Chapter Thirty

Spinoza Island

New York City

United States

16:03 – Eastern Standard Time

March 16, 2007

The Batwing glided over the water as it approached the very small island that lay in the lower bay. The island itself was fairly unassuming and lay ignored. But beneath it lay the lair of the Titans.

The aircraft slowed to a stop then descended down, landing on the unassuming island. He climbed out and scanned the area with his eyes. The Island was covered in rocks. Overall, the landmass was only two-hundred metres at its widest point, pretty small, but it was still big enough.

It took no time at all to find the hidden entrance between two large rocks. It then took him less than five minutes to hack the access panel by the door, making it think he had clearance.

He then headed inside, descending a short staircase into the lair, which consisted of a series of small caves that had been hollowed out by water erosion and then sealed off and built on by the Titans.

It wasn't long until he found what he was looking for. The large computer in the situation room was reminiscent of the one back in the cave, just with a smaller monitor. He sat down in front of it and hacked into the system, where he decided to shut off the security completely while he was here.

That's when he noticed that someone was signed into the security system as present in the lair. Digging slightly he found that it wasn't just one, but two people.

Firstly was Shebang, or rather Shenice Vale, who formally went by the more clumsy alias of She-Bang. She was an acquaintance of Static in Dakota City and she was also a genetically engineered person which increased her speed and strength. Her being here wasn't a surprise, considering that she was a current Titan. however, the last he heard they had all been caught the same as several league members. One escaping the capture though wasn't a huge shock. He doubted the city knew where the Titan's base of operations was.

The second one in the system was of great interest. Omen, Lilith Clay. If she was here, then that meant the one they were looking for could also be here.

"You shouldn't have come," a voice said from several metres behind him.

Batman was out of his seat in a second, ready and prepared to fight if needed.

"Lilith Clay," Batman said, recognising the woman. He cautiously stepped forwards, watching her body language closely, checking for any sign that she was going to attack him. "I came for information. Seems I found much more."

Without warning, Lilith ran at him and jumped into a high kick. He dodged it, moving around her with ease. She then spun around, her foot planting firmly into his chest. He staggered back but recovered quickly, grabbing her approaching fist, deflecting it downwards.

She responded by going with it, rolling off to the side. "You're interfering with things you don't understand," she told him, as she rolled her shoulders and came in for another attack.

Batman stepped aside to avoid the strike, but she had been expecting it. She spun around and struck him in the side, then followed up with a sweeping kick to the legs, knocking him off his feet. He hit the floor but managed to turn what would have been a painful fall into a roll, swiftly recovering as he got back onto his feet. He mentally cursing himself for underestimating her, something he wouldn't do again.

When she came in with a quick jab, he avoided, then dodged her second strike, which left her open. He took it with a quick jab to the torso. She staggered back but didn't have time to recover before he struck her in the face, knocking her down onto her back.

He moved quickly. With one foot on her chest to keep her down long enough to restrain her, as he grabbed his Batcuffs from his belt. As he went to attempt to cuff her, a foot hit him on the side, sending him sprawling.

Shebang, who had kicked him, moved cautiously over to him as he got back to his feet.

"We've got no fight with you, Batman," she said.

"What's your business in this?" the Dark Knight asked her.

"Omen's a Titan and her friend needed help."

"She's an ex-Titan and her friend is dangerous."

"So am I," the young dark-skinned hero said. "And once a Titan always a Titan."

"I don't think you grasp the situation," Batman told her.

"I think it's you who doesn't grasp the situation. They told me everything. I know what it's like to be different and to be hunted because of it. You need to just leave her alone."

Batman shook his head. "I can't do that. She's coming with me."

"If that's how you want to play, then this convo is over."

He was ready for her attack. He used the momentum she had built up against her and flipped her over him and into the wall. Except she didn't strike the wall as he was expecting, instead she planted her feet and used them to push off, throwing herself back at him.

Batman managed to grapple with her mid-flight and swung her around. She skidded across the floor, but was back up on her feet in a second, charging back at him.

"You're supposed to be a good guy!" Shebang said as she and Batman engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

"Stand down," Batman told her, as he started struggling to fend her off.

Her attacks, while unrefined, were extremely quick and powerful. He knew he needed to deal with her quickly or she would start to get the upper-hand. He knew that she was an engineered person, which meant that she had greater speed, strength, durability, and endurance.

After she delivered an awkward kick, he saw his chance. He grabbed her by the arms and managed to slam her into the wall, pinning her.

"I need information on the girl," he said. "Maybe what you say is right, but I need more than just your word. I need to know everything you know."

Batman suddenly felt cold, as though the temperature had suddenly dropped several degrees. That's when he noticed something was starting to block his vision. He looked down at his body to see that it was engulfed in black energy.

Then he felt himself go airborne.

He hit the wall hard and found himself pinned, barely able to move under the pressure of the black energy.

"You should not have come," the raspy monotone voice came.

"I had to," he responded as he slowly reached for his grapple gun, his movements strained under whatever power he was being held by. "If what Fate says is true, then I can't ignore it."

"Fate doesn't know the truth," the woman said as she came into view in her dark hooded cloak. She helped her friend Lilith back up to her feet then checked on Shenice. She then turned back to face Batman. "I need to remain away from others. I need to keep my emotions controlled or else he gains control."

"Are you talking about Trigon?" he asked. "Did those cultists do this to you?"

"The cultists? They are idiots. All that would have happened to them if they had been successful is death."

"What were they trying to do?"

"Bring him here to this realm."

"By sacrificing you?"

She paused and shook her head slowly, looking away. "I'm not answering any more questions."

Batman used that as an opportunity. He managed to grab his grapple gun and pointed it at the far wall. It hit on target and pulled him free of the dark energy. He then used his momentum to knock the two women off their feet, landing beside them.

"I need answers," he said.

Neither of them answered. But the dark-robed woman's eyes began to glow white. Batman was knocked off of his feet as a large object struck him from the side.

He rolled out of the way as a table flew at him. It smashed hard against the wall and splintered into debris. He then dodged out of the way as several chairs were launched in his direction.

"You should have stayed away," the hooded woman said, her eyes white as she slowly levitated into the air. "I won't allow your ignorance to jeopardize everything."

The debris from the smashed table rose up off the ground, engulfed in the black energy. They then were fired at him like projectiles. He flipped out of the way, but a jagged table leg managed to strike him in the leg, skewering it.

Batman's teeth gritted in pain as he collapsed to the ground.

"Raven, stop," he heard Lilith shout out.

"We need to move again," the one identified as Raven said. "We need to disappear."

"We could just tie him up," Shenice suggested.

Lilith shook her head, looking at him. "He'll just get free."

"We're leaving," Raven told them.

Batman Pulled the piece of wood out of his leg with a grunt. He then forced himself back up to his feet, gritting his teeth as immense pain shot through his limb. "You can't run forever," he told her, clutching his bleeding wound.

"It's worked so far," Raven said looking at him.

"What about when you were caught in Blüdhaven?" he reminded her.

"I got careless. If I hadn't been rescued by Nightwing, Lilith would have come for me. He just got there first."

"How did they do it?" he questioned.

"Do what?"

"Capture you?"

"I'm not going to give you that information," she said coldly. "You will only use it against me."

"You said you wanted to disappear," Batman reminded her. "I can help you, but only if you're honest with me."

"You, help me?" Raven asked incredulously. "You're just a man in a costume."

Shenice cringed. "That's Batman, y'know Batman. He's like a vampire or something."

"No, he's not," Raven said, turning away. "He's just a man."

"If he's just a man, then he's a helluva man," Shenice said, eyeing him up.

"This isn't the time for that," Raven said, her voice never wavering from the monotone, never showing any inflexion of emotion. It was something that didn't escape the Dark Knight's notice.

Batman put his full focus onto Raven. Slowly, he began to walk, or rather limp over to her, blood still seeping out of his leg. "I can help you," he said. "You're running from Trigon and his followers, right?" Batman asked. "I can get you off the surface. We have a space station."

"No," Raven said firmly, some emotion starting to edge into her voice. "Too many people increase the risk. Death is all that follows me. It would be wise for you to leave."

"Not without at least knowing the truth," Batman told her. "Something has Fate riled up and I need to know what it is."

"Trigon is what has him 'riled up'," she told him. "You want the truth?"

"Yes."

"He needs me to enter this realm," Raven told him.

"Who is in control of the Church of Blood?" Batman asked, his breath short. He knew he would need medical attention and soon.

Raven noticed his predicament and glided over to him. "I can heal your wound."

"First, tell me who is the head of the Church here on Earth."

"Brother Blood," she told him. "May I?"

Batman looked down at his leg. It was bleeding profusely and would need attending to soon or else he could end up bleeding out. "Go ahead."

She held her hand out over his leg. Batman let her. He watched as her hand began to glow.

"Was this Brother Blood in Blüdhaven?" Batman asked.

"No," Raven responded, "But he was on his way. If he'd been there, then Nightwing would have ended up dead."

"So this Brother Blood is the immediate threat," Batman realised. "He's the one we need to deal with."

"He's the one that will kill you," Raven told him as she moved her hand away.

Batman checked his leg to find that it was mostly healed, but not completely.

"I stopped the bleeding so it won't reopen," she told him. "The rest is up to your body to heal."

Lilith rested her hand on Raven's arm. The woman turned to her. "What do we do now?" the woman in red asked. "If we let him go, he'll bring others."

Raven looked at Batman. "I want to speak to this Doctor Fate," she told him. "Just him, nobody else. Can we trust you to do that?"

"Yes you can," Batman told her firmly.

"You sure?" Shenice questioned Raven. "He could bring the Justice League down on us."

"No, he won't," Raven said, looking right into his eyes.

"So you trust me?" Batman asked.

"No, but I know you will do what I ask," Raven replied.

"You sound certain," Batman observed.

"I am," Raven said. She then looked at Lilith who nodded, before looking right at Batman.

He felt a presence in his mind. He had trained with J'onn for this, even though he still found it hard to keep her from seeing his identity.

"He's fighting me," Lilith said.

"To be expected," Raven said. "I only want to know if we can trust him to return with Fate and only Fate."

Lilith nodded. "It seems he intends to keep his word, but he's had mental training. He could still feed me lies."

"I don't sense he's being dishonest," Raven said. "I think we can trust him for now." She turned away from him and moved off. "I want Fate here by the end of the day or else we'll be gone."

"I'll be back long before the day's over," the Dark Knight promised as he headed out of the room, trying to hide his slight limp.

Batman made his way out of the lair and climbed into his Batwing. A few minutes later he was heading back towards Gotham.

Wayne Manor

Gotham City

United States

16:51 – Eastern Standard Time

March 16, 2007

Batman strode up to the circle where Fate, Zatanna and Inza were sat, their legs crossed and their eyes closed.

"I've found her," he informed them.

The three of them simultaneously opened their eyes and Fate quickly rose up. "Where?" he asked.

"Spinoza Island, New York in the lower bay. She wants to speak with you alone."

Fate opened an Ankh, flew inside and it closed behind him. Batman stared at where the sorcerer had been for a few moments, before looking to Zatanna. "It had been my intention on going with him," he commented.

"You think he's in danger?"

"No, I don't," he said. "She isn't the one we need to find anyway, it's someone by the name of Brother Blood." turned around. "I'm heading back to the Titan's Lair."

"Can I come with you?" Zatanna asked.

"That wouldn't be a good idea," Batman said as he moved off.

The stage magician shrugged as she looked at Inza and Ryand'r. "I guess we'll keep Alfred company."

Lower Harbor

New York City

United States

16:53 – Eastern Standard Time

March 16, 2007

The bright ankh opened over the water and Fate flew out before it closed behind him.

He instantly knew where to go, he could sense her from here. She was almost like a flare to him. If the Church of Blood had the means to detect her aura, then any member in the city would be able to find her.

He approached the island and landed, finding a young African-American woman stood at the entrance with another woman dressed in a red robe.

The dark-skinned woman spoke. "You're Doctor Fate?"

"That is correct."

"I'm Shebang," she said, then gestured to the woman in red. "This is Omen."

He nodded slightly.

"You're here to see Raven?"

"I am," he said.

"I guess we should take you to her."

He followed them inside as they took him to the situation room, which housed a large computer with monitor.

"Raven, Fate's here," Omen called out.

Fate knew where she would come from before she emerged from the doorway on the left of the computer. She moved cautiously towards him, her eyes looking at him from beneath the raised hood of her dark blue robe.

"Symbiosis," she said staring at the helmet. "The power comes from the helmet, doesn't it? But it's not just a helmet is it? The helmet isFate, isn't it. Or at least it is the embodiment of Fate in this realm. The man beneath is just a means to an end, a vehicle so that Fate can see, hear, smell and move around the world."

"What do you know of symbiosis?" he questioned, trying to figure her out. She was powerful, very powerful, but there seemed to be magical locks in place, preventing her from accessing most of it. The magic was familiar to him, but he couldn't quite place it. What he could place was the source of her demonic power, which caused him great alarm.

"I know a lot," Raven replied. "I too have a symbiotic relationship, but not with a separate entity, but with myself, with my other side."

"Your demonic side," Fate said as he walked around her, trying to figure her out. "You're his offspring," he realised.

Raven went stiff.

"Whose offspring?" Shebang asked.

"I can sense him through her," Fate told them. "Trigon."

"Woah," Shebang said. "You never told me that part."

Omen was at a loss as well. "Trigon's your father?"

Fate looked at the woman in crimson. "I'm surprised you didn't know considering your telepathy."

"It's not something I use freely," Omen said, casting a now weary eye at Raven. "And she has a strong mind."

Fate turned his attention back to the woman in blue and black. "Brother Blood, he is searching for you. Why?"

"Because he needs me."

"So you are the means in which Trigon will enter this realm."

Raven said nothing.

"We must find this Brother Blood and stop him," Fate said.

"Easier said than done," Raven told him. "He's a blood mage. One cut of your skin and he has an edge over you."

"The league has members that do not have blood," Fate informed her. "Such as Captain Atom and Red Tornado. That will not be an issue."

"You think you can fight him, then go ahead. He isn't your typical adversary and shouldn't be underestimated."

"Where Trigon is concerned, I am extremely cautious." Fate stopped walking around her as he moved back in front. He stared her in the eyes for several moments before he realised he recognised the magic that had been used to block some of her power.

He stepped closer. "I sense the magic of Azar in you."

Raven's eyes went wide. "You know of Azar?"

"Why are you here?" Fate questioned, not answering the dark sorceress.

Raven glanced at Omen, who was still regarding her with caution. She then focused back on Fate. "What do you mean?"

"Azar took many people to the realm of Azarath half a millennium ago to form a society of peace. If you were there, then why come here to Earth?"

"To protect Azarath," Raven revealed. "If I'd stayed there, he would have destroyed it."

"Was it their wish for you to come here?"

"No," she said looking away from him, the slightest hint of sadness in her voice. "I had to leave, there was no other choice."

"You have put the people of this universe into jeopardy," Fate told her. "But here we may have a better chance of stopping him than in Azarath."

"You can't stop him," Raven said.

"If he comes here that is likely true, but we can stop Brother Blood."

"Can you?" Raven demanded. "I've been on this world for eight years and I've been running from the Church of Blood for over six of them and the last fourteen months have been with Lilith. They are pernicious and tenacious and are backed by a powerful demon. You think Darkseid was bad, but you haven't seen anything."

"I understand the danger," Fate assured her. "He is an ancient demon, but he is narcissistic and overconfident. That has always been his weakness."

"You talk as though you've encountered him?" Raven questioned.

"No, Fate has not," the Agent of Order said. "But the Lords of Order know much about Trigon and he is of great concern. What is also of concern is your aura. It is visible from several miles around, at the very least to those who know how to look for it. We need to remove you from the surface."

"You going to send me to some pocket dimension?" Raven asked him. "I won't let you banish me."

"No, my intention is to take you to the Watchtower."

"Batman already offered," Raven said.

"You should accept. It is the safest place you could possibly be right now, apart from my tower. But I am not quite ready to take you there yet."

"I'll consider it."

Fate turned around and a golden glowing ankh portal opened. "Consider quickly."

"Maybe we should," Shenice said. "For one thing, I wanna see the Watchtower. Then I can rub it in Static's face next time I see him. Tell him that I've been on the new flashy Watchtower, not the old crappy one."

Raven glared at her. "That's a poor reason to do anything." She then turned back to face Fate. "Regardless, we will come with you if we all agree."

"Sure," Shenice said.

"I agree," Omen added, looking right at Raven. "On the condition that you tell me everything once we're there. No more secrets, especially about who your parents are."

"Agreed," Raven said.

"Let us go then," Fate said stepping into the ankh.

The three women followed.

Updated December 2017