Ok so this section is a little shorter. Been in the midst of moving, but I'm trying not to leave you guys hanging too much. Thanks again for all your comments and suggestions. I've had a few questions come up that I haven't directly answered and that's cause I'm gonna answer them in the story, so don't get to discouraged 'cause I wouldn't want to spoil the ending for you!

RMB

Outside New Gotham

12:35 am

Nightwing kicked in the door to the engine car and quickly dispatched of the two men at the controls. "Ok Oracle, let's see if your train operations for dummies course really stuck with me," he muttered to himself as he looked over the controls carefully. After familiarizing himself with everything he reached forward and pushed the brake controls up to their fully locked position.

The car jerked as the air was filled with the high pitched squeal of metal on metal as the train's momentum continued to carry the car forward. Nightwing raised his hand to activate his comm link to Goliath and Hudson. "Ok guys I've got the engine shut down. How are things on your end?"

There was a pause and then Goliath's deep voice rumbled over the link. "We had little trouble with the first two sections, but the last one is posing to be a bit of a problem. We may not be able to clear the last three cars by the time they reach your position."

"Copy that. I'll be ready to take care of it when it reaches me. You guys just focus on clearing those last two cars. How much space are between each of the sections?"

"Roughly half a mile, and they are starting to slow according to Oracle's estimates."

Nightwing started to smile fondly. "That's my girl," he said quietly as the smile quickly faded when he remembered he predicament. Shaking his head, Nightwing forced himself to focus on the task at hand. "Just remember we're on a tight schedule now. Once these cars run back into each other, we will only have fifteen minutes to secure all the prisoners and move the shipment, before we have to get this train back up and running again."

"Understood."

The line cut out, and Nightwing walked back to the door of the engine car and walked through the passenger car that was attached to it still. The screech of the frozen wheel on the tracks was dimming somewhat as the two cars finally began to slow substantially. A look out back showed the third car starting to bear down on him as its momentum carried the separated car closer to his section. Sighing, the costumed hero opened the door to crawl up on the roof where he would wait to surprise any more guards left on the approaching car.

New Gotham

The War Zone

12:35

Helena shoved a steel drum off her body and sat up with a groan. Silence met her ears, and she scrambled to her feet unsteadily thinking something had happened to her hearing. Amazingly, the stillness that filled the air was accompanied by an almost deserted feeling within the shipping yards. Bodies lay everywhere. Some dead, a few dying, everyone else was unconscious.

Helena quickly scanned the docks, and saw that Quinn's yacht was docked, with no one on board. Looking back towards the entrance area of the yards, Helena made out Elisa's figure, escorting a captive Quinn towards the police still frozen in place in the streets outside. With a sigh of relief, Helena slumped against a nearby wall. It was over. They had won...but at what price?

"Canary?" Helena croaked out over the comms, still trying to find the blonde amongst the mass of bodies. What had happened while she was out?

"Huntress?" Ice responded over the comm.

"Yeah I'm still here Ice. Where's Canary?"

"She's down about a hundred yards south of your position. Everyone on the ground in pretty much down and out for the count. The perimeter is coming in now to help collect our people and start restraining these goons. Elisa says the cops should be joining us soon."

"Ice what the hell happened?"

"Canary," Ice answered grimly.

"I'm gonna get Canary and then head back to base- damnit...Oracle," Helena swore as she remembered that Harley was attacking the Clock Tower. How much time had passed? Was Barbara still alive?

"One of my men said Batman slipped past the perimeter a while back and took off back towards base."

Helena fought a silent battle and with another look around her she sighed. Her father would take care of matters back at the Clock Tower. He had at least a fifteen minute lead, and there was nothing more she could really do. Besides she wasn't ready to face him yet, and Dinah needed her help.

Jim Gordon groaned as he slowly came too. It took him several minutes to be able to roll his head to the side. "Reese?" he called out hoarsely.

There was no answer, so he opened his eyes and squinted as he looked around the building they had been holed up in. There was no sign of the younger man, and Gordon swore silently, desperately hoping that was a good sign.

"Listen Detective we have procedures here that need to be followed. You need to come down to the station for a statement."

"Listen to me. In a little over an hour, one of the richest and most fanatical lunatics to stir up riots in Manhattan is expecting the shipment of weapons that is on that boat. My partner's team in Manhattan is assembling to take down the merc soldiers Quinn and Canmore have put together to receive the main shipment that was on that train. We didn't know there was a second shipment, or the fact that Canmore was going to be at a second site to receive his own personal stash. If we lose him, then we loose the man BEHIND all of this."

"Listen I understand-," the Captain began to argue.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ONE DAMN THING!!!" Elisa roared back at him, causing everyone within hearing distance to wince.

"Cops are being slaughtered in New York trying to put a stop to these things. I have watched six friends be buried in just under six months! Canmore has a vendetta to settle and until he does, he will continue to plague my city with his violence. I'm not about to let someone like him get away because I had to follow 'procedures'."

The Captain's face had gone bright red at her lecture, and the fact that she was not backing down in the face of a superior officer, even if he wasn't from her department. "I suggest you do as I recommend Detective," he warned in a threatening voice.

His Sergeant looked at him incredulously and Elisa gaped at him in disbelief for a couple moments before she started laughing. It wasn't a pleasant sound, and was tinged with just a hint of hysterics.

"After what I just went through in there you think you can intimidate me?" she asked derisively. You know after meeting Detective Reese I had expected a lot more of your department. You want my statement? Well here it is. With a few exceptions your police force is a joke. Your force is so corrupted that those of you who are legit had no clue that one of the largest and deadliest shipments of guns is right now on its way to Manhattan! Thank god there are people back in there who actually give a damn about this city and its inhabitants because without their help there would be NO New Gotham."

The Captain swallowed nervously as he backed off a step in the face of Elisa's fury. "Now I am getting on that boat and heading back to Manhattan with or without your cooperation. I took care of your garbage for you, now it's time I went back home and put an end to all of this."

With that, Elisa spun on her heel and began to march back towards the dock, leaving the police Captain sputtering in her wake. Dracon slipped up beside her as she reached the dock and she slid a sideways glance at him. He smirked at her, and she found herself unable to repress a smug look of her own.

"Nice digs," she commented taking in his newly acquired dry fatigues.

Dracon shrugged. "Figured he wouldn't be needing them since my guys were wrapping things up with your people."

The boat was already crewed by more of Dracon's men and Elisa noticed that the captain was being roughly awakened by one of the men. Dracon crouched down by the man, slapping his face lightly to bring him around. "Wake up," he growled.

The man came fully around and froze when he took in his precarious predicament. Dracon nodded to the men surrounding them. "Just so you know, Quinn's little party is over and he is being escorted to a nice jail cell even as well speak. Now, how about you tell us where you were headed?"

The man swallowed hard, but held his tongue. Elisa crouched next to him, and turned the man's head her way with a fingertip under his chin. "Let me explain something here. I may be a cop, but right now there are more important things at stake than this badge. I'm going to stop Canmore tonight one way or another. If you don't give us the info we need to know willingly, Mr. Dracon here will be happy to extract it from you."

The man's eyes widened in fear. "Y-You wouldn't do that!" he gasped.

Elisa shrugged, her expression flat. "Like I said I will stop him, and I will use any means necessary to do that."

The man just stared at them, frozen by fear and indecision. "Break a couple of fingers," Dracon ordered. Several men moved forward, a small hammer came into view, and the man began to squirm in panic.

"No! No wait! I'll take you there!" he cried out.

Elisa smiled grimly, and stood. Her face writhed in pain, and she nodded to Dracon to take over as she went to head below deck. Dracon flashed the man a predatory smile. "Now see that wasn't so difficult now was it? Continue to be a good boy, and you'll make there in one piece after all. Take good care of him boys. Let's get underway, we don't want to give our boys in blue out there a chance to decide they don't want us to leave."

With that, he too turned to head down into the depths of the luxurious yacht to inspect their cargo and find Elisa.

Clock Tower

New Gotham

12:45 am

Barbara had lost track of time. She knew it hadn't been that long in reality, but it felt like hours. She lifted her head, not even bothering to wipe the blood that was dripping from her broken nose and split lip. Harley was standing over her, grinning madly, an almost hedonistic look in her eye as she lashed out with her foot once again and connected solidly with Barbara's arm.

There was a sickening crack, and then excruciating pain. Barbara cried out finally, and Harley laughed as she danced about. "Now how about you tell me where my dear sweet Helena is before I break the other one."

"Go to hell," Barbara grated between clenched teeth.

"Been there, done that, it's your turn now Babsy," Harley said in a sing song voice. "Where's Helena?"

Isn't that what I'd like to know right now Barbara thought to herself. Her silence only provoked the blonde further, and Harley's firm grasp on her broken arm caused Barbara to scream in agony as she writhed helpless in the chair she was tied to.

"You realize this is exactly what I want right? To have you here at my mercy, fighting me with every ounce of your legendary strength and will. The great Barbara Gordon. Mr. J may not have broken you, but I will by the time this night is done."

"I...will never lose.....to some one...like you..." Barbara panted.

"Really? Well you don't seem to be winning right now. Although I'm a little disappointed that Helena hasn't come running home to you after the commotion I created a little while ago. I did try to make it as spectacular as possible."

Barbara's lips twisted up a tiny bit, and she turned her battered face up towards Harley to make sure the other woman saw the almost smug look. Quinn grew very still, her eyes narrowing a bit as she took in the expression. Hell she's gonna find out soon enough anyway.

"She's...a little...tied up...right now...."

"And what could be more important than saving you?"

"Giving....my regards....to your...b-baby brother."

"BITCH!" Harley screamed as she slammed her fist into Barbara's face, sending the redhead into oblivion. She spun to one of the two men Gordon hadn't taken out. "Contact my brother immediately and find out what's going on."

"Yes ma'am," he responded pulling out a cel and dialing immediately. There was no answer, and he redialed several other numbers, his expression growing more grim with each attempt. Finally, "There's no answer with anyone ma'am. Should we head down there?"

Quinn began to pace, agitated. "No. If there's no answer then we must assume they've either been killed or captured. The police are most likely to be there, since none are even here yet. Our best course of action will be to retreat for now, and find out what's happening before we make any more moves."

"Should we contact the buyer to let him know the shipment may be in jeopardy?"

Quinn nodded still thinking, but as the man began to dial, a batarang slammed into his skull, the phone dropping uselessly to the ground just before it's operator. The second man tried to duck for cover, but a dark shadow swooped down on him, and rendered him unconsciously as well.

Thinking it was Helena, Harley giggled expectantly as she danced behind Barbara and placed a knife to her throat. "I've been waiting for this moment all evening my dear," she purred to the shadowed figure.

The person that stood slowly and turned to face her was the last person she ever expected to see however. "You!" she hissed, her grip tightening on the knife. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Taking care of some unfinished business," the Dark Knight said coldly as he fixed Harley with that withering glare.

"Don't come any closer or I'll kill her," Harley threatened.

"You'll kill her no matter what. The question is, what will I do when I catch you?"

Harley laughed, confidently. "You? I know all about your 'no kill' policy Batsy. Drummed into their minds reaaaallll good," she taunted. "A little beating, a few months in Arkham and then I'll break free once more and wreak havoc in your world again."

The glare suddenly changed, and Harley shifted uneasily when she saw a hint of madness behind that look. "Kill her and you'll find out just how wrong you are."

"You wouldn't dare."

The knife was pressing against Barbara's throat hard enough to break the skin slightly. "Put the knife down Harley."

"I don't think so Batman."

His eyes shifted to a point just over her shoulder, and for a second she let her guard down as she shifted her gaze behind her. The next thing she knew, the knife was clattering across the room, at least two of her fingers broken from where a batarang had connected with her hand. Harley threw herself to one side, diving for a discarded gun as the Dark Knight advanced on her.

She raised the weapon and fired three times. All bullets connected with his chest, but he barely flinched. Damn body armor she thought as she tried to aim the gun higher. But his boot lashed out and the gun scattered off into a dark corner.

Completely disarmed, Harley began to crawl backwards away from the menacing shadow in front of her. "I warned all of you to stay away from my family."

"Guess I didn't get the memo," she joked weakly as she continued to back away. Her retreat only last a couple of seconds more before she found herself nearing the edge of what was once the balcony.

"Perhaps your death at my hands will remind the Underworld that I meant business," he answered flatly as he reached down and hauled her up.

"You don't have the guts to kill," Harley claimed fairly confidently for someone who was being held out over a ledge, with the street a couple hundred feet below.

Batman hesitated, and Harley laughed. Angrily he began to draw her back over the safety of the ledge. That's when he heard a noise from behind and turned. Quinn lashed out immediately, knocking Batman off balance, and made a dash towards the entrance.

Three shots rang out, and Quinn stumbled several steps before collapsing to her knees staring dumbly at the crimson spots rapidly staining the front of her jacket. She looked up as Detective Jesse Reese stepped from the shadows, barely standing himself, a smoking gun in his hand.

"He may not be able to kill you, but I can," Reese informed her as she stared at him in complete shock. He raised his gun slowly, anger and determination filling his eyes. "You will never hurt another person again Quinn, and you can die knowing that everything you planned for this night failed."

Quinn's eyes widened as Reese's finger tightened on the trigger one last time.

Castle Wyvern

Manhattan

12:45 am

Nearly everyone jumped when Matt's phone rang. He answered it immediately. "Bluestone."

"Hey Matt," Elisa said tiredly.

"Is it over?" he asked anxiously.

"For the most part. Have you heard from Goliath's team yet?"

"Nothing yet. Weren't you guys in communication?" Matt asked worriedly.

"Oracle was hit by a secondary team at the Clock Tower. Our comms will only work within a several mile radius, and she was our patch. When they took out the Tower, we lost contact with their team."

"Damn. How bad is it there?"

"It was a god damned war zone down here. The police just sat outside the whole time waiting for us to kill each other. There were heavy casualties on both sides, but I don't know the numbers yet. There was a second shipment of guns that were going to a separate location. Canmore was going to be receiving them personally. Dracon and I are on the boat they were being brought in by."

"Wait a sec, you mean Canmore isn't going to be at the yards to receive the shipment?"

"The Wild Cards are Quinn's troops. They may be contracted out to Canmore right now, but he knows they really aren't his. That's why he ordered an entirely separate shipment of guns to be sent to him directly for his own personal use."

"Where is the rendezvous?"

"Pier 21. Matt listen, Dracon and I have this covered. Continue with the plan, and don't worry about diverting anymore man power to us."

"But-"

"Matt trust me. You guys are going to need every ounce of man power and firepower you've got."

"I don't like this," Matt sighed.

"It has to be this way. Take care."

"You too."

He hung up his cell and looked at the room full of expectant eyes. "They did it. But Elisa isn't sure just yet of the casualties. There was a second shipment coming to Canmore personally to a different rendezvous point. She and Dracon are on there way there to take care of Canmore. They don't know yet if Goliath's team was successful though- they lost contact with his team when their base was hit."

There was sighs all around, and there was a mixture of relief and apprehension on everyone's face. Even Glasses seemed to be frowning a bit more. Matt looked at his watch. "Well we need to get out of here before the party starts here-"

A second ring broke off his next words and he answered it hopefully.

Outside New Gotham

12:45 am

Nightwing wiped the blood from his lip where one of the soldiers had gotten in a lucky shot, and then spat the rest out of his mouth. At least he was back inside where it was warm. The second section had caught up with the rest of the train, and Nightwing leapt across the expanse of the as the soldiers rushed into the front two cars below him. He dispatched of the two men left behind, and then surprised the remaining men by coming up from behind. That had been one thing to his advantage- a narrow train didn't make for a lot of cover for them.

It had still been an ugly fight though, and one soldier lay dead, carelessly shot by one of his own comrades. The three cars were creeping along the tracks now and they lurched slightly as the fourth and fifth cars caught up and locked back into place.

"How's it going guys?" Nightwing asked over the comms.

"The enemy has been secured and we're a couple hundred feet behind the train now."

"I'm releasing the brakes then," Nightwing responded. "How quickly can you get the cargo transferred into the last two cars?"

"We should be able to do it under ten minutes."

"How many people do we have to move?"

"About three dozen lad. But half o' them aren't exactly up for walking right now," Hudson chuckled.

"That's how I like 'em Hudson," Nightwing grinned. "I'll start getting the prisoners ready to transfer to the rear."

Two minutes later, the train lurched again as the next section re-attached and Nightwing began to escort the prisoners one at a time into the next section where they were secured with the others that Goliath and Hudson were guarding.

"Hudson can help you keep an eye on the prisoners while I start to transfer the cargo."

"You think you can handle moving those crates while this thing is still moving?" Nightwing asked impressed.

"I tested one of the crates and found that I can easily lift two at a time and still glide. Besides the train's movement will help give me ample lift."

"Knock yourself out then. We'll keep moving these guys back."

"How are we on our timeline?" Hudson asked.

Nightwing checked his watch and nodded in approval. "Right on schedule."

"Excellent."

"Everything's going smooth on our end I just hope it's going ok for the rest."

Goliath pulled a cell phone out of his belt pouch and gingerly pressed a key before holding the severely dwarfed device up to his ear. He scowled after a minute. "No answer from Elisa," he sighed.

"Yeah but there could be a lot of reasons for that right?" Nightwing said trying to reassure the gargoyle.

"Indeed. But I need to contact the castle to let them know of our success, and then I'll get started on the shipment."

"Let me know when you're ready for the charges to be set," Nightwing responded as he braced himself against the second to last section running gently into the rest of the creeping train.

Castle Wyvern

Manhattan

12:50 am

Matt Bluestone finally broke out into a relieved smile as he hung up his phone for the second time. "Goliath's team was successful. No casualties, and they are right on schedule with no expected delays."

"Are we sure leaving behind the prisoners they took is a good idea?" an officer asked suddenly. "TA is bound to send someone out as soon as they realize they have a couple of cars sitting on the tracks not moving. Worse yet what if they get loose?"

"Mr. Dracon has already seen to it that the prisoners will be transported from the abandoned train cars to the police station, after our own phase of the operation is underway," Glasses said from the corner of the room.

The officers in the room shifted uncomfortably, suspecting that the prisoners would arrive with a few more bruises than they had received in the fight against Goliath and his small team. But no one voiced their discomfort knowing it was necessary.

"Well then Detective I believe it is time for you and your comrades here to depart and let us prep for our uninvited guests."

"Are you sure you have this covered?" Brooklyn asked one last time

"Owen is handling this personally- if you catch my drift," Xanatos told him with his trademark confident smirk.

Brooklyn nodded, snorting. "Ahhh. Finally getting to stretch his legs huh?"

"I think this qualifies as a threat to my son don't you?"

"Hell yeah. Tell him to live it up while he can. I'm sure there will be more than a few of Canmore's former Quarrymen freaks in that bunch. Have him zap one of them for me."

"I'm sure he would be delighted to fulfill your request. Good luck."

"You too...and I want to see the video of everything when I get back," Brooklyn said with a wicked chuckle.