The Batman Casefiles

#1

July 1, 2003.

I stepped off of a plane today in Gotham International Airport.  I haven't been in Gotham City for exactly ten years on this day.  I've been to a lot of other places, and I can safely say that I liked them all quite a bit better.  But for ten years, since the moment I set out, I knew I'd be coming back; I knew this day would come.  And now, here it is; Gotham's prodigal son has returned to the city that spawned him.  But now I'm prepared to do a lot more for this city than I would have dreamed possible.  Because the dank, rotted streets of Gotham have spawned another son.  A Bat.

Bruce Wayne, with a laptop computer case slung over his thick, powerful shoulder, stopped to let Alfred Pennyworth catch up.  Alfred, as he always did, insisted on carrying both of their bags.

"I'd really be happy to take those off your hands, Alfred," Bruce said, watching the older man struggle to hold on to them all.

"It's no trouble at all, Sir." Alfred said, with his thick English accent.  Finally he got a firm grasp on all of the luggage, and they began walking away from the gate.  Soon they were intercepted by a man in his fifties.  He wore thick glasses and had gray hair almost lighter than his brown skin.

"Lucius!" Bruce said when he saw him.  Lucius Fox, the acting CEO of Wayne Enterprises, slapped a bear hug on Bruce as his two attendants took the bags from Alfred.

"I haven't seen you in a long time, Son.  It's so good to see you!"

"You too, Lucius."

"Where do you want to go first?  Dinner?"

"I think I'd like to go home."

I suppose it was overly optimistic to call it 'home.'  I hadn't lived in Wayne Manor for fourteen years.  After my parents died, 'Uncle Lucius,' Dad's vice president, had become my legal guardian, and I had lived with him.  But only for four years.  When I was fourteen, Lucius gave up trying to be the parent he wasn't, and passed me off on Alfred, who was the closest thing I've had to a father these last ten years.  That despite the fact that he insists he's some kind of servant.  Archaically refers to me as "Master Bruce."  Although, that sense of servitude worked in my favor.  I didn't have to convince him to take me all around the world; I told him my plan and he did it.

But despite his tendency to do what I asked, more like a grandfather than a father, he still was very good at keeping me out of trouble and raising me like my father would have wanted.  I hope my father would have approved of what I'm going to do now.

 

Continued…

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