“This is stupid,” Joe muttered as he looked over at where his boss was making the trade. “A drug trade in broad daylight.”
His fellow goon laughed. “This isn’t San Fran,” Dan replied. “In Gotham, it’s far safer to do these things in the middle of the day.”
Joe looked at the other man. “Don’t tell me you believe these stories about a ‘Bat-Man’,” he scoffed.
“Believe them? I’ve seen him myself,” Dan said. “Spent half a year in Blackgate cause of him.”
“And yet you dragged me back here,” Joe muttered.
“Well it’s still my home, Bat or not.” That was when the power went out for the building. “Crap!” he hissed. “It’s the Bat!”
“Calm down,” Joe told him. “We got these after all,” he said, patting his semi-automatic.
“Don’t matter, man!” Dan replied, panicking. “He’s the Bat! The Bat, man!” Dan ran off into the darkness. Right after he vanished the others heard a shout, which was quickly cut off.
“You! Check it out!” Joe’s boss told the thug. Joe nodded, moving deeper into the warehouse, between various stacks of boxes.
Joe cautiously walked past the boxes, the flashlight playing across the wooden crates, before finally resting on the unconscious body of Dan. “No use hiding!” Joe called out, looking around, the light eventually illuminating an attractive woman, dressed in a tight form-fitting outfit and mask, and carrying a whip. “I don't think
you’ret the Batman,” Joe scoffed, his eyes leering at her.
“No I’m not,” the woman replied. “Unfortunately for you.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Harvey Bullock was what many would consider a failure of a human being. He was rude, overweight, a slob and possessed an attitude about a century out of date. However Gordon wouldn’t trade him for anything, for despite his personality, Bullock was a damn good cop and one of the few that Jim truly trusted. Bullock had watched his back, even saved his life on more then one occasion while Gordon had spent the last decade cleaning out the corruption in the Gotham PD. Maybe Bullock would bend the rules a bit, but Jim knew that in this city, that was sadly necessary.
“You’d better turn on the TV, Commish,” Harvey said as he opened the door to Jim’s office, popping his head it. “He’s finally doing it.”
Jim frowned and grabbed the remote to flick on the small set that hung is the corner of his office. Knowing Bullock’s current opinions, along with the rumors he himself had heard there was one of two men Jim expected to see on the screen. Gordon was right, for appearing on the small set was the figure of Oswald Cobblepot; below him, the following words ‘Cobblepot announces candidacy for mayor of Gotham City’.
“For too long Gotham City had lived in fear and terror!” Cobblepot was saying as he stood before the massive group of reporters. “For too long crime has run rampant, and why?!”
“'Cuz you’re responsible for half of it, you fat worm,” Bullock muttered at the TV before Jim held up a hand to hush him.
“If elected mayor I will see to it that the Gotham Police Force receives proper funding! That we will not have to rely on some Arkham escapee that dresses like a bat!” Cobblepot continued, a handful of people present cheering as he paused.
Jim clicked off the TV in disgust, tossing the remote onto his desk. “I’ve seen enough,” he growled. “The last thing this city needs is him in charge.”
* * * * * * * * * *
“Hey! Mr. Wayne? Um… Bruce?” Stephanie called out as she walked up to the man. Bruce was standing at one of the fences overlooking the Riverside Park Speedway.
“Yes,” Bruce said, looking at Stephanie with… well the closest thing Bruce gave to a real smile.
“Well, I just wanted to thank you… you know… for taking Carrie in. After her parents…” Stephanie commented, a touch awkwardly.
Bruce nodded. “No child should have to go through what she did.”
“Right,” Stephanie agreed. “And that’s why I’m glad someone’s been there for her. But…” her voice lowered to a hiss. “If I find out you’d been abusing her or something, then you’d better watch out. And don’t think you intimidate me I’m not scared of some rich, pretty boy. I’ve faced down the Batman himself.” With that she turned and quickly walked away.
Bruce actually smiled to himself as he watched Stephanie walk away, thinking back to his first year back in Gotham, and a twelve year old Stephanie fiercely standing between her father and the Batman. “What a minute…” he muttered. “Pretty boy?”
* * * * * * * * * *
Joe’s form crashed into another guard, claw marks on one side of his face as the two men tumbled to the floor. Shots rang out through the warehouse as the remaining thugs let loose with a stream of lead toward the attacker, the woman dodging their fire as she slipped from crate to crate in the darkness of the building. Finally she popped out from behind one of the boxes, her long whip tearing the gun from the hands of one of the men before she went back into hiding.
“There! Kill her!” the criminal yelled as the four remaining members brought their weapons to bear on the crate, their bullets starting to eat away at it while the woman hid behind it.
“Now that’s not the way to treat a lady,” came a voice, as a dark clothed man crashed into one of the thugs, knocking him out and causing the man’s gun to clatter away across the floor.
“The Bat!” someone yelled, turning his attention towards the newcomer.
“Ooo… Close, but no cigar,” Nightwing replied as he let loose with a customized batarang and caused the man to drop his gun. Nightwing dodged another stream of bullets as he dove behind a large stack of crates. Then with a push, they tumbled down on the criminals, the men scattering.
Nightwing quickly knocked out another guard, and expected a counterattack so moved to face his final opponents, only to find them already unconscious as the catsuit clad woman stood over them.
“You know I didn’t need your help, but thanks anyways,” she told Dick with a grin.
“Always happy to help,” Nightwing replied. He looked the woman over warily. “Perhaps you should thank me by telling me who you are.”
“Mmm… Straight to the point. I like that,” the woman purred, as she sashayed towards Nightwing. “The name’s Catwoman.” Now standing just in front of him, Catwoman ran one of her gloves across his chest, the claws attached to the tips gently scratching his costume. “Although I was hoping for a Bat-MAN as oppose to a BOY wonder,” she grinned. “But I guess you can give him a message for me.”
“And what would that be?” Dick asked, managing to keep his composure.
Catwoman moved closer, inches from Nightwing, who thought for a second she was going to kiss him, and then she spoke. “Tell him that Catwoman protects the East End now.” She lightly pushed Nightwing away as she flipped backwards, disappearing into the darkness.
* * * * * * * * * *
“That was great!” Jason said to Warren as him and Tim rejoined the other young man. “You should really go on it.”
“No chance,” Warren replied, shaking his head. “Roller coasters and I have a deal. I don’t ride on them and they don’t make me sick.”
Tim chuckled. “What do you think the girls are up to right now?”
“Steph’s probably dragging Carrie on every ride they’ve come across, when they’re not talking about all the ‘cute’ boys they can see,” Warren replied.
“Still don’t know why Carrie bother inviting Mr. Wayne along,” Jason muttered.
“What is it with you and Steph?” Tim said, shaking his head. “My dad knows Bruce, he’s a good guy, and he’s
not doing anything to Carrie”
“It must be nice to have rich parents that hang out together,” Jason grumbled.
“Hey, hey!” Warren said, quickly stepping between the two. “We’re at Six Flags, this is suppose to be a happy occasion. Let’s not bicker about who’s richer then who.”
“Thanks for the mediation, Mr. Palin,” Tim told Warren, rolling his eyes.
“Anyway,” Warren continued. “My point is we’re here to have fun, not fight. So you two make nice. And I’m gonna introduce myself to that hot redhead over by the drink stand. Catch you later.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Arthur and Bruce sat in awkward silence at the parks main ‘food court’, the older of the two sipping.
“So… Owner of your own company? That must be interesting,” Arthur finally said.
“Yeah… it can be,” Bruce replied. “That’s a great daughter you’ve raised, Mr. Brown… um… that is…”
The older man chuckled, somewhat nervously. “Yeah I heard what she said to you,” He told Bruce. “I’m really sorry about that. It’s just that she’s pretty loyal to people she cares about, and she gets these silly ideas in her head.”
Bruce shook his head. “It’s okay. Carrie needs friends that will look out for her, especially now while she going though… well you know. I just realized that I should be more to Carrie then just owning the place she sleeps, so we’ve been bonding lately so to speak, but maybe I’ve been spending too much time with her lately. Taking her away from her friends.”
Arthur just nodded. “Well I know first hand the kind of man you are.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, you know after your company helped me out of that mess I made after losing my wife,” Arthur told him.
“Ah, right. Yeah. Although I should thank you for indirectly helping me get rid of the corruption of my company,” Bruce said, sighing slightly. While he had been away ‘training’ the company had been taken over by Lew Moxon, whose immoral actions had led to the death of Arthur’s wife, among other tragedies. An act which resulted in Arthur becoming the Cluemaster.
“Don’t mention it,” Arthur replied, chuckling weakly. “It fact it probably would be best if we really don’t mention it. 'Cause… well you know…”
Bruce nodded. “Agreed,” he said, the two men going back to their silence.
* * * * * * * * * *
“It’s impossible!” Carrie muttered as her ball bounced off the ring for the fifth time.
“You’re just jealous,” Stephanie chuckled. The blonde had already won a small stuffed robin whereas Carrie had yet to hit anything.
“Yeah well, you’ve only won cause you went for the easy prize,” Carrie shot back, looking at the stuffed bird Stephanie held.
“I bet the upper ring’s too small for the ball to go through,” Jason commented.
“Well, we could always just ask them,” Warren replied.
“Yeah, 'cause they’re going to show us it’s too small,” was Tim’s answer.
“How’s everyone doing?” Bruce asked as he walked up to the group.
“Not well,” Carrie replied, telling Bruce about the failure to win the large stuffed bear on display at the top of the booth.
“Let me try,” Bruce said, placing down his money and getting the requisite three balls. The first shot went well wide of the target while the second bounced of the lower ring, which would have won one of the smaller stuff animals if Bruce had got it through. After taking a moment to set up his last shot Bruce let go, easily getting the ball through the upper ring.
“We have a winner,” the man running the booth said as he reached up and handed down a large, powder blue bear to Bruce, who gave it to Carrie.
“Lucky shot!” Stephanie muttered.
“Now who’s jealous?” Carrie replied and stuck her tongue out at the other woman.
* * * * * * * * * *
“Catwoman?” Barbara said from her computer as she looked over at Nightwing.
“That’s what she called herself,” Dick replied. “Mind if I use your shower, Babs?”
“Not at all,” Barbara said, frowning. “You find anything more out about these drug dealers?”
“Just what I told you,” Dick answered, his voice slightly muffled as he pulled the top part of his costume over his head, revealing his toned abs. “I’d appreciate it if you took a poke around in your unique way while I’m on my trip. Oh, and it might be best if we don’t tell Bruce… about any of this. At least for the moment, he’s got enough to worry about.”
Barbara nodded. “Right. As if we didn’t have enough costumed folk running around town.”
“And this one a beautiful one to boot,” Dick pointed out, teasing his longtime friend.
“Oh? Should I be worried,” Barbara deadpanned.
“I don’t know,” Dick replied. “Should you?” He laughed, ducking into Barbara’s bathroom just as a pillow crashed into the wall beside it.
* * * * * * * * * *
“Thank you for taking us to the park today, Mr. Wayne, Mr. Brown,” Jason said as he hopped out of the van, his small knapsack in tow, the sun just setting in evening sky.
“You’re welcome, Jason,” Arthur replied before the young man closed the door, and Arthur pulled the van away from the curve. “I can take you and Carrie home if you’d like,” he told Bruce.
“Thank you,” Bruce nodded, looking back at the two young women still in the back seat. Carrie dozed off, leaning against her bear, while Stephanie was using a small lamp to read a book ‘The Corpse Dances at Midnight’. “It had been interesting meeting you, Arthur,” Bruce said sincerely as the van drove through the streets of Gotham.
* * * * * * * * * *
Jervis Tetch frowned as he looked over the readings. “Everything seems to be fine,” he told his good friend. “I still wish we’d had more time.”
“I know,” Victor Fries replied. “But I don’t think she has long left. Thank you for agreeing to help with all of this, old friend.”
“Don’t mention it,” Tetch answered. “I know what it’s like to lose someone important. I’d have done anything to get Alice back.”
Fries nodded, turning a few dials and flicking a couple switches. “Good… Good. The system's powering up perfectly,” he glanced over at a metal and glass case in the center of the room. “It’s going to work. It’s going to work,” he repeated to convince himself.
It was then that the lights flickered, and went out, emergency lighting filling the room with a red tinge.
“What!? What’s going on?” Victor cried out, the readings on the main console going wild.
“It’s a power spike!” Tetch called out. “We have to shut it down!”
“We can’t!” Fried yelled, his voice filled with despair. “I can fix it! I know I can!” He rapidly pressed buttons, turned knobs, flicked switches, all in vain. “This can’t be happening!” he wailed, arms flinging up to guard his face as the console shorted out. “NO!” he shouted, turning towards the large case. “Jervis, help me!”
Jervis nodded as more systems shorted out, a pipe bursting above them to release a cloud of super cold vapor in front of Tetch. The smaller man stumbled back, failing in his attempts to aid his friend. Finally Tetch turned, and ran towards the security alarm outside in the main lab section, yanking it down, know that help would come soon, Victor’s shouts coming from the room, audible despite being from the other side of the large lab section.
“NORA!!!”
