This saga is coming to an end and I'm going to miss it so bad :(

150 comments for an update <3

The monitors flickered as Liam and Louis worked alongside a growing team. The muted glow of the Batcave was no longer silent—Detective Grace Mallory's voice came through the comms, while Niall sat at a terminal nearby, his hands flying across the keyboard as he cross-referenced manifests and routes.

"This is everything we have on shipments moving through Gotham Harbor in the last month," Niall said, pulling up a web of tangled red lines representing routes across the city. "It's a mess, but there's a pattern here. I just need to isolate it."

Liam nodded, his gaze sharp as he scanned the data. "Focus on Sullivan's connections. His shipping network might give us something Joker could exploit."

Louis leaned against the table, the schematics from Kavanagh Technologies spread out before him. His mind was racing, trying to piece together the fragments of information. The docks, the city infrastructure, the cryptic messages—it all felt connected, but the picture was incomplete.

"What if it's not about importing?" he asked suddenly, drawing everyone's attention.

"What do you mean?" Liam asked, his brow furrowing.

Louis tapped the map. "What if he's not bringing something in? What if he's moving something out? Or controlling how things move within the city?"

Niall glanced up from his terminal. "Like controlling the flow of goods, people, information... transportation?"

Liam crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "If he wanted to control the routes, he'd need access to more than just the harbour. The schematics from Kavanagh—"

"They're maps of the city's arteries," Louis interrupted, his voice quickening. "Sewers, electrical grids, traffic routes—what if he's planning to control everything that moves through Gotham? Not just goods, but people."

The room fell silent as the weight of the possibility settled over them.

Detective Mallory's voice crackled through the comms. "If that's the case, we need to involve the mayor's office and emergency services. A coordinated response is the only way to keep the city from descending into chaos."

"Not yet," Liam said firmly. "We don't know enough. If we tip him off that we're onto him, he'll accelerate whatever he's planning."

Louis' jaw tightened. "Then we need to get ahead of him. We've been reacting too much. If he's playing us, we need to turn the tables."

Niall leaned back, his eyes narrowing at the screen. "The manifests," he said suddenly. "They don't make sense. Look at this—routes overlap, crates are shipped to dead zones, and some shipments have been rerouted to the same location multiple times."

"Where?" Liam asked, stepping closer.

Niall pulled up a flashing red point on the map. "Here. Near Harlow Avenue. An old distribution centre that's been 'out of use' for years. It's marked as inactive, but there's too much activity here for that to be true."

Louis straightened. "It's worth checking out."

Liam nodded. "Niall and I will take a team to investigate."

Louis hesitated, his gaze flicking between the map and the schematics. "I'll stay here. There's more to piece together, and I'll monitor your comms."

Liam clapped him on the shoulder. "Good. Keep digging. If we don't find anything at Harlow, you might uncover something here."

As Liam and Niall prepared to leave, Louis lingered by the map, his mind swirling with questions. Once the Batmobile roared out of the cave, taking Liam and Niall with it, the silence that followed was deafening.

Louis waited only a few minutes before slipping on his jacket.

He wasn't staying behind.

***

Louis pushed through the heavy metal door of the abandoned factory, his boots crunching over broken glass and debris. The air inside was as heavy as always; damp and faintly smelling of oil.

From somewhere deeper within, Harry's voice floated to him, low and mocking. "Took you long enough, sweetheart. I was starting to think you'd gotten lost."

Louis didn't answer, his body tensing as he moved toward the sound. The faint scrape of movement gave away Harry's position just before Louis rounded the corner. Without hesitation, Louis surged forward, slamming Harry against the cold, crumbling wall.

Harry let out a sharp laugh, his grin unshaken despite the force. "Well, hello to you too," he drawled, his green eyes gleaming with amusement.

Louis held him firm, his forearm pressed against Harry's throat. "Shut up," he hissed, his voice low and dangerous.

Harry tilted his head as much as Louis' hold would allow, his smirk unfaltering. "You're getting better at this," he said, his voice almost approving.

"I don't need your approval," Louis snapped, pressing harder against Harry's throat.

Harry chuckled softly, the sound reverberating in the space. "No? Then why are you here?"

Louis' jaw clenched, his breath coming faster. He didn't answer, his grip tightening.

Harry's eyes darkened, his smirk fading into something sharper, more dangerous. "Careful, sweetheart. If you're not here to play, you might not like what happens next."

Louis didn't flinch, his arm steady despite the threat. "What's the lesson this time?" he bit out. "More taunts? More games?"

Harry's lips curled into a slow grin, his voice dropping into a purr. "Lesson one: don't leave openings."

Before Louis could react, Harry's hand shot up, grabbing his wrist and twisting sharply. Louis hissed in pain as his grip faltered, and Harry spun them around, reversing their positions. Now it was Louis pressed against the wall, Harry's hand pinning his arm above his head.

"See?" Harry said, his voice light but with an edge. "Sloppy."

Louis glared at him, his free hand snapping up in a sharp jab toward Harry's side. But Harry anticipated the move, stepping back just enough to avoid the hit while keeping Louis trapped.

"Still too predictable," Harry mused, his green eyes gleaming. "You'll never beat me like that."

Louis winced slightly and Harry raised an eyebrow.

His gaze flicked to the faint stiffness in Louis' movements. "You're still hurt."

"Like you care," Louis muttered.

Harry's smirk softened into something almost bemused. "Oh, I care, sweetheart. If you're not at your best, how are you supposed to be any fun?" he loosened his grip.

Louis twisted sharply to break free. He succeeded, spinning to face Harry with his fists raised.

"Suit yourself," Harry drawled. "But don't come crying to me if you can't keep up."

Before Louis could retort, Harry lunged. His fist shot out, quick as a whip, aiming for Louis' side. Louis dodged on instinct, his body twisting just in time to avoid the blow. The motion sent a sharp twinge through his ribs, but he gritted his teeth and ignored it.

"You're slow," Harry teased, circling him.

Louis swung at him, his fist slicing through empty air as Harry sidestepped.

"Is that all you've got?" Harry taunted.

Louis feinting left before aiming a sharp jab at Harry's ribs. This time, he connected. Harry let out a low grunt, staggering back a step before straightening, a grin splitting his face.

"There's my boy," Harry murmured, his green eyes gleaming with something wild and delighted.

"Don't call me that," Louis snapped, his breath coming faster now.

Harry's grin widened. "Why not? It suits you."

Louis lunged, his fist swinging toward Harry's face. But Harry caught his wrist mid-swing, twisting it behind Louis' back with practised ease. He spun Louis around, pinning his arm as he leaned in close, his breath warm against Louis' ear.

"You're angry," Harry whispered, his tone low and teasing as Louis was pressed flush against him. "Good. Use it."

"Let me go," Louis huffed, struggling against Harry's grip.

Harry didn't release him. Instead, he leaned in further, his voice dropping into a taunting purr. "What are you holding back for, hmm? Are you scared you'll hurt me?"

Louis growled, twisting sharply and driving his elbow into Harry's ribs. The motion broke Harry's hold, and Louis spun to face him, his chest heaving.

"Don't flatter yourself," Louis snapped.

Harry stumbled back with a laugh, rubbing his side where Louis' blow had landed. "Now that's the fire I'm talking about."

Louis didn't wait for him to recover. He shot forward again, throwing a sharp jab at Harry's jaw. Harry ducked, slipping to the side and grabbing Louis by the collar of his shirt.

"You're thinking too much," Harry said, yanking Louis off balance. "Instincts, sweetheart. Fighting is all about instincts."

"Shut up," Louis snarled, twisting out of Harry's grip and swinging at him again.

This time, his fist connected, a satisfying crack echoing through the space as Harry's head snapped to the side.

Harry straightened slowly, touching a hand to his jaw. When he turned back to Louis, his grin was wider than ever. "Better," he said, his voice low and smooth. "But you're still holding back."

"I'm not—"

"Don't lie to me," Harry interrupted, his tone cutting. "I can see it in every move you make. You're hesitating."

Louis' jaw tightened, his fists trembling at his sides. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Louis struck again again, his movements sharper, more aggressive. Harry deflected the first swing but caught the second, twisting Louis' arm behind his back and pressing him against the wall once more.

"Oh come on," Harry purred. "Are you scared to hit me, sweetheart?"

"I'm not afraid of you," Louis said finally, his voice trembling with frustration.

Harry's grin returned, sharp and wolfish. "No," he agreed. "You're not. And that's what makes you so interesting," Harry murmured against his ear. "Stop trying to fight me like him. I'm not Batman, sweetheart."

Louis stiffened at the name, a flicker of guilt flashing across his face.

"Does he even know you're here?" Harry continued, his tone mocking. "Or is he too busy saving the world while you take lessons from me?"

"Shut up," Louis growled, his voice thick with frustration.

"No?" Harry guessed, his grin widening. "So he's out playing hero, saving the world and you've come here to see me?" he asked. "Sweetheart, I'm flattered."

Louis' stomach churned. "I'm here for your stupid lesson," he snapped. "Which is rubbish by the way

Harry arched an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his eyes. "You sure about that? Because it seems like you've learned a thing or two," he mused, tilting his head.

Louis gritted his teeth, struggling half heartedly in Harry's grip.

Harry leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You don't trust him. Not like you trust me."

"That's not true," Louis said, his voice trembling.

"Isn't it?" Harry murmured, his thumb brushing against Louis' wrist where he still held him. "You trust me to tell you the truth. To push you. To make you better. Batman doesn't do that. He keeps you on a leash, makes you follow the rules," he leaned closer, his lips curling into a smirk. "But you don't want rules, do you?"

Louis wriggled from Harry's grip, sending his knee into The Joker's thigh and forcing him to stumble back.

"I'm not like you," he gritted out.

Louis threw two punches which both narrowly missed Harry, the villain dodging with quick success. They circled each other, eyes locked.

Harry chuckled softly. "No, maybe not," he said. "But you're not like him, either."

Harry lunged forward and Louis dodged him, quick and nimble. Robin held his arms up in defence, eyes fixed on the Joker.

Harry grinned at him. "You can't fight like him, sweetheart. And you don't need to. You're better than that."

Louis pounced, his punches came fast and hard, connecting with Harry's ribs and driving him back a step.

Harry let out a low laugh, his eyes gleaming with something wild and delighted. "There it is," he murmured. "Well done, sweetheart."

Louis didn't stop, following up with a sharp jab to Harry's jaw. But Harry caught his wrist mid-swing, holding him there.

"That's enough," Harry said softly.

Louis' chest heaved. "What?" he asked, his glare unwavering. "You said- you said I needed another lesson-"

"And you've learned it," Harry replied, his voice low.

Louis shook his head, confused. "What?"

Harry tilted his head, dropping Louis' hand. "That you don't have to fight like him. You just have to fight like you," he explained. "Quick, nimble, elegant. "

The words hung in the air between them, heavy and charged. Louis blinked at him before looking away. Harry reached into his pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper. He pressed it into Louis' hand.

He looked up. "What's this?"

"A head start," Harry said simply, his smirk returning. "I like it when you're only a couple of steps behind. Call me clingy, but I like you close."

Louis unfolded it quickly, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the contents. It was a list, hand-scrawled in Harry's sharp handwriting, with locations and cryptic notes beside each one. Backup generator A—Dunn Street. Emergency Node B—Hillview Station. There were nearly a dozen entries, each one marked with a time and date.

Louis looked up at him. "These are... emergency power generators?"

Harry smiled, a hint of pride twinkling behind his eyes. "See you soon, sweetheart," he stepped back into the shadows.

Before Louis could respond, Harry was gone, leaving Louis alone in the factory, the paper clutched tightly in his hand.

Hope you enjoyed <3

This is the last chapter of this 'saga'... some big chapters coming up next.

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