DC/Marvel: Access Denied

Chapter 6

By Christopher W. Blaine

e-mail: darth_yoshi@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER: The characters and situations contained in this story are ©2003 by either DC Comics Inc. or Marvel Entertainment Group and are used without permission for fan-related, non-profit entertainment purposes only. This original work of fiction is ©2003 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole without the express permission of the author.

The DC Universe…

As far as sidekicks went, Timothy Drake, a.k.a. Robin the Teen Wonder, was probably the best of his generation. He was the inheritor of a proud and tragic legacy that had started with Dick Grayson, gone through the sad tale that was Jason Todd's life and ended with him. Tim doubted that there would be another Robin after him as he intended to hold onto the identity for as long as he could.

The Batman had put him here, on top of the Arkham Asylum, to monitor the comings and goings. For several days now, the Joker, Batman's prime nemesis, had been in and out of a strange, dreamless sleep. Batman was convinced some outside source was attacking the Joker's mind, or what was left of it. Why it was being done was more important than the how, but the Batman never left any loose ends. He had invited the Martian Manhunter to come and try and peer into the Joker's mind, something that the alien hero was reluctant to do.

That meeting was supposed to happen tonight, the very last night of the current guard force's rotation, a night when the guards would be more interested in five-card poker than in doing their rounds. The security at Arkham was both a blessing a curse. On one hand, it was inadequate and could not possibly be a physical barrier between the insanity captured here society. Then on the other hand the security was inadequate and it allowed the Batman unrestricted access whenever he needed it.

The doctors at Arkham had called Commissioner Gordon and the Batman when the Joker first started acting differently, but the idea of allowing an alien probe his mind was beyond them. It was better to do it in secret.

He checked his watch and then reached for another snack cake in his cape pocket. Eating the cream filled dessert, he almost failed to notice the shadow crossing his own in the failing light. He turned and saw a woman in a costume that was familiar and different at the same time.

It was a knock-off of the Huntress's outfit, black and purple leather, but there was so much different about it. His eyes first drifted to the bare legs and then slowly moved up to the ample cleavage. From her chest, he knew it wasn't Helena. Not his Helena anyway. "Lady, you have really picked the wrong day to go trick-or-treat," he said.

She put her hands on her hips. "Hey! My face is up here, Jason!" She hoped that by saying his name, she could start to develop a rapport between them.

He stood up and she understood her mistake. This was someone older than Jason Todd, more muscular and cocky. His body moved like a weapon. He was more like Batman than she was and Batman had been her father. "You definitely got the wrong guy," he said.

He reached down and picked up a quarterstaff. That was not a weapon she was familiar with. "Look," she started to explain, putting her hands up. He stopped to let her speak. "I was going to try to get by you, but I didn't think I would be able to. You're not going to believe this, but I need to get in and see the Joker."

He giggled. "I don't think the Batman is going to allow that." Again his eyes started to go down from her face. It was a natural reaction and one of the concepts behind the costume design. She inhaled and Johnny stepped behind Robin.

The Teen Wonder easily dodged the blow.  He brought an elbow back and nailed the leader of the Fantastic Four in his bad eye. Johnny cursed loudly and Robin brought the quarterstaff down and around, tripping his assailant.

The Huntress moved forward, but Robin was expecting her and a foot to the gut met her. She went down quickly, surprised by the strength behind the move. This was not the same guy who used to hang out with her father.

Johnny was about to ignite when another quick punch to face knocked him cold. Robin turned to the Huntress. "I don't want to hit you again."

She sucked in air and looked over to the moaning Johnny. They had made the first mistake of being a super-hero: do not underestimate your opponent no matter what. Both of them had experience with their own versions of Robin, but it seemed that the real deal was a lot tougher than he looked. "I don't want to be hit again, thank you."

"It's a nice trick with the boobies, lady, but once you've hung out with as many girls as I have, all of them in tight leather, you learn not to be distracted to easily. I just needed your partner," he looked down at Johnny, "to get a little closer." He tapped Johnny's leg with his quarterstaff. "Who's this? Four-Man?"

"He's called the Human Torch and I'm the Huntress," she said, rubbing her stomach. She was way out of shape.

"Uh huh," Robin said, not convinced. "And I'm really Superman."

"I'm not your Huntress, I'm a…foreign version."

He still could see through the lie. "Yeah, south Gotham, right? The accent is a dead give away, ma'am."

"Ma'am?" She was not enjoying this conversation one bit and they were wasting valuable time. She started to slowly get up, mindful of the extra reach Robin had with the quarterstaff. Things were certainly rougher on this world but she was happy to see that the youngster was prepared for it.

Johnny started to get up as well, but it was obvious he was dizzy. Robin reached down and offered a hand. "If you promise not to try to hit me again, I won't knock you on your butt again."

"You're good…like a young Iron Fist," Johnny commented. Robin looked confused but said nothing. He assumed it was some sort of action hero.

Robin noted the accent on the Human Torch as well, New England mixed with Brooklyn. The guy was from New York but he wasn't raised there. In the dim light he got a better view of his attacker and saw the damage to his eye. It was healing but it still looked painful. "Can we not start a brawl up here on the roof?" Robin asked.

"Can you get us in to see the Joker?" the Huntress asked. "We need to know if anything strange is happening with him."

Robin chuckled. "You don't know the Joker very well do you?"

She gave him a sarcastic smile. "You would be very surprised who I know."

It was like looking into the past as she slowly approached the Batman. He was in the shadows, but she knew exactly where to look. Her father had taught her well and he had learned through trial and error. The Batman turned to her, gave her a once over and then turned back to the giant green man who was trying to talk to the Joker through the glass.

When the small group stopped, Batman stepped out of the darkness and into the dim light. The Huntress noted that there were jumper wires attached to the security cameras. "Who are they?" he asked Robin.

The teenager pointed to the Huntress. "A new Huntress who calls me Jason and Four-Man."

"I'm the Human Torch," Johnny corrected. The Martian Manhunter stopped talking and turned immediately towards them. Johnny's good eye widened as he realized that the alien had already probed his mind and he reacted by reflex. "Flame On!"

Searing flames filled the corridor. Robin pushed the Huntress down and covered her with his cape while Batman tried to get to the Manhunter. As a Martian, the green alien's only known weakness was fire and he was already screaming as his flesh burned.

The Torch turned his attention to the glass keeping him away from the Joker and it slagged under his hot touch. The Huntress pushed Robin off of her and gasped. "What the hell are you doing?" she cried out.

Johnny turned to her, his face twisted in a snarl. "That bastard is the only thing keeping Holocaust alive. If I kill him then I kill the beast!" He started to step into the room where the Joker was babbling and thrashing in his restraints. He was knee deep in the throes of a psychic connection with the Manhunter who was in great pain.

A strong arm in a flame-resistant costume came around and wrapped around the Torch's throat. Batman pulled the younger man out of the room and back into the hallway while Robin activated the fire alarm. Johnny elbowed Batman, but it was to no avail so he increased the heat instead.

Batman was forced to let go and so he pushed the Torch down the hallway and reached back for his batarang. The Torch knew the move all too well having seen his own Batman do the same thing and he was prepared to melt the weapon as it sailed towards him.

The sprinkler system came on, but the Human Torch was simply too hot for the water and a cloud of steam started to surround him. Batman threw down several smoke pellets at the same time the Huntress did and the passage was soon filled with gray clouds.

By the time the Torch felt his way to the Joker's window again, he could tell by the silence inside the room that the madman was gone.