Mark Rivers
Flyn Dillon
One of them is Payback
Now to figure out which one
BATMAN BEYOND REVISITED
EPISODE:
PAYBACK PART 3: INTERRUPTED DATE
"Mark Rivers and Flyn Dillon?" Dick asked.
"That's what Irem said."
Dick nodded as Barbara typed away on the Batcomputer.
"Mark Rivers was orphaned at age ten, diagnosed with cancer at fifteen. Despite how unlikely it was to survive, since it was too late to cure it, he managed to get through it and keep going up to now. He currently works as a preschool teacher." she read out.
"Him being a teacher means he loves kids. So that could be why he's out protecting them. The suit could be to enhance his strength, so despite his health issues, he's not hindered at all. It'd make him stronger, actually." Dick contemplated.
"You could use a suit like that, Grayson." Inque joked.
I chuckled and Dick glared at both of us.
We shut up, but I looked at Inque and she looked back, both of us sharing a smile.
I was excited for tonight.
It will be my first time in years going out as Jake instead of Batman.
Inque is worried that it'll look suspicious for me to be out on a date with Batman's partner, but I assured her that people are too smart to assume that one of Batman's partners would only date Batman himself.
"Focus you two." Barbara bluntly said, causing us to snap out of our dazes, making us realize we were staring at each other for the last minute or so.
I blushed and Inque awkwardly looked away.
Dick sighed. "You two need to be more professional."
"Sorry. So, Barbs, what do you have on Flyn Dillon?"
"He appears to be retired. Married. No kids, though. Was in prison for a short while after being caught using a special type of hallucinatory Slappers called Trippers. Not much different from LSD, except more common and far more lethal. Lucky he got rehabilitation when he did, or he'd have died."
"No kids? He could be using his whole protecting kids shtick to fill some hole in his life. And he has been to jail before so I doubt he'd be too fazed to go back."
Dick nodded in agreement and looked at me. "So, Batman, which are you going after? You can't go after one without alerting the other. Also, whoever he is, he's too powerful for either of you to take him on alone."
"Neither. Not tonight."
"What?"
"I have been patrolling Gotham and going after criminals every single day for a whole year. I'm taking tonight off to go on my date with Inque that you knew that I planned."
"No we're not. We're too close to catching this guy to slack off now."
"I've done everything I could to help this city so far. I deserve a day off."
"Fine. But you're responsible for anyone killed tonight."
"He rarely kills, so I'm not worried."
Dick frowned, but shrugged his shoulders and turned around, watching Barbara work on the computer.
"Let's go then." Inque smiled enthusiastically.
I just wore a traditional black suit with a white tie for our date.
Inque, however, looked beautiful in her dress. Absolutely stunning.
Despite being partly liquid, she was still able to wear solid clothing.
Can't wear make-up without absorbing, it though. But she didn't need it anyways. She looks gorgeous without it in her long, sparkling blue dress that looked absolutely fantastic on her.
"What do you think, Jake?" Inque asked as she walked down the stairs.
I couldn't help but stand there with my mouth wide open.
Inque rolled her eyes.
"Don't drool, Vance. You don't want to ruin that tuxedo."
I quickly looked away in a small bit of embarrassment.
Inque just sighed and kissed my lips.
"Relax." she said as she pulled away. "It's just a date. Nothing to get nervous over."
I kissed Inque back and nodded, taking hold of her hand.
"So, shall we go eat?"
Inque grinned and took the lead, nearly pulling me down with how fast she moved towards the limo waiting outside.
Once we got in and buckled up, I called out to the driver where to go.
"Electric Diner, please. The fancy one in the Rich District."
"Sure thing." The driver called back.
Things were going well as we rode to the diner, Inque's head on my shoulder, my hand holding hers, with romantic music playing over the car speakers. Things were fantastic tonight. Finally a peaceful night.
Or it was peaceful...
Then the limo crashed.
We both fell out of our seats and I hit my head on the floor, certain that it gave me a concussion.
I was also certain the driver was dead.
Inque, however, wouldn't have been hurt. She's been hit by worse in training and barely felt a thing.
"Why didn't you kill him, Inque?! I spared his life so you could end it!" I heard from outside.
It was obviously Payback.
The voice was enough to give it away, even if he hadn't shouted out exactly the same person I brought to the hospital as Batman was the person they assaulted in the exact same way Payback did.
I pulled myself out of the limo to see him standing over Inque, with one of those new laser nightsticks. Looks like a weapon right out of one of those old movies. I couldn't recall what they were named, though. It didn't really matter.
He was about to scream at Inque for answers again until he looked at me and backed away.
"J... Jake Vance?!" He asked in what sounded like complete shock.
That got me confused.
How does he know who I am?
But then I realized Payback wasn't a he when she took off her helmet.
My eyes widened.
I couldn't believe who it was...
"Mom?!"
I'm so happy to say that this story is now the very first Batman Beyond fanfic to have a TVTropes page! :D This so exciting!
Also, I bet you all love the plot twist at the end here, huh? Don't worry guys, it'll be explained next chapter. ;)
