Justice League Nuptials 109
"I want you to supervise the quarantining of Earth's major urban centers. Rural populations won't be affected by my new renewal process and can left alone. However, the population of the cities and their suburbs will have to be relocated to neutral territory. The cities will be overrun by flora and then the fauna will return." Ra's described, "Poison Ivy has shown me a new way of restoring the planet and that includes the human population beyond that of my elite few."
"I doubt Ivy endorsed any plans involving the preservation of the human race." Batman scoffed.
"Not true, Detective." Ra's wore an all-too knowing smile, "Dr. Isely has recently embraced a philosophy of returning everyone and everything back to nature. She does, however, realize that millions of human beings will perish while adapting to the explosion of flora and fauna. Such losses, while tragic, are inevitable."
"So you still want me to participate in the deaths of millions." Batman surmised.
"Millions are better than billions." Ra's pointed out, "You could prepare the people so that deaths are minimized. That, and the opportunity to restock endangered species, is what drew Catwoman into our plan."
Batman was gut punched, "Selina?"
"So," Ra's' eyes narrowed, "There is something between you."
Batgirl observed this but felt no anxiety. She knew that Batman had a weak spot concerning Catwoman. While Selina was a criminal and a thief she had no worries. If Ms. Kyle were to honestly reform then the battle would be on. Until then, she tried to reach out and convey her empathy for Batman's pain.
As always, Batman shouldered the burden alone; "What's your game Ra's?"
"Nothing beyond what I have mentioned." Al Ghul assured him, "Your other protégés would also be included in those given special shelter during the transition phase."
"And the Justice League?" Batman asked.
"They can fend for themselves in the refugee camps." Ra's dismissively answered. "They are survivors. They will be fine as they help the 'mere mortals.'"
"And if I refuse?" Batman inquired.
"Then you fend for yourselves amongst the helpless masses that will be left in the cities." Ra's grimly answered.
"So, the existence of the refugee centers depends upon my answer?" Batman's query cut to the heart of the matter.
"Of course." Ra's chuckled, "Billions of lives hang in the balance. What do you say?"
"I say I'm going to stop you before you ever launch this plan." Batman vowed.
"Foolish, Detective. Very foolish." Ra's sadly replied, "My plan is mere months away from fruition. I cannot afford interference. It seems Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon are going to experience a deadly pirate attack at sea."
Squads of members of the League of Assassins rushed into the room. Ra's shook his head, "Not even the two of you can overtake such odds."
Batman and Batgirl rose from their seats. Batman spoke for the both of them, "We'll see."
A resounding 'boom' stopped everyone as an Apokoliptan wormhole formed in the room. Tala and the renegade Global Guardians emerged from it. Al Ghul's ire overtook him.
"What right do you have to interfere, Tala?" he demanded.
Her Eastern European accent thickened as she answered, "This is Legion territory. You are merely using it. We will come and go as we please."
"And why have you come?" Ra's growled.
"Lex wants Batman and Batgirl to be his hostages. They will serve as human shields during the Legion's next operation." Tala revealed.
"Never." Ra's declared, "Batman and Batgirl die by my hand tonight!"
"Jack." Tala said as she stepped aside.
Jack O'Lantern lifted the lantern he was named after, "Sit down, boyo, and ya won't get hurt."
Ra's shrugged aside his cloak and rushed Jack. The lantern flashed and energy poured out of it. Al Ghul was hurled backwards.
"Warned ya." Jack said.
Ra's lifted himself off of the floor and shouted, "Assassins! Kill them! Kill them all!"
The assassins surged into action. Jack opened fire. The Olympian began hurling lightning bolts. Bushmaster and his reptilian powers sprang into action. The Wild Huntsman, with his horse and hound, carried the fight outside. Thunderlord nearly leveled the dining hall with a sonic boom. Godiva's tactile hair wrapped itself around opponents or beat them off of walls and the floor.
Talia reached Batman and Batgirl, "Come with me if you want to live."
They fled the hall and she navigated through the villa's outer buildings. She reached an outer gate and handed Batman a small cylindrical device, "Here is a beacon set to Justice League frequencies. It was to be your return ticket once you agreed to help my father."
"What about Bruce Wayne's yacht?" he wondered.
"It has been returned to Maraca and the crew has been freed. They believe you are hostages of a drug cartel. The League was to 'rescue' you." Talia explained, "Now go, Beloved. I will cover your escape as best I can."
"Thank you." Batman said as he activated the beacon. He and Batgirl took off running for the nearby jungle.
Hidden in the shadows, Owlwoman and Tuatara watched the exchange. Owlwoman turned to Tuatara, "Your prognostication was right. They're escaping."
"It sucks always being right." Tuatara complained.
"I'll get them." She declared, "You get Jack and the others."
He started to leave and she stopped him, "By the way, you're from New Zealand, right?"
"Yeah. So?" Tuatara warily replied.
"Why've you hung out in South America for the last couple of years?" Owlwoman asked.
Tuatara shrugged, "I was kicked out of New Zealand. I came here and got rich."
Owlwoman smiled, "Good plan. Now go."
As he ran away, she flew into the air and entered the jungle below its canopy. Her enhanced vision made the night seem like daylight. Following their trail by employing her tracking skills she swiftly caught sight of the Bat pair. Extending her talons from her fingertips, she swooped in for an attack.
Entering Venezuelan airspace, Wonder Woman's board registered the beacon. She radioed Superman and gave him the news. He agreed to follow the Javelin to the location. Next, the shuttle was challenged by the authorities…again.
"You must turn around." The Defense Minister ordered.
"We are, I repeat, we are in pursuit of a fugitive. Under UN charter that gives us the authority to enter your country." Wonder Woman replied.
"This is a violation of national sovereignty." The Minister angrily declared.
"I suggest that you take it up with the General Assembly and the Security Council. Javelin out." Wonder Woman signed off. She turned to Penny, "How soon can you get us there?"
"Fifteen minutes. Tops." Penny drawled.
In the jungle Batman's only warning was a sudden sound of a body rushing through the air. Owlwoman raked him across the back with her talons and he grunted in pan as he dove and rolled away. She in turn hovered in med-air for a second which made her vulnerable to attack.
Batgirl caught her in the face with a spin kick. Owlwoman dropped out of the sky and landed in a heap on the ground. She rose and Batgirl came in with a flurry of punches. Another spin kick and the former Global Guardian stayed down.
"Are you all right?" Batgirl asked Batman.
"I'll have to be." He said, "One of the Guardians is the Wild Huntsman. He'll have our scent in a few minutes. We need to find a defensible position."
"I wish we had our belts." Batgirl sighed.
"So do I but wishing for the impossible won't help us." Batman opined. In the distance a hound could be heard baying. Batman ordered, "Let's move."
The Global Guardians were soon upon Owlwoman's position. Jack angrily ordered the Huntsman and the others to follow the trail. The hound had the scent of blood and it was salivating.
"Are ya all right, darlin'?" Jack asked as he got Owlwoman to a seated position.
"Nothing permanently damaged but my pride." She reassured him, "I just underestimated the Bat Brat."
"The Wild Huntsman is trackin' blood." Jack informed her, "Who'd ya tag?"
"I got the Batman himself." She chuckled, "And it's wound that he'll feel. It'll slow him down and stilt his movements."
"Good work." Jack commended her, "ya ready ta travel?"
"Lead on, lover boy." Owlwoman grinned.
"When we've finished here, I'll show you all about 'lover boys'." Jack promised.
"Yum!" Owlwoman gleefully remarked.
Back at the villa all of the assassins were unconscious or encased in mystical bonds. Ra's and Tala stood observing the scene. Ra's was disgusted but Tala was imminently pleased with herself.
"You could have made this easy on yourself, dear Ra's." she smiled.
"You presume too much, Tala." Ra's snapped, "So long as that man remains alive my plans will be threatened."
"Then we'll just have to see to it that he doesn't stay alive for long." She purred.
"You have no idea how resourceful he is." Ra's warned, "Luthor will never be able to hold him."
"The Legion has doubled in size." Tala informed him, "You wouldn't recognize it."
"Perhaps." Ra's replied in disgust, "But after I have a little chat with Luthor I may never associate with the Legion of Doom again."
Tala was crestfallen, "I see."
"Master!" Ubu cried out from across the hall. His wrist communicator was sounding off, "Our agent in the air defense ministry reports that the Justice League has arrived."
"Release him." Ra's told Tala.
Tala dissolved Ubu's mystic bonds. He crossed the hall and placed himself between al Ghul and Tala. Ra's chuckled, "I believe the lady could have had her way with me already."
"Yes, Master." Ubu said but he didn't move.
Ra's rewarded his servant with a benevolent smile. He turned to Tala, "You can be certain that the League has ascertained Batman's location. I suggest you warn your compatriots."
"Very well, Ra's." Tala said glumly, "But we will speak of this later."
Ra's bowed his head, "Of course."
Tala frowned as her spell created an amethyst around her. Energy emanated around it and it exploded into a thousand sparkles. She was gone. Ra's chuckled, "The lady knows how to make an exit."
"Yes, Master." An impressed Ubu readily agreed, "What now?"
"Now we wait for everyone to wake up or for me to disrupt their manacles." Ra's said, "In the meantime, fetch the Armor of Anubis and the Sword of Set."
Ubu nodded, "Yes, Master."
Ubu left and Ra's pondered the situation. He had no illusions as to how the League had found Batman. Talia had been charged with protecting the beacon and she'd left the hall with the Bat couple. It didn't require a genius to put the puzzle together.
His daughter had always followed her heart over her mind. Batman would escape his peril and live to threaten Ra's plans. Al Ghul almost relished the opportunity to lock horns with his nemesis again. The Detective was the single greatest opponent that he'd ever faced. Someday when he'd killed the Dark Knight he would honestly mourn.
However, now it was time to extract his forces from this place. He had a fallback position in Argentina. From there he could confront Luthor. That would be an eventful day.