Episode 6: The Old Ways and The New Ways
Bruce walked with Selina through the Red Clay Raven reservation. On the plane ride back to the states, he had studied everything about the people and their culture. It was customary not to speak with anyone of the tribe until you spoke with the Elder. However, when they arrived to the resort, the owner told them the Elder wasn't available. No one usually followed that old custom, outside of their people, so the Elder and his family were in the middle of a ritual that usually lasted all Sunday: sun up to sun down. Now that it was Monday Bruce and Selina had been taken to where the Elder resided: deep within their land.
The resort owner had shown them pictures and spoken about how beautiful and lush the land used to be. But, things had changed in the past several years. He didn't go into detail. Selina looked to Bruce, and non-verbally they agreed it was best not to ask. Something had happened here. If they wanted any answers, it was best to follow customs and speak directly to the Elder about anything affecting the land and tribe.
Before Bruce could talk with Terry or Clark, he had received the call the Elder was ready to receive them. Not wanting to show disrespect or waste the Elder's time, here they were headed to the main cliff dwelling amongst others built under overhanging cliffs that housed the Elder and his family.
Bruce saw where the main water source had been, which he had seen in pictures running through this area, that apparently had dried up.
Selina drew Bruce's attention to the coughs she heard and a few sick people, adults and children, who were visible within their homes and the people who were taking care of them.
The resort owner had mentioned one detail. This detail explained why there was such a disparity between the resort area and tribal area: the resort helped to take care of the tribe and kept the land from being bought out from up under them, so a majority of the resources went toward that endeavor. No one wanted the land to be lost. All of the people agreed it was better to die and hold on to it for future generations than let it be lost and warped for good.
Bruce and Selina, when they reached the entrance of the Elder's home, took a knee and bowed. This showed both the home and its owner respect according to their culture. People saw them, and both Bruce and Selina saw they were surprised that these two had prepared for their meeting and time on the land.
"Mr. Wayne," they heard a deep, masculine voice that sounded both calm and soothing. "Please, you and your wife, enter."
Bruce had Selina enter first because according to their culture women lead the way, so they should always be first to enter a dwelling or prepare or occupy a space.
"Please sir, Mr. Hatathli," Bruce said when he and Selina stood across from the Elder and his wife. The women stood before the men, and the men stood just behind them. "Call me Bruce."
"I won't call you Mr. Wayne," the Elder said, "but only if you don't call me sir. I'm Eliwai." He had a radiant smile, and he looked nothing close to an elder. He and Bruce were the same age, but neither looked it. The same went for their wives.
Bruce heard laughter and heard movement from the back of the house. Others were present.
"I'm Selina," Selina introduced herself. "You're both beautiful. Your home is beautiful. Thank you for accepting us." She gave the Elder's wife and then the Elder himself a hug, which was custom.
"I'm Lenne," the Elder's wife introduced herself. She hugged Selina and Bruce. "That laughter you hear is coming from the kitchen. We have a son and daughter: Takoda and Aponi. My son's partner is with them: Carlito, although while here on our land his name given him: Itzcoatl."
Eliwai had dark brown hair that reached just to his shoulders, and he had sharp, dark brown eyes that seemed to put you at ease when they were lain upon you. He was about as tall as Bruce and a head taller than Lenne. He wasn't as bulky as Bruce, but he was muscular and toned. He had an orange wrap around his head, tied in a knot at the side, and wore nothing but a vest and light pants. He had a runner's physique, and you could tell he spent a lot of time out of doors.
Lenne had short, dark brown hair that reached just past her ears, but she also had a long, braided ponytail that rested over shoulder and reached to her breasts. She wore a sun hat with several feathers coming off of it from the back. Her dark brown eyes were a bit airy and seemed as though in the right light they'd shine. She was curvy and muscular. She gave the impression of a hard worker with a delicate touch.
The three young adults came into the living room where the four older adults had convened. Aponi carried a pitcher of tea. Takoda had small cakes and sandwiches. Carlito held the dishes, silverware, and cups. While Aponi and Takoda delivered the goods onto the coffee table, Carlito stood in the door way: with his gaze on Bruce.
"The wealthy, intelligent, powerful Mr. Bruce Wayne," Carlito said. His voice was deep, a little rough, but calm and clear.
"You know this man?" Aponi asked: her and her brother focused on Bruce when they both saw his facial expression change.
"Not much more than most people," Carlito said. "He's a pillar of Gotham society. He's probably one of the few keeping it from becoming a lost city, a lost cause. He does, however, also happen to be my father."
Before anyone had a chance to say anything, they watched Carlito smile, place the items in his hand on the coffee table, and give Bruce a hug.
"Good to finally meet you," Carlito said.
"You're serious…" Aponi said.
"About time you two came face to face," Takoda said.
Aponi had long, flowing black hair that reach down to her waist. Her amber eyes were mesmerizing. She had a height and build similar to her father: tall, thin, and toned. However, her eyes and hands gave away the fact that she had an intensity and toughness similar to her mother.
Takoda had short hair, a mix of black and dark brown, that he had slicked back behind his ears. He was slightly taller than his mother: bulky, muscular, and fit similarly as her. He only wore a vest and light shorts. You would think he spent time as a football player with his physique. Like his father he looked like he spent a lot of time out of doors. He and his sister shared the same amber eyes, and they were just as much an attention getter, especially when including his radiant smile.
"Carlito," Bruce said. "We need to talk."
"That's the reason you came to see me," Eliwai said.
"I love reunions," Selina said, "but I think there's a more pressing concern here."
"We thought you came for a different reason," Lenne said.
"To help your help people and revitalize your land," Bruce said.
Eliwai nodded.
"That is the more pressing concern," Carlito said. "Please help them. I was always surprised that you hadn't ever helped them before. I worried. I wondered. Were you, are you, a part of the problem?"
"He isn't," Aponi said, sitting down on the couch and pouring herself some tea.
Takoda and Carlito gave her their attention.
"Let's all have a seat," Eliwai said.
Bruce and Selina shared a look, knowing that they weren't privy to something that had to do with how Aponi knew Bruce wasn't a part of their people's problem.
"Seven years ago," Lenne began, "Eliwai's father, Denali, was the tribe's Elder. What we didn't know is that a company had begun construction on a factory further up the river's path. Within two years, 1/3 of our people were sick, and even dying. That's how we lost our elder. Before he died, he had begun to try and prevent the construction of the factory, and all our people have been fighting against it for the past five years. Unfortunately, however, the government supporting the company dismissed and rejected all our legal and peaceful protests to the factory and continued to let it be built: on a portion of our land. They had their scientists and researchers express that our people's sicknesses and deaths were not a result of the factory. And you know, we learned eventually that they were right. It was waste, factory and otherwise, that they continue to dump into the river that has led to our misfortunes."
"What company is behind this travesty?" Selena asked.
"They claimed the factory would create more jobs, even renew the land," Takoda said. "It was all lies."
"Powers Technology," Eliwai said.
"Derek Powers runs Powers Technology," Bruce said. "He's tried to take over my company, Wayne Enterprises, for years. He is a corrupt businessman, immoral man. Some call him a villain."
"Are you telling us he's unstoppable?" Lenne asked.
"I'm telling you that I'll stop him," Bruce said. "The only way men like him are impacted. Now that I know that he found a way to operate outside of Gotham."
"You can believe him," Selina said. "His words are like Diamonds: unbreakable. He's a man who learned how to find solutions in the old ways and the new."
"Fear," Aponi said. "Money." She added. She drank some more of her tea. Then, she rested her eyes on Bruce.
Nobody responded to her because Bruce was already making a call. He didn't use his holophone.
Selina and Aponi's eyes met. Aponi nodded with a smile.
"Damian," Bruce said.
"Hey old man," Damian said: his motorcycle helmet came over his head when he answered Bruce's call.
"Where are you?" Bruce asked. "What are you doing?"
"Jonathan and I are leaving Vegas," Damian said. "I talked him into getting a motorcycle and going to Vegas." He laughed. "Raven is with us: with me."
"I need you to get in contact with Luke Fox," Bruce said. "You two need to come to Arizona and uproot Powers Technology."
"Guessing you're calling on me in case Blight becomes a problem too," Damian said, more seriously noting the sternness in Bruce's voice.
"Exactly," Bruce said."
"Consider it done father," Damian said. "The three of us will take a detour."
"Thank you," Bruce said.
Damian ended the call.
Bruce thought back to Damian, his black-haired, green-eyed jackal, and Jonathan, Clark's redheaded blue-eyed lion, starting a rocky relationship when they were kids and becoming the best of friends to this day. Selina called them the sinner and the saint. It made him smile briefly although no one else in the room noticed.
"What just happened?" Takoda asked: no one in particular.
"I'll explain it to you," Selina said. She had a sly smile. "To the rest of you. While Bruce and Carlito have a private little chat."
Carlito and Bruce stood at the same time.
"Follow me," Carlito said: once his and Bruce's eyes met. He led them out the back.
They didn't speak to each other or stop until they reached a small, secluded oasis.
Bruce took Carlito in, looking him over. Carlito had wavy auburn hair and brown eyes. Carlito's eyes reminded Bruce of his own eyes: an intensity, a want, a need in them. With his eyes being brown, Bruce was sure Carlito's eyes reminded Andi of her father. Carlito was almost as tall as Bruce: almost. Carlito had the physique of a fighter, and judging from his hands and nose Bruce surmised Carlito was a boxer. The way Carlito observed, smiled, held himself: cheeky like his mother. Carlito wore round, thin-rimmed glasses. He took them off when they stood across from one another.
Bruce began when they stood across from each other.
"I didn't come here to speak with you about whether I'm your father," Bruce said. "That's a conversation for you to have with your mother. I'm here because I know you're the new Phantasm in Gotham, and I want to know how and why. Your mother doesn't believe you keep secrets, but I know everyone does."
~~~
With the cloaking device, Batman snuck into the room with the two-way mirror where RJ awaited him. A subordinate left RJ as Batman entered. The door didn't shut as fast as it should have. RJ knew he had arrived. He started speaking right before Batman uncloaked himself.
"None of the previous victims would talk," RJ said. "Ujaraq won't talk either. This is especially frustrating because a judge was killed in broad daylight the other day, and tonight a lawyer was found murdered too: Felicity Plaiter. The judge was sentencing people of color with more years than fit their crimes. In his words: "To keep them off the streets." The lawyer was falsifying documents to win cases to bolster her success rate and career. She sent innocent parties to prison for years, decades, and some for life. They were both taken out."
"Omen," Batman said.
"Omen," RJ said. "I'm hoping you can make more headway than I've been able to. Here's what I know. Even though all the victims are from different walks of life, they do share a connection. They are all natives of the Red Clay Raven Reservation: from Arizona."
"I'll get him to talk," Batman said. "I'm going in the room."
"Batman," RJ said: once Batman cloaked himself. "Don't go in there and do anything that's going to require me to do a lot of paperwork. That's my least favorite part of this job."
RJ brought a smile to Terry's face, but RJ couldn't see that.
"You know more than you're letting on RJ," Batman said. "We're both detectives here. We both know the murder victims had a connection too. They each were involved in a case involving the Red Clay Raven Reservation and the tribe of people that reside there."
"That goes without saying," RJ said. "The culprit could be a member of the tribe, but it could also be someone from right here in Gotham. We don't have enough clues or evidence to suggest one or the other. I don't think Phantasm is behind the murders: at all."
"Neither do I," Batman said, "but Omen, whether the culprit is from Red Clay or Gotham, could be a powerful metahuman."
"I know that Omen is," RJ said. "I'm willing to admit when I'm starting to veer out of my depth. If I get a name, I can track the metahuman down, but it's hard to find a culprit who might be able to commit murders without even coming to the scene of the crime. The culprit could be anywhere, at anytime. Based on the three murder victims, I'm not on the list, but who's to say I won't end up on it during this investigation." He shrugged. Because his life on the line was an every day occurrence.
Batman began to receive a call. He didn't activate his holophone. He gestured for RJ to hold on.
"You've got Batman," Terry told Max.
"I uncovered who the voice belongs to," Max said. She waited.
"I didn't doubt that you would," Batman said. "Thanks. Go ahead. I'm with the Commissioner."
"My bad," Max said. "You're welcome. Anytime. The voice belongs to a Carlito Wayne Beaumont. He's twenty-one years old. He has a dual citizenship: France and America. He studied Archaeology and Anthropology. He's traveled all over the world. I managed to get a look at his birth certificate. Don't ask me how. He's the son of Andrea Beaumont: a renowned antiquities dealer. His father is unknown. Andrea grew up here in Gotham, but she moved away a long time ago. She came back once for professional reasons, but she didn't stay long and she hasn't been back since. I hope that helps. I love technology."
"It did," Batman said. "Because of you, a lot of this makes sense. Now that I know who Phantasm is, I know who the original Phantasm was." I know who Carlito's father is too. Terry thought this, but he didn't want to speak on it with Max and with RJ in the room. "Did you track down where he is?"
"He's in Arizona," Max said. "Nowhere close to Gotham."
"Doesn't mean it isn't him," Batman said. "Once I meet with him, Phantasm, I'll ask him myself. Talk to you later. Thanks again."
"No problem," Max said. "You just watch yourself. I hear the bodies are piling up." She ended the call.
"You going to tell me what you learned?" RJ questioned Batman: already knowing the answer.
"I know who Phantasm is," Batman said. "He's not a threat. He was trying to help. He knows about Omen, so I'll question him when I get the chance. He can't stop Omen on his own. Like you, he needs my help."
RJ tried not to grin, but he couldn't help it. When he grinned, he reminded everyone of Dick.
"I'm still going to chat with Ujaraq," Batman said. "You're welcome to listen in."
"Wouldn't have it any other way," RJ said.
Batman cloaked himself, and in no time at all stood across from Ujaraq in the interrogation room.
"We're going to have a simple conversation," Batman said: when he suddenly appeared before Ujaraq, who didn't jump at the appearance. Ujaraq had his head bowed and eyes closed. "You can listen. You can not say anything. However, before I start, I wanted to say: While my duty is to protect my city, it's also my duty to prevent my city from harming others."
Ujaraq opened his eyes and slowly raised his head.
"I know who Phantasm is," Batman said, "and I know the reason he attacked you and the others is because he knows you and the others are supporting Omen. Omen is killing the powerful, the corrupt of Gotham, especially those that in particular were connected to the Red Clay Raven Reservation. I agree with Omen that those people, and people like them, deserve to be punished, but he doesn't get to decide they die at his hands. I'm going to stop him."
Batman turned around to leave, but he wasn't going to. This was a part of his plan.
"You won't," Ujaraq said. He finally spoke.
"Do you know who I am?" Batman asked : without turning around.
"The Bat," Ujaraq said, "but if The Bat interferes, The Raven will end it."
"The Raven," Batman said to himself. "In order to end me, Omen would have to be here in the city."
"He is," Ujaraq said. "If you're telling the truth, you're on the same side: the side of justice."
"Justice," Batman said. "Not retribution." He left him.