| Susan Linden | |
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| Vital statistics | |
| Physical Attributes | |
| Personality Statistics | |
| Family Tree | |
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Characteristics
- Name: Susan Linden
- Aliases: Black Orchid (Codename)
- Age: 24
- Hair: Black (Violet in True form)
- Eyes: Violet (Red in Vampire)
- Likes:
- Dislikes:
- Family:
Appearance
Casual
Shadow Knights
Background
Born and raised in the suburbs of Metropolis, Susan Linden developed a love for the plant kingdom from her school sweetheart, botanist Philip Sylvain. But that love was not stronger than her fear for her abusive father, so she ran away. She traveled the world, working odd jobs everywhere. She eventually became a blackjack dealer, making extra money skimming the house, when she met Carl Thorne, a smooth arms dealer working for Lex Luthor. They married, but things soon went sour when Thorne decided to rob from Luthor.
Susan ran away, back to Sylvain. She reported Thorne to the police, but he killed her. Sylvain, mourning the loss, decided to combine Linden's genetic material with an experimental hybrid of animal and plant matter. The being known as Black Orchid was born. She used her newfound powers to fight crime as a super hero.
Wolf and bats; Second death
At one point, Susan learned that Lex Luther was having dealings with a powerful crime boss, over in Everett. Wanting to find out more, she traveled there, and assumed her identity as Susan Linden as a cover-up.
That night, she started investigating locations with a connection to Luthor, but found nothing at first. Just as she was about to call it a night, she noticed a figure jumping from roof to roof. Then, two others followed. Interested, she decided to trail them.
Unknown to her, the figures where Alpha, Alucard and Bleed, who had also learned that Black Mask had dealings with someone a outside the city, but they didn't know who. That was why they where heading to one of Mask's main warehouses, hoping they could find out more.
Arriving , they saw the warehouse was filled with crates, freshly shipped in, as well as dozens of crooks guarding them. They stealthily take out some of them, and look into the crates. As Alucard suspected, they where filled with high tech weaponry... designed by Lexcorp. The three heroes smiled, knowing they had Luthor in the bag.
Unknown to them, Black Orchid was still following them. She had arrived at the warehouse soon after then, and had just seen them remove the lid. She shifted her position to see better... when one of the crooks saw her. He immediately gave the alarm, and everyone started shooting. Peter and the others where at first confused, as they have been careful not to be seen. But than Alucard saw Black Orchid, and realized she is the one who caused the commotion. Cursing, he immediately rushed to help her, along with the others. A short battle followed, with the heroes easily dispatching the armed men. However, one of them shot a fuel tank, causing an explosion that destroyed the warehouse. Luckily, everyone got away.
From a roof, the heroes where watching the burning building. Alucard immediately started criticizing Orchid, criticizing her for blowing up (literally) their chance at catching Luthor in the act. Orchid defended herself, stating she was only doing what she thought was right. Peter intervened, calming things down. He introduced himself, as well as the other two, before Orchid introduced herself as well. Peter then once again asks her what she was doing there. She answered that she was following a lead on Lex Luthor, who she had learned was having illegal trading with someone in Everett. Alucard easily puts two and two together, deducing it was Lex that Black Mask was having dealings with. However, he stated that that knowledge was useless to them, as they had no idea where these transactions where having place and they lacked any clues. Just then, Orchid stated that she had managed to collect something from the warehouse, revealing it to be a box of matches. The box had no distinctive marks, but Alpha managed to smell something peculiar on it. Two distinctive smells actually. Rusted metal and also... something else. Alucard understands, and radios Surge, asking about information on any strip clubs belonging to Black Mask, that had a smelting plant near it.
While they wait for the answer, Orchid asks the heroes what they actually were, and why they decided to use their powers for good, and not evil. Alucard states that evil runs in his family, and that he had witnessed it for a long, long time. So he decided to do something about it. Bleed says he was only Alucard's sidekick. Alpha, on the other hand was given these powers
Just then, they receive a message from Surge, who had found a locale fitting Alucard's description. The heroes immediately head there.
Arriving, Orchid asks what they should do. Alucard states that there may be information about the location of the exchanges hidden in Black Mask's office. Orchid stated that she could enter the building undetected, but Alucard ironically asks if she will blow up this building as well. However, Orchid states that, if there was one thing she was good at, it was disguises. To empathize her point, she changes her appearance into that of a highly attractive blonde. Alucard is impressed, and said she should go for it, while he and the others will act as her backup. Alpha gives her a com link, so they could stay in contact. As she prepares to go in, Alucard nods to Bleed, and they both activate their Vampire Vision, locking in to her heat signature and start tracking her.
Immediately after entering she is courted by one of the men there. She plays along, flirting with him, asking information on the transaction between Black Mask and his supplier. The crook is initially suspicious of this, but Orchid quickly reassures him. After a few more questions, she learns that Mask's office is on the top floor. Knocking the man out she goes there and, after forcing the lock, enters and starts looking around the office.
Outside, everything is silent, until a car pulls over. Out of it, climbed Black Mask himself. Alpha immediately contacts Orchid, telling her to hurry up. She increases her pace, but had found nothing so far. Alucard himself urges her to 'hurry faster', as Mask was heading straight to her. Just as he reached the door, Orchid managed to slip through the window, hiding on the ledge. Alucard declared her safe, and Alpha breathed a sigh of relief.
Still hidden, Orchid overhears Mask arguing with someone on the phone, telling them of the hero who blew up the warehouse. Eventually, the dispute is settled, and Mask asked if the new shipment had arrived. He seems pleased with the answer, before stating he will arrive there to complete the transaction himself. As he ends the conversation and exits the room, Orchid decides to follow him.
On the roof outside, the supernatural heroes see Mask leaving. Immediately after, they see a figure fly after the car. Alpha contacts Orchid, asking if she was the one following Black Mask. She confirms it, and tells than the villain is heading to a transaction that very moment. Alpha tells her to be careful, an that they will follow not far behind.
After about half an hour, Black Mask's car arrives at an abandoned factory. Orchid enters through the roof, and sees a multitude of armed men inside. Black Mask arrives, and the transaction begins. As she is prepared to intervene, someone hits her from behind, knocking her down. She tries getting back up, but is knocked back down again. Looking up, she sees that he attacker was none other than the mercenary Deathstroke. Black Mask stands over her, asking if she thought he would let her thwart his operation a second time. He then starts kicking her, before ordering Deathstroke to end her.
Just than, a red bullet knocks Deathstroke's gun about of his hand, while more start knocking Black Mask's men out. The shooter is revealed to be Bleed, the bullets actually constructs of his blood, Alucard and Alpha right behind him. A short stare down commences, before Mask orders the death of the heroes. Bleed immediately starts taking out the goons, while Alpha confronts Mask. Alucard rushes to help Orchid, but is intercepted by Deathstroke. A violent battle commences, Alucard venting revenge on the villain for mortally wounding his friend Katana. Soon Orchid joins in.
After a few minutes, the battle seemed to be over. Bleed defeated all the henchmen, while Alpha had Mask pinned down, and Alucard had managed to tie Deathstroke up. However, in that very moment, Mask pulls out a hidden gun, shorting Orchid in the chest. Using this diversion, Deathstroke breaks free, knocking Peter down and escaping with Mask.
The heroes rush to Orchid's side, but it is to late. She was dying. Alucard than leans in, telling her that they could not save her. However, he tells her he can give her a second chance, if she wants it, but at the cost of her humanity. Orchid tells him she already lost her humanity, revealing that she was actually a plant clone. Alpha asks Alucard if it was such a good idea, as they do not now what effect it will have. Alucar states it does not matter, as she was dying anyway. Turning back to Black Orchid, he asks her again if she would like a second chance. She said she would, and thus Alucard bites her.
As this is happening, Alpha hears a phone ringing and looking around, he finds one on the floor. Picking it up, he answers it, discovering the caller is none other than Lex Luthor himself. Alpha jokingly tells him that he got the wrong number. Lex is surprised at first, but quickly gets over it. He than assumes that his business with Black Mask was over, and Alpha confirms it, stating it would be mor profitable for him to not do business in Everett anymore. Lex confirms this, but tells him that, however he was, while he obtained a victory that day, he also gained a deadly and powerful enemy. He also tells Alpha not to expect he could use the phone in any way to his advantage. Indeed, the phone short circuits, and is destroyed. Peter then turns to his allies, declaring that they had gained a new enemy... only to discover that they where gone. Smiling, declaring this to be typical, he also leaves.
Reborn ... again
He next mourning, Orchid wakes up in a large and comfortable bed, and sees a young girl next to it. The girl greets her, saying she sure took her time. Orchid asks who the girl was, and where she was, to which the girl introduces herself as Ruby, and welcomes her to Leather Wing manor. She the asks her if she could stand, and Orchid says she could. The girl lead her out of her room, and down a staircase. They eventually reach a large room, where a couple of people are waiting. They all greet her, and Ruby made the introductions. Orchid is confused, and asks for Alucard. One of the men, who she learned was named Thane, stands up, saying it was him that night. Orchid is even more confused, as this person had nothing in common with the one she worked with the night before. Then, to her utter disbelieve, the man changes shape, becoming the Alucard she knew. Now scared, she asked the people in the room who, or rather what, they were. The one known as Hal spoke up, declaring they were vampires. Orchid is initially sceptical, but remembers what Alucard asked her the night before: if she wanted a second chance. Realizing she was now a vampire, she sat down, having a bit of difficulty taking it all in. After about a minute, she asked Alucard if she had to drink blood. Alucard tells her she will have to, but reassures her that all the blood they had was artificial, cloned by their scientist friend, Zecora vanPyre. Orchid is reassured, although still has difficulty taking it all in. Tatsu tells her she will get used in time.
Thane then asks her if she should like to stay with them, at Leather Wing Manor, and, if she wished it, continue fighting crime alongside them. After a moment of thinking, Orchid accepts, asking them to call her by her real name: Susan Linden.
Since then, she had become the Chlorokinetic Wildcard and infiltrator of the Shadow Knights, helping them deal with the criminal element in the city. She also soon becomes best friends with Daphne Isley of the Lunar Knights.
Personality
Skills/Abilities
Powers
- Unique Physiology: Although Black Orchid has a number of superpowers—she can fly and is nigh-invulnerable—her main ability is a mastery of disguise.
- Flight
- Superhuman Agility
- Superhuman Reflexes
- Shapeshifting
Abilities
- Disguise: She often spent an entire investigation impersonating an insignificant background female, such as a maid, a secretary, someone's girlfriend, and the others only discovered her involvement later upon finding the abandoned disguise with her calling card, a black orchid.
- Investigation
Equipment
Relationships
Susan's Relationships