Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2001 16:40:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: Author James <authorjames2002@yahoo.com>
Subject: Adventures of a Real Dark Knight 38

Disclaimer: This story, though maybe not in this chapter but in subsequent
chapters, will have celebrities in it.  I have no knowledge of their
sexuality and this is not intended to imply their sexuality.  This is all
from my own mind.  Scary!!  People actually get a glimpse into my mind!!!

Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss
Whedon.  Copyright 20th Century Fox.

Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Copyright DC Comics
and Warner Bros.

X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel
Comics and 20th Century Fox.

Star Trek and all related characters created by Gene Roddenberry.
Copyright Paramount Studios.

I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in
case, I have myself covered.

In this story, which has been floating around in my head most of my life,
you will find many universes merging, as the above copyrights reveal.  I
hope you all enjoy this.  I appreciate any feedback that you may want to
give.  This story doesn't deal so much with sex, sex, sex, but more of my
feelings that I struggled with and am starting to come to terms with.  Part
of his background is mine.  I do hope that you enjoy it!!!

I have received many emails from people who have enjoyed it and some from
those who do not.  I would enjoy hearing from you.  Any emails you send,
please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on.  Thanks.

jmsotc@yahoo.com

I also have several online messenger services.  If you want to chat with me
in real time, email me and tell me the services you use and I will tell you
my screen name.

Chapter 38 New Year Resolutions

	Jack and I crept slowly out the door and down the hall.  The
corridor seemed strangely quiet for a fortress.  We went up the stairs that
I was tossed down and I peeked my head around the corner to see if anyone
was walking up the corridor.  It was empty so we proceeded.

	Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl stood above the opening that Robin and
Batman stood at almost eighteen hours ago.  The room is empty.
	"How do we get down?"  Nightwing asked.  "We aren't mutants so we
can't fly down."
	Robin pulled out a grappling gun and shot a grapple into the rock.
Holding the rope, he jumped feet first into the glass.  It shattered under
his weight and he plunged down into the room.  The rope slowed him enough
to he could drop down safely the rest of the way.  Batgirl and Nightwing
soon followed.
	"Rather quiet for being a fortress," Batgirl said.  "I wonder where
everyone is?"
	Robin, hearing a noise from one of the corridors, pulled one of his
homemade robin-shaped throwing stars and threw it.

	It was coming at me before I knew it, a sharp, metallic robin.  I
held up my hand and froze the robin in mid-air.  Slowly, I brought it to me
and clutched it.
	"Nice throw," I said emerging from the shadows with Jack.  "If it
were anyone else, they would be dead."
	"Relax, no one was hurt."
	"But someone could have been."  My eyes went to Jack.
	Batgirl decided to intervene.  "Where is everyone?"
	"They went to the reservoir," Jack said.
	All four of us turned to him.
	"I overheard my mom talking to the woman driving the motorcycle.
Mom and...I think her name was Talia...and Race-something...and
Penguin...whoever he is...they were all going to the reservoir."
	Our eyes met.  Then I spoke up, though it was barely a whisper.
"My God...they are going to poison the water supply."
	"What?" Batgirl asked.
	"They developed a poison that kills almost instantly.  They plan on
killing off people to lower the population and keep the world alive."
	"Yep, that sounds like something Patty would do," Nightwing
replied.
	Jack looked up at him.  "How do you know my biological mother's
name?"
	Everyone turned to him.
	"He was there when your mom last took you, remember, Jack?" I
quickly said.
	"Oh...yeah...that's right."
	"I'm going to take him back to his mother," I said to the group.
"Get down to the reservoir.  I'll be there shortly."
	Batgirl grabbed the rope and climbed up.
	"Grab onto me," Nightwing said to Jack.  Jack grabbed on tightly
and Nightwing climbed up the rope, with his son holding on.
	"After you," I replied to Robin.
	"Sorry about the whole throwing star thing."
	"Don't worry about it.  Just be thankful it was me."
	Robin grabbed the rope and climbed next, followed by me.  Once on
the surface, we went our separate ways.  Batgirl, Robin and Nightwing
headed off toward the reservoir.  I, on the other hand, took Jack back to
his house.
	"Jack, remember, don't drink the water unless you see any of the
people you saw last night were arrested...or unless I or Nightwing or
Robin or Batgirl tell you it's safe, okay?"
	"Okay," he nodded.  Then he gave me a hug.  "Thank you for saving
me, Batman."
	"Thank you for saving me, Jack."
	I released him and left.  Going through the shadows so as not to be
seen, I went home.  Lance and the guys were on the patio listening to
music.  The TV was on inside, tuned in to the countdown to the New Year,
the new millennium, 2001.  I climbed the wall and landed by the pool.
	"OH GOD!" Justin screamed.  "You scared the crap out of me!"
	"Sorry."
	Lance looked over at me and grinned.  He ran over shouting, "Thank
God you're alive!" he said rather loudly.  I took him into my arms and held
him tight.  "I thought you might have been killed."
	"No, I'm fine.  I'm so glad to see you.  I missed so much."
	"Tell us what happened."
	The guys gathered round us.
	"I wish I could, love, but I can't.  I have something I have to
take care of."
	"What?" JC asked.
	"Someone is going to poison the water supply unless I get there to
stop them.  I'll be back as soon as I'm finished."
	Lance looked in my eyes and I could see the disappointment.  He
wanted to bring in the New Year with my kiss.  I wanted to do the same with
him.  I grabbed my mask and pulled it off my mouth.  I took Lance to me and
kissed him full on the lips.
	"That's just a precursor to what you will get when I get back.  I
love you."
	"I love you, too."
	I turned and, with a jump, landed on the wall.  Then I jumped down
and headed toward the reservoir, gauging in the general direction I had
seen my friends go.

	A half hour later I arrived at the reservoir, hoping against hope
that nothing horrible had happened.  I looked around and saw things
strangely quiet.  I climbed up to the roof of the processing building and
looked through the skylight.  Below, Batgirl, Nightwing and Robin stood,
tied together.  Ra's Al Ghul, Talia, Poison Ivy, and the Penguin stood off
to one side while Shadow warriors stood guard.  Ra's was saying something
so I leaned closer to hear.
	"...my Society of Shadows will grow in numbers until we take
control of the whole world.  The only beings left on the planet will be the
elite, those loyal to only me."
	"You are insane, Ra's," Batgirl replied.
	Talia ran up to her and backhanded her.  "Don't you dare speak to
my father as such.  I will rip out your tongue and feed it to you."
	"Idle threats considering I'm tied up."
	Nightwing and Poison Ivy kept an eye on each other.  You could see
the animosity flowing from Nightwing to her.  He did not like her very
much, and I didn't blame him.  Robin, however, was keeping a level head and
was sizing up the situation.  No doubt he was figuring out ways to get
free.
	I looked around and found the drums carrying the poison.  Shadow
warriors were unloading them.  I had to get them away from Ra's.  That was
the main priority.  I could not let innocent people die.  I relaxed and
stretch out my mind.  I picked up the drums and carried them up to the
ceiling.
	"What?!" Ra's exclaimed.
	"What's going on?" Talia cried.
	"Up there!" Penguin answered.  He pulled out his gun and began
shooting at me.
	"You will not win, detective."  Ra's ran over and opened a barrel.
The poison flowed out like a waterfall.  He grabbed another drum and filled
it, then dumped the contents into a processor that flows the water into the
drinking supply.
	"NO!" everyone shouted.
	I jumped into the glass.  As I descended, Penguin's bullets
followed, hitting machinery and severing some of the electrical cords.
Electric bolts arced from the severed wires.  Suddenly I had an idea.  "It
worked once more," I thought.  "Why not try again."
	I relaxed and reached out my hand.  It was difficult, but I could
feel something happening.  I could feel the electricity in the air and the
electricity in the wiring.  Suddenly, like lightning, the electricity arced
into the water and fried every single grain of poison.  It shot throughout
the room and disintegrated every molecule of the poison, breaking up the
barrels and frying them.  The electricity also hit the bullets coming from
the Penguin's gun as he fired at me.
	When all the poison was vaporized and the gun empty, I ran over and
pulled the ropes off binding my friends.
	"You stopped my immediate plan, detective.  But you haven't stopped
me completely. Shadows.... stop him."
	His guards went into action.  Two came running at me.  One swung at
me and I ducked.  Another brought his leg up to kick me and I blocked it.
I elbowed the second guy in the stomach and he fell to his knees in pain.
Then I punched the first guy between the legs.  He grabbed himself and
fell.
	Three guards ran at Batgirl.  As they ran at her, she jumped into
the air.  Her Slayer strength caused her to lift into the air and over
their heads.  They ran into each other and she came down landing on top of
them.
	Robin pulled out a slingshot and hit several guards before one
tackled him.  Robin, not one for being pleasant in a fight, head-butted the
guy.  The guy lifted up enough for Robin to shoot him in the eye with his
slingshot.  Robin then rolled the guy off and kicked him hard.
	Nightwing stepped aside as someone tried to kick him.  Then he
grabbed the leg that was in the air and brought his elbow down on the guy's
kneecap.  It broke under the impact.  Then Nightwing kicked the kneecap of
the warrior's good leg.  The warrior fell to the ground with two broken
legs.
	We all made eye contact and turned to our foes: Ra's Al Ghul,
Talia, Poison Ivy and Penguin.
	"It ends...tonight," I replied.
	"You've taken too much," Robin added.
	"You won't take any more," Nightwing said.
	"We won't allow it," Batgirl concluded.
	"Really, now," Ra's replied.  "Let's see."
	Robin dived at Penguin before he could bring out any more weapons.
Nightwing rushed Poison Ivy.  Batgirl went after Talia.  And Ra's was mine.
Unfortunately, before I could get a hold of Ra's, his servant Ubu grabbed
me.  Ubu picked me up and tossed me into the wall.
	"Infidel!  You may not strike Master like that," Ubu exclaimed.
	"Master what?" Robin said.  "Master-bater?"
	Ubu turned to Robin.  "Infidel!"
	I took advantage of Ubu being turned away and I kicked him hard
behind the knee.  Down he fell.  I jumped to my feet as he started to get
up.  With a quick kick to his neck, he fell again.  Then I turned to Ra's
Al Ghul.

	Batgirl ducked a punch Talia threw at her.  Talia tried to kick her
and Batgirl turned to the side to avoid the kick.  Batgirl grabbed Talia's
leg and used her leg in a sweeping motion to knock Talia's support leg out
from under her.  Talia crashed to the floor.

	Nightwing and Poison Ivy circled each other, fierceness emanating
from their eyes.
	"How could you do it, Patty?  How could you bring our son into
this?" Nightwing asked.
	"I was saving him from their poisoning the water.  I don't want him
to die!"
	"But you are willing to endanger his life by bringing him here?
You could have alerted the police, or contacted me.  You didn't have to go
along with them."
	"You don't understand, do you?  They have a good reason for doing
what they are trying to do."
	"Kill everybody?"
	"Save this world.  Our son is going to grow up in a world where
people will be running rampant.  No more forests.  This place is going to
deteriorate rapidly...all because mankind is selfish and greedy.  It has
to stop."
	"Not like this.  Not this way."
	"I will fight them, by any means necessary."
	"And I'll stop you, Poison Ivy."
	Nightwing swung his fist at her.  She blocked and punched him.
Then she spun and kicked him in the stomach.  He flew up against the wall
with the impact.  Poison Ivy brought her wrist crossbow up to his face.
	"I beat you.  You're dead."
	Nightwing moved to the side quickly.  He grabbed Poison Ivy's wrist
and brought his knee up to her arm.  The impact smashed her crossbow to
pieces.  Then he kicked her in the stomach.  Turning her arm, he flipped
her over on her back.

	Penguin had his arms wrapped around Robin tightly.  "Can you
breathe, bird boy?" he hissed.
	Robin brought his foot down hard on Penguin's foot.  Then he
elbowed the man in the stomach and flipped him over onto his back.
	"About as well as you can, bird man," Robin replied.

	Ra's Al Ghul's eyes and my eyes locked.  There was no fear in his
eyes, no wavering, only determination, the determination of a madman.
	"It's not going to happen, Ra's."
	"It already has, detective.  I've won this battle."
	Ra's pulled out a sword and swung it at me.  I jumped back, the
slice barely missing me.  He swung again at me and I ducked.  The sword
imbedded into the wall.  Pulling it free, Ra's thrust it at me.  I
sidestepped and grabbed his wrist.  Using all my might, I pulled him around
and into the wall.  Then I punched him.  Bringing my elbow down on his arm
caused him to release the sword.  I brought my elbow up and caught him in
the face.  I then grabbed him around his head and flipped him down to the
ground.
	Taking a deep breath, I stood and looked around.  Batgirl stood
with Talia at her feet.  Nightwing stood with Poison Ivy tied up.  Robin
stood with his foot on Penguin's chest.  I released my deep breath and took
several more.  We did it.  We won.
	"Isn't there any more?" Robin asked.
	We all looked at him.  But it was Batgirl who spoke.  "Perhaps we
should let him fight the vampires."
	"Vampires?" Robin asked.  "You mean...there ARE vampires?"
	Batgirl smiled.
	"Way cool!" he responded.
	"Let's tie these four up and call the."
	I was interrupted by the sounds of police sirens.  We quickly tied
up the villains and exited out.

	I watched from the rooftops as Poison Ivy, Ra's Al Ghul, the
Penguin and Talia were escorted away by the police.  Robin, Nightwing and
Batgirl came up beside me.  All of us looked worn and battle-weary but
nonetheless victorious.
	"Well, Batman, you did it," Batgirl said.  "You stopped the
poison."
	"We all did it, Batgirl.  All four of us.  I'm glad I had you three
with me.  Otherwise, they would have won.  I could not have done it alone,"
I responded.
	I noticed Nightwing's attention elsewhere.  I followed his look
over to the reunion of his son with his son's two adopted mothers.  It was
obviously Jack who called the police.  How he convinced them to come, I
don't know.  Perhaps the story seemed too detailed that they had no choice
but to believe him.  I stepped over to Nightwing.  "Thoughts, Nightwing?"
	"Just a little sad.  He's a fine young man.  He has two wonderful
mothers who love him very much.  He's in good hands.  I just wish I could
have part of that."
	"He has a good father, too.  One who was willing to do what was
best for his son, despite the fears and sorrows it has caused his father.
I'm sure his mothers will share that with him."
	"Yeah.  I hope so."
	I clapped my hand on his shoulder.  After a moment, Robin turned to
the rest of the group.  "I don't know about you, but I'm tired.  I could
use some sleep."
	Everyone else nodded his or her agreement.
	"Go ahead," I replied.  "You earned some peaceful sleep.  I will
keep watch just a little bit longer."
	One by one they left me alone in the night.  I watched as the last
of the police cars holding a villain drove off toward the jail.  The
remaining cars were forensic officers examining the crime scene.  Nothing
more did they need me for, so I left.  I headed back home.  When I got
home, I took off my suit and put on my bathrobe.
	I walked downstairs and saw Lance and the guys sitting in the
living room talking.  They looked up at me.  Lance met me at the steps and
took me into his arms.
	"How did everything go?" he asked
	"Okay."
	"Anyone get seriously hurt?"
	"No.  Thankfully, no."
	"That's good.  Did this guy make good on his threat to ruin the
future?"
	"No.  Everyone is safe."
	"That's good.  For a moment, with all that was going on, you know,
the attack on our lives.  I thought he would have done something to the
teen center."
	My heart stopped beating in my chest.  I hadn't checked the teen
center.  What if he had done something?  I remembered his last words to me:
I've won this battle.  I jumped up and pulled on a pair of sweat pants and
a t-shirt.
	"What's going on?" Lance asked as he flipped on the lamp.
	"The teen center!  I have to check it out!  Maybe the threat on the
whole city was just a diversion from doing a smaller destruction...the
teen center."
	"Hold on, I'll drive you over."
	In record time I was dressed and in moments the SUV careened down
the road heading for the teen center.

To Be Continued...