Disclaimer: See Chapter 1 and as always, please don't flame.
Chapter 10: Under the Mighty Oak
/Red, we got trouble brewing. /
Turning his head sharply around, he pulled her into the shadows, "Sh." he whispered placing a finger to her lips. "Quiet." He motioned the fir shrub to grow around them.
o0o0o0o0o
Shots rang out as men and women screamed. Sounds of glass shattering and tables being over turned as panic people dived for cover.
/So much for security at this shindig. /
Kurama grabbed Barbara, placing a hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. "Quiet little bat. You can't help them if you are caught," he whispered in her ear as the fir shrubs hid them from view. Her eyes widen at his pet name for her as she stopped struggling.
A couple of hooded men surveyed the terrace where the couple had been standing not moments again. When they moved away, Kurama removed his hand from her.
"How. . .?" she whispered as he scanned the area.
Placing a finger on her lips, he gave her a feral smile and jerked with his chin to slip further into the shadows. Carefully, he eased her off the terrace and moving into the park until they were far enough away so their voices wouldn't carry.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Barbara whispered looking around before he handed her his cell out of his jacket, but he gave her a look that stopped her cold.
"I've known from the beginning, little bat. I am well versed in reading auras and scent trails. Do you think I would've stayed around if you hadn't intrigued me?" he whispered back. "Call Alfred. You'll need your gear if you are to help."
Resigned that he really did know, she dialed Alfred, "Bruce is very protective of him since his illness, so he returned home until the party was over. . . . Hello Uncle? . . . I'm fine. . . . It's on the news already? . . . Uncle, listen. Shuichi, I mean Kurama wants you to bring our working gear. . . . Oh you're on your way already? . . . . No. Just me so far. Bruce and Dick are still inside . . . . I don't know. . . Oh can you meet me in the park behind . . .? . . . Alright. Out."
She closed the cell and looked up at Kurama. "Now what?"
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I have to run home. I should be gone for about 20 to 30 minutes. I'm afraid you would only slow me down."
"I can take care of myself. There's a gazebo over there. I'll stay there until Uncle gets here," she whispered, not pleased to be left behind.
"Agreeable. Barbara, don't get captured," he said, as he melted into the shadows.
o0o0o0o0o
Time wasn't on his side and he knew it. With Bruce and Dick caught inside the center, it would be up to him and Barbara. However, he didn't want the media on his back if he went in as Kurama. No, Yoko would have to be let out.
/Now you are talking Red. /
'Not so fast. I still need to change into my fighting clothes and grab more seeds.'
Normally he carried only a handful for just in case however this was an extreme case. Those won't be enough with a terrorist attack, he estimated about 15 to 20 men and over 100 hostages. Then there is the factor he didn't smell or felt any demons, so killing mere humans was out. He didn't put it past Koenma still keeping an eye on him especially after his dealing with the Scarecrow and he didn't relish spending the rest of his human life in Spirit World prison. So he had to play it close, cool and logical and that meant letting Yoko out.
/Me? Logical? All that loot and men to play with? Get real./ Yoko paused in thought then asked/Red, what about the Batman? He's bound to figure us out soon. /
o0o0o0o0o
Barbara shivered in the shadow of the gazebo, pulling his jacket closer wishing that Kurama would hurry. She mulled over the fact that he knew her secret and didn't say anything. Bruce was right. He is an enigma.
His cell beeped. "Hello? . . . Uncle? . . . Where? . . . Alright. Stay put. I'll be right there."
Uncle Alfred, Bruce's butler, man servant and jack of all trades was waiting by the limo. He had a carry all in his hands when she exited the shadows.
"There you are Barbara, dear," he said in his usual nonplussed Bristish accent. "Here's everything you asked for. Where's Kurama?"
Taking the carry all, she entered the limo to change. "He went home to get a few things . . . "
"And he let me out instead," came a soft purring voice from the shadows. "Hello little bat. Missed me?"
o0o0o0o0o
Five men all wearing dark clothes and ski masks herded the party goers into a single area. Bruce scanned the area. He spotted Dick and his date but no Barbara and Shuichi. Giving Dick a high sign to stay cool, he turned to Diana.
She seemed calm too, scanning the area for possible ways to escape. Bruce watched one of the terrorist pistol whipped a loud mouth hostage. A young woman was being molested by another. Things could get ugly fast if something wasn't done. What happened to the security team that was suppose to have been over seeing this function? He had hired them himself. They were suppose to be the best.
Dick managed somehow to separate from his clinging date and made it over to him. "I saw Barbara and Shuichi out on the terrace before this happened. There's a good chance they escaped."
Bruce nodded, narrowing his eyes. If that boy escaped, then he may do something they all might regret.
o0o0o0o0o
With a definite plan in action, Batgirl went to answer the Bat signal on top of Police Headquarters. There was no way Batman could answer it.
She landed by the signal to face not only Commissioner Gordon but two of his best detectives. "Where's the Caped Freak?" asked one of them.
She shrugged as she turned to the Commissioner, "Sorry, Batman is on another case and isn't available. I'm all there is," she said.
"That's just great," said the other one. "What are we to do in the mean time? Don't tell me you're handling this, little girl."
Batgirl chuckled. "Actually. It's being taken care of as we speak."
o0o0o0o0o
Yoko surveyed the area, counting heads. He spotted several SWAT Team snipers on an adjacent roofs as the Center was surrounded by police, FBI and SWAT. Getting in and out may be a problem for someone human but not for him.
Although he was a silver fox, he melted into the shadows quite easily. Coming across an outside guard terrorist, he quickly bound him in ivy vines. His weapons crushed. Taking the walkie talkie, Yoko grinned as he strolled back into the shadows. Let the police deal with the leftovers. He had more important prey to toy with.
o0o0o0o0o
After having striped the party goers of their valuables and other items of interest, the leader of the terrorist called to the police outside and started making the usual threats for ransom and get away. He also demanded that certain terrorist leaders being held by the US Government be released which was more of a blind. It'll get the heat off him and his men as the authorities try to pin the blame on some known terrorist organization then some domestic group only out for a quick buck. He also mused that it had been so easy to replace the building's security with his own men. The fools never thought to double check and if Batman did show up, he had a plan to take care of him as well. He fingered a small black remote
He waved his uzi around and fired a couple of shots to get his point across. "You have one hour to meet our demands or we start killing," he screamed, hanging up the phone.
Plants from all over the hall started to vibrate as a voice low and seductive purred, "Ah fear. It is such a hefty brew. Too bad it is wasted on mere humans."
"Who said that? COME OUT OR WE START BLASTING!" the leader demanded.
An acorn landed at his feet as the voice spoke again, "Do you feel it? The fear in this room is so intoxicating. Do you enjoy making those weaker quack? Pathetic Human. Killing before you have a chance to experience all the fear available is such a waste."
The vines in the shrubbery started to grow as well as the bushes and plants. The walls of the hall became a jungle. Vines crept around people's legs. Some women started to faint. A couple of the terrorist tried cutting the vines only to become entangled. Their guns and weapons snapped like twigs. Those that were caught struggled and screamed as the vines tighten their hold until they passed out, caught like flies in a spider's web.
The acorn sprouted and before anyone could really react, it grew into a young sapling. Men and women pressed against the walls as the tree pushed away tables and chairs as it continued to grow until it became a huge matriarch of an oak tree pressing against the glass roof. Acorns sprouted and as if by magic pelted terrorists and victims alike as they fell off the tree.
"SHOW YOURSELF!" shouted the leader as he dived for cover under a table, pointing his uzi to the jungle of vines and plants.
"As you wish, little vermin." Stepping out of the tangle mess of shrubbery, vines, and plants, a very tall wiry silver hair man with fox ears and a bush fox tail smirked, folding his arms.
"WHAT ARE YOU?"
o0o0o0o0o
A/N: I kind of feel sorry for the terrorists. Yes. Have you figured out who's who yet? As for bringing in others, I'm thinking about it. I did have a scene with Kurama and the Flash but I just haven't any idea where to put it yet.
Mistic Fox, Kawaii, Mizuki: I'm glad you all are liking this. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had fun writing it.
Psycho: I'm more or less keeping Shuichi out of the fighting. He isn't wearing a mask. People would recognize him if he continued to fight with Batman and with that sex appeal that he gives off, he would be constantly hounded. I don't know about you, but I just can't picture him wearing a mask, can you?
I'm debating on how many chapters to make this arc. I've already have two stories outlined with two major villains in the works. However, I would like to do one with the Riddler but I really really suck at riddles. Can you just picture the Riddler and Yoko squaring off? le sighs Until next time. --GF