Disclaimer: I don't own them. I'm just visiting. I'm not making any money, and have no intention of trying to make money.

Author's note: This is a sequel to my previous story Trial by Fire. It might be a good idea to read that one first

Again, I am sorry for the long wait for this next chapter. I've been distracted by an epic West Wing story and a few persistent LOTR ideas.

Reviews appreciated.

Living Through the Nightmares Part 4

Sequel to Trial by Fire

By Ecri

Silently, he watched the monitors as dawn approached. Deep underground in his hidden lair, he could not see the gradual lightening of the sky, but the pattern of the city's ritual awakening each day was impossible to miss.

He looked at his machine, his wonderful, ingenious invention, and knew he had to shut it off again. He has so hoped to be able to find a way to keep the thing running twenty-four hours a day. Still the daily tinkering was paying off. He had been able to boost the intensity of the waves. They were now three times what they'd been when he'd first switched it on all those weeks ago.

He'd heard a slight buzz of people complaining about their dreams recently, and, as the effects worsened and intensified he knew he would soon be able to reveal his involvement and make his demands.


He laughed gleefully, if not a little maniacally. Tonight, if his day's research and tinkering went as he hoped, would be the worst night in Gotham's long, colorful history.

**

Bruce Wayne initialed the documents and handed them back to his secretary. He'd noticed the dark circles under her eyes, but when he'd asked her how she was, she'd smiled and insisted she was fine. He couldn't really push the point and ask if she'd been having any bad dreams, but his curiosity was getting the better of him.

At his last meeting, he'd found himself examining every face in the room for signs of poor sleep. He knew he was being irrational, but he also knew, without quite knowing how, that something sinister was happening.

It was frustrating to say the least that he couldn't figure it out. He had no way of investigating this. There hadn't really been a crime committed as far as he could tell. There were no clues to follow.

The increase in gang activity might be a beginning, but Bruce felt that was likely a symptom rather than the core of the problem.


As he pondered these things, he glanced out the window just in time to see the bat signal blink on in the center of the darkening sky.

**

Robin was waiting in the Batcave when Bruce arrived. "I'll meet you at the Signal." He was just pulling on his helmet and climbing aboard the Redbird. "Any clue what this is about."

"A few ideas." Bruce avoided elaborating as he donned his suit and became Batman. "Robin, have you been dreaming?"

"Robin doesn't dream. Dick Grayson does."

"Don't avoid the question."

"I'm not. I'm avoiding the answer."

"Robin"

"Batmanwe don't have time for psychoanalysis."

Reluctantly, he nodded. "Okay. Go. I'll meet you there." He watched as Robin revved the Redbird and raced from the cave.

In moments, he sped after him, the Batmobile cutting through Gotham's night.

**

Commissioner Gordon stood by the Batsignal waiting for Gotham's guardians. He knew some people referred to the Dynamic Duo as vigilantes, but whatever you called them, you had to call them effective. He'd been a police officer for thirty years before becoming Commissioner, and he knew an effective gambit when he saw one. Batman and Robin effectively diminished crime.

At least they had until recently. He was bothered by the increase in petty crime and gang violence. Last night's arrests were particularly disturbing. Lost in his thoughts, he hadn't realized Batman and Robin now stood before him.

"Commissioner? You called."

"Yes! Thank you for coming so quickly." Commissioner Gordon held out a police file. "I wanted you to take a look at these arrests. My officers brought in several people last night who seemed to beaffected by something."

"Affected?" Batman thumbed through the file, scanning the pages as Robin leaned towards him to get a glimpse.

"Yes. They were all first-time offenders. Arresting officers insist that in each case, the people arrested acted as if they were waking from a dream. One was shot in the shoulder as he resisted arrest, but once he was down screamed that it was all a nightmare and he would wake soon."

Batman read the reports. Living nightmarescrimes committed while under the influence ofwhat? Mind control? Insomnia? An idea was forming in his mind. "Commissioner, I may need to question some of these people you've arrested. Can that be arranged?"

"Anything you need, Batman."

Batman nodded. "Good. We'll be in touch." With not another word, he and Robin departed leaving the Commissioner staring after them.

**

Batman and Robin roamed the streets that night making a few arrests. These criminals, too, spoke and acted as though they were waking from a nightmare as they were brought into custody.

Later that evening, Robin asked Batman about it. "How could someone force another person to commit a crime without them being aware of it?"

"That's what we're going to find out."

"How?"

"We need to know more about these people committing the crimes. I'm going to talk to Chase. She can help me in the interviews."

"Interviews? You're Batman! Just make them tell you what you want to know."

"It doesn't work that way and you know it."

Robin sighed in frustration. "I do know that, but it would be more convenient if it did."

"Convenience and crime fighting don't really go together." Batman watched as Robin shook his head as if to clear it and stifled a yawn. "Why don't you get some sleep?"

Robin's head snapped up, and even obscured by a mask, Batman could see that his eyes were wide with fear. "NoI meanI'll justwork on my bike!" He turned abruptly towards the Redbird and began to assess what little damage had been done to it recently.

Batman watched him for a moment. "Listen, I don't have proof that it helps, but try sleeping after dawn. The dreams seem less severe at that hour."

Robin froze for a moment, then glanced back at his partner. "Thanks." Without another word, the two continued working until dawn.

**

Bruce Wayne stared at the files in his hands. The last several days, he and Chase had questioned the criminals who had seemed to be in dreamlike states upon arrest. Each had described intense nightmares, a developing fear of sleeping, and in some cases, violence or criminal activity had seemed to be the result. In each case the crime had come from the dream. Each person had imagined the crime in vivid detail in a dream. The following night, what, to them, felt like a recurrence of that dream had ended in a jail cell and under arrest.

Chase had suggested mind control, but doubted there was anyone who could do such a thing on such a large scale.

Bruce had to disagree. Rather, his alter ego, Batman, had to disagree. Something was telling the Caped Crusader that he knew precisely who was involved.

To be continued