78 Stroke Of Death 1/4

After the call, Ethan walked past Mera and hoped into the driver's seat of the RV before starting it up.

*Vrooom*

Mera's eyes opened wide hearing the roar of the engine, it was like an angry beast she had never heard before, causing her that nearly jump, "W-what's going on?! I will not-"

"You're welcome to leave," Ethan said, cutting her off. "However, If you arent then sit down and SHUT UP," he growled as he drove the RV out of the truck stop and onto the roads of New York, heading back to Gotham City.

Mera wanted so badly to voice her complaints, but somehow ended up sitting down on the couch next to Raven

'Wait...why am I doing this?' Mera wondered, keeping completely still as she was afraid to even move a single muscle.

Pamela smirked at this as she didn't really like the woman either, and wished she was kicked off instead.

Women were drawn to Ethan, and although she loves him she wished it wasn't the case.

"So, we're going to Gotham City?.." Pamela asked as she sat down next to him in the passenger seat.

"Yes..." He nodded with a slight sigh. Ethan wanted to avoid Gotham City if he could help it as it reminded him of what he once was and it was where he killed...her.

At the time, he believed that there was no other way because of Tydris, but now?

Was killing her truly the only way to stop her?

Ethan had no issues with killing people that deserve it, but in the case of Alisa...she just couldn't control herself.

Although he may not show it, that death will always weigh heavily in his mind. Thinking upon it made him think of something else he pushed out of his mind.

Ethan could vaguely see an image of a woman with purple skin, but anything more than that was a blur.

'Hmm...'

Pamela frowned and gently grabbed hold of Ethan's left hand before giving it a soft peck with her lips, "Are you...sure you'll be ok?"

Ethan shook his head, "No...but I can't run away from my problems anymore."

Pamela smiled before leaning over to kiss his cheek. 'I'm here for you any time you want to talk.' She mentally said to him to which he smiled.

>>>><<<<

Back in the grim Gotham City, Sandra had just gotten off the phone with Ethan and decided to sit down beside her daughter.

The two didn't have much to talk about as one could barely speak and the other had no experience with making small talk. However, just being in each other's company seemed to be enough for now.

It was still unreal to Cassandra to have her mother by her side

She felt relieved and happy?... And yet she was also angry.

'Why?...' Cassandra couldn't even begin to wrap her head around what she was feeling and had no time to process it because of their situation.

Cassandra left home at the tender age of 8-year-old and ever since then she has lived on her own. In some ways, she matured, but not enough to comprehend certain things such as complicated feelings.

"Ugh!.." Cassandra suddenly groaned while gripping her hair as she became frustrated with herself.

"Cassan-" Sandra was about to comfort her daughter, but suddenly she sensed movement, coming up the stairs.

Cassandra felt it too and proceeded to stand up just as her mother did.

"Stay...here," Sandra commanded as she placed a hand on the hilt of her katana that was strapped to her back. It was a weapon she happened to swipe before she came to Gotham City since Ethan kept the other blade she had.

She had hoped to get it back, but it didn't matter if she didn't.

Just as she was walking away, Cassandra suddenly spoke up.

"N...no." She said while gripping her fists.

"No? What do you mean no? I'll be fine, just stay here and stay hidden," Sandra replied, but before she could take another step her arm was grabbed.

Sandra frowned, "Cassandra. Let go." However, her daughter didn't let go and instead tightened her grip, refusing to let go.

The two days they were on the run from the Talons, Sandra always kept Cassandra away from the conflict as she knew of her traumatic experience. Despite being trained to efficiently kill her enemies, her daughter was one that hated it the most.

"Cassandra!-"

*Crash!! Bam!* The door and the window simultaneously broke down, letting in two Talons in from the door and one from the window behind them. Sandra didn't even have time to think before she started to fight all three of them simultaneously.

It was like watching a dance, one with deadly consequences if she messed up at any point in time.

"Cassandra stay close to me!" Sandra shouted while fending off a Talon with her blade and kicking them away before handling another. According to her senses, there were more coming to the room and fighting in such a small area puts her at a disadvantage especially when she had her daughter to protect.

They needed to get out of here and fast!

If she was by herself then she would simply cut them down, but with her daughter by her side...

'It doesn't matter!' Sandra rid herself of her useless thoughts and moved with the skill and grace of a person that has been fighting for over 20 years. Her eyes locked on the two Talons in front of her and sliced forward with her sword, forcing one to dodge and the other to stop the blade with their own.

Soon after, even more, Talons were entering the room and she decided it was a good time as any to escape. Her fast and dexterous hand reached under her trenchcoat to grab three small metal-like spheres.

The Talons immediately tried to stop her, but they were too slow, she already threw them down on the floor!

*BOOM!* There was a blinding light followed by thick smoke that made it hard for anyone to see, however, the Talons wore masks just for these types of situations, they could change the lens to see through the smoke.

But it wasn't an instant process.

It took a couple of seconds at the most and in those seconds...Sandra moved...

The Talon blocking the window didn't even have time to react before they were free-falling out of the window.

*Bam!* The Talon fell from a two-story apartment room into a trash bin with a loud sickening thud.

With an exit clear, Sandra grabbed hold of her daughter and leaped out of the window, safely landing on the pavement.

Cassandra was a bit stunned, but then she was pulled away down the dark alleyway by Sandra with no signs of stopping.

Their path was open, but the Talons do not give up easily and within moments they gave chase for the duo.

Although this situation wasn't particularly bad, something was screaming at Sandra that they were in incredible danger.

*Click*

Sandra stopped in her tracks when she heard the familiar noise of what sounded like a gun, causing her to freeze in her tracks.

"Don't worry I'm not here to harm you, but I strongly suggest you give yourself up."

>>>><<<

Ethan didn't know why, but he started to feel anxious about Sandra and so he decided to give her a call.

*Ring Ring Ring* He waited for someone to answer, however, after waiting he got the answering machine.

'I don't like it...' He frowned, putting his phone away. "Pamela."

"What's wrong?" The redhead asked, sensing Ethan's decreasing mood.

"Take the wheel for me."

Pamela didn't even ask for a reason before switching with him to continue driving the RV.

'Raven I need you to get me to Gotham faster.' He mentally said to her. 'Can you?'

Raven narrowed her eyes and stood up from the couch. 'How fast are we talking?' She replied back.

'As fast as you can. I need to get to Sandra. Something doesn't feel right.' He said.

"When you reach Gotham City. Go stop at Wizard's shop. I'll let him know you're coming."

"What's going on?" Mera started to become worried.

"Be careful," Pamela said just as Ethan lovingly kissed her cheek.

"We're leaving?" Myra curiously asked.

Ethan shook his head, "It will just be me and Raven. You stay here, Ok?"

"Ok..." Myra looked as if she was about to cry and although she wasn't trying to make Ethan change his mind, he did so after seeing her face.

"Ok, you're coming too."

"Yes!"Myra pumped her fist as she closed

"Let's go Raven."

Mera stood up from her seat, "I've had just about enough! I demand to know what is going on here!"

"Bring her too," Ethan added.

"Yes." Raven nodded as her eyes turned pitch black while coating her hands in her mana. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

"Not again!-" The princess of Xebel was once again transported against her will.

>>>>><<<<

Sandra slowly turned around and saw a man dressed in orange and black. He stood calmly in front of her with a gun pointing directly at her head.

"Slade..." She frowned at seeing the man. On a normal day, she could defeat him almost easily, but today wasn't that day...and something was off about him.

Slade Wilson, otherwise known as Deathstroke.

One of the most terrifying mercenaries to ever roam the DC universe. The man was a stone-cold killer, but unlike other murders, he always stuck to code.

Only kill who you are contracted to kill unless that person kills you.

Never kill or harm a child.

And never lie...

Sandra tightened her grip on her blade, "What do you want?"

"To take you in actually." He shrugged. "Who would have thought Lady Shiva would go rogue? I thought you liked being a ki-"

"Quiet!"

"Oh, I see...is that you're daughter there?" Slade nonchalantly inquired as he got a good look at the girl standing close to Sandra.

Every inch of Cassandra's body told her to run away...

Due to her ability to read her opponents, Cassandra could see something dangerous lurking inside of the man, something so horrifying that it made it difficult to breathe.

"Do you want to know more about your mom and what she likes to do? She likes to-"

"I said be quiet!!" Sandra shouted at the top of her lungs as she fumed with anger.

She wanted so badly to cut him down into tiny pieces!!

As she was thinking this, the brand on her shoulder started to heat up, providing her body with a strange warmth. However, before she could even focus on it, the alleyway became a bit more crowded with a group of Talons sealing both exits.

"There's more? Don't you guys give up?" Slade sighed, shaking his head. "What exactly did you do to get these people?"