The streets of Gotham City quaked with ferocity. In an unknown lab beneath its streets and sewers, a large archway pulsed and sparked bolts of electricity. Crowds of outlaws and criminals worked around it, hooking it up to several generators and calibrating it on consoles nearby. Overlooking the whole operation on an overhead deck was a new rogue of the Batman. He called himself the Mad Doctor.
Perched on a steel beam spying on the Doctor was the Batman himself. Through a hidden tracking device and scans by Wayne Aerospace satellites, the caped crusader had found where the Mad Doctor was hiding. This archway construction scene had greeted him as he entered through an air vent.
"Sir?" Piped Alfred from Batman's earpiece. "What's going on? I'm detecting large amounts of thermal and nuclear energy in your vicinity." Alfred was Batman's man-in-the-chair, searching for anomalies and crime in the city, running forensic scans, and relaying police chatter when Batman couldn't. He was the only one Batman trusted to help him, as Alfred was practically a father for him.
"The Mad Doctor's building some sort of gateway. I'm not sure where he got this manpower or equipment…" Batman thought it over. There was no doubt a pattern here. "Alfred, have the Bat-Computer run a scan for stolen lab equipment." He pulled a small scanning device from his utility belt, waving it over the vicinity of the gateway. "Cross-reference for equipment emitting radiation and dark matter."
Alfred typed up the request into the Bat-Computer, which was specially built for ones like this. "It appears S.T.A.R. Labs was reporting missing material just last month. Materials for an interdimensional gateway! Sir, you don't think-?"
"I wouldn't doubt it. Looks like our Mad Doctor is something of a mad scientist. Alfred, run another scan on ex-inmates affiliated with the Falcone crime family and current employment."
"Disparate results, sir. Nothing substantial." replied Alfed.
"Hmm. Try ex-inmates affiliated with the Maroni family."
"Looks like most have gone into construction and engineering, sir. 60% are employed by Sal & Son's Construction."
"A front." said Batman. "Maroni's got his men working for the Mad Doctor to build this gateway. He probably thinks it'll give him an edge over the Roman" He returned the scanner into his utility belt, and glided down to the deck occupied by the Mad Doctor, ready to confront him.
The Doctor pulled out a modified stun gun from his coat. "Well well well, Batman! I wouldn't step any closer if I were you. I've been tinkering in the lab, and even I don't know what this does!" He waved his weapon around quite carelessly.
The Batman grabbed the villain and threw him into a handrail, his weapon flying out from his hands onto the ground floor. "What exactly is your plan, Doctor? You're messing with forces which are largely theoretical. And the G.C.P.D. isn't going to let you 'tinker' in Gotham Penitentiary."
"To Hell with G.C.P.D.! They don't get that science takes sacrifice. I'm about to go down in the history books, Batman. Sal! Turn the machine on!"
Below, the nameless goon named Sal flipped some switches on a nearby console. The gateway materialized a bright blue portal, and the ground beneath them shook even harder.
Assessing the situation, Batman quickly threw a batarang at the console, aiming to turn the switch off. The Doctor, enraged, threw himself at the dark knight, pushing the two off of the deck. Shaking the villain off of him as he fell, Batman glid safely on his cape instead of falling to the floor, although the same could not be said of his adversary.
"B- Boss!" Squeaked a henchman. "The machine got damaged from the batarang! Is it s'posed to be doin' all this sparkin'?"
"Why don't we test it?" Yelled the Doctor, his voice hoarse from fall. "Throw the Bat in!"
The henchman ran towards the caped crusader, violently grabbing him in restraint. Though he fought many of them, he was outnumbered and blocked from his grappling hook. Then, with his arms and legs confined, the henchman sent him hurtling right into the portal. The dark knight disappeared, and immediately the portal closed. Gotham's streets stood still once more, but at what cost?