+5 seconds later+
"How the hell did you get in here!", the younger of the two human warriors yelled first, thinking out loud as he began charging for the base of the stairs in his effort to run up and challenge the intruder.
"Nightwing! No!", Batman restrained his companion by using his right arm, a task that was made more difficult since he had locked his left arm around Harley's waistline and quickly pulled the doctor behind himself.
Trusting his comrade's point of view over his own instinct, the shorter crimefighter stopped his forward rush, especially as he spotted that the trespasser had withdrawn a roughly 10-inch wide, circular-shaped blade and held it via a right grip. In response, Batman withdrew two batarangs in his own turn, holding one in each hand, and ready to use the first to intercept the circular blade if it was thrown, and the second to toss against the creature if the antagonist tried to attack. Fortunately, the startled doctor did as she was instructed in the past and stayed carefully out of harm's way, all the more to allow him to concentrate on his opponent without having to worry about her safety.
Except that the creature wasn't attacking. In fact, he wasn't even coming downstairs from the elevated position, opting to remain at the top of the staircase as his face slowly rotated from one side of his shoulders to the other, still examining the area there, and always producing the same, cricket-like noise. The silent stand-off lasted several more moments, the four individuals staring back and forth at each other, until it was interrupted when another voice cried out in the distance, calling for Batman as the man who screamed it came running towards the heart of the Batcave.
In response to Alfred's intrusion at the scenery, the tall creature sharply turned his face in the direction that the butler was running from, the hissing clicks that he produced getting louder as he analyzed the new possible threat.
"Alfred, stop! Don't go near him!", the caped crusader instructed next, prompting the elderly man to stop in his tracks as the servant then panted.
More of the uncomfortable silence, before Batman addressed the intruder for the first time as he carefully stepped in its direction, not sure what to expect as a result.
"Can you understand me?", the masked human stated, still gripping both his batarangs and readying to use them at the first hint of aggression, "What is it you want?".
More hisses and clicks followed, until even those usual noises eventually stopped.
"Yesss", the two-legged beast finally uttered, "I wissshhh to tttalkkk, to you".
"I'll be damned", Nightwing whispered only to himself, Batman and Harley, also approaching their opponent, "So sasquatch can speak English. What's next?".
"How did he get in here without activating a dozen sensors before he reached the mansion clock?", Harley added as her eyes darted from the intruder, back to the humans around her, and back to the larger creature again. "Hang on! I don't think I like how he can just barge in here like that! THAT'S RUDE! How did he do that!".
"By using invisibility", Batman commented to no one in particular as he approached the bottom of the staircase further, "These beings can bend light and camouflage themselves in any environment. They used it when the Batwing opened fire".
"And we're supposed to trust you that all you wanna do is talk?", Nightwing barked back, angrily pointing his right index finger towards the adversary.
"If he wished to attack, he would've done so already", Batman stated out loud, creeping closer to the strange humanoid, "And if he broke in here and didn't set off the alarms, he could've also waited to ambush us upstairs".
"Yeah, good point", his younger comrade agreed, none of the humans taking their eyes off the visitor, "But hell of a diplomatic skill he possesses, Bats".
"If you wish to talk, then you're invited in, but unarmed", the leader in the Batcave indicated towards the interloper by raising his voice.
"And we'll discuss the damage you caused and financial reparations later", Nigthwing whispered under his breath, still eagerly paying attention.
"So if you're here to talk, then prove it!", Batman continued in the same tone.
Several more seconds of silence from the people in the mansion and clicks from their visitor.
Then, the twin blades that the creature had attached to his left wrist were withdrawn back towards the back of his forearm. And the giant then slowly holstered the circular blade within a compartment that wasn't noticeable to the humans there.
In response to the act, Batman's body relaxed a trifle as he carefully placed his batarangs away, though Nightwing maintained his defensive position, while Harley and Alfred were a tiny bit less anxious than before.
"Are you alone?", the caped crusader demanded next.
"Yesss", the creature hissed.
"Come on in, then, big man?", Nightwing added to the conversation as he indicated for the guest to approach.
The giant humanoid slowly, but purposefully, climbed down the descending steps, still clicking to himself as he looked at all four persons there.
"This should be a riot", the youngest male there commented to himself with a grin, finally relaxing from his ready stance, and wondering how much of a conversationalist his former instructor could be when talking to a creature who was clearly one of few words.
At least there were others here who could contribute to the discussion.
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+3 minutes later+
The Batcave had Nightwing and Alfred absent from the scene, with the older man having been sent to inspect the mansion above the cavern so as to assess the damage that the visitor had inflicted upon in. And the younger crime-fighter had accompanied the butler so as to provide protection, in case more of the giant's brethren happened to be waiting in one of the manor's many rooms, despite the interloper's previous insistence that he was alone.
That left the strange creature as he was standing on the floor, several yards away from the main computer. The being with the metal mask remained still as constant tension seemed to pulsate through his gigantic body, which led him to regularly clench and unclench his fists while his face only moved from one side of his shoulder to the other. With Batman steadily walking a large circle around where the giant stayed nearly motionless on his feet, the foreign being kept his eyes on the caped crusader while the human was moving clockwise in front of him. Never remaining still, Batman then continued walking past the visitor's right, then behind the leviathan's back, until he came back around the creature's left. That prompted the interloper to turn his head towards his own left so as to keep his eyes on the interrogator.
Clearly, the unexpected visitor had his attention set on the human who had exchanged blows with him earlier tonight. He ignored the blonde-haired female in the red, professional dress who was casually seated on the large computer workstation nearby, her bare feet dangling a few inches above the cave ground as she had taken her shoes off for the sake of comfort. Clearly, Harley was feeling much better, even in the presence of the clicking creature who was in the same area as her, since she was more relaxed in the monster's company while Batman was around, as opposed to being a nervous wreck when she was alone and had no confirmation of her partner's safety.
"Let's start with names", the masked human began speaking first as he finally came to a halt several feet in front of the hulking individual he was addressing, "I'm called Batman. I would've thought you'd know that, if you're living in this city. But something tells me you don't, because you're not from around here. Am I correct?".
"Mmmy city is apppppproximmmatttellly three lllightttyearrrs away fffrom yours", the colossus countered in his usually thick, deliberately slow speech, turning his head so his chin pointed towards his right shoulder as he talked.
"Oh, Jesus…", Harley sighed nearby, placing her head down so her eyes were covered by her right palm.
As if this city, and this planet, didn't have enough troublemakers being born here, she wanted to say out loud, but she wisely kept that last thought to herself.
At any other time and place, she would've considered a being who claimed to be an alien from outer space to be one who seriously needed her specific brand of counselling. But this person's appearance, as well as his ability to locate the Wayne mansion, his finding the secret passageway to the caves, and his ability to blow a hole through that entrance, had convinced the young woman to not deny the truth behind anything that he said. And from what she could tell, Batman was believing the intruder's statement also.
"You got a name?", the older man asked next, arching his neck so as to maintain eye contact with the being who was at least eight inches taller.
More quick clicks followed from the larger person before that noise stopped and he inhaled air, most likely through rents in his mask that the humans couldn't see.
"Nnnot in yourrr language", interviewee finally uttered, straightening his head back to its normal position.
"I say we give him one, sweetie", Harley spoke up from the side, smiling to herself as she addressed them both from her seated position, "How 'bout Blast? As in the one who blasted his way in here?".
Batman quickly twisted his head partly in her direction, locking some of his gaze upon her eyes, though she was sure the masked man always kept some attention on the visitor at the same time, before returning his gaze towards the taller creature. The message to the young woman was clear, so she nodded while still grinning to herself, and silently made the gesture of her right thumb and index finger closing an imaginary lock in front of her lips, indicating she'd be quiet.
"We arrre Yaujta, baccckkk home", the behemoth continued, "You hhhumans dubbed usss as Predators".
"In that case, your name's Pred, for short", a new voice joined the conversation.
The two humans turned their attention in the speaker's direction, though the extra-terrestrial did not, before they noticed it was Nightwing who made the comment while the young man was descending the staircase that led from the mansion. Having left Alfred behind, there was an ease to his body language that indicated there was nothing to worry about within the gigantic house upstairs.
Regardless, Batman kept his gaze locked with his former protégé's eyes, nonverbally asking him the status of more creatures in Wayne Manor, to which Nightwing shook his head, indicating the mansion was empty and the visitor had truly come alone as he claimed. Batman then raised his eyebrows slightly as the younger man approached the caped crusader, now nonverbally asking how much damage was done to Bruce Wayne's home, to which Nightwing did not respond, instead continuing towards where Batman stood. But once he reached his mentor's spot, he grinned and patted Batman on the shoulder.
"I'm glad you're rich", was all the junior crimefighter stated before turning his concentration back on the interloper.
The giant only clicked to himself further while staring down at the human who was even shorter than him than Batman had been, making the disparity in size more noticeable.
"Or maybe Pred's a bit too lame", the thoroughly relaxed man continued, still arching his neck to meet the alien's metal mask, "How about Red instead? Granted you don't have any of that color on you, but still. I think it suits you. By the way, I'm Nightwing, and I'm guessing you already met Bats".
He casually pointed towards the older man as he finished speaking.
"Or Batman, as most people who scream his name in terror know him as", Nightwing turned towards his teacher, "But really, Bats, considering how much space we have in this Cave, one would think that getting some foldable chairs shouldn't be out of the question".
The last comment only drew a sigh from the owner of the mansion, causing Wayne to think to himself that his former second-in-command just wasn't taking the situation seriously enough. But that couldn't be helped at the moment, not when he still had many other questions to ask the mysterious guest, and hoped that all his inquiries would be answered.
"If humans had given you a name, then your kind interacted with us before?", Batman continued, noticing that the Predator didn't seem pressured in the slightest bit due to having two interrogators before him now.
"Mmmine is a race of hunttter-warriors", the giant explained between the snapping sound his mouth made naturally, "Prevvvious hunttter-warriors had been to Earttth, from several centurrries ago, untilll relatively recennntly. Theyyy stopppppped visiting Earttth to hunnnt humans, as except forrr a fffew sporadic cassses of bravery, hummmans werrre seen as weak, cowwwardly and brrrutish".
"You gotta admit, he's got us pegged there", Nightwing commented to himself as a new grin appeared on his face, this time prompting all three other individuals to turn their face in his direction.
"What?", the less experienced fighter countered, noticing the looks, "Have you seen people's behaviour at football games?".
"Please continue, Red", Harley addressed the otherworldly guest from her seated position on the CPU, "I mean, assuming that name is OK with you, big boy".
The steady clicks from the leviathan at least confirmed that he wasn't offended at the term.
"It is why Yaujtas were allowwwed to hunt all hummmans who could fennnd for themssselves in the honnnorable Hunt, so as to immmprove their skillsss as warriorrrs. But due to the innnefficient challennnge that hummmans posed to ourrr goal of becccoming the bessst hunttter-warriors, we started hunttting elsssewhere in the galllaxy", he went on, "It wasss solllely by chance that durrring a normal hunnnting expedition, we cammme across crrreatures who werrre our equal in strength. Upon invessstigation, we found that the egg-hatchers incapppacitate a host by gripping its face, and plllace an embryo withinnn it. The Alien ssspawn exits out of the hossst soon afterwardsss, killing the hossst in the process. These xenomorrrphs grow innn size and strennngth within a short time, and they are ourrr ultimate quarry now as they arrre extremely viciousss, are masssters of concealment even without technolllogy and are ourrr equal in strength, in addition to having acid blllood, which only makes them morrre difficulllt to destroy. The creaturrre that I incapacccitated after it attacked you wasss such a spawwwn".
He looked directly at Batman as he finished speaking, though the human didn't need any help in remembering the Alien who had leapt upon him earlier tonight.
"Good thing I threw that carcass off me when I did, then", the human commented more to himself than to others, curious as the giant began undoing two straps that connected the metal mask to his face.
Batman remembered pushing the Alien's remains off him quite clearly. He had done so in order to investigate the source of the projectile that had killed the Xenomorph, but now felt very glad he did, as it was his reflex which most likely saved him from being drenched in the animal's dangerous blood.
"Our race hunnnt for the glorrry of being the bessst warriors in the univerrrse", Red continued explaining to all three members of his eager audience, as he removed the mask, causing a gasp from Harley, a silent wince from Nightwing, and no reaction from Batman, as the three humans saw the face underneath the metal protection, "There is only honorrr in being the bessst. So we breed egg-hatcherrrs until they arrre mature and then plllace them within inhabittted planets so the crrreatures will give lllife to Xenomorphs based on the difffffferent specimen that livvve on the planet surrrface. Plus, it is prrreferable to hunt Xenomorphs in an urrrban environment rather than the Xenomorph's own hommmeworld. Hunting in a wasssteland is quite borrring".
"Sweetie, no offense, but I liked you better when you had your mask on", the young woman commented from her position on top of the CPU.
"That's convenient", Nightwing countered as he ignored the doctor's comment, keeping his attention on the hunter as he had his arms crossed in front of his chest, a serious demeanor back on his face as the gravity of what he was told sunk into his mind, "So you basically butcher innocent lifeforms for your stupid sport. You make a game out of murdering other races. I mean, call me up if I'm off here".
"Not innocennnt lifeforms. Onnnes that are less honorrrable than us", the Predator quickly countered, as if his answer should be enough to alleviate the young man's accusation.
"Is that why you don't release these egg-hatchers, face-huggers, whatever the hell you call'em, in your own homeworld?", Nightwing shot back, "Because your rock's too precious to be ripped apart by rampaging xeno… whatevers, Aliens?".
"Exxxactly", Red pointed his left index finger towards the shorter of the two male humans, believing that the interrogator was seeing things from the visitor's point of view.
"I think we're being distracted off the subject at hand here, Nightwing", Batman addressed his former sidekick, simply because he wished to have more information given to them by the Predator, reasoning there'd be plenty of time for righteous indignation once the threat was dealt with.
Turning his attention back towards the interloper, the caped crusader followed through.
"Does you information have the ramifications that I think it does?", he questioned.
"In order to do combattt against Xenomorphs who werrre based on hummmans, egg-hatchers were brrrought to thisss city and releasssed, yesss", the taller creature confirmed, prompting a frustrated maon from all three people there.
"These face-huggers. Do you know the exact number that we are going to have to deal with?", Batman's tone of voice rose as he asked next, the crimefighter holding his breath since he dreaded to hear the answer.
"A hunnndred", Red quickly informed.
Batman only exhaled through his nose as Nightwing sighed loudly and partly spread his arms away from his torso while turning away from the extra-terrestrial in frustration. This was even as Harley's eyes and mouth widened in shock while the young woman covered her lower face with both palms.
"Are we going back out?", Nightwing spoke up first, addressing his former teacher now, "Your wheels are ready".
"Yeah", Batman grimly answered, "Bring all the weapons you can carry".
"Are we gonna tell the Police first?", the younger man asked next, neither crimefighter noticing that Harley quietly jumped off the computer mainframe that she had been sitting on before she swiftly darted away.
"Therrre's more", the Predator answered first, cutting off whatever Batman was about to reply with.
"The reassson Yaujta culture excluddded the use of Xenomorphs onnn the homeworld while allowing themmm here on Earth is becaussse humans are seen as annnd believed to be totally devvvoid of honor, aggressivvve and the Yaujtas' eternnnal ennnemies", Red repeated himself, suddenly testing the two humans' patience since they were now more fervent to head out of the Batcave, "We arrre taught that you humans are onllly good for prey and Xenomorph livessstock during the Hunt. That is why I am connnfused".
"About what?", Batman curtly asked.
"About why you ssspared my life after defeattting me", Red continued, suddenly causing both men to stop in their rush to go for the Batmobile, "What you dddid contradicts everythinnng I was taught and belllieved about yourrr species. I had to finnnd out why. It's the rrreason I left my brethrrren behind and ran afffter the flying machinnne that lifted you into the sky".
"It's what we do, bigfoot!", Nightwing angrily responded in Batman's place, "Maybe it's because the bullshit you were taught is exactly that – bullshit. You can't shove six billion people into one phrase! And that's exactly what you did, killing a bunch of people you know nothing about, who never did anything to you, all in the name of 'honor' this or 'honor' that. Where's the honor in picking fights with strangers just for the hell of it? What the hell's the point of any of your strength if it's not to protect those who are weaker than you? Does that concept even make sense to you? The point isn't to be some greatass hunter, dude. It's to do the right thing in a world that only rewards you for doing what's wrong. But braindeads like you just don't get any of what I'm…".
"Nightwing! Not now!", Batman interrupted, pointing his right palm towards the younger man so as to silence him, which he did, before turning his attention back towards the Predator, "Your fellow hunters, your brethren. Are you aware of their location?".
"Afffirmative", Red nodded his head once while in the process of replacing the metal mask back in front of his face.
"I want you to take us both there", the caped crusader pointed towards himself and his fellow crimefighter, "We need to request a rendez-vous with them to have a discussion about this disarray they caused and their assistance in setting things right".
"I will speakkk to my superiorrrs in the mothership and requessst just that", the visitor added.
"That would be appreciated", Batman replied as he patted Nightwing on the arm and indicated the direction where their vehicle was waiting, "Three of us should fit in the Batmobile. Inform Alfred".
"On it", Nightwing replied as he withdrew a small cellphone, dialed two buttons and quickly spoke into it, keeping his voice down.
"Make that four of us, sweetie", a new, female voice cut in, bringing the three beings to turn their heads in its direction.
The two humans and their visitor from outer space saw Harley Quinn as the young woman had changed from her red business suit to the tight black and red costume she used to wear when Batman pursued her during her days as the Joker's accomplice. The only difference in Harley's outfit was that she had hadn't bothered to don the uniform's headgear of the white mask with attached hair tassels. Instead, the Arkham doctor left her face and head unchanged, keeping her two regular ponytails that protruded away from each other at the top and back of her head.
"Forget it", were the only words out of Batman's mouth as he made a horizontal chopping gesture with his left forearm, indicating his decision wasn't to be argued with.
"You haven't seen some monster kill Mr J, have you?", Harley wished he wouldn't argue so much about this, even though she knew he would do so when she made her decision to dress in more comfortable, though distinctive, clothes, "Or else, you would've mentioned it. I'm facing him if he's still alive, Brucey. And if he's not, then I want to see it with my own two eyes".
"Harley! Not now!", her consort's voice deepened at the usual aggravation that occurred when the crusader didn't get his way, his stern facial expression not softening even when the smaller woman walked up to him so she was standing within an arm's range and locked eyes with the older man.
"How much time are you planning to waste by arguing, sweetie?", the blonde continued, almost playfully placing her hands within pockets that were available near her waistline, "Unless, of course, you two boys plan to knock me out before running off?".
"Bats, we don't have time for this!", Nightwing commented from his own position, lightly gripping the caped crusader's shoulder with one hand, and was answered with only a low growl from his leader, so the shorter man promptly let him go while putting the cellphone away.
"You stay behind one of us at all times", Batman finally instructed the doctor from Arkham, who flashed a wide smile at his comment, though the crimefighter wished he truly did have the time to verbally argue with her, or the impudence to render her unconscious.
With the four individuals having started their march towards the open Batmobile, it was Nightwing who thought of a new idea.
"Are we notifying the cops about this, Bats?", the younger man asked, throwing a glance in his partner's direction.
"Not now", the older man answered swiftly because he had already made up his mind about the issue earlier, "I'll go to the Gotham PD personally and speak to them after conversing with our visitor's friends. Anonymous phone calls to the department will achieve nothing at this point, except to send unprepared officers to examine creatures who will kill them in the process".
His former sidekick almost opened his mouth to protest, but then realized that while he didn't personally like the idea of keeping the city officials in the dark regarding this threat, he also didn't have a better idea. It really would've been more useful to get a clearer picture of the monsters they were dealing with, even before enlisting the other Predators' help in hunting for the Aliens. Besides, the delay should only cost them thirty minutes to an hour at most, or at least Nightwing hoped.
Reaching the parked Batmobile, the younger man was about to settle himself within the front passenger seat, as was customary through the many years he had served alongside his instructor. But a quick grip of his shoulder from Batman, followed by a subtle indication to the rear passenger seat behind Nightwing's usual front seat indicated to him that the caped crusader wished differently. Batman wanted the young man to allow the leviathan to occupy the front passenger seat, while Nightwing was placed behind the giant. Getting the hint, Nightwing did just that, coming to a temporary rest behind the front passenger seat while Harley jumped onto the area next to him. While that occurred, Batman placed himself behind the steering wheel, leaving the Predator to settle down in the only area available, that being the front passenger seat, directly in front of Nightwing's position.
So despite bringing the huge hunter along, Batman wasn't anywhere close to being able to trust the behemoth. That much was now obvious to his second-in-command.
"Seatbelts on", the caped crusader instructed to everyone as he revved the engine and the vehicle's roof closed over everyone's head, "And, Red, please show us the way".
The evening promised to be eventful, if nothing else.
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