The Wayne Name

Prologue: Black and White

Prologue:

The shadow moved swiftly through the fog covered streets, his cape blowing slightly in the cool breeze as he made his way swiftly and stealthily in the dark. His eyes, nearly glowing beneath the flashing, broken streetlamp looked inhuman; nearly ghostly. His mouth was set in a thin, determined expression and while you couldn't see it, his hands were clenched over the object against his chest with purpose. After all these years, all this time... he had finally, possibly, found the answer he had been searching for.

"Black, come in?" came the voice in his ear.

Reaching up, he gently pressed a hand over the communication device.

"Yes, White?" he replied quietly.

"I'm reading heat signatures coming up on your six o'clock."

The cloaked figured turned, his eyes peering into the endless dark and silence, though he saw nothing, he trusted what he had been told. Hurrying at a much quicker speed, he dashed down the empty alley ways and dove just behind a dumpster, his entire being now veiled within the shadows.

"Anything?" a loud voice called out.

"Nothing sir."

"Keep looking. He was spotted in this area and we cannot allow him to escape."

"Yes sir," the voice agreed and they continued on, without so much as glancing in his direction.

Snorting, he hurried down the other side of the alley, keeping close to the buildings all around him. He knew why they were hunting him and he knew even if it cost him his death, he wouldn't stop trying to fight them.

Memories of a previous age when he had been hunted by the Thanegarian Army came back to his mind, but he pushed those thoughts away. He didn't have a league at his beck and call this time. It was only him and those who were his eyes and ears in a much safer location.

"There he is!" a voice shouted.

Cursing under his breath, the shadowed individual dove into the darkness, the pings of bullets striking where he had just recently been standing. He felt his feet slide on some water, but he kicked off the corner of a building and turned his direction within a mere moment as he shot with momentum down the street. He could hear people yelling and running behind him and for the first time in forever, he felt a strand of uncertainty enter his mind. He might not make it out of here.

The sound of an engine revving pulled him from his thoughts and he noted the familiar silhouette riding towards him, its arm outstretched.

He didn't hesitate and thrust the item into their hand.

The silhouette swerved slightly, their body turning to look at him, but he only turned the opposite way and stood, facing his pursuers.

"Black..." the voice whispered.

"Get going. White is waiting."

He didn't need to look back to see the motorcycle fly down the road, smoke billowing behind it. He closed his eyes, knowing the time had come.

"Take him!" a voice shouted.

'Like hell', he thought to himself and pounced. He kicked, bit, punched, tripped... he did everything he knew to do as he held his attackers off. It was perhaps a hundred versus one, but it didn't faze him in the least. He knew his time was at its end and if he could keep them from hunting his comrades for even a short amount of time, he was at peace.

Finally, a sudden strike to the back of the head took him down to his knees as more kicks and punches suddenly began raining down on his undefended torso.