Chapter 4

Inside the abandoned apartment basement, Vedette Countess was looking at her collection of blood which she drained from Blackstone. One of her soldiers entered the dusty room with his automatic weapon strapped to his bulky shoulders.

"Everything is ready my mistress." He said bowing his head in a respectful manner.

"Very good Syde." She answered placing the vials into a box. "I am sure that you have made our guest comfortable?"

Syde nodded.

"Yes." He looked at the decaying form of Blackstone that was still strapped onto a chair. "What do you want us to do with the body mistress?"

Vedette moved to Blackstone and looked at the yellowish flesh flies buzzing around the professor's head.

"What we usually do when we want to get rid out our secrets. Burn his flesh until there is nothing left but ashes to blow into the wind. Make sure you remove anything that is of value to me."

"Of course. As you command."

Vedette pulled on a black mask that only revealed her rosy tinged lips.

"Make sure you remove the stench of his flesh once you're done."

"Yes my mistress."

The masked woman sneered as she stepped out of the room and headed through the narrow hall way. The smell of dried blood and decay hung in the air as she opened another door and stepped inside.

A teen was bound to a chair with duck tape around her hands and ankles. She looked sickly from the lack of nutrients her body was failing to produce. Her head lifted up as her eyes looked at the slender form standing in the doorway.

"What do you people want with me?" The teen screamed almost sounding like a plea. "You've killed my best friend what more can you do to me?"

Vedette laughed under the black mask.

"You're friend proved to be worthless to our cause my dear. She didn't have what we needed. But you do."

"You think that my family has been looking for me?"

"Probably but soon the hunt will be over."

The teen arched up an eyebrow.

"What are you planning to do with me? Kill me like Amy?"

Vedette shook her head.

"No. Like I said before Amy was worthless to me but you're the real prize."

She moved in closer and started to circle around the bound teen and then she dig her long nails into the girl's shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" The teen spat.

"Come on, didn't your mother ever teach you some manners Grace?"

"How do you know who I am?"

"I know everything about my prey my sweet. Including the weakness and the loved ones that they cherished. I make it apart of my business to know everything about your life."

Grace gulped down.

"Including that you cherish your 7 year old sister Mattie."

"If you touch my sister. I will..."

"You'll do what little girl? You have no weapons to defend yourself and no one is around to rescue your wretched soul. You're all talk and do you know what I do with little girls who are nasty to me?"

Vedette pulled out a dagger from her black overcoat. "I make sure that they remain silent."

"I'm not afraid of you witch." Grace tried to show that she was brave.

"Good girl. Now you know what I am underneath." Vedette replied. "But I'm not the common witch that you read about my dear. I kill children like you just because I find death amusing. It's like biting into a plum at first. It's bitter but than when you get used to the taste it becomes so much sweeter than you expected."

Grace was starting to shake in fear when she saw the blade coming closer to her cheek.

"So who is going to save you from the nightmare now? Is the great Batman going to come and wrap you in his strong arms?"

There was no reply from the teen.

"Well I can see that no one is coming so I'm going to have to do a little blood work. Don't worry my dear I promise you won't feel a thing."

Vedette lowered the blade to the teens throat.

"Now I want you to count to three and picture one person that makes you happy."

"Why?"

"Because they will be joining you."

Grace's blue eyes went wide as she felt the sharp blade dig into the veins of her throat. She began coughing up blood and then she gave her last breath.

Vedette took a needle and drained the blood from Grace's neck.

"There now, that wasn't all that bad." She said removing the mask and throwing it onto the lifeless body. She removed a clear vial and poured the liquid over the body making the form turn into a dead black cat. "What's a witch without a black cat?"

Syde entered the room. "Everything alright?" He asked looking at the dead cat on the chair.

"I got what I needed."

"What do you want me to do with the cat?"

"Throw it into an alley trash can and let the rats finish her off." Vedette said "I have to prepare myself for a date with the prince of Gotham."

"Why?"

"He's going to be very useful to me and when I don't need him I'll make sure he will never speak again."

Alfred Pennyworth stepped into the dark room with a tray of morning coffee and freshly made oatmeal with a few blueberries on the top. He sighed as he walked over and placed the tray on the nightstand.

Bruce was dead as a log in his massive bed with covers curled up over his body. It had been a long night battling Jack Ratten's thugs at the Gotham Docks and then catching robbers at the Gotham Diamond Exchange. The old man nearly smiled as he pulled opened the curtains to allow the morning sunlight to pour in.

Bruce began to stir. He flailed one of his muscular arms uselessly as Alfred watched with a small smile creeping across his aged face. Bruce covered his face with his hand to block out the sun and moaned.

"Good morning Master Wayne." Alfred said pouring the coffee.

Slowly the shirtless Bruce Wayne sat up in bed with a pillow to support his sore back; his chocolate brown hair was messy and greasy from the endless sweating his body poured out during the late hours of the night.

Alfred noticed that his arms were littered with fresh purple and yellow bruises and there was a knife wound near his collar bone.

"I trust you had an eventful evening?" he asked handing Bruce the coffee.

"It had its -," Bruce yawned loudly, "moments. What time is it?"

This was always Alfred's favorite part of the day at Wayne Manor. "Eleven o'clock sir. Your breakfast is waiting on the nightstand."

Bruce turned and looked at the tea while sipping his coffee. He stood up and placed the coffee on the table.

"Any news?" he asked while dropping on the carpeted floor to began his morning exercise routine.

"Let's see." Alfred said, skimming through the pages.

Bruce began to do his pushups, two per second while breathing in and releasing. Sweat was already rolling down his face as he listened in on Alfred's morning report.

"It says that the body of the missing 16-year old was finally found."

Bruce paused and sat on the ground then began his breathing exercise to make his lungs strong and heart beat steady.

"I thought for sure Gordon would find her alive. I looked all night and found her cell phone."

"Well at least you tried sir. That's all that matters."

Bruce lowered his head. "No. I should have looked harder old friend. She had her whole life ahead of her and now she's just another victim of senseless murder."

Bruce stood up and walked over to the window. "You know that's the third 16-year old found dead this week. There must be a connection hidden and I'm going to find out what it is."

He headed for the doorway.

"Where are you going?" Alfred asked.

"To talk to Fox."

"Master Wayne?"

Bruce turned around. "What?"

"May I suggest that you shower first?"

Bruce gave his butler a small smile. "Yeah I guess that would be a good idea. What would I do without you Alfred?"

"I really don't even want to think about that sir. Oh and please once you're done freshening up have something to eat."

"I'll try."

Three hours later Bruce Wayne was laying on the leather couch in the main library trying to catch up on his rest. He had been lacking three days without proper sleep. For the past two afternoons he tried to have a nap but his mind was racing with endless thoughts about the three murders of the sixteen years and Selina.

Finally with the peaceful sound of ice rain hitting the window, he managed to close his blood shot eyes and rest, until Alfred walked in with a pressed dress shirt hanging on a hanger and a pair of black pressed dress pants in his left hand. He looked down at his master who was finally sleeping, mouth open.

"Master Wayne?" he said gently.

Bruce groaned as his dark hazel green eyes slowly began to open. "What is it Alfred?" he rasped sounding annoyed.

"It's time to get ready sir,"

"Get ready for what?" Bruce asked with a long yawn. He lifted his head and looked at the time on the oak finished grandfather clock. "It's not even five o clock. I have plenty of time until the late hours."

"You're date will be arriving in an hour. Unless you forget, which is high unlikely because you were blessed with a photographic memory."

Bruce gave his butler a small smirk as he sat up and yawned. Alfred looked at the young man with concern. "Since when do you ever take cat naps?" He asked placing the shirt on the chair.

"I feel out of sorts for some reason. Usually my body is in peak condition but these past few days are making me feel so worn down."

"It must be the change in the air."

"Could be but I'm going to have Leslie take a few blood tests just to make sure. Do you think she's back from South America yet?"

Alfred shrugged.

"Most likely but I would not make any assumptions. She is a very busy woman." He looked at Bruce. "I am sure she would take the make to see you sir. After all she loves you like if you were her own son."

Bruce nodded.

"Now are you going to finally get ready?"

"Yes Alfred." The billionaire grumbled. "Right away Alfred."

"Will you stop sounding like a child?"

"I would if you stop treating me like one."

"You wouldn't survive a day without my guidance."

"I survived on my own for seven years traveling the cities of the world Alfred. I think I could handle everything if you decided to take a vacation."

"You know I will never take a day off. Just like you won't take a night off of crime fighting."

Alfred looked at his watch. "Now hurry up and stop dotting around. Your promising date will be here shortly."

"My promising date?' Bruce asked with a firm face. "What is that suppose to mean?"

"Master Wayne don't take it the wrong way but you do go through women like your Tumblers."

Bruce crossed his arms.

"Women and cars are both different things Alfred."

"Yes but a woman is not a thing, Master Wayne. She is a living being that thinks straight forward."
"I'm done with the lecture for today, Alfred. I guess I'll hit the shower."
"Very good, sir."

lfred Pennyworth opened the front door and found himself staring at a beautiful woman, in a black over coat.

"Miss Countess. Please, do come in. Master Wayne is in the dining room waiting."

"Thank you..."

"Alfred."

Vedette smiled and held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise. May I take your coat and gloves?"

Bruce could hear her voice echoing down the halls. He stood by the fireplace, holding his cane firmly. Vedette entered the room. She looked stunning to his eyes.

"Hello again." She said with a soft tone.

Bruce walked over to her. "You're even more stunning than I remember."

"Thank you."

He leaned his head forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She looked at his face and smiled.

"So this is where the billionaire prince of Gotham lives? Cozy."

"Yes."

"You must get lonely in this huge mansion; and spending your days behind these walls must feel depressing.

Bruce gave her a silent nod. "In some ways."

"I've never seen a full mansion before. Usually just the dining room and the library. With my work I'm lucky even to enter the library."

"Would you like a tour Vedette?" Bruce asked holding out his hand.

"If you're up to it."

"Of course, but dinner is going to be ready."

"I can wait."

"For dinner or the tour?"

"The tour."

"Good because my butler went all out tonight."

Bruce grabbed her hand and led her to a pulled out chair.

"You're such a gentlemen Mr. Wayne. Are you like this most of the time?"

"Not really. I do have a short temper... with a few animal qualities to it."

"Like what?"

"Growling." The billionaire said.

"Growling?"

"Yeah you know like how a wild beast growls in the jungle. I do that a lot if I don't get my own way. But I usually do."

Vedette looked into his dark hazel-green eyes.

"I can see that you have a dark side as well."

"Everyone has a dark side Vedette. It just depends on what color shade you're referring too."

Vedette rested her elbows on the table. "Do you think I have a dark side?"

Bruce looked at her ice-green eyes and then looked at her cat-head pendant.

"No. You don't."

"But you don't know that for a fact Bruce. I could be a real witch underneath."

"Maybe, but I usually go by what a good friend told me once. It's not who you are underneath but it's what you do that defines you."

"Well put."

Alfred entered the dining room with a serving tray in his hands.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting." The butler said placing a plate of salad in front of Vedette.

"Cooking takes patience and time."

"Thank you Alfred." Vedette said.

"Would you like something to drink Miss Countess?"

Vedette smacked her lips together. "Do you have milk?"

"Of course."

Bruce looked at his butler.

"I'll have a glass of milk too."

Alfred cocked up a white-haired eyebrow.

"Since when do you like milk sir?"

"Let's just say it's the cat in me."

Vedette smiled.

On the stone stair well that led to the upper level of Wayne Manor, both Bruce and Vedette were holding each others hands as they walked up the steps. He paused on the second last step and then looked at the beautiful woman standing face to face with him.

"Bruce?" Vedette questioned. "What wrong?"

"Vedette." He said looking at her cat-head pendant around her neck. "Your such a mystery. Even your name is mysterious."

"Well blame my mother for that. It was the name she had chosen to give me."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean that way."

Vedette shook her head. "It doesn't matter, both of my parents are gone. They are just fading memories that will soon be lost in the sands of time."

"How did they die?" Bruce asked.

"They were murdered, but that was such a long time ago. I made a choice not to dwell in the past. But if you really want to know, my mother was the first to die. She was taken from her own bedroom and used as a puppet for some form of unspeakable evil. When I saw the body she was unrecognizable to my eyes. There was nothing left but bone and bits of flesh."

Bruce was beginning to feel sick to his stomach.

"I'm sorry for telling you all the gory details but that's what happened."

"What about your father?"

"Died the same way, except he was burned alive by someone he trusted deeply."

"What did you do?"

"What everyone does when they lose someone they love: I moved on with my life and sent most of my years in England learning about history and archeology." She paused. "I'm not the only one that grew up without the guidance of parents am I?"

Bruce nodded.

"My parents were murdered in front of my eyes when I was eight years old."

"I'm sorry."

"You try to forget about your loved ones but deep down you know that sight of horror will never leave you. I tried to move on with my life Vedette but those memories still had a away of coming back to hunt me."

"So is that why you chose not to have someone close enter your heart?"

"I just haven't met the right woman."

Bruce brushed the hair off her forehead. He leaned his head over and they became locked in a deep, heartfelt, passionate kiss. It felt as though time froze around them. Vedette was loving every moment of it, knowing she was slowly draining the life force out of him.

She pulled away.

"Sorry to make this date a short one but I have to get back to the office. There is something I need to finish before the night is over."

Bruce released her from his arms.

"When can I see you again?" He asked sounding hopeful.

"Don't worry you'll be seeing much of me soon enough. Enjoy the rest of your night Bruce."

As Vedette descended down the steps her lips formed into a smile.

"Ever tonight, Mister Wayne you will belong to me."

Ten minutes later, Bruce was starting to unbutton his dress shirt as he descended from the lift.

"Computer on." He commanded in a deep voice.

The large computer monitor flicked on revealing the news report of the teenager murdered.

Bruce moved towards a steel inclosed case. He opened it and looked upon the high-tech angler sharp batsuit hanging inside. The cowl rested on the shelf, staring at him like a haunting phantom. He reached in for and it and grabbed his chest armor while listening to the police report.

"Commissioner Jim Gordon confirmed that the cause of death was blood-forced trauma to the head."

"We'll see." Bruce muttered as he placed the graphite cowl of his head, transforming him into the creature that lurks in the shadows: the Batman. He clipped his gold-utility belt into place then checked his grappling gun before attaching it to the holster hanging from the right side of his belt.

Alfred descended from the lift with a displeased look on his face.

Batman looked up. "Alfred keep me informed on anything unusual that appears on the news."

"It's a bit nasty out there sir. Drive safe."

Batman hopped onto the saddle of the Batpod and switched on the engine.

At the North-end of the Narrows filled with a cluster of boarded up apartments, Commissioner Gordon was waiting by his unmarked pick up truck. He sips from a paper-cup of coffee while watching one of his detectives snap pictures of the body of the teenage victim.

He crushed the cup and moved over to the entrance of an alley then threw the cup into a trash can. As he was about to walk back, his hair stood as he hears fluttering come from behind.

He turned slow and saw the Batman standing behind him.

"Do you ever make an entrance like a normal person? You almost gave my a heart attack."

"Force of habit." Batman replied in a deep tone. His eyes shifted to the UV lighted area.

"Is that the teen?"

Gordon nodded.

"You received a call about two hours ago stating that a body was found in a trash dumpster. That's not the body that was found down here."

"What else?"

"Cats. Black cats found in trash cans with red collars on labeled 'innocent blood.' Gordon rubbed his right temple. "I don't know what is more sick to see a dead body of a teenager or three dead cats."

Batman began to move from the alley way. "I need to get a blood sample from both the teen and the animals."

"Understood. I will have one of my detectives take a sample for you."

Batman nodded then removed his grapnel gun, ready to fire the wire to the roof.

"What do you think we are dealing with here my friend?" Gordon asked.

"A cult."

Batman fired the grappling hook to the roof and shot up.

Gordon just stood there shaking his head.

"Why do things like this only happen in Gotham?"

Perched on a fire escape Batman sat. His head felt fuzzy, making it difficult for him to think clearly. He jumped down from the old fire escape and staggered through the alley way. Everything was spinning around him. He banged his body into a trash can making him fall hard into a pile of trash bags.

"What's happening to me?"

For some unknown reason his body felt numb as he tried to lift himself up with his hands but he was too weak. He reached for a small mobile phone in his belt and dialed for Alfred.

"Alfred... Alfred!"

Batman rolled onto his back and began to throw up bile. His insides were burning as everything was turning red around him. Finally he shut his eyes and fell into an unconscious state.

Batman's dark intense eyes flicked open as he felt the warm presence of a small body curled up beside him. Instantly he shot up and looked down at the small form leaning against his armored plated body. To his surprise it wasn't a random thug. It was a small girl covered with grim and neglect.

"What?" He growled. "Who are you?"

The child was trembling as she heard his booming voice.

"Answer me."

He could see that there was a huge cut on her forehead and another small seeping wound under her lip.

"They took her." The girl said in a small frighten tone.

"Who?"

"My sister. They took her away from me."

Hearing those words from children always made Batman feel humane when it came to helping people other than just letting his creation vent off the spoken words in a few brawls. He slowly knelt down and placed her gloved hand on her thin shoulder.

"Where?"

The child pointed to an apartment .

"Your home?"

She nodded, backing away as he arose to his feet. To her he looked like a monster that she would only see in her nightmares. Batman could see that the child was scared so he moved closer to her.

"No stay away from me!"

"I'm not going to hurt you little one." He said in a rich tone sounding a lot like Bruce Wayne. "I'm going to help you. Now tell me what happen?"

"I don't... I don't remember."

Batman nodded. "It's alright. Can you tell me your name?"

The child was a little hesitant. "...Mattie."

"Alright Mattie. Can you show me what happened?"

"I can bring you home."

Batman smirked at the child's comment. "Lead the way." He said.

"But you're scary."

"I'm only scary to the bad guys Mattie, not to children."

She nodded with an assured look feeling that he wasn't dangerous.

A few minutes later Batman entered the dark apartment. It was filled with blankets on the floor and paper plates. He looked at the small girl. "Where are your parents?" He asked, his tone filled with sorrowful.

Mattie walked over to a table and grabbed a small metal picture frame. "They died." She said, looking over them.

Batman lowered his head. "I'm sorry."

"Grace is all that I left."

Mattie was beginning to shed tears.

"Without her I am all alone."

Batman did something that he had never done before when in costume. He walked over to the child and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'll find Grace." He said. "I promise you. I will bring her back... Now is there any clue of who might of taken her?"

Mattie sniffled as she pulled away then walked over to the balcony window. She bent down and grabbed a small cat shaped object, laced with silver coating. She moved back to where Batman stood and handed him the object.

He narrowed his eyes at the sharp cat object and squeezed it in his hand.

"Catwoman!"