Gotham Knight (TWO)

Challenge for a Bird

Richard "Dick" Grayson, Nightwing

"3...2...1..." I looked to my left at the woman in leathery black. I met her three nights ago on the search for The Question Mark Killer. She calls herself Catwoman. Draped down her back was her long, nicely brushed hair. Her skin-tight black suit reflected against the light inside of the building. Whoever she was, she was trained. I searched for days, hunting every trace of the green robots created by the killer. Just nights ago, Catwoman had arrived before I had. She was attacking the robots, jumping around, flipping and using her whip to take out each one. I studied her carefully, just as Bruce had taught me so many years ago.

She smirked and threw her shoulder into the window, smashing the glass and toppling inside. I swiftly followed her, landing on my arms. She looked around, using a flashlight connected to her googles. "He's here." she announced, one of the first times I heard her talk. A laugh boomed from the dark side of the room. Both of our heads jerked to look at the source of the noise.

The Shadow Man clapped his hands and smiled as he appeared in the light. An all green suit, dress pants and hat made him pop out in the dark room. Small question marks were painted all over his clothes. The Question Mark Killer.

"Who are you!" I yelled out. He brushed off my yell, fixating his eyes on Catwoman. "How did you find me, Selina?" he said in a hoarse whisper. "What the hell is going-" "Stay out of it,  kid." Catwoman quickly interrupted me. "Traces of sulfur and gunpowder at my apartment, made only at the abandoned Ace Chemicals. I found your old base of operations and it wasn't hard from there." Catwoman smiled, looking proud at herself.

"And the kid?" The Killer yelled out. "Met him on the way. He's been hunting you down for a bit." Catwoman looked over at me and winked, out of sight of The Question Mark Killer.

I looked directly at him. "Your name." I said. He smiled and grabbed something out of the shadows. A long cane with a question mark at the top. "They call me . . ." he gave a dramatic pause. "The Riddler." he smiled in glory. Catwoman looked back at me and smiled. I laughed out loud, and grabbed my two electric escrima sticks from my back. The Riddler waged his finger at me. "No, no no, vigilante. It won't be that easy." he extended his cane into the shadow and pulled something down. A light switch.

The lights quickly flashed on, nearly blinding me at the brightness. My eyes adjusted to the light, and I witnessed a horror in front of me. Five police officers hung up on large wooden crosses, giant nails struck through their hands. "Oh ... oh my god ..." I nearly fell to my knees and puked up my foot. Maggots and flies swarmed their bodies. Catwoman didn't look fazed. 

"Don't worry, don't worry! They're not dead!" The Riddler looked back at them. "I hope . . . " he busted out a maniacal laugh before summoning six robots in front of us. One long panel in between the officers and us sunk to the ground. Five machines appeared in it's place, all pointing their ends at the officers. "The choice is yours, heroes! Run and catch me, or save the officers from their impending doom." he smiled at the machines. "Custom made! Watch out for the flames!" he took his question mark hat off and tipped it at me and Catwoman.

The robots leaped forward at us. I hit mine out of the way and Catwoman jumped in front of hers. We both started working side-by-side to take out the robots. "Hurry up! We have to get him!" Catwoman punched the last robot out of the way and started sprinting towards the door. "Wait! What about the officers?" I yelled. She looked back at them and grimaced. "They're as good as dead, dude." she turned back to the door. "What kind of hero are you?" I gave her a disgusted look. She cocked her head back.

"I never said I was a hero." she gave me a dirty look. She kicked the door open and ran out. I looked at the five officers on the wall. I checked all their pulses. Two still alive. How was I supposed to pull the huge nails out and save them from the fire? I ran up to the first man alive and grasped the huge nail. I looked away and cringed as I pulled the 5-inch nail out of the man's hand. There was no way to salvage his hand. The nail was so large and pierced him so bad that his hand was left in shreds. I held myself back from tears as his eyes slowly closed. "No, no! Stay awake for me!" I slightly tapped his face. His eyes opened and he stared down at his shredded hand. His eyes widened and fell back under. "Dammit!" Shock.

I moved to his next hand and started doing the same thing. This particular nail was closer to his wrist than fingers. His wrist snapped as I got halfway pulling it out. His whole hand fell to the ground, lifeless. His eyes flashed opened, with an approving look. A loud bell rang. "NO!" I screamed, and jumped back from the crosses and fell to the ground. The machines blasted fire out of the spouts, burning the five bodies coated in gasoline. I turned my head.

The Riddler had managed to kill five more cops tonight. Selina, Catwoman, had disappeared after him. The trail was cold. This was supposed to be the night I found him, the night it ended.

But it had just begun.