(Naturally, Batman is a product of DC Comics, Warner Bros and created by Bob Cane... you know, all the good disclaimer stuff. Catherine Wayne, Kir and Ben Obiken are rather original creations... or something like that. THANKS FOR READING!)
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CHAPTER EIGHT - Say again?
Pausing just a moment to survey the GCPD and the GCFD as they managed the blaze and the collapsed building, Ben Obiken turned to Batman and said, "So. Your place or mine?"
Batman stared at him incredulously. "Yours."
"See you there."
He waited for him to vanish into the night, then studied GCPD's line-up, searching for Commissioner Gordon. Batman needed to pass along what information he had from Obiken on Clayface. The Commissioner was not on the scene.
With an inward sigh, the Dark Knight disappeared into the shadows himself and made his way toward Obiken's temple.
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Catherine grinned sheepishly, after failing at hiding her expansive yawn.
"I saw that," Kir said, smiling.
"I'm not surprised. It could've been seen from across the bay!" She yawned again. "Kir, would it be okay if we called it a night? I'm really exhausted."
"No worries, Cath. I'm sure you've had as long of a day as I've had."
She nodded. "It's been a devil of one, yes."
"Perhaps we can get together again some time?"
"Sounds good, Kir," Catherine replied. "Like I said, this turned out to be a nice evening."
"I thought so too."
They crossed to the Jag. "Drop you off at the... uh, the Temple?"
Kir nodded. "Thanks."
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Batman waited a moment before gliding down the cable and to the ledge of the temple where the open window awaited. Ben Obiken had been none-too-subtle to match Batman's entrance style. He'd have smirked if he weren't so annoyed with the Obiken's.
Realizing that Obiken would be watching for him, Batman advanced. The light in the room was gloomy which suited him fine. He could see more than well enough through the infra-red lenses that were installed into the cowl.
"Obiken?"
"Ah, Batman. Nice to see you again."
He did not return the compliment. "How did you know what was going to happen in there?" he barked instead. "You're in league with Clayface?"
"Batman, Batman," Ben said in the most compassionate of tones, "please. Use your grand intellect with me. I've saved your life. Assuming you do have family--"
Batman's eyes narrowed only slightly.
"--or even if you don't, you should be grateful to me." Obiken shrugged. "But then, I cannot assume your values on life are the same as mine so I retract that."
"How did you know what was going to happen?" he repeated.
"Under what rock have you lived your entire life?"
"What?"
"You heard me," he replied.
Batman stared.
When he failed to respond, Ben approached the question from a different angle. "Batman, from what I've come to understand, you are better versed in life energy, in understanding this energy's will, than you're willing to admit. You're an intuitive man, I know."
"I use logic. Science. Deduc--"
Ben waved a hand to dismiss his protests. "Which are all well and fine, and very complimentary to the intuitions I know you rely on."
He felt completely off-balance. Obiken was running the conversation to his tastes.
"Now, the question really becomes why, Batman, you choose to deny this side of yourself?" He gestured broadly with both arms. "There are no smoke nor mirrors to what I know, what I have access to, what I believe. I have simply chosen to consciously actualize where you've stopped short."
"You don't know what you're talking about," he said through gritted teeth.
"I have the nagging suspicion, Batman, that your issue with intuition and spiritually lies somewhere in your past."
The window was still open, Batman knew. One backward leap and he was out of the temple and away from this assault. One leap.
He waited.
"Thank you for the analysis, Dr. Arkham," Batman replied sarcastically.
"And thank you for the confirmation!" Ben said cheerfully. "Now, care to tell me what this issue is with you and spirituality. Or dare I use the 'R' word itself?"
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"Look - an open window," Catherine remarked as she pulled up to the curb.
"That's weird," Kir said, following Catherine's pointing finger. "Even weirder is the fact that you noticed it and mentioned it."
"What's so weird about that? I'm observant." She shrugged.
"Evidently."
"What?"
"Nothing," Kir said, smiling. "You just don't know your own potential. That's all."
"Oh no! It's too late to get back into religion and being and all of that," Catherine protested, laughing. "Another time and you can... convert me."
"No conversion necessary. You just have to actualize to who you really are."
"Thanks for the fun evening out."
"You too." Kir climbed out of the car, then peered in through the passenger side window. "Talk soon."
They both looked up to the open but dim window.
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"Say again?"
"I'll be more direct then. RELIGION, Batman. What is your aversion to it?"
Batman found the words coming from his mouth before he realized he was speaking. "I have my reasons. And yes, they do go into my past."
Ben nodded.
"I have my own reasons to doubt religion. What dogma I was taught has not held true. There is no caring God. It's only what you make of your time on Earth."
"So, what you are saying to me, Batman, is that instead of accepting that there is a source higher than you, you choose to play God?"
He gnashed his teeth. "I am not God. If I were God and if there were such a thing, I could make things right! I could save people."
"Insightful."
He frowned and looked away, angry for admitting so much.
"Batman, what would happen if you did believe? What then?"
His actions spoke, "I don't want to talk about it" as he flung himself through the window and into the night.
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Catherine and Kir did a double-take. "That was--"
Kir looked back into the car. "Batman," she finished.
Catherine's mind was racing. Why was he up there? What had happened with Clayface? Was Obiken Clayface? What was going on now?
"I see," she mumbled, looking from Kir to the window.
"Maybe Ben had a chance to talk to the Batman himself!" Kir mused.
That's exactly what I'm afraid of, Catherine thought.
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.
.
.
CHAPTER EIGHT - Say again?
Pausing just a moment to survey the GCPD and the GCFD as they managed the blaze and the collapsed building, Ben Obiken turned to Batman and said, "So. Your place or mine?"
Batman stared at him incredulously. "Yours."
"See you there."
He waited for him to vanish into the night, then studied GCPD's line-up, searching for Commissioner Gordon. Batman needed to pass along what information he had from Obiken on Clayface. The Commissioner was not on the scene.
With an inward sigh, the Dark Knight disappeared into the shadows himself and made his way toward Obiken's temple.
.
.
+++++
.
.
Catherine grinned sheepishly, after failing at hiding her expansive yawn.
"I saw that," Kir said, smiling.
"I'm not surprised. It could've been seen from across the bay!" She yawned again. "Kir, would it be okay if we called it a night? I'm really exhausted."
"No worries, Cath. I'm sure you've had as long of a day as I've had."
She nodded. "It's been a devil of one, yes."
"Perhaps we can get together again some time?"
"Sounds good, Kir," Catherine replied. "Like I said, this turned out to be a nice evening."
"I thought so too."
They crossed to the Jag. "Drop you off at the... uh, the Temple?"
Kir nodded. "Thanks."
.
.
+++++
.
.
Batman waited a moment before gliding down the cable and to the ledge of the temple where the open window awaited. Ben Obiken had been none-too-subtle to match Batman's entrance style. He'd have smirked if he weren't so annoyed with the Obiken's.
Realizing that Obiken would be watching for him, Batman advanced. The light in the room was gloomy which suited him fine. He could see more than well enough through the infra-red lenses that were installed into the cowl.
"Obiken?"
"Ah, Batman. Nice to see you again."
He did not return the compliment. "How did you know what was going to happen in there?" he barked instead. "You're in league with Clayface?"
"Batman, Batman," Ben said in the most compassionate of tones, "please. Use your grand intellect with me. I've saved your life. Assuming you do have family--"
Batman's eyes narrowed only slightly.
"--or even if you don't, you should be grateful to me." Obiken shrugged. "But then, I cannot assume your values on life are the same as mine so I retract that."
"How did you know what was going to happen?" he repeated.
"Under what rock have you lived your entire life?"
"What?"
"You heard me," he replied.
Batman stared.
When he failed to respond, Ben approached the question from a different angle. "Batman, from what I've come to understand, you are better versed in life energy, in understanding this energy's will, than you're willing to admit. You're an intuitive man, I know."
"I use logic. Science. Deduc--"
Ben waved a hand to dismiss his protests. "Which are all well and fine, and very complimentary to the intuitions I know you rely on."
He felt completely off-balance. Obiken was running the conversation to his tastes.
"Now, the question really becomes why, Batman, you choose to deny this side of yourself?" He gestured broadly with both arms. "There are no smoke nor mirrors to what I know, what I have access to, what I believe. I have simply chosen to consciously actualize where you've stopped short."
"You don't know what you're talking about," he said through gritted teeth.
"I have the nagging suspicion, Batman, that your issue with intuition and spiritually lies somewhere in your past."
The window was still open, Batman knew. One backward leap and he was out of the temple and away from this assault. One leap.
He waited.
"Thank you for the analysis, Dr. Arkham," Batman replied sarcastically.
"And thank you for the confirmation!" Ben said cheerfully. "Now, care to tell me what this issue is with you and spirituality. Or dare I use the 'R' word itself?"
.
.
+++++
.
.
"Look - an open window," Catherine remarked as she pulled up to the curb.
"That's weird," Kir said, following Catherine's pointing finger. "Even weirder is the fact that you noticed it and mentioned it."
"What's so weird about that? I'm observant." She shrugged.
"Evidently."
"What?"
"Nothing," Kir said, smiling. "You just don't know your own potential. That's all."
"Oh no! It's too late to get back into religion and being and all of that," Catherine protested, laughing. "Another time and you can... convert me."
"No conversion necessary. You just have to actualize to who you really are."
"Thanks for the fun evening out."
"You too." Kir climbed out of the car, then peered in through the passenger side window. "Talk soon."
They both looked up to the open but dim window.
.
.
+++++
.
.
"Say again?"
"I'll be more direct then. RELIGION, Batman. What is your aversion to it?"
Batman found the words coming from his mouth before he realized he was speaking. "I have my reasons. And yes, they do go into my past."
Ben nodded.
"I have my own reasons to doubt religion. What dogma I was taught has not held true. There is no caring God. It's only what you make of your time on Earth."
"So, what you are saying to me, Batman, is that instead of accepting that there is a source higher than you, you choose to play God?"
He gnashed his teeth. "I am not God. If I were God and if there were such a thing, I could make things right! I could save people."
"Insightful."
He frowned and looked away, angry for admitting so much.
"Batman, what would happen if you did believe? What then?"
His actions spoke, "I don't want to talk about it" as he flung himself through the window and into the night.
.
.
+++++
.
.
Catherine and Kir did a double-take. "That was--"
Kir looked back into the car. "Batman," she finished.
Catherine's mind was racing. Why was he up there? What had happened with Clayface? Was Obiken Clayface? What was going on now?
"I see," she mumbled, looking from Kir to the window.
"Maybe Ben had a chance to talk to the Batman himself!" Kir mused.
That's exactly what I'm afraid of, Catherine thought.