Vengeance, Bane's daughter

From the shadows, a six-foot-five body of Venom and Latina blood emerged. Donning a battle leotard, a black mask with red lenses, and long curly black hair that flowed. The brown trench coat swayed with each step.

Aaron turned to face the tall, toned woman. She ran at him with the speed and power of a freight train. Aaron did not move. In a flash, he was lifted off his feet and seized into a steel-crushing hug.

"I'm supposed to kill you for seeing me," she said, her voice low and threatening.

'Ah, so she was sent by them,' Aaron thought.

"Will you?" he asked, his tone nonchalant, as if discussing the weather.

The woman, Vengeance—Bane's daughter and clone—smirked. "And get rid of the greatest dick this Earth has known? I'm not that foolish." She grabbed his bath robes and pulled them apart, exposing his naked body beneath. Her eyes roved over him, and she couldn't help but marvel at what she saw.

"¡Mira nada más! ¡Qué maravilla de hombre! Ese blanco... nunca me canso de admirarlo," Ven murmured in Spanish. Translation: she never got tired up looking at this white cock! Never, ever!

“Mm, did someone already empty a couple loads from you?" Ven cocked her head. "Your balls are always so big, it's hard to tell.

Aaron stood there, unfazed as she checked him out. He knew Ven’s ways. Ven closed his robes, then realized something and opened them again. She was visibly relieved.

“Yep, still the biggest.” The smirk on her face was dripping with classic Latina coyness. “Wanna fuck?” Her finger trailed down his hung member, flicking onto his nutsack and then squeezing it tight.

“Not now. We have people watching.”

Lady Tiger Fist was watching and she was very puzzled by this.

“Even better.”

Aaron crossed his arms and looked at her. Ven smirked.

“I'm not letting go.” She gave his testicle a firm squeeze.

“Yes, you are.”

Ven released him from her grip, a wicked grin playing on her lips. “Fine, fine.”

Aaron had to re-tie the belt of his bath robes. As he did, he said, “They sent you, didn’t they?”

“They did. They did not like Lady Tiger Fist." Ven jabbed her thumb at the prostrating woman. "She was too…aggressive for their liking.”

‘The Circle is not supposed to be this responsive. My work in Gotham caught their attention. They want to be more low-key but can't afford to be.”

“What do you know about them?” Aaron asked. “Other than that they are evil.”

“I do the job and don’t think much of it. Why?”

Aaron began walking. Ven followed.

“If someone robs a casino, if someone hacks into a bank and empties its accounts, where do you think they stash their money? Under the mattress? If a criminal organization wants to build an arsenal, experiment with bio-warfare, take control of a city, where do you think they seek out loans? Evil is expensive, right?”

“Right,” Ven agreed. She was somewhat of a newbie mercenary, neutral and accepting.

“The bad guys make trouble, but the really bad guys make trouble possible. Who are they? They're bankers. They are the Ninth Circle and they are a bank whose influence is always in the background.”

“Ah…no wonder their rates are so absurd. They are very secretive and while I dislike that, I was fine with it because of the pay.”

‘So she doesn’t know the location of their HQ, hm? That’s okay.’

Aaron Reigner was the Chosen One. Finding a group of secret society bankers wouldn't be too difficult. He scanned Ven's mind and saw the masked messenger.

"Wait, did you just..." Ven's expression shifted. "Big dick and telepathy?"

"And so much more."

"You are very lucky I like your dick. If that was anyone else, I would smack them till they were bleeding blue."

"Good to know."

Aaron closed his eyes and focused. Like during the morning, he was siphoning through the whole population of Japan.

'There. The messenger is in Kyoto right now.'

By locating said messenger, everything else came into place.

The lower members of the Ninth Circle were **** to join: either kidnapped by the organization itself, or they enlisted as the Underground Men. The captives were given a "rebirth" in lava, burning their skin and brainwashing them into mindless servants. To symbolise their membership, coins of nine circles were inserted in their eyes.

So finding the messenger wasn't too hard. The configuration of their brains were much different than an ordinary person's. Their memories were also set-up to prevent telepaths such as Aaron from taking hold.

Unfortunately, Aaron had more than just telepathy. Upon his first attempt, he failed and the messenger in Kyoto died. Despite being thirty-five kilometers away, Aaron was still able to revive the messenger and try again.

Again and again and again until he finally found the piece of information he sought.

“Found them.”

“Oh?”

"Weizhou Island in Guangxi, southwest China. Volcanic and close to the nearby resort city of Beihai." Aaron glanced at Ven. "Want to join?"

"Do I?" Ven leaned forward, her eyes going down to his level. "I was wondering what would break first when I was getting fucked—my spirit or my body. And honestly? I think it's both. You've ruined me, Aaron Reigner, and I intend to keep myself ruined for you. All this mercenary nonsense is a pastime for me.”

Her hand went over to ass-tap him. Aaron nodded curtly. "Good to know."

He turned his gaze over to Lady Tiger Fist. The bowing woman seemed to have shrunk.

"You, Lady Tiger Fist. Clean everything up here. I expect a fifty-percent reduction in crime when I visit Japan next time. One of my associates, Hadiyah, as well as the League of Assassins, will contact you for instructions on how to do this. Do not, and I repeat, do not mess with the Justice League. Do not fight the Batman of Japan either. Leave him alone and instead work in the shadows with him."

"Understood, Chosen One!"

'Speaking of Talia, I should probably shoot her a message about all this.'

With Ven by his side, a hand hovering near his butt, Aaron snapped his finger.

***

Aaron Reigner and Vengeance materialized inside the Ninth Circle's hidden base, nestled deep within a volcano. The chamber they found themselves in exuded an infernal aesthetic - walls made of volcano rock and a dim, reddish glow permeating the air.

From Japan all the way to China. The sheer distance was astonishing.

Ven's thoughts were open for him to hear. ‘How did he—’

‘I did say I could do so much more,' Aaron told her telepathically.

‘You're telepathic and a teleporter too?’

‘Among other things.’

‘Are you a magician or something? Like that Constantine?'

‘Something like that, yes.’

Ven stood behind a massive obsidian pillar, which seemed to absorb the eerie cracks of red light.

Ahead were nine circular tables appeared to be forged from cooled lava, with veins of molten rock still pulsing beneath the surface. Only five of the nine heads of the Ninth Circle were here.

It was a meeting. A meeting that was already half-way through its discussion.

Brick, a mountain of a man with rust-coloured skin that seemed as hard as his namesake, dominated one side of the table. His massive arms were folded across his chest as he glowered at the others.

Source: Green Arrow Vol 7 #4 (2023)

To his left sat Cheshire, her long dark hair framing a face partially obscured by an eerie grinning mask. Her lithe form was coiled with tension, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Eddie Fyers, the assassin and father figure to Connor Hawkes, cleaned his knife. His reddish-brown moustache hid the scars of countless battles and he wore a big smile.

Nate Domini, the newest member of the circle, appeared out of place in his crisp suit. Not just that—

‘He's the mayor of Seattle.’ Aaron realized, as did Ven. He was an older gentleman with a receding hairline and a moustache. He possessed no powers, yet somehow, he was sitting amongst greats.

‘I've heard the rumours,’ Ven commented through her mind. ‘Mayor Domino hires mercenaries often for his dirty work. Aside from Lex Luthor and Lucius Fox, he's the richest government worker. A billionaire that hides the fact that he's a billionaire.’

Last at the table was Shado, the greatest archer of the previous generation. Her bow lay within easy reach as she absently toyed with an arrow, her piercing gaze fixed on the center of the table.

Source: Batman: The Brave and the Bold Vol 2 #3 (2023)

"'Do not kill. Do not kill.' So boring," Shado muttered. "And why we are failing."

Wearing a mask, a half-skirt, and one arm that was bounded by tattoos, Shado reminded Aaron of Lady Shiva. Both tough and at the top of their respective art until they were surpassed by the next generation. Going through her memories was interesting. Most interestingly was the fact that she fucked Oliver Queen's father and had a kid with him. The ensuing off-spring, Emiko Queen, was trained to be a killing machine.

Emiko Queen weirdly reminded him of Cassandra, although the circumstances were slightly different. Cassandra was trained by her father. Emiko was kidnapped by her father's protégé-turned-enemy, Simon Lacroix, and trained by the Arrow Clan of the Outsiders.

These Outsiders were not the same as the Outsiders vigilante group. According to Shado's memories, they were an ancient organization led by clans that focused around a single weapon: the Mask Clan was led by Magus, the Fist Clan led by Onyx, the Arrow Clan was led by Robert Queen (who was presumed dead but was in fact alive), the Axe Clan was led by Butcher, the Spear Clan was led by Golgotha, the Shield Clan was led by Kodiak, and the Sword Clan was led by Katana.

Yes, that Katana. Batman's side-piece and the wielder of the cursed Soultaker Sword

'Sometimes, just when I think I understand the world, I suddenly don't.'

Regardless, the Ninth Circle were in the middle of a meeting. Not a single one of them had noticed Aaron and Ven either.

'Time to eavesdrop.'

Shado's comment was just a small part of the meeting. Nate Domini was leading the conversation and it sounded very, very important.

"Agreed. Our operations in Gotham have been crippled," Nate Domini said, his features creased with concern. "We've lost significant ground to both the Bat and our rivals."

Brick slammed his fist on the table, causing ripples in the semi-molten surface. "Unacceptable. We need to reassert our dominance.”

Somehow, despite the fist and the sheer size of him, Brick was calm.

“How can we so lax when Gotham, the city of crime, is waning? How can we be calm when I have lost fifty percent of my gun shipments?”

Again, Brick was as calm and cool as a bird soaring above the sky.

While beefy on the outside, Brick was influential not through his strength but intellect. The kingpin of Star City, he possessed complete control of its underworld. Even legal authorities bowed to him.

But Gotham City was legendary for a reason. The sharp decline in crime, gangsters, and supervillains caused a ripple effect. Bludhaven, Star City, and even Metropolis; any and all cities that had heroes and criminals that opposed them were dwindling in power.

"Perhaps," Shado interjected coolly, "we should consider temporarily withdrawing from Gotham. Consolidate our power elsewhere and return stronger. Bludhaven would be perfect."

Eddie Fyers snorted. "Retreat? That's not our style. We need a new strategy, not cowardice."

Shado leaned back, her fingers steepled. "There might be another way," she said, her voice cutting through the heat. "I once trained someone who now operates in Gotham. Someone who could be... susceptible to manipulation."

The others turned to her, their interest piqued. Brick's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"Batwoman," Shado replied.

The revelation sent a ripple of surprise through the group. Nate Domini leaned forward, his moustache alight with curiosity. "Batwoman? You trained her? Who is she?"

Shado's expression remained impassive. "Her identity is irrelevant. What matters is that I know her weaknesses, her thoughts, her fears. We can use this to our advantage.”

Aaron narrowed his eyes. ‘Shado, you once trained Kate Kane and now you betray her?’

Eddie Fyers stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting and yet too vague. If it fails, we could lose you forever, Shado.”

“How touching,” Shado mocked.

Cheshire tilted her head, her white mask gleaming in the infernal light. "I'm inclined to agree with Eddie. We need more details."

Shado's eyes flashed dangerously. "You'll get the details when I deem it necessary. For now, you'll have to trust my plan. Or would you rather continue floundering in Gotham, losing ground by the day?"

Brick slammed his fist on the table again, sending tremors through the room. "Enough. Shado, quit with this coyness. What is your plan?”

Shado leaned forward. "We start by exploiting Gotham's new leadership. Lucius Fox is now the mayor, and his wife Tanya is becoming quite influential in her own right."

Nate Domini nodded. "Ah, yes. I've had dealings with Fox in the past. He's formidably naïve and noble. Not to type to exploit corruption."

Shado continued, "Our goal is twofold: discredit the Foxes and manipulate Batwoman. This is where your expertise comes in, Cheshire and Eddie."

Cheshire tilted her head, intrigued. "Go on."

"We'll use a two-pronged approach," Shado explained. "Cheshire, I need you to develop a toxin that can alter behavior subtly. Something that can make Lucius and Tanya more... pliable to suggestion. Eddie, your job will be to devise a delivery system that's undetectable.”

Eddie Fyers grinned. "I might have just the thing. A new type of aerosolized compound that can be absorbed through the skin."

Shado nodded approvingly. "Perfect. We'll use this to slowly influence the Foxes, making them take actions for our own benefit. Meanwhile, I'll reach out to Batwoman under the guise of rekindling our mentor-student relationship."

Brick, who had been listening intently, spoke up. "And how do we replace the Foxes once they're out of the picture? There is no doubt that Batman will notice something."

"That's where you come in, Nate," Shado turned to the Seattle mayor. "Your experience in city politics will be crucial. We'll need you to groom a replacement - someone who appears clean but is under our complete control. Someone that will call out the Foxes for their corruption alongside Batman."

Nate Domini smiled coldly. "I think I know just the person. A rising star in Gotham's city council who owes me a few favours.”

"And Batwoman?" Chesire asked. "How does she fit into all this?”

"Regarding Batwoman, our approach will be more... personal. During her training, I learned of her struggles with trust and family. I will exploit these vulnerabilities."

"How so?"

"I'll reach out to her, claiming I've uncovered a plot against her family," Shado explained. "I'll feed her information about a nonexistent threat, one that seems to target her father.”

“So she has a father. Good to know,” Brick muttered.

Nate Domini smirked, the plan dawning on his face. "Ah, and while she's distracted..."

"Exactly," Shado continued. "The fact that she’s chasing this phantom threat will sow discord and distrust among Gotham's vigilantes. As I'm sure you are already aware, Bruce Wayne admitted that Wayne Tech supplied Batman with his equipment. I am sure the same still applies with Fox, albeit more discreetly. If that is the case, if we make them lose trust in Fox and in Batwoman, then Batman will be isolated. He will be within our grasp to defeat."

Eddie Fyers grinned. "Divide and conquer. Classic."

Brick crossed his massive arms. "And if she or Batman start to catch on earlier than we desire?”

Shado's eyes glinted dangerously. "Then we'll use Cheshire's toxins. A specially designed compound that induces paranoia and hallucinations."

"To make Batwoman doubt her own mind?"

"To distract Batman with another case. We'll be poisoning the Gotham water supply."

"The filteration system in Gotham is like nothing else in the world. After Joker and Talia, billions of dollars of investment has gone into preventing toxins ever again," Cheshire said.

"So you can't do it?"

"I never said that. I will create a toxin that the filtration system will never be able to detect."

Poisoning the water supply, distracting Batman, manipulation Batwoman, trying to use and **** the Foxes...