Batman Beyond: Two-Face II
By ShadowHawk
Chapter 15: Forever Knight
It was like any other Gotham night, the dark held at bay by the powerful lights of the city, people roamed about enjoying the extended day created by the artificial lights.
At The Last Resort a bar located near the docks, regular patrons slipped in coherent and determined to have a good time and stumbled out of the doors with their mission completed.
Within one could almost see the air, a polluted gray color with the miasma of cigarette smoke, and thick with the salty smell of the sea, beer, and greasy foods, the smells mixing together in a somewhat nauseating stench.
The Last Resort was a gathering place for those with nowhere else to go, with nothing else to do, and a safe haven for those who had skirt the edges of the law...that was until tonight.
At a corner table a handful of truckers, making their routine stop, hunched over their bowls of chili with their CAT hats pushed back on their heads that reeked of sweat. In the back three gruff looking bikers conversed among one another as they played pool with empty Millers lining the table's rail.
The bar's owner, Lloyd, an aging biker-type with a soiled apron tied around his protruding beer belly stood behind the bar observing his costumers ready to pull out his sawed off shotgun at any signs of trouble.
Nothing much out of the ordinary was happening when the front door swayed open allowing the dark knight himself to stroll in.
All eyes simultaneously swiveled towards Batman all showing the same expression of masked fear. His emotionless gaze passed over the customers as he walked calmly through the room leaving everyone frozen, not sure how to react, if to run, or just sit still praying that they could vanish where they sat.
"Cripes, it's him!!!" A burly trucker whispered loudly to his companions.
A second trucker did not tear his eyes from the Batman, "What in blazes is he doin' here?"
Batman moved past the staring truckers, past the owner and the awestruck waitress, and a large nasty-looking biker puffing on a cheap cigar.
Silently, the dark clad intruder stride across the smoke-choked barroom and with one glance into his murderous cold eyes sent the burly men, whom prided themselves on their viciousness, scrambling out of his way.
Throughout the entire bar the only sounds to be heard was the music of the jukebox and the swirling overhead fans. When he stopped, so did half of the hearts in the room.
Batman looked towards a thin man with rodent like features who had been leaning on the pool table holding his Miller bottle in a tight fist. "I figured I'd find you here, Colin." His deep timber voice rumbled throughout the room.
Colin glanced at the Bat with nervous eyes, "Hey, I-I been keeping my nose clean, Batman. Whaddaya want from me?"
"What I always want, Mitch Colin, information." He said pausing for a moment so that his words could sink in. "I need you to tell me where Two- Face's hideout is."
Colin's face turned to one of irritation. "So whadda I look like anyway? A guide? I don't know where you can find his hideout, and even if I did know somethin', I... I..." He stalled as his friend snuck up behind Batman, holding a pool cue like a Louisville Slugger.
The heavy biker brought the cue down in a powerful swing that whistled as it cut through the air and in that selfsame instant the Dark Knight moved.
"Huh?!" The biker muttered as the cue swung through empty air.
"If you want to play rough punk, you picked a bad night for it." Batman stated before snapping his arm straight grabbing the front of his jacket.
Suddenly the heavyset biker found himself flying over the bar past the dodging Lloyd. CRAASSH! He landed on the shelves of alcohol bottles. The second biker, at seeing his heavyset friend briefly defy gravity, whipped out a knife with an eight-inch blade and slashed wildly at Batman's face.
Batman grabbed the arcing blade with his bare hand. Everyone within the bar gasped as another inhuman feat was added to the myth about the legendary Bat. Holding it by the razor-sharp blade he jerked it from the biker's hand tossing it carelessly away. In one quick motion that looked like a blur he grabbed the biker and slammed him face-down over the metal framed wooden bar knocking him out.
With the small struggle over he turned to the coward informant. "That wasn't very smart of you, Colin, I just wanted to talk like sensible civilized people but now I'll get my answers another way."
Colin, who by then was scared shitless stumbled back. "Stay away from me Batman! I'm warning you! KEEP BACK!" He shouted taking out a modified MAC- 10 machine pistol from his coat. "OR I'LL BLOW YOU AWAY!"
Batman's patients had finally been worn through and yet another attempt to his life had been the final straw.
Glaring at Colin with anger on his masked face he hissed through his teeth, "You dare!?! You dare pull a gun on me?!" With that he grabbed Colin's coat and with little effort slapped the gun out of Colin's hand.
Colin could do nothing but gasp. "Hhuung!"
Batman began to slap the coward of an informant from him side to side, a great rage building behind his adrenaline enhanced blows. "Don't you EVER point a gun at me again!!"
Some of the bar's customers began to slip out in fear of the dark knight's rage. Batman ignored them reasoning that he would catch them some other time as he continued to strike blows on Colin. "NEVER AGAIN! Do you hear me? NEVER!!"
He was about to put a final blow on Colin's Face when suddenly a voice roared out over the chaos. "That's enough! Stop it!"
At hearing the command Batman stopped beating the life out of Colin to turn around and find the owner of the voice. At the door stood ten holding two unconscious men by the neck of their shirts. Everyone was so busy watching out for Batman that they had not noticed the black and white dressed woman enter the bar and stand silently by the Jukebox watching the scene unfold.
"Ten?" Batman asked with surprise.
Ten's red lips spread into a pleased smile. "Just watching your back, Batman." She explained releasing the men to fall into a heap at her feet. "Don't you think you've done enough here?"
Batman, realizing he had let his cool disposition fall, released the quivering mass that was Colin. "Y-yes. There's nothing more this punk can tell me." He turned on the ball of his foot heading out the door. "Lets get out of here, Ten."
Ten nodded. "My thoughts exactly." She said before turning to look at the men across the room. "You fellas try to keep out of mischief now, hear?"
The faces that watch the Neo Dynamic Duo as they left the battle-torn room were flushed with an awkward mixture of hatred...and relief.
Outside Batman and Ten walked side by side heading towards their means of transportation an awkward silence steadily building between them. "Thanks for stopping me back there." Batman grumbled beneath his voice.
Ten nodded allowing a small smile to tug at the corners of her lips, "Welcome."
At hearing the sound of running foot falls the pair stopped and turned to see one of the bar's attendants rushing towards them. "You want to know where Two-Face's hideout is, right? Well he's at this club near downtown called the Too Hot, Too Cool." He stated before turning and rushing back in before anyone noticed he had spoken to him.
The pair looked at one another before heading off.
Inside Too Hot, Too Cool the attendees mostly ranged at a young age drifting between those who looked like they belonged in high school or college, and it was of no wonder since no one was carded and the alcohol was handed out as if it were tap water.
Mel, being accompanied by Terry, strolled calmly into the club instantly deafened by the blaring music and blinded by the flashing colored lights. She leaned closer to Terry speaking above the ruckus, "Thanks for coming with me to do this!"
"No problem," The alter-ego of Batman stated. "So Two-Face is using this as a hideout?" He asked looking around to see Gotham's youth at their finest: drunk, making out, or drugging up without another thought.
Walking up to the bar area Terry ordered two drinks gaining the bartender's attention before asking, "Who's the manager here?"
The bartender pointed lazily to a man in a booth heavily fondling a girl about three times younger than himself. "Murphy Rogers, that's him." He stated before going back to other matters.
Terry turned to speak with Mel about a plan of action when he realized that the barstool beside him was empty. "Mel? Mel?" He looked around before spotting his accomplice for the night moving away from him. "Oh no."
Mel stopped before the booth with her hands on her curvy hips. Seeing the man at the age of thirty something feeling on a girl who looked no older than sixteen made something within her snap.
Rogers realizing someone was staring a hole into his head looked up from the teen towards Mel. "Ooh, well well well, look what we have here." He said licking his lips as he looked her up and down with lustful eyes.
Mel sneered before looking towards the girl and with a quick motion of her head dismissed her.
Once the lanky teen was gone Rogers spoke. "So what can I do for you sweetness? Looking for a job as a dancer? If so then I'll need to have a private show." He said smiling wolfishly.
Mel rolled her eyes as she folded her arms over her chest wincing slightly at a small pain. "I hear Two-Face uses this place as a hideout or at least owns it. Where is he?" She asked just as Terry came up behind her.
Rogers laughed before peering at her again. "I don't have a clue what you're talking about, Sweetness. And even if I did I wouldn't tell, Two- Face doesn't like squealers."
In a blink of an eye the manager was slammed on top of the table face up. His back stung with a sharp pain from landing forcefully atop of the two shot glasses as Mel peered down on him, her eyes blazed with fury. "Tell me where the hell Two-Face is now!"
Terry took hold of Mel's shoulders pulling her away before she somehow managed to actually kill someone. "Mel, that's enough, he doesn't know anything."
Mel pulled away from his grasp before stalking quickly out of the door with an upset Terry following close behind.
In a dark corner a man pulled out his cell phone dialing before placing it to his ear. "Hello? Two-Face?"
In the top penthouse that took up two floors of space in the spectacular Gotham skyline, a large plate-glass window was splattered with blood. On the white carpeted floor the body of crime lord Manny Grimson laid face down in a growing pool of blood, the bloody gapping holes in his chest staining the soft fabric of his robe.
"What a mess! That stain will never come out. The jerk coulda at least have the decency not to bleed so much." Harley muttered from her position seated on the desk, with her legs crossed showing off a great deal of leg thanks to an extremely short red dress.
In the leather chair Two-Face sat at the desk with his cell phone pressed against his ear. "Really? Yes. Ok then." He said before hanging up. Exhaling deeply from his nose he laid his hand down on rest on Harley's thigh that showed from beneath her extremely high-cut dress.
At the firmness his hand messaged over her leg Harley tore her eyes away from the body of the dead crime lord and turned to look at Two-Face. "Somethin' wrong?" She asked.
"Batman has been asking questions. He is proving to be more of an annoyance than I had first thought him to be." He stated eyeing his gun resting on the desktop.
Harley ran her hand softly over his scarred cheek. "So whatcha gonna do 'bout it?"
He caught her hand just as her fingers drifted over his chin. "I have a few more cards to play before I deal my trump." He smiled. "But for now we have the Marceau twins to meet."
The Marceau sisters walked side by side down the desolate walkway through the identical storehouse buildings looking from one onto the other.
Earlier they had sat in there cheap hotel room considering the tempting offer from the jester woman's boss. The circus was as good as dead after that horrible disaster resulting in a third of the performers along with the ringmaster, and finding another job remotely the same would prove quiet difficult; and they needed the money.
Aliki's green eyes drifted from one large building onto the other, they all looked exactly the same, how could they find the one they were suppose to meet in. She nudged her elbow to her sister's side. "Are we in the right place?"
Margot peered down onto the address of the matchbook. "Oui, this is the place addressed on here. We must find storehouse number 20-2."
"You've found it." A voice said lightly.
The twins turned to see the woman from before leaning her back against the cold structure sucking on a lollipop as she looked downwards to something on the ground. At her feet two hyenas mauled an unidentifiable object.
The jester smiled looking up towards them, "You're early." She smiled removing the sucker from her mouth and motioned downwards. "Lucky you, Deuce's six o'clock appointment ended earlier than expected."
The girls looked down on the figure being torn apart. "Faisons-nous confiance à cette femme et son patron?" (Translated: Do we trust this woman and her owner?)
Margot questioned her eyes drifting away from the horrid sight up onto the woman who seemed to be enjoying the scene.
Aliki shrugged, "Je devine ainsi, ceci est notre seulement offre." (Translated: I guess so, this is our only offer.)
"Uh-uh, it's not nice to speak a different language in front of others." Harley laughed. "And this is the best offer you'll have in a while, Aliki and Margot Marceau."
The pair stared wide eyed at the woman who only smirked at them then motioned that they go into the dimly lit warehouse. "And a word of advise, don't try to pull that French stunt on the boss, he won't think twice before shooting you." She said in a sing-song voice moments before they vanished within.
Inside the warehouse large shadows of unidentifiable objects loomed over them as they walked in the direction they had been told, nearing the center their eyes befell a man standing before an elegant gray marble and mahogany desk. A dark shadow fell over one side of his stoic face whilst the other was well lit, aside him stood two redheaded twins that reminded them of themselves when they were in their younger years.
"Vous avez demandé pour nous?" Aliki asked drawing his attention towards them. (Translated: You asked for us?)
His dark eye focused onto them and a delighted smile spread over his face. "Ah, bonjour bonjour, mademoiselles. Bienvenu, je suis content voir vous arriver." (Translated: Ah, hello hello, mademoiselles. Welcome, I am content to see arriving to you.) He smiled taking them each by their right hand and kissing both gently before standing tall once again in the full light with both sides of his misshapen face visible.
Both women withheld the gasp of surprise that had found its way into their unsuspecting mouths. They had only been in Gotham for a week or so and they had already heard of the current villain plaguing the city, they had heard of his two sided ways and how quick he was to kill. Disrespecting with sighs of disgust towards his face would no doubtingly result in their dead mangled bodies being found some days later in a field.
"To answer your question: yes, I am the man who asked for you. As you can see," He motioned towards himself his voice deepening to a menacing tone, "I am Two-Face."
Margot growled approaching his despite her sister's effectors to hold her back. "You are the one who almost killed us. What makes you think we would do anything for you?" She demanded.
Two-Face smirked darkly admiring the woman for her bravery even though it might result in her death, but that was for the coin to decide.
He pulled his coin from a repository in his inner jacket and held it up for them to see. The flip was quick flying a few inches into the air before descending into his open palm. A crocked smile spread across his lips, "Fortune smiles upon you ladies." He said holding up the good side for all to see.
As if functioning on a silent command Deride opened a large bottle of champagne and poured it into four crystal champagne glasses set atop a split tray made of one half glass the other silver. Delia took the tray walking slowly that with each step the heels of her shoes clicked loudly when they touched the floor. Two-Face grabbed two glasses for himself while The Marceau sister's picked the remaining glasses for themselves.
"Would you like for me to address you as Aliki and Margot Marceau? Or do you prefer your alias as Double Dare?" He asked eyeing them as he looked down inattentively at his glasses.
The two were once again surprised by the two sided man who had call on them. "How-"
Their question was cut short with a raised champagne glass filled hand. "Let us bypass the simplicities shall we?" He asked taking a small sip from both glasses.
The two followed in his actions in hopes of calming themselves; they were after all before one of the most dangerous criminal in all of Gotham.
"But if you must know, I make it my business to know each crook that comes into my city from simple pick-pockets to the major counterfeiters. Now as my lovely assistant said I'm interested in giving you two a job and perhaps a place among the rants of my gang. For coming," He gave a slight nod of his head, behind him two briefcases lined with money was placed atop the desk and propped open for them to see. "Equal amounts for each of you. But should you take the job and succeed the pay doubles." He said taking another sip while watching the pair for any sign of answers in their faces.
Margot and Aliki turned towards one another. "So what do you think, sister? Should we accept?"
Aliki looked towards the money once more, "Well, it will be awhile until we can find another circus to work at."
Two-Face handed his glasses over to the Dee-Dees standing on both sides of him, with a might clap of his hands he approached the two women with a smug smile plastered across his face. "Very well then, ladies, welcome to my services. Now as for your assignment..."
Harley Jest watched as Two-Face shook hands with the pair known as Double Dare before they departed to prepare for their assigned mission. "Well my dear," He said as he approached the desk on which she was sitting. "All we can do now is wait until they return."
Harley rolled up the red sleeve of her uniform looking down on the note written on her forearm, "Nope, according to the schedule you have another meeting with the Crime Council later." She announced in a sing song voice while pointing out the self reminder scribbled in black ink.
Two-Face looked down on her arm practically covered with notes. "What the-- . Do you always write your reminders on yourself?"
Harley rolled down her sleeve staring at him curiously. "Doesn't everyone? Man I have notes and phone numbers in places I didn't even know I had." She grumbled.
"Well the meeting isn't until later, much later. I say we all can relax until then. Dee-Dee," He pointed his scarred finger to the twins. "You two have been slacking, and I hate a second rate job. Starting today I shall be re-training you."
The two orange haired sisters nodded in agreement before speaking in union. "Yes sir."
"Aw man and tonight was ladies night." Harley grumbled crossing her legs beneath her in lotus position.
Two-Face chuckled patting her on her jester cap covered head, "You'll just have to manage." He said walking towards the mini-fridge containing his desired liquor of choice.
From the shadows a large hand reached out and tapped lightly against Two- Face's shoulder. Two-Face looked up in time to see a large muscular man slip from the embrace of the darkness. His face hard and stoic looked onto the disfigured crime lord; he looked like a swinger/gangster from the old days of the 1920's dressed in a purple pinstriped suit with a hat.
"Yes, Buttons what information do you bring me?" Two-Face asked.
The large man bent over to whisper into Two-Face's unscarred ear. At hearing the news Two-Face drew away with shock. "Are you certain?" He asked.
The man by the name of Buttons nodded fearfully. From behind them there is a click of a gun. "If you so much as breathe I'll blow your brains out." Harley's voice purred from behind the gun.
"What?!" Two-Face said to her. "What is the meaning of this, Harl?"
Harley lowered her gun. "Wait, you know him?" She asked pointing her gloved finger towards the man in question. When both looked down on her with hard narrowed eyes of annoyance she smiled uneasily biting the tip of her index finger. "Oops."
It was easy to say that Buttons was a little mad at her stunt while Two- Face on the other hand was not please in the least of her brash actions. "What were you thinking, Harl?" He demanded.
Harley ran her finger around in ring atop the barrel of her gun. "Um protecting my darling handsome and forgiving boss?" She asked knowing she was in trouble.
Buttons narrowed his eyes down on her, "You thought I was going to hurt the boss?"
Harley stumbled over her explanation before finally just spitting her words out. "Nothin' personal but I've never seen ya before. And most people would want to, seein' he's the most powerful crime lord in all of Gotham now."
Two-Face sighed. "Harl, this is Buttons McBoomBoom, my right hand man. Buttons, you know my left hand woman, Harley Jest."
Harley slapped her hand against her forehead in sigh of her own stupidity. "Go figures you would have two second bananas."
"Buttons here is our weapons expert, master of any gun made and most weapons. I hired him awhile ago due to his skills." Two-Face explained.
"I must have missed the memo. Anyhow, meeting with the crime council, you better get ready." She said before carefully slipping away, she did not really like being in the same room with the man known as Buttons.
It seemed the darkest hour of the night as the group of twelve men followed quietly after Harley dressed nicely in a short skirt suit as she escorted them through Grimmson's high-rise apartment. "This way fellas." She stated waving towards the large golden door. All twelve men obediently walked inside to see Two-Face already seated at the head of a large oval shaped table with Buttons McBoomBoom standing behind him.
Two-Face grinned slightly as he waved his hand in a motion for them to sit and let the meeting commence.
"As you all may know by now from reports in the media that I have been doing a lot of work purifying this wretched city, and I am far from completed in my mission. So this how it is, gentlemen. Until Grissom resurfaces... I'm the acting President and what I say goes." Two-Face stated, from behind him both Buttons McBoomBoom and Harley cracked their knuckles to emphasize his point for him.
Those who were rightfully fearful of the man agreed while some who would rather be neutered than have the man as leader listened attentively. But everyone had the good sense to keep their mouths shut and obey...except for one man, Raul Pochinni.
"I can't believe we have to listen to some scabbed up freak now!" Pochinni roared standing onto his feet. "As if Grissom wasn't bad enough, we're takin' orders from some psycho. You can't tell me you are really going to sit here and take orders from this......this......sick bastard. We have enough power to take over. We don't need him!"
Everyone sat still awaiting for some cruel and twisted death to befall the bold man, yet Two-Face reminded ever passive throughout the entire outburst.
Harley frowned at the remarks directed to her boss before slowly walking about the left side of the table while addressing everyone. "Please, gentlemen, do not listen to Mr. Poochi. We need Two-Face as our boss just as much as Mr. P here needs a breath mint."
Another man stood. "I agree with Pochinni, you're not the one in line to take over after Grissom."
Two-Face took a slow intimidating look about the table of faces. "How many else of you feel the same as Pochinni?" He asked. "Oh don't be shy; I'm a man of standards."
He watched as slowly two more hesitant hand rose into the air. Two-Face growled deeply within his throat like some feral animal before looking at his right hand thug giving him the signal.
Buttons McBoomBoom who was standing at Two-Face bad side opened up his coat revealing a chest panel that held two swing down machine guns. Everyone was frozen in horror to react in time as the man shot down the four men.
A sinister gleam glowed in Two-Face's large mismatched eye as the four men's bodies jolted from impact of the gun fire then slouched lifelessly in their seats dead.
Harley stood in shock along with the rest of the remaining eight men, "Ya gotta admire a man who loves his work." She murmured silently to no one.
"Does anyone else have something to say?" He asked causally.
Everyone still speechless shook their heads from side to side. "Good. Now GET OUT OF HERE! And give it some thought."
From the bellow of Two-Face's voice everyone quickly departed making sure not to move too close to their new boss and the walking arsenal staying close to his side. Harley still looking at the bodies moves towards the door. "I'll go make sure no one stays behind."
After everyone had gone Two-Face sat in silence contemplating his next plan of actions. After some time had past he stood and turned slightly to address his right hand man. "You get double your pay today. I'm going to start training Dee-Dee now."
By then Harley had returned, "Everyone is gone and scared to death of betrayin' ya. You do have that lastin' impression on everyone darlin'."
"Good. Now you two can clean this place up. And get rid of those bodies before they start to smell." He commanded while walking out of the meeting room.
To Be Continued...
