Batman/Green Arrow: Crossfire Chapter 3

The air was filled with beeps and buzzes as Joseph laid in his hospital bed. His chest rose and fell gently. Police filled the hall and guarded his door. Joseph had an IV of drugs and blood in him and various machines monitored his vitals. Bruce, Dick, Damian and Sam stood in the room; Dick and Damian had their hands on Sam as the small boy sat by the bed, holding his big brother's hand. A doctor was talking to Bruce.

"Mister Wayne," said the doctor, "Doctor Kane will live. We managed to get the antidote into him in time."

"The blood loss?" asked Bruce.

"The compression bandages used by Batman and Green Arrow helped cut down the blood loss, but it was quite enough to require transfusion. I want him to stay here for a few days until his vitals are stable enough...."

"Wait," said Damian, butting into the conversation, "blood loss shouldn't mean his vitals are going crazy like his chart says."

"Pardon my son, he's a bit...precocious...." said Bruce, in a tone of voice to get Damian to back off. "But he does raise some concerns."

"It was the poison, it was combined from different sources. It attacked his organs, his nervous system. It was part botanical, part snake."

"Oh, Joey won't like that, he hates snakes!" said Sam.

"Funny thing, we had to analyze the components to figure out what antidote cocktail to use; they're both very rare. The snake the venom is from is only from one island in the South China Sea."

"And the flower?"

"Steppes of Tibet. Now if you excuse me, I need to make my rounds." The doctor left, leaving the Waynes and Sam alone with Joseph.

"He's going to freak out when he wakes up," said Dick, "He hates hospitals."

"Joey...." said Sam, tears in his eyes.

Damian looked at his father. "What's wrong, Father?"

"The toxins...I think I know who has been targeting Joseph...."

Dick and Sam looked at Bruce. "You do?" asked Dick.

"It's a double message, meant for me and Ollie."

The other three stared at Bruce. He turned to them. "I managed to hack into the information request earlier. The snake is from the island he was marooned on; Merlyn used it to send a message to Ollie to back off."

"And the flower?"

"Used by Ra's Al Ghul's assassins."

"Ra's?" asked Dick. "Why would he be targeting Joseph?"

"Possibly for ruining his plans not too long ago."

"If that's the case," said Damian, "Why not attack Sam as well?"

"Hey!" said Sam.

"Little D, let's be nice to Sam right now...." said Dick.

">TT< Don't call me Little D!" snorted Damian.

"Even Ra's Al Ghul wouldn't attack an innocent child, even if that child helped ruin his plans. No, he's aware of Joseph's role in our operations."

"So what does that make Joseph?" asked Dick.

"A pawn, I'm the one Ra's wants." Bruce went to the door.

"Where are you going, Father?" asked Damian.

"To check on Ollie."

As Bruce left the room, Detective Harvey Bullock approached him. "Don't worry, Mister Wayne; my guys will guard Doctor Kane. And the Commissioner sends his regards."

"Thank you, Detective," said Bruce as he went to the elevator.

"Gee, talk about the cold shoulder."

*******

Green Arrow stood on the roof top facing Joseph's hospital bed, on the look out for Merlyn.

"Nothing yet?" asked Batman.

"Geez, do you know how annoying that it?" said Green Arrow, turning to face Batman.

"Joseph tends to remind me from time to time."

"How is he?"

"Stable, but not out of the woods yet."

"I heard Merlyn used venom from snakes on the island."

"Ra's brought him in to distract you once you entered the picture and muddled his plans. We need to keep an open head and stop him."

"Think there will be another attack?"

"Obviously." Batman launched his grapple and flew off to patrol the perimeter. Green Arrow stood still and waited. When he heard footsteps he notched an arrow and turned. The other archer was dressed in black, his once handsome face scarred, and a gold pendent dangling from his neck. He held a black arrow to a black bow.

"Ollie."

"Hello Tommy."

"I told you that day, and I'll say it again, those weren't the last people that you would kill."

The archers stood their ground, not moving an inch.

*****

"Dick, I'm hungry!" said Sam.

"Sam, you're always hungry." said Dick, chuckling.

"I'm surprised he isn't fat," grumbled Damian. Sam responded by sticking out his tongue.

"How about you two go to the snack machine and get something?"

"Junk food!" snorted Damian, "My body is a temple, and it needs to be kept clean of..."

"Just go," said Dick, tired of Damian's eccentricities for once. "I need to answer nature's call anyways. Let's let Joseph rest for a few minutes alone."

They went their separate ways. However, Dick turned down another corner and ducked into a storage closet where he hid his gear. When they were talking, he saw a rather large man with a bald pate walk past, bearing a package. He knew that man, he once saw Alfred hit him in the groin. It was Ubu, Ra's' servant.

*****

"Flowers for Doctor Kane from the East End Clinic Benevolent Fund" said the large man as Bullock signed off on the form.

"Yeah, yeah. I still need you to open the box so we can verify the goods."

The man smiled. "Of course." He opened the box and Bullock looked inside. All that was in there was a metal orb.

"Hey, what's the--"

The orb opened, spreading gas. Ubu, immune to its effects, watched as the fat cop, the police, the doctors, nurses and orderlies all fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Master, the time is at hand!"

*****

"What do you want, Damian?" asked Sam, looking at his options.

">TT< Like I'm eating that garbage."

"Let's see...OOO cookies!" Sam pressed the buttons and got the cookies.

"You're going to rot your teeth, little boy," said a cold female voice. Sam whimpered, he knew that voice. He turned and looked into the eyes of a woman who he knew he had to fear.

Damian simply said, "Hello, mother. Doing Grandfather's dirty work."

"And you, dear boy...I'm regretting you coming back to life." She extended a knife.

"Uh oh," was Sam's sole response.

*****

In the hospital room, Joseph slowly awoke.

"Hello? Guys? Would like someone to calm me down!"

The room was filled with smoke, the left over residue of the gas.

"What the hell is going on here?" Joseph wondered out loud.

"You are bait, Doctor Kane," said a cultured voice. Ra's Al Ghul slithered into the room, a large scimitar at his waist.

"Why am I not surprised to see your sticky mitts all over this, Ra's?" said Joseph, a weak but brave smirk on his face.

"You are simply the means to an end, boy. Let's just say it's easier to beat the Detective when one of his allies is close to death."

"I feel fine. You know, other than the pain and the blood loss."

"I am Death, Doctor, and I will not hesitate to kill you."

"Oh, but then you'll lose me as your little chess piece."

"Your chatter only delays the inevitable. The Detective respects you, treats you like a brother. I already know how he acts when he loses family. Twice he has lost sons, one of them my kin."

"Yes, and they got better."

"You won't."

"Really?" Joseph smirked. "If you wanted me dead, you would have done it by now. You're stalling."

"So are you."

"I'm merely playing along."

"This is not a game."

"He knows it isn't a game, Ra's." Batman entered through the smoke, holding his own blade.

Ra's smirked, took off his cape and drew his sword. "En guarde, Detective."

"COMMENCE THE FIGHT SCENE!" crowed Joseph as Ra's and Batman crossed swords.

******

"Hey, Dog of the Demon!" said Nightwing, launching several wing dings at Ubu.

"Heathen!" said Ubu, grabbing Nightwing by the leg and throwing him to the ground.

"Oof, you got faster, big guy," said Nightwing getting up and hammering Ubu in the head with his eskirma sticks. Ubu's punch sent Nightwing flying into a medicine cabinet. "Oof, stronger too."

"Stupid Clown of a Prince!" sneered Ubu.

"I think you have me confused with someone else," grinned Nightwing through bloody teeth as he got up and attacked again.

******

"One shot, Ollie. That's all it takes to knock you out of the game."

"Same for you."

"I was always better."

"I still can't let you kill him."

"Why? You complained about him in the past. 'Sneaky little genius, getting me into trouble, spiking my vodka with salt, hacking my computer and sending the contents out.'"

"True, he was a brat." Green Arrow smirked, "And so was I. We've both grown up."

"You sound like you respect him."

"I do. He's got a good heart to go along with that mind."

"How Hallmark."

"You Merlyns were never one for sentiment, Tommy...."

The arrows stood still, pointing at throats.

"First one who shoots, wins," grinned Merlyn.

"The important part is hitting the target. We got all the time in the world...." said Green Arrow.

*****

"Stay away from him, Mother!" said Damian, kicking his mother. She cartwheeled away as Damian ripped off his clothes, revealing his Robin suit underneath. He put on his mask as she got up.

"Is this how you always are with your mom?" asked Sam.

"How are you with your mom?"

"Normally doing the puppy dog eyes things work if I want something...."

"Charming," said Robin, as he threw birdarangs and attacked Talia. Talia dropped the knife and took out a katana. Sword matched staff in a clash of sparks.

"Stay away from Kane!" screamed Robin.

"Which one?" said Talia with a smirk, "Your grandfather is dealing with the elder brother."

Sam gave a small cry. Robin turned to him, "Don't listen to her!" He got a kick to the head for that.

"Now, don't be rude to your mother...." said Talia.

"Mother, I think it would be best if you SHUT UP!" Robin charged again, using his staff as a pole vault to kick his mother in the face. She fell to the ground and glared at him.

"No monster clone of me to kill me now, Mother," Robin said with a wicked grin.

******

Batman and Ra's' swords clashed in sparks. Their blows knocked over equipment, shredded curtains, and damaged the walls.

"Careful, I still need some of these machines to get better!" yelled Joseph as he watched.

Batman and Ra's punched at each other and kicked as well as using their swords. They spilled out into the hall. Now with more room, they charged at each other, jumped off desks...Batman tossed a Batarang into a light to temporarily blind Ra's, who countered by tossing pills onto the ground, making Batman have trouble staying steady. Bloody cuts in Batman's armor and Ra's tunic and torso showed they got several hits in. But they kept going, sure in their resolve.

"The Doctor will die, Detective; you will see how your folly, your want for a family, will be your downfall."

"Joker tried that, and failed. You're losing your originality, Ra's."

"Yes, but he's never tried killing one of your proteges before they actually start training. Consider it a preemptive strike to protect my interests."

The swords parried and thrust.

*****

"Tired, Tommy?"

"No, Ollie...."

"Neither am I."

"Can do this all night."

"Sorry, Ollie, nothing personal."

Merlyn loosed his arrow....


*****

Ra's, Ubu and Talia were soon forced to meet each other as their opponents brought them into the central area.

"Well, Detective, you got me cornered. But have you forgotten about my archer? The Doctor's window makes for an inviting target."

Batman's face grew pale as Ra's took out a communicator.

"Merlyn, this is Ra's Al Ghul, fire when ready."

Sam gasped, "NO!"

Batman's hands balled into fists. Joseph, I'm so sorry. You had so much potential...and I put you into this madman's hands.

"Sorry, Ra's, but Tommy isn't feeling well...."

"ARROW!" yelled Ra's.

Batman activated his comm, "What happened?"

"He missed; I was always pretty quick to react. I busted his bow, and then busted him up with a haymaker. He's out cold. People need to have more than one weapon."

Nightwing grinned as he faced Ubu. Robin stalked towards Talia. Batman raised his sword.

Ra's smiled, "Ah well, we'll meet again." The three villains dropped smoke bombs, obscuring everyone's vision.

"To the stairs!" said Batman. "Sam, check on your brother." The three heroes ran up the stairs to the roof. When Sam entered the room, he saw his brother reading amongst the ruins of the room. Sam smiled.

"Hey, Sammy," said Joseph, "Did I miss something?"

*****

Ra's and Talia got into a helicopter as Ubu started it up. By the time Batman and Co arrived, they were already up in the air. Talia activated defense systems and fired a machine gun, sending the vigilantes scattering across the roof. Ra's gave a salute as they began to fly off....

A special arrow flew and attached itself to the helicopter. Batman turned and saw Green Arrow wrap a connecting cord around a pipe. The helicopter struggled against the cord and was being pulled back and down. Ra's opened the door, sliced the cord, and they got away. As the helicopter fled, Green Arrow ziplined over to where Batman, Nightwing, and Robin stood.

"That arrow has a tracker...."

"They'll be long gone to somewhere else afterwards, they know how to slip away." Batman said. "It's over anyways."

"What do you mean, Bats?" asked Green Arrow.

"They won't bother Joseph again. Ra's will regroup and plan something else."

"My grandfather is...tenacious," said Robin. "A trait I have from both sides of my family."

"Let's check on Joseph. I'm pretty sure he will want to thank you...."

*****

"Thanks Ollie," said Joseph, who was now resting more comfortably in his room back in Wayne Manor as Alfred adjusted machines. After the incident at the hospital, Bruce Wayne felt his friend would receive better care back at Wayne Manor.

"It was nothing," said Ollie, who was still in his Arrow garb; he helped Batman take down Firefly.

"And I want to declare 'pax' on our ongoing feud. Sure, you're a fratboy who looks before he leaps, who will launch himself at anyone with two x chromosomes and dresses up like Robin Hood...."

"Funny way at declaring peace..." said Ollie.

"But you're a hero and a good man. You've grown out of the douchebag you were."

"You've grown up yourself, Joseph; and I see potential in you. Stick with Bats, he'll bring you to that full potential."

"Yeah, if I don't die earning it first." Joseph chuckled.

"Gotta be frustrating, craving that training."

"You have no idea." Joseph pointed to the injury at his shoulder, "More than ever."

"We gotta talk more."

"True, and we need to continue our political talks; now that we agree on almost everything."

"What, don't tell me Bruce is like the Koch Brothers....."

"Not in the least, I just can't get a lively dialogue out of him."

Oliver nodded, "You be good, okay kid?"

Joseph nodded, "And may your aim be true, Green Arrow."

Ollie and Joseph shook hands and Ollie left. Bruce entered the room.

"Nice to see you playing nice."

"Who would have thought this would happen?" Joseph said. "Now, when can I get back to work?"

"When your shoulder heals, you need rest."

"But that means...."

"Good things happen to those who wait."

"Hey, if Oliver Queen can spend a year or so alone on a desert island, Joseph Kane can wait for the training of a lifetime a little longer...."