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Batman: Downfall	By : Driftwood Category: DC Verse Comics > Batman Views: 19223 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I did create nor own the rights to the Batman characters, places or franchise and I make no money on the fiction.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
Chapter Ten
Then,
When Batman returned to the small lab that Klaus Canon was currently calling home, Klaus had the uncomfortable feeling that the costumed figure was not done with him and he was right. Compared to his previous captors The Batman was a pleasure, Klaus’ need to act scared and deranged had started to take its toll mentally and physically. Before Batgirl had turned up Klaus had started to wonder if, perhaps he was slowly going crazy after all at the end of the day there were only so many times you could piss yourself before it became too natural a condition.
Batman stood in the door way, even through the cowl Klaus could see a brilliant mind working away and in the tight lips, a sense of apprehension of a secret that Batman was conflicted about sharing. Somewhere in that masked head a decision was made and Batman closed the door behind him and walked over Klaus. “At the chemical plant you were working on more than just Batch thirty five.”
Klaus nodded slowly, his brow furrowing, “sure, it was our job, it was not the best thing to do, cross contamination and all, but we were expected to maintain multiple projects. Why do you ask?” he knew the answer already, Klaus could hardly believe that the so called love potion had worked the way it had intended. A part of Klaus was thrilled a bigger part was now more scared of just what Batman would do to him when he discovered Klaus had created the toxin.
Batman breathed deeply, he caught the twitch of a smile on the man’s dry, chapped lips a glint of excitement in his eyes that was suddenly extinguished with worry. Batman wanted to swing for the man, break his nose or a finger or two, to scare him half to death and have him scream the answers to questions Batman had not yet asked. Batman balled his fists, took a longer breath then said, “Tell me about your work on amantes complectuntur?”
“The lovers embrace? It was the big find at first compared to Oscula Nocte, but when that showed more promise Amantes was side-lined then ear marked for termination. Both plants had the desired side of control that Carlos and Axis was after but Amantes was the poorer of the two in the end.”
“What does it do?”
“We had word that a tribe used it in some form of ritual. A ritual for making a woman fall in love with you is saying it in a romantic tone. What it does is affects the brain causing the insula and striatum to become swollen.” Klaus ran his hand through his greasy hair, “we needed more time to research but Oscula Nocte showed its true colours and, well you know the rest” he shrugged to finish the story.
Batman took a step forward and grabbed the front of Klaus’ shirt pulling him upright and leaning in. “What does it do?” He roared in the man’s face.
“We don’t know for certain,” Klaus replied in a high whimper, when that reply was met with a wall of silence he felt compelled to continue, “we needed more time but it somehow controls your lust engine so to speak. We dubbed it the love potion at first, the simulated tests and the tests on animals showed a massive increase in sexual behaviour all aimed towards the administrator of the drug, at the very least the first person the dosed victim comes into contact with.”
Batman loosened his grip catching Klaus by surprise he collapsed to the floor. “You made a batch for Ivy didn’t you?”
Klaus nodded, finding it safer to stay on the floor for the time being. “There is no cure, it does not wear off, it will continue to work until you have given in to it and gone with the person who dosed you up. Sex with others will only take the edge of it, but it will return full force.”
“You’re telling me I need to have sex with Harley Quinn?” Batman said it with a gruff laugh of disbelieve, it somehow made crazy, skewed sense. His reactions to Harley Quinn followed by sex with Ivy and more recently with Barbara. Had that all been the drug though, a little bit of him doubted he had lost all control.
“Sooner or later it has to happen; they know it and are counting on it.”
Batman was silent for a moment his back turned to Klaus and head lowered. Klaus found his feet and stood up, one foot behind him ready to flee if Batman turned and took his revenge on Klaus for making the drug. “Then it will have to happen,” Batman whispered and moved with pace out of the room.

Now,
Batman now stood before the laughing hyena that was Harley Quinn. His head ached, black flowers bloomed in his vision but the overwhelming feeling was of release. He had given himself to the will of the drug and to his lust he did not distance himself from what he had done but had given himself to it, to drive the demons from his body so to speak. And at last he was free and Ivy and Harley’s plan revealed itself to him.
“Look around Bats, this whole place is wired for sound and vision,” Harley Quinn did a little dance on tip toes before him, her naked body glistening in sweat, “you think you’re free? You are more trapped than you could ever realise. Our little show is viral Bats, the whole world will see it online and see you for what you are, a no good cheating man.” Harley stepped in close her smeared make up making her sad face look twisted and rotten, “here starts the downfall of The Batman,”
Batman could not help but smile, “you’re wrong Harley Quinn, here starts the new day of captivity for you.” He watched the faux sad face twist with worry, he stepped back even before Harley had chance to swing with one clumsy fist. “You failed Harley,” Batman taunted.
Harley shook her head, her skin a moment ago was cooling now it was burning with rage, her naked body shook. “We’ll see about that,” she danced away, a back flip landing her next to her clothes, her phone close by. She picked it up and swiped it open…only the screen was blank. She tried again, the touchscreen remained blank. Harley jabbed at the side power button with equally disturbing lack of positive result.
Harley looked up glaring at Batman, he tapped at his belt, a lopsided smile on his face, “What is that?” she asked.
“An electromagnetic pulse generator, it has the power to fry all electrical equipment up to a block on full power. Klaus spilled the beans on your little love potion, your insistence on leading me here time and time again had me wondering about the importance of this place. A quick check shows a lot of electricity flowing into an abandoned warehouse, I took precautions.” Everything had fallen into place, had he not worked it out, he would have truly been caught with his pants down.
“You knew and went through with it?”
“I had little choice, sometimes you have to become the bad guy to redeem yourself,” The cluttered and dirty area became flooded with flashing blue lights from the approaching police cars. Harley howled at the injustice, she turned on her heels and sped for the stairwell. Batman moved quicker even in his bulky suit, he reached for his belt and pulled one batarang free, with a deft flick of the wrist he sent the stunted shape across the room, it found it’s mark connecting with Harley’s head and sent her tumbling to the ground.
Before she could get back up, Batman was on her, one knee in her back as his hands grabbed hers. She wriggled like a bag of snakes beneath him, her head whipping back and forth teeth bared and snapping together. When the plastic quick cuffs locked about her wrists the fight dropped from her. Batman heaved her to her feet, the change in characteristics was shocking, she had gone from crazed woman to now pushing her naked backside up against Batman a coy smile on her face, “I always knew you liked the rough stuff Bats.”
Batman felt a moment of uncertainty when five police men stormed into the room guns drawn all pointing in his direction, the urge to flee became stronger when four men in riot gear followed. “Freeze,” “Hold it right there,” “Show those hands,” the words were shouted and mixed together a multitude of voices vying to be heard. Batman instinctively moved a little closer to Harley, putting her between him and the armed men.
It was only when Jim Gordon entered the room did Batman feel some sort of levelling of the playing field. “Lower those weapons damn it.” He ordered barging through the surprised officers. “She cuffed?” Gordon said as he slowly approached them.
Batman nodded his response, before entering the building he had called the police hotline and informed them of two of Carlos Constance’s associates, one being located here at the docks and the other at Boone Arboretum, an anonymous tip that had found its way up the line and thankfully to the right people it would seem. He could have told Gordon in his office, but then the toxin that was driving Batman would still be present in his system, this way everyone won “You have Ivy?” He asked
Gordon shook his head, “The arboretum was empty, she was there alright but she’s long gone.”
“That’s a lie, Ivy would never leave me?” Harley cried out.
Gordon barked a laugh, “We’ll find her Harley and I will make sure she sits in the cell next to yours if you like, but don’t expect a view,” he stepped up to the woman, her nakedness lost on him. “I am going to bury you and your partner in the deepest cells that Black gate prison has.” He turned his attention back to Batman, “We called off the search for Carlos too,”
This news surprised even Batman, “You found him?”
Gordon shrugged, “At the arboretum, what’s left of him anyway something or someone decided to split him in two.” Batman’s first thought was Bane, was he still in the city and working for Ivy? He doubted it very much. Batman had seen what s Ivy’s plants were capable of and he could easily imagine Carlos finally seeing what Ivy was capable of too. Gordon took hold of Harley’s arm and walked her towards the waiting officers, he turned to thank Batman again but the room was empty.

Vicky Vale had her sources within the police force. Where most news stations had a desk sergeant or a beat cop for inside information, Vicky had gotten Captains and lieutenants on her books. All because she could keep her sources close, it also helped that she knew how to flirt outrageously if she had to. Her news van had found the convoy of police cars and had stuck to them the whole way to the docks, heck she was even out of the van and at the entrance to the warehouse before the cops had managed to grab her and pull her back.
She shouted and complained as she always did and as the cops always did they politely ignored her. It was when they brought out the naked figure that the police officers attention slipped and Vicky found the space she needed to rush the police cordon and made directly for the woman and Commissioner Gordon.
Up close Vicky recognised the woman, Harley Quinn, her make up smudged and running in places, her body athletic and toned, rather impressive Vicky thought. But her nakedness was far more news worthy than Harleys workout routine, “Commissioner, word has it that you have arrested the perpetrators of the town hall attack, is Harley Quinn involved.”
Before Gordon could answer with a ‘no comment’ Harley Quinn jumped in, “I fucked him, let the whole world know I had sex with Batman,” she yelled. Vicky’s camera man zoomed in on her. “He’s just a man in a suit that loves to F.U.C.K”
Gordon swung the cruiser door open and unceremoniously bundled the screaming woman into the back slamming the door shut, “That’s not fit to run Vicky and you know it” Gordon said, the police car rocked and the muffled shouts of Harley forced Gordon to talk louder. “Whatever drug they have been working on, delusional behaviour is a sad bi product.”
“You will get no argument from me Commissioner. Just give me something to run on the morning news.”
Gordon looked at his watch, “Okay, at a little after two a.m. we arrested a known felon in connection with the attack on Gotham town hall, we are seeking the whereabouts of Pamela Isley aka Poison Ivy anyone with her whereabouts is urged to contact us.”
Vicky was shaking her head, “I need something juicy Commissioner?”
“I’ll give you juicy, Batman’s cock is that juicy enough for ya’?” Harley yelled from the car. The camera man was having a field day filming the crazed woman. Vicky looked questioningly at Gordon.
“Run what you want Vicky, but that’s all your getting from me.” He banged the roof of the police car and it sped of as Gordon walked off.
“You want me to get this uploaded?” the camera man asked, excited at such a graphic and downright dirty story.
Vicky sighed and shook her head, “Run what Vince? Get the sound bite and bin the rest.”
The Slinky Kitten,
Alberto Falcone was tired, his feet hurt and he was certain he had a cold. He wiped his nose on the silk handkerchief and slipped it back into the inside pocket of his jacket. He had walked the streets of Gotham for days now, eager to find Bullock and prove to his father that he was fit to run the family in his demise, fit to do what was necessary. Alberto Falcone was a man of action not of books. But the days had dragged on, the people he spoke to had nothing to offer. He had visited known bars of the on the take cops of Gotham and all he got was that Bullock had discharged himself and was out and about hunting down Batman. Bullock was a big man and a clumsy one which made Alberto’s failure to find him even more infuriating.
The thunderstorm the day before had taken him by surprise and he had gotten soaked through which was where his cold had come from. He spent the morning and the afternoon re-treading old ground, his temperature rising and his sinuses aching as the time went by, until he finally threw up his arms in defeat and had retreated, not to his apartment but to one of his father’s strip clubs in the needles.
The doormen at the Slinky Kitten recognised him and let him right in. The Manager Jimmy ‘two fingers’ Carmine had rushed from his office to greet him, all sweat stained shirt, coffee breath and greasy hands. Alberto tried his best to hide his grimace as he shook the man’s hand, his revulsion increasing as the man refused to let go as he led him through two red curtains and into the VIP area. “You wanna girl?” Jimmy asked all eager to please his boss’s son.
The girl called Tammy that came in a few minutes later was small with short cropped blonde hair, heavy breasts and a large ugly cold sore on her thin lips. He drank a cheap whisky as the girl danced for him he was surprised at his own arousal. His cold and her ugly cold sore had put him off, but when Tammy had removed her top and her breasts bounced free, he had sat up a little straighter. He beckoned her closer and she had diligently straddled him. “You know who I am?” he asked, his voice sounding deeper and a little more rugged that it usually did thanks to the cold, to Alberto it made him sound more manly.
Her breasts were inches from his face now as the girl continued to gyrate to some awful redneck country and western song. Her movements not really in keeping with the tempo of the music but that did not bother Alberto. “Sure, you’re the man in charge around here.” She replied her voice pure hick. As the song ended Tammy arched her back, arms above her head and Alberto gave into his lust his head moved forward and his mouth opened as he took one of her breasts into his mouth. Tammy yelped in surprise but remained seated even going so far as to grind down on his lap.
Alberto’s mouth came away from her breast, his spittle covering the pink, erect nipple and some of the pale flesh around it, “That’s me, I own this town.” He said, not wanting to disappoint Tammy. He sat back as she fumbled at his trousers.
His cock was already hard when Tammy pulled it from his silk boxers, she gasped and cooed as she took hold of his small cock “so big, so juicy,” she said with some aplomb, hiding her overwhelming urge to laugh at its small stature. Tammy doubted he would last long, though Jimmy had told her to keep Alberto occupied until his dad turned up. Slow and easy was not Tammy’s style but she did not want to end up in hospital like the last girl that had wronged Jimmy.
Alberto closed his eyes, enjoying the slow movement of Tammy’s hand. His cold was a thing of the past, blotted out by the surge of arousal. He only came back to the present when Tammy told him she was going to suck him to heaven and back. She had said it close to his face and he had seen the cold sore up close and personal, his stomach had tightened and he had dug his hands into her hair pulling her away from his cock. The thought of the cold sore anywhere near him repulsed him, his mind flashed an image of a huge sore and chapped cold sore where his cock used to be.
Tammy moved off of Alberto’s lap and quickly pulled her pink hot pants off, the equally bright pink thong stayed on as she straddled Alberto once more. Alberto pulled the flimsy material to one side his thing fingers finding her sex dry and unwelcoming. He rubbed and stabbed with his fingers until she finally opened for him, she moaned and ground down on his hand, once she was suitably ready Alberto pulled his hand free and quickly jabbed his cock into her.
The sex that followed was predictable as it always was when Alberto came to one of these places. Tammy continued her line on how big he was only this time gasping as she moaned out how big he felt inside her she gyrated and screamed as if he were tearing her apart. Tammy went as slow as possible, though she wanted it over and done with as quickly as possible, Jimmy had been quite firm on keeping Alberto occupied.
It was taken out of her hands though, Alberto had his face buried between her breasts, his hands squeezing them painfully, his hips jerking sporadically began to speed up, his muffled cries becoming more audible between her ample breasts until with one last push and strangled cry he came in her.
Alberto never understood why people called it an awkward silence after sex to him it was the perfect thing. The silence allowed him to bask in the glow of fucking even with a skank like Tammy it had its charms. He silenced Tammy as she made pointless small talk one hand held up to her face was all it took. She sat next to him, breasts still out, thong back in place but now stained and wet, he looked her up and down, “what are you waiting for?” he asked.
Tammy went to reply then bit her lip, she stood up and grabbed her top and hot pants, she slipped into them trying to delay stepping out beyond the curtain, she knew Jimmy would be there with a face like thunder and a flick knife ready to remove a digit or two from Tammy if she had not brought enough time. “You made my night Al?” Tammy said as she started to leave, it was stock line that most of the clients in the Slinky Kitten seemed to like hearing.
Alberto perked up and motioned for Tammy to stop, he reached over to his coat and fished out his wallet, he dipped in and half pulled a hundred free before he changed his mind and produced a twenty instead, he waved it at Tammy.
Tammy thanked him as she took the single bill, though her eyes were saying “fuck you Al.” He watched her walk out of the room the curtains draping back together as she passed. Alberto was putting his limp, wet cock back when the curtains were pushed aside and someone else walked in, he was expecting another stripper, Jimmy was in a generous mood which made Alberto wonder what Jimmy had done wrong.
Alberto almost caught his cock in his zipper when he saw Harvey Bullock standing there. He swallowed hard, adjusted himself and finished zipping up, “You are a hard man to find Officer Bullock.” He said trying to sound like seeing Harvey here was expected.
Bullock shrugged, “Perhaps that’s because I don’t want to be found.”
Alberto smiled and opened his arms, “But now here you are,” Alberto knew with a simple shout he would have Bullock surrounded before the big man could pull the gun that was no doubt hiding in his coat pocket out. “You look like shit still.”
Bullock nodded looking about the room his face still bore sores and scars from the chemical factory, though the sickly coloured skin had begun to return to its usual cheery self. Bullock walked over to the long sofa that Alberto was sat on and sat himself down on the end of it, “Interesting place to hide out in.”
Alberto frowned, “I am not hiding out you idiot.” He said.
“Really?” Bullock replied surprised, “If I had James Gordon gunning for me, I would be hiding out if not skipping town and the whole continent if I could.”
Alberto laughed, “Oh Bullock, is this a last ditch attempt to save your sorry ass.” He put on a gruff voice as he continued to talk, “Don’t kill me or my Commissioner will be angry.”
Alberto went to shout out as Bullock pulled his service revolver from his coat pocket, he only stopped when the man handed it to him, “Kill me if you want, no doubt this town would be better without me, hell you can even pass it off as suicide.” Alberto took the gun, with practiced ease he broke it open and counted six bullets. “But Gordon won’t avenge me, his daughter on the other hand.”
Alberto pointed the gun directly at Bullock, it was point blank range no chance of missing, “Okay, I got time to kill,” he chuckled to himself before he continued “I’ll bite what is this about Gordon’s daughter?”
“You not heard, she was attacked and raped in her apartment, they got a suspect,” Bullock pointed at Alberto, “All-points bulletin for the arrest of Alberto Falcone.”
Jim Gordon had wasted no time in putting out a call for Alberto Falcone’s arrest and with little surprise Carmine Falcone was being filled in on the surprise a few minutes after that, three or four on the take cops phoning through eager to please their boss. Bullock hoped to God that Batman’s plan went as smoothly as he claimed it would. Harvey was staring down the barrel of his own gun and right there and then the plan seemed a really bad idea.
“I call bullshit and you are still a dead man,” Alberto cocked the hammer back. He would have heard about it the moment he walked into the joint…was that why Jimmy was being so nice, greasing up Alberto waiting for the cops to turn up, no that was not Jimmy’s style…waiting for his dad to turn up on the other hand. When the penny dropped was the moment the lights went out. “What the hell?” Alberto shot up the gun clattering to the floor.
Beyond the curtain’s he could hear people shouting, drinks crashing, tables being upturned. A gun went off, followed by another in rapid fire and Alberto almost shit himself, there was a hidden exit somewhere in the room but the cold panic that enveloped Alberto took all sense from him, leaving his mind blank with fear, “It’s him.” Bullock said his voice trembling a little.
“Dad!” Alberto said in response.
“Not Daddy Al, the other him, Batman.” Bullock said and he grabbed the gun from the floor.
The curtain parted and a giant black figure passed through, Batman stood between the two men and the exit an immovable object. “Alberto Falcone you’re coming with me,” Batman said in a soft tone that dripped with certainty.
Alberto felt a hand on his chest and found Bullock pushing him away from Batman and putting himself between them, his gun pointed at Batman. “Here we are again Batman, you staring down the barrel of my gun, only this time toxic fumes are not going to stop me.”
Batman took a step forward but Harvey refused to back down, “He is wanted for the brutal attack of Barbara Gordon, one way or another he is coming in.”
“Over my dead body,” Bullock shot back.
“Have it your way,” Batman replied and darted forward, the gun was snatched from Bullocks hand at the same moment a powerful elbow connected with his ribs knocking the air from his lungs in an explosive exhale, before his brain could comprehend what was happening his legs were swiped from under him and Bullock landed heavily on his back.
Alberto rushed for the exit while Batman went to work on Bullock, one hand managed to take hold of one of the red curtains, the fabric thick in his grip. Alberto let out his own squeal as the collar of his shirt was yanked, he flew bodily backwards his death grip on the curtain pulling it from its fixings as he went. The air was pushed from his lungs as the black mass that was Batman pushed down on his prone body, “Alberto Falcone you are worthless scum that is going to spend the rest of his life rotting in a prison cell.”
The gunshot made Alberto’s ears ring, the flash in the dark confines blinded him. One moment he was unable to move the next Batman was flying from him, tumbling across the ground as more shots rang out one after another. Even with all the bullets expelled from Bullocks spare piece, Harvey continued to pull the trigger, the hammer hitting nothing but air. “Fucking freak,” Harvey yelled. Bullock tossed the gun to one side and grabbed his service pistol where Batman had tossed it, “Get up you lazy idiot,” Bullock shouted holding out a shaky hand to Alberto. Alberto took it and his light frame was yanked onto wobbly feet and both men stumbled out of the room and into a room of men pointing guns at them.
Carmine Falcone was stood in the centre of the group, his hands knitted together in front of him, “Well, well, well Detective Bullock how nice of you to finally show up.” He nodded towards his son and one man stepped forward and took him away from Bullock, “Drop the gun,” and Bullock reluctantly did. “You made a mess in here Bullock,”
Bullock laughed, “Me? You think I took out this place,”
Carmine did not enjoy being laughed at, but he swallowed hard biting back what he wanted to say. He took another look around at the carnage that the street lights could show through the clubs open door, “Then who was it.”
“Batman,” Alberto replied instead, “He came for me, wanted me for raping a girl. Bullock saved me”
Carmine nodded, he had heard the news of the rape it was sad no doubt about it and he felt some sympathy for James Gordon, Carmine after all was a family man. What he could not stomach was the fact his son Alberto, was the main suspect. The few incidents before this were easy to bury, in two cases quite literally but now we were talking about the Police Commissioners daughter that was not so easy to hide. “Where is he, where’s Batman?” Carmine asked and took an involuntary step backwards.
Bullock motioned back into the VIP room and Carmine dispatched two very nervous looking men to check it out, they came back out a minute later looking relieved. “He’s gone boss, went through the hidden exit.”
Carmine relaxed a little, his men feeding off this lowered their guns and relaxed also, Carmine looked about again, squinting into the gloom his mind working away. “Okay let me get this right you just happened to turn up moments before Batman and saved my son.” Bullock thought about it then nodded, “You see that’s not your style Bullock,” Carmine waggled a finger back and forth in front of his hawk nose, “Something’s not right with this set up.”
“I came here for Al you got that right but not to save him, I was going to straighten something’s out between us then I was going to sell him back to you or the cops, whoever paid the most.” Bullock said, controlling the nerves that were threatening to be the undoing of him.
Carmine laughed, “Well now I have my son and you, so what’s stopping me shooting you right here right now.”
“Honour,” Bullock played the card Batman had told him would work, “The Falcone’s are known for their honour Carmine, I saved your son. Batman would have fed him to the cops and right now he’d be in an interrogation room spilling his guts on your little operation. “
“Honour eh? A damn corrupt flat foot is talking to me about honour.” Carmine shook his head and bit his lower lip, “Out you go boys,” he finally said, his eyes remaining on Bullock. Around him his men walked out, Alberto sandwiched between two of them. “This stinks Bullock, I don’t know how yet but it does. What do you want?”
“To be left alone,” His reply came instantly, “no bounty on my head, no accidents heading my way, no messages, nothing. In return I don’t touch you or yours.”
Carmine Falcone, the biggest and deadliest of the crime family bosses, stared long and hard at Harvey Bullock, his eyes boring into him. Finally the man nodded, a simple up and down of his head “Have a nice life Officer Bullock,” he said then turned on his heels and walked out of the club.
Bullock had waited until the sound of cars had disappeared into the distance he waited another twenty minutes on top of that before finally venturing out of the club. To be sure he even went back to the VIP room and took the secret exit, which lead him to the rear of the club and out behind a large dumpster overflowing with refuse. With unsteady hands he searched his pockets for cigarettes and came up empty. The sky was beginning to lighten and the gloom of the alleyway clung on desperately, a shadow broke away and approached Bullock, “Well they brought it, I don’t know how but they did.” Bullock rubbed at his ribs, “Did you have to hit me so hard?”
“It had to look real,” It had been the only way, real punches and real bullets. Curiosity would get the better of Carmine and someone would be in to look at the casings every angle had to be covered.
“Well it felt real believe me, for a moment there I thought he was not going to buy it, we got lucky this time.” Bullock had never been so scared, but now standing here a free man so to speak scared him even more.
“It’s the only time we need to be lucky. The rest is up to you now. Gordon needs good men like you to help get this city straight.” Batman looked down the alleyway to the lightening sky, “It’s a new day Officer Bullock, make the most of it.”
Outskirts of Gotham City,
Selina Kyle was waiting for Bruce at the city limits, a large battered and bullet hole ridden sign thanked travellers for visiting Gotham and the hopes of seeing them again. Selina was sitting on the rear end of a classic red sports car, the paintwork vibrate in the noon sun when Bruce pulled up to the side of the road and stepped out of his sedan. The smile on her face lifted his spirits for a moment, just seeing her did that to him, but had he not felt the same way when Barbara smiled at him. As he approached she pushed herself from the car and met him half way her arms opening and they hugged.
“Thank you,” Selina sighed into his chest, “For saving me.”
“I think you will find you have Batman to thank for that.”
She hugged him even tighter, “Same difference.” She gave a deep sigh then looked up at him she went to break the hold but found herself kissing him instead, long, deep and perhaps for the last time.
Finally she broke free, “Whoa there,” she took a step away, “Let’s not get carried away. So what did you make of my offer?” The offer she spoke of was one that Bruce had found on his mobile phone upon his return to Wayne Manor that morning. It was a simple offer it was an offer to leave Gotham City forever.
“Selina I…” her laugh broke his sentence, she knew what was coming she always did.
She took his hands and led him to the sports car, then turned him around. The Gotham skyline rose up before them, it dominated the Horizon, its tall towers pulled the languid blue sky down, “See, you are not in Gotham and it is still standing. Sooner or later you have to turn your back and leave make it sooner than later.” He turned back to face her and he knew instantly she had seen in his eyes there was more to it than that. “Who is she?”
The words of truth bit deep, he could see the hurt cross her face then disappear as she repressed it. Selina crossed her arms as if suddenly cold, “That’s why you did not visit me in hospital isn’t it?” She dropped her arms and gave him another hug, “Bruce I cannot wait forever you know that don’t you?”
He found it difficult to find a reply to her, she was right. “In the boot of the car there is a bag packed with essentials, I drove here with the firm believe I was ready to leave it all behind. So much has happened I am tainted by it all. But the more I stand here the more I need to go back.”
“Back to her?” Selina sighed, “You make so damn difficult to hate you when you get like this. Does she know your secret,” He replied with a nod and she whistled long and low, “Serious then. I won’t say I am a little jealous Bruce.” She leaned in and kissed him, “After I finish touring with that damn diamond I might just have to come back to town and see this woman for myself.”
“About that diamond, at what point did you switch the real one for a fake?” he asked. Back at the museum not long after Harley Quinn’s attack Batman had scanned for evidence, it was only out of curiosity that he had scanned the diamond, it was a fake a good one but a fake never the less.
Selina gave a loud laugh, a laugh that walked a fine line between crazy and happy, “Picked up on that did you. I guess the next time I am in Gotham you will just have to stop me to find the answer.” She walked around to the car’s driver’s door and climbed in a smile stretched from ear to ear, like the cat that had gotten the milk.
Bruce watched her go, the back wheels of the sports car digging into the soft soil a cloud of dust and stones flying skyward as the engine gunned and she sped off. He waited until the distinctive red became a dot then disappeared before he turned around and faced his city once more. There she stood, the sun glinted of tinted windows of the tallest tower blocks, a container ship moved with agonising slowness down the Gotham River and towards the sea. Traffic moved back and forth along the bridges that were her arteries, the island of Gotham her dark beating heart. Selina had asked him who she was. Who held him in Gotham, one answer was Barbara Gordon. That was the good answer, the clean answer. Though to Bruce Wayne and Batman it was a trick question as there were two answers, the other answer was before him, Gotham City was the other woman.

Gotham General,
The damage sustained to Barbara Gordon was worse than first thought. She had lost all feeling below her waist yet with extensive tests doctors could find no sign of lasting damage, the issue it seemed was now mental. Bruce had not slept for days now, last night’s final play had taken so much out of him, he felt guilty and dirty outside but inside he was free of Harley Quinn, the news had nothing on Batman and Harley only her arrest. Now sitting at Barbara’s bedside he felt his head becoming heavy, the soft beep of the machines lulling him towards sleep.
“You look worse than I do,” Barbara’s voice was groggy but to Bruce it sounded like music, his head came up from his chest an easy smile on his lips, “Busy night?”
“You could say that, they caught Harley Quinn and Carlos Constance is dead.” Bruce reported in, he saw the alarm in Barbara’s eyes, “Batman had nothing to do with it. Looks like Ivy had her hands in that.”
Barbara nodded resolutely it had come to an end with or without her. “Did you speak to the doctors? Did they tell you about my legs,” Bruce nodded, “I can help still, Oracle is a big job I doubt Alfred can do it on his own and…” she swallowed hard, tears lined her eyes, “We need to find him still.”
“I will find him and he will pay Barbara but without you. This is too much for you like this, you need time to heal, go be with your father.”
“You cannot cut me out Bruce, I need this.” The tears came rolling down her cheeks.
Bruce stood up, “Then prove it.” He said then left the room.

Soon after Bruce’s visit, Barbara was discharged; Jim Gordon collected her and brought her to the home she had grown up in. For two weeks neither of them spoke much, her physical wounds began to heal but her mental ones seemed more ruptured as time went on. Barbara hardly slept now, her father would find her staring out of her window at bedtime and wake up to find she had not moved. Her phone remained with in grabbing distance, even in the bathroom while showering the phone would be close by, waiting for a call from Bruce Wayne that never came.
Those three words had taken up residence in her head, when she woke up screaming, covered in a film of sweat, shivering as the dream and her sweat evaporated, those three words would drift out of the fog of sleep “Then prove it.” It had been such a direct, final statement one filled with little pity for her situation, but offering her a way out that she had not seen before.
The Bat Cave,
Alfred was in awe of Oracle, he had told Master Bruce time and time again of its ability to think one step ahead of them in tracing evidence and finding links (though sometimes a little too oblique) allowing Batman to move in the right direction in his pursuit of cleaning up Gotham. Bruce stood at the terminal now, his mind not truly on the job. Bruce found it difficult to concentrate since saying goodbye to Selina no matter how hard he tried her last kiss was still fresh in his mind and on his own lips.
Bruce tapped at the keyboard, his eyes hurting from so much data that he squinted even through his reading glasses it had been a long night, his arms ached and one rib felt tender to the touch Bruce made a mental note to get Alfred to look at it when he came down later on. Sleep was elusive as it ever was for Bruce Wayne when he had so much on his mind. His feet took him in the direction of the elevator but his mind pulled him to the dojo and his feet followed. The makeshift lab that held Klaus Cannon was now gone and the sparing mat had found its rightful place once more.
His workout flowed naturally, the kicks lay flat all the invisible opponents, his punches found their mark in phantom guts and faces even with his rib screaming he did not hold back, the pain made his mind a blank slate, Harley Quinn slipped free, Selina faded, Barbara…lingered. Bruce’s roundhouse fell short, he stumbled forward landing awkwardly and he fell to one knee, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his face and pooling on the training mat.
His head lifted up as the elevator doors swished open Alfred stepping out in his usual straight back, shoulder straight way. It was only when he gave a quick look behind that Bruce realised someone else was with him. Bruce found his feet and stood up, one hand going to his rib and rubbing it absently, he had not seen the second person as they were in a wheel chair, the red hair, tied back in a severe bun still made Barbara stand out.
Bruce remained at the centre of the training mat, his face a mask hiding the smile that so desperately wanted to spread across his face. He waited patiently as Barbara wheeled herself across the platforms and towards him, Alfred remained near the elevator a small look of worry on his face his hands knitting together then falling apart as he worried. Finally the wheelchair came to a stop at the frayed edges of the training circle. “I need this, and you need me.” She said her eyes wet with tears that threatened to flow at any moment. Bruce remained still, giving nothing away. “I can do this,” she said through gritted teeth, her eyes gave way and her pale cheeks glistened with her tears.
“Then prove it.” Bruce replied.
Barbara swallowed hard, her eyes closed as she took control of her emotions. Her hands tightened on the arm rest of the wheel chair. Her face reddened with the effort, with a gasp of desperation and exertion one foot lifted from the wheel chair and landed with a defiant stamp on the training mat.
Bruce gave a nod, “Let’s begin,”
Prologue
Porto Areta,
Juliana had watched in amusement as the ineffectual local police attempted to take control of the Axis Chemical building. Up on the top floor she had watched the streets far below fill up with an assortment of police vehicles, when she got bored of the view she turned her attention back to the computer and to the file transfer she was currently conducting.
Phone lines had been cut prior to the raid and so had the power, though the police had forgotten about the backup generators, but they would not last forever, Juliana had to work fast she had started the download earlier that day prior to the police turning up, the power cut had slowed things down, the screen showed her ninety eight percent completed but it had been stuck that way for the past ten minutes.
The horn blast from the street below pulled her away once more from Carlos’ personal computer. Juliana showed her first sign of annoyance as her fist slammed hard on the glass panel. The Americans had finally turned up a mix of CIA and homeland security no doubt, one thing was certain they were more focused than the local police. Juliana watched them access the building in little less than two minutes, her time here was up.
She pulled the memory stick with little care for file corruption at that point, she sat down on the leather office chair and spread her legs, the memory stick slipped inside her and she gave it a final push to make sure it was secure. She stood up feeling a little peculiar as she walked out of the office and headed first for the lift then changing her mind she turned right and headed for the stairs.
Juliana had given the American agencies a little too much credit, she had moved steadily down the stairwell, pulling her hair into a pony tail as she went and donning a pair of thick rimmed black glasses, she stepped out into the foyer and was met by a dozen or so agents and police. Juliana screamed hysterically when an overzealous agent pointed a Sig -Sauer in her direction, she adopted her practiced dialect of Chiapaneco and began to babble while repeatedly crossing herself, it had been something she had seen on television and had amused her.
Her display attracted attention and the agent was quick to push her towards the rotating doors at the front of the building and escorted her out onto the street. Juliana continued her act as she walked away, one had held to her head as she went a few more meters she reached the stone steps and beyond Juliana was lost in the crowd.
The limousine was waiting only a block away, a small group of street children had gathered close by and were eyeing up the vehicle daring each other to go close and ask for money, each one of them declining the dare. Juliana walked steadily to the car refusing to look over her shoulder, she reached the rear of the car and one door opened and she stepped in.
The only other occupant of the car sat in still silence, his eyes scanned the small computer tablet in his hand he made no motion to say he had noticed Juliana enter the car. Juliana parted her legs and removed the USB device. She found a napkin and cleaned herself from the sleek plastic casing before placing it next to the man, “It is all there, all of Carlos’ files and emails. The virus is also in place, by the time the Americans get to the files there will be nothing left for them to sift through.” Juliana removed the glasses and pulled her hair loose from her pony tail. She could thank her father, the man who sat motionless before her for her long black hair and sun kissed complexion.
The man lowered the tablet and looked briefly at the USB stick then turned his attention to his daughter, “The loss of Carlos is perhaps a blessing in disguise Talia, his vision was not one that I was ever comfortable with.”
Talia Al Ghul nodded in agreement, “The young man that once shared your vision, died a long time ago when corporate greed took hold.”
Ra’s Al Ghul agreed and felt sad for the loss of one that had been such an ardent follower, “what has been done cannot be undone, not for the likes of Carlos atleast.” Ra’s smiled grimly, he looked at his tablet quickly, checking the time. He tapped the intercom to speak to the driver, “The airport.”
Talia picked up the tablet and looked at her father’s appointments, “Doctor Jonathan Crane? He is weak, unskilled, what use is he?”
Ra’s shook his head smiling knowingly to himself, “Wait and see my Daughter, do not judge a book by its cover.”

The End
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Batman: Downfall