Running a cult bent on world domination was harder than it looked. Oh, it was easy enough to keep the men in line - the al Ghuls had several hundred years of experience with turning men into mindless drones - but there were always issues with pesky law enforcement types who just didn't understand that certain things needed to be done. The environment had to be saved, regardless of how many useless humans had to be eliminated. Nature was important.
A run-in with a particularly irritating example of these ignorant men had led the al Ghuls to temporarily abandon their desert hideaway in favor of one located in a less aggressive territory. Since they were known to favor the empty deserts, Ra's had cunningly relocated them to a lush oasis. The men were pleased with the change in scenery, not that it really mattered, and Talia had taken the opportunity to put forth a new plan to her darling Daddy.
Amazingly, he'd listened to her. Even more amazingly, he'd actually agreed to give the plan some thought! And after a few days of deliberating, he presented her with her new marching orders. He'd taken the little seed of an idea that she'd given him and grown it into his typical breed of twisty political intrigue. The new plan didn't much resemble what she'd handed over, any more than the typical chunk of coal resembled a diamond, but she'd beamed with pride at the thought that she had provided something useful to the cause no matter how minute.
As always, when Ra's had a new plan, the compound buzzed with activity. Talia spent her time badgering the men into working harder, faster, always hoping for that one shining moment when Ra's would lay his hand on her shoulder and tell her that he was proud of her. She threw herself into work - not physical labor, of course, that was too menial - but she organized and planned and drove the men onward for glory.
The second sentry shift had not reported in from the east entrance. Talia trotted up the numerous flights of stairs, a clipboard tucked in the crook of her arm. She crept up to the second story and eased herself slightly out of a window to peer down at the sentries. If they were gaming, or gossiping...Her mouth dropped into a little O of astonishment as she realized that they were sleeping!
This was intolerable! She rolled out of the window and landed lightly on the ground below, dipping silently to the ground before stalking over to the men. They sprawled haphazardly on the ground, piled together like so much firewood, each with a starry, dreamy expression on his face.
"Get up!" Talia demanded shrilly.
The men lazily eyed her. "Of course," they agreed placidly as they rose.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"It's all right," one of the men assured her, eyes glazed. "The lady said we could sit down."
"What lady?!"
A stupid-looking grin that indicated almost lethally happy memories drifted onto each of their faces. "The lady."
"Where is she?" Talia demanded.
The man gazed longingly into the building. "She said we had to wait here..."
Idiots! Fools! She stormed into the hideaway, clutching the clipboard with white-knuckled fingers. How dare they let a stranger in?! What was the matter with them? Well, it was nothing a swift beheading wouldn't fix...
It was easy to follow the stranger's trail. Little grains of stray dirt and smudgy footprints marred the shining linoleum. And, of course, the never-ending parade of minions with that same irritatingly happy grin slumped on the floors was a certain giveaway.
The smudge marks on the linoleum led to the main control room. Talia threw the door open and strode inside.
"Leave us, daughter," Ra's said coolly, not bothering to look at her. He stood by his desk, sipping a goblet of wine. Seated on the desk, a matching goblet dangling from her fingers, was Poison Ivy, who was looking at her with thinly veiled amusement.
"But Father, that's Poison Ivy! She is one of the Batman's enemies-"
"I am fully aware of that, daughter." He took another sip of wine before focusing on her. "She managed to evade all of your guards with no alarm being raised. Such talents could be...useful."
Talia burned hot with embarrassed anger. She could have gotten past those guards in her sleep and not had to drug them into submission! "Father-"
"We are discarding the previous plan," he interrupted, setting down his glass.
Her plan. "What?" she asked, disbelievingly.
"We hardly need to worry about bringing down governments from the inside when we can do it from the outside in a much more...spectacular fashion," he explained, glancing sidelong at Ivy. Ivy took a drink of her wine, eyes sparkling with merry mischief as she saw Talia tense with fury.
"Father, she-"
"I will hear no dissent from you!" he snapped. "You are to bow to her wishes as you would to mine."
With visions of her future crumbling into dust yet again, she dropped her gaze. "Yes, Father." She turned and hurried from the room, closing the door quietly behind her.
That...that witch had destroyed her plans! She ground her teeth at the thought of it. How dare someone else take her place! The edges of the clipboard bit into her hand. With a curse, she tossed the useless thing away from her, spinning on her heel and stalking away as the loose pages of her former plan fluttered to the ground.
Talia lived through the following weeks in a ferociously bad temper. She fetched fertilizers from the nearest major city and helped to carry them up the stairs at the request of the plant-witch. (And later, as she took a fifth shower to try and cleanse the stench of offal from her skin, she bit her lip and tried to convince herself that Father knew what he was doing.) She filched plants and seeds from greenhouses, repeating to herself that Father knows best, Father knows best.
She had to rely on the fact that Ra's knew what he was doing. He had to know. He never locked her out of the control room unless he was really concentrating on a goal, and she'd been locked out for weeks.
She eventually drew up the courage to go knock on the door again. Chin high, she strode through the hallways, ignoring the men as they leaped out of her way. The hallway leading to the control room was strangely silent. Heart pounding, she knocked on the door.
It swung open under her fist. The room was dark and empty. "Father!" she gasped, turning and racing through the halls. The plant-witch had been up on the third floor the last time they'd met...she flew up the stairs and pounded down the hallway.
"Father?" she called.
"You're a noisy one, aren't you?" Talia whirled to confront the owner of that maddeningly drawled voice.
"Where is my father?" she demanded.
"He's in here," Ivy answered with a little smile on her face.
"I demand to see him!"
"He's busy," Ivy purred. "Aren't you busy, Ra's dear?" she called through the door.
"Busy," he responded.
"Too busy to see your daughter?"
"Too busy to see my daughter."
Ivy shrugged and smiled at Talia again. "Maybe next time." She flicked her hand at Talia. "Now be a dear and get me some water."
"I am not leaving until I see my father!" she shouted.
"Your father doesn't want to see you!" Ivy snapped back. "Take the hint, little girl."
"I will not be kept from him!" Talia shrieked, balling her hands into fists.
"He's your father, not your boyfriend," Ivy pointed out.
"He's not your boyfriend either!" Talia spat.
A truly sadistic smile quirked up the corners of Ivy's mouth. "Isn't he?"
Talia shoved her out of the way and flung the door open. A mass of greenery, filling the doorway, spilled out into the hall. Vines snaked their way around her waist and shoved her back. "Oh, dear," Ivy said, chuckling. "It looks like my babies don't want you here either."
The vines whipped her to the side, spinning her round in a circle as if they were dancing with her. When she finally skidded to a halt, arms flung wide for balance, Ivy had disappeared into the folds of the greenery. "Ta-ta!" she said, waving as the vines clicked the door closed.
Talia glowered at the door. If she couldn't get in to see her father, she knew someone who could. Someone who had vast amounts of experience dealing with the plant-witch. Someone who had helped her in the past. After all, no man could turn down a plea from the woman he loved...
"...and so you must help me, Beloved," Talia finished. "I don't know what she's done to my father but it must stop!"
Bruce had a fairly good idea of what had happened to Ra's. Miss Pheromones had obviously taken it upon herself to sneak into the leadership of Ra's al Ghul's organization to further her own agenda. A horde of men, easily controllable, a vast amount of money, the ability to get plants from all over the world...they were the perfect pawns.
He rose to his feet. "We can leave as soon as I'm ready."
"Oh, Beloved!" Talia exclaimed, throwing her arms around him.
He unwound her arms from around his neck and headed for the Batsuit vault. It seemed a little more crowded than usual...With a gentle shove, he nudged Talia out and firmly locked the door behind him.
(to be continued)