Batman Beyond: The Mark of Ceza

Ceza :Pronounced Chay-zah

Moon light glistened off of the choppy waters of the Gotham ship channel.

Batman held on to the side of an abandoned warehouse.

"I don't think anything is going to happen tonight. This place is dead I'm going to call it a night."

"Not so easy." Bruce ordered over the inter-com.

"I've been hearing rumors of a new syndicate in town looking to make a huge score. This shipment of weapons would make a nice target,"

Suddenly a thud disturbed the silence.

"I hate it when you're right." Terry exclaimed as he swooped in for a closer look.

A short tanned brunette dressed from head to toe in a red body suit slowly stepped outside motioning as a large truck backed out of one of the neighboring warehouses.

"Come on We don't have all day, Gore." She commanded.

Gore loaded the truck from behind while the other thug drove.

"Well, Lavercia if you would stop gripping and start working we might be able to make it out of here before Batman shows up."

Lavercia pretended not notice Gore's remarks.

"I was placed in charge of this little operation. I'm management and you're labor. So that means you do as I say or else."

Angered Gore continued loading the large freight truck.

Batman kept his distance in surveying the three hoods.

"Do you see anything? " Bruce asked.

"Yeah I see three perps two males one female."

He adjusted his visor in his cowl for a clearer look.

"Should I go and introduce myself?" Batman asked half heatedly.

Gore tossed the last of the weapons into the back of the freight

.

"Done. Now let's get out of here."

From out of nowhere a large metallic Samurai hat flew through the air knocking lavercia to the ground.

"Terry what just happened?" Bruce screamed into the microphone.

"I'm not sure but I'm about to find out." Batman leapt from the building down to the loading dock.

Gore and Stitch-face ran checking on Lavercia.

"Get her out of here." Shouted Gore.

This time projectile made its way back around this time hitting Stitch-face dead between the eyes.

A masked figure stepped from out of the darkness calmly taking a bite out of a green apple.. His long sleeveless coat flowed back and forth.

He extended his arm catching the samurai hat like a boomerang in his hand.

"You're dead Batman!" Gore yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Batman? I think you got me confused with somebody else." The man said taking another bite.

"Then who are you?" Gore demanded.

"That's' what I'd like to know."

Batman descended from the outside.

"Sorry but I'm not at liberty to divulge that information at this moment. So I suggest that you leave because this is none of your business."

Filled with rage Gore made a charge at the mysterious vigilante and Batman.

Without flinching the vigilante whipped out his long bow sending gore crashing into the wall.

"This is my city and I'm making it my business." Batman exclaimed.

The young man politely stepped aside mockingly.

"Well far be it from me to intrude upon the Dark knight's territory."

Gore jumped up his eyes scowling with anger.

His muscles began to harden with a metallic scale covering his entire body.

"Now this looks like fun." The young man remarked.

Batman and the stranger jumped out of the way.

Gore immediately reversed course charging at batman.

Without warning Batman unleashed a flash grenade blinding the giant metallic behemoth.

The strange masked man leaped from behind breaking his bow over Gore's head knocking him out cold.

"Now I want to know who are you and what is going on here."

Batman took a step back in a defensive position,

"It's personal something you wouldn't understand." He opened his hands reveling claws that perturbed from his finger tips like talons from an Eagles foot.

"By the way my name is Ceza." He exclaimed roaring like a Lion slashing Batman in the chest

Blood began gushing from Batman's chest.

Without saying a word Batman and Ceza began trading blows unleashing a barrage of fist upon one another.

Ceza leapt back taking a deep breath.

"I see the Bat has little fight in him .You better get some bandages for that wound or its going to hurt in the morning. "

"Don't worry about me I have a high threshold for pain and you ain't so bad yourself." Batman quipped.

"I'm better than you."

Batman tossed a Bat-a-rang but the incessant vigilante rolled forward striking Batman with a kick to the chest.

"UGGHHH…" Batman groaned.

Unbeknownst to them Gore regained consciousness making his way towards the truck as Batman and Ceza continued to trade blows.

He jumped in the freight shoving Stitch-Face and Lavercia inside.

" Now its' time for some payback!" He rammed the flying freight through the wall knocking both Batman and Trajan into the water.

Submerged in water Batman took one last gasp as he heaved upward towards the surface.

"Terry what happened?" Bruce demanded to know from the other end .

Feeling a bit dazed Terry shook his head to regain his concentration.

"Bruce we got a problem."