Warning! This story is rated M for mature. This story contains adult situations, strong language and gore.
I am posting this special writing due to the graphic description of gore and related issues.
Please do not send me any angry e-mails
Warning
Disclaimer: I do not nor would I ever claim to own or control anything about Batman or anything created by Bob Kane. Anything that resembles Batman or anything related to Batman is the sole ownership of those involved. Since I was old enough to go to the local theater and watch the black and white serials of Batman, I have been transfixed by him and his world. I read and researched him and all those he came in contact with. I hope I can bring to the readers a enjoyable adventure, and something new to a character I love.
WARNING!
Memories
The light switch was hard to find in the dark, but Memories managed to flip it on. The warehouse he lived in came to life as power pulsed into it. He staggered in, blood dripping from a massive chest wound. "Son of a bitch…you fucking arghh." He fell against a table which slid out from under him. He sat there a few minutes dealing with the pain. "I'll see you dead, fucking Batman; you just had to get in the way." Forcing himself to stand, Memories pulled his mask off and flipped it to a nearby table, and fell into a chair. As he did, his foot hit his laptop on the floor. The computer came to life with his image on a motorcycle then of him shooting it. Memories looked away and smiled. "She is dead; no way could she have lived. She bled out all over the place." He looked back at the lap top and kicked it closed. "Only two more to go, and then Jack my friend you will be mine. And your death will be so slow, so slow." Memories stood and pulled off his top. He screamed as the chest wound opened again. He clutched his chest. Blood seeping thru his fingers, "Pain is of the mind…and the mind can be controlled." Memories grabbed a box of gauze and began to treat the wound.
Bruce walked quickly to the pictures on the white board. He grabbed the magnifying glass and looked closely at the picture of Jack Napier. He motioned Alfred over. "See, it's covered in blood but his face is smudged clean. But…under the pictures is a triangular spot that's clean as well." Alfred concentrated and saw the small spot. "Yes, and that tells you what?" Bruce side stepped and pointed to a triangular spot of blood on the clean picture. "There is the blood that was picked up from one picture and transferred to another." Alfred could easily see the small triangle of blood on the clean picture. "What caused it?"
Bruce smiled as he picked up Shamus. "His nose!" Bruce petted Shamus and sat down. "You said I had cat hair on the ears of my mask. The cat never got near my mask…but Memories grabbed me there. He had cat hair on one or both of his gloves and I think, since he is an ego nut, he stuck the cats face on the pictures." Bruce let the cat loose and stood. Shamus trotted to investigate a huge penny leaned against a cavern wall. Bruce concentrated on the clean photo, and then removed it from the frame. Placing the photo on the scanner, he brought to the monitor, the face of Memories.
Joker walked through the night. He only knew of one more person who he dearly loved. And if he knew it, so did Memories. A hooker stood in an alcove to stay out of the rain. Joker saw her and smiled as he slipped up on her unnoticed, "Hello sweetie, I don't suppose you have a cell phone I could use a second?" The hooker was about to return a smart comment but stopped when she turned and saw the Joker. She didn't make a sound as she handed a small phone to him but could not stop herself from staring at his face. Joker caught her looking. "What my smile? He turned his head slightly, "I'm just one happy mother fucker." He dialed Rocko and arranged a pick up. With a slow sensual hand, his eyes on hers, Joker pulled the silk blouse open and dropped the cell phone between the hooker's breasts. She turned away from him, not saying a word, praying he would leave her alone. Quite frankly, he scared her to death. Jack moved away and she let a sigh of relief softly out. It took an hour, but Rocko arrived and picked up his boss.
Memories stood looking at photos he had taken. "He will be here and the other there. And Batasshole will have to come this way and park here." Memories turned and walked to a large bowl filled with water sitting on a table. He dipped his hands in it and splashed his face, or what was left of his face. He looked at the gapping maw where his nose and top lip should have been.
He remembered the torture, the constant persecution. He was eight and had been at the home a year. He loved her; she was perfect she could be his mother. His real mother had tossed him from a moving car as they passed the Home. He tumbled and struck his face on the curbstone. The doctors could do nothing but remove damaged tissue and bone that had fragmented. But she was there all the time, checking on him, holding his hand. Then when he returned to the home, it all changed. She had no time for him; she was always with the others. She was his, she was his new Mom. She ignored him; she would pay with her life someday.
And then there was Jack. Never a moment of peace, no rest he thought as he made his way to where the wall mirror was. The entire time making jokes about his face. When the home got enough money for a prosthetic piece, Jack stole it. When he found it, it was smashed. Three others followed, all to be destroyed by Jack. When he finally got a useable one, the worst thing had happened. He sat with a beautiful girl named Pauline Mitchell in a park. She was breathtaking, his face was normal to her, he was in love. But one evening, Jack appeared with some of his friends. While the friends grabbed his arms and held him down. Jack grabbed the girl, she screamed, but Jack held her firm. "Go ahead; pull it off, let her see." A hand grabbed the device and ripped it free. She screamed and screamed shaking as Jack forced her face to his deformity, then he turned her loose and she ran as fast as she could away without a look back. He shut his eyes for a moment in pain of that memory, and then smashed his fist on the table below the mirror. Yeah, he would make Jack pay, pay dearly for all the trouble he had caused.
Memories gazed in the in the mirror. He reached for the device he wore. It was made of iron and thick rubber. Carefully, he snapped it to metal rods imbedded in his skull. "Tonight, Jack, it's over."
Bruce used a computer program to age the photo then printed a copy of the original and of the one he had aged. Alfred looked at the back. "His name is Millard Carter." Bruce looked at the photo again. "The only person I can think of Joker would want to protect other then Harlee, is Bart Peetey." Alfred's eyebrow rose. "Bent Nose B.Peety, why?" Bruce stood and pulled a fresh suit down and began to put it on. "He and Joker grew up together, they formed the Black Mohaska gang and he helped Jack when he was known as the "Red Hood". He bails Jack out all the time and still hides him if I am looking for him." Alfred retrieved new equipment for his friend. "Besides, if Memories doesn't show, I know Joker will." Batman swung his cape around him and climbed into the car. Alfred waved as Batman pulled away. "Good luck sir."
Joker walked into B. Peetey's Bar. The business had seen better days but it was a living now for a retired gangster. As he entered, Joker laughed as several drunks saw him and stood and exited quickly. "I still can clear a room!" Bart stood behind the bar sweating, a monkey wrench in hand. "So you don't give a hug to an old friend!" Joker screamed. Bart dropped the wrench and laughed. "Jack you pasty faced chump!" The old gangster limped around the bar and hugged his old friend. Joker hugged his pal and tossed off his coat. "What's with the wrench?" Bart pointed to the drain under his sink. "Damn thing has leaked over a week, I can't afford a plumber. The place just doesn't get customers like it used too." Joker sat at the bar and sighed. "Yeah, you remember when you and I beat the crap out of Harvey Dent?" Bart laughed and coughed. "Yeah I only hit him on his good side of his face." Bart handed Joker a long neck beer. "What's wrong Jack, you look down in the dumps, and with a mug like yours that aint easy." Joker sipped the beer and told Bart what was happening in his life.
Batman cruised up an alley a block from Barts. He reached to his side and retrieved a pair of binoculars. As he did, the photo of the two dead children caught in the gang war fell to the floor. He looked at it and slid it under the seat. He brought the specs to his eyes and concentrated on the bar. He could make out Joker through the window and what must have been Bart. As he watched, something got in his line of sight. He lowered the binoculars and saw Memories standing in the street. He was looking at the bar, then slowly turned and looked at Batman. With exaggerated motion, Memories pointed his finger up above Batman. Without opening the canopy, Batman turned his head and saw a truck balanced on the roof of the parking garage he was parked next to.
Memories pressed a small button on a remote in his hand. A small charge detonated and the truck fell. It crashed on top of the car and crushed the canopy, remaining on top in an awkward angle. Memories laughed and dropped the remote. He then picked up two M-16's and walked to the bar.
Joker watched the truck fall on Batman's car. He laughed and reached in his pocket and grabbed a notebook. He wrote some notes and laughed. "Damn, I should have thought of that." Bart watched over Jokers shoulder. "Is that the punk been hassling you?" Joker nodded. Bart limped to the bar and grabbed a Thompson Machine gun. He tossed it to Joker and grabbed another for himself. Joker caught it and smiled. "Old Emily, god I missed you so, and still as clean as ever." Bart pulled back the cocking bolt and grinned. "Well, if the chump wants a fight, we give em one." Joker laughed out loud. "Hell yes, like old times." Both men aimed and opened fire through the window. Memories took cover and returned fire.
Batman was pressed against the center console. Above him, the truck shifted and made a grinding noise. The canopy was an inch above him and straining to hold the weight. Pushing his hand free, Batman tapped the touch screen on the forward console. The screen lit a moment then displayed a computer generated over view of the car. As he looked at the screen, the reflection formed his father. "Why are you doing this son?" Batman no longer feared the image, now he was angry. He looked at the picture of the children which had slid out from under his seat, then back at his father. "Because someone has to." The image smiled, and vanished. Batman tapped the dash area of the image. The screen changed to a view of the cockpit area. On the image was a steering wheel logo. He tapped it and a remote steering screen came on. Searching with his left foot, Batman found the jet engine ignition switch.
Memories emptied magazine after magazine into the bar. In a moment he would be out of ammo. He retrieved a small grenade from his pocket and pulled the pin. Holding the activator spoon, Memories waited till the shooting died down. Joker and Bart held their fire waiting to see what Memories would do. Joker heard the window crash as a grenade bounced in front of him. Bart dove pushing Joker over a table a moment before it exploded filling the entire bar with debris. Joker coughed and waved his hand to clear some of the dust away as he regained his footing and saw his old friend lying in a crumpled heap, dead. He walked over to his friend and dropped to his knees. Holding him, he watched as Memories walked in.
The jet engine's quick start canisters flared causing the jet to scream alive. Batman adjusted the conical exhaust for maximum power. He elbowed the throttle arm upward to full thrust. The alley behind the car lit up pink, as JP-4 jet fuel burned. Garbage cans and debris flew everywhere. The car lurched forward, the truck still on top. Batman controlled the steering and aimed the car at Barts bar. The jet reached its full thrust and Batman found himself rocketing down the street.
Memories pulled his mask off as he slowly walked towards Jack. Joker saw the deformed face and cackled laughter. "Well well, if it aint Millard, I see you got a new face, funny I did too!" Memories didn't smile. "Still the joking chump, but again, it's not your time to die. Soon, very soon." Joker lowered Bart to the floor and stood, brushing himself off. "You pansy ass, you couldn't take it then, and you can't take it now. Hurt everyone I care about but no guts to deal with me." Memories aimed the assault rifle at him. Joker slowly reached up and placed his hand on the flash suppressor of the muzzle. "You better shoot me in the head." Joker raised the barrel, and touched his joy buzzer to the metal. A bolt of electricity shot down the gun and knocked Memories backwards. Joker laughed. "You where always a sucker. What a dimwit." Memories shook his head and regained his composer. "Not yet, clown, there is still one more." Memories turned to leave and his eyes widened in terror.
Batman controlled the steering as best he could. The car was moving faster then he anticipated and it careened all over the road. He had his foot on the brake but if it would stop, that was the question. The jet fuel was almost exhausted and he needed to get to the bar and not stop short. A pot hole caused the car to jar, and the canopy gave way a little more. Batman was now pinned in place; his foot was all he could move. At the last moment, he stomped on the brake and the car screeched to a stop. The truck flew off the roof and hurled into the bar.
Memories screamed as the truck crashed through the bar door. He spun to move but the truck hit him knocking him into the air. He landed on top of the bar and fell behind it. Joker pulled the notepad from his pocket and scribbled on the notes. "Figures, oh well, it was a thought." Memories struggled to his feet. His arm and chest burned in agony. He screamed at Joker. "You will die you bastard, I promise!" With a grunt of pain, he ran through a back door. Joker turned as Batman entered. The harlequin of hate slowly fell to his knees and held his friend Bart. Batman shook his head. "Its over Jack, I will deal with Memories and your going back to Arkam." Joker slowly stood, he was sad and not in the mood to argue. As he did, Rocko and several henchmen arrived. They piled out of the Toyota and ran into what was left of the bar. Joker motioned them to stop. "Harlee is she …ok?" Batman took a deep breath. "She will live, she lost a lot of blood, but she is tough." Joker almost fell in relief. "Look, you and I, we have had our differences, you and I are like symbiotic. I am chaos, you are cohesive thought. We can keep doing this and the asshole will keep getting away. I have a deal for you Bat's." Batman was about to speak, then Joker told him the deal…and Batman listened.
Memories struggled to control his Harley Davidson. He almost fell off as he drove into his warehouse. Stopping the bike, he pushed the kickstand down and climbed off with a scream of pain. "Oh god, it hurts, oh shit!" Blood was now dripping from his chest wound and he knew he had several broken ribs. He moved to a table with a folder. Opening it, he looked at a photo of a man in a business suit. "Last one and it will be the best one. Jack if you only knew!" As he closed the folder he heard a noise. Whirling he faced the Dark Knight. Batman walked from the shadows, his photo from the boy's home in his hand. "Hello Millard, its time to go to jail." Memories tore the mask from his face. "How? How the fuck did you find me?" Batman dropped the photo and pulled a pair of Smith and Wesson handcuffs out. "I have connections, trust me. You did everything to cover your location but I knew you had to get around somehow. So I had Officer Alcott arrive at the area of Barts bar early. She saw your motorcycle and put a tracer on it. Kind of dumb to register it with handicapped plates in your name."
Millard shook slightly as his anger exploded. "I will die before you will take me anywhere." Batman listened to the sound in the air. "Hear the siren, that's your ride to your new home." Millard spun and ran to a window. As he did Batman ran after him and tackled him. They both crashed through and fell into the river as rain poured down on them. Batman had no time to do anything as Millard pummeled him. Blows hit him all over as Memories frenzied to get away. Batman was now under water with Millard kicking him and he had to do something. Reaching his belt, Batman activated the slide mechanism. A Tether cannon slid around from the small of his back and into his hand. He had one chance and if he missed, he would drown.
Millard screamed as he tried to get away. "I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!" Batman fired the cannon. The bronze trident hook sped through the water and hit a piece of dock. Batman grabbed Memories and held him tight. The auto retract motor of the tether pulled them both rapidly through the water. Memories was blinded by the water as he gasped for air. Batman shoved him upward the dock hit Millard in the face knocking him out cold. The Dark Knight slid under the wooden supports. Batman hit the quick release and floated to the surface. As he floated, he saw Memories sink beneath the water. Batman dove under and grabbed him. His weight was dragging him and Batman under and he didn't think he could save him. Suddenly, hands grabbed Memories and Batman and hauled them both out.
Officer Alcott and an army of police stood on the docks. Batman looked at her. "Thank you." Alcott smiled. "Let's just say I owed you." Batman watched as several police personnel carried the unconscious Millard to a police wagon. The Dark Knight nodded to them as they drove off.
Batman walked down the hall in Arkam. Millard walked next to him in high security chains. Millard laughed. "I will be out in no time, I am insane and no prison will hold me. I talk to the shrinkin two weeks and when I do, I will be out of here. Maybe get me a nice cell at one of those resort prisons." Batman smiled. "Well that's two weeks, and I hope you get the help you need." A guard opened a high security cell door. Batman shoved Millard inside. "By the way, meet your roomy." Millard staggered into the dark and saw the silhouette. Joker screamed with laughter. "Hi roomy, we are gonna have fun, lots of fun!" Batman walked away as he heard Millard scream. Over the screaming, Joker yelled. "You got a deal Bat's hell yes you got a deal!"
Batman sat on a roof top. The city was quiet with no more gang wars. A call from Joker to certain gang leaders and it was all over. No gang leader in his or her right mind would cross Joker. A deal with the devil he had made. But a deal he could live with. Millard went to the doctor's crazy, and this time he was crazy. Joker had that sort of effect on you.
Batman made his way back to the cave. He went to his desk and pulled off his mask. He looked down at a file he had found at Millards warehouse. The file was of a young man living in New York. He looked like a business man and had a small home in upper state. Batman saw the resemblance in the mans face. With a thoughtful look on his face he wondered what to do about it. Did he have the right to keep such information from Joker? Did this man need to learn something he may regret? Batman knew this was the last victim, the last Memories would kill. He slid the folder in a safe and closed it. He would let sleeping dogs lie and some memories fade away.
The city would sleep. Safe for now…and the legend lives on.
I want to thank my friends Debbie and her daughter Chris for all their help in my story. Without their support, I would never have written this. I took many liberties in this story and I hope Batman fans will not be offended. To the late Mr. Bob Kane, thank you for all my…memories.