Chapter 7 - Tame The Wildcat
He showed up? I never thought he would show his face in the cave. Bruce would never allow this disrespect to take fold.
"Grayson!" Damian yelled. Batman didn't answer, partial due to is mind lost in thought and partially due to his unwillingness to answer to his name while under the cowl. "Dammit Grayson take off the damn mask and answer me!"
"Dick Grayson is my mask," he replied coldly. "What is it you want Robin?" Damian sat in silence a moment.
"What are we going to do? Superman hasn't seem to make you but he came straight to the cave." Damian sounded worried. Batman knew he needed to keep him from losing his cool.
"This was a test, he wanted to see if Batman was still alive and now he knows." Batman drove underground. He came up on the bunker hidden beneath one of Wayne Towers. He jumped from the driver's seat to meet Jason Todd and Tim Drake. Both removed their masks.
"So I take it we won?" Jason said as Batman simply walked past him.
"Superman showed up," Damian said. "Get ready for hell." Both Damian and Kori removed their masks as Batman continued through the bunker. From the Batmobile flew a stray bat. It clapped its way down Batman's trail, following him into the darkness.
"You don't think Dick might want to-"
"Whatever he chooses to do, I'll back him." Damian cut off Jason before following. "After all, he's my brother." The two we're silent as Dick came back out of cowl and cape. His hair fell over his face, drenched in sweat.
"Damian , get back to Jump City. The Titans will need you for guidance. Jason, take the Outlaws and lay low. I will keep Gotham safe along with Tim. The League will come for every one of us now." Dick explained.
"Now isn't the best time to-"
"Look Tim, this is the best idea I can come up with. You each lead teams, you each have responsibilities to uphold. I will be fine but for now, protect your people from the League. I'll call if I need you." Jason and Damian looked at each other before shrugging their shoulders in defeat.
"Keep in touch," Jason said before mounting his motorcycle and driving down the dark underground tunnel. Damian clasped hands with Dick before walking over to his vehicle. "That car doesn't suit you," Dick said with a smirk.
"You and Raven will not double team me on my choice of transportation," Damian responded with a monotone. As he drove off, Dick's smirk faded and he turned his back.
"Tim, we have work to do. Everything from here on will be harder. There is nothing we can do without the League watching." His were ice cold.
"We can do this," Tim assured Dick before the two made their departure from the bunker. Gotham city grew quiet. He media has played footage and reports of "The Batman" on repeat every hour. It was weeks since Batman was visually spotted but the rate of crime was at a steady drop. Deep beneath Gotham's surface say a council of masked men and women. Their faces hid behind a formless white mask with two black slits for eyes and a point just above the nose almost mimicking an owl's face.
"Batman has been quite busy has he not?" A man in an all black suit started. "We have waited and gathered all of the fallen finally."
"Yes brother, the time is almost at hand to strike the Batman at his weakest." Another replied. This time, a woman in a form fitting strapless black dress.
"But is this the Batman of old or is this a new Batman?" The man said.
"Could you not see the footage?" A second man in white commented. "This is none other than Bruce Wayne, the filth of the Wayne family and his son Damian . I have seen all I need to."
"Then we shall descend upon Gotham once more as Bruce Wayne no longer has the power of his bats. We shall storm Wayne Manor and burn it to the ground and finally have the head of Wayne!" The man stood as did the others surrounding the council table. "Today, we hunt the Batman! Let loose the Tallens!" With his shout the woman in the black form fitting dress pressed a red button. Multiple rooms beneath them in the labyrinth of their lair, gears began to shift. Multiple coffins filled with liquid nitrogen opened. The liquid drained slowly, allowing heat into the room. As the bodies began to warm they slowly twitched before jerking upright and howling in pain from their awakening. The Tallens once again walk the earth.
The League has let me be for exactly three weeks now. I can feel it, the paranoia Bruce felt. The feeling as if any and everything would be waiting to deal the final blow. Dick thought to himself as he hung from his gymnastics rings suspended high above the ground of the Bat Bunker. His arms were fully extended, his body straight as an arrow and breathing steady. As a bead of sweat began to drop from his face, he pulled himself up by bringing his hands to his sides. He twisted his fists outward as he raised his legs into a planch before finally raising into a full handstand.
"It never ceases to amaze me what you can do," the seductive tone pierced his ears. Dick fell into a front flip, tucking his knees into his chest as his body rotated one final time before he landed into a roll to disperse the shock of the fall. He rose to his feel slowly, eyes still closed. Upon opening them, he came face to face with Kori who was biting her bottom lip.
"Hey none of that, being her is subject to enough of your public displays of defection." Tin jokes as he continued his research on the computer.
"Tim, you're up. You get a sweat in and I'll continue looking through Bruce's logs. There has to be something linking the disappearances of Black Mask and Mutant Leader. Can't be a coincidence that the moment we were attacked by Lanterns, they fall off the face of the earth." Dick walked to the computer just as Tim stood up.
"The training bots still in one piece?" He asked.
"If not, I'm sure we can find spares," Dick responded in a joking tone. Dick took his seat at the computer monitor searching through the camera system in Gotham. He had eyes everywhere and yet couldn't get an eye on what happened to either of the two notorious villains. His cameras spotted something odd. A young man, maybe in his twenties leaving a boxing gym. The strange thing about the gym was its closure years ago after the death of its owner Theodore Grant formerly known as Wildcat. A great friend to Bruce in their lives. This can't be good. Dick thought to himself silently as his intrigue peaked.
My father taught me to fight, he taught me to physically and mentally dismantle a man twice my size. This city, this god awful city took him from me. The thoughts of the young thirty year old ran wild as he walked down the dark Gotham alleys. My father was a hero, trained many, loved by more. So why? Why can't I live up to his name and find his killer?! He took a sip of his bottle of whiskey. He was dressed in a thick winter coat. The hood of the coat was rimmed in fur. His legs were covered in black cargos and feet dressed in black combat boots. In his left hand was his bottle of whiskey and in his right hand wraps as gloves were slung over his right shoulder. His beard was close to his face and patchy. His left eyebrow had a slit in it and his hair cut low. His crystal blue eyes bore into anything moving. He could feel it, the sensation of a blood lust following him. He could almost smell it and, internally, he liked it. I can turn into a damn werecat for God's sake. I should fear nothing as my father. Tonight will tell me. In the shadows lurked two orange glowing circles. It raced through the Gotham rooftops, eyes locked onto the young man.
In the instance it pounced, his form changed. The young man formerly known as Thomas Grant morphed into the beast that came to be known as Wildcat. He gripped the owl dressed assassin by the throat, crushing it under his claws and power as it struggled. His body became a black fur covered beast. His mane was wild. His tail would stand still before gently flicking as he roared.
"You have much to learn of the Tallens youngling." The assassin stated as he rotated his body, breaking his own neck in the process to deliver a spin kick to Wildcat's ribs. Wildcat, winded and hurting, dropped the Tallen. As it stood, he snapped his neck back into place before pulling the daggers from his vest, each gripped between his fingers. Wildcat grinned, putting his fists into a boxer's guard. This is what I've been afraid of. Freaks like me coming after me but no more! No more I am wildcat! His thoughts raged as he launched forward ignoring the burning feeling of the cold blade digging into his skin at the ribs. The Tallen launched another dagger but Wildcat was coming in even fast. He slammed a lead uppercut into the Tallen's jaw. Wildcat continued his barrage with an overhand right before tackling the Tallen to the ground and repeatedly slashing it across the face and chest with his claws. Wildcat stabbed his claws into the Tallen's chest before Filipino over the assassin and throwing him over head. The Tallen's body slammed into the concrete wall of the nearby bodega. Wildcat snarled as he could smell the stench of death but could see the Tallen rise to his feet. Body twisting unnaturally and the sounds of bones snapping back into place.
"What the hell are you?" Wildcat asked as he raised his guard again. He was met with the silent rush of the Tallen's attack until it was stopped. It's body dropped hard into the ground.
"These things don't die conventionally Wildcat." A voice called out. Wildcat whipped around looking and smelling for the source of the voice. He couldn't pinpoint the person speaking until Batman stepped into the light. Wildcat's every movement stopped, his memory instantly flashed back to his years as a teenager seeing the stories of his father and Batman on the news. Batman turned his back to Wildcat and faced the Tallen.
"Batman, you have been judged by the court and sentenced to-"
"No one gives a shit!" Batman said before rushing forward and shoving a grenade in the partially exposed mouth of the assassin. He slammed its jaw with an elbow strike before rolling away and covering himself with his cape. As the grenade detonated, the Tallen's body froze in a crystal of ice. Batman stood, looking eye to eye with Wildcat before turning to walk away.
"Who killed him?" Batman heard over his shoulder. "Who killed Ted Grant, Who killed my father?!" Wildcat wanted answers. His temper flared as he was met with silence. Should I tell him? Do I drag him down the dark road his father willingly chose to walk down? But if I don't he may be lead astray in the wake of vengeance. Batman turned to face him yet again.
"Come with me and I'll show you." Batman said, silencing the wild beast. The two walked into the shadows, soon finding themselves in the face of the Batmobile. It took only moments to reach the bunker. As the two entered the lights slowly flickered on, exposing the weaponry and vehicles. "I've been watching you for a few days now. Your trips to your father's gym-"
"Only to get in a workout. Trust me, I had no intentions of anything more. Until now that is." Thomas cut off batman as he reverted into his human state, "I want to know who killed my father."
"You smell like alcohol," Batman said.
"What does that matter?!"
"It matters to everything!" Batman fires back. "Your father was a great man and alcohol was something he detested. If you want to do this, I need you clean. I need you focused."
"Then we do this my way. My father didn't wear an armored suit, he didn't have magical powers nor did he need them."
"Your father had a magical curse that gave him nine lives like an actual cat Thomas. Your father was killed nine total times during the raid of the Court of Owls." Batman's words left Thomas silent. "We fought to protect Gotham, your father fought his hardest against these undead freaks and paid the ultimate price for attaining victory. Upon his final rebirthing, a Tallen not unlike the one you fought awaited him and ended his final life. You don't have the same luxury so-"
"So what," Thomas cut in. "My father taught me to live without fear so that's what I will do in his honor. Now point me in the direction of this Court of Owls and I'll be on my way."
"You're not going alone, I-" Batman was cut off again by an alarm. He quickly ran to the computer. As he pulled up a new window on the monitor he could see the intruder indicator speaking of his home. The cameras showed him the multiple Tallen's charging through the manor and cave. "I have no time to train you."
"I don't need your training, my father trained me and he trained you. Just get me to the gym, there's something I need first." Thomas said. As Batman looked back he could see the grin on Thomas's face. Batman returned the grin.
"There's no point in hiding Batman. We will find you, there is no place you can hide!" A Tallen announced as he stepped into the light from the shadows. His suit was equipped with feathers wrapped around his waist and on his back in the form of wings attached from his arms to his sides to allow him to glide. He popped the flaws on his fists, three blades shot from the top of his fists as he looked around.
"Now is that any way to be a proper house guest?" Thomas Grant said as he stepped into the light of the Batcave. He was dressed in his father's form fitting black suit with the face of a Panther.
"You are not the one we seal, but you are now a witness and must die!" Thomas smiles as the Tallen rushed him. He sidestepped the swipe of the claw and slammed the temple of the Tallen with a heavy cross punch.
"The names Wildcat, no come here so I can put another fist in your face," Wildcat returned to his boxer's guard ready to brawl. It was then that multiple Tallens began to climb into the light.
"You will not escape here alive," the Tallen said as he stood back to his feet. "You cannot protect the Batman!"
"Who said I needed protection?" Batman said as he swung into the light, slammed his boots into the chest of the Tallen, knocking him off the platform and causing him to fall into the deep depths of the cave. The lights shined on brightly exposing the Tallens. There were many, shifting as the lights exposed their positions. "None of them leave here in one piece." Batman seemingly growled as the two snapped into action.
Wildcat roared as he landed a thunderous cross and lead hook combo, undoubtedly breaking the bones in the Tallen's face as he shattered the headdress and goggles. As if uneffected, the Tallen swiped for his side with its claws. Wildcat could smell the others drawing near, closing in. Batman was grabbed from his cape, feeling himself being yanked backwards. Not this time! He thought to himself as he pressed the bat emblem on his chest, detaching the cape and causing the Tallen to fall. Batman stood tall as the Tallens surrounded him. His back holstered his batons but also, two large folded batarangs. He pulled the batarangs from his back and with a hard flick of his wrists, they extended outwards.
"Wildcat, now isn't the time for brawling, rip these things apart!" Batman yelled as he cleaved the arm of a Tallen at the forearm. The Tallen continued its attack, swinging with its curved blade. Batman swayed out of range only to find another Tallen at his back. He could feel the burn as the cold steel pierced his Kevlar and dug into his skin. With a back elbow, he knocked the Tallen backwards.
Wildcat's body began to morph. His skin became fur and features became catlike. His rake halted the entire attack. The Tallens looked to him, birds trapped in a cave with their natural predator. His massive frame moved swiftly as he ripped through the Tallen's bodies with his claws. Their full attention was now on Wildcat, charging and ignoring Batman. Wildcat dug his claws into the chest of a nearby Tallen as he pounced on her body. Without hesitation he ripped her body in two halves. The tallens stopped their attack, Like shadows they leapt over the ledge into the darkness. Those who lost their limbs collected them as they crawled and threw themselves over the edge. Wildcat slowly morphed back into his human form, breathing deeply.
"We have to leave, if the Court of Owls is going to make a move this big on me, they will be back in full force." Batman said. He pressed a few keys on the computer before taking his leave with Wildcat. The two road in silence to the bunker. Batman watched as Tom slowly reverted to his human form. His body retained the damage he sustained while in his Wildcat form. The bruises and cuts seemed as if they were healing on their own. Batman took the healing factor into mental record for later battles. Their drive to the bunker was silent. As the two exited the Batmobile they were met by Tim Drake.
"Batman we have a major problem," Tim said as he turned from the computer.
"The Court of Owls, I know." Batman quickly added.
"That's the least of our worries. The Titans were attacked and Damian sent me these." Tim slipped a vanilla folder onto the table. Batman thumbed the folder open before seeing the pictures of what he could only react to with horror, then disgust before feeling the inner rage begin to brew. Former members of the Bat Family, deceased members now donned the Tallen garbs and weapons. Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Helena Wayne and Katherine Kane. A slow tear rolled down from his cowl as he moved the photos around to see Barbara Gordon's face. Batman dipped his head down and in his mind flashed the memories of one of his longest lasting friends. How he thought she was killed by the Joker when he put a thirty eight caliber bullet through her spine for her to die at the hands of Black Mask years later.
"Who are they?" Wildcat asked Batman. He was met with silence. Tim kept his eyes locked on Batman as if he could see him dive deeper into the abyss.
"Family," Batman bellowed out with a grim tone. His voice full of hurt and anger. His eyes met Tim and he instinctively knew what was to come. "Go to their graves to confirm they have been dug up. I'll call in for back up. The Court will pay for this."
