Hiya Everyone! Never fear Zdala is here! *Fancy Pop Music intensifies*
As always I missed you all! I can't believe its the end of Summer already, time just flew by without giving us a chance to really enjoy it. I recently came back from Morphicon 2024 in California, and let me tell you guys what a ride! I've never seen so much Power Ranger/Super Sentai in one place, it was just beautiful!
Besides that work is the same, just trying to make it through like everyone else.
I hope you guys are doing good!
With that being said, I know that the next few months are going to be rough for all of us with this election stuff going on. I wish all of you constant safe travels, and just remember to keep your friends and loved once close. Were all in this together and we need each other.
Also I'm still waiting for some feedback from you guys! I would love to hear your opinions on what you think of Season 3 so far. I'm looking for ways to improve, for your viewing experience.
But anyways, time for the latest Chapter!
Chapter 24 The Outsiders Part 1
"I've been hit!" A phrase that no fighter pilot wants to scream. The cockpit was bathed in scarlet lights while the ship's hull leaked sparks. Swatted like a fly, the vessel came crashing down into the pits that made up Apokolip's surface. Molten magma and hellish sprites danced throughout it, determined to bring it down. Terror & pleas barked out the pilot's mouth, louder than any megaphone. It would do him no good however as the fiery abyss came closer, silencing his anguished cries. Unable to escape death's agonizing grip, the pilot's life came to a close as the ship sunk into the sea of flames, a haunting reminder of what you risk for your master.
Even though he suffered to his last breath, it didn't matter.
It was all for the greater good
It was all for Darkseid's will.
From the window in his throne room, the emperor of sadism had a front-row seat to witness the ongoing dog fights above.
Another day in this accursed dimension meant another day he had to stave off enemy forces.
Normally Darkseid would relish in the bloodshed that was war, however, this was far from enjoyable. From his view, he could easily see his minions getting decimated at every turn. His defensive forces fought strong, initially starting with an overwhelming five hundred pilots. After constant shootouts with his foes, he now amassed less than a hundred, a dire sign of things to come.
For hours he watched those incompetent failures getting shot down, only to perish in the hellfire below. He felt no sympathy for them, they were weak and brought embarrassment to his name.
"Master Darkseid, master Darkseid!"
Speaking of embarrassment, he knew one of his subordinates would come crawling inside to give him a status update. Surprisingly it wasn't Granny Goodness or Kalibak, instead, it was General Steppenwolf. He nearly fell flat as he frantically rushed through the throne room doors to meet his lord. "Virman has a message for you my lord!"
"What are you waiting for then, let's hear it!"
Carrying the remote to the Boom Tube Holo system, Steppenwolf pushed a button on the device. Upon pressing the button, the generators in the room lit up emitting prism lights. The Lights collide with one another, soon forming the image of Cononel Virman Vundabar.
"Report!" Darkseid ordered
"It's not good master, enemy forces have taken out ninety percent of our fleet!" Virman cried."They're not stopping this time, Granny Goodness has reported that they're advancing toward the palace, what should we do?"
Darkseid paused momentarily, before taking in the sights from his throne window. Soldiers on foot, horseback, and mechanized tanks were down on the grounds. With their allies keeping the fighter pilots busy, this gave them a perfect segway toward his beloved estate. He could also see Virman's main aircraft alongside his remaining fleet, flying low to escape the enemy. As much as Darkseid hated to be in this position, even he couldn't help but recognize his vulnerability.
"Awaiting your commands master!" Virman exclaimed.
"You've served me well Cononel, take as many of them with you as you can!"
"Of course my lord!" Virman's face fell in disbelief as the order was given. "All units, it's time for protocol six!"
Rewatching the spectacle outside, Darkseid waited for the next steps. Retreating from their position in the sky, the Apoklyptian fighter planes began to nosedive. Like ducks shot during hunting season the aircrafts let gravity overtake them as they came crashing. The first vessel came down atop of a tank, exploding on contact. One by one each of Darkseid's forces committed the suicidal act, allowing their ship to smash down and hit the enemy. For each crash, a mini combust was to follow. While not fatally dangerous to the palace, the shockwaves from the explosions were enough to engulf both the land militia and the aerial forces.
In no time all foes to Apokolips had been wiped out, leaving trails of smoke and debris in its wake.
Although he had lost his squadrons, Darkseid smirked as he realized once again he had won the battle.
His smugness would not last long, however. Even with the attack finished Darkseid's problems were just beginning. The Holograph that once displayed Virman began to take shape, readying itself for another message. As the throneroom violently shook, the holo system increased its light. Much to Stepphenwolf's shock, Darkseid took many steps backward, making sure that he was as far away as possible. A few final moments were all that remained as the hologram lights stretched wide, capturing the image of the person as accurately as possible.
Darkseid's eyes now met with the enemy, a ghastly one at that. He stood nine feet tall, with a physique as strong as the densest mountain. He was adorned in a one-piece armor complete with, gauntlets, shoulder pads, a gladiator breastplate, boots, a free-flowing cape, and a helmet with horns to match. While Darkseid's eyes glowed with Omega power, his glowed with energy from the Source wall itself.
He was an enemy to all in the universe. A bloody tyrant who was out to destroy the world for his sick pleasure. A legend to those of the old world and a harbinger of death to those who cross his path. He was frightening enough to scare Nekron of the Black Lanterns and powerful enough to face the Anti-Monitor in battle. He was the husband of Heggra and the creator of Highfather & Darkseid. He was the original ruler of Apokolops, the sire of evil, the New God known as Yuga Khan.
"What's the matter Darkseid, don't you have a big kiss and hug for your father?"
"You invade my kingdom yet again!" Darkseid sneered
"Your kingdom?" Yuga Khan questioned with a laugh. Even though he wasn't physically there, his hulking form slowly arched itself forward until it was just mere inches away from him."I bequeathed this world to you when you were in infancy. They may call you master here but I am the one true God of Apokolips!"
His menacing nature toward the master prompted Steppenwolf to draw his blade. While Yuga Khan wasn't physically present, the general's actions made it clear. Nobody would intimidate Darkseid in his presence.
"You've nothing better to do than attack me?" Darkseid queried.
"I attack you to root out your weakness, you do not deserve to sit on that throne!"
"You speak foolishly old man!"
"I speak wisdom!" Yuga Khan barked. "You seek Anti-Life yet you've been bested by a mere mortal and his feline companion, how pathetic!"
The statement was met with balled fists as Darkseid's veins began to throb, all the while his eyes shimmered with the omega.
His reaction was met with a toothy smile from his father. "Spare me your feeble anger!"
"You've been attacking us for years Khan, when does it end?" Steppenwolf questioned.
"It ends with your evisceration!" Much like villains do, Yuga Khan let out a mischievous laugh that echoed throughout the palace walls. These would be his last actions as the hologram message ceased, taking him with it. There was silence in the throne room as Darkseid and his general were left alone once again.
"I suggest we begin fortifying the base my lord, it'll be crucial in fending off the Khan's next attack!"
Although he spoke first to break the tension, Steppenwolf was met with pointed silence. His leader was probably too busy thinking about the encounter they just had.
Or maybe not.
As Steppenwolf looked further at his master's grey face he couldn't help but notice many things were off. For starters, his entire forehead was drenched in sweat. This was odd because Darkseid never perspired even with being so close to the planet's flames. The second oddity to notice was his knees which were slightly gyrating back in forth, a sign of instability. The third and final thing was his master's heartbeat. Being this close to him, he could hear the calmness leave his body as the organ slammed against his chest cavity.
With all the clues reviewed, Steppenwolfs mind raced. He couldn't imagine what he was noticing about his master. Darkseid was overwhelmed by a certain emotion, an emotion that wasn't allowed by anyone on Apokolips.
"M-master are you afra-?"
He would never get the chance to finish his question as the latter turned to face him. The last thing Steppenwolf saw was his master's hateful gaze, right before he was vaporized by his Omega beams.
He would never get the chance to scream, or even plead for his existence. The question sealed his fate. In a matter of seconds, he had gone from Darkseid's most trusted general to a pile of ash.
"Blasphemer!" Shouted Darkseid as his foot crushed the dust underneath.
How dare that insect suggest such a thing?
He was Darkseid.
All powerful, all-knowing, all-seeing.
He wasn't afraid of anything.
Or was he?
-New Metropolis-
-Highfathers Tower-
-Medical Wing-
While darkness is absolute, it cannot stand the purifying gaze of light. For Raven after a prolonged series of nightmares, she needed light. The morning sun would grant her wish as its rays slipped through the curtains illuminating her hospital room. The warmness of it gently touched her face, making her realize she survived another night. With her silky hair spilled out over the pillow, she began to stir while trying to adjust her eyes to the light's intensity.
"What a night." She groaned softly before beginning to stretch her weary bones.
Before Raven could even take in the sights of her room, her attention was diverted by the loud siren-esque sound of snoring.
She wouldn't have to look far for the source of the sound as it was directly beside her bed. Sure enough, her gaze fell upon her lover. Garfield's body was contorted awkwardly in a cold metal chair as he tried to make himself comfortable. Using his arms as a pillow, the changeling continued to cut wood, oblivious that his girlfriend was awake.
"Gar!" Raven couldn't help but smile as she saw her boyfriend dutifully lying by her side.
"H-huh?" Normally it would take several thousand sticks of dynamite to awaken Garfield from slumber. In this instance, however, Raven's voice was the cure. Hearing the sounds of his beloved, the titan began to stir, soon uncoiling his body until he was upright in the chair. "Where the hell am I?"
"Have a nice rest sleeping beauty?" She teased
"Raven!" Garfield's demeanor drastically changed as she called to him. Without warning he latched onto her with a big hug before smothering her with kisses.
"Easy Gar, down boy down!" She playfully laughed.
"No chance!" He playfully grinned.
As they held one another once more, the lovers let their warm bodies intertwine while the rays from the sun amplified the tenderness of their moment. They would stay this way for a few minutes before Raven pulled away due to a throbbing pain that began pulsating in her head.
"Ugh, not again!" Raven slowly rubbed her temples trying to ease the pressure that felt like a hangover.
"Rough night huh?" Garfield questioned.
"You don't know the half of it." Her smile faded as the memories of her dreams returned.
"Black Siren?"
She nodded intensely."She's trying to drive me insane, even worse she's got control of my magic."
"I hate to ask the obvious, but how do we get rid of her?"
"Your guess is as good as mine!"
"Why didn't you tell me Rae?"
She knew that question was coming somewhere down the line but she still hadn't prepared herself for its impact. Even with his pleading puppy dog eyes, Raven refused to stare him in the face.
"I-I-I didn't want you to worry!" She clamped on her tongue, realizing how pathetic she may have sounded.
"Say what?"
"I didn't want you to worry ok!" She repeated. "You were so looking forward to having our life like old times, I just didn't want to take that away from you!"
"You didn't want me to worry, you didn't want me to worry?" Garfield questioned as his facial features contorted into one of confusion.
"Gar I-." She tried to explain
"Let me get this straight!" Garfield suddenly slid off the bed before turning to face Raven directly. The Sorceress prepared herself for the worst as she sensed rage flowing throughout his aura. "You've been having these attacks and didn't tell me yet somehow manage to tell Ryan?"
"I didn't tell Ryan, she found out!" Raven flatly said. "She wanted to tell you but I made her promise not to!"
"Are you serious?" He questioned with a bug-eyed expression. "And what was your plan exactly, hope that you don't turn into Black Siren and turn me over to Darkseid?"
"I didn't think-."
"Thats right Rae you didn't think!" He shot back. "Ya know for years you made jokes about how I was the stupid one and yet you managed to be stupider than I ever could have been!"
"Gar can't we just talk about this?"
"What's to talk about?" He wondered angrily. "You lied to me, didn't consider my feelings about the situation, made me argue with my friend, and atop of that you won't even be my wife!"
"Oh that's right, I said no didn't I?" She sweatdropped
Gar's jaw immediately dropped to the floor at her response "You mean you forgot?"
"I didn't forget It just slipped my mind with everything going on!"
"You know what forget it!" Garfield's usually green skin became flushed as he turned toward the door.
"Gar wait!" She called out. "Where are you going?"
"None of your business!" Garfield soon exited the room, leaving the door quaking as he slammed it.
The moment she was alone Raven buried her face in her pillow. A series of muffled screams followed as her way of coping with the situation. Garfield was right, how could she be so stupid? The mistakes had finally caught up with her and exploded in the worst possible way. Her problems with Black Siren were just the beginning. She now had to cope with the possibility that Garfield might not forgive her for what she's done.
-Gotham-
-GCPD HQ-
Even in the daytime Gotham City had a vibrant pulse that was as lively as its nightlife. This enthralling energy ensured there was never a dull moment for those who lived there. Such a sight could be seen at the front entrance to the Gotham City Police Department.
The dozens that crowded in were reporters & journalists, eager to get the scoop of a lifetime. A wall of officers was stationed next to a podium waiting for the spectacle to begin. Facing a sea of flashing & blinding lights the crowd started to buzz with conversation as Commissioner Barbara Gordon stood up on the podium.
Copying her father's demeanor, Barbara would slightly adjust her policeman's uniform making sure it was free of any wrinkles or blemishes. Polishing her badge with a handkerchief, Barbara darted her attention toward the corner of the room. Adding to her confidence was Ryan, Jo & Imani who gave her the most positive faces they could muster. She was ready to face anything with them in her corner, combined with her nerves of steel.
"I want to thank everyone for coming on such short notice, I'll try to make this as brief as possible!" She began. "Last night the GCPD received a tip about possible drug smuggling within the diamond district. Thanks to a sting operation conducted by our brave officers, the threat has been contained. We not only managed to recover the drugs in question but we've also arrested more than fifty people connected with the crime!"
"Commissoner, Commissioner?" A well-dressed Caucasian male suddenly raised his hand."Was Snakebite the drug in question?"
"Yes it was and due to our intel we can confirm that the False Face Society was involved!" Barbara stated. "As you all know False Face has been flooding our streets with Snakebite for some time now, we believe they are trying to bring anarchy back to our peaceful city!"
"How does the GCPD plan to respond to False Face?" A female reporter quizzed next.
The inquiring brought a small smile to Barbara's face. "We plan to kick ass and take names!"
Her enthusiastic statement prompted a chorus of cheers from the officers.
"Laying it on thick isn't she?" Imani wondered
"She's right Imani, False Face doesn't stand a chance against us!" Jo said
"I reckon I agree with Ms Jo there!" Greg's voice suddenly addressed the trio as he slipped next to them. No longer in his cowboy gear, he opted for a jeans and t-shirt combo combined with a cap to blend in with the crowd easily. "Mornin', ladies!"
"Well, look who is awake after the long night." Ryan replied.
"You know us country boys be up with the roosters!" He laughed. "Plus I wanted to give Ol commish some moral support but it looks like she doesn't need non of my help!"
"Does anyone else have any questions?" Barbara asked
"I do!" This time all eyes in the crowd turned to a blonde woman in a trenchcoat. Wearing mirrored sunglasses the woman held out a miniature tape recorder as she addressed her. "Can you address the rumors that it wasn't the GCPD but several vigilantes that busted up the drug operation?"
Barbara's face fell as the question caught her off guard. Shifting uncomfortably at the podium, she prepared her lips for the most obvious action. "I haven't heard such rumors, and I can tell you without a doubt that they are lies!"
Despite her denials, the woman would press further. "Are you sure about that?"
"You're questioning my integrity now?"
"I'm not trying to call you a liar commissioner." The reporter stated. "I find it hard to believe that GCPD managed to take down false face so easily. There were more than fifty men arrested, each one carrying enough ammunition to start a small gang war!"
"You underestimate the abilities of my officers!"
"Or perhaps you're not telling us the whole story!" The woman's voice remained calm but icy as she addressed Barbara with the utmost confidence.
"Ma'am I'm not sure where you're getting your info from but I can confidently tell you that is a flat out l-." Barbara would never get the chance to finish her statement as her mouth unexpectedly went dry. Her vision of the reporters also started to vanish, being replaced by a sea of blurriness. Her brain fought desperately to bring herself back to normal, but it could not. Instead of focusing, her brain produced haunting images of the clown prince of crime as well as her father right before his death.
"What's up with Barbara?" Ryan quizzed with concern.
"I don't know." Jo responded.
"She looks more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers!" Greg commented.
"Would you care to repeat your statement commissioner?" The reporter questioned.
"I um said that I can confidently say that uh." The images started flashing more rapidly in her mind keeping her from stringing even a single sentence together. Making the situation worse, Barbara also began panting heavily while her forehead started to perspire.
As Barbara struggled to get her body back to normal, the crowds started gabbing. Whispers about her health and the possibility of vigilantes were the main topics of discussion. Pretty soon the whispers gained traction until they drowned out any other noises.
Between all the eyes staring back at her, and the symptoms she was feeling, everything became too much for Barbara. After a few desperate gasps for air, Barbara cried out right before collapsing to the ground.
"Commissioner!" Jo cried out and she, Imani, and Greg ran to her side.
Checking her pulse, Imani's face immediately dropped as nothing was found. "Someone get a medic quick!"
"Looks like my job is done!" With a gleeful laugh, the mysterious reporter shifted herself out of focus as the reporters and other officers gathered around Barbara.
"Oh no you don't!" Despite the woman thinking she had gotten away with it, her actions had not gone unnoticed by Ryan who immediately gave chase.
"Oh crap!" She cursed before immediately darting inside the building.
With a good chunk of officers outside or on duty the main hall was empty. The mysterious woman darted like a speeding bullet with Ryan hot on her heels. Trying to give herself an edge in the pursuit, the reporter unexpectedly tossed her trenchcoat, sunglasses, and blonde hair backward.
As the items caused Ryan to stumble, but she quickly regained her balance. Before she could give chase again, she was greeted by ghoulish laughter and tapping. Looking further down the hall, she gritted her teeth with displeasure as the identity of the reporter was revealed. Ryan knew this woman all too well, as apparent by her green pinstripe suit and sideways question mark cane.
"We meet again MS Wilder!" Enigma gushed.
"I should have known it was you!" Ryan growled.
"Don't kid yourself, little girl, you don't possess an intellect such as Moi!"
"Let's see how good your brain does you when I kick your ass again!"
"Are you sure you want to chase me, Ryan?" She wondered. "Maybe it be better if you turned your attention to the walls surrounding you!"
"The walls?" Ryan arched an eyebrow in suspicion as her optics scanned the walls that were in the hallway. Endless posters stared back at Ryan, causing her brain to fire up with unpleasant remembrance. Staring further, she gasped as a certain photo on the wall caught her attention. What was distinctive about this remains unknown but due to its contents, it was enough to keep her paralyzed.
"And just like that wit conquers brawn again!" Laughed Engima. With Ryan fully distracted the psychologist took her opportunity to leave the GCPD without incident.
The poster fully captivated Ryan's attention. Its presence turned her fearful as she backed away.
"Ryan!" Jo called out. Soon she and Imani entered the building, pistols drawn ready to confront danger. However, the duo would not find any enemies, just Ryan alone in that single spot."Ryan, what happened?"
"The poster." She murmured while pointing, all the while her perfect mahogany skin was growing paler.
"What's wrong, you look like you saw a ghost?" Jo wondered. Taking a second to inspect the wall, a startled Jo soon realized what was tormenting Ryan. With this realization, she snatched the poster off the wall and kept it away from her.
"Looks like she got away!" An annoyed Imani commented. Noticing the disguises on the ground, she angrily kicked them before turning her attention back to Ryan. "We need answers Ryan, what happened?"
"Chill Imani, Ryans a little shaken up!"
"Are you kidding me?" Imani questioned with a huff. "She had her right in her grasp and suddenly stopped over a stupid photo!"
"Imani!" Jo scolded.
"I need some air!" The pressure of the moment soon became too much for Ryan causing her to sprint toward the exit and back outside once more.
"Jo we need to grill her and learn what happened!"
"Just drop it Imani!"
"But Jo!"
"I said drop it!" Jo shouted.
The heightened tone of her voice as well as a disgusted stare prompted Imani to be silent. Her expression was one of worry as she looked at her partner. Jo had never raised her voice like that before, even when they argued it never escalated into shouting. She couldn't fathom that she was angry at her over a simple fwb.
"Look I'm sorry Jo, I didn't mean to hurt her feelings but could you at least tell me why she freaked out like that?" Imani inquired
Jo's response was to hand her the poster in question. A frustrated frown was painted on Imani's face as she was greeted by the sight of a cop's picture. The cop in question was a beautiful African American woman, with piercing brown eyes and a wide smile.
The inscription on the poster reads as follows.
UNSOLVED MURDER CASE #03/003267
OFFICER JADA R WILDER, BADGE #189
OFFICER WILDER WAS SLAIN IN HER HOME IN FRONT OF HER DAUGHTER
THE GCPD SEEKS INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF OFFICER WILDERS MURDER.
A $60,000 REWARD IS IN PLAY FOR ANY VIABLE INFORMATION.
CONTACT THE GCPD TIP LINE
1-456-352-4040
REPORT COMPILED BY GCPD COMMISSIONER JAMES GORDON
-Wayne Manor-
After the morning sun awoke Raven, it continued its journey throughout the land. With its constant warmth and cheerful brightness, it broke through the sleep of many a person. More importantly, it made its way to the Wayne Manor Living room where one tiger cub slept.
"Aah!" Lunar yawned letting his howl be heard. With a lick of his paw, the piparoid rubbed his eyes furiously to get the sand out. The softness of his velvet bed rubbed comfortably against his fur. If the bed could talk it surely would have convinced Lunar to go back to sleep. Despite these thoughts of more rest, his programming had other ideas. "It's morning!"
Another morning, another adventure, another chance for fun. After all the fighting and arguing yesterday, Lunar knew today would be different. His usual burst of energy suddenly overtook him, knocking him out of the bed and onto the floor.
As if he were at the Kentucky Derby, Lunar shot down the hall. The mansion's stillness became shattered as his tiny paws padded across the polished wood floors leading him into the kitchen. He couldn't wait to see his family. More importantly, he couldn't wait to taste whatever delicious breakfast awaited him.
"Good Morning friends!" Lunar happily cheered as he crossed the threshold into the kitchen. Instead of being greeted by smiles and breakfast, he was met with an empty room. While there were no signs of his companions, his usual kid's table was set up. Neatly placed around the table were the stuffed animals he normally would play with, alongside a bowl of oil, assorted screws, and two sticky notes.
The first note read.
Dear Lunar
I will be in Gotham for a while. Made your breakfast and set up your table. I'll be back later to make dinner and spend time with you! RC is in the study if you need him.
Love Ryan 3
P.S (Garfield if your reading this I'll be waiting for my apology when you come to your senses)
The second note read.
Hey Little Buddy
Was gonna make you breakfast but someone beat me to the punch! Going to the tower to visit Rae, I promise we'll hang out later.
Gar :)
P.S RC is knocked out upstairs. Someone should tell him all that reading rots his brain!
2nd P.S- (Ryan if you're reading this, know i've read your note and will be waiting for you to apologize to me first =P )
"Awwww." Lunar's joyful demeanor crumbled as he read the notes. His friends weren't coming back for a while. His new day was already off to a false start. Even with the delicious oil and screw cereal that Ryan made for him, he couldn't eat it. What's having a wonderful breakfast if you have nobody to share it with?
The notes also clued Lunar onto the fact that Garfield & Ryan hadn't reconciled, a fact that broke his techno-organic heart. As he told Ryan Choi, friends weren't supposed to fight. They were supposed to love and support each other always.
"RC!" A spark from his single brain cell reignited. He wasn't alone after all, another one of his friends was right upstairs.
Momentum again consumed the cub, prompting him to shoot up the stairs and into Bruce Wayne's private study.
Bypassing the walls packed with books on shelves, Lunar locked sights on Ryan Choi. Novels and Parchments on Outer Space/ Alien Civilizations were messily scattered across the desk. A box of hero trophies from Highfathers Tower were tucked away on the ground. As both Garfield and Ryan mentioned, there was RC slumped over the desk in a deep slumber. The scholar was knocked out cold, glasses having slipped down his nose while a faint line of drool cascaded down his chin.
"Good morning RC!" Lunar shouted
"Yes… Mr. President…..I'll gladly accept…, the Nobel Peace Prize….yes." Ryan Choi uttered as the jumbled sentence spilled out.
"RC!" Lunar called out again. "Come on it's morning, let's have breakfast together!"
"Of course Ryan…we can go to…Disney World for our date."
"Ryan please wake up!" Not getting through to the comatose man, Lunar snuggled up against his leg while purring loudly.
The purring if anything did not wake RC and instead put a small smile on his face. "Oh….Ryan…..at least let…..us…. finish dinner first!"
Lunar's brow furrowed as he ceased the action. "Ok, time for plan Q!"
Upping the ante Lunar left the study, only to return a few moments later with his oil bowl curled up in his tail.
"Forgive me for this friend!" Digging his claws into the rug, Lunar's tail perfectly balanced the bowl as he prepared to launch it. "One, two, three and-."
The thunderous sound of ringing suddenly reverberated, breaking Lunar's concentration and causing him to drop the bowl. As Ryan Choi continued to sleep soundly, Lunar stood dumbfounded, drenched in oil.
"Well, at least I taste delicious!" Lunar sighed as he tasted his cheek.
Shaking the bowl and oil off, Lunar shifted objectives. Since he couldn't wake Ryan Choi, he would investigate the ringing. On closer inspection of the desk, he could hear the sound coming from a refurbished Titans communicator. Jumping ontop, he pressed the talk button with a single paw. "Hello?"
"Hey, there cutie pie!" Instantly Lunar was greeted by Nia
"Friend Nia!" Lunar cooed. "It's good to see you!"
"It's good to see you too Lunar!" She smiled. "How's it going over there?"
"Terrible!" He replied. "Garfield & Ryan fought, RC's asleep, the crazy snake woman is after us and I spilled oil on the rug!"
"Woah woah Lunar calm down!"
"When are you guys coming back?" He questioned with saddened eyes.
"That's why I'm calling!" Nia explained. "Me & Virgil are driving back from Dakota, we should reach New Metropolis in a day!"
"Awesome!" He cheered as his demeanor lifted. "When you return we can play uno, and have dance parties with lots of treats and maybe watch cartoons!"
"Whatever you want cutie, just make sure Garfield, Ryan & RC get this message!"
"You can count on me!" He saluted.
Nia canceled the transmission. While Lunar still felt empty, the message gave him some hope that things would return to normal soon.
-New Metropolis-
-Highfathers Tower-
-With Raven-
Navigating a relationship is often like disarming a bomb. If you cut the correct wires you have nothing but unbridled peace and a sense of relief. On the other hand if you cut the wrong wires then it can blow up in your face. This was the feeling that consumed Raven. Her entire world was implouding, leaving her to pick up the pieces before it got any worse.
Before everything could be set right, she had to clear the air with Garfield.
But where was Garfield?
He hadn't returned since their earlier confrontation. With him ghosting her, this left Raven no choice but to play Detective. Against orders from the doctor, she started to cruise Highfathers Tower, looking for any sign of her boyfriend.
Her first stop was the Tower cafeteria. When Garfield was upset sometimes he would come here for comfort. She half expected him to be at the buffet table, going ape on nachos, pizza, or waffles. Surprisingly enough there was no sign of him, just the normal patrons.
Her second stop was at his previous dorm room in the Tower. Despite living in the Manor full time, Garfield was known to store his comics, video games, and action figures inside. Once again when she arrived there was no sight of him. No smell, aura, or any indication that he even entered the room.
With the first two stops being duds, Raven found herself using her magic for a more practical reason. Now teleporting from room to room, she conversed with staffers, soldiers, and even some League members to find him. This search would also come to a screeching halt as nobody had seen or heard from him since this morning.
Where could he possibly be?
It would be her abilities as an empath that would answer this burning question. The powerful aura of depression mixed with rage, soon reared its presence seemingly piercing through all other emotions in the area. Such a combination of high-potency feelings seemed out of place in the Tower. For a pissed-off boyfriend, not so much.
Acting on her suspicions, Raven started to trace the emotions to their origins. The aura would lead her beyond the walls of the Tower and instead brought her to a local park just a few blocks away.
Shifting through the families that were visiting, the trail would stop at the base of a large imposing oak tree. Much as she predicted, there at the top was Garfield. Sprawled out lazily in the tree branches, the titan caressed a single flower in his palm as he began to roughly yank the petals attached.
"Gar!" She shouted.
But he merely ignored her and continued to yank on the petals. "She loves me, she loves me not, she loves me, she loves me not!"
"Could you be any more immature?" She sweatdropped
"I know you are but what am I?" He snapped back.
"What are you doing up there anyway?" Raven inquired.
"Oh, ya know just hanging around!" He replied dryly. Even when he was mad at her, he never missed a chance to go for the joke. If he still had his powers he probably would have turned into a monkey or sloth to get his point across.
"I'm coming up there!"
"Nope!" He shouted. "This is my treehouse, no heartbreakers allowed!"
"Gar, please I want to talk!"
"Little late for that Rae!" Gar quipped.
"But this isn't getting us anywhere!"
"Do I look like I care?" He questioned in a tone laced with fridgeness. Raven found herself taking a step back, caught off guard by his tone. The last time Garfield was like this toward her was when the beast took over his body during their fight against Adonis. Such raw vitroil she thought would never return, yet here it was once again.
"Ya know it's ironic." He explained. "Five years ago I planned on asking you that same question, If only I'd know you were gonna say no!"
"Gar -."
"Five years Rae, five years!" Discarding the flower, Garfield unexpectedly jumped down from the tree, putting himself only a few inches away from Raven's face. His nostrils flared as he stared at her with bloodshot eyes. "For five years I didn't know if you were dead or alive! For five years all I had were those stupid little daydreams of what our life would be like together!"
"Stop this isn't getting us anywhere!" Raven's voice began to break.
But Gar simply turned his back on her. "Do you?"
"Do I what?"
"Do you still love me?"
The question was dropped harder than any atomic bomb. It's impact destroyed the conversation that the two were having while filling the space between them with silence. Garfield's rising anger would soon shift toward curiosity as he turned back around to face Raven.
Without warning Garfield's cheek met the blazing fury of Raven's right hand. The force of the slap sent Garfield spinning like a top. Stars and cartoon birdes obstructed Garfield's vision before he collapsed against the base of the tree.
It would take him a few moments to shake off the slap before regaining focus. Raven's shadow soon eclipsed his view of the sun as she began to hover over him. With balled fists and clenched teeth, Raven stared down her boyfriend as trails of tears dropped from her eyes.
"Why would you ask me such a pointless question, of course I love you!"
"Rae-!"
"No, I let you talk now you're going to listen to me!" She shouted back. "I know you had it hard those last five years, but you aren't the only one who suffered. I had to spend five years on Apokolips Gar, five years of literal hell!"
Raven never cried, a fact that Garfield knew all too well. Seeing her in this moment, made him forget about the rant he just had. He knew how pissed he was but even he didn't mean to make her cry.
"Think Gar!" She exclaimed. "We're in a war right now. Starfire's dead, Robin and the others are under Darkseid's control, we can't get married now!"
"I just want us to be happy, don't we deserve that?"
"Of course we do, but now isn't the time for that!" Raven's tears ceased as she kneeled by his side. The couple joined hands and for the first time, they began to connect again. No screaming, no yelling, just them gazing into one another's soul. "You don't think I want to spend the rest of my life with you?"
"Y-y-you do?"
"Of course I do idiot!" She chuckled. "But like I said we can't do it now!"
"But we can Rae!" He proclaimed
"No, we can't!" She said. "We have to protect the world Gar. How can we even think about ourselves when every day there's a chance neither of us may make it back?"
Much like the Titanic, Garfield's heart sunk into the deepest coldest voids of darkness. Life once again was just being a bitch to him. Darkseid had sent shockwaves throughout their once peaceful life. They had lost time, friends, and a good chunk of their mental sanity. Even through everything, here he was once again being a roadblock on their way to happiness.
The more Garfield began to simmer on her words, the more he begrudgingly began to see her point. With them on the front lines, the two were never safe. Cursed to have a constant target on their back, peace would always elude them. Why would they feign the illusion of a happy normal life when they could never have such a thing?
"I'm sorry Rae, I didn't mean to upset you!" Garfield apologized.
"I'm sorry too, I should have told you about Black Siren!" She admitted. "I just thought I could have handled this on my own, you were just so happy and-."
"Hey, Rae it's ok." He whispered effectively silencing her.
The changling wrapped his arms around his mate, keeping her close. Her scent was sweet almost like the first flowers of spring. Even if they couldn't be man and wife now, she was still his. He loved her more than anything in this world. He would battle any enemy, take all the pain, all the problems. Whatever he had to do to keep her safe, was his number one goal.
Forget the world. As a hero while this was his primary job even he couldn't deny what he was really thinking.
A world without Raven wasn't worth saving.
"I love you, Raven!"
"I love you too Garfield!"
With that their lips locked, engaging in the same kiss that they had done so many times before. No matter how many times they said those three little words, each time was always more special than the last. They were lovers, soulmates, and nothing was going to change that.
"Ouch!" Their kiss was interrupted as Garfield pulled back, clutching his face.
"What's wrong?" Raven inquired with a concerned look.
"Where the heck did you learn to slap like that?" He gestured toward his cheek which was still freshly red. "
For the second time today, Raven would show some rare emotion as she cracked a soft but mischievous grin. "Don't worry I'll make it up too you!"
"How?"
With a waive of her hand, Raven called upon her powers over the dark arts. A clueless Garfield looked with bewilderment as a dark sphere of magic energy started to encase them. "Uh Rae, what's going on?"
But Raven didn't answer him, instead, she jumped on top of him. Without Black Siren pestering her for the moment, Raven's emoticlones of love, and lust joined forces. That overwhelming combination took control of the sorceress with quickness. After planting a secondary kiss, Raven hastily grabbed Garfield's shirt as she tried to remove it.
Even without his old powers, Garfield's animalistic instincts came to life. Understanding what she wanted, the blood in his body began to race to certain areas. Wasting no time, he fiercely attacked the nape of her neck sucking it hard.
Raven unleashed tiny yelps of pleasure as Garfield kept his attention on her and nothing else. As the lovers began to tear away at each other's clothes, Raven's powers came full circle. The magical sphere soon transported them away from the park and onto wherever they planned to take their lovemaking.
-Elsewhere-
"Roman I'm back!" Enigma announced. Slipping through the doors the psychologist was now in her boss's office. Her expectations for a warm welcome were thwarted by the sounds of silence. Looking around the domain she could see her superior giving full attention to a chessboard on his desk. "Roman, did you hear me I said I'm back?"
"You're late!" He grumbled. "Where've you been?"
"Oh you know I took a stroll down to GCPD!" She admitted with a devious smile. "I wanted to see the effects of your drugs first hand and sure enough right on schedule, MS Gordon was out like a light!"
"Next time don't take such a risk going down there, at least take some men with you for protection!"
"With those meatheads around someone is sure to get killed!"
Romans couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I've killed a lot of people over the years Enigma, a few more isn't going to bother me!"
"Oh well, you're the boss!" She said dropping the subject entirely. As she inched closer to him, her eyes couldn't help but take in the sights of the chess game he was observing. Unlike a normal chess set this one had custom-made pieces, made of pewter and perfectly painted.
The white side of the board, had GCPD officers as pawns, Barbara as queen, Black Manta as king, Katana & Vigilante as Bishops, Apollo and Midnighter as Knights, and Jo and Imani as Rooks.
While the white side of the board was full the black side was strangely uneven. The False Face grunts were depicted as pawns, Enigma as queen, himself as King, Mad Hatter as a knight while Magpie and Poison Mary were depicted as rooks.
"What's with the chess set?"
"Devising a strategy!" He replied. "Getting rid of Gordon isn't enough, now that we know who the outsiders are we have to find a way to crush them!"
"Thank God for surveillance cameras, otherwise we might have never got a glimpse of them!" She stated.
"That being said, any ideas?"
Enigma remained silent for a few moments. Like her boss, she too had now begun to be mesmerized by the chess figurines on the board. Ignoring the pawns, rooks, and the queen in play, her vision focused primarily on the other pieces. As one of such a sharp intellect, it didn't take long for her to come up with the most obvious strategy. "This is odd!"
"What's odd?"
"We have a Samurai, a metahuman, a Batman wannabe, and a cowboy!" She described. "Why are these four teaming up with a man such as Black Manta?"
There was a reason Enigma, was his first recruit. While Black Mask/Roman was the mastermind
he was not without fault. Like any supervillain, he had his obvious blindspots and ego. With problems like these, he needed a second head so to speak. He needed a brain, someone smart enough to see the obvious flaws in his plan, while being smart enough not to double-cross him. This was where she came into play. Being Riddler's daughter, Enigma was trained from birth to use her brain to her advantage. In this situation once again her analytical nature had found
the most obvious oddity in the lineup of heroes.
They weren't all heroes. Black Manta was a villain.
This was Aquaman's rival. This was the man who spent countless years slaughtering innocent people all in the pursuit to take down the man who he hated more than anything. As a founding member of the Secret Society, Black Manta was always a major player in plans to spread the cause of evil. Even with his rival now deceased, it made no sense for him to abandon his current position for the cause of protecting Gotham.
"Well I'll be damned, you found our way in!"
"Not so fast!" She quipped. "Black Mantas is too volatile to confront alone, if we're going to use him we need to take a more crafty approach!"
"Crafty eh, well luckily for us I've got just the person for the job!" Roman suddenly grabbed a chess piece and used it to knock over the King. With the person Roman had in mind, he could almost guarantee Black Manta would submit to his cause.
-Gotham-
"Hey mom, long time no see!" A sentence you would probably be afraid to say after not visiting or calling for a while. For Ryan, a ball and chain of guilt tightened around her neck as she said this.
Surprisingly enough Robinson Cemetery was in stillness today. On a normal day, Gothamites would have easily packed the entire ground, giving one no room to stand. The busyness was just one of the many excuses that Ryan used to bail out on visiting. After witnessing her mom's photograph, she had ran out of excuses. That angelic smile, her energetic personality, just the love she gave to everyone. All these things were at the forefront of Ryan's mind, propelling her to visit her final resting place.
Here lies Jada R Wilder
Mom, Sister, Daughter, Friend.
These were the few words printed on the tombstone that was buried. Even after all the years her mom put in as a GCPD officer, it seemed like it was for nothing. Her achievements somehow didn't even warrant a full headstone, but rather a pebble.
How Ryan wished she could have given her mother more. How she wished she could have been there for the funeral. How she wished she could have prevented her death.
Such desires for her mom were not possible now. All she could do was live her life, hoping one day that she be able to put her heartache aside.
"I brought tulips, mom, your favorite!" Kneeling on the soft ground Ryan placed the bouquet she had been carrying directly in front of the headstone before sitting beside it. "I know you're having a kickass time in heaven!"
She spoke directly to the stone as if expecting it to speak back.
"I hope you're not worrying about me too much!" She began. "I've been eating my veggies, brushing my teeth, keeping the men and women at bay!"
A soft breeze suddenly blew in Ryan's direction, making her believe that it was indeed her mom speaking back to her.
"I wish you could have met Garfield mom you would have loved him, Kate too!" She began. "Our family is getting bigger, we got Raven back, RC, and of course little Lunar!"
The more Ryan conversed with the headstone, the more she just felt wrong about everything. Her heart throbbed knowing that she had to spend a lifetime without her mother in her corner. No mom to hug her, give her advice, nag her, watch her grow into a young adult.
All the things she wished to share with her mother.
Violently robbed from her.
By a stranger with a gun.
A stranger whose actions would shift her life drastically. A stranger who would also never face justice for what they did.
Who was this person?
This was the terrifying question that she had never been able to answer.
"Ryan?" As she expected, she wouldn't be alone for long. From a distance, Jo could be seen standing just a few graves over. Having garnered attention Jo cautiously approached the tombs where she was at. "I kinda figured you'd be here?"
"Yeah, being a lousy daughter finally caught up with me." She joked. Her words of humor however did not match the dejected frown that was on her face.
"You're not a lousy daughter."
"But I am!" She stated. "I kept trying to put her out of my mind because I didn't want to think about the past, I didn't want to think about what happened to her!"
"Hey, Ry." Jo found herself kneeling at Ryan's level. "I didn't know your mom, but you talk about how great she is. I'm sure she wouldn't want you coming down on yourself like this."
"Maybe." Even if her mom didn't want her to blame herself, Ryan couldn't help it. Just the thought of her mom's final moments always haunted her. Her blood boiled knowing that someone violated the sanctity of their home, all to take violence out on her mom.
"Ya know uh, Greg wants us to meet him back at GCPD!" Jo commented suddenly, trying to clear the air. "He says he has something very important to show us."
"What about Barbara?"
"She's getting the best medical help possible, we can check on her later!"
"Sounds good, I'm done here anyway!" Ryan commented before getting to her feet.
With their conversation reaching its final points, Ryan & Jo started to make their way toward the exit where the squad car awaited them. Little did the ladies know, they weren't alone at the scene.
From a safe distance far away, a mysterious stranger was waiting. With a pair of binoculars, the stranger kept silent as they zoomed in on the headstone before turning their attention to stalk Ryan.
-GCPD-
-Infirmary-
Barbara was no stranger to her duties as the police commissioner. Protect the innocent, arrest the guilty, do the paperwork, rinse and repeat. An endless cycle that paid the bills and kept her distracted from pursuing more in life. As the commissioner, she also had the daunting task of keeping the department away from any scandals.
Her actions at the press conference however embroiled her in nothing but scandal.
She could see the headlines now. Police Commissioner passes out when asked about vigilantes.
The last thing she needed was Valerie Vale or Jack Ryder knocking on her door.
Luckily for her, she awoke a few hours later, inside the GCPD infirmary. Lying on a stiff metal bed, Barbara passed the time by counting the ceiling tiles above her. While this seemed like an extreme thing to do to pass the time, she knew it could distract her.
When she passed out earlier Barbara's dreams became embroiled about her father.
She just couldn't fathom it. Why was she thinking so much about him now?
A hard knock on the infirmary door would cause her to stop counting. "Hey, Babs!"
Sitting upward on the bed, Barbara's face stretched into a wide grin as the door opened. A beautiful brunette with forest green eyes in a wrinkled lab coat soon appeared. The stethoscope hung wildly from her neck while her name badge was practically almost faded away. This woman was the daughter of one of the Bat family's allies. They often turned to her when dealing with injuries, or getting help for civilians hurt by the rouges. She had dedicated her life to treating Gothamites with all the care and protection they deserved. This woman was Leslie Thompkins's Daughter, DR Lila Tompkins.
"Of all the doctors in Gotham somehow you accepted the call!"
"No way I was going to let those amateurs at Gotham General take care of you!" The two women would hug it out before taking back their original positions.
"How've you been?"
She shrugged slightly. "Busy as always, Mom's clinic is getting overrun these days with addicts overdosing!"
"How's she holding up?"
"Not well!" Lila chuckled. "She's been a basket case since retirement. All she does is watch hospital dramas and yell at the TV whenever a medical inconsistency comes up!"
"That sounds on brand for your mom!"
"She's also in the wanting grandkids stage!" She rolled her eyes. "That's another good reason for me to stay working constantly!"
"Maybe when everything calms down I'll go to Star City to see her!"
"Speaking of calming down." Lila soon turned her attention to a clipboard she had been carrying. "What happened out there today?"
"I honestly don't know, I was giving that speech this morning and the next thing I know my body just started acting weird."
"Weird how?"
"Sweating, dry mouth, blurriness, and my mind started racing!"
"I thought so." Lila's voice was low as she spoke. Going back toward the door, she checked the hallways outside before closing it fully. Now alone with her patient the DR pulled up a single stool to sit at her side. "Barbara I need you to be honest with me."
Barbara found herself raising a single eyebrow in concern. "Um ok."
"How have you been since your dad died?"
"I've been fine!" She lied. Even if her dad had been on her mind as of late she still didn't want to open those old wounds."
"Babs this is me you're talking to, I'm your friend!"
"I know you are Lila!"
"So why didn't you come to me, instead of doing this alone!" She began "I know you want to see your dad again but that stuff is dangerous!"
"Wait, wait, hold on!" Barbara waved her hands defensively unable to process what was being said. "What are you talking about?"
"How long have you been addicted to Snakebite?"
"What!" Barbara's expression hardened as the accusation was laid. "Are you crazy, I'm not using Snakebite!"
"Barbara please you don't have to lie!" Lila turned over a clipboard with some papers she had been carrying. Barbara immediately scanned its contents as her face lit up in fright. "I took a blood test while you were unconscious, you have heavy traces of it inside you!"
Like an android, Barbara felt like short-circuiting unable to process the information given. The same drug that was threatening Gotham City streets was now coursing through her veins. Being on the front lines, Barbara saw what the drug did to people. It was on the same level as Joker toxin, only worse. While Joker toxin kills you by laughing, Snakebite eventually kills you by overloading your brain to the point that you develop a cerebral hemorrhage. For all those who were trying to alter lost memories, they had no idea the grizzly fate for them if they used that drug.
"It makes sense now." Barbara muttered under her breath. The headaches, the blurriness, all the symptoms she was experiencing were the side effects of withdrawal. Her body was craving the simulation of memory, or rather the final memory of her father.
"Look Barbara, I didn't tell anyone." Lila said. "But I need you to get help, we have detox sessions that-."
"I'm not an addict!" She snarled.
"Not yet you aren't!" Lila said as she stood her ground. "Listen to me you need to start detox cure today, if you don't get treated it's going to get worse!"
"How much worse?"
"Blackouts, Heart attacks, bone paralyzation, all of these things can be triggered from the brain during the withdrawal phase!"
With Lila believing the worst, this put Barbara in an uncomfortable position. While she knew she was innocent, the blood and facts didn't lie. She couldn't deny anything now, she was fighting off a Snakebite addiction. The mastermind behind this plot had targeted her for destruction, which was already working. She couldn't let this come between her and the Outsiders, if she wanted to bring these criminals to justice she had to recognize her handicap.
"You're right Lila, I probably should start detox today!" She sadly stated as she gave in, pretending to be the addict.
"It's ok Barbara, you don't have to be ashamed, people make mistakes!" Lila said as she pulled her friend into a tight embrace. "Don't worry I'll have that Junk out of you in no time!"
-Wayne Manor-
"I think we really overdid it this time!" Garfield proclaimed as he and Raven bathed in the afterglow.
"Don't care, well clean up the mess!" She declared with a smirk.
Sex is great in any setting. Sex with someone you're madly in love with ups the anty to maximum. Once again Garfield & Raven's love-making exploded with their romantic chemistry. When they got their hands on one another, even the strongest force in the universe couldn't rip them apart.
With their physical affection, also came wild damage for anything that got in their way.
Wayne Manor was the latest victim of their loving activities.
Sofas overturned, crooked paintings, broken vases, pulled-up rugs, smashed imprints against the wall, and a hailstorm of clothing thrown everywhere. These were the results left over when all was said and done.
Garfield & Raven were now nestled on top of the dining room table, wrapped in a quilt they found in the madness. The sorceress's head rested on his chest, while Garfield had his hands on her lower back, keeping her close.
"Can we stay like this?" Garfield queried.
His question prompted a chuckle from Raven. "What about RC & Lunar?"
"RC knows how we are!" He sweatdropped. "All we would have to do, is explain it to Lunar. It'll be like good practice for when we have kids of our own!"
The mention of children suddenly caused Raven's grey skin to turn flush. "K-kids?"
Her reaction garnered a wide grin from Garfield "Yeah, I was thinking two but the way we go at it, we might reach three or maybe five!"
Due to her past trauma with Trigon, Raven always avoided the subject. First, he wanted her to be his wife, and now he wanted her to bear his children. Even if they were over their fighting earlier, a statement like this made her feel guilty for turning him down.
God, why did he have to be such an awesome boyfriend?
As Raven opened her mouth to finally comment, she was cut off by the recognizable sound of gurgling. Looking at Garfield, she could see him holding his stomach which seemed to fold inward.
"Sorry, I haven't eaten since yesterday!"
"Don't be sorry, I'm hungry too." She said, secretly grateful for the intervention. "How about you get us some food, and I'll stay here and clean up?"
"You got it beautiful!" After giving her a smooch on the cheek, Garfield untangled himself from the blanket before hopping onto the floor. Unexpectedly in his nakedness, he began to flex his biceps and legs.
"What are you doing?" Raven questioned in confusion.
"Showing off the goods, gotta show you what you'll miss while I'm gone!" He said while striking a pose similar to an olympian statue
"Oh please!" Raven smiled with a roll of her eyes.
Beastboy winked at her, his grin widening exponentially. "That's why you love me remember?"
Putting back on his clothes, Garfield gave his beloved one last wink before departing the manor.
"You know I'm impressed!" Raven's moments of happiness that she had with Garfield would end abruptly as Black Siren's voice addressed her. "Even though he's a moron, he certainly knows how to keep you screaming!"
"Siren!" Raven bemoaned as her headache suddenly returned.
"You didn't forget about me did ya Raven?" She inquired.
"When I get my hands on I swear!" The sorceress threatened.
"Empty threats, you know you can't stop what's coming!" Black Siren laughed.
Stuck alone with Black Siren plaguing her thoughts, all Raven could do was begin to meditate. Even if this technique couldn't help her, it was the only thing at her disposal. For Garfield's sake, she had to do everything she could to keep Black Siren from getting out.
-Unknown Location-
-Gotham-
"Alright ladies ah reckon you can take off those blindfolds now!" Greg announced.
Receiving an invitation to go anywhere is always a surprise. Receiving an invitation from a secret alliance of heroes automatically makes the surprise more exciting. Following Greg's advice, Ryan, Imani & Jo meet back at GCPD headquarters. From there the trio would be blindfolded and loaded into the back of a squadron car.
Silence consumed the girls for the entirety of the trip, as they were forced to deal with the endless zig, zags, sharp turns, and swerving Greg did. After an hour of driving, he finally stopped at an unknown location. Exiting the vehicle and removing their blindfolds, the girls could now see they were inside a freight elevator.
"Talk about secrecy, I can't even determine where we are!"
"Wherever we are, it took us a long time to get here!" Ryan stated
"We might have got here earlier if we didn't waste time searching for you!" Imani uttered, her eyes narrowing toward Ryan.
"Last time I checked only Jo looked!" She shot back.
Jo sweatdropped as Ryan & Imani locked eyes, giving one another hateful glares. As much as she wanted to interject between the two, she ceased action fearing she may be a casualty in their disdain for each other.
"Now ladies don't ya''ll be kicking up a fuss ya hear!" Greg said. "I still gotta show ya'll the surprise!"
A button on the wall was pushed, shutting the door and allowing the elevator to ascend. Jo breathed a sigh of relief as Ryan & Imani went to their separate corners, allowing their vitriol to cease. With peace now restored the quartet watched as the vessel scaled upward a few stories before it reached its final destination.
A piercing light illuminated the elevator doors as they opened, revealing the group's final destination. Stepping out, Greg waved the girls in with a warm welcoming grin. "Welcome to the Belfry ya'll!"
Located in the old Gotham district the Belfry was a staple of Gotham life and the city's ode to London's Big Ben. Besides being a famous landmark, the Belfry was now the home to the Outsiders. The HQ was broken down into three major parts.
The Main Chamber was the first. Stationed here were a multitude of computer consoles and screens, all linked together similarly like the watchtower. The computer screens flashed different viewpoints of the city while also cycling through news channels to stay up to date. Six display cases were also stationed on the side. Each case displayed a different outsider uniform, while the sixth one was covered by a sheet.
The Upper level was accessible by a ladder near the display cases. While the main chamber was for on-the-job use, the upper level was for relaxation. Most of this space contained a dining table, a large kitchenette, doors leading to the bathroom, and a bedroom with military cots.
The Lower level was the final part of the Belfry, accessible by a nearby downward spiral staircase. On this final level, one could find the generator, clocktower mechanisms, and computer towers that aided the main system.
"This is amazing!" Jo exclaimed, awestruck by the sights before her as she stepped out of the elevator.
"Wait, MS Jo!" Greg warned
The moment Jo set her foot down, boisterous sirens exploded throughout the speakers overhead. The ear-shattering noise was followed by a series of warning lights.
"Intruder detected, countermeasures activated!" The computer explained.
"Intruder?" Imani questioned.
"Countermeasures?" Ryan gulped
The women had reason to be afraid of the announcement. Sections of the floor suddenly flipped over revealing mini turret guns underneath. Panels in the walls also popped outward showing off an impressive array of automatic weapons inside. The final surprise came in the form of the ceiling lights which transformed into sets of automatic lasers. Ryan, Imani & Jo became still as statues as their bodies became covered in targeting lights.
"Oh, ya'll crazy for this!" Jo sweatdropped.
"Nobody make a move, or we're all dead!" Imani cried
"Do something, Greg!" Ryan yelled
"Tatsu!" Greg called out near the stairs going downward. "I need some help up here girl, ol computers gon wild again!"
"What's with all the shouting?" Lucas quizzed as he and Andrew came from the bedroom upstairs. "Well well looks like we got us some live targets!"
"Manners Lucas manners!" Andrew gave his lover a playful shove before addressing the trio."Don't worry ladies we'll have you out in a second!"
"Already on it!" Tatsu shouted as she came up from the lower level to join them. Immediately going to the main chamber computer, the Asian woman stroked the keys in an unknown sequence. Before long the lights turned off as the weapon systems returned to their standby positions. "Sorry, I forgot we were having visitors!"
"Thanks for the save!" Jo replied.
"I hope this isn't the way you treat company!" Imani grumbled.
"You guys definitely give the Batcave a run for its money with this setup!" Ryan chirped.
"I'll take that as a compliment Ryan!" The entire group turned their attention toward the elevator from whence they came. Too distracted by the security system, they failed to notice that Barbara was standing at the entrance.
"Barbara!"
"Commissioner, you're alright!" Upon seeing their leader, the Outsiders suddenly sprang to her location while smothering her with hugs and pleasantries.
"Easy guys, I'm ok!"
"We were worried about you commish!" Andrew informed.
"Yeah, you were lookin plum tuckered up there earlier!" Greg added
"You guys worry too much, she's tough stock like Gordon!" Lucas commented with a cross of his arms.
"What did the doctor say, boss?" Jo wondered, trying to get to the heart of the matter. "Did they tell you why you fainted up there?"
The question triggered Barbara's memory back to the conversation she had with Lila. It's actions may have been at the forefront of her brain, but even she couldn't admit the truth at this time.
"Boss?"
Once again the lies would prevail when truth was needed. "I'm fine Jo, she just said I was overworked from everything going on!"
"We would have caught that woman in the audience had Ryan not let her escape!" Much like how the lies were continuous, so was Imani's dagger toward Ryan as she threw her under the bus.
"I didn't let her escape!" Ryan attested
"Yeah, you just froze at a crucial time!"
"Look it's nobody's fault!" Barbara lectured. "We can discuss what happened at that press conference later, for now, I'm sure you guys have questions right?"
Her answer was met with three eagerly nodded heads from the women. Upon reading the energy in the room the Outsiders scattered amongst the areas of the clocktower, giving Barbara some alone time with the others.
"You haven't lost your touch, Barbara!" Ryan commented. "This place is amazing!"
"That's nothing you should see the spare setup in Wayne Tower!" Barbara gushed.
"Boy, have i missed you!"
Like old friends, Barbara & Ryan linked arms and started to jabber as they made their way toward the ladder. While they went on ahead, both Jo & Imani stood in their respective spots. Both faces of the women were sunken in as they faced each other.
"Hold up, did I just hear that right?" Imani queried. Despite her constant attitude toward Ryan, the conversation between her and Barbara hadn't gone unnoticed. "We've been detectives for over five years and we didn't know-."
"Bruce Wayne was Batman?" Jo uttered in shocked.
-New Metropolis-
-Midtown Mall-
-Harvest Moon Cafe-
"Number seventeen order up!" The announcement came from a gothic woman with a spiked collar, neon hair, and piercings as far as the eye can see."Let's see we have, one herbal tea, one blueberry frosty, two croissants, one Caesar salad, one veggie quesadilla with extra veggies, and four vanilla bean cheesecakes!"
"Thanks!" Garfield happily grabbed the drink container and oversized bag that was placed on the counter. The fresh aroma of hot edibles tickled his nose while signaling to his stomach that it would be sated soon. While walking across town was a pain, Garfield knew it would be all worth it. Delicious food, romance with Rae, a sunny day, everything he could ask for was happening.
With his goodies fully secured, Garfield generously sipped on his frosty while shifting through the busy crowd of mallgoers. Despite being on foot nothing would stop him from getting back at a speedy pace.
Or so he thought.
The probing sound of stilettos against vinyl flooring soon rang out in his eardrums. It started slow in walking form and before long turned into rapid running. The sounds were coming from behind Garfield and were now closing while getting louder. Before he could see what the sound was, a single elbow was jabbed against his side.
Caught off guard, Garfield wobbled & flailed his arms in a desperate attempt to regain his balance. It seemed like time stood still as the food was ejected into the air, levitating for a few seconds before gravity took over.
Raven's herbal tea landed perfectly on the head of a nearby passerby, who screamed in agony as the hot substance scolded his hair. The bag was next to smash to the ground, bursting open all the while spilling the salad, quesadillas, and croissants. The final hurt was in the form of the frosty which crashed and landed on Garfield, coating his entire shirt with a sticky blue shine.
Now amidst the wreckage, Garfield stared at the carnage with an open jaw and wide incredulity in his eyes.
"Seriously, I just wanted lunch man!" He groaned.
"Oops did I do that?" A female voice giggled.
"Vipress!" Garfield exclaimed as he recognized the voice. Sure enough, she stood only a few feet from him, sticking her tongue out while displaying an L shape against her forehead.
"Catch me if you can!" She taunted before dashing away into Valentino's department store.
"Hey get back here!" Just like that Garfield gave chase.
Darting directly inside, his eyes locked with Vipress who was playfully dancing through aisles and rows of exotic clothing. If he still had his shape-shifting powers he would have morphed into a cheetah to outpace her. Being just a green-skinned human now, he was forced to rely only on his body strength and stamina if he was going to catch her.
Catching her wasn't the only issue, however. Garfield couldn't help but wonder why she would show herself now of all times, especially after everything she put them through last night.
"Come on slowpoke!" Like a slippery eel, she made a sudden sharp turn.
Unexpectedly caught off guard, Garfield skidded off course crashing into a nearby women's changing room.
The scene inside was chaos as Garfield collided with a stand full of mannequins and unworn dresses. Immediately getting to his feet, Garfield's face turned cherry red as he looked around at a sea of mirrors, curtains, and a bewildered half-naked woman.
"Pervert!" A tall blonde hollered.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" He yelped before awkwardly attempting to shield his eyes with his hands."I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, wait are those real?"
"GET OUT!" She shouted with ferocity, this time she gave him a firm backhand.
The slap sent Garfield spiraling out of the dressing room and back outside. Seeing little stars and birdies, he dizzily made his way back toward the department store entrance, where the rest of the mall awaited him.
"Yoo hoo I'm over here big boy!"
"What the?" Garfield shook off the sensation he was feeling as Vipress got his attention. With clearer vision, he could easily see her standing at the entrance to Hunters Emporium. The chase would begin anew as Garfield retook his mission.
-Flashback-
-5 Years Ago-
-Batcave-
War has a way of twisting the lives of those who are unfortunate enough to experience it. This fact hits even harder when you are one of the heroes destined to protect it.
With the toughest battle of their careers rapidly approaching the Justice League was scrambling to prepare themselves. Even with the Society and Task Force X meddling in their affairs, this didn't deter them from continuing their assignments.
Offensive plans needed to be discussed. Emergency training sessions had to be conducted. Extra soldiers had to be recruited. Shelters & food supplies had to be secured for the unfortunate people who were going to be caught in the crossfire. Prayers & final testaments had to be said.
Much work for the most part was still ahead of them.
In the chaos of preparation, secret plans were also forming. Unbeknownst to the rest of the league, a secret alliance was being discussed. Operations like this would be managed by the Dark Knight himself.
From his extensive years fighting solo and with the League, Batman had an overwhelming number of candidates to select. Age, history, fighting style, powers and abilities, willpower, sleep habits, all things were a factor in his decision. Using all the criteria at his disposal, Batmans final decision led him to four people. While these were not the four he had envisioned when he started, the facts didn't lie.
"I can't believe you're asking us to do this!"
Selecting them was one thing, convincing them was a whole other matter.
Even as he sat rigidly in his chair, Batman could discern the thoughts at play between the quartet. Katana, Midnighter, Apollo, and Vigilante were united in their unspoken apprehension, their eyes locked on him with a shared, uneasy trepidation.
Apollo's voice broke the silence between them. "Do Clark & Diana know about this?"
"This doesn't concern them!" Batman coldly stated.
A flash of rage crossed Midnighter's face as he balled his fists. "You got a lot of nerve ya know that bats!"
"Midnighter-." Apollo spoke softly trying to calm down his husband.
"No Apollo!" Midnighter shouted, his tone pointed. "He's asking us to abandon our allies, in the middle of a war! All of this cloak-and-dagger bullshit just to help him!"
His reaction prompted the signature bat glare. "This isn't about me, this is about keeping Gotham safe!"
"And what about the other cities, we just what abandon them?" Katana asked, suddenly chiming in.
"I reckon I agree with MS Katana, this don't sound right what ya askin of us!" Vigilante replied.
"How did a personal strike team get on the agenda anyway?"
Apollo's inquiry would go unanswered as Batman simply turned his head away in defiance.
"Screw this, let's go!"
The four Leaguers shifted their focus to the nearby teleporter, which would transport them back to the Watchtower. Their attempt to leave the cave was abruptly interrupted as the machinery suddenly sprang to life, bringing Batman's ally Batwoman into the cave.
"Leaving so soon?" Batwoman asked
Her appearance prompted the glare to be focused on her. "I told you I had it handled!"
"By the look of things you don't!" She snickered. "It's a good thing I checked the Batcaves surveillance feed!"
"You're wasting your time!" Midnighter fumed. "No way in hell am I agreeing to what he's asking!"
"Look please I'm not asking as Batwoman." Much to their surprise, she removed her mask and cowl, showing her face underneath. "I'm asking as Kate Kane!"
While he may have been the world's greatest detective, Batman's people skills were less to be desired. Recognizing this, Batwoman appealed to the group as a person rather then her vigilante persona. With their attention now fully directed toward her, Kate took her place next to Batman at the computer.
"We've been talking!" Kate explained. "In a matter of days, this entire planet is going to be a warzone. We have to be prepared for every situation, including what comes after!"
"You talk like you expect us to fail!" Midnighter grunted.
Kate's face fell as the statement hit. "We've never experienced anything like this before. Win or lose we need to be prepared for the aftermath!"
"What about Metropolis, Central City, or the other territories!" Apollo questioned. "Why are we primarily focusing on Gotham?"
"Because Gotham isn't like the other cities, it can't do without protectors!" Following suit like his cousin, Batman unexpectedly removed his mask showing off the chiseled face of Bruce Wayne.
Having followed Kate's example, Bruce now had all eyes on him as he prepared to join her in the discussion.
"A few years ago I was in pursuit of Ra's Al Ghul and his league of assassins. They had stolen an experimental warhead capable of wiping out a third of the population." Bruce expounded. "I tracked Ras to his lair in the Middle East, but it was a trap set for me. For a year I was captured and tortured as Ras tried to reprogram me into being his new heir!"
"Without a protector, Gotham descended into chaos!" Kate added. "I originally was investigating Bruce's disappearance, but the rouges destruction caused me to take up the symbol myself!"
"I never wanted Kate to put on the mask, but her intervention not only saved me but the city as well." He said. "Next time we may not be so lucky!"
"You're worried that if something happens to you, Gotham doesn't stand a chance?" Katana asked
Kate sighed deeply. "This city has always been a magnet for crime, without protectors who knows what will happen."
As if they were sharing a hivemind the four heroes began to ponder the reasoning given to them. Compared to the other territories, Gotham was considered no man's land. Even with Batman & Batwoman as it's guardians crime would never stop. That being said, the group couldn't imagine what state Gotham would be in if it didn't have anyone to defend it.
"I don't know!" Vigilante rubbed the back of his neck uneasy. "I would feel pretty yellow not being out there with the rest of the league!"
"Exactly you'd have us sacrifice the need for manpower to fufill your mission." Midnighter scoffed.
"You're asking us to make an impossible choice Bruce!" Katana replied.
"And that's exactly what this is, a choice, the final decision is up to you!" Bruce argued before placing his mask back on. "I can't make you accept my proposal, I can only ask you to think about Gotham's wellbeing. Should you accept, Batwoman and I have already made the necessary arrangements!"
Following her cousins lead, Kate also resumed her mask. "When the dust settles. Gotham will need protection. If that's going to happen project Outsiders needs to happen and it needs to happen fast!"
-End of Flashback-
Returning to the present, we find Ryan, Jo & Imani seated at the Outsider's dining table. Having been served fresh tea from Tatsu, the trio eagerly listened to Barbara's tale as she explained the past events.
"While they weren't enthusiastic about the idea thank goodness they eventually agreed!" Barbara declared. "Even though I retired as Batgirl, I agreed to help with project Outsiders. This included helping Bruce build the Belfry so we'd have a place to communicate!"
Out of the three girls, Jo was the most stunned. Her mouth was agape with silence, as she slowly started to process everything that was told to her. Batman was Bruce Wayne, her boss was formerly Batgirl and a secret vigilante organization was under her nose this entire time. If you had told her this days ago she wouldn't have believed it, but seeing the evidence before her now awe-struck her.
"I think you broke Jo!" Accused Imani. The woman waved her hand in front of Jo trying to get her attention, but found she could not break through her shocked state.
"I'm sorry but how did you manage to hide this from the League? Wondered Ryan. Having been on the front lines, Ryan knew Highfather kept detailed records of everyone who died. Thinking back she could have sworn that she saw some of the Outsider's names on some body bags she inspected.
Her search for answers would be overshadowed by a wink from Barbara.
"So you guys have been operating in Gotham since the war?" Imani questioned.
"Just like Batman wanted!" Barbara said. Leaving the table she would go to the stove to pour herself another glass of tea. "If I'm being honest, I only call the Outsiders when situations that the GCPD can't handle come up!"
"Why doesn't the public know about this?"
"Because right now Gotham is free of hardened rogues!" Barbara stated. "Besides the petty criminals, the department has been keeping the peace. I want the Outsiders to enjoy their lives so we're not totally dependent on them like my dad was with Batman!"
"So they've been working the Snakebite case just like us?" Jo asked finally snapping out of her trance.
Barbara nodded. "They have, the problem is this Snakebite epidemic is unlike anything we've encountered before. Whoever's the mastermind behind this, they're extremely good at covering their tracks."
"They also have the money & firepower to keep us out of their business!" Imani added.
"It doesn't matter who they are though!" Jo interjected. "You've got the department, the Outsiders, and us behind you, I'd kill that overkill in my book!"
"With everything that happened in New Metropolis, I think i have a pretty good idea of who's in charge!" Ryan added
"That sounds like a plan, lets get the others together for a conf-!" Barbara's words suddenly faltered. A Jackhammer pounding crashed against the inner workings of her mind. Barbara's breath was cut short, as her heart pounded loudly in her chest. There it was again the withdrawal symptoms that Lila warned her about.
"Boss?" Jo worriedly called out.
"You ok Barbara?"
The overwhelming power of memory crashed into Barbara's mind, flashing toward the past. Instantly she was no longer in the belfry, instead, she was now aboard the Joker's Blimp.
"Take care of her Batman!" Even facing the jaws of oblivion, Commissioner Gordon was more concerned about the safety of his daughter, who had just revealed herself as Batgirl.
"Of course Jim!"
"No Dad!"
Barbara was a spectator in her own memory, forced to watch herself fail to save her father. Even as Batman carried her to safety, Barbara's eyes stay trained on her father. Fighting against the fear he was feeling, Jim Gordon would close his eyes as the explosion errupted.
"Barbara!" The woman was suddenly knocked out of her memory and back toward reality. Snapping out of her mindless state, Barbara realized her headache had ceased. She also realized that Ryan, Jo & Imani were staring at her with concern.
"Boss, what happened?"
"N-nothing, I j-just remembered I have something to do back at the office!" Without warning Baraba abandoned her tea on the counter before darting for the elevator.
"Commissioner wait, I'll walk you back!" Imani stated. She would then glower at Ryan before turning her attention to Jo. "I have something I need to do to Jo, I'll be back later!"
"Alright be careful!" Warned Jo and before her and Ryan watched the duo leave the Belfry.
-Hunters Emporium-
-With Garfield-
The pursuit of Vipress led Garfield to the unlikeliest of places, a hunting shop. When he entered the premises, he covered his nose as the stench of gunpowder and old leather seemed to emit from everything.
Unlike the other stores, this one was surprisingly empty. Not only void of customers but staff as well.
The lights overhead flickered on and off casting shadows as far as the eye could see. Strolling through the rows of hunting gear, Garfield was greeted by the numerous rifles, traps, and knives perfectly displayed on the shelves. If that weren't enough, he also had to witness the taxidermied animals strung up against the wall. A deer, a boar, a tiger, and several birds stared back at him with glassy eyes, an unsettling reminder of how humans enjoyed hunting for sport.
Because of the size of the store, Garfield had no problem covering the entire area. Even with this thorough sweep, there was no sign of his foe anywhere.
Where could she have gone?
Then it hit him. A door in the corner reading Employees Only. Acting on a hunch, he d made a beeline for the door tossing it open.
He was not prepared for what was on the other side.
A trio of dead bodies awaited him, the trio that worked for Hunters Emporium. Garfield's face fell as he saw each of the bodies carelessly discarded around the room. The first worker was lying near the entrance, his back impaled by a crossbow arrow. The second was lying in a pool of blood, his neck busted open by the bear trap that was around it. The final worker was sprawled out in a chair, literally filled with bullet wounds from a rifle that was just a foot away.
"Do you like my handiwork?" A desk in the middle of the room garnered Garfield's attention, as he looked to see Vipress who swiveled her chair around to face him.
"You're sick!" Garfield spat, his voice trembling in rage. Just like the nightclub, Vipress's killing spree had struck before he could stop it. "These people had families, they're lives mattered!"
Vipress merely rolled her eyes, while waving off his statement.
"What did they ever do to you?"
"I had some time to kill while waiting for you!" She coldly stated. "Besides you can't have a good hunt without clearing the field of obstacles!"
"This isn't a hunt!" He growled.
"But it is darling, and you're the grand prize!"
"Prize?"
"You know I find it very ironic!" She stated. Getting up from her seat, Vipress walked toward a nearby window only to stare out it blankly. "We were sent to Earth to capture you, yet somehow you managed to derail our plans time and time again!"
"Guess you guys aren't as badass as you thought!"
"Which is why I think its time to flip the script!" Vipress said
"Fine then if it's a fight you want I'll give you one!"
"Don't mock me!" She hissed. "You can't do a damn thing without Lunar around!"
Garfield sweatdropped hard as the obvious now hit him. Lunar wasn't with him. He got so caught up in his pursuit that he hadn't thought about what came after. No armor, no allies, it was just him and whatever wits he had against this deranged killer.
"Relax shorty I'm not going to harm you, well not yet anyway!"
"Why lead me out here then?"
"Because I want to make this hunt more exciting!" Vipress grinned."So here's the drill, I'm giving you forty-eight hours to surrender Black Siren to me!"
"And If I don't?" He questioned with a smug grin.
"Oh, I'm so glad you asked that!" It was Vipresses turn to be cocky. Turning to face him, she held up her left hand revealing a small black remote-like item with an antenna.
Garfield's heart dropped as he immediately recognized the device as a detonator.
"I've planted bombs all around New Metropolis!" Vipress chortled. "If you don't return her to us, I'll blow this city straight to hell!"
"You wouldn't!" Garfield exclaimed as his eyes widened.
"Not only would I do that, but I'll also kill those two surrogate uncles that you love so dearly!"
"No!" Without warning Garfield suddenly jolted for the detonator. Vipress didn't give him the chance and easily flipped away from him.
"Dying to see the fireworks are we?" She quizzed. "Since you're so eager I'll give you a sneak peek!"
Making good on her threat, Vipress excitedly pushed one of the buttons on the detonator.
A deafening roar soon rocked the atmosphere. Garfield's eyes widened in horror as he looked out the window to see a highrise building consumed by mayhem. Flames and debris exploded into the sky as shockwaves from the explosion rattled the entire mall. The force was powerful enough to throw Garfield against the wall while shattering the windows and furniture in the process.
"Well, that was a blast!" She cackled before heading toward the exit. "Remember Garfield, forty-eight hours!"
"Vipress!" He called weakly but it was already too late, she was gone. With his bones twinging in agony from the collision, Garfield was forced to listen to the panicked screams of innocent bystanders still dealing with aftermath.
-GCPD-
-Commissioners Office-
Two paths stood before Barbara Gordon.
A path of wellness & a path of destruction.
Whoever infected her with Snakebite, was determined to break her. Since being exposed to the drug all she could think about was her father.
How she failed him.
All those years being Batgirl. Hundreds of cases, thousands of lives saved, countless fights with rogues, all that amounted to nothing. Her time as a hero would be forever eclipsed as she couldn't save the one person that mattered.
Unable to unburden herself from the failure, Barbara did the unthinkable. With the clearance she had as police commissioner, she managed to snag a box of Snakebite confiscated from the raid. The box seemingly taunted her as it stood still on her desk, just waiting to be used.
Directly parallel to the box was the business card Lila gave her earlier. On the card was the number to the detox center she had been advised to go to. While Lila wanted her to call when she was in the office, Barbara managed to excuse herself reassuring her she would make the call when she got a moment.
If only she had listened to Lila sooner, then maybe she wouldn't be at these crossroads now. Similar to having an angel and devil on her shoulder, she could only weigh the options at hand.
Choosing the angel meant freedom. All she would have to do is pick up the phone and remain strong. Making this choice would ensure that she was free of addiction but would also rob her of the chance to see her father again, and to write the wrongs of the past through memory.
Choosing the devil meant enslavement. For this, all she would need to do is toss her inhibitions and inject herself. Making this choice continued her addiction to Snakebite but ensured that she would get to save her father. Even if it wasn't real, just knowing she could see him overwhelmed her heart with joy.
What would she choose?
The angel or the devil?
Path of wellness or Path of destruction?
Sober or Snakebite?
A single tear rolled down Barbara's cheek as she reached a decision. "Forgive me, dad!"
Nothing mattered in that moment. Not her job, not the Outsiders, not even the safety of Gotham. She was no longer the police commissioner, she now was just a daughter desperately missing her paternal figure.
Unexpectedly Barbara reached for the box of Snakebite. Unpackaging the substance, she roughly grabbed the injector before stabbing it in her forearm. As the liquid slowly oozed its way into her bloodstream, Barbara's brain released a symphony of dopamine. Rolling back in her chair, Barbara let her body go limp, while her pupils were dilating to their maximum potential.
"D-don't w-worry dad, I'll s-save y-you." Were Barbara's last words as her brain took her on the trip of a lifetime.
-A Few Doors Down-
Once Barbara was safe in the building, Imani took it upon herself to return to Jo's office. Noting that the door was left ajar, she invited herself in before plopping down at the desk.
She had been a police detective for quite some time, but even her years of experience couldn't have prepared her for everything she learned in the past few days. Thoughts about Barbara's past, the Outsiders, and the Snakebite case would have to wait, however. Right now Imani had something far more pressing that needed to be taken care of.
Focusing on the phone, Imani dialed a number, and soon a voice answered on the other end. "Records Department, Maria speaking!"
"Maria it's Imani!"
"Oh hey missy what's up?"
"I know you're busy, but I need a favor!" She said. "Can you look up a file for me?"
"Anything for you girl, what's the name you wanna look up?"
"Ryan Wilder!"
-The Belfry-
"I still can't get over this place!" With Barbra & Imani gone, and the Outsiders busy this allowed Jo to do her own personal tour of the base. Having served in the military, Jo was used to seeing battle stations and command centers designed by the most brilliant of minds. Despite this those paled in comparison to the Belfry. If the base was this advanced, she could only imagine how awesome the Batcave was. "Hey Ryan you think you could-."
Jo turned to face Ryan, only to see her silently staring at the main computers. Since Barbara left she hadn't spoken a word, instead she too did her own tour but with much less enthusiasm.
"Ryan?" Jo softly spoke catching her attention. "What's on ya mind girl?"
"I dunno, I guess I'm surprised about all this!" She sighed. "I can understand Bruce but why did Kate keep this from me?"
"Maybe she just didn't want you to worry, after all, you guys were busy with war prep!" Jo stated.
"But Gothams my home too Jo!" Ryan replied exasperated. "With a decision that important I could have helped, they should have at least told me instead of keeping secrets!"
Ryan bit her tongue hard, realizing what just came out of her mouth. Only twenty-four hours ago she was having that same conversation with Garfield. When he confronted her, she instantly folded trying to save Raven the embarrassment. Now that the shoe was on the other foot, Ryan felt immense regret consume her. The way she was acting, it was the way Garfield felt. Even though she had promised to keep the secret about Black Siren, she didn't consider that he had a right to know what was going on.
"Ryan?"
"I'll make this up to you Gar, I promise!" She uttered to nobody.
Sensing the need for comfort, Jo found herself walking up too Ryan. With a gentle touch, she squeezed her hand while garnering her attention. "I'm not sure what your going through right now, but maybe I can keep your mind off of it!"
Ryan raised an amused brow. "And how do you plan to do that?"
Jo's answer was to take Ryan's hand and firmly place it on the curve of her behind.
"This isn't exactly the time for grab-ass!" She grinned
"Lewd acts aside, I've missed you!" Jo said. "I know we've got a case to crack but I haven't seen you in a while. I'd love to catch up about everything, especially us!"
Words were lost on Ryan's behalf as Jo stared her down with an infatuated gaze. In her wildest fantasies, Ryan never dreamed that she'd see Jo again. Reuniting with her after all this time, made Ryan remember the relationship she previously had before the war. Although the flames of passion had burnt out, Jo's gaze clearly expressed she was interested in rekindling it.
Would such a relationship be possible in the trials of Gotham?
Only fate would tell such a tale.
-Wayne Manor-
-Batcave-
The threat that Vipress posed was unlike anything Garfield could prepare himself for. After scurrying from the mall he retrieved Raven before retreating to the safety of the Batcave. With such a looming crisis ahead, they turned their attention to Ryan Choi for answers.
Having taught himself to use the Batcomputer, the scholar wasted no time digging for clues. With a combination of Wayne tech satellites and the Batcomputers sonar scanner, he started from where the explosion occurred. Furiously imputing commands, a search was conducted that started to comb through the buildings.
"I can't believe she killed all those people!" While Ryan Choi was at work, Garfield was pacing back in fourth. His face painted with dejection as he recalled the event.
"Blaming yourself is pointless, you couldn't have known what she was up to!" Raven assured him. The sorceress was sitting on a nearby rock giving soft rubs to Lunar who was in her lap.
"Yeah don't be so hard on yourself friend!" Lunar added. "We've stopped worse before!"
Although the piparoiod's words rang true, they did little to comfort. There was just something about Vipress that made the hairs on Garfield's neck stand up. She wasn't like the rest of the paragons. She was far more unhinged and ruthless, such behavior reflected the cruelty of how her master acted toward others. With New Metropolis as her own personal game reserve, nobody was safe. Garfield's stomach twisted itself into untangleable knots as he wondered how many innocent lives could be lost in his pursuit of her.
"I found something!" Ryan Choi shouted.
"Hope it's good news!"
"For starters, they're not bombs, they're light generators!" The Batcomputer soon complied a virtual image of a cylinder light. The light was covered in cage wire, while its base had four ground mounting spikes alongside a computerized base. "Star Labs made these in response to the Brainiac attack a few weeks ago. They were supposed to be shipped to emergency shelters and food markets to bring the power back on!"
"How the hell did she turn a lightbulb into a bomb?" Garfield questioned
"Pretty sure you can thank Taurus for that!" Raven said. "He's still got Cyborg's brain after all!"
"Ok, so how do we turn them off?"
"Still working on that." Ryan Choi glumly uttered. "However the Batcomputer shows they're all tied to the same relay signal!"
"The detenator!" Lunar deduced
"Correct Lunar!" He replied. "If we want to shut them down for good, we have to get it away from Vipress!"
"Damnit!" Garfield cursed. Of course, it wouldn't be easy, nothing ever was.
"Gar." Raven softly spoke while putting a hand on his shoulder. "Don't give up, maybe we can trick her. Make her think I'm giving up long enough for you to get the detonator!"
"No way Rae, not gonna happen!" He snapped. "No way I'm handing you over to that psycho. We have two days, we'll find someone to stop her!"
"Guys we have an incoming message from Highfather!" Ryan Choi called out.
The Batcomputer screen soon switched gears to show off the leader of New Genisis, in the conference room surrounded by his staff. "Garfield we have a crisis!"
His words an eyebrow raise from Raven "Gee as if we didn't know that already."
"I've dispatched New Genesis soldiers to begin mass evacuations throughout the city!" He explained. "The league is currently in route also, they're going to comb every piece of this city until all the bombs have been recovered!"
"That should give us enough time to track down Vipress!"
One of the tower workers would suddenly interrupt Highfather, whispering something in his ears. The elderly man listened intently as he gave a few shakes of his head in response.
"What's up Highfather?"
"The Tower is picking up a strange television broadcast, I think you may want to see it!"
"On it!" Ryan Choi stated before working his computer wizardry once more.
The Batcomputer canceled the transmission with Highfather and in exchange picked up the broadcast given to them by the Tower. Garfield, Ryan Choi, Raven, and Lunar stood in shock as the broadcast displayed Vipress. The huntress Paragon was standing atop an unknown building, her face directly in front of the camera.
Vipress tapped the camera lens a few times, looking at it with curiosity. "Is this thing on?"
"You're live babe!" Paragon Saber announced from behind the camera.
"Garfield Logan I know you can hear me so listen up!" She cooed. "You know it just occurred to me that you're probably using that geek Ryan Choi and the Justice League to help you find my bombs!"
Ryan frowned deeply. "I'm not a geek, maybe a nerd but certainly not a geek!"
"With all that extra help, I feel like like it's going to ruin my hunt!" Vipress theorized. "I think it's time we upped the stakes don't ya think?"
"Upped the stakes?" Garfield asked
"Friends look!" Lunar cried
Amid the message, the Batcomputer had finished its scan of New Metropolis. The digital layout mapped out every location in the city, stretching far to it's border. Once the area was presented, blue dots representing the bombs began to pop up throughout the screen. Lunar was right to be worried as the blue dots spread like wildfire, showing that they were present in nearly every building in New Metropolis. Adding to the already dire situation, the dots began blinking in sequence as a timer appeared on the screen. Garfield's forty-eight-hour window had instantly evaporated, reducing itself to just a measly one hour.
"She's escalated the timer!" Ryan Choi wept
"Vipress!" Garfield growled.
"Thank you for tuning in, this program has been brought to you by our sponsor, Nitro Glicerly hot damn!" She exclaimed with a laugh. "The hunt begins now Garfield, you have one hour!"
With Vipress's message abruptly ending, the quartet was left hauntingly staring at the timer as it began its countdown.
The hunt had indeed begun, leaving the group with the urgent task of figuring out their next move or risking an explosive end for New Metropolis.
End of Chapter 24
Chapter 24, done and done! Whew that was intense!
47 Pages total, the length of my stories has now reached the point where they almost equal to episodes. Perhaps i'll animate this for fun in the future, who knows.
Yes I turned Barbara into a Snakebite addict! Muwahaha, I'm so evil!
I'm so ready for Chapter 25 and the rest of season 3 because it's time to turn the story up too maximum! Ive got some surprises in store for you guys, and some great Artwork prepared to us by friend Bia! Next Chapter infact :)
As always im on the hunt for reviews, follows and new readers! If you've enjoyed this chapter, please recommend this. I'm especially looking for reviews as I want to know what you guys like about the story and what i need to work on! Im an adult, I can handle criticism, except if your a beta reader because betas practically destroy my confidence as a writer.
My outline is finished but I'm taking the next few days off before starting Chapter 25. If I can i'd love to have Chapter 25 & 26 delivered to you by Thanksgiving but well see what happens.
I'll keep in touch guys. I hope you enjoy the chapter and I will speak to you on the next run!
Arigtao!
Z
