Chapter XXXVIII: Laid To Rest.
Last Time.
"I didn't know about building this prison! I just knew Ra's was planning to build a hideout here in Gotham and try to convince you or Batman to take over for him."
Naruto crossed his arms before speaking. "And did you know Talia's pregnant with our child?" By the shocked look in her eyes, Naruto guessed she didn't know about that.
"What!?"
Naruto raised his hand silencing her before speaking. "We'll talk about it later... Now go and get out of here with Selina."
She hesitated before following after as Naruto and Batman jumped up on the roof from a hole in the ceiling. Naruto's eyes widened at the multiple helicopters firing missiles inside the prison. "Miss Martian, Strange is launching missile strikes inside the prison from Wonder Tower! Shut this place down!"
After a moment, she replied. "I've kept more helicopters from coming with the League's help, but more are on the way!" Naruto looked to see more helicopters from outside the City.
"Leave Aquagirl and Tempest behind to keep an eye on Talia. Joker's with her thinking he'll get the Lazarus Pit. Have them keep a Zeta-Tube ready in case we can't get to them in time. As for the rest of the Team... Tell them to suit up!"
Now.
Gotham Arkham City January 19, 3:00 EST.
Kage looked at each helicopter before speaking. "We'll need the master codes to get into the Tower."
Batman looked at the Tower that was higher than the largest skyscraper in Gotham before looking up to a helicopter and grappled up it. "I'll scan for them. You get to the Tower and wait for me."
"Kage. Aquagirl here. The signal's weakening." Naruto moved a hand to his ear as the Bio-Ship flew above a roof in front of the Mill.
"Re-route all of Wayne Tech's satellites to where it is for a boost." Naruto looked up to see Wonder Girl fly out as Superboy dropped down in a long-sleeved shirt.
Naruto noticed how Superboy's grown several inches ever since S.T.A.R. Labs fixed his growing problem. Artemis shot several arrows that hit the launchers on the helicopters before looking at Spoiler who was using her crossbow to do the same. Naruto noticed that Artemis has her hair shorter to just past her shoulders.
"Also, Aquagirl, I'm guessing Nightwing and Starfire is still on the mission in Bialya and couldn't come here?" Naruto asked as Aqualad gave orders to the team as Kid Flash helped get people out of the way of the blasts.
"Yeah, we had them go in with radio silence. And since M'gann stayed behind for Mission Control the link is too far away to get a hold of them."
"That's fine I figured that was the case since Nightwing would drop that to help us here."
Naruto ran across the rooftops before speaking through the link to the Team. "Be careful. Strange won't hesitate to attack you all as well. And he may know your identities. He knows mine and Batman's."
Naruto ran towards the Tower and to the entrance which is two stories above the ground. He saw two TYGER sniper guards guarding the door before dropping behind one and applied a sleeper hold on him. Naruto then quickly dashed over and slammed the final guard's head on the railing as Batman glided to him. "Got the codes?" Batman nodded before hacking the door.
They walked inside and down a hall to a door with an electronic lock above. Batman used the R.E.C. Gun on the lock and walked inside to a stairwell. They jumped down several stories down and up to another door. Opening it, they saw the entrance where they were at the start of the night. And saw three guards one with a gun and the other two with shock batons in front of three political prisoners.
'Stun sticks. We'll need to attack them from behind.' Naruto thought before they dropped down. 'Or I could do this.' Naruto thought as he crouched and walked to the two as Batman grabbed the armed guard.
Naruto slammed their heads together, knocking them out. Suddenly, Strange came up holding another man hostage with a syringe at his neck. "Stop right there. We need to talk, and I know both of you wouldn't be able to live with yourselves if your actions caused this poor man to die." Naruto saw more guards come out and surround them as Hugo continued to talk to them.
"I have a question for you. Before my arrival, this city was drowning under a tide of filth. Have you ever considered that all of this is your fault? Your presence creates these animals; like germs, they spread. You created the environment that allowed the germs to mutate, to become stronger. Look at the Joker. Would he even exist if not for you, Batman?" Naruto kept his eyes on the guards as Batman did the same.
"It must be depressing. All your sacrifices and yet, you are the one to blame. Oh, this is beautiful. We have at long last defeated Batman and Kage. Soon, I will take my rightful place at my master's side. So thank you, Batman, for all your help. Now, kill them!" Naruto quickly dashed to a guard that held a riot shield and punched through the glass.
He knocked the man out and kicked the shield, bending it. Naruto threw the shield and hit two men in the head knocking them out as Batman countered three men at once knocking them out. Batman jumped away from a guard holding a stun stick and kicked him to Naruto. Naruto grabbed him in the air and slammed him down on the head. Batman threw several batarangs, knocking the rest to the ground
Naruto shot an arrow in the air having wires hit each man and shocked them. "You feeling up for this, Batman?" Naruto asked seeing Batman's pale face.
"Yes, I am."
"A pointless endeavor, Batman and Kage. I will rain fire and brimstone down upon these animals." Strange finished as they looked around and saw a manhole cover before walking to it, and went down it.
They found themselves in the sewers when they followed Talia's guard before Naruto ran along the walls as Batman used his line launcher to get to the door to the room with the Wonder City entrance. Going inside, they saw the nurse Batman saved still hiding in the room. "You're still here?" Naruto asked as the nurse explained that TYGER guards are guarding the elevator. "OK, I'll get you out of here," Naruto said creating a clone that disappeared with her before Batman and Naruto jumped on the gargoyles.
Naruto saw four snipers before whispering "I got the snipers." Naruto created three clones and knocked the snipers out as a '4' came up on his glasses.
Batman took out a guard as Naruto and his clones took out the last three before they walked to the elevator. Batman hacked the door and they walked in. Naruto pressed the button for the highest floor and they made their way up. After five minutes of going up, Naruto saw guards at the door before looking to his left.
And saw Batman was gone. Naruto looked up to see the maintenance door was open before jumping up just as the elevator door opened. The guards fired on the elevator before stopping as they saw no one was inside. Naruto and Batman dropped on a guard each before jumping at the last two with guns and knocked them out. Naruto threw the guns off the balcony before dodging a swipe from a guard and kicked him inside the elevator, knocking him out
Batman knocked out the last guard before Naruto looked to see they weren't at the top of the tower but still several miles above the city. "We still need to get up there. I guess we'll need to use the antennas to get up." Batman said before they made their way up as Naruto saw Superboy and Wonder Girl take out the last of the helicopters.
"Good work, Team. Work with the Police while we get Strange and the Joker." Naruto said with the link as the Bio-Ship flew by them.
They continued their way up several stories before stopping under the room where Strange is with several guards. Naruto saw a console that was hooked up to a door above them before Batman hacked it. The door opened and they made their way up to it and saw a vent in the wall. Making their way inside, they heard Hugo order his guard before they made their way outside to a scaffold.
"I'll draw them out to the gargoyles to thin them out," Naruto said as Batman nodded before grappling up to the gargoyle on the roof. Naruto jumped up to the room and saw Hugo locked up in the control room with a large computer before speaking through his link. "Miss Martian, is the computer at Mount Justice ready with a virus?"
"Yes, just let Aquagirl know when you're ready."
Naruto nodded as he hid behind boxes grabbed two guards and choked them out. He threw them to the balcony outside, having Strange speak up. "They're outside! Get them!" Naruto saw two guards run out before he dashed to one as Batman used his grapple gun to hang upside down the gargoyle.
Batman grabbed one guard as Naruto jumped up and tied them to the roof. Batman grappled to another gargoyle as Naruto went inside a floor vent just as a guard walked to it. Batman landed on the last guard as Naruto jumped out and grabbed the guard. Naruto slammed his head down on the floor before they went up to the door where Hugo was in.
Hugo mocked them as Batman was hacking the lock. As soon as the door opened, Batman headbutted Hugo and kicked him across the room as Naruto placed a flash drive on the main computer. "Aquagirl, upload the virus to shut this place down!" Naruto yelled through his earpiece.
"Got it!"
Naruto turned to see Batman press Hugo against the glass as smoke billowed in the air. "Look at what you have done!" Batman yelled as Hugo chuckled.
"Glorious, isn't it?" Hugo asked as Batman threw him away before walking back to the computer and saw that Protocol Ten was shutting down.
"You're finished, Strange."
Strange chuckled as he stood up. "I have powerful friends, Batman. Kage. This is just the beginning. You can't stop me, soon I will command forces beyond your comprehension." Hugo said as he looked at them.
Slink!
And then coughed up blood as a sword went through his heart. Hugo fell forward revealing Ra's, who shook the blood off his sword. "Your part in this is over, Professor Strange."
Batman ran over to Strange as Naruto put an arrow in his bow and aimed it at Ra's. "So, the Light was behind all this," Naruto said as Ra's chuckled.
"They know, but this was my plan. When Hugo came to me with both of your identities I gave him the resources for his plan. But he has failed me. Look at my work. Strange may have failed but this is just the beginning. Come with me, and we'll wipe this World clean."
Naruto glared before putting his bow away and pulled his right glove off as Strange spoke. "Computer: Activate... Protocol... 11... Passcode... Wayne."
Naruto stopped as smoke came up from the computer before he and Batman ran to Ra's and knocked him out the window as the Tower blew up.
BOOM!
The trio fell to the city as Naruto heard Miss Martian through the link. "NARUTO!"
Naruto grabbed Ra's who pulled his sword out and stabbed himself in hopes of stabbing Naruto. Naruto let Ra's go and he started to fall faster as Batman glided down to the ground. Suddenly, the Bio-Ship flew under Naruto, flipped upside down and the door opened up having Naruto fall in, and hit the ceiling. The ship flipped back around having Naruto fall beside Miss Martian in her stealth outfit.
Naruto sat up and was immediately tackled into a hug. "Easy, M'gann. I'm all right." Naruto stood up as Miss Martian held onto him. Naruto smiled as he hugged her and groped her ass. She smiled before she surprised Naruto by grinding against him. "Whoa! What happened to shy M'gann?" Naruto asked as she smiled and then groped his crotch.
"This big bad boy got rid of her." She turned to walk back to the pilot seat.
Smack!
Miss Martian jumped as Naruto smacked her ass before getting rid of her cape so Naruto could blatantly stare at her swaying ass. The door opened in the floor having Naruto jump out and land beside Batman as he stared at Ra's, who's impaled on a large 'A' at the gated entrance to Wonder Tower.
"Hello! Is anyone there?"
Naruto and Batman turned their attention to a large monitor with the Joker holding a gun to Talia who's tied to a chair outside the Monarch Theater. "Hello Batman, Kage. I know you can hear me. I've not caught you at a bad time, have I? I was worried you might have forgotten about little old me."
"Take a look at your girlfriend Kage. Who, as you can see is in danger of having her pretty little brains splattered over the camera." Joker held a pistol to Talia's head.
"Ignore him, beloved! Let him die!" Talia said as Joker walked behind her.
"Ah, how romantic. Only problem is, I've never felt better, and we both know you really can't ignore me. Can you? So, listen you two. I'm putting a little show for you two. It's going to be a doozy. A real red carpet affair. You'd better hurry, though. If you take too long, the leading lady may be found dead in her dressing room. Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Joker finished with a laugh as the screen went blank.
"Let's go!" Naruto ran up the wall and jumped across the destroyed rooftops as Batman followed by gliding above him.
They stopped a block from the theater and saw ten snipers with two on the ground forcing Naruto to create ten clones that knocked them out at the same time. Batman landed by the entrance and Naruto stopped by him as a flyer hit his face. Naruto picked it up and smiled as if it was for a show for Zatanna before looking at Batman. "You OK? I know this isn't your fondest-!"
Batman interrupted him by walking to the door. "I'm fine." They walked inside and saw the theater seats ripped out with bombs in the four corners as Joker held Talia on the stage. "Pull up a seat, Batman. Kage. The show's about to start." Joker said kicking Talia to her knees.
"Let's just talk about this," Batman said as Joker chuckled.
"Now you want to talk? Too late, Batman!" He put the gun to Talia's head before speaking. "Give me the cure!" Naruto blinked at that.
"But you have the cure!"
Talia broke free, knocked the gun away, picked her sword from him, and stabbed Joker through the back. "Talia, NO!"
Joker fell off the stage as Talia calmly walked down. "You all right?" Naruto asked walking up to her as Batman stared at Joker's body. Talia nodded before holding the vial with the cure.
Naruto took it as Batman crouched over Joker's body before hearing something.
Click.
Eyes widening, Naruto grabbed Talia and turned around just as a bullet hit his back where she was standing. Naruto groaned as he fell to his knees. They looked to see a sickly Joker holding a pistol before Naruto created a clone as he slowly stood up. "Beloved! What are you do-!"
Talia stopped as the clone grabbed her and disappeared with her as the vial rolled to the dead Joker's body before the real Joker coughed. "Well, that could have gone better."
Naruto heard something and looked back to see the Joker behind them change into Clayface who took the vial and looked at them. "You weren't even supposed to be in here, Hagen. Why sign up with Joker?" Naruto asked as Clayface chuckled.
"Easy. For the role of a lifetime! And a chance to kill the man that took Talia from me!"
Clayface attacked with a blade for a hand forcing them to dodge. "From what she told me, you just saw her as a means to an end. A fact that she did not appreciate." Naruto said as he threw his ice grenade Batman did the same, having Clayface freeze.
They saw the sword sticking out of his back before jumping over. Naruto grabbed it and sliced Clayface before hearing Joker cough. "You're making me late for my spa treatment!" He picked up a detonator and pressed the button.
BOOM!
The heroes were sent flying towards the ceiling before falling through the floor and ground. As they landed, Naruto noticed that they were in the Lazarus Pit before seeing Clayface fall in it as pieces of him grew into people that started to fight them. Naruto and Batman sliced them as Batman pulled out extra long batarangs.
Clayface came out with a distorted face only to swallow more grenades that froze him. Naruto dived inside and grabbed the vial before slicing his way out. Naruto gave it to Batman who drank half. His face started to regain color before Joker stabbed him in the shoulder with a shiv. "NO!"
Naruto dived and caught the vial before standing up, dashed to Joker, and punched him in the stomach. Naruto grabbed his head and forced him to drink the rest of the cure before knocking him out. "I had Miss Martian make copies of the cure, in case we need more," Naruto said before slinging Joker over his shoulder.
Arkham City Entrance January 19, 04:15 EST.
The Police stood at the entrance with several inmates as Batman and Kage walked out and put Joker in an ambulance. "We should have more of that cure for the other infected, Jim," Naruto said before looking up. He saw a shadowed female figure float above them before flying off. 'If what that Azrael guy said was true, you'll be coming home soon, Megaera. At least, I hope.' He thought to himself before walking away.
Later, Naruto jumped onto a rooftop where he saw Cheshire with several cuts the tears on her costume. "So, what happened to you?" He asked as she shrugged.
"Helped Selina deal with Harvey. He stole her belongings. We just got the last of it now. I'll see you at home, so we can both relieve some pent-up stress from this whole debacle." She trailed a finger along his jaw before walking away.
Naruto watched her leave with a smile as he saw holes on her pants, showing her green panties before leaving himself to deal with any prisoners still left in the City.
To Be Continued.