Batman: Death and Destruction

CHAPTER 1: A Package From Wayne Industries

Attention: I do not own Batman, Gotham City, or any of the characters featured in this story, except for the narrator in this chapter and this story. Enjoy!

Why? Why would someone want to move into this city? It's more of a trap than a city actually. The real question is who would want to move to this place? A place that is totally surrounded by water and stores the most dangerous people in the world?

I was forced into moving here. My father had been hired by Wayne Industries. Instead of working at one of their facilities more inland, he decided to move straight to the heart of Wayne Industries, Gotham City. Location of Wayne Tower and the Wayne Mansion.

My father wanted to be known at Wayne Industries. He wanted to be someone that people didn't just walk past when they saw him. He wanted to be someone who would receive endless congratulations from all the employees at Wayne Industries and from the big man himself, Bruce Wayne.

Once he had gotten to a high position at Wayne Industries, he would then propose his brilliant idea. I never understood it but he said that it would save the company millions. My mother told him to present it as soon as possible. My father would always reply, "Why rush? I have all the time in Gotham."

If only that statement was true. The next day he went to work, he decided that it was time to tell his master plan. He had arrived to Wayne Tower with a smile on his face. Everyone else looked depressed for some reason. "Cheer up everyone!" He yelled, "Today is going to be one of the greatest days in the company's history!"

He proceeded to the top of Wayne Tower to talk with Bruce Wayne about his idea. Once he had gotten to the top floor, he took a breath to admire the moment, the moment before my father would become a known person at Wayne Industries. After he was done gazing at the thick, wooden doors that led to Bruce's office, my father turned to the woman behind a desk and requested to see Mr. Wayne.

She gave my father a gloomy look and told him, "Mr. Wayne is not present in his office at this time." Before my father could ask where Bruce was, the elevator door opened, revealing Bruce Wayne. He walked to his office as my father began telling his plan. Bruce seemed to not be affected by my father's words, so he told the best parts about his plan. Bruce still walked towards his office.

My father knew that he had to catch his attention. He began to blurt out phrases like, "It will save the company millions!" Or, "This is the next big step for the company!"

None of it made Bruce even blink. He continued toward his office then shut the door in my father's face. The woman behind the desk noticed my father's face of confusion. She said, "Sir, the reason Mr. Wayne is so distracted is because today is the day that his parents were murdered 25 years ago."

My father just stood there. He felt so embarrassed and ashamed of himself. If he would have waited one more day then he might have the attention he wanted. He rushed back to down the floor with his office and took his name plaque off his desk that read, "E. Nigma"

That day, my father quit his job at Wayne Industries. He rushed home and locked himself in the bedroom. I heard the T.V. It was turned up pretty loud. My mother just wanted to give my father his space and then she would talk to him. I was very curious to why my father came marching home. To keep my mind off it, my mother kept me busy by making do things like washing the dishes, taking out the trash or getting the mail.

I decided to do the mail first. The T.V. was so loud that I could hear it from outside. The news was on and Bruce Wayne was speaking. I was drawn to his words because his voice had a very serious tone to it.

"Today," he started. "Is a very tragic day for my family's company. As many of you know my parents were murdered on this day, 25 years ago. Every year, on this day, I lock my self in my office and avoid all contact with anyone. Just about an hour ago, I embarrassed one of my employees who claimed to have an idea that would save the company millions. It's time that I grow up. I'd like to apologize to everyone at Wayne Industries for the way I have acted. But I didn't ask for this interview to just apologize for the way I have acted. I also want to thank someone. Gotham is city that is very high in criminal activity. One man couldn't stand to let that be what this city is known for. I want to take this moment to thank the Batman for all that he has done for this city. If you've checked the mail lately, you might have received a package from Wayne Industries. In it, is a Batman mask. To show your appreciation for the guardian of Gotham, wear this mask today. Wherever you go wear this to help support the caped crusader. And I want to personally thank the Batman for finding the man who murdered my parents. Thanks you."

I heard my father yell after that speech, "No! No no no! That should be me getting thanked, that should be me being congratulated. That damn Batman!"

For the next week, my father was in and out of the house a lot and he avoided talking to any of us. My mother got very worried that him leaving Wayne Industries was affecting his mental health.

One night my father was out late. My mother could never sleep unless he was home so she watched the news and she saw my father. He was in handcuffs and being put in a GCPD police car. The headline read, "Man Shoots Batman." It was a developing story so my mother went to the Gotham City Police Department. He wouldn't talk to my mother or anyone. My mother told detective Jim Gordon about his strange behavior that he had the past few days.

After a sanity test, my father was proved to be insane. He was taken to Arkham Asylum. He seemed happier there because he found someone that he would talk, a psychiatrist named Harleen Quinzel.

A lot of time passed. I got married, had a kid, and my mother died. But, I never visited my father, he would never talk to me and I knew the good man he used to be was gone. I kept the mask that Bruce Wayne sent in the mail and I have a feeling that a lot of other people in Gotham kept it too. I keep it to remind myself why I don't visit my father. I will not go and see someone who attempts to murder the only person who gives a damn about this city and the people in it.