Ch. 27

Catwoman descended through the stone hall ways, keeping to the shadows as much as she could. Twice she encountered a passing guard, twice the guard passed with no sign that he knew she was there. Her padded bare feet crossed the cold stone floors and walls as she followed the instructions she had been told, left, left, right…three doors and…

There it was. Up ahead were two double doors, the sign above reading "Observatory #3." Behind here a glassed in jungle held several former humans. She could only hope that these were as mentally stable as the others had indicated. Releasing insane cats on the castle might create chaos for the guards, but it would probably be bad news for everyone. Not that she was expecting to get through this without any more bloodshed.

Her ears could hear the sound of two boots pacing lightly. The scent of gun oil seeped through a bit. So, two guards. No real way to enter except through the front door, which of course, even with her speed would make her a sitting duck. Time to use the resources at paw.

She reached down to the belt at her waist and pulled out a flash bang. Cracking open the door, she tossed it in, and ducked away. After the flash, she quickly shot inside and gave each writhing guard a kick to the head. On one of them was a card key. Luck on her side so far.

Catwoman stood, and looked at the tall wall of bullet proof glass before her. On the other side was a line of trees, very much like a zoo exhibit. The flash and noise had apparently attracted attention, as several cat people were emerging, cautiously, from it and approaching the glass. They seemed mostly unharmed, probably a good sign, she thought, as it meant they weren't tearing each other apart. A large, golden yellow lion, with a full red mane, stepped forward and placed his hand on the glass, then pointed to the right. She followed his pointing and saw the key slot with a key pad. A quick slide and a green light turned on and a message appeared on the digital display above the key pad.

She looked back to the lion, who held up two fingers. She pushed the number two. He held up five padded digits and a thumb, and she pushed six. A few numbers later and a "stand clear" message appeared. The glass began to slowly rise. Eager to get out, several cats squeezed under the rising glass and gathered around her.

"Thank you," the lion said in a breathless baritone voice, a sentiment echoed by several others. Many of them were clearly shaken, but whatever they had faced, they seemed to at least have a grasp of their sanity. "Are you our rescue squad?"

"I guess so, but we'll need your help." She quickly laid out the situation and Tygrus' plan. "Once Cheetah handles her part, we'll let Tygrus in. Anyone who wants to head take their chances in the jungle can leave when we reach the front door. Anyone who wants to wait this out can stay here behind glass; we'll free you afterwards…assuming we win. But if you're up for a fight…" She paused and looked around at them.

A good number of the group raised their paws. Only two people, a pair of copper furred Abyssinians, said they would leave entirely. Selina nodded. "Good, okay then, "she looked up at the lion, he seemed to be the default leader of the group.

"What's your name?"

"Leonard,"

"Leonard, you're my second in charge."

The lights flickered and went out.

"Our cue," she said, a fanged smile gleaming below glowing green eyes.


Cheetah looked at her work, a smoldering control board, a triplet of fallen bodies below her, two guards, one scientist. Time to meet the others…

Her left ear flicked, and then turned, her jaws opening with a warning hiss, raising a gun, lowering her whole body.

"No need for that Dr Minerva," a voice said as he turned the corner, a balding, red haired man, with a cane, wearing his white lab coat, as always. "I simply wished to meet you."

They stared at each other for a moment. "Dr Dorian…" She put away her gun. "I'll admit, I always hoped to meet you…but I don't have time to talk. State your business, or get out of my way."

Dorian rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and then asked, almost in a whisper, "What is it like?"

She didn't need to ask him to elaborate, "It's incredible. Like you've been reborn into a new world."

He nodded, "I envy you…I always have observed my work from the outside. You have made yourself part of the new world we are creating."

"I didn't intend to…but yes." She smiled, "Nothing is stopping you from changing yourself though."

He shook his head, "No, I am too old for such a process. It would be wasted on me. You, Miss Kyle and my son must determine your species' destiny. I must warn you however. You will face an opponent soon. One of my creation at my benefactor's request. Only by helping him could I create enough of you to establish a sustainable population. But as man faced the Neanderthal to establish dominance of North America, so you will face your own challenge."

Cheetah blinked, she really needed to go meet the others but…"What do you mean? Who?"

Dorian smiled, "You will soon face your natural enemy. Nothing else I say will be of use. This will soon be an island with little place for weak men such as myself. Tell my son, trust him."

And with that, he left.


Deathstroke pushed back a branch to get a look at the plane flying overhead. A green smoke poured out its tail end. He cursed. "Too soon," He growled as he raised his radio. "Deadshot, come in."

His voice crackled through the static. "What? I'm busy."

"Drop what you're doing and get to the castle. I need you to call your ride. And don't tell me you don't have one."

"What…why?"

"You know how I warned you not to take their injections when you arrived? You're about to thank me."


Batman and Batgirl hadn't hesitated when the lights went off. Bad news for the guards that had been moving them.

"Okay we're free," Batgirl said, rubbing her wrists, now free of their cuffs. "Now What?"

Batman thought for a moment.

"We go after Ras; he's the key to this whole thing."

Suddenly they heard voices and the beating of boots echoing down the hall. They retreated into the shadows, though the guards didn't pass by, sprinting down a corridor perpendicular to theirs.

"We need back up!" a voice burst through static as they ran, "They're all by the main entrance!"

A quick glance was all they needed. The quickly but silently followed them toward the source of trouble.


Ross took a glass of water from Sarah. With her black hair, swarthy skin, and tall nose, she looked a lot like Mary. He thought about his own family, a failed marriage back home. If things had been different…

No time for that. The cats were taking the castle even as they sat there, from the chatter on the radio. The utter failure of their mission here weighed heavily on his mind. He looked at her. "I think it's time I stepped down…this isn't something I was trained for, and too many people have died."

"No one truly could have been prepared for what we faced Corporal. I feel you led honorably," she said, with just a hint of an Israeli accent. "You have done the best you could. And it was not your fault the Russian lost his nerve."

"I should have seen it coming." He said, shaking his head. He cursed. "Either way, I'm done. Deal or no deal, I've had enough monsters. I wanted revenge, but they showed me more mercy back there than whoever hired us."

Sarah smiled, "You don't mean that, you are a warrior."

He sighed, "A warrior, not a monster hunter."

The sound of an overhead plane interrupted their thoughts. The smoke coming from its tail dissipated as it descended on them. The smoke was sweet, but a little bitter.

Ross was perplexed. For a horrified second the thought hit him that they might be attempting to poison the enemy haphazardly, taking them with it. But this didn't smell like poison, it…

Sarah suddenly kissed him passionately, grasping his face with both hands. Too stunned to even push back, he let her hold it for several seconds, giving her a gaping look of surprise as she finally broke.

The woman smiled, and shook her head. "I am sorry; it is merely that I may not be able to give a kiss quite like that in a few moments. The time has come Ross. Embrace it, and I think you will find it easier."

He didn't have much time to ask questions before the first throws of pain hit. He bent over, clutching his chest. His heart was racing, he felt hot, burning. He tore off his clothes and gear in hope of some relief, but nothing could ease the pulsating pain that was shooting through him.

Barely able to comprehend his thoughts, he became aware of something pounding at the door of his mind, then crashing through. Pain gave way to horror as his thoughts seemed scrambled. He felt nothing of his changing form, only a general awareness that he seemed to be growing, his limbs lengthening, his chest deepening, his skull twisting.

But what frightened him were the sensations going through his thoughts. It was a numbing feel, like bits of him were being torn down like old wallpaper, piece by piece. Nothing he did, or thought, no internal scream could even slow the strange hand that filled his mind, rearranging it like clay.

Sometime later, the creature opened his eyes. They were large, hazel, surrounded by white fur that covered a long narrow muzzle and flowed down his deep chest and well toned underbelly, but turned pitch black from his brow, down his sculpted back all the way to his tail. The creature observed its hands. Large, powerful things, a claw tipping each digit, but dexterous enough to pick up and handle the gun he saw lying on the ground. He cocked it instinctively, then looked around. Colors and shades seemed a bit dull at first, yet somehow clearer. Sounds came in all around him, mostly grunting and moaning bodies, rising from sleep. But the smells…the smells filled the beast with intrigue. Beside him was a creature much like him, but about a head shorter, lither in build where he was broad shouldered and solid. A female, with raven fur, save a few brown diamonds on her back. A fine mate, he found himself thinking, when the time came. He gathered his thoughts. He was in a forest on an island.

The beast reflected on his body, still unfamiliar with how he moved it. Strangely, he had no doubt what he was. He was a wolf, or a creature much like a wolf. He did have the memories of another creature, named Ross, but that wasn't his identity. Thoughts of a mostly hairless creature Ross had cared for briefly touched his mind, Mary was it? But they stirred no emotion. It was data, like the knowledge he had to hold a weapon.

Suddenly a radio crackled to life. He picked it up, and a voice came through.

"Greetings my newborn warriors. I am Ras Al Ghul. I am your master."

The Demon, he thought. Somehow, he knew that name, that voice. He knew only one thing about him, he must be obeyed. To obey him was life. The thought of following his command filled him with a strange pleasure. He tried to respond, but his untrained mouth seemed unable to form words, only grunting.

"Gather yourselves together, assemble at these coordinates."

The numbers flashed by. Suddenly his mind was afire. The Demon had spoken. He must be obeyed. Nothing else in the world mattered to him. He and the creature he vaguely recalled as having come from a creature called Sarah began stirring awake the other wolves.