Chapter 9

Die Another Day

The last chapter is up! I hope you'll enjoy reading it! I got the Title from Madonna's song, Die Another Day.

Being forced to do something was almost unbearable to Jeremiah. He and his twin had been subjected to that many times. Now that they had power, they wanted to keep it badly, so seeing Bruce doing such a thing to force his hand, that was enraging! Worse, it would actually work! Even when he had managed to plan a perfect trick, that brat turned it against him!

"Bruce you didn't have to do that…" Jim started.

"ENOUGH!" Yelled the redhead.

Everyone turned to him, the mad scientist had fiery eyes, and had turned whiter in rage.

"Remember, you didn't win yet! This doesn't change the fact you still have to do as I say. Now, Bruce will come with me. I'll take him and him only to the antidote."

"You think we'll release you like that?"

"What else can you do? Hum? I won't give you the antidote, I will only give it to him, that's my only offer. Now, undo those handcuffs, unless you want to see him die with the others!" His body was trembling out of rage. He turned to Bruce and barked: "Come. Right now!"

The boy went to him without hesitation. Jim thought as fast as he could and nodded to Harvey to tell him to free Jeremiah indeed. He didn't like that plan, but it was their best chance. Bullock didn't know what the hell he wanted to do, but he still did what his partner asked. Seizing Bruce by the arm as soon as he was at his level, Jeremiah dragged him along toward the exit. Taking a knife which Bullock didn't take away already, he put it under Bruce's throat.

"Don't follow us, I will know, and I can guarantee the virus will be the least of Bruce's worry."

"We won't just don't do anything stupid…"

"I'm not the kind to do that!" He yelled while gripping Bruce harder. The teen shut his eyes as he felt the pressure of the blade getting stronger.

"Okay, okay. Just give him the antidote."

The mad scientist started to walk away with his hostage. Although Jim knew Jeremiah had no intention to kill the young man right now, but he was insane and he wouldn't take any risks. Anyway it was part of the plan, and it was the best way to make sure Bruce would receive the antidote. He ordered for everyone outside to let Jeremiah go and not follow him. It was heart-breaking and baffling, but he had no choices!

He already had an idea. Harper had managed to make Ecco tell them that Jerome wasn't in, and they had sent some cops to try to find him. They would use that. He called his colleagues immediately.

"Guys, have you located Jerome already?"

"We have a potential suspect, a car driving at a fast pace."

"Ok, if it's him, don't arrest him right away, stay hidden and try to follow him as discretely as possible. His brother will join him with Bruce Wayne still hostage and if I know him well, Jerome will come to pick his brother up, he won't leave him in that situation."

"What? But didn't you arrest…"

"Just do as I say!"

"Ok."

"You hope to follow them?" Asked Bullock.

"Jeremiah will watch our guys around, but he doesn't know we sent some people away to search for Jerome."

That was crazy, but it could work. They had to make it work.

It was a baffling situation for the cops, they had caught Jeremiah Valeska and now they had to let him go, with Bruce Wayne as a hostage. Worse, they learned the people released would probably contaminate everyone around them! Ecco was laughing like crazy from where she was, having heard that their plan had worked. Jeremiah held Bruce close to him all the time as they exited the building and passed before the cops. That was awkward as hell, but Jeremiah couldn't care less. As long as he got out, it was the most important; he quickly called Jerome, checking that no one was following them, telling him where he could pick them up.

"I don't care, you know," he told Bruce as soon as he had hung up. "I intended to go away and demand to keep you as my hostage! And that's still what I got!"

"Then why are you so angry?"

Jeremiah tightened his hold on him, so hard it was painful. "You knew we wouldn't want you to die like this! I can't believe you did that! You're really ready to use anything and do anything! Maybe we should let you die!"

"Please, as if I was the one ready to use anything! May I remind you how you and your brother boast about having no limits! And I know about it!"

Jeremiah looked at him with perplexity and understood: "You mean when I lied to you? With everything you pulled out recently, I'd say we're even."

Bruce brutally stopped himself, forcing Jeremiah to still as well: "Oh no, we aren't even! I trusted you! You were my friend, you could have been more! I let you get close to me, I hardly let anyone do that! I did with you, I opened up to you, and you were just manipulating me along. So no, ruining your project doesn't make us even. Do you even care that much?"

It took some times for Jeremiah to answer. He was just taking in everything he heard. "We want to bring chaos, that's all. I don't really care about that virus, but we don't want you to die like this. I warn you, Bruce, if you pull out that kind of stunt again to make us give you the antidote, we won't hesitate to make you regret."

"How?"

"We could make some building explode, or do a mass shooting. That's the good thing of having no remorse, Bruce. You said it yourself: we don't have many boundaries."

A car rushed in their direction and brutally stopped at their level. Jeremiah pushed Bruce inside and the boy saw Jerome driving. Jeremiah sat at his side, still holding his arm.

"I'm not gonna escape!"

Before Jeremiah could reply, the car left so fast and so suddenly that both of them were taken by surprise. Jerome cackled at this.

"Why such a face, bro? You're out and you got him!"

"You're never gonna guess!"

When Jerome heard what happened, he drove even faster, and even Bruce grasped the door handle to reassure himself. Jeremiah also asked his brother to slow down but he refused.

"And you dare to call us freaks!" Jerome growled, half angry, half amused. "You're as crazy as we are!"

"Just try not to kill us all," Bruce hissed.

That made Jerome laugh even more. It was hilarious that Bruce would feel scared while he felt so alive! They finally reached their destination, a common looking out-of-business Pub. So that was it, their last lair? Bruce allowed the twins to lead him inside. Jeremiah still looked furious even though he had finally released him from his grasp. The inside was really nothing much, dusty, dark, with some old chairs around, and the old counter, now empty of any drink. But where could be the antidote…

Two arms suddenly encircled him by behind, taking him away from his thoughts and cutting his breath. He looked behind to see Jerome was the one holding him like that. He turned his head as the redhead approached his face from his.

"Playing shy?"

"Release me."

The redhead only chuckled, pressing him a bit more against his chest. "How did it feel to inject that thing in you?"

Bruce didn't answer, and Jerome insisted again. It captivated him to think the teen had been willing to take such a risk. He wasn't as angry as Jeremiah, far from it, he was fascinated, he wanted to continue testing Bruce's limits.

"It must be like injecting death itself in your veins. You know you're sexy when you do crazy things like that…"

"What do you intend to do when you gave me the antidote?"

"Well, you'll stay with us and repay us for our kindness. We wouldn't do such a favor to anyone." Jerome whispered in Bruce's ear again: "You, know I would usually kill anyone who torment Jeremiah that much. It's only because it's you…"

"You already tried to kill me, Jerome, you failed. And I'm not tormenting anyone."

"You're kidding? He thinks of you all the time, and that want is starting to itch so much it's torturing him. Me, I can handle it better than he does, but I know my brother."

Bruce smiled a bit: "Well, you see, that nagging feeling you have because someone you love is hurt, try to remember it next time you murder someone. Try to imagine what their loved ones will feel like."

Holding him tighter, Jerome put his gun right on the teen's heart. "Bruce, haven't you understood yet? I can feel emotions. I can feel love, maybe a twisted kind of love, but I can. And I can understand why people hate me, I don' blame them for wanting me dead. I'm not like those psychopaths unable to get what an emotion is. I can understand. I just chose not to care. The same goes for my brother."

It was true…And it was terrifying, much more than a killer unable to feel anything. He was once again reminded how human, how horribly human Jerome and Jeremiah were.

"And I knew what you felt like when we had that girl in our clutches. But that certainly didn't stop me. I don't want to see you die, but I have no problem making you suffer. You know that already."

Approaching his mouth, Jerome murmured to his ear: "If you weren't so special, I would burn you." It was disturbing how his voice sounded so sultry and gentle when he was saying such horrible words. But now, that defined Jerome pretty well.

With no warning, Jerome released his torso and seized Bruce by the arm instead, and took a pair of handcuff. Immediately, Bruce tried to pull his arm away.

"Calm down! We're just gonna inject you the antidote!"

"And you need to handcuff me for that?!"

"You'll try to escape as soon as you get it in your veins, I know it!"

Bruce saw Jeremiah taking out a little metallic box containing three vials. The three antidote, and one was for him…Now he absolutely had to get that box and give it to the police. He suddenly felt the cold metal around his wrist and Jerome tied the other bracelet at the pipe. Damn! He had been distracted by the sight of the box! He swore himself he wouldn't do such a mistake again. Jeremiah smirked and injected the virus in him, Bruce tensed. He knew it was for the best, but he just hated the sight of Jeremiah injecting something in him. He had to get rid of those handcuffs, he had to!

He looked at Jerome as Jeremiah took off the needle and went to put it back in the box. "Are you gonna keep me here? Or do you have another lair?"

"Finding a place to stay isn't hard for us. That's another of our power."

"I'm impressed. How do you proceed, you kill the owners or you scare them to get it?"

Jerome smirked and leaned closer before whispering: "After playing shy, you play sassy."

"I'm playing you."

Bruce head butted Jerome hard and swiftly took the gun from his holster, kicking him hard to punch him away. Jeremiah rose his head in surprise and prepared himself to help his brother. Although the redhead stumbled, his nose bleeding, he laughed at the teen;

"Bruce! You wouldn't do that, you don't have the guts to shoot someone!"

"Who said it was for you?" He pointed the gun at the bracelet attached at the pipe and shot. The chain broke and Bruce was free; he had received the antidote and he was free! He didn't have time to rejoice, though, Jerome lunged at him before he could point the gun back at him. He seized his wrist first and pushed him with his shoulder to crash against the wall. Bruce involuntarily dropped the gun but kicked him away while Jeremiah rushed toward them to help his brother. He blocked one of Jerome's punch and head butted him before kicking Jeremiah as he tried to grab him. Gasping, the redhead crashed down, loosing balance.

Breathing in deeply, he blocked Jerome's next kick and punch, before trying to hit him again but Jerome dodged and threw himself at him, grabbed his torso and pinned his back against an old table. Bruce yelled as he crashed against the wood, and he sent his knee up to hit Jerome in the kidney.

"Ouch! You…"

Pushing and struggling, Bruce managed to kick him away and went to attack again.

"You're stopping right now, or I destroy the other vials!"

Bruce stopped any move and turned toward Jeremiah. The redhead had the two vials in his hands and was threatening to throw those down. "You can't do that! You need those!"

"We aren't sick yet. If you don't obey, you'll have no chance to ever give this to the city!"

Bruce tried to think quickly, he could still try to rush toward Jeremiah, but it was very risky. At any moment he could throw it down and then…No, he would have to find another occasion to get the virus back and escape, even if meant being their prisoner again. But his chances to get the antidote and free himself were even smaller if he got imprisoned again…Jerome seized him by the hair, making him hiss in pain.

"Your fighting side can be unnerving at times. Don't worry, we'll have other occasions to fight!"

"Release me!"

Chuckling, Jerome did let go of his hair and grabbed his arm again. "Now you'll be nice…"

"GCPD!"

The three of them didn't expect it, but the door banged open and cops got in, Jim, Harvey and Harper first. Bruce immediately tore his arm away from the redhead's grasp and threw himself at Jeremiah who tried to get cover. Jerome jumped behind the counter to avoid the bullets. Bruce seized Jeremiah's hand, no way he would let go of those vials! As he was about to punch him, the mad scientist took out his knife and put it under Bruce's throat.

The teen hold his breath back when a gunshot echoed. Jeremiah's eyes widened, he released the knife and he started to fell down under the shock.

"MIAH!" Jerome's furious roar was only followed by a few gunshots as both he and the cops shot.

Bruce quickly got hold of Jeremiah, and laid him down while kneeling at his side. He kept his back and head down to stay as safe as possible. He still tore the vials from his grasp. Finally! Putting those in his pocket, he examined the redhead. His right shoulder blade was bleeding profusely already.

"You still won't let me die…Won't you? Can't break away from your moral…"

Bullock went toward the two, relieved he had shot the psycho before he could harm Bruce. He had to secure the kid and watch the scientist. Standing up suddenly, Jerome tried to shoot Harvey, but had to take refuge behind the counter again to avoid another shot from Harper.

"Nice try, you lunatic!"

Bruce took out the vial and showed those to Bullock. "I got those!"

"Is that the antidote!" His eyes were wide with hope and amazement.

"Yes, Jeremiah gave me one, these are the two others."

"I could kiss you kid," Bullock breathed out.

Jeremiah couldn't help but huff at this. He would have liked to say that he would murder him if he tried, but he used his energy for something else: "JEROME! RUN! They won't kill me!"

He clenched his jaw again, his wound could heal easily, but it was still horribly painful!

Harper rushed to them, took the vials and gently seized Bruce's shoulder. "Come with me, right now, you endangered yourself enough."

The two of them got away, covered by all the other cops. They quickly exited the pub, and Bruce was surprised to see Alfred rushing toward him.

"Bruce!"

"What are you doing here?!"

"They called me! Are you alright?"

While Alfred and Bruce were reuniting, Harper made sure the antidote was secured. It would have to be taken to the General Hospital. She was relieved, the kid looked alright, they had the antidote, Jeremiah was now unable to escape and they only had to get Jerome back. It would be easy, right?

"Bruce!"

Her head snapped to the side and saw that Bruce had fallen, and Pennyworth had barely caught him back before he could touch the ground. She rushed to him: what the hell happened? He said they gave him the antidote!

Back in the pub, Jerome was still able to hold them back. Although he hated that, Jerome did exactly as his brother said: he decided to flee. The kitchen's entrance would be easy to reach, it was beside the counter. From there, he knew what he had to do. He almost threw himself toward the door, keeping his head down to avoid the bullets. Jim, Bullock and a couple of other cops started to pursue him, only one remained to watch over Jeremiah as he would be evacuated soon.

As soon as he got in the kitchen, the redhead shot the lamps around. He didn't remember whether or not there was electricity, if there was, the cops would be unable to enlight the kitchen. He quickly hide. They entered in the semi-darkness, and started to deploy themselves slowly. Smirk crept up Jerome's face: he knew the environment better than they did. That pub had one particularity: one exit through the sewers. The place had belonged to the mob at a point, and they had made this illegal exit in case. He would use that and then, when they least expected it, he would make them pay!

He knew how to be silent and discreet when needed to, even though it wasn't what he preferred. But he had to remain free, if he ever wanted to help his brother. He was enraged, having to flee wasn't his thing, but it was a necessity. As the cops were advancing slowly, searching for the light, Jerome seized an old empty can and threw it in another direction. Classic but efficient. It made the cops look away for a short moment, but it was enough for him to reach the exit and he swiftly opened it before jumping down. He ran through the sewers and soon heard the cops behind him. Damn! They had understood faster than he expected! But he wasn't caught yet.

It was dark in here, damp and Lord, the smell! It could have made Jim vomit already. He wasn't the only one, but they kept tracking the criminal. They could hear his hurried steps at first, but their own sounds would cover Jerome's. They couldn't get sight of him, and it was impossible to clearly hear him. As the minutes passed, they understood they had lost him. They tried though, they ran in every possible direction, but it was as if the redhead had disappeared.

Of course, they would send teams to try to find him, they wouldn't forget him! But he had the feeling it would be useless. Jim closed his eyes and felt nauseous, but it wasn't induced by the foul smell this time.

O o O

Loosing Jerome's trail was a terrible new, but at least Alfred, Jim, Harvey and Harper were relieved to know that Bruce was probably not in danger. The doctors explained them having taken a virus and the antidote right behind had probably weakened him. They still would keep him in observation, though, just in case. The boy had awoken already though. While Harper was guarding Jeremiah as well as another cop, Harvey had gone back in GCPD. On his side, Jim had decided he would pay Bruce a short visit.

"I hope it's just a reaction to the antidote! Imagine if they gave you something else to fool you," Alfred growled.

"No, I'm pretty sure they didn't. Don't worry too much. I know it seem like I did something stupid, but trust me, I knew what I was doing, I wouldn't have done it with anyone else. From everything Jeremiah told me, I knew he didn't want me to die yet. He wants to keep playing with me."

"They're still psycho and unpredictable," Jim reminded him. "It was already dangerous of me to make you come. I really don't want they kind of stuff to happen again."

The teen didn't answer anything at all. Jim eventually left, he was tired and he still had work. Waiting for him to be far enough, Bruce just murmured: "It will happen again, whether we like it or not."

Alfred sighed. He was torn apart, he knew Bruce was endangering himself, but on the other hand…That was his nature. If he allowed him to continue he would feel like he was breaking his promise to his parents. But if he forbad it, he would slowly destroy Bruce's real personality, and surely kill him in a slow way. He knew too well that need to go and fight.

"You need to be more careful, though. And train more. It's the only way to avoid that kind of situation."

"I also need to make sure the police doesn't know about what I'm doing. The twins won't talk about our confrontations, but others could."

"Indeed, you'll have problems one day. You have to be careful of your image as well."

He just nodded and closed his eyes. He was tired, he would have to check out on Selina, but she was probably fine, she was used to save herself from danger. He would also have to search for Jerome and be prepared for his next plan. Alfred's word resonated in his mind. He would definitely have to find a way to avoid exposure.

O o O

Duplicating the antidote hadn't been easy, but it saved some of the contaminated people. They didn't all survive but at least they had a solution for all the contaminated people and they would be now able to heal whoever could be affected by it. But anyway, there was low probability that anyone would ever get it. It was a relief, that and the fact that Jeremiah was in jail again. But now, there was still one bad side.

"You haven't found him yet," Selina declared as Bruce sat on her couch.

They were in her flat, the first real flat she had, instead of a crib. Bruce had been the first one to visit her, and he was one of the rare people along with Tabitha to know where she lived. He had visited her as she had decided to take an evening of rest. She had enough money for now to allow herself that once in a while. She sat beside him and extended her legs over his laps once he was seated. He smiled, she liked to have little flirty gesture like this and he knew he shouldn't respond too hastily if he didn't want her to back off.

"No, I didn't. But anyway Jerome will hide for some times, he will wait."

She wished she had seen him escape. She had tried to follow Jerome, but he had drove like crazy, and she had only tracked the police instead. Yet when she reached the pub, they had already shot Jeremiah. She had decided not to approach the cops, they had been able to handle. At least that's what she had thought.

"Some say he is just unable to free his brother on his own."

"They're stupid. Jerome is smart too, they shouldn't underestimate him, at least if they want to stay alive. When I think about it, it might be one of his best assets: playing on those misconceptions about him."

It would have been reassuring to think those people were right about Jerome, that he was lost without his brother. But Bruce knew him better than anyone, except Jeremiah, so if he was sure Jerome could handle his brother's escape on his own, he was surely right.

"Why didn't he make a move yet?"

"Simple: his brother needs to be hospitalized, and he knows it's more hazardous to find a good doctor among criminals. Anyway, it's better to make Jeremiah escape only once his brother is healthy enough to handle it, that's all."

"Yep, that's logic." When she thought about it, he didn't need to know the twins well to deduce that, it was only logic. Yet there was still something she needed to know: "What will you do if you catch Jerome?"

"Make sure he gets arrested. Why?"

"Don't you think he will escape again? You out of all people, you should be afraid."

Bruce looked at her with wide eyes: "You, who always bragg about not being scared, you tell me that?!"

"I don't bragg!"

"A bit, sometimes. Why are you saying that, anyway? You know they don't want me dead, I'm not the one who should fear the them most."

She bit her lips. "They want something else, don't they? There are rumors, hell you can hardly say it's only rumors at that rate! I heard how some cultists tried to kidnap to offer you to them?"

"Indeed." This was the kind of subject he didn't like to talk about to anyone. But he wouldn't be able to avoid it forever. She titled her head as he wasn't looking at her anymore: "Why are they obsessed with you?"

"…They see me as some kind of entertainment. If I continue to oppose myself to them, then they have a good challenge, what's the interest to spread chaos if it's too easy? And if they manage to make me go crazy and come at their side, then they will have another companion to add something to their dynamic. Whatever happens, they have all interest to keep me around."

"There is something else. They don't only want to be friends. What happened when we were prisoners? You don't imagine how worried I was, for you more than myself."

"Really?" He murmured with a little grin. She gave him an insistent look. "Ok. I must say, I avoided the worst. They won't rape me, if that worries you: they don't want me like that. It's much better for them if they obtain my consent, they probably consider it's the best way to prove everyone can be corrupted."

"And it would boost their ego…Did something happened between you and Jeremiah?

"It could have," Bruce said with no embarrassment this time. "I do like guys too, and honestly, I really thought that Jeremiah was someone good, and if he had been…Well, it's not the case anyway."

She didn't know what to think about it, Bruce having a thing for boys didn't bother her, she actually questioned her sexuality at some moments. But, knowing that he had something for Jeremiah…No, he had a thing for an illusion.

"Have you ever…" She trailed

"What?"

"You know! You had a girlfriend at a point?"

"Why are you talking about that?" Asked, feigning ignorance. He perfectly knew what she was talking about, but he liked the way she could be shy about it. She rolled her eyes and he laughed. "I guess that means 'no'."

"Actually, it's 'yes'." She looked away and he titled his head. "Are you jealous?"

"Of course not. It's not like we were together back then." While it was indeed true, she couldn't help but feel a nagging sensation.

"Did you have a boyfriend? A date?"

"I had a few dates."

"And did you…" Asked he teasingly but with a twinge of jealousy.

She stood up, slowly taking her legs off his laps. "Well, if you want to know, there might be a way to discover."

Though some nervousness spread through him, he followed her. This visit didn't go as he expected, but he didn't mind at all.

And now, it will be really the end! Honestly, I thought that fic would be a one-shot, it's funny to think it got longer.

I hope you liked it, don't hesitate to review, it's always nice to read your comments!