Chapter Seventeen
The Gotham air seemed light tonight-not cold, and not filled with the usual eeriness of filth and crime it usually possessed. I found it enjoyable, this sense of freedom and passion. Never before had I felt such power surge beneath me or such importance pump through my veins. My body was laced with adrenaline and my insides shook with excitement. I pushed the throttle on the Fist hard and quick, shifting perfectly and listening to the humming engine push along-and the rumbling grind up the dirt beside me.
In the end the race was completed as a tie-though I swore the nose of the Fist stuck out a good inch farther than Batman's acclaimed Tumbler. It didn't matter, I'd never felt my smile so big behind this mask, and I'd never seen his eyes spark with life so much after his parents' death. We were able to cross over to the Narrows on the northern bridge before the police arrived to close off the city.
In the moment as I dismounted my bike and he stepped off the tank, I realized how much I'd desperately missed his company, even as he was Batman now. I quickly tied my hair back into a much tighter messy-bun and checked my count of arrows.
He pressed the button on his receiver and the Tumbler began to lockdown. Stainless steel plating (which had been painted black, naturally), slammed into place over the slit windows, and the tires were sealed with titanium guard-plates. I heard something in the engine disengage, and lastly another guarding plate rolled over the top hatch. The machine seemed to sink low on the shocks, as if relieved of its duty. I blinked and then tucked a loose curl behind my ear.
"Nice system you got there James Bond," I said cheekily. "Does it work?"
"You bet it does," his voice was still in 'Bruce Wayne' mode, not yet changed to his dark, serious tone. "Here." he grabbed another smaller receiver from his belt and tossed it to me. I caught it smoothly and turned it over and over in my hands.
"A doodad? Huh," I chuckled, "What's this button do?"
I clicked it, and I gave my attention to the cycle. It clanked loudly and I gasped, and the machine rolled back a few inches before locking in place. It too had plate-guarding tire security and I heard a loud click sound from the steering column. It sank into its shocks as well. I blinked, furrowed my brow and I turned on my heel to face him. He was smirking at me, eyes wildly sparkling. He turned on his heel and his cape floated through the air with a sharp twist.
I caught up with him and we began walking south, towards the general direction where the bridges connected the islands. I heard sirens come up fast, and within seconds Batman seized my wrist and jerked me into the shadows. I collided with him with a thump and bounced off of him on my own accord. I pressed against the dumpster and watched as red and blue light danced off a building about 10 yards west of us. Thankfully our vehicles were concealed in the alleys-no one would venture this deep into the belly of the Narrows. No one resided here in these alleyways yet, and it seemed by the disarray around us that most of the people were evacuated anyway.
"It's the PD," He said, voice turned dark now, "They're sealing off the bridges."
I looked up at him. "You think Crane's off the island?"
He shook his cowled head. "Not a chance. He's here-I just don't know where. Ra's is going to meet up with him somewhere. Where, I don't know."
About to reply, I felt something vibrate against my thigh. I jumped to attention, unzipped a smaller compartment and pulled out my cell phone. Unlocking the code, I screened the call and found it was Leslie's number. "Leslie." It was more of a declaration than a greeting as I pressed the phone to my ear.
"Marianne? Thank God!" she sounded frantic, "Where are you? Did you find Bru-"
I cut her off. "Yeah, he's here. We're about three miles north from the southern bridge," I looked over my shoulder and found Batman pull out his grapnel gun. "Why?"
"It's Gordon. He said everyone's off the island. They've got it sealed up tight. And Rachel..."
My heart lept into my throat. I shot a worried look at Batman, who stopped and approached. "Rachel? What about Rachel?"
"She's...on the isl-I'm sorry, officer, but I'm-"
"Leslie?" I questioned as her voice became distant. I heard a rough, muffled voice talking back at her and she spoke into her phone again.
"Officer, I know..." A loud thunk and then a clap sounded over the line. I jolted in my place and the phone almost slipped through my gloved fingers. Batman tensed beside me and his breathing became somewhat troubled at the news of Rachel.
"Leslie?" I yelled into the phone this time. "Leslie!"
Click. I slapped the phone closed and stuffed it into my thigh pouch. Batman spun on his heel and his cape cracked the air. He hustled towards his previous place and withdrew his grapel gun. I rose and ran my gloved fingers through my hair. Exhaling a breath, I walked over to him and rested a hand on his thick, protected shoulder.
"She'll be okay, Bruce. Rachel's a fighter. I'm more concerned about Leslie," I whispered into the air. A twinge of jealously pierced through me. I somewhat wished that he'd be concerned about me and not just Rachel. It was somewhat unfair-but I pushed aside the thought. Crime chose no victims, and it didn't care about whom we loved. It just did what it did. "God is with Rach, even when she is not with Him."
He blinked at me, and then extended a hand. I blinked at it and a small smile spread onto my lips. "I know."
I took his hand and we rocketed into the air silently.
A pretty, shag-styled dark haired woman bounded up to Commissioner Jim Gordon, M9 drawn and a vial at hand. Her hair danced around her chin and her green eyes flashed up at him. She shouldered passed a huge SWAT Lieutenant who was setting up a perimeter around the water, and she extended it towards Jim.
"Commissh," she said rapidly, "Someone dropped this off for ya. Said her name was Thompkins. You two have some mutual friends...?"
Batman and Reacher, he thought to himself. "Sure do." He took the vial and rolled it around his fingers. "What she say it was for?"
Keanu shrugged her shoulder. "Counteracts Crane's toxin I guess. Montoya know about this?"
He nodded and waved her off. "Yeah, she's on the up-and-up." An innoculation? What for? Most of the drugs were in the water-at least that's what Batman's note said at the scene in Arkham. If it were indeed the case that it was in the water just as he'd said, then Gordon himself was already poisoned, they were all poisoned. He pocketed the vial and decided better safe than sorry if Batman was involved.
Sirens piereced the air in the distance. Vans of SWAT and Squad members rolled on-scene, officers and cops talked rapidly into mics and engines revved before taking off. Someone gave the all-clear for the southern bridge to raise, and it did so with a loud shriek. The shuffling of boots on concrete and the tangy scent of waste, stale water and harbor played on the air. A twinge of cold struck the air around them, and Gordon for a brief moment thought he could see his breath as he breathed against the chilling evening. Keanu mumbled into her mic and turned back to him.
"Hope you don't need it, Commissioner," she made a face, her emerald eyes flashing anger. "he can't be right about everything can he?"
"Unless Crane has a way of getting that crap into the air, it's unlikely I'll need it," he turned onn his heel and began to hustle through the hubub of police and firefighter activity. A few people were loaded into squad cars-even a SWAT van was filled with the last of the civilians (hopefully) and roared off towards the northern bridge. "and he might not be right about everything," he snorted sarcastically, "but that girlfriend of his has some pluck."
I squatted to my haunches and oversaw the situation. My eyes frantically scanned the area, mind whirling with thoughts. Ra's definately moved quick-he'd already started planning his backup plan across the city. I watched as two huge thugs-mostly ninjas-begin to plant small circular devices on the brick walls. I wrinkled my brow and handed the binoculars to Batman.
He raised them to his eyes. "I guess plan B is always an alternative," I muttered quietly on the breeze. He nodded and frowned. "Is he always this paranoid? Or is it just me?"
"Ra's likes his plans to work," Batman mused, "He's always prepared."
I fiddled with a strand of my curls. "But bombs? Isn't that a little extreme? "
"Nothing is extreme with Ra's," he shot me a look from the corner of his eye, "This is normal."
I rolled my eyes. "Great. Now we have two lunatics running around,"
He gave me a little smile and handed my binoculars back. "Speaking of lunatics," he rose to his full height and turned on his heel, his cape billowing out behind him. I rose as well and began to follow him across the roof. "One of us has to go after Crane."
I shrugged. "Duh. As much as I'd love to rip you're buddy's eyes out of his brain," I shrugged my shoulder overdramatically and tossed my palms up to the sky and rolled my eyes, "I'll find Jonathan. He might not be beyond reasoning."
"Smuggling drugs and trying to kill us isn't beyond reasoning?" he growled, "than what is?"
"Trying to make me a prisoner of some strange cult!" I said strongly. "Besides. Ra's is too experienced for me anyway," I smiled at him lightly. "I wouldn't want to die or anything."
He closed his eyes and shook his cowl slightly. "You still have your comm-link, right? I want to be able to keep in touch."
I nodded reassuringly. "Right-o. Now, I'll go get Jonathan and find Rachel. You stop Ra's and his army of ninja's." I was about to walk away when he seized my arm roughly and jerked me to a halt. I stopped, backed up a few paces, and blinked at him. He searched my eyes for a moment before Bruce slipped through his voice caught me off guard.
"Be careful, Marianne," he said quietly. "These guys are professionals. They know how to kill and won't think twice," he diverted his eyes from me and looked down. "I know. Keep on your guard."
I nodded and reached up on the tip of my toes and kissed whatever skin was available around his mouth. "I promise I will. But first," I slipped a syringe into his gloved hand and blinked twice at him. "Get that antedote to Rachel. We don't want to worry about her losing her mind," I turned on my heel. "If you need me, you know where I am."
He nodded. "Reacher."
I tossed him a look. "Yeah?"
"Play it safe."
I shrugged a shoulder. Then I tapped the earpiece lightly. "Will do. I'll keep in touch." I smiled at him and squatted to my haunches. "Don't be a stranger, stranger." I pushed back and soared off the back of the building, my feet colliding solidly with a fire-escape. I jumped over the edge and hit the ground running, towards the general direction of Arkham, where undoubtly Jonathan would be putting the finishing touches on his "medicine".
But, before I could intercept Jonathan, I would need a word with the Commissioner.
James Gordon was hustling through his crowd of police officer's, a walkie forever seized in his iron, experienced police-grip. He shoved passed a few Lieutenants, a few Sergeants, and a newscaster. He shouted rapidly in police-code and stopped only to chat with a red-headed woman.
He veered off, cut into an alleyway and spoke into his walkie again. Another officer jogged out to meet him, and they spoked in hushed tones. I watched from my position atop an abandoned water-tower, overlooking the chaotic mess of black-and-whites with flashing lights and SWAT vans grinding into dirt. I rested an arm on my knee and waited for Gordon to head back the way he came.
Finally he turned. I gripped my bow and pulled it from my quiver, then nocked an arrow. Taking aim, I loosly released the arrow and sent it skittering to the ground at Gordon's feet. He jumped back, pushed up his glasses and collected himself. Then, he looked up at me and I walked off the side of the water tower and grabbed the railing to the maintenance deck. I pulled myself over it and slid down the ladder, only to stop on the ground and approach him. He stood tall and his expression was that of a seasoned cop-but his eyes told me he was afraid of me, or was at least suspicious. He remembered my note attached to my arrow the night Batman dropped in to see him.
"Commissioner," I said, trying my best to put on a dark voice. He raised his chin and placed his walkie in the pocket of his faded, dirty, tan overcoat. He dipped his head in a silent hello to acknowledge. "We've never met, but you've had the pleasure of meeting my counterpart."
He nodded. "Yes, I have. A dark guy, if you ask me," he scratched the back of his neck. "I suppose he's filled you in on everything."
I tossed a look to the mess of squad cars and officers. "That he has. You have the innoculation?"
He squinted at me, confused. "Uh-huh. An older lady brought it to me. Said it was important?"
"It is," I plucked a syringe from my belt and gestured for him to give it to me. He complied and I drew up five milligrams of the stuff, which would be enough. I then handed the vial of liquid back to him and grabbed his arm. He pulled up the cuff of his sleeve and I roughly injected the needle into his vein. He said nothing. "It's an antidote to Crane's toxin. It's going airborne," I declared quietly. "You might want to outfit your squads with gas-masks. He has a vaporizor that's going to evaporate the water supply."
His brows rose a few inches. He looked away into the distance and sighed. "And that's where his toxins are," he ran a hand through his graying hair. "You guys cover your bases pretty well, huh?"
I said nothing, just tossed the syringe into the shadows, only before breaking off the needle and shattering the glass in my hands. I brushed my hands together to loosen the glass particles. "All you have to do is worry about the inmates," I replied casually. "We have everything else covered."
He blinked. "Okay then. You aren't by chance a cop, are you?"
I snorted. "Not a chance," I retrieved the gun Batman had given me and fired it into the darkness. A squealing struck the air then, as if it were breaks, and Gordon and I both whipped our attention to the southern team of squads. A newly arrived SWAT van had taken its place among the officers, and the back doors whipped open with a bang. A bunch of SWAT men dropped out the back, carrying automatic weapons and gas-masks. I swallowed as an older gentleman walked off the back of the car and addressed the men. I could just make out what he said before I hurled myself into the air.
"...and the word is panic."
