Batman real life rpg sign-up thread

[Infinity9999x]

Everything hurts. Note to self, armor your head better. The water's all around me, but it's hard to stay concious. I feel someone lightly touch my head...the catwoman...great, I'm practically defensless and a theif is right next to me.

She surprises me though. She props me up on a trolley (I'm surprised at her strength, I'm not exactly a small guy) and carries me out to a car. Everything's going black now, but I manage to get out..

"No doctors...." She only smiles at me and says something in reply, but everything goes fuzzy, and I pass out.

*******

I awake in a small room on a cot. Where....?

"You really need to take better care of yourself," a testy voice says from the corner. I prop myself up quickly, but it's too much exertion too fast and I have to lay back down to dispel the dizziness.

"Leslie...?" I ask groggily.

"Yes Bruce," She says leaning over me, "and don't try too much too soon, that's no little goosegg you have on your head. What did you get hit with? A hammer?"

"Sledgehammer or malet I think," I reply, trying to ignore the huge migrane I'm feeling.

Leslie shakes her head slowly, "A billionare and the best thing he can do with his time is dress up in a fancy costume...." she mutters as she checks my wounds.

"That arm isn't good, muscle tears on the shoulder, but you're lucky it should heal up after a few good days of rest, I'd be more carefull with the head, that's a nasty bruise."

"How did I get here?" I ask her, gently rubbing my hand on my head. My cowl's been removed, and I glance around for it, I see it sitting on a chair nearby. Leslie notices me glancing at it.

"Heck of thing to take off," she replied, "I was almost had to cut it off before I found the seam, I swear this damn costume is so realistic it's like skin."

I nod, but I notice she's avoiding my question, "who brought me in?"

"A friend," she replies causually, but I can tell she's knows more.

"Leslie who..."

"A friend bruce," she says with that strict tone that she used to use on me when I was a child, "and that's all you need to know."

I sigh, it's no good bugging her about it, she's a stubbourn woman.

"So who did this to you?" She asks after a moment.

"A madman..." I reply, my mind floating back to the memory of the insane clown...."No...not a man, a monster," I reply after a moment.

I've never seen anyone like the Joker before, and I can't help but wonder why a man does that to himself, and I wonder as I lie here now...what horrors is this man commiting?

 

[Cats]

It's day again, and I'm back in the Beijing noodle house - but I can't help and think about what happened last night. There is a psychopathic maniac running on our streets, nobody is safe till he's caught. I've seen him in person, he's nothing like the clown that he dresses up to be. There is no humor in what he does.

Then I begin to think of my own problems... Rupert Thorne, how did I get myself into such territory? I know I can't battle the man himself, unless I'm able to get some file to incrimminate him in court. I'll just have to hope he's not onto me before I get onto him.

While I make certain plans for a night romp around the Thorne manor, the phone goes off and it makes me jump. "Yes?"

It's Johnny Cash, "We need to meet up." He sounds very formal, almost business-like. Probably has another task for me to do.... most likely something illegal. I will wager my finger on it.

"Where and when?" I'm getting business-like myself. Just want this over and done with so I can go back to my snooping and get Thorne outta my life with his lowlife Johnny Cash. Interruptions such as this will only delay my plan.

"Gotham Harbor, warehouse 7, tonight 8pm. Don't be late," he replies, and the line goes dead. I start to wonder about the mission - perhaps it's something to do with shipping? I can only guess. We shall see...

 

[Infinity9999x]

I arrive home shortly after Leslie gets done checking me out. She protested, she said I shouldn't be trying to walk around so soon, but I didn't listen, as usual. I needed to get back to the manor.

I sit in the batcave, quickly typing away at the computer. Thats when Alfred walks down behind me.

"Ah, I see you decided to come home sir." I nod my head in reply.

"Are you going to make a habit of coming home days late with life threatening injuries, or did you just want to keep me on my toes?"

"I'm fine alfred," I reply quickly, "just a few bumps."

"Hmph, that's not what Ms. Thompkins said when she called yesterday. Sir, I really..."

"Alfred not now...please," I reply. Alfred sighs, then hands me a note.

"This came from your unlisted fax. It's from one of your street informants I believe."

I met up with a street teenager a while ago. Saved him from some gang members. He wanted to help me out so I told him to keep me posted on the actions of a few mob members. I gave him a small beeper he could send messages from to an unlisted fax. He's helped me out a few times.
I glance at the quick note.

"Cash planning something. Give you more info 2night."

A small smile plays on my lips. Finally, I'm learning more about this man.

 

[Cats]

The streets are crowded with party-goers and couples strolling hand-in-hand. It's a friday night and it would seem all Gotham is out celebrating the start of the weekend. I have a trenchcoat over my cheong-sam, tucking it close to my body as I weave in and out of traffic. I didn't bring the car today, and didn't think to go home and get it. Gotham Harbor isn't too far from Chinatown, I figured I'd take a leisurely walk.

But this isn't a stroll I enjoy - there's lots on my mind tonight. I know I can't escape doing a few more jobs for Cash. I can only hope to ride it through to the end. Then my thoughts trail to him... I wonder how he's doing. He got beat up pretty bad last night, and as much as I'd like to visit him - I know that if I did, he would know who I am. In fact by bringing him to Ms Thompkins I'd already risked exposure. The question is why did I do it? I must've been a fool... a fool with a soul, I tell myself. It's comforting somehow.

I find myself at warehouse 7 five minutes before 8. Not too shabby... I tug on the door that is unlocked, and enter. Johnny Cash is already waiting for me with two men by his side. He brushes blonde hair and lazily tugs on his leather gloves as I wait for his instructions.

"Early..." he muses, "I appreciate you being on time, especially when we need you to do this job tonight and return to us before midnight." There's a calm drawl to his voice tonight that I don't appreciate. He's particularly smug about something, and I don't like being out of the loop, especially while he's setting deadlines for me.

"I hope it isn't a big job then," I comment. Four hours isn't exactly considered lengthy for all this spy work, especially not for the previous job.

He smiles somewhat surprised-like, perhaps he'd expected me to be all timid by now, especially after the raid on my apartment. "It's a simple job, and will also be your last."

The last few words in his sentence catch me by surprise... "M.. My last?" I didn't expect it to be this easy. There must be a catch somewhere.

And he acts as if he's read my thoughts, "No catch, kittens. Do this last job for us and you're free. It's as simple as that. I'm not an unreasonable person. You've paid your dues, it's about time we let you go free."

As much as I don't believe him, the thought intrigues. "What is this job?" I just had to ask... He hands me a package, the one I saw Thorne hand him. It must be really important for this to be my last.

"Open it.." he beckons me, and I do. It's the plans for some medical facility. And the address points to a building close by where we are. Perhaps that was the purpose of meeting here.

"Oricode21," I read out loud. It's the name of the drug I'm supposed to nab. I think to ask Cash what it's for but I decide then I don't wanna know. It helps that this is my last job for them. I want nothing else to do with their schemes.

"Tonight," he says as he leaves the warehouse. "Before midnight. Come right back here and deliver. Not a moment more or we'll come looking for you." Just a moment he's promising my freedom, and the next, threats and threats again. I nod in agreement then slip into the darkness as I change into the black-figure-hugging outfit I carried with me.

Right before I leave, I check the hands on my watch. It's ten after eight... time is ticking! I slip the documents into a pouch I carry with me, and with a little thought, I leave the warehouse and head on down through the shadows to the medical facility that has been closed for the night.

 

[Infinity9999x]

I get another fax quickly. It gives me the directions to a medical facility and a planned robbery for some sort of drug. It's going to go down between 9 and midnight.

I jump up from my chair,
"Alfred get me the suit."

"Sir should you really be going out so soon, your arm is still...."

"I've reinforced my shoulder padding and the crainial area on the cowl. I'll be fine."

"But sir.."

"The suit alfred." Alfred nods, and walks off. I know he cares, but crime doesn't rest and I can't afford to either.

 

[Cats]

Thirty past eight, I'm scaling the wall into the compounds of the medical facility. It's a brownish-grey building, about seven storeys high, very few windows... makes it hard. I love buildings with large windows, gives me the advantage. I can't cut through walls. I'll have to scale up to the seventh floor and hope to enter through the roof.

But this is tiring work, and even with my wall climbing equipment, I struggle to cling to its surface. Any slip now would break my bones, something that I plan on not doing. Every few minutes of intense strain upon my shoulders and back I take a quick breather... my breath arriving in short spurts, and my head getting a little winded.

When I get to the sixth floor, I turn my face away from the wall, glance down on the ground and I think I see something moving in the shadows. My breath is caught for a second... I hope no one has spotted me yet. I'm not exactly in shape to do stunts now, I know I best get up to the roof where I can rest for a moment to regain my strength.

With that I haul myself up as quickly as my tired arms will take me, and land on the concrete platform of the roof where I see a staircase leading down. Perfect! It was what I was counting on. Just need to catch my breath first...

I lean my palms upon my knees and let out a couple of breaths of night air. My mind begins to clear, and my body cools down with the breeze that penetrates the suit and touches my flushing skin. When I feel ready enough, I straighten up and take the staircase down into the building.

 

[Infinity9999x]

By the time I reach the roof my arm feels like it's in tatters. Even with my grappling hook to help me, it still felt like hell. My head's going crazy too, but I shut it all out. Whoever's raiding this building is working for cash, and cash hurt two people close to me. Anyone who does that will pay, that's a promise.

I glance down at the concrete and notice a very faint outline of a mud shaped shoe leading towards a staircase. Small imprint, whoever's doing this is slight. It's a light print too, so they probably don't weight much. I shake my head a bit to clear the pain and follow down the staircase.

 

[Cats]

I slip down a passageway, the halls are deserted, but I know there're security cameras about. Have to be careful about this. Don't want to be getting caught at anytime. Especially not after wasting half an hour on that dreaded wall.

The documents don't offer much but a rough map of the place. What I need is on the sixth floor. I read the instructions quietly: Eighth room on the right facing the stairs... blah blah blah... search for a crate among many labelled Columbian Express, and get a tray of sealed test-tubes within. I can use either the stairs or the lift... well the lift would not be entirely wise to use, seeing as I'd have to cross several passages with cameras to get there, not to mention a possible security camera within the lift itself.

I decide the stairs will have to do, so I continue on to the sixth floor and peep round the corridor. There's a camera at the end of the hall pointed directly at my angle. It has to cover a wide angle tho, if I time it just right, I might be able to block it out before it discovers my presence.

I wait with my eye pasted in the crack between the door and its frame while I keep my senses horned in to the camera. There's a slight buzz sound when it moves, and I let it buzz a couple of rounds left and right before I've its timing memorized. My palms are sweaty, and my eyes are heating up... I know I'm nervous. Just one more job - I tell myself.

And off I go! Just moments as the camera swerves past the view that I'm in. I take several foreflips onto the carpet head of me to speed things up. I can hear the buzzing getting closer and closer as my speed cuts through the stagnant air and whizzes by me. The camera swerves towards me just in time to meet my fist. And with a couple of sparks, it dies out. Finally... I'm able to walk normally.

I look for the eighth room, it's labelled "HIGH RISK, AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY". I shrug... haven't I seen that before? It's never stopped me then, surely won't stop me now. The door is locked, it's magnetic... no locks to pick. I'll have to get creative with opening this door, and I glance around for aids.

There're only two unlocked doors in this corridor, that is the maintainence room and the washroom. I check out the maintainence room and find a small gas canister, a mop and some matches. Excellent! Good stuff they keep here, will have to thank the cleaners sometime.

So I prop the canister against the door with the mop pressing against it, levered by the opposite wall. Slowly, I take the cap off the canister, and angle it just right so that the gas begins escaping the passage. I can smell it now... I'll have to be fast or the blast will surely reach me.

Whipping out the matches, I take a somersault away from the canister, light a flame and flick it toward the escaping gas, shortly igniting a blast that tears open the door while I leap as far as I can. Its heat touches my back just for a moment... a moment longer and I might've been scorched... it's a good thing for that.

I turn around to see the hall dressed in black soot now... I might have triggered some alarm too; I see a red light on the ceiling blinking rapidly. What choice did I have tho... I hate 'em modern magnetic doors, they're so difficult to get open without a key. But it doesn't matter I guess... the door IS open now, and I dash through the smoke with my hand over my nose to look for the alleged crate I'm supposed to get.

 

[Infinity9999x]

As I turn the corner an explosion greats me. Soot covers the hall in front of me in a haze. My lenses automatically go into night vision, and I can see a bit more clearly.

I can make out a busted camera as I walk back, the theif was smart, but it looks like they had to forsake some secrecy to get into wherever they're going.

I see a body moving around in the shadows ahead of me. I debate about taking the fight to the theif, but decide with my current injuries it would be wiser to use the element of surprise to my advantage. I melt into the shadows and wait...

 

[Cats]

I wave off the smoke to the best of my abilities, flick on my torch and peer at the boxes. Most of them are medical crates labelled "Fragile" - I have no idea what're in them. Best not to shake them too much. So I pick each up gently and place them aside... but as quickly as I'm able to. I have to be outta here in a maximum of ten minutes, else the place might possibly be surrounded by cops soon.

"Columbian... Columbian..." I utter to myself, reading the tags on each crate. And then I find it... at the bottom of the pile. Initially I had hoped to carry the whole thing with me, but it is slightly large... bulky. If I needed to take off quickly once I exit the building, it would make it challenging.

So I pull out a wrench that I carried with me and begin working on levering off the cover. There are a couple of bottles within under tons of insulating material. And in the middle... my rack of Oricode21 test tubes sealed neatly within an insulated metallic case. Terrific!

I tuck the case neatly within my pack and head out. But as I exit the door, something moves from within the shadows... it's a good thing I'm alert as I slip quickly under a falling hand. Half a second more and I would probably be on the ground, unconscious. I whirl around to check on my perpetrator, but a boot gets me in the jaw and I slam into the floor, catching the ground with my hands before I take the full brunt on my head. What the...?

Before I'm able to react, sturdy hands drag me onto a wall, and he looks straight into my eyes. "Y.. you..." I stammer... it's the Batman. I thought he was injured just recently? How did he get into full form today?

He appears shocked too, his grip loosens slightly and I decide to take the chance - pulling myself from his grasp, slapping him on the shoulder that I recall was damaged last night... not too hard, but enough to keep him from chasing me for a while.

Then I dash away for the exit, tucking my sack close to my body to keep it from being shaken up too much.

 

[Infinity9999x]

Her? Her? She's with Cash? She's one of the people who helped terrorize Leslie and Selina!? I mean, I knew she was a crook but....

I shrug off my thoughts and the searing pain in my shoulder as I stagger forward. She's fast, but I can't let her get away, I need the information on Cash.

I sprint forward through the hallway after her, she's already got a good lead, but whatever she's holding is slowing her down. I round a corner and barley miss a flying kick. I spin on my heal and grab her wrist.

"YOU!" I bellow, my voice a mask of rage, "YOU HELP CASH?" Her face is in shadow and I don't see her reaction, but she says in an indignant voice,

"Don't assume too much,"

She knees me in the groin and I stumble. It's a good thing I put extra armor over that "special area" or else I wouldn't be moving very quick, but it gave her the time she needed to sprint up the flight of stairs to the roof.

I make to follow but a squad of policemen emerge from the hallway to my right, before they can get a good glance of me, I hurl a smoke bomb down, and crash through the window in front of me. My cape billows out and slows my desent, but I still hit the ground with enough force to knock the breath out of me. As I hit another jolt of pain goes through my shoulder.

"Definatley need to improve the cape," I mutter as I dissapear into an alleyway before any other unexpected surprsies pop up.

 

[Cats]

I think I've lost him... At least I don't see him when I glance around. I heard cop cars from a distance, I'm guessing he's busy with them. Makes for a good cover of escape! I feel bad about exploiting his injuries, he cringed when I hit him... I know how it still hurts. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and I'm not about to let him end this last job for me before I can finally get free from Cash.

Time check... it's 11:37pm, almost half an hour early for my appointment. I glance around again to see that nobody has followed me. I'm not sure where Batman went after our rendevous just minutes before, but I surely don't see him now. Hopely he's stopped following my trail.

Cash is waiting in warehouse 7, they'd opened a table and he's playing cards with his men... all casual-like while I was out there putting my life on the line. I hate them, to the pits of my stomach. I hate how they've used me... but no more. I intend to pass them the drug and never see them again. "I held to my end of the bargain," I say, pulling out the drugs out of my sack and they receive it with pleasure engraved upon their faces - it must mean a lot to them. I begin to wonder what exactly does Oricode21 do, and why all the fuss? "Now keep to yours," I continue, "I'm free to walk."

Cash straightens himself, exhales a puff of smoke from a large cuban cigar, and points to me with two fingers. "Just a minute kitty... we've got a present for you." His two men walk towards me as Cash retrieves the metallic case.

I get nervous... somehow in the pit of my stomach I'd guessed it wouldn't be as easy as he said it'd be, and yet I had fallen for it like a sucker. "No no... You promised."

Cash speaks with that drawl again while his men are suddenly by my side and are gripping tightly onto my arms. "I promised this would be your last job, and it is..."

Well what he says is true, but why do I not like the sound of it, and what's with the men holding me down? Whatever present he has for me, I don't want it. The two men are distracted, I use the opportunity to swing a kick at one of 'em, it startles him. The other tries to pull on me, but I do a backflip and land behind him, twisting his elbow and he wails in pain, letting me go immediately. I get smug... congratulate myself, slam a fist into the one I had kicked so he falls onto the ground, and whip a foot in the direction of the other that takes him down as well. My fists are in front of me, and I gaze at Cash with a certain gleam... oddly enough he doesn't fear me still.

"Ah... very good," he says, as though he was expecting this. "You've been able to beat up two of my men, but how are you at fending yourself from Thorne's men?"

Thorne? Thorne is here? The doors behind and in front of Cash open, and at least ten muscled men appear to surround me. They crush their knuckles into their palms as though they're daring me to try and take them down. From behind one of the groups of ten comes a larger sized man. It's Thorne... I just know it, he has that 'mafia-boss' presence. He's puffing on a cigar similar to Cash's... I should've guessed. The two are probably close buddies sharing smokes.

"I've heard a lot about you," comes Thorne's voice, low and booming. "You think you're very sneaky, don't you?" Well... I don't dispute that, but I'll just be quiet. "Whatever you can do, we can do twice better." He grins a pretty sick-ish grin. "We know you've been snooping around Cash, and we know that you hacked into the registry for vehicles to check on my car. If you'd been wiser to stay out of our business, you might be free right this moment." The color drains out of my face... how did he know? He whisks his cigar to the ground, now half its original size, and crushes it with the tip of his leather shoes. "What do you suppose happens to curiosity and the cat?"

I think it's my cue to leave... I spin around, and end up facing a wall of tough men who grab me crudely and hold me while I struggle to the best of my abilities... but they've got my legs too, and there's little I can do now. Thorne bellows a laugh and walks out the door to a waiting limo while my mouth, arms and legs get binded. I try to scream, but my voice is muffled with the cloth in my mouth.

"Put her in the crate," commands Cash, and I look around for what he's referring to... it's an iron crate... perhaps to seal important goods to take on shipments. Except I think the item to be sealed is now me. The men carry me over and fit me into the cratewith my knees bent... it's cramp in here, but that's not exactly the main worry right now.

Cash appears above me, carrying a syringe. Darn, he's not going to poison me too is he?... I want to fight back but there's little I can do with my arms and legs bounded, and now cramped in this little space. I start to get frantic... possibly for the first time in my life. A life that's possibly coming to an end very soon. "Remember I said I had a present for you?" says Cash, "Here it is..." He grips onto my left arm that I shake as hard as I can, though it does little to deter him. He injects the substance, and I stop struggling... whatever it is, it's in me now. I don't expect to live long, I just hope it'll end quickly... painlessly. "Our first test subject," laughs Cash. And then I realise it was that drug I nabbed... Who in the world knows what it does? Not me... perhaps I will find out soon enough - if I don't suffocate first.

And just like that, the lid on my world slams on me... what a life, what an end... I feel the crate being moved, and other boxes thrown on top of mine. There goes thoughts of screaming for help... nobody can hear me now, I can't even hear anything either.

I rest my head against the cold metallic surface in surrender as I await my end.

 

[Infinity9999x]

I slam my fist against a brick wall.

"DAMN!"

Anger, no, rage curses through my viens. I had thought, after she helped me that maybe...but no, she's helping the man that's hurt people close to me, and whatever she's done I can't forgive her for that.

I leap over the rooftops, gracefully landing on the cheap stone they put on the tops of the buildings in this city. When I'm a sufficeint distance away from the hospital, I take out my small handheld computer and tap into my database.

I've been hacking Thorne much more adamantly lately, and it's been bugging the hell out of him, because he doesn't have any idea who's messing with his files. He's the type of guy that loves power, and when anyone threatens that, he gets nervous, because he's not in controll, and he hates that. One file has had my attention for a while. Project Oricode21. It's taken me a hell of a long time crack this thing, but I finally started making some leeway earlier today.

I bring up the file, and my eyes widen in shock as I read the information.
"Good lord..."

I turn and start moving quick, I have to find Jimmy, my street informant. I need to find out where Thorne is, and I need to find it fast. I have a sickening feeling I know exactaly what the Catwoman stole from the hospital, but I pray that I'm wrong.

 

[Infinity9999x]

Jimmy walks alone, heading through some back streets to his house. I leap off the building top I'm perched on and land lightly infront of him.

"JEEZUS!" he says taking a step back, "can't you just like...i don't know, say hi or something?"

I ignore the comment and step towards him, my eyes glowing in the darkness, "I need to know where Rupert Thorne is, tonight."

"What? Are you serious? I..."

"I don't have time for deturrants, tell me where he is or tell me where to find someone that does."

"Man..this is Thorne we're talkin about...." I take another step forward, and he puts up his hands.

"Ok, ok, I don't know where the big guy is right now, but his second in command, some advisor guy, always makes stops at this fancy bar, The Seventh Heaven. He'll know where Thorne is." Jimmy rolls his eyes and sighs,

"But man no one can no I told you this or...." he stops, I'm already gone. He glances around the alleyway, then shakes his head again.

"Damn creepy bast*ard......"

 

[Infinity9999x]

The Seventh Heaven is a nice place. I've been there a few times myself. I view it from a rooftop. So many limos are parked at the place you'd think it was a special gas station for them. The outside is decorated in expensive crystal, and countless fountains spurt water into the air infront of the gates.

I know the man Jimmy mentioned. David Sloan, he's called "The Enforcer" in the underworld. He's dangerous, but he hasn't met the batman yet.

The place is brightly lit, but fortunately, the building I'm on is highter then the bar, and firing my grapple, I slide over to the roof of the bar.

They have countless sunlights on the ceiling, which is good for me. I spot Sloan quickly, he's the center of attention, sitting in a group of attractive women, probably all young enough to be his daughters. Normaly, I'd wait until he left to draw less attention to myself, but I don't have time.

I hurl a smoke bomb through the window, and while everyone inside is trying to figure out what's going on, I've already jumped into the bar (My grabbling hook attachted to my belt) next to Sloan.

"We need to talk" I growl, and grabbing the big man roughly, I hit a button on my grapple and we're pulled up onto the roof.

"Wh...what do you want you frea...." I don't let him finish his sentance. I hold up my grappling gun and aim it towards his face. Thinking it's a real gun, he tries to break free, but I fire off a shot.

I send the hook through the back of his collar to connect with the ledge of another building. Giving him a firm push, Sloan slides out and dangles over the drop, held up by the wire through his collar.
"Where's Thorne?" I say in low voice.

"I...I dunno he went off somewhere..." Sloan stops as the sound of ripping cloth cuts through the air.

"Don't know how long that will last," I say in a calm tone, "now tell me where Thorne is."

"I...." I reach out and grab the mobster, pulling him towards me so his face is inches from mine. I see him wince a bit as my white eyes stare merilessly into his.

"Tell me where Thorne is," I say in a dangerous voice, "or they pick you up off the pavement."

"OK OK," Sloan says, his voice frantic, "an old warehouse num...number seven. Few blocks from here....now please...let me down."

I grab his shirt front and hold him up with one hand, he screams, and I let him fall. His yell is cut short as he lands on pavement a few feet below him.

"The roof branches out, it's hard to see in the dark isn't it?" I reply. Sloan's eye's are wider then a kitchen plate, he looks down at the roof under him, then back towards me, but I'm already gone. He slowly lies down on the gravel of the roof, trying to keep himself from going into a total nervous breakdown.

 

[Infinity9999x]

I see some cars parked oustide the warehouse. Good, he's still here. They have two guards near the door, big guys, both pushing seven feet, and athletic looking. I'm going to have to take them down quick.

I creep up in the shadows behind them, pulling out two of my poisioned laced batarangs as I do so. With a quick flick of my wrist the small blades lodge themselvs in the guards backs, and the quick acting nero poision has them out cold. They won't wake up for another few hours, and they'll have one hell of a headache.

I creep inside and see Thorne talking to a well dressed man. I'm not sure who it is, but I can't let either of them escape. I drop a flashbomb, and the light blinds everyone in the facinity, except me of course, thanks to my lenses. I follow that up with a smoke bomb, a nice touch to the confusion.

There's a huge amount of thugs in here, and if I'm going to come out of this alive I'll have to be smart. While some of them are still cluthing at their eyes, I get off a few batarangs, and three hit the ground like stones. Before anyone else can do anything, I've slipped back into the shadows and pulled myself up into the beams of the warehouse, courtesy of my grappling hook.

There have to be at least twenty men in the building, this is going to be one hell of a thing to pull off.

"What in the hell was that?" I hear Thorne curse, rubbing his eyes.

"It was that bat thing boss," one of the thugs reply, "but he up and vanished, like some sorta ghost."

"He's no damn ghost! He's just a man in a costume, now find him, he can't just dissapear!" Thorne growls angrily. I notice him move next to a crate, and glance down at it.

"Do you think he's here for her?" Thorne mutters to the other well dressed man, nodding his head towards the crate.

"Dunno, Maybe."

I wait and watch as the guards spread out over the warehouse. They're carefull, well trained, but then again, so am I.

I wait till one branches off into the darkness a bit, almost directly below me, and then I leap down, the rope of my grapple connected to the beam and harnested to my belt, and land on top of the man. He gets off a strangled shout and a wildly aimed round before I give him a hard hit to the chin and hurl him over my head into the group of men in the light. By the time the others turn I've already raised myself back into the beams.

As I run along the beams, I hurl a smokebomb behind me, and the goons turn at the distraction. I land behind a group of five and bust in one's knee and another's mouth before they can react. As the next three turn, I grab the edge of my cape and swing it in a wide arc. The weighted tips collide into two thug's faces like tiny lead balls, the last one fumbles with his gun, scared. I kick him hard in the face and he falls backwards with a yelp. I hear the fire of bullets and my leg feels like it's been hit by a truck.

I quickly duck back into the shadows, and run into a maze of crates, silently cursing. The fight took too long, I let one tag me. I ignore the pain in my leg as I hear the others grow closer.

"I swear I tagged him..."

"there ain't no blood,"

"I know but I swear I tagged him..."

Good, they're afraid of me. I climb up a mountain of crates, and peer between two. I see three men slowly making their way into the clutter of crates. I pick a heavy one, and lift the wodden box into the air, then hurl it at the group with all I've got. It collides with two, and clips the third. He stumbles backwards firing wild rounds into the air and collides with a wobly tower behind him, the wodden containers topple and smash over him.

I quickly fire my grapple and hurtle up into the ceiling again. I notice Thorne moving towards the exit with the other man.

"Dammit, finish the freak," he yells as he opens the door to the outside. I sprint forward and leap into the air, headless of who's behind me. My cape billows out and catches, my sillouhette is outlined against the dim lights hanging above me. I see Thorne inadvertainly take a stap backwards.

"You don't escape tonight," I say, my voice a low animalistic grumble.

Thorne's scared, but he's not stupid, "Oh really?" he replies, "I think I have something to say about that."

I look over my shoulder and see the remaining men making their way towards me, not firing a shot for fear of hitting Thorne. There's too many, and I can't keep this up. I grit my teeth and make a decision, I may not be able to get Thorne tonight, but I may be able to help someone.

I twist and use my momentum to hurl Thorne into the approaching group of hitmen. I leap into the air and fire my grapple, it connects with the beam and I swing forward. Hitting the release, the rope slides into the gun, and I land on the ground next to the crate Thorne had indicated earlier. Scooping it up with a grunt, I leap forward again and go crashing through the large window in front of me and out into the night.

 

[Infinity9999x]

The glass shatters around me and I hit the concrete hard, still clinging to the crate. I'm lucky, whoever's in here isn't too big, or else this would be a lot harder to lug around, not that its a piece of cake at the moment.

I fire my grapple up a building, and carry the crate to safety. Once on the roof, I take out a batarang and slide it under the lid, then pry it open. When I see the person inside I almost wish I hadn't saved them.

It's her.

I grab the cat by the neck and hang her over the edge of the building.

"You helped Johnny Cash. You probably helped hurt some of my friends, give me one reason why I go back down there and leave you with the scum you work for."

 

[Cats]

Air rushes through the crate and I'm whipped into the air by strong arms. I'm slightly blinded... disoriented after being cramped in the crate for the length of time. I blink... attempting to adjust my vision as my gag is whipped off my lips... Thank God! I gasp in air through my mouth, even as I gaze down and realise I'm at quite a height, dangling by the ropes around my hands. Doesn't matter though... I'm free! Just as I'm about to celebrate and thank my knight in shining armor, I get spun around and come face to face with 'him'. Ah...

He growls at me threateningly, "You helped Johnny Cash. You probably helped hurt some of my friends, give me one reason why I go back down there and leave you with the scum you work for."

"Wha?" I'm taken aback by what he's accusing me of. I can't believe it... me in the same league as Johnny Cash? He's gotta be kidding! "Hey come'on buddy! Would you think they would lock me in a crate for the dead if I was really on their side?"

He pulls me closer till the tip of my nose almost touches his and I can feel his breath on my face, feel the rumble of his growl, "Come straight with me. NOW!"

He doesn't kid around. Methinks I'd better give him something... I let out a long breath that I realise I'd been holding. "Alright alright... will you put me down first? I'm still suffering from cramps from being in the tight space."

His eyes narrow menacingly, I almost think he's not gonna give him, but then in a moment, he pulls me in and drops me on the roof - not exactly in a rough manner, but enough to bruise my ego. He points at me like a father disciplining his kid, "Now talk..."

I roll myself into a sitting pose, the ropes around my wrists still cutting into my flesh. My feet uncomfortably binded, but I pull my knees towards me. "Cash blackmailed me, made me perform a few tasks for him before he'd let me go free. Apparently free equals dead in his dictionary."

The Bat squats down in front of me, his gaze is softer now, his voice is calmer too, "Why did he pick you?"

"Because..." I choke on my words, "Because I am a thief, and he needs someone to steal items for his boss." Admitting that I'm a thief just doesn't gel right... it makes me uneasy inside, but I know it's what he wants to hear.

"You should've gone to the police before this got bad," he states. "Do you know what you've done?"

And I shrug, unsure of what he wants me to say, "I took some drugs?"

His voice is suddenly hard again, "You've delivered a deadly drug into Thorne's hands!"

It's then I remember Oricode21... somehow I'd forgotten about it after all the flurry. I guess I knew it'd be deadly, and I wonder why it hasn't reacted yet... Him saying its deadly gives me the shivers, I don't know what is in me or when it'll attack. Taking a gulp of my own saliva to calm myself, I ask softly, "What does it do?"

He glares at me for a moment, then explains, "Oricode21 is a subtle viral weapon that materializes in the form of flu. Within five days, the flu will degenerate to a gradual liquidation of the kidneys. By the seventh day, 90% of all victims of the drug will be dead."

I'm visibly shaken... he notices it too. Doesn't sound like a future I'd enjoy... not at all. Maybe I was better in the crate dying of suffocation. "No..." escapes my lips before I realise I've verbalized the word. "Isn't there a cure?"

"Not that I know of. You've forced my hand. I have to get to work now." He scoops me up into his arms as he gets to his feet.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask, although I probably know the answer.

"Blackgate."

"Wait..." I think I have something I can use to barter for my freedom. At least till the day I... He gives me his attention. "I have something you want," I say sadly. He waits for my reply quietly, his mysterious pearly visors glowing in the dark. I give it to him, "I'm infected with Oricode21."

 

[Infinity9999x]

I don't know how to respond. My gut reaction is not to trust her, she may be telling the truth, but she may have just crossed Cash and he may have tried to get rid of her. That's how the mob works.

There's something in her eyes though, the way she admitted to being a theif with almost an air of shame. I stare at her in the shadows, calculating my thoughts. She did save my life, I suppose I at least owe enough to her to try to repay that debt.

"I may be able to help you," I reply, "but you'll need to come with me."

She hesitates for a moment, then nods. Before she can say another word, I slip out a syringe and inject low grade poision into her. It won't do anything other then keep her out for about an hour or so, long enough to keep her asleep while I bring her to the batcave. I just hope to god I'm doing the right thing, and that I can do anything for her.

*Cats, feel free to post with selina waking up in the batcave, it'll probably be a few hours until my next post what with school and all.*

 

[Cats]

I slept a dreamless sleep, seem to recall hearing a wheezing sound like an engine burning, some beeping sounds, like on a computer or machinery... some screeching... wait, the screeching is still there. I notice the coldness of steel beneath me, I'm laid down on it... must've been asleep for quite sometime. My arms are weak, even while I try to turn myself to get a hold of the steel plate I'm laid on. And finally I pry open my heavy eyes.

There's a glow, a lamp? Someone moving around... and urghh... all that screeching. What the heck is that? I look up, and initially I see nothing but a writhing piece of black, like a large moving canvas. Then after a while it occurs to me that those are bats, millions and millions of the furry critters, lining the roof of something that looks like a cave. I'm in a cave? How did I get here? Memory seeps back slowly, and I seem to recall an encounter with Batman before I got to be here. He must've brought me here. But where is here?

Blast... my throat is dry. I blurt out a couple of coughs and that figure turns around, begins to approach me. It's Batman. Somehow being in this cave with the real bats makes him somewhat of a lord... ironic how theatrical the entire scene is and yet it's all so real. "How do you feel?" his voice is soft, gentle. Not like the one I last heard on the roof.

I attempt to regain my breath but my lungs feel weak. Must've been with whatever he injected me with. "Like crap..." I grumble, and try to get up, but my head is woozy, everything's spinning around. He comes forward and holds my shoulder to keep me from falling onto the floor. "What the heck did you inject me with?" I say it with less angst than I'd intended, my voice, and not to mention my entire frame, feels weak.

"A drug that induces sleep. But you appear worse than you should."

I deliver him a weak smile, "Thanks, you don't look too hot yourself." Sacarsm seems to work on him, he manages a weak smile himself.

Oh! But I've just remembered my mask... I touch my face, and surprisingly, he hasn't removed it. "Why d..."

He cuts me off, seeing as he already knew what I was gonna say, "You let me keep my secret before, I will do likewise." I smile with appreciation, but don't say a thing. I don't really know how to react to this thing we have going on. Are we still enemies? We're supposed to be aren't we? When does he start chasing and I start running? - although, now all I wanna do is lie down. I blurt out a few coughs again. "Let me touch your neck," he requests, rather bluntly.

I look at him a little unbelievably. I'm infected with a strain of deadly virus, figured he might find a me cure. But instead he's conned me into coming here so he can do the nasty? "Are you crazy? What do you think I am?" I burn him a gaze.

But he nods calmly in return. "Trust me," he says. And it's strange... but I do. He tugs off a glove while I drag the zipper from my chin just low enough for his hand to get round my neck.

It's warm around my skin, but I realise how clammy my skin is in comparison to his touch. I think there's something wrong with me, I don't know what it is. He pulls his hand out, walks over to a tap and washes it. "You have a fever," he states, like a doctor informing his patient. Oh, so that was what that 'neck' thing was about. I'm embarassed suddenly to have jumped to conclusions. "It has started."

And suddenly fear drapes over me like a large blanket. I feel every pore on my body arise in alarm - I don't want to die. And yet there's nothing much I can do about it now but cross my fingers and hope that Batman can help me now. At least I can't think of anyone else to go to. How will this end? Only time will tell I guess...

 

[Infinity9999x]

"I took a blood sample," I say after I dry my hands.
"It's a highly advanced virus. Bio-engineered, it's even stronger then I previously thought. Instead of seven days, you may three or four, tops. It's been acelerated. The virus lodges itself in the immune system, and begins a rapid reproduction of itself. It basically produces waste within the system, but overloads it to the point where the kidneys are almost completely dissolved. Then it moves on to the central nervous system, that is, if the subject is still living."

I turn towards her and halt, I notice the look in her eye, it's fear. I silently kick myself. Here I am going off into my scientific jiberish like it's an interesting science project, and this is this woman's life I'm discussing here.

"I may have a way to counter it...maybe," I tap a button on my computer and it brings up an elarged version of the virus.

"It can be replicated, and I may be able to create a antibiotic from it. If everything goes to plan, then it should sucessfully counter the effects of the virus. If not...." I pause for a moment, then look her in the eyes.

"...then it could increase the speed of the process by two to three times."

 

[Cats]

I swab my forehead with the back of my palm... it's a lot to take in, all at once. But I guess if it's to be my end, it's an end that I deserve. And who knows? With fingers crossed, I might actually survive it all. Just gotta swallow it whole, stay strong for myself, and face the music.

I rest my palm once more against the cold steel... it's funny how I feel like a test rabbit in here. I suppose in a way I am. It was me who did the damage. Even if the Batman's cure doesn't work for me, he might still be able to fix the problem I created through time. I look up at him once more... he's waiting patiently for my reply.

"Do it Bats," I say finally, as firmly as I can. "Do it."

 

[Infinity9999x]

I nod, then walk over to my desk and pick up a tablet.

"Take this, it will hopefully stem the virus a bit. It's a antibody I created in case I was poisioned. It should give us time."

I kneal down next to her. Her eyes hold a look of determination, she's a strong woman.

"I'm going to have to take some more blood samples, and run some tests. I...." I pause, then a slight smile comes to my lips, "I don't believe you ever told me your name."

 

[Cats]

His last line came as a bit of surprise. I'd never expected him to be so forward - after all, if he was curious, he could've peeked while I was asleep. And I'm sure with his resources he could've found my name... my true name. I like that he's respected me enough to allow me my space.

I grin mischeviously in return, "Well, you can call me your personal lab assistant for the next three to four days." I purr, placing my arms around his neck, and he doesn't flinch... although I can see that he's somewhat startled. He's such a tease! "The newspaper calls me the Cat-Woman," I point to my leathery ears, "I suppose they got the name from these babies. So I guess that's who I am... Catwo..." A nagging cough catches me in the middle of my sentence, and I put a fist to my mouth as the constant lurching deflates my lungs, and causes some pain in my chest.

He watches me quietly, takes the hand that still rests on his shoulder, and clamps it between both of his own, holding it till the coughing fades. My fingers grasp his gloved hand gently in appreciation. "This..." I gesture to my throat, "Isn't contagious is it?"

His head droops to some measure, "No. It only infects the host that its been injected into... like cancer."

"Oh..." I say, "That makes me feel a lot better then." It sounds corny when I say it, but I guess I mean it. I move my feet onto the ground in an attempt to stand, "We'd best get to work then, doc!"

But he rises and motions for me to stop, "Lay down. It's better that you don't move."

And I'm defiant. It's not like me to just lie around doing nothing. This is my very existence we're talking about! I wanna be a part of this so-called 'cure'. "Like you're gonna stop me! Someone has to keep you in check that you're not slacking on the job," I joke.

And he attempts to keep me down for a sec, then releases his hold. "You may worsen your state with activity," he warns, but I sweep it away.

"Come'on, I HAVE to be a part of this. It is my life after all. If I die like ten minutes earlier from walking around, then so be it. Least it'd be better than acting dead before I really am..." my countenance falls when I realise what I've just said, the truth hits me as I finally stand on two wobbly feet.

He looks on, hesistates, then places an arm under mine to support me to his giant computing machine where there's a .jpg open of some kind of a virus. I'm guessing that's the Oricode21 virus up close, my enemy of the hour. "Such a mean bugger, this one..." I comment, my eyes pasted on the large monitor while he releases me on an empty chair nearby.

"Yes it is," he says resolutely. "We can be mean ourselves."

And I say aye to that. That is one thing I believe he can.

 

[Infinity9999x]

She's already becoming tired, that's not a good sign. Hopefully the antipoision I gave her will help a bit.

I pull out a syringe and slide back the sleave of her outfit a bit,
"This will hurt a bit, but I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you're accostomed to."

She gives me a small grin. Catwoman....for some reason it fits, I suppose this is a town where people like to name themsevles after animals.

I draw out another sample of blood and put a small sample of it down on a microscope slide, then the other in a small holding container. I need to see how it's affecting her, if it attacks the white blood cells, or if it just reproduces itself in the bloodstream. This isn't going to be easy, I'm trying to create an antibody to a virus that was recently invented, in three days. Even the most brilliant virial scientologist in the world would be a bit hard pressed. Luckily, I'm no slouch at science.

I see her slouching in the chair I offered her, and point off to my left.
"There are some cots in the corner if you get tired, they're a bit more comfortable then a chair."

I turn back to the sample...okay, just whip up a quick antibiotic in three days, this won't be challenging at all.