Corruption

A sharp clicking sounded echoed throughout the warehouse as a young woman's high-heeled boots met with the metal catwalk. She gazed dismally at the Thanagarian in front of her as she approached and her lips formed a sad smile. The others eyes were filled with traces of rage. She had, after all, almost killed this woman's husband and son a few nights ago. She had almost murdered two of the world's greatest superheroes. The anger radiating from her didn't surprise her but there was something that did.

"Don't look so sympathetic," She whispered. "You have to do this."

"No I don't," The Thanagarian tried to reason with her. "It doesn't have to end this way."

"I should have listened to you," The woman stopped walking as she sighed. "None of this would have happened if I had-"

"You only did what you thought was right. What happened to John and Rex was an accident."

"That doesn't change the fact that I almost killed them!" She sighed in defeat. "I never meant for it to become so personal. All I wanted was justice and then I would have been done with it but I just couldn't stop myself! I kept fighting and fighting, getting angrier and angrier each time," She turned away. "And before I knew it, I became a criminal. I became like all of the other scum."

"But you-"

"Stop it!" She glared at her. "We both know it's true. I just couldn't stay on the right side of the line."

"People rarely can."

"Like I said, that doesn't change anything," There was a brief pause. "How do you stay in the light?"

"It isn't easy. You began to fight crime because you wanted revenge against all the injustice in the world. I did it because I knew there were innocent people on Earth and in the universe that needed protecting. I just try to not let it become personal. You tried your hardest. Your intentions started out on the right side but you faded to gray and then..."

"And then I fell to darkness." She laughed bitterly. "The Justice League is waiting outside to get me if you don't."

"Emma..."

"It's too late Mom," She muttered. "At least let me go out in a blaze of glory."

She promptly leapt down from the catwalk and ran towards the double steel doors. Emma looked over her shoulder at Shayera one last time as she started to open them and mouthed, "I'm sorry."

Before Shayera could even move to stop her, Emma had already raced out to confront the Justice League.