A/N: I apologize for not getting this out sooner. I had a huge writer's block, and then a huge vacation. Read and Review please.
Chapter Nine: Industrial Sabotage
The Batman stood upon the rooftop, his binoculars in his hands, looking down onto the group of thugs and assailants that were breaking into the Potter-owned compound before him. The men were moving quietly, as if to no draw anyone attention. It was too late however.
He replaced the binoculars back into his utility belt before drawing his wand. He placed the grappling hook on the end of it, casting a banishing charm on it. With practiced skill, it latched onto one of the pillars within the compound. Swinging upon the grappling line, he was over three stories above the ground the where the height of the compound was at two. His silhouette was cast upon the ground from the full moon.
"What are we going to do here?" one of the thugs asked.
"A little industrial sabotage upon this building, we're supposed to steal some secret formula these men just discovered, and had it over to the boss," the leader said to them. "Just follow my orders and stop asking questions."
"What if the Batman shows up?" another asked. The leader turned back and sneered at them.
"The Batman is a lunatic dressed up in a costume," he said to them. "There is no way he could stop us. He's mortal, like the rest of us." He turned back to the door in front of them, proceeding to break into the compound.
He stood on the roof, moving through an open sky panel, readily landing upon the rafters of the building. He crouched, looking down at the thieves as they entered. He knew the Commissioner and the Aurors would be arrive, ready to take on the problem, however he knew from experience the criminal mind was two steps ahead of the police. He was three steps ahead of the criminals.
He watched them move around toward the office building. He was not sure why they were there. For all he knew this compound contained nothing of importance. All of the formulas were all housed in the main complex at the Potter Industries building. He waited to see what they were going to do, though it would probably come back to haunt him. He was not in a position to attack or to take any of them down, and at the moment, movement would alert them to his presence.
He looked toward the main entrance, a clear view from his vantage point. He watched as the Commissioner and a group of officers ready to take on the thugs. Though they were poorly out manned and out gunned. He turned his direction back toward the thugs who had moved toward the office area. Still in no position to move, he waited.
"Its not here," the leader cried out in anger.
"Boss, you said it would be here," the one with a red hat said.
"I know," he said for a moment. From here, Batman saw who the leader was. Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy. The father of one of the chairmen at Potter Industries. Batman turned to look at the Aurors once more, waiting for them to start their attack.
"This is you last warning, surrender now," the Commissioner said through a bullhorn.
"Damn it's the cops," one of the thugs said. The Batman watched as they all drew their weapons, guns and wands. He placed his hand on his belt waiting for the opportune moment. He could see the commissioner dictating his men to certain areas. There were weaknesses but considering the circumstances, it was a well shaped plan. However…
He moved across the rafters quickly, letting his shadow be cast upon the thugs and Malfoy. They flinched and moved down the piping and railings toward their exit. Landing softly in front of them, his cape flattened behind him. He stood up slowly, letting them take his body shape in, and spread his arms slightly, letting them see the symbol upon his chest. They would aim there, or at least that is what he hoped for.
"Its Batman!" One screamed, firing off a round. He took it in the chest, falling to the ground. It was charade, and as they approached him, he sprung upward, taking one of them by the ankle, twisting it quickly enough to snap it as well as incapacitate the man. The Aurors rushed his position, and he fled to the rafters once more. The other men they could take care of. He was after Lucius.
Moving swiftly on top of the rafters, Batman landed before Malfoy, ready to take him one. The enemy raised his wand, and cast a spell, a stunner at first. He moved gracefully out of the way. Another curse was fired upon him. Using his wand, he shut a wire, attempting to capture Malfoy, though the elder man had chosen a less empathetic route.
Malfoy dodged to the left, though the choice was poor, immediately both men knew it, though Batman overestimated Malfoy's intellect. The man slid over the railing and over the vat of chemicals. Batman was standing over him, holding him by the gloves. There was fear in Malfoy's eyes, and the Batman started to pull him up. But Malfoy's hand was moving inside his glove, almost as if.
"NO!" His unearthly voice screamed as Malfoy fell into the vat of chemicals.
The police noticed him and where on both sides of him. "H-hands up!" one of them managed to get out. Batman raised his hands, and with a trained slight of hand, grabbed a small metallic ball as he brought his hands up. Before the police could do anything else however, he dropped the ball, it shattering against the ground as a smoke filled the air. Holding his breath, he raised his wand, banishing his grappling hook to the roof. With a practiced ease, he was pulled upward and out of the factory. With even more ease, he skidded across the rooftops to the car that awaited him. If you chose to call it a car. It was more a tank when one looked at it.
The treads were massive, and the combination of technology and magic was deadly. Inside where hidden weaponarny. The car had been built to build bridges in jungle and arid terrain. The car could basically jump, for lack of a better term, and make it to the other side, creating a bridge. However, the bridge part never completely worked out, and the idea was scraped. Until he found it, and now….
Sliding into the tank, he relaxed, letting the police frequencies echo in the car. Starting the autopilot, he let it return him to the Batcave. He slumped in the chair. Removing the mask, he ran his hand through his black hair, letting his emerald eyes reflect against the polished covers. His mind was lost in thought of how the media would think of him now, and what greater evil he had unleashed upon the world. Malfoy was too stubborn to let something like that kill him. And revenge would be the first thing his wanted.
I0I
Hermione sat at her couch, enjoying a large bowl of ice cream. She had just come from the ball with Krum, who was once again trying to control her. It seemed that rocky road was going to have to comfort her again, and she'd work it off in the morning. Her stepfather had made the news once again, and she sat up, leaving the spoon in her mouth. He had left early, and Harry did not make another appearance that evening in regards to a break in. Him and a few other of the Aurors stationed there that evening.
"Commissioner Gordon, it appears that you've broken up a large gang, is this correct?" Gordon was asked.
"No, you've been misinformed, we broke a group that we believe to be apart of Maroni's mob," he said in a calm voice.
"Is it true that reports of the Batman's assistance?" the woman asked him. Gordon frowned lightly.
"Yes it is true that the Batman assisted us in the capture of these criminals, however, I must reiterate that I do not approve of vigilantism," he said with a sigh. He knew where the conversation was taking him. Hermione recognized it as well. She sympathized with him, and thought about calling her mother when she received a phone call.
"Hermione Granger speaking," she said, lifting it from the receiver.
"Hi, its Ron, Ron Weasley," he said. Hermione nearly dropped the phone at the name. She hadn't spoken to him in five years, purposely. "I wanted to talk to you."
"Why?" Hermione said, thinking of no reasons why she shouldn't hang up the phone.
"Because I wanted to apologize for being the git I was back at Hogwarts," he said softly. Hermione's jaw dropped when she heard the sincerity in his words. "I thought maybe we could get a cup of coffee some time, maybe catch up on life."
"That would be nice," she said, trying to return the man's enthusiasm, but found herself unable to. "But my schedule with the University is rather full." There was a pause of silence on the other end.
"It was nice talking to you Hermione," Ron said, the enthusiasm gone. "But I've got to go, maybe some other time?" He asked.
"Sure, maybe some other time," Hermione said, trying to sound bright. She heard the click and hung up the phone. Her life was just turning around. She had a great boyfriend, who at times was a little controlling, but she loved just the same, her best friend had just returned to her, and her studies couldn't be better. Now…the world was changing, that much she knew was happening.
I0I
The vat of chemicals led to a depository, a sewer system that was defiled by the creatures of the dark, both magical and not. If someone had been there, they would have heard the groaning thud of a heavy object being carried from the factory. A man was slumped over, leaning against the wall. The chemicals dropping off him as they mixed with the water. It all was washed off of him, but his screams of anguish were torture for the rats that followed him. Soon, though…..the screams were replaced with an insane laughter, one that echoed through the sewers. The man continued his walk, knowing full well that money could fix what the Bat had started. He was alive, and the Bat…the Bat would be dead. Hahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaa!
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