Second chapter
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Bruce sat at his Batcomputer, researching. He hadn't slept at all last night, going over as tring of murders across the country that matched the MO of the previous night's killer. Burned on crosses, decapitations, dismemberment, crucifixion. All victims were criminals, almost all were murderers and rapists. Occasionally The Reaper took down organized crime, mob members. And the more evil the crimes, the more brutal the kills were. And at each scene, a Bible verse, typically about hell, death, and sinners, were scrawled around the bodies. Always accompanied by the same message, "Sinners beware the Reaper, the time for redemption is passed. Divine justice shall be enacted by my blade, the Reaper cometh."
Alfred set a platter with coffee and eggs next to the detective. "I suppose you ignored my advice and stayed up all night, Master Bruce?" he said, sighing. "Need I remind you that you have a fundraiser to attend tonight?"
Batman grimaced as he opened yet another bloody picture. "This Reaper has been at this a long time… these murders go back years… and never any trace of evidence left behind. He's a master of his craft."
Alfred cringed at the photo, a convicted murderer sliced to pieces. "Ah. One of those enemies." he commented, turning to walk back up to the mansion. "Do try to get some sleep before tonight, sir."
Bruce narrowed his eyes, taking in all the information. He set the homicide files aside, and opened a series of reports by witnesses. All saved victims… a woman who claimed a black figure in a hood saved her from muggers. A man who said he was saved from death by a man in a black cloak. A kidnapped child who said a black angel saved her. And accompanied by all these reports… mutilated bodies of the assailants. He sighed, leaning back in his chair. This reminded him of the Phantasm, but not nearly as gruesome.
He was retrieved from his thoughts by the Batcomputer flashing. He scowled, Killer Croc had escaped Arkham.
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Police were already setting a perimeter by the time Batman arrived. He squinted his eyes against the rising sun, surveying the scene. He raised a hand to his cowl. "Oracle, what are the reports on Croc?"
Barbara's voice came crisp and clear to him. "Police reports state that he smashed his way out of his cage, and made his way into the sewers. They lost track of him about eight minutes ago."
"So he could be anywhere by now." Batman responded. "Oracle, try… I have to go. I'll call you back." Batman switched off the communicator before she could respond, following a shadowy figure who he had just caught sight of running across the rooftops away from the Asylum.
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Croc splashed his way through his domain. His bulky frame never impeded his progress, this was his turf. He growled, picking up the scent of construction workers. His teeth turned upward in a twisted grin as he silently made his way towards the voices, his stomach growling.
He dove into the water, sneaking up on the unsuspecting workers. Once he was close enough, he leapt out of the water, snarling. He grabbed a worker, breaking his spine as the others screamed and ran. Croc tossed the fallen worker aside to collect later, giving chase to the rest of the workers. They ran down a tunnel, trying to outmaneuver him. But this was his terrain, and he would not be outrun by these men. He snarled again, running into an open area. He spotted the workers running through another tunnel on the other side. He grinned his toothy grin, stalking towards the entrance, when suddenly he went blind. He roared, clawing at his face, tugging at the sack that had been placed over his head. He ripped it apart, turning around in a full circle. He saw nothing, and sniffed the air. It wasn't the bat, no… this was a new scent. And it reeked of death. "Who dares enter my domain?!" He growled, sniffing the air to locate the new scent.
"Wayland Jones. Murderer. Cannibal. Professional criminal." A gravelled voice rang out.
Croc narrowed his eyes, glaring through the darkness. "Impressssed?" He hissed. "Come out and find out why I've killed so many." He taunted, chuckling.
"You have a lot to answer for, Croc. Your sins are inexcusable." The voice came out again.
"So come fight me, coward. I'm not going back to Arkham." he growled, getting into a battle stance.
"No. You're not." The voice responded, and Croc raised a brow. "No… you're going straight to the afterlife."
Croc growled in pain as a force slammed into his back, sending him sprawling into the water. He roared, turning around in time to block a scythe from decapitating him. He cackled, shoving the black clad man off of him, getting to his feet. "Fool. I'll feast on your bones!" Croc threatened, lunging for the figure. He cried out in confusion as he suddenly disappeared, and felt a powerful kick connect to his back. He turned to see his hooded foe disappear into thin air again, and once again was kicked in the back. He growled, the prick was teleporting. "Coward! Fight me like a man!"
The man reappeared in front of him, sending his elbow straight into Croc's jaw. He gripped his jaw, pulling it away to see chipped teeth fragments in his hand. He roared in rage, grabbing at the man. He sidestepped Croc's attack, drawing his scythe and tripping Croc into the water. Croc turned for his face to meet the man's boot, growling as he felt blood trickle down his face. He roared again, and grabbed out. The man teleported once more, but Croc had learned. He immediately swung his fist around, knocking the man into the wall, sending his scythe flying off to the side. He cackled as he stalked towards the man as he struggled to his feet. He grabbed him, lifting him to his jaw. "You little pest. You thought you could beat Croc?!"
The man stopped struggling, meeting Croc's eyes. "I can. And I will." In a flash of movement, he reached to his belt and drew a dagger, slashing it across Croc's eye. He howled, letting the man go to hold a hand to his eye. He roared, turning to kill the pest, instead facing the man lunging towards him with his scythe. Before Croc could stop him, he slashed the blade across Croc's chest, blood gushing from the wound. He kicked Croc to the ground, standing on top of him and placing the blade against his throat. "It's time to pay for your sins, Jones." he growled, drawing his scythe up for the killing blow.
As he brought it down, he was knocked off of Croc by a black blur. He stood back up, to a black bladed projectile knocking his scythe away. A fist connected to his jaw, and he went sprawling to the ground. As he looked up, he met the stoic eyes of the Batman. "Stay down." He commanded.
The man looked past Batman's shoulder, clutching his chest as he struggled to regain his wind. "Croc… Behind you…"
Batman turned just in time to reach up and grab Croc's jaws as he lunged in to bite the Bat. Batman gritted his teeth as Croc snapped his jaws, putting all his strength into avoiding his face being torn off.
The force subsided as a leather clad fist shot past his face, nailing Croc between the eyes. The Reaper lunged past Batman, kicking Croc into the water and stomping his face. Batman saw Croc's hand move to grab the Reaper's leg, and in a flash tossed a batarang that embedded itself in the scaly claw.
Reaper grabbed Croc by the shoulders, yanking him to the wall and drawing his scythe.
Batman lunged for him, knocking him to the side before he could deal a killing blow, and was met by Croc's fist punching him into the water. Batman scowled at his foe, going into a defensive stance.
Croc growled, licking his teeth. "I've got your scent, Batman. I will suck the marrow from your bones!" He roared, his reptilian eyes flashing with rage. He swiped at Batman, who in turn side stepped and kicked out at Croc. Croc retaliated, grabbing Batman by the waist and heaved him over his head. Then the gravelled voice rang out, "Stay out of the water, Batman!" Followed by Croc's screams as the water suddenly hummed with an electrical current. He dropped Batman, who twisted and kicked off his chest to land on the concrete. The Reaper was a few yards away, electrical cable ripped out of the wall and was holding the cable in the water. Croc writhed, falling into the water. Batman scowled as he raced for the Reaper, kicking out at him. Reaper dropped the cable, blocking Batman's attack and grabbing his arm, shoving him into the wall. He held him there, and Batman glanced at Croc, who was slowly starting to move less and less. He drew a batarang, tossing it at the cable, cutting it in half. The part in the water fell, the current cut off. Batman felt the anger rise in the Reaper as he brought up his legs and kicked the hooded man away. He stood back up to his full height, drawing his cape back around his shoulders and glaring at The Reaper.
He was staring at the unmoving body of Croc. Batman was relieved to see his chest heaving up and down. "I'm not stupid, Batman." The man rasped, drawing Batman's attention back to him. "I know I won't get to kill Croc now without going through you. So go ahead, take him back to Arkham." His head lowered, and Batman could feel the glare. "But he will escape the Asylum again. And when he does, you'll be too late."
Batman scowled, but before he could respond, the Reaper disappeared into thin air. Right. Teleportation. He looked back at the unconscious Crocodile. It was not going to be easy lugging his body back up to the surface.
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In an abandoned warehouse, about half a mile beyond the outskirts of the city, nature long ago having retaken the walls and windows, a man in a lab coat was struggling to lift a computer onto a table.
He huffed, dropping the corner again. He ran his sweaty hands through his greasy red hair, fixing his glasses. Where the hell was…
He jumped as the computer was suddenly lifted in the air, and grinned to see his hooded friend carrying the electronic to the table. "I keep asking you to stop sneaking up on me like that."
The Reaper grunted as he set the computer on the table. "Sorry, Mark. Habit."
Mark smiled, pushing his glasses up again. "I think I got too used to the cold air in Canada. We need to get an AC in here." He said, grabbing a smaller computer he was able to heft up next to the larger one. "So. How was Croc? Which verse did you leave for him?"
He frowned at his friend's initial silence. Something was off. "Croc is alive." He responded, grabbing a box full of test tubes and unloading it onto another table. "Batman intervened before I could kill him."
Mark made a face. "He's gonna be a pretty big obstacle huh? This is gonna be one of our hardest projects yet."
The Reaper sighed, sliding down the wall into a kneeling position. "We knew Gotham was going to be a long term project. Even after all the big guys are taken down, Joker, Riddler, Croc, Zsasz, etcetera, there's still all the 'henchmen' that need to be taken care of. And all the while we need to be even more careful than usual. Batman isn't like the police."
Mark nodded, plugging in the computers, the dim room brightening significantly as the screens buzzed to life. "We'll get it done. We always do."
The Reaper gazed around. "Since we're staying awhile, we should make it a bit more homey. Maybe go furniture shopping tomorrow while I start gathering data on the city's loose criminals."
Mark nodded sitting down next to the Reaper. "I brought your stuff in. Box is over there." He said, nodding to a corner. The Reaper patted his friend's shoulder in thanks as he went to unload his belongings. "Get some sleep tonight, Mark. Starting tomorrow we bust our asses."
Mark nodded, yawning. "Will do. You do the same, can't have you staying up all night every night."
The Reaper reached into his box, tossing out the sleeping bag and bringing out his crucifix and setting it next to the bag. He glared out the window, the building lights of Gotham seen in the distance. "The Reaper Cometh." he whispered to himself. "Hell hath no fury like my blade. Watch yourself, Batman."
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Arkham Asylum was an intimidating place. The Gothic buildings and structures, the aura of darkness the entire island seemed to give off. The sheer number of murderers, rapists, psychopaths and maniacs inside would be enough to drive anyone without nerves of steel away.
But the intensive treatment, this was where the worst of the evil resided. And in the deepest cell, in the darkest corner, in the most heavily guarded area of the Asylum, resided the Clown Prince of Crime. Eyes on him at all times, straightjacket reinforced by a chain to the wall. The Joker was under the heaviest level of security they could muster. And yet, he never lost his smile. At this very moment, he was grinning as he turned over recent news in his head. Croc had almost immediately been brought back, and closer to death than the Batman would ever dare take him. Along with his return came the whispers of a black hooded man, hunting down the criminals of Gotham. He chuckled, his eyes glinting with malice. "Now this I gotta see." He commented to himself, his laugh rising.
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Second chapter done. The Reaper has made his intentions clear, now it's all leading to a battle of the vigilantes. How many will die in between?