Chapter 2: Incomprehensible Duality {1/3}
Robin was in a very delicate position, trying to disarm a dangerous bomb that could potentially destroy a whole street. Which wouldn't be much of a problem if he had any experience in disarming bombs, unfortunately, he doesn't have any experience. So, he was relying purely on his training at the moment. Batman is probably waiting for an opportunity to apprehend the one carrying the detonator. It was his thought. Dammit, this horrible smell is making it hard to concentrate. He thought in deep annoyance because the sewer had a less than pleasant smell.
The bomb had a somewhat complex mechanisms, but nothing groundbreaking. The wiring on it had a strange scheme, so he took a few minutes to dictate the ones to cut. Just a little more... Almost... Done!
The Sidekick successfully disarmed the bomb after twenty minutes. But there was something wrong, although he completely disconnected the main bomb, the other bombs were still active. These are still dangerous, but it will take hours to disarm all of them. Robin was not joking as the bombs there probably had the same type of schematics as the main one, so they would be just as complicated to disarm.
"Main bomb disarmed." He informed Batman. "The others will require a crew though."
"Good work." Batman replied. "The other bombs aren't a immediate threat without the main one." He informed his sidekick. "So for now, go to the woman's apartment, room 401, and check for any other traps."
"And Dent?" Robin asked.
"I sabotaged his car, it will give you additional time." Batman told him. "I'm currently about to take down the man with the detonator, I will interrogate him for information."
Break a few of his bones for me then. Robin though bitterly, still furious about the number of people that were put in danger, all for Harvey Dent. "I'm on it."
With that, Robin decided to find a way out of the sewer to inspect the apartment. Blackmask was a cunning bastard and Robin knew that he would probably have an alternative plan if the bombs failed. It didn't took long for him to find his way out, luckily, it was right behind the exit he found, lead to the behind of the apartment. Which he used for it's advantage and used his grappling gun to get to the roof of the building.
From the roof, he used his detective vision to check for the room. Room 401, where is it. He made a small search around the building to check. Not to find the room but to check if there's someone armed. Which he did, there was a man, sitting down on a chair holding a handgun with a silencer. He searched around the room for the so called woman that Harvey was seeing, and he found her. Bastard! Robin thought in anger. Because the woman was laying on the flood inside he kitchen and he's incapable to check her pulse do to the distance.
"Batman, Assassin awaiting inside the room, unnamed lover of Harvey Dent on the floor, possibly deceased." He informed Batman.
"Incapacitate the assassin in whatever way you see fit." Batman ordered him. "Dent will arrive at any second, so be quick."
"Affirmative." He thought as he ran towards the edge of the building and used the grappling gun to descent through the wall until he arrived at the room's window. Using his detective vision once again to check the inside. He managed to get a few more details. The woman was indeed dead, her name was Deborah Roch and to Robin's shock, she was actually Mayor Hill's secretary. What the... Was she somehow involved or was their affair just a random coincidence. That was his doubt. The sidekick then inspect the assassin. Just a random nobody with a unfamiliar name, he was holding a Glock 19 with a silencer. Professional... Or amateur... He was trying to identify as he enters through the window quietly. Entering inside a nice looking room painted in green, with several portraits on the wall, a nice looking bed and chair, a opened wardrobe filled with female clothes. But Robin didn't care about that, he approached the door and tried to get a got sight of the assassin.
The assassin was sitting on top of a dining table, with the gun on top of it. Probably waiting for the sound of the door. Robin crouched down and prepared to deliver a sneak attack on him. He did that by searching around the room, and he noticed the portraits on the wall and had an idea. The sidekick decide to knock the portraits down, making enough noise to attract the man.
Come on... Come on... He thought as he hid behind the opened door and observed him approach with the handgun at hand. Once he passed through the gap of the door and went to check the broken portraits, Robin came out from behind the door. "Hey." He called his attention and when he turned around to face him. Robin delivered a precise attack right at the hand that was carrying the gun, causing it to drop on the floor. Then he followed by delivering an upward attack, right in between his legs. Which caused the assassin to fall on the floor in pain.
"Where is Blackmask?" He bluntly asked.
The assassin however, tried to reach the gun. But Robin just pushed it away from his reach using the tip of his staff. "Don't test my patience." He warned the man on the floor.
"Hah!" The man apparently thought it was funny. "AAAHHH!" Which Robin responded by smashing his staff on his shin, hard.
"I'm pretty sure you're shin is broken after that..." He knew perfectly well that it was indeed broken. "But, just to certain." He lifted his staff right above his head.
"Okay! Okay!" The assassin desperately yelled. "I don't know where he is, okay."
Robin received that answer, and decided to hit him again.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!" The assassin yelled in pain, as his shin was now broken in two different places.
"Unless you want your shin broken in three different places, you better give me something." Robin demanded calmly.
"AHHH!" He grunted in pain. "I DON'T KNOW! I RECEIVED A LETTER ON MY MAILBOX, AND IT TOLD ME TO GO TO A CERTAIN PAY PHONE AND WAIT FOR A CALL!" He desperately explained to the masked boy.
"Where?" Robin asked.
"AHHHH!" The Assassin grunted one more time.
Robin then placed his foot on his broken shin and pressed with it.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
"WHERE?!" The sidekick asked in a yell.
"IN FRONT OF WAYNE TOWER!" The assassin yelled in desperation.
If Robin's rage wasn't already on a all time high because of Blackmask's exaggerated assassination plan. It somehow increased by hearing that Blackmask made such an arrangement in front of his family's tower. And that rage, caused him to stomp on the assassin's broken shin, hard.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Which caused him to let out a loud and excruciating scream of pain.
But Robin ignored the scum and moved to grab the handgun from the floor and quickly dismantled it. Then he decided to call Batman.
"Batman, the assassin is down." Robin informed him.
"The one carrying the detonator is also down." Batman informed him.
"I managed to interrogate him, apparently, he received the call to perform this assassination attempt, from a payphone located in front of Wayne Tower." He decided to give him the information. "Can we use it to track Blackmask?"
"Maybe," Batman replied. "Return to Batmobile."
"What about Dent?" He asked.
"My sabotage worked better than I hoped, the Police will arrive before he does." Batman explained.
Robin decided to follow his father's instructions. Moving towards the window, Robin took one last look at the scum that was screaming in pain on the floor.
Batman and Robin made their way back to the Bat Cave to gather their thoughts on the matter. Both were wearing identical clothes, black sweatpants and a white tank top.
"So, the man carrying the detonator was just one of Hill supporters?" Robin asked in disbelief. According to Batman, the man that had the detonator didn't received any money or was threatened to do what he did. He said that Mayor Hill was a great mayor and that Gotham was better because of him. It did sound pretty unbelievable but his father didn't believe that he was lying.
"Apparently," His father replied as he typed on the Bat Computer. "But , it doesn't really matter."
Alan sighed and folded his arms as he watches his father check the clue that he got. But it wasn't really an easy task, check the phone calls of a payphone wasn't exactly precise as several people use it daily. Not to mention that all the addresses are random.
"Dent was having an affair with Hill's secretary," Alan pointed out as he walked around. "Do you think there's a connection?"
"I doubt it." His father replied. "I always noticed an exchange of stares between the two, so this is probably happening for a while now."
"Was happening." Alan corrected him.
His father sighed. "Yes, was."
"I'm gonna go upstairs to get something to eat, want anything?" He asked.
"No."
"Okay." Alan them turned around and decided to make his way towards the elevator, passing through the display where his Robin suit was. His suit included a specially armoured red tunic with green short sleeves, a hooded cloak that is black on the outside and yellow on the inside, full green leggings, black jika-tabi boots and green gloves. Other details include a steel gorget as part of the tunic, an emergency "R" shuriken on his chest in addition to the traditional batarangs, and a collapsible bo staff as his primary weapon.
Then he moved to look at the Batsuit. I'm still not exactly used to the new suits, but father had to change the outfits after the previous ones got damaged beyond repair. The sidekick thought as he observed suit. The Batsuit's cowl now has facial and eye recognition, lie detection, 3D function, scanning and magnification abilities, and is directly linked to the Batcave's computer system. The cowl is also resistant against acid and other chemicals. The utility belt has changed slightly, giving Batman a more compact belt to provide more agility in combat. The suit is much more high tech, gloves and boots changed, Cape and Cowl didn't change. The center of the suit has a large black bat instead of the more traditional yellow oval and black bat. The suit is made of several layers of Kevlar and micro-ballistic meshing. It provides signification protection against flames, slashing weapons, explosions, and even features some protection against radiation and other dangerous chemicals. The suit has newer built-gadgets,such as miniature explosive projectiles, grapple lines, smoke projection, and various projectiles that fire out of the gloves.
I wonder if there are any more improvements to be made. He thought as he made his way to the elevator.
Alan Thomas Wayne was currently in the complex kitchen of the Wayne Manor, cooking a meal under Alfred's tutelage. He was trying to make a french onion soup.
"Taste." Alan asked Alfred as he gave him a spoon of it.
"A little more salt and it shall be perfect." Alfred instructed the young boy after tasting it.
Cooking was one of Alan's many hobbies. Hobbies that were introduced to him by Alfred.
"Is there something bothering you, Master Alan?" Alfred asked as Alan added salt to the soup.
"I been having a bad feeling about this entire situation involving Dent." Alan decided to admit. "I don't know why but, I always feel.. off every time he is around." He then stared at Alfred with his piercing dark blue eyes. "Like, he is... hiding something, that... He doesn't even know about it..." He didn't know how to explain that feeling. "Does that make any sense?"
"It certainly does," Alfred replied to his question. "Some people are really good at hiding things from other people, but there are rare individuals that are capable of hiding things even from themselves."
"Wait, how do you hide things from yourself?" Alan was very curious about that.
"By being in a complete state of denial," His Butler replied. "Some people just hate a part of themselves so much, that they bury it deep inside their own minds until even they forget it actually exists." Alfred explains to him as Alan lowers the fire heating the soup. " I shall not lie to you, but I also have noticed that sometimes Mr. Dent doesn't seems to be hiding something."
That caught Alan's attention. "If you noticed too than what am I supposed to do with this suspicion?" He asked the bigger question. "I know that right now, Dent is clearly the better option in comparison to Hill but..." He turn off the fire. "What if... Dent somehow turns out to be worse?"
"That is the big question that most people have." Alfred spoke as he grabbed the bowls for the soup. "The question of What if, but the biggest problem with the subject, is the number of variables." The Butler speaks as he pours the soup inside the bowls. "What if Mr. Dent is a much better Mayor than Mr. Hill? What if if he is just the same? What if he is worse?" Finishing pouring the soup inside the bowls. "Those are all possibilities that are impossible to predict."
"I'm not worried about the first or the second possibility, I'm worried about the third." Alan pointed out the obvious, before he grab a bowl of soup and tasted. "Not as good as the one you make."
"Give it time and I can guarantee the ones you make will taste even better." Alfred reassured him.
I don't really think that will ever happen. Alan thought as he eat the soup that he himself made.
"A bizarre series indeed. The absurd quantity of bombs that were found at the sewers, required a whole team of bomb squads to disarm them. The Gotham City Police Department has only released a statement that this may have been a terrorist attack, but sources actually informed us that Harvey Dent was actually present at the area. Our sources also inform us that Harvey Dent might have been having a romantic relationship with Mayor Hamilton Hill's secretary, Deborah Roch. Who was found dead on her apartment alongside a hired killer who was apprehended by the police. The hired killer is yet to be questioned, but he apparently had to undergo a complex surgery to repair a broken shin."
After eating his soup, Alan went back to his room to lay down a bit. He was watching the news on TV to check if Gordon took care of the bombs. Relieved that they were off the street, he changed the channel.
"Gotham district attorney Harvey Dent appears to be hitting some potholes on his path to the mayor's office. Despite the backing of billionaire Bruce Wayne, rumors persist that the candidate is having trouble paying his campaign staff and making ad buys." Oh please, this whole campaign is coming from our money. "A Dent spokesperson said these rumors are nothing but a smear tactic perpetrated by the incumbent Mayor Hill's campaign." Alan rolled his eyes. "A claim that has been supported by the recent murder of Deborah Roch, who according to sources, was killed by a hired gun who was apparently hired to assassinate Harvey Dent."
Alan suddenly heard steps coming at his direction. He moved his head and saw his father entering the room. In response, he quickly turned off the TV and sat up on his bed. "Any luck?"
"No, the call certainly came from a cellphone." His father replied before he sat on the edge of his bed. "I already suspected but it was worth a try."
"Damn." Alan spoke in frustration. "It was pure luck that I saw the explosives from that roof, if I haven't..." The sidekick was seriously annoyed by that oversight. They searched the place before they arrive and he still can't believe that they didn't saw the explosives then.
"Not exactly, you remembered that Blackmask is the type of criminal that exaggerates and made the right assumption." His father reassured him. "Don't downplay it by claiming it was luck."
"Thanks but..." Alan falls back in the bed. "We still have no clue about Blackmask's location, and correct me if I'm wrong but, the debate between Dent and Hill is in two days isn't it?"
"It is," His father confirmed. "But Harvey should be safe until then. Gordon has put him in a safe place after what happened today and Hill won't be foolish enough to try anything after today's fail attempt."
"Not Hill, but... Blackmask is a whole different story." Alan was definitely concerned.
"He won't try anything either." His father seemed sure of that. "Whatever their deal is, it won't serve Blackmask to attack Harvey when all the suspicion is already on Hill."
Alan sighed. "You're probably right." Not probably, his father was completely right. "We still have to find Harvey's ex-wife though."
"I agree, this is why we should use the time before the debate to focus on investigating her disappearance." His father pointed out.
"Any clues or leads, maybe from your conversation with Harvey?" Alan asked.
"Apparently, from the properties that Harvey sold before his divorce, she only got her hands on a single one." His father explained and Alan got where his father was going with this. "A house where she and Harvey lived together during the beginning of their marriage and Harvey's career as a DA."
"And if someone were to plant something incriminating inside the property and this incriminating factor was found by someone who other than us..." Alan understood the possibility. "Shall we go there now or... "
"We need to check her apartment for clues or traces, I was planning on doing that yesterday but." His father explained, him and Alan had to formulate a plan for the assassination attempt, so they didn't had time to look further into her disappearance. "I think we should split up and search the two."
Alan moved to sit on the edge of the bed next to his father. "Should I check the apartment or the house?"
"The apartment might have a trace I can follow using our tech, so the house is probably better for you to check." His father instructed him as he stood from the bed.
Alan also stood up as well, but there was something that has been bothering him since morning and he needed to consult his father about it. "Can I ask you a question?"
His father looked at him with his identical piercing dark blue eyes that Alan also possesses. "Of course."
"Do you think..." Alan couldn't find the right words so he decided to ask his father bluntly. "Harvey may be the one involved in her disappearance." He was expecting his father to deny it.
But.
"I'm almost certain that he is." Surprisingly, his father had the same suspicion. "During our conversation, I noticed that Harvey acted very strange when I mentioned her name, which shouldn't be surprising considering how their relationship ended but, there was this strange stare that he gave me when I asked if he was worried about her."
"You notice too." Alan pointed out.
His father lifted an eyebrow. "When did you saw it?" He asked.
"Remember when the two of you were sitting down at the parlour discussing the idea of Harvey's candidature?" His father nodded in response. "I was passing by to make my way to the gym, and I notice Harvey watching the TV while you were speaking to Alfred." Alan still remembers how dark Harvey's stare was. "It was about a case that went court where the suspect was declared innocent."
"Yes, I know which one you are talking about." His father folded his arms. "It was a criminal named Sal Maroni, one of the many former associates of the late Carmine Falcone."
"Another one?" Carmine Falcone has been dead for three years but his former associates are still causing them trouble. Harvey has been their main ally in putting them all away for this last three years. "I'm pretty sure Harvey wasn't happy with with the declaration."
"No, but we didn't really have to worry about him." Hia father appeared to be bothered by something.
"Why not?" And Alan noticed.
"He was found dead a week later, shot in the back of the had by a 9mm handgun." His father than put his hands on his hips in deep thought.
"You think..." That Harvey Dent shot him? It was Alan's conclusion but they still needed proof.
His father didn't respond him. He just stood there in silence, probably contemplating the possibility. Something that Alan couldn't really blame him for, as the possibility that he might be helping a murder in becoming Mayor was not exactly a pleasant thought. Especially since it was right under his nose.
Taking a deep breath and sighing afterwards, his father finally spoke. "We need to confirm this before taking any measures."
"Agreed." It was Alan's response.
"Come on."
Both father and son left the room together in order to become Batman and Robin once again.
As always, I'm very sorry for the horrendous wait, my bloody phone nearly broke and it took a lot of time to get it working once again. I swear, if I had my computer, you'll would have a two weeks wait at most but, until them, I apologize for the long wait.
As always, Questions and Answers:
Feel the urge to say hope some other stories get a few new chapter before this one
What?
Eager to see what identity Alan takes when he's done being Robin
Also hope he soon shows the crazy level of power he inherited from his other genetic donors
Harem hopes aside from the three already listed
Spoiler, Lady Shiva, Harley Quinn, Punchline, Rat catcher II, Poison Ivy, Cheetah, Vengeance daughter clone of Bane, Zatanna, Supergirl, Blackfire, Raven, Artemis, Cheshire, Grail, Miss Martian, Wonder Girl Cassie, Black Canary
Since I hope like Nero over in the marvel story Alan as time goes on picks up various items here's a list of a few suggestions
The God Killer
A Nth metal Axe
Lasso of Submission
Might be from Marvel but sod it the No Blade and Rainbow Axe
As ever eager to see a older Alan and the fun he'll get up to
You'll be surprised
He possesses the same powers as Superboy, he just refuses to use them.
Funnily enough, Alan and Nero are supposed to be foils to one another.
Alan will add a lot of things to his arsenal.
This is starting to feel like a different origin point u got for Harvey to become Two-Face. Cause we all know it was during the Long Halloween Two-Face was born. So I take that Wonder woman will not be in the harem? Then what about Donna Troy? Update soon.
It is, the Long Halloween only occurred the way it did because of Batman's inexperience.
Either Donna or Cassie, I'm still deciding. Of course not, Wonder Woman is his mother, both technically and figuratively.
I take that Superman is not exautly in good graces with Alan? What about Supergirl? Or Power Girl?
Alan detests him. They'll hava a... Complicated relationship, mainly because Alan despises his Kryptonian side.
Can we get a preview showcasing the girls, Alan Will get into a relwtionship with?
It's basically a really dumb dialogue between Robin (Alan), Cyborg ,Beastboy (B) and Blue Beetle (BB).
{
B: Come on, just give me some tips.
R: What exactly are you talking about?
B: You have all this girls interested in you, what is the secret? So I can try it on Terra.
C: Ummmm... I don't think any advice coming from him will work on you.
B: Why not?
BB: He... Has certain advantages that you don't have.
B: Like what? What does he got that I ain't got?
BB: Money.
C: Good looks.
BB: Skills, talents and abilities.
C: His outfit looks cooler.
BB: His powers are cooler too.
B: Okay!
R: I don't know wether I'm supposed to be flattered or utterly disturbed by those compliments. But to answer your questions, I didn't do anything special to get their interest.
BB: But... How can you be with all of them at once the way you do.
R: I'm not officially with any of them to be honest. To put it simply; Cassandra doesn't understand anything about relationships. Starfire, actually, this type of thing is normal for her people, apparently her father had more than ten wives. Raven feeds off my emotions in order to keep her demonic side in check, which is the closest thing to a relationship with anyone that she would ever allow it. Donna\Cassie, is definitely because Aphrodite did something to her, which I am pretty certain that my grandmother had something to do with it. And the list goes on... So, yeah, I don't have any advice for you. Sorry.
}
【Answering another question from Mr. Guest:】
As for the Disney fic
Not going to lie do not like the idea of the likes of Jafar getting their way and in Jafar's case getting to have Jasmine as his sex slave
Would be more fun I think personally to have Sevemus be the most villainous character he'd basically always out villain the villain and the events of whatever film would be the same just with him doing the darker things in them he himself is the only dark element if that makes sense
For example with Aladdin instead of what if Jafar got the lamp it would be what if someone like Sevemus got the lamp first before Aladdin or Jafar and used his three wishes to get what he wants and then he goes on to kill the likes of Aladdin and Jafar
Yeah, I think that would better with the narrative that I have in mind.
Here's the main premise
Sevemus, as the summary already showed, is nothing but a worthless farmer. He lives with his good for nothing drunk of a father who abuses him daily and is mocked daily by the habitants of the place he lives due to being the son of the places biggest drunk and for being also the poorest person. But one day, he accidentally comes across Chernaborg {The demon from the Night on Bald Mountain.} Who offers him a deal. That he would be granted any wishes that his heart desires in exchange of accomplishing certain tasks for him {Pretty much making a deal with the devil.} And the stories is basically Sevemus acting as villain protagonist in most of the Disney stories in order to gain what he wants from Chernaborg.
His tasks are things like:
{Destroy the enchanted rose and make the Beast's curse eternal, then kill him.} (Unknowingly to him that the Beast actually becomes a much more dangerous monster afterwards.)
{Stealing Cinderella's Fairy god-mother's wand turn the Prince into a scoundrel and his father into a Tyrant with it.}
Etc.