Summary: Batman is on the run after being framed for murder, but things take an unexpected turn when numerous Gotham citizens join together as an organized militia and begin a literal war on crime. Now Batman has to clear his name while trying to evade the Police and prevent all-out war within Gotham.

Disclaimer: I own nothing save for a few minor OCs.

A/N: I was kinda inspired by the premise of the game Gotham City Imposters. The notion of a gang using the Batman moniker while going up a similar gang themed around the Joker, was interesting, but I wanted to do more with it. The notion of the citizenry going against some of the Rogue's Gallery was also inspired by the scene early in The Dark Knight where the citizens dressed as Batman (only while wearing hockey pads instead of an awesome suit) used firearms to attack the Scarecrow.

Timeline wise, this story takes place sometime after my original story "Batman: Political Suicide."

December 2nd
11:02 PM
K. Conroy Jewelers – Downtown Gotham

As was usual of the late evenings, Gotham City was far from being a quiet town. The night clubs of the entertainment district were cranking up for the evening, the major restaurants were closing down, and the criminal elements of Gotham were weighing whether or not tonight was worth the risk of attempting anything for fear of Gotham's Caped Crusader swooping in and messing up any well-conceived plans.

Tonight, it would seem, was worth the risk as a trio of armed thugs broke into the K. Conroy Jewelry Store in a smash-and-grab, smashing the displays and shoving the jewelry into black duffle bags amidst the alarms.

"Come on! Come on! Hurry! Cops 'll be here any minute now!" one of the crooks yelled from the door, keeping a lookout.

"Alright! We've got enough! Let's go!" one of the crooks yelled, the three hurrying out the door and into their getaway car, the car peeling out just as a pair of police cars, lights and sirens blaring, rounded the corner, chasing after them.

"Aw come on!" the crook in the backseat groaned, raising his SMG and firing out the back window, the front passenger crook leaned out partially to fire back at the cops as well, their chase heading into Gotham's Industrial District. The GCPD Officers were firing back with pistol shots but the shots weren't enough to do any real damage. The backseat crook popped back up with his SMG and opened fire again, managing to pierce the front right tire of the closest cruiser, causing it to spin out of control, the second cruiser hitting it at the front and careening into a light post.

"HA! We lost 'em!" the crook in the back cheered as he sat back down towards the front.

"Heh! The boss 'll be happy to hear that." The driver said with a grin, the crook in the passenger seat leaning back slightly before noticing something in the passenger side mirror. He looked and saw something shadowy approaching them from behind.

"Hey, Stosch! What's that behind us?" he asked, the crook in the backseat furrowing his brow, confused as he sat up and looked out the back again. He saw a large, sleek, black metal machine rolling quickly towards them but he couldn't make it out.

"What is that?" he muttered to himself. Suddenly the machine's headlights flashed on, the machine's windshield turning transparent, showing a certain Caped Crusader at the steering wheel, his masked face illuminated by the dashboard lights while his two sidekicks sat in the back in the shadows. The crook immediately paled.

"Oh crap! IT'S THE BAT!" He freaked.

"Well don't just sit there! Shoot 'im!" the passenger crook yelled, he and Stosch quickly raising their guns, opening fire on the Batmobile but their bullets didn't even scratch the finish. Batman merely narrowed his eyes and revved the engine, the Batmobile lurching forward, hitting the bumper of the crooks' getaway car, the driver struggling to maintain control.

"Why won't he go down?!" the driver asked as the Batmobile pulled forward and to the left, attempting to pit maneuver the getaway car, successfully forcing it into the loading yard of a nearby factory complex, the car hitting a parking block which sent the car flying. Fortunately for the crooks it landed upright but had the car on a collision course for a large shipping container. The driver slammed on the breaks, the car slowing down but still colliding with the container at about twenty-six miles per hour. All three crooks quickly abandoned the car with their stolen goods as the Batmobile came screeching to a stop nearby, the canopy opening and allowing the Batclan to literally leap into action, chasing after the crooks on foot. Two of the crooks headed deeper into a maze of shipping containers while the third, Stosch, turned and fled towards the factory itself.

"Take those two! I'll take the other!" Batman ordered to Robin and Blackbat.

"On it!" Robin replied before he and Blackbat grappled into the air, Batman continuing his pursuit of the criminal. Stosch was running in fear of his life, not sure what the Batman would do to him if he caught him. Stosch was running out of strength, running as fast as he could but the Batman was hot on his tails, or so he assumed. He looked back and saw nothing but the darkness of an empty parking lot. He turned back towards the front, running towards a streetlight near the entrance of the facility but was suddenly tripped up at the legs, falling onto his face. He tried to move but found his legs had been bound at the ankles by a set of bolas. He groaned as he rolled onto his back in time to see the Batman stepping into the light. Stosch attempted to raise his SMG but it was kicked from his hands. Batman then proceeded to grab him by the collar with both hands, shoving him up against the base of the streetlight.

"W-W-What do you want with me?!" Stosch asked before feeling something clicking shut around his left wrist. He looked and saw Batman cuffing his left arm. Stosch tried to run but Batman merely spun him back around, dislocating Stosch's left arm in the process, causing Stosch to scream in pain.

"OH GOD! MY ARM!" He screamed as Batman slipped around and cuffed his right arm together with his left, effectively cuffing him to the streetlight.

"The GCPD will be here for you soon." Batman said, suddenly hearing the sweep of someone's footsteps nearby. He looked around but saw no one. He started to move away from the sobbing Stosch to investigate the sound, but saw nothing. He started to approach a shipping container nearby and looked around the side of it but again saw nothing. He could hear the sound of police sirens getting closer and could even see the flashing red and blue lights flashing against the sides of buildings as they got closer. As he looked he suddenly heard a bloodcurdling scream from Stosch. Batman came running back around and saw a shadowy figure running away from Stosch who was still cuffed to the streetlight. The figure was running away from Batman who immediately gave chase. The figure ran into the shadows as Batman ran into the light in pursuit, but by the time he reached Stosch, the figure had vanished and the Police were rounding the corner, coming to a stop near the Batman. Commissioner Gordon climbed out of one of the lead cars as officers swarmed the scene. Batman turned towards the Commissioner who was looking at the suspect as he approached but paused mid-step.

"Commissioner." Batman greeted simply but Gordon didn't react, a look of growing disbelief on his face. Batman immediately sensed something was wrong and turned towards Stosch and saw what the Commissioner did. Stosch was lying limp against the streetlight, blood flowing from his neck, staining the front of his clothes, his eyes wide opened with a look of terror frozen on his face. Worse was the weapon that had done the damage was still sticking out of his neck and it was something that Batman recognized right off: One of his own batarangs.

"Batman…" Gordon said, Batman looking towards the Commissioner who seemed perplexed and conflicted, "…can you explain why that man has one of your batarangs stuck in his neck?"

Batman noticed the police officers murmuring amongst themselves, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"Not yet." Batman replied as Gordon sighed, reaching for his gun.

"Batman, in the years that we've worked together, you've not given me any reason to doubt you. So please, give me a reason to doubt this. You've gotta give me something, anything." Gordon said, Batman noticing the officers around him. Aside from one or two veterans, they were mostly rookies, most of whom had their hands near their guns. Batman subtly activated a device on his utility belt, the device starting to emit a soft but high pitched sound.

"You know where I stand, how I operate. You know I don't kill." Batman replied as Gordon sighed.

"I know, but the case…there's no one here but you. No other witnesses. One of your own devices stuck in the victim's neck. It looks obvious and I know it's gotta be a frame job. But I also know protocol. Are you sure you can't explain it? A bad throw perhaps? Suicide by Batman? Anything?" Gordon asked but Batman took a step back. When he did, the rookie cops drew their weapons, pointing them at Batman. Gordon sighed and pulled the handcuffs from his belt.

"Batman…Go easy on me." He said softly. Batman nodded understandingly.

"I won't even touch you." Batman replied as he looked away. That's when Gordon and the other cops heard something on the wind. A screeching and squeaking sound. Gordon recognized the sound and quickly ducked down just in time for a swarm of bats to fly in, swirling around Batman and disorienting the cops. Batman calmly stalked his way through the cops, the Batmobile roaring up. Batman looked back towards Gordon who rose to his feet, partially shielding himself from the bats.

"Do what you need to, Commissioner, and I'll do the same!" Batman said over the screeching of the bats before climbing into the Batmobile and racing away, the cloud of bats dispersing within seconds of his departure.

"Commissioner! Do you want me to set up roadblocks?!" one of the officers asked, earning a sigh from Gordon.

"Do it. Spread the word, the Batman is to be arrested on sight. Suspect heavily armed, extremely dangerous, driving a black…tank." Gordon said, reluctantly. The rookie officer gave a nod and rushed away to make the call. Meanwhile, Robin and Blackbat were waiting in the shadows of a crane, the other two robbers strung up on the side of the crane, watching as the Batmobile rolled up. They immediately rushed to the Batmobile, climbing in.

"What's going on? Blackbat heard the swarm fly past." Robin said as the canopy on the Batmobile closed, Batman remaining silent. The Batmobile was just starting to turn towards the main road when two more cop cars, lights flashing, drove into their path, the officers climbing out with their guns drawn.

"GCPD! Turn off the engine and step away from the vehicle!" one of the officers ordered.

"Uh, are they talking to us?" Robin asked, Batman revving the engines.

"Hang on." He said before he hit the afterburners on the Batmobile, rocketing ahead, aiming for the very narrow space between the two police cruisers. The officers leapt clear as the Batmobile smashed through the cruisers and roared down the road.

"Batman! Batman come in!" Barbara Gordon/Oracle could be heard over the radio.

"Go ahead Oracle." Batman replied.

"The GCPD Police Radios are lighting up like a Christmas tree! There's an APB out for you and the Commissioner's calling for your arrest! What's going on?!" Barbara asked, Robin and Blackbat both looking at Batman in surprise.

"Not now!" Batman replied as he saw two more police cruisers start chasing after them.

"Whoa wait! What'd you do?! Slug the Commish'?!" Robin asked, Blackbat removing her two-part mask, her domino mask still on her face but looking confused. Batman hit the afterburner again, the batmobile rocketing ahead, outrunning the police easily.

"I'm being framed for murder." Batman replied simply.

"Wha-Murder?! How?!" Oracle asked as the Batmobile rounded a corner, seeing three squad cars coming towards them. Batman quickly maneuvered the Batmobile between them, trading some paint with one of them as they passed.

"A suspect I was chasing was found stabbed to death after I apprehended him. The murder weapon was a Batarang." Batman replied as the Batmobile swerved into one of the highway tunnels.

"It has to be a frame up, like you say! There had to be someone else!" Robin said.

"There was but he got away before I could apprehend him." Batman replied, the Batmobile rocketing through the tunnels.

"Doesn't the Commish think it's fishy?" Robin asked.

"Gordon had to make a call based on the evidence presented at face value, a call I would've made were our positions reversed. I'd expect nothing less of him." Batman replied as they rounded a bend in the tunnels where they could see the police were attempting to stop the Batmobile with spike strips at the tunnel exit but the Batmobile's custom crafted tires were pierce resistant and only succeeded in bending the spikes, leaving the officers dumbfounded as the Batmobile raced past.

"I can't believe my dad would order your arrest though! After all you've done for this city?! For the world?!" Oracle replied.

"Your father's just doing his job. Don't be angry at him for that." Batman replied, spotting a squadron of at least seven squad cars coming towards them from straight ahead. Batman quickly turned the Batmobile hard to the left, hitting the afterburner and taking the Batmobile into a narrow alleyway, the Batmobile hitting the bullseye and squeezing into the alley while the police had to slide to a stop, unable to hit the alley at the speeds they were going. The Batmobile burst out of an alleyway on the opposite side of the block, racing onto an empty stretch of road. Batman quickly flipped a switch on the dash, causing the headlights to shut off and the windshields to darken, allowing an augmented reality video feed of their surroundings to appear, effectively allowing him to drive the batmobile in complete darkness without needing the slightest hint of light outside. Batman brought the Batmobile towards a seemingly dead end road that led to a wall of bushes and large rocks that proceeded to open and swing backwards, allowing the Batmobile access to the hidden driveway to the Batcave.

"So, what's the plan? Go to ground until the heat dies off?" Robin asked as the Batmobile entered the hidden tunnel leading into the batcave.

"No. Going to ground now would only make me look guilty. Our best hope is to apprehend the real murderer." Batman said as the Batmobile came to a stop at its usual space inside the Batcave. Alfred was already making his way inside, a concerned look on his face as the batmobile canopy opened.

"Sir, I overheard on the Police Scanner. There's been a call for your arrest?" Alfred asked as Batman pulled back his hood, passing his faithful butler by as he made his way to the Batcave computer.

"You heard right. Someone's trying to frame me for murder." Bruce said as he sat down, Robin and Blackbat both unmasking.

"So what's the plan?" Robin asked as Bruce sat back in his chair, his mind already formulating a plan of action.

"We will first need to accomplish three tasks. First, an examination of the crime scene. The killer will have left some kind of trace at the scene. Second, we'll need to interrogate the other two thieves. If they're part of the jewelry store heists that've been occurring over the past couple of weeks, then the person responsible for the heists may know who the murderer is. Alternatively, the murderer may have known of the heists. We'd need an interrogation to be sure, although I imagine the GCPD will be able to provide that for us. We'll just need to get to the information. Oracle? Are you there?" Bruce asked.

"I'm here. I can talk to my dad, or arrange it so I'm 'conveniently' present when that evidence gets filed." Oracle suggested.

"No. I don't want you physically involved. Monitor the police channels for now and keep us updated. Alfred, arrange it so that the Wayne Family is officially out of the city for a while. That'll give us an excuse to shy away from public appearances without our masks." Bruce said as Tim looked to Cassandra.

"Ha-ha! Instant vacation!" Tim said, earning a glare from Cassandra.

"No schoolwork perhaps, but plenty of undercover work during the day and a surplus of night work." Bruce replied, deflating Tim Drake immediately.

"Good point. So what's the third task?" Tim asked.

"You need to break into GCPD Headquarters." Bruce replied, bringing up a blueprint schematic.

"Whoa wait, you're not serious are you?!" Tim asked, confused.

"Master Bruce, I assume you don't mean to turn yourself in." Alfred commented.

"If the Batarang used in the murder is one of mine, it'll have a serial number on it. I always track my batarang usage and keep records of which ones I've lost in the field. All I need is that serial number and it should give us a lead." Bruce replied.

"Us?" Cassandra asked in ASL.

"Yes, you." Bruce replied. Tim shrugged, accepting his assignment.

"So we get in, steal the batarang, get out?" Tim asked.

"No, you get in, photograph or make copies of whatever evidence they have on the case with your cowl scanners along with the serial number, then get out. I want nothing to disappear. They already know that I could break in if I wanted to. I've already run from them. I don't want to look any more guilty than I do already." Bruce ordered.

"Wait, what'll you be doing?" Tim asked as Bruce got up from the chair, pulling the cowl back up over his head.

"Investigating the crime scene and creating a diversion for the two of you. Take the Batwing, they won't be expecting a diversion." Batman replied, heading for the Batmobile while Tim and Cassandra put on their masks, hurrying to the Batwing.

End Chapter 1

Please R&R…

As with all of my Batman stories, I envision Batman in his Arkham Asylum/Arkham City costume. Similarly, I see Robin in his Arkham Asylum costume as well. Blackbat wears her Batgirl costume (the full head mask but still wearing the domino mask underneath for added security). An example of this can be found on Deviant Art by the artist Phil-Cho. He has a lot of good Batman and DC Universe related material that's worth your time.

If you'd also like a visual reference for the Batmobile, I don't really have any specific one in mind. Just assume that the Batmobile is a four seater variant but Batman does have one, two, and even three seater variants.