Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 23:20:03 -0400 From: Author James Subject: Fall of a Real Dark Knight 03 Disclaimer: This story is fiction. There are two celebrities who will appear from time-to-time. The other characters are fictitious. Any similarities to persons living or dead are completely coincidental. In this story, I have continued the adventures of Batman, my Batman, which his story first began in "Tales of a Real Dark Knight" in the Boy Band section of this archive. It spanned 250 chapters. You will find many universes merging, as the below copyrights reveal. I hope you all enjoy this. Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss Whedon. Copyright 20th Century Fox. Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston. Copyright DC Comics. X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox. The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice. Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice. I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered. I appreciate any feedback that you may want to give. I do hope that you enjoy it!!! Any emails you send, please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on. Thanks. authorjames2002@gmail.com I also have several online messenger services. If you want to chat with me in real time, email me and tell me the services you use and I will tell you my screen name. Chapter 3 Probe Lance and I went to the penthouse where I put the computer together. While the computer booted up, I sat back in the chair with my hands folded and to my mouth. `What the hell is going on?' I thought. `Something or someone destroyed the Center. It wasn't the storm, as Lance pointed out. Who or what would have that kind of power? `Not to mention Paul's appearance. Ra's, Talia, Penguin, Ivy. Has the prison been breached? What is happening?' The computer booted and established a wireless connection. "Oracle." The computer came alive. "Greetings, Eric." "Connect to the Council. I need to speak with Jayce." "One moment." Oracle hummed as the connection was being made. "Hey, the TV is on," Lance said as he turned the volume up. "The news is reporting on the devastation." "Connection established," Oracle stated. The screen flickered and Jayce's visage appeared. "Hello, Eric. We heard about Orlando. How goes the reconstruction?" "Slowly but surely. They just established power in certain areas. The hotel has it now. Our home has been all but destroyed as well." "I'm sorry to hear that. At least the Center is intact. We constructed it to withstand such natural acts." "I hate to disappoint you, Jayce, but the Center is gone. So is the cave." "What?" The look on Jayce's face was evidence enough of his concern. "And it wasn't the tsunami that destroyed it, either. It looks as if the Center collapsed. If it were the storm, much of the debris would have been washed away. It wasn't." "That is impossible. We built the Center to withstand anything and everything that nature could throw at it." "Maybe it wasn't anything natural that happened. Have there been any signs of paranormal or supernatural activity in our area?" "Not that we are aware of, but we can get right on it." "Please do. Something is brewing and we have no clue what it could be." "We'll notify you if we hear anything." "Thanks." I pressed a button and Jayce's image clicked off. "Oracle, tap into the digital hard drive of the security cameras at the Center. Try to upload any images." "Working. File transfer is difficult. This will take some time." "Take all the time you need." I turned my attention to the television, which showed images of the destruction the tsunami caused. "Officials estimate over 200 dead as the clean-up continues," the anchor said. "More from on-the-scene reporter, Olivia Grace." The screen flashed to a woman standing near several National Guard officers. "The prison break, which occurred during the tsunami, has finally been contained. A headcount of inmates has determined that twenty-five are at-large. Among them are five outlandish individuals. If you have seen these people, contact your local police department." The screen switched to show Oswald Cobblepot, Pamela Isley, Ra's al Ghul and his daughter Talia, and Mike, the former fiancé of Tina. "Paul was right," I said. "He was just the beginning. We have to be on guard from here on out. Who knows what they know or what they might do?" At Orlando Loch Haven Park, a female figure in green walked quietly through the grass. As she moved, the plants and flowers seemed to move toward her. Movement and sound caught her attention. She stepped through a grove of trees into a clearing to see a man mounted on another man humping. Her lips curled up into a smile. Then she entered. The men, at first, paid her no mind as they did their deed. Then, her shadow came upon them and they turned. She stood in torn prison garb, her red hair cascading over her shoulders. "Hello, boys." The top pulled out and they scrambled to get their clothes. "No need to run," she replied. "I could use your help." She grabbed the nearest one and kissed him on the lips. Her lips, usually poisoned, had a homemade lipstick which caused anyone she kissed to obey her completely. The other guy, the top, was able to get further away. "Stop him," she ordered the bottom. He pulled his pants all the way off so he would be able to run and took off after his lover. When he neared, he jumped and tackled him to the ground. Isley approached and knelt down. "What did you do to him?" the top asked. "Made him better than he was." She grabbed the top's face and kissed him full on the lips. Seconds later, he, too, was under her spell. "I'm going to need your help getting more soldiers. If you could, find people and bring them to me. Get me five or six. That would be a nice beginning." The two nodded, stood, and left the grove without even dressing. She turned back to the plants and smiled. "Looks like we need to make a paradise." Oswald Cobblepot walked down the street nearing a gun shop. He smiled. Most of the guns were guns he knew how to use, and could use well. He grabbed the nearest thing not bolted down, which happened to be a grocery cart, and hurled it into the glass. The alarm did not go off as power had not been restored to this area yet. Cobblepot climbed into the shop and, grabbing several bags, began filling them with guns and shells. At the back of the store, he found some clothes he could use to change into. Prison garb had a way of catching unwanted attention. After selecting some clothes, he stripped down and changed into the new clothes. Then, he left through the back taking the weapons with him. Since the storm, most the buildings were abandoned. He could pick anyone that would suit his needs and he knew he would be safe for a while. When Cobblepot found a building that suited his purposes, he entered and checked each floor. The first two floors were empty, but he thought it best to check all of them out in case there were current tenants. After arriving at the third floor, a fist came around the corner. He dodged and grabbed the wrist with his left hand and the shoulder of the person with his right. He pulled the person, slamming him into the wall and knocking him unconscious. Then Cobblepot stepped up to the floor. Another man attacked with a snap kick. Cobblepot pushed the man's foot down and backhanded him, knocking him into the wall. Then, the pointy-nosed hitman grabbed the man by the back of the head and walked down the hallway. Someone jumped out of a room and Cobblepot tossed his captive into the new interloper. He spun around and kicked the men back into the room. Looking inside, he found them piled on top of one another moaning. Smirking, Cobblepot continued his search until he rendered all the inhabitants unconscious, which wasn't many. Then, he tied them up, placed them in one room, and got to work setting up his workshop. After a few hours, when they came to, he spoke to them. "I'm in need of some assistance. Are you men and women willing to help?" They could only nod as their mouths were taped or gagged shut. "Excellent. I need some umbrellas. You see, I like to conceal my weapons in objects that are least obtrusive. Do you think you could handle finding me umbrellas without alerting the cops?" Again, the group nodded. "Good." Cobblepot stood up, walked over to his "gang" and began untying them. "What will you do with those umbrellas?" a gang member asked after pulling off the tape. "Like I said, I use umbrellas to conceal my weapons." "So all we are doing is making weapons?" "No, that isn't all. I used to be a hitman a long time ago. But some pointy-eared bastard got me arrested. I'm aiming to end him. And my sights usually don't miss. Now that you all are free, go find me umbrellas." The men scattered as Cobblepot went to his workbench and began disassembling the weapons so he could rebuild them inside the shafts of the umbrellas. I pulled out my suit as Lance looked on. "There are criminals at large," I said to him as I pulled on my suit. "Someone has to go after them." "But what about Clark and the others." "They have their hands full with the clean up as well as searching for any survivors. Criminals will take advantage of the black out. I'm going to do my best to control the crime." "I'll let you know if Oracle has any information." "Thanks." "I know I say this all the time, but be careful. After what happened with your powers when the tsunami hit..." "I'm going to be fine," I said as I caressed his cheek and kissed his lips. Then I pulled on my gloves. "As soon as this is taken care of, I'm going to see Professor Xavier." "You better. Or I'm going to kick your ass." "Are you threatening me or teasing me?" I said with a smile as I pulled on my mask. "Both," Lance said. I ran to the balcony, opened the doors and leapt off the railing. As I plummeted, I shot a line to the nearest building and swung to a nearby rooftop. I knew things were going to happen tonight. Criminals had recovered quicker than the city. The police numbers were thinned due to the search for survivors. How does one protect a whole city when half or more of the crew is diverted to saving lives? The sun set across the country and Brian, an old friend of Batman and Huntress, suited up to patrol the city of Los Angeles. He was drug into the world of crime when his mother became the criminal Mrs. Freeze. Batman helped him to change his ways and, since then, he's been suiting up as Mr. Freeze. It's rather interesting seeing a person use ice and cold to fight in a city that doesn't see much, if any, snow. But he's been able to help out his friends and continues to this day. Tonight was no different from all the other nights. He suited up and went out to patrol the streets. It wasn't long before he ran into a couple street kids mugging a couple. As the kids ran, Mr. Freeze shot a cold beam and created ice on the cement. The kids hit the ice, slipped, and fell on their asses. The looked up as a shadow loomed over them. "Boys," Mr. Freeze said through his plate glass helmet. "You really shouldn't steal money from other people. They've worked hard for it." "So are we," one said as he spun around and tried to knock Freeze's legs out from under him. He stumbled backwards but caught himself as the kid jumped up and ran down the street. Freeze took aim and fired a beam from his wrist and hit the kid's legs. He tripped and fell forward. He turned back to the other kid to see him running down the street. He watched as the kid ran into someone wearing a long black cloak. "Get out of my way, freak," the kid yelled. The kid suddenly lifted off the ground by his own ability, or, at least, it seemed like his own ability. Then the kid shot across the street and slammed into a car. With the force of the impact, the door dented in as if struck by another automobile. There was no way the kid could have survived. Looking back at the cloaked man, Mr. Freeze saw him drop his gloved hand. He, evidently, was the one who threw the kid across the street and killed him. He raised his gloved hand at the cloaked figure. "Stop where you are!" The cloaked figure took a step forward and Freeze fired. As the beam neared, the cloaked figure held up his hand. The ice beam dissipated before it ever hit him. He also continued his walk toward Freeze. Freeze attempted to concentrate the beam but to no effect. Then, without warning, the figure grabbed his right wrist and squeezed. Freeze's weapon was crushed and now made useless. "Where's your mother?" the cloaked figure asked. "I'm not telling you shit," Brian replied. The cloaked figure punched Brian in the face. His fist went completely through the glass face plate. Then, he grabbed Brian by the throat and picked him up. "Where's your mother?" he asked again. "I can't...breathe," Brian exclaimed as he grabbed the wrists of the cloaked figure. His face was cut up due to the glass imploding on it. "Tell me and I will release you." Brian struggled to get a breath but to no avail. He turned his hand and blasted the figure in the face. The figure released his grip and Brian dropped to his knees. He clutched his neck and gasped for breath. "That wasn't very nice," the figure said as he approached Brian and threw his foot out to kick him. Brian blocked the attack and shot some ice underneath the figure. The figure slipped and fell backwards. Brian stood up and readied himself for a fight. The figure raised his hand and the ice melted. Then he swung his leg up to kick Mr. Freeze. Freeze blocked it and swung his fist backwards hopping to catch the figure in the face. The figure grabbed his wrist and spun Brian around tossing him into the nearest car. Brian grabbed the roof of the car and swung his right leg up and out, catching the figure in the face. The figure stumbled backwards. As he stumbled, he reached for something on his belt. As he brought it out, Freeze shot a blast of ice at his hand and froze the figure's hand and the object to the wall. Then, when he turned around, he froze the man's other hand to the wall and his feet to the ground. "I don't know who you are, but you are not going anywhere near my mother." Suddenly, two red beams burst out of the ice block freezing the figure's hand to the wall. It was the hand which held the object he pulled from his belt. Swinging the beams around, he melted the ice holding him captive. "I believe in a fair fight," the figure said as he turned off the device and placed it back on his belt. Then he stepped up to Freeze. "Let's make this interesting. If I defeat you, you tell me where your mother is." "And if I beat you, you tell me who you are." "Deal," the figure said as he swung a fist but it was blocked by Freeze. Freeze tossed him over the car and into the street. Then Freeze ran and jumped over the car tackling the figure as he got to his feet. The two rolled across the street. The figure straddled Freeze and punched him in the face several times. Freeze managed to get a foot between him and the figure and he kicked out, launching the figure into the second story window of the building. As Freeze got to his feet, a heavy metal desk flew out of the window and hit Freeze, knocking him to the ground. The figure dove out the window and landed on the ground with ease. He brought his leg up and kicked Brian in the face, spun around and backhanded him, then, picked him up by his throat. Brian's face was bloody with the beating and out of breath. "Now, tell me, where is your mother." "She's...in...prison." The cloaked figure dropped Brian to the ground. "Thank you." The way the streetlight shown down, Brian was able to recognize the face under the hood. "You!" Brian exclaimed. Then, in a quick fluid motion, the cloaked figure spun around, ignited one of the blades, and decapitated Mr. Freeze. The head spun around and away from the body as the body slumped to the ground. Turning off his sword, he placed it back on his belt and left the scene. To Be Continued... Chapter 3 and Brian/Mr. Freeze gets killed? Who is this man underneath the cloak? What do you think after reading this chapter? I'd love to hear what you think of the story so far.