Disclaimer: This story is fiction. There are two celebrities who will appear from time-to-time. The other characters are fictitious. Any similarities to persons living or dead are completely coincidental.
In this story, I have continued the adventures of Batman, my Batman, which his story first began in "Tales of a Real Dark Knight" in the Boy Band section of this archive. It spanned 250 chapters. You will find many universes merging, as the above copyrights reveal. I hope you all enjoy this.
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss Whedon. Copyright 20th Century Fox.
Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Copyright DC Comics and Warner Bros.
X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox.
The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice. Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice.
I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered.
I appreciate any feedback that you may want to give. I do hope that you enjoy it!!!
Any emails you send, please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on. Thanks.
authorjames2002@yahoo.com
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Chapter 45 Ready
Lance awoke early in the morning and showered. The guest room wasn't as bad as he thought, although he would give anything to be with Eric again. Eric had every right to kick him out of the bedroom. What he did was unforgivable, yet Eric seemed to be trying to forgive him. Maybe there was hope for their relationship. He could always do something to make amends for it. He could never ever make it up to Eric. The only way would be to travel through time and correct it. And that was impossible. He was left with doing what he could now.
Looking into his old bedroom, he looked at the empty bed and couldn't help but shed a tear. "We'll find you, Eric. I promise you." A hand rested on his shoulder and he turned to see JC. "What...? How...?"
"Hello, Lance."
"JC. What are you doing here?"
"I can't talk long. I've got someplace else I need to be. I wanted to see how you were getting along. Apparently, you've seen better days."
"Things have fallen apart. Have you talked to the guys yet?"
"Yes, I have."
"Then you know..."
"I know what happened."
"Why did I do it? Is there any way I can take it back?"
"You can't undo what has been done. This experience will help you grow, though, if you let it. It can strengthen your relationship and deepen how much you care about Eric. But you have to accept responsibility for your actions and you must communicate with him when something is wrong. He won't bite you. He loves you with every fiber of his being. He loves you still. If you love him, you must be committed to him and him alone."
"I am."
JC smiled. "You'll find him. Things will be okay."
Lance smiled and wiped his tear away. He heard a sound around the corner near Preston's room and went to look. When he turned back, JC was gone. "JC?" he called out as he went to the steps and looked downstairs. No one was there. He went down and opened the front door. JC was nowhere to be found. He thought to himself what could have happened, but was distracted when Sarah came down the stairs.
"Good morning, dad," she said as she gave Lance a hug.
"Good morning." When he released his embrace, he asked how she slept.
"Okay, I guess. I want to find daddy."
"We will, sweetheart. Everyone is working on it. After Preston gets up and we are all cleaned up, we'll go to the Center to see if Oracle and the others found anything. In the meantime, would you like me to fix you some breakfast?"
"Sure," Sarah replied with a smile.
Father and daughter went into the kitchen.
Joseph entered the room and approached my cell. My left eye was swollen shut from the beating Catman gave me just after he raped me. Blood trickled down the side of my mouth.
"What happened?" the youth asked when he noticed my wounds.
"Your `father' decided to beat the hell out of me. He doesn't like being challenged."
"I know."
"Hence why you follow his every whim?"
"Hardly," Joseph stated. "You know why I followed him."
I caught him use the word `followed', past tense. "Things have changed?" I asked.
"You could say that. I don't trust you, not one hundred percent yet. But I do know my brother and sister love you. I know that you've cared for them. And, most importantly, I know it was Catman who killed my mother, not you.
"Get some sleep. You are going to need your strength."
Joseph gave me a slight smile, the corner of his mouth slightly raised. It was his first positive emotional gesture he made toward me. It seemed as if things were changing within Joseph's psyche. Perhaps he would be free of his past after all. Maybe he wouldn't let the horrible things in his life dictate to him his future.
Lance, Sarah, and Preston arrived at the Center to see what Oracle and the team had found. All three hoped they had some news about their missing husband/father. Clark crossed the lobby to the door.
"Hi, Clark," Lance greeted. "Have you heard anything?"
"We've heard something. We want you to come downstairs."
"Oh, God," Lance whispered. "He's dead, isn't he?"
"No, no, no, nothing like that. Just, come downstairs. We have to talk with you on this."
The four went downstairs to the cave and Clark relayed to them the appearance of Batman, the younger, newer Batman. They also spoke of his plan to sneak in and rescue Eric from Catman.
"We're going to need some experience," Lance said. He walked over to the computer and picked up the phone.
"Randy," Justin said through the bedroom door. "You have to come out and eat some time."
There was no response.
"He's torn," Jessica said. "He hates Eric for being Batman, he hates us for not telling him, and now he's worried because his uncle has been kidnapped. Nobody knows if Eric is dead or alive."
The phone rang. Justin, being nearest to the phone, answered. "Hello...Yes, she's right here." Handing the receiver to Jessica, he said, "It's for you."
"Hello," Jessica said.
A few hours later, Justin, Randy, and Jessica entered the cave. The young heroes stood around the cave looking at her. She nodded to each one, stepped up to Lance, and embraced him. "Things will be okay," Jessica whispered. Releasing her embrace, she turned to the others. "I know all of you are worried. We'll get Eric back. I promise."
"What do we do?" Sarah asked.
"Batman suggested we attack tonight. Good plan. He won't expect it. Thing is, we don't know exactly where we are striking, so we don't know what we are dealing with."
"I can help with that."
Everyone turned to see the Batman emerge from the shadows. He moved his hands from underneath his cape and held out a folded up piece of paper.
"This is where he's being held." Batman walked up and handed the paper to Jessica. "You will have to be careful. He may be just another vampire, but he has security in place. The whole building is booby-trapped. And the traps are lethal."
"Why don't you tell us what they are?"
"Because even I don't know what they are. He hasn't told me."
Sarah and Preston stared at Batman and knew that he was their brother. They didn't know how but they could tell. They just, somehow, knew.
"We'll have to be extra careful, then. Superman, you can see through things, right?"
"Yes."
"When we get there, I want you to do a sweep of the building with your x-ray vision to see what you can find. If you can identify the locations of the traps and what they are, we might be able to dismantle them."
Superman nodded.
"It might be best if we split up into several teams. Superman and Wonder Woman, J'onn and Green Lantern take the roof and work your way down. Flash, Black Canary, Aquaman, and I will start at ground level and work our way up."
"Um, what about me?" Sarah asked.
"I don't know if you should be involved in this one."
"I think she should," Batman said. "In fact, I think Sarah, Preston and I should go after Catman."
"What?" Dinah replied. "Are you crazy?"
"We are his children. He's been contacting Sarah in her dreams. He might believe she is searching for him. He'll let us get close. And when that happens, we strike."
"I don't know about this," Jessica stated. "Can we even trust you?"
"I sense no malice in him," J'onn stated.
"And he did not lie early this morning when he spoke," Diana said. "My lasso was around him. No one can lie when under the power of my lasso."
"Very well. Let us plan and then we strike."
The sun set on the city. I could feel the calmness of the night. It washed over me. But I could also sense the awakening of the vampire. This one followed the practice of the souled vampires, the practice of sleeping during the day and waking at night.
The door creaked open and a familiar silhouette was lit faintly from behind: mine.
"You're going to be freed tonight," the Batman said. "The Justice League will be here soon."
The door closed leaving me in darkness, but a sense of hope and peace.
Four figures moved through the night sky gliding on invisible wings. Two were green, two clothed in red and blue. One of the green figures was enveloped in an aura of green. The other's skin color was green. A blue flowing cape flapped above him and blue boots pointed behind him. The two figures in red and blue had black hair in common, but one was male and the other female. The male had a red cape flapping behind him; the female had no cape, though a golden lasso was attached firmly to her belt. Silver gauntlets covered her forearms. Two golden W's decorated her chest and a big red S' decorated his.
Four figures moved along the ground, two motorcycles, one carrying two individuals and one carrying one, while the fourth individual ran alongside. The single rider was a woman with dark brown hair, purple mask and a purple and black costume. The duo riding a single motorcycle was a blonde girl with a black mask and gray jumpsuit. Behind her was a young blonde man wearing green spandex-like pants and green boots. His hair was shoulder length. The individual running beside them was wearing a deep red suit and hood. Images of lightning bolts ran across his suit in different places. The amazing thing was that he kept pace with the two motorized vehicles.
Coming down a different road was an SUV with a famous singer at the wheel. In the back seat were his two twin children: one girl, one boy. All three had blonde hair. The girl wore a black leather jacket and jeans. Her hair was back in a ponytail. The boy wore a brown leather jacket and jeans. Both were silent with looks of anticipation on their face. They were about to face their biological father for the first...and last...time.
Superman and his crew landed on the roof. Using his x-ray vision, he scanned the building but couldn't see much. He raised his hand to his ear. "Flight team has landed. There must be lead pipes running throughout the building. I can't see much of anything inside."
The Huntress pulled up near the building and parked her motorcycle. The Flash ran up beside her and the Black Canary and Aquaman pulled up as well. They dismounted and they approached the front door. Raising her hand to her ear, the Huntress said, "Ground team has arrived. Remember, everyone, we're taking it nice and easy. Who knows what he will do to his hostage. Let's go."
The four on the ground opened the door slowly and entered.
The four on the roof opened the door slowly and entered.
A few moments later, the SUV pulled up to the building and the three climbed out. Together they walked to the side of the building and were met by Joseph, the twins' older brother.
"Are you ready?" he asked Preston and Sarah. The two nodded. "Let's go." The four entered the building.
To Be Continued...
Five more chapters to go. What will happen next? More to come!