I want to apologize for taking a little longer than usual to update this, but I had no acess to a computer what-so-ever, for days. Thanks to everyone for the reviews, and don't worry, you'll be getting the answers to some questions you've all had very soon.
Waller had set everything up, and things had gone off without a hitch. There had been a funeral for the late Bruce Wayne, a closed casket ceremony, and a tombstone had been placed besides those of his parents, and Alfred. Bruce had also made his debut into the public eye as Jim Smith, who would be changing his assumed last name now that he knew of his origins.
It had taken Bruce a few days to think of a name he could use, that no one would become suspicious, and he had decided to use the name of James Gordon, Barbara's father. While Batman and Jim had been good friends, Bruce never actually had. Bruce had owed much to the late commissioner; Jim was after all the man that had stopped the manhunt on Batman that had gotten the police to stop hunting him.
Jim Gordon was also the man that had tried to find the killer of Bruce's parents. And while Jim may never had found that man, Bruce had known that Jim had done his best.
"So Jim," Terry said with a smirk, "what are your plans now that everything is straightened out?"
"Not sure yet, though I do have some ideas. I've been thinking more about what you said some time ago, about the Bat becoming a curse, and decided it only becomes so when one is consumed by it. More than one Batman means fewer long nights, less danger, and a larger semblance of a normal life."
"Makes sense." Terry agreed. "Two Batmen means less work."
"Actually," Bruce turned away, "I was thinking more along the lines of three."
Bruce and Terry had recently found that, due to genetic altercations done with CADMUS technology to re-write the genetic code of Terry's father, that Terry was Bruce's son, genetically. This meant that Terry's younger brother Matt was also Bruce's son.
Matt McGinnis had the same potential Terry had, all that needed to be done was the honing of his skills.
Terry hadn't been particularly willing to listen to reason, but Bruce had eventually been able to convince him that Matt should know about everything, and then be given a choice.
Terry had told Bruce that Matt was particularly interested in antiques, it was something that reminded him of his father at first, and had escalated. Bruce knew just how to lure the young man into the Wayne Manor.
"So Ter, where is it?"
Matt had just entered the Manor, and it was Terry's job to get his kid brother into the Bat Cave. The grandfather clock, which just happened to be the entrance to the cave, was the bait Bruce had used to get Matt here, and actual Grandfather clock from the 1800's was hard to come by, and Terry had told Matt that he would let him have it if he wanted it, when in fact it was everything behind the clock that was being offered.
"Just follow me Tweeb." Terry walked from the entrance, to the den. He saw the way Matt smiled when he saw the clock. Terry didn't want to drag this on, so he approached the clock, opened the door, and then the second door. "Come on Bro', I got something much bigger to show you." He walked onto the staircase, and watched Matt tentivly do the same.
"A cave?"
"Not just any cave." The lights came on, lighting up the trophy room, the computer, the Batmobile, and finally, the costumes.
"No way."
"I'm afraid so Tweeb. I'm Batman, Bruce Wayne was the original Batman, and you just may get to be the next."
"Why didn't you ever-!"
"Tell you?" Terry interjected. "If you'd recall, I told both you and Mom that I was Batman, and you both just laughed. It isn?t my fault if you wouldn't believe me." Terry continued down the stairs, noticing that Matt followed closely behind.
"And now you want me to take over for you?"
"Not exactly, we felt that with enough Batmen, everyone could still manage to live normal lives."
"We?"
The computer chair swiveled, and there sat Bruce.
"Tweeb, meet Bruce Wayne."
"You aren't serious, Wayne was like, ancient. How-"
"It's complicated." Bruce interjected. "First off, there are some more pressing things that need to be explained."
Matt had taken things better than Terry had, he had been only six when his father had died, and he hadn't been seeing much of him before that because of his parent's divorce. He hadn't exactly warmed up to Bruce in any way, but then Bruce hadn't expected it either. While Terry had warmed up to the idea once he knew that none of it had been planned by Bruce, and that he too had not known, their relationship had grown, but that was because they had already known each other for some fifteen years. And, while Bruce had seen Matt a few times in the young man's life, the two had never really had a conversation that was any deeper than talking about the weather.
"You do realize that if you want to pursue the mantle of the Bat, you will have to be trained in both physical and mental means?" Bruce asked. Matt had seemed interested, though he had tried not to show it.
"Mental? How tuff could that be if Terry's been doing this?"
Terry gave his brother a small smack on the back of the head. "Don't forget Tweeb that I did get a degree in business, and am running one of the largest companies in the world. I also dumb down when I'm around others, keeps people from getting suspicious. I also happen to be an expert on thermodynamics, botany, horticulture, ornithology, and more."
That got the kid to shut up.
"That's not all," Bruce added. "You'll also have to learn how to fight. I'll be teaching you ten different fighting styles that I have perfected. Some of it is as common as boxing and karate, there will also be more complicated techniques, such as aikido and capoeria."
"That's a lot. I don't really know if I want to do any of this." Matt looked around the cave. "I did idolize Batman, and sure, I used to play games with my friends like I was him. But the real thing."
"I understand," Terry said, "you need time to process it all, then you can make a rationalized decision. Don't worry Tweeb, we won't force you into this, and we won't send you out till we know your ready."
Matt nodded. "I'll let you know."
Matt walked back up the stairs, and through the door.
"He took that okay." Terry decided.
"He's one of the smartest kids I ever met. All the other kids that found out had the suit on before I even knew about it." Bruce smirked, that had included Terry, but when it came down to it, his Robins and batgirls had all been self-assigned.
"It's different for him, he doesn't have much of a motive to do this. He was too much of a kid to want this after Dad died, he still had Mom anyway. He doesn't have to hurry to take it either, because he doesn't have a killer he wants to track down like most of your protégé's."
"True."
"So Jim, have you talked to Diana since she left?"
"No."
"Why not? You know you want to."
"Actually, I'm not too sure of that myself. Diana has been lying to me. Both about her reasons for having my youth restored, and how she convinced her mother to let her return to Themceria. Not only that, but she told me she would be contacting my, which I take to mean that she wants me to wait."
"Since when have you ever waited on something you didn't want to wait for Bruce?"
That was very true.
Maybe it was time he paid a little visit to the watch tower.
