Arkham: Undead
~Chapter 1~
~Buried Alive~
The bat-mobile tares down the road to Arkham Asylum like that one Meat Loaf song; inside batman's mouth was a thin line under a jet-black cowl. Next to him, dosing and sporting a few new burses, was the Mad Hatter. Over the car's speakers came Nightwing's cheery voice.
~OH! You're going to the Asylum? Can I come? I haven't seen the place in years. Actually I haven't seen any place in years. Please? Or maybe we could go out patrolling like old times? You know before the other robins just the two of us? It would be fun!~
Batman shook his head. "That's a negative Nightwing, the night is still young in need you there just incase I need anything from bat arsenal."
~Bullshit Batman! You could totally have Robin doing this job! Or Alfred, or Oracle, or an A.I., or that bat, he says hi by the way wants you to visit more. ~
"This discussion is over Nightwing! I need you there!"
There was silence over the radio for a moment. ~Fine.~
The car skidded to a stop in front of the Asylum's entrance and Batman got out dragging Jarvis with him. He handed him off to a guard who quickly put Jarvis in restraints and led him away. Gordon was standing by the desk talking to one of the doctors. He looked over at Batman and gestured to him.
"Walk with me, you're wanted in the manor by Quincy Sharp."
"Why?"
"No idea but he seemed pretty insistent that you see him. I think it might be about the Joker."
"Fine Jim, let's go."
They walked deeper into the Asylum finally coming to an open space where a large manor sat. A small graveyard next to it housing the family plot of the original founder: Amadeus Arkham. Batman paused outside the manor looking at the relatively new patio and stairs into the building. His mind drifted back across the years when some thugs had taken over the asylum and had blasted away the original structure.
.o.
Batman narrowed his eyes looking at the four thugs below him and tried to understand why they had bothered to blast that part of the manor. He turned on his detective vision and his heart suddenly doubled in speed. There under the earth was a box with a small skeleton; his sensors told him that there was a heartbeat coming from the box. It was vary faint but it was there.
Quickly, Batman swooped down, tackling one of the thugs before he could react. He finished the others just as quickly. Without even thinking he used one of the thug's shovels and cleared off the small coffin and broke through the rotting wood. Some of the Arkham staff were running to take the thugs away as he pulled a boy from the box. He was small but looked to be about thirteen years old. Batman checked the boy's pulse. It was there but only just. Batman tapped his com.
"Alfred, I need you to check the missing person's data base for any missing teenagers."
~Right away Sir; any distinguishing feature I should include in my search?~
"You're looking for a white male, with black hair," The boy started to wake showing the bluest eyes Bruce had ever seen "and blue eyes."
~Yes, sir I'll get back to you when I've got something.~
Batman set the boy down on the stairs. The boy shivered, he was painfully thin and his clothes were practically in ribbons. Batman pulled off his cape and offered it to him, which he took. Batman kneeled to be eye level with him. "Can you speak?"
The boy nodded, "Yes, I speak." His voice was hallow and he looked around in a daze. "Where, where am I?"
"Arkham Asylum. Now can you tell me your name?"
The boy was silent for a moment. "I think my name's Richard but I can't remember anything more. My-my life it's all in a haze."
"Ok, don't try to think to hard you might be in shock. Mind if I sit next to you."
"Oh please, strange man dressed as a bat." The boy scooted over. "By all means."
Batman sat down. "Do you know who those men are over there? Or why they were trying to bury you alive?"
Richard shook his head. "No, I don't remember them at all." Suddenly the boy was transfixed on one of the lampposts. "What is that? And how is it glowing like that?"
Batman frowned clearly this boy's mind had been damage by the recent events. "It's a light bulb."
"Oh, I guess it is." Richard chuckled. "Forgive me I don't seem to be myself right now."
"You're forgiven. You've been through a lot."
Their conversation was suddenly cut short by the sound of Jokers laughter and an ak47 being shot off.
.o.
"You coming?"
Batman looked up at Jim who was standing at the entrance. "Yes, sorry. Just remembering things."
"You're thinking about the kid they tried to bury alive years ago aren't you? You know it's not your fault; he was so weak when you pulled him from the ground. You did your best."
"I know Jim."
"It still haunts you though, doesn't it?"
"More than you know."
They walked into Sharp's office where a rather rotund man sat behind a desk.
"You wanted to see me?"
"Yes, we excavated the lower levels of the manor recently and we came upon these items." He pointed to a box on his desk. "A number of years ago you asked for anything pertaining to the history of the Asylum pre Amadeus Arkham and this might be just what you're looking for."
"And you're just going to let me take this?"
Sharp shrugged. "If I don't you'll just take it later. Return them when you're done and don't destroy them. They are artifacts after all."
Batman took the box. "Don't worry I won't." Without another word Batman left the room and the Asylum with the box.
.o.
Joker's bullet hit Richard square in the chest and the boy fell back. Batman caught him before he could crack his head on the concrete. Asylum staff where able to grab Joker while Batman attended to Richard. He was losing blood fast and in Batman's desperation to save the boy he took him to the batcave without thinking of the implications. The last time Joker had broken out he had poisoned a whole Boy Scout troupe and he would be damned if he added another to Joker's list.
A/N: yeah, trying my hand at a different fandom. I love the Arkham games with Asylum being my favorite over all. This will be more of an else worlds type of story that will definitely mess with canon characters' back-story and abilities. If you don't like that kind of stuff don't read. This will lean heavy on the classic horror side.
