Chapter Text
"Over here! Over here!"
They loved him. To them, he was a celebrity. A charming playboy with a lot of money. He walked on the red carpet, two pretty girls at his side. A-list actresses. He smiled at the rapidly flashing cameras.
"Mr. Wayne, over here!"
In truth, it was a disguise. A front for who he really was. A cover for the monster he kept chained in the depths of his soul. He restrained it during the day. At night, he eagerly unleashes it unto the world. And the world cringes in fear. But this makes the monster smile. Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy and CEO of his own company, escorted his dates for the evening to a private table at a new restaurant he had just purchased. He whispered to the waiter to bring him ginger ale. The world knows Bruce Wayne as an alcoholic but he can't afford to have his judgment even slightly impaired, not even for a single night. The monster inside demands clarity. It demands clarity for the night ahead. Bruce Wayne has no say in the matter. For he is simply a disguise for the monster inside. So, he danced with the models, with the actresses, with the socialites that had nothing better to do than to throw themselves at him and he pretended to enjoy it. But in truth, he hated every moment. He could be in his Cave, upgrading his tech or designing the next weapon. He could add more functionality to his suit, or simply train. Train until his heart gave out. He always loved that choice. By the end of the night, his dates were so hammered that they didn't even seem to notice when he escorted them to a taxi to be taken back to their respective houses. He was happy, though his face didn't show it. He had practiced for decades to retain his stoic composure. To the world, he looked like a stone. But the monster inside approved. Bruce walked into an alleyway, coming upon a manhole. He removed the lid before jumping down into the sewers. He walked a bit until stopping in front of a wall. He pressed into it and suddenly a blue light shot out and scanned his body.
'Subject confirmed: Batman.'
The wall began to slide open, revealing a hidden room. Bruce undid his suit, walking inside and allowing the wall behind him to close.
"Lights: On." Bruce commanded. The lights flipped on, revealing a sort of home away from home. He walked up to the computer, bringing up a murder file.
"Last night, a woman was found in a dumpster, mutilated and scarred. She was seen dancing at a nightclub with some friends. After drinking far too much, she stumbled into an alleyway and her predator saw his opportunity to strike. The crime scene showed scuff marks on the pavement, indicating a struggle. She probably couldn't put up much of a fight considering her drunken state. During the act itself, she probably didn't even have it in her to scream for help." Batman narrowed his eyes at the screen. "I've taken blood samples from the scene but it wasn't in the database. This means two things... It's someone young, new to the game. Someone who has a clean record and no real hospital visits. That, which is highly unlikely, or there's someone that's leading me on. Wants to see what I'm really made of. Someone who wants to test the monster inside." Bruce glanced at the screen. He remembered, years ago... 7 months after his parents' deaths, at the age of 9, how he felt...
They walked through the streets, Alfred and him. The boy kept his eyes cast downward, the image of their corpses ever so fresh, ever so clear. Like a haunting phantom that refused to give him peace, fueling him with boiling, foreign emotions that seemed so permanent and foreboding. He didn't how to feel or even what to do. He was lost, without a purpose, something no nine year old boy should ever feel. Just then, he heard something. He turned his head to see an arrest taking place. Three white policemen were surrounding a black man. Behind him were three kids, all girls, who held in each other in fear.
"Please!" The man protested. "I haven't done anything wrong! I was just picking up my children!"
"Stop resisting!" They tased him, causing him to collapse on the ground. They kicked his fallen body in front of his kids, before grabbing him by the arms and lifting him up.
"You... you racist bastards! Please, somebody help! I didn't do anything wrong! Help me, please!"
Bruce couldn't take it anymore. He broke away from Alfred, running towards the police and the man being dragged away to the police car. It was rush hour, so the streets were bustling with people, making it difficult for the boy to reach him. He yelled for the cops to stop, but the overlapping chatter and sounds of the city promptly drowned his little voice out. The man was taken away, while Bruce was found by Alfred.
"Master Bruce, stop! There's nothing you can do for him."
That was then. But now, he was able to do something. And he would. He would put a stop to this animal, no matter what.
"Fine." Bruce's thoughts continued. "I'll unleash the demon inside and strike fear into their hearts." Bruce sighed deeply. "The police interviewed the bar tender and her friends. There was no indication of anyone following her the past few days. However at the bar, the bartender says there was a man watching her from a table. He didn't order anything and simply left 20 minutes before she did. This means he had picked his target on the spot." Bruce walked into a changing chamber, stepping in before stepping out clad in the batsuit. The batsuit had changed slightly. The symbol was more emphasized, the red was made darker and instead of a silver utility belt, he now possessed a yellow one. Batman exited his second Batcave, going up to the ground above. He grappled up to to the sky, swinging through the city. He landed on a rooftop overlooking the bar. Using his cowl's combined binocular and thermal vision, he checked to see if anyone was inside. After clearing that up, Batman entered the building, walking to the table the man was reported to be seated at. He found faint fingerprints on the seat. He scanned them and then pressed his fingers to his ear.
"Alfred, can you read me?"
'Loud and clear, Master Bruce.'
"I need you to run a set of fingerprints through the database."
'Right away sir. Let's see... here we are. Fingerprints belonged to a Ms. Jane Walkman.'
"A woman? No, that's impossible." Batman looked around the bar. "The prints are fake. I want you to search the list of convicts that have committed crimes involving fake fingerprints."
'Recently, the only convicts arrested for crimes involving fake fingerprints are a one Victor Klenn and a Simone Nathans.'
"What were their crimes?"
'Ms. Nathans was accused of larceny and murder of the first-degree. She's been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and is now incarcerated in Arkham Asylum. Mr. Klenn was arrested for a bank robbery.'
"Did Klenn have any partners?"
'Hmm.. let's see... oh, my. Mr. Klenn had received help from... Jane Walkman. She's reported dead.'
"Klenn must've of somehow got ahold of her fingerprints and lent them to this murderer. Give me a list of Klenn's past associates."
'There is a Dwayne McClinton, John Sanders, Mike Sawyer, Rebecca Shaw, and a mysterious fellow known simply as "Mr. Z."'
Batman now stood on a rooftop overlooking the city. "Give me a list of references where the name 'Mr. Z' may have been used."
'There is only one reference where I found this name being used. Apparently, our Mr. Z has been under the employment of the late Carmine Falcone some 15 years ago.'
"Look into Falcone's old files. I want a name."
'Apparently, Mr. Z used to be a hired assassin. Real name: Victor Zsaaz.'
"Victor Zsaaz... any last known locations?"
'An old apartment building on 5th and Martin Luther King Blvd.'
Batman found himself standing on a rooftop overlooking the apartment. He stealthily entered inside, finding the apartment old and run down. Batman narrowed his eyes. On a torn couch was a drug addict, a man hopped up on cocaine. Batman walked up to him.
"Do you know Victor Zsaaz?"
The man was bug-eyed upon seeing the figure before him. "Hey-hey man, you're not supposed to be here!"
Batman grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up. "Answer the question."
"Yeah-yeah, I-I know him! What do you want, man? What do you want to know? I'll tell you, just don't hurt me, baby. I'm already hurtin' inside."
"Where is he?"
"He hasn't been here in a week, man. Stays at the old rundown theater in Crime Alley, man. I swear, brother. Just don't hurt me."
Batman threw him back at the couch. He turned around and walked to the window, jumping out and gliding away.
She opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings. She was in an old theater that been rundown and abandoned for years. She tried to move but she quickly realized that she was gagged and bound to a chair by some rope. 21 year old Naomi Hume, a blond, round faced woman, felt the pain on her forehead, reckoning that she was probably bleeding from it. She shuddered as light footsteps walking towards her. She turned her head to see a bald headed man with a wild look. He wasn't wearing a shirt and he had three scars on his chest. In his hand was a knife with blood already dripping from it. He slowly walked towards the woman, an eerie smile creeping onto his face.
"Who-who are you?" She asked fearfully.
"Ah, the zombie speaks." Zsaaz licked his knife with his tongue. "Feel fear no longer, my sweet. I will unburden you of life. The pressures and heartbreaks of this damned Hell will hurt you no more. I am your savior. I will release you."
"Please, God, no! Just let me go! Please!"
Zsaaz walked up to her, gently caressing her face. "Shh, shh, my dear..." He pressed the knife to her neck. "It'll all be over soon."
A batarang was suddenly thrown into the back of his hand, the pain forcing him to drop the knife. Batman emerged from the shadows, walking towards Zsaaz. "It's over, Zsaaz. Don't make this any harder than it has to be."
Zsaaz roughly ripped out the projectile from his hand. "Ah, the Batman... the Dark Enforcer of life. You're nothing but a jailer, imprisoning these worms in this cursed existence. This plane, this dimension is naught but a distraction from the true release, the true dimension... I have seen it with my own eyes. And I will grant humanity release from this painful, fruitless struggle on this meaningless ball of filth we call a planet. I will invite every man, woman and child to the sweet pleasure... of oblivion!"
Zsaaz reached behind his back and pulled a knife, before charging Batman. Zsaaz slashed at Batman, but he was too fast, shifting his body at every attack. Batman gave Zsaaz an uppercut in the gut, causing him to double over. Zsaaz attempted to stab him but Batman grabbed his wrist, snapping it with his strength. Batman then side kicked the psychopath in his face, knocking him out. After disposing of him, Batman walked over to the restrained woman. At first, she regarded him with fear. She began hyperventilating as he raised his arm. Batman, using the blades on his gauntlet, cut the rope around her. She gasped at this, looking up at the Dark Avenger.
"Wha-what?"
"You're free to go now. "
Tears of happiness began to build in her eyes, a smile creeping onto her face. She sprang up, wrapped her arms around his head and gave him a smooch on the lips. She parted with him, a bit dazzled by the act. "Thank you..." She winked at him. "Batman."
She turned around and ran off, presumably to her home. Batman smirked slightly, before turning his attention to the fallen Zsaaz. Batman pulled out bat-themed handcuffs and cuffed him up. He pressed a button on his mini-keyboard, anonymously calling the police. Batman then pressed his fingers to his ears.
"Alfred, I've caught Zsaaz. The police are on their way."
'Glad to hear it, sir.'
"How's Zatanna?"
'Preparing for your night out together, as we speak.'
"Good. Let her know I'll be home shortly."
'Very good, Master Wayne.'