Earth's Last Defence [DEFENDERS OF EARTH BOOK IV]

Last Stand

The Tri-Wing travelled slowly over the small lake to Gotham. Despite the incredible top speed, Batman took it slowly, turning to Spider-Man behind him.
"Take off his blindfold and cuffs." Batman ordered. Spidey obeyed, removing Deathstroke's blindfold and snapping off his handcuffs. Luke Cage stood behind the assassin, glaring.
"Don't do anything stupid." He said. Deathstroke held his hand out.
"Pass me my weapons." He asked simply. Cage glared at him, but passed him his sword, two pistols, a dagger and an assault rifle. Deathstroke put them away individually- the sword in its scabbard on his back, the pistol in a holster on his thigh plating, and the assault rifle on another slot on his back. Cage then hesitantly handed over his grenade belt, and Slade but it over his chest armour. He paused. "And my helmet?"
Nightwing got up from the front passenger seat, and threw him his helmet. Deathstroke smiled at it, and put it on. From the cockpit windshield, the aircraft had entered the city, and was passing buildings and towers. Below them were military vehicles and soldiers positioning themselves on the streets. Snipers were spread across multiple rooftops. The city was almost devoid of civilians. The Tri-Wing approached Wayne Tower, and Batman pressed a button on the console.
"Simmons- now's the time. Good luck." He said into it. From the top of Wayne Tower appeared three figures- one tall one with a large flowing cape, another shorter and in a trench coat and hat, and the last in combat armour. Suddenly, the sky flashed yellow. Batman landed the Tri-Wing on the top of the tower, behind the three. The six got out of the aircraft, and stood alongside the other three. Rorschach took out his grapple gun in preparation. Spawn's chains lifted. The Punisher took out a shotgun. Nightwing slowly reached for his escrima sticks. Batgirl nervously shuffled her position, and took out a Batarang. Luke Cage cracked his knuckles. Deathstroke removed his sword. Spider-Man readied his web shooters. Batman narrowed his eyes at the incoming streaks of light.
"So." the Punisher looked at Batman. "The plan?"
"They appear, we fight them." He replied simply. "If he begins talking when they appear, we take advantage of it. Any opportunity, we take it. We cannot afford another loss like New York."
Rorschach turned his head to Batman. "Rings on their fingers. Give them the powers they use against us. Remove the ring, remove their powers."
"You make it sound easy." Nightwing replied. "Something tells me these guys aren't going to let us get anywhere near their rings."
"As I said," Batman responded, "Any opportunity." The yellow streaks were forming into shapes now- humanoid shapes. The Corps approached the city at a tremendous speed. Batman turned to Batgirl on his left.
"Barabara." He said softly. "You didn't need to help. It's too-"
"It's an honour." She interrupted. "It was either sit back and watch the world burn, or try and do something about it."
The Corps suddenly approached the tower in their mass. Sinestro slowly hovered to the front, facing the Defenders.
"New allies, I see." He raised an eyebrow. "You've been busy. Very busy. If you thi-"
Batman threw a sting grenade at Sinestro, which temporarily blinded him. He flew backwards, the other Corps creating shields to defend him. Punisher threw a grenade at the wall, and blew the aliens backwards a bit. Batgirl and Nightwing jumped off the side of the building- Grayson using his grapple gun to land safely, whilst Gordon used her cape to glide. Spider-Man webbed one Corps member, pulled him towards himself, and kicked him across the face. Rorschach fired his grapple gun through the foot of a large, beast-like Lantern. It screamed, and Rorschach pulled him closer with all his strength. Castle saw this, and blasted it full-force in the chest with a shotgun. The small shield the Corps member managed to make for itself absorbed a lot of the damage- but not all of it. It reeled backwards, pulling Rorschach along with it.
Batman pressed a few buttons on his gauntlet, and out of the Tri-Wing burst the Batmobile. Batman flipped backwards and landed in the cockpit, and drove off the side of the building. A few Corps members attempted to chase him, but a blast of the afterburner deterred them away. Batman pressed a few buttons and pulled the Batmobile up, landing it perfectly on the street. He rotated it back around, and looked at the brawl going on around the tower. Batman pressed the commlink again.
"Flag, Gordon- tell your snipers to open fire on the assailants!" He ordered. A flurry of bursts of gunfire erupted, and gunshots flew. Some hit the side of the tower, but a couple hit their mark. One Corps member was hit through the leg, another through the shoulder- one directly through the chest. Batman shot the Batmobile forwards again, attracting the attention of some more Lanterns. From in front of him, Rorschach was thrown through a window by the large beast. It started walking towards the vigilante. Batman fired a single rubber bullet at its back, and it turned around in surprise. Suddenly, a foot struck out, hitting the beast across the jaw, and Rorschach got back up, shaking his foot.
Batman rounded the corner, firing off a smokescreen. A large cloud of smoke formed behind him, and only a couple of Lanterns continued on. In front of him, Spider-Man was swinging across buildings, dodging fire from whatever the Corps threw at him.
The nightmare had begun again.