Chapter 1
A Full House
It was the second bank the Royal Flush Gang had robbed that night, done to perfection. Every last detail was thought of; alarms, guards, security cameras, everything. It was like a military operation, inside and out.
The sound of a gun cracking against a security guard's head echoed throughout the bank as the leader of the gang, Ace, took him out. He signalled to his comrades, all of whom followed him inside the silent bank. The alarms had been deactivated by Jack, as were the security cameras.
"What did I say gentlemen, a walk in a park!" chuckled Ace delightfully as he and the gang headed towards the vault.
"Gentlemen?" asked Queen, obviously offended by the remark.
"Sorry toots, ladies and gentlemen," said Ace sarcastically before he was smacked in the back of the head by Queen, making King, Ace's right-hand man, laugh.
"Laugh again, you sad sack of shit," growled Ace, prompting King to keep silent.
"Setting the charges boss," said Jack as he reached into his duffle bag and withdrew several small, yet powerful explosives. He carefully placed the explosives on the vault door and set them. The gang all rushed to cover behind a corner and the explosives detonated, the vault door blowing right open, a deafening crash echoing throughout the bank.
Suddenly, a large black shadow drifted across the moonlight through the skylight, prompting Ten to look up in fright. He quickly tugged Ace on the back of his jacket and pointed up at the skylight.
"I saw him!" whispered Ten, his deep voice still echoing.
"Who did you see?" growled Ace. "And why are you whispering?"
"He might hear us," whispered Ten.
"Who?" asked a frustrated Ace once again.
"The Bat," squealed Ten.
"Wake up to yourself, the Bat wouldn't be here," yelled King from the vault as he and the others filled their duffle bags with money. "He's probably dealing with Cobblepot, Dent or Joker as we speak. He can't do it all in one night."
"What are you trying to do you idiot, jinx us?" asked Queen. "The last thing we want is Batman arriving and sending us all back to Blackgate."
"Now you're jinxing us," said Jack.
"Will you all just shut up for one second!" yelled Ace as they all headed towards the entrance to the bank, their bags fat and full of cash. "You're all doing my damn head in…"
Suddenly, the skylight shattered above them, showering them all in shards of glass, and a large, dark figure landed before them.
"I told you it was him!" yelled Ten as all of them armed their weapons.
"This doesn't have to end in a fight," growled Batman calmly. "Lay down your arms and surrender. I'll make sure the GCPD will treat you well."
'Fat chance Bats," growled Ace as he fired his weapon. The Dark Knight quickly ran as the bullets followed him. He charged at Ten, who grabbed the vigilante and threw him into a desk, splitting it in two.
'Let's go!" yelled Queen and they all ran towards the exit except Ten, who flexed his giant muscles as Batman rose to his feet.
"Your friends abandoned you," said Batman.
"They'll break me out of Blackgate," grunted Ten. "That's if I don't kill you and leave this place myself first."
"I see how it is," growled Batman.
It all happened within five seconds. Ten charged at Batman with a flying punch, only to have his arm broken in several places and to be knocked out with a single, powerful punch. Batman pressed a button on his gauntlet, signalling for the GCPD to pick up Ten, before he made his way to the back alley of the bank.
Jack put on the accelerator as he drove the gang's van in and out of traffic, constantly checking the mirrors for any sign of Batman.
"Don't stop Jack," said Ace. "Just keep driving."
"I think I might've lost him," said Jack.
"Doesn't mean we stop," said Queen. "Keep driving."
"I heard the first time, you tramp."
"Do you want me to park my foot up your ass?"
A loud roar echoed behind them as they drove. Ace looked put the window and saw the Batmobile speeding towards them, weaving between the cars.
"Jesus, does this guy ever give up?" ask King as he kicked the door of the van open and aimed a mounted turret at the Batman. He pulled the trigger and a hail of bullets rained down on the Batmobile, all of which bounced off one by one.
"It's like a friggin' tank!" roared King as he continued firing.
Inside the Batmobile, Batman pressed a button on the dashboard and a harpoon appeared on the front of his vehicle and fired, grabbing hold of the mounted turret, and pulling it clean off its mount. The Dark Knight then proceeded to put the Batmobile in autopilot. The cockpit opened and he ejected himself from the seat, landing on the van with a loud thud.
"He's on the roof," said Ace.
"Why won't he just die already?" yelled Queen as she aimed her hand gun at the roof and blind fired at Batman, he was struck by one of the bullets. Grunting, he made his way to the front of the truck and put his fist through the windshield, grabbing hold of the steering wheel and turning it to the left.
The van flipped, and Batman leapt from the vehicle, gliding to a halt. He watched as the van came to a crash on its side, shattering the glass and sending a tyre flying in the air. Ace slowly crawled out of the wreck, only to be picked up by the throat by Batman and pinned against the van.
"This could've ended differently," growled Batman as he pulled Ace's mask off, revealing a bloodied-up face from the crash. The sound of sirens echoed in the distance, accompanied by the flashes of red and blue lights that bounced off of the buildings up and down the street.
"God I hate you," muttered Ace in defeat.
