Batman Beyond
CATgrl: You're my best-hic-friend (downs another bottle of Yahoo soda). And I---WANT YOU TO UPDATE MORE, MORE, MORE! And here is the song...yes I did write it myself...it'd be better with the music in my head...that the voice sing to (goes to rock in the corner for a while.)
==============Chapter 7: Live for Death
==You Think== The rain pours down hard and cold Washing away the me of old Fall for whom you think you see And the winner will soon be me Appearances are deceptive And you're not that perceptive...
You think you know me You think you own me But no one can Not any man
We tread the lines of dark and light I walk the day but stalk the night Face to face is mask to mask Lift your soul to face this task And now we fight Strike and slash, claw and bite
You think you know me You think you own me But no one can Not any man
You thought you knew me Thought you saw through me I let you believe And I deceive Know me, you can try But you'd only know a lie
I am alone and always will Trapped by poison and set to kill I'm lost and so are you Kindred spirits that is true But to heaven you'll one day fly While the shadows take me when I die
You think you know me but you don't You want to know me but you won't It can't be done Not by anyone
Erika winced and buried her hands in her face. Christina her guitar = deadshe grated.
"Do you really feel you'll die alone?" Terry whispered.
Erika looked up and then away. "Its not that simple Terry" she said. "I keep secrets and lie to people I love...I can't ever have a relationship because it would be based on lies"
"Everyone lies in a relationship" he sighed. "I broke with Dana for a while, found Melanie, she was great...but we kept stuff...and..."
"Melanie? Hooters waitress or air stewardess?"
"Thief" sighed Terry. "She was part of the Royal Flush Gang".
Erika's breath caught in her throat but she managed an "oh". The waitress laid a cup of coffee on the table; Erika gulped the hot liquid down. Christina and her guitar strode over. "Hey Erika! This must be Terry!"
Christina's voice was quite "perky" in comparison to the sultry purr she'd used in the dark rhythm of the song. She smiled and extended a hand that he shook. "Erika's told me a lot about you...although she's much busier these days...anyway have a coffee and baked treat on me...oh and Terry".
Christina kneeled by Terry and whispered into his ear as another artist began crooning about how he loved his llama Brian. Erika couldn't make out what Christina was saying. What the musician whispered was: "Erika looks like a tabby cat but she's definitely a tiger inside".
"What did she say?" Erika asked as a confused Terry sipped his coffee.
"Nothing" Terry said.
=====================================
"Favourite word?" Terry asked as they left the coffee house and walked down the street asking each other questions. Erika linked his arm, which was in his coat pocket.
"Oh... Surreptitious" smiled Erika. "It flows off the tongue. Yours?"
"Incapacitation" Terry said. "It sounds nice...favourite food?"
"It would have to be...ravioli," Erika said. "Yours?"
"Oh, definitely potato pie" Terry said. "My Grandma made it all the time for me"
"My turn. Favourite TV show?"
"Oh---Real World"
"Like there's such a thing," laughed Erika somewhat sadly. "Mine's--- Shelly the Goblin Killer. But only because I like the actor who plays Stoic".
"Aha" nodded Terry slowly. They stopped at the monorail station.
"This is my stop" Erika said. "I had a great time. And a lunch date, usually I don't get a lunch date it's always dinner...this was interesting."
"My nights are busy" shrugged Terry. "Maybe I c-can take you out to dinner?"
Erika's brow crinkled and she placed a ringer to her cheek thoughtfully. "Hmmm well now...there are things to consider. Do you have any annoy pet peeves? And did I really enjoy this afternoon? And most importantly, what of ravioli?"
Terry smiled and Erika kissed him on the cheek, she paused as she pulled back then kissed him on the lips. Terry wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in closer. Erika rested her hands on his shoulders and let herself feel...something in that kiss.
She pulled back and smiled. "And that's all she wrote..." she smiled.
"Why do you work for Delphi Cartland? I can get you a job with Mr Wayne".
"It's a long complicated story Terry".
"I can listen, I'll free time and you can tell it to me"
She smiled and took a step back as the monorail pulled up. "I'm listed".
"I'm interested"
"I'm working" she smiled as she stepped into the monorail car.
"I'm free"
The doors closed on Erika as she spoke: "I'm tempted."
"I'm---" the train pulled away. "Hopeful"
=====================================
Sketch looked at the coin. He flipped it and caught it again. "I do this," he said. He pinned the small bat signaller to his sleeve. He slid the coin back onto the cord around his neck and turned away from the window.
==========================================
"There are police everywhere" Max said as Terry invisibly watched the party below.
"Yeah, they are" nodded Terry. "But I can't stay away. Tonight is the Cannon night"
"Sketch hasn't even called you back!" exclaimed Max.
"He has now" Bruce interjected. "His communicator just came on line. From the top of the Balent building". Terry shot off in that direction.
================================
"We fire in 10-9-" Victor was quivering in anticipation. "8-"
"What's this really?" Erika asked as she flipped up onto the roof. Roma spun and saw her. The Catwoman hissed and bared her claws.
"Hey, why is she acting like that with the bosses secretary?" an Orphan asked.
"BOSS? ROMA! DELPHINE CARTLAND" spat the Catwoman. She glanced over her shoulder as Batman landed. "Bloody hell" she groaned.
"Batman! How did he find us?" Victor rasped.
The bat signaller skittered across the ground and stopped at his feet. "I like to accessorize" Sketch whispered. He pulled the batons from his boots and spun into a kick at Zeiss. The ringmaster caught it with his cane and kicked up knocking Sketch back.
"Fire the cannon!" he bellowed.
"Oh no you don't!" Sketch exclaimed. He hurled the handful of bulls-eye- mints at the device. They exploded into a white cloud that did smell faintly of mint. The Orphan at the controls collapsed and Terry took his signal. He launched at Zeiss. Catwoman cracked her whip and snared it around Roma's ankle.
"You're a champion kick boxer, right?" Catwoman smiled. "Let's see that in action!"
Roma kicked up and freed her leg as Catwoman dragged her enemy to her. Erika caught the leg and twisted it. "Try again"
Roma rolled backwards to her feet, dressed in the same outfit from the afternoon. She swept into a kick and punch combo. Erika took the kick and caught the fist. "You punch like a man" she sighed. She savagely uppercut Roma and knocked her up and away. "That's a woman's way".
Terry kicked out sharply. Zeiss was faster and more experienced...but still getting old. Terry was young, strong and pretty devout to kicking butt. Especially this psycho's.
"Batman, Catwoman and Sketch...perhaps he can be...weasel boy?" sneered Victor.
"Can you please shut up?" Terry sighed as he swept a kick at Zeiss.
Sketch looked at Brubaker. "How could you Sketchy?" Brubaker said.
"I developed a damn conscience," Sketch said. "Go find Rocco, please Bru don't make me hurt you". The muscle man winced, then turned and walked away. Sketch caught an ex-colleague in the gut with his elbow and spun inwards with a kick to the head.
Catwoman slashed at Roma. The ex-model pulled a lipstick from her belt pouch. "Never leave home without one!" Roma cackled. She hurled it down. It cracked open and in a burst Roma was gone. Catwoman yowled in rage and decided to take it out on the Orphans.
Zeiss spotted her; he delivered a strike to the throat of his black clad opponent and turned on her swiping her down. "Ah!" she gasped. "Have you no honour? I'm a woman!"
"I-I-" Victor paused to debate the honour of hitting her.
She spun on the ground and kicked him off the roof. Cracking her whip and catching his arm. "My god! Men are really stupid" she gasped, and then gave a small laugh. "Still that one never gets old."
Zeiss dug a blade into the wall and swung his cane up. The tip snapped out into a grapple and launched off into the air with a "paffft" noise. It caught a ledge as the cord wound in. Catwoman recoiled her whip and groaned. He hurled the cane and grapple at her. She caught it with ease and threw it at an Orphan.
Zeiss grabbed another cane from the umbrella stand by the cannon.
"Sorry tabby cat, you sent me too many mixed signals!" he snarled. "Have fun in hell!"
He pointed the cane. The bullet shot through the air and sent Catwoman shooting backwards off the roof. Terry gasped for air and darted to the edge. Sketch shouted as Zeiss opened fire with his machine gun cane.
Terry resisted the urge to try and save Catwoman. The city was in danger now...it would be too late for her. He hurled the batarang and knocked the cane from Victor's hands.
Victor turned and the twin daggers shot through the air at Terry. The Tomorrow Knight threw himself clear and tossed the batbombs. They exploded as Zeiss leapt away. He grabbed a cane and the casing fell away to reveal a blade. "You die tonight Batman!"
Sketch darted for the cannon and blasted an Orphan reaching for the button with empathy. He reached for his satchel...
"NO!" Zeiss snarled. He hurled the blade. It went through Sketch's side and the boy collapsed. With a roar of rage Terry grabbed the ringmaster of the Orphans and slammed his face into the ground.
The Orphans stared at Sketch, stopping their brandishing of weapons and jeers and attacks. The snow had started. Zeiss rose as Batman rushed to Sketch's side. "Get him!" Zeiss roared. The Orphans didn't move they just looked at him from the blizzard of snow. "What are you waiting for? GET HIM!"
They turned and walked away. (In some cases they limped.) Zeiss pulled a dagger from up his sleeve and gritted his teeth. "Then I'll do it," he hissed. He rushed forwards at Terry. Batman spun and managed to catch the knife.
A whip snagged his arm. Catwoman stood behind him. With a shriek of rage she dragged him backwards. "That's so typical of men! Can't finish what they start and usually have to compensate with toys!" she sneered.
The bullet hole in her shoulder wasn't bleeding. It had hit a circuit. "I feel two stories onto a fire-escape...that didn't kill me...no lives lost" she pursed her lips. "I'm almost disappointed!" she dragged Victor to her as she pivoted into a kick. He shrieked in agony as it cracked into his skull.
Erika coiled the whip around her waist and launched into a somersault to land her heels in his spine. He gagged in pain and grabbed her ankles, slamming her into the ground. She pivoted on her palms and leapt to her feet as he jack knifed up.
"No lives down and Catwoman's up to the base" she smiled. She swung the handle of her whip into the side of his head and floored him.
Terry lifted Sketch's head to check the boys pulse. "Heads up" Sketch croaked. An empathic blast shot past Terry's head and hit someone. The man fell down with a groan. He was dressed in black and holding a long Kitana.
"Thanks" Terry said.
"Anytime" grimaced Sketch. Terry ducked as a shuriken whizzed over his head. He dived forwards into a flip and hurled two batarangs as he rose. The three ninjas were all in black and apparently relentless. Terry pummelled one down as Sketch dragged himself to his feet.
Sketch's threshold for pain was higher then average. He pulled up his sleeve and revealed his birthmark. The patch of his skin on his upper left arm and along his left shoulder blade. It was blue. And by technicality parts of his hair (namely the few white strands) were also natural. He died his hair the natural brown to hide the natural white...it was his curse.
He took a small knife from his belt and cut a part of the blue skin. A droplet of darker-then-normal blood formed and dripped off. It hissed a hole in the ground but he ignored it. "For once in your life...do something right" he groaned.
His skin was immune to acids, he'd found that out...or rather based it on...the fact this powerful mix in his blood didn't kill him. He smeared the acid on his fingers and wiped it on the control box of the cannon. The metal corroded faster then a Ph Indicator in a McDonalds Coke.
"Hai! Hai! HAI!" a ninja came leaping a Terry. He slugged him hard and rushed to Catwoman's aid. She sliced a leg into Zeiss but he caught it with blink speed and shoved her back. He raised his dagger...Terry cannoned into him. The ringmaster removed his hat and a blade snapped out. Terry ducked...
The blade stuck into his shoulder and Zeiss clouted him into Catwoman. He stood over them and removed a gun from his hat. "Usually I don't use these dishonourable weapons...but anything for the noble name of Zeiss to be returned!"
"ZEISS!"
Zeiss turned and spotted Sketch lift the blowgun to his lips and spit the small pin onto his shoulder. "What was that?" he snorted. He aimed at Sketch. "You have more lives then her!" he spat indicating Catwoman. "Any last words?"
"Yes actually" said Sketch. "LASER BUNNY"
The high-pitched shriek filled the air. Zeiss screamed and tore at the transmitter shaped like a bat on his coat. He threw it off but Sketch spat another at the running man's back. It stuck fast, frantically Zeiss scrabbled at it...the bats around the tree awoke and filled the air with flapping wings. They tore into Zeiss as he leapt off the rooftop and fired a grapple from his wrist. Sketch clutched his side and watched as Zeiss swung onto the roller coaster track of the closed amusement park.
"He's mine!" Catwoman hissed as she fired her cable. Terry took off after her...they landed on either side of Zeiss...just in time to watch the bats drag him off and plunge from the highest point on the tracks...straight down through the roof of the old roller coaster car station.
"Meow-uch" Terry breathed.
"That doesn't even cover it" Catwoman said.
The razor blade dagger shot through the air. It hit Catwoman in the leg, she shrieked and pulled it out with a hiss. Zeiss staggered from the debris, popping bones back into place. Catwoman hissed again.
"More lives then me!" she growled.
She leapt off the roller coaster and grabbed the support bars, using them to acrobatically descend. Terry took the direct route. He jetted down and tackled Zeiss into a large plastic statue. The man snarled and slammed Terry's face into the giant plastic whale.
He sprinted past the dazed vigilante and up a ladder onto the roof of "Water Wonderland". He sprinted along the rooftop...the whip caught his ankle and wrenched him down. Catwoman was leaning on a brick wall.
"You couldn't even kill me? That's unbelievably simple to do...sadly this black cat has crossed your path...and now you get the bad luck of Friday 13th!" she purred. He lunged at her...the Batarang slammed into his back and sent him off course as it burst into a flash and cloud of smoke. The force knocked him through the glass roof...straight into the water below.
"Hmm...maybe that did it" Catwoman mused, looking at Batman. She slid down her cat cable onto the walkway. Zeiss floated below...she sighed and snapped her now spiked whip at the fuse box, the metal casing collapsed into the water and sent up a blast of sparks. "Better"
She turned and Batman grabbed her wrists. "You're coming with me."
She raised an eyebrow beneath her mask and her red lips pursed. "Sounds kinky" she leaned in towards him. "Who's the man behind the bat?" she whispered as she freed a hand and gently stroked his side. "Maybe he can help me find the woman...behind the cat..."
"You're delusional, psychopathic, rude, wonderful, clever and---"
"You're not so bat yourself," she whispered. "And...there you are"
She stabbed into his side with a yowl of pleasure. Terry roared in pain and savagely backhanded her off the walkway into a stack of old fish food. She shrieked in rage and rolled off the sacks. Terry rushed to the railing...and Zeiss grabbed his leg, dragging him down to the walkway.
"Still here...bat" the ringmaster spat. His running white face was now a macabre snarl on his enraged face. Terry kicked up and knocked him aside. Zeiss savagely punched him. "I have a cannon to fire..." he wheezed.
He pulled the gun out and fired, point blank, Terry rolled aside, the heat of the bullet so close to his face he could feel it on his skin. Zeiss fired his arm grapple and vanished through the window.
Terry launched after him, his side pounding in pain and his senses excited.
From her hidden motorbike, Catwoman watched.
==========================================
Zeiss scrabbled onto the rooftop. Batman was on his back and that meant he had no time to waist. He would fire the cannon into the Christmas Eve party...Batman would be blamed again...
"Hold it Zeiss"
Batman stood before him. Zeiss was bleeding, broken and soaking. He levelled his silver pistol at Batman and cackled. "I'm firing the cannon," he giggled as he reached for the machine's buttons to his right. "You can't stop me...you will never disobey your morals on honour, protecting all life."
"Yeah he's a boy scout," a voice said faintly. "But I am DEFINITELY not!"
Sketch grabbed Victor's arm and the back of his neck. He slammed both their bodies into the mass of wires he'd strong around the cannon. There was an explosion and a loud shriek. Terry was shoved backwards by a wave...he rose shakily and rushed forwards. Zeiss was lying in the corner of the roof...scorched...
Sketch lay in a heap at the foot of his destroyed creation. His elegant athletes body was cut, bruised and bleeding. Terry lifted him in his arms. "Bruce?"
"The jamming just switched off" Max reported. "What's happening?"
"Sketch, he's down...he's...got no pulse...wait! I can feel a faint one!" he gasped.
Terry lifted the boy as the bat mobile descended to him. "Bruce, prep the med-lab!"
"Terry I---"
"DO IT!"
Terry was angry, worried and scared. He didn't know why but he felt a connection to this boy. The batmobile rose again and vanished. The police were swarming the building...
=====================================
Victor Zeiss rose, the top of his head on fire, burned and bloody. But he was still alive. "I cannot die!" he cackled.
The whip lashed around his throat.
"I'd simply love to check that out for you darling" purred Catwoman. She wrenched him in close and slammed a head butt into his nose. He gagged on his own blood. Erika gripped his face in a taloned and. "You're the...third- person to try and kill me this week. I'm annoyed...you didn't get it done right..."
"H-hey the shooting you...it wasn't anything personal..." wheezed Zeiss.
"Yeah I know...and you wanted my body...here have it" she slammed a full-length kick into his gut and flung him off the roof. She sighed as she began to disappear. "Men, always falling for me."
=====================================
Selina dabbed Sketch's face with the ointment. "Poor thing, stabbed, beaten, shocked and burned" she sighed. "And lets not forget that horrible blue mark on his body."
"I'm running his DNA for a birth cert" Bruce said. Terry pulled the claw from his hip. "Oww" he groaned. "Anyone got anti-septic ointment?"
"Are you in pain?" Selina asked.
Terry looked at the sliver of metal in his fingers. "Not really" he admitted and added. "Meow"
"Selina..." whispered Bruce. "Take a look at this...I've just found this boys family tree...care to explain this?"
He pointed at the screen. Selina gaped. Terry read the names and his breath hitched in his throat. There was silence but for the groan of a waking Sketch.
=====================================
"Batman is still wanted," mused Delphi, leaning back in her chair and tapping her lip with a thoughtful finger. "Go get the boys out of the penitentiary for me...I think it's about time they made parole...and a grave for Batman and Catwoman!"
"The ninja's we sent to the Orphan's ranks...should I..." Roma let the question hang as she mimed a gun to her head. "Or what?"
"Definitely take them out," Delphi said. "I'm getting impatient. Tomorrow is Christmas day and I haven't gotten what I wanted from Santa Claus." She looked at the blueprints for her new city. The Lady of Gotham was replaced with her image and there were high walls all around.
==========TBC
Oh I love a good cliffy! But is it a good cliffy? Next up Batman and Catwoman play tag with the police and each other...Sketch finds out who he is and Delphi hires a nasty group of assassins to "play" with the costumed creations of Gotham.
CATgrl: You're my best-hic-friend (downs another bottle of Yahoo soda). And I---WANT YOU TO UPDATE MORE, MORE, MORE! And here is the song...yes I did write it myself...it'd be better with the music in my head...that the voice sing to (goes to rock in the corner for a while.)
==============Chapter 7: Live for Death
==You Think== The rain pours down hard and cold Washing away the me of old Fall for whom you think you see And the winner will soon be me Appearances are deceptive And you're not that perceptive...
You think you know me You think you own me But no one can Not any man
We tread the lines of dark and light I walk the day but stalk the night Face to face is mask to mask Lift your soul to face this task And now we fight Strike and slash, claw and bite
You think you know me You think you own me But no one can Not any man
You thought you knew me Thought you saw through me I let you believe And I deceive Know me, you can try But you'd only know a lie
I am alone and always will Trapped by poison and set to kill I'm lost and so are you Kindred spirits that is true But to heaven you'll one day fly While the shadows take me when I die
You think you know me but you don't You want to know me but you won't It can't be done Not by anyone
Erika winced and buried her hands in her face. Christina her guitar = deadshe grated.
"Do you really feel you'll die alone?" Terry whispered.
Erika looked up and then away. "Its not that simple Terry" she said. "I keep secrets and lie to people I love...I can't ever have a relationship because it would be based on lies"
"Everyone lies in a relationship" he sighed. "I broke with Dana for a while, found Melanie, she was great...but we kept stuff...and..."
"Melanie? Hooters waitress or air stewardess?"
"Thief" sighed Terry. "She was part of the Royal Flush Gang".
Erika's breath caught in her throat but she managed an "oh". The waitress laid a cup of coffee on the table; Erika gulped the hot liquid down. Christina and her guitar strode over. "Hey Erika! This must be Terry!"
Christina's voice was quite "perky" in comparison to the sultry purr she'd used in the dark rhythm of the song. She smiled and extended a hand that he shook. "Erika's told me a lot about you...although she's much busier these days...anyway have a coffee and baked treat on me...oh and Terry".
Christina kneeled by Terry and whispered into his ear as another artist began crooning about how he loved his llama Brian. Erika couldn't make out what Christina was saying. What the musician whispered was: "Erika looks like a tabby cat but she's definitely a tiger inside".
"What did she say?" Erika asked as a confused Terry sipped his coffee.
"Nothing" Terry said.
=====================================
"Favourite word?" Terry asked as they left the coffee house and walked down the street asking each other questions. Erika linked his arm, which was in his coat pocket.
"Oh... Surreptitious" smiled Erika. "It flows off the tongue. Yours?"
"Incapacitation" Terry said. "It sounds nice...favourite food?"
"It would have to be...ravioli," Erika said. "Yours?"
"Oh, definitely potato pie" Terry said. "My Grandma made it all the time for me"
"My turn. Favourite TV show?"
"Oh---Real World"
"Like there's such a thing," laughed Erika somewhat sadly. "Mine's--- Shelly the Goblin Killer. But only because I like the actor who plays Stoic".
"Aha" nodded Terry slowly. They stopped at the monorail station.
"This is my stop" Erika said. "I had a great time. And a lunch date, usually I don't get a lunch date it's always dinner...this was interesting."
"My nights are busy" shrugged Terry. "Maybe I c-can take you out to dinner?"
Erika's brow crinkled and she placed a ringer to her cheek thoughtfully. "Hmmm well now...there are things to consider. Do you have any annoy pet peeves? And did I really enjoy this afternoon? And most importantly, what of ravioli?"
Terry smiled and Erika kissed him on the cheek, she paused as she pulled back then kissed him on the lips. Terry wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in closer. Erika rested her hands on his shoulders and let herself feel...something in that kiss.
She pulled back and smiled. "And that's all she wrote..." she smiled.
"Why do you work for Delphi Cartland? I can get you a job with Mr Wayne".
"It's a long complicated story Terry".
"I can listen, I'll free time and you can tell it to me"
She smiled and took a step back as the monorail pulled up. "I'm listed".
"I'm interested"
"I'm working" she smiled as she stepped into the monorail car.
"I'm free"
The doors closed on Erika as she spoke: "I'm tempted."
"I'm---" the train pulled away. "Hopeful"
=====================================
Sketch looked at the coin. He flipped it and caught it again. "I do this," he said. He pinned the small bat signaller to his sleeve. He slid the coin back onto the cord around his neck and turned away from the window.
==========================================
"There are police everywhere" Max said as Terry invisibly watched the party below.
"Yeah, they are" nodded Terry. "But I can't stay away. Tonight is the Cannon night"
"Sketch hasn't even called you back!" exclaimed Max.
"He has now" Bruce interjected. "His communicator just came on line. From the top of the Balent building". Terry shot off in that direction.
================================
"We fire in 10-9-" Victor was quivering in anticipation. "8-"
"What's this really?" Erika asked as she flipped up onto the roof. Roma spun and saw her. The Catwoman hissed and bared her claws.
"Hey, why is she acting like that with the bosses secretary?" an Orphan asked.
"BOSS? ROMA! DELPHINE CARTLAND" spat the Catwoman. She glanced over her shoulder as Batman landed. "Bloody hell" she groaned.
"Batman! How did he find us?" Victor rasped.
The bat signaller skittered across the ground and stopped at his feet. "I like to accessorize" Sketch whispered. He pulled the batons from his boots and spun into a kick at Zeiss. The ringmaster caught it with his cane and kicked up knocking Sketch back.
"Fire the cannon!" he bellowed.
"Oh no you don't!" Sketch exclaimed. He hurled the handful of bulls-eye- mints at the device. They exploded into a white cloud that did smell faintly of mint. The Orphan at the controls collapsed and Terry took his signal. He launched at Zeiss. Catwoman cracked her whip and snared it around Roma's ankle.
"You're a champion kick boxer, right?" Catwoman smiled. "Let's see that in action!"
Roma kicked up and freed her leg as Catwoman dragged her enemy to her. Erika caught the leg and twisted it. "Try again"
Roma rolled backwards to her feet, dressed in the same outfit from the afternoon. She swept into a kick and punch combo. Erika took the kick and caught the fist. "You punch like a man" she sighed. She savagely uppercut Roma and knocked her up and away. "That's a woman's way".
Terry kicked out sharply. Zeiss was faster and more experienced...but still getting old. Terry was young, strong and pretty devout to kicking butt. Especially this psycho's.
"Batman, Catwoman and Sketch...perhaps he can be...weasel boy?" sneered Victor.
"Can you please shut up?" Terry sighed as he swept a kick at Zeiss.
Sketch looked at Brubaker. "How could you Sketchy?" Brubaker said.
"I developed a damn conscience," Sketch said. "Go find Rocco, please Bru don't make me hurt you". The muscle man winced, then turned and walked away. Sketch caught an ex-colleague in the gut with his elbow and spun inwards with a kick to the head.
Catwoman slashed at Roma. The ex-model pulled a lipstick from her belt pouch. "Never leave home without one!" Roma cackled. She hurled it down. It cracked open and in a burst Roma was gone. Catwoman yowled in rage and decided to take it out on the Orphans.
Zeiss spotted her; he delivered a strike to the throat of his black clad opponent and turned on her swiping her down. "Ah!" she gasped. "Have you no honour? I'm a woman!"
"I-I-" Victor paused to debate the honour of hitting her.
She spun on the ground and kicked him off the roof. Cracking her whip and catching his arm. "My god! Men are really stupid" she gasped, and then gave a small laugh. "Still that one never gets old."
Zeiss dug a blade into the wall and swung his cane up. The tip snapped out into a grapple and launched off into the air with a "paffft" noise. It caught a ledge as the cord wound in. Catwoman recoiled her whip and groaned. He hurled the cane and grapple at her. She caught it with ease and threw it at an Orphan.
Zeiss grabbed another cane from the umbrella stand by the cannon.
"Sorry tabby cat, you sent me too many mixed signals!" he snarled. "Have fun in hell!"
He pointed the cane. The bullet shot through the air and sent Catwoman shooting backwards off the roof. Terry gasped for air and darted to the edge. Sketch shouted as Zeiss opened fire with his machine gun cane.
Terry resisted the urge to try and save Catwoman. The city was in danger now...it would be too late for her. He hurled the batarang and knocked the cane from Victor's hands.
Victor turned and the twin daggers shot through the air at Terry. The Tomorrow Knight threw himself clear and tossed the batbombs. They exploded as Zeiss leapt away. He grabbed a cane and the casing fell away to reveal a blade. "You die tonight Batman!"
Sketch darted for the cannon and blasted an Orphan reaching for the button with empathy. He reached for his satchel...
"NO!" Zeiss snarled. He hurled the blade. It went through Sketch's side and the boy collapsed. With a roar of rage Terry grabbed the ringmaster of the Orphans and slammed his face into the ground.
The Orphans stared at Sketch, stopping their brandishing of weapons and jeers and attacks. The snow had started. Zeiss rose as Batman rushed to Sketch's side. "Get him!" Zeiss roared. The Orphans didn't move they just looked at him from the blizzard of snow. "What are you waiting for? GET HIM!"
They turned and walked away. (In some cases they limped.) Zeiss pulled a dagger from up his sleeve and gritted his teeth. "Then I'll do it," he hissed. He rushed forwards at Terry. Batman spun and managed to catch the knife.
A whip snagged his arm. Catwoman stood behind him. With a shriek of rage she dragged him backwards. "That's so typical of men! Can't finish what they start and usually have to compensate with toys!" she sneered.
The bullet hole in her shoulder wasn't bleeding. It had hit a circuit. "I feel two stories onto a fire-escape...that didn't kill me...no lives lost" she pursed her lips. "I'm almost disappointed!" she dragged Victor to her as she pivoted into a kick. He shrieked in agony as it cracked into his skull.
Erika coiled the whip around her waist and launched into a somersault to land her heels in his spine. He gagged in pain and grabbed her ankles, slamming her into the ground. She pivoted on her palms and leapt to her feet as he jack knifed up.
"No lives down and Catwoman's up to the base" she smiled. She swung the handle of her whip into the side of his head and floored him.
Terry lifted Sketch's head to check the boys pulse. "Heads up" Sketch croaked. An empathic blast shot past Terry's head and hit someone. The man fell down with a groan. He was dressed in black and holding a long Kitana.
"Thanks" Terry said.
"Anytime" grimaced Sketch. Terry ducked as a shuriken whizzed over his head. He dived forwards into a flip and hurled two batarangs as he rose. The three ninjas were all in black and apparently relentless. Terry pummelled one down as Sketch dragged himself to his feet.
Sketch's threshold for pain was higher then average. He pulled up his sleeve and revealed his birthmark. The patch of his skin on his upper left arm and along his left shoulder blade. It was blue. And by technicality parts of his hair (namely the few white strands) were also natural. He died his hair the natural brown to hide the natural white...it was his curse.
He took a small knife from his belt and cut a part of the blue skin. A droplet of darker-then-normal blood formed and dripped off. It hissed a hole in the ground but he ignored it. "For once in your life...do something right" he groaned.
His skin was immune to acids, he'd found that out...or rather based it on...the fact this powerful mix in his blood didn't kill him. He smeared the acid on his fingers and wiped it on the control box of the cannon. The metal corroded faster then a Ph Indicator in a McDonalds Coke.
"Hai! Hai! HAI!" a ninja came leaping a Terry. He slugged him hard and rushed to Catwoman's aid. She sliced a leg into Zeiss but he caught it with blink speed and shoved her back. He raised his dagger...Terry cannoned into him. The ringmaster removed his hat and a blade snapped out. Terry ducked...
The blade stuck into his shoulder and Zeiss clouted him into Catwoman. He stood over them and removed a gun from his hat. "Usually I don't use these dishonourable weapons...but anything for the noble name of Zeiss to be returned!"
"ZEISS!"
Zeiss turned and spotted Sketch lift the blowgun to his lips and spit the small pin onto his shoulder. "What was that?" he snorted. He aimed at Sketch. "You have more lives then her!" he spat indicating Catwoman. "Any last words?"
"Yes actually" said Sketch. "LASER BUNNY"
The high-pitched shriek filled the air. Zeiss screamed and tore at the transmitter shaped like a bat on his coat. He threw it off but Sketch spat another at the running man's back. It stuck fast, frantically Zeiss scrabbled at it...the bats around the tree awoke and filled the air with flapping wings. They tore into Zeiss as he leapt off the rooftop and fired a grapple from his wrist. Sketch clutched his side and watched as Zeiss swung onto the roller coaster track of the closed amusement park.
"He's mine!" Catwoman hissed as she fired her cable. Terry took off after her...they landed on either side of Zeiss...just in time to watch the bats drag him off and plunge from the highest point on the tracks...straight down through the roof of the old roller coaster car station.
"Meow-uch" Terry breathed.
"That doesn't even cover it" Catwoman said.
The razor blade dagger shot through the air. It hit Catwoman in the leg, she shrieked and pulled it out with a hiss. Zeiss staggered from the debris, popping bones back into place. Catwoman hissed again.
"More lives then me!" she growled.
She leapt off the roller coaster and grabbed the support bars, using them to acrobatically descend. Terry took the direct route. He jetted down and tackled Zeiss into a large plastic statue. The man snarled and slammed Terry's face into the giant plastic whale.
He sprinted past the dazed vigilante and up a ladder onto the roof of "Water Wonderland". He sprinted along the rooftop...the whip caught his ankle and wrenched him down. Catwoman was leaning on a brick wall.
"You couldn't even kill me? That's unbelievably simple to do...sadly this black cat has crossed your path...and now you get the bad luck of Friday 13th!" she purred. He lunged at her...the Batarang slammed into his back and sent him off course as it burst into a flash and cloud of smoke. The force knocked him through the glass roof...straight into the water below.
"Hmm...maybe that did it" Catwoman mused, looking at Batman. She slid down her cat cable onto the walkway. Zeiss floated below...she sighed and snapped her now spiked whip at the fuse box, the metal casing collapsed into the water and sent up a blast of sparks. "Better"
She turned and Batman grabbed her wrists. "You're coming with me."
She raised an eyebrow beneath her mask and her red lips pursed. "Sounds kinky" she leaned in towards him. "Who's the man behind the bat?" she whispered as she freed a hand and gently stroked his side. "Maybe he can help me find the woman...behind the cat..."
"You're delusional, psychopathic, rude, wonderful, clever and---"
"You're not so bat yourself," she whispered. "And...there you are"
She stabbed into his side with a yowl of pleasure. Terry roared in pain and savagely backhanded her off the walkway into a stack of old fish food. She shrieked in rage and rolled off the sacks. Terry rushed to the railing...and Zeiss grabbed his leg, dragging him down to the walkway.
"Still here...bat" the ringmaster spat. His running white face was now a macabre snarl on his enraged face. Terry kicked up and knocked him aside. Zeiss savagely punched him. "I have a cannon to fire..." he wheezed.
He pulled the gun out and fired, point blank, Terry rolled aside, the heat of the bullet so close to his face he could feel it on his skin. Zeiss fired his arm grapple and vanished through the window.
Terry launched after him, his side pounding in pain and his senses excited.
From her hidden motorbike, Catwoman watched.
==========================================
Zeiss scrabbled onto the rooftop. Batman was on his back and that meant he had no time to waist. He would fire the cannon into the Christmas Eve party...Batman would be blamed again...
"Hold it Zeiss"
Batman stood before him. Zeiss was bleeding, broken and soaking. He levelled his silver pistol at Batman and cackled. "I'm firing the cannon," he giggled as he reached for the machine's buttons to his right. "You can't stop me...you will never disobey your morals on honour, protecting all life."
"Yeah he's a boy scout," a voice said faintly. "But I am DEFINITELY not!"
Sketch grabbed Victor's arm and the back of his neck. He slammed both their bodies into the mass of wires he'd strong around the cannon. There was an explosion and a loud shriek. Terry was shoved backwards by a wave...he rose shakily and rushed forwards. Zeiss was lying in the corner of the roof...scorched...
Sketch lay in a heap at the foot of his destroyed creation. His elegant athletes body was cut, bruised and bleeding. Terry lifted him in his arms. "Bruce?"
"The jamming just switched off" Max reported. "What's happening?"
"Sketch, he's down...he's...got no pulse...wait! I can feel a faint one!" he gasped.
Terry lifted the boy as the bat mobile descended to him. "Bruce, prep the med-lab!"
"Terry I---"
"DO IT!"
Terry was angry, worried and scared. He didn't know why but he felt a connection to this boy. The batmobile rose again and vanished. The police were swarming the building...
=====================================
Victor Zeiss rose, the top of his head on fire, burned and bloody. But he was still alive. "I cannot die!" he cackled.
The whip lashed around his throat.
"I'd simply love to check that out for you darling" purred Catwoman. She wrenched him in close and slammed a head butt into his nose. He gagged on his own blood. Erika gripped his face in a taloned and. "You're the...third- person to try and kill me this week. I'm annoyed...you didn't get it done right..."
"H-hey the shooting you...it wasn't anything personal..." wheezed Zeiss.
"Yeah I know...and you wanted my body...here have it" she slammed a full-length kick into his gut and flung him off the roof. She sighed as she began to disappear. "Men, always falling for me."
=====================================
Selina dabbed Sketch's face with the ointment. "Poor thing, stabbed, beaten, shocked and burned" she sighed. "And lets not forget that horrible blue mark on his body."
"I'm running his DNA for a birth cert" Bruce said. Terry pulled the claw from his hip. "Oww" he groaned. "Anyone got anti-septic ointment?"
"Are you in pain?" Selina asked.
Terry looked at the sliver of metal in his fingers. "Not really" he admitted and added. "Meow"
"Selina..." whispered Bruce. "Take a look at this...I've just found this boys family tree...care to explain this?"
He pointed at the screen. Selina gaped. Terry read the names and his breath hitched in his throat. There was silence but for the groan of a waking Sketch.
=====================================
"Batman is still wanted," mused Delphi, leaning back in her chair and tapping her lip with a thoughtful finger. "Go get the boys out of the penitentiary for me...I think it's about time they made parole...and a grave for Batman and Catwoman!"
"The ninja's we sent to the Orphan's ranks...should I..." Roma let the question hang as she mimed a gun to her head. "Or what?"
"Definitely take them out," Delphi said. "I'm getting impatient. Tomorrow is Christmas day and I haven't gotten what I wanted from Santa Claus." She looked at the blueprints for her new city. The Lady of Gotham was replaced with her image and there were high walls all around.
==========TBC
Oh I love a good cliffy! But is it a good cliffy? Next up Batman and Catwoman play tag with the police and each other...Sketch finds out who he is and Delphi hires a nasty group of assassins to "play" with the costumed creations of Gotham.