[sO1eO6 , infiltrator]

Despite Mara's last screw up, the Shadows have assigned her as part of their crew again. She's grateful for their second chance and doesn't question it. She says nothing as she's shoved in a vehicle with a group of black-clad assassins.

The Daily Planet has vital information that the Shadows need. The newspaper company would've been the next victim to the Fog if not for the interference of Robin and his team.

Mara can't help but squirm the entire ride there. She's a part of Team A. It's her job to cause chaos as a distraction as Team B steals a chip card. The demigoddess isn't too sure about that part of the plan. No one filled her in. Ella was supposed to be alongside Mara, but the brunette mysteriously disappeared a couple of nights ago and no one has heard from her since.

Mara's completely alone in this now.

The vehicle comes to an abrupt stop. Mara looks out the window. A small smile graces her lips as she watches a father and daughter giggle and splash around in a fountain. Beside them, a young woman runs in circles with her dog, laughing when the furry canine finally catches up to her. Another woman argues loudly on the phone and a teenager narrowly misses her on his skateboard, causing a flow of colorful words to leave her mouth.

All these people have their own lives. Their own paths. It almost doesn't feel right to tell them what they can or can't do. To tell them that their future is going to be completely changed by the God of War.

She's always had questions for her father about the new world but he reassured her that everything will make sense in the end. Still, Mara has questions. What if someone defies the new order? What will happen to all of the animals? What if the Justice League tries to stop them? Most of all, she can't help but wonder what will become of the children? Being raised a warrior is no easy feat. It causes internal wounds that will never go away.

Does the child playing hopscotch on the sidewalk deserve to grow up fighting battles? Or the pregnant woman who excitedly talks about baby names with her husband? Does everything deserve to be ripped away from them?

Mara's never seen this side of Earth. She's only been shown the anger and destruction. The wars that mankind creates. Seeing this, it's like a completely separate dimension. It's so different from the stories her father told her growing up.

Things are starting to make less sense to Mara as Harmonia's words reverberate in her skull, not everything is as it seems, dear sister.

But Mara vowed to save this world and that's just what she'll do. The people of Man's World will see bloody knuckles and broken bones but it will all be for the better. Once they are all-powerful, they will finally know peace and they will thank Mara for her dedication.

She's doing the right thing. She has to be.

Mara brutally forces herself through a window while a swarm of ninjas join her side. They immediately start in their terror while the other half of the party freezes, unsure of where or what to do. Her accomplices took the word 'distraction' and ran with it. They flip desks, slice their swords through the air, throw chairs, and break whatever they can get their hands on―despite the horrified screams of the civilians. In a matter of seconds, what was once a respected and cherished environment looks worse than the slums in Gotham.

A young boy hides behind his mother. An assassin raises his katana to them. With a gasp, Mara rushes over. She barely manages to catch the blade with the palm of her hand. Blood gushes from the wound but she ignores the pain and shoves the weapon aside.

"We're not here to kill anybody," she scolds, her red eyes pressed into a fierce glare. She isn't the God of War, but maybe her likeness will scare them enough to listen.

The assassin doesn't waste time with the young goddess and rushes away. She looks at the mother and son, turning her back to the crowd. Big mistake.

A bullet fires off near her ear.

Mara's vision flashes white for a brief moment. When she comes back to it, her eyes still foggy and head pounding, she sees a trail of red slowly crawling to the tip of her boot. Next, she hears the blood-curdling cries for help.

The son from earlier sobs. Tears roll from his eyes and onto the hole in his mother's chest.

"No," Mara gasps. She tries to ignore the pleas for help around her as she crouches down, urging the boy with wide eyes. "Go! You have to―"

A large hand falls upon Mara's shoulder. For a second, she thinks it's her father, but then she sees the scrappy orange fabric.

Deathstroke.

When the Shadows need a job done, he's usually number one on the call list. Mara's trained with him a couple of times and knows that there's nothing gentle about him. His presence worries Mara, but her anger and despair outweighs any ounce of fear.

Mara smacks Deathstroke's hand away. "What are you doing here?! Why did you . . ." Her words trail off as another cry pierces the air. And another and another until Mara's so shaken up that she can't even focus.

"A test, my dear," Deathstroke says, his voice condescending as usual. "To prove your allegiance to the Shadows."

"No, this is wrong!"

"Tsk, tsk. I'd been told to dispose of you if you defied." His voice sounds like gravel. He brings out his sword. Mara has no doubt that he'll end her in a heartbeat.

A whizz of red and blue appears in front of Mara.

Superman.

Mara cowers back in fear. Her father has told her stories of Superman vaporizing someone just for looking at him the wrong way. But the Kryptonian's large figure shields her from the horrors of the scene.

"Ah, I figured the boy scout would be here," Deathstroke says, not sounding bothered or worried at all at the fact that he could be crushed to death by Superman's palms. "So I brought this."

The trained assassin pulls out a shiny green rock. Mara's never seen it before but it makes the Man of Steel crumble to his knees with a pained groan.

"Nothing personal, but I can't have you getting in my way." Deathstroke raises his blade, the shiny glint reflecting Mara's horror. For a brief moment, her eyes glow and Deathstroke is swept from his feet. He rams into a wall but quickly recovers, dragging his sword against the ground as he pridefully walks over.

Despite Mara's brain warning her to run in the opposite direction as fast as she can, she jumps in front of Superman. "What are you doing? This wasn't the plan!"

"Plan's changed."

Deathstroke's posture stiffens in disgust. "You've been such a disappointment. I told Ra's you'd only be a waste of resources. Shame. You could've been the worldkiller you were born to be."

A quake tosses the building in shambles. The entire floor shakes and a round of crackles blast throughout the halls. Explosives, no doubt. This entire place is going to go down with everyone inside.

Still, Deathstroke doesn't appear bothered. His earpiece buzzes and Mara realizes that hers still remains silent.

It was all a con. A trick. She's been betrayed. This was the plan all along.

No, no. This doesn't make sense. This isn't what's supposed to happen.

Why would they do this to her? She's been loyal to them since she could walk. Is it because she doesn't comply in killing innocent people and children? If so, then that's not a team she wants to be a part of.

"I know what you're thinking." Deathstroke cackles. He gestures to the chaos as a wall is blown in and a bunch of boards fall upon a man, slowly crushing him to death. Mara flinches at the sight. "Why all of this for information that might not even be true?"

Mara doesn't want to know. It could be a plan to overtake the entire universe and her interest still wouldn't be piqued. All she wants to do is run and hide for the rest of her miserable life.

"In due time, you'll understand."

The ground rumbles beneath Mara like it's suddenly come alive and demanding a meal, that being a small five-foot-something demigod.

"Now run, little god, and never return."

Deathstroke's boot meets the pit of Mara's stomach and she goes soaring out a broken window.

One last explosion is what finally brings the Daily Planet to its knees. The Shadows are nowhere to be seen and a heap of civilians lie entangled in the aftermath as if the rubble has been rewritten into their DNA. Sirens echo in the distance and red and blue lights dance across the tall buildings.

Against Mara's better judgement, she forces herself to her feet and rushes over, throwing large chunks of debris aside to try and find any sign of life. A hand twitches and then turns to stone. After that, it's nothing but blood and lifeless corpses.

"Mara." A harrowing voice calls. Slowly, she turns and comes face to face with Superman. "We've been looking for you."

Mara takes a shaky step back, her foot catching in a nook and bringing her to the ground. "Stop! Please stay back!"

"I'm not going to hurt you."

He's lying, Mara just knows it. Metropolis is his usual hunting grounds and god forbid anyone who tampers with the city. Mara did much worse than that. She caused the lights in the city to completely die down. She killed over a dozen people. Superman is going to want her head on his wall as a trophy.

So she runs and she doesn't look back.

.

.

.

Mara's new quarters don't have a very pleasant smell. She's sure that there's some sort of dead animal beneath one of the boxes but would rather deal with the stench than have to see another corpse today.

She ran and ran until she could find the closest hiding spot. Granted, it's some random shed in a backyard, but it'll have to do. Mara knows that Superman has extraterrestrial powers. Hopefully, holding her breath and staying as quiet as possible will keep him off of her trail.

On the other side, a window slides open.

"Mara."

The voice makes Mara spin around with wide eyes. She sees a faint silhouette hidden by the shadows. "Robin?"

The Boy Wonder steps forward, the light rays from the window pricking at his skin and illuminating his domino mask.

Mara's defenses lower but her bottom lip trembles. Growing closer, Robin sees that her cheeks are stained with tears and her eyes are puffy. She sinks to the ground, her head falling in between her knees. Cautiously, Robin sits beside her. Far enough to make her comfortable but close enough to let her know that he's here for her.

"Are you okay?"

"Am I . . . what?" Robin's words only cause more exasperation in the demigoddess. "People are dead because of me. Who cares about how I feel?"

"I do."

Desperate and pleading eyes search Robin for deception. Instead, he only smiles widely at her. She exhales heavily and wipes away her fallen tears with the back of her gloved hands. "I feel so stupid," she sniffles. "My father, the Shadows . . . they didn't want me to help them save the world, they wanted me to help them destroy it." She chuckles weakly. "I should've known―God of War―it's in the name."

Flashes of colors crackle in the air outside. Red, white, and blue sparks fly throughout the sky.

Mara flinches at the thunderous sound. Frantically, her eyes search for an escape. "It's my father!" she yelps. "He's sending me a warning. He found me!"

Amused, Robin raises an eyebrow. "Mara―"

"Or maybe it's Ella and she's signaling for help! We have to go help her!" Mara lurches forward but is stopped by a gentle hand on her upper arm.

Robin smiles at her. "Relax, they're just fireworks."

The demigoddess narrows her eyes. "Fire . . . what?"

"It's . . ." Robin's eyes dart from the fireworks and then back to Mara. He grins boyishly. "Oh, you have so much to learn."

Teetering closer to the window, Mara's eyes light up brighter than the sun. A flash of colors spiral in the night sky. She continuously flinches at each pop but her eyes are filled with so much wonder and amazement, like a newborn witnessing the world for the first time.

Robin watches her closely. Warily. Gently.

"What are they for? The working fire―fireworks?"

"Independence Day," Robin replies, his eyes not leaving Mara. Thankfully, she doesn't notice. "Celebrating America's freedom from Britain."

"Woah . . ." Mara gasps. She flashes Boy Wonder a brief grin. "There aren't any history books on Areopagus."

"What's it like?" Robin slowly asks, knowing that he may be treading on thin water. "Areopagus."

Home, Mara thinks with a tiny smile. She remembers her father's ultimatum and frowns. There's no way she's ever going to be allowed back.

"Oh, it's amazing!" She smiles, but there's uncertainty etched into the inner workings. "There's this river that I always go to, but I'm not allowed to swim in it because I almost drowned when my brother Deimos realized I couldn't swim and thought it would be funny to dump me in there. Phobos got really mad and held Deimos's head under water. I didn't know I could fly yet, either. I guess my father didn't really like that so he . . ." Her words trail off with a wince. "But it's okay because I have a really soft bed because my uncle Hephaestus made it just for me! He also made my sword, but that's because my father threatened him. They kind've have a rivalry with Aphrodite―long story."

Robin chuckles, reminding Mara that he's still there. Her cheeks immediately pinken. "Sorry, I didn't, uh . . . Ella always told me I ramble when I get excited." Nervously, she starts to fiddle with her fingers.

"No, it's okay," Robin grins, urging her to go on. "I don't mind."

"Areopagus is . . . great. It's my home. But it's also very . . . lonely."

A beat passes.

Robin wanders off towards the door. Mara frowns, thinking she's chased him off. Instead, he outstretches his hand. "You don't have to be alone anymore. Do you want to come with us?"

"Us . . . ?"

Robin opens the shed doors and reveals multiple figures standing on the other side. Mara only recognizes Superman, Batman, and Black Canary. The others are a mystery. There's a girl Martian Manhunter, mini Superman, ginger Flash, and a tan boy with gills.

Unsure, Mara falters at the sight.

Then the sea of people part and an older teen steps forward. She smiles at Mara in relief. "Thank God you're okay."

Like she's seeing a ghost, Mara freezes. Once everything registers in her head, she rushes forward. "Ella!" Overwhelmed with everything, Mara envelops her best friend in a tight hug, not caring how the others perceive her as she openly surrenders to the feeling of having Ella back. "What―but . . . how? Is this where you've been?"

Grinning, Ella nods.

"For how long?"

"Months." Ella frowns. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, it all happened so fast and my mother was getting suspicious so I had to officially disappear."

"It's okay," Mara says. "I'm just glad you're okay. I thought something bad happened to you. I thought you left me alone."

"Never." With a cocky grin, Ella ruffles Mara's short and shaggy hair. "Now let's go home."