A Meeting

John Stood On A Rooftop Awaiting Nyssa's Appearance. "I Wasn't Sure You Were Among The Seventeen Hydra, But When I Saw The Tactics and Methods, I Realised You Had To Be Amongst Their Number." Says Nyssa. "Do You Remember What You Did To Me, The Night You Escaped? You Seduced Me, Used Me, and Fooled Me Into Opening My Heart To You Once More. But I Tell You Now, My Heart is Empty of Any Positive Emotion For You." Says John. "Your Angry, Good, But Know It Gave Me No Joy In Using You Like That." Says Nyssa. "Do I? I Stopped Knowing The Moment You Chose The Canary Over Me. You Left Me For A Woman, You Brought Dishonor Upon Ra's, and You Lost My Trust." Says John. "It Wasn't Personal." Says Nyssa. "It Was For Me." Says John as Tears Run Down His Cheeks, and He Draws His Sword. John Runs Towards Nyssa Sword In Hand, Repeating Mini-Crossbow In The Other.

John Engages Nyssa In Furious Combat. He Taught Her Himself, So he Knew Most Of Her Moves, But He Was Too Furious To Care About That Now. Taking His Time To Inflict As Much Pain As Possible On Nyssa. "Your Emotions Have Clouded Your Judgement. How Will My Father React When You Kill Al-Sah-Him's Prize?" Says Nyssa. "Who Said I'm Trying To Kill You? I Want You To Suffer The Same Agony I Felt Before I Hand You Over To Al-Sah-Him." Say's John. Nyssa Tries To Resist John's Ferocious Attacks, But He Has Her Pinned. "How Easy It Would Be To Kill You, But Regrettably, Your Life Isn't Mine Take." Says John As He Releases Nyssa and Walks Away.

John Returned To The Staging Ground and Was Being Treated For Injuries When Al-Sah-Him Arrived. "Shadow, Present Yourself For Al-Sah-Him." Says Sarab. "So, You are Al-Sah-Him? I am The Shadow, I am Ra's Hidden Horseman, His Left Hand. But Whether I Will Be Yours, Is Dependent on You." Says John. "I am Al-Sah-Him, Warith al Ghul, Heir To The Demon, and You Will Obey Me." Says Al-Sah-Him. "True, but You've Not Earned My Loyalty, and I Will Not Give, What Has Not Been Earned. Capture Nyssa Alive, and You Shall Have it." Says John. "My Mission is To End Any Threat To My Reign." Says Al-Sah-Him. "Aye, But Nyssa Could Serve a Different Purpose, Ra's Appreciates an Heir Who Considers Every Possibility. Now If That's All? I Have To Numb The Poison In My System." Says John as He Leaves.

"Do Not Take It Personally Al-Sah-Him, Shadow Is Ra's Greatest Weapon, He Leads The Hydra Hunters, and Nyssa Was His Second-In-Command. But They Were Also Lovers, Nyssa Seduced Him, and He Was Betrayed." Says Sarab. "They Were Together?" Al-Sah-Him Asks. "Once, But She Chose Canary Over Him, and In So Doing Lost Her Father's Respect. We Should Let Shadow Do As He Will, Ra's Had Always Commanded Him Personally." Says Sarab. "I Don't Like Loose Cannon's Sarab." Says Al-Sah-Him. "Shadow Has Served Faithfully For Fifteen Long Years. He Was Previously Considered For Ra's Successor, But For Some Reason, He Never Accepted.'' Says Sarab

Shadow Watched As Nyssa and Al-Sah-Him's Battle Was Interrupted. In one Motion Shadow Shot An Arrow At Nyssa. The Arrow Had A Slow Acting Sedative in it. The Arrow Dismantled itself, and Launched Three Hundred Sedative Laced Micro Darts That hit Nyssa. ''My Lord, Sarab Demands Your Presence.'' Says Leech. ''I'm On My Way." Shadow Replies