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.
BATMAN: SALVATION
By Mimick
The Gotham Knights Dome…
A fully armed police unit guarded the counterfeit cash while the GCPD temporarily made use of the rest of the building as a headquarters. A lone figure discreetly made his way past the guard post into the dome and set himself up in the rafters looking over the field. Using a pair of binoculars he attempted to make out what they were saying when a hand grabbed his wrist and he looked up to see the dark knight. The caped crusader held up a finger telling his young ward to remain silent and then took the binoculars from him and attached wire link up from the binoculars to a small jack just below his left ear.
"This whole plan is going to shit. I tell you something Curt. We have to get this operation over with and fast."
"Shhh," Curt Melton said as he looked around the stadium, "Are you stupid or somethin'. Someone could be listening. We got a job to do and we are going to do it. We got rid of Gordon and now we'll take care of the bat."
Melton subtly glanced upwards and Gibbs caught the drift. He walked over to one of the police officers and slapped him on the back. Batman couldn't see his lips, but he could see the gestures the officers were giving each other.
"We have to get out of here."
"You're telling me this now because?"
Batman jerked Robin from his crouched position and they began running down the rafters as the officers started to pull out their guns. As they ran for the far end of the rafters, the officers opened fire on them. Batman noticed a window in front of them that led to a ledge that was apart of the roof of the dome if he recalled the schematics correctly. There was a twelve and a half foot leap to the window and Robin's eyes widen as they raced towards it.
"Don't stop," Batman called back.
"Are you nuts?"
Batman leaped through the air with his cape outstretched and crashed through the window as he made it to the ledge of the dome outside. Robin followed behind and skidded to a halt. The gunmen were just now reloading their guns and bringing their sights on him, when he leapt for all of his worth. It looked as if he was going to fall short when the dark knight grabbed hold of him and pulled him through. They both dropped down to the ground and ran to the batmobile.
"You're grounded when we get home."
"Oh man."
The batmobile roared out of its hiding spot with three squad cars hot on its heels.
Agent Melton and Gibbs looked to each other and waited till they were alone to talk.
"Get some of our men, Gibbs and go hunt'em down and then kill'em. Make it nice and clean and no screw ups."
"Gotcha," Gibbs replied before he headed out.
Aparo Expressway…
Robin looked worried as the squad cars were managing to keep up with the batmobile. He kept squirming in his seat and avoiding the looks from the caped crusader. He started to say something, but instead kept his mouth shut.
"What you did was foolish."
"I know."
"No, I don't think you do. The red rooks play for keeps. What made you come to the Knights dome?"
"I noticed a bunch of uniformed officers were heading towards the dome, so, I hitched a ride on a squad car. I got a bad vibe from those two FBI guys on the way there. For some reason it seemed like that Gibbs guy was nervous."
"…."
"What is it?"
Batman hit the brakes and the two squad cars went flying right over the batmobile and crashed on their sides. The dark knight backed the batmobile up and headed back the way they came, passing the third squad car in their wake.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
"You said Gibbs was acting nervous and if my suspicions are right from our encounter at the Knights dome it appears we have two dirty feds."
"Where are we going now?"
"There's only one place where we can get information on Gibbs and Melton."
City Hall…
The security guards with the name tags Wigeal, Moses, and Pollard were slumped against a wall with their caps over their eyes. The dark knight looked through the mayor's records to see if he could find any sort of info on Gibbs and Melton. A fourth guard walked into the room from behind the caped crusader and as Batman stood up, the back of his fist smashed into the guards face and sent him falling onto the back of his head unconscious.
Robin walked in from one of the other rooms noticing the three guards against the wall and the one laying on the ground. In his hands was a manila folder which read FBI, top secret.
"Would this help?" Robin asked.
Batman flipped through it and found dossiers on Gibbs and Melton, but the faces were not the same as the Gibbs and Melton they saw in the Knights dome.
"Where did you get this?"
"From her," Robin said as he pointed to Batgirl.
"What are you doing here?"
"Trying to find out what happened to my father. He went missing yesterday and these two phonies acted strange when I tried to file a missing person's report."
"How did you come by these?" Batman asked.
"I had hacked into the FBI dossiers to check Gibbs and Melton's credentials. For supposed feds they sure didn't know police procedure regarding a missing person's case. The Gibbs and Melton I did find in that file were killed in action."
Batman closed the folder as it was all beginning to make sense now. A look of realization dawned on the dark knight's face.
"What is it?" Robin asked.
"The copy cat killer must have been a pawn. This whole case had nothing to do with discrediting me. It was to distract me from the red rook's real goal. These two imposters must be here to keep me busy."
"But what is the red rook's real goal," Batgirl asked.
The dynamic trio heard a gun hammer pull back and the fake Gibbs walked onto the scene with eight phony officers.
"Funny you should ask that Batgirl. Too bad you three will never find out. Now, you two stand over there beside the dark knight and turn around and don't try any funny business."
Batman pulled a concealed flash bang from his glove as he turned around slowly. Batgirl and Robin saw it before he concealed it in his fist. As the fake Gibbs and phony officers walked up to the trio, the dark knight dropped the flash bang blinding them.
Batman spun around with a round house kick that knocked the fake Gibbs off of his feet. Robin brought his Bo staff down on two of the phony officer's heads with two expert strikes and then swept their feet out from under them. Batgirl used a double judo wrist lock throw to unbalance her two opponents and then knocked them unconscious with two snap kicks.
As the fake Gibbs got back up, Batman dealt him a few rabbit punches and then a left cross. Once the fake Gibbs hit the floor, the dynamic trio snapped their bat cuffs on them.
"Without any solid evidence to present to the mayor we best get out of here."
"Good idea."
"Batgirl, be careful."
"I will."
The three went their separate ways just as the police sirens drew closer.
Dixon Docks…
In a warehouse on the docks, Jim Gordon hung on chain three feet from the ground. His face was bloody and his glasses were laid upon on the floor cracked. Several of the red rook's men were about the place acting as guards to Gordon until it was time dispose of him.
The fake Agent Melton's car pulled up and he got out. Tossing a cigarette butt to the ground and crushing it under heel. He walked inside after being waved in by the guards. Gordon looked at him with his un-swollen eye.
"Hey, how's the food Gordon?"
"Terrible," Gordon said in a fit of coughing.
"Yea, so was Rykers."
"A Rykers boy, eh?"
"Yea, did time for manslaughter."
"I had a feeling you were scum the first time I laid eyes on you."
Melton back handed Gordon and the former commissioner spit the blood from his cut lip on Melton's shoes. Melton punched him twice in the face and summoned two of the armed men over.
"I think its time we showed Gordon the rules of hard knocks."
One of the Russian men ignited a blow torch as Melton walked away and two others held Gordon perfectly still. The man with the torch brought it against the commissioner's exposed skin and he screamed in pain. The skin on which the man with blow torch touched was badly burned and blistered.
Melton lit up a cigarette as he walked up to Gordon who hung there limply and unconscious from the shock. He tilted Gordon's head up and felt for a pulse to make sure the old man was still alive and then let his head droop down.
"I think he's still got plenty of fight left in him for us to have some more fun boys. Let me know when he wakes up again."
Melton walked outside, got into his car, and left.
The bat cave…
The batmobile pulled into the drive and the dynamic duo got out. Batman pointed for Robin to change his attire and go to his room while he headed for the bat computer.
"A rough night, Master Bruce?"
"Yes."
"Would you like some herbal tea, Master Bruce?"
"No."
Batman typed away at the keyboard after dismissing Alfred and explored his records that catalogued the end of the copy cat killings. He had found a suitcase full of case which was turned over to the Gotham Savings and Loan after apprehending the copy cat killer. Brittanie Westhold was to be brought up on charges, but some one had paid for her to have a smart and suave lawyer who got her off without so much as a slap on the wrist.
He never looked into the matter because he was busy privately arranging Catwoman's funeral. Now it appeared that he should look into the matter first hand and find out if Brittanie knows anything that could help him figure out what the red rooks are after.