10:00 pm
It was getting late and the heat of the night began to set in. Terry and his friends walked close together.
Dana held Terry's arm tight clutching it against her hair.
" Its nice that you could finally get a night off." Dana mused.
" Well I got lucky Mr. Wayne has some political thing tonight and decided to give me the night off."
Terry looked back at Max and Rey walking behind them.
" The new guy seems like he isn't very comfortable." She said.
" He was silent all night." she continued.
" Well hes new to the city. Gotham can be intimidating for transplants plus hes had Max to deal with all night."
" Considering everything I think hes done well."
Terry reassured her.
.Dana smiled with a slight giggle.
Max and Rey brought up the rear.
" Did you see that kick Frazier gave that big baddie during that final fight?!" Max shouted.
She stopped putting herself in a fighting stance jumping up kicking into the air.
Air lettng out a loud " Hhhheeeeyyyyaahhhh!:
" Yeah it was nice." Rey said gazing at Max.
"But his form was all wrong." Rey said .
" And you can do better than a trained martial artist?"
So far the night had gone good for the group.
They ate at Rhinos and saw a movie . But through it all Rey stayed quiet not speaking unless he was spoken too and even not saying much at all.
" So what do you think of the big city?" Max asked.
Rey put his hands in his pockets sighing before he spoke.
" Its a lot bigger than what remember."
Max looked puzzled.
" You lived here before?"
" My parents ran a church down in old Gotham. " He looked up at the sky as if trying to think of what to say next.
" When I was 8 they passed and I had to go and live out of town."
Terry couldn't help but over hear.
" Your parents died?"
Rey sighed again " Yeah an auto accident. I'm not really too comfortable talking about it." and with that he changed the subject.
Terry understood. It had been nearly a year and he still couldn't bring himself to talk about his father.
" What brings you back to town?" Dana asked.
"Actually my aunt and her daughter. They uh...uh...got a place in town."
" Where do they live maybe Dana can give you a lift after school." Max chimed in.
"That's ok. I am staying at an old building my family used to own...I guess I own it now. So I'm fixing it up." He quickly put his hands in his pockets .
and walked ahead.
Max and Terry shrugged looking at each other.
Max ran ahead " Hey Mendoza you never answered my question?"
" So really want me to show how to throw a proper kick?" He asked.
" Duh, Yeah!" Max responded throwing a fake kick.
Loud cheering and yelling permeated through the air. Terry knew that cackle anywhere they all did. It was the sound of Jokers.
"Jokerz!" Terry muttered.
He quickly turned to Dana " Go." he said
She nodded and ran towards the alley.
As she ran she felt a huge thud run through her body. She fell to the ground.
Dazed she looked up to see a Large Joker standing before her.
The Joker lifts his hand revealing a knife .
" The names Bushwick and you look sweet." He smiled reaching out for Dana.
Terry " Back off Spud,"
Terry jumped in between the two of them
" You must be some special kind of stupid twip. Nobody bucks up to the Jokerz." Bushwick whistled summoning his friends.
Another Joker reached out from the shadows grabbing Maxes hand
" Let me go!" she shouted.
The Joker stepped forward revealing a short but muscular frame.
" If you want a fight Joke wad try picking on someone your own size." Rey commanded.
The Jokerz surrounded the four of them . Forcing them closer together.
" Any ideas Terry?" Dana asked nervously.
Terry leaned closer to Max whispering in her ear.
" I need a distraction." he said quietly.
" You got it." She said running head first into the only female Joker that she could find.
Terry ran knocking down two Jokerz with shoulder thrust before disappearing.
" Now is the time to show me that kick. " Max was beginning to grow nervous.
Rey leaped into action delivering a flying kick to the Joker who attempted to grab Max earlier.
He gracefully dodged their attacks like a reckless dancer keep ing them at bay for a short time.
" Look at the way that hes taking it to the clowns he's crazy!" Dana said cheering on Ray
Max smirked impressed by the new kids moves.
" I love that in a man." she mused.
Having had enough Bushwick yelled for the other Jokerz to stop .
" Enough lets see what this twip can do against me."Licking his lips he cracked his knuckles.
" Your times up twip."
Just then Batman swooped in tackling Bushwick to the ground.
A third Joker hit Rey sending him to the ground.
As he hit his eyes began glow red and his veins began to pert-rude with anger.
Just then Batman swooped in tackling Bushwick to the ground.
" Sorry I'm late." He quipped.
Batman looked around counting the number of Jokerz surrounding them " Seven I like those odds."
Getting up Bushwick loked to where Rey was supposed to be but he was gone.
" wheres the twip!"
Just like the night before A coolie style metal hat flew through the air knocking each of the Jokerz over. The projectile returned to its owner. A figure emerged from the alley way. It was Ceza.
"You." Batman said.
Ceza arrogantly took a bite out of his apple.
"I was in the area and decided to see what all of the commotion was about."
" Whose that another vigilante." Dana asked
"I'm not sure but I got a feeling we are about to find out." Max retorted.
It was then that Batman noticed the medallion on his chest it seemed oddly familiar but he couldnt place where he had seen it.
Ceza looked around at the Jokerz around him " I hate clowns."
" So what do you say Bats do you want to clean up the trash together."
"You didnt even need to ask." Batman responded. Bushwick attacked Ceza slicing his medallion from his neck.
Ceza ducked the Joker dropping him with ease.
Batman and Ceza fought the Jokerz defeating them easily.
Before Batman could say anything Ceza was gone. But left something behind he knelt down grabbing the chain and medallion from the ground . He now knew where he had seen it. It was Reys . Now it all made sense but he had more questions.
Batman called Bruce.
" Wayne here."
" Yeah I think I know who our friend is."