DC Infinity Presents

Batgirl # 33

Light in Shadows

Part 1

Russia

Abram Bendlin focused all his attention on his putter, closing off the outside world, all thoughts of business and anything that would otherwise impair his ability to focus on the perfect slice. At forty three years of age and nineteen years of golfing, he'd ever once scored a hole in one. But something about today felt different, something hung in the air, he could feel it on the tip of his tongue.

It was because of that, that Abram paid no attention to his two ex-Stasi bodyguards. He swung his club just as his men hit the grass.

"Nice."

Abram spun around, and was stunned to see a fearsome man standing inches from him.

He wore a black leather duster with a peculiar red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple streak that ran the length of both arms, black shirt and pants, fingerless gloves and a bandana over the top of his head. A chain hung from his left hip, and Abram could see the vague outline of weapons hidden behind the man's back.

"The odds of a stroke like that from someone of your age group, are about sixteen percent," the man said, "you've been keeping in excellent shape for a man your age. Is it all the underage girls you whore out? That pimp hand must be kept strong, I imagine."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," the man said, "I imagine that sexually abusing women is good cardio. I wouldn't know, for a few reasons, really. The biggest being I'm not a scumbag like you."

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Abram growled, "the things I've done to men who defy me?"

"Do you think I'd be here if I didn't?" the man said, "call me Mr. Myth."

Before Abram said another word, Mr. Myth plunged a syringe into Abram's neck.

"What the hell was that?" Abram's demanded, clutching his throat.

"Those were GPS nanobots," Mr. Myth said, "you now have three hours to get to your office before they solidify in your throat. They'll keep for the next week, inert, before dissolving harmlessly. But don't worry, there's only a 5% chance that they'll actually kill you. I just don't want to waste time chasing you down."

"You want me to go to my office?" Abram said, "why?"

"Because that's where I intend to kill you," Mr. Myth said, and then as an afterthought, added, "duh. Try to keep up."

"If you expect me to hide…"

"Hide?" Mr. Myth smirked, "God, I hope not. I expect you to hire at least a few mercenaries, might some sport of it. Otherwise I'd just kill you here, and save myself the hotel bill."

"Are you insane?"

"Not at all," Mr. Myth just chuckled, "I just like mixing work with pleasure."

oooOOooo

Gotham

"You want me to stop patrols? Why?"

Cassandra Cain struggled not to fidget in the chair. Her back was sore from her recent battle with the Steel Wolf. He had managed to connect only once, but for someone like him, that was enough.

On top of that, Batman had suddenly called out of nowhere, spouting what Cass was certain was some form of insanity. Fear gas, maybe?

"The DEO is negotiating to bring in a possible asset," Batman said. He was half a world away, in the headquarters of Checkmate, "a lieutenant information broker who worked for the Calculator. Calls himself the Circuit Breaker, and says that he has information on the Kobra Cult, Luthor tech and a dozen other things. He was tired into the pulse of the super villain community for five years. I cannot emphasize enough the intelligence boon this would be."

"But why does that mean I… have to stop patrol?" Cassandra said.

"Circuit Breaker is an utter coward," Batman said, "I arrested him seven years ago, and according to his prison evaluations, he's never forgotten. The only reason why he's turning himself into the DEO in Gotham is because he's convinced I'm no longer in the city, and it's the last place anyone would look for him."

"You think I would…scare him away?" Cassandra said.

"I do," Batman said, "don't worry. I have Checkmate agents shadowing him now. He'll be in the DEO's custody in two days. But it has to be handled delicately, we can't risk spooking him, not when there's no urgent need."

"Two days?" Cassandra didn't pout, no matter what anyone would have said. She was a Bat, after all.

"Gotham will survive that long without you," Batman said, "use the opportunity to spend time with your friends and socialize."

Cassandra scowled, "Would you do the same?"

"No," Batman said honestly, "so this is also an opportunity for you to be better than me. I suggest you make the most of it."

oooOOoo

Later, Moscow

Mr. Myth whistled as he stepped through the lobby doors, and was greeted by the cocking of two dozen guns.

The vigilante raised an eyebrow. Because he could all but feel the tension, the palpable fear in the air. No one dared make the first move, not against a man of his reputation.

"Gents, before you fire, you should know who and what you're facing," Mr. Myth said, "I happen to be the finest repository of wetware on this planet of earth. Every cell in my body acts as a super computer, enabling me to process everything I see, hear and feel at almost the speed of light."

Mr. Myth would hear the low claking of guns as they shook. He could see beads of sweat forming under the tactical goggles of the men who'd been hired to gun him down like a wild animal.

"What does all that mean?"

Mr. Myth smiled.

"It means I'm what soldiers like yourself dream of becoming. I won this fight before I stepped in here, because I saw every move you could possibly make, and already countered it. And you all know that, because you've heard of me, and what I did to that Spetsnaz team two weeks ago."

Mr. Myth smiled as he saw the beads of sweat trickling down their heads.

"I'm going to snap my fingers, and anyone who doesn't step aside gets brushed aside."

Mr. Myth snapped his fingers, and the wall of soldiers parted like Moses parting the Red Sea.

"Good boys," Mr. Myth smirked. He casually strolled to the elevators, a smirk on his face. He pressed the button for the elevator, whistling as he waited, and then stepped inside.

"I almost feel bad," Mr. Myth reached into his pocket, and fumbled with a detonator, "almost."

oooOOoo

Gotham

Cassandra rapped on Zoe Hampton's door, and centered herself, trying not to betray how anxious she was. At least when she was at school, there was some guideline of how to behave. Cassandra didn't exactly feel like she was in freefall, she'd done some socializing outside of school, but there was always that little voice in the back of her head that whispered she was doing it wrong.

"Hey Cass," Zoe opened the door, and waved her inside, "sorry I took so long."

"No problem," Cassandra said. She stepped inside, observing the yoga mat and leg weights that were shoved in the corner, "didn't have…plans today. Bored. Thought I'd be bored with you."

"Heh, I'm flattered," Zoe said, "I was going to play some Chess against the computer, but it always win. Sarah might be by later, so you know."

"Use your own computer," Cassandra said, "cheat."

"No cheating if it's not against the rules," Zoe said, and then grumbled, "also, tried it. I still had to make the choices, and sadly anger, pride don't matter in a game of computer chess. So anyways, want to test out my Play Station?"

"No GTA," Cassandra said with a scowl. She still felt uncomfortable, remembering the body language of her friends as they 'shot' innocent people, and committed all manners of crime. Yes, Cassandra knew that it was all fictional, but all the same it struck a little too close to home.

"Or Metal Gear, or shooters in general, yes I know," Zoe said, with a roll of her eyes, "you're like a video game puritan. Think you can handle Smash Brothers?"

oooOOooo

Russia

The elevator stopped at the fifth floor, not that Mr. Myth was much surprised. When he reconned the building earlier, he saw that with the exception of a single elevator in Bendlin's office, the elevators were all segmented, to avoid easy assault from his many, many enemies be like rival crime lord, police, or a combination of the two. And Mr. Myth had taken too many pains to disable Bendlin's elevator to risk using it to gain entrance.

And besides, this way was more fun.

Mr. Myth was half way to the other elevators, when a fist smashed through the plaster wall beside him. Without missing a beat, Mr. Myth stepped aside, the giant fist missed him only by a hair's breath.

"That one was free," Mr. Myth said, as a massive man, with flesh torn like paper, revealing to the world exposed tissue and muscle, stepped through the hole that had been created, "name?"

"Am called Muscle Mass," the man said, "hired to turn you into dead meat."

"Oh, you're adorable," Mr. Myth reached into his back pocket, and in a blink, removed a throwing star, and embedded it in the man's skull.

Muscle Mass didn't even blink.

"I control everything about body," Muscle Mass said, "brain not there, and can throw fist a block."

"Clearly," Mr. Myth produced two scythes, "but it's somewhere in there. So here's your problem. I can see every move you make, before you make it. So the question is, can you find the three scenarios in which you actually survive this situation, before I reach the first twenty seven in which I kill you?"

oooOOooo

Gotham

"You are a combat machine," Zoe sighed, as she dropped her control.

"Am not," Cassandra said, "I am a combat goddess!"

There was a knock on the door, and Cassandra was on her feet before Zoe could even think to declare that she would get it (a point of pride at her home, but Cassandra knew it was a struggle for her friend, and saw how Zoe never felt embarrassed when someone reacted faster than she could call dibs).

"Cassandra!"

A moment after Cassandra opened the door, Sarah Gibbs threw her arms around the other girl, and pulled her into a hug.

"Zoe didn't say you'd be here, that's so awesome!"

"…I can leave," Cassandra said meekly.

"Don't you dare!" Sarah grabbed Cassandra by the wrist, and pulled her backwards, "I just printed up like a million scholarship contest things! You being here means I don't have to repeat myself later! There's this awesome art contest I just saw, and they allow collabs!"

"Why couldn't your geek be less educational?" Zoe said, "we have plenty of education days ahead of us, leave that crap for then!"

Sarah stuck out her tongue, "You'll both thank me when you're not crushed by student debt and unemployment, right Cass?"

Cassandra thought about her adopted father, and the resources he'd already promised her.

"…right, of course," Cassandra said, trying not to sound too suspicious.

oooOOooo

Russia

Mr. Myth brushed a few bits of brain matter from his shoulders, and pressed the button for the top floor.

After two minutes, the bell dinged, and when the doors opened a wall of flame spilled into the elevator. Within seconds, the marble was cracked and the steel little more than slag. The floor was nothing more than a puddle of melted steel

"A cocky fool," said merc Red Inferno, his arms glowing so bright that one could see his bones.

Abram Bendlin, standing half way across the room, but still sweating for several reasons, scowled.

"Confirm the kill," he hissed, "or forget your bonus."

"Don't know how I'll do that," Red Inferno said, as he stalked towards the elevator. He stuck his head inside, looking for the last occupant, "my fire burns so hot, not even ash would be left."

"Then it's a good thing I slipped out, and beat the elevator up here, huh?"

Red Inferno felt as if a sledgehammer had struck him from behind, knocking him into the elevator, where he splashed into a puddle of molten steel.

Red Inferno panicked, and his powers surged as he realized the danger he was in. But he barely made it to his feet before the floor beneath him buckled, and he fell screaming.

Mr. Myth turned to Abram Bendlin, and cracked his knuckled.

"I told you to make this sporting. Disappoint me, and I'll make your end last for hours."

A man covered in fur stepped out from behind a corner, and growled at Mr. Myth.

"Werewolf, eh?" Mr. Myth grinned, "okay, Bendlin. Ten minutes, just for that."

oooOOooo

Gotham

"So did you hear that Zack's the new witness?" Sarah said, offhand, "don't know why anyone cares about that, but he's strutting around like it actually matters."

"Witness?" Cassandra asked.

"Means he saw a fight with one of the Bats," Zoe said with a scowl, "you know, the idiots who dress like rodents and attract themed sociopaths."

Cassandra winced, and suddenly felt like an intruder in the conversation. Nightwing had warned her long ago that in civilian life, chances were high you'd run into someone who didn't approve of your costumed identity. But, Cassandra reflected, he neglected to mention just how uncomfortable it would feel.

"It's not…," Cassandra paused, mindful not to say 'our' and careful of her pronouns "their fault. They protect us."

"I'm proof they don't," Zoe said, holding up her crutch to demonstrate her point.

"Zoe, don't be like that," Sarah snapped, "those people jump in front of bullets for us, literally and metaphorically. I doubt guys like the Joker or Riddler would stop committing crimes, if no one stood up to them. Right, Cassandra?"

"Umm, weather is nice today?"

oooOOoo

Russia

"I admire your spirit. You know you're fighting a lost cause, yet you refuse to give up."

The Iron Fang wiped the blood from his mouth, a red rage boiling in his gut. He stood at eight feet tall, as broad as a car and strong enough to tear a dozen men in half, he found all his strength all but useless against Mr. Myth.

Every time he moved, Mr. Myth wasn't there. He couldn't touch this annoying, eel of a man, yet the same was not true of him. Mr. Myth had rained down a dozen blows, though not nearly enough to bring down Iron Fang

"So you say, constantly," Iron Fang growled, "do you ever shut up?"

"Rarely, if we're being honest," Mr. Myth confessed, "I just like the look in my enemy's eyes when they see the enormity of their mistake, when they realized that they're nothing but a bug on my windshield. I've fought this fight from a thousand different angles, in a thousand ways. I am the perfect solution to scum like you. You've already lost, you just don't know it yet."

Iron Fang simply roared in response, and lunged for Mr. Myth's throat, just as the cyborg knew he would, and the human computer lunged forward to meet him.

Only Mr. Myth aimed himself a little lower, tackling Iron Fang's right knee. He wrapped his left arm around the leg, and then swung his right elbow into it with all the force he could muster from his steel reinforced muscles.

The bone snapped like a dry twig, the flesh tore like tissue, and Iron Fang fell to the floor, what was once his leg nothing but a bleeding stump. Iron Fang would have cried out in pain, but by the time his back bounced up off the floor, Mr. Myth was on his feet, and had slammed his right heel into the merc's knee.

"My tactical computer tells me that there are only a few ways to kill a supernatural creature as yourself," Mr. Myth gripped Iron Wolf's severed leg in both hands, "magic daggers, silver bullets, etc. But it also says that werewolves…can kill other werewolves."

Mr. Myth held the severed limb over his head.

"Lets see if this counts, shall we?"

oooOOoo

Gotham

Cassandra strolled through the streets, slightly conflicted.

She felt almost guilty for enjoying herself so much, without at all being Batgirl. She hadn't trained, hadn't thrown a punch and the entire time she was at Zoe's, Cass realized that she hadn't even given much thought to her patrol pattern.

That was why she'd ducked through this alley. It was dark, and the predators who preferred this hunting ground always came from behind. Cassandra could feel four 'hunters' behind her already, knives and chains clicking.

A minute later, there were three more.

Two minutes later, Cassandra no longer felt so conflicted.

oooOOoo

Russia

Bendlin pressed his hand against his shoulder, a pen embedded in his flesh

"I told you not to run," Mr. Myth said, as he sat at the man's desk, his fingers flying across the man's laptop, "and just a tip, don't pick at it. I'd suggest using these next few minutes reflecting on why you were too cheap to hire Deathstroke."

With one final stroke, Mr. Myth had sent all of Bendlin's files to a secure server, and stood up.

"Okay," Mr. Myth cracked his knuckles, and smiled at Bendlin like a tiger smiling at a raw chunk of meat, "your windows are reinforced, right? Your typical stuff, plus bullet proof to deter snipers, I imagine. So how many do you think I'll have to throw you against it before it shatters?"

oooOOooo

Gotham

When Cassandra opened the door, Tatsu was already waiting for her, hands crossed in front of her chest and a rather stern expression on her face.

"What?" Cassandra said on reflex.

"You were told not to act as Batgirl," Tatsu said, "implicit in that request was that you stay out of trouble."

"Didn't have any trouble," Cassandra shrugged.

"Is that so?"

Cassandra shifted uncomfortably, "Can't prove it."

"This isn't a court of law," Tatsu said, and then exhaled. Cassandra watched as Tatsu's body language shifted, with an almost resigned sigh, "look, Cassandra, I know you like to help, but you need to better define yourself outside of your costumed, life, okay?"

"Alright," Cassandra said dismissively.

"Or no more of special ginger and honey chicken," Tatsu said.

The look of horror on Cassandra's face told Tatsu that she'd made an impression.

"Trust me, enjoy these small moments when you can. Because in our life, you never know what tomorrow will bring."

oooOOooo

Russia

Mr. Myth stepped over the broken body, humming to himself.

The police gave him a wide berth, none daring to meet his eyes. In a few days time, there would be a report that Benlin had been killed by a rival crime-lord. No official accounts would include Mr. Myth, and any who objected would be shouted down.

"Well, that was a fun evening," Mr. Myth said, "now to find me a rat in Gotham…"

Next issue: Care to guess whom Cass finds herself in conflict with next?

Afterword: I needed to be at a certain place for the next arc, and unfortunately the last arc didn't get me there. This arc will. This arc, and the next, are a little darker than my usual stuff, but…! I promise the arc afterwards will be light hearted, promise!

….just got to get through the blood and guts of this arc. And the next one.