This is the finale of my story 'Batman 6:Knightfall'
You can find part one here, it also has links ot all of my other Batman stories:
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/ChroniclesofMoeniaArcis/news/?a=8789
There is also a casting video at the end of the story, it is not as long as it looks, there are a lot of pictures in it.
Please let me know what you think, enjoy
Part 2
Gordon and his men arrived a short time later and found murder weapons from the killings, Gordon was looking through a drawer, he turned to see Batman and Robin standing behind him “I don’t get it, Strange always seemed so stable, I could never see him doing this.” Batman nodded as he picked up a scalpel in an evidence bag “I had a hard time believing it as well, but it appears that he is.” Batman picked up a picture of Strange and a woman from his younger days “His wife.” Batman grunted as he handed to picture to Gordon “Huh, I had no idea he was married.” He said as he put the picture back on the shelf while Batman continued “She was a nurse at the hospital in Metropolis where Strange did his residency, they met and soon married. They found out she was pregnant, but one day one of Strange’s patients overpowered him and attempted to escape, he killed Strange’s wife.” Robin waved Batman over “Hey look at this, some sort of battery powered speaker.” He said holding up a small object about the size of a dice, Batman turned the object over in his hands “hmm. Wireless, this is custom made, probably untraceable, but the components may not be. Where did you find this?” Robin pointed to a lamp “It was attached to the base of the lamp.” Gordon looked at the device before returning it to Batman “You guys better get going, the rest of my team is on its way here. If we find anything else, I’ll call you.”
Bruce sat before his computer looking at a scan of the cube, he activated a recording device “A small device that incorporates a miniature microphone and speaker, that can reach the level of a loud whisper. It is activated by a radio frequency that is untraceable. I am running a search on each individual component.” Bruce clicked the recorder and typed in a few keys on his computer and pulled up a picture of Vesper, he whispered softly “I promise, I will find who did it, I just need to solve this one case.”
Alfred stood in the kitchen looking out the window at the dawn, he turned to see Dick walking up “Ah Master Richard, I trust your date went well?” Dick grabbed a glass and poured some juice “Yeah, we had a great time, and then I got to go out with Batman all night, and not get back till a few minutes ago.” Alfred chuckled “Well, you knew what you where getting into when you asked to be his partner.” Alfred took on a more serious tone “Is he doing better?” Dick shook his head “No. I honestly think he is getting worse, when I left him he was staring at Vesper’s picture on the screen, talking to himself. I swear with all of this crap he is under, blamed for your fiancé’s death, having to report to a doctor that figured out your secret, and he ends up being nuts and a killer. Now there is this new guy Bane, and Bruce doesn’t even seem to care about him. Hell! He must be preoccupied if he doesn’t notice that!” Dick said pointing to the TV, which was showing a headline that another woman was saved by Catwoman the night before. Alfred shook his head “Master Bruce is not well, he has placed himself under so much strain lately, I haven’t seen him sleep in several weeks, he hardly ever comes out of his cave. But we must remember that he is frustrated that he can’t find any evidence as to Miss Fairchild’s killer, so he is burying his frustrations in this case. And he knows about Miss Kyle being back in action, in fact he is meeting her for lunch.” Dick looked at the TV “Still, I’d feel better if we had someone look into this Bane guy, and I may know two people that could help."
Lucius Fox looked up from his desk as Dick and Jean Paul walked into his office “Hello Mr. Fox, this is a friend of mine, Jean Paul Valley, Jean Paul this is Mr. Lucius Fox.” Fox gestured for the two of them to sit “Well what can I do for you?” Dick cleared his throat “Well, I am here because I’m worried about Bruce. He is overstretching himself, Batman can’t handle the strain, it’s too much for him, and now there is a new guy in town, this guy was so strong he broke both of Killer Croc’s arms and threw him through a window, I mean even Bruce had trouble with Croc’s strength.” Lucius looked form Dick to Jean Paul in wide eyed alarm, Dick looked at him for a moment Oh don’t worry, Jean Paul knows, he has seen Bane and is the only person besides Croc and Selina Kyle that have seen Bane.” Lucius looked at them “Bane? Does he know how to talk?” Lucius indicated Jean Paul “Of course, Jean Paul tell Lucius your impression of Bane.” Jean Paul straitened “He was about 6’8”, extremely muscular, he wore a mask that had a tube running from the back to a device on his arm, and had a Spanish accent, possibly Honduran.” Lucius looked at them “So we are looking for a 6’8” Honduran… wrestler? Well it shouldn’t be too hard.” Jean Paul stood and shook Lucius’ hand “I willing to work with you on the matter, I don’t really have anything better to do anyway.” Jean Paul said with a smile.
Bruce sat in a restaurant, almost dozing when he felt someone pat him on his shoulder, he nearly jumped in the air, only to see that it was Selina “Wow, your more exhausted than Alfred said if little ole me was able to sneak up on you.” Bruce smiled “Well things have been busy lately, I see that you have been doing some things as well.” Selina shrugged “Who’s to say that it’s me? Maybe it’s just concerned citizen trying to make a difference, like Batman.” Bruce smiled “You know for a master thief, you are a terrible liar.” Selina nodded “I know! It’s the eyes, that’s why I wore the mask.” “Selina…I know I can’t order you around, but please be careful.” They were silent for a moment before Bruce lightened up “But that isn’t the only reason I wanted to talk to you today. The annual Wayne Foundation Halloween Ball is coming up, and I was wondering if you would like to be my date. It’s a costume ball.” Selina smiled “That’s sweet Bruce, but do you really think it’s wise to be associating with a felon, while you are in the middle of a murder investigation?” Bruce smiled sadly “Selina, at this point I really could care less.” Selina smiled coyly “A costume party? I have the perfect outfit all picked out, what do you say Bruce, shall we dress to match?” “You know Selina, somehow that doesn’t seem like such a good idea, me in a Batman costume and the Catwoman at my side.”They laughed lightly.
October 13:
Lucius Fox sat with Jean Paul at his side in his office, reviewing computer files
“Okay these are the files on almost every known South American mercenary available, and if INTERPOL finds out, we’re both going away for a long time.”
Batman and Robin were in the middle of breaking up a robbery on the docks, since the deaths of the crime lords, the few remaining bosses had started a rush for the others territories. But most of the deceased mobster’s holdings had gone to two men, one man was so fearsome that no one they interrogated would even reveal his name, the other man’s name was unknown. Robin leapt over one thug and planted a side kick in the face of another before using that man’s weight to spin off of him and drop on top of another thug, he looked over to see Batman already tying up the men, he looked at Robin “You’re getting better, that windmill kick was flawless.” Robin and Batman made their way back to the Batmobile, they rode back towards Gotham when Robin spoke up “I think Bane is one of the guys grabbing up the territory.” Batman nodded “That is possible, but unlikely. Bane is most likely working for someone else, he is a mercenary plain and simple, nothing more. But I could be wrong, and if I am.” Batman didn’t finish his statement as they rode in silence.
An unmasked Bane walked into the ruins of a large building, smoke charred debris was everywhere, he walked out into the middle of the a cracked chamber, the moonlight shone over his shoulder, he raised his hands to his unmasked mouth and shouts
“I know you are here, I have come to offer a bargain!” Bane stands there until a mechanical voice answers him “What kind of offer could you possibly make me?” Bane smiled “I know your identity, and your purpose. You seek to kill the Batman, but we both know that he will stop you, but I can help you break him, for a price.” The voice cracked the air around him “I assume you wish to know his identity.” Bane snorted “No, his identity will come to me when I am ready to face him, not before, it is something to be earned. No what I want from you is something much simpler.”
A man in a long trench coat walked into a restaurant, he wore dark glasses and followed a Seeing Eye dog into the restaurant, he stood in the room before pulling a gun out of his pocket and shooting the dog. Everyone in the restaurant stopped in disbelief and looked at the man who raised the gun over his head “Alright! I want everyone to leave now, except for thirteen men.” Hugo Strange motioned for thirteen men to stay while the others left, he ordered them to get behind a bar, when he heard sirens and saw lights flashing behind him, he pulled a shotgun out from under his coat and stood ready “Come on Bruce.” He whispered silently.
Gordon had his men set up a perimeter up around the restaurant. The restaurant was located on the bottom two floors of a ten story building, a large crane hung out from the roof of the building. Commissioner Gordon picked up a megaphone “Hugo Strange, this is Commissioner Gordon, let the people go and come out nice and easy!” Hugo shouted out from the building “Not until HE gets here.” Strange said as he fired a shotgun blast. Bulloch looked at Gordon “So what now Commish?” Gordon sighed “we wait.” Bulloch looked around for a minute “Awe shit! Where the Hell is Montoya?”
Renee Montoya had snuck around behind the restaurant and found the unlocked service entrance, she quietly made her way to the second floor of the restaurant. She saw that there was a balcony overlooking the lower part of the restaurant, she quietly crawled to it and looked out at the level below her, she saw Strange pacing back and forth with a gun held on his hostages, muttering to himself “I know this isn’t in the plan… I can’t stand it anymore… I’ll end this one way or another!” ‘Oh shit.” Montoya muttered as she crawled back towards the kitchen, she pulled out her radio “Commissioner, Montoya. It looks bad, Strange is talking to himself, he says it’s going to end one way or the other.” Gordon’s voice crackled over the radio “Good work Montoya, now get out of there, before it gets ugly.” Montoya made her way towards the exit silently, when she opened the door to the service area, she was startled by Batman and Robin, the motioned for her to be silent as they made their way past her.
Batman took the lower floor and motioned for Robin to take the second. Batman quietly went around the bar and saw Hugo Strange holding a shotgun on a man, Strange smiled when he saw Batman “hello my friend, I think we need to take a little walk, I have three bricks of C4 strapped to each of these men, and a timer on each. How about you and I go up to the roof, while your kid deactivates my bombs. If you don’t I’ll kill them all.” Strange said as he pulled a detonator out from his pocket and slowly made his way to the stairwell. Batman turned and saw Robin drop down behind him and rush to the first hostage, Batman sighed and made his way cautiously up the stairwell. Batman walked out onto the roof to see Strange over by the edge bent over sobbing, Batman saw the guns thrown down near the door, he quietly approached Strange “Bruce, what have I done? I never wanted to hurt anyone, I don’t even remember it, any of it! But I remember the voice, his voice! I’m a monster, I should’ve been locked up where he lays. It’s over Bruce, I must accept what I’ve become.” Strange stood up with his back towards Batman, he pulled something over his head, and took off his coat. He turned towards Batman revealing that he was wearing a Batman costume, and he had a chain wrapped around his neck. Batman stepped forward, as Strange laughed nervously and backed up “Strange. Strange. STRANGE!” Batman yelled rushing to Strange, just as he stepped off of the roof, the chain drug along the roof until it stopped with a sickening thug. Batman looked over the edge to see Strange’s form hanging from the chain, spinning slowly over the flashing lights below.
Batman heard Robin’s voice crackle over their radio “Hey, I checked all of the hostages, and the C4 is just clay, he was bluffing. How goes things on your end?” Batman was silent and looked at the form below.
Gordon sighed as Strange’s body was loaded into an ambulance, which pulled away with the siren off “Great, just great. What now?” He said aloud, Batman stood in the alleyway behind him, Batman responded in his gruff voice “He didn’t kill anyone this time, he said he didn’t want to hurt anyone, he never did. He kept referring to this ‘voice’. I have will look into this more, something doesn’t add up.” Gordon sighed “well, at least you don’t have paperwork.” He turned around to see that he was talking to nothing.
Bruce walked towards his bedroom, still in his suit, minus the cowl, he sat on his bed and pulled his gloves off just as his phone that connected him to Gordon lit up from its place on his belt, he pulled it open “Gordon.” He said into it, but the voice that answered him wasn’t that of Jim Gordon, but of someone else, someone familiar “Hello Bruce.” Bruce gasped “Riddler!”
Riddler laughed “Surprised to hear from me Bruce?”
Bruce swallowed “Not really, I had suspected as much, but it is surprising that you were able to tap into this line.” Riddler laughed “It was quite easy actually, oh and don’t try to track this back to me, it will just go to some girl named Anita Ewe. Odd name, wouldn’t you agree? …I may have her die for such a name.” Bruce walked out into the cave “What do you want Nigma?” Riddler laughed “What does any of us want? What does Hamlet wish, or crafty Oberon, or the mighty Titans themselves, what do you want?” Bruce thought for a moment “I want justice, but what you are referring to is vengeance.”
“Are they really so different Bruce? Or is it all in the eye of the beholder? What is vengeance to you is justice to me, what is justice to you may be folly to me, or is it the other way around… No matter.” Bruce sat at his computer and docked the phone so he didn’t have to hold it, he began to trace the phone number. Riddler’s voice grew dark “I told you not to trace this number, and for your disobedience poor little Anita Ewe, just died…NOW!” Riddler said laughing, Bruce quit his search for Riddler’s location, Riddler stopped laughing “I’m glad to see that you stopped, I’d hate to kill someone else for no reason. I’ll tell you what Bruce, we’re going to play a little game, I will give you until Halloween to find me, without me killing or hurting anyone, but if you can’t find me before Halloween, I will begin my attacks on the city. After that time, I will give you some basic rules that you must follow. One, you will not be able to sleep more than one hour a day, any more and I will do something, I don’t know…blow up a school or something. Two, you will focus on my case alone, if I catch you or your little charge investigating anything else, I’ll kill someone. That’s all.” Bruce shook his head “You’re crazy, and I will stop you.” Riddler sighed “Perhaps, perhaps not, I look forward to our little game Bruce…see you soon.” The Riddler hung up on Bruce who sat there in the darkness.
It was early the next morning, Holly was getting out of the shower when she heard a knock on the door, she wrapped the towel around herself and opened the door, only to see officers Bulloch and Montoya in her doorway “Uh, something I can do for you officers?” Holly said as they entered the room, Bulloch eyed Holly suspiciously “Yeah, we’re looking for your roommate Selina Kyle, you seen her, or are ya hindin her?”Holly looked at him surprised and motioned to her having a towel around herself “Where would I be hiding her?” Montoya chuckled lightly “Sorry Miss Robinson, we have reason to believe that Ms. Kyle has resumed her activities as the criminal known as Catwoman. DO you have any information regarding this? Or do you know where Miss Kyle is?” Holly shrugged, almost dropping her towel “Sorry officers, but I haven’t seen her this morning, she sometimes goes for a jog in the mornings, but I can tell you right now that she isn’t dressing up as Catwoman anymore.” The officers thanked her and left, she leaned against the door and sighed before opening her bedroom door to reveal Selina, still in her costume sighing in relief “Thanks Holly, I owe you. And quick thinking with the towel.”
Dick Grayson walked down the campus sidewalk until he heard a voice from behind him “Hey Grayson!” He turned to see Jean Paul walking up on him “Hey man how goes the search?” Jean Paul shook his head “We’re still looking but Lucius wanted me to tell you that you’re Halloween costumes are ready? What’s he talking about?” Dick smiled “Oh nothing, just a little surprise for Barbara when we go to Bruce’s Halloween party. You coming?” Jean Paul shrugged “Nah, those things aren’t my style, I may just bum around town.”
That night Batman met with Gordon atop of GCPD headquarters
“So Riddler was behind it all, he probably used our communicator to listen to our conversations, and now he wants you to devote your attentions to finding him full time. What possible motive could he have?” Batman shook his head “It is possible that the electrical charge I defeated him with amplified his natural Narcissistic tendencies to the point where he is consumed by the need to be the center of someone’s attention.” Gordon sighed “Why can’t these guys ever go to Metropolis, let those police deal with em.” Gordon turned to see that he was alone.
Halloween:
Bruce sat in the cave looking at the computer screen, it showed various images of criminals that had ties to Riddler “None of these leads have paid off Alfred.” Bruce said as his butler approached him from behind “Mr. Bruce, you must be getting ready for the charity benefit, Master Richard and miss Gordon are already there, Miss Kyle is nearly here as well. You do have a costume, don’t you?” Bruce nodded wearily “I can’t believe that I couldn’t find one lead that connected Nigma with…anything.” Alfred walked with Bruce up to his room.
Alfred let Selina into the mansion
“Ah Miss Kyle a pleasure to see you, and in your Catwoman costume, I’m sure Master Bruce will be thrilled.” Selina laughed “Oh Alfred, you’re a terrible liar, I know just how Bruce will feel. Truth be told I’m hoping that wearing this will get at least some emotion out of him, he seems so distant lately.” Alfred nodded in agreement as Bruce descended the stairs dressed in a grey suit and a dark grey cape, with a black hat and goggles. Selina chuckled “Oh, I was hoping we’d dress to match. So who are you supposed to be?” Bruce spread his cape dramatically “It’s the Grey Ghost. An old TV character from when I was a kid, he was one of the things that inspired me to become a vigilante by night.” Selina smiled and kissed Bruce as they walked to the car and said goodbye to Alfred.
Jean Paul stood on a rooftop in his Azrael costume looking out over the city below him “So this is what it’s like for him.” Azrael murmured to himself as he pulled out a grapple Dick had given him and jumped from the rooftop. He fell through the air before shooting his grapple at a nearby ledge and swung towards the side of Wayne Tower, he silently climbed up to the roof and made his way to Lucius Fox’s office.
Bane stood over a bloody man “Now we have an agreement. You will be able to keep your holdings, as long as you pay tribute to me. Tell your men they serve me as well. Now I have but a handful of the lower bosses and Gotham will be mine.” Bane motioned for two men behind him to follow him as he left the room and entered an elevator. Bane and his two men walked out onto the street below and went to their car, as they did a young child ran into Bane’s leg. One of Bane’s men looked down in disgust and prepared to strike the child, but Bane grasped his hand, which made a cracking noise “Don’t strike children.” Bane said firmly as he smiled down at the costumed kid, who ran down the street after several other children. As Bane and his men drove off Bane’s voice was heard narrating:
[“Children are naturally innocent, and should justly remain so.”] Lucius Fox sat in his office reviewing files labeled ‘Santa Prisca’ “Oh my god…” he muttered as Bane’s voice continued [“I lost my childhood, it was stolen from me, like the many lives I have stolen from others. I was born in a Hell, in a forgotten country called Santa Prisca. I often wonder what I would have been like if I had been born somewhere else. I was born with no name but that which I earned Bane, the end of all things, and that is what I am to this God forsaken city. The end.”] Lucius looked up at Jean Paul as he removed his mask “I’ve found him! We need to get to Bruce and Dick fast, they need to know what they are dealing with. Jean Paul, we have to get to that party, fast.”
Bruce and Selina mingled with the guests at the party, many of them were wearing interesting costumes, Bruce was disappointed to note that many of Batman’s enemies were popular costume choices, he was actually shocked when he opened the elevator doors to see two Joker’s and a Catwoman waiting for him.
All of the people gave Selina some distance, especially the half dozen other women in Catwoman costumes, Selina chuckled and whispered to Bruce “I wonder if I can get the merchandising rights for those.” Bruce smiled and shook his head until he saw Dick’s costume, he was in a very realistic Batman costume, while Barbara was at his side in a female Batman costume, Bruce asked Barbara if he and Dick could speak in private
“Dick, you look good in that suit, it suits you.” Dick smiled “Yeah, well I don’t plan on wearing it again anytime soon. How are you holding up?” Bruce shrugged “I’m worried the deadlines up, I jump every time I see someone in a Riddler costume.” Dick smiled “Well, there are a half dozen Riddlers here, so watch out.” Dick went over to speak to Barbara, while Bruce and Selina greeted other guests. One Riddler with a bowler hat, a domino mask and a cane smiled as he walked towards Bruce and Selina, he waited till they were alone and walked up to them “Hello Bruce, lovely party, much better than the last one I visited.” Bruce’s blood froze “Edward.” Selina looked at the Riddler a moment before a scowl came to her face “Riddler. You’ve got a lot of nerve showing your face. When I get done with you, you bastard.” Riddler laughed “My dear, dear Catwoman, I don’t think that would be wise. For you see: Where do you go after school but continue to learn?” Bruce stopped Selina “What are you going to do to a college?” Riddler shrugged “Maybe nothing, if I’m allowed to leave you have thirty minutes to evacuate one of the two colleges in Gotham, but if I’m not allowed to leave in five minutes, it will explode anyway. Goodbye Mister Wayne, miss Kyle.” Riddler said as he walked to the exit. Bruce rushed over and grabbed Dick, he told him what had happened and made his way to the back exit. As he did the main elevator doors opened the Riddler and several armed men rushed out of the elevator. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this is a robbery. We’ll try to keep this civil, after all it is my first comeback performance.”
Riddler’s men went around the room, jostling the patrons until they yielded their wallets and jewelry, Riddler walked up to Bruce’s butler Alfred “Alright Alfred right? Well Alfred where is that little sack of money for the charity?” Alfred refused, and Riddler hit him in the back of the head with his cane, Alfred dropped to the floor and Riddler pulled out a knife and held it to Alfred’s throat “Alright Wayne, where is the sack of cash? Tell me or else the Butler gets it.” Bruce was trying to make his way towards the back exit, but was stopped when all eyes in the room turned on him. Bruce reluctantly pointed to a cabinet which contained the donations. Riddler went to the cabinet and held his arm out to open it when a whip wrapped around it, he turned to see Catwoman standing by him, he looked from her to a surprised Selina who stood by Bruce “Well well well. Look what the cat drug in, my dear Miss Kyle, I didn’t know you had a protégé.” Riddler said as he slashed the whip with his knife freeing himself as his men opened fire on the new Catwoman. She did a series of back flips until she came to a large stone bar which she jumped behind. Bruce looked at an armed man that neared him and Selina, he swept his legs out, taking the man down, while Selina roundhouse kicked him in the jaw. Dick was about to act when Barbara kneed a man guarding them in the groin, she then kicked him in the face, and he fell to the ground, she then jabbed another man in the jaw. Dick looked at her in surprise she smiled coyly “Eight years of Tai quon Do.” Suddenly the fake Catwoman leaped over the bar and kicked two men in the face, she rolled across the floor taking out another gun mans legs, his shots went wild into the air. She jumped to her feet and watched as the Riddler held Alfred at gunpoint and began walking backwards to the elevator, the doors opened and he drug Alfred into it.
The fake Catwoman rushed to the stairs followed by Bruce and Selina. The new Catwoman jumped over the railing and fell several stories down the stairwell, she was near the fourth floor when she snagged a railing with her whip, stopping her descent , she dropped down to the bottom floor and rushed through the doorway. Bruce and Selina rushed down the stairs, Bruce shouted out to Selina “Whoever she is, she’s good.” Selina nodded as they vaulted railings. They finally reached the bottom floor to see Catwoman attacking several armed men, Selina did a somersault in midair and took down one man, while Bruce tackled another. Bruce rushed out into the street to see Riddler throw Alfred from his car as he sped away, just as he turned the corner several police cars came from around the other way and stopped in front of the building. Bulloch rushed from his car and tackled the masked Bruce, as the two Catwomen rushed from inside the building, Selina pulled off her mask and rushed over to pull Bulloch off of Bruce, while the other Catwoman jumped over a police car and disappeared into an alley. Montoya handcuffed Selina while Bulloch removed Bruce’s grey Ghost mask, he held his hand over his face
“Awe shit! Montoya, I just tackled Bruce Wayne.” Montoya looked from Bulloch to where the other Catwoman had fled, she then took the off of Selina.
Bulloch helped Bruce to his feet, as did the ground was rocked by a huge explosion, the turned their heads east to see flames and smoke rise up in the distance, Bulloch took his hat off “What the Hell was that?” Bruce closed his eyes “The Riddler just blew up Gotham State.”
Bruce, Dick, Alfred, Lucius, and Jean Paul went to Wayne Manor and stood in the Batcave while Lucius pulled up Bane’s file up on the computer, Lucius stood before them talking “Alright, I have been doing some research on Bane, and here is what I found. He was born in a prison in Santa Prisca, he was placed there to pay for the crimes of his father. Bane earned his name because when he was eight he killed a thirty year old inmate that was roughing him up, with a knife. Bane grew up, he was educated by a missionary, and trained to fight by some of the inmates. When he grew up he led a prison revolt, he single handedly killed seventeen guards, and the warden. He was finally stopped, the government decided to test a steroid on him that had killed all of the other subjects. It was called Venom, Bane survived the test and killed his guards, and memorized the Venom formula before killing the doctors and destroying the files. He then destroyed the prison and unleashed all the prisoners. Since then Bane became a mercenary and was seen all over the world in different countries, leaving death and destruction in his wake.” Bruce rubbed his chin thoughtfully “And now he is in Gotham. First Strange, now Riddler and Bane and a new Catwoman.” Before Bruce could say anything else the communicator buzzed, everyone in the cave looked to Bruce as he hooked it up to the computer and answered it “Hello Bruce, I hope your guests enjoyed the entertainment I provided, and the fireworks.” Bruce clenched his fist “I don’t know what your angle is Riddler but I’ll stop you.” Riddler laughed “I’m counting on it. In fact that is all I want you to do. I don’t want you to sleep, investigate any crimes, or attend to any charity and business functions until I’m caught. And if you catch me, I’ll give you the one thing you want most, I will tell you who killed Vesper Fairchild.” Bruce froze up at that instant, that was what he had been searching for for so long. “What do you want me to do?” Riddler laughed “What makes up the universe, the poor and rich want it, but no one has it?” Bruce thought for a moment “Everything.” Riddler clapped “Exactly. I want you to do everything I say, and here it goes. You and your boy can’t work on any other cases, if you do I kill someone, I will call you randomly throughout the day, if you don’t answer after the first two rings, either because of work or sleep, I’ll do something, like blow up a building. You have much to do, so I will leave you to it, But before I go, I will leave you one clue.”
“What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps? Goodnight Bruce.” Riddler hung up, “A river” Bruce said aloud as he sat down and looked at the people in the room, he was silent for a moment before a thought hit him “Riddler was thrown off by the appearance of the other Catwoman… would everyone leave, I’d like to speak to Jean Paul in private.” The others silently exited the cave leaving Bruce and Jean Paul alone.
Commissioner Gordon stood out in front of the burning remains of GSU, not a single building on campus had been spared, Gordon heard someone shout his name, her turned and saw Barbara, he ran to her and hugged her tightly “Oh Barbara I was so worried about you, I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there with this going on.” Barbara smiled “its okay dad, Dick walked me home, and I asked Ron to watch the kids, and I came here, because I knew you’d be worrying until you saw me yourself.” Gordon held her tightly “I was so worried, I couldn’t stand losing her and you too sweetie. You’re the thing that holds me together, just like your mother.” Barbara hugged her father as a large building collapsed “Well, it looks like we’ll be spending more time together, my dorm just collapsed and I need a place to live. It will be alright dad, you’ll catch him, I know you will.”
Selina entered her apartment after spending hours explaining to the police what had happened and how she had no part in it. She opened the door to see the other Catwoman climb into her window.
Selina quickly jumped over the furniture and rolled into the imposter, who cried “Jesus Selina, it’s just me!” Holly said as she snatched off her cowl. Selina threw her friend off of her “What the Hell are you doing Holly?” Holly smiled shyly “Well you told me that your boyfriend had invited me to his party as well, so I grabbed one of your extra costumes and decided to join the party, I walked in on the Riddler and I saw the prefect chance to clear your name, because everyone saw you and another Catwoman, so the cops wouldn’t think that it’s you out there anymore. I have to admit it was pretty fun getting out and doing that, on the way home I broke up a mugging. I could get used to it.” Holly said proudly, Selina sighed and sat on the couch beside her friend “Holly, you can’t do this, you’ll get hurt.” Holly smiled “You taught me everything you know, how to use a whip, how to fight, I’m as safe as you were.” Selina sighed “Holl, I was shot remember, I don’t call that safe.” Holly stood up and unzipped her boot “Think about it, the two of us would make an unstoppable team, two Catwomen fighting crime in the city.” Holly said as she disappeared into her room, Selina leaned her head back and sighed wearily “How does Bruce do it.”
The next morning Bruce dozed off in front of his computer in the cave, the Riddler’s clue proved to be a dead end, he needed more information. He heard the communicator buzz, he pulled it up quickly to hear Riddler’s voice “Gooooooooooooooooooooooood Morning Gotham! This is Edward Nigma with your morning wake up call. Good to see that you’re up Bruce, I’d hate to see anyone hurt because you are sleeping on the job.” Bruce snorted “I’m used to little sleep, this won’t affect me.” Riddler laughed “You grab sleep whenever you are able, but me, I can call at anytime, and all it takes is you missing one ring for me to take out a school, or a nursing home, or a train, or I could kill Gordon, or rob a bank. I can do anything in this city I want because all there is is you and your little friend.” Riddler hung up on Bruce, who drug himself up the stairs to his bedroom, he lay on the bed and closed his eyes, just as he did the communicator went off. Bruce picked it up and flipped it on to hear the Riddler’s mocking voice “Just checking.” Bruce leaned his head back and sighed, he closed his eyes, right when the communicator buzzed again.
Dick stood outside of the Gordon residence, the door opened and Commissioner Gordon stood there
“Hello Richard, I’m glad you got my Barbara home safely last night, come on inside.” Dick shook his head “I can’t, I just came by to make sure that you guys were alright.” Gordon nodded “yes, we are now. Do you want me to get Barbara up?” Dick shook his head “No I don’t want to wake her, she’s been through a lot and needs the rest.” Gordon wished Dick a nice day and was about to close the door when Bulloch and Montoya pulled up in their car, Bulloch rushed out “Commish we got problems, all the computers in all the precincts are down! All they keep showing is a question mark on the main screen.” Bulloch looked from his house to them, then to Dick “Look son, would you mind staying here while I do this? Thanks.” Gordon said before Dick could respond. Gordon jumped into the car as it sped away. Dick walked up into the house and pulled out his cell phone “Yeah Bruce, something weird is going on at the GCPD, Bulloch just took Gordon away. Apparently Riddler took down the computers. He asked me to stay here with Barbara and the kids. Alright, I will as soon as I can.” Dick sat down in a chair and turned on the TV silently “Who are you?” Dick spun at the voice behind him to see Gordon’s son standing there. “Your dad had to go to work, and he asked me to stay till Barbara got up, I’m her boyfriend, Dick Grayson.” Jim Jr. sat down on the sofa near the TV, which was covering the fact that all major computer systems in the city had gone down, when the boy spoke up “I remember you.” Dick looked at him “Excuse me?” Jim looked at him “I remember you saved me from the Joker a few months ago, don’t worry I haven’t told anyone that you’re Robin, and I won’t either.” Dick shifted uncomfortably “You must be thinking of someone else.” The boy shrugged “Sure. Thanks though.” Dick heard steps and looked up as Barbara came down the stairs yawning, she stopped when she saw Dick sitting there “Okay, what are you doing here?” Dick stood up “Your dad had to leave to work, and he asked me to stay here till you got up, I guess I’ll be going now.” “Wait.” Barbara said “At least let me cook you breakfast, since you’re here and I have to cook it anyway.”
Bruce spent most of the day trying to figure out what was wrong with the cities computers, when at dusk he decided he needed to see the computers himself.
Gordon opened the door to his dark office, when he flipped the light on he saw Batman there “Glad you’re here we can’t figure out how he is disrupting the computers.” Batman nodded and turned on the monitor to Gordon’s computer, as he did a five second countdown appeared and the communicator went off. Batman grabbed Gordon and leapt from the window as the office exploded behind them, Batman shot out his grapple and lowered them to the street, and flipped open the communicator “Do you know how many rings that was? Three, and that means someone has to die, I’ll give you a hint:
“Where would a man work that would allow him to marry as many women as he wished, without divorce death or separation? You have fifteen minutes.” Batman thought for a moment then turned to Gordon “He’s going to attack a church!”
Gordon, who was busy directing police officers on the streets turned to Batman “On a Sunday night, he could kill hundreds in one church alone. Which one?” Batman hit a button in his glove and the Batmobile roared towards him “There are three major Catholic cathedrals in the city, evacuate them first. Edward Nigma was Catholic!” Batman said as he leapt into the Batmobile and sped away.
Batman radioed Robin and told him to check some of the smaller churches while he checked the cathedrals. Robin burst through the doors of a large Episcopal church seconds ahead of the police, startling the worshipers “I’m sorry but we have a bomb threat on the building, we need to evacuate.” The people filed out quietly and Robin did a quick search before speeding away on the Batpod .
Batman had checked one cathedral and Gordon’s men had cleared another, that only left one cathedral, Batman sped down the street towards the last cathedral, when a car sped out of an alleyway and slammed into the side of the Batmobile, the Batmobile spun into the side of a building, Batman popped the canopy and jumped on top of the other car as two men with guns jumped out. Batman threw two Batarangs at his foes, disarming them, he then landed on the first man and threw him into the other, before mule kicking both of them into unconsciousness. Batman then ran as fast as he could to the looming cathedral, he was in front of it near the policemen that were evacuating the people when he heard a boom followed by a fiery blast which emanated from the base of the cathedral and blew Batman back several meters, he looked up as the tallest steeple collapsed in flames. Gordon rushed up and began yelling at Batman, his voice was muffled as Batman’s hearing began to return, Gordon reached down and grabbed the communicator and flipped it on before handing hit to Batman, Batman’s hearing returned “Bruce, Bruce you didn’t answer for six rings and you let Gordon answer it, that’s going to cost three more churches.” Riddler said as three explosions could be heard in the distance. Batman sunk to his knees and looked at the flaming cathedral in despair.
Bane looked at Batman from atop a rooftop with a smile on his face “The Bat is losing his grip, slowly and surely. Soon he will be where I want him and I will be ready to face him. He is fighting a force he cannot beat, he is fighting time itself. He will fall and I will make sure that no one is there to pick up the pieces.”
Bruce sat in the cave with his head in his hands, every half hour the communicator would go off, half the time it would be automated, but every now and then it would be the Riddler himself. Bruce leaned back as Dick walked into the cave “Well, Gordon says that all of the fires were put out, and there are ninety-eight people dead. How are you holding up?” Bruce stood up “I’m fine.” He said as went to walk up the stairs to the elevator when the communicator went off, he opened it quickly “Got you.” Riddler’s voice came over the speakers smugly. Bruce sighed and went up the stairs to the elevator.
Bruce sat in front of the computer, barely awake, he began to nod off, when the communicator jarred him awake, he flipped it open as it began the second ring “Ah Bruce, you almost made it, it has been nearly two weeks since I had to destroy the churches. Oh well, perhaps this time you and Gordon will need more personal reasons. Goodbye.” “Personal.” Bruce bolted to his feet and rushed up to the house “Alfred? Alfred!” Alfred rushed into the room “Alfred whatever happens don’t leave the house, lock the doors, get in touch with Dick, warn him that Riddler is going after us personally. Bruce rushed back to the cave and donned his suit, he had to warn Gordon.
Renee Montoya was jogging in the early evening, she passed an alley near her home when three men rushed out after her, one man tackled her to the ground, she kneed him in the jaw. She scrambled to her feet only to see the butt of a pistol angling towards her face.
Selina Kyle sat in her apartment by the window petting her cat, looking out at the city, she was alone, Holly had gone out for some breakfast. Selina heard something near the door, her cat hissed at the door, the door was knocked down and several men rushed in, Selina jumped on one’s shoulder and used him to kick another in the face before she pulled him down, Selina felt a sting in her shoulder. She turned to see the Riddler standing over with a tranquilizer gun “dream of that which is greater than God, that which the poor possess and the rich want.” Selina heard as she faded into unconsciousness.
Barbara Gordon stood in her house with her little siblings, suddenly the door was broken down and three men with guns rushed in, one of them hit the boy in the face with his gun, dropping the kid to the ground. They then shot Barbara and her sister with tranquilizer darts. They drug Barbara towards the door, when they were stopped by the large figure of Bane in the doorway, he lifted one of the men effortlessly over his head.
“Who hit the boy?” Bane asked menacingly, they pointed to the one that did it, Bane walked past them and grabbed the man’s head, and twisted it quickly, snapping his neck before he could respond. Bane looked towards the men holding Barbara “You two may go about your business.” Bane said as he walked out into the street.
Batman and Robin met with Bulloch and Gordon in his temporary office, Gordon was in a frenzy “We have to find them! I can’t lose anyone else.” Gordon said as he slumped against the wall Bulloch was about to say something when the communicator went off, Batman opened it “Where are they Riddler?” Riddler laughed “Where am I?” before he hung up on Batman. Batman stood there thinking “We have to have a clue somewhere. Let’s look at the numbers of Strange’s victims.” Batman said as he pulled out a map of the city that had the locations of each death. Batman pointed at point on the map and picked up a pin from the desk “Let’s look at them numerically instead of by date.” Batman connected the dates with a green pin on the map, it made a question mark which pointed towards what was formerly the Narrows, but was now called “Arkham.” Batman said grimly.
Bulloch looked about angrily how are we supposed to get to Arkham the bridge was taken down after the place burnt down and the prisoners escaped?” Batman turned to Robin “We’ll go ahead of you.” Bulloch looked surprised “How are you goin to do that? You ain’t Aquaman.”
Robin stood by Batman in front of a warehouse on the docks “Are you sure this is where Lucius said it would be?” Batman nodded “Do you have your cell phone?” Robin nodded “Good call Jean Paul and tell him it’s time.” Batman said as he opened the warehouse door.
A short time later a man on a ferry looked at a large warehouse, which was making a revving noise, he scratched his head as the wall of the warehouse blew off and a strange speed boat trailing flames shot through the air over his ferry and landed in the water and sped away.
Batman and Robin sped along in the new boat that Lucius had designed for them “This thing is amazing! It has twin turbine engines, rockets depth charges, armored plating! This is amazing.” Robin said as Bruce sped them down the river towards Arkham Island. Suddenly six cigarette boats appeared on all side, men fired on them with weapons. Batman hit a switch which covered him and Robin with an armored canopy; he looked ahead at three boats that were preparing to ram them from the front. Batman flipped two switches that launched two rockets from the boat towards the enemy, two of the boats exploded brilliantly, while the middle boat barreled towards them. Batman accelerated the boat to incredible speeds and sped directly towards the boat, as he did he dropped several depth charges behind him, which destroyed the three boats pursuing them from behind. the Batboat crashed into the last boat head on, causing it to explode into hundreds of pieces, Batman lowered the canopy as they approached Arkham Island. He nodded at Robin, who hit a switch which caused a Harpoon cannon to rise from the rear of the boat, Robin aimed it at the high stone guard walls and fired the harpoon. The harpoon embedded itself in the wall and Batman killed the throttle, he and Robin began scaling the rope quickly, they vaulted over the wall and landed in a crouch in the ruined remains of the Arkham Asylum.
Batman and Robin quietly made their way around the ruined structures that once comprised Arkham, they made their way into the remains of the main building ducking below a damaged beam as they made their way deeper into the structure.
Batman turned towards Robin “There are underground levels that he may be hiding in, Scarecrow poisoned the city from there.” A voice crackled over a speaker “Very good Batman, the basement is still here, take twenty steps forward and turn to the left and you will find a stairwell.” The Riddler said with a laugh. They found the stairwell and cautiously descended the stairs until they came to two doors, both of which were covered in question marks “Well now, which door are you going to choose? I warn you be careful, one of the doors is wired to explode, and will kill you, I will give you the answer if you can figure it out.
What is left is not right, if right is what is left, right?” Batman stood there before opening the right door and stepping through unharmed. They walked for quite a distance when Robin thought of something “We’re under the river now, aren’t we?” Batman nodded as they continued on.
They eventually found themselves in a large cavernous room, lit only be a wall of computers, they made their way warily into the room, they turned around when they heard a clapping. They looked to see Riddler standing in a spotlight on a walkway above them
“What do you think of my home? It was an old bomb shelter built during the Cold War, I knew I’d be safe down here.” Batman stood there “How did you survive, how did you plan all of this?” Riddler shrugged and began walking along the walkway, lights appearing ahead of him as he did “You see, I knew about this, I also knew about the previous owner of my cell. It was occupied by on Jeremiah Arkham, one of the founders of that Hell. I knew that he had to have created a way for him to escape, and just beside the cot there was a slot where the wall would move away revealing a crawlspace which led to this place. From here I was able to get in contact with the outside world, I learned what was happening, including the fact that one Hugo Strange was appointed to oversee Bruce Wayne. I hated that oaf, he would hook me up to a machine that would send thousands of volts of electricity through my body, that had profound effects on me, it damaged my nerves, particularly my pain receptors, most of the time I can barely feel pain, but at others, the pain comes so severe, I can barely stand it. I decided to use my incredible electronic knowledge to create tiny battery powered amplifiers, I then kidnapped and drugged Strange and implanted the devices in his ears. I could then speak to him, making him think he had gone insane. I would drug him into thinking that he had committed the murders that I was responsible for, and I would occasionally kidnap him to replace the amplifiers, he would chock up any memories to bad dreams. My original plan was for him to release Zsasz to stir u trouble and mask our handiwork, but you saw to it that that plan didn’t, and because of that Strange had to die.” Batman followed Riddler with his eyes “What have you done to them?” Riddler stopped in front of the computers and keyed in a sequence which lit up the hostages across the chamber “Each of them are strapped to the same devices that Strange used on me, but these are far more lethal. I will only let you save two of them, choose now.” Batman stood there strongly he looked at the bound and gagged women on the table before him as he slowly walked up to the machine, Selina was able to get her gag off and cried out “Don’t worry about me Bru-Batman, save the others!” Batman kissed her as Robin unhooked Barbara and went to unhook Montoya. Riddler laughed and hit a switch which powered up the machine, just as Batman slammed his hand on the machine, the hand held the electric stunner that Lucius had given him. Batman howled in pain as electric feedback from the stunner shorted out the machine, which caused the consoles near Riddler spark and explode. Bruce quickly unhooked Selina from the machine, relieved to see her unharmed, he looked over to see a laughing Riddler who held an assault rifle on them. Suddenly a Batarang stabbed into the barrel and a whip wrenched the weapon from his hand, Riddler turned in shock to see another Batman and the new Catwoman standing there “NO No NO That’s impossible!” Riddler cried as he fell back against the sparking consoles. Riddler’s body jerked as electricity shot through him, the real Batman grabbed him off of the consoles, and held the barely conscious man before him. Batman held Riddler close and shook him “Who killed her, who killed Vesper. WHO!” He shouted at the man, Riddler laughed “one who taught you.” He said as he lost consciousness.
Batman, Robin, the other Batman and the new Catwoman watched as Selina and Barbara were loaded into ambulances along with the Riddler, Montoya was asking for her uniform so she could go on patrol to clear her head. The new Catwoman stretched lazily “I’m glad Batboy there found me, if it hadn’t been for us Riddler might not have had his breakdown, this was fun, let’s do it again sometime.” She said as she leapt from the rooftop. Robin turned to the Batmen “Great job Jean Paul, so what happened to the Riddler back there, we took him out without a punch, and the electricity wasn’t strong enough to take him out.” Batman looked down at Riddler’s ambulance “Edward Nigma was obsessed with me, and he was taken off guard by the new Catwoman at Halloween, so I thought that seeing two of me may cause his fragile mind enough confusion for it to collapse altogether.” Jean Paul stretched and went to the edge of the building “Well, I told Fox I’d report back what happened to him, so I’ll be leaving.” he said as he jumped from the rooftop. Batman looked at Robin “Aren’t you going to the hospital?” Robin smiled “You bet I am, I’m going to grab some cloths out of the Batmobile, and meet Barbara at the hospital, what about you?” Batman sighed “I am going to get some well deserved rest.”
Bane stood outside Wayne Manor “I am ready. I know who he is, I have always known. It is time for me to show him who I am. I am Bane, I break people.”
Batman exited the Batmobile in the dark cave, completely exhausted. Batman walked over to the chair in front of the computer and unhooked his utility belt and hung it over the chair. He pulled off his cowl revealing his face to the dark cave, as he walked to the elevator to the house, he walked out into the house he heard a voice behind him “Hello Batman, now is the time.” Batman dodged to the side quickly as a fist smashed into the wall behind him “Bane!… how did you know it was me?”
Bane laughed “You could be no one else.” The large man replied as Batman circled him wearily. Batman studied his foe wearily, Bane was a man standing at least 6’7”, the man wore a mask with some sort of cable coming out of it that attached to a gauntlet on his arm. He wore some sort of body armor and combat boots. Bane closed the distance between them “I have always known of you, I’ve known you in my very dreams, I’ve known you ever since I escaped a long forgotten hell hole a thousand miles away. I drug myself from that Hell for one reason, to find you. And break you.” Batman rubbed his head “Why? There must be more.” Bane nodded “Gotham. The ultimate prize, you have it, I want it.” Bruce reached down and picked up his cowl “You destroyed the lives of countless people.” Bane crossed his arms “I would kill for anything, to silence a grating voice, to extinguish the life of a potential foe, but I would definitely kill for order. Now face me” Bruce held his cowl in his hands and looked down at it “I have dedicated my life to fighting your kind of evil, and now that fight has brought death to my door.” Bane nodded quietly “your death.” Bruce looked at the mask of his foe “I know you may be the greatest foe I have faced.” “Easily” Bane replied. Bruce raised his cowl to his face “And in that case, Batman must fight one last time.” Batman said as he put on his cowl and lunged across the room at Bane.
Bane grabbed Batman and drove him back into the elevator, he tackled Batman forcefully against the elevator floor. The force of their impact was enough for the floor of the elevator to collapse, and they fell into the darkness into the cave below. Bane and batman crashed against the sides of the cave until they landed two stories below, Bane landed on top of Batman and rolled to one side quickly rising to his feat. Batman drug himself to his feet raggedly, just in time to dodge a kick from Bane. Batman slashed a savage kick at Bane only to have his leg grabbed in midair, Bane grunted and swung Batman against the side of the cave wall. Batman hit a switch on his one of his gauntlets extending the spikes on it into deadly blades, Batman stabbed them out at the arm holding his leg. The blades impacted into Bane’s arm hooking into his flesh. Batman used the larger man’s own size and strength in his arms to allow himself to wrap his legs around Bane’s neck, Batman choked Bane until Bane dropped himself onto Batman. Batman groaned in pain as the larger man grabbed him by the cape and drug him to his feet “Fool! Do you really think you can defeat me? I have studied you for a year!” Bane said as he kneed Batman in the gut, Batman tried to punch the man in the face, but Bane grabbed his arm and broke it, Batman cried out in pain as Bane slammed his face against the ground, he then slammed Batman against a metal column “Beg! BEG FOR MERCY!” He said throwing Batman onto the remains of the computer, Batman grabbed for his utility belt as it lay in the rubble he pulled on it only to see it had been broken in half, he pulled out a handful of small capsules from a compartment and grabbed his grapple. Batman lay there as Bane grabbed him by his throat and hoisted him off the ground, Batman Spit blood and looked at Bane “G go back…to hell.” Batman said turning his head away as he slammed the fistful of capsules against Bane’s face. The capsules exploded in white light, blinding Bane who cried out in pain as he dropped Batman. Batman drug himself away and raised his grapple to one of the lights, he fired it and destroyed the light. The remaining lights flickered on an off sporadically. Bane rubbed his eyes and began to laugh “This is perhaps the most entertaining fight I have been in, but you cannot win. I have learned your every move.” Batman had snuck around behind Bane in the flickering lights, he was able to pull one other item out of the remains of his belt, a small electric stunner, the small device could drop a bull, he only hoped it could stop Bane. Batman slipped the device over his good hand and approached Bane from behind, he slammed the device with as much strength as he could muster into the back of Bane’s skull, just below the metal tube that ran into the back of his head.
Bane howled in pain and spun about quickly, sweeping his arm out and sending Batman flying back into some equipment. Bane growled angrily at Batman and reached for a device on his wrist, Batman saw that the device was connected to the tubes that ran into his back and his head “You are a truly challenging foe Batman, I had not planned on using this against you, but you sunk to using technology, so I will as well!” Batman spat up blood as Bane continued “Bruce Wayne is nothing but a mask, a mask which no longer serves a purpose, but my mask does serve a purpose.” Bane hit the switch on his wrist and raised his head back “A direct feed of a very special potion, VENOM, directly into my brain and bloodstream, a special mixture of steroids, stimulants, and a pain numbing hallucinogen similar to PCP. It triples the strength I have spent a lifetime gathering.”Bane roared as his mussels flexed and he rose over Batman, he grabbed Batman and swung him around into objects “I have watched you!” Bane howled as he slammed Batman’s face against a computer terminal “I have studied you!” He said slamming Batman’s face into the cave floor “I have stalked you!” He cried head butting Batman. He raised the injured Batman up to his face, Batman lashed out at Bane with one last powerful jab “I have beaten you. And now…I WILL BREAK YOU!!!” He cried slamming Batman’s back against his knee crippling him
“You are nothing. A disappointment, I should kill you, but it is much more satisfactory to leave alive in your agony and shame. Broken and done.” Bane said as he dropped Batman to the cave floor below.
In the heart of the city on the edge of Gotham square the people of one of Gotham’s busiest areas all looked up at one low building. For on that building stood a large man and in his arms above his head was the broken and bleeding form of Batman. Bane called out to the people below him “THIS CITY IS MINE! BATMAN IS NO MORE! I RULE THESE STREETS! I RULE GOTHAM! Here is your beloved protector, your hero. Take him and bury him.” Bane said as he threw Batman to the streets below, people screamed as the lifeless from of the Dark Knight flew through the air, his body bounced off of a marquee before landing on the streets below. A small crowd gathered around Batman in silence, when they looked up, Bane was gone. Montoya rushed and moved the people away as she knelt down near Batman as an ambulance pulled up. She looked at Batman to find that she was crying as a young blonde muscular paramedic and a muscular dark haired paramedic loaded Batman into the ambulance and drove off.
“Drive Alfred!” Dick yelled at the British man behind the wheel of the ambulance as they pulled off into the night. He sat in the back with John Paul as they tried to attend to Batman’s wounds. Dick quietly reflected on what had happened: He had come home shortly after Batman, he had gone by to check on Barbara, he got home to find Alfred bound in the foyer. Alfred told Dick of the fight and of an ambulance Batman had hidden. Dick looked down at what once was Batman, a man in bloodied and broken armor, plates of the armor were missing and cracked, as was the man himself.
As they drove away Bane’s voice could be heard “It is true he had faced unimaginable odds, but this time was different, this time was doomed. Pushing too hard for too long, facing the madness of too many masks including his own. Bearing the brunt of too much violence, dodging death at every turn, but now after all this time of racing death, death has caught up with him. I have caught up to him.” The camera showed Jean Paul Valley holding the cowl of Batman and looking at his Azrael costume, while Dick and Alfred quickly hooked Bruce up to monitors and life support in the cave. “He was a hero to many, but heroes cannot live forever.” Gordon, Bulloch and Montoya stood in the square where Batman was thrown, their heads hung low. The camera then showed Bane sitting in a chair looking out the window at Gotham at twilight. Behind him were several of Gotham’s top ranking mobsters, all paying him allegiance. Bane’s voice was heard as the camera focused on the city “His time is over, now it is my time, but I know there will be others that will seek to emulate him. There will be others that think they will be able to defeat me, but they too will be broken.” The final image was that of a man dressed in a more sinister version of the Bat suit standing on top of a high building, cape blowing in the breeze
"Yes, there will be others."
Thank you for reading, here is a casting video featuring the song 'My Way' by Elvis Presley
Let me know what you think.