Chapter 9: Snake in the Steel Mill
"If you want to know more about the Penguin, Electrocutioner, and Kanata from Final Offer tip? Come find me near My Alibi Night Club, formerly owned by the Bird, alone. Come find me, Batman," A message from an anonymous source said in a letter.
Michael had found this letter at the west docks, near where he busted Penguin and his operation down. The Final Offer was shut down and it would take days for police to remove the shipments in the said boat for evidence to be used against Cobblepot in a new trial. He went as himself to the docks and see if he can write a good counter for Harvey to use to send the bird to his cage for a long time. In Black Gate or Arkham Asylum would be the bird's new nest once he's found guilty of the crimes.
The white-haired teen wasn't sure about this anonymous letter and the source. Of course, the chance to get more intel from maybe a former member of the Bird's gang but is it worth the risk of checking this out and alone?
"Hmm, this is too good to be true and risky on both sides. On one hand, I could go and figure out what this said information could be. The other, it's a trap and something I shouldn't risk," Michael thought, rubbering his chin in thought and placing the letter in a safe place in his bag.
Michael then brought his cell phone and decied to make a call now.
"Dinah, I need help tonight," Michael said as tonight he got work to do and going on patrol tonight.
Time Skip (Early Night)
Alibi Night Club
The nightclub, My Alibi was one of the mid-small clubs within Gotham and most don't go there unless for some fun of the different sources but most used it as a bussiness lineup that the Bird use to use. It was still running and has a new direction on the business line now.
We see two figures leaving the backdoor, wearing thick black cloaks and hats as well, covering who they are and looking like common workers leaving the backdoor as normal workers would. But in reality, are the new owners of the said nightclub now.
"You came," A dark voice boomed, surprising the two, and lifted up to see who had called the Bat himself.
The two figures were Candy and Trancey, former secretaries of the Penguin.
"You? You two were Penguin's secretaries," Batman stated, coming down to ground level and having his cape covering him like an actual bat dose.
Batman had more armor built into his suit, and better protection and the armor on his chest was lighter but still had that protection against much better gunfire and blades. He had thanked Rocky and Francine for their combined work on his suit's improvement. Tonight might be a good field test.
On the rooftop, above the bat and secretaries, we see Black Canary, watching his back from his shadows and was a bit pleased of her friend remember what she told him, not to go alone in such situations like this. She would join at the moment she smells a trap and might give those harpies a good lesson on why she was the true bird, the true bird of prey.
"Former actually, bat," Tracey corrected.
"After you defeated two of Penguin's best employees and the police came busting down the doors, we escaped and decied a new turn," Candy informed.
Batman didn't respond to that and had a few ideas about what the two would be doing now. He was on guard but didn't react as he saw both of the women pulling some documents out of their coats. He took the first one and become a bit surprised by this piece of information, not what he was expecting.
"That document has information about assassins coming to Gotham. Electrocutioner and Katana were the first ones, that Penguin was able to hire for muscle in his forces," Candy explained.
"Hmm, this document would have been kept a deep secret," Batman said, seeing this information to be a bit troubling news of assassins coming to Gotham but for what or rather who?
"Penguin was able to gain this secret document through a number of sources but never gained the full contract and the two won't tell him. Loyalty to your boss, you know?" Trancey commented.
Batman didn't respond to that and was given another secret document. And this one was a bit more light tone than the last one that brought troubling news.
"Rupert Thorne," Batman stated, seeing the document that talks about the crime boss and a picture of him doing business.
"The very same one. Throne and Cobblepot had a deal about setting in business but never came out when things went south. Now he wants to do some business with the Falcone family in a steel mill as we speak," Candy informed, a piece of big news and a chance to take down another crime boss in a quick motion.
But there has to be a catch or repayment for them. There's always those two, both or one of them.
"Your payment?" Batman asked or stated since those two would want something returned from this.
This caused Candy and Trancey to smirk, having a few ideas in mind but sadly business first.
"You could repay us in any way, I think we have a few ideas in mind. Don't you think, Candy?" Trancey asked.
"Yes but there's one thing you could repay us with...is to keep Penguin behind bars for a long time. If not, then away from reclaiming in his what remains of his criminal empire that is...going in a new direction," Candy explained, the true payment that the Dark Knight can do for them, and the two have their own plans of taking over the Bird's empire for themselves.
Batman was quiet and saw this as making a deal with the devil but in case, two gorgons or sirens. Hard to say which ones they are but are clever girls indeed. He can't lose Thorne and this intel also can expose him for good after his long run in the criminal underworld. That can help of fixing Gotham and then the two old crime families would be next when strong evidence comes out. Even if it means allowing two new ones to rise up but could keep an eye on them.
"Very well...I would have Thorne gift wrapped for the police," Batman stated, agreeing to the deal.
"Then we are in the agreement but how would you get into the mill Ba-!" Candy was about to ask the bat but soon grasped in surprise as she only looked away for a second and saw that he was gone, vanishing into thin air.
Tracey was equally surprised by this.
How in the hell does he do that?
On the rooftop, we see Batman and Black Canary taking their leave. A hidden part of the bat did enjoy pulling off the disappearing act.
"Not bad but agreeing to this deal, might not have been the best move," Black Canary said, voicing her disagreement on such a deal.
"Maybe but the chance to remove Thorne from his criminal empire, I can't let that chance slip out of my claws or wings again. Granted, those two might become the new ones but I rather know it's them than the Penguin coming back or Thorne rising up against the old crime families," Batman explained as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop.
If a gang war comes up in Gotham, it would be a bloody war with no winners and would change this city for the worse. The Dark Knight wasn't going to allow that. Thorne is most likely to start one against Falcone and Maroni. A top dog doesn't like older ones and wants to be the alpha one, with all the power to himself. Not going to happen.
"Understood. So together at the steel mill?" Black Canary asked, testing her friend.
"Yes, together. I don't expect Thorne to make peace with The Roman and his crime family. No, most likely do a hit but he would be in for a surprise and I won't be surprised if some of the men turn on him in favor of the Roman. He's one of the most powerful men in the city and one of the top criminal bosses," Batman explained, knowing from rumors and good number intel from the court office, mostly a certain DA wants to take down the Roman himself and put the whole family away to change things in Gotham.
"Indeed. So expect some trigger-happy thugs," Black Canary remarked as the pair make their way towards the steel mill, one of the oldest in Gotham.
"Yes. The key is to capture Thorne as his capture would put Penguin for a good while if one of his key partners, former or not, is behind bars as well. Many vultures would turn on each other in the hopes to get a lighter sentence," Batman said, knowing the type of crime boss that Thorne was and how much Penguin won't like it.
The Bat and Canary - The Brave and the Bold Duo are heading to the steel mill.
Small Time Skip
Old Steel Mill
We now see the Bat and Canary had made it to the old steel mill, one of the oldest in Gotham, and would be shut down within the year. The new owner plans to doing some changes to the said steel mill and wants a reopening for next year. The pair were on the rooftop across from the mill and started to listen to some mobsters talking to each other, being important.
"So that idiot, Rupert Thorne thought, Falcone, was in the steel mill?" One of the mobsters asked.
"Yep," The leader replied, but there were more questions coming from his friend.
"Falcone is not really in the steel mill?"
"Yep."
"It's a trap to kill Throne for what he and Copplepot did?"
"Yep."
"And he's getting the crap beat out of him?"
"Oh yeah and don't you ever shut up?"
"Nope."
"You think those idiots would keep quiet on such important information," Black Canary commented.
"One would think so but no. We need to make our way into the steel mill, stealth, and avoid any of Falcone's men from noticing us. They could alert the ones in the mill of us being here and kill Thorne. We can't risk that, even if he's scum," Batman said, going over a good stealth plan and did impress his friend well.
Black Canary could tell that her friend was planning much better now and ahead too. And capture Rupert Thorne would be a big major victory for the police, the court of law & order, and for the Bat himself to remove another crime boss from the criminal underworld. They need to be careful and the pair make their move.
Unknown to them, a pair of eyes within the shadows in an alleyway, was watching the Bat and Canary very closely. The eyes narrowed and the unknown figure kept moving, stacking the prey.
Batman and Black Canary landed on the rooftop, the loading docks for the steel mill, and used the vents to enter the said building without making a sound. They enter the shipment room, which was empty and very quiet it seems.
"I don't see anyone," Black Canary whispered, keeping her voice low and quiet.
"Me either, but there are several men within the office up top. We can use the security cameras to figure out where they are holding up Thorne," Batman whispered back, having used his visions within his lenses to see a number of thugs within the office room.
Soon enough the pair exited out of the vents and come down to the floor, without making a noise. The Bat and Canary saw that the only way to the office was through the hallway which leads to a stairwell for them to enter. The hallway was long and wide but something was off but this area. Like someone was watching them, not in a good way.
"This doesn't seem right," Black Canary said, voicing her concern and a bit of unease feeling that was around here.
"It does not. Fewer guards, but not much of an alarm going off. Something is not here. I don't like it," Batman said, voicing his opinion.
"Either those two ladies set us up or Falcone doesn't have that high amount of guards in taking out Thorne," Black Canary said, having a feeling that those two former employees of Penguin would see a true bird of prey soon when they are done here.
"No, or rather the Roman doesn't think anyone would be heading to rescue that slim ball. Our reason for saving him is to put Penguin behind his cage for a long time. Either in Black Gate or Arkham Asylum, I just know the bird won't stop singing once he goes to his new home," Batman explained.
"Agree," Black Canary nodded her head on that but they have to save and captured Thorne first before having that bird lock up, and clip his flightless wings fully.
Still unknown to them, the same pair of eyes but this time, we see it was green or something. The same unknown figure was hiding somewhere and watching the pair, more on the bat than the bird. The figure then reached out and pulled some kind of switch.
Then all of a sudden, a trap door was sprung open and caused Batman to fall into a trap down much to his and his friend's great surprise. Black Canary tried to reach to grab her friend's hand to stop his fall but was too late as the said trap doors closed on her and separated them in just one second.
With Batman, he saw he can't grapple hook his way out and used his cape to slow down his fall into a glide. He landed on the ground and looked back up to see that the trap door was shut tight. He frowned and saw that someone wanted to separate him from his friend for something.
"Batman! You read me?" Black Canary called out on the com-line that the two have now.
"I read you, Black Canary. So much for not splitting up," Batman remarked, being a light joke and getting his friend to giggle a little at that.
"So much for that. It seems this might have been a trap and someone is hunting us," Black Canary said, not liking this and clearly showing that someone was here wanting to separate them.
"I come up with the same thing. It seems I am at the lower levels of the steel mill. I would find an elevator and regroup with you on bagging Thorne," Batman said, starting to walk a bit on this narrowed hallway he was sent down to.
"Good and be careful Bats," Black Canary said, not wanting her friend to be reckless again.
"I will, Canary," Batman said as they both end the com-line and make their way to their new direction.
The Dark Knight keeps walking down the narrowed hallway and saw it leading towards another open area it seems. The area had a number of types of equipment being locked up and ready for transport. The industrial plant had the whole manufacture of steel put to a stop and no forging. He won't have to worry about any flames and heat as he walks out of the narrowed hallway filled with pipes.
"No! No, no, no, no! Get away from me! Get them out of me! Help!" Someone screamed in pure panic and caused the bat's attenion in surprise.
Batman rushed to the source of the voice and see who was calling out for help. Someone was down here and in need of help.
"Get out! Get out! Get out! Get AH!" The thug came busting out of a room to escape whatever was chasing him and soon fell hard onto the floor by tripping.
He clasped and gasped for air until he just die on the ground in some strange way.
"Who did this?" Batman thought, eyes narrowed at this crime scene, and didn't take pleasure in seeing people being killed like this.
"Hmm, I should scan the boy with my evidence scanner. Find any clues and figure out what causes this man to die like this. Set up a crime scene," Batman thought, having his red eyes become blue and starting DV scan mode this time.
Batman was able to discover that this man use to work for Rupert Thorne but way down here? That was another questuion but didn't stop his work. He runs a body diagnosis, getting the report and then the psychical evidence in front of them. He saw signs of assault, meaning his attacker had surprised him and he stood little chance.
"His system is shut down, most likely the cause of toxicity. He's been poisoned. Hmm, it might have been a powerful neurotoxin as he was clearly not in his right mind when he got attacked. He didn't stand a chance," Batman thought, seeing this to be very familiar to him from his time as a fan in his world and similar case files of a few victims being poisoned in South America.
"It has to be them...Copperhead. Serval criminals have used that alias and fit into using poison for their assassinations. And become like a snake itself. I don't have an idea of which version I am dealing with. It's too soon but I feel now understand the need for the separation. I am being hunted...but who's hunting who?" Batman thought, asking himself as goes over what he knows and had to be on guard now.
A predator was leaking in the shadows.
The Dark Knight kept walking forward and scanned the area as if someone was in there with him. He didn't know how close they were to him and we could see someone was moving from above. Someone with good speed, agility, and flexibility as they move around the pipes without making a single sound, and watch the bat very closely.
Batman hummed in thought and decied to get a hold of Rocky for a map of this place. He needs to find the elevator and regroup with Black Canary to find Thorne for the bag & tag for the police to pick up. The same figure was just hanging from a pipe behind him and waiting to strike, like a snake.
Then the strike came as the unknown figure leap down and rush towards Batman before he could even react to who just attack. The figure jumped onto the target, locking its legs onto the head for a choke but also spun around and launched the bat across the room to crash into a box, performing a very deadly cobra's gasp it seems. And that's all that goes to the name.
Batman grunted and shook his head at the sudden dizziness he felt while picking himself up to who attacked him. And admittedly he felt surprised but also guarded, as a predator was staring at him.
The figure or attacker was a mature woman with a toned skin tone, short blonde hair that looked to be pretty wild and spiky, her eyes showing to be emerald but also having slits, similar to those of a snake, dark markings being seen around her eyes, which made it look even more like a snake, her lips could be seen to be a darker tone than her skin as a split snake-like tongue that of a true snake. Her figure also being one to catch many eyes, with long and well-toned legs, wide hips, and a thin waist while also a pair of large breasts, able to get a lot of attention, with tribal tattoos being seen from her breasts to her neck area.
Regarding her attire, we could see that she was wearing a pair of extremely tight, dark brown leather pants with orange, snake-like patterns on each side of her legs, a single, pretty short, and also tight, leather vest, with a very similar pattern to those of her pants, but also with many darker lines between the scale like design. The vest was short enough to show her belly and also opened to show a large portion of her breasts. Finally, we could see that she was wearing a pair of dark brown leather armbands that covered her forearms, with metallic armor plates being seen on the upper side of it while she also had a pair of metallic claws on her pointing and middle fingers on each hand.
This was Copperhead, one of the world's deadliest assassins, the rare one to have taken the title of the said snake, and made the most escapes from prisons within a year.
Batman or Michale was pretty shocked by this, he wasn't expecting her of all people at all. Sure, he was expecting Copperhead due to the victim from not so long ago that was poised but not that version of her. This version was from the Arkham Origins game and a very dangerous one, living up to her namesake as a snake.
"Copperhead...you are a long way from South America. As I recalled, snakes don't like big cities," Batman stated, standing up on his feet and ready for a fight.
Copperhead was in a low and readied position. She was on her right knee while her left leg was up, both hands on opposite sides of each other. Her claws were ready as they clicked onto the floor, leaving behind two claw marks. She then hissed like a snake while her snake-like tongue escapes her mouth and was ready to strike.
The snake woman strike fast and agile which caused the bat to block her claw attacks with his armored gauntlets and tried to strick back with a punch but missed due to how fast his opponent was and open for a strike. Just what he wanted.
Batman easily captured Copperhead into the hold before she could strike again, having her left arm behind her back and on the ground a bit. This caused her to use her right arm to support herself while her right foot was on the bat's leg and the other free.
The short blonde-haired woman looked at the red-eyed bat, sending a small smirk before being able to perform a back twist, and launched her right foot to kick him in the face. This caused him to let her go and she strike again before he could recover.
Then Copperhead attacks again with grace, flexibility, and velocity, very much like a snake moving to the next strike against its prey. She moved on top of the bat before moving behind him. She press her chest up against the bat and wrapped her legs around his waist while her heels dig into his inner thighs. She then took her right hand and trapped both his arms behind his back, locking them down.
Batman was brought to the back headbutt to knock the snake woman off him but she was one step ahead of him and used her left arm to wrap around his throat, holding him tight. He felt like he was being coiled up by an actual snake and this wasn't normal. Not normal for a human being to have this kind of strength and speed.
The Bat then felt the blonde snake pressing herself more onto him and leaned into his right side, near where his right ear should be located.
"Do you know Batman...I am an alpha predator~hisss~," Copperhead seductively said while some hissing sounds escape her mouth, showing a bit of her snake side. She then had her snake-like tongue coming out to lick the side of the bat's armored face, a bit disappointed that she can't taste him.
Batman felt a bit surprised by that action and struggled to gain air and he was lucky that his mask had a built-in air supply. He won't have to worry about losing air but being coiled and struggling was a different story.
"I'm curious as to what could happen next. Would the bat grab the snake from the grass with its fangs? Or will the snake cripple the bat's wings first?" Copperhead questioned as she kept her hold tighter, increasing it and causing to bat to grunt a bit.
The short blonde-haired, while holding him, moved her right arm moved closer to his chest and had her fingers trace the muscle down below while not having her blades stab him just yet. Her left hand moved to his neck down while still holding and rubbing the upper part of his chest. She kept teasing him or in her words playing with her food, slowly moving around while strengthening her grip on her prey and making him feel hot inside. She then smirked, hungry, and lick the bat again, this time on his neck. He recoiled slightly but she could tell it wasn't from disgust and got her very much enjoying the bat before him.
All a distraction for the Bat from his close death or so the snake thinks.
"Her strength...speed...flexibility is not normal for a human...more like a snake," Batman thought, taking notes on that but soon noicted her snake-like appearance a bit more.
Batman saw Copperhead's snake appearance and made him realize something.
"You know... snakes have some pretty sensitive bodies, Copperhead," Batman stated, struggling to gain air while pushing a few buttons on his gauntlets which was not noticed by the snake.
Copperhead raised an eyebrow at that and would allow her prey to keep speaking before the last amount of life left him. A distraction for his death but that would change.
"If you know where and how to strike...how about I show you a shocking one I just discovered," Batman said with a smirk underneath his mask and his whole suit was covered in electricity, launching an electric wave outwards and causing Copperhead to scream in pure surprised & pain of being electric before being launched off of the bat.
Copperhead was sent backward and rolled onto the floor, hissing in pain and smoke leaving her body. She was paralyzed, feeling her body shaking and smoking a bit from that electric shock wave blast. This would only be for a moment.
Batman clasped onto his hands and knees, breathing in some air, and regained himslef. He took some deep breaths and was had regained himself from being coiled to near death like that. And something else came to his mind.
"The way she held me...her limbs move...why did she do that?" Batman thought, wondering why Copperhead's limbs moved to more intimate areas while being coiled and held him.
Batman shook his head, fighting off the blush and focus he looks back at where Copperhead was blasted off but to his surprise found her gone. Like she disappeared into the wind or quickly like a snake returning back to its hole.
The Bat was disappointed that the assassin had got away but was glad that his suit's new upgrades did a good job. They withstood the flexibility and snake-like coiling strength, testing the suit's own flexibility & endurance. He was very pleased with his testing of the electroshock wave that the suit can unleash when needed. He got some ideas from the Batsuit Beyond and its electroshock. Of course, his was different and was mainly made from the new improved shock gloves that his friends created for him.
Batman then decied to get a hold of Canary as he starts to leave this damn place.
"Canary you copy?" Batman asked, walking out of the room and heading to the elevator.
"I copy Bats. You okay?" Black Canary asked as it sound like in the back she just kicked a thug below the guts, hearing a girlish scream.
"I am good. It sounds like someone didn't like the bird coming in," Batman pointed out.
"Thorne didn't. Asshole thought you could bride me while giving me that dirty look. I kick the shit out of him and his men," Black Canary informed.
"Mhm, I can tell. I had a run-in with Copperhead and dealt with her but she escaped," Batman said, giving his friend what he was doing down there.
"Copperhead? A woman?" Black Canary said, slightly surprised by that while cuffing the slime bag for the police to pick him up.
"Yes, it seems those files that said that Copperhead was a male were wrong and seem to have metahuman powers. Giving her these snake-like appearances and psychical abilities," Batman replied.
"Are you okay?" Black Canary asked in concern.
"A bit sore but would be fine. The armor new upgrades have done a great job but I also did it smartly. Given her features, she seems to have a sensitive body if you hit the right sport," Batman explained.
"Hence the electric-shock wave. Pretty good, no more shortcuts?" Black Canary asked.
"No more shortcuts. I would be joining you shorty, Canary," Batman replied.
"Good, I would see you soon," Black Canary said, having the pair end the call and would regroup soon.
No more shortcuts indeed.
Small Time Skip
A short time later, the police surrounded the steel mill and round the men that were beaten to later cuffed up for the officers to pick up. And along with Rupert Thorne himself, it was a good day for them.
We saw Commissioner Gordon looking up to the sky and saw on a rooftop, the bat himself along with someone standing next to him. He smiled a bit and nodded his head, giving his thanks to them for capturing and providing GCPD with all the evidence they need to put Thorne away from life.
"Well done my friend," Gordon said out loud, not noticing that two certain detectives were behind him.
"Sir?" Getting the commissioner to see Yin and Ethan coming up.
"Yes?" Gordon asked, while at the corner of his eye, saw the pair were gone.
"Who are you talking to?" Yin asked, seeing there was no one around.
"Ghosts really," Gordon commented.
Yin raised an eyebrow at that and had this idea that the commissioner was hiding something. Or protecting someone.
"The Bat..," Ethan almost said but stopped himself.
Gordon nodded his head and said, "I think both know that Batman is the one that brought us here. And Black Canary gift wrapping us Thorne to us."
"Yes, but why aren't we arresting them?" Yin asked, as vigilantism was against the law and makes them criminals.
"We just can't catch them," Gordon shrugged his shoulders, being one of the rare times he makes a wise-ass remark.
"And besides, he saved you two lives from that mad woman back in Arkham," He added, causing the black-haired woman to pause and remember that.
If Batman was a criminal, he won't do that. He won't risk his life to save Yin and Ethan like that.
"Honestly sir, I respect Batman and see him doing good for Gotham, even if he doing on the wrong side of the law. Chief Rojas just wants to turn the whole city upside down just to kill or arrest the bat for all he has done," Ethan said, being honest and believing the Dark Knight.
"Hmm, I won't be surprised if Rojas pulls another task force team behind my back again, like the last time. He's one of the shadiest cops on the force," Gordon said, seeing Ethan could be an ally for Batman like himself and Bullock, rare times for him.
Yin, she would get there.
"I understand. It's just...," Yin said, honestly didn't know what to say or think next as she kept remembering how Batman saved her. Hell, been having dreams of him, and was shocking for her to say the least.
"It's fine, detective. I don't Bats holds it against those that want to arrest him. He wants to help and fix this broken city like a good number of people want to," Gordon said, knowing that Yin would take some time but saw someone that believed in the law & order system to what the true cop should do.
"Be safe my friend. I have a feeling that things won't be this easy from now on," Gordon thought, feeling this dread feeling that even after many victories, there were going to be some loses and who knows what could happen next.
We shall see what the Dark Knight and his allies face next.