Chapter 13: A Higher Power?

"Go slow James." Alcor warned. "You know the risks."
Nodding, the young fighter placed his hands on either side of Max's throat. The child stood nervously still as Solarium slowly started to move into his body.
The energy slowly covered the dead vocal cords and started to regenerate its cells.
"So far so good." James said. "The Solarium is regenerating his cells."
"Good." Alcor replied. "I'm keeping track—"

"AHH!"

Suddenly, James was blasted backwards into the wall. Groaning, he slowly stood up as Max ran up to him and took his hand.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Cadmus seems to have known you would try to fix his voice." Alcor answered, annoyed. "They've put an antimatter barrier around his dead vocal cords in order to keep your Solarium away."
"Joy. So they have found a way to neutralize it." James groaned again. "We'll need some outside help."
"Indeed we will." He agreed. "For now, we'll leave it alone."

James sat down on his bed and looked up at the ceiling.

"This sucks!" He spat, frustrated. "Lana is killing all of these huge figures one at a time and for what!? I can't seem to find a connection between any of them! I mean Eugene Fredrickson was part of the World Soccer Federation; John Stevenson was part of the Lifeline Insurance Company, Emily Correia was a lobbyist! Stanley Jones was a powerful rich murderer!"
Sighing, he sat up and looked at this night table. He could see some dollar bills and change left over there from his last meal. Grabbing a dollar, he looked at the back.
"Man." James sighed. "I need to get a job. Even with the lottery winnings I don't feel comfortable with it. God now I know how everyone else felt…"
His eyes suddenly fell on the eye of providence on the left side of the bill.
"One hell of a thing to get all nuts about." James muttered. "Eye of Providence. Sounds like junk food for conspiracy theorists."

"It was also once associated with the Freemasons." Alcor added. "Although many masonic groups have denied the connection."
Just then, he leaped out of his bed with an epiphany.
"Wait a minute…" James started. "Each of these murders…were connected to Lana's supposed capture and selling into sex slavery as she said. What if…these victims are actually part of a large organization?"
"It's certainly possible." Alcor answered. "Maybe there is some sort of symbol on their person. I'm going to access and GCPD victim photos and transfer them to the Ari1."
Nodding, James removed his mobile device and projected the images onto the wall. Suddenly, he could see a tiny black symbol on each victim's shin.
"How the hell did we miss this!?" He slapped his forehead in surprise. "Zoom in!"
After Alcor zoomed the picture in 30 times, they could see a tattoo was present.

Each picture showed that all the victims had the same tattoo on their right shin. The symbol looked like an N with a W underneath; a large circle surrounded both letters.
"Cross-check that symbol with a relevant organization." James ordered.
"Cross-checking all known cults, religious groups, and organizations now." Alcor spoke as thousands of images flew across the screen.
Suddenly, a news article with the large chalk-drawn image of the symbol appeared on the screen.
"This is a Gotham Times news article from May 1, 2009." Alcor answered.
"May Day, and the same month Hanna disappeared." James nodded. "That can't be a coincidence."
"Indeed." He replied. "The article states that this symbol was found in the Diamond District on a wall in an alleyway near city hall. The times reported that a few hours after this symbol was found, an explosion ripped through the top floor of the hall and killed 22 people. Apparently they call themselves N.O.S. It is an abbreviation of Novus ordo seclorum also known as—"

"New World Order in Latin." James finished. "Oh lord…it looks like we're dealing with something much bigger than we thought."

"An organization with such a name is not one to be taken lightly." Alcor agreed. "According to the article, a list was leaked to the internet which exposed some of the members of N.O.S. What's more, some of these names…I think you know where I'm going with this."
James nodded. "Some of those names are our victims?"
"So far, all of our victims are on this list." Alcor confirmed. "Which means this organization is very powerful. Having such rich and influential people on this list scares me."
"This list has been moved and updated several times in the 6 years since." James noticed. "Are others taking notice of this? If so, we need to find them. Let's head over to our base and let our team know."

"Novus Ordo Seclorum?" Joe asked. "Sounds like an organization that means business."
"Dis is good though!" Georgina insisted. "Now ve know Lana's list!"
George nodded. "How many victims?"
After James dropped Max off at the Batcave, he and Alcor quickly called the rest of his team to the Ace Chemicals factory.
"Nine." Leslie said reading the list. "There are 20 names on this list, and nine are dead. That leaves 11."
Joe suddenly gasped. "Wait a minute, Zach Mosart our state senator is on this list!?"

James whipped around and read the list.

"Yeah he is!" Leslie exclaimed, shocked. "B-but why is he in this organization!? And he's not dead! I was just watching him on TV earlier today!"
"Not good." James folded his arms. "Lana hasn't attacked in 6 months. She said that there are 'so many other variables in play at the moment' according to Batman. He might be her target. We need to get to him quickly!"
Nodding, they decided to split up and go to the city hall to find Senator Mosart's office. Quickly switching to his Nightshroud attire, James flew at full speed and arrived there in a flash. He flew through a grate on the roof and crawled through the ventilation shaft.
"Alright James." Alcor spoke. "I've downloaded the schematics for Gotham City Hall. Since we're at the top, you need to go down to the Southwest corner of the building. Take a left here."
Complying, he looked through the vent and could see Senator Mosart pacing around the room talking on his cell phone.

"Say James…" Alcor suggested. "I noticed his shadow. Have you ever thought of hiding in there?"
"Hide in his shadow?" James wondered. "How?"
"If you can use your Solarium to phase into his shadow, you'll become a part of it. You'll be hiding in the darkness from the ground but you'll see him. Think about it like hitching a ride on a convoy."
"Ooh, I like the sound of that. Okay, I'll try."

He grabbed the grate and slowly pulled it into the shaft with him. Then he watched as Senator Mosart continued to pace around the room. Suddenly, he stopped with his back turned.

"Now!"

Nightshroud silently flew downwards into the floor and dropped into Senator Mosart's shadow.
"Wow this is comfy!" Nightshroud thought. "It's like I'm laying down on a moving bed."
"Luxurious." Alcor played along. "But also the perfect hiding spot. It looks like Senator Mosart is safe for now, but we need to see if we can gather anymore information here."
"I'm gonna listen in." Nightshroud thought.
"Yes I know the committee is delaying the vote." Senator Mosart said. "The Majority Whip is telling me that I should reintroduce the bill to the floor and hopefully this time it'll pass. I could barely speak with any of my colleagues because they were all so afraid of having their names out there except for Senator Simonson. He was one of the few against this bill from the very start. He was also an idiot who proclaimed that he was proud to be supported by the oil and gas industry. I usually do not mean to speak ill of the dead…but he should've known the target on his back. I didn't expect them to cover for him, and he paid for it."

"I think he's talking about the Family Needs For Benefits Act." James thought. "John Stevenson was the one who killed the bill, but now he's dead along with this Senator Simonson guy. It looks like either he's been killed long ago, or there's something Senator Mosart knows before any of us."
"And who is THEM?" Alcor added. "Maybe its NOS?"
"Most likely, which means we were right. He is a part of them." James realized.

Suddenly, the lights went out. Senator Mosart looked around the room alarmed.
"I think…she's here!" He whispered into the phone, worried.
"She is here…" James thought.
Just then the windows exploded open, and the whole back wall collapsed. Standing there was Lana in a red and black cloak with gold designs.
"Senator Mosart." Lana greeted with a grin. "A pleasure."
The lawmaker slowly backed away. "W-what do you want with me?"
"It's obvious isn't it?" She took a step forward. "Remember H.R. 2251?"

"The…sex trafficking bill…6 years ago" Mosart realized. "You…were taken?"
"That is correct." She nodded. "That bill sealed my fate. The moment that bill was passed, I was done for and you know why."
"It was meant to be a compromise!" Mosart protested. "I was forced to accept a new bill in return for prison reform!"
Lana suddenly burst out laughing.
"How ironic!" She exclaimed, still grinning. "In an effort to fix the prison problem here in this city, you condemned so many girls here to sex slavery!"
"P-please…" Mosart fell on his knees. "I didn't want it to happen but—"
"You just wanted your bill passed is that it?" Lana suddenly delivered a tornado kick against his ribs sending him smashing into the wall. He groaned in pain and fell to the floor. The sudden movement made the shadow jump into the wall behind him with James still inside.

The Joker and Scarecrow War did not cause my abduction Senator." Lana walked up to him sneering.
"That war was only a cover for the real danger: N.S.O."
Mosart gasped. "H-how d-do you know that name!?"
"I've dealt with a few of them already." She grabbed him by the collar and smashed him into the wall. The Senator coughed up blood as his head was forced against the wall.
"While the little fight was going on, that bill went into effect and N.S.O. suddenly swooped in and started abducting every hot girl they could find to sell on the black market. And the unlucky thing about me was that I was out at night with my friends and family celebrating my impending graduation."

James nearly gasped out loud.
"No…"

"Might I repeat the provisions in H.R. 2251?" Lana growled. "Provision 1: Sex-trafficking prevention programs are defunded. Provision 2: Gag rule on "sex-trafficking" on the Senate floor. Finally provision 3: Any abduction or disappearance of girls aged 9-33 is considered 'dead'. Now tell me, who would let such a radical bill be passed under his own nose; a man who prides himself on 'social justice'?"
Senator Mosart shook with fear. "I-I'm sorry!"
"It's too late for that." Lana raised her right arm back. "Six years too late."
Suddenly, a powerful blast of Solarium struck Lana in the chest and sent her flying out of the office and onto a rooftop. Groaning, she tried to sit up, only to be suddenly grabbed by the throat. She blinked and saw Nightshroud over her with tears running down his eyes.

"Oh. So you…finally…figured it out did you?" Lana asked, choking.
Nightshroud/James suddenly raised his foot and smashed down on her left leg, breaking it.
"AAARRRRAAHH!" She screamed as more tears ran down his face.
"I did that so you wouldn't get away." James sniffed. "I'm so sorry. But yes, I did figure it out."
"Oh. Well…let me…hear this." Lana said as James took his hand off of her throat.
"The class ring, the murder targets, the demeanor, your language, it was all right in front of me all this time." James cried. "I didn't want to believe that you had become such a cold-hearted killer but you have."

He looked up into the sky for a moment before locking eyes with the girl he knew.

"Hello…Hanna Davis."

What's this? Lana is Hanna? How!? Find out next time!