Lord Wraith

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

@Inkarnate

Hey GM! Lead by example!

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

<Snipped quote by Lord Wraith>

And the Winter Soldier one stays as the original sheet format, correct? Just want to make sure I have my ducks in a row.

@HenryJonesJr

Correct. Concepts probably only need to be updated if applicable mostly looking for the post catalog, plot synopsis and supporting casts.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

<Snipped quote by Lord Wraith>

If I have to do this, I will put in zero effort.

@Retired

So nothing unusual then.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Do I need to repost my Guardians CS for Season 2?

@HenryJonesJr

If we could get all returning characters updated to this format that would be preferred.

Returning Character Sheet Example

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L

A L I A S

---

^{_{B I R T H N A M E ♦ O C C U P A T I O N ♦ L O C A T I O N ♦ A F F I L I A T I O N}}

C O N T I N U I N G C O N C E P T:

---

^{"Witty Quote"}

As before, this is where you outline your vision for the character. This should be a short summary that provides insight into where the character is in terms of their overall progress from last season and any development they've undergone.

C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:

---

New season, new goals. But sure to update your characters motivations and goals taking into account the events they went through last season.

C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:

---

This section can be used to keep a list of NPCs you have or intend to include. Be sure to update this with any allies or villains used during Season One. You may also include any additional notes you want to put either for yourself, the GM's or other players to help clarify your vision or continuity.

S E A S O N O N E S Y N O P S I S:

---

This section is to be filled out with a short summary of your previous season covering any major events or developments that occurred for your character in the previous game.

P O S T C A T A L O G:

---

_{S E A S O N O N E:}

This section should include a list of hyperlinks to your posts from the previous season. This is both for GM use and accessible for new players and those feelings nostalgia for posts they read three months ago.

_{S E A S O N T W O:}

Same as before, this section is for a list of hyperlinks to your ongoing IC posts as they're created.

Returning Character Code

[CENTER][COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L[/B][/COLOR][h1][color=1E90FF][b]A L I A S[/b][/color][/h1][h r]
[img]IMAGE/BANNER[/img][h3][sup][sub][color=LightBlue]B I R T H N A M E [color=1E90FF]♦[/color] O C C U P A T I O N [color=1E90FF]♦[/color] L O C A T I O N [color=1E90FF]♦[/color] A F F I L I A T I O N[/color][/sub][/sup][/h3][img]IMAGE/BANNER[/img]
[/CENTER][COLOR=1E90FF][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]C O N T I N U I N G C O N C E P T:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][h r][/COLOR]
[CENTER][sup][color=ADD8E6]"Witty Quote"[/color][/sup][/CENTER]
[INDENT][INDENT][i]As before, this is where you outline your vision for the character. This should be a short summary that provides insight into where the character is in terms of their overall progress from last season and any development they've undergone.[/i][/indent][/indent]
[COLOR=1E90FF][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][h r][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][i]New season, new goals. But sure to update your characters motivations and goals taking into account the events they went through last season.[/i][/indent][/indent]
[COLOR=1E90FF][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][h r][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][i]This section can be used to keep a list of NPCs you have or intend to include. Be sure to update this with any allies or villains used during Season One. You may also include any additional notes you want to put either for yourself, the GM's or other players to help clarify your vision or continuity.[/i][/indent][/indent]
[COLOR=1E90FF][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]S E A S O N O N E S Y N O P S I S:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][h r][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][i]This section is to be filled out with a short summary of your previous season covering any major events or developments that occurred for your character in the previous game.[/i][/indent][/indent]
[COLOR=1E90FF][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]P O S T C A T A L O G:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][h r][/COLOR][INDENT][color=LightBlue][sub]S E A S O N O N E:[/SUB][/COLOR]

[INDENT][i]This section should include a list of hyperlinks to your posts from the previous season. This is both for GM use and accessible for new players and those feelings nostalgia for posts they read three months ago.[/i][/indent]
[color=LightBlue][sub]S E A S O N T W O:[/SUB][/COLOR]

[INDENT][i]Same as before, this section is for a list of hyperlinks to your ongoing IC posts as they're created.[/i][/indent][/indent]

^{*Please remove the space from between the 'h' and 'r' in the [h r] tags to make the horizontal line work.}

@Lord Wraith

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

@Lord Wraith thats basically what I did I just added the season recap to thr sheet

@Archangel89

Ah okay, I thought you were posting it in the OOC for approval.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

@Archangel89 You can just edit that updated CS in overtop of the old one.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

We will put to the pyre your precious law and order. We will show you how truly vulnerable your nation really is.

_{Location: University District - Founder’s Island, Gotham City}

Mass Panic Tie-In: Quiet Riot!

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: Meta Brawl!

Scrambling off the vehicle’s hood, Terry clambered into the backseat. He barely had time to get situated before Dana slammed the vehicle into reverse and put the gas pedal to the floor. Despite the amount of pain he was in, Terry had to admit, it was hot watching Dana handle her Jeep like she had just stepped out of an action film.

Suddenly the vehicle turned sharply. Bringing the Jeep to a brief halt, Dana slammed the shifter into forward. Flattening the accelerator against the floor, the rear tires squealed while the back end slid around in a sharp ninety-degree turn. Now facing forward, Dana continued to guide the vehicle towards safety. Hammering on the horn while the group continued towards escape, Dana screamed for the rioting Mutants to get out of the way.

Without any warning from Dana, the vehicle lurched to a sudden stop. Terry could feel the wheels spinning beneath the chassis, protesting as the car was unexpectedly forced backwards. The smell of burnt rubber overpowered his nose, prompting Terry to look forward. His gaze was met by a Mutant in front of the vehicle. The Mutant had a hand firmly hooked in either wheel well. The hood of the Jeep crinkling like tissue paper beneath the man’s mammoth hands.

Terry had run into this character before, it wasn’t the slapper from earlier, but he knew this one too. He was a runaway from Arkham, Aaron Helzinger. As Terry recalled, Bruce had found that Aaron had undergone a procedure to remove his amygdala. It had been hoped it would cure him of his homicidal tendencies.

It hadn’t.

Instead, it had left Amygdala prone to violent outbursts. Just like the one he was no doubt currently experiencing while crushing Dana’s graduation present like a toy between his palms. Terry grimaced, ignoring the pain wracking his body. He didn’t have a choice. Looking at the three girls, Terry met Max’s gaze in the rearview mirror. She gave him a knowing look, shaking her head but Terry defied her wishes. Lunging forward, he swung himself over the front seats. Launching over the windshield, Terry delivered a flying kick to Aaron’s face, prompting the Mutant to drop the Jeep.

Rolling across the ground, Terry came to a stop atop his feet. Raising his fists, he stared Aaron down. Each pained breath reminded him why this was such a terrible idea, but there was no way Terry could have allowed Helzinger to stay focused on the Jeep. He would have rolled it into a ball and crushed them all inside. Terry couldn’t allow that to happen to Max or Carrie, let alone Dana.

Better make this count!

Terry urged himself forward, dodging a blow from Aaron. Conventional strikes wouldn’t register, Aaron wouldn’t feel it. Terry had fought this guy once before, but he had the batsuit then. That time Terry had tasers, restraints and smoke pellets. Right now, he had nothing but his fists and his training.

Steadying himself, Terry dodged another blow. Looking for an opening, a nerve strike, a groin shot. Anything that would provide optimal damage. Switching his stance, Terry saw his opportunity and prepared to strike. Fear filled Aaron’s eyes as Terry raised his fists again. The fight draining from the larger man as he turned tail and unexpectedly ran. Sighing in relief, Terry allowed himself a small chuckle before noticing the rest of the Mutants dispersing just as rapidly.

A sudden gust of air ruffled his jacket. Turning around, Terry came face to face with the Batmobile hovering above the street. An exasperated groan escaped from between his lips while Terry shook his head. Saluting the Batmobile before it flew away, he turned back towards the three girls, slowly walking towards them.

“Anyone else hungry?”

---

_{Location: The Iceberg Casino and Lounge, Tricorner - Bleake Island, Gotham City}

PLACEHOLDER

---

The pale light of the moon reflected off the face of the towering crystalline structure. The Iceberg Casino and Lounge was Gotham City’s most prominent gambling establishment. Born out of the ashes of the Siren’s Club, the Iceberg had been a towering monument on Gotham’s edge since the mid eighties.

It was also home to one of Gotham’s most prominent crime lords; the Penguin.

The Penguin had consolidated power in the void left by the original Batman’s takedown of the Five Famiglia. The Five Famiglia were made up the Falcones, the Maronis, Bertinellis, Sabatinos and Sullivans at the height of their power, before the Batman. They were the original crime in Gotham, before the Batman, before metahumans. Now they were nothing but a memory. The Famiglia’s children fighting for scraps left by the likes of the Cartels, the Triads and the Yakuza.

When Batman had decimated the Famiglia, there had been no one to challenge the Penguin. It had afforded him a smooth ride to the top where he had remained unchecked after the disappearance of Gotham’s Dark Knight. The Penguin had the mayor’s office in one pocket, and the district attorney’s in the other. Those influences alone made the crime lord the single most powerful man in Gotham.

Outside the Iceberg Lounge and Casino, the bright beams of a large SUV’s headlights nearly blinded the valet. Raising an arm to shield his eyes, the young man lowered it the moment the vehicle came to a stop. From within the blacked out vehicle came two large men, their weapons barely concealed behind the open blazers atop form fitting shirts.

Opening the rear door, a third man stepped out. Dressed in a white pinstripe suit, the outfit certainly didn’t do the man any favours. It only served to wash out any colour his pale skin might have held. A gaunt face with high cheekbones was topped with a greased mat of hair. Entering into the casino, the man in the white suit took the lead as his bodyguards flanked him on either side.

“Pleasure or business today, Mr. Sionis?” A hostess smiled towards the three men, approaching them with a tray of champagne.

“Business, Mr. Cobblepot is expecting me.”

“I’ll let him know you’re here, in the meantime can I prepare a table? Would you like your usual, Sir?” She asked as Sionis nodded.

“Have them send over a Scotch as well, neat.” Roman ordered before making his way towards his table. The Iceberg Casino and Lounge was the unofficial headquarters of Gotham’s criminal elite. Sionis had held more business meetings between the high walls of the corner booths here than he had in his own office. Taking a seat in the far corner, no sooner had Sionis sat than was his drink delivered. Taking a sip, he signalled for his bodyguards to take their place outside of the booth while he waited for Cobblepot and his meal.

After the incident with Tetch and the girl, the Batman had been relentless in slowing down Sionis’ operation. The mere thought of it was enough to make Sionis curl his hand into a fist and quietly slam it against the solid table before taking a swig from his drink. The liquid burned the back of his throat. It was a welcome sensation that went far towards satiating the rage that swelled within his chest.

With White incarcerated, Sionis was out his best client. The Jokerz were too unpredictable, the Mutants didn’t do business, and the Sons were too busy imitating their idol to be viable. That left the other crime families, but they wouldn’t dare make a move unless Sionis could get the Bat off his back.

“Roman!” A rousing voice broke Sionis from his thoughts, bringing his attention back to the present.

“How have you been keeping, my boy?” Oswald Cobblepot asked while extending a hearty hand. Roman rose to greet the older man, matching the vigour of his handshake before the pair took opposite seats.

“I’ve had better days, Cobblepot. Business has been suffering, I find myself with a bit of a rodent problem.” Roman muttered with a snarl at the mention of Batman. Across the table, the most fearsome crime lord in Gotham let out a dark chuckle.

“So you’ve come to Uncle Oz, the infamous Penguin. The one crime lord to outlive the Batman. Is that it?” Cobblepot asked, continuing to chuckle before suddenly leaning over the table.

“What? You expect me to dirty my hands for a pup like you, off this new brat Bat for you? Solve all your problems, is that it?” He snapped at Roman, “Your father never had any trouble handling his own business. How is Janus doing? Stock prices still shit, I imagine. Surprised you’ve managed to keep Wayne privatized this long, that must be a right sinking ship.”

“I’m not here to grovel-”

“Well you best be starting.” Oswald growled pointing a finger towards Sionis’ chest. “What are you here for?”

“I need your contacts and your connections.” Roman stated, standing his ground as a plate of food was placed in front of him. Cutting into his steak, he took the first bite while a plate of salmon was slide in front of Cobblepot.

“I want to put a hit out, and I only want the best.”

“I’m listening.” Cobblepot replied, interlocking his fingers in front of his face, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on Sionis.

“One night to kill the Bat,” Sionis stated, “And fifty million to the individual who puts a bullet between his pointy ears.”

“Quite the offer, I guess business hasn’t been bad after all.” Oswald replied, igniting a fat cigar and taking a couple drags while he mused the proposal. “What’s my finder’s fee?”

“Fifty million now,” Sionis stated while placing a case atop the table. “And fifty million when his bloodied cowl is in my hands.”

Crackling, Oswald rubbed his hands together eagerly. Opening the case, he nodded his approval before tucking it beside his seat.

“Roman, my boy. Business is looking up for you.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Season Two - Momento Mori: One Night to Kill the Bat

ANNOUNCEMENT: New Staff and Discord changes

Congrats to @Byrd Man and @Ruby on your promotions, and my condolences to the new Chat Staff.

May God have mercy on your souls.

Wraith's Little Workshop of Horrors

Click to Expand

P O S T C A T A L O G:

---

_{S E A S O N O N E - W E L C O M E T O T H E M A S Q U E R A D E:}

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.01: False Faces

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

_{Location: Gotham Docks - Bleake Island, Gotham City}

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.01: False Faces

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: None

The beeping of the reversing truck echoed between the warehouses as it backed down the pier towards the awaiting idle vessel. Several of the ship’s crew stood on the stern of the small trawler, weapons firmly held at the ready as they watched the approaching vehicle slow to a stop.

Within the cab of the truck, the occupants did a last minute inspection of their firearms as the stout man in the back was the first to make a move to exit the vehicle. Taking hold of the door handle, he felt a firm hand take hold of his shoulder, causing him to pause before turning his head to look back at his associates.

“What?” He snapped, “Boss wants this over with.”

“Boss also insisted we wear these.” The other man replied as he extended an elephant mask towards the man.

“What the hell man?” The large man snapped before looking towards the remaining masks in the other man’s hands, “Give me the tiger one!”

“Boss specifically said you’re the elephant.” The driver interjected, “He was quite adamant that everyone wears their specified mask.” He added, reaching towards the tiger before putting it on.

“Fuckin’ fine then,” The first man snarled as he pulled on the mask. “Everyone happy now? ‘Tiny’ Pete’s a big, fat, fuckin’ elephant.”

“Ecstatic.” The Tiger replied dryly as the Wolf and the Stork stifled a few chuckles beneath their masks. “Could we move along then?”

“Zat’s what I was trying to do in the first fuckin’ place.” Muttered the Elephant as he climbed out of the cabin and moved towards the rear of the truck and opened the cargo door. The dark interior of the vehicle was illuminated by the lights dotting the docks as the silver `Wayne` logo on each of the cases reflected the light along their metallic surfaces.

“Glad to see everyone took the time to put on their game faces.” A voice called from behind the Elephant-masked man as the Tiger turned his head towards the source.

“Still on time though, Mr. White.” The Tiger exclaimed, his tone friendly as he swung his arms open, motioning towards the shipment in the back of the truck with his weapon. “Straight from Wayne/Sionis’ R&D department, courtesy of the False Face Society.”

“Go check it out,” White ordered to the man on his right as he straightened his leather suit jacket. “Ensure we’re getting what we’re paying for, and hurry!” He called after the man in the white suit, “I ain’t got all damn night.”

Jumping from the aft of the trawler to the dock, the tall, dark-skinned man landed softly on the wooden planks before adjusting his large sunglasses as he walked towards the four masked men.

“Holy fuck!” The Stork muttered as he leaned towards the Wolf, “That’s the fuckin’ Tally Man, what’s he doing with Warren White?”

“Warren’s a shark and money talks, especially in a city like Gotham.” The Wolf replied in a hushed tone, “And the Tally Man always gets paid.”

“And don’t you clowns forget it,” The ‘Tally Man’ flatly stated as he approached the open truck. Motioning towards the cases, he spoke again, “Open them.”

“Easy with the accusations there, amigo. We don’t run with the Jokerz.” The Tiger retorted before nodding towards the Elephant. Obliging, the larger man pulled the first case forward, lifting it with a loud grunt.

“My sincerest apologies,” The Tally Man dryly replied as he looked towards the case, watching as the Elephant lifted the lid. Lining the padded interior were numerous vials of fentanyl, bound initially for hospitals all across the Eastern seaboard, it would now instead be distributed back on Gotham’s streets for profit.

“Twenty-nine more cases in the truck?”

The cowl had picked up every word as Terry remained crouched over the edge of the nearby warehouse, watching, listening and waiting for his moment to strike. He and Bruce had been watching Warren White’s activity for the past week. The former financer had begun making aggressive moves in Gotham’s underworld. This outing was his largest show of force yet, but Terry and Bruce were betting on it being his last.

“You get all that?” The Batman asked as he spoke through the communications channel open in his cowl.

“Every word.” Came Bruce’s gravelly reply. “Take them down.”

“On it,” Terry replied, tapping the center of the suit’s belt as the dark figure disappeared, camouflaging perfectly with its surroundings. Landing silently on the pier, the Batman approached the scene as the two groups were busy unloading the remainder of the truck’s contents.

“I’ll want you to ensure every case has what we were promised,” Warren White’s voice could be heard ordering over the din. Acknowledging the order, the Tally Man nodded, rolling his eyes beneath the thick sunglasses adorning his face. Opening a second case, he nodded his head before closing it and moving onto the next one.

“We should hurry this up,” The Tiger spoke up as he placed the container down in front of the man in the white suit. “This is night in fuckin’ Gotham after all.”

“Are you worried about the Bat?” White spoke up, a smug smile crossing his face. “He won’t be a problem, I left a present for him in the North End, sent some of my guys to Burnley to keep him off our back.”

“Actually,” A voice interjected from the shadows, “I gave them the rest of the night off.” The words were followed by something flying through the darkness as it struck Warren square in the chest. The air left the corrupt man’s lungs as his feet were lifted off the ground, bolas wrapping around him as he was restrained.

“Batman!”

“It’s the fuckin’ Bat!”

“Batman’s here!”

“Look out, it’s the Bat!”

“Shoot him!”

Tapping his belt again, the Batman vanished before their eyes as they began to discharge their weapons in every direction. Sliding along the ground, Batman took ahold of the rifle closest to him, using it to hurl the Stork masked man into the air. Ripping the firearm free of his grasp, Batman spun around, driving the butt of the automatic weapon into the stomach of the Elephant.

Moving swiftly, Batman fired several batarangs from the wrist-mounted launcher on his suit. The projectiles flew through the air before hitting their marks as the Tiger was the first to cry out in pain. His gun clattered to the ground loudly as blood ran down either side of his impaled hand. Jumping up, the Batman delivered a sharp kick to the man’s head watching him fall to the ground.

Suddenly a hiss escaped from between Terry’s pursed lips as his right arm was struck with sudden pain. The Tally Man had gotten a lucky shot off, the bullet hitting Batman in the arm as his suit distributed the force of the blow over its surface, minimizing its impact. It hadn’t broken through the suit, but that did little to reduce the pain he was currently feeling.

The gun went off again, this time, however, Batman was ready as he evaded the Tally Man’s shots. Releasing a batarang from his hand, the weapon struck the Tally Man’s gun, knocking the firearm free of his grasp. His gaze followed the handgun into the air, the Tally Man turned his head at the last second, his vision filled by a closed fist as the Batman delivered a hard hook to the hitman. Dropping the man to the ground, Terry kicked the gun away as he surveyed the scene around him.

“Where’s the Wolf?” Wayne’s voice asked as Terry counted the felled men before him again. The old man was right, they were one short. Suddenly the truck’s engine roared to life as Terry spun around too late to react as the vehicle peeled off, heading back towards Old Gotham.

“Worry about him later,” Wayne growled in a tone that Terry knew was going to involve a lecture later. “Ensure White and the others are taken into custody, I’ll let Gordon know where he can pick them up.”

“Copy that, and the fentanyl?” Terry asked.

“I’ll make sure Gordon knows it’s accounted for as well.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Growing Pains

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.02: Growing Pains

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

_{Location: The Batcave - Wayne Estate, Bristol County}

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.02: Growing Pains

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: False Faces

“You’ve been doing this for far too long for me to have to babysit you, McGinnis.” Bruce growled, leaning heavily on his cane as he paced back and forth in front of the wall of monitors that made up the screen of the ‘Batcomputer’. A high pitched screech was followed by the leathery flapping of wings as the bats which occupied their namesake cave flew overhead, their slumber disturbed by the elder’s man’s volume.

“That was sloppy work tonight,” Bruce snapped as he continued to berate Terry. Every step the old man made was matched by the large dog beside him. Black as the night, Ace was more than enough to make even Gotham’s most seasoned crook second guess his next move. Clearing his throat, Wayne launched into another verbal lashing as Terry could do nothing but listen to his mentor tear him down.

“I can’t believe you allowed yourself to be shot. You should have never deactivated the cloak on your suit. It could have been a clean takedown, but you had to quip, you had to gloat.”

“The suit took the blow.” Terry protested by Bruce raised a single finger to silence him.

“That’s not the point, McGinnis!” Bruce retorted, “Your brashness allowed one of the False Faces to get away, that’s another piece of trash back onto Gotham’s streets. Another gang banger free to continue to sell stolen drugs back to the junkies and dregs that line the back allies of this god forsaken city.”

“Bruce, I-”

“I’m not done yet, McGinnis!” The old man interjected silencing his younger protege again. “When I started this mission, this war, when it was me out there, I was alone. I had no one to rely on, there was no one was watching my back.” He stated before taking a breath and continuing. “I worry I’ve coddled you too much, made you too reliant upon my eyes and ears. You’re not prepared, you’ve not yet made the sacrifices it takes to be Batman.”

“I’ve done everything you asked and then some, that’s not fair!” McGinnis spat back as Wayne stood defiantly before him. Even leaning on his cane, the elderly man was eye level with Terry. In his prime, he would have been terrifying without the cowl let alone with the mask. It took everything Terry had not to blink as the pair stared each other down, Wayne’s gaze still able to make Terry’s skin crawl.

“Life isn’t fair, you know that.” Wayne retorted, the growl gaining more of an edge. “If it were, you’d still have a father.”

Silence fell over the cave, broken only by the bats overhead as the two men stood nearly nose to nose. Terry felt his first curl as his eyes looked down for a second, noticing Wayne’s white knuckles as his fingers threatened to crush the cane grasped beneath them.

“Terry, I-” Wayne began, his tone softening only for Terry to take a step back, tossing the Batsuit down on the nearby table.

“Should probably check the suit for damage, synaptics felt sluggish on the way home.”

“Circuits might not be making full contact, it would reduce the response time,” Wayne replied as he pulled up a chair. “You should get some rest, Ace and I will handle this,” Bruce added, nodding towards the sizeable Dane mix pacing the floor behind him.

“Uh thanks,” Terry replied, the pain of Bruce’s words still stinging as he rubbed the back his head, “Goodnight, Mr. Wayne.”

“Goodnight, McGinnis.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Meet Cute

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.03: Meet Cute

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

_{Location: Gotham State University - Founder’s Island, Gotham City}

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.03: Meet Cute

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: Growing Pains

Chatter could be heard across the open campus space as it echoed between the buildings that enclosed it on all side. Words filled with gossip, weekend plans and the latest accomplishments of the Gotham Knights were all nearly indiscernible from one another as they rang out within the ever growing din.

A groan escaped from between the lips of Terry McGinnis as he lowered his head onto his crossed arms. The cold surface of the metal table was soothing against his tired eyes, the same eyes which now protested in agony as the sun continued to rise high above the Gotham skyline. For a brief moment, Terry had been able to forget about the Gotham State University student body that all around him hurried every which way. But the noise had brought him back to reality as Terry raised his head to watch the other students move between classes as they passed through the quadrangle.

Slumping back in his chair, Terry let his head fall backwards, squinting as the sun threatened to blind him. A disgruntled groan emerged from his loosely slung jaw as his personal pity party was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“You look like shit, Terry.”

“Good morning to you too, Max.” Terry replied before lifting his head as he corrected his posture. Smiling in response, Max flicked a straightened strand of bright pink hair out of her face before taking a seat across from Terry. For as long as Terry had known Max, she had always coloured her hair in the same shade, and it worked for her. The bright bubblegum presenting her with an eye-catching contrast between her hair, her warm, amber eyes and her rich, umber complexion.

Placing her bag down on the table, Max turned and smiled towards a nearby redheaded girl, who Terry only know noticed seemed to be waiting for an invitation. Before he could make the motion, Max eagerly waved her over, gesturing for the girl to take the seat directly beside her.

“Terry,” Max began gesturing to the girl beside her, “This is Carrie,” Max smiled before nodding back towards Terry. “Carrie, this is Terry, he and I have been friends since sophomore year.” She stated before quickly correcting herself, “Highschool sophmore year, not-”

“I follow,” Carrie replied with a smile towards Max as she adjusted the green frames on her almost comically large, oval glasses. “Be a little weird to introduce a friend from last semester like that.”

“Max is a little weird.” Terry smiled before realizing Max was shooting him daggers across the table. “Er, until you get to know her that is-” Max’s look only intensified as Terry scrambled to correct course only to thankfully be rescued as he felt an arm wrap around his neck.

“Hey, Babe,” Dana smiled as Terry turned to look at her. His eyes slightly widened as Dana’s nose crinkled while she looked down at him. “Terry, I don’t mean to be rude but-” Dana paused, lowering her voice to a hushed tone before continuing. “You look like shit this morning.”

“So I’ve heard.” Terry replied dryly as Max put a hand over her mouth, stifling her laughter while Dana took a seat.

“Mr. Wayne has you working all hours of the night, does the man not sleep?”

“I’m sure he does,” Terry replied solemnly before a smirk crept into the corner of his mouth, “‘Cept it’s while I’m at school.”

“Terry, that’s horrible.” Dana stated, her bottom lip sticking out in the slightest of pouts giving away her obvious dissatisfaction. “We’re young, and we’re fun, I can’t have my boyfriend falling asleep between every class and at every party.”

“Remember when he fell asleep with a drink in his hand?” Max interjected with a smile. “Spilled all over his lap, never seen Terry move that quickly.”

“Not my finest moment.” Terry muttered as Dana put a hand to his cheek.

“Forget about it, ask for this weekend off.” Dana pleaded, now emphasizing her bottom lip. “Everyone else is entitled to time off, why aren’t you?” She asked, “Besides,” She paused, leaning forward as her lips brushed against Terry’s ear. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

“Uh, guys? Right here!” Max exclaimed from across the table, waving her arms at the pair while Carrie looked down, the freckles dotting her face disappearing beneath a flush of crimson.

“I don’t think we’ve been introduced yet,” Carrie suddenly spoke up as she stood and extended a hand towards Dana, “I’m Carrie, Carrie Kelly.”

“Dana Tan, Terry’s girlfriend.” Dana replied, her tone almost icy as Terry looked up at her curiously. Drawing her hand back, Dana brushed a few strands of her dark hair behind the nearest ear as she waved a hand towards Terry not-so-subtly instructing him to move so she could sit on his lap.

“How’d you two meet?” Dana asked motioning between Terry and Carrie as Carrie’s face suddenly went red again. A small cough from Max broke the awkward silence, as Dana turned her eyes towards the other woman.

“I introduced them this morning,” Came Max’s voice as Dana turned her head towards her, “Carrie and I have been hanging out for a while now, so I thought it was time to introduce her to my friends.” She continued, reaching towards Carrie as she took hold of her hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

“Oh, you two-,” It was Dana’s turn to blush as flustered words tumbled out of her mouth, “I didn’t realize, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s cool,” Carrie replied. “Max already told me I’m her first.” She added, adjusting the lime coloured glasses again. “This was hardly the most awkward introduction I’ve had.” Carrie stated, allowing herself a small giggle as Max smiled.

“I’m happy for you,” Terry nodded towards Max, wrapping an arm around Dana’s waist, “Both of you,” He nodded towards Carrie with a smile. “Any friend of Max’s is a friend of ours.”

“Thanks,” Carrie replied before glancing at her cellphone as she looked at the time. “Sorry guys, I’ve got to run, but it was a pleasure to finally meet both of you.” She added, placing a quick peck on Max’s cheek, Carrie stood before disappearing into the throng of students that filled the quad.

“I like her,” Dana stated as Terry scoffed. “What?” She asked, her tone indignant as she turned towards Terry who held up in his hands disarmingly.

“Don’t mind him,” Max replied waving a hand towards Terry, “And thank you, Dana, I appreciate it.”

“The Dean’s Office does not reflect the wishes of the student body!” A voice suddenly roared over the din of the quad. Turning to look, Terry’s eyes were drawn to a figure who had climbed atop a central table, megaphone in hand as he shouted over the numerous conversations that filled the open space.

“Your school is managed by bureaucrats and magnates running back alley deals with your tuition. The highest bidder controls future, dictating who will receive their degree! It is sickening!” He was working himself into a frenzy now, “Education should not be a privilege held by gatekeepers, it should be a right to all!” The young man roared, his volume only growing as people stopped to listen.

“Who is that?” Terry muttered as he and Dana both turned to look at Max. Returning her gaze with an exasperated look, Max let out a reluctant sigh as she answered.

“His name is Lonnie Machin, big proponent of the old ‘anti-establishmentism.’ He’s all over all of the school’s boards under the alias ‘Moneyspider.’” She stated, raising her hand as she put air quotes around the alias. “But he’s harmless.”

“Good,” Terry replied in a low tone as Max smiled, acknowledging their shared secret. “Shit!” He suddenly exclaimed noticing the time. “I’m late for bio!”

Springing up, Terry hurriedly helped Dana to her feet before planting a quick kiss on her lips and scooping up his belongings.

“We’re still on for tonight right?” Dana asked pressing a perfectly manicured nail against his chest.

“You bet,” He replied before waving quickly towards Max, “Catch you around.”

“Will do, McGinnis,” Max called as Terry pushed his way through Machin’s listeners. “Ten bucks says he falls asleep in class,” Max muttered to Dana as the petite young woman spun around on her the heel of her ankle boot.

“Twenty and you’re on.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Down the Rabbit Hole

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.04: Down the Rabbit Hole

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

_{Location: Old Gotham - Bleake Island, Gotham City}

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.04: Down the Rabbit Hole

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: Meet Cute

The small room was dark save for the inconsistent lighting of one dim lamp hung directly in the center of the ceiling. The loosely fitted bulb buzzed loudly as it threatened to short at any second. Brief flashes of bright light cut through the darkness illuminating a lone figure in a wolf mask sitting restrained in an old wooden chair. Around the man’s mouth was a tightly pulled gag while a blindfold had been used to restrict his vision. Both the man’s shoes and his socks had been removed which left his bare feet to sitting in the shallow pool of water currently situated beneath his chair.

An unexpected noise echoed through the room as the latch on the door clicked loudly causing the startling the bound man. Struggling against his restraints, the man’s futile efforts were interrupted by the scraping creaks of the door’s hinges as it was swung open. The slapping of several hard heeled shoes against the cement floor echoed from the hallway and into the room. Amidst the sound of the heavy footsteps came the squeaking of four wheels as a heavy cart was pushed into the tight space.

“Right this way, Mr. Tetch,” A deep voice instructed as the first pair of footsteps entered the room. The sound of the cart stopped somewhere in front of the bound man as the footsteps echoed one last time before they too ceased to be heard within the confines of the room.

“Can we get some light in here?” Demanded a strange sounding voice, the identity of the speaker unfamiliar to the man in the chair. There was an accent to the stranger’s words, obnoxious yet melodic, like something out of a children’s cartoon.

“Whatever you need, Mr. Tetch.” Came a smooth baritone reply. The bound Wolf recognized the second voice immediately as his employer.

The Black Mask himself.

“Doctor,”

“What’d you say?” Black Mask asked, shoving his hands into the pockets of his finely tailored suit.

“It’s Doctor,” Jervis replied, “Not Mister.”

“My apologies then, Doctor.” Black Mask replied, his voice lacking any form of sincerity as a leather gloved hand adjusted the ebony skull-like mask which came to the notorious crime lord his namesake.

“Did you need anything?” He repeated, the voice unhindered nor was it filtered as the mask’s jaw remained hauntingly still while he spoke.

“I just need to ensure my payment is in order, is everything properly arranged?” Tetch asked as the Black Mask reached into the pocket of his pinstripe jacket and held out a square photograph towards the smaller man.

Raising his chin to get a look at the photo, Tetch took it from Black Mask’s hand as his face twitched with a disinterested look.

“She’s older than I requested.” He grumbled as a finger traced the girl’s golden hair before he tucked inside his lapelled jacket. “But she’ll do, I suppose.”

“Good,” Black Mask replied as he approached the Wolf, removing the blindfold and the mask as the Wolf looked towards his employer.

“You cost me a lot of money,” Black Mask stated, his tone full of disdain as he continued.

“Thankfully the sale of your daughter to Mr. Tetch here goes a long way to repaying that debt,” Pulling a cigar from within his jacket, the Black Mask forced it between the teeth of his mask before cutting the end off and lighting it. Taking a long drag on the thick Cuban, he blew a ring of smoke towards the Wolf before speaking.

“And your wife has, well agreed to dance at the Alibi to pay the remainder of the debt.” Black Mask chuckled darkly. “‘Course I did have to give your body to science as part of my deal with Mr. Tetch.”

“Enough monologuing, Mr. Mask” Tetch called as he nodded towards the two burly men who had been flanking him this entire time. “Brothers, if you please, release our friend here.”

“I’ll let you off this time, Tetch” Black Mask growled as he stepped back from the restrained man and took a position against the wall alongside the door. “But if you ever interrupt me again, it’s a bullet.”

“But where would you be without me?” Tetch retorted towards Black Mask before holding up a mask as he carefully examined it.

“On his knees please, Tweeds.” The doctor ordered as the two men picked the wolf up from his chair before pressing a foot against either calf as he was lowered towards the ground, his head now eye level with Tetch himself.

Removing the wolf mask from his victim’s face, Tetch tossed it aside before firmly placing a small silver band atop the man’s brow. His wide eyes protested, but there was nothing he could do as one of the Tweed brothers wrapped a large hand over the base of his skull and held him steady.

And then suddenly, the fear was gone.

Tetch smiled in satisfaction as the man’s body relaxed the moment the mask was activated. Behind him, Black Mask took several steps forward as he peered towards his former employee watching the effects of Tetch’s device.

“Remove his gag, please.” Tetch stated as the other brother ripped it off of the Wolf’s face. Walking over to his cart, Tetch picked up a similar band, placing it atop of his own head before flipping a switch on the equipment in front of him.

“Please state your name.” Tetch ordered as the man replied promptly.

“Richard J. Cunningham.”

“And your wife’s name?” Tetch asked as Black Mask crossed his arms in satisfaction.

“Lori Beth Cunningham.”

“And your daughter’s name please?” Tetch replied.

“Chelsea Alice Cunningham.” Richard stated without any sign of reluctance.

“What happened last night Mr. Cunningham?” Tetch inquired as Black Mask took several steps towards Richard, studying his facial expressions as he replied willingly again.

“The deal went South when the Batman appeared. I hid behind the truck and waited for my opportunity to escape while the others fought back. They lost, and I escaped while the Bat was distracted.”

“So you’re a damn coward!” Black Mask snarled, but Richard didn’t respond causing the crime lord to lash out. Delivering a firm blow to the man’s stomach, Black Mask watched in astonishment as Richard barely reacted, not even audibly acknowledging that he had been struck.

“What’s the limits of your device?” Black Mask inquired as he turned back towards Tetch.

“He’ll do whatever I ask him to.” Tetch stated as Black Mask marched forward and lifted the circlet from the small man’s head before fitting it over his own.

“Pick up those pliers!” The crime lord ordered, pointing Richard towards the nearby tool. Complying, the other man picked up the pliers and held them at the ready as Black Mask spoke again.

“Rip out a tooth.”

Without a moment of hesitation, Richard opened the pliers before using them to take hold of one of his front teeth. Clamping the pliers closed, he tugged them downwards as a subtle wince of pain appeared in the corner of his eyes, blood spilling out over his lips as the tooth fell to the floor.

“This is fuckin’ great, Tetch!” Black Mask exclaimed. Banging on the door to the room, the Crime Lord watched it open as two people wearing masks modelled after his own answered.

“The doctor held up his part of the deal, get him the girl and send him on his merry way.” Black Mask ordered before turning back towards Cunningham.

“I have my own fun to attend to.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Curiouser and Curiouser

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.05: Curiouser and Curiouser

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

_{Location: Gotham State University - Founder’s Island, Gotham City}

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.05: Curiouser and Curiouser

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: Down the Rabbit Hole

”I can’t believe you cost me twenty bucks.”

Dana shook her head in mock frustration while she and Terry watched Max walk away. Each step was emphasized with victory fueled swagger as she caught up to Carrie before disappearing into the ever-growing throng of students.

“Your ass is definitely mine tonight, McGinnis.” Dana said, turning towards the dark-haired young man with a mischievous smile across her face. Running a hand across his jawline, Dana paused for a second, her hazel eyes studying Terry’s face as her gaze was met by his own piercing blue eyes.

“You must be spending way too much time with Mister Wayne,” Dana chided with a giddy giggle, “You’re even starting to look like him.”

Scoffing, Terry brushed Dana’s hand aside before wrapping an arm around the petite raven-haired woman’s waist. Walking with Dana under his arm, Terry felt his heart skip a beat as he futilely wished this moment could last forever. Dana and Terry had been considered an item for longer than either of them would honestly acknowledge to each other. Most of their high school years had been spent in an on and off relationship until they finally became an exclusive item in the second semester of their senior year.

While there had been others in Terry’s life, some even who were more kindred souls than Dana could ever know, Terry always found himself coming back to her. Dana complimented Terry in ways he couldn’t have imagined and were it not for his ‘nightlife,’ the pair could have even been living together by now.

“Whatcha thinking about there, tall dark and brooding?” Dana teased as Terry’s mind was brought back to the present.

“Sorry D, that last class just put my brain on the fritz.” Terry replied, feeling a slight burning in his cheeks. Despite the warmth, it would appear that his fair skin hadn’t betrayed him as Dana moved on, swatting him playfully as she responded.

“Oh no, you don’t, I don’t want to hear about how tired you are. We are young and fun, don’t you start acting like my dad who needs to nap after an ‘exhausting day’ at work.”

It’s actually my nights that are exhausting.

Smiling as he dismissed the thought from his head, Terry replied as he took hold of Dana’s hand and continued forward with her.

“Don’t you worry, I am one hundred percent with you in the here, and now, you have my full undivided atten-”

“McGinnis!” A voice yelled from across the parking lot as Dana and Terry turned to see a familiar face moving towards them. The source of the voice belonged to none other than the Knights’ starting quarterback as Nelson Nash approached the pair.

“Hey, either of you seen Chelsea?” Nelson asked, relaxing his broad shoulders before tucking his hands into the pockets of his letterman jacket.

“Haven’t seen her since before practice, and she’s not answering any of my texts, not even the good ones.” The jock smiled, nodding towards Terry while giving him a nudge with an elbow.

“Can’t think of what the hell I did to piss her off.” Nelson added as Dana pulled out her phone and began to scroll through her texts. Scoffing, Terry shook his head towards Nelson as he replied dryly.

“Not even one thing?” Terry asked with a raised brow.

“No man, I’ve done fuck all that would have pissed her off,” Nelson retorted, “She’s got no reason to be ghostin’ me.” He added before muttering under his breath, “I don’t think.”

“Not all that surprising, Nash” Terry replied dryly as Nelson shot him a dirty look.

“She hasn’t texted me either,” Dana interjected, her expression confused as she continued to look down at her phone. Her thumb scrolled along the screen as she continued to speak. “Nothing on her Insta or Snap either,”

“That’s not like her.” Terry stated as Nelson nodded eagerly in agreement.

“Something’s up man, told you I didn’t do nothing!”

“Yeah, you’re a real saint, Nelson.” Dana smiled wryly, “Though, this really isn’t like her.” She added as her brow crinkled in concern.

“Maybe she took a day off from everything?” Terry suggested as his phone began to ring. Avoiding eye contact with Dana, Terry slid it out of his pocket before quickly swiping his thumb across the screen as he answered the call.

“Detectives Gage and Ramirez just picked up a body, heavily mutilated.” The voice on the other end growled as Bruce skipped the pleasantries. “Early analysis suggests he’s the missing ‘Wolf’ from last night.”

“Anything else I should know?” Terry asked as Dana shot him daggers from a few feet away.

“Victim was identified as Richard Cunningham, upper middle class, Wayne/Sionis employee-”

“And Chelsea’s father.” Terry whispered as he cut Bruce off, turning his back to Nelson and Dana before continuing. “Wayne, Chelsea’s gone off the grid.”

“Then you’d best suit up.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.06: Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

_{Location: Amusement Mile - Miagani Island, Gotham City}

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.06: Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: Curiouser and Curiouser

I am so dead, so very, very dead.

The thought haunted Terry while visions of Dana’s scorned expression played back continuously through his head. He had always hated lying to Dana, but it was a necessary evil. One that unfortunately came with the weight of the cowl. After ending his call with Bruce, Terry had convinced Dana and Nelson that the three of them would have a better chance of finding Chelsea if they split up to cover more ground.

Always worked on Scooby Doo at least.

Despite initially protesting, Dana had reluctantly agreed Nelson begun grovelling. Based on her demeanour though, Terry was definitely going to have to make up this missed date. Not that there was anything unusual about that. He had a rather infamous and perpetually growing list of dates he had cancelled on.

High above the streets of Miagani Island, the Batmobile carried the Dark Knight across the city. The vehicle’s cloaking technology keeping it hidden even in broad daylight. Engaging the autopilot, Terry attempted to clear his burdened mind while the Batmobile approached their destination. The Gotham City Police Department had several precincts across the city, but the Forensics Laboratory was located in one of Terry’s least favourite parts of the city.

Amusement Mile.

It was nearly impossible to walk the streets of Amusement Mile without being harassed by the Jokerz. Much like their rivals; the Sons of Batman had spawned from Bruce’s myth, the Jokerz modelled themselves on one of the most feared figures in Gotham’s history.

The Clown Prince of Crime himself.

The Joker.

Much like the Harlequin of Hate himself, the Jokerz got their rocks off assaulting the people of Gotham in the name of a good ‘joke.’ But like most common criminals, they were a superstitious and cowardly lot. A glimpse of the bat was generally more than enough to send them running, but some of them took it as a challenge.

Bruce had said Richard Cunningham had been found heavily mutilated, subjected to extreme torture. Were it not ruled a suicide by Gage and Ramirez, Terry would have quickly assumed that a Jokerz gang was behind the murder. The fact that it had however been deemed such kept Terry from forming a solid theory.

Bringing the Batmobile to a halt, Terry exited from the lower hatch. Extending the suit’s wings, he glided towards the rooftop of the GCPD Forensics Lab. Steam rose up from the various pipes that vented the building’s ancient boiler system, covering the roof in a thick fog. As usual, the access door was propped open. Terry smiled, thanking the forensic department’s head for his chain smoking.

The hallways were off-putting. Dark and narrow, exposed piping hung from steel braces creating the illusion that the corridors were nearly endless. Making his way through the building invisibly, Terry found himself descending into the basement as he entered the morgue.

The silence was broken by the muffled sounds of music. Recognizing the beat, Terry raised an eyebrow as he turned towards the blonde, nearly white-haired medical examiner.

Deadboy and the Elephantmen? Didn’t expect that in the morgue.

Remaining undetected, the Batman moved past the woman before looking over the body. The face was a bloody mess, primarily focused around the mouth. Without lifting the lips, Terry could tell that the majority of the man’s teeth had been removed. Numerous injuries dotted his body, many of which could have been the one which ended Richard’s life.

A quick look at the coroner’s report suggested told Terry that Richard had been found outside the office he worked at. Cause of death was suggested to be jumping from the roof, but most interesting, the injuries were consistent with self-harm.

What possesses a man to pull out his own teeth?

“There’s an object still on the victim’s head.”

Terry nearly jumped as Bruce’s voice growled into his ear. Tapping the side of the cowl, Terry magnified the optical lenses as they scanned the cadaver’s head. As Bruce had said, there was a metallic object lodged into the deceased’s brow. The cowl’s scans suggested it was emitting some sort of signal, meaning whatever it was could still potentially be traced.

“I agree.” Bruce stated as Terry felt himself nearly jump for a second time as the older man essentially read his thoughts. “Extract the object and bring it back to the cave for analysis.”

Waiting for the woman to walk away from the body, Terry acted quickly once the chance presented itself. Whatever the object was, it appeared to have once been a band of some sort. Although as Terry quickly discovered, whatever wasn’t currently held by the victim’s caved in face had broken off at some point during the ordeal. Intrigued by the mysterious device, took a moment to run his hand over before pocketing it.

Walking past the the medical examiner, the Batman exited the morgue completely undetected. It was nice when things actually went according to plan.

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: And Twice As Twisted

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.07: And Twice As Twisted

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

_{Location: The Batcave - Wayne Estate, Bristol County}

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.07: And Twice As Twisted

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat

¹⁹⁷⁷

The rain hadn’t stopped for days.

It plummeted from the sky, drenching the panicked figure running down the narrow alley. The man's footsteps echoed down the alley, soaked boots stomping against the wet cobblestone. A newspaper was crushed under the man’s heavy sole, the ominous headline still visible on the soggy page.

Peter Pan Killer Strikes Again.

Stumbling as he rounded the corner, Lewis LeBeau caught himself on the bricks, cutting his hand before letting out a sharp curse. Regaining his balance, he ran along the sidewalk, waving at the passing cars as he tried to flag down a ride. Wiping the wet hair from his brow, Lewis tucked under a nearby awning.

Suddenly, the canvas above his head was punctured as Lewis found himself dragged skyward. A hand took ahold of Lewis collar as he was brought face to face with a monstrous visage.

“Where is Roy Blount?” The horror roared as Lewis felt the fight drain from his body. It had been almost twenty-four hours since the Peter Pan Killer had taken his latest victim. The previous five victims had all been killed within thirty-six hours of their abduction.

Each abduction had been the same. The killer had entered the child’s residence through an unlocked bedroom window before abducting the child from their bed and transported them out into the night. There was never a trace another individual had been there, the killer always leaving without so much as a single footprint left on the windowsill.

The media had dubbed the murdered children, ‘The Lost Boys’ due to the killer’s preference for abducting young boys. But his modus operandi had changed, the latest abduction had been different. This time, the Peter Pan Killer hadn’t abducted a single child.

He had taken two.

“Two children.” The monster roared into LeBeau’s face. “You were there.” It accused, warm spit and saliva flying from its angry maw. The latest victims were siblings, a nine-year-old boy and a thirteen-year-old girl. They had been taken from Gotham’s Upper West Side last night.

“You were driving for Blout!” The monster roared. “Where did you take them!”

“D’you know what he’ll do to me if I tell ya?” Lewis managed to stammer before he was pulled closer to the heavily breathing face Gotham’s Bat.

“Do you know what I’ll do to you, if you don’t?” The Bat retorted.

“I know you won’t kill me.” LeBeau replied, a smile crossing his face. A soft chuckle almost escaped from between his lips before dying in his throat. A cold sweat began to bead on Lewis’ forehead as he noticed the monster before him smiling back.

“You’ll wish you were dead.” As soon as the words left its mouth, LeBeau felt the hand at his throat loosen. The ground below suddenly came closer before the sickening crack of breaking bones and cartilage echoed in his ears.

A cry of agony escaped from Lebeau’s mouth as he flailed about on the ground. Another yell echoed into the night as something took ahold of his ankle, pulling Lewis skyward again. The blood rushed to Lebeau’s head as he was hung by his ankle.

“Next time,” The Bat growled, “You won’t walk again.” Lifting the man’s leg above his head, Gotham’s Dark Knight brought LeBeau’s face up to his own again before speaking.

“I won’t ask again,” He snarled, “Now, where did you take them?”

^Present

The forensic scanner rotated around the broken device Terry had retrieved from the body of Richard Cunningham. On the main screen of the Batcomputer was a three-dimensional reconstruction of the device based on extrapolated data.

“So it was a band of some kind,” Terry said, nodding towards the image projected on the large screen. As Bruce turned to answer, Terry felt something cold and wet nudge against his hand. Looking down, he smiled at the large dog before petting Ace behind his ears.

“Good, Bad-Dog.” Terry muttered as Bruce began to speak.

“It’s a neural transmitter.” Bruce stated, “The signals transmitted by the device are consistent with neural oscillations. Brainwaves in layman’s terms.” He added, nodding towards Terry, “ It’s a highly specialized piece of technology.”

“Wait, are you saying it’s a mind control device?” Terry asked, raising an eyebrow as he shot Bruce a confused look.

“In crude terms.” Bruce replied, “The neural oscillations synchronize with the wearer’s, opening the host mind to suggestion.” He explained, “It’s high-tech hypnosis.” Turning his chair towards another screen, Bruce magnified the damaged neural band before pointing towards a mark on the device.

“That’s a manufacturer's mark.” The older man stated, “There however is notably no conformity mark. It’s not mass produced.” Bruce continued, “But there should still be a patent, and if there’s a patent, we’ll follow the evidence and locate the perpetrator.”

“And if there isn’t a patten?” Terry asked.

“We’ll follow the evidence and locate the perpetrator.” Bruce repeated, his voice devoid of any uncertainty. For the briefest of moments, Terry could have sworn the old man smirked.

Turning back to the console, Bruce’s fingers flew across the Batcomputer’s interface as he input the search parameters into the system. Watching his mentor work, Terry couldn’t help but feel impressed as Bruce didn’t hesitate on where to act next. Years of training and decades of experience had made the old man a force to be reckoned with. An electronic chirp interrupted Terry’s thoughts as he re-adjusted his focus to look towards the screen.

“Stagg Enterprises?” Terry asked. “What does Stagg Enterprises have to do with a Wayne Employee’s murder?”

“Nothing,” Bruce replied, “But they manufactured the technology that was used in the murder. The patent, however, belongs to a Dr. Jervis Tetch, a Gotham resident.”

“Jervis Tetch,” The younger man interjected, raising an eyebrow as a smirk of amusement. “Did his parents want him to suffer through life?”

“Jervis Tetch.” Bruce echoed, muttering the name as he mused primarily to himself. Pressing a button on the Batcomputer’s interface, Bruce spoke again. “Computer, cross reference the name Jervis Tetch with all cases files.”

The computer responded to the command with a quick chirp as it began to process the parameters.

“What are you thinking?” Terry asked, approaching the computer as Bruce pressed his hands together, resting his chin atop his arched index fingers. Looking from the screen to Bruce, Terry spoke again.

“You think he’s one of yours?”

“No.” Bruce replied flatly.

“I rescued him.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: We’re All Mad Here

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.08: We’re All Mad Here

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

_{Location: Unknown - Gotham City}

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.08: We’re All Mad Here

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: And Twice As Twisted

¹⁹⁷⁷

A rush of cold air snapped the young boy awake.

Sitting up sharply, the boy took several deep breaths as he tried to still his pounding heart. Quickly rubbing his tired eyes, the boy scanned the dimly illuminated room. Looking out over the toy-strewn floor, his eyes were drawn towards the light of the moon as it shone through the nearby open window.

A sudden tapping on the window caused the boy to jump, ducking back beneath the covers before allowing himself to peek out briefly. Against the thin pane, the wind had blown against the nearby maple causing its bare branches to relentless rap against the glass. Outside, the wind continued to howl as the tree slammed against the window once again.

Slowly standing up from his bed, the small boy walked cautiously across the room. His large front teeth were biting down on his bottom lip, producing a small bead of red from between the cracked skin. Standing on his tiptoes, the boy reached towards the window, slipping on the wet surface as the rain continued to come through the open portal. Stumbling backwards, the boy was helpless to slow the falling pane. He could only watch helplessly as the window closed with a loud bang.

The minute the window slammed shut, the boy could have sworn his heart had stopped.

Paralyzed by fear, the boy shook like a leaf while listening for the sounds of anyone awoken by the loud disturbance. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, the boy began to tiptoe back towards his bed. Taking several steps forward, he froze immediately as the bedroom door unexpectedly creaked open.

The light of the hallway illuminated the silhouette of a young girl. Breathing a sigh of relief at the sight of his sister, the boy watched her take a step forward. Awkwardly rubbing a closed hand across her drooping eyes, the taller girl stifled a yawn before addressing her younger brother.

“Jervis, what are you doing u-” She suddenly paused, her eyes opening wide as she stumbled backwards. “Behind y-”

But her warning came too late as a large hand wrapped itself around Jervis’ face.

²⁰¹⁹

Something had been forced onto her head.

Chelsea could feel it pushing down on either side of her skull, tucked behind her ears as it sat on top of her hair. She knew the headband wasn’t hers. Her pixie cut didn’t require her to wear one, especially not one so juvenile. The minute it had gone on her head, Chelsea felt as though she had left her body. There was nothing she could do to stop the man, and even now, she could feel his hands upon her.

She wanted to scream, she wanted to fight, but she couldn’t.

No matter how hard Chelsea fought, it was as though she was no longer in control of her own body. Her legs didn’t run when she told them too, her hands refused to lash out and instead of yelling at the top of her lungs, she could feel her mouth merely smiling at the man in front of her.

Firmly grasped in his gloved hand was a large pair of scissors that the almost comically small man deftly maneuvered around Chelsea’s body as he cut away the last of her clothes. As her garments fell away, the scared young woman could feel the stale room was cold, her body shivering in response. Nonetheless, it remained still, perfectly poised in front of her assaulter while he examined every inch of his victim like a prized hog. She kept telling her body to run, to move, to slap the man, but it instead she stood there smiling. Smiling like a sycophant who was pleased as punch that her kidnapper had taken such a profound interest in her nude form.

A measuring tape was placed tightly against her body, the oddly dressed man cupping, pushing and squeezing every part of her as though she were merely just flesh to him. The intrusive process felt as though it lasted forever and then suddenly he walked away. Unable to turn her head to watch where he went, Chelsea was alerted to his return by an off-tune whistle. Waltzing into her field of vision, Chelsea watched the man hobbling towards her with an outfit tightly clutched between his bony fingers.

Dressing Chelsea, she was forced to endure the procedure as he personally placed each garment upon her. Never before had Chelsea felt so entirely dehumanized than at this particular moment. The man before her didn’t see Chelsea as anything more than a toy, a life-sized doll purely for his amusement.

Finally, the man took a step back, reaching upwards towards Chelsea as he extended a hand towards her.

“Alice,” He practically purred, “Won’t you be a dear and join me for here for a nice spot of tea?” He asked, tipping the ostentatious top hat upon his head towards her. No sooner had the man touched its brim, then did Chelsea find words coming out of her mouth.

“Oh Hatter,” She replied, inwardly recoiling at the sing-song tone of her voice. “That’s music to my ear, so please don’t fear, at the table is where I’ll be.” Her body suddenly lurched forward unnaturally as Chelsea felt her body begin to walk, maneuvering itself towards the small table in the center of the barren room. Taking a seat at one end of the table, the ‘Hatter’ smiled behind his large buck teeth before taking the position at the opposite end.

Suddenly his smiled disappeared as he looked across the table at Chelsea. Shaking his head, he began to mutter angrily, his tone rapidly increasing in volume.

“No, no no,” He cried. “This is all wrong, all very wrong.” His tantrum continued as he pounded his hands against the table.

“I measure twice, nay perhaps even thrice but Alice is still too tall.” He stood up from the table, walking in circles as ‘Alice’ continued to sit, blankly smiling in the Hatter’s general direction.

“I have to fix her, Alice must be right.” He stated, walking towards Chelsea, a smile beginning to spread beneath his furrowed brows. “The legs too long, the dress too tight.”

Shooing Chelsea away from the table, the Hatter pulled her towards an old medical gurney. Blood stains covered the surface as Chelsea fought in vain not to climb onto the trolley, but her body didn’t listen as she simply smiled at the Hatter before laying down atop the stretcher.

“This will hurt just a bit, please lie still, don’t throw a fit.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Through the Looking Glass

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.09: Through the Looking Glass

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

_{Location: Robbinsville - Miagani Island, Gotham City}

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.09: Through the Looking Glass

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: We’re All Mad Here

Taking a step back to admire his handiwork, the Hatter dragged a blood-splattered arm across his forehead. Standing on his tiptoes, he looked down at Chelsea eagerly before unexpectedly wrinkling his nose in displeasure. Throwing his arms upwards in frustration, Jervis quickly lowered them before slamming his small fists repeatedly against the side of the gurney.

“No, no, not another!” He cried unexpectedly repulsed by his own work. Pieces of bone, muscle and excess blood covered the perimeter of the stretcher, staining the bare floor. Watching Chelsea’s chest struggle to rise, the Hatter’s eyes widened as he looked to her wounds. His sloppy stitch work was barely holding the numerous lacerations closed as blood continued to soak through the crudely applied gauze.

Climbing atop the gurney, Jervis lifted Chelsea’s head before sitting beneath it. Cradling the dying girl in his lap, he began to sob softly while muttering to himself. Running a gloved hand down Chelsea’s cheek, the blood mixed with his tears as he began to softly sing.

“Down in the valley, the valley so low,” Jervis whispered, tucking a blonde extension behind the girl’s ear. “Hang your head over, hear the wind blow.”

Tears welled in the corners of Chelsea’s eyes. There was no fight left in her body, there was only pain. Drifting in and out of consciousness, she had never felt so weak in her entire life as she did at this moment. Taking in what little she could of her surroundings, she took notice of the moon shining in through a row of windows. There was some peace in knowing that at least in death, she would be free.

“Know I love you, dear Alice, know I love you. Angels in heaven, know I love you.”

A shadow was suddenly cast across the face of the moon swiftly followed by the sound of breaking glass. Amidst the falling shards, a winged figure skidded to a stop across the concrete floor. Raising his cowled head, the Batman looked directly towards the Hatter.

“Sorry, I’m late for the tea party.” The Dark Knight growled, “You wouldn’t believe how hard crumpets are to find this time of night.”

“Curiouser and curiouser!” Jervis exclaimed excitedly, clapping his hands excitedly as he dropped Chelsea’s head into his lap. The Hatter was clearly not bothered by the Batman’s sudden presence. Instead, he seemed to relish the moment, continuing to sit atop the gurney instead of rising to meet his foe. A disturbing smile was plastered across his face as the small man cocked his head sideways to take a long look at the Bat.

“The ears are longer than before, and gone now is the cape of yore.”

“Capes are out this season.” Terry quipped, smirking beneath the cowl as the communicator in his ear buzzed to life.

“Focus, McGinnis.” Ordered Bruce’s gravelly voice as Terry took in his surroundings. “Jervis is clearly unhinged, don’t underestimate him.”

Furrowing his brow beneath the cowl, Terry stared Jervis down. Upon coming to the realization that Tetch was somehow connected to Chelsea’s disappearance, Bruce had delved further into Jervis’ past. Using every resource at his and Terry’s disposal, the pair had researched the Tetch’s life since the night he had been rescued from the Peter Pan KIller.

When he had been abducted, Jervis had only been nine-years-old. That traumatic night, however, left a lasting mark on the young boy. Returned home, Jervis began to lead a troubled youth often lashing out towards his parents and peers. By the time he entered college, it had appeared that he turned his life around. Years of working with his psychologist had helped him understand and overcome his fear all while breeding interest in neuroscience within the young man.

From there, Jervis began to make waves in neuroscience, becoming a leading doctor in the field until suddenly, he fell out of the community’s eye. Bruce had found that a series of sexual harassment charges had been laid against Tetch which the pair concluded had driven him underground.

Further digging at the Batcave had found a series of murdered Jane Does left unsolved by the Gotham City Police Department. Each of the deceased women roughly matched Chelsea’s physical profile sharing the same hair colour, ethnicity and build. The older cold cases were mostly drifters and prostitutes, but the newer bodies; they included college students and even some young enough to still be in high school.

The victims had painted a profile, a profile that Terry and Bruce were able to use to find him. Narrowing down the search area, Bruce had the Batmobile sweep for neural’s band signal. Locating the warehouse, Terry had quickly moved into action leading to his confrontation with Jervis.

“Let the girl go!” The Bat ordered while Terry fought back the lump forming in his throat. Even from his position, he could see the series of mutilations that Jervis had performed on Chelsea. The blood spatter left no doubt in Terry’s mind that if she didn’t receive professional medical help, they’d lose her. A shiver suddenly shot down Terry’s spine as the Hatter began to giggle uncontrollably.

“I don’t think so, my little bat,” Tetch replied raising his fists, “Tweedledee, Tweedledum, tell Batman 'no' and that’s that.”

Across the room, sat two, very large, identical men who turned to answer the Hatter’s call. Giving each other a quick look, the pair laid their playing cards down on the small table in front of them before they stood. The sound of their chairs scraping across the concrete floor echoed through the open space as they pushed them aside and began to charge towards the vigilante.

Realizing for the first time that Tetch was not alone, Terry cursed himself for making yet another rookie mistake. In his haste to save Chelsea, he had not scanned the building using the Batmobile’s infrared sensors.

Bigger they are...

Thinking on his feet, the young Batman fired a bolas towards Tetch. As it left his wrist, Terry had just enough time to ensure the small man was ensnared before turning to face the two larger men. Both of them towered over the Batman, easily standing seven feet tall each and nearly just as broad. Despite their rotund shape, the pair was deceptively fast as they closed in on Terry, closed fists raised and ready.

Blocking the first blow, the force of it sent the Batman flying backwards across the barren warehouse. The two men were large, fast even but Terry hadn’t expected the kind of strength that would have put a dent in a vault. Were it not for the batsuit, there was no doubt in his mind that something would have been broken from that hit.

“Metahumans.” Bruce’s voice broke Terry out of his own head as his mentor began to speak. “McGinnis, be careful. The suit was designed to put you on an even footing, but it won’t take excessive abuse. Stay focused, use your head.”

“Copy that.” Terry replied with a growl as he launched forward, igniting the suit’s thrusters to fly across the room. Bracing as he watched the first twin take another swing towards him, Terry directed himself higher into the air. Reaching out, he took hold of the man’s wrist, spinning his body around to fly parallel with the outstretched arm.

Using the combined momentum of his boots’ thrusters and Tweedledee’s strike, Terry managed to direct the fist into the other twin. But to his surprise, the punch seemed to bounce harmlessly off of Tweedledum. The attacking hand flew backwards, swatting Terry from the air as he watched Tweedledum bounce across the floor like a rubber ball.

Groaning as he kissed concrete, Terry had no time to react before a large hand plucked him from the floor. Bulging python-like arms wrapped around him, squeezing as the Batman was hoisted into the air. Crying out in pain, Terry struggled in vain as the arms continued to tighten around him. His vision began to blur, darkness outlining his field of sight as his breathing became more and more laboured. His ears rang with distant laughter as Bruce’s voice felt like it became further and further away.

Fighting to lift his head, Terry’s eyes began to quickly close. Jervis’ smug expression was the last thing the Batman saw before his world went dark.

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: And What Alice Found There

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.10: And What Alice Found There

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

_{Location: Robbinsville - Miagani Island, Gotham City}

Welcome to the Masquerade #1.10: And What Alice Found There

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: Through The Looking Glass

¹⁹⁷⁷

A resounding slap echoed through the barren space, reverberating off the walls before it was drowned beneath a shriek of pain. Roy Blout took a step forward, raising his hand before delivering the back of his knuckles across the young woman’s face, again and again. Pushing her to the floor, the Peter Pan Killer ran a hand through his hair, rapidly scratching at the back of his head while pacing back and forth across the floor.

Timidly watching the man, Jervis sat on the floor, obediently several feet away. His entire body was shaking with fear while the larger man continued to assault his sister. With each subsequent hit, Jervis winced while his small hands balled into fists. The tears in his eyes slowly fell down his face as the pouting lips twisted into a snarl.

“Stay where you are, boy!” Roy ordered taking hold of the girl by her hair.

“Stop hurting her!” Jervis yelled, moving to stand before halting as Roy dropped the girl roughly and took a step forward. Raising a hand defensively, Jervis sat back down. Nodding his approval, Roy took hold of the girl again as he laughed.

“That’s it, be a good boy and wait your time. You and I will have some play time after I deal with your bitch of a sister.” Roy added as he aggressively took ahold of the girl’s collar, lifting her again.

Suddenly the girl lashed out, driving her sharp elbows into either side of the man’s abdomen repeatedly. The air left Roy’s lungs, his hand loosening as the girl took her chance.

“Run Jervis!” She screamed, pushing off of the Peter Pan Killer and running towards the nearest exit. Following his sister’s lead, Jervis ran after her, his bare feet slapping against the pavement as he urged his legs to carry him further with each step. Behind him came Roy’s thundering footsteps. His nostrils were flared, his anger practically seething off of him as he closed the gap.

Overtaking Jervis, Roy swung a hand outward, knocking the small boy to the ground. Crying out as his knees and palms scraped against the rough floor, Jervis looked up in time to see Roy overtake his sister. Taking hold of the girl by both of her shoulders, Roy heaved her into the air, tossing her back in the direction she had run from.

A large hunting knife suddenly appeared in his hand as he approached the girl, standing over her before slashing her.

“I should have left you dead in the bedroom.” He roared, swinging the knife over and over again. Blood sprayed across his enraged face, mixing with sweat as frenzied saliva flew out of his mouth. “You stupid little cu-”

“Argh!” Jervis’ cry caused Roy to pause, turning towards the source of the nose only to be set upon by the small boy.

“Get off you little fucker!”

“Stop hurting her!” Jervis yelled, his small fingers digging into Roy’s skin whenever they could find a grip. Biting down on the first piece of exposed skin he could find, Jervis forced his jaw tighter and tighter, the iron-laden taste of blood pouring into his mouth until finally he was removed. Spitting the warm, salty liquid onto the cold floor, Jervis swung a foot upwards, connecting with Roy’s groin. A loud groan was nearly concealed by the clatter of metal as Jervis turned his head towards the source of the noise, the light reflecting off of the blade as Jervis made a grab for the knife.

Suddenly the lone window above the building exploded as a dark figure fell from the skylight. Scrambling to his feet, Roy felt fear for the first time as he turned around to face Gotham’s Batman. In desperation, he swung a fist only to be countered as the larger vigilante raised a forearm. The three scalloped blades along the edge of the gauntlet tore into Blout’s flesh as he yelled out in agony. For a second, he could have sworn a smile appeared on the Batman’s face before an armoured fist knocked Roy to the floor.

Slipping a plastic tie around Roy’s wrists, Batman pulled the restraint tight. The sharp material cut into the Peter Pan Killer’s skin as he tried in vain to struggle. Suddenly Blout’s face was roughly pressed down onto the cold concrete as the Batman placed a boot on the back of Roy’s head. The heel twisting against his hair and scalp as Roy could only grit his teeth and bear the pain.

“Stay down.” The vigilante growled, his warning clear as Roy could only whimper his response. Lifting his boot, the Batman took a step back before moving to secure the children. Walking towards Jervis, he extended a hand to the boy who simply shook his head, his eyes wide with fear as he looked towards the masked vigilante.

“It’s over. You’re safe now.” He said as Jervis turned his tear-stained face away from the Dark Knight, looking towards the Peter Pan Killer as he continued to shake his head back and forth in silent protest. Giving the boy his space, the vigilante moved towards the injured girl. Kneeling down beside the girl, he placed a pair of fingers to her neck, desperately searching for a pulse.

But there wasn’t one to be found.

Suddenly Roy let out a painful gasp prompting the Batman to his feet as he spun around. Standing above the man was the boy who slowly let go of the knife that was now driven into the Peter Pan Killer’s neck. Batman could only watch in shock as the boy slowly stepped back from his abductor’s now dead body before ambling towards his deceased sister. Tears began to fall down his face as he sat down beside the girl, lifting her head before cradling it in his lap. Taking a step forward, the vigilante knelt down beside the sobbing boy, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“He killed her, so I killed him.” The boy muttered, his eyes were directed towards the Batman, but the caped crusader couldn’t help but feel they weren’t seeing him.

“He made my heart so full of malice all because he killed my sister.." He paused, taking a moment to breathe between sobs before whispering in a chilling tone.

".. My Alice.”

²⁰¹⁹

"_{McGin- Terry!} Terry!" Bruce’s voice sounded like it was a hundred miles away as Terry fought back to consciousness. His ribs felt like they were about to explode as the arms wrapped around him continued to squeeze tighter and tighter. Suddenly Terry’s eyes shot open as the cowl’s heads up display illuminated with a message.

Painkillers Administered. Adrenaline Injected.

Fighting against Tweedledee’s hold, Terry stretched two free fingers towards his belt buckle before giving it an anguished tap. The man’s grip suddenly loosened as the suit expelled fifty thousand volts of electricity, delivering a taser-like blow to him.

“How?” Came Jervis’ surprised cry as Terry hit the ground before rolling back onto his feet.

“Shocking.” Terry coughed, “I know.”

Watching Tweedledee reel in pain from the suit’s attack, the Batman re-evaluated his plan of attack. Reaching towards his belt, Terry swapped the batarang cartridge in his wrist launchers as he switched to electrified weapons. Dispensing the bat-shaped weapon into either hand, Terry let them loose as both Tweedledee and Tweedledum gasped from the shock.

Repeating the action, Terry followed it up with a snare around either man’s legs as he dropped them to the ground. The room practically shook as both men hit the floor, but neither one was going to stay down for long. Moving a hand along his belt, Tery stopped as he came to the correct cartridge. Slipping it into his wrist launcher, he turned towards the twins before flashing a smug smirk.

“Lights out, bozos.” Firing a tranquillizer dart into either man, the Batman watched with satisfaction as their eyes rolled back before closing completely as they laid subdued before. Turning around to where he had left Tetch, Terry let out a sigh as he watched the small man scamper out the nearest exit.

“Tetch is on the move.” Terry informed Bruce as he tapped the side of his cowl.

“Not for long.” Came the stoic response. The lights of the batmobile illuminated outside of the building as the cloak was disengaged. Over the communications channel, Terry could hear Bruce opening the vehicle’s entry hatch. Suddenly there was a scream outside followed by a growl as Terry smiled.

“Always good to have an Ace up your sleeve.” Terry smirked as he walked outside in time to watch the large black dog begin to drag the screaming man back towards the warehouse.

“Agreed, McGinnis, agreed.” Bruce responded before continuing. “Emergency services have been dispatched, secure the scene and get out of there.” He ordered as Terry picked Tetch up, carrying the small man back towards the twins.

“Happy to oblige.” Terry replied as he bound all three men together before taking another look at Chelsea. She was still breathing, but it was faint, her body looked as though it had been torn apart and sewn back together again. Looking back towards Tetch, Terry took a step forward before being stopped by a slight growl as he looked back towards Ace.

“You’re right boy,” Terry growled, “He’s not worth it.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: A Little Spark of Madness

Welcome to the Masquerade Epilogue: A Little Spark of Madness

We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

_{Location: My Alibi, The Coventry - Founder’s Island, Gotham City}

Welcome to the Masquerade Epilogue: A Little Spark of Madness

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: And What Alice Found There

Blue smoke hung in the stale air, vividly coloured lights reflecting off the hazy clouds as they flashed to the rhythm of the sleazy, beat driven music. The air inside the club smelled of spilled spirits and cheap cigarettes. Drunken cheers and obnoxious jeers erupted from the men seated at the small, sticky tables which were all centered around the illuminated stage in the middle of the room.

Stepping away from the glistening pole, the girl on stage bent over amidst howls and whistles as she scooped up her discarded clothing. Suddenly, a pair of sweaty panties were flung through the air as several men scrambled from their seats to acquire them. A resounding rip was heard between songs before the two men who each took hold of the string underwear began to brawl.

From across the room, the bouncer on duty let out a long sigh, shrugging towards his coworker who replied with the same expression of ‘I don’t get paid enough for this shit’ as the pair opted to let the two other men fight it out.

Chuckling from behind the beaten wooden counter, the bartender polished a highball before pouring a double of Scotch into the glass. Whistling to ensure he had the recipient's attention, he slid it down the counter to the man smoking at the end of the bar.

“Busy night?” The man at the end of the counter asked, taking the first sip of his drink before lighting the cigarette hanging loosely between his lips.

“Busy enough, sure ain’t hurting.” The bartender replied, “Heard the boss sent over a new dancer, some older broad.”

“Something about a deal gone south, it’s a debt settlement.” The other man replied as he took a long drag. “Sent me over ‘ere to make sure she dances. If she doesn’t, boss is gunna find other uses for her and if I know Black Mask, I’d sure as hell be shaking my ass off on that stage.”

“Lucky for you, it ain’t your ass literally on the line.” The bartender replied with a yellowed grin. Chuckling the other man nodding in agreement as he took another swig of his drink.

Turning back to the crowd, the bartender scanned the room as he took in the Alibi’s current patrons. The ageing nightclub was the nightly hangout to all manner of folks some of Gotham’s residents referred to as ‘unsavoury.’ Unlike establishments like the Iceberg Lounge and Casino, the Alibi didn’t bother with a false front. Most of Gotham’s police force knew what the Alibi was, but again, most of the GCPD were also dirty cops.

A sudden hush fell over the bar as the next dancer awkwardly walked onto the stage. Turning to look towards the man at the end of the counter, he exchanged a knowing smile with the bartender as the pair looked back towards the woman walking towards the pole.

“She doesn’t know what the fuck she’s doing.” The bartender scoff as the man at the end of took another drag on his cigarette.

“Yeah, but at least she looks good for ‘er age.” He admitted before adding, “Though I’m surprised the girls had a thong that fit 'round those ‘ips.” The man seated at the end of the counter took another sip of his drink, all while watching Lori Cunningham attempt to dance to the new-age industrial music the DJ was pumping out.

“‘Old up,” He yelled above the beat, waving his hands to signal to the DJ to kill the music. “Let's give ‘er a fighting chance. How about something you grew up with love?” The man asked Lori rhetorically, “Put on ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me,’ will ye?”

Suddenly every light in the bar went out as the speakers all went dead. Reaching for his phone, the man at the end of the bar fumbled it out of his pocket as he tried to unlock the device. Waiting for the screen to illuminate, he pressed the button again, mashing his thumb against the fingerprint scanner before slamming the device done on the counter.

“Fuckin’ thing’s dead.”

In the darkness, Lori’s screams rang out only to be quickly silenced an instant later. Blindly feeling for his sidearm, the man slid his thumb over the safety as he pulled the Beretta from the back of his belt. The darkness was suddenly broken by two glaring lights as a silhouette appeared on the stage.

“Holy shit!” The man started only to be suddenly blinded as the figure’s chest lit up. A brightly illuminated bat symbol searing into his eyes as the man fired blindly towards the stage.

“It’s the fuckin’ Bat!”

Drunken men scrambled to get out of the way as the Batman made his way forward from the stage, deactivating the beacon on his chest as Terry silently slipped into the darkness. Usually, he would have relied, over-relied if he was frank, on the suit’s cloak but it had been damaged during the fight with the Deevers. Nonetheless, the Batman was far from being out of tricks, and the EMP device he had used on the building was more than enough to restore his element of surprise.

Watching the Batman come closer and closer through the darkness, the man quickly realized that the Bat was looking for him. Jumping the bar, he ducked behind the counter, tightly gripping his pistol with both hands. Suddenly two hands took hold of the man’s jacket, and he found himself quickly hauled over the hard countertop. Slammed down against the old oak, the man felt the gun dislodge from his hands before he was roughly slammed against the bar again.

As the lights began to flicker back to life, the man slowly surveyed the room around him before raising his head up and coming face to face with Gotham’s Dark Knight. Opening his mouth to speak, he was quickly interrupted as the Batman talked over him.

“Don’t even think about offering me a drink.” Terry growled from behind the mask as he brought Black Mask’s man even closer to him. “Lori Cunningham. Her debt is paid. She doesn’t work here anymore. She doesn’t owe you or your boss anything.”

“You can-”

“I just did,” Terry snarled, “And one more thing.”

The man swallowed hard, opening his mouth only for the Batman to reply.

“Tell your boss, I’m coming for him next.”

---

_{Location: Gotham City Police Headquarters, Old Gotham - Bleake Island}

PLACEHOLDER

---

The steady click of a pair of tall heels echoed down the narrow corridor between the steady slap of the pair of accompanying hard-soled boots. Straightening her pencil skirt before entering the interrogation room, the lawyer nodded a polite thanks towards her police escort before stepping into the room. A small man was waiting for her, his wrists in a pair of handcuffs that looked comically large compared to his stature. His clothing was ragged and well worn, full of patches and stained with what the lawyer could only guess was blood. Matted, thinning hair was parted atop his bulbous head the woman noted, taking the only other available seat at the table and situating herself across from the disgraced Doctor Jervis Tetch.

Placing her briefcase on the table, the woman looked towards her client, clearing her throat to gain Tetch’s attention. But the man continued to stare straight ahead, his eyes passing right through the raven-haired woman as they were fixated upon the wall of one-way glass behind her. Looking down at her watch impatiently, Jaina Hudson cleared her throat again as she pulled out her case notes and laid them in front of Jervis.

“Dr. Tetch, on behalf of a mutual friend.” Jaina stated, a posh accent punctuating every word with a matter-of-fact tone as she leaned forward over the table. Pulling at the lapel of her blazer aside, Jaina flashed a tattoo of a black Calavera that was barely visible beneath her blouse before she hastily readjusted herself and sat up again.

“I’ve been paid a substantial sum of money to ensure that you do not go to Blackgate.” She continued looking towards the man for any sort of a response turning her wrist upwards to look at the gold plated watch wrapped around her wrist.

“You’re late.” Jervis suddenly spoke as Jaina raised an eyebrow. The man’s eyes were suddenly fixated upon her, scanning her from head to toe. Jaina could feel her skin crawl before steadying herself.

“I beg your pardon, Dr. Tetch, but I’m afraid I arrived at the agreed upon time. If my tardiness has somehow affected our working relationship, please allow me the chance to apologize, but I’m afraid we really must discuss the details-”

“You’re late, you’re late.” Tetch repeated, smiling as he leaned closer towards the bronzed skinned woman across the table from him. “For a very important date?” Jervis asked, his eyes motioning towards the watch adorning Jaina’s wrist.

“Dr. Tetch if you’re suggesting that we move for an insanity plea, then I fully agree. Our mutual friend and I both believe that the Arkham State Mental Institution and Hospital would be the best place for you.” Jaina stated, sliding her chair back as Jervis continue to lean over the table as far as his restraints would allow for. Suddenly he slumped back in his chair, his eyes returning to staring through Jaina as he fixated once again upon the pane of one-way glass.

“Very well, I’ll issue the plea to the courts. Don’t worry, Dr. Tetch, we’ll make sure you get the help you need.” The lawyer muttered quickly as she scrambled to pack her briefcase. Standing up, she knocked loudly on the door. A sudden chill began to travel down Jaina’s spine as Jervis spoke once more.

“No time to say hello or goodbye.” He muttered towards Jaina. “You’re late, you’re late... you’re late.”

As the door opened with a loud buzz, Jaina rushed through the portal. Her stomach almost turned as she rushed down the hallway, the Mad Hatter’s words ringing in her ears.

---

_{Location: Elliot Memorial Hospital, Burnley - Miagani Island}

PLACEHOLDER

---

"...Metropolis’ Lex Luthor referred to Wayne Enterprises as a decaying corpse in a recent interview. Should the employees of Wayne/Sionis be concerned about their job security in such a competitive market with the likes of Luthor, Stark and Kord all fighting to corner the market…”

”...Known financier Warren White was arrested in connection to drug trafficking. White is currently being held in police custody awaiting trial...”

“...Times Square was treated to a gruesome scene when the vigilante known as Daredevil publicly executed Wilson Fisk. Fisk, better known by his criminal alias, the Kingpin…”

“...The Gotham Police Department has been able to close a series of disturbing unsolved murders due to an arrest made late last night. Eyewitnesses claim the Batman was involved; however, officers at the scene denied any involvement…”

“...Renowned hero and icon, Wonder Woman, has been called to Capitol Hill for a hearing regarding the brutality of her actions that were broadcasted from Transia. Supporters and protestors alike have come out in flocks today to state their opinion with some of the more vocal protestors calling for a metahuman registration…”

“Is there no good news in the world anymore?”

Dana muttered as she let out a laboured sigh. Clicking the remote again, she continued to cycle through the channels on the small television before finally settling on one of the generic music channels. Looking away from Allison Blaire’s latest music video, Dana turned her gaze towards Chelsea who lay sedated in the bed beside her.

It had been a fight for the nurses to stabilize Chelsea due to the condition the poor girl had been in when she was brought to the hospital. She had lost a lot of blood at the hands of the madman who had mutilated her body. Thankfully, the doctors had said she’d recover, although it would be a long process. It would take a couple more surgeries to completely repair all the damage, but it the trauma her mind had suffered through that the doctors were most concerned about.

Looking up, Dana’s eyes wandered to the other side of the room. Across from her sat Nelson in a less than comfortable armchair. Fatigue must have finally overtaken him as a slight smile turned up the corners of Dana’s mouth as she watched him snore loudly with his head slumped back against the back of the chair.

Turning her attention back towards the television, Dana readjusted herself as she tried to find a comfortable way to sit in the hard plastic chair beneath her. Clutching her phone tightly in her hand, she looked downwards before unlocking and locking her phone again hoping for a new message from Terry.

Terry had been the first to find out that the police had located Chelsea, contacting both Dana and Nelson to meet him at Elliot Memorial. Dana was certainly thankful for that, but she couldn’t help but wish he was here right now. He had left some time ago to grab the three of them food, but given how long he had been gone now, Dana couldn’t help but wonder if Bruce Wayne had once again stolen her boyfriend away from her. She let out an exasperated sigh, slumping further into the chair. Some days, it felt like she was everything to Terry and then other days it felt like she was always going to be playing second fiddle to Bruce Wayne and Dana wasn’t sure how much of a future the pair would have if there were three people involved in their relationship. Even her own overbearing parents remained out of her relationship with Terry in comparison to Bruce Wayne.

A soft rap on the door stirred Dana from her thoughts as the smell of grease wafted past her nose. She looked up to see Terry leaning against the door frame, a couple of paper bags grasped in his hand as he motioned for Dana to come to see him.

“What took you so long?” Dana asked as the pair backed out the room, closing the door behind them.

“I ran into Mrs. Cunningham.” Terry whispered, “Chelsea’s father got mixed up in some pretty bad business. She said she had to go down to the station to identify the body, had no idea Chelsea was even missing until I told her she was here.”

“That’s horrible!” Dana exclaimed before covering her mouth with both hands as Terry pulled her closer to him. Wrapping his arms around her, Terry gave Dana a quick squeeze before she continued to speak, her voice cracking more with each word. “She’s never going to come back from this, Ter.”

From within Chelsea’s room came another loud sob as the pair looked up to see Lori sobbing over her daughter as Nelson was trying to comfort the woman. Looking away, Dana buried her face against Terry’s jacket as he placed a hand on her back before speaking.

“She’ll need all the love and support we can give her, but she will pull through. Chelsea is a fighter, she’s not about to allow herself to be defined by this.”

“I hope you’re right, Ter,” Dana muttered as she pulled back to look up the taller man. “I hope you’re right.”

---

_{Location: Unknown}

PLACEHOLDER

---

The light of the computer screen was the only source of illumination in the dark room as the man hunched over the keyboard cracked his fingers. Watching the progress bar on the bottom of the screen waiting anxiously for the file transfer to complete. Turning on his VPN, Lonnie Machlan launched his browser before going to his most frequented site and entering the credentials for ‘MoneySpider’.

A beep echoed in the small space as it rang out from his speakers, signalling the file had finished transferring. Removing his phone from the USB port, Lonnie pocketed the device before cueing up the video.

“Lori Cunningham. Her debt is paid. She doesn’t work here anymore. She doesn’t owe you or your boss anything.”

The Batman’s menacing voice boomed out of the speakers as Lonnie began to splice the video together. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he started to type in a frenzy, the Batman was the spark. It was precisely what Lonnie needed to motivate people. Cueing up his equipment, Lonnie began to speak to the computer as he recorded his words.

“People of Gotham, rise up! For too long, you’ve survived on the scraps and toss-offs of those who would oppress you. You’re less than a dog to the likes of Fox, Sionis and Wayne, the men who sit atop their ivory towers and lord your hard work over you. You work your fingers to the bones so they can afford another vacation.” Lonnie snarled into the monitor before splicing in the clip of Batman at the Alibi.

“And one more thing. Tell your boss, I’m coming for him next.”

“Tell your boss, you’re coming for them. We won’t be ignored. We’re hungry, and it’s time to eat the fucking rich.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Chaos in Gotham - A Crisis Tie-In

_{S E A S O N O N E C R I S I S - M A S S P A N I C T I E - I N:}

Mass Panic Tie-In: Chaos in Gotham

We will put to the pyre your precious law and order. We will show you how truly vulnerable your nation really is.

_{Location: University District - Founder’s Island, Gotham City}

Mass Panic Tie-In: Chaos in Gotham

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: A Spark of Madness

“Looks like chivalry’s not dead.”

Terry scoffed at Max’s comment as he opened the door to Bueno Nacho. Holding the portal ajar, Terry motioned for the girls to enter as Dana, Carrie and Max proceeded into the restaurant. Coming behind them, Terry scanned the room before pointing towards an open booth prompting the group to claim it as their own. Sliding onto the bench beside Dana, Terry wrapped an arm around her before planting a quick kiss on her forehead. Turning forward, Terry was greeted with mock looks of disgust from the pair of girls seated across the table.

“Really, PDA?” Carrie asked with a dry tone before Max piped in.

“That’s so tacky,” She scolded, “No one wants your heteronormative lifestyle shoved their throats,” She smirked, “Least of all if it starts involving tongue.”

“It was a peck on the c-” Terry protested before stopping as the other couple broke down laughing.

“We’re busting your balls, McGinnis.” Max said, flashing a disarming smile.

“Though,” Carrie interjected, “Gotta admit, you’re pretty cute when you’re flustered.” She added with a wink. Terry felt Dana straighten up in her seat beside him the moment Carrie finished speaking. Wrapping an arm around the dark-haired girl, Terry gave her a light squeeze before feeling her body relax.

“You think he’s cute flustered, you should see him worked up.” Dana stated to the other girls. Turning to each other, Max and Carrie, both shrugged leaving Terry only able to shake his head while rubbing his flushed cheeks against the back of his free hand.

“So anybody hungry?” Terry muttered, his change of subject prompting several giggles from the three girls.

“I could eat.” Max volunteered while holding up a menu.

“What’s a ‘naco’?” Carrie asked, glancing down at her own menu. She was met with a pair of exasperated sighs before looking up to see Terry proudly smiling at her from across the table.

“I practically invented the Naco.” Terry boasted to Carrie while both Dana and Max rolled their eyes.

“Everytime-”

“Terry, you did not-”

“No, Carrie, I really did.” Terry stated while talking over the other two. “I was starving after a long night, and I couldn’t eat fast enough. So I put my nachos in my soft taco, and the rest is history.”

“Terry, until you get a royalty check there’s no way anyone is going to believ-”

Suddenly the door to Bueno Nacho was kicked open with a resounding slam. The glass of the vestibule shook with the force of the impact as the man entered the establishment. A pair of visor like sunglasses covered his eyes while his tongue flicked out hungrily, tracing the pair of studs piercing his lower lip. Continuing his assault of the restaurant, the gang banger kicked over the closest set of table and chairs. Raising his hands above his head, he let out a triumphant roar.

“Time of man is at an end!” He screamed. “Gotham belongs to the Mutants now!”

“Not these dregs,” Terry cursed beneath his breath before standing up from the table. Outside, several more of the Mutants gang were tearing up the streets. The frenzied men and women were jumping atop cars and hammering on every storefront they passed. Something had thrown them into a riot.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Uh, Terry?” Max called, holding her phone up for Terry. Looking down at the device, his eyes widened at the videos from New York and Star City. The same words the Mutant had used upon storming the restaurant were repeated in the broadcast as Terry turned around to face him.

“Looks like someone’s jumping on the bandwagon.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Meta Brawl!

Mass Panic Tie-In: Meta Brawl!

We will put to the pyre your precious law and order. We will show you how truly vulnerable your nation really is.

_{Location: University District - Founder’s Island, Gotham City}

Mass Panic Tie-In: Meta Brawl!

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: Chaos in Gotham

Turning to look towards Terry, the gangbanger charged towards the small man. Sliding a chair into the Mutant’s path, Terry reached out for the nearest object. He felt his fingers wrapped around a piece of rigid plastic before gripping it tightly and swinging it with all his might. The empty tray whipped through the air before colliding with the other man’s skull. A resounding crack could be heard across the restaurant upon contact.

Looking down, Terry found himself to only be holding half of a tray, the other piece clattering loudly against the floor. The blow had been enough to stagger the young thug, but it hadn’t taken him down. Dropping the jagged piece of plastic, Terry raised two fists into a defensive position.

The Mutants member looked at Terry before slowly moving his gaze towards the three girls all while rubbing a hand gingerly against his jaw. Spitting a bloodied tooth from between his pursed lips, the Mutant shook his head before reaching into his tattered denim vest. Assuming the worst, Terry shouted towards the girls.

“Get down!”

Doing as they were told, the three girls immediately dove beneath their table. Scrambling towards another booth, Terry flipped the table onto its side, preparing to use it as a shield should the gang member produce a gun.

However, what the Mutant produced was far worse.

Rolling up his sleeve, the other man placed a small patch on his bicep. The veins around the area immediately began to bulge, appearing to glow green as the Mutant’s muscle mass inflated.

_{“Slappers.”} Terry muttered before turning towards the girls, “Go out the back, get the car, I’ll meet you there.”

“Terry!” Dana protested before she was cut off as Max took hold of her arm.

“C’mon!” She reiterated as Dana reluctantly went along while Terry turned back to their assailant. Before becoming Batman, he had never run into a Mutant, they primarily kept to themselves. The gang was born from social outcasts, those who were treated differently because of what they were. But it hadn’t stopped there, and soon it grew.

From what Terry knew, the majority of members weren’t metahumans. In fact, those with the X-Gene were in the minority. Instead, the Mutants’ numbers had expanded thanks to Splicers and Slappers. While splicing had its own ethical concerns, slappers were far more dangerous. Based on a dangerous steroid used by one of Bruce’s old foes, the ‘slapper’ was a small patch which when applied increased the strength, speed and notably, aggression of the host. While extremely addictive, the side effects were considered dangerous enough that many dealers refused to traffick it due to the loss of business.

Jumping over the table, Terry twisted his body through the air. Bringing his back leg around, he delivered a spinning kick to the now hulking man’s face. It felt as though his leg had met steel. Letting out a yell, Terry fell backwards before scrambling back to his feet. The Mutant laughed, cracking each of his knuckles. Suddenly, he rushed forward at an alarming speed, catching Terry off guard as the small man was swept into the air and hurled across the restaurant.

Bouncing off of the drywall and falling to the floor, Terry felt the wind leave his lungs. Gasping for air, he pushed himself to his feet only to be grabbed again. Flying through the air once more, a loud crash echoed in his ears. Shards of glass seemed to float around Terry as he soared through the Bueno Nacho’s front window and onto the street.

Rolling across the sidewalk with a moan, Terry was forced to react quickly, finding himself amid the ongoing Mutant riot. Managing to get back onto his feet, Terry pushed through the crowd, removing a shard of glass from his side while he ran. Fumbling for his phone, Terry held his thumb down on the scanner. Pressing the scanner for longer than usual, the screen suddenly lit up as it flashed a red Bat-Signal three times.

Letting out a slight sigh of relief, it was cut short as the collar of Terry’s shirt suddenly went taut around his throat. A large hand grabbed from behind, dragging him backwards before Terry found himself hoisted into the air above the laughing Mutant.

“Anytime now, Bruce!” Terry managed to mutter between gritted teeth as he found to get free. The Mutant continued to laugh with each futile attempt Terry made to get free until the larger man unexpectedly stopped. A car horn broke the din around Terry before he suddenly fell towards the ground. His fall was cut short however as Terry landed, opening his eyes to find himself atop the hood of Dana’s Jeep.

“Get in!”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Quiet Riot

Mass Panic Tie-In: Quiet Riot

We will put to the pyre your precious law and order. We will show you how truly vulnerable your nation really is.

_{Location: University District - Founder’s Island, Gotham City}

Mass Panic Tie-In: Quiet Riot!

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: Meta Brawl!

Scrambling off the vehicle’s hood, Terry clambered into the backseat. He barely had time to get situated before Dana slammed the vehicle into reverse and put the gas pedal to the floor. Despite the amount of pain he was in, Terry had to admit, it was hot watching Dana handle her Jeep like she had just stepped out of an action film.

Suddenly the vehicle turned sharply. Bringing the Jeep to a brief halt, Dana slammed the shifter into forward. Flattening the accelerator against the floor, the rear tires squealed while the back end slid around in a sharp ninety-degree turn. Now facing forward, Dana continued to guide the vehicle towards safety. Hammering on the horn while the group continued towards escape, Dana screamed for the rioting Mutants to get out of the way.

Without any warning from Dana, the vehicle lurched to a sudden stop. Terry could feel the wheels spinning beneath the chassis, protesting as the car was unexpectedly forced backwards. The smell of burnt rubber overpowered his nose, prompting Terry to look forward. His gaze was met by a Mutant in front of the vehicle. The Mutant had a hand firmly hooked in either wheel well. The hood of the Jeep crinkling like tissue paper beneath the man’s mammoth hands.

Terry had run into this character before, it wasn’t the slapper from earlier, but he knew this one too. He was a runaway from Arkham, Aaron Helzinger. As Terry recalled, Bruce had found that Aaron had undergone a procedure to remove his amygdala. It had been hoped it would cure him of his homicidal tendencies.

It hadn’t.

Instead, it had left Amygdala prone to violent outbursts. Just like the one he was no doubt currently experiencing while crushing Dana’s graduation present like a toy between his palms. Terry grimaced, ignoring the pain wracking his body. He didn’t have a choice. Looking at the three girls, Terry met Max’s gaze in the rearview mirror. She gave him a knowing look, shaking her head but Terry defied her wishes. Lunging forward, he swung himself over the front seats. Launching over the windshield, Terry delivered a flying kick to Aaron’s face, prompting the Mutant to drop the Jeep.

Rolling across the ground, Terry came to a stop atop his feet. Raising his fists, he stared Aaron down. Each pained breath reminded him why this was such a terrible idea, but there was no way Terry could have allowed Helzinger to stay focused on the Jeep. He would have rolled it into a ball and crushed them all inside. Terry couldn’t allow that to happen to Max or Carrie, let alone Dana.

Better make this count!

Terry urged himself forward, dodging a blow from Aaron. Conventional strikes wouldn’t register, Aaron wouldn’t feel it. Terry had fought this guy once before, but he had the batsuit then. That time Terry had tasers, restraints and smoke pellets. Right now, he had nothing but his fists and his training.

Steadying himself, Terry dodged another blow. Looking for an opening, a nerve strike, a groin shot. Anything that would provide optimal damage. Switching his stance, Terry saw his opportunity and prepared to strike. Fear filled Aaron’s eyes as Terry raised his fists again. The fight draining from the larger man as he turned tail and unexpectedly ran. Sighing in relief, Terry allowed himself a small chuckle before noticing the rest of the Mutants dispersing just as rapidly.

A sudden gust of air ruffled his jacket. Turning around, Terry came face to face with the Batmobile hovering above the street. An exasperated groan escaped from between his lips while Terry shook his head. Saluting the Batmobile before it flew away, he turned back towards the three girls, slowly walking towards them.

“Anyone else hungry?”

---

_{Location: The Iceberg Casino and Lounge, Tricorner - Bleake Island, Gotham City}

PLACEHOLDER

---

The pale light of the moon reflected off the face of the towering crystalline structure. The Iceberg Casino and Lounge was Gotham City’s most prominent gambling establishment. Born out of the ashes of the Siren’s Club, the Iceberg had been a towering monument on Gotham’s edge since the mid eighties.

It was also home to one of Gotham’s most prominent crime lords; the Penguin.

The Penguin had consolidated power in the void left by the original Batman’s takedown of the Five Famiglia. The Five Famiglia were made up the Falcones, the Maronis, Bertinellis, Sabatinos and Sullivans at the height of their power, before the Batman. They were the original crime in Gotham, before the Batman, before metahumans. Now they were nothing but a memory. The Famiglia’s children fighting for scraps left by the likes of the Cartels, the Triads and the Yakuza.

When Batman had decimated the Famiglia, there had been no one to challenge the Penguin. It had afforded him a smooth ride to the top where he had remained unchecked after the disappearance of Gotham’s Dark Knight. The Penguin had the mayor’s office in one pocket, and the district attorney’s in the other. Those influences alone made the crime lord the single most powerful man in Gotham.

Outside the Iceberg Lounge and Casino, the bright beams of a large SUV’s headlights nearly blinded the valet. Raising an arm to shield his eyes, the young man lowered it the moment the vehicle came to a stop. From within the blacked out vehicle came two large men, their weapons barely concealed behind the open blazers atop form fitting shirts.

Opening the rear door, a third man stepped out. Dressed in a white pinstripe suit, the outfit certainly didn’t do the man any favours. It only served to wash out any colour his pale skin might have held. A gaunt face with high cheekbones was topped with a greased mat of hair. Entering into the casino, the man in the white suit took the lead as his bodyguards flanked him on either side.

“Pleasure or business today, Mr. Sionis?” A hostess smiled towards the three men, approaching them with a tray of champagne.

“Business, Mr. Cobblepot is expecting me.”

“I’ll let him know you’re here, in the meantime can I prepare a table? Would you like your usual, Sir?” She asked as Sionis nodded.

“Have them send over a Scotch as well, neat.” Roman ordered before making his way towards his table. The Iceberg Casino and Lounge was the unofficial headquarters of Gotham’s criminal elite. Sionis had held more business meetings between the high walls of the corner booths here than he had in his own office. Taking a seat in the far corner, no sooner had Sionis sat than was his drink delivered. Taking a sip, he signalled for his bodyguards to take their place outside of the booth while he waited for Cobblepot and his meal.

After the incident with Tetch and the girl, the Batman had been relentless in slowing down Sionis’ operation. The mere thought of it was enough to make Sionis curl his hand into a fist and quietly slam it against the solid table before taking a swig from his drink. The liquid burned the back of his throat. It was a welcome sensation that went far towards satiating the rage that swelled within his chest.

With White incarcerated, Sionis was out his best client. The Jokerz were too unpredictable, the Mutants didn’t do business, and the Sons were too busy imitating their idol to be viable. That left the other crime families, but they wouldn’t dare make a move unless Sionis could get the Bat off his back.

“Roman!” A rousing voice broke Sionis from his thoughts, bringing his attention back to the present.

“How have you been keeping, my boy?” Oswald Cobblepot asked while extending a hearty hand. Roman rose to greet the older man, matching the vigour of his handshake before the pair took opposite seats.

“I’ve had better days, Cobblepot. Business has been suffering, I find myself with a bit of a rodent problem.” Roman muttered with a snarl at the mention of Batman. Across the table, the most fearsome crime lord in Gotham let out a dark chuckle.

“So you’ve come to Uncle Oz, the infamous Penguin. The one crime lord to outlive the Batman. Is that it?” Cobblepot asked, continuing to chuckle before suddenly leaning over the table.

“What? You expect me to dirty my hands for a pup like you, off this new brat Bat for you? Solve all your problems, is that it?” He snapped at Roman, “Your father never had any trouble handling his own business. How is Janus doing? Stock prices still shit, I imagine. Surprised you’ve managed to keep Wayne privatized this long, that must be a right sinking ship.”

“I’m not here to grovel-”

“Well you best be starting.” Oswald growled pointing a finger towards Sionis’ chest. “What are you here for?”

“I need your contacts and your connections.” Roman stated, standing his ground as a plate of food was placed in front of him. Cutting into his steak, he took the first bite while a plate of salmon was slide in front of Cobblepot.

“I want to put a hit out, and I only want the best.”

“I’m listening.” Cobblepot replied, interlocking his fingers in front of his face, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on Sionis.

“One night to kill the Bat,” Sionis stated, “And fifty million to the individual who puts a bullet between his pointy ears.”

“Quite the offer, I guess business hasn’t been bad after all.” Oswald replied, igniting a fat cigar and taking a couple drags while he mused the proposal. “What’s my finder’s fee?”

“Fifty million now,” Sionis stated while placing a case atop the table. “And fifty million when his bloodied cowl is in my hands.”

Crackling, Oswald rubbed his hands together eagerly. Opening the case, he nodded his approval before tucking it beside his seat.

“Roman, my boy. Business is looking up for you.”

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Season Two - Momento Mori: One Night to Kill the Bat

_{S E A S O N T W O:}

Relevant Quote

_{Location: Location - Island, Gotham City}

Sub-Title #X.XX: Title

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: None

TBD

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Title

Each time I fail to think about death, I have the impression of cheating, of deceiving someone in me.”

_{Location: Location - Island, Gotham City}

One Night to Kill the Bat #2.01: Title

---

_{Interaction(s): None}

Previously: None

TBD

---

_Placeholder

Next Issue: Title