Fox in the Henhouse

 Lucius Fox was walking out of an alleyway with a spring in his step. He reached into his bright blue blazer to take out a white handkerchief and used it to clean the blood off the metal ball of his cane. He turned back towards the alley, "Stupid bitch, use less glitter, it got all over me."

 When he heard a sobbing acknowledgement to his comment he smiled and started to walk away in a fancy strut. Slamming his cane down to make the noise he knew each of his girls dreaded to hear coming their way. {If the lazy sluts would just make me more money, I wouldn't be out here setting them straight.} 

 Lucius loved how people went pale at the sight of him and melted out of his way. For he was a Made Man, number 5 in the Owlman's crew. The only non-meta higher than him was that greasy fat slob Gordon. Lucius had plans to take Gordon down that were going perfectly, until that damn niece of his caught James Gordon's eye. 

 Since Gordon had her move into his main house, the girls that had been feeding Lucius information hadn't been called in to take care of the man's perverse longings. Lucius sent up a quick prayer for the poor Barbi or Barbara, whatever her name was. 

 If she lived, maybe she would make it to the streets as one of his girls. Lucius chuckled, {Who am I kidding, the girl isn't going to make it out of that mansion in one piece. If by some miracle she does, she wouldn't be fit for more than dog bait or bestiality clips for the other sickos out there.} 

 His thoughts were interrupted by a sound he had never heard before, a cross between a hiss and a bug-like chirp. Soon followed by what sounded like bone dragging over concrete. He paused for a moment and then turned around quickly to see what made the noise. 

 But he didn't see anything there. He felt a chill go down his spine. A memory passed down through all Homo Sapiens from their predecessors emerged, being hunted. That feeling you have in the dark, where something is behind you slowly reaching out from the darkness. The only way to keep it at bay is to quickly turn and face it as if your eyes would make it disappear.

 With the feeling of being hunted by something just out of sight, Lucius peered into every dark spot on the street. {I told the damn city workers that I needed more streetlights for my girls to be seen by passerby's, why is it so fuckin dark?}

 From behind him again, he heard the hissing noise and then what sounded like someone chewing on bone. Teeth clashing together on something hard and then grinding. The sound made goosebumps rise all over Lucius's body. 

 "Wh… Who's there? Show yourself!" Lucius took a tighter grip on his cane, ready to use it for its usual purpose rather than its intended one. Looking around again, Lucius turned and started to quickly walk towards a brighter section of the street, ready to swing his cane at the slightest provocation.

 Just before Lucius is able to enter the area brightened by the streetlight, he is slammed into from the front. He cries out in surprise as he still doesn't see what hit him. Looking around in panic, he sees shimmering under the streetlight that catches his eyes.

 A large dark green figure started to appear as if shedding its invisibility. A large domed skull with no visible eyes was turned towards him. The lips are peeled back over crystal-like teeth with saliva dripping down. The body looked skeletal and slimy, standing on two legs. Long arms fell below the creature's knees where the hands were, complete with claw-like fingers. 

 A bony segmented-looking tail waved behind the creature with a knife-like tip scraping the sidewalk behind it causing occasional sparks. The fanged mouth opened, and a loud hiss came out as the creature started slowly walking towards Lucius. 

 Lucius tried backing up in panic, but it was very hard because he was sitting on his butt. Quickly he took the chance to throw his cane at the monstrous figure in front of him and scrambled to his feet to run away. 

 Following closely as Lucius ran away, the creature followed closely for a time. Then its long arm reached out and smacked Lucius's right heel just enough to make him trip face-first. The fall made the creature tumble over Lucius's body and crash to the ground in front of him. Lucius wouldn't run towards the monster and feared going back the way he came. He looked towards the alley nearby and hoped that he could outmaneuver the beast in the narrow alleyways. 

 Lucius charged down the alley for a short time before he began to run out of breath. He can hear the creature closing the distance and he begins to cry in panic. He was a big man in this town, and he really wanted to tell this creature what a mistake it was making by messing with a Made Man of Owlman. Unfortunately, he saw nothing that showed it would or even could listen to what he had to say. 

 Suddenly he feels something wrap around his ankle and he is jerked from his feet and lifted painfully up the brick wall that made up one half of the alley. Banging and scrapping as he was pulled up, Lucius was pulled up to the roof and unceremoniously dropped to his but once again.

 Fearfully looking at the figure in front of him, he sees a figure in a grey outfit with a cape, "Oh, thank the gods boss, you saved me!" He moved to bow at his boss's feet. 

 However, the closer he got, the more he noticed that this was not in fact his boss. This guy had a large D on his chest with a bat inside the letter. His cape didn't have the feathered look as normal and finally his cowl had large, oversized pointed horns rather than the small horns of the Owl.

 "Who are you? What are you doing in Owlman's territory?" His questions are interrupted by Devilbat grabbing him by his collar and dragging him towards the ledge. 

 "I'm asking the questions. Why did you bring it with you?" He forced Lucius to look down and see the creature pacing along the alleyway looking up towards the two on the roof. Opening its mouth, it was hissing and scratching at the wall, occasionally slamming its tail against the wall in frustration. 

 Lucius paled in fright, "Thank God, you pulled me up, that thing was after me. I will forget I saw you for saving me, so you better get out of Gotham or get registered with Owlman. I can help you since you saved me, maybe you can work under me. I need to check your abilities first before I agree though."

 "Before I decide anything, tell me about Gotham. Who runs what? Where are they?"

 "You must be kidding me, you look so much like Owlman, you must know all about him. He rules this city."

 "New to town, tell me what I need to know. Where can I find this Owlman?"

 "Ha, everyone knows that the Owl stays in the highest tower in his nest." Lucius pointed to a large building that looked like the tallest in the city. 

 "The police don't go after him when he stays in such an open area?"

 "What do you mean? Commissioner Wayne??? He can't touch Owlman. No one can, he is part of the Syndicate. The only one I call boss." Lucius's eyes narrowed, "You sure don't know much for trying to move into the city."

 "Like I said, I'm new to town. Are there any clean cops?"

 "I heard Wayne got a few goody boys. But the boss got their number not long ago. He promised me some new meat for the street, so he must be ready to deal with them." 

 "Tell me about Wayne."

 Having recovered some, Lucius begins to regain some backbone. "I am done talking, you want this information go get a broker and pay for it."

 "You said you wanted to test my strength, right?" He tightened his hold on Lucius's jacket and then pushed him out at arm's length. Holding the man over the edge and ready to be dropped to the creature below. The creature started making excited noise again in anticipation. 

 Lucius cries out in fright. "Alright, I'll talk. Wayne is the one man in town that Owlman won't kill no matter what. He says it's some punishment, a way to make sure the man never gets to rest or forget."

"Wayne has sworn to take Owlman down one day, it's like a game between the two."

 Devilbat put a trace and camera on Lucius Fox's clothing as he pulled him back onto the roof, "Drop your line of work and leave Gotham. Don't let me catch sight of you again. Or don't and tell Owlman, I am sure he would forgive all the information you just shared about him." He then shot a line out and zipped away.

 Lucius ran to the edge and looked around but didn't see the monster that had chased him. He let out a deep breath and turned around only to come face to face with the monster lunging towards his face with jaws wide open. Lucius fainted as Logan took the form of an Owl and flew after Matt, leaving a ghostly chuckle behind.