Disclaimer: I do not own Batman

Gotham Royal Hotel was the scene of the annual Gotham Charity Masquerade Party. Bruce Wayne sat at a table, with his best friend, Harvey Dent.

"I'm glad you were able to make it tonight, Bruce, it seems like you don't like to come out much these days." said Dent

"Haha, I wouldn't miss this, Harv, it's for a good cause." said Bruce

"And speaking of a good cause, I must thank you for helping fund my campaign for re-election."

"Of course, you're a gifted DA, Harv, of course, with that face of yours, I'm sure the ladies would have voted for you anyway."

"Now, Bruce, you're gonna make me blush."

"Good thing you're wearing the mask, haha."

In the corner of the room, a well dressed man, wearing a white mask, black hat and holding an arrow shaped cane, was checking his pocket watch and looking around the room.

"11 39, that leaves 5 minutes and 32 seconds."

The man looked around at the guests, eying up the fancy jewellery worn by the guests, from diamond necklaces and tiaras worn by the women, to expensive watches and rings. He never moved from his spot, only looking around and checking his pocket watch.

"5…4…3…2…1…"

The lights went out, panic amongst the guests as they spoke about how their jewellery was being stolen in the dark. When the clock struck midnight, the lights came back on, all the precious jewels were stolen and the man in the corner was missing. Police were later called in to investigate the mysterious heist, while Bruce Wayne slipped out when no one was looking and slipped into his batsuit. Checking the hotel's power, he discovered what appeared to be some sort of jammer to mess with the power, rigged with a timer made from a modified pocket watch.

"Master Bruce, there's been a situation, The First National Bank of Gotham has just been attacked by a gas bomb, the attacker broke into the vault and stole as much as they could carry!"

"I'm on it."

Batman rushed out and called his new toy, a customised armoured all-terrain car, the Batmobile. It had taken nearly 5 years for his 'supplier' to finish, but it was time to see if the wait was worth it. Batman got in the car and drove to the bank. When Batman reached the bank, he saw the knocked out civilians and bank workers. Checking security footage, a man in fancy regal clothing with a white mask and a crown, carrying a cane shaped like a clock hand, had thrown a gas bomb into the bank to knock everyone out, before making his way to the vault to take advantage of the timed locks. Batman looked to where the gas bomb had landed, another modified pocket watch. Batman picked it up and used a scanner in his cowl to check the serial number. Activating a mini computer in his gauntlet, he searched the serial number to locate the manufacturer.

Batman arrived at the shop that carried the pocket watch, a clock and watch shop owned by a man named William Tockman. Batman entered the unlocked store and saw a man inside sweeping. He had an average build, tanned skin and short, dark hair.

"I'm sorry, we're closed…Batman?!" asked the man

"I'm looking for William Tockman."

"You found him, but like I said, we're closed."

Batman threw the modified pocket watch on the nearby counter. Tockman picked it up and examined it.

"Who could do something like this? I made this watch myself."

"You sold it to someone, they modified it to make a bomb to rob the bank, I need to know who bought it."

"Well, no one, this pocket watch was stolen from my store last month. I called the police to report the robbery, but they never found anything, I'm sorry."

Batman would have responded, had someone not interrupted. A young woman in her early 20s, her skin was sickly pale, her hair was the same shade as Tockman's. She looked unwell.

"William, what's going on?" asked the woman

"It's nothing, Beverly, just go back to bed." said Tockman, as he helped the woman stand when she started to stumble.

Batman could see the man Tockman was, a caring brother looking out for his sick sister.

"I'm sorry about that Batman, I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do to help you, but if I find anything out, I'll be sure to let you know."

Batman only nodded before leaving the store. For the next month the mysterious 'Clock King' continued his robberies, everything timed to the precise second to pull them off flawlessly. One night, Batman had heard a police report of a disturbance at a jewellery store, where the store's entire supply of alarm clocks and expensive watches had gone off at once. Batman had arrived, but it was too obvious, something had to be up. Activating his detective vision in his cowl, Batman noticed the footprints coming out of the art gallery next door, Batman followed when he found Clock King entering a warehouse. Batman followed through a skylight when he saw no trace of the Clock King.

"Sorry Batman, did you think I didn't know you were after me?" asked Clock King, as he appeared on a screen.

"I know you knew, ever since I visited your store, Tockman." said Batman

On the screen, Clock King removed his mask, he was indeed William Tockman.

"How did you know?"

"It was obvious when I saw you taking care of your sister, she's not well."

"It's sad, she can't take care of herself, she's relied on me ever since we were young, but time is running out."

"She's dying."

"That's where you're wrong, Batman, she's not dying…I am. A terminal illness. I'll be dead in only a few months, when that happens, I need to make sure Beverly can afford the best care available. I know what I've done is wrong, Batman, but it was necessary, and if you're going to get in my way, I have to get rid of you, for what it's worth…" said Tockman, pressing a button on his watch. "...nothing personal."

The skylight slammed shut, along with the entrance to the warehouse. The lights came on, showing the place to be mostly empty, with only a mechanical box in the middle of the warehouse that started a countdown timer.

"A bomb?"

"Nothing so primitive, the box contains a high speed vacuum pump. Once the timer expires, all the oxygen within the warehouse will be removed, and I know your gadgets, you could use them to escape, but the device will take 15 minutes, which is 12 minutes and 2 seconds too fast for any gadgets to put a dent in the warehouse's structure. And if you try to open the box, it's rigged to explode. Goodbye, Batman!" said Clock King, as the screen shut off.

Batman knew he couldn't stop the machine, he needed to think of something else, when something occurred to him. The Clock King clearly entered the warehouse and he isn't here now, there must have been another way out. Batman activated the Detective Vision and found a hidden exit in the floor, which Batman was able to use to escape.

Later that night, Tockman returned to his clock shop, hiding his stolen goods in a hidden floor safe, when he heard the door open.

"Sorry, we're…" said Tockman, before being grabbed by two police officers.

"William Tockman, you're under arrest." said Michael Lane

"William, what's happening?" asked Beverly

"I'm sorry miss, police business." said Detective Montoya

Tockman was taken to the police car and locked in the back seat. Tockman looked out the window, seeing Batman standing on the roof of the building across the street. Anger filled him, he won't be able to save his sister now, Batman had doomed her, now it was personal!

Batcave

Bruce Wayne sat at the Bat-Computer, looking up some information on William Tockman.

"What happens now?" asked Alfred

"Tockman will be kept in Blackgate, his sister will be sent to a care home, where she will receive medical help for her ailment." said Bruce

"And then, Tockman will pass away from his terminal illness." said Alfred

"Not necessarily."

"What do you mean?"

"When I first met Tockman, he didn't seem to be sick, and his diagnosis seemed inconsistent, the symptoms didn't fit."

"So you think there could be some mistake?"

"Honestly, Alfred, I hope so."

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