The bullet had missed its intended target and punched through Frank Bertinelli's shoulder with a wet, heavy thud, spinning him around. He hit the grass hard, face draining of color, fingers digging into the wound to stem the flow. He wasn't dying, not immediately, but the shock was setting in fast.
"Good that he didn't die," Jack Kadere murmured, dusting a speck of lint from his sleeve. "Otherwise, I'd look incompetent."
He didn't care about Frank's pain. The shot had been meant for him originally. If it had connected, his Copy ability would have triggered instantly. It wasn't just Infinite Superposition and Copy; the package came with a passive warning system, a sixth sense that made stealth assassinations a waste of time.
Three figures emerged from the direction of the main gate.
The leader was striking—a floor-length red dress that swayed with her steps, hair a dazzling, unnatural white, and an Asian face partially obscured by sharp bangs. The two flanking her were armed; one held a pistol loosely at his side, the other carried a sleek black case resembling a violin holder.
"China White!" Frank gasped from the dirt, resentment warring with panic. He scrambled to look up at Jack. "She's Triad. Their drug enforcer. I killed her men, and she's here to return the favor." He swallowed hard, eyes darting. "You promised. You said if I gave you my daughter, you'd ensure I survived."
Helena, limp and defeated on the grass, didn't react. She might as well have been a corpse for all the movement she showed.
China White scoffed, a delicate, dismissive sound. She turned her attention from the bleeding mob boss to Jack, her expression shifting instantly to something bordering on obsequious.
"Mr. Jack Kadere," she said, dipping her head slightly. "I am China White. I am here to deliver a package."
She gestured to the man with the case. He stepped forward, placing it at Jack's feet and unlatching it. Inside lay the suit and equipment requested from Talia al Ghul—Kevlar weave, dark and matte, utility belts, and the distinct silhouette of a vigilante's toolkit.
Jack nodded. The man closed the case and retreated.
"Mr. Jack Kadere," China White said, a practiced smile curving her lips. "Might I have a moment of your time?"
"Sure." Jack smiled back, his eyes sliding to the gunman standing stiffly beside her. "Though I can't guarantee the conversation will be enough to save your friend there if I get bored."
China White hesitated for a fraction of a second, then recovered. "I believe it will be worth your while."
"I'll go talk to her," Jack said, glancing down at Frank. "You can handle the rest, can't you?"
Frank nodded dumbly, his mind racing. He had assumed Jack was just another metahuman thug, a powerful asset to be bought. But China White? The Triad princess who terrified half the coast? She was treating him like he was royalty. Who was he? What kind of force commanded that kind of deference?
Outside the villa gates, a black Hummer idled. Two guards stood watch by the doors as Jack slid into the backseat beside China White.
"Speak," Jack said, the faint smile never leaving his face.
China White switched to Mandarin. Her accent was off, a strange blend of Mandarin and something else, likely Hong Kong influence.
"Beyond the delivery, I had another objective," she said calmly. "A contract on your life. Thirty million."
Jack nodded. It wouldn't be Talia al Ghul if she didn't hedge her bets.
China White reached for another case at her feet, sliding it open and pushing it toward him. It was filled with stacks of US dollars, bound and crisp.
"The money is here," she said. "And the target is dead. I killed him myself."
She watched him carefully. "Surely that is sufficient to forgive my subordinate's earlier indiscretion?"
Jack looked at her, genuine interest flickering in his eyes. "And why do this? Why kill the contractor and pay me the fee?"
"Because I know who you are," she said, her voice earnest. "I know what you did in Gotham. I have no desire to make an enemy of you. If anything, I wish to secure your friendship."
She wasn't a fool. The Triad had eyes everywhere. Even if the authorities tried to bury the details, the underworld knew. Bane was a monster, a force of nature, and Jack Kadere had killed him in Gotham City,her backyard. She wouldn't risk that kind of wrath for thirty million.
Jack tapped the lid of the case, then abruptly pushed it back toward her.
"Keep it," he said. "You earned it. I don't need your buyout, and I don't care if you're scared of retaliation. What happened earlier is forgotten. Just leave Frank alone for now."
China White blinked, then smiled, relief smoothing the tension in her shoulders. "Of course. If you ever require assistance, the Triad is at your disposal."
Jack stepped out of the Hummer, the cool October air biting through his jacket as he walked back toward the villa.
Helena was still lying on the grass, staring at nothing. Frank had managed to sit up, pressing a makeshift bandage to his shoulder while barking orders into a phone. When he saw Jack return, he lowered the phone, mouth opening to ask questions, but the words died in his throat.
Jack walked past him, ignoring the mob boss entirely. He gripped Helena by the hair, hauling her up, and dragged her toward the house, the equipment case swinging easily in his other hand. Frank watched them go, silent and pale.
Inside Helena's room, Jack kicked the door shut. He released Helena, letting her drop to the floor, and sat on the edge of the bed. He opened the case.
Two sets of black suits, woven from the same advanced material as Batman's suit. Long-sleeved shirts, pants, reinforced gloves, domino masks, and utility belts laden with gadgets. A collapsible baton, high-tensile grappling rope, and assorted tools.
Jack inspected each item meticulously, checking for tracking bugs or listening devices. Satisfied, he stood, went to the closet, and tossed them into a duffel bag.
"Snap out of it," he chuckled, looking down at Helena.
"You're not dead. Your little secret is safe. And now you have better toys to play with. You should be happy."
Helena looked up, her eyes hollow. "What's the point? You won't let me win."
She stared at him with a mix of hatred and exhaustion. "You want me to feel like I'm getting close, like I'm actually making progress, but you're just blocking the door. I'm right there. One step away. And for that one step, I can't die, I can't give up, I just have to sit here and choke on it."
She took a ragged breath. "You are so cruel."
"I don't mind being played," Jack said, his voice low. "But I don't like being the only one getting played. Don't I deserve a little dignity?"
He stood up, zipping the duffel bag shut with a sharp, decisive sound.
****************
After Zhishan's death, his apprentice Chien Na Wei, also known by her criminal alias China White, assumed leadership of the Triad in Starling City Arrowverse Wiki+1Wikipedia+1.
As Triad chief, she spearheaded major operations including drug smuggling via Starling Port, assassination attempts (including on Laurel Lance), and orchestrated the trafficking of the Alpha‑Omega virus