[ Underground Secret Base, Queen Consolidated's Software Division, Star City ]
Thea looked at her calmly and motioned for her to continue after she took Selina to her underground base.
It was honestly no surprise to hear that Batman was in trouble—if anything, it would've been more shocking if he wasn't. An ordinary human with zero enhancements, relying only on muscle, wits, and stubbornness—yet he poked every hornet's nest he came across. Aside from the Kryptonian tourists who rarely dropped by Earth, Batman had provoked nearly everyone, good or evil.
So when Thea heard he is in trouble, her expression didn't change. She stared at Catwoman like, Yes, and? Keep going.
"He was captured by someone named Bane. We don't know if he's alive. Bane's taken over half of Gotham—he opened up Arkham Asylum and Blackgate Prison. The city's crawling with criminals. We need help. Now," Catwoman said, her voice earnest.
Was this the plot from Batman III? Maybe. In the movie, Selina had sold Bruce out badly, but this world was different. Here, the two had grown up together, weathered storms, and their relationship—while rocky—was deep. Threats alone wouldn't turn her.
Realizing she couldn't just follow the movie script, Thea asked cautiously, "Who exactly is Bane?"
"I don't know much. Only that he's powerful—way beyond normal humans. One of his men said Bane can lift two tons. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but... I saw him snap Batman's spine with my own eyes." Selina's tone faltered, frustration bleeding through.
Two tons? That unit caught Thea off guard. Strength was normally measured in kilos. Where was all this tonnage coming from? Still, it made one thing clear—this Bane wasn't a regular brute. He was likely on some biochemical enhancer. No normal person was benching SUVs.
Catwoman's imploring look made Thea want to decline, but then she noticed Felicity's wide, eager eyes peeking over her glasses, practically glowing with anticipation. Thea gave a tight smile. "Tell me the Joker's still locked up?"
"Yeah, he's in special custody. But... almost everyone else got out," Selina admitted, her voice carrying a note of reluctant honesty. She had wanted to say that the people in Gotham were simple and honest—that even criminals here stayed put in prison. But she knew no one would buy such a naïve excuse, so in the end, she chose to stick with the truth.
That actually made Thea breathe easier. In the DC Universe, there were heroes, villains, and then there was the Joker. He wasn't strong, just completely unpredictable. His disregard for consequences bordered on divine madness. If the God of DC himself descended, the Joker would still try to stab him with a pencil.
This was the same guy who once tricked Superman into killing Lois Lane, causing him to turn evil. Another time, he kidnapped Lex Luthor, detonated a nuke in Metropolis, and shattered the Justice League—all just to kill time. No way was Thea picking a fight with that kind of chaos.
She didn't dare to provoke someone so dangerous without caution. If he ever discovered her true identity, it wouldn't just be her at risk—her entire family could be in danger. So when she heard that he was still in custody, a quiet wave of relief washed over her.
She quickly ran through Gotham's rogues gallery in her mind. Other than Bane, the rest were mostly disturbed humans—not too different from the nutcases in Star City. With her tech and gear, she could hold her own.
"Alright. We'll go with you," she said, though she knew there'd be no paycheck. Maybe she could do a little... creative wealth redistribution along the way.
"We?" Catwoman arched an eyebrow at Felicity. "She's part of your team?"
Felicity caught the drift immediately and puffed up. She launched into a demo of her elite hacking skills, displaying state-of-the-art facial recognition and real-time tracking software. Catwoman, who grew up picking locks and dodging cops, looked genuinely impressed.
With Felicity's street cred established, the trio welcomed her into the squad. If she wasn't scared to join the fight, why not let her? Someone had to man the applause and backup music.
"Who else is on your team? Anyone we know joining us?" Thea asked. She didn't have a great read on the Bat Family's current lineup, and frankly, the more muscle they had, the better.
Catwoman answered plainly, "Just me, Batgirl, and Robin. I also sent Lady Shiva to look for Batman. She's got a lot of underworld contacts—we're hoping she'll bring back good news."
Thea blinked. Five people. So... dungeon raid mechanics? Except Catwoman, Batgirl, Robin, and Thea were all agility-based fighters. No tanks. Felicity was pure support—hype squad, act cute, bringing snacks, and moral support.
Lady Shiva would've been ideal to soak up damage, but she was off playing detective. Sending the most capable person on a retrieval mission? Thea had to admit, it was a decision she couldn't help but marvel at. She wanted to protest—send her instead and let Shiva be the meat shield—but saying it aloud would only inflate someone else's importance while undermining her own—and that, she decided, was not a trade worth making. So she kept her silence.
And truth be told, Thea had no idea where Batman was actually being held. In the movie, it was some deep, godforsaken cave where Bruce had to make a literal leap of faith to escape. But in the real world? Who knew where that place could be. She could only cross her fingers and hope that Shiva would locate him soon—and that Batman would return to clean up this rapidly spreading mess.
When she asked how Selina even got here, the answer was hilariously tragic—Bane had found her armory and seized all her tech. Left without Batman's guidance, she had no plan. So she hitchhiked her way across cities to Star City. Another reminder: female heroes must be independent.
Thea arranged for a helicopter. Upon learning Selina could pilot one, she was visibly relieved. Gotham wasn't exactly a tourist spot. Given Selina's tales of gunfire, Thea was already mentally preparing to bribe or lie to the pilot.
No need. Thea and Felicity packed their gear openly, folding the hoverboard and sliding it into a backpack. Under 20 pounds, but deadly as hell.
Superheroes had this unspoken rule—they didn't pry. If you wanted to share your powers and origin story, fine. If not? Also fine. Selina kept her distance as the duo prepped.
Not knowing how long the mission would last, Thea packed all her arrows. She'd made peace with being the long-range hitter. Even if melee was her forte, someone else could tank this time.
Felicity, meanwhile, was still in superhero daydream mode. Thea had to call her name three times before she snapped out of it.
She ran around, then stopped. "Thea, should we bring food?... Have you seen my charger?"
Catwoman scoffed quietly. Like Gotham didn't have snacks?
Thea cringed a little. They were Star City's pride, and Felicity was making them look like clueless tourists. She dragged her friend aside and shoved her toward the wardrobe. Gotham wasn't going to be another cozy night of live-streaming and fries. Time to suit up.
To Be Continued...
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[WE'RE GOING TO GOTHAM! POWER STONES + COMMENTS PLZ!]