Chapter 10
The Battle Of Blackgate- Updated.
Rebecca was humming a song as she came out of her room when she heard a knock on the front door. she went to answer and gasped when she saw two men wearing joker masks. Something told her that they were not Home depot.
"Hey, Becky. Harley invites you to a girl's night out." one of the men said,
Meanwhile the Bat Family arrived at the BatCave, the first thing they saw, the base was on fire. Jayden came soon after Batman informed him about the situation and was alarmed when he heard about what happened.
"Holy Shit!" Jayden said as he went to get the fire extinguisher, Bane really did some damage. But Jericho could care less now, he was more concerned about Barbara because if Bane lay his fingers on her, he will pay for he's done.
"Barbara! Barbara!" he called out as he and Talia looked around the bat cave, they ran down the stairs to the medical bay while Batman restored the detective vision at the bat computer.
A fainted sound caught his ears and he knew that distinctive sound.
"No." he whispered as he followed the sound down deep to the cave. He founded Barbara buried under some rubble. Her wheel chair was bent in half, literary. What had Bane done to her?
"I'm gonna get you out of here. Hang on, Barb." He said as he and Talia moved some of the rubble, no response from her so he knew that she didn't have much time. After getting rid of the tires, he finally got Barbara out of the wreckage and she was a mess. Her glasses were ruined, her clothes was torn in pieces and her legs were out of position.
"Barb. Stay here with me." He demanded shaking her up, she barley opened her eyes and smiled faintly when she saw his angelic face.
She chuckled at the irony of the situation she was in despite the state she was in, she saved so many lives when she was Batgirl and now she was now on the receiving end
"God, I turned out to be a damsel in distress." She let out a breath as she went limp.
"No. No. No No." Jericho said frantically, "No."
"I'm sorry, brother." Talia said; her face was filled with sympathy for her brother. There were a few persons that were closest to him and Barb was one of them. when he arrived in Siberia, he was considered a rebel, an abomination. Their father mole him into an assassin, teaching him everything he knew. But there's one thing he didn't taught his son, something that Jericho's mother did when he was a child. Love. Her father always told her that love makes you weak, vulnerable and your enemies won't hesitate to use it against you. And that's what happened tonight.
Jericho's POV
When Barb gave out her last breath, everything was ripped apart in a Gotham minute. Like a half of my soul was torn out. The pain and the agony when my mom died paled in comparison to what I just felt when Barbara died in my arms. When I came back to Gotham, I was focused on continuing my mother's work, to save this city from its corruption until she came along. A guardian angel who saved me from my depression. And now… it's like looking down at the grave of your love or kissing the mouth of a gun, the bullet trembling in its dark nest, ready to blow your head off. But every now and then Fate has a way of pulling off a plot twist.
"NO!" I yelled as I rammed my fist into ground, but then I saw the electricity coming out of the gloves during the impact. Wait a minute, there's still time to save her. I can use my shock gloves to resuscitate her. I activated the shock gloves and then attempted to revive her on the first time. No luck though.
"Come on, Barb." I said as I tried again, still no luck. I went for a third time, and still no sign of revival. I was getting frustrated.
After several failed attempts, I went all in. I hit her chest hard and the next second,
she gasped as her heart started to beat again. She coughed a few times while regaining her breath I let out a sign of relief.
"You're gonna be right." I stated as Talia and I helped her to Medical Bay.
Fate it seems, is not without a sense of irony.
Third POV
"I should've expected something like this. I should've known that Bane would react in retaliation but now he has discovered our entire operation." Jericho and Talia was in the working bay talking about what they should do next as Barbara was listening down at the Medical bay as Jayden put her legs back in place, fortunately due to paralysis she didn't wince or scream in pain. Alfred was recovering as well, only sustaining some bruises. "He will expose us."
"Yes." Talia confirmed solemnly,
"When he does, every police officer in Gotham will hunt us down. Our family will never be safe." He added, "I've been thinking about the list of enemies we made everyday of our existences and the worst ones are within these borders, sister."
"Then we arm ourselves." Talia declared, "Brother, we fought every adversary in this city and we have won. We will fight them again, no matter who they are. We'll make this home a fortress"
"I will not force Barbara to live here as a prisoner or make a choice between us and her father who is the police commissioner." He frowned in disapproval, he's not gonna force her. Not now, not ever.
"Then we leave here, together. All of us." She suggested,
"Wherever we go, no matter how long we run those who seek revenge will hunt us down." Jericho stated,
"So if we stay or leave, we condemn our beloveds." she concluded with a sigh,
"There's a third option." Bruce spoke as they turned around and "We stay here. Finishing this fight once and for all."
"You can't be serious!" Jericho looked at him as if he grew three heads.
"I am. I've fought Bane on countless occasions. If he wanted to expose all of us, he'd done it by now."
"But he didn't." Talia realized where her beloved was going with, "he wants a fight to the death on a ground where he sees fit. But the question is where?"
"Ahem." They turned around to see Barb who was in a new wheel chair that was brought out by Jayden She turned on the police radio where a female officer was sending out a SOS alarm.
"All units, all units. Code 10, repeat Code 1 confirmed at Blackgate Prison. Suspect identified as Harley Quinn. She has escaped from her cell and is now currently leading the riots at Blackgate. We've lost Blackgate. Repeat, Harley Quinn has taken over the entire prison. Multiple Casualties. Comissioner Gordon is calling anyone and I mean anyone for assistance " They walked over to the Bat-computer to listen to it. If Jericho wasn't feeling self doubt, he certainly was feeling it now.
He sighed in resignation, "Great. Now this. I don't know if I can do this."
"Why do we fall, Jericho?" Jericho didn't reply to that, he "So we can learn to pick ourselves up." in that moment, he knew Bruce was right, but after everything that has happened recently, he wasn't feeling confident about himself. Can he do? can he pull himself back together and Stop Quinn and Bane together?
"Come on, Jericho! Pull yourself together! You've been in a lot worse situations than this." he scolded himself as he gripped the rail mentally recomposing himself. Of course he can, he has to. if Bane wanted a fight, he got one. He can do this.
"They need you."
"No, Bruce. They need us." Barb had a smile etched on her face knowing that her fiancé was back in the game.
Jericho drove his impala through the walls of Blackgate interrupting whatever was going on between the inmates and some of the guards that were captured.
"Sorry to interrupt, guys." Jericho announced as he stepped out of the car with Talia, Batman jumped out of the bat plane and dived down to the ground with a elegant landing. "But you can't simply start this party without us."
One of the inmates went to punch him but Jericho blocked him and headbutted the inmate out cold and thrust kick another inmate in the chest. Batman ducked stereo punches and rammed their heads together. Talia did a swift kick on the last of them as he dropped a stun Taser, she picked it up and electrocuted him in the stomach.
"Thanks. I thought that I was going to die for sure." one of the Guards said,
"Gordon and his Team are on the way, secure the gates for him. then help them lock this place down. Harley Quinn cannot escape."
"No problem." the Guard used his walk talkie and contacted Gordon as Jericho, Batman and Talia headed down the grate to the sewers underneath the prison.
"Jericho, I've been listening to reports coming from Blackgate. It's not good, Are you alright?" Oracle asked
"I'm fine, Oracle. I should be the one asking you that." Jericho said,
"Well, considering that it's not everyday that your heart gets resuscitated by a defibrillator, I feel actually great." Oracle admitted,
"Well, Jayden is with you in case that there are repercussions." Jayden was reluctant to stay back at first, he wanted to come with him and punish Bane for what he did to Barbara. but after some arguing, he stayed back.
"I know. But you should worry more about Harley at the moment. I'll be fine."
"Ok." During the conversation, they bridged the gap over water that was electrified. Then due to a ice blast, they floated through a tunnel all the way to a platform. They went through a door to the Prison maintenance. They were getting close to the top when Barb asked something that they all wondered all night on the communicatior.
"How did Harley Quinn manage all this? I mean, how the hell did she know about the location of Sionis safehouse, kidnap him and then send a imposter who was really good by the way, to put up the bounty?" it was simple really. Harley Quinn was a lot things, but she's not bright and prefers to work alone with the exception of her deal with Falcone. So she must've done another deal with someone else other than Alberto Falcone.
"She's working with someone because there's no way she'd done this all by herself, Barbara. I'll intend to find out the moment I stop her." Jericho replied as they came out of the ventilation system and out to the Nexus.
"Please! Don't kill me!" they heard someone pleading for his life, must be one of the guards. They spread out going in different directions to take out the armed inmates
"Really Sharp? Why should we listen to you considering you almost killed everyone of us back in Arkham city?" Jericho stopped once he heard the name of former mayor uttered in disbelief. Sharp, as in former mayor Quincy Sharp? Well, he can't say that it's not a total shock considering the large amount of hatred for Sharp. After all, he gave Strange the permission to build Arkham City and let his partner, who was Jericho's father Ra's Al Ghul fund his campaign.
He grappled up to the roof of an administrative office while Batman and Talia was covering behind windows. He crashed through window up top to knock out thug below him while Batman and Talia crashed through the window taking out his friends. Sharp was tied to a chair with his arms behind him. He looked a lot older and there were some bruises on his face and scars on his forehead.
"Ello governor." Jericho greeted in a fake british accent as he untied the former warden. "Nice to see you again."
"Not you." he muttered, "If you want to end my life, just do it now. Do you have any idea what I just gone through these past 6 months?"
"We got an idea." Batman replied not caring the slightest for him.
"Death offers you peace which is something you do not deserve, Mr. Sharp." Talia said, as much as she would to kill him, she knew that he was asking for an act of a coward. No, it would be too easy really.
"Look, I know why you are here." Sharp sighed as if he had an idea of why they were here in the first place since they're not going to kill him obviously, "That minx Harleen is in the Pantopticon. She's waiting for you. "
they turned around and walked out of the office with the knowledge of her location
"If I had known the magnitude when this Shiva woman visited me." Sharp muttered as they exited the office with knowledge of Harley's location. Jericho stopped in this track once he heard the name.
"Did you just say Shiva?" Jericho questioned as he turned around and face him unsure if he heard it right. What Shiva got to do with this and what he was mumbling about?
"Yes, it was back when I was a political activist. She paid me a visit saying that she and her master shared my hatred for the delinquents. Of course I didn't believe here but she somehow convinced me to work on my campaign. In fact she was the one who told me about the Asylum." Jericho left the office trying to process of what he just learned with Batman and Talia behind him. Sharp was totally oblivious of what he's caused.
"Oracle, You are not going to believe what just happened." he told her, she groaned in despair.
"What now, is it Two Face? Ivy? A Joker robot?"
"No, no and No. We had just a run in with our old friend Quincy Sharp. He told us personally that Harley Quinn is in the Pantopticon. We're headed down there now." he informed,
"Ok, then what?" she questioned
"He revealed us that Shiva persuaded him to restore Arkham Asylum several years ago and her master became the funder of Sharp's mayor campaign. Wanna guess who it is?"
"Ra's. That Son of a bitch." Barbara muttered as she understoood Jericho was going with this,
"Yeah, got that right." Jericho agreed as he ended the communicator then turned around to question Talia, considering that Talia's involvement with Arkham City. "Did you know about this?"
"No, brother. I did not. but I did knew our father had scheduled meeting with Dr Strange." Talia admitted,
"And Shiva?"
"She was a servant of father for some time before she left."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Batman questioned, surprised of this information.
"You know our father, beloved. He's very secretive about his operations." She answered,
"Fair enough." And with they went to Cell block B where Jericho spotted Slade Wilson doing push ups in his cell. why is he still here considering?
"I thought you would be out of jail right now." Jericho said, curious of why he didn't break out.
"Apparently Harley Quinn's afraid of me. Wouldn't let me out." He replied, "And for a good reason. I don't like having my time wasted."
"Then you should've known that trying to kill me was a waste of your time." Jericho pointed out
"Heh, well, you won't have to worry about that anymore. Not unless someone else puts up fifty million bucks." Jericho muttered a "whatever" as he walked away from they went to the north part of Cell block where they just took on a group of inmates that were free. They took care of them in minutes before going to the gate at the north end of Pantopticon. If the heat was rising, it meant they were getting closer to the source.
"Wait." He called as he stopped them, "I should go alone on this. Bane's expecting me. Not you"
"It's a trap." Batman stated,
"Of course it is." He responded, "But I'm not taking any risks." he stepped through the gate to the abyss.
"May the sprits be with you, brother." She prayed as she and her beloved left to rescue some of the guards that were taken hostage by the inmates.
Jericho was inside the Panopticon and the first thing he noticed was there were several TV monitors on the walls. Something tells him that it can't be good at all. Inmates were in their cells as inspectors but there were no sign of Harley Quinn or Bane whatsoever. And when he wondered where they are, a whistle caught his ears causing him to look up. he saw Harley Quinn standing on a platform while it was lowering down. She had a hostage, civilian . The civilian was a blonde teenage girl who looked a bit familiar. As he took a closer look, his mind came to horrifying conclusion. It was Rebecca Anderton, Lt Anderton's daughter. She was strapped to the electric chair with a head piece.
"Well, well, if isn't the chaperone himself." Harley announced, "Wow, you look like crap. Maybe I can lend you some make up." What she was referring to was Jericho's suit that had taken serious damage during the night including his long leather coat. Jericho didn't seem to care about that.
"Gee, thanks." he said sarcastically, "Let her go, Quinn."
"But we're just having a Girl's night out. Don't you agree Becky?" she pouted, Rebecca looked at him with frightful look telling Jericho otherwise,
"Doesn't look like from where I'm standing." he remarked,
"Well the night is just getting better. You know, Mistah J would be proud of what I done. Firstly I've bought the city to its knees, crippled the police force and it's not even time to exchange our gifts." She giggled manically. Just then Bane dropped in and stepped on the platform holding some sort of a device in his hand.
"Let's do this." Bane declared,
"With pleasure." Harley Quinn obliged with a bow, "You see this heart monitor in his hand? Once he puts it on, every beat of his empty heart will charge the battery on this electric and when it's fully charged." She put on a headpiece to Rebecca's head whose eyes widened in fright. "She'll be lighted up like Chevy Chase!"
"You bitch." Rebecca spat, she was never the one to keep her mouth shut.
"Ah." Harley gasped in mock offense, then she wiggled her finger in disapproval, like a mother scolding her daughter "Bad little girl. Momma wouldn't approve of such language." She them turned back to Jericho who had a scowl on his face, "Anyhow, the only way to stop it from happening is for you to kill or vice versa."
"No, I won't kill him." Jericho stated firmly, there's no way he's going back to his old ways, there's been too much death already by his hands.
"But you will. " Bane said, pointing it out. "You will fight me with all of your resolve. Someone is going to die; you, me, or the girl. The question of which one of us it is is in your hands." he proceeded to put the heart monitor on his chest. The TV monitors were acting as a heart monitor while Bane jumped from the platform to the arena.
"And to make sure we get all the action, I hired some of the boys to broadcast this fight to death! Boys! We are going live!" she announced, two of the inmates jumped down to the arena with video cameras and started recording.
"Guys. You gotta see this. it's from Gotham." Felicity called out as she tuned into the channel that was sending live from Blackgate prison. Arrow team went to her and watched the news from Gotham on the TV Monitor.
"This is Jack Ryder, reporting live, Blackgate Prison remains under lockdown, its staff at mercy of rampaging inmates. Just ten minutes ago, we received this taped message."
"Hello, Gotham. Harley Quinn here. Blackgate is mine. And soon I'll unleash my boys to destroy the city whom killed my puddin'. But first we're about to witness one of biggest, cruellest fight ever, and the demise of the Son of Demon."
"We haven't heard from Quinn since the… wait a minute, we're getting live feed from Blackgate!" and right on cue, TV showed, gladiator arena inside Blackgate , seeing Jericho Sara spoke about earlier and a masked heavyweight fighter who had some sort of tank attached at his back.
"Let's get ready to rumble!" Harley Quinn Announced,
"Is that…" Diggle trailed off,
"Yeah, it's him." Sara confirmed, Then furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to remember the masked man. "Can't tell who the hulk wannabe is though. But what I can tell is that he's a mercenary."
"Well, it that we're witnessing a fight. Who lives and who dies." Felicity said, "This is so much like the Gladiator."
"It's more than that, Felicity. This is personal." Oliver clarified with keen interest,
"A compassionate man would be home mourning the loss of his bride right now. Yet here you are." The mercenary pointed out as Jericho positioned himself a Wolverine like fight stance with clenched fists prepared to take out all of his anger out on the man who hurt the woman he loves dearly. Bane pushed the button injecting venom into himself and charged at Jericho who rolled out of the way. Jericho ran up on the wall and jumped on to Bane's back. He disabled the venom tank momentarily and flipped bane over his head. AS Bane got back up Jericho jumped on his head and went for a hurricanrana. It only though slowed Bane down as he injected another dose of venom. he cried out
"Toot! Toot! Here comes the Bane Train!" Harley Quinn declared as Bane charged at Jericho who dodged out of the way yet again. Bane did a ground smash trying to disrupt Jericho's momentum but Jericho evaded the smash attack and proceeded to do a jumping spin kick. As Jericho went again for the tank, Bane this time grabbed him by the throat and held him high above his head. Jericho struggled in his grip to break free and when Bane was about to break his back, he managed to punch him in the face and went for a snap-mare takedown. Bane caught the coming punch from Jericho and put him in a armbar.
Jericho blocked the palm strike to the neck with his free hand and kicked Bane in the face. However he did not for see the uppercut from Bane as he was sent to the wall back first. The fight had reached its first turning point. Jericho tried to cover his body from Bane's fierce body punches but was unable to do so. Bane wasted the third body punch as Jericho avoided it but he picked him up ramming the vigilante against the north wall and planted him on the ground with a spinebuster.
"Oy! That's gotta hurt!" she cringed at the impact
Jericho grunted as He didn't get back up quickly as he should. He desperately swung a punch at Bane who dodged with ease and kneed in the stomach. He then punched Jericho in the face. He placed his foot putting all his weight on Jericho's chest. Meanwhile the battery of the electric chair on the platform was almost full when Lt Anderton and Commissioner Gordon arrived aiming their guns at Harley Quinn who raised her hands in surrender.
"Mum! Get me out of this bloody chair!" she demanded, Meg glanced at the battery and became anxious when she saw battery nearly at full maximum. she has to get Rebecca out of the electric chair now.
"Stay calm, sweetie. I'm gonna get you out." Meg replied putting her gun back into her holster as she went to save her daughter
"Be careful, Meg. When that chair goes off, you get two thousand volts. You or Becca wont make it."
"Worry more about Quinn and…" she didn't have a chance to finish her sentence as a right hook hit her square in the jaw from Harley Quinn, she snatched Meg's gun from her holster.
"Mum!" Rebecca yelled out, Gordon was about shoot Quinn in the leg when the Black Widow aimed the gun up at Rebecca.
"Ah AH. I wouldn't pull the trigger, Jimbo." Harley warned,"I've inserted an insurance policy in case of you pigs would try to save Becky. I've rigged the Panopticon to explode from within, so if you pull the trigger, it will be a special cop sauce splattered on the walls."
"How do I know you're not lying?" he questioned,
"I maybe do, Gordo. Try me." She urged him, Gordon cursed under his breath knowing full well that she called his bluff. He couldn't do it without putting Rebecca's life on the line or the inmates for that matter. Meanwhile Jericho hit Bane's foot in a vain attempt to get rid of the weight when he remembered something earlier the evening in the Final Offer with the late Electrocutioner. Something that could be vital in this personal battle.
"I'm-a kill you. Then, I'm-a jumpstart your heart, and kill you again!" Electrocutioner stated,
His shock gloves, he could stop Bane's heart temporarily, it's his only chance to survive and it would save Rebecca's life.
"May you find peace in death that you did not find in life." Bane declared unaware that Jericho had activated his shock gloves.
"Not today, pendejo." He retorted as he hit Bane's heel stunning him. He got back on his feet and punched him in the chest. Bane swung a left hook which Jericho blocked it and gave him a low blow. Bane kneeled back in pain as Jericho got on his back and fried his storage tank, disabling it permanently.
"You may grown up as a prisoner, Bane learning all fighting techinques that there is but unlike you, I know how to play dirty." Jericho whispered into Bane's ear and he then kicked him in the back sending him down to the floor.
"UH OH, you made him angry." Harley Quinn declared with a laugh Jericho smirked when Bane tired to inject venom again from his tank but was somehow unable to do so.
"IF you wonder why your tank don't work, I disabled it with my shock gloves. it sent a electromagnetic pulse making the tank useless. Checkmate." Bane's eyes widened in shock once he heard the news from Jericho he'd just lost his main weapon during a moment of weakness. Then he narrowed his eyes in rage with malice in his irises: He will paint Blackgate with Jericho blood.
Time to end this. Bane roared as he charged at him with intentions to kill him oblivious that Jericho already expected this. He side stepped Bane and then beat his chest repeatedly with a series of blows from his gloves. He then electrocuted the chest area, making Bane go down on his knees. He took the opportunity to punch him in the face. Bane grabbed his throat in attempt to stop his momentum but Jericho swung another punch making Bane to let go of his throat. He then struck his chest sending shock blast from his gloves. As he continued the assault Bane's heart beat started to slow down, rates going down faster than a car race and then…
Ring. Bane was out for the count, his heart stopped still and Jericho was declared the victor.
"Whoa." Felicity whispered in awe of what they just saw, they've just witnessed a murder on a live television.
"Talk about a deep fry."
"Yeah no kidding." Diggle agreed on that note.
"Yay! We have a weiner." Harley beamed happily as she set Rebecca free from the electric chair, The first thing she did was to help her mother up on her feet who regained consciousness.
Jericho ripped the heart monitor off Bane's chest and threw it away.
"The game is over, Quinn. Let them go." Jericho demanded,
"Yeah, put the gun down, bitch." He commanded
"After you, Jimbo." Just then LT Anderton jumped in front of Gordon taking the bullet for him. she groaned clutching her stomach, fortunately she wore bulletproof vest so that she was going to make it.
"Meg!" Gordon rushed to her aid with Rebecca and was immediately relieved when he saw Meg's vest.
"Well, as much I'll like stay and celebrate, I got places to go, people to kill and mistel toes to hang. Bye bye." She announced her leave as she jumped off the platform with her inmates following pursuit
"Thank God you're wearing your vest, Lt." he pointed out which earned a chuckle from Anderton as she was helped up on her feet by Gordon and her daughter.
"What about Bane?"
"Leave him to me." Jericho spoke "I can resuscitate him before it's too late."
"You didn't…."
"That's not how they do things. Come on." Gordon said as he and Rebecca left the Panaopticon with Meg following him. Jericho went on to revive Bane with the help of his shock gloves.
By the time Bane's heart was successfully started to beat, the mercenary grabbed Jericho by the throat enraged that Jericho dared to restart his heart. So he restorted to desperate measures. Something that he ever thought wouldn't do knowing the risks.
"You leave me no choice, Mr. Brown." He said into his ear quietly as he took out a sample of TN-1 from his pants pocket and injected it. His muscles started to grow out of portion on his arms, chest and around his neck.
"Dear god." Diggle whispered as he and the rest watched of what appeared to be a transformation. they just saw Jericho reviving the masked man now known as Bane with the help from his gloves and then Bane injected some form of serum into himself. It was horrifying to watch.
"I'm gonna be sick." Felicity muttered as she supressed a vomit.
Tubes from his storage tank popped out as his veins glowed yellow as his eyes changed from blue to green. He roared as he became a colossal form of muscle. He threw Jericho down to the ground who picked a explosion from utility belt and placed on the floor. He detonated it as he saw Tn-1 enhanced Bane attemped a ground and pound attack. The floor underneath them exploded sending them to the Maximum security ward. The camera men jumped down to record the action, it When Jericho got back up, he got the hell out of there and slide to the wall shaft. He was fully aware that he couldn't take Bane straight on, not when he's on TN-1 at the moment.
"Barbara? What do we know about TN-1? The compound I found in Bane's lab?" Jericho asked his fiancé on the communicator as he stuck his head out of the shaft looking around to see if Bane was around.
"I'll get Jayden to look into it right now. give me a sec." Barbara replied, He slowly crawled out of the shaft went for a cover in the corner.
"Show yourself, Coward!" Bane called out, Jericho inwardly groaned at Bane's really a pain the ass at the moment so he hid in the grate beneath him.
"Anderton to Bullock, have you secured all exits?" Megan questioned in the Police feed,
"We got the place secured. Any Update?" Bullock reported,
"I'm with the commissioner and Rebecca. Harley's heading to Death Row." Megan informed,
"We got the place surrounded. Ain't no way she's getting out."
"You better be bloody sure about that."
"Jericho." That was Barb and she's got some bad news regarding TN-1, "Bane has a injected a massive dose of TN-1 into his bloodstream. According to Jayden, You have 10 minutes before it reaches full strength. After that, if he gets a hold of you, you'll die."
"Oh, fuck." He muttered, it was not exactly he wanted to hear. Just then he heard footsteps, Bane was coming above with strong urge to kill him. Knowing that this is a perfect surprise attack, Jericho jumped out of the grate and drop kicked Bane, taking the brute mercenary off guard. he crashed into the electrified door and was stunned by the electricity. Taking advantage, Jericho landed a few blows before kicking him back into the electrical door, stunning him once again, at least momentarily because he recovered quickly but by then Jericho already took off planning another surprise attack.
"This is Lt Megan Anderton in Blackgate. Harley Quinn has us pinned down on Death Row! Requesting reinforcements! Repeat; This is Lt Megan Anderton requesting reinforcements! Pinned down at Death Row at Blackgate!"
"God damnit!" Jericho swore, "Batman, you there? Did you hear the SOS call?"
"Yes, I'm heading there with Talia as we speak. Concentrate on Bane when we get to Death Row."
"Got it." he obliged as he saw Bane checking out the edges of the grates, this was not what he wanted to see. Bane was getting smarter. Luckliy he didn't see Jericho crawling out of the wall shaft and jumped on his back. Bane tired to shake him off as he ran. Jericho punched him in the head as he directed Bane to another electrical door. he jumped off Bane as the TN-1 enhanced collided again with electric rods stunning him for a second time. He repeated the assault with some punches before kicking him back into the electric rods. He ran away to a good distance from Bane and jumped down on the grate.
He expected Bane to check the wall shaft so he wouldn't be worried about the mercenary looking out the grates. And when he came within reach once he checked the wall shaft, Jericho jumped out of the grate and kicked him in the back, sending him to another electrical door for a third time. He then super kicked him in the face, electrocuting Bane. he grunted as he went on his knees completely out. Jericho sighed in relief sensing that Bane won't wake up anytime soon as he tapped into his earpiece.
"It's over, Oracle. I've defeated Bane." He reported aware of the prison camera men filming. And suddenly out of the blue, Bane gripped Jericho by the waist like a small child. Jericho struggled to get out of his tight grip but his attempt was in vain. Bane roared as he threw Jericho back first to the nearby wall. He grunted as he used the wall to help himself back up, Bane marched towards him clearly not done with him.
"What's going on, Jericho? Are you alright?" Barbara asked over the comms, he didnt answer as Bane gave him a few fierce blows to Jericho's stomach area before punching him through the wall into the control room several feet away to the wall. Jericho groaned spitting out some blood from his mouth as he sluggishly got up and about while Bane beat away some bricks before setting his eyes on Jericho who wasn't looking too good right now.
"Want to know what's next?" Bane asked,
"Yeah, your humiliating defeat." Jericho retorted, Bane roared as he ranto Jericho who in desperation pulled out his remote claw and fired two claws towards electric pacification devices, restraining Bane. it electrified him with 2000 volts, it was like watching a mexican pinata being fried on the 4th of July. He collapsed to the floor out cold. Jericho spotted the camera men whom were not far from his position shocked of what they just saw. He walked towards them and ripped the camera away from them.
"Leave." He growled to them, they didn't need to be told twice as they scrambled away from him out of fear.
He looked into the with a message to every criminal in the city and the world.
"Let that be a message to anyone behind these walls and outside the walls. If they get the notion to fuck with me, don't." he warned, he then smashed it to pieces.
"He's ridiculously hot." Felicity blurted, the others looked at her with different looks and suddenly she started to blush in embarrassment Oliver had a look of bemusement while Sara bite back a giggle and Diggle was hard to read. "Oh god, I didn't mean it out loud, I just meant."
"We get it Felicity." Sara interjected preventing a ramble while hiding an amused smile. "We get it."
"I will… Must find…. The Son of Demon." Bane slurred his words as he was hanging up upside down with a chain wrapped around his right foot. Jericho nodded in acknowledgement as he walked away from the mercenary who was in and out consciousness due to the side effects of TN-1.
"Let me know when you done that." he mocked as he left the control room and grappled on a ledge. He crawled through the ventilation shaft into Death Row.
"Jericho?! Can you hear me?!" Barbara called in the comms.
"Yeah, and thanks for the help with Bane." he said,
"Oh thank god." Barbara breathed out relieved that Jericho was still alive, "I take it that Bane is out for good this time."
"Yep, and it looks like TN-1 Bane took, damaged his memory. Permanently." He reported,
"That's great. So he won't reveal our identities ."
"Looks like that way." He confirmed,
"Glad to hear it, honey." Barbara was more than happy to hear the news; she was pleased with it because she avoided the awkward conversation with her father. "And Harley Quinn?"
"She's still on the loose. But not for long." He replied ending the connection as he jumped down to the corridor of Death Row. He saw Batman and Talia aiding the injuried Warden Joseph who was bleeding from his stomach. Anderton and Rebecca was in the corner with Gordon.
"Look's who's back for more." Killer Croc growled as he appeared out of the nowhere and grabbed Jericho by the throat hoisting him up. Rebecca shrieked in horror.
"I've had enough of you for one night." Jericho choked out,
"Not yet you haven't." Gordon and Batman tried to help him but they were shoved off with ease. Meg picked up a stun tazer and stunned Croc taking him out of the equation. Jericho freed himself from his grip and massaged his sore throat.
"Thanks." he croaked as some of the inmates came through the gate behind him. Jericho fought these guys off Warden along with Lt Anderton and Batman.
"You're a good fighter, Lt." he observed, popping an arm out of position and punched one of the inmates in the chest and then spin kicked another inmate. he was impressed by Anderton's fighting skills as she surprisingly held her own.
"Amateur boxing at Cambridge. One of the best." Meg informed as she ducked a punch and gave her opponent a left hook. Once they were out cold, Jericho checked on the warden.
"Is he going to be alright, Talia?" Jericho asked,
"It appears the bullet went straight through the abdominal without hitting the mayor organs. So yes." she replied,
"Where's Harley Quinn?" He questioned
"She went through that door, towards the chapel." Gordon told him pointing the direction.
"Thanks." he left Death Row corridor and headed to the chapel, where he heard Harley Quinn giggling and laughing. He entered the chapel and saw Quinn leaning on the altar in a hysterical fit. This is it, everything that has happened tonight was because of her and her mystery partner.
"OH… hey, J. What a… What a night." She said between giggles, Jericho growled as he grabbed Quinn by her outfit and held her up in the air.
"Oh, want some more blood on your hands?" she asked with her arms spread out inviting him to kill her so that she could be reunited with her puddin'.
"Bane is still alive." He said,
"Huh?" Harley uttered confused, it can't be true, can it? She saw him die. She pulled out a heart monitor to check out if he was correct and much to her despair, he was right. Hero types were always party poopers.
"That's not. Funny."she scowled as she threw it away in anger, she pushed herself off him and was in his face "Why? Why? Why are you so angry at me?"
"You tried to bury me alive remember?" he reminded, although Quinn was unconvinced, it was more to it then just that. it was something else.
"NO, it's more to you than it meets the eye. You're suffering from post traumatic stress caused by the death of someone close to you. So you built an alter ego to escape the harsh reality. am I right?" She remarked,
"Whoopee do." He said in mock salutation, she was partially right about it only it was in honor of his mother's memory that he devoted to save Gotham, he made a vow and he'll intend to live up to it. "Give the girl a ice cream bar. You were spot on. But that's a little hypocritical, coming from you."
"What?" she asked confused of the statement.
"I mean, seriously. You went from being a psychiatrist at Blackgate to being Joker's little bitch. That's a bit degrading, don't you think?" Jericho continued, Harley's cheeks turned red in anger at the statement, she pulled out her gun and aimed at him daring him to continue. If he does, she'll kill him.
"I'm nobody's bitch." she spat, trying to keep her hand steady.
"Yes, you are." Jericho replied, it was time for her to hear the truth, the truth. "Wake up Harleen Frances Quinzel. He had you wrapped around his finger the moment he stepped foot on Blackgate. Despite all the abuses and the insults over the years, you stood by his side doing whatever he wanted you to do because you realized, if you leave him, you lose a part of yourself, right?"
During his speech, he watched Harley Quinn's façade slowly and surely break down. What he sees is not the criminal or the psychiatrist, all he sees was a little girl who all she ever wanted was someone to love her and give the attention she craved for it. She never received love by her drunken father who was conman scamming women out of their money, which was the reason why she studied Psychology in Gotham University, to understand why he did what he did.
"Y-You d-don't know what you're talking about." She stated, although it sounded like she was trying to convince himself, her hands started to shake and her index finger was trembling. Sensing that she won't shoot, he continued on.
"Deny all you want, Quinn. But deep down, you know I'm telling the truth. That all you wanted was to be loved and love in return. Which is why he left you a present before he died, didn't he? A pregnancy test to be exact?" her eyes widened in shock at the mention of her unborn child. How did he know? "What happened?"
"I-I-I was… Pregnant." She stuttered, her voice was shaking and her eyes started burn from tears forming. She tried to hold them, but failed to do so. "I was so gonna call him Joker Junior but when puddin' died, the baby died with him." She admitted, And then for the first time since the death of Joker, she sobbed uncontrollably, she was unable to control her emotions she dropped her gun and went on her knees. Anderton and Gordon burst through the doors and was stunned at the scene unfold. Harley Quinn, crying? What in the world has happen to her? no one has ever made her cry. Not even the Batman has done it before with some exceptions.
"Take her away, Commissioner." He commanded acknowledging their presence. Still trying to wrap around the scenery, Anderton slapped a pair of handcuffs and took Quinn away who was still crying. He sighed in exhaustion as he kneeled down in front of the altar and began to pray.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death; I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. Amen." He made a hand cross before leaving the altar.
"What happened?" Gordon asked,
"Tonight I met the victim, not the criminal that is Harleen." Jericho answered walking past him as he exited the prison chapel.
"Mum! Thank God!" Rebecca exclaimed as she ran up to her mother and hugged her tight, outside of the main gate of Blackgate prison. Batman and Talia had already left the prison heading probably back home once they helped the GCPD restored order of Blackgate prison "I was worried."
"I'm fine, Rebecca." Meg reassured as she pulled from her daughter, "GCPD finally has control of Blackgate Prison. The Doctors is treating the injuried but it appears it's gonna take some time."
"And Harley Quinn?" Her daughter questioned,
"She's back in her cell and I have a feeling she won't be leaving it anytime soon." She pulled a face remembering the mourning widow crying. It was disturbing quite frankly. "And the Venom enhanced inmates are returning to normal, although for some it could be quite painful."
"Tell me about it." Jericho stated as they turned around and saw him standing behind them. "It's been a really long night."
"Get some rest, you deserved it" she said, he nodded in agreement feeling worn out.
"Stay safe, Meg." Jericho declared, the Impala drove by and he hopped right on leaving Blackgate. He pressed the speed dial on his car phone as he drove through the city heading back to BatCave.
"Barbara, warm up Christmas dinner. I'm coming home." He said with a smile. He had a busy long and right now he'd love nothing more than the spend the morning with her. He didn't find out who Harley Quinn's mystery partner was but he'll find out and when he does, he's gonna bring him to justice.
Slade Wilson was still doing push ups back in his cell at Cell block B when his hearing picked up a pair of black heels approaching. He smirked, as he knew who would show up this time of the day. He expected her to show up and bail him out.
"Figure you'd be by, sooner or later." He stated not bothering to look up to know whom it was.
"What the Hell were you thinking, Slade?" Isabel Rochev berated with arms crossed, the CO CEO of Queen Consolidated and Vice President of Stellmoor International. She wasn't happy when she found out about Slade's capture in Gotham, so she took the first flight to Gotham, first class. "You almost jeopardized the entire operation by coming here."
"No need to worry, miss Rochev. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I heard about the bounty." He assured, "Besides I wanted to see if the rumours were true and Jericho certainly lived up to his reputation."
"I don't understand." She said confused, he stopped doing push ups and walked over to her with a confident look.
"Call Dr Conner. I think we found our test subject for Project Wolverine." he said,
"You can't be serious." She exclaimed, "All the past subjects has all died from metal poison."
"This one is different." He promised, then looked past her and saw man wearing a white suit and Black mask. It promoted Isabel to turn around and see the black masked man. "Isn't right, Reynolds?"
Paul Reynolds chuckled as he took off his mask. "That's right, Slade. Everything worked out as planned. Time to execute Phase Two of the Operation."
"Wait a minute, Paul. You put up the bounty?" she interrupted in disbelief, "Why wasn't I told about this?"
"Would've it make a difference if you knew?" he asked rhetorically "Besides, Slade told me to. After all, Jericho and I have some history together. " He explained, grinning wickely. Isabel looked back to Slade with a puzzled look,
"I'll explain to you more on the way back to Starling City." he told her,
And That's it, folks. The End of the Story. Thank you my followers for following this epic story. Now it's time to shift focus to The Son and Daughters of the Demon.
I will post the first chapter sometime this week.
See ya laters, homes.