Chapter 12
Loose Lips and Broken Bones
A pair of closed eyes winced, as the brow began to curl and a deep yawn followed. The eyelids of the man opened as he was slowly coming out of his unconsciousness. His eyes finally opened, yet was not totally coherent within the first few seconds.
He saw only black lines dividing bright squares that gridded downwards to a straight line of moving orbs.
At long last his senses came completely to, and noticed what he was staring at were the windows of sky scrapers in the night hanging hundreds of feet above the congested roads. Tossing in a panic he looked to his feet and found himself held up by one foot in the clutches of the hand of the Batman.
"Enjoy your nap?" asked the knight, with dark sarcasm.
The suit then began to kick in squirm in a frenzy when feeling the vertigo that was forced upon him. "What Are You Doing!? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?"
"I know Giro hired the Joker to kidnap two children, and I know you work for him!' growled the dark interrogator, 'The boy, Ame, where are you keeping him?!"
"I-I don't know…" he pled with a quivering voice that was amplified by the hundreds of feet that stood between the concrete and the top of his skull.
"Wrong Answer!" returned Batman who let fall his arm, giving the sensation of dropping.
Struggling and whimpering the gangster shot back, "Why should I tell you? You're no different from the rest of us, that foolish city may idolize you but here, they answer to us!"
Batman lifted him up then let go. The man fell about two feet before being caught by the other foot then hoisted him back up Batman then turned him upright and held him over the ledge by the lapel. "Last Chance!" he threatened, "Don't make me break open your skull and look for the answers inside!"
Gritting his teeth, the yakuza taunted while under stress, "You think me a fool, we know of Gotham's man-bat, and that he doesn't kill!"
"So is that the rumor going around?" said the caped crusader darkly.
Batman then turned him around and held him by the back of his collar. The next thing the Yakuza heard was the grapple line being shot to an anchor point. Then to his astonishment, felt the cold cable lasso around his throat and synch tight until he coughed.
The Knight then lowered him until he was planked at an upward angle, with his feet planted on the ledge with him being held up by the neck. He fought to stay positioned for if his feet lost their footing, his neck would break at the end of the line.
"If you don't talk,' said Batman holding him up, 'you'll only get yourself killed."
Sputtering and gagging for air, the mobster was lowered until he was almost parallel with the ground. He gripped the line around his neck coughing and choking in intense pain and peril.
"Tell me which breaks first,' said Batman, 'your silence or your neck?"
"All- r-ight." he squirmed, "I-I'll talk!"
"I knew you would." said the knight as he pulled back up and held him by the scruff over the ledge.
The Yakuza thug then confessed, "I don't know where they are keeping the boy but Kawaguchi would know."
"Who is Kawaguchi!?"
"He's Giro's number two and organized this whole thing. The union with gotham's underground, kidnapping the children, he planned it all!"
Batman then brought him closer, "Where do I find him!?" he bellowed with an aggressive interrogative manner.
"We never know until the moment of. He's planning to meet with some of us tonight, I should be getting the message anytime!"
The caped crusader then tossed the goon behind him, landing with a heavy thud on the rooftop.
Batman then marched up to him as he scurried away, "Give me your phone."
The man dug into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, but pulled out a gun instead.
Batman caught the wrist with his hand fully wrapped around the knuckles and twisted the firearm out of his grip and hit the slide release for the magazine to fall out, then wracked the chamber to eject the live round before sliding the action off the stock.
Trembling the Yakuza pled, "No please don't!"
But the fist of the dark knight slammed into the side of his head, knocking him out. He then searched his pockets until he found a personal cell phone. He then dug into his utility belt until he retrieved some kind of adapter with a head phone cable attached in which he plugged it into the jack.
"Alfred I'm hacking into the phone of one of the yakuza members, and I need you to triangulate the position of Kawaguchi when he sends out a message."
"On it Master Bruce, and welcome back." replied the elegant butler.
It was then that the caped crusader decided to get an update from Nightwing and Robin.
…
During this time their was another interrogation of the like nature occurring on another rooftop. Three suites and two police officers where found on their knees with their hands tied behind their backs and finally coming to their senses.
As they gazed around, they found the blackened figure of Nightwing standing before them with his arms crossed in a triumphant pose.
"Rise and shine gentlemen." he said.
"You dare hold a member of the NPA hostage?!" stammered one of the officers, "We'll see to it that you'll never see the light of day again foreigner!"
With a juvenile smirk, Grayson returned, "I don't think the Japanese government looks too kindly upon it's city servants aiding and embedding a known criminal organization."
"What do you want from us?" said one of the suits with a sinister tone.
"Glad you asked,' replied Dick as he got on his haunches to bring himself at eye level, 'looks like some of you guys invited some friends of ours to hang out. We want to know where they're staying so we can bring them back home."
"What makes you think we'll talk to you?" said one of the cops with confident bravery.
Approaching him, Nightwing taunted darkly, "If you don't, I'll send you on a date with gravity."
"You wouldn't dare!" said the irate officer, while his partner bellowed, "You think your silly costume grants you diplomatic immunity? When your government finds out what you've…."
Before the officer could finish Nightwing kicked him in the chest sending him over the ledge, then performed a spinning back kick and launched the other cop over within moments of each other.
The three suits were silent and gawking in disbelief, while Nightwing only stretched his back and confront the remaining quadra.
"Now, who here is willing to tell me where Penguin, Two-Face, Freeze and Joker are?" said the young vigilante.
"It is my wish to die with honor rather than to betray the Yakuza!" said one fearlessly.
"Wish granted!" returned Dick as he threw off the first Yakuza.
On to the second, who trembled a little as Nightwing implored, "How 'bout you? Want to tell me where Gotham's slime is?"
"Never to you!" returned the mobster who was then kicked in the face and flipped over the roof top.
Then to the third and final, Grayson grabbed him by the lapel and held him over the ledge, "I hope you start talking, it's not everyday I'm in such a good mood." he taunted.
"You have some nerve yank!' replied the surviving Yakuza with some aggression, 'those officers were valuable assets to our clan."
"That's nothing when compared to what I've done to the crooked cops back home." sneered Nightwing.
He then began to tilt him over the side and said morbidly, "It's not true what they say by the way…"
The mobster began to shake while staring with wide eyed panic, while Grayson added, "…They say when you fall, you die before you hit the ground. Well, let's just say I've learned for myself that you see it all the way coming."
"Wait, Wait!" cried the terrified thug, "I'll talk!"
"Hurry then,' replied Dick, 'my hands are getting tired."
"The bird man and the deformed one will be at pier 18 at the Ocean master's shipping yard. There's a warehouse there by the harbors, that's where they'll be. The cold scientist is doing research in a private lab, however none of us know where it is seeing how the last one was compromised."
"Who would know?"
"Kawaguchi, he handles all of Giro's personal affairs, a secretary if you will."
"What about the Joker?"
"He's lurking around Tokyo in search of the young girl, he never said where! You have to believe me!"
Grayson relaxed his arms, "I do…" he said to the relief of the mobster, "Well have a nice trip."
Nightwing then relinquished his grip and the thug began to fall. He kicked and scrambled as a surge of shock overtook him. As the rooftop began to fall from view he suddenly found himself moved off to the side in mid air, as if by magic.
Moment's later, and rather disoriented, the last Yakuza found himself hanging upside down by his feet next to the side of one the neighboring buildings. Then looking to his side, he found his other two compadre's and two police officers dangling alongside him, each letting out gasps of fear and panic. They had been tethered the whole time and not in any immediate danger.
"So how'd it go?" came a young and cocky voice from the other side of the mobster.
He turned his head and saw Robin perched next to him. Shaking in anger the mobster growled, "I would rather die than suffer this humiliation at your hands!"
With a shrug Tim shot a grabble line to the rooftop Nightwing was on, "Sorry to leave you hanging but I gotta punch in." With that said, the vigilante in red zipped away to regroup.
As Robin got over the ledge he found Nightwing on his comms talking to Batman.
"Bruce I got a location on Dent and Cobblepot, They're at a harbor just a few miles out. Sounds like they're taking there orders from some big cheese named Kawaguchi."
Over the static Batman's voice could be heard, "What of Joker and Freeze?"
"Freeze is in a new lab and no one know's what the clown is doing other than he's trying to get Yuki back."
"That's not good, he'll but innocents in danger to draw her out."
"What makes you say…"
"I know him Dick." said Batman subtlety.
"Last thing,' started Nightwing, 'The only way to find out where Freeze is, would be Kawaguchi, Giro's right hand man. He may know more about the whereabouts of Ame."
"I'll be sure to ask him when I see him, Batman out." The radio was then silenced.
Looking towards Robing, Dick sighed, "Well Tim, looks like we're heading to the docks."
They began to walk across the roof top towards the motorcycles which were parked a few blocks away. It was then that Robin commented, "We should really talk to Lucius about having those things auto drive to our location."
…
Meanwhile on the other rooftop Batman received a call from Alfred in which his butler informed, "Sir this Kawaguchi fellow just sent out a mass text. Using the signals he reached out to, it appears that he is requesting a meeting with some key Yakuza members at Ocean Master's sushi."
"Get me the address and I'll go introduce myself." said the knight as he then dove off the rooftop and into the Batmobile.
As he secured himself and the car came to life he flipped on his receiver and said, "Oracle run a quick schematic on the Batmobile and tell me if you find any irregularities."
Shortly after, Barbara said, "Glad to hear that your alright, what am I looking for?"
"Nightwing said that the Batmobile's counter measures were hacked using some kind of computer device. Whenever there is a breach the Bat computer stores it, can you pull up the recent history of any kind of hack?"
After some silence Oracle said with some gloom, "It looks like the last one was last month when a goon tried break in through the windshield and was electrified."
Quickly Batman ordered, "Throw up every fire wall we have in our database we may have a software breach."
"How could the Yakuza hack into your network? It's almost impossible to hack even for me."
"Nightwing said that the Yakuza has infiltrated the NPA. When I donated the servers they may be using the upgrades to enhance their techniques."
"That may explain how the case files and anything related to it disappeared concerning Yuki and Ame's abduction," concurred Oracle.
"Exactly, we may have unknowingly helped the Japanese mob by supplying the NPA with the servers." said the dark knight with sharp analyzes.
"That's one way to shoot yourself in the foot." returned Barbara.
"Not exactly,' replied the crusader, 'remember that software came with a trojan that I installed, I always have a fail safe."
"So let's activate it and fry their network."
"That's what I plan on, however if we do that too soon then we'll loose our ability to monitor and track all that goes on in Japan while we're here."
"Well maybe I can do some hacking of my own." returned Oracle.
"See what you can do Barbara, I'm on my way to have a talk with this Kawaguchi."
…
Within some of the more discrete corners of the city of Tokyo was a small restaurant with dimly flickering blue, neon lights that read, 'ocean master sushi' Within the eatery were a group of Yakuza members, each enjoying seaweed salad, sashimi, nigiri and other cola-nary delights of the eastern culture.
Kawaguchi soon appeared and looked upon his guests then noticed an empty chair at the bar and asked, "Where is Hiroshi?"
"He has been out of contact since he was sent to the cryogenics lab." replied another.
Another, when taking a swig of sake inquired, "He was on his way to deal with the bat fool, how has his progress been?"
Behind them was another voice of pure aggression and subtle masculinity say, "See for yourself."
The group of men turned to see the vengeful Batman standing in the door way, ready to confront each of the mobsters. "We can make this easy if you like. Which one of you is Kawaguchi?"
The man whom was sought after arose and calmly replied, "Yes, I do feel that this will be quiet easy. Men, we have an uninvited guest who seeks to dishonor us, you know what to do."
The group of about half a dozen mafia men stood, withdrew various weapons and went to engage the ever so vigil intruder.
Batman wasted no time, he jumped forth, up and over the first villain, grappled onto his collar and threw him as he flipped over him. The human body hurled towards the group and leveled three.
One picked up a chair and rushed in to brawn the vigilante with it, however the bat ducked under the swipe, came up with a knee to the gut before twisting the seat from his enemy's hands and breaking the legs over the back of his head.
Two more attempted to engage. The dark knight through a back elbow into the jaw of one then took hold of the lapel and belt of the other, flipped him over his shoulders and sent slamming down into a nearby table.
Batman was quickly rushed at by a deranged Yakuza, who calmly stepped out of the way letting the charger move past him. Before the man realized he had been evaded, the knight shot his bat claw at the back of the man's collar. Once the line snagged, the henchmen shot back in a whiplash motion, hitting his head on the hard ground.
Our caped crusader was then checked into the sushi bar, who recovered and saw a switch blade swinging violently for him. Batman could not evade as he was backed up, he could only perry a few swipes before his hand was cleared and the knife came down straight into his chest.
Unbeknownst to the knife man, was that the bat embroidery that he attempted to pierce was the strongest area of the suit, reinforced kevlar. The blade broke, in which Batman lunged forward, grabbed the mobster's head and through his face through the glass shield of the bar, shredding his facade.
Another mobster rushed in and threw a round house kick, but Batman caught the ankle, pulled the leg forward to where it rested upon the bar, leaving the man in an awkward front split. Batman's forearm then came barreling down upon the knee joint and blew it out of place, leaving his victim screaming.
The final goon jumped in and managed to get his hands around Batman's neck and began strangling him while having him bent over the sushi bar. Gritting his teeth, the dark knight grabbed a chopstick atop the counter and lodged it into his opponent's ear.
He arose with the protrusion sticking from the side of his head and yelped in agony before Batman's fist leveled him to the floor.
When seeing his security eradicated, Kawaguchi turned and tried to flee out the back through the kitchen. However Batman got a hold of him and threw him into the wall and demanded, "The boy, Ame, where did you take him to!?"
Wincing, Kawaguchi returned with defiance, "I only answer to Giro. My loyalty to him is stronger than a thousand burning suns!"
Unknowingly, Batman was given an idea, who said, "Let's put it to the test."
He then hurled the mobster through the tables, then kicked him out the front door as he was scrambling to escape. Once Batman got Kawaguchi into the street he pressed a few buttons and his gauntlet to summon the Bat-mobile.
He held the Yakuza down as the demonic vehicle rolled up beside them.
"You wish to take me to the police?" taunted Kawaguchi with relaxed disrespect.
"Not exactly." returned the dark knight as he drug the man to the rear of the car.
He held Kawaguchi's face close to the after burner, then with a few more keystrokes, the rocket shot out a beam of intense flame, in which the mobster's head was getting pushed closer towards it. Kawaguchi tried with his might to push back, but he was not strong enough.
"How shall I send you to Giro?' yelled Batman, "Medium or extra crispy!?"
"Stop! Stop! I'll talk!" pled the frenzied individual.
The after burner shut off and Kawaguchi was turned to face the knight, "Where is Ame!?"
"He's at the warehouse on a dock owned by ocean master sushi! He's being protected by both Penguin and Two face!"
"Is Freeze there too?"
"No, he's still working on the serum in a discrete place. A place that only Giro knows of!"
"Where's Giro!?"
Kawaguchi looked away, "I can't tell you…"
With hostile impatience, Batman put the thug's face right in front of the after burner to where he could see down it. Next thing he could hear were more keystrokes in which he heard the Bat-mobile's engine beginning to fire up. He saw an intense orange light coming out the vent in which screamed, "NO!"
His face was pulled away just in time as the flame shot forth.
"Changed your mind?!" gritted the knight.
Sobbing, Kawaguchi weakly muttered, "I won't tell you, but I can give you a lead." He then pulled out his phone and said, "It's all in here, it's encrypted, but all the information is in here."
Batman took the phone and pocketed it and said darkly, "Thank you."
He then threw Kawaguchi on his hands and knees. Before he could arise, Batman's knuckles slugged him in the back of the neck and drove his nose straight into the concrete.
He did not move much after that, therefore Batman jumped into the vehicle and radio'd, "Dick when you reach the dock, hold until I arrive. I'm on my way there too."