The Midnight Case

Chapter 3 : Ashes in the skies

Flying in silent mode we watched the limos taking a sharp turn down into the industrial area and stopping near the warehouse. Armed bodyguards awaited outside the compound in silence. The limos stopped one by one and the crime bosses descended from the vehicles. I recognized a few of them from Bruce's files : Carmine Falcone, the Italian gang leader, Salvatore Maroni, also another Italian gang leader, Oswald Cobblepot, alias known as the Penguin. "All mafia bosses, ruled the East End with an iron fist."

"East End?" Chris asked.

"The poorest community in Gotham. The residents are underpriviledged, nobody gives a damn about them, their living condition and so on."

"Just like the Devil's Acre in London." He drew a comparison. "But the Devil's Acre wasn't ruled by gangs."

"That's by the by." I retorted.

"Um... like how should we approach?" Katrina asked, pointing at the bat-signal lighting the skies. "The police are aware of what's going down now."

"Yeah and they're not going to send men here. Some of them are afraid of them."

"That's why we're here : To protect those who can't."

"Guys... have you done philosophing yet?" Chan interrupted with a yawn. "I've found an opening on the glass panel above. Did you see the signal?"

"We did. Just about to ask who sent it."

"The Bat-family did." A voice interrupted. We didn't need to turn as we all know who was talking. Eyes flickered to his Bruce and I shook hands in respond. "I'm glad that you're here." He merely said. He wasn't alone as I saw two more flanking him. The first one was wearing black with a not so subtle blue symbol stretching from his chest to his arms. The second one was wearing a suit of armor, again with a not so subtle 'night light' as a symbol and a helmet over his head. "I was trying to reach you."

"Well I'm here." I responded. "I see you've brought friends."

"I believe we've met before."

"Yes, we did. Luke Fox, Richard Grayson." Hearing this Bruce winced in respond while Chris and Katrina burst out laughing.

"You're too subtle Raven!" Chris said, controlling the laughter of his. I turned and glared, the cold hard stare threatening to hurt him if he doesn't keep quiet. "Ok... sorry, sorry."

Clearing my throat I continued. "Why did you bring them here?"

"They were in town when the gang war happened."

"How coincidential." I mused, turning to observe the meeting down below.

"Why are we here Sionis?" The Penguin's sqwaking sound is heard. "Better be something good."

"As long as the fishy smell is gone I'm willing to stay." Falcone snorted.

"I'd rather see them in body bags." Maroni retorted in answer.

"Are you threatening me Italian?" Falcone glared at him.

"Gentlemen," Sionis emerged. "we're here for a peaceful transaction." Then more men entered the room, carrying crates one by one. "I have made friends with a black market dealer. I've sold the weapons to that gang fanctions that the fight didn't end up well."

"You supplied those weapons to them Sionis?!" Carmine definitely jumped from his seat. "How dare you to push in on my territory Roman?!"

"Calm down Falcone." Penguin demanded. "What have you got Sionis?"

"I call them vibranium per on my dealer's knowledge." The men then opened the crate, the blue glow transfixing all of their gazes. "Virtually indestructible, that's why no one survived the gang fight."

"Not even bullets?" Maroni asked.

"Not even bullets."

"Perfect, I'll pay one million." Falcone stood up.

"Oh, this costs billions. Are you sure a price so low will suffice?"

"Very well, ten billion."

"I call twenty." Maroni taunted him.

"I'll call fifty." The Penguin sqwaked.

Up on the panel I squinted to his voice, no melody to my ears. "He looks more like a penguin than a human being." Christian snorted.

"He is named the Penguin after all." I said solemnly. "His voice is very unnerving for a woman."

"I felt the same." Katrina whispered. Knowing that the deal is going off down I threw a detonator towards the metal beam holding the ceillings together. The device exploded, sending glass shards crackling downwards and the crime bosses hiding beneath the table. I jumped into the fray, landing on two thugs. Bruce was the second one, I can still see the vibranium weaved armor which is now a part of his suit.

"Batman! Someone kill the freakin' bat!" The Roman shouted as bodyguards tried to drag him away. In a heartbeat I screamed at them, using the sonic scream to send them all flying against the nearby wall. Turning I blocked the pocket knife attack from a thug and spin kicked him. Unsheathing my sword I charged in a heartbeat, wounding them as I charged past them. Chris and Katrina didn't approach, only watching the both of us dealing with the thugs.

"Raven!" I heard Batman calling. Noticing the signal I dashed, using his boost to gain altitude and take down the thugs firing upwards. Their face showed a stunned expression when I looked up. "What are you doing?" I asked with sign language. "I called you to help, don't just stand there." Returning the gaze for a few seconds they jumped down, each aiming for the thugs surrounding the mafia leaders. In a heartbeat, I heard a Swiss army knife being thrown and leapt upwards. The knife plunged into a man by the gut and I heard Swiss.

"Can I join?" Camilla, my cousin from Switzerland, smiles as she gave me a hand to help me up. Then another shadow moved out, muttering in ancient Greek. "Adrian Castellanos." She said.

"What?" He asked back in Ancient Greek. "I wasn't allowed to finish Sokrates' philosophy recitals."

"Chat later." I said in a whisper. "We still have a fight to finish." Leaping off the railing she struck, taking the army knife and throwing the metal towards an incoming thug and turned, punching the guard trying to punch her.

"Never try to punch a woman." She sneered at his unconscious body. Then Adrian flew across my shoulder, nearly losing his footing when a brute stepped forward. "Seriously?" She asked in Swiss.

"Camilla Von Accola, focus." I shouted in Swiss.

"Yes boss." She then replied, ducking low and stabbing a man in his hand without looking back. "What?"

"Nothing. Nice to you see you here Camilla." Katrina replied.

"Grumpy Castellanos is here." Chris said with a smirk. I heard Adrian swore in Ancient Greek again but he flipped backwards, landing on a man's shoulders and threw him forwards with a backflip. When all is done I threw a device onto the pile of weapons and typed in a few commands on my gauntlet. The device hummed, the rich blue glow diminishing slowly.

"That's fun, let's do it again." Camilla said enthusiastically.

"I'd rather not encourage that I'm afraid." I said, holding up a hand. "Kill the fun first, we need to talk." I said in respond.