Chapter 13: The Raid on the Shadows

The jet hovered in the night sky above the League of Shadows' hidden fortress, nestled deep within the Hindu Kush mountains. Below them, the compound was alive with movement—patrolling guards, massive reinforced walls, and high-tech weaponry lining the perimeter. But it wasn't the defenses that concerned Clark. It was the people inside.

Super-soldiers. Enhanced warriors.

Talia had perfected the serum.

Clark stood at the ramp of the jet, Batman beside him. Their team of elite operatives—handpicked by Amanda Waller—checked their gear. These were the best of the best, but even they knew what they were up against.

"This isn't a mission," Batman muttered. "It's a war."

Clark nodded. "Then we'd better win."

A green light flashed inside the jet—Waller's signal. The time had come.

Clark turned to the team. "No mistakes. No mercy. We take out their command structure, we disable their operations, and we stop Talia before she deploys the serum on a global scale." His voice was steady, but he could feel something inside him shifting—his power, awakening bit by bit.

This would be the hardest fight of his life.

But for the first time in years… he felt ready.

The Infiltration

The jet's ramp dropped open, and in a blur of motion, the team leaped from the aircraft. The night swallowed them as they descended in silence, their advanced parachutes opening at the last possible second.

Clark landed first, his boots hitting the cold stone of the mountain. A few months ago, the impact would have sent pain shooting through his body. Now? He barely felt it.

He looked up as the rest of the team landed around him. Batman emerged from the shadows, already scouting ahead.

"The eastern guard tower," Batman whispered into the comms. "We take it out first, then move in."

Clark moved instinctively, his body reacting faster than it should. He scaled the rock wall in seconds, gripping onto the ledge with strength he hadn't felt in years. As he reached the top, a guard spotted him—too late.

Clark's fist connected with the man's jaw, sending him crashing into the wall with bone-shattering force. Clark froze.

That was… too strong.

His powers weren't just returning. They were accelerating.

He exhaled, refocusing. Now wasn't the time to question it.

Batman and the operatives moved in behind him, silently taking out the remaining guards. Within seconds, the tower was secured.

Now the real fight began.

Unleashing the Storm

The moment they breached the compound, alarms blared. The element of surprise was gone.

Floodlights illuminated the courtyard as enhanced League soldiers poured out of the buildings—dozens of them, moving unnaturally fast. Their eyes glowed faintly, their bodies pulsing with strength. The serum was working.

Clark clenched his fists. He could feel the power humming inside him. It wasn't fully there yet, but it was enough.

Then they charged.

The battle erupted in a blur of gunfire, explosions, and raw strength. Waller's operatives fought with precision, but the enhanced soldiers were overwhelming.

Clark moved like a force of nature. His punches broke bones, his movements faster than they should be. He dodged a blade aimed at his throat, countering with a strike that sent his attacker flying across the courtyard.

One of the enhanced warriors lunged at him, but Clark caught his arm mid-air, twisting it with inhuman force. The man screamed as Clark slammed him into the ground.

Across the battlefield, Batman fought with brutal efficiency, using every gadget at his disposal. Smoke bombs, explosives, even electrified gauntlets—anything to level the playing field.

But the enemy kept coming.

Then, a voice cut through the chaos.

"ENOUGH."

Talia's Gambit

The battlefield fell silent. From the entrance of the main compound, Talia al Ghul stepped forward, flanked by her strongest warriors. She was calm, collected—smiling.

"You've come a long way, beloved," she said, her gaze locking onto Clark. "But you're too late."

Clark's breath steadied. "Surrender. Now."

Talia laughed softly. "You think I haven't planned for this?" She motioned to one of her soldiers, who stepped forward—holding a vial of the serum.

"This formula isn't just for soldiers anymore," she said. "Imagine what it can do to an entire city. An entire nation."

Clark's heart pounded. He had to stop her.

Talia raised the vial. "And now, you will witness its true power."

She threw it to the ground.

A cloud of red mist exploded outward. Clark barely had time to react before it engulfed them all.

Then, everything changed.

TO BE CONTINUED...