Chapter 62: Rude Awakenings
Authors Note: Okay everyone here we go another chapter. Also Tonycakes updated her Batman story and Illusive mans Red Army story is looking pretty great as well. So give them both your well respected criticism. Okay here we go! Also I like to thank Light Seeker 001 for helping me write this chapter so give thanks.
Disclaimer: I do not own Batman.
"For the last time, Red left the Shadow Warriors over a week ago." Shadow said to a wall sized monitor of Lex Luthor. "What he does is his own business."
"So you don't know that he stole some important contents out of the vault of my bank?" Luthor snapped back in a calm demeanor.
"You mean the vaults so impenetrable that they could survive a nuclear bomb?" Shadow snickered as he watched Luthors face scowl. "And yet you lost some important contents from your vault. I gotta say that seems like false advertising."
"I didn't lose them they were stolen!" Lex snapped as he started to become enraged.
"So your bomb shelter of a bank was breached by a lone Russian with no tech skills, no software breaches and his only tools being a hammer a sickle and two pimped out desert eagles created by yours truly. Which he also didn't use." Shadow gloated.
"Dammit, if I find out you had anything to do with this I will end you!" Lex shouted.
"Seems you already have your hands full with Red," Shadow then glared at the screen. "You really want me gunning after you." Lex still glared at Shadow but remained silent. "Anyways I didn't steal your precious goop or whatever it was Red stole."
"Fine, and as for your question I didn't place a bounty on you or your team." Lex explained. "As for Ras Al Ghul or Vandal Savage I don't think they would either, not that I actually know."
"Damn, well I've got to get back to my team and you've got to get back to Red so I won't take up anymore of your time." Shadow said. Lex gave him a confused glare.
"What, you're not concerned for your friend's safety." Lex asked, this made Shadow chuckle.
"Sir, you're going after my top assassin and a one man army." Shadow grinned under his mask. "All honesty I am more concerned for your safety." Lex narrowed his eyes again as Shadow placed his finger over a button on his computer. "Ciao."
He pressed the button and the screen went back to being the glass window overlooking Gotham. Shadow took his mask and glasses off and sat down at his desk massaging his temples.
"This is so fucking bad." He said to himself. He knew that look in Batman's eyes it was the same look Jayden saw in his eyes every day. Back then he always wanted to have Bruce see the world the way he sees it, but now that he does he wasn't so sure he wanted Bruce to be like this. He needed to find Chill before Batman, but for all he knew Batman could have found him and wrangled his neck right now.
Jayden let out a heavy sigh and selected his criminal database on his computer and then clicked on Joe Chills file. He was just a punk who murdered Thomas and Martha Wayne, a few years later he tried to start up his own gang and failed miserably. Now he just sells guns from the trunk of his car to wannabe Jokers and Falcone's.
Hell they weren't even good, just guns he salvaged from gangbangers after a turf war or stole off of a drug dealers table, his real best sellers were cops guns especially SWAT team guns. They were clean and loaded he could sell those for a thousand bucks apiece.
He's just a back alley crook who sells cheap stolen guns out of his crappy stolen car. There is no way in hell he could have a billion dollars placed on his team's heads. He ran his hands down his face wondering where he could be when he saw Deadshot's phone on the corner of his desk. He remembered swiping it off his body after Batman knocked him out. He quickly grabbed it and checked through his messages, missed calls and texts he might have gotten.
He then saw it, a message that explained where to meet once the bounty had been claimed.
'To claim your reward for your crime, come to the location where crime is famous and where it all starts.'
It was clear as day, where it all starts, where crime is famous and how it all links to Batman and Joe Chill.
"Crime Alley."
Shadow quietly left the penthouse that night he didn't want his team involved in this. This wasn't just a spat between Batman and Shadow this was a mission to stop Batman from making a huge mistake. This was now Shadow's turn to stop Batman from killing and taking his revenge as Batman had done for him in the past.
This was personal.
(!)
Sarina and Tim quickly ran down to the Batcave when they heard the engines of the Batmobile roaring down the tunnel. They quickly stopped when they saw the message for the location of the bounty. Sarina's eyes widened and Tim's eyes narrowed at the screen.
"Tim, you don't think he'll…" Sarina couldn't even think what would happen if Batman broke his one rule.
"No, he can't, he just can't!" Tim shouted. The two remained silent as they heard footsteps come up behind them. They both looked behind themselves to see Alfred with a cell phone.
"Thank you Master Warney." Alfred said in his calm demeanor. "Jayden called and informed us that Master Wayne is indeed heading to crime alley to kill Joe Chill. He is on his way to stop him." This made the two confused.
"Why would he risk his life to stop Bruce," Tim snapped. "I thought he wanted Bruce to be like him?"
"Master Drake, even Jayden can grow up and he does have some feelings for his former mentor." Alfred said in a solemn tone. "You two should get going."
Batgirl and Robin quickly got on their bikes and sped off into the night. Hopefully they wouldn't be too late.
(!)
"Give us the money!" A thug shouted as he slammed a dirty old man into a wall. Three other thugs cornered him. The man held his hands up in defense as he backed up against the wall.
"I'm telling you I don't have that kind of money, can't you see I'm a fall guy?" The man said in a shaky voice. He was slammed against the wall again.
"Bullshit, the message said that if we killed the warriors we would get the billion." The thug snapped.
"But you didn't kill them." The man argued.
"I don't give a-agh!"
Thug was interrupted by a kick to his head as his face met the concrete of the ground. The other criminals jumped Batman but were quickly beaten down by Batman. Batman then glared at the man who was whimpering in the corner.
"Joe Chill." Batman said in a low voice.
"Oh shit not you!" Chill shouted.
"Yes, me." Batman growled as he reached down and wrapped his hand around Chill's throat. "First my parents and now Jayden, you just won't rest until you kill everyone I know and love."
Chill looked at him confused as Batman glared at him. He then reached to the bottom of his cowl and ripped his mask off. Chill looked into his face and recognized his face belonging to the young Bruce Wayne, though not so young anymore.
"Y-You, you're him, you're Batman?" Chill asked in a shaky voice.
"You created something in me that night and now I'm here to avenge my mother, my father and my,"
He was knocked back by a force as both he and Chill fell to the ground. Chill let out a strangled cough as Batman glared up at the figure that knocked him down.
"What are you doing Shadow?" Bruce snarled as he slowly got up.
"That's enough Bruce." Shadow ordered. "Killing him won't bring your parents back and it sure as hell won't call off the bounty."
Shadow held his hand out with the intentions of helping him up, but Bruce had other intentions. He yanked Shadow down and delivered a fist to his face sending him to the ground. Shadow let out a groan before being hauled up by his shoulders and slammed against the wall.
"Yu stupid kid," Bruce snarled. "He murdered the two most important people of my life and left me alone in this world just like you and now that I have my chance for vengeance you're stopping me?"
Shadow was getting nervous he had never seen Bruce act like this all his life. Now he didn't know how he should respond. Neither did the Shadow Warriors or Bat-Crew that were watching from afar. Shadow did his best to remain calm and flip out.
"So did a lot of other monsters out there." Shadow reasoned. "But you don't see us wallowing in grief."
"Because you killed them all!" Bruce shouted inching his face closer to Shadow's. "And to say that I shouldn't take his life over the lives you taken over the years makes you a fucking hypocrite. How many people did you kill since becoming Shadow, hell how many people did you and your friends kill tonight?" Shadow's face flared up as Bruce still pressed on. "I also remember you and your friends killing people from past and yet you stop me from claiming my revenge?"
"We don't want you to become like us Bruce!" Shadow shouted kicking Bruce away from him. "Do you think we want you to kill people? That's my job and my teams job, we do the killing while you spare their lives in the end we both save the day. Otherwise you would be in charge of the Shadow Warriors not me. Don't you remember that night with Jason and Joker, you said if you went down that road there would be no coming back." He said in a softer tone.
Joe Chill in the middle of all this hesitantly pulled a snub nose from his ankle and aimed it at the back of Bruce's head. Shadow caught the shine from the barrel and quickly pushed Bruce out of the way and took a bullet in the chest.
Bruce looked over at Chill with murder in his eyes as his crew and the Shadow Warriors quickly jumped out. Chill quickly staggered to his feet only to have a blade run through his chest. Everyone jumped back to see a small ten year old boy with black hair and bright green eyes. He was wearing a gray robe and smiled viciously as Chill fell to the ground.
"And that Shadow Warriors is how you kill someone." He grinned removing his sword from his chest and letting him fall to the ground. Shadow was rubbing his now sore chest as Breeze and Whisper helped him up.
"Who the hell are you?" Shadow growled in pain as gripped his chest. The boy smiled as he cleaned his sword.
"Come now, is that anyway to greet Bruce's son, Damian?" The boy grinned.
Everyone went silent and wide eyed as they stared at the young boy. Bruce was the only one who remained silent as he looked down to a wheezing Joe Chill. Shadow was looking between Damian and Bruce. There was a similar resemblance to Bruce from when he was a boy aside from the green eyes.
"But, you're ten, when did Bruce?" He was cut off to see Bruce kneeling next to Chill. Chill looked up at him with blood dripping from his lips.
"Well kid, looks like you got what you wanted." Chill grunted. "Your hands get to remain clean and I'm gonna die." He then let out a cough of blood. "I knew I should have killed you mostly because you were a witness, but I didn't because you were a kid. I'm an asshole sure, but not a monster." He then turned his head and looked at Damian. "But you're not a kid anymore."
"No, I'm not and I'm not a hero either." Bruce said in a low tone. Shadow let out a snort.
"Sure, you're not a hero." Shadow snorted. "Criminals have their failures as well. A petty criminal killed two parents and left a boy alive and many years later he becomes one of the most feared beings in this city."
"And after all that, even knowing killing you wouldn't bring back my parents and even though I would break my one rule…I still would have spared you." Bruce muttered.
"Good for you kid." Chill chuckled. "I know your friends wouldn't have."
"Damn straight." Batgirl muttered prompting Robin to elbow her stomach.
"Still, you're a rare thing…I…." Joe then slumped to the ground staring into the sky lifeless.
And that was that.
The crew quickly left the body at the alley for the cops while everyone else gathered on a nearby rooftop. No one said anything when an obnoxious voice broke the silence.
"Probably a bit too early to forgive him don't you think?" Damian chuckled. Shadow glared at him as he leaned against the wall.
"Who are you and why did you do that?" Shadow snapped. Damian just shrugged his shoulders.
"I told you, my name is Damian Wayne. I am Batman's son." He explained. "My mother said that when I'm old enough I could join my father in many great things. I figure I'm ready."
"You don't seem ready." Shadow scoffed, Damian glared at him.
"None of you would kill Chill, so I had no choice." He argued. Shadow snarled when he said that and advanced on him.
"We were coming to terms of conclusion on what to do with him when you fucked it up!" Shadow shouted.
"Sure you were." He replied sarcastically. This mad Gauntlet mad as he shot up from the ground.
"Your mother should have teach you some manners you little brat!" Gauntlet snapped. That's when he paused in mid rage. "Who the hell is your mother anyways?"
"Me." A voice whispered. Everyone looked over to see Talia Al Ghul walk in from the shadows. Damian looked disgruntled while she glared at him. "And I told you to stay in your room."
Everyone was still silent as they came upon this sudden realization. Talia Al Ghul and Bruce Wayne had a child. Damian Wayne. Shadow and Bruce both remained neutral as Shadow looked over at Talia.
"Why are you here come to insult me for not killing Chill?" Shadow sneered while Talia shook her head.
"Chill was Bruce's own personal vendetta." Talia stated. "You should not have interfered, though I would have liked to see what Batman's choice would be." Shadow's eyes narrowed at her as her face broke out in a grin. "Though I can see that deep down you didn't want him to be like you."
"Yeah…" Shadow muttered as he looked down at the ground. But then he looked back at her with anger. "But why would you send the kid to kill Chill?"
"I didn't," She said while glaring at a sheepish Damian. "I guess he wanted to prove himself to his grandfather before he was ready to join his father." This time Bruce looked shocked.
"What?" Bruce gasped as Damian walked up to him.
"Yes Bruce, you see my grandfather wanted me to join you." He explained as everyone listened. "He said by joining you it would be a way of ridding this world of evil and making him proud. Some crap like that, I don't know what his true intentions are but hey, what the old man says goes."
The Bat team and Shadow Warriors glared at him while Shadow and Batman just stood there. Ronin let out a scoff as he glared down at the boy.
"Clean up crime?" Ronin scoffed. "Ra's Al Ghul will kill whoever he sees fit whether it be good or evil. If it's a threat he wants it dead." He then looked over at Bruce. "Do you really want a kid who was raised by the League of Assassins?"
Talia was about to throw a knife at him when Hitgirl aimed her .45 at her. The two glared at each other as Damian laughed at Ronin.
"You are such a hypocrite." He chuckled. Ronin glared at him and reached for his scalers before Bruce grabbed him by his shoulders and glared into his eyes wiping the obnoxious smirk of his face.
"First things first." He said sternly. "You may not see me as your father, but I am your superior and you will do what I say. And I will not tolerate any more killing, got it?" Damian just smiled.
"Don't expect me to keep my promise…sir." He snickered.
"Bruce, are you serious?" Robin snapped.
"You're really going to let him join our team?" Batgirl argued as well. "He's treating our work like it's a game!"
"So do they." Damian said looking at the Warriors.
"What?" Reaper snapped gripping his scythe to the point where his knuckles where white.
"Mom and grandfather tell me everything about your 'missions', how you always want to beat Batman to the criminal so you can kill them before he gets to them!" Damian chuckled.
"That's because Batman lets them live to commit crime another day!" Reaper shouted getting angrier by the minute. Damian cocked an eyebrow at that and held up his fingers.
"You let Slade live, and Nigma, Croc, Dent, Bane, Leonae hell even Harley Quinn and Joker still live." He said as he counted each one. "If any of you had the guts all of you could have just killed them here and now." He then smiled at Batgirl. "Then again, madness does keep you from killing your mommy and daddy, doesn't it, Sarina?"
That did it. Batgirl and Shadow were ready to kill the boy until Robin and Hitgirl grabbed Hitgirl and Reaper and Gauntlet held down Shadow. The two struggled against their friends, but it did them no good.
Damian laughed out loud at their endeavor, but stopped when he felt something grip his shoulder in a vice grip. He cringed in pain as he looked over his shoulder to see Batman glaring down at him. He went quiet in a matter of seconds.
Shadow and Batgirl calmed down as they slowly collected themselves and got to their feet. Everyone glared at the boy.
"Just keep that dog on a leash." Whisper grunted. Damian spat in her direction and received a slap from his mother.
"You show your respect towards your father." She said in a low tone. "Screw up or disobey him in anyway and you will be expelled from the order understood?" Damian looked down in defeat.
"Yes mother." He muttered.
"Then it's decided." She said as she was about to leave before whispering something in Bruce's ear.
"Please, protect this one he still has much to learn."
Bruce only nodded knowing what she was talking about. She smiled and disappeared into the night. Soon everyone started to part ways as Damian and Bruce look at each other awkwardly.
"So, when do I begin my training…father?" He muttered. He then brightened up a little when he felt Bruce's hand on his shoulder.
"Soon." It was all he said as he led his son to his new home. Before they left Damian looked over at Shadow and grinned.
"You and I have some catching up to do, Jayden" Damian said as he and Bruce finally left leaving Shadow confused. Batgirl and Robin still remained behind fuming over their newest member.
"I don't care what Bruce say's or what he does I will not view him as a sibling." Batgirl snarled while fighting back tears.
"I know what you mean." He said leading her away. "Alfred is going to have a field day with this one." With that the two finally left as did the warriors. Shadow rode away on his bike with only one thing on his mind.
"What did he mean by catching up?"