Family Strife
Chapter 2
Terry grunted as he set the last box of his belongings in his new room. He hated moving, and although he had to admit that it was a nice house, but he still wasn't comfortable with the situation as new people meant new risks to his identity. He opened the first box to unpack when a knock sounded through his door. Sighing he got up off the ground and opened the door.
"Hey Terry", Megan said, "Just wondering if you needed some help."
"I'm good", he replied, "But thanks."
Megan looked down at the floor, "Ok, just thought I'd check."
Terry's heart went out to this girl. She was shy, and this was kind of an awkward situation.
"Come on in", he said, "Let's have a chat."
She stepped into his room and looked around at the boxes as he cleared a place for her to sit on the edge of the bed.
"I have a feeling you didn't offer your services to just be nice", he said half jokingly.
"No I really did", she said putting her hands up defensively before sinking back down a little bit, "I... I just wanted to see if this was weird for you too... I mean the new family overnight can be a bit overwhelming."
"A little", Terry responded, "But your father seems like a nice enough guy and you're a sweet girl, a little shy, but sweet. I think I could get used to calling you my sister. That help put you a ease at all?"
"A little", she said, "It's still weird having to share a house with boys, but I'll deal."
"Awesome", Terry replied, "Just beware of Matt. He likes to barge in unannounced."
Megan let out a chuckle, "I'll keep that in mind."
She left his room leaving Terry to his thoughts, "Maybe new additions to the family wouldn't be so bad", he thought.
Bruce Wayne sat in his customary chair in the Batcave. Four days the computer had been trying to break down the venom with no success, and he was beginning to get a little irritated. After the computer once again came back with a failed analysis he decided it was time to see what some outside resources had come up with. He punched a button on the computers controls and initiated a phone link.
"Commissioner Gordon", came the reply from the other end.
"Hello Barb", he said as pleasantly as possible.
"I'm busy Bruce", she said with a hint of annoyance in her voice, "What do you want?"
"Have you found anything on the sample?" he asked sharply.
"You really did learn manners from a crocodile, didn't you?", she asked before sighing in defeat, "The boys can't make heads or tails of it. It has Venom as a base, but other than that we have no idea."
"I see", he replied, "I'm going to run more tests. I'll keep you informed."
Bruce disconnected the call and went back to studying the perplexing compound.
(three days later)
"I now pronounce you man and wife", The preacher said as he closed his hands together, "You may now kiss the bride."
David Nolan lifted the veil from his new wife and pulled her into a kiss.
"I now present to you for the first time, Mister and Misses David Nolan", the preacher said as the newlywed couple made their way up the aisle.
At the reception Terry couldn't help but feel a little bored. While everyone was dancing he was stuck talking to his mothers childhood friends about how cute he was as a baby. He didn't want to be rude, but there was only so much he could take before losing it. Luckily he was soon rescued by a tap on the shoulder. He turned around to find Megan standing there in her pastel pink dress. She didn't say anything, but held her hand out to Terry who immediately took it and followed her out to the dance floor.
"Thank you", he said graciously as they started to dance.
"No worries", she replied, "You looked like you'd rather have a porcupine in your shorts than sit there any longer... And now I've paid you back for bailing me out of the get to know everyone breakfast."
"You know", he said, "If we keep this up we'll have a beautiful relationship."
"OK Mr. Smooth", she said jokingly, "Don't expect me to be around every time you need an escape. I have a life too you know. Anyway I thought you invited your girlfriend."
"Yeah... about that", Terry said, "Dana and Max both decided to wash their hair on the same night."
"And leave you to fend for yourself", Megan said with mock surprise, "Too bad Batman wasn't around to rescue us from the onslaught of the previous generation."
"Yeah too bad", Terry said with a chuckle. They fell in step and continued with their dance.
"It's so great to see them getting along", Mary said to her new husband, "I thought there may be come clashes."
Once the song ended they made their way outside of the reception hall and into the park.
"Peaceful", Terry said.
"Yeah", Megan replied.
"There you two are", Mary said, "It's time to head out. We're dropping Matt off at my sisters, so you two will have the house to yourselves while we're away. Try not to destroy it."
"You got it", Terry said.
"See you at the end of the summer Ms. M", Megan said.
"Mary is fine", she replied to her new step daughter."
In the distance Terry picked up on police sirens and a few moments later his cell phone rang. Terry opened it and a voice simply said ,"Get to work."
"Gotta go", Terry said to his mom and step sister, "Mister Wayne needs me."
Terry took off towards his car before either woman could say anything. Once there he pulled out of the parking lot and took off down a side street. Once he was a couple miles away he set the auto-drive function that Bruce had installed so the car would be waiting for him at Wayne manor.
"Wayne I love your gadgets", Terry said to himself as he flipped another hidden button and the windows blacked out. Terry changed into his batsuit quickly and exited the vehicle. Once he was away he pressed a button on his belt and the car took off towards Wayne Manor.
"Alright, I'm on the clock", he said through the radio in his cowl, "Where to?"
"4th and Majestic", came Bruce's reply, "Looks like a chemical heist."
"Lovely", he said, "Any idea what they are taking?"
"No, but this lab specialized in psychotropics", Bruce said, "Head over there, I'll have the batmobile waiting on your call."
"Come on", one of the crooks said, "Boss said in and out."
"Maybe the boss would like to crack the safe", the other one commented, "GCPD don't use normal codes."
Finally there was a loud click and the safe door slid open revealing the contents.
"All this for one little vial? Must be some good stuff"
"Didn't your mothers teach you that it's dangerous to play with chemicals?", came a voice from behind them.
"It's Batman", One yelled as they tried to get away, but Batman threw a bola and hit both crooks at the ankles causing them to trip and fall and their legs became tied together.
"They're just kids", Terry said into his receiver.
"Doesn't matter", Bruce said, "What were they after?"
"I'll give you a hint", Terry responded, "It's small and in a police evidence safe."
"The vial we gave to Gordon", Bruce said, "There must be a reason. Something's in it that the computer is having trouble identifying, and I'll bet whoever made it is trying to keep the secret ingredient, a secret."
"Who sent you?" Terry asked as he grabbed one of the juvenile crooks by the shirt.
"I don't know", he practically whined out, "It was dark... Said he'd pay well if we got his stuff back."
"What made him come to you?"Terry demanded.
"Jimmy", came the reply, "He did time in juvie for cracking a teachers safe."
"Get the vile", Bruce said through the radio, "We'll get it back to Barbara as soon as possible."
Terry took the vial and left the crooks tied up for the police. Just as Bruce has promised the batmobile was waiting.
He watched the batmobile fly off into the night and quickly made his way into the lab before the police arrived. Batman was getting close and he had to make sure his loose ends were tied up. He found the boys tied up and the safe they were breaking into empty.
"The bat is becoming a nuisance", he said as he opened his palm and hypnotized the boys. "At this rate I'll have to accelerate my plan before he gets to the bottom of what's really in the vial.
Terry parked the batmobile inside the batcave and got out to see Bruce staring at the computer.
"Over a week I've been trying to analyze this compound and I'm no closer to an answer.", he said, "Whatever is in this is important if the perp is willing to steal police evidence to keep it away from us."
"So what should we do with the sample?" Terry asked.
"The only thing we can do", Bruce answered, "Give it back to Barb."
"Well I gotta head home", Terry said, "I'll take it by the Commish in the AM."
Megan walked down the street to the gym. Since dad and Mary left and Terry was out working for Bruce Wayne, she decided to get in some over due practice at the gym. It was late, but luckily for it it was a 24 hour gym. She turned the corner when an elderly man approached her.
"Excuse me miss", he said, "Might I ask a favor of you?"
"Um I guess so", she said meekly.
"It's nothing major", he replied, "I just need help getting my cart up the steps."
Unable to deny a person in need she followed him to the stoop if the small apartment building so she could lift his cart.
Terry arrived home to an empty house. He has expected Megan to be there, but it didn't appear she was.
"It's getting late", Terry said, "I hope she's ok."
He went to the kitchen to fix himself something to eat, and sat down on the sofa for some late night TV when the door opened and in walked Megan.
"Kinda late", Terry said, "Where ya been?"
"Out", was all she had to say as she rushed past him and went into her room closing the door behind her.
Terry wasn't sure what happened, but she was clearly upset.
"Hey", he said as he knocked on the door, "Wanna talk."
"NO!", she shouted, "NOW GO AWAY!"
"Okay", he said to himself, "Guess she doesn't want to talk about it."
At his warehouse Spellbinder went over his plans. He was sure that it would work and now that he had enlisted some new help, he was sure that it would be done before anyone was the wiser.
"Soon", he said to himself, "All of Gotham will bow at my feet. The pawns are laid out Batman. There's no way you can stop me now."
A/N: Had a tough time ending this chapter... but I did it. Hope you enjoyed it. Please read and review.