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#4
DEC 13 |
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“Supercharged”
“... honey, you there? I asked if you wanted another.”
“What? Oh, oh no, I'm good. Good,” the man fidgeted. Once more he scanned the diner nervously before looking to the waitress that had addressed him. One hand went to the briefcase across his lap and the other mopped at his bald head with the worn handkerchief he'd been abusing for the last hour. Finally, he looked at the pudgy woman holding a pot of warmed coffee. “Ah, just another. Top me off,” he offered a quick smile.
A loud clap of thunder made dishes rattle, quickly followed by a second and third. A second later the sky flashed with several lightning bolts. The man turned to look at the heavy rain sheeting the window.
The waitress took one glance at the untouched cup. “If you don't order something soon...,” she trailed off her warning and then moved on to another customer before awaiting any kind of answer.
The man swallowed and looked at his watch for the twentieth time in the last ten seconds and even re-checked the clock on the wall over the counter opposite his booth. Where was h–?
*ding*ding*
His head whipped around at the sound of the door opening but hope turned to shock as he saw who it was. “No, no, no! Not you, you can't...no, Nightwing!”
The vigilante held up his hands to show that he held nothing and he kept them in plain sight as he slowly approached the booth. Other patrons took notice of the costumed man entering the diner and quickly scattered, even favoring the thunderous conditions. Nightwing, soaked as he was, didn't pay them any heed. He stayed focused on the man in the booth who clutched the briefcase to his chest.
“Dr. Hoskins, I'm not here to hurt you, just to help.”
“You can't be here, no, no, no. Oh god, this can't be happening...no, this isn't good, isn't good at all,” he wailed. “Marge, he's going to kill her, kill her! If he finds you here...oh god,” he sobbed.
Nightwing stopped in his tracks and gave the waitress a quick glance as she darted into the kitchen, as she was the only other person left in the diner. She planned to follow the cooks out the back exit.
“No one is going to hurt your daughter, Doctor. Bludhaven's finest found her two minutes ago.” Nightwing knew that since he had tipped them off after finding her himself. “She's fine, Robert. He can't hurt her.”
That seemed to calm the doctor down, though he still clutched the case, his eyes darting to the door behind Nightwing.
“I finished it. It's stronger than even I anticipated. That's why...I mean,” as if to illustrate his point a deafening roar erupted from overhead followed immediately by a flare of light. Dr. Hoskins was so startled he scrambled to his feet, afraid. “See?! All I did was think about what it could do, is doing...all that, all that outside, all because...because...”
Nightwing took a couple of steps forward. “Which is why you should hand that over to me, Doctor; the sooner I get it secured the better. I have to get that back to the S.T.A.R. Labs outside the city. They assure me they can destroy it safely. You may have melted your lab but...”
Robert Hoskins cut Nightwing off there “All my study on hyper-conductivity and I had found it, a link to the very nature of electricity itself. I thought if suspended in a gel, just a thin trace of my serum in communication cables, it would revolutionize the world. I never thought it could be a weapon, but then...the serum interacted with the gel, became reactive to more than just currents, but also thoughts. Thoughts! Even enclosed in this case, just thinking about what it can do...” Robert looked outside, his eyes lost as he looked at the dark sky.
“Electrocuitioner showed up, kidnapped your daughter and convinced you to finish your work so that he could have it,” Nightwing ventured as he reached Hoskins and laid his hands on the case too, though the doctor didn't let go. “She's safe,” he reminded her.
Dr. Hoskins' eyes went wide. “Electrocuitioner!”
Nightwing wondered for a split second why he had mentioned the name again but then looked where the doctor did. There was a sudden flash of light and Nightwing was able to shove Robert aside in time as the window to the diner exploded. In the rain, the villain ran toward the diner and fired an electrobolt inside aimed at Hoskins. Nightwing blocked it with a grunt and was violently propelled against the wall behind the counter.
Months ago Bludhaven had been rocked by a series of attacks from a pair of Electrocuitioners identified as brothers Lester and Brian Buchinsky. But there had been a third, unknown man to also acquire the mantle. The third man stood outside, a man who had shocked Batman to death – before Robin forced him to shock Batman back to life. He was more skilled, more determined and the only of the three to not get caught.
Electrocuitioner strode in, his eye on the counter where Nightwing appeared silent. He was wary since he had battled bat-vigilantes before and lost. He hoped that the element of surprise and force had been on his side since Nightwing’s suit was surely insulated just like the Bat’s.
“Thanks,” was all he said as he knelt, grabbed the briefcase Hoskins dropped and turned to leave.
An eskrima stick struck him between the shoulder blades followed by a kick to his side, sending him and the case out into the rainy streets. Nightwing had to leap back as 'Cuitioner swept a shocking hand to toss his foe back.
“I did this to better things! I thought you'd have liked that,” the villain spat as he brought up his other sparking hand. However, with the heavy rain it mostly became a fizzling light-show.
“I don't see how you would figure that,” Nightwing returned as he had twin Nightarangs in his hands now, poised and ready to hurl them.
“You have no idea about anything,” Electrocuitioner spat. “Once I had a purpose, like you, to clean up the streets, to get rid of the scum, only I was willing to take it further than you ever would.”
“You killed,” Nightwing answered. “You were doing more than just cleaning up the streets. You hunted down whoever you thought deserved it and murdered them. Off on a technicality? You hunted them down and murdered them. You took the law into your own hands.”
“As you do every night, hypocrite,” spat the fizzling Electrocuitioner. “You're right though, that I did lose my way, even getting so desperate as to sell out to him. I let him convince me, trick me, to be his flunky, like...like some petty criminal,” he yelled in disgust.
Nightwing knew only one person who had managed to hire 'Cuitioner and get the electro-fiend to do his bidding, but that rather large gentleman was missing.
“You are a criminal,” Nightwing replied and tossed his Nightarangs flashing through the rain toward his opponent. A sudden brightness engulfed them and lightning scorched the street.
“I AM NOT!” Lightning scarred the sky above. Both men had retreated from the smoking spot between then, temporarily blinded, deafened and disoriented . Through the dead of night, the sky flared, lit by a steady stream of lightning. “I AM THE POWER NEEDED TO REMOVE THIS ENTIRE STAIN OF A CI...!”
That's when Nightwing punched Electrocuitioner in the face.
Both men slipped on the watery street and as they went down, and Electrocuitioner swung the case at Nightwing’s face. The crime fighter was driven away and landed even harder, only able to look up to see 'Cuitioner getting to his feet.
*snap*snap* He retrieved the vial from inside the case. The gelatinous liquid inside shimmered with an eerie blue light. “You'll see.” Electrocuitioner snapped the vial, bathing in the fluid. “This whole rotten city will see.”
*KKKKAAAAA-THHOOOOOOOM*
A massive lightning bolt, or perhaps hundreds coiled together, pounded the ground where Electrocuitioner had been. It left the pavement cracked and sizzling, with a small pile of charred remains in the center. Nightwing had been blown back by the strike and came up tingling, the whole air feeling charged, his hair standing on edge.
Overhead the sound of thunder rolled away and the dark clouds broke, the rain coming to a sudden end.
“GRAYSON!”
Dick's ears were still ringing when he checked into work the next morning. He had just arrived on the floor when Harvey Bullock greeted him with the now familiar intonation. Dick didn't even stop at his own desk or bother to take off his wet trench coat, as he had awoken to find that the rain had returned.
“Get in here 'fore I lose my patience,” Harv offered before he made way and rounded his desk to take his chair. He looked up at Dick snapped to attention on the other side of his desk. “So, it's been nice but I ain't your partner no more. Finally figured out who t'partner you up to.” Bullock leaned back in his chair.
He shook his head. Dick knew that there had been no new detectives brought aboard, at least not since yesterday. “I take it chief detective Addad's retirement went through? That mean I'm with McCurdy?”
Harv gave a wry smirk. “McCurdy's gotta' foot in t'door himself. Retired together, though I guess McCurdy was makin' less a'show of it than Hasban there did.”
“Hamad,” Dick corrected.
“Whatever,” Harvey waved a hand. “Doubt either of 'em liked me comin' in here much, so now was the best time for it. Nah. Got someone else in mind for you, someone who'll keep you in line,” the chief guessed and then pawed at the mess on his desk. He pulled out a crumbled piece of paper wrapped in a bent folder. “Never did get 'round to filin' this. Make sure yer partner gets it.”
Dick accepted and then awaited further instruction, but Bullock waved a hand at him dismissively. “Unless your slack-jawin's meant to offer a coffee run...GET OUT and get t'work already.”
“Yes, yes, chief,” Dick shrugged and turned to go. As he did he dared to glance at the file Harvey had handed him as he closed the chief's door behind him. This was a resignation letter.
He looked up.
She shrugged off her wet coat and Amy Rohrbach took a seat at her desk as if she had never left.
“Amy!”
“Not so loud,” she smiled. All around the room, the remaining detectives took note of Rohrbach's return. Many stared. “Or damn it all to hell,” she grumbled.
Before Dick could reply, Amy stood and held up her arm – the one missing a hand.
“Get a good look now, gentleman, and get ‘em all out.”
“... happy returns, Rohrbach. Let us know if you need a *hand* with anything,” sneered Detective Whiting from his desk. His partner, Drebben, snorted loudly and soon others laughed.
Dick glared and Harvey's door swung open, the hefty Bullock also glaring. Both seemed to be wondering who to yell at first.
Amy spoke first. “Only thing I need a hand with, Ruben, is to figure out how long you've been saving that one for. Three weeks? Hey, any time you think you're in my league, I'm ready to go. I'll even give you the advantage and we can arm wrestle for it.” With that she held out her stump.
There was a moment's silence.
Then there was laughter. Whiting looked stunned and kept quiet. Harvey snorted and turned, slamming his office door behind him.
Dick looked back to his partner. “Welcome back. I guess I can go back to being only the second best cop here.”
“Fourteenth best. Maybe. On a good day, if that.”
“Thanks,” Dick conceded. He was silent for a long moment. “About before…the barbeque...”
“We'll do it again,” Amy cut him off, “maybe when your wife doesn’t hate me so much. I promise to be a better host this time.”
Dick kept silent for a moment again. “You okay for this?”
Amy smiled. She voiced pure confidence, “Let's get to work.”
“Really? Well, good,” Dick smiled. “That's what I was hoping to hear.”
“Good, because, there's too much left undone here.”
The lightning returned to Bludhaven that night, striking Avalon Heights. Those who managed to bring or accumulate wealth in Bludhaven lived in this gated community of impressive mansions. At the top of the meager incline that marked the 'peak' of the Heights one estate matched the girth and fame of the man who owned it. The hefty wrought iron gate had been twisted and burned. There was also a laser light show in the back yard. Lightning bolts pummeled the rear of the mansion and sparks flew between the thunderclaps with an intense strobe-like effect. None of that alarmed Nightwing as much as the fact that someone appeared to be in resident at Roland Desmand’s estate.
It'd only been less than a year since Blockbuster's mysterious disappearance, but surely Nightwing would have learned of Desmond's return to the Bludhaven underground. The mastermind was a brute force. Electrocuitioner's sudden attack seemed desperate and unwise. Nightwing paused to consider why 'Cuitioner had gone to intense extremes to become more powerful. Perhaps if he meant to take on someone he had perceived as that much of a threat...
The crime fighter raced around the building past the charred remains of security men, running faster as he heard sounds of fighting. Nightwing skidded around a corner losing his footing on the once-gravel path now pounded into smooth glass, one hand flying up to protect himself from the glare despite his mask.
Beyond the glare it was a sight surprising even to Nightwing. A man made of pure lightning was locked in combat with Deathstroke the Terminator. What made Nightwing grit his teeth was what he saw beyond the dueling pair. From his second-story balcony, Roland Desmond looked on (wearing sunglasses).
Nightwing tried to jump into the fray, but was caught in the chest by a smoking gun from Deathstroke. “Stay out of this,” he barked and kept his lone eye on Electrocuitioner. “Give me another moment,” he snapped as he sidestepped a sweeping punch from the lightning-man and drew his sword. “This gets to be my parting bonus. An extra mil to drive him off.”
He glanced up but Nightwing saw that Blockbuster had retreated back into his mansion. He gritted his teeth and dropped the fried rifle that Slade Wilson had tossed at him and moved in disregard of what the Terminator had bid.
“Sorry, but I'm not about to let you do what you think you're going to do here, Deathstroke.”
“STAY OUT OF THIS!” Electrocuitioner howled in frustration and strain, the battle having taken too long already. When he noticed Blockbuster’s absence the sparking man flared in heated anger. “You'd interfere with me dealing with this scum, the Terminator? Do you have any idea of his crimes, the people he has killed?!”
Nightwing had to bite his tongue as the image of Joey flared in his mind. He had a Nightarang in his hand but hesitated, unsure which man to throw it at. “I think I know something about that,” the vigilante had to admit.
Electrocuitioner turned to point at Nightwing. Energy flared, arched and struck out at the hero. “No more interference! Tonight I redeem myself, starting with the top. Stay out of my way!”
“Nightwing,” Deathstroke warned as Nightwing expertly avoided Electro's attack. But that was when he brought his sword down. “Neither of you have any idea about the people I have killed,” he spat.
Electrocuitioner howled in pain and looked down as four fingers dropped to the ground at his feet. They smoked, having transformed back to flesh from where Deathstroke had severed them. The lightning-man cradled his fingerless hand to his chest, wavered for a moment and then with a sharp *CRACK* he bolted up into the sky to join the lightning in the clouds above. In moments it receded, fading away into the night, though the rain still pummeled down.
Nightwing watched as Deathstroke sheathed his sword and then stood over him, offering him a hand up.
He didn't accept.
“Fine,” snorted Deathstroke. He turned, knowing that Grayson wouldn't attack him from behind. He headed toward the mansion as if to collect his fee. “Don't be foolish now. You'd best run along. Don't worry about me. I'm leaving tonight, me and my guest, directly from here.”
Nightwing kept quiet as he got to his feet gripping his eskrima sticks.
The garden door opened and out strode the Blockbuster flanked on either side by Brutule and Stallion, each holding an oversized umbrella to shield their employer from the downpour. Desmond held out a briefcase to Deathstroke, who collected his fee and moved past towards the mansion without even so much as a glance back. Blockbuster, however, didn't take his eyes off the vigilante.
“I'll ask you to get off my lawn,” he sneered.
“I should have known,” Nightwing returned as he relaxed. There was no use fighting like this, and Desmond didn't seem inclined to do that either. “How long have you been back, Rolly?”
“You assume I ever 'left'.”
Nightwing kept silent.
“Or that I care to bother myself with you,” Roland continued, though he looked bored. “I'll admit, I allowed you to become...well, more than you ever should have. You've been bothersome, a nuisance, but it should have ended there. You disrupted business and, if there's any credit due, it's that you were the first to stand up to me, but it was only me that allowed you to get in my way.”
“Glad I meant so much to you.”
“That's just it, you did. However, you no longer do. Since I have realized the folly of my ways, I haven't concerned myself with you, which is what I should have done from the beginning. Instead of worrying about you ruining a deal here or stopping a shipment there, of taking some of my money, I should have done as I am doing now. Embrace every opportunity that I make or take,” Desmond smiled wide, a wicked sinister thing. “This morning I made seven million alone and another two on a phone call before this little...disruption. Did you even know of the load of drugs I unloaded before breakfast? No, I didn't think so.”
Nightwing folded his arms across his chest.
So Desmond continued. “I know so. You may have chosen to fight crime but you can't stop it all, and trust me, Nightwing, I control it all. So, interfere. I may lose some here-or-there, but I assure you, stopping the fretting over you means than I gain far more. Besides,” Blockbuster turned to look to the door he had come from, “I have someone else who has volunteered to look after the little problem you might be.”
Deathstroke stood in the doorway, his arm around another familiar face, one that looked on Nightwing with unfiltered hatred.
“Shrike,” Nightwing breathed.
The broken man smiled – smiled – and didn't say a word. Deathstroke remained silent as well.
“Again,” Blockbuster broke the silence as he pointed, away from his mansion, “get off my lawn.”
Nightwing could feel the heat of angry eyes on his back as he turned to leave.
At least it wasn't raining the next morning in Gotham City as Dick pulled up outside Barbara's Clocktower. It had been a quick drive but not a quiet one, as there was much that the couple had to discuss. 'Dr. Fledermaus' departed for parts unknown so the couple had managed to sleep, so the ride had become the first chance they had to catch up. Babs felt like this had to be the worst time to leave Dick alone. For the majority of the car ride Dick had insisted on hearing about her progress at Bookhaven and her budding friendship with Nadia of Vlatara, but now that the car was stopped, they both sat there in a lingering silence.
“Things can wait,” she offered.
“No, they can't,” Dick adopted a more serious face. “Dinah has to be crawling the walls by now, itching to go on assignment and there are others too. Besides, you can help me just as much, or more, from up there,” he nodded to the clock overhead, “then you can sitting on our sofa.”
Babs had to admit that was true, but still she didn't want to say it. “So, where are you going to start?”
“One step at a time,” he said easily, and she could have slapped him for how casual he took it. With all that he had to face right now, and yet, she knew he was right.
“One foot in front of the other,” she had to grin.
“Mhmm,” he nodded and turned to her. Dick leaned in and kissed her suddenly and then leaned back with a satisfied grin. “Someone taught me that.”
“Someone taught me that too.”
They sat there for a moment, looking at one another.
“How was Amy's first day back?” Babs hadn't found a moment to ask that on the drive in.
“Great,” Dick smiled, glad to be talking about this. “It was almost like she never left. We did manage to get a surprising amount of work done and the more we did, the more energized she became. I think Jim was right, that she needed to get back to work and let it all kick in.”
“Why do all the good ones find escape by being workaholics?”
“Imagine what it must be like for Clark,” Dick chuckled and nodded. “It was quite the turnaround from that Friday. She was a little clumsy though. I think she really shut down and didn't do anything with her...well, with what had been...you know what I mean.”
“I do,” she said quietly.
“She's not going to get a prosthetic or anything,” he went on. “I thought about going to Zatanna, Dr. Fate or, even better, Vic.”
“Dick...”
“No, I know,” he cut her off. “It's her battle, and therefore her choice, I know that. I do. I was just sharing that I thought about it.”
“It's great that you want to help her, hon. It is. You're helping her all she needs right now, trust me, okay?”
Dick nodded. “Okay.”
“Going from all that shutting down to not hiding it, she's either tougher than she seemed or, well, just keep an eye on her. It could all come crashing down pretty quick.”
“If you saw her today you'd know she is that tough. She's going to make it.”
“Good. Like I said before, I like the good ones.” Babs reached out for Dick's cheek and drew him in for another kiss. “Let's not spend all of our time in the car,” she hinted and turned to get her chair ready.
Dick slipped out of the Nightbird and went to the trunk to retrieve Babs' things as she got herself out and into her chair. “I'll see you up. I have a couple of hours before I should head back anyway. I doubt Electrocuitioner will be back before nightfall.”
“So, starting there?”
“Seems like the place to, yeah. The others, well, truth is that they're apt to come to me.” Neither of them really wanted to think about that.
“I don't know how great of company I'm going to be,” she warned as she headed for the door. “I really should get to work.”
“You kidding? I love to watch you type.”
Babs snorted as he keyed the door and pushed it open.
Dick slipped in first, since he was carrying all the bags. “Seriously, watching you work is, well, simply amazing. Besides, I should use a spare machine and do a Moogle search on 'how do I defeat a bad guy with electrical powers'.”
“Or you could give your best friend a call since he's fought Weather Wizard on a weekly basis.”
“There's that, too,” Dick grinned like he had already considered that. “Fortunately for us though, I do have a plan. Does Bruce still stash a spare suit or two here?”
Babs nodded and eyed her husband suspiciously, but if anyone was going to play fast-and-loose with any of Batman's toys, it would be Dick.
“Good, then I have a bit of sewing and refitting to do anyway. So see, I can entertain myself while you work.”
Babs was right behind him, locking up behind herself as she went. “So, you love me for my toys or even just the toys I keep.”
“No, I love you and for your toys.”
The rain persisted and Bludhaven was soaked, the streets slick. The back alley splashed as the speeding car raced down it, tore out the far end and sharply rounded the turn to peel away with a loud screech that cut through the night. Thunder clapped overhead and the car picked up speed, nervously checking his rear view. He was fearful of being caught for robbing the convenience store, but more of what he had encountered in the process. It was the same thing he saw before him now as he slammed on the breaks.
Lightning pounded the ground before the car and from that strike stood a man, one of living energy. With the car stopped before him, Electrocuitioner strode toward it. “What did I tell you?! You can't run from me,” he nearly laughed, his eyes crackling with miniature bolts.
The frightened driver threw the car into reverse but was stopped when 'Cuitioner hurled bolts at the vehicle.
There was a fizzle and a burnt smelt as the electrical system fried. “Noooo,” wailed the robber as he fumbled his way out of the car and tossed the sack toward the lightning-made man. “I just needed that for med-medicine, for my mo-mother,” he shuddered and fell to his knees.
“Right,” snarled Electrocuitioner as he reached the surrendered man. “The why doesn't matter, to be honest with you. Fact is, you did the deed and now you need to pay. No crime can slip under my watch now and the punishment for them all shall be the same. I am the law and I am the executioner. How many stores have your robbed before?”
“Th-three,” the man wailed, his head bowed. It sounded like a guess, and he knew it, so a moment later he fumbled with the truth. “Th-that I was caught for. Si-... no, eight,” he cried truthfully.
Electro looked down mercilessly. “Just like the rest of this town, you run the streets without regard to the law, having no sense of justice. Well, death shall be your truth, and with it, everyone else will know that no crime is acceptable under my watch. What is your name?”
“Jo-jorden,” the man on his knees cried.
“Jorden, I sentence you to d…!”
That's when a boot took him in the face and sent Electrocuitioner falling backwards. There, between the two, was Nightwing though his standard costume had a slight change. He wore a full cowl, modified from one of Batman's, without ears and a blue mask at the eyes, with his mouth covered. No part of him was exposed.
“Run,” Nightwing said without looking back to Jorden as he drew his eskrima sticks. Jorden took off.
“I don't remember your appointment to judge and, while I appreciate the help keeping the streets safe, I'm afraid you've taken things too far. I liked you better when you were just Blockbuster's hired help,” Nightwing spoke approached his electric foe. Electrocuitioner looked away from the fleeing criminal to the costumed man that had allowed him to get away.
“We should be working together,” he crackled as he got to his feet and squared himself to face Nightwing here in the middle of the street.
“I appreciate the offer, but I'm going to have to decline. I just can't agree with your methods.”
“So, you'd let them all return to the streets? I thought you were trying to fix this city, to make it better.”
“That's not going to happen by piling up the bodies.”
“Nor is it going to happen with you failing to see why they're fit for nothing else!”
Electrocuitioner's hands came up, one still fingerless from Deathstroke's slice, and bolts of energy lanced from them. Nightwing proved to be ready, dodging aside. Electro fired again and again, but each time he missed as Nightwing dodged them in succession, though he wove closer to his target. “Do you enjoy fighting the same battles over-and-over again? How many times must the law fail or be abused before you accept that it cannot be the answer?!”
Twin bolts nearly found Nightwing but he dodged between them and struck Electrocuitioner across the face with a stick. “I know that the law doesn't protect all like it should.” The image of his parents falling crossed his mind for a moment, but he dashed that from his thoughts as he brought his other stick around to strike his opponent square in the stomach.
“Then why?” 'Cuitioner fumed as he swung a fist, which surprised Nightwing. The blow took the vigilante square in the chest and sent him flying back. “Hah, your suit might be insulated, but you can't negate the force I wield,” he cackled as he crackled and leaped at the downed crime fighter.
Nightwing dove forward and rolled under his lunging foe and came up to his feet. “Can and will.”
Electrocuitioner turned as he landed, his arms coming around and firing more bolts again. He gave a sharp “Hah!” as one struck Nightwing in the chest and sent him into the windshield of Jorden's abandoned depowered car. “There's more than enough crime in this city for the both of us, Nightwing. Don't make me kill you just to keep you out of my way.”
“You'll have to catch me first,” groaned Nightwing as he hurled a pair of pellets at Electrocuitioner, who zapped them mid-flight. They were explosive pellets and burst with their own thunderous force, but the heavy downpour helped to clear the smoke quickly. 'Cuitioner spied Nightwing as he ziplined away.
“Oh no you don't,” he growled and leaped, his form wavering slightly. In a rush, he zipped forward, striking a building and then bouncing away, now a darting lightning bolt that struck out for the airborne hero. “There's no escaping me!”
Nightwing released the line as Electro found him. He hit the ground with a roll and came up to his feet. He took off with a splashing run towards a nearby construction site with the bolt-like 'Cuitioner right behind him. He came to a stop only when he reached the center of the non-completed framework.
“Okay then, no more escaping you.”
“Let's end this,” Electrocuitioner sparked and flared. Overhead lightning swelled and cut the sky.
“Let's,” said Nightwing as he knelt.
His arms had gone wide and he stabbed his eskrima sticks on either side, letting them stick out of the soft sand they stood on. 'Cuitioner had lunged by expecting an attack, so to find his foe literally sitting there, his hands came together and he fired a blinding hot blast at Nightwing.
But the beam split, arching and lancing into the sticks.
Electrocuitioner howled in frustrating, firing again but once more watched his elecritical attack leap towards the much more receptive and conductive metal of those eskrima sticks. Nightwing stood, unable to be hit.
“What...no,” the lightning-man growled.
“Oh but yes,” Nightwing offered and moved. He went to work, landing blow after blow as he riddled the Electrocuitioner with punches. Each one struck solid even though the man was seemingly made of living energy now. Rocked, the 'Cuitioner went down and struggled to get back to his feet as Nightwing kicked him onto his back.
Overhead, the storm flared angrily and lightning lit the sky. Bolts struck down to the scene below...only the metal of the unfinished skyscraper proved to be a better home to their might than the dark figure of Nightwing, who moved to stand over the downed foe even as they helplessly pounded away above him.
“It's over.”
“Nnnnnnnaaaaggggggggrrrr!” Electrocuitioner cried in frustration and pounded his fists down, his body flaring as energy zigzagged off him in all angles. “Over for you! For anyone that stands in my way, in the way of justice! True, unforgiving justice!” Nightwing leaped back and managed to look up as the lightning above again flared and struck down. This time, however, it coiled and twisted, as if guided, and dodged the beams of the open structure as it dove right for the battling pair.
Nightwing dodged, somehow, as he dove away as those twining bolts came for him. As he did, he hurled another set of explosive pellets where he had been and around Electrocuitioner. With a *pop!* and a *flash!* the ground erupted, the sand tossed into the air in all directions as the lightning struck.
Now at the heart of the construction site was a twisted, jagged mass of vein-like glass, with at the center of it a sparkling blue energy of Electrocuitioner now trapped within it.
“Lockhaven's going to have a fun time dealing with you like that,” Nightwing sighed and was thankful that had worked. He looked up at the sky as the clouds quickly broke and the rain came to an abrupt end. The glass structure flared with a blue glow, but held and settled.
Nightwing then heard the sound of approaching sirens. “For the record,” he said before taking his leave, “you are a criminal.”
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To Be Continued...
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