Disclaimer: Batman does not belong to me. It belongs to DC Comics
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Fourteen (Discovery and Final Brawl):
Shadow rushed around Gotham, searching near the docks for any sign of the Boy Wonder. He landed lightly on top of a building, noting a gunman on patrol. He took out an earpiece and spoke into it, "I think I have something."
"What?" The Oracle asked.
"Gunman on patrol. Patrol for what, I wonder." Shadow commented.
"Nightwing's checked it out already. He's just overseeing the imports. Nowadays you could never really be too careful about who shows up looking to steal your merchandise." The Oracle said.
The gunman turned around as another showed up. They exchanged words, and the first one left. Shadow watched his receding figure carefully. He went into the warehouse filled with crates and got on an elevator. He took a key out of his pocket, inserted it into the elevator, and it descended downwards. For a few moments you heard the laughing of a hysterical girl. "Better send the others anyway. I have a feeling they'll want a closer look."
Two minutes later, Batman and Nightwing arrived. "What's our situation."
Shadow looked at him and smiled. "Follow me, boys, it's gonna be one hell of a ride." Before the two could respond, he leaped off the edge, somersaulted and landed on the gunman. He caught the gun before it landed. In one motion, he took the ammo out and threw it in the water.
As Nightwing prepared to cuff him, Shadow put up a hand and searched the gunman. In his pocket was a key. "Watch and learn," he snickered as he ran towards the elevator in a blur. A few seconds later, Batman and Nightwing were right next to him in the elevator. "Now we put the key in…" Shadow spoke, "And twist it like so." The elevator moved downwards. Weird, Nightwing thought, as the elevator buttons only included floors 1 and 2. As the elevator dinged, all three vigilantees hugged the edges of the elevator. Shadow poked his head out and noted that there was no one watching. He tiptoed out and watched from the catwalk.
Batman and Nightwing were next to him. "This looks like some sort of factory." Nightwing noted.
"A factory for making what, though…" Shadow added.
"Let's split up." Batman said. "Meet back here in five."
Shadow didn't acknowledge hearing him. One second he was there, another he was gone. Nightwing didn't wait either. He leaped off the catwalk and landed as silent as he could onto the ground behind some crates full of valuables. Batman ran along the catwalk and eventually disappeared into the darkness.
Five minutes later, the three reappeared. "They appear to be making some sort of gas." Batman shared.
"Smylex?" Nightwing guessed.
"No." Shadow shook his head. "This is something different. And knowing both Catwoman and Harley, I'd say it's more than deadly."
"We've got to do something. Anyone find the minds behind the entire thing?" Nightwing asked.
"I saw a hallway." Shadow informed, "Couldn't investigate further though, it was heavily guarded, but I would if I had backup."
"You're a teamplayer after all." Nightwing noted.
Shadow gave him the finger.
Batman took all this information in and formulated a plan. "Alright. We have to—" All of a sudden, they were interrupted by an alarm and the lights went on.
"Alright, whatever you were gonna say, screw that." Shadow murmured. "Time for a new plan. He leaped off the catwalk, followed closely by Batman and Nightwing. Shadow landed daintily, Nightwing gracefully, and Batman as light as a 6'2" muscle powerhouse could.
Shadow wasted no time. Before Batman could tell him what to do, he leaped aside, adding to the number of targets should they open fire. Nightwing used the same strategy and dived forward to kick one of the gunmen. Batman grappled past them and flew to the wall. As he ascended, he noted Shadow making his way to that hallway. Shadow dove through the men as they opened fire, narrowly missing him, and was on his feet on the other side before they could turn around. He took their heads and slammed them against each other and kicked their guns away. Shadow noticed Batman watching and grinned. He ran deeper into the hallway. Batman leaped off the wall, landing on a gunman that apparently Dick thought was unconscious as he wrestled with thirty more. He was uncertain. Should he leave Dick here or follow Shadow to one of the most difficult battles? He would have to help Dick. She took out a batarang and nailed a gunman on the head, while Nightwing used his sticks to pound four more. Batman punched one and knocked him out. Nightwing continued his assault, obviously unhindered.
Two seconds later, a third vigilante appeared, having jumped from the catwalk. It was Batgirl. "The Oracle told me you might need help."
"How did you get in?" Batman asked.
"You left the key in the elevator." Batgirl answered as she smacked one of the gunmen with her heel. "Where's Shadow?"
"Going after the boss." Batman grunted. "I'd better follow him. You two take it from here." Batgirl nodded as Batman ran into the hallway.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shadow reached the stairs to the basement. He hurried down and opened the door, surprised to find himself looking at flowers. "What the…?"
"Surprise surprise, Jason!" An annoying voice said audibly. All of a sudden, a vine reached out from the walls and wrapped around his neck. A second and third reached out for his legs, and a fourth and fifth reached for his arms.
"So sad to see good things go to waste." Catwoman appeared. "I believe you haven't met our new colleague."
"Meet Poison Ivy!" Harley finished.
"We've met…" Shadow grunted.
"Oh, that's right." Ivy laughed. "I forgot you donned the red and green. But you weren't around for too long."
"Pity his return won't be too long either." Harley laughed.
Shadow moved his wrists, popping up concealed blades. He sliced cleanly through the vines around his arms and proceeded to the one on his neck. A second later he was free. Before new ones could get a hold of him he rolled forward and threw pellets to the ground near the trio. Nothing happened.
"Ha!" Harley laughed. "Next time, make sure your toys work!"
Black smoke rushed out of the pellets, engulfing the entire room. Ivy and Harley coughed, while Catwoman covered her face scanned the shadows. Useless. A foot was planted on the hand on her face and she was down on the ground sporting a bloody nose.
Harley cursed. "What the…?!" She took out a mallet and swung towards where Shadow was a second later. He reappeared in front of her, she swung. Missed. Appeared to where Catwoman was, missed. Appeared right between Ivy and her, she swung and nailed Ivy on the head.
"Ow!" Ivy could see lights. "Watch it, you clumsy clown!"
Harley laughed weakly. "Ehe…" She smiled. "Sorry." She dropped the mallet and took out a rocket launcher and aimed for a blur. Ivy pushed the rocket down and grinned. In one fluid motion, she grabbed Harley's shoulder and pushed herself into the air and kicked Shadow, who had wanted to jump kick Harley. He was kicked hard in the stomach and flew backwards. The black smoke dispersed.
"Nice toy." Ivy remarked. "Wanna see mine?" She didn't wait for an answer. She whistled audibly just as Batman came charging in. Vines grabbed him, but he managed to reach for his batarang and free himself.
A green looking monster filled with poisonous spikes appeared from around the corner and charged at the winded Shadow. By then, Batman stepped in between them and wrestled with the monster. Shadow got up shakily.
"You okay?" Batman grunted as he ducked, narrowly missing a poison spike.
"I will be." Shadow commented. "Thanks for saving my life."
"Thank me later." Batman punched the monster in the face. "We've got work to do."
Shadow leaped to the air, did a handspring on Batman's shoulders and kicked the monster straight in the face. It flew backwards to the ground, revealing the receding figures of Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman.
"Take it from here!" Shadow told Batman. "I'm faster than you. I can catch up to them!" Batman nodded as he threw himself once more onto the monster. Shadow was gone by then.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nightwing and Batgirl ran down the hallway as fast as their legs could carry them. With the henchmen gone, all that remained were the three heads of this crime. Or so they thought. They emerged into the room to find Batman being attacked by a green monster. Batman was on the wall, trying to prevent the monster from piercing his face with a poisonous spike. At once, Batgirl jumped in to help.
She roundhoused the monster off Batman and charged in to jumpkick it. The monster grabbed her foot and threw her against a wall. She looked up to see the monster rearing to finish off the kill when it was struck from behind by Batman. Before it could smack him, it started to melt. With an earsplitting cry, nothing was left but green goo.
"What did you do?" Batgirl wondered in awe.
"Repellant." Batman responded. "Ivy's creations are weak against it." He started to run to the other side of the huge room. Batgirl followed him. "Where are we going?" She asked. "And where's Nightwing?"
"He's following Shadow." Batman answered. "Where we want to be. He might need our help."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harley, Ivy, and Catwoman emerged in a blimp filled with toxins and gases they had made in the factory. They had made enough gas to stun a person and also have the effect of bringing all plants to life. It was all Poison Ivy's idea of course. Harley headed to the controls and prepared to liftoff.
"What about Batman?" Catwoman asked. "I thought this whole plot was to lure him in and capture him."
"Yeah, about that…" Poison Ivy started.
"Girls! I think we have a problem!" Harley yelled shrilly. "We've got too much weight, we've got to drop something!"
Catwoman picked up one of the gas containers and started to the door. Ivy grabbed her and spun her around. "About that…" Ivy whispered. "You see… we never really wanted to capture him… all we wanted was to kill him." She gassed him with the new toxins and she dropped the container. "As for the weight. I don't think dropping the container's necessary." She pushed Catwoman off the blimp.
Harley turned. "Yeah!" She picked up the unconscious Robin and threw him off the blimp too. "And take the stinkin' trash out while you're out there!"
The two laughed menacingly as they turned to depart.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shadow had grappled onto the blimp's bottom. All of a sudden, a flying body came out. He caught the barely conscious Catwoman and looked at her in disgust. "Serves you right for betraying me." Another body came out of the blimp and Shadow watched with surprise as Robin descended past him. He looked down and was relieved that Nightwing had glided to catch him. Nightwing had laid him down and checked for the vital signs. He gave a thumbs up. Batgirl and Batman also finally arrived. Batman grappled to the blimp and joined Shadow in seconds. Batgirl took Robin from Nightwing and headed for the Bell Tower.
As Shadow prepared to drop Catwoman to Nightwing, she stirred. "That won't be necessary," she smiled. She scatched Shadow's face and leaped off down. After a brief battle with Nightwing, she disappeared down from the building and Nightwing got up to join them. The blimp changed directions and gas started to come out.
Shadow, Batman, and Nightwing climbed up and proceeded into the blimp. One more fight.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The trio went into the blimp. Harley noticed immediately and started cursing. She took out her bazooka this timeand aimed.
Ivy tackled her ally before she could fire. "What are you, crazy? You'll blow up our blimp! Not only is gas flammable, but so are our toxins!"
"Should've let her shoot." A voice said. Ivy turned to meet Shadow's fist. She was out.
Harley kicked out, meeting Shadow's chest and propelling him away. She jumped up with an angry glare.
Batman approached her. He punched, but missed. Harley shoulder tackled him back. Batman stepped back, but he wasn't winded. Nightwing dived over Batman, rolled forward and uppercutted Harley. She staggered back and looked even angrier.
Shadow dived in between Batman and Nightwing, grabbed Nightwing's shoulder and used his momentum to rotate around him and deliver a devastating kick to Harley face.
Harley spun around, dazed. "Night… mommy…" she said as she fell to the ground unconscious.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eh… finally finished it after a long wait. Sorry, I got stuck and really didn't want to come back. But then I reread everything and decided to, so… here it is. I finished it off quick. There's one more chapter.