Al Traylor's perspective:
Al Traylor had gone to a restaurant with his son Joey and the family lawyer/accountant, Yuji Takahan. As they had known would happen, three members of the Dimiquen crime family's leadership showed up. While rthe Traylor family's relations with the other crime families had been tense for months, they were nothing short of hostile with the Dimiquens.
"They look calm," said Yuji.
"To you," said Al. "You ain't seen much action. Ah mean real action, not work behind a desk. They're targetin' us. But they're tryin' not to look like they're targetin' us. The Dimiquens want a war."
"Hmm," Yuji thought out loud. "You're right. They're discussing whether or not to kill us as soon as we walk out."
"How can you tell?" asked a surprised Joey.
"He may not too high-fallutin' to understand people, Son," Al chose to be the one who explained, "But he can read lips."
"All right," Joey patted Yuji on the shoulder. "Only problem is, we may hafta - Oh, shit! They're comin'." The three Dimiquens were advancing towards Al, Yuji, and Joey.
"So," said the oldest Dimiquen in the restaurant, Cladiv, said. "It's the crew that takes orders from a girl."
"A girl who could take you all by herself," Al defended his little sister.
"I see we've got a difference of opinion," laughed Cladiv. "Maybe one day, when your business is in rubble, I'll give the fat chick a chance to show what a fit body does for you."
Al saw that Joey was ready to start a fight. "Easy, lad," Al tried to calm him down. It's a free country."
"Unlike their old country," said Yuji, smiling. "Mine, on the other hand, is as much a model of democracy as this one." Yuji was referring to Japan.
"Don't forget that we kicked your asses in World War II," said one of Cladiv's associates.
"With the help of America," said Joey with pride. "Home of the free and land of the brave." Like many southerners, Joey was quite the patriot.
"And together with America," added Yuji, "We kicked your asses in the Cold War."
"Enough history," said Al. "Why don't we settle this? Us fightin' is just what the cops and Batman want."
"Well, if our boss got a new maid..." suggested Cladiv. His entire trio of gangsters laughed at this joke Al knew his sister was the butt of.
"Becky 'The Hog' Traylor ain't no maid," insisted Al.
"I was talking about you since Reggie had no son," Cladiv and his partners laughed again.
Al said nothing. Within minutes, the Dimiquens had left. After finishing their meals, Al, Joey, and Yuji walked towards the door.
"Wait a minute," thought Al. "After they insulted us, this is the perfect time."
"You suspect an attack?" asked Yuji.
"Ah'll look straight ahead," said Al. "You two cover your sides of me."
A few steps out of the restaurant, Yuji said, "There!" Al saw that he, Joey, and Yuji were being threatened with guns by the Dimiquens they had just traded insults with, though they now wore beenies to hide their identities.
Al knew that this was going to test all his skill as a game hunter. He drew his automatic pistol as fast as he could and got off three shots at the chests of the three Russian thugs as fast as possible! They all fell dead.
"How'd you get them all before they could get off a shot?" asked Yuji, sighing with relief.
"A hunter's gotta be quick and accurate," said Al proudly.
"Let's go," whispered Joey urgently. "These Yankees are callin' the cops."
"Uh-uh," said Al. "They can't prove nothin' but that we defended ourselves. In fact, we should take the questions from the cops, just to be safe."
"Besides," Yuji agreed with Al, "If the Dimiquens find out that Al killed their people quick, they might send more after us. But only an idiot would kill someone who's surrounded by policemen."
This was the seventeenth time Al had been brought in for questioning. He, Joey, and Yuji knew what to expect. As expected, Lieutenant, Marc Freeman, Detective Harvey Bullock, and Sargeant Renee Montoya entered the interrogation room where the three members of the Traylor cartel were.
"Face it," Bullock said with force. "You just barely survived this. An' that was before the gang war this will start. You're dead. We couldn't protect you if you were a priority, and you ain't." Not even implyin' that we didn't go by self-defense laws? What the Hell's goin' on?
"Now, now," said Montoya. "If they cooperate, there has to be something we can do for them."
"Cut the good cop/bad cop crap," said Joey. "What do you want?"
"Getting into the Witness Protection Program would be good," suggested Freeman.
"And abandon all we've fought for, what Reggie Traylor died for?" asked Yuji incredulously.
"What's more important?" asked Freeman. "Your illegitimate business or your lives?"
"Are you accusin' us of anything?" asked Al.
"Not as far as I can tell," admitted Freeman.
"Then we'll go," smiled Al.
Arriving back at the Traylor-owned restaurant, Country Buffet, Al entered the office of his sister and boss, Becky "The Hog" Traylor.
"Ah know what you're gonna say," said The Hog. "Ah've been called by their boss, Riko Dimiquen. He wants me to come meet with him tomorrow and make a deal."
"We got a way out of this after all.," Al sighed with relief.
"A way out, sure. But Ah ain't goin to the meetin'."
"What? Why?"
"'Cause if Ah did, Ah know Ah wouldn't leave it alive."
"You sure?"
"More than Ah've ever been in my life. You don't trust people who you can't be sure didn't mean to kill your men."
"Is this it?"
"Not necessarily. This could blow over. Ah'm reachin', I know. Keep your eyes peeled."
Batman's perspective:
After they had foiled their third crime of the night, Batman and Batgirl noticed the Batsignal in the sky. They got in the Batmobile to answer it.
"I think you should handle this without me," said Batgirl.
"Why?" asked Batman. "You seem able enough to talk to others."
"It's not that," explained Batgirl. "That's Dad calling us. If he gets a good look at me, I might be given away by little things that only a father would notice."
"A reasonable concern," understood Batman. "I can handle this." When the Batmobile reached GCPD HQ, he got out and Batgrappled to the rooftop alone.
"Another Arkham escapee?" Batman surprised Commissioner James Gordon.
"N-not this time," said Gordon. "Three men tried to kill some of Becky "The Hog" Traylor's best cronies."
"The tensions in the mob unions?" asked Batman.
"That'd be my guess," concluded Gordon.
"I'll check into it," promised Batman.
Back in the Batmobile, Batman explained all this to Batgirl.
"So the big gang war's about to happen," sighed Batgirl. "Containing the damage won't be easy."
"No," said Batman. "But since the Traylors seem to be going up against all the other mob unions, she should be desperate. If she's not, then she isn't thinking."
"What are you getting at?"
"If tensions show no signs of abating by tomorrow," said Batman. "The Hog will be in a terrible position. We may be her only hope. And our price will be that she goes straight and scraps her illegal enterprise."
"If you can't beat 'em, make 'em join you."
"Exactly."
The Hog's perspective:
The Hog had never responded to the call from Riko Dimiquen inviting her to a meeting. She hoped that the fires created between the Traylors and Dimiquens would die out over time. But after parking her car at Country Buffet and getting out, The Hog looked around just in time to see a sniper on a building.
The Hog ran as fast as her two hundred fifty pounds and change, albeit muscularly so, could take her dodging two shots "Ah'm bein' shot at," cried The Hog as she ran. Her employees got out the door, and the sniper moved down the stairs of his building. The Hog panted in anxiety. Ah can't wait no longer.
She entered Country Buffet, which had been open for less than twenty minutes. "This restaurant will be closed till further notice. Ah apologize for any inconvenience." The rest of the Traylor leadership walked towards their boss.
"You OK, sis?" asked Al.
"No," said The Hog. She waited for her customers and employees who worked only for Country Buffet to leave, then said, "As of right now, we are at war. Time for a meetin'.
When The Hog, Al, Joey, Daisy Thompson, and Yuji gathered in the meeting room, The Hog said, "The war's begun. Ah've already messaged people to get everything we'll need to defend ourselves and lock up tight. We need the elemient of surprise."
"Ah don't mean to sound negative," Al said, "But we're gonna be outnumbered by a dozen to one."
"Three dozen to one," said The Hog. "They'll get a good number of the smaller gangs on their side. And a lotta the sumbitches got better gear and analytics than us simple country folk. Without more people, we ain't got a chance in Hell!"
The Hog, Al, Joey, and Daisy Thompson immediately looked at Yuji. "One in three billion. But there is almost a fifty percent chance they take our business but don't kill any of us except Becky." Yuji placed his open in front of his face nervously, imploring, "Don't shoot the messenger, madam. Please."
The Hog was not angry. "What are my chances?"
"If you'll offer to be Riko's secretary or something to send a message to women and 'rednecks' who want to prosper in this line of work," explained Yuji, "Thirty-three percent."
"Ah'd rather be killed," The Hog smirked. "Ah don't think we need to see Yuji's fancy-schmancy analytics to see that right now, there ain't no way we can beat the other unions. Al, you need to get home and recruit hunters, hoodlums, good ol' boys who can shoot straight, anybody who can help us."
"That could take some time," cautioned Al.
"Then what are you doin' here, big brother?" asked The Hog. "You need to be in South Carolina this evenin'." Al gave her a military salute and left.
"Daisy," ordered The Hog, "Make the reservations for us to stay in a hotel and be careful about it. Also, try to get some of the gangs to side with us. It'll be at least a week before Al can get us very many people."
"Becky," said Daisy, "One thing you may not have considered is that to avoid showing ourselves to the enemy that so badly outnumbers us, we'll have to shut down our business. That means no new revenues. Ah reckon we'll last for half a year, but after that..."
"Actually," said Yuji, "Us lasting that long is a very optimistic assumption."
"One thing at a time," agreed The Hog. "We all know what we'll be doin'. Any questions?"
"I have a family," said Yuji.
"Me too," said Daisy. "Ah don't know how to protect 'em."
"The other bosses won't target your relatives who ain't a part of this war just to get the upper hand," The Hog assured them. "None of us will cross that line. Any other questions." Several seconds passed without any other hands going up. "Then this meetin's over." She returned to her office.
Hours later, The Hog heard a familiar voice say, "Walls are closing in, Hog!" She turned to see The Batman and Batgirl.
"Little Bat and the little girl he hangs out with," said The Hog. "What happened to the strappin' young lad?"
"You can't win," said Batgirl.
"That's your opinion," said The Hog. But she wasn't so sure herself.
"Give yourself up," said Batman. "You can avoid prison by testifying against the Gotham underworld."
"That would be suicide," said The Hog.
"Wrong," said Batman. "Trying to war with all the other mob unions would be suicide."
"Cops can't protect us," The Hog spelled it out.
"We might," pointed out Batgirl.
"Might," smirked The Hog. "You're tellin' me to give up everything for 'might'."
"Let's go," said Batman to Batgirl. "She won't listen."
"Uh-uh," The Hog said as the Bats were on the way to the window. "Don't go. This is important. As you clearly know, my family's goin' to war. Don't get involved. We've enough to worry about without takin' you out. And Little Bat, as found as Ah am of you, Ah can't hesitate this time. Don't. You'll hurt us both."
Batman and Batgirl Batgrappled out the window to another building. "Ah mean it," The Hog shouted through her window.
Riko Dimiquen's perspective:
Riko Dimiquen got a call. "My assassination attempt failed," said Gasper Whittaker. "Now we have to go to war with the Traylors. Gather your men."
"I'd rather she not die anyway," said Riko.
"Why?" asked Gasper.
"She's a country girl who dared step up to the plate without a bat or balls," explained Riko. "And to coin a term once used in the old country," Riko referred to Russia, "She is a non-person."
"What are you getting at?"
"I you to tell everybody not to shoot her. I want her to surrender to us. I will spare her only on following conditions: First, she watches me demolish her precious Country Buffet. Then she will choose between slow death and becoming a maid of mine. It will be a warning to all girls, especially country girls, that this is mens' work."
"No promises."
Batman's perspective:
"Come on," Batman lead Batgirl across rooftops after The Traylor's car.
As they ran, jumped, and Batgrappled from building to building, Batgirl asked, "Why are going by foot?"
"Because the Batmobile will stick out like a sore thumb. I don't want to be seen."
"Wanting to finally spot the other mobs?" asked Batgirl. The Traylors were in fact one of only two, the other being the Zuccos, who Batman had been able to uncover.
"And when the war turns against her," said Batman, "I do believe she'll reconsider our offer."
"Your dad taught you discipline," complimented Batgirl. "Considering you watched your parents die as a kid, it would've been easy to lose control in situations like this, and not see the greater good."
"Thank you, Batgirl." Batman would never tell a soul, but he had a certain affection for The Hog. Why, he had no idea. She was overweight, not that attractive for being overweight, and worst of all, a killer. The point was that this was another reason, much as he tried to tell himself otherwise, that he was looking after The Hog. Although the main one was that is was that getting her cooperation was the best course of action.
"Won't be long," guessed Batgirl. "The Hog hasn't a chance in Hell!"
"I wouldn't dismiss her yet," said Batman. "My experience says that the traylors won't be beaten so easily."
Suddenly, the cars stopped. "Why are they stopping?" asked Batgirl.
"Theire enemies have superior numbers," explained Batman. "They have to stay hidden. They're probably changing cars just in case." Sure enough, the Traylor leadership's cars and some other cars further down the street emptied. After both the Traylor leaders and more common thugs working for them switched cars, both groups continued on their way.
"Smart," Batgirl stood in awe of Batman's mental prowess. "I'd have never in million years guessed!"
"Can't put a veteran's head on a teenager's shoulders," Batman consoled Batgirl. "You're doing fine for your age."
The Hog's perspective:
Joey had insisted on driving, which he loved to be the one to do. He was a guy, after all. Yuji and Daisy were in the back. The Hog was riding shotgun with her tablet keyed to the surveillance equipment that Batman, Robin, and the Arabic woman has bugged Gasper with in exchange for information the year before. The Hog always knew that might come in handy and she now knew that the other bosses wanted nothing less than to destroy the Traylor family.
"You?" laughed Joey. "A maid? He's gotta be kiddin'."
"Nope," said The Hog. "That's apparently what the Russkie wants from me. If only Ah could fight that sumbitch one-on-one, Ah'd turn 'im from man to toddler!"
"Wishful thinkin'," said Joey.
"Yeah," The Hog accepted. "Least we can spy on their plans. That should hold us for at least..." suddenly, she stopped talking and stared at her rear view mirror.
"What?" asked Joey.
"Thought Ah saw somebody followin' us," said The Hog. She took another look just to be sure.
"You seem so damn sure you see somethin', Aunt Becky," said a concerned Joey.
"It's probably nothin', dear Nephew," said The Hog in a less than certain tone. "The real problem is Gasper, Riko, and the other gangs they've rallied to their side with more to come if we don't prove we have a chance soon."
"Yeah," said Joey. "That's the real problem."
"Ah wonder," theorized The Hog, "If after the disaster in Gettysburg, Robert E. Lee realized that the Confederacy was on the way to history?"
"It won't turn out like that," said Joey. "We ain't had our Gettysburg yet. We can turn things around. Maybe Ah'm young, reckless, and prob'ly got a little too much ol' Southern pride in me, but Ah believe in you, Aunt Becky. Somehow, you'll get us outta this. Because you ain't a woman Lee. You're a woman Washington or Roosevelt."
"Your faith is inspirin'," The Hog kissed her nephew on the cheek. "Thanks. Ah needed that." Suddenly, she felt much better. Not for obvious reasons. The Traylors were still hopelessly outnumbered and everything still rode on Al getting reinforcements from South Carolina, but maybe sometimes, all a leader needed was a little encouragement from one of her loyal soldiers.
Batman's perspective:
The Traylors had gone into a hotel called The Gotham Terrace in hoodies so as to hide their identities without looking like they were trying to hide their identities. No doubt they were going to plan their next move in one of their separate rooms.
Batman and Batgirl brought a listening machine to the top of the The Gotham Terrace, but although they got plenty of conversations, only one showed a Southern accent, and that was an perfectly kosher family vacationing from Texas.
"Must have taken their anti-bugging equipment with them," sighed Batman. "I didn't think the Traylors would think that we'd stop watching them just because they've got all the other mobs gunning for them."
"What are we gonna do, then?" asked Batgirl.
"They have to sleep," said Batman. "I'll jump The Hog with gas when she hits the hay."
"You'll?" asked a suddenly unhappy Batgirl.
"She's too dangerous for you," said Batman. "I'll call if I need you."
"C'mon," said Batgirl. "She doesn't look like she can beat me at anything physical except competitive eating."
"She may not look like it," said Batman, "But she has less than twenty percent body fat. Thanks to her intense weightlifting, that belly hides one of the strongest and most durable non-metahumans on the planet!"
"Understood," said Batgirl, looking like she was taking The Hog more seriously. "What about that brother of The Hog?"
"You mean Al?"
"Yeah, he seems to have disappeared since they left the restaurant. What's he up to?"
"Just one of many things I intend to squeeze out of his not-so-little sister."
Sleep finally came for The Hog. Batman crept through her window, gas pellet in hand, and taking aim at the snoring head.
Suddenly, The Hog stood up and pelted Batman's temple with a silenced pistol that had been hidden under the covers. Had she aimed for the exposed lower face, that would have been it. As it stood, a bout of heavy-headedness came over Batman. He found himself dropping the pellet. Trying to mentally turn off the pain and fatigue of the gunshot, he ran across one side of The Hog's bed to avoid the gas cloud. Meanwhile, he was covering himself in protective cape to keep from getting hit by two more shots.
Knocking The Hog's gun to the floor with a Karate chop and kicking it under the bed, Batman immediately began raining punches on her head. After six of them, Batman could not believe his continuing good fortune. He had just been shot yet had a path to success. He knew it wouldn't last. He had to go for the quick knockout before the effects of the shot came flooding back.
It was just then that a fist underneath the chin made Batman stagger back against the wall. That was all it took. Pain and wooziness spread throughout his body, forcing him down to all fours. Getting our of bed, The Hog power lifted Batman above her head and threw him head-first towards the other wall, creating a large crack in it. Batman could barely stay conscious through that. He struggled to stand up as The Hog moved towards him across her own bed to avoid the gas just in front of it that still hadn't quite dissippated.
"You knew I was following you?" asked Batman. The Hog nodded. As Batman lurched towards The Hog, he shouted, "Batgirl, it's time," before throwing a right cross, only for The Hog to catch the wrist.
"Who's my teddy bat?" she asked sweetly before wrapping both of her arms around Batman's arms and body to put him in The Hug. "You are, yes!" Batman was pressed against The Hog's athletically large belly and excruciating pain flowed through his body for a few seconds before agony turned into sleepiness.
"Ah want some sugar," The Hog leaned in and kissed Batman, complete with tongue. He was far too weak to offer much resistance. "That was goodbye. You're passin' out. You ain't wakin' up. Ah always wanted to get that mask to leverage you into takin' my hand, but Ah ain't in no position to take those kinds of chances. Ah'm so sorry. Guess Ah'll leave the mask on after all, so your secret dies with you. My last token of respect to my deadly, beloved, late enemy."
Batman's imminent murderess sniffled and tears began going down her cheeks. If nothing else, The Hog hadn't been lying about her feelings. "Y'know, Little Bat, Ah said once that you were like my dumb ex-husband. I told him meth was bad and it was. Now, you're gonna die 'cause you didn't listen to my warnin'. Ah see a pattern in the men Ah like." She kissed Batman on the part of of his mask covering his nose.
Batman's last thoughts before he passed out were, Batgirl? You and Jason Todd may have to hold the fort for me.
Batgirl's perspective:
Batgirl heard Batman calling for help and moved towards the edge of the roof when she felt a net trap her. She spun around and saw Joey Traylor, nephew of the matriarch, although he was lean where his father was stocky and his aunt was downright "fat." Joey pocketed his net launcher and ran at Batgirl.
Batgirl had to get out of this net fast! She drew a Batarang, but Joey was fast; Batgirl could only cut two strands of the net before she was tackled and straddled by Joey. He stuck a medical needle into Batgirl's neck and injected something into it.
"Don't be scared, beautiful," said Joey. "This ain't gonna hurt a bit. Just tame you." Sure enough, drowsiness flooded Batgirl's body.
"My dad," Joey continued. "Taught me to hunt game. He wanted me to use a gun. But Ah don't wanna kill animals, just catch 'em. Especially magnificent beasts like you!" He stroked Batgirl's left cheek.
"Don't even think it," thundered Batgirl. Joey could gloat, but Batgirl would be damned if she let him touch her.
"Any good Southern Christian knows that 'no' means 'no'," said Joey. "But don't be so hasty. Let's have dinner tomorrow. Most fillies like me after that."
Batgirl's answer to that was spittle to the face. "And don't call me 'filly.'"
"A simple 'Hell, no' would've done," complained Joey as he used a pocket knife to cut Batgirl out of the net before hoisting her over his shoulder. "My aunt's gonna wanna see you. She's gonna be so proud of me! Don't call for help. Ah can't stand competition for the fair lady. Get me?"
Batgirl was dragged into The Hog's hotel room. "This is the future leader of Gotham," said Joey. In your dreams.
Joey continued, "Go ahead and bow." He dropped Batgirl and pressed her down into a kneeling position.
"Good job," clapped The Hog. "You've made a woman proud." She put an arm around Joey to cuddle him and started kissing him on the head and neck.
"Aunt Becky," pleaded Joey, "Please. Least not in front of the Bat-Peeps"
"Got me but you can't deal with your affectionate aunt?" laughed Batgirl.
"Family matter," Joey whapped her over the head. "Butt out."
"Ah've embarrassed you enough anyway," said The Hog to a sigh in relief from Joey. "Just don't ask me to never do it again. Now we have to filet 'em." Batgirl gasped.
The Hog laughed at this. "You ain't the same as the big guy who didn't fair so well himself. Ah rendered him helpless once before tonight. Broke some of his ribs. He wanted to die, but he's just too damn cute! But you? You're scared to die. Just like all Yankee girls. Can't do shit except spend a man's money. Not like the businesswomen in California or those of us from the South who actually do our share of heavy liftin'. Little Bat would be awfully disappointed if he could to see this."
Batgirl's heart sank. However extreme her generalizations, The Hog was not wrong that Batgirl was letting fear overtake her.
"Anyhoo," said The Hog. "We gotta filet 'em without lettin' the cops know. Any ideas how in tarnation we do it?"
"Ah know just the way," said Joey.
The Hog and Joey drove Batgirl and a still unconscious Batman out of town to a rural area outside. Batman and Batgirl now had each off their pairs of limbs chained separately together. Both chains binding together legs on one end were chained to cinder blocks on the other.
The Hog looked towards the Atlantic Ocean in the distance. "Dearie, you promised me they'd never find 'em here. Don't disappoint me."
"This ain't even a town," insisted Joey. "It's a needle in a haystack."
The Hog hugged Batman one last time. She's heartbroken. I never would've guessed that she had one. Wait! That's it.
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," said Batgirl. "We'll help protect you if you testify against the others. It doesn't have to be to save yourself, after all. You can do it for Batman."
Batgirl's words seemed to touch The Hog. She looked at Batman for several seconds. Joey made no attempts to help his aunt make up her mind either way.
"No," said The Hog. "People are dependin' on me. Like it or not, this is what we do. Little Bat ain't worth betrayin' 'em. Close... but no cigar."
The Hog picked Batman and the cinder block up, ran towards the ocean, and threw him a long distance at the water, the cinder black dragging him down.
Batgirl began to cry as she realized that Batman was drowning even as she mourned. The Hog was doing the same. "It's OK, Hog," Joey said sympathetically. "It was a hard choice."
"Lord," asked The Hog out loud, looking up and joining her hands together, "Please let me see him in fifty or sixty years."
"Don't bet on it," said Batgirl. "'Thou shalt not kill.'" In silent fury, The Hog threw her into the ocean.
Batgirl struggled with her bonds, but she wasn't good at breaking through them, let alone when drugged. Only thing in her belt that could break them was her blowtorch, and that wouldn't work underwater.
Not the way I thought we'd go out. Don't even know what's going to come of the gang war. Our deaths are meaningless. Dad, it's in your - wait, Dad's gonna lose me and not even know why.
To be continued...