Disclaimer: Batman, his rogue's gallery, supporting cast, and all affiliating characters are owned by DC Comics which is a Time-Warner Company. For the purpose of improving my skills as a writer and for your and my entertainment I'm merely borrowing them for this mystery story.
Note 1: This is an AU fic and takes place outside of the current continuity.
Note 2: This is the final installment of The Copy Bat Killer. I have considered a sequel which I have decided to call BATMAN: SALVATION.
BATMAN in
THE COPY BAT KILLER
By
Mimick
The Watchtower…
Blue Beetle sat in the suspensor chair in the heart of monitor womb and as he watched and directed the various affiliates of the Justice League to crisis's all over the globe. An incoming message appeared on a side panel. Beetle gave the side panel a brief glance while managing the team's communications and responses.
"Batman, could you call back. I'm a bit busy now."
"This isn't a personal call, Beetle."
"I know."
Batman scowled, "I need certain files from the Justice League archive."
"Hrm, Booster and Plastic Man are in charge of the archive--"
"--I know this. That is why I want you to patch me directly with Booster and Plastic Man."
"Um, okay. I'm patching you through, Batman."
Plastic Man and Booster Gold's faces appeared on the batcomputer's monitor which switched to split screen before fading Blue Beetle out. Batman's eye brow rose up as he noticed that Booster was picking food from his teeth while Plastic Man was picking his nose.
"What are you two doing?"
The two looked at each other looking for the source of the voice and then over to the monitor. A knowing expression glazed over their faces.
"Hey Bats."
"Hey."
"I need either one of you to connect me to the Justice League archive because there are certain files there that I require."
"No can do Bats. The big S has the archive in lock down right now."
"Why?" Batman asked.
"Tell him Plas," Booster urged.
"Well, it seems that some one has infiltrated the dossiers on all the known members of the League. Superman has teams of two out there doing grunt work while J'onn attempts to find the source of the infiltration."
"I see."
"Is there any other way we can help you?" Booster asked.
"No, I think I have things well in hand, Batman out."
The Batcave…
Batman sat down in his chair, stroking the sides of his chin with his index finger and thumb. Behind him Alfred poured a glass of Ming tea and sat the tray beside him.
"Thank you, Alfred."
"You are quite welcome sir."
Batman started typing after setting the tea down and he ran a through the examination he did of the killer's weapon, the mozline oil, and a black book which the dark knight borrowed from the GCPD's evidence locker. The black book was a record of all of Hawkins's dealings which Hawkins's himself claimed he didn't have. Who ever the killer was, he must have scared Hawkins's more then the dark knight did.
The entries in the black book were faded and very worn so the masked manhunter placed them in the bat computer's scanner and scanned them into the bat computer's database in an attempt to digitally restore them to see who Hawkins's clients were. For every adjustment he made. He would have to alter the resolution to get a better look of what was written. After a forty-eight hour period of trial and error, he managed to restore at least one of the entries as the others were too badly worn because of the condition in which the book was kept.
Batman eyes narrowed as he read off the only legible name. Behind him Alfred brought coffee and croissant on silver tray.
"How are things proceeding, Master Bruce?"
"I think I covered the identity of our killer."
"Really sir, was it who you expected? Oh and I have fetched your morning paper and your breakfast."
"It's Tuesday morning already?"
"No, it's Wednesday, Master Bruce. You have been down in the cave for two days."
Batman rubbed his eyes, "Two days down here and I didn't notice it. Let me see the paper, Alfred."
Alfred handed Batman the paper and he looked it over. The paper had a headline that read FBI involved in state wide manhunt for the capture of the Batman. Batman sat the paper down and took a sip of his coffee and a bite out of his croissant.
"What are you going to do now sir?"
"I'll wait till nightfall and then capture myself a killer."
Gotham Central…
Commissioner Gordon and Detective Bullock make their way into the briefing room with an armed escort at their sides. Because of the attack of the Joker caused by the Batman killings, the GCPD were not taking any chances with security. A grim look crossed the commissioner's face as he realized that things have gone from bad to worse now that the FBI was involved. Once through the open doors, Agent Curtis Melton gestured them to take the two seats in front of the large square table.
"What do we have so far?"
"A bunch of evidence, but we haven't managed an arrest sir."
"What in god's name is going on in this town that you can't catch some freak in a Halloween costume? Do you know how hard it's been for the Mayor and the President to cover up your pest problem? If we didn't need this goddamn hell hole we would have shut it down long ago."
"I understand sir, but I--"
"Zip it Gordon. My associate Stephan Gibbs and I are taking over the case and you two are to follow our directions to the letter. Am I understood?" Agent Melton asked as he got in Gordon's face.
"Yes sir…"
"Bullock, I want you to give all of the evidence you've collected on the Batman to Gibbs. He's our best profiler and he should be able to unmask our masked killer rather easily. As for you Gordon, none of your men will rest until the Batman is captured."
Gordon went to protest, but a stern glare from Agent Melton let him know that Melton was beyond reasoning with.
The warehouse district, near nightfall…
"I can feel my mask slipping," The copy cat said as he took off his casual attire.
He attached a wire that ran from his computer into the neural jack located at the base of his skull. A feeling of warmth washed over him as information was fed directly into his brain. The information that was being downloaded into the copy cat's brain was from profiles the killer had gathered on Batman and various other vigilante and criminal figures in the world.
When the feed stopped the killer removed the wire and placed his cowl over his exposed face. A cruel smirk crossed his lips.
"It's time to play."
Nightfall, the batcave…
"Are you sure this is wise Master Bruce?" Alfred asked expressing his concern.
"There is no other way, Alfred. This has to end tonight," Batman responded as he snapped his cloak into place and slipped his cowl over his face.
"Well, at least assure me you will come back in one piece, Master Bruce."
"I promise."
Batman got into the batmobile and drove off into the night. Once he entered the city limits he scouted the nearest alley way and made for the roof tops, leaving the batmobile in automatic lockdown mode.
Not far away…
Catman crept along the roof top of an apartment complex located near the east end. He lowered himself via a cat line and pulled the window up allowing himself in. After getting inside he used his senses that he honed in the wild to trace the scent he smelled at the docks. A very fragrant perfume wafted in the air and drew him to the far bedroom where a near nude black haired woman was undressing. On the bed across from her was a suitcase full of cash and a plane ticket.
"Where are you going?"
The woman turned and her blue eyes met with Catman's green. The black hair dropped down over her face and it became apparent it was a wig. Catman crossed the distance and grabbed her wrist firmly.
"What's going on?"
"Its n-none of your business freak."
"I make it my business," Catman asked with a hint of menace in his voice.
"D-don't hurt me. I'm just doing what he said."
"What who said, lady? Who are you working for?"
"Him," The woman said as she pointed to the dark silhouette that made his way from the shadows.
"You. Here?"
"Brittanie please see your self out. I have business with this fine gentleman."
Brittanie nodded and ran outside.
"You shouldn't stick your nose where it's not wanted," the copy cat said.
"I will stick my nose wherever I want to stick it. But for now I have something important to do and that is to mount your head on my wall."
"You're quite boastful I see. You will learn your place."
"Let's just fight."
"As you wish fool, but don't blame me if you can't win."
The two came at each other with flurry of strikes that were intended to gauge each other's weakness. As they battled across the room toppling over furniture and destroying the property, they started showing more effort in their attacks. With Catman being more ferocious like a caged lion while the copy cat was like water flowing with each attack that Catman dealt out and returned it with equal force.
Catman's breath started to become ragged as he wasted all of his effort in pure brute force while the copy cat remained cool and calm and content with his surroundings. Catman couldn't figure out how this copy cat was doing it. It was obvious to the famed hunter since the moment he caught the scent that was emanating from the copy cat that he was not the Batman. So, how was it that this imposter knew his style?
"You bore me with your anger and ferocity. It's not something that works here in Gotham."
"How do you know what works in Gotham, imposter?"
"I see your more intelligent then I gave you credit for."
"Enough. Give up and I will spare you a quick death."
"I'm not the one who is on the losing end."
Catman roared as he charged at the copy cat only for a blow to hit him square in the gut and then a palm thrust to his chin. The copy cat drove his foot into Catman's shin and broke it causing the feline felon to collapse in agony. As Catman laid there nursing his leg. The copy cat struck him with furious kicks that laid him out.
"Now, we will see if cat's have nine lives."
The copy cat propped Catman over his shoulders and turned towards the open window where he found a vengeful dark knight.
"Put him down," Batman hissed.
"Or what, you'll stare me to death," the copy cat mocked.
Batman stood at the window unflinching. His hands rested on either side of him and his cape flapped in the wind. He stared at his double with a look of unbound anger, but he composed himself and restrained himself from acting out the violence that was sure to come.
"How is this going to go down, Batman? Does he die or do…you?"
Batman closed his cape, but beyond that he did not make another move.
"Come on Batman. I don't have all the time in the world."
Batman remained unmoving and the copy cat was visibly losing patience. He dropped Catman to the side and lunged at the caped crusader only to be grabbed by the scruff of his collar and sent sailing over a turned over couch.
Batman pulled his cloak closed again and waited for the copy cat to attack again. Which the killer did as he got to his feet and charged forward with a diving thrust kick that the masked manhunter side stepped. A round house heel kick was easily evaded by the world's greatest detective. A jab sailed past inches away from the dark knight's head followed by a knee lift that was blocked.
The killer went for a chop to the Batman's neck, but received an unanswered back hand which sent him corkscrewing to the ground unconscious.
Gotham Central…
The GCPD officers made sure the copy cat killer's restraints were taut before giving the van the signal to head for Blackgate. Commissioner Gordon looked over all the evidence that mysteriously turned up in the evidence locker. For which Bullock took undue credit for. It was for the best. As night came Commissioner Gordon sat there with a coffee left out for a friend. When the blinds started to make noise he realized that his friend had arrived.
"Care for some coffee?"
"Sure."
Gordon handed the mug to Batman and leaned back.
"FBI is still lounging about," Gordon said.
"They can't hear us nor will they have a record of this conversation. Simply put my stuff is better then theirs."
"That's good to know."
"You still having some doubts as to whither I had anything to with the murders?"
"A little I admit. I have to know. How did you know the killer was the same Arnie Morrison who caused the arson fire that killed his family twelve years ago?"
"The mozline oil was the tip off."
"Hunh?"
"The fire that killed his family was caused by mozline oil," Batman said as he sat the coffee mug down, "When I did some digging on his past. I found that Arnie had a diagnosed compulsive disorder which resolved around an obsession with flammable liquids especially mozline oil. It bordered on arsonist tendencies. He would poison his fellow classmates by lacing their drinks with the motor oil from the auto mechanics class."
"I'm surprised none of us thought of that," Gordon replied.
As he looked up Batman was gone and the coffee mug was empty.
Gordon then unclipped the wire tap from under his shirt and stuffed it in his drawer as Agent Melton and Gibbs came in.
"He was here wasn't he?"
"I don't have a clue what you are talking about."
"This isn't over Gordon. Trust me on that."
Melton and Gibbs walked out and Gordon laid his mug in the center of the desk. Wondering what was going to happen next.
Wayne Manor…
Bruce Wayne came up the stairs to find his ward Jason Todd asleep in the sofa. Alfred was dusting the vast book collection that the Wayne family had amassed over the years. As Bruce walked by, he heard Jason moan.
"Everything go alright?"
"Yes."
"You mad?"
"No."
"Did you figure out how he found the cave?"
"No."
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know."
"May I make a suggestion masters?" Alfred said.
Bruce and Jason directed their attention to Alfred.
"I suggest that we make some changes to security."
"Good idea."
Bruce then walked up stairs for a shower then he was going to take a short nap.
THE END?