Batman: Arkham City
Side Mission: Crossfire
By Michael J.T.R
Batman: Arkham City and its characters are the property of DC comics
[This is an update of any earlier fanfic I wrote, I am reposting it now after cleaning up some bad characterization and revising a point or two]
Part One
"Bruce? Just how long are you staying in that place? The sun's going to be rising soon, just how much could there be left to clean up?"
"In a facility crawling with the entirety of Gotham's underground, there's always something else to take care of... This call just had a particular urgency to it. I could swear the man on the other side said something about children in here."
"What, kids are involved now? Even by Strange's standards, that sounds completely wrong… Be careful Bruce, they may just be counting on it… It could be a trap."
The dark knight faced downward as he sailed across the skies, smashing to the ground with the utmost ease, his cape whipping to and fro as he approached the front door of the dilapidated apartment, a terrified gasp audible from inside. Before he reached the door, a hand propped it open. An old man, wearing a torn winter coat and sporting a long gray beard appeared. His right eye was swollen and purple, a cake of blood was drying on his forehead.
"My God... Batman! Of all people- You, you must have heard me over my radio!"
"I did, but the quality was weak and I couldn't make out your message... Just who are you and what is it you want?"
"It's... It's my grandkids Batman... A few hours ago a bunch of TYGER security marched right in and beat me to the ground to get them! They were screaming and kicking the whole time, I was sure they'd... Oh my God... Batman they're all I have left! For the love of God they're-"
"Calm down!" The dark knight asserted. "What are you doing in here in the first place? Were you one of the people rallying against Strange? A political prisoner?"
"What? No, I..." The man looked down, shamefaced, "I used to be a thug, alright? That... That was a lifetime ago... I hurt some people and the pigs never found me... But I guess I'm paying for it now!"
"Why would Strange go to such trouble to lock you in here for a crime you committed so long ago?"
"I don't know man... He just stormed into my place in Gotham too, just a few hours ago. No sit down in court, no jurisdiction... He just wanted me in here I guess... And the kids... Dragged them in too! What is that, bringing children into this hellhole?!"
"Do you have any idea where TYGER dragged them off to?"
"I... I... No, I don't."
The tall, cowled hero pushed past the man for a moment, examining the room more toughly through the sensors built into his suit and noticed a tiny pulse of audio coming from a small object on the ground. Slowly, Batman bent down to examine it.
"Your grandchildren did well enough it seems. Looks like they kicked an earpiece right off of one of them. Let's see if that doesn't get us anywhere."
With that he brought the piece to himself and began questioning it, only static seeming to respond. Disgruntled, Batman was about to set the piece down when a shifting of objects became audible, and an eerie voice.
"Sorry to make you wait Batman, I nearly forgot I had one of these." Said a man with a thick Russian accent.
The scowl already on the caped crusader's face only grew more grave.
"Anatoli Knyazev. The KGBeast."
"Good, very good," The voice seemed to chuckle. "I've been looking forward to a chance to see you again… An eye for an eye, as they say."
"Where are the children?" Batman demanded.
"They're just across the room, wondering when you're ever going to arrive Don't be scared Batman, Strange ordered me to save them until you arrive... Then again, judging by that explosion a few hours ago, I suppose he's all over the ground in a million pieces isn't he? I guess my revenge is all I have to lose from making a mess of this room. Still, hypothetically, you'd still come and stop me if there was only one of them here, correct comrade?"
"Tell me where you are!" Batman yelled.
Part 2
Across rooftops and through the skies the Batman ran. Numerous gunmen on the streets and rooftops noted the black figure as it moved faster and faster past him, many attempting to fire upon him, but none successful, all left wondering what motivated such pace.
"This is a bad idea Bruce!" Oracle insisted. "You've tangled with Knyazev before. He could take you at your best and now... Bruce let me call Dick! I'm sure Knyazev would hold off for him, he wants to get his hands on him too!"
"There's no time for assumptions," Batman said coldly. "Enough of the guilty have died tonight, and I'm not letting any of the innocent go along with them."
"Then just let me call my dad," Oracle pleaded. "We could have a league of squad cars out there in ten minutes!"
"You know full and well your father's men can't handle The KGBeast," Batman replied. "Right now, this is the only way."
"Bruce please," the woman sounded near to tears. "I care about what's going on with those kids but you've been through too much tonight! He's just leading you in and you know it! Why else would he have given you his location? Why else would he have been ready to reply, why else-"
"Calm down Barbra!" Batman commanded. "Or I'll turn off our connection."
A silence came between the two as Batman continued to make his way toward the Bowery, checking the map within his gauntlet over and over. After what seemed to be an age of silence, a third voice, bearing a British accent and a slight tone of sarcasm remarked, "You really aren't going to talk him out of this Miss Gordon."
"Alfred he's... This is insane, just insane," she insisted with a renewed vigor.
"You should know by now our good Mister Wayne has a propensity for the protection of the young. It is his way."
"Bruce... I know what you went through. I know what happened, but you can't allow that to-"
With the flick of a button Batman severed the link to his colleagues, knowing he would not be capable of focusing with the two arguing in his ears.
He studied the tall, run down office building, so little separating it from the seemingly endless others that surrounded it. There was a moment of discomfort as he again saw a shirtless body leaning against the building, its face swathed in bandages and a lingering stench of bleach in the air. He turned upward and noted a large window left open and began picking up tiny heat signals from within. Drawing his grappling gun, he fired and proceeded to climb in through the small opening.
Part 3
Almost instantly there was a thunderous roar of gun fire. Batman was thrown backwards and out the window by the barrage of bullets. He tried to cling to his grapple but let go in pain. He let out a shout in agony as he gripped at his stomach after his unceremonious fall to the ground. Gritting his teeth and biting back further noises of anguish, he pushed himself to his feet as a cackle was heard.
"You make this far too easy Batman," said a man garbed in a great black costume, several lines of red running through the center and his arms exposed to show off his great, musclesome arms, a line of tattoos running up and down displaying golden swords and eagles and the a woman with a blade raised above her head, motioning to her opponent: Mother Russia. Upon his face was a black and red wrestler's mask. "I wasn't even ready for you just yet, but you made yourself such an easy target A belt of ammunition lay slung across his chest and multiple gun of many sizes hung from the many smaller belts around his outfit, along with a longsword, daggers, hachets and seemingly anything else he could latch onto himself. "Get up and fight me then, if you have it in you!" He clutched his left arm, a nightmarishly silver mechanical structure as he reloaded his machine gun.
Wordlessly Batman pointed his grapple claw upward and fired again, managing to sling the Beast's foot. His adversary looked down in surprise as Batman pulled and jerked him from his place in the building, smashing him against one opposite the place that served as his hideout before he came crashing to the ground.
"Where are they?" Batman demanded, reaching down and grabbing the man. Shaking his head a little and letting out another small laugh, KGBeast fired another ground from a pistol pulled from a strap along his leg. Batman was again forced backwards in pain, leaning against the building, trying to keep himself supported.
"Strange told me to bring you alive, if I found you," KGBeast muttered, firing a round into one of the less damaged parts of the Dark Knight's armor, still bringing him great pain. "But he's not here anymore," he pulled another gun from his belt and raised it to Batman's face. "How about that 'eye for an eye' I was talking about?"
KGBeast starred at him, malice evident even behind his covered face, as his left eye glowed sinisterly, the cybernetics within him coldly calculating the perfect angle to reap his revenge, one that would shatter and break him, but not finish the job. He would not let him escape his punishment so easily.
The assassin pulled the trigger.
And silence kept the alley.
Again and again he clicked until he finally looked down at his gun with frustration. "What the hell is wrong?!" He demanded. With masterful, tactical speed Batman stood up and punched him in the face, a small white remote, his disruptor, in his hand. Again and again he beat at KGBeast until thrusting him against the brick wall opposite them. He knew the man could take far more damage, but decided it best to check his cause first. Swiftly he grappled up again into the building.
Scanning the dark room, he quickly identified two small bodies, a boy and a girl, unconscious but still alive and bound to two chairs. He made his way to them quickly but stopped short when he noted a circle of proximity mines encircling the chairs, all daring him to come closer so they could go off and mercilessly kill the two.
Batman drew his disruptor, but quickly reminded himself it forced the mines to detonate, rather than deactivate. "Damn it," he said under his breath.
"Looking for something?" Called KGBeast from outside. Batman went to the window and looked down at him as he held a black device similar to his disruptor in his hand. "You'll have to do better than that!" He shouted, now drawing another of his sub-machine guns out and opening fire. Another flurry of bullets soared upwards as Batman cautiously dodged down, allowing the ceiling to take the damage. Using his thermal vision to look down at the mercenary, Batman briefly contemplated his possible actions before throwing a small pellet out the window. A moment later the alley was enveloped in smoke, and Batman was jumping out again.
He fell upon KGBeast and pinned him to the ground, wrenching the gun from his hand and disassembling it before he could react. Batman searched about his body for the disruptor, but could find no sign of it. Seemingly unaffected, and red eye glowing brighter, KGBeast threw several a punch at his head and managed to force him off with ease. Feeling already opened wounds slowly oozing blood again, Batman took a moment to try and regain his bearing as KGBeast got to his feet and drew the sniper rifle slung across his back. Fast as he was able, Batman threw a small blue grenade at him, and a moment later his right hand was pinned against the wall, trapped in ice. Batman took the moment to snap pieces out and off of the rifle, rendering it useless.
"You're ruining all of my equipment!" the Russian barked, throwing his hand forward enough to shatter the ice and drawing his sword. "But I suppose the old ways are the best, as they say!"
KGBeast threw a number of slashes at Batman who managed to dodge most of them, but in the small alleyway could not dodge effectively enough to keep from taking a cut in his stomach. The dark knight gasped in pain as the sword was brutally pulled out, blood splashing down his armor. He fell to his knees, gripping at the wound desperately as KGBeast raised his sword over his head.
"Die!"
Diverting his hand from his wound for a moment, Batman put up his gauntlet and managed to catch the blade before it forced itself through his skull. The force was still enough the break through the armor and into his arm, bringing about more pain, but Batman found strength in him to force his enjoined hands apart. The blades that ran along his gauntlets caught the sword between them for a moment before tearing the blade from its handle. KGBeast starred dumbstruck as Batman grabbed and twisted his right wrist, forcing him to drop the handle, and continued pulling and twisting until KGBeast yelled in anguish with a sickening snap. Batman delivered a swift kick and forced him to the ground, quickly ripping all of his remaining equipment from his person, scattering knives, bullets hatchets across the ground with the broken pieces of his guns before finally finding his disruptor.
"Damn you... Damn you!" The KGBeast roared before raising his cybernetic hand and clenching it into a fist. Another blade protruded from the end and the assassin was intent on putting it through Batman's head, but not concerned with spilling any blood, Batman dodged the blade and grabbed KGBeast's broken sword, stabbing its end through the robotic hand, which after some struggle and electrical disruption, died out, appearing to drip oil like blood.
Batman then grabbed ahold of him tight and grappled back into the room above. Examining the disruptor briefly, Batman noted a "detonate" and "deactivate" switch on it. He again activated his Detective Vision and watched as the mines were disabled one by one. In a slip of the finger, he noted pressing the mine's buttons a second time reactivated them, knowing it would come in handy when dealing with KGBeast.
After deactivating every mine, Batman made his way to the unconscious children and cut through their ropes with his gauntlet and carried them away from the circle of bombs. He then noticed another of KGBeast's knives stabbed into a desk with a computer. He went to retrieve it to finish his plan, but stopped when he noticed a small chip with a note next to it, reading, "For The Batman, should he succeed. -Huge Strange. The password is your last name". Batman took the chip and resolved to examine its contents once he was finished with KGBeast. He then made his way to the bound body, knife in hand.
"Just what are you going to do with that?" KGBeast asked calmly. "I know you Bat, you aren't going to kill me."
"You're right," Batman said. "But I do need to keep you in place."
With that he began cutting through cutting through the remaining cybernetics in his hand until he wrenched it off completely and forced his body into the spot the children had been bound in. Standing far enough back, Batman proceeded to reactivate all the mines, trapping a now terrified KGBeast in place.
"I'll leave your little diffuser for the police," Batman said, writing a note on the back of the one addressed to him and attaching it to the door. "Once this place gets cleared out."
"You son of a bitch!" KGbeast yelled. "This will not end tonight! I'll have all of you for this humiliation! Yebat' vashu mat'! Ooyobische! Eede vhad e sgadie kak malinkey suka!"
"You need a new hobby Knyazev," Batman said with a snarl, managing to, with a little difficulty, carry the two silent little bodies down the stairs. They were ten years old, maybe a little younger, and had heads of light brown hair.
When Batman walked out of the front door, he looked up in faint surprise at a young man with black hair and a dark uniform, blue emblem across the chest, about to make his way in.
"Some timing you have," Nightwing said. "I've been on my way here ever since I heard you got arrested, but these guards are pretty stubborn."
"Tim seemed to make it in just fine," Batman retorted.
"I know, I picked him up on my way here, and got him down to Gotham Central. He didn't give any specifics, but he said it was urgent... I was fine leaving you alone at his insistence until Barb said something big was going on. Is The KGBeast in there?"
"I dealt with him already, he's in there, ready to be taken into police custody... I advise you not head up. Given his demeanor right now, he might accidentally blow himself up trying to pay me back in any way he can."
"Hopefully we can put him away for good this time... So what, do you really not have anything for me?"
"How about you take these two off my hands," Batman said, then motioning at his motorcycle. "I'll tell you the address... Just how did you get that thing in here anyway?"
"It wasn't easy, that's all I can say," Nightwing said, accepting the children from Batman's hands. "You're lucky Tim needed that ride earlier, otherwise I wouldn't have needed the sidecar. Where are you going?"
"I'm keeping an eye on Knyazev for a while, at least to be sure my impromptu cage worked," Batman lied and proceeded to give Nightwing the remaining details regarding the two's grandfather.
"Alright, I'll get em back and give you a call... If you'll take it that is. You might wanna give Barb a call too when you get a chance, she sounded pretty pissed and really worried."
"Will do," Batman said, watching as his apprentice drove off with the two he came to save in his sidecar. Batman turned again to the chip that had been left for him, plugged it into the tiny computer system mounted on his arm, punched in the word "WAYNE" and began to listen.
Part 4
"Hello there Mister Wayne. If you are hearing this now I suppose it means that Knyazev has fallen... As I was sure he would. Still though, impressive work, as always. I'm sure you have many, many questions. Whatever would you want with an old man's grandchildren Professor Strange? Why entangle them in Arkham City? Why go to such lengths? Ha ha ha. All will be explained in time Mister Wayne. The following is an interview I conducted with that old man you met, as I tried to pry at the inner workings of his brain. I hope you find the results entertaining."
There was a short pause after Hugo Strange's initial introduction before talking began again.
"Ah, Mister Ray, I'm pleased you could make it."
"What the hell is this?! And who the hell are you?!"
"Settle down sir, if you could please. My name is Hugo Strange, I am the head of Arkham City, in to give you your psychological profile before you are released into our complex."
"I... I don't know what you're talk about- Get your damn hands off me! Call off your guards you bastard!"
"Certainly, if it will make you more comfortable. You both may go... There now Mister Ray, why don't you have a seat?"
"You can't do this to me... I know my rights! I'm supposed to have a trial! And a lawyer! And a-"
"Look around you Mister Ray, there is no one here to hear your pleas but me. I am only doing my job and trying to see just where you belong in our fine institution. Why don't you take your seat?"
"I don't belong here you hear me?! I don't know who you're looking for but I'm not him! I'm a war veteran for God's sake, you wanna see my tattoos? My card?"
"To be frank Mister Ray, I already know everything I need to know about you... I'm just wondering what you know about yourself."
"Know about... Ha! You psychological types are always so damn funny! I know who I am, do you hear me? Let me out of here, I don't belong here!"
"So you say you consider yourself a healthy human being? Oh dear me, that's not right at all Mister Ray. I have some records from numerous hospitals you've been through in the last few years."
"Where... Where the hell did you-"
"Self-inflicted wounds, burns in the skin... And you mentioned a tour overseas? Very interesting..."
"Alright alright I lied about that part, so what?! Listen here, I've dealt with your kind before, I had to before the hospitals in Central City would give me anything for my head, but they didn't do a damn thing! I just needed the pills."
"Ah, yes, Central City. Quite far out."
"It makes it even weirder that they dragged me out here. Do you have any idea how long I was in that freaking car? And to get dragged to Gotham, of all places Gotham."
"So you know of our fine city?"
"No, I've just heard about it. Too much about it. You've got psychopaths roaming the streets of this hole every day!"
"But no more Mister Ray... For you see I have taken them off of the streets and brought them into their own little world, where the parasites are all free to feed off one another to their heart's content."
"And where am I in all that? I told you, I don't know nothing about this city!"
"You really should sit down Mister Ray, if we're even going to get anywhere."
"I ain't talking! I didn't commit any crime, I didn't do nothing to nobody Strange!"
"So hostile... As if you have much to hide."
"I'm done. I'm not saying a thing."
"Very well... Officer Martin, would you please bring in Arthur and Kate Ray."
"What... What did you just say?!"
"Well, if you aren't going to comply, I should just let you into the prison already. I must diagnose the next of our inmates."
"You son of a bitch they're children! Leave them out of this!"
The sound of a struggle was evident, a punch could be heard a moment later.
"Alright... Alright I'll talk! Promise me you'll leave them alone and I'll talk!"
"Martin, leave them be... For now. I will release them when I feel my work is adequately complete Mister Ray."
"Alright... Alright damn it, what do you want to know? You said you know it all already." Ray's voice was close to the point of cracking as he seemed to fight back tears.
"Well, why don't you tell me why you are here?"
"I... I mean... I was born in Gotham. There, I said it. But you already knew that."
"And your personal history?"
"I... I mean... What? What is that supposed to mean?"
"Tell me about yourself... Tell me what is written on this sheet."
"But... Why?! What?! Why would you need to-"
"Do it, or I will send you on your way and process my next patients."
"I... I was born in Gotham... To a dirt poor family. My parents were scum, the both of them were! We were stuck in the worst slums of Gotham... I was the best kid in school because I only brought a knife! Those other kids would bring all kinds of other crap... I went to high school with one of The Roman's cousins and that little shit kicked onea my teachers so hard in the gut she lost the baby that was in her... Do you know what kind of a nightmare being around all that is? What kind of things I had to suffer through?!"
"Tragic, very tragic Mister Ray."
"I never wanted in on all of that... I tried making an honest day's wages, tried to be onea the good guys, but it fell through again and again, as long as I was in Gotham... I was forty before I made it to Central and managed to get a real job."
"Interesting... Very interesting... And where do your children fit into this?"
"Kate and Arthur they're... They're not really my grandkids... I have a son and an ex-wife from just after high school miles away, but they don't talk to me... I just found those two, scrounging like I used to... I just... I had to do something."
"But why would you have to do something? It sounds like your life was hell enough Mister Ray, why would you need to do something at all?" Silence overtook the room. "I noticed we skipped right through your middle years... What came between school with a Falcone and Central City."
"I... I ain't talking about it... You have your notes..."
"Very well. Send our next two in."
"No! Damn it Strange no!" Any semblance of calmness Ray may have obtained left at that point. "Stop it right now! Stop this you psychopath! You said it's in your notes... You know what I did!"
"Indeed I do. But I'd like to hear you say it."
"I... No! It isn't right! You... You read the notes! I cut myself! I burned myself! I don't know how much other stuff the police never found out about... I kept taking all that medicine... You know what I did and you know I've tried to make up for it ever since!"
"Indeed I do Mister Ray, but I'd still like to hear you say it."
"Say why I feel like this whole place would be better off if I was dead?!"
"No. Say why this whole world would be better off if you had never been born. Do it now, or I will have your two children incarcerated with you!"
Again there was silence until Ray spoke again, his voice choked, overwhelmed with despair.
"I turned to crime... I just wanted to keep feeding myself Strange! I barely knew how to use a damn gun... And only managed to really do it that one time..."
"I am well aware you did... Joseph."
"...How... How do you know-"
"Your name? Oh Joseph, we have all spent some time tracking you... We know what you did, we have just awaited a real confession."
"The damn thing went off in my hand! I... I just wanted her pearls! I didn't even think they were real, I just thought I could trick a guy... I didn't know who any of them were!"
"But you do now? So then... Who were they?"
"Please Strange... Please..."
"Now Joseph!"
And finally, through weeps and cries of anguish.
"The Waynes... Thomas and Martha Wayne... There, I said it you son of a bitch, I said it! I killed Martha and Thomas Wayne! And you know full and well I paid for it... Every day of my life since I've paid for it!"
"Sure cries... Such remorse... It's unusual, for a criminal mind."
"And I don't know what that Bruce kid must feel... At least... At least I wanted to die Strange! And at least I could and I can! But that kid wants his parents back... And that will not happen! It can't happen! At least if I failed to make amends, I could get what I wanted!"
"Such a sad story Mister Chill... I'm done with formalities. It is time you know the truth."
"The... What truth?"
"Bruce Wayne donated several million dollars to the construction of Arkham City, if we would, in return, bring you here and make you to suffer. Yes Joseph Chill, all of this was planned, from the beginning. I shall deliver these revelations to the good Mister Wayne and within hours, should be able to confirm your death."
"Wait just a minute- Put down that headset right now you-"
"You may bring in the children, we shall put all of them away together."
"You what?! But you said-"
"I lied, what of it? Enjoy our fine institution Mister Chill, and I shall ensure Mister Wayne enjoys these tapes."
From there a struggle was evident. Bodies pushing against one another, the cries of children, but Joe Chill's screams could still be heard.
"This whole thing's a lie! I know it! Wayne fought the opening of this hole and he'd never drag my kids off into it! If he wants me dead, fine, but no kid left like him would ever do that to anyone else who didn't do a damn thing! This isn't Wayne, Strange, it's you! I know this is all you!"
Conclusion
It was then silence took over the chip again before Strange took over again.
"In a few short hours I will have my men apprehend Chill's children, and I know you will not be able to resist saving them... So how does it feel Wayne? To know the truth about the man who ruined your life? Who, in his act, ruined every life in this prison? I hope you have enjoyed my little study, I can only wonder how you feel, knowing what you have done for that man."
The audio ended and Batman looked down, long and hard at the ground. Without saying a word, he turned his transmissions back on and made his way back onto the dark city streets.