Chapter Nine – Return Of The Dark Knight

Terry gasps in disbelief as he hears Bruce speak in his head again. This wasn't like the inner voice he had listened too before; in fact, this was coming from within the suit he was wearing.

"Bruce? Is that you?"

"Not exactly." The raspy old voice of Wayne replied. "I anticipated that you would return and downloaded this visual interface should you slip on the suit again."

"Visual interface?" Terry says questioningly. "What the heck are you..."

Suddenly his eyes go black and his vision is now faced with a wall of glowing green numbers, grid lines and scrolling data that seems to almost pull his mind in. As he stands there in a digitally created version of himself, so too does a green image of Bruce Wayne; the old man was looking just the same as he had left him.

"Sorry bout the drama. Guess I could have just as easily done this without all the graphics." He snickers.

Terry stands there in awe and looks at the computer-imaged man with confusion. "What is all this? Are you really here?"

"As I said before...not exactly. I programmed the suit to respond to any possible inquiry you might ask. There's not much time to explain, seeing how this recording only lasts for a few minutes. Terry, within this suit I've downloaded my brain patterns and the entire memory core of the bat computer. This suit is now capable to perform any task usually done in the bat cave itself. You can look at files, analyze chemicals using your finger tips and so on and so fourth."

"No way..." Terry gasps.

"If need be, you can download this whole thing into another computer should you not want to have only one version that might get destroyed. I highly recommend you do this." Wayne says to him as he raises his eyebrows. "Now comes the final question that you need to answer before we say our final goodbyes and my digital self becomes part of the computer matrix for good."

"What's the question?" Terry asks curiously.

"Batman...do you want to be him for the rest of your life? There's still a chance to turn away kid...all you have to do is take off this costume and leave it in the cave...then push the button. No more late nights flying around Gotham, no more risking your personal time or life to help the people and you can go off and leave here forever. As I said to you before in the cave, I won't think any less of you if you walk away...sometimes I wondered what life would have been like not being Batman...but I chose my path. Now it's your turn to decide Terry, are you in? Or are you out?"

Terry's digital imaged self gave a look of thinking the matter in his head, it wasn't too late for him to turn back, but thinking about the Jokers and his good friend Max in trouble...he gave the only response he could.

"I'm definitely in."

The image of Wayne slowly disappeared as the old man smiled at his answer; the bat symbol began to shine in his place as the green light outlined the entire shape.

"Good. You've been the best replacement I've ever had Terry...and here's a few things to help you along the way."

New images exploded out of the symbol in green and red, architectural and vehicle blueprints, weapons designs and other various schematics.

"I've decided to give you everything you need to start on your own, even a new place of residence in the heart of the city. I even put in the suit modifications you once asked me for, even though I wasn't sure it was possible. Funny how technology tends to speed up and get better every year. Whatever else needs to be made is up to you now...but just know that I am with you ever step of the way and that all that I have learned or studied is now in this computer forever. Good luck Terry...or should I say...Batman."

The costume eyes on McGinnis begin to open white again, with Bruce's voice echoing in his mind for one last time, he heads over to the old bat computer and looks at the switch. Gazing up at the cave one last time, he breathes out and holds his finger over the button.

"So much for one legacy...time to make a new one."

Pushing the button down, a red light flashes throughout the whole cave and a warning horn blares out across the cave. The drone computer voice speaks out as it gives the count down.

"Warning! Warning! Self-destruct activated! T-minus fifteen seconds to detonation...fifteen...fourteen...thirteen..."

As the countdown begins, Terry walks quickly towards the futuristic Batmobile that he had used during his time as the Dark Knight. But as he heads to the sleek black vehicle, he suddenly stops as he looks at the glass case where all the old costumes hang. It's a humbling experience to him as he looks at the former lives of all those who've come before him. Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl and even Batman himself are all about to be come a distant memory as the cave blows up. A smirk quickly comes on his face as he looks at Bruce's old outfit; the suit hangs there as if the man himself is standing proudly within.

The computer continues to count down.

"Ten...nine...eight...seven...six...five...four...three...two..."

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Outside the stately Wayne Manor, the quiet night suddenly erupts into a violent explosion as the house rips apart from the final count of the computer voice. The rocky cliff it sits on also bursts into fire as it suddenly gives way and begins to slowly descend into the water below. Like a missile being launched, the Batmobile comes streaking out of the cave as it soars into the night sky. The vehicle spins around in the air and hovers over the doomed estate. Nothing is left sitting on that lone cliff-face anymore, as if all traces of Wayne's life suddenly vanished in the matter of moments and leaving nothing but a smoldering ruin of where his home once stood. Inside the sleek black car, Terry watches the whole plot of land fall into the ocean and gives a solemn bow in memory.

"It's done Bruce. I hope I do you proud from here on out."

Flicking on a few switches beside him and placing his hands tightly onto the controls, the red-lit interior gives Batman a demonic look as his eyes squint at the view ahead of the city.

"Now then...its time to kick some Jokerz ass!"

The car zooms away from the explosion and roars into the city like a sonic jet making its way in for an attack. The car looks exactly as it has since Terry's time, not really needing modifications at all the car is still high tech for its day.

"Computer...activate locator on Max Gibson." Terry says in his Batman raspy voice.

"Searching...." The computer responded in Bruce's voice. "Trace link not found."

"Damn...where is she? Computer...give me a visual scan of Gotham and locate Gotham P.D."

"Searching..." The familiar voice replies.

On the windshield in front of him, a small holographic display activates and shows a detailed schematic of the city and of the area where the police are pinned down. Red blinking lights show the position of both the cops and the Jokerz standing off at one another from below and above.

"All units are currently engaged in a stand off at the old Wayne Memorial Hospital. Major weapons fire detected."

Batman's eyes squint down again as he grits his white teeth, they seem to peer through his dark costumed look as it shows his anger building up.

"She better not be dead...or so help me...I'll beat that smile off their faces for good!"

The car flips and speeds through the labyrinth of buildings, old road ways and joining skywalks as it rushes down to the lower levels in no time flat. Streaking across the city sky, people all stop to look up and witness the return of the familiar car that once graced Gotham before. Men gawked in awe at the sight, women tore to the windows to see the vehicle speed past and children chanted with delight, as they knew all too well who was in that one of a kind car.

"Go get them, Batman!!" Some of the kids shouted with joy.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

Pinned down below the hospital, the police continue to fire away at the heavily armed thugs raining laser fire at them. As more squad cars begin to blow up and all hope seemingly fading for them, a sudden roar of a jet engine makes them all look up at the sky and notice the Batmobile racing in.

"What the-?" A female cop says as she stares at it.

"No way?! Is that what I think it is?" The black officer asks.

The Jokerz all stop in their weapons firing and also notice the car coming towards them at high velocity.

"We got big trouble DeeDee!! With a capital 'B'!!" The one clown screams.

Both girls look up and give a worried gaze as they both share a thought.

"Oh..."

"...Crap!"

Inside the red-lit interior of the Batmobile, Batman uses the holo-targeting systems on the windshield and locks on to the building where the Jokerz are standing.

"Computer...lock on and fire!"

The car quickly flips open a side panel on either side of it's black outer shell and two multi-missile launchers come extending outward. The bombs come screaming out of the launchers and strike the building hard; the explosions rock the area as it nearly levels the building side completely. Fleeing for their lives, the Jokerz scramble to find cover from the fly debris. After the strike settles, Batman opens up the bottom floor and ejects into the air as the car continues on past without him driving. He spreads his arms out wide and a pair of his bat wings unfolds as it helps him glide to the building below. Landing perfectly inside the now exposed building, he folds his wings back into his techno-advanced bat suit and looks at the results of his work.

"Knock-knock." He calmly says in a sarcastic tone.

Many of the gang had been knocked out or trapped in some of the wreckage, but the two DeeDee girls slowly stood up from behind a battered office desk and gave a comical, all be it, nervous grin at that.

"Hey...Bats. Long time no see...ah...heheheh." DeeDee on the right says.

The other one nods and also greets him in the same manner. "Yah...you look...uh...good."

Batman walks in slowly and stares them down.

"I'm only going to say this once DeeDee so listen good...where is Commissioner Gibson?"

"You didn't say the magic word Bats!" DeeDee on the left suddenly laughs.

"Yeah! There are manners ya know...being rude just doesn't cut the mustard." The other one giggles.

"Wrong answer!" Batman growls.

The Dark Knight leaps over to grab hold of them both only to watch them split away from him on either side and try to kick him in the head. In a quick response, he ducks and rolls out of their way and snaps around with a pair of bat-a-rangs thrown directly at them. The girls managed to flip in an impressive acrobatic motion to avoid them and land back on their feet. Both women smile with their painted faces giving them the appearance of dolls with a demented look.

"You're not the only one to get better with age Batman..."

"Yeah...we're the new improved Jokerz girls! Now how bout a nice big smile!"

Both sisters suddenly run towards him in an angered state and growl as they prepare to give him a double fisted punch. Batman doesn't even bother to move as he simply turns his belt buckle and disappears out of sight. The women soon realize they're swinging into air and turn around to look for him.

"Oh no...not that old trick again." DeeDee states.

"We've improved on that too bats..." The other woman says as her eyes suddenly go light green. "I can seeeee you!"

The un-natural green glow of her eyes expose Batman's location not too far away from them. In her view, the special green eyes expose the outlined frame of Batman as he becomes aware she is looking straight at him. With her sister hanging behind to watch, the evil green eyed DeeDee somersaults in at the man with quick speed and snaps around to give him a foot across the face. Unprepared for the attack, Batman is knocked down as he gives a grunt from the forceful hit.

"Looky-Looky...Batman ain't so spooky!" The woman chuckles.

Standing back up and giving his mouth a wipe, Batman turns off his invisible cloaking device while shaking off the pain.

"Splicing? Or cybernetic enhancements? Trust me DeeDee...green is not your color." He says in his usual arrogant tone.

The girl growls at his humor and comes in to give him another hit, but this time he reacts much faster and manages to dive over her. Landing on his feet again, he turns around and throws a small black ball at her. The object ejects a large smoke cloud and causes her to lose her vision for a brief moment. Swinging away in the darkness, she did not notice that she had accidentally walloped her sister.

Batman snickered at the two women and stood there with his arms folded over.

"If this is the improvement...then you really have put a smile on my face."

DeeDee apologized to her sister and helped her up. Both women were furious at the costumed hero and now rushed in with more acrobatic stunts as they moved in for the kill. Watching their timing and studying them carefully, Batman simply brought both his arms up and clenched his fists. Small slits opened in his black arms and a massive sonic pulse blasted into the clown women duo causing them to be hurled away like rag dolls. As they flew across the devastated room, they finally hit the only remaining cement wall and collapsed from the impact. Batman lowered his arms and patted his suit.

"Thanks for the upgrades Bruce...Sonic Bat Pulse was the best idea yet."