Dark Tomorrow
I do not own any of these characters, this is just me rewriting a show that has many plot holes in it that I think we can avoid if people put more effort into explaining them. That and if the writers don't make the female characters egotistical, like Kate Kane and Iris West.
Just a heads up, this has nothing to do with Batwoman or Kate Kane, I wanted to try something different and actually bring a Batman into the CW Show, but we all know if the CW actually did have Batman in the Arrowverse, they'd screw him up royally.
Hope you enjoy this!
Date: September, 5th, 2013
In front of a tall building with a sign that says, "Gotham City Police Department", and in front of the building is a spotlight with a symbol of a bat.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, "The Mayor of Gotham, Hamilton Hill, comes in front of the crowd with the Bat Signal behind him, shining bright in the sky."Tonight is about reality, about accepting the truth. And the truth is that Batman is not coming back."
Many people in the crowd looked conflicted and beaten, but somehow they knew that he is right. There's no point denying it.
He continues." We have evolved beyond that time. Tonight, we shine the signal one last time before we close the chapter and begin our new one" The Mayor informs the crowd. "Take a glimpse at it, knowing that we will no longer have Batman to look over us. From now on, we will look after ourselves, no longer holding out for the hero that shall never rise again," The crowd of people goes silent before the Mayor shuts it off completely.
A young man looks on at the symbol being put away. He looked saddened. He wears a suit with a black tie, along with brown shoes.
He remembers when that signal was in the sky when the city had seen darker days. But he feels that there's no need for Batman anymore since most of its problems are fixed. All is well.
But we will never forget how that signal and Batman inspired him throughout all those years. Never.
"Drake? Drake!" A man's voice called for his attention. He got out of his head and turned to a woman and relaxed. She's a good cop, a hard worker, and a friend.
Beside her is an overweight man in a suit and fedora. He reminds Tim of a detective from the 1900s. He's lazy and his fingers are always found with donut glaze, but he's good at his job and has a good heart.
"Commissioner Montoya. Harvey." Tim smiles at them.
The Police Commissioner chuckles. "Very funny, Tim. Just stick with Renee."
Tim nods "Gotcha, just a fun poke." He says before his attention turns to the Signal, "You gotta admit; It feels weird not having him around." He gestures toward the Bat-Symbol making them all turn to uncomfortable silence. "I can't believe it's been three years," Tim mutters.
Harvey waved his hand dismissively. "Ah, we can handle our problems without that guy. Who needs him?"
Tim takes that into account but agrees. "Yeah. Who needs him?"
Renee then asks. "Okay, you guys are becoming a real snooze fest. How about we get a drink or something?"
They all agreed and they head down to a bar called the Stacked Deck. Renee and Bullock both get a strong beer while Tim gets a coffee. They roll their eyes fondly at Tim's coffee addiction, but Tim pays them no attention.
Tim says, "So, how's things going for you guys in the Departments,"
Bullock's the first to respond. "Not much going on. Not like the old days."
Renee takes that in. "Can you guys believe that Gotham's been peaceful for three years?"
Tim sips his coffee. "I can't. We don't have to worry about question marks being spray painted on walls,"
"Y'know," Bullock takes a swig of his beer before saying, "You could've worked with us. You would've been a great addition to the force."
Tim shakes his head but is flattered. "Thanks, but I like what I do."
"How's that going for you?" Renee asks.
"It's going well. Drake Industries has created affordable housing in Crime Alley and other areas of Gotham. But we still have lots of work ahead of us."
"As long as it gets my landlord off my back, then you have my support." Bullock jokes, making Tim laugh while Renee agrees with him.
He hears a car honk behind, instantly recognizing it. The car is a limo and the driver is a much older man with white hair.
"I gotta go," Tim pays for his drink. "This was fun. We should do this again when we're not busy."
Both Bullock and Renee agree as Tim walks outside to meet this man.
"Master Tim." He opens the door for the young man, entering the car.
"Thanks, Alfred." Alfred drives the car away from the bar.
"Shall we go home?" Alfred asks Tim.
Tim nods and Alfred drives the car to a tall manor with a golden gate blocking the entrance with the letter W at the center. Alfred puts in the code to open it and after parking the car, they go inside the manor to reveal a grand ballroom that has way too much space.
The manor is scattered with so much history and memories that Tim and Alfred feel nostalgic every time they walk up a corridor. The place has 7 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, a dining hall, a study, a billiard room, a gym, a lounge, a workout room, a movie theater, and a pool outback.
"Shall I make dinner, Master Drake?" Alfred offers.
"It's okay, Al. I can make it. You can get some rest."
"Should I remind you of what happened the last time you tried to cook?" Alfred smiles nostalgically as Tim groans. "All you had to do was cook a frozen pizza and you–"
"Ended up burning it, along with the oven." Tim finishes his sentence. "I was sixteen at the time and I've matured now," He pushes him down on the couch. "Just relax and I will handle the cooking."
Alfred was unsure, but he knew he was defeated. "Fine. But if you need help, I know you will…"
"I will call out for you!" Tim called out as he walked into the kitchen.
After Tim makes spaghetti with meat sauce, he puts some on plates for both him and Alfred and sets them down on a table.
Alfred comes in, looking impressed. "It appears you have learned from last time."
"I'm full of surprises." Tim puts the food on the table, along with a coffee for him and Alfred.
"Thank you, sir."
"Alfred, we've been over this. You don't have to call me 'sir' if you don't want to." Tim politely tells him.
"Unfortunately, I cannot. As I am the personal caretaker of the Wayne Estate and you are the adopted son of Bruce Wayne, the Wayne title falls upon you, making you my employer and the master of this house." Alfred informs him.
Tim shakes his head. "I don't want to take advantage of you, Alfred. You're more than just a butler, you're the only family I have right now."
Alfred is touched by his words and smiles brightly. To Alfred, Tim Drake is his surrogate grandson.
"You've never taken advantage of me. You've always tried to take care of me when it should be the other way around. I apologize, sir, but me referring to you as 'sir' or 'Master Tim' is something you will have to get used to."
Tim knows he's right and he starts eating.
"Besides, it's not just me you have. There's also Ms. Gordon and her brother," He reminds Tim before wondering. "How are they doing, by the way?"
"Good. I'm gonna be visiting them Friday during lunch if you want to come." Tim offers.
"I can't wait."
They both eat their food together, enjoying each other's presence and company. After eating their food, they decide to go to bed.
The next morning, Tim Drake gets up and puts on a suit and tie, along with nice shoes. He heads downstairs into the kitchen to see Alfred walking through the door with a box of donuts in his hand.
"Thank you, Alfred." He grabs his favorite donut, strawberry, and does his tie. He turns to Alfred.
"How do I look?"
Alfred smiles at him proudly like a grandfather. "Like a real estate owner making Gotham's home affordable."
He shrugs. "Eh, good enough."
Alfred chuckles to himself and gives him a mug. "Your morning beverage."
Tim enthusiastically grabs the mug from Alfred. The coffee Alfred prepares puts every coffee shop to shame
"I gotta go." Tim tells Alfred as he fixes his suit. "I'll call you when I visit Babs!" He walks out the door and gets in a car. It's a Chrysler 300 car. He drives it out of Wayne Manor.
He drives throughout the streets of Gotham City and views the people as they go through their everyday lives, such as walking their dogs, chatting with friends, and holding their offspring's hands in the morning. He feels affection for the city he tries to help as he grew up here.
He stops the car in front of a two-story building with a sign that reads, "Drake Industries". Before walking in, he straightens himself and gets into 'Proper Employer' mode. He walks into the front entrance but doesn't greet anyone. He's never really been a conversationalist.
He walks into his office and gets to work.
A black car drives into an estate that reads, "Arkham Asylum" and the drivers and passengers shudder. It's a godforsaken place, surrounded by misery and madness. The walls are dark and uncleaned, describing hopelessness to thoughts who enter the madhouse as a patient. But the tall building displays fear and blood to those who are employed there. From the Doctor who wishes to help their patients to the janitors who mop the floors.
Three men in black suits step out of the car. One of them says, "I never wanted to step foot in this hellhole."
"You and me both, Jeremiah. Let's get this over with." The other man says before looking around, missing a man. "Where's Francis?"
"Hey, guys!" The man named Francis called them over to a cemetery. It displays many graves. "Get a look at this."
Francis directs their attention to one in particular; The tombstone reads 'The Joker. R.I.P.' However, someone carved a message that wasn't implanted in the tombstone by the makers; It read 'Who's laughing now, crackhead?'.
The men laugh at that last part.
"Goddamn freak. He got what was coming to him." One man said.
Another agrees. "Indeed, Francis." But his thoughts came back to him. "Gentlemen, we should focus on the task at hand. You know how he gets,"
Jeremiah agrees. "Of course, Davis."
They left the deceased's memorials and walked to the doors. They're locked. Francis finds a call button. He presses the button and a voice asks, "Hello?"
"Hi, we're Mr. Falcone's attorneys. We have an appointment to keep."
"Got it. Letting you in." The doors click and they know it's unlocked. They enter and they thank the gods that the inside looks better than the outside. It's cleaner and it's a waiting room with chairs and games to fill the time.
"I'm relieved that we don't have to go deep in this place. Do you know what that Scarecrow guy did two months ago?"
Jeremiah's question wasn't answered because a man walks in front of them. He sports a suit and a walking stick.
"Gentlemen, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Warden Sharp. We spoke on the phone." He shakes the hands of the attorneys. "Shall we?"
The three of them nod as Warden Sharp directs them down a corridor.
"I assume you have the paperwork?" Francis asks Warden Sharp.
"Indeed. Carmine Falcone has been a model patient. I see no reason not to allow him parole." The Warden tells them his thoughts.
Jeremiah smiles gratefully. "I'm glad you think so."
Warden Sharp returns his smile and they make their way to a room with other people in professional suits. On the other side of the table sits an old man in a uniform that has the Arkham logo on the back of the shirt. He has a smile on his face that's very gentleman-like but also looks like he had anticipated this moment. Like he knows the outcome.
Tim Drake comes down the stairs of a nice that has staircase going up. On the left is a living room with a chimney and on the right is a kitchen and dining room. The house has furniture in it and the floors are wooden.
Tim Drake sits on the staircase and says, "There are bedrooms upstairs, one is a master bedroom that connects to a bathroom while the other one is a standard. The house is fully furnished."
A young couple follows him and is impressed.
"Well, I for one, this house is great. The bedrooms were huge!" The husband exclaims.
Tim chuckles but notices something. "You don't seem impressed, Holly."
The woman named Holly quickly protested. "Oh no, it's a wonderful house. I just think it might be out of our price range."
Tim nods. "Understandable. So what is in your price range?"
The couple thinks to themselves. "I would say somewhere around $30,000."
Tim nods. "Okay, so how about we split that in half and make it cost $15,000?"
The couple is surprised, making Tim smile. He stands up and walks to them. "What do you say?"
The couple takes a glance at each other and it's like they both know what they're thinking. The wife speaks up with an excited smile. "Okay! Deal!"
Tim clasps his hands together. "Splendid! I'll get the paperwork and we'll meet in my office." Tim tells them, to their agreement.
When he's around Alfred, he feels like that 16-year-old kid that first arrived at Wayne Manor but when he's at work, he's a respectable and a damn good salesman.
A man is an outback a house, looking at a pool with clean and clear water. The pool is surrounded by evenly trimmed grass and a beautiful garden consisting of tulips and roses. A waterfall is also present as water leaks out of rocks and the water falls into the pool.
The guy asks, "How deep is this thing?"
Tim Drake comes up from behind him and says, "About Eight feet, Mr. Mulic. Of course, we have steps and levels to avoid drowning for younger swimmers."
The man named Mr. Mulic approves. "Does the pool come separately?"
Tim is ready to impress him again. "No, it comes with the house. No extra charge." And the man becomes impressed. A deal is made.
Tim Drake is in a different house with a husband and wife, along with their two daughters. They are all in the Living Room.
"The furniture comes with the house, along with the 20-inch screen. It comes with the basic channels."
The husband asks, "Do you think you could show us?"
Tim nods and he has a good feeling about the deal as he turns on the TV to Gotham City News.
"Hello, Gothamites, Jack Ryder here," The family thinks the speakers are a great addition to the house. Tim tells them, "Bluetooth speakers with great sound that you can turn down if it's too loud."
Then, something catches Tim Drake's ear. "A shocking revelation happened at Arkham Asylum where Carmine Falcone, a convicted Crime Lord, has been approved for Parole."
Tim stops in his tracks and forgets that the family of four is in the room and stares at the screen, not believing what he's hearing. He was put behind bars for a reason.
"He was considered a model patient and his lawyers, who will not be mentioned, believed he served his time, along with Warden Quincy Sharp."
One of the girls asks, "Who is he, mommy?" The adults don't answer back as they stare at the screen, conflicted that this is happening.
A man sits in his chair, staring at his TV screen, listening to the news. He too is hearing the revelation that Carmine Falcone is getting out of jail.
Another man walks over to behind his chair. "Boss, what do you want us to do?"
The man in the chair gets up and is fully revealed – He wears a white suit, polished shoes, and a black mask that conceals his face.
"We'll proceed as planned. This makes things better for us, ladies and Gentlemen!" The man in the black mask calls out to people.
They are in an underground base. The people he calls out to are all wearing different types of masks. Some men are loading weapons onto trucks and others are loading trucks with drugs.
"We'll take over the Falcone Crime Family right in front of Carmine and all of Gotham will see the fear…that the Black Mask creates!"
Author's Notes: I'm gonna be completely honest with you guys, I have no idea how Real Estate works or how people get Parole, I'm just writing what I do know. So, I apologize if this isn't accurate to the American Justice System or Real Estate rules.
If you are wondering, yes. The disappearance of Batman and the death of the Joker will be resolved, but all in due time.
Black Mask was, arguably, the best thing in season 2 of Batwoman. I found him terrifying and the perfect villain for that season. So, I'm placing him in this story, while also trying to create a new rogues gallery and challenges for Tim Drake.
Expect one chapter a week because I have not written the entire thing yet and I still need to write some things out. The cast will be posted at the end of the story.