A/N: As promised here is your new spotlight! An orginal character created by my editor Jake. It takes place about a week before the White Tiger spotlight. The story is edited by me but written by my editor. So I hope you enjoy it.
~Scratimus
SPOTLIGHT- ULTIMATE BLUE BAT
John Jacob Vance was sitting in his office at the Martha Wayne Foundation Texas location at the San Antonio branch of the Wayne Industries building.
It was smaller than Wayne Tower in Gotham City, only four stories high, but it got the job done. His office was on the fourth floor, since he was now the Regional Manager for the foundation's Central Division.
He was eating lunch, video chatting with his best friend: Tim Lupe. They were on a secure line that John had procured during his days in the military.
Tim said, "I don't blame you for wanting to return to our native Texas, but dude, I could really use a good chief of staff right now. I mean, you got me reelected and I know I can use you later."
John waved this off. "Thanks, bro, but when Wayne offered me this job, I couldn't turn it down. It's true I'm one of the best campaign managers, but I'm ready to settle down. Besides, I'm thinking of taking up some after work charities."
Tim raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to be dramatic. We're on a secure line. I know you're inspired by the Batman to pursue a crime fighting career. You'll be great at it, dude. You know I got your back. Just be sure you have a good base of operations."
John nodded. "Oh, I got a good one." He let out a smile.
Once a small cattle town, Eaglepoint was a small suburb of San Antonio, Texas. It had a low crime rate compared to its nearby big city, thanks in part to the well organized police force and the fact that a new Company J Texas Ranger branch opened up there.
It was also home to the now closed Eaglepoint Military Base in one of the poorer districts that had been built in case the Cold War went hot. When that did not happen, it fell away to waste with the government trying to sell it. This was where John Vance had set up his home base. He bought it through a series of dummy corporations that he himself set up.
Of course, it was not the base itself that fascinated Vance. It was the secret tunnels that ran beneath and the bomb shelter that was hidden down below. He had turned it into a secret office where he could think. In the very center of the room was the blue Batman-style armor he had designed. He would spend at least two hours a day staring at it, wondering why he had built it and if he could ever put it to good use.
John Vance and industrialist Bruce Wayne were seated across from each other in a Mexican restaurant called Buenos Grande.
Vance said, "Thank you again for giving me this opportunity, Mr. Wayne."
Bruce replied, "You're welcome. I know you're a good man, John. That is why I gave you this opportunity."
John Vance said, "You and I lost our parents in similar ways, except the man who murdered my parents hung himself. So can I ask you a personal question?"
Bruce said, "Yes you may."
Vance hesitated, but he felt like he and Bruce were kindred spirits. "Do you sleep at night? My parents have been dead for many years, but I still find it hard to sleep. What about you?"
Bruce answered, "I sleep when I'm exhausted."
Vance shook his head. "I rarely sleep. I usually find something to occupy my mind."
Bruce shrugged. "Maybe there's a job for you to do in the middle of the night."
Vance gave a suspicious grin and said, "Oh, I know there is." He looked up when he saw the dumbfounded look on Bruce's face. Vance explained, "You know, my projects."
Bruce laughed and said, "Of course."
John Vance was standing on top of a downtown San Antonio warehouse. He was no longer in his suit, but wearing something entirely different. He was wearing black jeans, a black T-shirt, a black leather jacket, and a belt with holsters. The clothing covered synthetic bulletproof armor that had protected him. He was armed with a gun that resembled a Beretta Inox. On his wrists were two silver gauntlets.
He looked down and saw a group of five guys loading a box from the warehouse below. He pulled a mask out of his back pocket. It was made of bullet proof material. He placed it on his head and it locked down. He pulled out his Bowie knife and checked it. He placed it back in his jacket and jumped. He landed on the box. His boots protected him from the impact.
John said, "You boys wouldn't be trying to smuggle drugs into my town would you?"
One of the thugs yelled, "It's Doc Holliday!" John smiled underneath the mask when he heard his urban legend name.
That was Vance's signal. He side-kicked the guy on his left, and then roundhoused the one on his right. The one behind him pulled out a gun, but John heard him cock the weapon. He spun around and drew his own gun, but instead of bullets, a taser hit the villain's body. The man collapsed.
"Three down, two to go," he thought. He jumped in the air and delivered a right cross into the jaw of the fourth thug. That left only one more.
He spun around to face the last one. The man put up his hands.
John readied himself. His instincts told him the man had a gun in his jacket. John would have to be fast. The man pulled out a gun, but John fired another taser. The man felt the electricity go through him. He fell over collapsed.
John nodded with approval at the job he had done. He spun his gun on his finger. It held up to twelve rounds of taser. He placed it back in his holster. It made a click sound when it went back into place.
"Click!"
John looked around. It was a human voice that said it. He pulled out his gun and cocked it: clink.
"Clink!"
He spun around and looked up at the streetlight. He saw a man dressed in black with a trench coat. A giant circle was painted on his mask. The man jumped down and landed on the ground: Thump.
"Thump," the man said.
John demanded, "Who are you and what do you want?"
"Onomatopoeia," came the reply.
The man pulled out a gun and opened fire. The whole time yelling, "Bang! Bang! Bang!"
John jumped out of the way of the gunfire. He fired back at the assassin. He shouted, "Come on and fight like a man!"
John jumped out and fired. His taser hit the assassin's hand. It shocked him and the man dropped one of his gun: Zzap.
"Zzap!" The assassin called out. The assassin grabbed onto the other one, but John was gone. The assassin backed up and bumped into the streetlight: Ping.
"Ping," the assassin whispered.
Suddenly, John dropped kicked the assassin's hands, causing the guns to drop to the ground. The assassin pulled out a knife, and John did the same.
John demanded, "Who sent you? Tell me now!"
The assassin swiped in the air, barely missing Vance: Swipe.
"Swipe," the assassin said. John came in with an uppercut and hit the assassin in his chin, and then spun-kicked in the gut: Pufz. "Pufz!" The assassin jabbed his knife and stabbed Vance. To John surprise, the knife penetrated his armor, but fortunately, it did not reach his flesh.
"Stab," the assassin said gleefully. John grabbed his wrist with his left hand and then punched hit the assassin in the temple. The assassin let go, and John pulled out the knife, but then the assassin jumped in the air kicked John in the throat. John started hacking, but then the assassin punched him across the right cheek and then the left.
"Smack! Smack!" The assassin then kicked John down, sending him on his butt.
"Ouch," said Vance. "Ouch," repeated the assassin, who now a gun in Vance' face.
John growled and said, "I'm not afraid to die. If you want me to beg, I won't."
The assassin pulled back a round in the chamber: clik-clik. "Clik-clik." John knew the assassin had an automatic, but this assassin's obsession with sound gave him the desire for dramatic effect.
"Didn't think it would end like this," John thought.
John said, "I'm not scared of you, punk!"
"Shsh!" The assassin said.
"I hit a nerve," he thought, so he continued, "You're nothing but a coward who hides behind a mask and a gun."
"Shsh Shsh!" The assassin was more forceful.
John said, "You cannot break me, assassin."
The assassin seemed to let out a growl, but then pulled the trigger. Nothing happened, but a small click. "Click," this time. It sounded disappointed.
John punched the assassin in the gut, but the assassin recovered and before John could react again, the assassin pulled another gun and shot John at point blank range in the chest. The round must have been armor piercing because John felt it go through his right shoulder: slosh. John fell on his knees and cupped his hands on his bleeding shoulder. The assassin walked up to him and pointed the gun to his head.
"Slosh," the assassin said gleefully.
John said, "Make sure you have enough bullets this time." He was starting to feel dizzy. He was loosing consciousness. He heard a ruckus and a loud crash. The gun went off, but John did not feel a thing.
A masked man appeared in front of him. "Are you all right?"
John recognized the face. The last thing he said before passing out was, "Batman."
John woke up to the sound of computers going off. He tried to sit up, but he felt a searing pain in his shoulder. He realized his body felt lighter. He was not wearing any armor or a helmet.
He looked around and realized he was in his hideout. John asked, "What is going on?"
A deep, dark voice said, "Onomatopoeia is a highly skilled serial killer that targets non-powered superheroes. He put the Green Arrow and his friends to the test. They barely survived."
John finally got the strength to sit up and when he did, he spotted the Batman.
Vance was very confused. "Uh, how did you know about this place? I figured you took off my mask to make I wasn't injured, but no one knew about this place."
Batman said, "I found my way through your dummy corporations, Vance. I have to admit, you did a good job. It took me two hours to break it."
John was a little confused. He said, "Um, wow, I guess it wasn't good enough." Batman gave him a glare. "Um, I mean, when you're the World's Greatest Detective."
John stretched and said, "I seem to be healing fast."
Batman said, "It was only a flesh wound. Your other injuries compounded it."
" Batman," he said. "I appreciate you, you know, saving my life, but why is the Dark Knight in my hideout?"
Batman looked around at the sub-par computer equipment. "You're equipment is lame."
John rolled his eyes. "Why are you here?"
Batman said, "I came here to warn you that a neo-nazi criminal organization might try to muscle into San Antonio, but you've got bigger problems. Those were the men you took on tonight. If Onomatopoeia is targeting you, you will have a fight to survive on your hands. I can help you."
John said, "You came here to personally warn about neo-nazis when you could've just called me."
Batman said, "I'll shoot straight with you. I'd like to recruit you."
Vance was suddenly excited. "Recruit me? For what?"
Batman said, "You'd be the third in a network of crime fighters I'm slowly, but surely, creating. It's something very drastic that's never been done before."
"Like a Club of Heroes?"
"More like a Batman Incorporated."
John felt like sitting, and then remembered that he was. "Me. I'm a lobbyist who moonlights as a masked vigilante named Doc Holliday. Why would you want me?"
Batman said, "I need a crime fighter for Texas. Someone I can count on. I think you are that person. I know you are a man of integrity."
The Dark Knight walked over to the duplicate costume. Out of the darkness he rolled out Vance' Doc Holliday costume. He said, "What do you say? The neo-nazis are shipping a cache of weapons tonight into San Antonio. I could use some back-up."
John stood up and said, "I'm in."
John felt good in his bat-suit. The mask was different than Batman's. Batman had an opening for his mouth and chin. John had more of a helm. He had designed it to withstand firepower.
He was waiting on Batman at the warehouse. He was on the roof across the street.
The Dark Knight had told him they had "assets" he needed to procure.
He heard footsteps on the rooftop behind him.
John turned around saying, "About time."
To his surprise, Batman was with two…kids.
John asked, "Whose the boy wonder and Batgirl?"
Batman replied, "Robin and Batgirl."
Robin asked, "How come he got her name right?"
Batgirl elbowed him. "Because I'm cuter."
John demanded, "What is this?"
Robin said, "Chill, Batman Junior, we got your slack."
"Robin," it came from Batman.
John started to say something, but Batgirl said, "Hey, they are here!"
Batman pulled out of binoculars. "The neo-nazis are coming in. Let's do this."
All of the skinheads gathered in the warehouse as the semi-trucks began to roll in.
They all started to chant, "White Power! White Power!"
A voice called out from a catwalk, "My brethren!"
They all turned to look up and saw their leader on a catwalk above them. He was dressed in golden armor with orange gloves and boots. He wore a purple cape and on his chest was a purple swastika.
He said, "Today we have a window of opportunity. I have united the Church of the Creator, the Ku Klux Klan, Christian Identity, and many off-shoots of the Aryan Nation! We are the Fourth Reich and we are global! We are the Shadowspire!"
His men began to chant, "Shadowspire! Shadowspire! Shadowspire!"
Baron Von Blitzkrieg continued, "My grandfather started the original movement. His death at the hands of the old Justice Society of America stalled us, but now, we have returned!"
His men began to cheer.
One of his men brought him an AK-47. "With this," he said. "We shall spread our hate! Yes, it is hate. I am not ashamed of that fact! We hate anyone who is not Aryan and we will kill them all!"
A batarang hit his hand, forcing him to drop the gun.
Batman landed in front of him.
Baron Blitzkrieg laughed. "You are far from Gotham City, Dark Knight."
Batman nodded, "But right in HIS home turf."
John leaped over Batman and jumped kicked Baron Blitzkrieg.
When the racist leader regained his footing, he demanded, "Who are you?"
John looked at his costume and replied, "I am the Blue Bat."
Baron Blitzkrieg laughed and said, "You are in over your head, Blue Bat!"
Laser beams shot from his eyes, and Blue Bat dodged them just in time. He came up and kicked Blitzkrieg, who grabbed his leg and threw him over the catwalk. Blue Bat landed on some boxes that broke his fall, albeit painfully.
Some of the skinheads approached, but Batman landed in front of them. They started to charge him, but he fought them off. They fell easily after only one or two hits, but their numbers were great.
Blitzkrieg landed in front of Blue Bat and said, "What do you hope to gain from this? I am stronger than you."
Blue Bat laughed. "You might have enhanced strength, but this is just a distraction. You see, with me and Batman distracting you, you forgot to unload your cargo."
Baron Blitzkrieg looked at the trucks as Robin and Batgirl jumped off of them.
Robin pulled out a transmitter and winked at Blitzkrieg, then pressed the button.
The trucks went up in a series of explosions. When the skinheads saw this, they all began to scatter and retreat in a panic.
Baron Blitzkrieg started to laugh as Blue Bat stood up. "You think this hurt me, Blue Bat," he asked. "This was only a drop in the water. I have resources everywhere. This is only the beginning. If you and your Batman think you can stop, you are wrong!"
Blitzkrieg started to fly away. Blue Bat grabbed a bat-rope and tossed it, wrapping it around Blitzkrieg's ankles, but the Baron blasted them with laser eyes. "We shall meet again, Blue Bat!" He called out.
Robin landed next to him. "Not bad, rookie." Batman called, "Robin!"
Blue Bat sat back at his HQ.
Batman walked in and said, "Baron Blitzkrieg's powers are not like his grandfather's. His grandfather used genetic engineering, but this new Baron used magic to get his powers. I detected mystical energy around him."
Blue Bat stood up. "Batman, what about those kids? I can understand choosing me. I made the decision to join you and your little Club of Heroes, but them? Why?"
Batman said, "Both of them suffered losses, like you and me. I had to help them confront the people who did this to them. They had to be allowed to take action."
Blue Bat crossed his arms. "So they'd turn out just like you? Like me?"
Batman crossed his arms likewise. "So they wouldn't."
The response shocked Blue Bat, who let his arms fall.
Batman held out his hand. "Welcome to the team."
Blue Bat smiled from beneath his helm. "Yeah, and all that." He shook his hand.
Batman said, "Good, because Shadowspire is still out there. Trust me on this, Onomatopoeia is out there too."
Blue Bat brushed this off. "Come on! We scared him off."
Batman shook his head. "I doubt it. He's killed six non-meta vigilantes. I have a feeling he is biding his time."
Onomatopoeia was holed up in a seedy hotel. He was sharpening his knife. He looked down at a newspaper and saw an artist rendering of the new vigilante Blue Bat.
He picked up a sleeve from his engagement with Doc Holliday. He pulled out a suitcase and opened it with a, click-click. "Click, click."
He placed the sleeve in a slot labeled: Doc Holliday. There was an empty space for Green Arrow.
He closed the suitcase and walked over to the newspaper article of Blue Bat and stabbed it in the forehead. "Next," he said with a squeal.
