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written-in-flowers · 1 year

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Guardian Knight: Pt. 2

Pairing: Arkham!Jason x Fem!OC

Genre: angst, fluff, smut

Word Count: 8k

Rating: M

Tags: lovers to enemies, enemies to lovers, somewhat slow burn, implied/referenced torture, kidnapping, PTSD, hurt/comfort, blood and violence, canon violence, implied/referenced abuse, eventual smut, vaginal sex, vaginal fingering, oral sex, nipple play, choking (sexy and non-sexy),

Summary: After the events of Arkham City, Mia Wayne's life appeared to return to normal. But, when Scarecrow threatens to cover the city in Fear Toxin, she's thrown into the chaos by a mysterious figure: The Arkham Knight.

Part 1 < > Part 3

***

As the car sped through Gotham, Mia noticed the size of the city. The streets appeared wider and the buildings taller without the millions of people who lived there. Looking out the tinted windows, she watched the city spiral into chaos. Underneath neon signs, rioters filled the streets. They burned cars, broke windows, and looted stores. They didn’t have a care in the world. The Gotham City Police must be overwhelmed with the amount of crime going on in the streets; they’ll be outnumbered. She knew they didn’t have the manpower or the equipment to deal with mobs this size. Bruce donated money to fund their precinct, but it still wouldn’t be enough. Nobody ever anticipated such destruction. She worried about Alfred. The commander said they knocked him out, but what if it did permanent damage? What if he didn’t wake up? Worry filled her stomach. Alfred could handle himself in a fight, but he wasn't Bruce. She hoped Alfred was alright.

Scarecrow drove everyone out of the city with his fear toxin. However, it didn’t make much sense to evacuate the city and then release his toxin. The only people who would get hit are the scum in the streets, and who cared about them? He’d implied the blast was city-wide, hence the scramble to leave. Unless it wasn’t. Mia knew Bruce would figure it out. Only he could stop Scarecrow. He had the resources and skills to defeat every criminal in the city. He outsmarted The Riddler. He beat the Penguin to a pulp. He always caught Two-Face mid-heist. None of them defeated him. Joker learned that the hard way. Scarecrow would be no trouble at all. Somehow, someway, Bruce always won in the end.

"Look at it,” the commander said. “The great Gotham City being brought to its knees. In a few hours, Scarecrow’s toxin will fill up these streets and Gotham will be finished.”

“Scarecrow is a coward who hides behind chemicals and a stupid mask,” she retorted. “Batman will stop him. He always does.”

“Always with the blind faith,” he chuckled. “You’re surrounded by thousands of soldiers. I got drones, tanks and men all over the city. You think Batman can stop this? He’s just one man. He’s weak, old, and predictable. He can use all the billion-dollar tanks, silly gadgets, and pathetic sidekicks he wants. It’s no match for what we have in store tonight.”

“He’ll still win. The Joker was one man with an army of his own and look what happened to him.”

“I’m not him,” he growled. “I’m not like the others.”

“You’re all the same,” she replied. “Everyone always underestimates Batman and thinks they can outsmart him until he pops up out of nowhere and kicks their ass.”

"Funny how you put so much faith in him after everything he’s done.”

She raised an eyebrow at the statement. “Where are you taking me?” she asked, preferring not to get into it.

“You know this city. You figure it out.”

She looked out the window. She saw the familiar lanterns and dragon statues of Chinatown. Seeing the rows of red and gold pillars, she assumed they were heading north. Both Miagani and Founder’s island were in the opposite direction. When she spotted a Chinese restaurant she and the band visited, she knew they’re approaching the city limits. Looking up ahead, she saw the massive processing plant of Ace Chemicals. The green sign stood atop the large entrance, with dark clouds floating upwards into the sky. Normally, the plant was quiet. Tonight she saw transport helicopters flying in and out. Mia followed one helicopter leaving the plant and heading back towards Bleake Island, several drones flanking behind. These men meant business. One would’ve thought they were preparing for war, not a hostile takeover.

“He’s manufacturing the chemical here,” she stated, not asked. “Ace Chemicals is the only place in Gotham that could handle something that size. He didn’t give us a warning because he wanted the city empty.” She turned to her captor, “The blast isn’t only city wide, is it?” When he did not answer, she nodded, “No, it’s not. It’s beyond that. It doesn’t matter if people go to Bludhaven. It’ll get them there too, right?”

“See, you can be smart when you want. Open the gate,” the commander said, and she saw the iron gate open for them.

It reminded her of a military camp. Men in red and white uniforms bearing the same insignia marched inside helicopters waiting on the top tier. The row of trucks drove into the plant, driving straight through the entrance down a long tunnel. Here, she saw men packing weapons and military-grade equipment into more trucks before heading out. The militia came prepared for their takeover. She thought of her brother facing these men alone. She knew Bruce more than most people. He would insist on taking on this army by himself. He wouldn't want anyone to die because of him. Barbara would sit in the Clock Tower, helping him with her computer skills. Tim will be off doing whatever tasks Bruce set for him, and Dick was all the way in Bludhaven. If Bruce wasn’t careful, these men could shoot him out of the sky.

These weren’t Gotham City thugs. These men had military training.

“You should’ve blind folded me,” she taunted the commander. “What happens when I escape and contact the big bad Batman? I don’t think you want him knowing your hideout right away.”

"We both know you don’t need to do anything,” he said. “Batman will come to the plant, and when he does, I’m ending him.”

“Is that why you kidnapped me then?” she couldn’t think of a reason otherwise. “I’m Bat-bait?”

“That,” he looked over at her, “And because he's not going to protect you like I will."

Another vague statement. It was becoming tiresome. She'd been about to question him before they hit a bump that distracted her. The truck moved through a tunnel that led underneath the plant, and Mia noticed the lack of workers in the area. “What did you do with the workers? You let them leave, right?”

“We were given orders to eliminate any chemical workers we found,” he answered, and her jaw dropped. “They’ll get caught in the blast anyways.”

“You could’ve given them a chance to leave,” she replied, shocked. “You didn’t have to kill them. They were innocent people.”

“My men were given orders, and we carried them out.”

“That’s only an excuse to deflect guilt from yourself. That’s…” she couldn’t find the right word. “That’s despicable. They’d done nothing to you.”

“They were in the way. They should’ve left Gotham when given the chance.”

“Your men most likely didn’t give them a chance,” she looked back out the window to see they’d driven into a long tunnel where they’d stationed more men. Mia imagined these men gunning down the plant workers like dogs, then taking over the factory. “You won’t get away with this. Batman will stop you. He always stops them.”

“Oh-ho, I’m counting on it,” he said, almost too glad to admit it. “Tonight, Gotham’s Dark Knight will fall and I will be there when it happens.” He turned to her, “Now, you sit tight and wait for him to rescue you. It’s what he’s told you to do.”

She glared at him, but didn’t retort. She hated to admit: it’s exactly what she did. Bruce always told her to stay quiet and wait for him to come. He always came. Except at Arkham City, when her savior came to her aide instead of him. Would they come again this time?

They reached a control booth by one of the tunnel gates. “Out. Now,” her captor said, opening her door for her.

She slid out and into the grasp of the soldier she hit. When he grabbed her arm, his commander pushed him aside. He kept her at his side as they entered. She saw men inside installing monitors, communication links and data storage units around the room. They kept a map of Gotham tacked to a wall, red dots pinpointing specific areas. She supposed these were checkpoints.

“Sir, all systems are up and running,” one of the men said when he entered the control room. “Communication channels and tracking systems are officially online.”

“Good,” he said, “Batman’s on his way. I want to form a welcome party for him. Ready the drones.”

“Yes, sir,” the man turned back to the computer behind him, quickly typing in his command codes.

“You two head over to relay station one,” he pointed to the men behind him. “The rest of you head to Founder’s Island and set up more on the rooftops. I want squadrons four through eight setting up checkpoints on the ground. Nine and ten go assist Scarecrow in the mixing chamber."

They all nodded and rushed towards nearby trucks to drive off. “The mixing chamber,” she said softly. “How does Scarecrow plan to get out of here when it goes off?”

“Shut up. Spread your legs.”

“Excuse me?”

He didn’t ask a second time. The commander put a leg between her own, causing her to gasp in shock before he started patting her down. “What are you-Woah!” she yelped when a large hand touched her backside, “Keep your hands to yourself, creep! Hey, that’s mine!”

Out of her back pocket, he pulled out a cellphone with a floral case. He examined it before saying to her, “You didn’t think I’d really let you keep this, did you?”

“Give that back!”

She moved forward to him, but was stopped short. Two soldiers held her by her arms when she went for the phone again, and forced her into a chair. He didn’t break it like she thought he might. He slid it into his pocket. She didn’t comment in case he did decide to do that. Bruce and Barbara will no doubt be already tracking her phone signal. They’ll find her soon enough, but seeing the army outside, she wondered how Bruce would get past them all. The commander dismissed the two soldiers, leaving them both alone. She glanced around the room for a second exit, but she only saw the one door. He moved to the control system behind him and typed away on a keyboard.

“Batman will come whether I’m here or not,” she told him. “He’ll eventually figure out how Scarecrow is manufacturing his toxin, get here, beat up all your guys and your little tanks, kick your ass and then save the day. So, you might as well let me go.”

He laughed again, “Yeah, right. Batman will definitely find out where we are. He’ll find our exact location, but we both know he’ll try to save the hostages first. He might try to save you too, if he gets around to it. Then he has to go through all my men in order to reach Scarecrow. He is only one man after all.”

“A man with a car that’s basically a tank with cool wheels on it,” she noted. “Your little minions don’t know what they’re up against. Batman is smart, determined, tactical, and pretty damn strong. He’ll find a way past them, and when he gets to you, he’ll beat you into the ground.”

He turned around, holding an injection gun in his hand, “That’s where you’re wrong, princess. I have taught my men everything about Batman: his moves, his skills, and the way he thinks. We know his every move before he’s made it.” He shut the control room door and locked it. The soft click of the latch made her insides squirm. “I didn’t even have to make a big deal about kidnapping you, and you want to know why?” He closed the blinds looking out into the tunnel outside. Nobody would see him and her together. It made her sick. “Because he’s going to hack into our communications, and when he hears you’re here, he’ll put you on his To-Do list.”

He came to a level with her, and she gulped thickly. “Because you and I both know if he has to choose between finishing the mission or saving people, he’ll pick the mission every time. Batman pretends like he cares about saving innocent people. It’s all a trick. It’s a lie-”

“-It’s not a lie-”

“-Then explain why it took him so long to find you the first time?”

She studied his helmet again. A smooth reflective surface that no doubt meant to throw off enemies, she envisioned her knight again. She focused. She truly focused on what they’d looked like. She never saw a face, but she’d seen the shape of their headgear. It was pointed and round like the commander’s. Mia thought about the armor they’d been wearing. Bruce’s suit is sleek and smooth with bits of plated metal. Her knight wore mostly metal with cloth. Bruce’s gloves were a special leather with a strong grip; her knight’s hands felt thicker and of tough material. Mia looked down at the hands at his sides. The black gloves resembled her savior’s gloves.

“You were in Arkham City,” she heard herself ask him.

She tried concentrating on her knight. They also had wide shoulders and big arms. They hadn’t talked to her, though. No, wait. They had. She remembered it now. Underneath swaying yellow lights, her torn clothes sticking to her skin with sweat and bile, and her body a useless lump, she heard murmuring in the memory. A tender voice whispering comfort and reassurances. They’d said something to the effect of, “you’re safe now.”

“It was you,” she breathed. “You found me in the steel mill and saved me. All this time, I thought it must’ve been my imagination or it’d been Batman, but…” she raised a hand to the helmet and the commander flinched. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to picture the moment as much as possible. “But, it was you." She thought about it more, "It must've been you." She looked back at him, "Why did you save me?”

The commander stared at her. She could tell he mulled over his options, and she thought she might get an answer. Instead, he pressed the injection gun to her neck and the needle shot into her skin. In a quick flash of pain, Mia winced and rubbed at the sore lump forming there. She watched the Knight calibrate her tracker to his wrist armor, and continued.

“Did you save me so you have Bat-bait for Scarecrow later on?” she questioned, the possibility becoming more obvious. “Can’t entice Batman to come to you without me, so you rescued me to then kill me later?”

“That’s not why I did it.”

“Then why did you?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me. I happen to be pretty good at understanding misunderstood people.”

Her knight didn’t answer her. Once he finished with her tracker, he said, “Now isn’t the time to explain,” he said, cutting her out of her zip-ties.

“What is the tracker for?” she asked, soothing the aching in her throat. If she pushed deep enough, she felt a small pill-sized mass under the skin.

“So if you run, I’ll know where to find you. Arkham City isn’t going to happen again,” he said, “Not with me around.”

"My gallant hero," she sneered.

“Would you prefer I set you free and let the animals of this city eat you alive?” he said, the threat laced in his tone. “We both know he’s not coming to save you. He’ll try, of course, but when it comes down to the mission or you, he’ll pick the mission. Every. Time.” Mia heard the disdain in between the words. The deep seated hate that seemed to stem from somewhere painful. “If he had to choose between saving Gotham or saving you, he’s picking Gotham. Just like he did in Arkham City.”

“Arkham City wasn’t his fault,” she retorted. “He had no idea I was in any kind of danger. It’s not like I’m important to him or anything. He didn’t know I was…you know…”

Being horrendously beaten and tortured. Her right hand stretched and curled to where the scars turned white on her skin. If she lifted up her sleeve, the faded circles of cigarette burns went up her forearm. She winced at the memory of the burning flesh and ash mixing together, and the enjoyment it gave her captors. Batman didn’t know she was there until he found her. He thought she was with the other political prisoners; it was why he made his way there before the bombings began. When a prisoner said they saw her being carried off hours ago, he knew where she’d be. But, something inside her whispered: ‘He’s not an idiot. You are Amelia Wayne. You had a target on your back the moment you stepped into that place. He knew that.’

"That's what he wanted you to think. He knew you were there, and he left you there to die," he grunted, tapping more keys. "You'll see. By the end of the night, The Dark Knight will fail this city and show everyone his true colors.”

"Screw you," she hissed. "Batman will never let you win."

“He’ll put up a fight, for sure, but he won’t win. Not this time. We’ve got control of the roads and the skies. I am going to personally make sure he pays for what he did to me…what he did to you.”

“Can you please stop playing the cryptic game with me?"

“Sir,” she heard a voice through his com link, cutting off their conversation. “The drone is active and online. Target is headed towards Ace Chemicals.”

“Perfect.” He called in the two soldiers outside the booth, “You two are on guard duty.” As he made to leave, he said, “Anyone puts a hand on her, and they're a dead man.”

The Knight left nothing but confusion in his wake. She stayed on the chair still, rubbing her neck again as she thought about his responses. He clearly has history with Batman, but so do lots of people. He seemed to have taken her kidnapping in Arkham City more seriously than Bruce. She hated admitting to herself that her knight might be right in a way. Bruce did put the mission first, but that didn’t mean he did one thing at a time. He’d told her he had Alfred keep a lock on her signal before the goons crushed her phone. He kept an eye out for clues to her whereabouts while also trying to stop Hugo Strange’s plan. Mia knew her brother would not forget her. He cared about her. Like with Jason, he kept several things in motion at one time which is a skill she’d never mastered.

Deep down, Mia knew he’ll look for hostages first, and then go after Scarecrow and his bomb. He’ll find her. He always did.

“So, what do you think the deal with the chick is?” she overheard one of the soldiers ask his comrade. He wore a white coat with a red hood covering his head and black goggles. Judging by the patch on his arm, he is a medic of some kind. "Is she related to Batman somehow?”

“Beat’s me,” the other shrugged. In full black, with accents of red like the others, she assumed this one is a basic soldier. “She’s a Wayne, so maybe she’s bait?”

“But Knight’s got other ways to get his attention, like having us storm the city and Scarecrow’s poison. Why does he need her?”

“I don’t know, man,” the soldier replied, annoyed. “Maybe he thinks she’s hot, and wants to keep her for some recreational time or something.” He then snorted, “I’d do the same if it were me.” He looked over his shoulder at Mia, who scowled.

“Eh, he can have her,” the medic dismissed.

“What? You don’t think she’s hot?”

“She’s got a nice face, but I like my women soft and delicate, you know?”

“You like the cutesy ones, huh?”

"Love 'em."

Mia rolled her eyes. She wondered if they knew anything about the Knight. Mia recalled the time Bruce asked her to get close to one of Carmine Falcone’s men so he can eavesdrop on their conversation. Mia, at the time, wanted to prove that she could be part of the family too. She wanted him to see that she could be useful. So, instead she approached the group of men under the guise of a pretty rich girl wanting a good time. Men divulge all kinds of information when they’re drunk, especially the chatty ones. Bruce told her to fall back. She stayed. Mia learned that night about Falcone’s shipping yards, and noted they may be a place of interest. Seeing the two soldiers chatting, she might be able to do the same here.

“So, what’re your names?” she asked casually. When they turned to her, she said, “I mean, if you’re gonna be my bodyguards, we might as well know each other’s names.” The soldiers didn’t answer, which prompted her to add, “Come on. I’ll just give you stupid nicknames anyways.”

“James,” said the soldier in black. “This is Phillips.”

“Dude, what the fuck?” hissed Phillips. “You didn’t have to answer her.”

“I don’t want a dumb nickname,” he told him. “It’s not like she’s seen our faces anyways.”

“You guys are American? Canadian?" she asked them. “Ooh, can I guess where you’re from? I’m pretty good at deciphering dialects.” If she learned that, she might gain an idea of where her knight is from.

“I’m American,” James said, but was nudged by Phillips.

“Stop talking to her,” he warned.

“Hmm,” she replayed the sounds of his words and how he shaped them when he talked, then said, “You’re not from Gotham, but you lived here for a while so you picked up the slight cadence of a Gothamite accent. I’m picking up…Drescher area?”

“Close,” he said, impressed. “Not Drescher. Otisburg.”

“Damn,” she hissed, “I used to work at a bar down in Otisburg. It’s called Rocky Road. I don’t know if you ever-”

“-Aw man, I loved that place-”

“James, what are you doing?”

“It’s called talking,” he answered as if it was obvious. “Knight did say we’d be in charge of watching her when he’s not around. We might as well get to know one another.”

“If I’ve learned one thing on guard jobs, it’s not to get too friendly,” said Phillips. “The more you talk, the looser your lips get.”

“I didn’t realize being from Otisburg and going to bars was such top-secret information,” noted Mia.

“Right?” scoffed James. “You worked at a bar? Aren’t you crazy rich though?”

“My family is wealthy. I’m not.”

“Hm, that makes sense. You definitely don’t dress like a rich girl, no offense.”

“None taken,” people often said Mia Wayne having a ‘normal’ job seemed strange. “I prefer a simple life. I don’t need flashy cars or designer clothes to feel important. My apartment, my guitar, and my friends are enough for me.”

“How wholesome,” Phillips drawled, clearly unimpressed.

“How old were you when you moved here?” she asked James, pretending to be interested.

“Ten-”

“-James!”

“Aw, how come? Parents got a new job?”

“Nah, my parents split and I came to live with my dad here in Gotham. He was ex-military-”

“-James, shut up-”

“-Huh, why?-”

“-That’s cute,” she grinned, “You're following your dad’s footsteps into the military. Well, I don’t think he intended for you to participate in hostile takeovers, but what military guy hasn’t done that, amiright?” She and James laughed together, but Phillips remained stiff and stern. Then she said, “And you met the Knight through your career?”

“In Venezuela-”

“-Don’t you see what she’s doing, you idiot? She’s trying to get information on The Knight through us,” Phillips told him. “Face forward and don’t talk to the hostage.”

“Psh, fine. I was making conversation.”

“The more you talk, the more she’d learn about us.”

“Why does it matter if she knows anything?”

“Oh, I don’t know, because then Batman will know when he comes to get her-”

“What’s his deal, anyways?”

“Huh?”

“The Knight,” she clarified, “What’s his deal? He kinda came out of nowhere, right?”

“See,” Phillips told James. “What the Knight has planned for your stinking city is confidential. You just sit there and wait for him to come back.”

“He’s gotta have a lot of money if he’s able to drum up an army of this size,” she continued. “I might not have loads of money, but all your equipment seems really advanced and high-tech. You guys have military standard weapons and body armor too. Where do you think he gets the money for it all? Plus, he must’ve housed you all in a camp in Venezuela.”

“That’s what I’m wondering about!” James exclaimed. “I was telling one of the other guys that I think the Knight comes from money or something, because you gotta be loaded to finance all of this.”

“Will you two shut up?” Phillips grumbled. “Face forward, soldier.”

“Aren’t you, like, a little bit curious though?” she asked Phillips. “You work for the guy and don’t know anything about him?”

“I don’t need to,” he responded. “All I know is the guy is paying me loads, and once this is over, I’m out of here.”

“Where do you wanna go?” she asked.

“None of your business.”

“I’d go for an island landscape if I were you guys,” she said, “Especially after being in Gotham in all this cold and rain. You know, sitting on the beach with one of those pineapple drinks with the umbrella…maybe some hot girls in bikinis too?” She then added, “If he’s paying you enough, that is. I don’t know how much a mercenary is worth these days.”

“Mercenary work pays really well,” said James. “If you have the training and smarts, you can make a nice profit.”

“Shut it, the both of you!”

“You really need to loosen up, man. It doesn’t hurt to talk-”

Mia tuned out their argument. They’d met The Knight in Venezuela. Considering his grudge against Batman and the lack of a Latin accent in his voice, The Knight is also likely from Gotham. He must if he holds such a deep grudge. At some point, he left Gotham City and traveled abroad to…to what? Train? Build an army of mercenaries and ex-military officers? That sounded like an overkill for a grievance. Then again, Batman is no ordinary man. She stood up from her chair and went to the window. Looking out the window, she saw dozens of armored tanks parked along the tunnel. Men in red, black and white uniforms marched and stood around with rifles in their hands. How could Bruce stop them? There are so many of them and one of him.

She turned her attention to the computer "The Knight" had been using. On the screen, she saw dozens of large and small red dots going across a map of Gotham. She guessed the large dots indicated power and relay stations, and the smaller ones were roadblocks. Yes, The Knight is definitely from Gotham. Only a real Gothamite would know where exactly to place them. She noticed several small triangles moving throughout the map, as well as ones with spinning circles. Mia memorized the routes and formations of the drones and tanks. Not a single alley or street would go uncovered. Batman won’t be able to go anywhere without running into militia tanks or soldiers. A sense of unease hit her. Despite what she said, Batman has never faced an enemy of this size before.

While her “guards” moved onto a lighter topic, she stared around the room. She needed a way out of here. Even if her tracker gave away her position, she needed to at least try. Last time, she’d waited for Batman to appear and he came too late. What if he comes too late this time? Mia wouldn’t let it happen again.

Searching the room, she wondered what Batman would do. He’d most likely put together a few spare parts for a miracle gadget that’ll help him escape. He’d take out the two guards at the door, then sneak his way around the others in the shadows. Mia couldn’t do that. Sure, she can throw punches and kicks, but not at the expert level. She’d been about to give up when she noticed a grate on the floor in the corner. The intricate metal pattern stuck out against the tiled floors. Turning to look at Phillips and James, she carefully made her way over to the grate, and was relieved to find it open. The vent underneath appeared big enough for her to fit through, so quietly she wriggled herself into the space and shut the grate.

The heat in the compacted space nearly suffocated her, and the steel walls were unyielding to her body. Mia took shallow breaths as she began army crawling through the narrow passage. She guessed she reached outside the control room when the grates turned into blank walls. The unlikely, irrational scenario of somehow ending up stuck under the floor crossed her mind as she wiggled through like an insect. How did Bruce do this? He’s larger than her and moves through these things like a snake. Mia knew she’d gotten around the militia and their tanks when a new grate brought more air into the vent.

“...I’ve been down here six months…”

“...Six months in this rat infested hole? Damn, man…”

Mia continued crawling. She’d find a safe space eventually. The strain on her body became more noticeable as she moved through the vents.

“...Heard Batman’s here. You think he’ll show his face?”

“No way, man. Not with all the tanks out there stopping him.”

“Yeah, but I heard his car’s basically a tank itself, equipped with heavy armor and a cannon.”

Her breath started dampening her face, her muscles started aching from crawling, but she kept going. Perhaps if she got far enough, the Knight will have trouble catching her. Just because he knew her location doesn’t mean she can’t be ahead of him.

Mia reached a block at the end of the tunnel, and groaned to herself. Rolling onto her back, she peeked through the grate above her to see the faint red lights and rocky ceiling of the tunnel. From the shadow on the wall, something covered her from view. She’d put her fingers through the grate and slipped out quietly. As she’d thought, a large palette of wooden crates hid the grate from view. Keeping herself pressed against the crates, she saw the label on the side.

‘ARMOR CRATE 204’

After peeking around to check for militia soldiers, Mia popped open a small crate. On top of foam cushions sat several military rifles with boxes of ammunition. Mia only held a gun once in her life, and it’d been when Alfred taught her how to use a handgun. She delicately withdrew one of the rifles, and tried assessing where the magazine clip would go. The weapon might as well be a puzzle box. She set the rifle aside and dug further into the crate. Searching for a moment, she found a set of handguns packaged in a line with magazine clips. Much easier to handle, Mia took one of the handguns and the bullets they came with. She might not be a military soldier, but how difficult could firing a gun be? She loaded the gun as Alfred showed her, then put the extra clips into her jeans. Hopefully, she won’t need to use the gun and can get out unseen.

Ducking back down, Mia spotted more troops up ahead and dread settled into her stomach. She should go back into the vents, stay there until the coast is clear and then move out. But, with the tracker in her neck, her captor would eventually find her. She needed to get ahead of him while he’s busy. Mia watched a group of soldiers idly standing around, clearly having a smoke break while they waited on their commander. She waited until she was sure they didn’t see her, and crouched to the disabled tank across the tunnel opening. Each time she moved, she worried she’d be spotted and captured. Surely, Phillips and James will have noticed she’s disappeared and set out to go look for her. They may inform the Knight, who will then lead the party to retrieve her. No, she can’t let that happen. She needed to at least attempt an escape, however futile the effort.

“...Who do you think he is?”

“Who? Batman?”

“No, The Knight.”

“Not a clue. I don’t really care to know either. As long as the man gives me my money, he can be whoever he wants.”

“You’re not even a little bit curious? I mean, guy comes out of nowhere with all this information on Gotham and Batman, assembles a fucking army with tanks and weapons from Germany or wherever, and has made it his mission to kill The Bat. This all sounds very personal to me.”

Yes, it did sound personal. He received his equipment from Germany, which is where Bruce has his own equipment made. Did The Knight do that on purpose? James and Phillips mentioned the Knight paying them well, which means he must have money or someone financing his crusade. She considered the other super-criminals in Gotham. Perhaps they are working together to kill Batman. It’d make sense.

Mia dismissed this idea for now and continued moving silently past groups of soldiers and their tanks. Once or twice, the blue scope light on a tank barely grazed her feet, but she managed to bypass them until she reached a block in her journey. An empty control room was right next to the entry, and she searched the room through the window for a way to open the door. Mia wondered how she’d get past the wall when she heard commotion coming from nearby. She saw a group of soldiers walking in her direction, examining their guns as they approached an armored car. She spotted a control box nearest the door, underneath a light that would give her away if she wasn’t careful. She felt around the sides of the yellow box, trying to find a way to pry it open when a voice sent shivers up her spine.

“Hey! What’re you doing here?!”

Mia gasped, stunned and frozen in place. She could hear him coming closer to her, his fellows staying behind by their car. The gun against her hip became heavier and more apparent on her body. She had no choice but to use it. She didn’t know if it would work, since the soldier might have body armor. Still, she didn’t have to kill him. She only needed to get away.

“You’re not supposed to be here.” Her body trembled as she counted his footsteps, her palms starting to sweat, “You’re coming with me, honey.”

She tightened her grip on the handgun, and in a flash, twisted around and pulled the trigger. The gun’s kickback hurt her hand, but she’d felt worse injuries before. The bullet lodged right into the soldier’s knee, causing him to cry out in pain and alert the nearby soldiers. They saw their comrade on the floor, and she took advantage of their confusion. Rushing into the control room, she quickly spotted a wall vent, and hurried towards it. Slick, sweaty palms slipped on the metal floor as she scrambled. She did not know where this new vent took her, but it got her far away from her captors. Mia heard them calling for backup and to start searching for her.

“The Knight’s gonna be pissed!”

‘Good,’ Mia thought. ‘Let him be pissed. I’ll be long gone before he gets to me.’

Once again, she found herself underneath the wheels and feet of more militia men. How long was this damn tunnel? Sweat started beading on her forehead and under her sweater as she crawled. She thought back to the soldier she’d shot. She never shot anyone before, not even a flesh wound. She kept moving, trying not to overthink it, before she reached another open grate. Carefully, she lifted the lid to see her surroundings. When she didn’t see any soldiers or tanks, she crawled out of the vent and took a look at her surroundings.

The rocky walls transitioned into smooth stone, and the dirt path became a paved road. She must be reaching the entrance to the tunnel. The light breeze from an opening up ahead came flowing through and cooled down her hot skin. Mia thought of running towards the exit, and she almost did before she heard voices echoing down the way.

“-Batman’s on his way,” a man’s voice said. “It’s likely that he’ll try to enter the mixing chamber to stop Scarecrow’s plan. The Knight wants as many men helping load the stuff, but just as many guarding every entrance and exit in this place. We’re going to split into teams to cover every inch of this plant…”

Mia quickly ducked behind a nook in the wall before anyone noticed her. Her eyes scanned the floor for another vent to crawl in, but her underground paths ran out. She knew she could not simply wander past them on her way out. What would Bruce do? Fight them, obviously, but she couldn’t do that. Not all of them, anyways. She thought of keeping herself hidden in the nook before she noticed the pipes beside her. About as thick as a tree trunk, she noticed the bands keeping it taut against the wall. She could climb them if she placed her footing right. Taking hold of a ring above her head, she lifted herself up until her foot found the bottom rings. Only able to fit two fingers between pipe and wall, her hands ached by the time she reached the top. Her heart pounding in her chest, her legs felt numb and her hands ached from their stretched position. Mia worried she might miscalculate the jump and fall, making her position known. Still, she leaned over and grabbed the nearest ceiling pipe. Using the bit of wall behind her, she was able to lift herself up onto the double poles.

The pipes were higher than she originally thought, and her legs locked together to avoid falling over the sides. The rust on the pipes peeled away in places, scratching her palms against the metal; whatever water or gas pushing through vibrated the pipe which made her uneasy. Still, she crawled. If she took things slowly, she might make it across. Batman makes this look so easy. She learned that it was not.

“-You should see the guy fight though. I swear, he’s like one of those superhumans!”

“Oh, please! The Knight just has extensive, hardcore training, that’s all. If he’s gonna go toe-to-toe with The Bat, he’s got to keep himself in top-shape. Psh, wish I had that kind of discipline.”

“I was watching some of those tapes The Knight gave us about Batman’s fighting techniques, and I won’t lie The Knight’s got a similar fighting style to him. They both use the same counters and strikes. Their armor is more or less the same. The guy walks around like a damn shadow sometimes…The similarities are right there.”

“Maybe he wants to kill The Bat to take up the mantle?”

“Why gas the city if he plans on being the top vigilante?”

“It could be a bluff. You know, help Scarecrow but then save the city right at the last second? That could explain why he’s got Mia Wayne locked up in the central control booth at the end. He might have taken her to then pretend like he saved her at the end?”

“Seems kind of hard to pass off if people saw her get kidnapped.”

“Okay, yeah, then why did he kidnap her?”

“Ransom, I guess.”

“I think he’s into her,” another one guessed.

"What makes you think that?"

"I was part of the extraction team," he told him. "When Brooks punched her, Knight treated her all gently and softly. I've never seen The Knight like that."

"Well, she's a woman. Maybe he’s got a moral code or something he goes by and hurting women is crossing a line?”

"I’d understand it if the woman doesn’t deserve it. But that one? She's a bit too mouthy for me," he replied. "Brooks should've hit her harder. She's lucky I wasn't the one handling her. I would've taught her some manners real quick."

"And have The Knight pummel you into an early grave?" The other mocked him. "Psh, yeah, go for it, man. Let me know how that goes for you."

Mia glared down at them as she tentatively made her way across the ceiling. Batman did this with such ease, while she struggled to keep her balance. They did have a point, however. Amongst his men, The Knight is a forceful, intimidating commander, but with her, he acted much more gently. He still proclaimed that he’d murder her brother tonight and take over Gotham, but he did not raise a hand or knife to her. He’d swept her off to safety in Arkham City, putting her in a safe place until Bruce found her. From what she’d gathered, he seemed to have taken Bruce’s lack of urgency over her disappearance personally. Were he a cruel person, he wouldn’t show such concern. She put it out of her mind for now, and focused on making it across the pipes.

She’d gotten right above the group when she noticed a slippery substance leaking onto the pipe. Looking up, she spotted droplets of water coming from a crack in the ceiling. Mia made her way towards it, and did her best not to press her hand on the wet spots. She withheld a squeak when her body nearly lost balance, causing her to tip to the side before she caught herself. Holding onto the pipe tightly, she took deep breaths as she tried not fixating on the possibility of falling onto the soldiers. Her single handgun won’t be of any help if she did. She kept on going, doing her best to not touch the wet pipes on her way. Unfortunately, no amount of caution helped in the end. In a single slip of the palm, Mia’s balance completely crumbled and she fell off the side of the pipe.

Her body made a hard thud, the impact instantly bruising her back and sending shocks of pain in her limbs. The sudden appearance of their captive surprised the group for a moment, which is all Mia needed to stand up and run. One of them immediately wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Where are you going, girlie?” he said, a taunt in his voice. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

He dragged her back over to the group, and nearly threw her into their midst. She frantically looked between the four men, whose faces she couldn’t see behind goggles and masks. Mia instantly withdrew her handgun, but this did not faze the men carrying AK-47 rifles. They all taunted her further with groans, laughing at her weak attempt.

“Stay back,” she said, pointing the weapon between the four of them. She saw the way their bodies moved closer to her, an almost predatory feeling creeping over her. “St-Stay away. I’ll shoot. I swear.”

“Then go ahead, honey,” the one who’d grabbed her said. She envisioned the malicious smile underneath the mask, and she trembled. “Shoot. If you’re such a big, bad girl, then you won’t have a problem pulling that trigger.”

“Keats, let’s just take her back to James and Phillips,” a soldier in a red coat told him. “They’re probably looking for her.”

“What’s the rush?” the soldier named Keats said. He moved closer to Mia, who aimed her gun at him. Her finger ached to pull the trigger, but something in her couldn’t see it through. “Aw, what’s the matter, big girl? Where’s all that barking you were doing earlier, hm? Not so tough when there’s no Knight to save you.” She nearly gasped when he cracked his knuckles, “You hurt my friend pretty badly. I think someone ought to teach you some manners.”

“Keats, this is a bad idea, dude,” the red coat told him, trying to get between them. “The Knight will kill you.”

Every bone in her body began shaking, and she couldn’t make it stop. Mia couldn’t stop the flood of scenarios from coming through. She saw the man coming closer to her, much like the thugs in Arkham City. He carried the same sadistic glee as them, and she felt herself press back into the wall. The barrel of the gun did not stay steady in her trembling hands, and everything told her to pull the damn trigger.

“Psh, as if. All that ‘kill her and you’re dead’ talk is all a big bluff,” he dismissed “He needs as many boots on the ground as he can get. I think when I explain myself, he’ll see that I was right.” He moved the soldier out of his way, and moved closer to Mia, “Maybe after some time with me, you’ll be a good girl and do what we tell you to do.”

When he extended his arm to swing, she pulled the trigger. The shot startled the men, who all ducked when the bullet went flying across the road into the wall. She took deep breaths, eyes widened, as she checked to see if she’d hit him. When he noticed a trickle of blood fall onto his shoulder, Keats touched his ear. Seeing blood on his leather gloves, they both realized she’d grazed the cartilage there. Mia saw the outrage flare up in his eyes, and he stepped forward.

“You little bit-”

The Knight appeared out of nowhere. None of them saw him approach, but he’d gotten between Mia and Keats without making a sound. A black gloved hand wrapped around Keats’s throat tightly, squeezing his windpipe as he lifted him off the ground. Mia and the other soldiers stood watch while Keats wriggled and kicked in the man’s tight grasp.

“I wasn’t bluffing,” his voice remained steady as he held Keats several inches off the ground.

Keats could not respond. Mia watched him try prying off The Knight’s hand, but failed to budge it even slightly. Soon, Keats stopped moving entirely. She did not need to ask. She knew a dead body when she saw one. The Knight dumped Keats on the floor, then turned to the other soldiers.

“Anyone else want to call my bluff?” he asked, glaring at them. Even behind a visor, Mia sensed his anger.

“No, sir,” the red coat answered, and his fellows shook their heads with him. “We-We tried to tell him, but he didn’t listen.”

“Because he’s an idiot. I hope you’re not idiots either,” he said. “You have your orders. Time to head out. I’m putting you all on watchtower 18. Go. Now.”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

Mia quickly tucked her gun away, and stiffened when he turned back to her. She wouldn’t lie: she liked a protective man. She saw his wide shoulders and the slim torso that no doubt led to a v-line waistline. Mia only ever saw Batman lift up a 200+ pound man with no difficulty before, but that usually scared her. When Knight did it, she didn’t feel scared because he never directed it towards her. Not a single time. Her eyes scanned down the rest of him for a moment, and she tried her best to not take in every single inch.

‘Dude, he KIDNAPPED you! Stop it!’

Looking never hurts though.

“Are you okay?” he asked tenderly.

“I’m fine,” she replied, straightening up and trying to shake off her nerves. “Are you expecting a kiss?” she teased.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he told her. “You could’ve been shot if one of the tanks fired at you. My men have orders to leave you untouched, but the tanks won’t know the difference between you and Batman.”

“I can be stealthy when I want to be,” she quipped.

“Oh yeah, very stealthy,” he replied sarcastically. “How far did you think you’d get anyways? You have a tracker in your neck, if you forgot.”

“Far enough to stay ahead of you.”

He chuckled, and reached for her. “Right. Okay. Come on, princess. We’re leaving.”

Suddenly, sirens started blaring. The sound echoed throughout the tunnel to ring in her ears. Panic heavied her breathing as she saw soldiers rushing into cars, calls to action going down the line with a sense of urgency. She felt the ground under her begin vibrating as cars drove past her. Mia’s heart started racing as she realized what might be happening. The thick scent of chemicals started choking her in the unfiltered space; she coughed and gasped for air as Knight led her towards another truck.

“What’s happening?” she asked over the noise, reaching the truck with him.

“This place is about to blow,” he said. “Get in.”

He threw open a truck door and stuck her inside before climbing in. With a knock on the roof, the truck raced behind the others out of the quaking tunnels. She took deep breaths of clean air as she watched the ceiling and walls starting to crack from the blast pressure, and she realized it. This is it. The chemical explosion Scarecrow threatened an entire city finally happened. She jumped away from the window as the wall just behind them blasted open, fire and smoke coming through and knocking out the truck following them out. Her hand grasped something on the seat between her and Knight, and she felt an arm wrap around her waist.

“Step on it, Sergeant,” she heard the Knight say to the driver, his voice very close to her ear.

Why did his embrace make her feel so safe? Jason came back to mind again. Despite both of them being seventeen, he never failed to make her feel protected. When she’d gotten cornered in an alley by two thugs, Jason appeared out of nowhere in his Robin attire and took them out. Then he put his arm around her, and shot them up to a safe rooftop. Being in the Knight’s arms, even platonically, felt somewhat nice.

The truck made it out of the tunnels and onto a helicopter pad. The soldier opened her door while the Knight went out the other side. Mia turned to see the tall roofs of the Ace Chemicals building crashing to the ground as thick clouds billowed from the smokestacks high above them. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw fire emitting amongst the clouds; more walls crumbling right as she and the Knight got into one of the cargo ships.

Bruce. Batman. Last she heard he’d gotten into the building. Had he made it out in the nick of time as always or did the crashing walls bury him alive? She hoped he’d gotten out. Knowing what Scarecrow’s toxin is capable of, she hated thinking of him inhaling the stuff and losing his mind. Mia heard the ship’s door close and she strapped herself into a bench while she watched the plant fall into the deep waters below. She searched as long as she could, until she spotted something flying out across the bridge. The familiar black shape of the Batmobile sped down the bridge onto the mainland again right as the helicopter rose higher and higher into the air. She sighed in relief. At least he made it out.

She, sadly, had not.

***

A/N: oooh things are getting interesting! I know stuff like this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I really hope the people who are reading it are enjoying it so far! Likes and reblogs are always appreciated!!

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