"I knew it wouldn't take you long to find me, Princess."
The demigoddess was greeted with a smirk from Renegade who motioned for her to come closer to him on the roof.
"You don't want to show up in Geneva only after the terrorist attack has been foiled, do you? Everyone would wonder why the heroes didn't intervene sooner and that's something we can't afford."
He had a valid point and she didn't hesitate to levitate towards him until her feet touched the roof of the building, stopping just under a meter away in front of him. Her eyes moved to the sniper rifle case on the ground next to him and although she had known this before when she flew out of the UN facility, this was still the final proof. "It was you."
"Bingo." Renegade sent her finger guns with a growing smirk and began to explain to her questioning gaze. "You know, I have many informants all over the world who have a duty to keep me informed of every single detail of what goes on in the criminal world. As you may have already understood, it was a terrorist attack against not the UN but against Diana Prince, the best diplomatic ambassador of the USA and in general of the whole world."
Diana doubted she would ever get used to the compliments that Renegade kept giving her so casually, as if they were so obvious that they weren't even worth pointing out just how obvious and certain they actually were. She felt her heart start to beat slightly faster and motioned for him to continue, hoping he hadn't noticed the slight blush that appeared on her cheeks.
If the assassin noticed, he gave no sign of having done so. "So you can well understand that I would never let those bastards even dare to think about hurting you, Princess."
Wonder Woman couldn't help but give him a small smile, genuinely touched by his intense protectiveness towards her even though it wasn't necessary. "You know you didn't have to do that, right? I would have had no problem shooting them down."
"I know but this would have raised a lot of questions and in the end everyone would have understood that you are Wonder Woman and you would have lost your civilian identity that you have built with so much effort and commitment for years. You have a full right to your privacy and civil identity and I would never have been able to forgive myself if I hadn't helped you maintain it."
The Amazon gave him a bright smile. "If it hadn't been for you I would have lost my civil identity and, even if I could have adapted to that situation anyway, I would have had many problems and I would also have lost my privacy which is so dear to me. So I thank you from the bottom of my heart, young warrior."
Dick lowered his head slightly enough to prevent the woman he was deeply in love with from seeing his entire face turn a deep shade of red. "Well, you're welcome, Princess. It also wasn't something that noteworthy."
Diana bit her tongue hard to hold back the strong urge to reveal to him how he was so cute when he was embarrassed and shy. She cleared her throat, quickly discarding that thought. "Don't belittle yourself, Renegade. First, you had no duty or reason to do so other than out of your own kindness, thoughtfulness and goodness of heart and for that I appreciate it infinitely."
The mercenary shifted a little uncomfortably from all the compliments he had received and Diana mentally giggled.
Now you feel exactly what I feel when you do the same to me.
"Second of all, it's not exactly the easiest thing in the world to kill 5 terrorists in as many seconds from like 300 meters away
"367 meters, to be precise."
The demigoddess raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I didn't know you were also an expert sniper, although I probably should have guessed."
"There's a reason why the title of best sniper in the world is currently shared by me and Deadshot." he revealed, further increasing her surprise and wonder. "After all, we are both capable of exceeding 4000 meters of distance with the sniper rifle and of hitting the target perfectly with impeccable aim, far superior to the current recognized world record."
Wonder Woman stared at him with open wonder and amazement dancing in her blue eyes. "It's an amazing and incredible skill to say the least, Renegade." she praised him with genuine admiration for him.
Just when I thought he couldn't amaze me this much anymore… I should have known better by now.
The assassin sent her a beaming smile that made her knees feel a little jelly. "Thank you, Princess."
Wonder Woman couldn't help but automatically smile back. "You're welcome." the terrorist attack against her crossed her mind along with a few questions in particular. "Do you happen to know who is responsible for this attack? Is this a mafia, a terrorist cell or something?"
The acrobat's smile was replaced by a slight grimace and he nodded. "It was the ISIS."
The super-heroine opened her eyes wide in shock, not expecting that response. "ISIS? And why did they target me to kill?"
"You know they hate the United States to death, so what better attack would it have been than to kill their and the entire world's best diplomatic ambassador and what better time would it have been than within a few days of you avoiding a hypothetical Third World War?"
Diana pursed her lips and nodded, unable to counter his valid points. "How did five terrorists get past the entire UN security?"
"This time they clearly preferred stealth to a mass attack. Apparently they had already killed the security members many hours earlier and donned their uniforms, blending in perfectly with the real guards and taking out the others while acting unnoticed." Renegade looked away from her, guiltily. "I'm sorry, Princess. I didn't know it. Otherwise I would have eliminated them before they even reached the meeting room but, when I realized it, it was too late."
The woman felt her heart clench painfully at the clear sense of guilt that was eating him from inside. "It's not your fault, Renegade. You couldn't have foreseen their plan."
Her attempt at reassurance did not have the desired effect as he still did not meet her gaze. Diana didn't hesitate and grabbed his chin with her fingers in a firm but gentle grip and tenderly turned his face, gently lifting his head and forcing him to face her.
"I'm serious, Renegade. You couldn't predict what their plan would be since you can't always know everything. You are not omniscient, not even close. Because, like you said, if you had known, you would have stopped them before they even started their plan. Things often get out of hand and we can't do anything about it. No one can always be in control of the situation, no matter how hard we try."
Diana fixed him with a gaze both firm and determined and sweet and, after a brief hesitation of a few seconds, she threw caution and tenderly ran her thumb over his cheek, surprising herself when she felt his skin soft but cold and freezing to the touch but for now she put it aside, concentrating resolutely on her goal.
Despite his skin being cold to the touch it was still a sensation that she found pleasant.
At that moment she longed to be able to rip that damned red mask off of him and finally be able to see his eyes and understand what was going through his head.
I wonder what color his eyes are and what shade.
The Amazon quickly hid the sudden thought in the remotest part of her mind, pretending nothing had happened, and continued.
"You are one of the kindest, most thoughtful, sweetest people I have ever met. You eliminate the scum from the world to make our planet a better place and you are effectively accomplishing that. With your killings you bring peace, serenity and reassurance to thousands, if not millions, of people around the world. And the guilt you are feeling right now fully demonstrates the heart of gold and full of kindness and goodness you possess. You have helped the Justice League several times, especially in the battle against the Injustice League where we almost died. We are alive solely because of you and your heroism.
"It's not your fault, Renegade. Not even remotely. Indeed, it was you who prevented me from revealing my real identity to the whole world and it is exclusively thanks to you that I still have a civil identity and privacy, even if you had no obligation to do so but you only did it out of your goodness and because you always want to do the right thing. So no: it's absolutely not your fault, young warrior. Do you understand?"
All the time Dick was enchanted by her wonderful blue eyes so intense and bright: the most fucking beautiful he had ever seen and in the whole damn universe. He couldn't believe his eyes when Diana grabbed his chin with such a firm yet gentle grip and was even more shocked when she tenderly ran her thumb over his cheek, fixing him with the most intense, sweet and tender gaze anyone had ever given him.
Dick wasn't lying when he thought he was so fucking close to passing out, which he didn't even think was possible for him given his Talon abilities but there he was: so dazed and excited at the same time as never before and literally one step away from losing the senses.
Somehow it was a fucking miracle that Dick managed to hold back the tears that threatened to slip from under his mask.
Her speech… her words…
Dick knew there was no word to describe precisely what he was feeling at that moment.
Hearing Diana's words expressed with so much sincerity, intensity, thoughtfulness, determination and ferocity, combined with her gaze and gestures so full of tenderness and kindness that he had rarely ever received in his life outside of his extended family, was literally one of the best experiences ever.
If the acrobat still had a heartbeat, it would be so high and strong that Superman himself would probably reach out to him to make sure he didn't die of a heart attack.
If there was still any doubt about his feelings towards the woman in front of him -and there were none at all- they all immediately vanished in the face of the total perfection in every way that she represented.
Diana had no reason or obligation that pushed her to reassure him and above all not in such a firm and kind way, yet she did it anyway and with a tenderness, thoughtfulness and firmness in her words and gestures that Dick had rarely received in his life.
The antihero's gaze fell without his permission on Diana's lips that looked so soft, warm and tasty and he briefly wondered what it would feel like to kiss those lips that looked so fucking perfect. The thought lasted barely a second before Dick immediately returned his gaze to the woman's wonderful blue eyes -which for a second made him forget even how to breathe-, mentally scolding himself.
Damn idiot! You can't ruin the best time of your life just because of your fucking teenage hormones that somehow still work even though you're a fucking Talon, Dick! Diana is reassuring you with her immense kindness and thoughtfulness and the first thing you think is to kiss her? Get back on track, for heaven's sake!
"I-I…" the acrobat cleared his throat, trying to hide his discomfort and nervousness at the closeness between their faces which were little more than ten centimeters apart. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Diana." he fully enjoyed the twinkle of pure surprise and shock, with a hint of pleasant wonder, that quickly crossed her gaze at his use of her real name. "I mean it. It means the world to me and I am truly grateful and honored by every single word you said."
The Amazon's expression softened at his sweet words and smile and she smiled at him, barely touching his cheek with her thumb and not missing the slight shiver that ran through him. "I also thank you for what you have done for me, Renegade. And I also thank you for the second bouquet of gerberas that you sent me a few days ago. Both are truly beautiful: the most beautiful I have ever seen."
The mercenary swallowed hard at the sensation of her touch so soft and tender on his skin, not to mention her breath falling on his face as delicately as a feather, and his smile trembled slightly.
It's getting damn hard for me to resist the temptation to do the bullshit of the millennium and kiss her right now. I wonder if Eve also felt something similar when faced with the temptation that Satan gave her.
"I'm happy you both liked it. And you certainly deserved the second: it's thanks for having avoided a hypothetical Third World War."
"Thank you again. It was a very kind and sweet thought and gesture on your part."
"You're welcome, Princess."
The two continued to smile at each other for a few seconds until Diana realized at that moment the actual closeness between their faces. She froze, surprised at how close they were to the point that she could feel his soft breath on her face, tickling her skin softly. With her heart pounding into her throat and her cheeks starting to turn red, she removed her fingers from his face and took a quick step back, so stunned by the whole situation that she missed the flash of disappointment and sadness that crossed the features of the assassin who disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
Rationally Dick knew this moment wouldn't last forever but damn if he felt disappointed anyway.
He already missed the warmth of her touch and breath on his skin immensely.
It was good while it lasted.
Renegade hid his real feelings and put on yet another metaphorical mask. He put a smile on his face as if it were nothing and sent her a smirk. "You know Princess, I really like your civilian style. Especially the ponytail: it looks very flattering on you."
And every single word he spoke was absolutely the truth.
He already knew that Diana in her civilian identity wore glasses and tied her hair in a ponytail, in addition to her elegant clothes due to the importance of her job and in stark contrast to her usual Wonder Woman armor, but it was one thing to see it through photos or videos and quite another to see it in person.
It goes without saying that Diana is beautiful, wonderful and perfect in this style too. There is no style in the whole world that she wouldn't look beautiful in.
…
Hell. I'm so screwed, man.
An immense heat gathered in her stomach and Diana felt every fiber of her being tremble in a sensation that was nothing short of pleasant and welcome. She felt her cheeks heat up a little more and she sent him a bright smile, her blue eyes sparkling. "Thank you very much, Renegade." she thanked him warmly, resisting the urge to pull a lock of hair back.
Impulse she had never felt in such a way until now in all her long life but she ignored it.
The mercenary shrugged, an easy smile playing on his lips. "I just stated the facts as they are, Princess."
I absolutely have to move the conversation to something else entirely.
"You know, I saw how you eluded Amanda Waller's capture last week." the demigoddess stated, directing the topic of conversation to something that didn't concern her. She shook her head, still in disbelief and awe at what the young man in front of him had accomplished. "I still can't believe that you managed to escape from many hundreds of the best marksmen in the USA, dozens of military helicopters and about twenty snipers. It was a phenomenal and exceptional feat."
Diana neglected to mention the part where she was ready to fly to Portland in seconds to personally intervene to help Renegade escape Waller, her reputation and consequences be damned.
Renegade smiled hugely. "This time I can't deny it. And it's not even the first time Waller has tried to catch me, you know?"
"Really?"
"That's right." he confirmed by clicking his tongue. "She's been trying to catch me practically since my debut but obviously she's always failed. Did you know that in the last attempt before last week she hired about twenty mercenaries to take me down and catch me?"
The woman was surprised by his words and silently hurled a series of expletives and insults towards Amanda Waller. "Even more admirable is the fact that you did not harm any of Waller's agents."
"They were all innocent. It wasn't their fault at all that they have to take orders from a bitch like Waller." the mercenary declared, smiling when the woman in front of him giggled. "Honestly, I too am surprised that I managed to escape from that situation without even a bullet in my head, which could have potentially been thousands. Not that they would kill me permanently, of course, but still."
Diana frowned at how the mercenary continued to downplay his death, as if it were no big deal.
It was something she hated infinitely.
"Would you have been able to resurrect even with thousands of bullets in your head?" she asked, highly skeptical.
"That's right." he revealed, shocking her. "If it had only been a few bullets, I wouldn't even have died momentarily. I'm just saying that I was trained to survive with all types and large amounts of life-threatening and fatal injuries on my body, no matter what."
"And when did you die because of Klarion?" she asked confused, almost faltering on her own words.
"The only reason I died was because it involved magic which is the most irrational thing in the universe. Otherwise, if it had been from almost any other type of injury, I would not have died. Other than magic, the only way to momentarily kill me is to catch me off guard, which is very difficult given my training, reflexes and instincts but sadly not impossible. Or I think there are a few types of deaths that kill me momentarily and they are all more violent and brutal than the other. I learned to resist and keep fighting, no matter what."
The princess of Themyscira felt her heart drop sharply, ice filling her veins as a feeling of horror and terror took hold of every fiber of her being.
He was tortured so brutally and for such a long period of time that he learned to tolerate any type of fatal and lethal injury. This means that he was killed so many times until he learned not to die, no matter what horrible tortures his probable kidnappers inflicted on him.
Just the thought that this was a very high possibility of what had happened to Renegade, one of the best people she had ever known in her entire life, was enough to make her feel horror, terror and nausea all at once.
Even if I were wrong, either way Renegade went through something similarly horrible and terrible. In any case, someone transformed him into a weapon, possibly the most dangerous on Earth.
Diana swallowed hard, her entire being burning with compassion, solidarity and fiercely protective instincts towards Renegade.
And an intense rage and fury fiercely incandescent, dangerous and lethal like she had never felt before in her entire life, boiled in every cell of her body, begging to be released against the bastards who dared to hurt Renegade in such a manner.
She took a deep breath, deciding she needed to calm down before she did something rash. She stared at the seventeen year old in front of him, trying her best not to show her actual feelings in the matter. "Do you by any chance know why ISIS returned to action today? They haven't done something like this in years." she asked, returning to the previous topic of conversation.
"Maybe because they saw an opportunity and wanted to exploit it. I couldn't give you a precise answer." Renegade responded with a shrug and then frowned deeply.
Diana noticed it immediately. "What are you thinking?"
"To what you just said." the acrobat murmured. "It's been years since they've done something like this. But I won't make the same mistake again."
The super-heroine stared at him with a perplexed and confused look. "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing important. Only permanently exterminate ISIS." Renegade responded with a dismissive hand wave at her, still deep in his own thoughts and missing her shocked and horrified gasp.
At least I'll distract my mind from today. I will never forget the feeling of Diana's touch on my skin which definitely didn't help diminish my feelings for her at all, dammit. In fact, I really need a necessary distraction from all of this.
In complete contrast to his composed and calm demeanor, Diana was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Did I really hear him right?
"Do you really want to exterminate ISIS?" she asked incredulously, hoping for once that she was having hearing problems. She took a deep breath at his nod, resisting the urge to strangle him with her own hands. "How the hell can you be so nonchalant about it? We are talking about ISIS: the most dangerous terrorist organization in the world, not a walk in the park!"
"Exactly. And?" Renegade asked in a tone of voice that clearly indicated that he didn't understand what the problem was.
Diana closed her eyes briefly.
Zeus, give me the strength not to kill him.
"You can't do that!"
"I have already taken down many mafias and other terrorist organizations. It's not my first rodeo."
Zeus, throw a fucking thunderbolt at him right now, dammit.
"At least let me help you!"
The demigoddess belatedly realized the words that came out of her mouth and was just as shocked as Renegade. However, she immediately understood that her offer for help was genuine and didn't even think for a second about withdrawing it.
She would have helped him without even blinking an eye.
It was the least she owed him for all the times Renegade helped her and the Justice League, without the other heroes knowing. That and the fact that she would gladly help him get rid of the most dangerous terrorist organization in the world.
Renegade was genuinely touched by her heartfelt words and cleared his throat before sending her a bright smile. "I really appreciate your words, I mean it, but you can't. You would risk a lot of diplomatic trouble if it became known that Wonder Woman helped the current second-best assassin in exterminating ISIS and you would also find yourself in trouble with your teammates."
"First: I don't care at all what my friends think about it. Damn them if they dare stop me and still couldn't." she bluntly stated in a firm, decisive and resolute tone, drawing a chuckle from him and briefly reminding him of how fucking badass Wonder Woman was. "Second thing: the Justice League is not under the control of the US government or any other state. Our goal is to save the world by making it a better place and eliminating a dangerous terrorist organization would certainly fall within these parameters, which is why there would be no risk of any diplomatic incident."
The assassin narrowed the slits in his mask before sighing. "Point taken." he conceded. "But you still can't come with me." Dick saw her about to protest and quickly continued. "Not because I don't want your help or anything. Trust me when I tell you that I really appreciate your offer to help me. I'm serious: I'm truly moved by it. But the world can't be without Wonder Woman for who knows how long. You have billions of lives counting on you and you can't leave them without the best superhero on Earth and one of the best in the entire universe."
I hate it when he's right.
Wonder Woman grunted in displeasure. "At least bring someone with you! Either Deathstroke or someone from the League of Assassins!" she begged, for the first time indifferent to her pride.
His safety was infinitely more important than her pride.
Dick mentally shuddered at the thought of taking someone with him on such a dangerous and suicidal mission. "Don't worry about me: I'll be absolutely fine. I promise." he felt a little guilty seeing a deep frown materialize across her beautiful features, though he was still touched by her genuine concern for him. "If it makes you feel better I promise I will tell Deathstroke to contact you if anything goes wrong during the mission." he proposed in an attempt to allay her concerns.
The Amazon didn't like this at all, wanting instead to actively participate alongside the young assassin, but she knew this was the best she would get. "All right. But be careful, Renegade."
"I will be." he promised her solemnly, giving her a reassuring and confident smile.
"Good."
It seemed as if Diana wanted to say something else but, whatever it was, she was interrupted by music filling the air. She cursed silently, recognizing it as the ringtone on her phone, and sent an apologetic look at the youngest.
"I have to go. The other ambassadors will be worried about me."
And we also have to come up with a cover story.
"Go ahead, Princess." Renegade stated, nodding with a smile.
Diana hesitated briefly and with a mental The hell she placed her hands on both of the mercenary's shoulders, enjoying the surprise and shock that coursed through him.
It's always good to catch him off guard because it's so hard.
"Be careful, young warrior. Earth cannot afford to lose one of its greatest protectors." Diana stated solemnly, her intense gaze on Renegade as she gently squeezed his shoulders.
With that look Dick felt as if she were delving into the most remote and deepest parts of his soul. He swallowed hard and it was a miracle he could even smile at her, barely holding back the urge to shiver from such close contact. "I will return safe and sound. I promise, Princess."
Wonder Woman stared at him for a few more seconds -seconds that felt more like an eternity to Dick- and she nodded. With a final squeeze on his shoulders she flew away, her speed so fast it shifted the wind enough to send his hair flying back.
After a few seconds of silence the meta-human let out an amused huff as he bent down, grabbing the case for his sniper rifle and placing it over his shoulders.
You're learning the drama from me, Princess.
"So, how's independent living going, sis?"
Donna Troy looked away from the television and smiled at Diana. "Much better than I expected, actually."
"I'm happy about it." the older Amazon nodded, joining her and sitting on the couch next to her. "I'm glad you settled in so well among men."
Donna sent her a slightly bitter and sarcastic smile. "I'm not the one who was indoctrinated to believe that all men were the same and scum of the Earth, Diana."
The princess of Themyscira smiled back, though her eyes betrayed the true anger, betrayal and hurt she felt towards their mother. "I'm glad you accepted my proposal to move with me to Man's World before she could do the same thing to you. At least you didn't have the same problems I had at the beginning getting used to it."
"It's because I had a great mentor and life teacher."
"Oh, you bet." both women giggled. "You know, there's always a place for you in the Justice League if you want to join. You would be an amazing superhero."
"I'm still not sure about the whole thing. I first want to get used to living like a responsible adult and continue to take care of Cassie. Even though it's been years since we no longer live with you, we still have so much to learn." Donna admitted. "So maybe we'll talk about it again in a while."
"All right. I fully understand."
The younger Amazon smiled. "Thank you." her smile turned into a full blown smirk that the demigoddess didn't like at all. "You know, it's been a while since you told me about this Renegade. Did something happen between you two?"
Diana glared at her. "I don't know what you're talking about. You know very well that he is on a mission."
The youngest hummed in amusement. "And I also know very well that you are worried sick about him. After all, you haven't heard from him in a week."
The princess of Themyscira narrowed her eyes, staring the other woman suspiciously. "What are you implying, Donna?"
Humor and mischief danced in Donna's blue eyes. "Oh I don't know, maybe that you have feel-"
Diana's head suddenly snapped towards the television, ignoring her sister's curses, and she focused her undivided attention on the news reporter.
"Last minute news. We have just received images that confirm the extermination and definitive destruction of ISIS, the most dangerous terrorist organization in the world which for years has sown terror, destruction and death, at the hands of the well-known Renegade, the second best assassin and anti-hero mercenary in circulation."
Diana let out a sigh of relief she didn't know she was holding. It was as if a huge boulder had disappeared from her chest, allowing her to breathe more easily.
The joy and euphoria she was feeling at that moment in knowing that Renegade was okay and that he had completed his mission was indescribable. Rationally, Diana knew that the mercenary would need time to take down the most dangerous terrorist organization in the world but that didn't stop her from worrying about him anyway.
And once again she was impressed by Renegade who completed such a difficult and practically suicidal mission not only alone but also in such a short time: about a week.
Renegade will never cease to amaze me. However, I admit that this sensation is becoming more and more pleasant.
The young assassin was truly the most effective, unpredictable and surprising person she had ever met in her entire life.
She turned her attention back to the reporter and his voice wafting throughout Diana's living room. "The images and the following video are not suitable for minors and may stimulate the sensitivity of viewers, so view at your own discretion."
Both women let out surprised gasps as they saw what must have been ISIS's main base packed with terrorists mangled, decapitated and mutilated to the point that the only way to identify them was through DNA. Each image showed an immense, incalculable amount of blood, brain matter, pulped flesh, unrecognizable corpses, organs, guts, viscera and limbs strewn in every direction and so on. Subsequent videos also showed the various structures, where the members of the organization probably lived, completely destroyed, torn down and burned and Diana didn't miss how practically every street was heavily bloodied and full of what was previously described.
It was literally a far worse bloodbath than the one Renegade had carried out against the Red Sharks.
It seems like Renegade let himself go a little more this time.
There were other images and videos showing similar horrors and bloodbaths until suddenly Renegade's masked face appeared in the frame. Diana unconsciously straightened her back and leaned forward as the young assassin took a step back, revealing his armor soaked in litters of blood, brain matter and pulped flesh.
The super-heroine stared at the seventeen year old for any injuries but found none and was relieved, although she should have expected it given his healing factor.
"This is what happens to the scum of this planet." Renegade began, his voice colder and more emotionless than Diana had ever heard from him. "It doesn't matter what you are. You can be the most dangerous mafia in the world. Terrorist organizations. Criminals. Gang. You can be anything. But that won't be enough to save you. You scums will never be safe. Not as long as I live."
Renegade sent a cold, empty, menacing smirk into the camera that would scare any demon from Hell with their tail between their legs.
"And trust me when I tell you that it won't be easy to kill me at all. I will take out as much of you as possible for as long a period of time as possible. I will always find you. It doesn't matter in which corner of the Earth you are hiding. You will never be able to escape from me. I will find you. Anytime and anywhere. You will never be safe.
"I have permanently exterminated numerous mafias, terrorist, secret and criminal organizations and more. I destroyed all their bases, annihilated all the criminals involved and erased every information they had. With the definitive extermination of ISIS, my count of criminals killed has reached 931. A number that is destined to increase day by day for many years to follow.
"I am Renegade, the current second-best assassin and mercenary in existence. I am Renegade, the best anti-hero ever. I am Renegade, the living nightmare that haunts every single criminal scum. I am Renegade, the most dangerous, lethal, deadly and efficient weapon in the entire world."
Renegade's right arm shot out in front of him, showing the camera the severed head of a terrorist whose face was so mangled that it was impossible to make out his features, blood continuing to pour incessantly from the lethal wound.
"I am Renegade and I have a message for every criminal scum on Earth."
With superhuman strength Renegade violently crashed the severed head against the wall and nothing remained of it except a mush of hundreds of small pieces of mangled flesh that quickly fell to the ground. Blood and pulped flesh splattered Renegade's masked face and he remained impassive and indifferent, simply staring at the camera with a disturbing and menacing smirk.
"Always check your back. Because at any moment I could be behind you ready to make you regret every decision in your life. And remember: you will never be safe from me. This is because I, Renegade, will forever continue to kill the scum of the Earth. I will seek you, I will find you, I will destroy you, I will annihilate you, I will torture you, I will kill you and I will permanently wipe you from the face of the planet."
The message stopped, showing the reporter's face, which was a little paler and sweatier than it had been previously. He cleared his throat, sending a shaky smile. "And now the commercials!"
Silence.
"What do you think?"
Donna pursed her lips, thinking hard. "I didn't think Renegade was so… badass."
Diana snorted. "That's very reductive."
"Anyway, I like him.."
The demigoddess's words escaped her mouth before her brain even thought of them. "Me too."
And she wasn't lying at all.
Diana noticed her sister's growing mischievous smirk and her gaze fixed on her and turned to stare at her with a raised eyebrow. "What?"
Donna's smirk grew even bigger. "Nothing." she hummed and then burst into laughter. "I've been meaning to let you know because, you know, it's really frustrating that you still haven't figured it out. Even Cassie understood it! In any case, I think I'll just let you figure it out for yourself, sister. Much more fun that way."
Diana rolled her eyes and dismissed the younger Amazon's words as strange and delusional for some strange reason she didn't want to address.
She looked back absentmindedly at the television, sighing at the stupid commercial they were playing.
Excellent and amazing work, young warrior. I'm proud of you. You are making the planet a much better place.