The world's greatest detective already had come to several conclusions about this threat called The Company/Elite Desires as he drove his Batmobile down towards Downtown Gotham. The first was that they were so confident in their power that they expected him to be unable to stop them but knew he would try anyways. In a way, he realized that whatever he was about to do, it would be free troubleshooting for them in the end - shoring up any weaknesses in their organization that could lead to their downfall . . . unless he did everything exactly right. The first steps he would have to take would be to find those most likely to be operating outside of The Company's control.

 

They said that they'd been in operation since Ancient Egypt, which meant he could approach a variety of beings older than that time, either for allies or as suspects of those running The Company. A trip to Asgard seemed best, in order to speak with the self-styled "Gods" of that time, hopefully finding allies as well such as Thor, the Lady Sif or The Warriors Three. His other options included the dangerous but perhaps necessary task of speaking with immortals, most notably Vandal Savage. The best link he had to his location was his daughter, Scandal Savage, but she and her two wives weren't known for cooperation with superheroes.

He had just begun cataloguing these ideas when an alert came on the radio. Shots had been fired at a society gala and four members of the X-Men were supposedly holding everyone in the room hostage. With a grimace, Bruce launched into action, realizing that his work was never done.

***

"Everyone, please remain calm!" Jean Gray said in a loud, clear voice while radiating waves of soothing psychic energy. "We will allow everyone to leave in a calm and orderly fashion once we have caught the assassin. We have this handled."

She wished that was as true as she hoped. While they had managed to stop several bullets from Mystique's gun from killing Roger Vreeland, Sr. as he spoke about mutant rights but one had hit him high in the shoulder. Worse yet, the clever mutant had slipped back into the crowd during all the chaos. Psylocke, Gambit and Rogue were surveying the crowds . . . but keeping the crowd calm, doors shut and Mr. Vreeland's wounds closed with her telekinesis was taking all of her energy.

"Give it up, Mystique. You got nowhere to run!" Gambit said, looking hard at the variety of panicked people in gowns and tuxes.

"Who said anything about running?" came the reply as a woman next to Veronica Vreeland turned into the blue shapeshifter and put a gun against the redheaded heiresses head.

"Oh, not again!" Veronica whimpered.

"If I feel so much as the tiniest telepathic tingle, my trigger finger paints the wall with this genetrash's brains." Mystique said with a smile as she grew wings out of her back. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a flight to catch."

She pressed a button and the skylight opened above them. Before anyone could make a move, however, a black blur came out of the opening, hitting her gun hand hard and shooting sparks. The mutant terrorist's hand opened involuntarily, dropping her gun as she seized with a powerful electric shock, falling back against the floor and twitching. Batman landed seconds later, pulling Veronica to one side as he crashed onto a nearby table, tossing a mutant inhibitor collar on Mystique's seizing neck as he did so in a set of fluid motions.

Rogue wandered up to Jean with a smile.

"Shoulda known your boyfriend would show up, Sugah." she whispered teasingly as Jean let the telekinetic hold on the doors go. "This is his city, after all."

Blushing slightly, Jean whispered back to her in annoyance.

"I just appreciate any man who doesn't instantly picture me naked, OK? Shut up and make sure nobody gets trampled getting out of here."

"Whatever you say, Sugah." Rogue replied with a wink before flying into the air.

Jean had always had a bit of a thing for the Batman, ever since meeting him at a young age. His mind was so tightly wound and controlled, like Scott's, but she sensed a repressed hunger and passion in him that matched Logan's. It had left her knees shaking, especially as she felt a spark deep inside whenever he looked at her. Now that she was single, it was going to be interesting seeing him again . . . but business before pleasure.

Batman glanced over his shoulder at her as he cuffed Mystique and gestured at the pale Roger Vreeland Sr. as Psylocke ran up to psychically sedate Raven Darkholme.

"Please keep her conscious." he grunted to the stunning purple haired Asian beauty, who raised an eyebrow but merely nodded. "Phoenix, I have surgical glue that can close his wounds. Remove the telekinetic shielding on my signal."

Jean smiled.

"And "hello" to you too. I'm ready whenever you are."

Batman didn't believe in fate (outside of the magician whom he might need to visit as well) but this seemed like an excellent coincidence. The power of Phoenix might provide an interesting view of how this conditioning worked and Mystique might prove an excellent test subject as to the limits of this "Company's" conditioning. The strong attraction he felt when looking at the beautiful mutant women was secondary he told himself.

He tore off Vreeland's tuxedo jacket and shirt, readying the glue.

"Now." he growled, filling up the wound with surgical glue of his own design seconds after Jean released her telekinetic field.

 

EMTs rushed in along with police and Batman handed off the Vreelands to them. The civilians rushed out, leaving the mutants gathered around Batman and the fallen form of Mystique who glared at them silently, frozen in place by the collar that negated her powers and Betsy's psychic ability.

 

"Much appreciated, mon ami. We'll take her off your hands now, n'est pas?" Gambit said with a smile.

"Actually . . ." Batman began, uncharacteristically unsure of his next move.