Batman Beyond: Two-Face II

Chapter 14: Two-Face Strikes Back.

By ShadowHawk

Bruce Wayne sighed in his annoyance as he looked out the window of his car onto the well lit Hippodrome, if the large searchlights moving back and forth wasn't enough the colorful flags waving in the wind helped emphasize that the annual Gotham Hospital Charity Circus was taking place.

"Sorry Bruce but you dished out the cash now you've got to make the public appearance so everyone knows you're still kicking." Terry helped Bruce out of the Rolls Royce watching as many of Gotham's finest stepped out of their limos decked out in expensive gowns hoping to impress each other and Gotham's public.

Melaine was the second to come out. "Aren't they a little overdressed for a circus?" She asked. "Oh thanks for inviting me along with you guys. I've never really been to a circus before."

Bruce held out his arm for her to take. "I can't make an appearance without a lovely date."

Terry walked beside the pair, "He's just happy you came instead of my brother. My mom's working tonight and it's a school night so I'm lucky Max was free to baby-sit."

Ahead of them camera flashed and reporters mingled with the 'lovely people' of the night. Bruce grunted leaning forwards on his cane. "Let's get this over with."

The circus was alive with clowns and acrobats jumping about on the floor warming the crowd up for the starting entertainment. The ringmaster dressed in the old fashioned top hat and coat with tail escorted by a face painted flipping female jester with a wand puppet in hand.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the greatest show on Earth!" He declared into the mike.

Mel rolled her eyes before leaning towards Terry. "Someone's overconfident."

Terry chuckled beneath his breath before silencing from a hard glance from Bruce.

"…all of tonight's proceeds will go to Gotham City's hospital charity fund!" The ringmaster shouted into his microphone.

Another journalist rushed down the rows and snaps a picture in front of the trio. Mel massaged her eyes blinking away the flash. "I'm surprised you aren't blind by now."

Terry looked towards her or rather past her.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" He asked making both Mel and Bruce smile. "It's sorta nice to just sit back and watch the show like normal."

Bruce smirked. "Normal doesn't last for long."

"Tonight's benefit has raised over 890,000 for Gotham Children's Hospital. Let's thank our largest single donor: Bruce Wayne!"

A blinding spotlight fell onto the three bringing forth the wild applause Bruce despised.

"This is normal to you?" Mel asked through her smile.

"See what I mean?" Bruce huffed leaning against his cane while waving offhandedly with one hand.

"Now for tonight's first act they move through the air as if they were on land and seem have wings at the height they fly. I give you Aliki and Margot Marceau!"

Two redhead women dressed in a full body suit of black and yellow swirls ran side by out to greet the applauding crowd with large fake smiles.

They both looked to one another then cart wheeled in opposite directions to the trapeze ladders. Once atop they took hold of their trapeze both striking a crowd pleasing pose.

"Seventy feet above the ground, performing feats of aerial skill without a net! The Marceau sisters!"

The eerie background music piped as the Marceau sister's hung on opposite trapezes by the folds of their knees. Aliki was the first to move by flipping upright and taking hold of her trapeze and swung her powerful legs back and forth building momentum before letting go of her bar and flew into a poetic double somersault gaining the awestruck sounds of the audience below. Margot, still hanging by her knees with her long red braid of hair resting lightly on her up curved neck swung gracefully back and forth keeping in time with her sister's motions, her hands flew out catching hold of her sister's out stretched arms when it seemed that she would surely fall. With a hard swing Aliki was hoisted up to the bar while Margot flipped off catching hold of the still swinging trapeze.

The spotlight followed the swinging redhead with the short hair as she pumped her legs back and forth in the motion her sister had done moments before her building up her momentum. When her swing was just right she released into an amazing number of twirls that left those watching dizzy. Aliki, now hanging upside down caught Margot's hands in an shaky grip. The crowd gasped and stood from their seats when one hand slipped free leaving Margot to dangle for an instant. Their gasps soon turned to relief as Aliki hoisted her sister up safely to the bar. They both stood on the trapeze with one arm around the other's waist bowing to the uproar of an ovation.

Down below the ringmaster stood watching the sister's amazing feat of aerial wonder, such talent was rare since no one really did aerial acrobats in the circus any longer but even for all their skill they could not compare to the legendary Flying Graysons.

As the ringmaster watched someone walked by pressing themselves against him as he passed. He looked back to see the female jester he had been escorted out with strutting away with a sway in her hips. She glanced back winking at him motioning for him to follow her backstage with a come hitherto motion. He smiled silently making his escape, he knew when he would be needed again and that left just enough time for some personal fun.

Backstage the two had found a little dark corner, the jester's giggles could be heard from time to time as his hands traveled over her lithesome body and his lips kissed over her exposed neck. A click of a gun brought their antics to a stop as they both turned to see Dee-Dee smiling at them from behind their guns.

A hand reached out taking the top hat from the ringmaster's head. "I'll take this, thank you."

Back in the circus those who were able stood on their feet clapping madly as they watched the Marceau sisters swing up and over like a windmill on a single trapeze bar closing their act for the night.

On the ground a tiny clown car roared into the middle ring with the annoying horn honking all the way before sliding to a halt in the center and began dislodging large clowns each tumbling out of the small door and stumbling over each other. The audience laughed.

That was until the new ringmaster stepped into the ring.

"Ladies and gentlemen, and I do use the term loosely, your attentions please." A voice called over the speakers moments before its owner could be seen walking from behind the curtains. The new ringmaster stood smiling as he stepped into the arena wearing a spilt ringmaster's outfit, one half red and black the other an array of clashing faux animal prints in unnatural colors. "Tonight, a new act for your amusement. We call it Massacre Under the Big Top."

The once stumbling clowns ripped out of their suits and producing their guns. The Two Timin' Gang smiled wickedly from behind their painted faces before firing at a few random clowns and above the audience's heads causing them to scream in extreme fear and panic.

Two-Face sighed as he watched the screaming people scatter like roaches in the light.

"People, people. Show some grace under pressure. A little decorum, please." At seeing the anarchy still ensuing his face twisted into anger. "SHUT UP!!!"

Two-Face's command was backed by a burst of gun fire towards the air as the thugs moved into sentry position at the doors and at each section of the bleachers quieting the people.

"Ah, audience participation. If we may direct your attention…" Two-Face smiled waving his arm behind him as Dee-Dee pushed a large crate into the center area then hooked in onto sturdy wires. "Inside that box is two hundred sticks of TNT." He waved to the box and the girls began showing it off as if it were some new car. "And in my hand: a radio detonator." He pressed a button showing off the clock at 2:22.

"You have 2 minutes and 22 seconds to kiss your asses goodbye." He laughed.

The mayor stood from his special VIP seat speaking up for his fearful people. "What the hell do you want?" He demanded managing to keep his voice strong.

Two-Face stared into the crowd slowly looking over each section as he spoke. "Want? Mr. Mayor? Hell I want what any self-respecting villain wants. The Bat at my feet bruised, battered, broken, bleeding, and overall DEAD!"

The mayor scowled at the two sided man holding him and the other's hostage. "So why kill all of us?"

Two-Face turned to his right showing off his good side. "Who do we have assembled before us? Gotham's finest, the epitome of this good city. You all make me sick! You came here all for the same reason, you donated a few hundred bucks then go out to spend just as much on some nice clothes just to come here and hope you get your picture taken so that all of Gotham will know how good and caring you are for this city!" His words stung some of those present that night but not no reprimanding only frightened whimpers.

Two-Face spun offering his evil side. "But no, that's not the only reason I chose to take all of your lives. We have assembled the rich, influential, and smart people of this city so one of you must know who Batman is. Hell, we'd lay odds one of you is the Batman."

In the bleachers the people began to mutter amongst each other from time to time a sob broke only to be hushed. They wondered who among them could possibly be the sought after costumed vigilante. Many thought of just accusing someone they had no ties to, anything just as long as they could leave that circus alive. Minds were whirling with thoughts and ideas as to how they could escape, very few of the plans formed involved saving anyone else but themselves.

Two-Face looked around enjoying the looks of the fear stricken people surrounding him. He climbed onto the crate still addressing them as it was raised high up onto the catwalk until it stopped. "So, unless the Bat is surrendered to us post haste, we're off on a proverbial killing spree. City wide mayhem and murder, starting tonight with all you lovely folks as our very first corpses to be. You have 2 minutes!"

The Two Timin' Gang began scaling the guy wires heading up to the scaffolding and the catwalk where their boss and their escape was awaiting them.

Bruce, Mel, and Terry had their eyes locked on the bomb as the gang make their way out the top of the oval shaped dome.

When no one stood to unmask the mystery that was the identity of Batman Two-Face gave a look of false empathy before pressing the detonator.

"Never did like the circus. Too many freaks." He grumbled before vanishing out the rooftop.

At seeing the digital numbers counting down the time to their fates nearly everyone jumped up and rushed towards the sealed exits carelessly trampling each other and some of the circus performers who hadn't been shot by the twin gang. Few, very few, stood back holding and comforting others while looking on in disgust at the people fighting each other to be freed. And they had called themselves charitable humanitarians.

"I hope you brought the suit." Bruce said beneath his breath.

Terry frowned watching as the numbers began to countdown. "Never leave home without it. You know I would like to have a normal night out."

Bruce, despite the dire situation at hand, smirked. "Not in this business, now get to work."

"Mel, get Bruce someplace far away from this mob, there's no telling what these people might do. I'm going to see if I can find a way out of this!" He shouted over the screams of terror before running off ignoring Mel's shouts for him to return.

1:45 the digital numbers on the clock continued to countdown when a man, fighting desperately to free his wife from beneath the large mass of people crowding around the exit, looked up to see the blessed sight of the dark knight flying towards the scaffoldings of the Hippodome.

"Batman! It's Batman!"

His cry cut through all the terror and panic bringing order along with hope to those fearing selfishly for their own self-preservation. Everyone turned and cheered at catching sight of him as well.

Batman landed roughly on the catwalk standing aside the crate carrying dynamite, there was no time for fear only action. The clock had continued to count down 1:20, 1:19, 1:18... time was against him. Quickly Batman cut away the wires holding the crate catching hold of the large box, much to the relief of the people below who stood watching in bewilderment, and jetted blasted his way out of the same escape Two-Face had used earlier.

1:00, :59, :58, :57. He continuously changed his sights between the crate and the empty space of waterfront coming closer and closer. His heart was beating quickly with panic, would he make it in time? Or rather would he make it before time?

He looked down at the clock again :40, then back at the distance he had left to travel. Pressing himself on the water became closer and closer. :15, :14, :13, :12. Batman stopped he didn't have enough time. Grunting Batman began to spin with the crate held in his clutched fists trying to withhold against the pull of the crate's weight while he mentally counted with the time. :8, :7... Batman released sending the crate hurtling quickly towards the waterfront. He watched anxiously as the crate hit the water two seconds before it exploded.

In the distance Two-Face watches the Hippodome through binoculars his rage building as he had yet to see the huge explosion he was awaiting.

He took a glance at his watch then back at the building, still nothing. Growling he walked back to his car and climbed into the driver's seat, with a flick of his hand he motioned for the others to head back to the hideout.

"Boss whad 'bout Miss Jest?" One of the thugs asked over the radio.

Two-Face settled back as he continued to drive. "I wouldn't worry about her, she's a big girl."

There was a brief pause before he spoke up again. "Yes boss, but whad are yous gonna do now?"

Two-Face glared at the radio in anger at the tone of doubt in his minion's voice. "Do you really think I didn't have a second plan to back up the first just incase the Bat did manage to save the day again? That's why I had Harl stay behind, oh and one more thing… NEVER QUESTION ME AGAIN!"

The Marceau sisters, having spoken with the police, retreated to the calm of there dressing room.

"We just can't find good legitimate work these days!" Margot grumbled stomping about her dressing room were her sister sat before the vanity mirror wiping the heavy makeup from her face.

"Me dire d'il." (Translated: Tell me about it.) A voice said.

The twin sisters turned their heads to see the jester from earlier in the show standing in their doorway with her hands crossed over her chest. She sighed walking in, kicking the door closed behind her, "Eight clowns, three reporters, six photographers, and the ringmaster dead and over twenty people injured. I don't think that's reasonable cause to close the operation down. But that's why there's good illegitimate work out there." She took off her cap tossing it into the corner with a disguised moan.

"What happened to you?" Aliki asked as she watched the jester limp slightly to the corner to take off her costume.

"I got a lil' trampled out there before I could make it to my safe spot. Ow, what sort of bitch wears heels to the circus?" The jester rubbed her hair letting the black and red braids fall loose. "Down to business, my boss wants to hire you two." She tossed a matchbook to Margot.

"Come to the address written on the inside at the designated time, you get paid for your time and the payment doubles if you accept the offer and get the job done."

The pair looked from the matchbook to the jester who had quickly changed her clothes to simple shirt and skirt. "And if we don't want to accept the offer?"

But if you don't want to do it, oh well we move on with life and hire someone else." She pulled on a jest and hat then turned to leave. "But despite his name he usually doesn't give second chances."

Aliki frowned. "And who do we say gave us the message?"

She paused to look over her shoulder and grinned from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat. "Harley Jest."

To Be Continued...