Chapter 6

Copperhead

Black Mask or Roman groaned as he spit out some blood, he was chained up in a torture room somewhere inside the Steel Mill. He can't believe this was happening to him. He of all people. and to make his night even more miserable, one of the Jericho's entered the by opening the door and had a evil smirk on her face. Oh god, end his life already. she walked up to him.

"Get me out'a this thing." he demanded, Talia obeyed releasing him from his restraints before handcuffing him.

"Where is Harley Quinn?" she asked,

"Go to hell." He spat; she kicked him hard in the rib, unsatisfied by the answer.

"After you, Roman. Now if you want to be spared of the pain that I am going to inflict, I suggest you better have a correct answer." She kicked him in the face and punched him.

"You think that's gonna make me talk?" he began grunting in pain, "After what she's put me through? The torture… Turned my men on me, stole my money. Murdered my woman. He's my kill not yours." She slapped his face and then picked out a high tech device, when she broke into the steel mill and hacked to his systems, she learned that he was born with Prolonged Q-T syndrome, so she decided to use his weakness as leverage

"I'm amazed of how technology has evolved over a century." she said gesturing the device in her hand, "With this, I can control your pacemaker remotely. Do you want to know what 250 beats per minute feels like?"

"You wouldn't…" he replied, wide eyed, just then someone came from above and wrapped her legs around Talia's head firmly. She spun her body around for a tilt-world head scissor sending Talia across the room. She got back up glaring at her attacker.

"Copperhead." Talia announced, Copperhead tried to attack her again this time with her claw like hand but Talia reversed it by putting her in a hammerlock. Copperhead turned things around by a heel kick to the face, she s on top of Talia's shoulder in a snake like maneuver and tried to attack her again with the claw but Talia blocked it and grabbed her hair throwing the assassin off her shoulders. While they were occupied with each other Black Mask went to the door for escape.

"Kill her and I'll pay whatever you want. Make her suffer and I'll double it." Black mask offered

Copperhead huffed, "Empty promises from a fallen king. I know about Harley Quinn."

"Couple a'freaks. You two deserve each other." With that, he left. Talia knew that she would deal with him later. Copperhead ran up and attacked her but Talia blocked her back kick and went for a heel kick but Copperhead leaped over making a scratch on her neck. Talia stumbled back a bit as a wave of dizziness hit her. she tried to punch copperhead but was too slow to react as Copperhead stepped aside of the punch easily and climbed up the to the roof hanging She's been poisoned.

"What did you do to me?" Talia demanded as her vision started to blur,

"I killed you. And in few more minutes, your body will realize it." Copperhead replied then laughed as Talia went down on one knee getting weak. "That's it. use your strength. With every effort you hasten your end." She hissed as she left the room, talia went to get her phone to scan the room for Copperhead's poison but with every move she made, her hands started to go numb but she shook her hands off the numbness as she scanned the traces of the poison with her device. She ran an analysis and the results were a powerful neurotoxin that only exists in Central America.

She uploaded it to the Batcomputer and left the room knowing that she needs to contact Barbara right now.

"Talia? Are you alright? Your vitals are prefalling." Speak of the devil.

"I've been poisoned. Neurotoxic. I want you to synthesize an antidote. I have uploaded an analysis of neurotoxin." She replied,

"Alright, just try to get to ground level so that I can send in an airdrop. After that, you're heading back straight to the cave so that Alfred can check up on you." The transmission ended as Talia headed to the maintenance. She coughed up blood getting weaker with every breath, Copperhead laughter could be heard as Talia looked around to see where she was but she wasn't there. She pushed the doors open with everything she's got as the poison got the best of her psychically. Then she went on on her knees as her father Ra's Al Ghul materialized in front of her.

"Father?" she whispered,

"Have you seen yourself of what you've become? By listening to your brother, the infidel? Throwing away everything our family has built? You could've taking your rightful place" he spat, fury showing in his eyes, she knew that wasn't him, he was a hallucination. "But instead you have tarnished the name of AL Ghul. You disappoint me." He shook his head as he vanished into thin air. She got up and headed to the elevator clutching her stomach. She went on again but got back up pushing a button. She headed downstairs as the dead bank manager appeared.

"You and your brother let me die! How many more must perish before you realize that you're not a savior. You are a plague upon this city. leave us alone! We're better off without you." Talia blocked her voice because it was another hallucination as the elevator doors opened to reveal a hallway to a concealed room. She stepped out of the elevator and headed to the concealed.

"Over here, pendeja." Copperhead taunted as she tried to attack talia but she blocked it and went for a heel kick and then copperhead turned into dust. Damn, it was a trick.

Copperhead laughed sinsterly, "Is that the best you can do?" Talia walked up to the centre of the room where Copperhead jumped from a cliffhanger and landed on the floor. And then more of her circled around her ready to execute her.

"You are not gonna like what comes next." She hissed and the fight begun, Talia rolled out of the way avoiding the attack and tried to kick her but when she made contact, she vanished into air. She snarled in frustration as she got back up. but then one of Copperheads came from her left and hit her taking her off guard. She ducked under the second attack but by then, the poison had already made her react slower than usual. She tired to kick copperhead but she blocked it and punched her and swifted Talia off her feet and as copperhead tried to finish her off, Talia used her feet to wrap around her head for a head scissor taking the assassin off as she vanished into dust.

"ARGH!" Talia screamed in frustration as she kicked up to her feet, the real Copperhead laughed somewhere in the shadows while Talia was getting rid of Copperhead doppelgangers.

"What is it you're doing, Jericho? Give it up now and you will die a peaceful death." She taunted,

"Never!" Talia roared, and that was enough for the real Copperhead to attack Talia but this time she antipicated it by deliver a spin kick taking her off guard.

"No!" she screamed, as she tried to attack her again but this time Talia blocked it and went for a punch to the face. Acting in desperation, she attacked with her claw again leaving scratch marks on her suit. Then she ran off disappearing in the shadows. The fatigue was starting to kick in, Talia was in great psychical and mental condition but the poison was already in her nervous system that affected her condition. She looked around to see where she was.

"Over here, Pendeja!" in a flash Copperhead stung her like a bee from out of nowhere. And then she split into three of herself. Talia took out all of them except copperhead herself. She was getting weaker everytime her heart beats. But she kept going and that did not settle well with Copperhead as the numbers increased.

"You should be dead!" she spat, Talia twitched a smirk knowing why, she had the lazarus chemical inside and built up a immune system was helping her to last a little longer than any normal human. but of course she wasn't going to tell Copperhead that.

"And I'm still here." Talia countered back "I will continue fighting until the day I die." She countered back, she fought back the copperheads one by one with everything she had. One by one they all went down. And then real copperhead tried to attack but this time Talia saw it coming and thrust kicked the assassin in the chest. she then

And on cue, there was sound of a plane passing by as a drop container came through the window above. But by then Talia went down on her knee having used her last strength

"Talia, the cure just arrived. Can you see it?" Barbara said,

"I see it." Talia groaned in pain as she limped towards the drop containment putting her hand on a hand scanner opening it to reveal the cure. She took it and injected it by the neck. She sighed in relief as the cure kicked in. she felt her strength return as the cure overpowered the poison. Her vision returned to normal and she looked around to see she was no longer in the dark room, she was back in the warehouse at the Sionis Mill.

"You think you're cured? My poison is still in your veins and will remain for as long as you live which won't be very long." Copperhead stated and hissed as she readjusted herself

"Don't count on it." Talia retorted as she picked something from her belt and activated it. she tossed it to the groundas Copperhead again attacked but the device spurted out a green smoke taking the assassin off guard. Copperhead coughed trying not to inhale it but she did it anyway.

"What is that smoke?" Copperhead demanded, still coughing it.

"It's not smoke, it's anesthetic gas." Talia stated, holding a mask to cover her mouth.

"Hija de puta, Pendeja! Copperhead's eyes rolled back as she passed out by the gas. She shook her head as she went to tie the assassin up once the gas cleared.

Copperhead regained consciousness as she opened her eyes to see that she was all tied up, her hands and her feet, not to mention she was in a metal crate with Talia who had a smug look on her face. She waved the assassin goodbye as she was about to shut the door when Copperhead prevented her with some interesting words.

"I know where Harley Quinn is. She's called a meeting, all the assassins will be there. When you set me free, I'll tell you where."

"Thank you." She was again going to shut the door,

"Wait! I can tell you the location!" Talia igorned the plea and locked it tight.

"Hey! Set me free, Pendeja! ARGH!" Copperhead yelled in vein, Talia sighed in relief thanking the sprits that she survived. She contacted Barbara to let her know about the situation.

"Oracle. Send an anymous tip to GCPD. Tell them to look inside the shipping containment at the steel mill." Talia ordered

"Will do. Take it that you've dealt with Copperhead. Do you need a medical check, to make sure that you're cured?"

"Not now, Oracle. Later" She dismissed rolling her eyes as she left the Mill, "Have you located the Electrocutioner's signal?"

"Yeah, I managed to locate it in the Diamond District, but I lost the connection. You need to get to higher ground. I recommend one of the pillars at Gotham Bridge. Jericho's waiting for you." Barbara told her,

"Wait until i get out of this! And when i do, you're dead, caraja!" Copperhead warned, Talia rolled her eyes not intimated by the threat from Copperhead. its not the first time she's heard that and it won't be the last.

"Thank you." With that Talia left the steel mill heading to Gotham Bridge.

Jericho was sitting on the ledge of the pillar at Gotham Bridge waiting for his sister when a distant sound of plane engine caught his ears. He glanced over his shoulder to see Batplane coming to his direction. He stood up as the Batplane reached its destination and hovered above him. out stepped Talia and landed on the ground. He stood up and walked towards his sister relieved that she is alive and kicking.

"Hey. Barbara told me what happened, I'm glad that you're alright." He told her, "I managed to reestablish the trace to the Electrocutioner with her. We are 567 ft away from his position. You up to it?"

"As always, brother." She answered without hesitation. They walked back towards the Batplane climbing in and took off to Electrocutioner's location.

"So what did you learn from Copperhead?" he asked

"Well, aside from near death experience, I learned that Harley Quinn is hosting a meeting tonight, all the assassins will be there. Well, what's left of them." Talia replied as the batplane arrived at the location going into silent mode. It was the Gotham Royal Hotel and its got very tight security. Harley's men got the rooftop secured and that wasn't all. Some of the SWAT team members were there on the lower levels at the hotel while the rest were guarding the ground. But don't they realize that its not Black Mask? They'll figure it out when they bring Harley Quinn back to Blackgate. The batplane lowered and went left to the garage where it was the least guarded. Jericho activated the weapon and blew an opening taking out the henchmen temporally. They stepped out of the plane nad entered the hotel parking. The parking was about what you'd expected, once Harley Quinn was done with. Wrecked cars, blown up trucks and bodies everywhere.

"Oracle. Harley Quinn is definitely here. Swat are doing her dirty work keeping Gordon, Anderton and the media from what's happening here."

"Oh" Barbara sighed in irritation "doesn't Captain Drake realize that's not Black Mask?"

"I guess he's gonna find out the hard way when Harley Quinn is brought back to Blackgate." He replied as they went further into the parking, Captain Drake was the one who tried to attack the Jericho's at the GCPD, he was placed in the holding cells, at the time of the bomb attack, that gave him the opportunity to escape along with few others. "By the way what's the situation back at the precinct?"

"Pretty much back to normal. Dad managed somehow to keep most of the inmates from escaping but some of them did including Captain Drake along with few other SWAT members."

"Really? I knew that was Drake, giving the reputation that he's Roman's little bitch. Can't say I'm surprised." He said sarcastically as they went to the parking elevator. Harley's Ambulance was there so that meant that she's in the building.

she chuckled, "Anyway, dad put out an APB on him although that may be a lost cause."
"Got that right." he agreed on that note

The main generator was off so Talia restarted it powering up the elevator. Elevator doors opened and they stepped in going up to the hotel lobby. He tapped into his earpiece as Barbara contacted him.
"Jericho, there's a security room in the hotel lobby. You and Talia can use the cameras to find the room that Harley is holding up at." Barbara advised,

"Thanks we'll try that." he replied as they stepped out of the elevator and headed for the door to the hotel lobby. When they entered the lobby, they quickly hid behind some crates as Harley's men circled around the lobby both up and low.

"If there's one thing that I know for sure, Harley's not gonna pay up. as soon as one of the assassin kills the Jerichos, she's gonna kill that guy and keep the money to herself." One of the henchmen said to his friend that was just few feets away from them

"Come on, there's no way she's gonna do that. that's gonna cost her trust with other syndicates in this city." his friend argued,

"I don't think losing face is on her mind right now. you know, being Joker's widow and all that." the henchmen reminded,

"Fair enough." And on cue, Talia and Jericho came from behind and put them in sleeper holds. They passed out seconds later, the Jericho's dragged their bodys and placed them behind the crates. Jericho grappled onto a gargoyle while Talia stayed on the ground using her stealth. Jericho spotted a explosive tank behind two men that were close to the security room. Already made up his mind of how to take them down, he used Deathstroke's remote claw object to launch the explosive tank to them knocking them out cold but by doing so it alerted the others.

"What was that?" that gave Talia just enough time to take out two more by bumping heads together. Jericho zipped down from the gargoyle to take out another thug that was below him. he held him up before dropping him off. He got hung upside down screaming and that got the attention of the two remaining thugs. He grappled into other gargoyle as the thugs went to aid him. however that didn't happen as Talia shot two dart into the thugs necks. They were tranquilizers that put the thugs to sleep. One the room was cleared, they regrouped at the door that led to the security room. Jericho hacked the security panel and they got into the room where they saw Harley hosting a meeting where Bane, Electrocutioner and firefly was shown on one of the monitors. she was in the penthouse suit.

"Gentlemen. Welcome to our first quarterly review." Harley announced, "As you can see here, Jericho's death are coming far below projections." She gestured to a clipboard that showed the assassins that either had failed or been arrested, Deathstroke, Killer Croc, Shiva and Copperhead was on the list. "We really need to step up our games." She frowned in disapproval as she saw Electrocutioner paying no attention to what she was saying, he was playing some game on his cellphone. "And by we, I mean you." She took the cellphone away from him and smashed it with her high heel. She giggled manically. "Got that uh…" she trailed off in midsentence not remembering his name, so she named up with a nickname for him "Scarface?"

"Just who the hell are you, bitch?" he spat not liking her a bit as he stood up against her from his chair.

"Hmm… I'm the girl with the money. And the gun." She pulled out her gun aiming at him, intentionaly firing bulles intentionally missing the target. If there's one thing she doesn't like, is her authority being questioned and she does have a crazy trigger finger. "So when I tell you to kill the Jericho's you shut the hell up! Any other questions, Scarface?!" she yelled at him that made him take a few steps back. He fumbled his steps and landed back on his chair unable to say anything. This broad is crazy, borderline crazy. she smirked leaning towards Lester "Didn't think so. Bye." She kicked his chair out of the window several floors down all way down to the hotel lobby. On the way there, he came through the roof, hitting a chandelier before landing on the floor. Talia and Jericho looked at the electorcutioner's body from the ro and then at each other having watched the whole conversation. None of them said anything before Jericho broke the silence with a comment.

"So much for a rematch."

AN: AND I leave you there. I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting. been busy lately. Review please!