BATMAN: Black Mirror Vol. 2

Night 11: A Demon In the Head, Is A Demon Nonetheless

     Heavy rain filled clouds slowly passed over the city, splashing water against Eli's hotel window. Ra's had waited in absolute silence for the entire day, the whole afternoon and now a good chunk of the evening. His eyes never left the window as he thought about his assassin meaning to return from what he called an errand of personal, but mutual importance. Lightning flashed, bathing the dark wide room in white light and highlighting his already cold green pupils. He had seen the mysterious broadcast. He had seen his assassin sprawled broken and dead across the floor. Ra's sighed deeply. Gotham was always a huge pain in his ass, yet everything was still going according to how he originally designed. Eli's death was bound to happen at some point while they were in Gotham, but his death came at the hands of someone Ra's should've taken more into account. He knew who had challenged Batman out of his semi-retirement and who had killed his personal agent. He finally moved from his seat by the window and went to make a call on the room's phone. He dialed and waited no more than five seconds.

"Come. I'm heading out for the night."

Ra's hung up.

     The old master gathered his emerald cloak about himself and cleaned the room for anything Eli might have left behind. The Gotham Regency Hotel was no longer of any use. The city had seen Eli's dead body and so had Bruce's enemies. It wouldn't take too long before they'd send agents in search of the child's corpse. Most likely it was already happening and if that was to be the case, his room would be one of the first places they'd search. Ra's found Eli's duffle bag and a small satchel of money and other important papers stuffed inside. Nothing else remained. The room remained dark as he exited. As usual the halls were emptied, but the feeling of someone watching grew heavy as the silence thickened. Taking a page from Eli's book, Ra's covered his face with his hooded cloak and rather taking his own secret exit from the hotel, he used the elevator. The eyes never left him even as the doors closed. He didn't have to look around to know there were cameras spying on his every move. The elevator reached the lobby filled with passing hotel guests and staff.

"I am checking out." Ra's slipped the room's keycard across the reception desk.

     "So soon? I do hope your stay with us has been a pleasurable experience." the clerk smiled. He checked the number on the card.

"Oh! I see you've come from the young master's room. I say, now I know your stay was very "pleasurable" indeed."

Ra's didn't respond, but snatched away his receipt at the insult. He walked through the crowd, every sense of his opened and working at their fullest capacity as he passed the unknown peoples. He stood to wait for his car by the hotel's main exit, all the while keeping a keen eye on the desk and its clerk. The clerk signaled for several men. His shifty eyes looked at his computer before sending his cohorts up most likely, to Eli's room. Ra's noticed the clerk's eyes moving closer to his direction. The hunt had begun. His car had parked in front of the hotel, presenting Ra's the means to disappear further into the Gotham traffic. His pursuers lost their scent as their target climbed into his car and drove off.

     "Where am I driving you to master?" asked the driver.

"Wayne Tower."

By now Ra's was certain Bruce knew who had broadcasted Eli's death. The questions remaining were: was the boy's death a means of Batman's return? Was Eli truly important to both men and now that a more aggressive adversary returned to Gotham and had taken his place, would the Caped Crusader challenge the status quo once more to reclaim his throne and kingdom? Ra's quietly pondered on those lingering queries for the remainder of the ride. He thought about what he was going to do once he caught up with Eli's murderer and how he should deal with him after he discovered the boy couldn't simply be killed like any other thug on the street. Most likely Eli died in fair combat, so the punishment shouldn't be too severe, but a lesson was needed to be learned nevertheless. The car had arrived at the entrance of Wayne Tower. While it would've been simple for Ra's to literally cut his way through the front security, this matter called for a more refined approach.