Chapter 3 – Sad Memories
"And so gentlemen, that's how it is," Bruce Wayne's voice boomed over the podium as he sat in a meeting at the top of Wayne Tower.
With Lucius Fox, his financial advisor, and Carl Fredericks from the accounting division of Wayne Enterprises, Bruce knew the meeting was going well. Some high-powered executives from Goth-Corp, as well as the company's smooth talking Chairman and CEO, Ferris Boyle, were also in attendance.
"Mr. Wayne, I think we have a say in this as well," Boyle countered from across the room, looking as sharp as ever in his finely pressed, cobalt blue suit. He was a high roller who had gotten lucky and was nominated CEO of Goth-Corp two years ago. His accreditations were minor in what the job required but Gotham was corrupt, in more ways than one.
"You have a say on your end, Ferris," Bruce continued. "But dragging Wayne-Tech into a project that may be considered unlawful and immoral just isn't going to work. Building nuclear and biochemical weapons, when we know for certain that they will be sold to hostile foreign nations, just won't fly."
"But Bruce, c'mon man, be reasonable. There's a lot of money to be made in the weapons game. Everyone will benefit; you, me, and the people."
"You wanna play war games Ferris, that's fine. Just do it without Wayne-Tech's funding. Lucius help me out here. What's your say?" Bruce requested, addressing the bulky, smooth-looking black man in the chair next to him.
"Bruce is right gentlemen, the amounts of money that will be made will be substantial, but not substantial enough for the time and effort it will take. Is it really worth the risks?" Lucius offered, trying to help Bruce's argument.
"Now see here," another Goth-Corp executive chimed in. "We've got to think realistically here. The fact is that both of our companies are at the forefront of military weapon technology."
"That may be true Sir, but what the plan proposes is too dangerous, not to mention costly. The only reason Mr. Boyle wanted to sign Goth-Corp on with Wayne-Tech is because he couldn't get federal funding. Well, I for one am… am…" Lucius stumbled over his words as a loud ruckus echoed from outside the boardroom.
Drawing away his attention from the subject at hand, the remaining executives now heard the commotion as well. Several men's voices carried over the feminine sectary's refusal of entry into the room. Despite her tries, the boardroom's doors flew open as a well-dressed man entered, followed by four rather large men. As the leader approached Bruce near the podium, the rest of them stayed in front of the door.
"Good evening gentlemen, you may recognize me as Joel Lucci, future president of the First National Bank," the man near Bruce uttered with a sly smirk, smoothing back his hair with a manicured hand dressed in fancy rings.
"What the hell is going on here?" Ferris Boyle managed to verbalize, trying in vain to stand up as one of the goons advanced toward him to keep him at bay.
"Yes Mr. Lucci, what is the meaning of this? How did you manage to…" Bruce questioned, unable to finish as Lucci belted in response.
"Get in here?" he finished, taking a step closer to the podium, pushing Bruce aside. "Well, let's just say that guns can be very convincing," he declared as Bruce retreated and allowed the man to have his say.
"Oh Christ, Wayne, you know this clown? Can't you afford better security?" one of the Goth-Corp executives snapped.
"Shut up you," Lucci ordered. "Now Bruce old pal, how about that signature," he snarled, staring the rich playboy up and down. "Unless, you and your chums are in the mood for a hostage situation?"
Immediately, Bruce knew what they were here for. Acting calmly, he pretended that he didn't know what was going on. Laughing on cue, he allowed it to bellow across the room, escalating the rising emotions of his business partners with his calm façade. "This is Wayne Tower, the top floor. You aren't taking any hostages. What kind of fool are you to try?"
"Only fool I see is you," Lucci removed his .45 from his pocket. With a wave of his hand, his cronies spread out across the room, aiming their guns and ready to fire at the first sign of someone trying to play hero. "You're signature."
Bruce maintained his refusal, his face stern and eyes hard. His hands itched to punch Lucci but it was out of character. He was Bruce Wayne, CEO of Wayne Enterprises, not Batman, not now.
"Damn it Wayne, give him the signature!" barked a Goth-Corp employee.
"Ignore him Bruce, don't give in to scum," Lucius countered as a goon cocked a gun at the back of his head.
With a shake of his head and a weary smile at his old friend, Bruce grabbed a pen from inside his jacket pocket. As Lucci presented him with a contract, Bruce skimmed over it and signed his name.
Lucci laughed and rolled the document into a tight cylinder to stash it away in his jacket. Moving to the door as his men retreated, guns still aimed, Lucci mockingly bowed and said, "Wise choice, Mr. Wayne. I wasn't really in the mood to clip obituary articles this week. I thank you."
Once they left, a long sigh of relief radiated from the tense executives, all except from Bruce Wayne. Moving to a far wall, Bruce pressed the button on the intercom and responded accordingly. "Jackson, five men just left Boardroom D. Make sure they don't leave the tower."
The next night, Bruce was in the Batcave, in full bat garb, going over the police report on the Arkham abduction. He'd been over it already, maybe even a hundred times. Something just didn't add up. As Batman, he'd spoken to the nurse who had found the abduction notes. But even that didn't make sense. Bruce didn't know what to do. Suddenly, approaching footsteps interrupted his thoughts.
"Hey old timer," a voice yelped from across the cave.
As Bruce got up from the central computer, he noticed two young men walking toward him. It was Dick Grayson, the original boy wonder who had gone on to become Nightwing, and the boy wonder himself, Tim Drake.
"Tim, Dick, how have you been?" Bruce greeted.
"We've been well actually. Dick's been showing me the finer points of Bludhaven," Tim uttered with a smile. "You wouldn't believe it Bruce, but Bludhaven is nearly as corrupt as Gotham City."
"I can imagine," Bruce said, happy to see his two young friends. "How is the murder investigation going?"
"Oh don't ask," Dick huffed with frustration. "Every lead we've had has fizzled at some point."
"We just came back to Gotham, because we heard about the Arkham situation, figured you might need some help," Tim explained.
"What about the investigation?" Bruce wondered.
"There's no solvin' it just yet. It's mob related. Besides, it'll be good to get back to my city," Dick informed arrogantly.
"Well, while you're back, you should know that I was nearly taken out yesterday during an executive's meeting. Now, I'll probably have to hold a press conference. It's the Lucci gang again. But this abduction case isn't mob related, although they might be involved now. This Mr. Menace has everyone from the police, to the gangs, to me, spooked. I was unable to get any kind of lead from the asylum. The mob knows nothing, and the police have Harvey Bullock leading the charge."
"Which means we need to leave room for error," Tim said.
"Well geez, sounds like you've been busy," Dick articulated, looking around the cave.
"How soon until we go out," Tim asked eagerly.
"We've got to think this through," Bruce declared.
"I don't get it Bruce," Dick said confusedly. "We spent most of my adolescence trying to save Gotham from these guys and now you wanna save them?"
"I won't allow abduction, no matter who the victim is."
"Good old Bruce, a hero to the last," Dick pronounced sarcastically.
"Alright, so the Mafioso aren't involved. Where do we go from here?" Tim inquired.
"We do what we always do when our leads fizzle. We search the city until something falls into our lap," Dick suggested.
"That's a waste of time," Tim countered, growing increasingly bored.
"That's good detective work," Bruce settled the conversation, concentrating intently on the central computer.
"So this wouldn't be a personal issue for you, would it Bruce," Tim asked.
"Personal? No, the Riddler has escaped before, given me one hellacious fight after another. His crimes have been some of the most difficult to solve. He's brilliant and he's psychotic at the same time. And the Joker, well let's just say," Bruce uttered, before being interrupted.
"It is personal," Dick had figured it out. "It's personal because of Jason," Dick finished.
Dick had serious courage even mentioning Batman's second partner. It had only been a few years since his death, in which the Joker beat him to a bloody pulp and set off an explosion. Not soon after, someone claiming to be Jason Todd returned to Gotham, at first believed to be the criminal known as Hush. Batman never solved the mystery of Hush, but found out that Jason Todd was really Clayface masquerading as his former associate. Jason resurfaced again, as the criminal the Red Hood, ironically, the first identity of his killer, the Joker. It was last heard that he had been kidnapped by mobsters, but Batman never found him.
"He was a good soldier," Bruce offered. "And if it is really him out there somewhere, that only makes the nightmare worse. He died in my arms, and for years his death has made both Bruce Wayne and Batman cower in fear and has caused me to be overrun with guilt. If anything should ever happen to either of you, I –."
"Bruce it's okay," Tim cut him off, trying to comfort the man.
"So maybe with the Joker, it is personal. But I've always had a handle on him before. He's escaped, gone out of the city, but I've always found him. That's important because of what happened to Jason. I don't want him loose to cause harm to anyone. He has no remorse."
Suddenly and without warning, the central computer started beeping. Bruce looked back to see the Bat-Signal monitor's red LED lighting up. Bruce knew he couldn't wait any longer. It was time to investigate. He didn't want to, but it had to be done. He had always tried to not let his war on crime get too personal, but this time it was hitting too close to home.
"Alright," Bruce sighed, pressing the response button on the computer. "Let's get out there and see what we can find," he said, as the three of them sauntered toward the costume chamber.
Author's Note: Coming up next- Chapter 4 a surprise appearance by a major villian & more mob-related drama... Stay tuned...