The Night (wing) Before...
It was different before this. Hell, everything was different before this. The outbreak came out of nowhere. I had never seen anything like it. And that's really saying something, because I've seen some messed up things in my life. Well I guess "messed up" should have been in my job new world is dangerous. But hey, being a "mask" in a city like Chicago,was about as dangerous as it got. The name Nightwing was almost as notorious as Chicago Style pizza in this city. In some peoples minds, I was a hero. In some minds I was a fugitive, in others a vigilante. Now, in most minds...I'm food. I also used to be called Nightwing by most. But now, there is no Nightwing. There are no superheroes for that matter. Hell, a "hero" was what started it all. There were distress signals coming from everywhere across the galaxy. All of the planets sending signals had the same problem...a genecidal plague. Most of the heroes with actual powers were called into duty. I volluntered for the mission. They told me,
" Dick, you need to be here. Help keep OUR planet safe from whatever this disease is."
That was the last time I had any contact with any of the other "heroes". It had been about 2 months since the last time anyone had seen them. Everyone just assumed they were all dead. For the most part they were right. Crime had shot up in almost every city that had lost a hero. The whole planet was on the virge of panick. Then..the ship came. It came in very eratic. It did'nt seem normal. It was all over the news, the headlines read " Justice League IS BACK". The ship landed in a field just outside of Chicago. I was over to the crash site as fast as I could without being seen by Michael or Joey. I arrived slightly beforethe Police. I opened the hatch the ship. I entered the ship expecting to see Barry and Hal sitting there with a smile on their faces. I saw none of the things I wished to see. Instead I saw Bruce sitting in the pilot seat knocked out. I had to act fast. I got Bruce out of there as soon as possible. I radioed in to Alfred and told him to send the Batwing. It had been a while since I had flown that thing but I managed to make it to Gotham. Alfred went to work on Bruce. Once he got the suit off we saw a giant bite on Bruce's shoulder. It looked swollen and infected. Alfred tried patching him up but there was no use. Bruce flatlined. My heart had basically stopped along with Bruce's as it hit me. I had lost another father... and it was my fault. I took off in the Batmobile to clear my head. The thoughts that ran through my mind were enough to make a man want to end it all. The only thing keeping me together were all the good memories of Bruce and I patroling the streets of Gotham together. The nights after my families death and Bruce's comforting words of widsom all filled my emotions.
I returned to the cave about an hour later to check in on Alfred. He of all people, knew how to deal with grief. I went to the med table to pay my respects to Bruce. Nearing the tabel I saw that he was gone. I suspected that Alfred had taken his body up to the manor for some reason. Suddenly I heard a sort of chewing noise echo through the cave. I followed the noise all the way through the cave to the deep cavern where I saw a figure leaning over a body on their knees. I had suspected that it was Alfred leaning over Bruce, probably mourning him. Nearing closer, the figure's head turned around. It was Bruce. He had what looked like part of Alfreds heart in his mouth.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING BRUCE!" I yelled.
"NNNGGGGHH" Bruce moaned
Bruce, well what was left of Bruce, slowly approached me surely looking to make me his meal.
I acted out of instinct. I kicked Bruce square in the chest. He began stumbling backwards. He hit the edge of the walkway. Below there was nothing but rocks and water. Bruce started stumbling over the walk when I grabbed him by the hand. When I did that his hand started slowly detacthing until it slowly came off. His body fell into the rocks and splattered. I did'nt have time to mourn. I turned my attention to Alfred who I saw was already starting to wake. I realized that this was the disease that plagued the other planets. It kills the host and then resurects them into blood thirsy animals. I took the Batbike and hightailed back to chicago to warn people about this plague. On my long journey back to chicago I realized that the disese was already airbourne and was already about to spread. I saw a few risers on my way back. (My way of saying zombies.) I called Barbera on my way back to the city. I had'nt told her about Bruce and did'nt plan to. I just warned her to get out of the city and to find someplace safe. Chicago was a shit hole. The streets were filled withrisers. I made it back to the appartment with no Mike or Joey seeing me. I called mike and he told me that he and joey waited for me as long as they could before the city became overun. They were hiding out at a Sams Club on the outscirts of the city. They said they'd wait for me as long as the could. This is my mission now. Reach my freinds, try to find acure for this, and most importantly... SURVIVE.