_
Only made it worse...
More hunted now than ever...
Nowhere is safe...
Are we still Ma'alefa'ak?
Hear me, brothers and sisters.
Yes, our gene bomb failed.
But the terror we spread
among the G'arrunns and B'lahdenns is a victory.
And soon enough, the jaws of the Ma'alefa'ak
will close upon their throats...
How? Why?
The G'arrunns and B'lahdenns reap what they've sown, sister.
They are lucky to have survived.
Not the G'arrunns, Conner!
This rage is for him? For a mere earther?
Don't pretend you don't know what he was.
You used Kryptonite to kill him.
I don't even know what Kryptonite is.
Liar.
Read my thoughts. M'gann, I am not lying.
You're not lying.
He was telling the truth,
But now...
Who do I blame?
Sync & corrections by emeline-whovian www.addic7ed.com
_
In olden times there was a barbaric king in a barbaric kingdom.
He had a daughter he loved, and absolute power
over everyone he ruled, including her.
When I ran from my father,
I swear, I never meant for any of this to happen.
As soon as we reach Santa Prisca, you must trade me for Orphan.
That's not how we do things.
You are coming to help me. rescue Orphan.
- I know but... - You wanna be free of the Shadows?
First, stop thinking like one.
My team does not leave anyone behind.
You made the offer knowing she'd turn you down.
And you attack my integrity
knowing it will sabotage my chances with Tigress.
Cut it out, both of you!
We all have to work together to get Orphan back.
A fine sentiment, but the facts don't back it up.
- _ - The lead computer in Green Arrow's vault was breached.
One of those two has the data and is using you to carry it to the Shadows
You're riding with at least one traitor.
Bruce, Dick, Tim, Kate and Stephanie are cowl deep
in a Penguin/Two-Face turf war.
But Orphan's one of us. And after Jason...
Well, say the word and you'll have the entire Bat family
en route to Santa Prisca.
_
Okay, but you better be right.
- _ - We have to get Orphan back.
Good to have you home.
My daughter.
I am very disappointed in you, and not a little perplexed.
You were never just a Shadow in training, not to me.
I molded you into the perfect assassin,
shaped you to reach a potential beyond even my grasp.
And I sent you on a simple mission. Child's play for you.
And not only did you fail, you turned against us.
Against me.
To cower in the embrace of the enemy.
You were the silent blade.
The soul of Shadow.
Death made flesh.
You are ready.
Your first target was once considered a useful asset to the Light.
But no longer. He sent Vandal Savage this recording.
_
The League has accounted for all known Kryptonite on Earth
and in the Milky Way galaxy. None is missing.
Which does not mean there was not more out there to be found.
True, but it does mean we're out of leads.
I'm sorry, J'onn. Believe me.
As am I, Shayera.
Signing off.
The barbarian king had won his crown in battle.
He would hold it through subtler means.
He had his own rules, his own laws.
And when any of these were broken,
he had his own ideas of justice.
If a man defied the laws of the king,
he was taken to a huge arena, in order to decide his own fate.
There he faced two identical doors.
Behind one, a ravenous tiger that would destroy him on sight.
Behind the other, a lovely lady who would immediately marry him.
Chance and his choosing would be his judge and jury.
It came to pass that the king's daughter
fell in love with a handsome commoner.
This was forbidden.
So the young man found himself facing the two doors.
The princess learned which door held the slavering tiger,
and which the simpering maid.
But would the princess save her man?
For she was as jealous of the man as she was in love with him.
When she secretly pointed to the door her lover should choose,
he trusted her and opened it.
But which option did the princess choose for her man?
The lady or the tiger?
I know you saw that last Shadow.
So were you testing them?
When these three don't call in, Shiva will know we're here
and that we made her deadline.
Not what she had in mind
Yet it's what she'd expect.
She'll honor the deal.
Orphan is safe for now.
But we're on the wrong side of the island.
It'll be light before we get where we're going.
Then we'll find a rabbit hole to wait out the day.
You better know what you're doing.
- Take point. - Roger that.
- Both of us? - Why not?
Now you're getting the idea.
For each door holds both results
right up until the moment it's opened.
- _ - Section 16 has gone dark.
Either you changed the corporate vacation policy,
or our guests are here.
Which means the League's data's here as well.
Tigress will take her time, I imagine. Still...
Shade, bring the vessel.
Time to hunt?
There's no point. Our quarry will come to us
to trade one Cassandra for another.
Of course, they'll try to keep both.
And of course, we will allow them to keep neither.
I see that look in your eyes.
Yes, the Light has long coveted the Justice League's intelligence.
But make no mistake, I was there for you.
I wanted to give my Cassandra
a second chance to fulfill her destiny.
Hey there, Mr. Savage.
Sorry to call so late. Eight years late.
But I only just heard it through the grapevine. See?
Have to admit this revelation has somewhat poisoned
my relationship with you and yours.
Which, come to think of it, might be exactly why little Miss Poison Ivy,
spilled the beans.
Or whatever grows on grapevines.
I'm not a horticulturist, you know,
just a simple, fun loving fiend
apparently undeserving of your full respect.
For I'm told, the Injustice League
was nothing but a ruse, a puppet show.
Wax fruit.
Something to keep the high and mighty Light in the shadows.
And I'm the only one
who didn't know.
I mean, Riddler knew?
Riddler!
Oh. Good versus bad.
Bad versus good.
And your old pal Joker caught in the crossfire
of all your senseless violence.
And that's the worst sin of all.
Because senseless violence is my gag.
You stole my punchline, Vandy.
Made me, me the butt of your joke.
But not to worry.
I've got a new routine
sure to entertain the good guys and the bad.
I'm telling you, Vandy, I think this act
will just slay.
And since apparently you're all such big Riddler fans,
here's a page out of his feeble book.
My revenge will be untimely,
uncomfortable, and unfortunate.
Un. Get it, huh? U.N.
Ain't it grand how the fear of death
and Joker venom brings every nation together?
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.
But take note, Mr. Secretary.
You and your ambassadorks are not my hostages.
No, sir.
You're my victims.
Courtesy of our dear ex-pal, Vandal Q. Savage.
The Q stands for killjoy.
You see, Lexie, this is about respect.
And who needs respect more than a poor clown?
A clown who's dedicated his life
to bringing a little sunshine generating a few big,
stinking grins onto the faces of the masses.
Until they choke on those smiles and die!
Well, horse puckies.
Eh?
The Bat's right behind me, isn't he?
I object!
Turning on infrared.
No arguments, no noise.
We don't want Shadows pinning down our current location.
- _ - We don't wanna fight until we're ready.
Please don't drag this out. You have to get her back.
She's like a sister to me.
I know you know how that feels.
Mad as a hatter not to, I hope.
What was that?
Nothing. Another hour and it'll be dark.
Then, we move.
- Stay whelmed. - Whelmed? - Whelmed?
- Keep moving. - No need. We're here.
Not a Shadow in sight.
Couldn't be more inviting if they hung a free cookie sign.
- We can't just walk in. - We can't just walk in.
It always comes down to choosing the right door.
You should stay here with your family.
I have responsibilities back home.
Good bye, Mom.
Good bye, Dad.
You don't ever plan to return here, do you?
I'm not planning anything.
They're going to see us coming.
Not if we blind them.
Three, two, one and...
- What? - How?
Please. You two aren't the only ones with secrets.
It's done. Main and backup generators are down.
They'll have emergency power only. No sensors, no alarms.
Come on, we're going in.
I'd lay odds they're holding Orphan in cellblock A.
It's not much farther.
Then this is as far as you go.
Wait.
I want to go with you.
Learn about you and your adopted world.
Give us a chance to become real sisters.
You don't mind, do you, Uncle J'onn?
You are welcome to join us, Em'ree.
M'gann?
If you want.
Baby, all is ready.
I fear we have lost them both, my love.
Tigress, I know you don't believe me but I'm sure she's a plant.
We can't let her go any farther.
It's alright, Onyx.
I've gone as far as I need to.
A Glamour Charm.
Be flattered, Tigress. We had the idea from you.
What the hell?
Infiltrators.
I'll be... Oh, thank God, I found you.
No!
I've got you.
Nightwing to A33. We need a medivac, stat!
Hold on, please, hold on.
I wasn't trying to save Joker.
I was trying to save you.
It's okay. I'm here to get you out.
And I suppose that thing processes the infiltrator's intel.
I'm on my way.
I'll be back, I promise.
I missed using that arm.
Analyzing.
Sonic pulse has successfully disrupted all infiltrators.
Data theft averted.
Can I just say I told you so?
Noted, though this doesn't mean you're not a mole, too.
Oh, come on.
Hey, focus! Orphan's waiting.
Which way to cell block A?
You won't survive long enough to find out.
An empty threat. It's two against one.
Make that four against two.
Odds are evening.
Follow the leader.
Cell block's this way.
- I knew you'd come. - Really? No doubts at all.
None I'll admit to.
Spoken like a true Crock,
- of sh... - We're here!
We need to hurry this up.
Hang on, Orphan. We'll get you out.
Hold that thought.
The boss may have other ideas.
Just to surrender or die.
For each door holds both results
right up until the moment it's opened.
Her decision had been indicated in an instant,
but it had been made
after days and nights of anguished deliberation.
She had known, she would be asked.
She had decided what she would answer,
and without the slightest hesitation,
she had moved her hand to the right.
The question of her decision
is one not to be lightly considered,
and it is not for me to presume to set myself up
as the one person able to answer it.
And so I leave it with all of you.
Which came out of the open door?
The lady, or the tiger?
Frank R. Stockton, The Lady, Or The Tiger?
Sync & corrections by emeline-whovian www.addic7ed.com