Where the Bat and Bird Play [open]

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"Guys, did you see that? I totally got video of that thing!" The excited voice of a young male echoed down the near desolate street, as the blonde headed teenager whipped his Iphone around for his two companions to see. "Maybe we should do our school projects out here more often." One of them suggested with an amused tone. The entire group still trembled with the fright they had just received. The video itself displayed the three of them walking along, discussing the crime rate of Gotham and how the Batman had an effect on it, when a monstrous creature launched itself from the alley just a few feet ahead, emitting an ear splitting shriek as it ascended into the dark sky with a single flap of what appeared to be wings. "This is definitely going on YouTube." 

Of course, the beast himself had no intention of appearing on camera that night. He hardly noticed the three young high school students as he shot past. By the time their startled voices reached his ears, he was already soaring over rooftops, predatory gaze scanning the concrete landscape with a hungry light. It was quieter in South Gotham, lacking in the homeless, as well as the wealthy late-night party goers. The streets seemed safer, though it was a well known fact that the ghastly fingers of city crime could penetrate wherever they desired. 

Man-Bat continued to move deeper through the residential middle class sector of Gotham City, following his nose, as large nostrils flared to take in the scents that rose from the earth below. Hunger gnawed at his stomach, driving him forward. He was an omnivore, and anything would do. His destination became more apparent the closer he flew, up ahead, the popular Gotham City Zoo stretched across an urban oasis of green. With another flap of his leathery wings, he accelerated into the property, gliding over the enclosures with his crimson eyes narrowed into a piercing glare, taking their pick of the prey that (mostly) slumbered below. Those that were awake were alerted and agitated by his presence, chattering loudly to one another as if attempting to warn their companions of the danger that lurked in the skies. 

Finally, the Man-Bat slowed to a near complete stop, hovering over one particular habitat that had caught his attention. Below, shrouded with shadow, was an enclosure that consisted largely of stone, man-made dens carved into the rock that was surrounded on all sides by carefully regulated water. The walls of the enclosure were of thick glass, and a fishy odor rose to meet the beast's nose. The Man-Bat descended onto the island of stone, massive talons clicking against the rough surface as he lumbered toward one of the dens. Making quick use of his echolocation, he determined that were captive creatures hidden inside. 

Pinning his ears so that they lied flat against his thick skull, the villain ducked his head into the small cave, intruding upon a nest of sleeping birds, glossy feathers of black and white making it easy to distinguish them as Emperor penguins. They had no idea of the predator that hovered near their small forms. Moving quickly, the Man-Bat snapped his jaws around one of the beasts, yanking it from the den and back out into the open air. It's calls of alarm quickly set the entire habitat alive with defensive squawks and shrieks, but the Man-Bat ignored them as he made swift work of his prey, devouring the penguin in minutes. All that remained were blood, feathers, and a few bones, and he was still hungry. 

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"We have an alarm tripped at the Gotham City zoo, all squads in the area please investigate." GCPD dispatch relayed over the radio for any and all cars located near the Gotham City zoo. An alarm tripped at the zoo was most likely a malfunction. Nothing at the Zoo would merit more than one squad to check on why the alarm was tripped. 

"This is car fifty-one responding to the 10-36 at the Gotham city zoo, please advise. Over." Officer Reeves of car #51 responded, turning on his siren and making his way to the Gotham city zoo. "The head zoo keeper, Mark Jefferson has been contacted and will meet you at the entrance to the zoo." Dispatched said again, a call at the zoo wasn't super unlikely since alarms do tend to malfunction. "10-4 dispatch, we're about to arrive at the zoo." Car #51 arrived at the zoo, Officer Reeves and Officer Duhm exiting their squad car and making their way to the visitor center at the entrance to the zoo. "Dispatch we're 10-76 at the zoo." Officer Reeves alerted dispatch before the Zoo Keeper ran up to him. 

"Officer! Officer! We've got a problem! I looked over the footage! One of the penguins was eaten alive! Please come you have to help." 

Officer Reeves shook his head with a laugh. "Sir, you know that setting off an alarm for a prank is a federal crime?" 

The zoo keeper shook his head, starting his way towards the security room. "Please just look at the footage I beg of you!" Officer Reeves nodded, following the zoo keeper. 

"Officer Duhm will check out the penguin habitat since that is where the alarm originated and I will watch your footage." Officer Reeves exclaimed while he followed the zoo keeper in the surveillance room. The zoo keeper hands Officer Duhm a pair of keys. "Thank you! Follow me! Be careful Officer Duhm!"

Officer Duhm made his way to the penguin habitat, entering the locked door with the keys the zoo keeper gave him. 

He was met with a room full of squawking penguins. A pile of bloody feathers right in front of him. 

"Uh... We've got a situation here..." 

Just as Officer Duhm radioed Officer Reeves, He and the Zoo Keeper just finished watching the video. 

With horror Officer Reeves grabbed his radio. "Get out of there now! You hear me! Run!"

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A feral gaze of glimmering crimson surveyed the enclosure as they narrowed in on a second victim, a penguin that had poked its feathered head from one of the dens carved into the stone, trying to make sense of the panic that had taken hold of the habitat. A snarl alerted the aquatic creature, teeth glinting in the dim light, talons scraping against rock as the muscular Man-Bat prepared to lunge. But something out of place had disturbed him. Even amidst the startled cries of his prey, he could make out the unmistakable wail of police sirens, closing in on the zoo. 

Of course, he had expected local security to notice his presence, but not quite so quickly. He could only assume that some alarm had been tripped, despite the lack of appearance of one. Growling with irritation that his late night dinner had been so rudely interrupted, the beast spread massive, leathery appendages and with a single flap, hoisted himself into the air, taking shelter on the top of the large pile of stone within the enclosure. He flattened himself against the rough surface, hidden amidst the shadows, and remained alert for the inevitable intrusion. 

With the use of his echo-location, he was quick to make out the approach of an individual. Strange that he was alone, but then again, the man likely wouldn't have expected to run into a monster that night. The click of keys as they entered the lock was nearly deafening to the Man-Bat, despite how little significance the noise might have posed for any normal human. A twitch of his tall, triangular ears signified the small bit of discomfort he felt, but that feeling was quickly extinguished when the officer opened the door and entered the penguin habitat. 

He had no idea that upon entering the enclosure, he had sealed a gruesome fate. The man might as well have walked into the lion den. The Man-Bat continued to watch, taking note that the officer was using a radio to contact another cop. Only seconds after his statement went through, the static was interrupted with the frantic warning of another male. Officer Duhm, however, had received the call too late. The Man-Bat launched himself from the rock, wings spreading to cast a ghastly shadow across the police officer. 

Within moments, the nightmarish predator had fell upon him with bone crushing weight, talons ripping across his stomach, shredding flesh like paper. The fluid that spurted from the wound was warm and of metallic scent, but it's crimson color wasn't identifiable in the darkness of the night. An ear splitting screech exploded from powerful jaws as the Man-Bat pushed away from the human, ascending back toward the sky, and over the enclosure's thick glass wall. Officer Duhm was left sputtering and struggling for breath on the cold stone as the Man-Bat sought out the second officer with his echo-location, circling overhead. 

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“This is car fifty-one responding to the 10-36 at the Gotham City Zoo--”

The JSA HQ police radio scanner fuzzed in and out of coherent phrases and sentences, but that one stood out the most, especially to Ky who had instantly turned to face her friend with a look of horror and worry that could melt even the deadest of hearts.

“N-Noelle. Noo” Slender, gloved digits moved to gently squeeze the vampire’s shoulder, shaking her back and forth as slowly and carefully as the young Kryptonian could. “The zoo. Oh no”

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The pleading and the look was enough to make the decision final and Carpenter and Ky were on their way to the Gotham City Zoo in moments. Unfortunately they wouldn’t arrive till after the police had already arrived, more time was taken to hide the Vampire’s car, by the time they were sneaking into the Zoo Man-Bat had already attacked Officer Duhm.

Ky could hear the high-frequency squealing coming from deeper in the Zoo, she looked to Carpenter, obvious distress plastered all over her face. “W-we have to hurry. Someone is being attacked. I can hear them” The teen pointed off towards the far off Penguin Exhibit.

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The vampire nodded to Ky, but was slightly confused at some of the Police Code—she had been working in the heroic field as a vigilante for about a year and a half, and for the most part, she was familiar with most of the things that went on in a scanner, but this was the first time she heard several of the terms. “C’mon let’s get in the car… what the hell is a 10-76? Animal related crimes? Is someone trying to make love to a horse again? Carpenter asked folding her arms with a raised eye-brow. “That never works out.” she continued to muse as she grabbed the keys to her car.

---

Arriving at the zoo, and sneaking around the darkest corners, Carpenter looked to her partner when she spoke and then the shriek of the battle cry that Man-Bat emitted filled the air. She covered her ears, in pain as her hearing too had been heightened, but not to the extent of the Kryptonian’s. “I think everyone in Gotham Heights can hear them. What the hell is that?” She asked looking about towards the aviary.

---

Arriving at the scene of the crime, there it stood, in plain sight, a devilish creature. Half man, half bat. Carpenter had never seen Batman with her own eyes, only hearing stories from the Justice Society of America, those who have worked with him in the past. Was this creature him? Disgusted with the carnage of the now dead police officer, it clearly wasn’t a vampire; for one, the damn creature was tearing him to shreds. “Is that… Batman?!” Carpenter asked in shock, as she and her friend blocked the exit of the exhibit.

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Officer Duhm did try to reach for his sidearm. Before he was able to get it free from his holster it was too late. He was attacked. The feeling of the giant creature ripping into his stomach like paper wasn't exactly a good one. He didn't sign up for this. The police academy would never cover a giant bat like creature tearing into you and spilling out innards. That's the last thing he felt. The light then started to become dark. He couldn't see, everything was going cold. His life was over. Was he sad? Of course, but this was it. He knew the dangers of being a police officer. He just never thought he would go out like this. But he accepted it. That's the only way he could pass from this world. With a sense that he was doing his job. 

Officer Reeves on the other hand had a hard time dealing with the current event that was now happening. He nervously grabbed his radio. "This is Officer Jake Reeves, we got a possible officer down. We've got a code 77 please send all available back up." The officer spoke in a very worried tone, him grabbing the zoo keeper and rushing back to the entrance. 

"Roger that c51, please wait for back up before progressing further." Dispatch was calm, Reeves felt almost out of place. The others didn't see what he saw. They didn't hear what he heard. The scream of Officer Duhm. Now all he could do was wait. 

A few minutes that felt like hours for Officer Reeves passed. 

Sirens in the background could be heard. 

The cavalry was on the way. 

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The cool, evening air rushed over the leathery membranes of his monstrous wings, tugging lightly at the fur that covered his muscular frame. Menacingly curved talons were still wet with the blood of the officer who had intruded upon his meal. The Man-Bat himself held little regard for the human's life. His predatory gaze scanned the earth below as he circled overhead, seeking out his next target with a hungry light igniting his fiery eyes. Though his intentions were the find the second officer that he believed to be nearby, such thoughts were swiftly interrupted with the arrival of fresh meat. 

His echo-location brought back the picture of two more approaching individuals. They rushed to the scene, bursting into the penguin habitat with little regard for the feral Man-Bat's presence overhead. Abandoning his effort to find the second officer, the monstrous creature swooped back down toward the exhibit, talons extending as he made contact with the top of the man-made rock formation. Wings still spread, he glared at the two other intruders below him, parting his jaws to emit an ear splitting shriek. His displeasure towards their presence was quite obvious, although strangely, they did not carry the typical human scent. Such an unexpected realization sent a wave of caution throughout the creature.

Failing to engage in the first offensive maneuver, the giant humanoid bat let his cold, hateful gaze linger upon the pair, analyzing them in an almost ominous fashion, trying to pick out what exactly seemed to be different about them. Suddenly, the distinct noise of police sirens invaded his ears, and the Man-Bat snarled with irritation towards the sound. Shifting his head towards the source, he considered abandoning the scene, rather than be riddled with bullets. Despite his thick hide, the sting of the weapons was all too familiar. 

Nevertheless, his anger towards the police drove him to attack, rather than flee. Disregarding the two heroes at the base of the rock he was perched upon, the Man-Bat launched himself into the air with powerful limbs, taking aim at the approaching police force with a cry of rage. He soared toward the entrance of the zoo, and angled his massive body toward the first police cruiser he noticed. The Man-Bat dove toward the vehicle, smashing into the hood, metal crinkling beneath his claws.

Growling with fury, he smashed the windshield with a hefty blow from his wing, snagging the driver with the talon on the end of his leathery arm and flinging him from his seat and onto the concrete. The passenger was lucky, as the Man-Bat swung away, pouncing on the driver he had torn from the cruiser. Large claws curled into his shoulder as The Man-Bat grasped him with a foot, flapping his wings and lifting off into the air with the officer struggling in his grip.

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The patrol car that had its driver torn from the seat spun out of control and ran itself into a ditch. The other police officers that weren't affected started setting up a perimeter around the giant bat-like creature. He seemed to not be very happy with the police. It was probably them that interrupted his feeding frenzy, The GCPD exited their cars and drew their service weapons. "That monster is huge! There's no we can take him with just a bunch of standard issue sidearms!" One of the officers yelled. The highest ranking member of the GCPD that was among the responding force was Sergeant McCrea. He was still seated in his car on the radio. "We've got a big bastard over here by the zoo. Send a swat team, send a chopper. Hell send everything that has a gun. We'll need a lot of force to shoot this thing out the sky." The sergeant spoke to dispatch before turning his concern to the officers around him. He switched his radio to their channel instead. 

"Okay boys, stand firm. Don't shoot at it unless it attacks you first. I believe at this point a shot at it with your service weapons will just anger it. Every other car pull out your shotguns. If that thing makes a run for you then open fire. Because you probably won't get another chance." The sergeant spoke before drawing his own weapon and taking cover next to his patrol car. The GCPD officers now waited for the swat team as well as other support. They didn't do anything except wait. Because this is the type of situation you don't want to charge into blind. So the GCPD took every precaution they possibly could. 

They might not get a second chance.

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Seeing the cold dead remains of a penguin made the young Kryptonian heave out a sob, seeing the scared survivors huddling and squawking in their rookeries only made it worse. And then the body of the Officer, left uneaten and wasted was all she saw and for a moment the youth couldn’t breath.

She had never seen a dead body before, even more traumatizing that it was so badly maimed.

With a bitter sense of protectiveness, Ky cast a heated glare towards the glowering predator that screamed and postured at them. She could see the cold intelligence in those eyes and took a step forward as if she meant to challenge the Man-Bat.

Sirens cut through her focus and she whipped her head around just as the creature did, looking off in the direction of the approaching GCPD. “H-Hey!” Ky snatched at the air as Man-Bat took off towards the distant police, looking to Carpenter with panic and worry, the youth made to gather up the remains of Officer Duhm. She pulled his innards and body close to her chest.

“N-noelle we have to stop him”

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"He's dead Ky. You can't put that back together." Carpenter said, lifting her up by her shoulder to get her moving. "Trust me, whoever he thinks he is, he's going to pay." The vampire said looking out to where the bat flew off. He wasn't another vampire, that or he could have been some sort of vampire hybrid; Carpenter had never seen another vampire eat someone before. Without any answers, everything seemed to be up in the air. "I think I know how to take it down, c'mon, Ky." She rose, standing up erect and then dashing off towards Man-Bat's last known location. He just can't go around killing whomever he likes. Not in this town.

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The officer in his talons continued to struggle, but it didn't look as if anyone was very interested in interrupting the brutal attack. That was too bad for the cop he had torn from the vehicle. Hovering about seventeen feet into the air, he released his grip and the man fell to the concrete below. Whether he had survived or not, he wasn't moving. The Man-Bat scanned the considerable force that was surrounding him, searching for a primary target in which to engage. Picking off the rookies wouldn't cause much damage. If he wanted to hit them where it hurt, he needed to strike out the man in charge.

Of course, finding him proved a simple enough task. The monstrous bat had narrowed his predatory gaze upon the form of Sergeant McCrea, who was doing a whole lot of talking. Specifically, he was issuing orders, and that made him a target. The villainous Man-Bat took a moment to examine the officer, positioned in cover beside his vehicle. Did he believe his car would save him from the nightmare that was descending from the dark sky? 

The Man-Bat lurched forward, heavy wings steering him toward Sergeant McCrea as he uttered a fierce shriek. His talons stretched for the man, and the creature attempted to slam down upon him, jaws snapping for his head. He had the intent to kill glittering within his eyes, the face of his enemy reflected within crimson orbs. Man-Bat wasn't paying much attention to the heroes that were approaching him. His focus was already set. 

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In an instant, Sergeant McCrea was snatched up by this 'Man Bat' Creature. The GCPD officers responded by firing at the monster, trying their best to not hit their sergeant. Even though he might have been already dead. A panic swept over the present GCPD officers. Part of them knew that firing at this giant bat creature would most likely be in vain. But they had to try. What would happen if this creature decided to torment the public next? Someone had to stop it. Now that the police officer in charge was taken by the Man-Bat some of the GCPD officers waited and didn't make a sound. Others were still firing their weapons at the creature. 

"Hold your fire!" An officer demanded over the radio. They would have to wait and see what the Man-Bat did with the Sergeant in his clutches. It was good that the GCPD Swat team finally arrived, setting up a few snipers and a better perimeter with the patrol officers. This time there was another Sergeant. This time he used mostly gestures, taking note that the last Sergeant that barked orders into a radio got favored by the very creature they are trying to stop. 

Now they would just wait and see what this monster did. What he would do to the sergeant. Once they had an opening, they would fight back.