Jim and Harvey could not believe they'd been talked into following Jean Paul into the sewers of Gotham the three were armed with stakes, guns and flashlights "I cannot believe we're doing this Jim."
"Neither can I Harvey but after seeing a guy burn to ash in from sun light I'm open to just about anything. Besides if this is a trap Jean Paul is leading us into it's a strange one." Jim said keeping an eye on Jean Paul who was walking ahead of them. Jim then whispered, "Besides Harvey I sent word to a friend before we left our territory base."
"We must be quick." Jean Paul spoke abruptly "We need to get to Tepes's lair and grab my sister before the sun goes down. There is no telling what he has already done to her."
The sewers were fortunately shut down since the No Man's Land incident began but that didn't make traveling the sewers any easier "So Jean Paul. You said something about Tepes having a guard dog to his lair, right?" Jim asked carefully watching his step.
"Yes, Gordon a terrible creature called Killer Croc. I believe his real name is Waylon Jones. However, he answers only to Killer Croc." Jean Paul explained "Killer Croc is at best a lost soul to be generous in my description of his nature. He's a known cannibal and a cold-blooded murderer. Due to a mutation or atavism in his genes he's more reptile than human."
"Talk about a horror movie." Harvey muttered "Why haven't we heard of him before?"
"Croc keeps a low profile. He used to be a big deal on the wrestling circuit." Jean Paul answered "He laid claim to the sewers long before No Man's Land began. The homeless and other poor souls down here worship and fear Croc like he's a deity."
"Why?" Jim asked but he suspected he might not like the answer.
"Croc can take a lot of punishment and to be clear Jim, when you see his body you'll be in for a bit of a shock." Jean Paul kept walking through the dark sewer. It was surprising for Jim to see someone who looked a lot like Theo Galavan but who was completely different in personality. Jean Paul was everything Theo Galavan or Tepes pretended to be he was courageous and selfless something Jim thought was impossible to see from Theo.
"These sewer lines must run through all of Gotham." Harvey noted "How is it none of the other territories even know about this?"
"Well if you mean the sewers Bulloch it's because very few people ever think of them much less want to go near them." Jean Paul then added "I doubt you will find patrols from other territories down here either. Besides the vampires have free reign down here. I suspect Tepes and Croc formed an alliance out of a mutual interest. They both hate Penguin and the Sirens. Croc ruled the sewers with fear but had no man power to back up his rule. Tepes provided him with the man power by making vampires to help him. I'm sure you both can imagine the nightmare of an army bursting out of the ground attacking all the territories at once."
"How long before Tepes has the numbers he needs to take the city?" Jim started to get nervous the more he thought about this potential nightmare.
"Honestly?" For a moment Jean Paul didn't answer then he gave Jim the truth "If my math is right he'll have enough vampires for a citywide attack in a matter of weeks."
"That's unsettling." Jim whispered to himself. Suddenly Jim stopped he thought he heard something.
"Something wrong Jim?" Harvey asked worried about him.
"I thought I heard something Harv-"
Something burst out of the wall on Jim's right "The sewers are mine!" A scaled man wearing only jeans. Croc grabbed Jim by the neck lifting him up effortlessly. Croc threw Harvey at Jean Paul Valley "I'll get to you two later!" Croc snarled the humanoid reptile's gaze shifted back to Gordon "Jim Gordon right? The boss has special plans for you. He's anxious to have a proper reunion with his first killer." Croc then noticed the look in Jim's eyes it was one of guilt, dread, and fear. Fear of the truth being out in the open that was why Croc said what he said "Yeah. Tepes told me you killed him right on that beach you blew his brains out and then Gilzean blew him up literally. Tepes said he's not surprised at how alone you are these days I guess he was right. He said you never were good at holding on to what you care about."
"Shut up!" Jim yelled he took a gun from his side holster and shot Croc in the abdomen. Croc screamed in pain and ran back through the busted entrance he made. Jim fell to his knees gasping for air.
"Jim are you alright?" Harvey ran to with quickly "What the hell was that thing?"
"That Mr. Bulloch that was Waylon Jones aka Killer Croc and he's been driven off for now but he's going to return once he heals and he heals fast and when he does he comes back stronger than ever." Jean Paul answered.
"This is crazy Jim how do we know we're not being set up?" Harvey asked giving Jean Paul a suspicious glare.
"To what end? If I were messing with either of you two why would I play this elaborate game?" Jean Paul asked defending himself "I could have had you both killed back at the church. Make no mistake this threat is real."
"Enough. Harvey, I admit I had my doubts but he's right. He could have killed us back on the surface, but he didn't. There's also no sense in a charade like this." Jim spoke still struggling to breath "In the last few hours I have seen a man burn because of the light of the sun and I just saw a human crocodile. So, I'm open to his story of Theo Galavan being back among the living again."
After regaining their composure, the three men kept moving until they found a cave entrance in the sewers. "So I'm guessing this is where Count Dracula has made his haunt." Harvey joked but this was a small attempt to hide his fear.
Jean Paul nodded in confirmation "Yes my spies the ones who escaped Croc with their lives told me as much. Come we cannot afford to waste precious day light. Vampire wake as soon as the sun falls, and the darkness rises."
Jim chose to keep his voice low "So we just find Tepes while he's sleeping and drive a stake through his heart, right?"
"Yes, however my sister's safety takes priority over all else." Jean Paul explained.
"Just don't try anything funny." Harvey warned.
It took the three of them a long while to make it through the manmade tunnel. Jim wondered how long it took to make this tunnel and he also wondered why Tepes would bother. Then he realized that the tunnel linking with the sewers gave Tepes unlimited access to the city. When the three exited the tunnel they found themselves in an underground temple of some kind.
The temple had carvings and symbols of owls it seemed like the temple was endless but it clearly divided into three sections. Jim and Harvey looked to Jean Paul for an explanation he hesitantly whispered "According to my research the center of the temple leads to a room for ceremonies I suspect my sister is there. The left side of the temple is where disgraced Talons are placed and on the right side of the temple is where the honored Talons are laid to rest. Jim I want you and Harvey to check the ceremonial room first."
"What about you?" Harvey asked while shining his flash light around.
"I'll be looking for Tepes he and I have unfinished business." Jean Paul answered, "Don't worry I won't stray too far."
The group separated. Harvey and Jim went down the path Jean Paul instructed. The two stopped when they saw a shadow. "Jim who is the guy in the weird red hooded rope?" Harvey whispered "Do you think he's…"
"Theo Galavan or to be more accurate Niccolai Tepes. That's what I'm assuming anyway." Jim made sure to keep his voice down. Jim watched the Tepes slowly move out of the chamber. It was hard to believe that Theo was alive again it was even more hard to believe the story he'd been told by Jean Paul. Yet here Tepes was alive well undead and in the flesh. He moved effortlessly and in an eerie manner.
The two waited a good while for Tepes to leave before making their way to the chamber it had more owl statues and was like something out of a classic horror movie. Tabith was laying in a black dress on top of the stone slab "Why is she sleeping? Is she drugged Jim?"
The two carefully moved closer Jim opened her eyes and shined his flashlight on her eye "I think she's hypnotized or something."
"What you mean like Jervis Tetch hypnotized?"
"Harvey, I think it's worse than that." Jim tried to shake Tabitha in hopes of waking her "Come on Tabitha wake up."
Meanwhile on the other side…
Jean Paul searched the chamber of the honored Talons with great care. He found sleeping vampires in various rooms and was careful not to wake them in his search for Tepes. He'd just gotten done searching a room and turned a corner when he found himself standing in front of his mirror image Niccolai Tepes "Hello old friend it's been such a long time. Come to rescue our sister?"
"Don't you mean my sister?" Jean Paul glared at him his grip tightened on the stake.
"Well I lived as you for more than a few years. So I figure she's as much my sister as she is yours Theo." Tepes smiled.
"I go by Jean Paul these days."
"Right I forgot. I was surprised to find you living as a priest. I thought you'd turn away from religion once you got away from the cult or do you prefer to call them the Order of Saint Dumas?" Tepes taunted him then he held out his right hand and flexed it "I admit dying more than once and coming back that is something."
"How did they pull off your resurrection this time Tepes? I have some ideas but I'm not completely sure if I'm right. So, humor me."
"My first resurrection was due to science, but my second resurrection was due to magic." Tepes explained "However the ritual the monks of the Order used required a true Dumas descendant. I'm not a true Dumas granted I played the role well enough still due to that fact I came back wrong and you caused my final death which completed my destiny and ascension. They call me the Mad Monk some of my followers do anyway not exactly the most colorful name, but I like it."
"Mad Monk? It suits a fraud and charlatan like you."
"Coming from the man who ran and gave his life to a complete stranger that's almost funny." Tepes sneered "I know Jim and Harvey are in the chamber by the way."
"You what?"
"Come now do you really think I'm so foolish I'd leave my security to one man like Killer Croc? I knew you'd bring Jim Gordon here and that is why I left the back door wide open." Tepes taunted him. "I remember when I first laid eyes on our sister she was so… mouthwatering. Not much of a killer though at first but I had plenty of time to mold her into my-"
"Shut up!" Jean Paul lunged at Mad Monk who dodged with effortless precision "You will never touch her again!"
"Little late for that. I'll give my friends a work out by having them hunt you and you're would be allies down."
"Dam you!" Jean Paul yelled running past him.
Tepes just laughed "Oh and Jean Paul tell Jim Gordon I said hello."
Jean Paul kept running and using his knowledge of the blue prints he studied days earlier Jean Paul mad his way to the ceremonial chamber. Jean Paul finally made it he saw Tabitha waking up as made it down the steps "We have to go Tepes knows we're here."
Tabitha gave looked Jean Paul with a confused look she was very out of it "There's something wrong with her Jean Paul. Tabitha, she thinks I'm Butch."
Quickly Jean Paul walked over to look at Tabitha he noticed bite marks on her neck "She looks weak. I think Tepes has been feeding on her. It's also clear she's been kept in a hypnotic state. Waking her up prematurely must have put her in a half-hypnotized state."
"Wait hold on your saying Tabitha is still dreaming even though she's awake?" Harvey asked somewhat frightened.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." Jean Paul answered, "We have to leave this was a trap."
They quickly grabbed Tabitha and made a run for it as they made it to the entrance they chased by vampires Jim and Harvey couldn't believe their eyes the vampires were pale with red eyes and possessed sharp nails and teeth.
They barely made it out of the tunnel and into the sewers where they kept running down their original route. "Come on!" Jim yelled as he carried an unconscious Tabitha. They kept running until they saw the exit a man made tunnel linking to a long forgotten bomb shelter under Jean Paul's church. Jean Paul's men opened the iron door for them and they ran straight through the door.
"Shut it!" Jean Paul yelled and his men did as he ordered. Barely shutting it in time.