Chapter 5 – Teaming Up For A Double Cross
The night was young in Gotham City as Gordon was talking to Bullock, in his office at police headquarters.
"Since I've put you in charge, your boys haven't found anything," Gordon fumed.
"So this whacko wants to stay hidden. We're working on it. I've got Detective Wilkins and Detective Smart out there right now. We've checked all their usual hideouts, every vile bar, and you've got some dark hero out there doing some damn good police work too," Bullock shot back.
"Batman's not a policeman."
"Oh yeah, well then why has he been out there for years doing our jobs, doing better than most seasoned cops?"
"It was a long time ago. We made a commitment to justice and to this city. He promised me he'd only bend the rules, not break them."
"Let's cut the bullshit, he's broken every rule in the book," Bullock giggled.
"I know you two have had your differences, but do you trust him?" Gordon wondered.
"Not really, but I respect him. But let's cut the bullshit So he's probably out there right now, hunting. As he does every night, with his team of masked avengers. How long has it been Jim? How long has it been since you made the decision to allow vigilante justice to destroy this city?"
"A long time ago, but yes I know what you're saying. Sometimes I have my doubts about him too, but - ." Gordon was cut off by the dispatch radio.
"All available men, this is Wilkins. I'm with Detective Smart. We tracked someone we thought was possibly Victor Zsasz to an abandoned warehouse on Fifth and Water Streets. It's the West End. It looks like we're gonna need some backup. All available men," a voice boomed.
"Holy crow," Bullock uttered.
"Get down there, I'll be along in a minute. And if it is Zsasz, be careful."
"I can handle it," Bullock muttered, picking his teeth with a toothpick and heading towards the door.
Gunshots rang out through the warehouse, making anyone who was close enough to hear them cringe. Three no name cops were stationed behind some rather large, aluminum shipping crates. They served as part of the backup that the two detectives had radioed for. Those detectives however were outside, guarding the entrance to the warehouse.
The cops inside were playing a dangerous game of duck and cover behind the crates, however they were too busy panicking to know or care what these crates contained, but were almost certain that it was something illegal. The warehouse was almost too dark to see anything, but they knew that Victor Zsasz was here with them, because they could see two glowing yellow eyes from across the room, as well as the faint smile he was wearing as he fired two automatic pistols. He was also positioned behind some crates, but what was he doing here? It was probably too early to tell.
"Why don't you coppers come out and play? We'll have some fun and I'll take some lives," the madman uttered before firing another round.
"Give it up Zsasz. You're going back to Arkham," one of the cops said.
"We could do this all night gentlemen, I've got more ammo than you."
Suddenly a giant black figure crashed through an almost nonexistent skylight in the ceiling. As glass sprayed across the room, the cops realized that Batman had arrived.
"It's the Batman," another cop screamed, trying to reload his gun.
"I guess I'll have to be careful," Zsasz proposed, suddenly appearing behind the cops, grabbing one by the neck from behind.
Zsasz had used the Dark Knight's entrance as a diversion and had quickly moved across the room to get the drop on the police. He now had one hostage, and was making his way across the room, with a gun to the poor cop's head.
"No Zsasz," the Dark Knight howled, hurling a batarang in his direction.
Zsasz quickly averted the attack and dragged the cop through a door on the far wall. Batman glanced upward, thinking he could grapple his way to the second floor's balcony overhead, but quickly decided against it, knowing that the door Zsasz went through led to the roof. Batman pursued with great speed, entering the door, then rapidly ascending the staircase. As he reached the roof, he was horrified to learn that it was too late. He saw the cop's body laying before him lifeless, with blood oozing out of his head from a gunshot wound. Zsasz stood at the edge of the roof with a carving knife, carefully scarring himself on his left hip. Turning, he noticed Batman staring back at him.
"Not this time Batman," he shouted, before taking a step off the roof.
Batman raced after him, but as he got to the roof's edge, Zsasz was down on the street, entering a long black car. The mystery of his escape from Arkham, ate at the Dark Knight like a festering sore. As the car pulled away, he contemplated pursuit, then removed a two way radio from his belt.
"Batman to Nightwing, what's your present location?"
"We're in the Redbird, coming up on Water Street. A long black car just sped off from the warehouse in a hurry. Should we follow?"
"Yes, Zsaz is in that car. Follow it. Put a tracer on the vehicle. I'll meet you at that location, but wait for me. Don't make a move until I get there."
"Right, Nightwing out."
Suddenly, a familiar voice caught Batman off guard. Turning, he noticed Bullock approaching rapidly.
"Did we get him?" Bullock huffed.
"No," Batman stated gruffly, disappointed that it wasn't Gordon in Bullock's place.
"One of my guys is dead and you didn't even apprehend that loony? What the hell."
"I don't like it any better than you do Bullock, but we'll find him. Robin and Nightwing are tracing the car that Zsasz got away in."
"Well isn't that comforting. Look, this is police business. Where are they gonna be?"
"I don't know yet. Tell Gordon, I think Zsasz may lead us to this Mr. Menace."
"How the hell do you know that?"
"I don't. Call it a hunch."
"I got cops getting into gunfights, like it's the O.K. Coral and you want to operate on a hunch? What am I gonna tell the Commissioner?"
"Tell him I'm sorry," Batman uttered, pulling his grapple gun from his belt.
"Like that's gonna change anything," Bullock mumbled, lighting a cigar, then turning to address some approaching officers. As he looked back, to give the Dark Knight another clever comeback, it was too late. Batman was gone.
Everything was quiet as Nightwing and Robin stood silently, somewhere in an alley. They were like the ghosts of a bad nightmare, stalking, waiting for the right moment to strike at Zsasz, who they traced back, for some unknown reason, to the Axis Chemical Plant. This didn't make sense. The Axis Plant was abandoned. The kind of place no decent person would ever frequent, although the Lucci gang had made it a temporary hideout.
One thing was for sure though, Nightwing and Robin were growing tired of waiting around. Being in the shadow of the bat had caused problems before, for both Nightwing and Robin. It made them angry. Luckily they trusted the Dark Knight, and were sure that he had reasons for making them wait. They knew that tracking Zsasz to a mob hideaway was big. Something was going to go down, but would it bring them closer to the mystery of this abduction? It seemed too early to tell.
Suddenly from out of the night, a winged form fell through the sky. It quickly swooped down to the alley and landed in front of the two Robin's. Their leader had arrived.
"What took you so long?" Robin wondered.
"Why did Zsasz come here?" Batman wondered, ignoring Robin's question.
"No idea. He's obviously involved with the Lucci gang," Nightwing offered.
"It would seem so. He's been a mob enforcer before. But compared to mobs of the past, Lucci is a small time hood," the Dark Knight agreed.
"Let's get in there and take 'em down," Robin suggested.
"Alright, but be ready for anything," Batman warned.
Inside the plant, the Lucci gang and Zsasz were in a boardroom talking.
"You're little tirade definitely threw them off. Now, with the cops after you, we will be able to operate freely, without any distractions," Lucci stated, puffing on a fine, imported cigar.
"So if I'm helping you, where is my cut?" Zsasz asked.
"Spoken like a true businessman. Alright Vic, I'll tell you what I'm gonna do. Keep the authorities off our backs for a few more months, and whatever money we parlay into my empire within the next six months, you get ten percent."
"I want fifteen," Zsasz countered.
"My dear fellow. You ought to not bite off more than you can chew," Lucci threatened.
"You're so right Joel," Zsasz agreed. "In the end, money won't matter anyway."
"Well, I'm glad you feel that way, now -," Lucci said, before being cut off by a loud boom. "What was that?".
"It came from out there," one of the goons declared, pointing toward the door.
Immediately, the three goons left the boardroom to see what was the matter. A few moments went by then suddenly, a gunshot and finally, aloud crash. The thugs were being roughed up by some intruder. Lucci and Zsasz zipped out of the boardroom to see Batman, Robin and Nightwing standing in a row.
"Ahh, how did you find us Bats?" Lucci wondered.
"We tailed Zsasz here," Robin announced.
"So Zsasz, up to your old mob-related tricks I see," Nightwing stated gruffly.
"Ah, it's been a long time night bird. The three of you will make wonderful additions to my collection."
"You're sick Zsasz," Batman pronounced. "You're going back to Arkham. This is the end."
"Ah yes, but wait Batman. We share a common goal. The capture of this, Mr. Menace," Lucci spoke up. "Why, you're supposed to be the world's greatest detective. And even you can't find him. Why don't we pull our resources. This man has got the Joker and the Riddler. He's bound to be too powerful, even for the mighty Dark Knight. Why don't we join forces and redouble our efforts," Lucci proposed.
"You're joking," Robin shot back. "We'll never work with you."
"We've come for Zsasz," Nightwing uttered.
"You're on Lucci," Batman agreed, allowing a slight smile to come over him.
"What?" Robin and Nightwing exclaimed simultaneously. "Batman, you can't be serious?" Robin finished.
"I am Robin," Batman assured his partner. "Just don't try anything funny Lucci. We'll be in touch," he finished, turning to leave.
"Batman, you can't be serious," Nightwing continued the protest. "Of all the ridiculous things you've ever done, this tops them."
"Robin, Nightwing, let's go." Batman demanded, jumping off the platform, onto the first floor of the plant.
Reluctantly Nightwing and Robin followed, each pulling out their grapple's and aiming for the skylight.
"We'll return tomorrow night to discuss our plans," Batman offered, before the three of them shot off into the night.
A few hours later, a long black car pulled up to an undisclosed location on the outskirts of Gotham. As the car parked, out came Zsasz, dressed in a finely pressed suit. He walked up a long, cemented driveway and came to a small cottage that resembled something from a fairy tale. As he knocked on a heavy, steel front door, a peephole slid open.
"Ah Zsasz. I've been expecting you," a voice hissed, as huge red eyes peeked out. "Do you have news?"
"You're lucky that you're paying me more than the mob. If they knew was here, I'd have to kill them. It's been so hard not to. But right now, I work for you, so yes, they are playing into our hands. We've even got the Batman looking for you? Are they in there?"
"Oh you mean Edward and the clown. They are locked up in the basement, but I keep them fed well. I'm almost ready to begin my experiment. Just a little more research."
"You gonna let me in, or what?"
"No," the voice hissed angrily. "I am not ready for you yet."
"I think you've become the most wanted man in Gotham City," Zsasz informed.
"Yes, and soon I will be the most famous man in Gotham City. What I have planned, will revolutionize modern medical science."
"That's nice, now where's my dough?"
"Ah yes. Here is this weeks share," the voice hissed as a macabre, fleshy, wrinkled hand poked out of the hole to hand Zsasz some money.
"I'll be back next week. By the way pal, thanks for springin' me from that hell-hole of an asylum."
"And thank you for cooperating," the voice hissed, before the peephole slid shut.
Zsasz quickly pocketed the money and returned to the car.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: stay tuned for Chapter 6, featuring the introduction of Mr. Menace.