Batman Beyond
"Homework"
By Amos Whirly

Part Two

Batman landed solidly on the ledge of the Murray Building, scanning up and down the street with sharp eyes. His black costume shone in the artificial street lights. He tapped the side of his head with one finger.

"Wayne?"

"I'm here, Terry," Bruce's voice sounded slightly less dark over the receiver – though no less intimidating.

"Are you sure about this call?" he asked. "I don't see anything."

"Keep looking. The signal came from the near proximity of your location."

"And it was a distress call?"

"Yes."

A scream suddenly echoed through the air, and he whirled around, eying a young woman racing down an alleyway. A figure chased after her.

"See something?" Bruce's voice sounded oddly amused.

"Time to go to work."

Batman leaped off the ledge and caught an air current that carried him quickly to the alley floor. The moment his feet impacted, he started running. He rounded a corner and jumped into the air, slamming brutally into the back of the dark figure. Batman grabbed the man's shoulders and flipped him bodily to the ground.

The man uttered a shriek of insane laughter as he hit and kept laughing as he lay on the alley floor. Before Batman could kneel down to question him, the woman flung herself into his arms, sobbing.

"Thank you, Batman!" she cried. "He was going to kill me!"

She was sporting a bloody wound on her hand. Though concerned for her, Batman took her shoulders and moved her out of his way.

The man had gotten to his feet and threw something round at Batman's feet! It exploded and filled the alley with green, choking smoke.

Batman grabbed the woman by the waist, unfurled his red wings, and fired the boosters in his boots. They sailed above the noxious cloud of smoke.

The man had disappeared.

The woman was still sobbing against him. With a heavy sigh, he spotted a police car by the side of the road. He set down gently and waved at the officers, who immediately ran toward him.

"The police will take care of you," he extricated himself from the woman's hold.

"Thank you, Batman!" she cried again, still in near-hysterics. "I just can't believe he would do something like that."

"Did you know him?"

"Well, yes," the woman nodded.

"How?"

"He's my chemistry teacher."


The doorbell rang. Dana sat up and listened, cocking an eyebrow.

"Surely it wouldn't be Terry," she muttered, sliding off the bed and walking downstairs.

She checked her reflection as she passed the hall mirror, though, just in case. She was wearing a pair of loose black sweat pants and a blue midriff shirt. Her hair was pulled up on top of her head.

She hurried down the stairs as the doorbell rang again, and she peered through the peephole. A sudden sense of uncertainty washed over her, and she scowled. She made sure the chain on the door was fastened, and she opened the door.

"Dana Tan?"

"Mr. Daniels?" she addressed the middle-aged man on her front porch. "What are you doing here?"