Batman: Gotham Knights #58

Issue Details

Synopsis

WAR GAMES ACT 3 PART 5 - FLIGHT RISK Tarantula leads her gang "Las Arañas" away from the police until they reach an abandoned building, where Felix, one of the gang's lieutenants decides to stop running and face the police. Tarantula tries to talk some sense into him but the police catches up with them and start shooting at the gang, forcing them to get inside the abandoned building, looking for shelter.  Meanwhile at the GCPD Headquarters the press and media are drowning Commissioner Akins with questions about the current situation of the security in Gotham. However, since there hasn't been any single arrest or progress against the many gangsters in control of Gotham, Akins decides to leave the press conference and demands some results to all the members of the GCPD at all costs. He is then informed about the current situation with "Las Arañas" and he sends the S.W.A.T. team to capture the small gang.   As the SWAT team arrives, a bomb goes off just outside the building, hurting some of Tarantula's gang as well as some officers. The leader of the SWAT team calls for backup and soon they start shooting at the windows of the building, killing one of Tarantula's men. They realize that the police aren't using rubber bullets anymore and that they are in a really dangerous situation.   At that moment, Black Mask walks the empty and destroyed streets of Gotham along with Killer Croc and Scarecrow. Black Mask reveals to them that his plan is to take control of the entire city, but first he commands them to gather every person they can and take them to the North Side of the city, where he knows about a location that would grant him total control.   Back in the abandoned building, the GCPD uses a rocket launcher and shoots the building, destroying the main entrance and causing some of the structure of the building to collapse. Felix falls down and Tarantula tries to help him. A police helicopter hovers over the hole left by the rocket and they spot Tarantula, who is trying to call Batman using the intercom. A sniper shoots and causes the radio to drop to the ground floor. Tarantula jumps to reach the radio just as a large number of police officers enter the building. Tarantula takes the radio and climbs to upper floors as the police shoot at her, relentlessly.   Batman is back on Orpheus' office looking for clues about Spoiler's location and thinking about a way to stop the war that he designed. Oracle contacts Batman and he tells her to check every surveillance camera in the city and find Spoiler. Oracle finds her and notices that she doesn't look good. Batman gets to her location and takes Spoiler, who is bloody, wounded and completely wasted into his arms, where her last words before passing out are: "I just... wanted to... help."   Tarantula calls again for Batman while she leads the gang to the rooftop, but instead of Batman, it is Oracle who answers her. Tarantula explains the situation to Oracle and she tells her that Batman is busy at the moment.   Meanwhile, Commissioner Akins is told about the progress on the capture of Tarantula and the gang Las Arañas and his desire to take control of the city takes over him as he sends the entire police department to deal with the situation.   Batman takes Stephanie to Leslie Thompkins' clinic and asks her to save the young girl. Leslie admits that it might be hard to do since Spoiler is badly injured. Stephanie wakes up and asks about Orpheus and Batman tells her that he is dead. She feels guilty for everything that has happened and Batman admits that everything that has happened is nobody's fault but his. At that moment, Oracle contacts Batman and tells her that Tarantula needs a lot of help since she and her gang are completely surrounded by the entire GCPD.