Disclaimer: I absolutely do NOT own, nor do I gain any monetary subsidies, for this fan fiction story. The characters, setting, names belong to the author that created them (Leroux, Kay), BUT the plot is all mine! I also do not own any rights or gain monetary subsidies to Batman. That belongs to Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and DC Comics.
Author's Note: Hello all! I bet you are wondering what this story is all about…Well, let's just say that I had a rather ingenious idea that many of you probably will love. Please read the Prologue and review. As always, THANKS!
Prologue- Heroes Are Overrated
The city was dark and dank, that night a particularly wretched storm had settled in from the coast. Torrential amounts of rain battered the city's skyscrapers and flooded the streets as flashes of lightning lit up the smoggy night sky as it usually occurred in Gorham City.
The history of the city had always been plagued by the crime that still was rampant its very own streets that were created by mobsters in the late 1800s hoping to avoid detection from the police much like Las Vegas due to the location.
Near the coast, the city offered a quick getaway for the mob members while the one road assured that there was only one way into the city…and not many ways out. The landscape outside the city was surrounded by dark and dense forestry until the early 1900s rolled around bringing the fears of World War into full view as scientists began nuclear testing.
Further isolating the city was the incident in 1929 when a minor nuclear explosion occurred within the forestry surrounding Gorham City, resulting in a significant loss of lives and a devastatingly crippled environment around it. Never getting quite over that bad occasion, the City soon developed a rather nasty reputation for crime over the years, resulting in many superstitions that surfaced as people started to believe any person in the city was abominable for the city was truly cursed.
Yet, the city grew to substantial size despite such an odiously infamous stigma and was now a bustling city filled with people of all ages. As long as one stayed indoors at night, then one's safety was always ensured. However, if a person was foolish enough to step outside into Gorham's nightly life, he was bound to suffer for it.
Crime was always the pest that plagued the city since its origin, and it definitely did not fade over time as the mobsters and other criminals were attracted to the city's dark reputation. The police department gave little comfort to the citizens; for it was quite obvious the officers were overworked and tired from all of the crime that engorged the city.
Yet, Lieutenant Peter Sherman remained hopeful that his department would regain control of the city despite disparaging results in his efforts to capture the criminals. The issue was not capturing the criminal for that was actually the easy part; it was preventing other nefarious individuals from taking their places.
Lt. Peter Sherman was a good man with a wonderful wife and little girl around ten years. He had always been career focused in life. His life centered on his work until he met his wife at the local diner, where he had spent plenty of sleepless nights going over reports. They married shortly after he was promoted (on his 38th birthday mind you) from Deputy to Lieutenant in a milestone for the department.
They learned they were expecting a child the next month, and now he worked less often but more feverishly to ensure the city would be better for his little girl. Unfortunately, his efforts were not paying off.
The city was filled with wealth (old money from the time the mafia organizations had built their empire…something the city was not too proud of) and that also fueled much of the criminal activities at the local banks.
However, the city also had its share of newcomers that brought in substantial sources of income too. Multimillionaire Charles and Madeline Desslar had entered the city nearly two decades ago with their infant son, Erik, in hopes of helping rid the city of such a filthy name.
Charles and his real estate empire suffered greatly at first, but with his ingenious ideas and hard work, his empire grew considerably within Gorham's boundaries. Soon the city appeared to have brightened, but he, too made the mistake as so many had done before.
Madeline and he were returning home from the Opera with their five year old son, Erik, at night when a mask wearing man forced the family to go into a dark and grimy alleyway where the taller masked man demanded money, shoving a gun at the wife's frightened face.
Charles, ever calm, reached into his pocket to pull out his cash when he made the error of lunging at the weapon. As the two fought for control of the gun, the family did not see or notice the second masked gunman run from the shadows he had hidden in. Immediately, he shot the woman who died instantly, her body dumping to the ground as her blood-covered face turned up to her little boy who cried out from the sight of her cold but fright-filled eyes.
The husband's body froze when he saw his wife's dead form as the masked man yanked his gun free from the Charles's grasp. Aiming it at the man who was on his knees next to his wife and son, the masked gunman shot the millionaire in the back of the head.
Soon, the criminals realized the boy was present and terrified. They lifted their guns at the same time, but Erik knew he what he had to do. Run. Run and never look back as he had been taught. Immediately, the youth took off on foot and while the gunmen shot, they could not catch the swiftly running boy.
When Erik slammed the door shut of his parents' mansion, he collapsed on the marble floor and wailed for an hour. He did not even move or say anything when the family butler and friend, Aldred Lancaster, found the boy on the floor unmoving.
Rushing to the youth's side and gathering the trauma-stricken boy, the butler vowed to raise him as Charles and Madeline would have wished.
The boy did not speak for the next year, silently suffering in his grief, but the butler was steadfast and never failed Erik. When the parents had died, the fortune, family business, and trust went to Aldred until the boy came of age to inherit the wealth.
Soon Aldred realized that Erik was an extraordinarily gifted child who excelled at everything whether from business, music, art, or English. His IQ proved to be higher than even Einstein's, so when the boy turned sixteen, Aldred made the decision to let the adolescent take over his father's business.
The butler was amazed to see that within a year, Erik surpassed his father by expanding the real estate business to other fortifying ventures. He increased the millions invested in Wall-Street by millions more, bought out several low end companies and made them empires, and dealt in trading overseas. All in all, he ensured the Desslar name was insurable by billions at the age of seventeen.
One area the growing adolescent always avoided was the romantic venture. He never dated although he'd attend events with beautiful women and models. The butler never understood why the boy was so hesitant to date; he was very handsome with dark hair and golden eyes. He had been a slim youth at one time but had grown into a six foot three lithe muscular body through exercise and time.
Erik briefly answered one time, "I just have no interest, Aldred. I am far too busy building my father's company. Plus, I have not met a girl who has caught my attention in that way."
While he excelled in life, the butler knew all too well that his adopted son was deeply haunted and tormented by the deaths of his parents. Yet, the young man seemed to have found a way to cope with that nightmare until one night on the eve of his twentieth third birthday.
At 6:00 in the evening on a cold November night, Erik was heading towards a meeting with the Japanese executives of a restaurant Desslar wished to purchase. While going over the financial briefings the execs had faxed him two days ago, something caught his eye as the limo stopped at a red light.
A woman was leaving her apartment and was rifling through her purse trying to retrieve her cell phone when a man in a dark hooded sweatshirt and jeans ran up to her. Pointing a gun at her face, he demanded money.
Suddenly, Erik's mind shut down as he dashed out of the limo leaving a befuddled Aldred behind. Racing towards the woman's aid across the street, he yelled for her to run but could not be heard over the honking of angry drivers and could not be seen amid the smog and smoke flowing in the dank street.
Using his shoulder, he rammed his whole body into the hooded man which gave the escape the woman needed. She ran to her car and sped away dialing the police as she drove off. The butler had to drive the limo around due to the furious drivers behind him, praying his boss was alive and well.
When Erik successfully gained control over the criminal, he kicked the gun toward the gutter of the street. Yet the hooded man laughed at the once immaculately dressed man in his suit, "You idiot. You have no idea what you are getting yourself into…"
Yanking the man's collar, Erik defiantly stared into the man's face inches from his and spat, "I am afraid you have no idea what you have gotten yourself into…" Then, the billionaire punched the man in the face, breaking his nose.
As blood poured out of the man's nose, Erik left his lifeless body on the sidewalk and turned to head back to the limo when he heard the approaching of several footsteps behind him. Rotating on his heel, he saw several other hooded men emerge from the shadows of the gloomy alley with a variety of weapons in their hands.
Sighing, Erik knew he would miss his meeting, but the rage built up inside from his parents' murder came rushing back. He may have been helpless to protect them then, but he could protect himself now.
With his shoulders squared and head held high, he showed no fear but a strong determination to show that criminals don't always win. Soon the four men with weapons charged the man in evening wear, and Desslar hurled himself into one of the assailants and knocked the bat out of his hand.
Picking up the bat, Erik charged another man who had a crowbar and swung at him mightily, but the man deftly dodged that attack. The other two men cornered Desslar into the alley further as he fought the onslaught of assaults from the man with the crowbar. With the bat, he was able to ward off most of the blows, but one caught him in the shoulder. Dropping the bat, he almost fell to his knees, but the image of his mother's dead eyes revived the rage in his body. With all of his strength, he punched the man in the face then kicked the crowbar out of his grasp.
With a loud clamor, the crowbar fell as the second goon was knocked unconscious. The two attackers behind Erik rushed forward as the billionaire turned around. One held a flamethrower while the other had a knife.
Quickly sidestepping them, he made passed them as they stopped to turn around. The limo screeched to a halt as Aldred got out, yelling for Erik to come into the car. Nodding, Desslar began to run forward as the wailing police sirens got louder as the police approached the scene of the crime.
Two yards from the limo, Dressler ran until he immediately fell to the ground from the knife imbedded in his calf. Pulling the two inch dagger from his flesh, Erik did not notice the men sprinting to his fallen form until Lancaster screamed it out.
"Erik, watch out!"
Yet, it was too late, the goon pressed the trigger and the flames shot out. The billionaire was then drenched in flames, literally screaming in agony from the searing heat that engulfed his upper body. The blood that had pooled at his leg now dried to the ground from the souring temperatures.
Aldred then took out the shotgun and fire extinguisher and ran to his adopted son in horror and fear. Shooting the shotgun three times at the men, the attackers were able to flee the scene right as the cops and ambulance showed up.
Spraying his boss with the extinguisher, Aldred was able to put out the fire but feared he was too late. Although it had been just seconds Desslar suffered from catching on fire, the butler feared that he was dead.
Once the smoke cleared, Lancaster surveyed the damage done to the one in his care and felt immense guilt wash over him at the sight of his charge face down on the grimy concrete, bleeding and in great pain. His hand moved. He was alive!
The medics rushed the billionaire to the Gorham General Hospital where they were able to stabilize his wounds. He had been burned at least seventy five percent of his body and the knife wound was stitched. Yet, months of therapy and skin grafts were in order, and Lancaster feared how this would affect Erik.
Although the fire had severely distorted his features, the once handsome man was now deformed and heavily scarred. His gold eyes retained their vision and hearing had not suffered loss, something the doctors relayed as nothing short of a miracle. The skin was pale and taut over the protruding cheekbones and forehead from the skin literally melting off in the fire. His nose had been severely altered from the heat and now was flat with two slits.
The blue and red veins were presently seen in the translucent skin while some of the hair had been scorched. Yet, with time, it all grew back. Overall, his face had suffered the worst of the damage.
Aldred feared his master's sanity and health, but the man did not seem concerned over his appearance. He was fixated on the fact he had failed once again. He had been left vulnerable to the scourge of the city, and he was furious.
He would do something about it. Not only was he tired of seeing the city drown in the crime of the wicked acts of the reprehensible; he knew the city was as well. He could stop it; he knew he could. But how?
The answer eluded him until two years later after his twenty-fifth birthday. The billionaire totally transformed his habits from years prior. No longer was he the outgoing and vibrant man with the façade of beautiful women in his bed and confidence of ten lions. He was a recluse and a prisoner to his own inadequacy until his butler came back from a week's vacation in Venice. There had been a masked festival that the butler had attended, and he had brought back some souvenirs to his boss in hopes of lifting his spirits. What he did not know was that those souvenirs would forever alter the path of the billionaire named Erik Desslar.
"Erik, I have brought you some mementos from my trip to Venice. I only wished you had attended with me."
The men sat in the armed chairs with a cup of brandy as was their custom in the evenings. The butler was now more than accustomed to his scarred adopted son, and his devotion to him never wavered.
"Please, Aldred, spare me. I did not want the stares. It is difficult enough to endure meetings from the board as it is."
His dark and melodious voice was marred by hostility and resentment, something ever present in his demeanor. The man had become embittered and further chose to ostracize himself from Gorham's elite society by never attending the functions any longer. The city now deemed him the 'recluse of Gorham City.'
"I meant no harm, Sir. Here open this."
Sighing heavily, the agitated man reached for the over decorated box and uninterestedly opened it. Pulling out a black mask made of porcelain, he looked at his butler bemused by the gift and then pulled out a heavy, black cloak.
"Ah, I suppose these are for my Halloween costume. Am I to be the Phantom of the Opera, Aldred?"
His sarcastic comment earned a chuckle from the butler who shook his head in the negative. Setting the brandy down on the table next to Erik's, Aldred laughed out loud before answering the sardonic question.
"Not at all, sir. Unless you wish. Try the mask on! I wish to see it on you."
Smiling a rare smile, the burned man apprehensively glanced at his friend and mentor for a moment. Then he placed the black mask on and stood to put the cloak on. Once he was fully garbed, the billionaire turned towards his friend to get his opinion.
The older man nearly choked on his brandy as he whispered hoarsely, "Well, sir, I cannot even tell it is you! Look at yourself in the mirror!"
Shaking his head and feeling rather stupid, the billionaire glided to the full length mirror next to the bookcase and glanced in the mirror. Astounded, he leaned forward and touched the black surface of the mask and stretched out his arms in the cloak. He looked like a large and menacing shadow; he could not even see his face. No one would be able to recognize him!
The old butler's British accented voice echoed in the large study to his charge, "Well, sir, it looks like you are ready to go out and fight the many criminals in Gorham's street!"
Laughing heartily at this, the billionaire then immediately stopped. He then was struck with this crazy idea…this idea that would change him forever.
Author's Note: Gorham City is a small town in New York, but the history and origin in here is totally made up. So don't be offended Gorhamites! I hope this was a good beginning to this story. I pray you all liked this idea premise. Christine and Raoul will be in it as well as the other characters.