Adult-FanFiction.org : Comics

Batman: Downfall	By : Driftwood Category: DC Verse Comics > Batman Views: 19476 -:- 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
- 3
- 4
- 5
Chapter Four
Above the streets of Gotham,
Batman and Batgirl were through the roof before the first barrage of bullets hit the sconces of the ceiling below them, the police helicopter was turning lazily as it buzzed off the Channel Four News helicopter. Bruce grabbed the girls arm and pulled her towards the rear of the museum. With his other hand free he pulled his grappling gun free and fired it high, he held his breath as the projectile landed and sunk in, the gun breaking hard then pulling them up and away from the museum.
Barbara had never felt so alive, she had gone to war with a real bad guy, had fought side by side with The Batman and left in a hail of gun fire she had never felt so alive or turned on as she did that moment. She followed close behind The Batman matching his jump and speed, proving that she was easily his equal if it needed to be proved after tonight. The sound of helicopters grew further away as they headed south to the lower slums of Gotham, after almost a mile they came to a stop.
"You need to quit and go home." Batman said as the grappling gun line reeled back in. He looked at the girl, her make shift outfit was actually pretty good, armor in the right places if a little over padded, her frame was muscle and curves the sort of body that would have Bruce Wayne's attention if it were in a cocktail dress. The red hair was a little distracting; she had obviously gone for leaving it loose rather than cutting it short. He had hesitated going into the museum when he had seen Selina fighting as well as Batgirl he only intervened when she had gone and thrown the smoke bomb that had been crazy.
"Like hell I do," she responded back, "If it wasn't for me they would have taken that diamond and disappeared into the night before you got your lazy old backside there."
"Human life is worth more than any diamond, gold bars or Jewelry." He almost towered over her but she refused to flinch or back down, "What you did was reckless and could have cost an innocent woman her life." He was angrier than he should have been, but this girl was stupider than she should be. "This is not a game there are no second chances or replays." The anger in her eyes was astounding and almost familiar the thought flittered through his head then disappeared. "You have guts but you need to use your head."
The high of the moment was fading rapidly, "I use my head just fine, so I made a mistake I will learn from it and be better next time." She puffed out her chest, there was no way she was going to let Batman berate her for a tiny mistake.
"There won't be a next time," He turned his back on her and before she could stop him he had dropped from the roof. She ran to the ledge and looked over, nothing but the city streets and oblivious pedestrians could be seen, Batman had vanished.
Gotham Museum,
Jim Gordon had to look twice at Samantha Kinkalow, even disheveled she was stunning and he found himself blushing. A paramedic was stood over her sewing up a nasty cut in one forearm, he watched as the needle pierced skin, pulling the wound closed as it travelled in and out she hardly seemed to notice, shock perhaps. His officers were loading six rather dazed and bruised individuals into the back of a police van, there grease paint told him all he needed to know the Joker was showing his hand early after all. Gordon motioned for one of the Captains to come over, "Captain Rodgers, I want every man here to hand in their fire arms at the end of their shift and those found to have been used I want those officers suspended."
The Captains mouth dropped open, "Sir if I may that seems a little harsh,"
Gordon rounded on him with all his fury, "Three men have died in the last two weeks because of this damn warrant and a lady almost got riddled with bullets tonight for no other reason than the Batman may have been in there. I want them suspended with no pay for two weeks, maybe then we will get some order to my police force once more." The Captain nodded and sped off to pass the message on.
Gordon leaned his head back and rubbed the nape of his neck, his eyes landed on a figure hidden amongst the gargoyles on the museums roof he swallowed hard finding his breath and trying to hide the relieved smile that had started to creep onto his weathered face "When is forensics due?" He asked another junior officer as he hurried on by the Commissioner.
"On their way, maybe ten minutes." He replied quickly with a shaky voice.
"Fine, I don't want any flat foot, swat member or John Q Public in there until they turn up." The officer nodded and grabbed another couple of officers to help stand guard. Gordon strode up the steep steps and went into the museum.
Jim Gordon surveyed the room, his mouth open in horror at what he saw. Not a single wall had survived the onslaught of officers as they unloaded their revolvers at a moving shadow. Officers milled around cordoning off the room and Jim shooed them off, he walked the scene slowly trying to get his head around the craziness of over fifteen officers opening fire at the same time. Paintings hung in tatters, plaster board was ripped apart but in the middle of it all the biggest diamond he had ever seen sat gleaming beneath a glass dome that hardly showed a mark.
"You took your time," Gordon said, he looked through the dome as one shadow attached from the others and approached him slowly, "Just me here now."
"I'm not sure that's reassuring." Batman said stopping on the other side of the glass dome. He looked in better condition than he had outside the chemical factory. That seemed like years to Gordon now so much had happened in such a short space of time.
"I doubt you'd let me arrest you even if I tried," Gordon replied. "It was not my idea you know, damn mayor pushes hard when he wants to."
"I know," Batman replied then began to walk the scene slowly. Bullet casings were everywhere, trace was smeared from different shoes and soles. It was a total mess if there was useable evidence it was more than likely lost. Gordon stepped back silently and left him to his work. He found heel marks, light dust, some blood 'Selina's' he thought. Then he noticed a boot print, an ace of spades clear in the center, he knelt down inspecting closer, the dust was not plaster board without looking he reached to his belt and opened up a small compartment pulling out a vial and tweezers. He worked quickly, gathering the trace evidence.
He finally stood up and looked about, finding Gordon leaning in one archway, "It's good to know your still on my side."
"I'm not the only one you know, on the law enforcement side atleast. And that Batgirl seems to be pretty handy." Batman responded with a gruff laugh, "I see she's not with you, she miss her curfew?"
Batman fired his grappling gun upwards catching the roof easily, "Something like that," and then shot upwards before disappearing into the night.
Gotham General,
The conversation with Alberto Falcone kept playing over and over in Harvey Bullocks head, the guy was a weasel, not even half the man his father Carmine was. Even so, when Alberto had taken hold of Bullocks hand in his cold, clammy hands he had flinched ever so slightly. It was like being touched by death. "Get well soon officer Bullock just be careful out on those streets you hear." The smile was grim he held bullocks hand for far too long in the silence that proceeded. Alberto finally nodded and let go of Bullocks hand as he stood up. "You were a good man," he said and gave a curt nod then turned and walked out.
He had not slept fitfully since, every time his hospital room door opened he would sit or atleast try and sit upright, his hand going to his bedside looking for the service revolver that was never there. Every doctor or nurse who came suddenly had that look about them. He would break out in a cold sweat when a syringe came into view or they offered him a cup of pills to offset the toxins in his body.
Which led him to where he was right now, stood at the main desk trying to discharge himself even as the duty nurse urged him to stay. "Look lady I'm not going to sue you or the hospital,"
The nurse, cute, blonde and Harvey's type but they were all Harvey's type. "It's not that Officer Bullock, you are not fit to leave this hospital, you're vitals need to be monitored and those sores can easily become infected again." Harvey reached up absently and touched the sensitive skin on his face, the lumps coarse and dry under his fingertips.
"I'm fine lady, just hand me the forms and you can give my bed to someone who needs it more than I do." The nurse hesitated then reached into a drawer pulling out the release paperwork. She placed them on the counter and handed Bullock a pen, she told him where to sign and Bullock left scrawls over all the sheets she pointed to.
Bullock found he was holding his breath when the elevator doors opened, he expected to see a barrel of a gun but instead nothing but an empty compartment, which seemed even more unsettling. He hit the ground floor button and then repeatedly mashed the door close button until they finally began a long, slow close.
Out on his streets Bullock sighed with relief, sure it was crowded and at any minute one of Falcone's goons could stab him with a long knife leaving him to bleed to death where he stood but atleast he would die looking at the blue sky and grey buildings of Gotham instead of in a hospital bed hitting a call button that would never get answered.
He began to walk east, for no other reason than his feet were taking him that way, he reached into his coat and found his wallet, he had a few bills in there and his bank card, he next checked for his phone. Someone had taken the decency to turn it off and he was relieved when it lit up with just under half a battery remaining. Bullock smiled as three then four messages pinged up on his screen "Who knew I was so loved," he said out loud. He scanned the messages deleting three of them and leaving the one from Rosa saved, he would certainly give Rosa a call but first things first.
Bullock paused by a bus stop, the traffic was heavy and he pressed the phone firmly to his ear as it started to ring. After four rings the line clicked and Bullock dispensed with the niceties "Travis its Bullock."
"Bullock, how did you get out of the hospital already?" His partner said on the other end, Bullock could hear the ambient noise, Travis was at headquarters.
"Signed myself out, those four walls were starting to bug me out," now came the tough bit. They had only been partners for a few years, no family barbeques (Bullock had no family) no Thanksgiving dinners (Bullock worked every Thanksgiving) but they got along okay, "I need a favor." He could hear the heavy swallow over the phone then the ambient noise changing as Travis moved.
"When you ask for favors someone has to write a lot of paperwork." Travis said and his voice echoed off of a wall.
'Men's toilets' Bullock knew instantly, "I need my service gun and a couple of pieces from storage."
Travis groaned and sighed, "Bullock you are crazy, Gordon will string you and me up." Bullock played the silent angel, letting his partner deal with his inner conflict, he smiled widely when Travis spoke up again, "Your gun I can get, but there is no way I can get into storage. Gordon has a couple of guys from IA in there doing an audit, seems a few of our guys decided to help themselves over the last few weeks."
Now it was Bullocks turn to groan, he knew who would have gone down there, Greggs was one Canetti was another for certain, he could probably name a handful more. How the hell Gotham had not been destroyed by now was a miracle and that was from a man who gave up on God a long time ago. "Okay, okay leave the storage just get me my piece will you." The bus pulled up at the stop, the doors hissing open, Bullock signaled at the driver to hang on, "Meet me at the cemetery in an hour or so." He hung up not waiting for an answer.
Bullock always found solace out at the cemetery. No crowds of people, no constant noise here he could be among people who did not talk and annoy him. He walked the avenues, a route his feet now took him on instinct, usually when he was working on a case that had brought him to a dead end, no pun intended. Now his feet took him on the same route, only this time Bullock started to see the names on the headstones. Gotham had a lot of dead Bullock knew that for certain and the years on the headstones told him the dead had been piling up on this hill for too long.
At the peak of the hill beneath a grouping of Ash tree's he turned and looked down on the city. The nape of his neck itched, was there a red dot now just hovering there. He kept his hands in his pockets refusing to give in to the jitters, a police siren kicked in near the needles a moment later a police helicopter swooped from around the Wayne Enterprises tower heading the same way. Bullock turned to his right, the other Wayne building could just be seen. Wayne Manor and its lush green lands on the outskirts of the city. Now there was a man Bullock admired, but not out loud. Bruce Wayne was a true son of Gotham and he kept his business here and helped the best he could, or atleast the best he could for that month, the guy was super rich he could afford to give a few more millions away.
The car stopped at the cemetery entrance and Bullock watched his partner take the long walk up the hill to where he waited. "Why couldn't we meet in Luigi's or at your apartment?" Travis said out of breath.
"I like it here," He replied, just finishing short of saying he could see anyone coming.
Travis took in the view briefly then handed a crumpled brown paper bag to Bullock, "Service revolver and your back up, plus some ammo. Don't say I don't do anything for you." Bullock was surprised to see the bag. In his past life it would have been full of cash.
"No badge?" He asked jokingly. Travis went to argue and Bullock laughed him off, "Just kidding, thanks partner." He took the revolver from the bag feeling the comfortable weight and slipped it into his coat pocket, the box of ammo he slipped in the opposite pocket. The spare was a small Smith & Wesson 38 special, nothing spectacular but it would stop anyone coming at him. He knew Rosa would have a belt holster and ankle holster somewhere in her home.
"You think you can shoot the Bat again?" Travis asked.
Bullock looked up surprised at the question, the guns were not for Batman, not totally, Harvey Bullock had a mark on his head and sooner or later the Falcone family would call to collect, this was too much to explain to Travis so he simply replied, "Something like that."
He tried to call Rosa but found every time he hit dial he quickly hit end call. He sat on the bus doing the same routine over and over and before he knew it he was getting off in the needles a block from Rosa's home. He hit the buzzer for her apartment, watching kids who should have been at school playing in the streets, he gave a quick glance up and down the street no cars looked out of place no guys in Italian suits eating Gyro's at the stand on the corner either. "Billy if that's you I told you I ain't got your money until Friday." The young voice sounded scratchy through the speaker.
"Rosa it's me open up." Bullock spoke over her and the door was instantly buzzed open.
Rosa greeted him at the door to her apartment. Her black hair was a mess and her dark skin looked pale, she hugged the big bear of a man, her small arms hardly reaching around his frame. Bullock hugged her back feeling her skinny frame beneath the simple shift she had on. "I missed you daddy bear," she said into his chest.
"I missed you to, I was going to call ahead but..." the words failed him, "can we go in?" Rosa took his hand in hers and led him into the apartment.
Rosa was twenty five and lived by herself. Bullock had arrested her for prostitution and possession six years previously but she never got to the police station. They had sat in the squad car and talked straight for the rest of his shift, Bullock would not call Rosa his kindred spirit but they were certainly cut from the same cloth. Since then she had quit prostitution, gotten a full time job at a diner just down the road. The drugs were still a problem though but Bullock was getting there with her.
The curtains were drawn shut, and the lights were off. Candles were lit on nearly all available spaces, if it wasn't for the radio playing away Bullock would have thought the power had been cut. There was a slight smell in the air, incense mixed with marijuana. He walked lazily by the dining table and noticed flecks of white powder. "How much are you on now?" He asked outright.
Rosa hugged herself, "Hardly anything now, can go a day or two before it gets bad, maybe four days before it gets really bad." Bullock nodded slowly, "The Mary Jane is a different story but that's helping me keep off of the hard stuff."
"Is Billy your dealer?" Bullock asked. Rosa hesitated then nodded. "How much you owe him?"
She bit her lip, "Couple of hundred, but I get paid Friday. I'll just have to miss my rent payment, though Mister Li has said I can pay him another way."
Harvey struck out, his hand slapping hard across Rosa's face, "No, that's not you anymore." His anger had turned his cheeks red he gritted his teeth and balled his fists willing the anger to go away. "Call Billy tell him you have his money and to get over here."
Rosa lowered her hand from her face; Bullock winced when he saw the mark he had left on her chocolate coloured skin. She picked her mobile phone up from the settee; Bullock was not surprised to see his number had been stored. "Billy, its Rosa." She pulled the phone from her ear as Billy shouted vile abuse down the other end, "Listen will you! I have your money...yes here right now...okay sure." She hit the terminate button as quickly as she could. "He said he'll be by in a few hours."
Bullock walked into the tiny kitchenette, he saw the half empty bottle of whiskey near the sink his hand lingered near it before he forced himself over to the fridge. Inside he saw a mix of half eaten meals, all from the diner where Rosa worked, she was living off the left overs of customers. Bullock's stomach rumbled though at the sight and he grabbed a handful of cold fries and shoved them in his mouth.
"Harvey you look a mess," Rosa said outright stood in the doorway, her arms crossed beneath her small breasts. "When was the last time you slept," she watched him grab half a hamburger and shoved it into his mouth, "Or ate?"
Bullock thought it over as he chewed, "A few days for both I guess," he had reached the point of not even trusting the meals in the hospital. He closed the fridge, feeling a little sick with the sudden rush of food to his empty stomach, "I need to lie down."
"Can I come too?" Rosa asked meekly and Bullock took her by the hand.
Rosa had helped him out of his suit and he now sat up on the bed, the whole thing barely standing on four legs with his weight on it in just his greying white boxer shorts, he wanted to sleep, for a very long time but he watched silently as Rosa slipped the straps of her dress from her shoulders and let if fall around her feet. His cock stirred in his shorts at the sight of her nakedness. Small breasts topped with dark brown nipples made black in the gloom. Her ribs were not as prominent as they once were and her stomach was a little muffin top beneath which was a mass of black pubic hair.
Rosa climbed onto the bed and pressed herself firmly against the bulk of Harvey, he closed his heavy eyelids finding the warmth from Rosa comforting. He cracked open one eye as Rosa's petite hand found his groin and hardened cock, "Rosa, baby I need to sleep." She raised one finger to his lips while her other hand pushed past the elasticated waste of his shorts and gripped his hard cock.
Bullock lay back letting Rosa pepper tiny kisses on his chest, then ample gut one of his hands found her black hair as she pulled his boxers down slightly letting his cock slap free against his stomach. Her lips found his cockhead and without hesitating she took him deep into her mouth. His girth pulled at her lips stretching her mouth almost painfully wide, her hand worked the base of his shaft as her mouth slipped up and down. Bullock's hips thrusted upwards meeting Rosa and forcing more of his cock into her mouth he sped up, he had gone so long without her that this simple pleasure was more than he could cope with.
Rosa held still letting Bullock dictate the pace, she gripped his shaft firmly, and let him force what he could further into her mouth. Bullock groaned out loudly and as he pushed up he gripped Rosa's head and forced her further down, she gagged and sputtered as he unloaded in her mouth. His grip only relinquishing as his last spurts became weak. His grip weakened on her hair and Rosa finally lifted her head. Her eyes were red and her mouth a smeared mess of spittle and cum, she smiled widely and planted a soft kiss on Bullock's lips, his response was a deep snore, he had already fallen asleep.
Bullock awoke to the sound of shouting he rubbed at bleary eyes trying to figure out where he was and what time it was. The small gap in the closed curtain was now a diffuse glow, it had slipped to late afternoon he sat up when he heard a glass shatter against the wall. Bullock stood up when he heard a heavy slap, he grabbed his pistol as he headed out the room.
Rosa was leaning with one hand on the dining table her other hand to her face, a man of Hispanic descent stood near her, his short Mohawk died purple and various piercings decorated his ears, nose and mouth. He looked up as Bullock bulldozed his way out of the bedroom, the guy smiled at the sight of the man in white shorts, clearly unaccustomed to being intimidated by anyone. "Look at this fat fuck, you the great white ape of Gotham?" The smile wavered as Bullock grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall so hard that two picture frames fell and clattered on the floor.
Bullock raised his pistol and settled the barrel at the side of the guy's head, "If you're not Billy you have about five seconds left in this life to say your goodbyes." The guy nodded as best he could, the colour draining from his face as Bullocks grip on his throat closed his air passages. Bullock looked over at Rosa, who nodded wearily.
Bullock relinquished his grip and Billy took in a lung full of air, "Who the fuck are you, do you know who your messing with?" Billy said hoarsely. Bullock removed Billy's bravado by tapping the cool metal of his gun against his thick skull and Billy winced.
"I'm Rosa's guardian angel. How much does she owe you?"
"Two ninety," Billy responded.
"Liar! It's two fifty." Rosa spat back with venom.
Bullock whacked Billy on the side of the head with the pistol, not too hard but just enough to make sure Billy was paying attention, "Alright two fifty," he looked at Bullock, "You got that kind of money angel."
Bullock called for Rosa to get his wallet, when she came back she pulled it open and counted notes onto the table, "Grab the note that's in there too," Rosa pulled a crumpled piece of paper free and handed it to over. Bullock unfurled it and held it up for Billy to see. "You see this?"
Billy read the prescription he smiled a little at how dumb the guy was. Did he not know his name was printed on the top, "Sure do...Officer Bullock," Bullock bit back his rage at his stupidity, but it was too late to rewind and start over.
"Good, now can you get them for me?"
Billy's eyebrows knitted together, "Seriously, just go down the street and get them Holmes, you've got the prescription." Bullock whacked the side of his head again, "Fuck stop that, sure I can get them what makes you think I want to?"
"How much is left in my wallet?" Bullock called out to Rosa, he had withdrawn a healthy sum before getting to the apartment in case he needed to run. Rosa counted slowly then called back five hundred. "Okay, one hundred dollars says you'll get them and come back."
"One fifty says I'll get them and come back." Billy replied then winced as Bullock lifted his gun from his head. He sighed as Bullock lowered it to his side and stepped back nodding.
Once Billy had left the apartment Harvey began to get dressed. Rosa kept asking him what was going on but he failed to reply, his face was starting to itch and he was certain that he would start vomiting again soon if he did not get the drugs he needed. Now that Billy knew who he was the chances that one of Falcone's boys would hear had gone up considerably, if he came back there was a chance he would bring company. "Take what's left in my wallet and get to the train station you need to go visit your ma'."
Rosa shook her head, "Harv' you're scaring me a little, what's going on?"
"For the first time in my life I am trying to do the right thing and that is going to put you in danger, I cannot have that." He hugged Rosa close, smelling a mix of coconut shampoo and sweat beneath. "I will come for you when I'm done here okay?" She looked up at him, her eyes wet with the realization that she may never see Harvey Bullock again.

Gotham City Police Headquarters,
Jim Gordon was sat behind his desk, a mountain of paperwork on either side of the desk with a hastily made space in between. For the moment Jim was leaning back in his old wooden chair reading a short report that had been given to him only moments ago by Internal Affairs officer James Reynolds.
Reynolds was as clean cut as they came in Gotham and Jim had called in a favour from Reynolds who had once been one of Jim's best officers. He sat opposite Jim Gordon as he went through the report he had worked up for him. It was not an A.I matter but Jim had asked for Reynolds personally and he had been more than happy to do the task, seeing him cutting through Gotham Police Headquarters had turned most of the cops white with fear, if they believed A.I was involved so be it, they did not need to know that Reynolds was doing this on the side. "So what this is telling me is that we have old and very dangerous equipment out on the streets and it is in all possibility being carried by police officers."
Reynolds nodded, "I'm afraid so Jim," Not many got to call the commissioner Jim, but as far as Gordon was concerned Reynolds had earned that honor. "How long this has been going on for I cannot say but I would hazard a guess that it's been happening for years though the activity we saw in there does tell us that perhaps the last shopping spree was as recent as a month or so ago."
Jim sighed and rubbed at his temple, "The mayor is going to have my ass for this." It was only after the museum fiasco a few days ago that he had seen unauthorized equipment turning up. The officers involved in the shootout had handed in their weapons three of which were no longer service revolvers but older, powerful models. When he had gone downstairs to the storage locker and had seen the lock missing he knew straight away what he would find in there and had called on someone he trusted to investigate.
"Jim, I understand the need to keep this in house, you have my findings there is not another copy of that report anywhere." He stood up, "Do what you need to. You know my number I can be here if and when you need me."
Jim had called on the right man alright he thanked Reynolds at his office door, just as he went to leave Reynolds turned back around, "I almost forgot, I found something while I was down there, not sure if it will help but you never know." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a clear evidence bag and handed it over to Jim. "It was near some old uniforms, almost missed it," Jim held the weighty object and turned it in his hand. Inside the evidence bag sat a small pink torch. "I doubt many of your female officers carry those, so who knows, find the owner and she might be willing to squeal on a few others."
Jim found it hard to breath for a moment he knew his mouth had fallen open. He caught his thoughts and looked up at Reynolds, "Thanks, that's not a bad idea." They shook hands and Reynolds left the officer, Jim closing the door swiftly behind him. He ripped the evidence bag open and pulled the torch out. He remembered buying it a few years back, a gift to Barbara in case the power ever went out in her building and she needed some light to study by, it was a silly gift but Barbara had loved it all the same.
Barbara Gordon danced up to the front door of her father's house, she was singing away to herself full of excitement at finally moving. She had seen the landlord that afternoon during her lunch break, paid a hefty deposit and had been given the keys to her own apartment. It was nothing fancy, but it was on the top floor and near the door that led to the roof top so that would come in handy. She unlocked the front door and skipped in, "Hey Dad, you home? I got some great news." She tossed her car keys and house key into the little clay bowl she had made as a child that now sat on a table near the coats. "You can return to leading the life of a bachelor and wash your own underwear." She called out removing her coat it was only when she walked into the kitchen did her smile falter.
Her dad, Jim Gordon sat at the small dining table a cup of half-drunk coffee in front of him, he smiled up at Barbara but she could see the worried look in his eyes, she had not seen it in years and seeing it now made her stomach flip. The last time he had this look he had told her about her mother's, his wife's cancer. "What's the good news?" he said.
Barbara opened her mouth then closed it confused a little at his off kilter manner, "I just put a deposit down on an apartment in the city I move in over the weekend."
"In the city, that's a little dangerous isn't Barb'?"
"Come on dad, it's like a ten minute walk from work, it's not like I'm going to be living in the narrows, it's a nice part of town." She sat down opposite him, feeling more deflated about the move and worrying more about the look on his face. "I did my homework, the perks of being the woman in charge of the public library and works."
Jim shrugged and nodded, "Fair enough you're old enough to make the decision."
"Okay dad what's going on, you've got that look on your face and you are acting weird." She tried not to show any signs of alarm when her Dad reached into his jacket pocket and placed her torch gently on the table next to his cup. "My torch I was wondering where that had gone," she wanted to babble on but knew if she did that then he would have her fair and square in a lie she would let him do the leading for the time being.
"James Reynolds found it, you remember James don't you?" He said and Barbara nodded her brow knitting together as her hand scratched at the side of her head messing up her red hair, it was an easy tell of his Daughter that meant she was a uncomfortable. "Well he was down in the basement doing a little work for me. You see we are missing some serious bits of weapons and ammunition from the old storage locker." Barbara licked her lips and tried to look interested rather than scared. "During his sweep he found the torch near some old uniforms."
"Dad I was down there weeks ago remember?" Barbara started off with the truth it was easier that way, "I was checking the servers, I had my torch out because I couldn't get to a couple of the hard drives near the back of the room so used my torch it's not the best lit place." Now came the tough bit, she had gotten home and panicked when she looked through her handbag and discovered the torch missing, "I probably dropped it, by any chance did James find my compact while he was digging around?"
"You dropped it, in the server room?"
"Dad you've been down there, its dark, its quiet you ever worked down there? I spooked myself out even with a ton of cops sitting right above me. I probably dropped it when I was packing up, who knows who picked it up! I ran from there the moment I was done it is just too creepy down there." Jim remained quiet taking in what his daughter had told him, he could read her like a book but not this time, she had put up a wall there were truths but also lies built into the cement he was certain of it.
He had pieced a jigsaw together as he had waited for her the conclusion was absurd Barbara was not the type to be swinging across the rooftops of Gotham. He was surprised when she sighed and said, "Okay, okay enough with the silent cop treatment." She got up and walked out of the kitchen returning quickly with her handbag, she opened it up and pulled out an old police baton and what appeared to be police issued mace. "I took these, just to protect myself you know, the horror stories you used to tell me about Gotham. Then working here and walking the streets I kind of got myself worked up." She put them down firmly on the table and slid them across to her dad, "But I did not break in there, the lock was already off I peeked in saw this stuff and just....you know."
Jim rubbed his forehead then took his glasses off and rubbed vigorously at his eyes, "My god Barbara I could lose my job over this," he put the glasses back on, "You could go to jail," he reached over and pulled the baton and mace off the table. "Is that it, nothing else?" he hoped to God she did not pull out an old service revolver.
Barbara shook her head, "No that's it."
Jim let out a long breath, "Okay well thanks for coming clean on this, if you had used them my God we would have some explaining to do." Barbara smiled sheepishly back, he wanted to believe that was it but damn it her eyes kept darting this way and that, she was not letting on about something, "You sure that's it, you're not," how could he say it, "not up to anything dangerous are you?"
Barbara laughed, "The most dangerous thing right now is sitting in on the mayor's committee group next week." Gordon's eyes went wide, "Yeah apparently he thinks having your daughter on the committee might mean you are a little bit more cooperative." He laughed loudly at that and suddenly thoughts of winged avengers slipped from his mind as he pictured the Mayor trying to reason with Barbara.
Axis Chemicals, Porto Aereta,
Constance drummed his fingers on the arm rest of his chair as he stared out the window, he listened to the woman on the loud speaker prattle on about funding and machinery, "You have everything you need, yes?" He said cutting into her long winded speech. He smiled at the silence she was someone who did not like being talked over especially by him. She replied with a very stern 'yes' and Constance could picture her beautiful face twisting with rage and gritted teeth as she said it. "Good, then continue as planned I see no need in the foreseeable future for you to contact me again until I arrive." He spun on his chair and terminated the call with one manicured finger.
His Secretary Juliana was sat across from him, her cream blouse a size too small pulled taunt across her well-endowed chest, her black hair almost blindingly shiny cascaded over one shoulder. She was a secret weapon when it came to conferences the men were always too busy looking at her to realize that Constance was under cutting them. "Deals with the devil springs to mind," She said as she stood up.
Constance nodded, she was direct and he found that refreshing especially in the bedroom, she knew what she wanted and Constance was happy to give it to her, repeatedly if required. "Except this devil does not realize I am bigger devil than she is, the sooner this is at an end the better." He was not uncomfortable with the contract, in fact he had approached her with the concept, and she had an interesting way of testing products in a way that even Constance thought was a little barbaric but his buyers wanted evidence and proof, the farmers in the coastal towns had started to become savvy with regards testing so now he was being made to look elsewhere.
Constance followed Juliana out of his office, it was getting late and he needed to eat. At her desk he noticed a crumpled manila folder sitting near her computer, "That looks familiar."
Juliana briefly looked over at the folder "Bruce Wayne's proposal."
Constance groaned as he pressed the button for the lift, "I threw that away," he did not turn to look at her but stared at her fabulous figure in the mirrored doors of the elevator.
Juliana smiled, "As you do all proposal's, this one is different. You might like trying to keep your hands clean for a change."
The lift doors slid open, disappointing Constance as he narrowly missed seeing Juliana bend over, "Not interested," he said stepping into the lift.
"He makes some good points, with what's in the folder anyway, there is a lot more data on the stick might be worth looking at?" Juliana pushed her case.
"Not. Interested," Constance repeated slowly, the lift doors started to close and he suddenly pushed his hands forward making the doors retract. "Make notes, have it on my desk for the morning."
"You want me to do this now!" Juliana cried out, Constance smiled as the doors finally shut. She kicked her metal bin over and threw a pen at the now closed lift doors, swearing under her breath as she marched over to her computer and the crumpled manila folder sat next to it.
Beneath Wayne Manor,
Bruce rubbed his eyes and watched black flowers bloom on the inside of his eyelids, he had been awake for over twenty four hours now waiting for his machinery to tell him what he had collected from the museum. He got up and paced the cave, his hands ran along the work bench fingers dancing lightly over weaponry, he picked up a small batarang as he passed by and sent it on a merry dance through his fingers one way then reversing and sending it back. Back and forth it went as its owner paced back and forth.
Bruce knew he should not get emotionally attached to such a crime but my god did it sting to see Selina injured. It hurt him more when he realized how much he cared for her and maybe he had been a little too cautious on his assault. Selina had called him the following day, "I know you are friends with the Bat, if you see him, let him know that Samantha Kinkalow says thank you." He had smiled, even Selina knew not to trust mobile phones, who knew who was listening in at any time. "And Bruce, you keep safe too, this city is getting crazier." She wanted to add more, Bruce could hear the hesitation, the deep inhalation followed by "Goodbye," then the phone cutting out. There were three words he was certain she had been building up to say.
The computer terminal began to chime softly and Bruce spun away from the batmobile and walked briskly over to the terminal. The Gas Chromatography had finished its analysis and one screen was rapidly filling up with data. Bruce scanned it quickly, noting particles he had expected and eradicating them from the list, paring it down to a more manageable list. He sat down and leaned back in the chair, reading the list. He heard the lift doors behind opening and the unmistakable sound of Alfred whistling to himself, "Would you believe Harley Quinn is a bit of a botanist?" Bruce said without turning round.
"With that woman I can believe anything sir." Alfred slid a roast beef sandwich onto the terminal two pink sleeping pills sat neatly next to it.
Bruce picked up the sandwich and took a bite he chewed as his eyes scanned the list, "Oscula Nocte, amantes complectuntur. Those are extravagant plants to be seen this side of the equator."
Alfred looked at the names on the screen, "Those are plants?"
Bruce nodded, "Oscula Nocte or Midnight kiss and amantes complectuntur which is known as the Lovers embrace you see Alfred those Latin classes were not a waste after all." The trace found was small but just enough to give the computer a hit though it did not help Bruce much. Botanists were rare in Gotham there was one or two he would go to though, but what use they would be he was unsure of. He pulled up the original list, "There's a lot of trace in that dust," Bruce said to himself, "Plaster board, droppings, iron you name it it's there."
"Animal droppings would tend to lean towards somewhere abandoned," Alfred added just as a screen opposite him started to come to life.
Bruce nodded in agreement, sadly a lot of Gotham was abandoned, "The rust is fairly old, and I could do a test to gather a date, maybe narrow down the age of the building." Bruce tapped the screen then isolating the plaster board compound "Maybe the plaster is a special mix..."
Alfred had walked over to the main computer terminal all the screens were ablaze with the news all except one nearer the keyboard. This screen showed a black box, for weeks this box had been black apart from the single flashing cursor. That cursor was now whizzing down the screen, numbers and letters spreading out as it rapidly scrolled down, "Well who knew! Sir you need to see this,"
"Not now Alfred I am having too much fun reading the rich history of plaster board," Bruce looked up when Alfred failed to respond. "What is it?" Alfred laid his hand on the screen then motioned it to his left, within a millisecond the feed had jumped directly to the screen that Bruce was using. "Is that Axis?" Bruce asked and Alfred nodded dumbfounded. It had been a good idea but the egomaniac running the show in Axis had binned Master Bruce's proposal, virus and all or so it had seemed until now.
Alfred walked over, "A change of heart perhaps?" Bruce quickly tapped away and entered the main database of Axis Chemicals. "How long before you are detected?"
Bruce shrugged, "In theory I won't be, the virus acts just like a local terminal so anyone scanning around will simply see someone in the building accessing the system," Bruce darted through files and folders of the research department. "If they look close enough though they will see what's happening and cut the piggy back." He smile faltered then widened, he was under the impression he was access the entire internal database of Axis, when in fact, he was only in the local hard drive of the computer the USB stick was in. "Well I'll be," he had access to Constance's files which helpfully included the research update files.
Bruce brought up the files on the main large monitor, "These are dated a few months back and are from the lead researcher here in Gotham a Doctor Klaus Cannon" Bruce began to scan read, "Arrival of specimen intact...chemical analysis...detection of Scoplomine and additional like substances which will be classed and given names upon your approval...testing to begin once chemicals extracted." They had discovered a small grouping of unknown chemicals, which the lead researcher had gone crazy over and given them absurd names. Bruce rushed down to the next update dated a few days later, "Original batch destroyed due to contamination...new batch clean and injected into test subjects...death instantaneous dosage to be lowered,"
"Well that sounds encouraging sir."
"Okay next one is a month later, subjects docile and manageable...request phase two canine testing." Alfred gave a sharp intake of breath and looked away as an image of a dog appeared on the screen, its fur covered and matted in blood and its head oddly shaped. "Phase two testing exhibiting aggressive behavior, followed by heavy bleeding and cranium distending...autopsy report to follow and update on batch #35 to follow."
Whatever they were testing was having some serious side effects, Bruce moved past the images that followed all showing canines in the same state as the first "As requested Phase three testing engaged..." Bruce glanced over at Alfred, both surprised that the gruesome side effects seemed to have spurred them on further, "Chimpanzee's arrived and past health checks...as requested batch #35 has now been duplicated..."
"They duplicated the batch that killed the dogs?" Alfred said alarmed and disgusted.
The final report was dated one month before the plant had gone up in flames "Effects more serious, docile and open to suggestion followed by bouts of rage, full body rash, heavy blood loss and severe cranium swelling...from point of contact to death is currently four days...suggest batch #35 be destroyed and research of Oscula Nocte be discontinued." Bruce read the last line again just to make sure he had read it correctly. He popped open the results of the Gas Chromatography and saw the name near the bottom. "Ivy and Harley are working together."
"Ivy has her hands on batch #35!" Alfred held his hand to his mouth in shock, "That woman is crazier than I thought sir, she needs to be stopped."
Bruce went to the main terminal a thought had sprouted in his head, a city map opened up on the main screen. "We find Ivy we find Harley," his eyes scanned the map, "They are creatures of habit, always returning to the same haunts..." Abandoned buildings were plentiful in Gotham, rust even more so. The sample had a mix of other chemicals including chlorine and bromide which he had put aside, now he focused on them a little more. "Pamela Isley worked in Gotham didn't she? She studied advanced Biochemistry under another doctor..."
Alfred was quickly typing into a keyboard and a name flashed up within a few seconds, "Doctor Jason Woodrue, he had a small lab on the upper west side until his arrest for the murder of one of his protégés a Miss Pamela Isley."
Gotham City,
It felt good to be back on the streets again albeit high above them. But Batman felt alive again and filled with purpose as he swung from one roof top and glided effortlessly to the next one over a block away. The time for games was over and Poison Ivy was going to fall hard for her crimes, not even Arkham Asylum would take her after her job at the Chemical factory she would be lucky to see sunlight again after the courts threw the book at her. Alfred had not even tried to slow him down as Bruce ran for his suit they exchanged minimal words as he climbed into the Batmobile and shot off. Batman landed with solid thump on the last roof and walked to its ledge. Not far from where he stood a huge sign proclaimed the site as the new home for affordable apartments made possible by Wayne Enterprises.
Bruce had been down there a few months previous doing a press interview in front of the very building that he as Batman was now scoping out. With a quick flick of a switch on his arm the building flared green in night vision, he scanned slowly picking out two men near the steps to the building, one more on the roof pacing aimlessly. Another button and a moment of dizziness as the lenses zoomed in and he could see the snub nosed machine guns in their hands.
"I told you to quit," he said without turning around. She had made enough noise about a mile back as she tried to keep up with him, he had to admire the fact that she still managed to track him but also he felt uneasy at having her here at all.
"I guess I didn't get the email telling me you run the streets." Batgirl retorted a little out of breath as she approached him. "Who are the bad guys?" she asked looking over at the building.
He thought about ignoring her then said, "They look like Joker's men, but Joker is not in that building."
"Harley Quinn?" Batgirl asked and he nodded. "You got heat vision in there," she asked him and he nodded again hitting another button.
The men stood out against the cold street and he found himself squinting as he scanned up the building, the middle floor was an intense mix of red, yellows and white. "Third floor, there is a massive heat signature, either a party or a lot of equipment working overtime."
"Then we go in through the roof, work our way down."
"There is no we! Go home." Batman stood up his lenses returning to normal letting his eyes adjust to the darkness around him as he worked through how he was getting into the building. He felt the girl move closer to him an act of defiance to show that she was not scared of him. Batman turned around looking down on the young pretender, "People get hurt, I get hurt if this is some sort of thrill seeking adventure for you then you need to exit right now."
Batgirl shook her head, she had felt her cheeks blushing when he mentioned thrill seeking, but she had that under control now, now she was here to help people and to make up for the fiasco at the museum, "I am not going anywhere, you need my help, besides," She took a few steps back and lifted her makeshift cape and twirled around, "No more smoke bombs," she was pleased to see a slight wrinkle at the corner of the Bats mouth, "I can handle myself, you know that. But I am no Batman, not yet anyway."
Batman was impressed by her little speech and thankful she had gotten rid of her arsenal, perhaps there was hope for her yet. Batman groaned, "You follow my lead, you do as I say," she opened her mouth to say something and he lifted one black gloved hand and halted her, "no arguments." Before he turned back to the old building he reached into his belt unhooking a small mask and unclipping a couple of small capsules. He handed them over, "wear this mask at all times. There are going to be chemicals in there that are highly dangerous." He was glad to see her take the mask and briskly put it on, then she delicately took the capsules, "smoke bombs, just in case you feel the overwhelming urge to throw something."
She smiled behind the mask, the tangy metal taste in the respirator a little cloying but already she was getting used to it. "You always carry a spare or were you expecting me?" He stared at her, deep brooding eyes boring into her, no other reply came he simply turned around and shot his grapple gun at the closest building and flew.
Batgirl was impressed watching the Batman work up close, they had swung onto the roof and he had taken the guard out with a choke hold, the guard hardly wheezing and what sound escaped him was snatched up by the wind. She watched Batman's feet, how he moved silently without even trying. Though covered in body armour she could make out the bulk of the man beneath, she found herself wanting to know what that body felt like and scolded herself for thinking those thoughts.
Batgirl followed his exact path, though her feet crunched a little louder on the grit and dirt of the rooftop he did not tell her off. When she reached the rooftop door he had already worked the lock open with a tiny lock pick. His mouth was now covered by a ridged flat mask. She had not seen him put it on so it must have been built into the mask 'I really need to see if he will let me have one of those.' She thought giddily. The thrill of the battle ahead was building in her as was the terrifying feeling that beyond this door something nasty waited perhaps a whole bunch of nasty's and she would find herself outnumbered and in trouble...only that made her adrenaline pump even faster.
The door opened with a horrible squeak and both of them tensed up and remained still, after almost a minute of no activity Batman moved forward, a fluid motion as if he were nothing more than a shadow when Batgirl followed she felt clumsier than ever before. 'How is he doing that?' she asked herself watching him almost float down the stairway as she moved as swiftly as possible behind him. He crouched down when they reached a turn in the corridor, there were three more floors to traverse down and the quickest way was the main stairwell at the end of the corridor.
Batman peered round the corner most of the lights had blown giving him, giving them the cover of darkness that was best for them. Not one guard or goon was visible, even a quick switch to night vision revealed an empty corridor. A small alarm went off in his head, a sense of unease crept into his being at the total lack of people. He turned the corner and moved at a brisk pace down towards the red door at the end of the corridor, he kept the left hand wall against his shoulder leaving the middle of the corridor totally clear, a quick glance and he was impressed to find that Batgirl had pinned herself to the right hand wall.
The door to the Laboratory of Doctor Jason Woodrue hung loosely on one hinge. Years of accumulated debris had recently been disturbed and pushed to either side of the doorway, though dirt and dust was already gathering where it had been cleared. Batman hit a switch and his gas mask slid silently up, "There's no one here." He heard Batgirl take a gulped of air as she removed her own mask. He stepped into the laboratory and stood still letting his head move from left to right his eyes taking in every detail. Someone had been here, there were clean spots here and there on the work surfaces, one bulb bare in its holding was dust free so had been placed in there recently. He looked down noticing a mix of foot prints, different sizes and different wear and tear nothing of use.
"You see those vines?" Batgirl whispered and pointed to the smashed windows. Batman nodded, the tips of the vines were partially outside, thin tendrils that gathered rapidly in thickness as they headed to the floorboards and then disappeared beneath fallen plaster, brickwork and other debris.
"Ivy's handwork no doubt," It atleast gave him some indication he was on the right path, but did she know he would be coming here, perhaps so, Ivy was clever, more so than Harley Quinn and after the botched museum job she may have felt compelled to move. Batman stepped further into the room now, moving slowly around the work benches heading towards a blackboard that had been hastily scrubbed clean.
Batgirl shivered, the feeling of being watched had hit her the moment they had walked through the door into the laboratory. The vines made her uneasy too, they moved and she had first put it down to the wind, but somehow that did not seem right to her. Her eyes flicked this way and that, on one work table she could see two handprints near the edge of the table, more dust had been wiped and spread, two marks were visible and Batgirl got the feeling she was perhaps looking at the prints of someone's breasts.
Batman worked quickly, he took a still image of the board then worked through filters, he could see numbers, letters, equations spanning off of others though now too faint. His lens filters worked together and gradually the board came into focus. Batch #35 had been here, in this very lab and Ivy had gone to work trying to replicate and improve it. "Something's not right here, can you feel it?" Batgirl said almost right behind him, she had moved quietly and it had even startled Batman. The shock of her being so close brought him out of his deep and troubling thoughts, he had started to see the end of the equation and the start of something quiet worrying the ability to condense and put Batch #35 into an aerosol. "Didn't you say there was a massive heat source here?"
That made Batman spin around, his eyes shot this way and that and he stepped defensively in front of Batgirl. He had seen the blackboard and instantly went to it, ignoring all the signs of a laid trap. His eyes flicked to the windows at the sound of falling glass, one green tendril had come away from the window and had slithered further up the wall coiling around the wooden beams above. Batman flicked a switch on his wrist and his heat vision kicked in.
The floor they were stood on was blinding with heat, the tendrils they could see led down beneath the floor, to a room below a room that was a rainbow mix of heat. Tendrils spread across the walls below and in the centre a huge egg shaped plant that now began to split open. "We need to move," He began to move quickly off his eyes firmly fixed on the door. The floor erupted after his first four steps.
Batgirl fell to the ground she had seen Batman start to move when the floor exploded and a mass of green spewed out. The ground beneath her feet gave way and had sent her tumbling, she registered a thick tendril appearing where she had stood only moments ago twisting and writhing in the air before smashing down and tearing the blackboard in half. One leg went numb and she looked down to find a tendril had wrapped viscously around her just below the knee, she jerked her leg hoping to break free with little success, she let out a scream as she was lifted into the air more tendrils moved over her, caressing her finding arms, legs and waist and tightening.
If he had not fired his grapple gun Batman would have fallen straight into the waiting mouth of the monstrous plant beneath him. He remained aloft for only a few seconds, watching the thick green, brown and sticky creepers of what appeared to be part Venus fly trap and part Cape Sundew. The mouth opened and closed with a horrible snap as its tendrils frantically hunted its prey. Batman landed on one work top just as the ground beneath it gave way and it fell with heavy thud into the room below he somersaulted over to the next just as the beams holding up the ceiling were ripped loose.
He heard Batgirl scream just as the roof gave way and the room filled with a cough inducing mix of debris and blinding dust. The remaining floor of the laboratory groaned and rumbled and Batman watched fascinated as the mutated giant plant began to pull itself up into the room. His grapple gun fired blindly and he swung through the air, one tendril swung down and with one hand Batman deftly let fly two Batarangs, both landing with a dull thud into the tendril, it curled in on itself and recoiled backwards.
Batgirl was trying to scream, her eyes wide behind her mask as the plant pulled itself into the laboratory, her breathing was labored as one tendril tightened around her throat while another prodded at her mouth slipping into her parted lips making her gag as the sticky warm mass probed her mouth. Her eyes dropped as her lungs screamed for air, she saw a black figure swopping through the dust filled air as she finally blacked out.
Batman saw her body go limp, watched as the tendrils tightened their grip and start to pull in opposite directions. With a flick of his wrist and a squeeze of his palm the side of one armored arm slid open and a titanium circular saw neatly popped free, spinning with high pitched whine. He aimed for the green limb around her neck getting grim satisfaction as the saw cut through with ease, he could feel the plant tremble behind him as the wound was felt. Batman wasted no time and cut away freeing her arms then legs and finally her waist, catching her limp body as it fell free.
Each cut had brought consecutive tremors from the body of the plant and it now turned every tendril onto catching the Bat. Batman looked up seeing the clear night sky above and fired the Grapple gun skywards. Tendrils, sticky and hot found him but with Batgirl slung over his shoulder the best her could do was kick and stamp. Batman felt his right arm jerk as the grapple gun kicked in, his shoulder threatening to dislocate as he was suddenly pulled upwards.
His body bounced off exposed beams and concrete struts as he struggled to hold the lifeless body of Batgirl on his shoulder while his other hand was curled in a death grip around the handle of the grapple gun. He had looked down horrified to see that the plant had started to give chase, pulling itself from the laboratory to the floor above and continuing up in a flurry of angry green creepers that pulled its body upwards or swung out in an attempt to capture the Bat with their sticky surface.
The grapple gun came to an end a foot below a window pane free skylight, he dangled helplessly unable to swing up any further to find a handhold to which he pull them up and free. He felt the thick, hard mass of one tendril brush across his feet he looked down and saw that within another few seconds he would be in easy reach. If things could not get any worse when he looked up to see the night sky for perhaps the last time a figure stood over the skylight blocking the view moonlight highlighting the smooth sleek surface of the gun that was pointed right at him.
- 3
- 4
- 5
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Batman: Downfall