[Tom Hendricks POV]

Gotham City was in complete chaos, crime rate spiked through the roof. Batman and his merry band along with the police, tried to keep the situation in check but they could only try to put a lid on it and hope everything mellows down after sometime.

Gang members and different crime lords, fought to secure territories, while some took advantage of the chaos to steal from the other side of town away from the police.

I, on the other hand, was loving the recent developments. The uncertainty of the power shift was something that would shuffle the criminal underworld a little. Those who had power seeked for more, and those who were too weak to cling on to power or protect it, got it ripped out of their hands.

As Ghost, I sent Deathstroke on a mission to secure as many territories as he could. They were territories that won't easily come to the notice of those hungry for power as it seemed to be worthless land. They were too fixated on acquiring the important lands that'll suit their business or improve their money flow, that they ignored the less important territories.

I wanted power but I wasn't in haste to get it, the dust would soon settle and most of them would realize their misconceived judgment while some would be happy with their gains. This would definitely result in new rivalry and some allies would turn to foe.

I noticed a series of coordinated crimes that had been taking place behind the scenes, while the uproar served as a distraction for the police. Batman was able to stop a few and lock them behind bars, but I have a feeling that there was a much bigger picture in the works.

Some helped break out a few criminals, another hit the power grid, one other took advantage of the chaos to sweep Gotham City's Bank vault clean. And recently it was reported that the water supply had been cut off.

I pondered on the thought of all these, trying to piece them together. Take away the power and it'll send the people into a state of semi-madness as they've been too dependent on electricity, sweeping the vault clean would make the city run out of money, and now the water supply was cut off, whoever controlled the water controls the people.

It was a three phase plan, and a smart one at that. Someone wanted complete power over this city and I won't let it because if they do, it would become a way more troublesome for me to sweep the rug from underneath their feet.

From here on out, I'd have to keep an eye out and try to figure out the next step that would seal Gotham's fate in the hands of the person behind the continuously ignited chaos.

I needed to figure out what final step the mastermind might plan on taking, in order to gain full control of the city.

"This just keeps getting more interesting by the day." I muttered. A smirk appeared on my lips as I floated above the city, watching the chaos from up in the sky.

…

Batman had been trying to uncover the identity of the one pulling the strings and igniting the flames of chaos wherever it started to subside. Three heavy blows had been dealt to Gotham City, and if it wasn't taken care of as soon as possible, it would spell the end of Gotham City as we know it.

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He didn't let his current dilemma shake his fate in the city and he didn't call the League for help, it was his city and he believed it to be his duty to deal with it himself. The only hero who he accepted their offer to help, was from NightWing who just so happened to have Raven tag along with him.

Batman assigned each of them to various sectors of the city, to stop the continuous crime outbreak and to help evacuate the citizens that had lost their homes.

Wayne Enterprise had proved shelter for those who might have lost their homes due to the crisis the city was facing. Jail cells were getting filled up and it was only a matter of time before the city finally broke. Batman had to do something before it was too late.

As he continued his investigation, he caught a local hooligan who was involved in cutting the city's water supply. Batman being Batman, interrogated the hell out of him. He wasn't in any mood for jokes or stalled conversations, in less than three minutes the thug confessed to seeing his boss getting offered the job by a man he referred to as Hush.

Dr. Thomas Elliot, also known as Hush, a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne. He could hardly believe it, but the confession led straight up in that direction. He had thought of it being the works of Hush but he waved it off as it seemed unreal.

As the pieces began to fall into place, Batman realized that the mysterious figure known only as "Hush" was behind the recent incidents. He had been operating in the shadows for months, carefully orchestrating his plan to take down the Dark Knight and seize control of Gotham City.

Batman knew that he had to act fast if he wanted to stop Hush before he could do any more damage. He headed back to the Batcave and did a wide search on Hush, searching for his current hideout. After a few minutes of searching, results were out and it turned out that Hush had been quite busy for a while.

Batman knew he had to be careful, he couldn't just confront Hush without evidence, so he dug deeper into the case. He soon discovered that Hush had a plan to destroy Bruce Wayne and everything he had ever stood for.

As he delved deeper into the case, Batman discovered that Hush had a complicated plan that involved faking his own death amidst the chaos, using the identity of another person, and manipulating events to his advantage. He needed to act fast if he wanted to stop Hush from carrying out his plan.

He triangulated Hush's possible location and it turned out to be within an abandoned sewer system in the heart of Gotham. Batman suited up and prepared to take on the villainous mastermind in a final showdown that might determine the fate of Gotham City.

He set out to confront Hush at his hideout, determined to put an end to his scheme once and for all. After a while of searching through the sewers, he found Hush sitting in front of a monitor, a smug expression on his face.

"You've finally figured it out, haven't you, Bruce?" Hush said, using his real name for the first time.

"How could you do this, Tommy?" Batman asked, stunned by what he had discovered.

"Simple, really," Hush said, standing up and walking toward Batman. "I always envied your life, Bruce. Your wealth, your power, your sense of purpose. I wanted to take it all away from you and make it mine."

Batman stood firm, his fists clenched. "It doesn't have to be this way, Tommy. We can help you."

But Hush just laughed. "You're too late for that, Bruce. I've already won."

But Batman didn't back down. He knew that he had to stop Hush before he could cause any more harm to the city. With a fierce look on his face, he charged toward Hush.

The two old friends clashed in a heated battle, their fists and weapons flying with lightning speed. Batman tried to get close to Hush, but the criminal was too fast, constantly moving and dodging his attacks.

Hush fired shot after shot, narrowly missing Batman each time. The Caped Crusader used his gadgets and skills to try to disarm Hush, but the villain was too skilled with his weapons.

As they fought, Hush continued to taunt Batman. "You can't beat me, Bruce. I know you too well. I know all your weaknesses."

But Batman didn't let the words get to him. He was too focused on stopping Hush and saving the city.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Batman saw his opening. Hush had made a mistake, and Batman seized the opportunity. He disarmed Hush with a well-timed kick, sending the handguns flying out of the criminal's hands.

Hush stumbled backward, stunned by the sudden turn of events. Batman charged forward, ready to take him down. But just as he was about to strike, Hush pulled out a small device from his pocket.

"Say goodbye, Batman," Hush said, pressing a button on the device.

Batman realized too late what was happening. The device was a smoke bomb, and Hush had used it as a distraction. Before Batman could react, Hush had disappeared into the smoke.

Batman coughed and struggled to see through the thick fog. He knew that he had to find Hush before he could escape, so he charged forward.

But it was too late. Hush had slipped away, leaving Batman alone in the dark.

As he emerged from the smoke, Batman felt a sense of frustration. He had come so close to catching Hush, but yet again, the criminal had managed to escape.

But Batman was not one to give up easily. He knew that he would catch Hush eventually. The ne xt chance he got, he'd made sure to capture Hush for the fate of Gotham City depended on it. And when he did, he would make sure that justice was served.

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