Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2005 23:01:59 -0500 From: Author James Subject: Fall of a Real Dark Knight 2 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!!! **NOTE**: I have a new email address with which I would like all correspondence sent to. 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 2 Tsunami The young men and women stood around me after changing into their superhero garb. As Flash pulled on his gloves, I began. "The National Guard is working on evacuating the people. However, they won't be able to evacuate everybody. The NWS believes the tsunami could hit within the next few hours. They can't give an exact time because the speed is changing sporadically. They won't be fast enough to get everyone out. "Your job is to assist with getting them out. Flash, you are the fastest man alive. How many people can you carry at a time?" "Two at the most." I turned to the computer and pulled a map up on the screen. "The government has set up rescue camps here, here, and here," I said as I pointed to the computer. "What I need you to do is start moving people to these locations. Go." With a gush of wind, the Flash took off. "Superman, J'onn, Diana, I need you to work with the Coast Guard in constructing barricades. I'm not sure exactly what they are doing. Get out their and help. If the storm approaches quicker than expected, we're going to need you to get the people out." The three nodded. "Let's get to work, people." The three took off out of the cave. I turned to Lance and we embraced, kissing. "We've got children upstairs to evacuate." The two of us headed up the ladder and out of the room. Lance went to the older children's rooms first and aroused them, telling them to get dressed quickly and help bring the younger ones downstairs. I gathered the staff and told them what the plan was. Several went to the vans and pulled them around front while the others helped get the kids grouped together so that we would not lose anyone. "Carol, contact the police and ask them where our shelter is supposed to be. It would help if they actually told us this stuff before a disaster strikes." Carol nodded and dialed the phone. After several moments, she hung up. "We are supposed to go about twenty miles north of here. There are National Guards on the highways evacuating people." "Let's load up the vans." Ryan came up to me and I put him in charge of one of the vans. "Do whatever you can to sooth the children. We all need to remain calm." He nodded and headed off to a van, leading a group of children to safety. Ten minutes later, all the children were accounted for and all the vans were full. I instructed Lance to take one of the vans and lead the others to the evacuation shelter. I was going to join the team at the waterfront. We hugged and kissed. "Be careful," he said as he climbed in the van and drove off. Once they were out of sight, I went back into the Center. It was so empty and so still. I remembered just before it opened how quiet and still it was. This day reminded me of that day so long ago. It was hard to believe a tsunami was coming this way and could possibly destroy it. Hopefully, Diana and the others would get the barricade up and prevent it from wiping out the entire state. Descending the ladder, I quickly donned the bat suit, climbed into the car, and was out on the street. Oracle had a bird's eye view of the state and directed me on which streets were full of people evacuating and which streets were clear. It wasn't more than ten minutes and I arrived at the coastline. Pulling the car to the side, I jumped out. "Batman to Superman," I called through the radio. "What's your status?" "We're in the process of placing sandbags along the coast line. Wonder Woman is at Daytona Beach and J'onn is at Fort Lauderdale. I'm at West Palm Beach. I don't think we have enough sandbags to build a wall around all of Florida." "You've done right in focusing on major cities. I'm between Melbourne and Daytona Beach." A burst of static came over the radio and I heard the alert that the storm was coming up on Florida at speeds over 300 miles per hour, and climbing. My eyes widened in horror. `Something is definitely not right.' The Flash's voice came over the speakers suddenly. "The entire state is evacuated, but I'm not sure what we can do for states to the north." "I don't think they are in any real danger," Superman replied. "From what is being reported, the storm is going to only hit Florida. The states to the north will get high winds and rain, but the brunt of it will only hit this state." `There should be some after effects,' I thought to myself. `It can't possibly be that localized. It isn't nature.' "I'm going to attempt to use my powers and slow this thing," I informed. "Do whatever you can to evacuate the National Guard." "We're on it," Flash said. I stood on the shore and calmed my mind. For the past ten or so years, my powers have been unstable. One minute they work fine. The next minute I'm overshooting my mark. The minute after and nothing happens at all. I didn't know what would come of me using my powers here. Worst case scenario: nothing happens and the storm comes. Flash is plenty fast enough to get me out of here as the storm approaches the shore. Best case scenario: I create a field and prevent statewide destruction. `God,' I prayed. `Help me. Do whatever is necessary to save lives this day.' Raising my hands to the wind, I felt for the molecules outside my body, my suit, the air currents as they flowed, the microscopic particles imperceptible to the human eye. It was working. I sensed the air moving around me. Every current flowed passed me. Nobody was nearby. Everyone was safe. I took the opportunity to stretch out to the wave, which was closing fast. It would be here in moments of time. The presence of others in the waves caught my attention. There were four people. Were they in trouble? Did they need help? The first wave pulled my attention back. Immediately an invisible field formed at the shoreline and stretched for miles on either side. The water came up and crashed against the field. Breathing a sigh of relief, I new all would be well. Then it happened. The field fell and excruciating pain shot through me. I fell over backwards as stiff as a board. The water cascaded over my body and face and I passed out. A green energy field formed over the fallen hero and the water washed off the dome. A young woman wielding a Green Lantern ring descended from the cloudy sky. The water level rose over the bubble she created but she did not flinch. Instead, the bubble lifted up off the ground carrying its lone occupant. All she could do was watch as the waves tore through the buildings washing all the work of thousands of men and women off the face of the earth. "My god," she muttered. "Ella!" Superman called as he, Diana, and J'onn flew up next to her. "Is he okay?" "I don't know." Superman used his x-ray vision on his mentor and saw something startling. The internal organs of his mentor were slowly changing from that of stone and concrete back to human tissue. "He doesn't look good." "Let's get him out of here," Lantern said. "There's nothing we can do here." The four flew off with their unconscious mentor. The damage from the tsunami was not averted or minimized. They had failed. The only thing left to do would be to assess the damage, assist with the homeless, and help rebuild. Moments later, the largest of the waves landed. As quickly as the water appeared, it disappeared leaving three figures on the shore. These were the three surfing the tsunami wave. They tumbled across the sand with a crash. Sunglasses were crooked and broken, swimsuits were riding up butt cracks, and the three rubbed their heads as the man said, "Wipe out!" Miles into Florida in the city called Orlando, in an area with few buildings, a lone figure landed. He was shrouded in a black cloak, his face obscured by shadow from the hood he wore, and his hands hidden by the black leather gloves. He walked over to the building which stood before him. Underneath the hood he sneered at it. "The Hunter Center for Troubled Youth", a familiar voice muttered. "How pathetic." Raising his hand, the ground shook and the winds blew and the building collapsed to the ground. "This is just the beginning, McCoy. This is just the beginning." One week later, I stood at the Center, or what was left of the Center, and shook my head. The children remained at the shelters as there wasn't anything to return to. The Center workers were with their families assessing what destruction had happened at their own homes. Those that didn't have family stayed with the children providing comfort and support. The Center itself was in shambles. Nothing of the structure stood. Even the frame had been destroyed. Lance stood beside me with his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry about this." "Me, too," I muttered. "Let's look and see the extent of the foundation." The two of us made our way into the wreckage. As we walked around seeing what could be salvaged and what could not, Lance noticed something. "All the wreckage is here. If it had been the tsunami that destroyed it, wouldn't it have washed a lot of this away?" "That's true," I said as realization dawned on me. Something else caused the destruction of the Center, not the storm. "I need to contact the Council and see how they built this." I found the ladder down to the cave and descended. The cave was in shambles as well. The car and motorcycle were crushed, the case holding the suit had been knocked over and the computer had been smashed. Still, there was a small chance that it worked. "Oracle," I said hoping it would boot up the machine. Sparks shot out from the keyboard and the broken screen flickered. "Audio only." "Greetings, Eric," the voice stated. "Contact the Watcher's Council." "Unable to comply. Communications have been destroyed." "Damn it!" Turning to Lance, I said, "It looks like we are on our own." "We did it before. Let's get back to the house and see what happened there." I took the suit out of the cave and placed it in a duffel bag, along with the lightsabers and other gadgets of mine. We climbed out and went to the SUV. Soon after, we arrived at the neighborhood to see most of the houses damaged and some destroyed. Our house had been nearly demolished, though some of it still remained standing. We made our way inside. Lance and I began picking up photos and other important documents that we would need to resume our lives. Then, I went down to the basement and found the smaller satellite cave intact. "Oracle," I said. The computer, however, did not respond due to the power outage. There was no way to contact the Council. There was nothing more we could do. I unhooked the computer and put all the pieces in a box to take with us. Coming out of the basement, I was met by someone I had never planned on seeing again in my life. "Hello, Lance." It was Paul, the guy who had deceived Lance into a relationship and abused him. He served his time but had a restraining order placed on him preventing him from coming anywhere near Lance. "Paul," Lance said. "Get out of here," I ordered as I placed the computer box at my feet. "Like hell," Paul said as he reached inside his jacket. I ran at him and grabbed his wrist, holding it close to his body so he couldn't pull whatever he had in his jacket pocket out. With my free hand, I punched him in the jaw knocking him backwards. We tumbled to the debris and I lost my hold on him. "Run, Lance!" I called out. Lance came up to Paul and kicked his hand as it came out bringing a gun with it. His hand jerked to the side and the gun went flying into the debris. Lance brought his foot around and kicked Paul in the face. Paul spun around and fell into the debris. I got up and grabbed Lance dragging him away from Paul. Pulling out my cell phone, I began to dial 9-1-1, but was interrupted by Paul. "I know who you are, Eric McCoy. You're the son of a bitch that fried me in the pool." I stopped dialing and turned to him. "I know all your secrets. I met several people in prison who were sent there by you. Ra's al Ghul and his daughter Talia. Cobblepot and Isley. We've been waiting for this day. I'm just the beginning. And there's nothing you can do to stop us." "Want to bet?" I concentrated on the electrical molecules surrounding us. The sky darkened as the water molecules concentrated into storm clouds. "What are you going to do, fry me again?" "That's about it," I replied. Lightning bounced from cloud to cloud as the storm gained in intensity. But as quickly as I created it, I lost control of it. Instead of a thunderstorm, a tornado formed right over us. "Stop it, Eric!" Lance called out. "I can't!" I screamed back. "Oh, shit!" Paul exclaimed. The three of us took off running, Lance, carrying the computer box, and I to the SUV and Paul off in his own direction. The funnel cloud touched down right where Paul was previously standing and the debris flew up in the air, flying out in all directions. Lance started the SUV and took off down the road. The further away from the storm I got, the more the cloud dissipated. "What the hell was that?" Lance asked. "I don't know. I couldn't control it." "You better get checked out by Xavier. Jean, Hank and Charles might be able to figure out what's going on." "I will. But right now we have more important things to worry about. Something is going on, something huge. And I'll need to concentrate all my energy on that." To Be Continued... What do you think is happening? More to come! **NOTE**: Please note new email address concerning correspondence. Thanks!