Disclaimer: I DO NOT in any form or fashion own these characters. All credit goes directly to DC entertainment and comics. They are the owners not me, I'm in no shape or form making any money from this story. Alright, let's get on with the show.


Hey There DC Nation, it's me Nomad88 back again with another chapter in my Batman Beyond Saga. I know I've been missing for a bit again, but I have not given up on any of my stories. Since I've been gone, I've decided to do a bit a recap on events to catch everyone up.


Brief Recap: The Court of Owls have laid siege to Neo-Gotham City. Damian Wayne was the first attacked and he barely managed to survive but survive he did, however he was poisoned by one of the blades from the leader of the Talons, who was revealed to be Lincoln March, a rich socialite who has put his bid in for Mayor of Neo-Gotham. Commissioner Barbara Gordon-Young was also attacked and nearly killed however she was saved Terry McGinnis, the New Batman on the block.

The Dark Knight of Tomorrow found himself hard pressed to keep the court of Owls at bay and was captured. He was then taken to the nest where the resurfaced Riddler tried to break his mind with constant riddles. But Batman with a little help from his hacker best friend Max, who was forcibly recruited into the Court of Owls, he escaped.

The siege of Neo-Gotham incited a war between the people of Gotham and the Owls. The poorer south side of Neo-Gotham refused to bow and took the fight to the Owls. Mayor Young, worried about his wife and city decided to call in help in the form of the national guard. Help has also come in the form of Dick Grayson and his protégé former Knightbreed member and now the new Nightwing Brian Milwood. The two Bludhaven residents heard about the siege and rushed over to do what they could.

The Court of Owls assaulted the Mansion, and briefly took it away. However, the heroes of Tomorrow re-grouped at the Old Clocktower, home to the Oracle. They formed a plan to re-take the Mansion and hit back at the Court of Owls by stealing away their money. The plan was successful, but Damian fell ill to the toxin in his system. The heroes are down one but are not giving up...


Chapter 10: The Court of Owls part Ten

Somewhere between life and death

Ten-year-old Damian Wayne shied away from the intense stares that was coming from his grandfather, the Demon's Head, the former leader of the League Assassins Ra's Al Ghul and his father The World's greatest detective, the Dark Knight himself, The Batman. Both were equally intimidating and while both were very dead, in the current moment they could not have been more alive.

Damian could feel the heat from the Demon's head, and he tried to lean away from it but if he leaned too far the heat turned cold. The coldness came from the shadows and darkness that his father the Batman brought with him, and he personally hated the cold.

"Did you hear what I said, there are some things we need to discuss about your life, now stand straight and look me in the eyes!" Ra's snapped.

Damian instantly corrected his stance, standing straight up and slowly raising his head to meet the glare of his grandfather.

"You have disappointed me! You are my heir and yet this world still remains a savage land of infidels filled with corruption. You are an embarrassment!"

"Don't talk to him like that Ra's, filling his mind with your insane ideas and delusions of grandeur." Came the deep growl from Batman.


Damian and Ra's turned to face him.

"Insane!" Ra's yelled, "No, what is insane detective, is a man that could be so much more choosing to dress like a bat and believes he can change human nature by pretending to be the embodiment of fear."

"As opposed to you pretending to be a supernatural demon and trying to do the same thing. You are no demon; you are nothing more than a relic from the past that is afraid of death."

Ra's let out a yell and the fire behind him blazed brightly, Damian felt fear creep down his spine, but his father remained calm, however the cold temperature increased to the point where every breath, a wisp of air could be seen out of the ten-year old's mouth. The heat and cold battled with each other and he was stuck in the middle.


Ra's opened his cloak revealing his dark gold and green armor along with his sword. The Demon's head removed the sword and brandished it in front of himself.

"Come Detective, let us settle this old score, let us finally see who will have control over the child."

"No." Damian whispered while his hands went to his head, "NO!"

Batman opened his cape revealing two sharp batarangs in each hand. He did not say a word, he only charged with the shadows and cold following him while Ra's met him in the middle with the fire and heat.

CLAASHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Came the sound of them hitting each other creating a brilliant flash of light that left Damian blind.

"NOOOO!" he screamed.


Present: Wayne Manor: Bat-Cave

Terry gently laid Damian down onto the medical bed that was within the cave; his mentor of sorts was burning up a bit and he was mumbling something about demons and bats. Terry had given him all of the anti-toxin, but it seemed as if it was not working.

"Is he going to be, okay?" asked Max.

Terry looked at her from over his shoulder.

"I have no idea, poisons and anti-toxins are not exactly my thing." He replied.

Max stepped to him and hit him in the shoulder.

"But being Batman is!" she shouted.

"Easy Max, my shoulder is pretty thrashed." He replied before grabbing it.

"You're lucky I don't thrash what's left of you myself, how the hell did you become Batman! How can you be Batman! I mean it does make sense now that I think about it, always late, bumps, bruises, always tired and whatnot. I knew you were fighting; I was praying it wasn't in some underground fight-club, but this is the last thing I was expecting. Terry McGinnis, Batman!" She said.

"It's a shock. I get it, I will tell you all about how this happened and how I became Batman but right now is not the time. We have to regroup with the others and pray we managed to get the Court of Owls where it hurts." He said.


Terry moved away from her and towards the Bat-computer, he looked at the console and started hitting a few keys trying to make sure that the security systems were back online but for a moment he started to sway, and his vision began to blur a bit.

"Hey are you okay?" she asked.

"No, I'm not. I'm running on fumes here. I've been drugged, beat on, cut up, fairly sure I died and then I was brought back to life by some kids with a car battery, and all this has happened within the last seventy-two hours. I need to sleep but I can't not while his…our city burns." Terry replied while sitting down in the chair.

Max walked over to the computer as well and for the first time she got a good look at him. He was not looking well. She remembered when the Owls had Batman captured and how they ambushed and beat on him, she hated what they were doing but now that she knew that it was her best friend, she hated it even more.

Terry gingerly reached for the computer again, but she slapped his hand away.

"I'll handle all the computer stuff you just sit there and rest for a minute." She said.

"Get in contact with Oracle." He said.

"Who?"

"Oracle, Barbara Gordon, she used to be Batgirl and now she's the Commissioner of the NGCPD. She's operating out of a Clocktower in midtown Gotham, just be careful. She had to access an unsecure network." Said Terry.

"Commissioner Gordon? Of course, she is." Max replied.


Her fingers expertly flew across the keyboard, pulling up a detailed map of Neo-Gotham city and homing in on the Clocktower. She then pulled up a screen that was full of codes and foreign symbols that Terry could not understand but Max was able to read it with ease.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm trying to establish a secure line. I can see that the clocktower has some subtle signals coming from it and it is piggybacking on some satellites and those satellites are being rerouted through Wayne-Powers. I'm making a couple of sub-routes to bypass that piggyback as soon as I get over this firewall. Oracle is good, unfortunately for her, I'm better. If I, were you, I'd give her a heads up because I'm about to take control of her entire system."


Neo-Gotham- Clocktower

Oracle let out a breath of air as she saw the flying national guard tank with Nightwing and Dick on the top fly up to the sky on her security feed. However, she let out a gasp as the ground beneath her feet shook and a massive explosion from the power plant erupted. She could see how a gigantic column of water shadowed over a portion of the city before falling down and that's when her feed was cut.

Oracle saw on her grid of the entire Neo-Gotham city that the power to the eastside and southside go dark.

"Well, that is not good, but thankfully it should be morning in a few hours." She whispered to herself.

SCREEEEECHHHHH! CLANG! Came a sound from behind her. Oracle turned to see Yinn emerge from the rickety elevator, he had a steely look upon his face but the closer he came to her the look faded. He hid his emotions well but she could tell that he was haunted by something.

"Did you get anything out of that guy downstairs?" she asked.

"Yes. I got all the information I needed, and everyone needs to be here to hear it, were the others successful?" Yinn returned.

"Dick and Nightwing just sunk the Power-plant and they managed to get away in time. I'm not sure about Damian and the kid, they've gone radio silent, I'm hoping they'll radio in soon enough." She said.


Oracle turned back to the screen and that's when the screens around her started to glitch and fizzle in and out of focus.

"What the hell!?"

WARNING! WARNING! FIREWALL BREACHED! SYSTEM COMPROMISED!

"No. No. No. What the hell is happening?" she said frantically as her hands flew across the keyboard, "Somebody is hacking into my system, but it is not coming from Wayne-Powers at least I don't think it is."

Oracle took her fingers off the keys once the system returned to normal.

"Oracle! It's me Batman can you hear me." Came Terry's voice over the system.

"Kid go back to radio silence; my system has been compromised. I don't…." she started.

"Yeah, I know that was my friend Max. We got the Mansion back and she had to take over your system to create a secure line. We can talk freely." Said Terry.

Oracle released a heavy sigh of relief, their longshot of plan actually worked. They had managed to survive a long night, but it was one of many that she had survived in the past.

'I'm getting a bit too old for this kind of stress.' She thought to herself.

"Hey are you there!" said Terry.

"I'm here. Where's Damian?" she asked.

"He's not doing too hot; I gave him another shot of anti-toxin, but he needs an antidote and he needs one fast." Terry replied.

"One problem at a time kid we survived the night, but they'll be back, and they'll be angry." She said.

"Good because I'm angry too."

"Stay where you are, we'll make our way to you, we can form a better plan of action at the mansion. I'll send word to Dick and Nightwing."

"Roger that."


Elsewhere: Streets of Gotham

"A BAT! HAHAHA! A BAT!" The Riddler laughed.

Lincoln roughly tossed the insane villain to the ground, and he slowly peeled his cracked Talon mask off of his face. He had several bruises; cuts and his lips were busted but he did not care about that or about the pain. He only cared that he had failed in his mission to kill the Legacy of Bruce Wayne, his father. Everything had been executed so well, planned so meticulously for years, every avenue or possible escape plan covered and yet his brother escaped. They all escaped.

Lincoln angrily punched the brick wall in front of him, which caught the attention of the Riddler who finally began to settle down from his maniacal laughing.

"Oooh. Riddle me this…" he started before a throwing star flew pass his cheek scratching him.

Lincoln slowly turned to look at him.

"If you utter one more riddle, I swear I will end you." He said darkly.

"Such rage." The Riddler replied in an amused tone, "You remind me of someone, but hmmmm who could it be, ah yes, it is him, your father. I see so much of his rage in you although you lack his flare as well as his success rate."

Lincoln closed the distance between the two and hoisted the Riddler up by the front of his green coat. He slammed the older man into the wall.

"You really want me to kill you. You like Riddles right, so riddle me this what happens when I put my fist through your skull." He said darkly.

"You cannot kill me your mother won't allow it." The Riddler replied with a smirk.

"You're right she wouldn't allow it, but she's not here though is she. And she has lost sight of a few things, but we do not need you."

"No, all you need is each other, that is the pact that you and your mother made correct. The two of you against the Court of Owls, against the world, isn't that right. However, as the years progressed and circumstances changed, compromises made, the lines between right and wrong blurred, the ultimate riddle of who you are became clouded." Said the Riddler.

"I know, who I am!" Lincoln spat back at him.

"Who are you trying to convince me or yourself?" The Riddler laughed.


Lincoln tightened his grip on the Riddler's jacket in preparation to choke the eccentric villain to death, but a flash of several shadows caught his attention. He looked around to see the remaining Talons that survived the Wayne Manor assault had surrounded him. He could see them beginning to draw their weapons upon him.

"Put your weapons down." He commanded.

The Talons ignored his command, which the Riddler noticed as well and took the chance to nudge the deranged Lincoln in the direction he wanted him to go.

"I don't think they're listening anymore, perhaps mommy dearest has hit the override controls, so they only obey her commands and if I am correct, which I usually am, she said to return back to base." He said.


Lincoln let out a low growl before releasing his hold on the deranged villain. He could easily take them but that would not be the best idea at the moment. He was tired, injured and the sun was coming up, the Talons and the work they did was better for the night, but the morning time was reserved for his benevolent persona of future Mayor of Neo-Gotham City.

Lincoln slipped his mask back over his face.

"Pick him up and let's go, the sun is rising." He said.

The Riddler watched him turn and walk away and when one of the other Talons bent down to grab him, he whispered something to her. The Talon went rigid for a moment before nodding her head and gently picking him up.

He smirked to himself as he began to think back to the past, while Lincoln and the Talons made their escape.


Years Ago

A fairly middle-aged Edward Nygma leaned back in his seat taking his eyes away from the screen in front of him. He had just finished several hours of coding programs that were designed to secretly siphon off money from accounts all over the world. It was tedious and very hard work, but he was up for the challenge, especially considering the bargain he had just struck with the strange Court of Owls cult.

He swiveled around in his chair, and he stood, stretching a bit.

"The Court of Owls." He said to himself, "Something tells me that they will not be easily fooled, which means this is a fine conundrum you've gotten yourself into Edward. The question now is how to get out with no bat in sight."

BANGG! Came a loud sound. Edward looked towards the door because of the ruckus that was coming from the other side. He grabbed his bowler hat and his cane and then he carefully opened the door.


On the other side Edward saw two Talon's walking through the underground and brightly lit corridor carrying an old colleague that he had not seen in years. The newly captive colleague still looked the same, short, with a large top hat and a blue and purple coat; he still looked as if he stepped right out of the Lewis Carroll story, Alice in Wonderland.

"Jervis." Edward whispered.

"Unhand me you retched cretins. Do you tweedle-dumb and tweddle-dolt know who I am. I am..."

"The Mad Hatter!"

The Talons stopped and turned towards the Riddler who was leaning against the wall with a smirk on his lips.

"Well now, curiouser and curiouser. A most unexpected surprise from my old friend Edward Nygma, or do you still prefer the Riddler. I should have known you were deep in this rabbit hole of fiends." Said Jervis.

"On the contrary old sport, I am just as every bit a captive as you." He replied while using his cane to tape the ankle bracelet on his leg.

"How deep does this rabbit hole go my friend?" The Mad Hatter asked.

"Deeper than Alice ever went I'm afraid. I'll see you after you meet the Council and a bit of advice, do be on your best behavior in there."

The Talons with the Mad Hatter in tow turned and continued on down the corridor, leaving the Riddler there with a curious look upon his face. He tapped his cane a few times while the beginnings of a plan started to form in his mind.


Four Hours Later

The Riddler calmly sipped on a cup of tea as he waited patiently in the room that he deduced would belong to his old colleague. He looked at the gold pocket watch in his hand and at the stroke of the large hand on the ten, the doors opened, and the Talons unceremoniously tossed the Mad Hatter to the ground making his hat tumble off of his head and to the Riddler's feet.

The doors shut and Jervis laid on the ground staring at the blue carpet that was beneath him.

"How the mighty have fallen, down, down, down and past the rabbit hole and all the way into hell." Said Nygma

"Curious. Are you refereeing to me I wonder or yourself perhaps." Jervis replied while slowly looking up at him.

Nygma grabbed the large, discarded hat and he gave it a spin before shrugging his shoulders.

"Perhaps, or perhaps I am referring to the both of us." He replied.

"I believe this is the part where you asks me a Riddle." Mad Hatter said.

"What do you call two men in a locked room with no windows or exits?" he asked.


Jervis scoffed at the Riddle.

"I'd call both of them prisoners." He answered.

"And how do these prisoners escape?" Nygma asked.

"That is more of a direct question rather than a Riddle." Jervis replied.

"And yet both require answers." Nygma returned.

Jervis rose to a sitting position, and he studied the Riddler's face he could see the familiar cold calculating look on his face. A look that he knew all too well, meaning that there was some sort of plan forming in that brilliant but demented mind. In all of the years on the streets of Gotham they had come together a few times and each time yielded varying degree of results. Jervis knew that he did not want to stay within the organization he had been forcefully drafted into, based on the meeting he just had with the Judges. And so that left him little option. However, Nygma was never one to be fully trusted.

"I would say that these two prisoners formed an alliance. A tentative and fragile alliance." Jervis replied.

The Riddler smiled and he handed Jervis his hat back, to which the shorter man snatched out of his hand.

"I'm sure by now the Court has told you of their plans with your tech."

"Yes. I believed they called it the Reanimation protocol for their Talons. The current method of orphan gathering has been spotty at best and so they need a more unnatural approach for their unnatural plans. I must admit that I find myself intrigued by their ideas with my tech, frightful ideas but ideas, nonetheless. I am not even sure it is possible, but I believe if I put my mind to it, I could most likely do what is required of me." Jervis replied.

"And you should do exactly that but perhaps you could do a little something extra." Nygma offered.

"Depends on the extra and exactly what is in it for me."

"I'll tell you, but riddle me this: I am tiny, wingless, hair is my nest and I feast on human blood. What am I?"

The Mad Hatter put hand to his chin in a thoughtful manor, thinking over the riddle and soon the answer came to him.

"You're a lice." The Hatter answered.

The Riddler smiled.

"And that is what I can offer you Jervis."

"A lice. A Lice." The Mad Hatter whispered until it hit him "A Lice. Alice. Ha, and here I thought Lewis Carroll had the greatest fairy tale ever created. Alice is all but lost to me The Batman has saw to that and more. I have tried everything, and I cannot find her."

"Exactly, you cannot find her. Batman knows how you think and if he knows how you think it is easy for the Caped Crusader to hide things from you. But I, being the great mind that I am, have broken through the Dark Knight's code and I know exactly where she is, what her new name is and the lovely gentleman she's married to."

"TELL ME! I MUST KNOW!" The Mad Hatter roared while rising to his feet.

The Riddler lifted his cane and halted Jervis from approaching him further.

"Calm down my old friend, your fierce obsession with this girl blinds you to the problem at hand. I have everything you need but you must perform a task for me."

The Mad Hatter grumbled to himself.

"Name your price."

"I just need you write a code specifically for me because just as you will make your escape. I too shall make one eventually." Said the Riddler.

"Ah, I see a trojan horse as it were. You want a back door to this reanimation process but I am sure that your work and mine will be monitored closely and yet you still want to defy this band of ruffians. I'd say you have gone mad dear Nygma." The Hatter replied with a smile.

The Riddler returned the smile

"I'll tell you a secret, all the best people are." He said.


The two villains shared a hearty laugh, it had been a long time since the two had been in the company of familiar faces. It had to have been over four years ago, when they both were doing a stint in the newly constructed Arkham. It was much nicer than the original house for the insane, but the doors still revolved just the same.

The Mad Hatter carefully held out his hand to which the Riddler shook.

"To a partnership." Said the Hatter.

"A tentative and fragile partnership." The Riddler replied.


The Present

The Riddler held on tightly to his Talon transport as they bounded across the snowy rooftops of Neo-Gotham City. The sun was quickly rising and there were still National guard tanks floating through the air and every so often they would have to slink into what little darkness still remained.

As they hid, Nygma quickly pulled out a pocket watch, and he checked the time.

'Soon. Soon. I hope my dear old grandson will be ready to move.' He thought to himself.

Once the air was clear, they were on the move again, back to their base of operations deep below the Southside of Neo-Gotham city, in the remains of old Gotham.


Elsewhere: Across Town

Acting Commissioner Ellen Yindel lit another cigarette, took a long drag, and blew out the thick smoke. She sat in one of the commanding national guard tanks and she listened to the acting general prattle on about how he hated Neo-Gotham and it was nothing but a rotting cesspool and that's all it would ever be. Ellen rolled her eyes and flicked some of the ash from her cigarette

"Hey! G.I. Joe, will you shut the f*** up!" she shouted.

The General whipped towards her and was about to say something but the look on her face stopped him. He grumbled something under his breath, and he turned back towards the screen in front of him. Ellen took another drag of her cigarette. She had to admit that he was absolutely one hundred percent correct about Neo-Gotham, because much like the stories of old Gotham, Neo-Gotham was no better, it was a rotting cesspool, but it was her cesspool, it was her rotting city, and she would be damned if she would let some out of towner criticize her city.

Gotham was not for the weak of heart or spirit. It was a dark, mean, and chaotic city that aimed to beat you down with a stick and keep you there. It was only the exceptional people that managed to rise and make something of themselves. And she had always viewed herself as exceptional. She always prided herself on rising above the grit and grim that Gotham threw at her. From her alcoholic mother beating her, to her being put into the system and shuffled around from foster home to foster until she aged out and was able to join the navy where she rose through the ranks quickly until a Captain made a pass at her and got a bit too handsy. She broke his nose and fractured his skull.

She chuckled to herself at the brief memory because if anyone ever asked anyone about her, they would always be able to say that she was never one to be bullied, disrespected nor had she ever been one to run away from a fight. And the Court of Owls, and Batman were doing all three. The Court of Owls were trying to bully her and the city into laying down and letting them become the law. And Batman was disrespecting her and the Authority of the NGCPD at every turn. And now both were trying to get her to run away, and she would have none of it. She would have law and order in her city.

Ellen took another long drag of her cigarette before flicking it away and standing up from her seat and climbing the ladder that led up to the top hatch. She opened the hatch and let the freezing cold morning air wash over her.

Ellen closed the hatch and stood on top of the tank and overlooked the damage done by the sunken power plant that lay out in the Gotham bay. The rising sun showed the waist high deep water that was down below and the metal debris from the facility that was drifting to the top of the water. It was chaos. She could hear the sound of the National guardsmen as they were yelling to search different areas for survivors or for any sign of the Court of Owls or Batman.

She knew there would be no sign of Batman, for the past three years since his return he had been too careful, but that did not stop her from forming a few theories based on the information she herself had gathered about the Dark Knight of Tomorrow. She was, however, hoping that there would be something on the Court of Owls, all she needed was a lead to chase and she would chase them to the edge of Neo-Gotham and back. They need to pay for the death and destruction that they had caused, and she would see to it that justice would be served.

Ellen watched as someone was air lifted from the flooded streets down below and flown off to the hospital. She briefly wondered it if was someone's mother, daughter, brother, or kid that was hurt in the battle for Neo-Gotham's soul. The news crew helicopters were beginning to arrive and surrounded the area like vultures. A spotlight found its way to her, and she could feel their gaze on her, the eyes of the media and the rest of the city judging her on this monumental failure. And since Commissioner Gordon was nowhere to be found she would get all the blame.

"Figures." She whispered to herself.

Ellen felt her phone vibrate and she grabbed it with the intentions of answering but before she did, she threw one last look at the News helicopter.

'I wonder what slanderous propaganda are they selling about me.' She thought before answering her phone, "This is Yindel, and it better be good news."


TV

Kim: A madhouse. That is the best way to describe the situation below ladies and gentlemen. It was just a few hours ago, right before dawn the Shreck power plant exploded in a spectacular show. We have some reports that there were agents from the Court of Owls present at the facility, speculations abound that they may be behind the explosion, however the police have remained tight lipped on the matter. Also remaining tight lipped on the matter is the owner of Shreck Power Plant, Max Shreck. The CEO has yet to make a statement and all efforts so far to get in contact with him or his shareholders have been futile, but we will keep trying. Tom

Tom: Thanks Kim. The relief efforts are now underway as you can see on your screens down below. The National Guard in conjunction with NGCPD are doing the best that they can to rescue civilians that were hit by the wave of water that erupted after the Power Plant meltdown. The power to the northside of Neo-Gotham is still down but utility workers are hard trying to restore power. And also, power is out in the southside of Neo-Gotham where alot of fighting between not only the people of Gotham and Court of Owls but the Dark Knight himself the Batman. Kim.

Kim: We only have a few brief clips of the Batman fighting against the Court of Owls, but you can see there he is amongst the people of Gotham fighting for the soul of the City against these fiendish tyrants. However, as the fighting progressed the National Guard and the NGCPD, being led by acting Commissioner Ellen Yindel, proceeded to fire upon Batman and the Court Owls in an attempt to stop the fighting. It only proved to be futile as not only Batman escaped as did the Court of Owls. Tim.

Tim: One has to wonder how would the true Commissioner, Barbara Gordon-Young have handled this situation. Her whereabouts still remain unknown after the attack on her at the hospital. However, her husband Mayor Young remains strong and in the protection of the National Guard and Police. The longest night of this very tortuous winter in Neo-Gotham has ended but what will the following nights hold. Again, Martial Law is still in effect and so far, the War for Neo-Gotham still rages on, but the question that lingers in the air is who will win. Who will control Neo-Gotham, the Police and the people of Neo-Gotham or the Court of Owls, but more on that later…."


Elsewhere: Between life and death

Ten-year old Damian Wayne watched in terror as fire and ice clashed once more with a thunderous result. The flashes of fire singed his skin only for the ice cold to instantly cool it down. He closed his eyes in fear but even with his eyes closed he could see his father, The Dark Knight and his Grandfather, The Demon's head clash.

"You make him weak!" shouted Ra's Al Ghul.

The Demon's head slashed at Batman with his large sword and nearly cut him in two, but the Dark Knight managed to block the attack with his two batarangs. Ra's hissed and raised his sword again and came down upon him with several hard slashes and on the final slash his sword sliced through Batman's batarangs, leaving him defenseless. The Demon's head leaned forward with a powerful thrust that nailed the Dark Knight in the chest.

"I have you now Detective! NOW BURN!"

Fire erupted from the sword and set Batman ablaze eliminating the cold chill of darkness leaving only the blazing fire.

"I WIN!" Ra's shouted, before laughing maniacally.


The ten-year old Damian Wayne watched as fire consumed everything around him except the very small space between him and his grandfather. Ra's finally settled down and he turned his crazed green eyes unto his heir before slowly stalking towards him.

"You will thank me for this my grandson. I have just burned away the last bit of morality that your ridiculous father instilled in you. There is no right or wrong, there is only the WILL, to do what is necessary. You have my blood, so I know you have it in you, but you are being held back but no longer."

Damian tried to shy away but the fire behind him kept him rooted. Ra's stood before his grandson, staring down at him. He jammed his sword into the ground and grabbed him by his hair and lifted him up to eye level.

"Embrace me!" he said.


Damian struggled against the painful hold his grandfather had on him, desperately he wanted to get away. He threw out a kick and kicked his grandfather in the face. He followed it up with a few more kicks and then a punch but it did nothing but make the demon laugh.

"That's the spirit but it will take more than that. Show me your will! SHOW ME THAT YOU ARE ME!" he shouted.

Damian gritted his teeth.

"NO! I don't want to be you! GET AWAY FROM ME!" he shouted.

From the small shadow under Damian, the Dark Knight began to rise. The heat died down and the cold made itself known again. Ra's dropped Damian just in time to receive a solid punch to the face. Batman hit him several more times before kneeing him in the stomach and then throwing him. Ra's bounced along the ground until coming to a painful stop.

"You heard him Ra's. Get. Away." Batman growled.


Damian shivered from the cold stare that he got from his father who was looking down at him as well. He did not say a word to him, just silence, before moving on towards Ra's who was trying to get to his feet.

"He is nothing like you, Detective."

Batman threw a batarang that nailed Ra's in the shoulder. Ra's grunted at the pain in his shoulder, but he continued his tirade against his most hated enemy.

"He's not misguided by some notion of a code. A code that produces nothing but bloodshed and misery!"

Batman threw another batarang that nailed him in the other shoulder. Ra's hissed from the pain, but he continued to speak.

"This is the god you worship grandson. Look at him, he is nothing but a monument to failure, he did not change the world for the better but for the worse. Your friends are scared and broken and for what! Nothing! And not only did he fail as a hero, but he failed you as a father. At least when you were with me, I embraced you, I acknowledged you, when did he ever do that. When did he ever truly make you feel like his son!"

Batman threw another batarang, but his weapon was knocked away at the last second by a throwing star. The Dark Knight turned his sights towards Damian who was now dressed in the royal green and black garbs that represented the League of Assassins.

Ra's let a smile grace his lips as he saw his grandson.

"Yes! NOW KILL HIM!" he yelled.

Damian looked up at his father, who like always stood tall and stoic. He removed his sword from his waist, and he charged, with fire following behind him.


Wayne Manor- Bat-Cave

Yinn, changed the cool towel on Damian's head for another cooler towel. The fever that the poison caused was beginning to rise. The ever-faithful servant felt himself reach towards his pocket that held the miracle of the Lazarus pit but upon contemplation of using it he decided against it.

'I know you well enough, that you would never forgive me for using this on you. If this is to be your destiny to die, then you would rather embrace it than to be a walking plague like your grandfather…. or perhaps like myself and my brother.' He thought to himself.

He let out a sigh but was broken from his musings by the raised voices coming from the bat-computer.


Bat-Computer

"Who the hell is this girl!?" Terry shouted.

Barbara held a hand to her head in frustration. She was tired, so tired after a very long night and it did not seem that there would be any end in sight. Terry's yelling did not help, and while she could understand his hesitation there was nothing that they could do about the current situation but accept the fact that Carrie Kelly now knew their secret.

After somehow hijacking a tank, she flew it towards the power plant that was under assault, rescued Dick and Nightwing and then blew apart the support bridge which allowed the facility to sink underwater before it could destroy half the city instead of just flood it. She scoffed a bit because to say she was impressed would be an understatement but then again Carrie always had a way of impressing her. Even when she first took her in, the kid had a knack for escape and being unpredictable.

"As I said before she's with me. She's someone I am taking care of, and I will take care of this situation." Said Commissioner Gordon.

"Oh, what a relief that tells me everything and nothing all at the same time, that's a move out of the old man's playbook." Terry replied.

The Commissioner rolled her eyes and moved away from him and towards Carrie who was standing a few feet away. She was looking around the batcave with wide eyes and a giant smile on her face. The young and very impressionable teen could not believe her luck, she just wanted to help Detective Bullock as well as Sam, but she never imagined that it would lead her directly to Batman and his lair.

"Carrie!"

Carrie turned to Barbara and was very surprised to see her, especially considering everything that was going on. She looked worse for wear, with bruises and cuts on her face and just the general tired look that she had about her. It looked as if she needed to sleep for about a week or maybe two but with the intense look upon her face, she seemed to fit in with the crowd of people that were in the cave. They all seemed a bit intense, especially the guy that was in the shredded batman suit.

"Carrie, look at me." Said Barbara in her most stern and motherly voice, a voice that Carrie recognized. Whenever she used to use that tone in the past it meant that she needed to listen as if her life depended on it.

Barbara saw that she had her current ward's attention. She contemplated for a second what she was going to say, what her former trainer would do in this situation. He would say something gruff and mean but thankfully she was not him. She was more pragmatic, and she was just going to tell her the truth.

"I am going to be upfront with you. You are in a situation right now that I never wanted to explain to you. But you are in the Batcave." She said.

"No duh. I'm not stupid Barbara, I gathered that this was the bat-cave by the big guy over there dressed in the trashed batsuit. He's kinda cute." She said.

"Focus Carrie." Barbara replied with a roll of her eyes and a frustrated sigh.

"Oh, I am definitely focused. Neo-Gotham has gone to hell and you guys are trying to stop it but those Owl guys are f****** tough." She said.

"Language young lady." Said Barbara.

Carrie scoffed.

"Look, I need you to just…roll with what's going on here. I will explain everything later but just know that I am putting a lot of trust into you. More so than I have ever done in the past. This is a secret that is bigger than me or anything you could dream. I need to know that I can trust you." Said Barbara with a soft tone.

Carrie looked into the tired eyes of the older woman, the woman that had not only saved her life once but twice and she could tell that she was searching for something that she could trust. Carrie knew that she owed her, and she would repay the woman in front of her with the trust that she was searching for. And so, she put a serious look on her face.

"Barbara, I promise you can trust me. After everything you have done for me, I'd die before I told anybody about you or this place."

"I hope it never comes to that but, thank you Carrie." She said.

Barbara turned away from the highly impressionable teen praying that she did not get any other ideas that were as dangerous as stealing a tank. However, she did not see the look of wonder in the young girl's eyes as she continued to look around the cave. Carrie stared up at the bats above as they flew above, one of them hovered in the air and turned to look at her before letting out a screech. The creature flapped its wings and flew towards the cases that held several suits until it landed on the Robin case. It stared at her, and she let her eyes drift towards the suit in the case and she smiled.

"Cool suit." She whispered.


Dick watched Barbara walk away from the girl, Carrie, her ward, or something like that. He did not know the exact nature of their relationship; in fact, he knew next to nothing about her in the decades since he rode out of town but given the last few hours, he made a personal vow to himself that he would try to…reconnect with her.

As she neared the rest of the core group their eyes briefly met before their attention was caught by Terry.

"Now that we got that squared away, we need to regroup and come up with a new plan because I cannot see the Court of Owls taking too kindly to us not only stealing a billion credits but also sinking one of their store houses or shell companies or whatever that power plant was to them." He said.

"Agreed." Said Barbara.

"They'll be back, maybe with more numbers. And they know where we are, and we still don't know where they are." Said Brian.

"Not entirely true, we know they are based somewhere near the southside of Neo-Gotham. After I managed to escape from their nest, I washed up on the southside." Said Terry.

"Maybe, but when The Riddler took me for a trip to this cave we were coming from an angle that suggested the Northside. I was blindfolded for most of the trip, but I clearly saw northside buildings." Max chimed.

"So, let's just assume that they have multiple bases across the city. There must be a way to pin-point a central location. Is there anything in that info dump that you put into the cowl Max?" Terry asked while turning to her.

Max shrugged her shoulders.

"I think so but it's all encrypted, I was barely able to send you a portion of their codes. The Court of Owls have dozens of hackers under their boot, each writing their own sets of codes. Coding and re-coding, firewalls, worms etc. All so nothing like what we did could ever happen." She answered.

"There must be a way to break it, or at least decrypt more of what you sent to me. Can you, do it?" Terry asked.

"Yes, but it's going to take some time. Even with this very old supercomputer it'll take some time for me to break into their system again." She said.

"I'll help you." Barbara chimed in.


Max looked at her and nodded her head in return, acknowledging that the two would work together to crack the Court of Owls code. Dick turned towards Yinn who had silently returned from checking on Damian. He stood beside Terry, and there was a far-away look in his eyes and it was a look that was not missed by him.

"Yinn." Dick called out catching the faithful butler's attention.

"Yes, Master Grayson." He replied.

"First, how is Damian?" he asked.

Yinn shook his head.

"Master Wayne's fever is on the rise; we need to find him a cure or stronger dose of the anti-toxin we've been giving him." He said.

"Another problem we'll have to deal with." Terry chimed.

"Noted, and what did you find out about our prisoner?" Dick asked.


Yinn cleared his throat and linked his hands behind his back, ready to share his very troubled findings.

"What I managed to get out of our guest was that the majority of the Court of Owls forces, the Talons as they call themselves are drones of sorts." He said.

"Drones!" Terry exclaimed.

"Yes, or something of that nature. They are not really alive, but they are not dead either. In something of a suspended re-animation state." Yinn continued.

"How is something like that even possible?" Brian asked.

"Anything is possible." Dick and Barbara said at the same time.

The two old veterans glanced at each other before going back to the group in front of them. It seem highly implausible at what Yinn was telling them but after their storied history and both of them literal see people rising from the dead, they were inclined to believe just about anything at this point.


Dick rubbed his chin a bit as he thought back to the call he received from Damian. He walked over to the bat-computer, and he typed in a few key strokes until the name Alton Carver appeared on the screen, as well as an old obituary in the Bludhaven newspaper.

"Who is that?" Max asked.

"Alton Carver. An old friend of mine that died years ago. Damian called me about it before all of this started. Carver died in a very suspicious way, and I was going to investigate but I had other duties." Dick replied.

"Like what?" Terry asked.

"Being Batman." He answered, "Damian then told me about these Court of Owls possible resurrecting him or something like that, which is why we're here."

Barbara let out a long sigh.

"So, we have the Riddler, the Court of Owls council, a billions dollars in stolen credits and resurrected dead people." She said.

"And lets not forget Lincoln March. He's the linchpin in all of this, he's the leader of these talons and I have a feeling that for him this is more than just wanting to take Neo-Gotham. The attack on the Mansion, on Damian specifically, this feels personal and when I was fighting him he kept going on about legacy. He also kept claiming to be Damian's brother."

"What!?" Barbara and Dick exclaimed at the same time again.


Elsewhere-

Damian Wayne shivered as sweat poured from his head, the rag that Yinn had placed had long ago fallen off. He twitched and then tossed and turned.

"Never…good enough." He muttered.


Between: Life and Death

Damian dressed in his grandfather's robes and armor and wielding his sword viciously attacked his father, the Batman. The Dark Knight defended himself with his batarangs trying his best to stay one step ahead of his angered son.

"I was never good enough!" he shouted.

Batman did not say anything. Damian dropped low and swiped at his legs and when he jumped in the air and over him, he quickly turned with a horizontal strike. The blade cut through the armor and spilled some of the Dark Knight's blood and it froze on the ground. Batman looked at the cut and narrowed his eyes.

"That's one cut Father!" Damian spat, "All that leaves is a thousand more, to represent how you have cut me over the years! I know you always believed that I was never good enough!"

Batman once again did not respond; he only closed his cape around his body before suddenly throwing it apart and throwing some smoke pellets to the ground. The smoke and the cold put out the flames around Damian and plunging him into darkness, the only light coming from his sword and his wounded grandfather Ra's al Ghul.

"Do not fall for his tricks my grandson! He merely adopted the dark he was not born from it like you and I. Be strong and not…."

Damian turned towards his grandfather just in time to see something reach through the smoke and grab him. The flames of his grandfather went out.

"Where are you father? Show yourself!" Damian shouted.

He held out his sword, looking at the reflection in the long end of the blade for any sign of his father behind him.

"I'm here." Came a whisper that seemed to echo.


Damian narrowed his eyes while slowly began to step forward until a soft whirring caught his attention. He swiftly turned around and cut the batarang that was coming for him in half. He then turned and sliced two more in half.

"Show yourself!" he demanded

The smoke around him started to swirl until a mirror emerged from the ground behind him. Damian turned to face the mirror and that's where he saw his father, standing there in the reflection in the same ready pose he was standing in.

"I am right here in front of you." He said, "I am all around you."

Mirrors appeared to the left and right of him as well as behind him until he was surrounded by mirrors of his father who was standing like him. Damian relaxed his pose, and his father did the same thing.

"I am inside you, my son." He said.

Damian growled and threw a throwing star at the mirror in front of him shattering it, however another appeared.

"Do not fall for Ra's mind games. You know that I have always loved and cared about you." He said.

Damian spun around in a circle with his sword destroying all the mirrors around him except the one in front of him.

"LIES!" came a roar from the darkness.

Ra's al Ghul came flying over Damian with a flaming sword that sliced the mirror in half, burning it to ashes. He turned his crazed eyes to his grandson and pointed at him.

"He says he loves you but does he really? Did he love more than him." Said Ra's


The mirror to his right changed into that of Jason Todd. Damian furrowed his brow because of the history that his father and Jason shared. How Jason was still a sore spot for him even in death, he knew that Bruce loved Jason dearly and his second death hit him even harder than the first because just like before he was not there to stop it.

"That's right, the Todd boy. Did your so call father love you more than him or how about him, his first son."

The mirror to Damian's left changed into that of Dick Grayson, his tough demeanor dropped as he stared at his older brother of sorts. He loved him dearly, but he could not deny that in the back of his mind there was a voice that told him that his father loved Dick Grayson the most. Out of all the protégé's and wards it was always Dick that remained number one in his father's heart.

Ra's chuckled as started for his grandson.

"You've been chasing after a love that is not there my grandson. And even if it was look at what happens to those that wear his sigil, those who adhere to his naïve rules who chase after his love." He said.

Dick's mirror image showed him how he was now, old, and bitter, Jason Todd's head fell from his shoulders and rolled out of the mirror and to his feet.

"HEHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHA!" came a loud and disturbing laugh.


Damian went stiff as the cold breeze intensified and the disturbing laugh grew louder. He slowly turned to the mirror that was behind him and in the reflection for a brief moment was Tim Drake, dressed as robin but soon the outfit shifted into a purple and black outfit, with Tim's face turning pale white, his lips turned ruby red, and his hair turned green.

"Damian." Tim whispered.

He tried to turn away, but his grandfather grabbed him by the head and forced him stare straight. Tim lifted his head revealing his new joker look and he let out a loud maniacal cackle.

"And if you need any more proof that he never truly loved you like a father should what about his new bastard."


Another mirror appeared in front of him, and this time it was Lincoln March dressed in his Talon gear.

"He kept trying well after you for the perfect son. Look and see, this is what happens to those who love and follow The Detective, the Batman. They become what he fears the most. Do not follow in his footsteps my grandson. You are still young and virile enough to continue what I tried to do. And that is to ensure that there is a world where creatures of night like the Batman or demon clowns from the pits of hell no longer exists. You can finish what I started. You can Avenge me and make my death worth something. You can…."

"NOOO!" Batman roared as he bursts through the mirror of Lincoln March.

Batman sailed through the air and tackled Ra's to the ground grabbing him the front of his garbs and shaking him.

"And what about you Ra's! You criticize my way but what has your way brought, nothing but mistrust, corruption, and death!" Batman roared.


Several mirrors emerged giving Damian a clear view of the many deaths of his grandfather over the years. And how his mother had been sacrificed a few times, and the countless deaths of the followers within the League of Shadows.

"Everyone is expendable to him Damian. He does not love you, you're nothing more than a tool for his sick and twisted cause!"

"TWISTED CAUSE DETECTIVE! I AM NOT THE ONE PRETENDING THAT THE HUMAN RACE BENEFITS FROM THE CULLING OF THE WEAK, SO ONLY THOSE THAT ARE STRONG CAN SURVIVE. WEAKNESS BREEDS EVIL!" Ra's shouted.

"YOU ARE EVIL RA'S!" Batman screamed

Damian was then bombarded by a cacophony of voices that were a mixture of his Father's and Grandfather's both telling him to join them. He put his hand to his ears, and he fell to his knees.

"SHUT UP!"


Damian shivered as more sweat poured of his head from the poison that coursed through his veins.

"Shut up…. shut up…" he whispered.


Down Below-Batcave

"Let's put a pin this long-lost brother conversation and stick to what's at hand. How do we defeat the Court of Owls for good?" Terry asked.

"We have to get them to come to us out in the open and while their forces are out in the open maybe we can find them." Said Barbara.

"Well, that's easy, let's steal more of their money." Said Brian.

"Somehow I doubt they'll let that happen again." Max replied.

Terry grunted as he sat down in the chair that was in front of the computer. He linked his hands together and he stared ahead at the screen. Dick saw the motion and for a brief second, he was reminded of Bruce, because his old mentor and partner used to do the same thing before he would come up with a very convoluted but surprisingly effective plan. He smirked.


Even as the others debated about what to do next Terry continued to stare at the screen, eyes focused, mind focused. After a long minute Terry swiveled towards the others.

"Everyone quiet." He said firmly and with authority.

'Hmm. I know that tone.' Dick thought to himself.

Terry heaved a heavy sigh before he began to speak to the gathered crew.

"I have an idea that just might bring all of the Court of Owls out of the woodwork and not only that but end this entire siege, but it order to do it we're going to need everyone." He said.

"We're all here kid." Said Barbara.

"No, that is not what I meant. When I say everyone, I mean all of Neo-Gotham, the cops, the gangs, and the National Guard. All of us. It is the only way we can win this, because these Owl bastards want us to bow to them and we have to show them that we will not bow, we will rise and when we do, we will rise under one banner, under one symbol." He said.

"And what symbol is that?" Dick asked, however already knowing the answer.

"Something that the Owls will fear." He said, just as the bats above came to life and screeched when they flew down below and swarmed above the gathered heroes.

And through all of the bats Dick for a brief second saw Bruce standing just a few feet away from Terry, but it was as he remembered him, tall, proud, and dressed as Batman.


End Chapter: Hey what's good people, this is Nomad88 back again with the closing comments. Yes, I am still alive, yes this story is still going on. Yes, I'm still writing when I can. Life is Life, I guess and I have just been super busy dealing with things but do trust I will finish whatever story I start. Next chapter is the last chapter in the Court of Owls saga. And will be action packed with twists and turns.

I do hope everyone is enjoying the story, in spite of the sporadic nature of my updates. Again I do apologize for that. Please leave a review or hit me up with a PM and I'll get back to you as quickly as I can. Until later Bat Nation. This is Nomad88 saying later….

Next Chapter: The Court of Owls part Eleven


Summary: It has all come down to this, Batman, and his allies (Expected and Unexpected) vs The Court of Owls, for the heart of Neo-Gotham City. Be there.