The Batman, aching and bruised and burnt, approached the door to the 'great hall'. In his head he went over a checklist of what remained of his arsenal: three batarangs, a fully loaded grapple gun, four gauntlet spikes, two sonic grenades, seven flash bombs, an expandable baton, 'slick shoes', cowl-gas, glove-gas, two laser-pens, three mini-tasers and his suit taser.
He was armed to the teeth.
Ah, Bruce. Here at last.
Welcome.
There was no warning as the floor suddenly propelled him back the way he had come. Twisting in midair, he regained control, landed and somersaulted to the right. His body shuddered and he fell to his knees.
Wide-beam neural shock. Sometimes it's best to use what has worked before.
The Batman slowly rose.
Or not. Interesting. Something in your cowl, no doubt.
The Batman shuddered and fell to his knees again before suddenly arching tightly and grunting with pain.
And then there was silence.
Inside the 'great hall' the bearded man was naked, dripping with sweat, and doing planche push-ups. The screens were blank but the machines continued to beep and hiss.
He's here. Just as you said he would be.
The bearded man smiled and stood up. He walked over to one of the consoles and put on a headset. In his mind flashed an image of a shadowy and caped figure landing on the gravel outside. Grinning, he took off the headset and pushed a button; outside, the guards quickly made their way to the area where, hours earlier, Batman had landed.
The bearded man stretched and admired himself before making his way to the to the control pod of the large machine. He settled in and sat back. The machine hummed louder and 'plugged' him in.
Bruce! So nice of you to join us.
Hnh
Come now, that's not fair. You've taken away any edge I may have had.
Let them go. I'm here.
You're here, they're here…but I don't want any of you. You know that, don't you? Yes, yes, you do. You've always been one of the clever ones. Well, almost always. Our first encounter went very much my way, didn't it?
I didn't want to come back, Bruce (by the way, the Doctor didn't tell me…I already knew. Funny thing is, he thinks I don't know). No, I didn't want to come back. The dream realm is a wondrous place, absolutely…but I was cheated. You and the Arrow and the Raven…you cheated me!
Are you done with your analysis, Detective? Yes, you're unconscious, yes, when you open your eyes you'll find yourself in a dream reality, and, no, waking from the dream doesn't mean you win, or even I win. I'm not after your psycho-electric surge. Not this time.
Then?
For now…satisfy my curiosity.
How?
These…minions the Doctor abducted and brought here. How are they so loyal to you when you haven't even brought them into your circle? Dick and Alfred I can readily understand; even the Gordons, but these three? Are there more? Why did you allow them to know? Your comrades are quite adept at mindwiping, why not get one of them to do that?
Curious. You don't know and you don't care to know. Is that old age creeping in?
You're welcome, by the way.
Sprawled on the floor, The Batman snaps awake, gasping for breath.