Chapter Seven

Nightwing, Dick Grayson, and Batman, Bruce Wayne met on a rooftop. "Commissioner Gordon reported of the Freeze-mobile cruising the streets," said Batman. "Prepare your motorcycle, Dick. We're going to catch him.

The two dark knights hopped onto their motorcycles, going in search of their chilly foe.

"So how have things been in Bludhaven, Nightwing?"

The younger crimefighter looked at Batman, who was still keeping his eyes on the road ahead. "Fine, I guess. I put Blockbuster back in jail. Things are starting to get quieter over there."

"That's very good considering what Bludhaven's been like."

The two motorcycles passed under an icy arch. The two were horrified to see tons of people, animals, and vehicles encased in ice. "Batman, watch out!" shouted Nightwing. The caped crusader sped out of the way of a falling icicle.

"That was a close one."

"I'm used to close ones, Nightwing." Batman looked around at the frozen blocks. Some of the still faces of the victims were filled with horror. Others seemed caught off guard. "I don't like it. Mr. Freeze is pulling out all the stops on this rampage. He's been planning to do this for a long time."

"You mean..."

"Yes, he's going to cover Gotham and the surrounding area with winter weather. It seems that the cold mist and winds are coming from many places around the city, probably some hidden machines."

The two motorcycles rounded a corner and then slowed down. The Freeze-mobile, Mr. Freeze's new battle tank, was firing icy beams at every unfrozen thing in sight. Four goons spotted the dark avengers and charged, firing their cryo-blasters. Nightwing continued driving towards the Freeze-mobile while Batman jumped off his bike, which was suddenly covered in icicles thanks to the criminals' weapons.

The caped crusader karate-kicked one of the goons into a wall, and then did a judo flip on a larger one. One of the cronies whacked him hard in the chest, but the kevlar stopped it from harming the man. Batman grabbed both of the remaining criminals and knocked their heads together, getting them unconscious. He now threw his grappling hook at an overhanging lamppost and swung onto the Freeze-mobile.

The Freeze-mobile was a large, white-and-blue tank that was more round than square. It had a turret that fired cold-blasts and it was driven Mr. Freeze, who had two of his henchmen with him.

"Knock off that infernal Batman!"

"Okay, sir."

Batman put his hands on the Freeze-mobile and kicked to his sides, hitting the two goons and letting them fall off into the growing ice and snow. He smashed through a hatchway and grabbed Mr. Freeze from behind. "It's time to end this madness, Freeze! Are you listening?"

"All too well," answered Mr. Freeze, who spun around and punched the caped crusader in the jaw. Nightwing fired two mini-missiles from his motorcycle and watched as they hit the criminal tank. The whole thing shook and started to sputter. Unfortunately, steam started filling the main control room, blinding Batman and letting the villain escape through a back entrance... in his ice-cycle.

Nightwing started giving chase, but was knocked off by one of the goons, who had recovered. Batman jumped onto the bike as Robin punched out his assailant. Batman sped after Mr. Freeze, chasing him through the streets. Mr. Freeze fired his blaster at the street, trying to make it slippery for his pursuer. But Batman was an expert bike-rider and he easily dodged the icy parts of the street.

The dark knight pushed down a switch and watched a sticky fluid fired out at Mr. Freeze. The chilly super-villain managed to evade the capture fluid and aimed his blaster at Batman. The dark avenger had prepared a lasso made out of bat-rope and got Freeze's wrist, squeezing it so that the gun clattered onto the street.

Pulling in his lasso, Batman managed to get alongside his enemy, punching him. Mr. Freeze fired a cold-blast, but missed his target, though still hitting the defender of Gotham in the stomach. Then he fired another cold-blast, but this time he targeted the rope instead. The fibers of the bat-rope, were mostly blown away in a certain section. Mr. Freeze turned on the speed and swerved to the left, snapping the rope in two.

The motorcycle spun a little, but its driver regained control, only to have icicles from the ice-cycle hitting its wheels. Batman jumped off his now-useless bike and landed on Mr. Freeze's. He gasped as the cryogenics criminal drove into a stunt-car alley. The ice-cycle speeded up and went off a ramp, forcing Batman to hold on by one hand. Mr. Freeze kicked the hand two times, getting it off, and escaped into the darkness while the dark knight landed hard on his stomach.

That really hurt.

Batman had failed. Mr. Freeze was still out there, and he and his machines were growing icicles and snow right in his hometown of Gotham. What was worst, it was succeeding in what was supposed to be the warmest summer.