Batman Beyond: More than a Family

- 3 -

Location: Gotham bank

"You idiot! We could have just left this place if the vault had manual locks," Electric G growled at her brother as she stood inside the vault and handed him stacks of money to store in a bag, "Why blow the door? Now look what you did. The whole purpose of the blackout has failed. We did that so the police couldn't pin-point what's gonna be robbed, the jewellery shops outside or this bank. Now the workers have left the bank after hearing the explosion and sounded an alarm. We didn't even thought of taking in hostages. The police can blow this place up if they want to. They must have heard the alarm by now and they're coming."

"I wasn't going to just leave after working so hard to sabotage the security!" he argued, "Now shut up G, we've got two more minutes. Don't waste it by talking." Electric B tightened the money bags and hung them over his shoulder, "Close the vault. This much is enough. We're getting out."

They both ran towards the vidphone. Just then, two tiny plastic balls bounced and rolled in front of them. The balls suddenly exploded and white gas filled the room, blinding their vision. Both of them started coughing and Electric B pointed towards another direction for his sister to run to.

He got a painful punch on his face. His hand let go of the money bag and it fell, cash came flying out of it.

As the room cleared a little, Batman approached Electric B.

"It's over electric Boohoo," he dropped a tangled stack of wire in front of him. They were the wires from every vidphone of the bank, "You can't escape. Give it up."

Then he noticed Electric G wasn't anywhere.

Batman looked around and then angrily lifted Electric B up with his collar. Electric B's legs dangled as he was lifted high.

"Where has she escaped to?!" Batman demanded.

"I haven't escaped anywhere, Batman!" she replied behind his back. With both of her hands charged, she grabbed Batman's face and tried to electrocute him. Plus, Batman felt the power of his suit draining out.

"Terry!--" He heard Bruce's voice suddenly disconnect. Batman screamed as he struggled to turn around and fight back. But in the end his suit had no juice left and he slumped onto the ground as it suddenly felt heavy.

She grinned madly as she loomed over him, her hands now on her hips.

"W-what did you do?" Batman said groggily as he tried to blink away the stars in front of his eyes.

"Suit can't function anymore? Now we're talking fair," she said and kicked him on his face. Batman gritted his teeth as he rolled over his back. He tried to get up.

"Way to go G!" Electric B said as he recovered from Batman's punch. He approached batman and lifted him up. He then threw him hard towards the vault. Batman crashed on his back, his suit no longer protecting him. His hand shot up to his side of abdomen as he felt a shot of pain.

"Argh," he groaned.

"You're nothing without your suit. It takes brains to accomplish what you desire, something which you don't have." Electric B said. He then gestured his sister towards the tangled wires. She obeyed and picked up the wires which Batman dropped. She went over to one of the reception area of the bank and started piecing back the vidphone.

While she did so, Electric B carried on, "Our virus is actually everywhere. Whatever device you charge with electricity, our virus creeps into every system. We only need to activate it when we're near. Every light bulb here is being charged with the electricity coming from the power plant we previously hacked. I guess even your suit runs on that."

"It's done bro," Electric G shouted, "Hurry up before the police gets here."

Electric B threw a last punch at Batman before leaving, "That's for meddling with our plan." He then picked up the money bag and ran. They both laughed and then disappeared between the crackling of electricity.

Just then, the police pushed their way inside. Commissioner Gordon looked around for the thieves and then shook her head as she found none. Then her eyes fell on Batman lying on ground beside a vault. She gestured one of her officers to help Batman get up.

"Sir, are you going to be alright?" the officer asked Batman.

"Yea," Batman groaned as he massaged his side of abdomen, "If I swallow a whole bottle of pain-killers."

"I assume they got away through the bank's telecommunication wires. Because none of us brought any cell phones with us this time, " Barbara Gordon told Batman, "So what have you got on them?" she demanded. She always seemed to be in a hurry to know the answers.

Batman let go of the officer's shoulder and tried to stand up on his legs.

"Don't- don't use lazer guns on them. They can disarm anything which is charged with electricity. You'll have to use old stuff again, tranquilizers, plastic bullets, anything which runs on old stuff. They might make an appearance again but maybe after they finish spending their money."

She nodded, then turned to her officers and started giving them instructions. Batman took the chance to escape but as his suit was literally dead, he couldn't fly.

He still moved ahead to make an exit.

"Batman wait," she called. He turned around.

"I'll check if there is any large purchases within this week," she said, "And we'll try to trace that money back to the clients. Chances are, it may be them. So I advise you to please make use of your own resources as well and tell me if you find anything."

"I'm way ahead of you commissioner, don't worry," he replied and turned to leave.

"And oh," she approached him and whispered in her ears, "Since you can't ask for a ride from my officers, if you want, I can drop you to your place, seeing that you can't fly."