"Done the head count Amanda?" Vincent Horne asks as the large woman returns to him, he, Amanda and his wife and some 60 people are being detained in a large brightly lit and empty room made of steel by the looks of it.

"Yes, Mister President, every guest at your Ball is here, with two exceptions, the Themyscirans." Amanda says as she stands before the pair that like most were sitting on the floor.

"Do you think, they may be part of this?" Jannet Horne asks while holding onto her husband's right arm, she is obviously scared, like many of the people present.

"No ma'am, I do not think so. For a number of reasons." Vincent nods at Amanda to continue. "Using gas and taking hostages like this is against the code of honor the Amazon's live by, if anything they would have killed every man in the room, not abduct them. Also I have known Diana for years."

"But why aren't they here then?" Jannet continues.

"From what I can tell, this room is just what it seems, a metal box, and not one with thick enough walls to stop Diana. I am almost sure she is being detained somewhere else."

"What about the other one?" Vincent asks.

"She is the reason I am not sure, Mister President. I know of her, but not as an Amazon." She sighs before continuing. "Eight years ago the first Robin broke with the Batman in Gotham and moved his activities to Jump City. There he met four others by random chance and formed the original Teen Titans. Robin as the team leader, Cyborg the second in command, Starfire an alien princess, Beastboy a greenskinned shapeshifter and Raven a haunted mystic from another dimension. I am almost certain that the two Raven's are one and the same."

"Sounds like she's a hero to me?" The President asks.

"Possibly." Amanda says. "But, the Raven from Jump City disappeared over a year ago. A little over two months ago I bumped into someone who was claimed to be that Raven, but looked nothing like her."

"The one tonight looked a bit special to me." Vincent muses.

"That's how the Jump City Raven looked normally, the one I bumped into, had red skin, four eyes and grey hair." Amanda continues. "I have been spending a good deal of time trying to figure that one out, but with no mystics on our payroll, I have not been able to confirm anything." She sighs.

"Could they all be the same person?" Jannet asks.

"I am not sure, the file I have on the Jump City Raven, told of a mystic that developed some expertise in martial arts after the Titans disbanded. She was supposedly very timid when around others outside of the Titans and their work; I find it hard to match her with the Amazons. The one I met had physically humbled Diana, something very few I know of can do alone."

"Well, I hope you have a chance to figure it out Amanda." Vincent says. "Anything to report on the morale?"

"The Quaci delegation has also noticed the absence of the Themysciran's and is trying to gain some kind of support for their theory that this is all their doing. So far he has only won the ear of a few of the middle-eastern countries, but it is mostly half hearted. A few of the diplomats with military experience are trying to keep people's hopes up."

"Good, perhaps I should…." He is cut off as first a yell is heard before a host of automated gunfire is heard from the outside; inside the room a lot of women begin crying in fright. The gunfire can be heard clattering off the walls, between the gunfire they can hear curses being mixed with screams and prayers, slowly the gunfire dies down, the last shot is followed by a hollow clank against the wall of the prison room. "Faraday." The president sigh's his relief.

"I'm not so sure." Amanda voices her own opinion.

"This will work." Deep Hispanic voice says before a hiss announces the opening of the door, the people room doesn't know if there are doomed or saved.

The room shifts noticeably as the huge shape of Bane enters the room, dragging four guards after him by their collars, dressed in white, grey and black camouflage uniforms, matching helmets and bulletproof vests. The guards leave a slight trail of blood after them. After him comes a grey skinned female with purple hair, a ruined dress and bloodstained hands, dragging four more guards after her. Leaving them at the door, she heads back out of the room before returning a moment later carrying an orange skinned woman in a skimpy dress, in her arms. Bane has deposited his share of guards in an unoccupied corner of the room, and moved the others there as well by the time she returns. Putting the alien on the ground in the opposite corner from the guards, before she waves her hand at the door and four automatic rifles float in side before being put by the door that closes slightly.

"I knew it!" Someone shouts from the back of the room, Raven ignores the yell, knowing the one it is coming from.

"Your attention please!" Bane calls as Raven turns around to face the room.

"I know you are all frightened, angry and confused." Raven takes over. "Over the last few months several extraordinary people, heroes and villains alike have been reported missing, I regret to say that you are all unfortunate victims in the latest of these kidnappings. The target of this latest one was primarily Wonder Woman. The costumed people, who have been kidnapped, as I have understood it, are all being forced to do what they are doing now. Starfire, Bane, the Mad Hatter and Captain Cold all have small devices grafted to their skulls that will kill them if they do not follow orders. I have removed Bane's and Starfire's, but I need to know if Amanda Waller can vouch for Bane?" Amanda gets up as Raven mentions her name.

"You aim to tell us that he is trustworthy now and that you are? While the man with the most influence in the world, has not heard a peep from our captors? And you expect us to believe this?" She asks.

"No, I want your verification that Bane once worked for you. As to the claim of the devices, look for yourself." Raven replies while levitating Starfire off the ground, and turns her over as she floats over to Amanda. "The device is at the base of the skull." Amanda looks at Raven for a second before she feels for the device with on hand, moving the hair out of the way to have good look.

"I believe you." Amanda says shortly. "Welcome back on the squad Bane." The large man nods at her.

"I do not believe my fate should be decided by a woman!" The Quraci shouts angrily as he gets up and starts making his way to the door. "You are the cause of this!"

"Very possible." Raven says flatly. "I am not issuing orders, but I will say this; I don't know where we are, if we are above or below ground, or even on Earth anymore. But I know there is a maze of halls, corridors and levels out there, all of them with people like those guys." She says as she points at the guards. "And people like Bane who out of fear of their own lives will do whatever they are told to. The rifles are for your protection and what you do with them is not my concern." Raven replies before she walks to the door.

"Wait, you are going to leave the President and a room full of diplomats in a hostile environment?!" Amanda almost yells.

"They are going to break Diana's will, rendering her into a mindless zombie, it is my duty as an Ephor that that does not happen." Raven replies. "The League is out searching for the President and they will find you."

"It is your duty to prevent her from causing an incident and upholding he law." Amanda says flatly.

"Preventing her from killing you all while out of mind is an extension of that." Raven says coldly.

"And what of your friend?" Amanada tries as she gestures at Starfire.

"From what I hear, I have two other friends out there in the same condition as her, she won't wake up till I tell her to. And she better be safe when I get back." Raven replies before she disappears out of the door, leaving the silent group behind, Bane sits down cross-legged next to the guards.

"So how did she get you to stand still for long enough to remove the chip?" Amanda asks.

"I have four cracked ribs as proof Waller." He says quietly. "I take it these chips are your creation." Amanda looks at him in surprise. "You looked at it for two second's, one would have to know it already to know what it is or be very trusting of others." He explains without looking at her. "You are not the latter."

"Is that true Amanda?" Vincent asks.

"It is Mister President, they are an old Cadmus project that was never put into use. They were an idea of how to manage convicted superpowered fellons." She replies stiffly.

"I will need to know what other idea's Cadmus dreamt up when we get out of here." He grumbles, hidden beneath his mask, Bane smiles slightly.

"Ok, boys and girls, now that the warmup is complete, it is time for the old master!" The Joker announces as he enters the cell where Diana is being kept, getting a host of stares from those capable.

"Who let you out of your box?" Cheetah asks between cleaning her claws.

"Hey, who's the clown?" Lobo asks as he is holding a pose as he was about to land another blow to Diana.

"Not clown, Joker." The man in person says as he dances inside. "Now skedoodle, I have Lexie's orders." He smiles.

"What?! But I'm so close!" The diminutive Dr. Psycho says as color leeks into his cheeks.

"I'm sure you are only four feet short!" Joker laughs loudly at his own joke, getting a chuckle out of Lobo and a well hidden one out of Cheetah.

"Ah well, I'm out of beer anyways." Lobo shrugs before heading out, followed by Cheetah.

"Oh come on then Zatanna, I'm sure I can use you for something you wouldn't like." Psycho sighs, giving up on his attempt to get the still laughing maniac to toss his cookies. The grumbling doctor shoves his hands in his pockets and walks out, followed by the stumbling blankeyed sorceress.

"Oh, oh that was a good one!" Joker says while wiping a tear out of his eyes. "Oh where have they all gone?" He asks noticing the others have left. "Oh well, at least I still have you." He says as he turns his attention to the battered Amazon. "A true audience never leaves the performer after all."

"Not like…I have… a choice…" Diana heaves in reply.

She is pretty sure she has been awake for the last two hours, and that she has felt far better. Her right arm is broken just above the elbow, a result of Lobo's hitting, as is the cracked ribs, swollen face and broken lower left leg. Due to Cheetah's claws, her dress is in tatters, leaving much of her body exposed, including the white panties she wears in case something stupid happens while she is in a dress. Of course, much of her skin is now smeared in her own blood, as Cheetah has taken time to draw long marks over her body, including a set of deep ones that trail from Diana's right ear down her jaw. Also during the last half hour, Cheetah actually bit her in the left shoulder. Diana considers herself lucky that Zatanna is only to blame for her nerves feeling like exposed power cables, which is causing her fingers and toes to spasm slightly every once in a while. Diana knows Zatanna could do much worse if prompted to, something she worries could prove permanent. She knows Dr. Psycho hates her, he hates her a lot, and only because she is a woman, like he hates all women. A child and teenage trauma Diana once discovered is the cause of it. But his hatred of herself runs deeper than that against any other woman, because Diana is a symbol of female liberation, that women need not be limited in anything merely because of the way they are born. Dr. Psycho once explained why he hates her so, "If I kill you or break you. I will destroy the hopes of millions of women around the globe!" In a way, he is Diana's physical opposite, she is tall, highly attractive and physical, he is short, ugly and relies only on his mind and the influence he can make it exert over others. It is only because of her own nature that allows her to resist his mind, she knows it is present and always active, but everyone has a hard time of lying whenever she is near, especially when addressing her. Bruce is the best at it, but she knows when he is doing it. Dr. Psycho's power is to create illusions in a mind, making one believe they are real. He once posed as a corporate CEO for over a week like this, fooling an entire office building while the real person lay rotting in a closet in his home. But Diana still gets swimming vision and headaches when he tries to use his mind on her, right now she can barely see anything clearly and her headache is the size of Georgia due to the lengthy exposure.

"Oh I guess that's true." Joker smiles at her, noticing she is hardly seeing him at all. "Aww, you look so sad, what's wrong?" He asks in a concerned voice, Diana refuses to answer. "Oh well, I know just the thing to cheer up a princess!" He says as he runs out of the room, returning shortly with a host of assorted articles he drops before her in a pile before rummaging thought them, emerging with three boxes of makeup. Opening the largest one, a green one, he pulls out a brush he dips in the contents before slapping it harshly onto Diana's face several times, leaving her coughing and pasty white. "Stage one is complete, Admiral!" Joker says with a deep voice before throwing the green box to the side and picks up a small round black one, opening it he pulls out a circular brush, dipping it again he doesn't as much apply the black make up properly as he just pushes it into Diana's eyes. Her head being one of the few things she can move, Diana tosses it from side to side to avoid the brush, resulting in a trail of grey going from side to side. "Hold still!" Joker grumbles before he places a palm on her shoulder, Diana's eyes roll into the back of her skull at the voltage sent into her, more than enough to reduce a normal man to a cooked corpse. While she is dazed, Joker applies the black, a messy round of pink lipstick that ends up drawing a smile twice as big as Diana is actually capable of. "Hmm, yes…yes… perfect!" Joker smiles happily as he looks at Diana while forming a rectangle with his fingers, tilting them and his head from side to side. "Now the princess is all happy!" He says before diving back into his pile, emerging with a hand mirror and a camera. "There, all better." He says while showing Diana her mirror image, she simply lowers her head. She has sworn and cursed the other three for well over an hour without it stopping them. Right now, the predominant emotion she feels is humiliation, she has been degraded to a plaything for a maniac, and she can't stop him. "Perhaps I should put these on the internet?" Joker asks himself as he begins taking pictures with a camera from his pile. "Better yet, perhaps I should get rid of Harley and keep you instead?" Diana retreats into herself as the maniac takes the pictures and laughs ever louder.

"Umm, boss, get out here. Now!" Foley calls, Rancid rushes out, ready for anyone causing trouble, it is the only reason anyone ever yells at him these days.

"What?!" Rancid shouts as he emerges out of his office looking for whoever needs sorting out.

"We have a host of incomings, and not all of them look friendly." Foley says as he reads a screen that is reporting from a their early warning system and another screen that has several calls listed as in coming. Rancid leans over the other man's shoulder a second before picking up a headset and takes the first call.

"Sergeant Rancid here Captain." He reports.

"Thank god I got through, the storm is messing everything up. I know you don't watch TV, but in case you haven't heard, a three headed burning dog is headed your way!" The other end crackles as a bolt of lightning strikes.

"Repeat sir, I didn't get that." Rancid replies.

"Turn on that TV in your lobby!" The captain almost yells from the other end. As Foley is listening in, as he always does, and shouldn't do. He turns on the TV on a local news channel. Both men raise eyebrows as they see a huge dog like creature plows through the Jump City streets, with a reporter trying desperately to keep up and talk at the same time from a moving car that's definitely heading towards their bridge. "See it?"

"We see it; we will be ready for it." Rancid says firmly, as he prepares to hit the emergency button.

"Answer your other calls first." The Captain says before the line goes dead.

"Jump City Penetentary, this is Speacial Agent King Faraday, head of the Secret Service. I don't know if you boys have been watching the news lately, but a few hours ago, someone decided to crash the Presidents Ball, there is a very large dog that apparently thinks the gatechrashers are hiding out in your vicinity. Be on the lookout and prepare to have company!" The two surprised men does not have time to reply before the line goes dead, leaving one call to be answered, after a nod from Rancid, Foley opens the link.

"Sergeant Rancid receiving, identify."

"This is Nightwing." A voice Rancid instantly recognizes even after going four years without hearing it.

"Well hello Birdy Boy." He says in an amused tone.

"Johnny Rancid?!" Nightwing almost yells into the microphone form the other end; bring a huge smile to Rancids face.

"Sergeant Johnny Rancid, thank you. What can I do for you Robin?" The line is quiet for a few seconds before a reply is received.

"I take it you heard about an incident at the White House? Well, the majority of the Justice League, the Jump City Police force and the National Guard is heading for your prison following the dog heading right towards you. Get your men ready to have that prison turned upside down." The line is closed before Rancid can reply.

"Sir?" Foley asks after a few seconds.

"Get everyone ready, we are going to have company!" Rancid yells as he disappears into his office again to get his gun and jacket.

Raven is sure she has remained undetected as she has been moving along the shadows, there haven't been any additional alarms that have been sounded since she left the diplomats. Before taking out the guards at their cell, she had even taken time to ensure that every radio was turned off and that the sound of the gunfire didn't reach far before she struck. With her League communicator taken from her, she has supplied herself with one of the closed circuit radios carried by the guards, hoping to pick up useful information along the way, but it's been silent ever since she picked it up, making her wonder if it was only tuned into that group.

So far she has yet to see any indication of a way leading to the floors below her, but she found out the floor was enchanted the same way her cell was, which makes her unable to just pass through it making her realize someone had prepared this place extensively. Still she moves quickly as she has melted into the shadows while keeping her senses open for anything on this level, having picked up a few far away guards, or at least she hopes they are guards. As he passes a corridor, she hears a familiar voice.

"Rotten crud-chip, can't see a thing back there!" It can only be Gizmo, Raven smirks before remembering, leaving even one super powered or exceptionally gifted person behind on this floor, could prove deadly for the politicians even when it is 'just' Gizmo. Grumbling to herself, she moves down the corridor before another voice is heard and she catches the flare of emotion from the owner.

"Just quit picking at it, you risk getting us both fried." It's a woman, Raven hopes she is lucky enough to have found the other metahuman Bane mentioned; Killer Frost.

"Ahh, pipe down." Gizmo grumbles.

Moving along the shadows that are cast on the ceiling by the numerous pipes running along it, Raven enters the room, spotting Gizmo sitting in his green jump suit and goggles on one of numerous tables in the dimly lit room, while trying to navigate two mirrors so he can see the implant sitting on the back of his bald head. Next to him stands a short blue haired female with ice white skin, wearing a skin tight pair of gloves that reach up to her upper arms and a suit that covers everything from her upper chest and downwards, both pieces of clothing is the same shade of dark blue as her hair. Raven notes as she moves over her that the temperature drops noticeably and that the woman's breath is not steaming but frosting.

"Gizmo, Killer Frost. Go find Bane and the others." Lex's voice sounds through a speaker in the corner of the room.

"Why should we?" The woman asks in an annoyed tone.

"Oh for a number of reasons, one is that they have failed to report back after being assigned the relatively simple task of retrieving the Amazon now running loose on your level. The second reason; I can't get in contact with the team assigned to guard the other prisoners. But the only one you need to know is this one." Lex replies in a warning tone before both chips on the villains begin powering up.

"Wait, wait, ok. We are going!" Killer Frost says with a hint of panic entering her voice.

"Good girl." Lex replies in an arrogant tone.

"Kiss my frosty butt." Frost grumbles to herself.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing."

"That's what I thought, now get going." An audible click announces Lex's termination of the transmission.

"Well let's get going Pipsqueak." Frost sighs before turning around for the door.

"Crud-sniffing popcicle." Gizmo grumbles as he makes to jump off the table, Raven chooses this moment to strike as two thick coils of black quickly unwinds from the ceiling wrapping themselves around both villains and lifts them into the air. "WAAHH!" Gizmo cries as he is hoisted into the air.

"What…is this?!" Frost complains as she can feel her throat getting constricted. "Get off!" She growls as she uses one hand to spray the tentacle with ice.

"Wait, watch out!" Gizmo cries in alarm as Frost is tossed about along with her aim, leaving much of the room covered in ice, one blast in particular leaves a trail of ice on Gizmo's head as it just misses him. "Hey! Up there! The ceiling!" He yells as he spots something between the pipes.

"Eat this!" Frost growls as she throws everything she can at the ceiling, Raven is forced to drop the two and comes tumbling out between the pipes to avoid getting frozen solid. The three crash to the ground, with Raven ending up on her stomach between the two villains. Gizmo is the first on his feet and takes cover behind the table he was sitting on, which has been overturned.

"Lex! Lex! We got loose Titan up here!" The diminutive man yells into a communicator on his wrist. From behind the table he can hear struggling

"That's Luthor to you!" Lex replies in a displeased voice. "And I know, I sent Strafire up there with you." A chair lands just next to Gizmo.

"CRUD! It's not her!" Gizmo crawls further into the room, settling down under another table.

"I have accounted for every female Titan that was ever a part of them, and the only one who could prove a statistical threat to Frost, is Starfire." From the other side of the table, Gizmo hears something break with a loud snap, followed by a shriek. "That should be the end of that, put her in a cell for the time being and we will get Psyco to look at her again." Luthor continues.

"You bitch! You broke my arm!" Gizmo hears Killer Frost cry, before she hisses and takes a heavy step forwards, the only reply he hears is a slap or a punch and the tell tale sound of someone landing on the ground,.

"Gizmo what is happening?!" Luthor demands obviously also having heard it. "Gizmo?!" Gizmo isn't listening as he is crawling further and further into the room, crawling under several more tables. Realizing too late he has worked himself into a corner, turning around he freezes as the tables he has passed under, begins being shoved violently to the sides, leaving a clear path between him and the tall figure walking towards him with four red glowing eyes. "Gizmo answers me!" Luthor demands as Gizmo wets himself as the figure reaches for him.

"What's with the yelling Lex?" Tala asks as she emerges into the control room, seeing the annoyed expression on Luthor's face.

"WAHHHHH…!" The high pitched scream emerging from the speakers are cut off by Luthor with the flip of a switch.

"Get back to work Tala!" He shots as he turns to her. "Or you will share the prison blocks fate when I'm done!" he says as he pushes a few buttons on a console, a few of the lights on the board with the names go out, signaling the demise of Captain Cold, Bane, Starfire, Gizmo and Killer Frost. "Get going!" He says with clenched teeth, Tala flees at the response.

Lex stares after her for a few seconds before he types in several commands into the computer, alerting all levels to be ready, and he sends his special corps to retake the prison level. He sighs, he knew the League would eventually find him and he has prepared their arrival, but it aggravates him nonetheless that he has apparently lost an entire level to two people it seems.

And this happens now, when he is so close to reaching his goal. Months ago he found himself back on Earth, but on a different continent than the one he knew he was on when he disappeared with Darkseid. He has very little memory of the time he was away; it all seemed to be light broken up by occasional splashes of black. When he returned, he had to pick up a newspaper to realize that he had been gone for 2 full years. Darkseid was nowhere to be seen, and neither was the anti-life equation and no memory of what it was. Lex had not been lying when he formed an alliance with the League, his goals were still the same, he has tasted omnipotence from his merger with Brainiac and he wants that power again. But he realized that the Brainiac he wanted had been lost with Darkseid and as much as Lex wants to fuse with Brainiac again, he is not willing to seek out Darkseid for it, not without being properly prepared for it. At first he sought to reclaim his company from his former assistant and bodyguard; Mercy Graves. When that was in order, he began seeking out tomes of knowledge, knowing if Darkseid exists as a New God, then the old ones must as well. Seeking ways of usurping the power of gods, he came across mentions of another entity, one who was suspected to dwarf the power of gods. And soon, he smiles to himself at this thought, that power will be his.

"Oh I remember that one; it was so funny at the time." The Joker laughs as he holds onto Diana's battered form with one arm around her neck.

This has been going on for an hour now, after the makeup was applied and pictures taken, the Joker has alternated between adding more injuries to her and cracking jokes, most of which involve females in some way. After hiding inside herself, while he took pictures, she found a measure of strength, that the League would arrive at some point and she would be released. Holding onto that thought for herself, she wonders if she alone here or if anyone else was taken. She figures she is not alone, why only take her and not the President? Her thoughts turn to Raven and she hopes she is ok and that she doesn't not suffer a fallback by being captured again. Returning to the real world, she is caught between horrid jokes, an old fashioned razor and the high voltage buzzer. Also he add's something he calls 'spice' to her open wounds, it makes her nauseous and futher saps her strength, she still can't see anything properly.

"What's the matter? Aren't you enjoying yourself?" Joker asks with mocked concern, like he has before either cutting her or shocking her. "Is Uncle Joker not funny anymore?" He continues. "Oh I know what you need." He says with a wicked smile. "This bit will be sure to loosen you up, wait right there." He says as if afraid she would leave.

Diana sighs as she hears the door closing behind him, thinking about what the clown now has in store for her. She is alone for a few moments and takes time to notice her state of undress and the many wounds that has been inflicted on her. Joker got annoyed by the remains of the dress she wore and removed the part, leaving her with a strip to cover her chest and no other clothing than her underwear.

"Now, now, my good doctor, I have a patient in here in dire need of your help." Joker is heard exclaiming before he enters the room again with someone standing outside.

"I told you Joker, I am a doctor of physics not a doctor of psychiatry or medicine." A deep and sour voice is heard, one Diana remembers from somewhere, with her eyes still blurry the Joker in the doorway looks only like a purple spec surrounded by black.

"Oh you can surely help this one." Joker says before reaching forwards and drags the other man with him.

"Hey…" The other man's protest dies on his lips as he enters. "Is that…?"

"Indeed my good man, now I am sure one of your capabilities is able to make her feel…better." The last part is spoken with a very low and dangerous voice.

"Oh I will do my best." The other man replies with sudden excitement, Diana doesn't like it, something in her head is screaming at her to realize something, but it just won't form for her.

"Good." Joker exclaims happily while slapping the other man on the shoulder. "I am going to watch cartoons, consider my toys yours." He continues before strolling out of the door and shuts it after him, leaving the man and Diana alone in the room. The man walks over to study Diana up close; she notices a white Mohawk on a black hat, white cape and a yellow circle on his chest. Diana knows she has met him before, but can't place a name or a face.

"Well this is a surprise." He says to himself. "Tell me Wonder Woman, have you seen the Light?" He asks, Diana recoils as she realizes who the man is; Dr. Light.