Gotham City, 2019
Harvey Bullock, Jim Gordon and Alfred Pennyworth look up at the figure standing on the nearby rooftop.
"Who is he?" Harvey asked with confusion.
Jim was quick to reply, "A friend."
A few months later Bruce, in his batsuit, is sitting in the study his head deep in blueprints. Alfred walked in with breakfast on a tray in one hand and his cane in the other.
"Master Bruce did it occur to you that sleep is important for physical health?"
Bruce removed the cowl stood up, "A weary body can be dealt with Alfred. I plan to make a public appearance today, I'm building a casino."
Alfred set the food down on the table, "I suppose you'll want to have a dive bar in the manor then too sir." The remark was snark and managed a slight smirk from Bruce.
"It's important to keep up appearances Alfred and no one will suspect a playboy billionaire to be the Batman." Bruce was again sitting down and had his head in the blueprints.
"I see and this is all to keep up appearances, you're not planning on becoming a rather unpleasant drunk again." Bruce smiled at this.
"No Alfred I don't, not to you anyway." The two friends shared a laugh and Bruce finally touched his breakfast.
Alfred now realizing what Bruce was looking at had many more questions, "Master Bruce how do you plan on digging this Batcave as you're calling it, without taking down the whole manor?"
Bruce took a large bite of his bagel before answering, "The cave won't be under the manor, not directly. The main cave will be under the back of the estate."
"Well then I suppose we should get started. This will be a rather large project for just the two of us."
Bruce finished his breakfast and got up, "That won't be a problem, I've already talked to Lucius he has a group of diggers who think they're digging me an underground stadium. The building however will be our responsibility."
"I suppose you won't be home for dinner tonight then." Alfred almost sounding a bit happy and disappointed at the same time, less cooking but Bruce would also be out in the city.
"Actually Alfred not tonight." Alfred looked confused and slightly worried.
"I'm having Lucius make modifications to the batsuit, and with all major threats locked up, I think if this city survived 10 years without me one night off couldn't hurt."
Alfred still looked extremely confused, "Master Bruce that doesn't sound like you at all."
Bruce just laughed a bit, "Don't worry Alfred I'm fine, what day is today."
Now Alfred definitely looked worried, "June 16th sir, truly are you feeling alright?"
Bruce now wore a wide grin as if hiding something, "And what is celebrated on June 16th Alfred?"
Alfred was now just confused, "I truly don't know sir, we've never celebrated today before have we?"
"No we haven't," Bruce walked around the table and gave Alfred a hug, "Happy Father's Day Alfred." Bruce released and walked out of the room.
"One more thing Alfred, I've bought tickets to the circus that's in town tonight, I've heard the flying Graysons are the best trapeze artists in the world."
Now Alfred looked a little grim, "Yes, I remember the last time they were in Gotham, and who they left behind."
"Don't worry Alfred Jeremiah is locked up in Arkham there's nothing to worry about. Oh and I'll take care of the house today."
"Oh dear, now I truly have something to worry about." The two laughed and began catching up on all the other had missed in the last 10 years."
"STEP RIGHT UP, STEP RIGHT UP TRY YOUR STRENGTH WITH THIS HERE MALLET!"
Alfred and Bruce were walking through the carnival to arrive at the pier where the circus was.
"HOW ABOUT YOU GOOD SIR, WANT TO GIVE IT A GO!"
"Oh Master Bruce this is the perfect opportunity to show everyone how weak a playboy billionaire is. Especially after that rather abrupt announcement on the morning news that you'd be opening a casino that will pass the top of Ms. Kean's new tower."
Bruce just gave a snark smile to Alfred and took the mallet in one hand, looked away and hit the bell with little effort.
"Well Bruce you've certainly gotten stronger these last ten years." Gordon and Lee walked up behind him and Alfred.
"Ah Commissioner Gordon, Mrs. Gordon what a pleasant surprise, I didn't know you held interest in the circus."
"Please Alfred just call me Jim, you've known us far too long to be that formal. We also have a date from around 15 years ago that we never finished at this circus."
"It's good to see you Jim I'm sorry I couldn't be present these last few months, I've had some important things that I had to do."
"It's alright Bruce, Jim would never get home on time if you showed up to his work every day, and then we'd have some serious problems."
The group laughed and made their way inside. But something caught Bruce's eye and he broke off saying he'd catch up.
"You did good Alfred, he's grown to be quite the man."
Alfred let out a sigh, "You have no idea."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lee almost looked worried. "Oh well he proposed we celebrate Father's Day today and that I allow him to do all the house keeping, which I'm sure will be a disaster." It was a quick recovery after a slip about Batman. Jim looked like he knew Alfred was hiding something but the look passed.
"Well it's nice to see that his taste in women hasn't changed at all in the last 10 years." Jim nodded over to where Bruce had went, it was exactly where Selina was standing. "I'm not so sure he's gonna ask her out Jim, 10 years without even a letter he's just being an adult and saying hello." Alfred gave a sarcastically worried look, "I should hope that's all he does we don't have time for those two to be climbing on rooftops all night."
"I didn't know you liked the circus, I assumed you'd be off robbing some other museum tonight." Selina turned around and quickly stuffed something in her back pocket. "Shouldn't you be out running around dressed as a bat." Selina's remark came off as a joke but there was some venom in her voice when she said it.
It clearly missed Bruce or he just chose to ignore but because he continued on as if he'd hadn't heard a thing, "Today's Father's Day and I decided to take Alfred to the circus, Jim and Lee are here too if you-"
"Save it Bruce, you know why I'm here. Don't try to stop me." She turned to walk away but turned back, "But Bruce, thanks for," she stopped when Bruce wasn't there, "Asking."
"So what did I miss Alfred?" Jim and Lee laughed as Alfred half jumped out of his seat at Bruce's sudden appearance. "Well Master Bruce the Ring Master has only just announced the opening act, the Flying Graysons, it should be quite the show."
"Don't you know them Jim?" Lee's question was so abrupt that Jim had to take a second to answer, "I think so ya, they were the ones who got engaged after we solved the Valeska murder. I heard they had a kid who does the act with them. He's actually the same age as Bruce when we first met."
"Can you four just shut up already it's starting." Bruce looked surprised and then just smiled, Selina had showed up, "I thought you were here for other things. What happened you lose your touch?" Selina just gave him a glaring side eye, "Well considering you're the only rich person here it helps to sit next to you. Now actually shut up I wanna see this."
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FLYING GRAYSONS." The ring master quickly ran off and a net was put under the trapeze.
The Graysons did all of their tricks flawlessly landing one after the other without the tiniest signs of struggle. Eventually one of the clowns went up and got the youngest Grayson although he seemed to spend a bit longer than he should've on the platform. Once he was down the net was removed and the ring master came back out.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THE FLYING GRAYSONS WILL NOW ATTEMPT A STUNT NEVER BEFORE SEEN, AND THEY'LL DO IT WITHOUT A NET!"
Bruce looked at the trapeze opposite the Graysons and got a bad feeling something was wrong. "I have to go, something isn't right." Selina stopped him and mockingly said, "Bruce don't tell me you're afraid, that doesn't seem like you at all." Bruce shrugged her off. "Of course not I'm saying that something isn't right with that trapeze it's leaning slack to the right."
Selina was just confused and pushed Bruce back into his seat, "Bruce even if it is that could be part of the stunt, plus they've already started swinging you couldn't even get up there with your grapple gun. Wait you didn't bring that did you?" This time Bruce gave her a glaring side-eye, "Of course I did the only thing I left was the suit, which is with Lucius." Selina shook her head mockingly, "Your crazy dude, ever heard of not being paranoid." Bruce now turned fully toward her and they both lost all attention to the stunt. "All I'm saying is that it doesn't hurt to be prepar-"
A multitude of loud screams from the crowd broke up the conversation, Bruce and Selina turned just in time to see the Graysons hit the ground with a thud. Before she could stop him Bruce was gone and she raced after him.
"GCPD EVERYONE STAY CALM!" Jim and Lee rushed out onto the platform. "Lee are they?" She just turned and shook her head. Jim walked over to the son who was standing in shock his eyes tearing up. "Hey kid, what's your name?" The kid didn't say a word, he just turned and ran as fast as he could. He didn't know where to but he ran.
"Bruce! Bruce slow down!" Selina was chasing after him but hadn't realized just how fast Bruce had gotten. "Selina I know it was him he cut the rope, I should've seen it then but I was too distracted." Selina stopped, "So that's what I am, a distraction. You know I thought you might try and make things better after you went away for ten years. But after all this time I'm just a distraction." Now Bruce despite himself stopped, "Selina that's not what I meant, you know that but right now there's a killer in this circus and I have to catch him. Now you can either help or not but right now that's priority one."
Before Selina could say anything a kid came running as fast as he could through the tent and into Bruce, his eyes red with tears. He looked up and was about to keep running when Bruce put his hand on the kids shoulder. And knelt down to his level.
"Hey son can tell me where you're running to?" The kid just shook his head. "Well can we start with your name?" The kid couldn't even get that out and just collapsed into Bruce's chest. "Hey it's ok, I'm gonna help you. Name 5 things you can see. "I-I can see you, the tent, that lady, the ground, and the moon." Bruce smiled, "That's good now how about 4 things you can touch?" The kid started to feel around, "M-my shirt, you, the ground, and the tent. Now how about 3 things you can hear, ignore the sounds from inside just out here." He slowly sat up and closed his eyes, "I can hear the water from the river, your breathing and my breathing." That's very good now how about 2 things you can smell." He opened his eyes and started to focus on smelling, "I can smell the popcorn and the stinking river." Bruce gave a smile, "Yes that would be a hard one to miss, just one more what's one thing you can taste?" The boy looked confused for a moment but then he realized what he was supposed to do. He took a deep breath and swallowed, "The air, it's fresher by the river, even if the does stink a bit." Bruce chuckled just a little, "That's great now let's take a walk away from here for a minute, further up the pier." The boy nodded, and Bruce looked back but Selina was gone.
Once they were far enough away from the circus tent Bruce sat down on a bench and motioned for the boy to sit next to him. "Alright can you tell me your name now, I'll start my name is Bruce, Bruce Wayne." The boy looked up no longer crying but still in that state of shock that Bruce knew all too well. "M-my name is Richard, Richard Grayson but everyone just calls me Dick." Bruce smiled, "Well Dick, can you tell me what happened up on that platform when that clown was getting you down?"
Dick began to look extremely uncomfortable, "I should go." Bruce put his hand gently on Dick's shoulder and with a calming voice, "Dick I know how you're feeling I was your age when my parents were killed right in front of me, and the only way to find the person who did this is if you can tell me who it was that got you down." Dick looked unsure but he stayed, "The clown who came to get me was new to the circus he just joined today. The ring master wasn't gonna let him in because of the hole in his right hand and how old he looked but the guy made all the other clowns laugh hysterically. Actually now that I think about it I haven't seen any of them since then." Bruce's face went dark and it scared Dick. "Dick did you say that he had a hole in his right hand? Was he bald too and wearing a purple suit?" Dick looked surprised. "Yes he was, how'd you know that?" Bruce got up and motioned for Dick to follow, "That's no clown, and everyone in that tent is in danger."
"JIM GET EVERYONE OUT OF HERE NOW!" Bruce came running in with Dick close behind him. "Why what happened Bruce?" Bruce didn't even stop to talk to Jim just a name as he ran past to find Alfred, "Jeremiah Valeska."
"Master Bruce there you are, I was beginning to worry you'd left me here to do all your detective work." Bruce never changed his face from the grim look, "Alfred this is Dick Grayson take him and get to the car. Drive back to the manor as fast as you can, but be careful Jeremiah might have sent his followers there." Alfred began to look worried, "I beg your pardon sir, did you say Jeremiah. I thought he was in Arkham."
"He was and now he's not so take Dick and get back to the manor now." Alfred walked over to Dick but he took a step back. "It's all right Dick, I trust Alfred with my life." Dick looked at Bruce and then went with Alfred. "Alfred take the back way into the manor I don't want to take any chances." Alfred nodded and left with Dick.
"Bruce! Bruce what do you mean Jeremiah, he's in Arkham." Bruce turned around to see Jim running up to him. "Not anymore, the Grayson kid told me that a bald clown wearing a purple suit joined the circus this morning by making all of the other clowns laugh hysterically, he also said that the clown had a hole in his right hand." Jim's face went dark and then suspicious, "Hold on, how do you know Jeremiah has a hole in his right hand?" Bruce looked frustrated and started to walk off, "I saw it on the news and I really think we have more important things to worry about than his hand."
"Righto Brucey, there are so many things you have to worry about, take the happy gas flooding these tents as we speak, or the brakes in your car that I cut. Poor little Dick Grayson can meet back up with his parents, a shame I couldn't kill them all on those trapeze." Jeremiah was standing on the balcony 20ft above them. But before even Bruce could do anything Selina came up from behind and kicked him off.
"What, you didn't think I'd left did you, think of all the money people leave behind when a known lunatic kills the main act and floods the tents with poison gas." Jim let out a light chuckle under his breath but Bruce just walked over to Jeremiah and picked him up. "Let's just go before the gas gets to this tent." Selina swung down from the balcony and caught up with Bruce. "Look Bruce about what I said earlier-"
"Not right now Selina we have more important things to worry about. We can talk back at the manor if you want to but right now I'm taking Jeremiah into custody." Selina rolled her eyes and made to walk off. "You know Bruce the custody is right behind you, even 10 years away hasn't affected your ego. I'll see you around" She walked away but did it slow enough to give Bruce the chance to call her back, he didn't even turn around just kept walking out towards the GCPD barrier.
"Selina," she turned to see Jim walking over to her, "Do you know what Bruce has been doing since he got back, things just aren't adding up. He doesn't show his face for months and then all of a sudden announces he's opening a casino and goes to the circus all in the same day." Despite what had just happened Selina wasn't going to sell out Bruce for nothing. "No idea he could go open as many casinos as he wants and I won't give two craps." She was angry and disappeared into the shadows. Jim hurried out after this so he didn't get caught in the gas, which had only just slowly started to make its way into the main tent.
"Alfred! Don't get in the car, Jeremiah cut the brakes." Alfred looked a bit worried but did as was told. "Are you sure master Bruce?" Bruce took one look at the car and nodded.
Bruce arrived back at the manor with Alfred and Dick. Alfred had gave Dick a blanket and some warm food. "How is he?" Alfred got up and walked over to Bruce who was in the doorway. "Well I can't say he's much different from you at the time your parents died. Bruce he needs a father, or at the very least a father figure. And I am far too old to give him that." Bruce shook his head, "Alfred you know I can't do that I'm not in any shape fit to raise a kid." Alfred grinned, "Nor was I but I'm sure that if you can go out every night and fight crime dressed as a bat, you'll have no problems with raising a child." Bruce knew he wasn't going to win this one, "Those are two very different things, and even if I do try to raise him I'm not the best role model." Alfred shook his head, "That's not what I mean, let him in on everything. Tell him the truth about everything and raise him as I raised you. As your father asked me to raise you." Bruce almost yelled, no, that was until he heard the last remark, "And how was that?" Bruce's voice had gotten much lower, "In his final will your father said that should the responsibility of raising you fall upon me, I should allow you to choose your own path forward and support whatever decision you make. Why on God's green earth do you think I agreed to all of the crazy ideas of a 12 year old boy."
Before Bruce could respond Dick came over to the two of them, "I don't want to be any trouble, I'll just go to the GCPD if you're too busy for me." Now Bruce felt guilty and at this point really had no choice but to say yes, "Not at all Dick you can stay here as long as you want, and I promise you that nothing bad will ever happen to you again." Dick rushed in and gave Bruce a big hug burying his head into Bruce's chest. Bruce wasn't exactly sure what to do so he just hugged him back. Alfred smiled and went to prepare one of the rooms for Dick.
The next morning Bruce was up early to prepare breakfast, even though Alfred specifically said to not touch anything in the kitchen after nearly getting it blown up a second time the night before. Although it turned out Alfred wasn't the one he'd find waiting in the kitchen. "Hey Dick what's wrong, couldn't sleep?" Dick turned around surprised, he hadn't heard Bruce enter the room. "Oh hi Bruce, I um ya just had a little trouble sleeping." It was the truth but Bruce knew exactly what it really meant, more than most. "I had the nightmares too you know." Dick's face fell, "Bruce, do they ever go away?" Bruce didn't want to answer that question but he remembered what Alfred had told him, "No not really, even I still have them sometimes. But over time they'll lose their power over you and eventually that hurt won't hurt so much and the pain will remind you how much you were loved by them, and how much you still-" Bruce paused for a second in the middle of talking his face falling, how could he be so stupid, "How much you still are loved by the family you choose." Dick wasn't sure how he felt about that it was reassuring but at the same time he didn't like the hurt, "Is there a way to make it go away?" This time Bruce definitely didn't want to answer but he grit his teeth and went ahead anyway. "Technically yes, you could get rid of the pain entirely but in doing so you'll lose yourself and everything you are. I did once and I nearly lost everyone and everything I love. There is however a way to help deal with it and if you want me to I can teach you. You should be warned that it won't be easy and there will be more loss but it will make you stronger in ways that you never thought possible." Dick looked unsure about it but in his mind he no longer had anything to lose, "I don't see any pain worse than the one I'm feeling now, when do we start?" Bruce smiled, he really did see himself in Dick but most of all he saw the will and courage to help others, no matter the cost. "Tonight I'll have Alfred talk to Lucius so he can help get you a suit, I have someone I need to see today." Dick looked confused, "You mean a fancy suit, like coat and tie?" Bruce laughed a little, "Of course not, it'd be pretty ridiculous if Batman's sidekick looked like John Wick, and you'll need an alias by tonight as well." Dick just sat there his jaw on the floor and then put on a wide smile, Bruce smiled as he left through the window in the study, it was the first time he'd seen Dick smile since they met.
"Hey hey if it isn't the mean old commissioner, you here to yell at us low life's for not doing our job well enough." Harvey's hair was considerably grayer than the last time Jim had seen him. "Don't worry Harvey I'm just here for your whiskey and then I'll be leaving." Now Harvey completely blocked the path to his desk, "Over my dead body pal, come for my job I'll fight but come for my whiskey and I'll die for it."
"Shame altho I did hear they're opening a new senior center down the street, you should check it out." Harvey gave a snark look but didn't say anything, "Yesterday Jeremiah Valeska broke out of Arkham and we had no idea until he'd already taken innocent lives. I want a full inspection on the staff at Arkham Asylum and get someone watching Bruce Wayne." Harvey looked very confused, "Sorry I thought I just heard you say get a watch on Bruce Wayne?"
"You heard right Harvey, he's up to something and I want to know what." Harvey's jaw nearly dropped, "That kid has been up to something since his parents died and you never cared, even when this city was a freakin war zone. Why now?" Jim let out a long sigh, "I think Bruce might be the Batman." This time Harvey just laughed, "Bruce Wayne is the Batman, that'll be the day. You know what if you want to keep an eye on Bruce that's your business not mine. I'll put the rookie on it, he's been squirming in that desk for weeks now."
"Thanks Harvey, oh and keep this tight, no one that doesn't need to know finds out."
"Sure thing buddy, and I'll hit up Arkham today I heard they just brought in a bunch of new staff, I'll start there." Jim turned to walk away, "Thanks Harvey, oh and Bullock go easy on the whiskey, your breath stinks."
"Welcome to Arkham Asylum Detective Bullock, truly we're honored to have you here, Warden Sharp is waiting for you just down the hall I must say after you returned Jeremiah to us this morning I didn't expect to see you again so soon, especially to inspect our staff." Harvey let out a mocking sigh, "Well you see me now and trust me I've been to this looney bin enough times to know that even the staff are crazy." The guard didn't look too happy but let Bullock continue on to the Warden. "Detective Bullock it's a pleasure, I am Warden Quincy Sharp, the staff are in the next room, I assure none of them helped that filthy degenerate escape." Bullock just walked past and into the room to interrogate the staff.
"Alright one at a time I'm gonna talk to each of you, if I even smell that you're guilty you're going away for a long time." All of the staff left and the interrogations began. "Name and occupation at Arkham." The man across from him had buzzed black hair and a glass eye with a scar through it. "Frank Boles, Security Guard."
"And where were you yesterday at around 9 A.M?" Boles continued to looked Harvey straight in the eyes. "I was standing guard outside the intensive treatment room. Dr. Harleen Quinzel was in there with a patient she can vouch for me."
"So who was in intensive treatment with the Doctor?" Boles let slip the ghost of a grin, no idea detective my shift changed after she got there and before she left." Harvey thought he had something but he had to sure. "Is that all detective?"
"For now, tell Dr. Quinzel that she's next." Boles turned away from Harvey and grinned on his way out of the room. Harleen walked into the room with a big smile and took a seat, she was young barely out of med school. "Ms. Quinzel where were you yesterday at around 9 A.M?" She kept the smile and sat up straight, "Please call me Harley and I was in intensive treatment with one of the patients, officer Boles was standing guard." Harvey held back a grin, "See that's what's throwing me is he said the same thing except, he also said that he came and went the entire time while you were in the room. Explain that to me, Harleen." Harleen's smile fell, "Franky that idiot, you hire help and they can't get one thing right, and you I told you to call me Harley." Harvey practically jumped out of his chair to arrest Harley but before he could the door blasted open and pinned him against the wall.
"Harley what'd I say about ruining surprises, aw what the hell jigs up now let's get out of here before the boy in blue wakes up." Harley looked ecstatic and jumped out of the chair into his arms, "Oh Mr. J, you always know how to make an entrance. Ooh I love the new hair, it really matches your eyes." Jeremiah began laughing, "Not now Harley we have a big party to prepare for. See you later Harves we've got a helicopter to catch." The two began laughing hysterically with Boles leading a crew made up of goons and guards out of the Asylum.
"Hey Barbra Lee, is Lee here?" Bruce had gone to the Gordon's hoping to find Lee but instead Barbra answered the door. "Mommy the rich man from the T.V is here to see you." Lee came out from the kitchen a towel and dry tupperware still in her hands. "Hi Bruce I didn't expect to see you here, what's up?" Bruce stepped inside, "I was hoping you could tell me where Selina is staying, I checked all her usual spots but she wasn't at any of them. I even went to Barbra's." Lee began to look a little uncomfortable but she just continued to dry the tupperware, "Barbra why don't you go play in the other room. I don't know where she is, I heard she moves around a lot so I'm sure she's just out somewhere." Bruce narrowed his eyes, "Lee that tupperware is dry, where's Selina?"
"I'm right here Bruce, if I wanted to see you I would've just shown up at your house. I came to Lee to talk, something others can't do." Bruce let that last comment get to him, "Really then why'd you slow down last night as if you wanted me to stop you, or why didn't you tell Jim what I've actually been doing?" Selina started to get angry too, "Bruce how many times do I have to tell you that you don't know me. Why are you even here?" Bruce let out a sigh and calmed his voice, "Selina I didn't come here to fight, I came to apologize. You've always been nothing but a friend and I've done nothing but push you away, so I'm sorry." Bruce turned and began to walk away, "Bruce wait," Bruce stopped but didn't turn around. "I haven't exactly been the best friend either, what you're doing for this city, it's important and I don't want to stand in the way of that. So if you ever need help, you know where to find me." Bruce finally turned around to face Selina and stuck his hand out, "Friends?" She took it and looked him in the eyes, "Friends. Oh and don't let that Grayson get you into too much trouble." Selina left and jumped out the window.
Lee, who was still in the room, had finally out two and two together, "Wait Bruce, does that mean that you're the Batman?" Bruce laughed a little, "That's the other reason I'm here. As good as Alfred is at stitching me up I'm gonna need a real doctor someday and you're the best one I know." Lee was still in some shock from what she'd heard but she had other questions, "So does this mean you're going to tell Jim about what you're doing?" Bruce narrowed his eyes and changed to a much more serious tone, "No, Gotham needs a white knight."
"But Jim already supports the Batman openly, what's the difference if he knew it was you?" Bruce wanted to tell Jim he really did but he knew he couldn't, "The more people that know who the Batman is the less he becomes a symbol and the more he becomes just another vigilante. If people found out that the Jim Gordon, Gotham's white knight, knew the Batman's identity and didn't reveal it to the people, that symbol would fade almost instantly." Lee looked like she understood but know she had another question, "So why tell me? I am his wife and very well known in the Narrows."
"But you're not on the same public level as him. If the First Lady was caught dealing in illegal drugs the country is alerted but not many people really care. On the other hand if the president is caught doing the same the entire country goes into wild. So Lee I'm asking you, please, help me with this and don't tell Jim. At the very least do it for the kid." Lee looked down, she was hesitant. On one hand she and Jim had promised to never keep anything from each other. On the other hand Bruce had a point and he did came to her for help. "Alright I'll do this, but please just think about talking to Jim." When she looked up Bruce was already gone.
"Alfred it's a pleasure as always, is the suit not up to Bruce's standards?" Alfred walked in with Dick close at his heel. "Actually Lucius it's quite the opposite, this is young master Dick. Bruce would like you to make a suit for him and he is to make all cosmetic the designs of the suit."Lucious looked rather pleased with himself, "Well I can certainly do that for you, hello Dick I'm Lucius Fox. Follow me and I'll get you all set up for this." Alfred grabbed Lucius' shoulder to talk to him. "You go ahead Dick I'll be right with you. Is something wrong?"
"Actually master Bruce was hoping you could make some more gadgets for him. Here are the blueprints." Lucius looked down his eyes widening a bit, "Explosive gel strong enough to take down wooden and weak cement structures while remaining non-lethal, and a remote controlled batarang. He's ambitious I'll give him that." Alfred looked a bit worried, "Can you do it?" Lucius looked almost offended, "Oh it shouldn't be a problem, I'll have them field ready by the end of the day." Alfred smiled but couldn't respond due to Dick running in to hurry up Lucius. "Just give me a call if you need anything else Alfred, I'll bring Dick home when we're done."
"Harvey! Harvey! There he is, someone get the door off of him!" Jim had just arrived with SWAT. "Son of a bitch, he had the whole damn security team on his payroll." Jim was just happy to see Harvey okay but quickly the realization came to him that if Jeremiah had already been out when Bullock arrived then he had something huge planned, and it likely had something to do with Bruce. "Harper get the rookie on the phone, I wanna know where Bruce is and once you find him get him into protective custody. Oh and Harper don't ask him, tell him." Harper had a worried look on her face, "Well that's the thing sir, the rookie just called saying he lost Bruce. He did find a letter addressed to you saying, 'stop watching me Jim.' There's no signature but the hand writing matches Bruce's." Jim threw the chair lying on the ground into the wall, "Damnit Bruce you're gonna get yourself killed. Alright I want a team watching Wayne Manor and the rest of you get out there looking for Jeremiah. No one rests until he's found."
"Something's not right Jim, we caught him way too easily last night, but why would he want to get caught just to break out again. Plus this time he gave away that he had half the asylum working for him. Jim turned to see Harvey fixing his hair and putting his hat back on. "He's a psychopath, nothing he does makes sense all I know is that if he does something it's gonna be big and 9 times out of 10 it will involve Bruce."
"Oh Mr. J I can't wait for your party. Jeremiah turned to Harley with a wide smile, "Oh they're going to be the bomb. Let's start the party, with a bang." Jeremiah hit a button and an empty construction site on the other side of Gotham blew up in a blaze.