Another Night in Gotham (Open)

[Nightwing]

It may seem like a quiet night in Gotham at times, but there is always something going on, hidden in the shadows. A cool breeze blowing through the area helped the clouds over head to move out of the way of the moon. The moon's light shed down upon the city of Gotham, casting more shadows out onto the streets. A few people walk around, minding their own business as they walk fast pace in the darkness of the night, seeming to not want to have to be out at night longer than they have to.

A lone figure comes running down the street, a look of terror on the man's face as he runs to try to escape something coming after him. Anyone that was standing or walking and saw the man coming, dodge the man as he runs head on, not intending to stop for them.

The sound of a motorcycle's engine could be head roaring down the street of which the man had come from. The man could hear the motorcycle coming closer and tries to run faster. Within seconds, a black motorcycle comes screeching around the corner off the same road the man had run from.

The driver of the motorcycle revs the engine and comes tearing down the street in the direction of the man. The terrified man looks back in horror at the sight of the motorcycle getting closer. In a panic he turns and runs down into an alley to only find out it is a dead end and that he could not turn around at this point.

The motorcycle's headlight reflects on the tall build of either side of the alley as the driver slams the breaks on and turns the motorcycle to face the alley. The headlights almost blinding the man cowering in the alley way as the driver of the motorcycle slowly drives into the alley even more, blocking the only exit.

The driver then, finally shuts off the engine and the alley becomes dark once again as he climbs off of the motorcycle. The driver was dressed in all black, the only thing that stood out was a blue symbol of some type that went across the chest and down his arms. He slipped the helmet off, his shaggy black hair sticking to his face by sweat and his identity hidden by an eye mask.

Nightwing stood there for a second glaring at the man cowering in the alley. He had been chasing him for some time tonight, by foot and last by motorcycle. Nightwing then lunges forward, throwing his black helmet to the ground as he charges at the man. He grabs the man by either side of the man's jacket and holds him up against the alley wall.

The man struggles to get free yelling, "No, please! Let me go!"

"I want answers," Nightwing says as he keeps the man pinned to the wall. "Where is he?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I know nothing," the man says as he continues to struggle.

"Don't lie to me! I know you're working for him," Nightwing says as he throws the man to side of the alley, against another wall. "Now tell me where he is."

"Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you," the man says as he throws a punch at Nightwing.

Nightwing grabbed the man's fist and quickly turns it on him, now holding the man's arm behind his own back and pushing him to the wall again. "You can make this as easy as you want or as hard," Nightwing says coldly. "But you're not leaving here until I get some answers."

The man yells in pain as Nightwing applies more pressure on the man's arm.

[The Batman]

The nights of Gotham had become hard. It was getting colder, now. Or maybe it just felt colder. Either way, he was not going to quit. His patrol was far from over. The night was early.

He lept from rooftop to rooftop. Finally he reached the site of a known gangster hide-out. He hid in the shadows waiting for information. In cover of darkness, the caped crusader was protected from their field of vision. For about an hour, he stood their silent, listening to their dialogue of nothing important. He had had enough. By throwing a batrang to distract them, he escaped.

Batman knew he could not waste another night. It had been a week on this case. But he did not have any leads. Out of the corner of his eye, headlights, narrowed down an alley. Then they went out. This could only mean a few things.

From the rooftop, he could see Nightwing. He trained Nightwing well. He dropped from the rooftop and landed behind the criminal. So Nightwing could see him but so the criminal couldn't hear or see him.

[Nightwing]

"I'll give you one more chance to tell me where he is," Nightwing says as he applies more pressure on the man's arm as he pulls him away from the wall. He notice Batman behind him the second he descended from the rooftops. He did not respond since he was in the middle of something.
"Or, you'll do what," the man says between breathes of trying to hide his pain.
"Or we'll do it the hard way," Nightwing says.
"I'm no rat," the man yells as he tries to get away by struggling more.
"Alright then," Nightwing says as he shoves the man to the wall, tripping him as he goes.

The man trips and falls backwards to the wall, now sitting against the building, grabbing his arm in pain. Nightwing quickly pulls out his line gun and straps it onto the man's left foot and aims the gun towards the rooftops. He pulls the trigger, the gun firing off and the man if hoisted into the air hanging by his one leg tied to the line. The man now in the air, he was in more of a panic than before.

"Now, you can tell me where he is, or I can leave you here for the cops," Nightwing says.
"I won't! I won't," the man yells as he is swinging around.
"This guy just doesn't give up," Nightwing says.

The terror on the man's face was as plain as day. There must have been some reason as to why we would not tell. Either his life was a risk or he was hiding more than information.

[The Batman]

Batman watched Nightwing use an old tactic. It was classic, hoisting the criminal into the air with the bat-grapple. The darkness clouded over Gotham's protector. He was careful not to let the man see him. This was Nightwing's case. Nightwing made it clear he was on his own, and not in the shadow of the Dark Knight.

He watched as the man swung in the air. The man could not see Batman.
"Nightwing," Batman whisper in his usually growl. "The Joker is wrecking Gotham."

[Nightwing]

"I know," Nightwing says flatly back. "When isn't he up to something?"
Nightwing turns his attention to the man swinging like a pendulum. The man now had a smirk on his face. Nightwing was a bit confused at first as to why, then he sees the man reach for something. The man reached into his jacket and pulled out a gun.
"I don't think so," Nightwing says as he throws one of his modified bat-rangs at the man's hand, knocking the gun out of it. "I'm getting tired of these games," Nightwing says. "Have fun when the cops come." Nightwing says as he starts walking away from the man, hanging upside down in the alley.

A panic came over the man when he realized that Nightwing meant it. "Ok! Ok, I'll tell you," the man yells. "Just let me down."
"Alright, now we're getting somewhere. I'll let you down after you tell me who you're working for," Nightwing says.
"Alright, it's Zucco," the man says. "I'm working for him. Now please let me go?!"
"Zucco," Nightwing says in a distasteful way, clenching his fists along his sides. "I thought he was in jail."
"He was sprung out," the man says a little more. "Now let me down."

Nightwing was in a total faze as he throws one of his bat-rangs at cut the cable, the man falling into a dumpster below him. Nightwing was fighting the urge to hop onto his motorcycle and hunt Zucco down there and then, but with Batman watching, he wasn't going to let his anger get the best of him.

Nightwing walks over to the man, who is now climbing out of the dumpster. Nightwing grabs the man by the jacket, and says, "Where is he now?"
"I don't know," the man says as sees his gun in sight.
"I'm sure you don't," Nightwing says sarcastically. He was still holding back the urge to just do things himself and find Zucco, but knew it would take too long to do so as well. Nightwing's mind was started to remember more of his parents' deaths and how he and Batman years ago had gone after Zucco before. Now it seems it was happening all over again, but who helped him out of jail this time was what Nightwing would have liked to know.

The man saw that Nightwing seemed to be thinking of something else and quickly took advantage of that. The man quickly jerked away from Nightwing's hold and grabbed his gun. Nightwing then snapped out of it once he realize what had happened. He went after the man. The man pointed the gun at him, finger on the trigger. The man pulled the trigger, the gun makes a clicking sound that it was empty. Nightwing comes charging after the man. The man makes a quick move to the side and hits Nightwing in the side of the head with his gun. Nightwing falls to the ground, tripping over himself and over the hit. The man makes a mad dash as Nightwing tries to recover from the hit.

Nightwing starts to get up, then feels the pain of where the gun had hit right away. He was now more anger than before. How could he have let this happen, worse of all, in front of Batman. Nightwing can hardly get to his feet after that blow, it could have been worse, it could have been a bullet. All Nightwing had on his mind now was how stupid of a mistake that had been, especially for him and that he was going to go after Zucco right then and there after he could get over the pain and make it to his motorcycle.

[The Batman]

As the man dropped to the dumpster. Batman watched Nightwing interrogate his prisoner. Nightwing had controlling his angry, good. You've taught him well. He has made his emotions second to logic. Batman thought.

Nightwing started to think, and let his prisoner get away. And he is supposed to be on his own. But then again, you made mistakes too. Batman thought quarreling about Nightwing's tactics. Batman grabbed his bat-grapple and shot it at the criminal. It did not connect.
"Nightwing." Batman said, that was the closest thing to asking if he was ok and telling him to get up and do his job.
"It is possible that they are connected." Batman said talking about the Joker and Zucco.

[Nightwing]

"That's what I'm thinking," Nightwing said. "That man didn't seem to fear the police as much as he did of the person on his mind."
Nightwing stood up and held back his anger just a bit more. He walked over to his motorcycle. He slipped his helmet on and climbed onto his motorcycle. A serious look in his eyes, showing that he wasn't going to go after the man who got away, but go after someone else. Nightwing's grip on the motorcycle handles were tightly, ignoring the pain of the hit. He looked at his tracker for a while waiting for something to go off. Then a signal was picked up.
"I'm not going to wait any more. It's time to end this," Nightwing said angrily, letting his anger get to him again and making this more personal. He revved the motorcycle up, just about ready to follow the tracker. Good thing he had thought quick and a tracker on the man before it was too late, in hopes it would lead him to Zucco.

[The Batman]

"Nightwing!" Batman bellowed as the motorcycle revved. He walked over to Dick. Dick now finally had a chance to avenge his parents death. This lead could potentially lead Batman to the Joker. Batman had struggle internal for a long time debating what to do to the person that killed his parent. Deep down he knew, he could and would only arrest him. He would never kill him. Batman must honor his parent's memory.

"Nightwing, don't do anything you will regret. Remember to honor your parents. Do them justice and not vengeance." Batman said in a warm-hearted voice. For once he did not sound like a grumble angry man.

[Nightwing]

Nigthwing stopped revving the motorcycle to listen to what Batman had to say. His feet planted on the ground to balance the bike. He turned and looked at Batman, his face hidden by the sliding visor. He slid the visor up to be able to talk.

"So, you expect me to let him go," Nightwing questions him sarcastically. "Justice has yet to put Zucco in his place. He's been in jail, how many times? And right now he's wondering the streets, not caring about anything but hiding himself for the law. Ignoring those he hurts with out thinking twice. And now if he is working with the Joker, there are sure to be lives already lost to hide him. I can't just sit around an let him walk," Nightwing said with a note of announce in his voice, his eyes narrowing in anger over this conversation.

He didn't want to think back to the time of his parents. Any time he did, it brought nothing but hurt and anger back to him. Of course he had wished it had never happened, but just the thought of seeing Zucco, when he was young, with a smirk on his face after the accident. Then all those times he and Batman had caught him and threw him in jail for his crimes. Zucco always seemed to just be able to get out every time, never facing his crimes.

Nightwing turned his head away a bit, a look of hurt on his face. He wanted nothing more than to put an end to Zucco's acts once and for all. But the way Batman, better yet, Bruce had said about the whole thing. Dick knew that Bruce knew better than anyone else what it was like to lose someone so close.

"I'm still going to go after him...for the case, but I can't guarantee what I'll do if I get the chance to face him," he said the anger coming back to him a bit as he tried to control himself. "This isn't just my case. I know you've been after the Joker for some time now. It's not like him to stay this quiet for so long," Nightwing said more understandingly.

He knew this wasn't just his case anymore, not if the Joker was involved. He had a feeling it would be best to not be going into something so dangerous alone. Especially with himself, if he got his chance at Zucco, he wasn't sure what he was going to do to him.

[The Batman]

Bruce was surprised that Nightwing listened to his advice. Normally in the matter of Zucco, Dick's mind is made up. Batman knew Nightwing would make the right choice, he always has and he always will. That is one of the reasons Bruce took him as his ward. Batman trusted Nightwing. "Alright Nightwing, you follow him. I'll be right behind in the batmobile. If the Joker is there let me know," Batman ordered.

Batman touched his ear, "Alfred, car, now," he demanded. Alfred took no hard feelings, he played his part when Bruce was Batman, and his part was obedient servant. Batman looked around to find the opportune spot to wait for the car.

"Once I get there, I am taking Joker down. You keep your eyes on Zucco," Batman said. Then he disappeared into the shadows and took a vantage point with his batgrapple.

[Nightwing]

"Alright...," Nightwing was cut short when he saw that Batman was leaving. "Figures," he mumbled. Batman always left before another work could be said.

Nightwing slid his visor down once again and started his motorcycle. He balanced himself on his bike as he revved the engine and took off out of the alley way and down the street. His tracker flashing in response to the signal, exactly how he wanted it. He kept his eyes on the road as he leaned forward over other bike more, looking down every now and then to check the tracker.

He wasn't going to wait up. He sped down the roads, part of him wanting to get there first and handle it on his own. But he knew what was expected of him, knowing that Batman would be able to catch up to him easily if he wanted to. Nightwing raced through the city, the tracker was picking up sped. The guy must have gotten picked up somewhere.

The tracker was taking him farther and farther to the outskirts of town toward the docks. He should have figured that Zucco would be hiding somewhere near the dark ends of town. Nightwing slowed up a bit as he saw that the tracking device had stopped right down the road. A few building sat along the waters front. Nightwing sat there for a minute, waiting for to see if he could see anyone around the builds.

[The Batman]

Batman stalked the shadows looking for crime. He has always been antsy. He cannot sit still, he must be doing something. As a child he was not like this, but once his parents died, he tried to stay active. He watched and breathed Gotham in. It has been a long time since he watched the city, since he watched and waited. Normally at this time he was cracking a case or catching a murder.

The batmobile spun around the corner. It came to a screeching halt. Batman glided into the car as it opened its doors. He landed in the driver's seat. "Thanks Alfred. I can always count on you," batman said into his headset as he took off speeding down the road. Orcale had already uploaded his car with the tracking signal he knew where to meet Nightwing.

[Nightwing]

Nightwing cut the power to the engine as he waited. There was no sign of activity in the building. Then Nightwing saw some movement down along one of the dock warehouses. He watched closely. There were three men walking along the back side of the build. There in between two of the men was the guy Nightwing had caught and let go. Now it looked as though he was being dragged off to be confronted by someone. Nightwing couldn't hear what was being said, but he had a feeling the guy being dragged off was pleading for the other two men to not harm him.

Nightwing wondered if those guys had been watching the over the guy who squealed on them the whole time. All three of the men turned and went into the building. Now, was his chance to get a closer look. He wasn't about to wait around for something to happen. Nightwing made his move heading for the build the men had traveled into on the dock.

Staying to the shadows the best he could, Nightwing made it as close as he could to the docks. He took extra caution as he made his way onto the docks. He stayed out of sight as much as possible. He couldn't risk being seen, this was his only chance to get his hands on Zucco. Nightwing was almost there, he was coming down along the cargo when he heard someone coming. He got down right away, and hid behind the cargo.

[The Joker]

Joker sat in house the warehouse on the docks. It was an important night. He had just ripped off three of Gotham's banks, stealing a total of 1.4 million dollars.
"This boys is a generous gift from our friends of Wayne Corps. They always did have the best toys, probably what gives them all that money," Joker said disgustedly and then thought about it for a moment. He became repulsed by the image of young children playing, laughing and having fun.

He waited for Zucco, the main running this operation. Make no mistake the Joker takes orders from no one, but he had Zucco running this for him. With the money Joker was going to import a new laughing gas, corrosive acids, and other goodies. Zucco returned to the warehouse a while ago. Zucco was incharge of making the sure the shipments arrive on time.
"Well Z? Are they here? Or do we have a problem, with only one solution?" Joker asked, but he could tell that Zucco brought them in. Only Joker, Zucco, 2 guys inside the warehouse, and the three outside had been a part of the destruction. So the payments to each man would be small. Joker watched as the two men brought in a shipment for his inspection.

[Nightwing]

Zucco walked into the light more. "Everything's running according to plan," he said as he straighten out his suit jacket. "There's only one problem we came across." He motioned for his boys to bring the problem in.

Two other thugs came walking in dragging a smaller man. Zucco looked over at the man, then at the Joker. "We had a bit of a rat caught in a trap," he said, referring to the man. "Don't know if the Bat was on his tail for sure or not."
"Please don't," the man pleaded. "Please don't hurt me."

Nightwing watched the men go into the building. He had a bad feeling. He wanted to just get in there and stop them. Nightwing made his way closer to the building, he was now by a window. Luckily, no one saw him. He looked in through the window there were the thugs, the man from earlier, and Zucco standing out in the open. Who was Zucco talking to? He couldn't see the Joker from where he was. "I've spotted Zucco," Nightwing said. "We need to get in there now. I think someone's life is in danger." Nightwing wanted to get up and go in there now.

[The Batman]

Batman stepped on the gas. Speeding all through Gotham's downtown was not a good example, but crime was even worse. He reached about half a mile before the docks and started to run. This way less sound and the best way to familiarize yourself with the surrounding area. He took note a few things that had changed since his last time here. Gotham was a battlefield and he needed to know every field of play in order to defeat crime.

Batman looked out and saw the Joker, Zucco, and the men. Then he knew where Nightwing should be. He did not see him there, simply because Nightwing is that good. Batman heard Nightwing's message through the communicators. Then Batman dropped down behind Nightwing. "Let's go. Just like old times," Batman said showing some emotion of how he longed for the old days. Now he has a different Robin.

[Nightwing]

"What should we do with him boss," one of the men asked Zucco.
"Not sure," Zucco said. "Why don't we use him as a decoy to get the Bat off our tails, in case he tries any thing."
"Sounds good," the other man replied.
"Please, no! What are you going to do to me," the guy who had ratted on them asked.
"We should just throw you in the river," Zucco said.

Nightwing sat there listening to the conversation more than he was paying attention to who had dropped in behind him. He gave a quick glance, then getting his attention back to the scene before them.
"Yeah, sure," Nightwing replied after hearing what Batman said. "Like old times," the words almost dragging out of his month.
He didn't want to get back to that way of thinking of why he left in the first place. His memories of the old times seemed to only lead him to that. It had taken him so long to get over his frustration of what had happened. And even to that day, that bit of anger was still there. Through, there was hurt still under lying that anger, but he would never admit to it.
He put the thought quickly behind him. "So, break down the door or come from the roof," Nightwing asked with almost a have smile. "Just remember Zucco's mine."

[The Batman]

"The roof. Definitely the roof, it strikes fear into their hearts. The myths about Batman prevent crimes from every starting. You must always be more then just a man. The criminals are a cowardly and superstitious lot," Bruce said sounding just like Robin was a twelve year old kid again. (OOC Bruce is thinking of his as Robin just then so that is why I put it) He knows Nightwing is his own respectable and equal hero. Batman scaled the side of the building and waited for Nightwing to catch up. On the top of the roof there was a weaken part of the ceiling, as it seems there is for every building criminals hang gather in.

Batman sprayed an explosive gel. He looked at Nightwing, his equal and partner, and nodded. He blew the gel. Brick, wood, and concrete exploded everywhere. Batman dropped down on them. His cape expanded naturally to catch his in a glide.

The criminals looked up and started shouting in angry.
"It's da Bat!" one said
"I thought he was human, how could he be flyin'?" another said.

A few of them grabbed their guns an opened fire. Batman closed his cape, so he fell to the ground. Reaching for his batrangs, he took cover behind a crate.

[Nightwing]

"Yeah, I know," Nightwing said as they move down a bit of the building side to find a good place to scale it.

Batman went first, of course. Nightwing was soon to follow as he used his grappling hook to get up the side of the building. Batman had beat him up there and was already at work with rigging the roof to be able to get in. Nightwing backed away when he saw Batman nod, he knew it was time to stand back and get ready. As soon as the roof blew where the gel had been, Nightwing rushed for the entrance that was now before them.

Coming down right behind Batman, Nightwing let his little built in gliders on his suit's arms out a bit to help him have a softer landing as he come to the ground. There was no time to see what was going on. As he landed, he heard the sound of guns firing off. So, as soon as he made contact with the ground he tumbled to the right and then got to his feet, and pushed off to dive behind a pile of crates.

Nightwing looked over at Batman, who seemed to be grabbing his batarangs for defense. Nightwing looked at the crates and saw that he could climb up them a bit to get the jump on any one coming. So, he took that chance and started to climb up the crates.

Zucco at this point saw the Bat and Nightwing. He pulled out his gun and started firing like his gang.
"What about the guy, he's getting away," on of his men asked as the guy ran off.
"For get about the rat, we need to deal with the Bat," Zucco said as he continued to fire.
Nightwing continued up the crates as he tried to get a better look of what was going on.

[The Batman]

Batman popped up from the crates and unleashed a slew of batrangs upon the crooks. The first batrang hit a criminal in the head. The next one knocked a gun out of the hands of a second. The rest missed. Batman knew only a few would hit. He also knew the time it would give him to move in. These small timers had to be taken before he could get the big fish.

Batman leapt toward the first gangster. He grabbed the gun and punched him in the face. The criminal stumbled. He punched Batman in the gut. It knocked the wind out of Batman, he may have incredible strength but he still has human weakens. 'Nightwing needs to be taking out the other guards or Zucco.' He thought as he countered the criminals next move.