A Butler's Duty

By AJ

Part 10-History Lesson

"You understand what you must do," Alfred confirmed.

"Yes, we are to get you to that island without detection," Agent Boswell stated.

Alfred Pennyworth knew Agent Percy Boswell in his younger days. They served together in her Majesty's Royal Army for three years, each with distinction, and often beyond the call of duty. It earned both of them opportunities to serve with MI6. Alfred served for six years when he received the call with regard to his father, Jarvis Pennyworth. He was 26 then and in his prime. Percy Boswell remained with MI6 and became a trainer for new recruits, only taking an occasional mission that suited him. And when Agent Penn called him out of the blue requesting his services, Boswell could not resist working with his former friend and fellow agent.

"Excuse me, but who are we rescuing?" a young man asked.

"Weren't you informed?" Alfred narrowed his eyes and his face became a stony mask. "What is your name young, Sir."

"Billings, Agent Robert Billings."

"He is a member of my transportation crew," Boswell stated.

Alfred nodded. The transport crew didn't formally need to know everything, but the former operative felt that telling them might make the rescue operation go more smoothly. "I am rescuing my employer and his son. You are part of the team to get me there. If I fail, it will be up to the rest of the team to take Agent Nigel Goodman to face justice."

"Your employer and his son?" Billings continued to question. "Who is he, some rich American or is that just a rumor?" the young man scoffed.

"May I ask where you acquired your information?" Alfred asked.

"That's on a need to know bases," Billings stated.

Rather than argue with the youth about his security clearance, which was very high despite the fact that he had not been in the field for many years, Agent Boswell saw to that, Alfred said with a straight face, "As a matter of fact, yes, and no it is not a rumor."

"You're joking."

"I never joke," though that was a lie. Alfred had a dry sense of humor that he used only around his charges, but he wasn't going to let this upstart know about that.

"Who is he, Bruce Wayne?" Billings chided.

"Yes."

The young man was left speechless. Agent Percy Boswell came up to Alfred and placed himself between Alfred and Agent Billings.

"Do not concern yourself with this whelp. He will learn soon enough who is in charge."

"And who is this old guy?" Billings complained. "And why are we following his orders?"

"He is Agent Penn," Boswell turned to the younger man.

"Agent Penn? THEE Agent Penn? Are you certain?" the young man's eyes grew wide. "The man who actually went behind enemy lines, memorized plans for a secret attack, and crossed back over without being detected? I've read his reports and exploits. They became required reading at the agency. Why did he leave?"

"I had another duty to perform . . . a far more important duty," Alfred responded, hearing the conversation.

"Being employed by Mr. Wayne? I don't get it."

"Agent Penn has his reasons," Boswell stated. "Now enough personal questions. There will be enough time once we are underway."

"How will we be traveling to this island?" Agent Penn questioned. He left the arrangements up to Agent Boswell simply because he was still an active agent and would know how to get what he needed. Alfred had been out of the loop for some time, but that did not mean he let his skills go to waste. Working for Bruce Wayne alias the Batman had its own challenges and rewards. One perk, Bruce rarely required him to go out in the field, but when he did, he had a very good reason for doing so, and most often Alfred's skills enabled Batman to succeed in less time than if Batman had been working alone, and that included Master Robin's help as well.

"I had hoped to travel by air, but that is out of the question. Word has it that the island has some fire power."

"The island is supposed to be deserted," Alfred stated.

"The information that is out on the net has deliberately been keeping people in the dark and only those with certain clearances can access information. Have you forgotten?"

"It has been a long time, and my clearance must have lapsed," Alfred stated, "But I haven't forgotten."

"Then lets see what you remember."

Alfred had to smirk at his old friend. They played this game before, once a year. In fact, Alfred had taught it to Master Bruce and Bruce at the moment was teaching Master Richard. One had to look for the one thing that seemed out of place in the map or within the context of the description, a word out of place, misspelled, or even a simple thing as highlighting specific words to create a phrase that created a password that would open the encrypted file.

Nigel Goodman was also familiar with the code. It was also the method he used when he turned rogue. Alfred remembered Nigel Goodman had become disgruntled by the system. He may have been their top agent, but the agency was requiring more accountability when civilians became involved. It left them vulnerable to attack from outside. Nigel Goodman was one to use civilians to get the job done and unfortunately the civilians would either end up dead or injured as a result. Alfred Pennyworth's rating was just below Nigel Goodman's only because he took more care to be certain his facts were correct and that he avoided as many casualties as possible when it came to having to enlist a civilian's aid. He worked it where that civilian never knew he was even an agent.

"You're no OO," Nigel stated to Agent Penn one time when the agency required they work together on a very difficult case.

"I don't kill to get my man. Besides our mission is to get information, not take out the enemy," Agent Penn stated. "I don't need to . . ."

". . . And what if someone you loved was taken from you, would you kill them?"

"I swore to do my duty," Alfred replied. "And if my duty was to protect my family and if it required that I kill . . . Even then I would not. The man responsible must face the consequences of his actions. How can he do that if he were dead?"

"You will never be a top agent with that kind of attitude."

"Be careful Yertle that you do not fall to the bottom," Alfred jested.

Little did Nigel realize that Agent Penn's words would be prophetic. Nigel Goodman in his haste allowed a civilian family to be killed, leaving a small child behind. He missed his target and the man got away with murder. The eyes of that child would haunt Agent Penn for the rest of his life. And he vowed that no other family should suffer as that child had. For Agent Penn he was forced to turn Nigel Goodman over for reprimand and demotion. He succeeded in taking down MI6's greatest agent, all without firing a shot. A few years later, another young family suffered the same fate, as if taunting him. The circumstances were very similar, except the thief got away, and Alfred was left to take care of the boy who was left behind. Pennyworth turned his back on the agency after turning Nigel Goodman in to help raise a young boy who would become Gotham's greatest protector, using some of the methods he learned in the Agency. Nigel Goodman later disappeared. And now Nigel Goodman was threatening to take revenge on Alfred.

Alfred was brought out of his thoughts as he solved the coded message.

"There is a hidden submarine base on the island."

"We've suspected that Nigel Goodman fled to this island, but there hasn't been any proof until now. Occasionally, tours would be taken of the island, but not often. Some of those tours had a purpose, to discover Nigel Goodman's hidden base. We discovered it last year, but he wasn't on the island for us to take him. The base has a protected area due to the nesting grounds of the sea turtles. Very few people are allowed in those areas. There is an old fort, but no activity has been seen there, unless there is more to that fort than what is on the surface. We did not have an opportunity to explore that area."

"Mr. Goodman took Master Wayne and Master Grayson by ship," Alfred stated. "Why would he do that?"

"Nigel Goodman wants to lure you there for certain. Perhaps he wants to know why you left the Agency and they may know something."

"What would Master Wayne know? Alfred questioned. "I did not share that part of my life with him." It was a partial truth. Alfred had shared part of his training only because he did not want to see a young boy grieving for his parents and turning that grief into something that would poison his soul. He was there when Bruce vowed to get the man responsible. In Alfred's ears the vow sounded like a cry for vengeance and because of that he vowed that his duty would be to remind the boy that vengeance was not the answer . . . justice was what was called for . . . justice not only for the death of his parents, but justice for all those who would come after.

"Why did you leave?" Boswell asked, bringing Alfred out of his thoughts just enough to answer truthfully.

"I had a higher duty to perform," Alfred stated. "My father died and I took his place. The family needed me. And when their little boy lost his parents to violence, I swore an oath to protect and raise him."

"Mr. Wayne? That little boy is a man. You have know obligation to him now."

Boswell's words did hold some truth, but Alfred held another greater truth.

'That little boy, Boswell became more than just a duty . . .' Alfred thought. 'He became a son to me.' And that little boy still needed him. Because that little boy inside the man was still hurting, and would continue to hurt until he found the man who killed his parents and ask him why.

Alfred did not respond to Boswell's words, but gave him a nod as if to consider them and went back to their next phase of the operation.

Continues with Part 11