Disclaimer: Do not own… can I just skip this? It's getting too annoying typing that I don't own them all the time!

(A/N: From here on, since most of the action takes place in Gotham City, I will use a Batman: Beyond character. His name is Terri McGinnis. He is supposed to take Batman's place. But because Batman is dead, for this story's purposes, let's just say that Alfred the butler hired Terri to take Batman's place. Okay?---Good?---Good. Now that we understand each other, let's start the chapter!)

CHAPTER 7:

The Pyscho in Gotham

"Patrol time, Master McGinnis." –Alfred.

"Be right there." –Terri.

19 year old, Terri McGinnis placed the phone back on the hook in his family's apartment, where he lived with his mother and annoying little brother.

"I'm going out, Mom." –Terri called to his mom as he grabbed his leather coat and opened the door.

"Okay." –Terri's Mother called back, not even bothering to look from where she was engrossed in her soaps in front of the TV. Terri rolled his eyes at her response.

Once outside, Terri pulled on his jacket and hailed a cab. He sat down in the back seat and leaned his head against the glass of the cab window He barely noticed the quickly passing cars and people walking the sidewalk. He watched the lights flash by in a blur while he thought to himself, 'Can't this guy go any faster? Man, I wish I Mom would let me get my own car so I could drive!' (Hey, this sounds like something I would think!)

Then, out of nowhere, some guy, wearing a long trench coat and a matching hat, comes running into the road in front of the cab. The cab driver slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting him. The wheels of the car squealed in protest as they brought the cab to a halting stop just a few inches from hitting the guy in the road.

"Hey! Get out of the road will 'ya!" –The cab driver leaned out the window and shouted at the guy standing in the middle of the road.

Terri leaned out of his window and looked at the man standing in front of the cab. His eyes grew wide at the sight. This guy was just standing facing the car when he climbed onto the hood. The sharp sword-type thing seemed to just grow out of the hood from the engine underneath.

'This guy's crazy!' –Terri thought.

"What the heck did you do that for!" The cab driver berated the wacko standing on the hood of the car. But the mysterious man didn't even listen or answer the cab driver. He just pulled out something from inside his pocket and pointed.

!BANG! The cab driver's head fell backward to an impossible angle, and Terri could see that he had been shot right between the eyes! Right then, Terri got out of the cab and ran away. He had to make it to Wayne Manor! And soon!

'Something really weird is going on!' –Terri thought. Once he made it around a street corner, Terri glanced back to where the cab was. The man on the hood was gone!

Terri continued to run the last few blocks to Wayne Manor, which was located right outside Gotham. As he ran he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. The phone rang twice before Alfred answered the phone.

"Yes, Master McGinnis? Where are you?" –Alfred.

"I kinda ran into a setback. Something's happening downtown! I have to—

"I know. Everything is all set here." –Alfred.

Terri was once again amazed by how much Alfred knew without actually being told anything was going on.

'Does he even sleep like normal people at all?' –Terri thought.

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Richard felt himself running along the roofs of Gotham City. I haven't felt this concrete in a long time…

'This is where you belong.'

'But what about Jump City?'—Robin.

'Jump City doesn't need you. You belong here, with me.'

'Stop it! I won't listen to you!'—Robin.

'But you must.'

'Go away! Leave me alone!'—Robin.

'I will never go away. I will always be a part of you.'

'Stop!'—Robin.

'You will not stop. Who's going to stop you? Not Batman. He is dead. You killed him.'

'Shut up! I won't listen to you!' –Robin.

'You can't shut me out. I am always here, Robin.'

'Help me!'—Robin.

'There is no one to hear you scream. There is no one here but me, Robin.'

'Raven!'—Robin.

'She can't hear you now. Your little friends can't help you.'

(pause)

'What are you doing?' Richard saw his hand lifting the gun and pointing it at the unknown figure in the car. 'No! Don't—I won't let you!'

'You cannot stop me.' And Little J fired.

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"There!" –Raven pointed down into the streets of Gotham City from where Starfire held her in the night sky. Starfire landed on a rooftop and she and Raven ran to the edge of the roof.

"I do not see Robin." –Starfire.

Raven didn't answer. She was too busy watching what was unfolding below her on the street. A cab had to stop suddenly to avoid hitting a man in the road.

"What is happening, Raven?" –Starfire.

The cab driver shook his fist at the man in the road. But the man did not seem to hear. He hit the car with something. The cab driver just shook his fist all the harder.

"That man is a bad man!" –Starfire said, referring to the man in the trench coat.

Then, the man something that no one expected. He pulled out a gun and shot the cab driver. Raven and Starfire watched in horror as the driver fell back and the passenger in the cab took off.

"We cannot let him escape, Raven!" –Starfire flew off after the man in the trench coat.

"Starfire! Wait! That's—

Starfire did not hear Raven. She just flew after the retreating man who was jumping from each car's top down the road, his coat flaring out behind him like a cape. As the man ran, his hat fell off revealing black spiky hair. From inside his coat pocket, he pulled out another object and fired a grapille at a building up ahead. He swung up to the roof of the building.

Once on the roof, he heard a voice from behind, "Stop!"

The man turned around to face a floating Starfire, who gasped at the sight of his face, a hand extended, and his gun pointed at her.

"Bye Bye!" –Robin said to Starfire before firing.

But the bullet never hit its target. A black shroud enveloped the bullet in midair. "Nobody hurts my friends." –Raven.

"ooo… Nice trick, little lady. I applaud you!" –Robin.

"Shut up, Robin. You're coming with us!" –Raven.

"Only if you catch me first!" –Robin took off into the night, followed by Starfire and Raven.