Chapter 185: Butterfly Effect Part 2

Come midnight, Arias's presidential pardon was now a trending global topic, with many still angry and appalled at how someone like him could be left to go free, most especially the families of the officers and soldiers he had killed to escape.

Most news networks debated the topic greatly and brought forward many point of views on the matter.

It couldn't be ignored given the impact that decision had on President Ross's reputation, who was now believed to no longer be a contender in the coming election anymore.

Despite the late hour, many political figures who could benefit from the situation were scrabbling on their socials and making important calls, some to show understanding for Arias, hoping to make some alliance where they saw potential.

Others though completely slandered him and the current president, calling for an investigation and proper judicial intervention.

At this time, the man who started this entire chain reaction, President Ross, was in his bedroom, struggling to fall asleep.

After some a few minutes passed of failure to drift off, he sat up on the edge of his bed and sighed, looking back at his sleeping wife before moving to the room's private bathroom.

Whilst in there, he retrieved a bottle of medicine from a nearby cabinet and shook out a few pills before swallowing them directly.

'This won't be going away anytime soon,' he thought to himself as he met his own gaze, soon lowering his head and turning on the water to quickly wash off his face.

He could already start to feel the subtle effects of the pill on his mind and so he quickly left the bathroom, intending to return to his bed, however once back inside the room, he halted to a stop.

In front of him stood an intruder, but one who he recognized. "Batman…" Ross muttered, he had now fear seeing Batman and was instead curious as to what brought on this sudden visit.

Without even needing to think for a moment, he soon realized that his decision to pardon Arias may have caused more of a shockwave than his people predicted.

Still, he chose to play a firm role, one befitting of the country's leader. "Whatever it is you have to say I'm sure you could have said under better circumstances, please leave before I call security," he warned.

Batman however, had something to say and was intent on doing so despite any threats.

"You allowed possibly one of the world's most dangerous people off without the slightest bit of consequences for his actions, why? were you threatened or was it a deal?" Batman asked firmly, even going as far to approach the president and stare him down.

The president frowned slightly and moved away from Batman, walking towards the exit to his room before warning, "I'm warning you for the last time, either you leave or I call security."

With the situation only looking like it was deteriorating further, Batman stepped away and walked toward the window he had used to enter through in the first place.

"I'll take that as an answer in its own way. From now on, the league will no longer operate under government directives or support. The hall of justice will be vacated by tomorrow." Batman revealed in a flat tone before looking to make an exit, halted only by the president's voice.

"Wait! If you choose to do this you're going against the agreement we had established, your group will not be recognized under law and you will face the consequences of acting outside the laws of country. Superman knew this and that's why-"

"No! Superman made a mistake by choosing to trust in you, and now he's paying the price." Batman interrupted, his voice growing sterner. "Don't worry, I'll break the news to him when he wakes up. Maybe you'll have better answers for him as to why you let the man who nearly killed him her away."

Saying nothing more, Batman's cape fluttered in the wind as his figure moved out of the window before vanishing into the darkness outside.

President Ross was only left there standing in complex thought, his face looking aged from stress already.

…

Meanwhile, back in Gotham, Batman wasn't the only one making late night visits. Hidden under the Markovic Residential was an sizable underground complex of rooms, most of them large but empty.

One such room had been chosen as the cell of a guest Arias previously had captured, Poison Ivy.

The room itself looked quite plain and dull, but it's level of security was immense, and it's center, away from a lone bed, sat poison Ivy, lacking the usual vegetative environment she was used to.

Even when she was in prison, Ivy was allowed a special environment as it was seen as necessary for her mental health and livelihood.

Her holding in this cell was known only to Mercy, Slade and Rose, despite other members staying in the building right above.

Because of this, Ivy hadn't interacted with a living breathing person since, her necessities being delivered through an automatic system instead.

Normally she wouldn't mind isolation having made a home of Gotham's old tunnel systems, however this time, she lacked the companionship of her children, the plants, which were nowhere in sight.

The only thing she could was sleep and survive, day in and day out, a test of sanity, even for someone as far gone already as her.

It was at this time when she was expecting to have just another long and uneventful day that she heard a set of footsteps.

As if my instinct, she jumped to her feet and rushed to the room's lone door and began to bang at it and yell, "Hey! Who's there! Open this damn door!"

Ivy didn't care whose steps those were, she simply desired to hear a response and try her luck at negotiating, desperate to be released.

Much to her surprise, the small dot at near the door's edge flashed green and beeped, indicating its opening.

She was then met with further surprise when she found her guest was none other than the man responsible for putting her there, a smirking Arias.

"You!" She could only yell this before springing to launch at attack.

A suppressive collar like the one provided in superhuman prisons was placed on her, but she didn't care and attacked out of sheer anger.

However before she could get within his radius, Cheshire appeared from behind in a burst of speed and kicked Ivy in her stomach, sending her stumbling back a bit.

"Quite the cranky guest you got there boss," Cheshire chimed, as she stood between Ivy and Arias, her resting on her hip as she looked at Ivy with her head slightly tilted.

Arias stood casually behind Cheshire, his hands behind his back at his gaze also on Ivy as he replied, "I think she has a general hate for men, me more than most apparently."

The clear mocking statement made Cheshire lift her mask up and purse her lips a little while smiling. "Interesting, never thought I'd ever see a green dyke. So, want me to cut her up? She doesn't exactly look fun to keep, maybe as an exotic plant?"

"Take this collar off and I'll make you eat those words and more…" Ivy angrily replied, the intent behind her threat clear, but only brining a bigger smile to Cheshire.

"Say Boss, would you mind if tied her up and rode her face a little? I think her smart mouth could be put to better use, I promise to give a good show," Cheshire asked, her tone a mix of teasing and seriousness, causing Ivy to look even angrier.

Arias even paused and showed a contemplative look, as if pondering the matter, further increasing the anxiousness Ivy felt.

She did of course have a very provocative love for women, especially those of exotic beauty like Cheshire, however she liked to enjoy them on her terms and with her in control, a domme if you will. So the very idea of getting humiliated and in front of Arias too was very unappealing.

Thankfully for her, at least for today, Arias had other plans.

"That's not a bad idea, I'm sure it would at least teach her some humility. But as entertaining as that sight would be, we have more important things to attend to instead of this… "exotic plant"…" Arias's insult had Ivy fuming inside but she only frowned on the surface.

Cheshire could only shrug her shoulders in disappointment, "Oh well, the boss has spoken. So what did you want to do with her then? A little quick interrogation or torture? I guarantee I can make her talk in as little time as you want."

Ignoring Cheshire's hobby of provoking people with her sometimes sadistic but carefree words, Arias turned around and looked to make an exit.

"Nothing for now. I had hoped she would have developed a more "open" mindset during this time alone to think, but I guess we need to let her reflect a bit more, come on." Saying nothing more, Arias exited the room and Cheshire followed behind.

Seeing this, Ivy of course tried to stop them. "Wait! Wait! Let's talk, argh! Dammit!"

Her words fell on deaf ears as the door closed and a red dot flashed near it.

As the duo walked away with Ivy's curses in the background, Cheshire couldn't help but smile and ask, "So what's your plan for her?"

"Oh nothing yet, I am curious however as to what it takes to break that spirit of hers. Call it a curious experiment." Arias replied cryptically but Cheshire liked the answer and her smile widened.

"You're a little bit of sadist aren't you boss? Something tells me I'm really going to have fun working with you."