I OWN NOTHING FROM THIS GAME! ONLY TAYLOR AND DYLAN ARE MINE!
Chapter Eleven
Always a Pain
"Where did Bats go?"
Dylan glanced back at his sister before turning back to readying the line launcher that he had taken from her earlier. "Vicki Vale, our dear nosy and foolish new reporter, had decided to invade Arkham city for the latest scoop and Joker had his men shoot her down."
"Oh Lord," Taylor sighed, shaking her head. "I hate reporters."
There had been four snipers to take down. By the time they reached the area, Batman had already taken care of them and that left the siblings to land near the blonde woman.
"You know, you're kind of an idiot for even coming in here."
Vicki Vale, in her black coat and blonde hair that Taylor had seen on the television earlier that night, turned to look at the other woman. "Coming from your mouth?"
"Hey, I had an important reason," The detective replied with a shrug. ~A reason that I found out wasn't necessary, but a reason none the less.~
"Yes, speaking of which, any luck in finding Bruce?"
"Well,"
"Wayne is safe," Batman saved the detective as he landed beside them. "And you should be to, as long as you stay here and keep out of sight."
"Working with the Batman again, eh Carmichaels?" Vicki smiled at the twins. She glanced at the Dark Knight again. "Any chance I could get an exclusive? Care to tell Gotham what's going on with your face?"
"No. Stay there and be quiet." Dylan gave a sigh and glanced off to the side…just to see the Mad Hatter pulling on his hat a few feet away from them. He gave another sigh. ~I'll never be able to get away from these freaks, will I?
"Now, that's no way to talk to the nice reporter lady, Bats." Joker decided to join the conversation.
"What do you want?"
"Who are you talking to?"
"No one important," Dylan replied. "So, tell me, how are things in Gotham?"
Batman turned from Vicki to talk to the lunatic, leaving Dylan to sidetrack the reported with questions from outside Arkham Asylum.
"The poor woman's all confused. Hardly surprising, I suppose. I mean, she's just been in a terrible accident."
"That you caused."
"How dare you! I've never been so…oh what the hell? Yes, OK, it was me. I just needed a little time to guarantee that Harley got back to me with my delicious cure and, if you're a good boy, I may even save a little for you. It's unlikely, I know, but, I'm really your last hope now, aren't I?"
Taylor gave a frown, trying to keep herself from letting her fears get the best of her. "Let's get out of here," She commented, leaving Vicki to continue talking to her radio. They hadn't gotten very far when Alfred decided to join them.
"Good news, Master Bruce. I believe we have identified the cure. Mr. Fox has manufactured enough to heal you and is working on a larger batch for the people of Gotham. The Batwing has been dispatched and it should be within your vicinity shortly. I'm sure I don't need to remind you to not waste an time in taking it."
"Have no fear, I'm sure Taylor's gonna shove it down his throat the moment we get it," Dylan commented.
"You got that right!" The woman replied.
Alfred gave a small chuckle. "So…it seems that the secrets out?"
"It appears so," Taylor replied. "And don't worry, Al. Me and you are gonna gave a long talk with Mr. B when we get out of here."
"I'll be looking forward to it, ma'am."
Dylan looked at the man in tights. "You're screwed, B."
Batman gave a sigh, hiding a laugh, before leading the way to their next part of this horrid mission.
The Batwing found them in no time at all, dropping a container down for Batman with the cure. Dylan turned, keeping watch and Taylor watched as Batman injected the fluid into his neck.
"Does it make you feel better?" She asked him.
"I'm not…sure…" He stumbled a bit before leaning forward on the canister.
"Bruce?" Taylor took a step closer just in time as he fell over; she grabbed him and gently placed him on the ground. "Bruce!"
"Screaming in his ear isn't gonna help," Dylan told his sister. "Just calm down." He glanced at her. "Besides, you need a little rest, too. You look like you got your ass kicked."
Taylor sighed. "It's not as bad as the Asylum was. If you think about it, we've been traveling more than fighting. In the Asylum, there were more fights."
"That's because it was an Asylum, not a City. Sharp was a moron for even making this damn place."
Taylor gave a silent agreement before wrapping her arms around her legs. She was tired and sore. There was nothing that she wanted more than to just go back home, take a hot bath to wash all this grim and dirt off of her before she curled up in her bed to sleep it all away, but she couldn't leave yet. Her missions, this time, was to save Bruce. She might had found him, but he wasn't safe yet. She couldn't leave until he left with her.
That led her to thinking about what would happen after all of this was over. Would…would she and Bruce still be together? And if they were, would she be able to handle him going off and doing all of this over and over again like he normally does?
~Don't worry about that~ She told herself. ~All you need to worry about is what is happening here and now, not what will happen in the future. Everything will be just fine…~
They sat in silence for half an hour. Taylor had felt herself slipping into a small doze when Batman's movement, his head in her lap, pulled her away from it. She jerked her eyes open immediately.
"Are you all right?!"
Dylan turned from his outlook to watch as the man in tights sat up, holding his head. "Well, he's not dead so I say the cure worked."
Taylor moved to look at his face. The infection was still there, she could see it, but she could see that it was fading away. Slowly, but his eyes were already returning to their blue state. She felt like she was going to cry. She had been so close to losing him. So close…
Batman gave a small smile as the woman shoved herself into his chest, squeezing him with her arms. Hugging her back, one hand n her back the other her head, he closed his eyes. He had been a little worried himself. He hadn't liked the thought of leaving Taylor behind after all that they had gone through together this last year. It wasn't often that he found a woman that could put up all this shit as much as he could; in fact, this G.C.P.D. Detective just might be the only one.
"Sorry to break this sweet moment up," Dylan stepped forward. "But we still gotta take care of Joker. You may have gotten a cure, Batman, but Joker doesn't know that. If we don't go and take care of him now, he might just do something really effing stupid; like always."
"Yes," Batman nodded and stood up, pulling Taylor with him. "I agree."
"Always a pain," Taylor cursed under her breath as she pulled back from Batman's warm body.
"Always." He nodded in agreement, a large smile on his face.
Joker was inside Sionis Mill. The original entrance was blocked from them so they had to find another way inside through a door that was guarded by more of Joker's goons.
Taylor froze at the sight of the water that seemed to be their next path through the mill. "Do we really have to do this?" She asked. "Can't we just…"
"Not afraid of a little water, are you?" Dylan teased his sister as Batman tossed out one of the Freeze Blast's that Victor had given to him.
"No, it's not that," She replied, looking at the raft-like object. It would hold all three of them but it was going to be close quarters.
Batman whipped out the Batclaw to grab onto the large metal rings in the area and pull them in the correct path that they needed to go on. It was quickly over when they found a vent to continue on their journey.
"I just heard from my dad," Oracle joined them. "He's been summoned to City Hall. Strange is requesting that Emergency Protocol Ten is activated."
"Does Gordon know what Protocol Ten is?" Batman asked.
"Just that it's the worst case security measure. Strange told the High Council he had failed to stem the use of illegal weapons within the prison."
"Weapons that he provided?" Dylan grunted, listening to all of this.
"Well, I guess we know what he wanted to do all along now," Taylor commented.
"It seems so. He made it look like the inmates were planning a mass escape and attack on Gotham. I'll keep you posted."
Going through the mill was full of fighting baddies and finding clear paths through to get to the Joker. Word was floating around that Joker looked healed, finally, and it made Taylor smile a bit. Victor's cure worked after all.
"Good evening, troops. This is General J with a quick update on what's going on down here in Arkham City. As you can see, I'm looking much better. In fact…I think I'm looking better than ever! Oh, I can hear you all now. 'How did this happen?' 'Can I get some of that crazy cure?' 'I want answers, damn it! Now!'" Taylor shook her head, staring at the screen as the lunatic continued. "Well, here's this thing. Answers don't give you everlasting satisfaction. Sometimes you need to brace yourself for disappointment. Think about it. Imagine your favorite TV show. You've been through it all. The ups, the downs, the crazy coincidences, and then: Bang! They tell you what it's all about. Would you be happy? Does it make sense? How come it all ended in a church? You guys just need to know one simple thing. I'm back. Back for good. Now arm yourselves, boys. We're got a prison break to plan. No hostages. No surrender. Oh, I know. It sounds like suicide, but listen. Whatever happens, I'll be right behind you."
"Fucking quack," Dylan grunted, moving from the room. Taylor shorted with laughter as Batman fought a grin of his own.
They saved one of Two-Face's men from torture in the next path; before knocking him out as well when he attacked.
Going through a few more water rides as they dodged drills and whatnot, Taylor found herself a little bored out of her mind as Oracle gave them her next update.
"I hacked into the Council CCTV. The council members are coming back. They don't look happy. They're telling Strange that they're disappointed in him, that they never believed Protocol Ten would need to be activated."
"But they gave him permission, didn't they?" Batman growled. Strange then gave an announcement of Protocol Ten beginning in 30 minutes.
"We need to hurry up and get this shit with Joker done so we can go take care of Strange," Dylan commented.
They ran into Stacy Baker again soon after that. She went to hit them with a pole but found it to be Batman and dropped to her knees, saying she was sorry. She informed them that Joker's men were placing things on the floor in the next room. She didn't know what they were.
"Mines?" Taylor tilted her head to the side as Baker ran off to hide again.
"It appears so." Batman nodded. "We'll have to be careful."
"Please, I'm always careful!" Dylan commented.
There were men in the next room. They had to place their attacks carefully but they were all soon wiped out, leaving Joker to make more of his lousy commented like he had in the Asylum. After that, they moved into the next room. Dylan hid in a box that took him behind the sniper and he took care of him quickly, leaving Taylor to find the next surprise.
The woman smiled as she stared at the blonde woman in front of her. "It's like an early Christmas present!" She then frowned. "Dammit! I wanted to beat her up again for that kick she gave me earlier!"
Harley Quinn was all tied up and gagged, just waiting on them. Batman ungagged her. "Well, look who it is. What do the three of you want? Come to stick the knife in some more? Well go on then, I don't care. I'm not telling you nothin'! I'm not even going to tell you about the crap Joker took from Freeze and locked up in the boiler room."
"Thanks sweetheart," Dylan winked at her.
She glared at them. Batman gagged her again.
"I wonder who did that," Taylor commented as they continued on their way.
"With how annoying she can be, it's not that hard to imagine. I wouldn't be surprised if Joker ordered it himself."
The stolen property turned out to be the Freeze Cluster Grenades and they turned out to be huge help against some of Joker's final goons. Hopefully they would be big help against the J-man as well.
As they entered the Joker's room, they instantly noticed the arrows on the floor leading them to the next room.
"Talk about Déjà vu," Dylan shook his head. He turned from the other two as he made sure his weapons were ready.
"Taylor," Batman began.
She held up a hand, shaking her head. "If this is another pursuit to make me and my brother pull out and leave you here on your own, you're crazy. We still have Strange to deal with, remember?"
Batman gave her a smile. "Are you all right?"
She gave a sigh. "Again, as good as I can be." Taylor answered. "Everything will be back to normal after all of this is over; hopefully. I don't know if you can call my boyfriend being Batman normal but it's what I got." They shared a chuckle before Taylor hung her head, covering a yawn.
"You must be tired,"
"Completely, but so are you and so is Dylan. I'm not gonna be a pansy and stop here so let's get this show over with; again."
Moving in through the door, they found Joker before a mirror, reapplying…lipstick? That had been something that Taylor had not been expecting; at least not first-hand.
"What's up, Jerk wad?" Dylan called out, coming to a stop.
Joker gave a laugh and backed up, fixing his bowtie as Taylor slapped a hand to her face. "Manners cost nothing, Carmichael. Even your dear sister seems to think so. A simple hello wouldn't go amiss." He turned to face them with a laugh of his. "It looks like I need to teach you some respect." He jumped down to face them.
"There's nothing you can teach us, Joker." Batman replied, shaking his head.
"Oh, come on. There's always something to learn. Let's start with 'Getting your ass kicked 101'." Taylor gave a snort, trying to cover her laughter. Joker laughed with her. "Even the detective here seems to agree. Seconds out!"
Dylan turned to look at his sister. Taylor flushed. "What? It was funny."
"Just you and me, Batman."
The twins let Batman and Joker go out it, seeming as how three to one in a fist fight was just…too much. They did keep a lookout for others, though, but so far, nothing. It didn't take very long, though.
"Please…stop! I can't take anymore. You win! You beat me. Hang on, did I say me? I meant me…and these guys!" Joker threw his hand out and a bunch of his goons popped out to join the fight from the two trains that were above them.
"That's what I was waiting for." Dylan growled, jumping into the fray.
Taylor, tightening her grip on the rod Dylan had given her, joined in too, trying her hardest to knock each man out with a single hit. It worked a couple of times but a few of them had to receive a bit more. She did soon find herself in front of the main man of the hour, though. She easily knocked him to the ground.
"Come on, Joker," She told him, standing over him with a hand on her hip. "You know as well as I do that this isn't going to work. Knock it off before we make-"
Her next words were lost as the Titan Mutant dropped down behind her. She felt the impact of the mutant's hand on her back and then the impact of the wall as she was flung over Joker and into it.
"TAYLOR!" Batman and Dylan both cried out together as Joker rolled over to his knees to look at the damage. She didn't move.
"Oh, you big idiot!" Joker roared, jumping to his feet and hitting Mr. Hammer. "You weren't supposed to attack the girl! Only the men!"
Dylan's roar cut him off as he jumped on the mutant's back. Joker didn't get to see what happened because Batman took him out from the side with a roar of his own.
"What are you waiting for?" Joker asked, staring up at the Dark Knight.
"Bats, look out!" Dylan cried. The railroad above them was crashing down on top of them. Both men dodged out of the way but a huge chunk fell on the B-Man. Dylan gave a cry of pain himself, having large cement fall on his legs. He struggled to move it but al this fighting finally caught up to his arms, telling him that he needed to regain his strength before he could move again. Gasping for air, he turned his head to See Batman covered chest down and then, gladly, saw that Taylor was still sprawled out by the wall, none of the roof or train tracks on top of her.
"Any last requests?" Joker's voice grabbed the ex-marine and he turned to find the crazed man with a knife in his hand as he pinned Batman's one free arm to the ground. "How about a joke?"
"Take it and shove it, Joker," Dylan grunted. "We all know your jokes suck anyway."
"Don't worry, Carmichael. I'll get to you next. And don't worry about your sister, either. I'll take good care of her." Joker laughed at the curses that Dylan then shot out of him. "So, Batman, you want that joke?"
"How about a trade?" The woman's voice grabbed them all and they turned to see Talia walking towards them. "Let him go. Take me in his place."
"I'll handle the jokes around here." Joker growled, standing up.
"Talia, what are you doing?" Batman demanded. He was ignored.
"I represent the great Ra's al Ghul. Head of the Demon, master of the League of Assassins."
"Well, bully for you."
"Free Batman and we will give you the secret of immortality." She told him.
"Are you stupid?" Dylan asked her.
"He'll be unstoppable!" Batman grunted.
Joker turned to look at him, foot on his chest. "What? You mean she's telling the truth?" Talia held her sword out to him and he walked towards her. "Immortal?"
"Do we have a deal?" Joker grabbed the sword.
"NO!" Batman cried out, struggling to move the cement off of him.
"Oh, just up!" Joker kicked him in the face. He then turned to Talia. "After you, my dear."
"We offered you this chance, Batman." Talia told the Dark Knight. "Now follow your heart."
"Oh, that reminds me," Joker turned from the woman and glanced at the one still knocked out by the wall. "I shall be taking my other prize…"
"Leave my sister alone!" Dylan growled, trying to move but he seemed to have no strength is his body left.
"You have no strength to tell me otherwise, Carmichael," Joker laughed. He picked the limp body up from the ground with one hand and tossed her over his shoulder. "But if you want her back, you'll know where to find me."
"Wha?" Dylan shook his head. He hadn't known the Joker was THAT strong. "Joker, don't you take her!" He gave a laugh as he followed Talia out the door. "JOKER!" He leaned back down on the ground, smashing his fist against it. "God dammit!"
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