Men, Women, Garters, and Chains
By: The Angelic Temptress
Disclaimer: If I owned them, things would be different.
Spoilers: Through "Starcrossed"
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: BM/WW BM/CW GL/HG NW/BG
A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone who reviewed! You guys are great, but you already knew that. Anyway, oneredneckgoddess pointed out a mistake of mine. Kara's not from Krypton. She's from the sister planet, Argos. I honestly didn't know this until I was corrected. (I should brush up on my Superman history. Guess I'm more of a Batman buff... Oops. My bad.) Thankfully, this little mistake won't affect the story at all. (Whew.)
ENJOY!!
)V(
Chapter 6: It's Now or Never
"Lantern, get over here." Batman stepped away from what Robin liked to call "The Chemistry Set" and lifted the Thanagarian feather GL had brought him.
"What is it?"
"She wasn't on that roof," he stated without naming the woman he spoke of, knowing full well that Lantern would follow. When he sent Batman a confused stare, the Dark Knight began to explain. "I compared it to a feather than I had attained years ago, for DNA purposes."
"And?"
"They don't belong to the same person."
John's features immediately hardened, and he began to grind his teeth. With a chilling and angered tone, he muttered the name "Talak." His glowing eyes had narrowed, and Batman couldn't blame him.
The Thanagarian commander had taken almost everything from the Lantern, including the Hawkgirl the League had believed they'd known. He had nearly stolen the life of Green Lantern and the lives of those he cared for the most as well...
"What would his motive be?"
"Payback," Lantern snapped.
"Doubt it." Batman strolled over to a cabinet and placed the new feather in a glass container. "He doesn't know Batgirl. If Hro craved vengeance, he'd kill you and Hawkgirl first." He then tossed an empty dart at the Leaguer. "This wasn't man-made. The solution inside was alien too, probably Thanagarian."
"Master Bruce?" Alfred's image had appeared on the Batcomputer's screen.
"Yes, Alfred?"
"It's the Batsignal, Sir. It seems as if the commissioner is requesting your presence."
Batman nodded and shot a glance at The Green Lantern. "Coming?"
)V(
"You think that maybe you could take this thing off of me?" Catwoman asked politely as she fiddled with the ring around her slender neck. "I mean, it's kinda kinky, but it might get in the way." She sat down on the bed and slowly crossed her legs, giving him time to really catch a glimpse of them.
"This act isn't of any significance; it's merely physical. You will leave the device on," he told sternly and tore off his golden mask.
Hai Talak wasn't a handsome man, but he wasn't ugly either.
All Selina Kyle could focus on were his eyes. They were an icy blue, a shade that was more distinctive than Wonder Woman's but darker than Bruce Wayne's. Her body almost went limp as a reaction to his stare; she was a little afraid of him.
To show that she was ready for whatever he had planned, she pulled back her mask to reveal her green eyes and dark hair. Immediately, she noticed Hai hesitate; Selina had a tendency of making men do that.
"Emerald eyes."
"Yes."
"Like Shayera." His lips twisted into a smirk of some kind as he inched closer to the bed. He didn't know that Selina's insides were shaking, that her pulse had quickened because she was frightened. Hai didn't know that the criminal would go as far as needed to get what she wanted.
The thief crawled farther up the mattress, as he followed, and pressed her lips to his. His reaction wasn't one of delight; he slapped her.
"You do this my way, wench."
Although everything Selina stood for contradicted what he demanded, she allowed him to take control of the situation. His mouth covered hers, and his tongue slipped in as he clawed at her suit. Hai wanted the sex to be quick; he didn't have the patience for foreplay. He just wanted to be in and out so he could get back to Shayera.
Hai's lips left hers and began to travel down her chin and to her chest. Instantly, Selina's eyes darted around the room, searching for anything that could possibly help her. To her convenience, a mace sat on the nightstand to her right.
She didn't make the connection between the weapon and its owner as she clutched it. Selina didn't know that it was the same weapon that had beaten countless villains, that had shattered brick walls, that had struck an unsuspecting Green Lantern months ago... Selina lifted it and then brought it down with all her might, knocking the Thanagarian on the back of the head. The blow proved to be effective; Hai unconsciously fell off the mattress, leaving Selina to do what she pleased.
First, the sly criminal kneeled beside the man who had captured her and searched through his pockets. Along with a set of keys, she found a gray tool that she figured could be of Thanagarian origin and lifted it, to get a better look at the thin piece of metal. The band Catwoman had sported for the past day unexpectedly popped open.
With a chuckle, she placed the ring on Hai's neck and walked over to the door. After putting her mask back on, she dared a glance into the dimmed hallway and counted the henchmen she'd have to face. Although Selina was a strong fighter, she knew there was no way to get to the other three women. At least fifteen men stood guard in that building, and if Hai awoke during the battle, she'd be killed within minutes.
Reluctantly, she had to think up another plan. Hai groaned, signaling her of his waking.
Catwoman quickly and quietly tiptoed to the single window and opened it with little effort. She slipped out of the building and took note of what she saw in the darkness. If she could pinpoint their location, Batman could find the other women with the help of his team.
A sign, which read "Prison," lay on the ground near the wall of the building. She knew that she was in a small town outside of Gotham City where an abandoned jail still stood. All she needed was a vehicle...
Luckily, a biker gang had stopped at the nearest gas station.
)V(
"Maybe you should get some sleep. Wally and I can take it from here."
Nightwing hadn't even bothered glancing over his shoulder. He could picture the blonde's caring face with his eyes closed, and he didn't want any of her sympathy.
He wanted Barbara.
"No. This is Gotham, and you've got no authority here, Miss Justice Leaguer. I figured Batman would've gone over the rules at your inauguration."
Nightwing could feel her eyes on his back but still ignored her. He didn't have the time to discuss what was so-called "right" for him to do. None of it mattered anyway. He could've died right there, and Barbara wouldn't have been any safer.
"Please. Go home for an hour. We'll continue the investigation."
"I think you should be more concerned with finding Barbara than with my sleeping habits, Kara." When he didn't hear her respond to the remark, Nightwing shot out a line and jumped from the rooftop. He had to keep searching for Babs... He couldn't stop... He couldn't give up...
)V(
Batman landed on the roof of the Gotham Police Department alongside The Green Lantern, expecting to see his old friend, Commissioner Jim Gordon, waiting for him.
But there was no one.
"Commissioner?" he called out quietly, cautiously taking a step toward the signal.
"It's me," her very familiar voice said from the shadows. He'd recognize it anywhere because he had heard it and dreamt of it plenty of times in the past. Catwoman shifted in the darkness, allowing her position to be revealed, and, to Batman's surprise, she looked quite exhausted.
"What do you want?" he asked frostily. When a flirtatious smirk hadn't appeared on her usually seductive lips, he knew something wasn't right.
"I've got a rescue mission for you and Denzel," she stated and cocked her head at GL. "You guys have to get there fast."
"Slow down. Rescue who?" Lantern asked, visibly already edgy.
She rolled her eyes. "Who do you think? Batgirl, Wonder Woman, and Hawkgirl."
"Hawkgirl?"
"Did I hesitate? A Thanagarian nabbed me the other night. He got the little bat too."
"Where are they?"
Catwoman let out a breath and rubbed the back of her neck. "Forty-five minutes from here, when you're racing on a Harley, but I have to tell you something. It's a guy who hates Hawkgirl. Before she came to Earth, he humiliated and hurt her, and I think he's going to do it again.
"If you still care about her, you need to get there now, before he gets the chance to..." The sentence died, and Selina's jaw clenched as she thought. "I think his name was Talak."
The Lantern turned to Batman with smug glance. "Hro."
"No. He wasn't part of the invasion. It's the younger brother, Hai, who was banished from Thanagar a while ago. The guy's not alone either; apparently, he's working with Joker." Catwoman then handed the vigilante a set of keys and a metal device. "Here. You'll need them to break them out."
Batman acted as if the information had been trivial and demanded the directions from the sultry cat burglar. He knew that within the next few moments, Jim would get to the roof and Catwoman would be heading toward her apartment.
He figured that he should stop there later, just to make sure she was all right...
The Dark Knight turned his back to Selina to face Lantern. With a slight nod, he signaled his teammate to form a green aura around them. When they were tightly sealed inside the bubble, Batman realized that Catwoman had already left the GCPD's rooftop.
"So what do we do?" Stewart asked anxiously. "Call up Night –"
"No time. From what she said, there's little over a half a dozen gunmen and an angry Thanagarian. We'll have Flash meet us there."
"What about Supergirl and Nightwing?"
"I'm sure they'll keep themselves occupied."
)V(
Shayera stopped pacing and let her body collapse against the brick wall. She was afraid for the criminal, no matter who she was. Hai was going to take advantage of her one way or another.
Whether the come-on was a ploy to help the women escape or not, Shayera didn't care. No one belonged in that kind of situation, especially when the man who would be deceived happened to be Hai Talak. If she were not as good as Batgirl had claimed, Selina Kyle would be dead within the hour.
"We can't sit around here and wait." The Amazon princess stood from her seat on the floor and straightened the satin dress she wore.
With a smart-ass tone, Shayera countered. "What do you suggest we do, Princess?"
Diana crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her former colleague. She was not amused.
"Does he have a weakness?" Batgirl questioned from her seat in one of the cell's four corners.
The winged redhead slid back to the floor. "He likes power and enjoys to be in control. I don't think I was the first woman who had been raped by him... Or the last. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a murderer as well." Shayera sighed and hugged her knees. "The difference between Hai and Hro is that Hai is a coward. He runs from his problems and returns later to destroy them when they least expect an attack, hence the condition here."
"Have you come to peace with what happened that night on Thanagar?" The princess walked over to Shy's side of the cell and sat down beside her. "You sound as if you don't think about it anymore."
"I don't recall it ever happening. I wasn't conscious, remember? My traces of evidence were bruises on my body and the bartender's eyewitness account. When I woke that next morning, I wasn't ashamed. I was angry. Infuriated. I guess if he had kept me awake, it would have been more traumatizing. Thankfully, he didn't, so I could move on."
"Does Lantern know?"
Shayera Hol swallowed over the lump in her throat and made eye contact with Diana. Her answer was a simple shake of her head.
Before they could continue their conversation, a jolt of electricity shot through Shayera's body, and she wailed out in pain. She could hear Diana and Batgirl's cries as well and knew what was happening.
The energy suddenly stopped, but Shy was too weak to do take advantage of the moment. Before she could try anything, Hai had slung her over his shoulder and was carrying her out of the cell and to his bedroom. After he slammed the door behind him, Hai dropped the aching Shayera Hol on his bed.
Her head hit the pillows, but she immediately sat up to face him. To her surprise, he hadn't moved from the edge of the bed.
"Your friend escaped without saving the rest of you."
"Good for her." Shayera had to suppress a sigh of relief.
Hai narrowed his icy eyes. "Do you find that pleasing? She was your last hope."
"You don't look too good, Hai. The cat didn't have fleas, did she?"
"Shut up."
"Or what?" When he didn't respond, she continued. "What were you planning to do with us all?"
Hai chuckled. "You're going to die, and your body will be sent to Hro, as a present from me, with a card that'll say something along the lines of 'I told you so.' Wonder Woman will also be sent to him, as a more enjoyable gift."
"What about Batgirl and Catwoman?"
"Joker wants them dead and gift-wrapped for Batman."
"So there's the clincher. You kill those two, and he'll provide you with information on the Justice League, a building to keep us all in, and men to keep watch. I must say, Hro, that you've really outdone yourself this time."
"My end of the deal's not complete yet. I still have a Batman to hand over to Joker."
Shayera's jaw dropped. "Asshole."
"Maybe later, Shayera." Hai ran a hand through his jet-black hair and smiled. "How many times did I tell Hro not to get involved with you? I told him that you were nothing more than a scheming whore, but he didn't believe me."
"Big surprise. Why would he trust his conniving sibling?"
"Well, I guess he should be kicking himself now. Shayera Hol, our commander's manipulative lover, had fallen for a human and had turned her back on her own world to save a planet that she must hide from. I wonder what The Green Lantern and Hro think of you now; I wonder what they would say to you."
"Fuck off."
"With pleasure." Hai pressed something in his hand and another jolt of electricity ripped through her already shaken body. When the energy ceased, she noted that he was inching closer.
Shayera rolled off of the bed and onto the cold cement floor, attempting to avoid any confrontation. She was no match for Hai Talak in her weakened state no matter how much faith she had in her abilities. Shy had to get out of there.
Hai grabbed her by the hair and lifted her from the ground. He spun her and shoved her against the brick wall, using his body weight to keep her in place. His face was a mere inch from her own, and she could feel his hot breath on her skin.
Then something pierced her shoulder. Before she could cry out, Hai had covered her mouth with his hand. He hand injected something into her, but she wouldn't wait for the effects to kick in. Shayera bit the hand and kneed him in the groin. Hai lost his grip on her and hunched over.
The former Leaguer pushed past him and struggled for the door, her legs already giving way. Hai grabbed her ankle and pulled her down again; her arms barely had time to break her fall.
She wanted to kick him in the face, but she couldn't. She was too drained, and the room was too dark.
"Poor Shayera," she heard him say before something came down on her hand. She howled with pain; her hand had been broken on impact. Hai tossed the electric mace aside and crawled on top of her.
"Didn't Hro break the hand that had kept you coming while you were supposedly lonesome?" he whispered into her ear, his nose nuzzling her hair.
As much as she tried to fight her heavy eyelids, she lost the battle. Shayera blacked out again; only this time, she knew what was in store for her.
)V(
"We split. I'll go in from the top. GL will take the front. Flash, the back." Batman shot out a line and left the other Leaguers to their duties.
The Green Lantern followed suit, and flew to the front of the abandoned prison.
It was almost as if he could feel her. He could sense that she needed him; she was in trouble. With a giant fist, compliments of his power ring, he busted through the steel door and raced down the hallway. There was only one closed door, only one that attracted his attention.
He could hear her muffled whimpers although the sounds of Batman and Flash battling thugs almost drowned her out. John tore open the door with a green crowbar and stepped inside.
A shirtless hawkman was kissing and groping her motionless body; GL's temper snap.
"Keep away from her!" John ordered and used a powerful surge of aura to propel the bastard across the bedroom.
There she lied, unmoving, and vulnerable. Her belt had been undone, and her hair was mussed and greasy.
Although his military instincts told him to remain focused on Talak's brother, he dropped to his knees and searched for Shayera's pulse.
Fortunately, he found it.
"Come on, Shy. I'm gonna take you home," he murmured and lifted the Thanagarian into his arms, as he had done on previous occasions. His unnaturally radiant eyes shot up to stare down the son of a bitch that had caused all of Shayera's new troubles, but the guy had slipped out, unnoticed.
GL didn't care.
He just needed to get Shayera away from the dark and damp dungeon she had been held captive in for the past few days.
)V(
Batgirl felt a sudden breeze that rumpled her hair and lifted her blue eyes from the floor. To her surprise, The Flash stood before her with a device that had to be the Thanagarian key.
"Miss me?" he asked and helped Batgirl to her feet. Within a second, both she and Wonder Woman were free of their neck rings.
She took a step out of the cell and found about twenty thugs lying on the floor. Batman stood only a few feet from the cell.
"Let's go," he told and whirled around, leading the way to the exit.
She couldn't help rolling her eyes. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking."
Selina Kyle stood on her terrace, watching the moon. The doors were wide open, allowing a warm breeze to dance through the curls of her dark hair and the soft fabric of her curtains.
She wore a black satin negligee, waiting for her Dark Night to pay her a visit. She knew he would; he always did.
Although they denied it, Batman and Catwoman had a connection. Neither of them could explain it in words but knew it when they felt it.
Isis, her black cat, purred as he rubbed his fur against her heels. She smiled and picked him up.
"Now Isis, I know what you're thinking. You believe he's just like any other man; you think a supermodel in a patriotic swimsuit could influence him. You're wrong, you know. He's not just a man; he's so much more.
"Look," she requested and pointed to the night sky. "That's our playground, something she can never take away from us. He and I are one and the same, and that'll never change."
Selina sighed and made her way to her couch. She spent the rest of the evening waiting for the Caped Crusader to join her in her Gotham apartment, but he never showed.
)V(
The final chapter coming soon...