DC: A Cop in Gotham

Chapter 16: The Trench

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Damian hid outside the Iceberg Lounge, his sharp eyes tracking Dean as he exited the establishment. To his surprise, Dean looked intact but wore a slightly disappointed expression. That alone was enough to tell Damian they had chosen the wrong lead.

Dean quickly spotted him and crossed the street, waving casually. "Good news and bad news," Dean began, his tone dry. "Bad news first: Black Mask isn't in the Iceberg Lounge or his club. We're barking up the wrong tree."

Damian frowned, his displeasure evident. "What's the good news, then?"

Dean grinned slightly. "The Penguin's on our side for now. He gave us a lead. Says the mastermind is at Indian Hill."

Damian's frown deepened. "Indian Hill? That's the location of a pharmaceutical company owned by Wayne Enterprises."

Dean nodded. "Exactly. It's a big red flag. You know the place?"

Damian crossed his arms, his mind racing. He vividly remembered reading about Indian Hill during his brief involvement in managing Wayne Enterprises' finances. Though it was a small detail buried in reports, Damian's near-perfect memory meant nothing escaped him.

"It's one of Wayne Enterprises' lesser-known facilities," Damian muttered. "Why would it be tied to the Trench or Black Mask?"

Dean shrugged, leaning against a nearby car. "That's what we're going to find out. Hop in. You can navigate."

Reluctantly, Damian climbed into the passenger seat, fastening his seatbelt with a resigned sigh. His expression darkened as he glanced at the police badge on Dean's shoulder. "You're seriously planning to drive a police car straight to Indian Hill? Do you want to alert them before we even arrive?"

Dean smirked, starting the engine. "Subtlety's overrated sometimes. Besides, I'm a cop—being obvious works to our advantage. I'll draw their attention while you sneak in."

"And if I'm caught?" Damian asked flatly.

"Run," Dean said simply. "Don't fight if you can't win. Retreat and regroup."

The car sped onto the coastal highway, the sea glittering in the distance. As they drove, the invisible Manaphy pressed herself against the window, her wide eyes filled with wonder as she stared at the ocean. Through her telepathy, Dean felt a wave of homesickness emanating from her.

He rolled down the rear window slightly, letting the cool sea breeze fill the car. Manaphy leaned closer to the open window, her antennae swaying in the wind. A soft, melodic sound escaped her.

"Mana~~"

The peaceful moment was interrupted when Damian suddenly tensed, his sharp instincts kicking in. "I heard something," he said, his voice low.

Dean played it cool, glancing in the rearview mirror. "Probably just the wind."

"No," Damian insisted, his tone more urgent. "It's closer."

"Mana!"

Manaphy's chirp turned into a frightened cry. Dean's heart skipped a beat as a massive wave suddenly crashed against the shoreline, surging toward the road. He caught a glimpse of a dark, serpentine shape moving beneath the water before the car was struck by a torrent of seawater.

"Out of the car—now!" Dean shouted.

Damian reacted instantly, smashing the window with his elbow and leaping out before the vehicle could be swept away. Dean followed suit, grabbing *Hoshikudaki* from the backseat before diving into the water.

As soon as he surfaced, Dean was attacked. A shadowy figure lunged at him from the water, wielding a crude spear. Dean parried the strike with *Hoshikudaki*, the force of the blow reverberating up his arms.

The creature snarled, its webbed hands tightening around the spear. Dean countered with a quick, decisive swing, the blunt edge of his weapon smashing into the creature's side. Blood sprayed into the water as the monster recoiled, but it wasn't dead yet.

Damian had his hands full as well. He dodged another attacker's claws, plunging a small dart into its throat. The creature gurgled, its sharp teeth snapping shut as it collapsed. Damian pulled his dart free, studying the attacker's corpse.

"These things aren't human," Damian muttered, his voice laced with disgust. The creature's webbed hands, scaled body, and unnaturally large eyes were grotesque. Its mouth stretched unnervingly far, filled with jagged teeth capable of shredding metal.

"They're Trench warriors," Dean said grimly, swinging *Hoshikudaki* to fend off another attacker. "Aquaman's rogues. Guess they're expanding their territory."

The fight escalated as more Trench warriors emerged from the water, their guttural growls filling the air. Damian and Dean found themselves surrounded, vastly outnumbered.

"Retreat isn't looking too bad right now," Damian said, eyeing the horde warily.

Dean clenched his jaw, his gaze flickering to the space behind the Trench warriors. They weren't advancing haphazardly—they were encircling something. Dean's heart sank as he realized what—or who—they were after.

"Manaphy!" Dean shouted.

The Trench warriors parted slightly, revealing the small, trembling figure of Manaphy. She had been invisible, but the warriors must have detected her presence. Their leader, larger and more armored than the others, stepped forward with a wicked grin.

"Mana!"

(Help me!)

Manaphy's fear echoed in Dean's mind, and he didn't hesitate. With a battle cry, he charged into the fray, swinging *Hoshikudaki* with all his might. The blunt weapon smashed into the nearest warrior, sending it flying.

"Get away from her, you ugly freaks!"

Dean's ferocity momentarily scattered the Trench warriors, but they quickly regrouped, their sharp claws slashing at him from all sides. He fired his Glock into the crowd, each shot hitting its mark.

Damian, not one to be left behind, joined the fight with a flurry of precise strikes. Despite his small size, he moved like a blur, his assassin training shining through as he carved through the enemy ranks.

But for every warrior they defeated, more seemed to emerge from the ocean. The sheer number of enemies began to overwhelm them.

"We can't keep this up," Damian said through gritted teeth.

Dean glanced at Manaphy, who cowered in the middle of the battlefield. His heart pounded as he realized they needed a way to end the fight—fast.

Dean's heart raced as he glanced at Manaphy, her psychic cries reverberating through his mind. Despite Damian's incredible skill and precision, the sheer number of Trench warriors made survival seem impossible.

"Manaphy, stay hidden and don't move!" Dean called out through their mental connection.

Manaphy's fear was overwhelming, and Dean could feel it echoing in his own heart. The weight of protecting her was crushing, but he refused to let the fear consume him.

One of the Trench warriors, larger and more armored than the others, suddenly stepped forward. He carried a golden scepter adorned with strange Atlantean symbols that glowed faintly. As he raised it high, the Trench warriors around him ceased their attack, creating an eerie silence.

"You surface dwellers do not belong here," the armored figure snarled, his voice guttural and echoing as though amplified by the scepter. "Surrender the sacred one to us, and your deaths will be swift."

Dean tightened his grip on *Hoshikudaki*, his knuckles white with tension. "Not happening."

"Then you will all drown in despair," the leader growled.

With a wave of his scepter, the battle resumed. The Trench warriors surged forward, their claws and teeth gleaming as they closed in. Dean and Damian stood back-to-back, fighting desperately to keep them at bay.

Dean swung *Hoshikudaki* with relentless force, shattering scales and breaking bones. Despite the carnage, the Trench warriors pressed on, their bloodlust unyielding.

"They just keep coming!" Damian yelled, his voice tinged with frustration as he landed a perfect strike to one warrior's throat.

Dean glanced at Manaphy, who hovered nearby, frozen in fear. "Manaphy, we need you! Use your Supersonic attack!"

(But I'm scared!)

"You can do this!" Dean's voice was firm yet encouraging. "You're stronger than you think!"

Manaphy hesitated for a moment, her antennae trembling. Then, with a determined cry, she emitted a powerful sonic wave.

The effect was immediate. The Trench warriors reeled in confusion, clutching their heads as the sound disoriented them. Even the armored leader stumbled, his movements erratic.

"It's working!" Damian shouted, taking advantage of the chaos to dispatch several more warriors with swift, precise strikes.

Dean didn't waste the opportunity. He charged toward the leader, swinging *Hoshikudaki* with all his strength. The blunt force of the weapon broke through the leader's defenses, sending him staggering backward.

But the leader wasn't finished. With a guttural roar, he raised the scepter, unleashing a shockwave that knocked Dean and Damian off their feet.

"You think you can defeat me?" the leader sneered, his voice filled with contempt. "I am Vico, commander of the Trench! You are nothing but insects before the might of Atlantis!"

Dean scrambled to his feet, his body aching from the impact. "Yeah? Well, I'm about to squash you," he retorted, tightening his grip on *Hoshikudaki*.

As Vico lunged at him, Dean parried the strike with his sword. The clash of their weapons sent sparks flying, the sheer force of the blow reverberating through Dean's arms.

Meanwhile, Damian analyzed the situation, his sharp mind quickly identifying a weakness. "Dean! That scepter is the key! We need to destroy it!"

Dean gritted his teeth, struggling to hold his ground against Vico's relentless assault. "Easier said than done!"

"Then distract him!" Damian shouted, darting around the battlefield with remarkable agility.

Dean nodded, stepping up his attacks to draw Vico's attention. He swung *Hoshikudaki* in wide arcs, forcing the Trench leader to block and counter. The strain on his body was immense, but he pushed through, determined to give Damian the opening he needed.

Manaphy, sensing Dean's determination, floated closer, her antennae glowing with energy.

"Now, Manaphy!" Dean called out.

Manaphy unleashed another ultrasonic wave, targeting Vico directly. The attack momentarily disoriented the Trench leader, causing him to stumble.

Seizing the opportunity, Damian leapt onto Vico's back, driving his blade into the scepter's core. The weapon cracked, its glowing energy flickering erratically.

"No!" Vico roared, his voice filled with rage and desperation.

With one final thrust, Damian shattered the scepter, the resulting explosion of energy sending shockwaves across the battlefield. The Trench warriors collapsed, their bodies lifeless without the scepter's power to sustain them.

Vico, now weakened, stumbled backward, his once-imposing figure reduced to a shadow of its former self. He glared at Dean and Damian with pure hatred.

"You have no idea what you've done," he hissed. "The end of Atlantis has begun."

Before either of them could respond, Vico retreated into the ocean, disappearing beneath the waves.

The battlefield was silent once more, save for the sound of the waves lapping at the shore. Dean and Damian stood amidst the carnage, their breathing heavy.

Manaphy floated over to Dean, her small body trembling. "Mana..."

Dean smiled weakly, gently patting her head. "You did great, kid. We couldn't have done this without you."

Damian sheathed his blade, his expression unreadable. "This isn't over," he said grimly. "If what Vico said is true, we've just set something much worse into motion."

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