The Next Nightwing

Chapter Two

Terry slowly walked the journey home, he wasn't in any particular rush to face his father. He was going to be in a world of trouble when he got home, he wouldn't even be surprised if his dad had somehow found out about what had happened with the Jokerz. Then again, that situation had opened up a whole new area of questions. Bruce Wayne was Batman! And judging by Amber's reaction, his granddaughter had had no idea. These thoughts kept Terry distracted for most of the way home. But as he entered his street, blue flashing lights lit up the night. There were police cars right outside his door.

'Mom?' The red haired lady turned around upon hearing her son's voice.

'Oh Terry, thank goodness.'

'Mom what happened?'

'They say it was the Jokerz.'

Terry looked at the mass of people that had gathered outside of the house. He quickly searched through all the faces but didn't come across the one that he was after.

'Mom, where's Dad?'

His mother's silence spoke volumes. Pushing away from her arms he ran into the house, ignoring the calls from the police. Inside the house the walls had been covered with brightly coloured graffiti, long lines of 'hahahahahahahaha' defaced the wallpaper. A cold numbness washed over him as he stood aside, allowing the police to pass him, carrying a stretcher covered with a white sheet. Somehow the Jokerz had tracked him down, found where he lived and now his dad was dead, and it was all his fault.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Amber sat quietly on one of the rusting benches in the overgrown garden. The cold November breeze tugged at her hair and she huddled tighter into her oversized sweater. It had been three days since she had met Terry and fought off the Jokerz with him. It had been the first distraction she had had since Halloween, the night her father had dropped her at the gates of Wayne Manor. Everything had changed since then; suddenly her family did not seem so innocent. Of course, she knew of her families fame, she knew of the horrible deaths of her father's parents; her grandparents. But the whole world knew of these facts. You only need type into a computer the names Bruce Wayne and Richard Grayson to find out those aspects of her family. Even her mother's death was recorded in print in the Gotham Times. But the most important part of her family history, the piece that made everything fit together, that was their most well-kept secret. Even from her.

Her Grandfather had seemed apprehensive as he had told her the truth, though she sensed even now it was not the whole truth. He had confirmed that he was Batman and that the cave she and Terry had discovered was the infamous Batcave. He did not explain why this secret had been kept from her, his only explanation being that her father was the only one with the right to give her the answers to her questions on the matter. But she knew her father would be unwilling to answer her. During the weeks of November he could barely stand to look at her; which was why, during the month of her mother's death, she was brought to Gotham to stay with Bruce. Anger suddenly flared in her veins. Over the last ten years she had been patient, understanding and compassionate towards her father's grief. She had allowed herself to be abandoned here so her father could grieve. Whatever it took for him to function for the rest of the year. But now she felt nothing but betrayal towards Dick Grayson. How could he keep something so important from her? She sat there, stewing in her anger for several moments. Then her sensitive ears picked up something from the other side of the large iron gate at the front of the property.

'Come on I know you're in there! Listen, something stinks in your company, I think it cost my old man his life!' Recognising Terry's voice she made her way to the front of the house. She had heard on the news about the death of Warren McGinnis; he had been killed by the Jokerz. What did that have to do with Wayne Enterprises? 'The answers are on this, I would take it to the cops but you know how cosy they are with Powers! How about you take it a look?' Her curiosity was apparently contagious as Bruce appeared at her side at the mention of Derek Powers, the man who was currently running Wayne Enterprises. He said nothing but Amber could sense his suspicion, he made no move to allow the boy entry. 'Yeh, I should have known you wouldn't care. You're no Batman you whacked out old fraud!' Then the old recluse did something that surprised her. Pressing a button on the remote in his pocket, he let the boy in through the gates.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Terry had brought with him a small disc that he had apparently retrieved from his father's possessions. Bruce took it from him, taking it down the secret passageway to the Bat cave and putt it into the biggest of the computers. He sat there for some time, Amber could sense him tensing in his seat.

'Power's is making nerve gas. He's using my company to make nerve gas.' Bruce snarled. As he turned his chair around to face them once more, he glared over at Terry who was checking out the newest of the Bat-suits. 'Get away from that.'

'This thing might be old but it's still cutting edge.' said Terry as he analysed the technology in the suit. He also couldn't help but glance over the suits in the collection, wondering if Amber's parents had ever worn any. He had guessed that she was the daughter of one of Wayne's adopted children, but he had never asked which one. He turned back to the old man who did not look impressed. 'I bet it amplifies your strength at least ten to one.'

'I told you not to touch it.'

'But aren't you going to...?'

'No.' As Bruce went to walk back to the staircase, Terry walked in front of him, blocking his path.

'You built that company and now Powers is making nerve gas there, you've got to do something. You're Batman.' Bruce looked at him with an expression that was half angry, half somewhat sad.

'I was Batman.' He looked towards the girl, who until this point had been silent. He handed her the disc. 'Go with Amber to the police station, ask for Commissioner Barbra Gordon, she'll know it's from me when she see's Amber.'

'The cops! They'll never be able to..'

'It's ok Terry, Commissioner Gordon is my aunt, we can trust her.' 

Terry did not seem convinced, but the glare Bruce was emanating was unnerving him, so he agreed. He followed Amber towards the exit but then turned back.

'Your family used to be some of the greatest heroes in the world. Something happened to you didn't it and it wasn't just that you got old.' Without waiting for an answer he stormed out of the Bat cave. When they were gone, Bruce sighed deeply. Terry was right, a lot had happened. After the death of his wife, Dick had stepped down from his position as Nightwing, not long after that Tim had followed suit. Bruce still wasn't entirely sure what had happened to Jason, the Red Hood had simply disappeared. As for Batman, Bruce knew it was time to step down the day he had broken his own rules. The day he had, in desperation, held up a gun knowing that he was fully prepared to shoot the man he was fighting. That had been the day he had closed the Bat cave up. He understood where Terry was coming from, of course he did, but there was no way he could ever go back to being Batman. Never again.