Chapter 9: Armored And Dangerous
Eventually, all the militia watchtowers were put out of commission and Slade was one step closer to being defeated. The three heroes met up once more at the monorail station to go over what to do next. "Well now that all the watchtowers are done for, what do we do now?", Nightwing asked. "How about we stop wasting time with these soldiers and go for the big prize?", Arrow said who was anxious to get his hands on his nemesis. "The militia's just as much of a threat as Slade is. Innocents might get hurt because of their outposts and whatever else they might throw our way.", Batman said. "You're right. I just hate how we're using this time to chase his boy band down rather than just go after him and the crime boss lady who hired him.", Arrow said. "Patience, Ollie. We'll deal with them soon enough.", Batman said. He then began to get a call on his gauntlet which he answered right away. "What is it, Alfred?", Batman asked his butler. "Sir, scans indicate that Deathstroke has mobilized his senior lieutenants in armored personnel carriers throughout the city. We currently have a lock on one such vehicle should you wish to intervene and remove them from the battle.", Alfred explained. "Thanks, Alfred. We'll get right on that.", Batman said. "Looks like we'll have to take this to the streets now.", Batman said. He called upon the Batmobile which roared up until it was right under where they were. "Ollie, follow the Batmobile. The car has a lead on where this lieutenant is.", Batman told his green friend.", Will do.", Arrow said. "Dick, get in the car.", Batman instructed his former ward. "It's been a long time since I took a joy ride in the Batmobile with you other than last Halloween. I do miss the old car though before you sent it to the bottom of Arkham Harbor.", Nightwing said. Both Batman and Nightwing dove down into the car where they began to drive off while Arrow wasn't too far behind them. Meanwhile, one of the militia's lieutenants was getting escorted in one of the armored vehicles Alfred mentioned along with a couple other soldiers in it with him. Inside the vehicle, the soldiers were talking. "They jus don't get it, do they? The mercenary life?", one soldier said. "Exactly! I put food on the table. Blood diamonds in her jewelry box. I laundered all my money through her company-she didn't even have to ask! And she dumps me!", the lieutenant said. "I hear ya. My other half's a human rights lawyer. He thinks I'm on a business trip.", the third guy said. "Bet you'll have something to explain if you come home with bones broken by the Bat.", the lieutenant said. "I don't even want to think about that.", he said. Then the Batmobile came roaring up out of nowhere and hit the APC vehicle. "Oh, shit! It's Batman! Step on it!", the lieutenant told the driver. "I need back up here now!", he radioed to his fellow soldiers. "You sure those non-lethal rounds will stay non-lethal with firing on the car?", Nightwing asked. "I'm sure of it. I've crashed how many cars with being cautious and they all end up okay.", Batman answered. Batman began to fire his rounds at the APC when he was able to lock on. It was only a matter of time before three other militia cars came onto the scene and defended the lieutenant's vehicle. They fired their own attacks onto the Bat's tank, but didn't do much damage. Nevertheless, they were preventing him from going after the APC and had to be disposed of. "Ollie, I might need some help with these other cars.", Batman communicated with Arrow. "Copy that. I'm on the scene.", Arrow said as he was watching the whole chase from above and kept up as they were driving. He pulled an arrow from his quiver and began to fire at one of the cars. With one good shot, Green Arrow was able to knock the car out of the chase. He did the same thing for the other two cars that were keeping the Batmobile from reaching the APC. "Got them all. He's all yours, Bruce.", Arrow told Batman. With one more good lock on, Batman fired more rounds at the APC which rendered it useless and it crashed to the side of the road. "That's the end of that.", Batman said. "Are they alright in there?", Arrow asked. Batman quickly turned on his Detective Mode just to make sure they were alright. He could see that all three guys in there were still breathing, just unconscious. "Yeah, they're fine. I know what I'm doing, Oliver. You know I would never kill.", Batman said. "I know, it's just that crash looked pretty nasty.", Arrow said. Deathstroke patched in to their communications to talk to them again. "I see you're now going after my APC lieutenants. I must say, you're doing quite a number on my men, Batman. Just like you did on me all those years ago on Penguin's ship.", he said. "You never should have come back to Gotham, Deathstroke; no matter what Sofia is willing to pay you.", Batman said. "For the chance to fight you again, I would be willing to go anywhere. I can see you little protégé is sitting in the back. How pathetic that you go from leader of the Titans to once again being little Batboy.", Deathstroke taunted Nightwing. "You better watch who you're calling pathetic! I'm not the one whose sending all these soldiers and drones our way instead of facing us one on one.", Nightwing fired back. "If you had been paying attention to what I was telling your boss before, I said I'm sending all these deployments your way to see if you all are worthy of making your way up to the real challenge, which is me.", Slade said. He then got off the communications and continued to send his lieutenants out into the city. "You shouldn't let him get to you, kid. I know he's an asshole, but if you let him get to you, that gives him satisfaction. And we can't give him that.", Arrow communicated with Dick. "Maybe. Anyway, I assume there's more of those vehicles out there just like there were multiple checkpoints and watchtowers, right?", he asked. "Most likely. Let me check.", Batman said as he got in touch with Alfred. "Alfred, any signs of more lieutenants.", he asked. "Let me see. Yes, it appears there are more that were just sent out. Sending you the locations now.", Alfred said. "Thanks. Yep, looks like we have more cars to crash.", Batman said as he drove towards the locations he was just sent with Green Arrow keeping up with him.