Leviathan

Lady Shiva was battered and unconscious. Cassandra Cain was down. Duke Thomas was choked.

"Transmissions beyond Gotham are completely jammed." The Manhunter's voice echoed dauntingly. There was a reason he was the man–the final boss. He oozed killing intent and authority. It dripped from every ounce of his machine-coated body. "No Justice League, no Wonder Woman, and no Superman."

Angel Breaker cackled. "Good, good. Then all we need is plan B to succeed and we shall summon the Chosen One–as my Angel Breaker foretold."

Was this it? Was it up to Aaron to save the fucking world? All while wearing sweatpants, a Daily Planet shirt, and an anti-metahuman gun that probably wouldn't affect his enemies?

His miracle of a hiding spot was great but not a safe haven. Angel Breaker and the Manhunter were waiting, the lead woman facing ahead and scanning the surroundings. Aaron had discreetly switched to crouching behind the back of the desk, away from them. He couldn't risk them seeing a single hair of his.

"So…you refuse to give up?"

"Yes."

Aaron froze. That was Cassandra's voice. He contemplated peeking at the battle, risking his hiding spot, and he eventually did. There she was, the five-foot-five woman trembling as she raised her fists. Back facing him, her hood and mask destroyed, he couldn't see her determination but he could feel it in the air. The attack that had rendered Duke Thomas unconscious didn't keep her down. Aaron was torn by joy and terror.

The Manhunter was strong. Too strong. The longer he fought, the more of his armour's capabilities he showed and the more unbeatable he seemed.

"Unparalleled magic and unparalleled technology," Angel Breaker said, cackling. "We are the best of two worlds while you…you are a mere human with a decent right hook."

"I don't care."

Cassandra ran at them.

The first slash of magical energy was side-stepped by the skin of her teeth. Aaron nearly presumed she had been consumed by terrible red power. She hadn't. She duelled Angel Breaker in close quarters with her bare hands. Her hands slapped and blocked her sword, and a hiss came from the melted flesh.

Cassandra must have lost her mind, Aaron thought. Touching that blade spelled death, yet she continued to do it anyway. Angel Breaker was well-trained and although was slower than Cassandra she could still read her movements.

Cassandra weaved left. A fist thrusted itself in the taller woman's side. Her body contorted. An opportunity. A side-kick, a jab, a rear hook, a knee to the stomach–

Hisssssssss!

Orphan's armour burned. She pushed, she pushed, she pushed–

"You little piece of…!" Angel Breaker yelled and her blade cut a slice of hair as the ninja ducked and sweeped her legs. She broke her fall by stabbing her blade into the ground and surprised Cassandra with an axe kick. It missed. Cassandra revolved behind her and delivered three pressure point attacks.

Angel Breaker's expression twisted in agony and she fell forward on one knee, weak and panting. Cassandra stood behind her and without hesitating aimed an air-bending foot at the woman's temple–

"Gah!"

Cassandra Cain was winning, but the Manhunter wouldn't allow that. A searing pain came from her back, a blast of a repulsor beam, and Cassandra dropped to her knees.

The Manhunter approached her, his glowing gauntlet pointed at the back of her neck. "Most impressive, Orphan. No, perhaps I should call you Batgirl. To deconstruct Angel Breaker's movements, to eliminate the difference in raw power, you are truly a woman of immense ability."

"Ngh…" Cassandra growled but was unable to act. She bit her teeth tightly as if demanding herself to move, three lines of blood seeping from the corner of her lips, yet nothing came of it. She bled for nothing but pain and her inevitable demise.

"I…I just wish to help people," the Manhunter said sadly. "I genuinely wish it hadn't come to this, Batgirl. I had a family once. I knew how it feels to love them and to care for them. To want them to live. To fight for them with your life. This mission of ours, the calling of the Chosen One…it will fix it all. Hope WILL return."

Hope.

Hope…

"Ha…"

Aaron saw hope but not in the way Manhunter suggested. Through his spine, he experienced a chill so deep that it brought a smile to Aaron's grimace.

'Finally! Where the fuck have you been?' Aaron nearly laughed. Almost his entire neck stuck out as he watched.

In the shadows, behind the red menace, was the greatest power in Gotham City.

"Batman." The Manhunter exhaled, calling his name in a low murmur. Yet the echo carried over to even Aaron. "You have arrived."

The blue in Manhunter's armour dimmed. The dark shape of Batman stood behind him. His pointy bat ears, his wide frame, his muscular physique–Batman oozed power. Change. Fear. The air shifted.

"You can rest, Orphan." Batman's voice rumbled like thunder. Cassandra, nose bleeding yet smiling, fell to the floor.

Thud!

The Manhunter twisted and swung his metal arm at him. Batman met it with his own arm. A clash. A swipe. A feint. A series of close combat strikes followed. The two were evenly matched. The Manhunter switched strategies and tried razing him down with his blasters. His beams of blue were fast. Batman was faster.

As for Angel Breaker, she was surrounded by the arrival of four vigilantes: a blonde Batgirl, Batwoman, a bronze-skinned woman in purple, and a short, lean swordswoman in a white mask.

"Batgirl, Batwoman, and Huntress." Angel Breaker climbed to her feet, her sword gripped tightly. "And of course…Katana. I see the Birds of Prey have reunited."

"And we're aching for revenge," Batwoman retaliated. A beat passed. Neither side moved.

The Angel Breaker sword crackled. Katana's sword responded with a glow of its own. Magic, Aaron sensed. There was a magic in the air and a foreboding premonition if either blades clashed.

Katana shifted. Her skintight black costume and phenomenal rear open for him to ogle. Aaron averted his gaze to her illuminating katana. Aaron stiffened. He could hear…whispers? Voices? Was he imagining it?

Batman and the Manhunter tussled in the air, exchanging fists and slamming against the top of the machine. As the Dark Knight was pushed off, he used his grappling hook to stay airborne and tackled the red man again.

CLANG!

Aaron switched back down to the women. Katana and Angel Breaker clashed and the world around them rumbled. Another clash, another loud struggle of metals, and the colour of the world shifted. The intense magic each of them harboured in their hands was reality-bending.

An arrow nicked Angel Breaker's ear. The white haired woman backed away but several additional arrows came flying at her. She dodged and an insignificant strain of her snowy hair fell.

Huntress, the purple vigilante, shot at her with her crossbow. Merciless, she shot at her again and again. The red ruby in Angel Breaker's forehead glowed as she dodged whilst being assaulted by Katana. It was a rapid two-pronged assault.

The villainous woman yelped as her legs were swept up and she fell. Batwoman had managed to sneak behind her. Before her magical blade could explode, the rope of a grappling hook wrapped around the middle and ripped away from her grasp.

"No!" Angel Breaker's scream was followed by a brutal kick to the head. Batwoman was not playing games. Katana was the same as she pointed her magic sword to her head. On the floor, hands balled into a fist, Angel Breaker grit her teeth. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No!"

The shadowy sword had fallen into the blonde Batgirl's hands. Stephanie Brown, Cassandra's best friend, smirked. She was ten feet away and just far enough for Angel Breaker to see.

For Aaron, she was twenty feet away but also…erm…fetching. Her cape was set to one side so her booty was noticeable. Aaron hated to be a chauvinistic idiot but…he couldn't help but steal a glance. Images of the internet flooded his brain but none of it compared to reality: the famous bubble butt of Batgirl lived up to the hype.

Nevertheless, the Birds of Prey had prevailed. Katana's blade remained on her temple, preventing the villain's movements as her limbs were locked by high-tech cuffs. Batwoman was quick and efficient and the female villain was rendered immobile and furious.

"Sisters…to think you would join the side of the enemy. How foolish! Foolish!" Angel Breaker's speech pattern suddenly shifted. Her arms and legs squirmed with near superhuman strength but it was a meaningless effort. The cuffs were intended for something much stronger than a mere swordswoman.

"Enough." Batwoman cruelly slammed her steely heel into her. "You're done."

However, her claim was interjected by the tussle between Batman and Manhunter. The Dark Knight's cape expanded and like a bat he flew down beside them. Crouching, the black mass that was his cape engulfed his being. He wiped the blood trailing from his nose.

"Having trouble?" Batwoman asked the legendary member of the Justice League. "That's not like you."

Batman's gaze remained locked on Manhunter. "Hrn."

Slicing through the thick tension was the young Batgirl. "Me and Batwoman will support you." From her utility belt, Batgirl summoned several batarangs. Her fast, chippery words were a breath of fresh air. Shoulders were squared, a plan of attack was calmly formulated. "You and Katana go for a close-range assault. I doubt he'll be able to keep up."

Manhunter. He remained in the air, repulsors flickering with unstable energy. He stared at the Dark Knight–at the Bat Family. One down and four writhing opponents remained. His eyes tilted slightly as he scanned the region and for an instant Aaron thought he was detected.

"ImPrEsSiVe, DaRk kNiGhT," Manhunter praised. "YOuR AbIlItIeS LiE NoT JuSt iN YoUr mArTiAl aRtS BuT AlSo yOuR ScIeNtIfIc mInD. I cAn sEe wHy ProMetHeUs spOkE so hIgHlY Of yOu."

His voice was…glitching? What the actual fuck was happening? The international criminal sounded less human and more…robotic, his words eerie, mixing, and changing.

"Who are you?" Batman asked, to the point. "Mark Shaw died, betrayed by his own people. Leviathan was supposed to return to Talia's control again. Where did you come from?"

"I MuSt tRuLy bE A ThOrN In yOuR SiDe iF YoU ArE AsKiNg qUeStIoNs rAtHeR ThAn sOlViNg tHeM." The constant whir of his blasters lingered in their eardrums. "MY idenTity iS of nO CoNsEqUeNcE. RaTheR, iT Is yOu wHo iS ImPoRtAnT. yOu, ThE WoRlD'S GrEaTeSt DETECTIVE, ThE KnIgHt wHo sLaYeD ThE CoUrT Of oWlS. ThE HUMAN pOrTaL To tHe DARK MULTIVERSE. ThE OnE WhO ToUcHeD ThE MeTaLs. EveN nOw, As yOu sTaNd aNd tAlK, tHe RADIATION oF ThE MeTaL LiNgErS. NO, iT HaS foReVeR ENTRENCHED iTselF In yOuR BeInG."

The machine behind him whirred with life. Aaron's heart drummed against his chest. A nasty chill went down his arms. The cylinder machine started to brighten in colour.

"YoUr hAir," the Manhunter began, "yOuR BLOOD, yOuR ESSENCE WhIcH HaS ToUcHeD ThE ReMaInInG MeTaLs. It hAs sTaRtEd tHe BEGINNING."

Within the screws of the machine came colourful lights, the dull steely colour painted from the illumination. Aaron could feel it on his face too. The colour, the heat, the power.

"A bluff," Batwoman called out, "his soul might be eroded with the metals but a little piece is not enough to power the machine." She slammed her fist into her palm. "The only real threat is you, Manhunter."

"Wrong, Batwoman." Surprisingly, the Dark Knight sounded on edge as he formulated his rebuttal. "We made a brutal mistake. The scale of this machine, we assumed with the five metals he would recreate enough Element X to shape the Earth. But looking at the lining of the machine, it's similar to the Atom's bio-belt, a one-of-a-king tool powered by a white dwarf star fragment. The nanotech projections on the monitors as well–the software is straight from LexCorp. The blaring lights are Toymaster's doing. Even Prometheus invested his time in this machine. Years of it, in fact. Put simply, this machine wasn't intended just for Earth. No, it was intended for the entire universe."

"A mEre PIECE Of yOuR EsSeNcE," the Manhunter continued, elated by the despair under their cowls, "tHeReFoRe, WiLl aT LeAsT GrAnT Me EnouGH ELEMENT X tO CONTROL A CITY sUcH As GOTHAM. IT'S SiMpLe mAtHeMaTiCs, SiMpLe FRACTIONS. AnD It wOn't bE LoNg uNtIl wE SuMmoN thE CHOSEN ONE. ThE CHOSEN ONE wilL ARRIVE aNd SAVE US ALL."

A millisecond wasn't wasted. Batgirl tossed her batarangs and Huntress launched her arrows, all of which were deftly incinerated. An intentional distraction while Batman used his grappling hook through the smoke to heave the godly man down. Katana and Batwoman jumped him. A single blast of his repulsor sent Batwoman away but Katana deflected it with her magic blade.

His arm plate turned black under the magical burn of the sword. The Manhunter attempted to blast her away but as Katana weaved to the left an arrow plunged inside the repulsor hole. Katana's sword bashed his head. Manhunter swung his arm to send her back but she back-flipped in time to avoid his strike and–

CRACK!

–to substitute with Batman, who slammed the meanest uppercut in human history. Red metal chipped. The Manhunter was jerked left and right as Batman punched him once, twice, three times, and then comboed him with kicks. Relentless. Unyielding. Furious. So many words yet none could properly describe Batman's incredible beating.

The Dark Knight side-stepped and allowed his redhead counterpart to renew the combo. While Batman was strong and heavy, Batwoman's gauntlets were electrified and the bangs of contact seemed to short-circuit and stun Manhunter, if only for a while.

Despite the fists and arrows and batarangs driving into him, the Manhunter resisted. He couldn't move, he couldn't respond, yet he tried. He didn't give up. In every direction, there was hell and he refused to see it. He would end up standing on the ends of his heels, seemingly knocked-out, only to bounce back at them. He got a few lucky shots on Batwoman. The damage hindered her movements. In response, Batman activated his shock glove and struck the Manhunter with them.

Zap!

Crackle!

Buzz!

Snap!

Blue electricity flung through the air with each slam of contact. Bam! Bam! Bam! Batman was relentless. With a vicious strike to the heart, Aaron nearly saw the Manhunter's skeleton.

Aaron almost felt bad, except for the fact that the motherfucker wasn't going down. Shouldn't his brain be rattled? Shouldn't he be feeling too dizzy to accurately fight back?

An uppercut, a kick to the side, a hook to the cheek. Like fighters in a video game, Batman and Batwoman seamlessly switched in and out and pounced at him. His armour chipped away.

"I…canNOT LoSe HERE! I gave UP EvERYTHING!!!"

Then Aaron realized it. The advantage, despite what it appeared to be, was not on the side of the heroes. It took everything Batman, Batwoman, Batgirl, Huntress, and Katana had to keep him at bay. So what about the machine?

Whiiiiir!

The noise was like a playstation near the end of its life cycle. A fan or something of that nature whirred dangerously fast in the machine. Aaron couldn't see it due to the cylindrical shape of the machine but he could hear it. Inside, the gears were turning.

The blonde Batgirl attempted to dash to the control panel but as if reading her mind a stray repulsor blast nicked her shoulder. She recovered and another blast immediately followed. A short, painful scream later and a dark burn mark formed.

For the third time, a blue light flashed. Batwoman's thigh was singed, smoke hissing. The redhead cursed and recoiled back in pain and the following blast would have finished her off if not for the swift deflection from Katana.

Once again, the Manhunter was growing stronger. He was adapting. His impervious voice and willpower overrode the efforts of the hero.

Batman swung his fist and the Manhunter blitzed backwards. The Dark Knight seemed to be the sole anchor against the great villain. The hero who could stand up to him one-on-one. His armour was thick and flexible, granting him defence on every level.

"Batwoman, Batgirl, stand back!" Batman ordered. "Analyze!"

Katana and Batman took over the fight. Having lost their numbers, the Manhunter was beginning to push them back. Not enough to reach the weakened women but to keep the heroes away from the terminal.

"His helmet is the same as Prometheus'!" Batwoman proclaimed whilst kneeling. "He can download and analyze our fight patterns! Except since he isn't solely relying on the ability on the helmet, he's also implementing his own brain power!"

"Figured as much," Batman remarked, avoiding a dangerous kick to the knee. The two exchanged three more blows in the blink of an eye.

"H-his armour is different too," Batgirl added. Her lenses were a pure white tint now. "Prometheus' armour was covered with microscopic nanobots that affected the opponent's brain. Manhunter's armour…it's like…it's absorbing metahuman powers. Katana's sword is losing energy and…and–oh, gosh, Duke!"

The blonde girl who shouldn't have been capable of pushing past the burn in her shoulders crawled over to the fallen young hero. He remained unconscious as panic eroded her voice. "His vitals are slowing down!" Batgirl announced.

Angered, Katana brought her blade down and it was easily caught. Behind her mask, her expression widened in surprise. He drove a knee in her stomach and then grabbed the woman by the hair. He whispered in her ear, a word or sentence beyond Aaron's hearing, and dropped her. Blood trickled from her lips as he stole Katana's sword. The Manhunter heaved her samurai sword back and–

"Enough!"

Batman tackled him into the ground. Away from the rest, the two rolled and fought. Punches were thrown. Metal was cracked. In the end, it was the Manhunter who came on top, the totem weapon high in the air and ready to pierce the symbol on his chest.

But the blade never plunged in.

Two kicks struck the Manhunter's gauntlet and his side in thunderous succession. The weapon and the man tumbled over and the Batman was swiftly helped to his feet.

"Talia," Batman acknowledged.

"Beloved." The gorgeous Middle Eastern woman curved her chin towards him and smiled. "It seems you owe me one."

"It seems so."

A bone cracked into place, the Manhunter readied himself for what must have been his sixth round of combat. His back armour plate, directly within Aaron's line of sight, was exploitable. Batwoman and Batgirl seemed weak but the former refused to give up and shakily stood on her feet.

In the back, the blue machine turned red. There was no indicator of a timer yet it was clear the reckoning was upon them. If they couldn't stop this, then all metahuman powers–perhaps even all magic–would cease to disappear in the world. All that would be left was the original metal and the Manhunter. He who possessed the universe's essence, Element X.

"You WILL not deFeat Me," the Manhunter declared. "OuR teNdRiLs aRe sPrEaDiNg, UnChEcKeD, uNcOnTrOlLeD, uNsEeN. OUr LOVE Is vAsTeR ThAn eMpIrEs, AnD MoRe sLoW. The PRESENCE staNDs WitH ME. I cannot LOSE."

"Batman…" Batgirl called out weakly. Her gloved hand was on the Signal's wrist. His pulse must have been bad if Aaron could sense Batman grimacing under his cowl.

The Manhunter peered over his shoulder, towards Batgirl. The young blonde held her breath. Batwoman glanced between them. Pause. Batman clicked his bat symbol and took out the batarang within. Another pause.

Ziing! A batarang was thrown. The sound of a repulsor came to life.

The next instant, the Manhunter's last remaining repulsor hole was jammed. He had failed to blast Batgirl in time. And now–

"Attack!"

Talia and Batman attacked as a single unit. Their punches aligned even as the weaker Talia couldn't equal her partner's impact. The Manhunter attempted to counter attack but a fatal kick from behind disoriented him. Batwoman had been watching and took advantage of the crack the Cains had made. The buckets of mad-driven hope manifesting into a single gash in the armour. With the last fibre of energy in her body, her boot smashed and ripped into the armour and bare flesh. Electricity crackled. Batwoman recoiled backwards.

The Manhunter tightened up, his limbs suddenly constricted from the spinal malfunction. His head swung in seven different directions as Batman rocked his world with ferocious fists.

Finally, with a fist to the mask, he was thrown on his back.

Grunts of effort echoed. His refusal to lose was deafening. His machinery, his body, rejected his willpower.

Batman slammed a foot into his chest. The Manhunter would not be getting back up.

The laboratory remained red, however, and the noise went wild. The machine's light brightened and then darkened, coming closer to completion. Every second was like a fire growing in rage.

Batman appeared at the terminal faster than Aaron could blink. His fingers tapped at the touchscreen terminal and effortlessly navigated through the copious amounts of informative pages and warnings. A password screen came up. Aaron's stomach flipped. Did he know? Hopefully he knew. He was Batman.

"We have to turn this off," Batwoman said, slouching from injury. "The Signal still isn't getting better. The Manhunter's armour might be done but this thing is now affecting him. He's going to die."

Batwoman pretended to be flat and cool yet Aaron could hear discord in her. Palpable fear. Was this it? Was this the end of metahumans? Of Kryptonians and Amazons? Was this the turning point of history?

Talia hovered over Batman's shoulder. "A seven-digit code…perhaps it is a number?"

No response. Their surroundings turned redder, like blood plastered.

"Uh, Batman?" Batgirl asked, her nerves shifting into a girlish tone. "D-did we ever investigate any kind of code?" Her hand remained on the Signal's wrist. "B-Batman?"

All focus was on the hero of Gotham. All faith was in him, the Batman.

After five seconds, he typed in a password.

BEEP!

A massive wave of relief left everyone in the room as the prompt turned green. The giant machine started to lose its glamour. The jet-like noise died down. It was over.

Silence engulfed the area. Peace. A finale.

In the midst of it, Aaron snuck out. He casted one last look at Cassandra before he slipped into the hall.

***

"D-dude! Poison Ivy was here and Harley Quinn–"

"And Catwoman! Her whip was going like wham and ham! Pretty sure she hit a hundred of them in the nuts! The Leviathan goons didn't stand a chance! They ran here but Ivy brought them back!"

"You see the vines over there? Yeah, that was Ivy! And those hammer marks? Harley Quinn! They were all here!"

Maps and Todd were jumping up and down, anxiety shaking them top-to-bottom. Aaron pursed his lips, hiding a laugh, and looked to Noah.

"I'm guessing everything is over?" Noah asked.

"Something like that. I saw Batman and–"

A shriek interrupted Aaron. Todd and Maps exclaimed in unison, "You saw Batman!?"

"You saw Batman?" Henry repeated incredulously.

"I did. Him and his sidekicks. The Manhunter was defeated. Leviathan's plans have been thwarted."

"Batman saves the day again." Noah hummed. "Honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Me neither!" Todd came up right in Aaron's face. "Say, what did he look like? What armour was he wearing–"

"Did he ask about me?" Maps asked, cutting him off. "I've met him before. I met the Robins, I mean. Actually, wait, no, Batman once signed an autograph for me so I met him too!"

"You did!?" Todd's jaw dropped and he groaned. "Oh come on! That's so unfair! I haven't gotten the autograph of a single superhero! I bet he's gone from the scene, isn't he?"

Todd groaned to himself again. Chuckling, Aaron looked between the four: Todd, Noah, Henry, and Maps. They had stayed in the monitor room despite the fact that everybody else had left. Their expressions were devoid of the fear he expected. "So why are you guys still here?" Aaron asked. "Did Catwoman give you instructions or something?"

"No, we were waiting for you," Noah answered.

"Yeah," Todd added. "We couldn't just abandon you. We were actually just about to go together as a team and search for you."

Aaron blinked twice. Honestly…? That was the single nicest thing anyone had ever done for him. He couldn't recall a time in his life when someone had waited for him–when someone had wanted to stay in contact with him. Cared for him. He hated to admit it but the tension that had been winding his heart disappeared.

"Thanks." A heartfelt smile appeared on his face. "That means a lot." Four pairs of eyes burned into his face. His smile faded. "What?

"What's up with the cool smile?" Henry joked. "You better not do that in front of my fiancé. You might just steal him from me."

"No, no, really. You should smile more! You look very pretty when you do it!" Maps proclaimed.

Aaron pursed his lips. When they said it like that, it discouraged him from doing it ever again. "Thanks?"

The lever moving the platform had to be pulled by someone in the monitor room. Aaron volunteered to do it. He explained there was another exit on the other end. Huddled together on the platform, he bid them goodbye.

"I'll see you at work!" Todd shouted, voice echoing as he went down, down, down.

Henry laughed and also joined in on the yelling. "Hey, if you want an invitation to my wedding, then ask!"

"If you ever want to become a detective, see me! I go to Gotham Academy!"

That was Map's. The girl was relentless, that was for sure. Chloe could learn a thing or two from her.

'Chloe. I hope she's okay,' Aaron thought, frowning. He paid half a mind to the crew waving and disappearing into the tunnel.

Cradling his chin, he thought about his own escape. He wondered what lay ahead. Remembering Catwoman's description, he assumed it was the elevator. Returning upstairs wouldn't require the fingerprint scan and eye test…right?

'I should have thought this through. Oh well.' Aaron shrugged, strangely relaxed. It was like nothing in the world could affect him.

Footsteps. Nearly a dozen from behind the door, heavy and firm. Voices accompanied the stomps too. Familiar voices, some high-pitched and others as deep and steady as the ocean.

The door creaked open.

It was the goddamn Batman.

Aaron straightened up as his white eyes settled on him. The legendary hero glanced between him and then the unconscious bodies of Leviathan grunts.

"Who are you?" Batman approached him. He was much taller than Aaron expected. Broader too. He was like a walking, talking building, yet as he walked closer, a non-threatening aura surrounded him. "What happened here?"

"I'm Aaron Reigner. I didn't take out these guys, it was someone else."

"Lady Shiva. This is her doing," Batman noted with frightening accuracy. "I assume you managed to escape the Tournament of 100?"

Aaron blinked. Leave it to the World's Greatest Detective to figure it out. He explained to him what happened, from the daring escape to the appearance of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, omitting his background participation in Batman Incorporated's fight. He explained the lever controlling the platform needed to be pulled with someone left behind.

Batman's mouth was set in a flat, unamused line. "You're stuck."

"I guess so."

The remaining vigilantes from the battle poured inside. Batwoman, Batgirl, Katana, the Huntress, the Signal, Lady Shiva, even Talia al Ghul. All of them wore varied expressions, from pain, relief, regret, all the way to satisfaction.

"Jason could have at least stuck around."

"You know him. He's got an image to keep."

There were new faces too–or rather, new costumes. Nightwing and Red Robin. Their blue and red colour schemes were too iconic not to recognize, especially coupled with Nightwing's dark blue Escrima and Red Robin's long, silver battle staff.

"Enough about Jason. If only you idiots had followed my lead, then maybe Prometheus wouldn't have gotten away." It was a boy that was maybe fifteen years old. The newest Robin, Damian Wayne. He sounded bitchier than Cassandra described him, donned in a black cape highlighted with yellow and wearing a domino mask.

Speaking of Cassandra, finally, after the vigilantes trickled in one-by-one, he saw her. Mask ripped off, hoodie torn, neck bruised, and eyes down-cast. She trailed behind the Signal and then…

She glanced at him. Her eyes went wide.

Her little jog as she came up to him was cute, especially with the smile wearing at her expression. Aaron pretended to be surprised.

"Cass, you're here," Aaron greeted with a slim smile of his own. His smile fell as he knitted his brows in concern. "You…don't look too good."

"I'm okay." A palm touched his heart. "You're okay?"

"More or less, yeah." The spiritual relief oozing from her was palpable. Too palpable, like she had known he was going to be here. "Wait…did you know I was going to be kidnapped?"

Cassandra rubbed the back of her neck. Her eyes darted down to his feet. "Mhm. Sorry."

He tilted his head. "Was that why you did that whole thing about wanting me to leave the city?"

"Mhm."

"Well, if that was the case, you could have just told me."

"Couldn't," Cassandra replied. "Was explicitly told I wasn't allowed to share information with those outside the family."

Such loyalty. He was impressed. Leave it to Cassandra to remain tight-lipped, to keep herself true to her cause. It was why he admired her so much.

He could feel the boring gazes of the Bat Family–plus Lady Shiva and Talia al Ghul. Aaron briefly wondered where David Cain was. Maybe he left or the Penguin grabbed him on the way out?

"Wait, wait, wait." Robin, Tim Drake, pulled Cassandra back by the shoulder. "I know I said that but, like…who is this?"

"I'm Aaron." He waved a hand.

"Who?" Nightwing repeated.

"Aaron Reigner."

"Never heard of you," Nightwing replied. He looked between the team. "Did Cassandra ever tell any of you about someone named Aaron? Steph?"

The purple-themed Bat shook her head. She tilted her head as she inspected him. "Nope. Never seen or heard of this guy. It's weird." She clicked her tongue. "Very weird…"

"You mean suspicious," Huntress added, squinting.

"Nice jaw, sharp eyes…" Lady Shiva had suddenly closed the distance between them, her head moving up and down. Like everyone else, she was inspecting him, except her examination was rather technical and close. "...lean muscles, good looks…is this your partner, daughter?"

"No!" Cassandra yelped.

Tim Drake pinched the bridge of his nose. Nightwing rubbed his mask as if wondering if he was in a dream. Damian Wayne behind his domino mask squinted. Batwoman put a hand on her hip. Stephanie Brown's Batgirl did the same but with less gusto. The Signal, Duke Thomas, looked like a lost child without parents. Nobody could move or speak as bewilderment overrode them, even Batman. Talia was perhaps the sole exception, rather intrigued than shocked.

"She pulled a Bruce," the Huntress muttered under her breath. He had no idea what she was referring to but the younger Bat Family members concurred.

"It's nothing like that," Aaron chimed in, contrasting Cassandra's discord. "We're close friends, that's all."

Admittedly, it hurt to say that. Still, seeing Cassandra's mother cradle her chin and deconstruct him like a toy dulled the pain. He needed to be as cool as a cucumber right now.

"I see," Lady Shiva muttered.

"Have you all lost your minds?" Damian Wayne stomped his way through and placed himself in front of Aaron. He glared at him, then Cassandra. "This man knows our identities. Orphan–Batgirl–have you lost your mind?"

Cassandra was not intimidated in the slightest. Smiling, she wrapped an arm around his waist and said, "Don't worry, I trust him." She beamed up at him like he was the light of her world.

He blinked twice. For the second time today, his mind was stunned by the sheer kindness of her gesture. It was a simple one-handed hug, a subtle and proud introduction of someone, yet it meant everything to Aaron.

Meanwhile, everybody else stared at Cassandra like she was crazy.

"The GCPD are coming," Nightwing suddenly announced. "We gotta go."

"The Commissioner will buy us some time," Red Robin stated. His eyes fell on Aaron. "What should we do about him?"

"Oracle," Batman said, tapping his cowl, "we're having a guest. Ready some coffee."

Aaron was impressed. 'The World's Greatest Detective, indeed. He somehow knew I was addicted to coffee.'

***

"Cool, right?"

Cassandra was beaming at him again. Aaron could remain cool for only so long before breaking into a smile.

"Yeah, it was cool," Aaron admitted.

"Told you." Cassandra snickered as she poked his side. He joined her with a small smile.

The sound? The vroom? The Batmobile was literally the stuff of legends and it lived up to the hype. He sat at the back alongside Cassandra, jittery and enthralled from the buzz of the high tech vehicle. It was dark and warm, and the atmosphere was oppressive with Batman driving. It reeked of gasoline and it roared to life as they turned and weaved through the streets of Gotham.

At the front, Batman tapped into the control panel and a hidden compartment opened and revealed a sleek metallic device with a series of buttons and switches. Batman expertly entered a sequence of codes and activated something. The Batmobile's engine revved and its headlights pierced through the darkness. Ahead, there was a graffiti wall belonging to an abandoned building.

The wall split open. The Batmobile zoomed through. The wheels were suddenly locked in.

The passage was tight and smooth, like a train track guiding the vehicle to its destination. The Batmobile went up, up, up, swerving and fighting a tough incline. Finally, the Batmobile came to a halt in a specially designed parking area. Batman shut off the engine and the headlights faded.

It was a short-lived experience that Aaron would never forget for the rest of his life.

While Aaron, Cassandra, Damian, and Tim had sat at the back, Batman, Lady Shiva, and Talia were at the front. The remaining heroes said they would join them another way. The doors of the Batmobile flew open simultaneously and everybody got off. Aaron surveyed his surroundings, the quiet hum of the area echoing around him.

"This doesn't look like the Bat Cave," Aaron mused to himself. "Where are we?"

"So she told you about the Bat Cave? Great," Damian mumbled.

"It's the Clock Tower," Tim explained, "it's where Oracle conducts her work."

Clock Tower? The term rang a bell. Cassandra must have mentioned it. "Oh, I see."

The Clock Tower's dimly lit control room was abuzz with activity. Multiple computer screens displayed real-time feeds from around Gotham City. The air was thick with tension and fatigue. Oracle, otherwise known as Barbara Gordon, sat at her workstation, her wheelchair positioned strategically to oversee the room.

Barbara turned herself around and faced the group. She eyed Lady Shiva like one would an old friend, then settled on Talia with distaste. Barbara pursed her lips and jabbed a thumb to her left. "The medical bay is that way, if you need it."

Every single one of their costumes were torn, bloodied, and stained with grime. Bruises and cuts marred their faces, evidence of their victory. Damian and Tim headed over to the medical bay to the right and dragged Cassandra with them. She wanted to stay with but alas her injuries were too severe to ignore. She wound up on a stretcher.

Aaron's nose twitched. The smell of coffee stained the air. His eyes and nose drifted together and eventually–

"So I got the coffee ready." Barbara Gordon's eyes went from person to person until it fell on Aaron. She raised a brow. "Who is this?"

"Later," Batman said. "Any signs of Prometheus, Angel Breaker and the Manhunter?"

"No." Barbara shook her head. "I think Prometheus is jamming the feeds of all available private, CCTV, and satellite footage. That helmet of his is too advanced now. We'll need to prepare in order to beat it next time."

"The Robins could not finish the job and now we suffer for it," Lady Shiva declared. "On top of that, the Manhunter and my student have escaped."

"I'm having the Gotham Sirens track them as we speak," said Barbara.

"Those three have never hunted in their life." Lady Shiva's remark carried an air of heavy disdain. Cold and dismissive, objective even. "My former student will be amused by their efforts. She will surely escape with her entourage."

The conversation sinked in. Aaron's ears shivered. His hands balled into a fist before relaxing at the inescapable reality.

'You have got to be fucking kidding me.'

Manhunter escaped!? Angel Breaker escaped!? After everything that happened, all the punches and kicks and blasts, they were gone!? Just like that? Aaron needed a place to sit.

'I assumed they weren't with them because they were leaving them to the authorities. I guess I was wrong.'

"What about Gotham?" Batman asked, single-minded and unfazed. "Have the riots died down?"

"Riots?" Aaron repeated, dumbfounded. Just what else was he missing? "What riots?"

"In the past few months, Leviathan has been slithering inside municipal political groups in order to stir trouble and gain control. Following that, they kidnapped, brainwashed, and indoctrinated civilians. It's impossible to guess how many they've been able to turn to their cause. Our lowest estimates put it at two thousand." Having Batman explain something to him was kinda cool. His voice was deep and informative, like a father preaching. "Today, like a timed bomb, it bottled up and exploded, just as they planned. Everywhere in Gotham, there have been anti-capitalist protests."

"It's not pretty," Barbara said. "We suspected this would happen so we had some people of ours keep a watch. It's gone violent but no civilians have been hurt so far, only the GCPD. Still, at the start, they spread us thin. It was looking bad for a while."

Her words struck something in his memory banks. A puzzle. A line of thinking.

'Some of our people…? Blue Bird. Harper Row. That was why she asked for the Robins' help. Barbara–Oracle–she assigned Harper this mission.'

Maybe here, maybe now, Aaron would receive all the answers to his questions.

"The D.E.O isn't too interested in quelling the protests either. Angel Breaker isn't directly involved so I cannot drain resources into fighting it," Talia said. Even as she uttered her next words, her composed demeanour exuded an aura of intense focus and unwavering confidence. "Apologies."

"This was bound to happen, regardless. The people of Gotham have been dissatisfied for decades," Lady Shiva stated.

Aaron kept himself steady. Panicking would get him nowhere. "How bad is it?"

"Statistically speaking?" Barbara spun around and typed in a set of code. A huge pie graph appeared. "Not bad at all. It's a local minority centralized in the Financial District. Unless you're rich, you don't have to worry. I'm having the Batman of New York also participate. He might not be Bruce but they don't know that, do they? They'll listen."

Aaron sighed. "That's a relief."

Regardless, he had to hand it to Oracle; she was quite the cunning woman. She enlisted the help of Julia and her Robins, got Jace and his crew to support, and on top of that was assisting the Bat Family and keeping tabs of coms. If Aaron wasn't playing the part of a normal civilian, he would applaud her for everything she had done.

"What's a relief?" The question was posed by a voice not as deep or gravelly as Batman's–rather smooth and resonant, projecting charm and charisma. Nightwing, Dick Grayson, arrived with the rest of the group. Batwoman, Katana, Stephanie Brown, Huntress, and the Signal. They looked much better than before. One of them must have been a medic or perhaps Nightwing stopped to pay attention to their injuries.

"Cass, are you alright?" Stephanie hurried over to her best friend, frowning. Cassandra flashed her a comforting smile. The blonde also smiled in relief. "After that laser shot to the back, I thought you would be way worse."

"Her armour took the brunt of the force," Tim explained. He had been tending to Damian and Cassandra since he was the least injured. Given his careful and cautious method of fighting, that was no surprise. "She'll be fine. I sprayed her with a sample of the Dionesium I collected from the cave."

"So…what, she'll be fine in like a day?" Stephanie asked.

"More like a few minutes," Tim corrected. "This is pure Dionesium in a smaller form. A spray. It's pretty much like those first aid kits in video games. Immediate reaction."

"Impressive," Damian admitted. "We should have taken additional samples if that was the case."

"The GCPD, remember?" Nightwing whacked the small kid in the back of his head. "Anyway, eyes up front. We have a guest."

The healing bay was quite close to Oracle's primary station, so everyone could convene and listen. All eyes were on Aaron, for some reason. Aaron blinked and pretended the pressure wasn't there.

"So…" Nightwing broke the silence, leaning on Cassandra's bed. "You're…who again?"

"Aaron. Aaron Reigner."

"So what do you do?" he asked.

"I work at Wayne Tech."

"Down in Otisburg?" Tim questioned.

"Yeah, that one."

"Wasn't there an attack a month back?" Batwoman pressed, beating Tim to the punch. "It involved Harley and Ivy. I believe they went there to check for shipments of unrefined Dionesium."

"I wouldn't know." Aaron shrugged his shoulders. He didn't need to lie since it was partly the truth. At the time, he really didn't know. "I work in a cubicle."

"You do? You work in a cubicle?" Nightwing's expression went wide. He took off his black domino mask, unveiling his startling blue eyes, and blinked three different times with three different sets of emotions. "I did not expect that. You look…edgier than that."

"More like too attractive for that," Huntress muttered. She must have made those kinds of comments often because nobody spared her a second look, except Cassandra.

"He's obviously lying," Damian said, scoffing. "He must know something."

A dark sensation suddenly bore down his temple. "Exhausted eyes, strong fingers..." Batman's vocal chords rumbled as he listed the impossibly subtle features. "He likely is an office worker, Damian."

"Whatever." The boy crossed his arms, the white of his mask's eyes never leaving Aaron. It was much stranger than Cassandra's Batgirl costume which was pure black.

A standstill. Some were skeptical of him while others were merely confused. It was strange being in the centre of attention. Aaron didn't know what to say to defend himself. Honestly, he didn't know if he wanted to. This was exciting. The Bat Cave, the Batmobile, Batman, Nightwing. It was a dream come true. Aaron wasn't huge on superheroes like, for example, Todd was but he appreciated them. He reacted to them like an ordinary person would a celebrity.

Lady Shiva, Katana and Batwoman were eerily silent. Like predators, they stalked his every move. Tim and Stephanie were the same except less antagonistic in their intentions. Batman and Nightwing too. Cassandra and Barbara were the only two giving him peace of mind.

And Talia…it was like Aaron wasn't there. Her focus shifted between Damian and Batman. Put simply, she didn't care for him in the slightest.

"Do you mind if I check your record?" Barbara asked. "That might help your cause. Just say the basics about yourself, like your birthday and whatnot."

'My cause? What the hell do you think I'm here for?'

"Sure," Aaron replied calmly. "I'm twenty-five years old, I was born on May 2, 1996, and raised in an orphanage. I graduated from Gotham University in 2018."

"Twenty five?" Huntress repeated, clicking her tongue. "Sheesh."

Again, she was ignored.

Click-clack, click-clack. Barbara typed on her keyboard like a madman. The electrifying sounds intensified the atmosphere. The sprays of Dionesium could be heard in the background. Batwoman sharply inhaled as Tim sprinkled her thigh with the glowing green substance.

Batman, Nightwing, Robin, Red Robin, Batwoman, Batgirl, the Signal, Lady Shiva, and Talia al Ghul. No matter how talented Aaron was and even if he managed to get Cassandra's support, there was no way he was getting out of this situation through a fight. Every second Tim spent healing them with Dionesium, the less his chances were. It would take a real heavy-hitter like the Green Lantern or Hawkgirl, someone with real super strength and speed. Aaron didn't have that. He needed to use his words and he needed to use them carefully.

"So far, so good." Somehow, on two of the monitors, Barbara had pulled up his driver's licence. "1996, May 2…all correct," she muttered. Her dedication was unwavering, her expertise apparent in the way she navigated through complex algorithms and layers of encrypted information. She methodically pieced together fragments of the puzzle, gradually revealing a comprehensive profile of Aaron Reigner.

'Ugh.' His old university photos. 'Why?'

There was no particular issue with the photos. He wasn't ugly back then nor was he problematic. He just hated looking at himself through a camera lens.

"You're younger than you look," Batwoman commented, as if Huntress hadn't implied just that. "I assumed you were in your thirties."

"In a good way," Nightwing quipped. "It's sort of like Bruce–"

Tim elbowed his older brother. Aaron could feel Batman bristling. Frankly, he agreed. Being compared to Batman was weird. Not offensive, but weird. The man's voice was deeper than a bass, erupting from the depths of his chest and adding an element of roughness and intimidation. Aaron, while dark and moody, did not possess that kind of intimidation. He was shorter, less bulky, and less expressive and aggressive. Calm and cool rather than commanding and strong.

His shoulders were also not remotely as broad.

Barbara adjusted her glasses and went further into her investigation. Utilizing her vast network of resources, she cross-referenced data, accessed restricted files, and analyzed patterns, determined to uncover every detail of his civilian profile.

"Wait…you have a daughter?" Barbara said, incredulous. As if losing all interest in her heavy-handed hacking, she turned in her wheelchair and faced him. Her brows were scrunched up from the sheer absurdity of it. "You're twenty-five. You have a nine-year-old daughter."

"I do." Aaron's voice went low in his reply. He could have won the Oscars with the way his eyes saddened and lowered. "I got kidnapped by Leviathan but…I don't think she was. No, I know she wasn't. She's strong and smart but I need to go back to her as soon as I'm done with whatever you guys want. She's too young and…and I'm sure she's scared."

Barbara softened. He could sense the same emotion from the others. "Yes, of course."

Aaron was glad he implanted this failsafe. See, Aaron knew that taking Chloe in was illegal. She had no papers and he hadn't formally registered as her guardian. If anyone found out and reported it to the police, he would have been arrested faster than he could hypnotize them. He needed evidence. He needed clarification. So, he had Hadiyah hack into the public records and post adoption papers set three years back. It was simple, easy, and it didn't harm anyone. He had asked Chloe for her thoughts on an official adoption because of what he had already done. Chloe didn't know it, but she was his daughter in every way but blood.

Now, it was here to act as his greatest alibi. As a man worthy of trust. Nearly everyone here had daddy issues. What a stroke of luck that he could capitalise on it.

"You…have a daughter?" Cassandra cracked. "I…did not know that."

His heart burned. Right…he didn't tell her. She hadn't met Chloe yet. Cassandra looked like her heart had been torn in two and stomped on. She was like a ghost slowly losing spiritual energy.

Fuck. He had no choice but to continue the charade.

"Wait, are you married or was this an accident or…?" Nightwing's attempt to lighten the mood was appreciated. "I mean, impregnating someone at sixteen is dumb but impressive–"

"She's adopted," Barbara promptly cut in, "the records are here. Nine year old girl, Chloe Reigner, adopted when she was seven."

"I bet the child doesn't even exist," Damian argued. He turned towards Cassandra, scowling. "Trust me, Cassandra. This man is not worthy–"

"Or maybe he is," the Signal interjected. He put a calming hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "Look, man, let's just relax instead of pointing fingers. We're injured. We should focus our efforts on finding the Manhunter, Prometheus, and Angel Breaker."

"If you don't mind me asking, who is Prometheus?" Aaron asked.

Leaning against the console was Talia al Ghul, her gorgeous mid-riff nearly snatching his gaze. "Prometheus…" Talia spoke his name with begrudging respect. "He stands next to Angel Breaker as a second to the Manhunter." Her voice lowered, her tone filled with ire and caution. "Prometheus, like the rest of Leviathan, seeks to dismantle the very foundations of justice. He views superheroes as symbols of inequality and disruption, believing they have tipped the scales in their favour. His purpose is to restore a twisted sense of equilibrium."

"He is a lot like Father." Damian spoke the words with contempt, like it was a travesty but one he needed to admit to himself. "Trained in every art, science, and field. The pinnacle of humanity. Those with meta powers fall to him like flies. It was up to us to defeat him, a task we failed."

"We ambushed him and nearly defeated him," Nightwing clarified. "Unfortunately, he got away. It was a matter of luck."

"I would argue it was skill," Damian contended.

Nightwing huffed and crossed his arms. "Damian, stop. If it was a matter of skill, then you and I together would have been enough. We weren't. Luck and circumstance. Today's battle was decided by those factors, nothing more."

Wanting to end the childish argument, Batman elaborated in their stead. "Prometheus possesses a mind honed to perfection but more importantly he can download the knowledge and physical skills of others directly into his brain via a compact disc in his helmet. His default disc includes the skills of thirty of the world's greatest martial artists."

"Myself, Batman, and Nightwing are included in said disk," Lady Shiva said. "On his own, Prometheus is a decent martial artist. A challenge to the little birds over there." At the sly insult, Damian sneered while Tim shifted his weight. "Combining that level of martial arts with an artificial intelligence, you can create a martial artist deadlier than myself. No matter what comes at Prometheus, he can calculate and deploy a variety of strategies and countermeasures. It seems he gifted Manhunter the very same AI. When I fought him, I noticed how unnatural his movements were. They were too precise for a human brain."

"Huh. What I wanna know is if there's a weakness?" Stephania pondered. "Being that overpowered has to have drawbacks."

"Agreed," Damian said.

'Prometheus, huh…'

Talk about information overload. The mysterious Angel Breaker and her prophetic sword, Manhunter who wasn't Mark Shaw, and now Prometheus? Aaron didn't know what to say or do except gesture to the cool cup of coffee next to Barbara Gordon. "May I?"

"Oh, uh, sure." Barbara handed it to him. He brought the drink to his lips. The redhead seemed mousy while watching him. "Is it good?" she asked.

"It's okay. It could use more sugar though." His tongue smacked against his gums. "You put a quarter cup of cream and sugar, right?"

"How'd you figure?"

"Coffee addict."

"Hey! Just like me!" Tim chipped in. "And it's another sign of an overworked office worker."

"Overworked?" Batman repeated. Once again, his eyes fell on Aaron and it made him skittish.

"No offence, Mr. Wayne," Aaron replied, wanting to address his boss (was he even his boss?) properly, "but that's just how office jobs are. You spend long hours and comb over paperwork–"

"Boring." Lady Shiva cut through his sentence with a single, commanding word. Grimacing, she gestured to Aaron then her daughter, "I have no interest in such menial talk. Cassandra, I suspect you feel the same. We should be out hunting for the Manhunter. You do wish to save this city, no? Protect the innocent? We cannot be wasting time."

Cassandra went upright like a spring board. She disagreed. Lady Shiva's penetrating eyes dug into her.

"Daughter," Lady Shiva began once more, exasperated, "you know these people–Batman–they hold you back. The two of us today were not enough but perhaps together we can be."

Cassandra's lips were sewed shut. She refused to engage her mother in a heated debate. Aaron was proud of her. She was headstrong and oftentimes let her emotions get the better of her. Not today.

"Lady Shiva, I have the utmost respect for you. However…" Talia approached the woman. Equal in height, stature, and physical conditioning, there was mutual respect between them. Lady Shiva lowered her chin and listened to the former heir of the al Ghuls. "...Manhunter, Prometheus, and our former student proved to be stronger than we could have possibly imagined. We need a plan."

"They are weakened," Lady Shiva shot back. "Right now is the best time as any."

"So are you. There is no advantage for either side. We must recuperate first. Plan. Then, we attack." Talia put a fist over her heart. "I promise you on my name: we will kill Angel Breaker. She will die for her travesties. But we must remain patient."

"Hmph." Lady Shiva put her arms under her bust. "What about the Penguin and David Cain?"

Like a shotgun with no recoil, Talia responded, "Abandon them. They have served their purpose."

"Mother." Damian growled and flinged himself off the gurney. "I knew it. I knew you were using them."

"Of course, my beloved son." Talia peered over her shoulder, at Damian, with a ghost of a smile. "The D.E.O would never get caught intermingling with such mindless fools."

"There will be repercussions," Damian warned.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not."

"You are trying to reestablish your power over the League of Assassins again. First by acting all buddy-buddy with Lady Shiva over there, the leader of the League of Shadows, now this alliance with us to track Angel Breaker." Damian paused for effect. "You wish to usurp her. To return to your throne."

Damian was right on the dot, apparently, because Talia began to applaud him. "Well done, my beloved son. Yes, that is correct. You are every bit the detective your father is."

"Silence." Damian snarled. "Mother, you have not changed one bit. I had hoped your role in the D.E.O had made you realize the error of your ways. It seems I was wrong."

"One day, you will understand," Talia countered, tender and cryptic. "But that is not today. For now, you need me, just as I need you. Isn't that right…Detective?"

The air thickened. Batman did not grace her with a response as Damian's wrath twisted and grew in silence. This situation was evolving into something far beyond his scope. Aaron sipped on his coffee. At least he was comfortable.

***

"So." Aaron smiled. "That was fun."

Cassandra's cheeks flushed. "Sorry."

They stood in front of his apartment doorway, waiting for nothing in particular. After a deep line of questioning, the Bat Family let him go. He promised them he wouldn't expose their identities. Exhausted, injured, still in the middle of the mission and urged by Cassandra, they let him go. Aaron Reigner was allowed to walk free while possessing their greatest secret.

Was it luck? Circumstances? Probably a combination of the two. Everytime he brought up his daughter, he could see their resolve weaken. Aaron didn't know everyone's backstory but he knew most–if not all–didn't have parents. A psychological weak point he was very subtle in poking.

Stephanie Brown and Dick Grayson were the most understanding. The kindest and most helpful. They offered him food and a change of clothes, which he accepted. Standing in the cold, unforgiving temperature of the Gotham Clock Tower in sweatpants was not fun.

Tim Drake and Duke Thomas were nice enough too. Professional but human. Batman and Batwoman were the two who he had to keep his toes around. They were ruthless, prodding him with question after question, confirming his testimony several times over. Talia and Lady Shiva never approached him but Katana did. She came up to him, guided her gaze from his toes to his face, and then left him alone.

The ghostly muteness of Katana was chilling. He wished she would have spoken at least once. A word, a greeting, something. Instead, he was left with the image of a badass swordswoman in a tight, sexy outfit.

Catwoman swung by as well. Seeing him, she smiled, pretended she didn't know him, and innocently asked about the situation. Subtly, unbeknownst to the World's Great Detective, she manipulated and amended Aaron's story. She chose her words like a stray cat needing food, demonstrating her sympathy through her body language and the undertones of her sentences. The Batman's greatest strength and weakness was his compassion, particularly to those close to him. Consequently, Catwoman could control him like he was her pet, the same way Aaron controlled her. It was a cycle of manipulation forever in his favour.

Aaron suspected only Talia al Ghul noticed, or perhaps she was just naturally antagonistic towards Catwoman due to her closeness to Batman. The tension between the former lovers of Batman was palpable. Either way, Talia was dangerous and mean. Aaron counted it as a blessing that he didn't have to converse with her.

"I wished I could have gone on the Batmobile again," Aaron commented.

"Hot but cool, right?" Cassandra joked, grinning. He nodded. He didn't mind calling over a taxi but it seemed anti-climactic. Going from a hundred million dollar car to a Toyota Camery was the downgrade of the century. He couldn't help the frown on his face as he paid the fee.

"Also," he glanced at the halls to confirm no one was listening, "Batman's voice was just as deep as you said it was. No, deeper."

"Told you."

"And his shoulders…how is he so broad?"

"Training."

"It's ridiculous."

"He's Batman."

Laughter ensued.

In spite of his complaints, Aaron would never forget what he saw today. The battles, the Batmobile, the taxi ride home. The latter was unexpectedly carved into his core memories. The streets of Gotham had been hollow as if everybody had ghosted the town. Conflicts and threats of bombing had happened and rendered the streets devoid of humanity but not like this. Leviathan truly embodied the image of a leviathan, a ferocious, unyielding sea creature of many tendrils. The working class, the vulnerable, the homeless–they were all fighting against the Gotham regime while manipulated by the strings of Leviathan.

"Your mother was nice," Aaron continued, wanting to hear her voice, wanting to comfort her. "Like you said, she isn't totally unsalvageable."

He fostered a moment of vulnerability in her. She chuckled, hand over her mouth, and her eyes wrinkled. "Agreed." Pause. Curiosity flickered in her eyes. A suspicion–no, a fear. "Um, about your daughter…"

"She's the reason I can't leave Gotham," Aaron explained hurriedly. "She and I have been together for a while but she often goes to visit her blood relatives." He was just making shit up and trying to salvage his lies. "I didn't mean for the two of you to never meet but…" His jaw clenched and he put his hands in his pockets. "No offence, but there isn't a woman in the world interested in a single dad. A guy with a kid. A guy with baggage."

Emotions bubbled out of him like a volcano. It was like it was natural, like he was telling the truth. Cassandra's eyes softened and for a moment Aaron thought he was making the correct choice. He was lying for a good reason.

But then it hit him. The reason why he could lie so well in front of the living lie detector wasn't because he was avoiding the truth. No, what he was saying, what he was admitting…it was a reflection of himself.

A guy with baggage.

A guy with no future.

That was what he thought of himself.

He inhaled sharply. "I'm sorry, Cassandra. For lying."

And that was the truth.

"It's okay." She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him. "I forgive you." Her warmth was like a fire in a winter storm. He wanted to pull himself deeper into it.

He did. Aaron hugged her tightly. He could feel her stiffen in surprise but otherwise accepted the passion. She was eager to hug him too, it seemed. To smell him, to have him in her arms, uninjured and vulnerable.

'Fuck…'

Aaron locked his hands together. Tight.

'I really think I'm in love with her.'

But rather than admit those feelings, he pulled away. Their arms were latched onto each other, craving the touch. Reluctantly, Aaron broke it off and took out his keys.

'Next time, we'll have that conversation. Right now, I need to see Chloe.'

"See you, Cass."

Cassandra Cain smiled sadly. "Bye..."

He opened his apartment door and went inside. The thud behind him twisted his heart.

Amongst the darkness in his apartment, there was a single light bulb emanating from the living room. "Chloe," Aaron called out. "Chloe, are you alright?"

No response. A disturbing void formed in his stomach. A distinct smell hung in the air that he couldn't quite put his finger on. He took off his shoes. One step forward. Two steps forward. He had been gone for…what? Seven, eight hours?

'She should still be here unless–'

He sensed someone. Four bodies, three breathing. The fresh smell of electricity crackled.

His blood ran cold. There, seated at his couch, was a trio he never thought he would see again. A trio he never imagined would be sitting languidly at his boring red couch. Angel Breaker, the Manhunter, and one last villain. A male donned in a sleek and intimidating black bodysuit fitting him like a second skin. His visor purple and V-shaped; his emotions, identity, and intentions indiscernible...

"GrEeTiNgS."

…especially because he had an unconscious Chloe on his lap.

"YoU…must be Aaron Reigner," the Manhunter stated. The glitch in his voice box had suddenly dissipated. "It is an honour to meet you at last. We are Leviathan."