Beyond the Dark Knight
Chapter One: Reborn
End of Batman V Superman:
Batman: we will never be friends Clark. I will not forgive you for what you did to me. To my family.
Superman: does this mean we are enemies once again?
Batman: no, but we are not friends, and we are not a team.
Superman: even so, I can't just let you walk away. I have an obligation to bring you in.
Batman: I'm not going to let you do that Clark.
Superman: Than you leave me no choice.
Superman fires his heat vision at batman, batman throws his cape around him, right when the blast hits him, and all that is left is a smoldering pile of armor. Superman grabbed the cowl and flew off too Washington DC for his final hearing. In a dark alley across the way, Bruce limped into the shadows. He found his way back to the cave and sat down at the computer, and typed in the word BEYOND and smirked. End Credits role.
Now: 20 Years Later
Terry was looking out into the sky outside of his school window. He thought he might have seen the black and white blur of Superman flying by a few minutes earlier. He was probably just imagining things. With the Bat gone, Gotham needed a protector. And thanks to Superman, it didn't have one.
"Terry!" Mr. Nash yelled. Terry's head wiped around. "Are you with us?" Terry frowned. "No, that's why I'm looking out the window." Mr. Nash shook his head. "If you want to go anywhere in life, you have to pay attention." Terry laughed. "That's ironic coming from a guy whose own son is failing every class he's put in." Mr. Nash frowned. "That's enough, Mr. McGuiness." Terry stood and grabbed his back pack. "Your damn right it is." He walked out the class doors just in time to hear Mr. Nash say, "Juvenile delinquent." Terry through back, "I guess it takes one to know one." Then the door closed.
As Terry walked down the hall, he heard a kid cry for help. He looked down the hall and saw Nelson Nash about to pummel a kid named Wally. Enough was enough. This kid gets away with everything just because his father has leverage on the principle. Its time he took a beating. Terry walked over and said, "Why don't you pick on someone your own size, Nash." Nelson turned and grinned. "You want some McGuiness?" Terry turned his head slightly to Wally. "Run." Then, Nelson took a swing at him. Terry caught Nelsons fist and braced his elbow with his other hand. Then he threw him against the lockers, and slammed his fist into his gut. Nelson bent over in pain, then felt Terry's iron fist bash against his face, knocking him to the ground. By this time, a few kids had gathered around, and started chanting his name. Terry cracked his knuckles and turned to walk away when the Principle walked up. Terry turned to run and saw two security guards coming up on his flank. Terry saw the stairs to his left and ran up them. The guards followed, and told him he had nowhere to go. That was a lie. He had the windows. Terry ran into a class room and leaped over the desks. He reached the far window and opened it. The security guards ran in, and terry jumped. He hit the ground and rolled to his feet, and kept running.
He made it to his house and ran in. he slammed the door behind him and heard, "Get in here Terry! Now!" His father was home. He walked in, head held high, hands behind his back. Terry's father, Harry, worked for Wayne-Powers Incorporated. He was a biogenetic engineer, and one of the higher authorities in the company. He must have just got the call, because the phone was still in his hand. He was sitting at the living room table. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Terry laughed. "If you think I regret kicking his ass, you're wrong." Terry's father slammed his fist against the table, and stood. "And why the hell not?" "Because he deserved it!" Terry snapped back. "He was beating on this poor kid named Wally, and before that, it was Dania. It was just a matter of time before someone retaliated." Terry's father shook his head. "And it had to be you, didn't it?" Terry glared at his father. "Mom would have backed me up." Harry's eyes started to too dilate. "You don't live with your mother." Terry has had enough. He grabs his coat and walks out of the room. "Where are you going Terry? Your grounded remember?" Terry just yelled back, "Try to stop me, you old hag!" and then left. Harry was taken aback by the harsh comment, then, he sat down at his desk.
Earlier that day a co-worker gave him a data disk for him to protect. Later that day, the co-worker died in a car accident. It was time to see what was on it. He slipped the disk into the drive on his laptop, and saw something that should never have existed. Harry was shocked, and started to turn white. "Something the matter, Mr. McGuiness?" Harry whirled around to see the one eyed assistant of Derek Powers, his boss, Mr. Fix. "How did you get in here?" Mr. Fix smiled menacingly and slowly walked forward. "Your door was unlocked. You should be more careful. There are dangerous people about at this hour."
Chapter Two: Jokerz
Elsewhere, Terry was waiting with his girlfriend Dania to get into the Iceberg Lounge. He was holding her hand, and her head was leaning against his shoulder. Nelson Nash was a few feet behind him, with a black eye. He was going to get back at him. He pushed three people out of his way, and grabbed Terry's shoulder, spinning him around. Terry pushed Dania out of the way, right when Nelson swung his fist. Terry ducked and slammed his fist into Nelsons gut, then uppercut him right under the jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground. "You going to get up, or have you learned your lesson?" Terry asked. Nelson gritted his teeth, and was about to get up to try again when a horn beeped twice. A motorcycle gang rode up and started to circle around Nelson and Terry. They were laughing like hyenas, and they wore leathers that where black with a neon red and green smiley face on the back. Jokerz.
Nelson stood and went back to back with Terry. "I'm out of here." Nelson said, and went to get out of the circle, when a baseball bat hit him in the gut, then under the chin, knocking him unconscious. Terry took a fighters stance, and prepared for the oncoming attack. He saw the bat out of the corner of his eye, and grabbed it, ripping it from the bikers grasp. He swung it around and knocked the biker off his motorcycle. He heard a biker behind him and ducked just in time for the knife to fly over his head. He picked up the bike that he knocked the joker off of and hit the kick start. "Get out of here, Terry!" Dania yelled. He zoomed off down the street and onto the highway. He heard their laughter behind him and knew he was in deep. He noticed a drop off onto the highway bellow the one he was on, and took it. He flew over the edge of the highway and landed on the road bellow.
The lead joker stopped and followed Terry with his eyes. He noticed a mile marker and saw that the boy was heading towards the bay. Wayne Manor was that way, and it was a dead end. He smiled and cackled and started to follow Terry. His gang followed in pursuit. Terry was driving about 160mph up the road when he saw the mansion. The gate had a giant W on it. "Wayne Manor?" Terry asked himself. Then his headlights shined upon an elderly man with a cane. He had white hair a combed back and a black suit and tie. Terry swerved and tried to stay upright, but ended up crashing. Terry leaped and rolled to his feet. He heard the Jokers behind him, and turned. The elderly man was gone and all that was left of his bike was a crumpled pile of scrap metal. He took a fighters stance and prepared for the oncoming fight. The jokers were laughing and smiling. "Looks like no-fun boy had an accident." One said. The leader smiled menacingly and said, "Why so serious?" he got off his bike and flipped open his switchblade. "Let's put a smile on that face."
"Leave him alone!" The elderly man said. "And get off my property. You're trespassing." The lead joker and his crew laughed. "Are we now?" said one of them. "It's okay, I can handle this." Terry said. The lead joker walked over to the old man and grabbed a fist full of his shirt. "Who do you think you are?" He leaned in a little bit closer. "Where the Jokerz!" The old man smiled. "Sure you are." The lead joker raised his fist and was about to bring it down when the old man caught the fist and smiled. The jokers smile faded. The old man punched the lead one in the gut, swung his cane upwards and caught the joker under the chin, sending him sprawling. Terry took the opportunity to smash his foot into the closest jokers kneecap, breaking his leg backwards. Terry ran over to the old man's side, and they began to fight. The old man was mostly blocking, and let Terry do the knockouts. A joker caught the old man in the leg, and the man fell in agony. His leg was badly injured, hence the cane. Terry punched out the joker that hit the old man in the leg, and followed up with a roundhouse to the last jokers jaw, knocking him to the ground. The lead joker got to his hands and knees and crawled back to his bike. "Let's bug out!" the jokers all got on their bikes and drove off.
Chapter Three: the Bat of Gotham
Terry turned to help the old man and saw that he was leaning against his gate, cane in hand and he was shaking. "Let me help you to your house, Mr.…?" The old man turned his head slightly and said, "Wayne. Bruce Wayne." Terry was slightly taken aback, but moved forward and put Bruce's arm around his shoulders. He helped him through the gate and towards the house. A black German Sheppard ran up and started to bark at Terry. "Down Ace, he's ok." The dog instantaneously stopped barking and lowered his head, and skulked into the shadow. His fur blended in perfectly. "Nice dog." Terry said. Bruce smirked. "Not really."
Terry helped him into the house and sat him on the couch. "Pain killers are on the top shelf in the kitchen." Terry nodded and headed to the next room, where the kitchen was. He passed a grandfather clock on his way in. it wasn't working, but it looked nice. He went to grab the painkillers when he heard a screeching noise behind him. He turned to see a bat stuck in a grandfather clock. "What the-?" Terry asked himself. It wasn't there a second ago, was it? He looked into the living room and saw Bruce laying his head back on the couch, nodding off. He opened the clock and tried to get the bat unstuck, but accidently hit the minute hand too 12:03 and the clock moved away from the wall.
It opened up to an elevator leading down. Terry's curiosity got the better of him. What was a billionaire doing with a hidden elevator? And where did it lead? Terry walked in and pressed the down button. The elevator doors closed and the elevator jolted. A few seconds later, it opened to reveal a dark cave. Terry hit the lights, and was bewildered by what he saw. It was the Batcave, the HQ of the Bat of Gotham. Terry walked over to the suits, and saw the latest one. It was armor. Technology was from this century, unlike everything else in this dump. It was black with a red bat logo, and the cowl was a full face mask with red glowing eyes. Terry felt it, and the second he put his hand on it, the suit powered up. It was activated by finger print. Why was it powering up to his genetic code?
"Pretty cool, right?" Terry whirled around to see Bruce standing behind him. He was standing firm, with his cane in front of him. "You're-?" Bruce chuckled. "I'm the Batman." Terry looked at the suit and back. "This is no coincident that I am here, is it?" Bruce shrugged. "Actually, I didn't plan this. I was going to introduce myself once you got home a little later tonight and offer you a job." Terry looked questioningly at Bruce. "A job? What kind of job?" Bruce shrugged. "Nothing to dangerous. In my old age, I need a little help getting around. Someone to fetch groceries or drive me to the Wayne-Powers building. Oh, and for you to become the next Batman. No biggy." Terry stumbled back and braced himself against the wall. "This is too much." Bruce smiled. "I know how you feel. First time on the streets, I felt the same way. But you were born and raised to be Batman." Terry shook his head. "What do you mean?" Bruce grabbed Terry's arm and walked him to the elevator. "Let's talk upstairs."
Bruce walked him to the couch and sat him down. He poured him a cup of coffee and laid it in front of him. Terry didn't touch it. "You were the first of many teenagers I tested. The Batcomputer made an algorithm to match my personal traits and skills with a suitable candidate. You were the only one that passed." Terry looked up. "Who were the others?" Bruce smirked. "You already put one in the hospital. His name was Nelson Nash." Terry laughed. "Seriously?" Bruce smiled. "I was just as surprised. But I followed his progress. He made it surprisingly far, until his father got involved. Then he got power thirsty, and he dropped off my radar. But you, you were always my favorite. Your skill, your morals, your hatred for punks dressed like clowns. It all lead up to this moment, this singular choice. Either you become something meaningful, something everlasting, or you stay a teenager and forget you ever saw any of this. What's it going to be?" Terry shook his head. "I need time to think about your offer."
Bruce nodded and walked him to the door. Ace was sitting there, guarding the house. Terry walked out, and Ace sniffed his foot and licked his pant leg. "He likes you." Bruce said. Terry nodded and walked two the front gates. The Jokerz bike was still a crumpled pile of trash. He was going to have to walk. Bruce strolled up in a black Lamborghini and rolled down the window. "Need a lift?" Terry smirked. He got into the passenger seat and buckled up. Bruce hit the gas and zoomed off. Terry's head hit the back of the seat. It was silent in the car for the whole ride, until he got home.
"Oh my god." Terry gasped. Cops where surrounding the house with police line tape and two med carriers were walking out with a body bag. "No." Terry said, unbuckling. He opened the door and ran over to the police line. He burst through the crowed and ripped open the police tape. A police officer grabbed him. "Hey, kid, you can't just-." Terry arm bared him. "Yes, I can." Terry's mother runs out of the house. "Terry, let him go!" Terry let the officer go and hugged his mom. He looked around, releasing her. "Where is dad?" Terry's mother stutters and falls silent. Her head lowers. "Dad?" Terry said. He runs towards the house. "DAD!?"
Terry finds his dad in a body bag getting put in a Med Carrier. Terry looks over to Bruce, and his head is lowered. His eyes where dark and full of pain. Terry had read how Bruce had lost his parents. This must be like opening a 40 year old wound for him. For Terry, it was a whole new cut. He walked over to Bruce and lifted his eyes to his. "Was this a part of your plan." Bruce shook his head. "Never." Terry nodded. "Then get in the car, and drive away. I'll contact you with my answer later." Bruce nodded and got in his car and drove back to his mansion.
Terry walked back over to his mother, who was crying her eyes out silently. He embraced her, and they moved away from the crime scene. They got in there car and drove away. They went to Terry's mom's house and Terry went to his new room. He laid down and fell asleep.
A week later, the funeral for his dad took place. A speech was made by Derek Powers, Co-Owner of Wayne-Powers and Terry's father's employer. He vowed to make things right, and to hunt down the men responsible for this unspeakable act. Terry wasn't convinced. He acted to righteous to be real.
Once Terry got home, he picked up the phone. He had made his decision. "Yes?" Bruce's voice answered the phone. "I have made my decision." Silence. "I will become vengeance and justice. I will defend the innocent. I will be the Batman. But on one condition. I bring in my father's killer first. Agreed?" Bruce agreed. Terry hung up the phone and grabbed his coat.
He walked out the front doors and started walking towards the general direction of Wayne Manor. A few minutes later, a black Lamborghini pulled up and Terry got in. Bruce was behind the driver's seat. "Let's get to work."
Chapter Four: Training
Terry and Bruce drove silently back to the mansion. Once there, Terry got out and started towards the front doors. Bruce saw the expression on his face and frowned. It was the same look he had when his parents died. "Terry-." Terry lifted his hand and Bruce fell silent. "I know what you're going to say, and I'm not ready to talk about it yet. I'm sorry." Bruce shook his head. "Don't be. When you're ready, I'll be here." Terry nodded and they walked through the front doors and moved towards the elevator.
Once they were in the cave, Terry hit the lights, and his jaw dropped. The cave had been fully remodeled and upgraded. The Batcomputer was fully redesigned and upgraded with the latest technology and software, his suit was hanging where he had left it, but the other suits where gone, replaced by specialized gear and gadgets. He looked towards the cave bay doors, and saw a fully remodeled Batmobile. It was red and black, like his suit, and had no wheals. It had hover tech, thanks to Foxtecha's Technical Division. It was now more aerodynamic and had limited wind resistance. Weapons capabilities where hard to establish just by looking at it, but it must have some. Can't fight crime without weapons. Terry looked at Bruce and smirked. "Nice."
Bruce chuckled. He explained he had help from an old friend. Terry didn't know what that meant, but he didn't push it. He had limited time and they needed to start tracking down the man that killed his father. Bruce took him to the computer and told him to lay his hand on the palm scanner. Once Terry touched it, it read his palm print and opened up, bypassing the password. Terry smirked and looked at Bruce. "Do I even want to know how you got my biometrics?" Bruce smiled back. "Probably not." Terry chuckled, then opened the file named "Death in the Family".
It was crime scene reports on his father's murder. Terry started to scan it when Bruce laid his hand on Terry's shoulder. "Before we get too far into this, I think we should get one thing straight." Terry nodded. "When we find your fathers killer, we bring him in. we are not going to kill him. Understood?" Terry nodded. Bruce released his grip on Terry's shoulder, and walked towards the batsuit. He turned and motioned Terry to follow. Terry caught up with Bruce and they stopped right in front of the suit.
"Put it on." Bruce said to Terry. Terry nodded and placed his hand on the suit. It powered up and the armored plates started to separate. The helmet lifted and the suit created an opening for Terry to fit in. Terry got in and the suit closed around him, and the helmet dropped onto his head. Once inside, he felt the clamps holding the suit in place release, and he walked forward. The suit amplified his strength ten to nothing, so his motions where hard to control.
"This is weird." Terry said to Bruce, who agreed. "That is why we are going to train." Terry laughed. "What, like, Rocky or something?" Bruce chuckled. "I guess you good say that." Bruce took a fighters stance and held his cane out like a sword. Terry took a fighters stance and heard Bruce say begin. Terry lunged forward and went to punch Bruce when Bruce ducked his punch. Terry flew off balance and crashed into the floor of the cave. The momentum of the punch and the enhanced strength was harder to control than anticipated.
"Again." Bruce said. Terry lifted himself from the floor and ran forward, throwing a jab out and following hit up with a roundhouse. Bruce swerved around the jab and ducked the kick. He was faster than Terry had anticipated. Terry followed up with a knee strike to Bruce's face, drawing blood. Bruce flew back and got to his feet. Wiping the blood from his nose, Bruce smiled with pride.
"There ya go kid. Now you're getting the hang of it." He flew forward, throwing a punch to the face. Terry caught it and bent it backwards, sending Bruce to his knees. Bruce smiled and kicked upwards, right between the legs. Terrys groin armor caught the blow, but the force of the kick sent Terry sprawling. He saw Bruce diving for him and Terry kicked upwards, sending Bruce flying over the edge of the platform they were on.
Terry shouted in fear, then leaped over the edge, grabbing Bruce by the collar. He hit a button on his belt and the suit sprout wings, and Terry hit the jets on his boots, sending them flying back up to the platform. Terry dropped Bruce off on the platform, but kept flying.
He needed to get the hang of it if he was going to fight crime. He maneuvered through the cave, flying by pillars and landing platforms, exploring the cave. He finally landed back by Bruce, who was sitting at the Batcomputer and sipping on a cup of tea. Terry removed his helmet and laid it down on the computer desk.
Bruce looked over and smirked. "Did you have fun?" Terry smiled in return. "Lots, and I think I got the hang of flying this thing now, so it was a win/win." Bruce nodded and sipped on his tea. Terrys smile faded. "Something wrong?" Bruce lowered his head and clicked a button on the computers keyboard. An image appeared of a data disk. It was labeled D: 12, with the Wayne-Powers logo beneath it. Terry shrugged. "What is it?" Bruce exhaled slowly. "It was evidence in your father's murder. Now it is scheduled for demolition by Derek Powers." Terry gritted his teeth. "Why?" Bruce frowned. "Confidential company intel. But I think there is something on there someone doesn't want us to find." Terry grabbed his helmet and started towards the Batmobile.
"Terry!" Bruce yelled. "You can't just go off halfcocked. That's how you end up in a hospital, or worse." Terry looked back. "I'm not the one who's going to end up in a hospital." Then he flew over towards the Batmobile and got in. the hatch closed and he zoomed out, leaving nothing but a dust cloud and a hiss in the air. "Good luck, kid." Bruce said.
Chapter Five: Vengeance
Terry was flying through the city, his speedometer reading 280mph. The speed limit was 50mph. Terry frowned and hit the gas. He needed to get there before Derek Powers destroyed the only withstanding evidence of his father's murder. He saw the Wayne-Powers logo on the side of the skyscraper in front of him and landed on the building opposite.
He unfolded his wings from there hidden compartment on his back, then rocketed over and landed on the large ridge right outside of Derek's office window. Terry placed his index and middle figure on the window and activated the hearing bug's in his figure tips. Derek Powers voice filled his ear, smooth but harsh.
Terry wanted to bash down the window and stab Derek Powers in the chest, but he knew it wouldn't work. Even with his considerable strength, the glass was three layers of Plexiglas with an inch of gorilla glass on the inside. It wouldn't break, and even if it did, killing Powers wouldn't bring his dad back.
"This chemical agent was designed specifically for your climates and weather conditions in the Iranian desert." Derek said to the Iranian Prime Minister. He had arrived a few hours earlier and was escorted by an armed security team straight to Wayne-Powers Chemical Research Faculty. Once there, he was brought up stairs to be shown a demonstration of what they had been working on. Powers placed a data disk in the projectors disk drive. It was the same disk drive that was found at his father's crime scene.
"Time to see what was on it." Terry said to himself. The projector powered up and showed a biometric code with specific labels, such as Dioxin, Cyanide, and Mustard Gas. Terry's jaw dropped open. This was more than just company secrets, it was illegal company secrets. Powers was using Wayne-Powers Chemical Research Faculty to make nerve gas. "We took the most fatal compounds and combined them into this, D: 12." The Iranian Minister looked at Derek. "Why D: 12?" Derek smiled menacingly. "Twelve people died in the making of this formula. D: 12 stand's for Death Twelve."
The Iranian Minister laughed harshly. "Very creative, Mr. Powers." The data disk changed slides, and what came next was horrifying. "We began experiments on plants. This was the result." The slide showed a gas chamber with a plant in it. The gas was released, and immediately the plant began to wither and disintegrate. All that was left was a pile of dead leaves. "Very nice, but we are hoping to do more than wipe out our enemy's food supply." Powers smiled menacingly. "Keep watching." The slide changed again, and instead of a plant in the gas chamber, it was a baby calf. The poor thing was wide eyed and shivering. The gas was dispersed and the animal's skin shed from its bones, the muscles shriveled up and disintegrated and the blood evaporated from its body. All that was left of the baby cow was a pile of bones.
"As you can see, plants or animals, it doesn't matter. If this toxin hits any living thing, it will no longer be living." The Prime Minister rose from his seat. "How soon ca you ship this D: 12?" Derek chuckled. "It is already being packaged up and loaded onto hover cargo as we speak. You should receive the product in about a week." The Prime Minister shook hands with Powers and walked out of the room.
When the door closed, Derek turned towards his assistant Mr. Fix. "Destroy this data disk and take care of any loose ends, including the McGuiness boy. He knows something, I can feel it." Mr. Fix smiled pleasantly. "I took care of his old man, didn't I?" Terry gritted his teeth and removed his hand from the window, balling it up into a fist. He was going to stop them, no matter what.
"Little early for Halloween, don't you think?" Terry turned at the sounds of their voice. It was Wayne-Powers Security Task Force. Their armor and rifles suggested a higher authority then the regular foot soldiers that walk around the compound. These were commando forces, specially trained for specialized intruders. Terry smirked. "But just in time for fall." Terry dropped off the ledge and his wings expanded, gliding him towards the ground floor. They fired their rifles, trying to tag him in the wings, but Terry just maneuvered through the bullets raining down on him.
Once he hit the ground floor, he ran towards the hover transport. Guards sounded the alarm, and Terry stopped in the middle of the compound. Commandos surrounded him. "Put your hands in the air. Make a move; go for a weapon, twitch and your dead." Terry raised his hands, and then pressed his thumb and forefinger together. A Batarang appeared in his hands, shooting out from his wrist. He threw it into the air and it exploded, sending a piercing white light into the sky. The explosion caused temporary blindness and loss of hearing.
Terry saw Derek Powers draw a weapon. It was a Smith &Weston Barracked, specialty design. Terry drew another Batarang and threw it at Powers. Derek shot it out of the air before it made it half way to him. "Like shooting skeet." Terry cursed under his breath, then ducked for cover behind the hover transport. He sneaked a peek around the corner and saw Derek coming down the stairs. "Come out, come out wherever you are." Terry loaded another Batarang, but this time, he didn't aim at Powers. He threw it and it hit the contained D: 12 and exploded, releasing the gas. Derek started to cough, then gag, and then his skin started to melt. He crawled towards Terry, screaming for help. Terry almost felt sorry for him. Then the hover transport started to take off.
Terry jumped onto the wing, but his fingers wouldn't latch on. Terry was losing his grip when he flexed his fingers. The tips of his gauntlets extended to a point and Terry stabbed them into the wing, latching on.
Once they reached maximum altitude and leveled off, Terry climbed towards the bay doors. He hit the open button and swung in. Terry grabbed the guards and threw them out into the Gotham bay. Once the bay doors where shut, Terry jump kicked the pilot seat around and raised his fist. It was empty. Terry looked at the dash. Autopilot was engaged.
Terry whirled around and was knocked to the ground, being shocked at the same time. Stun Knuckles, curtsey of Wayne-Powers weapons district. Mr. Fix was wailing on Terry, and the suit was only taking away some of the force. Terry's legs kicked out, smashing into Mr. Fix's groin. He collapsed to his knees and moaned in agony. Terry took the opportunity to kick him in the nose, sending him sprawling. Terry disengaged the autopilot and spun the steering wheel, sending them spiraling towards the bay. "Who… Are … You?" Mr. Fix asked the man in the black and red bat armor. "I'm Batman."
Then they hit the bay, hard. Terry hit his rocket boots and threw an Explosive Batarang into the bay doors. It blew open the doors, and Terry flew out into the sunset. Mr. Fix was pronounced dead at the scene.
Beyond the Knight
Terry was back at the cave, hanging up his suit when Bruce walked out of the elevator. "We agreed-." Terry cut him off. "To nothing. I said I wouldn't kill them and I didn't, I just chose not to save them. There stupidity and corruption killed them." Bruce gritted his teeth and flashed back to when he chose not to save Ra's Al Ghul from that train crash. "I guess I have no room to talk." Terry turned slightly at that comment. "Really? You chose not to save someone before?"
Bruce just turned and walked towards the Batcomputer, turning to the evening news. "In the industrial district today, it turns out Wayne-Powers was just a front for a more "lucrative" line of work: Illegal arms dealing on a massive scale." Said the holographic reporter. "The owner and co-founder of Wayne-Powers, Derek Powers was pronounced dead at the scene, victim of his own nerve agent that was released into the faculties hover bay." The reporter continued to say. Terry was waiting for the part where the news swept up any involvement of the Batman.
"Also, a hover transport was recovered from the Gotham bay, with the body of Mr. Fix, Derek Powers personal assistant. The mutagen was safely contained and moved to a secure faculty. Wayne-Powers has also been quarantined and scanned for evidence." The holographic reporter placed its hand up to its ear and frowned slightly, then smiled again and looked into the camera. "And we just got news that a "Batarang" was found at the scene of Derek Powers death. For all you kids out there, a Batarang was the main tool of Batman, Gotham's own protector. Does this mean the Bat of Gotham has returned to save our city, or is this some elaborate hoax performed by a practical jokester? Only time will tell."
Bruce shut off the Batcomputer. "So, your legend begins. That is if you want to continue." Terry grinned and said, "You aren't capable of protecting this city, so someone has to do it. I'll still need a mentor." Bruce smirked. "And I'll still need a helping hand." Bruce looked at the clock. "Did you tell your mother that you would be out so late?"
Terry gasped and ran to the elevator, Bruce following him up to the mansion. Bruce took Terry's arm and steered him towards the garage. He loaded him into the Black Lamborghini and hit the gas. They sped back to Terry's house, bypassing the speed limit by about 100mph. Terry was out of the car before it had stopped. He ran up to the steps and was about to open the door when it swung open and his mother grasped him into a massive hug, tears rolling down her face.
"Terry McGuiness, you are grounded. You scared me half to death! I thought something had happened to you." Terry patted her on the back. "I know, I know. I should have called or left a note or something." Terry's mom looked up at him and asked him where he went.
Bruce walked up at that moment and said, "Greetings Mrs. McGuiness. I hope you were not too frightened. My name is Bruce Wayne, and it is my fault Terry is late. He has been working for me for the past few weeks, and he has been quite a helper." Terry's mom whipped her tears from her face and straightened out her dress. "Bruce Wayne, the billionaire?" Bruce nodded. "Terry is hoping to continue working for me, but only with your blessing. He kept my existence a secret because, officially, I'm supposed to be dead."
Terry's mother was taken aback by this. "Why don't you want to be alive to the world?" Bruce frowned. "The world is a dangerous place, and I have made enemies. But Terry has promised to keep my existence a secret, and I hope you will do the same. Terry smother nodded and looked at Terry. "You sure you would like to continue doing this?" Terry nodded and smiled. "Certainly." Terry's mother nodded and looked at Bruce. "You promise to keep my son safe?" Bruce nodded. "Then you have my blessing. You may continue working for Bruce Wayne, as long as you stay out of danger." Terry and Bruce nodded simultaneously.
Then Bruce looked at his watch and frowned. "I really must get going. I have a hungry dog to feed. I hope to see you tomorrow, Mr. McGuiness." Terry nodded, then lifted his hand out. Bruce took it and shook it firmly and said, "Very well, Mr. McGuiness. Welcome to my world."
End