Chapter 3
The moonlight shines brightly through the windows of the Gotham Merchants Bank as it lights up the dark bank. All is quiet inside of the bank, serene and untouched by the dirt and grime that is Gotham... until now. An explosion erupts from within the vault, engulfing the bank in flames, torching any cash kept inside.
An hour later, a live video feed is posted on the internet, showing a man wearing a white mask with a red hood attached to a red winter coat with black gloves, red pants with black knee pads, and black boots with yellow stripes. The man speaks in a young voice.
Citizens of Gotham, I am Anarky, the voice of the people. For too long, this city and the rest of this country has been plagued by corporate powers who keep the masses under their thumb. The government claims that everyone will get a fair trial, that the law applies to everyone, so then why does Lindsay Lohan keep violating parole and receives no punishment except a slap on the wrist? Had it been a working class citizen being caught at a drug party or violating their parole, they would receive a harsher punishment. The answer is simple: her celebrity status and her rich parents are able to fund the court costs. As they say, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. As long as you have money, you have nothing to worry about.
Why do these spoiled, sex crazed degenerates think they can mock the laws that we are all bound to? Because the laws were written to keep us oppressed, not protected. The government use the law to give us a false sense of security, while corporate powers use propaganda to brainwash us. Don't think, don't question; that is their goal, to keep us ignorant of harsh reality. I mean, we worship dollars and cents, but they are inanimate objects that are of value only because the government says so. A one dollar bill is no different from the paper found in our notebooks.
When a president is elected, they claim that they will bring change to our collapsing economy, but do they ever follow through? A president will say anything to get elected! Also, most people assume that Republican and Democrat are the only two parties running for president... they are not. There are third parties, but they can't afford the big promotions that the Republicans and Democrats have. You have a green party, a president who wants to use cheap energy like wind or solar power, sources that won't bleed our wallets dry, but again, the corporates and main parties don't like that because they will lose money if that happens.
Anarky becomes more emotional.
I am sick to my stomach of hypocritical laws and greedy corporations. Laws don't fight crime; they cause it. Corporations don't save us from poverty; they create poverty. It would seem that the one man in this city who actually gives a damn about us is Batman. He catches criminals that the police can't. He has saved this city from itself on so many occasions. The police are always clueless on how to deal with organized crime, but Batman has put the crime lords in their place. Now obviously, a new Batman has appeared since the original is too old, but instead of acting on his own, he is acting as a consultant for the police. Batman, if you are watching this, stop working with the police: they will slow you down. They don't care about us, but I hope you still do.
Zachariah turns off his laptop after the video ends. He sits inside of his office at his desk, once again working after hours. He receives a phone call on his smart phone. His caller ID says "Bruce Wayne." "Hello," answered Zach. "I'm assuming you saw that broadcast just now," said Bruce on the phone. "I did, but he made no mention of the bank bombing."
"I heard that the Gotham Merchants Bank was bombed an hour ago. Are you saying Anarky did that," asked Bruce.
"He did, but he planted the bomb two hours before his broadcast. I believe he did that to make a point."
"Black Mask kept his money there, and with it going up in flames, he'll be out for blood. Anarky just made himself a dangerous enemy."
"Then I better find Lonnie before Roman does." Bruce now sounds confused. "Lonnie?"
"Anarky's real name is Lonnie Machin. He's an orphan whose mother was a prostitute. Guess who the father was, and I'll give you a hint: Vanessa killed him."
"The Joker," asked Bruce.
"Right, but Lonnie didn't find this out until shortly before Vanessa killed him. Lonnie paid the Joker a visit at Arkham right before his escape."
"Zachariah, how do you know all of this?"
"My nanobots give me psychometry. I can see the history of my surroundings. I saw Anarky's history during the broadcast using his psychic echo."
"You know where he is," said Bruce in realization.
"I do, but I'll save it for tomorrow." Bruce seems to be raising his voice a little. "What do you mean tomorrow? You can find him now!"
Zach begins to get upset. "I haven't slept in days, Bruce. I have been running this company, trying to sell my nanotech to our military to help their war efforts, as well as improve world security. On top of that, I'm trying to maintain a long distance romantic relationship with Vanessa. Also, I just started working as a private investigator by becoming Batman so that my enemies won't know who I am, while at the same time working with the law instead of above it. Do you know what I'm going to do now, Bruce? I'm going to bed, and since Vanessa has a suite at one of her hotels, I'm going there, to be with the woman I love. Any objections? Well, too bad!" Zach hangs up his smart phone and puts it in his pocket. He picks up his laptop before locking up his office.
The next morning, Zach wakes up, rubbing his eyes. He lazily grabs his glasses and puts them on before sitting up on the right side of the bed in the large hotel suite in the Luthor Hotel. His upper body is bare, showing his six-pack abs and toned arms as he sits there in black boxers. Zach looks to his left, seeing Vanessa approach him with a serving cart. Vanessa is wearing only a white lingerie dress, standing beside the cart as she hands Zach a plate of food.
"Breakfast is served," said Vanessa smiling. Vanessa grabs her own plate before sitting next to Zach. "Free room service. Gotta love it," said Zach. "Free for you, but not for me. My hotel, my bill," said Vanessa. "So, you were telling me about Anarky last night, Zach. Did you find out anything?"
"He's the son of the clown you killed." Vanessa stops eating for a moment and looks at Zach with a questioning expression. "Joker had a son, and it's not Harley's?"
"Duela Dent is his kid too, and that was long before he met Harley," said Zach.
"Duela is NOT his kid, Zachariah. She only thinks she is. So back on subject, what will you do about Anarky? Will you find him tonight?"
"I can try, but not before I talk to Commissioner Gordon." Vanessa now seems worried.
"So how are you then, Zach? Have you regained your strength? I know you have been working after hours at your company, but now Bruce has you running around as Batman because the League of Assassins have contacted Batgirl, and if she goes on patrol and you are not there with her, Lady Shiva may get the drop on her." Vanessa balls up her knuckles as her breakfast plate sits on her lap.
"Ra's is delusional. He claims he cares about justice, but how many innocent lives has he ended during his so-called "cleansings?" He is just another terrorist under the false pretense of serving the greater good." Zach places his hand under Vanessa's chin before kissing her. "Don't worry your pretty little head, Vanessa. I'll keep Barbara safe."
"Another thing, Zachariah. Now that you're Batman, you will need a partner to help you in your war on crime." Zach seems calm. "I called Raven to help me on my cases. I thought I could use her empathic powers to reform criminals. It would be much faster to make them feel guilty that way instead of beating them to a pulp." Vanessa kisses Zach before smiling. "Thinking outside the box. I knew there was something I loved about you." The two of them then try to complete their breakfast before it gets cold.
Later, Zach is standing behind a crowd outside of his building. He is in a light blue suit with a red tie. He uses the nanobots to zoom in to the front door of his workplace. "Oh no," said a worried Zach as he sees Anarky and a group of people protesting outside of his workplace. Anarky is speaking into a microphone.
"People of Gotham, this is one of many corporate powers in the city that seems to take away our ability to think for ourselves. Kincaid Industries sells nanotech to our military, but what is to stop them from using it against us?" Zach moves through the crowd and makes his way to the front door. Anarky sees Zach and responds. "And here he is, people! Zachariah Kincaid, the oppressor! Here to make more blood money?" Anarky's followers boo Zach as he approaches. Zach then uses his nanotech as a microphone. "You call yourself a voice of the people, Anarky, but have you done anything for the people? I donate money to homeless shelters and the Gotham Police Department to better keep us safe. You call my nanotech blood money? Well, you're half right. I do sell it to the military, but not just to make a buck; I do it so that they can defeat terrorism around the world. I have also given my nanotech to Vanessa Luthor to improve her hotels and as you all know, the Luthor Hotels are free of charge to shelter the homeless and low-income individuals. So explain to me how that is doing more harm than good."
Anarky and his followers seem to be at a loss for words. Anarky somehow musters up enough courage to speak again, despite what Zachariah has said. "Okay, but that doesn't mean you understand them. I mean, when is the last time you worried about a bill?"
"You're right, I don't have to worry about my bills, but that's because I don't have an address." Everyone gasps in surprise. "Wait, wait, wait! Are you trying to tell us that a billionaire like you is not living in the upper class district, or anywhere for that manner?"
"Exactly. I don't have time to enjoy my wealth because I am always working, which you are stopping me from doing right now. Since I can't enjoy my wealth, I give it back to people who can, namely the less fortunate. Now, if you will excuse me." Zach walks into Kincaid Industries as reporters try to interview him, asking him questions about his confirmed homelessness. Anarky stands there at the door with his arms folded, thinking about Zach's words.
Black Mask's office. Roman has his mask sitting on his desk as his chair faces the window of his office. He wears his expensive white suit with thin black stripes as his hands slowly grip the arms of his chair. His secretary walks in with a clipboard and Roman raises his right hand. "That Anarky nut torched all of my cash. As if having a new Batman wasn't bad enough, but now my money gets burned to a crisp?!" Roman faces his desk now, furious. "I want that masked freak found, do you hear me?! And when you do find him, I want to see his cold corpse laid in front of me so I can carve it open!" Roman sits back now, folding his hands.
"So, which assassins are available right now?" His secretary looks at the clipboard in her hand. "According to our enforcers, the only assassin available at this time is Copperhead."
"Which one," asked Roman. "The female, sir," responds the secretary. "She seemed eager to take another contract from you because she knew you would give her a challenge. Should I tell Copperhead that you will hire her?" Roman nods and the secretary bows slightly. "Of course, sir." Roman faces the window again in his chair. He looks outside as the sun begins to set, thinking of a certain someone. "The bat will show up again. Once the snake lady arrives in town, I can kill two problems."
Next Chapter: Anarky and Batman face off against Copperhead, an assassin with no identity and an army of clones...