THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Fanfiction written by M. Hernandez
Based on the upcoming film "The Dark Knight Rises" by Christopher Nolan
Chapter One: Daddy's little girl
"You've finally learned to do what is necessary."
"I won't kill you but I don't have to save you..."
A cape opened like two massive wings and Batman was lifted out of the speeding train car. Ra's al Ghul saw his oncoming demise and closed his eyes. Time, color and sound had stopped. He sighed and remembered what was most precious to him.
Suddenly gravity and everything else that was less important to him returned and he finally plummeted into the base of Wayne Tower.
Several days later...
"Miss Tate? Right this way please." An African American woman in her late-20's opened a large oak door and allowed another woman to enter. A nameplate next to the door read LUCIOUS FOX, BUSINESS EXECUTIVE.
The African American woman sat down behind a desk which was fairly similar to the heavy doors, being that it looked just as expensive, and eyed it as it shut closed. Her own nameplate read JESSICA FOX, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY. She looked at the gentlemen who escorted the visitor to the top floor of Wayne Tower and thanked them for their help. The gentlemen, Wayne Enterprise employed Security Guards, smiled back and returned to their posts. The African American woman understood their purpose and that after the recent events she knew it was expected. Never before had anyone tried to attack the tower using the water system that sprawled below it. Luckily neither she nor her own father were anywhere near the building when the terrorist attack happened.
She bit the tip of a pen she was holding and remembered the event. She waited for her father to return home that night as she watched the disaster unfold on television. But when her father had not returned home she immediately began to worry. Dangerous thoughts entered her head and she tried to combat it by blowing up her father's cell phone with calls. Had he not arrived home soon after she would've nearly called the police. Then she realized the police had their own problems that night. Her father never gave her a straight answer as to where he had been that evening. She wondered about Bruce Wayne's birthday dinner and then about his return to the lab at Wayne tower. It all seemed confusing to her so she let the trust in her father take over. Yet something she couldn't help but stare at the large closed oak doors.
Inside the room an aging man leaned against his massive work desk to shake the hand of the woman that was entering. He smiled warmly and began reading a folder with her name on the front tab: MIRANDA TATE.
"Please sit. I hope you didn't mind the inconvenience of getting inside the Tower. Recent events have hindered a lot of accessibility like using the front door for instance." Lucious's humor did not take the woman off guard. She chuckled softly as she sat down on a leather chair directly in front of Lucious. She gently caressed the leather arm and the brass tacks that held the chair together.
"But of course ever since Mr. Wayne's re-acquisition of his father's company he has been hard pressed to make sure this tower is still running tight. So thank the Wayne bravado for you being here this morning." Lucious glanced over her file. "I'm impressed that you've managed to make it this far, Miss Tate. I don't need to see your resume to see a person of fine work ethic." Lucious beamed at her. "If Mister Wayne thinks you're a fine fit for our team here at Wayne Enterprises then so do I. Welcome aboard Miss Tate."
Her large, shiny, brown eyes looked at him kindly. Behind Lucious was an enormous window overlooking Gotham City and a bright sky yet his announcement made him shine brilliantly. She thanked him with a gleaming smile and deep ruby lips. Her deep and full brown hair gently brushed over neck whenever she moved her head. On her lap the woman held a white envelope on her lap. Lucious also noticed a peculiar blue flower pinned onto her lapel.
"But before we can accept you as a Board Member we'll need your help first in our Public Philanthropic Initative. It's a sub-division of PR but I wouldn't worry about them interfering too much. A little experience down there can mean a lot up here. Is that going to be OK with you Miss Tate?"
"Yes, of course," the woman replied.
Lucious was surprised by the slight accent in her voice. He couldn't place exactly what the accent was.
"Fantastic! Y'know my own daughter works just outside this door. You've met her," Lucious motioned towards the entrance. "Having one of your own just a few feet away is a luxury not even the richest men can afford. I know it may seem like a drag to some daughters but I get the feeling we work out alright."
The woman caught Lucious staring into the large doors as if he was observing his own daughter.
"Sometimes I find myself thinking that she's not Daddy's little girl any longer but that's how life goes. Things must change."
"It is a very special thing to keep your own daughter close to your heart," the woman spoke with sophistication. "My own father treated me like the prize of the world and to this day I've continued to follow in his footsteps."
"Oh, your father works in the trade?"
The woman shook her head. "He is also a philanthropist…of a different sort."
"Wonderful to hear that, maybe Mister Wayne can meet him one day."
"He already has," the woman's voice became thin. "Which brings me to this…"
The woman handed Lucious the white envelope.
"What's this?"
"A request for several days out of the country."
Lucious appeared amused. "Normally you show some diligence before requesting any special consideration-"
"My father died only a few nights ago. I wish to see him receive a proper burial. I know I've barely stepped foot onto this building-"
"It's alright Miss Tate. Take the week off."
"Thank you Mister Fox. When I return I will be more than confident that we can get straight to work on your initiative."
"Now that's the spirit this company needs. I won't hold you back from your travels so you can be dismissed. I only wish we had more time to discuss some arrangements with your employment."
"I plan to stay until my job is done, I won't go anywhere," answered the woman.
"Ah! Ambition."
"My father's vision…actually," she corrected. The woman stood up, shook his hand and started her way towards the door.
"Before you leave, could you quickly explain to me what your definition of our initiative is? What would be your vision?" Lucious listened carefully to the words that came next.
The woman looked back at him. Her ruby lips smiled and her eyes shined as she replied back "To reach into Gotham City and make the wrong right again, to change the lives of the citizens of Gotham City by showing them a new future…to let them give birth to a new age in Justice. Everyone will feel our touch. No one will be overlooked. Those who have fallen will rise. It's what my father would have wanted."
Lucious smiled again. "Like I said...I wouldn't have picked anyone else for the job. See you in a week Miss Tate."
"Thank you Mister Fox and goodbye." The woman closed the door behind her. On her way out she stopped by Jessica desk and handed her the blue flower that was pinned onto her lapel.
"Oh?" Jessica admired the flower and smiled thankfully.
"It's a Himalayan Blue Poppy of the Genus Meconopsis; a beautiful work of art. It's an interesting fact to note that even under the harshest winters, the worst of stress, and the darkest of times…the flower continues to survive. Out of the entire flora this is my personal…beloved." She dropped the flower into a small glass bowl that was already filled with carnations. "Not many have seen it in their lifetimes…and now they can."
She looked up to thank her again but the woman was already gone. Then came a DING and out from the executive elevator and Bruce Wayne himself walked out and towards his office, followed by several board members. Bruce's office was located conveniently across Lucious's. Bruce walked up to Jessica and smiled. She smiled back with much more glimmer in her eyes than necessary, remembering the intimate moment they had shared days prior over a lesson of golf.
"Good afternoon Mister Wayne!" She said in her best morning-pepped-up voice.
"Good afternoon J-" Bruce stopped himself as he approached the blue flower on her desk.
"Is everything alright?" Jessica's eyes traced his line of sight to the flower.
The board members behind him watched quietly. Bruce nodded.
"Send memos, Jess. I'd like to congregate with the other members on what to do with the monorail."
"Right away Mister Wayne."
Bruce left her desk but the image of the blue flower grew into a forest of ideas. Ra's' voice echoed within his thoughts. Perhaps he hadn't done what was necessary, he wondered. Perhaps he missed something...someone. In his mind he remembered his mentor; a friend from long ago. The memory became a relapse into an abyss of dialogue. However the friendly voice was no longer warm like Henri's but ferocious and ominous like a demon and it frightened him.
We have infiltrated every level of its infrastructure...
To be continued! Thanks for reading everyone! I hope you're enjoying it and that it's as much fun to read as it was to write. This was originally a one-shot but I've considered turning this into my personal take of the upcoming film. I'm excited about Nolan's return to helm the epic conclusion, you're excited, why not celebrate another great Bat-entry into the mythology by reading up on fan-fiction! Support Batman fan-fiction by viewing other great stories.
By the way if you really dug this entry then PLEASE-OH-PLEASE leave back a review. I want to know what you thought. Did it send shivers down your spine? Did it make you yawn and pass out of boredom? Send over any questions, comments and even suggestions! I'll take 'em all. The more reviews I have means the more incentive I have to write another chapter. Until the next entry folks! -EH