Gotham: A New Generation (IC)

[The Mank]

Batwoman
Kate saw the behemoth lift the truck and send it flying in her direction. She deftly rolled out of the way as the machine landed with a loud thud on the forest floor, knocking over a few trees in the process. There were a few scratches on the truck, but Batman made sure his tech was durable. The vehicle was still perfectly in shape.

Kate pushed herself up and saw the little girl in the Robin suit dragging Damian towards her.

Smart girl, Kate thought to herself. But she needed to buy the kid time. And also prevent Bane from easily dragging Damian back to him.

Kate used all her remaining energy to charge at Bane, ramming into the 8 foot man’s chest. Kate herself was 5’ 10’ – over 2 feet shorter than the masked monster’s current height. She sent useless punches to the man’s jaw and frantically kicked at his legs. She had to distract him long enough to get Damian to safety.

Kate pulled a sharp knife from her utility belt, stabbing at his skin. The blade cracked upon impact. She pulled smoke pellets and tear gas pellets from her belt, crushing them on Bane’s arm and letting the mixture of gas release, clouding Bane’s vision either by the smoke screen in front of him or by using his own tears against him — if a monster like that could even cry.

Kate turned back, unsure of whether the Girl Wonder had rescued Damian yet.

[Whalestron]

Cooper

As the last officer's life was extinguished, Cooper licked his chomps. That’s when he smelled her, the girl who had trusted the mutt completely. He cackled as he walked away from the gruesome scene that lay behind him, heading out into the cool air of the outside via the tunnel the others had used before to leave. It wasn’t long before he saw Catgirl race by him, followed behind by some hero he didn’t recognize and Batgirl, apparently unconscious.

Cooper rushed towards them, putting on a burst of speed just before he got close enough. He slammed his shoulder into Nightwing, enough to send most men stumbling backwards. He looked pretty out of it, so the dog assumed he’d fall easily. With Batgirl nabbed by her cape, Cooper flew up and straight through the forest. He continued weaving in and out of trees for a minute or two, then threw the girl roughly on the ground. He couldn't hear the fighting anymore. That was a good sign.

The mutt nuzzled Batgirl. “Hey,” He said loudly in an attempt to stir her. “Wake up!”


Catgirl

“Nightwing!” Kitrina shouted as she saw the commotion caused by the demon-dog. She ran to the fallen Boy-Wonder to check on him. This wasn’t good. Well, that all depended on how one viewed things. On the one hand, they’d lost a valuable member of the team, on the other, Kitrina had some alone time with Dick.

“Are you okay?” She asked. “Don’t die on me, I don’t know CPR for birds...”

[United States of Brainy]

Edward Robinson High School
Tuesday Morning

Everyone was talking about it! How could they not be? No, not Wayne Manor being wrecked or the supes getting their asses handed to them by Bane. No, this news was closer to home and as it revolved around them, it held their complete and undivided attention. Students congregated in the parking lots, hallways, homeroom classes. Huddled in groups and cliques, jocks and cheerleaders, geeks and delinquents. Shouting over one another, fighting to be heard.

“You think the Strangler got Lizzie too?” Abigail wondered breathlessly. She was halfway twisted around on the cafeteria bench so she could talk to Marta.

“Iunno,” the girl answered nervously, clutching an unlit cigarette in her hand.

“Didn’t you listen to the news?” Derek interrupted from across the table. “Coppers say that the Strangler got thrown out a bloody second story window!”

“That was the other guy,” Paul clarified. “The Strangler had his chest ripped out, disgusting… They didn’t find the guy that did it. Police said that he got away. They think he abducted Lizzie. I mean, they didn’t find her body or anything.”

“They have no clue what’s going on,” Palmer stated, walking up with Ruth. They both took a seat together. “I mean, what was that cowshit cowboy Yerno thinking? Hiring a creep like Brightkop in the first place.”

“It’s Breitkopf,” Paul corrected him.

“Shut up, dweeb.” Palmer punched him hard in the shoulder.

“It’s so sad,” Marina sighed. “About Antoine…”

“Well, it was YOU that got him all hot and bothered about that animal rights bullshit,” Ruth reminded her snippily. “Which means it’s YOUR fault that Antoine’s dead.”

Marina gasped, her mouth wide open. And then her face curled into a hideous mask of rage. “Why, you BITCH!” She lunged at Ruth but Derek held her back.

“Heh, heh,” Ruth chuckled behind her mask. “Touchy, aren’t we? They say that the guiltiest people are the most defensive…”



After School

Understandably, given all that had happened, the Movie Club had been cancelled for the day. They all met up in the parking lot. “We should do something,” Clover suggested.

“And what would that be?” Ruth sneered. “Maybe Little Miss Richie Rich can get her daddy to name one of his slum buildings after Antoine? Or I got it! Maybe you could consult your astrology or ask your Goddess Alpha Moonbeam for advice!”

Clover clutched the crystal around her neck and repeated a mantra to protect her from Ruth’s negativity.

“And would you PLEASE not smoke!” Ruth shouted at Marta. “The cigarette smoke irritates my face.”

“Trust me, it’s not the smoke that makes your face so irritating,” Marta shot back.

“DAMN!” Abigail gasped. She high-fived Marta.

“Can we please stop acting like children for just one minute,” Marina declared. “Clover’s right. Antoine and Lizzie were our friends. Even yours, Ruth. We should do something.”

“We could visit their parents,” Paul suggested. “Offer our condolences. I’m sure that Antoine and Lizzie’s parents would like that, knowing that they had friends that cared about them.”

“Well, I’m not going to Antoine’s house,” Derek stated flat out. “Antoine’s father, right bastard he is. One time I met him, he went off on my hair and make-up. Mean old prick.”

“Okay, what about Lizzie’s folks then? Paul offered.

“My mom offered her a ride one time,” Abigail spoke out. “For that field trip last year to Gotham Musuem, remember that? I didn’t actually go inside but I peeked inside when Lizzie opened the door. Saw, like, one of those old-people chairs. You know, the kind that climbs the stairs. I think her mom, or maybe her grandmom or granddad, I didn’t see them, but I think they’re like an invalid or something.”

“We should visit them,” Marta declared. “I’m sure they could use help or something.”

“Great, old-people smell,” Ruth rolled her eyes.

“Come on, babe, it won’t be that bad,” Palmer wrapped his arm around her. “You can ride in my jeep.”



A short while later…

“Ring the door bell again,” Marina told Derek.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Clover asked Abby.

“I think so…” Abby answered, unsure. They all huddled on the doormat in front of the house. The place looked rundown, peeling paint, missing tiles on the roof. The rain gutter around the corner was rusted and leaning over slightly on loose hinges. Damp wet leaves covered the lawn, obviously no one had been around to rake them.

“This place is seriously giving me the creeps,” Ruth muttered, tapping her foot. “Let’s just go.”

“Wait,” Marta whispered, “I hear someone.”

They all listened and indeed it sounded like footsteps coming from inside the house. It was too late to bail now so they all just stood there, frozen to the spot, breathlessly waiting to see what would happen next.

[United States of Brainy]

Lydia Sorenson

She headed out of the pawn shop, holding the precious comic book close to her with both hands. She had already loaded her other purchases into the back of her van. Lydia couldn’t wait to get home so she could enjoy the extremely rare issue of Miss Midnight at her leisure.

That’s when she saw it. A GCPD cruiser had pulled up right behind the black Toyota parked in the alleyway. Two beat cops shambled out and began snooping around the vehicle. Peering through the back windows, turning their heads from side-to-side. Intent on finding something. One of the cops returned to the cruiser, slid into the driver’s seat, leaned to his right with his head down.

Lydia knew exactly what he was doing. He was running the plates through the laptop mounted to the center dash. Through the local, state and federal databases. Checking to see if the vehicle had been reported stolen or if the owner had any outstanding priors. After a minute or two, the cop leaned the other way, raised his hand outside the open door and snapped his fingers. His partner began ambling his way back to their car.

Maybe the woman had outstanding parking tickets, maybe she was a terrorist, Lydia had no idea. Either way, it was none of her business. Not her problem. From her vantage point across the street, she hadn’t been noticed. All she had to do was get into her van and drive off. She opened the driver’s side door and slid behind the wheel. Locked the comic safely in the glove compartment. Inserted the key into the ignition. All she had to do was turn the key. Turn the key…damnit!

She yanked the key out, locked the van and started walking back to the shop. The cops were still conversing inside their car, still hadn’t noticed her. She wasn’t worried about the $30,000 or leaving her business card behind. Lydia was a licensed security contractor, her business totally legitimate and separate from her other ‘business’. She had a lot of important clients, multinationals and foreign governments, clients with connections and influence. She had nothing to worry about from these cops.

So, why get involved? Why help this woman? Because the woman had a lead on getting her the rest of the comic books she so desperately needed for her collection. That was the reason and nothing more. At least, that’s what she told herself.

Re-entering, she strode straight up to the counter. “A cop car just pulled up behind your car. Pair of uniforms are checking your plates as I speak. If you have anything more serious than a speeding ticket, I suggest you close shop and find someplace to lie low. Don’t head back home. You have about five minutes before backup arrives and they start canvassing the neighborhood. And you’re welcome.”

Lydia turned around and starting heading for the door, her good deed for the day done.

[Haedros 92712]

Batwoman
Kate saw the behemoth lift the truck and send it flying in her direction. She deftly rolled out of the way as the machine landed with a loud thud on the forest floor, knocking over a few trees in the process. There were a few scratches on the truck, but Batman made sure his tech was durable. The vehicle was still perfectly in shape.

Kate pushed herself up and saw the little girl in the Robin suit dragging Damian towards her.

Smart girl, Kate thought to herself. But she needed to buy the kid time. And also prevent Bane from easily dragging Damian back to him.

Kate used all her remaining energy to charge at Bane, ramming into the 8 foot man’s chest. Kate herself was 5’ 10’ – over 2 feet shorter than the masked monster’s current height. She sent useless punches to the man’s jaw and frantically kicked at his legs. She had to distract him long enough to get Damian to safety.

Kate pulled a sharp knife from her utility belt, stabbing at his skin. The blade cracked upon impact. She pulled smoke pellets and tear gas pellets from her belt, crushing them on Bane’s arm and letting the mixture of gas release, clouding Bane’s vision either by the smoke screen in front of him or by using his own tears against him — if a monster like that could even cry.

Kate turned back, unsure of whether the Girl Wonder had rescued Damian yet.

Despite the pain in his eyes and the cloudiness of his vision, Bane noticed the moment Kate looked away and punished her for it. He delivered a blow at inhuman speed across her jaw, and another to her leg, forcing her to backpedal. As she was staggered back, Bane took the opportunity and kicked her, sending her straight into the front of the Bat Truck. He then turned to deal with the younger one, who tried to recur Damian. Rather than go for the boy, he went straight for this female Robin and rammed into her with his shoulder, sending her airborne and knocking her backwards a good ten feet. “You were fools to think you could fend me off. You are strong, by the human standard, but in the end, you are just like every other vigilante. Just like Dick Grayson. Just like Tim Drake. Just like Barbara Gordon. Flimsy. The only strength you have comes from some strange hero complex that makes you feel the need to throw yourself in harms way for others. You lack true motivation. I do not wish to fight you. You are boring to me. The only one I wish to fight... is the Batman.” Bane picked up Damian once more and began walking away, tearing a tree from its roots and knocking it down to slow their path to follow him. And he vanished away into the thicket.

[Fronket]

Commissioner Harvey Bullock
“Sir!” A young officer came rushing into Harvey’s office, “Sir, shit just got REAL at Wayne estate. Our guys on the ground saw explosions coming from the woods, paired with flying trucks and all.”

“Then send more officers!” Harvey yelled. “I want you to bring ’em all in. Hands off Bane though.” The officer looked at Harvey with a strange look. “For our officers’ safety, o’ course.” Harvey added with a smile.

“Sir! Sir, THERE’S A BREAKOUT IN PROGRESS! At Blackgate!” Another officer yelled, panting as he arrived.

“What? Whaddya mean? Who’s breaking out?”

“Red Hood is breaking Red Robin out of jail!”

“MotherFUCKER! Oh no he won’t...Montoya!” Harvey barked at his new top detective, only to find her gone.

Detective Renee Montoya
Renee had already jumped into her sports car and had raced off towards Blackgate Isle from Old Gotham. That would require cutting across town and getting to the isle using the Arkham Bridge. Unfortunately, it was rush hour in Gotham, and cutting through midtown was brutal. While she did have a brigade of official cop cars surrounding her, which did allow for some room to be made on the road, it didn’t decrease the sheer amount of cars that had to be moved. After waiting 15 minutes in the traffic, Renee decided there was no time. She left her car on the side of the road, instead dashing into the tall building next her and getting on its roof, then jumping from building to building until she saw the bridge ahead of her. She looked up to find a GCPD helicopter ready to pick her up. Finally, Harvey wasn’t being an idiot. The copter dropped her on top of Blackgate, just in time to see Red Hood entering the facility. She fired two shots in his direction, missing both.

Renee didn’t really want to keep Tim Drake in jail, but she wasn’t one to disobey orders. She was more keen on capturing Red Hood. That would go down well with herself, her bosses at GCPD, and with Maroni. Red Hood was her one target.

[United States of Brainy]

Monica Delacroix

Layla Cromley

“Listen, I know I’m your captive and all... but why can’t we be some kind of friends? You may have hit me on the head pretty hard, still kinda hurts by the way, but maybe we have something the other wants.”

She paused for a moment as she shifted her hands slightly, pricking uselessly at the rope that bound them. “I’m guessing you know my dad's corrupt, right? I haven’t been doing anything to save him, I’m trying to hurt him.” Layla looked down for a moment as she said the next, more personal part. “He killed my mother... always pretends it’s just some murder the cops could never solve.”

Her eyes flitted back up to look at Monica. “You’re very smart, I can see that even despite what I said earlier about you being a secretary. Why waste it doing something like this?” As if she wasn’t waiting for an answer, Layla continued on. “I can secure you a pretty nice position in the company. It probably pays triple what you’re getting for this in a single month.”

“Hell, you’ve got so much evidence on me that even if I was just saying this to escape, you could publish it pretty fast. I’m being very serious about this, Monica.”

“Friends? Are you kidding me?” She gave a bitter little chuckle. “I must have hit you a LOT harder than I thought to rattle your brain like that! Get this straight, bitch- we…are …not… friends. I’m not your gal pal, not your BFF or shopping buddy. Though…judging by that outfit of yours, you could stand a trip to the mall,” she added snidely.

She listened to the girl’s sob story. “Duh. Of course, I know your dad’s a corrupt piece of shit. Even my dog knows that! And wow! The goody-two-shoes is trying to bring down her crooked father! Honey, you need a new script doctor because that story’s on life support. I mean, seriously, that shit’s cornball even for the CW! Believe me, I know. I’m sure my brother told you how he’s a big shot actor and all. Sure he’s told you about all the commercials he’s done. Bet he didn’t tell you that I’m an actor too. Well, was. Child actor. Did a couple episodes of The Vampire Diaries and a Burger King commercial,” she told the heroine with more than a hint of pride.

“Sorry about your mom, though,” she added as an afterthought but without any malice. “Must have been rough, huh?”

Monica paused for a sec, pondering something over. “Well, I guess I can tell you. No harm in it. That flash drive, yeah…there’s nothing on it. It was just bait for our trap. Sorry to disappoint you.”

And then the captured girl tried to buy her off with some lame job offer. “Ha! That the best ya got? What? You pull that out of your trusty superhero handbook? For your information, I LOVE what I do. Love owning my own business, being my own boss. Believe it or not, I used to work for Orwell Industries. In accounting. All of that was true. Got so bad I wanted to slit my wrists. All that corporate bullshit. Office politics. Urrrgh. Besides, why would I want to work for your dirty-as-hell father and his crummy company? I see you haven’t thought things through, Layla.”

She placed one bright red, manicured fingernail under her captive’s chin and forced her head up. “And why the hell would I ever let you go, Layla? You’re our first contract and we very well can’t disappoint our first client, now can we?”



Batgirl

Cooper

Cooper rushed towards them, putting on a burst of speed just before he got close enough. He slammed his shoulder into Nightwing, enough to send most men stumbling backwards. He looked pretty out of it, so the dog assumed he’d fall easily. With Batgirl nabbed by her cape, Cooper flew up and straight through the forest. He continued weaving in and out of trees for a minute or two, then threw the girl roughly on the ground. He couldn't hear the fighting anymore. That was a good sign.

The mutt nuzzled Batgirl. “Hey,” He said loudly in an attempt to stir her. “Wake up!”

She felt the moist warmth of something furry nudge her from the murky depths. The sound of someone shouting. “Uhhhh…” Her throat felt sore. Swollen. Babs opened her eyes and the world came into blurry focus. She found herself starring into the face of a collie dog. Not just any collie dog.

“Cooper!” She placed a grateful hand around his neck and scratched his fur. “Am I glad to see you! What happened, boy?” Then it all came back to her! Bane! “Bane’s attacking the mansion! We have to get back there!” She tried standing up but her limbs felt like jelly. She leaned her hands against the pooch and pushed, finally managing to get her legs under her again. She vaguely recognized her surroundings. They were somewhere deep inside the woods ringing Wayne Manor. But she had no idea exactly where they were or how to get back. “Looks like it’s up to you,” she smiled at Cooper, putting her complete trust and faith in the dog. “Lead the way.”

[Main Nation Ministry]

Monday Near Midnight

Detective Mitchell let out a puff of smoke from the inside of his nicotine-stained mouth, as he drove his car over to the Industrial Park to investigate another homicide, knowing it was going to be another day, another dollar. Putting out his cigarette, he parked his car as he saw the first murder victim. The victim looked like a mess, as it looked like he was almost decapitated, judging by the position he was in. Shards of glass were coated over the body with some fatal wounds around the neck, while the legs and ribs appeared to have been broken upon impact. A coroner was nearby to confirm the cause of death. "So, what do we got? A hit and run?" Mitchell asked, as he was checking the body. "Not exactly. Victim is a victim of defenestration." "Defenestration? Where was the victim thrown from?" Mitchell asked the coronor, where he pointed to a broken window from the Yermo cosmetics factory. As Mitchell walked towards the factory, he noticed a cop examining a bicycle near a chain-link fence.

Entering the lobby, there was a large amount of cops that were both in the office and at another door, possibly leading into the main factory area. Mitchell entered the office to see the location of the broken window and another murder victim. A man with a fancy suit with a cowboy hat on his head. The only problem in trying to identify him was the fact that his face was blown off. Mostly dental records will be the main source to confirm the victim's identify, until a head detective met with Mitchell. "Mitchell? You working the late shift in this shithole of a city?"
"I want to try to do one more crime scene before I take the day off tomorrow. The National Guard is supposed to be coming to protect everyone and plus, most of these cops are corrupt with turning the blind eye."
"Well, you're in luck. This one is going to be the one that's going to have you drinking at the bar. It's a 4 by 4, as I would call it." the lead detective said to Mitchell, which was his own phrase to describe 4 murders at once.
"So, who was the guy at the car and who is this?"
"We checked the wallet of the guy outside. Name was Gillespie McGee. He currently has a large criminal record in dealing with illegal contraband and what not. Mostly black market stuff. Victim in the office is Douglas Yermo. Owner of this building and business Yermo Cosmetics. Cause of death is a .357 round to the face. We were planning on using the teeth for identification, but we actually found a lighter in his pocket that bore his name."
"So you think this was a gang hit? It's the current theory, seeing how a guy was thrown out this window."
"Yeah, I don't think this was a gang hit. You hadn't even saw the last two. And you better make this, quick. Because the father of the victim I'm about to show you is being notified that their son is dead."

Antonie's body was still in The Terror outfit, as the cape was wrapped around his neck to strangle him. "A teenager?" Mitchell said, noticing the gallbladders and bullet casings at the factory entrance. "Poor kid. We found a camera near the last guy. We already know who killed him. May I show you?" the lead detective gestured to Mitchell to come over to the catwalks, where the last victim was. Vincent Breitkopf. "This is Vincent Breitkopf. He's wanted in Delaware for being the Night Strangler. Cause of death. Cruel and unusual death is the looks of it." The Strangler's body had a gaping hole that showed his organs. His face showed his eyes open, which it looked he was in horrible pain from what happened to him. "So...what's the murder weapon for this guy?"
"Something impossible."

As Mitchell left the factory, he saw a man that reminded him of Mr. Dixon from that one Tales from the Crypt episode. "My son! Where is my goddamn son!" Clearly, it was Antonie's father, wanting to see the body, looking ready to punch the nearest cop who tried to hold him back. Mitchell avoided him, making sure that the father didn't recognize him as a detective, otherwise the situation would end up worse. Driving away, Mitchell started to wonder what exactly killed the Night Strangler.

---

"Ughh....son of a bitch. It still goddamn hurts." Greyface opened the front door, as they nearly ripped it off it's hinges. Greyface started to walk upstairs, where each footstep felt like a mini earthquake when walking on the floor. Greyface was about to walk into the bathroom, when their Grandma appeared. At the ripe age of 85, she was still a bit of a tough granny, though the need for the walker was important. It was good, since Grandma was going a bit loose in the head. "Lizzie, dear? Is that you? You're sounding more like your father. If only your mother was here." Grandma said, as Greyface needed something to get rid of the pain. To be fair, Grandma was actually right. Greyface's voice didn't sound like what they were when they were human. Now, their voice was completely different and unrecognizable to who they were, sounding very masculine and more monstrous.

"I need to take a bath. I had a rough day today and I need to cool down." Greyface said, stomping past Grandma and entering the bathroom to get the water flowing in the bathtub. Greyface settled and laid down, while water was filling the tub. Since now all the tension was gone, they had a moment to contemplate what had just happened. Antonie was now dead and they were bound to find his body. Then, people are going to think that he was brainwashed by his obsession for Karlo that led him getting killed. Would people coldly mock him for being like The Terror, or would people see him as a villain. Greyface suddenly started to cry from their eyes. It's amazing that even after their tear ducts were dissolved, along with their glasses melting into them, that they managed to cry. Of course, science works in mysterious ways.

As Greyface was being soaked with water, their clay body was starting to be more moist, similar to actual wet clay. The water in the tub was starting to turn the same color as Greyface. That was when Greyface started to feel most changes that was happening onto their body. At first, there was pain, however it was most lighter than what had happened. Greyface started to have their body expand from their humanoid frame, changing more into what Clayface would normally look like. Greyface holstered themselves from the tub, where their clay body was starting to drip onto the floor. Greyface walked towards the bathroom mirror to see what has happened to them. They didn't look humanoid, anymore. Greyface thought they looked like a monster, but now their form was now almost similar to that of normal Clayface. Greyface examined their hand to see how they had now became what the public fears. Wait. Maybe there was a way. A way to have Antonie show why he praised Karlo. Maybe Greyface can..help people?

Greyface started to look into the mirror some more to view what they were. Perhaps, it could be better. To prove that even though, malice of all sorts were roaming the city, Greyface would try to be the odd one out. To show that even though as a freak, they could make a difference. For everyone. For them. And for Antonie. Greyface starting to accept what they are now, shed a last tear, ready to live their new life.

Meanwhile, Grandma was leaning near the bathroom door, using her hearing aid to try to hear the sounds Greyface was making. Rather than interrupt them, Grandma started to say to herself, "My precious Liz! She doesn't have to worry about being a late bloomer now! She must have finally reached puberty!"

[Farilexasm]

Red Hood and Katana
Red Hood approached the prison to find the armed guards surrounding him. “Well. Hiya fellas!” Jason said, genuinely jovially. Katana batted all of the incoming bullets away with her two swords, and then stabbed all of the guards to death. Unfortunately, Jason didn’t notice the cop standing above them, and the two shots took him completely by surprise. Both of them missed the mark, so Jason was left unscratched. Katana was wearing a bulletproof suit, but unfortunately the bullets that were meant for Jason hit Katana right in her stomach, which was unprotected by the bulletproof clothing. Both shots lodged themselves in her abdomen, sending her keeling over to the floor.

Well this complicates things, Jason thought frustratedly. He slung Katana over his shoulder, continuing to advance into the building. He managed to shoot most of the guards inside, and walked into the elevator to get to level B. He shot both of them, the bullets directed at him bouncing off of his chest.

He stole the keys from the dead guard in charge of Tim’s cell. He opened it, finding Tim, Zsasz, and Clayface all leaned against the wall.

“C’mon! Get out!” Jason yelled.

[Whalestron]

Layla Cromley

There was no point in trying to trick Monica, Layla saw that now. She wasn’t going to fall for anything she threw at her. For a few moments, the vigilante thought things were hopeless. She was going to miss her opportunity, then get caught by someone. She could only hope that Edgar would return soon, trick him or something. Then something caught her eye. The serrated blade she’d used to free Monica before. It was within her toes' reach. If she could just...

Layla thrashed around violently, shaking from side to side until she began to lean dangerously close to the ground. Bracing herself for the impact of the ground, Layla dropped down. If she was correct in her very brief calculations, the blade was right by her hands.

She groped around blindly until she felt the metal through the gloves, then grabbed it, clutching it tightly. Layla looked up at Monica with a smile. “So is your brother usually that flirty?” She asked casually despite the fact she on the floor now.

Cooper

“Batgirl, wait-!” Cooper shouted. It was his normal voice that came out, not the strange one the demon used to speak, the one that sounded somewhat off. The dog shook his head to clear away whatever had taken him over. He opened his eyes again with an angry expression on his face, eyes fixed on Barbara as if she was a piece of steak and he was a hungry lion.

“I tried to rescue Tim.” He began. “But he tried to kill me. Kicked me out of the van into traffic, ended up getting lucky and falling down a hill.” He lied easily, the demon back in control. Cooper wasn’t going to make another appearance. Not if he could do something about it. The mutt took a step towards Batgirl. The blood of the cops was especially clear when he stepped into a patch of light that cut through the foliage above.

He took another step, then paused. There was some emotion that restrained him from tearing the girl apart right then and there. Was that... guilt? He chuckled to himself, then sniffed the air. Bane's scent was very particular. He’d have no trouble getting back to him. But did he really have to? What would that brute really care if Batgirl died now?

Cooper motioned with his head to a direction, then began walking. “C'mon, shouldn’t take long before we get to the others.” He informed the Bat. It certainly didn’t take very long. Cooper walked for about seven minutes when he saw Bane. He led Batgirl straight to him and, for extra measure, flew quickly behind her and shoved her forward into him.

“Who’s the kid?” He causally asked, motioning to Damian with a paw. “I brought you Batgirl. She almost got away with the others, girl thought I was helping her.” He snickered evilly at the thought.

[Lic]

Tim Drake
Tim saw Zsasz dash out of the cell upon Red Hood’s arrival. This was a bad idea.

“Wait, there’s someone else we need to rescue. We need to find out which cell Stephanie Brown is being held in! And we need to get back my tech.”

Tim walked down the jail hall only to find guards aiming their guns at him. Tim slipped through their legs, kicking them in the back and tossing them aside. He turned back to face Red Hood.

“Jason, if you kill anyone on my watch, I swear...”

Tim ducked as a prison officer tried to use a bludgeon on his head. Tim flung his arm back, hitting the officer on the face and knocking him out. Tim passed by the guarded room where confiscated belongings were held, as possible evidence for criminal trials. Tim punched his way into the room, grabbing his suit, wings, and utility belt. He quickly wore the suit, attached the wings to his cape, and strapped the belt around his waist. He pulled an extendable baton from his belt, and used it as a weapon against the onslaught of Blackgate Guards. Amidst the chaos, Tim spotted Zsasz, Professor Pyg, and Hugo Strange all slipping away. Tim was hating himself right now, but he needed to defend his city from Bane. He couldn’t do that in jail.

Huntress
Helena saw Bane disappear into the foliage. She ran after him, but she had no idea where he’d gone. The woods were too dense. And right now, the forest fire was just expanding. They all had to get out of here. Damian was gone, but if Helena wanted to see him alive again she couldn’t let herself die here.

Huntress ran to the Battruck. Batwoman lay in front of it. “Batwoman, we need to go.” Helena helped Batwoman to her feet, and got inside the capsized Battruck with her through a broken window.

“C’mon, there’s gotta be a way to turn this thing over...”

There. There was a round red button labeled “Arms.” She clicked it. From the truck extended four massive metal arms, like spider legs. Helena used the legs to push the truck up, and then flip it over using the arms as anchors. Back in its wheels, Huntress drove the truck a few feet forward to pick up the kid Robin. After getting the Girl Wonder into the truck, Helena drove into the secret tunnel where Dick and Catgirl already were. There had been an armored vigilante with them earlier; Helena couldn’t see him amongst the flames. Leaving the forest ablaze, Helena joined the other heroes.

“Where the fuck is Batgirl????” Huntress asked as she dismounted from the truck.

[Yaana Noore]

---

---

"And... ever since I knew he was out there, like really out there, things had become a lot easier. It wasn't so scary leaving the house when you knew that Batman was watching out for everybody. Do you know what I mean? It was just a comforting thought, I could remind myself that somebody had my back. I guess that is what religious folk get from God, right? They're getting their peace of mind by thinking that He is watching out for 'em, just like I was able to be comforted knowing Batman was out there to protect me and all the other little guys and girls. Am I makin' much sense?"

Harleen nodded. "A great deal of it. A lot of people have found the Batman to be a very comforting thought, a coping mechanism if you will, something that inspired them to carry on. And not just agoraphobia either: but the fear of the dark; clowns, storms, social phobias, and more. One person I know liked to pose themself the question - would Batman be scared by this? It inspired them. And with you... well, we know the origin of your phobia, when you were mugged as a child. All those dark streets and alleyways had become so scary due to the thought that some shady character with malicious intentions could pop out of any of them. So it was better to stay in the house all together. But then there was somebody who preyed on the bad guys that had been preying on the nice guys. It was them that needed to be scared, not you. I see how Batman could be very helpful for you. May I see that necklace of yours?"

The woman hesitated, clasping at the little piece of metal around her neck before eventually relenting and handing it over begrudgingly. "B-Be careful with it..."

"I will, promise." The blonde smiled warmly and took the charm with care and observing it curiously. It was a piece of metal, painted gold and black with a pattern engraved in the design of the Bat-symbol. "It's very pretty." She complimented. "Did you make this yourself?"

Her patient nodded. "I did, yes... I like to hold it whenever I feel scared. But it's not the same since-"

"Since 'Batman' killed the mayor?" Another nod. Harleen shook her head and handed it back. "No, that wasn't him. Batman does not do that, not ever." She would know. All the things the Joker had done to him, all the deaths that could have been prevented, but Batman never killed him. Bats had thought Mistah J had killed one of his Robins, and that childhood friend of his, Hush, but on both occasions had resisted the urge to take a life in revenge. It wasn't like it was hard, B-man was a very strong guy, and he knew how. All he needed to do was clasp onto someone's throat a little too long, or bend and twist their neck a little too hard and it would be done. "It was not him, I assure you. But I understand how it has knocked your confidence. Are you aware of the problem of evil? It's a religious folk thing. If God is all-loving, knows and sees everything, and is all-powerful... then why does evil exist? A lot of people figure that this means that he therefore cannot be all of those things, and if that is true... why should they worship him? The same goes for Batman. If he goes and does that evil act, how can be the hero you thought him to be? It's a crisis of faith, in Batman."

"Yes, it is that." She crossed one arm over the other. "I'm just... scared. We haven't seen Batman in so long now, and the guy that he left behind, Robin, I read the papers. He's just a kid. A kid adopted by Bruce Wayne, but still, just a kid. All his dad did was have him work as a janitor. Now vigilantism has been outlawed and Robin is in jail. Who is going to look after us, and why isn't Batman coming back? I'm scared that he isn't going to. And if he does what if he turns out to just be..."

"A normal guy?" The psychiatrist proposed. Her patient nodded but avoided her eyes. Harleen had to contain a laugh. Mistah J had found that a little scary too. He never wanted to know who Batman really was, and Harley had been forbidden from taking his mask off to sate her own curiosity. Batman was the real face, he had explained to her. To take it off and see another boring person would spoil the magic of Batman. She leaned in, clasping at the necklace. "Batman is more than just a guy no matter what, he's this. He's a symbol, he's hope for everybody. That's why these guys are doing this to you, to everyone, they want to destroy your hope, your faith in B-ma-Batman. Don't let them do that."

"I miss him."

Harley sighed. "Y'know, I do too."

[Yaana Noore]

---

---

As night began to fall and half-working streetlights started to blinker on the pavements Harley gathered her bag and prepared to go home. The door to her office was locked and she hid the keys in a nearby plant. The place had no alarm, she couldn't afford something like that, but had thus far been lucky in that nobody had tried to rob the place yet. The truth was that there was nothing of value to steal.

The question that she had asked herself that morning on top of the GCPD building continued to roll around in her skull: who was she? Harley had no real answer to it still, it wasn't an easy one to answer, even for a qualified psychiatrist like herself. Ever since the Joker had left, she was like a puppet with its string cuts. No longer did she dance to someone else's whims, but instead simply flailed about aimlessly. She needed... something, a thing that could define who she really was. Her mind rolled back to her interaction with Batgirl. That was the first time in a very long time that she could remember being talked to like a person rather than a tool by anyone that was not Ivy. The first time she had actually been appreciated. Perhaps it was the thought that she could make B-girl proud that she did what she did next.

"Excuse me, Miss! Can you help, please?!" A little boy ran up to her, he couldn't be more than twelve or thirteen. He spoke quickly and breathlessly, like he had been running. "Can you help me, Miss? My sister got hurt by some guy, she needs to get a doctor. Can you call 911?"

"Woah, woah, calm down there little man. What's your name?" She knelt down to meet his big brown eyes.

"Mateo."

"And your sister is hurt, Mateo?" Harley got her phone out from her handbag. "I can call a doctor for ya, sure! Is it bad?"

"Yes, very!"

"Well let's get goin' then! Take me to her so we can get her to a hospital." The kid nodded affirmatively and ran off down the street, gesturing for Harley to follow. Down the street to the left, and then through an alleyway, then a right, then through another alleyway and - wait, it was a dead end. "Um, hello?" Harley called, looking around. She couldn't see any sign of Mateo or his sister down there. But when she turned around to leave, she did see four other guys, and they did not look friendly, in those hooded jackets and wielding those baseball bats in a threatening manner.

"Well, hiya fellas! Did I miss the Knights game today or somethin'? You all look ready for a game of b-ball right now, with them bats and shady way of dressing. Now if you excuse me..." She tried to make her way past, but one stuck an arm out and gave her a shove back. "Woah. Hands off, dumkopf. Outta my way." She reached into her bag, rummaging around for her knife but found nothing of the sort. Ah, crap...

"Bag." One of them said, pointing to her handbag with his bat. Another approached her and tried to take it off her, but Harley tugged back, snatching it out of his grasp and sending him flying back into the dumpster with a flying kick. The other three men paused, likely taken aback by her display of martial prowess. They drew their weapons: two bats and a knife, and made their way towards them. Harley chuckled and dropped her bag, waving towards them.

"Bring it." She invited, catching the bat as it was swung at her. Quickly she jerked left to dodge a swipe with the knife, and then threw herself back to avoid a lunge. The second guy with the bat smacked at the wall when she dipped her head just in time, swiftly sending him to the ground by tackling his legs. Harley grabbed at the bat, engaging in a tug of war until he relented following a kick to the gonads. She blocked a swing by one bat with her own as if she were wielding a lightsaber and then caught the knife thrown at her in the wood. She launched the bat at one of their heads and heard a crack. A hand snatching at her ankle sent Harley tumbling to her knees alongside the one on the floor, who she jabbed a foot at and shot back up. One charged at her and she dived over him, spinning around quickly and shoving him against the wall. "Take... that!" She shouted with glee, connecting her elbow with his head and in turn against the brick wall.

Harley giggled crazily, "Wow, I really have missed this!" She looked around. One man lay on the floor, groaning in pain. Another was rolled up in a ball and nursing his head, while the third sat in a heap by the wall, momentarily disoriented. The last was still lying amongst the garbage. "Thanks for the workout, boys. Now if you exqueeze me, I am gonna be off... oh."

She was staring down the barrel of a gun. Not by one of the men, but a child. The child. She heard them laugh. "Buen trabajo, Mateo." Was said in a tongue she did not understand. But she did understand quite clearly that they had won, so she raised her hands. One of the men took the gun and guided her to the corner, making her face the wall. She gave a quick glance over her shoulder as they went through her bag, chuckling to herself. I ain't got nothin' to steal anyways, numbskulls. They continued to mumble to one another in Spanish while collecting the pennies from her purse and fishing out her phone from the mess of mascaras, lipsticks and foundations. Soon they came to the same conclusion. "Nothing." One reported, sounding irritated. Harley snorted and felt the gun jab her in the small of the back so squeezed herself further up against the wall. "I know one thing we can take." The man behind her said, laughing.

"Woah, that's a real 'bad guy laugh' you have there, kudos. Now you got nothin' from me so could you let me go now - hey, hey, what the heck are you doin'? Get off me!" She screamed, feeling hands on her hips. "Heeeeeeelp!" A hand muffled her mouth so she bit the fingers, which earned a wallop on the back of the head with a bat, making her see stars. Then they hit her again to be sure. Dazed, Harley collapsed forwards, head resting against the wall and her head swimming. They were talking more and there was some arguing, then some words she could understand - one, two, three, four, five. There was further evil-sounding laughing and one of them tore away her jacket. Then there was a gasp, followed by a yelp.

Cautiously, Harley turned around now that she was no longer feeling a gun at the back. Three men and Mateo were scanning the alleyway, but that meant one of them was missing, didn't it? She shot out of her skin and screamed as a man fell, no, was pushed from the roof to the ground before her. Panic set in quickly and gunshots were fired, ricocheting down the alley and making Harley cower for cover. She heard scuffling and shouts and a man flew into the dumpster. Her vision was still blurry, black dots roaming across her vision but she could still make out two of the hooded men brawling with a imposing figure in black. The figure took an arm and twisted it into an unnatural position, sending a blood-curdling scream echo throughout the backlane. It dodged the punch of the other man, and then smacked one head against another. Both collapsed to the ground, but one was still moving. It stood over him. There was a desperate whimper of "No!" before it slammed down, and some teeth went flying in Harley's direction. When she looked back the figure had gone.

The child, Mateo, had collected the gun. His eyes darted from one side to the other and his movements were jerky, the kid seemed terrified. After no sign of the mysterious assailant, he tried to make a run for it and flee from the alley, but was stopped when the figure launched itself down in front of him. Black mask, dark cape like wings, fearsome glowing blue eyes that you knew were looking right through you. It stood imposingly over the child and he dropped the gun, screaming and scurrying away.

Harley rubbed her head, sitting up to get a better view of what was going on. She jumped in shock when she realised the man was staring at her. A hand weakly shielded her face, before she remembered herself and that he wasn't about to punch her this time. All he did was lay her purse and phone down onto her lap. "Oh my God... Thank you." She told Him. "Thank you, like, so much. Thank you thank you." Her phone was buzzing with news updates, seemed like a lot was going down in the city. But her phone! Those idiots cracked it. She sighed and looked back up at Him so she could splutter out another thanks, but He had vanished! Harley quickly got up, cupping her hands around her mouth and calling out. "Welcome back, now go get those bad guys! I believe in you!"

[United States of Brainy]

Monica Delacroix

Layla Cromley

There was no point in trying to trick Monica, Layla saw that now. She wasn’t going to fall for anything she threw at her. For a few moments, the vigilante thought things were hopeless. She was going to miss her opportunity, then get caught by someone. She could only hope that Edgar would return soon, trick him or something. Then something caught her eye. The serrated blade she’d used to free Monica before. It was within her toes' reach. If she could just...

Layla thrashed around violently, shaking from side to side until she began to lean dangerously close to the ground. Bracing herself for the impact of the ground, Layla dropped down. If she was correct in her very brief calculations, the blade was right by her hands.

She groped around blindly until she felt the metal through the gloves, then grabbed it, clutching it tightly. Layla looked up at Monica with a smile. “So is your brother usually that flirty?” She asked casually despite the fact she on the floor now.

“Wait…what are you…Stop doing that! STOP IT!!!” But it was already too late, the heroine had already tipped the chair over and it came crashing down with a loud THUD! Monica stood there, dumbfounded, her jaw hanging open with disbelief. She gasped, then gasped again. “WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!! Seriously…what the fuck is wrong with you?! Are you like a secret spaz or something?!”

But the tied-up girl just looked up at her like nothing had happened, like it was perfectly normal for her to be lying on the floor. And then she made the crack about Edgar and Monica kicked her in the stomach. “Fine, Little Miss Troublemaker, just for that, you can fucking stay on the floor! Fuck if I care!” She knelt down and roughly shoved the gag back in Layla’s mouth. Straddling the girl, Monica yanked the gag tight and re-knotted it behind the girl’s head. All the while oblivious to what was clutched in her clenched fist.

Giving the helpless captive one last smack on the head, Monica picked herself up and stormed off. As she made for the elevator, she jabbed a thumb backward at their prisoner. “Watch her!” she snapped at the other Morticians, four of whom were seated at a table in the corner, playing cards and eating chips. “No prob,” baseball-bat welding dude assured her as their boss entered the lift and descended.

BBW-Dude picked himself off his chair, adjusted his pants and ambled his way to their bound and gagged guest. “I’m watching you. Like a HAWK!” He starred her down, his eyes like a HAWK! Satisfied that she got the message, he ambled his way back to the table and picked up his cards.



Batgirl

“Batgirl, wait-!” Cooper shouted. It was his normal voice that came out, not the strange one the demon used to speak, the one that sounded somewhat off. The dog shook his head to clear away whatever had taken him over. He opened his eyes again with an angry expression on his face, eyes fixed on Barbara as if she was a piece of steak and he was a hungry lion.

Cooper started to say something but he suddenly halted, shaking his head like he was trying to shake off an annoying insect. Then he opened his eyes and stared at her and Babs had an overwhelming sense of fear wash over her. It came from somewhere buried deep inside, from some primitive instinct. But then the dog started talking calmly again and just like that, it was gone. A little unsettled, Babs listened as he told her about Tim...

I can't believe it! Not Tim… The dog must have been mistaken! But then…why was there blood on the pooch if he hadn’t been thrown out of a van? Thinking about it brought on an unexpected bout of dizziness. She still wasn’t 100 percent. Breathing in deep, she managed to stop the spinning. She could figure all this out later. For now, she needed to find the others...

The pooch paused again but then quickly recovered and began sniffing the air.

Cooper motioned with his head to a direction, then began walking. “C'mon, shouldn’t take long before we get to the others.”

They walked through dense foliage, Babs had to brush the thick branches away with her arm. Hardly being able to see in front of her, she had to trust in the dog to lead the way. He definitely knows where he’s going Babs remarked to herself, very impressed. In fact, it was a little hard keeping up with Coop and Babs had to quicken her pace. Hurrying, she stumbled out of the brush to find herself standing toe-to-toe with... BANE!!! Before she could do anything a hard shove sent her crashing into the solid wall of his chest! Knocked senseless for the second time this morning, she only half-heard the pooch’s snicker as he admitted his betrayal.

“Who’s the kid?” He causally asked, motioning to Damian with a paw. “I brought you Batgirl. She almost got away with the others, girl thought I was helping her.” He snickered evilly at the thought.

Coop…noooo… Her heart sank.

[Haedros 92712]

Layla Cromley

There was no point in trying to trick Monica, Layla saw that now. She wasn’t going to fall for anything she threw at her. For a few moments, the vigilante thought things were hopeless. She was going to miss her opportunity, then get caught by someone. She could only hope that Edgar would return soon, trick him or something. Then something caught her eye. The serrated blade she’d used to free Monica before. It was within her toes' reach. If she could just...

Layla thrashed around violently, shaking from side to side until she began to lean dangerously close to the ground. Bracing herself for the impact of the ground, Layla dropped down. If she was correct in her very brief calculations, the blade was right by her hands.

She groped around blindly until she felt the metal through the gloves, then grabbed it, clutching it tightly. Layla looked up at Monica with a smile. “So is your brother usually that flirty?” She asked casually despite the fact she on the floor now.

Cooper

“Batgirl, wait-!” Cooper shouted. It was his normal voice that came out, not the strange one the demon used to speak, the one that sounded somewhat off. The dog shook his head to clear away whatever had taken him over. He opened his eyes again with an angry expression on his face, eyes fixed on Barbara as if she was a piece of steak and he was a hungry lion.

“I tried to rescue Tim.” He began. “But he tried to kill me. Kicked me out of the van into traffic, ended up getting lucky and falling down a hill.” He lied easily, the demon back in control. Cooper wasn’t going to make another appearance. Not if he could do something about it. The mutt took a step towards Batgirl. The blood of the cops was especially clear when he stepped into a patch of light that cut through the foliage above.

He took another step, then paused. There was some emotion that restrained him from tearing the girl apart right then and there. Was that... guilt? He chuckled to himself, then sniffed the air. Bane's scent was very particular. He’d have no trouble getting back to him. But did he really have to? What would that brute really care if Batgirl died now?

Cooper motioned with his head to a direction, then began walking. “C'mon, shouldn’t take long before we get to the others.” He informed the Bat. It certainly didn’t take very long. Cooper walked for about seven minutes when he saw Bane. He led Batgirl straight to him and, for extra measure, flew quickly behind her and shoved her forward into him.

“Who’s the kid?” He causally asked, motioning to Damian with a paw. “I brought you Batgirl. She almost got away with the others, girl thought I was helping her.” He snickered evilly at the thought.

“The kid is none other than Damian Wayne, an essential piece of my plan, I have come to realize. After all, this is Batman’s son. Now, I simply await my transport.” Bane grinned under his mask, knowing he had he upper hand. Two hostages, his strength fully realized, and Batman knew not of the threat he came to face. A low chuckle escaped him again, slowly transitioning into an almost maniacal cackle. As his laughter stopped, he stared down at Cooper. “You have been a fine ally. I assure you that you will receive compensation for Your service.” He then looked down at Batgirl. “As for you... you are to comply with my orders, or the boy will never wake again. I will make sure of it. Am I understood?”

[United States of Brainy]

“The kid is none other than Damian Wayne, an essential piece of my plan, I have come to realize. After all, this is Batman’s son. Now, I simply await my transport.” Bane grinned under his mask, knowing he had he upper hand. Two hostages, his strength fully realized, and Batman knew not of the threat he came to face. A low chuckle escaped him again, slowly transitioning into an almost maniacal cackle. As his laughter stopped, he stared down at Cooper. “You have been a fine ally. I assure you that you will receive compensation for Your service.” He then looked down at Batgirl. “As for you... you are to comply with my orders, or the boy will never wake again. I will make sure of it. Am I understood?”

Batgirl

She had no choice. She had seen this monster in action and knew what he was capable of. If it was just her own life, she would have risked it. But with the life of another at stake, and Damian at that, Babs had no choice. "I understand," she told him bitterly, her head hung down in defeat.

[Whalestron]

Layla Cromley

Shortly after she was left with a stinging pain in her stomach and face, Layla began to get to work sawing away at the ropes that kept her bound to the chair. She was careful not to drop the blade or alert the guards to her escape attempt. It took a couple minutes but eventually the first rope snapped in two to signal it had broken. She moved her arms further down, now somewhat more free, to get to her legs.

Layla was soon free as a bird. Well, most birds who didn’t go by Robin, and stood, shaking the ropes off of herself. The thugs seemed surprisingly into their game, paying little attention to her. She picked up her baton and sprinted straight for the lift. As the guards became aware of her presence, Layla smashed her hand against the button, sending her down to the lower level she’d seen Monica leave to.

She tore the gag off of her mouth, spitting to clear her mouth of the dirt it had picked up from the ground before Monica reapplied it. Layla was pissed off. The girl sprinted straight for the figure of Monica the moment she spotted her, tacking her and grabbing her by the throat. She was hoping to overpower her using a hold she’d learned. “Looks like the shoe's on the other foot.” She said in a humored tone. “Tell me where Penguin is or I'll kill your brother.” As if she expected her to deny the fact that Layla could kill someone, she added, “I’ve had a rough night and I will not hesitate to take it out on someone else.”

Cooper

“The reward of killing them will be enough for me, my master.” The dog said. He’d slipped, some of that animal instinct choosing Bane as his owner of sorts. He fixed his eyes on Batgirl, sneering at her. “She’s weak... why not cull her now? I’ve seen her in action, she can turn against you once she returns to her full strength. Though, for now she remains a weak little girl.” He wouldn’t disclose the full details. He’d lose control to the mutt if he had the emotional anchors alive.

“Isn’t that right, Gordon?” He asked Babs maliciously. “Say... your father's that old commissioner, isn’t he? The mutt saw something about him cracking down on strays at some point. Some tabloid paper he’d seen in an alley, nothing too serious.” His eyes brightened up. “Why don’t I pay him a visit! Tell him how his daughter's been doing?”

[United States of Brainy]

Monica Delacroix

Monica was walking to her SUV when out of nowhere she was tackled from behind! She tried fighting back but found herself thrown on her back with a hand gripped around her throat! She stared up, half-dazed into the furious face of her once helpless captive! She tried calling for help but the vise-like grip around her throat tightened as soon as she opened her mouth to shout! “You wouldn’t DARE kill my brother,” she managed to croak out. “Besides, I have no idea where the Penguin is meeting tonight! You honestly think he would be stupid enough to tell us that? It’s supposed to start in another hour, that’s all I know!” At that moment, she could hear the sound of the elevator descending. She turned back to look at Layla, smirking. “You should give up now and save yourself the ass-beating.”



Batgirl

Cooper

“The reward of killing them will be enough for me, my master.” The dog said. He’d slipped, some of that animal instinct choosing Bane as his owner of sorts. He fixed his eyes on Batgirl, sneering at her. “She’s weak... why not cull her now? I’ve seen her in action, she can turn against you once she returns to her full strength. Though, for now she remains a weak little girl.” He wouldn’t disclose the full details. He’d lose control to the mutt if he had the emotional anchors alive.

“Isn’t that right, Gordon?” He asked Babs maliciously. “Say... your father's that old commissioner, isn’t he? The mutt saw something about him cracking down on strays at some point. Some tabloid paper he’d seen in an alley, nothing too serious.” His eyes brightened up. “Why don’t I pay him a visit! Tell him how his daughter's been doing?”

The dog expected her to react with anger but she didn’t. She looked into his eyes, pleading. “Cooper, this isn’t you, I know it. Whatever evil has control of you, fight it. I’ve seen the brave, good-hearted soul inside of you and I know, I know, its stronger than this monster that has control of you. Fight it, Coop, fight it.” She reached out and hugged the pooch, hoping that her love for him could break whatever dark magic or evil spirit had afflicted him.

[Whalestron]

Layla Cromley

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that.” She said, then proceeded to punch Monica in a certain nerve on her neck. She’d be rendered unconscious immediately. Layla grabbed the keys that had fallen to the ground and jumped into the SUV, starting the engine immediately. She high-tailed it home, busting through the gate and into the street. Layla was home free.

Though there was the problem with the Delacroix knowing her identity. They could also figure out where Layla lived.

---

Layla arrived at her house several minutes later, leaving the SUV haphazardly parked in the driveway. She left for her room, ditching the costume that the Delacroix had given her and traded it out for her true one, which had been hidden behind a secret panel in her closet. She put the costume and equipment on, booting her mask up. She left the house and got into the SUV once more, taking off for the Orwell Industries building.


Once she’d made within a block or two of the building, Layla left the vehicle in favor of the rooftops. If she could hack the old weasel Arthur's phone signal... while Layla was busying herself with the task, she payed little mind to her visibility. And she was fully within the line of sight of a certain Bat and clown.

Cooper

White light flashed over the dog's eyes, followed by a searing pain and a ringing in his ears. “I- I-“ He stammered. He clamped his paws over his ears, then shook Batgirl off furiously. “Enough!” He shouted, the demon once again regaining control of the body. In another attempt at disheartening her, he spoke up to the girl in a sinister tone. “The blood on my fur. Who do you think really died in my fight with Tim Drake?” He asked her. He smiled once he was sure she’d figured it out.

“He was weak. Easy to kill, but fun to toy with. Thought he stood a chance against me. But ultimately, he...” Cooper dragged a claw against his throat to symbolize what had happened.

[Farilexasm]

Red Hood
Breaking through the guards with Tim’s help, Jason rushed outside to Katana’s bike. “Get on!” He yelled at Tim, proceeding to push Robin in front of him on the motorcycle, knock him out with his gun, and then stuffing a sack over his head. He zoomed away from the chaos, back to base in the city.

He pulled Tim and the injured Katana off of the bike; dragging them inside his base. “Operate on Katana’s stomach, there are two bullets in there,” Jason told his medic. He pushed Tim into a chair, tying his wrists and legs and then woke him up. He pulled off his red mask to talk to Tim.

“Hey pal. Long time no talk, but now we’re face-to-face! How do ya like my new digs?”

[Skarten]

The Historian

Philipp looked below as he flied over the many manors, mansions and other houses of bristol county, which often were inoccupied, abandoned for decades by their respective owners.Perhaps, he could use them one day for a future plan of his? It could be a good idea, but in that moment, he had to think about other dillemas.His negotiators abroad were able to sell the items from the museum heist, gaining a sizeable amount of money, and, although in smaller numbers, his mooks carried out smaller jobs in gotham under not that of his banner (As most thought the historian was dead), but that of anonymity.

As he continued to think, he could finally spot the Wayne manor.It was massive, many times bigger than that of his own's.He had taken knowledge of the raid at the mansion, and decided he'd pay a visit to the place and get what he could of it. After all, events like these didn't happen everyday, did they? It would be unwise to waste such a opportunity.

The helicopter began to fly over the mansion, searching for any opportunities or to simply acquire knowledge on what in hell was going on at the mansion in a closer scale.They began to move to the backwoods of the manor, filled with foliage and trees, which denied those who were in the helicopter the opportunity to spot anything below the large thicket.

Homewever, soon something was spotted- a tall masked man, holding what seemed like an unconscious body of god knows who, beside a strange-looking dog, and a caped heroine. While he was not able to identify who was the vigilante due to the distance, Philipp felt that he had seen her before. The order to hover over the position for a few moments was rapidly given, and the historian's goon began to ready, in the chance that violence occurred.

[United States of Brainy]

Batgirl

Cooper

White light flashed over the dog's eyes, followed by a searing pain and a ringing in his ears. “I- I-“ He stammered. He clamped his paws over his ears, then shook Batgirl off furiously. “Enough!” He shouted, the demon once again regaining control of the body. In another attempt at disheartening her, he spoke up to the girl in a sinister tone. “The blood on my fur. Who do you think really died in my fight with Tim Drake?” He asked her. He smiled once he was sure she’d figured it out.

“He was weak. Easy to kill, but fun to toy with. Thought he stood a chance against me. But ultimately, he...” Cooper dragged a claw against his throat to symbolize what had happened.

For moment, it looked like she had succeeded in getting through to him but then Evil Cooper was back in control. He tried to convince her that he had killed Tim but she wasn't buying it. Tim was alive, Babs knew it in her heart. But then...what about the blood? The WHUP-WHUP-WHUP of a hovering chopper distracted her from the disheartening thought that the leader of the Disciples was dead. "I guess that's your ride, huh?" she taunted Bane. "Looks a little cramped for ya, big guy. Sure you're gonna fit? You might need to lose some of that muscle. Guess ya could start with all that muscle between your two fat ears," she snickered.

[United States of Brainy]

Outside Lizzie's Door

"I think she should just leave," Ruth told them again. For a moment there, it sounded like someone had been coming but here they were, still standing outside like a bunch of dorks.

"Yeah...I guess you're right," Paul finally admitted just as a beat-up Crown Victoria pulled up. The old Ford had definitely seen better days, the dents and dings and lack of hubcaps should have been a dead giveaway.

"Cop," Marina whispered to Derek.

A grizzled looking detective got out, lit a cigarette and started walking towards them. "Who are you supposed to be? The Breakfast Club?" He pulled out a badge and announced himself. "Detective Mitchell, GCPD. How 'bout you start by telling me what you're doing here."

"Nothing, sir," Palmer spoke up. "We're just friends of Lizzie. We thought we'd come by and see how her parents were doing, that's all. Did you find her?"

"I'm asking the questions, son. Not you."

"Typical police bullshit," Derek sneered.

"Mind repeating that?" the detective barked. "Watch yourself, Elmo, or you can spend the rest of the day in jail." Mitchell pushed his way past and knocked loudly on the door. "Gotham City Police! Open up!" he yelled through the door.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Tuesday Morning

When the alarm clock started beeping in the bedroom, Greyface reached over to turn it down by pressing down on the button on top, only to accidentally smash the clock into metal pieces. "Ughh..great. I can't even wake up in the morning properly." Greyface was in bed, where the bed sheets and covers have been stained with the substance Greyface was made of. Might as well attempt to eat breakfast, at least. Greyface exited the bedroom, where each footstep they made was literally pounding by each step. Greyface wondered if Grandma had turned off the hearing aid before she went to bed, but Greyface heard nothing from the bedroom. Just for good measure, Greyface tried to tiptoe on the floor, which immediately backfired as it left a small hole in the floor.

Downstairs, Greyface checked the kitchen for something to eat, finding a cereal box to simply pour cereal down their throat. Even though, Greyface didn't feel any hunger, they did need to do what is considered "normal" so they had their humanity within them. What was next to do that was normal, Greyface wondered. Well, there was school, but seeing how they were now a monster, I guess it was safe to consider that no one would mind them skipping school. If it wasn't for that creep that shoved her over the railing, they wouldn't have to miss school, which was a thought that was annoying Greyface. As Greyface walked towards the living room with the thought in the head, they briefly looked at the mirror to notice someone was there. It was the Strangler man that they saw. Greyface immediately turned to the mirror to see the Strangler turn towards the mirror, as well. "Wait a minute..." the Strangler briefly vanished while only Greyface appeared in the reflection. Greyface looked at the mirror again, wondering where the guy went, until they proceeded to morph into the Strangler himself.

"I can. Become people?" The Strangler said, where they noticed their voice has changed to become that of the man. "Wait.." Greyface realized that maybe they can turn back into their original form. Greyface tried to concentrate on, where trying to think about their original self was like tensing a muscle in the brain. This time when they looked in the mirror, Lizzie saw herself again, wearing her typical attire. Lizzie couldn't believe it, she actually did it. Lizzie practically cried out in joy, until she noticed a side of her face looking like it was melting. She needed all day to practice her abilities, that's for sure.

Meanwhile and a couple hours later..

Kristoffer was riding his bike, his eyes a bit teary after what happened to Antonie. He figured he can attempt to cheer up Antonie's dad in the meantime, knowing meeting the man before. Perhaps he was depressed where he needed some comfort for strangers, or perhaps he needed someone to fetch him a beer or two. It wasn't until Kristoffer saw Antonie's father sitting on a lawn chair near a fire pit at the backyard, where he saw what the father was burning. Memorabilia of Basil Karlo from Antonie's bedroom were seen being turned into ash, as Antonie's father looked like he was in the mix of the grief phases of anger and depression. When the father noticed Kristoffer, he chucked a log at him, which missed, which only pissed him off even more as he wanted to get Kristoffer in the face. "Did one of you little shits came to harass me over my son being a fanboy!?" Antonie's father yelled at Kristoffer, as he biked away from the house, knowing the father was pissed.

While Detective Mitchell was knocking the door, he knew someone coming to the door, where he waited for them to open it. What he saw open the door was a granny that looked like she was on the verge of dying any minute by now. "Hello there, sunny! Are you escorting these kids to raise money for the girl scouts? It only take me a minute to get some of the money from-" Grandma said to the detective, where Mitchell showed her his badge, before turning to the group of kids behind his back. "Can't you kids go to the McDonald's or something?" Mitchell said to the teens, before Grandma poked him with her walker. "Don't yell at the kids, they ain't whippersnappers!"

"Listen, ma'am. I need to ask you a series of questions, if possible." Mitchell said, as quiet-moderate as possible, knowing Grandma had her hearing aid up a notch. "Oh come in! It's always nice to have a guest. I do have some tea that can be made. Come on. Come." Grandma said, where Mitchell immediately stepped through the door, so he can immediately close it at Derek's face. "Damn it! Bloody copper thinks he can walk in without a permit! Now what?" Derek asked to the group.

[United States of Brainy]

Outside Lizzie's House

"Come on, let's see if we can find a window or something!" Abby suggested. They began tramping through the mounds of leaves, heading around the corner of the house.

"Uck!" Ruth squealed as her designer boots squished in the soggy grass. "This is sooooo undignified!"

"Keep it down!" Marta hissed. Ruth gave her the finger as the group of teens continued to sneak their way around back.

"Hey, look! I think I found something!" Paul declared. The boy had found a window just above his head. By jumping as high as he could, he could just barely peer through the bottom pane of glass. "It's the kitchen. I can see..." He bent his legs and took another tremendous leap. "Okay, I can see them! Lizzie's granny and that cop! They're sitting down at the dining room table."

"Move it, stringbean," Palmer ordered, shoving the kid out of the way. "One of you get on my back," he directed, bending over so they could use his back as a stand. "Not you, Marilyn Manson!" the high school jock barked as Derek stepped up. "One of the girls."

"I'll do it," Clover volunteered. She made her way forward and hopped onto Palmer's back. "Okay, I got a good view," she told them. They anxiously waited for her to relay what she observed.