A/N: Thanks to all those who read it, followed it or favorited it. Your support means a lot to me and I hope I delivered a chapter worthy of the long wait. I am not sure if I want to follow this story with a sequel after all, but there's still a chance I will, if I find something interesting to work with. To be honest, what I wrote was a combination of made-up stuff and how I thought they would react if they were part of the Batman world. Also, I have often felt that Winona's life was kinda like something some desperate comic book writer would come for a potential anti-heroine in the Batman comics.
A corny notion, I know, but it applies for me, nevertheless. Again, this is not meant to be offensive of the real-life people I write about and I don't intend this story to be seen that way. I am just a fan of some of her films, always thought that she was one of the most beautiful women to have walked the face of the Earth and even though I don't agree with some of her views a hundred percent of the time, I still wanted to find to pay tribute to her in the form of these fics. Some of the stuff I had written are only there for a few bits of comic relief, and not really reflecting the mindset or the actual person who's doing it.
The main villain, which originates from a similar one from the 1970s stories, and other character motivations will be explained better in later chapters.
Hope you enjoy the ride.
Chapter 2:
The drive from Brooklyn to Gotham City wasn't without a few traffic troubles, but it was relatively fine. Her boyfriend as of now, a famous fashion designer in his late '40s named Scott Mackinlay Hahn, was the one driving the vehicle, a old-fashioned Cadillac, to the destination, and having turned the air-conditioning to the desired limit, he didn't seem to mind about the hotness or the humidity that was still dominant outside the car. It was only an hour or two before they would get to Gotham, and despite of what Scott told her about the city, he started to take it all back for some reason. A the time, he was wearing a plain blue T-shirt, as well as a pair of blue pants and black shoes he wore for most of the events he had been into, with or without Winona by his side.
Probably it was only the realization that he needed some adventure in his life for a change, and maybe the city itself was an environment that spoke to her girlfriend in a way that he wouldn't really understand.
Speaking of her, Winona was resting her head in her right arm, watching outside the window, playing with a strand of her ponytailed brown hair with her left hand. She was wearing her white Tom Waits shirt, blue jeans and black booties, thought the idea of letting them out had crossed her mind for the last thirty minutes, just to tease Scott with the sight of her wiggling toes and her red-painted nails resting in the dashboard.
But then she decided against it, because she wasn't in the mood of seeing him asking her if a strange odour that filled the car was coming from either the boots or her sweaty soles that were resting a few meters beside the steering wheel. That reminded her of an article she read in a newspaper in the late '90s, which accumulated a series of interviews from various people Winona had worked with in and out of the set. What upset her that time was the repeated statement that...she was smelling funny, or, worse yet, that she wasn't someone who took a bath at least two or three times week, giving rise to a lot of tabloid speculation, even before the Beverly Hills misfortune, that, perhaps, America's sweetheart was starting to get way too problematic or borderline psychotic.
Her train of thought was abruptly interrupted when the grey-haired boyfriend turned his blue orbs to check on the young brunette.
''Hey, you okay? Winona, you alright? We are gonna be in Gotham in another thirty minutes. Still sure it's the right thing you do? Winona? Winona? Noni?'', Scott asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
The woman was momentarily startled when she heard his voice and turned her head to face him, a bit confused on what was going on now.
''Oh, oh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine, Scott, fine. Just keep going. If you want, though, to make an emergency stop, at least let me know and I might spend the next few minutes in the backside.'', Winona exclaimed, then turned her head again to see the sight of the sun about to be set in the twilight, remembering that it was only 8:42 in the afternoon.
Thinking for a few minutes and rubbing his hand against the stubble in his chin, Scott tried to explain the situation of the trip as best he could.
''Well, I don't know if we should make a stop, not when we're close to the hotel I booked for us. I mean, for you, though I will stick around should any trouble come up.''
Winona wetted her lips with her tongue, slowly opening her mouth to giggle a bit on what the man just said, and then closing her lips to a toothy grin that revealed her clandestine white teeth. It was a wonder how the brunette woman, in spite of her habitual smoking habits, managed to get her teeth regain some of the natural colour, even if they were some yellow spots in between some of the gums and the adamantine structure of her canine daggers in her mouth.
She reached her boyfriend and kept a distance so that she wouldn't be a serious distraction from his driving duties.
''You see, Scott, I would have loved to lie down on the backside for the rest of the trip, you know with my hands in my head and my feet touching the cool glass, but since I won't have the time to do something like that...I guess I am gonna have to settle with that hotel you could book me in.'', Winona said to her boyfriend, before she turned to the drawer in front of her, opening it to find whether she let her purple sunglasses in there and some cash she could use to buy herself some souvenirs or something to remind her of that trip.
While she was sorting through the stuff she saw inside the drawer, she didn't realize for a few minutes that Scott had been fortunate in seeing that there was little to no traffic in their way, which made the ride easier for him and they managed to get to the hotel in the next fifteen minutes.
Eventually, Winona found her purple-tinted black shades and put on a black cap she often wore a couple of times when she'd been in a few Tennis court games.
''Well, princess, welcome home, if you can call it that, to the Bellmore Palace Hotel.'', Scott said to her, pointing to a nice cobblestone building in front of him.
The building was reminiscent of other hotels Winona had been in, but it was a magnificent structure nevertheless, and a nice addition to the many new structures that now populated Gotham City, possibly a sign of the Batman making a decent job at keeping the city and its denizens safe from the many villains and criminals that plundered for more than fifteen years.
Obviously, the elected official of the city had the notion that a tourist trade campaign would be just what they needed to help cut some of the financial strain City Hall had, in spite of the warning the GCPD gave to them that is not the time to let tourists trying to get a glimpse of the ''Bat'', not when the most challenging case they had ever got their hands on yet proved to be a realistic obstacle to the plans of the elected officials.
They got out of the car, and with the help of the bell boys they managed to get their luggage and moved to the receptionist, a nice young woman with black hair, who mustn't have been older than 28, helped them to find the room they booked in on such notice.
Still, it couldn't be worse than that; the trip was made with the utmost secrecy and the Gotham fans of Winona Ryder didn't really realize that the infamous Hollywood starlet, the girl who once got to date with famous male stars like Johhny Depp and Matt Damon, would be spending a couple of days under their own nose. Well, until she got to be to that Tennis court the event she was invaded for will take place, she will get to enjoy a night filled with peace and quiet.
At the moment, Winona's mind was trying to come up with the best answer as to who would wanted to get her in there, and she could name a few names, but she was interrupted once again when the girl receptionist asked her from the desk, once she heard from Scott that she was ''a celebrity who loved their city and wanted to bring some light in with her visit.''
''Hey, are you really her? Are, are...you... you Wi...Winona Ryder?!''', the black haired receptionist with the white shirt asked, nervously fumbling to keep her overpowering enthusiasm below the radar, playing a bit with her black tie.
After breathing a heavy sign, Winona turned her head to face the young woman and tried to look her in the eye behind her sunglasses. It was maybe too blurry to see her through them, so she lifted them enough to get a good look at her, realizing that she was a bit surprise to see a celebrity of her stature walking in their hotel, so she decided to indulge her wish, seeing how much of a kind of person was to her, winking her in the process with her left eye.
''Yes, it's me, honey. What you wanna know?'', Winona asked, letting a small sign escape her lips.
''Oh, nothing, I just wanted to know if you could sign these few pictures I carried with me, even though I had a hard time believing that you would pay a visit to us, after all.'', the girl said, trying not to let her out of the sight with her blue eyes. She ran a little to see her in person, and once in front of her, the girl showed to her a short series of photo still from some of her known films.
''I was just wondering if you could sign these up for me. I am a big fan of your work, and you really don't have a clue how much your work means a lot to Gothamites, especially Gotham girls like me. I, I even heard that you even doodled some of the photos they let you sign at that time you spent in Berlin, so could you do that in one of the photos, if that is not too much to ask?''
After hearing all this coming out from that girl's mouth, Winona stretched her right hand and responded with a smile in her face.
''Sure, I'd be more than glad to do that. Would you tell me which photo should I make this little doodle you want to have on the back, and why don't you let me check them all when I get to my room? I wouldn't mind signing a few now.''
The girl couldn't contain her excitement any longer and squealed for a second, but she quickly regained her composure and took the photos out of the vest pocket of the deep blue hotel jacket she was wearing for more official occasions, meaning the kind of events the hotel will use to host important guests such as senators, military officials and world leaders, though never really meant to host celebrities like rock stars or movie stars, for that matter.
She handed them over to the starlet, and she stuffed them in one of the pockets in her teal bag, turning to see the reaction of the girl, who looked a bit concerned for a split second, the actress went to tell her how she planned to respond to them.
''I think it's better if I take a look at them all in my room, and you get them back in the morning. Okay?'', the actress said to the girl, not really sure if she will go along with the concept.
To her surprise, the young receptionist had given an expression that meant that she had taken what Winona said in a positive light and wanted to reassure her that she could wait until tomorrow, if she really needed some rest after that long trip from Gotham.
'' Of course. Absolutely yes, if you think you could do that in somewhere as private as in one of our rooms. There's no problem, if you could bring them back whenever you can tomorrow, and it doesn't have to be morning. You can give 'em back anytime you want.''
''Oh, thanks, honey. I owe you one. And don't worry, I'll try to look them up tonight and you'll know how it went before I leave this place. Pleased talking with you. Take care, now. Bye-bye.'', Winona said rather hastily once she saw that her boyfriend waved her to go into the elevator.
The lift was a nice one and the starlet tried not to make any funny sounds that could show how claustrophobic she actually was. When the elevator doors opened, the couple and the man who took their luggage were now in the fifth floor, and once they entered the room she would spend the next three nights in Gotham, Winona was taken by surprise at what she had seen before her.
The room had a window balcony that gave her a glimpse at the outside buildings, filled with the bristling sounds of a busy metropolis, not unlike what she gets to experience in New York, but it wasn't overtly filled with traffic noise and ambulance sirens as the Brooklyn district her father once spent his childhood and early adulthood in. Sure, there would be the distinctive noise of the sirens of numerous police cars that were patrolling the city streets, since it was Gotham after all, and danger and crime were never-resting during the night. She was thankful that she never had a film proposed to her that had a shooting schedule within the confines of Arkham Asylum, but maybe it would be the ideal place for someone Like her director friend Tim Burton, to go and use the footage for a future project of his, one that could involve horror and stuff like that.
She should remind herself to mention that to Tim when the weekend was out. While she was taking in the amount of space there was in the room, Scott payed the man a few hundred dollars and told him where his room was and where he should leave his own luggage once there.
The man thanked Scott for the cash and moved to go find the room he would leave Scott's stuff in. With the man going about his business in the hotel hall room, Scott turned to his girlfriend to let her know where he would stay for the night, since she wasn't fond of the kind of shows he watched, let alone the preliminary football games for the Superbowl, since he made a bet with someone that the Gotham Knights will make it though the next match with the other team.
''I better follow this jerk-off and find where I'll be sleeping. If you need anything, you tell the guys at the reception desk what you want though the intercom you will find in the wall before the kitchen, or if you want anything from me, you call me on this little, little baby I am holding here, this, uh, this new Samsung model. You like it?'', Scott said, smilingly showing off his latest gadget, a new Samsung smart phone he had acquired almost six months ago.
Not really interested in striking any conversation at the moment, Winona tried as simple as she could to articulate to her boyfriend that his services and 'big. brave stud'' antics he was trying to go for at the moment would not pick her up.
''It's cute, Scott, but I think I am gonna lounge in here until 2:30, I think, and if I change my mind and I wanna spend the rest of the night with you, I will let you know once you hear your phone ring twice. And having said that, Scott, honey...I think it's best if you, you know, go about your business as well, and we'll see how it goes.''
Scott, however, was a bit concerned, and he let a hint of worry found its way into the words that came out of his mouth.
''You sure you are fine, Noni? I, I, I could stay here all night long if you want to. I don't missing nay of my favorite programmes, now. Not with all that shit we are gonna have to do tomorrow mor..'
''I know I acted a little strange during the whole trip, but a good two hours of me in this room will be good for me, and like I said, if I really anything, I will let you know. Actually, I wanna sign these photos of that girl at the reception desk, since I don't want a fan like this one have any bad feelings, and, and, you know, like try to get me the day I leave this town.''
She let a giggle escape at her last comment, though it sounded more like perched laughter. Nevertheless, she regained herself and wanted to let him know that his services were needed from now on.
''Well, I think you should go and find where you'll spent the night. Just take care, that's all. Goodnight.''
''Okay, goodnight, Winona.'' Scott waved his hand and turned to the direction of the door, only to turn himself again towards for a few last words she wanted to give, not having get his worries out of his system.
''Remember. Anything you need, give me a call. Anytime, whether you want to see me, or the guys downstairs. Okay, hon, you're right, I gotta go. Take it easy with the signing business. Bye-bye.''
And with that, he leaved the room in a bit of a rush to catch up with the man who must have been halfway though the hotel hall. With door closing behind him, Winona let out a big sign and walked around the place to get a better feel of it. The kitchen area was not excruciatingly special, but the living room and the king-size bed in her bedroom made up for it.
She flopped on the couch and picked those photos out of the bag, wanting to get a close look of the still she had promised to sign for the kind young woman that seemed to be patient and understanding of her situation, and why she needed a few hours of her in peace and alone. Well, not completely alone, but she wasn't in any mood for any clowning around the city.
To her surprise, they were mostly promotional stills of movies she starred in the earlier part of her career. Those stills were promoting the characters she was playing at that moment in her life, like Lydia Deetz from ''Beetlejuice'', Veronica Sawyer from ''Heathers'', Mina Murray in ''Dracula'', May Welland from ''The Age Of Innocence'', as well as few photos of her part from ''Great Balls Of Fire'' and from most recent roles, like the ones in ''Black Swan'' and ''The Iceman''.
For the three photos of Lydia Deetz, she was somewhat surprised to see her own teenage self sitting to the floor of the house the photograph was taken, hands resting on the knees and a smile plastered in her face, as she couldn't really recall if she ever gave this pose back at the day.
Still, it was a small reminder of how perky she seemed to be at her beginning of her career, and how she ended up now. Not that she complained about the way things turned out, though.
She really needed a rest from acting, even if people thought that now was the moment for her comeback to occur. However, she other ideas in her mind and though that soul-searching herself in this sort of trip would make things easier for her to decide.
Checking her watch on her left wrist, she decided that it was best she started signing these photos and try to have them ready by the time she wakes up to deliver them to the girl.
Also, she thought she may have to go early to bed, like no later than 2:30 A.M., so that she is fully rested and get on with the Tennis court business as quickly as she could, and a tour of the city that hosted the mysterious vigilante known as the Batman.
Before she started to sign, a thought crossed her mind that one of the villains might have to do with the event she'll attend to tomorrow, but she hoped that it was only her imagination just screaming irrational things to her. Even if that was the case, the Batman shouldn't have any serious problem dealing it better than the Gotham police would have.
After she was done with the stills, she might be able to catch on a special documentary on the new Paul Weller American tour around midnight, and if it included her real hometown of San Fransisco as a part of it, just so that she was able to release the groupie aspect of herself among the crowds and forget the acting gig for a while.
That would be a real relief after working on things that she loved and yet, no one really ever recognized. This will change soon. And it will change in a way the Hollywood actress couldn't have thought possible.
If she only opened her eyes before, knowing the real risk she was taking by being here. And her part in a man's plan to avenge the deaths of the many people they racially belong to at the hands of domineering maniacs and fascists whose legacy lives on in the hearts of younger men who gang up at nights and perform the very atrocities their families had been through.
Some call them Neo-Nazis, skinheads, white supremacists, etc., though he prefers to call them an abomination and a thorn in the back side of man in the 21st century. The plan will fall into a place, but she has to volunteer, one way or another.
And the Batman won't be able to do much about it, even if he's involved. But if he does, he'll regret the moment he stood in the way of true justice.
Those were the thoughts of a man who was watching Winona though some binoculars in one of the opposite buildings, wearing a brown trench coat, only his black tie showing. He was wearing a fedora, and he didn't seem to worry if the Batman was spying him from one of the many Gotham rooftops that surrounded the building he was in.
The man got tired of staring at the girl and made his way towards the terrace exit, with his only thoughts being how he would approach her.
Should he appear before her as his terrifying alter ego, of just his own self? Those were the words that crossed the man's mind as he was slowly descending the stairs, hoping that his plans will not be foiled prematurely by the infamous Dark Knight, not when he wanted to make sure he had his way with the actress himself, showing her how she can effect change and not be as ineffectual as she used to think she was for some time.
By the time he reached the four floor, a shadowy figure approached him, as if trying to make sure that they were just the two of them in the seemingly deserted hall room.
''I hope you found what you needed, Dr. Gruener. And by the way, does your offer still stand?'', the shadowy figure asked, stepping a bit further into the light to show that it was the Scarecrow, the identity the former psychiatrist Jonathan Crane identified himself the most.
''You could say that, old friend. Just remember where you ought to be tomorrow night and after this job, well, I could guarantee you that your research in the study of fear and phobias shall proceed with no interference by either the police of the Batman itself. Have to go now. Enjoy the remainder of the evening doing whatever it is that you like to do, anyway. Don't want to upset my wife for being out too late than this.'', Dr. Gruener replied, with the Scarecrow making way for the man to move on and continue going downstairs towards ground floor.
''You better will, Gruener. You better will.'', the Scarecrow mumbled under his breadth, not really caring if the man heard what he said. He only wanted to make sure that he will keep his end of the bargain and the new experiments on his fear toxins will carry on from where it stopped in Arkham all those years ago.
Patience and carefull thinking might the key to bringing the Batman down and see what his next move will be after it's all over. Perhaps Gruener had another offer up his sleeve, one he wasn't really interested to disclose to him the first time they began this partnership, but he should have known by now that in this city there are no secrets and even if there are, they can't be kept that silent for very long.
All the knowledge that Gruener had to offer in the psychological warfare will soon be in his grasp, and not only Batman, but nearly everyone who ridiculed him in Gotham will regret the moment they stood in his way. The plan is yet to unfold, and it would be devastating if it were to be ruined that early in the process.
Revenge can never be taken in haste, and that was the only common thing that the two men shared, though they never really bothered to acknowledge that amongst themselves, but the time for that will come, and if it works well, they may even emerge more victorious than they hoped they would be.