Chapter 4: Mystery Man Identity
Stormbolt was hot on Copperhead's trail, moving in liquid form while he kept following the banging sounds she made. He kept trailing Copperhead through every corner of the abandoned hotel, feeling himself being weakened by Copperhead's neurotoxin as he stayed on her closely. He watched as Copperhead dived out of the venitalation shaft and into a abandon boiler room, where Stormbolt step out of the venitalation shaft in liquid form. He formed back to his human self as he looked at his surrounding, pipes and boilers which indicated it was in a basement. But there was no sign of Copperhead, that was until he heard a laugh echo throughout the boiler room.
"You don't give up, do you?"
"Well when you're poisoned by a snake lady, you tend to look for a antidote if she has one." Ethan mocked weakingly. "There's no antidote is there."
Copperhead laughed sinisterly. "Did you actually think I would have a antidote with me?" she step out of the shadows, showing a group of Copperheads. "Sorry, bonito. No cure. Though, I like the idea of playing with my prey while they get weakened. Unless..." Copperhead trailed off, smirking seductively. "You're looking for a good time before you die."
"I'll pass." Ethan replied, getting into a fighting stance
"Have it your way." Copperhead pouted as two of duplicates pounced at Stormbolt
"So many Coppys... or Coppies." Stormbolt pointed out tossing the first duplicate to the other while three more charged. "Wait, why am I doing this?" he asked himself as I froze the entire boiler room in ice, leaving only the true Copperhead's torso frozen in ice. "Well, that was easy." he glanced at the captured Copperhead. "What poison did you use?"
"Would you like to know."
"You know I could froze your body and this entire place, right?" Ethan stated, laying a touch on her face. "Snakes are cold blooded after all."
Copperhead slightly cocked her head, sending a wide grin Stormbolt's way. "As talented as I am in assassinations, Poison Ivy created the toxin for me." she saw he was getting weaker by the dark viens on his neck and body. "And judging by what's happening to your veins, it's growing faster than expected. I would hurry if I were you." Stormbolt left the boiler room, finding his way through a locked basement door as he headed for Poison Ivy's hideout
Stormbolt was getting weaker by the minute, his head heating and a flaring fever bothering him. He was still flying over to his place, but he sent falling down toward the top of a water tower as he coughed up blood. Ethan was a few blocks away to Poison Ivy's place, wiping off the blood from his mouth he decided to ice surf toward her safehouse. That was until he spotted Lady Shiva and the mystery man following her as Stormbolt landed on a nearby roof, only for him to fall on his back weakenly.
Lady Shiva kneel went down on her knees staring at Ethan, with the same being applied to the mysterious stranger. "I take it that you went after Copperhead." she moved his face left seeing the black viens in his neck becoming dark. "Won't be long before it enters your brain in the final stage. Saving your heart."
"Look if you're here to kill me, just-" Ethan was cut off when Lady Shiva pressed her finger on his lips, giving him a constant stare
"We did not come here to kill you. If we did, you would be dead with one swift strike by now." Shiva removed her finger away from his lips. "Know this, in thirty minutes Arkham City was burn."
"By who? You two?" he querry staring weaken at Lady Shiva and the mysterious stranger
"No, not us. Only Hugo Strange." Lady Shiva stated. "But I doubt you could stop him in your condition."
"Mistress..." the mysterious accomplise said
"It seems we're wasting time. I must now take my leave." Shiva said preparing to leave the roof
"Mistress." Lady Shiva glanced at the mysterious stranger. "Could I speak with him for just a moment?"
"Do as you wish." she replied as she vanished, leaving only the mysterious stranger and Stormbolt
"I think you were this strong." the mysterious stranger then showed a mischevious grin on his face. "Aside from the witty attitude, you still maintain to be yourself since then."
Ethan quirked his eyebrow strangely at the mystery man. "Do I know you?"
the mystery man smirked at Stormbolt's confusion. "You should know me from high school. After all, I know you Ethan."
Ethan's eyes suddenly went wide as the mysterious man said his name. "Who- wait a minute Hector? Hector Mendez?"
"In the flesh." Hector answered helping him up off the floor. "It's good to see you again, my friend."
"What are you doing here?" Ethan asked Hector. "I haven't seen you since graduation."
"I've been away." he implied looking away. "Two weeks after I lost my father, I went away looking for... guidance. A purpose. That's when Lady Shiva found me and took me under my way unoffically."
"Unoffically? So, are you with the League of Assassins then?"
Hector shook his head in a no. "I'm not with them. Tonight, Shiva said what I would do here is my own choice. And now..."
"Now what?"
"Now I have decided. I'll help you protect Arkham City from whatever Protocol 10 is." Hector declared. "After that, I plan on leaving Gotham. Try to find someplace to else to live instead."
"I might do the same thing." he coughed. "After I get cured and stop whatever Protocol 10 is in Arkham City."
"Where you plan to go to find a cure?" Hector asked folding his arms together
"Copperhead used a toxin created by Poison Ivy. Hopefully, she does." Ethan stated with water rushing through his body to contain the poison. "My healing power should be able to hold it off for now."
"Fine by me. I'll get the innocent out of Arkham city." Hector said, now leaving the roof but glanced at Ethan. "I'll come back to help you out."
"Thanks, now get going." Ethan said as he ice surfed ahead to Poison Ivy's hideout, but he suddenly caught a glimpse of two figures. He quickly narrowed his eyes as he spotted Catwoman and a red haired woman wearing a overcoat, holding a bo staff in her hand which he figured out was Breeze. "Wonder where those two are heading at." he coughed with a small bit of blood coming out. "Focus, Ethan." he said to himself as he made it Poison Ivy's safehouse, shifting into water to get pass the fenced wall. "Now. Let's hope she's in a good mood." he replied as he opened the door going inside, closing the door on his way in Poison Ivy's hideout
Ethan looked around his surroundings, seeing vines and green leaves covered the entire room. He could hear the vines and plants move due to the wind blowing into their direction. Then suddenly, vines started to move and stare at Stormbolt as he walked closer only to stop spotting a hole down below. Down below were giant pods opened, covered by gang inmates such as Joker, Penguin, Black Mask and Two-face along with guards from TYGER knocked unconscious. Then out of nowhere, the wall covered in trees and leaves began to spread out revealing a woman. Except this was no ordinary woman. She had long red hair, green skin with vine covered leaves. Her radiant green eyes wearing only a red arkham prison shirt, with the shirt unbuttoned. This woman was the plant human hybrid known as Poison Ivy as she smirked at the sight of Ethan while she sat on her throne.
"Well, well." she stood up from her chair. "Is this a surprise."
"Ivy." Ethan said placing his hand on his stomach. "I need the antidote you made for Copperhead. Strange is planning something big and I intend find out what it is."
Poison Ivy placed her hands on her hips. "I see." she turned away from Ethan hiding a smile crossing her face. "I could cure you. But only one condition. Something that I need of you."
Ethan quirked his eyebrow. "What do you want?"
"It's simple." Poison Ivy walked toward Ethan with a constant smile on her face, swaying her hips seductively as she approached him. "I want a kiss from you. Only a sample. If you don't, then I can't help you."
Ethan sighed. "Alright. Here I go." he walked toward Poison Ivy, placing both of his hands on her shoulder as he and Ivy kissed.
Ivy parted her lips with his as she looked disappointed, now walking away. "What a shame."
"Wait!" Ethan yelled out as Poison Ivy turned around with a grin on her face. "Again. Please." he pleaded with Poison Ivy walking an inch closer. And at that point, Ethan knew he had to get on board with the part.
Ethan pulled off his goggles as he pressed his lips toward Ivy's, kissing her passionately as both of their eyes closed. The kissing started getting more intense, their tongues wrestling against each other. Ivy wrapped her arms around Stormbolt's neck while Ethan moved his hands down her waist. One hand was kept on her waist, while the other firmly giving her bottom a nice squeeze as she moaned pulling away from the kiss. Ethan pulled his goggles back on while Ivy made her way to a table where a blue vial laid as she grabbed it, approaching Ethan with it.
Ivy caressed his cheek as she poured the potion down his throat. "The antidote as promised." she said as the dark viens on Ethan's body began to vanish, throwing the empty vial down in the process. "As you can see, I honor my part of the bargain."
"Thanks for the cure, Ivy." Ethan said rubbing the back of his head. "I... should be going." he suddenly heard explosions coming from outside
Poison Ivy sat back on her throne, giving a seductive smirk at Ethan. "Don't be a stranger." she stated as Ethan left to