On a Starry Knight
Gotham City Mall, December 23rd…
It was an exceptionally cold winter day in Gotham City, the weather forecasting snowfall in the evening. A day before Christmas Eve and the mall was packed wall to wall with last minute shoppers, all of them looking to pick up gifts they probably should have gotten at least a week earlier. The hectic hustle of the crowds as they weaved their way through kiosks and displays, passing by the mall's festive Christmas decorations with hardly a glance, was nearly overwhelming.
Terry McGinnis huffed out an annoyed sound and stepped into the crush of people, his little brother, Matt, right at his side. Terry had warned him to stay close, he didn't want to lose him in the crowd. Of course, Matt was already wandering away, head swiveling around as he took in the lights and decorations and stores with ads in their windows promising the best holiday deals.
"I told you to stay where I can see you," Terry called after him.
"I don't get it, I thought you already got gifts for me and Mom," Matt complained, he'd been complaining a lot more lately and Terry didn't know how to deal with it without getting irritated.
"You and Mom aren't the only people in my life, you know."
Matt's eyes lit up with mischief, "Oh, I get it. You're getting something for Daa-naaa!"
Terry reached forward and flicked him on top of the head, "Wrong, I already got Dana something. Our second anniversary is coming up."
"Blegh, whatever," Matt stuck his tongue out and pulled a disgusted face. "Then who are you getting a gift for?"
"Mr. Wayne," Terry replied, ignoring Matt's attempt to get a rise out of him. "This morning Mom asked me to invite him over for Christmas dinner."
Matt seemed disinterested in this and instead said, "Wonder if she's going to invite her boyfriend too."
That stopped Terry in his tracks, right in front of an arcade he and Matt were passing by, and he grabbed Matt by the shoulder and turned him around so they were facing each other, "Woah, wait a minute. What do you mean by 'boyfriend'?"
Matt grinned up at him impishly, "Y'see, Ter, this is why you should spend more than five minutes at home a week. Keep it up and I'll have to take your place as man of the house."
"You just turned ten and you're the shortest kid in your class," Terry bit back. "Now talk before I make you talk."
Matt shrugged, "All I know is Mom's been on the phone, like, all the time with some guy called Tyler. Who else is she going to talk to that much besides a boyfriend?"
Terry balked and fumbled for an explanation, "I can think of at least a dozen other reasons she'd be talking to some guy on the reg," he just couldn't think of any of those reasons right then.
But Matt wasn't paying attention anymore, he was too busy staring into the arcade. Terry dragged him away as they continued to the store he'd come here to visit. Matt shook him off after a second or two, but stuck closer to him as the crowds became denser further into the mall.
After walking for a little while longer, they stopped outside a store that had Matt smiling ear to ear the minute he saw the entrance. The store was called "Totally Billy" and it had been a vendor in the mall for over twenty years. It was an entertainment store that sold everything from action figures to vid-drives and any kind of pop culture memorabilia a person could think of. It was Matt's favorite store in the whole mall and Terry was already jogging after him as he sprinted inside.
"We're not here for you, armpit," Terry herded him away from a display of "Justice Guild" action figures. "Besides, I already got your present, remember?"
"What would an old guy like Mr. Wayne want from this place anyway?"
Terry ignored him and approached the counter, catching the attention of the girl behind the register who looked like she was no older than him, "Hey, I'm here to pick up an order for Terry McGinnis. I called this morning, they said it'd be ready by now."
"Sure, one sec," the girl turned her attention to a computer screen next to the register, tapping on its surface a few times before turning back to him. "Oh yeah, there you are. It's in the back, I'll get it." The girl left and came back a few moments later carrying a cardboard package, "Here you go, thanks for shopping at Totally Billy, happy holidays!"
"Thanks," Terry took it from her hands, shaking off Matt who had grabbed his arm to try and pull him down to get a better look at the box. "Knock it off, Matt."
"But Terry," Matt protested, "it's making a weird noise."
"What?" Terry set the box down on the counter, the girl behind the register looking at him like he had two heads. He pulled out his pocketknife and cut through the tape sealing the box shut.
"Um…sir, we don't allow weapons in the sto-"
"Get everyone out of the store," Terry ordered, "right now!"
"Why?" She asked as she joined Terry in looking at the package's contents. "Oh my gosh!"
"What? What is it?" Matt had started to panic.
It was a bomb and the timer had almost ticked down to zero.
Terry scooped Matt up without bothering to answer, waiting until the clerk had ordered everyone out of "Totally Billy" via a mic attached to the register. The panic in her voice set off a stampede for the door, Terry joining them along with the clerk. The second he stepped out of the store-
Kaboom!
One hour later…
After the initial explosion, the entire mall had been evacuated. News crews and cop cars and trucks from the GCPD's Bomb Disposal Unit surrounded the building. There was some concern that the bomb Terry had found wasn't the only one in the mall. The situation was serious enough that Commissioner Gordon had shown up to oversee the state of affairs.
Terry had placed Matt in the backseat of the car he was borrowing from Bruce and stood leaning on the passenger door when the commissioner approached him, carrying a brown package with the store's logo emblazoned on the side, "Here, kid. This one's safe, I promise."
Terry took it from her hand, looking inside and seeing Bruce's present safe and sound, "Thanks, it's for Mr. Wayne."
"Yeah, I had a feeling," Commissioner Gordon replied. "I took a look at it on the off chance there was another bomb waiting for you in this one too."
"Do you think it's someone who knows?" Terry didn't have to tell her what he was talking about.
She gave a slight grimace and said, "No, this is the second bombing I've been called to today. There was another one at a townhouse on the other side of the city just fifteen minutes before this one. I think we've got a serial bomber on our hands."
"What can you tell me about the first explosion?" Terry was all business now.
Commissioner Gordon looked around, likely making sure none of her officers would hear her talking about the sensitive details of an ongoing case with a seventeen year old kid, "Luke Fox- Lucius Fox Jr. that is. Well, the townhouse that was bombed belongs to his daughter. She wasn't home, her fiancé brought the package into the house. Now they have a hole where their kitchen island used to be."
"We're sure Fox's daughter was the target?"
"Fiancé says the package was addressed to her," the commissioner pulled her coat tighter around herself. "It could be someone is targeting people affiliated with Wayne Enterprises or trying to scare Foxteca and Wayne Enterprises out of a project they're partnered on?"
Terry shook his head, "I haven't heard about any new projects between them recently."
Commissioner Gordon's phone began ringing, she pulled it out of her pocket and pressed it to her ear, "Gordon here, what have you got for me? Another? Where? Any injuries?"
Terry didn't like the sound of this conversation, he waited for the commissioner to shove her phone back in her pocket before he asked, "Another bomb?"
She sighed, "Yes, and there were injuries this time. Do you know a boy named Nelson Nash?"
Terry's shoulders sagged, it sounded like Batman was in for a long night.
Later that night…
True to the forecast, it was snowing by the time Terry took to Gotham City's skylanes, white flakes falling gently and blanketing the downtown buildings in pure white. Terry maneuvered the Batmobile through the maze of skyscrapers glowing with neon light in the dark of evening and still bustling with life even with the city on high alert.
"Three more bombs since the one at the mall, all five of these bombs targeting the children of Gotham's wealthy elite," Bruce intoned through the receiver built into his cowl.
"Except me," Terry corrected. "I guess they figured I was close enough. You did warn me that once you took over Wayne Enterprises again I might end up getting some unwanted attention myself."
"Hmm, yes, that's probably it," Bruce was trying for casual, but Terry knew him well enough by now to tell when he was worried. "You have appeared with me several times in public since I became CEO again. Not to mention I have a history of taking troubled kids under my wing."
"Hey, I haven't been troubled for at least a couple years now," Terry shot back, falling into his usual pattern of banter with the old man. "I don't have time to be troubled with how busy I am. Oh, that reminds me. Mom wanted me to invite you over for Christmas. You'd better say yes, if you don't stay on her good side she might make me quit. She's still upset about Thanksgiving, you know."
"Well, I suppose it's better than what I did last year."
"Sit around in the Batcave going over cold case files?" As if Terry even needed to ask. "Yeah, last Christmas wasn't great for us either. Not having Dad there…"
"I understand," his tone softened. Terry felt bad for appreciating how Bruce truly did understand the way holidays seemed to bring the pain of their similar losses to the fore. Bruce spoke again, "There is one Christmas tradition of my own I'd like to keep, if the rest of you don't mind."
"Hey, my overpriced, cramped apartment is your overpriced, cramped apartment, Bruce," Terry pointed the nose of the Batmobile downward as he neared Gotham Central Hospital. "Let's hope they've got Nelson on some strong stuff, he's the last person I want finding out about…well, you know. Figures he would be the only eyewitness in the hospital to regain consciousness so far."
"His injuries were the least severe," Bruce reasoned. "I have the computer cross referencing his parents' business with the businesses of the other victims' parents. Hopefully something comes up."
"And hopefully Nelson saw something that can help us," Terry added, setting the Batmobile down on the roof of an office building across from the hospital. "Not that I'm counting on it." He got out of the car, but stopped short when he spotted several figures moving across the hospital roof. He launched himself up skyward, red glider wings fanning out as the thrusters in his boots carried him over to the hospital building. He landed near a large AC unit, peering out from behind it to get a better look at the hospital's clearly uninvited guests.
All of them were wearing black body suits, night vision goggles strapped around their heads.
Batman knew exactly what to do with these guys.
Taking a flashbang grenade out of his belt, he leapt up into the air, lobbing the grenade right into the middle of their group. It went off, lighting up the whole rooftop. The men cried out, scattering apart as they dove for the ground.
Batman sprinted for the one nearest to him who had just managed to get up again. His foot connected with the goon's jaw, sending him flying to the side. He hit the ground with a solid thud that alerted the others to Batman's presence. But they were still stunned from the flashbang, clumsy from dazedness as they lurched towards him.
He launched bolas at one, ensnaring his legs. The next two found their skulls crashing into each other as he flipped over them, grabbing their heads in his hands as he smashed them together. The last three ganged up on him, they'd been furthest from the flashbang and had regained their composure more quickly than the other four.
He dove beneath the first one, swept the feet out from under another, rammed his fist straight into the gut of the third. Number three went down, clutching his middle as he gagged for air. The first two came at him again, one taking a swing at him from the right as the other tried to kick him in the left side of his ribcage. He blocked the kick and caught the man's leg under his arm, swinging him around and using him to knock over the first. They crashed to the ground, one on top of the other and just like that, the fight was over.
"Who are you guys?" Batman demanded, exertion lending a ragged edge to his voice.
"We are the Cavaliers," and Batman's attention was drawn to the first man he'd knocked down who was now standing a short distance away, "and we foretell the end of your crusade."
A smoke bomb went off, engulfing the whole area, probably thrown by another one of the men who'd also gotten up. Batman coughed as the smoke invaded his lungs, igniting the rockets in his boots and flying up to try and see where the men were running off to. But it was too late, they'd disappeared.
Like shadows…
"We've got a problem, someone is after the witnesses," he said to Bruce through the cowl's receiver. "Tell the commissioner to send more men to protect them." And after Bruce confirmed more officers were on the way, he flew down to the fifth floor and landed on the window sill of Nelson's hospital room. Easing the window open, he slipped inside the dark space, shadowlike against the walls.
Nelson, awake but in a stupor, turned his head toward the sound of his footfalls, "Who's there?"
Batman didn't answer, instead stepping into a beam of light falling through the window from outside and allowing his appearance to answer the question, "Nelson Nash, I need you to give me a statement about the events that led up to the explosion which injured you."
Nelson's head lolled back on the pillow, "Man, you work faster than the cops. They haven't even talked to me yet. Then again, you are Batman. I'm pretty slagged, but…I kind of remember…Y'see, the doorbell rang…at my house…When I opened the door…there was a package sitting on the front step."
"It was addressed to you?"
"Yeah…yeah…I ordered some stuff for Christmas," he continued, "I thought that's what it was. New hand weights…y'know, for my dad. I took the box inside, put it on the coffee table. I turned to go get a box cutter to open it up. Then, well, boom…Doctors said I just broke a few bones and got some burns on my back, guess it could've been a lot worse."
"Yes, it could've," Batman replied, quietly nervous about talking too much in front of one of his classmates. "You were very fortunate. Was there anything you saw that might help me find who did this to you? It doesn't have to be anything big, maybe the writing on the package or-"
"I remember who dropped the package off," Nelson offered with a shrug. "I mean, I don't know who it was. It was weird. He was a huge guy, like a bear, y'know. And there was a black ceiling fan tattooed on the back of his neck. Well, that's what it looked like anyway…"
"Mad Stan," Batman said under his breath, eyes narrowing as he recalled the criminal's nuclear symbol tattoo. He continued to question Nelson, "Is there anything else you remember?"
"No, except…well, I don't know if this is important, but I ordered the hand weights over the phone." Nelson seemed to have woken up a bit more as their conversation progressed. "I don't usually do that. I usually order stuff on the net."
Now that gave him something to think about, "Thank you, you've been….helpful."
"Really? Schway," Nelson relaxed back into his hospital bed. "And…well, it was really cool getting to talk to you. I mean…uhh…I mean you saved my life…more than once…so I'm kind of a fan."
"Uh, thanks," and Terry hoped he wasn't letting the awkwardness he felt make its way into his voice, "you…uh…stay out of trouble and…y'know, get along with your classmates."
He slipped out of the window as quickly as he could, desperate to escape his least favorite person's admiration of his alter ego. He flew back over to the offices, using the electromagnetic pads in his boots to adhere himself to the side of the building, lower back pressed against the metal wall of the skyscraper as he pressed a finger to his left ear.
"You get all that?"
"Yes, but doesn't something seem off to you?" Bruce likely already knew the answer to that question, but Terry knew he was being given a chance to figure things out himself.
"Yeah, targeting the kids of people he hates isn't Stan's usual MO," Terry began, looking back into Nelson's room and seeing his classmate had already fallen asleep. "Not to mention I've never known him to hire guys to go after his victims post-bombing. I didn't think he had the capital for that. And those guys weren't run of the mill muscle, they had training."
"These…Cavaliers are a serious concern. I've already sent Barbara a description of them and she'll make sure the officers she's sending know what to keep an eye out for. But they're secondary to stopping Mad Stan. You're right, his MO is different than usual. He'd sooner go after the parents who are actually in charge of the businesses he's taken issue with, not that he'd care if the kids got hurt in the process." Terry heard the sound of Bruce typing on his computer's ancient keyboard, "There's something else that's bothering me. You and Nelson both placed orders through phone calls and…Yes, so did the other victims, all within the last week."
"Makes sense, last minute shopping for the holidays. Ordering stuff is easier," Terry reasoned, mulling over their findings so far. "That must mean Stan's listening into the calls somehow, knows they'll be expecting packages at their homes or that they'll be going to get packages from certain stores."
"Good thing you left your phone here in the Batcave. I'll see if I can figure out how he hacked it."
Just then, Terry heard sirens in the distance. A minute later a stream of patrol cars, ambulances and bomb squad trucks came streaming down a skylane half a block away from him, red and blue lights reflecting off the windows of buildings as they passed by. He launched back into the sky, crossing over rooftops to join the parade of emergency vehicles.
"Looks like we've got another one," he announced over the din of sirens.
Somewhere near the Gotham City dockyard…
"I'm tellin' ya man…er…ma'am, these rich twips are gonna fold by Christmas for sure," Stanley "Mad Stan" Labowski ranted into the receiver of his phone. "They'll pay for destroying the holidays with rampant consumerism and commercialization. For too long we've tolerated the companies' exploitation of the season as they brainwash our children into becoming their materialist human wallets while their children live comfortable lives without working for it! There's only one solution. BLOW IT ALL UP!"
The woman on the other side of the phone agreed with him.
It was good to have an ally in the fight against the corporatist-bureaucratic dogs.
Even if she was kind of strict and always talked to him like he was a total idiot.
"So, you gonna live up to your end of this bargain?" He asked, eager for the next phase of their plan, "You gonna give me the people I need to deal with him?"
She said she would, that he'd be able to meet up with his compatriots very soon.
"Wicked, I can't wait!" He grinned, "Time to kill Gotham's guardian of evil, the Batman!"
Nearly midnight, a rundown apartment in Gotham's industrial district…
"Estranged son of a shipping magnate, the two haven't even talked to each other in ten years," Commissioner Barbara Gordon reported. "Guess now they'll never get the chance to make up."
Batman was crouched low on the floor of the fire blackened apartment as he examined a fragment of the bomb, "These materials are too expensive for Mad Stan's pocketbook…He's throwing around a lot of cash between this and the Cavaliers. Almost makes me doubt it's him, but witness testimony says otherwise. I just don't know why he keeps acting outside of his normal patterns."
Barbara shrugged. This rookie kid sweated the details too much. People always found a way to afford their vices. In Mad Stan's case, his cardinal vice was blowing things up. She returned her attention to Batman, "In any case, he's a murderer now. He'll do hard time for this once he's caught."
"If he doesn't escape again," Batman scoffed and she couldn't blame him, no matter how much they tightened security, it seemed no Gotham prison was inescapable. "The old man says he's figured out why these people are being targeted. All the businesses that belong to the victims' parents are invested in a toy company that had to recall several different toy lines after they proved…hazardous."
The commissioner rolled her eyes, "Powers' bad investments tarnishing the good name of Wayne yet again. Bruce would've vetted the company thoroughly before buying their stock. I guess he still has a lot of house cleaning to do at his company, huh?"
"Well, with Bruce back in charge, soon all the bad decisions the Powers' made during their time at the top will be undone." Batman dusted ash off his suit as he stood, "I bet Mad Stan's been planning this attack on Wayne Enterprises and the rest since the recalls that happened during summer break."
"And he decided Christmas was a good time to make a statement. What is it this city's villains have against the hap-happiest season of all?" She asked sardonically, sighing as her hands fell to her hips. "You better solve this quick. Sam and I have plans for Christmas Eve and I'd hate to cancel on him."
"Hey, same here," Batman replied. "I better get to work too, it's after midnight by now."
"Merry Christmas to us, huh kid?" Barbara turned to head out of the apartment. "Look, forget what I said. Take some time to be with your family today. Ok?"
But when she turned to look at him, he was already gone.
Wayne Manor, Christmas Eve, early morning…
Terry sat in the plush arm chair across from Bruce's desk in his office in the manor. Bruce was finishing up an email that would be sent out to the employees of Wayne Enterprises and its various subsidiaries wishing them a "Happy Holidays" and reviewing the changes that had occurred at Wayne Enterprises since Bruce resumed the role of CEO as well as laying out a roadmap for the upcoming fiscal year. Terry stared at his phone pensively. Bruce had handed it back to him as soon as he arrived in the cave, after he completed his usual patrol route, then headed upstairs without so much as hello.
"You know, even when I was younger, I could never manage to get these emails out on time," Bruce said idly, pressing one final button on the computer screen before he leaned back in his chair to look at Terry. "I removed the bug, Mad Stan won't be eavesdropping anymore. Seems he slipped it in via updates to several popular apps. I've alerted the developers. His method was scattershot at best, but it let him set up most of his targets within a week's time."
"I'll bet you he didn't do that himself, he paid someone to. He's spending big for this." Terry tucked the phone back in his pants' pocket. "By the way, I've got a date tonight, so if you don't mind…?"
Bruce managed to not look as annoyed as he probably felt, "As long as Batman isn't needed for this case, fine. Just remember, Gotham has a rocky history with the holidays."
"No kidding."
"It's almost three in the morning, you had better head home."
Terry yawned, just the thought of his bed was enough for his exhaustion to set in, "Yeah, Mom's probably got a nice long to-do list for me when I get up. I'll come get you at noon on the 25th, ok?"
"Fine, hopefully Mad Stan will be in prison by then."
"Maybe. Maybe he'll do the decent thing and spend Christmas with his family. Or his dog anyway." Terry stood up from the chair, "By the way, Bruce, merry Christmas."
Something in Bruce's gaze softened, but all he managed was an unenthused, "Same to you."
The McGinnis apartment, late afternoon…
"I've got the roast beef out to thaw, potatoes are peeled, eggnog is chilling in the fridge- Matthew McGinnis, stop eating the candy canes off the tree!"
Matt came out from behind the tree, shock written on his features, "How'd you see me?"
"She saw your reflection in the window, twip," Terry returned his focus to the ginger bread cookie dough he was rolling out. "Now go wash your hands or I won't let you help with this."
"In the bathroom," Mary added, "I've got the green beans draining in the sink right now."
Matt bolted for the bathroom, cutting out shapes in the dough was his favorite part.
"He seems to be doing well after yesterday," Mary commented as she picked up a potato from the bowl next to the cutting board on the counter and began slicing it in thin, small rounds.
"Ah, it wasn't that bad," Terry said, he'd been doing his best to downplay what happened the day before. "You know him, he just thought it was one big adventure."
She looked back at him from over her shoulder, knife pausing mid slice, "I wish I knew where you boys got this sense of fearlessness from. Warren and I could barely handle rollercoasters. "
"Dad was braver than you realize, Mom," Terry said quietly. "I'm just glad we're actually talking to each other this year. You remember what Christmas was like last year?"
"Oh, not really. That first year without your Father was such a blur," she'd gone back to cutting up the potatoes. "Didn't we spend most of the day sitting around watching TV?"
"We watched 'A Christmas Story', in total silence, like…five times on that one channel that marathons it every year…and I still can't tell you what the movie was about," Terry sprinkled more flour on the table to keep the dough from sticking. "Something about a lamp and a gun…I think…"
Matt burst out of the bathroom, the end of a candy cane sticking out of the side of his mouth, "You done yet? I wanna start cutting stuff up." Matt had already shoved his hand into a pile of cookie cutters in a plastic box sitting on one of the dining chairs. He pulled out one shaped like a star and brandished it at Terry like he was going to throw it.
"Try me," Terry deadpanned.
"Boys," Mary warned, no doubt she knew without looking that a fight was brewing. "If you two behave this way around Mr. Wayne all of your presents are going to be mine, got it?"
Matt pressed the star into the dough instead, sticking his tongue out at Terry as he did so.
Terry ignored him and turned back to Mary, "By the way, I need to leave around six."
"Why's that?"
"He and Dana are going out," Matt announced, plucking another cookie cutter from the box. "It's their anniversary!"
Mary scoffed, "Anniversary? You're only dating."
"It's important to her, Mom," Terry said, leaning back in his chair to watch Matt mutilate the cookie dough. "It's two years to the day since she became my girlfriend."
"Well, this is the first I'm hearing of this," Mary turned away from her work, knife still in hand and a half-hearted scowl on her face. "As I recall, Mr. McGinnis, someone was barely a week out of prison by the time it was Christmas Eve that year and wasn't supposed to leave his Father's house without permission. Now, do you remember who that person was?"
"Yeah, I remember," Terry laughed, recognizing the moment wasn't as serious as Mary was acting, "and can you believe Dana said yes when this 'no good ex-con' asked her out?"
"Is that what her father calls you?" Mary was smiling now too. "She's quite a girl."
"Which is why you're going to let me take her out tonight," Terry said.
"I suppose if I don't, you'll just sneak out the window, knowing you," Mary turned back to the counter. "Ok, you can go. But I want you back home no later than nine, understand?"
"Yeah, no problem," Terry replied.
Gotham City Park…
The streetlights in the park were decorated with pole mounted light displays in the shape of Christmas trees and round ornaments, snowflakes and candy canes. The grass was blanketed in snow, but the park's pathways had been cleared for visitors. The sun was just beginning to set as Terry and Dana passed beneath a footbridge connecting two hills. Terry could feel the cold pavers straight through his boots even with two pairs of socks on and he and Dana's breaths misted the air around them. His arm was slung over her shoulders and her arm was around his waist.
They were both perfectly content.
"You've been real quiet," Terry leaned his head down towards hers. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing really…just…I wish we had more nights like this together," she sighed and tugged him towards a nearby bench. "And I know you need to work to help your family out and I think Mr. Wayne has been a good influence on you, really. It's just…I miss you."
They sat down on the bench, Dana leaning into his chest, Terry leaning his head atop hers.
"I miss you too," Terry sighed out, "but it won't always be this way…I hope. Once I'm out of school, my schedule will be more flexible-"
"Are we talking out of high school or out of college?"
Terry cringed, "…college…But, hey, it's not that long in the grand scheme of things, right?"
"Right, right, if you say so," she didn't sound convinced. "Well, have you decided what your major will be? My dad thinks I should get a business or marketing degree, something like that."
"I'm not sure what I'll be doing yet," Terry shrugged. "Mr. Wayne wants me to-"
"What's he got to do with it?"
"Well, he says when I turn eighteen that he'll employ me through Wayne Enterprises so I can get full benefits," Terry explained, a bit defensive. "After that, I kind of have my pick of career paths."
"In Wayne Enterprises? Terry, I'm grateful for what Mr. Wayne has done for you, but are you really planning on working for him for the rest of your life?" Dana sounded concerned more than angry, but Terry could tell she wasn't happy to hear any of this. "So what about your degree?"
"Mr. Wayne just wants me to develop a…rounded skillset…"
"Should I even ask what that means?" She looked away, but he could almost hear her roll her eyes. "I mean…I just want this part of our lives to be over already. I just want to get to the part where I'm not having to compete for your time with your boss."
Terry had to laugh, "Dana, I'm pretty sure that's called retirement and I'm a long way off from that. You are too, for that matter."
Dana looked up at him, clearly embarrassed but smiling, "Ok, you're right. Really just outed myself as someone who's never worked a day in her life, huh?"
"Yeah, but you looked cute while doing it."
"Still, Mr. Wayne is really demanding," she frowned then. "Maybe if you move to another department after college…?"
"Uh…we'll see," Terry figured he'd give her a more honest answer another day. "Now, do you want to sit here talking business, or do you want your anniversary present?"
Her face lit up with a smile he loved to see and she turned towards him, elbowing him lightly in the ribs as she did so, "Terry, I told you not to get me anything. What is it?"
He pulled a small, blue box which was tied closed with a white ribbon out of the inside pocket of his jacket. She leaned forward to press a kiss to his cheek as the box passed from his hands into hers. Then she was pulling the ribbon off, untying it carefully and laying it across her knee. When she opened up the box, she let out a light gasp.
"Oh Terry, these are beautiful!" She smiled up at him fondly, "Thank you, they're aquamarine, right?" She turned the box to show him the pair of earrings he'd bought her.
"Yeah, I remembered you told me they were your favorite."
"That was freshman year," she laughed and then her smile faltered for just a second as something flashed across her eyes. "Heh, freshman year…that was…not a good time…"
"No," Terry agreed. "No it wasn't. Between the divorce, running around with Bigtime, and-" but before he could finish his sentence, he noticed something moving in his peripheral vision. "Hold on."
Terry stood up from the bench, muscles tensed with anticipation.
"What, is it an animal?"
No, it was the Cavaliers.
Three of them, leaping out of the trees to surround them.
Suddenly Terry felt like a complete idiot.
"Guess I should have known Mad Stan's cleanup crew might have me on their to-do list," he said to himself. Without turning to look back at her, he said to Dana, "Get out of here, they want me."
"But Terry-!"
"Go!" He heard her get up and run and the Cavaliers didn't budge an inch, but that gave him no reassurance, "You do anything to her and you will regr-"
"We have no interest, you are the only loose end we're here to tie off," the one at the head of the group said. "The children of Gotham's excess will bear the weight of their fathers' sins."
"Yeah, I think you're a little confused, my old man was barely middle class," and while Terry talked, he assessed his situation carefully. "But I guess Mr. Wayne doesn't exactly have any spare kids on hand so you're just taking what you can get, right?"
"Your blood is sufficient, your blood is all that matters," the leader said.
"Ok, Count Dracula, I'm done talking if you are."
Terry didn't wait for an answer, instead feinting to the right and twisting his body around to lend momentum to a spin kick that the man in the middle blocked with a raised arm. Another of the men grabbed him from behind, wrapping his arms around Terry's middle and lifting him up so the first could land a series of punches to his abdomen. Terry managed to get one of his feet under him and shoved the heel of his boot down into his captor's groin. Hard.
The man let him go, stumbling back as he bent over himself. The third joined the first, the pair coming at Terry from either side. It seemed they were trying to herd him into position, relentless as they kicked out and sent punches flying his way one after the other in quick succession. Terry blocked each blow as they came, looking for an opening. He found it when the second Cavalier recovered and Terry heard him barreling at him from behind.
Terry leapt upwards at the last second, letting the man knock down his two companions, all of them hitting the ground along with Terry's feet. He grabbed the one who'd ran at him up by the collar, bringing the man's face close to his, "What's Mad Stan planning? I know he's the one behind this. Start talking now unless you want your fingers to start breaking instead."
The man started to laugh, "You will find out when Gotham opens its present tonight."
Gotham City government district…
"Gotham City Hall holds a charity ball every Christmas Eve," Bruce said as Terry flew at top speed across Gotham's skies. "Each year a different city official is chosen as the master of ceremonies. It's DA Young's turn this year and he's set to give a 'present' from the city to the director of the Charity of the Year. Guess what kind of charity it is?"
"I'm guessing something to do with toys," Terry weaved his way through a construction site, twisting around I-beams and metal bars.
"Wish Star Toy Drive, they collect and distribute toys to children throughout Gotham every year," Bruce sighed and Terry could almost see the look of disdain on his face. "The director of the charity is Jordan Hill Jr., the late Mayor Hamilton Hill's grandson."
"The guy my high school is named after?" Terry landed on the ledge of a building across from City Hall, "It's a small world after all, huh."
"I've known Jordan Jr. and his father almost their whole lives," Bruce's tone was grave. "It seems Barbara and Sam both have their phones off, the GCPD tip line is flooded right now, and City Hall's phone lines are currently unattended."
"So they have no clue what's about to happen and I have no backup."
"Not exactly," and Bruce sounded hesitant. "The police are on their way...because I sent in a bomb threat. Untraceable, of course."
Terry shook his head, "Tsk, tsk, Mr. Wayne. Santa's gonna give you coal this year."
"Get going, will you," Bruce was in no mood to play along. "Mad Stan will probably be nearby. He'll want to watch the show. Remember, every second counts."
City Hall ballroom, fifteen minutes earlier…
"Do you know where we are, dear?" Sam asked, breath ghosting across her hair.
She smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder as they turned slowly in each other's arms, rotating in the center of the ballroom, surrounded by hundreds of couples doing the same, "If I don't, I better make an appointment with the doctor."
Sam chuckled lightly, "We're under the mistletoe. Look up."
She did and sure enough, there it was, leaves of green and red berries hanging from a ribbon tied to the chandelier, "So we are. I guess we better do something about that."
But just as she and Sam leaned in to kiss-
"And now," a voice announced from the stage at the head of the room, "District Attorney Sam Young will join us to present just a small token of appreciation from Gotham to the Charity of the Year, Wish Star Toy Drive and its director, Mr. Jordan Hill Jr., come on up gentlemen."
"Duty calls," Sam said with an apologetic smile.
He slipped his arm through hers and began guiding her toward the stage. The sound of the music lowered, the live band playing a beautiful instrumental version of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" as people began crowding around. She and Sam took the steps up one side of the stage and when she looked past the city councilmembers who were already on the platform, she saw Jordan Hill Jr., nearly the spitting image of his father at the same age, coming up from the other side.
They headed for center stage as one of the assistant district attorneys whispered something to Sam, passing him a gift wrapped in shiny red paper emblazoned with golden swirling patterns, a gold bow on top of its lid. One of the city councilmen passed a mic to Sam when he and Jordan Jr. met in the middle of the long platform. Barbara stood a short distance away, smiling at Sam fondly as Sam turned toward the crowd and began to speak.
"Thank you all for joining us," he began. "I look forward to this every year. One of my ADAs just informed me that tonight we have broken every previous record for donations. That money will be evenly distributed to the charities which partner with the city government to the tune of 2.3 million."
This drew a round of applause from the whole crowd.
"We are particularly grateful to Foxteca, the Imagen Corporation, and Wayne Enterprises who provided the most generous donations this evening."
Another round of applause went up, louder than before.
"And, on behalf of the city, I would like to extend my reassurances to Mr. Luke Fox of Foxteca that our fine officers in the GCPD will soon apprehend the man responsible for the despicable attempt on his daughter's life just yesterday afternoon."
"If Batman doesn't get him first," someone shouted out from the crowd.
Sam smiled good-naturedly, "Well, that remains to be seen. And I'd also like to extend my deepest sympathies to all of the families who have been affected by this rash of serial bombings. I promise this, as district attorney I will prosecute the suspect, Stanley Labowski, to the full extent of the law and I will seek the maximum sentence of life in prison for his crimes."
Another round of uproarious applause, Barbara clapping the loudest.
Sam motioned for quiet and after a second or two everyone settled down. "Your enthusiasm for justice warms my heart," he half joked. "But for a moment, let's leave all those cares behind us. Tonight is a night when we honor all of the wonderful charities in Gotham who do so much to help so many. And in particular, we honor one charity which, this year, has gone above and beyond their calling. Mr. Hill, your organization, Wish Star, donated more toys to children in need this year than ever before."
Jordan Jr. nodded, looking a little overwhelmed at all the attention.
"Now, some people will say that that doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, but I'd like to tell you all a story about a teddy bear," he paused, "a teddy bear named Woobie."
He'd already run this speech by her, but somehow Barbara still found she was a bit embarrassed.
"Now, my wife, the lovely Commissioner Gordon, was once just a little girl herself. Her father was the first Commissioner Gordon and from the time he joined the GCPD, he had a very difficult job. Being a cop like him, one who actually tried to uphold justice, was a dangerous position to be in. The mob had sway over the city council, corruption was rampant in the GCPD, and the DA looked the other way. They were all gunning for James Gordon and the handful of people surrounding him who shared his ideals."
The crowd had further quieted, all seeming to lean in to listen to the story.
"For many years, then Lt. Gordon worked the night shift and every night, before Barbara went to bed, she'd cry and ask him not to go." Sam shot her a brief look of sympathy, "She was very young, only in the third grade, but she knew that her daddy could be killed any night."
Barbara bit her lip as tears began to well in her eyes, she remembered those nights too clearly.
"So that Christmas Eve, Lt. Gordon came back from work early and surprised Barbara with a teddy bear he bought on his way home. He told her that whenever she was lonely or scared or worried she could talk to that teddy bear and he'd make sure everything was ok. And that's what Barbara did and Woobie the Teddy got my wife through many long, difficult nights."
Now Barbara was smiling again, fond reminiscence filling her heart.
"That's not insignificant, it still isn't. Woobie is sitting on our dresser right now waiting for us to come home. To a child, it isn't just a toy. It's a comfort and a friend and someone who will always listen. Toys can open the gateway to the arts and sciences for children, to friendships with classmates and strong bonds with siblings. Through toys children can learn how to share, empathize, negotiate, and communicate. Skills that will last a lifetime."
Barbara had to stifle a laugh as Jordan Jr. nodded along like a bobblehead to Sam's words.
"And maybe all of that is a bit…schmaltzy, but sometimes the truth is like that and I truly believe that only a cynical heart can look at a child smiling when they open a present and see something wrong. What Mr. Hill and Wish Star do for the children of Gotham may not put food on their tables or clothes on their backs, that's true. There's plenty of great charities in Gotham who have that covered already. Am I right?"
A brief round of applause went up in response before the crowd quieted again.
"But what Wish Star does nourishes our children's souls and that's the one thing all of us have that we will never ever lose. So on behalf of the city of Gotham," and here, Sam turned to Jordan Jr., holding out the red wrapped box, "I would like to give you this gift."
City Hall ballroom, present…
Batman dove through a skylight window looking down into the ballroom. He had a hunch he knew exactly where Mad Stan had planted his latest bomb. As the glass shattered around him, the crowd of people ducked down in fear and the musicians' instruments screeched to a halt. He shot a grappling hook into the gift that DA Sam Young had just placed in Jordan Hill Jr.'s hand, startling the man further.
He swung the gift around by the wire attached to the hook, releasing the wire and tossing the gift into the air just as the bomb went off. A fireball lit up the whole room, screams and cries ringing out with the sound of the explosion. He hung suspended in the air, the jets in his boots holding him in place, as he watched the flames dissipate. Jordan Hill Jr. was still in one piece…but…something wasn't right.
The explosion was much, much smaller than he thought it would be.
So were all the explosions that followed as, one after the other, the exits to the ballroom collapsed in piles of insurmountable rubble. A sense of déjà vu took hold as he recognized one of Mad Stan's most common tactics. The screaming seemed to go on forever as Batman could do nothing but watch helplessly as the civilians' every route of escape was blocked off. Commissioner Gordon seized a microphone and began issuing orders to the crowd in a measured, steady voice.
"Everyone, remain calm."
But the panic only grew worse as one final, much larger explosion, rocked the back of the room. Chunks of wall went flying and Batman flew down low to save a woman as a particularly large chunk headed straight for her, flying her away from the danger and setting her down behind a pillar. He looked to the back wall, finding that a massive hole had been blown out of it and a giant, armored box truck was emerging through it…
…and Mad Stan was standing on top, shouting to the heavens.
"Welcome to the demolition zone Bat-freak!"
Batman flew towards the truck, glaring down at Mad Stan, "Bah humbug to you too, dreg."
The remaining four Cavaliers, their three fallen brethren having already been picked up by the GCPD after Dana called the cops to the park earlier, piled out of the truck. They spread out, the crowd of people doing their best to back away from them. Batman landed atop a table, one eye on the Cavaliers and the other on Mad Stan who looked positively maniacal.
"I've got you where I want you this time!" He shouted, exuberant. "Let's see you put those cuffs on me when you're busy trying to protect a room full of hostages. Let's see you protect these bureaucratic rats and their corporate pals while I make you dance. You're gonna be beggin' for mercy by the time I'm through with you!"
One of the Cavaliers lunged forward…and was knocked back in a heap by a sudden bolt of energy from across the room. Batman looked back and saw Commissioner Gordon standing center stage, her gun pointed at Mad Stan's lackeys. If looks could kill, every single one of them would already be dead.
"You get Stan, I'll take care of those four," she shouted to him.
Batman smiled briefly, grateful for the assist, then turned his attention back to Mad Stan, "You've been naughty this year, Stan. I'm gonna have to do something about that."
"Good luck," Stan pulled grenades off of his belt, palming each and lobbing them at the crowd.
Batman launched himself after one, catching it and tossing it out of a skylight window above. The second one exploded in the air behind him, detonated before it could land in the crowd by a shot from the commissioner's gun. Batman twisted in the air and shot a red blade disc at Stan's belt, severing the strap and sending it falling to the ground even as Mad Stan clambered to keep it in place.
"Stinkin' bat," he snarled, finally letting the belt fall. "Whatever, more where that came from!"
"I don't think so," Batman dove for him, wrapping his arms around the man's middle and firing up the jets in his boots. He heard more shots going off behind him, probably Gordon taking down the Cavaliers he heard chasing after him. He flew through the impromptu entryway Mad Stan had opened up in the wall, dragging the mass of madman out with him as he flew up the side of the next door building. He deposited Stan on the roof, ripping the X shaped cross body straps lined with more grenades off of his chest and tossing them off the side of the building as he landed.
"Alright, mano a mano, I can deal with that," Stan boasted, putting up his fists, "can you?"
"Funny, I was about to ask you the same question," Batman squared his shoulders and assumed a fighting stance, "but I already know the answer."
Fighting Mad Stan was akin to fighting a bull, even with the suit's neuromuscular amplification, and when he charged, Batman waited until the last second to flip over him. In this fight, he needed to be clever more than anything else. When his feet hit the ground one of the little devices he'd brought was already in his hand, a silver disk slightly smaller than his palm.
Batman slapped the device onto Mad Stan's back and barely had enough time to dodge his fist when the hulking man turned back around to continue their fight. Close quarters combat, Batman had learned through trial and error, was never a good idea when dealing with this particular criminal. Unfortunately, for his plan to work, he didn't have much choice.
He slipped another one of the devices from his belt and crouched low, the claws built into his gloves protracting and slashing across Mad Stan's thigh even as Batman attached the device. But his opponent was a quick thinker in a fight and soon Batman was seeing stars as Mad Stan kicked him across the roof. His back hit an AC unit and he bounced off of it, landing on his hands and knees.
"Gonna feel that in the morning," Batman said under his breath.
Stan was already barreling towards him and Batman forced himself back onto his feet, two more of the devices in each of his hands. He charged forward as well, meeting Stan in the middle of the roof. When Stan threw a punch, Batman ducked, placed a device, pulled another from his belt. When Stan tried to kick him in the ribs, he repeated the process. Again and again and again. Kicks blocked, punches dodged, attempts to grab him and wrestle him into place fended off and each time another device planted on another part of Mad Stan's clothes or body.
The fight went on perhaps too long as both stood panting and exhausted.
"I gotta hand it to you, Bats, you've really improved since our last fight," Mad Stan wore a lopsided grin as he spoke. "I'm still gonna kill you, but I respect the game, man. I respect it."
"I'd respect you a lot more if you surrendered."
"No can do, man," he replied, still smiling, "I've got a city to save."
"Y'know, the sad part is, you really believe that." Batman sighed, "Alright, one last round."
Now Mad Stan's smile turned fierce, "You're on!"
But to Batman's surprise, his opponent ran away. He followed him, concerned now that his plan was about to fail, chasing the mad bomber down the length of the vast roof. Mad Stan weaved between AC units and power boxes until, eventually, Batman lost sight of him. Then, in one incredible display of strength, Mad Stan ripped a massive ventilation terminal straight out of the roof and tossed it Batman's way, revealing his location.
Batman narrowly missed being hit by the chunk of freshly made scrap metal, launching himself high up into the air where his opponent would have a hard time reaching. He saw Mad Stan reach into his back pocket and toss something towards a nearby AC unit. Belatedly, Batman realized it was a mine which had attached itself to the unit and was about to-
Kaboom!
He put his arms up to protect himself from the flash of light and flames, pushed back in the air by the force of the explosion. He flew back, searching for Mad Stan and found him when he began lobbing small explosives into the air. He must have kept them in the pockets of his cargo pants.
Batman flew around the explosions, each a near miss. When he finally had a clear view of Stan, he swooped down like a bird of prey. He had one last device to place and he knew exactly where it should go. Arm outstretched, device in hand, he slapped the last disc right onto Mad Stan's loud mouth.
He alighted atop a nearby sign attached to an adjacent building and called out, "Sorry Stan, I just remembered, I have one last present I need to wrap up before tomorrow morning!"
Mad Stan's face was priceless as Batman produced a small remote from his belt. He pressed the button and watched in delight as every device he'd attached was triggered all at once. Before Mad Stan knew what hit him, he was wrapped up in ribbons of woven titanium wire, looking something like a silver mummy. His mouth, screaming incomprehensible obscenities from behind the disc, was the last thing to be wrapped up. The ends of the ribbons attached themselves to anything they could reach, anchoring their captive in place.
The only thing visible was Mad Stan's eyes, wide with fear and rage as distant sirens blared.
The McGinnis apartment, Christmas Day…
The furniture in their apartment had been rearranged so that the kitchen table sat in the space between the couch and the doors to his and Matt's bedrooms, one end of it pressed against the back of the couch. Four chairs surrounded the table and some of the food had already been placed atop its surface. The floor beneath the Christmas tree was almost barren now. He, Matt and their Mom had already raided it of their presents early that morning. Terry had put his gifts away before he left for Wayne Manor, but some of Matt's were still strewn on the floor. He lay surrounded by "Justice Guild" action figures as he worked on the "My First Robot" build-it-yourself kit that Mary had gotten him.
Terry held the door open for Bruce and Ace, the Great Dane walking in like he owned the place.
"Matt, put that stuff away before Ace chews it all up," Terry said, closing the door.
Matt shot him an annoyed look, but when he saw Ace he smiled excitedly and rushed to put everything away, "Woah, that's the biggest dog I've ever seen."
"Yeah and you're the smallest human he's ever seen," Terry shot back just as Mary popped out of the kitchen. "Hey, Mom. I have returned with our guest of honor, ta-da!" He gestured to Bruce.
"Mr. Wayne," Mary smiled brightly, "thank you so much for joining us."
Bruce took the hand she offered, slipping on the mask of the genteel philanthropist as easily as Terry slipped on the cowl of Batman, "Please, call me Bruce. I was happy to receive the invitation. If I'd had more time to shop, I would've-"
"Oh no, Mr. Wa- Bruce. You've already done so much for my family," Mary assured. "I just wanted to give a little back. That's what Christmas is all about, isn't it?"
Bruce smiled and it almost seemed to reach his eyes, "It is."
Mary turned to Matt who was petting a very tolerant looking Ace, "Matt, say 'hi' to Bruce."
He looked up uncertainly, "Uh…hi. So…you're the reason Terry's never home anymore, huh?"
"Matthew," Mary said, face turning stern.
But Bruce cut in on her impending lecture, "I'm afraid I am. At my age, I need a lot of help. Getting old isn't for the weak and it's a hard thing to do alone."
Matt frowned, thoughtful look on his face, then said, "I guess so…You wanna see my robot?"
And Bruce's eyes actually sparkled, Terry could hardly believe it, "I'd love to."
.
.
.
"We must've visited every last floor of Bergduffs, I didn't even know they stayed open that late," Bruce leaned back in the dining chair, Ace lying across his feet as he told his rapt audience the story. "I think Harley and Ivy were trying to max every credit card I had. Finally, Ivy's toxin began to wear off and when Harley tried to…apply another dose…I backed away and fell down an out of order elevator shaft."
"What happened next?" Matt asked, chin propped up in his hands and his elbows propped up on the table. "Didja have to go to the hospital and wear a body cast and eat out of a tube and-"
"Matt," Terry cut him off, his little brother could be…a bit morbid sometimes...
"At the last minute, someone caught me," Bruce continued. "Batman."
"Woah," Matt cried, slapping his hands down on the table in excitement. "Really? The old one? You actually met him?"
"I did," Bruce smiled, "and he chased Harley and Ivy down to Wacko Toys. They put up a tough fight, but he caught them in the end…with a Christmas tree. I got my credit cards back and those two villains got to spend the holidays in Arkham Asylum."
"In Gotham, Christmas and crime seem to go hand in hand. A real longstanding tradition," Terry observed. "That reminds me, Bruce. You said something about a Christmas tradition you wanted to keep. So…what is it?"
Bruce fished around in the pocket of his jacket and, after a second or two, pulled out a vid-drive, "This is a Christmas movie I watch every year called 'It's a Wonderful Life'. It isn't relentlessly cheerful, I promise. It's a story about how much of a difference one man can make to a city."
And Terry didn't miss the significant look Bruce gave him at those words.
.
.
.
"Look, daddy! Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings."
"That's right. That's right. Attaboy, Clarence."
Terry looked over to his Mom and saw her dabbing at her eyes with a tissue as the cast of the film continued to sing "Auld Lang Syne". She was a real sucker for these kinds of movies and never failed to cry at the end. Matt was fast asleep on the floor, his head pillowed on Ace's stomach. The Great Dane lay on his side, stretched out in front of the tree, napping along with the little human he'd made fast friends with. Terry tried not to be annoyed by the fact that it had taken him nearly a year to get on Ace's good side while it had taken Matt just a few hours.
Bruce looked over at him as the movie's credits appeared on the screen. "Thank you," he said suddenly, surprising Terry with his sincerity. "It's been…awhile…since I spent Christmas with anyone."
Mary frowned at that, "Well that's just too bad. You're wonderful company."
Terry shared a shrewd smile with Bruce, they both knew he wasn't.
"Oh, Terry," Mary nodded over to the Christmas tree, "don't you have something for Bruce?"
"Yeah, I almost forgot, thanks," Terry got up and stepped around Matt and Ace, scooping up the little box from under the tree and passing it to Bruce before sitting back down again.
Bruce shot him a skeptical look, a glimpse of his real tetchy self showing for a second. He still hadn't quite forgiven Terry for taking him to "Batman: The Musical" for his birthday. Terry still argued that it was better than Bruce gave it credit for being. Sure, the story was lacking and the acting was mediocre at best, but the music, in Terry's humble opinion, was pretty schway.
"Just open it, will you?"
Bruce did, face neutral, and lifted the lid off the box after untying the bow.
Terry knew he'd gotten him a good gift this time when Bruce actually looked surprised. Bruce lifted up the card sized container holding the vid-drive, the title of the show and the small picture of its title character printed on the front. It was a copy of "Gray Ghost: The Animated Series" and Terry smiled proudly when Bruce placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you, Terry. I've had a hard time finding a vid-drive copy of this show," Bruce explained. "It was made two years after the live action show ended, but it wasn't as popular and they cancelled it."
Mary leaned over to see what the gift was, "Oh, are you a fan too? Terry loved that series when he was a kid. Warren and I took him to see the first movie three times, I think."
"Well, that was the remake," Terry said. "Bruce grew up with the original series. That's what the cartoon is based off of. I think they even got Simon Trent to voice the Gray Ghost for the show."
"They did," Bruce replied as he set the vid-drive and gift box down on a side table. "In fact, they were able to get most of the actors to reprise their roles for the animated series. With a few exceptions."
Mary's eyes suddenly misted up, but Terry didn't have the nerve to ask why and she didn't explain, instead saying, "This really has been a wonderful Christmas…even with all those bombings."
Terry laughed, "Yeah, it's too bad your boyfriend couldn't make it."
Mary went wide eyed in shock, "B-boyfriend? What boyfriend?"
"Aw, c'mon, Mom. Matt told me you've been talking to some guy named Tyler-"
"Tyler?" She asked, sounding confused. "Tyler is a co-worker. He's my boss's assistant."
Bruce was making a concerted effort to act like he wasn't paying attention to the conversation.
"Mom, it's ok. If he makes you happy, then I'm-"
"No, Terry, I'm serious," and she sounded like it too. "Do you remember that certification I was studying for? Remember the test I took last month?"
"Yeah, you passed and we got pizza to celebrate," Terry wasn't sure where this was going.
"Well, Tyler and I are friends. He finds out about promotions before anyone else," Mary explained, cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. "For the past several weeks, our boss has been reviewing our test scores and our applications for promotion. The week before last, I got called in for an interview and ever since then, I've called Tyler every day after work to see if our boss has made a decision yet."
"And?" Terry asked, catching up quickly to the reality of the situation.
"And nothing is final yet, but there's a very good possibility that after New Year's…" Mary bit her bottom lip in a bid, it seemed, to contain her excitement, "I might be the new head of my department."
Terry practically launched himself off the couch, throwing his arms around his Mom, "That's great, Mom. I'm really proud of you. Congratulations."
"Shh, don't wake Matt," she scolded as he pulled away and sat back down again, "and don't get too excited. Like I said, a decision hasn't been made yet. But…But if I do get that promotion, then I don't want you giving me money anymore. I need to be able to stand on my own two feet and you've got college to think about."
Terry nodded, he understood where she was coming from, "So…no boyfriend?"
"No, Tyler is very happily married with three young kids," Mary shook her head. "In any case, I better put those dishes in the dishwasher. Let me know if you two want anything," and with that, she got up and headed off to the kitchen.
Alone now, Bruce let the mask fully slip, frowning as he began speaking in low tones, "I got a call from Barbara this morning. Mad Stan has been locked up in Stonegate's maximum security wing. His phone was confiscated and when the IT people got ahold of it, they found something interesting."
"I'm not sure I want to know what," was Terry's obligatorily cheeky response to that.
A look of momentary annoyance crossed Bruce's features before he spoke again, "He's been making phone calls to another Stonegate prisoner. You know how it seemed that Mad Stan was throwing around money he shouldn't have for his little bombing campaign?"
"Yeah. Hired hackers, expensive bomb materials, the Cavaliers…"
"That should've been our first hint about who his ally was."
"What do you mean?"
"A standard 52 deck of French-suited playing cards has only three face cards," Bruce was in his element now, unraveling the mystery. "Those cards are the king, queen, and jack. But a fourth, the cavalier, appears in Italian and Spanish card packs. In those decks, they replace the queen."
"Donna Walker," Terry intuited. "Guess someone's gonna lose her phone privileges."
Bruce nodded, "Queen confessed to everything when they questioned her. The Cavaliers were Jack and Ten's bodyguards when they were little. She contacted them and told them to find someone she could use to kill you. They found Mad Stan. She directed him to jewelry and credits she had hidden away all over Gotham to fund his plan and put him in contact with her henchmen on the understanding that you'd be dead before the funds ran out."
Terry couldn't help but smile, "So much for that. Now she's out of money and looking at even more time behind bars. Hope she's having herself a merry little Christmas tonight."
Stonegate Penitentiary, maximum security wing…
Donna Walker, Queen of the since disbanded Royal Flush Gang, sat in her cell with a pillow clamped around her head, covering her ears. Next door, her new neighbor, Stanley "Mad Stan" Labowski, bellowed out a tuneless rendition of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year". He'd been going on like this for hours and she screamed in frustration as he continued on.
"There'll be much mistletoe-ing
And hearts will be glowing
When loved ones are near
It's the most wonderful time
Yes the most wonderful time
Oh the most wonderful time
OF THE YEAR!"
.
.
.
Notes: I tried my hardest to write this story in a way that was true to the show. I wanted it to feel like you could read this after watching the last episode and it would seem like a natural continuation from there. I...don't know if I totally succeeded, but I tried my best. I may continue this series, I have some ideas for where the story could go from here so I included some hints to that throughout, but I tried to keep it subtle. You can also find this fic on Ao3 (search Regina_Vulturum). On my tumblr (reginavulturum) you can find the timeline I use for my Batman Beyond fanfics linked in my pinned post. This story is very much built around that timeline, but I tried to write it in a way that didn't require you be familiar with it. Again, don't know if I totally succeeded, but I tried my best. Anyhoo~
Happy holidays, merry Christmas, and have a wonderful new year!