Chapter 26

Sally sat in the bunker, watching all the newsfeeds. She exhaled. A call came through and Sally answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, Doc," Tiana greeted.

"Hey… Oracle."

"Still not used to codenames?"

"Not yet," Sally admitted. "Did you need something?"

"No, I just wanted to check on you," Tiana answered.

"Oh. I'm… I'm hanging in here."

"Understandable."

"How's everything going?" Sally asked.

"They infiltrated the ship," Tiana replied.

Sally smiled a bit. "I always liked that word."

"Infiltrated?"

"Yeah. Sounds cool."

Tiana giggled softly.

"Hey, Oracle?" Sally asked.

"Yeah?"

"Can you… keep the line open? The silence is gonna kill me quicker than Bane possibly could."

"I'll do you one better." Tiana activated the vid screen, smiling at Sally. "I could use the company, too."

Sally smiled back at Tiana. "I don't know what we'd do without you."

"You'd all be just fine. I'm just here to make it easier."

Sally smiled. She noticed a red flashing dot in the screen's corner. "Why record this?"

Tiana smiled, sadly. "Just in case. I started the recording a while ago, on the chance I need to go back and see something. But… mostly… if I… see the end coming… I can say goodbye… to my kids. And tell them… in case they wonder… why I stayed in Gotham."

"Oracle…"

"I'm not the best mom, Doc. Not like you and Max. Me and my babies… we had conflict. Lots of conflict. Mostly because of me and their father. But… I accept it. It's all my fault. I hope… I get to fix it. Some day."

"You can fix it," Sally implored. "I know it."

"Thanks, Doc."

Sally leaned on the console. "It's weird. I'm remembering a story… about Winston Churchill. It was, like… toward the beginning of World War II, I think, and he was giving one of his famous speeches. Well, it became famous. I can't remember the quote exactly but I remember him talking that being England's finest hour. I didn't get it then. As a kid, even as a teenager and up until a few days ago, I thought, 'Your home is being attacked. People are dying. All because of one guy's screwed-up ideology of the world! How is this your finest hour?'" She stopped. "I didn't get it then. I get it now."

Tiana exhaled. "Yeah. Me, too."

Batwoman, Huntress, Ghost-Wing, and Jaguar made it to the first hub and Batwoman inserted the flash drive into the hub.

"Alright," Batwoman started linking the signal. "First drive hacked."

"How many flash drives do we have?" Ghost-Wing asked.

"Not many. But everyone has ways to relay the signal. As long as one is in play, this'll work." Batwoman activated her comms, "Oracle?"

"Got it," Tiana replied. "Processing." She was silent for a moment. "Okay, I get a small section of the ship. But I'm a ways from mapping it out and even further from getting into its systems. But, on the plus side, it's helping ping the bomb's location."

"Finally!" Huntress groaned. "Some good news!"

"Yeah, it's somewhere further south. Bad news is the Castellum is still pushing through the city. It's practically in firing range of GCPD already."

"We need to call Bennet and tell him to focus on the southern area of the city," Batwoman mused.

"We need to keep this thing from blowing up GCPD," Jaguar added.

"We just need to keep moving to the next hub," Huntress concluded.

"Leave the rest to me," Tiana advised. "You guys just keep moving."

"Oracle?" Batwoman asked.

"Trust me. I got this."

After ending the transmission with the team, Tiana began typing and swiping her fingers across the screens.

"Tia?" Sally asked.

"Yeah?" Tiana replied.

"What are you doing?"

"We can't wait for the other ports. Terry's plan is good, but we all knew adjustments on the fly would be needed to win this."

Sally studied Tiana, suspiciously. "Okaaaaay. Soooooo… that meaaaaaans…?"

"If we waited for the other hubs," Tiana explained, "a prepared code would activate, and I would just need to… 'steer' it."

"Like making a virus that attacks a specific organ."

"Exactly, Doc."

"So, then…"

"I'm performing the surgery a bit early," Tiana continued. "With a… less perfected version of the virus. One I have to steer right now."

Sally thought it over. Her eyes widened. "Tia! If you do that…!"

"Don't worry. Bane has no way of knowing where you're calling from."

"I'm not worried about me! I'm worried about you! If you start now, they'll probably be able to track the signal."

Tiana smiled a bit. "Yep." She looked at the screen, smiling wider at Sally. "Gotta roll the dice."

"Better not get a snake eyes," Sally said, worriedly.

"Eh! Snake eyes ain't so bad."

After leaving Batman to face Bane alone, Runner, Ember, Koutetsu, and Batwing raced for a hub and soon encountered several squadrons of Scourge soldiers. After dispatching them, they hurried forward when a door at the far end of the hallway opened. The heroes stopped when, through the door, walked Killer Frost and Tremor.

"Damn!" Runner grunted.

"It's not as though we didn't expect this," Koutetsu shrugged.

"Doesn't make it any less irritating," Ember growled.

"So, where's the rest of your gang?" Runner asked Frost and Tremor.

"Busy," Tremor answered.

"The boss told us we don't have to play nice anymore," Frost smiled. "Which means… we can absolutely mutilate you a-holes!"

"I knew they were holding back!" Runner gritted.

"This isn't good…" Batwing noted.

"It's inconvenient." Koutetsu entered a fighting stance, placing one hand on his bokuto. "Though in some ways, I prefer this."

"You excited for a fight is such a turn-on!" Ember grinned.

"Batwing," Runner instructed, "get outta here. Find the hub and the others."

Batwing looked at Runner, shocked. "But…"

"Trust us. We're used to this insanity. We can handle these guys. Get goin'."

"What makes you think we'll let him leave?" Frost asked.

Ember raised an eyebrow, "Bitch, was anybody talking to you?!"

Frost's face grew rigid. "'Bitch'?"

"Oh, sorry. Was that wrong? My bad. Let me try again. Slut, was anybody talking to you? Or do you prefer 'whore' or 'ugly-ass'? I could go old school and call you 'trick' or 'skank', if you want."

"Dammit, Ember," Runner chuckled.

Frost began to shake with rage. "I want her."

"Get in line, sweetie," Ember replied.

"Let's get started, shall we?!" Tremor threw his hands forward, sending a shockwave forward.

"BATWING, GO!" Runner yelled.

Koutetsu rushed in front of the group, swung his bokuto, and sent a surge of his chi, to disrupt Tremor's attack. Batwing used an explosive to create a hole in the ceiling and flew off while Runner, Koutetsu, and Ember charged at Killer Frost and Tremor.

Nightwing, Catwoman, and their group hadn't been able to locate another hub due to having to fight through waves of Scourge soldiers.

"How many guys did Bane hire?!" Nightwing kicked another Scourge soldier away.

"More than I was expecting!" Catwoman admitted.

A far wall exploded, disrupting the battle, and Huntress, Batwoman, Jaguar, and Ghost-Wing rushed in. Catwoman kept fighting but she couldn't help but feel her pride swell up to see Huntress battle so effortlessly and beautifully. Catwoman could see the influence of herself and Bruce in Huntress's fighting style. Nightwing and Catwoman took notice of Batwoman's combat prowess. They couldn't believe how adept she was to fighting; while she was clearly using some basic street fighting tactics, not that different from her husband, Batwoman was a more than competent fighter.

Nightwing smiled, "Oh, yeah. I totally see what he fell for with her!"

"So, do I!" Catwoman agreed. "Damn, she's good!"

Batwoman and Huntress fought their way over to Nightwing and Catwoman.

"Welcome to the party!" Nightwing punched a Scourge soldier away.

"Thanks!" Batwoman kicked another soldier in the face. "Figured you didn't mind us busting in!"

"Did you guys get to another hub?" Huntress asked.

"Got a little distracted!" Catwoman responded, punching then tossing another soldier.

"I can't help but think they kinda herded in us in here!" Batwoman admitted.

In the thick of the battle, Ghost-Wing had just knocked out a Scourge soldier when he was suddenly kicked in the chest. He went sailing back then looked up and saw Switchblade standing over him.

"Childs…" Ghost-Wing growled.

"Can't believe you had the guts to show your face," Switchblade chuckled. "Well… you know what I mean."

Roaring, Ghost-Wing quickly got up and rushed Switchblade and they dueled. The ceiling exploded, causing the rest of the heroes to dodge debris. Bulletstorm and She-Bat dropped into the room, from the hole Bulletstorm created and began attack the heroes.

"Great!" Huntress growled. "Now, it's a party!"

"Where are the other two?!" Batwoman asked.

"Fighting Runner, Koutetsu, and Ember," Tiana answered.

"While Bane fights Batman alone!" Huntress gritted through her teeth.

"These guys are going all-out!"

"Crap!"

They all battled for a few more minutes with more Scourge soldiers crashing into the room.

"This is getting ridiculous!" Catwoman screamed in frustration.

"It's like there's no end to this!" Huntress shouted.

"Bane really was ready for this…" Nightwing whispered.

"This is Batwing," Batwing said over the comms.

"We're here!" Batwoman responded.

"I just got another hub located and accessed."

"Got it! Get to the next one if you can!" Tiana was silent for a second. "Okay. It's not enough to fully take over the ship but I can slow down its processes a little bit. You should notice the ship slow down soon. And… I found the bomb!"

Batwoman stopped. "Where?"

"Southside of the city! Southwest, to be exact. It's at the marina."

"Okay." Batwoman looked around the chaos. "I can get there."

Jaguar made her way over to Batwoman. "We'll go with you."

"You and who?"

"Ghost."

Huntress saw Ghost-Wing and Switchblade still fighting. "He's… a little busy."

Jaguar smiled a bit. "Give it a second."

Switchblade kicked Ghost-Wing away, then drew two more knives. "You're off game, Ghost. That ass-whippin' Bane gave you really messed with ya, eh?"

Ghost-Wing just growled at him.

"Oh, well!" Switchblade flipped the knives, "Works for me. I mean…" he grinned, "I've been looking forward to this for a long, long time."

"ME, TOO, ASSHOLE!" Banshee shouted.

All the color drained from Switchblade's face and turned just as a sonic scream crashed into him. Switchblade was slammed against a wall from the scream, then he fell to his hands and knees. He slowly pushed himself up and looked at Banshee.

Switchblade groaned, "Oh, shite! Athol!"

"Just when I wonder whether or not God is real," Banshee stalked toward Switchblade, "He gives me the chance to kill you myself, Conner!"

Switchblade hurried to his feet, "Since when are you friends with Batman?!"

"Since he didn't let a pack of psychopaths cut me head off! Made him fine in my book!"

Switchblade began slowly backing up, "Ya can't still be mad about Katherine! C'mon! She came on to me!"

"She was wearin' your shirt and nothin' else, ya bleedin' bastard!" Banshee snapped.

Switchblade blinked. "Okay, so we got carried away!"

Banshee growled.

"If it's any consolation, she wasn't that great!"

Banshee unleashed another sonic scream, sending Switchblade on the defensive.

With Switchblade and Banshee fighting, Ghost-Wing looked over at Jaguar, who was waving him over. Ghost-Wing came to them and looked at Jaguar, shocked, "Mind explaining what just happened?"

"When Switchblade came in, Banshee damn near broke a guy's neck trying to get to him," Jaguar replied. "I promised she could kick his ass if she let the Scourge guy live."

"We should take Childs down."

"We tried that, got distracted, got our asses kicked. Let's leave the love birds. We got something more important to focus on."

"We do?" Ghost-Wing asked.

"We found the bomb," Batwoman explained. "We need to get there and disable it. Take away Bane's trump card."

"He probably has it guarded."

"Which is why all three of us are going," Jaguar declared.

"Just us?" Ghost-Wing asked.

"If all of us go, Bane will know something's up and just blow it anyway," Batwoman pointed out. "So, let's go!"

"What do you know about disarming a bomb?"

"More than you think, junior."

Jaguar smiled. "I really like her!"

"We'll handle things here," Huntress reassured. "Focus on the bomb and leave the rest to us."

"Roger that!" Batwoman got on her comms, "Oracle, could you call Bennet?"

"Done and done," Tiana answered.

"Thanks!" Batwoman looked at Jaguar and Ghost-Wing, "Let's move!"

"Right behind you!" Jaguar nodded.

Batman followed the lit hallway Bane had created for him.

"You've assembled quite the team, Batman," Bane said over the intercom.

"Thanks, I guess," Batman replied.

"Tell me: what inspired you to seek help? To that end, why have such a team? The old man was always so determined to do things on his own."

"Maybe that's why I did it."

"Hmm. I see. Impressive armor, by the way. I hope it serves you well."

"It'll do."

Batman came to a door that opened up. He walked into the room, seeing it was built like a grand, medieval throne room. Though the drab colors and metal walls brought down the grandeur a bit, in Batman's eyes.

The lights came on, revealing Bane sitting on a plain, metal throne atop a circular dais. Dressed in full combat gear, Bane was leaned forward, his fingers pressed together.

"No ego here," Batman whispered.

Bane lifted his head up. He smiled. "Welcome, Batman. Thank you for accepting this invitation."

Batman slowly approached the throne, stopping at the base of the dais. "It ends here, Bane. Tonight. All of this."

"Oh, I know that better than you, Batman." Bane slowly stood up.

Batman took a few steps back and entered a battle stance.

"I hope you are ready."

Batman's muscles tensed; his mind considered all ways to battle this monster. He made the stiffest fists he could. He let out one final calm exhale. "More than ready. BRING IT!"

Batman and Bane leapt at each other, colliding against each other.

A/N: Bane's sitting posture was inspired by a similar scene in the "City of Bane" story arc. That has to be one of my favorite most recent Batman storylines. I felt like it really came down to the bare bones of who Batman is and why he fights, especially toward the end. Go give that a read, if you get the chance.

Next up, the battle continues...