I do not own any DC Characters used herein, and am only employing them in a story meant for entertainment purposes only.
Man Of Steel
Original Story by LJ58 (Inspired by Twisted-Wun)
Edited and Reposted (With Permission) by LJ58
18
He stepped out of the shadows even as the lights snapped on in the penthouse suite. The balcony doors were open, but he had already seen the shadowy figure step inside via the suite. He moved with the drapes, stepping forward, and yet staying in the remaining shadow as the woman padded through the living room, peeling off her mask as she headed for the back.
"Up late, Ms. Kyle," Batman growled.
The woman froze, spinning around, a look of genuine surprise on her features as she stared at the intruder.
"You!"
"Me," Batman growled. "Where is the artifact?" She slowly relaxed, smirking as she playfully swatted her own leather-clad thigh with her mask.
"Did you come for it? Or me?"
"Both. It's going back to the museum. You're going to jail."
"No, I don't think so."
"It's not a choice," Batman growled.
"No? Suppose I showed you something that made you….change your mind," she said, and slowly raised one hand to tug at the zipper at her throat, letting the leather catsuit part just enough to bare the pale, creamy flesh of her throat.
"You're not my type," Batman growled, and took a step forward, eyes narrowed on her hands, rather than the exposed column of her neck leading down toward her cleavage.
"Funny. I thought I was everyone's type," she purred, and preened before him. "Besides, that wasn't the offer I was making. Follow me," she said, and walked toward the short hall. Right toward the blank wall between two bedrooms.
Batman said nothing, but he followed.
Every muscle tense, and ready. His eyes assessing every move she made as she reached up to press a stud in an overhead vent.
The panel popped open, and she stepped into a dimly lit room that was just over six foot square. In the center was a raised, slender altar with obviously Egyptian hieroglyphics. Atop it was a small, stone replica of the missing statue. Only where the original had been some kind of gilded gold façade adorned with costly jewels, this one was simply stone. Plain, featureless stone. It no longer even held the staff and bow the original held.
"That's not the artifact," Batman growled.
"Actually, it is," Catwoman smiled. "I told you, I was freeing the goddess imprisoned within. You might call it, a quest I recently completed."
"I don't buy it," Batman shot back.
"No? Well, you missed your chance to meet the goddess before her departure," Selina smiled. "But she left me a gift. Want to see?"
Batman didn't have time to react as Selina crossed her arms in the same fashion as the stone statuette, and a faint, amber glow surrounded her like a pale aura. Even as her hands dropped, the woman was gone.
In her place stood a lithe, anthropomorphic feline holding a long, ironwood bo staff like the one the original statue had been depicted holding.
"How about now, Batboy," she asked, her voice a low growling purr as the melding of human and feline in that furred visage struck him as far too authentic to be faked.
"You're not the first shape-shifter, or meta I've encountered," he growled, and deftly palmed three small pellets, preparing for the fight he sensed was coming.
She chortled.
"Oh, Batman," she cooed. "I didn't realize you were so…..worldly," she laughed, and lunged forward.
Batman flung the pellets, two releasing a knockout gas, and one a fast-drying polymer designed to wrap around an opponent's limbs to incapacitate them.
Only Selina had not merely reacted.
She had acted.
Her lunge was a feint to allow her to use the staff to leap over him, and then she was somersaulting through the door, slamming it shut as he turned to stare at the seamless wall now imprisoning him.
And he had fallen for it.
He went to the door, and slid gloved hands over the panel, seeking a trigger. He ignored the gas still filling the room. He was wearing special nose filters in his cowl anyway. A lesson learned after one too many encounters with madmen that favored gases of their own.
He finally found the trigger, and pushed the opened panel out to burst into the hall.
As expected, Selina was already gone.
Walking back to the balcony, he stared around the city before him, ignoring the ominous clouds overheard, and scowled into the darkness.
Fast.
Skilled.
Devious.
A very real cat-woman.
"Catwoman, indeed," he murmured to himself.
Even as he pulled out a grapple, he heard the faint scrape of booted feet, and a small, wiry frame landed next to him.
"She got away," Robin exclaimed in genuine surprise. "From you?"
"She's got more tricks than I anticipated," he admitted. "But I know her now. She won't escape again."
"But…. From you?"
"Robin, focus. We're still on patrol. Let's go," he ordered, and flung himself out into the open air even before his grapple fired.
Robin looked back into the now empty suite, and chuckled.
"This lady sounds like fun. I've got to meet her!"
Hidden eyes gleamed with mirth as Selina watched from the shadows as the more brightly clad boy followed his mentor.
"Be careful what you wish for, little birdie," she tittered, and turned to follow the pair into the night as lightning flashed in the near distance.
MoS
Captain Atom stared at the red planet that loomed before them as they left the Boom Tube, as the New God called Orion named it.
A three week trip in the most advanced rocket he had ever seen had just been reduced to a single eye blink when the Highfather dismissed them after he spoke with them. His mind was still reeling over the conference, and then to be sent home by the ageless sentient with such casual ease was beyond belief.
He had offered to put them right back on their own planet, but to his surprise, Kal-El had suggested a nearby point from which they would return under their own power.
"Some of those on the planet already fear what they do not understand. I would rather not give them cause to fuel their paranoia," he had told the older man who led the New Gods.
"I bow to your wisdom," the man had simply deferred to his choice, and opened a hole in space that parked them just outside Mars' inner orbit. Barely an hour from Earth with their current speed.
"That's….Earth," Kara asked, staring at the blue and green orb just ahead as she sat next to her cousin, absorbing everything he said or did.
She also, Nathanial noted, tended to avoid Flash.
He didn't blame her.
"That's Earth," he told her.
"And….we can fly there?"
"We can," Kal-El told her. "You have to be careful, though. We're much stronger than the ordinary inhabitants of the planet. You could seriously injure them if you are not careful. You must guard your strength at all times, or you might…."
"I understand," Kara murmured. "I figured that out after I realized what I did to that door," she said, and held up one small, deceptively dainty hand. "Father would never believe this were he here."
Kal-El said nothing to that.
She often mentioned her family. Spoke of his own parents with a careless familiarity, but all he really knew came from a recorded hologram that had taught him all he had lost. It was, he knew, not the same as having lived with those people.
"I suggest we stop at the Watchtower first," J'onn told him. "As I expect you wish to take Kara….home, we will disembark there, and report in our own fashion to those expecting us."
"As you wish, J'onn," Kal-El told him. "If you like, I'll leave the ship in the Watchtower so no one can else can reach it. I would rather not leave it parked outside….my place. Even with my defenses, it might prove….careless."
"Understood," the Martian agreed.
"Watchtower," Kara asked as they neared the planet.
"There," Diana pointed with pride as they approached the planet, and banked to follow the curve of the northern hemisphere below.
Kara's eyes rounded as she saw the massive construct that orbited the planet.
"It's…..huge," she rasped. "Like a city in space."
"Not quite that big," J'onn told her as they neared the artificial satellite, and prepared to approach as Captain Atom radioed the clearance codes to open a hangar.
"Can we look around," Kara asked. "How do you power it? Is there gravity? How do you create it? What about….?"
"Slow down," Kal-El smiled at her. "We have time. You'll be seeing much more than this before we're done."
Captain Atom eyed Kal-El, and said nothing as he turned from indicating the hangar being opened for them, waiting for whatever was to come.
"Welcome back, guys," a voice quipped. "But you're early."
"Who," Diana frowned.
They were soon introduced to Robin. Who was a surprise to all of them.
MoS
Bruce was still drowsy with sleep when Alfred appeared in his room, and cleared his throat.
"I beg your pardon, sir, but you have a most insistent guest who refuses to be put off."
"I don't care what paper they're with," Bruce growled irritably, "Get rid of them."
"The young lady didn't say she was a reporter, Master Bruce," the loyal butler, and companion told him dryly. "She did, however, say, she enjoyed playing, ahem, cat-and-mouse with you."
Bruce tensed, and still wearing only pajama pants, and a robe he was just pulling on at the time, all but flew down the stairs.
To find Selina Kyle standing in his drawing room, studying the oversized portrait of his family.
"Hello… Bruce," the stylishly dressed brunette smiled. "Nice place. Better than mine. But, then, you can afford it, can't you?"
"What brings you here, Ms. Kyle," he asked. "I'm afraid I don't….."
"Oh, come on," she smiled. "The stuffy lord of the manor doesn't quite suit you. Especially while you're….out of uniform, as it were," she grinned at him. "Still, I didn't think surprising you below would have been….smart."
"Touché," Bruce murmured.
"Before you get all cranky," she grinned, raising both hands. "I'd like to talk. Just talk. Perhaps arrange….a truce?"
Bruce's eyes narrowed as he eyed her.
"Why would I want a truce with you," he asked, his voice dropping an octave, and his grim tone sounding far more familiar to her ears.
"I get the whole law-and-order bit, Bruce," she smiled, and walked over to stand before him, barely inches between them as he didn't move an inch.
His eyes narrowed all the more, and his tone grew even colder when she started to reach out to cup his cheek, and his hand rose to intercept hers.
"Let's cut to the chase, Catwoman," he growled.
"Oh, Bruce. Relax, darling. I'm here strictly to talk."
She turned, walked over to an overstuffed divan, and dropped down.
"Now, relax," she said, and patted the cushion next to her. "Have your man bring us some tea, or whatever, and let's chat. Man to woman. Or….bat to cat, if you prefer."
Bruce stared. Hard.
"Downstairs. I don't mix business with my public life," he growled, and turned to leave.
"Lead the way," she cooed, and walked after him, not showing any surprise when he opened a panel behind an old grandfather clock, and leapt for the pole beyond.
She followed him down, graceful in spite of her dress, and landed just an instant after him as he walked away into the shadows. He reappeared a few moments later, back in full costume.
Selina sighed.
"Well, there goes the mood," she sighed.
"Tell me one reason I shouldn't drag you in to the authorities right now?"
"You'd have to catch me first," she suggested.
Batman's eyes ranked her lithe figure framed to perfection in the violet dress, and matching heels.
"It'd be an interesting race. But, I really am here just to talk."
"Then talk," Batman growled.
"Okay, okay. Jeez, you are the workaholic type, aren't you. Fine, fine. First, I'll give you something to prove my….sincerity," he was told.
Batman just stood there, staring coldly.
Selina sighed.
"I honestly need your help. But, I heard it on the grapevine that you need mine, too."
"Your help," he quipped skeptically.
"Yes. I know who's pushing the arms in Gotham. Likely in quite a few other cities in the region."
"Do you?"
"I do. He's approached me, and in doing so, stepped on my toes, too, as it were. So, you see, we'd actually be helping each other out if you agree to…."
"Who?"
Selina sobered, and glanced around the shadowy cave so massive she couldn't see all the walls. Let alone the ceiling.
"Ra's."
Batman sobered.
"What do you know of the League of Assassins?"
"Enough to know al Ghul is insane. Unlike you, he believes in the goddess. He stole an aspect of her still imprisoned, and which I hoped to free, and is trying to coerce me into aiding him in exchange for her return."
"Your mutual beliefs aside," Batman murmured thoughtfully. "What is planning?"
Selina sobered now, and looked positively grim as she told him, "Genocide."
"You'll have to be more specific. He's been plotting the end of Mankind for as long as I've known him."
"But he's ready to start fulfilling that dream now. He's….acquired some seriously high-tech weaponry. Weaponry tweaked by some freaky genius he has on his parole. He's arming all the gangs in the major cities…."
"I know that much. What's the plan beyond that?"
"He's going to ignite a race war. Using the gangs, he wants to start a citywide conflict that will not just turn national, but global. He intends to use flashpoints to start a madness exploiting race and fanaticism that will wipe out most of the world's population. Needless to say, even I'm not into genocide."
"When does it start," Batman demanded. "Where?"
"I don't know. But I did hear one name."
"What name?"
"The genius tweaking his tech. Angora Lapin. They call her the White Rabbit. She's as crazy as he is, but the difference is, she only cares about the money she thinks she'll make."
Batman stared hard at her.
Then nodded.
"Tell me everything. From the beginning," he told her.
Selina smiled.
MoS
The ironically named Dove clutched her throat, trying in vain to breathe as the last ounces of oxygenated water were pumped from her tank, and left the mostly humanoid fish-girl painfully gasping for breath that would not come.
Dr. Dabney Donovan stared at the creature with elongated fins for lower limbs, and webbed hands as she stared in horror at him and the other guards that were executing all those the new director deemed 'inferior.' She was, unfortunately, on the short list.
"You can't just murder these people," Jim Harper shouted, held back by no less than four, burly guards that had stopped him from interfering.
"They aren't people, Mr. Harper. Any more than you are a real man," he snorted. "They are assets. Specimens. In this case, worthless ones," he drawled as the pug-faced man with overly thick glasses watched indifferently as the female died by inches. "And they must be swept aside to make way for the next generation of more worthy creations."
"Damn you….!"
"Careful, Mr. Harper," the scientist chortled. "Or I might reconsider your value to this project, too."
"Reconsider mine," another voice spat, and a man was flung aside even as Guardian's fallen shield suddenly went spinning through the air before them, severing two different pipes, and freeing the water to rush back into the large tank as the female buried her face in the first precious inches of life-giving water as Dabney spun around to stare at the intruder.
"Sorry, James," the smirking teen said as he faced off against the security guards. "But I think the covert part of this mission just went south." He cracked his knuckles as he added, "Which suits me fine. Ready to party," he asked the guards around him, not even moving.
Not one of them so much as lifted a weapon.
"I've been expecting you ever since these freaks started disappearing," Dabney smirked. "And I've got just the thing for you," he said, and pulled out a small, lead box from a coat pocket.
Connor frowned at the small, glittering stone of dark green, and reached out and plucked it from the velvet case lined in lead.
"What? Jewelry," he laughed, tossing it from one hand to the other. "Guess you didn't get the memo," he said. "It don't bother us any more," he said, and carelessly tossed the meteor over his shoulder.
Dabney Donovan cursed vehemently, and backed away from the insolent clone.
"You think you've won? I haven't even begun, you pretentious little boy," he spat, and shouted at one of the arriving men, "Fry them! Fry them all!"
"Huh? Yeow," Connor exclaimed, feeling the temperature of the superheated gases before the liquid napalm was fired in his direction, aimed at the other people in the lab slotted for 'clearing,' too.
Then he lifted his hands, somehow pushed back, and the flame seemed to turn and blow back at the men firing their modified flamethrowers. The men screamed, but Connor was indifferent. He was busy patting out the flames fluttering around his jacket, his eyes dark with indignation.
"Do you know what this thing cost me," he demanded. "Talk about a lack of respect!"
"Go," Guardian barked at him, knowing if Donovan had departed, it was bring back heavier artillery. "Get them out of here now, before….."
"Going," Connor agreed, and ripped the chains off a tall, rocky humanoid with a cocky grin. "Can you grab our mermaid, big guy? I have the feeling my hands are going to be full very soon."
The craggy visage split a grin, and he lifted the entire tank, now overflowing with water, and followed Connor and Guardian back toward the main vault.
"Time for a mass exodus, everyone," Connor called out. "The cat's out of the bag, and we are out of time," he told them, ripping away the panel that had been used of late to smuggle out the genomorphs in hoped-for secrecy before anyone realize what they were doing. Obviously, someone had noticed.
Freeing all the others they could manage, Connor gestured them on, and then stood in the mouth of the tunnel he had expanded to help smuggle out his 'brothers,' as he deemed them.
"Go," he told James when he stopped to put himself between the departing refugees, and the soon to be arriving guards. "I'll hold them back long enough for you to blow the tunnel."
"And leave you here? Even you couldn't….."
Connor just stared at him.
"You think they're going to let you get away with this one," he asked him. "Go. I'll be fine. You aren't bulletproof."
"Neither are you," Guardian quipped.
"What? Of course I am. Haven't you been paying attention….?"
"Yes. You, however, haven't. You're not invulnerable. You're using a powerful telekinetic ability to protect yourself. You should have noticed that when you shoved back the flames. Donovan likely noticed that, too, and he's going to exploit that. You can't watch your front, and your back. I can."
"No martyrs today, James," Connor told him without replying to his claims, and grabbed him, and flung him down the tunnel.
He then drove a fist into the nearest support pillar, and collapsed his end of the tunnel.
Just as he heard the first shouts of men running his way.
He eyed the few genomorphs too dependent on their artificial environments to safely move, and gave them a grim smile as he shoved the panel back into place, then strained to move a heavy console to hide its looseness. Hopefully long enough for the others to bring down the rest of the tunnel, and get away.
He heard hard hammering at the Vault door, and eyed the others again, remarking, "Well, this didn't quite turn out like I planned."
Continued…..