Chapter 22

Megan, Sara, and Harry slipped inside of the Clocktower of Gotham City. Late July, and they had wondered why Dinah and Barbara had called them here.

"Barton Mathis," Barbara said without preamble. "The name ring a bell?"

"Unfortunately it does," Sara said grimly. "Remember it, Dinah? The one case which our father could not solve. The serial murderer of all of those women, who he had...preserved as dolls."

"Oh, I remember that too well," Dinah said. "And Mathis walked on bail and he hadn't been seen since. The State was hoping the matter dropped."

And Mathis had been at large for the past seven years. Not a single person got close to bringing him to justice. Dinah and Sara exchanged a very dark look and knew their father, never stopped hunting for Mathis, until the day he succumbed to his liver disease. Hell, one could say Mathis was responsible for Quentin Lance's disease in part, due to the entire Dollmaker case causing him to drink even more heavily, fearful that Mathis would pick up his games in another city, another state, maybe even another country, where he could not be touched.

"So, years old cold case...there must be a reason why you called us here?" Megan asked.

"There is," Barbara said. "Batman and Robin might have tracked Mathis down….to the Isla de las Muñecas."

"The Island of the Dolls," Harry murmured.

Something about that name caused Harry to feel unease and rightfully so. Especially when Barbara leaned back.

"Legends have it that a girl drowned on the island and her spirit roams restlessly, possessing dolls on the island," Barbara said. "Now, in normal circumstances, I would be a bit skeptical about such a thing, it's just something to entice tourists, or all that, but there's been a lot of weird events happening around that island. And the fact is, it's not like Gotham doesn't have it's own strange legends."

"Grundy," the Lance Sisters replied in unison.

Barbara just answered grimly. Then again, there were all the theories about Joker's origins having supernatural connections, where he was the spirit of all of the corruption and crime in Gotham City manifested into one sadistic mass murdering clown.

Granted, Barbara was not sure if she would go as far to say Joker's true form was really a giant spider. Because, someone had been reading a few too many books.

Also, the people who built Arkham Asylum on top of an ancient Indian burial ground really tempted fate. But, that was neither here nor there.

"Batman and Robin left three days ago to investigate a lead," Barbara said. "And normally, he gives me instructions not to worry until day five, but something about this is rotten."

Harry could tell as well. Very odd for Helena not to check in by now, and doubly odd for Batman to do the same.

"Right, it is," Harry said.

"I need another angle, because off of the roads went dead," Barbara said. "Unfortunately, the journalist who had been investigating the Island, vanished without a trace two years ago. She was a friend of your mother's….Clara, not Lena, although she and Lena was friendly."

"Do you know anyone else who might know anything?" Harry asked.

"Well, Felicity might, she was talking to Chloe," Barbara said.

The name "Chloe" caused Harry's ears to perk up. He remembered Lena mentioning her, about the reason why Lena and Claire did not get along any more. And she was investigating some cursed island. Perhaps Harry had been putting two and two together and getting five.

"So, we have to drag Felicity out of her hacker cave," Dinah said. "She doesn't answer her calls."

"Well, time for us to pay her a visit," Sara firmly said.

The group moved off to head to the Bioship and take a flight to Star City. Megan stopped and put her arm on Harry's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Megan asked.

"Cursed dolls," Harry muttered. "Great."

Megan could feel it. Something was unsettling about the entire incident and she could sense chills beyond Harry's look of apprehension.

Megan, Sara, Dinah, Barbara, and Harry tracked down Felicity, who had been sitting with her back to the computer. She dyed her hair, or rather stopped dying her hair. She had it sleek and black, and she had been dressed in all black when in front of the computer.

To be honest, Harry would have to say goth was a pretty good look in Felicity. The sullen and mopey attitude not so much.

"Can I help you?" Felicity asked. "Because, it's normally rude to just teleport behind a person when they're typing."

"Well, you didn't answer my phone calls," Dinah said. "You're not tracking Oliver's movements are you?"

"No, we're done," Felicity said. "I'm tracking Lex's….damn it, what are you up too?"

"That's dangerous," Harry told her. "If he finds out about this…."

"He won't," Felicity said. "He can't track the circle. I've got better security than ARGUS here, a damn good VPN, and...well I'm not using anything that will leave any digital fingerprints behind….so why are you making so many trips to Russia, Lex?"

Normally, Harry would be curious himself. But, they had other concerns. Namely one of his teammates being taken.

"And nine months, nine months, and no sign of the original Thea!" Felicity yelled when slamming her hand onto her. "Oh, how could I have been so stupid, how could I be so blind…."

"Felicity, I need your help," Barbara said.

Felicity pulled herself away from her inability to find the original Thea. And given all of the angry phone calls Felicity got from the people on the Queen Industries Board, wanting to know why Oliver was spending money and yielding no return. The company was in shambles, but at this point, Felicity would not give a flying fuck.

"Sorry, Barbara, it's just. I'm just...I'm running around in circles," Felicity said. "I need a drink...coffee this time, have to keep my wits about myself."

"I need help on the Dollmaker case," Barbara said.

This caught Felicity's interest, just a tiny bit. Really raised more questions than it did answers.

"Why a seven year old cold case?" Felicity asked. "And...Mathis...well….I heard Lex was working with him on something...last I heard….although it's dangerous business, the sort of thing that got Chloe Sullivan killed."

Felicity realized she was stammering. And Harry noticed how anxious she was against the entire incident.

"Oh, you know what Chloe was working on?" Harry asked.

"Your mother made me swear…."

"Come on Felicity, you can tell me," Harry said. "Helena's on that island, and if there's any chance to rescue her, if you know something...you wouldn't…."

"No, I wouldn't want to be responsible for anyone being somewhere, suffering," Felicity said. "Oh, the Island of the Dolls, which is a creepy creepy ass place. I have no idea why Chloe was so fixated on it, until I spent nine months of my life stalking Lex Luthor and his every waking moment."

Felicity dug up the information on her computer and copied it for Harry.

"Lex is funding something on the island, one of the Light's little side projects," Felicity said. "While the evidence against Barton Mathis is circumstantial at best, and Lex's connection is very loose as well, Lazio Valentin is involved."

"Professor Pyg," Barbara darkly replied.

"Yeah, that guy," Felicity said. "No doubt he jumped at the opportunity to make people more beautiful. Another successful rehabilitation for Arkham Asylum, isn't it?"

Felicity's sarcasm could not be argued by Barbara, given the very sterling reputation Arkham Asylum had.

"We're heading there," Harry said.

"You are? Lena's going to kill me, if Claire doesn't get to me first," Felicity nervously stated. "Seriously, I can't tell you enough how dangerous this is. This is an island which even Lois backed off from. Lois Lane, the woman who has been at the edge of death more times than I can count."

"I understand that," Harry said. "But, Batman and Robin are there and we need to be there. I'm going alone."

This statement went over about as well as Harry might expect.

"No, you're not," Megan said.

"Yeah, we're all in this," Sara said.

"Besides, if Mathis is there, we can finally finish the work Dad started," Dinah said.

Harry just smiled. He figured they were not going to let him.

"It will be very dangerous," Harry warned them.

"Hey, I'm not worried about a cursed island and a bunch of dolls," Sara said.

The other women agreed in unison.

"The dolls are not my concern, it's Pyg and Dollmaker, and anything the Light might be planning on the island," Harry said.

That was one thing they could all agree on. The Team suited up and prepared to head out.

On Isla de las Munecas, Batman struggled, in the chains against a pedestal on the temple. The dolls hanging from the ceiling by the neck were too lifelike for Batman's liking. They looked like several infant children, being hung in a gallows.

A figure in a hooded red robe appeared and peered down at Batman with a sardonic smile. The hood lowered, to reveal Chloe's face, with sunken in eyes. Haunted, and demonic looking. Nothing like the woman they knew before, and Batman wondered if there was anything left in her.

"Bruce Wayne," Chloe said while licking her lips. "You're a poor deluded child who never grew up."

"Release her," Batman managed.

The woman who occupied Chloe's body giggled.

"Ah, but she's been freed already," Chloe said. "Freed from her burdens. Dolls are meant to be loved after all. Dolls are meant to be cherished. And dolls are meant to be appreciated, but the dolls here, they're unwanted. They only want love...although love can be rather smothering."

Chloe traced a finger down Batman's face and smiled.

"We're going to make the world beautiful," Chloe breathed excitedly. "One poor deluded soul at a time."

The figure of a grey-haired man dressed in a suit approached them. If one did not know better, they would see him as another man on the street, a banker, a businessman, but he had been far from another man on the street. He had been a rather insane and deluded individual.

"Barton Mathis," Batman said.

"That's Baron Mathis, Batman!" the Dollmaker said. "We have him...you should not play with him, my dear."

"Do not presume to tell me what to do," Chloe said. "I've given you a gift, a second chance on life. This vessel is not without it's imperfections, but it will serve me well, until another comes along. Something more powerful...and more attuned towards my mystic abilities."

"What about the Girl Wonder?" Dollmaker asked.

"Dispose of her," Chloe said. "Or give her to Pyg to play with."

Batman attempted to break free, only to find himself held down and crushed by the chains. A third figure, Professor Pyg, entered the room. Dressed in a bloody butcher's smock, white to show even more of the blood, Pyg smiled.

"Is it time,yes, oh Pyg believes it's time….time to fix this broken rodent and make him spread his wings," Pyg sniffled. "Oh, yes, Pyg will make it all beautiful, oh yes, Pyg did. Just like Pyg made them all beautiful….just like….Dollmaker friend helped Pyg make so many beautiful dollies."

Pyg snorted in his own rather sadistic way.

"Fine tune your work on the Girl Wonder," Dollmaker suggested.

"Oh, delightful, dear sweet Robin, will make a perfect canvas for Pyg to fine tune Pyg's art," the mad man happily snorted. "All of your flaws will be ironed out."

The minute they reached the Bioship, Nora Darhk had been waiting on the inside. Sara and Dinah stood rigid and even Megan stood on her guard, and Barbara pulled out a Batarang until Harry prevented her from throwing it at Nora.

"Speak."

"I know where you're going, and you're a complete idiot for going there," Nora said.

"Oh, you don't waste any time with pleasantries, do you, Nora?" Sara asked.

"The Island of the Dolls, not even my father would be that power hungry to go there, because there were things that even he feared and would not dabble in," Nora said. "It's not the cursed spirit of a little girl who drowned that's on that island. It's a very powerful demon sorceress named Ananym."

"So, it's just another demon for us to trounce," Harry said.

Nora almost facepalmed herself. She loved Hadrian, but he could sometimes be a bit arrogant.

"She is looking for a stronger vessel then the one she had," Nora said. "I didn't realize it at the time, because I was fixated by looking for my soul but I felt and I saw Witchfire's presence and the spirit we encountered in Trigon's realm…."

"Chloe," Harry murmured.

"I beg your pardon," Nora said.

"I appreciate your concern," Harry said. "But, we have to get to that island if there's any chance we can reverse what happened. She's not dead, merely this demon is using her body."

"You're not making any sense," Nora said.

"I'll try and catch you up," Harry said. "But, either you get off this ship, or you're coming with us."

"Fine. I'll come with you," Nora said. "But, if I get possessed by a demon doll or something while on that island or lose my soul not even two months after getting it back, I'm not going to be too happy with you."

There had been more to this story between Nora and Ananym than Nora was letting on. Harry felt something and also felt Nora had many secrets which had yet to be uncovered.

A very drugged Helena Wayne, better known as Robin, the Girl Wonder, had been prepped for something very awful. Pyg snorted in the background, looking very pleased.

"Oh, soon, child, soon you will have your flaws erased by Pyg," Pyg said.

The Dolltron slaves which circled around Helena caused her to be a bit agitated. She had to free herself. Not even knowing where her father is at this point only increased Helena's agitation for the entire matter.

"Pyg's an appropriate name for you," Helena managed. "Because of the smell…."

"Oh, child, you must be fixed, everything must be fixed," Pyg said. "Pyg will make it better, and soon, your flaws, your past, they will all be such a beautiful nightmare. And now Pyg must start with your tongue, for it should be curbed before you could be beautiful, you nasty little….."

Two of the nearest Dolltrons flew back thanks to the Canary Cry. Pyg, hands on a bonesaw, turned around, just in time to see Batgirl dive at him. He threw the saw in question at Batgirl, who dodged the attack and dove in to catch Pyg with a kidney punch.

Superman snapped the chains holding Robin into the table.

"You okay?" Superman asked.

"Been better," Robin said on one leg.

Robin walked it off and rolled over to the closet. She reclaimed both a belt and pulled a pair of Tonfa out. She swung them as hard as possible and cracked the Dolltron slaves in the chest and on top the head to bring them down to the ground. Black Canary and White Canary moved to fight even more of them off.

Pyg rushed as far as he could to the door, only to find a wave of magical energy reflecting him back. Pyg slammed down onto the ground.

On either side of Pyg, stood Nora and Harry and he looked over them. He made a smacking noise with his mouth which sounded positively disgusting.

"Oh, Pyg could make you both perfect, just if you let him," Pyg snorted.

"No, we aren't interested in your idea of beauty." Harry said. "Tell us where Chloe Sullivan is?"

"Oooh, I know her! I know of her...that snoopy little reporter….mmm...she thought she knew what she was doing," Pyg said. "Pyg warned her that she should not meddle in bad things but she got hers in the end, and Pyg is happy to serve the one called Witchfire, because she gives Pyg all kinds of nice dollies….."

"Where is she?" Harry demanded.

"Pyg does not squeal, oh Pyg is a good Pyg, oh yes he is," Pyg said.

Nora sent a wave of dark energy into Pyg and caused him to scream in anger.

"Are you sure about that?" Nora asked.

"In the temple up on the North end, with Batman, oh that nasty rodent is going to get his," Pyg managed.

Robin waved her hand to try and get their attention.

"We've got to move, right now, there's a small army," Robin said.

Harry made them an exit the old fashioned way. They were very high up, but thankfully the ship moved right in front of them.

They stepped into the temple. So far nothing. Megan leaned back, and turned to Harry with an inquisitive look.

'You don't suppose they might have moved.'

'No there's something here.'

Nora spread her arms and sank in the darkness around her. She took in a deep breath.

"There's a Lazarus Pit underneath this temple," Nora said.

Everyone blinked at that latest twist in this strange island.

"Wow, this just keeps getting weirder and weirder," Sara said.

"Feel something else too," Harry said. "This way."

They made their way down the hallway. The hanging dolls on the ceiling caught the attention of everyone. Very sadistic and very creepy, the whispers only increased they walked further.

A frayed looking doll with blonde hair, dirty, filthy, sat on the table. Megan looked at the doll and could feel something coming from it.

'Get out.'

"You took the bait, impressive."

Harry came face to face with Chloe for the first time, along with a dozen well armed men.

"You're the last one I need," Chloe said. "And you brought my perfect final form as well. Delightful."

Chloe licked her lips when looking at Nora. Nora close her eyes.

"Hello, Nora, dear. Miss Me?"