Broken(DC)

Many heroes gathered in the hall, exchanging confused whispers. They couldn't understand what could be more serious than the catastrophe on Earth, but Batman was adamant. He had summoned them all with strict urgency, saying, "If we don't deal with this threat, there will be no one left to save."

The heroes, realizing they were leaving humanity to fend for itself, assembled here and had been waiting for minutes for the one who had called them.

"Where's Batman?" questions echoed among the heroes.

"We don't have time to wait," grumbled one, their frustration growing, yet they stayed.

Suddenly, a robotic voice rang out: "Batman, 01." The announcement marked the arrival of the hero through a portal.

"Finally, you're here. How dangerous is this new threat?" Superman flew up to meet Batman.

"We've never faced anything like it before. I need a little time to prepare," Batman replied grimly.

Without another word, he strode toward the computer. From his utility belt, he retrieved a flash drive and inserted it into the port.

"Initializing... Emergency protocol," the robotic voice spoke again.

"Access confirmed. Batman, 01," it continued as Batman began typing rapidly.

The heroes watched with growing unease, glancing at each other, then back at Batman, who ignored them completely, his focus fixed on the screen.

"Initializing... Threat: Justice League," the machine announced.

The room fell silent. Suspicion crept into the heroes' minds.

"Bruce, what's going on?" Superman stepped closer.

"What's going on?" Batman smirked. Turning suddenly, he drove a kryptonite knife into Superman's chest.

Caught off guard, Superman couldn't react in time. His eyes widened in horror as he stared at his friend's face. The stern expression was gone, replaced by a deranged grin, teeth bared in manic delight. As the knife remained lodged in his chest, blood trickled from Superman's mouth. Weak and stunned, he collapsed to the floor.

"You're all so boring. Today's a celebration, and I've got gifts for each of you," Batman declared.

Steel walls slammed down, sealing off all exits. Weapons emerged from the walls, aiming at the heroes. In the split second they realized the danger, they barely had time to exchange glances before the guns fired.

They were superhumans, but each had a weakness and Batman knew them all. He had devised plans to neutralize every hero. But this wasn't the Batman they knew. The Mad Batman used those plans not to disable, but to kill.

The Justice League fought desperately, but their numbers dwindled with each passing moment. By some twist of fate or misfortune a few heroes hadn't attended the meeting. Flash, Green Arrow, and the Teen Titans had remained in their cities, unknowingly spared.

"Why, Bruce?" Hal Jordan, the last survivor, lay bleeding on the floor. Batman stood over him, raising his boot high before slamming it down with brutal force, crushing the Green Lantern's head into pulp.

"Now it's time to hunt the rest," Batman said with a chilling smile.

POV Brian Forman

After Batman left, the robots attacked. I thought taking them down would be easy, but my first punch barely made a dent. The metal they were made of was so strong that I only managed to leave a few dents in their armor. Despite my unimaginable superhuman strength, I couldn't destroy them. What could be said, then, of Nightwing, Robin, and Batgirl mere humans, albeit highly trained ones? Their strength and skills were useless.

They were the first to fall. While attempting to hack the robots, they almost succeeded, but the machines were tireless and merciless, eliminating their enemies without hesitation. I was the last one standing. My body regenerated from every blow, growing tougher each time. After hours of fighting, I finally managed to destroy them.

Staying here was not an option. I needed to contact the heroes and figure out what had happened to Bruce and how to help him. Searching the remains of the antidote, I was dismayed to find nothing left. I didn't expect my teammates to have survived, but I still checked their bodies. Robin and Nightwing were dead, their bodies showing no signs of life. How could they, with their chests riddled with bullets? To my surprise, Batgirl was still alive, despite the massive blood loss around her abdomen.

I began scavenging for the injector they had used on Bruce when we found him earlier, back in the cave. After finding the necessary supplies, I worked to stop her bleeding. I wasn't a surgeon, but I knew human anatomy well enough. Being torn apart repeatedly in hell made seeing my own insides a regular occurrence. All I could do now was try to stabilize her until she could get proper help. I didn't know if any bullets were still lodged in her body or if they had passed through.

Lifting her into my arms, I broke through the blocked doors and ran outside. Suddenly, my communicator beeped.

"This is Cyborg. To all Earth's heroes: Batman has gone insane. We're holding out for now, but we're losing. You need to prepare for " His voice was drowned out by the sounds of battle before abruptly cutting off.

Things were worse than I thought. He'd already reached the League. How could he possibly stand against all of them? They're far stronger than him. Right now, my only priority was saving Batgirl. I needed to get her to a hospital and hope there were still doctors untainted by the toxin who could help.

I moved quickly but tried not to jostle her too much to avoid worsening her condition. I didn't know how to drive, so I had to rely on my own two feet.

Reaching the city, I climbed to the rooftops. Traveling through the streets wasn't safe not for me, but for those I might hurt while defending myself from the crazed citizens. I was sure we still had a chance to recreate the antidote and prevent further catastrophe. I just needed to save Batgirl she could fix this.

Despite many districts being shrouded in a green mist, there were still areas untouched by it. On the streets below, I saw police checkpoints trying to hold off the infected with non-lethal weapons. The crazed citizens convulsed under electric shocks but kept getting back up. It was like watching a zombie movie, except these "zombies" were grinning and laughing maniacally.

Luck was on my side. I found a hospital. The place was packed with people and police, the latter forming a perimeter to keep the deranged out. Civilians with various injuries stood in a massive line, while officers tried to maintain order.

I couldn't waste time. Jumping down, I immediately drew the attention of the city's defenders, who aimed their weapons at me. They watched me warily but didn't open fire.

"Stand down," came a tired voice. A man in glasses stepped forward to meet me. His hair was streaked with gray, and his face struck me as oddly familiar.

"Who are you?" he asked, his attention finally drawn to the figure I was holding. "Is that Batgirl? What happened?"

"Batman was exposed to Joker's toxin and lost his mind. He attacked the Bat-Family first and then went after the other heroes," I explained.

"Batman? That's the last thing we needed," the man said in shock, before slapping his forehead. "She's injured come on, quickly!" He snapped back to focus and hurried toward the hospital entrance.

"We have a chance. Batgirl managed to create one dose of the antidote, but Batman destroyed it. I don't know anyone else who could help reproduce it," I said, following him.

"If there's a way to cure everyone, then we must do everything we can to help," he said, looking at Batgirl with hope.

"By the way, I don't recognize you. Are you a new hero?" he asked as we reached the reception desk. There was a hospital stretcher nearby, and I gently laid Batgirl down on it.

"You could say that. I'm here to help," I replied.

"That's good to hear. My name is James Gordon; I'm the police commissioner," he said. He rushed to the receptionist and began arguing with the nurse, who insisted that all doctors were occupied. But under Gordon's pressure, she eventually relented.

James Gordon? I remembered that he had been a detective in the past, solving countless Gotham cases. You could call him a hero of his time, and it seemed he was still doing just as much now.

"Come on, the first surgical room will be free soon. Let's get her there," he said, leading the way. Pushing through staff and patients, we finally reached the designated room. "I'll talk to the doctor; he's a friend of mine," Gordon added before stepping inside.

I stayed behind to check on Batgirl's condition. Her heartbeat was steady, but her breathing was faint. Within minutes, Gordon and the doctor emerged from the room.

I recognized him instantly Charles McNider. Time had aged him into an old man; his face was lined with wrinkles, and his back was slightly hunched.

"A superhero? Good. If she's our hope for salvation, I'll do what I can," the doctor said. He glanced briefly at me before wheeling Batgirl into the room. I moved to follow, but Gordon stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.

"He'll take care of her. And he won't remove her mask; her identity will remain safe. I trust him," Gordon assured me.

"I hope so," I said.

We sat down to wait, exchanging details about the situation. I told him everything, omitting only the fact that Batman was Bruce.

After a tense few hours, the door to the surgical room opened, and Charles McNider stepped out. Gordon and I jumped to our feet simultaneously.

"She'll live, but the news isn't all good," the doctor said.

"What do you mean?" Gordon asked.

"I don't know exactly what happened to her, but it's as if her abdomen was riddled with bullets from a machine gun. Multiple rounds shattered her spine. I did everything I could, but it's unlikely she'll ever walk again," McNider explained.

Even though I'd only just met her, hearing that hurt. She had been smiling and full of life not long ago, and now her career as a hero was over. If it were possible, I would have gladly given her my regeneration, even if only for a short while, to help her heal.

"That's tragic," Gordon said with deep regret.

"Is the entire staff occupied? If so, I'll ask a nurse to take her to a vacant room. Could you keep an eye on her condition?" Charles asked. "I'm confident she'll be fine, but it never hurts to be cautious."

"Of course," I replied.

Nodding, Charles stepped back into the room, and moments later, a nurse emerged, pushing a hospital bed. Batgirl remained masked, but it seemed her suit had been removed below the neck, as she was now dressed in a simple hospital gown. We followed them.

"You know, I really feel for her," Commissioner Gordon said as we walked. "I have a daughter myself, and I can't even imagine if something like this happened to her."

"Have you tried contacting her?" I asked.

"I did, but she's not picking up," Gordon admitted, his lips tightening. "We had an argument not long ago, but she's tough. I know she can take care of herself."

I, too, worried about my family. As I patrolled the rooftops, I often scanned my old neighborhood, but I hadn't seen any clouds of toxin there. The attacks seemed to target densely populated areas, and my neighborhood was among the least populated in the city.

"Do you know anyone else who could produce the antidote?" I asked.

"Other than Batman? No," Gordon said grimly. "This is Gotham there are more people here skilled at creating poisons and toxins than cures. Although... maybe Lucius Fox could help. He's running Wayne Enterprises while Bruce Wayne is... unavailable."

"Is he a scientist?"

"Not exactly, but he has access to the company's resources," Gordon replied.

We reached the hospital room. The nurse parked the bed and left without a word. Gordon soon excused himself as well, saying he needed to return to police headquarters. That left me alone to watch over Batgirl.

I was overwhelmed with uncertainty. I didn't know what to do, where to go, or who to turn to. I was a stranger here, surrounded by unfamiliar faces and an unfamiliar city. All I could do was wait for our only hope to wake up. Once this was over, I promised myself I'd learn everything I could to be better prepared for the future.

I glanced out the window at Gotham, a city suffering under the Joker's madness. From what I'd heard, this wasn't the first time it had endured such chaos.

The next events unfolded too quickly to process. While I was waiting, Gordon approached me, asking for help in dealing with a mob of deranged people approaching the hospital. I acted as a tank, holding them back and neutralizing their threats. My strength was quickly recognized, and I was unofficially drafted into the ranks of Gotham's heroes. They sent me wherever I was needed clearing roads of wrecked cars, removing debris, and helping wherever I could.

That night in Gotham was grueling for everyone.

By morning, Batgirl regained consciousness. At first, she was disoriented and confused about her surroundings, but once she understood where she was and learned about the events that had transpired, she broke down in tears.

I tried my best to comfort her. The news of her paralysis hit her hard, as did the loss of her fellow heroes. I did what I could, offering words of solace, though I knew they could only do so much against the weight of such devastating news.

Batgirl managed to compose herself, and once she changed back into her costume, we headed to Lucius Fox. She seemed familiar with him and explained that he had access to the necessary laboratories.

When we arrived, we found Lucius seated at his desk. After listening to our story, he sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes.

"I never thought this would be needed," he said, rising from his chair. He walked over to a bookshelf and pulled on a book, triggering a mechanism that caused the shelf to slide aside. "Bruce was paranoid. He prepared countless contingency plans, including ones against the Justice League, should they ever turn rogue. But there was another plan one against himself," Lucius continued, leading us down a hidden corridor.

The corridor opened into a large, high-tech room filled with various gadgets, weapons, and state-of-the-art equipment.

"And I was the one entrusted with making it work," Lucius said, his voice heavy with responsibility. "My job is to strip him of control over the company and provide other heroes with the means to stop him using his own technology." He gestured toward the room.

"How do we do that?" I asked.

"For starters, his suit contains a hidden tracker embedded in the armor's components," Lucius explained. "Additionally, many of his vehicles planes, cars can be remotely overridden from here." He pointed to a sophisticated computer console. "Ideally, the Justice League would've dealt with him. But from what you've said, he's already attacked them. And judging by the news, they haven't been seen in some time except for Flash and Green Arrow. That means it's up to us. So, where do we begin?"

I hesitated, glancing at Batgirl. She was still in my arms.

"Set me down by the computer," she said firmly.

I carried her over and gently placed her in the chair. Without missing a beat, she began working on the console, her hands flying across the keyboard.

Meanwhile, I followed her instructions to the letter fetching equipment, handing her tools, and assisting with whatever she needed. Despite her physical limitations, Batgirl's determination was unshakable, and her expertise quickly became apparent.

Lucius occasionally stepped in, providing guidance or explaining the functions of the equipment. The tension in the room was palpable, but so was the resolve. We all knew the stakes were high, and failure wasn't an option.

As the hours ticked by, a plan began to take shape.