Batman Fan Fiction ❯ Catwoman: The Tamer ❯ Payback ( Chapter 3 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: tory-steller 
Vengeance is bittersweet.
Non Anime: Batman Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.08.2014 | Updated On: 03.08.2014 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 351 | Status: Completed
Vengeance is bittersweet.
Non Anime: Batman Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.08.2014 | Updated On: 03.08.2014 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 351 | Status: Completed
Payback
Duct tape is such a simple, underutilized solution to so many of life's pesky purroblems. For instance, it solved my purrsonal trouble of transporting a screamer into a warehouse without being noticed. With my whip binding her arms behind her back, I dragged her inside by her scarlet curls, tossed her carelessly into a steel beam and laughed when her back bounced off of it. She landed on her stomach, only narrowly avoiding the collision between her face and the stone floor.
I knew he would be coming for me without fail, which is why I jumped straight into the interrogation, enjoying her shriek once I ripped the tape from her lips.
"Who the hell are you really?" During the drive here I began putting the pieces together. It took an extraordinary woman to get the attention of Batman, and even I failed to captivate him so efficiently, especially not the first day we met. Our romance bloomed on the battlefield after many :meows: risqué, if kittenish encounters. And even after we agreed to our commitment, it took major sacrifices, like turning myself into the authorities, losing my alter ego and giving up my crime operations to gain his trust, get each other out of garb and reveal our true identities.
This hussy had accomplished all of that and more in less than a single night! So I followed my hunch that this "victim" had a few claws of her own concealed up her sleeves. That was fine with me since I took pleasure in playing dirty.
"I may not be a detective, but I'm very good at reading people, and even better at making them talk. So, if you want to preserve that pretty face, I suggest you not lie to me. Not tonight, or ever for that matter. Do you understand?" She nodded, but remained silent. "Good. Now, are you truly Dr. Allison Zion?"
She smirked at this; an unsettling crease on her face. I'd dealt with those lips, as well as her distant gaze, many times before, on the faces of the psychotic. I had a sudden suspicion that my whip would not be enough to keep her restrained. After a fit of pointless fussing and fidgeting, I finally pulled her into an airtight chamber and wagged my finger at her.
"I'll be back in an hour and hopefully you'll have changed your attitude." With the anger suddenly evaporating, leaving me in peace, I made my way back to the purrevious room after an absent-minded stroll, in desperate need of a moment to breathe and ponder over my actions.
I never got that moment...
He never gave me the chance...
The metal door at the front slid open. He didn't even bother to hide. "Selina!" He was mad, but could I blame him? Hell, so was I!
"Wow, you found me fast. You are getting really good at hide and seek." Robin was suited up by his side, the cute blush from earlier no longer evident on his cheeks, but the colorful tights did their job of highlighting his physique. I would be in a hell of a lot of trouble if they came to rumble. But I knew Bruce; he came for answers.
"Where is she?"
Exactly as I expected. It was said in such a commanding voice, the authority in his tone would be able to drag the answers from my mouth howling and clawing.
"Where's who?"
Or not. What can I say? I just can't turn down an opportunity of good playful fun. Of course, he was not at all amused with my antics, the sourpuss. He marched right up to me, the Boy Wonder staying behind him as available backup, as if I were dumb enough to try anything. His mind-piercing, intense eyes caught hold of me from under his mask, more effective than any trap or restraint could ever be against me.
"You know who I mean. Don't make me ask you again." This was not the first time he tried to intimidate me, and usually I'd laugh it off when he gave me speeches about the follies of my ways. This was unlike any of those times. The murderous intent that was hardly being contained, so present it seemed preset within his body language. The pain in his voice, and every sign of weakness now on display that the Batman would never expose to his opponent all justified my suspicions.
"Why don't you tell me where Batman is, first? Maybe then I can help you out." He laughed, a wheeze of exhaustion, and then his eyes turned cold. I gave Robin a concerned glance but he missed it.
"Alright, we can do it the hard way if that's how you like it." Without warning, his hands were upon me, one crushing my arm and the other squeezing my neck in a tight choke hold before I could say, "You know it baby." I gasped for air as he effortlessly lifted my tiny frame up and pinned me to a support beam at my back. My feet dangled uselessly in the air. If I had any leverage or a chance at escaping his hands I might have kicked and clawed my way to freedom. But then I would have two men to contend with, and those odds were much more hazardous to my safety.
"Now, are you going to tell me what you did with her? Or do I have to make you squeal?" Clearly deranged, he tightened his grip in an attempt to break my arm, just to add emphasis to his words. A tear welled up in my eye. I didn't want to do it, but my only other option was tossing him back into her merciless claws and possibly losing him forever.
"Sorry about this, hun." I reached around the side of the beam with my free arm and pulled my pistol from a hidden compartment. I aimed at his exposed chin, but he tossed me aside. Before I could get off a shot, he ducked away…
Landing right onto a booby-trapped panel I installed in the floor. It fell from under his feet and he plummeted with it, vanishing into the floor between one breath and the next. His hand grabbed for the panel next to the one that fell, but that one crumbled with his weight as well. A grappling hook shot out from the hole, but I anticipated such and blasted the cable's trajectory off course so it too fell uselessly into the pit. With the action over, I gave a sigh of relief.
Until…
"Catwoman!" Robin came over to confront me. "Tell me where they are." I stared up at him in disbelief.
"Oh, curses! Not you too, cutie." I pointed the pistol at him, but I didn't have the heart to pull the trigger. Luckily, I didn't need to, because he shook his head and offered a hand.
"No, I'm not under her control." After a pause to read his face I put the gun in his hand, a sign of trust, and he used it to tug me up. My arm and throat would be sore for a couple days, but I was fine.
"Wait, you're telling me you knew this whole time and you let him come rough me up anyway? He could've damaged the goods, and I would have made you both pay the purrice for that!"
"Of course I knew. Back when we found him, or rather because of the state we found him, the nakedness, not the black eye, Alfred felt concerned and ran a few tests on blood samples while he was out cold. There were a few oddities found but nothing conclusive. Still, I stayed alert, watching to see if he acted any different after waking up."
"Well?" I asked because he didn't continue on his own. His face contorted a bit, eyebrows and lips dropping in grief.
"He is definitely not the man that raised me, that's for sure. His behavior is way off, more erratic than I have ever seen him. I mean sure, getting his ass handed to him by a girl might have set him off, but he overly cared more about getting her back than finding you. He was very possessive. It was really… disturbing. Alfred suggested that there may be a cure for it, but that I needed a sample of the woman's DNA for us to whip it up. So I need her. Where is she?"
I studied his face, trying to read any lies he might be hiding, but I could tell he was being horrifically honest with me. Finally, I pointed to the door hidden by a large crate in the back, and his eyes lit up a little. "She's in there, bound up and gagged for good measure, although she doesn't speak much. Be careful with her too, I don't want what happened to the Bat to happen to you." My words held genuine affection, but I'm not sure the kid picked up on it.
We were on our way to my prisoner when on the other side of the building another pair of steel doors opened and two unidentifiable figures waited ominously outside.
"I heard from a little birdie that you have my investment somewhere in this shabby shack. Tell me where to find her, or I'll dispose of you both and disassemble the place brick by brick." His voice was unfamiliar and the threat wasn't very subtle, meaning it didn't get me shaking in my boots.
But it was a different experience entirely when the other said, "Easy there, tiger. The kitty and I are very well acquainted. We're a litter box of laughter, she and I. I bet she'll cooperate if you ask her nicely, won't you? Come show us where you stashed the lovely doctor. There's a prize in it for you."
I squinted at the pair as my sight adjusted to the dark. From a purple pocket he presented a tiny fortune of treasures all favoring felines, contained in a paw-shaped glass box. The jewels may have even gleamed irresistibly given a light to shine in. Still, I'd gone on more midnight crusades than needed to know never trust a criminal mastermind or a psychotic killer, and the Joker was an overdosing ton of all that and more rolled into one.
"Sorry, cats only come when they feel like it." I locked eyes with the teen at my side. "You ready, kid?" He confirmed with a stiff nod. "Purrfect, just leave the ugly one to me."
And I launched myself into a dead-sprint at the bad-news bunch with as much moxie as I could muster with Robin in tow, asking me, "Which one is the ugly one?"
The battle ended unexpectedly fast. There had been enough time to screech out a hissing war cry and cat-apult myself above them, only to be mysteriously hoisted up higher than I intended to go. Hell, I went higher than it was possible for me to leap from the ground. I capsized midair, and was left suspended upside down, high out of the fray.
Robin seemed to fare better, going by the glimpses I caught of the kid. He tossed a few projectiles their way and presumably disappeared while the two were distracted, relying on his well-taught skills. With nothing else to do in my position, I took aim with the pistol still in my clutches and shot at the mystery man.
The bullet bounced harmlessly away, coming in contact with what seemed like solidified air. My competent sidekick coordinated with my second failing shot and executed a brilliant sneak attack from behind. Sadly, the Joker saw the strike coming and very out-of-character stepped into the diving kick to protect his partner. The heel connected with his ghostly white jaw, he let out a satisfyingly comical "Oomph", and was sent hurdling across the room, landing harshly on his face.
Purrhaps tired of my bothersome shooting, I was dropped from high ceiling heights. I tried to twist around to land safely, but whatever held my ankles made sure to keep them bound in place so I could plunge head first towards the concrete. I had no choice but to toss the firearm away and brace my palms for impact.
I was jerked back up at the last second, the action threw off my balance, and when I hit the bottom I hit it hard, and terribly wrong. My weakened shoulder gave out with a sickening pop, but the surprise helped dissipate the pain.
I ended upright on my rump next to the Joker, who was now definitely seeing stars. I reached out to swat his face, but something wrapped around my working whipping arm, successfully restraining me. Robin fell at my side tied up as well, in sentient chains if I had to guess by the way they snaked around him.
"This turned uncomfortable fast," he whispered to me while fruitlessly struggling to get free.
"And I can make it very unpleasant if you choose not to cooperate and tell me where she is." A chain collared me, tangling around my neck, then lifted me from my seat like a leash. I glared at him once we were eye to eye. He wore a white, full face mask with three black circles connecting his eyes and mouth. I first thought it was a weird design choice, but then the circles began to spin, and I noticed it seemed very alike to the pinwheels used for hypnosis. I quickly shut my eyes and grumbled out the answer.
"I'm getting purretty damn pissed that all you males have been pining for this new girl, whoever she is, and not giving me the proper attention. So take her, and get the hell out so my love life can go back to normal." I pointed to the cleverly hidden door. His eyes followed my finger before turning back to look at me. I got the impression he was grinning at me beneath the mask.
"Oh no, I won't be leaving you alone at all. You'll be coming with me, joining my collection just like the rest. Judging by your looks," he dared stroke my face with mock affection. I tried to take a bite out of his fingers, but that just made him chuckle. "You will probably be my favorite pet to play with for a while to come. I hope you're ready for a life of hell."
His laughter carried until he left to collect the hopefully unconscious bitch in the airless room, leaving me tied up with a dazed villain lowly humming show tunes and a teen cursing at vexatious, unbreakable moving chains. I felt as if my life had been a living hell for a long time now.
Duct tape is such a simple, underutilized solution to so many of life's pesky purroblems. For instance, it solved my purrsonal trouble of transporting a screamer into a warehouse without being noticed. With my whip binding her arms behind her back, I dragged her inside by her scarlet curls, tossed her carelessly into a steel beam and laughed when her back bounced off of it. She landed on her stomach, only narrowly avoiding the collision between her face and the stone floor.
I knew he would be coming for me without fail, which is why I jumped straight into the interrogation, enjoying her shriek once I ripped the tape from her lips.
"Who the hell are you really?" During the drive here I began putting the pieces together. It took an extraordinary woman to get the attention of Batman, and even I failed to captivate him so efficiently, especially not the first day we met. Our romance bloomed on the battlefield after many :meows: risqué, if kittenish encounters. And even after we agreed to our commitment, it took major sacrifices, like turning myself into the authorities, losing my alter ego and giving up my crime operations to gain his trust, get each other out of garb and reveal our true identities.
This hussy had accomplished all of that and more in less than a single night! So I followed my hunch that this "victim" had a few claws of her own concealed up her sleeves. That was fine with me since I took pleasure in playing dirty.
"I may not be a detective, but I'm very good at reading people, and even better at making them talk. So, if you want to preserve that pretty face, I suggest you not lie to me. Not tonight, or ever for that matter. Do you understand?" She nodded, but remained silent. "Good. Now, are you truly Dr. Allison Zion?"
She smirked at this; an unsettling crease on her face. I'd dealt with those lips, as well as her distant gaze, many times before, on the faces of the psychotic. I had a sudden suspicion that my whip would not be enough to keep her restrained. After a fit of pointless fussing and fidgeting, I finally pulled her into an airtight chamber and wagged my finger at her.
"I'll be back in an hour and hopefully you'll have changed your attitude." With the anger suddenly evaporating, leaving me in peace, I made my way back to the purrevious room after an absent-minded stroll, in desperate need of a moment to breathe and ponder over my actions.
I never got that moment...
He never gave me the chance...
The metal door at the front slid open. He didn't even bother to hide. "Selina!" He was mad, but could I blame him? Hell, so was I!
"Wow, you found me fast. You are getting really good at hide and seek." Robin was suited up by his side, the cute blush from earlier no longer evident on his cheeks, but the colorful tights did their job of highlighting his physique. I would be in a hell of a lot of trouble if they came to rumble. But I knew Bruce; he came for answers.
"Where is she?"
Exactly as I expected. It was said in such a commanding voice, the authority in his tone would be able to drag the answers from my mouth howling and clawing.
"Where's who?"
Or not. What can I say? I just can't turn down an opportunity of good playful fun. Of course, he was not at all amused with my antics, the sourpuss. He marched right up to me, the Boy Wonder staying behind him as available backup, as if I were dumb enough to try anything. His mind-piercing, intense eyes caught hold of me from under his mask, more effective than any trap or restraint could ever be against me.
"You know who I mean. Don't make me ask you again." This was not the first time he tried to intimidate me, and usually I'd laugh it off when he gave me speeches about the follies of my ways. This was unlike any of those times. The murderous intent that was hardly being contained, so present it seemed preset within his body language. The pain in his voice, and every sign of weakness now on display that the Batman would never expose to his opponent all justified my suspicions.
"Why don't you tell me where Batman is, first? Maybe then I can help you out." He laughed, a wheeze of exhaustion, and then his eyes turned cold. I gave Robin a concerned glance but he missed it.
"Alright, we can do it the hard way if that's how you like it." Without warning, his hands were upon me, one crushing my arm and the other squeezing my neck in a tight choke hold before I could say, "You know it baby." I gasped for air as he effortlessly lifted my tiny frame up and pinned me to a support beam at my back. My feet dangled uselessly in the air. If I had any leverage or a chance at escaping his hands I might have kicked and clawed my way to freedom. But then I would have two men to contend with, and those odds were much more hazardous to my safety.
"Now, are you going to tell me what you did with her? Or do I have to make you squeal?" Clearly deranged, he tightened his grip in an attempt to break my arm, just to add emphasis to his words. A tear welled up in my eye. I didn't want to do it, but my only other option was tossing him back into her merciless claws and possibly losing him forever.
"Sorry about this, hun." I reached around the side of the beam with my free arm and pulled my pistol from a hidden compartment. I aimed at his exposed chin, but he tossed me aside. Before I could get off a shot, he ducked away…
Landing right onto a booby-trapped panel I installed in the floor. It fell from under his feet and he plummeted with it, vanishing into the floor between one breath and the next. His hand grabbed for the panel next to the one that fell, but that one crumbled with his weight as well. A grappling hook shot out from the hole, but I anticipated such and blasted the cable's trajectory off course so it too fell uselessly into the pit. With the action over, I gave a sigh of relief.
Until…
"Catwoman!" Robin came over to confront me. "Tell me where they are." I stared up at him in disbelief.
"Oh, curses! Not you too, cutie." I pointed the pistol at him, but I didn't have the heart to pull the trigger. Luckily, I didn't need to, because he shook his head and offered a hand.
"No, I'm not under her control." After a pause to read his face I put the gun in his hand, a sign of trust, and he used it to tug me up. My arm and throat would be sore for a couple days, but I was fine.
"Wait, you're telling me you knew this whole time and you let him come rough me up anyway? He could've damaged the goods, and I would have made you both pay the purrice for that!"
"Of course I knew. Back when we found him, or rather because of the state we found him, the nakedness, not the black eye, Alfred felt concerned and ran a few tests on blood samples while he was out cold. There were a few oddities found but nothing conclusive. Still, I stayed alert, watching to see if he acted any different after waking up."
"Well?" I asked because he didn't continue on his own. His face contorted a bit, eyebrows and lips dropping in grief.
"He is definitely not the man that raised me, that's for sure. His behavior is way off, more erratic than I have ever seen him. I mean sure, getting his ass handed to him by a girl might have set him off, but he overly cared more about getting her back than finding you. He was very possessive. It was really… disturbing. Alfred suggested that there may be a cure for it, but that I needed a sample of the woman's DNA for us to whip it up. So I need her. Where is she?"
I studied his face, trying to read any lies he might be hiding, but I could tell he was being horrifically honest with me. Finally, I pointed to the door hidden by a large crate in the back, and his eyes lit up a little. "She's in there, bound up and gagged for good measure, although she doesn't speak much. Be careful with her too, I don't want what happened to the Bat to happen to you." My words held genuine affection, but I'm not sure the kid picked up on it.
We were on our way to my prisoner when on the other side of the building another pair of steel doors opened and two unidentifiable figures waited ominously outside.
"I heard from a little birdie that you have my investment somewhere in this shabby shack. Tell me where to find her, or I'll dispose of you both and disassemble the place brick by brick." His voice was unfamiliar and the threat wasn't very subtle, meaning it didn't get me shaking in my boots.
But it was a different experience entirely when the other said, "Easy there, tiger. The kitty and I are very well acquainted. We're a litter box of laughter, she and I. I bet she'll cooperate if you ask her nicely, won't you? Come show us where you stashed the lovely doctor. There's a prize in it for you."
I squinted at the pair as my sight adjusted to the dark. From a purple pocket he presented a tiny fortune of treasures all favoring felines, contained in a paw-shaped glass box. The jewels may have even gleamed irresistibly given a light to shine in. Still, I'd gone on more midnight crusades than needed to know never trust a criminal mastermind or a psychotic killer, and the Joker was an overdosing ton of all that and more rolled into one.
"Sorry, cats only come when they feel like it." I locked eyes with the teen at my side. "You ready, kid?" He confirmed with a stiff nod. "Purrfect, just leave the ugly one to me."
And I launched myself into a dead-sprint at the bad-news bunch with as much moxie as I could muster with Robin in tow, asking me, "Which one is the ugly one?"
The battle ended unexpectedly fast. There had been enough time to screech out a hissing war cry and cat-apult myself above them, only to be mysteriously hoisted up higher than I intended to go. Hell, I went higher than it was possible for me to leap from the ground. I capsized midair, and was left suspended upside down, high out of the fray.
Robin seemed to fare better, going by the glimpses I caught of the kid. He tossed a few projectiles their way and presumably disappeared while the two were distracted, relying on his well-taught skills. With nothing else to do in my position, I took aim with the pistol still in my clutches and shot at the mystery man.
The bullet bounced harmlessly away, coming in contact with what seemed like solidified air. My competent sidekick coordinated with my second failing shot and executed a brilliant sneak attack from behind. Sadly, the Joker saw the strike coming and very out-of-character stepped into the diving kick to protect his partner. The heel connected with his ghostly white jaw, he let out a satisfyingly comical "Oomph", and was sent hurdling across the room, landing harshly on his face.
Purrhaps tired of my bothersome shooting, I was dropped from high ceiling heights. I tried to twist around to land safely, but whatever held my ankles made sure to keep them bound in place so I could plunge head first towards the concrete. I had no choice but to toss the firearm away and brace my palms for impact.
I was jerked back up at the last second, the action threw off my balance, and when I hit the bottom I hit it hard, and terribly wrong. My weakened shoulder gave out with a sickening pop, but the surprise helped dissipate the pain.
I ended upright on my rump next to the Joker, who was now definitely seeing stars. I reached out to swat his face, but something wrapped around my working whipping arm, successfully restraining me. Robin fell at my side tied up as well, in sentient chains if I had to guess by the way they snaked around him.
"This turned uncomfortable fast," he whispered to me while fruitlessly struggling to get free.
"And I can make it very unpleasant if you choose not to cooperate and tell me where she is." A chain collared me, tangling around my neck, then lifted me from my seat like a leash. I glared at him once we were eye to eye. He wore a white, full face mask with three black circles connecting his eyes and mouth. I first thought it was a weird design choice, but then the circles began to spin, and I noticed it seemed very alike to the pinwheels used for hypnosis. I quickly shut my eyes and grumbled out the answer.
"I'm getting purretty damn pissed that all you males have been pining for this new girl, whoever she is, and not giving me the proper attention. So take her, and get the hell out so my love life can go back to normal." I pointed to the cleverly hidden door. His eyes followed my finger before turning back to look at me. I got the impression he was grinning at me beneath the mask.
"Oh no, I won't be leaving you alone at all. You'll be coming with me, joining my collection just like the rest. Judging by your looks," he dared stroke my face with mock affection. I tried to take a bite out of his fingers, but that just made him chuckle. "You will probably be my favorite pet to play with for a while to come. I hope you're ready for a life of hell."
His laughter carried until he left to collect the hopefully unconscious bitch in the airless room, leaving me tied up with a dazed villain lowly humming show tunes and a teen cursing at vexatious, unbreakable moving chains. I felt as if my life had been a living hell for a long time now.