Chapter One
Batman
I watched through an opening in the roof. I was waiting, patiently, for them to show up. Their luck streak in crime was going to end, tonight. Though tonight was their end, tonight was my beginning. Tonight, I began my recompense. I was no hero, but justice needed to be served. Crime will be finished, and there will be no more orphaned boys. A soft click alerted me, drawing my attention from my thoughts. I narrowed my eyes, and I readjusted the cowl once more. I slunk backward, moving my shadow from view.
The gang crept through the walkway where my shadow had been seconds after. Some glanced warily around, but most walked with confidence. They were led by a man in a black suit. He had a red, pill shaped hood covering his face. This man was their leader. His ensemble was where their name was derived from. The Red Hood Gang had stolen, kidnapped, murdered, and far more. Information had leaked out that the money at this chemical plant was their next target. But, Ace Chemicals will be their last target, and they are my first.
I crept into the plant, and dropped noiselessly to the floor. I had to pick them off one at a time. I slunk after them, covered and defended by the shadows. They started to spread out. One of them headed toward me, and I ducked behind a vat. I circled around it and appeared behind him. I smashed the back of his head with a punch, and leaped onto his back as he slammed to the ground. I grabbed the back of his head, and lifted it up before flattening his face against the floor. Leaving the unconscious man where he was, I again ducked behind the vat. I heard the other members call out to each other. Then, several heavy footfalls came toward me. I stood up and jogged to the end of the rail, leaping toward another loner as a few of the gang members located their unconscious comrade.
They started to yell at each other, warning the others to be on their guard, that something was up. Undeterred, I crept closer to my next victim. He appeared calm, glancing over his shoulder every once in a while as he patrolled his walkway. I glanced around, and located a staircase. Staying in the shadows, I slunk over to the staircase and climbed up. I crawled toward him, and then I slowly stood up. My shadow grew, and began to eclipse him. He noticed it, and whirled around. I lunged forward, both legs stretched out. I barreled into him, slamming my feet into his chest. I pushed off, kicking him forward. His head slammed against a metal bar, leaving him incapacitated as well. Two down, ten to go.
I raced back to the stair case, sprinted across the top of the sealed vat, and hurtled over to the third of the five walkways. I turned around, watching as the men found the second victim. They were puzzled, and fright was beginning to take hold. The leader remained with a few other men at the safe. I decided to leave them for later. I watched as the three men retreated back up the walkway, staring into the darkness of the plant. I darted toward the next walkway, hurtling toward them as they began to split up. The first one began to travel toward me, and I leapt into the concealing shadows. He advanced down the path, and the moment he passed me, I lunged out of the darkness. I pummeled him, and the moment he managed to turn around to defend himself, I used an uppercut to knock him out as well.
I raced over toward the other two, eager to finish them as well. Remembering myself, I halted and melted into the shadows. I popped open one of the compartments on my belt. I pulled out one of the batarangs, and put it between my fingers ready to throw it. I stood up, hunched over, and crept forward. My arm stiffened up, loaded with energy ready to hurl the batarang. I stepped into a patch of light, and stood the rest of the way up. My shadow eclipsed the man in front of me, but instead of calmly turing around to fight, he shrieked, just as I had anticipated. I whirled my body in a circle, using a roundhouse kick to knock him to the ground. I had hit him on the side of his head, right on his left ear. Perfect, he would be disoriented. Finishing the spiral, I released the batarang, sending it hurtling toward the man. He was close enough to the other man, to immediately react if he was attacked. So, when he heard the terrified shriek, he drew his gun and came running, Which I had been very prepared for. The batarang knocked the gun out of his hand. I wasn't far behind it, leaping forward to meet the criminal with an unforgiving barrage of blows. I pummeled his chest, before knocking him out with a right hook.
Remembering the other member, I raced toward him, leaping into the air and landing on his back. I smashed him into the ground, he had been struggling to stand up, and punched the back of his head. I stood up and whirled around to see a few of the other gang members sprinting toward me. I ducked out of the way, darting around a vat toward the next walkway. I dove across it, and over to another sealed vat of chemicals, ascending the attached staircase. I glanced nervously around and, spotting a patch of moonlight, rushed toward it. I spun into it and grabbed the edges of my cape. The group whirled around staring at me with a mix of fear and awe. I tossed the edges up so they looked like wings, and reached into the pocket to grab some of the batarangs. I hurled them toward the transfixed gang members, and then lunged into the group. I dodged, punched, and spun. I got in a good punch here, a well-placed kick there, and a quick punch. Soon all that was left was their leader, who had stayed out of the fray.
He must have been staring at me behind that hood. He was trembling, and I waited as he rose to his feet. I crouched into a fighting stance, waiting for him to make his move. He leaned forward, and then whirled around sprinting frantically in the other direction. I took after him, chasing him down the passageway. He scrambled up stairs onto the hanging passageway. He turned around, scared to look away. I followed after him as he tumbled backwards. He backed into the end of the path, his back pressed against the bars. I stepped forward, prepared to rip that obnoxious hood from his head and knock him unconscious. He stood up, and started climbing up the bars. I took another step forward and swung a fist at him. But, he jumped first, sailing backwards through the air. My punch quickly turned into a mad effort to catch him as he hurtled straight towards an open vat of acid. My mad grab was futile. I watched unable to do anything as he plummeted into the chemicals.