Gotham VS The Good ( Part 3 )

An ear piercing scream echoed through the hallway. Jinx was close to finding the Titans now. Jogging around the upper story of the warehouse, past a row of offices, Jinx had reached the end of the commercial zone of the building. A door stood at the end of the hallway with a window peering out to the opposite side and into the boat dock.

"Finally". She sighed. Reaching for the handle, she squealed when the door was busted open by Bane. The brute slid down the hallway and smacked his head against the back wall. The luchador groaned, his head nodded down clearly knocked out of his senses.

That was someone she had no intentions of messing with. Looking to get away from the thug, Jinx literally ran into the one other person a criminal wouldn't want to run into. Staring her in the face was a grey metal bat symbol and towering above her stood the Dark Knight- His glare as bone chilling as the scream she heard moments ago.

"Jinx." He stated in a low tone. He had just beaten Bane into submission and he wasn't even out of breath.

"I'm not with him!" She confessed holding her hands up. She had never stepped foot in Gotham and he knew exactly who she was. He really was the real deal.

"Then you have ten seconds to explain why you're here."

Jinx thought about what would happen if she took longer than ten seconds but this certainly wasn't the man she was going to push buttons with. "Okay, look- My friend was worried the Titans were in danger so he came to help and I wasn't going to let him go on his own. I'm here to help, I swear!"

Batman eyed her up for a moment before responding. "I believe you. Follow me. The Titans need-" A massive explosion shook the building, cutting Batman off his sentence. Following the loud explosion came multiple crashing sounds outside in the loading docks.

"What was that?!" Jinx cried in a panic.

"Nothing good." Batman responded, running back inside the hanger with Jinx close behind.

More screaming filled the hanger and nothing was drowning out the noise. Batman observed the situation from above. The Titans were all standing still, staring, scared at their friend who had lost all control of her powers. The girl stood tall above the ground on dark tendrils from beneath her cloak, her eyes had doubled in quantity and were blood red. The tendrils were lashing out at anything nearby. Batman always carried an antidote to Scarecrow's fear toxin but it could only be administered via needle. Someone had to get close enough to inject Raven with the antidote.

"ROBIN!" Batman cried at his first protégé.

Batman's yell snapped him out of his staring state. The Titan leader looked up at his old mentor, listening carefully to what he was about to say.

"Raven's emotions are the core of her powers! Enough stress on her core and she'll collapse from the inside out!" Batman explained loud enough that the rest of the Titans could hear also. Pulling the antidote from his utility belt, Batman loaded the cartridge into an injector before tossing the tool over to Robin who caught it against his chest.

"Save your friend! We'll handle Scarecrow and Clayface!"

Batman went to jump over the railing to fight Scarecrow until Jinx grabbed his arm. "And what am I supposed to do?!" She asked at a loss.

"Stay away from Scarecrow and Clayface, they're far too dangerous. Stay up here and help Robin." Batman ordered. Without another word, the Dark Knight grappled the roof and swung away.

Well one thing was for certain. Jinx was. Never. Ever. Coming back to Gotham after tonight. Clayface was now back fighting Cyborg and Starfire along with Solomon Grundy. The brute was outnumbered but was firmly holding his own against the three. Robin had noticed her standing where Batman stood and it was evident that he was surprised to see her. "Jinx?! Why are you here?!" Robin yelled to her.

"It's a long story, okay! Just tell me what you need me to do!" Jinx replied.

"I need Raven distracted. I can't- LOOK OUT!" Robin's voice suddenly filled with panic and was pointing at her. Whipping her head around in a panic, Victor Zsasz was walking toward her with a tilted smile and wide eyes.

In such a fright, Jinx tripped on the catwalk and fell onto her back. Quickly resorting to her powers, her hands crackled with magic but Zsasz grabbed both of her arms and shoved them down on the catwalk- The psychopath had her under him with no escape.

"Hang on Jinx!" Robin called out. With no grapple gun, Robin was running toward Jinx from the docking port. Thankfully for him he wasn't going to be needed for much longer. The old man they had rescued from the burning bar had come running to Jinx's aid. "I SAID DON'T TOUCH HER!" Woods screamed as he swung a hunting knife at the man. Zsasz heard Woods running on the catwalk however and had gotten out of the way of the attack. Woods repeatedly swung at Zsasz but as much as Woods didn't want to admit it, he was old, out of shape and out of practice. He had just sprinted after a much younger man and was breathing very heavily with ever swipe with the blade. Zsasz was effortlessly avoiding the weapon.

Zsasz wasn't military experienced like Woods, but if he knew one thing in this world he knew exactly how a blade felt and he liked it. A lot. A tired and weak Woods didn't have the energy for anything better than quick jabs at Zsasz. Catching on to Woods' lack of energy, Zsasz was able to snatch the blade mid stab by the blade. "Hmmm. That feels gooood!" Zsasz moaned as the blade cut into his hand. Woods stared in shock at the lunatic. He just grabbed a blade, and liked it. Yanking the knife away from him, Zsasz struck at the old man. Woods needed both hands to hold the blade away from his chest. Zsasz was much stronger than Woods. The man was pushing Woods across the catwalk with one hand. Kicking a leg out Zsasz pushed the pair to the floor, Zsasz on top of the pair gritting his teeth.

"Like my scars, friend? Usually I'd kill someone before I scar myself but I'll make an exception for you." Zsasz explained now that he was up close and personal with Woods, holding up his free, bloody, cut hand. If he made a move for his gun, the blade would surely be driven through his chest.

"Get off of him!" Jinx cried, grabbing Zsasz's shoulders trying to pull him off Woods. Zsasz snarled and threw his elbow back, hitting Jinx on the side of the head. The girl fell back onto the catwalk in a heap, holding her head in pain and in a daze. Zsasz chuckled, turning back to Woods. "Oops?" He shrugged.

Trembling with anger, Woods screamed in rage. He had fought in wars and fights to the death before, but Woods had never hated someone as much as he hated Victor Zsasz right now. The two men were still on the floor of the catwalk. From his back, Woods pulled Zsasz in close letting the blade between them cut into his side. Woods pulled Zsasz close enough for the older man to get a whole mouth full of ear and chomp down hard and rip away at the body part like a hungry wolf. Zsasz screamed in pain- Even this was too much for him. The blade cutting into Woods only made him bite down harder till Woods pried Zsasz's ear right off.

Zsasz was livid, his free fist punching the ground trying to take his mind off the pain in his ear or lack thereof. The psychopath rolled off Woods holding the side of his head, blood pouring out of the wound. Woods rolled onto his side, spitting the ear out of his mouth. Zsasz's blood was dripping down his chin and his eyes were still wide and intense.

Woods drew his weapon but Zsasz grabbed the end of the gun holding it away from his vitals. Woods didn't care and shot multiple rounds through his hand. Zsasz, now also spurred on by the pain, gritted his teeth and bared the bullets. He managed to slam the gun against the railing beside them enough for Woods to lose his grip on the gun. The gun fell onto the floor of the catwalk away from the two.

With the only weapon in play being the hunting knife, both men shoved each other off one another. Woods wiped the blood off his mouth while Zsasz looked down at his removed ear. "Oh I'm gonna cut off so much more than just an ear for that." Zsasz threatened.

"Hold still and I'll even it out." Woods responded.

While the two bloody men were fighting, Robin had turned his attention back to Raven. There wasn't going to be an easy way of doing this, Robin feared. Attaching the injector onto his waist Robin conjoined his Escrima sticks into its Bo form. "Hold on Raven."

Robin took off running toward Raven. Her tendrils slammed the ground around her while pieces of debris were engulfed by magic sending them flying toward Robin. With impressive acrobatics, Robin slipped and evaded the hazards surrounding Raven. Deflecting the smaller pieces with his staff Robin was edging closer to Raven. A large tendril tried swatting Robin but with quick thinking the boy jumped onto it. Running across the dark arm Robin was almost near his friend. Robin pulled the injector from his waist and leapt for Raven. Raven had been screaming and panicking the entire time. Robin was trying to close the gap between them but the closer he came, the worse she reacted. As Robin dove for Raven, her eyes shone red as a dark force field protected her from Robin. Her power encased her in a impenetrable bubble which Robin crashed against.

While it could be questioned why Raven wasn't allowing Robin to help her in this state. In Raven's eyes, Robin was nowhere to be seen. Her world was still ablaze with no friends in sight. Running toward her with unknown intent was Deathstroke. After her previous attack from the Titan's arch enemy, Raven was petrified of the assassin. The more steps he took to get closer to her, the more desperate she became to keep him away.

Robin bounced off the shield and had no way of stopping his free fall toward the ground. Right before his collision with the ground, Starfire flew in and plucked him from the fall. The Titans landed a safe distance away from Raven to assess their options. "Poor Raven." Starfire said sadly.

"I know Star. We'll help her." He assured her, holding her shoulder.

"Why does she not allow us to aid her? We are her friends, no?"

"Scarecrow's gas makes a person see their greatest fears. From experience. She's probably too scared to understand I'm trying to help her."

"Then what must we do? I can not bare to see her like this."

"You have to try prying open the force field. If you can get it open, I can administer the antidote."

"And what if I can not?"

"We'll think of something. We always do. We owe it to Raven to find a way. Now go!" The two broke away and ran for their friend. Raven's tendrils had extended out through the force field and returned to swinging wildly, smashing nearby objects and surroundings. Robin grimaced at the sight. This was going to be a difficult task to force through.

Starfire flew at Raven and the tendrils. Starbolts were hurled and she gave it quite a fight but ultimately her efforts were for naught. Raven's tendrils had snatched Starfire from the side and held her tight. Caught in the magic, Starfire called out for Robin's help. He however was having similar problems. Robin's charge had been halted by tendrils swiping at him and grabbing his Escrima sticks. Robin tussled with the tendrils unaware he was being lined up by another tendril above him. The tendril came down above Robin who was still stuck fighting for his weapons. By the time he noticed the arm, he wouldn't be able to avoid it.

Robin winced in anticipation for the impact but at the last moment the arm was caught above his head. Cyborg groaned as he took the full weight of the arm above his head. "Nice timing." Robin noted.

"Don't thank me- YET!" The tendril Cyborg caught had wrapped itself around Cyborg's arm and pulled him off the ground. The tendril wrapped Cyborg up like a boa constrictor, crushing Cyborg who was now also expressing his pain.

"No!" Robin cried at his friends. His tug of war over his Escrima sticks had ended in a loss for him. In the panic of his friends being strangled, Robin's grip slipped on the sticks and they were ripped out of his hands. Tossed away from him, Robin had no other weapons to defend himself from the tendrils. He tried to run away but his ankle was caught by the tendrils. Raven's magic pulled him off the floor and held him in the same crushing matter of the other Titans.

Robin gritted his teeth and pushed against the arms as best he could, keeping pressure off his chest. If he let his lungs collapse he'd surely pass out and risk not waking back up. Pulled up this close to Raven, Robin could see her frightened face. Tears were streaming down her face and her whole body was shaking in fear. She seemed so helpless.

"Raven. It's us. Your friends." He muttered. Robin noticed that even behind the shield Raven looked away from them. She could understand him but she was refusing to listen. Robin tried to speak with Raven again but he suddenly felt incredibly cold and out of breathe. He couldn't understand why but before he could try and question it, Robin lost consciousness.

From inside the bubble, Raven's world was crawling with screaming demons trying to get her. Deathstroke was watching from a distance as his Slade Bots attacked relentlessly trying to break through. She grabbed a few of them but the more she destroyed the more that replaced the fallen. She didn't know how her enemies kept coming back but she couldn't stop.

"Daughter. You know you can't fight this forever." Came a demonic voice she was all too familiar with. Trigon was inside the bubble with her now.

Raven shut her eyes, looking away from her father. "No. You're not real. You can't be real." She whimpered.

Trigon hovered beside her and slashed a claw through the soft flesh of her arm. Raven gasped in shock and pain. Her blood started trickling down her arm. "I'm as real as I've ever been, Raven."

"Father... Please. I don't want this anymore." Images of her fallen friends flashed through her head, followed by the thought of Deathstroke on-top of her beating her without remorse. She had been shot on more than one occasion but that was the moment she thought she was going to die. Beaten to death by a heartless assassin. "Don't let him hurt me again." She pleaded.

"Child. Not even Trigon can hold me back from what I desire." Deathstroke spoke from outside the bubble. Raven looked up and saw Deathstroke had cut into her shield with a large sword and was effortlessly stepping through.

"NO!" She cried and backed herself against her own magic. She tried dropping the shield to run but it didn't vanish. Trigon stood above Raven, his hand crackling with the same black magic she possesses. "Father! Stop this!" She screamed, begging him to drop the shield.

"Don't beg daddy to protect you. Beg to me." Deathstroke hissed as he raised his sword, ready to drive the blade through her.

Raven shut her eyes as tight as she could, seeing no other option. A loud battle cry echoed around the bubble but it was neither Deathstroke or Trigon. Robin seemingly appeared from nowhere alive and well. Robin swung his staff at Deathstroke, the hit knocked Deathstroke back out of the bubble and into the fires outside.

Raven opened her eyes and looked at her saviour. She couldn't understand how but Robin was here with her. It wasn't some distorted vision like she had been witnessing. "Robin?" She breathed confused.

"I don't understand either. If I had to guess. We share a bond, Raven. You've been inside my head when Slade was tormenting me. Maybe whatever you did works both ways." Robin theorised.

"No. This is another illusion. You're not real. You're just another puppet of my father." She accused, noticing Trigon had also vanished.

Robin took a moment to think about what he was about to say in reply. "The day you became Trigon's portal. Your birthday. I found you on the roof watching the sunrise and I told you today was going to be a beautiful day. Trigon had nothing to do with that moment in time. You have to believe me Raven. I can't lose you like Beast Boy."

"I don't think you've lost me yet."

'That couldn't be,' the two thought looking up at another voice. Disbelief fell on their faces as Beast Boy stood beside them looking bewildered at where he was. He looked down at his hands and checked his clothes, inspecting that it actually was him standing there and not any of his new forms. He seemed surprised to be himself.

"Beast Boy. But how?" Robin asked, holding his head. Even he wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't anymore. Raven noticed her friend and couldn't help herself. Timidly she stood off the floor of the bubble, watching him carefully. She gently laid a hand on his shoulder and nothing happened. It really was him. Somehow Beast Boy and Robin were with her in this distorted, fear tainted vision. Still teary from the effects of the gas, she pulled him in close- The two embraced, hugging tightly. She never thought she would see him again and by some miracle he was here.

"I don't understand..." She spoke.

"I have no idea either. You're not crying over me, are you?" He smiled, surprised at her actions.

"No. I'm terrified and I can't stop it." She explained.

"Terrified of what?"

"Scarecrow attacked her. His toxin causes anyone who's exposed to it to experience their greatest fears... And by the looks of it. We're along for the ride." Robin added.

"How do we help her?"

Robin patted his waist looking for the antidote but the vial wasn't on him. "I have what she needs."

"So give it to her dude?"

"I can't. It's... With my actual self. If I leave this bubble it might take me back to my body but Raven still needs to let me help her."

"My my. Isn't this a heartfelt reunion." Spoke Deathstroke from the smoke outside the bubble.

"No way. Is that?"

"Slade and he's as real to Raven as we are. I'll hold him off." Robin bravely elected. Before jumping outside of the bubble, he looked back at Beast Boy a final time. "I don't know what your real self is going through right now, Beast Boy. But back in the tower I put my faith in you that you wouldn't give up. Wherever you are right now. I need you to fight your demons until I find you and when I do, I promise you I'll save you from hurting anyone else."

Beast Boy nodded in reply. He said it like it was easy. He had been fighting the negative thoughts in his head since the night he lost control and they only seemed to be getting worse. But sure, Robin. He was going to try. Stepping out of the bubble, Robin went to face Deathstroke.

Raven and Beast Boy were left alone. They both had so much they wanted to say to the other. Like how sorry they both were for the other or how this could be the last time they spoke, but they both knew if they didn't try to fix this problem then it would be their last conversation. "Raven. Whatever happens to me doesn't matter right now. You need to let Robin help you."

"I can't face him, Beast Boy. You weren't there when it happened."

"When what happened?"

"When he..." Raven couldn't finish her sentence. Deathstroke's murderous face shook her to the bone.

A bang echoed through the bubble. Deathstroke banged on the energy, jolting the teens. Clearly Robin could have done a better job of keeping him busy. He pulled at the hole in the bubble, starting to make his way inside the shield.

'Only I could get my butt kicked in someone else's nightmare.' Beast Boy thought, worried about what Deathstroke was about to do to him. "You're the bravest, strongest girl I've ever met Raven. You've spent your whole life suppressing your emotions. Don't let some potato sack wearing weirdo be the thing that scares you."

"I don't care about Scarecrow, I'm afraid of him!" Raven exclaimed pointing toward Deathstroke.

"He's not real. He's only there because you're letting Scarecrow scare you. A few seconds is all you need Raven. Stand up to him for a few seconds while Robin does his thing," explained Beast Boy.

Still shaking and at first refusing to turn around, Raven rose her head out of Beast Boy's shoulder to look at him. He nodded in assurance and took his hand in hers. Raven breathed and let her powers drop the force field, now back in her control. She turned around to face Deathstroke who stood in front of her menacingly. His frame towering over her. Her red eyes shone the brightest of whites, the flames behind everyone vanished along with Trigon's Demons. She was petrified, but she didn't look away.

Back in the real world, Robin had woken up from his dream state- His head in a daze and he was at a loss as to what just happened. In front of him, Raven had lowered her and the other Titans to the ground. She was shaking where she stood, in complete concentration. "Make it quick." She whispered.

Imagining the stress she was under trying to keep herself from lashing out at him, Robin hastily pulled the injector from his waist and sunk the needle into Raven neck. She gasped loudly at the sudden release. Her fiery world faded back to reality. Her knees went weak but Robin was there to catch her.

"How interesting. You're a fascinating specimen, Ms Raven. The results of your test were delightful." Chimed Scarecrow, his face pressed against the pavement, pinned to the ground by Batman and Jason Todd who had woken back up and aided his mentor. Scarecrow's hands were cuffed and his mask was ripped off and thrown aside upon being defeated. "Shut it, Crane." Jason threatened.

"This isn't a dream, is it?" Raven questioned, not entirely sure if her nightmare was over.

"Welcome back." Dick smiled. "How are you feeling?".

"I'm fine." Raven responded along with an attempt to stand on her own. Her legs were weak and Robin was forced to catch her.

"No. You're not. You've strained your powers, you're in shock and that antidote causes side effects of fatigue. You're sitting the rest of the night out." Batman spoke with authority. Dick shrugged his shoulders- What Batman says goes.

"Fine. But he's about to get away." Raven pointed at Clayface who was running for the exit. He had left Grundy stuck against a wall behind hardened clay, completely covering the zombie.

"Not on my watch." Cyborg huffed, firing a blast at Clayface. Hitting him in the leg, he smashed into a puddle against the wall. The pile of man mud fell to the ground in a heap. "No you don't understand! I can't go to jail!" He cried. Absorbing what he could of his leg he attempted to escape again. He reached for the door, only to have Starfire blast the door and melt the handle into a liquid. "They'll kill me in there!"

"Who'll kill you?" Robin asked loudly as the heroes surrounded the villain.

"Penguin's been helping to put away criminals for the past year. If you take me in I'll be thrown in with all the guys my boss screwed over!"

"I'll see to it that you're placed under protective custody, Karlo." Batman assured.

"No, no, the system's flawed! You know it, I know it, we all know it! If someone wants to get to me they will!"

"You made a choice to live this life. Consequences come with breaking the law."

"No!" Clayface cried, shooting his arms out trying to knock the heroes out of the way. Swiftly, Robin jammed his Escrima sticks into the long clay arms sending a ton of voltage through the villain. Clayface cried out as he was shocked into a state of unconsciousness.

"One to go." Robin said, looking up at the control room of the warehouse.

Cyborgs eyes went wide remembering Woods was up there alone fighting the psychopath Victor Zsasz. "Starfire. He needs help." He said quickly, wanting to aid his friend as fast as he could. Before anyone could move, Zsasz and Woods smashed through a window and landed on a wooden shipping crate which shattered into chunks.

Before they fell from the control room, the two were fighting over the knife Zsasz had control of. The pair of them were vicious. At times it was hard to tell who was the deranged sociopath was. Zsasz, however, was the more dangerous and he was proving it. He had cut Woods an extensive amount of times. Woods would thank God for the hours he was forced to train against knives when he was a young soldier. He was moving almost on instinct to avoid many of the strikes. He was however drenched in his blood and aching all over from the gashes in his skin. Not to mention he was still recovering from being shot in chest multiple times.

Zsasz stood above him after shoving him to the floor, the knife dripping blood onto the floor. Zsasz screamed at Woods and drove the knife through Woods' leg with two hands. The blade stabbed right through the knee cutting right through and out the other side. Zsasz was grinning widely at his attack. He had thought that would have been it, but Woods was just looking at him, chuckling. The grin on Zsasz face turned nasty and he quite violently twisted the blade trying to rip the limp off the old man's body.

"ARGH FUCK YEAH!" Woods cried as his leg was cut away.

"You're as nuts as me, old timer. I gotta respect that." Zsasz hissed.

"You know something? You're nothing special to me." With his free leg, Woods kicked Zsasz as hard as a man physically could in the balls. Zsasz squealed like a frightened girl and hunched over in agonising pain. Woods firmly grasped his damaged leg and yanked it free from it's joints. Zsasz didn't know that Woods was already missing his legs and had just stabbed through metal replacements. Ripping his own leg free, Woods clocked Zsasz across the head with the end of his leg knocking him into the window of the control room. Zsasz held himself against the window for support as his groin was still throbbing in pain.

Pulling himself off the floor with his leg, Woods had made it back to his now one leg. As hard as he could, Woods dove at Zsasz tackling them both through the window. Woods held him out driving Zsasz into whatever was below them head first. Their landing was painful to say the least. Woods was groaning but he was far better off than Zsasz who was knocked out completely while holding his nether region.

"Old timer my ass." Remarked Woods. The veteran laid still on the ground, exhausted.

"Woods!" Cyborg cried, running over to aid him.

"Holy crap!" Jason exclaimed. "Dude, that was sick!"

"Yeah, thanks kid." Woods replied, unamused.

"What are you doing here?!" Cyborg asked, pulling him out of the broken box.

"Well I was supposed to save your ass but looks like you got mine. Where's Jinx?" He asked, not seeing her.

"She's here too?!"

"I shall retrieve her." Starfire said, flying up to the catwalk where Jinx laid unconscious.

Batman was staring at the man as he laid there. "You're a long way from Jump City, Frank."

"How the hell do you know me?" Woods asked. He hadn't even spoke to the Batman yet and he already knew his first name. He really was as good as they say.

"I read your files during your time in the Black Ops task force. I know your history."

"Shouldn't that be classified?"

"It is."

"Good to see you're alive, Woods. Have you seen Penguin?" Robin asked, kneeling down next to Cyborg.

"Yeah. He ran into the shipping yard with that woman wearing a cat costume chasing him. Oh crap- That yard got blown all the way to hell out there." Woods explained, worried that someone might be hurt or worse.

Robin looked outside the broken window looking toward Gotham city. He could see smoke rising high from the shipping yard. He knew exactly who caused this and he certainly wasn't happy about it. "Slade's here."

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*5 minutes earlier*

Running for their lives, the Suicide Squad ran away from the falling cranes. Deadshot was shocked that Deathstroke made no attempt at evading the crane. He was just standing there, watching as they ran. As fast as they ran they couldn't escape the crash zone of the cranes. The massive structures crashed into tall piles of shipping crates that surrounded the criminals. No one knew what was in the crates but clearly some were full of flammable liquids and gasses as many of the crates ignited upon impact.

Crates fell beside the squad narrowly avoiding collision. Each member dove out of the way but they couldn't continue to outrun the falling towers forever. Seeing a tower was about to fall over beside him, Deadshot grabbed Boomer who he heard cry out a loud "Oooh Shiiiit!"- Hurling the Aussie to safety.

Deadshot shielded himself from the crate. He gritted his teeth as he waited for the crate to fall on him but the crate caught itself on another container that Deadshot was leaning against. Deadshot sighed in relief, hastily scurrying out of the way of the container. "Boomer! Where you at?" He asked through the smoke.

"I'm here, mate!" Boomer responded through the smoke.

"Hey! I need help. Quick!" Yelled Croc through the smoke.

Deadshot and Boomer ran through the smoke toward Croc. The pair found him holding a falling crate on his shoulder above the girls. "Quick, grab them." Deadshot ordered Boomer. The two grabbed the girls who were knocked on the ground under the crate. After rescuing them, Croc dropped the container with a loud bang.

"Is everyone alright?" Deadshot asked, checking everyone.

"You mean apart from nearly being blown up and crushed. Yeah, peachy." Frost responded dryly.

"I thought I was crazy but ya brother's somethin' else cowboy," Harley noted, rubbing her head.

"Yeah. Guess being a murdering dick runs in the family, Lawton." Boomer glared.

"I'm not going to run you through our backstory. We cut ties years ago and all you need to be thinking about is not dying cause that's exactly what's gonna happen if you don't pay attention to what's happening right now! He turned a shipping yard into a battlefield just to see us run for our lives- For his amusement! Imagine what he's going to do to something he wants to hurt." Deadshot was shaking. In anger and in fear. This one man was what stood between him and his daughter. His only hope in defeating his brother was this ragtag group of misfits. If he couldn't get them to fight by his side, he may as well say goodbye to his family now.

"How touching. I haven't been spoken so highly of since my time in the military. Where you betrayed me," came Deathstroke's voice through the smoke.

The squad were completely surrounded in smoke and Deathstroke's voice seemed to be echoing around the yard. He could be anywhere. "Everyone. Back to back." Deadshot ordered, tossing the briefcase aside and drawing his rifle. Activating his eye scope, Deadshot began looking through the smoke for a heat signature but with all the fire around them he was effectively blind and deaf to Deathstroke. Backing up into the rest of the squad, the criminals made a ring around each other, scanning the area for any sign of their attacker.

"I wasn't born a killer, Slade! I wasn't ready for that mission. You can't hold that against me." Deadshot yelled into the smoke.

"You had one job that night. You let your country down, you let your team down, your family. Me. You're a disgrace to yourself."

"I agree. But if you think I'm going to let you walk over me again you're wrong."

"Unlike you mate, he's not alone." Boomer yelled out.

"He's not the only one with someone to fight for." Croc growled, standing by Frost who smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah! We're like his second family and ain't nothin gonna break us apart!" Harley cried. Looking back, the rest of the criminals glanced at her with raised eyebrows. "Too much?" Harley asked.

"Only a lot." Frost shrugged.

"I'm not going to hesitate tonight, Slade! If you want to hurt me? Fine. But threaten my family? My little girl? I'm gonna rip through you!"

"Then let us see who's the better assassin between us-" Deathstroke spoke at a distance but in a second Deathstroke was speaking within earshot of Deadshot. "-brother."

Undetected by the Suicide Squad, Deathstroke was standing inside the ring. The group gasped realising their threat was beside all of them. Knowing his brother was the most dangerous out of the group, Deathstroke grabbed his rifle upon turning around to aim at him.

Holding the barrel down, Deathstroke drove a massive blow to Deadshot knocking him away from the pack, his rifle skipping along the ground with him.

Harley and Boomer swung for Deathstroke but faster than the pair could believe, Deathstroke had adjusted his stance and caught both of their weapons. Harley's hammer by the mallet and Boomer's boomerang by the blade. Between them, Croc rawred and flared his fangs for a bite. Holding onto both weapons, Deathstroke shot his legs up planting a huge kick to Croc's jaw while performing an acrobatic backflip. An incredible maneuver that disarmed Harley and Boomer by swiftly twisting their holds on the weapons away from them. Croc toppled over with a thud.

With both unarmed, Deathstroke cracked a roundhouse into Boomer's ribs, hunching him over holding his side in pain and with the same kick came back and kicked the side of Harley's head knocking her to the ground. Finally with his opponent hunched over and unguarded, Deathstroke planted a hard front kick to Boomer's head knocking him to the floor.

Frost had completely backed away from the group and now that her allies were out of the way, she had free room to use her powers. Hurling an icicle at Deathstroke, the assassin slid underneath the sharp spear and flung the boomerang he was holding at Frost. Oddly, the weapon soared wide away from Frost who made the mistake of watching the boomerang instead of keeping her eye on her enemy, who had also chucked Harley's mallet at her. This time the weapon was right on target. Frost grunted as the mallet slammed into her chest knocking her into a shipping container behind her.

Deathstroke stood alone around his adversaries. He was barely out of breath and he had taken down five of the most dangerous criminals. Deadshot groaned and grabbed his rifle off the ground. Deathstroke heard the sound of the rifle but didn't budge away from his spot. Deathstroke was lined up in his cross hairs but something shot past him toward his scope. The boomerang Deathstroke threw had returned, shooting right over his shoulder nearly cutting away the ribbons on his helmet. The weapon smashed into the end of the scope ruining the tool.

Deadshot cried in annoyance, quickly ripping the scope off and adjusting his aim. Deathstroke had since bolted away. Deadshot only got a quick glimpse of him running behind a container. Quickly jumping up, Deadshot gave chase following Deathstroke around the container he thought he hid behind. But no one was there. The way behind was a dead end filled with smoke but no Deathstroke. "God damn it." Deadshot groaned. Rushing back to his team, he tried to shake Boomer awake. "Digger! Wake up, you idiot!" He ordered. Boomer groaned on the ground but Deadshot was unable to wake him back up just yet.

"This what you want?! Why don't you just kill me?!" Deadshot yelled aloud.

From around the burning shipyard Deathstroke replied. "Because that would be far too easy, Floyd."

"What are you trying to prove, Slade?" Deadshot replied taking a stand alone.

"I have nothing to prove. You shoved your brother into a wolf's den and ran. Your actions cost my friend his life, and now you've come back again and ruined everything I built. All I want now is to see you suffer!" From the shadows Deathstroke struck. Deadshot was faced against a padded knee to the skull, whipping his head back violently and tumbling backwards to the ground. His eye scope fell to the floor where he had stood. With a huff, Deathstroke stamped a foot down on the eyewear crushing the electronics.

Deadshot held his head and gritted his teeth. He was so helpless that he was crawling away from his attacker. His attacker that was interestingly... Limping, ever so slightly. Deadshot hardly had a chance to observe the suspected injury before he was being gripped by the throat and pinned against the floor.

"What do you want me to say Slade? I'm sorry I wasn't ready? That you're better than me? What?!" Deadshot choked from the floor.

"I don't want your apology Floyd, and I don't need a confession of your lack of ability. The fact that you live with a bomb in your neck and I don't is proof I'm the better of us." Deathstroke lifted Deadshot off the ground and held him high in the air with immaculate strength. "We share blood you and I. You betrayed that."

"I had nothing left to fight for. Why should I help a country that failed my son?" Deadshot asked, holding himself away from Deathstroke's choke.

"Pathetic." Deathstroke frowned, throwing Deadshot across the yard. The hitman tumbled away groaning.

"Pathetic? You got to be kidding me. You telling me you'd keep fighting if it was your kids?" Deadshot asked.

"My children are not a part of this." Deathstroke warned.

"Fine. Then what's your obsession over the Titan kids?" Deadshot questioned.

Deathstroke stopped for a brief moment. The two stared at another before Deathstroke slowly unsheathed one of the two swords on his back.

'So there is something between him and the Titans.' Deadshot thought as he too readied his rifle. At this distance he wouldn't need a scope.

"Make your move Floyd." Deathstroke taunted.

Deadshot grasped his weapon tightly but didn't raise the barrel. His eyes kept a sharp lock on his target.

"COME ON!" Deathstroke cried out loud.

Swiftly Deadshot drew aim and fired multiple shots. Incredibly, Deathstroke slashed each shot away mere inches away from his mask with precision of an artist. Deathstroke slashed three bullets out of the air then charged with an armoured wrist shielding his face. Deadshot kept firing his rifle, further shots hit the same target as the previous. If Deathstroke had lowered his wrist he'd had been missing his last eye by the second shot.

Drawing a gun from his waist as he ran, Deathstroke returned fire, shooting practically blind yet his aim was scarily accurate. Deadshot's armour could take a beating but it was nowhere near as durable as Deathstroke's. Forced to back away from his attacker before he took any hits, Deadshot kept shooting as he took cover behind a container. With a thick metal shield in front of him, Deathstroke didn't waste the bullets.

Running up the side of the container his brother took cover behind, Deathstroke ran toward Deadshot, holstering his gun as he did. Even for a ninja Deadshot could hear his footsteps getting closer on the metal walls of the container. Backing away from the container, Deadshot aimed high toward the footsteps. Deathstroke flipped off the top of the container and Deadshot couldn't get a clear shot because of the move. Mid tumble Deathstroke swung his sword, the tip slashed past Deadshot's throat who narrowly avoided the strike.

Upon landing Deathstroke pounced again, swiping his blade at Deadshot's midsection. The blade nicked Deadshot's armour to his displeasure. With both of his machine pistols destroyed, he was left with no close range weapons. Thankfully, Deathstroke wasn't using all of his. Deadshot stared at the blade as it came back down from a sharp swing. Rifle in hand, Deadshot blocked the blade with the side of his gun. Metal on metal clanged loudly. The rifle coming away with a small scar from the hit.

With the blade held over both assassin's heads, Deadshot grabbed the handgun from the holster before shoulder charging Deathstroke knocking him away to create some distance between them. Drawing the weapon, Deadshot fired. The kick was enormous along with the bang. Deathstroke groaned in pain as the 50 caliber bullet of the Desert Eagle drove throw his plated wrist and into his chest. Unfortunately for Deadshot the bullet had lost to much momentum to continue its course through the steel plate.

'Oh fuck yeah,' Deadshot grinned noticing just how powerful a weapon he had stolen. Under threat, Deathstroke threw a handful of shurikens at Deadshot. He knew what his brother was capable of but he still didn't except the deadly speed and accuracy that followed. Like a western gunslinger, Deadshot shot each shuriken out of the air, the impact shattering the pieces of metal and without missing a beat fired a final shot into Deathstroke's injured left knee before the weapon began clicking, in need of ammo.

Deathstroke cried out in pain, the bullet ripping through part of the kneecap. At such range his armour didn't help him against the bullet. All the time spent fixing his knee was wasted. "That knee's not looking so good." Deadshot responded as he tossed the gun aside after ripping it to pieces in case Deathstroke planned to use it again. "Looks like someone kicked your ass before I could."

"Shut up." Deathstroke growled annoyed.

"Where's all that fight gone Slade? I expected more from you honestly."

"Funny you're gloating now that you have the upper hand Floyd."

"Word of advice Slade. Never underestimate a man who's fighting for his life." Deadshot spoke proudly as he approached his falling enemy. Deadshot wound his leg back, ready to punt Deathstroke's mask clean off but a firm gloved hand held him stiff, his boot in front of Deathstroke's face. "I agree." Deathstroke replied, gripping the leg.

Launching himself off the ground with his good leg while holding Deadshot's, Deathstroke kicked Deadshot in the side of the head to the hitman's surprise. Tumbling backward from the blow, he quickly got back to his feet ready to combat his foe but in the split second he took his eye of Deathstroke he had vanished from the floor and in his place sat a live grenade. "Ah shit."

Running away from the bomb as fast as he could, Deadshot dove for safety, the explosion booming around the shipping yard. He fell to the floor in a heap covering his ears. 'How does he do that?' Deadshot wondered getting back to his feet, drawing his weapon. Reloading his rifle he was completely alone with a killer nearby. With all the smoke surrounding him, the faintest noise could be his only warning before another attack.

Footsteps echoed through the smoke behind Deadshot. His aim snapped around toward the noise. Boomer. Through the smoke Deadshot breathed a sigh of relief when a friendly face emerged from the dark. "Whoa mate, don't shoot!" Boomer cried, holding his hands up in defense.

"Digger. Am I glad to see you for a change. Where are the others?"

"Spilt up to look for you mate."

"Hello?" "Cowboy?" Came two feminine voices through the smoke beside the two guys. Frost and Harley coughed through the smoke waving away the dirty air. "We heard the gunfire. Everyone okay?" Frost asked.

"We're all in one piece so that's something." Harley shrugged.

"Let's aim to keep it that way. Where's Croc?" Deadshot asked looking around through the smoke.

"There he is." Boomer pointed out a tall growling figure in the smoke.

"Ah Croc?" Deadshot called out to the reptilian.

"Babe. Get over here, let's go." Frost also called out to her newest fling.

Oddly Killer Croc didn't rejoin the group but he disappeared into the smoke without a word. Suddenly Croc made a loud snarl followed by a yell before soaring through the air away from the smoke into a container beside the Suicide Squad. "The hell?" Boomer and others asked as they tended to their partner.

"Shit, it's Deathstroke. Get ready. All of you." Deadshot warned, scouring through the yard looking for his foe.

"Not him." Croc groaned.

The same tall growling figure stood above the Squad, staring at them through the mist.

"Who else is there?" Frost asked.

"I've never seen it before." Croc responded rubbing his head.

Deadshot couldn't believe it took him this look to realise what was stood just meters away from him and his crew. "It's him." Deadshot breathed.

"Who?!" Boomer yelled.

"THE KID!"

Hybrid's roar rattled the containers along with the Suicide Squad's ears before he lunged forward at his prey with a killers intent.