Okay everyone, here is the next chapter for Knight of the Castle: Batman Begins! My mind has been bursting with ideas for the series and keeping track of everything is becoming a challenge. I've actually put a binder together to keep myself organized! And good news; today I wrote the last chapter for this story! Eek, I'm so excited!

Disclaimer: Castle. Not mine. The Dark Knight Trilogy. Not mine. The Arkham games. Not mine. The only thing I own is the concept of making Richard Castle the Batman, the timeline, and the Masked Assassin. Everything else is NOT. MINE.

Read on and enjoy!

February 25, 2006

When Castle left the loft, he made sure to avoid Martha; he still felt a bit guilty about the argument they had only a few days ago. They remained civil towards each other, but the tension was what killed Castle the most.

Walking down the street, Castle easily blended in with those around him. His training made it simple for him to embrace his surroundings and be practically invisible to everyone around; the people he walked past wouldn't remember seeing him if asked later.

However, he made it only two blocks when he felt it. There was someone following him; their presence was a sharp knife in the back. Castle walked normally, continuing for another block, but the tail was still persisting. A part of him wondered if it was Selina back to try to finish the job. Ducking down an alley, Castle continued walking. Suddenly, the sensation was gone.

Castle's brow furrowed and he turned around, looking back the way he came. No one followed him, and no one who walked past the alleyway on the street struck him as the tailing-type.

He heard footsteps from behind him and he turned away from the street, surprise etched on his face at who stood there.

Henri Ducard melted out of the shadows, a pleasant smile on his face as he nodded once. "Hello Richard."

Montgomery sat in his office, reading over Beckett's report about the Batman incident. The detective wrote that, due to her drugged state, she couldn't remember much. She did remember riding in the Batman's vehicle alongside the vigilante, but any more specific details were a blur.

The phone rang, and Montgomery picked, continuing to read the file. "Montgomery."

"Sir, you need to come down to Arkham."

"Can it wait?"

"No sir, it's urgent. You need to come down here. Now."

Ducard led Castle to a warehouse a good fifty blocks from the loft; to the average person, nothing seemed out unusual. But to the trained eye, one would instantly recognize it for a covert and temporary base. "How long have you been back?" Castle asked, the two of them standing alone in the center of the abandoned warehouse.

"A few days," Ducard answered, turning towards the writer. "It's time."

"Time?" Castle repeated, brows furrowed.

"The attack on New York," Ducard explained, surprising Castle. "It all ends tonight."

Castle sucked in a breath. "A bit of a heads-up would have been nice," he muttered. "What's the target?"

At this, Ducard's face grew solemn, hardness in his eyes. "The entirety of Manhattan."

The severity of the situation hit Castle, but he remained strong. This was it; this had to be what Crane was behind. His incarnation must have encouraged whoever the doctor was working with or for to speed up the plan. "Do you have your men out there?" Castle wondered, motioning to the city.

"Yes. They are carrying out their orders," Ducard answered, walking past Castle to gaze out the window. It was a limited view, but the ninja gazed upon it intently. "Finally, the corruption and poison this city has produced will wither away and die… This is a good day Richard."

An unsettled look came onto Castle's face. "I wouldn't call it good," he countered. "People could dying tonight." Ducard remained silent, leaving Castle to stare at him. He finally shook his head, "We should probably get going—"

"Not just yet, Richard," Ducard interrupted, still staring out the window. "There is something we must discuss."

Castle blinked. "You want to talk? Right now?" he asked incredulously. "Ducard, look, you gave me a job: To protect this city. That's what I'm trying to do."

"Protect New York?" Ducard questioned, turning to face Castle. "No Richard. I told you to correct the evil in New York. To destroy crime." Castle's brows furrowed in confusion, not liking what Ducard was hinting at. "Imagine my surprise when I find out that every man or woman I told you of ended up in jail."

"Of course they ended up in jail," Castle stated slowly, watching Ducard closely with narrowed eyes. "What else was I supposed to do?"

"Prisoners are eventually released, Richard. And, more often than not, they return to their life of crime." Ducard took a step towards Castle. "The only way to prevent this… is to destroy them." Castle's eyes widened. "If someone stands in the way of true justice, you merely walk up behind them," Ducard said, "and stab them in the heart."

At Arkham Asylum, Montgomery was inspecting the crime scene, where Beckett had been poisoned by Dr. Crane. His gaze finally came to rest upon metal canisters, dozens of them. Walking to a CSU investigator, he asked, "They put any of this stuff in the water supply?"

The investigator looked at him solemnly. "They put it all of it in."

Montgomery blinked in surprise. The CSU investigator motioned to their left; when Roy looked, his heart sank into his stomach. There was a large gaping hole in a pipeline, where water gushed through. It was one of the main water pipes… there was no way to isolate the toxin.

"Get me Mayor Wheldon on the phone," Montgomery ordered. "Now."

Castle blinked in shock. "You… you wanted me to kill them?" he breathed, taking a step away from Ducard. His eyes narrowed in disgust. "No! I'm not an executioner."

"Your compassion is a weakness your enemies do not share," Ducard said calmly. "It didn't take long for Roman Sionis to place a bounty on your head, and it took even less time for assassins to come after you." His tone reminded Castle of his early training days, two years ago. But this conversation, everything that Ducard was saying…

Castle never saw it coming.

"That's why it's so important," he countered. "It separates us from them."

Ducard shook his head. "If you are not prepared to do all that is necessary—"

"Was lying about who you really are necessary," Castle interrupted, "Ra's?" He smiled inwardly when he saw that he caught Ducard— Ra's, Castle thought, his name is Ra's— off guard. The man eventually smirked, and Castle could see a hint of pride in his eyes.

"How long have you known?" Ra's questioned.

"I've suspected for a while." Reality suddenly hit him and Castle swallowed. "So. This attack," his voice was filled with distaste, "is yours? Crane was working for you." Ra's nodded once, confirming it. The writer shook his head in disbelief. "That toxin… you're going to release it into the city?"

"Richard, I don't think you understand the significance of what is happening today," Ra's insisted. "The League of Shadows has been a check against human corruption for thousands of years. We sacked Rome. Loaded trade ships with plague rats. Burned London to the ground." Again, Castle was shocked. "Every time a civilization reaches the pinnacle of its decadence, we come to restore the balance."

"'Restore the balance?'" Castle repeated. "You're destroying millions of lives!"

"Only a cynical man would call what these people have 'lives,' Richard," Ra's scoffed. "Crime and despair? This is not how man is supposed to live." He looked at Castle closely, trying to make him understand. "New York's time has come… It must be destroyed."

"New York isn't beyond saving," Castle argued. "Give me more time. There are good people here." Ra's shook his head in disagreement.

"You are defending a city so corrupt, we have infiltrated every level of its infrastructure."

Castle was only able to shake his head. He walked past Ra's, running a hand through his hair. Shocked, conflicted, confused… the writer wasn't sure which described him the best. Ra's mistook his silence for uncertainty and indecision, and went on.

"Richard, the world pushed you into a life, a role that went against who you truly were. You were lost in that shell of a man," he said, and Castle winced at the truth of his words. "But I believed in you. I showed you a path. You were my greatest student… I look at you as if you were my own son." Ra's looked at Castle pointedly. "It should be you standing by my side, saving the world."

How could it be that the man who trained Castle to be New York's 'hero' turned out to be the writer's definition of a villain?

"Richard, please, for your own sake," Ra's insisted. "There is no turning back."

How could Castle save Manhattan and still be loyal to Ra's?

"No."

Ra's eyes narrowed; he stared at Castle, watching him closely. "What?"

"No, Ra's," Castle turned to face his former mentor; a man who had been a friend, a confidant, and a father figure. "You're wrong." Castle took a step forward, meeting Ra's' gaze. "You're what we're supposed to be fighting against." At this, Ra's stiffened, and Castle knew he struck a nerve. "Call the attack off," he ordered.

"Don't be a fool Richard," Ra's warned. "You are dealing with a force beyond your comprehension. Gotham will be destroyed."

"No. It won't," Castle countered, disappointment filling him. "Because I will stop you."

"I doubt it."

Castle suddenly found himself fighting Ra's al Ghul; the two of them were punching and blocking, kicking and dodging. It had been a long time since they fought each other, but one thing was clear: Ra's had taught Castle well.

"A traitor," Ra's snarled as the two faced each other down. "Just like your father."

At this, Castle froze. His father?

How did Ra's know him?

"There was once another man like you within our ranks…" Ducard stated. "He was one of the greatest students I have ever trained."

"What happened to him?" Castle wondered.

Ducard's eyes shot open, a fierce expression on his face. "He betrayed us, all of us. So he was excommunicated from the League… He was never seen again."

Castle put the pieces together. The traitor… the Masked Assassin… Could it be that Castle's father had never died?

"You never did learn to mind your surroundings," Ra's scolded. Before Castle could register his words, he was hit in the back of the head, a grunt escaping him as he collapsed to the ground unconscious. A member of the League stood behind him, and more came into the room. "Burn everything," Ra's ordered, looking down at Castle's still form.

"His survival is entirely up to him."

Ra's al Ghul! Betrayal! Attacking New York! Castle's dad? It's happening! It's finally happening! About four or five more chapters until Batman Begins and we move on to the next story in the series. (More information about the next story will be given soon.)

So what do you guys think? Let me know!

Katrina