"You're really pretty."
The truth is that four to one odds versus regular gun toting goons is hard; especially if they have automatic weapons. Four to one versus super humans' neigh impossible. Especially if they are a well-oiled team. Now I'm not prepping an excuse for getting my but kicked or anything. I'm telling you so that you know I work said but off training to make it look easy.
The cat lady is to me first. I block her claws with my gauntlets. I could have dodged but I wanted her close. Time to put the cat out for the night.
"Pantha move." Dove shouted.
Man she is fast enough to dodge my stinger at near point blank range. I see the devil guy take a deep breath I know what coming next. I toss a couple of freeze pellets in the space between us. When his fire breath contacts them a cloud of stream filled the hallway. I take advantage of the cover to deal with that tattle-tale Dove. The red fist of Hawk is waiting for me though. I dodge it but pay for the move with stinging pain of claws raked across my back. I can feel them boxing me in. Unless I do something quick this fight is over. Devil Boy comes at me from my left flank. I jump up to the wall and toss them a sound grenade. That box they were putting me in was also a convenient way to get them all in range of the Sonic Hammer. They go down clutching their ears. It will only last a minute but they'll be webbed up before that. I would gloat but they couldn't hear me anyway.
I jump from my perch, webbing them on the way down. Um…each web shot only snares batarangs. Somebody is freaking good. My feet just touch ground and I see the person rushing me from the end of the hall so fast what's left of the steam swirls behind them. The costume screams Batman but the shape says female. I really don't want to hit a girl but I can't worry about that now. I have to end this quick or it will be five to one.
:45
I wall run at her trying to web her but she ducks, dives, tucks and rolls out of the way. The shots that get close she intercepts with more batarangs. I get the feeling she's toying with me. I'm going to have to fight her. But I did manage to put myself between she and her friends.
:30
She tosses a smoke pellet to the floor by me. Everything goes black not even thermal gets through. I leap across to the opposite wall. My spider-sense goes off but I'm not fast enough. She jumped up grabbed my ankle and slammed me to the floor. I land hard knocking the wind out of me. Oh and I still can't see anything.
:20
She doesn't hit me again, not for lack of trying on her part. Now I get why Bruce had me run that gauntlet blindfolded. I trust my spider-sense completely. That's all fine and good, don't get me wrong but I finally figured out what she used; Black Out gas. It's not really a gas but trillions of lighter than air particles that absorb light and other energies on the spectrum and emit them as x-rays. I switch my vision to fluoroscope and…whoa…seeing a skeleton running around is…well it's jarring. The computer takes about a tenth of a second before rendering a composite overlaying.
:10
Now it's my turn. It's like dejavu all over again but different. Whereas Batman countered my speed with body reads and skill this Batgirl is fast, like my level fast. As evidenced by my punch she caught in her hand. She twists my wrist and throws me effortlessly; a mark of her skill and training. I manage to twist and land on my feet; a testament to mine. I don't have time to rest. I get both arms across my chest in time to block a kick. Even still I slide back about three feet. This girl's strong. That's when I notice the lack of vibration in the floor. The hall is eerily quiet.
:00
Discretion is the better part of Valor. I throw a punch to her head and when she goes to block it, I stick a present on her chest as I duck past her. While she's trying to remove it I race down the hall. Seconds later I'm clear of the gas and my vison goes back to normal. I fire off web balls to the corners of the hallway. I hear her curse as the micro booster ignites.
"Close." I said and the balls shoot tendrils toward each other. In seconds they connect and intertwine with each other making a wall. As its closing off three batarangs zip through at the last moment. I catch them then casually walk away.
*Bing*
I check my display and the suit has connected to a satellite system; Cord Co. apparently. The information scrolling across my screen is strange and troubling. I don't have time to process it though my web wall has come crumbling down. I run toward the large window at the end of the hall. I can feel them coming after me. I throw an explosive batarang at the glass to prepare the way. It'll take care of anything this side of adamantium. It explodes and I swing through the smoke. I'm surprised and disorientated to find I'm in the open air ten stories up. Even more so that we are on an island in Gotham Harbor right where Blackgate Prison should be.
I move like a man possessed. Soon I'm swinging on the bridge that connects to the main land. I don't know if I should be relieved or scared that they aren't chasing me. Once I'm in the city I'm a lot harder to catch. So of course the first place I go is Wayne Tower. I know it's stupid but I need some stability. Apparently even the constellations are even different. The city looks the same though, minus the whole Titan Tower in the bay thing that is. So…all the evidence points that I'm on another world.
"I'm on another world." I said out loud. It doesn't help at all. Then it hits me, my brother and father should be the same on any world. It will take some explaining of course. I leap from the rooftop feeling a little better.
Half an hour later I'm at the backdoor. My key doesn't work. I shake my head for being silly enough to think that it would. I go the spot where my big brother hid a key in the planted pot by the door. I dig in the dirt and sure enough it's there. Nice to know that Richard is the same in any universe.
I breathe a sigh of relief. The kitchen is the same; too quaint to be Batman's kitchen. That's because it isn't. Its Alfred's.
"Alfred!" I call out removing my mask and raising my hands. He carries a shotgun you know. "Alfred my name is Peter I'm looking for Bruce or Richard."
No answer. Maybe he's in the cave. I check the Pantry for the elevator but it's not there. I head straight to the den and the Grandfather clock. I slide my hand behind the back and hit the button. It opens without a hitch. The cave is the same albeit dirtier than mine. Maybe this Alfred isn't as through? The background hum of the Wayne Tech mainframe isn't there nor the other devices that should be in standby. I jump over to the computer. it's dead, cold silent; monitors black as death. I wipe my fingers across the keyboard and come up with a thick layer of dust. A ball of sickness forms in my gut. Nobody's been down here in a long time; years maybe. I turn the computer on and the cave comes to life. In seconds its fully illuminated.
Everything's here; the giant penny, the display of trophies and vehicles. However, there is a strange room where the armory is in my cave. I jump over to it. The sign on the door reads "Remember the Fallen". My mind screams don't enter but my body is already in motion. There are these glass displays along the wall with mannequins wearing costumes. The first is Robin but the name is unfamiliar. I don't know a Jason Todd. The next is Batgirl it's a version I haven't seen; jet black with a full faced cowl and stitched bat-symbol. The name reads Cassandra Cain. The last two…the last two
"This isn't funny, Richard." I scream. This can't be real. No matter what, they can't die. "You can turn it off now."
I look back at my brother's and father's costumes. My world spins. Nightwing. Gone. Batman. Gone.
"Please." I plead looking around. First my parents then my aunt and uncle now my father and brother; this is just too much. "Starfire…Kori make him stop. Roy, Gar, anybody…make it stop."
I collapse to my knees with the harsh realization that this isn't a hologram. My brother and father are gone and I'm stuck here. Then the current Batgirl stepped from the shadows. This is her fault. She did this somehow.
"Send me back." I howl leaping at her. Her fist glows crimson then I'm hit…a star-bolt.
I'm on the cold cave floor looking up at her as the energy leaves my body. She removes her cowl looking down on me with flowing, jet black hair, brown skin and glowing green eyes. She has the strangest look on her face. I'm about to pass out. Say something cool.
"You're really pretty."