A/N: We're about halfway through what I would say is Act 2. This is becoming a damn sight longer than I originally expected! Enjoy!
Space Sector 2814. The Moon.
You are strong, Guy Gardner. Your rage is powerful.
Atrocitus' voice rang through Guy's head. He sat, cross-legged, floating above the moon's surface. The dark side of the moon was one of the only places the Watchtower had trouble monitoring.
Let the rage engulf you. You work with those who seek peace. Peace is your enemy! Guy's eyes started to glow red.
Strike at the heart of your enemy and light the fires of war! Guy smiled. It was time.
Bruce Wayne's Office. Wayne Enterprises. Gotham.
"That's fine," Bruce said, "But I want it done by Monday."
"Agreed" Waller said, "I've also started making the arrangements necessary for Jason Todd's release. I think he could be of use to us, under your guidance, of course." Bruce looked quietly surprised. It was very rare that Waller did anything considered to be human, even rarer for it to be an act of generosity.
"Does Jason know about this?"
"He's aware he's being released. That's all for now."
"Thank you, Amanda. I…" Bruce's cell phone started to beep. He looked at the screen and saw a red bat flashing on the screen. "Sorry, I need to take this." He walked over to his desk. Alfred's voice came through the earpiece Bruce was secretly wearing.
"Sir, as you can see, we've got a priority Beta breach in the Cave."
"Can you see what it is?" Bruce replied. Waller looked surprised.
"Can I what?" She said.
"I'm not talking to you" Bruce tapped his ear.
"It's still in the outer caverns, sir, but the security systems are reporting that it's moving towards the centre" Alfred said. "Rather erratically I must say."
"Alfred fire up the Alpha defences" Bruce said.
"Right away, sir. I'm reading that the sensors in sector 4 are down."
"Get out of there, Alfred. Now!"
"Sector 5 now. 3. 6. 2." Bruce ran to the telecom on the wall by the door. He set the frequency to 'JL'.
"This is Batman to all points. Anyone who can hear this get to the Batcave. NOW!" Bruce ran over to the other side of the room, frantically darting around the coffee table and nearly shoving over Waller.
"What is going on, Bruce?" She said.
"My family is under attack." Bruce pulled two books off of the shelf and placed his hand on the scanner. A trap door appeared under the coffee table. Waller had to take a step backwards to avoid falling through it.
As he made his way through the passage that took him straight to the cave, the built in mechanisms started to affix the batsuit armour around his body.
The compartment finally stopped and the ejector seat threw him forwards. Steadying himself against the Batmobile, he turned towards the Bat-computer. All he could see was carnage. Red energy was passing around everywhere.
Bruce ran towards the action, shooting a grapnel hook up into the rafters and pulled himself up. He released the grapnel at the top and opened up his cape to glide down. Suddenly a piece of debris took him out in mid-air. As he landed, he felt something cushion his fall. He groaned as he sat up and looked at what he had landed on. He jumped back, instantly forgetting everything else around him and he stared at Alfred's body, laying on the floor, bloodied and broken. As he sat there, everything about Alfred raced through his mind. This man had raised him, built him back up after his parents were murdered, and now he was gone. A soft laughing came from behind him. Bruce turned to see Guy Gardner, but this was not Guy Gardner as he knew him. Guy's eyes had turned completely red, he was twitching and red acid-like liquid was slowly spilling out of his mouth.
"Let's go, Bruce" Guy held his arms wide invitingly. Bruce pressed buttons on both his gauntlets and they electrified. He stood up and pounded his fists together, sending sparks flying. Guy laughed and surrounded his fists with red rage energy. He swung a punch at Bruce who parried and sent a countering jab back. Bruce kept his distance, pacing around Gardner who was becoming increasingly feral. Guy lunged forward, with Bruce side-stepping him and kicking him in the gut.
"Do you have any idea what you've done to me?" Bruce said, calmly. "Any idea what you've taken from me?" Guy's eyes started glowing brighter. "You're letting that ring fog your brain because you're not normally dumb enough to take me on."
"This war was getting boring. I'm setting it on FIRE!" The red acid coming from Guy's mouth sprayed as he spoke. Bruce grit his teeth.
"Fine. Let's do it your way." He lunged at Guy, who swung a left-right combo. Both were dodged by Bruce, who utilised an elbow block and body jab. Bruce was desperately resisting the urge to use more force. Everything he was taught, everything he believed told him that holding back would be the right thing to do, but the man who taught him a sizeable part of that was killed by them man he was fighting. A man who, although he never knew him closely, was considered a teammate.
Guy's punches became more ferocious. Unlike Bruce, who was keeping his distance and only landing hits as a deterrent, Guy was putting weight behind his attacks and aiming for Bruce's critical areas.
"You're holding back, Bruce" Guy laughed, "Let loose! I want you to really feel it. Feel your anger. Embrace it." Bruce dodged a left jab but missed the following right cross. Fuelled by the rage energy emitting from his ring, the force of the blow shattered the right side of Bruce's mask. Guy sarcastically winced as Bruce stumbled back. "Didn't mean to break your toy, Bruce." Bruce sighed.
"It's not the toys you have to beat." He pressed a button on the back of his head. Mechanisms in his head whirred but didn't move. "Ever since I took this mask off to the world I thought it would all be a little easier to understand." He pressed a button on his cowl. Once again his cowl's opening mechanism fizzed but didn't move. Guy tilted his head like a confused dog. "But what you criminals never seem to understand is that…" Bruce raised his hand, gripped the underside of the bent armour and tore the mask off completely. "Sure I've got my gear, my suits. Even Alfred. But even if you take that all away…" He took off his gauntlets and unhooked his cape. "You know damn well you don't come anywhere close to beating me."
"Prove it, big guy!" Guy laughed, although a small tremor in his voice made Guy seem less confident that he wanted to.
Bruce walked towards Guy. He threw a left hook and as it landed, spun around and elbowed Guy in the temple. Dazed and angry, guy shook it off and spat at him. Shielding his face from the acid, he turned away and kicked guy in the stomach, buckling him onto one knee. Winded, he threw a wild punch that Bruce caught. He reached back, balling his fist, but as he did, a crash came from behind him as Green Lantern, Nightwing and Cyborg came in through the debris around the cave entrance.
"Oh Christ" Nightwing said, running over to Alfred's body. Green Lantern walked over to Bruce and smirked at Guy.
"Glad to see you're back on this planet, Guy." Bruce scowled at him. Green Lantern sensed that he was being a bit indelicate.
"You're going to need a Blue Lantern, Hal" Bruce said. Guy instantly tensed up, gripping Bruce's fist, still clasped around Guy's other hand. "What are you without your toys, Guy? Still just a criminal."
"I'll take it from here, Bruce. Don't worry" Hal said. He encased Guy in chains from his ring and flew him back out the cave mouth.
"You need any help, Bruce?" Cyborg said.
"No, you can go now" Bruce replied. "Dick, you can stay." As Cyborg followed Green Lantern out of the cave, Bruce sat down. He exhaled loudly, completely emptying his lungs. Calm fell over the two of them. Nightwing came and sat down next to Bruce.
"First Tim, now Alfred" Nightwing said, "I don't think I can handle much more."
"You won't have to" Bruce replied, "I'm ending this. Now."