Elseworlds:
The Legend of the Batwoman (Part 3)
By C.W. Blaine (darth_yoshi@yahoo.com)
DISCLAIMER: Most of the
characters portrayed in this story are © 2001 by DC Comics, a Time-Warner
company. They are used without permission for entertainment without profit by
the author. Use of these characters without the express permission of DC Comics
Inc. is a violation of the copyright. However, copyright holders may choose not
to exercise their rights under the law, but this should never be construed as
an endorsement.
This original work of fiction, as
well as any original characters, are © 2001 by C.W. Blaine. All comments,
concerns and questions may be directed to the e-mail address above. Please, if
you wish to archive this work, contact the author. As of the writing of this
story, no requests have ever been denied.
Elseworlds – stories, situations or events involving familiar characters in unfamiliar settings [a paraphrasing of the official DC definition)…
"Faaaatthhhheeerrr," came a voice
from the rear of the cave. The man the voice had been directed at sat next to a
fire at the entrance, warming his hands out of habit rather than necessity. The Soviet superman known as Red Star did
not feel the effects of the cold, but sitting next to the fire reminded him of
his time on the collective farm before he was called into the service of the
people. "Faaaattthhheeer, cold I am…."
Red Star was about to reply when
his enhanced hearing picked up the sound of his cousin's landing outside the
cave. He stood up and went out side to meet her. "Kal-El," she started,
speaking the language of the planet of their birth.
"Nyet…speak Russian, for that is
what we are; proud members of the Soviet empire, not members of a long dead
race!"
She started to argue, but let it
drop and reverted back to the Russian tongue. "Why do you not let our child
warm himself next to the fire?"
Red Star made a disgusted face.
"As if he is cold! I do not want that…thing around me!"
She peered into the cave, her
super-vision allowing her to see back into the darkness. There, she saw the
form of her son, cowering in the corner. There were welts on his face and tears
freezing along his cheeks. "Gregori! My son! Gregori, go the fire and warm
yourself," she called in a calm tone. Her eyes, though, betrayed her anger. She
turned to her cousin. "You pig! Why do you beat him so?"
"He is not even human…"
"Watch your tone with me," she
snapped back. "How I loathe you!"
He laughed and it carried for
miles in the remote area they were in. "You did not say that when we shared the
same bed!"
"That was before we knew we were
cousins! It was wrong…"
"Nyet, it was so good!" he said
with a lecherous smile. "No matter, I have your 'sister' to warm me now on cold
winter nights."
"You talk about our son being
inhuman, " she began, looking to make sure her child was shuffling towards the
fire. "How dare you make such remarks about your own flesh when you spend your
nights with a…thing of science, a creation from a test tube!"
"Ah, but she is merely a clone of
you my sweet Kara, how could I resist her charms?" He laughed again and then
turned his gaze to where his son was sitting by the fire. The creature was as
invulnerable as he was, but its mind told it that it was freezing to death. His
eyes began to glow and two scarlet beams shot forth to begin raising the
temperature of the fire. Within seconds, some medium sized rocks below the
burning wood turned white hot and exploded. Flames and debris flew in all
directions, some striking his son. The pitiful creature screamed and began
smacking at the flames that died out as soon as they contacted the creature's
body.
Red Star tilted his head back and
gave a howl. When he brought it back, Crimson Fury punched him square in the
jaw. Under normal circumstances, such a punch would go through the hull of one
the Soviet navy's Alpha – class submarines. The force sent Red Star
flying back a half a kilometer. Almost instantly, he was flying back and
tackled the other Russian hero and pinned her to the ground. "You should
remember your place, Kara; were this our home world, you would understand that
I am in charge."
She kicked up, hitting his groin
with enough force to level a small mountain. He gasped and rolled to the side.
She got up and brushed his stench off of her. "Momma!" called her son.
The creature, man-sized with
almost block-like facial features and gray skin ran to his mother's side. As
Red Star rolled in the snow, nursing his wounds, she spoke with chilling
clarity. "As you pointed out, dear cousin, we are not on Krypton, but Earth. If
you ever touch our son again or cause him any harm, I will kill you. Understand
Kal-El; I will kill you dead."
She spat on the ground next to Red
Star, and hugging her son, she began to walk back to the cave to begin her
watch over him.
*****
"Looks like Harvey has gotten into
the import/export business," Batwoman said from behind her binoculars. She was
glad that the Gotham Piers had so many lights, or else it would be almost
impossible for her to see the comings and goings of the Two-Face Gang.
The thought of what former
district attorney Harvey Dent had become sent a shiver down her spine. The
details were sketchy, as Harvey was reluctant to talk about it, but he had
apparently been exposed to a toxin extracted from a South American plant that
had left the right side of his body scarred beyond recognition. The substance
had also affected his brain, and for nearly three years now, between stints in
jail before escaping, Harvey had managed to create the second largest criminal
organization in Gotham City.
"Holy illegal shipments,
Batwoman," the red-haired Robin said, smacking a gloved fist into the opposite
palm. The younger heroine had taken to using that particular style of speech
whenever she was in costume.
Batwoman lowered the binoculars
and looked at her apprentice. There was no other word for the teenager, for it
was Batwoman's expectation that Barbara Gordon, the young woman in the orange
and green costume of Robin, would someday succeed her as Gotham's protector.
"You have a point to make, Teen Wonder?"
"Are we just going to sit here in
the dark while Two-Face brings in that dope?" In the scant light of the
warehouse rooftop, Batwoman noted that the girl carried herself like her
father. There was a slight pang as Matty Wayne, the woman who also called
herself Batwoman, briefly remembered the policeman who had helped her so much
her first year in costume. His death had been a turning point in her life.
She now realized that the warnings
that Ted Grant, the former super-hero known as Wildcat, had given her were
filled with cold, hard truth. Being a super-hero was dangerous; deadly to be
sure. If everyday heroes like James Gordon could be cut down simply for doing
their jobs, then she could only imagine the hatred directed towards her by the
criminal underworld for poking her nose in their business just for "fun".
The top dog of crime in Gotham
City was still Harley Quinn, and the two had yet to meet in combat. From behind
layers of henchmen and underlings, Quinn was slowly beginning to take control
of the city Batwoman had sworn to protect. "No, but I want to wait a moment or
two," Batwoman said, returning her attention to the ship being unloaded.
"Why's that?" Robin asked,
scratching her leg. Her costume lacked proper covering for her legs and looked
more like something from a bad "stag" film, Batwoman thought. However, Barbara
Gordon had designed her own costume and it was apparent that the younger girl
enjoyed showing off her legs. In fact, Robin was something of a sex symbol with
Gotham City's teenage boy crowd.
"A little bird told me that this
shipment was actually meant for the Quinn gang and Harvey paid the ship captain
off."
Robin pursed her lips and Batwoman
noted that the lipstick was a little too red. "Oh! You think Harley will show
up to settle the score!"
Batwoman nodded. The training time
with Jonathan Law, the former Tarantula and current crime novel writer, was
paying off. Robin was becoming a heck of a detective. Just one more reminder of
what a good friend her father had been. "It's no secret that Harvey wants a
crack at Harley and Poison Ivy, " she began, referring to Quinn's partner in
crime and, if the rumors were true, sometime lover, "and I think he did this on
purpose to draw her out."
The Batwoman pointed over to the
roof of the warehouse next to them. "Harvey has a sniper over there. If Quinn
shows up, you take him out."
Robin nodded and then began to
check her utility belt. Batwoman turned her attention back to the scene on the
pier when all hell broke loose. There was an explosion and the truck that was
holding the illegal drugs burst into flames. A glint in the light caught
Batwoman's eye, and she saw that some members of the ship's crew were tossing
some type of grenades at the men below. "Damn it! It's a trap! Quinn set up
Harvey!'
Throwing a line to an overhead
light, the Batwoman leapt off of the roof to try and get some of the thugs out
of the way of the deadly explosions. Robin was already moving as well, and
before Batwoman was on the ground, she was engaging the sniper. The gunman
might have thought for a second that the small girl would be easy to subdue and
he actually snickered before a high kick slammed lower teeth into upper ones.
Falling back, the gunman dropped
the rifle and reached for a sidearm in his Jacket. Just as he pulled it out,
something metallic and black hit his hand, knocking the gun away. Robin saw
something like a Chinese throwing star embedded in the man's bleeding hand. She
turned quickly to see a man in a black costume standing there. "Just trying to
help out," he said with a disarming smile.
Robin shook her head and then made
short work of the gunman. As she was tying him up, she looked at her "rescuer".
"Who do you think you are? This is too dangerous for amateurs!"
He laughed. "Look who's talking,
Red? Red Robin, Red Robin, look at how you fly," he sang. There was no anger in
his voice; he was trying to be friendly. "Look," he said, spreading his arms
wide in surrender, "I'm your biggest fan! I want to join you guys. I call
myself Arsenal, the Living Weapon!"
Robin snorted and, without a word,
turned and jumped from the rooftop towards the ground below. Somersaulting in
midair, she threw a line out and swung to the ground, only to find Arsenal
waiting for her. "How?" was all she could get out before they were battling
scrambling thugs.
Batwoman avoided another explosion
and pulled out her batarang. Alan had designed it for her, back before they had
separated. It was her prized weapon and she hesitated for a moment, feeling its
weight in her hand. Then, taking aim, she tossed it up and hit all of the men
standing at the railing on the ship's side. The changes in direction, though,
sent the weapon flying away and into the river.
Cursing mentally, Batwoman turned
and just avoided a wooden club being swung at her. A kick to the groin and her
attacker was down. She then saw Robin and someone she didn't know pairing up to
take on three thugs. The two worked in unison and Batwoman was momentarily
impressed. The man, whomever he was, moved with fluidity, like water. Each of
his strikes was meant to incapacitate, yet if he altered his moves ever so
slightly, he could kill.
"Isn't that just sweet, watching
the kids play?" came a voice form behind her.
Batwoman spun, only to have a fist
planted squarely on her jaw. "Surprise!" Harley Quinn yelled. The woman was
dressed in her characteristic black and red jester's outfit. Batwoman swung
back, but the criminal simply stepped away. Her speed was incredible!
"I didn't expect you to be here,
Batty! This is a treat, a treat, a treat! Guess Harv skipped out on me again,
just like a man!" Harley dodged a kick and then punched hard into Batwoman's
kidney. Without even looking, she pulled out a pistol from a hidden pocket and
aimed it behind her. The gun went off and an approaching member of Two-Face's
gang went down in a bloody shower.
"Put the weapon down and fight me
fair, Quinn!" Batwoman said, rubbing her back. The costume's padding had
absorbed most of the impact, but the woman obviously had metahuman strength and
reflexes. There was so much she didn't know about Harley; the files the police
had on her had been confiscated by the FBI after James Gordon's death.
"You mean fight like a man, don't
ya?" Quinn said, smiling. "I don't know, I'll have to ask Ivy, but I'm pretty
sure I'm the woman this week!"
Batwoman kicked out and missed a
third time. She fell, without ceremony, onto the pier. Quinn aimed the gun at
Batwoman's head and pulled the hammer back. "Too damn easy, if ya ask me," she
said, grinning. "Like shooting a kid or something. And believe me, baby, I know
all about shooting kids!"
Quinn began to laugh and the sound
triggered a memory in the Batwoman's brain. The laugh was unmistakable in its
tone and pitch, for it was forever burned into her mind. She had heard the
laugh before.
The night Thomas and Bruce had
been killed.
A searing white-hot rage emanated
in the form of a feral snarl as the Batwoman became aware that her child and
husband's killer was here, right next to her. Under the white clown make-up and
the ridiculous costume, Batwoman was sure she'd find the scraggly blond hair of
the assassin that had changed her life.
A police siren approaching cut the
moment off and even as the Batwoman prepared to lunge, Harley began to run
away. "We'll meet again, honey," she called. "Bring the kid along and maybe we
can have a threesome!"
Batwoman got to her feet and
started to run, but found she was so angry that she was shaking uncontrollably.
Robin and the costumed man ran up. "Batwoman," Robin said, breathless, "are you
okay?"
As several police cars screeched
into view, the Batwoman just shook her head. A single black sedan approached
past where the police vehicles had stopped, coming within inches of hitting the
three heroes. The doors opened and two bad men exited the car. Both had suits on
and sunglasses, despite it being nighttime. A fire truck was also pulling up as
the two men approached.
The first one looked at Arsenal
and Robin. He then turned to Batwoman and reached into his jacket pocket to
withdraw something. "Agent John Jones, FBI," he said in a monotone voice,
producing a federal ID. "This is my partner, Agent John Smith."
Batwoman gave them a wicked look.
"I'm in no mood, Agent Jones. You try to arrest me and bounce your head off of
that ship."
The FBI agent made no expression.
"No, ma'am, we're not here to arrest you, though you are in violation of
federal law. The Green Lantern sent us here to get you."
"Al - - Green Lantern?" she asked,
still unsure of what was going on.
"Yes, ma'am," Agent Smith said.
His voice was like that of Agent Jones'. He looked at Arsenal and Robin. "You
two, go away. Now."
Agent Jones reached out and took
Batwoman's arm, she started to pull away and then he removed his glasses. He
had the deepest green eyes she had ever seen. "I know, ma'am, we saw Quinn.
We've been after her as well, but this is more important."
Batwoman knew that the FBI had
been trying to capture Harley Quinn for even longer than she had. In fact, the
little clown had been named Public Enemy Number One by Hoover himself. There was
something to the man's look and she reluctantly nodded and followed him to the
car.
Quinn wasn't going anywhere.
*****
"I want to make it perfectly goddamned
clear that I will not accept no for an answer," Sarge Steel said, rubbing his
mechanical hand as a way to relieve stress. "You people have been gathered here
because you are the only hope for not only your country, but the world."
The lights dimmed and the
assembled costumed heroes found themselves waiting for the projection screen to
come to life. Batwoman sat next to her former lover Alan Scott, who was clad in
a black and green costume. On his finger was a green ring, not quite the one he
had described owning at a time in the past. For whatever reason, he was Green
Lantern again and she was happy for him.
Seeing him again, when she had
been brought to Metropolis, had rekindled old feelings, but it was apparent
that he wasn't ready to start playing house again. Had it only been a year and
a half since they had gone their separate ways, right after he learned he had
two children from his first wife; a woman who had left him and disappeared in
the dead of night. He had immediately left to try and get custody of the
children and did not want to drag Matty or Barbara through it.
As far as she knew, he still
hadn't secured custody. He had only made the comment that most judges felt that
men couldn't be single parents. He hadn't said anything about her still wearing
the engagement ring.
Around the table were five others.
She had immediately recognized Jay Garrick, the world famous Flash and the
enigmatic Wonder Woman who had served with the Justice Society during the war.
There was a young woman wearing a red costume with a large golden thunderbolt
on the front. She had been introduced as Captain Marvel and Batwoman remembered
reading about her. Supposedly a real powerhouse.
There was an older man with a
goatee that kept trying to look down Captain Marvel's blouse. He was called
Green Arrow and for some reason, he and Alan seemed to be very good friends.
The final member of the assemblage was a young woman with pale skin and long
blonde hair. There was a look to her that reminded Batwoman of herself. On her
chest was a large "S".
The projection screen showed a
black and white photograph of a man in a costume with a large hammer and sickle
on the chest. The man was handsome except for the eyes, which made him seem
aloof and uncaring. He seemed to be somehow above everyone else. "This is the
hero of the Soviet Union, the Red Star. We know a whole lot about him, thanks
to Supergirl here," Sarge Steel said, indicating the blonde haired woman. "The
details are really unimportant. What is important is that this ruskie had
apparently decided to set his kid loose on the United States."
The picture changed to that of
grotesque example of humanity. Hunched over, jaw agape with saliva dripping
free, Batwoman almost averted her eyes. Supergirl stood up. "What you see is my
son, Gregori, " she said with passion. "His father is Red Star. Gregori is what
you Americans call handicapped, due to a genetic mutation." There were tears
welling up in Supergirl's eyes. "He is not evil, he is scared. His father is
manipulating him to attack the United States, to cause a war."
"We know that Bizarro here, "
Sarge Steel began, avoiding the mother's gaze, "is currently traveling
underwater towards California. Supergirl here has agreed to defect if we help
her capture him."
"Yes," Supergirl replied and
Batwoman noted the hint of a Russian accent. "I will do anything to help my
child. Please, I cannot do it alone…"
"Seems that the kid isn't alone;
he's just the diversion. Supergirl has told us that Red Star and another
operative, Power Girl, are planning to nit New York by way of Canada."
"I am supposed to level Washington
D.C.," Supergirl responded. "They have no idea I have defected."
"Yeah, but won't those two flying
over Canada set off our missiles?" Green Arrow asked.
"That is the hope, so that Red
Star and Power Girl can dispose of them, leaving the United States
defenseless."
"Yes, but aren't we going to be in
violation of federal law by being active," Captain Marvel said. "Not all of us
have been cleared by the government."
"President Eisenhower is signing
an executive order right now authorizing the formation of a Justice League of
America; members will be exempt from laws requiring them to reveal their
identities," Steel said with a smile.
"How long?" Batwoman asked.
Supergirl looked up at the clock.
"Two hours."
"Captain Marvel, Green Arrow,
Green Lantern, Flash and Wonder Woman handle our two Soviet friends coming from
the north; Batwoman and Supergirl are to stop the kid."
There was silence and then Sarge
Steel spoke quietly. "I know this is a lot to ask, most of you have been doing
the good thing from secret fro years now, while the government hunts you down
to learn your damn names. You have no reason to trust us, except that millions
of lives are at stake. Supergirl has informed us that Red Star wants to control
the world, and he can do it. He lacks any kind of compassion whatsoever. If you
guys don't do this, well, we might as well surrender."
Green Arrow spoke up first.
"Justice League of America; it sounds good, got a ring to it."
Wonder Woman nodded. "I'm not an
American, but your country needs to be shown that there is another path besides
war. I joined the Justice Society to fight the Nazis; I join the League to
fight for liberty for all people!"
"Can't be a team without a
leader," Green Lantern said with a smirk. Underneath the table, he gave
Batwoman's hand a squeeze and she knew that whatever he had been looking for
when she met him, he had found. He was getting his life back together and it
looked like he wanted her to be in it again.
"Oh, this is so neat!" Captain
Marvel said, bouncing in her chair.
Green Arrow smiled at her. "Are
you joining, really?"
She smiled at him and bounced
again, which seemed to make the archer very happy.
"I'm in as well, " the Flash said,
twirling his hat in his hand.
All eyes turned to the Batwoman
and she sighed. Joining a team was not what she wanted to do, but she saw it as
a chance to do even greater good than she had been doing. Besides, the
government contacts she would get would probably allow her to get a hold of the
FBI file on Harley Quinn. She squeezed Green Lantern's hand back. "I'm in, too;
for now. One thing though; my city comes first. I want to help, but everything
that I'm fighting for is in Gotham City."
"You impress me with your honesty,
Batwoman," Supergirl said. "You and I will become good friends, I think."
*****
AP NEWS TELEX
March 9, 1956
Washington, D.C.
At a press conference
today, newly re-elected president Eisenhower announced that an attack launched
by rogue Soviet agents against the United States was thwarted several days ago
by the newly formed Justice League of America. Under an executive order, the
President evoked a questionable power that allowed him to circumvent several
federal laws requiring super-heroes to register with appropriate government
agencies. Several members of congress have accused the president of trying to
wage a "European Campaign of politics". The president had no comment. The
Soviet ambassador to the United States issued a press release that read
"several Soviet super-heroes were engaged in exercises when it was reported
that the Soviet Union had been attacked. Capitalistic rebels that had managed
to gain access to Soviet military communications equipment had issued this
statement. We regret any inconvenience this has caused the United States."
No comments were offered
about rumors of a man seen swimming in San Francisco Bay that was scooped up by
a mysterious flying woman carrying a "giant bat". Though the woman was later
identified as the new hero Supergirl, and the "giant bat" as the mysterious
Batwoman, the identity of the swimming man is not known. The local media has
dubbed him "Aquaman".
While there are some
familiar faces in the Justice League, the presence of the Batwoman raises many
questions. For years, she was simply an urban legend within the dark confines
of Gotham City. With her now in the spotlight, attention is being given to
other rumors of so-called super-heroes operating in many cities across the
country. There has been a general rise in the expressing of support of these
costumed adventurers and lawmakers are considering legislation to revoke all
so-called "registration laws".