I lose track of time as I sit back there in my little hiding spot. I have no idea when Bruce Wayne is supposed to show up; hopefully he arrives soon as I'm starting to get some pretty bad cramps in my legs.
I consider my options. I could spare the man from his shame, just take the tools and leave. It'd be the more humane option.
No. He ordered your creation. He's got to be punished.
And you've got to know why you're alive.
Then you can leave.
I hear the fireplace entrance creak and crack open. My hopes rise briefly, only to be dashed by the old butler coming down that ladder.
"Crud," I mutter to myself. "He'll ruin everything."
Then it occurs to me: when I was initially planning, I was only factoring in Bruce Wayne. What if I involved Alfred Pennyworth somehow, used him as a form of bait to lure Batman down here? It would make sense, honestly. That way it'd make a lot of sense, and I'd be able to get some dirt from Alfred on when I can expect Bruce Wayne to show up. It's worth a shot.
"Probably won't pop him with the bolas' electric shock," I mutter. "I'll just wrap it around him and use a tranquilizer to take him out."
I watch Alfred come down the ladder all nice and slow, which makes sense since he's old. I watch as he steps off the ladder, steps out into the Batcave - and steps on the bat-summoning device.
There's a swarm of bats instantly circling around him, so I quickly throw the bolas and watch it wrap around his legs. I then move in as he's still flailing around with the bats and the bolas, and quickly knock him out with a spare dart. The sedative in the dart takes effect very fast, and I practically have to bend over backwards to catch the falling butler.
I've got him right where I want him.
So I deactivate the bat-summoning device and, seeing that it's only a one-time use, I chuck it into the water by the dock. I'll have to come up with a separate plan for Bruce Wayne, but that's easy enough to do. I've got his butler.
I can't leave Alfred unattended if he's not tied up, despite his old age (and probably his old, weak muscles), so I can't take that risk. Instead I grab a nearby pair of handcuffs, drag him over to a pole that hangs from the plane area, and cuff him around the pole. I also prep a gag from a clean piece of cloth and tie it around him so then I can easily muffle his sounds if I need to. The bolas I leave alone; there's no point in trying to untangle that thing. Besides, there were two bolas up on the gadget bench, so I'll just grab the second one when it's time to mess with Bruce Wayne.
With everything ready, I decide to check Alfred's pockets for any calling devices. I find two embedded up his sleeves and one more on his collar. I shrug, crush them under the heel of my boot, and throw the remains in the water. He won't be needing them any time soon.
I move quietly now so that I'm some distance in front of him, and decide to make a show of cleaning out the pistol and loading it while I wait for him to wake up. It takes about two or three minutes before the sedative wears off and...
"Mmph! Mmph!"
I look over at Alfred, the slide positioned so it's about to slam shut, and a dart back in the chamber. "About time you woke up," I say darkly, closing the weapon up and positioning it in a loaded set.
Alfred's eyes are wide with fear. He looks like he's going to cry. For a moment I feel bad for him; then I remember who he works for.
"Oh don't worry, Pennyworth," I say. "I'm not going to kill you. Not yet, in the very least." I walk over and pull the gag down from his mouth so that he can talk.
"Who - who are you?" he stammers.
"You should ask your employer that question," I reply. "He knows who I am. He ordered my creation."
I stand up and fiddle around with one of those bat boomerangs. "So where's Bruce Wayne?"
"I don't know -"
"Of course you know, Pennyworth," I snarl. He might be scared, but I'm already losing my patience. "You're his butler. He tells you lots of things, doesn't he? Things about Wayne Industries, and about his second life as the Batman, right?" I look at him. "I assume he told you about my creation? Or did he keep his mouth shut on that one?"
Alfred's starting to calm down; I guess he's figured out that he doesn't want to piss me off. "Not much," he admits feebly. "He did say he was getting a new escort or something along those lines."
I grab one of those useless buoys and rip it to shreds with my claws. "Of course he'd call me a bloody escort," I growl. "He wouldn't know. He was the one who locked me up."
Alfred looks at me hard. "Why do I feel like I should know you...?" he asks worriedly.
"Because I'm the alleged escort he was getting." I answer this question while looking him dead in the eye. I walk over to him and kneel down in front of his face. "I'm the one he was supposed to have under his control, as his sidekick or some bullshit like that. But his programming didn't work. I'm not his slave, and I never will be." I stand back up and take a few steps away. "Tell me about the project, if you have knowledge of it."
Alfred nods. "Master Wayne said it was through the Biotech portion of Wayne Industries," he says. "They've got all the technological advances when it comes to the human body. He said that they took a strand of Waylon Jones' - that's Killer Croc -"
"I'm not stupid, Pennyworth, so don't treat me like I am," I interrupt. "Just call them their names and don't specify unless it looks like I haven't heard of them."
"Sorry. They took a strand of Killer Croc's mutation and added it to an unknown subject. This subject was supposed to not remember anything, to be in a complete coma or something along those lines." He pauses, thinks for a moment, and continues, "He also told me that it would be working alongside me, and serve as his role as Gotham's protector when he was incapacitated." He stops. "He told me a while ago that it had gotten out and that he was going to try to stop it from hurting anybody..."
"And?" I press.
"He came back that night covered in scratches and blood," Alfred explains. "I didn't realize it at the time, but he'd been attacked by the subject. He said he'd sent the subject to lockup, but he didn't say where..."
"Belle Reve."
It's the butler's turn to look stunned. "The sanitarium?"
I nod.
"But how would you...?"
I pull back my mask and reveal my grotesque jawline. "I'm the subject he was talking about."
Alfred gulps. He knows he's screwed up. "Don't - don't kill me! I'll tell you whatever you want!"
"Then tell me where the Batman is!" I snap at him angrily.
"He's at Wayne Biotech now!" Alfred replies, sweating. "He's supposed to be back around six!"
"And what time is it now?"
"Quarter to!"
I walk over to him and grab his chin, make him look at me. "You better not be bullshitting me, Alfred Pennyworth, because I've got a meeting with him tonight, and if I find out that you're lying to me..." I let my jaws crack and grind menacingly before I say, "I'll eat your face off. And it won't be a slow death either."
Alfred nods worryingly. "I - I won't - I won't say a word."
"Good, because you sure won't be able to." I stuff the gag back into his mouth. "I'm going to have a good, long talk with Bruce Wayne. And then..."
I decide not to finish the sentence. Then, on a whim, I point the gun back at Alfred and pop another tranquilizer dart into him.
Once again it takes a few seconds for the sedative to take effect: Alfred Pennyworth slumps over, unconscious.
I reload the chamber once again, this time with a more powerful dart (and the third-to-last of what I've got) and return to my hiding place.
Alfred Pennyworth, you've served your purpose. Now it's time for you to serve my purpose.
You're the bait for Bruce Wayne.
I just have to wait... once again I have to exercise my patience.
But to get the Batman in his own lair...
It'll sure as hell be worth it.
