Chapter Twenty Six
"This the place?" Batman asks the crouching Taratnular as they both looked at the rather normal looking building for this part of town
"It's the only one of his place I know of suitable enough"
"Security"
"Just him, I think most of the gang split after Blockbuster…. Well they were scared that Nightwing might…" She felt it hard to talk about it; after all he is in this mess because of her
"Then we get in there now" He quickly removed a grapple gun and fired it to the opposite building, he did not wait for Tarantula, he didn't really want her there, after all it is her fault Nightwing has ended up like although he doesn't yet know what the outcome is, he doesn't even know if they are even here this, yet he needs to keep her close
The building smelt of damp but what more stood out to Batman in the same way it did to Nightwing was the smell of blood, he realised Tarantula did not notice this stench where as he has never forgotten the smell that has stung his nose since he was a boy
"Wait here" He demanded
"Here! But I am no use to you here" she shouted
"I don't need you kind of help, stay" He said, he knew it came out worst than he planned but he didn't care at the moment him main priority was Nightwing
Tarantula stood there the tears burning in her eyes, she knew that Batman was going to turn her in, she could feel it, yet she wanted to obey him so he knew that she wasn't as bad as she thought, yet it would make no difference to him when she was behind bars, but she couldn't leave, she had no place to go but she also had to make sure that Nightwing was okay.
As Batman moved around the building, trying hard not to creak on the rotting floorboards, it brought back memories of the last time he had to save him after he went head to head with Bane, Batman feared that he was going to lose him as it was one of the most extensive beating either Nightwing or himself had had, it was the first time Nightwing had to deal with broken bones and ribs but he pulled through much to Batman's disbelief, he only wishes he thought he was as strong as he was then.
Batman stopped his search when he hears a familiar voice talking seemingly to himself as there were no answers to his questions, he crept towards the opening to the open top floor and could see Black mask as he had been named standing by a table, which made Batman's stomach turn when he saw lying on top of the table were bloodied tools place orderly across the tray, Black mask picked up each tools and analysed it before putting it back in its place, he only hoped he wasn't too late
"It's like a box of chocolates, you never know which one to choose that will cause the most delight"
Batman could hear him saying as he gazed at a scalpel and moved out of Batman's view, moments later a heart wrenching scream entered his ears
Batman leaped into action and ran towards the seemingly un-expecting Black mask but as soon as he was within reach, Black mask turned swiftly around and planted the scalpel into Batman's shoulder, causing Batman to fall due to the unexpected pain
"At first I thought you just wanted to come and watch, but I knew as soon as you heard her scream you would come running, you see I didn't even touch her that time, it's the fear that I have already put into her that made her do that, something which you are trying hard to master, correct? How you liking the pain"
Batman shaking placed a hand around the scalpel, which has lodged itself in his shoulder
"I wouldn't do that, from where I'm looking that's in the main artery, pull that out and you'll bleed to death in seconds, you see torture isn't all about blood and gore, Ask them" He tilted his head in the direction of both Nightwing and Huntresses unconscious forms now both strapped up on make shift operating tables
"It's about causing the most excruciating pain without killing them first, that's where most people go wrong, they think torture is about a cut here a slice there, cut off a couple of fingers and toes and Bobs your uncle, they would be lucky if they get to keep their victims alive a couple of hours without the proper medical equipment. If I choose to do something life threateningly, I will do it and then patch it up, Nightwing has died twice and I have brought him back, don't think you and Doctor Leslie will be able to do as good a job as me though… oops! did I let slip that I know you secret Bruce, sorry, but torture is also about extracting information from your victim, might as well get something useful out of it as well as pleasure" He grinned at the Batman as he watched the blood trickle from him
"Your loosing a little bit more blood than I'm happy about here you'll need one of these" Black mask then pulled out a cloth from his top pocket
"Don't worry its sterilized, got them from the army, stops the blood cold and heals the wound, you'll be good in no time" Black mask came across surprisingly professional
"What are you, a Doctor" Batman gritted as Black mask pulled the scalpel out of his shoulder and applied pressure to the wound using the swab before Batman took over
"Your not the one asking questions Bruce, you would have to do more than what I have done to these as well, see they don't even know what real pain is, try burning alive and feeling your skin melt off your face and your unable to remove any of the clothing off your body because its infused to you, including a skull mask that you try for months after carefully trying to remove, cutting away living tissue and muscle attached to it in a failed attempt to regain some normality, no, none of you know what pain is"
Black mask then stood towering Batman, pleased with the effect he has had on him
"Next time you will think twice before you try to take me by surprise, got much more under my sleeve than that, I'll promise you"
"I know why you're doing this" Batman replied after the bleeding stopped
"You do? He told you did he, and you were going to let him live?" Black masks uneasy cheer fullness changed to that of anger
"No, I worked it out"
"Clever man, bet you're proud of bringing up a murderer are you, doing something that you and the others are too afraid to do to get justice"
"I'm not afraid to kill"
"Aren't you, because that's what I think you are"?
"You haven't seen how many times we have had to hold back from dealing the final fatal punch or to pull someone off the side of a building or let him go, to catch someone before they hit the ground or get hit by a car, to take a bullet instead of someone else getting shot, none of us are afraid, but I wont do it because I know once I do I wont stop and I am as bad as those I am trying to stop"
"Scary though Batman, really" He laughed "So I'm doing you a favour by killing him then, stop the maniac before he gets a taste of it and your going to have to be the one to stop him, you wouldn't want to see that would you, the boy that you have brought up becoming a criminal and you having to lock him up"
"I wouldn't have to worry about stopping him and I will not let you kill him because he is not a murderer"
"HE IS!! HE KILLED BLOCBUSTER HE ADMITTED IT!!" Black mask screamed as he pulled out a gun and began firing at Batman before turning the gun at Nightwing but Batman managed to tackle him just in time to stop him firering it
"Don't try and stop me Batman, he's going to pay" Black mask clambered across the floor and eventually to his feet and ran again towards Nightwing, this time Batman hadn't the chance to catch him before he was out of reach because he didn't have the strength in his shoulder to move, but mainly because Black mask had stabbed him multiple times in the legs as they fought "I don't know whether it's the sharpness of the knife of my speed but they never seem to notice it going in until they cant move" Black mask replied to the shocked Batman as he looked down at his bloodied leg
"Any farewells" Black mask smirked as he dangled the gun above Nightwing's head as he looked at him, Batman closed his eyes as he readied himself before the smashing of a window brought him back to the room, he looked up to find Tarantula punching Black mask to the floor and pulling out a gun and the obvious look of suprisement of Black mask
"No" Batman replied in defeat too quiet to hear
"Nightwing didn't kill Blockbuster…. I did, just though you better know before I do the same to you" She stood above him pinning him to the ground with her shoes piercing the flesh beneath them
"No, not a woman, you weren't there!" Black mask shouted in defiance
Batman then heard the gun shot which brought the painful memories back as every time he hears a gun, he then looked up to see Tarantula still standing over the now motionless Black mask, the shock across he face permanent as she dropped the gun to the ground. Batman instantly moved towards her
"I've done it again" She gasped, her now bronzed face pale
Batman took hold of Tarantula as she began to collapse, it was then that he noticed that there was blood on the floor that wasn't coming from just Black mask, he looked back at her face and noticed the pain in her eyes
"Looks like he's taking me with him, to hell" She whispered
"You wont be with him"
"I'm scared, I don't want to die" the tears rolled down her face
"Don't move" Batman lay her down to the floor and looked at the wound to her chest, he knew it was too late
"I don't want to, want to stay with Nightwing, please help me"
"I- I can't" He replied sincerely
Tarantula gasped as the sorrow overcome her more than the pain did, she could feel herself slipping away although she was trying to overcome it, it was a losing battle
"Tell them it was me… please, I don't want to cause Nightwing more trouble, I used the same gun that I killed Black mask with"
"I will"
"Tell him that I loved him," She finally wept before closing her eyes peacefully for the last time
Batman then removed his cape and place it over her out of respect before quickly moving over to Nightwing and Huntress, thankfully both had pulses and the wounds seemed superficial enough but they would still run the risk of dying if he didn't get them looked at quickly
"Oracle, get Dr Leslie here quick"