Gotham City by Dan Lowrie
Gotham City; home to the corrupt and the corruptible, a breeding ground for the plague of humanity, the virus of society. What is it about this town that attracts disorder? People get mugged just coming home from work, people are desperate. There's a change coming, a reckoning and balance will be restored. I am the shadow but light will return to Gotham, I am the night, I am Batman.
Standing on the ledge of Gotham Cathedral I survey the decay of the once and prosperous city, if I stay perfectly still on-one will think twice if they look up, sirens fill the city, sounding off almost like clockwork but nothing out of the ordinary then I hear it. The sound that haunts me, the sound that takes me back to my ten year old self; a gunshot and a scream. It's coming from The Narrows.
Gliding through the night sky, I land on a fire escape; looking down into the alley I see them, two pieces of scum and one frightened tourist. I've equipped my cowl with a top of the range audio device that when tuned properly can let me hear what's going on even if I'm on the top of a building. I focus on what's happening below.
'I won't ask again, give me your wallet NOW! You want shot in the face?'
'I don't...HELP!'
'No-one's listening pal, no-one cares'. He's cocked the gun, I better move. I throw a batarang at the wall, it sticks in. The two muggers look around.
'It's the Bat', says the small one. He has a knife.
'No such thing', says the bigger one. 'Come on Bat, out you come...see nothing'.
I throw another batarang at the street light, plunging the alley into darkness, that's my move. Gliding down I kick the bigger one thug in the back, his gun goes off. As soon as I land the smaller thug brings his knife up, that's as far as he gets. I jab him in the throat then side kick him in the ribs. He's out.
There's a click of a gun being cocked, spinning round I've only got a second to react. He shoots and I bring my forearm up, the bullet ricochets and hits him in the chest.
NOOO! No killing, that's the code. He's bleeding out, a pool of blood quickly forms around him.
'You saved me', the tourist says. Turning round I look right at him, he looks terrified.
'Get out of here' I growl, getting more and more angry. He runs off.
One quick phone call and the paramedics are here, sitting back up on the fire escape I look down as I see the medics trying to save him, it doesn't look good.
That was a rookie mistake that will not happen again.
Chapter 2 to follow soon...