Batwoman I: War Games (DC_heroine_lover & Mr.E)

dc_heroine_lover

Planetoid
Joined
Mar 19, 2017
An old early 20th century mine shaft elevator lowered into a dark cave, dimmly lit by LED lamps fasened to the stone walls. Opening the rusty metal elevator door, the twenty seven year old billionaire Brandy Wayne stepped out already removing her business suit, leaving a path of clothes along the early stages of the batcave.

At a lap top, an elderly man stared at a computer screen. He was live linked to security camera footage, watching panicked night staffers run in fear from a bald headed man wearing no shirt and covered in self inflected tally mark scars. "It is Victor Zsasz, Miss Brandy" Alfred said with much fear and concern in his voice. "If you must follow through with this suicidal crusade than I beg you to do so with haste."

Brandy stood before a standing miliary grade case, stripped down to a sports bra and a pair of black lace boy short panties. She was silent, but a look of determination painted her face like a mask. Opening the case, the symbol that would strike fear into the hearts of many stared at her from the chest plate of her armor. She grabbed a pair of black yoga pants, putting them on before pulling the armored pants, chest plate and arm sleeves on. She was transforming into the Dark Knight piece by piece. Next was the upgraded utility boots with steel toes and added armor plating to protect her Achilles tendon especially. The bracers were customer made, a gift from.her days training under the great Ras Al Ghul. All that was left were the utilty belt which echoed throughout the cave with a loud locking sound before she grabbed the soon to be iconic cowl and pulled over her face.

She rushed from the metal crate, floating from the ledge she was standing on with the help of her cape and landing softly on a parking pad where a black Corvette waited. It was a early batmobile; the vin number gone, the glass all double plated bullet proof plexi, armor plates surrounding the can for safety. She opened the door, still silent and jumped in. Alfred turned to watch as the car sped from the cave, the motor humming like a custom build street car for speed.

"Alfred" Batwoman said as she spoke through her comm link directly to her faithful butler. "I need to know what floor Zsasz is on and we need to warn anyone in the building to get out that can."

"Yes mam" Alfred answered as he continued to watch the cameras until he came across two very familiar faces. "Oh dear, things might have become more complicated for Miss Brandy. It seems your uncle Phillip and Lucius are both in the building, Phillip's top floor office to be exact. They are trying to help people into the office to hide."

Elsewhere in Gotham City, a line of police cruisers formed a barricade for a large group of on looker. Standing among them was James Gordon, a mid thirties detective who had just transferred to Gotham City in hopes of restarting his career. He adjusted his glasses, looking up at the large skyscrapper in front of him with the Wayne Enterprises logo on the side of it. "Where is SWAT?" Gordon calmly asked, looking over his shoulder as his partner Harvey Bullock.

"There on their way, but it is Braden's team" the heavier set, middle aged Bullock replied with a dreadful expression on his face. He removed her fedora and ran his fingers though his long shaggy black hair with a hint of gray.

"This place will be a blood fest" Gordon replied quickly as he looked at the citizens that had gathered around the scene. "We've got to get these people back. Last thing we need is SWAT shooting up the public."

Harvey laughed, in a sarcastic manner at Gordon's response. "Or us, Brayden and his men will be lucky if they don't bring the building down."

Up stairs, on the top floor of the large skyscrapper huddled a large group of people in a dark office. A middle aged, clean cut Lucius Fox helped a the other three men in the group push the large desk against the door hoping to barricade themselves from Victor Zsasz. "Everyone get down and be quite" he said as they stepped back from the door, having a false sense of security.
 
Soft footsteps patted on the marble ground of the office. A knife scratched against a wooden desk that was still outside of the door. Victor Zsasz slowly approached the door and knocked gently on it. “Hello, little piggys, are you in there?” His voice was soft and high-pitched. He rubbed his free hand on the door as if trying to feel the energy of what was inside of the office. He placed his ear on the door and faintly heard whimpers from the females in the room. He smiled to himself. “I hear the little piggys. Let me in!” His smiled faded turning into an expression of anger. He slammed his hand on the door trying to budge the door open.

----

On the other side, Lucius looked over to his secretary who was whimpering in fear. He walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Hey, look at me. Look at me,” he said in a gentle voice. She looked up at him with tear running down from her eyes. He smiled at her. “You’re going to be ok. We’re going to be ok.” He took her into his arms and started to cradle her.

Phillip Kane looked over to him and rolled his eyes. “Lucius, stop that. We need you to help with the door. If this maniac hits it any harder, he could get inside.” Lucius looked up at Philip and nodded. He looked back at the woman. “Stay here, ok?” He smiled at her and walked back to the door.

He pushed up against the desk with Philip by his side as Zsasz continued to slam against the door. Philip looked over to Lucius and softly shook his head. “Why try to comfort her? You know as well as I do that we’re not going to make it.”

Lucius looked over to him with an angered expression on his face. “I comfort her because unlike you I have faith someone is going to save us.”

Philip scoffed but kept pushing against the desk trying to keep the door closed.

----

Outside, Gordon and Bullock watched as they saw the SWAT team arrive from GCPD. They saw multiple men step out and finally saw Braden step out of the truck. Braden was a tall, clean cut man with a military haircut. He walked over to Gordon and Bullock slightly chuckling to himself. “Well, it seems that I have to save the day. You two can stay back while I kill this son of a bitch.” He walked away from them and back to his men.

Gordon looked over at Harvey and shook his head. “I can’t let him cause a massacre.” Bullock slid his hands in his own pockets. “What are you going to do?” Gordon looked at the building and back to Braden. He exhaled, “Fuck it.” He pulled out his gun and ran into the building.

Bullock watched on seeing his partner running into a suicide mission scenario. “Jim, Jim get back here.”

-----

Zsasz finally slammed his way into the room and hopped over the table. He saw Philip and Lucius back away. He also noticed three other men in suits and the frightened secretary. He smiled at her and walked closer to her. “What’s wrong dear? I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to free you from this prison. You will be able to ascend to where you truly deserve to be.”

One of the men tried to rush him, but Zsasz was too quick and sliced the man’s throat. Zsasz smiled noticing the blood on his knife. He inhaled deeply. “Yes, a soul has been freed.” He cleaned his knife on the man’s suit and carved a tally mark on his stomach. He looked back at the woman. “Are you ready?”
 
From a building top neighboring Wayne Tower, Batwoman looked at the scene below from the darkness. She pressed a button on her bracers, turning the binocular vision within her cowl leans on. She narrowed her view first on Gordon and Bullock, but then locked her attention on the SWAT van as it pulled up and Brayden stepped out. "Damn it" she said out loud in her cold, deep disguised voice. "Alfred, we have to hurry or this will become a blood bath. I need you to hack into the security footage, I need to know where Zsasz is exactly." Batwoman continued to watch, seeing Gordon pull his gun and rush into try building. "Great" she said with an aggervated tone, knowing this was more people who were going to get in her way.

From her utility belt, she pulled a gas powered grappling gun and fired it, latching onto the top of Wayne Tower. With a powerful jerk, she was lifted high into the night sky. "Phillip's office Miss Brandy" Alfred answered through the radio com, sending an audible into Batwoman's plan. She was fast approaching the window, when she released the line and crashed into the office. The crowd of people screamed as she rolled across the desk and onto the floor in a crouching position. Slowly she stood, an intimidating force to behold.

Lucius reconized his handy work quickly, almost knowing right away who was behind the mask. It explained so much, why she had been borrowing equipment from the research and development lab, her seven year disappearce and why she was so interested in crime suddenly. "Come free my soul" Batwoman said in a cold voice, not realizing she was sending a hysterical fright through the office.

Zsasz charged, swinging his blade wildly with hopes of connecting. He was untrained, and his form was sloppy. A few simple bobs and weaves, and Batwoman was able to easily catch his wrist. She bent his hand back until he dropped the knife before flipping him over her shoulder and crashing through Phillips desk. She slammed her fist into his face a couple of times, trying to knock him out after about three good blows, he laid helpless beneath her. "Lucius, gets these people out of here" she ordered before turning around to face the crowd. "A cop, Jim Gordon is on his way..." but before she could finish, Zsasz jumped up and leaped onto her back.

He started to stab wildly, the knife sparking as it slammed into her arm chest plate, bending the tip of the blade with each and every impact. It took a few moments but Batwoman finally slammed him backwards into the wall before stumbling forward herself. Zsasz grunted in pain before grabbing a near by wooden chair and slamming it against her back. She stumbled forward a little more as he ran out the door, in the hallway outside he office and into the building. "Damn it" Batwoman said, shaking off the blow.

"Stay here" she said looking at the hostages, but specifically Lucius Fox. She then turned, chasing into the hallway but Zsasz already had a good head start. "Alfred, track Zsasz's movements on the security cameras..." but before she could finish, all the power in the building was cut. "What now" Batwoman said as she stopped to look around.

Outside, Brayden was holding a walkie talkie as he stood beside of Bullock. "Commissioner Loeb will be here in a second, but we just cut the power. Your reckless partner gets in the way, oh well" Brayden said like killing a cop was no big deal. Gordon was not liked much, he had been fighting to clean up the force since he transferred from Central City six months earlier. Bullock was about the only friend he had on the force.
 
Gordon was running up the stairs when the power cut off. He looked around in confusion and grabbed his walkie talkie. He looked at it hoping that it would work. “Bullock, Bullock can you hear me?” he said looking at his surroundings. The dark staircase made him think about a time when he was in Afghanistan. He was told to save some hostages from Al Queda, but it was completely dark and he forgot his night vision goggles. This was the exact same feeling.

“Yeah, I hear you buddy,” Bullock replied. Gordon looked back at his walkie talkie happy to know that it was not an electronic power shutdown. “What’s going on Bullock?” Gordon asked continuing his run up the stairs.

“Braden shut the power down. They’re about to breach the tower. You don’t have that much time, because he said that if you were in the crosshairs…”

“I think I get what you mean Bullock,” Gordon said with a soft and mildly defeated voice. “I’m almost at the top. I might be able to get to them in time before Braden gets in.”

“You better hurry partner.”

----

Alfred sat in the cave looking through Batwoman’s night vision goggles at the situation. He looked over at the heart monitor to track Zsasz’s heartbeat. The beating was slow and steady. He transferred the heartbeat to the map of the building to look around the halls. The beating was located behind a door that led to Lucius’s office.

“Miss Brandy, I located where Zsasz is hiding. He is in Lucius’s office. I advise that you wait for my mark to enter. He seems as though he is waiting for you to enter. If you wait long enough, you might be able to catch him by surprise.”

----

As Batwoman walked down the hall, Zsasz began to speak to her.

“I saw your soul. It was dark and cold. You’re someone that doesn’t deserve my freedom. You’re not even a piggy like the rest of them. You’re a person like me. You help release souls. Only the darkest of souls can do that.”

Zsasz stopped for a moment. His breathing is heavy but slow. His voice never wavered at a single moment.

“Are you here to free my soul?”

Batwoman reached the door and sat by it waiting for Alfred’s call.

-----

Braden noticed Commissioner Loeb arrive and smiled at him. Loeb was a portly man, but he carried himself like he was made of pure muscle. He walked over to Braden and stood next to him. “So Braden, what’s the plan?” Loeb asked.

Braden chuckled turning to look at the building. “Like always Commissioner, breach and raise hell.”

Loeb smiled, “Good, get it down.”

Braden nodded. “Alpha team, on me.”

Braden and his team ran forward to the door. They stopped and waited for a few seconds. Braden looked at his team. “Ok team, this is just another day at the park. Don’t forget who the target is. Collateral damage is requested to be low, but what’re ya gonna do about a stray bullet?”

His crew laughed as Braden placed his hand on the handle.

“On my mark.”

----

Gordon reached the door that led to the hallway. He pulled out his walkie talkie. “Bullock, I’m at the top. I’m about to breach.” He took a deep breath and looked at the door. “On my mark.”

----

Alfred noticed that Brandy was at the door. He leaned forward. “Alright, on my mark. 3…”

----

Gordon stared at the door with his gun out. “…2…”

----

Braden pulled out his machine gun and placed it near the door. “…1…”

----

All three at the same time say, “Go.”
 
Batwoman burst through the door like a bat out of hell, the sudden force of her attack gave her enough time to prepare for Zsasz. He leaped at her, slicing a knife at her but she managed to catch it within her bracer. She forced her arm into the air, pinning Zsasz hand as she slammed a fist hard into his nose. The knife slipped from his hands he stumbled backwards.

With a quick leap, Batwoman speared him to the ground. He tried to push her off but she caught his fist, twisting it to a painful extreme before punching him in the face a few more times. She only stopped when he laid motionless beneath her. This time she made sure he was out, rolling him onto his stomach before removing handcuffs from her belt and cuffing his hands behind his back tightly. "Zsasz is down Alfred" she said proudly.

In the hallway, Gordon through open the door when his gun ready to fire. He caught a quick glance of a large dark figure breaking into a office. "Freeze" he yelled but the commotion drowned anything he had to say. Unsure what he saw, he approached the door cautiously but ready to fire. He peaked around the corner just in time to see Batwoman roll Zsasz over and started to cuff him. For a moment, he was in shock as he seen the caped viglante. Remembering why he was there, he finally aimed his gun at her back. "Freeze or I will shoot" he yelled.

Batwoman's head shot up hearing the sound. "Whose behind me" she said quietly to Alfred as she rose easily to keep him from shooting.

"Detective James Gordon" Alfred replied much to Batwoman's relief.

"Jim Gordon, you're a good cop" she said hoping to build a bridge of friendship. She held her hands up and slowly turned around so he could see her.

"What the hell" Gordon said shocked. "How do you know me?"

"I know a lot of things and I need your help. We are going to clean up Gotham together, starting with the GCPD."
 
Braden opened the door to allow his men to enter one by one with the guns ready. Braden entered last with a smirk on his face. Bullock saw them enter and quickly grabbed for his walkie talkie. “Gordon, the teams breaching. You better tell me some good news or you’re about to get destroyed,” Bullock said with a worried look on his face.

------

Gordon kept his gun trained on Batwoman. He did not want her to get away. He heard Bullock on the walkie talkie. It was muffled, but he understood the premise of what was going on. Gordon looked down at Zsasz and then back up to Batwoman. He shook his head and lowered his gun.

“Fine, but you have to get out. Braden and his men are entering the building. If they find you, they won’t hesitate to shoot and hurt the civilians in here,” Gordon said walking closer to her.

He grabbed Zsasz from her and lifted him up from the ground. “I’ll take care of this.” Gordon pulled Zsasz away and towards the door. Gordon stopped for just a moment and looked back at her. “Thank you.” He continued forward and got back on his walkie talkie. “Bullock, tell Loeb to order Braden to stand down. The suspect has been apprehended.”

-----

Bullock nodded and quickly walked to Loeb. “Commissioner, you need to stand down. Gordon has Zsasz.”

Loeb looked at him with anger, but does not falter. “How do we know that Gordon is not a hostage, and is being forced to say these things?”
What Loeb did not realize was Bullock was still holding the button down by accident, so Gordon heard what Loeb said. “Because I’m walking into the elevator and will be down momentarily. Tell Braden to stand down.”

Loeb began to fume until he grabbed his own walkie talkie. “Braden, stand down. Zsasz has been apprehended.” There was an audible groan on the walkie talkie as Braden replied. “Yes sir.”
 
Batwoman smiled as she watched Gordon and Zsasz enter the elevator shaft and disappear behind the closing metal doors. All she had done, all she had trained her body to do paid off for the very first time in that moment. "Alfred... Zsasz has been taken into custody, the hostages are safe" she said with a personal vote of confidence. "I'm coming home" she nearly giggled before disappearing into the night and back into a ventilation shaft.

Down stairs, Bullock laughed as Gordon started to exit the building with Zsasz in hand. "Not to bad... make yourself the hero to the public and piss off the boss."

"I had help" Gordon said without an expression but with no intention of explaining exactly what happened. "Just make sure he gets booked Harvey, and do not take your eyes off of him."

Harvey simply laughed as Gordon walked toward Loeb, who was steaming at the actions just taken. "That had to be the dumbest move I have ever seen Gordon; you could have gotten yourself killed!" Loeb rolled his eyes, wanting to fire Gordon on the spot but as he looked over his shoulder to see Vicki Vale reporting about Gordon apprehending Zsasz, he knew he could not. "You're walking a thin line Gordon, make sure you don't step out of it."
 
Gordon stared at Loeb with a slight smile on his face. He looked around at the reporters staring at them. He looked back at Loeb. “It’s a good thing that you have to keep up appearances for the cameras. Don’t worry though, I’ll stay in line.” He walked away from Loeb and back to his car. He sat in the driver’s seat and pulled out a cigarette. He lit it up and rested his head back.

Bullock walked to the car after handing Zsasz to the SWAT team. He sat in the passenger’s seat and looked at Gordon. “Well, that was ballsy what you said to Loeb. You’re confident that he won’t retaliate?”

“No, he will, but I just wanted him to know that I’m not afraid of him.”

Bullock shrugged and looked forwards. “Alright, but it’s your funeral.”
Gordon pulled out his car keys and started the car. He drove away from Wayne Towers and back to the precinct.

-------

At the Batcave, Alfred sat at the computer waiting for Miss Wayne to return. He looked over at a picture that was standing up. It was a picture of Thomas, Martha, and Brandy standing next to each other. He began to think back to that picture. He thought about a time that was not as complicated as now.

Suddenly, the sound of a roaring car moved closer to the cave. He turned around as he saw the Batmobile drive up to the parking spot. He saw Brandy exit the car in her Batwoman suit. Alfred smiled and stood up. “Miss Brandy, I’m sure that your excitement with Mr. Zsasz was the perfect test run for the new suit?”
 
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