"It's your choice.", Ra said as Talia had a small smile. "Ranbir's lust for power has been something that I have overlooked as of late, and I did not think of asking Dorji to look into it. Not the first time my hands have grown too ambitious that they would pose a threat...".
"True... and Ranbir thinks much sooner with plans than the patience that you have, father.", Talia added as Ra nodded. "Yes... yes...", he whispered to himself.
"Make the decision yourself about letting the Jones boy end him or you are finishing him... either way, Ranbir's usefulness is at its end. We will soon have a much more worth power to replace him...", Ra spoke as his mind is already envisioning the strength and power and the unmatched fury of a truly unleashed She-Hulk.
Talia bowed her head, "On your orders, it shall be done. May I let you know of my decision in an hour?", and Ra nodded, "A acceptable amount of time to think of it. See about the reaction of the Wayne daughter and the Jones boy on camera on your shift.".
"You think Martha would spill everything from your meeting with you?", Talia asked curiously, and Ra replies, "From what I have heard and such, the family never leaves secrets hidden too long about important things. Record the moments of their reaction for me but respectfully blur their modesty if they still have the blankets on them somewhat indecently.".
Talia nodded, "Yes, sir. On your leave, then?", and Ra replied, "You're dismissed, daughter.", and Talia sipped the last of her tea, politely dabbing her lips, and with a bow of her head, she then left the office, to head to the surveillance and security room to start on her shift, to do her father's orders, and think on her decision.
Meanwhile, as Martha and her escorts was getting close to the cell section room of the family, Martha held back her emotions, not daring to show weakness to the assassins around her, while mentally, she was sadly listening to her lover rant and cry and growl of the revelations Ra gave them.
It was a few moments later before she was brought back into her cell before the guards closed up and she sat back down before taking a deep sigh. "Well?", Bruce was the first one to ask things.
"He did apparently listen at least...", Martha said. "Whether he actually acts upon what he told me is another story but hopefully, Poppy, Waylon... you'll be okay for a bit longer than Ranbir would allow.".
Poppy and Waylon looked so relieved as Poppy is sitting on the edge of the cot, with a bandaged and all nursed Waylon brushing Poppy's hair with a hairbrush behind her, sitting in a kneed position, gratefully keeping themselves covered by the blankets.
Martha doesn't know when exactly the couple will get new clothes, but she hopes that it won't be long as they don't deserve to be on camera like this.
Alfred replied, "There's something else, isn't there?", and Martha replied, "I...I found out the reason behind why there is more focus on Poppy and Waylon now since Talia apparently didn't have success with you, Bruce.".
Bruce looked smug for a split moment, proud of his mental strength and all to refuse Talia's wooing and sexual attempts, and then frowned, "What..what did he tell you?".
Martha exhaled, "Do not worry, Ranbir wasn't there, and I...Ra knew that there was something I wasn't saying in pleading for Poppy and Waylon to be left alone...I told him the truth...and in return, he told me...", trying to explain with a sob as even if she was damn proud of her daughter and Waylon for not succumbing to Waylon's instincts, and seeing that this place wasn't their perfect dream place to have their first time, everything Ra revealed was still a visual fear running in her heart and mind.
Poppy gasped, holding her hands to her mouth as Waylon replied, "What? What is it?", turning around to rest his hands on her shoulders, looking at her.
Poppy gave a whisper as her eyes became wet, "They want our child...They want our child!", with a sob as she collapsed into Waylon's chest.
"Bastards...", Waylon growled. He knew that going into a true rage wasn't going to help, hell, he might end up hurting Poppy for it. But he wished he could just be able to tear up something, break anything, just something to get his rage out if he was stuck in this cage.
Poppy felt his heart beating fast in anger, and she leaned back, cradling Waylon's cheek, "Go, you can wreck something into the bathroom...Just do it quick as I would need your comfort, okay?".
"No...", Waylon said as he closed his eyes. "I do that, I'd probably just make things worse for the both of us... they're probably just looking for any excuse to punish us.", he told her as Poppy couldn't help but agree; even with what her mother had said.
Poppy whispered, "I'm...I'm in between a rock and a hard place, Wally...Even if Mom said that Ranbir is leaving us alone possibly longer than tomorrow, what if you can't handle holding back? I...I don't want any possible chance of our Daphne or our son being conceived and being taken away from us...but I...I don't want you to be punished either...", tears falling down her cheeks.
Waylon replied, "I know...They will still want us if we escape either tonight or tomorrow before Halloween...We...we would be watching over our shoulders...", hugging her gently as he nuzzled her hair, relieved that his Croc instincts is more enraged at the thought of people taking away his future mate and offspring than being aroused by Poppy's simmering heat right now, but she's right...
He would have a breaking point sooner or later, and Poppy was insanely smart, but she would have a breaking point too... After all, it didn't take much to figure out why Ranbir might have been doing all he could to make sure that Poppy and Waylon end up in coitus and in turn end up conceiving a child.
One that had both gamma genes like her and Martha, and Waylon's condition with a gamma touch as well... it was a surprise they didn't put it together sooner.
There was a bit of an upside to things though; if what Martha said was true, and if Ra was willing to uphold his end of the bargain, they would be spared just long enough before they could pull off their escape plan. Both Poppy and Bruce were hard at work with their tasks and if they could just get their work to the proper place in the right time... they'd be able to get free and take the whole League out behind them, preserving their secrets once more and not worrying about the League coming after them again.
Alfred looked sadly at his son comforting Poppy, and glanced at Martha, "Ra wouldn't have agreed to helping stop the plan for my son and Poppy if you hadn't done something to make him listen...".
Martha spoke softly, "I and Kel offered to sacrifice our freedom if you were all let go...I and Thomas would still be leverage for Kel if Ra wants all of her fully unleashed Hulk powers to annihilate his enemies...", with a sniff.
Alfred widened his eyes as Bruce shouted, "WHAT?! No, Mom!", as Martha looked up to see Bruce looking horrified at her and glancing to see Poppy and Waylon staring at her with shock and horror.
"You can't do that! We don't know if it's going to be a machine that Ra had personally worked on, and if it's going to kill you, or you and Mama both, or Mama alone! And besides, if we were let go, they would still hunt us down anytime they want to, and we would be watching over our shoulders all the time, never truly happy! Hell, they would keep spies, and some sort of camera set up on us as leverage over you and the others. Sure, Alfred and Waylon would have Caroline and Jane back, but what about us?!", Bruce paced around, ranting.
Martha replied, "At least all of you would be safe. And I wouldn't be alone...if I survive, I have Thomas while Kel works for the League...He would know that a parent sacrifices anything for their children so they could live...", as Bruce was silent for a moment.
"Well, we may be your children, Mom, but we aren't 'children' children, I, Bruce, Wally, we are practically adults, and I ain't leaving you, Mama, or Dad in this place if I can help it.", Poppy replied as her voice was suddenly heard, which unknown to them, as a reward for Waylon's moment of good behavior for not making things worse from his rage, Talia had adjusted the vocal and hearing panels in the cells.
Martha widened her eyes as she looked sharply at Poppy who is looking determined even with tears, and Waylon replied, "I'm staying too...You and Kel are practically my mothers-in-laws, and even if I hadn't met Thomas ever, I know him from your stories, and he's Poppy's father too. And besides, Ma taught me that family gotta stick together through good and bad times.", glancing at Alfred, hoping that his father isn't mad at him.
Martha closed her eyes as she wanted to cry. If Ra gave them the offer to leave with no strings attached, they'd all stay no matter what. It almost comforted her to hear that. "I swear... sometimes I don't know what I did to deserve such love...", she started to sniffle. "I could've easily had a husband who would've simply replaced me with someone else... children that cared more about me being a credit card than a parent... a butler who just saw me as a paycheck and thumb his nose behind my back...", as she shook her head, hearing Kel mentally purr with pride.
Bruce replied, "Good thing we ain't those kind of people, then, eh, Mom? I'm sticking around too.", as Martha opened her eyes with a soft chuckle, as Alfred said, "You were the beginning of this family, and if we can help it, one day, in the very far future, you would be the end of this family, but rather as one chapter, with those two incredible children and more to lead the next chapter. Waylon's right...Caroline always said love and trust is what holds a family together through good and bad times.", with an approving smile to show Waylon that he isn't mad at all.
Martha took a deep breath and nodded, "Alright then... you'll will stay with Kel and I then... I guess then we just wait until tomorrow... and then see what comes next...", with a small smile. "One thing is for sure... we just have to keep having hope.", Poppy said.
Meanwhile, Talia turned off the room's audio button on the cells through the camera, yet kept visual on them, glancing at the main security/surveillance man of the security assassins, "They've behaved. Tell some of the people to keep the routine of delivering lunch for all of them and see about putting into a flimsy nightdress for the Wayne girl, and shorts for the Jones boy. They are still punished for their actions this morning as they aren't allowed undergarments or overclothes, is that clear?".
The man nodded, "Yes, Ms. Ghul, ma'am!", and Talia nodded, "Good. I must go now.", before leaving the security/surveillance room, having thought about her decision of the hour limit, and have come to a final decision, going to tell Ra of what she have recorded and seen, and of course, her final decision on how on getting rid of Ranbir.
She went through the temple on her familiar route to her father's office, knocking firmly on the grand door, hearing Ra's voice, "Right on time, if it's you, Talia. Come in.", and she came in, opening and closing the door.
She glanced to see her father reading a report at his desk and waited for him to finish reading as she sat down, and after a minute, Ra put away the report, "We are still good for clear, good weather on Halloween, so, the moon will be halfway full and bright. I'd rather want a full moon, but oh, Halloween magic will be very strong to rival that, next to the thinning of the veil. It's very nice sometimes to have weather reports more reliable those days now, thanks to the modern world.".
"Indeed, Father.", Talia replied with a nod, and Ra smiled, "First things first, have you come to a final decision, daughter?", and Talia said firmly, "I have, Father. I decided to go for finishing Ranbir off myself, before our people, and after you reveal my idea, I will challenge him if he dares question me, and on the off chance he reacts before questioning me, I will kill him to prove my loyalty to you if he goes for you, Father, all the same.".
Ra nodded, "A very accurate back up plan all the same...And what made you not to choose the Jones boy then?", and Talia replied, "He behaved, sir...But to explain, I must start from the beginning of my watch on your orders.".
"Of course, things aren't very clear if they aren't told from the beginning. Continue, daughter.", Ra replied, and Talia replied, "The Wayne boy started asking not long after Martha settled in her cell, and she then explained that she got you to listen at least, and that the Wayne girl and the Jones boy would be okay a bit longer than Ranbir would allow. The Wayne girl and the Jones boy was relieved, comforting each other casually, with the Jones boy all nursed up. The Pennyworth butler was observant, seeing that Martha was not done yet.".
"She then told them a bit of what you and she discussed while I was away; but her main discussion was on Ranbir and what he was trying to attempt with the daughter and her lover. Needless to say, the Jones boy, upon learning, was on the verge of a complete meltdown; a fury and rage that could've been quite destructive if left to his own devices.", Talia then explained.
Ra blinked curiously, "Oh?", and Talia nodded, "Yes, sir, but the Wayne girl came to his rescue, after reacting to the news, told him that he could wreck the bathroom for a quick rage and then return back to her, yet the Jones boy didn't, saying if he did, he would make things even worse for him and her, and that any of us would look for any excuse to punish them even more, and just stayed there to comfort his lover, behaving.".
"Interesting...the beauty calms the beast, after all, at moments like this, I suppose.", Ra surmises, and Talia replied, "Yes. Then Pennyworth once again asked Martha if you hadn't agreed to see about keeping Ranbir away from the lovers, she wouldn't have asked you for it until for something important. So, she revealed her part of the deal which is sacrificing her freedom to us and having the others go free. To my slight surprise, it wasn't the Wayne girl, but the Wayne boy who reacted very emotionally, yet not going into a rage all the same, more like a rant.".
"Their compassion and feelings for each other is an easy undoing... if Martha Wayne was smart; she should've cut off all ties and not let herself be opened up to weakness. It would've made our work much more difficult. It's almost not even worth it at times with how little challenging this all has been.", Ra admitted.
Talia replied, "I was surprised too...through I have seen her being more controlled around Gotham and her company...I think it's only her family she is able to be her real self for most of the time.".
Ra nodded, "That very much makes sense...A private image, and a public image, especially with being a Wayne widow and all. Back to it...What did the Wayne boy rant about?".
"That he pointed out that they don't know if it's a true machine, and they don't know if it would kill Martha, or both her and the She-Hulk, or just the She-Hulk. He also pointed out if they were let go, they would still be hunted anytime we want to get them as we know where they live, and they would be forever watching over their shoulders, being spied on by us, with camera records and such as leverage over Martha, She-Hulk, and Thomas, besides that Pennyworth and the Jones boy would have Caroline and the little Pennyworth-Jones girl with them, yet leaving the Wayne siblings without their parents.", Talia explained.
Ra looked slightly surprised, "Sounds like the Wayne boy has intelligence as much as the Wayne girl, and he truly thought it out in his rant...What happened next?", and Talia replied, "Well, Martha then said that they would be all safe at least from harm, and she pointed out that she wouldn't be alone, as if she survives your very earned hard work of the machine, she has Thomas and the She-Hulk while She-Hulk serves you in the meantime. Saying that a parent would sacrifice anything for their children so they could live.".