BATMAN: TARGET
CHAPTER TWO: Hunter/ Prey
"Don't move a muscle," Tetch spoke coldly, precisely, like a teacher explaining the answer to a mathematical equation. The Dark Knight silently cursed his failure to act cautiously.
"Jervis," He said icily, "Put down the gun."
"How about 'no'?" Snarled Tetch and Batman stared as Victor Zsasz stepped from the shadows, holding two of his long knives. Stirk stood behind him, with rusty hatchets that chilled the hero to the bone. A masked man in a nomex bodysuit, clutching a portable flamethrower, stepped into the light.
"Lyns," Batman grunted, "Maroni's hired himself quite the band of psychopaths."
Suddenly, the vigilante was gone… behind Tetch and sidekicking the hat- wearing gunman aside. Lyns yelled out and released a long stream of flame, swallowing up the rest of the room. Batman was everywhere at once, punching, kicking, hurling shuriken like a flash…
"NAIL THAT FREAK!" Lyns was yelling as Batman erupted from behind wreckage and kicked the arsonist aside. Tetch fired frantically at the vigilante, a bullet nicking Batman's leg, and the Caped Crusader dropped to his knees. Zsasz sniggered and walked up to Batman, putting one of the knives to his neck.
"Goodbye."
The wall exploded! Zsasz dived away, his fellow hitmen hurled willy nilly, as a police helicopter bombarded the room with shells from a turreted machine gun. The Batman rose, sorely, and limped to the window. He prepared to jump… as the door crashed open. Gas seeped into the room. The hero spun around and saw a horrific sight… a beast, some kind of Scarecrow… advancing towards him.
"Batman… Fear me…"
Batman knew this feeling: Crane. He fought his terror… and won, diving from the window as terrible images flashed past… his dead parents… bats… bats in the well at Wayne Manor…
The Dark Knight slammed onto a rooftop, gasping, groaning, retching. Who could he call? Who could help? Alfred was still recovering from his escapade with the plane… Rachel was… gone… There was only one source of help left.
The vigilante tuned his cowl radio slowly:
"Gordon…" The radio had a direct link to Captain Gordon's mobile, "I need help… now!"
Jim Gordon's small apartment in Miller Crescent wasn't exactly the place one would expect to find The Batman sprawled across the sofa. The Dark Knight slowly came around, seeing Gordon sat in an armchair, smoking and drinking from a glass of beer.
"You OK?" Asked the police captain, taking a long drag.
"Yeah… thanks," Grunted the vigilante, "You saved me, Jim."
"What the Hell was going on up there, Batman?" Asked Gordon, "Authorities implied they saw five Arkham escapees fleeing the scene."
"Crane… Tetch… Zsasz… Stirk… and Lyns," Summarised Batman, "Maroni hired them to kill me."
The hero swung to his feet and walked to the window.
"Thank you, Jim," Concluded the Caped Crusader and dived from the window…
Alexander Monroe was running. He should never have come through the Narrows at night! The wolf pack was closing in… laughing, waving their weapons. Monroe tripped and fell flat on his face. The three muggers closed in. He scrambled backwards…
Suddenly, a red streak knocked the attackers flying in every which way… could it be? A man stood before Monroe, smiling reassuringly. He wore a red cape, all the better to display his blue costume… it was him… it was Superman!
Batman heard the yell and the cruel laughter from five blocks away, and instantly knew it's source… Crime Alley.
He was leaping across buildings, grappling over rooftops and sprinting frantically before he fully registered what he was hearing…
It only took him a minute to reach the alley, but when he reached it, the fight was over. A blue and scarlet clad hero stood beside the potential victim. Batman spoke the name quietly, coldly:
"Superman."