Beyond the Limit [DC fanfic]

Joseph had never truly moved on from that morning. His mother was gone, but she wouldn't have wanted him to collapse in on himself. She would've wanted him to keep fighting.

And now, for the first time in years, the idea of doing that didn't feel so impossible.

It would still hurt—but it was nothing compared to the pain of the last five years.

In the following days, Joseph found himself unable to stop thinking about the future. With Nova's help, he'd worked on controlling his reactions and realized something—every bit of athleticism he had, everything he'd learned from playing sports, was heightened. He was faster. More reactive.

It was incredible.

But at the moment, none of that mattered. Right now, he was stuck flipping fishburgers at Icefood Lounge Express, a fast-food chain riding on the name of the Iceberg Lounge.

He sighed. This is my life now, huh?

"Hey, Nova, got anything useful in your memory banks?" he asked mentally as he assembled another order.

The AI paused before responding.

//I have this formula: 3x2(9YZ)4A=?. Would you like me to—//

Joseph froze.

His eyes widened. His heart pounded.

That formula. He knew that formula. He'd derived it himself, using Nova's computing power and the Speed Force. With this, he could tap into it again. He was sure of it.

"Nova," he whispered under his breath. "Why didn't you tell me you had this the whole time?"

//My apologies, sir. I will endeavor to inform you next time.//

Joseph barely heard the AI. He was already closing his eyes, focusing. He could feel it—just beneath the surface. If he just—

"Joey! Where are the fishburgers!?"

Joseph let out a long breath and got back to work.

Soon.

**

By the weekend, Joseph had had enough. He couldn't keep working dead-end jobs. Couldn't keep scraping by.

He needed a way out.

That was how he found himself scouring Gotham, looking for an opportunity—something that would bring in enough money to cover rent for a while. Something that would let him finally leave this life behind.

That was when he saw it.

An open exhibit featuring rare, priceless jewelry. Only in town for a few days before moving on to the next city.

Joseph wandered through the gallery, staring at shimmering gemstones and artifacts worth more money than he'd ever seen in his life. A grin crept onto his face.

If I had even one of these…

He imagined it—a penthouse suite, a townhouse in a better part of Gotham. No more struggling, no more working jobs he hated.

He stopped in front of a massive diamond encased in glass, its brilliance refracting under the pristine lighting. Armed guards flanked the display, ropes sectioning it off.

It was impossible.

And yet, he couldn't stop thinking about it.

That was when he felt it—someone watching him.

Turning slightly, he saw her.

A woman stood beside him, but she wasn't looking at the diamond. Her piercing blue eyes were fixed on him.

She was older than him, maybe late twenties or early thirties, with long, dark hair that cascaded past her shoulders. A smirk played at her lips as she tucked a strand behind her ear.

She radiated class—an elegant black jacket draped over a deep blue dress, an expensive necklace around her throat. Even her heels probably cost more than everything Joseph owned.

She leaned in, voice low.

"Kid, you're making it way too obvious what you're here for."

Joseph stiffened. "W-What?"

Her smirk widened, like a cat toying with a mouse. Something about her made his skin crawl—not just her beauty, but the way she knew.

"Don't let your eyes get bigger than your stomach," she murmured, brushing a gloved finger across his cheek before pulling away. "Go home, kid. Watching a few movies doesn't make you ready for something like this."

Joseph's jaw clenched. "I wasn't thinking of stealing that, you know. That's not my thing."

The woman laughed softly, barely sparing him another glance as she turned to leave.

"Jewels are everyone's thing," she said. "But of the few who actually try to take them, even fewer know how."

Joseph stood there, watching her disappear into the crowd.

The weight of his own stupidity crashed down on him.

What the hell was I thinking?

His mother didn't raise a thief. He knew better. There had to be a legal way—he hadn't even tried.

If he kept this up, he'd end up in Blackgate. Or worse, he'd do this enough times and run into Batman.

Joseph let out a shaky breath.

"Hey, Nova," he muttered. "Next time I get a dumb idea like that, stop me."

//Understood, sir.//

Joseph sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright. Do you have any suggestions on how to make money?"

//Yes, sir.//

Maybe there was a better way.