Chapter 4: End Game
The Commissioner stared at Batman with a confuzzled visage and pondered deeply on the riddle that the Riddler has tasked them with. The Commissioner hated riddles, he was not the usual and conventional man that enjoys a nice crossword on Sunday. So, Gordon knew he was not going to much help for the Batman, but he doubted that the ingenious,omniscient and omnipotent Batman needed assistance.
"So, do you have an idea" asked Gordon.
"I am tired of playing his riddles"
" I was tired of his riddles years ago"
Batman pulled out his Dictaphone, it was a unique and unusual Dictaphone, with a small screen and numerous buttons scattered around it.
"What's that" questioned Gordon.
"It's a Dictaphone, I rerecorded every conversation with the Riddler"
"Why"
"To identify any anomalies or any clues as to where he is stationed at"
" I need to get me one of those" said Gordon mesmerised.
"Sorry, it's one of a kind"
"What about the riddle"
"It's a trick"
"Aren't all riddles"
" I can't waste any longer chasing after these ridiculous riddles"
"But, somebody's like is at stake"
" Yes, it's Robins and the sooner I can find the Riddler, the quicker this interminable night will end." said Batman, getting frustrated.
"The riddle stated , where would a murder be safe in" Said Gordon, trying to conceive an answer.
"Yes, You can go after the Riddle Gordon, I'll go after Riddler" concluded Batman.
Then, using his Dictaphone he pressed a button that denatured the speech. Batman pressed a few more buttons until the Riddler's annoying voice scampered away. The only noise remained was a electrical hum. Suddenly, Batman froze like a stiff glacier. It was an all to familiar hum that plunged into Batman's ears.
" That sounds like a generator" said Gordon as the noise plunged into his brain.
" No..." said batman authoritatively and strongly
" It's the sound of the Bat cave" Said Batman, unable to believe his own words and ears.
"What" said Gordon astonished.
"It's the electrical machines in the Bat cave" said Batman convincing himself, " I am sure of it"
Then, Batman took out a metallic grappling hook gun and a hook shot out from within the grappling hook. The hook slashed past the wind and hit a nearby building. With the hook secure, Batman receded away, with his mind still trying figure out how he got into this predicament.
"Where are you going" screamed Gordon after him.
Batman's brain was preoccupied with him trying to conceive how the Riddler managed to get into the cave. Then a daunting thought crossed his mind. He send Alfred straight into the Bat cave. He send Alfred straight into the Riddler's hand.
…...
Robin's eyes fluttered and opened, his vision was blurred by a bright and searing light. It was the headlights of the car. His body was being dragged along the sand and the pebbles like a suitcase. Both his hand and legs were tied tightly making him unable to wriggle his hands and legs. His moved his head up and his eyes caught the site of two thugs trailing behind him. The thugs were armed and looked quite strong, even if Robin's hands and legs were untied, he would struggle to take the out, this made escape a impossibility. He had no fear of death, but unknowing the way he will die made him fear. The ground below changed into a cold rock like structure that Robin felt familiar to.
"So, do we go through the waterfall" asked one of the thugs, stopping the pack.
"Ha...what waterfall" said questioned Robin.
"Shut up kid"
"Blood, call it in, tell them to come outside" said the leader thug, indicating to another thug.
"Anyone copy, we are outside, open the entrance, we got the little bird"
"Copy"replied the radio with a electronic buzz.
Suddenly, two giant steel door ripped apart as I a axe slashed through the middle, inside the door two thugs were standing with a straight posture and a smug look in their faces.
" Come in, Boys, plenty of toys here for everybody" said one of the thugs at the entrance.
"Lets go, hurry, don't want the bat to spoil the surprise...Move!" commanded the leader thug.
They all moved forward with excitement and enthusiasm, dragging Robin along the floor with a quicker pace. The water flooded and hit them like spikes as they walked past the waterfall and arrived into the warmth of the cave. The warmth crawled into Robin's suit and he felt at home, a home now that was being trespassed by intruders and he could do nothing about it. The Riddler emerged from the shadows with a smug visage and crooked posture looking like a old man. His walk towards him was like a confident business man who is very content with himself.
"So, how are you doing boy... good" asked the Riddler.
"How's the face …... I see my punch has not improved your grotesque face" replied Robin
"Well, I see you are still witty-"
"And I see you still commit crimes"
"Well, you know what they say, you can't teach a old dog new tricks"
"You are a old dog"
"Enough of the pleasantries, lets talk business" said the Riddler kneeling down right next to Robin. Their faces were very divided by inches.
"That was the pleasantries, beating me up and bringing me here in the boot of a car and now invading my home"
" Yes... now you don't want to get in my bad side, things can get a lot worse"
"Trying to intimidate me, that does not work"
"You have not seen me trying to intimidate you, ...yet"
The Riddler raised his body back up and stood up looking down on Robin, for the first time as if Robin was a child and not a equal.
" Well, tell me Who is Batman" questioned the Riddler.
" Ha …... don't make me laugh , it will hurt my ribs, especially after your thugs bruised my ribs" said Robin.
"It was worth a shot"
"So , what have you got in stock for me, this time"
" Awe...not impressed by my break into the bat cave, is that what you call it... I got it off the old man, who I just can't get rid off."
" Wait... what old man" said Robin hesitantly with breaks in his speech.
"Oh … Just this one" said Riddler calmly, pointing towards a thug who has Alfred on his knees.
Immediately, Robin wriggled like a worm trying to break free form the bonds of captivity. He jumped around for at least 2 minutes before giving up.
"Judging by your very strong emotional reaction you know this man. Want to tell me who he is" said the Riddler authoritatively.
Robin refused to give a response and he stayed silent. He had his head down, pondering on how long it would take for Batman to arrive.
"I see the silent trea-" said the Riddler.
"It's the Batman" interrupted a thug, running straight into Riddler like a wild starving bull.
" Oh, can't I just get a minute to my self... take the kid and to old man to the trap, go now!" commanded the Riddler.
…...
The entrance was left open to the elements and to the Batman, the waterfall was completing it's job, hiding the cave entrance for the naked eye. Luckily, Batman was the master architect of the Bat cave and he knew every inch of it like the back of his hand. Batman stared at the entrance, searching for any movement as a predator. The idiocy of the criminals escaped Batman's mind, they left the most important part of the cave without watch. Batman cautiously crept into the cave with his ear detecting every slight movement. As he passed through a corner, footsteps echoed through the hallway. Instantly his body swapped into action mode form stealth mode and he decided to stand in the cover of the darkness until his victim approached. The ignorant thug moved pass Batman without a second glance, Batman's hands were swift and strong attacking the thug before he can react. Batman held him in a headlock until he was knocked unconscious. Batman did not let his body drop down into the floor and create an immunise amount of noise, he slowly moved the man's body to the floor without a whisper. Batman then straightened his posture and moved on as if nothing unusual occurred.
Footsteps ahead, a group of 3 ignorant, oblivious and vindictive thugs were handling the Bat's delicate equipment without care.
"Hey, How do I look"laughed a Thug, wearing a batman mask.
"Hey, check this out, found a collection of Batrangs here" said another Thug with a anxious tone.
"I'm the Batman...Fear me …...I dress up in a cape" growled the thug with the the bat mask.
"Hey, let me have a go... I want to be the Batman-"
"Knock it off, you two the Bat could be here t any moment"
" Oh, calm down …... he ain't coming here...WE HAVE AN ARMY" ridiculed the thug with the bat mask.
Five minutes later the thug was slowing his own words, his two strong friends were lying planks on the floor. Two Batrangs laid on the floor beside them, they both were knocked out within the blink of a eye and now the focus is on the thug wearing the bat helmet.
"Come out... Bat … I ain't afraid …...of you" exasperated the thug with nervous breaks in his speech pattern.
"You should be" growled the Batman, behind the thug.
Before the thug could comprehend what occurred, he was lying on the floor with batman standing in front like a roaring lion. Immediately, Batman's hands reached out and grabbed the thugs shirt and pulled him up and threw him against the nearby cold concentrate wall. With that, Batman's interrogation began.
"You won't get anything out of me... Bats" said the thug, sounding assured.
" If , I punch you long enough, I will get your guts out"
"No, you won't... you have rules"
"You do not want to test my rules and patience when your invade my home and take my family as hostage"
The Thug gulped and no response emerged out of his mouth. Batman knew he did not have time to have a battle of wits. So, he clenched his fists like a wrecking ball and punch with all his might. Intentionally, Batman punched the wall next to the thug and a loud thundering noise occurred as his fists smashed on to concrete. The thug started to shake in fear and Batman knew his intimidation tactic worked.
"Okay... okay, what do you want know" screamed the thug in fear.
"How many of you lot are here"
"Only... about 40 men"
"Where did the Riddler put Robin"
"He is probably taken into the trap or the riddle that the Riddler has created"
"Did you catch a old man.. here" said Batman, nervously.
The thug decided again not to respond.
"Did you or not" growled Batman in a threatening manor.
" Yessss...The Riddler have him trapped in the same place as Robin."
Then, Batman's fists clenched his fist once more and punched the thug in the face, hitting his own bat mask. The force of the punch actuated the thug against the wall which knocked him unconscious. As the body fell to the floor, Batman was already moving towards the main component of the Bat cave.
The Riddler was tracking the Batman's movements through the cameras provided by the cave, he knew Batman wasn't oblivious to the fact that he is tracking him; but the Riddler preferred not to raise any suspicion by the dark knight. The Riddler wanted to send men to apprehend Batman, but he knew it would be a waste of men and time. So he let the Batman walk into his little spider web.
"Boys bring out the little bird and the old man" commanded the Riddler authoritatively.
Then, the celling of the bat cave receded two long strands of string with Robin in one and Alfred on another. Robin was tied by a string form across his body, making it unable to move his limbs. He was what he heated. Bait. Below the celling of the bat cave, the old metallic steel floor apart, and from the bottom a steel box identical to a safe ruptured out. As the floor fully apart, four more steel boxes appeared into the view, all looking identical to each other. However within the steel boxes, each were antithetic.
Batman cautiously moved in expecting the worse but hoping for the best, what he saw was the worst. Robin and Alfred were hanging from the celling and beside them was The Riddler, alone.
"Hello, Batman" said the Riddler, " as you can see you are in a bit of a mess."
"You can spot now that this is the traditional death trap, four steel boxes containing four different ways of death and you can choose how they die."
"Let them go, Riddler"
"Well that is a poor choice of words, do you want me to let them fall in"
"Remember, Batman only one can live, take your pick, you have 3 minutes. Tick tock"
PS: This is the last chapter, use your imagination to fill in the ending. Do you want Batman to save Alfred or Robin or both or kill the Riddler. Send me your endings.