5Chapter Two
Location: Arkham Asylum
Alarms went off like mad and crazy at the asylum, forcing various security guards in armoured suits to take arm and gather around closed containment gates. Sounds of hard thumping and clanging were heard from the other side of the hatch door, echoing across the sterile, hi-tech underground corridors beneath the otherwise ancient-looking institution.
"Sir, we got heavy activity behind the door!" one of the security officers called.
"As if I can't see or hear that," the leader of the squad said before reaching for his walkie-talkie and spoke into it. "Gamma Team, this is Bravo Team, report."
"We're about get a breach from the east wing!" a panicked voice in the walkie-talkie warned. "We gotta pull out now!"
"You're not doing that so soon!" the leader of Bravo Team objected. "Not without containing the situation. Have you at least managed to evacuate all personnel?"
"Most of them, I think. We haven't got any word from anyone inside the pen," the voice of Gamma Team claimed.
"Then keep your folks armed and ready, if even one of those goons break outta that room, let 'em have it!" the Bravo leader ordered.
"Roger that," the Gamma leader said before the walkie-talkie went off.
"Same for you lot here," Bravo leader said to his team, whipping up his rifle.
Just then, a blast of fire and force broke down the pressured door, causing shards of broke metal to fly at all directions. As the flames and smoke cleared, a wave of thugs and rogues dashed forth like a stampede. In instant reaction, the security squad sent their guns blazing with fury at the oncoming wave.
Out the asylum, things seemed a tad more peaceful, albeit still uneasy and unstable nonetheless. Various police vans and cars were scattered across the entrance, lighting up the night with red and cyan sirens, and where a few troops fenced off the area, even keeping a typical TV report group at bay.
"Bravo leader, this is Alfa leader, what's going on there?" the leading troop outside called into his walkie-talkie, only to meet crackling static respond. "Hello, can you even hear me? Hello!" He kept calling, obviously to no avail, before setting aside his device with a huff. "Can somebody tell me how the hell come nearly three hundred contained super-powered inmates just broke free from their cells and buggered out?"
"Sarge, we got heavy activity behind the front door!" one of his fellow troops pointed at the dented main door.
The door then broke down and fell to the ground, revealed a few crooks, some more recognisable than others.
"Open fire and tranquilise!" the leader commanded with a shout.
As they fired away in an attempt to subdue and paralyse the escapees, a loud metallic thud occurred, causing the troops to see what or who it was; the caped crusader having come down on top of the van. The Sarge in particular exhaled with relief that the knight had expectedly arrived sooner.
"Doctors, soldiers, agents, each of those people have a family," the Batman uttered as he stared deeply at the asylum before turning to the sergeant. "We can discuss what exactly happened later. For now. I'm gonna take on these rogues close quarters, help recover your men, and give them a fighting chance."
The sergeant quietly and sternly nodded with approval as the Batman leapt off from the van, over the gate and into the inward area of the asylum, where he delivered a downward kick on Mister Freeze, knocking him out of balance in the process. Killer Croc charged towards him with claws out and mouth gaping open, and Batman shot a grappling hook and spun it around the Croc's mouth before pulling and tightening it, slamming Croc's mouth shut.
"Has anyone else escaped?" Batman asked the security sergeant. "Joker? Penguin? Two-Face? Riddler?"
"They'd most likely be in maximum security, sir," the sarge answered.
"Then we're gonna go in and find them, and anyone else for that matter," the Batman commanded as he rushed into the entrance.
"You heard the man," the sarge called to his fellow men.
Leading the security team into close quarters assault within the confounds of Arkham Asylum, Batman found himself confronting Victor Zsasz head on. Zsasz dashed at the dark knight and grabbed onto his cape, attempting the pull and tag at him. Batman nearly slipped, but he gave nearly his all to stand his ground and keep from tripping. With ease, he grabbed Zsasz by the arms and they both struggled. For every punch Batman took, he gave one back.
Soon managing to almost restrain the crook, Batman lifted him before the security troops, giving them the chance to fire tranquilliser darts at Zsasz, eventually passing him out. As they cuffed the rogue and carry on, Batman and the security force heard a strange buzzing echo from the bowel depths of the corridors, slowly growing louder. Emerging from the darkness, a familiar insectoid soared towards the team with growling and slathering fangs and anticipating mantis-like claws.
"It's Killer Moth!" the sarge recognised with a panicked tone.
Instantly, the soldiers reloaded and fired darts at the mutant, though it seemed even they didn't work at first. Once the Killer Moth got up close to the humans, he flung and slashed at the men, each one was mostly evaded. Batman grasped onto the Moth by the antennae and kneed him on the head. Briefly dazed, the Killer Moth shook his head, flinging some foamy saliva back and forth before regaining full consciousness.
By then, the soldiers all pushed and dogpiled on the Killer Moth, eventually getting him off his clawed feet. Soon enough, with a few more tranquillising darts, the Killer Moth was out cold.
"This is nuts, mate," a female security officer huffed. "I'd say we're sitting ducks down here, but I think 'sitting moles' would be more fitting."
"Keep voices down," the Alfa sarge ordered with a hush. "Just keep all eyes and ears open. Be on a look out at any and all shadows. Anything that moves, stun 'em."
Just then, a strange shadowy figure emerged from the further depths, cast by blue distant lights. With natural instinct, one of the officers fired a warning dart at the stranger, causing such to prance into the light, revealing a full form. A white-haired woman with rabbit ears, pink domino mask, and white full bodysuit with thighs, shoulders, and navel bared.
She dodged around the darts as they ricocheted off the walls. Batman himself flung a few batarangs, but not even those managed to make contact with her. She kept on dashing down a flight of stairs into the darkness as her morphing shadow followed close by.
"Who was that supposed to be?" one of the troops questioned.
"No idea," another shrugged.
"Either a newcomer here, or someone from an anime convention took a wrong turn around Albuquerque," a third partially joked.
"Or someone who shouldn't be here," Batman added. "They're probably trying to distract us while more villains escape. Stay alert and keep quiet."
Batman came forth alone, deeper into the hallways and the containment cells, where they glowed and flickered dimly with blue lights. He looked around for any sign of life.
"Whoever you are, or whatever you may call yourself, come out with hands up so we can see them," Batman called out as silence replied for several seconds. "Show yourself at once!"
However, one of the cells suddenly ignited into a flash of smoke and flame, forcing the Batman to step back and cover his face. After a few coughs, Batman to see the smoke gradually clear away, revealing a muscular man in a dark brown suit and a distinct mask that covered his mouth with thick sharp tusks.
"The Walrus!" Batman recognised.
"In the flesh indeed!" the Walrus boasted.
Behind the Walrus, stood two identical potbellied bald men in blue suspenders and overalls, grinning with sadistic glee.
To be continued...