Disclaimer: DC Comics and Time/Warner own All the characters; this is an original story that does not intend to infringe on their copyright.
Domestic Violence
By
Peggie
Bruce Wayne was staring at the man pointing the gun at his chest. As Batman he should be prepared for the unexpected, but he hadn't been prepared for this, anything else, but not this, never this. He didn't expected to be the next victim in a bazaar series of murder / suicides that had been baffling the Gotham City Police and Batman for over a week. Yet here he was stood in the hallway of his own home with a Magnum pointed at him. His thirteen-year-old ward, Dick Grayson and friend Leslie Thompkins were stood next to him. All three were still dressed in formal evening attire after attending a charity gala in aid of the Thomas Wayne Memorial Clinic. Leslie and Dick were looking at the gunman in horror, unable to believe their eyes. There was no way to disarm the man without someone getting hurt.
Bruce looked closely at the man holding the gun. His eyes seemed frantic; sweat was pouring down his face. He kept shaking his head as if in pain. "No, no I won't do it." the man muttered, hands shaking he lowered the gun slightly. His head suddenly rocked back as if he had been hit, he gave a small cry of pain and the gun was once again brought to bear on the party. The man seemed to be struggling with himself. "No, he's my son, I won't kill my son!" With that the man put the muzzle of the gun to his own head and started to squeeze the trigger.
"ALFRED, NO!" Leslie cried out in anguish. Hearing her voice the man hesitated.
It gave Bruce the time he needed, he threw a small silver tray, usually used to hold letters, towards the gun the man was holding. It sliced through the air knocking the gun clean out of the man's hand before he could pull the trigger all the way. Alfred stood dazed for a moment, and then with a cry of pain he fell to the floor, his hands to his head as he rolled back and forth in agony. Dick dived forward and retrieved the gun.
"No! Please, make it stop!" the man moaned.
Leslie and Bruce were quickly at their friend's side. He was obviously in severe pain; blood was starting to flow from his ears, eyes and nose. Bruce looked at Leslie panic stricken. "What is it, what's happening to him!" Bruce demanded.
Leslie was trying to examine the man but he wouldn't lie still. "Bruce, Dick, for God sake, hold him still."
As Dick pulled Alfred's arm down he exclaimed," What's that behind his ear!"
Leslie ripped the small flesh coloured Band-Aid off and the man instantly stopped writhing around. Freed from the pain he passed out. Leslie glanced across at Bruce; all three of them looked down at the small innocent looking Band-Aid.
Bruce lifted the unconscious man with ease and carried him towards the study. Dick ran on in front to open the secret door hidden behind the clock. Still holding the small Band-Aid Leslie quickly followed them down to the Batcave.
Dick had put the lights on in the infirmary before Bruce got there, he had also turned on the heaters used to warm the area. Dick was pulling the blankets back on the gurney as Bruce approached.
Bruce laid his friend on the gurney and wrapped the blankets around him to try and minimise shock. Then using clean dressings he gently wiped the blood from Alfred's face. He hesitated when he saw the straw coloured fluid mixed in with the blood trickling from the man ear. He looked up towards Leslie worry clearly showing on his face.
Leslie quickly joined him, she too was looking at the discharge with concern. "We'll need to do a scan." Leslie said in a matter of fact tone. She placed the small Band-Aid on the equipment trolley. As Bruce and Dick got the medical scanner ready Leslie started to prepare the patient. Her hands shook slightly as she work, annoyed with herself she muttered, "Pull yourself together Madam, he needs you to be a doctor right now, more than he needs you to his friend." Those had been Alfred's words to her the first time he had called her in to treat a seriously wounded Batman. Once again she couldn't afford to let her love for her patient affect her work.
Dick was stood next to the gurney holding his friend's hand and talking to him just as Leslie had asked him to. But it wasn't easy to do. Dick found himself choking up all the time. Normally he loved talking to Alfred. When he had first met him Dick had considered the man stuck up and pompous. Yet as he got to know him Dick discovered that Alfred was a loyal, caring, friend with a dry sense of humour. Dick had quickly come to love the older man like a grandfather. He enjoyed spending time in the kitchen with him after school, they chatted about everything and nothing, while Alfred prepared dinner. But now, when Alfred need Dick to talk to him, he couldn't find the words. Dick glanced over at Bruce and Leslie, they were both stood looking at the results of the scan. He wished he could hear what they were saying or at least could see their faces.
Bruce was looking at the small device he had found attached to the Band-Aid, he had deactivated it as soon as he found it. Looking at it under the microscope he saw was some kind of miniature microphone / sound generator. "How could this be used to make someone kill his friends?" Bruce asked Leslie.
"In itself it couldn't." the doctor replied. "But if it was combined with hypnosis or drug induced autosuggestion then that could be your answer. We'll know more when we get the blood test results."
"So why use this device?" Bruce asked.
"A method of control," Leslie replied shrugging, "Bruce you cannot hypnotise someone to do something that goes against everything they believe in. They couldn't force Alfred to kill you, but to save you he was willing to kill himself. They obviously used this device to try making him do that when they realised he couldn't be made to kill."
"And when that also failed they then tried to use it's sound generator to cause a brain haemorrhage." Bruce said his anger easy to detect. He shook his head and glanced over at the man laid on the gurney. "In the past week there have been five murders in the homes of three prominent Gotham businessmen, all committed by a trusted servant." Bruce said. "In every case after the killings the servant has committed suicide, by shooting themselves point blank behind the left ear, obliterating the evidence in the process." He said holding the miniature device up. "So why, if Alfred couldn't kill me did the others servants carry out their tasks?" Bruce asked puzzled.
"Come on Bruce, you and Alfred hardly have a typical Master, Servant relationship, do you? I am sure as your servant Alfred could quite cheerfully shoot you some days. But you heard what he said 'I won't kill my son', that's hardly the thought that would occur to most Butlers. But you're the nearest thing Alfred will ever have to a son, he's been like a parent to you since you were eight. Like any parent his first instinct is to protect his child, to protect you."
Bruce looked over his shoulder at the man laid out on the gurney then back up to images on the computer screen. "What's the damage? How seriously is he hurt?" Bruce asked his voice unsteady.
"As far as I can tell it's no worse then it would be if he had received a good hard knock on the head. I think we caught it just in time before any permanent damage could be done. But we will only know for sure when he wakes up."
"But who is doing this and why?" Bruce asked. "What connects the victims of the shootings together? Jim Gordon and I have investigated every known link between the victims and can not find a thing. Yet there must be something. These cannot be random incidents."
"Master Dick?" the voice although barely audible made the youth jump. "What has happened? Have I been in an accident?" Alfred asked, confused at finding himself as the patient in the medical centre for once.
Dick shouted for Leslie. She and Bruce were instantly at the man's side. "Welcome back old friend." Bruce said relief evident in his voice. "Do you remember what happened?" he asked. He saw his friend shake his head. "What's the last thing you remember doing Alfred?" Bruce asked.
After a delay the man answered, " I went to the mall to buy supplies to start the spring clean. There's a new outlet there that is offering the best products at very low prices. There was a flyer advertising the place in the mail, last week."
Bruce looked at Dick who nodded and ran up to the kitchen to find the flyer, he knew Alfred would have pinned it to his notice board in the walk in pantry.
Leslie was checking Alfred's blood pressure and looking at the E.C.G. monitor, anything to give her time to pull herself together. It had been a hell of shock to see her oldest and dearest friend pointing a gun at them. Then to watch while he nearly blew his own brains out was more than she could take. Now that emergency was over she felt herself starting to tremble. Her voice was strained as she said "That's enough Bruce, I want Alfred to rest now." Before either man could protest she had administer an injection and Alfred was asleep. Holding Alfred's hand she smiled tearfully at Bruce, "He seems to be ok, I'll let him have a good four hours rest then perform the usual tests. But rest is the most important thing right now." Bruce saw Leslie was trembling, he went to comfort her by putting his arm around her.
Dick raced back to the cave holding a small piece of paper. "Is this it Alfred?" he called. Getting no answer he looked from the unresponsive man the Bruce and Leslie.
Seeing the fear on his face Leslie said. "Dick it's OK, he's just sedated, he's asleep, that's all."
The young man swallowed audibly and pulled himself together. He handed Bruce the flyer.
'The Emporium, for all your cleaning needs! Account customs welcome. Lowest prices on top range products.'
Bruce and Dick exchanged glances then they both looked at Alfred.
"You're sure he's going to be ok?" Bruce asked quietly.
Leslie nodded, "Positive. You two get off, you'll do more good out there than moping around down here disturbing my patient. I can contact you if necessary. Just take care!" she added.
Bruce and Dick hurried towards the back of the cave to suite up. After making one last check on their friend the Dynamic Duo set off to follow the lead Alfred had given them.
The Batmobile roared out of the cave with the two-crime fighter on board. Batman's face was set grim. Robin knew how much Batman hated anything to affect his friends. An attempt on all their lives in their own home had been a shock. "Alfred's going to be alright Bruce," the young man said, "Leslie said he would be fine."
"I know chum, but I shouldn't have let it happen. We could all have been killed. Alfred very nearly was, that was my fault!"
"How were you to know they would target Bruce Wayne?" Dick asked. To him it seemed illogical that Batman would blame himself for something he couldn't have known.
Batman didn't answer, because he didn't know the answer, but he felt sure there was something he had missed.
Batman had contacted Commissioner Gordon with the news of the attempt on Bruce Wayne's life and the possible link at a store called The Emporium. The commissioner and half a dozen men were waiting for them outside the mall.
"Bad business." the commissioner said. "You're sure Bruce Wayne is safe, I mean I never would have expected his butler to try and kill him. They've always seemed to be so close."
"That's what saved him." Batman growled.
The security guard opened up and they all headed towards The Emporium.
"Wow, this place must be a butler's dreamland" Robin said as he looked around the shelves of cleaning stuff and household gadgets. "Alfred would be in his element here." he muttered to Batman.
The boy was right, if you wanted to lay a trap for a good servant this was just the type of bait to use.
Police officers quickly broke open the door leading to the rear of the shop. Batman, Robin and Commissioner Gordon started looking around. Apart from a few lists of names and some invoices in the desk of the small office there was nothing else. The rest of the space was taken up with shelves containing nothing other than stock for the store. "Nothing her Batman." Gordon said. Suddenly a shout came from further back.
"Commissioner come and see this." All three men ran toward the voice. Part of the shelving unit had been swung back from the far wall to reveal a door. Through the door was a small room. A large screen took up one wall, a large padded chair, was bolted to the floor in front of the screen. The chair had arm and leg restraints built in to it. A projector stood behind the chair. When Batman threw the switch a large multicoloured image swirled on the screen inter cut with flashing lights. Everyone in the room was transfixed looking at the image. Batman managed to drag his eyes way from the screen and cut the power to the projector.
"My God, what was that?" a shaken Commission Gordon asked.
"A device to put people into an hypnotic trance." Batman said.
Robin had been investigating further back in the room. He switched on a type recorder.
"He doesn't appreciate you, you know. All your hard work all your sacrifices mean nothing. He has all that money and pays you peanut. You do everything for him and he's planning to sack you. He's going to kick you out without a reference, you'll never get another job at your age! They're all plotting against you! In fact it would be better for them if they killed you that's what they're planning to do you know. They're goi...."
Robin stopped the tape, and looked at Batman. Spotting a syringe on the floor next to the table he bent down and he picked it up. "Hypnosis and drugs a lethal combination." the boy wonder muttered. "But who's behind it and why?"
Batman was studying a set of pictures pinned up on the wall. There were photos of Paul Chase and his manservant George, the first victims. Mark Foster and Evens, Tony Danvers and Charles, Bruce Wayne and Alfred, and finally David Prescott and his Butler Stevens.
"Dam it, I should have seen, I should have realised." Batman breathed. "The link, I know what the link is now!" He looked from Robin to Commissioner Gordon. "All three of the victims have been on the board of trustee for the Gotham City University. It was their job to decide which projects got funding and which didn't. Bruce Wayne and David Prescott were the other two members of the 1999 board. Wayne is safe," Batman muttered, "so let's get out to the Prescott residence. Just pray that we're not too late."
"I'll try to phone a warning to them." Gordon called as the Dynamic Duo ran out of the shop and down to the parking lot.
"It's got to be Scarecrow." Batman said as he jumped into the car. "Professor Crane applied for a million dollar grant, to research the possibilities of subliminal learning improving educational results. In other words using hypnosis to teach students instead of conventional methods of teaching. We threw the idea out because it was too dangerous. There would be no telling what the students could be subject to while under hypnosis. Crane didn't take our refusal well."
"That's got to be an understatement!" Robin muttered. "But it's been all of two years ago since you were on that committee it's no wonder the link between the victims wasn't obvious. The guy sure holds a grudge!" Robin said.
It took only a matter of minutes to arrive at the Prescott's large residence. Quickly they headed for the front door. Robin hammered on the door using the massive doorknocker. They got no answer from the house. Both young men looked at each other with concern. Robin ran around the back of the house while Batman shot a line up to the roof, climbing up the wall he entered the house through an open bedroom window.
Robin found the French doors into the dining room open. Quietly he crept into the room. He could hear voices close by. Silently he headed for the half open door leading to the entrance hallway. In the hall he spotted David and Sylvia Prescott stood next to the stairway. Stevens their butler was stood a few feet way pointing a gun at his employers. Just like Alfred had done, the man was trying to fight the instructions he was being given.
Sylvia was talking to the man in a quiet motherly way. "Of course we don't want to get rid of you Stevens, whatever gave you that idea, what would we do without you? David would never find his shirt in the morning and I couldn't manage the household without you. You've been our butler now for thirty six years, you're like family, there's no way, we would ever want to lose you!"
As Stevens lowered the gun again a Batarang flew down from the upstairs landing knocking the gun out of the mans hand. With a cry of pain Stevens fell to the ground. Robin ran forward and quickly removed the Band-Aid from behind the mans left ear. He stamped on it crushing the control device.
Sylvia was knelt next to her distraught butler as Batman descended the stairs. Quickly Batman explained the situation to David Prescott. He watched as the old couple helped their elderly friend to a chair. Like Alfred he had no recollection of events after entering The Emporium store. All he remembered was going there to buy furniture polish.
Batman was studying the small device Robin had crushed. "You know Robin these devices have no built in power booster so they cannot have a very large range. They just aren't powerful enough to operate over more than a few hundred yards. Scarecrow has got to be around here somewhere."
Suddenly the boy's face lit up, he grabbed his partners arm. "The TV Repair van!" Robin whispered. "We passed a TV Repair van as we can in. It had a dummy satellite dish on its roof."
"I am betting its no dummy satellite dish, that dish is being used to focus the signal to these devices!" Batman whispered.
"The same van was parked outside the Manor when we got back from the gala. I thought it was strange at the time." Robin muttered.
Both young men exchange glances, then they dashed out through the front door to the Batmobile. As they exited the drive they could see in the far distance the van heading for the County Highway. Hitting the turbo boost button the Batmobile surged forward quickly gaining on the van. Robin was radioing the latest developments through to Commissioner Gordon. Five minutes later the Batmobile screeched to a halt at a police roadblock.
"Where's the van?" Batman asked.
"Nothing fitting the vans description has passed us in the last ten minutes!" the officer in charge said.
"Dam we lost him!" Batman breathed. "But where?" Studying the map on the computer monitor Batman pointed to an area near the docks. "He had to have turned off somewhere along the Mission Row area." Batman said.
Batman and Robin headed back towards Mission Row, Commissioner Gordon and his men were quickly on the scene. "I've had my people check out the owners of all the properties along here. The only one that's changed hands in the last six years is the old car show room. I've got a SWAT team ready to go in."
"Great Commissioner, make sure your men are wearing gas masks, and bio hazard suites, you know what Scarecrow is like for using his fear gas." Batman informed his friend.
"Already done," Gordon smiled, "we've had dealings with this maniac too many times already. Hopefully this time they will lock him up and throw away the key."
"Give Robin and myself ten minutes to cause a diversion then send your team in." Batman advised.
Gordon nodded. "Take care!" he shouted after the two crime fighters as they ran off towards the rear of the building.
"We need to keep Crane busy," Batman told his partner, "the best way to do that is to massage his ego. I am going to let him capture me then he can explain to me how clever he's been. While he's doing that I want you to take out as many of his thugs as possible, without him noticing. Before we go in though take one of the anti fear gas pills from your utility belt."
Batman, swung into the building through a second floor window. Robin entered more quietly through a fire escape using Batman's dramatic entrance to help him remain undetected. Although Batman put up an impressive display of resisting Scarecrow's men they soon overpowered him.
Batman had been tied to a chair, "The beauty of the plan was its simplicity." Scarecrow boasted. "All I had to do was sit in my store and wait and my team of crack assassins would come to me. I mean who would expect loyal servants, people who half the time the rich don't even notice would turn into my lethal weapons."
"Dastardly in its simplicity." Batman agreed, noting Robin had dispatched another of Scarecrow's men by hitting him over the head with a chair leg. That was three of the seven thugs removed from the equation.
"But it didn't work in every case." Batman said. "Bruce Wayne's Butler didn't kill his master."
Scarecrow shrugged off the statement. "The subject was substandard. For such a complex process you require the subject to have a basic level of intellectual prowess. Wayne's man is obviously a fool, who just blindly follows his Masters orders!"
It was hard for Batman not to laugh out loud. To accuse the Alfred of being anyone's fool and to even suggest he blindly followed orders was ludicrous. "You could be right!" Batman agreed hoping Robin wouldn't report him to Alfred, otherwise he wouldn't have any clean clothes for a month. He watched as Robin took out another of Scarecrow's men.
Suddenly the door burst open and the SWAT team stormed in. Scarecrow's depleted team was quickly overcome without a shot being fired. To try and aid his escape Scarecrow threw two fear gas bombs, but they had little affect on the well protected men. As he ran for the fire escape the boy wonder tackled him to the ground.
The SWAT team quickly took Scarecrow and his men into police custody. Robin watched as effortlessly Batman slipped his bonds. "Well done chum, you did a first rate job of taking out Scarecrow's men the Caped crusader said. Gordon added his congratulations on the boy's work. Batman and Robin watched as Scarecrow and his gang were lead away. They said their farewells to Commissioner Gordon and headed back to the cave.
As the Batmobile screeched to a halt the two young men jumped out. Robin ran quickly to the infirmary to check on Alfred. But neither Leslie or Alfred were there.
Batman saw his old friend descending the stairs from the house carrying a tray with two cups of cocoa and a plate of cookies on it. Leslie was following him obviously annoyed at his behaviour.
As Alfred placed the tray on the table Dick ran up to the old man and hugged him tight. Bruce had to smile as his friends returned the boy's affection.
"Bruce, will you tell him he should be resting," Leslie demanded, "he's totally ignoring my orders."
"Leslie's right Alfred, you should be resting." Bruce said "I want you to go to bed."
"Quite so sir!" the man replied picking up Batman's cowl and gauntlets. Totally ignoring the young man's orders he headed for the costume vault.
Leslie glared after him, "Bruce, you're the Master in this house, are you going to let him do as he likes."
Bruce shrugged, "He has always done as he likes in the past!" Bruce said shrugging his shoulders.
"I give up!" Leslie muttered she took a seat and seething with anger watched her friend tidy up the cave.
"Bruce, you know we discussed the chances of me having my own transport." Dick said.
Batman nodded, he wasn't keen on the boy having a motorcycle, even if it would give them the opportunity to tackle criminals in two locations at once.
"Well I was wondering what Alfred would think to the idea!" the boy said.
Bruce eyed his partner warily.
"But I suppose Alfred wouldn't have an opinion of his own, as he's only bright enough to follow orders!" Robin said.
"That's blackmail!" Bruce muttered under his breath.
"Too right it is." Dick laughed. "Alfred do you know what.."
"Ok," Bruce hissed, "you get the bike."
"Yes young Sir," Alfred enquired walking out of the costume vault.
"It's great to have you back to your old self!" the boy said dashing up the stairs to the Manor.