Batman Beyond: Partners
By Alicia Evilstone
PART 1
Enter the Revenge Squad
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DISCLAIMER: Just so you all know, I do not in any way claim to have any ownership over the characters within this tale. That privilege is exclusively for the folks of DC Comics (who should also know that this is a non-profit kind of story.)
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The bell rings, and almost immediately a sea of Hamilton High School students anxious to go to their post-curricular activities fills the front steps. Not long after it diminishes, and the scene is littered with students who are standing around catching up on gossip, slowly taking their time.
By the parking lot is one particular couple. One, a black haired young man wearing dark colors and a heavy jacket. On his arm is his partner, an Asian girl daringly wearing all clean, sparkling white. Then again, a girl like her can pull it all off without a hitch.
"Mr. Wayne got you working tonight?" Dana clings to him a little, frustrated by the fact that an old man takes priority before her.
"When has he not got me working?" Terry McGuiness sighs and reaches for the keys in his pocket.
"I wish just for once he could give you the night off." She pouts to him ever so lightly just for the perfect effect. Now he feels like a total heel. "Blade and I were thinking of going to the Boiler Room tonight. It would be really fun if you could show."
"Sorry, Dana. I have . . . responsibilities."
"So you keep saying . . ." She looks away, knowing that this job is important to him. Terry has a past with the wrong kind of crowd, and she knows that he's trying to put himself on the straight and narrow.
"Mr. Wayne is a helpless, lonely old man," Terry lies. "Without me he wouldn't even be able to figure out which room of that huge mansion he's in."
"What are you, Terry? His assistant or his nanny?" The frustration in her voice is apparent, and angrily she throws down her arms then turns away and folds them.
"Dana," he whispers to her gently, placing his hands on her shoulders. She melts into his embrace, turns back and leans closer. "I'll make it up to you some other time. I promise."
She thinks about this for a moment and smiles. "You're just lucky I'm such a sucker for that bad boy charm of yours."
Their lips meet together for a passionate kiss. "I knew you couldn't resist," he can't help but gloat.
Blade and her new boyfriend Craig pull up beside them in an open red convertible and honk, telling Dana her ride is here. "I have to go, Terry," she says walking to the car. "Call me later before I go out, alright?"
"Sure," he says. "I'll talk to you then."
The car drives away, leaving Terry alone in front of the large expensive black car on loan to him from the boss. It isn't exactly a chick-magnet kind of a car, but it has definite class. Terry would rather take real style over cheap sex appeal any day.
At this moment his cel phone rings. Terry answers it quickly and is met by a familiar brooding voice before he can respond. "McGuiness. Ready for a night on the town?"
"Well," he thinks sarcastically out loud, "I was hoping to spend the evening dancing the night away with Dana and some friends . . . but I suppose you have different plans, right?"
The dark voice pauses. "You two go out and have fun. We'll talk again soon."
Terry can hardly believe his ears. Can this be true? Can this be the real Bruce Wayne? An evil clone maybe? "You're… you're kidding, right? Blow off night patrol and have an evening with my girlfriend?"
"Absolutely. I hope the two of you enjoy yourselves."
This is just too good to be true. "You can't be serious. What about… you know… my duties? The city will have to fend for itself for a night."
"That's not an issue. I have the matter well in hand." Terry has no idea what he can say. "Though I would advise you use this time for rest and study. I'll call you if I need anything further."
The phone clicks and the line falls dead. The fact that he has a night off is still sinking into his head. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, especially when working for the original Batman. All he can think to do is throw his hands in the air and cry out, "Schway city, man! I'm going out tonight! Yeah!"
* * * *
Later that evening, a dark, familiar shadow leaps and bounds from building to building, ever vigilant of the goings on below. It remains completely invisible and carefully watches as it darts from one hiding corner to another. This shadow has a name, and to Gotham is known as the Batman.
"Progress report," says the old man into the bat-suit's receiver.
"Nothing." The reply was that of a man in the suit, though not the Batman. "Third sweep over this area and everything seems quiet. It looks like you didn't need me to fill in after all."
"Maybe," says Bruce. "Though it's always good to give the other help a well deserved break once in a while."
"If only Dick, Tim and Barbera had it so easy," chuckles the Batman uncharacteristically. "Speaking of the help, as you put it, how do you think he's going to react when he finds out I've been piloting the mantle for you."
"What makes you think he's going to find out?"
"For one thing, he's probably a better detective than you give him credit for. You're a hard taskmaster, Bruce, and from what I've seen I think you underestimate him too much."
"Note taken," growls Bruce. "Now get back to the task at hand."
* * * *
The music pounds and the lights strobe across the packed dance-floor of the inner-city nightclub known as the Boiler Room. A sea of ravers, teenagers and club-hoppers bounce with the beat of the thumping techno music. That is, except for one who just wasn't in the mood.
Dana sighs and swirls her drink with a straw. Every time she wanted to do something even remotely fun Terry would have to be somewhere else. Sometimes she couldn't help wonder who was more important to Terry - the old man or her. If tonight was any indication, it was the old man.
"Dana!" That voice. Can it really be him? It can't be. "Dana! Over here!"
Behind her, shuffling through the crowd comes the rough and tough black haired stud she wonders why she calls a boyfriend. "Terry," she smiles. "What a surprise to see you here, out and about in the big bad world."
"Mr. Wayne gave me the night off," he yells over the speakers.
"Pinch me, I'm dreaming," she says aghast. She is as shocked as he is. Maybe the old man isn't as possessive of him after all.
"Yeah, I know. I can't believe it, either!" He looks to the next platform. "So you want to dance?"
"Wild Jokers couldn't stop me," laughs Dana, throwing his typical words back at him.
* * * *
"No Jokers out tonight," thought the Batman out loud. "Just a bunch of drunks kids having a little too much fun. This looks like a job for the street cops, not Batman."
"Keep looking." He can tell by Bruce's voice that something is troubling him. "This is typically a Joker hotspot for road blood-sport and what-not. If it's quiet, then something has to be up."
"Always the pessimist," the Dark Knight muses. "Is it possible that for one night this city doesn't need a Batman to watch over it?"
The next thing he knows the ground below him is shaking, and surrounded by fire and debris he has lost all sense of direction. In free-fall the Batman looks around and sees the ground quickly approaching. His boosters fire and propel him once more to the rooftops.
From nowhere a pair of black tendrils shoots out and catches the detective's hands and feet. Its grip is tight, and powerless against it the Batman is pulled up another level to meet his attacker.
"At least, Batman," snarls the unholy specter before him. "We meet again."
"Who… are you?" The Batman struggles against the protoplasm holding him and carefully watches the glowing green skeleton of a man approaching.
"How soon we forget," he scowls. "Did you not think I'd be back to take my revenge on you?"
"His name is Blight, formerly Derek Powers," said Bruce into the two-way. "His body emits dangerous levels of radiation and he can throw powerful force blasts. The one holding you is Inque, a shape-shifter with a fear of water. Both are very powerful."
"Perhaps we have a third bat to join the boy and the old man," ponders Inque to her partner. "Perhaps he's even a replacement for the last Batman."
"No matter who wears the mask the spirit of the Batman is still the same." Blight glows angrier as his revenge has just been spoiled. "One after the other, no matter how many, I will make them all pay. I will make them all suffer for what they have done to me!"
Batman struggles desperately to free Inque's grip from around his throat. Slowly his air seems to run short, and consciousness begins to fade into black. So much for taking on the mantle of the bat, he realizes.
"Welcome to my gauntlet, Batman," snarls Blight. "Welcome to my custom-made Hell."
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Terry's cel phone rings urgently, but no-one is there to hear it. Instead, it sits idly in his jacket pocket waiting anxiously in the cloakroom. On the other side is a desperate old man, fearing what may be the end of one of his closest friends.
Meanwhile, Terry McGuiness dances alongside his girlfriend suggestively and catches up on the months of fun he's had to give up because of work. He didn't realize he missed being a teenager so much. Sure, it's not fighting crime and being Batman, but the thrill of the dance floor is different.
Though after ringing numerous times there is no answer. Bruce Wayne knows that his protégé will probably not answer, though feebly he tries for the sake of his fallen comrade.
* * * *
Batman wakes up. Conscious thought flows through his mind, though groggily. Light floods in as his eyelids slowly open to reveal… the jungle? Not an urban jungle like Gotham City, but a thick, lush, African jungle with vines, snakes, tigers and swamps.
He looks beneath his feet and he is standing on air. He can fly again? With a leap he tries to jump, but only does so as far as an average mortal with a mega-suit on could. The place he is in is obviously a fake, and his eyes cannot be trusted.
Neither can his ears be trusted, as from a million points at once echoes the name "Bat-man, come and get me," in a maniacal, sinister tone. His very reality seems to be warping around him, and he can't trust what is before him.
" . . . Can you hear . . ." is all he can manage to hear from his headset. Bruce has lost contact, and is probably sitting in the Batcave anxiously sitting on the edge of his seat.
There is nothing left to trust but his touch, and the Dark Knight reaches down to feel his way to some sort of escape. He kneels over to try, but is forcefully met with an invisible fist knocking him to his back.
A light flashes before him and he could see the Gotham skyline again, and standing over him two men. One dressed in red with a black spiral pattern on his costume and an eyeball in his hand. The other, dressed in black with silver armor and what looked like sonic disrupters attached to them.
". . . Spellbinder . . . Shriek . . ." is all he hears from Bruce before the transmission was cut again. The jungle reappears and once more the Dark Knight is left blind.
Unsure of where it might land he takes a swing, but hits nothing. Then a pair of fists come down onto the back of his head, forcing him down to his feet. The echoing taunts change their tone, now to a condescending laugh, like that over the Joker so many years ago.
He reasons that this must be some sort of hallucination, or a hologram. If so then their power must only have a limited range. With his limited power he cannot be able to stand much of a chance in close combat, so for now his only option is to flee.
Blindly he sprints to some unknown direction and the non-existing moonlit falls when the solid ground disappears from beneath him. It all fades away and the city can be seen and heard once again.
". . . k, can you hear me?" Bruce's voice kicks in on the transceiver once more.
"I hear you, Bruce, but I'm a little busy right now!"
Batman continues to fall, and looks down straight towards the glass roof waiting for him to crash through it.
* * * *
Terry and Dana danced through the crowd, completely oblivious to what was going on outside. All they knew was the intense sensation of the surrounding environment, the smell of sweat and hormones pumping, the flashing lights and the deafening bass beats.
"It's so great to be doing this again with you, Terry!" She had to yell to be heard.
"Yeah, I know," he yelled back. "I almost forgot what this was like!"
The music came to an abrupt end when the skylight shatters and shards of glass fall on the scurrying people. Hurriedly they leave the floor, leaving the Batman room to collapse at terminal velocity.
Good thing this suit is heavily armored, he thinks. I don't think I could have taken a beating like that without it.
The Dark Knight looks around him to see where he is. He notices the teenagers in shock looking at him, afraid to approach. Then he sees Terry. Today has been a day of many surprises for him, but another Batman? How can this be?
Before he could bring himself to his feet another powerful force pounds into his body. It felt like a meta-psychic blast. Though who would have that kind of power?
"Willy Watt," growls Terry under his breath. He watches the black-haired teen levitate from the roof and slowly to the ground where Batman struggles to gain the most basic footing.
"So," laughs Willy, "here we are again, Batman. Didn't think you'd see me so soon? You have Blight to thank for that . . ."
He waves his arm and another transparent wave knocks the Dark Knight backward, leaving him dazed and exhausted. After such a beating he wonders if he still remembers where he is.
"Leave him alone, Willy," screams Terry who dashed forward from the sea of people.
"Terry McGuiness," said Willy, recognizing him immediately. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You're always sticking your nose into my business, just like dark and ugly here."
He raised his arm to throw a blast at him, but is stopped when a girl dressed in a full half-black, half-white costume flies in his way upon a giant playing card. "Leave the people alone! We're here for Batman! Or have you forgotten?"
"Oh no, I don't think I've forgotten," he said laughing evilly. "I don't think I could ever forget. We're here for revenge . . ."
"Melanie?" Ten, formerly of the Royal Flush Gang glances at Terry for a moment. "Now I've seen everything!"
In the distance the sound of police sirens can be heard, growing louder and louder racing to the scene of the crime. From the roof a black ooze trickles, then takes the form of a slim woman with dark blue skin.
"Come on," commanded Inque. "We're getting out of here. Now."
"But we have the Batman at our mercy!" Though Willy's protest bears no consequence to the dangerous professional killer.
"Blight's orders," she re-asserts herself. "The last thing we need is police complicating matters. Now move."
"I guess I can wait," he relents. "Maybe next time he won't be such a pushover. See you soon, Dark Knight."
Inque slithers away with Willy Watt and Ten flying up behind her. In moments they are gone and the red flashing of the police sirens can be seem outside.
The Batman painfully draws himself to his feet and once again stares at the confused Terry McGuiness. Knowing the police to be moments away he fires his boosters and leaves the same way which he came.
Terry looks up, and ponders what just happened. Inque, Willy Watt and Ten, all working with Blight. Let's just hope there isn't more of them. And what's with the new Batman? How does he know me? Something tells me that Bruce will have all the answers I need . . .
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NEXT ISSUE: The identity of the mystery new Batman revealed. Plus, more trouble for Terry McGuiness. Stay tuned for part two of Batman Beyond: Partners.