The Black Sheep
Chapter 10 "Running with the Devil"(Metropolis – Kal Kent's Apartment three days later)
Kal looked around at the apartment he had finished moving into. His mother had tried to convince him that he could stay with them while he was going to college, but he needed the space. It was bad enough that his dad was Superman. Add to the fact that he gained all of his dad's powers, and his mother's seemingly smart-ass personality made it extremely hard not to abuse those powers. He sat down at the edge of his bed and opened his wallet. He smiled as he looked at the photo Lanis had taken of him and Athena together the last time the family visited Gotham City. She was beautiful, but way out of his league. He started to put the picture down when his cell phone rang. He picked it up and answered it.
"Hello Kent residence." Kal said as he got up and stretched.
"Kal this is Lanis something has happened in Gotham and Dad wanted to know if you could come and help him sweep the city." Lanis said over the phone.
"I'll be right over." He said as he ran out of his small apartment and headed toward his mom and dad's place.
(Lois and Clark's house.)
Clark looked at Kal as his son stepped out of the small car he owned. He ran up to his dad and looked at him with a questioning expression.
"Son we need to leave soon, but I thought that it would be best to tell you what is going on." Clark said as he brought Kal into the house.
"Dad I know that Lanis said something about something happened in Gotham, but what is it?" He asked.
"Athena Wayne was kidnapped about three days ago. Bruce has been searching for her, but he finally called for help. It has been driving them crazy and no one seems to be getting anywhere." Clark said as he looked at Kal.
Kal heard that Athena was kidnapped, and he heard that her father had been searching for her, but everything else was lost. Athena was one of his closest friends, and if he believed that she would give him half a chance he would go out with her in a second. Now she was gone and he was going to find her and make whoever did this pay. He didn't think of being seen or even changing clothes to hide his identity he just took off out of the house and into the sky.
(Gotham - Nighthaven Club)
Talia grumbled as she walked down into the basement and opened up a secret elevator that lead straight into the Lazarus pit still further down. She had finally thrown off her beloved's trail by telling him that Ra's had finally returned and gave the order to attack and capture his daughter. It pained her to keep the information from her beloved, but if he knew then there was chance that the Shadow man would take revenge on him. She walked out of the elevator and made her way over to Athena who was lying on a stone table completely nude except for the Black Mercy that was attached to her.
She looked down at the girl and touched her forehead. There had to be a way out of killing her beloved's children and grandchildren. A thought came to her that she could kill Athena and then revive her through the pit. After a few minutes she decided that this would be the best option and if Athena fared well enough then she would do the same to the others. She turned and looked at Lilth who had been leaching off of Athena's sexual energies for the past three days.
"She has so much pent-up energy. The frustration and need that needed to be released was so amazing. I've never felt such energy before. I should contact the one that made the contract and purchase her off of him. I could keep her in this illusion forever so she stays happy." Lilth said as she caressed Athena's breasts and then kissed the half Amazon.
"It is not your place to fondle her Lilth." Talia said with obvious distaste for the succubus.
"Lady Talia your father saw fit to learn my name. How he learned it I don't know since I haven't even told John and he is the only human I trust. Since your father learned my name he used that power to force me into service with the Legion. Personally I dislike the idea of killing so many potential lovers, but I will do what the Legion commands. However I will fondle, kiss, and make love to any prisoner that I take unless they tell me they don't want me." Lilth said as she continued to caress Athena and then leaned toward her and kissed her deeply.
(Inside of the illusion created by the Black Mercy)
Athena looked at Kal as he came out of the bathroom. She had talked hard and managed to convince her family that she could live in an apartment lose to the college and still go on patrol. Her reward was Kal's transfer to Gotham University and their dating. Of course they became more and more serious and everything led up to his moving in with her. Once that happened she was again rewarded with love making every morning and night. She smiled at him as he came close to her and softly squeezed her breasts. She moaned as he leaned into her and kissed her. She felt his hands softly rubbing and teasing her at the same time. The action led the way to another round of love making that she was more than happy to provide. She could feel how powerful he was each time they made love. Still something seemed unnatural about this. She couldn't remember exactly when Kal started to Gotham University, and for the life of her she couldn't remember what account she was using to pay the rent. Still all of that didn't matter. She was with Kal and was his. She had given herself freely to him and would forever be his.
(Lazarus Pit below Nighthaven Club)
Talia watched Lilth with sever distaste. Finally she smiled as something came to her.
"We should move the girl. Tomorrow I will have her transferred to the pit in Anartica." Talia said as she smiled at Lilth.
"You are just determined to separate me from this wondrous little battery aren't you? Fine you can transfer her, but it won't matter. I have access to all of the vortexes. After I get the others I will go to her. So do what you want, but it won't stop me from enjoying her." Lilth replied.
(Wayne Manor – Nursery)
Doris watched both of her children as they slept. She had never felt as happy in all of her life as she did being Thomas' wife and mother to his children. She turned around to see a shadow in the window. At first she assumed that it was Dick or Tim, but the shadow began to come closer and she could see the face of something truly evil. She grabbed the closest thing to her and prepared to defend her babies with her life.
The demon watched Doris from outside. Her willingness to lay down her own life for her children provided enough protection from his touch, so he would have to do this the human way. He began to draw in the night and took a solid form. His fist burst through the glass and opened the window.
"I have come for the lives of your children." The demon said as it began to move toward her. She hurled the object in her hand toward it and watched as the demon howled in pain.
She looked at the floor and saw a very old copy of the bible. The demon stepped back from her and she grabbed the necklace that Thomas had bought for her. She took it off and held the crucifix before the demon.
"You are not welcomed here. Leave now and do not return." She said to it.
"I am not the only one that will come tonight child. There will be others, and they will not be affected by your little Christian tricks." The demon said as it moved back out of the window and slowly disappeared.
Doris watched as the demon completely disappeared and then moved back toward the children. She slowed down her breathing and grabbed a communicator that Thomas had left for her.
"Thomas where are you?" She asked into the communicator.
"I'm searching for Athena what's wrong?" He asked over the communicator.
"Something tried to attack the children. I managed to get it out, but I need to get them somewhere safe." Doris said.
"Stay with the kids and I'm going to have you all transported up the Watchtower. That would be the safest right now. Sweetheart I need to look at the communicator and press the open channel switch. When you do it will open it up to all the channels with the league and they will fix on your exact location. At that moment they will transport you." Thomas said as he closed the channel
Doris looked again at the window and hoped that Thomas would be safe.
(Near the Damned' club house)
Thomas looked at the biker club to his right and thought of the men inside. The Damned wasn't the biggest motorcycle club in the world, but it was one of the meanest. It was a fare chance that someone inside would know something about Athena's disappearance and perhaps they would let him in on it. Before any of that though he tapped the all channel switch on his communicator and began to talk to Jo'nn
"Jo'nn I need you to lock on to my extra communicator and transport three people directly to the Watchtower." Thomas said as he got off of his Harley and started to walk inside.
"Thomas that may be a misuse of League powers transporting none league members to the Watchtower." Jo'nn said.
"How do you know that they are none League members?" Thomas asked.
"You are too much like both your mother and father. You gave your wife a communicator and want her up here for some reason that I assume must be safety. I will transport them, but when Batman asks I know nothing about it." Jo'nn said as he locked on to the other communicator signal and transported Doris and both children to the Watchtower.
"Thanks Jo'nn." Thomas said as he opened the door and walked into the club.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Thomas as he stood there. He had remembered to wear the mask and solid black jacket and pants that were part of his alter ego.
"Good evening gentlemen. It has come to my attention that a member of the community has been forcefully taken to an undisclosed location. Anyone with any information about this should go ahead and speak up. Oh also this person is known as Batwoman so the faster you speak up the better health you will be in." Thomas said as he stood there.
Everyone seemed to turn toward a large biker in the back. The biker looked at them and groaned.
"I buy everyone a drink and this is how you repay me? Thanks a lot you bunch of assholes." The biker said as he grabbed a bottle and broke it on the counter.
"Come one Dark Rider." He said to Thomas.
Thomas looked at him and picked up a billiard ball from one of the tables and tossed it at the biker. The ball struck him knocking him off of the stool and straight to the floor. He walked over to Biker and grabbed his hand that was still holding the broken bottle. He squeezed the hand hearing the bottle break further in the biker's hand.
"What do you know about the kidnapping?" Thomas asked.
"Jesus let go!" He shouted at Thomas who squeezed harder forcing part of the glass to come through the meat between the thumb and finger.
"Tell me what I want to know and I will leave." Thomas said.
"Alright, alright I was down the street from there. This chick was walking along like it was Christmas or something. She was checking out everybody down through there and it seemed like she was mentally picturing what they looked like nude or something. So as she walking she sort of tapped her watch and several of younger guys start going nuts. Before long they are throwing her to the ground and ripping her clothes off. The silly little bitch starts screaming for help and that's when Batwoman appeared. I watched as she knocked all of those stupid pricks on their asses, but the woman she grabbed her. I watched as the Bat chick started looking off into space only to come back to her senses. That's when this other chick dragged this weird looking plant out of a bag. She tossed it on her and then several guys I didn't even know was there grabbed the bat chick and stripped her off. I mean she was completely nude except for the plant thing and carried her back toward the direction of that high priced nightclub Nighthaven." The Biker said as he fell back.
"If I find out that you've lied to me I will visit you again, and next time it won't be as pleasant as this visit." Thomas said as he walked out of the clubhouse.
"Batman I have a lead on Athena's location." Thomas said as he started the Harley and turned toward Nighthaven.
"What is it?" The bat answered instead of his father.
"She was attacked by that woman you told us about. It was a set up. She tried to put Athena into some kind of trance, but she fought out of it. From what my source said that woman Lilth threw some kind of plant on Athena and made her go comatose. That sounds kind of like that Black Mercy thing Clark told us about." Thomas said as he drove toward the night club.
"I'll meet you there don't act before there is back up." Batman said as he closed the channel.
Thomas looked ahead to see the club and gunned the Harley faster. He was almost to it when something hit the front tire and caused the motorcycle to flip. As the motorcycle went one way Thomas went toward the nightclub and into the side of car that was parked in front. He stood slowly and shook his head trying to shake off the slight case of double vision from the wreck. He looked toward the road and saw a man that stood nearly as tall as he was. The single man cracked his neck much like how Thomas and his father did and then threw something toward him.
Thomas ducked out of the way as the dart hit car and bounced off. He looked back at the man only to see an empty place. He turned around quickly and received a boot in the face for his trouble. The man smiled as he jumped down next to Thomas and held a dart ready to thrust it into him. He didn't think of the fact that Thomas wasn't out cold and received a boot in the groin. The man dropped to his knees and then breathed out a long groan as he clenched his fists and jumped back up. This time Thomas met him with a punch to the stomach and received a kick in his own groin.
Both men sized each other up and then proceeded to fight hand to hand. After several minutes of fighting neither man could get the better of the other. When Thomas would punch or kick the other man would block and attempt to throw or get a shot in. When hits did connect they were fast, hard, and meant to take the other man down then and there. After what seemed forever Thomas felt something tingle on the back of his neck. The other man got a look of anger and distaste as Thomas stumbled back.
"I did not call for you to interfere with this Lilth." Damian said as he watched his brother slowly begin to lose himself in the illusion that Lilth was creating for him.
"Perhaps young prince, but the need was necessary. My but he is a strong, fit, and trim young thing isn't he? I shall enjoy using him." Lilth said as she closed in on him. She watched as Thomas began to break through the spell much like his sister had done to her earlier.
"What is it with my powers not working on them?" She asked as she begins to dig out a Black Mercy from her bag. She nearly had it ready to place on Thomas when a bat-a-ring hit her hand and sent the Black Mercy flying on her.
"NO!" She screamed as the plant latched on to her and began to give her the illusion of her heart's desire.
Thomas shook his head and looked at Damian who stood there looking at their father. Damian pulled the mask down to show a face that was a mix of both Talia's and Bruce's faces. The oldest Wayne smiled at his father and bowed slightly.
"Father it is a pleasure to finally meet you." Damian said as he watched Bruce get closer.
"Who are you?" Bruce asked.
"I am Damian Wayne your son. My mother is inside and I would suspect that there are questions that you have to ask." Damian said as he turned and walked into the nightclub.
(Gotham international)
Several Legion members pushed the enclosed casket like case toward a private jet. After several minutes it was loaded and the case opened revealing Athena lying on the top of the stone table covered with a sheet and still having the Black Mercy attached to her. The jet took off and passed Kal Kent who had been searching the city for Athena. He turned his attention to the jet and took off after it like a bat out of hell.
"We have a meta on our tail." The legion member who was monitoring the outside of the jet via the cameras and monitors said.
The jet then began to pick up speed, but as fast as the jet went Kal seemed to keep up with it. He rushed forward and tried to find a way of bringing them down without harming Athena. Since his mind was so focused on saving her and not on the jet itself he never saw gun attached to the jet fire.
Gun fire was something that was both annoying and you never got use to. Kal had learned that like his father he was fairly invincible toward normal gunfire, but the sound and hot lead did tend to make the experience less than agreeable. He felt the hot lead strike his cheek and then it hit his shoulders and chest. His body was bullet proof but the shirt and pants he wore wasn't. He felt the shirt rip away from him and dove under the jet.
"It's Superman's kid!" one of them shouted.
The next shot that came out of a different gun grazed and wounded Kal. He looked to see the blood trickle down his arm.
"You won't take her!" Kal shouted as he rushed toward the jet again only to find another shot fired and this time it hit his shoulder.
He winced in pain, but he kept trying to get close to the jet. He heard another shot and closed his eyes. When the bullet never connected he looked in front of himself to see his sister Lanis floating there deflecting the bullets with the bracelets that 'Auntie' Diana had given her.
"What are you waiting for Kal let's get close enough to them to save her." Lanis said as they flew closer.
Kal gritted his teeth and flew toward the jet and watched as Lanis managed to keep the strange bullets from striking him. He grabbed the side of the jet and pulled trying to slow it down. The engines began to struggle harder against him and he could hear the steel trying to tear apart. He looked at the engines and focused his vision. Slowly he created his heat vision and began to cause the engines to fail. He felt them start to give out and then he heard the men inside.
"Kill the girl she is not allowed to be taken back by them." One of the legion members inside said.
"Lanis get inside and save Athena!" Kal shouted.
"Kal they'll hit you with that gun again!" Lanis replied.
"Do it! I'll hold on to this as long as I can, but save her now!" He shouted back to her.
Lanis closed her eyes and shook her head. She dropped away from the guns and came up through the floor of the jet. When she did she saw several legion members closing in on her and Athena. She grabbed her best friend and dove back out of the jet. When she did she turned back to watch Kal get another blast from the kryptonite gun through his stomach. He let go of the jet and fell straight down.
"KAL NO!" Lanis screamed as her brother fell toward the ocean below.
"She's safe that's all that matters." Kal thought as his body hit the ocean and he began to sink. He could see his sister still holding on to Athena and he wondered what it would have been like to be with her.
The cold ocean began to swallow him up as he sunk. He had never felt so weak before. He tried to swim, but his arms felt like dead weight. It was almost completely dark when he felt familiar strong arms around him. Within seconds he was above the ocean in the arms of his father as they headed toward Lanis.
"Watchtower transports four directly to medical bay now!" Superman said as he held Kal.
(Watchtower medical Bay)
Jo'nn walked into the medical bay and looked at Athena and Kal. Athena's situation could wait for a few moments, but Kal had lost a lot of blood and needed attention now. He proceeded to remove the bullet and encased it in a lead container. He then began the long job of saving Kal's life.
(Gotham – Nighthaven Club)
Bruce looked at Talia with contempt. She had lied about Ra's and lied about not knowing where his daughter was. It was everything he could do to keep from attacking her. He heard a sound behind him and looked to see Diana walking in. The Amazon Princess didn't have his self control and slapped Talia causing the daughter of Ra's al Ghul to fall to the floor.
"Get up." Diana said as she pulled Talia to her feet harshly.
"My daughter has a Black Mercy connected to her and is currently on the Watchtower because of you. You are going to tell me who did this and what they want now!" Diana demanded
Talia didn't break at Diana's words. She didn't seem scared or upset. Instead she reached behind her and pulled out a taser and shocked Diana. She watched as the wife of her beloved experience several thousand volts going through her and then let go. She looked at Diana who began to get her bearing again and this time Talia held the taser up showing her that she could hold her own if needed.
"I have no wish to start any trouble, but I was forced into this. The man that contacted me had made a deal with my father some time ago. He gave my father the formula for a special virus that would attach itself to anyone without any trace of the Lazarus chemicals in them or that wasn't immortal to begin with and kill all of them. Of course father realized the problem of this and decided to rig several of his Lazarus pits to explode thus saturating the human race and allowing only those suitable enough to survive make it through the plague. Naturally my beloved you stopped this from happening. It didn't matter though. My father made a deal with the devil. The real devil and now I have to pay his debt. Someone wants your children and grandchildren dead. I was going to kill Athena and then bring her back through the Lazarus pits, but Lilth was making it hard to do so. She was feeding from Athena's sexual energy and it was all I could do to keep her from buying Athena off of our benefactor." Talia said as she sat down behind the bar.
"Where is this 'Devil'?" Diana asked.
"I do not know. I only know that out of every Meta, hero, and alien that the Legion of Shadows has come across he is the only one we cannot trap or kill. I don't know when he will return, but the moment he does I will not be able to stop him. The only way to stop him is to use his true name which is Lu…" Talia stopped suddenly as her mouth closed and seemed to be held closed by invisible hands.
"She always did have a big mouth didn't you Talia my dear?" The Shadow man asked as he appeared behind her. He released Talia's mouth and then grabbed her forcing her around to him.
"I warned you before my dear what would happen. Welcome to a lifetime of becoming my whore." He spat at her before he struck her and knocked her to the floor.
"Immortals and those that find extremely long life tend to believe that they can beat me. Such arrogance isn't forgivable." He said as he hoped over the bar and looked at both Bruce and Diana.
"I am a sport and since I can't attack your children and grandchild until they are on the Earth again I am willing to make a bet. I will give you both twenty-four hours to find out my true name. If you do I will drop the attempt on your children's and grandchildren's lives. Not only that but I will ensure that you will get one free request from me. If you lose then I get your husband's soul." He said to Diana.
"Deal." Bruce said before Diana could answer.
"Very well oh, you have one guess between the both of you and in exactly twenty-four hours I will return to hear it. You know I haven't done this in so long that I almost forgot." He said as he pulled out a scroll from a deep pouch he was carrying.
"I need you to sign this. It states that you are agreeing to my terms and thus will go along with coming to hell should you fail." The said as he held it toward Bruce.
Bruce went to sign it and felt it prick his finger through his glove. A single drop of blood fell on the scroll and the Shadow Man rolled it up.
"That will be just fine. Remember you have twenty-four hours from now to find my true name." He said as he disappeared.
"Bruce how could you?!" Diana shouted.
"I can't let him continue to threaten our children. This is at least a chance to stop him." Bruce said as he turned toward Talia who was finally getting up. She began to say something when two shadow beings formed and grabbed her wrists. They pulled her back toward a post and tied her to it. The moment she was tied down the first shadow ripped her shirt open and smiled at her.
"Your lifetime of service begins now." The demon said as it licked her neck.
"Go find his name and stop him!" Talia shouted to her beloved as the demons disappeared with her.
(Outside of the Club)
Thomas and Damian looked at Lilth. Each of them grabbed a side of her and pulled her back into the club. Thomas looked at his father who studied the plant.
"I don't like that she might be the best link to finding out that thing's real name." Bruce said as he looked at the smile plastered on her face.
"Is there anyone else that might know?" Diana asked.
"Constantine may know. He is the one that called and warned me about her to begin with. Last time he called he was in Las Vegas. We should start with him and then move on from there." Bruce said as he looked at Lilth start to fight the effects of the Black Mercy.