The Dark Knight of The Avengers

by The1whoknox

When a man sees destruction centered around six individuals calling themselves heroes he won't stand for it. He will don his cape and cowl once more. He fights in a brutal method of justice. When The Avengers take notice, they see him as a threat. A threat that must be stopped. They can try. He has no powers or gifts. All he has is his mind, skill and will. He is Batman.

3. Chapter 3: The Bat, The Widow & The Hawk

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman. He belongs to DC. I don't own Avengers; they belong to Marvel. Marvel belongs to Disney. We all belong to Disney.

"Tell Me." – Normal Speak

"Do You Bleed?" – Electronic/ Robotic Voice

"You will!" – Foreign Language Dialect

An: Okay! Thanks, everyone, for the read, the likes, and the follows. I am glad this fic is getting some recognition for what it is, and I am so happy you guys have enjoyed what I have written so far. I hope y'all enjoy what I write next and the name change, just didn't feel the last name too much, and this seemed to sound better. Also watched the Synder Cut. It was absolutely phenomenal! I was so engaged throughout the 4 hours that it never felt overbearing. I loved how Zach Synder made Steppenwolf more of a fascinating villain and not constantly shouting "Mother!" Cyborg, Aquaman, and Flash's backstory additions were superb and felt like they led up to an upcoming movie. Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman took center stage and really ran away with the film. My only complaint I will make about the film was the choice of music in certain scenes. Aquaman by the dock was a prime example, I liked Icky Thumps song in that scene, and then they went and added an opera song instead. All in all, the movie was great, and it gave every hero in it time to shine. Okay, enough of my fanboying, to the reviews and then onto the story!

robert32514: I like that you like it.

jocoleman2017: HELLO, HERE

Guest: Here, tell me how what you think.

: Here you go!

GojiraFan455515: Thank you for reading. I am not that great at updating stories in a timely manner. I do this as a pastime when I am bored. Glad you listened to A Beautiful Lie to go along with the writing. It really sets the tone of the story. I really don't want to give out spoilers, so you will have to read and see :).

Fax15: Thank you! Glad you like that part with bats. Yeah, I do that Fable/Young Justice Crossover story. This Batman is Batfleck yes, it's kind of the blueprint to the character. I will be using bits and pieces of all Batman lore.

Gundamfreedom0: Yeah, I am working on both titles, and you are welcome, I will usually answer most questions as long as they don't spoil the story. Glad you like the little references I made for the story.

To answer your questions in order: For the battle armor suit, I won't say just yet. For the question of chapter 3 of Avenger's Man of Tomorrow, it will be up when I am finished. For any Avengers finding out Batman's identity, I am thinking of someone other than an Avenger. For Wonder Woman, I will honestly say no to both this story and the superman story. Excelsior, my friend.

Dark King Marcel: THANK YOU! Here is another, and welcome to another of my stories.

spiderman1fan: Thank you! I worked really hard on that part of the story. I tried to make it realistic while putting in some fun from the Justice League animated series.

Chapter 3: The Bat, The Widow, & The Hawk

December 14th, 2013

Avenger's Tower

Tony was running around with his fiancé, Pepper, right behind him. He was planning for his "Revitalization of New York" Party. Tony was going to use the Avengers as a way to bring people in and persuade business back to New York. "So, I'm thinking we put display cases for costumes at the entrance of the elevator," he said, as Pepper nodded her head. If she was really listening or just nodded to amuse him. Tony waved his hands excessively, "Then we can put Thor's hammer here and let people lift it." Tony imagined it now; it was another way to let people know they and their business were in good hands. Tony looked to Pepper for approval, and all he got was her raising a single raised eyebrow. However, Tony was not deterred by this and continued to voice his idea, "You know, like a game. Come ooonnnn! People will love it! I'm sure Point Break won't mind."

"Uh-huh," she replied, giving Tony a dull look. She loved the man, but sometimes his head was too far in the clouds.

Tony came to a grinding halt seeing Pepper's expression told him he was missing the bigger picture. "Okay, what's the issue?" he asked, not insulted or upset. He wanted to know Pepper's true feelings on the subject. It always helped to get an outside opinion, especially her opinion.

Pepper hit him with the harsh truth, "To be honest, Tony. This feels more like a party for the Avengers than the people." Tony chew on his lip at this thought. Pepper inhale to speak more, but she stopped. Tony saw her stop, but motioned for her to continue, so she did, "You want people to know they have The Avengers in the city to protect them. Inviting them into your home is a good start, but then to put up all the suits and weapons. It kinda feels like warning when coming in here," she stated. It would seem cool to see Captain America's shield and his Iron Man suit, but to others, it could come off as overbearing with all the weapons.

Tony sighed as he cups his hand together and fidgets with his thumbs. He hadn't thought of that. To him, the suits, the weapons, and people were everyday things to him. He never took into account that people would find this overwhelming. He nodded his head, "So, what are you suggesting?" Wanting some more ideas.

Pepper smiled and rounded off her ideas, "Keep it simple and make it a meet and greet. Maybe put Steve's shield on display. People will want to see that more. Then the theme could be more business casual. Show people, the people behind the costumes." It was the most straightforward idea, but it could generate the momentum Tony wanted to restore New York. It wasn't a perfect plan, but it was better than the one he came up with.

Tony digested the ideas thrown at him, "Hmmmm, I still think we should use Point Break's hammer as a game, but if you think that is too much, then nix it. I still think it should be a theme party, but business casual could be the theme." Tony imagined the party in his head, liking it more and more, "Yeah, yeah, this will work." He smiled cheerily; this was going to be one of his best parties ever. Pepper shook her head in amusement at the man she loved.

A door opens and out came Tony's newest addition to Stark industries' Science Division, Bruce Banner. The calm man could see the joy in the air and asked, "What'd I miss?" He had been working and had not been privy to Tony's newest plan. Bruce was a mild-mannered man that no one would guess he held a rage-driven monster within him.

Tony then snapped his fingers and point at Bruce, "Bruce, just the man I wanted to see. What would you say about letting Hulk out and greeting some guest?" Tony smile goofily at him. Pepper's amusement was replaced with annoyance as she slapped her face.

Bruce, being completely clueless, said the only thing he could, "Huh?"

Meanwhile, in Washington D.C.

Steve Rogers sat in his kitchen after a workout. He had used S.H.I.E.L.D.'s exercise field this morning, pushing a bulldozer the length of the football. Steve went and raced around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool about fifty times. As he was leaving, he saw a soldier in plain clothes starting his run. Maybe he would show up later and have a run with him. Steve sighed as he thought about his life. He had been trying to get back out there in the real world. He had friends with the Avengers, but he needed something "normal," as Tony said. Tony had told him to try and get out in the dating game again, but he wasn't ready. His heart had burned for Peggy, and now the woman he loved was in her nineties, suffering from dementia. Steve thought of his next-door neighbor. She was a pretty blonde girl who was friendly enough, and from the small talk he made with her, she seemed to have a great personality. He sighed while saying, "One step atta time, Rogers." He was just getting used to a television. He would hold up on dating until he figured out how to work a DVD player.

He took off his sweat-soaked shirt and threw it in a hamper in his bedroom. He went to the record player that he got from Tony. He went through his records till he found the one he wanted most: It's Been a Long, Long Time by Kitty Kallen. He enjoyed the sound of the horn, bass, and drums fill his ears. It took him to a state of melancholy, of what could have been. Of all the dances he and Peggy would have shared. He was starving and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

While he prepared to cook, he turned on the television to listen to the news and get a sense of where the day was going. He went to the fridge and pulled two eggs out of a carton. He went to one of the cabinets and pulled out the pan. He turned the stove on and place the pan on it. He waited till the pan was nice and hot before throwing the eggs on it. The voice of a woman with a slight African accent came from the television and entered his ears, "Because the time has come for the world to hear the other side of the story." Steve ignored what the woman was saying until she said this, "They say that The Avengers are heroes. Okay, but whom?" Steve now looks at the television with more interest, his eggs forgotten. The headline at the bottom of the screen read: Interview with Kahina Ziri.

On the screen are two women. One was the interviewee named Kahina, and the other was a reporter who asked, "If, say, Captain America or Iron Man were here right now, what would you say them?" Steve got closer wanting to hear what she would say.

Kahina's face contorted in sadness as she spoke, "That my family, too, had dreams." She bit her lip and inhaled a shaky breath, trying not to cry. She continued, "To look them in the eye and ask them how they decide which lives count and which ones do not." Steve admired her as she finished. It took courage to say what she wanted to say on live television. However, Steve couldn't help but feel a little disgruntled. He, The Avengers, and S.H.I.E.L.D. had tried to do their best, to be there when they were needed. They couldn't be everywhere at once. They were only six people. He tried his best, isn't that what mattered? Even with all his powers and connections, he was still human.

Manhattan Apartment

In a small apartment, Wallace sat in the wheelchair he had since "The Incident". On his wall was a collection of newspaper clips and articles. Many of the titles included: "Avengers Stop Missile Crisis", "Heroic Avengers Rescue", and "Iron Man's Malibu Home Destroyed". Then there was one, in particular, he was proud to put up. The title of the article read: "Bruce Wayne Rescues Employee". The byline of the story read: "Man Pulled From The Rubble By CEO". He cut some cord he made into a loop with a box cutter before stashing it in a duffle back. He then pulled a piece of a large portion of duct tape before ripping it with his teeth. He then wrapped the piece around a can.

While doing this, he stared menacingly at the collage in front of him. He hated all the pictures he had on the wall. Iron Man in his "glorious" red and gold armor. That monster in Hulk. The Russian assassin known as Black Widow. It made him laugh, an assassin being called a hero. Then the god come to life, Thor. What a "god" he was? He didn't even know the name of the bow and arrow guy, but he could go to hell too. Then finally, the "golden boy," the war hero of legend, come back to life, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. He was a joke; he couldn't save anyone.

Now Wally may have been putting too much hope into the Avengers, but it came down to one thing with Wally. What did they lose? All the people in these pictures were the reason he lost everything. With his preparations complete, Wally collected one final item. It was a picture of him, his wife, and his daughter. He smiled at the picture, remembering the day they took it. It was a beautiful day in Riverside Park. Wally had been surprised by his wife and daughter, who took him to dinner on his lunch break. It was one of the happiest moments in his life. He pressed his lips to the picture before placed it into his pocket as neatly as possible. He gathered his belongings and made his trek to a place he would lay the picture to rest.

He had managed to wheel his way to the memorial of all the victims from The Incident. It took him some time, but he made it. All the while, his anger boiled inside him, waiting to erupt. He laid the picture down on the plaque, where he brushed his fingers across his wife and baby girl's names. This was his goodbye to them. He had something to do. He had a statement to make.

Across the street was his target. It was the newly named Avengers Tower. He made it across the street and at his target. While the tower itself was not the target, it was the next best thing. The gigantic "A" that was on display in front of the tower. The thing had the same height as a small house and as thick as a concrete pillar. It stood there mocking him over the losses that day had, but the "heroes" celebrated. Wally rolled his way over to it. He threw off a heavy jacket that was used to conceal his surprise. Wally leaped upon it, grunting, and started to climb up. Shimmying his way up so he could get a good seat. Unbeknownst to him, a Stark Industries employee sat on a bench just in front of the monument.

Outside Avengers Tower, Harold Joseph Hogan, better known as Happy by his friends and boss, sat to eat his lunch on a bench outside the building. It was too nice of a day to not do so. Happy was the Head of Security of Stark Industries, which involved him being stuck in an office. He took advantage when he could sneak out. Tony initially hired the man through a recommendation and then later became Tony's, right-hand man. He did everything from the man, including drive, guard, and even teaching him some boxing. Happy sighed, recalling the days where it was simple. Now they had supervillains, aliens, and all that jazz. He sometimes wished things were back to the way they were. Not that he wasn't glad Tony was a better person because of all this, but all the other things were way above his paygrade.

Happy noticed a wheelchair roll by him, and he turned to see where it could have come from. He immediately noticed the man that was climbing the Avengers monument. He stood from his seat, marched over, stared up at the man, and gave a warning, "Sir! You can't climb that!" He paused in shock, seeing the man didn't have legs, and felt sorry for him. However, that didn't give him the right to climb on Stark property, and he shouted out again, "Sir, I said get down! Now!" The commotion had caused a small group of both Stark employees and pedestrians to gather, looking at what the man was doing. The man had seated himself on the bracket of the capital A.

Wally pulled out the can he wrapped in duct tape from his bag and took its top off. He took the discarded top and threw it down at Happy. Happy didn't take kindly to the disobedience and pulled out his radio, "This is Happy, call the police, now!" Wally didn't care as he shook the can and then aimed it. Happy saw the action that was about to be taken and hollered, "Hey! Hey! Don't do it!" Wally ignored him and sprayed a red line on the flawlessly white A. "Hey!" was all Happy could say as Wally went to work on defacing the monument.

Triskelion

Maria Hill walked into Fury's office and handed him a report he was asking for. Fury eyed the report for a moment before he let out a sigh and then cursed his luck, "Just what we needed." His job was a real pain in the ass, sometimes. The report was a detailed description of what was going on in Gotham. It included sightings of Batman, the amount of crimes he had intervened and the deaths he was responsible for.

Maria Hill had been by her boss' side for a long. She saw him deal with a spoiled playboy with high-tech armor, a Super Soldier being brought back to life, forming an alliance with an alien prince and an alien invasion. All those incidences never made her boss visibly age like this one person did. "How bad is it, sir?" she asked, feeling her palms start to sweat.

Fury pondered for a moment before speaking, "Right now, it is contained, so long as I keep this on the inconspicuous. Then it will be fine." He just needed to come up with a plan

Suddenly a man in a suit burst through Fury's office door, "We have a problem." It was Jasper Sitwell, another one of Fury's high-ranking agents. Also, the man was sometimes a thorn in his side. He constantly ran things too by the book and was still trying to convince Fury to have the Avengers controlled by S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury knew better than that. He couldn't control these people, direct them towards danger, yes, but never control them

Fury groaned and whisper so only Maria could hear him, "It just got worse." He then cleared his throat and asked, "What problem?"

Jasper narrowed his eyes, "Sir, please don't treat me like an idiot." Jasper leaned forward on Fury's desk and said, "I'm talking about the man in Gotham this…" Jasper paused in thought and flourished his hand, trying to recall the name. "Batman!" he finally manages to get the name out.

Fury kept his calm, tapped his chin with a thoughtful expression, and said his plan, "Nothing." Batman was not someone Fury wanted to go to war with. Fury was a great tactician, but he wasn't sure he was the best tactician when facing Batman. He was not going to risk an all-out war with a man like that.

Jasper slammed his hands on Fury's desk, shouting, "Nothing!? Sir, S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to act against this, renegade!" Maria looked at her boss and back at Jasper. The man would be lucky to leave the office with his rank. She gave Jasper an exasperated look. Fury's eye trailed down to Jasper's hands and then back to staring Jasper in his eye. Fury gave him a look that told him he spoke out of term. Jasper retreated with a skittish look on his face.

Fury then pointed his index finger at the man and threatened, "First, I'm gonna pretend that didn't happen." The warning was clear as Jasper nodded his head shakily. Satisfied, Fury continued to tell Jasper what his process was, "Second, I will not mobilize S.H.I.E.L.D. against one man. Besides, did once, and it didn't work out." Fury then reclined back in his chair with his fingertips touching each other on the opposite hand and finished, "And lastly, I already have my best agents looking into it." With a wave of his hand, Fury dismissed Jasper, who left the office in a huff.

Maria looked at her boss with worry, "Sir, are you sure that was a smart decision?"

Fury huffed and spoke. "No, but it's better than the alternative." Fury spun his chair around, so he faced the window. He needed to think or pray or both.

"The alternative, sir?" Maria asked, not grasping what her boss was getting at. She turned around to look at him as he stared out the window.

Fury spoke in a low, ominous tone, "War." Fury didn't look at his second-in-command, only contemplated his next move if things got out of hand. He felt trapped, like he was playing a game of chess, but couldn't see all his opponent's pieces. He hoped it didn't come to that.

Avengers Tower

Pepper was sitting in the lounge, watching TV, and what she saw made a pit form in her stomach. "Tony!" she called out while still looking at the screen. She couldn't believe that this was happening right below her. She felt a migraine beginning to start.

Tony and Bruce came running, and what they saw wasn't what they needed, "Nonononono," Tony pleaded, not liking what he was seeing. "JARVIS, turn up volume," Tony commanded, and the A.I. did as he was told.

The news reporter in a trench coat on the screen spoke louder, "Emergency responders quickly created a precautionary perimeter around Avengers Tower while they brought the man down from this beloved monument." In the background, the trio saw a man in a scissor lift trying his best to clean the defaced A that had the words: False gods written on it. The report continued, "The suspect has been identified as Wallace Vernon Keefe." The camera panned to the man that was just mentioned.

The police were in the process of putting Wally into the back of their car. The man was legless, but Tony admired the fight he put up. The police, however, had little trouble handling the man. However, the microphone from the camera picked up something that made Tony swallow hard. Wally yelled out, "I work for Bruce Wayne! I work for Bruce Wayne!" Tony reeled back in surprise hearing that name. He hadn't talked to Bruce in years, not since Bruce shot down his joint offer with his R&D with Wayne Industries'. That was years ago, and the talk didn't end with pleasantries. This was not going to be a great conversation starter.

The reporter wasn't finished; he kept talking, "He'll be arraigned on charges of vandalism, resisting arrest, and the felony charge of making terrorist threats. That carries up to forty years in prison." The reporter continued, but the trio didn't listen to the man. They were too busying absorbing what just occurred. This could put both Stark Industries and The Avengers in bad light with the rest of the wounded populous.

Bruce felt where the man was coming from. He had "Poor guy," Bruce said, feeling for the man who was lost in the world. He could relate. Bruce pulled his glasses off and ran a hand down his face, "This won't be the "good look" you wanted, Tony." This Wallace was obviously just a furious person who lost more than most in The Incident.

Tony looked over at Pepper, stating, "Have the charges dropped. Not going to make a man sit in prison for being angry." Tony shot up from his seat. He needed to leave the room to calm down. He was angry at himself, thinking that everyone would see them as heroes. Not realizing some would curse them for not preventing the incident.

Pepper chased after Tony, leaving Bruce by himself in the lounge. "Tony, hold on a second, Tony!" she called out. Worried the man would do something stupid. Tony marched to the door of his lab and pressed his hand on the scanner allowing him entry. Pepper followed him in, "Tony, it's okay! No one blames you." She tried to comfort the man, but it was almost impossible to get him out of the funk when he got like this.

Tony went to a workbench and leaned on, not responding to Pepper's words. Tony stared out into space, scowling. Anger washed over him as he swiftly grabbed a screwdriver and threw. He let out a yell of frustration as he did so. He then wiped everything off the workbench. Parts and equipment went flying and broke apart as they made contact with the ground. He felt a small hand on his shoulder and turned to see Pepper giving him a comforting look. He hugged her and whispered, "Every time I try to do something right. It blows up in my face." The words came out hallowed and in a whisper.

Pepper gently pushed Tony off her but still kept her hands on his shoulders. She smiled sadly for the man and said, "Tony, you did your best. That's all anyone can do." Tony nodded his head stiffly. She didn't know if he would take her word for it. However, it calmed Tony down. She just hoped the man would understand that he couldn't make everyone in the world happy. She wanted this party over and done with. The sooner, the better.

Gotham City

Steve read up on Kahina; her family had members in war-torn parts of the world. She had lost both friends and family due to it. She recently lost a son who was a doctor that set up a clinic in the middle of it all. The young man didn't make it, and neither The Avengers nor S.H.I.E.L.D. did anything about it. Steve had to meet the woman and give her his condolences. He figured meeting her in person would show her that he did care. That he fought for all people regardless of race, sex, nationality, or past sins. He fought for the people who couldn't stand for themselves. After getting her address through the S.H.I.E.L.D database, he packed a small bag with some food in it, hopped on his motorcycle, and rode to Gotham City. Steve remembered Gotham from his time. It was a robust and wondrous city. It was built from the ground up by the founding families. Gotham City had been around for over four hundred years and now was one of the bustling cities in all of America.

When he crossed into Gotham through the bridge, he felt as if there was a shroud around the city. Like all the bright colors had left the city. As he drove, every road had a police cruiser on it, and nearly every one of them was in the process of putting someone in the back of it. Steve ignored this and found a parking garage near Kahina's address. Steve paid for the parking and began his trek. He wore a hat that went down over his face to conceal his identity.

Steve had been around some of the scariest parts of New York in both the past and in the present. However, they all paled in comparison to Gotham City. The homeless were plentiful and twice as mean. People lingered in alleyways with an unpleasant expression. He could handle any problem that would show itself. However, he wanted to keep a low profile. He didn't want to get swarmed by people asking him for autographs or to see his shield, which he did not bring.

He found the address quick enough, and it was in one of the rougher neighborhoods. It was a small apartment complex that had seen better days. Like most in the city, outside the building was another GCPD cruiser with its lights flashing. Steve found the room number and knocked on the door. He quickly looked around, making sure no one recognized him. There was no answer, so he knocked again, still receiving no response. Then a whistle from down the hall on his right caught his attention. It was a middle-aged woman in the process of doing laundry. He called out, "Excuse me, ma'am?" He held up a newspaper with Kahina's photo on it and asked, "Is she home?" He figured in a neighborhood like this, everyone knew each other.

The woman looked at the picture with squinted eyes but quickly shook her head, "No, she's been gone." Gone? Gone where he wondered.

The voice of an older man came from down the hall, "What'd she do, officer?" Steve turned around and saw a man looking over her shoulder at him.

Steve walked over to the man and replied, "Oh, I'm not an officer."

The man then looked at Steve and began to speak, "Then what are y…" The man finally got a good look at Steve and brought a finger up, gaping like a fish. Steve could tell he was recognized and put a finger to his lips to tell the man to keep the secret. The man gave a dumbfounded stare and nodded.

Steve got to business, "I was wonder about the lady that lived in the apartment over there." He pointed in the direction of the room he was knocking on before.

The man answered, "She hasn't been back." The man took a scratch-off lottery ticket from his pocket and started to scratch it. With his focus on scratching the ticket, he said, "In fact, if she's smart, then she's got out of this city." The man looked up at Steve and, with a serious expression, said, "And you need to get out of here before dark. Unless you want to run into him." Steve was confused; who is this "him"? He felt left out of the loop.

The woman he been talking to before spoke, "Don't listen to that nonsense." She had abandoned her laundry and was injecting herself into the conversation. In an admiring tone, the woman crossed her arms and stated, "Only people scared of him, people who got reason to be." She nodded her head as to affirm her reasoning.

Steve closed his eyes and shook his head quickly in confusion, "Scared of who?" He wanted to know who people were scared of in Gotham.

"There's a new kind of mean in him," the man declared in a tone that told Steve he had past running with this person. The man finished scratching the ticket while talking, "He is angry. And he's hunting." The man presented the ticket to Steve and what he saw confused him. Instead of scratching out the whole ticket, the man-made picture out it. It was the picture of a bat. The ominousness of the man and woman's words made a pit form in Steve's stomach.

Gotham Underground

In a shadier part of Gotham, in the back of a restaurant, was a gambling den. The den provided all forms of gambling, blackjack, craps, poker, and bare-knuckle boxing. That was the main attraction tonight. Two fighters were in the center of a ring made by the participates. One of the fighters was someone Bruce knew personally. It was the son of Lucius Fox, Luke Fox.

Luke was a young man at the age of twenty-two who had recently been discharged from the army. The young man had been in the military since he was out of high school. The death of his father had brought the man back to Gotham. The young man had eventually come to Bruce looking for a job in Wayne Industries. Bruce had given him a job working security. However, Bruce wouldn't bring him into the fold. He already had one Fox's death on his conscience; he wouldn't have another by getting him involved with Batman. The army veteran had no clue Bruce was in the crowd.

In the crowd in front was Bruce Wayne. Normally he would never be caught dead in a place like this. His reason for being here was right across from him on the other side of the "ring". Anatoli Knyazev was stoically watching the fight, his eyes not leaving the spectacle. It seemed he had a lot of money on the other fighter.

The other fighter landed a strong left cross that caused Luke to spin around and fall into Bruce. Bruce caught Luke and helped him stay on his feet. Luke's face was wide with horror when he realized who caught him if it was because he was here or he would lose his job; Bruce didn't know. While doing so, Bruce whispered to Luke, "When whines up that big left, duck under it and counter with your own left." Playing the role of an annoyed patron, he shoved the fighter back to the ring. Luke gave Bruce a confused look first before getting back into the fight.

Luke abided by Bruce's strategy. He only had to wait a moment before the other fight fired that big left. He countered just as he was told. The crowd cheered, and Luke pressed, throwing a simple one-two combo. The other went for another big windup, and Luke ducked and hit him with another left cross. The man tried again but was met with the same result. Luke followed up with an elbow to the face and then an overhand right.

The fighter went to his knees, and Luke unleashed a series of quick jabs to his face. Luke finished his opponent with a push kick to the face. The fighter laid motionless on the ground right in front of Anatoli. The crowd erupted with both cheers of victory and groans of loss. Anatoli dug into his pocket and threw his betting ticket right on the unconscious man. Luke looked up at Bruce and gave him a nod of appreciation. Bruce slyly smiled at the younger man but curled his finger at him. Luke's lips pursed, and he walked over.

Bruce studied the younger man for a moment before he placed a hand on Luke's shoulder. He smiled, and that caused Luke to relax. "Helluva fight," the man said with a proud smile. Luke puffed his chest out proudly, but what Bruce said next caused him to deflate, "Now get the hell out of here. And don't ever come back." Bruce's tone was like when his father would scold him as a child, but Luke wasn't stupid. He knew Bruce was trying to keep him safe. The people who ran these things would skin him alive and dump his body in Gotham Harbor. He only did this for the spare money, and that was good.

"But I…" Luke tried to argue.

Bruce walked past him, not giving him a chance to argue, "Go home, Luke." Bruce didn't have time to argue with the younger man. He had come here for a reason. Bruce would not get another opportunity like this. He followed Anatoli to the makeshift bar, and as luck would have it, the man put his phone down.

Anatoli waved the bartender for a drink; the man was a built, bald man and was quite intimidating. Anatoli received his drink and gave his appreciation, "Thank you." Bruce made his move; he pulled his own phone out and bet ticket. He placed his phone with the screen face down and subtly pressed his finger on a hidden button on the back. Bruce then took his ticket and flashed it to the bartender, who shot him a scowl for winning his.

Bruce then played his part and cockily said to Anatoli, "The house treats luck like an insult." He was going to stall until his scanner finished its job.

Anatoli knew who the man beside him was, and seeing as the richest man in Gotham was speaking to him, he replied, "Good luck for one is always his brother's misfortune." Anatoli didn't know if Bruce Wayne was insulting him more with his presence or for flashing his winning ticket. The man had enough money already. Why did he need more?

Bruce saw Anatoli was about to leave and unsure if he had given his device enough time to copy the data. In perfect Russian, he said, "By all accounts are balanced in the end." Anatoli looked a Bruce with surprise. There was more to billionaire playboy than meets the eye. Bruce followed up with another snobbish playboy remark, "Three nights with a Bolshoi ballerina, that line was all she taught me." He gave a suave smile as if rubbing in his conquest. In reality, he learned it from one of his many teachers on his journey to become what he was.

The respect Bruce had garnered was instantly diminished, and with a sarcastic tone, Anatoli replied, "Not all, I'm sure. Good evening." Anatoli snatched his phone from the bar and walked away. When the man was far enough away, Bruce slowly flipped over his phone. The screen read: Device Cloning Successful. Bruce smirked at the success of this mission.

Bruce received his money and started to make his way to the exit of the place. It was beginning to make his skin crawl. He then took an earpiece out of his pocket and tapped it. It took a moment before Alfred answered on the other end, "Line secure, Master Wayne." His old friend sounded tired. His oldest friend had yet to get used to the long nights, again.

Bruce walked out of the restaurant's main entrance while speaking, "Anything useful in the files, Alfred?" Bruce walked out to the street and pulled out his keys that had a Mercedes-Benz logo on it. He clicked a button, and the doors opened vertically, and he got into the driver-side.

Alfred's posh voice entered his ear, "I'm sorry to say, sir, but from a quick look, there isn't much here that could be of help. Unless you want phone numbers for several Escort services." Bruce furrowed his brow, and he clenched his jaw in frustration. However, Alfred proved what valuable asset he was and, in a sassy tone, added, "There is one thing I think you will find interesting, Master Wayne."

Bruce had put the key in the car and was driving through the streets of the city. Bruce smirked at his oldest friend's snark and replied, "What'd you find?"

Back in the Batcave and in front of the Batcomputer sat Alfred. The screen had bits of information everywhere. His eyes trailed over every bit of information he could. "It seems our Russian friend has a shipment of weapons coming into town," Alfred said as he read through some of the files that were on the phone. His finger rubbed his chin as he read through more of the information.

Bruce contemplated the information. If there was a weapons shipment coming into Gotham and it got the Russian's attention, then it got Batman's attention. "Where is this exchanging going down?" Bruce asked as he pressed a button on his dashboard and his Batsuit appeared in from a hidden compartment in the glovebox.

"Gotham Harbor," Alfred said almost reluctantly. He knew what was going to happen when Batman made it to the docks. He promised to aid the younger Wayne in his endeavors, but what he was doing now was not that mission. It was something darker.

Bruce had a faint smile on his face as his brow furrowed, and he said, "Interesting." It was going to be a long and exciting night for Batman.

December 15th, 2013

Gotham Bay

It was a quarter after two in the morning in Gotham. The only reason people were out at this time was to do business and none of the legal kind. Batman glided to the roof of an abandoned cannery, looking down at some of the thugs that were dressed in security guard uniforms. The reason he knew they were thugs was that security guards didn't carry automatic weapons. Batman scoped the place out and found no other backup waiting. The guns he was interested in were obviously in crates that were ever being moved from a storage container into a modified school bus. Batman looked at the guards' position, seeing four were moving the crates, and two were guarding the opposite ends of the dock. He devised a plan and went to work. He jumped off the cannery and disappeared into the shadows.

One armed guard had wandered away from his other partners and found a building wall to lean on. He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, pulled one out of it, stuck it in his mouth, and lit it. The man took few puffs from it, enjoying the burn in the back of his throat. Suddenly from the side of the building, a shadow came out and grabbed him. A gloved hand went over his mouth, shoving the cigarette into the thug's mouth. The man screamed in pain over the heat in his mouth. However, when he came face-to-face with the figure that grabbed him, a new kind of terror came over him. The thug let out a new scream that was muted by the man. The man was suddenly maneuvered, so his back was to Batman. He felt a strong arm around his throat, and the world quickly went to black. Batman unceremoniously dropped the man to the ground and disappeared into the darkness.

The next target was another lone gunman that stood by himself. From behind, he was struck in the throat, causing him to make a choking noise. He was then lifted off his feet and felt himself being carried in a direction rapidly. His body made contact with the brick wall of a building, his body made an indent in the wall, and the man passed out from the blow. The four thugs doing the menial work noticed their missing guards and vocalized it, "Where the hell they go?" It got quiet, and the men all took out their guns and scanned their surroundings. They smartly moved together, not wanting to be picked off one by one. Then faster than any of them could register, the man leading them was divebombed from the sky. A large figure had grabbed him by the face and dragged him across the ground.

Fear gripped all their hearts as they knew who this person was. It was Batman, and he looked just as mean as the legends said. They all began to fire at the man; however, they were not accurate due to the fear and adrenaline making their aim unsteady. Batman dashed to the second man and sent an uppercut to the man's chin, then a powerful hook to the ear, causing the eardrum to rupture and make the man fall unconscious. The third man tried to spray his bullets into Batman, but Batman ducked, spinning, and fluttered his cape up to blind the man. He continued with his momentum and landed a spinning heel kick to the guy's head, knocking him out. Then the last guy held his trigger down, but no bullets came out, only the clicking signaling he was out of ammo. Batman was on him in an instant, sweeping the guy's legs out from underneath him. The thug fell on his back, and Batman grabbed his face, reeled it back, and then slammed it into the concrete. He was asleep in an instant.

Batman looked at his work; it was easy enough. These men didn't know what hit them. They weren't quality, that was for sure, but then again, they were just meant to move things. He took a crate from the truck and found it to be an impressive amount of weight. Batman went to one of the crates and opened the top of it. Inside were standard, fully automatic weapons. However, the weight didn't add up. It wouldn't be that heavy with a handful of guns. Batman spilled the contents onto the ground and found a false bottom. Opening it, he was greeted by a blue glow. He narrowed his eyes on the unfamiliarity of the objects. He dug his hand until he found a large blue rectangular case that looked to be a power cell. He put it into his utility belt. However, Batman couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling.

He felt he was being watched, and he didn't like having an audience. He quickly glanced around him, not seeing anything. He was going to draw them out. He pulled out his brand and approached one of the unconscious men. Batman kneeled down, grabbed a man by the front of his shirt, and brought the brand close to his face. He was going to do it, but his ears caught the sound of the air whizzing. It was coming from behind him. Batman spun around, and with practiced ease, he reached out and grabbed an arrow right where the point met the shaft. He glanced at the arrow, finding it to be well-made. Up on the adjacent warehouse roof, his eyes caught two silhouettes standing next to each other. He narrowed his eyes. Those two were about to learn they were way out of their league.

Black Widow was impressed. What Batman just did was something that she wouldn't try. It had to be taught and learned. "Damn, that was pretty good," Hawkeye commented as he glanced at Natasha. She was shocked at the man's tactics; they were brutal and savage. It was obvious the man was well trained, and his skills were far from diminished.

Black Widow shook her head at Hawkeye's antics and motioned for them to go meet the man of the hour, "Let's go." Hawkeye grabbed an arrow from his quiver fired it at the ledge before jumping off the roof. The arrow disconnected and became a repelling line, easing his descent. Black Widow followed right behind him.

Batman stood rooted in his spot as the two assassins walked towards him. He had seen and worse than them. The three stared each other down. The first one to speak was Hawkeye with a sarcastic remark, "Dressed like a bat, kinda dig it." Hawkeye got no reaction from Batman and was indeed disappointed. He eyed Hawkeye, taking stalk of his equipment, the bow in particular. It is a heavily customized Hoyt Buffalo in 'blackout' colors. It can fold on itself for more accessible transport and concealment by adding hinges located by the tiller adjustment bolts. Hawkeye's uniform consisted of a black short-sleeved shirt with two breast pockets and pants with knee guards. It also has a thigh holster on his left leg. He wore a glove on his left hand and an arm guard on his right forearm. (1)

Black Widow wanted to slap her partner, and from the look, Batman didn't like his time being wasted. She took in her target; the black and grey suit was indeed intimidating. The cape was obviously a distracting weapon, while the boots and gloves were most likely padded with metal. Those blades on the forearms looked to be able to cut through everything. "What my colleague is saying is your reputation proceeds you," she said while giving her best flirtatious smile. She tried to get him to drop his guard and maybe get a reaction she could use against him. Her outfit was made of smooth gray fabric. The red hourglass was brighter, and the belts were slightly different. The only major difference was the inclusion of built-in wrist tasers. (2)

There was no reaction from Batman, only the cold glare that was still being sent their way. Clint looked at Natasha with an impressed look. Batman was not captivated by her ploy. She then decided to get down to the nitty-gritty, "My name i…"

"I know who you are, Black Widow," Batman spoke to Natasha, the modulated voice took the duo by surprise, but they composed themselves. Batman's head shifted towards Hawkeye, "And I know who you are, Hawkeye." Batman directed his following statement to the both of them, then the group of people he just knocked out, "You did a decent job hiding. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s standards haven't slipped. Now tell me why you are here?" Batman remembered his old agreement with Fury, he left him alone, and he didn't go after S.H.I.E.L.D. It seemed his old acquaintance forgot their parley.

Natasha stepped forward, trying to be the voice of reason between all of them, "You have to stop. You're started to garner too much attention. People are going to come after you, and innocent people will get hurt." Natasha was attacking his code of ethics that she read about. Hoping the man would see reason.

Batman stared at Black Widow with a neutral expression before speaking, "No, I won't. People can send whoever they want. They won't stop me. Now leave my city and don't come back." Batman turned his back to walk away. The night was young, and he had other leads to follow.

Hawkeye pulled an arrow from his quiver, nocked it and drew the bow, and issued a threat, "Then we'll have to make you." Natasha pulled out two batons from their holster that was on her lower back. The electricity pulsed through the metal conductor, showing they were ready to be used.

Batman paused in his step. He turned his head to look over his shoulder. He glared at the duo and challenged them, "I'd like to see you try." Batman quickly pulled a Batarang from one of his pouches and throws its swiftly. The target was Hawkeye's bowstring which was sliced clean through.

Hawkeye had no time to react to his bowstrings going slack. He looked at the bow with surprise. Those weren't regular bowstrings either. They were special made, carbon fiber strings that he personally tested himself against an assortment of knives and blades. So what the hell were those throwing knives made of? Hawkeye's only response was, "No way." He gazed back at Batman, who was now menacingly walking towards the duo.

Natasha noticed Clint's shock and quickly, "Focus, Clint!" She then charged at Batman; if the man wanted a fight, they'd give him one. She swung her batons in a flurry going for Batman's head and chest. Batman backed up, dodging her attacks. She threw in a kick at his head, but that proved to be a mistake. Batman slipped close and latched a hand onto her ankle. He then threw three punches to her stomach and then another to her face. The last one made Black Widow let out a moan of pain. Batman picked her by her waist before she could recover and then thrown roughly down onto the concrete ground. All the air left her body, making her gulp for air.

Batman stood over her for a moment, challenging her to get back up. He didn't have the opportunity to see her answer when he had to avoid an attack to his chin. Hawkeye was using his bow as a staff. Hawkeye had let Black Widow go in first. She was the better close-range fighter, but he saw Batman pick her apart with ease and knew he had to help. While Clint wasn't a slouch when fighting up close and personal but wasn't confident with fighting Batman.

Clint stood between Batman and the lying Black Widow. Clint swallowed a lump in his throat. He was intimidated by the figure that stood across from him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw she was regaining her bearings. He just had to stall until she was back in the fight. Hawkeye put on his usual bravado and called, "Now, that's no way to treat a lady." The only reaction he received was an intimidating glare.

Hawkeye gathered his courage and charged. He swung high, aiming for Batman's head, which he ducked under and retaliated with a hook to the former assassin's ribs. The shot connected, but Hawkeye didn't go down. He countered and flicked the opposite end of the staff towards Batman's chin. Batman used his forearm to block; they struggled for control. The struggle was lost by Hawkeye, who stumbled back and created an opening for Batman to use. Batman didn't give a relent as he landed blows on Hawkeye's chest and face before finishing it off with a heel kick to the chest.

Hawkeye flew back and landed on his back. He didn't stay down as he rolled using his momentum. Hawkeye's chest ached from the kick. He had no idea if his ribs were broken or bruised. That didn't matter though, he could worry about the pain later. He let out a war cry and charged the bat-themed vigilante. He swung like a mad man.

Batman blocked a swing for his head with his right arm. Hawkeye spun around using the opposite end towards Batman's left side. Batman flicked out his left arm and blocked it again. Hawkeye spun his bow before sweeping it down flow to take the Batman's feet out from underneath him. Batman had waited for an opening like this and struck. Batman hoped in the air and lashed out a kick that connected with Hawkeye's chin.

Hawkeye experienced the glass jaw effect, his eyes rattled, and his legs began to come out from underneath him. He was powerless, and his eyes reflected a dark figure with his hand raised that was coming at him. Batman brutalized Hawkeye with punches that he couldn't defend against. Hawkeye's left eye had begun to swell from the Batman's continuous hits connecting to it. Clint felt all was lost. Even as he finally started to defend himself with the staff, he was no match for the man in front of him. He suddenly felt no more blows and looked to see Batman gripping a pair of arms around his neck. Black Widow was back in the fight. He slumped to the ground in exhaustion.

Black Widow had managed not to vomit after what Batman had done. By the time she could regain her balance and breath, she saw Clint taking a beating. Black Widow snuck as quietly as possible behind the man and went for a chokehold. What she didn't expect was Batman's reflexes to be as good as they were. He was able to put his hand between her arms and his throat. Batman was prying her arm off him. She tried to pull as hard as she could, but Batman was stronger than her. She tried a different tactic. She latched onto his hips with her legs and then began to spin her body around him until she had her legs hooked under his arms.

She then pulled with all her might anticipating him being thrown. However, he was rooted in his spot unmoved. He stared unimpressed with her, "You're too light." Batman threw a punch, but that was what she wanted. She was able to dodge the attack, shifted her legs to pin them into a triangle hold. She had him right where she wanted him. Black Widow jammed her wrist-tasers in the side of Batman's neck and set them off. She didn't get her expected reaction. Instead of a crumpled heap, he was standing tall, unaffected by the volts of electricity.

Batman lashed his hand to her wrist and, with a quick jerk, broke it. In the process of her scream of pain, he threw her off, so she landed with her front on the ground but kept her broken wrist in his hand. Batman roughly twisted her arm, and as she looked up to give the man a glare of her own. She was met with a sole of a boot crashing into her face.

Batman looked at the unconscious woman. She was good, but he was better. Having his suit insulated to deal with electrical weapons. It was one of the first upgrades he made to his suit. He let her limp arm fall to the ground. Batman turned his gaze to Hawkeye, the man took a sloppy stance. Batman stalked over to Hawkeye, and Hawkeye starts to sloppily attack. Batman countered, cradled the staff to his side, and brought an elbow down in it, splitting it in half. Hawkeye looked down in shock but didn't do it for long. Batman whined his arm back and sent a powerful palm strike to Hawkeye's chest. Clint slammed roughly on his back. Clint sprung up to a knee but couldn't get up as a hand gripped the back of his head, was pulled down, and a knee struck his face.

Clint was dazed and threw a blind strike. That was a mistake as Batman trapped the arm, gripped the back of Hawkeye's neck, and slammed his face into the ground. Clint hissed in pain and couldn't turn his head away from the ground. "This is me being nice. The next time, if The Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D step a foot in my city, they better be ready for war. Tell Fury that this is the only warning he's getting," Batman's modulated voice came from above him. Clint felt a knee in the center of his back and the weight of Batman on top of him.

Batman put his gauntlet-covered hand on Hawkeye's shoulder. With both the trapped arm and the shoulder in hand, Batman violently pressed the arm down and pulled the shoulder up. A scream of pain came soon after from Hawkeye. Batman got up and walked away. Even though he was thriving on the ground in pain, he watched Batman's back, his cape fluttering with every step. Batman pulled a gun-shaped object from his belt and fired it at the closest building. A long cable attached to a hook shot out of it. He shot the downed duo a glared, and then the grapple gun took him away.

Hawkeye laid prone for a couple of moments until he was able to tolerate the pain better. He then slumped up to his knees and cradled his shoulder with the opposite hand. He limped his way over to Natasha and, after a quick check, was glad to she was just unconscious. Clint tapped his ear communicator, saying, "Go for Triskelion." While he waited for the line to become secure, he pulled out a small syringe from a pack on his hip and jammed it in the center of his neck. Pain killers coursed through his boy, and he felt immediate relief.

"This mission control. Identify yourself and request," the voice on the other end of the asked.

"This is Barton. I need of emergency medical evac. Widow is down, and I'm not much better," Clint said as he put Natasha's head in his lap and cradled her.

There was a pause on the line; the silence was killing him. "Understood, Agent Barton, medivac is on its way. ETA five minutes," the voice on the other end said before it disconnected. Clint was counting the seconds till they arrived. He needed a hot shower, a doctor, and to report to Fury. He wasn't sure what order, but he was not looking forward to telling Fury how they got their asses kicked.

Triskelion

Fury was sitting on edge in his office. Even He had assigned both Clint and Natasha to go into Gotham and see if they keep Batman from making more headlines. He told them to do so by any means, threaten, warn or even take him down; he didn't care. He had hoped it didn't come to violence. He had hoped the man's sense of honor would give the man pause in his more violent endeavor.

Suddenly the door burst open. Fury expected Maria Hill to come in with a report on how the operation. What he got was Steve Rogers, who had a scowl on his face. The man came up to Fury and demanded from him, "Fury, we need to talk." Steve didn't sit. He crossed his arms and glared down at Fury.

Fury looked at his watch, just making sure it was the correct time. It was indeed a quarter to three in the morning. Fury stares at Steve for a moment before he sighed before saying, "I need to get a lock on that door." He mentally prepared himself for the conversation and sarcastically asked, "How can I help you, Rogers?" It better be something worth his time. Steve Roger's was the best soldier ever created, and sometimes Fury felt he was a pain in the ass. The man's perspective on the world was outdated. The old way of thinking didn't work in the world of today.

What Steve said next brought made Fury regret asking, "The Bat of Gotham." The fury in Steve's voice showed he wanted to do something about the man. Steve had a long talk with the people in and around the neighborhoods. Batman target people and delivered a dark, brutal justice that needed to be stopped, and Steve was more than happy to volunteer to be the one to do it.

Fury put his hand up, trying to calm the man, "Listen, Rogers, you don't know who you're talking about. That man will…" He had tried to warn, but he was cut off. He was getting sick of that.

Steve's words came out like a thunderstorm, "He's a one-man reign of terror. What he's doing isn't right, and S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to stop him." He then added another part that he was ready to do right this second, "The Avengers need to stop him." Fury and Steve stared each other down, neither backing down. Steve had his hands rested on his belt buckle, his eyes narrowed, and he stood tall, showing he was serious about the situation.

Fury clapped slowly and sarcastically said, "Well done, Rogers. That was one helluva speech. You practice that in the mirror?" Steve went to answer, but Fury cut him off, "I don't really care. What I do care about is one of my subordinates coming in her like they run the place. Guess what, Rogers, I run this place!" Fury slammed his fist down to emphasize his point.

Steve stood straighter as a response to the man's anger. He forgot himself, he was a soldier, and he knew better than to speak out of turn. "Fury, I…" was as far as Steve got before he was interrupted by Fury.

"Did it sound like I was done!?" Fury fired back. His patience had gone past its limits, and it showed as he continued, "Let's make one thing clear here, Rogers. I don't answer to you. You will know things when I feel you deserve or need to know!" He had enough of people questioning him about Batman. He had things under control when it came to the man. He didn't need to justify anything to anyone. However, he was on a tirade and was not going to cut Rogers any slack. He took a big inhale through his nose and said, "Not that you need to know Rogers, but I have Barton and Romanoff on it." He looked at the clock, he should have heard something by now.

Steve kept a cool head as he listened to Fury, "Understood, sir." Steve was a man who respected the chain of command. He understood there something he didn't need to know, and he didn't want to know everything. He felt he could sleep better at night, not know.

Maria now burst through his door, "Sir!"

Again someone came through his door uninvited. He was about to have his door permanently locked with a scanner on the door that let him choose who came and went. "I swear I'll…" Fury cursed under his breath as his nostrils flared. Steve turned around and was surprised at Maria's disheveled state. The woman looked afraid, and she helped stare down at an alien invasion. She looked out of breath, and she was slightly sweating. It seemed Fury didn't notice as he barked out, "What!" He stared down at the woman unmoved.

Maria jumped at the commanding tone of her boss. She paused for a moment realizing there was another person in the room with her boss. What she was about to say died in her throat, not wanting to give out the information. Fury gave her a look of annoyance, and she took it as a sign to continue, "It's Black Widow and are Hawkeye, they're down." Both Steve and Fury looked at each other. Steve was shocked and worried about the duo he fought with. They were good, and to be taken down was no small feat. Steve looked at Fury, wanting to know what the next move was.

Fury rubbed his forehead, feeling the beginning of a headache. It seemed things were worse than he initially feared. "Shit," was Fury's answer.

"There's more, sir. And it's worse," Maria said gravely.

"What can be worse?" Steve asked. Even though he didn't know the whole situation, he could feel the gravity of the situation.

Maria swallowed a lump in her throat and told the both of them, "You'll want to see this with your own eyes." She motioned them to follow her, and the two did. What was discovered at the weapons drop tonight was going to lead to head rolling.

Asgard

Thor Odinson, the Asgardian hero that saved the Earth, or Midgard, with the Avengers, was on his way to the Bifrost. His father, Odin, was proud of his accomplishments. He even brought to heel the many worlds that descended into chaos. Now he needed a place to relax, a mug of mead, and maybe even the company of Jane. He sighed as he walked across the Rainbow Bridge, approaching his friend Heimdall. The man had been on edge ever since the event with the Dark Elves and the Aether. Thor found the man standing at his post, seeing everything. Thor called out with a smile, "My friend!" Thor stood next to his friend while Heimdall gazed into the infinite void.

In his usual stoic tone, the man said, "The worlds are beginning to be at ease. All your efforts had been leading to this moment." Heimdall could see many things all at once, but his vision was iffy when it came to finding one thing in particular. He could see it, but not where it was. He could see a single person, but not what was around them.

Thor gave a hearty laugh and slapped his friends back while speaking, "Once the mortals are done examining the staff, they will return it and keep it hidden. Once it is back, I will be at ease, my friend." The damage Loki had done in a handful of days with that staff was nightmarish. Thor didn't want to imagine what a mortal would do with that kind of power.

Heimdall smirked at the young Asgardian's favorable response. Heimdall stared back into space. Heimdall's mind was brought back to something that had been bothering him ever since the Dark Elves were dealt with. It was the King of Asgard himself, Odin. Heimdall didn't want to act without bringing it up to someone's attention. "Have you noticed your fa…" Heimdall started to converse but suddenly stop when his eyes caught track of something on Midgard.

Thor listened to his friend speak but noticed his friend's speech get cut off. He hadn't been like since the time when Jane went missing from his vision. "What is wrong?" Thor asked, wondering why his friend paused and grew a grim look.

Heimdall stared out and focused his eyes. In an ominous tone, he said, "Something is coming, Odinson. Something that wishes for you and your friends destroyed." Heimdall was in a trance as he spoke, his eyes glassed over. His grip on his sword tightened. His eyes caught a shadow in the moonlight over a city. The shadow flew across the city, two eyes opened from the shadow and watch down over the city. The shadow swoops down onto those who do harm towards others. It delivers vicious punishments and leaves destruction in its wake. Then the shadow's eyes were directed at the large tower with a giant A on it.

Thor narrowed his eyes, his forehead creased in curiosity. "What is it?" he questioned.

Forebodingly, Heimdall replied, "A dark knight comes." Heimdall's eyes adverted down in the direction of Earth. Thor looked down with Heimdall worryingly. Thor would have to make a journey to Earth to confront the problem and make sure his friends were safe.

AN: Here you go, and here it is, the end of the chapter. I hope you all like the "casting" choice for Luke Fox. I really plan on expanding the Bat-family in this story and wanting them incorporated. Also plan to see some solo Batman stories. Hope you all enjoyed the story and the name change till next time.

Knox

(1) Hawkeye's Avengers 1 outfit

(2) Black Widow's Avengers 1 outfit

Alfred Enoch – Luke Fox