Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I pretend to have any ownership of Young Justice or the DC Universe. I do however take full ownership of Catlyn.
I know that I promised this chapter would be up a few days ago, but life happened. I hope this was worth the wait and I haven't disappointed you completely.
I am so happy with the reviews I have been getting! Thank you all so much. You have no idea how rewarding it is so see that there are people out there that really seem to like my story and Catlyn herself. So thank you mahlia, Wheatieluv, spottedfire123, Numbah 175, Algie888, Shadow-Chan 4, and dreamin'BIG.
Just wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day to all the readers! The chapter is my present to you. I hope you enjoy!
Again, I have blathered on for too long, so here is the long awaited chapter six:
Captivating Sympathy
Chapter Six: A Cat Can Look Upon Kings
Recap:
"I have a suggestion," Bane smirked. He took a running start and dove over the railing, proving to be quite acrobatic despite his size. He knocked one armed assailant away with a powerful swing of his left arm and deflected the other foe's gun upward before a shot had been fired.
"What is he-" Kaldur began, only to be interrupted by a monstrous growl.
A beast, which appeared to have been human at one point or another, came crashing through the glass of the factory's upper most window.
Catlyn knew the catwalk would never be able to hold their combined weight, especially with the force this creature was going to land with. She did a back handspring and used the intruder as a launching pad to project herself up into the rafters.
The creature let out another bone chilling roar and the command was given to destroy the intruders.
Guards rushed in, guns blazing and advanced on Bane, Kaldur and Superboy.
Superboy rushed to combat the monstrous beast while Kaldur generated a shield from one of the water conductors on his back. With the other conductor, he poked it through the shield and fired globules of water with enough force to knock to approaching gunmen back.
Catlyn reached into her utility belt and brought out another fuzzy mouse bomb. She noticed a time delay setting and turned the dial, giving only five seconds before the detonation would occur. Not wanting to waste a precious second, she threw the bomb down into the fray and gave a satisfied smile when it squeaked and forced guards into support beams and walls.
When the smoke cleared, she saw Bane glance at the battle he had started before slipping away behind one of the many massive boilers.
Catlyn had enough faith in the team to know that, while Superboy and Kaldur might have their hands full, they could handle themselves in this situation. Her curiosity pulled her through the layers of crisscrossing metal, hot on Bane's trail. She hung low in the rafters, keeping to the shadows. Her movements were precise, nothing could be left to chance.
Sounds from the battle below gave her pause. She cast a glance behind her and saw a small distortion of images. She allowed herself a brief smile, knowing that Megan had thrown her hat into the arena. Realizing she would lose her intended target if she permitted herself to dawdle for too long, she pressed on. She was tempted to look again when an explosion sounded too close for comfort.
Robin made his appearance on a second catwalk and looked into the rafters as Wally skid to a stop beside him. He strained his eyes and was able to make out a lithe figure contorting its frame as it moved silently through the metal framework.
Catlyn had the distinct feeling that someone was watching her and whipped her head around, searching until her gaze locked with Robin's. She put a finger to her lips and jerked her head back, insisting he help the others with the armed guards who came wave after wave.
Bane led her back to the tunnel from which they had emerged, looking back every so often as if he knew he was being perused.
Catlyn snapped her whip around the lowest bar on the last rafter. She lowered herself down onto top of one of the massive boilers and paused, making sure the subtle crack of her whip had not drawn any attention to herself.
Once satisfied that her actions had gone unnoticed, she pursued Bane into the tunnel.
The rocky terrain proved to be a challenge in keeping her surefootedness. Every so often, there was a dislodged pebble or a slick spot where water had dribbled down from the surface that threatened to trip her up. With so many discontinuities in the land scape, her pace was compromised while Bane was able to stride down the passage uninhibited.
She followed the sound of his footsteps, growing more and more faint as his long legs swallowed the remaining distance to the mouth of the tunnel.
'Everyone online?' Megan's voice rang loud and clear withing Catlyn's mind.
She jumped slightly at the sudden voice within her head and crouched down low against one of the support beams.
'Yeah,' she head Superboy answer exasperatedly, clearly not pleased.
'You know it beautiful,' Wally swooned.
Catlyn could practically sense the suggestive grin on his face.
'Good, we need to regroup,' Kaldur directed through his thoughts.
'Busy now,' came Robin's reply.
'Where are you Cat?' Megan pondered.
'Following Bane,' she thought back, 'he's up to something. Be wary.'
With Robin's mind as a portal of sorts to another location, Catlyn could hear the scuffle occurring on the helicopter pad outside the factory.
'Robin, now!' Kaldur's commanding voice reverberated around Catlyn's mind.
She allowed herself a small grin upon hearing Robin snarl.
The mouth of the tunnel loomed in the distance, but Bane was no where to be seen.
Darkness pressed in around her and the smallest breeze which ruffled the tops of the multitude of trees seemed deafening in the eery silence.
Her fingers fiddled with the knob on her mask, turning it by one setting.
Almost at once, the world around her shown green and objects began taking shape. In the distance, Bane gathered up what looked to be a discarded duffel-bag.
Catlyn slinked up behind him and into a tree, thankful for the wind which rattled the leaves, making her movements less apparent. She heard him chuckle and narrowed her eyes, craning her neck for a chance to see what had put Bane in such high spirits, but could not see over the boulder of a man.
He stood up and slung the bag over his shoulder. When he was only inches from the tree, Catlyn swung down on her whip and connected a powerful kick to his jaw.
She landed and faced him, calling her whip back to her with a simple flick of her wrist.
Due to the surprise of such an attack, Bane stumbled backwards, but regained his composure rather quickly.
Catlyn took a running start into a back handspring and cut through the air, but Bane was waiting for her with open arms.
He caught her within his grasp and, like a javelin, threw her head first, aiming at a large oak at the edge of the small clearing. A snarl emanated from his throat as Catlyn twisted in mid air, her feet making contact with the trunk before she landed in a crouch.
"Don't you know cats always land on their feet?" she taunted.
They both advanced, Bane with his fists raised and Catlyn with her whip held tightly in her grasp.
She dodged a massive fist and snapped the whip around his colossal neck. She smirked, underestimating the effects Venom had on the human body.
Bane strained his neck and, much to Catlyn's horror, the whip burst at several of the joints and fell useless to the ground below. He leered at his tiny opponent and progressed toward her.
She stood rooted with shock for a time, mourning the loss of her weapon of choice. Recovery came swiftly and within seconds, she was in the process of scampering up one of the many surrounding trees.
The time spent without action proved costly.
Bane took hold of her left leg and ripped her from the trunk. He kept his stringent hold on her and slammed her into the ground, insuring she landed forcefully on her back. "What was that about landing on your feet gatita?" he asked with a cruel laugh.
Catlyn gasped while tears pricked her eyes behind her mask. Her lungs remained painfully empty, the breath knocked right out of her.
He laughed again and raised his foot, aiming a kick at his wounded prey.
She rolled out of his reach, her breath now coming in slow, painful spurts. Her mind was blank, her body moved by instinct. She was now in survival mode.
Bane threw punches and jabs, each time missing his intended target by a hair's breadth.
Back flips, aerials and the occasional back handspring allowed her to remain just out of her foe's striking distance. She wouldn't be able to stay on the defensive forever, and she soon ran out of ground. Her heel felt the edge of the cliff behind her and, without hesitation, she rolled between Bane's legs.
He reached back and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and held her face close to his. "Your friends will join you soon. When you see them, tell them they shouldn't send the runt out alone," he smirked.
Catlyn narrowed her eyes and spat in her captor's face, the only offensive move that was presented to her.
It succeeded in wiping the smug smirk right off his face and replaced it with a dangerous scowl.
Bane roughly swabbed his face with the back of his hand and dropped her off the side of the cliff.
The dew claws once again aided Catlyn as they dug further and further into the hard earth on the side of the mountainous cliff side as she slid down onto a very thin ledge. She flattened herself against the wall of dirt before her, blending in with her surroundings.
"Adios chica," Bane laughed, kicking a couple loose pebbles and patches of of dirt which rained down on top of her.
She listened to the crunch of the earth as Bane retreated back towards the mouth of the tunnel. A small sigh escaped through slightly parted lips before she began her slow ascent back up to the top. Her hands located notches and inconsistencies in the surface of the rock laden earthen wall.
By the time Catlyn had her feet back on solid ground, Bane had completed his work with the duffel-bag and stepped back to assess his handy work. She allowed no time for hesitation and pounced on his back, taking a subtle pleasure in the shallow gash her dew claw left in his neck upon her landing.
Bane let out a deep throaty growl of surprise. Reaching behind him, he grabbed his assaulter in the hand not occupied by a detonation device. He brought her around to his front and regarded her with a look of utter disbelief.
Despite being held once again in his grasp, Catlyn couldn't resist revealing a pompous smirk. "What's wrong Bane? Haven't you heard? Cats have nine lives."
He narrowed his eyes and wrapped her in one of his arms, applying a tremendous amount of pressure by compressing his massive bicep.
She tried to wiggle free, but it proved useless, his grip had already become to tight for any movement. She could feel her joints popping under the pressure and she groaned in pain. In response to his smug sneer, Catlyn glared as ferociously as she could before sinking her teeth into his shoulder.
Bane snarled and ripped her from his shoulder before throwing her into the mouth of the tunnel as the others made their appearance.
She spit out a mouthful of blood onto the floor of the tunnel before turning to Bane. "I haven't had my shots yet," she hissed from her position on the ground.
"Halt niños," Bane commanded, wiping away a small trickle of blood from the bite makes Catlyn left behind. "I'm feeling, explosive." He hit a sensor on the detonator and bombs lining the mouth of the passage became responsive to the remote trigger.
Robin stooped down to Catlyn's level, taking in the sight of Bane's smeared blood around her mouth.
"You betrayed us," Kaldur said astonished. "Why?"
"I want my factory back," Bane answered as if it were obvious. Using the team was just a means to an end.
Catlyn turned her head and spit out what remained of Bane's blood, roughly wiping away any remnants with the back if her gloved hand.
'Kid, you'll need a running start,' she heard Kaldur direct via Megan's telepathy.
Wally nodded and readied himself as Bane did what any villain would do in such a situation, monologue.
"So," he continued, "I forced you into a situation where you would either take down my enemies or die trying. If the latter, the Justice League would certainly have come to avenge their sidekicks," he smirked. "And when the smoke cleared, Santa Prisca would be mine once more. Blowing the tunnel with you inside," Bane said, beginning his wrap up.
Wally blazed past the others, swiping the detonator from Bane's hand mid sentence.
"Should have the same effect," He finally concluded, moving his thumb to push down on the plunger of the detonator he still believed to be contained in his hand. When he didn't feel anything, he opened his hand and stared dumbstruck when he discovered nothing there.
"With what?"Wally taunted from behind him. He leaned on the trunk of a tree with his arms crossed, looking quite content. "This trigger thingy?" he asked, holding up the detonator.
Bane yelled out in frustration and aimed a punch right at Wally's head. His fist stopped short however when Megan used her telekinesis to mentally jerk him back and suspend him in the air.
Catlyn watched with a satisfied smirk as Bane could do nothing but dangle and come to the realization that all his strength amounted to nothing now that he was within Megan's grasp.
A hand was presented to her, and by this time, she didn't need to look up to realize it was Robin.
She accepted the help, still feeling the affects of Bane's near bone crushing grip, and walked out of the mouth of the tunnel with the rest of her team.
"Finally!" Superboy said as he got into position beneath him, evidently having waited for this for a while. "Drop him," he commanded Megan.
With a small smile, Megan willingly complied and released Bane from her telekinetic hold.
Bane plummeted through the air and Superboy reeled back before punching him with enough force to send him sprawling into unconsciousness.
Catlyn took a few shaky steps towards Bane and readied her ball of twine. She wrapped him up tightly before securing him to the trunk of a large tree, making sure he had a clear view of the factory.
Kaldur came up behind her, the several pieces of her whip in his hands. "It seems we have missed quite the battle," he said, presenting her with the now useless strips of leather.
She gripped them tightly within her hand but could only bring herself to nod, still mourning the loss of such an outstanding and versatile weapon.
Robin leaned over to Megan and whispered something in her ear. He smiled and glanced over at Catlyn when he received an affirmative nod from the Martian.
"We must be on our way," Kaldur said, collecting the group as well as the remnants of the deceased weapon. "Kid, you take Black Cat and lead the way. We are going to stop that shipment."
Wally grinned and adjusted his goggles before facing Catlyn and sending a smirk over her shoulder. "Ready beautiful?" he asked with a wink before slinging her onto his back. He took off down the cliff, choosing the route with the most mild decline.
Catlyn, rather than wrapping her arms around his neck, gripped tightly onto both his shoulders and kept her head low to minimize the sting of the wind as they quickly closed the approached the main entrance of the factory.
Wally mowed down several guards before the sound of guns emptying their ammunition into the night destroyed the relative quiet.
His passenger reached into her utility belt and retrieved a small plastic lattice ball containing a miniscule metal ball. She tossed it into the direction of a grouping of armed guards, firing from a distance.
The ball rolled until it quivered on it's end. The metal ball split open and a green cloud of fog rose from the lattice work and into the air.
Sounds of bullets leaving the barrels of guns were replaced by choking and gasping as cult members fell limp to the ground.
Superboy landed, nearly crushing those in his wake and made eye contact with the monstrous beast that stood by Kobra's side. "Go again?" he asked with a smirk.
The creature roared and charged towards Superboy only to be blasted by a powerful jet of water from Kaldur.
"Sorry, not the plan," Superboy said, turning to the water-wielding teen.
'Aim at the exposed muscle,' Catlyn offered, reaching for another smoke bomb as she dismounted Wally.
Kaldur focused the stream as instructed and succeeded in driving the creature back a little faster.
More gunshots rang out on the helicopter pad followed by a grunt from Superboy
Catlyn and Wally continued incapacitating the guards, making sure the others were met with as little resistance as possible. Wally, of course, had to take something tangible from this mission. He found just the thing when he knocked into a cultist so hard that his black mask flew off.
"Souvenir," he called out, practically giddy.
Superboy allowed himself to be continuously shot at as to provide a distraction so that Megan could infiltrate the hull of the helicopter and position the bombs Bane had activated throughout.
Megan, in her camouflaged mode, flew at Sportsmaster from behind.
Somehow, he could sense her and jumped into the air, kicking her out of her flight pattern.
Megan landed on the ground with a grunt, now fully visible, and was collected in Sportsmaster's arms while he continued to fire at Superboy.
Robin made his grand appearance into the fray and ensnared Shimmer, Kobra's second in command, with a strand of nylon rope with weights on the end. "I know you hate getting your hands dirty," he smirked.
"True," Kobra replied, removing his hooded cloak, "but sometimes, even a god must stoop to conquer."
Robin rushed the leader of the cultist organization and leaped into the air, intending to knee him in the jaw.
Kobra caught his knee and stopped him as if it were nothing. He lifted his foot to avoid a low sweeping kick from Robin and caught him by the ankle without so much as a change in expression when Robin aimed a kick to the side of his head. He kicked out instead, landing it on his right side.
Robin landed on his feet, but slid backwards, putting his hand to the ground in an attempt to steady himself.
"What's wrong boy?" Kobra asked in his monotone voice, "You look disconcerted."
Kaldur, still keeping the beast at bay, sent an electrical charge surging though the water.
The creature roared only for a few seconds before smoking and coming to rest on the ground.
"Thanks for the workout," Sportsmaster sneered, backing into the loading dock of the helicopter, "but I gotta fly." He released Megan, throwing her right into Superboy, and closed the hatch.
She looked to Superboy and gave a sly smile, producing the detonator and pushing the plunger down once the helicopter was a safe enough distance way.
The helicopter combusted and traversed the air in a downward spiral until finally barreling into the factory, causing it to explode.
Catlyn could only imagine the look on Bane's face as he was made to watch his precious factory go up in flames.
A grunt from Robin called everyone's attention as he was still trying to bring down Kobra.
"I am plagued by mosquitoes," Kobra announced, anger very apparent in his tone. His foot was planted square on Robin's chest, effectively pinning him to the soil below.
"Good," Robin grunted, "'cause this mosquito's mighty concerted over your pain." He spun out from beneath Kobra's foot and rolled into a backwards handspring, landing right in front of the rest of the team, all of which were glaring pointedly at Kobra.
"Another time then," Kobra conceded, backing away into the lush greenery of the jungle.
Robin followed his path to the outskirts of the clearing and parted some low growing foliage only to discover he had vanished from sight. He returned to the group smiling, something which struck Catlyn as odd since he had been to intense during this mission. "We picked the right guy to lead," he said, walking up to Kaldur.
Catlyn smiled glad to see that a leader had been chosen without leaving bitterness in the wake of the decision.
"Automatically making you the right guy to explain this mess to Batman," he concluded with a wide gesture to the blazing factory before wrapping his arms around his stomach and laughing.
"Good luck," Catlyn wished as the team waited for Megan to call the spacecraft which would bring them back to Mount Justice.
The ride back to the team's headquarters was nearly silent. They were pleased that the mission had largely been a success, but the thought of what Batman would do considering they disobeyed him weighed heavily on everyone's minds.
It was late, or early by definition, by the time the ship landed on the platform and Batman was no where to be found.
Goodbyes were exchanged quickly and Megan, Superboy and Catlyn all ventured to the rear of the cave to their bedrooms to await the lecture that was surely on its way.
As anticipated, Batman called the team into the room where they first received their assignment the following afternoon.
"A simple recon mission," he started once all the members of the team had assembled. "Observe and report," he said, getting in in Kaldur's face.
Kaldur in return only looked down as if ashamed.
"You'll each receive a written evaluation detailing your many mistakes," Batman said, walking down the line of teenagers. "Until then, good job."
Had they heard right? Everyone looked to Batman surprised.
"No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. How you adjust to the unforeseen is what determines success, and how you chose who leads determines character," he concluded, leaving he young team to ponder that.
Kaldur and Robin smirked at one another.
The team then dispersed with the exception of Megan and Robin who converged on Catlyn.
She looked up at them confused, mostly because Megan seemed to be hiding something behind her back.
"We felt really bad about what happened to your whip," Megan began.
Catlyn gave a sad smile but shrugged. There was nothing left to do but move on and try and find a replacement as far as she was concerned.
"So we gathered up all the pieces," Robin continued with a smile.
"You really didn't have to do that," Catlyn said, still regarding them with a look of confusion.
"Well, it was organic so I was able to fuse it back together," Megan finished, pulling the whip out from behind her back and presenting it to her.
Catlyn's jaw nearly dropped to the floor as she gazed at her two closest friends in disbelief and took the whip with shaking hands. She stood up and wrapped Megan in a hug, thanking her profusely.
Megan giggled and hugged back. "It was Robin's idea," she admitted when the two parted before she walked off to find Superboy.
Catlyn looked over at Robin who was standing with his hands in his pockets and smiling warmly. She blushed softly as she walked over to him and slowly wrapped her arms around his torso, laying her head on his chest.
He pulled his hands from his pockets and embraced her in return, resting his cheek against her head.
"You're the best," she said quietly, smiling when she felt him give her one last squeeze before they both stepped back from one another.
A faint tint of pink colored his cheeks. "It was nothing," he answered. "Really."
She grinned faintly and shook her head. It was the only semblance of her past she had, and his preservation of it meant everything.
So there you have it. A little fluffy moment at the end since there really wasn't much opportunity for it during the actual mission.
I can't believe that this story has had over 1000 hits! That is absolutely mind boggling! Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing, and if you haven't, shamity shame shame.