Batman uses his “special” brand of interrogation on one of the terrorists who tried to steal Iron Man’s robot tech in Gotham City.
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As the tension released on the Batline, Batman fell backward into the back of the driver’s seat. He immediately dashed out the back of the open van. He saw KGBeast leap onto the back of a car speeding away from the scene.
Looking up, he saw Iron Man in pursuit, only to turn and fire upon two more Russians armed with gauntlet blasters up on the next pedestrian walkway.
Batman used his remote control to call the Batcycle back to him, but knew it was too late for pursuit. He had another idea.
Using his grappling gun, Batman went up to the pedestrian walkway. He pulled himself up to where the two gunmen had launched their attack on Iron Man. Civilians were gawking.
Batman hunched his back, held his cape around him and used it to conceal his true form. People would get photos of him, but they’d be nothing more than a black blob.
“Clear the area!” Batman demanded.
A few people stayed long enough to snap a few pictures, but everyone eventually ran away.
Batman removed the gauntlets from each of the men and set them aside. He then picked up one of the gauntlet thugs.
“Batcomputer,” Batman said while staring at the man. “Get me an ID on this man.”
He waited until he heard the word, “Searching” from the Batcomputer link. Satisfied, Batman punched the man hard on that side of his jaw, dislodging a tooth. He studied it, scowling as if he’d learned something he didn’t like.
Batman then used an ammonia capsule from his utility belt to wake the man.
The thug shook awake. By the time he realized where he was, Batman had him dangling by his ankle over the Vegas Strip. The thug bit down, but his false tooth was gone.
“I removed your cyanide capsule,” Batman shouted down to the thug. “Now tell me where KGBeast is taking Vanko!” he demanded.
“There’s a warehouse! By the private airfield!” the criminal shouted.
“Where are they going from there?”
“I don’t know! All —”
Batman dropped the man.
Sirens filled the air as Iron Man swept under the pedestrian walkway and grabbed the falling thug before he hit the ground. He flew back up with him to the walkway and landed next to Batman.
“You sure you don’t want to cooperate?” Iron Man asked the thug. He noticed the man’s pants were wet in the crotch. The thug shook like a scared child but didn’t say anything.
Batman grunted in disgust. “He doesn’t know anything.”
Iron Man stunned the man unconscious with a low-level Repulsor blast then dropped the man to the ground. He slid open his helmet’s faceplate. “You were gonna kill him for information?” he asked Batman.
The Dark Knight was already focusing on his cowl’s HUD. “I knew you didn’t pursue the car, so you were available to catch him.”
“You didn’t know I could!”
“You’re Iron Man,” Batman said in a deadpan. He used his boot to turn over the second thug so they could see his face. “I talked to Gordon on the way out here. The criminals I tagged in Gotham all died in their cells.”
Batman knelt to the unconscious man and punched him as he had the first man. Stark winced. Batman dug into the man’s mouth and pulled out a molar. He showed it to Stark.
“The men died of cyanide poison,” Batman began, “delivered through a false molar.”
Stark took a moment to process the information. “I knew we were up against professionals, but professionals willing to die for the cause? It’s just a bleeping robot suit!”
Batman pulled a small evidence bag from his utility belt. “These men are local, but they’re part of a larger, more organized network.”
Dropping the tooth into the bag and replacing the bag in his belt, he added, “Think of them as members of a cell. They only know what to do here.”
“They have no idea what the larger organization is up to,” Stark said. He shook his head. “And I thought invading aliens were crazy. Where do we go from here?”
Batman stood up. “Batgirl’s working on something in Gotham.”
Stark perked up. “Good for her! Let’s get back there, break open some vodka —”
“Who’s Vanko?”
Iron Man looked down at the mess they’d made of the Strip. “Why don’t we take this to someplace a bit more private? I’ve got what’s left of a suite at Mandalay!”
Batman nodded. He then leaped off the walkway. Using his cape, he glided down to the street, landing expertly on the waiting Batcycle. He roared away.
Stark had to admit: Batman did know how to make an entrance and an exit. Sticking around to help real law enforcement sort things? Not so much.
With the cold shoulder Gordon showed him, Stark was surprised the veteran cop put up with Batman’s antics. They must really have some bad news criminals in that town.
Down below, local police were pulling onto the scene. Iron Man also saw an unmarked car.
Two men in identical suits stepped out. Stark figured they were SHIELD agents. Two helicopters, one SHIELD and one local, hovered over the scene.
Stark pressed a section of his chest plate to reveal his earpiece. The slot wouldn’t open, wrecked by the earlier machine gun fire. Stark had Friday connect him with Fury’s cell phone.
“I hear you’re enjoying your time in Vegas,” Fury said. His sarcasm wasn’t lost on Stark.
“I appreciate SHIELD giving me the leeway to cut loose,” Stark replied.
“I have a cleanup team coming in to deal with the locals. You’ll stay and debrief them.”
“You didn’t expect Batman to stay?”
“He wouldn’t have.”
“But you expect me to stay.”
“I can cut funding to Stark Industries and send out so many negative news stories you’d be reduced to rubble. For example —”
“FYI, I’d survive the stories. The cut to my extravagant lifestyle? Okay, you win. I’ll stick around for a bit.”
“Agent Coulson will take your report. He’s there now.”
Stark waved to Coulson down below. “Wish I could tell him something other than ‘yes it was Vanko and he got away.’”
Fury sighed on the other end of the line. “Me too, Stark, me too.”
To be continued…
While writing this fanfiction, I used Green Ronin’s Mutants and Masterminds, 3rd Edition RPG, to leave some things to chance. Check it out!
Like this fanfiction? Check out Mark’s original “Shadowdance” saga books!
Copyright Info
DC Adventures, Copyright 2011, Green Ronin Publishing; Author Steve Kenson. It’s now Mutants and Masterminds, 3rd Edition
Advanced Player’s Manual, Copyright 2005, Green Ronin Publishing: Author Skip Williams.
The characters Iron Man, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, Vanko, Black Widow and Nick Fury are Copyright Marvel Comics
The characters Batman/ Bruce Wayne, Batgirl/ Barbara Gordon, Black Mask, the Penguin/ Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, Renee Montoya, Commissioner Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth, Robin/ Dick Grayson, KGBeast and Bane are Copyright DC Comics
The character Juri Han is Copyright Capcom
None of the characters belong to me as this is fanfiction, done for fun, and as a creative exercise.
