The Hunt

His hands grew tighter around my neck and as I gasped for breath I feared that each one could be my last. I thrashed out, clawing and grabbing at his arms, trying to scream. I threw a weak punch, my hand colliding with his body. I felt the bones in my hand shatter on impact. I heard a chuckle escape from his lips, seeing my pain. He lifted me up higher and threw me across the room. I slammed against the wall and slumped to the ground, but tried to regain my strength. He would never have the satisfaction of beating me. At least not mentally.

“My dear Miss Kyle,” he said calmly, slowly walking towards me. “You never did know when to give up. Some may call it bravery. In this case it is stupidity. This is not the time for resistance but for co-operation. That is, if you wish to survive the storm.”

He bent down to the same level as me, his face directly in front of mine. I swung my leg upwards and my heel slashed across his forehead leaving a large, gushing wound. He was no longer amused. I heard the hiss from his contraption grow ever louder as he came closer and closer.

“I am losing my patience Miss Kyle, the only reason you are still alive is that I have use for you. But you can easily be replaced.” He glared at me and held my neck in his huge hands. I was at his mercy. “I have a simple job for you Miss Kyle and I would hope you are willing to carry it out.”

I couldn’t refuse. I looked up at him in pure disgust. “What do you want from me?” His men had come in the middle of the night, cradling revolvers and all types of weaponry. I’m not one to resist, but when you are up against 10 members of The League of Shadows and you’re staring down the butt of a gun, only after two are dead do you realise you have no hope.

“You killed two of my men. I cannot say that I am upset, more surprised. They were trained by Ra’s Al Ghul himself and you managed to kill them. Which made me ever more interested in you.”

His halcyon aura was intimidating and terrifying. He spoke of death and destruction casually, regarding the loss of lives as worthless. But his eyes were full of hate, the eyes that bore down on me, calculating my every move. He was a monster, indestructible.

“Maybe if such brute force wasn’t used such loss wouldn’t have been necessary,” I replied, attempting to imitate his casual, fearless air. “You know, you could have asked nicely. A storm, hey. Well I’m adaptable.”

Rather than infuriate him, this seemed to amuse him further.
“No amount of adaptation can prepare you for what is coming Miss Kyle. It is inevitable. Gotham will find it’s reckoning at the hands of me and you will be of assistance. In return I will be merciful and you will leave here with your life.”

“An interesting proposal,” I said, using all my strength to stand up and waltz across the room. I attempted to look impressive, confident, ruthless and without a care. I sat myself in the large chair at the end of the room and waited impatiently for him to continue. He needed me.

“Interesting indeed, but dreadfully simple,” he continued, ignoring my attempted to be mysterious and impressive. “You will procure the fingerprints of Bruce Wayne and bring them to me. Dreadfully simple.”

The simplicity offended me. “Is that it?” I cried, standing up in fury. “Anyone could do that. Why don’t you just get one of your thugs to barge in there, you didn’t seem to have a problem doing that to me!”

“This specific matter requires a more gentle approach I’m afraid. But not to worry, your services will be required in the future; I have no doubt about that. Now go, you have work to do Miss Kyle.”

I stood up and my way across the door and turned around to face him. He was huge, strong and everything about him was pure evil.
“Who are you?” I asked, speechless.

“I am Bane. I am necessary evil.”

Many would regret that day. It led me to find my love.