Disclaimer: This story, though maybe not in this chapter but in subsequent chapters, will have celebrities in it. I have no knowledge of their sexuality and this is not intended to imply their sexuality. This is all from my own mind. Scary!! People actually get a glimpse into my mind!!!
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.
Star Trek and all related characters created by Gene Roddenberry. Copyright Paramount Studios.
I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered.
In this story, which has been floating around in my head most of my life, you will find many universes merging, as the above copyrights reveal. I hope you all enjoy this. I appreciate any feedback that you may want to give. This story doesn't deal so much with sex, sex, sex, but more of my feelings that I struggled with and am starting to come to terms with. Part of his background is mine. I do hope that you enjoy it!!!
I have received many emails from people who have enjoyed it and some from those who do not. I would enjoy hearing from you. Any emails you send, please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on. Thanks.
jmsotc@yahoo.com
I also have several online messenger services. If you want to chat with me in real time, email me and tell me the services you use and I will tell you my screen name.
Chapter 34 Return to Orlando
Lance and I returned to Orlando a few days later. I had written Brian a letter as well asking how things were going in Los Angeles and mailed it along with the letter to Joshua. Once we were unpacked, the telephone rang. It was Chris. He wanted the group to get together for New Year's Eve. Lance and I agreed to it.
"I'm am whipped," Lance said.
"Me, too."
"Did you check the mail?"
"Not yet. I put it on the table. I'll go get it."
I went into the kitchen and grabbed the pile of envelopes and returned to Lance in the living room. I sat next to him on the couch and we went through them.
There were several bills that we set aside for later. One letter was from the Department of Health and Human Services. They would have to inspect the work done on the Teen Center before we could do more. I had yet to hire someone to check the plumbing and electrical wiring. That had to be done before we refinished all the rooms.
Lance received some Christmas cards from friends wishing him a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
I got up to make lunch. As I started warming the soup, Lance came in with the newspaper.
"Wow. It's not too far and the English Princes will be here."
"What?"
"Yeah. Remember their goodwill tour of the United States? It ends here in Florida before they return to England."
"Interesting."
We ate and napped the afternoon away. Around four o'clock in the afternoon, the telephone rang. It was Johnny asking Lance to go downtown to help Chris work out the tour schedule. He said it might take most of the evening. I assured him I would be fine, as I should probably patrol for a while.
He kissed me and left. I went upstairs after the sun set and I changed into my Bat-suit to patrol.
As I leapt from rooftop to rooftop, I found myself not thinking about vampires or anything else but what happened in Mississippi. I couldn't believe Lance had asked me to marry him. And I was excited about what had happened in my prayer time.
Without warning, I was tackled. I fell to the roof and looked up to see a vampire snarling at me. I snapped to attention and head-butted him. Getting my arms loose, I grabbed him and pulled him hard off of me. He rolled to the side and I climbed to my feet as he came at me again. I stepped aside and tripped him. Down to his face he fell.
"What's the meaning of this?" I asked.
"I'm hungry."
I pulled out a wooden stake and readied myself.
"Hold it right there, vamp."
I turned to see Batgirl and Nightwing with crossbows ready.
"Oh, shit," the vampire said and he took off running.
"I got him," Nightwing replied as he aimed the crossbow and fired.
The arrow hit the vampire in the heart from behind and he turned to dust.
"How have you been?" Batgirl said approaching me. Nightwing joined her.
"Pretty well. What about you?"
"Not bad," she said looking over at Nightwing with a wink.
"Uh oh. Do I sense something going on here between you two?"
"Nothing at all," Nightwing answered with a grin.
"Yeah, right. Why don't I believe that?"
"Wouldn't know."
"Did you find out any information while they were gone?" My mind went right to business.
"It seems that the vampires were hired by some who is referred to as the son of the demon. He considers Eric and Lance to be a threat to him. Now what could they be doing that would make them a threat to him all of a sudden? Anything new going on in their lives?"
"The teen center," Nightwing said rather quickly. "For some reason the teen center is a threat to him. But why?"
"He's after the teens," I answered immediately.
"What?" they both asked.
I related the story of seeing Talia at the school, then the battle that ensued between Talia and Eric that Batman just so happened to witness.
"And there was the dark-skinned boy who came to the teen center asking Eric for help because kids at school were disappearing," Nightwing added.
"How do you know this?" I asked. I knew Nightwing was really Robert Lakewind, but I wanted to see if he would tell Batman.
"Because I was there," he said. "I was there as the real me. Not Nightwing."
"And the real you is?"
"Robert Lakewind."
"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me." I turned to Batgirl. "I know what you look like without that mask on. Would you care to share with me your real name?"
"It's Christine."
"Batman!" someone yelled.
We all turned in unison to see Robin walking towards us.
"Yes, Robin."
"I need to speak to you."
"About what?"
"I need your help. Kids from the high school are disappearing. I asked the guy who opened the teen center but he can't help me. I thought I would come to you."
I remember Ryan Brookdale, the cute fifteen year old boy who came to me, or should I say Eric, and asked for help.
"They are disappearing, right?"
"Yes. Do you have any clues as to where they are disappearing to?"
"The only connection is this dark-haired woman who is around them the last day they are seen."
I wondered if the same dark-haired woman was Talia. Most likely it was. She was behind the Penguin trying to kill Lance and I. Perhaps she was working for this son of the demon.
"I think you've come to the right place, Robin." I turned to Batgirl and Nightwing and shared with them all the connections I had made.
"It's all adding up," Batgirl said. "This demon's son wants teenagers. Talia is somehow working for him, collecting the teens and hiring assassins to kill the man who threatens his work. The teen center is a symbol of hope to the teens. He must be counting on their hopeless feelings to get them to come to him."
"Now we must figure out where they are disappearing to and stop them." Nightwing stated.
"That will only come with investigation," I replied. "We must do some digging ourselves. I suggest we split up and check out the streets. Perhaps there are others working for Talia besides vampires. Let's get to work."
We split up going four different directions.
About fifteen minutes later, I arrived in the shady side of town. I decided that to do my best work, I would have to be on ground level to make my presence known. I descended a fire escape to a darkened alley. Hearing a crash of trashcans, I stopped and scanned the area visually to determine its location. After a few moments, I found two people struggling amongst the garbage. I jumped down on top of them. I heard a scream and jumped up to examine whether someone was hurt by my actions. What I saw was rather embarrassing. One man was having sex with another man doggy style. I landed on the guy on top and the impact pushed his rather large and long manhood deep into the bottom.
"You guys should really get a motel room. Doing this amongst garbage is gross and dirty."
"Next time, Batman," one guy said.
I turned and walked down the alley. When I arrived at the mouth, I looked both ways observing the street was dimly lit. I turned and walked down the street staying close to the shadows. Two buildings away was a nightclub. The music was spilling out into the streets.
I was getting nauseous just thinking about the club. For some reason my stomach would knot up when I would think about clubs. They repulsed me, yet part of me yearned to go to one and enjoy myself. Tonight, however, was not the time for me to do so.
A guy came out half drunk and I figured he was as good a prospect as anyone. I grabbed him and, using my mutant ability, we flew up to the roof.
"What in the hell!" he exclaimed.
"If you answer my questions, I will let you go unscathed."
"Uh, sure...w-w-what do you want?"
"Have you seen a woman in black with black hair and a European accent around here lately? She's attempting to hire workers."
"Uh...I don't remember."
"Perhaps this will jog your memory."
I relaxed and let him go. Instead of him dropping to the ground, I had grabbed a hold of him and held him solidly in the air. Slowly I lifted him up into the sky.
"Remember anything now?"
"No...I haven't seen any woman! Please let me down!"
"Batman!"
I turned to see Robin coming.
"Just a minute, Robin." I lowered the man to the street level. As soon as I released him, he fell to the ground unconscious. Then I turned to Robin. "Yes?"
"I think I've found something."
"All right. Let's go." I followed him across several buildings. "Have you contacted the others," I asked.
"No. I haven't seen them."
"We should get them. We may need their help."
"There's no time!"
"Then let's get going."
Robin and I headed off in the direction he came. I followed him from rooftop to rooftop until we ran out of building and had to resort to going along side streets. Robin kept going into the woods and I did my best to catch up.
"Are you sure you know where you are going, Robin?"
"It's not too far from here."
He ended up at a small bunker. I couldn't believe that what we were looking for was in there. I expressed my concern to him.
"Come closer," he said.
I walked up and peered through the soiled glass. It opened into a large cavernous metal underground. Inside I saw teenagers and young children standing as if waiting for something. As I watched a black robed figure moved up to a raised platform. The black-robed figure pulled off the hood to reveal Talia underneath.
"Let's go now," Robin said.
"Wait. Perhaps the son of the demon is here. We must watch."
"Those are my school friends. I'm not about to let them die at her hand."
"Some how I don't think that death is what they are intending for these teens."
"What makes you say that?"
"If she would have wanted them dead, they wouldn't be alive right now. Just watch."
Talia opened her mouth and her words echoed clear up to the glass.
"Young men. I have brought you here for greatness. You are to be the legacy of the human race. The world powers have taken the earth and have spoiled it for self-profit. They have taken the wealth of the land and plundered her.
"My father, Ra's Al Ghul, plans to rectify that error. He plans to destroy all the evil ones who seeks out only self-gain. He will rid this world of their presence, and together, we will create a new human race, one that will cherish the earth given to us, one that will not corrupt her."
Drums were beat loudly.
"I present to you your new father, Ra's Al Ghul."
A man wearing a green cloak, brown pants and brown leather boots approached. His face was obscured by what looked like a simple demon mask. He stood next to his daughter and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Thank you, daughter," he said in a very distinct English accent. He turned to the crowd. "The time has come to redeem the earth from the sin of mankind. Behold the plan."
The lights went down and backstage lit up with the light of a movie being shown. Robin and I watched in horror as the movie showed chemicals being released into the water supply. The effects of the chemicals as people drank from the water were devastating. In hours the population would be gone.
"From there we will stretch out into the rest of the country. Within months we will have the country under our rule."
"Excuse me," a teen said raising his hand.
"Yes?" Ra's said.
"When does this start?"
"Midnight on New Year's Eve. We will usher in a new millennium with hope for the planet."
The teens clapped.
I looked around and noticed men wearing black jumpsuits and masks. Some were carrying swords, but all had knives strapped to their bodies in various places. Indeed they were well-trained guards for the son of the demon.
"What are you doing here?" a voice said from behind.
Robin and I turned to see three of the masked people standing behind us swords ready to strike if need be.
"We were interested in the late night showing of Psychos R Us down on your screen," Robin replied with sarcasm. "Really, you should make your concession stands and bathrooms easier to find."
"You are funny, boy," the center guard said. "Too bad it will be your last joke."
"Uh...nope. I've got a million of them. Want to hear them?"
"Silence! Our master will want to see you interlopers."
"The great master, huh? Master-bater!"
The guard swung his sword at Robin. I moved in its way and blocked. Then I countered with a kick to his stomach. Using the sword still in his hand, I blocked a slice from another guard. I rolled over the first guards back and kicked the second guard.
"Run!" I called. "Get Nightwing and Batgirl. We are going to need all the help we can get."
Robin turned to leave. The third guard stood in his way. Robin did a flip backwards as the blade of the third guard's sword sliced out. Robin then rolled forward. As he came up, he swung his foot up as hard as he could, hitting the guard between the legs. A harsh cry rang out and the guard was on the ground pulling off his mask and throwing up all over the place. Robin took the opportunity to get away.
I kneed the first guard in the face. I felt his nose give way to the impact of my knee. The guard released his grip on the sword. I took the sword and blocked an attack by the second guard. It was just down to him and I.
"You are no match for me," the guard said. "I have been trained well in fencing."
"Really? I have always wondered how well a Watcher's training stood up to the training of others."
"Watcher's?"
"Yes. From England. The Watcher's Council. Ever hear of them?"
The guard hesitated. I took the offensive and swung my sword at him. He blocked. I attacked again. It took several of my attacks before the guard decided to counter. He swung at me and I blocked. I swung and he blocked. This went on for several minutes. Then, the guard brought his sword down. I lifted up the sword to block and he took advantage of the opening. With a well-placed kick, I went into the glass of the bunker and plunged down to the floor.
My fall interrupted Ra's Al Ghul's speech, which wasn't very good in the first place. Two guards came over and grabbed me. One took my sword away, and they hoisted me up to face Ra's Al Ghul.
"Hello, Detective," Ra's said to me. "I've been expecting you."
"Really? You could've just sent me an invitation. It would have saved us a whole lot of trouble."
"Ah, but I needed to test my Shadow warriors. And what better way than to use a Watcher-trained mutant. Isn't that right, Eric?"
"You know about me?"
"Of course I do. My daughter, Talia."
Talia stepped up. "We've met, father."
"Yes. I sometimes forget these things." Ra's turned to his followers. "You are all dismissed until further noticed. Rest well, my children. Soon we will seize the day and the future will arrive."
I watched as the teenagers filtered out through several archways.
"Shall we retire to more comfortable environs?"
Ra's turned and walked through a nearby archway. Talia followed and the Shadows escorted me behind them.
To Be Continued...
Now we know what Ra's plan is for the children and the world. More to come! Keep reading!