Author's Note: Hello everyone! It's been a while, huh? Years! Sorry to say that I made the decision to retire from writing fanfiction a while back. Lack of progress, stress from everyday life, and ordinary distractions made me drop it for a bit. What finalized it was getting a job. Time spent at work meant less time to do all the things I like. What got me back in was an old itch to write and- for this story- in particular the near-release of "Arkham Knight". In my absence I became something of a DC comics fan, so I've had more time to study the Batman and DC mythos, which hopefully will give me some ideas for my writing. I can't promise regular updates. Work keeps me busy and often too tired to sit down and just type. The least I can say is that I'm not officially un-retired, but for now I will try to finish this story.
Jack let out light yawn as he leaned against the opening of the security room outside the Penitentiary…well it was supposed to be a security room, at least; a security room that monitored the comings and goings of grounds of Arkham West and the entrances to the building itself. However, it seemed prior to his arrival this security room had been turned into a sort of recreational break room by Frank Boles and a few of the guards he was friendly with.
The room was a decent sized, containing three security stations with several monitors and computers, a half-dozen filing cabinets that contained documents probably older than Jack was…and a brown leather recliner, leather sofa, and a wooden table that Frank and two other guards were currently using to play poker, while Jack and Aaron stood by the entryway, not willing to go outside onto the terrace due to the heavy rain. Both men lamented being stuck in the same room with Frank and his clowns. They were supposed to be minding the monitors and the grounds below them, but seeing as how it had been a relatively calm day- or as calm as things could possibly get around Arkham- Frank insisted they pass their shift playing poker, an activity that was supposed to be highly unethical during work hours, especially since money was being gambled.
"Time?" Aaron asked Jack absently as they both looked out into the rainy night.
"…9:58," Jack replied after checking his watch. "Another hour…"
Both snapped to attention at the sound of Frank's hollering, behind them. Apparently he had won another round and was proceeding to gather up his ill-gotten gains from his fellow guards. "I'm on a roll tonight, boys!" he exclaimed happily. "Austin, Cash! Join in! I've almost cleaned these bums out!"
"I'll pass," Cash grunted before crossing his arms and looking back out into the rain.
"Suit yourself , "Cash-less"," Frank mocked. "What about you Austin?"
"Maybe some other time, Frank," Jack replied disinterestedly.
Boles rolled his eyes. "It's always 'some other time' with you Austin," he said with annoyance in his voice.
"I only gamble with my life, not my money," Jack replied.
"Why? You only get one life, Austin," Frank replied as he started counting his winnings. "But you never get enough money."
"I got enough money to keep me content," the marine replied with a shrug.
"Content?!" Boles asked incredulously. "I thought a man like you would understand."
"A man like me?" Jack asked, a little testily.
"You put your life on the line for your country, just like I put my life on the line keeping this psychos locked away in here," Frank explained.
"How many escapes did this place have in the last month Cash?" Jack asked, unconvinced by Franks words.
"On paper or in reality?" Aaron asked playing along.
The actual number of escapes that month was eight. Jack checked. Zsasz escaped four of those times, Edward Nygma, two, one schizophrenic from the Intensive Treatment building, and most recently Julian Day, a.k.a The Calendar Man. The last one was concerning because it was March 16th; Saint Patricks Day was tomorrow.
"Alright, alright, enough with the semantics," Boles snapped trying to get back to his "life lesson". "The point is, we put our lives at risk for people. We deserve a little extra for the effort."
'Because you're making a really strong effort at the moment,' Jack thought to himself. "…if that's the way you see it," Jack replied with another shrug.
"That's the way it is, Austin," Frank replied as a matter-of-fact. "People want to be safe, they gotta pay the price of safety. Nothing in life is free. Hey I'd be a cop right now if the old Commissioner hadn't kicked it years ago. The new one's living in a fantasy world where guys with capes and masks are the answers to everything. The old Commissioner understood that men who put themselves in the line of fire are entitled to the keys to the kingdom."
"And the innocent people that paid for his philosophy, Frank? What about them?" Cash asked taking offense to the barb at Commissioner Jim Gordon.
"What's the terms you jarheads use, Austin? Casualties of war, acceptable losses, etcetera?"
"It ain't acceptable when a people have to suffer for one asshole's greed!" Cash snapped.
"Survival of the fittest, Cash," Frank said, unfazed by his fellow officer's anger as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket. "It's the natural way of the world."
"…he's right, Aaron," Jack said evenly, surprising Cash. "Only the strong survive."
"Now you're getting, Jackie-boy," Frank replied with a chuckle.
"So when the time comes...show us how strong you really are, Frank, without bullshitting your way out it," Jack continued challengingly, causing Frank to stop chuckling.
The room grew quiet for several seconds, save for the sound of rain hitting the terrace outside.
"Attention all personnel! Attention all personnel" Everyone's radios suddenly went off. "Category Two inmate in transit! All available Arkham West personnel report to the landing pad by the pier! Inmate is being transported by Batman! I repeat: inmate is being transported by Batman!"
"You heard 'em guys, let's go!" Cash said as he grabbed his poncho and one of the guns from the artillery locker on the wall.
"Two freaks incoming…" Frank groaned as he tossed his cigarette to the floor and got ready as well.
"Batman's coming here?" Jack asked a little surprised and excited at the same time.
"That's right, man," Cash said as he tossed Jack a rifle. "Batman personally brings in the big boys. Let's go!" he finished before he rushed off towards the landing zone with the other guards.
Jack was still a little dumbstruck by the prospect of meeting the Batman in person, but he quickly snapped out of it and rushed to the landing zone by the pier.
As the more than a dozen guards rushed to the landing pad and several others took up positions in the guard tower armed with high-powered rifles, though the rain was certainly not letting up. The downpour made it difficult to see the LZ, let alone the black bird-like object zooming in over the water. The closer it got, the more Jack could hear the sounds of jet turbines whirring. At first he could barely make it out, but then it suddenly lit up, a spotlight from beneath it searching for the safe ground it was meant to land on. The guards all backed up to make sure the jet- Jack realized it was in fact a jet, shaped closely to a bat- had ample room to land. The aircraft slowly lowered itself until it gracefully touched down on the concrete. The guards all rounded towards the front of the jet, Jack following close behind. The glass above the cockpit slowly slid back and the pilot slowly rose from his seat.
That's when Jack first laid eyes on him. He stood slightly over six feet, body seemingly made almost entirely of pure muscle, covered in what appeared to be a Kevlar fiber-weave suit with boots and gauntlets made of thicker material. Protruding from each of the gauntlets were three razor sharp talon like blades. Wrapped around his waist was a golden segmented belt containing various pouches and equipment. What was truly striking about this figure was the black cape billowing in the gusts of the rainstorm and the cowl covering his head, two sharp blade-like ears protruding upwards, all alluding to this man's namesake.
The Batman.
"…it's really him," Jack said absently as he gazed up at Gotham's "Dark Knight".
"Yep…it's him…" Aaron replied beside him with a nod and an impressed grin.
Jack was probably imagining it, but he could have sworn those eyes beneath that cowl were staring right back at him for a brief moment. Eyes that were cold. Eyes that Jack had only seen on the most war-hardened soldiers. Then those eyes left his, as Batman turned around and reached in the seat behind his.
Batman hefted up another man, whose hands were bound in cuffs. The man was bald, his head instead adorned with what looked like tattoos that wrapped around his cranium. A little heavy-set as well, judging from the thick double chin that hung off his neck and how bulky he looked under his red tattered suit. Upon closer inspection, Jack realized the tattoos wrapped around the man's head, were actually the names of the months of the year; a dead giveaway to who the Batman had returned to them.
Batman tossed dropped the bruised and beaten man down to the ground for the guards to collect.
"Julian Gregory Day…" Aaron mused as he approached the criminal. "Welcome home…Calendar Man," he added almost mockingly.
"You trying to ruin tomorrow for us, Day, huh?" Boles asked as he grabbed Calendar Man by the collar of his shirt and giving him usual "tough guy" stare. Jack could see that Calendar Man was not the least bit intimidated; why would he, given his criminal record. "Get this asswipe out of here!" he ordered the two guards had grabbed hold of Day's arms and began escorting him back to the Penitentiary.
Jack saw Boles regard Batman with a look of contempt before scoffing derisively at the imposing man and following after the guards, no doubt to ensure he received full credit for bringing Calendar Man back to his cage.
Batman leapt down from his jet to meet with Aaron, now coming within arms-reach of still stunned Jack Austin.
"Appreciate you bringing Calendar Man back to us Batman," Cash stated informally to the Caped Crusader.
"Don't mention it, Cash," Batman replied. Jack didn't know why he was stunned to hear Batman speak; obviously it was a human male beneath that cowl after all, not some monster It must have been the…"aura" that surrounded him, that suggested this was no mere man. "Just keep a closer eye on him."
"Heh, will do. Saint Patrick's Day's is tomorrow and I don't intend for him to ruin it," Cash replied with a chuckle.
Batman nodded and then glanced towards Jack, who was still staring.
"Is there a problem, officer?" he asked pointedly.
"Huh? Oh! Uh…no sir," Jack replied, stumbling over his words a bit. "I'm just…stunned that you're…real."
"Are you new to Gotham?" Batman asked, his tone making it sound a little closer to an interrogation than actual curiosity.
"I've…just been away. Overseas," Jack answered.
"You're military," Batman stated knowingly, surprising Jack further.
"Uh…former," he replied. "I was discharged from the Corps. almost two years ago."
Batman was silent for several seconds as he stared at Jack, almost as if he were assessing him, before turning back to Cash. "Keep up the good work, officers," he said before turning around and climbing back into his jet.
Both men watched as the jet slowly lifted off the ground, turned a full one hundred and eighty degrees and then shot off back towards Gotham. Jack still had a look of awe on his face as he watched the jet fly off.
"So what do you think?" Aaron asked, shaking Jack from his shock.
"…uh…I'm pretty sure I'm still processing," Jack replied.
"You'll be seeing a lot more of him, so you'll have plenty of chances to 'process'," Cash joked. "Come on, let's get back inside, I think the rain's soaked into my damn socks."
"Start wearing boots, like me," Jack replied with a smirk as the two of them headed back towards the Penitentiary.
An hour later, the Batwing returned to its nest in the well-hidden Bat Cave beneath the illustrious Wayne Manor. The Batman left his personal highly advanced jet and crossed the catwalks towards the Bat Computer. Waiting for him, was his less-well-known, yet highly valued partner in crime-fighting, butler, and friend, Alfred Pennyworth.
"Retiring for the evening, sir?" Alfred asked, standing by dining cart with hot food prepared for his master's return.
"For now, Alfred," Batman replied as he removed his cowl, revealing the face of billionaire philanthropist, and CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Bruce Wayne.
"Bravo on stopping Mister Day, tonight," Alfred commented as Bruce sat down before the Bat Computer. "I'm sure Gotham will breathe a sigh of relief knowing their festivities will not be interrupted by some terrible machination on Saint Patrick's Day."
"I doubt it," Bruce replied as he logged into the computer. "He poisoned every shipment that came out of the brewery in the last week. The recall order will be issued in the morning, high priority. Gotham might have to spend Saint Patrick's Day sober."
"Oh dear, I can only imagine the rioting…" Alfred replied with a hint of sarcasm. "If only a certain billionaire would swoop in and offer to import the beverages from an uncontaminated distillery. Would you happen to be acquainted with such a man, Master Bruce?"
Bruce glanced at his friend and smirked just a little. "…set it up, Alfred."
"Very good, sir," Alfred replied with a nod. "In the meantime, I hope that you will at least swallow a single bite before turning in," he added as he pushed the dinner cart containing a simple yet neatly prepared turkey sandwich towards Bruce's chair.
"Thanks," Bruce said as he grabbed the sandwich and took a bite whilst typing.
He quickly and discreetly hacked into the Arkham Asylum database, and pulled up the employee files.
"Might I inquire as to what it is you are searching for, sir?" Alfred asked curiously.
"There's a new guard stationed at Arkham," Bruce replied briskly as he pulled up a pdf. file labeled "Austin, Jack". He opened the file and it revealed a photo of Jack Austin, taken the day he officially joined the Arkham Staff.
"Are you curious about his character or his competency?" Alfred asked.
"Both," Bruce replied bluntly as his eyes skimmed over the file. "Says here his last occupation was the military, the Marine Corps. to be precise." Bruce minimized the pdf. and began hacking into a much more secure database: the U.S. Marine Corps. database.
"I'm always amazed by how casually you do that, sir," Alfred commented.
"It's encrypted, you know that. They'll never know," Bruce replied.
"That's not what I—oh nevermind," Pennyworth said with a sigh.
Bruce expertly glossed through the data archives until he pulled up a file that was labeled "Austin, Jack", same as his Arkham file. This time the photo contained in the file was of Jack dressed in full military insignia for "Master Seargeant".
"My…quite the record," Alfred commented with a bit of awe. "Distinguished Service Medal, Commendation Medal, Expert Rifleman Award, Silver Star…Medal of Honor! It appears your new guard is overqualified for his position."
"He was given an honorable discharge and based on the analysis of several military psychiatrists, he's mentally stable. 'High potential for re-adapting to civilian life'," Bruce quoted as he opened up another file containing family history.
"…well, it seems Mr. Austin comes from a long line of military men," Alfred observed as he looked over the family tree with his employer.
"His father served in Vietnam as a Lieutenant Colonel and went on to become a member of the Secret Service. His grandfather served in World War II, as Lieutenant in the Army and a member of the O.S.S.."
"Espionage runs in the family as well?" Alfred asked, impressed.
"There's more," Bruce continued. "Family members that served in World War I, Roosovelt's Rough Riders, The Union Army, there's even an old memoir about a relative that served as a spy for Washington."
"Well, it appears you have nothing to worry about," Alfred stated simply. "This Mr. Austin seems to come from a long line of honorable men."
"Better make sure," the billionaire playboy said as he pulled up a few less private records containing some personal history. "He has a child, a daughter. Divorced from his wife after he got back to the states. Only one arrest for domestic disturbance, at his wife's home. Neighbors reported loud arguing and the sound of glass breaking. His wife didn't press any charges and had him released the same night."
"I suppose the hero doesn't always receive a warm welcome home," Alfred mused. "Have you satisfied you curiosity or is there more of this war hero's personal history you wish to gloss over," the butler chided a bit.
"I'm just being thorough Alfred. Arkham's a dangerous place, I need to know that there's a competent line of defense between Gotham and the animals that threaten it."
"Well, if you ask me, Master Bruce, the facility is rather lucky to have enlisted the services of such a man. In my humble opinion, the man deserves much better than his current station."
"Maybe…but maybe he also could make a good asset," Bruce added, giving it some more thought.
"Eyes and ears on Arkham Island, sir?" Alfred assumed to which Bruce nodded.
"The Warden's keeping a closed lid on what's been going on in there ever since he started his campaign. He's already stonewalled Gordon several times. With Austin's help, maybe I can find out what's going on in there…and stop it if necessary."
"...will you be placing a Bat signal on Arkham Island as well, sir," Alfred joked casually.
"Funny…" Bruce replied dryly.
Well, I finally managed to introduce Batman into the story! There will be more appearances from my favorite hero, but for now, I'll be working on meeting and developing other people in Jack's life. Stay tuned!