(General P.O.V)

(An Undisclosed Location)

Deadshot's fingers drummed at his hip, a toothpick on his lips, one of it's ends chewed through. The man himself was leaning by the entrance to what was meant to be the stage. A raised concrete platform overlooking the whole crowded courtyard.

To his left was the back and to his right, Kobra stood infront of the masses, the torches in the wall illuminating him as he preached to his audience.

"My Children, I come to you with a message of glorious purpose."

The pale skinned leader of the cult of the Kobra began. His voice was clearly audible as he paced a little, before two kneeling men. Deadshot felt a shortlived pang of sympathy for the poor fools. Journalists who had tried to infiltrate the cult for a juicy scoop. Then he hardened his heart. They knew the risks. Job hazards and all that.

Both shook in fear, eyes blindfolded and their mouths covered by tape. Besides that, they were dressed in Kobra uniform and had cuffs that restrained their hands behind them. The crowd of cultists, which looked to be hundreds cheered in glee.

"A mission entrusted upon us by his majestic presence. We shall bring our lord's plan to full fruition!"

Kobra continued to the elation of hundreds.

"An apotheosis, from mere humans to...gods."

He concluded, turning his eyes to the two captives.

"Do it."

He ordered the cultists standing behind him in the darkness. The cultist had a briefcase as he walked forward. Deadshot frowned. They weren't going to execute them like he had initially thought, adding more to the weirdness going on. Kobra was planning something.

Infact, after Deadshot was captured, they had kept him locked up in a room with a 24 hour surveillance. They only allowed him to go to the gym and the gun range, in order to keep up with his skills. Any contact with the outside world was not allowed. Only pictures of his daughter made their way to him, taken from a distance. It was a message as clear as day.

Any questions he had went unanswered, with Shimmer telling him, 'you will know when it's time.'

And now it seems that that time had arrived. He watched closely as the Kobra goon, placed the briefcase on a small table provided, opened it and brought out two syringes with a brown glowing liquid.

Kobra stepped up as another goon joined the first one. He then positioned himself behind both captives.

"Are you ready for ascension?"

Kobra questioned, a cruel smile spread out across his face. The prisoners begun to fidget, trying to get away.

Then the Kobra serum was injected into both of them through their necks. The change was apparent and fast. Deadshot's eyes widened under his mask.

Both captives jerked, their eyes and ears dripping with blood. The cuffs snapped off their massive wrists. Their bodies enlarged, the musculature bursting through the skin. Then that skin flaked off like a snake shedding and before long, 7 feet tall, hunched back snake-human mutants stood on the stage. They had yellow eyes, long fangs on their upper jaws and their necks flared out in a hood, like a King Kobra. A hiss escaped their mouths.

"Arise my apostles. You have been granted a new lease in life." Kobra fearlessly addressed them.

"Now bow down to your master and prove your undying loyalty."

Both mutants immediately knelt before him. The crowd went wild.

"Kobra! Kobra! Kobra!"

Kobra stood in the middle, reveling in the praise, stretching out his hands to welcome it.

'Fuck, he changed them into monsters. I need to get out of here before I go the same route too.'

Deadshot bit back a sigh. What had he gotten himself into? He now knew what Kobra had been doing and...he wanted no part it.

He spared one last glance at the megalomaniac on the stage and secured his mask before walking away, deeper into the building. Now while they were distracted, he could maybe sneak out. Escaping to Malta with his daughter didn't only sound like a really good plan, it was his only choice.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"You are not a true believer."

Shimmer noted, her and her twin brother seemingly appearing from the shadows, blocking his way.

Deadshot had his weapon trained to the middle of her forehead.

"Anyone ever tell you not to sneak up on someone who can kill you with a sponge?"

"Huh?"

The gangly teen next to Shimmer made a sound of surprise.

"He can't do that, right sis?"

Baran nudged Shimmer who stomped down on her annoyance.

"If he knows what's good for him, he will behave."

"Behave? Hahaha you clearly have no idea who you're standing before." A female voice stated, dropping from the ceiling.

"Deadshot kills, he does not behave."

"Cheshire."

Deadshot narrowed his eyes, acknowledging the assassin.

"And introducing...Black Spider everybody!"

Another voice made themselves known, announcing his entry loudly while slowly descending towards the group on a long rope strapped to the ceiling.

"What the fuck is this?"

Deadshot questioned Shimmer, no longer pretending to pay attention to the spectacle happening on the stage.

"Nothing you need to know, Floyd Lawton."

Shimmer informed him.

Deadshot narrowed his eyes. He was in full costume. Her calling him by his real name was tantamount to a threat, not to mention a sign of blatant disrespect. Deadshot's fingers jerked a little. He was feeling the itch to shoot something.

The way he glared at Shimmer made the mood tense and awkward. Sensing the aggression, Shimmer's brother, Baran raised his hands.

"H...hey now, we're all on the same side here."

"Really?" Deadshot bit out, pointing his other gun towards the teen.

"How do you figure that?"

The teen stumbled backwards.

"Whoa! whoa! whoa! Wait man! They're going to raid the Wayne Tower while you handle the Wayne mansion for the other half of the code!"

He quickly revealed. Shimmer smacked him at the back of his head, staring at him with anger and disgust.

"Sorry sis."

He responded looking away.

"Well, I guess the secret is out then."

Cheshire said with a laugh, placing a hand on her hip.

"Huh."

Deadshot did not really know what to say to that. That wasn't what he was expecting.

"Codes?"

"To a highly secure vault in the R and D department of Wayne enterprises. Bruce Wayne has half of the activation sequence we need to open it. We have the other half."

Shimmer explained, seeing no other option now that the information was out.

"You're all crazy."

Deadshot said, shaking his head. He lowered his guns and added,

"Do you have any idea the backlash we can get from this?"

"Cheshire, Black Spider and I are handling Wayne Tower, where we expect more trouble. You're with Baran and..."

"Fuck no."

Deadshot immediately refused.

"I'm leaving. You're welcome to try and stop me."

The mood got awkward again.

"So anyway, I've heard so much about you Deadshot."

Black Spider told him, landing in between him and Shimmer.

"Are you going to try and stop me?"

Deadshot ignored everyone else to address Cheshire. Out of everyone here, he considered her the biggest threat.

"If she must, she will, Deadshot!"

Shimmer interrupted, her tone angry.

"She will follow her orders to the letter, something I advise you to...

A Sai appeared at her neck.

"Never presume to think you can speak for me."

Cheshire threatened. Shimmer's heart went cold. Her gangly brother blinked in surprise before an expression of anger appeared on his face, causing him to jump at Cheshire.

"Leave her alone!"

Thwip!

He was immediately covered in webs, immobilizing him. Black Spider patted his shoulder.

"Let's stay out of it, okay buddy?"

The surroundings begun spinning as vertigo hit everyone. Deadshot groaned, stumbling a little.

"I feel like I'm gonna be sick."

Black Spider moaned, leaning a hand on the wall.

"Stop or you get another piercing. This time on the neck."

Cheshire whispered lowly from Shimmer's back, the point of her weapon digging slightly into Shimmer's skin.

"She means it."

Another voice made its presence apparent. This time the man simply walked into the backroom by using the door like a normal person.

The Vertigo disappeared and Deadshot clenched his jaw.

"Do that again and I'm sending a bullet straight through your face. That is your final warning."

He growled, throwing the toothpick he had been chewing on, straight through Shimmer's earring and onto the wall behind her. Cheshire snorted, shoving the metahuman Kobra cultist away.

Black Spider whistled, amazed at Deadshot skills.

"I can see why they all ride your dick man."

Cheshire snorted while Deadshot threw a fed up look the villain's way.

"That was impressive."

The new stranger complimented, walking into the light.

"Wow."

Deadshot was taken aback.

"What did they offer you to bring you out of retirement, Tiger?"

"A lot, I'd imagine."

Cheshire commented, twirling her weapons.

"When I was trained by the Shadows, your name was a legend. Bronze Tiger, even Shiva respects you."

She pointed the Sai at him, challengingly.

"I'm yet to see you live up to the hype."

"Cheshire. Don't."

Deadshot warned, eyes assessing the larger than life figure before them.

Bronze Tiger was dressed in a red leather jacket that was unzipped, revealing a sculpted physique. He had on tattoos in the shape of stripes across his entire midsection. A necklace made of animal teeth hang of his neck, just over a chiseled chest. Black boots on his feet, similarly black pants and a pair of gloves completed his look. His outfit complemented his brown skin well. However, the most outstanding thing happened to be the two claws on the back of his wrists.

He took a deep drag of the cigar in his hands and blew the smoke to the ceiling.

"You're confident. I like that."

He told Cheshire.

"Floyd."

Bronze Tiger nodded at Deadshot.

"Turner."

Deadshot greeted back, biting the inside of his cheek. Bronze Tiger's appearance complicated things. He couldn't really escape now. Welp, seems like plan: Flee to Malta would have to be pushed back.

"Umm...sorry to interrupt, but I have been wondering about something."

Black Spider interjected. Every eye in the room fell on him.

"Yeah, so...umm, it's an open secret that the Bat is affiliated with Wayne. Most of his stuff is built by them. What happens if he we run into him?"

Bronze Tiger stepped further into the light, a small smile on his face.

"Simple. We fight."

It would be great catching up with his fellow student.