Poking the Bat and the Wall

Amanda Waller was sitting comfortably in the command center as Task Force X was eliminating targets on the other side of the world. The team currently consisted of Deadshot, Bloodsport, Captain Boomerang, Enchantress, and Pyro. It was going pretty swiftly, but it would still take another three days before they were finished, and extraction could be arranged.

Suddenly, a alarm began blaring. Waller ordered it silent and demanded to know what was responsible for it. One of the techs began typing and then answered, "It was a panic alarm from... Adam Goodwill." Waller immediately rushed to that terminal to see for herself. Adam wasn't anyone special, at least on paper. In reality he was Waller's insurance incase Luther tried to run for an office with enough authority to shut her down. While she couldn't stop Luther from learning about Adam, but she could keep him from knowing his location. The agents responsible for protecting him responded. Waller felt fury rising up as she was told Adam was already dead. The agents reported that Adam was stuff into his bedroom closet, however the building had been surrounded the moment the panic button was hit, but they still couldn't find the killer. As reports of four other people being found dead began to come in, the fact that all the deaths were a benefit to Lex Luther was all the proof Waller needed to know that Luther was behind it.

She yelled, "I want Luther's movements for the last year!" Due to Luther's criminal activities Waller was able to keep a constant surveillance on Luther. The problem was it wasn't legal, so, if she tried to use it against Luther, his legal team would have him free as a bird and a restraining order against her and all of Argus before the ink on the arrest warrant was dry.

In minutes the report was in her hand. Nothing unusual, no signs that he was plotting any assassinations. Nothing that would trigger a flag, then she noticed something odd. Almost a week ago, Lex made a conference call to two numbers.

What was unusual was that he never called those numbers before. Three days later, one of those numbers calls back. Then after another two days, Lex calls the other number. What has Waller's interest was the fact that the call happened yesterday, and the conversation was noted to last several minutes and packets of information were exchanged.

Waller suspected it was to discuss the targets and the price. She wanted files on who was on the other side of those numbers. Then an thought occurred to her. Waller checked to see if there had been any significant changes in Gotham's Underworld.

Normally with the combination of Batman's activities and natural competition, trying to use such information for her advantage would be a waste of time. This time however it paid off. The Penguin got knocked-off just yesterday.

'A showcase to potential buyers, maybe?' Waller suspected. She then asked, "Who do we have available right now?!" The techs began typing, and a moment later one answered, "Katana just checked in from whatever she does when she is not here, Peacemaker is still on that secret assignment you gave him last week, so he is a no go, oh, but Rat Catcher! She is available, and it looks like the med bay just cleared Hack for active duty about ten minutes ago. File says it will be at least a week before she can use her digitization power."

Waller looked at the list: Katana, Hack, and Rat Catcher. Not exactly an A-team, but considering Katana would help with Batman, and once in Gotham the team could get Harley Quinn and by extension Poison Ivy, to temporarily help, it could work. Waller gave the order.

...

Lex Luther was sitting at his desk, while Mercy was receiving confirmation from her contacts. Evidently, not even five minutes ago, all five targets were eliminated at the same time. What was the most astonishing thing was the fact that they were in different countries around the world.

Not even a speedster could take out all five at once. Take them all out yes, at once, no. Lex was contemplating on his next course of action. This individual could prove very useful, but his price... well the long term would prove cost prohibitive.

As for what he has to pay now, Lex just has to arrange for them to go to Gotham. Looked at the email he received signaling the contact was fulfilled and saying to bring the agreed upon payment to a abandoned theater within the previously specified time frame.

Mercy then confirmed that according to her contacts all five men were indeed dead. Luther looked at the list, then an idea came to him. He activated his communicator, a minute later a image of Queen Bee appeared. She spoke first saying, "Lex Luther, to what do I owe for the distinct pleasure of your call." Her tone of voice, the way she was standing, everything about how she presented herself was showcasing how seductive she was, but Lex knew her well enough to see through that facade, Queen Bee was annoyed.

Lex without hesitation said, "I'll get to the point. I recently came across a new contractor, very efficient, but his prices are a little too unique for a long-term arrangement. I was hoping you could use your influence to help augment his way off thinking. I'm of course willing to compensate you favorably for donating your precious time."

Queen Bee stood there thinking over Lex's proposal. Lex hadn't lied, he just failed to mention that she was the payment, and if she could use her ability to persuade Nicholas, we'll all the better.

Queen Bee looked at Lex and then asked, "Where would I be meeting this contractor? If I agreed." Lex sent a file and said, "Gotham, and I've already arranged for some appropriate escorts. Queen Bee opened the file and remarked, "Cheetah, Killer Frost, Livewire, and Silver Banshee. Not exactly heavy hitters, but they could keep Gotham's regulars away..." She thought about for another minute, and then said, "Alright, I'll do it, but for my troubles I would need a few free samples of your new fighter jets that Lex Corp has been making. A full squadron should be sufficient."

Lex was stone on the outside but internally he was annoyed. Cost wasn't the issue; it was the legal loopholes he would have to jump through to justify it. But then an idea came to mind. Lex said, "I can arrange that, I send one of my private jets to pick you up, and the fighter jets can be your escort on your way back." Queen Bee thought for a moment and said, "That's fine, what time should I expect your jets arrival and how long do you believe it will take?"

Lex answered, "The jet will be there to pick you up by lunch, and if everything goes as expected, you'll be back before dinner." Queen Bee acknowledged and then ended the call. Lex made four more calls, the other ladies were considerably cheaper, they only asked for a hundred grand each. All and all, Lex was slightly satisfied. No matter the outcome of that meeting, Lex Luther would come out on top.

A thought then came to mind. This could be an opportunity to test one of his other projects. He pulled a file, as looked it over, he thought, 'This could be the perfect opportunity to test out that clone. Power Girl, after all, exposing a monster is something a "superhero" should do on principle.' Lex Luther began to laugh out loud.

...

Barbara Gordon, aka Oracle, was sitting in her observation post in the clock tower. Since being forced to give up the mantle as Bat Girl, she's been helping in a more intellectual level. Being the eyes and ears for the Bat family is not a job for a weekend warrior after all.

Which is why she has gone the last three days on minimal sleep. Barbara felt like she dropped the ball not being able to track down this new crew. All has done so far was confirmed that it was a crew and not a speedster. Besides the fact that there are hundreds of sensors scattered around the city that will go off if anyone with even the smallest trace of the speed force comes near Gotham is kind of a giveaway.

She is currently scouring the network trying to find any camera or microphone that can help locate them. Suddenly, as I'd a wish was being granted, three different cameras were flagged by her algorithm let her know something was happening.

After the feeds were pulled up, she began recording. Until she confirmed the what and the where, Barbara was going to tell Bruce about it, in case it wasn't what they were hoping for. If it was an actual emergency, she could have the police there almost immediately.

As the screens came to focus, Barbara sees three different scenes play out very similarly. All three had rather minor criminals, all had looks of absolute terror on their faces. All three were clearly looking for a place to hide.

That was where things started to differ. In the first screen the man tries to pry open a window. When that doesn't work, he rushes over to the door on the opposite side. He makes it half-way before he starts writhing in pain. Barbara immediately spotted the bear trap.

On the second screen, the man was even more frantic. Trying to go through solid walls, and falling over in terror, whenever he tried for a door or window.

As for the third screen, it showed the man having successfully grabbing a lifted fire escape ladder. But before he could pull himself up, a spear connected to a chain had pierced him. It was obviously trying to pull him back down, but despite the obvious pain, the man held on.

With a flawless coordination, the three attackers show up on screen at the same time. The first one had a mask, clothes and skin covered in a black substance. Without a proper analysis, Barbara's best guest was soot.

The second, looked like a doctor straight out of a horror movie. As for the last one, Barbara couldn't believe what she was seeing. It looked like a cowboy, but his jaw was dislocated, the skin torn and rotted, but he clearly wasn't undead.

The three closed in on their would-be victims. Each one with their own sadistic method, killed their victim. Barbara immediately began to angle the cameras to get cleaner shots. Evidently that was a mistake. As she checked the screens, her heart stopped as she saw all three looking right a the cameras, and in turn, looking right at her. Suddenly, all the screens flickered and then all three were gone.

Quickly recomposing herself, Barbara stopped the recording, and then immediately sent it to the main bat computer, along with the general locations of each of the attacks. Unfortunately, for some reason her algorithm couldn't get more specific.

She then reached for the comms button on her console to notify Bruce. But before she could touch it, another hand had grabbed her. Without even thinking, she hit the panic button. Her computer immediately locked down, and a distress signal was sent to the bat family.

The hand immediately switched from her hand to her throat. In the next instant she found herself suspended in the air. While difficult, Barbara could still breath. She then got a good look at her attacker. It was the cowboy. He forced his mouth shut and then it no longer looked torn and rotted, but like an old severe scar.

Then, with a huff, he threw Barbara. She immediately relaxed her body, in order to minimize the potential damage of impact. Only, the impact never came. Instead, she founded herself covered in a dark shroud. She felt numb, or rather she didn't feel anything, not falling, nor floating, or really anything that would indicate what was happening.

Then suddenly she found herself gently landing in a rather soft bed. With an old instinct kicking in Barbara immediately stood up to check her surroundings.

It took a moment for it to register, as she looked down, Barbara was shocked to find that she was standing. Her legs just a strong as the day she was shot. Without hesitation she began doing gymnastics around the room, not caring about anything else. Perhaps... perhaps, that was the point.