Batman: Excalibur

Higher Stakes

Batman slammed his fist into the wall as the airship flew off into the night sky of Gotham.  He finally broke from the Galvolt's effects and now Azrael was lying against the wall injured.  Batman contacted Alfred to send in the Bat-Wing, but it would take a minute or two, in the meantime Hush had disappeared.  Batman angrily smashed his foot into a desk as he paced around the large room, Stagg took Dick and Barbara.  He remembered what Stagg had said...

"You can save them dark knight!  But only if you find me at the bridge!"

Batman contacted Alfred again, "Alfred, I need you to check the sky for Stagg's airship is it headed for a bridge of some sort?"

"Well sir, Stagg's airship seems to be heading towards Mercy Bridge.  But sir, you are aware that it is surely a trap?"

"I know."  Batman replied grimly as he helped Azrael to stand up and move towards the shattered windows, the Bat-Wing was almost there, "I have no choice left.  He'll kill them Alfred."

"I know sir, but couldn't you create a plan of some sort?  Stagg surely plans on killing you."  Alfred said with a wavering voice, he was worried for Bruce.

"I won't let him."  Batman took a deep breath as the Bat-Wing arrived, he helped Azrael aboard and accessed the remote-control guidance system having it head for the manor.  Batman leaped off the building and began flying towards Mercy Bridge, he would end this one way or another.

"Sir, please tell me you have a plan..."  Alfred pleaded desperately as Batman flew off unresponsive.  

"Take care of Azrael, let him know that this all will be ending soon."  Batman replied with a dark tone of voice, "Tell him that if I don't come back... I want him to protect Gotham."

"Yessir, but you do plan on coming back don't you?"  Alfred asked again his voice wavering.

Bruce did not reply to that.  He kept gliding through the air till he reached the top of Mercy Bridge.  He looked down on the road as it was blocked by two large trucks on either end and the airship floated above.  Batman squinted seeing two cages hanging from the towers above the water on both sides of the bridge, Barbara and Dick.

"BATMAN!"  A voice yelled from below, Batman looked down seeing Stagg standing in the middle of the bridge with his armor on, Prometheus was calling for the dark knight, "TIME FOR US TO SETTLE THIS, DON'T YOU AGREE?"

Batman clenched his fist as he glided down to the bridge a few feet away from Prometheus.  He took a step forward extending his arms out to his sides.

"Your friends will be alright, Bat!"  Prometheus took a deep breath and chuckled, "Saving them is simple, don't leave!  If you try to flee, they die!  The only way to save them is by beating me and killing me, if I can't be this city's savior, then I want the one that will be to be willing to do the worst."

"You're insane."  Batman shook his head raising his fists, "I'm going to stop you."

"Oh Batman, after I've killed you, I'll enact my plan to cleanse this city of all the scum that live within it."  Prometheus raised his sword, "This city will receive a true hero, one that will change everything in one night."

"Enough talking."  Batman shook his head and narrowed his eyes, "Time for a round two, just you and me this time."