"ARGUS, huh."
Hearing Zatanna's explanation, Axel grinned briefly and gave a small nod.
"I'm not surprised. It would be stranger if they weren't involved. Groups like ARGUS, and others like them around the world, are probably already watching me."
He paused, then added,
"Still, thanks for telling me. The information itself isn't valuable, but your decision to bring it to me is."
Axel stepped closer and casually ruffled her hair.
"It proves something important. Not everyone stands against me. The world isn't that simple. There's no clear line between right and wrong, only who stands higher and who gets the final say."
He turned toward Lex with an easy smile.
"Relax. Lightning happens. One failed experiment doesn't mean anything. You'll recover it with the next success."
Lex stopped mid step and glanced back.
"That's fine, but your unfinished battle suit is gone, Axel. I don't care about the result. I already figured out the key part of the research. I only came out because I thought you'd be angry."
With that, he turned and returned to the lab.
Axel stood still for a moment, then suddenly raised his middle finger at the sky.
"Yeah, screw you too."
His mood shifted slightly. He patted Zatanna on the shoulder, then lifted his hand again.
A burst of fire flickered in the air.
An older, dark skinned woman appeared in front of him, slightly heavyset, her eyes widening in shock as she took in her surroundings.
She raised both hands quickly.
"Wraith, I mean no harm. My investigation was only meant to establish contact. Whatever you heard, it's not what you think. I…"
"Shut up."
Axel didn't wait.
His hand struck forward.
The impact crushed her head instantly, like a watermelon hitting concrete. Blood spread across the grass in a dark stain.
Silence followed.
Axel turned to Alfred.
"How much to clean this up?"
Alfred glanced at the ground, composed as ever.
"If the grass survives, around three hundred dollars. If it dies off, closer to eight thousand."
"Fine."
Axel waved it off.
"Write a letter. Put it on her body. Send both to the White House. Remind them to pay."
He smirked slightly.
"And include five dollars. That's what she's worth."
He sat back down, as if nothing had happened, idly reaching down to stroke one of the cats gathering near his feet.
Beside him, Zatanna swallowed hard.
"Wraith…"
"You can call me Axel."
She nodded quickly, then glanced at the corpse.
"That woman… who was she?"
"Amanda Waller," Axel replied without hesitation. "She runs ARGUS."
He wiped a bit of blood from his cheek.
"Her death looks ugly, but people like her rarely die clean."
He leaned back slightly.
"My standards are simple. Out of every ten people I kill, at least eight deserve it. That sounds like a good ratio to me."
He gave a faint smile.
"So how exactly am I the villain?"
Alfred, already preparing the letter, spoke without looking up.
"By that reasoning, Master, my past profession would not differ much from hers."
Axel laughed.
"I didn't finish."
His tone shifted, more direct.
"I'm also a hypocrite. The people I want dead will die. The ones I don't want dead will live."
He glanced at Alfred.
"You're fortunate. I like you."
Alfred nodded once.
"Then I appreciate your preference, Master."
He sealed the envelope and slipped a five dollar bill inside.
Far away, at ARGUS headquarters, Booster Gold and Dr. June Moone were speaking with Amanda Waller.
Without warning, fire flashed.
Amanda vanished.
Booster Gold jumped to his feet instantly.
Before Dr. Moone could react, he grabbed her shoulders and shook her.
"Transform now. Do it. Enchantress, come out!"
"Enchantress!"
Startled, she spoke the word.
Dark mist erupted around her.
In seconds, Enchantress stood in her place, her appearance shifting, her presence far more dangerous.
She glanced at Booster Gold, irritation clear, then slammed him into the wall with a flick of her hand.
"Enough."
Booster Gold struggled, panic rising.
"This isn't a joke. That flame, it was him. He took Amanda. Just like that."
His voice grew more frantic.
"He has no blind spots. If he wants us, he'll come. Be ready to move at any second."
Enchantress said nothing at first.
Then her eyes narrowed slightly, as if she sensed something.
A moment later, she vanished briefly and reappeared holding a box.
At that exact moment, heavily armed soldiers stormed into the room, weapons raised.
"Drop it!"
Ignoring them, Enchantress opened the box and pulled out a shriveled heart.
The moment it left the container, the box exploded.
The blast shook the room, but she shielded the heart with her body.
She turned her gaze toward Booster Gold.
He froze, then shouted in desperation.
"She's dead. He killed her. The bomb in my head is linked to her heartbeat. If it stops, I'm dead too."
His voice cracked.
"Help me remove it. I can pay you. I'm from the future. I have knowledge, resources, anything you want…"
His words cut off.
His head exploded.
At that same moment, across the world, hundreds of others suffered the same fate.
Inside the ruined room, Enchantress only sneered, holding the heart tightly.
The soldiers opened fire.
They never got the chance.
Bones snapped. Bodies collapsed inward, crushed by invisible force into shapeless masses.
Silence returned.
Enchantress stood alone, holding the heart in her palm, her expression cold and unreadable.