A/N: 2022.08.27

I can't believe with this HELL of a week I had, I managed to get this chapter done! Wow! I hope you guys like it!

Chapter 25

It was 8:55 PM in Gotham. The entire city was eerily quiet. Or, perhaps, more accurately, deathly silent. The wind was even subtly sweeping through the streets.

With the feeling that a war was about to erupt, the eyes of the world were on Gotham.

Barbara and Valerie stood up on top of the GCPD building, with an army of officers all in SWAT gear. There were even more officers at the ground level of the building, prepared for whatever came their way.

With all her monitors filled with camera feeds and data, Tiana was checking for any sign of trouble all over the city.

Sally sat inside of the panic room, staring at the monitors for outside the Shop and for Gotham at large.

Chelsea paced in her living room, watching the news.

Bennet was sitting in his car in an alley, focused on his watch.

Bruce and Diana were sitting on the couch in the Kane Country house, their eyes glued to the screen.

Diana looked up at the clock turned on the hour.

9:00.

"Bruce…" Diana whispered.

"It's time," Bruce whispered.

Inside the Castellum, Bane studied at the monitors.

Athanasia looked at him and smiled, "Beloved."

"Commence launch," Bane confirmed.

"Commence launch!" Athanasia ordered the Scourge soldiers.

Alerts sounded all over Tiana's command room as the sensors flashed and information began to fill her screens. "Everyone…"

"Yeah," Batman replied, calmly. "We see it."

On top of Gotham high-rise, Batman, Nightrunner, Koutetsu, Ember, Batwoman, Huntress, Batwing, Nightwing, Catwoman, Jaguar, Ghost-Wing, Black Crow, Azrael, Silver Banshee, and Nyssa stared in the northeastern Gotham waters to see the waves churning.

Moments later, the Castellum slowly rose out of the water. It was easily as wide as two football fields and just over a mile in length. Its sleek, dark-brown outer shell was somehow more menacing than if the weapons were visible. The front-facing section of the ship had a series of vertical, red-tinted windows. The Castellum slowly moved from the water and into the city.

"Well!" Azrael blinked. "That's… huge."

"That's what she said!" Ember joked.

"A tub of ice, Ember!" Runner warned.

"It was a bucket last time."

"It's a tub now!"

Batman activated his comms, "Bennet."

"Trying to get a fix on that bomb," Bennet replied. "Nothing yet."

"Oracle?"

"No better luck," Tiana admitted.

Batman glared at the Castellum. "We can't wait. Bennet, call if you find it."

"Roger that," Bennet replied.

"Oracle, do all you can."

"You got it," Tiana replied.

"What's the plan, Batman?" Azrael asked.

"From what little blueprints we did get of that thing, it has some possible blind spots," Batman informed. "And I can't stress the word 'possible' enough."

"Par for the course," Nightwing shrugged.

"We go underneath it. Stay as inconspicuous as possible."

"What's wrong with bum-rushing the damn thing?" Banshee asked.

"We only have a slight idea of its armaments," Runner replied. "We don't know what we're really up against yet."

"Batman," Bennet called.

"You found the bomb?" Batman asked.

"No, worse. The NSA didn't listen to me or someone didn't. Jets have been scrambled."

"Oh, c'mon!" Ember yelled, throwing her head back.

"How many?" Batman inquired.

"Five," Bennet answered. "You should hear them any minute."

Batman considered a plan. "Bane's gonna blow 'em outta the sky. We gotta watch out for those pilots."

"No. They didn't listen to me. It's on them now."

"You know me, Bennet. I'm not built like that."

"Hey!" Batwoman looked at Batman, Runner, Koutetsu, and Ember. "You guys worry about the jets. We'll sneak on board."

Batman studied Batwoman then smiled at her. "Sounds good."

"I'll stick with you guys," Batwing volunteered to Batman. "I mean… flying is kinda my thing."

Koutetsu noticed something interesting about the ship. "It's turning."

"What?" Runner asked.

Everyone took note of the ship's course change. Judging by the direction it was heading, it seemed to be aimed for…

"GCPD headquarters!" Batwoman shouted.

"Oh, dammit!" Huntress grunted.

"It'll get there in about 20 to 30 minutes at its current speed," Nightwing reasoned.

"Barely enough time to evacuate the building," Batwing mused.

"If they evacuate," Jaguar added.

"Oracle, get word to Commissioner Gordon!" Batman requested.

"Already on it," Tiana replied.

Seconds later, they heard screeching through the air.

"The military," Runner noted.

"Morons never freakin' listen!" Banshee growled.

"They're doing what they think is best," Jaguar admitted.

"No matter how stupid the decision is," Catwoman groaned.

"You guys get going!" Batman said to the others. "We'll make ourselves seen! This might work even better! We'll keep Bane looking at us!"

"Good plan," Azrael agreed.

"Good luck, everyone!" Batman and his group went straight for the ship.

"True heroes, those warriors," Nyssa grinned.

"No argument here," Catwoman agreed.

"I have the ship's schematics," Batwoman informed the rest. "I know where we can get in!"

"Lead the way!" Nightwing smiled.

Batman and the others were almost to the Castellum when they saw the jets.

"Hey!" Runner noticed. "Those look new."

"They look like F-20X Strike Eagles!" Batwing explained. "Those were just commissioned six months ago!"

"Bennet?" Batman asked.

"Your friend's right," Bennet explained. "They're the latest model. The words 'insanely expensive' don't even begin to cover it."

"And they're about to be turned into scrap metal," Ember grumbled.

"Millions of dollars about to go right down the damn drain."

The Strike Eagles launched their assault with a series of missiles, but lasers fired from the Castellum, almost immediately, to destroy the missiles midair.

"Damn!" Ember grunted.

"Bane's fortress has some impressive countermeasures," Koutetsu noted.

The jets moved closer, using laser fire. But the Castellum fired micro-missiles that destroyed two jets immediately.

Seeing the pilots falling, Batman shouted, "Ember! Batwing!"

"On it!" Ember used her fire to launch herself into the air with Batwing spreading his wings and following right behind her. They rescued the first two pilots, taking them safely to the street level.

After getting landing the pilots safely, Ember glared at the pilots, "Tell your bosses to leave this to us! Bane doesn't care how many corpses he has to make!" She flew off.

"She's right," Batwing said to the pilots. "You guys are just following orders. I get it… but this isn't your fight. We got this. Get somewhere safe." He flew back up toward the Castellum.

After another jet had its engine destroyed, causing it to spin out of control, Batman flew to the jet, landing on it before it crashed. He punched cockpit window, shattering it, grabbed the pilot, and flew away from the jet before it crashed into the ground and exploded. Batman placed the pilot on the ground, shouting at him, "Get outta here!" Batman flew back at the Castellum.

Runner and Koutetsu saw the last two jets get shot down but witnessed Batwing and Ember rescue the pilots.

"So much for the government's plan," Runner noted. "That damn thing really is a bastion."

"Which confirms the task falls into our hands to bring down that monstrosity and the monstrosity controlling it," Koutetsu declared.

"Right behind you, brother!"

They ran across the rooftops until they were close enough to jump and land on the Castellum. They were joined by Batman, Ember, and Batwing seconds later. Before trying to make an opening, they looked at each other.

"It's only a war from here," Batman declared.

"As opposed to?" Runner asked.

Koutetsu jerked his head, suddenly, when he heard a turret emerge from the hull. He quickly deployed his bokuto and deflected all the bullets. He then dashed at the turret, destroying it in one strike. The damage created an opening in the ship's hull.

"That's one way in!" Batwing noted.

"Let's go!" Batman ordered.

Batwoman, Huntress, and the others entered the ship by making an opening in the bottom of the hull. They found themselves in a maintenance area and looked around, finding it to be unoccupied by the enemy. Though it was only a maintenance area, this area alone was spacious enough to house a squadron of soldiers.

"This thing's massive!" Batwoman noted.

"Damn," Catwoman examined their surroundings. "Bane didn't skimp on the cost."

"Easy since he stole all this," Nightwing joked.

"Where to now?" Jaguar asked.

Batwoman activated her mask sensors. "The closet hub is about two levels above us. We need to make our way there, to use the first USB device to start scanning this thing."

"And the next hub?" Nyssa asked.

"Five levels that way," Batwoman pointed up toward another section of the ship.

"Actually… where would the bridge be?"

"You think that's where Ikram is?" Nightwing asked.

"If not him, then Athanasia," Nyssa deduced. "I'm not sure how much control Ikram has anymore. If I had to guess… it's none. Either way, I wish to, personally, deal with my family. Bane is Batman's fight."

"You think he can take Bane alone?" Ghost-Wing asked.

"I'm certain."

"That new armor of his won't change anything. Bane's strength… is terrifying."

Nyssa laughed. "I saw that man go up against an army of metahumans and defeat them. I'll gladly place my faith in Batman any day of the week."

"Bet he had his whole team with him against that army," Ghost-Wing grumbled.

"He did."

"But there have been times he's done it completely alone," Batwoman informed. "So… yeah, I'm with Nyssa."

"No shock there," Huntress smiled, causing Batwoman to suppress a laugh. "But, honestly? I'm with Nyssa, too. Batman's ready for Bane."

"No, he's not!" Ghost-Wing argued. "Don't any of you get it?! It doesn't matter who or what he's fought before! Bane's a different monster, altogether."

"You saying that 'cause Bane beat the shit out of you?" Huntress asked.

Ghost-Wing glared at her.

"Huntress…" Catwoman said, a mixture of scolding and giggling in her voice.

"Just asking," Huntress shrugged.

"You tried to fight Bane alone?" Azrael asked. "Yeah, that sounds like something you'd do, Ghost."

"And he got waxed!"

"Guess who had to save him," Jaguar added.

"Well, considering you've been mad at him since we got here," Azrael noted, "I'm guessing Batman." He looked at Ghost-Wing. "And you really think Batman can't take him?"

"I know he can't," Ghost-Wing assured. "Not alone."

"Well, who says he'll do it alone the whole time?" Batwoman asked.

"It doesn't seem like Bane will be up for any interference."

"Bane can kiss my ass."

"That suit only increased your attitude, didn't it?" Nightwing asked.

"No," Batwoman smiled. "I'm always like this."

"Huntress is right. You're so easy to love."

"With help or alone, Batman is an expert in fighting monsters," Nyssa declared. "He has before. He will again. He's survived every time. He's achieved victory ever time. Again… I choose to place my faith in him."

"With the exception of Ghost-Wing, I think that's unanimous," Catwoman declared.

"Tsk!" Banshee grunted. "I'd pay money to never fight that guy and I actually never have. Bane's dust."

Ghost-Wing rolled his eyes.

"We're off-topic," Azrael realized. "And I can't believe I'm pointing that out." He looked at Nyssa, "May I come with you?"

"If you wish," Nyssa nodded. "But remember: we honor Batman's creed. No deaths, no killing."

"Agreed."

"Me and Huntress will head to the first hub," Batwoman motioned, causing Huntress to nod.

"We'll come with you," Jaguar pointed at Ghost-Wing.

"We will?" Ghost-Wing asked.

"Yes, we will."

"We'll go to the second hub," Nightwing said, gesturing toward Catwoman. He looked at Black Crow and Silver Banshee, "You two better come with us."

"Works for me," Banshee nodded.

"Are you two gonna be okay alone?" Crow asked Nyssa and Azrael.

"Indeed," Nyssa nodded. "This needs to be settled."

"I'll be sure to watch her back," Azrael smiled.

Nyssa raised an eyebrow. "Thank you… Azrael. But I'm more than capable of keeping a 360-degree field of vision."

Azrael chuckled a bit, "Yes, ma'am."

"Ugh! Don't say that word! I feel old enough."

"Let's get moving." Huntress smirked and started to walk off. "Can't let Batman have all the fun!"

"You two, I swear!" Batwoman smiled, following after her.

Jaguar smiled and looked at the others, "See you soon." She followed after Huntress and Batwoman. "Let's go, Ghost!"

Ghost-Wing growled and followed after them.

Nyssa looked at Nightwing and Catwoman, "He seems charming."

"Guy's an ass," Banshee grumbled.

"He's always like that," Crow exhaled.

"He's usually got strong opinions," Azrael shrugged.

"That's a nice way saying he's an ass," Banshee replied.

"I noticed," Nyssa replied.

"He was nice and calm…" Nightwing started. "…when he was a kid."

"Then, puberty hit," Catwoman exhaled.

"Yeah, that was the beginning of the end."

Batman, Runner, Koutetsu, Ember, and Batwing made their way through the ship until they came to a central hallway. So far, they noted a significant lack of any enemy encounters.

"It's quiet…" Batman noted.

"Don't you dare finish that!" Runner ordered.

"Too quiet."

"I hate you."

Suddenly, the lights in the hallway turned red.

"Good evening, Batman," Bane's voice echoed throughout the ship.

"See?!" Runner gritted.

"Oh, whatever!" Batman countered. "Like we didn't expect that!"

"It's so nice to have you and your ilk join me on the night of my ultimate conquest," Bane continued. "A few members more than I was expecting."

"Couldn't be selfish with the party invites," Batman joked. "I mean, you made it 'Invite Only' but a few guests RSPV'd."

"Indeed."

"We're here to bring you to justice, Bane," Koutetsu professed.

"A bold declaration, Koutetsu," Bane replied. "But you will fail in this mission. I will never be trapped in a prison of any kind again. Be it body, mind, or otherwise."

"Sorry to spoil your plans on that one," Runner said. "I mean… we're not, but you get the idea."

"Quite. Batman. Let us have a private chat."

Bane didn't need to make a threat. They all heard it, loud and clear. As long as the peril of the bomb was in place, any suggestion of Bane's was a command they had to honor, at the very least.

Still, in so many ways, this was exactly what Batman wanted, as well. He, fearlessly, responded, "I'd actually prefer that."

"Boss…" Ember said, nervously.

"It's cool, Ember. I want this as bad as he does. You guys take out the Scourge and bring this ugly blimp down."

The rest of the team looked at each other, then at Batman, and nodded.

"Watch your back, brother," Runner advised.

"Gotcha." Batman looked toward the ceiling. "Where's your… throne room, I'm guessing?"

"Very astute deduction, Detective," Bane replied, a bit of laughter in his voice.

A wall opened ahead of them, revealing of series of lights.

"Guess that's my runway," Batman joked.

"Be sure to sashay," Ember added.

Batman smiled. "The wife's better at it."

"No argument from me. She's got the hips gifted from God for it."

"Hell, yeah, she does." Batman looked at his team, studying them momentarily. "See you on the other side."

They nodded, apprehensively.

Batman walked down the lit corridor as the wall closed and sealed behind him.

A/N: And we're off and running! The war has begun! Get ready for what happens next!