Nightwing

“That’s eleven, Chief Redhorn. Four water department workers, three sewage & sanitation men, two homeless people, and two investigative reporters. What are you going to do about this?” The newsman shoved his microphone hard into Chief Redhorn’s face.

The questions had been coming fast and furious, and Bludhaven Chief of Police Redhorn really didn’t know what to say. He brushed the microphone out of his face, straightened his tie and finally spoke, “The citizens of Bludhaven will be happy to know that the Bludhaven Police Department are on top of the situation, and we believe we have some solid leads in this case. Furthermore…”

“Is there a C.H.U.D. living in the sewers beneath our feet, Chief?” the reporter shouted making reference to the name the newspapers had given to the rumored creature. CHUD stood for Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller.

Redhorn’s face turned red with rage, “If you would let me finish. Thank you. As I was saying, we have leads, but at this time cannot divulge any information, thank you.” Redhorn sprinted from the media and into the safety of his office.

Damn reporters. He needed time to think, eleven murders in the last two weeks, something was definitely going on under the city – something was tearing apart people and using them as Happy Meals. He needed answers fast. “Get me Sgt. Rohrbach!” he yelled to his secretary.

Officer Richard Grayson was coming on to his shift, cup of coffee in hand, when he bumped into his partner. “Sarge, you look happy this morning, what’s up?” He knew she hated sarcasm in the morning.

“Chief Redhorn just gave us the most high profile case there is, rookie. We’re going down under.” She walked past him and into Tactical, there she signed out two shotguns and riot helmets for them, and they were off hunting.

“Sorry Sgt.,” that was all the city workers kept saying as they forced Amy and Dick into their protective suits. “The fumes down here in the sewers get real bad, and the deeper that you go, the worse it gets, only way a person can stay under for long periods of time is in our habitat suits, and our orders are to take you deep.”

Amy scowled in disgust; she really wasn’t going to enjoy this assignment. “Alright, since we’re suited up, Grayson and I will go down, we’ll radio if we need help.” She checked her shotgun, and made sure the safety was on.

“Sorry Sgt.,” the official said again. “No firearms are going to be allowed.”

“What!” Amy said. “You must be kidding me, we need these for protection.”

“I understand your concern officer, but there are methane fumes collecting in the tunnels, you fire that weapon down there and the sparks could light up the whole system. That would cook you and everyone else. The shotgun and any other firearms stay put.”

“Alright, I guess if we run across a sewer monster I’ll just talk it to death.” She put her protective gloves on and looked over at Grayson. He was suited up and ready to go. “Have you done this before Grayson?”

“No, but I have to say this is a bit thrilling.” As Batman’s partner Nightwing had been in more sewers than most mutant ninja turtles, but Amy didn’t have to know that. “By the way, gas building up in the lines, does that happen all the time?”

“No,” said the official. “The system keeps getting clogged with garbage and waste, like something is blocking off all entry and exit points. That’s caused the gas to collect.”

Two workers lifted the manhole cover off, and they all tested their radio communications. One city worker was to go down with Amy and Dick – his name was Dave. “Follow me officers, I know this section like the back of my kid’s hand.” He led the way down.

The sewer tunnels were dripping wet; the sludge around their feet was about a full twelve inches deep. Mold of some kind grew in patches on the walls. Here and there a rat or two was spotted, and then ran off as the flashlight’s beam struck it. The threesome ventured for about ten minutes until Dave brought them to another access ladder, leading down. The ladder was slippery, but at least it was off the mid-tunnel and away from the sludge. The deeper they went, the easier it was to see the cloud of gases. The sewage in this new level was almost two feet deep.

“We’re down deep now,” said Dave. “We do just a little cleaning down here, just to keep it from smelling up the community. My buddy Manny went missing from here a couple of days ago.” Dave looked a little worried and checked his radio to make certain the people up top could still hear them. “You read me up there Clint?”

“We read you Dave. Find any C.H.U.D.s yet?”

“Negative, but I think I see your wife, oops, that’s a sewer rat, sorry”

“Screw you Dave.”

“What exactly is a C.H.U.D.?” asked Amy

“Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller,” Dave said. “You never saw the movie?”

Dick walked ahead of Dave and touched his hand against the wall. There were scratches in the concrete, like claw marks. He started looking closer in the sludge around them, and he found a scrap of clothing. “This looks like part of our suits,” he said as he held it up.

“Let me see that,” Amy said. She held it up in the light. “You’re right, this is from a habitat suit. Grayson, take your light and go…what was that?”

They all froze as they heard a snarling sound around them. Dick looked around and realized that the sound could be coming from anywhere, the tunnels made everything echo. “Sarge, maybe we ought to go topside,” he wanted to get Amy and Dave out of here as quickly as possible.

“What’s the matter, rookie? You afraid of giant mice?” She was scared, but she had to put on a brave front for Grayson; After all, he was only a rookie and hadn’t been in these kind of hostile situations like she had been. The snarl was heard again, along with a splash. “Alright boys, let's take our scrap and head on up.” And get the Hell out of here she thought.

“We’re coming up,” she radioed. “We heard some noises down here and found what looks to be a scrap of another habitat suit, we’ll show you guys more when we get up there.”

Amy started up the ladder, and as she did she heard another splash, only this one was louder. She started climbing faster, and Dave started next. Just as Amy reached the next level, she looked down. Dave was seven steps down the ladder, and Grayson had just started; she hoped whatever was making those noises was not around. Suddenly, a large dark shadow came into the view of her flashlight. Something lunged at Grayson and jerked him off the ladder. “DICK!” she cried.

Dave sped up the ladder and ran for the exit to the manhole. Amy started down the ladder to help Dick. She heard a snarling noise, a loud one. There were all kinds of splashing noises going on, she was almost to the bottom, when she saw Dick racing for the ladder, his suit had been all but torn from his body but his breathing apparatus was in place. “Get out of here Amy,” he yelled. She started climbing, and as Dick started up, he stole one glance over his shoulder and watched as Killer Croc chewed on his suit and melted under the watery sludge.

Amy and Dick filed their report with Chief Redhorn’s right hand man, Inspector Mac Arnot. Mac was about as dirty as twelve crooked cops put together, and he showed little interest in the “monster” story that Amy had talked about. He informed them that the Chief was going to give this thing top priority and sent them off.

He walked into Redhorn’s office and watched as the Chief hung up the phone. “Here you go sir.” Mac laid the report down. “I guess you already know what it says. Sounds like your guys were right, Killer Croc is making himself a little new home underneath our feet. What do you want done?”

Redhorn leaned back in his chair and grabbed a cigar. “Nothing.” He lit his cigar and threw the matches on his desk.

“Why not?” Arnot asked.

“Cause, Mr. Desmond says that if Killer Croc is in Bludhaven, then that Nightwing fellow is going to try and take him down to keep people from getting killed. And with Croc in the sewers, Nightwing is at a disadvantage. Mr. Desmond feels that if Croc gets lucky and catches little Nightwing by surprise, then our lives become a whole lot easier again.”

Mac smiled at Redhorn, what a brilliant idea. “You know what, Chief, I like the way Mr. Desmond thinks. In fact, I think I have just the guy to stand watch over Croc’s Dixon Street lair. Maybe Killer will take care of one of our problems too.” He lit himself a cigar and walked out of the office.

Dick was just finishing getting dressed in the locker room – it had taken forever to get that smell out of his hair. He grabbed his dirty clothes and threw them in his duffel bag with his Nightwing suit. He always kept a suit nearby at work since he was made a full time cop. He started to zip the bag shut when he stopped, thinking about Killer Croc. He needed to do something tonight. Croc looked to be even more regressed than last time they fought.

“Yo, Grayson!”

Dick turned to see Tim Fencik walking towards him, Tim’s shift started nearly right after Dick’s ended. “Nice to see you Tim. How have things been going for you?”

“Better, it’s becoming a little clearer who you can depend on and who you can’t,” he said. “Hey listen, I need to talk to you about something. I just got assigned to play watchdog on this whole Dixon Street thing, somebody said you got mauled by a dog or something in the sewer, is that true?”

“Or something is right, it definitely wasn’t a dog. Are they sending you down?”

“No, I’m just supposed to keep tabs on the blocks surrounding your attack, make sure no sewer monster starts running through the streets. Hope you didn’t get too badly hurt.”

“No, just lucky I guess. Hey Tim, I really have to go, hot date tonight and all, you know how it is. Be careful tonight, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Dick grabbed his half-zipped bag and took off out the locker room door, oblivious to the smoke capsule that rolled out of his bag.

Tim started to go, when he saw something on the floor, Dick must have dropped his…what is this? Tim picked up a blue cylinder with the small letter SC written on it. Tim looked around and pocketed the object. What the Hell is Grayson doing? Tim walked out of the locker room and started his shift.

“Well, let’s see,” said Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Oracle. “The last anyone encountered Killer Croc, was during NO MAN’S LAND, Robin was able to take him down. I guess Croc’s mind has regressed to a more primal reptilian form since then. Dick, inside Bludhaven’s sewer system you’ll be at a distinct disadvantage.”

“I know, Babs,” Dick was getting changed into his Nightwing gear as he talked to Oracle online. “Not only can I not see as well as Croc, but I have to wear this special re-breather mask and that limits my movements severely.” He put his mask in place; he was ready to go. “I have to take out Croc before he kills again, Babs. I’ll call if I need anything.” He hesitated, “there is one thing that still bothers me though.”

“What’s that, Sewer Stalking Wonder?”

“Why is Croc sealing off as many entrances to the sewers as he can? I figure he wants to be secure, but what about food sources? He was staking out our entrance, and it wasn’t blocked at all. I feel like I’m not getting the whole story here.” Nightwing opened the window of his apartment. “I’ll talk to you later tonight Babs, take care.”

“Take care of yourself, former Boy Wonder.” She signed off, God she loved that man and worried about him. Also, normally she provided him with all the support he needed via information; this time however, she had the feeling that wasn’t going to be enough.

She reached across her virtual operations room, heads up displays crisscrossed in front of her eyes. She finally found the access line she wanted and opened communications. “Can you hear me, Dinah?”

“Right here Oracle,” Dinah Lance a.k.a. Black Canary was speeding along interstate 30 in pursuit of Roman Sanchez, a known arsonist and current FBI most wanted poster boy. “Give me two minutes.”

Dinah brought her cycle alongside Sanchez’ convertible, their speed was in excess of 100MPh, and Canary could hardly believe Sanchez hadn’t killed anyone during the chase. She pushed her cycle to it’s limit and jumped to the backseat of Sanchez’ car. The vehicle jerked to the left as Sanchez spun around to shoot his gun. The bullet wasn’t even close, and Dinah kicked at the back of Roman’s head from the backseat. The force of her kick propelled Roman’s face into his steering wheel. The horn blared as the car swerved right. Canary pulled Roman from the driver’s seat and slid into the driver position, hitting the brakes and bringing them to a stop on the side of the road.

As soon as the car stopped Roman jumped from the car and started running. Canary took off after Roman on foot, but he quickly turned and threw a small red ball at her, she kicked the object in mid-air, deflecting it to her left. The object hit the concrete about twenty feet away and exploded. Canary never saw it, as she was still in foot pursuit.

Roman was running out of breath, he either had to blow Canary up or beat her in a fight. He decided to try and blow her up again. He pulled one of his homemade grenades out of his pocket, but before he could pull the pin, the blonde Canary was on him. The fight lasted thirty seconds.

“Radio the police for me, Oracle, I think they might be interested in meeting Mr. Sanchez.” Canary had him tied to the bumper of his convertible. “And I lost another motorcycle, I’ve got to quit doing that.” She took Roman’s homemade grenade and put it in her belt pouch.

“Relax,” Oracle said. “I know a small Columbian cocaine kingpin whose bank account wants to buy you four more.”

“So what did you need?” asked Canary.

“A favor, a friend of ours might need your help in Bludhaven.”

“This friend of ours, does he look delicious in black and blue?”

“Yeah, but he looks better out of it. And keep your hands to yourself! Stop by my place, I’ve got some things you need to take with you.” Oracle ended the transmission, Dick might get mad that she sent Black Canary, but something about his whole thing with Killer Croc gave Oracle a bad feeling.

Tim Fencik was bored out of his skull. The guard duty he pulled was about as much fun as sitting on hot coals. Oh and this habitat suit they gave him would come in real handy, like he was going down there. Suddenly a shadow crossed over his head, he whirled around, “Hold it…hey Nightwing! Didn’t think I would see you here. You thinking about going down to catch our sewer monster?”

Nightwing put his re-breather mask in place over his black Nightwing mask. “Yeah, I think it’s time I took this thing down. Tim, you may have to call for some heavy duty containment unit to pick this guy up, I’ll let you know if I get lucky.” And with that, Nightwing entered the sewer system of Bludhaven.

It’s really quiet down here, thought Nightwing. And the tunnels are blocked every so often, why would he be doing that? It's like Killer Croc is trying to corner something, or someone. Nightwing was now in the bowels of the city, deeper than when he had first encountered Croc. His Starlight lenses in his mask helped him see easily in the dark. The gas in the air was visible, and he heard the same distinctive snarl he had earlier. He pulled out one of his Nightarangs out, the snarling was echoing throughout the tunnels.

He saw movement to his right and threw before looking. The throwing dart whistled into the wall, ricocheting off another, it just missed the person stalking Nightwing. Standing before Nightwing was a small man dressed in large green trench coat. His face was covered by a large gas mask, but there was no mistaking the short blonde hair and odd ears, Nightwing knew exactly who this was; he just couldn’t believe it. “Ratcatcher?” yelled Nightwing. “You escaped Blackgate, but you aren’t going to start up on my city.”

“Noooooo, I don’t want to hurt you, I don’t want to hurt anyone!” squealed Ratcatcher. He was a mousy little man, a former Gotham City Public Works employee whose job was to keep the rodent population down. He lost his job after defending himself in a bar fight and killing a man. He went downhill from there, believing his only real friends were the rats he once hunted. “Listen to me, He’s down here somewhere, he’s killing them all!”

“You mean Killer Croc?” asked Nightwing.

“Yes, he’s some kind of serial killer,” screamed Ratcatcher. “At first it was only the dark haired ones, then it was the young ones, now it doesn’t matter, he goes after them all! That’s why I have to block him in, the killing has to stop!”

“Does he have any victims down here now? Take me to them,” said Nightwing. He had to stop Killer Croc any way necessary, even if it meant using Ratcatcher’s help.

Ratcatcher raced down sewer lines with Nightwing in pursuit. “Here they are around this corner, I sent them here to be safe,” he said. Ratcatcher turned the corner first, and screamed, “Nooo, he’s killing them all!”

Nightwing raced around the corner and found Killer Croc feasting on dozens and dozens of rats! Great, I’m racing to save mice!

Killer Croc spied the duo, and snarled like a mad beast, he dropped his prey and lunged for them. Nightwing dodged up and to the right, escaping Croc’s reach. Ratcatcher was not so lucky. Croc grabbed onto Ratcatcher and squeezed him until Nightwing heard ribs crack. Nightwing started kicking at Croc’s leather like hide. Croc just ignored him and bit down on Ratcatcher. His screams were probably the loudest thing Nightwing ever heard. Croc dropped Ratcatcher to the ground and turned his bloody maw towards Nightwing. Mouth opened, he lunged at the vigilante. As he dove, Nightwing leapfrogged over the beast and kicked off the back of Killer Croc, he landed on his feet and ran to Ratcatcher’s side, he had to get him out of there.

Croc raised up again for another lunge, when Nightwing saw one of his own smoke capsules hit the wall and pop open, filling the sewer with impenetrable darkness. Nightwing used the distraction to grab Ratcatcher and retreat out of the tunnels, as he did, he bumped right in to Tim Fencik. “Tim, what the Hell are you doing? You’ll get killed!” he screamed.

They were both running now, and they could here Croc in pursuit. “Relax Nightwing, I know what I’m doing.” Tim reached for his gun, only to remember that in all the gas, guns were pretty much useless. They were nearly out, Nightwing had Ratcatcher over his shoulder and he kept up with Tim all the way.

Finally they reached the ladder that led to the top tunnel at Dixon St. “You go Tim, I’ll hand up Ratcatcher to you,” said Nightwing. Tim raced up the ladder to the top tunnel and reached for Ratcatcher. They would be just a few moments from the surface, and they would be safe. Nightwing climbed part of the ladder and started to position Ratcatcher for Tim when he saw the form over Fencik’s head. “TIM, LOOK OUT!”

Tim spun around, but Killer Croc was already on him.

The animal dragged Tim from the ladder and Nightwing heard the fight and the screams of Tim’s pain. Nightwing dropped Ratcatcher and raced up the ladder, he found Croc hunched over Tim. Nightwing tackled Croc from behind, and started punching, hitting him with strength he never knew he had. The monster’s hide, tough as it was, felt like a pillow under Nightwing’s hands as he pounded the green scaly flesh. Unbelievably, Nightwing was actually making Killer Croc bleed. Croc threw out a huge right arm, knocking Nightwing off him and then the wounded monster retreated down the tunnel.

Nightwing rushed to his friend’s side. The police officer’s mask was torn away, as was much of his shirt and vest. “Hold on, Tim,” said Nightwing. He quickly tried to take inventory of Tim’s wounds. Broken right arm for sure, maybe some rib damage, he’s bleeding from the mouth and ears, probable internal bleeding, God his neck, the blood’s everywhere. Tim opened his eyes as Nightwing tried to pick him up. “It’s ok, Tim, you’re gonna be fine, I won’t let you die.”

Tim looked at Nightwing’s face, “I…I know...you won’t...Dick.” he struggled to talk and then faded, his eyes going dark.

“No Dammit!” yelled Nightwing, he grabbed Tim off the ground and raced for the exit hole as fast as he could. He used his radio in his suit and called for help, “Officer Needs Assistance” he said to the operator as he gave their location. As soon as he reached the surface with Tim, he quickly scrambled back down for Ratcatcher. He found the ravaged form right where he had left him. He brought him to the surface and waited with both men as the ambulance and police cars arrived.

“Hang in there Tim” he said. “Hang in there.” Both men were loaded into ambulances, and rushed to the hospital, Nightwing looked at the sewer hole, and clenched his fist.

Dick made his way back to his apartment. He needed the rest, then he had to check on Tim, and he had to update Babs. Just then, right on cue, Oracle buzzed in his ear.

“Hey Hunk Wonder, how did it go tonight?”

“Bad as it could Babs, Croc knows the whole place like it’s his house, he’s coming at me from all directions. I’m gonna go down tomorrow and see if I can find some way of tracing him” he said. “Croc may have just killed one of my friends tonight.”

“My God Dick, I’m so sorry. Listen to me, I thought of that tracing thing too. I sent some equipment your way that might help. You’ll find it at the corner of Montgomery and 5th, atop the roof. Look, I am sure you did everything you could, it will be alright. If you need me to come down there I will.”

“No, I’ll come to Gotham after I clear everything up here,” he said. “Thanks for the equipment, I’m sure it will work out. I love you Babs.”

“And I love you, Former Boy Wonder.”

Nightwing landed on the rooftop and found a surprise waiting for him. He smiled at Black Canary, “Long time no see, Canary. Good to have you in town.”

Black Canary looked over Nightwing. Babs, I have to say, I love your taste in men. “So Nightwing, can you use a partner tomorrow night or what?”

Nightwing’s face-hardened, “Welcome aboard, Canary, but this isn’t going to be fun and games. Tomorrow night Killer Croc is going down.”

To Be Continued...

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