Match 14621 Duncan MacLeod vs. Elektra

[Guest Dinsdale Piranha]

This is part of an arc; the last installment is in Rumbles at Roger "Race" Bannon, Rufus "Super Midnight" Carter and Jezebel Jade vs. Batroc the Leaper, Red Claw and King Snake.

 

Here is the wrap up for Batman vs. Black Widow.

 

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The Black Widow has been assigned to spy on Bruce Wayne by Nick Fury and Amanda Waller. They suspect that Wayne is connected to the League of Assassins. Natasha initiated a relationship with Wayne and found herself much more emotionally involved than she ever expected.

 

Earlier this evening, Natasha woke to find Bruce missing. She investigated Wayne Manor and found the entrance to the Batcave where Wayne had donned his Batman guise and was talking with Ra's al Ghul and two of his elite assassins, apparently confirming her worst fears. She made her way back to the mansion but not without being detected.

 

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The Black Widow opened the door and slipped outside. Rain had begun to fall and the clouds blocked the moon making the darkness so intense she could barely see. She started down the drive when a dark shape dropped in front of her. Natasha whipped out two pistols as the figure resolved into a tall, broad shouldered man in a cape and cowl.

 

"You're very good at this... Bruce," she said.

 

"What do you want?" Batman asked.

 

"At first, only to get away and make my report," she replied. "It's more complicated now that you've discovered me."

 

"Report to whom?"

 

"Who do you imagine would be interested in the fact that you're consorting with known terrorists?" she asked.

 

"Homeland Security?" Batman's eyes narrowed. "No, this isn't their style. My guess is you're working for SHIELD. Are you going to try to take me in?"

 

"You'll come quietly, if you're smart," the Widow said.

 

"Does it matter that I'm innocent?" he asked.

 

"That's not my call," she replied. "You can make your case to Director Fury."

 

"No," Batman said.

 

"I've heard that you're good," the Widow said. "But I don't believe you're bulletproof."

 

"I don't need to be." With a blindingly fast motion, Batman threw several pellets to the ground. They erupted into a cloud of thick smoke.

 

Leaping backward, the Black Widow fired several shots into the cloud. She aimed high to keep him from charging, but didn't try to hit him. The heavy rain quickly dispersed the smoke but when it cleared, there was no sign of Batman.

 

Natasha heard a faint sound of something cutting through the air. A batarang struck one of the pistols from her grasp. She spun and fired twice, blasting the other two weapons out of the air.

 

"You're no fool, Natasha." Batman's voice floated through the rain, not giving his position away. "You have to know I'm no terrorist."

 

"That's not my call," Natasha said, scanning the darkness. "You'll have a chance to make your case to Director Fury."

 

Something dove at her from above; Natasha spun and fired, taking it out with two shots. Too late, she realized that the batarang had been a distraction. As she turned back, Batman leaped out of the darkness. His kick smashed her remaining pistol from her hand and he was on her with a flurry of blows. Natasha found her skills pushed to the limit as he dodged, parried and counterattacked. She rolled with a kick to the torso, caught a punching arm and used it as a lever for a Systema throw.

 

Batman was good, landing well and rolling to his feet before the Black Widow had time to apply an armlock. They sparred in silence for several moments, nether doing more than bruising the other. Then, by some unspoken consent, they broke off and circled each other.

 

"Give up, Bruce," the Widow said. "I don't want to hurt you."

 

"I can't," he replied. "There are lives at stake. I have to be free if I'm going to have any chance to save them."

 

"You want me to believe you're really on the side of the angels?" she said. "That man you were talking to is one of the most wanted criminals on the planet."

 

"I'm not working with Ra's," Batman said.

 

"I wish I could believe you, Bruce."

 

Natasha pointed both arms at him and a series of darts fired from her bracelets. He leaped to the side, moving for the cover of a statue. He nearly made it but three of the Widow's darts stuck in his chest, generating a powerful electrical current. With a sharp cry, Batman collapsed.

 

Natasha moved toward him cautiously, keeping her weapons pointed.

 

"Oh, Bruce," she said. "Why did you have to fight?"

 

Abruptly, Batman sprang at her, catching her wrists. Caught off guard, the Black Widow struggled but her foe was as skilled as her and much stronger. In a moment he held her helpless, her arns twisted behind her back.

 

"How?" she gasped.

 

"I need to put an armor panel in the chest of m costume recently," Batman said (see Batman vs. Razor Fist and Steel Serpent.) "I'm thinking of keeping it."

 

"You can't win," she said. "When I don't report in, my handlers will know that something's wrong," she said.

 

"Natasha, listen to me," Batman said. "Ra's has a daughter named Talia. She... meant something to me years ago. His enemies have kidnapped her and he wants her back. That's the only thing I'd ever help him with."

 

"How can I believe you?" she said.

 

Batman released his hold and stepped away. Natasha aimed her bracelets at him but didn't fire.

 

"We've each hidden things from the other, Natasha," he said. "But I believe what passed between us was real. There's something big going on. Ra's and his League are only the tip of the iceberg. Lex Luthor is tangled in it too."

 

"In what?"

 

"That's something I need to find out," Batman replied. "I know it has to do with living bio-weapons... genetically engineered killers."

 

Natasha stared at Batman for several long moments as the rain washed over them then she lowered her arms.

 

"I'm a fool for saying this, but what is your plan?"

 

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Dominique Destine raised an eyebrow at the athletic Asian man sitting across the desk.

 

"Well, Mr. Davos?" she said. "Is it Mr. or...?"

 

"Just Davos will do," he replied. "As I told you on the telephone, I have been working for Ms. Head and her father."

 

"Yes?" Dominique said.

 

"I have parted ways with them," Davos continued. "Now I find myself in need of a new employer."

 

"I see," Dominique replied, "and I assume that you think I'm in need of a new employee?"

 

"I have a mission of honor to complete," Davos said. "If you could lend my your resources to that end, I would be your loyal servant. I think you would find my services very useful."

 

"What is this matter of honor?" Dominique asked.

 

"I am going to kill the Batman," Davos replied.

 

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Matt Bluestone turned the key in Elisa Maza's door. Since his partner had disappeared, he had been taking care of her apartment and feeding her cat. He noticed several things out of place. First, there were four large gargoyle statues sitting on Elisa's balcony; he recognized them as Hudson, Brooklyn, Lexington and Bronx, all in their stone form. Second, Cagney was curled up in the lap of a big man who he had never met.

 

"Hey!" the man said as Matt's hand reflexively touched the handle of his service pistol. "Easy, man. I'm a friend of those stone guys."

 

"You're Cage?" Bluestone asked, relaxing a bit.

 

"Yeah. Sorry to bust in on the place unannounced, but we're out of a home," Cage said.

 

"Yeah," Matt replied. "The whole precinct is out of a home after that battle."

 

"Sorry 'bout that," Cage said. "Any idea who those imitation Iron Man who attacked us were?"

 

"Yeah," Matt said with a bitter chuckle. "That was Team Luthor."

 

"As in Lex Luthor?" Cage shook his head. "Man, these guys don't mess around when they make enemies."

 

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"Hey, Pete!" Gwen Stacey said making her way across the crowded lunch room. Peter Parker was sitting at a table with Hobie Brown and a pretty blonde girl she didn't recognize.

 

"Hi Gwen," Peter said as she came up to the table. "This is Melanie Walker, she just transferred in."

 

"My family moves around a lot," the girl said.

 

"Anyway, Hobie was telling us that he's got this really cool project he's working on."

 

Hobie smiled and opened his mouth to speak but Gwen cut him off.

 

"I'm sorry Hobie, but Pete's been missing for days," she said. "What happened?"

 

"Nothing, really," Peter said. "I just decided to hang out in Metropolis for a little before coming home. It was my first chance to visit it, after all."

 

Hobie started to say something but Gwen cut him off again.

 

"What about Eddie?" she said.

 

"Eddie?" Peter looked confused.

 

"Eddie Brock," Gwen said. "You were supposed to check on him."

 

"I'm sure he's fine, Gwen," Peter said. "Eddie's a big boy."

 

"What is wrong with you?" Gwen's voice was filled with confusion, hurt and the beginnings of anger.

 

"Easy, Gwen," Peter said, rising. "What's the big deal?"

 

Almost in tears, Gwen turned and hurried away and Peter followed. Melanie watched them go, then turned back to Hobie.

 

"What's with those two?" she asked.

 

Hobie shrugged and started to say something but was cut off as the school bell signaled the end of lunch.

 

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Duncan hailed a cab and climbed in the back.

 

"Where to?" the driver, a youngish woman with her dark hair tucked under her cap asked.

 

"LexCorp Towers," Duncan replied.

 

He sat back as the cab sped through the late afternoon traffic. It seemed odd to him that she stayed off the main roads but decided it was an alternative route. No doubt the cabbie knew the best way to beat rush hour traffic in Metropolis.

 

He turned his attention to Amanda's problem. She'd kidnapped Talia Head--a woman who was much more than she seemed--at the behest of Owen Burnett, the right hand man of billionaire David Xanatos. Burnett had placed a bomb-collar around Amanda's neck and threatened to blow off her head if she failed to comply. The situation had grown more complicated when Owen had failed to make contact. Duncan's best plan was to see if Dominique Destine could use her contacts to help.

 

The cab sped up and Duncan looked around. They had reached a desolate section of the waterfront and the driver had aimed them at a long pier.

 

"Hey!" Duncan said, pounding on the Plexiglas barrier. "What are you doing?"

 

The driver's only response was to speed up. Mac grabbed at the door handle only to find it didn't work. He kicked at the window but it was Plexiglas also. The driver had no problem opening her door and leaped out, taking the fall with a graceful roll. The cab shot off the end of the pier and quickly filled with water, sinking from sight.

 

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Elektra stripped off her cabbie disguise. Her plan had been simple but effective; and done at no risk to herself. It had seemed the best course, given what MacBeth had told her about the man. He'd said he was a deadly fighter, who had killed dozens, perhaps hundreds of men, and a master of the sword. It would have been interesting to test him, hand to hand, she thought, but this was business, not pleasure.

 

She watched the water for some time, then a sound behind her caused her to turn. MacLeod had survived somehow and was climbing onto the pier behind her. his clothes were soaked and he held a beautifully made katana in his hand.

 

"Who are you?" he asked in a low voice.

 

"I am your death," Elektra replied, drawing her sai.

 

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Duncan is not too big on fighting mortals--or women for that matter. He would also like to question Elektra so he'll probably hold back a little. His only weapon is his katana.

 

Elektra is the version who first appeared in Daredevil #168. She has her sai and ninja training but had not yet been killed and resurrected and has no psychic powers. 

[Callisto]

Learn More About

Duncan MacLeod

Read more about Duncan MacLeod at Wikipedia

Official Site: The Weinstein Company Links: Wikipedia Duncan MacLeod Timeline Highlander Official

 

Elektra

Read more about Elektra at Wikipedia

Official Site: Marvel Entertainment Links: Wikipedia Marvel.com IMDb

 

 

[Dark Spider-man]

Amazing dude, I will surely miss your writing!  I have to hand this to Duncan due to his 100+ years of experience.

[DSkillz]

Another great set-up, Dinsdale. Nice Batman/Widow recap, and nice having the Spidey clone infiltrate the real Spidey's life. 

 

As for the match, between Elektra's skills and MacLeod holding back, this should be a pretty tough fight, but Duncan's experience should pull him through this and lead to an interesting Q & A with the female ninja.

[Guest .Big Game James.]

Very good setup.

[Callisto]

Match Final Results

USER RATINGS

DSkillz gives it a grade of [A] - Very nice match and good match-up!

SCORE

Duncan MacLeod: 8

Elektra: 9

FPA: 4.0