Star City Police Department

October 24th 2013

No one knows for certain how the Joker manage to manipulate Green Arrow into killing his wife and unborn son, the people of Star City were rallying in support for their hero against the Joker who was currently held in the Star City Police Department for his part of the crime. Green Arrow unfortunately had disappeared from public view after the death of his wife, he had cut off all communications with the Justice League and destroyed the Zeta-Tube in his cave. Batman and Superman had flown to Star City to help interrogate the man responsible for the deaths of Black Canary and her child, the other members of the League and the Young Justice Team were stationed all around hoping to make contact with Green Arrow.

While the protestors gather outside the Police Department seeking for the Joker's blood, high above the roofs stood a lone hooded archer who had nothing left in this world for him to enjoy in. His one and only love was killed by his own hand and in the process killing his unborn son. He was not in the mood to joke or to reason with. He believe in the code: an eye for an eye. And since Dinah was dead. The Joker has to die too. He nocked an arrow to his bow and pulled the string back.

"I'm coming to get you." He growled and released.

Inside the station all could feel the explosion that rocked the building and rendered the Dark Knight unconscious, Superman was the only one left standing between Green Arrow and the Joker. "Ollie? It's over. The Joker will answer for his crimes. He will get a life sentence. I promise you." The Man of Steel tried to reason with his friend. A fast swirling arrow was his reply. He grabbed the arrow with his hands. "You know you're not able to hit me with this." He said calmly.

Green Arrow scoffed. "Wasn't planning to."

Superman looked at the arrow shaft before he was knocked to his knees by the kryptonite that Green Arrow had hidden inside, the Man of Steel was rendered useless and could not do anything but watch as the Joker was beaten to a pulp before his very eyes. "You took her away from me!" One punch. "You drugged me! Made me...Dinah...my son..." Green Arrow allowed himself to cry softly before flinging the Joker towards a wall. "I'm not going to allow you to get away with all of this!" The Joker instead taunted and mocked the emerald archer agitating him further.

"First Red Arrow, now Black Canary. People you love tend to die don't they?"

Green Arrow narrowed his eyes in warning.

"Don't do it Ollie!" Superman cried from his position.

The emerald archer hesitated and smashed his fist onto a nearby wall inches away from the Joker's face, but instead of calming down the clown continued to taunt him. With a mere fraction of his force, Green Arrow flung the Joker across the room. The Joker stood up as if nothing happened and went to sit on the only chair that wasn't damaged when the explosion took place. "You think you can have a family. That locking me up will magically reform me. And they'll be safe. So big, so dumb..." That sentence was the last straw, Green Arrow pulled out an arrow and nocked it to his bow.

The Joker scoffed. "Do you think you'll ever love again? Maybe you won't kill your remaining son-!"

"NO!" Superman cried despite his weakened state.

The arrow had found it's mark and pierced thru the Joker's skull leaving blood stains all over the wall, without another word Green Arrow turned and left the way he came. Superman looked stricken at the sight of a mortally wounded Batman and the bloody corpse of the Joker, true that the clown was clinically insane and had committed all sorts of atrocities on the populace. But no one deserves to suffer pain before death. The door to the cell was kicked open and a couple of armed police officers rushed to the aid of both the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel. Wonder Woman and Hal Jordan both arrived on scene and when they saw the lifeless body of the Joker, they felt sick and equally horrified.

"By Hera..." Wonder Woman covered her mouth.

"He...he killed him." Hal Jordan bowed his head out of respect.

"What happened to Batman?" Asked a worried Robin who had just arrived.

Superman took a deep breath to regain his bearings as the police officers removed the kryptonite away from him, he glanced worriedly at the Dark Knight. "Green Arrow blasted a hole through the wall behind us. Batman was standing near the edge when the explosion took place sending him flying to where he is now." He explained what happened before the murder took place. "Green Arrow took matters into his own hands and killed the Joker when he mocked his family...something about not killing his other son."

"I believe I can explain that." Hal said softly. "By now most of the League should know that Captain Marvel is in fact ten year old Billy Batson...Ollie followed him for some time and even asked me for help once. We both discovered that Billy lived on the streets and was an orphan boy even before he took up the mantle of Shazam. For that very reason, Ollie took him under his wing as a son...they've bonded ever since." His expression turned to sadness. "Captain Marvel will do anything to protect his father even if it means fighting the entire League."

Wonder Woman sighed and shook her head. "I feel nothing but worry for Green Arrow."

"Losing Roy was already taking the toll on him." Hal muttered softly. "And now Dinah and his unborn son are dead. Killed by his very own hands..." His communicator beeped. "Hal here." He answered and his expression changed to a mixture of anger and shock. "Are you certain? What are the conditions of the League?" All eyes now turned to him. He looked at them with pure horror. "Happy Harbor was destroyed by a nuclear bomb..." He looked away. "...Mount Justice was destroyed and the casualties of both the League and the Team are equally high. John had confirmed the deaths of Superboy and Nightwing." He cast a glance at the Man of Steel. "I'm sorry."

Superman had to use all of his power to remain calm. "The nuke...who sent it?"

"It wasn't sent." Hal clenched his fists. "It was placed."

"By whom?" Demanded a now enraged Robin.

"John and Guy are currently investigating. But here is the disturbing news..." Superman nodded at him to continue. "The Joker somehow had linked Dinah's heartbeat to the nuke, when Dinah and the baby died...Happy Harbor and Mount Justice went with them." All eyes widened in horror at what Joker had done to weaken the League from the inside. His communicator beeped once more and he hesitated to answer fearing the results but he did anyway. "What did you find John?" There was absolute silence for a minute. "Repeat your last? Did you say something about Arkham being attacked?"

Superman stood to his full height. "It's true." He said somberly. "I can't see clearly due to the after effects but I can see the smoke rising from within the prison compound."

"Hang on." Robin raised his hand. "Batgirl just sent me this." He pressed a button on his wrist and the familiar haunting voice of Green Arrow could be heard.

"Long have we waited in the shadow and not do anything against the criminals that roam in Arkham Asylum. Everyone can be a witness at what happened at Happy Harbor and the deaths of dozens of League members, some of the dead are even teenagers as well. Our sidekicks! Our sons and daughters! One of these madmen permanently scarred this world. Myself and my fellow Justice League members have decided that these criminals must be dealt with."

"He cannot be serious." Wonder Woman hissed in anger. "Who would in their right mind will side with him?" She asked as if someone could come out with an explanation.

Superman frowned. "Enough." He said with an authoritative voice."Robin, get yourself and Bruce out of here. Do not go to the Batcave, Gotham is no longer safe with the unrest going on. I'll inform Kara to get Alfred and Batgirl out of there. The rest of you, come with me. We'll see if we can reason with Oliver and the League members that side with him." And with that, Superman took to the skies alongside Hal Jordan and Wonder Woman leaving Robin to extract Batman.

Arkham Asylum

By the time Superman and his entourage arrived at the prison it was already in flames and hundreds were left to rot outside the compound be it guards or inmates. Some of the bodies had arrows sticking out of them, others were burnt with lightning and some were twisted inside out with magic. The sounds of fighting drew the three heroes deeper into the prison and there they found what they came searching for. Opposite them was Green Arrow executing Two-Face as if he were a bamboo stick. Captain Marvel twisted the neck of an inmate before setting three more alight. Zatanna Zatara was using her spells to spill out the guts of the Riddler. Aquaman was engaging Solomon Grundy. The Flash was beating Poison Ivy to a pulp.

"Stop this madness at once!" Superman commanded.

"Well, you were right. They're exactly where you said they'd be." Zatanna said turning to face Wonder Girl.

"Siding with the monsters." Came the reply of Wonder Girl. "But it's just the three of them. They shouldn't give us any trouble."

"I swear by Hades that I will-!" Wonder Woman was cut off by a punch to her face.

"You will what?!" Wonder Girl growled standing above her mentor. "Nightwing, M'gann, Artemis, Kid Flash, Beast Boy, Superboy, Cyborg, Raven, Doctor Fate and even Red Tornado. They all died trying to evacuate the civilians...And you did nothing to help them! Green Arrow did something at least, he killed the monster behind their deaths!"

Aquaman narrowed his eyes in warning when Hal tried to approach. "Do not try to negotiate with me." He hissed under his breath. "Kaldur'ahm perished in Mount Justice...Green Arrow was right about teaching the criminals a lesson. I feel much more at ease." He pointed his finger at Superman. "If you or any others try to stop me. You'll face the might of Atlantis!"

Captain Marvel stood beside Green Arrow protectively. "Father's right. If you don't like us then leave."

"Billy..." Superman was shocked that the boy he had recruited just months ago had turned against him as well. He cast a look at Hal and Wonder Woman, both whom were either enraged at the betrayal or saddened that they could not do anything to prevent the death of Dinah. "I'm sorry..." He turned around and headed for the exit. "Diana, Hal. Let's go."

Both Wonder Woman and Hal Jordan looked at the Man of Steel with wide eyes. Was Superman really leaving without a fight? Has he completely lost his mind? What about all these prisoners, are their suffering worth nothing to him? Those were the words forming in their minds but they followed him nonetheless, knowing too well that they both couldn't stop Green Arrow and his League turncoats even with their powers combine. The emerald archer stood by and watched as the trio took flight, leaving Gotham behind for good, behind him stood his fellow heroes who have all decided to stand by his rule of conduct. It was he who reformed the League when Superman gave up. It was he who convinced the former Seven to rejoin. So far, Flash was the only member of the Seven to join him.

"So what now?" Aquaman asked. "Superman is bound to inform the League about this."

Green Arrow narrowed his eyes. "We continue to fight for justice. We'll root out all evil from this very Earth." He said and everyone present agreed with him. "A new day is rising. The reign of the Justice League is over...and the dawn of the Outcasts have begun."

Watchtower

Headquarters of the Justice League

Superman sat at the northern part of the conference table where the remainder of the Justice League had gathered in full strength, he suddenly felt the great loss of so many friends and colleagues that he had come to call family. Even though Robin and Guy Gardener was each given a seat at the meeting, the entire table wasn't as filled up as it was the other time, about seven chairs remained empty even though Batman was denied entry due to strict orders from Wonder Woman.

Those who have gathered include: Captain Atom. Hawkgirl. Wonder Woman. Robin. Guy Gardener. Hal Jordan. John Stewart. Martian Manhunter. Icon. Batgirl. Impulse. The rest of the League had perished in the rescue operations conducted at Happy Harbor alongside the Team, the survivors joined Green Arrow in his newly formed Outcasts. Superman sighed. Never before had the League suffered a loss such as this, true they had some hard time with the Reach and the Light but this was entirely new.

"I trust that every one of you must be going through a hard time as I am." He spoke in a gruff voice.

"Is it true?" Captain Atom asked with his arms folded. "Is it true that Green Arrow has turned his cloak." All eyes turned to the Man of Steel for an answer.

Superman looked ashamed. He refused to look at anyone when he replied. "Yes. It is true. Everything you've heard about Green Arrow is a hundred percent true. Hal, Diana and myself witnessed him executing Two-Face at Arkham earlier this evening." Several gasps could be heard before the room fell absolutely silent. "It is also true that several of our members had joined him in his crusade against crime. They include: Aquaman. Wonder Girl. Zatanna. Captain Marvel. Flash. All of them were involved in the attack on Arkham."

"My god..." John Stewart covered his face with his hands. "What did we do?"

"We failed to save Black Canary." Came the Martian's reply.

"But that cannot mean he would-" Batgirl was cut off by the Boy Wonder.

"Green Arrow allowed his vengeance to cloud his judgment..."

"I hate to say it but Robin is right." Guy Gardener commented grimly. "As members of the Justice League. It is our duty to stop him...and those aiding him."

"Do you think it's that easy?" Asked the voice of a familiar man. All eyes turned to the door where the Dark Knight stood despite the bandages around his head and arm. He walked forward with a straight back and took his seat beside Superman. He pressed a few buttons and the device in the center of the table flared to live. "As you can see in this recording, Green Arrow has successfully rallied the people to his side. He merely had to remind them of Happy Harbor and what the Joker had done and the people are his to command. Already, Gotham and Metropolis are on lock down."

"By Hera..." Wonder Woman shook her head. "What is he thinking?"

"Not only that." Batman pressed another button and the scene changed. "This was taken near Taiwan and Japan. The sea water has pulled back drastically to make way for Aquaman's invading army. As we speak in this very room, Taiwan and Japan are being invaded by the Atlantean army." He clicked another button and the image of Aquaman zoomed closer. "And see for yourself who is standing beside Arthur."

"It can't be!" Impulse nearly fell out of his chair.

"Black Manta." Hal said with disgust. "No wonder Arthur has a sudden increase in his military."

Batgirl suddenly stood up. "Everyone! I'm receiving a report from Commissioner Gordon, the people had broken apart the police blockade and are storming the Wayne Industry building on orders of Green Arrow." Batman narrowed his eyes but said nothing. "You will not believe this but..." She pressed a button on her wrist and an image that no one wanted to believe appeared.

"No way!" Icon rebuked. "Impossible!"

Robin rocked backwards in his chair with a defeated expression. "That's it...we're finished. With Deathstroke and Ra's al Ghul on his side, he would be unstoppable. The world's best mercenary and the entire League of Assassins...even the military are proven no match." He sulked.

"What are we going to do?" Asked Impulse. He might be the youngest amongst all but he wasn't going down without a fight. "We can't just sit here and allow the Outcasts to roam around!"

Superman stood to his full height. "This is it..." He said gravely. "This is the final time we are all working together." Every single hero looked at him for an explanation. "Despite what we've done to safeguard humanity...it is clear that a mere loss of a loved one can change us drastically. I cannot and will not condone such acts on the populace in the near future. This is the main reason why I'm disbanding the Justice League." He closed his eyes and allowed some time for all to think. "After we deal with the Outcasts, we are all going our own way."

"That..." Martian Manhunter spoke for everyone. "...is understandable."

"Good." Superman looked at everyone. "Let's go save the world one last time."