OKAY, OKAY, OKAY. FANFICTION. WHAT THE HELL.

Seriously, why have you shitted all over the copy and paste option?! I have to completely redo the chapters now and redo the little stuff I do! Dammit!

Please join me in protest against this injustice. I really don't want to do this every time.

Chapter III

When Worlds Collide

"Alfred, we may have a problem."

As Batman left the Final Offer, he had found Slade Wilson, minus his helmet, incapacitated and strung up by a sticky, web-like substance. Wilson had been unconscious, and Batman was fairly certain the web would hold him until the police arrived. But the fact of the web, and the fact that someone took out Deathstroke…

"I think Spider-Man's following me," he went on, gazing at the Final Offer from atop a smoke-stack in the Industrial District. "Find any information we have on him. Media, police files, anything."

"Searching now, sir. Hmm… it seems that he is usually seen in New York. Sightings of Spider-Man date back to at least three years, four if you believe eye-witness accounts. At least up till three years ago have there been decent photographs, all published by the newspaper 'The Daily Bugle.' It also seems that all of the pictures have been taken by one man… a Peter Parker."

"Is there any suspicion that he is Spider-Man?" Batman asked.

"There is some speculation as to Spider-Man's identity, but Parker's name is cleared, according to reports. Good alibis. By all accounts, Spider-Man is a dangerous menace to society… which basically means he could be a useful ally to you."

"How do you mean?"

"Well… don't they say that you yourself are a danger to society, sir?"

"Good point," Batman admitted. "Still, I'll reserve judgment until I actually meet-,"

At that moment, something struck Batman hard in the side of his cowl. The armor protected him from most of the force, but it also protected him from the surprising acidic aspect of the blow.

Acid? In a weaponized form… Scorpion!

Batman leapt off the smoke-stack, looking down. On one of the balconies of the skyscrapers stood Mac Gargan, the Scorpion. He was clad in black armor, with forest green plating. A large ridge ran down his back, culminating in a tail that had a barrel at the end of it. Batman barely noticed the snarl on Gargan's face before he dive-bombed, straight at the assassin.

To Batman's shock, Scorpion leapt upward, flying higher than gravity should have permitted. Batman's loss of concentration caused him to lose balance, and as he tried to right himself, Scorpion came down hard on his back.

"That bounty's mine!" he hissed in Batman's ear, grabbing the back of his cape as they both plummeted to earth.

The air whistled past Batman's face. He struggled desperately against Scorpion's weight and grip, and managed to get out from under Scorpion. They both tumbled over and over, the cold wind buffeting them both. The ground was coming up swiftly to meet them, and Batman knew he wasn't going to have enough time to get Gargan under him to cushion his fall.

But something else happened, the last thing that Batman or Scorpion expected. A large web materialized underneath them, catching them and breaking their fall.

"No!" Scorpion breathed vehemently.

"Yes!" came a new voice, one Batman had never heard before. It was male, cheerful, and light-hearted. "I missed out on the chance to smack Hobgoblin, but hey, you win some, you lose some."

Batman grabbed a batarang, slicing the web and dropping safely to the ground. Scorpion landed with less dignity, falling on his front, his face embedded in the snow. Batman took no chances, leaping on top of him, grabbing his head, and slamming it into the hard-packed ice underneath the snow layer.

"Whoa, hey!" An arm grabbed Batman's raised fist, preventing him from landing a second punch. He reacted quickly, grabbing the arm with his free hand, twisting it behind the back of…

A brightly colored individual. One who could only be Spider-Man.

"Ow, ow, ow!" he exclaimed, gasping in pain as Batman raised his pinned arm higher. "Stop! Hey! I saved your life!"

"There was no need," Batman growled. "I had him."

"Clearly," Spider-Man said, not struggling anymore. "That was why you were about to end up as bat-paste. Speaking of, he's getting up!"

Scorpion indeed was rising to his feet, shaking his head, still dazed.

"Leave this to me," Batman said, releasing Spider-Man. He ran forward, and slammed his fist across Scorpion's temple, knocking him out instantly.

"Wow," Spider-Man said, standing stock-still. "That was… violent."

"It was necessary," Batman responded, turning to face him. "The only reason you haven't joined him is because I know about Penguin's price on your head. There has to be a reason for that."

"Cool," Spider-Man said, but his voice was nervous. Batman couldn't quite reconcile the bright red and blue of his costume, as well as the lightness of his manner, with the downward arc of his cold white eyes. Sure, it was a mask. But it was a slightly creepy mask. "So, uh… can we be friends? Y'know… tag-team?"

"I don't have friends," Batman said coldly. "And I don't know you."

"Well, then," Spider-Man said brightly, holding out his hand. "I'm Spider-Man. You're obviously Batman. It's… well, it's an honor to meet you." Batman didn't take the hand, or even look at it. Spider-Man held it out for a few seconds before letting it drop.

"Seriously?" he asked, holding his hands out. "I mean, come on. There's a lot going down in Gotham tonight, and you're gonna need my help."

"I don't need your help," Batman answered, turning to walk away. "You have no criminal record… so far. So I'll say this once… leave Gotham."

"I can't."

"Why not?" Batman asked, turning his head.

"Because Hammerhead's in Gotham. Don't know if you know who that is, but… it spells bad news. And he's planning something big. Considering it was partly my actions that drove him out of New York and come here… I have a responsibility. I have to stop him."

"Hammerhead," Batman repeated, stunned. "In Gotham? Why haven't I heard about this?" Spider-Man shrugged. "What's he planning?"

"He's going to start a turf war," he explained. "Overheard some of his goons on the street. Gonna set off Penguin against Black Mask, Black Mask against the Falcones, Falcones against the Maronis, and the Maronis just get clobbered. More than that…" He held out his hand. In his palm was a small sample of some liquid. Batman analyzed it with his detective vision.

"That's Venom," he said with disgust. Spider-Man cocked his head. "Powerful street drug that enhances the user's physique and muscle structure. The effects are temporary, but some thugs wear full-body injectors for a continuous dosage."

"Dang," Spider-Man breathed, gazing at it.

"Where did you find it?" Batman asked him.

"End of… Amusement Mile, I think? Some thugs were fighting over it, Maroni guys and some Hispanic mercenaries." Batman froze.

"Santa Prisca," he whispered. "Bane."

"Bane?" Spider-Man repeated. "Who is-?"

"Another one of the assassins after the bounty," Batman explained. "He doesn't usually work for money. More of a terrorist than a mercenary. But he's in Gotham tonight… probably after the price on your head too."

"They mentioned his name," Spider-Man said, looking off to the side as though remembering. "Bane. They also said the name 'Bird.' Mean anything to you?"

"Bane's second in command," Batman said. "Bumped down a rank recently, actually. So his number three guy."

"Who's his number two?" Spider-Man asked. Batman thought about answering. He didn't like the fact that he had been roped into conversation with Spider-Man, but at the same time, he did have a price on his head, and apparently no idea of the threats facing him. He seemed like a decent enough person, but Batman knew better than to trust anything.

"A Russian," Batman said finally. "Sergei Kravinoff."

Spider-Man gasped in recognition. Batman looked surprised.

"I know him!" he said. "I mean, I know Hobgoblin and Scorpion too. But Kraven… Kraven…"

"What's the significance of Kraven?" Batman asked. Spider-Man looked at him, his white eyes boring into Batman's own.

"Kraven the Hunter committed suicide," he said, his voice hollow. "Shot himself right in front of me. Wearing my costume, too."

Batman opened his mouth, surprised. But he closed it swiftly.

"Regardless, someone calling themselves Kraven the Hunter, someone who is a dead match for the man, is working with Bane to hunt us both down. We're wasting time here. I'm looking for Black Mask, who apparently has just been murdered at Lacey Towers. I'm going there to investigate. But my advice to you is the same. Leave Gotham."

"What?!" Spider-Man exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "Are you kidding?! Hammerhead, Black Mask, Bane, Kraven… that's too much for one guy! You need my help!"

"I don't need your help," Batman repeated coldly. "Thanks for the intel on Hammerhead and Bane. Now go home."

He dropped a smoke pellet, which disoriented the red and blue-colored hero. He heard him coughing, before he grappled up into his Batwing, flying away.

"Sir? Was that wise?" Alfred asked over his com.

"It was necessary," Batman replied, making his way Coventry. "I can't trust him, and he shouldn't be in Gotham in the first place."

"Perhaps not. But even so… he did have a point. You may not be able to do all of this on your own."

"Of course I will," Batman said tersely. "I have to."

"Oh, wow," Spider-Man grumbled, coughing as the smoke cleared. "Really?! Really Batman?!"

He had been looking forward to meeting the mysterious vigilante, albeit with a certain fear of getting his butt kicked. But he didn't even do that.

"Let's just take his info and split!" Spidey complained loudly, throwing his arms around. "'Cuz that's how we do it in Gotham freakin' City! God!"

At that moment, Scorpion groaned, clutching his head. Spidey webbed him up.

"Shut up," he said, watching Gargan sway in the breeze, still moaning. "I need to speak to someone from my universe who isn't trying to kill me."

However, his mind was distracted from grumbling about Batman by the neon signs of the GCR Tower. He remembered his original goal.

Hack into communications. Wouldn't surprise me if Batman has already done that. Jerk. Well, I'll show him.

A few moments later brought Spidey to the door of the Tower. He opened it cautiously, but there was nobody there. He strode confidently over to the door, but as he touched it, electricity shot through it, zapping him backwards. A voice spoke over an intercom.

"Who are you? Never mind, get the hell out of my tower!"

"Ugh," Spider-Man groaned, lying on the ground, smoking slightly. "Uh… sorry? Your tower?"

"Yes, my tower. Did you work hard to set up an impenetrable network system, spanning the entirety of the city? Did you coerce certain crooks to become data-handlers to extract valuable information concerning high ranking individuals in Gotham City? I don't think so!"

"Whoa, whoa, wait," Spider-Man said, holding up his hand. Out of his belt he pulled out the green data box he had found on the Final Offer. "You mean this? Blackmail data?"

"How did you find that?! That's not yours!"

"I don't think it's yours either," Spider-Man said, standing up. "You're planning to blackmail cops! And… other people, I guess."

"Oh, you're smart. Considering I just told you that… and yes. But it's not for blackmail. Oh no. No, you see… tomorrow morning, I am going to unleash the information to the general public. Everyone will know everyone else's dirty little secrets… and some not-so-little ones. It will be perfect. The perfect way to clean up the cesspit that this city has become."

"That's… actually a pretty good idea," Spider-Man admitted fairly. "Except for the part when you use criminals to extort the information. And the theft of public property, i.e., the Towers. And the collateral damage that will definitely occur afterwards."

"Oh, a moralist, huh? Let me tell you something, freak. No one in this city's clean. No one. And they are all going to fall. And there's nothing you can do about it."

"See," Spider-Man said, his jaw set. "You've gone and made me mad. Now that you've succeeded…" He shot a web at an electrical control box he had noticed out of the corner of his eye. "… you won't like me when I'm mad."

He yanked hard, destroying the box. The sound of electricity powering down was heard, and he placed a hand on the large metal door. Nothing happened.

"Awesome," he said, ripping the door open with one hand. Inside was a code-box. Spidey tapped on some keyboards, watching the screens light up in green coding. He had to figure out the password to unlock the screens, and begin hacking the comms for himself.

"Wow, really?" he asked aloud, typing quickly. "'Conundrum?' That's the best you can come up with?"

In a few seconds, he had reset the towers. On one of the screens a video came up, obviously live feed of the man he had just talked to.

"Oh, aren't we clever?" he said sardonically. He was dressed in a collared shirt and vest, but beyond that, Spidey couldn't make out his face. "And you didn't even use stupid little toys. Except for that spit-shooter."

"Web-shooter. Hey, wait," Spidey said. "Have you met Batman? Has he shut down other towers?"

"One tower! And no more! I guarantee it…" The video clicked off. Spider-Man gazed at the blank screen for a moment, before setting to work hacking the comms for himself, rerouting them to an earpiece he carried.

So, like I said, Fanfiction... fix it! I mean, I could find ways around it... but it's just so much easier the way it was before! Ugh...

Anyway, check out my profile if you wanna see some author's challenges I've put up. They're kinda cool(I think).