Chapter 49: Lost Kitty
Authors Note: Hey everyone finally got back from my cruise which was awesome. I explored Mayan Ruins and kissed a dolphin and met some cool people to party with all week which was awesome. But I got serious sunburn which hurt to the point I was shaking and had blisters and forgot my towel on the pool deck at night got drunk and caught a cold on the last day. So yeah came home with some bad skin and a sore throat, but I had fun. Even if I'm peeling like crazy. Also saw the new Young Justice episode which was awesome. Still pissed that it's going away, but I'm still crossing my fingers, but not holding my breath. Okay, so new chapter.
Okay King Leo your time to shine. This is the introduction of the latest character Surge AKA Mark Kyle. I've been looking forward to writing this chapter and now it's going to happen. So I hope you all enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Batman.
(Many Years Ago)
A little boy and his older sister were currently sitting in a police station at another officer's desk. The girl was seven and the boy was four, but they both had short black hair and bright green eyes. The boy looked down at his small feet and cried.
"Is it my fault momma killed herself?" The boy asked, tears slowly falling down his face. The girl immediately wrapped her arms around him and stared him in the eyes.
"You listen to me good Mark." The girl said getting a stunned look from the boy. "Momma was depressed since Papa left not because of you and no one except her put the knife to her chest okay?"
The boy was still stunned but with a rough shake from his sister he was broken from his trance.
"I said okay?" She growled.
"Okay." The boy nodded. His sister let out a heavy sigh and held her brother close.
"From now on we look after each other okay?" She asked.
"Okay."
They continued holding each other before a police officer walked into the office.
"Mark and Selina Kyle, we are having you two placed in Saint Mary's Orphanage." He said. "I know this has been rough on you two but will you be alright?"
"Yes, as long as we're together that's all we need officer." Selina said causing the officer to smile.
"That's good family is the most important thing in your lives right now. And listen call me Jim."
(2 years later)
"Mark, I sneaked us some pudding from the cafeteria." Selina whispered through her brother's door.
Life was rough at the orphanage but they made do with what they could. Selina always saw an opportunity to cheer her baby brother up and she took it just to make him happy.
Sometimes she literally had to take them.
The pudding was locked in the pantry and would only be served if they were good and when they ate their vegetables. Selina saw one of the lunch ladies use a key to unlock the door and left it on the hook, it was actually pretty easy to steal. Her guess was they thought none of the kids would have the guts to steal, which they were right. But when Selina wanted something she took it.
She then knocked on her brother's door again only to receive more silence. Worried she opened the door and gasped when she saw that his bed was folded up. She dropped the pudding, which broke open and spilled all over the floor and quickly rushed to the main yard of the orphanage.
She had been in this hell hole for two years and every time she saw one of the beds folded up in a room it meant only one thing.
Adoption.
She burst through the doors of the orphanage and saw Mark being led to a car by a man dressed in a military uniform and woman dressed in a navy uniform.
"Mark!" Selina shouted.
Mark's ears spiked up like a cats and her turned to see Selina running for him. Mark started to panic when the couple gripped his arms and held him in place.
"You said you were adopting her too." Mark whimpered, tears slowly pouring down his cheeks.
"I lied, America needs soldiers not trouble makers." The man said as he and his wife dragged him to the car.
"Get off of him!" Selina yelled while running to him. She was the stopped when strong hand gripped her arm. She looked up to see Sister Marian with a stern look on her face.
"If it's meant to be it's meant to be child." She said in a low voice. "It's Gods will."
Selina snapped and started biting at her hand and clawing her wrist.
"Screw you, you're crazy!" She shouted. She then turned to Mark and reached her hand out towards him. "Mark!"
"Selina!" Mark shouted, but it was no good. He was thrown into the car and quickly sped off never seeing his sister again.
(12 years later)
A young eighteen year old Mark Kyle, whose hair was now shaved down to his scalp, stepped off the bus and in front of Saint Mary's Orphanage. After he was taken from this place his parents, though he used the term loosely, they had trained him from the get go. They ran drills, pushed his limits and broke him down physically.
That was the father.
His mother, made him sit through classed on how to be a field specialist, demolitions expert and above all else to be an important leader. Those he preferred, mostly because every time he got beaten it would be for sleeping during class or for getting a question wrong.
But now wasn't the time for a trip down memory lane. He had to find Selina he promised himself he would. It was a bit of a long shot to come here after twelve years she was definitely an adult by now. But maybe they have records of her, maybe she was adopted maybe she kept in touch. He just needed to know.
"Can I help you?" A frail old voice asked.
Mark looked over and his eyes widened to see Sister Marian now older, but still mean looking. Mark cringed at the times she abused him and how Selina would always get it worse because of how defiant she was against her. Mark clenched his fist and swallowed the lump in his throat remembering what he had come here for.
"Yes, I'm looking for a young woman who used to live here." He said as calmly as he could. "She went by the name Selina Kyle."
The old nun started to break out in sadistic laughter as she kneeled over. Mark tried his best to keep himself from tearing the old woman to pieces. The nun started to calm down as she looked back over to the young man.
"Well, that is a name I haven't heard in a long time." She sighed. "She ran away a little over twelve years ago. After her brother was adopted."
Mark's expression fell and his fist unfurled. He knew it was a long shot but he still wanted to hope that she would be easy to find. Though then again, Selina was always a stubborn person.
"Eh, good riddance I say." The nun spat. Mark gazed back up at her and scowled at her.
"You didn't like her that much did you." Mark insinuated.
"She was a little brat." She spat again. "She would always break the rules. She would sneak out of her room after curfew and steal snacks or extra food for her snot nosed brother. Hell every time he cried she would steal all of our most expensive sweets just to shut him up."
"Money problems?" He asked.
"No, we just don't like to spend a lot on these little monsters." She growled. "Even after I spanked her she would just do it again. Actually it's pretty funny because I hear she's a whore now, getting spanked is probably her favorite foreplay."
"What about the brother?" Mark asked.
"Well, he wasn't as bad as her, but he was the reason she stole most of our goods. So one day a former marine and his wife come in saying they need a fresh mind. Something about young and healthy making strong leaders I don't know I was distracted by the wad of cash he gave me."
That tore Mark to pieces.
"So you gave me away to the worst parents in the world juts for money and to save extra on sweets!" Mark shouted.
Marian's face froze and her eyes widened. Mark could see that she had finally made a connection.
"M-Mark, is that really you?" She stuttered, backing away with every step he took.
"Surprised, why should you be?" He snapped cheerfully. "I mean you sent me away with those crazy military lunatics. The father was a marine and my mother was a navy office. But in their free time they went out, found small children and made them into future leaders of tomorrow."
"W-Well discipline is good." She whimpered in her defense. "It helps build character, that's what we believe in here in Saint Mary's Orphanage."
"Well they made me into something all right. They made me into a killer. I can take out twenty people with my bare hands, I can snap a neck like a twig I am all I can be." He stated.
"Mark, you aren't going to kill me are you?" Marian whimpered before realizing she was backed against a wall.
"I could, I was trained never to show mercy to anyone. Especially money hungry whores like you who abuse the cloth." He pulled a knife from his boot and held it against her throat. "You think this is God's will telling me to kill you?" He asked playfully. When he got know answer he removed the blade from her throat and holstered his knife. "I hope you burn in hell for destroying what little I had. I'm gonna go and if I see you here again I will end you. Cause God isn't looking out for you."
He let the selfish woman sobbing in the corner not even bothering to give her a second glance.
Mark spent the next two days looking for Selina only to come up with nothing. He knew it was hopeless. She was gone and he would never be able to find her. He made his way to the bus station that night and left Gotham and any hope he had left.
(8 Years Later)
After his failure in Gotham, Mark signed up for the military and joined the army. Of course growing up with the world's most strict military parents put him at the top of his class. After he graduated he was sent in on numerous missions and always got the best results. He eventually got the attention of the government who worked closely with dealing with the Justice league and he along with a few others was recruited into a special team called the Acolytes.
Mark with the rest of the squad awaited in a row for their new leader. They were in a small metal room in a government lab each man anxious to do their part. Just as the suspense started sinking in the main doors opened and a man in a colonel uniform stepped in with his hands behind his back. The man looked like he was in his late forties and had short blonde hair and blue eyes. His eyes were cold and calculated. He had seen some combat in his military career.
"My name is Col. Johnson." He announced. "You are here because you are the best of the best. And we need the best for when the Justice League strikes." Mark tensed up. "Any questions?"
"Sir, permission to speak sir!" Mark shouted. Johnson looked over at Mark and raised an eyebrow.
"Identify." Johnson ordered.
"Lieutenant Mark Kyle Sir!"
"Permission Granted."
"Sir, I thought our goal was to work with the Justice League not kill them." Mark asked.
"Those fools do nothing but bring trouble to our country and the world." Johnson snarled. "In Gotham we have the Joker whose goal is to cause so much trouble that Batman will kill him, even if it means slaughtering children on Christmas Eve. Then there's Darkseid, who nearly wiped out Metropolis just to kill Superman. And of course the Reach do I need to mention them?"
"But if it wasn't for the Young Justice League Reach would have destroyed us." Mark argued.
"Son, I am not going to argue." He snarled. "Yes maybe they have done some good but they do just as much evil as well. How many people died just to get the Leagues attention? We are just going to prepare you in case the League goes too far. This is just for the soul purpose of protecting our country and our planet. Satisfied?"
"Yes sir." Mark said, stepping back in line. Johnson straightened his uniform and continued talking.
"Now, we asked you to come here, but we are not forcing you to do anything." Johnson informed. "If you do not want to take part the door is right there. Leave now if you want afterwards there is no turning back." Everyone remained still. Every fiber of Marks being wanted to step out, but he got this cold feeling in the pit of his stomach that if he left he wouldn't be seen again. So he stayed.
"Good, you all made the right choice and you're making a lot of people proud." Johnson chuckled. "Now, starting with you Mark we will get started."
Johnson grabbed Mark by his shoulder and led him into a small lab with a medical chair. A doctor stood next to it wearing a white operating uniform holding a jet injector.
"Now, you must remove your clothes and lie down on the table." Johnson said. "This will be painful but it will be worth it in the end."
"What is it?" Mark asked as he removed his shirt.
"This is the Meta facility." Johnson said. "Here we tap into the potential of the humans enhanced abilities."
"How will this help?"
"If chaos should ever arise we would be destroyed in our current status. But enhanced we are unstoppable." Johnson asked.
"Just in case right?" Mark asked cautiously.
"Right," He said. "Now lie down face first."
Mark lay down on the medical table and waited for the procedure. He felt the straps tighten around his ankles and wrist. His heart was racing fast and he started to sweat bullets. Maybe he should have walked out when he had the chance.
His opportunity was again lost when he felt the needle and jumped in pain when he felt the needle dig into his spine. He let out a choked scream as the needle sat in his spine. The surgeon pressed the button of the injector and injected the blue liquid into his back. Once it was all pumped into his spine Mark freaked out and broke out of his restraints. The veins on his arms glowed bright blue before emitting electricity around his arms.
Sparks flew everywhere and without thinking he fired off a bolt into the wall. The bolt took a toll on him and his veins returned to normal before passing out on the floor. Johnson smiled down at the young soldier and looked at the doctor.
"A success, this one's codename will be…Surge."
(4 Years later)
Surge had spent the last four years honing his skills. His powers allowed him to absorb and manipulate electricity. His power could either stun or kill a target with a single shot. He could create a shield and bounce projectiles back with a little jolt in them. He could ride the rails of train tracks as fast as a monorail he could even absorb electricity out of people. Not a lot but enough to give him a boost. Only that would kill the person he absorbs from.
He felt like he was finally ready to help people. So now he was waiting with his friends to receive his first orders. Everyone was just as excited to get ready for their mission, but they were excited for the wrong reasons.
"I can wait to waste those smug super heroes." Pyro said.
"Yeah, they think they are so superior to us they are nothing." Aqua said.
"They should just leave our planet." Brawler said. "Earth belongs to us."
"Just relax." Darkness muttered. "Purge them all soon enough."
"Guys, what are you talking about?" Surge asked.
Everyone looked up at Surge and gave him a disgruntled look. Surge never agreed with the superheroes either, but he never believed in killing them just for existing. And because of this he was an outcast to them.
"You didn't hear?" Pyro asked. "Col. Johnson has evidence that the Justice League is planning a takeover." This surprised Mark.
"How?" Surge asked.
"It doesn't matter." Brawler snarled. "We have our orders. We are going to set up a turf war between a few gangs and set up the a few members for a fall."
"Then whichever members show up we kill them and lure the rest of the members to us." Aqua said. "The rest will follow."
"Wait your planning on involving civilians just to kill the Justice League?" Surge asked.
"Oh what a shocker, Surge is bitching." Pyro snorted.
"We're supposed to protect people not use them as bait!" Surge shouted.
"You want to make an omelet you have to break a few eggs." Darkness snickered. "We're expendable. Why should civilians be any different?"
"You bastards I knew I should have never gotten involved with you and Johnson." Surge snarled.
"Well, then I guess you can go into retirement then." Darkness sneered.
All of the Acolytes started to gang up on Surge who was now backed into a corner. He then remembered that the floor was made of steel and had a quick impulse. His arms lit up and he placed his palms on the floor surging electricity through the floor and into the Acolytes. They all let out a shout of pain before falling to the floor unconscious.
Panicking, Surge decided to escape the facility and abandoned this insane plot to destroy the Justice League. He may not like them, but he was a soldier not a monster.
(Now)
Mark was now running a low on options. With no money and no career and being hunted by soldiers he figured Gotham was as good as any place to lay low. He also figured he would try and find Batman and tell him about the Acolytes and their plan.
He had read the papers and heard that the Zoo's around town were being robbed of their most prized animal. Of course with all the hell that's been breaking loose and this upcoming league of assassins called the Shadow Warriors, he'd figure Batman might be preoccupied.
He eventually made it to Gotham Zoo where a rare Tiger was being held and decided to wait and see what would happen. He waited a good hour, but he didn't notice he was just admiring the tiger.
He remembered Selina always loved cats. She would get beat by the nuns for harboring one at the orphanage.
"Oh Selina, I hope you're alright." He whispered to himself.
His ears then perked when he heard something climb through the trees. It was too heavy to be a bird so it had to be either batman or a robber. Surge hid in the shadows and saw the dark figure saunter over to the railing and look down at the tiger.
"So, rumor has it someone has been abducting rare animals." She cooed. "I couldn't let them take a noble creature such as you."
Surge admired this woman's admiration towards the tiger, but something felt off. Before he knew it he was walking towards her as if he was possessed.
"Excuse me." Surge asked reaching out to her.
Before he could get close the girl swung her leg around and landed a kick to the side of his head. Surge fell down to the ground, but quickly got up and recognized the girl to be Catwoman.
"Hey you're that master thief." Surge said.
"And you're no one." She teased.
She summersaulted over to him and swung her legs at him. Surge blocked them and grabbed her ankle and swung her to the ground. He quickly pinned her wrist to the ground and looked her in the eyes.
"Please I do not want to fight." Surge shouted. "I want to prevent to stealing of the animals." Selina stopped fighting and looked him in the eyes.
"Why do you care?" She asked.
"I just…want to do good." He whispered. "I made a promise long ago to my sister that I would be better than my father and would make her proud."
Catwoman's eyes widened as she stared into his green eyes. The same eyes she has.
"M-Mark…?" She whispered.
Mark tensed up and looked down at Catwoman's eyes and saw the same eyes he saw when he looked in the mirror. Or more importantly his sisters eyes so long ago. He unclasped her mask and removed it watching her raven black hair unfurl from her mask.
"Selina…" He whispered as tears slowly fell down his cheeks. "I finally found you…kitty."