#41: "On The Hill, Pt 2 (Vasquez / wildlifehoodoo)

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Edited by Charles HoM[/center]


Gavin King sat huddled in an alley on the Hill, holding his shotgun close to his chest, trying to blend into the shadows as much ad he could. He bowed his head and closed his eyes. He could hear the hum and smell the exhaust of passing cars. He heard the chatter of the people hanging out on the nearby corner, arguing who was better player, LeBron or Kobe. He could hear the loud, bumping bass of someone's sound system, as he recognized the opening beats to Rick Ross's Deeper than Rap album and instinctively began to nod his head to the music. Normally, he would join in on the debate, letting those guys know why Kobe is the best or spit a few bars along with Ricky, but today he had a different purpose, and remembering that snapped him back to reality.

It had only been a few hours since he had walked into his family's home in Otisburg and found his parents, brother and sister brutally murdered. Only a few hours since he sat there and answered all of the questions the police had for him and watched the bodies of his family get taken to the morgue.

He thought of his parents. They didn't agree with the decisions Gavin made with his life or his lifestyle. It was a random meeting a Gotham Commons Mall, where his parents, seeing him for the first time in years, expressed how they wanted to bury the hatchet, how his brother and sister missed him, and how they wanted him come back home. The police assured him they would find out why they were targeted, but Gavin already knew why. It was a message to Orpheus, just like Jody was.

Gavin smiled when he thought about Jody. They went way back, and got into the game right out of high school. Others came and went in their crew, but they remained constant, and his death really hurt. But both he and Gavin knew that when you play the game, you'll sometimes get it and sometimes it'll get you. He could accept Jody's death as consequence of the cycle of violence they participated in, but even then, Jody didn't deserve to die like that.

Gavin made it a point for them to target only people on the game, no civilians, no kids, no working people. While it wasn't a traditional code of honor, it still felt that way to Gavin. Even if someone like Black Mask didn't follow something similar, there was still a line and he crossed it, and Gavin swore it would be for the last time.

He heard a car creep to a stop near his alley. Using a broken mirror he found, he saw it was a black Grand National and recognized the driver. Gavin only knew him as Henderson, Black Mask's second in command and he was talking to an African-American that Gavin didn't recognize. Henderson was pointing to various points at the street, and according to the dealer he met earlier, Darion Kemp, one of the youths on the corner participating on the LeBron/Kobe debate, had been gaining a reputation of being a snitch, and in this world, it meant you had to go.

Henderson stopped talking to his partner and got out of the car. Gavin pressed himself against the wall of the building behind him to hide better on the shadows. Remember, you're not wearing your helmet, Gavin thought to himself. While most of the stealth suit's camp functions were controlled by Gavin through his helmet, the suit still provided him with more than adequate armor. Plus, this was something Gavin King needed to do, not Orpheus.

He heard a car door open and saw in the broken mirror, Henderson get out of the car and run to the corner where Darion Kemp was dealing. Good, Gavin thought, as he leaned back against the walls and into the shadows. Seconds later, he heard the other door open and close. With the sound of Timberland boots hitting the pavement, Gavin gripped the barrel shotgun tight and placed his finger gently on the trigger. Once Henderson's accomplice came into his peripheral vision, Gavin sprang to his feet and pumped the gun, causing his mark to look at him.

"What's good, $&@#%?" Gavin said as he pulled the trigger. The force to the shot caused the man to fly back into the car parked alongside him, before lifelessly falling to the ground and his blood beginning to stain the sidewalk underneath him.

Gavin pumped the shotgun, discharging the used shell and walked to the street. He turned and aimed toward the corner and saw Henderson running at him at first, but upon seeing Gavin, began to duck for cover. Gavin took his shot, hitting Black Mask’s #2 in the leg. Henderson screamed as he grabbed his wounded leg and began to crawl behind a parked car.

Gavin walked slowly towards his wounded mark, ignoring the crowd of people running away from him and not worried about any retribution. Henderson and his friend were outsiders and no one in the Hill was going to run to their defense, especially against Orpheus. He made his way to were Henderson was, down on the pavement and clutching his bleeding leg. Henderson reached behind him to grab his handgun, but Orpheus quickly pointed his gun at the wounded gangster.

"I would advise against that," Gavin said. "Why don't you slide that piece over here?" Henderson slid the gun across the pavement to Gavin.

"Now," Gavin said, bending his knees to pick up the gun, not taking his eyes or the gun off of Henderson. "You know who I am, right?"

"Yeah," Henderson stammered as he held his leg.

"So you know why I'm here," Gavin said, placing Henderson's gun under his waistband.

"Yeah, and I can assure you, it's not going to end very well for you if you keep going down this path."

"That maybe, but I'll be sure to take a lot of people with me," Gavin replied. "Like your boss, you can believe that. So what I want you to do is to go to your boss and tell him I'm coming to get him. And I'm not going to miss. But first, let’s have a little chat."





Batman landed with a grunt and a grimace on the roof of an abandoned building in the Hill. He touched his ribs, which seemed to burn as he did. They weren't fully healed from his last encounter with Orpheus, when he took a direct hit to the abdomen from the helmeted man's shot gun. He reached into a pouch on his utility belt and took out the modified iPhone Lucius had given to him earlier. The long time ally in Bruce’s and now Dick's war on crime had modified the GPS tracking to pick up the analog signal of the helmets tracking device. According to the tracking app, the signal was coming from somewhere in the building.

Batman leaped down from the roof, stretching out his cape to soften the fall, and landed on the ground with another grimace. He pried open a large sheet of ply wood from the abandoned building and entered into total darkness. Batman flicked on his night vision lenses and the building became illuminated in black and white, and walked down the corridor quietly before he found a door with a bolt lock. He put the iPhone away into its pouch on his utility belt and opened another to grab some lock-picking instruments. After a few minutes, Batman was able to open the door and gain entry.

The interior of the building differed greatly from its run down exterior. As Batman entered the living area, he found it to be fully furnished and well kept. There was a large flat screen TV on the wall and lots of computer equipment on coffee tables and desks around the room. He walked to the back of the room where a small arsenal of explosives, handguns, shotguns and ammunition were spread out over a table. Orpheus's helmet was on the table as well. Batman picked it up and examined it, amazed at how well it worked for being not just a prototype, but old tech as well. The entire stealth suit was a precursor to the bat-suit, though Bruce never incorporated its camo- ability.

Batman took another scan around the room and could not find the rest of the stealth suit. He was about to search the rest of the domicile when he heard footsteps. Batman looked behind him and saw a young woman; the same one that had running with Orpheus entered the room, holding a gun with both hands up near her head.

"Gavin, is that you?" Tavy said, walking in with caution and with a slight yawn in her voice. Batman carefully moved behind her as she walked towards the entrance. She turned on a light to better see what had gone on. Once she saw the open door, she turned around and was greeted by the caped crusader. Batman disarmed her, spun her around, cupped her mouth with his hand and pinned her on the floor.

"I'm not going to hurt you or turn you in to the PD," Batman said over Tavy's muffled protests. "I'm here to warn you and Orpheus this road you guys are down is one that will kill you both. Black Mask isn't like the other mob bosses you've encountered. But I’m also not going to allow the bloodshed to continue, so if either of you cross that line, you'll be the next one I take down." Batman said as he let go of Tavy. She scurried along the floor to grab a gun that was concealed under a couch but when she turned and pointed it, Batman was gone.



"I can't say that I'm happy to hear this Henderson," Black Mask said as he examined the new face his new associate, the Flesh-Monger created for him. Up until a few days ago, Roman Sionis was suffering from fourth degree burns on his face and was self-medicating with pain pills to get by. The Flesh-Monger, using her ability to manipulate flesh, grafted another's skin onto his face, restructuring Roman's face to what it once was.

"Of course, all of this could have been avoided," Flesh-Monger said, with a yawn in her voice as she stretched out in her chair.

"Listen, this business is what it is," Black Mask said as he took his attention away from his mirror and his new face. "You're gonna have people thinking they can come for the king, become the alpha male. It's up to me, being said king, being said alpha male to put these wannabes in their place."

Black Mask turned his attention back to Henderson, ignoring the scornful look Flesh-Monger was giving him. "Now Henderson, are you sure that's all that happened? I would hate to think that my number two is holding out on me."

Black Mask looked to the Flesh-Monger and gave her a nod. She playfully ran her fingers through Henderson's hair, his protests muffled due to his mouth being sealed shut by Flesh-Mongers power, as well as his eyes. "It’s okay sweetie, you can talk now," she said.

"I swear boss," Henderson said as soon as his lips reformed. "I'm being straight with you."

"Then how do you explain how my main shipment of smack got hijacked by Orpheus an hour ago?" Black Mask yelled as he pounded his desk with his fist. Henderson's jaw dropped and Flesh-Monger mockingly acted surprised as she pressed her fingers to her mouth.

"You're lucky I like you Henderson," Black Mask said as he leaned back in his chair. "And I'm not going to forget your loyal service, so I'm going to let you live for the time being until I find a suitable way to kill you."

"But boss..." Henderson's words became muffled again as Flesh-Monger sealed his lips shit again.

"Get him outta here," Black Mask said, turning his attention back to his mirror and his new face.

"Dont worry yourself cutie," Flesh-Monger said as she guided Henderson out of Black Mask's office. "You're going to be just fine."



"Tavy, what's the matter?" Orpheus asked as he parked his van.

"Nothing... I mean... It's nothing."

"Are you still spooked from earlier? I told you as soon as we're done we'll move to the other safe house."

"It's not that, not really... I mean... Gavin, we jacked enough pure china white from Black Mask that we can essentially retire," Tavy began. "I mean, is what we're about to do really worth it?"

"To me it is," Orpheus said.

"But is this what your parents would want? Is this what Jody would want?"

"Tavy…I told you in the beginning, when you got involved with us, that I will never ask you to do anything you don't want to do. If you want out, I'll give you half of the H and that will be that. But for me, there's no going back. I'm in this until the end and if I'm gonna go out, I'm taking Black Mask with me," Orpheus paused , looking at Tavy through the red lens of his helmet. He placed the keys to the van in her hand. "So, if you want to go, you know where the stuff is and you can take your half."

"Yeah I could, but then I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you," Tavy said grabbing Orpheus's hand. "Plus, I doubt you could find your underwear drawer, much less keep yourself alive fighting Black Mask single without me."

"You sure?" Orpheus asked, smiling at Tavy who nodded. "Okay, let's go see the fat man"

Orpheus got out of the car and Tavy followed, grabbing a duffel bag from the back of the van. They walked into an alley behind one of Gotham's most famous night clubs, were the back entrance to the club was guarded but a burly bald man in a tuxedo.

"Guys, if you want entrance into the Iceberg Lounge, you have to wait in line like everyone else," the bouncer said. "Nice costume," he said to Orpheus. "But your a couple of months early for our Halloween party."

Orpheus smiled as he grabbed the label of the bouncer’s tuxedo and punched him across the face. He then followed it up with a chop to the throat, grabbed his shotgun from under his trench coat and used it to put a choke hold on the bouncer.

"Call your boss and tell him Orpheus is here to see him." Orpheus said as he applied pressure to the end of the barrel.

The bouncer grabbed his radio from the clip on his belt and did as he was told. "He says to go on up. Just go from here to..."

"Thanks, I know the way from here," Orpheus interrupted as he let go of the bouncer. Tavy opened the door for Orpheus and followed him in. They walked through the kitchen and to an elevator. Orpheus pressed the only button and it opened up. Once inside, it took them up and after a few seconds, the elevator door opened

"Ah, Orpheus, welcome," Oswald Cobbelpot, The Penguin, welcomed them as his body guard wheeled him out from behind his desk to greet them. "To what do I owe this pleasure."

"I have a business proposition for you," Orpheus said as Tavy threw the duffel bag onto the Penguin's lap. He opened it and found about a dozen bricks of heroin inside.

"Now this didn't come from the shipment that you stole from Black Mask earlier, did it?" Penguin asked.

"Word really does travel fast," Orpheus said. "And since when is where I get stuff to sell you an issue."

"Since the Underworld went through a reshuffling," Penguin said as he zipped up the bag and gave it to his associate. "I don't think I can accept this."

"You haven’t even heard my proposal," Orpheus said. "Can we sit?"

"My apologies young man," Penguin said as his associate wheeled him back behind his desk and Orpheus and Tavy sat in the chairs in front. "You've got two minutes."

"You get this," Orpheus said throwing the duffel bag on Penguin's desk, "And the rest of the shipment for a way to contact Black Mask directly."

"You want to what?" Penguin asked. "Why on earth would you want to do that?"

"To set up a meeting." Orpheus said. "Honestly, the less you know the better"

"Fair enough," Penguin said. "But then I have to ask myself, what possible benefit will this have for me, as it will be apparently obvious to Black Mask where you got your information from. As lucrative it is to take this pure china off your hands, it might not be worth my life."

"See Penguin," Orpheus began. "I know where you're coming from, but the pros of this outweigh the cons because when, not if, when I kill Black Mask, that leaves the underworld wide open for an ambitious individual like yourself to pick up the pieces. And I know you don't like how he's castrated you

"And I know that despite everything, you're always keeping tabs on important people and keeping your ears open." Orpheus continued. "You're telling me that you haven't come across a number or someway Black Mask's own people get in touch with him? Surely the drugs and taking out the Black Mask is worth that."

"You're pretty clever for a street urchin," Penguin said smiling, motioning for his associate to come over and handing him the duffel bag of drugs. "I hear Mr. Henderson is in Black Mask's proverbial dog house. Why don't we give this fine young gentleman that information he requires. Oh and make sure you get the address for the rest of the white."



Batman kept himself low to the rooftop across from the Iceberg Lounge as he waited for Orpheus and his companion to exit. While he was at Orpheus's safe house earlier, he planted a small microphone on Orpheus's helmet that allowed him of eavesdrop on the conversations he had with the Penguin and Black Mask, setting up a meeting at a parking garage in on 83rd and HoM. Dick paused for a moment before he looked down at his GPS app and saw that Orpheus was on the move. The garage was not far from the Iceberg and Batman decided to follow him on the rooftops.

When Batman got to the parking garage, he saw that Orpheus had stopped on one of the middle floors. After checking the upper levels for any traps, he descended to the middle level Orpheus was on, sticking to the shadows to remain invisible. The floor was empty except for the white van parked in the middle. Soon after a caravan of black SUVs entered and parked in a semi-circle in front of the entrance. The first two cars emptied, and eight men armed with automatic rifles began to search the area for any surprises. Once the coast was clear, the last SUV emptied. Two more goons with guns exited out of the driver and passenger side. From the back door, the Black Mask exited, followed by the Flesh-Monger.

"Alright Orpheus," Black Mask buttoned his black suit jacket as his words echoed. "Tell me where my drugs are and we'll get on our separate ways."

The door to the driver's side opened up and all of Black Mask's henchmen drew their weapons at it. A pair of hands was put up and into view of Black Mask's crew, as Tavy exited the van.

"Where's Orpheus?" Black Mask asked as he motioned for the Flesh-Monger to pat Tavy down, to the Flesh-monger's pleasure.

"He's with the drugs," Tavy said as Flesh-Monger patted her down with a smile. "I'm supposed to take you to them."

"I don't have time for this bull$&@#," Blask Mask said as he snapped his fingers. Flesh-Monger grabbed Tavy by the back of her neck and began to tighten the skin of her face. Tavy tried to scream, but couldn't move her mouth. The corners of her eyes and mouth began to bleed as the skin cracked, before Flesh-Monger returned the skin's elasticity. "Tell me where Orpheus is so I can kill you then kill him," Black Mask ordered.

Batman looked at his GPS app and saw the blip that indicated Orpheus was here and moving toward Black Mask. Batman looked behind Black Mask as he threatened the girl and saw nothing before activating his infrared lenses.

When Lucius had given Dick the modified iPhone, he also modified Batman's infrared lenses to pick up the energy flow the helmet of the stealth suit used to camouflage the body of its user. So instead of seeing a faint bubble like he did previously, he could now see the outline of the person. And right now, he saw the outline of a person bringing up a shotgun to the back of Black Mask's head.

Another result of the modification allowed Batman to see the power source of the helmet, which gave off the most heat and was located at the back of the helmet. Batman flung a Batarang at the spot, hitting it dead center, disabling the stealth function of Orpheus's suit.

"Boss, behind you," One of Black Mask's men shouted as Orpheus became visible. The man tried to draw his weapon on Orpheus, but Orpheus quickly turned and shot him in the leg. Orpheus's attack left him open, and Black Mask took advantage, grabbing his pistol and clubbing him in the side of the head with it, knocking him down.

"Well, we finally meet at last," Black Mask said, pointing his fun at Orpheus's head. "And I'm going to tell you, I've got some crazy torture #%*£ planned..."

Before Black Mask could elaborate further, one of his henchmen was sucked into the shadows and batarangs flew out, hitting the others in the hands and disarming them. Batman leapt out of the shadows and connected with a flying kick to the head of one henchman, before engaging the remainder.

Black Mask looked over and the distraction left an opening for Orpheus to grab the gun away from the crime boss. He kicked Black Mask's legs out from underneath him and did a handspring to his feet. He grabbed Black Mask by his tie and pulled him up to place the gun under his chin.

"Now, now, you aren't going to forget about us ladies are you?" Flesh-Monger said with her hand wrapped around Tavy's throat. A line of blood began to form underneath Tavy's hairline as her eyes and mouth where sealed shut. "If you value this pretty young ladies’ life, I suggest that you boys stand down."

Batman dropped the last of the henchmen down onto the ground and Orpheus let Black Mask go, who scurried over to the Flesh Monger. "Good boys," she purred. "Now, so you don't get any ideas to follow us..."

She put her foot on the hand of one of Black Mask's henchmen and he started to scream. All of the others began to follow suit as they had their skin ripped from the bones and merged together. Batman threw a batarang at the Flesh-Monger, but the blob of flesh expanded into a wall that separated and protected them from Batman and Orpheus.

"No, Tavy!" Orpheus screamed as he recognized his friend's face on the wall.

"Oh my god," Batman said to himself as he looked at the wall. "You can still see their faces" Batman used a batarang to cut through the wall only to see that Black Mask and Flesh-Monger had already left. When he turned his attention back to Orpheus, Batman found that he too was gone, leaving his helmet behind.



"It's such a lovely night, I really do love the country." Black Mask could hear the Flesh-Monger say. He didn't know where he was and couldn't see because his eyes had been blind folded. His hands where also tied together and he was gagged. He could hear chirping and the sound of crickets, so it was somewhere in the countryside. He could also smell the ocean.

"Oh, how rude of me, Mr. Mask," The Flesh-Monger said. "To not let you see this." Suddenly, his vision was restored and he could see the curvy villainess and behind her and in front of a row of cars with their headlights on, were the heavy hitters of his gang. He also realized that his mouth was not gagged and his hands were not tied together. His mouth was sealed shut and his hands were fused together and he could assume that his eye lids were as well. He tried to say something, but all that came out was an angry muffled sound.

"I know what you're thinking Mr. Mask, that this isn't what you had in mind when you hired me as your consultant," Flesh-Monger began. "But I beg to differ. You hired me to ensure that your gang would be feared and respected and that's just what I'm doing. You have proven yourself to be a detriment to this gang and it has lost face, no pun intended, because of your reckless behavior and addiction. So it's in your best interest and the best of the gang that I assume control.

"But don't worry Mr. Mask, under my leadership. This gang will reach it's full potential and as for you," Flesh-Monger grabbed him and turned him around and he saw that they were on a cliff with the ocean below. "I wouldn't worry about feeling anything; you’ll probably pass out halfway down."

That was the last image Roman Sionis had of the world before his eyes were sealed shut.