Batman Beyond: The End of Batman

Chapter 6

Terry had been in his ISO cell for what had seemed like forever, (it had really only been a couple of hours), all that time thinking about his family and how they really didn't stand a chance against Blight, when he heard something. At first he thought it was just his imagination playing tricks on him, wishful thinking, but then he heard it again.

"McGinnis, McGinnis, can you hear me?" Terry looked around but couldn't see anything…Could Blight have changed his mind and picked Bruce up, planning to finish him off so he wouldn't say anything? No, that couldn't be it, even if Powers had picked Bruce up, he had said these walls were soundproof, and his friends that had stayed here while Wheeler had this place open had reinforce that, so Bruce couldn't be here, but then… "McGinnis, answer me! McGinnis! McGinnis, report," he heard Bruce's voice again, this time in a growl, and he looked around wildly, trying to pinpoint the location, until finally he figured it had to be the receiver in his cowl. Powers had said they'd killed the signal, and that made sense because Bruce's voice was covered in static, that's why he hadn't thought he'd heard it the first time. Before he could answer again he heard: "McGinnis come in now, that's a direct order!" and this time Terry became more frantic, he had to warn Bruce that Blight was going after his family, had to let him know to keep his family safe no matter what.

"Bruce…They've got me….They want to unmask me again to a group, not really sure who…You have ta keep my fam…" That is all Terry got out before he heard his door in his ISO room open and he became worried, what if Powers already had his mother and brother, if something happened to them, he'd never forgive himself.

Terry was wheeled out of the ISO area and into the first room he'd been in before ISO, the one he'd woken up in after being knocked out. He looked around and his eyes widened, the room was filled with his enemies. He looked from one face to the next frantically, not sure what to make of all of this. In front of him stood the Dee Dees, two twin girls from the Jokers group, Inque, Shriek (the sound wave villain), Ian Peek (who already knew who he was, so Terry could not find out why he was here or how he was even here, last time Terry had seen him, he had been falling through the floor), Spellbinder, Cuvier (the splicer), Charlie "Big Time" Bigelow (his old "friend"), The Royal Flush Gang (Ace, who was the robot, King, who was the father, Queen, who was the mother and married to king, Jack, the oldest son, and…Ten, Melanie Walker) Terry quickly looked away from her and moved on to the next, there was a robot, who looked to be made of Wayne-Powers tech (He would later find out that it was Robert Vance), Zander (the leader of Cobra), and Mr. Tim Drake, who looked very weak and then he began to change (again) and Terry sighed as the original Joker joined them once again. In the front of the group was Blight (leading of course), and next to him was Dr. Wheeler, but next to them stood a camera. Terry watched as Wheeler pressed a button and a red light turned on, signaling that they were recording, and wondered what they were planning, that's when Blight walked up next to Terry.

"Good evening Gotham…We all here wanted to tune you all in to the most important event in all of Gotham, the unmasking of Batman…" Terry's eyes widened, but he was still thinking of his family. He hoped that Bruce had gotten his message about his family, that his family was with him and safe, but he was not sure. He felt Blight reaching for his cowl again and slowly began to lift it; all Terry could think now was that even if all of Gotham was not watching, all his enemies were here, they'd see him, and his family would never be safe again. He sighed, this was really the end for him, wasn't it. He struggled only slightly, but in the end, Powers won out and pulled the cowl off. Terry let his head drop in defeat, but Power's would not let that happen. He grabbed a hold of Terry's chin and forced his face up so that he had to meet the eyes of all the villains in the room and the camera. Terry sighed and everyone in the room laughed, he could tell by their faces that they were already making their plans for him and he felt very helpless and defenseless, he sighed again.

"Now my dear friends, and fellow viewers, I'd like you to all join in and watch with me as we witness the slow and painful, DEATH OF BATMAN," Powers/Blight said in a menacing tone, and before Terry could react Powers smirked, "Or should I say the death of Terry McGinnis," and then Powers smirked. Terry sighed as his head was still forced up and he was forced to meet the eyes of all his enemies. Terry could not find one pair of friendly eyes, well none but one pair, Ten's, Melanie's. Terry met her eyes only briefly, sadly, before his head was mercifully allowed to drop back down. He was ready to quit, he knew he had no chance, so he was ready to quit, to give up, to just get it over with and make it quick, but he knew that they would never let that happen.

Terry's head dropped back down and that was when he felt it, a silky body wrap around his, her arms around his neck and her cold coal black eyes staring right into his, "Well, well, well Mr. McGinnis, this has been a long time waiting…I can't wait to see all the fun you and I are going to have," she purred and he frowned at her and she smirked.

"Hey wait a minute, you can't have him all to yourself, we want some of him too," said the first Dee Dee.

"Yeah, it's not like he is fully yours, we want our chances with the daring young Batman," the second Dee Dee jumped in.

"Don't worry," Powers jumped in, you will all have your chance at him," he smirked, the threat of that hanging in the air.