Hi and hello, readers. This tale is my first Batman-related story. We'll see what might go through the mind of a henchman in an Arkham City predator encounter, as they go from calm and confident to desperate and terrified. Here we go!

PURE TERROR

I got thrown in the joint three years ago for knocking off a liquor store. Pretty generic crime, all things considered. But the upshot of spending nearly a year in Blackgate was that the problem of future employment was solved. I met up with a few grunts in face paint two weeks into my sentence, and they set me up with membership in their gang. That gang happened to be led by Gotham's most powerful super-criminal.

Working for the Joker's been a scream. Sure, I had to go through a pretty wacky initiation, I've been in and out of Blackgate for the better part of three years, and the whole "carnival" thing is a bit overdone, but I'd rather work for a clown off his rocker than any of the other criminals in the city. Penguin's gang is too much like a military outfit and he's got no sense of humour, and Two-Face doesn't know how to run a gang properly, let alone take over any meaningful turf.

Speaking of those two, someone said Penguin's gang is broken, and a lot of his guys joined up with us, like Black Mask's did years ago when Joker pulled his Christmas Eve scheme. I guess that's good, although I don't think we can trust them. As for Two-Face? I heard Catwoman got him early. Serves the bipolar freak right, if you ask me. He probably saws his own guys in half just for the hell of it.

The boss sounds pretty happy tonight, from the sound of his message a few minutes ago. One of the guys said something about Harley outwitting the Bat. Never thought the crazy bitch had it in her, she's usually an airhead, and a monumentally empty one at that. I mean, she did let the Bat break into the steel mill ealier tonight, and he took down a whole bunch of our guys. Thank God I was on guard duty in the cooling tunnels then. Harley was manning the intercom, and I could tell she was pissed off, although she can only blame herself for that screw-up.

Joker said the Bat's on the way again. No trouble. There's eight of us with assault rifles and automatic shotguns, with cracked lockboxes holding fresh weapons if we need them; it's like an armoury in here. As for him, he's just a freak who thinks it's Halloween year-round. He may have busted in before, but he'll have a hard time taking us down now. True, some—well, most, actually—of the guys in here are pretty lousy shots, but with these things, it's just point and shoot.

It's hot as hell in here, to be honest, but it's not too bad. For one thing, we're in a freaking steel mill, so it stands to reason that it'd be hot. Plus, all I've got on is a wifebeater and a pair of cargo pants. Some of the guys are envious of Penguin's gang since they wear those heavy winter coats. I guess you've got a point if you're running in the streets, but in here you'd just end up taking it off because it's so hot. Penguin's gang are pretty much all mercs, too, so it makes sense that they'd have better gear.

Hold up, someone's gun just went off... Probably Lenny's, he's got a real itchy trigger finger...

"Boom! One man down, it's looking like a re-run of last time!"

...what? I knew the Bat was coming, but not now!

"Someone get over there!"

I can see Tank running over to the south walkway. He's kneeling over someone's body. I think that was Lenny...

"Someone's missing in there. Is it you?"

Jesus, another one? How does he do this? We haven't even seen the bastard yet!

"He's making you idiots look like fools! That's my job!"

Is it, now?...what was that? Someone shouting...

"Get over there and find out who's screamin'!"

One of the other guys is doing just that. Saves me from having to check on the idiot...I can barely concentrate, my heart's beating so fast.

*clink!* "Aaargh!"

Aw, man, another one?! He's taken out half of us already! Who is this guy? Whoop...I nearly tripped on someth-...make that somebody. The Bat didn't even knock the guy off the walkway, but left him here where someone can trip on him! I don't have time to check who it is. I hope it's Buck, the jerk owes me money...

"Is that the sound of one of your faces hitting something hard? I hope so..."

Five down, then. We're going down faster than the Titanic here. Now two of the guys are rushing over.

"He's making us look stupid, how's he doin' it?"

"Leave him! We've got more important things to be lookin' out for!"

I can't resist shouting Even though it might tell the Bat where I am, I'm too frightened to care.

Show yourself, chicken!

No pain, or black-clad monster punching me. I'll just keep walking, then. The whole time, I've got my weapon ready to fire, if the Bat shows himself. I just hope one of the other morons in here doesn't bump me by accident. It won't end well if they do.

"At this rate, I'll be out of idiot henchmen before the end of the night!"

I'm inclined to agree with the boss, minus the idiot part. The Bat's picking us off faster than we can cover each other. Must be like shooting fish in a barrel for him. Like we thought it would be for us...

Another scream. Looks like somebody's hanging by their ankles. I'm sure as hell not going over there to check. The Bat might be up there!

"What are you doing? I need help!"

You need help? No way, I'm not risking Joker or Harley offing me because I wasn't covering your ass.

Screw you! It's every man for himself!

Now the guy I just flipped off is screaming blue murder. I'm looking every which way for the Bat, wondering where he's gonna come from. My whole body's shaking, my heart rate's through the roof, and I'm worried that if I do spot the Bat, I might drop my gun. So this is what pure terror feels like...

"Only one of you left. What a shame."

How the hell does he do it? Now it's hitting me...I heard people talk about the incident at the Asylum. He literally attacked from anywhere. He could be in the vents, the grates in the floor...he could even be hiding in the rafters, for Christ's sake! I don't know where he is, only where he could be...

And now I feel a heavy thump in my lower back, knocking me forward. As my face hits the floor of the walkway, stars explode before my eyes. I feel another thump as he lands on me, pinning me face-down on the ground, and I'm praying that whatever he does to me, he does it quickly.

Comments and feedback are welcomed.