BATMAN: Take, Trail, Trespass
GOTHAM TOWER/ 2:38 AM/ JANUARY 13, 2011
Night was upon the world. A lean figure wearing a fedora entered the tower through one of six back doors, even though main entrance was never locked. Still, he could not be too careful. With security guards everywhere, caution was key. For he knew that his employer was all that he had left. He had to have it. All of it. No matter how many lives would be lost, how much blood would be shed, no matter how he would be affected. It would all be his. In fact, it might as well have been his already.
"Hello, number three. Have you my package?"
The desperate man nodded his head accordingly, not wanting his master to see him laughing inside. The thought that he was actually following another man's orders - and an inferior man at that - was unacceptable. Still, he would do anything to have it.
"Yes, sir. Exactly what you wanted. The first of three."
The man could only guess that his client was grinning beneath his eerie, almost grotesque mask. This was a mask that he felt he had seen before.
"Good. Your payment is on the third floor. Dismissed."
With that, a gloved hand tossed a single key at his large employee, and in a flash the man was gone. This was no ordinary employer. He had been called many names. Among them were the Overlord, Sovereign, and the Connoisseur. One was used more often than the others: The Acquaintance. The hand hit a button on the desk.
"Miss Veronica, I need you to put Mister Napier on the other line. Please and thank you."
With a buzz, his secretary replied,
"Of course, Sir. Anything for-"
"Don't speak, woman, just do it. Idiot."
He waited for a moment, thinking of his jut cause. The world needed him. His plan could change the world. But only a bit longer."
"He's on extension four, Sir."
came the sound of a woman's voice through the intercom.
"Greetings, number two. How are you today?"
"Please, little boy, I know you don't care."
"Smart man. I have the first talisman."
"Oooh, magic always makes me feel all tingly inside. Like that feeling when you open the Christmas presents that you've… already peeked at.
"Something like that. You know what this means, correct?"
"How could I forget? You've only reminded me a gazillion times."
"This is important. Number two, it is time you set out for the mansion."
"Now? A job in the day? You know, we might actually succeed if we try that plan."
"So, what then?"
"We wait. Patience is a virtue, mister 'Acquaintance' guy."
"Fourteen hours. The longer we wait, the farther away our third target may get. And number three has yet to kidnap the Cat. Mister Napier, I hope you are right about this."
"Who's Mister Napier?"
"My apologies, Mister Joker."
"Sure. And anyway, when have I ever failed you?"
"Let us hope that it is not tonight."
"Good night. Sir."
"Never."
On the other end, the Joker slammed the phone down onto the table. The Acquaintance always pushed his buttons. Who would dare doubt the Joker? He thought. Joker picked the phone again and threw it out the window.
"Harley, hand me some arsenic."
"But, Mister J, you'd never…"
"It's for you."
WAYNE MANOR/ 7:00 AM/ JANUARY 14, 2011
Another night, another party. Bruce Wayne woke up on the couch in the living room, two women passed out on either side of him. He found that they had written on his chest as he slept. Sometimes the 'billionaire playboy' façade was enjoyable. This was not one of those times.
"Master Bruce, I see you're up. After actually sleeping."
"Were there any alerts in the cave last night?"
Alfred looked as if he had seen a ghost.
"It seems that I have forgotten to check. Please forgive me."
Bruce looked worried at first, but decided to let it go. After all, sleep was not normally on his agenda.
"Alfred when these ladies wake up, give them each a check for one hundred dollars, and see them each out by limo. I'll go down to the cave. At the rate this week's been going, I doubt there will be anything serious."
He walked over the now brightly lit Wayne Manor main hall and into the dining room. This is where his grandfather clock was kept. Granted, it wasn't his grandfathers - or even a working clock at all, but it looked good, and the artificial ticking soothed him. He pulled a handle, changed the hands to 10:48, and walked down the spiral staircase, into a vast cave. He said,
"Override 1:22:874. Lights"
With that, several fluorescent lights lit the cave, though it was still a muddle of dark blues and blacks. He walked past his many triumphs; a giant penny, a robotic dinosaur, a wooden puppet, a… red hood. Lastly was a sample of early Joker toxin. This reminded him of the only man who could ever triumph over him. Lives were lost. People blamed him for the work of a madman. And the worst part was that it actually was his fault.
"Sir, Miss Julie Madison is on the telephone. What shall I tell her?"
He remembered that night.
GOTHAM HARBOR/ 5:23 PM/ JULY 4, 2004
"Oh, Bruce, it's wonderful!"
Exclaimed Julie. He had invited her there for a special reason. He truly believed that after all the others, she would be the one. Talia. Andrea. Charlotte. He had actually proposed to Andrea. But this time it was different. He trusted Julie not to pull out a knife and stab him. Or brainwash him into ruling the world at her side. She was just an aspiring actor growing up in the darkest city in the world.
"Look at all the colors!"
She was right to marvel at the festival of warmth radiating from the sun. It was just before dark, and the sun was exploding with reds and oranges as it drifted above the blue-green waters of Gotham Bay.
"Bruce, I've been meaning to tell you this for a long time."
"I've some news for you too, Julie."
"Yours is probably more important."
"Ladies first."
"It's been so long that I've known…"
The lights suddenly became brighter. It was the perfect moment for him to ask her to marry him. He thought she might have actually beaten him to it.
"Bruce, I'm leaving."
And then everything went dark.
"I was offered a role in Hollywood, and have to go there to meet with the producers. Isn't this exciting?"
Bruce let Julie continue talking about her new job, and when she finished, he got up from the bench where they were sitting.
"That's… Fantastic news. I'm very happy for you."
He opened the small box holding the ring, and threw it to the foamy waters, which quickly devoured it. Julie stood up with a worried look on her face.
"Was that for me?"
"Not anymore."
Bruce Wayne walked away, and he could only try to forget about his first true love. Julie Madison wasn't just a desire of the flesh or young, made-up passion. She was perfect. Outside of the fact that she was leaving him to pursue a career greater than his own.
WAYNE MANOR/ 7:15 AM/ JANUARY 14, 2011
"Master Bruce. What must I tell Miss Madison?"
"Tell her I'm not interested."
"Of course."
With those words, Alfred walked out of the room, lifting the phone to his mouth and telling her that Bruce was not available. Julie Madison would have to wait like he did.
GOTHAM INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT/ 11:12 AM/ JANUARY 14, 2011
"Acquaintance."
"Number four."
The woman was finally meeting Gotham City's new crime lord. He would change the world. He was the only one who could challenge Black Mask and the Religion of Crime. He could defeat them too.
"The Joker is on the move right now, but you, number four, will have to enter the mayor's mansion the obtain the second talisman."
"Yes sir."
"Charlotte Rivers, you are about to make history in Gotham. You'll make history in the world."
"I live to serve."
END CHAPTER 1