Jonathan watched with bored eyes as Edward flitted about the apartment, adjusting the small fixings which scattered the room as he attempted to clean up the remains of last nights struggle with the assassin. The apartment was not that badly damaged really, a few broken things here and there, but Edward was still very clearly unhappy. "Honestly Edward, why do you even bother?"

"Because Jon," Edward answered slowly, "you might be okay with our guests seeing our home in disrepair but I find it quite offensive. I am a man of standards after all. Selina will be here with Ivy and Harley within the next five minutes and I will not allow them to say I live in squalor. I will always have my pride."

"I hardly think a few broken items count as squalor. I think your obsessive compulsive disorder is acting up again."

Edward scowled before turning to face Jon again. "If it was Jon, I would have left a threatening riddle on that couch you seem unable to drag your ass off. You could at least offer to help, my ankle is still swollen after last night."

"I could, couldn't I." Jon mused but did no such thing. "But on a more serious note, what are we going to tell the ladies when they arrive? Are we going to confess all?"

"Yes. There is no point in holding information at this point, we need all the support we can get."

"What about your involvement? Are you going to inform them of your close brush with death and the fact that you have a personal target on your back?"

"Selina already knows but I have no desire to tell the other two. If it comes out then I will deal with that but since i'm not the primary target it's not necessary information. I have a feeling that the five of us will need to be the leading force behind this fight against Ras since I do not trust the other rouges quite as much as I do those three." He stopped fussing with the small pillow he was rearranging as he considered his words. "That said, I still do not trust Ivy to have my best interests at heart."

Jonathans' face had changed slightly at the mention of Selina already knowing about Edwards' condition but he had successfully blanked his face again before Edward caught on. "I think Ivy will always hate you. How does Selina already know about the cancer?" He was mildly offended that Selina was given this very private information and yet he himself was not.

"You are aware that Selina and I slept together once yes?"

"Yes." Jonathan knew the pair had had a dalliance in the past. Truth be told, their past transgressions did not really bother him since he knew Selina was very relaxed about her sexual escapades and she had never made a big deal out of it, which had allowed her to preserve her strong friendship with Edward throughout the years. But he had always wondered how that particular event had come about. He understood too well that Edward was an attractive man and it went without saying that Selina was undeniably quite beautiful, but Edward did not seem like Selinas' type at all. "The fact that you actually somehow convinced Selina to allow you to sleep with her is a fact which still surprises me to this day."

Frowning at the intended insult, Edward continued. "It actually happened exactly one year after my dip in the lazarus pit. I was at the Iceberg Lounge contemplating the fragility of life and drowning my sorrows in good-quality bourbon when I bumped into Selina. Half a bottle later I ended up telling her everything, about the lazarus pit and how it was my one year anniversary of cheating death. Things simply escalated from that. We eventually finished the bottle and went back to her apartment. I think she felt a little sorry for me."

"And she slept with you?"

"Oh yeah." Edward gave a wicked smirk. "She even made me breakfast the following morning. We discussed what had been said and she swore not to tell a soul. In this world of idiots and oxygen-wasters, Selina is one of the few people who I hold in high esteem...and not just because she slept with me." He winked. "After you, she is probably my favourite person in this filth-stained hell hole of a city."

Jonathan chuckled at the small tale and stood up to help Edward move the smashed coffee table to the side. "Always nice to know I am still your top priority." He said mockingly.

"Not that you ever doubted it. If you were ever in desperate need of a kidney I would be the first to volunteer," he paused, "to go out and find you a suitable replacement."

"How romantic." Jon rolled his eyes as a sharp knocking at the door alerted them to the arrival of the women. "Show time!" He called out as he walked towards the door and opened it quickly. "Ladies." He greeted deeply as the three fanned out into the living room.

Selina was all business as she walked directly towards the couch and sat down delicately, Ivy neglected the couch in favour of one of the small armchairs which she draped herself over as she waited for everyone else to get setted in. Harley bounced over to Edward and placed a smacking kiss on his cheek.

"Hiya Mistah E!" She called out joyfully before moving over to Jonathan and doing the same. "Hiya Doctah Crane!"

"Hello Harley," Edward greeted warmly, "feel free to sit next to Selina. We have quite a lot to talk about." Harleys' face fell a little at the suddenly serious tone as she did as she had been told.

"So what the hell is going on Ed?" Selina decided to attack the topic as bluntly as she could. "What exactly do you know about what's going on?"

Standing in the middle of the room, Edward gave the three girls his full attention. "Jonathan and I were attacked in our apartment last night by a woman who had full intentions of killing us both. Due to Jons' new apparent superstrength," he paused while Jon snorted in the background, "we were able to subdue her and we later interrogated her in the basement. Are any of you familiar with Ras Al Ghul?" Selina winced while Ivy and Harley shrugged. "Oh good. Selina would you like to fill them in quickly?"

Selina sighed before turning to the other two women. "Ras Al Ghul is the head of a organisation known as the League of Assassins. He is insanely powerful and estimated as being around six hundred years old. His long life is due to his possession of a mystical item called a lazarus pit which has the ability to extend life." She stopped to look back at Edward. "How and why is Ras Al Ghul involved?"

"Revenge." Jonathan interjected. "Straight up, good old fashioned revenge."

Eyes lighting up with sudden realisation, Selina whispered, "Talia?"

"Talia." Edward confirmed.

"Talia?" Harley sounded confused before asking, "Ain't that the lady who kidnapped ya from our old house back when we all lived together?"

"Yeah Harls." Nodding at the blonde, Selina opened her mouth to continue when Ivy cut her off.

"Could you maybe explain exactly what's going on for those of us who are clearly being left out of the loop here?" Ivy offered sarcastically.

"To make a long story short, Joker murdered the daughter of a very powerful man named Ras Al Ghul and now he's back in town to get revenge. He and his assassin army are responsible for the misfortunes which have been afflicting all the Gotham rogues. Apparently he has decided to wipe us all out."

"Joker." Ivy hissed viciously. "Why is it always Joker? Did you know about this Harley?" She whirled around to face Harley while the others followed since they were all curious about the answer the blonde would give.

"Nuh uh!" Harley shook her head viciously. "Mistah J never told me nothin' about his plans that didn't involve me and then the dirty liar left me for the Bat. I didn't even know the assassin lady was in Arkham City! Ya gotta believe me Red!" Harley pouted, her eyes filling up.

"Okay Harls, I believe you." Ivy soothed. "So we have been left to fight the war which Joker started ? If we could find him and offer him up to Al Ghul do you think he would stop?"

"Unfortunately no. Ras has declared war against the rouges themselves and we have all been 'marked for death' according to out guest."

"And these are the people who are responsible for almost burying me?" Ivys' eyes flashed.

"Yes."

"Wait!" Harley interjected suddenly. "If they are after Mistah J, then why did they leave me alone when they attacked Red?"

Edward nodded thoughtfully while Jon responded. "That is a good question actually. Your association with the Joker is a well known fact."

"From what I understand of the league," Edward spoke slowly, "they follow instructions to the absolute letter. If they had been sent to acquire Ivy then that is exactly what they set out to do. Harley was not part of the instruction, so either they had no interest in her or they have other plans for her. As much as it pains me to admit, Pamela and her abilities make her one of the most dangerous rogues so it would seem wise to take her out the game as early as possible."

"That would make sense." Selina agreed as Pam smirked in the background at the grudged praise.

"So your captive is still restrained downstairs then?" Ivy asked as a mischievous look entered her eyes. "Alive?" Jonathan nodded. "Do you want me to have a try at interrogating her?" She continued sweetly. "I could probably infect her with some chemicals to make her a little more...suggestible."

"Be my guest." Edward exclaimed as he bowed slightly and pointed to the door. "But do not kill or maim her Ivy!" He warned. "I have a plan for our assassin and she has to be in good shape or it will be impossible." Ivy tilted her head in understanding before sliding her body off the armchair and disappearing down into the dark basement.

"Let's wait for Ivy to return before deciding what to do next." Jonathan sighed.

x-x-x-x-x

"That was an absolute waste of time!" Ivy raged as she burst out of the basement door. "She had virtually no reaction to the chemicals I gave her to make her truthful."

"I was not being overdramatic when I said that Ras Al Ghul was insanely powerful and skilled. He has no doubt taught his army to be resistant to the majority of drugs used in traditional interrogations." Edward frowned while Selina nodded in agreement.

"Edward is correct. Talia herself was an absolute master of protecting her mind from outside interference and it's likely that the league will have at least some basic training to preserve their secrets." Turning suddenly to look at Edward, Selina narrowed her eyes. "You said earlier that you have plans for her. What exactly do you have in mind?"

Edward smiled soothingly. "Its not important at this moment. Trust me. If we're going to go to war with Ras Al Ghul then I have a good idea how to make our little prisoner useful to us."

"C'mon Mistah E! Tell us!" Harley whined.

"No. When I know exactly what our plan is I will let you know. But I will need the help of a rouge who is not amongst us at the current moment. Which brings me to my next point." Edward stopped to clear his throat. "Clearly to stand a chance against Ras and the league we will need to organise a united front or be picked off one by one. Jonathan and I are aware that any counter attack will most likely have to be led by those present in this room." He nodded at each of them in turn. "So, ladies and gentleman, which of our fellow rogues are we going to recruit first into our small 'slim-to-none chance of success' mission?"

He ended his speech with an inviting smile. Silence filled the room for a few seconds before the room exploded with noise as Jonathan, Ivy, Harley and Selina started to speak over each other with their various ideas. Edward grimaced as he realised that maybe he was in a little over his head as he watched the four try to gain his attention.