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45.69% VECTOR IN DC / Chapter 120: CHAPTER 118

Chapitre 120: CHAPTER 118

During the late hours of the evening, I sank into the bathtub, indulging in a hot bubble bath to soothe my mind, body, and soul. As the warm water enveloped me, offering respite from the stresses of the day, my tranquility was interrupted by an alert from Gwen, my AI companion.

"What is it, Gwen? You know I despise interruptions when I'm in the bath," I grumbled, reluctantly raising myself from the comfort of the tub.

"Apologies, Master Tom, but the information I have for you might pique your interest," Gwen replied with an undertone of excitement.

Curiosity sparked within me. "Oh, really? Tell me more."

"Batman has engaged in an all-out brawl with the Joker at a warehouse. However, a portion of the building is already ablaze and could soon be consumed by fire."

A wicked smile slowly crept upon my lips, relishing the news. Finally, it seemed that Batman had reached his breaking point with his deranged counterpart and was prepared to bring an end to the madness. Yet, I couldn't help but doubt his ability to do so, given his hypocritical sense of justice, which had cost the lives of many innocents.

"Very well, Gwen. I'll be out for a while," I informed her, stepping out of the bath and quickly drying my body and hair.

Once dressed in my Ace costume, I activated the communication feature in my earpiece. "Gwen, send me the location," I commanded, ready to intervene in this volatile situation.

"Displaying the location on your lenses now," she promptly responded.

As I glanced ahead, a small map materialized beside me, marked with a red pin indicating the warehouse. That had to be the spot. With a surge of anticipation, I propelled myself mid-air, soaring toward the site of the impending clash. From a distance I could see a section of the warehouse was already on fire. 

Upon arrival, I observed the aftermath of Batman's merciless assault on the Joker. The clown's face was a grotesque tableau of brutality, yet Batman hesitated to deliver the final blow. Hovering above like a spectator, I watched, captivated, wondering if the Dark Knight would at long last sever this eternal cycle.

"Come on, Batman, you know you yearn for revenge for poor Robin. Just do it," the Joker taunted, his bloodied face twisted into a deranged smile, followed by his signature maniacal laughter.

"No, I won't succumb to your madness. A special cell has been prepared for you at Arkham, and this time, there will be no escape," Batman seethed, his restraint palpable as he refrained from pummeling the Joker into oblivion.

"Ugh... Can this get any more tiresome?" I remarked with a bored tone, lowering myself closer to Batman's side. Intrigued, I attempted to reason with him. "Come on, Bat, deep down, you know he deserves death. There's no point in returning him to that asylum; it will only perpetuate the cycle."

"Ace, what are you doing here?" Batman asked, his voice maintaining its cold demeanor, yet hiding a hint of surprise.

"I came to talk some sense into you, perhaps even lend a hand as you deliver the final blow to this scoundrel," I coolly replied, my words laced with a touch of malice.

"And who might this charming fellow be?" the Joker chimed in, his eyes gleaming with madness. "He's right, you know. We've only just met, but I think I already like him." Blood trickled from his nose, mouth, and a gash above his eyebrow, giving him an even more unhinged appearance.

"Get out of here, Batman, and leave the Joker to me," I interjected, my voice dripping with a blend of amusement and menace. "You have no place in this." Batman replied. 

"Stop being rude, Batsy. Our new friend is an honored guest tonight. He can stay as long as he pleases," the Joker chimed in, punctuating his words with a mad cackle. 

Ignoring the clown's taunting, I pressed on, my gaze fixed on Batman. "What I do is up to me. No one dictates my actions. Plunge a sharp object into his heart or blow his brains out, and he's done for."

A wicked grin curved my lips as I circled around Batman, whispering my thoughts into his conflicted mind. "Remember what he did to Robin. Recall all the lives extinguished by this heartless clown. He thrives without remorse or guilt."

The Joker, still seated amidst the wreckage and smoldering flames, couldn't resist interjecting, "Ouch... Don't say that. You might hurt my feelings."

"Shut up, clown. I'm trying to have a conversation here," I snapped, my eyes narrowing in disdain beneath my mask.

"I don't have time for this," Batman growled, his frustration mounting as he assumed a battle stance. "Ace, leave, or I'll make you."

A dry chuckle escaped my lips, the amusement evident in my voice. "I suppose you'd rather fight me than put an end to this clown. But you're not worth the effort. It would be like tossing around a rag doll."

"At least that saves me the trouble of hunting you down myself," he retorted, reaching for his utility belt and producing four batarangs.

"Frankly, I had hoped we could coexist without crossing paths. But now, you've left me no choice but to show you the consequence of opposing me," I replied with a sigh. "Well, I suppose this is how it must be."

"It's how it must be," Batman affirmed, launching two batarangs toward me before swiftly evading to his right, executing a seamless roll as he threw the remaining two.

The projectiles hurtled toward me, but I effortlessly discerned their trajectory. With calculated ease, I deftly maneuvered between them, darting toward Batman before he had a chance to react.

In the blink of an eye, I stood before him, his eyes widening in surprise as he desperately attempted to create distance. Alas, it was too late.

Before he could comprehend the imminent danger, I closed the distance with lightning speed, conjuring a sphere of condensed air in my palm. With a sudden jolt, I slammed the sphere into his chest, unleashing a shockwave that reverberated through his body.

"Ggrrrh," he grunted, his body freezing for a split second as the impact burst through his back. Blood gushed from his mouth and nose before he was sent hurtling through a stack of crates, colliding with a wall near the encroaching flames.

Joker, seemingly undeterred by the unfolding chaos, couldn't help but comment, "Wow, didn't see that one coming," yet again, punctuating his words with a mad chuckle as he attempted to get up.

"Stay down, clown. I'll attend to you shortly. No need to rush your demise," I sneered, a cold edge to my voice.

"Whoa, how intimidating," Joker remarked sarcastically, his voice oozing with twisted amusement. "I was just trying to strike up a conversation. Geez." Joker remarked, seemingly unfazed by my warnings as he defiantly made an attempt to stand up. 

"I have no time for your antics," I spat out, my eyes narrowing in disgust. With a dismissive glance in Batman's direction, I turned my attention back to the Joker, who appeared to be struggling to stand up. 

*Sigh*

Without hesitation, I accelerated towards him, delivering a powerful kick to his left knee, causing it to buckle and break. I swiftly followed up by ruthlessly forcing his right ankle against the unforgiving ground, shattering the bone with a sickening crack.

Not so surprisingly, the deranged madman didn't scream nor did he cry out in pain. Instead, he erupted into maniacal laughter, his twisted amusement echoing through the warehouse. I couldn't help but look down at him with a mix of disgust and disdain.

As I turned my attention back to Batman, I noticed him struggling to regain his footing, slowly pushing himself up from the ground.

I closed the distance between us swiftly, a predatory smile playing on my lips. "Come on now, not so fast," I taunted Batman, taking slow steps towards him.

I reached out and gripped his neck, lifting him off the ground. Predictably, he brought his hidden left hand forward and released a cloud of gas directly at my face, followed by a desperate kick to my chest. But his feeble attempts were futile against my unwavering hold.

"Nice try, Batsy, but such cheap tricks don't work on me," I scoffed as the gas cleared from my face.

"Why don't you just kill me? After all... it's what you're good at," Batman said, his voice trembling.

I burst into maniacal laughter before responding, relishing the moment. "Kill you? The weak can't even choose their own way to die." With that, I delivered a powerful blow to his solar plexus, rendering him unconscious from the internal damage he had already suffered. "Now that we're done here, it's your turn," I sneered, dropping Batman's limp body to the ground.

As I approached Joker, I noticed his limbs healing up. He wore a twisted grin, his eyes gleaming with madness.

"I warned you, Joker. Now it's time for you to face the consequences of your actions so far."

The clown's face twisted into a grotesque grin, his bloodied features contorting with sadistic delight. "Oh, I do love consequences. They make life so... Unpredictable," he cackled, seemingly unfazed by the pain coursing through his broken limbs. 

As I approached him, Batgirl descended from above, swinging into the warehouse with a resolute expression. She landed with a resolute thud, her tonfas at the ready. Her eyes locked on Batman's battered form, then quickly shifted to me.

"What have you done to him?" she demanded, her voice laced with anger and concern. Gripping her weapons tighter, she prepared to defend her fallen comrade and continue his mission by not letting me have my way with Joker. 

A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips as I met her gaze. "Don't concern yourself with him, darling. You and I both know you won't be able to alleviate my boredom."

Batgirl's eyes narrowed as she steeled her resolve. "We'll see about that," she retorted, her voice filled with a mix of determination and defiance as she prepared to attack.

===========

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Chapitre 121: CHAPTER 119

I could sense the fire within her, the unwavering spirit of a true hero. Fortunately for her, I had no intention of fighting her but proceed with the fate that awaited the Joker. I took a step closer, the smoke filled air crackling with energy around me.

"Batgirl, you can't save him," I taunted, my voice laced with a chilling confidence. "His crimes are beyond redemption. The world will be better off without him."

She tightened her grip on the tonfas, her knuckles almost turning white. "I won't let you take the law into your own hands. That isn't justice."

I let out a low cackle, my eyes gleaming with an icy intensity. "Justice? Is that what you call it? Your Dark Knight there has allowed this monster to roam free time and time again. How many lives must be lost before he finally acts? Or have you forgotten who is responsible for Robin's death?"

Batgirl's resolve wavered for a moment, doubt flickering in her eyes. But she quickly shook it off, her determination resurfacing. "We have a justice system in place for a reason. We don't stoop to their level."

I took a step closer, my voice dripping with disdain. "And how has that worked out? The Joker always finds a way back, causing more chaos, more death. It's a never-ending cycle, and it's time someone put an end to it."

She squared her shoulders, her voice filled with unwavering conviction. "We fight to protect the innocent, to ensure that even the worst criminals face justice. Killing them doesn't make us heroes; it makes us no better than them."

I let out a humorless laugh, my eyes narrowing as I stared her down. "Heroes? Don't make me laugh. Your so-called heroism only perpetuates the suffering. It's time for a new era, where those who deserve to be punished meet their end."

"Then we, the actual heroes, would be there to stop you." She said before going through a short series of coughs due to the smoke. 

"Stop me? Don't make me laugh, only few of you your so called heroes are strong enough to fight someone like me." I said with a tone that reflected my level of certainty. I could see clearly in her eyes that my words had sent chills down her spine for a split second. 

Batgirl braced herself, ready to face whatever I threw her way. Be that as it may, I had no interest in engaging her. "You better forget about that clown and save both yourself and the Bat before you both get suffocated by the smoke, or burnt even."

"Don't worry about us, we'll be fine. But for you, I can't really say." She said before lunging towards me with her tonfas in hand. 

*Sigh*

"Women…They just don't listen." I muttered with a logy tone. This had gone on long enough and we were running out of time, I had no choice but to end it as soon as I could. 

She got to me and took the first swing which I easily evaded and followed up with my fist making a direct hit on her solar plexus. She gasped for air as she started breathing heavily, getting weaker as the seconds passed. 

The fire was rapidly burning through the oxygen in the air, limiting it. And the little that was in the atmosphere was accompanied by smoke. It was already difficult to breath and with that blow, she struggled to stay on her feet. 

I took a step closer. "You can try to stop me, Batgirl. But in the end, you'll realize that the world needs someone like me. Someone who isn't bound by your outdated notions of justice. It's nothing personal." I said to her, then watched her as she slowly lost consciousness. "Say hello to the guy in the red mask for me." I added before she dropped to the floor. 

Immediately I was done settling everything I needed to do, I walked over to Joker and disappeared from the scene along with him. 

… 

[Barbara Gordon's POV] 

"Batgirl... Batgirl." I heard a distant voice calling my name, slowly pulling me back from the darkness. I blinked, struggling to focus my blurry vision. As my eyes cleared, I realized it was Batman, his concerned face hovering above me.

"What happened?" I managed to ask, my voice weak and groggy. I found myself lying at a safe distance from the charred remains of the warehouse.

"I was hoping you could tell me. I woke up over here not too long ago," Batman replied, his tone filled with uncertainty.

"The last thing I remembered was my confrontation with Ace, and embarrassingly enough, being swiftly taken down by a single punch."

"There's no need to feel embarrassed. Ace isn't an ordinary adversary. We can't underestimate his strength or the nature of his powers," Batman reassured me, extending a hand to help me sit up.

As I mustered the strength to rise, I noticed something tucked behind my utility belt. Curiosity piqued, I retrieved a folded piece of paper. Batman peered over my shoulder, his gaze fixed on the mysterious note.

"What is it? A message?" Batman inquired.

"I'm not sure, I just found it." I unfolded the paper, revealing a handwritten message. It read, 'You're both welcome for saving your lives. From your not-so-friendly, you know who. P.S: Remember you both owe me one.'

"It seems Ace managed to rescue us before the fire consumed us. We need to extinguish the remaining flames and confirm if he captured Joker or, worse, if he killed him on the spot," Batman stated, concern etched on his face. He extended his hand, offering support as I rose to my feet.

Together, we worked to extinguish the fires, ensuring no human remains were left within the wreckage. It became evident that Ace had indeed captured Joker, his whereabouts unknown. It was clear that Ace had a strong desire to see the Joker dead.

Later that evening, Bruce lay in bed, his weakened body connected to IV drips, a result of the injuries sustained during his earlier confrontation. Alfred had insisted he rest for the night, cautioning against pushing himself too hard.

In the Batcave, frustration consumed me as I attempted to trace Joker's or Ace's location. Each endeavor proved fruitless, as if Ace had vanished from the face of the earth and without a trace, taking Joker with him. The realization that he intended to end Joker's life only intensified my frustration. Joker needed to pay for his crimes, death is just an easy way out.

Moreover, I've been troubled by what he said before I lost consciousness. He mentioned the guy in the red mask, I could only assume he was referring to the new vigilante who popped out of nowhere a few weeks back and goes by the name Redhood. I don't know what he meant by that or what their connection might be, but they were both menace to society.

Just as I was drowning in the uncertainty, Alfred's image flickered on the screen before me. Startled, I turned to face him, eager to know the cause of his interruption.

"Ms. Gordon, I'm afraid we have a bit of a situation," Alfred's voice echoed through the cave, his tone grave.

"What's the problem, Alfred?" I asked, my curiosity piqued by his serious demeanor.

"There's a public broadcast concerning the Joker and the encounter you and Batman had with Ace earlier this evening."

"Really?" I replied, surprised, my fingers swiftly tapping at the keyboard, retrieving the broadcast on a side monitor.

"Master Bruce, you should be resting. Please don't overexert yourself," Alfred admonished, a concerned expression on his face. Bruce appeared at the entrance of the Batcave, his determination masking the pain that coursed through his body.

"I never thought someone would be sick enough to actually kidnap me, such irony. You must truly have a few screws loose," the Joker's voice echoed from the broadcast, followed by his signature cackle.

Suddenly, a video feed appeared on the screen, revealing a bloodied and battered Joker, tied to a chair in a dimly lit room. It was evident that he had been subjected to a severe beating before the broadcast.

"Shut the fuck up, clown," Ace's voice retorted as he stepped into view, his presence commanding.

"Barbara, try to triangulate his transmission and pinpoint his exact location," Bruce instructed, a subtle hint of pain lingering in his words. Whatever Ace had done to him, it had taken its toll on his body. 

"On it," I responded, my fingers dancing across the keyboard as I initiated the task. After a moment of intense concentration, I let out a disheartened exclamation. "How is this possible!"

"What's wrong?" Bruce asked, his voice laden with concern.

"I attempted to triangulate the location of the signal, but it led to multiple pings from various radio stations across different cities," I explained, my surprise evident in my tone.

"Just as I suspected, it wouldn't be that easy. He must have hacked into those radio stations to conceal his actual signal, making it like finding a needle in a haystack. Currently, this broadcast is being transmitted through all of those stations," Bruce analyzed calmly, his strategic mind at work.

"Keep trying. See if you can isolate the original signal and get a fix on his actual location," he continued, his determination unwavering.

The screen flickered to life once again, and the Joker's mouth was sealed shut with duct tape. "Hello, everyone. Sorry to interrupt your programs or disrupt your activities tonight, but I have a message to pass on to the public," Ace's voice resonated, capturing our attention.

"After recent events, you've all chosen to call me Ace. I have no qualms with that name; in fact, I might even like it. Some see me as a villain, while others call me a hero. Frankly, I don't give a damn about how you perceive me. I will continue to do as I please," Ace proclaimed, his words laced with an air of chilly confidence.

"With that out of the way, here's my message for all of you," he declared, his words sending a slight shiver down my spine. Ace had left us all in a state of suspense, unaware of his true motives or the reason behind his abduction of the Joker but now he was about to reveal it all.

===========

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