The Never ending Knight
Prologue-Batman
A lone shadow glared down at a small group of thugs, each one holding boxes as they moved them onto a truck. Batman released a controlled breath; it was nights like these he would always find frustrating. Five men, and each one he had a history with. James, Bob, Craig, Doug, and Rob; each man had been on this before – moving drugs and narcotics. And each one had had a run in with the bat. Rob was still sporting the limp, Craig still had a slow right hand and Bob had a twitch agitated by any flicker of light.
He felt a bit of guilt rise up in his gut as he glanced over the group. Despite good job opportunities at Wayne Enterprises, they would always end up back on the streets. He drew out his batarangs out and the familiar feel rested in his hand. He threw them, each one shattered a light bulb.
"Cripps, it's the bat," Bob cried out as his hands went to his face. Batman tackled him first, knocking the repeat offender to the ground with a cold punch. The rest had gone for handguns but the lack of light gave them no easy target. He let loose another four batarangs, this time knocking the weapons out of their hands. One raced off but a quick fire from his grapple caught the man's leg, tripping him to the ground. He flew at James, his cap flying out around him as the shadow of the bat came to life. He hit him hard as he grabbed his wrists and cuffed him. Bob dived for his gun but as he raised it, Batman had already leaped onto the truck. The man glanced around as the others tried to recover from the initial engagement. Using both his grapples, he leaped onto the fire escape before launching down and grabbing Bob's comrade before he could grab the crowbar that had rested near the wall. He had a personal hate for those so he made sure the man was not hanging as comfortably as he shot up to the top of the building. A black cloth was shoved in his mouth to muffle the man's screams before he stopped at the top, cuffs dangling from his wrist.
"I know you're here, Batman," said Bob as he dropped the gun to the ground. He slowly raised his hands and he knelt down. "Let's just get this over with," he said in a very defeated tone.
Not taking any chances, he dropped behind the man and quickly grabbed him in a sleeper hold. The man crumbled almost lifeless as he lowered him to the ground. He could hear the click as he whirled around, only for a tiny pin prick to nab him in the chin. His vision was swimming as he plucked the dart from his face.
"Well, well, well," said a very familiar voice as a lone, rather short and pudgy, figure walked into view. He reached up and turned on a small light in the back of the truck. A lone lazy boy chair was resting there as the light revealed Oswald Cobblepot , aka the Penguin.
"Well Batman, I bet you didn't expect me?" he said as he cackled but the smile didn't appear on his face as he hopped down onto the cement. He held up his umbrella and allowed a razor blade to pop out of the top.
Batman went for his belt but noticed his hand was shaking. "What?" he gasped out as he realized it was hard for him to talk.
"Sorry Batman, it's just a nerve poison, nothing lethal," the Penguin admitted as Batman pulled out a batarang and tossed it at him. He raised his hand, deflecting the projectile.
"Got to get away," he told himself as his hand tried to keep his grapple steady. He launched it but the wire went wide. His knees felt weaken as he dropped to the ground.
The Penguin launched forward, slashing at his armored chest and he felt his feet give out as he dropped to the ground.
"Well Batman, this is the end," he said as raced forward to plunge the blade into his chest. But Batman was nothing if not prepared. He slammed both his feet into the man's gut and sent him flying. He pressed a button, calling for the Batmobile when suddenly he dropped to the ground.
"Not this time," Penguin growled out as he suddenly lost his footing. His head fell to the ground as he looked down to see blood – his blood. His right foot was gone. "You have squeezed me one too many times." Batman looked up as the umbrella went down and he felt the loss of his other foot.
"Alfred," he wheezed out as his mobile drove up outside the alleyway.
"What was that?" he asked as the Penguin looked down at him. "No matter, even if you do live that poison is going to hunt you till you die. Goodbye, Batman," he said as he turned to walk away. Batman reached out. trying to tie up his legs to stop the bleed but his hands would not cooperate. "You are after all just a man."
"Alfred, I need…" He felt his eyes grow heavy; all he could do was hope that his fail safes would do the rest.
"Bruce?" Alfred all but shouted as he saw the life signs dropping. He grabbed the radio and he sent out a signal to one of the few, if not the only one, that could be trusted and fast enough to help. "Superman!"