Batman of the Future: One Step Closer.
By Ryoko.
Hey, my other version of this story is totally messed up, so I'm posting it again, PROPERLY :o) Enjoy!!
Summary: When Bruce Wayne finds himself 7 years in the future, he finds Batman and a group of rebels fighting for their right to live. They will not give up their fight, but is it already too late for batman?
"Thanks for letting me finish up early," yawned Terry. He neatly folded the jet black gloves and placed them in the case along with the rest of his gear. Closing the glass case gently and quietly, he caught the reflection of his mentor and master in the sleek black glass.
"It's a quiet night," said the man, quickly averting his gaze, quickly hiding his scanning of the boy for any injuries which Terry might not be telling him about. He did that sometimes. He knew. He used to do it too. "Any plans for the rest of it?"
"Yup," an almost wicked smile creped onto the young mans face, " just me, my pillow and the inside of my eyelids for the next eight hours." The old man couldn't help but crack what resembled a smile.
"Good idea". The kid had been working hard this past week, then again, he always did, not that he would ever tell him that, and not that Terry didn't endlessly complain. Besides, they could both do with a rest, and it would give Bruce a chance to figure out what this thing was that Terry had brought back the night before was, and what it did. He eyed the piece carefully, for the umpteenth time.
"See ya". Terry didn't expect a response, which was good, because he didn't get one. Bruce studied the device in his hand. He was sure it was meant for Batman to find, it was left at the scene of a break in at Wayne enterprises main offices, but nothing was stolen and nothing had been damaged. This thing was simply left at the main desk with the alarms screaming all around as if to say 'I'm here, pick me up'. It was about the size of a mini disk, it had obviously been made recently, but it had an Aztec design with an eye in the centre. It's aged stone appearance was convincing to the eye, but was as light as plastic, it was a new form of plastic at that, he didn't need a spectrographic analysis to figure that one out. He studied it thoughtfully, the eye, the eye, there was something about the eye. It was beautiful, yes, but, but…Wayne knew there was a 'but', he just didn't know what it was, not yet anyway. To be quite honest, it had him completely dumfounded (not something he was used to and not something he was too happy about). Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was a museum piece that had never been reported stolen or lost? Maybe it was some high school art project which had gotten ever so slightly misplaced…. enough so to end up in the hands of Batman. Yeah, right. This was going to be an all-nighter.
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"Huh?" he woke with a shudder, he had fallen asleep in his chair again. He looked at his watch, 7pm, 'Terry should be here any minute,' he thought to himself. He 'should be', then again, when was the last Time the kid wasn't late?
"I can't believe I slept the whole day" he mentally kicked himself as he waited for the friendly voice of his young protégé to come down the steps behind him-even if it was complaining about Dana, or school, Matt, Max or his mom wanting him home by 10:30.
"Hmmm", he reached to switch on the computer-funny that, he didn't remember turning it off.
"What?" the screen didn't come on, could it be broken? That would have to be fixed, maybe a job for Terry when he finally decided to show up for work. Yawning, he leaned back and dusted the dust from the control panel off his hands before closing his eyes.
"Dust?" his eyes sharply darted open, scanning the equipment and taking a good look around the cave.
"I'm still dreaming" he said allowed to himself. The caves looked as if no one had been inside for years. Everything was neatly in its place, all except for Terry's Bat suit. He was sure Terry had left it in its stand when he had left the night before.
Thinking for a moment, he took his phone from his pocket and dialled for Terry. Nothing. No ringing not lost signal, no anything.
"I don't like it boy" he said allowed. Silence. "Ace?" There was no sign of his loyal dog. He picked up his walking stick and headed for the entrance to the cave. The door creaked open. Bruce's eyes widened, he realised his house keeping had been less than perfect since Alfred died, but he was pretty sure there was a wall over there and that the place didn't look like there had been a tornado in the living room. Speechless, the old man stumbled through the space where his wall used to be and looked into the sky at the blood red sunset. "What was going on? What the hell happened?"
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Let me know what you think!! :o)