diana sat and looked at him expectantly.

Lex stroll down to the chair opposite her and took another sip of his wine, observing her intently directly into the eyes.

"I guess is just fitting that I should tell you a little bit about myself. My father was the lord of Metropolis, as his only son, I was his only heir too. Ours was a relatively small realm, but in the past years through his alliances and vision, my father managed to turn Metropolis, from a small city to a large and prosperous kingdom. He was a very intelligent man in matter of politics, however, he was also very proud and that often took the best of him. The morning of his passing, we had a bitter fight, and when he appeared dead the following day, I was accuse of his murder and imprisoned. When the invasion started, helped by the initial confusion, I managed to escape and I have been hiding ever since."

"So is that what you want, vengeance, recover your kingdom?"

"I only want what it is rightfully mine. And as for revenge, the fact that my father's killer is on the loose, unchallenged, certainly disturbs me, but what enraged me the most, is that the usurpers are ruling my kingdom, besides, a little retribution will satisfied me."

"What I do not understand, is how did your own court find you guilty?"

"I was never popular among them. I have a… rather difficult personality, never was much of a people person or had many friends. Look... I am well aware that I often come across as a smug jerk, and they saw an opportunity to get ride of me, since to them I am a threat to their status quo. Besides, my father and I had a complicated relationship, but still… I loved him," concluded Lex, surprised by his own wiliness to reveal so much of himself to a stranger, he looked down at the cup on his hand, and attributed his sudden blunt confession to the effects of the wine, and not to the presence of Diana.

"Why did you help me? How do I enter in all this squeme?"

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I saw you fight against Clark, he is strong and I have yet to see somebody who defeats him, but you can go head to head with him. That is remarkable. I can use some help with that."

"So is Kal your enemy?"

"No. Kal or Clark, as I know him, used to be my friend, but he has changed, I suspect he is been brainwashed, and now transform into a weapon. The ones who are ruling my kingdom are in alliance with Darkseid, so in order to regain my realm, I need to defeat them, but Clark is the main obstacle, because he is acting as Darkseid's personal bodyguard and a defender of the usurpers. I'm afraid the Clark I used to know, does not longer exist."

"I refuse to believe that, I sensed good in him."

"Maybe, but I'm not willing to bet on that."

"But you are willing to bet on me… Why?"

"I know that your land is also on perish, you will need to defeat Darkseid to regain it. We share the same goal, which is what makes a good alliance. So are you with me?"

"What is your plan?"

Lex smiled at Diana, his eyes glitter in the light of the candle.

"I thought you never ask."

Bruce arrived in the late night at Gotham, feeling remorse and angry, but determinate to recovered his kingdom. He hid Bybloo inside one of the caves outside the woods of Gotham, and carefully he tried to reach his palace, but what he found leave him feeling terrified and furious. He saw large battalion of Parademons just in the outskirts of the city. He hid in the dark and managed to get into his secret passage, and was going inside the walls of the palace, only to discovered them devastated, full of debris and rats, and was about to entered the sewers of the castle when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Master Bruce."

"Alfred, I'm so glad to see you!"

"Not as much as I do, I thought you were dead."

"I get that a lot. Now what are those Parademos doing here? They don't look like attacking, more like this is their headquarters."

"Indeed, Cai is an ally of the invaders, he rules now almost all the continent, as a sort of deputy head of state. He is using all those who opposed him as slaves, forcing them to built strange structures, while Parademons watched them night and day. People are running from these lands, and there is a lot of chaos. He dissolved the court, and invest himself as the only ruler."

"Where is Lucios?"

"He sent him to prison, and since then I have been hidden here, and helped the resistance whenever I can."

"I will end this, I will search for Cai and make him pay for all his crimes!"

"Sir, if I may, we need to cut the main source of Cai's power: his allies, they are the ones protecting him, if we do that, defeat him will be easier."

"Alfred, the more time we wait the more time he is going to make people suffer."

"Sir, if you attack him now, when he is at the high at his powers, your odds to succeed are slim, and if you were to fail, Gotham will lose the only opportunity to have a fair king, whereas if you destroy his allies, he will be weak, and you could easily take Gotham back.", replied Alfred, looking at Bruce in the dark waiting for his response, but seeing that Bruce remained unmoved, he dare to voice something he did not want to express before, "I know you want your revenge, and now it seems that is within your reach. With your skills, it would be possible for you to enter the castle and went unnoticed, you could try to slit Cai's throat in his sleep, but then, you would become a murder, and I will not allow the son of Thomas and Martha Wayne to turn into an assassin."

Bruce remained silent, even in the dark and after so many years, Alfred could ready him as an open book.

"Why?"

"You are better than that."

""Really? Because right now I feel like every ounce in my body, wants nothing more than to destroy him, to inflict in him so much pain, as he inflicted in me. I am aware he was not the one who personally killed my parents, but I know that only him would benefit from their dead. So tell me Alfred, you feared your next king will tainted himself with blood?"

"No master Bruce, I believe often monarchs have to make difficult decisions, and I'm sure you will make those decisions when the time comes. However, while revenge and killing now seems appealing, later it will consume you, because eye for an eye is not justice, is pure blood thirst, and in the end, the damage is already done, nothing you do would bring your parents back. But what you can do instead, is to honour their memoir, and become the best you can be, and protect Gotham."

Bruce did not say a word, he was holding the hill of his sword so tight that his knuckles were white, but then he relaxed.

"I will."

"Good. Now, you cannot do this by yourself, you will need help."

"I do not want anybody to risk their live."

"Darkseid is not alone, and destroying him will require more than brute force."

"I know, and I will make a plan accordantly."

"I believe you can leverage from other people efforts, in the end you all share the same goals."

"You already have somebody in mind, don't you old man?"

"Indeed, there is an organized resistance group now: the green lanterns."

Bruce knew Alfred was more than a simple maestre, there was something intangible about him, that convey respect and fear at the same time. Therefore, he was not surprised to know that Alfred was well acquainted with the leader of the resistance, what really surprised him, was seeing the familiar face of John Stewart. Bruce wanted to go and greet John, but John didn't recognize him, because of the mask, and put a dagger in his neck so fast, Bruce had a hard time blocking him and tossed him in the ground, something John did not expected, and he was about to attack him again, when Alfred intervened.

"John stop, he is with me!"

"Alfred!, " said relieved John, and then turned to Bruce, "who is this freak?"

"He is Batman," said a voice in the dark, which Bruce recognized as Kilowog, "I thought you were a myth."

"He is not, and he will join us," replied Alfred defiant.

"Good, the more the merrier, " replied Kilowog, taking John aside.

"Any news on Darkseid?," asked Alfred.

"He comes and goes as he pleases. He often has been seen at Themyscira, where Ares is having a siege again the island. I must said, that god of war, as he calls himself, is obsessed over the Amazons. Which is somewhat good for us, as he is been there busy."

"And Darkseid?, " asked again Alfred.

"Our informer said he is been seen at Metropolis the most, we must go there if we want to stop him. My plan is simple: From what we gather, they are waiting for the arrival of some machines. My sources told me that they are building a large apparatus that will allow Darkseid to transport as many battalions and war machines as he want. We need to stop him before it happens, and destroy that apparatus before is too late."

"We should do this at night, and we should use some distractions. How many people are in your group?," asked Bruce.

"Enough," replied John defiant.

"Not enough to face a large battalion of Parademons. I have seen them first hand, those beasts can be deadly in hand in hand combat."

"Don't worry poozer. The green lanterns are deadly too, besides we are not alone in this, we have allies too," answered Kilowog, looking at Bruce with curiosity, "Now, if you excuse us, we have to start a rather arduous trip to Metropolis, unless of course, that you want to join us," concluded Kilowog, as a sort of invitation.

Bruce did not answer, but he started to walk away from Gotham.

Metropolis

Bruce, and the green lanterns had decided to make a surprise attack at the Metropolis castle. John and Kilowog were confident that their diversion, will provide enough noise to make the parademons out so they could break in and destroy the device that allow Darkseid to be in the earth. They were also confident because, his mysterious ally had found a weapon, he claimed, was so powerful that will stop Darkseid's personal bodyguard, a soldier with a black and red amour, so powerful many feared his mere presence. Bruce was sceptical about it, and made his own preparations, but he agreed to meet them, after their incursion, in the woods outside the castle. Kilowog along with the rest of the green lanterns, entered the castle and subtracted the device, while John and Bruce will remain hidden, providing a diversion to cover their escape, and they all will met in a nearby hill in the woods.

"What was that?," asked Darkseid annoyed by the loud rattle and subsequent tremor that almost made him lost his balance, inside the Metropolis palace.

"My lord, the rebels are attacking the eastern tower" replied Steppenwolf, "If I may, maybe is better for you to return to Apokolips."

"I'm not afraid of these humans, they will feel the wrath of Darkseid."

"My lord maybe Steppenwolf is right," interjected Desaad, who until then, has been hidden in the shadows, "We have reports that Orion is been seen at Apokolips. It seems that High Father is taking advantage of your constant presence on earth, and is getting ready to attack Apokolips."

"What?! Why I have not been informed of this?"

"My Lord, you seem quite focus on conquering the earth I did not thought…" replied Dessad, only to be slapped by Darkseid.

"Idiot!... Steppenwolf, use more Parademos, and send Kal after those rebels."

"But my lord, he is unstable… often has headaches and sometimes he seems lost," answered Steppenwolf.

"Then let him have another session with Granny goodness' machine."

"My lord, the machine is only useful until a certain point, if we push it, he will lost his mind," replied Desaad.

"And?"

"He may become something not worthy anymore," concluded Desaad

"Nevertheless, I want him to handle this, as a prove of his loyalty to me, but I will take your advice Desaad, we will get back to Apokolips. Steppenwolf, call Kal."

Kal arrived, fully dressed in his black and red amour, with his helmet on his right hand, he kneeled at the presence of Darkseid.

"Father."

"Kal, I need you to end this rebellion once and for all. Teach these mortals, what it means to mess with a god."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to show them all your power. I want this rebellion to end at my return, is that clear?"

"I will be done as you order father."

"And Kal… if you see a woman in a golden armour, have no mercy on her."

"Diana?"

"I see… you know her... Good. It would be easier to take her down."

"But…"

"I do not want excuses. Go and make me proud."

"Yes…father," replied Kal, and leave in a hurry, putting his helmet on.

When Kal faced her again, he was convoluted, a part of him felt a lot of sympathy for her, although he knew he was supposed to hate her. Therefore, when he saw her in the heat of the battle, he went after her, and took her down, but at the same time, he held back. However, she looked determined to kept moving forward and taking down with her as much Parademons as she could. He tried to stop her again; but he did not count on her to come after him, at high speed, hitting him so hard he was in serious pain. Kal had enough, so he punched her as tough as he could, but he did not consider the hit would send her clashing into a near hill, beating her neck against one particular sharp rock. He watched from the distance how she felt down like a feather; at first, he was satisfied with his victory, but immediately, the feeling subsided for an increase worry and anxiety about her wellbeing.

Kal flew to her side and what he saw shock him, she looked so pale and lifeless. He feared the worst, and waves of guilt, desperation and sorrow hit him equally hard, for a moment, he could not breathe and took off his helmet. He wanted to help her, so he kneeled beside her and was about to pick her up when he felt a cold and sharp blade on his throat. He looked up and saw man wearing a strange mask that covered most of his face, he looked so familiar, but his eyes were beaming with such a fury he had never seen before.

Bruce was engrossed in covering the green lanterns escape, when he saw her, flying around, and his heart started to beat faster. He saw her like a shooting star in the sky, with the moonlight reflected in her golden armour, and he could not help but to smile. But his smile faded when he saw a shadow that hit Diana so hard he send her flying against the nearby hill, and his heart froze as he saw her falling down like a lifeless dove.

He ran as fast as he could to the place where she felt, and when he reached it, he saw the man in the black and red armour now without a helmet, and he immediately recognized him as Clark. His fury increased a tenfold, and swiftly, he pick up Diana's sword that was lying on the floor, and in put the blade on Clark's neck, who was already kneeled next to Diana.

Clark kept with his eyes fixed in Diana's body, he did not move, and for some excruciating moment neither did Bruce. He glanced at Diana brushed and pale body, and as the rage and sorrow consumed him, pushed the blade just enough to make Clark bled a drop. Bruce knew Clark was fast, and that maybe even before he could raise the sword to make the final stoke, the Kryptonian would kill him, but he didn't care, the world had gone mute for him, and as he was about to slide Clark's throat, when a faint sound broke into his silent environment, as if a bubble just busted.

"Bruce, don't." He heard her voice, looked from Clark's neck to Diana, and watched her eyes open and looking at him, and he tossed the sword away, and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Clark was relieved too to see her alive and he was about pick her up her, but Bruce watched how he was about to touch her and went ballistic, his mind was racing and he remembered the dust he collected from the labyrinth and poured some on his gauntlet and immediate crossed Clark so hard that he passed out. Bruce's own knuckles got hurt in the action, even despite the gauntlet he was wearing. He immediately went next to Diana and picked her up, holding her close in his arms, and then she fainted.

"Batman, what are you doing?!" said John getting close to him, "We are supposed to…," but then he went speechless, when he saw the limp body of Clark lying on the ground.

"Pick him up," Bruce ordered signalling to Clark and then addressed John again with urgency, "This ally of yours, you mentioned he has a safe hideout nearby, where is it?"

"Follow me!," said a voice in the dark, and from the woods, emerged Lex, wearing his purple and green armour, that made him looked quite menacing, watching John having problems to carry Clark, he help him, and them motion Bruce to follow him, not without carefully picking up Diana's sword too.

Diana

She woke up with slowly, still dizzy from the pain, the battle with Kal had left her with a series of broken bones and burns, that even with her healing power it was going to take her a couple of days to fully recover. She saw the fuzzy image of a dark tall shadow next to her. As she focus more, she distinguished the broad figure of Bruce Wayne in the mask of the bat, looking down at her, his piercing blue eyes following her with an intense gaze. As soon as he saw her awake, he turned around walking away from her bed.

"Are you still mad at me?" Diana asked with concern.

Bruce stopped the minute he heard her voice, and shook his head, "You nearly die, and the first thing you ask is if I still mad at you?" His shoulders started to shake, and a laugh that resemble more like a bitter sound came from his mouth, "Does it matter?"

"It matters to me," she replied heartfelt.

How could have be mad at her? The minute he saw her, all the anger he could ever felt, disappeared. Moreover, if he was going to be honest, he was never mad at her, just sad and angry because she was not with him, it was selfish and childish, he knew it, but he could not help it.

"Don't worry about it," he replied trying to exit the room, when he heard her voice again.

"You don't want to face me, then I guess you are still mad with me."

He turned around, and just by looking at her blue eyes, he felt again as if a thin threat was pulling him to her.

"You were seriously hurt. You need to get some rest to get well," he replied with more earnest that he intended.

"I'm fine," she said trying to sit on the bed, but she found Bruce firm hand on her shoulder, making her stop.

"You are not invincible, princess," He said using her royal title, more as an endearment than a pronoun. The inflection did not escape to Diana, and felling encouraged by his attitude, she softly held his hand, and ventured to smile at him.

"Bruce?"

"Yes?"

"I wanted to get back to you, but I was not allow. I'm sorry about not being with you when you needed me the most… would you ever forgive me?".

"There is nothing to forgive. I should be the one who ask for your forgiveness… all those things I said before, I …" he did not finish the idea. Her fingers were on his lips, and her touch made his mind melt, he could not think anymore, he just wanted to freeze time and concentrate on the sensation of her skin on him.

"I want you to know, that I did not forget. You were always on my mind."

He shut his eyes close, as if he could treasure this little moment, he held her fingers that were still over his mouth, and gently and softly, put her hand down on her side, and followed her gaze that was directed at him, her ocean blue eyes never leaving his.

"You need to rest."

"I do not need that much rest, I heal fast."

"I know, but the wounds you sustained are serious, and a couple of hours of rest, can make the difference."

" I do not get to win this argument, am I?"

"No."

"Ok, just a couple of hours."

"I will wake you up," He said and tucked her in, but then she looked at him with anxiety.

"Bruce, what happen to Kal, is he okay? "

A pang of pain and jealousy sting Bruce's heart, but he tried to disregarded it.

"Do not worry about Clark."

"Where is he?"

"He is fine."

"Please do not hurt him, he was not himself, there is still good in him."

"He sure made an effort to concealed it. He nearly kills you."

"But he did not and he could. Please Bruce, help him… to get back to us the way we used to know him."

"Is he so important to you?"

Diana was puzzle by the question, and by the way Bruce poised it, even in his deadpan voice, she perceived a pain she did not quite understand.

"Of course. He is my friend."

"I see… Do not worry, he will be fine," he said and was about to leave when she held his hand.

"Would you please stay with me? Just for a moment."

" I will stay with you until you fell asleep."

"Thank you," she said, with a bright smile, and silently she drifted into sleep.

Bruce kept watching at her, and remained there, eben when she let go his hand. He observed her, memorizing each one of the lines of her face, not daring to touch her, when he felt a presence near him, and immediately went for his batarang and tossed it at his back.

"Whoah!, careful there, you could kill me."

"I was not aiming at your head, but at that bug in the wall. What do you want Luthor?"

"I came to see how is she."

"Why do you care?"

"Because, she is my ally, and the best chance we have to defeat Darkseid."

"No."

"No?" replied Lex surprised, "Obviously, you have not seen her fight! She is our best warrior, the only one I know who can defeat Clark and ..." but Lex did not manage to finished his sentence or put any resistance, because Bruce dragged him out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"What the hell?! Have you forgot whose place this is? In case you don't know, this place is mine and..."

"I don't care. She nearly died in there. I will not allow you to use her as a some kind of weapon, in your personal war."

"Allow?! Who do you think you are? Diana can make her own choices, in fact, she already did, and I doubt she will agree with you when she wakes up," replied Lex trying to get back to Diana's room.

"Leave her alone," said Bruce blocking Lex.

They were just inches apart from each other, and although the light of the torches were dim, it was bright enough for Lex to have a good look at the stranger in front of him. He took a few steps back, and then smiled amused.

"Oh, I see… You want to fuc…" Lex did not finish the sentence; a mean upper cut crossed his face, and knocked him down, leaving him in the floor with a bleeding lip and a sore jaw. He wiped the blood with his finger, and sat in the floor, analyzing the dark knight. He observed him carefully, and then a memory hit him and he started to laugh.

"What?"

"I have just remember … You always had an obsession with the girls name Diana… or is it just her? … Bruce."

Bruce did not say a word, just turned around and entered Diana's chamber again, closing the door behind him.

E/N: Love to read your comments and feedback on the chapter.