Chapter Nine: Iceberg Lounge VIP Room
I woke up on a cold floor. I sat up and rubbed my face, feeling a large bruise on my right temple. My eye was tender as well. I looked around and saw I was in the middle of the Iceberg Lounge, on the dance floor. There were golden railings stopping me getting to the outer ring where the chairs and tables were. Banners and balloons were strung up, each one colourful and emblazoned with 'happy birthday'. Penguin was stood by the bar, smoking a cigar with a paper party hat on, and, sat at a table next to him was a sight that made me shudder.
Eleven feet tall with tough green skin and a mouth full of teeth, Killer Croc sat down, a glass of brandy in his right hand, a cigar in his left. He was shirtless, exposing his reptilian muscular body and he wore a pair of dark orange Arkham trousers. His golden eyes were focussed on me and he tapped his foot on the ground impatiently.
"Well well, looks like the lad's finally awake." Penguin said. I reached for my gun but couldn't find it.
"Lookin' for this?" Penguin said, pulling out my pistol and SMG. He placed them on the bar and chuckled. I reached into my hoodie pockets and felt my two knives, and I also felt the knife that was in my boxers. I pulled the knives out and stood up. "Well lad, today's my birthday. You gonna wish me many happy returns?"
"I hope it's your last." I snarled. Croc chuckled and took a drag on his cigar.
"To celebrate this momentous occasion, I arrange a good old gladiator fight for my men. You know, nice fight between mates. But when you arrived, I had a better idea." He said, leaning on his umbrella. "My men are going to fight you."
"Bring it on." I said, motioning to him.
"Cocky!" He shouted, chuckling. "I like him."
"I'd like to eat him." Croc growled.
"No you wouldn't." I said, lifting my vest up exposing my stomach. "All skin and bones."
"Makes no difference to me." Chuckled Croc.
"If you two ladies are done, I'd quite like to get started." Penguin said. "Come on lads, come and ruin the lad's pretty little face." Penguin chuckled and four of Penguin's thugs ran in, vaulting over the barriers. The first one swung a punch at me, but I was quick. I brought my left knife up and slashed along his arm, cutting some arteries. He shouted out in pain and I kicked him in the stomach, pushing him back. I heard a step behind me and spun round, stretching my arm out and slashed another man across the stomach. I locked eyes with the other one and ran at him. He reached out his arm to get me, and I slid, knocking him to the ground. I twisted and drove my knife into his back. I heard Croc chuckle and Penguin laugh. I smirked at them and looked around. Another group of thugs, two of them with knives, one with a shield.
The first man with a knife slashed at me and I moved out the way and slashed back. He dodged and I quickly drove my shoulder into his chest while his knife arm was away, the stabbed him in the throat. He dropped the knife and I tried to pull the knife out, but it was stuck. I ducked behind him and used him as a shield as the second man went to stab, catching his friend in the chest. I pulled the knife again and it came out, and I pushed the man towards the other. Before I could attack I was grabbed from behind, my arms locked together. The one man ran and punched me in the stomach. I strained my arms and the man punched me again. I scraped the heel of my shoe down the man's shin and he let got. I quickly slashed at him then grabbed the man who was punching me by the arm. I broke it then stabbed him, and the man with the shield swung it at me. I ducked it and came up in between it. He was unable to get away due to being attached to the shield, so I brought my feet up and kicked him in the chest, my back against the shield. I heard a crack and the shield came loose; I fell to the floor. I looked at him and he was clutching his arms, both broken. I punched him in the face and he dropped to the floor.
I looked around at the bleeding bodies on the floor and turned to Penguin. "Is that all you've got?"
"You want more?" Penguin said.
"Sure." I said.
"Go on then croc, get yourself stuck in." Penguin chuckled. Croc stood up and jumped the barrier, and I immediately regretted being so cocky.
He hissed and licked his lips. "Tick tock." He said to me. He ran and swung his clawed hand. I ducked and stabbed the knife towards it, but the blade didn't penetrate his tough hide. He spun and smashed me in the stomach with his massive forearm, sending me flying back. Croc laughed. "That tickled." Before I could get up Croc was already on me, lifting me up by my hoodie. He brought me close to his face and I could smell his breath, a mixture of blood, brandy and tobacco. He was about to chomp me when one of Penguin's thugs ran in.
"Boss!" He shouted.
"What is it?" Penguin said impatiently.
"It's Bane. He's-" He was about to finish when he was knocked down by a flying henchman. Croc ran back to the barrier, still with me in his fist and leaped it. He sat back down at his chair and placed me in the seat beside me.
"What's wrong? Scared?" I taunted.
"No." He snarled. "I just don't punch above my weight, unlike some people." I shrugged, admitting he had a point.
"Will you two shut up!" Penguin said, listening for Bane.
"Cigar?" Croc asked, pushing the case towards me.
"Cheers mate." I said, taking one out and lighting it. "Pour me a glass." Croc pushed his glass towards me and poured himself one.
"Shut the hell up!" Penguin said. Bane ran in, going directly to the large open space where me and Croc had our slightly unfair fight. To be honest, impenetrable skin was kinda cheating.
"Pájaro!" Bane shouted at Penguin. "Give me the Titan or I'll pluck your feathers!"
"Now now Baney." Penguin said. "And here I was thinking you were here to wish me a happy birthday. Not got a present for me?"
"How about a broken neck?" Bane asked.
"Tell you what." Penguin said. "You go three rounds with my men. You beat them and you get the Titan."
"Give it to me!"
"Oi! Clive, get in here!" Penguin shouted. A large man ran in, but he was nothing compared to Bane. "Get in there!"
Me and Croc exchanged looks, knowing he wasn't going to last five seconds. We clinked our glasses together and smiled. Clive went flying across the room and slammed into the wall with an audible crack, much to mine and Croc's amusement.
"Pájaro!" Bane shouted.
"Sickle!" Shouted Penguin. "You're next!"
The massive Sickle ran in, his weapon in his one hand. He swung it at Bane who caught it and ripped it from his grasp, flinging it away. Sickle punched him in the face and Bane retaliated. Sickled kicked and Bane punched again. He grabbed Sickle round the throat and slammed him into the ground.
"Looks like he needs a hand." I whispered to Croc, who laughed loudly. I took a drag on my cigar and sipped my brandy as Bane repeatedly punched Sickle into unconsciousness. Bane stood up and lifted Sickle up and threw him out of the ring.
"You think you're tough, don't you?" Penguin said.
"Well he kinda is." I said.
"Shut up!" Penguin said.
"He is." Croc agreed.
"Shut it! Or my men'll have new boots!" Penguin said. Croc growled and I tapped my cigar into an ashtray. "You'll like this bit Croc."
"Give me the Titan!" Screamed Bane.
"Last round!" Penguin clicked a button on a remote and something descended from the ceiling of the lounge. Bane leaped out the way, and the door to the metal cage opened. From it stepped something I thought was only a myth. The same size of Bane with pale blue-grey skin and ripped clothing, the monster stepped out.
"Solomon Grundy…" It moaned.
"Where the hell did you get him?" I asked Penguin.
"Born on Monday…" Grundy moaned, moving slowly towards Bane. Bane punched him a few times, but Grundy carried on.
"Christened on Tuesday…"
"He came when I brought the place." Penguin said. "You like 'im?"
Me and Croc nodded as we watched Bane try to punch Grundy some more, who again continued on. Grundy punched Bane a few times, and Bane retaliated to no avail.
"Married on Wednesday…"
"If I beat Croc, would I be against him?" I asked Penguin, pouring myself some brandy.
"Lord kid, calm down on the alcohol." Penguin said, pulling the bottle away from me.
"You wouldn't have beaten me." Croc snarled.
We looked over and saw Bane bleeding on the floor. He stood up and pushed Grundy back. "This isn't over Pájaro!" Bane sprinted out of the room, and Grundy turned to us.
"Took ill on Thurday…"
"I don't want to alarm you Cobblepot, but that unstoppable zombie is shuffling towards us." I said, downing my brandy.
"I'm not fighting that thing." Croc said.
"Stop worrying." Penguin said, tapping the control. Nothing happened. "Oh, it's not working."
"Grew worse on Friday…"
"Jesus." I muttered.
"I'll throw the kid at it if you like." Croc said.
"I thought we'd really bonded Croc." I said to him.
"Died on Saturday…"
"Damn right you did." Penguin said. He hit the remote and pressed the button and Grundy fell to the ground, electricity crackling around him.
"Well lads, this was lovely, but I'll be going now." I stood up, but Croc pulled me back down.
"Kid, I'm a collector." Penguin said. "You're Arkham's Youngest inmate. You're mine."
"Oh sh-"
Croc smashed me in the head and I blacked out.