If you live only through the eyes of others, you'll eventually lose your own path.
That's why Jack Kadere never cared what people thought of him. If someone called him crazy, he'd laugh it off. If it annoyed him, he'd push back. He only ever did what he wanted. But eating people? That was definitely not on his list. Just as he could never accept women he cared for being treated like tools by others.
Otherwise, why would someone as unrestrained as him go through the trouble of forming the Birds of Prey? Why would he bother reminding Laurel that he was leaving?
Well… the process had been entertaining.
"Forget about cannibalism. Just remember the condition you promised me," Jack said, reaching out to help Diana up. His eyes flicked toward the twitching, half-conscious First Born. "He's tough. Even when I pushed myself to double my strength, I couldn't finish him."
Diana didn't glance at First Born. Her gaze was fixed on Lennox—what was left of him. His body was gone, only his severed head remained. Her voice softened as she called his name, a grief-stricken whisper.
"Don't let the sorrow consume you." Jack's tone was unexpectedly gentle. He slipped an arm around her shoulder and drew her close.
Diana didn't resist. Since separating from Jack, she had faced trial after trial. Even for her, the warrior who carried the weight of the world, the burden was nearly unbearable.
"Life is like this," Jack said in a low, steady voice as he patted her back. "Some people bring joy. Others bring sorrow. Everyone has their role to play."
"You scoundrel."
Diana, who had let herself be comforted for a moment, suddenly caught the undertone in his words. She shoved him away, her cheeks flushed with indignation.
Jack only shrugged, smirking as he gestured toward First Born. "So… how do we deal with him? Should we kill him?"
Diana hesitated. By all reason, First Born needed to die. Leaving him alive meant the gods' crisis was never truly over. But still, he was—
"Leave him to me."
The voice cut in sharply.
A figure approached: a tall man in a tailored suit, his skin shimmering with a strange purple hue. His smile carried both charm and arrogance.
"Apollo," Diana whispered, her eyes narrowing. "The new King of the Gods… Lord of Olympus." She turned to Jack. "Perhaps giving First Born to him isn't the worst choice."
Jack studied Apollo carefully, his gaze razor-sharp. "You sure you really want him?"
"I am now ruler of Olympus," Apollo replied smoothly. "That gives me the right to decide his fate. But I have no desire to make an enemy of you, Kadere. If you'd like, I'm willing to… negotiate terms."
Jack chuckled. "He's yours. But don't forget, you asked for this."
"Of course."
Apollo's smile widened, almost glowing against his purple-toned skin. With a polite nod to both Jack and Diana, he hoisted First Born and vanished in a flare of divine light.
Jack muttered under his breath, "Self-destruction… some people can't escape it."
A streak of light flashed in the distance. Firestorm descended, fiery trails cutting across the air as he landed. In an instant, the fusion unraveled, separating into Kate and Valentina Vostok.
The two exchanged sharp glares before both huffed in irritation.
"You couldn't agree, so he slipped away?" Jack asked casually, though the smirk tugging at his lips betrayed his amusement.
"Yes," Kate muttered reluctantly.
"Alright. Let's move." Jack didn't press further. He leapt back onto the Disciple, his personal craft. Kate and Valentina, though clearly frustrated, sighed and transformed again, merging into Firestorm before following.
Diana lingered for a moment. She handed Lennox's head carefully to Hera, then clasped the goddess and the mortal woman—Zola—by the arms.
"Wait," Zola stammered nervously, clutching her infant son. "Are we really going with him? Is it… safe?"
"If he wills it," Diana answered firmly, her voice unwavering. "There is no safer place than by his side." She guided them aboard.
The woman cradling her child glanced around curiously, taking in the ship's futuristic corridors. Hera, however, remained calm and composed; once a queen of Olympus, little could shake her outward dignity. Diana had reunited with Jack Kadere, and the two spoke quietly, exchanging stories of what had happened since they had been separated. Not far away, Valentina stood stiffly, her arms crossed in frustration and anger, while Laura lingered in silence, her wide eyes betraying her confusion and unease.
Jack was at the main console of the Disciple, tools spread across the table as he tinkered with the systems. His time studying and experimenting with technology now paid off. He wasn't an expert in time-ship mechanics—few in the universe were—but he understood enough to piece together the basics. After a thorough check, he reinitialized the ship's systems.
The Disciple hummed back to life, slowly pulling away from the ground before activating its cloaking protocols. In a shimmer of light, it disappeared into stealth mode and then soared upward into the clouds.
"Good news," Jack said over his shoulder, wiping a streak of grease from his hand. "Aside from some scratches on the hull and minor stress damage to the shields, she's fine."
He glanced casually at the woman holding the child. "You got somewhere safe to go?"
"Yes," she answered quickly, rattling off an address.
Minutes later, the Disciple descended, materializing again beside a quiet farm on the outskirts of the city.
"This was my home," the woman said softly as they stepped outside. "Before… before everything, this is where I lived. I doubt anyone would think to look for us here."
Together, the group disembarked and entered the farmhouse. It wasn't large, but it was secluded, tucked away from prying eyes. For now, it would serve as a sanctuary.
Jack wandered through the farmhouse once, his attention flicking over its simple comforts before he lost interest and returned to the Disciple. He found the ship's galley, pulled out a bottle of wine, and poured himself a glass.
As he sat, his thoughts began to drift.
The attackers who had gone after the Disciple weren't random. Most likely, they had been sent by the Time Masters. First, he had interfered with history by pulling the Legends out of danger. Second, the Time Masters had long been tied to Vandal Savage, and Jack had humiliated them both. Retaliation was inevitable.
Still, it bothered him. They had targeted the Disciple rather than him directly. That meant no chance to Copy their abilities.
He swirled the glass, a grin forming. Next time, I'll go after the Flash. I can jump through time—why wait around? I'll track down the exact moment he becomes the Flash and Copy the Speed Force itself. That way, even if the Disciple's time drive fails, I'll never be stranded. With the Speed Force, I'll always be able to move forward… and cause plenty of trouble along the way.
A voice interrupted his thoughts.
"So you can Copy abilities… even divine power?" Diana's tone carried both curiosity and unease as she appeared in the doorway.
Jack looked up at her and smiled faintly. "Why did you come here, Diana?"
"To talk about what comes next." She moved closer, intent on taking a seat, but Jack caught her wrist and pulled her into his arms. She tried to resist, but his grip was too strong. After a moment, she gave up with a sigh.
"What condition did you mean earlier?" she asked cautiously.
Jack smirked. "Photos."
"Photos?" Her brows furrowed. "Photos of what?"
"You," he replied with a grin. "Some clothed… and some not."
"You—!" Diana's face flushed red. She already understood what he meant; cameras and photographs weren't foreign concepts to her. She wanted to refuse outright, to call it shameless. Yet the memory of her earlier promise weighed on her shoulders. In the end, the words of rejection stuck in her throat.
Jack stood, tugging her toward the collection chamber of the Disciple. "Come with me."
Reluctantly, Diana followed.