Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:39:40 -0700 (PDT) From: Jason Decade <femtoka2@yahoo.com> Subject: Prince of Gotham 4 Disclaimer: This is a my perspective on characters who belong to DC comics. So all rights and stuff go to them except for the character(s) that I make up. Chapter 4: Unveil A buzzer buzzed as Dr. Victor Fries sat down in a chair, staring through the glass window. He let out a chuckle as he saw who was behind it. Me. "Hi." I said quickly, " how's home?" "A little cold, even for me." Fries said. "Good." I said, " Why did you try to take us." "I was paid. With the money I earned, I could finally have gotten back my wife." he said. "I'm sorry for your loss, but nothing you do is going to bring her back. All you did was make me realize that someone's after us. The Joker, then you. Who's next?" I asked. "Smart boy." Fries said. "I'm only going to ask you once more, who are you working for?" I asked. "Gotham is burning around you. You think that Batman will be able to save you every time?" Fries said. "If Gotham is burning, I'm gonna make it snow." I said angrily, " I hope you rot. Your wife is better off not seeing what you've become." I said, standing and leaving Arkham, not bothering to look back. - - - - - - - - - - As I stood on top of Gotham's Police station, waiting, I found myself hoping that I wouldn't get caught. "How'd you get up here?" a dark, husky voice said. "I snuck in." I smiled, turning to see Batman, " Nice to see a mask." "Is there a reason we're here?" Batman asked. "To live, pay taxes, and die." I said and Baman made to leave, " Okay, look, someone is trying to kill me and my dad and I'm not sure who it is. You know I've been attacked by many-a-villains." "I figured." Batman said, " Do you know of any specific suspects?" "No. I'm not a business type. I'm more of the detective. I'd make a great super hero." I smiled. "What can you do?" he asked. "A lot." I said, " What do I have to do to get that mask?" "Be Batman." he said. "Not what I meant." I said, moving closer, " Who are you?" "Batman." he said simply. "I mean, under it all? You probably know everything about me, but I have no clue about you." I said softly. "I am Batman." he said defiantly. There was a noise at the door and I turned and saw Commisioner Gordon. I turned to Batman, only to see that he was gone. "What are you doing up here?" Gordon asked. "Talking to myself." I said, walking past him. - - - - - - - - - - As I meditated in Bruce's living room, I felt an eye on me. I opened my eyes to see Tim watching me and I smiled. "What...are you doing?" he laughed. "I'm centering myself." I said quickly, " Bruce went to get drinks, where've you been?" "School." he said. "Oh yeah...forgot about that." I said sarcastically. "Yeah. It's everyday you know." he said, " We had homework in Chem." "So, what'd you learn?" I asked. "I learned that...umm, well..." Tim searched. "What's going on here?" Alfred asked, " Did you do your homework?" "I just got here!" Tim protested. "Very well, but I am sure Master Bruce would love to hear it." Alfred smiled, handing me something to drink. "Fine." Tim said, leaving. "Where's Bruce?" I asked. "Important call, Master Phoenix, but not to worry, I shall keep you company." Alfred smiled, " How are you?" "Well, I've been attacked by every villain in Gotham, so good." I said, " Is it it bad that I just keep falling?" "Master Wayne..." Alfred said, " The Senior Master Wayne had a saying for Master Bruce. 'Why does one fall'?" he asked. "Because we can't stand?" I asked. "We fall so that we can get up." Bruce smiled, walking back into the room. "I'm afraid to fall." I said. "We all are." Alfred said, " But those who never fall, never have the satisfaction of getting up." I smiled, " I'm a dreamer." I said. "Ready for more yoga?" Bruce asked. "Ummm, I was kind of hoping you'd teach me some karate or ninjitsu...please?" I asked. Alfred and Bruce looked at each other, " Why?" he asked. "It's a handy sport and..." I stammered, trying to think of a good excuse. "Sport?" Bruce asked, sitting on the arm of a chair. "You know what, nevermind...I've got to go." I smiled, leaving, " Major homework, you know." - - - - - - - - - - As I walked downtow, I felt odd. I had just asked Bruce to teach me ninjitsu, maybe the most random thing I've actually done. I was still pondering over the next headline and article. As I walked through my front door, I heard voices and stopped, closing the door slowly. I crept to the corner, noticing the voices. I peeked around the corner to see Carmine Falcone and a few of his thugs standing around my dad. His words couldn't reach my ears, so I took a step forward. I wasn't going to let them do anything to my dad. "Oh, hello, son." Dad said, looking over to me, then back at the men, " Gentlemen, I believe we can continue this discussion at a later date." "You can be sure of that." Falcone said, nodding to signify that the men could leave. He waited until they had all gone and turned to leave, " Your kid's growing up fast...It'd be unfortunate." he said, leaving. "What would be unfortunate?" I asked, walking to my father. "It's nothing." Dad smiled. "Dad, I know that Falcone being here isn't a good thing, so spill!" I said angrily. Dad whirled around, furiously, " THIS ISN'T YOUR CONCERN!" he shouted, " Your job is to go to school and get an education...which, by the way, you haven't been doing. The school called." I looked at him angrily, " I skipped, okay. It's no biggie. Senior skip day." "The rest of your class didn't skip!" Dad said impatiently, " I wish you wouldn't lie to me." "Ditto." I said. "Go to your room. You're grounded!" he growled. "What?" I asked. "Grounded. Now go!" he yelled. I walked to my room, but stopped, " I've never asked you about business because, frankly, I don't care, but he wants something from us, something that we can't give him, don't we?" Dad nodded, " Dad, he won't stop." "It's nothing to worry about." Dad growled. "You're wrong." I said, walking to my room. I stood in my room, looking through my closet. I moved my clothes and picked out a pair of black jeans, a blue shirt, and a black jean jacket. I searched through again and found a blue bird mask. It didn't suit me, but it was the only one I found. Iooked myself in the mirror and sighed. "I'm going out for a while." Dad yelled from the living room. Then I heard the door slam and quiet. I looked to the window and shook my head. I waited for a while, then snuck out of the door. - - - - - - - - - - Inspiration hit me like a ton of weights. I found myself back on top of the police station, with the Bat signal in the sky. I was fully prepared to fight, even though I wasn't really a fighter. I was good at making things happen. Odd things, like breaking lights and stuff like that. "Freeze!" Commissioner Gordon said, pointing his gun at me. I sighed and turned to him. "Oh geeze, another one." he groaned. "Chill." I said softly. "How'd you get up here?" he asked, looking around. "I'd like to know too." Batman's husky voice said. To his left was Robin, who looked at me as if he wanted to laugh, " Who are you?" "I'll tell you who I'm not. I'm not a great fighter and I'm not a great business man, but I need your help." I said quickly, " Don't mind the mask, it's only so the bad guys don't see me." "So, who are you?" Robin asked. I turned to Commissioner Gordon, " Either go blind or mosey away." I said. "Excuse me?" Gordon growled. "Please." I asked. Batman nodded and he left. I lifted my mask, " I know wh's after me and my dad. I just need you to help me find out why and stop him." I quickly. Batman and Robin looked at me oddly, as if they had seen my face on backwards, " Look, this city is a dangerous place. I'll handle it." Batman said, his husky, yet oddly monotonous voice said. "God your voice is sexy." I smirked, " But, no deal. Either you're going to help me, or I do it myself." "Firstly, ewww, and secondly, you could get hurt." Robin said. I noticed the voice. I had heard it, it was familiar, " Look, I know you two have to be 'safety' guys because you're heroes, but if you don't help me, I might die." I said, trying to lay on as much guilt as I could. They looked at each other, as if they were talking telepathically. "Only this once." Batman said, shifting his eyes at me, " What is it?" "I'm wondering what you look like, maybe Mario Lopez...no, not hispanic...that's probably Nightwing. You're probably something like George Clooney or Christian Bale." I said, " We need to get going." "You're right, who is the target?" Robin asked, getting an icy glare from Batman. "Carmine Falcone." I said, turning, " He's our target, downtown at the..." I turned to find them gone, " Oh, hell." I said, running to the fire escape and climbing down. - - - - - - - - - - As I made my way to the building, I looked up and noticed Batman and Robin sneaking in. I kept watching, trying to find a way up there and I went to the fire escape and climbed up another building. I stood on the roof of the building adjacent to Falcone's. All I had to do was find a way across. I looked across and saw Batman and Robin fighting and Dad was in a corner by Falcone. Falcone had him by the shoulder and dragged him out of the door. I felt myself grow impatient and I got back as far as I could and ran to the edge, jumping across the gap. As I jumped, I knew there was no chance I'd make it, but I knew I had to and suddenly, with a burst of power, I was glided and someone caught me. It was Nightwing and we crashed through the glass window, and the fighting momentarily stopped. Guns raised, the thugs shot at me, but their guns jammed! I ran through the room and out of the door. I saw Dad being dragged at the bottom of the stairs and I quickly made my way down. As I got to the bottom, I looked up and heard someone falling. I put my hands over my head and prepared for impact! I looked up to see Nightwing suspended in air. I looked at my hands and walked to him. He struggled as I lifted the mask. "Dick?!" I asked, letting him drop! "I can explain." he said, putting his mask back on. There was a gunshot and I sped off to see a burnt corpse and Falcone with a bullet through his head. I stood, unable to move as the thoughts went through my mind. My father was dead and Falcone was too, but how? I couldn't breath and as Batman, Robin, and Nightwing showed up, I looked at them, immediately figuring it out. "You lied to me!" I shouted. There was silence. "You knew all along that..." I screamed as all the lights burst above us! I couldn't breath anymore, I just passed out. - - - - - - - - - - I sat in my house, the lights off, the fireplace roaring as I looked at the picture of me, my mother, and my father. I thought about everything going through my head. Bruce is Batman. Dick is Nightwing. Tim is Robin. Dad is dead. Falcone is too. I lifted my hand, as if to strike the wall, but the wine on the table flew off and into the fire. I looked at my hand as it shook. I concentrated on the painting above the mantle and it floated to the floor and back again. A drop of blood fell from my nose as sat back on the couch. I had powers! What was this?! I walked to my room and found a box on my bed. I opened the box to see a red catsuit with black stiches all around it and a black jean jacket with red stiching. There was also a red mask that connected to the catsuit, but didn't go over my hair. It looked skintight and I looked at it. I searched through the box and found a card. It said, " Be who you are, Anonymous." and I threw the card back in the box and smiled at the suit...time to test it out. - - - - - - - - - -