The Light in Darkness

Chapter 9: The Dark Knight

-Batman-

I arrived to the known coordinates of the cabin within record time via the Batwing. To avoid detection, I ejected myself a mile away from the cabin and glide the rest of the way through the night's sky. Once up above, I could get a good look of the cabin. The cabin looked to be dimly lit meaning that someone was awake. I turn on my night vision while landing in a nearby tree to hide myself. The cover of the tree was perfect and gave me a grand view of the cabin's front porch. I have my vision zoom in and I am able to see a familiar grey van driven by Gotham's school shooter off on the side. Before I can check my surroundings any further, the sound of the cabin's front door alerts me and I turn my attention to it as well as turn on my heat scanner. "Damn kids, they never do quit do they?" The familiar blond male groans. I easily recognize the male as Gabriel Greyson, the school shooter and kidnapper. Gabriel, with an assault rifle in one hand walks over to a worn out chair on the porch and sits in it before lighting a cigarette. "He mentioned "kids", maybe Katrina isn't the only child remaining?" I thought hopefully, "I should search for the remaining children and Scarecrow."

I turn my attention away from Gabriel and begin to scan the cabin for heat signatures. My scanner picks up on a faint heat signature in the basement of the cabin, it seem to be a girl. "Katrina? Or someone else?" I pondered. I take mental note of where the girl was and scan upwards towards the top floor when I detect the sound of chains moving. Upstairs, was another girl, and up close I could see more of her features through the scanner. At the moment, the girl was sitting in the fetal position rocking back and forth with her hands covering her ears. Through the scanner I could pick up a few words from her, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." she kept repeating. "Why is she so upset?" I ask myself, "Did Scarecrow drug her?"

My question is quickly answered a few seconds later when a bloodcurdling scream radiates from the house. I quickly turn my attention towards the source, which was on the ground floor, and see two new figures. The source of the scream came from an older male child who is strapped in a chair and struggling to get out. The figure next to him, looked to be a man, he was wearing a mask and had the height/build of Crane. "Scarecrow." I hiss under my breath.

Without thinking, I quickly jump out of the tree and glide attack Gabriel . I catch Gabriel by surprise and disarm him by launching him off the porch with a glide kick to the chest. He breaks through the decorated white fence on the porch and lands a few feet away on the ground from my attack. Gabriel, quickly staggers back to his feet and spits out his, now, snubbed cigarette. "We were wondering when you were going to show up." Gabriel laughs while wiping mud from his pants. Angrily I approach him and prepare to knock him unconscious, but I only got so far. I feel something sharp stab in the back of my neck and pierce through my armor before I can even lay a finger on him.

I grunt in annoyance and pull out whatever stabbed me. My eyes widen in horror to the item which laid in my hand. A dart and at the tip was leaking a transparent chemical. It was a sedative. In fear, I quickly turn around to attack the new challenger, but am stopped when a bullet is fired behind me. The bullet shoots through my armor and into my rib cage. I groan in pain while grabbing my side where the bullet entered as the Gabriel and a familiar looking man approached me. Scarecrow. I attempt to sit back up, to attack in self defense, but Scarecrow had other plans. I watch weakly as Scarecrow aims a dart gun at me and shoots. The dart connects to my neck and more sedatives fill my veins. "Welcome Batman, we've been expecting you." Scarecrow laughs.

I strain to sit back up, but the pain in my side refuses me to and the sedatives were making me weaker. I fall back to my back in vain as I stare up in anger at Crane. "Where are the children Crane? What have you done to them?!" I demand as I continued to fight back the influence to pass out. Scarecrow chuckles at my efforts and ushers Gabriel away. Slowly he crouches down to my level with the dart gun pressed to my neck smiling. "I wouldn't worry about them Bats, they're just little brats that led you right to me." Scarecrow smiles, "Well, technically it was all due to Ms. Parkman's disappearance that led you here wasn't? With her protection program and everything."

Filled with anger, I use it to attempt to lunge upwards to tackle Crane, but he stops me by unloading another dart into my neck. I grunt in pain and quickly pull out the third dart as Scarecrow stood back to his feet. "What? Did you honestly believe that I wouldn't find out who Katrina is related to?" Scarecrow laughs with disbelief while circling me. "Leave Becky out of this! She did nothing to you!" I yell. "Did nothing? Did nothing?! She humiliated me and called me insane!" Scarecrow yells. "You are insane." I grunt. My simple insult, angers Scarecrow more and in response, unloads another dart on me. "I am not insane, and I can prove it to you!" Scarecrow hisses as I pull out the dart that was lodged in my shoulder. "You see, by the time I am finished with Katrina, she'll just be like me. Sane as can be, and my little minion just like I wanted her mother to be." Scarecrow laughs.

I growl in anger to his plan, he's planning on brainwashing her into joining his insane ambition just to get revenge on Becky. "You're not going to get away with this!" I hiss while beginning to lose consciousness. "I already have, and besides, you don't even have the strength to stop me now anyways." Scarecrow laughs evilly. "This isn't over." I growl before losing consciousness. "If only you knew." Scarecrow's voice echos within my mind.    

*Sorry for the short chapter, you'll see later why it's so short dear readers. Also if anyone is confused about the timeline, this does take place after Arkham Knight, but instead Batman was never unmasked. I hope that clears somethings up and again sorry for the delay and please get your votes in for our special villain guest! In just two chapters time they will be appearing!!!*