Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2003 04:57:38 -0700 (PDT) From: Author James Subject: Judgments of a Real Dark Knight 30 Disclaimer: This story, though maybe not in this chapter but in subsequent chapters, will have celebrities in it. I have no knowledge of their sexuality and this is not intended to imply their sexuality. This is all from my own mind. 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. Copyright DC Comics and Warner Bros. 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. Star Wars and all related concepts created by or based on the universe created by George Lucas. Copyright 20th Century Fox, LucasFilms Ltd. and Lucas Books/Ballantine Books. I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered. I have received many emails from people who have enjoyed it and some from those who do not. I would enjoy hearing from you. Any emails you send, please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on. Thanks. authorjames2002@yahoo.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. Other stories in this universe written by other authors: "Tales of a Superhero Band" "Tales of the New Phoenix" "Tales of a Young Mutant" Chapter 29 Double, Double Toil and Trouble Lance and Tina were tied back-to-back while Two-Face walked around them. "No one understands what we've been through," Two-Face stated. "Rejection is not a pretty thing. We tried being nice. We loved and wanted others to be part of us, but it didn't happen. Michelle was first and now you, Tina. You are split, too. You want someone you can't have. You have us after you and you want Eric, who doesn't want you. How does it feel to be rejected? How does it feel?" Tina sobbed. "This isn't right, Mike. You can't be serious about this. Untie me. We can make it work." "Too late for that now, Sweetie. You are going to understand the full rejection. We are going to help you understand the violence done to us by you. Do you know what it is like to have your insides tore up?" Two-Face reached for a knife sitting on the nearby table. "Double-bladed," Lance said. "How poetic." "You are going to get it, too. We want the rest of the world to feel what we've been through. No, double what we went through." Just then Two-Face's cell phone rang. "What?" he said picking it up. "Two-Face, we've got trouble out here." "What kind of trouble?" Suddenly one of Two-Face's henchmen flew through the window. Eyes turned to the noise. "Oh, no," Two-Face said. "Thank God, it's Batman," Lance said as I climbed through the glass. I saw Two-Face's hand raise with the knife. Wasting no time, I hurled a bat at him. The bat disarmed Two-Face and I leapt at him knocking him over. His foot came up and pushed me off, tossing me into the wall. He stood and I swung my leg out connecting with the hand drawing a gun. Then I punched him in the face with a right. Two-Face stumbled backwards. I gave him a left hook and he spun into the fireplace, his face hitting the mantel. He slumped against the fireplace and used the mantel to hold himself up. I turned and untied Lance. As I got his feet free, the front door burst open. Several of Two-Face's henchmen had recovered from my attack. I grabbed Lance and we dove into the dining room as bullets rang out where we once stood. Two-Face recovered and turned to us. Blood trickled from his nose. He grabbed Tina and jerked her toward the door. "Come on, honey. We've got a plane to catch." "What? What are you talking about?" Two-Face pulled her out the door and the henchmen came into the living room. Lance and I stood around the corner and waited. Once they were in the living room, I tossed a pellet from my belt into the room. It burst and smoke filled the living room. "Wait here," I said and entered the smoke. After several fists and feet flew, the smoke dissipated and I stood amongst a pile of hired thugs. Lance came over and hugged me. "Come on," I said. "We've got to help Tina." Lance nodded and we went outside and down the street. As we neared the motorcycle, the 'mobile pulled up beside it. "Take the motorcycle home," I told him. "No," he replied. "I'm going to help you help Tina." I smiled at him. We got in the 'mobile and I hit the accelerator. "Oracle, activate tracking transponder." "What?" Lance said. "I placed a transponder on Two-Face's car. We can follow him." The computer screen in the middle of the dashboard turned on with a map of the city. The center of it, a dark spot, represented us. A red spot appeared moving away from us rapidly. "That's them," I pointed out. "There is no way you are going to catch them. They have a ten minute head start. If his insanity is any indication, he is probably driving like a madman." "True. I guess this gives us the opportunity to see what this thing can do." I smiled again at Lance and pressed a button near the parking brake. Nitrous oxide flowed into the engine and we shot forward with amazing speed. Two-Face held the gun toward Tina as he raced through traffic toward the Orlando International Airport. "How the hell did he find us?" "I don't...I don't know!" Tina said. "I've never seen him before in my life! I never even heard of him!" "Liar! You lie to us! He's another that you probably have feelings for!" "No, I don't know him! Honest!" "It won't matter. Soon we will be at the airport leaving this wretched city." "Oracle, dial police headquarters." The computer dialed and soon the phone was answered. "Orlando Police Department. This is Officer Marge. What can I do for you?" "I need any available cars at the Orlando International Airport ASAP." "Who may I ask is calling?" I looked over at Lance. He shrugged his shoulders. "Batman." The voice on the other side was silent. "I know you find this hard to believe. But there is a man, scarred down one side of his face, taking his former girlfriend to the airport. I..." "Let me guess. This man with one side of his face scarred, he wouldn't happen to call himself Two-Face, right?" Sarcasm was easily detectable in her voice. "Fine, don't believe me. But if she ends up dead, it will be on your head." With that, I terminated the connection. "I guess we're on our own." As the car came upon the airport, Two-Face head toward the glass doors. Tina screamed as the car plunged into the crowd. Many of the travelers were able to get out of the way. Some, however, were not. Many had broken bones from the impact, while a few were not going to survive. "Those people," Tina exclaimed. "My God, Mike! What have you done?" "We have done nothing, T. It was merely chance that allows some to survive while others do not." "I can't believe you've become so twisted." "We are what we've been made. How many of Reverend's clients have turned out like us? Who knows? Only chance, the random toss of a coin." Tina grabbed the steering wheel as the car barreled down the interior of the terminal. Several security guards pulled their weapons and open fire on the car hoping to slow the car down. Tina attempted to turn the car into a wall, hoping to end this insanity. Two-Face would not have it, though. He swung his fist backward and connected with Tina in the face. "We didn't ask you to drive, thank you." He turned the car and barreled through the glass heading toward the landing strips. Two airplanes were being prepped to depart, but Two-Face was unabated. He headed toward the planes to a small helicopter sitting across the way. The top propellers spun in wait for him. "No," Tina said shaking her head. "This is unreal. This can't be happening." I saw the chaos ahead at the terminal and knew Two-Face had come this way, and slowed down. "Oracle, Orlando International Airport security frequency." The radio came on and I heard the scan. In a second, the security's broadcast burst over the speakers. "Can't believe he drove right through the terminal...Suspect is now on the airstrip." "Hold on," I said. I drove the 'mobile down the street and turned, plowing through the chain link fencing blocking off the airstrip. The car bumped along the rugged terrain as we went. "I hope you're buckled," Lance said. "Always," I replied. Lance put his hand on the roof and on the dash bracing his self against the drive. "There," he said pointing to a small object moving along the landing strip. "I see 'em," I said and headed after them. Two-Face pulled up alongside the helicopter and climbed out. He motioned for the pilot to switch with him and get in the car. The pilot nodded. "Keep him from getting us," Two-Face ordered. The pilot nodded and Two-Face took over. The hired thug climbed in the car and revved the engine waiting for the approach of the Dark Knight. I slowed down when I saw the switch. The pilot got in the car, turned on his headlights and pulled out a gun. His job was to keep me from getting to Two-Face. I hit the breaks and the 'mobile spun to a stop. "I've got to stop him," I said. "Take the wheel of the car. Be ready to drive." Lance nodded and climbed over the seat as I climbed out and made my way around the car. "Don't die," Lance said. "Not now." I stood in the beam of the headlights and looked to the helicopter. "You can't stop us now, Batman!" Two-Face said. "We are victorious! She will pay for all the rejecting she has done!" "Does the phrase 'Get over it' mean anything to you?" I asked. The driver of the car chambered a round. As I looked closer, I realized it was the cop that I gave the information to at the front desk. He must have been working for Two-Face, must have known Mike at some time to help him out now. It was now or never. I flipped out a bat and started running toward the car, which in turn burst forward toward me. The propeller on the copter sped up and began to ascend into the air. The driver opened fire on me. Thank goodness he wasn't that great of a shot. I hurled my bat at his hand and then jumped to the hood of the car. The bat hit its mark and he dropped the gun in pain. His flinch caused him to jerk the steering wheel and he turned sideways. I ran up to the roof and leapt to the bottom of the helicopter, holding on to one of the landing rungs. "No!" I heard Two-Face exclaim. Swinging my legs, I planted them firmly on the bottom of the helicopter, then kicked off swinging my body around to a crouching position on the rung. Slowly I stood and grabbed the door handle. Turning it, the door opened to reveal Tina looking terrified and Two-Face moving his gun into position. I reached in over Tina and grabbed the gun, keeping it from aiming at anyone. "Stop!" he said. "You can't do this to us!" Suddenly the gun went off. The bullet hit the console and Two-Face lost control of the helicopter. He moved the stick around and couldn't get any control over it. I punched him in the face. The backward momentum of my punch caused his head to hit the wall and he went limp. Then I pulled him across Tina and put him over my shoulder. "Come on," I said to while wrapping my arm around her waist. Turning, I jumped off the helicopter. I used my mutation to slow our fall as the helicopter spun and dove into the ground. It erupted in a ball of flame. We landed safely away from the explosion. "Thank God for you," Tina replied wrapping her arms around me. "You saved my life." "You're welcome," I answered and lowered Two-Face to the ground. "But what about Lance? He was the guy tied up with me." "He's safe," I said. Several police cars were heading toward us with their lights flashing and sirens blaring. "If you'll excuse me." I ran toward the 'mobile and jumped in the passenger side. Lance didn't need any prodding from me as he hit the accelerator and flew past the police cars. "Go back to Two-Face's. I need to pick up the cycle." "What do we do about the car?" "I can send it back to the cave. We'll take the cycle home." After getting home, I had barely enough time to change before Tina called from the police station. She had given them a statement and charged Two-Face/Mike with several crimes. She was ready to be picked up. Lance and I drove in silence with me clutching his hand tightly. I was scared he had been shot. Thank God it was only a wound on the head. We arrived at the station, picked up Tina and headed to the hospital so Lance could be checked over. We sat in the room with Lance and I holding hands while the doctor examined him. "It doesn't look too bad," the doctor said. "You'll need stitches but, all-in-all, not something to worry too much about. I'll give you a prescription for pain. If it isn't better in a day, I'd come right back here." Lance nodded and the doctor stitched Lance up. Then we went home. "Eric," Tina said as we got in the car. "I want to apologize to you, and to you, Lance, for how I've been. I was raised to believe that being gay is wrong. I've been told that homosexuality is nothing more than lust. But after spending time with you guys, I'm starting to rethink my position. I don't know if I will ever be okay with homosexuality, but I think I'm okay with you two being together." "We appreciate that," Lance said. The next day, we took Tina to the airport and saw her off. She thanked us again for our help and boarded the plane. While waiting for it to take off, the news was being broadcast on a nearby monitor. "Former Soviet Union General Rekoj and his two aides arrived. The invitation was handed out by the American military base to study the work General Rekoj has done on nerve gas. Apparently, the gas has some properties which military scientists want to study. It may lead them to a cure for several military servicemen inflicted with a disease which stemmed from exposure to chemicals in the Gulf War." "That's a shame," I said. "We still feel the effects of the Gulf War." "After 9/11, I'm sure the first Gulf War will be on everyone's mind for a long time." He and I left the airport and headed home. To Be Continued...