The Batmaniac Murders Book I: Rediscover
By
AJ
Part 6
"New Gotham woke up to two more mysterious deaths, Dr. Malcom Sloan and Richard Gordon. That makes seven deaths within four weeks. This statement was provided by Richard Gordon's brother, James.
"My brother was a man of conviction. He had great ideals. He saw this city as a jewel in a crown. That jewel has been tarnished. You cannot tell me that these deaths that have happened, including my brother's. are accidents. My brother's death was no accident. And I intend to find those responsible. I am urging the Mayor to reinstate the Gotham City Police Force to investigate these deaths."
Tomas Wayne listened to the news with a grim look as he dried himself off with a thick towel after swimming several laps. All seven, he knew all seven. And six of them were the members of his group. That could not be a coincidence. He turned his head to see his nephew also staring at the screen. The look on his face was just as grim, but he knew better. Dick Grayson was remembering the death of his parents. Suddenly, there was a wolf among the sheep.
"There's got to be something we can do," Dick spoke up.
"What makes you think we can do something?" Tomas asked, not sure what Dick was getting at.
"Because the look on your face. And the first one was my father," Dick replied. "And I know the stories."
"What stories?" It was obvious that Dick knew something that Tomas did not.
"The Batman and his partner," Dick said.
"Where did you hear those stories?" Tomas asked, his curiosity piqued.
"They were being passed down in my family," Dick said. "And I have something you should see."
Dick moved off the couch they were sitting on and went up to his room. It had been exactly three weeks since they came to the Manor. Dick came back down with a small leather bound book. It was old and the leather was supple with age. The pages inside were yellowed, but still contained their crispness as if they were new. Dick handed Tomas the book.
"What's this?" Tomas read the name on the book. "I didn't know you kept a journal."
"It's not mine," Dick responded. "What I mean is I didn't write what's in it. The journal belongs to an ancestor of mine."
Tomas opened the journal to the first page. "Property of Richard John Grayson, 19_." Tomas looked up at the nephew. "This journal is before the Null-nuclear war, long before. How did it survive?"
Dick didn't answer his uncle's question. Instead he said, "Open to page 10."
Tomas did and read the passage. "I can't believe they're dead. I saw the trap's ropes break and yet, it was like a movie running in slow motion. I can't get their faces out of my mind, how they fell, holding each others' hands. I really don't know what happened after. I must have been in shock. I barely remember changing out of my costume and walking to my parents' . . . no my wagon. Then I heard voices coming from Pop Haly's wagon. They killed them. They caused it. It was no accident. I wanted to tell the police, but someone stopped me, a dark figure in a costume. He said he was the Batman. He wanted me to come with him. He said it was for my protection. I don't know why I did, something in his eyes. There was deep pain there, and sympathy. As if he knew what I was feeling. I told him I wanted to find the people responsible. I remembered the man who spoke to Pop Haly. He said something about Zucco and about my parents' accident. I told the Batman I wanted to avenge my parents' deaths. They were murdered. The Batman took me to a cave. He remained silent. I kept telling him I want to kill my parents' murderers. That got his attention.
'Killing them won't bring them back,' he said. 'Do you want justice or revenge?'
'Justice," I said, realizing that revenge would not make me feel better.
Then he had me swear an oath. Afterward. He revealed to me his face and told me his name, his identity. Later, I was taken to Child Protective Services where the Batman said he would come for me, but I would have to wait a few days. We would have to go to court so he could adopt me. Imagine me being adopted by Bruce Wayne."
'My God,' Tomas thought. 'This is implying . . . is it possible that the answer is right here.'
Then his eyes narrowed as the realization set in. Richard John Grayson. That was the same name as his nephew. And his nephew was also a trapeze artist. And just as before the boy in the journal became the ward of another Wayne. 'Just as my nephew is now my ward, but I am also his Uncle.' It was a very strange fate.
Tomas flipped through the journal until his eye caught an image on an earlier page. It was the entry right after the one that he read. The date was a few days later.
'The people at Child Protective Services finally let me leave with Bruce Wayne. He signed all the papers from the court. I am officially his ward. I had not seen where he lived before, only the cave. Today I get to see where my guardian lives. WOW! It's huge! He calls the place Wayne Manor. It looks more like a castle to me. He showed me to my room. The room is bigger than my wagon. He tells me to settle in then afterward we can begin my training.
'If you want justice for your parents you need to be trained to handle yourself. I will teach you everything I know. Then after Zucco is taken care of, we'll see how things go from there. I want you to consider this your home. I can't replace your parents, but I hope at least we can be friends.'
Mr. Wayne . . . Bruce he seems . . . there is something there in his eyes . . . makes me wonder why did he help me."
The writer of the journal had drawn an image of Bruce's eyes. 'He was a very good artist,' Tomas thought. Looking into those eyes, Tomas realized they had the same look within his and even in his nephews, a haunted look with a mix of pain and the need for answers to questions that were unspoken. There was also a shadowed darkness that hungered for something more . . . the need for justice?
That would not be all that Tomas would find within the journal of Richard John Grayson.
Continues with Part 7