Manya Petrov had in the past been both one of Lonnie's greatest allies and one of his greatest enemies in the past. A good enough ally that he had the rare privilege of being told her real name and past without her executing him. An enemy so fierce, he would liken the damage she'd done to his cause to that of Batman. They flipped between good friends and old enemies because from the start, both had acknowledged that they could help each other, but her organization and he were forever opposed, to their foundations.
Those she worked for wanted chaos, so that they could threaten the world into doing what they wished. Anarky wanted his namesake to be the state of the world only because he knew that was the only way that every person on earth would truly have the power most of them thought they already possessed. And it wasn't like with others, Red Claw had founded Multigon. It wasn't something that had corrupted her, she'd created it to serve her own purpose.
So, he was both happy to be seeing her, and terrified that he was. He could've fought and beaten her, along with all of her men in his new suit, but she would just come back. He'd seen her come back from far worse than he'd ever be capable of doing to her, a little more white hair the only sign anything had happened at all. He'd long since sniffed out that she was somehow connected to the fabled Ra's Al Ghul, who did much the smae thing anytime he was announced dead. That there was more to her than "Manya Petrov", if that even was her name.
He was taken from these thoughts when she started talking to him.
"So, who are these two?", she asked, waving her hand to the twins, both of whom had fallen asleep during the hours long trip.
"A couple kids I'm taking care of."
"Hmm. Who mared that one's face?", she said, pointing to Astrid's 'smile' scar.
"The Clown. Same 'man' who pushed them into this life."
"Ahh. Well, as much as I would love two new recruits, I suppose they'd be best off with you."
"Thank you."
"It's no issue. Now, where is my crate?"
"Brazil, as I told your man."
"Good.", she paused as the cargobob landed, "Then you'll have no issue going and fetching it for me."
Without another word, she got up and walked to the door, teo of her men opening it for her as she exited, Lonnie just behind her. He stepped out, finding himself overlooking Rio De Janeiro. She handed him a flaregun.
"Fire that off when you've got it."
He knew better than to argue, or to try and take the girls with him, so he just walked out of the helicopter and onto the roof of whatever random building the helicopter had briefly landed on.
Alexi Petrov was sick and tired of surprises. At least on the run and in hiding, they'd known who their enemies where. If the city was trying to prove itself to be what Jason had always described it as, then the message had been received.
That's what the Moscow native thought as he walked theough the halls of Carcerem. Carcerem was once an Asylum just like Arkham. Gotham Asylum, they'd called it. Technically, it was still shut down, but in reality, the secluded mountain nuthouse had been operating for as long as the Outlaws had been in Gotham, only becoming up to snuff in the past week. The Children of Arkham, as Alexi had come to learn they called themselves, where the first people to be held there in a hundred years. The gear they'd confiscated from the lot was being looked over, but the men and women were already in lockup. Already, the few psychologists that were there had started conducting interviews with their patients.
"The Knights and Militia have found 4 of the persons of interest you were lookong for while you attended to the incident. They also report that your orders on what to do with the civilians related to or the surviving henchmen of the Club have been followed through with, to the letter. The Sentinels report that Carcerem is fully operational, just being kept from the public or state's eyes. The Paladins report that modifications to their gear are underway, vowing that something like last night will not be happening again. Slade reports that Michael's training is coming along nicely considering his teacher has a broken arm and it's only been two days since they started. Antonio says that his contacts all say the same thing, we are the only power left in Gotham, and what few crews and gangs we are leaving around all know that. The drug trade is slowing considerably, as expected, as is the weapons trade. Violent crimes have went down 73% in the past 12 hours alone.", Fries finished as Jason and Rose drank coffee, needig the energy after last night. It had shocked the man when he came in, and saw that Rose had cut his hair when they woke up. He was tired of putting his long hair in a bun just to use his helmet. Now, instead of the past his shoulders, flowing black hair with a white patch where it parted, his hair was now a thin undercut, only the white portion stuck out, as if it disliked the fact that it'd been cut. The scar across his face combined his new hair cut, he looked like a young general or warrior, less like a king.
"Hmm. Is that all?"
"There was one other thing. While going through Black Mask's files, we continue to find mentions of 'the weapon', but have yet to ascertain what said weapon is. We do however, have a location. An abandoned railway station, been used as a criminal hideout since the rail line connected to it was made obsolete by a new one a couple years ago, that connected straight to the both Wayne Monorail line and the Gotham Subway system. I was going to ask if one of the boys wanted to go see what-"
"No, I'll go."
"Oh, well in that case I'll send the location to your phone."
"Good. Now go home. I'm sure having you away so much is driving Nora up the walls."
A realization flashed in Victor's eyes at the words, and he flew out of Jason's apartment, slamming the door behind him. Jason stood up, in nothing but a pair of gym shorts, and was head towards their room when Rose stopped him by putting her hand on his chest. He had cut her hair when she'd gotten through with his. Instead of the choppy, flowing white hair that went all the way down her back that she'd had for years, it was now cut shoulder length.
Jason had protested, not liking the fact he'd no longer be able to pull on it in bed, but after she reminded him of the fact that last night she'd lost a patch of it when someone else pulled on it, he relented. Now, he was glad he did. She looked more like an het than ever, and he loved it. The new, not too deep scar on her right cheek she'd gotten from the Shark a few days ago didn't hurt the ninja vibe, either.
"Years, Jason. We've spent years to get where we are, and you still want to be out there, risking your neck for rumours?"
"Rose, putting aside how unlike me it would be to sit on my ass and send men to their deaths, if I don't keep on my toes I'll be useless when shit hits the proverbial fan. Which it could at any second."
"Yes...and rushing from one fight to another takes your mind off of the fact that you had to tag and bag your whole family."
He sat down his mug, and took her left hand in both of his own, turning it so that he could see the gemstone. He didn't wear his band yet, but just looking at her wearing the ring he'd had made for her, it let him find his words, even though he knew the woman wearing the ring wouldn't agree with them.
"My family is right here. You are my family before anyone else is. I feel for them, of course I do. But if I had to choose between all of them or you, my choice is you. So believe me when I say, I could give two fucks about the fact that now the whole lot of them are a little uncomfortable, considering the other option was let my emotion for them get the better of me, let them send you to some federal prison, and let then send me to the Phantom Zone or one of Amanda Waller's little slices of hell. I'm keeping myself busy, so that I don't loose my edge. So that I can protect you, and every other idiot stupid enough to trust me with their lives."
"Alright, good. Let's get ready, then."
"Wha-"
"If you are keeping on your toes so that you can protect me, I should do the same. God knows that you need more help not dying than I do."
"Hmpf. Alright, let's."
Soon, they were dressed in their outfits, only this time they wore bandanas with their regular outfits, and they both brought shotguns. Jason was using a short pump action mossburg that had filigree all over it, and had been customized to pump faster and fit harder than normal a mossburg. He'd picked it off a cannibal from Italy, about a year ago. Rose was using a shotgun she'd gotten in Ireland from a former IRA member. It hit like a truck, but that came at the price of being a double barrel sawed off. On top of their pistols and shotguns, they each had restocked the weapons in their suits, Jason happy to have all his knives back.
It was a nice drive, even though they were on their way to, most likely, a fire fight. They passed through the ally and into Old Gotham for a short bit, before getting on the large bridge that headed to Buldhaven. He'd always heard of the city as being even worse than the ally, just without the hazards of Joker and Scarecrow and the lot. Thankfully, the city wasn't too bad just yet. They still had time to take it under their control before the criminals realized that Knightwing really was out of town. It didn't take too long until they'd passed into what used to be the industrial district, way back before Gotham took all the business and prosperity from the surrounding towns and cities, making them what they were. Todd Industries will have to fix that.
In that "Industrial" District, they found the station Fries had mentioned. Jason remembered it still being operational years ago, but now it looked like the set for an apocalyptic movie staring some teenage no name. No signs of life. That's what Jason thought, from across a few blocks. Scanning it with the car, though, he saw that there were several armed men playing cards in one room, while one door and whatever was in the basement it lead to were unscannable until he had an in. He didn't have his backip helmet anymore, so that didn't exactly help the problem that they were going in blind. Jason and Rose got out of the car, mid-day sun shining down on the mildly cold couple, as they got their guns from the back and put them away, waiting to go loud just yet. That was when Rose nodded behind Jason as her eyes froze on something, and Jason loomed back to see...someone.
The woman in question looked like...well...like a dominatrix. She wore a black and red getup, underneath which was bare skin or white bandage depending on where you looked. On her head was flowing red hair, tied with red fabric into a ponytail, and she wore a red battle helmet that provided no protection to her face, that had a single black star on it's forehead. What intrigued Jason the most was the fact that the woman in question was stood atop a building opposite their target, an enourmous black battle axe in her hand, quiver on her hip filled with arrows and a wooden bow on her back. Amazon.
They watched as she seemed to make up her mind, before jumping down, 2 stories, cracking the old concrete of the abandoned trainyard as she landed. Jason did the only thing he could what with her about to go and possibly blow their chance at whatever weapon Sionis had hidden all the way outside his own city.
He dog whistled, pinkies in the corners of his mouth and all. The Amazonian froze in her tracks and looked very awkward when she realized the two had seen her. In a second, though, the regal stare of nothingness came back, and she jumped, hard landing a couple feet from Jason, leaving footprints in the ground as she caught her self with zero effort. Jason didn't flinch, but Rose loaded her gun and reached her left hand into her jacket, holding onto her promithium dagger. Jason couldn't help but be a bit intimidated. Over the years he'd grown bigger and taller then even Bruce, but this woman, while more lean than overly muscular in appearance, was still taller then him by a head and was obviously more powerful physically, missing mass or not.
"Who are you?"
"Who are you?"
"I'm the last woman you shall see if you continue to irritate me."
"I'm sure. Jason.", he said reaching out a hand. She, with the hand that was not holding the giant axe over her shoulder, hesitated for a second before giving him a Spartan handshake, her hand squeezing his forearm.
"Artemis. Amazon of Bana Mighdall"
"Hmm. Heard of Amazons, but not Bana Mighdall.", the woman looked like she was stunned he had pronounced the name correctly, "But that can wait. What are you doing here, Artemis?"
"What are-"
"Looking into a mysterious mention of weapons or a weapon here. Weapons or a weapon so dangerous that the man who owned them didn't even keep them in the city he practically owned. Now you."
"I am looking for a weapon as well. A weapon that belongs to the Amazons, the Bow of Ra. I am here to retrieve it."
"Hmm. Well, it looks like we might be able to help each other. We just want to make sure whatever is in there won't be used to hurt us or any innocents. If the bow is in there, you can have it. So long as you promise that it won't be used against civilains, or us."
"I accept your terms, but I do not need your help."
"If you're right, and only the bow, and nothing but the bow is in there. What if the bow and other dangerous things are? What if someone down there picks up one of said dangerous things?"
"...Fine. What do you propose?"
"There are no cameras, so we move in quietly. Once the guards are dealt with, either by death or knockout depending on who they are, the three of us head in the basement. Whatever is down there, we deal with it together. Afterwards, we part ways amicably, you with your bow, us with anything else."
"Hmm. Good enough plan. And you are?", she said, looking past him and to Rose.
"Rose."
"...right, good talk. Now, if you two mind, can we get back to the vault that may contain weapons of literal god-like power?", Jason said, pumping his shotgun and leading the way, the amazonian behind him, Rose behind her. As the three approached, they heard a conversation. All the men at the table in the otherwise empty room had began talking about how much they missed working at the Pen, back before "some asshole took out Igor". Jason didn't waste time. He took out his pistol and flicked of the saftey. He looked to Rose on the other side of their new companion, counting down from three on his fingers.
They didn't have time to make enough noise for it to matter at all. Artemis looked less than disturbed after hearing a brief summary of what they'd meant.
The three then moved to the naval door in the back Jason hadn't been able to see through. The couple readied their shotguns on either side of her as the Amazon took he massive axe in one hand like someone would a hatchet or a clever, and one-handedly opened the metal ship door.
Behind which was a dark room lit via red light, and fed directly into a similarly lit stairway. Artemis continued to take the lead and Rose the rear, as the three decended. Artemis had left her axe above, now weilding a bronze dirk in each hand, pulled from holsters on the back of her hip. When the reached the bottom, they found a locked door blocking their path, a handprint ready to the side of it. Before Jason could huff and puff, the Amazon put away her knives, and shoved her fists into the magnetically sealed door.
In seconds, the door way stood open and empty, and the three walked though. Inside, they found the bounty most criminals would sell their mothers for. An Amazo robot, a crate filled with kryptonite, an older Batman utility belt, one of Joker's "toy" guns, etcetera. What caught Jason's eye, however, was an unsuspecting crowbar in the corner of the room, only it had been put in a glass display case, as if it were a priceless artifact. Jason's hands trembled, but before he knew it, he'd shoved aside the glass, and was holding the bar of crude metal, stained by very old blood.
"Jason?"
"Yeah?"
"We'll talk about that later, but we got bigger issues."
"What?", he said, mesmerized by the iron in his hand.
"For one, my prize is not here. For seconds, that.", the Amazon said, not hiding her fear, which was enough to startle Jason out of his trace.
"Wha-", he froze when he turned to see the most impressive item in the room, which he'd completely overlooked. There, in the middle of the far wall, was a cryotube. A cryotube which held within itself a man with white skin. Said man was hulking, with a black hairdo that swirled infront of his face in the wrong direction, and he wore a suit not unlike Clark's, only in place of his S of hope, was a B drawn in the same style.
"Is that..."
"Yes. Yes he is.", Jason said, looking to the label just above the glass. Bizzaro. Perfect clone of an Imperfect clone, a rare showing of humanity from Lex, back when kryptonite exposure hadn't driven him stark mad.
Way back when, Luthor and his original failed clone of Supes had somewhat of a father/son relationship. When a version of Lex from another dimension killed said clone, Lex snapped and killed his doppelganger, before commissioning another Bizarro be made, exactly like the last one. Jason had thought, after he'd exposed Luthor using some slight corporate espionage, courtesy of Matt, the clone was destroyed. Apparently, this is where the last good thing Alexander Luthor would ever do had actually ended up.
"Should we..."
"We're not killing him...but we probably shouldn't wake him up in a dingy basement he won't recognize, if he even has his old memory. We should wait, do it somewhere less deadly, more comfortable. Moving on, where's this Bow of Ra?"
"It's not here. I sensed it's presence, but it seems that I am only sensing the past, not present."
"Well, if the Bow was here, it's likely it was sold. You come with us, We will find out whom to."
"...You would trust me enough to welcome me back to your home?"
"Even if you turn out to be crazy, I'd much rather the weapons of the Gods stay out of the hands of the kind of people who'd work with Black Mask."
"...Alright, I suppose you've been trustworthy enough. What about all this? Or him? I doubt your car can tote it all."
"No...it can't. We'll have to wait while a team comes and retrieves it. And him. Unless you have an invisible jet lying around?"
"I do, actually."
The two looked at her.
"What?"
"Who are you?"
"Who are you two?", sounding defensive
Jason lowered the bamdana around her face, and spoke honestly.
"My name is Jason Peter Todd. I grew up starving on the streets, in the concrete jungle that is Gotham City. One day, someone took me in. He trained me to be a soldier for good, to always do the right thing. One day, doing the right thing combined with my own personal issues got me killed. Ever since being brought back to live by a pool of demon's blood, I've tried my damndest to remake the world so that nobody, kid or otherwise, would ever have to be a hero. To make a better world, even if it meant turning my back on my mentor and what he believed was right."
He looked to Rose, who did the same.
"My name is Rose Wilson-Worth. I was the daughter if a world class assassin, but was raised with my mother in a city named New York. When my half uncle on my father's side started fucking with my life, ending up with my Dad being the only thing I had left, I killed his brother, and took his mantle, giving it back to my father's eldest son, who'd saved my life during the fight, as a show of respect.
Under him, and beside my half brothers, I became one of the greatest mercenaries in the world. It was never enough for him, though, even after I did this to myself. One day, he allowed my older brother to die before himself dying, only to return later. I took up the mantle, Ravager, and pretty much went wherever the world called me, until eventually, I wound up with him. It hasn't called me away since."
The Amazon had remained silent, looking skeptical as they spoke until eventually, she realized the were telling the truth. After Rose finished, she removed her own helm, even though it hadn't have masked her face.
"My name is, as I said, Artemis. I was raised in a tribe of Amazonians that split from Queen Hippolyta's millennia ago, and lived in what you call Upper Egypt. In our hidden city there, we lived, we thrived. We were not as good or kind as we could've been, and it eventually attracted the attention and ire of man's world. Rightfully so, if I am honest. Killing men for sport was commonplace, and enslaving them was something most laughed about.
I was a child, scrounging as you say you once did, barely surviving for many years. My only goal was vying for the title of Shim' Tar, our people's champion, with my best friend as my sparring partner. When the title was given by the gods to her instead, the Bow of Ra being bestowed upon her, I left. I lived in the desert for many years, but never left eyesight of my old home.
I was 19 when they finally found it, and invaded, penetrating the sand malestrom that had defended us for as long as our city had been around. When i finally arrived, I found your Wonder Woman, doung battle with Akila, my old friend. When I pulled them off of each other, the princess revealed that Akila had been slaughtering Amazons and soldiers alike, the Bow having driven her mad with pyromania. During the insuing battle with Akila, she was mortally wounded. She professed she was sorry, and that I should've been named Shim' Tar.
While she died in my arms and Diana tried to console me, the Bow of Ra was stolen from the battle plane. Ever since that day, I've searched for it. I finally got a solid lead, and now I'm here, talking to a One-Eyed Assassin and a King of Nothing, still Shim' Tar to None. A rouge amazon, grasping at shadows, as I have always been."
"Not if I can help it. I told you. Whether or not I trust, or even believe what you just said, I do think whoever had the bow right now can't be any better. And if it's anywhere near as powerful as you describe, I can't just let it be in the hands of whatever mob boss or petty dictator that now owns it."
"Alright...then we should focus on getting this out of here and somewhere safe, for now. Wherever the Bow is, it can wait a couple hours for something as important as this. But let us be clear. After I have the Bow, I am taking it somewhere safe, alone."
"That's fine.", he said, heading to the car to contact Fries, Rose and Artemis staying in the basement to watch over everything, before they both stared at the crowbar Jason had dropped once he'd seen Bizarro. Rose, because she knew it's importance full well, Artemis because she'd guessed it when the man had admitted facing a demise in the past, remembering the child like fear his gaze had held when it was in his hands, the trance seeing it had put him into.
"Hey, Victor. Situation."
"I'm sorry, sir, but Victor is in his room. This is Head Watchman Eric speaking."
"Okay...well, Eric, I need a top shelf retrieval crew here, soon as possible. Think you can handle that?"
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"Okay, kid. Thank you."
He was soon back in the basement, coming back to find the two women talking about him, not realizing he was just outside the doorframe.
"-had trouble, moving on from it."
"Understandable. It took me a long time to get over just not gaining a mantle. Death...I don't know what I would do if I had to recover from that. Especially the lack of an honorable end. Beaten to death for a traitorous-"
"I said it was a mistake didn't I?", Jason said, rounding ghe corner, making them both jump.
"How did you sneak up on me? I can hear rainfall miles away right now."
"I'm a ninja on top of being a king. Crew's on it's way, we just have to wait until they get here. We might as well look through it, make it easier and thus faster when they get here."
"Might as well."
A few seconds into their cataloguing of the arsenal, Artemis asked her real question.
"What did you mean was your mistake? Being captured?"
"Forgetting who my mom really was. Her name was Catherine, and even at her worst, she wasn't that bitch. Now can we please move on?"