Batman: Loose Ends

CHAPTER ONE: The Dark Knight

Jackie Moxon was running. He should never have taken this job. He should never have let Sly talk him into working for Maroni. The dark, shadowy figure was descending on him from behind. Moxon opened his mouth to scream and a cord spun out from above, wrapping itself around his waist. Moxon swung upwards and slammed onto a shipping crate. Sweat poured down his face… where was he? Where was that THING that had come from the night? Where was the Batman? His head was forced upwards… someone was pulling his hair up with a vice- like grip. Jackie Moxon stared into the cold eyes of the Batman… he opened his mouth and screamed, hollering for help.

Thugs stared from Salvatore Maroni's transport ship at the docks.

"What the fuck was that?" Exclaimed one. Their leader, a tall, muscular man in a long leather jacket stared across the bay. He spoke coldly in a Russian accept, smoothing down his short, light brown hair:

"Hurry up. He is here."

"Who?" Asked a curious henchman.

"The Bat. He is coming for us."

Suddenly, a bat- shaped shuriken sliced through the air, a cord whirring after it, tied to its rear blade. The weapon slammed into a door inches from the Russian.

"Impressive," Hissed the leader, "Impressive…"

A dark figure, cape swirling behind it, swung across the docks, over the cold waters of Gotham, and landed on the deck. The criminals stared at him.
"What are you waiting for!?" Bellowed the Russian, "Bring me his head!"

Thugs ran at The Batman. Six… seven… no, nine of them. The Dark Knight merely stood on the deck, cape draped around his body, frozen, until the last moment. As one of the goons swung a crowbar at the vigilante, Batman somersaulted backwards and kicked the bar from his hands, punching his opponent across the deck. Two more came at his behind and Batman turned with ease, tapping two fingers to either's neck. The villains slumped to the ground and the other six thugs surrounded the Caped Crusader.

"Give up," He hissed, his voice almost bestial in delivery, "Run."

"Get him," Smirked the Russian.

The goons charged and Batman was gone. He dropped from the sky, kicking one of them off the ship, sweeping two thugs up into the recesses of his cape. They slammed to the deck, somehow defeated with ease.

The last three men attempted to run and he hurled three shuriken with perfect precision, slicing all three across both legs. The men fell to the ground, bleeding and gasping. The vigilante only glanced at them as the Russian man glared at him.

"The Batman," Hissed the Russian.

Batman said nothing. He just leapt, his cape flowing out behind him and glided at the thug, kicking his enemy into the door to the hold. The Russian actually laughed as he slammed into the door with force and he stepped towards Batman, purposefully.

"Idiot American! You are no match for me!" Roared the criminal.

"Perhaps not…" Came the growled reply, "But I have many tools at my disposal."

Batman reached into the excesses of his cape. Something dropped to the ground in front of the Russian.

"Oh."

The device detonated. Smoke swarmed around the Russian, blinding him. A gauntleted fist hurtled through the smoke, knocking the Russian to his knees. Batman kicked his opponent across the face and slammed him into the deck, again and again.

When the Russian awoke, The Batman was nowhere to be seen. He and his men were tied together, hanging from a shipping crane. A police helicopter lowered towards them. Suddenly, an explosion shook the docks. Maroni's ship was burning…

Salvatore "Boss" Maroni sat in his office, glaring at his assistant, Sionis. Maroni was very, very angry.

"What did you say!?" He bellowed, breaking his cigar in two against the desk.

"Knyazev failed," Repeated Sionis, sweat running down the back of his neck. He had never seen Maroni so angry… and when Maroni was angry, he killed people. Any people. His own people, "The Batman took them all down."

"THE BATMAN? I want that son of a bitch DEAD! You hear me?" Ranted Maroni, "DEAD!"

"Sir, it's not that simple… our normal guys can't take him down."

"We need some new blood, eh? In fact, I have a plan…" Smiled Maroni, "The Batman and that prick Harvey Dent have been poking around my business too much as of late. A normal idiot will testify, but… tell me, Roman… what is the current status of Cornelius Stirk?"

"The serial killer? Are you nuts!? He's some kind of cannibal!" Exclaimed Sionis in horror.

"Yes, Roman, I am aware. Find him. Tell him we must talk… how will they be able to use a psychotic like Stirk to testify against me?"

"I guess, boss… but if this backfires, that maniac could kill us all!"

"Perhaps. But I don't really care. Even Stirk may need back-up… call in some favours at Arkham. I want Victor Zsasz and Jervis Tetch on the streets by this time tomorrow," Smirked Maroni. He rose and walked to the window, "Batman's gonna die soon… I can feel it in my bones."

Bruce Wayne walked into the Wayne Manor ballroom. People danced around him, but Bruce ignored them, calmly snatching the last glass of champagne from his butler Alfred's tray, under the nose of a guest.

Wayne sipped from the glass thoughtfully and glanced across at a beautiful woman, who seemed somehow familiar, dancing discontentedly with a short, red- headed man. Bruce sidled over to the couple, holding his glass lazily in his right hand. He leant on the drinks bar, draining one glass of champagne and indulgently refilling the glass.

"Excuse me, miss…?" He drawled lazily.

"Ah, Mr. Wayne," The young woman slipped from her dancing partner's grasp and joined Bruce at the bar, accepting the champagne he offered her. She spoke with a slight Oriental accent, "You may call me Talia."

"Just… Talia?"

"Just Talia," The young woman smiled at him, wiping a strand of smooth black hair from her eye.

"I don't believe seeing a 'Talia' on the guest list," Replied Wayne, "I assume that was not from a lack of care on my part?"

"Perhaps not, Mr. Wayne, but perhaps so," Talia smiled coldly.

"Would you care to…?" Began Wayne, but the short man angrily interrupted him:

"Excuse me, Mr. Wayne, but I believe I was dancing with the lady!"

Bruce smiled cockily down at the man.

"And I believe I was talking to the lady, Mr. Stein."

Talia took Bruce by the hand.

"Shall we?"

"Of course."

They danced away from the disgruntled Mr. Stein. Bruce smiled as they moved, twirling Talia to the delicate playing of the piano. He ignored everything around him, focusing merely on her: her perfect body… her beautiful eyes… her sweet scent. They swept across the dance floor but, far too soon for Bruce, the music stopped. He smiled at Talia, releasing her.

"Thank you," He said quietly and looked around him in shock… Talia was, inexplicably, gone!