A Rival Appears

Far away from the opulence and glamour that had begun to consume Port Reyes, all away across the world in some forgotten corner of Asia, within the impregnable walls of a redoubtable and ancient fortress temple, the shadows began to stir.

The League of Shadows, claiming to be as old as human civilization, had long ago anointed themselves the final arbiter of humanity’s progress. They would watch as humanity would rise up and grow bold, and they would orchestrate it’s culling whenever humanity became too arrogant and proud for it’s own good. The League played judge, jury, and executioner, stewards of the human race and the planet itself, all to ensure balance was maintained. Throughout history, they lay claim to being the engineers of great disasters and wars - the Fall of Rome, the Black Plague, both World Wars - all to ensure humanity would not destroy itself and the Earth in their shortsighted hubris.

https://www.deviantart.com/blackcowledbat/art/Talia-al-Ghul-576962097

Now, this lofty task fell into the hands of one Talia Al-Ghul, the daughter of the demon, who ruled the League during a moment of unprecedented crisis. War, famine, plague, climate disaster, wealth inequality… humanity had strayed from it’s path and once again was threatening to consume itself in an orgy of greed and ****. But, regardless of how daunting this moment in history was, for Talia, the solution was clear: kill all the men.

Even in an age of so-called equality and progressivism, men still ruled the Earth, so much so that the few women who entered seats of power had to play the game set by their male counterparts, becoming pieces of the machine instead of injecting new ideas into the world. Men wielded great power but shirked all responsibility, more boys than anything else, while ruling with an almost casual amount of cruelty and capriciousness. Talia was dead set on eliminating such vile beings from the world, and it would have the added benefit of culling the Earth’s population by half, bringing it to a sustainable level.

Of course, like all plots fomented by the League, this one was slow going. So far, Talia had done little more than research viral plagues that would only target men, as well as buying up sperm banks and stockpiling sperm for the after. Not glamorous work, but necessary, as nothing less than the fate of planet Earth was on the line here.

But, as of late, something else had piqued her interest besides her glorious mission. Another man, not openly cruel and capricious, wealthy and powerful but not wielding it on the world’s stage. No, he was a more insidious breed than the garden variety billionaires and demagogues that plagued the world. He was a nemesis.

It was late in the evening with Talia at her desk, pouring over reports, when her bodyguard, Lady Shiva, burst into her chambers.

“Mistress.” She offered a slight bow to Talia. “Lacroix has returned from her mission. I suspect you would like to hear what she has to say?”

Immediately, Talia set aside her work, all her focus on Shiva and her message. “You are correct, Shiva.” She said in her deep, husky voice, her accent a unique blend of Mediterranean and Arabic. “Bring our spider to me at once.”

Amelie Lacroix was once a member of the Overwatch Organization, a skilled markswoman who went on to become an investigator for Interpol. For years, she had proven a thorn in Talia’s side to the point that she could no longer abide by her meddling. Despite having such technologies and sorceries at her fingers, Talia despised the use of mind control to sway people to her side, even enemies, but she made an exception for Agent Lacroix. Gone was the serious and driven crusader of justice, replaced by nothing more than an empty doll who served as one of Talia’s most effective spies and assassins. Unfeeling, unthinking, unflinching, and wholly loyal.

But still, effective or not, there was still something about her blank expression that made Talia’s skin crawl.

It took only a handful of minutes for Shiva to leave and return, retrieving their asset and bringing her to Talia. Whereas Shiva marched forth with powerful, purposeful strides, Amelie Lacroix shuffled behind at a languid pace, staring dead ahead with empty eyes and a blank expression on her face, a zombie in almost every way. All the same, her programming was such that, when presented to Talia, Amelie did snap to attention and salute her mistress, expression unchanging and eyes unblinking.

“Agent Lacroix.” Talia said sternly to her mindless puppet. She abhorred the “Widowmaker” sobriquet she had earned in some circles. “Report.”

https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/52221173

“Yes, Mistress.” Amelie’s voice was as empty and distant as the expression on her face, the only hint of personality to it being her Parisian accent. “I spent several weeks observing the target, as you ordered. The target seemingly does not like to leave his enclave and is always surrounded by his attendants. At first, it seemed he rarely left his main property, until I discovered he has the ability to copy himself, as he appeared at multiple locations at once.” At this point, Shiva presented a manila folder to Talia, the parcel full of hi-definition photos of the target, all time stamped to show that he could be in multiple places at once. “Furthermore, I made multiple covert attempts on his life, but he is protected by some unseen ****. Enclosed are the addresses his properties and known locations, alongside photographs of his various attendants.”

You mean “slaves”. Talia thought, distastefully. She knew many of these women by both name and reputation, there was no way they would subject themselves to this man and his desires without some outward **** manipulating them. But to what end? He had collected some real powerhouses, but plenty of them were just anomalous women, mundane and ordinary. Was it really as simple as some loser stumbling onto power and using it purely for sex and companionship?

No. There had to be more than that. This nemesis was shrewd and calculating. He was not going to reveal his whole hand all at once.

“Thank you, Amelie.” Talia said, eyes locked on the photos. She didn’t even bother to look at her assassin when she ordered her, “You may return to your chambers and await further instruction.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Amelie then lifelessly shuffled away, leaving Talia and Shiva to their work.

Minutes passed in silence before Shiva worked up the nerve to speak up. She had ably served Talia for many years and knew when the younger woman was in deep thought.

“How shall we proceed with this threat, my mistress?”

Talia shut her eyes, concentrating for one last moment, running the numbers and formulating plans. Much as she hated to admit it, this was a dangerous situation, not just to the League but potentially to all women. And, as such, it was a problem bigger than the League.

“We shall call a council to order.” Talia finally said, speaking firmly and confidently to her longtime aide-de-camp. “Allies and enemies and others alike. The Justice League, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Princess Union, the Empress of Edenia. Anyone and everyone who is involved in this and may be a target for this man’s machinations.”

Shiva bowed once more. “As you wish, Lady Talia.” But she was stopped when her Mistress held up a hand.

“I will make the pleas personally, as to underline the severity of the situation. Shiva, recall as many of our agents as possible in order to beef up security. And be certain to recall Jade and bring her here at once. We cannot be too careful when dealing with this fiendish mastermind…”

Talia scowled as she held up a picture of the man in question. He looked so average. So nonthreatening. So… nothing. But the results spoke for themselves. He had some seventy-odd women under his sway and seemingly possessed an endless appetite for female flesh, young and old, human or other. Such a man was a threat to the harmony of the world with such blatant rapacity.

“I will see your end come yet, Rob Daily…”

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Amelie Lacroix had been stripped of all thoughts and desires, more a tool than a person at this point. She had the haziest memories of once loving a man, of being happy, of having a life, but the foggy recollections played as background noise to her addled mind and diminished sentience. Even in the rare moment she did engage with these fragments, she could only stare blankly at them, at the stranger she was, devoid of greater context and the desire to be the smiling, laughing woman she saw.

No, that was Amelie Lacroix. Amelie Lacroix was a woman who loved and was loved. Agent Lacroix had been stripped of all thoughts and desires, more a tool than a person at this point. As such, when she was not on a mission, she would retreat to the sanctity of her private quarters, operating on a set, machine-like schedule. She would sleep when she was permitted to sleep. She would train everyday when it was time to train. She would eat when it was time to eat. And she was to maintain a certain level of cleanliness for herself and her living space.

But, when she was dismissed by Talia and returned to her quarters, it was not time to sleep or eat or train or clean, and so Amelie did the only thing permitted to a blank doll like her: she sat on top of her bed, legs together, hands on her thighs, eyes forward and unblinking, and she waited.

Normally, she would wait, still and silent, for hours upon end, until time in schedule dictated she train or eat or sleep or clean, or if Lady Shiva or another one of her handlers arrived with a task for her. But on this night, Amelie did something different from what her programming dictated. Never moving from her spot on her bed, never moving her eyes from the same spot on the wall, her right hand crept over to her rucksack, digging through it blindly until she removed an encrypted satellite phone.

Still staring ahead, Amelie mechanically dialed a number on the phone, holding it up for her ear and waiting for the other end to connect.

“I have done as you asked, Mistress.” Amelie said to the woman on the other end of the line, as emotionless as ever.

Further unbeknownst to Amelie or anyone else, as she left Talia’s chambers, she once more bucked her programming. She just lingered long enough beyond the threshold to overhear Talia’s discussion with Shiva, overhearing their plans. Blankly and passively listening but remembering everything.

“Talia plans to summon a council of many powerful women.” Amelie continued to say, barely consciously aware of what she was doing or saying. “As you predicted, the X-Women are among their numbers.”

“Ah, excellently done my little spider…” Mercy said on the other line, her tone touched by the soft cadence of amused laughter. “It was such a delight to see you again after all these years, when Wanda brought you to my lab. And even more of delight to see your mind hollowed out and turned into nothing more than a mindless puppet. It made you so much easier to brainwash!”

“Yes, Mistress Mercy. I am a mindless puppet. I was very easy to brainwash.”

“And now you’re already paying dividends. I will have to tell Jean about this so she too can play the part of the mole. Ah! This is so exciting! I cannot wait until that arrogant cunt is bowing before the Master’s feet!” Mercy went off on another long-winded rant about slavery and the Master’s superiority all while Amelie stared on blankly. “Excellent work, Amelie dear. You are to call me daily with any further updates.”

“Yes, Mistress Mercy.” Amelie replied, robotically as ever. But then, something strange happened. Her entire body trembled. Her eyes fluttered open and close. Her lips began to twitch. Amelie spoke into the receiver once again but this time with more emotion than she had possessed in a long, long while. Granted, that meant it was the tiny, barest amount of emotion she could muster, but it was emotion all the same.

“The Master… you said he will fix me. Make me whole. Love me. Will he? Will he really?”

Amelie’s voice was thin, tremulous and hopeful. If she had the awareness to recognize herself, she would have thought it was the voice of a stranger.

“Oh, poor little Amelie…” Mercy clicked her tongue, sympathetic as much as it was taunting. “The Master has a truly large heart and his love for his harem is bottomless. He will take one look at you and remake you in his image. You’ll no longer be a mindless doll and obedient assassin, no no. I am certain Rob will turn you into another submissive, loving slut, one worthy of worshipping his grandeur.”

Amelie sighed, her entire body trembling once more, as another emotion began to fill her. Heat. Pleasure. Need. Her spare hand pawed at the crotch of her bodysuit. “Thank you, Mistress… Thank you, Master…”

“Good girl. Au revoir, until later, my darling little spy.”

With that Mercy hung up, Amelia limply discarded the satellite phone, as she was left with the foreign feeling.

Whatever Mercy had done to her mind - Talia's longstanding programming still existing but being usurped and hijacked by Mercy's - it had awakened something in Amelie. For the first time in forever, she had desires, goals. Something more than orders to obey and a schedule to follow. She had seen a man, a handsome and powerful man, with a heart as big as the rest of him. A man who could love her, even as she was now, broken and empty, even after all the horrible things she had done as one of Talia's pet assassins. A man who could hold her, kiss her, pamper her. Heal her, fix her, make her whole. Give her everything she wanted.

A new item entered her schedule, as she unzipped her bodysuit with more haste than a mindless doll should command. She had never met this man who Mercy claimed to love, the man that would soon be her new Master, but in the storm that was Amelie’s fractured, broken mind, she could see him through the lens of her sniper rifle's scope. See the new life he would give her. See the love that they would share.

Amelie’s fingers gored into her engorged, needy pussy, fingering herself to her first orgasm in years. All the while, she remained silent and blank and staring, a good little drone, waiting to be reprogrammed into her ultimate form: Master Rob’s loveslave.

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We are through all the set-up and preamble and into some of the juicy stuff. Not a self-contained arc, but something of a through line that follows through the part, much like the MJ stuff. That being said, this was a lot of fun and I'm really looking forward to how Rob's rivalry with Talia and the Shadows develops.