REDEMPTION: PART 10:
A black clad figure dropped from the ceiling onto the floor of the Gotham City Museum of History. He was careful to avoid the security sensors. Observing the security guards earlier, he knew he had fifteen minutes before they would make their way back to this area of the museum. Stealthily, he walked past the Native American artifacts -- rugs, beads, pottery -- none were what he was looking for. Finally, he stood before the case holding the one object he had come for. Standing before the glass case holding the ornate ebony bladed knife, slowly the figure turned and looked around him at the museum.
"I never thought I'd be glad that the Dinne's heritage was pillaged," Roy Harper sighed as he pulled the ski mask from his face. "This once I'll be glad," he said continuing his thought.
Roy removed the knife from his side and used the blade to unscrew the case's side. Easing the case open, he looked at the knife inside. "So you can kill a crow? Shaman says you're older than the Dinne, that you belonged to the ancients of Chapa Canyon," he mused before placing his hand on the hilt of the blade. As soon as he removed the blade from the raised velvet lined showcase, the museum erupted in blaring alarms. "SHIT! I knew I should've called Catwoman in for this. Weight sensors." Shaking his head and cursing at his mistake, Roy sheathed the knife in his boot. Pulling his mask on, he continued muttering, "A rank amateur could've done better."
He heard the guards running towards him as he ran in the direction of the window. On the run, he pulled a mini grenade launcher. The grenade rocketed to the window. A small explosion demolished the window and it casing, filling the air with swirling dust. Roy's feet crunched the pebble size debris and glittering glass strewn across the floor as he neared his renovation. Pulling a grapnel hook from his jacket, he shot off a line he had borrowed from the cave. The line arced across the street and imbedded in the building opposite the museum. Roy waved at the security guards and jumped from the fifth story window. He felt his arm jerk as he flew across the sky on the line. Roy was grateful he had mastered this little trick in the last year. The guards' bullets whizzed by his left arm and he heard the approaching G.C.P.D. sirens.
Roy used his feet to stop himself from slamming into the building, He pulled himself up the line and then over the ledge of the roof. Cursing, he sprinted across the roof. "Shit, Shit, Shit! I do not have time to get arrested here."
"Going somewhere?"
Roy stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to see Azrael standing behind him. He really did not want to fight Jean-Paul, but he really didn't want to explain right now either. There was no time. He had to find Dick. Roy's eyes narrowed beneath the ski mask as he watched Jean-Paul approaching. Reaching in his belt, he pulled some unmarked throwing stars and a couple of gas pellets. The throwing stars whirled across the dark room and cut into a humming high tension power line. The line snapped and sparks showered down across the roof. As Roy intended Azrael dodged to his right to avoid the dancing electrical sparks and behind a large sign. The next set of starts cut across the supports of the sign. It wavered, groaned and then collapsed. Azrael dodged again and landed with a thud under one of the supports. When he looked up again, Roy waved and tossed the gas pellets leaving Azrael coughing and gasping.
"I'll buy ya a beer later Frenchie," Roy muttered as he jumped from the top of the building on to the ancient fire escape.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Barbara?" Dick questioned the vision before him. Barbara Gordon appeared to be standing there. She was beautiful. Her long red hair hung around her shoulders. Her green eyes glittered. A long floral dress seemed to sway around her in a slight ethereal breeze. She smiled at him. She seemed to be glowing ... no ... she was glowing. Dick noticed the slight golden aura surrounding her body as she moved closer to him.
"Dick," she said taking his hand in hers and pulling him from the broken window back into the apartment. "You don't need to do that. Jumping wouldn't help and it would only hurt you. "
One hand gripped her's and the other hand cupped her face. "You ... you're real. I can ... feel you." Dick smiled, "You're real."
Barbara smiled at him again. "I'm always real to you. I'm always part of you."
"I'm so sorry," Dick cried as he clutched her to him. "If I hadn't ... hadn't killed Joker ... we'd be together now."
"Shh," she soothed running her hand through his thick black hair. "You'll come back to me. I know you will. I have faith. We were meant to be together and we will be Dick. All you have to do is have faith. But before we can be together, you have some things to do."
Dick looked deep into her green eyes. He felt so at home in her arms. Even with the world falling down around him, everything felt right in her arms. "I have to stop Joker," he said resolved. "I just ... I don't know how."
"You will, when you need to."
Dick gazed at her sweet smile. "When I need ... when will that be?" Barbara didn't answer him but instead continued silently smiling at him. Dick looked down unsure of himself. "Babs I ... I don't know." Sighing he looked up to a dark and empty room. "Babs? BABS! Don't leave me! PLEASE don't leave me again!"
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Negative. Do not waste time or energy looking for the ninja burglar. I need you looking for the Joker," Batman gruffly said as the Batmobile roared down the Gotham highway. "The police can handle a burglar. I want Joker found and I want him found now."
"Oui mon amie." Jean-Paul replied over the car's communication system.
Robin turned his eyes from the road toward Batman. "Ninja burglar?"
Batman growled. "Keep your eyes on the road!"
Robin grinned and shot around a corner on nearly two wheels. "Oops." He turned an insincere angelic smile toward Batman before turning back to the road.
Batman growled and shook his head. "It's not important. Not now. Joker's all that's important. I have to stop him."
"How do you plan to do that exactly? You're not supposed to be outta bed with your injuries. I know, I know that never stopped you before. Heck this time, you couldn't even drive. Any ideas how we're going to stop Joker once we find him?" Robin asked as he depressed the gas pedal making the car go even faster. "He isn't exactly the same old Joker we were used to."
"We stop him however we have to," Batman replied. He turned watching the buildings flash past them as they moved deeper into the city. "I will not allow that madman to jeopardize my son's soul. Joker takes no more from my family. No more."
A squelch came over the radio as police dispatch sounded a call to all cars. "Escape at Arkham Asylum."
Robin turned toward Batman. "Do you want me to -- "
"No, I want to see if we can find some of Joker's old gang. They usually can be found -- "
" -- escapee Deacon Cast was last seen --"
Batman gritted his teeth. "Turn the car around. NOW."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jim Gordon walked through the crowd headed toward his stadium seat. "Philip, how did I let you talk me into coming here?"
Gotham's current police commissioner smiled at its former commissioner. "Because you needed this and so did I. When is the last time you relaxed Jim?"
"How can I relax with that madman on the loose?" he asked as he made his way past the popcorn vendors. The smell of the salty buttery goodness floated through the air.
"That's not your job anymore. It's mine," Aiken almost shouted over the din of the crowds. "Didn't you say Barbara gave you these tickets?"
Jim moved into his seat looking out at the fifty-yard line. Sighing, he nodded. "My last birthday present from her. Lifetime season tickets."
"I think she gave them to you because she wanted you to enjoy them, don't you think?"
Jim Gordon nodded. His daughter would want him to enjoy himself. She wouldn't want him wasting away grieving for her. yet, it would be easier to live his life with Joker dead.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CAW
Dick Grayson turned his melancholy eyes toward the black bird that flew through the broken window into the Clocktower apartment. "What?" The bird walked on the windowsill puffed its chest feathers, fluffed its wings and appeared twice its size. The bird cocked its head and turned his coal black eyes on Dick. It stared steadily at the man with whom he now shared a soul. "What do you want me to do? I don't know where he is! I don't know what to do!"
CAW CAW
Moving over, Dick sat beside the window and held out his hand. The black bird moved over and dropped a piece of chalk into his hand. "What's this?" Dick asked as he looked at the smooth round stick of chalk. Closing his fingers around the object, his body jerked. His head flew backwards as a tuft of black hair fell across his forehead. His eyes closed and his breathing slowed.
Through a black and red colored fog, Dick saw images. Joker. Joker at a chalk board. Plans. Crowds. The sounds of the crowd assaulted his ears as if he was there. He could smell the hot dogs, candy, soft drinks and popcorn. His eyes rested on the green field.
Dick gasped. Oxygen shot through his lungs like fire as his breathing returned to normal. His eyes flew open. Dropping the chalk on the floor, he looked at the crow. "I've got to stop him."
CAW CAW CAW
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jim and Aiken watched the band members take the stage for the half-time show. It was amazing how quickly the stage had been rolled to the center of the football field.
"Ohmygod," Gordon mumbled as he dropped his hotdog. He stood as he watched a black leather clad man take center stage. There was no mistaking the Joker, not with a green pompadour.
Joker grabbed the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen! How 'bout them Knights? Thank you for being part of the Joker's Comeback Special." Joker's maniacal laughter rang out over the speaker system. Shouting and screaming, the crowd was on their feet fleeing for the exits in confusion, anger and fear. Joker reveled in the sounds of mayhem. "Don't try to leave folks, the funs just begun. All exits have been sealed. Now Deacon," he said turning toward the insane laughter of a man wearing a grotesque smile on his face, "give me a beat."
Aiken pulled his gun as he radioed for all available units. He watched Jim Gordon pull his own service revolver and started through the pandemonium moving against the crowd and toward the Joker. Aiken followed, his eyes never leaving Gordon.
"It's a one for the money," Joker began singing into the microphone, wiggling his hips as if he were a rock star performing to a devoted crowd. "it's a two for the show, it's a three to get readyyyyyyyyyyy --" Joker grinned evilly, "Blow Knights blow." His fingers pressed a button on the microphone as explosions began to boom and crackle around him. "Bwahahahahaha," laughed the Joker as hell was loosed on earth.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THUD
"Did they say anything?" Batman asked the sobbing man he had pinned to the wall in Arkham Asylum. His face was inches over the pathetic man. "I want to know where Cast went."
"Not ... not scared of you," the man cried.
"Oh really," Batman taunted. "You should be." Robin looked from Batman to the corridor ensuring the guards weren't coming. They were too busy answering questions as to how Deacon Cast escaped. Robin looked back when he heard the sound of breaking bones.
The man cried out and his knees buckled. Had Batman not pinned him to the wall with his strong hands, the patient would have crumpled to the ground when Batman broke his hand. "I dunno what you wanna know. Deacon just left. Was like he was in a trance or sumthin'. He finally stopped yammering about that damned bird," the man said as he pointed with his remaining good hand at the cell wall.
Both Batman and Robin turned to notice the many, many etchings and paintings of a crow.
The comm signal came to life. "Dic--Nightwing to Batman, do you hear me?"
Batman released the man and turned without watching him fall to the floor. His gloved hand went to his ear. "Ni-Nightwing, this is Batman."
Robin's eyes were wide as he listened in. He had smiled as he heard Dick use his code name once again.
"Joker's at Knight's stadium. I need everyone there. he's going to blow the whole thing," Dick Grayson said riding his motorcycle toward the home of the Gotham Knights.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"I'm going to kill that sonovabitch," Gordon said as he and Aiken made their way closer to the center stage. "This time the bastard stays dead."
"No one stays dead." Gordon wasn't fast enough in his turn and Deacon Cast slammed into him. Another of Joker's men grabbed Commissioner Aiken. "Mr. Joker's gonna be happy to see you," Deacon continued as he slugged Jim Gordon.
Jim fell to the ground and reached out for the gun which had fallen from his hands. One of Joker's henchmen kicked the gun away as Deacon and Gordon rolled on the ground. Aiken punched one of the henchmen, only to be grabbed from the back by two others. Finally, subduing the two men, Joker's henchmen dragged them toward center stage. Carefully, they stepped over the large slithering snake that almost seemed to surround the front of the stage.
Joker grinned before he turned around. His eyes glowed green as his vision rested on Jim Gordon and Philip Aiken. "Well, well, well, if it's not the police commissioner of Gotham City. Both of them. They will make perfect greeters for my next guests."
The snake slithered happily onto the stage.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dick's motorcycle roared into Knights' Stadium Parking area and up the white cement steps leading to the box office. He drove the cycle through the glass door and into the stadium. The bike zoomed through the maddening crowds trying to escape the time bomb that was the stadium. He was oblivious to the screams of the people as he past -- unsure if they screamed because of Joker or because of him. He knew he wore the mask of the crow. This wasn't a mask he put on nightly like his Nightwing mask of old. This was a mask that came from inside him when the rage and the pain welled up calling for revenge.
Yet, Dick Grayson tempered the crow ever so slightly. He knew it was more than just revenge. The business of the Crow was about far more. It was about redemption. About saving one's soul from evil and making up for past sins. Everyone sinned, even the best of men. That was what made the difference in humans and gods. Dick Grayson knew full well he sinned, knew each and every act has consequences. Bruce had taught him that from the time he was eight years old. He had momentarily forgotten when he allowed the crow in him to kill Joker.
Every act has consequences. Even acts committed after the grave. Killing Joker had placed the state of his own soul in peril, but as he rode past the terrorized throngs of people, he didn't care about that. All he cared about was stopping Joker from taking another life. It wasn't that he had to protect the innocents ... no one was innocent ... he had to protect lives regardless of the stains they wore. That was another lesson Bruce had taught him. It was time he started paying attention.
Dick rode the cycle down the steps, past the rows and rows of seats onto the field. He opened his comm link. "Batman, when you arrive, everyone's primary goal is to rescue the people. Leave Joker to me."
"Dick I want to -- "
"Leave. Joker. To. Me." Dick slowed the bike to a stop as he stared at the football field before him. There on each side of the massive field, Jim Gordon and Philip Aiken were chained to the uprights on each end of the T-shaped goals. Blood oozed from the cuts on their faces and chests, fire burned around the bottom of the metal pole. "I'll need backup on the field. Joker has the commissioner -- both of them."
Batman looked at Robin as they leapt from the Batmobile. "We're on it. D--Nightwing -- be careful." Azrael and Batgirl joined the current Dynamic Duo at the gates of Gotham Knights Stadium. "Robin and I will rescue Jim and Commissioner Aiken. You two get the crowds out. If you see any explosives contact me."
"Any word on Arsenal?" Robin asked. "We could use every pair of hands we have." Azrael and Batgirl simply shook their heads as they all headed out on their respective missions.
Dick's eyes narrowed as he watched the Joker strut across the stage. The Joker's insane cackle echoed wildly across the stage. "The wages of sin," the Crow began.
"Are borne by the wicked," Joker replied without turning around. He didn't need to. He saw his adversary through the eyes of his totem snake. "Bwahahaha, they pay well too. Come to play little bird?"
"I've come to finish the job!" Dick shouted as he barreled down the field toward the Joker.
Joker simply smiled at his enemy and pulled a bazooka up from the ground. Aiming it at the motorcycle, he fires. Dick leapt from the bike as fire blossomed around the exploding motorcycle. He pulled his legs up to his chest and then kicked out in the air somersaulting not once, not twice but four times as only he could. Hitting the ground in a fighting stance, the Crow glared up through his black tear stained face.
"Time to pay the piper."
"Spoil sport," Joker said as he pressed the detonator in his hand. A series of explosions started rocking the stadium. He threw the detonator at Dick, who simply knocked it away. "Why didn't you stay dead? You really were one of my better works of art -- flesh, blood, bone, gray brain matter all spread out and squished together on sidewalk pavement. You should've seen it, it was marvelous."
"Not as satisfactory as hearing your neck snap like a twig, I'm sure," Dick replied as he advanced.
Joker pulled a hand grenade from his pocket and threw it toward Dick. Flipping into the air, Dick dodged the explosive and landed behind Joker. His hand shot out hard and fast in a flat handed movement that sent the Joker reeling. Joker used the palms of his hands to break his fall, sprung back upwards and turned to face the Crow. He kicked out, but Dick dodged. Dick struck out with a quick punch that Joker blocked. Like expert fencers, they parried and thrust across the stage one trying to best the other in what seemed a virtual standstill.
Batman carried Jim Gordon down from the goal post. He turned toward the sounds of gunshots. He froze as he watched Joker's henchmen ignoring everything that was going on around them to shoot at Dick's crow that flew above the stage. "Why shoot at -- "
Joker shot acid toward Dick as they fought. Dick sprung backwards, backflipping away. As he turned, Joker pulled a gun and started firing into Dick's chest. Dick felt the searing heat when each bullet tore into his skin. A grotesque smile formed on Dick's deathly pale face as he dropped to his knees, black blood dripping from the wounds. Joker danced around Dick's fallen form, while his men continued to shoot at the crow cawing above them. Joker raised the gun and pointed it at Dick's head.
Dick's eyes flew open as air forced its way into his too still lungs. His blue eyes looked up into the barrel of Joker's gun.
"Once I blow your head apart I think it's safe to say that you'll be gone for good. Not here, not there, Not anywhere. The big goodbye. BwahahahaaGAAHHHH."
An arrow pierced through Joker's hand. He whirled to see Arsenal standing on the sidelines. Arsenal smiled as he watched Dick rise from the platform, his long black coat flapping behind him. Pulling the ebony bladed knife from its sheath, he tossed it to Dick. "Catch!"
The knife flew through the air toward Dick. Joker's boney arm extended upwards to intercept, but he dropped to his knees in pain. "NOOOOOOOOOO!" he cried out in agony as he saw the batarangs that perforated his boa constrictor's body. "You killed my snake!" His voice dripped with venom as his glowing green eyes focused on Batman.
"Not yet," Dick's voice rang out behind him. "You have to cut the head off a snake."
Joker whirled but was too late. The Crow that was Dick Grayson had lashed out with the ancient blade. The lightening quick cut was clean and sharp and Joker's evil laugh was forever silenced as his head tumbled away from his body.
"Free of memory and of hope, the dead man is not a dead man: he is death," the Crow mused as his black bird cawed and landed on his shoulders.
Batman and Arsenal started approaching Dick from opposite sides of the platform, when a brilliant light surrounded Dick. The light blazed and they had to shield their eyes. Dick turned inside the light to see Barbara standing there smiling at him. He embraced her. He felt whole, he felt at home. Then he felt the light fade. Her image lost its corporealness.
"Barbara?" Dick softly said.
Suddenly, to his side stood The Spectre, God's agent of redemption on earth. "You have done well Richard Grayson. It's a good start."
"Start?" Dick asked perplexed.
"It takes more than vanquishing the Joker to balance the evil he did. You still have souls to account for before the tally is leveled and the accounts paid," Spectre said as he morphed into the visage of Hal Jordon. "But it's a very good start." Barbara wrapped her ethereal arms around him. "We both thought you could use a guide on your journey," he added with a smile before he disappeared.
Barbara's sweet breath caressed his ear like a soft spring breeze. "I'm always with you Dick. Forever."
Dick nodded at her words and added his own to them. "For still together shall we go and not fare forth alone to front eternity." He felt her invisible hand gently stroke his.
He wasn't alone. Never was he alone on earth nor in heaven. Barbara was with him, a part of him. She was the other half of his soul whether he could see her or not. He would always hear her voice and hold her in his heart until at last redemption was finally fulfilled and Dick Grayson again went home.
He turned back to Arsenal and Batman. Robin approached hesitantly. "Is ... Dick, is it over?" Robin placed his green gloved hand on Dick's arm and Dick smiled back. Not as the crow, but as a brother, son and friend.
"No ... it is only the start."
THE END --
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
The Crow seems to wax poetically at times so I added a few lines from real poems about death. Poem quotes are in italics in the body of the fic. Here are the original poems in their entirety that are quoted from.
Remorse For Any Death
by Jorge Luis Borges
Free of memory and of
hope,
limitless, abstract, almost future,
the dead man is not a dead man: he is death.
Like the God of the mystics,
of Whom anything that could be said must be denied,
the dead one, alien everywhere,
is but the ruin and absence of the world.
We rob him of everything,
we leave him not so much as a color or syllable:
here, the courtyard which his eyes no longer see,
there, the sidewalk where his hope lay in wait.
Even what we are thinking,
he could be thinking;
we have divvied up like thieves
the booty of nights and days.
Love and Death
by Sarah Teasdale
Shall we, too, rise
forgetful from our sleep,
And shall my soul that lies within your hand
Remember nothing, as the blowing sand
Forgets the palm where long blue shadows creep
When winds along the darkened desert sweep?
Or would it still
remember, tho' it spanned
A thousand heavens, while the planets fanned
The vacant ether with their voices deep?
Soul of my soul, no word shall be forgot,
Nor yet alone, beloved, shall we see
The desolation of
extinguished suns,
Nor fear the void wherethro' our planet runs,
For still together shall we go and not
Fare forth alone to front eternity.
