Part 4: JSA vs ISA: Aftermath

Jesse's eyes flickered between the retreating villains and her teammates. The urge to chase them, to *finish* them, was overwhelming. The symbiote fed on her desire for control, for dominance, and it was almost impossible to resist.

"Go after them. End them. Do what they cannot."

But Courtney's voice cut through the haze. "Jesse, don't. Let them go. This isn't who we are."

Jesse's breath came in ragged gasps, her body trembling with the intensity of the energy coursing through her. She wanted to argue, to fight, but deep down, she knew Courtney was right.

With a frustrated growl, Jesse turned away from the portal as the remaining Injustice Society members vanished into the darkness. The black lightning around her dimmed, but her fists remained clenched, her body still tense with barely-contained rage.

"We had them," Jesse muttered under her breath. "I could've ended it."

Courtney relaxed slightly, lowering her staff. "But not like that, Jesse. Not at the cost of who you are."

Rick stepped forward, crossing his arms. "Look, I'm all for taking down the bad guys, but what you were doing back there? That wasn't you. That was something else."

Yolanda's eyes narrowed, and she pointed at Jesse's suit. "What is that thing, Jesse? That suit — it's not just an upgrade, is it?"

Jesse looked down at herself, the black symbiote swirling ominously around her. She could feel its power, its presence, pulsing beneath her skin. She had been so consumed by it that she hadn't even stopped to think about what it was doing to her.

"It's… it's a symbiote," she admitted, her voice quieter now, almost unsure. "It came from that meteor. I thought I could control it."

Courtney's eyes widened in realization. "The black goo from the meteor crash? Jesse, why didn't you tell us?"

"I thought I didn't need to," Jesse replied, frustration lacing her voice. "It made me stronger. Faster. I thought it was helping me."

Beth, who had been quietly analyzing the situation with her goggles, finally spoke up. "Symbiotes aren't just enhancements, Jesse. They bond with their host — they influence you. It's not just giving you power; it's changing you."

Yolanda crossed her arms, her expression hard. "And not in a good way."

Jesse's fists clenched again, but this time, it wasn't from anger. It was from fear. She hadn't realized how deep the symbiote's influence had gone, how much it had twisted her thoughts, her actions. But now, standing in front of her friends, she could see it clearly.

"I… I didn't know," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to…"

Courtney stepped forward again, placing a hand on Jesse's shoulder. "It's not too late, Jesse. We can help you. You don't have to do this alone."

The symbiote snarled in the back of her mind, lashing out at her hesitation.

"They're lying. They want to take your power away. You are nothing without me!"

But Jesse shook her head, forcing the voice to the back of her mind. "No. I'm not going to let this thing control me anymore."

Rick cracked his knuckles, glancing around at the still-destroyed battlefield. "So, what's the plan? How do we get that thing off of you?"

Beth adjusted her goggles. "We'll need to run some tests, but I think we can figure it out. The symbiote is feeding off her Speed Force energy, so we'll need to find a way to disrupt that connection."

Jesse nodded, feeling a surge of determination. She wasn't going to let this thing win. She wasn't going to lose herself.

Courtney smiled, her expression full of hope. "We've got your back, Jesse. We'll get through this, together."

For the first time in what felt like weeks, Jesse felt a glimmer of her old self returning. The symbiote's whispers were still there, still clawing at her mind, but with her friends by her side, she knew she could fight it.

"Thanks, guys," she said, her voice stronger now. "I'm sorry for everything.

"Yolanda smirked, punching her lightly on the shoulder. "Just don't go all 'dark and edgy' on us again, okay?"

Rick chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, one brooding anti-hero on the team is enough."

Jesse laughed, the sound light and genuine. It felt good to laugh again, to be herself again.

But as the team regrouped and started planning their next move, Jesse knew that the real battle was still ahead. The symbiote wasn't going to give up easily, and neither was she. But with the Justice Society by her side, she was ready to fight — not just for her city, but for herself.

As the night sky settled over the city, the Justice Society walked away from the battlefield together. And though the symbiote's dark influence still lingered, Jesse knew that she wasn't alone. She had her family. She had her friends. And she would fight to reclaim her soul, no matter the cost.

The road to redemption would be long, but Jesse Quick was ready to run it.