Fan Fiction: Crossovers
Lineage

  New York City...

  Lamont Cranston walked to his computer and began using the internet to scan the headlines of the world's major newspapers. Everyday he would check the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, London Times, The Daily Planet, and dozens of other papers. He was much more capable of using his computer then were most people over 80, but to look at him he did not look a day older then fifty. He had only begun to slowly age again some 40 years ago ever since he left his adopted home on his quest. A quest he failed to complete.

  He continued to look through the different papers not looking for anything in particular but knowing what he was looking for when he came across it. Finally he came to the Gotham Gazette. He looked at the headline "Brutal Z Slayings Continue in Alleys." This caught Cranston's eye. He read on looking at a quote from Police Commissioner Gordon: "We just don't know who's doing this or what significance the Z has." Leaning back in his chair Cranston said aloud, "The Police may not know, but The Shadow Knows. Ironic this is taking me back to where it all started." He then let loose a deep guttural laugh that echoed though his house. With that he walked to his closet grabbed a trench coat and hat and headed out his door.

  Gotham City, two nights later...

  Batman crouched on the ledge of building across from the 21 Deuce Club, a popular night club for members of the Romero crime family. Batman had a good idea what the connection between the murders was after the second mobster was killed. The third killing only proved his theory. All three victims were members of separate crime families, and all three were people Batman had pumped for information on more then one occasion. Batman was working under the theory that the crime families had all agreed to hire someone to tie up their loose ends. After the third killing, Batman knew the next two targets would be either Paulie Pepoza of the Valestra family or Carl Burreili of the Romero family. Both were members of their respective families Batman had used to gain information from in the past. He had been splitting his time following the two for the past several nights. Last night he was tailing Carl and Paulie was killed. Paulie always did have bad luck, Batman thought. The next target would be Carl; all Batman had to do was follow him and wait for the Z killer to make his move. Batman did not have to wait long.

  As Carl left the club Batman noticed a darkly clothed figure following him. The figure wore a black bandana with a trench coat and had a knife strapped to his back. Batman looked at the right side of the figure's body. He could make out a bulge under the man's jacket roughly the size of an Uzi 9mm. After sizing up his opponent, Batman made his move.   He slid down the side of the building into the shadows next to Carl without anyone noticing him. The man walked up behind Carl and began to reach for him with his left hand. Inches before he reached Carl's shoulder Batman's left hand shot out from the shadows and grabbed the man's wrist. His right hand reached up and grabbed the man's shirt right under his neck. Sweeping his front foot backwards and twisting his torso Batman employed a Judo throw which sent the man flying head over heels. He crashed back first in the wall of the alley and slid down it landing on his head. Batman turned to Carl and said, "Run." Carl ran down the street.

  Slowly standing up from his fall the figure looked at Batman. A sadistic grin came across his face as he spoke, "Finally killing your lackeys in the crime syndicates has drawn you out. Today I come one step closer to ridding the world of your master. I will kill you tonight Batman but not before I learn the location of The Demon. Tonight Zorro shall gain a small measure of vengeance through the death of his enemy's accomplice." Batman's facial expression never changed he simply glared at his opponent. He new about the legend of Zorro and quickly realized that this New Age Zorro must have been tricked into coming after him by Ra's al Ghul. None of that mattered right now, misled or not, this man was an admitted murderer and Batman was going to take him down.

  Zorro quickly reached down for his gun. With lighting quick reflexes Batman threw a batarang from his belt. By the time Zorro had managed to get his gun pointed at Batman the batarang had cut the gun in two. Screaming Zorro charged pulling his machete from behind his back, as he did so. Zorro swung his knife at Batman, Batman grabbed Zorro's wrist with his right hand and pulled it forward. In the same motion, he stepped towards his opponent and landed an uppercut into Zorro's ribs with his left hand. As the punch landed there was a sickening crack as Zorro's floating rib broke. Zorro moaned in pain. Batman still holding Zorro's wrist with his right hand reached back with his left hand placing it above his right so that his fingers ran across the back of Zorro's hand and his thumb was in Zorro's palm. Batman then twisted Zorro's hand at a forty five degree angle towards his shoulder. Zorro's tendons and ligaments began to hyperextend forcing him to drop his blade. Zorro then had a choice: either fall to his knees or have his arm broken. Batman continued to apply pressure to Zorro's hand. Keeping Zorro on his knees he looked down at him saying, "What do you know about The Demon? What do you know about Ra's al Ghul?" Zorro answered by reaching up with his left hand grabbing Batman's forearm pulling on it and rolling backwards in the process. The move sent Batman flying over Zorro's head. In mid air, Batman tucked his head and thrust his legs back completing a flip and landing on his feet facing Zorro. Zorro stepped towards Batman throwing a roundhouse kick at his head. Without moving his position Batman threw up his arm to block the kick and the delivered a snap kick to Zorro's jaw. His body flowed like water; Batman stepped forward with the kick and landed a right jab to Zorro's face.

  Dazed Zorro threw a left hook and Batman lifted up his left forearm to block stepping forward as he did so sliding his right leg behind Zorro's legs and thrusting his right hand up to hit Zorro with an uppercut to the jaw. Knocked off balance by the blow Zorro tripped over Batman's leg falling to the ground. Zorro looked up from the sidewalk as Batman stared down at him "I am going to ask you one more time. What do you know about Ra's al Ghul!"

  A sinister laugh echoed through the alley. Batman quickly surveyed the area he saw a man on the roof of the night club whose outer wall was part of the alley. Above him, Batman saw a man dressed in a black cloak, with a red scarf covering all but his eyes, a fully brimmed black hat on his head, and a magnum colt 45 in each hand. Above him, Batman saw The Shadow.

  The Shadow pointed his guns down at the alley and opened fire.