章 15: Assemble, Planning, And Taking The Fight To Steppenwolf
"And what about Ethan?" Diana asked. "He could be crucial, given his knowledge of the Mother Boxes."
"I'll reach out to him after Barry," Batman said. "We'll need his expertise to stand any chance against Darkseid."
Diana straightened. "Then let's not waste any time. I'll return to Themyscira and see what can be salvaged from the battle. Perhaps there's something we missed."
Batman's jaw tightened. "We'll need everything we can get. This war is just beginning."
Ethan Harper sat in his dinning room, eating his dinner, he was sipping red wine, when his phone buzzed. The call was from an unknown number, but the voice on the other end was unmistakable.
"Ethan," Batman's gravelly voice said. "I need you at the Wayne estate tonight. We're assembling a team. There's a threat that makes Doomsday look small."
Ethan laid down his fork, already donning a serious expression. "I'll be there."
Arriving at Wayne Manor later that evening, Ethan entered the grand hall to find Bruce Wayne standing alongside two others. Diana Prince, her Amazonian presence commanding the room, nodded in greeting. The other was younger, with nervous energy radiating off him.
"Barry Allen," the young man introduced himself, shaking Ethan's hand quickly. "Fastest man alive. Or, you know, trying to be."
"Ethan Harper," Ethan replied with a small smile. "Genius with alien tech. Or, you know, trying to be."
"Enough introductions," Batman cut in. "We don't have much time."
Diana stepped forward, her expression grim. "Darkseid's forces have begun their assault. Steppenwolf, one of his generals, has taken the Mother Box from Themyscira. My sisters fought valiantly, but they couldn't stop him. Now, he's moving across the planet, hunting the remaining boxes."
Ethan frowned. "And you think he's coming for the one here on Earth?"
Diana nodded. "It's only a matter of time. We need to be ready."
An hour into their discussion, Alfred's voice came over the Batcave's comm system. "Master Wayne, there's been an incident at Gotham Harbor. Reports suggest alien activity."
Batman's mind worked quickly. "It's Steppenwolf. He's making his move."
The group wasted no time. Formulating a tactical plan, they boarded the Batjet and headed for the harbor.
The moment they arrived, chaos was evident. Parademons swarmed the area, tearing through shipping containers and attacking anyone who got in their way. In the center of it all stood Steppenwolf, his imposing figure holding the stolen Mother Box aloft.
"Protect the box!" Steppenwolf commanded his army. "For Darkseid!"
Batman and Flash split off, engaging the Parademons. Flash darted through the battlefield, disarming enemies and drawing their fire, while Batman used his grappling hooks and gadgets to take them down one by one.
Ethan and Diana confronted Steppenwolf.
"You won't take this planet," Diana declared, drawing her sword.
Steppenwolf smirked, his massive axe crackling with energy. "This world will fall, as all others have before Darkseid."
Ethan activated his armor, the runes glowing faintly as it enveloped him. "Let's see you handle a bit of Earth's ingenuity."
The battle was fierce. Diana's skill with her sword kept Steppenwolf at bay, while Ethan used his flames and energy blasts to pressure the Apokoliptian general. However, Steppenwolf's strength was overwhelming. His axe clashed with Diana's sword, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
Ethan launched a concentrated energy blast, but Steppenwolf deflected it with ease. "Your tricks are nothing against the might of Apokolips!"
Steppenwolf retaliated with a devastating energy beam from his axe, striking the harbor wall. The explosion sent debris flying, and water began to flood the area.
As the harbor filled with water, Steppenwolf opened a Boom Tube, retreating with the Mother Box. Ethan, his armor's sensors active, discreetly recorded the spatial and energy fluctuations of the Boom Tube for later analysis.
With the water rising rapidly, the heroes struggled to escape. Batman, weighed down by his gear, was nearly swept away by the current.
Suddenly, Aquaman appeared, riding the crest of a massive wave. With his trident, he parted the floodwaters, holding them back just long enough for everyone to reach higher ground.
"You're welcome," he said, his tone as sharp as the edge of his weapon.
Once outside, the group was met by Commissioner Gordon, who had arrived with a team of officers.
"What the hell happened in there?" Gordon demanded, his eyes scanning the soaked and battered heroes.
"Steppenwolf," Batman said curtly. "He has one of the Mother Boxes."
Aquaman stepped forward, his expression grim. "Make that two. Atlantis was attacked. The box we were guarding is gone."
Ethan clenched his fists. "That means there's only one left."
Gordon sighed. "Not anymore. While you were fighting at the harbor, there was an attack at STAR Labs. Parademons took the last box."
The realization hit like a thunderbolt.
"It was a trap," Ethan said, his voice cold with frustration. "Steppenwolf baited us here to keep us from responding to the attack on STAR Labs."
The group stood in silence, the weight of their failure settling over them.
"We're running out of time," Diana said. "If Steppenwolf unites the three Mother Boxes, Earth will be lost."
Batman turned to Aquaman. "We need your help. Your strength, your knowledge of Atlantis—it could turn the tide."
Aquaman hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I'm in. But don't think I'm doing this for you."
Ethan, still processing the data he'd collected from the Boom Tube, looked up. "We need to regroup and come up with a new plan. If we're going to stop Steppenwolf, we'll need more than just strength—we'll need strategy."
Batman nodded, his mind already working on the next steps. "Then let's get to work."
The Batcave was a hive of activity as the heroes gathered. Cyborg stood in the center, his glowing red eye scanning streams of data projected from his integrated systems. Batman barked orders, his voice steady despite the looming threat. Diana sharpened her sword in preparation, and Barry zipped around, his nervous energy barely contained.
Ethan, however, worked silently in a dimly lit corner of the Batcave. He had extracted the recorded data from Steppenwolf's Boom Tube at Gotham Harbor and was using his scarab armor to analyze the spatial and energy fluctuations.
"This technology… it's a blend of advanced physics and something akin to magic," Ethan muttered, his focus entirely on his armor. The faint hum of the scarab echoed in the quiet corner as it processed the data.
"Upload complete," the scarab's artificial voice announced.
Ethan stood, flexing his hands as the armor shifted slightly. The integration was complete, granting him the ability to access Boom Tubes.
"Got it!" Cyborg suddenly exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention. "I've scanned for unusual energy surges across the globe. There's a massive concentration of activity in an isolated area in Russia—an old nuclear site."
"The Mother Boxes," Batman confirmed grimly.
"They've already begun merging into the Unity," Cyborg continued, his voice urgent. "The energy signature is spiking—it's terraforming the planet. We're out of time."
Batman quickly activated his communicator, sending a notification to the entire team. "Everyone, suit up. We move now."
Ethan stepped forward, his armor glowing faintly as it adjusted to the new data. "I've integrated the Boom Tube fluctuations into my scarab. If we need to bypass their defenses or create an escape route, I might be able to open a portal."
"Good," Batman said, his tone brisk. "We'll need every advantage."
As the team prepared to depart, Cyborg displayed a hologram of the Russian site. The projection showed the three Mother Boxes already connected, their combined energy forming a dome of destructive power.
"That's Steppenwolf's base," Cyborg said. "And this—" he pointed to the expanding energy waves "—is the Unity. Once it's complete, it'll rewrite the planet's biology to match Apokolips."
"Then we stop it before it's finished," Diana said firmly.
"We'll split into two teams," Batman instructed. "One to take on Steppenwolf, the other to disable the Mother Boxes."
"I'll handle the Boxes," Cyborg volunteered. "I have the best chance of interfacing with them."
"You won't do it alone," Ethan said. "If the Unity defends itself, I'll back you up. My scarab's energy absorption might buy us time."
"Good," Batman said. "Barry, Diana, and I will keep Steppenwolf busy. Aquaman will cover Cyborg and Ethan."
As the Batjet prepared for takeoff, Ethan lingered near Cyborg. "Can you stop the Unity?" Ethan asked.
Cyborg's gaze was intense. "Stopping it isn't the problem. Surviving it is."
Ethan nodded. "Then let's make sure we both come back."
The team boarded the Batjet, the atmosphere heavy with determination and fear. As they flew toward the Russian site, the sky grew darker, the air electric with the energy of the Unity.
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