During the Regime-and-Insurgency War, Batman decided to get some help from the alternate Justice League from the Prime Universe. However, Superman got notice and the war got even more crazy, reckless and brutal. Even Shazam and The Flash started to see that the Regime were going too far. However, Lex Luthor and Billy Batson were killed when the two of them stood up to Clark Kent in two different places while everyone just watched...
Luckily, the redeemed hero was revived, saw the error of his ways and joined the Insurgency. Along with the Good Superman, the redeemed Flash and the Insurgency, Shazam was able to help take out the Regime. He even surrendered, showing that even though he helped, he still must make up for what he did, even if it means going to prison.
The seventeen Billy Batson was at his cell, rethinking his actions. He was happy that he did the right thing and stopped the regime from destroying the major cities and invading the Prime Universe's home, but he still wasn't proud of his life choices. He may have joined the regime out of pure intentions and didn't kill anyone (hero or villain), but he was still responsible for Superman's rise to power and was part of the regime's crimes.
"I… I should've listened to Harley" He said in a sorrowful tone, "Why didn't I listen to her?"
The former clown princess of crime was the one who told him about Superman's fall into darkness, and yet, he didn't listen to her. Sure, he had no reason to at first, considering that she was the one who helped The Joker destroy Metropolis and kill Superman's wife Lois Lane and the unborn baby indirectly. However, seeing what happened, he was starting to wish he did now. Especially what happened to… Lex Luthor…
"Lex… I-I'm sorry…"
(Flashback)
Insurgent Lex was about to take off Hawkgirl's belt using his suit but he was punched by an oncoming Shazam who saves her just in time. He tries to attack them but Lex shields himself. Lex attacks him back only to be pushed away.
"Since when are you with them?!" Shazam asked in shock.
"Since the day Superman decided to herd us like sheep!" Lex Luthor answered.
"He only wants what's best for us!"
"We aren't his playthings… And he's NO god!"
Confused by Insurgent Lex's betrayal, Regime Shazam didn't give it his all to take him down. Insurgent Lex was curious why he's here. Regime Shazam tells him that back at the Watchtower, after he regains consciousness he manages to find Cyborg and decides to take him out but Regime Flash manages to arrive just in time to stop them while trying to explain the current situation. Cyborg apologizes about the matter since he should have seen this coming from Insurgent Slade and intends to evacuate everyone out of the Watchtower. Flash agrees and decides to call it a temporary truce until everyone is evacuated.
At first Billy was against this since he's a 'duplicate' but Flash reminds him that they're here to save people rather than wasting time in taking down a person plus Regime Cyborg is still unconscious after many attempts in calling him. Reluctantly, Billy was forced to agree with both of them as he decides to check inside the Hall of Justice if everyone comes out safe. Soon, just after evacuating everyone out of the Watchtower with only Flash and Cyborg left, he soon heard a loud crash and finds Lex fighting against Regime Hawkgirl.
After hearing his story, Lex tells him that he's still young and needs to realize that what Superman did was wrong but Billy can't make up his mind as he knows Superman's way is wrong but it is for the good of everyone due to the death of Lois. But Lex argues about this as most people ruled under Superman's rule in fear and Lois would not have agreed with his idea if she's alive. This causes Billy to come to the realization that there are some truth words from him but this leaves him wide open for Lex to knock him out using his stun baton.
"No good comes in hero worship."
After a few minutes, Shazam woke up and saw Lex about to attack Superman with the Kryptonite weapon, 'Oh no!'
"E-T-A twelve seconds. I see him." Lex said, getting ready to shoot the former superhero.
As the countdown starts, Insurgent Lex manages to see him when the countdown reaches five seconds. He was about to shoot but once it reached one second remaining, he was shocked by Regime Shazam's lightning attack, who suddenly awakes faster than he expected. This causes the armor to malfunction, leaving him to be tackled by Regime Superman. News crews were there recording it live with some of the taglines like "SUPERMAN CRUSHES ATTACK ON STRYKER'S ISLAND","INSURGENT FORCES HAVE NEW META-HUMAN ALLIES". Once the smokes gone, Billy checks on them to see the fallen Lex and Superman confronting his 'Betrayal' friend.
"I trusted you… You betrayed me!" Superman replied in disbelief.
"Who… betrayed whom?" Lex Luthor asked while coughing.
Superman then picked him up by the shirt and stared at him in anger, "I gave you peace!"
"Your peace… Your peace… is a joke!" Lex Luthor declares.
This enrages him as he strangles his former best friend to death. As he lets him go once he is dead, he hears many of the civilians' doubts as these were recorded live for killing Insurgent Lex Luthor in the Hall of Justice. This makes Superman hear many distrust voices which ultimately screams in anger and leaves, leaving Regime Shazam in shock for what he just witnessed and the consequences he has done.
(Flashback Ends)
Billy looked down in shame, the memory of him using lightning so that Lex couldn't use the weapon that would incapacitate Superman rushing through him. Billy might not have finished the job, but moments afterward Superman snapped Lex Luthor's neck, furious to find out that whom he thought a friend betrayed him to help Batman.
If I hadn't done anything, he would still be alive.
In all this time, Billy's never killed anyone. He was the only one besides Flash in the Regime that hadn't, but now, Lex Luthor's death weighed on him like a crushing rock, suffocating him with grief and sorrow.
"I deserve this… I deserve to be in prison…"
He thought he could help Superman, keep him from going too far... but he failed to see that the Kryptonian went too far the second he killed the Joker, the second he found out about what happen to Green Arrow (while he was at school), and the second he decided to take over Earth and become its tyrant.
That was when the knock on the cell-door got him out of his thought process.
"Time for your trial, kid" One of the guards told him.
Billy nodded before standing up from his metal bed and walking out of his cell. He then walked next to the guards while looking around. He can see the faces of criminals, prisoners and his former regime comrades. Cyborg, Killer Frost, Bane and Damian gave him an hateful glare while The Flash, Catwoman and Hawkgirl gave him an apologetic look.
He continued to walk through the walls while thinking about his mistakes, remembering what he and The Flash were talking about.
(Flashback)
Inside of the Watchtower, Shazam and Flash were monitoring the Watchtower's screen, busy talking about their doubts about the current situation.
"Do you still think we're doing the right thing?" The Flash asked his partner, Shazam.
"I don't know… If he said it was good enough for the world, it was good enough for me." Shazam admits, answering the speedster's question.
"Yeah… I do feel like we shouldn't be talking about this, though. Lois wasn't the only one in the incident five years ago, everyone was in it, so was Bart Allen and Jesse Quick… Iris and Joe understood that I only joined the Regime to protect them, but Iris broke up with me because of the Regime's workings… So I asked myself, 'What if what happened to Lois happened to Iris?'"
"That's what I'm talking about… It made sense at first… Bad people got what they deserved… But now… We're going too far…"
"He's not gonna kill Batman. He's just bait, to catch the real Batman"
"And then what? Remember what he did to Green Arrow? To the others?"
The Flash couldn't answer him, but Shazam swore he could've seen a twitch on the right side of his lips.
(Flashback Ends)
The Trial
Billy Batson was in hand-cuffs, standing before a tribunal of world leaders and the judge. He stood trial for his crimes as a member of the Regime.
"How does the defiant plead?" The judge asked.
"Guilty, your honor…" Billy said in a sorrowful tone.
"Let him stay in jail forever!" One of the world leaders said in rage, "Or better yet, give him and the rest of them the Death Sentence!"
"Woah, woah, I don't like the Regime, but he's still a kid" One of them reminded the guy.
"He's seventeen now!"
"17 or not, the point is: he's still young and doesn't deserve that."
That was when Batman stepped in. "Everyone, that's enough," He said, calming everyone down, "It's true that he's a member of the regime, but he and The Flash had stopped Superman from destroying the major cities." Billy was quite surprised that Batman stood up for him, but he was very thankful for it.
The judge and the world leaders looked at each other before coming with a decision. Acknowledging this and because he was still young, the world courts ultimately chose to give Billy leniency. He was still sentenced to serve time in prison, but only half a quarter of what all the other captured members of the Regime received.
He was sent right back into his cell, which was right next in between Catwoman's cell and The Flash's cell.
"You okay, kid?" Selina asked out of concern.
"Y-Yeah, I-I'm fine." Billy answered truthfully.
"W-What did they say?" Barry Allen asked.
"Well… Since I'd help ya take down the Regime, as well as me being seventeen years old and the fact that Superman killed a teenager, they decided to give half of a quarter jail sentence here."
"Hhmp, lucky…" Damian grunted.
"Heh, guess being an innocent kid worked out for ya after all" Selina chuckled.
"Really, Selina?" Billy looked at her, annoyed.
"I'm just teasing ya, kid."
"Selina, there's nothing to joke about this," The Flash reminded her, "Killing children is never okay."
"Wow, now you're starting to preach, Barry?" Cyborg asked sarcastically.
"Vitor, even you should know what Clark did to Billy was too far."
Cyborg then looked down in anger and in shame. Of course, he couldn't believe what Superman just did to a teenager… He was there. However, if Billy hadn't mentioned Clark's deceased wife, he wouldn't have decided to kill him.
"Billy should blame himself and Lex Luthor for that… If he hadn't mentioned Lois like that, Clark wouldn't have killed him."
(Flashback)
The Regime members (except for Catwoman, Nightwing, Killer Frost, Bane, The Flash, Shazam and Yellow Lantern) were in the Fortress of Solitude, discussing their next plan of action ever since Lex Luthor's death caused the citizens to hate them.
"The duplicates. They've incited insurrection." Wonder Woman said.
"We must suppress this filth." Sinestro replies with disgust, showing his hatred towards humanity.
"Willfulness leads to anarchy. It cannot be allowed to spread." Black Adam declares.
That was when Superman spoke up, "I made them safe. Shielded them. But are they grateful? Do they appreciate my protection? No. They whine. Argue. Complain! Side with those criminals." He then stands up from his seat, "If they prefer chaos, I'll give it to them."
He continued to talk when The Flash, Shazam and Yellow Lantern arrived.
"Metropolis and Gotham… I'll flatten them! Set an example… Then I'm finding the dimension these duplicates came from. They'll pay for interfering."
"Wait. We're wiping out whole cities? Invading worlds in other dimensions?!" Shazam asked in shock.
"You got a problem, Billy?" Superman asked in anger, hinting that Shazam should be quiet.
"Well… Yeah. It's crazy. It's going too far!"
"This world is incapable of self-rule. We will preserve order." Wonder Woman tried to assure him.
"No… No…" Shazam started walking forward, with The Flash following him only to be stopped by Yellow Lantern, "There have to be limits. Even on us. Especially on us!"
"That's Enough!"
"We can't do this… Have you gone nuts?! Lois would never want-"
This causes the Tyrant of Steel to snap as he grabs him by his throat.
"SHA-" Shazam was about to call out the magic word but Superman froze his mouth so he couldn't say anything.
Superman then uses his heat vision onto his forehead as Shazam was in pain, as everyone can see burn marks behind his hood. Once Shazam draws his last breath, Superman lets him go, dropping his dead body near him, leaving the room in silence as his teammates watch in utter shock.
"Anyone else?" Superman asked, daring anyone else to say anything else to him. Of course, after what happened to Billy Batson, everyone kept their mouth shut.
(Flashback Ends)
Billy looked down in sadness and shame. Of course, he truly didn't mean to mention Lois' name like that, but if she was alive now, even she would disapprove of her husband's actions.
"What did you want me to do? Just let Superman destroy Metropolis and Gotham City? Let him destroy Fawcett City, my own home?!"
Before Billy could argue more with Cyborg, Selina got in the conversation. "Boys, can it. Bruce is coming through."
Everyone kept their mouths shut as they saw The Dark Knight walking through the halls, seeing everyone in their cells. He was walking towards Superman, who is in the cell equipped with special lamps that emit red solar radiation to negate his powers. They then heard them talking about their different points of views about the world being safe. They then couldn't believe that Superman had the nerve to mention Batman's failures of saving Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake and Daiman Wayne. They then saw Batman leaving with Superman calling him out, saying that he's just a man in a suit.
"Damn… That's cold" Cyborg said quietly. Everyone, except for Damian, Killer Frost and Bane, agreed with what Cyborg just said.
And here's the next flashback! Glad y'all are liking this so far! Just a few more flashbacks about Billy Batson being in prison and we'll head to the main course. Now, next time, Billy's family comes to visit him in prison and then after that, the League of Assassins will do the break-out and free Damian Wayne from his prison. Not only that, but I'll be showing a special unknown Regime member that will be helping the League of Assassins do the deed.
Yeah, I'm reading the Injustice 2 Comics online so I can have good understanding on what to do next. Don't worry, I will get to the main game sequel, but I want to at least do a few more flashbacks then we'll get back where we left off from last time.
Anyway, thanks! Review, comment, favorite, follow and God Bless us!