Terry took a bite and chewed, he was about to swallow when a newscaster came on. "This just in, a statement has been issued from a terrorist!"
"Greetings Gotham, the name is Biohazard!" Terry stared at the new villain, forgetting to chew or swallow. He was dressed in a green suit, with two black bands around his upper arms, and he wore an old-fashioned looking biohazard mask, Terry had seen the masks on old movies about terrorist threats during the early Thousands, apparently people had taken to wearing them after the announcement of a chemical warefare threat. " I know you all got a taste of my new virus, I hope you like it! Giving it the kids, not very nice I know… but kids do love their school lunches." Terry remember the piece of food and spat out the nugget, sending up a silent prayer of thanks that he hadn't swallowed, maybe he'd escape the worst of the effects. "I have here, an antidote. But well, giving it away for free, just isn't my style. I want Zander, leader of the Cobras, dead at my feet! Then you will have your antidote!" The news clicked off.
"Zander?" Terry had a flashback to the cold hearted boy who had turned into a T-Rex, and had then died in a fiery crash, that had also taken Terry's Sensei. "Guess this guy isn't up on his news..." Terry said, slumping into a chair. "I wonder why he wants Zander… Something about that guy's voice, it sounded familiar. Do you still have all the tapes recorded from my suit?"
"Sure, but there's hours and hours…"
"Is there anyway to do a voice match? If I know who it is, maybe I can track him down."
"That could take awhile, and I'm worried we don't have the time."
"I know, but I want to go see Matt."
Bruce just nodded, his young protégé had started taking charge more and more. He was proud of him. And he could loose him.
"Terry!" His mom stood up when he came into the Clinic and through her arms around his neck. "Terry, your burning up!" She said, feeling his forehead."
"No, I'm fine, I'm just worried about Matt."
"Terry, everyone is sick, how could you not be?"
"I didn't eat those nuggets today, can I see Matt?"
"Yes, he's sleeping,"
Terry went into the room and took a chair and sat next to his little brother. He stroked his brother's forehead gently. The room was crowded with other patients, some cried for parents others feverishly moaned and tossed and turned. He stood and looked around, looking at Biohazards work and felt his gut twisting anger and rage. How could someone do this? To children! To get back at Cobra? There could be one person…
His phone rang and he answered it, "Terry, I found a match."
"I already know,"
"How's Matt?"
"He's not going to die. Not if I can help it!" Terry hissed. He kissed his mother goodbye, told her he was going to see Dana. She looked hurt, as though Terry should have been sitting vigil by his brother's bedside, not rushing off to see his girlfriend.
"Matt's going to be okay, I promise." Terry said, and then he was gone.
Terry slipped into Dana's hospital room though an open window, her father had managed to get her a private room, "it's amazing what money can do even in a crisis," Terry thought, but he was glad for the privacy, he was dressed as Batman, except for his facemask. She was asleep, dark hair spread out over her pillow. Her stats indicated a high fever. Bruce had started to yell at him, but Terry had ignore him, and Bruce had let him go. Bruce knew that this could be Good Bye, and held his tongue. With the girl's high fever, it seemed highly unlikely she would even remember the incident.
Terry went to her bedside, and knelt down, so he could lean against the bed and cover the tips of the red wings. He gently stroked his girlfriend's hair. She moaned and opened her eyes, "Terry," her voice was soft, the circles under her eyes made them look like impossibly deep pools of black.
"I'm here Dana," he reached out and took her hand.
"Terry, I'm scared."
"Me too," he rested a hand on her cheek. "But I promise everything is going to be okay." He stroked her dark hair away from her forehead, until she drifted back into her restless fevered sleep, he was sure she would remember nothing of his visit, it would be like a dream. It was probably better that way. He dropped silently from the window and into his plane. He had to find False Face.
