ASHES OF THE RAVEN

By

Egypt and Wallaby

Chapter 14

Bruce chose his attire for the evening, his mind going back to the ride home. Mamushi had always seemed competent and capable, but when she drove the Viper, she was definitely something more. She seemed happier than he could remember ever seeing her before, almost child-like in her happiness, though definitely not immature. He was glad he had let her drive. She was good, too, though that hardly surprised him. He wondered what she wasn't good at.

He examined himself in the mirror. He looked good, he had to admit, though he wondered how black had gotten to be so fashionable. He knew the answer, though he didn't want to admit it to himself. Still, he decided to defy tradition. He wore the black tie and tails, to be sure, but a light pink shirt replaced his white one.

He would have to remember to thank Alfred and Lucious for setting this up for him, especially when he would only be making a token appearance. No doubt the rank and file members of the Board would appreciate an all expense paid night at one of Gotham's poshest clubs, and he could certainly beg off, claiming himself tired from the ordeal. If they only knew what counted as an ordeal for their beloved major share-holder.

With a nod to Alfred, he left for the night. He drove the 1955 Lincoln Futura tonight, painted in gloss black with red trim. Somehow, it just seemed appropriate. Even so, he couldn't quite fathom Mamushi's last words. He knew she wouldn't lie to him outright, so it left him to wonder exactly what she considered behaving. For a moment, he thought perhaps his plans for tonight would come to naught.

Mamushi waited until she heard Bruce leave, watching his car pull down the drive from the window of the lavishly decorated bedroom she had been given to stay in while she was at the manor. She had spent the last hour getting ready to go out. She took a hot shower, making sure to use the herbal salt scrub she always did before going out. She had then done her hair in a tight bun atop her head and dressed all in black silk. A short black silk skirt, a tight fitting black silk blouse and black silk stockings. Black thigh high boots, black leather gloves and a black silk trench coat completed the look. The dagger that she always used had been retrieved from the bags she had surrendered at the airport and had been hidden in it's usual place. She was ready to go. All she had to do now was get past the security system.

That proved to be much easier than Mamushi thought it would. The system was simple enough that she eventually found herself in the Garage. The array of cars that filled the huge 'warehouse' was astounding. There were so many cars there that she had no idea which one to choose. Of course, she needed one that was common and would not garner attention. Problem was that everything she saw was custom, concept, totally out there or completely expensive. She knew she had to choose quickly, but there was not really anything here that she could use. She was beginning to think that she would have to make a trip back to her house to get her car when she spotted an 85 Riviera. It was not a great car, or even a customized one. It was just a simple car, as simple as Bruce seemed to get. She wondered for a moment why he had it but pushed the thought aside. She was running out of time.

Once she found the keys she slipped into the driver's seat and pulled the car out of the garage, headed for town and an appointment with an old 'friend'.

****

It didn't take Bruce long to make his obligatory appearance. He was obviously back in the US, safe and sound, which had really been all anyone was concerned with, beyond where his shares would go. Nobody knew the details of his will, and it was something that he was not willing to even have discussed in general, beyond the fact that one existed. He made the expected rounds, then tried to bow quietly out. It didn't work, of course. It never did.

Lucious was there, however. He fended the masses away, and when only the few sharks were left, confided in them that Bruce had already secured company to ease his nerves after the ordeal. Looking appropriately bemused, Bruce was allowed to leave in peace, quietly making his way back to Wayne Manor.

Alfred assured him that their guest had already left, and that Alfred had won the bet. She'd taken the Buick, not the Harley. Bruce shrugged the comment away. Obviously, Mamushi did not know what the Harley was capable of. Still, the Buick had been a good guess. He would have to find another car, though, if that one drew any attention.

Leaving the Lincoln for Alfred to take care of, Bruce went straight to the bat cave. It only took him minutes to prepare himself and lock in to the Buick's tracking signal. He began following her, making sure to note if she stopped by her apartment, and noting anywhere else she might stop. If she changed vehicles, he wanted to know about it.

Staying about a mile behind her, he continued tracking her until she did stop, then found a place to keep his vehicle out of sight. Moving across the rooftops, it wasn't long before he caught up to where she had been. Now, there was only the task of finding her again, hopefully before she got into too much trouble.

****

Sato Hikoshi stepped through the door of his apartment, closing the door behind him and heaving a sigh of relief. Oban had bailed him out of jail in Munich and had promised that everything would be taken care of. He had been sent on the next plain back to the States with strict instructions to speak to Oban first thing in the morning, but for now all he wanted to do was sleep. His jaw still hurt from where Mamushi had punched him, and Kota was still in the hospital in Munich with a broken leg and jaw. He should have known it was a bad idea to go after Viper, but he did what Oban wanted.

He dropped his bag by the door and stepped further into the apartment, headed for the refrigerator and a cold beer. He needed it after the week he'd had.

"Have you seen Oban yet?"

The voice made him jump and spin around to face a dark corner of the living room. He could barely see her, just barely making out her shape in the shadows.

"No," he said with a frown, "Why?"

She stepped into the light and shook her head, her eyes dark and cold as she studied him.

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know that Oban was right in putting you on the list." he replied, his features hardening as he watched her advance on him.

She nodded, the bun at the back of her head bobbing slightly as she did. She was dressed all in black silk, from neck to foot, her skin seeming almost ghostly against its darkness. And yet, it seemed to fit her. The fineness of the fabric and the almost velvet quality that it had. It made her look elegant, which was not necessarily a good thing for Sato. He had heard the stories, heard about how she killed, how she dressed when she did. That told him one thing right now...he was never going to get that beer.

"I can't let you talk to Oban," she said with a sigh as she moved closer, backing him into the fridge so that he had nowhere left to go, "And as much as I hate to send this message so soon...I'm afraid it has to be done."

He saw the flash of light on steel and felt the sting in his throat but he never saw her move. She was fast enough that by the time that the blade finished its trek across his throat she was out of the way of the arterial spray, standing next to him as he sank to the floor. She watched him fall, hands clutching at his neck as he strove to staunch the flow. She made no move to help him and no effort to end his suffering. He had tried to kill her, and he knew too much about her and Bruce to allow him to live. Yes, it was cold but it was how she was and what she did.

She watched until his body went limp, then gracefully and carefully left the apartment the way she had come, leaving the body on the floor as a message for Oban.

****

Batman followed Mamushi's trail from the Buick, having taken the ignition coil from the car. Following her hadn't been easy, but her footprints in the grass left a heat signature he could follow when he cranked his IR goggles up enough. He circled the apartment twice, and again needed to use special optics to find her inside. She was good. Better than he expected.

Checking the mailing address, he noted this was likely one of the people that had attacked her in Munich. Again he was surprised. Getting Sato out of jail and back to the US had been something of a feat. Getting him back to the US without Bruce finding out earlier was in an all-together different class. Obviously, they weren't supposed to know he was back, and yet here Mamushi was.

Batman hid on a nearby rooftop and waited. Finally, her would-be assassin came home, and Batman crept closer, taking position on the roof after he'd made sure Sato's tail had gone. Waiting for a ruckus of some kind, the Dark Knight was again surprised to see Mamushi leaving the building. This was not at all what he expected. Going in through the kitchen window, Batman immediately saw Sato was dead, killed by a drawing cut across the throat. Shaking his head, he moved to follow Mamushi.

Using a line and the natural shadows of the buildings, Batman smiled to himself as he saw Mamushi opening the hood to the car. Landing lightly on the ground near her, some ten feet distant, he prepared himself for whatever she might do. So far, she had been better at everything than he had counted on. This was not a good time to underestimate her.

"Car trouble?" he asked.