CXXIX
Meanwhile at Stately Wayne Manor…

With the mysterious worldwide loss of wi-screens hours before, Alfred Pennyworth had rediscovered an old friend of his…

The radio.

With the Wayne Industry wi-screens suddenly unavailable, people had to go back to the physical media devices of previous years, and (if the truth were to be known) Alfred had always been fond of the radio. However, as the majority owner of one of the world's pre-eminent technology companies, he supposed he should change his old-fashioned view of new technology… but still, old habits were (as they say) hard to break.

And besides, the radio worked.

Earlier in the day, the contractors had finished tidying up the debris from the repair of the estate's roof and Alfred himself had coordinated the cleaning crew to put the Manor back into ship shape after the 'military occupation' of two days ago.

The bustle of work had kept him blissfully occupied… but also kept his mind off what would have consumed his thoughts otherwise... Where were Mr. and Mrs. Wayne currently and were they alright? By all accounts, the pair seemed to have disappeared off the face of the planet.

The old man had often spent many days by himself in the grand old Gotham estate, but this was the first time he had actually felt lonely. He had considered keeping some of the contract staff for overtime, but many had other obligations and family to return home to.

By himself, sipping tea in the large kitchen, Alfred desperately attempted to push away the dark thoughts that had haunted him for the past hours… What would he do without Bruce and Raven in his life? He had already lost Master Richard, he couldn't bear to lose another of his American family.

A recording of General Tyrexius Johnson's speech was once again playing on the radio, assuring the American nation (and the world) that the demonic threat known as Trigon had been defeated by the Intergalactic Peace Force known as the Green Lanterns Corps. These same Green Lanterns were currently working with the governments of the world to ensure the safety of the planet from other intergalactic threats. There was no reason to panic.

The whereabouts of the Acting President and his wife were currently unknown, but all efforts were being made to locate them.

The demon horde in Kahndaq had been contained by a combination of the Green Lanterns and American heavy infantry, and the Middle Eastern country was now clear. The General spoke of a massive clean-up effort that would be coordinated by a U.N. special task force for both Kahndaq and Bialya, with assistance by all member nations. However, surrounding countries and displaced citizens had already made began making claims on the deserted nations.

Alfred sighed… and then gasped.

Someone was calling his name… from upstairs. The voice was familiar, but deeper and more hoarse from Mrs. Wayne. Alfred stood up and listened intently. Yes… Raven was calling for him from the master bedroom. Thank God!

Without delay, Alfred dashed up the stairs towards her voice ready to assist. He should have remembered that Mistress Wayne did not necessarily have to use the main entry. As he opened the bedroom door, his enthusiasm was quickly replaced with horror when he peered at the face of his young ward, Bruce Wayne who was sitting on the bed, staring at him with one eye.

"Master Bruce…. Your eye. I will alert the hospital immediately, sir."

"No, Alfred… No time. Get the local anaesthetic and isopropyl alcohol. And I'll need you to stitch this up, old friend."

"Master Bruce. You've been gravely wounded… Enucleating surgery is a serious affair, I assure you, quite beyond me. You need to…"

"Alfred… now."

Alfred knew better to argue with Bruce when he was like this. The old man would press for details after he retrieved the first aid items, including the skin glue, eye covering band-aid and strong antibiotics… but for now, he was thankful that the two of them were still alive.

Alfred had barely even registered that Mrs. Wayne had been in her 'demon' form with crimson skin and yellow eyes. He was confident there would be quite a story to tell about how Trigon had been defeated, but for now there seemed to be more pressing matters. Retrieving the items, Alfred re-entered the bedroom.

"Master Bruce, please… reconsider this. The immediate danger has passed, there's no need to rush…"

"Alfred... Trigon is still alive." Bruce laid down on the bed. "That's why I need this done right away. Spray the anaesthetic around my eye. How long does it take to work?"

"About two minutes, sir."

"That's too long. But spray it on anyways."

Alfred sprayed Bruce's lacerated eye socket, grimacing as he watched his patient tense up. Bruce placed his hand upon Raven's shoulder.

"Raven, would you fill Alfred in on the details about what's been going on? And you'd better switch over to your human-side. Next stop is the Pentagon. OK Alfred, please dump the isopropyl into the socket…"

"I will apply it gently, sir. I'm quite sure you would prefer not to lose sight in your other eye from alcohol poisoning. We will rely on the antibiotics for your infection."

"Whatever you think… OOOWWWW!"

Bruce clenched his teeth and fists while Alfred cleaned and treated the exposed flesh with a mix of patience, cotton swabs and rubbing alcohol. When the old butler had finished the cleaning, he noticed that Mistress Raven had changed from her crimson shade to a more familiar flesh tone, along with the sparkling, violet eyes he had marvelled at so often over the past year. She smiled at him in appreciation while he prepared the antibiotics.

"Alfred… What have you heard so far?"

"Only what's been on the news, I'm afraid, Mrs. Wayne… Our Acting President had traveled to Kahndaq to confront Trigon. He met with the demon just before dawn, when all wi-screen capability went down across the world. There was an unsuccessful attack upon the demon and then the Green Lantern Corps were summoned to finally defeat him. Then the two of you disappeared."

Alfred was now injecting the potent antibiotic cocktail into Bruce.

"He was not defeated, Alfred. My father simply transported himself off-world, giving the appearance that he was destroyed. And the Green Lanterns themselves may not be completely trustworthy. They have enslaved six Gods as the power source of their rings."

"Were the two of you investigating these matters when you disappeared, Mrs. Wayne?"

"Not intentionally, Alfred. My father transported Bruce to a world called Maltus in order to exact his revenge upon him. I located Bruce and followed. Trigon has been waging a war against the Universe and the Green Lanterns for centuries. We were able to escape from Maltus, although my husband paid a terrible price…"

"She was great, Alfred!" interrupted Bruce while Alfred carefully opened the skin glue to now seal his ward's left eye. "She saved the entire world, and then saved my life twice today. She stood up to her father and wouldn't back down. She's really amazing."

"Our Raven truly is the most remarkable person I have ever met, sir. Now please remain perfectly still… this glue is very strong and I would like to be able to remove my fingers from your face, master Bruce."

"Bruce…" confessed Raven. "I'm the whole cause of this mess. If it weren't for me…"

"… Everyone on this planet would be dead, Raven. You know that. You can't blame yourself from what your father has done or will do. In fact, the Phantom Stranger led me to believe that you're the key to our salvation. That your choice will tip the scales of balance one way or the other."

"My choice was made the day we wed, my husband. I believe my that even my stubborn father has finally realized that. I am not sure what his next action will be, but I am fearful for what he may do. But I will always choose you, my love."

"… And done!" Alfred finished fixing the square band-aid over Bruce's eye and then stood back to appraise his handiwork. "You will still need proper surgery as soon as possible, Master Bruce."

"Thank you Alfred. I promise I will get it properly taken care of, but right now, we have a Universe to save."

"Master Bruce… Mistress Raven. Please… be careful. For my sake."

Bruce grasped the old man's hand.

"We will, Alfred. Thanks for the patch up, old friend."

"What he meant to say is that we love you too, Alfred. You will always be like a father to us."

Mrs. Wayne embraced Alfred tightly and kissed him on the cheek. As stoic as the old butler had been, he could never hide his true feelings from his empathic Mistress. Nor would he wish to.

The old servant watched as the black smoke once again encircled Bruce and Raven as they departed to the outside world. If anyone had cared to ask, he would have simply explained that it had been the sulphurous smoke that had caused his old eyes to well with tears…