Stranded

Chapter 16

Damians Pov

The distant fortress of the League of Assassins stood proud. It felt strangely hostile considering I had once called it home. Infiltrating this compound with highly skilled assassins will be difficult, even with Casss and my own knowledge of the league. It was decided that Cass and I would enter from the mountain side and Lian would keep watch from a near highpoint should we be discovered. She agreed to the plan, though she sulked about not getting in on the action.

As Batgirl and I climbed up the mountain, hidden by shadows, my mind drifted to MarI. I wondered if she had completed her mission yet. I refused to indulge the thought of her not completing it

Batgirl and I made it to our point of entry and fired our grappling hook to the top of the wall. I needed to keep my focus. I reminded myself that MarI was fully capable and would succeed.

We were in. As soon as we set foot on the ground, we knew that a silent alarm would go of and we hurriedly ducked into an unoccupied room. As predicted, shadows passed over our hiding place belonging to assassins searching eagerly to catch the intruders off guard. Unaware that the two intruders were possibly two of the best assassins the League had ever bred. I looked at Cass and she nodded that she was ready. We emerged silently and careful, using all our senses to detect movement.

Finally, after tedious caution, we made it to a room that I knew to be a war room. We were surprised to find there were no guards, upon a glance in the room, I knew why. Talia stood over a circular table examining charts.

"You might as well come out.", she said.

Cass and I looked at each other, then stepped out of the shadows into the light of the room. She didnt look up as we emerged, but said, "Quite skilled of you, avoiding the guards."

She gestured to the screen to the side that had cameras. "I must remember to punish their lack of skill."

She looked at Cass, "My Cassandra, how much youve grown-"

I stepped closer to my mother and said, "We didnt come to catch up, Mother."

Her eyes flicked to me, "What you came for is over there."

A laptop lay on the desk. Neither Cass nor I touched it My mother looked impatient," Come now, Damian. I am not a fool to put my trust alien parasites. I would prefer the world not crumble into the human races enslavement. At least not by the hands of alien scum."

I glared at her, "I should kill you for what you did to Mar'I and I on that island."

"And yet, you are my son, so you realize how futile that effort, though very chivalrous, it is.", she said in a bored tone.

She walked around the table, towards us, until she was within sword reach, "There is a more important matter at hand then your alien wrenchs feigned dignity. Take the laptop, and you heroes save the world so that you may fight another day."

I gritted my teeth and my hand moved to my sword, but Cass said, "Damian, another day. There are more important matters."

She took the laptop and waited for me to withdraw. I turned to leave, but said, "Mother, this isnt over. When the war is done. I will hunt you."

"If that is how you choose to waste your time, so be it." She smiled, as though she was going to enjoy what happens next, "However, I hope you can understand that I can't let you leave unscathed with that. Why the Citedalians would need to think we gave you the best of our defenses."

Suddenly, we were surrounded. "Surprisingly, Mother, Im not surprised."

The assassins closed in. I drew my katana faster than any of them moved and slashed a wide arc for breathing room. Cass took the pause as an opportunity to leap into action. Her movements were so fluent, she was like a wave crashing onto the grains of sand that stood no chance against advances. We fought our way out to the courtyard. There were so many of them, I wondered if my mother really intended us to get out.

I stabbed one in the shoulder as when an arrow flew past my head with a rope attached. Several small explosions occurred above their heads. A distraction.

Cass was already at my side. We both grabbed hold of the rope just as it reeled out into the dark sky. A volley of arrows descended on the assassins below. Speedy was in the back seat of the Batplane. I jumped into the drivers seat and pulled up until clouds swirled around us.

Speedy asked, "Did you get any info?"

I replied, "We will inspect when we get back."

Getting back to Mari.

I'm not sure if anyone else agrees, but they didn't do justice to the character of Cassandra Cain in the Birds of Prey movie. Sorry for the short chapter. I'll try to make it longer next time, I just wasn't sure of how to balance Damian's thoughts for Mari and the how he would cope with that.