**
The atmosphere in the underground arena was electric. A crowd of shady businessmen, crime lords, and corrupt politicians, all masked, fidgeted in their velvet seats. Bets were exchanged in hushed tones, fortunes riding on the fate of the warrior women presented as mere fighting beasts.
Lady Shiva, impassive in an elegant dark dress, stood in the center of the arena, a discreet microphone in her hand. Her contempt for the crowd was palpable, but her face betrayed nothing.
"Good evening, everyone, and welcome to our exclusive arena," her voice, clear and sharp, carried effortlessly. "Are you hungry? Do you thirst for strong sensations? Then feast your eyes and... your wallets."
Spotlights snapped onto the central ring. Two women emerged from opening cages. On one side, Black Canary, her eyes glassy, a vacant expression on her usually determined face. On the other, Vixen, walking like an automaton, the Tantu Totem glowing weakly around her neck without its own will.
The fight was brief, brutal, and heartbreaking. Stripped of their free will, they were mere shadows of themselves, using their powers and skills in a purely mechanical way. A well-placed uppercut from Black Canary finally sent Vixen to the mat. The crowd roared, half-drunk on violence and money.
As the bets were settled and Lady Shiva prepared to announce the next fight, the ceiling exploded.
A rain of concrete and dust showered the arena. From the breach, two figures dropped into the very center of the ring: Utopian, landing heavily, his pristine white costume a violent contrast to the filth of the place, and Green Arrow, an arrow already nocked, his bow drawn and aimed at the crowd.
"The party's over!" Green Arrow thundered, sweeping the assembly with a murderous glare. "Not a move, or I loose this arrow, and I promise you, the first one to get it will be very unlucky."
Utopian, however, wasn't looking at the crowd. His eyes were locked on Shayera – Hawkgirl – standing rigid among the other controlled heroines, her mace in hand but her gaze terribly empty. A pure, icy rage washed over him.
"There are a lot of them, Ollie," Utopian murmured, assessing the situation.
"Doesn't matter," growled the archer. "The first one who moves is having a bad day."
Lady Shiva, far from panicking, offered a thin, dangerous smile.
"Well, well," she said, her voice tinged with perverse amusement. "Look at this. The Green Batman and the White Superman. I admit I've been rather bored lately. This promises to be far more entertaining."
She made a negligent gesture towards the Mad Hatter, who was standing nervously by his control panel.
"But I'm afraid my time is short. The party, as your friend says, is over. Hatter... release the hounds."
The Mad Hatter looked at her, hesitant. "R-Really? But the guests..."
A single hard, pitiless glare from Shiva was enough. He lowered his eyes and flipped a switch.
A sinister hum filled the air. The eyes of the captive heroines – Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Zatanna, Batwoman, Katana, Ice, Fire, Huntress, and Catwoman – suddenly lit up with a hostile red glow. Their heads turned as one towards Utopian and Green Arrow.
"They're not in control anymore!" Green Arrow yelled. "They're going to attack us!"
The trap was sprung. To save them, they were going to have to fight them.