108 The Wall #108

'So much for my epic rematch with Killer Croc...' I mused, holding back a chuckle as I watched Bane violently smash the humanoid lizard's back into his knee with a loud snap.

Killer Croc didn't even have the time to scream in agony and immediately went comatose, causing Bane to let out another mocking scoff before throwing him away like a piece of sewer garbage.

Even the announcer didn't bother to check on Killer Croc and immediately declared Bane's victory. Honestly, who could blame him? The humanoid lizard was definitely not getting up anytime soon after that, if ever.

"Killer Croc was more powerful, but Bane's tactical mind and ability to fight intelligently won him the day..." Richard analyzed as we watched Bane leave the ring contently after beating his opponent.

"Rage blinded Croc. He was spraying and praying while Bane was targeting vitals and protecting his week areas..." He added, turning to me with a raised eyebrow, and I immediately got the hint; keep your shit together when you're fighting, or you'll get your ass broken.

I've mostly gotten my anger issues under control, evident by how I handled the gangster fucktard who shot me and firefly without, you know, tearing them new ones.

Then again, I usually tend to lose control and go bat-shit crazy when I'm in a life-or-death fight, and no one pushed me that far since Abbot. Even the Mawzir wasn't a real threat at that point.

No one has seriously pissed me off so far either, so I still don't know if I had the problem under control and never will until someone does. I just hope no one will be there to see it when it does happen.

"Fair enough," I replied, shrugging at my teacher's unsaid words, and he merely smiled, nodded, and resumed staring at the arena once he understood I got the message.

"To the left side..." the announcer began introducing the next fight, and I immediately ignored the match once he declared the two fighters who were your average gang enforcers.

...

Louisiana

Belle Reve Penitentiary

Amanda Waller had a blank look on her face as she sat behind her desk, staring into her computer screen that showed footage from inside the prison cells of multiple captives.

Some seemed injured, some were unmoving, and some were healthy. Maybe too healthy, Amanda thought with a sigh as she watched Blockbuster violently smash his shoulder against the walls.

She looked away from the computer screen, wondering how her life turned the way it did. Her choices led her to her current position. Amanda walked into it of her own free will, but she couldn't help but contemplate the what-ifs.

What if her son, Joe, wasn't murdered by some mugger right after getting a basketball scholarship? What if her Daughter, Damita, wasn't raped and killed in some dark alleyway?

What if she and her husband didn't know The Candy Man was the one responsible for their daughter's tragic death? What if the police had done something about it instead of washing their hands off the case?

What if her husband didn't confront the psychotic serial killer and die after killing the latter?

Would she still be known as Amanda The Wall Waller, one of the most feared and respected members of the U.S. government, because of her ruthless and uncompromising attitude? Would she even want that for herself?

So many questions that Amanda would ask herself whenever she allowed herself to grieve in silence, to be vulnerable, but only when no one was watching.

Amanda Waller was an unfeeling machine of justice to everyone else, a cold-hearted bitch that didn't stop at anything to get shit done. But in the end, she knew she was only human with her own emotions, insecurities, and moments of vulnerability.

The day her husband died, Amanda swore the streets would not take any more of her family. She strove to get her remaining children through college despite struggling with bills.

And once the last of her children graduated and were ready to stand on their feet, she put herself through college and earned a degree in political science.

Amanda then decided to go into politics, and she approached democratic congressional candidate Marvin Collins to become his campaign director, and he agreed upon noticing her intelligence and drive.

Collins was elected thanks to Amanda's efforts, and he took her to Washington as his aide to show his gratitude. She quickly achieved great success in her environment, quickly making a name for herself.

Eventually, Amanda discovered the old Task Force X files while searching through old bills. Realizing it would be the best chance to remove threats like The Candy Man and make the world a better place for her children, she asked to revive the Suicide Squad.

The rest? Well, the rest was history.

Amanda could have dwelled on her past and the many rapid turns her life took for her to finally come to what it was now, as she sometimes does when alone. But a knock on the door snapped her out of it this time.

"Come in," Amanda said as she turned to face the door after clearing her throat and shaking off the stray thought of her head to gather her bearing and make herself look presentable.

Amanda The Wall Waller could not be seen by anyone if she didn't look her ruthless, calculating, cold self, after all.

The door opened, revealing a tall, black-haired woman with white skin in a tight, black and purple suit, who immediately entered the room and stood before Amanda's office.

"What can I do for you, Nightshade...?" Amanda asked, keeping her tone distant as she addressed one of the oldest members of her task force, one that joined willingly at that.

She kept a professional tone while addressing her agents, avoiding any personal involvement, whether they were hardened criminals working to earn their freedom, heroes who joined for personal reasons, or government operatives who only wished to serve.

Nightshade was, of course, one of the people who willingly joined for personal reasons. She was a hero who genuinely wanted to make the world a better place, but the dirty work the Suicide Squad did was never her cup of tea.

Amanda lost count of how many times Nightshade defied her passively and actively, going as far as to ask Rick Flag to rescue their teammate, Nemesis, after he was captured by Russian operatives and held captive in Moscow.

She couldn't risk causing an international incident to rescue a convicted villain. However, she eventually had to cave in and let Nightshade have her way after the latter banded with other squad members, pressuring Amanda into authorizing the rescue.

Thus Amanda preferred to deal with convicts and government agents, as she could bind the former to her will with promises of freedom and explosives planted into their brains, and the latter needed no convincing. They were ready to obey without question by default.

Heroes like Nightshade, on the other hand, were quick to rebel, and the only thing keeping her in the Suicide Squad was Amanda's promise to let the heroine commandeer the squad to rescue her brother from some shadow demon in a different dimension.

Amanda contemplated letting go of Nightshade's services multiple times. But her ability to blend into the shadows and open portals proved too valuable in many scenarios, proving indispensable to the team's success.

"I did as you asked. However, Wraith refused to sell his weapons to The Penguin..." Nightshade replied, trying and failing to hide the contempt in her expression and tone as she looked at Amanda.

"Shame. We could have had a fine addition to our arsenal and leverage over Wraith if he went through with the deal..." Amanda blankly said, shaking her head as she brought up Wraith's file and began typing.

"But at least now we know his weapons won't get into the wrong hands, so that's one less thing to worry about..." she added as she finished the new entry to Wraith's profile and closed it.

"How goes the recruitment effort...?" Amanda asked as she turned back to face Nightshade, to which the latter's eyes frowned at her choice, and disgust leaked into her expression like never before.

"The recruitment, as you call it, is going well. The Penguin arranged the fights as instructed by you..." Nightshade replied, barely holding back a disgusted scowl at the shady dealings with the Gothamite mob boss.

"By the end of the day, we should receive custody of Killer Croc and other notable villains, though the former is severely injured..." she concluded as images of Bane snapping the humanoid lizard flashed in her mind, giving her goosebumps.

"Very good. Then we should prepare our medical facilities to hasten Croc's rehabilitation..." Amanda said, nodding in satisfaction at Nightshade's report.

"You are doing well, Nightshade. I will give you command over the squad once this is over, as promised..."

...

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