Chapter 1: Another mission
The alarm on the Batcomputer began to sound, along with a harsh, red flashing light. Bruce Wayne looks over from his workout area, a large weight in his hand. He wears a black shirt and jeans, an expensive designer brand. Alfred approaches the computer, he is wearing a neat, pressed back suit. With a few keyboard clicks he brings up a live video feed onscreen.
"Mr Wayne, we have a situation, and it's a big one. I'll get the car ready." Alfred explains and goes over to another console. A 3D model of the Batmobile's systems is displayed, he immediately begins setting up the vehicle for the mission. Bruce watches the footage with a look of determination. It shows the streets of Metropolis, tall modern buildings either side of a road intersection. A giant shark like creature is rampaging. It tears streetlamps and stomps cars.
"King Shark, it's been a long time but I've been expecting him to break out of Belle Reve for a while now. I'll be taking the armoured suit." He replies, still unfazed and he walks purposefully towards his display of Batsuits. Dozens of different suits are lined up in clear tubes. One is bigger than the others and is covered in thick metal plating. Bruce keys in a password on the tube's keypad and the glass slides downwards into the floor.
The armoured suit splits open down the middle and Bruce steps into it. He manually pulls down the helmet over his face and the eyes light up with a blue glow. Stepping out, he tests the mechanism by clenching the suits metal fists. Alfred pulls a lever on the computer console and one of the cave walls slides away to reveal a hidden room. Inside is the Batmobile, a sleek, advanced design with tinted red windows and curving wing shapes rising at the back. It boots up as Batman gets near, the lights blinking on. The door rises up, intercom already crackling into life. Alfred's voice is heard through the speaker as Bruce sits in the driver's seat.
"I have set the car's GPS coordinates for 42nd Street Metropolis. Right next to the Central Bank, which I assume the giant shark man is there to rob. Good luck out there sir." He said with a confident tone. Batman pulls away in the car, driving along a raised platform towards the cave entrance.
"Thanks Alfred. Keep me informed." Batman responds as he puts his foot down on the accelerator, causing orange flames to roar out of the car's back exhausts. The platform gives way to a tarmacked road that spills out of the jagged cave entrance. As the Batmobile speeds away, the entrance closes again and a waterfall starts to pour over the cliff face, concealing the hidden cave.
Following the GPS screen on his dashboard, Batman continues onto a busy highway, weaving in and out of traffic. Cars slow to let him pass, by now well used to seeing him head off to save the day again. In the distance is Metropolis, with it's towering skyscrapers. The Daily Planet building is visible with its rotating golden globe. Hovering above are a few gigantic blimps tethered to the buildings. One of them is green with the yellow Lexcorp logo plastered on it. Batman reaches the city outstirts and skids to a halt.
The top half of the Batmobile slides back and Batman vaults over the front bonnet. He starts to run across the street. Already car alarms and screams echo around from the merciless beast's attack. Suddenly there is an unmistakable explosion sound and a plume of smoke rises up, visible over the rooftops. Taking his grappling hook gun from his belt, Batman breaks into a sprint. He fires the grapple onto a nearby rooftop and pulls himself upwards. The wire retracts swiftly with a press of a button. Reaching the roof he extends his cape into a rigid glider and leaps off the edge.
The air rushes all around him and propels him higher with a sudden gust. Circling high above the streets, there is a clear vantage point to observe the scene. In the now empty street, King Shark walks ever closer to the bank. In his wake is a trail of burning cars, torn up pavement and murdered civilians. A burst of rage flows through Batman's body upon seeing the butchered people, half bitten or slashed apart.
With a flick of his wings the glider snaps back into a loose cape, letting him freefall in a spinning motion towards the ground. King Shark starts to charge head-on to the bank's doors, trying to barge his way through. Batman's two feet come slamming down onto the giant creature's head, knocking him heavily onto the ground. He rubs his thick head.
"Ahh, the Batman. I would hoping you would show up!" he growls in an animalistic, gravelly voice. With a grunt King Shark swings his bulky fist. It is easily avoided as Batman rolls out of harm's way, landing behind his opponent. He raises the grappling hook and fires a shot that flies straight for the meaty fin on King Shark's back.
It bounces away, repelled by thick impenetrable skin. The lumbering beast turns, a snarling toothy grin stretched across his face. With a quick flick of his tail he smashes the grappling hook into pieces on the ground.
"Pathetic, you think your toys can break me? I am the strongest of them all!" he roars, charging forwards. This time Batman isn't quick enough. He is hit side-on and is thrown with a mighty force, colliding into the solid bank doors. No words come as he tries to speak, but just coughs. King Shark strolls over cockily and picks up Batman in one clenched fist.
"Is that it? The stories were wrong, Batman can be defeated! And this time I will end you once and for all." He grumbles in a menacing tone. Panicked thoughts run through Batman's head. He hadn't been prepared for this. For the first time ever he didn't have a plan, he wasn't prepared. His confidence had got the better of him and it seemed like finally his luck had run out.
Razor sharp claws press against the Bat symbol on the armoured suit's chest piece, then pierce through. Batman lets out a choked cry as he is impaled. For a few moments he stares forward, held in the air by the claws jutting between his ribs. Through the visor he sees the smug triumphant grin of his enemy. The claws are pulled out and he is left to fall to the ground.
The shock of the impact sends sharp shooting pains through his limbs. He begins to black out as he feels the rush of blood leaving his chest wounds. Sudden images flash across his vision. They are of his childhood, playing with his parents in the halls of Wayne Manor. Then of the tragic day when they were murdered in an alleyway. His entire life was racing by in front of him. He knew that this was the end.
The last image he saw was from the first time he put on the Batsuit. He could almost feel the cowl in his younger hands. Don't do it, he thought desperately. But it was inevitable. He was powerless as the memory continued. The cowl was raised to his head and lowered over his eyes. It was done, Batman accepted. It was time to let go, he thought. He had tried but he had failed.
King Shark laughs, standing over the lifeless body of Batman. He turns away, goes to grabs hold of the bank door with his strong hand. A blue and red blur zooms by and throws him from his feet. Superman powers through the air, King Shark dragged along by the immense power clutching his throat. In two lightning fast punches he is knocked unconscious, then carelessly tossed to the ground below with a thud.
Superman flies down slowly and lands feet from Batman's body. He is in disbelief as his x-ray vision reveals the extent of the damage. There is a puncture straight through the lung. Superman suddenly realised that his friend wasn't so immortal after all. With a heavy heart, he lifts the body and shoots up into the air again.
"Bruce, I don't know what to do. You can't die. The Batman can't die." Superman whispered to himself, tears forming in his eyes. He saw red, instantly flying forwards at near lightspeed. Within seconds he was at the Fortress of Solitude. In the middle of the icy front room is a long table which he lays the body down onto. He carefully removes the cowl to reveal the face of Bruce Wayne, now drained of colour. Green light spreads across the pale face, the fortress's healing system kicks in. Superman was aware of the fact that it would do nothing to help him now. It was too late. He slumps to his knees and pounds the ground with his fist in defeat.
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Lex Luthor stands looking out over Metropolis though his buildings wide window. From here he can see the Central Bank and the fight that is raging on in front of it. Batman and some sort of shark man are fighting, just an ordinary, routine day, he thought.
"Computer. Bring up live feed for the Central Bank" he spoke succinctly to his automated, voice activated computer system. A projection flashed up in front of Lex's eyes. It showed a clearer picture of the fight, and something unexpected was happening. It appeared the mighty Batman was losing. The shark had him locked in a tight grip and it smiled as it dug it's claws into his body.
Lex stepped back in disbelief, he couldn't believe his eyes as he watched the footage. Batman lay on the ground writhing in pain. It had actually happened, he thought, with a mixture of relief and confusion. The Batman was gone. A sudden panic came over Lex as he realised just what this meant.
"Computer, Emergency Justice League Channel. Code 555." He recited the command that would call the League. And the code that told them that the worst had happened, that one of their members had been killed. All their disagreements were put aside, Lex realised that this situation was bigger than any rivalry between himself and Superman.
"Connecting. All league members have been alerted sir." The computer responded. An instant passed, then a red and blue streak zoomed through the air. The man of steel had arrived, but it was far too late. Lex turned and walked away from the window after he saw Superman leave, the corpse in his arms. Now, the question of what to do next, he wondered. Of course there was always the protocol he had put in place, but actually being in this seemingly impossible situation, Lex began to reconsider if it was the right thing to do.
"Computer, begin setting up The New Knight protocol for activation at my command. And send out the drones to scrub any security footage from today. We don't want anyone getting heed of this news too early." He commanded, already deep in thought and planning his next move.
There was a loud buzzing as dozens of small, green drones were activated. Lex watches out the window as they poured out from the building. They spread out across Metropolis in minutes. Each one attaching itself to the cameras around the area. A small electromagnetic pulse was emitted, causing all the recordings from that day to be wiped.
"28 cameras wiped sir. 1 additional unwiped camera detected." The computer informed him bluntly. Lex was suddenly angry. He clenched his fist.
"What the hell do you mean, 1 camera wasn't wiped! Where is it?" he said angrily, his brow furrowing and his mouth curling into a snarl.
"Daily Planet news helicopter was broadcasting a live feed of the event. Their broadcast can be viewed by tuning over to channel-" the automated voice was cut off by a wave of Lex's hand. He looked out once again to the window with the view of the skyline. In the distance he could see the Daily Planet helicopter buzzing around in circles, a large mounted camera tracking across the city. The future was uncertain, and Lex Luthor was more than ready to do something about it.