Gotham City

Grand Avenue

12:22 A.M.

A darkened silhouette, blending in seamlessly with an assortment of stone gargoyles atop a rooftop, surveyed the GCPD prisoner transport convoy as it trudged through the dim streets of Gotham City.

With a total of four police vehicles, the convoy consisted of three patrol cars and one armored transport truck strategically placed in the middle.

As the lead car raced forward through intersections, the officers inside kept a keen eye out for environmental abnormalities that could be of her doing while the armored vehicle moved at a noticeably slower yet stable speed.

For now, at least, as the convoy neared the halfway point to its ultimate destination at the GCPD precinct, all was quiet.

Though, not for long.


Given her current predicament, Poison Ivy should have anything but a smile on her face.

And yet, as she remained handcuffed to a metal bench inside the armored vehicle, with a shock collar wrapped around her neck, the plant queen remained completely collected and confident as if she still had control over her situation.

Her surprisingly more subdued demeanor was quite the departure from her usual fanaticism, but Aaron Cash and Officer Hutch knew better.

Outfitted with specialized gas masks to defend against her infamous pheromones, they maintained a safe distance with assault rifles at the ready.

For what seemed like an eternity since being cleared to exit Arkham City, Hutch's eyes burned into the redhead's smug expression with a silent intensity while Cash rested at the back of the holding space.

Clenching his gloved fist around the collar remote angrily, Hutch had had enough.

"All this amuse you, Ivy?" the officer demanded, referring to the plant queen's taunting visage.

Refusing to acknowledge him, she instead flashed him another smug grin which only seemed to visibly annoy him even more.

Leaning forward, he smirked to himself almost out of frustration as Ivy continued to leer at him.

He then nodded at her metallic collar. "I bet that ol' dog collar brings back memories for you, eh? Yeah, it was a real bitch salvaging all that crap from the asylum but it was worth it to tag all the straitjackets still in Arkham City."

Cocking a half-grin, he rested his assault weapon against his uniform before continuing. "Thing is, Gordon always had this feeling, even after we rounded up all the crazies, that there was still one more loon out there. The one that got away. Guess we found her, huh?"

Still remaining composed, she merely broadened her smile as the chains wrapped around her wrists jingled softly with every noticeable bump in the road.

"Speaking of memory lane, we fixed up your old cell too. You know, the one that takes away your powers and makes you look all shriveled up? It's waiting for you at the precinct right now. Hell, I'm almost jealous Cash gets the honors of locking you away," he jeered, playfully jabbing at his partner.

That comment at least seemed to rattle Ivy, albeit slightly.

Frowning at the mere mention of the refurbished isolation chamber that had for so long been her mortal prison, her smug grin vanished in favor of a much more sympathetic look.

"You'd separate a mother from her children? That hardly seems fair," she cooed in a tone that evoked both maternal concern and mock-sympathy.

Scoffing almost out of disbelief, the officer turned to Cash. "She used to do this alot at the asylum?"

"Oh yeah." Nodding knowingly as he hefted his assault rifle against his prosthetic hand, the veteran Cash knew her mind games all too well. "Ask her about Dr. Stephen Kellerman. She'll tell you anything to get out of handcuffs."

"You're so quick to judge, Cash," she purred, before regarding both of them coldly. "Neither of you have any idea what a mother would do for her children. Every moment I'm away from them they grow weaker, and if I can't protect them no one can."

"How about the kids of the guards you brainwashed? I nearly lost some good friends back there because of you," Cash snapped right back.

Ivy's reply, as expected, was one of callous indifference. "I gave them purpose, a chance to do something meaningful with their pathetic lives. They were given an opportunity to serve Mother Nature, but like all meat-sacks they were simply too weak and simple-minded to take advantage of such an honor. What happened afterwards is none of my concern."

A swell of anger briefly washed over the handicapped officer's face, but for only a moment, before passing like a lone shadow.

"Well I'm afraid this does concern you, Ivy. See, you're going in that cell tonight. How uncomfortable you are when you get in depends on your cooperation," Cash told her.

"We'll see about that," she responded curtly, as the truck slowly took a right turn and continued on.

A tense silence loomed between them for another block, with the redhead's smugness radiating off her even with both men eying her warily.

Another moment passed, before Hutch chuckled to himself almost to break the tension.

"You know, it is funny. See, you can play up this whole mastermind B.S. all you want but we both see right through it. And from what I recall, you weren't exactly all smiles back when we burned all your plants in that church back there, huh?"

In just a split-second, Poison Ivy's entire demeanor transformed.

Exploding into a feral blur, she lunged at the still smiling Hutch who only had to press the button and watch.

Just as the chains were about to yank her back, the shock collar activated and immediately quelled her maternal fury.

She howled in pain as the circular device discharged, stunning her with a mild volley of electrical surges.

Collapsing back into the metal bench as the final wave of discomfort slammed into her writhing form, Ivy could only wince in pain while her two handlers exchanged amused glances.

"You owe me five bucks," he reminded the smirking officer, who had no problem reaching for his wallet.

"Worth every penny," Cash smiled, placing the money in Hutch's awaiting hand.

Shuddering as the discharges lingered, she could only glower up at them resentfully with Officer Hutch mockingly brandishing the remote in front of her.

"Hurts, doesn't it? Knowing you ain't in control anymore," he taunted.

"For now," she growled under her breath, as the aftereffects of the brief shock finally wore off.

"You do something stupid like that again, and Officer Hutch presses the button. You so much as breathe in this direction, he presses the button. If I feel this truck is being moved in the wrong direction, guess what?"

"You press the button," she seethed bitterly.

"I think she gets it now," Cash smirked, before unclipping his walkie-talkie. "Jones, give me an E.T.A. at the Precinct…"

"So this was your big master plan, huh Ivy? All those months in Arkham City, and all you could think was to hold a few hostages and wait for Batman to come kick your green ass? Guess you super-villains really do think alike," Hutch mocked, a mix of derision and pity in his voice.

Glaring up at him with a knowing grin, she only had one thing to say.

"What makes you think it's over?"

Laughing at her seemingly ominous retort, he was about to respond when the truck suddenly came to a screeching halt.