Previous chapter is HERE
__
“Nothing can stop the Juggercroc!” The massive reptilian behemoth slammed his foot down sending the assembled police blocking the road up into the air like an upended chess game. Juggercroc stomped forward, sacks of money from the Gotham National Bank in his hand.
Roaring up the street in the Batmobile was Steel Bat. The HUD locked in on the target as weapon options rolled down the screen. Flashbangs, sonic cannon, and flame throwers were selected as the speed hit two hundred miles per hour.
“Oh, not you!” Juggercroc moaned as he saw the sleek black missile zooming towards him. “Why is it always you!”
Juggercroc put the money down and hurled a car at the approaching hero. The Batmobile zipped around the projectile and opened fire. A focused beam of sonic energy hit Juggercroc making the giant villain grab his ears. Steel Bat launched out of the speeding car via an ejection seat, fired a grapple, and shot up into the air as the multi-million-dollar car slammed into the nigh-invulnerable bad guy. The car turned into tinsel and exploded, but Juggercroc stepped out of the fireball unharmed.
“That all you got?” He yelled.
KER-RANG!!!
Steel Bat landed squarely on the back of Juggercroc’s neck in his metal form like a wrecking ball. Juggercroc became embedded in the pavement. Steel Bat rained down several punches to the head.
“Why are you back, Waylon?”
“Need cash…for my helmet.” He replied with a mouthful of bitumen.
Steel Bat grabbed a capsule off his utility belt and dropped it; a rapid anti-personnel polymeric crowd foam expanded and covered over Waylon Marko’s head. “Now you’ve got a new helmet.”
The foam was an idea he borrowed from the Green Panther who’d covered him in the goop. Juggercroc slammed his hands on the ground and sent them both crashing down into the subway system under the road. Steel Bat tapped his glove. “Gordon, we need to shut down the Moench Row line now!”
“Copy that!”
Juggercroc stood up and flailed wildly as the foam hardened. Steel Bat rushed in punching several times into his stomach, the sound echoing down the tunnels an across the city. Juggercroc barely moved. Steel Bat kept at it with kicks, elbows and strikes finally making Juggercroc go down on one knee mainly as the foam had set and was cutting off his air. Suddenly there was a sound of a train.
“Bozhe moi!” Steel Bat charged forward toward the oncoming train which was screeching to stop, sparks flying. “Gordon!”
“I know! I know!” the policeman yelled back in his ear.
Steel Bat jumped at the train and caught the front before jamming his organic steel legs down. Concrete was torn up as his feet ploughed a trench in the tunnel. The Colossus of Gotham grit his teeth and pushed against the powerful locomotive. He was nearly thigh high when the train shuddered to a halt. Looking down at his now stuck position he shifted his form to human and stepped out. He turned to see the looming shadow of Juggercroc towering over him. He raised his hand to protect himself, but nothing happened as the green giant toppled backwards from oxygen deprivation.
Steel Bat breathed a sigh of relief.
__
Ravencroft Asylum, Gotham City
Dr. Jeremiah Ravencroft looked at the green lump on the stretcher. “What is that?”
“Waylon Marko, aka The Juggercroc,” said GCPD Lieutenant James Summers handing over a clipboard of paperwork.
“And why isn’t he in jail?”
“Because his lawyer thinks he’s crazy,” Summers adjusted his visor. “And this being an asylum…”
“I swear you think this is just a dumping ground for problems,” Ravencroft sighed and waved them in.
“I don’t like this any more than you do.” Gordon pulled out a packet of cigarettes and offered them to the doctor who politely declined. “Well have a good night.”
Ravencroft followed the new inmate inside lamenting the fact he’d miss another performance at the Kane Theatre.
To be continued...
Log in to comment