Chapter Six
After the funeral Terry returned home, feeling more sober than he thought he could ever feel. He shut himself up in his room and under the guise of getting over the morning's service, went back onto the computer.
He spent a long time studying the photographs and from what he'd gathered came to a reasonable conclusion. There was an experiment going on in the Agricultural department, and something went wrong and they didn't want the word to get out. So they tried to quiet it down by.
But killing? Why would they resort to killing? It didn't seem right.
In the middle of his assumptions the phone rang. He answered it, still going through the files.
"Terry?"
He recognized the voice. "Dana," he said, "hi."
"Are you okay? I wasn't sure if I should call, if you needed time or something."
"No, I'm okay," he assured her. "Just a little tired."
"Oh okay." She sounded relieved. "How are you feeling?"
"I don't know yet. Still a little numb. And I've been going over a lot of things."
"Do you want me to come over or something? I can cook you something and maybe we can watch a movie or something. If you feel up to it."
He forced a small laugh. "Cook? Dana no offense but-"
She laughed. "No, it's okay, I know I can't cook. But I can heat up TV trays, can't I? Thanks to plastic I can do just about anything."
He smiled. "Sounds tempting, but I don't know." He eyed the photographs on the computer and was about to say something when he heard a knock on the door.
He quickly minimized the files on the computer. "Hold on a sec, Dana," he said, turning toward the door. "Come in!"
The door opened and his mother walked in. He smiled weakly at her and she did the same.
"Just thought I'd let you know some more bad news," she said, "you probably don't want to hear about this but.Stewart Hughes, one of Dad's co-workers, was found in the alley."
Terry blinked, surprised. "Huh?"
"He had been killed." She swallowed hard. "I know you didn't want to hear this, but I just got this news from the work and since you kinda knew of him.maybe you should know too."
"When did this happen?"
She thought quickly. "He was found four days ago, but he could've been laying there for awhile, so I don't know." She forced a smile and gave him a hug. "I love you, I just wanted to tell you that. I really love you."
"I love you too Mom," he said.
She smiled, leaving the room and closing the door behind her. Remembering Dana, Terry spoke into the phone.
"Dana?"
"Yeah?"
"Looks like I have plans tonight. But we'll get together tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay, sounds fine," she answered. "Well I'll talk to you later. Hope you feel better."
"Thanks."
He hung up, bringing the file back up and staring it for a moment.
Things were getting out of hand. Even he could tell that. Jokerz running rampant in the streets, murders.
Stewart Hughes. What if he was murdered the same day as his father?
He straightened up, thinking.
In that case, it was time for some law enforcement around here. And if no one was going to do it, then he damn well will.
And he knew just where to go.
Terry didn't know any other way to enter the batcave, so he went the straight way- through the mansion.
Before leaving his house he packed several things he knew would be essential trying to get inside. He had experience with breaking in. It had been one of the reasons to why he had to serve parole for several months not far back.
He didn't leave the house until well after dark and his mom and brother were asleep. He sneaked out his window, dropping down onto the grass below and started running.
It took awhile to get there, but when he did he was already getting to work. Jumping the high wall he landed squarely on the front lawn of the Wayne Manor. Slinging his backpack over his shoulder again he went for the Manor, staying well hidden among the trees.
He had been afraid that someone- or something would have stopped him by then. But so far so good.
He was just approaching the house when loud barking split the silence. He turned to see Ace standing on the porch, snarling and barking.
"Ack, can it," Terry muttered, walking bravely past him. "It's me."
The dog sniffed in his direction, still growling. Terry tried the front door. It didn't open and he reached into his bag again.
It didn't take long to get the door unlocked, and he pushed it open gently. No alarms went off.
The dog tore in before him, disappearing into the darkness. Knowing his time was short Terry went straight for the clock.
The batcave was the same way he had left it. He turned on the lights and descended the stairs. His stomach fluttered lightly with anticipation. Now that he was this far, he was no longer sure if he knew what he was doing. Or why.
Opening the fifth glass display case, he reached out and touched the latest model of the Batsuit. He was right. The fabric was different. Firmer, thicker, harder.
He pulled it off its stand, feeling the weight in his hands. He stood there, thinking about it hard. This would be the time to go back.
No. The world needed a Batman. And if Bruce couldn't do it anymore he would.
That decided, he started changing his clothes.
Two things had awakened Bruce from his sleep. The first thing was the inconsistent soft beeping in his ear. The other was Ace.
The Great Dane leapt onto his bed, causing him to stir and sit up. The dog was turning around and around, trying to get his attention.
Then he figured out where the beeping was coming from.
On the tableside was the trigger for the silent alarm. And it was beeping, flashing a red light. He stared at it for a moment, trying to get rid of the fatigue climbing over him again, then realized what had happened.
The batcave had been broken into.
After the funeral Terry returned home, feeling more sober than he thought he could ever feel. He shut himself up in his room and under the guise of getting over the morning's service, went back onto the computer.
He spent a long time studying the photographs and from what he'd gathered came to a reasonable conclusion. There was an experiment going on in the Agricultural department, and something went wrong and they didn't want the word to get out. So they tried to quiet it down by.
But killing? Why would they resort to killing? It didn't seem right.
In the middle of his assumptions the phone rang. He answered it, still going through the files.
"Terry?"
He recognized the voice. "Dana," he said, "hi."
"Are you okay? I wasn't sure if I should call, if you needed time or something."
"No, I'm okay," he assured her. "Just a little tired."
"Oh okay." She sounded relieved. "How are you feeling?"
"I don't know yet. Still a little numb. And I've been going over a lot of things."
"Do you want me to come over or something? I can cook you something and maybe we can watch a movie or something. If you feel up to it."
He forced a small laugh. "Cook? Dana no offense but-"
She laughed. "No, it's okay, I know I can't cook. But I can heat up TV trays, can't I? Thanks to plastic I can do just about anything."
He smiled. "Sounds tempting, but I don't know." He eyed the photographs on the computer and was about to say something when he heard a knock on the door.
He quickly minimized the files on the computer. "Hold on a sec, Dana," he said, turning toward the door. "Come in!"
The door opened and his mother walked in. He smiled weakly at her and she did the same.
"Just thought I'd let you know some more bad news," she said, "you probably don't want to hear about this but.Stewart Hughes, one of Dad's co-workers, was found in the alley."
Terry blinked, surprised. "Huh?"
"He had been killed." She swallowed hard. "I know you didn't want to hear this, but I just got this news from the work and since you kinda knew of him.maybe you should know too."
"When did this happen?"
She thought quickly. "He was found four days ago, but he could've been laying there for awhile, so I don't know." She forced a smile and gave him a hug. "I love you, I just wanted to tell you that. I really love you."
"I love you too Mom," he said.
She smiled, leaving the room and closing the door behind her. Remembering Dana, Terry spoke into the phone.
"Dana?"
"Yeah?"
"Looks like I have plans tonight. But we'll get together tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay, sounds fine," she answered. "Well I'll talk to you later. Hope you feel better."
"Thanks."
He hung up, bringing the file back up and staring it for a moment.
Things were getting out of hand. Even he could tell that. Jokerz running rampant in the streets, murders.
Stewart Hughes. What if he was murdered the same day as his father?
He straightened up, thinking.
In that case, it was time for some law enforcement around here. And if no one was going to do it, then he damn well will.
And he knew just where to go.
Terry didn't know any other way to enter the batcave, so he went the straight way- through the mansion.
Before leaving his house he packed several things he knew would be essential trying to get inside. He had experience with breaking in. It had been one of the reasons to why he had to serve parole for several months not far back.
He didn't leave the house until well after dark and his mom and brother were asleep. He sneaked out his window, dropping down onto the grass below and started running.
It took awhile to get there, but when he did he was already getting to work. Jumping the high wall he landed squarely on the front lawn of the Wayne Manor. Slinging his backpack over his shoulder again he went for the Manor, staying well hidden among the trees.
He had been afraid that someone- or something would have stopped him by then. But so far so good.
He was just approaching the house when loud barking split the silence. He turned to see Ace standing on the porch, snarling and barking.
"Ack, can it," Terry muttered, walking bravely past him. "It's me."
The dog sniffed in his direction, still growling. Terry tried the front door. It didn't open and he reached into his bag again.
It didn't take long to get the door unlocked, and he pushed it open gently. No alarms went off.
The dog tore in before him, disappearing into the darkness. Knowing his time was short Terry went straight for the clock.
The batcave was the same way he had left it. He turned on the lights and descended the stairs. His stomach fluttered lightly with anticipation. Now that he was this far, he was no longer sure if he knew what he was doing. Or why.
Opening the fifth glass display case, he reached out and touched the latest model of the Batsuit. He was right. The fabric was different. Firmer, thicker, harder.
He pulled it off its stand, feeling the weight in his hands. He stood there, thinking about it hard. This would be the time to go back.
No. The world needed a Batman. And if Bruce couldn't do it anymore he would.
That decided, he started changing his clothes.
Two things had awakened Bruce from his sleep. The first thing was the inconsistent soft beeping in his ear. The other was Ace.
The Great Dane leapt onto his bed, causing him to stir and sit up. The dog was turning around and around, trying to get his attention.
Then he figured out where the beeping was coming from.
On the tableside was the trigger for the silent alarm. And it was beeping, flashing a red light. He stared at it for a moment, trying to get rid of the fatigue climbing over him again, then realized what had happened.
The batcave had been broken into.