Chapter 7
Nightwing, Robin and Batgirl rushed to Batman's side,
hoping against hope for any sign of life. There was none. No breathing, no
pulse. Nothing.
"NO! I won't accept this! Bruce, you can't
die!" Nightwing cried, cradling Batman's head in his arms. "What will
happen to me? What will happen to Gotham City?"
Nightwing hugged Batman's still body close. "You
can't die this way. Not by a psycho who has broken limbs. You're Batman. You've
beaten villains much worse than Wesker." Nightwing sobbed. "You've
beaten Superman for goodness sake!"
"Nightwing," Robin said, eyes tearing. "We
have to catch the guy that did this. We will avenge him, Nightwing. We have
to." As much as Timothy Drake loved Bruce Wayne, he knew that Bruce meant
ten times as much to Dick Grayson.
"Robin's right." Batgirl said, wiping a tear
from Nightwing's face. "We can't let Wesker escape while we grieve for
Batman."
"DAMN RIGHT I WON'T!" Night shouted, getting
up. "Wesker will pay! No one, and I mean NO ONE, will be able to kill
Batman and get away with it. Not when I'm still breathing!"
Robin nodded, smiling a little. "That's the spirit.
Now lets get going." Nightwing and Batgirl nodded grimly, as they ran
after Wesker.
Turning a corner, the three young prodigies of Batman ran
smack into a hoard of zombies
"What the hell! Not these guys again!"
Nightwing muttered, throwing a zombie aside, knocking a few others down.
Batgirl had already taken out half a dozen zombies with fatal kicks, chops and
punches, the mangled bodies scattered around her. Robin was surviving just as
well, with three zombies out of action.
Bing
The remaining frontline members of the Batclan turned to
the sound, eyes locking onto Wesker as he saluted them mockingly, a satisfied
smirk on his face.
"Outside⦠We have climb to the top of the
building." Nightwing said, swinging his sticks around, knocking away all
zombies from him. Somersaulting upwards, Nightwing did a triple somersault,
landing briefly on the shoulders of a few zombies before launching up again in
another somersault, landing at the base of the stairs leading out of the lab.
Batgirl and Robin watched the powerful display of agility, before releasing
their grappling hooks and swinging over the heads of the zombies and landing
beside Nightwing.
"You know, Nightwing," Robin said, as they ran up
the stairs. "You always choose the most difficult way to do
everything."
"That's because I can, Robin." Nightwing
laughed, running out of the Umbrella branch. The joke managed to ease the
tension in the air. Something Nightwing was grateful for. "Ok, up we
go!"
Nightwing, Robin and Batgirl simultaneously released
their grappling hooks, which flew almost out of sight to the top of the
Umbrella branch skyscraper. Batman had designed the grappling hooks to be able
to reach the top tallest buildings in the world, and it was a good time as any
to use that feature. The grappling hooks did their work, and Nightwing, Robin
and Batgirl were on their way up about a hundred floors at full speed. Reaching
the top, the three young heroes jumped over the railing and onto the helicopter
pad. Just in time to see Wesker board a Helicopter twenty feet away.
"So long, suckers!" Wesker laughed, as the
Helicopter lifted off the ground. "Looks like the bad guys win this
time!"
"Over my dead body!" Nightwing mumbled, as he
took out his grappling hook. "Robin, you and me use our grappling hooks to
get ourselves up to the helicopter. You go for the pilot, try to land back on
the helipad. Batgirl, you wait here, I'll try to knock Wesker out of the
helicopter. Even with an arm and a leg broken, we'll need you to pin him down
so we can cuff him." At this, Robin and Batgirl nodded. Without wasting
another second, Nightwing and Robin fired their grappling hooks at the
ascending helicopter, the strong cords wrapping around its metal skids.
Nightwing and Robin shot into the air, dragged along by the helicopter.
"Those goody-two-shoes superheroes. With skills like
that, they can do so much more." Nightwing and Robin heard Wesker say as
they climbed onto the skids of the helicopter, hair flying in the wind.
At the count of three Nightwing mouthed. One..
Two... Three
Nightwing and Robin burst into the helicopter at the same
time, surprising all that were in the helicopter.
"You again!" Wesker shot a look at Nightwing.
If looks could kill, Nightwing would be nothing but a pile of bones right now.
Robin grabbed the guy sitting next to Wesker hit his face twice with a jab,
then knocked him out with a powerful right hook. Nightwing went straight for
Wesker, kicking him on the chin with a front kick before striking him rapidly
with his escrima sticks.
By now, Robin had knocked out the pilot with a quick chop
to the neck, and was now flying the helicopter back to the helicopter pad.
Wesker sneered, and swung his good arm at Nightwing.
Nightwing raised both sticks to parry it in time, but the force of the blow
forced him out of the helicopter.
Dick Grayson grew up in a family of acrobats. He was no
stranger to bars, and his agility was like no other. Nightwing gripped the
right skid of the helicopter with his feet. He swung downwards, then upwards
again. Nightwing let go just as his body was almost horizontal, and grabbed the
left skid of the helicopter with his hands.
"NIGHTWING!" Robin shouted, as he saw Nightwing
fly out of the Helicopter.
"Your friend is gone, Robin." Wesker whispered
into Robin's ear, gun at his temple. "Now if you would be so kind as to
fly me to..." Wesker was cut off in mid sentence, as Nightwing swung upwards
from the helicopter skid, and crashed feet first into Wesker.
"We're on top of the helicopter pad,
Nightwing!" Robin said, over the whirr of the helicopter blades. Nightwing
nodded, and kicked out with both legs, knocking Wesker out of the helicopter
and down to the waiting Batgirl. Robin landed the helicopter, and came out with
Nightwing, finding Wesker pinned to the ground by Batgirl. His broken arm was
lying useless on the floor, good arm held behind his back. Nightwing walked up
to him and went down on one knee, looking Wesker straight in the eye.
"Nobody kills Batman and gets away with it.
Nobody." Batgirl forced Wesker into a standing position. Wesker winced in
pain, then started to laugh, causing Nightwing to slap him across the face.
"What's so funny?" Nightwing asked, his blood
starting to boil. If it could get any hotter than it already is. This man had
impudence like no other.
"You know what's so funny?" Wesker said,
grinning evilly. "I killed the legendary Batman. The Dark Knight himself.
Something countless villains have been unable too. And it was just too easy.
Your friend's.. what should I call it.. righteousness brought him down.
He had a chance to kill me, but he didn't. Big mistake."
"Wesker, you are coming with me." Batman
said, taking out his cuffs. Spotting Wesker lifting up his gun, Batman flicked
his wrist, sending a Batarang flying towards Wesker's hand, knocking the Desert
Eagle away.
"I hate guns, Wesker. Best you learn that."
Batman towered over the fallen Wesker now, Batarang in each hand. "One
move, Wesker.." Batman warned.
Is this how the mighty Wesker will be going down? Wesker
sighed. Things were all going to plan. No way was he going to spend the rest of
his life rotting in some prison full of low lifes.. Then Wesker spotted
something at the corner of his eye. A few feet away lay a beaker of acid,
probably fallen off the shelf during the scuffle with the Tyrants. Now, if only
he could get closer..
"I'm sorry, Batman. I really am." Wesker edged
closer to the acid. "I'll go with you quietly. Just don't hurt me.
Please." Yes.. the beaker.
"Enough of this, Wesker. Get up, and lets go."
Batman readied himself for something. When villains did something like this,
they always had something up their sleeve. Always.
"My leg is broken. Can you help me get up?"
Wesker asked, holding his hand up. Just as Batman extended his arm..
"Go to hell Batman!" Wesker growled, as he flung
the beaker of acid at Batman. Ready for it, Batman lifted his cloak. The acid,
unable to eat into Batman's cloak, just flowed onto the floor. Even with his
broken limbs, Wesker managed to dive towards his gun, turn and shoot at Batman.
And at that range, Wesker could not, and would not miss. With a cry, Batman
crumpled to the floor.
"Shut up!" Nightwing smacked Wesker across the
face with his escrima stick, hard. Wesker just smirked, but he went quiet.
"You're going straight to Arkham Asylum." Nightwing said through
clenched teeth, handcuffing Wesker.
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Dick Grayson entered the white, towering Cathedral, just in
time to hear the reverend start the service. Barbara Gordan, or the Oracle, had
done her job. Bruce Wayne had officially died of a mugging by an unknown
criminal. Dick was grateful for Barbara's skills. Bruce, even in death, would
never want his identity revealed.
"We are gathered here today in remembrance of one of
the greatest members of society." the white suited reverend spoke grimly.
"Bruce Wayne was an outstanding citizen, and the things he did for Gotham
City will always stay in our minds. Bruce Wayne Enterprises have done more good
than any other company in the world. Right now, we'll like to invite Bruce
Wayne's adopted son, Richard Grayson to say a few words." the reverend
stepped down from the pulpit, and motioned for Dick to go up. Reluctantly, Dick
moved from his seat and approached the pulpit.
"I never expected to be standing here before you. I
mean, Bruce always said the day I would be in front of a church it would be in
a coffin." Dick said, smiling. Soft, nervous laughter rang throughout the
Cathedral. Looking around, Dick noticed many familiar faces. Tim Drake, was
here with his parents. Barbara Gorden was sitting with her father, James
Gorden, the police commissioner of Gotham City. Cassandra Cain, the current
Batgirl was there too, sitting way in the back. But the face that caught his
eye was that of Clark Kent. Superman. Dick always knew the love hate
relationship between Batman and Superman, and was glad to see Superman coming
to pay his last respects. Clark nodded when his eyes met Dicks. Dick smiled
back, and cleared his voice before speaking again.
"Bruce Wayne was more than a father to me. I will
always remember the day he took me in."
"Alfred! Clear the guestroom. This mansion will
have a new resident." Batman said, arm around a young Dick Grayson.
"But Bruce, you may be able to fight supervillians,
but raising a child is just not you cup of tea. You don't know the first thing
about bringing up children." Alfred replied shaking his head.
"This child," Batman said, eyes piercing
through Alfred, "Has lost both his parents in an act of sabotage. He has
nobody."
"But you are not ready to be a father, Bruce. You
aren't even married."
"I will learn."
Dick sighed and continued, "Bruce took me in, even
if he did not have to. Even though he almost never smiled, I knew how much he
cared."
Bruce ran into the room, where Dick had just vomited
all over the floor.
"Are you all right, Dick?" The usual
emotionless face of Bruce Wayne was not filled with concern.
"I'm fine, I can get up on my own.." Dick said,
before going into another coughing fit.
"You are not going anyway. Alfred! Call the doctor
now! You are staying in bed!"
"He taught me everything I knew. More than any of
you will ever know."
"Dick! Anger will never get you anywhere. Not if
you want to avenge your parents." Bruce said, tripping a charging and
screaming Dick. Bruce Wayne never went easy during a sparring session.
"I am so going to KILL the people that killed my
parents!" Dick said, getting up again. "You have to teach me
how!"
"Violence is not the answer to all problems,
Dick." Bruce said, dodging a blow from Dick. "It is a last resort.
You need a clear mind to be able to fight without mistakes." Bruce caught
a punch from Dick, and threw him onto the mat, pinning him down in a Judo arm
lock.
"Remember this, Dick." Batman whispered, his
face inches away from Dick's. "The people we are taking down will not
always be human. We are not Supermen. We will bleed. Our bones will break. Make
a mistake, and it could be the end. When we go out to fight, never, ever kill
the people we capture, no matter the circumstances. The fate of these people
are not ours to decide."
"I will never forget him. Bruce Wayne made me the
man I am today." Dick said a tear running down his cheek. "I can only
hope I will be able to make him proud." Barbara Gordan wiped a tear from
her eye, the rest of the Batclan on the verge of tears. The reverend went back
to the pulpit and began to speak, but Dick was not listening anymore.
At the end of the service, Dick left to go back to the
empty mansion.
"Dick." Dick turned around, to see Clark Kent.
"Your father was a good man, I have great respect
for him. His wish was to see Gotham City protected, and I hope that you will
grant him that wish." Clark Kent gave Dick Grayson a hug, and walked away.
That night, a shadow was once again roaming the rooftops
of Gotham City. Lightning flashed across the sky, brightening up the dark night
skies of Gotham City for a moment, revealing a muscular, black suited man. He
was dressed in a black cloak, a pointed cowl hiding his face and the symbol of
a bat on his chest.
Batman was the only thing keeping crime from overrunning
this city. Launching his grappling hook, the new, younger Batman leapt off the
roof, starting another chapter in the city of Gotham.
The legacy of Batman would continue. Dick Grayson would
make sure of that.
