DC: Fading Away

Black Mask, also known as Roman Sionis, stepped out of the heavily reinforced blast door. A silk handkerchief was passed over. The skull-wearing man wiped his hands before tossing it onto the ground. A grunt picked it up as he walked past. 

The crime lord had a deal to make. A lot of funds were involved. This deal would give him the means to carry on with his neighborhood development project. It wasn't about funds. It was about access to certain privileges. 

Another leader in the industry of organized crime arrived. He stepped out of a different blast door. Black Mask grinned darkly, revealing his white teeth. Carmin Falcone. A powerful man. Powerful in influence and opulence. 

The entire deal was taking place several km underground. This was a secure operations base from the early years of WW1. A heavily kept secret by the current crime lords. Many high level deals took place here.

"Finally. I've been waiting to get into politics, Carmine." Roman said. The nonchalant man shook his hand. 

"I'm sure we'll do good business together. Boys…bring it here."

Falcone grunts brought over two briefcases. Black Mask stared at it for a moment before waving over his own grunts with briefcases. Both were set on a long table. 

A shadow appeared in a corner of the room. It was Batman. He'd finally discovered where the villains like Falcone and Two-Face went to handle deals and trades. Now…Black Mask was on the chopping block. 

Bruce needed to capture him immediately and let justice handle the rest. It was better to get him off the street before Crosscut found him. This was for the better. As Bruce snuck closer to the deal, his gaze darted over to a strange phenomenon.

One of the lights was illuminating the room…but it was slightly foggy. Was that dust? Why was it…rising? There was no airflow down here. Slowly and quietly, debris started to rise. Dust, cobwebs, pebbles, folders, papers, monitors, and more. Everyone noticed the strange sight at the same time. Then…they felt it.

RUMBLE

The ground started to tremble. The walls and structures creaked. An overwhelming force rooted everyone in place. A high-pitched groan resounded above them. The ceiling was torn open so wide that the sky was revealed. 

The ground had just parted like the red sea. A single figure was floating above them all, his entire body shining with a kaleidoscope of colors and gradients. His hair waved around as if gravity didn't exist. 

Tobi was here. He scanned everything within the base. As soon as he identified Black Mask, he teleported into the room. There was an immediate reaction. Now that the powerful esper was closer to them all, the pressure had risen just as much. 

"...There you are."

Each and everyone inside the base was forcefully pressed onto their hands and knees. They were instantly injured. Some had their bones snap. Others had their organs burst. Some just died immediately. 

Ignoring the trash, Tobi turned his gaze to the fucking gopher who didn't dare show his head above ground. Black Mask could barely lift his head to see him. Glowing red orbs stared back.

"Black Mask…I've been searching for you…searching for so long…but it's my fault. Destroying your other base so quickly must've frightened you. Made you hide."

"............." Everyone was silent. It was too difficult to talk. Tobi didn't want them to speak either. 

"Now…you can't hide. I've found you. Finally. I've spent every waking second looking for you. Ah…I'm talking too much. I must sound crazy."

Roman Sionis. Black Mask. His heart rate increased by the second. This insane person was here for him? When did he piss off someone so powerful? When?! 

Tobi raised his hand. Black Mask's pulse wave velocity (heartbeat) was grabbed like a leash. A sudden force ripped the skull-faced man from his position. He couldn't fight it. Like a ragdoll, he was pulled into the esper's waiting hand. 

BAM

Roman's face slammed into Tobi's open palm. Tobi's fingers dug into the skull helmet, cracks already spreading through the skull. His grip was like a hydraulic press. Pressure was stacking on the man's temples. It hurt.

"Mmmmff!" 

Excruciating pain ripped into his body. Mental energy poured into his veins like needles, stabbing anything it could touch. Roman flailed and struggled.

They both rose into the air…then they vanished from the base. Everyone collapsed as the pressure suddenly disappeared. Some people coughed until they vomited. Others had soiled their pants before going unconscious. 

Carmine Falcone stood up with weak limbs. He limped out of the base, followed by some of his men who had recovered in time. Batman ignored his bodily fractures and made a call to Alfred. 

"Did everything go as planned, sir?" The old butler asked.

"No. Send the batjet. Mobilize Batgirl and Nightwing. Go with plan H. "

"Batjet is on the way, sir."

…

…

…

Tobi appeared in the clouds high above the city. He stared at Roman who was punching and kicking. It was futile. Without breaking through his invisible barrier, Tobi wouldn't receive any damage. The gopher couldn't escape the esper's grasp. It was absolute.

"Mmmmff!" Roman growled while exerting himself to the max. His sounds were muffled due to the powerful figure's hand.

Trying to escape the grip. He hadn't even realized they were high in the sky. The movement was too fast. Nothing had registered yet. Seeing how bad the man wanted Tobi to let go…he did. 

Black Mask suddenly found himself falling. His brain finally registered everything, causing his eyes to widen. The city was coming up fast. He was going to die like roadkill. Like a smear on the sidewalk. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaagh!" He screamed.

Right before he smacked into the pavement and died, the surroundings changed. Roman was suddenly kneeling on a bed of grass. Tobi was grabbing the back of his head, forcing him to look at something. It took a while to get over his near brush with death. 

"...Pay your respects to one of the many families you slaughtered. Do not speak."

".........." He couldn't speak even if he wanted to. The pressure was crushing his insides. 

Roman Sionis soon recognized what he was looking at. It was a gravestone. Ah. So this was revenge. There wouldn't be a way out of this. Only now did he realize that negotiations would be impossible. 

They teleported again. This time they were in the old Viper's neighborhood. Within the silence of the recently slaughtered community, a glowing fist slammed into his stomach. The blow was powerful. Roman's vision turned white. 

He folded over the fist and crumpled to the ground. He couldn't hold it in anymore. Blood, organ bits, food, and bile poured from his mouth like a river. He vomited until drool was all that was left. 

BANG BANG

Two bullets tore through his knee caps. Just like that…his right to stand was voided. Tobi licked his lips. Ahh…sweet release. It never got old. 

"Crawl."

Black Mask rolled around on the ground while seizing from the pain. The air had yet to refill in his lungs, and bullets had just torn through his body. His organs were in pieces from a single blow. It wouldn't be long before he started foaming. Death was on the way. 

The young esper sat on top of the dying man. He gazed at the sky. His aura had receded back into his body. 

"I've brought the culprit back for punishment. Are you all watching?" Tobi's voice was sad. 

His heart went out to those who died in this neighborhood. This was for them as well. May they all find peace. Roman finally stirred. The pain had reduced enough for him to breathe. 

"Let's just…calm down…for a moment-"

BAM

A fist smashed into Roman's cheek. The skull mask shattered at that moment. Like sand, it peeled off his face. A bald man was revealed under the skull. Tobi didn't care. Another fist came down. 

BAM

Roman's jaw was crunched. Bones were broken every which way. Opening his mouth was impossible now. Closing it too. Good. He didn't deserve a working mouth.

"I said…don't speak. Your voice sickens me."

Tobi shook the blood off his hand. It splattered on the ground beside them. He was going to say something else…but when he saw the look of fear in the crime lord's eyes…something snapped. How dare he show fear? How DARE HE?! 

BAM

Another fist.

BAM

Another fist.

BAM

Another one.

"AAAAAGHHHH!!!!" Tobi screamed while reigning down blows. He wasn't using enough strength to end it immediately. This was a slow burn.

BAM

…

BAM

…

BAM

…

BAM

…

BAM

Eventually…all that was left was mush. Tobi was punching slimy ground…so he stopped. Black Mask was no more. His brain matter was all over the ground. Tobi's breathing was ragged. He hadn't even noticed when his eyes grew watery. 

Sweet release. He could send his family off happily. His mind grew calm. The alcohol in his veins grew pleasant. This was a different type of high. People that said revenge didn't soothe the ache were wrong. The emptiness wouldn't go away…that was true. The relief though. That relief of knowing that it's over…the rush of dopamine was enough. 

Ah…what now? Tobi went through Roman's pockets and pulled out his phone. It was a finger print scan lock screen. Easy. The young esper sat on the curb while scrolling through locations, bank accounts, and assets. He would take what mattered to him and discard the rest. 

"You killed Black Mask." A cold voice reached his ears. 

Batman was there. Standing on the roof. Beside him was Batgirl. Nightwing was approaching from the other side of the car. Sneaky. Tobi sensed it all. 

"...I did. I'm at peace. As much as one could be at least."

"Did killing him bring your family back? No." Batgirl said. 

Tobi turned to the woman talking shit from a distance. They glared at each other. Right as Nightwing went for a grab, the esper blinked a few feet away. He went through Black Mask's pockets for anything else. 

A wallet. Hmm. The money was pocketed alongside the debit card, while the rest was tossed aside. Dick Grayson had grabbed nothing but air. Only then did Tobi turn back to Barbara.

"...I thought I told you to stay far away? Why are you always looking for trouble?"

"You are the trouble, Tobi." She quipped. Ignoring that he knew her identity.

"...Hmph. Touché." 

"We're bringing you in." Batman finally said. 

He dropped down from the building and calmly walked over to the esper. In his hands were power dampening cuffs. Right before the dark knight slapped them on his wrist, Tobi blinked a few feet away once more. 

"I thought you would let us take you in after?" Bruce mocked coldly. 

"Ah…I lied." Tobi picked his ear. 

"I know. I was prepared for it." Bruce said. 

Suddenly, the air crackled with a sonic boom. There was the sound of displacement…then a figure appeared floating above the street. Wearing a velvet red cape and a blue bodysuit…it was the man of steel himself. The god playing human.

"You went too far, Tobi. You're blinded by grief. Let me help you." Superman said.