Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Beyond; it belongs to its creators. I gain nothing but a writing outlet and writing/editing experience.

Summary: Terry could have just as easily received Bruce's spliced X instead of Y; if so, would it have all started with Matt instead? But the world, particularly Gotham, needed a Batman again. The Jokerz overran the streets, businesses were ruining the world. Pride and avarice were destroying Gotham, and Gotham needed its symbol of hope and justice again.

A/N: So I've updated. Anyways, please enjoy and thank you to those who review, put this on alert, or favorite ~ much love, depressedchildren.

Chapter 10: Black Out part 1/3

Terri shifted anxiously in her heels beside the old man, and she even straightened out her pencil skirt in her nervousness. She was slightly taller than Mr. Wayne and it felt really weird, but then again, this whole scenario felt really weird. She had been on patrol the night before for the first time, and Foxtecha had a fire that she couldn't get to in time. They weren't sure who it was doing this, but they both suspected Powers might have a hand in things.

To add to the situation, they had been sending out information to news agencies about Mr. Wayne grooming someone to take his place in Wayne Powers, particularly when he decided to come out of retirement (which was another rumor they were spreading, Mr. Wayne was thinking about coming out of retirement in business too). Undoubtedly Powers had heard about this and they would officially present her to him as the person Mr. Wayne was grooming for when he intended to take his position back in the company. She sighed as Powers' private elevator lowered to their level and the secretary motioned them on.

When the elevator came up, she let Mr. Wayne step forward first. Powers had his back to them and Terri waited behind the smarmy bastard so he couldn't see her reflection in the window.

"Come in, Bruce," was it just Terri, or did he sound patronizing? "What a pleasant surpri—" he turned around and broke off his "suave" greeting to look at Terri with an eyebrow raised, "The McGinnis girl? It can't be," he commented with both laughter and disbelief in his voice. He looked her up and down as he said this, which made Terri's skin crawl.

Terri narrowed her gaze slightly but gave him a curt nod, "Mr. Powers" she was only marginally able to keep the venom out of her voice.

He moved toward her like she was some new specimen, "Well, don't you clean up well," he commented with a sneer most people would assume was a smile. Terri felt threats and veiled comments being directed at her in that sneer.

"I have to say," he started as Mr. Wayne began to walk around the office examining things. He was making a meandering path toward an open folder on Powers' desk. Terri followed behind them a few paces as Powers continued to talk. "It's so nice to see you taking an interest after all these years." They were at the desk and when Powers saw Mr. Wayne examining the open folder, he quickly slid in front and shut the dossier.

"We're lucky to have you as a resource," Powers commented and the old man just hummed, consequently expressing how much he doubted that. Terri held her tongue in check as Powers watched the old man move toward some abstract piece of art that did not fit in with the rest of his artwork. "But if you missed us so much, all you had to do was ask, and I'd have set you up with the finest office in the building." Was he commenting on Terri being groomed for a career in "his" company?

The old man began to reach out to the sculpture, "I'd prefer you not touch that," Powers called out, almost anxiously. Terri refrained from smiling when she caught how Mr. Wayne did a sleight of hand and wiped something off of the statue with his handkerchief which he then used to wipe at his brow.

"In case you're worried that I came here to set up shop for myself or Miss McGinnis, I'm not, at least not yet," Mr. Wayne gave him a cheerless smile and motioned Terri forward while he stowed his handkerchief back in his coat pocket. Powers didn't seem all that comforted by this.

"Why Bruce, you've misread me, I don't worry, particularly not with her record," Terri took a calming breath.

Mr. Wayne just smiled slightly, "Oh, someday you should be worried; Miss McGinnis has shown much potential for business already." He approached Powers a little more but Terri remained back and silent. If she blew up, she'd only be affirming what Powers was implying about her, that she was a reckless kid with a record. "In fact, I see quite a bit of my younger self in her," Powers straightened at the old man's words, perhaps he felt the threat there. He looked over at Terri with eyes that made her want to shudder.

"But today I came here to say this," Mr. Wayne began again as he set both hands on his cane in front of him, "Keep your hands off Foxtecha."

"Pardon me?" Powers just looked amused, not confused like any innocent person would be.

"I may not have the leverage on paper right now, but I still have friends," Terri felt a smile coming on but she pushed it down. Damn the old man has some good threats! "The Foxes were a valued part of this company for years." Mr. Wayne gave his perfect dramatic timing before delivering his last bit, "I'd hate to hear that Wayne Powers was involved in these attacks."

"Bruce," Powers began in his patronizing manner as he motioned (more like manhandled) them both toward the elevator, "let me put your concerns to rest. I'd never do such a thing," oh but you'd hire someone, Terri thought after hearing him stress the "I."

They were on the elevator now and Terri could practically feel the tension flying off of them. Powers was keeping his hand on the old man's shoulder, like he could muscle Mr. Wayne or try to subdue him that way; if anything, it was riling the old bat up more.

"Why, Lucius Jr. was still vice president when I took over," Powers finished as the elevator began to descend. Mr. Wayne jerked back from Powers and Terri stepped forward a little in case things got ugly and she would need to step in.

"I know. You fired him," the old man was refraining from snapping at the slimy bastard.

Powers just gave a laugh, "Yes, well, we had to make room for the new guard, didn't we?" smug bastard. Terri glared at the man along with Mr. Wayne. "Well, it seems she has your glare down, Bruce" Powers commented as the elevator was approaching its destination.

"Well at least the former guard had less questionable practices," Terri commented, "Perhaps you should have kept more of them."

"Oh, and what do you know about business," Powers commented with a laugh still in his voice.

"I've been teaching her," Mr. Wayne commented as they exited the elevator.

Powers hummed, "And how will that go when she's in a foster home?" Terri took a step toward the bastard but stopped herself from slapping him.

She looked Powers straight in the eye and gave a false smile, "I'll be working for emancipation and custody of my brother."

"With your record?" he scoffed and Terri continued smiling, "Running away from home after your father's passing?" Her smile falter for a moment, but if Powers was going to bring that up, fine, she'd toss it right back at him.

"If you want to bring that up to the courts, by all means, I'll give the exact location I was when I had to "runaway" from home; I'm sure the police commissioner will be able to put a few pieces together." Powers sobered and straightened.

"Yes, well, I suppose you have money to earn, what with your mother's medical bills to pay."

"What exactly is that supposed to me, 'money to earn?' Are you trying to solicit—"

"Excuse me," he interrupted with a hiss.

"You are the one, Mr. Powers, making suggestive comments to a minor."

"Good-bye," he stated decisively and went back to the elevator.

When Terri turned toward the exit, Mr. Wayne was raising an eyebrow in question to that interaction, and Terri just shook her head. As they were moving toward the elevator, Terri took out her new phone and turned it on. There was a text waiting for her, and when she opened it, it was from Jared.

"So…the folder on his desk?" Terri asked as she tried to casually read the message.

It had been a week since she first donned the cowl and Jared had been cautiously texting her about this or that; he even called her once to talk about how she was doing and how her job was going. It had been awkward at first, of course. He was overly cautious and kept offering condolences, but Terri had gained her closure—for the most part—so she was more ready to move on than most people probably thought she should be.

Are you going to be at Level 54 tonight? said Jared's text. She quickly closed the message, though she was fiddling with the device.

"It's something to look into, same with the sculpture," Mr. Wayne commented as they approached the main elevator. "Do you want to explain your parting shot?"

"It's long and involved," Terri shifted in her heels and looked back down at her phone.

"I still expect to hear it," Mr. Wayne commented as he looked over at her with an amused expression, "Who's the boy?"

Terri began blushing and looked away from him, but she didn't answer right away.

"…or girl…?" Terri looked over at the old man with a deadpan look. He held up one hand defensively, and Terri shook her head.

"He's a classmate, and is it okay if I get some time of my own tonight?" she tried to keep the hopefulness out of her voice, but it was obviously there.

"Don't count on it," she could hear his amusement loud and clear.

Sighing, Terri made a quick reply, Can't, working, as the elevator doors closed behind them. Not but a few seconds later did she receive another text. Mr. Wayne chuckled slightly as she read it with a little too much haste. What about earlier? The game?

Sure, but I might have to bail early.

"Before you go rushing off to any dates, please indulge me, what is this long involved story?" Terri felt herself blush as she looked away.

"One, it's not an official date; we're just trying to hang out," Mr. Wayne hummed at her response, but Terri hurried on, "Two, why do you want to know the story so bad?"

"I know one comment was implicating him in your…mother's condition, but the last few comments raised Powers' hackles, for other reasons" they left the elevator by this point and were heading out of the lobby. "I like to know what does."

"So you can use it against him later? I don't think you'll have the same effect," Terri remarked as she held the door open for him. He looked at her for a moment before consenting to go through it first. He still wasn't too thrilled about her helping him with everything, but he was the one who offered the job, so, he had to suck it up.

She would have opened the car door but he held up his hand in protest before motioning that she should get in and drive already. Rolling her eyes, she complied, though she slipped off her heels when she was seated. Once they were both buckled up, Wayne resumed the conversation. "Please elaborate."

"Oh fine," she didn't really want to tell this story, mostly because she had stupidly gone home instead of to the police station, and if she had just done what Mr. Wayne had told her, her mother wouldn't be in a coma. "So after you kicked me out of your manor and made me go to the Police Station, I was accosted by Powers and Fixx, and Fixx was trying to get me into Powers' car.

"Needless to say…" she took a deep breath, "I was a young woman out by herself late at night and some rich man in a limo is trying to coerce me into it." She looked in the rear-view mirror and noted that Wayne appeared very amused, "Everything Powers was saying came out suggestive, especially since there were veiled comments and threats in them already. I just…well, took it in one direction."

"I can see how his comments are suggestive then," he chuckled slightly before sobering "of course we both know the irony of it all." Terri nodded her head, but the old man wasn't done speaking yet, "You didn't go to the Police Station did you?"

Terri sobered immediately and focused on the road. She shook her head and took a few deep breaths to keep from crying—her anger at Powers had helped to keep back the tears, plus she had her brother to look after but…at the moment it was just her and she was finally admitting to her foolish decision. "I know I should have listened, I keep not listening and it-it hurts my family."

"Pull over," Mr. Wayne ordered, and Terri did so shakily. Her eyes were blearing up with tears and once the car was in park she couldn't keep back the tears back.

"I should have listened, why didn't I listen?" she asked herself as she couldn't help but cry for her mother, and goodness did it feel like the first time she actually allowed herself to. It felt like what happened with her mother, she had been keeping it all inside, and she just couldn't anymore. She had nearly gotten her mother killed!

It sounded like Mr. Wayne leaned forward in his seat. "Terri," he set a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. It was comforting in a way. They sat there in silence for some time until Terri got ahold of her emotions again.

"Once you drop me off, why don't you head to your game, I'll call you when I find something." Terri nodded slowly and resumed driving, her emotions were under control once more.

Cutscene

Powers sat down in his seat stiffly, that damn McGinnis girl! She had openly threatened to implicate him in her mother's shooting, and if that damn bitch wakes up from her coma he'd be identified as the one ordering the hit.

He angrily pressed the intercom button, "No more interruptions."

Not a moment later did a fairly accented voice speak from his "sculpture," "That does not make me happy."

Powers turned to face Inque as she transformed into a more human like shape, "Don't worry about Wayne, he and that little bitch are my concern, not yours. Though that performance, if that's what you're worried about, was just to remind me that he's still breathing." The old bastard should have keeled over by now.

"No…" Powers murmured, "I'll have some of the common dregs deal with Miss McGinnis," he was talking more or less to himself.

Inque revealed her face to him and she really did not appear happy. "He knows too much," she commented, her English was truly quite good, though her Eastern European roots were clear.

"He's just fishing," Powers commented as he handed her another folder, "Here is what I want you to do for me tonight, dear," she took the folder and examined it.

If Wayne and his little puppet continued to be a nuisance to him, particularly if they gained more media attention, Powers would just have to ensure Miss McGinnis was taken down a few pegs publically. He'd have her degraded and reduced to some simpering, silly girl, so she couldn't be a threat to his position in the company, ever. It would likely just be a simple matter of finding the right Jokerz gang.

Then there was her mother…he needed to find a way to take her off life support, just in case her condition improved, but it was such a hard choice to make—McGinnis would be throwing away her money at the life-support system which would mean she'd have less monetary influence, but if Marry McGinnis wakes up….Decisions, decisions…

Either way, he'd make sure they regretted messing with his business.

A suivre

A/N:
So Derek Powers isn't going to be too nice... and has his own plans for discrediting his competition. I'll warn you if things get too dark; this is rated Teen and it will stay that way, but things will look dark at times-so tell me if I need to up the rating at any time (I'm jumpy about it). I confess, I'm a bit of a pessimistic about equality in business (and personal experience pushes this pessimism) and so I will be playing that up.

On another note, the series in general puts women in a bad light-treats them like objects to look at, and-as Wayne says-"walk over." So in away, this iwll be making a few comments on that. Terri is a self-respecting woman, but that doesn't mean the men around her are necessarily going to respect her, and oh will Wayne want to smack them all with his cane for it! Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed the chapter and that hasn't scared you away ~ with love, depressedchildren