The sudden explosion caught everyone by surprise.
The blast was so powerful that all the glass on the first floor of the police station shattered, scattering shards everywhere. Outside, the officers and civilians instinctively dropped to the ground, some lying flat to shield themselves from the shockwave.
Kara stood firm amidst the chaos, her back to the police station. Her cape fluttered in the aftermath, the image of a resolute figure undisturbed by the chaos around her. She turned her head slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips.
The Joker's plan hadn't eluded her foresight. Thanks to her enhanced precognition, Kara had already seen the unfolding events.
"This ends here," she said softly, stepping into the smoking ruins of the police station.
Despite the residual danger in the air, Kara moved with calm determination, heading straight for the holding cells in the basement. The temporary lockup housed recent detainees awaiting trial or further interrogation. However, when she arrived, it became evident that Joker had escaped, taking Xiao Liu with him.
Joker's intent was clear. He wasn't "rescuing" Xiao Liu; he was using him as leverage—or worse, bait for a larger scheme involving Gotham's criminal underworld.
As Kara surveyed the scene, she noticed a police officer preparing a vehicle for Joker's escape.
"That's our witness you're taking," Kara called out, her voice sharp and unwavering.
Joker turned at her voice, his expression split between amusement and irritation. Without hesitation, he pulled a pistol from the undercover officer beside him and fired three shots at Kara.
The bullets never reached her.
Suspended mid-air, the bullets hovered in front of Kara, halted by her psychokinesis. Joker's amused smirk faltered, giving way to an expression of surprise. Kara's gaze remained fixed on him as she casually redirected the bullets, sending them into the undercover officer behind Joker.
The man collapsed, incapacitated instantly. Unlike Kara, he lacked the resilience to withstand such force.
"I could have ignored your attack entirely," Kara said, her tone measured. "But this way, I make my point."
The move served dual purposes: disarming Joker and subtly showcasing her psychokinetic abilities. She needed a plausible explanation for her earlier feats of flight and strength, avoiding any hints about her extraterrestrial origins.
Turning her attention back to Joker, Kara encased him in a transparent psychokinetic shield. Trapped, he could do little more than glare at her.
Xiao Liu, who had been held hostage, was pulled safely toward Kara with her psychokinesis.
"Are you an idiot?" Kara asked bluntly, flicking Xiao Liu on the forehead hard enough to make him flinch. "If you'd let him take you, you'd be dead within the hour. Do you understand that? Dead. Your only chance at survival is to help us take down the people you betrayed. Otherwise, your days are numbered."
Xiao Liu stammered, "I was forced—he had a gun—"
Kara silenced him with a glare before turning back to Joker, who sat silently in his psychic prison, watching her with unsettling amusement.
By the time the other officers arrived, the scene was under control. Bruce was among them, taking in the aftermath with a mix of astonishment and skepticism.
"What… is that?" Bruce asked, gesturing to the shimmering barrier containing Joker.
"A super ability," Kara replied curtly, releasing the shield and allowing the officers to restrain Joker properly.
"But—"
"No buts," Kara interrupted, her tone final.
She turned to Commissioner Gordon. "You need to root out any remaining undercover agents in your force. If they think they can play both sides, let them know this: the bosses they're loyal to are going down, and anyone caught in the crossfire will share their fate."
The undercover agents weren't Joker's doing. They were remnants of Gotham's old crime families, a lingering vestige of Carmine Falcone's network. Dealing with them was a task Kara had no interest in taking on herself. Her focus was the Joker.
He was dangerous not just because of his unpredictability but because he could exploit the worst aspects of human nature. He was a threat not just to Gotham but to everyone Kara cared about.
As the officers led Joker away, Kara watched him closely. Despite his disheveled appearance and bound hands, he carried himself with unsettling calm.
For all her powers and foresight, Kara knew she'd only narrowly outmaneuvered him. His chaos, his mastery of psychological warfare, made him one of the most formidable opponents she'd ever faced.
Outside the station, Kara sank onto the steps, exhaustion and frustration weighing heavily on her.
She pulled her cape around her shoulders, letting out a weary sigh. The Joker was human—fragile, mortal—yet he'd forced her to use her full strength to stop him.
If she hadn't had her powers, what then? Would Gotham have lost? Would she?
Bruce approached, standing silently beside her.
"Got a cigarette?" Kara asked suddenly.
"I don't smoke," Bruce replied, his tone dry.
Harvey appeared moments later, handing her one.
With a snap of her fingers, Kara lit the cigarette using a small flame conjured at her fingertips. She inhaled deeply, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"I'm done," Kara said abruptly, the words hanging in the air. "I'm not doing this anymore."
Bruce looked at her sharply, but she didn't elaborate. She simply stared out into the Gotham night, the faint glow of the city lights reflecting in her eyes.
Kara finally decided to let go of Batman's identity completely.
She wasn't Batman, after all, and she didn't feel any deep connection to the role either.
The Joker had become her final confession to Bruce.
"Don't look for me again, because even if you do, I won't help you as Batman anymore. That's all," Kara said as she stood up. After taking the last puff of her cigarette, she began to float slowly into the air.
Now that everything had been revealed, Kara saw no point in hiding anymore. She hovered in front of Bruce, Harvey, and the others. After giving Bruce one last look, she turned and flew away.
From this point onward, she planned to take a break from the superhero life, stepping back into her original daily existence. There should be a period of calm after dealing with the Joker, she thought.
Back in the alley, Kara found her motorcycle. She climbed on, transformed the vehicle into a sleek mode, and headed straight for Wayne Manor.
Alfred had returned to the Manor earlier, unaware of what had transpired. When he saw Kara, he asked, "Didn't you already catch the Joker?"
While putting her gear back into the Batcave, Kara replied nonchalantly, "Something came up afterward. I'll explain everything to Bruce when he gets back. I'm leaving tomorrow, but I need one of Bruce's cars. By the way, could you unlock the garage for me?"
Alfred complied without hesitation, opening the expansive garage filled with luxury vehicles. There were Maseratis, Porsches, and countless high-end motorcycles—every machine far surpassing the standard sports car.
Kara picked one at random and jumped in. Even though the door could easily be opened, she chose to leap in through the open top of the convertible.
With Bruce's taste for practicality and preparedness, every car had a built-in key, ready to be started at any moment. Kara waved to Alfred before driving off in the supercar.
Her drive led her to Jennifer's house. She hadn't expected Jennifer to stay up waiting for her, yet there she was, looking at Kara with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.
"Do you have superpowers?" Jennifer asked, her tone carrying more surprise than accusation.
Kara froze for a moment, realizing who had told her. "Didn't expect Bruce Wayne to be a gossip," she muttered.
Jennifer crossed her arms. "Didn't you say you were done with him? Why are you still in contact?"
Kara didn't answer, instead trying to deflect. But Jennifer wasn't easily fooled. "Don't change the subject. Tell me everything," she demanded.
With a resigned sigh, Kara realized there was no escaping. She didn't want to lie, but she also knew how dangerous it could be to reveal too much, even to someone she trusted. "Fine," she admitted. "It's just telekinesis, really."
It was a vague answer, carefully designed to mask the full extent of her abilities. Kara didn't trust anyone completely—not even Jennifer, who might one day betray her, intentionally or not. And as far as Bruce was concerned, Kara wouldn't put it past him to have kryptonite ready just in case.
Still, Jennifer's eager expression left Kara little choice. She demonstrated some basic telekinetic moves, lifting spoons from the kitchen counter and twisting them into intricate shapes in mid-air.
Jennifer stared, wide-eyed. "What else can you do?"
Kara sighed and extended her hands. Twin flames erupted from her palms, each one nearly half a meter high.
"This isn't a superpower," Kara clarified. "It's magic. I can create fire using spells."
She went on to explain the difference between controlling existing fire and creating it outright. The former was limited, while the latter allowed for infinite possibilities. Kara demonstrated by turning the flames blue, raising their temperature significantly.
She continued with other elements: a water orb that could shift into ice, a whirlwind of air strong enough to scatter papers across the room, and even a chunk of earth she conjured out of nowhere before compressing it into solid rock.
The most impressive transformation came when she turned the rock into a gleaming gold brick. Jennifer's jaw dropped.
"Honestly, mining gold is a waste of time when magic makes it this easy," Kara remarked, tossing the gold brick onto the counter.
Jennifer was left speechless as Kara continued her demonstrations. Each element, whether water, fire, earth, or wind, showcased immense versatility, from high-speed water blades to sharpened ice spears.
Kara mentioned her history briefly. When she was fifteen, she had been approached by the wizard Shazam and offered the chance to wield his power. But she'd declined, knowing his strength came from borrowed divine forces.
"I'm not interested in relying on powers weaker than my own," Kara said simply. "Why would I?"
She finished her demonstrations, turning back to Jennifer with a faint smile. "Now you know."
Jennifer remained silent for a moment before nodding. "You're incredible."
Kara chuckled softly. "Don't tell Bruce I said that."
For the first time in a long while, Kara felt a sense of relief. The burden of secrecy had lessened—at least for now.
Bạn cũng có thể thích
bình luận đoạn văn
Tính năng bình luận đoạn văn hiện đã có trên Web! Di chuyển chuột qua bất kỳ đoạn nào và nhấp vào biểu tượng để thêm nhận xét của bạn.
Ngoài ra, bạn luôn có thể tắt / bật nó trong Cài đặt.
ĐÃ NHẬN ĐƯỢC