Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 07:59:05 -0700 (PDT) From: Author James Subject: Adventures of a Real Dark Knight 50 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. Scary!! People actually get a glimpse into my 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. Star Trek and all related characters created by Gene Roddenberry. Copyright Paramount Studios. I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered. In this story, which has been floating around in my head most of my life, you will find many universes merging, as the above copyrights reveal. I hope you all enjoy this. I appreciate any feedback that you may want to give. This story doesn't deal so much with sex, sex, sex, but more of my feelings that I struggled with and am starting to come to terms with. Part of his background is mine. I do hope that you enjoy it!!! 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. Author James 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 50 Protecting the City Lance and I lay in each other's arms on the couch. We had just finished dinner and were relaxing and enjoying each other's company. I turned and looked out the window. "I should probably patrol," I said. "Damn," he whispered. "I'm sorry. If I wasn't Batman, you could keep me all to yourself. Maybe, one day, I will hang up the cape and mask...when my work as Batman is done. "That would be nice." "But until then..." "I know...until then I have a superhero for a life partner." "Speaking of life partner, when are we going to have the commitment ceremony?" "That's something we are going to have to decide when you are not getting ready to patrol the city for monsters who come out at night." I moved my head up off Lance's chest and kissed him. "You are wonderful." "I know," he answered. I chuckled a bit and then went upstairs. Not too much later Lance came up. I was pulling on my gloves. "I still think its weird." "What's weird? Bad weird? Good weird? Exciting weird? Or crazy weird?" "I think its exciting weird to see you in that suit." I walked over to him and kissed him. Then I pulled on my mask. "I'll be back soon. Sooner if nothing is going on." "Okay. Be careful." "Always." I went out our bedroom window and into the night. As I patrolled around I came across Batgirl. "There you are," she said. "We've been looking all over for you." "Why is that?" "Robin needs your help tonight." "For what?" "There is supposed to be something going on at the school around 1:00 in the morning. I would help, but I have other plans. Nightwing would help if he could, but he can't either." "Which leaves me. Not a problem." It was only 10:00 so I had three hours before I had to be there. A good amount of time to do some patrolling. "I'm going to patrol for awhile. Would you like to come with me?" I invited. "Sure." Together Batgirl and I went from rooftop to rooftop looking at area businesses and local late-night hangouts. "I staked some vampires the other night. There is something big going on," I told her. "Really? Did they say anything?" "Nothing specific. More along the lines of general 'we are full of darkness that you can't understand' stuff. Nothing more than that." "Hmm, interesting. I'll talk to Kara about it. Have her do some checking with the Council on it." "BOO!" someone said behind us. We both turned to see Nightwing standing behind us with a grin on his face. "Can I join the party?" "Sure," we both replied. "Just bring your own drinks," Batgirl added. Nightwing laughed. I could tell while I was imprisoned in Ra's Al Ghul's dungeon, Nightwing and Batgirl had gotten closer. Good. "Anything major going on?" Nightwing asked. "Just standard patrol," Batgirl answered. "Good. Cause I heard there was going to be a major break-in at a warehouse near the industrial district." "Let's get going," Batgirl replied. In no time flat we were swinging to a warehouse rooftop where we had seen a truck pull in the back. "Kind of late for a delivery, wouldn't you say?" Nightwing said. "Not too late to be checked out," Batgirl replied. These two were working together well as a team. I was impressed. We walked over to a doorway and I manipulated the lock to open. Slowly, with Batgirl and Nightwing behind me, we went down the stairs. Coming to the top floor I heard voices. I indicated to my partners what was going on and that I was going to investigate. I inched closer and closer to the doorway of an office where the voices were coming from and peeked my head around the corner. "Take these files, too. We want it to look like industrial espionage," one man said. "Isn't this industrial espionage?" "Not really. At least I don't think so. I'm not sure what the word is when you steal from your own company." I turned and motioned for Batgirl and Nightwing to come closer. They listened as the man went on about how the company cheated him out of work he had done and so forth and how he planned on making them pay for their crime against him. "What if the police show up?" the second man asked. "That's why I brought this," the first man answered as he pulled out a gun. "You're not planning on killing any cops, are you?" "Only if they get in my way. Desperate times call for desperate measures." I pulled out a bat and let it fly. It hit his hand and knocked the gun out. We barged in on him and a fight ensued. Nothing major to tell, really. They were two untrained thieves breaking in to a warehouse looking for files that were stored here. Batgirl, Nightwing and I easily subdued them and found the guard that was knocked unconscious. He called the police and we were off. Around 12:00, Batgirl and Nightwing had to split to attend their prior engagements. I, on the other hand, had an hour before I had to meet Robin at the High School so I continued my patrol. I happened upon a nightspot and just watched for a while. As I watched, a man in club gear came out of a club and walked down the street. As he walked another man approached him. Immediately I became more attentive. I watched their body language to try and decipher what was being said. The man who approached the club-goer pulled out a gun and had the clubman go into the alley. I moved down the roof and to the side to watch as the clubber pulled out his wallet and give it to the man. The man took the money. Instead of letting the clubber go, however, the man pulled down his pants just a little. He wanted the clubber to perform oral sex on him. With his dick exposed, there was no way he was expecting any kind of interference. I jumped down between the mugger and the clubber. I grabbed the wrist of the gun hand with my left hand. With my right hand I backhanded the mugger. I managed to get the gun away from him and then kicked him in the stomach. He flew into a dumpster and slumped to the ground unconscious. I tied him up and told the clubber to call the police. It was now 12:20 and I headed over to the High School. I met Robin on the rooftop of the High School. "I'm glad you made it," he said to me. "That's what friends are for. How many are here?" "The Skulls have already showed up. I think they are planning on ambushing the Raiders. Some are hiding in the shadows, in doorways. I've been waiting for a couple to show up here." "Do you want us to take out the Skulls before the Raiders get here?" Robin looked up at me questioning my statement. "You're the grown-up here. What do you think we should do?" "This is your mission. You asked me to come help you, not decide for you. What do you want me to do?" "Okay." Robin said. He was silent for a moment. "Maybe we should take out the guys hiding. Then, when the Raiders show up we can stop both of them. We can make both gangs know we aren't playing around." "Sounds good to me. Let's get to work." Robin told me of the location of several of the Skulls then we split up. My first target was hiding behind the garage across the alley. I made my way down to ground level then quickly hurried around a couple houses so as not to be seen by the gang. Hopefully not being seen by the occupants of the houses, either. I found the house whose garage a Skull was hiding behind and made my way up the driveway. I could make out the form of the gang member standing in the shadows cast by the two close garages. He had something in his hand. As I watched his hand, he turned it so I could make out the silhouette. It was a gun. If there is one thing I've learned, it's kids and guns don't mix. I worked my way closer, stopping ever so often in the shadows so I wouldn't be seen. I got up behind him and my fist came down on his back rendering him unconscious. I grabbed him quickly before he could fall into the light and pulled him back. I grabbed the gun and emptied the bullets. I wish I could have manipulated the molecules of the gun to make it into something else, but my power isn't that advanced. I can only operate simple molecules and those of my brain. I could blend mine in with others so that I could sense where they were if they were hiding, and I could pick people up. That was all. The best I could do was use enough heat molecules to melt the inside of the gun so it would not be able to fire. I looked out and saw another gang member hiding in the doorway of the school. I pulled out a bat and threw it, hitting him and knocking him unconscious. Robin was taking care of two more guys hiding, leaving only the leader standing in the light. Then he swung down toward the leader. The leader pulled out a gun, but Robin kicked him, knocking him to the ground. Quickly, Robin grabbed him and hoisted him up. I jumped the fence and ran over to them. "No more," Robin was saying. "No more gang wars. No more guns. No more senseless fighting and death." "You don't understand," the Skull leader said. "We have no choice. It's either kill or be killed." "No," I said. "This isn't a war. You are not fighting for a good cause. You are killing your friends." The sound of a gun being readied caught our attention. The Raiders encircled us and one pulled out a shotgun aimed right at us. "Look what we found. It's the fag Batman," he said. "Looks like we get to make a name for ourselves in more ways than one tonight." I manipulated the molecules of electricity and caused an arc of voltage to come out of the fence and hit the gun. The kid dropped it in pain. I turned to them. Their jaws dropped. "His eyes!" someone declared. "They are white! With lightning shooting out of them!" "It's over," I said. "This gang war is over. No more fighting. If I hear of any more from Robin or anyone else, I will come looking for you. Spread the war. Batman is declaring war on gangs." The Raiders stood for several minutes in silence. Then, suddenly, they all turned and ran off, scattering in different directions. "Good work," Robin said. I turned to the gang leader. "Did you understand that?" He nodded slowly. "Now get out of here." He took off running leaving the Boy Wonder and I alone. "Good job, Batman. You really scared the shit out of them." "That was the plan," I replied. "I can't stand the fact kids are killing kids. They are losing their innocence younger and younger. It's scary. "And I'm glad I have you on my team, Robin. You are a great asset to this city, and to me. I appreciate you." "Thanks," Robin said. I reached out my hand and shook it. Then turned and left. I looked out at the city. It was such a beautiful city. And it had some great protectors. I counted myself lucky to be working alongside the likes of Robin, of Nightwing, and of Batgirl. They knew their stuff and did it well. Their hearts were in the right place, and I applauded them for it. The moon shown brightly in the dark sky and I returned home. There I found Lance listening to music on the patio. He was listening to Enya singing "Only Time". I loved that song. "Hey, stud," I replied jumping from the wall and landing on the patio. "Hi, gorgeous." I pulled off my mask and kissed Lance full on the lips. "How did things go tonight?" he asked. "Let me go change, first. I'll be right out." Within moments I was in a pair of sweats and a muscle shirt hefting a glass of ice tea. I went out to the patio and Lance motioned for me to sit between his legs on one of the loungers. I did and he proceeded to massage my shoulders. "So, how did things go?" he asked. "Okay. We had a break in to deal with, a mugging and two teen gangs rumbling. All in all a rather quiet night compared to what I've been dealing with for the past few months." "That's amazing. I don't know how you deal with all that stuff all the time. It would bother me." "I don't know how I do it either. I just can." "I guess it takes a certain kind of person to do that kind of work." "Just like it takes someone as talented as you to sing the way you do." Lance grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. "I love you. You know that, don't you?" "I love you, too." "Good. Then you'll forgive me for what I'm about to do." Without warning, Lance stood up and picked me up. He carried me over to the pool and threw me in. I landed with a splash. "That's unfair!" I said. "You tricked me!" Lance stood at the poolside laughing up a storm. I reached out my hand and used my mutant ability to pick him up. "THAT'S unfair!" Lance exclaimed. "You are using your mutation!" I brought him over the water and released him. He landed with a splash. I laughed hard as he recovered from the splash. He swam over to me and splashed me. We played in the water for a little bit before getting out. "You know the visit by England's princes?" "William and Henry?" "Yeah. NSYNC is invited to the reception." "Sounds like fun. Are you going?" "As long as you are going, too?" "I guess I can go." "Good," Lance replied. "Cause I want to show you off to everyone." "Goofy," I said. Lance wrapped his arms around me and we went inside. Another day done. Another evil thwarted. Now it was time to relax. The End Another 50 chapters concluded! That makes 100 chapters of adventures for our hero! I'd like to know what you thought of this series. Did you like it? Not like it? Like it better than "Tales of a Real Dark Knight"? Or did you like "Tales" better? I'd like to hear from you. And in case you were thinking this was the end of our hero's adventures, think again. Coming soon, "Chronicles of a Real Dark Knight".