So, after a long wait, here is the second chapter of Batman Beyond: The Return of Count Ravenback!

Batman Beyond

The Return of Count Ravenback

Ch. 2- The Past Never Gives Up and Dies Away

A short while later, the Batmobile had pulled into the secret entrance to the Batcave, the headquarters that served the former Batman for a good many years. Several twists and turns later, the hover car landed in its usual parking spot across the way from where an elder man was standing, supported by a cane, with a large black dog by his side, watched as the two heroes jump out and come towards him.

"What happened out there?," Bruce Wayne, the former Dark Knight asked, concerned why they took longer than usual to stop the Jokerz and get back.

"Made a bit of an unusual discovery in a nearby alley," Batman replied, pulling off his cowl and revealing himself to being Terry McGuiness, a former juvenile delinquent who lost his father to a hired hitman that was employed by Wayne's business partner, Derek Powers.

"What kind of discovery?," the old man asked, leading the two the giant supercomputer and sitting down in the chair, and Ace, the big dog, laying down next to him.

"Ten people were killed due to an attack...by a vampire," Ghostgirl answered, peeling off her face mask and uncovering herself to as Nyreena Loten, a girl a few years before the former Batman's time was electrocuted by stray lightningbolt during a flash thunderstorm and was nearly killed if not for a supernatural phenomenon called the Comet of Spiritos soared into the atmosphere just as the bolt ceased, re-charging it and granting her immortality, the power of electricity and lightning, and the life of a ghost.

"Nina, you and I both know that any trace of a vampire was erased from the city years ago,"

Wayne told her firmly.

"Want to test that theory and prove that it's still true?," she defended, holding up the wab, a determining expression crossing her face.

Bruce looked at her for a minute with a mixed expression of confusion and wonder, then took the sample over to a DNA scanner which took in the information and began processing it while he began typing and pulling up several criminal records of some of the biggest known villians that terorized Gotham back in the day. File after file popped up with no luck on a match.

"Well, I guess it's safe to say that 'theory' you tow are talking about is true after-," Terry started to say, but was silenced as the computer sounded an alarm that meant that the scanner found something on the swab that matched a file.

"Never underestimate the raw power of true deduction," the old Dark Knight told the young hero as he opened the information.

"So is it, Bruce?," Nyreena asked, really not wanting to find out but had to.

A few seconds of silence passed as Wayne read the file, but it was all the time that he needed to find out and say, "We can throw that little theory out of the window, because you're not going to believe who it is. Come have a look and see who it is for yourself."

The immortal slowly came around to the side of the old man, and just by reading the name alone sent her backing away in fear. Confused, Terry walked over and read the file for himself.

"Name: Count Icabod Ravenback

Description: 6'1", black hair that resembles the mane of a lion, broad shoulders and chin, muscle-toned body, pale skin, red eyes, has some sort of fang-like extensions protruding from the mouth. Wears 18th century-styled clothing and carries a cane with the head of a raven for the handle.

Crimes committed: Thirty-seven counts of 1st-degree murder, eighteen counts of grand larceny, twenty counts of attempted murder, twelve counts of grand arson, and one count of attempted destruction against society."

"Let me guess: that last count was-," the young man asked, looking in Nyreena's direction at the same time, indicating her as the once intended target.

"And he nearly got away with it, too," Bruce agreed, turning the chair to look at the ghostly girl that was still shaking with absolute fear. "Certainly gave the Joker's criminal record a run for its money, I can tell you that. However, he was definitely someone that gave Gotham nightmares for a long time, especially her. You see, he's not your typical vampire, as to say with what you might already know about them. He prefers to drink blood that carries what he calls the 'immortal' gene, or blood that can't die. When he hunts, he can sense this gene in certain people then goes in for the kill. But what he really loves is going after superheroes who also have the gene, because in his twisted mind, the more immortal blood he drinks, the longer he can extend his own. And when he caught wind of Nyreena's true immortality, all I could think of was her meeting her end, or so I thought.

One night, back in the day, all four of us were out scouting the city, we accidently stumbled onto him on one of his hunts, and sensing Nina alone made him forget who he was feasting on and go for her. Luckily, before he attacked, we made our escape, but he managed to scratch her ever so slightly, giving him just enough blood to be able to track her her mind, enabling a hidden ability of his to be able to slip into her subconscious and create elaborate illusions that nearly drove her to the brink of insanity, pushing her and pushing her to face him and fall. Needing to act quickly, I sent out an emergency call to all the vampire hunters who were on the hunt for him, and many answered, quickly coming to Gotham faster than I thought possible. We then all together hunted him down and managed to defeat him with few lives lost. As soon as he was brought down, Nyreena's mental and emotional health instantly improved and was stronger ever since. But now that he's back with her as unfinished business, there's a chance that she won't survive this next round."

After hearing all what happened to the ghostly hero all those years ago, Terry walked over to the still-trembling young woman and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, which made her jump at first, thinking that was her enemy beside her, then relaxed when she realized that it was her friend and fellow hero. As she calmed down, Bruce said to her, "Nina, for your best interest and protection, it's best that you lay low and not go out as Ghostgirl at night. And I don't want any contradiction about it, either."

"And I completely agree with you," she replied, thinking the same as well. "The only way to stop him is to make Ghostgirl disappear once again."

Wayne nodded and said, "Alright, then. Now, Terry, go home and get some rest. And you to, Nyreena. You're not allowed to skip school to go fight the undead creatures of the night."

Both heroes looked at each other for a second, then Nyreena said, heading up to the mansion, "Alright, then. Good night, Terry. Good night, Bruce."

After she left, and just as Terry was about to leave, the old Knight held him back and said, "I've got something you need to do."

"What is it?," the new Knight asked.

"Keep an eye on her, no matter what. If something happens, either it be a mental attack or a face-to-face fight, get her out of the public eye and protect her no matter how much she protests. Got it?," Wayne answered.

"Yeah," Terry replied. "Anything else?"

"For now, best that this little task stays between us," Bruce added. "Now, go home, get some sleep, and stay on guard for anything."

The young man nodded in reply, then headed out, leaving the older man and his dog to ponder about what was to happen in the near future.

Alright, things are getting tenser with the reveal of the baddie! Wonder what's going to happen next? Stay tuned!...

Batman Beyond belongs to Warner Bros. Inc. All I own is Nyreena and Ravenback.