Dick Grayson
Chapter 9
This is going to Hurt(Part 3 of 3)
The moon shines brightly at the City of Gotham while the cold brisk wind sweeps the streets and gathers the toxic gas. Thus rendering the City clean once again. The wind may not be strong enough to clear all pollution in the City, but just enough to clear the view for Batman the "Dark Knight" and his first new partner Robin who has no reputation just yet.
From street to street, light to light, we searched the city, hoping….no not hoping, but rather knowing that they will find the criminals that created the disaster a few hours ago at the downtown police Headquarters. It just goes to show that the villains in this city don't give a damn about "right or wrong", "law and order", and my favorite, "Innocents and victims." The criminals in this city are always being thrown in jail with the insanity plea, always do they make themselves the victims of crime. A crook, a robber, and a criminal do their best to stay away from prisons. Asylums are the 1st best thing for them all, or so they believe. Anyway, that's off topic, let's stick to what's at hand Robin. The situation is that there are 2 villains that escaped our sights and one is leaving a trail while the other is just being clumsy. A little too reckless if I say so myself. As I tried to keep up far behind Batman, he suddenly makes a quick stop and scouts the area like as if he were some kind of bird looking for some worms.
"What's the matter Batman? Did you forget something or …"
"Shh, quiet Di…I mean Robin. I think were onto something."
I look around and hear nor I see nothing. Every minute I'm with this guy, I'm getting the sense that the papers were right. He probably is missing a few screws in that brain of his.
"Are you sure you "sense" something? I mean it's not like your some kind of "Spider-man". It could have been the wind like last time….which by the way was exactly five minutes ago."
"Trust my Robin, I know what I'm doing so do me a favor and Shut up!" I hear him snarl as I notice that he's gripping that batarang in his hands a little too hard. I see a drop of blood stain the ground as I stepped back and nodded my head.
"Geez Batman, you need to cool down. Your really starting to scare me."
"Tough Dick, you'll have to learn to face your fears someday, so if insanity is one of them. Then today you'll face it with me."
"Huh? What are you talking about? And why are you calling me by my real name again? I thought we said no real names!" I see Batman shake his head like as if he had a headache or wasn't all there in his mind. Wow, it is true what they say about feeling chills down your spine when fear gets the best of you.
"Come here Dick, let me show you something. I have a little surprise for you."
"Uhm….not to sound like I'm being lazy or something, but would it be cool if you just showed me what it is from here. I kind of think your off balance right now." Woops, that wasn't supposed to come out. Yup, it's the fear thing again. It's starting to talk for me now, yipes!
"What Dick? You think I'm crazy? Hah, you haven't begun to see crazy yet kid. Just wait until you see what's in store for you la…Ahhh…my head."
Batman began to shake as blood dripped from his nose and fell onto the ground. The blood on the floor began to reveal a refection of an older man with an eye patch on his right eye.
"What the-…..batman are you alright?"
"I-I'm fine Dick, just come here….I need some support."
"Alright, but no funny stuff, I've had enough tonight." I stepped to the side of my new mentor and allowed him to wrap his arm around my shoulders as I helped him stand somewhat straight.
"Are you alright now batman?"
"Foolish child, I cannot believe you would allow yourself to be tricked as you have been all this time."
"What? What are you-" Just then I feel his grip around my shoulder reach far down my neck, with the grip growing more intense. This is a move called the choke hold, but why? Why is Batman trying to subdue me and why is it that he seems to know what I'm thinking?
"Do you really wish to know the answer to your questions weakling?"
"What! You can read minds? Ack…"
"No, but I can read movements, it's an illusion child, it's an old Ninja trick. A move that one uses to frighten an opponent in order to do what is needed. Like I have done to you. Won't batman be so hurt when his partner dies on the first day of his job. Hah! Serves him right for what he did to my eye."
Just then my sight becomes a little blurry until a new picture develops in front of me. The sight of a sewer with Killer Croc subdued on the ground in front of me. I look down at the sewage water below me and I see! I see that I was deceived by my own mind. For now the truth is revealed to me. The man I saw earlier in that small puddle of blood was real.
"Wait!….batman was never in that cell was he?"
"No child, it was I Count Vertigo that made you see what I wished you to see."
"Well…being that your going to kill me and all, mind explaining your little plot for me?"
"Hm….I suppose I have some time tonight child."
"Great….but could you summarize quick…I think I'm seeing the light already."
I feel his grip loosen just a little, as stood helplessly I this weirdo's arms. Maybe this distraction is just what I need to get out of this mess.
"Now then where shall I start, oh yes I know first things first. The gas was a hallucinogen that helped increase my ability to a much higher level, which as you can see was able to create a new world inside your brain. Your boss shall I say, never showed up to the Jail house so I took his place in the cell while I was controlling those other buffoons that my boss hired to lure Batman into her clutches."
"Wait..ack a her? Who is your boss."
He whacks my head as he squeezed my neck slightly.
"That's none of your business child, and I am the one speaking not you! Now where was I. Oh yes…"
It's now or never Robin….I have to take a chance now while I still have a chance. I quickly stepped on Vertigo's foot and jabbed him in the sternum making him release his grasp on that object in his hand. To my surprise it was a knife, a blade that I swiped from him and pierced it in his leg near his baby maker. I feel him release me as I hear him fall into the sewage water, rolling in it while he screamed with pain.
"Ahhh! You Damn child! What is wrong with you! Your not supposed to know how to do these kind of things!"
"Well like you told me…..tough deal with it Count, we all have to face our fears right? And yours just happens to be a blade in the leg."
I laugh as I felt someone tap my shoulder lightly. I turn around, thinking it was the real Batman, but instead all I see is a fist. Following the fist, a terrible pain in my nose appears. Blood flows out of my nose while my eyes swell with tears from the pain inflicted on me, making my sights all a blur. All I could see was what looked like a woman, or a really, I mean really feminine man. I fall to the ground, hitting my butt first, and even then when I touched the ground, the mysterious figure kneed me! Kneed me square in the face, knocking me unconscious on the sewage cold water where only death lies...well that and rats...lots of filthy deadly rats.
Hours later
Batman steps down into the sewers, seeing Killer croc on the ground still and to the side there was a message of interest. Robins Cape and mask was dangling on the wall with the blade that had pierced Count Virtigo.
"….Dick….no...not yet."
All Batman sees is the blood on the knife. All hopes of Robin being alive and well escapes his mind. With a tragic outcome, Batman takes the items and drags Killer Croc with him on his way out of the sewers.
"Who ever took you Dick….I swear they will with their lives."
Silence was now in the sewers, in the streets, in the forest while in the bat cave screams of pain filled the underground complex.
-Writers Special Note-
The welcoming committee is now complete! Stay tuned next time for enter the Dragon part 1 of 5 that WILL be exciting with a heck of a lot of action, drama, tragedy, wisdom, and lots I mean lots of love from the number one batman hottie Talia Al Ghoul. So don't miss out!
Sincerely,
Nightwing1990
