"Look; they... they were going to grab me, and I screamed when I was feeling sure they were going to do things... but they thankfully did nothing.", Poppy told him.
"Thank God...", Waylon whispered. "And the other question of mine?", Waylon asked as she moved her eyes towards where Bruce was as she cleared her throat.
Waylon looked her way, and widened his eyes in horror and shame, realizing quickly that he was exposed, swiftly grabbing his blanket off his cot, creating a rough kilt around himself, wincing at the cuts on his body...
"Easy now, Wally, sit on the cot...Let me clean those cuts...You went full Croc on them after I screamed, literally destroying the moving wall within that portable bathroom, and...you injured many of the female assassins that was near Ranbir while they drew their swords on you...I promise you didn't kill when you were like that, as you were focused on protecting and hiding me from them...", Poppy sighed as she started to nurse and clean the first of the cuts on Waylon's arms.
Waylon exhaled, glancing at his claws in both relief and horror, "I said something, didn't I?", and Poppy nodded, "Yeah...Basically about warning them not to touch me, your female...".
Waylon winced at the dab of the alcohol on his cut and looked at Bruce who was both confused and upset, crossing his arms, and Waylon replied, "Can he hear me?".
Poppy replied, "Yeah, but we can't hear him or the others...Apparently, they were on good behavior all last night and this morning, so they can hear us, but with us...our punishment, having their judgement while not hearing them, to mesh this out...".
Waylon looked at Bruce, "I guess you must had questions this morning when we didn't return, even after Kel probably told you that we were fine, and you demanded Martha to relay things to you and Alfred from Kel's further explanations...", and Bruce nodded, and Waylon exhaled deeply, "Please don't blame Poppy, Bruce...I..it's all my Croc instincts that is...attracted to Poppy's heat...Calling her my female is practically another term for girlfriend...It was Ranbir's fault...he's treating us like...an experiment...".
Poppy spoke softly, "I'm...I'm afraid it's more than that, Wally...The reason why I screamed...he...he was ordering the women to check me over...to make sure he wasn't fooled, to see if...", praying that Waylon has seen now of the same thoughts she had earlier, wishing that her thoughts was false in her own mind, but it would strike true once Waylon speaks to them aloud, seeing Waylon's eyes widen as his brain was racing.
"Shit...", Waylon closed his eyes a moment later as he figured it out. "So, we're really in it now then...", with a shake of his head.
"There is a solution.", Poppy rubbed her arm. "I at least need to say it, but I really don't want it to happen, and I know you probably wouldn't want to, either... not here at least. Back home safe and sound, yes, the very moment we return but...". She closed her eyes as she tried to keep herself calm.
Waylon exhaled deeply as he can smell the fear of Poppy, and for once, his Croc instincts are half confused and half caged up, and he looked at Bruce, his father, and Martha, and of course, Kel inside Martha's mind too.
They all looked worried yet horrified, and talking urgently to each other and all that he and Poppy can't hear, and he then exhaled, looking at Poppy, "How...how did you convince Ranbir?", glancing to see the others pausing to hear Poppy's answer.
"He...He was threatening to chain and muzzle you up like you are if I don't come along quietly, so I asked him if I do come quietly, he or his people won't come near our cell for the rest of today when you are pissed off at him and the others about getting near me, and if I do calm you down enough for tomorrow, without going Croc and getting drugged again for the third time, he will have the women to...to check...", Poppy spoke wearily as she tried to focus on cleaning Waylon's cuts.
Waylon growled lowly, "Then we need help to get out of here tonight.", glancing at Bruce who nodded, and Poppy replied, "We can't, Waylon!".
"Why not?", Waylon replied, and Poppy sobbed, "Because the day after tomorrow is Halloween, and I can't...I...what if it works while we escape, and they manipulate my dad and your ma, to make them think we abandon them? And if we escape and get caught before Halloween, the others can be punished! Like Bruce getting raped by that Talia bitch or Alfred being forced to watch your ma and Jane being into ashes or worse, or Mom and Mama being forced to...to watch us be whipped, if not killed in case they still want us?", barely seeing Bruce realizing the same.
Waylon growled. Were they really that screwed in pretty much every option that they had? There had to be some way out of this madness. There just had to...
"I might have an idea.", Martha said, though obviously, Poppy and Waylon couldn't hear. "But it's one no one's going to like...".
Alfred asked, "What is it?", looking at Martha as Bruce gestured to grab Waylon and Poppy's attention, pointing to Martha, and Martha sighed, taking a deep breath, as Bruce replied, "Mom, bad things happen with good intentions...Tell us, please...Is it your idea or Mama's?".
"It's mine.", Martha sighed. "And the idea is... well, I suppose play along with things.", she admitted as the others were stunned to hear that. "Wait, you mean... give in?", Alfred asked as Martha nodded.
Bruce replied, "But Mom, you heard them! They don't really want this!", and Martha looked at Bruce sharply, "What choice do we have, Bruce? You...You saw Poppy's face...And Waylon...They never saw the bad things we saw every night on patrol...It's one thing that you may be stronger than Talia, but she has tricks and means, and I know you are practically a full-grown adult, but you deserve true love, than that bitch r-raping you...And I can't afford to see all of you get harmed before my and Kel's eyes...Look at Waylon, he protected your sister, and he got cut up, not fatally, but enough to lay punishment for his actions this morning! Alfred deserves to see Caroline and Jane, and so do we with Thomas...We can't...we can't abandon them if they get revived while we escape tonight or tomorrow...We are very extremely lucky that Poppy and Waylon loves each other, you know that...Could you imagine the look on Waylon's face if he was forced to watch her get...r-raped by Ranbir?".
Bruce turned his head as he just couldn't stomach the thought as Martha sighed before she had a confused look on her face. "Wait... what?", she said before Kel appeared into her astral form, whooshing from Martha's mind.
"I said... instead of them giving in... we do.", Kel took a deep breath. "Get an audience with Ra and make a deal... I don't know what he has planned, but it's obviously only me he truly wants. Not even you, Martha, you're just a complication to the puzzle.".
Martha widened her eyes, "B-but Kel, you can't just say that! He's like the devil!", and Kel looked at her, "Martha, you didn't see what I saw in Poppy last night...I saw her promise to her heart that she isn't going to push herself or Waylon into regrets they can't have into having their first time by forces like Ranbir, and honestly, seeing them safe and warm in our home, I wouldn't care about lecturing them as long as they are happy to be home, in each other's arms, with no one hunting them down...A-and...I haven't forgotten that talk on that day we buried Caroline and Jane...I'd sacrifice my freedom to have all of you safe and happy at home...I love all of this family, especially you...I'd know Thomas and Caroline would want you and the others to be free.", cradling Martha's cheek with a sad, loving look as she kept her astral form dimmed down and subtle, unable to be picked up by the camera which is only having visual.
Martha was completely torn upon hearing that. On one hand, the rational part of her mind was saying that maybe Kel had the right idea. Perhaps if Ra thinks that he's already won, then they would make a mistake, or hell, a remote possibility but even go as so far as maybe let the others go.
Obviously, he would make sure to keep an insurance policy, probably in the form of Thomas, Caroline and Jane; but the others could be free and then come back some time later with a true plan. But the other part of her was thinking just how easily this whole idea could backfire terribly...
Martha then exhaled as then again, Bruce was already working on his part of the grenades, and so far, nobody had known that Kel would appear out of Martha's mind into her astral form, and she knew that Poppy can be determined to work on her part of the rest of the grenades too.
But it honestly would take the organization out from the inside, while the true plan would possibly backfire, with security perhaps boosted up, if they saw the others coming back, and really, it would take an army to kill the organization when the grenade and boiler explosion plan is far more effective, which as having an army is impossible. The police, anyone else wouldn't believe Bruce or Poppy about Kel, and with the organization holding capture of a single woman, over multiple lives that can be killed easily by whatever the organization got in traps and such around the temple, they wouldn't even follow Bruce and Poppy back.
But what else is there? It's either Poppy and Waylon to satisfy Ranbir's plans until Halloween, or her and Kel to make a deal with Ra. Martha held back tears as she whispered, "You owe us a lot talking tonight, Kel...I'll talk with Ra for you and this family...".
Kel kissed her on the lips sadly and lovingly, "I know. And Martha, you can do this...", before taking a deep breath and gazed back at Bruce, Alfred, and Poppy and Waylon with a sad smile, and whooshed back into Martha's mind.
Bruce and the others looked weary yet scared, with Bruce having interpreted things for Poppy and Waylon, and Martha replied, "You all behave, my family. I'll return soon, I promise. Poppy, you keep cleaning Waylon's cuts. Don't you two do anything yet, understand?", with gestures.
Poppy nodded, and Martha smiled at her before looking up at the upraised ceiling wall, not seeing the camera, but knowing that it's there, waving for attention, and then saw something flickering of shine, realizing that she had been seen, and she waited a few minutes before the door of the women's prison section opened to reveal Talia, with her escorts of fellow assassins, heading to her cell.
Martha stood back tall and silent, behaving as her cell door opened, and Talia raised an eyebrow, "I admit, it took some days and lots of patience, but glad to see you calling for attention. So, what do you want, Martha?".
Martha spoke respectfully yet firm, in her best businesswoman voice, "I ask for an audience with your father, Talia Ra al Ghul. I expect to make a deal.", and Talia quirked a surprised smile, "Looks like you have learned respect and how to speak after being spoken to, dear Martha. Very well, you get your request. Some of you, go forewarn my father. One of you, cuff her up.".
Martha was soon let out as she was cuffed as Talia smirked, "We know those wouldn't hold back your savage side, but I don't think you'll find much need to do it if you don't want your family to suffer.".
"I would be more compliant, really if you'd call off whatever sick game Ranbir has for my daughter and the man she loves.", Martha said as they started to walk. "Despite everything, Talia, you're a woman, does that do not sicken you deep down what Ranbir does? And I'm curious, would he go along under you once you take over from your father? Ranbir has no problem serving your father but if I was him, I wouldn't be happy to keep serving when I'm a hair's breadth away from leading.".
Talia came to a stop as she turned her head, not letting Martha or anyone else see her face. Martha wondered if she was about to be hit, or her words actually did get through in some way. Martha was sure that Talia would forever be loyal to her father and her lust for power would never betray the League; but what about Ranbir?
"Continue taking her to my father.", Talia said. "I need to take care of something...". She turned and walked away; much to Martha's surprise.
Martha heard Kel's mental voice, "Did that come out of nowhere? If it did, maybe this is good...through it might be bad on the other hand...", and Martha mentally replied back to Kel, "It did...Didn't expect that she would react to that.", as she was still led by the group of assassins, men and women, through the temple's higher floors.
"Close to Ra's room, we must be going to his office nearby.", Kel mentally hummed a few minutes later, and Martha can see the group standing up a bit taller around her, and indeed, upon a knock on a grand door, Ra's voice answered, "You may come in.", and the door opened as the group brought Martha in.
The office itself was grand, imposing, yet slightly modern and neutral, as Ra only raised an eyebrow, "Some of my men had told me that you wanted to talk, have an audience with me, and I was momentarily skeptical until now, of course...Where is Talia? I presume she'd be over the moon to present you to me here.", as the group of assassins spread around, staying close in the shadows and such in the office.
Martha respectfully spoke, "I won't lie to you, as I know you can't deal with liars. I have said something to her about Ranbir's game with my daughter and Waylon...which I am sure you have heard about in his reports.".
Ra raised an eyebrow as Martha looked down, "Okay, maybe not reports then, but someone had to be at least informing you what he had been doing.". She then took a deep breath. "I'll get right to the point... I want this to stop.", she told him. "I want these games and this torture you and your servants have been putting on my family. And... to do that... we'll do whatever it is you wish...", she dropped to her knees. If groveling was a good sign of showing that she was actually being fairly serious about the situation; then she would do whatever it takes to get Ra to believe her.
Ra was silent for a moment, before replying, "It's true that someone has been informing me about Ranbir's plans with your daughter and her Croc man. Granted, I was greatly surprised when I was informed early this morning before your daughter and her Croc man was to be taken back to the cells, to find out that your daughter had aged quickly to the age of 17 over a matter of hours the previous night before sleeping with each other. I have to presume it has to do with your genes and the She-Hulk's genes, next to Thomas's said brilliance, yes?".
Martha exhaled deeply, raising her head to look at him into the face, even if it frightened her and Kel directly with the dangerous aura around him, "Everything she had experienced this week had pushed her dormant genes of aging into active mode...Waylon is extremely protective of her when Ranbir forced him into his Croc form, which I presume that you have heard of his actions to injure some of your female people when Ranbir ordered them to go check Poppy over to make sure, and Poppy reacted, spurring Waylon into action...Can I please know why Ranbir's doing this? My daughter and Waylon...they don't deserve this.".
"Simple...", Ra paced a bit. "Dorji's visions showed me a child of great power that would be from them... one that could be shaped and molded into a valuable asset for the League.", he said as Martha's eyes widened a bit. Kel was practically growling so loud in her head that it was almost distracting.
"You would steal away their child?" Martha whispered in a deathly feared tone. Ra nodded, "The young man is valuable, yes... but similar to your own son; the difficulty in attempting to being them into our fold would be very time consuming and no true guarantee. Molding a young mind from its first days of life, while time consuming in of itself too, would be less of a challenge. We think in centuries, Martha Wayne; not years...".