CHAPTER 60:
"Nightwing's Infiltration"
Nightwing was able to move through the Manor unmolested, clocked in the RCT, the refractive cloak technology.
After depositing Duela Dent in the Den, and releasing Wally West and the rest of the guests, he proceeded with his mission.
He had a strategy to deal with the situation, and left the rest to Wally. The way he went about things was with a little cloak and dagger. And after taking out one of Riddler's men posted in the Study, he stealthy took the staircase down to the Batcave through the secret access behind the grandfather clock, and made his way to the cave.
Here he observed a few things: Jake Handles was sitting in a chair in front of the Batcomputer, typing, the large screen separated into parts, filled and computing algorithmic data on a new form of his Sub-Harmonic Shock Disruptor. Riddler had his feet up on a table reading a book, he couldn't see the title. Stephane Brown was shackled to the floor, with Alfred, the cat, in her arms. How he got down here was a mystery only solved by a cat-like mind. And last, but not least, Tim's wrists was secured to a wall with metal brackets or makeshift clamps, trying, and unsuccessfully due to his situation, to avoid being hit by Enigma, Riddler's daughter, throwing water balloons at him, striking him both in the face and chest.
Poor Tim, he thought. He had already been through a lot. Much like they all had recently.
Enigma was a surprise. Dick hadn't seen her in quite some time, and last thing he knew about her was she as in jail due, in part, by her irresponsible antics and murderous tendencies. He also heard a rumour that her own father had punished her for something and severely. An attempt that left her hurt, rumoured hospitalized. But nothing was confirmed.
But apparently all had been forgiven if she was here at her father's side. She was a psychopath after all, like her father. To forgive: divine; to evil-align: a psychopath's prerogative.
He moved about unnoticed under the protection of the RCT.
Momentarily, not watching where he was going, and/or seeing his own feet, Nightwing accidentally bumped into one of Bruce's workbenches. Riddler looked up from his book and seemed to stare straight at him, but it was the workbench he was looking at and all its would-be in-progress gadgets. Nygma cocked his head slightly, seemingly at nothing. If he only knew that he was gazing at a person hidden from normal sight…
But then he turned to Jake Handles, ignoring the immediate scene.
"Mr. Handles, while I am enjoying my book I took from the Wayne Library, I insist your efforts to recreate your pet-project with the Batcomputer be hastened. This is but one reason you needed access to the Wayne Manor, is it not? To use Batman's sophisticated computer? Soon, the soldiers will begin to stir above, and we must depart."
Handles seemed to sigh at Nygma's worry, but he kept typing on the Batcomputer with formulas that would make even Tim envious.
"This can't be rushed, Nygma. My computations are delicate. My computer back on Treasure Island had everything I needed already set-up before it was destroyed; what is left is inside my mind. I need to build the correct algorithmic data and then transfer it to an exterior drive. Only this computer can handle the necessary progresses in best order. So, you need to wait. Enjoy your book."
Nygma appeared to think. "It marches on, waiting for no one. You can't feel it, and yet it can weigh heavily on you at different parts of the day. You feel it quicken at certain moments and yet often lag at others. What am I?"
Enigma opened her mouth as if to speak, but Nygma silenced her with a finger.
"I don't have the patience for your riddles right now, Nygma," Handles said with a huff. "I have serious work to do."
Time, Nightwing thought.
Nygma frowned. "Time, Mr. Handles. And my time is precious." Nygma took his feet off the table, and straightened his back, carefully bookmarking the page of the book he was reading. Then: "To further that, as I recall, Duela Dent has not been seen or heard from in quite some time," he said. He looked to Handles. "Should we inquire why?"
Jake Handles finally swivelled around in his chair, looked to Nygma. "More than likely she is having some more fun with her tied-up guests." He chuckled. "Nightwing may be on the loose, but he cannot venture down here. Your men will stop him, fully armed as they are. And I have other means, and others whom share my goals, whom I have hired to secure things topside. With Jason Todd, Roy Harper, Damian Wayne, Stephane Brown, and Timothy Drake, incapacitated, my old rival wouldn't dare try anything stupid. Or, his previous bride-to-be will fall to the sword." He looked introspective. "However, Arkells may poise a problem. Luckily, I found one of Timothy Drake's EMP devices that will render him inactive if he tries to interfere further with my plans."
After hearing that, Dick thought of Arkells. At the moment, he had no idea where Arkells was. But he did know Jake was mistaken about Jason and Roy, they now free. And they had no idea that Duela Dent had been taken out, or Damian and Barbara were safe. Besides, even without him, the rest of the family could take care of themselves. His main concern at the moment was down here.
"Sufficed to say," Nygma went on. "Duela has been gone for far too long without word. I wonder if something untold has happened? Enigma, stop playing with the poor lad, or he may catch his death down here."
Enigma threw a water balloon and it burst in Tim's face, stinging him, obviously, after impact. Water saturated everywhere. His hair and clothes were already completely soaked. There was no telling how many balloons Enigma already thrown, but she had a bucket full of watery ammo set on the floor.
"Aww, but I was having fun, Pops!" she whined. "I mean, Dad."
Nygma acknowledged her correction with a nod. "Have fun on your own time," he said firmly. "I originally thought of torturing young Timothy for information, what tidbits he may reveal about the Wayne finances, but then thought it fruitless, and allowed you to have your fun. Where did you get those balloons?"
"I had a package on me for, you know, just because…"
"Of course you did." Nygma left it at that. "I want you to go topside and look for Duela and then report back."
"Oh, goodie!"
"And no vulgarities! I am aware how you two look at each other."
"Oh, c'mon, Pops!" She used the term now in anger. "We're both young, it's our time to experiment."
"While it is open practise these days and acceptable in social norms, do it on your own time, be it a simple faze, or other."
Enigma pouted, and then said: "Oh, poo!" She left, using the secret elevator.
"Your daughter is quite a handful, Nygma," Handles remarked, then returned his attention to his work. Nightwing figured, with Jake's brilliance, he managed to hack his way into the Batcomputer and through its may firewalls with ease. "Breaking her out of prison was probably not easy. But a father's love trumps all, as they say."
"Enigma is indeed a handful, and the last time we were together, I punished her for acting out. She then ended up in jail. But you are correct, despite being precocious, she is my blood." Nygma returned to his book. "I prayed for a son, and got a daughter. I believe the universe is punishing me for my career choice…Women and their emotionalism."
Nightwing smirked. Yes, some women had their moods…Strike that. All women have their moods. Barbara included.
What Duela had said to him about "someone who appreciates the real me and shares my passion for what I love to do; a true enigmatic sort of character" came back to him. So, Duela and Enigma is a relationship, eh?
He ventured out of the main area quietly, even tip toed in places where the metal grating may echo the sounds of his boots, and made his way to the enclosed back sections, away from prying eyes. Here, he deactivated his RCT, and made his way to a back area. Once more, he found Bruce placed in a stasis chamber, just like Arkells had previously done when he pretended to be Batman, and just before Dick had discovered the ruse.
Just then, Arkells appeared like a ghost in the night, startling Nightwing, using own form of RCT.
Arkells smirked. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," he said.
"No problem. What are you doing down here?"
"After I de-wrangled Roy and Jason from their predicament imposed on them by Duela, I helped with things on the roof—the last I saw them they were using a zip-line to get to ground level. I think they had their gear stored in Roy's car? Then I came down here to look for Tim and Steph, thinking, maybe, you may have also found your way down here, too? Looks like I was right."
Nightwing nodded. "Glad to know Roy and Jay were found and safe. What do you mean by de-wrangled?"
"Oops, slip of the tongue. Nevermind. That's in the vault, I was told to never, ever speak of it."
Nightwing looked at him serious. "Arkells, out with it. No secrets."
"Crap, Jason and Roy are going to kill me for this." Arkells then explained what he meant.
Nightwing was stunned, but then he put his hands to his mouth and tried to mask his laughter with gloved hands. "Oh, that's funny," he said, after a few more laughable moments. "I can use that against him for years to come."
So, that's what Duela had meant when they spoke, he thought back. But he knew both Jason and Roy weren't like that. They had a good relationship both in and out of the Outlaws.
Nightwing then said, "Listen, Arkells. I have to ask a big flavour of you." He put a hand to the stasis chamber, feeling the glass canopy of the chamber, as if it was the most precious thing in the world. "I need you to be Batman again. You have the ability."
Arkells mouth dropped. "Me? Why me? Bruce is right there! Let's just release him."
"We could release Bruce, but it would take too long to explain everything to him. Who knows when he was placed in the stasis chamber and how much has transpired since then? The awakening process can disorient a person. I know it may sound cold, but it's best to just let him stay like this until things are better resolved."
Arkells eyes him suspiciously. "Is this some sort of ego trip? When I was Red Robin, it didn't slip my notice there was definitely some animosity between you two. We all knew you two don't see eye-to-eye on a few things and it showed on many occasions."
Nightwing mentally gasped. "No, absolutely not," he said, a little too defensively. "There's only one Batman. When I suited up as the Caped Crusader, when Bruce was feared dead, people did say I was a better Batman. I was faster, sleeker, and more dynamic. But there were an obvious differences in our fighting ability and criminals took notice. And to tell you the truth, I hated every minute of it. I had to bulk up, the suit was too heavy, and Damian was ever a thorn in my side. He'd bitch and complain about everything."
Nightwing then put a hand on Arkells left shoulder. "This is your time to shine, Arkells—Tim. Your time as Batman was met with restraint, you weren't ready. And there was a reason why I didn't ask for you to be my sidekick. You're my equal, Drake. You've really come in your own. Now that you've matured and grown, and an adult of your younger self, I feel you take on this role. And you being me was a testament to that. You even tricked Jake. And that's a feat in its own rite." He saw hesitation in Arkells, a sense of worry and insecurity. "I need you to do this, I need you to fight with me, Arkells, as the 'Dynamic Duo' once more."
Arkells smiled humbly. "You know, I've always looked up to you, Dick, as a mentor, and a fatherly figure. Bruce is, well, Bruce is Bruce, if that's even an explanation." Nightwing agreed wordlessly. "After this is all over, I think I'm going to take some time away, and think about my life. I'm alive, whereas I should be dead. That makes all of us Batboys who have supposed died, doesn't it?"
Nightwing chuckled. Putting a finger to his temple, hinting at what could have been. He wondered, in some other universe, that the shot that was supposed to have kill him, somehow did penetrate his brain, and forced him to become amnesic. And, in the same universe, some person or people, were taking up his mantle—just like that time when he was just emerging from Spyral, and the group that called themselves after his namesake, that paid tribute to the original one.
Strange to think about it, but it was not out of the realm of the possible. A lot of people respected what Nightwing did, especially in Bludhaven. There was even on cop, who was probably a detective now, who knew his secret, from way back when Dick was in the Bludhaven Police Department, who would probably do exactly that and take up his mantle, if the need caused for it.
Zak, that was his name. But his last name eluded Dick for the moment. And he could trust Zak to keep his secret.
"I came that close, didn't I?" Dick said. "Kind of puts life in perspective. That's why I'm doing something about it with Barbara. Enough time has been wasted with our on and off relationship. Stretching my wings with other women only for the relationship to fall short, wasn't working. And Barbara has always been number one. It's about time I show her how much she really means to me. As for you, the past is the past, so, if you think leaving because we already have a Tim Drake on the team is a reason, then please don't go. But if your reasons are for something else, to gain a new sense of self, then you have my number. Call me anytime."
Arkells leaned in and hugged him. "Thanks, Dick. I wish you had adopted me instead. I bet things would've been much different."
Dick gave Arkells a few pads on the back. "You can talk to me anytime if you have a problem," he said, "and I mean, anytime."
Arkells broke the hug and wiped a tear from his eye.
"Let me give you some advise before we go." Dick put a hand to his chest. "I'm not a practicing Christian, but I do believe in the premise forgive and forget. But, when all else falls, close the curtains, set your butt on the couch, turn off your phone, stuff your mouth with popcorn, and watch a good movie, to push your woes away."
"They Live?"
"One of the best!"
To be continued...
