Chap 8
Mount Olympus
The goddesses watched the couple as the days turned into weeks, as the weeks turned into months. They watched as the relationship between their Champion and the mortal grew. There had been problems as with any relationship, but they worked through it. Their schedules were hectic, between League business, Bruce's daytime life, the Bat's activities, Diana's duties as ambassador, and the charities that they both attended, that they had to set specific time aside so that they could be together, as just Diana and Bruce.
Hera was impressed that the mortal had put forth as much effort into the relationship as Diana did. On more than one occasion he had sent his protégés into the night so that he and Diana could have a quiet evening alone, or watch a movie.
During tonight's movie, which neither seemed to be enjoying, the wheelchair bound Oracle called the mortal for an emergency. The Venom enhanced villian Bane had escaped. Hera watched as the couple headed into the Cave, she listened to the mortal as he told Diana about Bane and how the monster had broken his back after nearly driving him over the edge mentally and physically.
Diana sat at the main console, entering her personal codes, gaining access to the vast array of networks the Bat setup. She conversed with the Oracle as the Bat emerged from the changing area and stood behind her. She stood, offered words of encouragement then they embraced. He kissed her lightly on the lips, and with a swirl of his cape he was down the ramp and into his vehicle.
Gotham City
An orderly had snuck a vial of Venom into Arkham and slipped it to Bane. Two guards, one doctor and the orderly had been injured. The orderly was not expected to walk again. Batman followed the evidence and information he had received from informants to the dock yards. He had called the freshly recovered Nightwing into town for assistance. By two in the morning Nightwing and Robin were two buildings to the south, while he and Batgirl crouched in the shadows across from a set of warehouses owned by the Montenegro Exports Corporation.
Oracle had told them that the MEC was a front for a branch of the Latin Kings trying to get a foothold in Gotham. Oracle said the Kings were probably importing marijuana, cocaine and heroine from various South American countries. She had mentioned of the several ships that were scheduled to dock at 6 am, two were bearing MEC stamps.
"Good place as any to bring the narcotics. Gotham's Custom's agents aren't known for their thoroughness." Batgirl said looking through a pair of night vision binoculars.
Batman snorted, "And their price is usually cheap."
"With Bane so close, Kings were smart to use him for protection." Nightwing said over the com-link.
"Got him, can't miss that bulk. He's in the second building, third floor." Robin said over com-link. "Looks like ten soldiers, various weapons."
"B, GCPD MCU is en route. ETA ten minutes," Oracle said.
"Um, guys we have a problem." Robin said. "Second building, second floor, that looks like a military-style drone. The top is open and two men are loading something into it."
"Nightwing, the drone is yours." Batman said as he was moving. "Robin, Batgirl, you're with me." The two launched themselves off the roof, he grabbed the edges of his cape, making it rigid, creating a glider. He and Batgirl glided across the span and crashed through the window. Batman went after Bane, trusting Batgirl, and Robin to take care of the soldiers.
The room erupted in gunfire and the shouts of Hispanic men. Batman concentrated on the hulking monster before him.
"Ah, Senor Batman, it has been to long." Banes said through gritted teeth. The black and white luchadore mask gave him a skull-like quality. "I will enjoy breaking you again." He said pushing the controls on his gauntlet to release the Venom into his bloodstream.
Batman smirked and launched himself at Bane as he arched his back in pain as the Venom began transforming his muscle mass. Batman hit Bane several times on the head, but Bane laughed at Batman's feeble strikes against his head. Bane grabbed at Batman, but the small charges Batman had stuck to Bane's mask exploded.
Bane reared back in pain and tore the mask from his face. The Venom tubes stayed attached to the back of his head. He swung at Batman striking him across the back. He was flung into a group of Latin King soldiers knocking them all to the ground. Batman rolled to his feet blocking a kick from one of the soldiers, and elbowing another soldier. Bane rushed through the group tackling Batman and the soldier, crashing both of them through the wall into the warehouse proper.
Batman crashed through a wooden crate, and landed on another crate. He struggled to his feet, his left arm was numb, and he felt wetness to the left side of the uniform. Bane pulled himself onto the crates and charged him. Batman rolled to the left, biting back the pain in his side, sending several explosive bat-a-rangs towards Bane. Two stuck his face blinding him temporarily. Batman leapt onto his back and pulled the Venom tubes free. The amber liquid spilled over both them. Bane roared out in pain and flung Batman off his back.
As Batman fell from tall stack of crates he fired a grapple at Bane. The grapple flew past Bane and imbedded in the ceiling. The grapple automatically began retracting the cable at high speed. Bane regained his composure as Batman's boots connected with his face, knocking him from the stack onto the ground below.
Batman let go of the grapple and fell onto his back on the stack of crates. He rolled onto his right side and looked over the edge at the unconscious Bane lying next to the Latin King soldier. He snorted and rolled onto his back. The pain from his side was blindingly excruciating. He was finding it hard to breathe.
"Bane is out." He said through clenched teeth in the com-link.
"Kings are secured." Robin said panting.
Nightwing informed them that he had secured the drone along with evidence linking the Kings with the Taliban, and MEC illegal narcotics smuggling. Batman told him to copy everything and leave the rest for MCU. He then told everyone to retreat to the primary rendezvous point. Batman heard three affirmatives.
He struggled to his feet as the sirens grew louder. He was out the window when the first of the blue and red emergency lights cast shifting shadows on the walls. He pointed his spare grapple towards the building across the way when he heard her land behind him.
"Why are you here?" He growled, he tried to stand as straight as he could. He was glad the cape covered the blood. He didn't want her to see how bad the injury was. He was sure that one of his recently broken ribs had punctured his lunge. He was about to say something more, but she merely wrapped his uninjured arm around her shoulder.
"Enough talk." She whispered in his ear. "Wonder Woman to Watchtower."
"Watchtower, Supergirl here."
"Kara, emergency transport for two my location."
Batman grumbled something unintelligible, but re-secured the grapple on his belt.
