Chapter 6: Tampered Nature - Gotham City Streets/Sewers

November 20th, 3:30 a.m

Batman equipped his keypad device back onto his utility belt. "Hopefully I can get there when he does. But I have to move fast."

**Beep** Batman punched on his wrist communicator, summoning the Batmobile. Batman then drew his Batclaw and fired it up at the bridge. Clinging to an iron pillar, Batman began his ascension. Batman met the Batmobile upon the bridge. Climbing inside, Batman throttled to full capacity. Speeding to his objective, Batman ejected himself out. **Flooop** Batman threw his cape out and glided to the street. Landing softly, Batman withdrew his keypad once again.

"Looks like this is it, I've made good time," Batman uttered while the red dot moved towards his location. Batman quietly bent over and lifted the sewer lid with caution. Setting it to the side, Batman jumped in. Splashing into shallow water, Batman began his pursuit. Batman ran a few tunnels over until he approached a dead end, a free fall, approximately 150 yards 'til solid ground. Gazing closer at the ground below, Batman spotted his adversaries.

-

"Okay, it seems we are all here. Now, let's begin. Here's the plan: even though you have no human consciousness, you are all still puppets to do my bidding. Thanks to one of my brilliant serums, I might add. However, your job is to drive the trucks to their marked locations on your maps. And when you do so, I need you to return here for more instructions. Now hurry up and get going. The city won't take itself." Scarecrow ordered to his elite.

"No-one is going anywhere!" Batman demanded while dropping in-between Ivy, Scarecrow, and their Elite Four Officers.

"Aww, Batman… It really is too bad; I know you just got here, but we're very busy people. Unfortunately, Daddy Crow and I have some things that need our immediate attention," Poison Ivy told Batman in a disrespectful tone.

"Allow me to specify, Batman. We have to dispatch our Elite Four here; they have a shipment of our beloved children. The kids can get a little restless when left waiting," Scarecrow mocked.

"Well, boys," Poison Ivy uttered, approaching the elite officer that led Batman to their location, resting her arm on his shoulder. "Are you ready to set my babies free?" she rhetorically asked.

Given queue, the elite began their separate sprints towards their exits which surrounded the maintenance floor.

"Despite your efforts, Batman… you are going to have to choose. Either we fight here, or you take our elite down. Either way, Batman, you can't have both." Scarecrow said, turning around with Ivy as he put his arm around her shoulders, nonchalantly walking away and laughing together.

Batman drew his Batclaw, aiming up at his previous entry. **Poooosh - Clink – Zeeet-zeeeet-zeeeet-zeeeet-zeeeeet** Batman swiftly ascended. Batman climbed out of his entry onto the street. Batman drew his keypad from his utility belt. **bling-bling-bling** Batman observed the keypad, pinpointing the elite's location.

"If I hurry, I can catch them before they leave; they're just a block away." Batman tipped to himself, sprinting down the block to catch them exiting from the street's manhole. "Where do you think you're going?" Batman mocked, approaching the four officers, while two engaged him in return for combat. The other two officers hopped into their respective trucks making their escape to accomplish their objective.

-"...," both confronting elite officers glared at Batman with blank expressions, assuming their combat stances.

They both blitzed Batman at the same time, throwing a series of hooks and jabs at his face. Batman dodged the punch attacks as he stepped backwards, throwing both of his arms up to help defend himself against the two officers. Batman kicked Officer #1 into his stomach, sending him flying to the ground. Batman swiftly sidestepped and issued an elbow-blow to Officer #2's face, knocking him out cold. Batman leaped from his spot high into the air, interlocking all of his fingers together to form one big fist - he dropped down with the finishing blow, smashing the side of Officer #1's head, knocking him out cold as well. Batman quickly maneuvered a front flip, landing softly on his feet. Batman ran over to the two remaining trucks.

"Before I get myself into any deep water with Ivy and Crow's doomsday plans, I need to figure out who or what is in these trucks..."

Batman activated his X-Ray vision on his helmet via wrist communicator. Looking inside the trucks, Batman saw large plants intertwining, tangling amongst each other. Large, one-foot green plant stems, covered in thorns, hosted as the base for large, red rose petals, which held a lotus pod flower in the centre. Batman leaped back and tossed a handful of sticky bomb pellets that attached to the trucks - **Boooom!** The trucks exploded. Batman approached the smoking debris and roasted plant goo.

"I need to analyze these plants to see exactly what Crow and Ivy are up to. Alfred, come in," Batman pleaded.

"Why, yes, Master Bruce?" Alfred replied.

"I'm sending over a DNA sample of Scarecrow and Poison Ivy's new experiments. I need a full analysis on these plants. I need to know if there are any signs of foul play, these things show signs of tampered nature."

"As you wish, Master Bruce." Alfred served.