The Darkest of Knights

Mame had done everything Slade had said up to this point, without question, the perfect little soldier. But now she was a bit flustered, she wasn't that good at mechanics so even if the job was easy and went fast, she kept getting distracted and confused at his instructions. After some struggle she got what he wanted down, her bangs pushed behind her ears so they wouldn't fall into her work, he had entered the weird machine and 'BAM!' all of a sudden daddy was a whole new man.

The blond wasn't sure about it, it was bigger and scarier then the spider had been, but when he spoke, the affection pooled back out of her and she just beamed up at him with exuberant delights. She looked him up and down, so this is what he had been before he had become the land crab spider beetle. Cool.

But there was one problem that was pestering the young psychotics warped brain. Her pale hands flailed at the wrist joint, up and down as she shook her head back and forth and looked concernedly at him, how were they going to get back to Gotham? They couldn't walk it'd take too long, and they couldn't ride a plane or a train, he looked like a terrorist! They'd get arrested right then and there, or worse! Get confronted by some meta-human teen!

" you can't ride the bus in that! You're too big!"

[ You people! I kept tensing up from reading your posts so much I got sick!]

[Tensing up o_o?! By jove! Why?]

"Fret not my dear, I have already planned ahead." Slade said to her. It had been ages since he had done this- now it was time to put his old knowledge back to good use. He led Mame out, only this time he couldn't remain in the open as before. He told Mame it was part of her training- keeping to the shadows, avoiding people. And it was- stealth was crucial to survival in this line of work.

Slade rememebred his mission against the titans all thos eyears ago, when he stole the powerful Unihexium and constructed the Hellsuit. He did somehting almost identical to what he was doing now. Sneaking through the underlying shadows of the evening, they approached the Jump city transit station once more. With deft timing, Slade snuck into the cargo hold with Mame behind the stationworker's back, and hid amongst the cargo as the train began to thunder back down the tracks.

"I'm not blaming John. I'm saying he's liable for the attacks in my property as everyone here is. Casius and Cyrah are clean with air tight alibis, and this John is a little suspicious since I wasn't aware of his trespassing in my Batcave." Batman glared, leered, at John, "And if you don't start having respect around your elder or the owner of where you're standing I suggest you get out before I lose my temper." Batman was in no mood for random strangers in the most secret of places. This was his sacred ground, and the only reason why he was allowing John to stay was for the concern of Nicole and Wintergreen. Mostly Nicole.

Batman looked directly into her eyes. "So you wouldn't mind telling me where you were in the time when the assailant attacked Wintergreen." Batman said. His eyes squinting in suspicion.

Deciding that she was more or less proven innocent, Cyrah decided to go and check on Karmy, see where she had been during all of this insanity. She slyly excused her self from the room, and headed up tot he room. Where Karmy had been last. Gently, she knocked on the door. "Hey, Karms, you awake?" She asked quietly, in case she was asleep.

Zero, latched on to Ivy like a bizzare tumor, rested his head atop hers as the heated scene unfolded. "Let's all be cool, here. Like Sarah said, all of this accusing won't get us anywhere." Zero said calmly, trying to get the others to follow suit

Corben made his way towards the STEAM offices, and walked in like he owned the place, giving off a general menacing feel- he meant business now. He strode up to the receptionist. "I'm here to speak to the 'man in charge.'" He said, flashing his green eyes to show who he was.

"So Wintergreen killed himself." Batman concluded. "Everyone has an alibi so the only logical reason is that Wintergreen killed himself." Batman said crossing his arms. "How stupid do you think I am?" He asked everyone. "Someone did it. And I'm going to get to the bottom of this." He said turning away, but stopping in his tracks. "Ivy." He turned around slowly, looking at her directly in the eyes. "Ivy, where were you at the time of the attack on my butler?" He asked, his voice quivering slightly. He needs her account.

The receptionist nodded, "He's in his office. That hall, two right. You know where it is." He said to Carben.

Zero's face turned sour. "I was with her the whole time, there was no way she could have atacked him." Zero said, getting defensive now that the heat was being aimed at his dollface.

Corben followed the familiar hallways and corridors of the building untill he found the door he wanted. He didn't even knock- he barged in unanounced. From his jacket, he withdrew a paper, the ehadline discussing Batman's 'Death'. "We need to talk." he snarled.

Karmy staggered to the door, still half out of it, and smacked into it. "Ow.." she muttered groggily. Opening the door, she looked at Cyrah with half lidded eyes. "Hey Cy.." she yawned. "I was kinda sleeping.."

"Sorry 'bout that." She said, grinning in embarassment. "I was just checkin' up on you. Hey, maybe later, you wanna just go for a walk or somehting? I think a quick break might do us some good." She said.

"Fine then." Batman said taking a seat. "It was Karmy then. She was the only one secluded away from everyone else. So-called asleep. She portaled in and away. Killed him in a snap, the rest is acting." Batman concluded. "Anyone object?"

Max Lecter starred at the big claim on the papers, he glanced at his watch. 5:21pm. "I have nine minutes." He said leaning back and looking at Carben. "Make it quick, I'm a busy man." Max folded his arms on his chest expecting him to talk.

Metalo looked at him. "I only need one to tell you there is going to be a bit of a change of plans." He said, pointing to the newspaper headline. "If focus shifts from the bat, it's going to need to find a new gaze unless it has soemhting else to look at." Metallo said, hinting at his true meaning. If people were done with the Bat case, then they would start askwing more questions- why, who, what, when, ect. Unless, of course, another big thing poped up.

"Well you think that Bat is dead? They're looking for a body last I heard. Could be a set up. Though.." He said turning around. "There's no harm in a plan B." Max closed his eyes, inhaled. "Have anything in mind? Blow up a building? Maybe we can do something with this Dent fellow. Perhaps we can pull some strings to make it look like he was involved."

"No, we need someone clean- Dent is probably on the suspicion list anyways, due to his.... questionable past. No, we need iconic, clean reps, like Gordon had." he said. He lfipped open a page to a small picture of the Riders. "Catch my drift?" He said.

Zero didn't want to admit it- Karmy was his friend and both his dad and his sister trusted her- but the story just checked out too much.

"The Midnight Riders... the founders of the New Gotham City hmm?" Max asked picking up the picture and smiling. He began to laugh softly, then a more hearty laugh, then one of a twisted sinister laugh that mirrored the Joker's. "What do you have in mind Metalo?"

"Wait, Cyrah left. She must have went to go check on Karmy." Batman deduced. "We have to stop her!" He said moving out quickly bursting through the door and running down the hall until he stood right above Karmy and Cyrah, he didn't hesitate to take her down. "You attacked Wintergreen. Why?" Batman asked holding her down.

"Are you outta your mind, bozo!? Karmy wouldn't up and atack anyone like that!" Cyrah barked defensiveley, arming her sonic cannon in case things got ugly.

"Mind telling me who attacked Wintergreen then? You know where Karmy was at the time of the murder? There's no logic in your explanation, there is in mine. She had to portal in, go for the attack, and portal out. No other explanation, we all have alibis. All except for Karmy." Batman said standing up holding her by her shirt.

"Actually Batman." Mad Hatter's voice came from Karmy. Dick only had Karmy by her white tank top, so with a quick motion, she slipped out of that and backed away, now only in her black t-shirt. "She has the perfect alibi." he said, Karmy snapped her fingers and her bag fell in her hands. Reaching in, she pulled out a grenade. She pulled out the tab, but held the trigger in place. "She's currently under my control. I wouldn't move if I were you Batman," he said and Karmy flaunted the grenade. "Or this little baby goes boom.

"The Mad Hatter..." Batman mumbled, "You let her go this instant or I won't hesitate to bite your head off when I get my hands on you." Batman threatened, clenching his fists, eyeing the grenade he thought how he could disarm her and save everyone in the room.

"Ah ah ah, can't do that Batman." Mad Hatter said. "After the chip is in place," Karmy pointed to the wound on her head from days ago. "Nothing can get it out. It was truly luck that I found little Karmy here first. I was making my escape from Arkham and what do I see on the beach? One of the Riders! Oh how wonderful a day that was! I had found the perfect way to get to my dear Alice and to kill all of you. You're the only ones in the way of our love."

"You would be amazed at what I have discovered Batman." he continued. "One that really surprised me was that Karmy here, has killed over 50 people. 50 people! And I thought you heroes were all about saving people. Hell, I thought all hippies were about peace and love. But I guess, this one here is the exception. Curiouser and curiouser I became as I explored her mind. I discovered thing about the Riders, about Alice, about the government." a smile formed on Mad Hatters face and as well as Karmys. "Things I've discovered about you. Richard."

A shock spread across Batman's face, he stood his ground, "You can cut the crap Hatter." He said to him preparing his move, "I should have known you were obsessed with Al-" he caught Karmy off guard, his arm closest grabed the grenade and squeezed it hard enough to make Karmy loosen her grip on it, with his other hand he bent down to grab the discarded key and place it back in the grenade. He tossed the grenade away so Karmy couldn't get to it. "You attacked my daughter when her guard was down. You attacked my butler when he was trying to save my daughter, and when I find you..." He said pinning Karmy down firmly, his hand reaching for the chip in her wound, "I will kill you." He said as he found it. The Mad Hatter uttered "Good Luck." And he pulled the chip out, blood spilling out.

Cyrah wasted no time in shooting over to Karmy like a bullet the moment the Hatter forced her to yank the chip. "Dammit, quit standing there and get some medical gear, pronto!" Cyrah ordered Richard. She was bein exceciveley bossy, she knew, but too many times in the past few days had she been helpless as Karmy got hurt.

Batman stood up and looked at Cyrah, "Stay calm. That's the most important thing to do right now." He bent over to pick her up, then Batman began to carry her to the Medical Bay with Cyrah. "Apply pressure to her wound." Batman ordered.