Bane vs Mal'akh

Chapter 1

Peter hadn't returned any of her calls. Katherine Solomon furrowed her brow as she sat in her car, sending him yet another text message. Hey Peter. Plz return my calls. Worried. – Sis. She sighed and looked up. One couldn't even begin to count the number of calls she had sent her older brother. Peter Solomon, Head of the Smithsonian Institute, philanthropist billionaire, and occasional lecturer were just a few notable titles attached to his prestigious character. Days prior he had just returned from Gotham City, meeting with old friend and now recluse Bruce Wayne. Katherine found it sad, as she tried to imagine the lively, handsome young man Peter had introduced her to so many years ago. From what Peter told her, he was now weak, had a scraggily beard, and had grown anti-social.

Katherine sat in her car for some time, clutching the cell phone in the hopes that it might vibrate in her hands. Nothing. With a gulp the dark-haired beauty ran a finger over her ear, pushing back a tuff of hair before opening the door. She swung her legs around and her heels hit hard pavement. With a sigh she locked her car and began to walk toward the Smithsonian Institute. A building full of different chambers, or pods, Peter had given Katherine private access into one that had yet to be fully renovated and used. He had been so kind as to allow her research of Noetic Science to occur there, inside a small, state-of-the-art cube-shaped structure. Peter had spared no expense for his little sister's work to progress, as was his nature. Katherine looked back down at her phone when she sensed something ominous stirring about.

She looked around, relatively unafraid so long as she stayed in the open. Smithsonian cameras dotted the entire place, and the grounds remained well-lit all night long. Amazingly so, she thought as she dared not look into one out of fear of blinding herself. As the middle-aged woman continued along, she felt eyes on her. They weren't cameras either. No, these eyes belonged to a man who knew her well. Eyes that burned with hatred, and his heart black as night. Katherine looked over her shoulder a saw a limousine drive past the Smithsonian parking lot and on down the road. Likely another politician, she thought, though it seemed late for some old guy in a suit to be out on a ride.

She entered the building and nodded to the security guard at the front desk. He swiftly threw his headphones off as he sat up. The baseball game. Everyone in D.C. was tuned into it, so Katherine only smiled as she walked past, offering a soft hello when the guard slowly brought his Bose headphones back up.

On her long walk to Pod 5, Katherine often felt as if she had to turn, as if some sort of shadow was following her. Nothing. She did this several times, and each time she checked her phone for any sign of Peter. Still, he had yet to respond. Finally she turned down a less-than-well-lit corridor, and nearly felt her heart explode in panic.

"Miss Solomon. A pleasure." Said a man with a very peculiar voice. Concealed in shadow, she could only make out his general outline, and quite literally, he was anything but puny. He apparently had his fingers wrapped around what looked like the collar of a wool coat. With heavy boots hitting the floor, the giant lazily stepped toward her, where a sliver of light revealed him. The woman's heart raced.

"Security!" Katherine cried when she turned back to this frightening man.

"They're all lost in the game Miss Solomon." The masked man said. That's when Katherine took the split moment to better study him. He had some sort of gasmask on, as his breathing quickly reminded her of Darth Vader, with three bands wrapped around his face, so that only his dark eyes were apparent. At least 6'5, Katherine couldn't make out the rest of him in detail, as the thick coat hid his true size, though she was sure it was impressive.

"What do you want?" She said as she brought up the phone. "Scare me half to death like that and I'll call the police I swear to God." The man said nothing as his dark eyes met with Katherine's. His mask, which harbored almost skeletal, teeth-like features along his mouth, perhaps frightened her the most. Swallowing, the scientist hesitated, just before her thumb met with her iPhone's Send button.

"I would like to speak to you about your brother Peter." Katherine felt his heart race. Almost immediately she worried that this masked thug likely kidnapped him. She pulled the phone back down.

"Peter? Where is he?"

"I wanted to know that myself."

"He…he hasn't been responding to any of my messages. I haven't spoken with him since yesterday."

"Interesting." Bane replied as he brought his head up high. That was when Katherine could clearly see how thick this man's neck was. A trip to gallows couldn't even break that thing, she thought. His eyes shifted when he looked back down at her. She could only imagine what sorts of things those dark eyes had ever set sights on in his time. The thought frightened her slightly. "I do hope he's alright…"

"Who…who are you? How do you know Peter?" The man was silent for some time, until Katherine felt extraordinarily uncomfortable. He narrowed his eyes.

"Just like any ordinary man outside of your family, I simply know of Peter Solomon."

"Then why have you asked about him?"

"Because Miss Solomon I do believe your brother has been kidnapped."

"What?" Katherine gasped.

"I would find it suiting if we discussed this in a more secluded area. You wouldn't know of such a place, would you?" Bane's eyes flashed up at her expectantly. He knew too well she did. Katherine's breath was fleeting, but even though this masked man might offer her some answers, she wasn't one to so easily lend her trust over.

"You never answered my question." She replied. "Who are you?" The man nodded. Well done Miss Solomon.

"I wish I could tell you myself. But you may call me Bane, Miss Solomon."

"Bane? That's awfully cartoony." She offered a weak laugh in a bid to break the tension hanging over them. The man said nothing as Katherine admitted defeat. It was probably best not to irritate the only man around who had an inkling of what had happened to Peter. "Alright…I do know a place. My lab. We'll chat there but as soon as we're finished you have to leave." Bane nodded in self-satisfaction.

"You have my word." Bane let the elegant but aged Katherine Solomon lead the way as she walked them down the countless corridors of the Smithsonian. They began to pass Pod doors. He could only imagine what treasures and vast knowledge lay locked behind them all. They came to the end of the chamber, where there was only a door with a keypad next to it. Katherine hovered close over it, so that Bane could not eye the combination when she scanned her ID over the electronic above it. The heavy metal door slid open, and the two stepped into pitch darkness.

"There's a strip of carpet." Katherine said. "Just follow it, and it will guide you."

"I have another idea." Bane replied as he rested a massive, heavy hand on her shoulder. With a gulp, she could only imagine the strength this brute had judging just from the weight on her shoulder. Together they made the long walk through the dank pod. Just as it had the first night she came here with Peter, Katherine was terrified. Alone in the dark chamber with this mysterious stranger, she found it best not to shrug him off out of fear.

Finally they came to a halt, when Katherine typed in another code. A door slid open, and they found themselves in a white, steroid laboratory. It was where she had conducted her countless Noetic experiments, and a haven of sorts to her normally. Katherine found it odd that this man did not ask her of what she did in this secluded place, a secret laboratory within Smithsonian halls, unseen by the rest of the world. She led him to a small study, where she and Peter had read countless books of history and science together. Compared to the rest of the facility, this place was more homely and comforting. She offered him a seat in one of the leather chairs, but Bane preferred to stand, as his fingers wrapped around the collar of his vest and eyes ran across numerous titles on the wall's bookcase.

"Now, about Peter." Katherine said as she turned and crossed her arms.

"As I said to you before. I believe he's been kidnapped."

"Yes? By who?"

"I wouldn't be here if I knew, Miss Solomon." Great, Katherine thought. She looked at her watch. "Perhaps you have some insight."

"I'm sorry, but I have an appointment with Dr. Abaddon, Peter's psychiatrist. He's told me Peter has been in bad shape as of late. He might be able to help us if we speak with him."

"Dr. Abaddon you say?" Bane replied ominously.

"Do you know him?" Katherine cocked her head as she looked at Bane's eyes, which seemed to reflect the gears grinding in his head. As they were the only facial features she could make out, she found them fascinating no less. With a blink, Bane was back, and he looked back to her.

"No. No I do not. You say he's on his way here? To your laboratory?"

"Yes, but I don't know what…" Katherine felt her pocket spring to life as her cell phone vibrated. She felt her heart raced as she quickly fumbled it out. Robert Langdon. She answered it. Bane listened intently to their conversation, as she also told him about Dr. Abaddon coming to visit. He knew quite well who the professor was, recognizing his faint voice from the other end. A symbologist, he also knew that the man was in Washington this evening under false pretenses. He could just barely make out his voice when he watched Katherine's face grow pale.

"Katherine, listen to me very carefully. Get out, right now!" She looked up at Bane, who nodded.

"The fire rises."