Author's Notes: So, a little late with this (I sincerely just had to type the small part at the end) but here it is. As promised, this will be a review corner chapter so I will be answering the questions and responding to comments that I have received since NW Chapter 9. I will also drop a some hints here and there at the end to reveal what the third part of the trilogy is about. Believe me, you already know what it's about. It was pretty much hinted throughout the entire TYL Arc. Anyways, onwards with the reviews. Again, if you would like to just skip to the story, simply press CTRL and the F key at the same time and type the word "Venom". Thanks again for reading and enjoy.
SsxJoker: The Joker's child will not be Duela Dent or any other-dimension kind of thing (if that's what you were referring to). It will be his legit child that he legitimately made with a somewhat willing woman. Said child will actually be born somewhere during this story and will be a somewhat big thing in the third instalment of the trilogy. Again, thanks for reading and thanks for the comments.
FoxFan88: The X-Men will also be a major part of the third instalment of the trilogy as well as being some of the big players prior to the actual Arkham City storyline here. Some of them will show more of a heroic side and others villainous. Lian will eventually get the hang of emotions and such with Jake, Jade, Artemis, and Paula helping her but it won't just happen over night. A bit of a spoiler, but in this chapter it's Jade that treats Lian as a little girl and not as an assassin. I will drop a hint and completely answer one question here and now (so those who don't read this will be utterly lost) but there will be a Damian-ish character in the next instalment. However, his name will not be Damian and there will be some other differences. I will verify that Bruce Wayne is indeed his father though and he will eventually have ties to the League of Assassins. As for your question about the elements of DC animated movies being incorporated here, yes. There will be some elements added such as Justice League: War which will heavily influence the end of this story and the next, as well as others like Son of Batman, Assault on Arkham (which will happen a real soon), and Crisis of Two Earths just to name the four that I got a lot of crazy ideas from. Finally, Jason Todd's transformation into the Red Hood will also introduce one of the toughest Marvel S. in the entire Marvel Universe... Taskmaster. How the two will cross and what will happen will actually be revealed in the Outsiders Arc. But overall, Jason Todd will become the Red Hood and Bruce Wayne will not like it at all. And eventually, neither will Jake...
ShadowWhoWalks: Talia has been an interesting character to me since childhood when I read the comics (after she was put in there that is). She is loyal to the League of Assassins to a fault and will do everything in her power to make them succeed. However, she is also madly in love with Bruce and doesn't want him to die. Add in the fact that Jake is the Heir of the Demon (check the last few episodes of Arrow to see how big that title really is) and you have the reason why she is so conflicted. Jake is the future of the League of Assassins and therefore she needs him to succeed. But, she ultimately prefers Bruce over the Heir but cannot do anything about it unless 1) Bruce kills someone and 2) Jake dies. By the end of this story though, Talia will have made her decision between the League and Batman. Even if it kills her... Lex and Jake/Black Spider will meet again as foes right before the Arkham City arc. In this story as it is mentioned, Lex is sponsoring Arkham City and Jake will eventually oppose it. Yes, neither Jade nor Jake will ever let go of the fact that Jade aborted the original Lian and Lian's favoritism will eventually diminish to the point that she loves both parents equally as she does in her showcase Jaded Willow. No. At the moment a romantic relationship is not on Jake's to-do list for several reasons that will be explained later. You're right. One does not simply find Slade. Rose does it through years of experience and loyalty. She has been and will somewhat always be a Daddy's Girl and her disdain towards her mother has already been partially shown. To drop a little hint about it, think of Azula from ATLA and double the rage... Yeah, Rose despises Adeline. Rose and Jake will eventually team up and later on reconcile in this story, but it will take some time. I am very glad that you mentioned the whole Dick and Kassidy thing because it takes up a lot of chapters during the Outsiders Arc. Kassidy becomes a major character, not just for Nightwing's plots but will be a major part in the building of Arkham City and the last of the trilogy. Needless to say, but by the time this story is done, she will be as important as Artemis is. She might not be in every chapter, but she is referenced a lot because she will do a lot. Jake as his bandit of thieves (well one spy, one former Titan, and one former member of the Team) have not necessarily slowed down it is just that it is not seen. Outside of the last chapter and this one, they have all been doing their parts without Jake. David Cain will reveal a little bit more about the murder of Adeline in this chapter with Slade filling the gaps later. Slade's team *coughterrortitanscough* will be a huge wild card that will first be seen in Bludhaven against Nightwing and the new vigilante in town, Tarantula. As for the Arkham City storyline. First, Batman vs. Black Spider happens before then. Batman and Black Spider teaming up happens before Arkham City as well. You are right about the people Hugo is personally targeting in the riots, except for the fact that Merlyn still holds a legit position within the League and therefore must be removed as well. Deadpool is not so much of a problem to Hugo's dreams. However, Deathstroke will be in Arkham for an entirely different reason that will tie in to his plans from Shattered Persona. The woman who owns the pregnancy test is not an OC. She will know the Joker and work with him. And she will use Jake to flee before the riots. Oh, and Harley will forever be pissed about it. As for the last part of this trilogy, there will be a larger time skip between this story and that one than it was between SP and AR. While it will still focus on those in this story (Jake, Dick, Kaldur, etc.), it will also introduce the new generation (Batgirl/Cassandra, Ivan, Lian) as well as reintroduce some DC characters such as Holiday, White Ghost, and Nekron. Sorry for the large text wall and I hope I answered most of your questions (David and Jake's fight happen here so I kind of avoided those questions). Thanks for reading.
Timijaf: Thanks and wait no longer. It's here.
Panda Pulse: Lian and Jake's other kids will not get along for one great reasons; Lian despises anyone who takes her father away from her, as seen in this very chapter. I will tell you that Daredevil will make a small appearance here, but not against the Black Spider. Kraven, however, will face the Spider. The others (excluding Toad) will not be in this story. As for former Teen Titans foes, Gizmo makes a return pretty soon as well as Killer Moth. Talia's plan will not be revealed until later. Until then, she will make sure that she keeps her options, Jake and Bruce, very much alive. Ravage will come to hate Jericho on her own (for the same reason Lian hates her siblings) but Deathstroke will only put his focus on beating Jake and getting his team to go after the Black Spider and Nightwing. Not each other. Yes, the Dark Knight and the Heir of the Demon will team up. To drop a clue there, it involves Catwoman, a computer program, and riddles. Lots and lots of riddles. Joker's child is not with Rose, Nyssa, or Batgirl. But unlike Aliyah's origins, Joker's child origins will be seen in this story. The next arc has a lot of Dick and Kassidy moments where they will attempt to learn each others' secrets. But it will take a while before he knows that she is Vandal Savage's daughter. And somehow Jake will be involved in the matter.
JD Sparks: I do owe you much thanks for the whole JadeSpider name and the pair will have more problems coming their way. Deathstroke will continue to make Jake's life stressful until he practically mentally breaks his son. Cheshire and Roy will also have their problems, more or less revolving around their individual agendas. Of course, Jake and Jade will always have a soft spot for one another. Always.
Veedramon: Responding to your review on SP, thanks. And in all honesty, I prefer Jake to the actual Grant Wilson, who he replaces.
I also want to just say go check out Cardmaster by DoctorWhoXX. It's a story about Jacob who is the son of an unnamed criminal (which will be revealed sometime soon I hope) and his journey with the Team. It takes place during Season 1 and shows how a deck of cards could be used in ways Gambit could never think of. So check it out and leave a nice little review.
As always, I truly hope I answered all of your questions and I am dreadfully sorry for the wait. There will be a little bit more at the bottom explaining the trilogy as a whole and another clue about the Arkham City riots at the end of this story. So please sit back, read, enjoy and if you have any question, thoughts, or comments that you would like to share, send a review or PM and I will respond as soon as possible. Now onwards to the story.
Arkham Rising
New World Arc
Ch. 12: Venom Pt. 2
[Sensei's Hideout: Greenland]
[December 11, 19:24:10 WGT]
Jake looked across the floor to see Silver Monkey crouch down in a stance Jake quickly detected as a form of karate. The young Heir of the Demon assessed that Silver Monkey was going to attempt to out-speed him, a feat which very little could do whilst Jake and Ben were attached. His spider-senses could catch on to the energy produced by a speedster before said speedster even took off regardless if Jake could actually dodge said attack or not. He could easily detect a man who moved slower than he did.
"Silver Monkey, are you ready?"
The Spider watched the elder nod and smirked behind his mask. Maybe he was becoming too much like his father, but he found his attack on Silver Monkey's so-called troop to be highly amusing and somewhat comical. It could be due to Silver Monkey's angry screeching when Jake had disposed of the ten men. Hell, Jake found Silver Monkey's face laughable when the Heir removed his opponent's mask the first time and then just left.
"Black Spider, are you ready?"
Jake's smirk disappears as he feels his anger rising. He honestly had no idea where this crazed sensation was coming from. Cheshire blames- as she always has- Lady Shiva for even tapping into Jake's ever growing rage and forcing him to use it for fights. Raven believes that a bit of her "father's essence" has rubbed off of Jake when she applied the seal that kept him from dying years ago. Kaldur had suggested that it could be Ben's doing considering that the artificial life amplified Jake's already present emotions. Therefore, if Jake felt angry, Ben would only fuel said anger. There were too many theories. It could the side effects of the Lazarus Pits. It could be the serum that turned Slade into Deathstroke and then Wade into Deadpool. Or it could just be Jake's wall of restraint finally breaking? The thief did not know but was not caring at the moment. He would use said anger, that "Venom" Sophie spoke of, to defeat his four opponents here and now.
"Then let round one begin! Fight!"
As soon as the word "fight" left Sensei's mouth, Silver Monkey dashed for his opponent. Jake was somewhat surprised by the brazen attack. He expected Silver Monkey to have learned from his earlier mistakes and bait Jake to take the offensive.
Obviously the young man was wrong.
Jake instantly took a back-step, moving leftwards to dodge Monkey's initial hand strike. The primate-themed assassin follows through with a side thrust kick that nearly caught the evasive Heir. Unfortunately for the elder, Jake was able to dodge the quick kick almost as easily as he did the first strike.
Jake used a simple hand-spring back-flip to put distance between himself and his opponent. He had beaten Silver Monkey before. This should not be that hard. However, he had never fought Merlyn and has only heard of David Cain via stories. He would need his energy and wits for those two, not Silver Monkey.
Jake was interrupted by his thoughts as his body tingled, sensing danger coming from behind him. Two, no three, assassins were coming to join Silver Monkey. Knowing better to panic, Jake timed his dodges precisely. A simple right side-step to allow the first sword-wielding assassin to stumble passed him. He then would twist his body to catch the wrists of the second, also sword-wielding, assassin to keep him from dicing Jake's right shoulder. And finally, using the second would-be attacker as a human weapon, Jake swung the man into the third attacker, knocking both men away from him.
Jake turns to face the first attacker and smirks beneath his mask.
"Now did you really think it would be that easy? You really shouldn't take my pretty face for granted." Jake taunted.
The frightened man looked at Silver Monkey who growled. Without another word, the nameless assassin charged at Jake, holding his blade with both hands.
Sensei made an audible sound of detest as he watched his son's so-called Heir of the Demon toy with one of Silver Monkey's trained (a second-year student) assassins. The Spider would dodge and block any and all of the strikes the other man made but would not strike himself. And Sensei hated that. He wanted to see Jake suffer. He wanted to see Jake in pain. He did not want to see this.
"Shit!" the man cursed when Jake struck the back of the man's left wrist with an eagle strike, forcing the nameless assassin to drop his blade.
Jake follows through with a quick jab to the man's face and then another. With his opponent momentarily stunned and in pain, the Black Spider quickly spins and lands a back-fist to immediately knock his foe out.
"I defeated ten of your men and you give me three? Obviously spiders are smarter than monkeys…" Jake jokes as he watches the remaining two henchmen for Silver Monkey stand. "But of course, like all good meals, there is an appetizer before than main entrée."
There were no other words as the Spider raced for the two weaker opponents, completely turning his back to Silver Monkey who had yet to make another move.
Jake engaged the two henchmen without a second thought. His mind easily ran through every training session he had ranging from his time with his parents down to his rigorous year with Lady Shiva. His mind was a library of martial arts, some he doubt many average people have even heard of.
"Your anger is rising again." Ben warns as his wearer dances around a downward sword slash by one of Silver Monkey's students.
"Don't stop me." Jake argued.
With a nearly unreadable twist, Jake spins in a circle, extending the robotic legs from his back to swat the two henchmen away from him. Completing his seven-twenty, he retracted the legs and waited for the first one to get up.
"If you don't calm down our synchronization will be threatened. You have told me to limit my abilities whenever you are at this angry or irritated, yet I cannot leave you when in danger." Ben said. "You have to calm down or else."
"Not this time. This time, we let go. No more restraints, got it?" responds Jake as he sees the unarmed assailant beginning to rise. "Give me everything you got Ben. We'll need it."
There was a silence before Jake released a small hiss in pain as the seal on his back began burning.
"New synch completed. Power level, ninety-seven percent. Killing restraints, none." Ben announced.
Sensei leaned back in his seat as he watched his son's chosen warrior standing still. The aged man saw Silver Monkey's unimpressed posture and then turned to the standing student from the Monkey Fist Cult. A wave of desperation seemed to radiate off of Monkey's student and it was pretty obvious why. His opponent was the very man that appeared seemingly out of nowhere and stopped ten would-be recruits from even finishing their training. No, Jake did not kill them like Ra's had hoped. Instead, he broke limbs and will in every single man's body.
All except for Silver Monkey himself.
Said standing student of Silver Monkey looked at his downed partners before staring at the Black Spider. It seemed like hours had passed since the Heir of the Demon attempted to move. This made the man a bit unnerved. Was the Spider preparing an attack? How should he counter attack? Has the Spider already made an attack? All it took was a simple movement with his left foot and he got his answer.
"Too slow!" Jake called as he fired a web at the man, already reading the man's next move.
The web stuck to the startled man's chest and with a simple tug, Jake was reeling the man towards him at high speeds.
"Hmm…" David hummed as he watched Jake execute a lariat that looked like it could have beheaded the man. "He's got his father's aggression, I'll say that."
Merlyn nods. "Fighting him hand-to-hand is probably not the best choice. Especially considering he was trained by your former partner and ex-wife…"
Silver Monkey growled when his final student fell onto the ground unconscious. A whistle from David Cain caused the masked man to look at his teammate. David tossed Silver Monkey two daggers which Monkey caught skillfully.
"Now the real fight begins." Silver Monkey said
"Good," Black Spider remarks as his stingers extend. "I was starting to get bored with amateur night."
Merlyn snorts. "He's got Slade's jokes as well."
David just nods his head as the two combatants charge for one another. The veteran and world renowned assassin only watches as the last student of Lady Shiva masterfully blocks Silver Monkey's strikes. Though, that was to be expected. With every other assassin came the weapon that they were best at. Deadshot uses guns and was more than comfortable proving why he was the best at it. Merlyn chose arrows and his archery is on par, or greater than, that of Green Arrow's. Yet, every once and a while there came a master of weapons. This list included the likes of David himself, Slade, Lady Shiva, Ra's al Ghul, and Batman. The true question now was if the Spider would wind up on the exclusive list of champions or not.
"You don't deserve to honor the title Heir of the Demon!" Silver Monkey hissed as he and Jake locked blades between them. "And now I'm going to rip your mask off of your face just as you did mine!"
Jake remains silent as the two separate before coming headstrong at one another again. The younger combatant found himself going back to his roots momentarily, reading Silver Monkey's body language to help him predict the how to dodge.
Block left. Block right. Duck. Duck. Block right. And onwards.
This pattern allowed Jake to focus solely on Silver Monkey's body while his arms instinctively went to protect him from the older man's swings. The Spider had to admit that despite Silver Monkey's age- somewhere in his early forties Jake presumed- that Monkey was still as fast as people claimed he was a decade ago without any signs of slowing down whatsoever.
A swift kick met Jake's midriff, forcing the Black Spider to take a step backwards. This made Jake realize that he was better off fighting hand-to-hand, despite Silver Monkey's impressive achievements in the area.
"What the hell is he doing?" Merlyn asked when he saw Black Spider's blades retract. "Is he trying to die on purpose or…?"
"Everyone has their weapon of choice," Sensei spoke. "Just like his mentor, Sandra, Jake's greatest weapons are his hands and feet."
David crossed his arms, eyes narrowing at the young man battling Silver Monkey.
Silver Monkey did not like being made a, well, monkey by some young arrogant punk, especially in front of Sensei of all people.
"Come on." Jake taunted.
Silver Monkey stood in a mixture of awe and anger for only a few seconds before coming for Jake again. He swung his blades with more purpose now in his attempt to hack and dice Jake with his daggers.
"You. Will. Die!"
With each word Silver Monkey declared he swung his blades. With each swing came a dodge on the Spider's part. It became frustrating to the veteran to no end while the younger masked man was simply waiting for one opening.
And it eventually came.
"Oof!" The air was knocked completely out of Silver Monkey's body when an empowered palm strike landed on his chest and sent him tumbling towards Sensei and his remaining two combatants.
But Jake was nowhere near finished with his foe yet. Before Monkey could regain his breath and get back to his feet, Jake quickly fired a web that stuck to Silver Monkey's left ankle. The Black Spider reeled his prey in quickly but was somewhat disappointed when Monkey cut the web before being dragged to the Spider's feet.
Slightly annoyed, Jake leapt for his down opponent, his right stinger extending in mid-jump. With one heavy punch he hoped to pierce the blade straight through Silver Monkey's aged and cold heart. Instead Silver Monkey was able to roll out of the way while Jake's blade struck through the cave floor.
"He actually tried to kill him." Sensei noted when the Spider stood up calmly, Silver Monkey backing away slowly. "It seems as if my son was right all along."
Jake retracted his blade. "Still quick, even at your age. However, that blow took more wind out of you than you'd like to admit and your endurance is surely not on the same level as someone half your age and twice the training."
"You… You are not… Worth my time, boy!" Silver Monkey panted.
"I was trained by the Paper Monkey, the strongest of your clan. And she told me to let you in on a little secret," Jake retorted. "Your Monkey Fist Cult is a joke!"
With those words, Jake dashed for his opponent. He had broken at least a rib and he knew breathing was harder on Silver Monkey. With those thoughts, Monkey's breathing would grow heavier and his speeds will drop. In other words, Jake had taken one of Silver Monkey's greatest assets with a single blow. Of course, said blow went against Ben's warnings about the possibility of killing Silver Monkey with the strike using the suit's power without Ben overseeing just how much power is used. Yet he had to end this fight as soon as possible.
Silver Monkey went to shield himself with his blades from the oncoming collision, but a hard cough brought him down to a knee. He had no idea that the Spider had so much power but was now regretting blocking the blow.
And now… Now he would have to lose his honor and his rematch because the Black Spider was allowed to use his stupid suit.
"…" Jake said nothing as he quickly changed his directions, leaping backwards to avoid an arrow aimed for him. His eyes then landed on Merlyn, who had made his way into the marked ring. "I take it that Silver Monkey has forfeited."
Merlyn loaded another arrow. "Round two boy. This time you're up against Merlyn the Magician."
With that, Merlyn fired his arrow at the Heir of the Demon.
[Over the Atlantic Ocean]
[December 11, 18:38:55 ADT]
He left them stranded in the middle of the damn ocean. Well actually, the captain of the yacht was heading back before Cheshire killed him. She admits it was not her brightest idea in recent but it surely got a lot off of her chest. After Sophie freed her from the Spider's webbing, Jade needed to take her aggression out of someone. Her choices were: Lian, Sophie, another guard accompanying them, and the captain. Lian was excused from this list being Jade's daughter and Sophie for being said daughter's guardian/friend. The other guard was left alone simply because Jade found the captain first.
And now this.
With the index finger of her right hand attempting to peck a hole into the cat mask resting on her lap, Jade eyed those who had rescued her. They were none other than Ra's al Ghul's other three pets; Talia, Nyssa, and Hugo Strange. While there were four more assassins on board, two who were flying the plane, Jade chose to focus on those three for a very good reason.
They were all eying Lian as if she was a prize of some sort.
"So," Jade spoke, her eyes zeroing in on Talia's green ones. "You three just so happened to be out this way or are you kidnapping me and my daughter for some form of leverage?"
"We have orders to retrieve the Heir alive." Talia answered in a neutral tone. "Regardless of your past mistakes, we ha-" Nyssa snorts, cutting Talia's words. The elder glared at her younger sister before looking back at Jade and continuing. "Your feelings for him will not jeopardize this mission. We will make sure of that."
Jade crossed her arms. "Why do I get the feeling that something isn't right?"
"Because I still owe you one long ass-kicking for ratting us out to the Red Arrow." Nyssa hisses from her seat. "Be thankful that I won't do it now."
Jade gave Nyssa a glance over before averting her gaze back to Talia. Again, the long-haired beauty sat with a neutral expression as if she expected a fight to occur between her sister and Jade.
"If I may," Finally, Hugo spoke up from his seat. "I think I have a solution that will benefit all of us. Even you, Lian."
Lian visibly scowled before looking at Cheshire.
"Mother, who is he?" Lian asked.
"That is Hugo Strange. In the event that your dad does something idiotic and gets himself killed, he replaces him as the Heir of the Demon." Jade explained.
Lian's scowl deepens. "I do not like him. Father could easily beat him. He has no right to be Father's replacement. He is too weak, too fragile."
Nyssa stifles a snicker. "I kind of like this kid."
"You must forget, dear child, that while you have been educated due to Luthor's studious training, you are still but a child. Your emotions still cloud your judgment." Hugo stated before leaning back in his seat. "As I was saying, I do have a solution. Ra's wants-"
"I'm not doing anything for Ra's." Cheshire quickly interrupts. "I promised that asshole that I would do this last job with him."
"And then the two of you were going to run off. Yes, I know." Jade glared at Talia, though the woman had yet to show any care. "Who do you think would run his company while you two were away? Your daughter?"
"We weren't planning on coming back." growled Cheshire.
"No, you weren't planning on returning. He was. He always has." Talia said. Now it was Nyssa who glowered at Talia, angry and confused as to why Talia would know such personal information about the Heir of the Demon. "The bitter truth is that Jake will kill my father and take his rightful place as Head of the Demon."
"And you're certain he's going to go through with it?" questioned Nyssa.
"Considering what I have to protect," Talia answered while glancing at Lian. "I'm more than positive that Jake will go through with it. And in the event that he doesn't, then I will simply have his daughter killed."
"Over my dead body." Jade said.
"Yes. That is part of that plan." Again, Talia's voice seemed calm and devoid of any actual care about what she was saying and who she was saying it to. Jade, however, was seconds away from attempting her second murder of the day. "However, I'm sure we both know that to save Lian's life, the Spider would kill almost anyone, you included."
Jade does not argue. Talia was right. In a short period of two months (not even a full two months) Lian has become Jake's world. While he continued to do his weekly heists, he always made sure to put the time and effort in to being a father first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. Paula had informed Jade of the small changes in the thief's schedule, something that pleased Jade greatly. Lian deserved a good home and a great father and Jade could not think of someone better suited for the job that the only guy that got the cold-hearted Jade and the ever-stubborn Artemis to like, let alone love.
"When we arrive," Talia continues. "Sophia will stay here and watch Lian. Cheshire, you will move with Nyssa, Hugo, and myself. Our goal is simple: Retrieve the Heir alive and remove anyone or anything in our path to do so."
"I can fight." Lian announced.
"You will do no such thing." Talia replied.
"Mother, I-"
"Not this time," Jade tells her daughter. "Don't worry though. I doubt Strange will get far before he joins you." Jade then smirks. "Then you can fight."
"My money's on the little firecracker." Nyssa said to her sister with a small smirk herself.
"Indeed," Talia responded. "However, we do need to get one thing straight. For the sake of Jake," Talia then looks at Nyssa. "And the League, we must put aside our differences and work together. Anyone of us who doesn't comply will be dealt with swiftly. Even you, dear sister."
Nyssa nods and sits back. In her mind, she heard it in Talia's voice. The care. The emotion. The raw passion that only Talia could bring to a battle without showing it on her face. Nyssa knew then and there that her sister was hooked on the new Heir. Then again, the boy did seem to have numerous of admirers. Nyssa figured that any mildly attractive millionaire could catch the eye of some of the common women in the world. Add in his feats, skills, and other talents and it was pretty easy to see how someone like Jade fell for the guy. But Talia? Nyssa did not have the slightest clue as to what attracted her sister to the young man. Whatever it was had to be something Nyssa was either overlooking or ignoring altogether. Or maybe the two just bonded during the training?
Jade only sighs as she closes her eyes. Of course Jake would have her on a plane with their obedient-to-a-fault daughter, the gun-slinging Nyssa, the always jealous Hugo Strange, and Talia the Golden Child herself. Oh, and what better reason for the group to be united than to save the very man that Hugo and Nyssa have stated their want to kill sometime in the past six months. It was surreal in a way, and yet, exactly what Jade expected. Jake was no fool. He probably knew that Ra's would send him back-up, that's why he did what he did. And if he did indeed plan this little meeting, Jade was going to love their next private meeting.
She'd like to see him wrestle his way on top now.
[Sensei's Hideout: Greenland]
[December 11, 19:45:07 WGT]
Jake put more distance between himself and his two opponents, coincidentally closing the distance between him and Sensei while doing so. Yet Jake was not worried about the aged man seated five yards behind him or David Cain who stood next to Sensei. Instead, Jake was solely focused on the now more injured Silver Monkey and the arrow-wielding Merlyn. He quickly recounted the recent events of the battle to figure out his next course of action.
He had been shot in the thigh by an arrow and now his left leg had limited power, even with the suit's abilities.
Silver Monkey had his right arm broken by Jake during a recent exchange. The primate masked man also had yet to recover from the blow to the ribs, making Jake more than sure that more than one rib was broken.
Merlyn's underrated hand-to-hand skills were not on the same level as Silver Monkey's, meaning Jake could somehow take the archer out if he got close enough to engage Merlyn in another hand-to-hand bout. Though he doubted he would get close to the archer again.
He also noted that their teamwork needed work. Given the fact that they were all a part of the League of Assassins, Jake was sure that the two knew how to work as a team yet Monkey's need for revenge and Merlyn's somewhat arrogant attitude gave Jake a small reprieve as the two could not easily come to a successful and cooperative way to dispatch of the young man.
Jake also noted that David seemed to hate both of his opponents, or at least strongly disliked tem. This could help the Heir out in the future.
Finally, Jake admitted that his stamina was thinning. He was up against two of the world's greatest assassins and was somewhat lucky to have survived this long. His spider senses were useless if he did not have the energy to dodge the detected danger. Jake also realized that David Cain would probably be the toughest opponent and fighting Sensei at a hundred percent- if at all- seemed dismal.
But again, he would win. He had to win.
"Tired?" The taunt came from Merlyn who was already aiming another arrow at the Spider. "Pity. I always thought that you were someone who could actually measure up to their hype."
Jake ignored the quip, still trying to figure out how to divide and conquer the duo. Silver Monkey was injured and seemed like the best target to move for, yet he really wanted to shut Merlyn up once and for all.
He just had to figure out how to do so.
"Let's see you dodge this." Jake prepared himself for the onslaught of arrows he knew was coming his way.
Taking in a deep breath, Jake ignored Ben's warnings for a brief moment.
"Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos." The young man muttered under his breath and regained some control of his flaring emotions. His eyes opened and watched the archer launch the arrow for him. "Here we go."
Sensei could have commented how impressed he was at the sight in front of him. He could have verbally noted how skilled his son's student was. But he didn't. Instead, he just watched in amusement as Jake swatted the arrows away with the stingers of his Black Spider suit.
And how was Jake doing such a feat in his tired state? Focus. Anger. Frustration. Devotion. Desire. Hatred. And love. These were the ingredients that allowed his arms to move in a rapid frenzy, slapping and slicing arrows left and right as if it was child's play. There was no room for mistakes and he would rather avoid being shot a second time by Merlyn.
"Not good enough." Merlyn mutters as he nocks another arrow.
Jake sees the well aimed arrow fly for him and quickly prepares to deflect it with a blade. He would have succeeded in doing such a thing if the arrow had now stuck to his blade like a spitball on a dry wall before releasing a small explosion that sent Jake flying to his right.
Grunting in pain, the young man picked himself off of the cave manmade stone floor and sent Merlyn a glare. He was starting to remember why one takes out the archers first. They were a nuisance the further the fight lasted.
Another arrow whistles loudly as it jetted towards the Black Spider. With his left arm nearly out of commission- not to mention barely in its socket- Jake had no choice but to use his right arm to block the arrow. However, much like the preceding arrow, was a trick arrow. This time there was a bright blinding flash that had Jake stumbling backwards due to his lost of equilibrium.
"And now the kill," Merlyn said before firing a standard sharp arrow at his blinded opponent.
Silver Monkey had half the mind to stop the arrow as he wanted to be the one to kill the Spider, but he did not. He watched with everyone else. He watched in anticipation as the single arrow aimed for the head of the Heir of the Demon sliced through the air with malice and purpose. Many people had fallen victim of this very tactic and now the so-called "chosen one" was no different.
That is until the young man's back bent in such an angle that it was as if he was the stunt double for the Matrix movie.
"Impossible!" Silver Monkey coughs out.
Jake stands straight up, his body no longer sensing the danger of the arrow. His eyes soon mapped a shadowy figure. Said figure became more of a person. Soon his eyes had readjusted and he could see the angered Merlyn.
"That was a little too close for comfort." Ben stated.
"Give me some smoke, no fear toxin, jut smoke." Jake ordered. "I have a plan."
A thick cloud of smoke shot from, what appeared to be, the spores of the Black Spider's body. The smoke completely covered the Spider and all of his movements though Silver Monkey and Merlyn were prepared for anything. There was an audible cracking noise followed by a shout of pain from the Spider, but nothing was seen. When the smoke cleared, the Spider stood with stingers ready.
"Alright Monkey," Jake taunted. "Let's see if you're good enough to take on a blind man with one leg and one arm. Don't worry. I promise to use my bad arm."
Silver Monkey growled and darted for Jake as best as he could. He was sick and tired of the Spider mocking him! There was the first time the two met in Africa. Then came their meeting during the Purge- which actually turned out to be Talia doing the Spider's biddings. And finally this… It had to stop and it would stop now.
"Die!" screeches Silver Monkey as his blade went through Jake.
Sensei's eyes widened at the sight. No, Jake was not dead, not in the least. The fact that Silver Monkey's blade went through the Spider's body was proof that the arachnid assassin was alive and the hologram that reeled Silver Monkey in had done its purpose.
Thud!
Sensei then saw and heard Merlyn's body hit the ground and instantly pieced everything together. The boy snapped his arm back in place with the smoke before using a hologram and cloaking device. From there he would get Silver Monkey, someone who would have sensed Jake coming from behind invisible or not, away from the long-range fighter Merlyn. By the time Monkey reached what he thought was the Black Spider, Jake was already within striking range of Merlyn. Using the skills granted by him through Lady Shiva, Jake was able to take Merlyn out with one swift paralyzing blow like any assassin could in his position.
Impressive.
Sensei then saw the injured Silver Monkey preparing to go against the not-as-injured Black Spider. Eight times out of ten, Jake would win this battle. The only thing Silver Monkey could hope to achieve was tire the Heir out before he fought David.
Sensei looked at David and gave the man a small solid nod.
Now it was the Spider who was watching and analyzing as David made his way to regroup with Silver Monkey. Fighting three opponents in a round robin was unfair to begin with, but a two-on-one handicap fight was worse.
And then Cain rendered his opponent unconscious with a quick blow to Silver Monkey's chin, knocking the latter's mask off in the process.
"You beat one of them and had him on his last breath. I couldn't bear to watch anymore." Jake's eyes narrowed. He knew that voice. "I'll give you five minutes to rest and come up with any plan that your beaten mind can think of. But I want you to know, I've forced your father to retreat. What makes you think you're any better?"
Jake says nothing and seats himself on the floor in the lotus position. One did not just forget the voice of the man who murdered their mother. No matter how many times that the young man had tried to forget the event itself that voice continued to haunt him throughout his life. And now he had a chance to end the man's life as said man did Adeline's.
So why couldn't he build that rage that he had once before? What he was using now was simply anger and frustration of having to even be put through a gauntlet. The rage that he wanted to feel was the one that came after Jade was shot by the cops years ago. But he couldn't. Here he was seated in front of the only person who he had truly longed to kill and he could not even gather the pure rage to do so.
"While we wait, I do want to reveal something to you," David announced. "My mission to kill Adeline was nothing personal. Her Vigilante Inc had stopped two of our assassinations. The League of Assassins would not have any of it."
"Talia said that it wasn't a hit done by the League." Jake's eerie neutral voice returned.
"Ra's didn't assign the hit. Sensei did." David replied. "The League of Assassins has been split for quite some time. Your father, for instance, worked for us until your uncle was exposed to a worse experiment than Slade's. However, I failed in my mission to eliminate you and your mother. You are alive after all."
"Why?" Jake asked, his voice still void of any signs of emotion or tiredness.
"In truth, it's because your father paid me not to. Nothing more and nothing less." David answered.
Jake chuckled quietly. "Of course. Dad's always got a plan."
Sensei was thoroughly shocked. He had expected Jake to attack in blind rage as many before the young man have done so. However Jake did not sound even a bit angry. It was almost as if he had either forgotten or not heard David when the man had admitted in killing Adeline.
"Is that all you have to say? Your five minutes are nearly up and I'm not one to allow you a final word." said David as Jake slowly got to his feet.
"I made a promise to kill you one day to avenge my mom, but it seems as if I don't have the care to do that today." Now Sensei and David Cain were visibly shocked as Jake settled in a defensive stance. "Oh well. You'll just have to settle getting your ass handed to you by the true Heir of the Demon and die another day I suppose."
"You…" David began.
"Are we done talking? Unlike you, I do have something important to do. Of course, with how old Sensei is, all I have to do is get him to sneeze hard enough and that should put his ancient heart out of its misery. Am I right?" The Spider joked.
David laughs. "I like your edge kid. Too bad I have to kill you now."
"You can try," Now the humor had left Jake's voice and the other two men could tell that the once proclaimed Venom was back. "But you will undoubtedly fail."
Outside of Sensei's hideout, Jake's three companions stood over several masked assassins who were charged in protecting the cave entrance.
"So now what?" Gemini asked.
"Raven," Kaldur stated. "Can you use their bodies to 'capture' us?"
Raven sighs. "It'll be hard, but I think I can." The mystic then stares at Manta. "Was this part of your plan from the beginning?"
"Something along those lines," Manta answered as his helmet receded, revealing his head to the others. "My original hope was that some of them would back down and support the Spider due to him being the Heir of the Demon. I guess I was wrong."
"Why do I continue to allow you guys to take me through things when you don't even have a full plan?" Gemini questioned before the trio heard a helicopter nearing. "Did you call for backup?"
"My father believes that I returned to New York." Kaldur said.
"And Brain doesn't even know where I go on my own time." Gemini replied. "Maybe the Prince of Thieves in there called for backup?"
It was somewhat believable as, to a degree, there was some mistrust amongst the four. For starters, Jake was a thief who had done something to all of them. Kaldur and Raven were heroes and had a hard time accepting some of the more diabolical plans Jake and Gemini thought of. Plus they each had their own agenda, and while they have agreed to help one another achieve said agenda, it still four people with four different goals. Their only common goal was to defeat the Light and the invasion afterwards. So again, it was quite believable that Jake would have the League of Assassins follow him with three people with mutual respect for one another.
"We need to move." Raven stated as she soared into the cave.
Gemini followed Raven while Manta slowly backs towards the mouth of the cave, his eyes staring at the- not one- but three helicopters. Missions like these required backup and in most cases this was the kind of backup that Kaldur and Raven preferred. However, for a thief and a spy such as Jake and Gemini, backup was normally one or two people to simply bypass security and free them. Neither Kaldur nor Raven were strangers to the covert missions where a two or three person team was necessary, but their two companions were clearly set on just one or two people for said rescue missions. This is why Kaldur found three helicopters flying towards them to be the work of someone else.
The question was: Who sent them?
Sensei stared at the two combatants with interest now. They both still stood despite the bruises and battering that they just suffered from one another. Their fight was, in Sensei's mind, the most finesse and artful form of a brawl that the world has known. David Cain, a man that has mastered every martial arts known to man, showed his skills tenfold while Jake Cross, a prodigy who has mastered several of those martial arts faster than most could, proved that he was more than capable of keeping up with the older man. Every blow one of them successfully landed was met by a counter from their opponent. Every standoff that they had forced them to back away from each other and go through another series of plans.
It was like watching a beautiful dance that incorporates the steps of Martial Arts and the mindset of Chess.
Utterly beautiful.
David stared at his target, wiping a bit of blood off of his lips. His upper lip was bleeding quite badly after he was caught with a left hook from the Spider. David analyzed that the punch did not knock any teeth out due to the explosion and dislocation the arm had suffered earlier and was more than thankful that it was not a right-handed punch. Who knows just what a full powered punch in that suit could do to someone's face.
"Sorry kid," David said as he reached behind him and retrieved his custom made handgun. "This is where I end this."
Jake took in a deep breath and began to take apart the situation and piece it together slowly. His injuries included a near defunct left arm, a shot left leg, probably had bruised ribs from his battled with David, and he was losing feeling in his right hand. They were roughly ten yards away from one another with David nearest Sensei and the only known exit.
Retracting the stinger in his left hand, Jake stood tall.
"You cannot be serious." Ben stated after hearing Jake's resolve. "You can't dodge all of those in this condition."
"I can and I will." Jake responded.
If David was not a highly trained assassin he would have placed the gun down and verbally questioned the Heir if this was a smart idea or not. But the man hardly cared. He had a job to do just like the Black Spider did. It was just bad luck on Jake's part that their paths would cross now.
One shot…
Two shots…
Three…
Four…
Jake was able to catch an arrow from Artemis, Roy, and recently Merlyn. But these were not arrows. These were bullets. And Jake, through the enhancements granted by his suit, was allowed to see the four projectiles coming his way. They seemed to slowly float in air towards him giving him all the time in the world to react.
And sadly he was reacting. Just nowhere near fast enough.
Jake's body went into overdrive to map out the trajectory of the bullets and how to dodge them. He was forcing his muscles to pull and contract on levels they had never done so before. And it hurt. It hurt like hell. However, Ra's, Slade, and Shiva all had one common teaching that made Jake's body move faster.
Mind over matter.
Sensei watched carefully as Jake's body twisted and contorted, his right hand jerking violently at the end. He then looked at the wall behind Jake. Three holes. Only one of those shots actually hit. Sensei turned to see David's eyes inspecting his shots as well. The veteran assassin specialist did not look disappointed that only one shot hit. In fact, he looked somewhat pleased.
"You are careless." Jake lazily rolled his eyes at Ben's comment. "Would camouflage and a little smoke kill you once and a while?"
"Already did that trick once today, remember?" Jake returned.
"How many times did you teleport as Red X before that trick got old?" Ben argued. "You're going to get us both killed one day…" Jake was going to respond before Ben's warning senses alerted him. "Move!"
Jake leapt backwards against the wall, his body sticking to it like a fly on flypaper. He heard Sensei release an audible breath of disbelief before the room shook. No, the entire mountain shook.
"What the hell?" Jake questioned.
"Did you do this?" Sensei asked as he rose from his seat.
"You're senile," Jake returned. "Why would I give an order to collapse a mountain on top of me? If that was my plan I would have just done so before you came out to retrieve me!" Jake felt another tingling sensation and eyed David. "Shit!"
The fifth shot hit its mark dead on and the Black Spider clutched his torso before falling from the wall.
"We have to move," David announced as he pockets his pistol. "Should I leave them?"
"They will join us later. Let's go."
The two men walked towards the exit before a black web stuck to the back of David.
"What the-" Before the assassin could finish his statement he was pulled backwards with great force.
Sensei turned his attention to the surprisingly standing Black Spider and noticed that something was different. The air around the man seemed darker. It was as if being shot twice was enough to awaken some sort of demon locked in the, well, Heir of the Demon.
And then Sensei saw something truly frightening. The Black Spider opened his right hand and let the fourth bullet fall to the ground. There was no way in hell that this boy caught a bullet from David Cain.
The mountain shook a second time, alerting Sensei.
"Go," Cain says as he rises. "I can handle him."
David just stared at the younger man. There was something odd about him now. It was as if his skin- the suit that is- was constantly moving. As if waves of the suit were rising and falling with every breath Jake took. It was almost intimidating to say the least. Thankfully David Cain was not one easily intimidated.
"Ready for round two already? Quite impressive." Cain comments. All he received was a small growl from his challenger. "Serious are we? Well then, let's begin!"
The Black Spider charges for his opponent, seemingly possessed with rage and something demonic. David realized that Jake's initial fighting stances were thrown out of the window and now his movements were harder to read.
The Spider had closed the distance faster than before and took a wild swing- a claw swipe at that- at David. David was able to dodge, but his mind went into a form of shock. The Heir of the Demon was someone who David Cain was coming to respect as a fighter but was now fighting like an enraged bear that had agility of a common gray squirrel.
This angered David slightly. He wanted the skilled Jake Cross, not some easily angered sloppy carbon copy in a spider suit.
"You're getting worse." David said, landing a flush right punch that barely forced his opponent's face to turn. In return, Jake landed a back hand that sent David flying onto his back. "Okay…"
David was quick to get back to his feet and stared down his foe. He knew that he was the superior fighter here with or without Jake's suit. However, he did not know just what the hell had happened to the Black Spider in the past five minutes. Something was definitely different and it would be beyond stupid of David to just rush in without knowing exactly what it was that was different.
The room shook again and this time a large stone piece of the ceiling fell behind the Spider. Of course, the Heir did not even flinch in the least bit. The young man just stood with his fists clenched and his eyes on his target; David Cain.
"If you're going to fight me," David said firmly. "Take off your suit and fight me like a man." David was surprised when the Black Spider suit receded to reveal the irate Jake Cross. "Alright. Let's do this."
Jake said nothing before the two charged at one another. Both of them had the same thoughts; Kill or be killed. It was clear to the Heir of the Demon that he would have to break his one rule to leave this cave alive. And who better to break that rule on than the man who took his mother from him?
[Watchtower]
[December 11, 20:02:55 UTC]
When Artemis was called to the Watchtower she was more than objective about the idea. Her relationship with the League was becoming strain due to her ties to the Scarlet Spider. Despite what many knew, the Justice League was just as mindful of freelance superheroes as they were of criminals. The former Titan, Raven, fell into this category of carefully watched heroes. Artemis wanted to voice just how unfair that was but that would only have her scrutinized more.
"Artemis," Thankfully it was the Black Canary she was meeting which sent waves of relief coursing through her body. "This way."
Artemis obediently follows. Being the student of the Green Arrow meant that she had spent sufficient time with the Canary in and out of costume. She looked at the woman as an aunt who she went to in times where going to her mother seemed awkward or tough. And in return, Canary gave her advice and then coaxed Artemis into telling Paula whatever it was Artemis was trying to keep secret.
"So," Canary said as the two women walked into an empty interrogation room. "I spoke to your mother recently. Is there anything you want to tell me?"
"I'm not pregnant. Wally was just making a joke and-"
"I'm talking about one Jake Cross." Dinah cut the younger blonde off. "He's alive and you know it. Why didn't you come to me earlier and tell me?"
"Didn't know I needed another therapy session…" mutters the archer as she eyes the wall.
"Artemis," said the Canary in a firm voice. "This is serious. The last thing you need is getting involved with the same guy that put you through hell."
"You don't know him." Artemis had no idea why she was defending someone she was currently mad at. Apparently her ex had run off and had told Paula but forwent telling Artemis. "He's not just an assassin, alright? He's still Jake. Just Jake."
Dinah sighs. "Artemis, listen. I know how it feels to get caught up in someone. Believe it or not, there was actually someone else before Ollie. But I also know how the League of Assassins works. If Jake is indeed the Heir of the Demon, he will either have to become the next head or be dethroned one way or another."
"I'm not worried about Jake." Artemis pointed out. "In fact, he's the last thing on my mind at the moment." It was a lie and she was sure Dinah knew that but Artemis continued. "Fact is he's with my sister raising their daughter somewhere. And I'm okay with that."
"Are you?" Artemis huffs heavily like an irritated teenager, something that causes Canary to raise an amused brow. "You never got over his death. How am I to believe that you're alright with him returning from the grave with a daughter? With your sister nonetheless."
"I'm with Wally. That's all that matters." Dinah's lips thinned. "What?"
"You two talked about this, didn't you?" Black Canary's question was answered with a small nod. "Artemis… He may be a good guy, but Wally makes you happy. Stay with him. If the other Leaguers knew that you and the Black Spider are in contact, they would undoubtedly put you on some form of probation and-"
"I'm not a member of the Team anymore and they cannot tell me who I can and can't talk to." Artemis interrupts. "Jake is a friend of mine from school. He got to know me, the real me. But I'm not with him and I never will be again."
"You don't sound too happy about that. I thought Wally made you happy?" The words somehow stung Artemis and she flinches, before turning her gloom-filled eyes to the floor.
"Wally keeps me safe. Jake is the Heir of the Demon. I am a hero. We are not meant to be." Artemis spits out in a robotic neutral tone.
"That sounds rehearsed." Dinah stated.
"He tells me that every other time we meet." Artemis quietly says. "A part of me agrees with him. I have Wally and Lian needs her parents. But another part of me… The what-if…"
Black Canary nods. "I understand. But as you said, Wally makes you happy."
"I said Wally keeps me safe." Artemis corrected. "He makes me happy as well, but Wally's job is to keep me safe."
"You make it sound as if dating you is a mission." Artemis smiles softly at Canary's words.
"It was." she said softly. "And it always will be …"
[Sensei's Hideout: Greenland]
[December 11, 20:11:45 WGT]
The room was nearly enclosed due to the number of large stone fragments of different shapes and sizes that blocked the only exit. Grinded minerals poured from the barely remaining ceiling as the sands of the cave warned of its inevitable doom. Yet, David Cain and Jake Cross still battled. The two were bloodied, bruised, battered, and exhausted, yet they continued. The care for their respective lives had gone out of the proverbial window as they fought merely for respect.
And by now, they had a lot of respect for each other.
"I can see why Ra's thinks highly of you. You're pretty damn good." David said, hiding his exhaustion for only a few minutes.
"Give me… A sec… I'll show you good…" Jake, however, was unable to hide his lack of breath. The room shook again, this time more violently. "Shit…"
The suit activated quickly before the four "spider-legs" shot from Jake's back and caught a rather large piece of stone that would have crushed the man. Due to the boulder's weight and Jake's fatigue, the Spider dropped to one knee as he kept the rock from collapsing onto him.
"Pity," Jake looks up to see David with the custom-made pistol in hand. "But this is the end. Again, this isn't personal. Just good business."
Pain surged throughout Jake's body as he pushed his body beyond limits that it was meant to go. With said new energy rushing through him, he was able to launch the boulder at David before the man had time to pull the trigger. Even Jake was surprised when the stone was able to hit David's left shoulder, forcing the man's body to twist violently as he fell to the ground. And with that, Jake just fell into a seated position.
"You're really good." David chuckles as he lies there, holding his left arm with his right. "Too bad we're both dead kid. No one will ever know that you of all people could dance toe-to-toe with me, almost to a stalemate. You really are a prodigy of the Wilson family line."
"I'm afraid… You're wrong." Jake pants out. "Because I lied… My friends are here…"
David just lies there as he could hear the footsteps nearing the room.
"We have to get out of here." The voice of Raven was mottled with a mother's firmness mixed with a lover's worry for the fallen warrior. "Can you stand?"
"Barely…" Jake breathes out.
"We have bad news." Kaldur said. "TYGER guards are outside, fighting all the assassins there." Jake shrugs as he struggles to get to his feet. "Cheshire is there."
Jake froze. If Cheshire was here then there was a good chance that Lian was here as well. And while he had taught Lian techniques to escape, he also knew that his brash daughter would rather stay and fight than to retreat and live another day.
"You guys get out of here," Jake said. "I'm going after Cheshire and my daughter."
"I can't do that." Raven responded.
"This isn't a debate," Jake retaliated quietly. "The last thing we want is for Luthor or the others to know about this." Jake then eyes David's down body. "The more that knows, the more we risk it."
"He's right." said Gemini. "We'll help you escape the cave. After that, you're on your own."
Kaldur begrudgingly nodded, agreeing with the plan while Raven just turns on her heels to leave. Jake does not even attempt to argue as he found breathing a tedious task at the moment. Yet his injuries were slowly becoming numb as his mind began to race through all the possible ways to get his daughter out of harm's way.
"Ben, is Lian nearby?" Jake mentally questions as Kaldur aids the Heir out of the room.
"Searching…" Ben replied. "Lian is nearby, moving southbound. Two signatures are nearby. Cheshire and… Sensei…"
"Shit." Jake curses again.
"Are you alright?" Kaldur asked.
"We have to hurry." was Jake's response. "I won't fail her like I did everyone else."
Kaldur assumed that Jake was talking about Lian. It was no secret to anyone how much the man had come to love the girl. In a way, it made Jake's three comrades envious of Lian as they all had fathers who had abandoned them, three of the said fathers (Deathstroke, Trigon, and Black Manta) left their children for their personal gains.
"Hold on," Kaldur told Jake. "I'll get you to her in no time."
Jake took in a deep breath. "Thanks."
Kaldur only nods. He really hoped that Lian knew how lucky she was to have a father not trying to drag her into some sort of evil organization or abandoning her completely.
Sensei could see his helicopter in sight now. Behind him was a trail of dead TYGER guards who attempted to take advantage on the old man. It was needless to say that those guards will not be able to rectify such a mistake.
However, Sensei was growing tired himself. He was far from his prime and no longer had the stamina that once allowed him to slay armies of men. Now he had to use his energy wisely and fighting eight trained and armed men barely fit that category. His body and mind could no longer be fully restored by the Lazarus Pits and the aged man knew it was just a matter of time before death finally claimed him. However, he'd be damned if he went alone.
Before Sensei could approach his helicopter, he saw the cockpit door open and his pilot's body being kicked out. The presumably dead body hit the ground hard and Sensei was now staring at…
A little girl…?
"You cannot leave. Not until my father kills you." Lian stated.
"So the Spider already has an heir? Pity." Sensei replied. "However, little girl, you are in my way. Normally I wouldn't warn anyone in your position, but considering that you are just a child, I find it necessary to warn you. I am-"
Sensei was unprepared for Lian to quickly reveal a handgun and shoot him clear in the chest. The old man took in a deep breath as he dropped to one knee.
"I am not a little girl. I am Lian Nguyen, daughter to the Heir of the Demon." Lian said proudly as she hops out of the cockpit and onto the ground. "And now that you are dead, my father is now the undisputed ruler of the League of Assassins."
"Y-You fool!" Sensei pants out. "If I d-die by your hands, then you become the rightful heir!"
Lian scowls. "Your lies won't help you now. I've been patient just to do what everyone thought I couldn't."
"Lian!" Jade shouts, finally able to catch up to her daughter. Her Cheshire mask had been long abandoned when Sophie revealed that Lian had snuck out, yet again. "What the hell did I tell you?! Stay in the damn plane!"
Lian defiantly stares at her mother. "I killed him."
Jade looks at Sensei who was still very alive, but barely. Her eyes then looks at her daughter before she sighs heavily.
"Do you know who this man is? He could have killed you." Jade scolds her daughter, gaining a small thoughtful frown from Lian.
"No he couldn't. I learned from what you taught me." Now it was Cheshire frowning, mirroring her daughter's earlier actions. "A full out brawl is a dumb mistake. Use pawns and feints." Lian then points to the downed men. "He was old. I doubted that he had the stamina to last against you, let alone the nine that I led here."
Jade blinks dumbfounded. She, Jade Nguyen, had given birth to a possible tactical genius. Of course Jake would probably swear that said smartness came from his side of the family while Luthor would just point out that Lian is a creation of his, but Jade could care less about what they thought. Lian was her daughter (and admittedly Jake's as well) so therefore she gave birth to a genius. Not them.
"Now," Lian said as she took aim at the breathless man, who had fallen onto his back and was just staring at the gray skies. "To end this."
"Lian," Lian looked at her mother who took a few steps towards the child. "Let me."
Lian frowns. "You want the credit-"
"No." Cheshire interrupted. "Just let me."
Lian knew better to argue and just steps aside. In the child's mind, Jade wanted to be the one that put the killing blow in Sensei, most likely to please Jake. Lian was still unsure about the true definition of love but she knew enough to tell that her parents had some bizarre form of it. At points, it appeared as if they hated one another. Nevertheless, there was some sort of connection there that even Paula had failed to explain to the girl. So it made perfect sense that Jade would be a glory hog and steal this one from Lian.
However, that was not why Jade was doing what she was doing.
"When they find out that it was your daughter that killed me," Sensei gasps out. "They will hunt her down and kill her."
Jade squatted next to Sensei.
"And we will be ready." Jade whispers before taking her sai and stabbing the man in the exact spot that Lian had shot him. "No one will hurt my baby girl. That I promise you."
Jade then removed her blade when she saw the man's chest rise and fall for one last time. For a moment, she wanted to believe that Lian was just a little girl in the wrong place at the wrong time. She wanted to believe that Lian had a kinder side like her father. A side that would disallow Lian from killing everyone that stepped in front of her. Sure, Jade would not mind so much if Lian was sixteen, but the girl was just five. Jade and Artemis still had nightmares about their childhood and they did not kill anyone. She just questions how these thoughts will affect Lian.
"Come on Lian," Cheshire spoke. "We need to join up with the others. Our mission was to retrieve your father, not kill Sensei."
"Yes Mother," Lian replied with a small bow. "I'm sorry."
Jade's lips thinned into a line before she scoffs and turns away. Damn she was becoming a soft mother already.
"Don't worry about it this time." Jade said before giving her daughter a sharp look. "But the next time I catch you doing something this stupid…"
Cheshire doesn't finish her threat mostly because she didn't know how to. Normally she would just outright say that she would kill the person. However, this wasn't just any random person. This was Lian. And therefore Lian deserved her own type of threats. A type that Jade had yet to create.
"Mother," Lian said quietly. "Now will you be there for Father's birthday?"
"…" Cheshire looks away again and swallows quietly. "Let's go Lian."
Lian knew that answer. It was the same answer she got when Jade first dropped her off at Jake's and Lian asked if her mother would return. The young girl assumed that disappointing a child must be some part of a parent's love for said child which is why her parents avoided certain questions like her birthday. Again, Lian did not know exactly why they avoided these questions but assumed that it had something to do with love. Love seemed to be the answer to all her questions regarding human interactions.
Then again, was love really that important in being normal?
[Jake's Condo: Gotham City, New Jersey]
[December 13, 12:11:47 EST]
Opening his eyes for the first time in two days, Jake groans heavily. The last time he had woken up in a bed he knew he had not fallen asleep in, he was pulled into the future and almost hit on his daughter. Now he was lying with little stings of pain coming from his torso and left arm.
Closing his eyes, he wiggled his fingers and then his toes. Realizing that he had motor functions, he sat up only to find his daughter standing at his bedside.
"Lian!" Lian blinked in confusion. She was sure that her seemingly all-seeing father had seen her right there. Hadn't he? "What are you…? Don't scare me like that."
Lian's lips purse. "I've been here since I woke up Father."
Jake puts his face in his hands, ignoring the bandages around his right hand. Sensei had succeeded in one thing and that was breaking him. Much like he had done years ago when he first created Ben, he had pushed his body too much and was now feeling the side effects. His memories of the previous seventy-two hours were cloudy at best and his muscles were screaming for him to just lie back down. Hell, if he could not smell Jade's perfume on his pillows, he would have believed that he dreamt about sleeping with her.
There was one thing that Jake does remember though. He was about to kill Silver Monkey. He wanted to kill Silver Monkey. Sensei had done what Deathstroke had failed to do for years and that was to break Jake's will and make Jake want to kill someone. Someone who, unlike David Cain and Sensei, did nothing to Jake to deserve to die. But Jake's mind was craving to end all three of Sensei's henchmen that day. And he was barely feeling anything different now.
"Grandma and Aunt Artemis are here." Lian announced.
"What? Why?" Jake asked.
"I was told that family gathers for one's birthday." answers the girl before her eyes slightly widen in fear. "Did they lie to me? Did I do-"
"No, no they didn't lie, I just…" Jake paused and removed his hands. His right hand moved beneath his shirt and he could feel wrappings with his fingertips. "What happened Lian?"
"Mother and I were returning to the others and found you being guarded by Talia. You had passed out trying to reach us." Lian explained as if her father had not been on death's front door again. "You were healed and taken here. Sophie says that I should be thankful that you are alive. Were you close to dying?"
Jake gives his daughter an incredulous look. She really thought that he was invincible. A part of him wanted to remind her that he was just human and things like a well-placed shot could take him down just as quickly as the next guy. Instead, he simply ruffles her hair with his right hand, drawing a scowl on her face.
"No Grasshopper, I'm fine." Jake lies before removing his hand. He saw Lian's small hands already preparing to smooth her hair back. "So who is here?"
Lian's shoulder shrugs to show that someone else was here. She just did not know who that person was. Jake ignored his daughter's inability to just greet people to learn something as simple as a name and tenderly moves his feet for the floor. He takes in a deep breath to avoid showing pain in front of his daughter and rises.
And nearly cried as his body admonished him for such an act.
"Come on," Jake strains out. "Let's go see the others."
Lian gives her father a small frown about the change of his voice but brushes it off. Again, she highly doubted that a shot could do much to her father. He was the Heir of the Demon after all.
Jake exits his room slowly before going for the steps. He descends tenderly to see that his home was quite popular today.
"Uncle Jake!" Before Jake could tell them not to, Melvin, Timmy, and Teether had latched onto his body. "Happy Birthday!"
"Yeah… Thanks…" Jake winced as he eyed Raven's smirking face from the couch. "I hate you."
The mystic said nothing. Then again, she did not have to. She knew he was in pain but the kids did not. And so long as he was willing to go on like everything was alright, she would not stop them from making his injuries worse. It was his fault after all.
"Hey, Jake," Jaime asks as he stares at the deactivated Ben. "How come Ben can completely detach from you and Jarvis can't?" Jaime then thumbs to Mia at the dining room table. "I'm sure she bathes in that thing."
"No I don't!" Mia argues.
Jake was going to respond before he hears a huff from behind him. He spots his daughter glaring at three children who had yet to release him. A small smile came onto his face as he pushes the three young heroes off of him.
"Come on Grasshopper, let's go into the kitchen and-"
"No you don't," came the voice of M'gann. "You're going to rest. No missions today."
"I'd listen to her." Jake heard Kaldur add. "She made cookies and Mrs. Crock made snickerdoodles."
Jake ignores the kids' obvious excitement about the treat and treads for a spot of the couch. The young man plops down before closing his eyes. He felt someone sitting next to him and peered at Lian's glaring face. She had yet to take her eyes off of the other children present which made Jake pull her closer to him.
"They are not going to replace you Lian. Relax." Jake told her before spotting Artemis and, surprisingly, Dick move from the kitchen. The archer held an envelope in her hands "What are you two doing here? Here to take advantage of my near-death experience?"
"More like rub it in that you're getting old." Dick jokes. "Besides, Artemis 'let it slip' about your little plan. If you would've told me this earlier we probably would have it finished by now."
Jake snorts. "Right, because we all know that none of your plans have backfired."
"I didn't just get dragged home unconscious." Dick argues.
"No but give me a few hours and I can make it happen." Jake returned.
"You two… I swear…" Artemis muttered before holding the catalog envelope out to Jake. "This is from Jade. She said to give it to you on your birthday."
Jake takes the envelope from Artemis and stares at it for a second. Releasing another audible sigh, the young man opens the package to read its contents. His eyes scanned the first paper that he pulled out, his mind failing to accept what he read the first time. He grunts quietly and reads it again before a smile comes onto his face.
"What is it Dad?" Lian asked.
"September twenty-second," Jake said to his daughter. "That is your birthday and here is your proof."
Lian's eyes noticeably widened a reaction that Jake and Artemis found to be quite shocking. The girl did not express a lot of surprise or shock.
"You didn't know your own birthday?" Timmy questioned, ending Lian's surprise and bringing the assassin back to her glaring. "You're a weird girl!"
Jake chuckles when he hears a growl coming from Lian and puts his arm around her shoulders.
"Take it easy Grasshopper," Jake said. "He's teasing you because he likes you."
"Wha…?! Nuh-uh!" Timmy argues, his cheeks reddening instantly. "I don't! I don't! I don't!"
"Timmy," Raven finally speaks. "Calm down. Besides, Lian is a pretty girl. I can understand."
"She's like five!" Timmy said defiantly as he crosses his arms.
"You're like six." Mia said.
"I'm seven!"
Mia rolled her eyes. "Big difference…"
Jake allowed the others to talk around him while his mind attempted to get back on track. He was unsure if Sensei was dead or not but assumed that something had to have happened for him to be returned home safely. Sophie was still here which meant that Talia was still living up to her word. He had somehow miraculously avoided death and was granted the privilege to make it to another birthday. And, more importantly, he now knew who killed his mother. Yet despite all of this, the Spider could not help but think that something was wrong with the world.
Something terribly wrong.
[San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, Mexico]
[December 13 11:20:02 CDT]
The target hit the floor only a second after the bullet shot through his forehead. A woman's scream could be heard but the shot that fired was suppressed. The gun the fired the shot was still aimed at the window for a second target, the teen behind the scope taking steady aim.
"Remember," a man known simply as Agent X said. "If you miss, you will be severely punished."
Jason only smirked. "Keep your panties on. I've got her right where I want her."
And with that, Jason shot his second target.
Author's Notes: Firstly, Sophie's real name is Sophia. Not a typo back there. And Lian did initially bring nine men to fight Sensei. She just killed one for reasons that will be revealed in the next chapter. Jason is transforming into the badass that will be known as the Red Hood and he's got Agent X to help him along with some others.
Now onto the trilogy. First and foremost, Shattered Persona was going to be a one-shot because I and a friend were having the Jason Todd is/isn't Red X debate. So to one-up him I made Jake, a completely new character and just filled in some background. Soon I had an entirely new DC universe and just went along with it. Shattered Persona was supposed to be the "death of Red X" as a part of Jake, not a character in general. It was also supposed to introduce Jake and show how he is indeed a lot like Slade, despite him trying to be otherwise. His overall character was outlined in the first story and a reason to his affection for Artemis was actually hinted in Arkham Rising (TYL Chapter 6) when Deathstroke tells Cheshire that Artemis "reminds me of his mother just a bit too much" referring to Jake's mother Adeline. The story was also to underline changes in certain characters such as Dick, Artemis, and Kaldur who now attempt to separate themselves from their alter egos. Arkham Rising is more or less a bridge between the beginning and the end. Sure, there are a lot of things to get excited about (such as the Black Spider vs. Batman fight and the Wilson family hunt) but it is simply an overall prelude to the final story. Arkham Rising will introduce several characters with a different background thus further widening the AU that is the Jake Cross universe (it isn't his universe he's just he main character). Cassandra Cain, for example, will be in this series but how she will enter the Bat Family is completely different from any form of her character (Shiva and David are still her parents though). As it stands now, there isn't a chapter that doesn't move the plot for either Arkham Rising or its sequel titled In Darkest Knights. It, much like Arkham Rising, will have multiple storylines and story arcs leading to three major battles and will have time skips within the stories. It will begin roughly eight years after the events of Arkham Rising and end roughly twenty years into the future (pretty much with the older Jake meeting his younger self). There will be a balance between the influence from Marvel and DC in this story though most of the Marvel characters that I will use will already have been introduced in this story. The overall tone for In Darkest Knights will be somewhat darker than the first two and will have a definite ending. Arkham Rising will end on somewhat of a cliffhanger. In Darkest Knights will not. Overall, the trilogy has been something I am happy to be able to even do (even if I don't have time to work on it like I would have hoped) and even more pleased that it has the support that is has from all of you. So again, thanks a trillions.
Finally, onto the latest spoiler about Arkham Rising. There will be a "death in the family" for one of the heroes and someone who is a prominent member of the Justice League. This death will actually introduce Cassandra Cain into the Bat Family as well as pair two of DC's greatest fighters together.
Thanks again for reading. Later.