Chapter 13: The Bloodsucker
"Commissioner." James Gordon turned to see Wonder Woman and Superman floating down towards him.
"Hello Superman. Wonder Woman," Gordon said. "What can I do for you?" The two heroes landed on the rooftop gently.
"Have you seen Batman recently?" Wonder Woman asked.
"No, why?" Gordon responded. "Is he missing or something?"
"Not exactly," Superman said. "We just don't know where he is." Then they heard three thuds land nearby.
"What is Commissioner..." Nightwing, Batgirl, and Robin walked up before stopping at the sight of Wonder Woman and Superman. He cleared his throat. "Hello Superman. Wonder Woman. What are you doing here?"
"Asking a question," Wonder Woman answered. "You have an answer?"
"Is this about Batman?" Nightwing guessed. "If so we've already told you. We don't know where he is."
"Do you really expect us to believe that?" Wonder Woman asked. "You've been to the cave. His house has to be close by."
"Well, for your information, it's not," Nightwing lied.
"Now if you don't mind we need to talk to Commissioner Gordon about a case," Batgirl said. "So could you please hold all questions?" Batgirl walked up to Gordon holding a yellow case file. "We went through the evidence and we've determined a match." She handed Commissioner Gordon the file. "The man's name is Basal Karloff. Wanted for murder, thievery, and everything in between. He's known as the Bloodsucker in the underground because of how much blood loss his victims have when discovered."
"Blood loss?" Superman questioned. "May I see the file Commissioner?"
"Why?" Gordon asked. "This isn't exactly world threatening."
"It might be if we're right," Wonder Woman said. "Please. We'll give it right back." Commissioner Gordon handed Superman the file.
"Don't know what you'll find in there that's worth your while," Gordon admitted. "It's just one of Gotham's many minor criminal bosses."
"Wait, look at her neck," Wonder Woman said. Superman stopped looking through the file and looked at where Wonder Woman was pointing, at the neck of one of Basal Karloff's victims.
"Two small puncher marks," Superman noted. "Vampire bites."
"So...you're Basal Karloff." A blonde haired man with pale skin and fangs showing, dressed in a white t-shirt, black pants, sunglasses, and combat boots walked towards another man who was sitting at a bar top stool. He had pale skin as well and his eyes and hair were black, he was wearing a dark gray v-neck, a black trench coat, black pants, and black dress shoes.
"Who wants to know?" the man asked.
"Just want to know if I'm talkin' to the legionary Bloodsucker of Gotham," the first man asked. The other man chuckled.
"I haven't been called THAT name in a while," Basal Karloff said. He gestured for him to come to sit next to him. "Come on. Drinks are on me." The first man sat down next to him. "Hey! Bartender! Get my friend here a drink!" The bartender raced off to fulfill the request. "So...what brings you down to my neck of the woods. Ha. Neck. Ha, ha, ha."
"Well I'm a new guy and I to make my way up the criminal empire in this here town," the first man said. "So I was thinkin' I start with you."
"You want ya to work for me?" Basal Karloff asked. "Sorry but I'm a small group policy guy."
"No I was thinking I start at the top," the first corrected. "With the greatest vampire mastermind of all time."
"You mean Cain?" Basal Karloff guessed. "Don't even bother. The guy's a solo act and proud of it too. Shame though. It means us lower down the food chain can't learn from him. I mean, we all want to know how he's escaped from the government agency so many times. I've heard he's never gone to Monster Prison Camp. By the way, what's your name?"
"John Valjean," the first man said.
"THE John Valjean?" Basal questioned. "The one that successfully escaped from the Monster Prison Camp?" John nodded. "I'm impressed. You're quite the legend down here. I may have room on my crew for you after all. Mr. Valjean, I know you want to start with Cain but trust me no one knows where that freak keeps himself. He's always moving. Constantly. There's no way to know where he's going to strike next. Well maybe his friends at the top of vampire criminal empire but other than that nobody."
"He's got friends?" Valjean questioned. "I thought you said he was a solo act."
"He is," Basal said. "But being solo doesn't mean you don't have friends. He and a few other vampires are what is called a network. Each with their own jurisdiction and limits. From what I've heard they're plannin' somethin' really big. Now us on the bottom we don't know what it is or when it'll happen but we all want in. So if you want to impress Cain you've got to show what you're made. So how about you work a case or two with me? What do you say, John? Would ya join me?" Basal held out his hand. John took it with a smirk.
"Happily," Valjean answered.
"So this Basal Karloff is in Gotham?" Robert Hood asked. He and Wonder Woman were in the monitor room.
"That's what we believe," Wonder Woman said. "Have you heard of him?"
"Yes," Robert responded. "He's a pure vampire meaning no crossbreeds. He's really minor on the vampire criminal empire and is a cockroach compared to someone like Cain but he's still dangerous none the less. Hummmmm."
"What?" Wonder Woman asked.
"I wonder," he muttered. He turned back to Wonder Woman. "What did Nightwing, Batgirl, and Robin say regarding their investigation of him?"
"They said they're having a problem catching him," Wonder Woman said. "But they think they'll know where he'll strike next. Why?"
"Because I think he might be able to lead us to Cain and the rest of the main criminal networks," Robert informed her.
"How?" Wonder Woman asked. "You said so yourself. He's a cockroach compared to David Cain."
"That's true," Robert admitted. "But even the cockroaches have a purpose."