It's been two years since Terry McGinnis was possesed by the alien symbiote named Venom. Two years since the war that broke out in the streets of Neo Gotham between what the media dubbed-Bat Venom, a gang of Jokerz, and even the Justice League Unlimited.
It's been two years since the death of Warhawk, Aquagirl, and Big Barda. Superman and Kai-ro continue to watch over the world-recruiting new heroes as they are needed.
Over the two years, Terry McGinnis has learnt a troubling secret-he is the technical son of Bruce Wayne. The night where Jokerz broke into the house of Terry & Warren McGinniswhile Terry was out with longtime girlfriend-turned fiance, Dana Tan...was engineered by a maniacal sociopath-possibly more dangerous than even The Joker. The woman responsible for many deaths, for the deaths of Andrea Beaumont, Selina Kyle, Alfred Pennyworth. For blinding and nearly paralyzing Dick Grayson, for nearly killing Bruce Wayne himself.
Amanda Waller-and Project Cadmus.
During her time as Government Liason to the Justice League-she began to respect the Dark Knight-and admire him. She decided that as Bruce Wayne got older, Gotham would forever need a Batman...and thus began Project Batman Beyond
Now-with Amanda Waller out of prison, with the JLU nearly destroyed-and the Venom symbiote resting in the Metro Tower, Amanda Waller has a new posistion. Dean of the Neo Gotham University for Genetics Research. But now-Gotham City has a new threat on their hands...a new evil will be reborn,
The rest...is future history.
TURNING A NEW LEAF
"I know I have alot to answer for when I visit the Good Lord one day, but I hope that the good I do here as the Dean of the Neo Gotham University for Genetics and Bio Research will aid in the betterment of Neo Gotham!"
"This was the scene today infront of Neo Gotham U-as Amanda Waller-the woman who was just released from prison just six months ago-has landed herself a job as Dean of the Neo Gotham University for Genetics and Bio Research. Ms. Wallers previous ties to the notorious Cadmus genetics project made her a perfect canidate for the new program" the newscaster says as the TV turns off.
"So, do you think Waller has really cleaned up her act?" Terry says-standing behind Bruce's chair.
"She's been out of prison for 20 years, and given us no reason to doubt her motives. I'd like to think she has Terry, I really would" he says-staring into the screen. "Keep a tab on her on patrol." Bruce adds-as he sits back in his chair.
"So It's settled then?"
"Yes. Once I re-assume control in Wayne-Powers from Paxton, I will back Project Cadmus 100"
"Good, Cadmus thanks you..." Amanda Waller says-before hanging up the phone.
"Dean Waller! Dean Waller!" a voice calls from beyond the office.
"Come in." she says smiling.
"Dean Waller, the experiment, I...I think we uncovered something big!" the man says frantically.
"What?"
"The Fountain of Youth?"
"Interesting..." she says as she gets up and heads out the door and heads down the hallway. Upon entering a large white lab-she smiles. "Fountain of Youth?" she says as she looks over some data sheets.
"Actually, It's based off of the Lazarus Pit that my team discovered in Cairo not too long ago." a voice says from across the hall. Except-specifically for you Ms. Waller-we added our own touch to the chemical matrix." he adds-before being wheel'd out in a wheel chair.
"Derek Powers. That was quick." she says.
"I was already on my way dear." he adds-coughing. "As you can see-my radioactive bloodstream has taken more of a toll on my body as you can see.
"Yes. A thirty year old Billionaire tycoon in a 100 year old body. How tragic. Why did you bring this to me?"
"Because only you have the ability to make this work. Only you know how to syphon the radioactivity that courses my veins-and combine it with the chemicals that I brought you to recreate the Lazarus Pit." he adds as Waller smiles-and escorts him into another room.
"What's in this for me?" she asks.
"In return, Amanda, I will destroy Batman-and the rest of the Justice League."
"Interesting concept." she says. "Let me show you something you'll have to use once this is all said and done." she adds-opening up a hidden door-revealing a black and green suit-with a pure black mask. "The Conduit Program is a nanotech warsuit Cadmus secretly worked on during the last encounter with the Justice League-over fifty years ago."
"Yes?"
"It enhances strength, speed, stamina. It also shoots radioactive energy whips from the gauntlets on the arms." she adds with a smile. "And-thanks to a gift from the Repeller-and Wayne-Powers-the ability to fly without expending any energy. It also features an energy gun-and a special kryptonite beam-just incase you run into Big Blue" she adds.
"I like it. Let's get this done with Amanda." he says with a sinister smile.
"So far the University has been quiet Wayne, her apartment too." Terry says-standing on a rooftop watching the Neo Gotham University. "Maybe she has turned over a new leaf." he adds.
"I still don't fully buy it. You didn't go through what I went through with Cadmus. She took everything away from me. She tried to destroy the Justice League-and then tried to destroy me personally."
"I know, I know. She killed your lovers, she killed your butler."
"She took my family." he snarls-as Terry shuts up.
"Hey Wayne, I think something's going down." he says as a small explosion can be heard in the faint distance-and a large metal truck comes screeching down the road. "Got to go." he adds- diving off the roof and activating the suits flight capabillities. Landing on the roof of the truck-he steps down onto the hood-and fires a batarang through the glass-causing the drivers to spin out of control and crash. The two Jokerz inside crawl out-and pull out weapons-before sprinting at Batman.
"Terry! Come in! Is it Waller?"
"No." he says-dodging a right hook and throwing the Jokerz into the wall. "Just a pair of Jokerz trying to rob a bank, nothing major. It's pretty qui-----" he says as the truck blows up behind them.
"TERRY!" Bruce yells.
"uhh..what the hell was..." he is cut off again-as a metal tentacle grabs him by the throat-and lifts him into the air.
"That? Why Batman...that was me." a voice says-sending a surge of electrical current through the tentacle-throwing Batman back to the ground.
"Who..."
"The name...is Conduit." he says-grabbing Batman again with his bio mechanical tentacles-and sending another electrifying shock through them. He chuckles as he the nanobots forming his mask pull back "You might remember me...Blight." he adds.
"Oh no..." Terry says-before being thrown back by a burst of energy. I've been made stronger, faster, better than anyone. Even Superman."
"Oh really?" a voice says-as Superman flies in-spearing Conduit into the side of a building. "Are you okay Batman?" he says.
"I sent a distress beacon to the JLU." Bruce says over Terry's comlink.
"Thanks." he mutters-as Conduit uses his energized tentacles fly out of the wreckage-and pull down a support post for the overheard monorail.
"Oh no!" Superman exclaims as he quickly tries to remedy it by welding the support beam back together. He then flies toward Conduit-but is blasted by a heavy green light.
"NO!" Terry yells-slowly getting to his feet as Conduit steps out from the ruins.
"She was right..this Kryptonite laser WOULD come in handy!" he quips-firing blast after blast of concentrated Kryptonite at Superman. Batman then throws a batarang-and hits the kryptonite laser-shattering it. "NO!" he yells-firing another tentacle at the throat of Batman-who uses a new razor blade that comes from his gauntlets to cut the tentacle in two before getting shocked. "Damn you!" he exclaims-firing a series of red energy shots at Batman-before Batman throws a series of exploding Batarangs at him-disrupting his shots. He shrugs the explosions off-and flies into the sky as Batman tries to catch his breath and check on Superman. A bright light is seen in the sky-as Conduit grabs a car-and fires a mass of energy into it-turning it into a near atomic bomb. "Nothing will stop me!" he yells-hurling it back toward Gotham streets.
"Oh fu---" Terry begins-as a giant green net is erected above them. The green net wraps its self around the car-and hurdles it into space-as Kai-ro-the Green Lantern-floats to the ground.
"I thought you could of used some assistance Batman." he says-scanning Superman's body.
"Will he be okay?" Batman asks.
"Kryptonite poisoning. We'll take him to Metro Tower and he should be better once we get some treatments in him." Kai-ro adds. "My ring doesn't scan Conduit anywhere in the vicinity. He must of retreated." He adds-using his ring to lift up Superman and fly back to JLU Headquarters.
"Go with them, make sure Conduit doesn't strike the Tower." Bruce says.
"Gotcha." he replies-flying off to follow the Green Lantern
"This might be the start of a whole new nightmare." Bruce says-as we see him sitting back in his chair in the Batcave. "I pray not though."
"The scanners indicate that Kal-El will make a full recovery." Kai-ro says.
"That's good news. Why'd you come rescue us?"
"Bruce activated the JLU Distress Beacon. I only did what I was meant to do."
"But after the way I acted? The way I walked out on the league."
"We all have had our demons to deal with Terry. The Justice League does not hold grudges. Were that the case, your mentor would of never made it." he says-hoping to irk a smile out of Terry. "The League is a very different place now." He says as he leads Terry down a hallway. "Warhawk, Barda and Aquagirl were all killed a few years ago in a battle with..."
"The symbiote...and it's all my fault."
"Do not blame yourself Terry." Kai-ro adds, "You were not yourself...You were under control by that...thing." Kai-ro says, adding a smile to his otherwise stoic demenor.
"Huh? What happened?" Dereck Powers says-waking up from what appears to be a deep sleep.
"Very good work Mr. Powers." Amanda Waller is heard saying-as a team of scientists work on something behind her.
"Huh? Did the transfusion with the suit go well?" he asks.
"Yes Dereck." she replies-as she turns on a screen to a newscasts of the battle in Neo Gotham. "Not since the Battle for Bludhaven have I seen such destruction from a single force!" she exclaims with a smile.
"I..I don't remember anything. All of this. What?" he mumbles.
"Yes, the side effect of merging the alien technology with Cadmus nanotech does have that effect."
"Alien Technology?" he asks-worried.
"Yes." she replies. "Do you remember-several years ago when The Batman was consumed by an alien creature?"
"The symbiote?" he says.
"Yes. We managed to obtain a sample of it before it was confiscated by the Justice League-and destroyed." she says solomnly. "For years we've researched it. Worked with it-molded it into what Cadmus dreamt for it. We combined it with nanotech that we confiscated from the Dark Heart experiments, nanotech that hadn't been destroyed by Lex Luthor and Brainiac. From that-we worked our way to what you see before you. The first ever symbiote / nanotech hybrid war suit!" she exclaims.
"Then why don't I remember any of this battle?" he asks again.
"Unfortuantly-we were still working the kinks out of the suit when you put it on." she says with a smile. "The symbiote over time completely took over there host. It was almost a second personality." she adds. "But now-that slight problem is a thing of the past, as the suit is finally finished-and you..can do what you agree'd to do!" she adds-handing him the retracted nanobelt.
"Kill Batman...and destroy the Justice League."
"Terry?" Bruce says over the JLU commlink.
"Go ahead Wayne."
"I've finished my tests on this piece of Conduit's cable." he says. "I think you need to see this. I'm uploading it to the JLU computer now." he adds before sending what looks like blue prints and data read outs.
"Oh no..." Terry says-astonished at what he see's before him.
"What is it Terry?" Kai-ro asks.
"The suit..it appears to be a hybrid of...Cadmus Nanotech, the Repeller's energy fields...and..."
"The Symbiote..."
"Cadmus Nanotech has been illegal for decades, ever since the Dark Heart incident." Bruce chimes in.
"But legallity doesn't stop criminals Bruce." Terry says. "Looks like Amanda Waller is back up to her old tricks."
"She is..." Superman says-walking into the room."
"Kal-El!" Kai-ro exclaims.
"We need to act swiftly. The League has been working on something-just incase Cadmus decided to use that symbiote against us." he says. "But that's only a last resort." he says-as the JLU alarm goes off.
"What's going on?" Terry exclaims.
"It's Conduit. He's attacking Metropolis this time!"
"We have to go!"
"Terry!" Bruce exclaims over the commlink. "Shriek's sonic amplifiers are in the JLU weapons room. Use them."
"Right." he says-as he runs into the Weapons Hall and grabs them-clipping them to his belt-before putting back on his mask. "Let's go."
The sounds of screaming pedestrians are heard-as the walls of a building crumble down.
"Justice League!" Conduit yells. "Come out to play!" he says cackling-as he uses his energy tentacles to shred a Metropolis PD car.
"Conduit!" Batman yells-flying into the scene and spearing him into a van.
"I knew you'd show up Dark Knight!" he says-firing a red energy blast-sending Batman into a car about a dozen yards away.
"Not today Conduit!" Superman exclaims-delivering a hard flying punch to Conduit-sending him into a wall.
"Son of Krypton" He says..."My finest kill..." he adds-firing a concentrated energy shot at Superman-stunning him.
"SUPERMAN!" a woman is heard shrieking-as Conduit looks over to her.
"Lois..No!" Superman says-fighting to his feet as Conduit grabs Lois by the neck with a tentacle.
"Try me Superman..." he says with a sinister joy in his voice-as the vice grip around her neck tightens.
"NO!" Superman yells-firing a blast of heat vision from his eye-forcing Conduit to drop Lois-as Kai-ro catches her with his ring. The force of the blast-sends Conduit against the wall-as Superman continues to fire.
"Batman! The sonics, now!" Kai-ro yells-as Batman fires the sonic beans from Shriek's power gloves-as Superman backs off. Conduit is heard shrieking-before firing a shot of energy at Batman-shattering the sonic canon. He activates the Repeller belt-and flies off-firing energy shots at the ground for cover.
"Conduit! Get back here!" Batman yells-before tries a tracer at him-and connecting. "Get back here!" he yells again.
"Calm down Batman" Kai-ro says "Nobody was seriously hurt in the battle-and that's all that matters." he says as Batman stares at the ground-angry and upset as we see Conduit floating above the scene-with the bat tracer in his hand. He chuckles as he shatters the tracer. He cackles as he flies down to the ground again-and uses the symbiote to disguise change back to Dereck Powers. As a sadistic smile crosses his face-he walks out of hiding and approaches the JLU.
"What the hell is all this?!" he exclaims.
"Dereck Powers?" Batman says-standing in defense.
"Yes. Batman. Remember me?"
"Blight..." he says-grabbing Powers by the throat.
"Batman! No!" Kai-ro says-scanning Powers with his ring. "His DNA is clear. There's no record of the radioactivity.
"I'd listen to your Green Friend there Batman." he says-as Batman lets him go.
"What do you want."
"Well, with my new controling buy out of Lexcorp, I now have a vested interest in the success of Metropolis-as well as Neo Gotham." he says with a smile-as Superman stares at him.
"Batman!" Superman says, "Come here." he adds-calling the Dark Knight over. "That's Conduit." he says under his breath.
"WHAT?!" Batman exclaims.
"He has the nano belt beneath his shirt."
"Why didn't GL's ring pick it up?"
"I'm not sure. Cadmus might of cloaked it to his ring."
"Then we gotta sto---"
"No Batman. We play it by the rules." he says-holing Batman back.
"Terry!" Wayne says over the commlink.
"Get back to Gotham. I have some news for you. It might help your issues with Powers new found normalcy."
"Right. I'll be there." he says-as he looks at Superman. "The old man has something on this whole thing." he adds-before flying off.
"For your sake kid, I hope the old man is right..." Superman says.
"So do you understand the next part of our plan Mr. Powers?"
"I do." he says-almost in a trance.
"Kindap Bruce Wayne. Bring him to me-and the next phase in our plan to destroy the Justice League will be complete. Amanda Waller says-as a smile crosses her face.
"What do you have for me Wayne?" Terry says.
"It appears that Wallers Genetics Research Wing was on the 'verge' of creating a new Lazarus Pit.
"A new one?" he asks.
"Yes. All the Lazarus Pits were destroyed in the Near Apocalypse of '09" he replies. Somehow-Waller and Cadmus got information on most of the chemicals involved to create one. What they didn't get-they haphazardly threw in-hoping to recreate its effects." He added.
"So..what does this have to do with Powers?"
"I think Waller stumbled across it's secrets, and used the Pit to rid Powers of his radioactivity-and effectivly 'kill' Blight."
"You don't say."
"It looks like the Nanotech and Symbiote bonded so closely with Powers-that instead of refering to himself as 'we'-he refers to himself as 'I'" he adds.
"So how do we stop him. He fought back from the sonics."
"But they still weakened him?"
"Yeah..kinda."
"Good. Take this." Wayne says-handing Terry a small device. "It's a sonic bomb. Attach it to the center of his nanobelt-and it should be able to destroy it-and end Conduit for good."
"I hope it works." Terry says-as a JLU distress beacon comes up on the computer. "I'm on it!" Terry exclaims.
"I hope so too Terry, I hope so too."
"In the end, I don't see either way Kai-ro. We're going to have to resort to the symbiote suit sooner or later if we want to win this one. Cadmus has just gotten too powerful!" Superman exclaims-pacing around the main conference hall of the Watch Tower.
"Should we rally back up troops? I hear the Outsiders are reforming."
"No. It's just us. The last remaining Leaguers. The last crusade against evi---"
"You rang?" Terry says from the door way.
"Terry. Good to see you." Kai-ro says.
"What's the emergency guys?"
"Emergency?" Superman asks.
"Yeah...Wayne got a distress beacon from JLU."
"We didn't send anything out." Kai-ro responds.
"But...oh no. It must of been a fake. It must of been Cadmus..." Terry says-as the three head out the door-toward Wayne Manor in hopes of saving the former Dark Knight from certain peril.
"What are you doing here Powers?" Wayne asks-sitting in his chair staring out the window. "I take it, that was you and Waller who sent out the JLU Distress beacon to my computer." he adds.
"Yes Wayne..it was...Waller wants you-for some crackpot reason." he says-as he throws Bruce Wayne out of his chair-and grabs him by the throat. "I am more powerful than you-or any other Batman ever Bruce. I'm even more powerful than your precious Justice League!" he adds-choking the life out of his victim-before shocking him just enough to knock him out. "I knew it wouldn't be much trouble." he says-activating his commlink. "Have the hover transport ready." he adds-dragging Bruce out the doors-to the Hover Transport waiting in the field next to Wayne Manor. "Get him on. We have no time to waste!" he exclaims-as a Batarang flies and hits the side of the steel transport.
"Not tonight Powers!" Batman exclaims-as the JLU lands-ready for battle.
"I was hoping to finish you off tonight...Terry." he says chuckling. He fires a pair of bolts at Superman and Green Lantern-entrapping them in energy beams-torturing every cell in there bodies. "The Agony Matrix. Consider it a gift-left here during your final battle with Darkseid." He adds-before walking toward Batman.
"We finish this-now!" he says-as Conduit fires a tentacle at him-but Batman blocks it with his gauntlets. He pulls Conduit toward him-and delivers a strong roundhouse kick to the jaw-sending Conduit reeling. Batman laughs as he rips off a pair of tentacles-causing a shrieking cry of pain to leave Conduit. He then jets up into the sky-as Conduit fires a blast of energy-destroying one of his thruster boots-and sending the Tomorrow Knight crashing to Earth.
"Game...Match...Point." he says-as he grabs Batman by the throat. "I'm going to enjoy this." he adds-before Batman uses his remains thruster boot to force Conduit off-only to have that blown away by his adversary laser canon. "You cannot win Batman. Face it-the Nightmare has just begun kid!" he exclaims-as Terry sprints toward Conduit-delivering a series of punches and chops. He turns around-and attaches the sonic bomb to Conduit's belt.
"I just did." he says-before diving out of the way as the sonic blast goes off-destroying Conduit's suit in the process. The Hover Transport flies away-as Batman fires a tracking dart at it. With Conduit destroyed, the Agony Matrix is broken-and Superman and Green Lantern crawl to there feet. Batman picks up a damaged Dereck Powers-as Gotham PD rolls to the scene.
"We'll take care of that one Batman!" Commisioner Barbara Gordon says-as the GPD handcuffs Powers and throws him in the car. "Thank you." she says-before leaving.
"They got Bruce!" Batman says-as Barbara turns around.
"We'll do all we can kid. I promise." she adds-before walking away.
"So will we. So will we." Superman says-looking to the sky.
"Rise & Shine Mr. Wayne." a voice says-as Bruce Wayne opens his eyes.
"What...where am I..."
"Shhh Bruce." she says-smirking as everything comes into focus. Don't waste too much of your energy. You'll need it." she adds.
"Waller. I should of known you didn't turn over a new leaf!" Bruce exclaims-looking at his surroundings, finding himself affixed to a metal cross-like apparatus.
"Oh but I did Bruce. I told you the world would always need a Batman-now the world has a new Batman, but it doesn't need a Bruce Wayne." she says with a smirk.
"You're mad Waller."
"Am I Bruce?" she says. "What about you. The man who dressed up as a bat-because he lost his dear mommy and daddy. The man who killed Jean Paul Valley. The man who put young kids in tights and made him fight his war! Whose mad Bruce!?" she says-before stopping. "The look in your eyes when you threw Valley off the roof-I knew I had to have you on my team Bruce." she says with a smile. "So, I developed this new Lazarus Pit-to give you back your youth...and turn you into a mindless drone."
"Like Powers?"
"More or less." she says smugly. "Then-combined with a new nanotech / symbiote hybrid warsuit, I will make The original Batman...the Real Batman...my new Angel of Death...my new Azrael!" she says-before pressing a red button on the control panel-sending Bruce Wayne into the Lazarus Pit. "A few moments in this will leave you completely at my control!" she says-as Bruce is sent beneath the liquid. "A new nightmare will be reborn in Neo Gotham..." she says-as the mechanical whirring stops-and Bruce Wayne is brought up from submersion. Waller smirks as he pressed another button-and grabs a red and black nanobelt from a table. "How are you feeling...Bruce?" she says with a smile-as he steps off the metal apparatus.
"How may I serve you...Ms. Waller." he says in a monotone voice-as a red light consumes his eyes. Amanda Waller chuckles-as he hands Bruce the nanobelt. He puts the belt on-and a black and red suit encompasses his body-and we reveal a costume that looks similar to the Azrael costume. A pair of red gauntlet's encompass his arms-as a red hood and cape come sprawling over his head. The red glow in his eyes become heighten, as Amanda Waller's maniacal laughter is heard
CONTINUED IN BATMAN BEYOND: HONOR IN FLAMES