Erika Smith
08-11-2001, 01:34 PM
Disclaimer: I'm not getting any money out of this, I just did it for fun. Batman, Nightwing, Batgirl, and Robin (& CO) are property of DC and Spiderman and Black Cat (& CO) are Marvel's. The Ticker is mine.
Spidey Meets the Bat-clan
(and vice versa)
By: Erika Smith
"Hey Parker!" Jameson yelled turning a bright red.
"Coming!" Peter Parker answered dropped his pictures on his desk and went into Jameson's office.
"I've got a job for you. Go down to Gotham tomorrow so you can get me photos of the new space center that some billionaire named Bruce Wayne is funding. The dance celebrating this event is on Tuesday at the Spingles Spangles Club. Then there's other stuff during the week, so I don't want to see you back till next Monday. Here are the details. So get there on the double! No more playing around." Jameson looked down at Parker. "Think you can handle that?" Jameson looked and sounded as he always did...mad.
"Alright, Mr. Jameson. I'll get down there tomorrow." Peter quietly left the room as Jameson turned to yell at Robbie and started for the elevator. Peter was glad for the change. At least he didn't have to listen to Jameson saying all his guff about Spiderman. Peter grinned to himself at the thought that Jameson was funding Spiderman-albeit unwittingly. It served him right. Peter pushed open the double doors leading to the street. Deep in thought, Peter walked down the street. It might be interesting to see what Gotham was like.
Something moved ahead. Late-night shoppers at the jewelry store across the street. Peter slipped into an alley and changed to his alter-ego--Spiderman. As Spiderman, Peter shot his webbing at the jewelry store and slipped into a vent. From his vantage point on the ceiling, Spiderman saw the two black hooded thugs breaking the glass cases and taking the jewels out.
"Hurry up before the cops get here!" hissed a guy dressed like he was going to a dinner party to a tough looking dude in a torn shirt and dirty pants. He had a semi-automatic tucked into his cummerbund while his pal had a crowbar.
"Hey, Bonehead! Didn't you know it's not nice to rob jewelry stores?" Spiderman asked. He looked the thug in the sports jacket up and down. "Nice suit! Are you going to a party?" Spiderman asked conversationally.
"It's Spiderman! Waste 'im!" shouted the guy in the suit, at the same time pulling his semi-automatic from his cummerbund.
"Yep, you two are definitely ready for the waste receptacle. Who's volunteering to be first?" asked Spidey as he flipped to the floor and bullets made holes in the ceiling. "Why are you thugs always so destructive? Ever consider becoming construction workers? You'd get paid to destroy things. " So saying, Spiderman shot webbing at the thugs thus rendering them immobile. Suddenly, one of the thief's cell phones went off.
"Don't worry," Spidey said as the thief tried to reach the phone," I'll answer it. Hello, there!"
The voice on the other end said, "So, have you got the goods?!?"
"No, actually I have the bads with me." Spidey apologized.
"Let me talk to Squip, Farly." the rough voice commanded.
"Uh, sorry," Spidey said brightly," but he's tied up at the moment, may I take a message?"
"WHO ARE YOU!?!?"
"Well, I'm ME naturally, who are you?" The phone clicked and hung up. "Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted. Now, what was I going to do? Oh yes! I was going to take out the garbage!" So saying Spiderman up-ended the criminals in the trash can outside the police department door with a note attached explaining the unusually noisy garbage. Spidey shot his webbing and swung away into the pleasantly warm night. Several problems later, Spiderman back-flipped onto his roof and crawled into his room Spidey-style.
Peter, now in civilian clothes, packed for his first trip to Gotham...
Meanwhile, many years later in Gotham...
Terry walked quietly down the Bat-cave stairs, deep in thought. Bruce was sitting in his normal spot-the chair in front of the Batcomputer.
"You're late," Bruce commented from the Bat computer.
"Yeah, I had to baby-sit Matt, and Mom got back a little late. So, what's new?" Terry asked as he walked over to Ace to pet him.
"The usual. Suit up." Bruce answered shortly and continued his typing at the computer.
"Great. " Terry answered and got into the new improved Batman suit.
"See ya round," Terry (as Batman2) said as the Batmobile took off. Terry had just started his rounds when he saw a lady below trying to pull her purse away from a band of jokers. "I hate jokers," Terry muttered as he pulled on the straps that opened a hole in the bottom of the Batmoblie and let himself drop to the situation below. As he dropped, a Joker hit the girl pulling frantically at her purse. Batman2 landed on a nearby roof and stated," It's not nice to hit a lady." The jokers started and turned as Batman2 dove off the roof into the midst of them. Batman2 bowled a path through the jokers then landed nimbly on his feet, feeling very satisfied with himself. A joker ran at him with a knife in his hand. Batman2 grinned as he ducked the knife thrust and punched the joker in the stomach. Then five of the jokers leaped on him. Batman2 struck out with his fists and feet furiously.
"Terry?" Bruce was talking to Batman2 via the com link.
"Uh, yeah? I'm kinda busy right now." Terry answered as he finished off the second to last joker. The last joker pulled out a gun and started shooting at Batman2.
"I've got an appointment to meet Derek Powers to discuss business this evening, so you'll be on your own for a while. I'll be back as soon as I can. Enjoy yourself. Bruce out."
"Thanks." Terry said to himself as he flipped from the gunfire at the same time throwing a batarang at the joker's gun. "It's dangerous to play with guns, you know." Terry informed the joker as he tied him up. "Knitting is safer." The joker gave him a dirty look. Batman2 turned to the frightened girl and handed her purse back.
"Oh, thank you Batman," she thanked him breathlessly.
"No problem," Batman2 answered, spreading his wings and flying away. The girl clutched her purse possessively and walked away.
Bruce left the manor and drove to the meeting. He couldn't find a parking space close to the building where the meeting was to take place. Eventually he found a parking space ten minutes away from the building, then started the walk to his meeting. Bruce was not looking forward to it.
After the meeting Bruce walked out very angry. He simmered quietly. Powers was really annoying! Bruce decided to walk to the Gotham park to relax. It was a beautiful night. The stars gleamed like diamonds on black velvet. The Summer breeze felt cool and soft. Suddenly Bruce felt uncomfortable. He turned swiftly. No one was there.
"Bruce," whispered a cold voice. Bruce whirled, his cane in both hands. A rather bulky muscled man stood before him.
"And you are?"
"They call me The Ticker," the man in the red costume with a black bomb on it and a clockface on the bomb answered.
"Uh huh. " Bruce looked totally unimpressed and started to turn away. The Ticker grabbed Bruce's arm suddenly to find himself eating dirt as Bruce, after tossing the guy, walked calmly away. Bruce put his left hand in his pocket and pushed Batman 2's call button.
" You're not getting away with that," The Ticker stated as he flipped into Bruce's path again.
"This is getting tiresome," was Bruce's only reply as he again walked around the brightly colored villain. The Ticker pulled a time bomb and threw it at Bruce. Something black hit it, and the Ticker looked up. As Terry went into action, he noticed that Bruce's cane had hit the bomb at about the same time as the batarang. "Man," he mumbled to himself, "He is prepared." The Batmobile was vanishing over the buildings and Batman2 appeared feet first into the Ticker's face.
"Uhmmmmmphf!" The Ticker made a couple feet long scar on the nice manicured lawn as he was pushed back. Quickly, the Ticker punched Batman2 in the jaw and then added a time bomb, just to be friendly. Batman2 fell back with the punch, then leaped to cover Bruce from any and all shrapnel from the bomb. The explosion knocked them a few feet away. Batman2 got up gasping and choking on the smoke only to find The Ticker gone.
"So, who was the guy in the red jamies?" Batman2 asked.
"I'll tell you later," Bruce answered, returning the bottom of his cane to the ground.
"Okay." Batman2 assented. "Are you okay?"
"I'll live." Bruce answered shortly.
"Hold it a minute," Batman2 said ducking into the underbrush. Bruce waited. Two minutes later, Terry exited in his regular clothes. "Drive you home?" he offered. Bruce nodded and they walked to the car in silence.
In the Batcave Terry asked again," So, who was that megalo maniac?"
"I think it was Hurny," Bruce answered slightly shortly.
"And who's he?" asked Terry.
"Well, he was a scientist who worked for me about fifty-five years before you showed up. He was brilliant and young. Unfortunately, the scarecrow did something to him. Hurny went crazy and started making bombs during business hours. I fired him. He's hated me ever since. He went to prison, though he disappeared around forty-eight years ago, after he escaped from prison. Don't underestimate him. He's smart, though a bit deranged. I met him as Batman several times."
"Whew, Bruce! You sure have a lot of fans." Terry whistled. Bruce gave him "the Look".
"After all these years, how do you know it's the same guy?" Bruce narrowed his eyes to slits.
"I make it my business to know. Besides," he added, his voice brisk, 'I've seen him wear that costume before." Bruce looked up. "Terry, go on and finish the rounds."
"Alright. See ya later," called Batman 2 as he flew off.
"Okay," Bruce answered quietly. Terry's rounds were pretty normal (the odd robbing here and there, a mugging elsewhere, the usual) until he flew over one of Wayne Enterprise's old labs. He was just cruising when something hit him hard.
"Ouch! Hey! I need that ar... Oh. Hi. Can I have your, autograph, address, and phone number? I'm a really big fan of yours." Batman 2 said while pretending to bring out a pad of paper and a pencil.
"So. Batman prowls after the sheep is safe from the wolf." said the Ticker. Terry wondered what Bruce would think of that.
"I guess you also got a degree in deep meaning in English class too," Batman 2 responded as he ducked away from the bomb that got thrown at him. "Hey, what's that other toy in your right hand, Tick-Tock boy?" Batman 2 was referring to an oblong rod with buttons on it.
"That, my pungent friend, is how I'll get back at Bruce Wayne," the Ticker laughed insanely and threw another bomb. Batman2 ducked and the bomb exploded against the building. Batman2 paused a moment to look at the destruction ("Whoa," Batman2 commented), then turned to look at the Ticker who was getting ready to throw another bomb at him. " I hope you have enough money to pay for damages." Batman2 remarked sardonically as he ducked the three bombs thrown at him, used his jet rockets to ram into the Ticker, knocking him off his feet. The Ticker tried to bean Batman2 with the rod, but Batman2 grabbed it hard. Suddenly the world exploded out from under Batman2's hands and a bright light blinded him. Suddenly he was falling fast toward a building far below. "Uh-oh," Batman2 said as his eyes cleared. The building was rushing to meet him. "Man, this was not in the job description!" Batman2 said through clenched teeth as he tried to make it so that the landing wouldn't break every bone in his body. Impact.
"Ouch! Next time I'll bring a parachute," Batman2 told himself as he pulled himself up. "Now I know how a bounced ball feels." Batman2 heard something behind him. Instantly he ducked and flipped backward, throwing a batarang as he did so. There was a loud explosion, throwing Batman2 on his face. "Maybe that wasn't such a hot idea," Batman2 said to himself as he tried to pry himself from the roof. It was as easy as trying to pry packing tape from paper. As he moved his arms, he felt a sharp pang. Looking at himself, he found pieces of shrapnel sticking out of his suit. "Maybe I should find a safer job." Batman2 reflected, then smiled. "But where would be the fun in that?" he answered himself. The Ticker had disappeared. "Rats! I lost him," Batman2 complained staring over the side of the roof. The pain was getting worse, and his head was dizzy after using it as a battering ram. Rain started falling. "This just isn't my day," Terry complained as he touched his forefinger to the side of his cowl. "Wayne, I've lost him." Batman2 waited for the usual chastising. The com link was silent. Except for static. "Wayne!" Still nothing. "Oh, no!" Batman2 whispered to himself as he opened his wings and fired his jet boots toward Wayne Manor.
At the Young Bruce's (The original Batman's) manor...
" Master Bruce? I have your suit set out for tomorrow night's dance." Alfred said as he straightened up a lopsided cushion.
"Thanks Alfred," Bruce answered as he headed for the clock. As he went down the stairs to the Batcave, he saw Barbara sitting at the Batcomputer, looking something up. Quietly Bruce got changed, and then walked up behind Batgirl.
"When's that shipment coming in?"
Batgirl jumped noticeably. "Please don't do that," Batgirl gasped, "You nearly scared me out of ten years of my life." Batman wasn't even fazed.
"The drugs shipment?" Bruce asked in his deep Batman voice. Batgirl sighed.
"The shipment is coming in tonight at two in the morning at pier 13." she answered as she called up the information. Batman studied it for a moment, then asked, "Where's Dick?"
"Upstairs seeing Tim," she answered, her eyes on the computer. Poor Tim had sprained his ankle last night when he had been thrown at a wall and landed on his foot wrong.
"Did I just hear someone say my name?" a voice asked. Batman turned.
"Hi, Dick. How's Tim?"
"Well, he's been better, but it still hurts like the dickens. He'll make it." Dick answered, walking to the changing room as he did so.
"Good." Suddenly a voice said uncertainly "Bruce?"
Something was different, Terry decided on his way to Wayne Manor. For one, the buildings didn't look the same. Then it suddenly hit him. He didn't have to dodge the air cars. Looking down, he saw that the cars weren't the cars he was used to. "Oh, man!" Terry thought. "I'm in trouble! Please tell me this is a dream." He pinched himself. It hurt. "I've gone back in time!" Urged by the thought, Batman2 zoomed even faster to Wayne Manor. So that's why his com-link didn't work! Terry thought as he slowed down to enter the Batcave. As he got further inside, he heard voices. One of them was deep and authoritative, another wasn't as deep, but still had a self assurance sound to it, and the last was a girl's voice. The deep voice was familiar- it sounded like Mr. Wayne. Then he came to the last corner. He held himself against the cool stone and peeked. There were indeed three people in the room. He zoomed in on each one. They were all in suits, and one was terribly familiar, though the others he had seen as well. Terry was startled.
"Bruce?"
The three figures turned simultaneously, Batman and Nightwing had batarangs out and ready to throw. Terry decided the cat was out of the bag, so he very slowly and carefully edged his way out into the open.
"Um...I can explain," Terry started, feeling very self conscious. "You see, I was on patrol for Mr. Wayne," here Batgirl started and Nightwing narrowed his eyes, "when this guy explained to me he was going to kill Mr. Wayne, so naturally I tried to stop him when I grabbed hold of this rod he had, and there was a blinding light, after which I found myself in the past. Actually, I'm from the future. I became Batman after Mr. Wayne retired for twenty years. "
Nightwing looked at Batman as Batgirl looked at Batman2. Terry noticed her staring at him and said, "Barbara Gordon?" Batgirl gasped then asked, "How do you know who I am?"
"Well, that's a long story. You see, you become the Commissioner, and once you came into the Batcave to get information on Curare and you asked Mr. Wayne if he'd sewed up all the bullet holes in your costume." Terry shrugged. "Before then, I didn't know." Batman2 could feel Bruce's eyes boring into him. He felt seriously uncomfortable. Now he knew how the criminals felt. Terry waited. Then Batman put his batarang away in one fluid motion. If Terry didn't know better, he'd have thought Bruce had pulled it out of mid-air. Nightwing followed suit. Terry let his breath out; he hadn't even known he'd been holding it.
"Who were you having trouble with?" Bruce's voice sounded harder than steel.
"Uhh.. It was some guy that worked for you at one point, I think his name was Hurny." Batman nodded. Then he looked Terry up and down. Suddenly he turned to Batgirl.
"Stay here with him. Nightwing and I will be back," Batman ordered, then walked towards the Batmobile with Nightwing.
"Can I come along?" Batman turned to look at Batman2.
"Not tonight. Assuming you're from the future, you need to be able to blend in until we find a way to get you back to your own time. Batgirl can help you with that." Batman answered as he climbed into the driver's seat. The top slid shut, and the Batmobile gunned out of the Batcave. Terry turned back to Batgirl. She eyed him speculatively.
"So, How did you get to be Batman in the future anyway? I'm dying to know." Batgirl grinned in anticipation.
"Well, see my dad worked for this guy named Powers, and he had this leg man of his bump my dad off because dad knew Powers was making this nerve gas, and I met Mr. Wayne trying to get away from the Jokers. They chased me onto his property, and I crashed my bike. Then Mr. Wayne told them to leave because they were trespassing. They didn't leave."
"So what did Bruce do about it?" Batgirl asked, interested.
"Well, they tried to attack him, but he whipped his cane up and whapped them about. He was so cool! I helped, but he got a lot of them by himself. I was surprised an old guy could do that." Batgirl laughed so hard she fell out of the chair in front of the computer. Terry himself giggled along with her. After she had control of her laughter-she was now down to just giggles, she urged him to go on.
"So, then he wasn't feeling well-he has a heart problem- so I helped him into the house after his dog growled at me."
"Bruce gets a dog?" Batgirl seemed mildly surprised.
"Yeah. Then he fell asleep, and I was planning to let myself out, but Ace barked at me, so I decided to call my dad (I didn't know he was dead at the time). However, I heard this rustling, and it turned out to be a bat in the clock. I tried to let it out, but the clock swung aside, so I found out the secret. After I found out my dad died, and found the disk, I took it to Mr. Wayne and kinda borrowed his suit." Terry paused awkwardly. Batgirl's eyebrows crawled up her forehead and into her hair.
"Seriously?!"
"Yeah. So anyway, ...." He finished the story. Batgirl giggled again.
"So, your mom thinks it's just a regular job?"
"Yes." Terry yawned loudly and suddenly felt very tired. "I'm slagged."
"Excuse me?" Batgirl asked, a little puzzled.
"Tired." Terry translated, leaning on the Batcomputer. "I work hard all night, and then I have to try to stay awake during school, which is hard." Terry yawned again and pulled off his cowl. Batgirl looked at him funny.
"Well why didn't you say so?" she reprimanded him. He shrugged apologetically.
"I had other things on my mind." She grinned at him, then led him upstairs into the house...
Next morning, Terry woke up in a big four poster bed. It was so soft and warm he didn't want to get up, so he rolled over. He heard the door open and a cheerful, "Good Morning, sir." as Alfred opened the drapes in the window after the foot of the bed. "Breakfast will be served in half an hour, " Alfred continued, "and there are appropriate accoutrements in the wardrobe, and the bathroom is to your left."
"Thanks, Alfred," Terry replied, peeking his head out from under the pillows.
"You're welcome, sir," Alfred replied and exited the room. Terry sighed and pulled himself up to get ready for the day.
After a shower and a change of clothes, Terry turned up in the dining room for breakfast. Bruce and Dick were sitting at the table. Alfred came in from the kitchen with fluffy pancakes melted in butter and a pitcher of milk.
"Hi...Terry was it?" Dick asked as he stabbed several pancakes from the serving platter and transferred them to his plate.
"Yeah, that's my name," Terry confirmed. He tentatively forked a couple of pancakes, and tried one. It was delicious!
"So, how would you like to take a tour of old style Gotham?" Dick asked. Dick was wearing a black T-shirt and pants, while Bruce was dressed in a nice comfortably form-fitting black suit with a red tie.
"Sure, that would be lots of fun," Terry agreed between mouthfuls. Bruce looked at Terry, then said, "Good. We'll meet back here at six o'clock." Bruce finished his milk, then got up to leave.
"Is the car out front, Alfred?"
"Yes, Master Bruce."
Later that night...
Bruce was dressing in a nice looking tux when there was a knock on the door.
"Yes?" Bruce answered in his Bruce voice. Terry walked in, decked out in a nice suit as well.
"So, how did work go?" Terry asked.
"As it normally does," Bruce replied as he straightened his tie. Bruce looked at Terry, though to Terry it felt as though he was reading his mind. "So, what's your question?"
"Well, " Terry answered, "I wanted to go on rounds tonight. Tim offered to let me wear his suit since he's not able to go right now." Terry looked up at Bruce expectantly. He knew that in his time he wouldn't have settled for less than his proper standing, but since technically he wasn't supposed to be here, he'd live with it. Besides, once he got back to the future, he could be top dog again. Bruce stared at him back for a few minutes. Terry began to feel slightly uncomfortable and tried not to be the first one to look away. He didn't succeed. He blinked then searched the room for something to change the subject.
"I suppose so," Bruce answered, turning his attention back to his tie.
"Great! Thanks. I'll go see if Alfred has something left over in the fridge. I'm starving," Terry's voice dwindled as he disappeared round the door jamb and down the hall. In the kitchen, Terry opened the fridge and saw some absolutely delicious looking cheesecake. He reached his hand in...
"Don't let Alfred catch you doing that," a voice said mischievously behind him. Terry quickly pulled his hand out as if he'd burned it and turned to Dick, who was standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face.
"Oh," Terry said, "I didn't know the cheesecake was off limits." Dick's smirk twitched and finally settled into a full blown grin.
"Alfred hates it when anyone tries to eat between meals." Dick walked over to the fridge and pulled out the cheesecake. "Hungry?" Terry looked skeptical.
"I thought you just said we weren't allowed to," Terry pointed out. Dick poised, knife in hand over the helpless cheesecake.
"Well, if you're not hungry, that's fine with me," Dick shrugged as he sliced a very liberal portion and transplanted it onto his plate. Terry looked shocked.
"I am so hungry!" Terry retorted.
"Well then dig in!" Dick said as he brought out another plate and fork. "Just don't tell Alfred, or he's likely to think you'll ruin your dinner." Terry grinned and cut himself a slice.
Peter had stayed up very late last night, so he woke up at about five o'clock in the evening. Not of his own accord, though. The alarm screamed at him. A disembodied hand appeared out from under the disheveled blankets and searched for the disturbance. Peter's fingers finally found the culprit, and slammed his hand on the snooze button. The alarm clock went silent, and Peter's head emerged from the sea of blankets. "OK, I'm up." he mumbled incoherently, turning over. Five minutes of silence reigned before the alarm decided Peter really did need to get up. Peter jumped out of bed as if he'd been stung. Then he gave the alarm clock a glare. The alarm clock didn't listen. Peter sighed and got dressed. Five minutes later, he was out the door and down the street. When he got to the Spingle-Spangles club, he saw that the important people were arriving.. He unlimbered his camera in time to catch a picture of a solidly built tall man who wore a suit that looked expensive. An announcer gave the name of the obviously rich man.
"Bruce Wayne."
Peter was a bit surprised. He wasn't quite sure what he had expected Bruce Wayne to look like, but that wasn't quite it. "Oh, well, " he thought, "I'll just have a boring evening. I wonder what the people are like around here..." his thoughts trailed off as he walked up the stairs into the expensive building when he heard the announcer say, "Miss Felicia Hardy". Peter did a double take, and whirled around. It was her all right. She was flashing smiles as cameras zeroed in on her and were flashing wildly. "Well, all their pictures are going to turn out badly," Peter mumbled under his breath as he resumed his original direction. "No wonder newspaper's pictures mostly look washed out and terrible. The lights of all the flashes going off at once add together and mess up everyone's exposure. I wonder if they try to take the worst rejects, and sell them to tabloids as UFO sightings." Peter thought and scratched his chin. "Nah." He continued snapping pictures. He was getting a nice picture of the model space station when someone tapped his shoulder.
"Peter! I didn't know you were going to be here." As Peter turned around his eyes met with Felicia Hardy. With her stood Bruce Wayne.
"Well, I am a photographer," Peter answered, " but I kind of found out last minute, and I didn't know you were going to be here either."
"Oh! I forgot to introduce you two." Felicia turned to Bruce. "Bruce, this is Peter Parker and a very good photographer. He gets very good pictures of Spiderman, among other things."
"Nice to meet you, " Bruce smiled and shook hands with Peter.
"And Peter, this is Bruce Wayne, a billionaire." Felicia finished smiling.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Peter said in his turn.
"So, who is this 'Spiderman' character that you get such good pictures of?" Bruce asked with a smile. Peter thought fast.
"Well, uh..."
"Spiderman is our city's superhero," Felicia supplied. "He's a very nice gentlemen, though Peter's employer hates his guts. J. Jonah Jameson thinks he's a menace to society, though, " here Felicia giggled, " Spiderman has saved him more than once. I guess some people never learn." She made a funny face. Peter's expression remained mostly neutral during her description of Spiderman and had a tendency to glance at the surrounding crowd. Felicia looked up at Bruce.
"Would you like to dance?" he asked politely holding out his hand to her.
"I'd love to," she answered accepting his hand. Bruce waltzed her expertly onto the floor. Peter noted that they made a good couple, though she wasn't as close to his height as some of the girls. He also noticed that Felicia was getting jealous glances from around the room. Peter laughed silently to himself, and continued his job of picture taking.
An hour later, people started seating themselves at the tables around the dance floor. Bruce Wayne sat at the head table along with Lucious Fox and other executives. Peter picked a relatively close table where the other members of the press could sit when they weren't madly scribbling or taking pictures. This table was also close to a door. When everyone was seated, Lucious Fox stood up to tell them why they were there and introduced Bruce Wayne. The crowd clapped as Bruce took the floor.
"Thank you, " he started. Gunfire drowned out his next words as a couple of masked criminals made their way to the main table. Everyone ducked under tables or behind chairs and some started screaming. When the criminals reached the middle of the floor, they stopped firing.
"All right, folks!" one of the criminals said loudly, " hand over your money and jewels before my gunfinger gets itchy." He glared at them. His accomplice went around the room collecting priceless jewels and wallets, while the guy in the middle watched and got ready to shoot anyone who disobeyed. Bruce was very uncomfortable. He couldn't exactly "sneak" away and suit up: Lucious had grabbed his arm and still hadn't let go of it. If he could just...
Later that night at the batcave, Terry was training with Bruce before going on patrol as Robin. Terry needed it. He wasn't used to throwing batarangs as much as he was to just shooting them out of his suit. Batman explained carefully how t
Spidey Meets the Bat-clan
(and vice versa)
By: Erika Smith
"Hey Parker!" Jameson yelled turning a bright red.
"Coming!" Peter Parker answered dropped his pictures on his desk and went into Jameson's office.
"I've got a job for you. Go down to Gotham tomorrow so you can get me photos of the new space center that some billionaire named Bruce Wayne is funding. The dance celebrating this event is on Tuesday at the Spingles Spangles Club. Then there's other stuff during the week, so I don't want to see you back till next Monday. Here are the details. So get there on the double! No more playing around." Jameson looked down at Parker. "Think you can handle that?" Jameson looked and sounded as he always did...mad.
"Alright, Mr. Jameson. I'll get down there tomorrow." Peter quietly left the room as Jameson turned to yell at Robbie and started for the elevator. Peter was glad for the change. At least he didn't have to listen to Jameson saying all his guff about Spiderman. Peter grinned to himself at the thought that Jameson was funding Spiderman-albeit unwittingly. It served him right. Peter pushed open the double doors leading to the street. Deep in thought, Peter walked down the street. It might be interesting to see what Gotham was like.
Something moved ahead. Late-night shoppers at the jewelry store across the street. Peter slipped into an alley and changed to his alter-ego--Spiderman. As Spiderman, Peter shot his webbing at the jewelry store and slipped into a vent. From his vantage point on the ceiling, Spiderman saw the two black hooded thugs breaking the glass cases and taking the jewels out.
"Hurry up before the cops get here!" hissed a guy dressed like he was going to a dinner party to a tough looking dude in a torn shirt and dirty pants. He had a semi-automatic tucked into his cummerbund while his pal had a crowbar.
"Hey, Bonehead! Didn't you know it's not nice to rob jewelry stores?" Spiderman asked. He looked the thug in the sports jacket up and down. "Nice suit! Are you going to a party?" Spiderman asked conversationally.
"It's Spiderman! Waste 'im!" shouted the guy in the suit, at the same time pulling his semi-automatic from his cummerbund.
"Yep, you two are definitely ready for the waste receptacle. Who's volunteering to be first?" asked Spidey as he flipped to the floor and bullets made holes in the ceiling. "Why are you thugs always so destructive? Ever consider becoming construction workers? You'd get paid to destroy things. " So saying, Spiderman shot webbing at the thugs thus rendering them immobile. Suddenly, one of the thief's cell phones went off.
"Don't worry," Spidey said as the thief tried to reach the phone," I'll answer it. Hello, there!"
The voice on the other end said, "So, have you got the goods?!?"
"No, actually I have the bads with me." Spidey apologized.
"Let me talk to Squip, Farly." the rough voice commanded.
"Uh, sorry," Spidey said brightly," but he's tied up at the moment, may I take a message?"
"WHO ARE YOU!?!?"
"Well, I'm ME naturally, who are you?" The phone clicked and hung up. "Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted. Now, what was I going to do? Oh yes! I was going to take out the garbage!" So saying Spiderman up-ended the criminals in the trash can outside the police department door with a note attached explaining the unusually noisy garbage. Spidey shot his webbing and swung away into the pleasantly warm night. Several problems later, Spiderman back-flipped onto his roof and crawled into his room Spidey-style.
Peter, now in civilian clothes, packed for his first trip to Gotham...
Meanwhile, many years later in Gotham...
Terry walked quietly down the Bat-cave stairs, deep in thought. Bruce was sitting in his normal spot-the chair in front of the Batcomputer.
"You're late," Bruce commented from the Bat computer.
"Yeah, I had to baby-sit Matt, and Mom got back a little late. So, what's new?" Terry asked as he walked over to Ace to pet him.
"The usual. Suit up." Bruce answered shortly and continued his typing at the computer.
"Great. " Terry answered and got into the new improved Batman suit.
"See ya round," Terry (as Batman2) said as the Batmobile took off. Terry had just started his rounds when he saw a lady below trying to pull her purse away from a band of jokers. "I hate jokers," Terry muttered as he pulled on the straps that opened a hole in the bottom of the Batmoblie and let himself drop to the situation below. As he dropped, a Joker hit the girl pulling frantically at her purse. Batman2 landed on a nearby roof and stated," It's not nice to hit a lady." The jokers started and turned as Batman2 dove off the roof into the midst of them. Batman2 bowled a path through the jokers then landed nimbly on his feet, feeling very satisfied with himself. A joker ran at him with a knife in his hand. Batman2 grinned as he ducked the knife thrust and punched the joker in the stomach. Then five of the jokers leaped on him. Batman2 struck out with his fists and feet furiously.
"Terry?" Bruce was talking to Batman2 via the com link.
"Uh, yeah? I'm kinda busy right now." Terry answered as he finished off the second to last joker. The last joker pulled out a gun and started shooting at Batman2.
"I've got an appointment to meet Derek Powers to discuss business this evening, so you'll be on your own for a while. I'll be back as soon as I can. Enjoy yourself. Bruce out."
"Thanks." Terry said to himself as he flipped from the gunfire at the same time throwing a batarang at the joker's gun. "It's dangerous to play with guns, you know." Terry informed the joker as he tied him up. "Knitting is safer." The joker gave him a dirty look. Batman2 turned to the frightened girl and handed her purse back.
"Oh, thank you Batman," she thanked him breathlessly.
"No problem," Batman2 answered, spreading his wings and flying away. The girl clutched her purse possessively and walked away.
Bruce left the manor and drove to the meeting. He couldn't find a parking space close to the building where the meeting was to take place. Eventually he found a parking space ten minutes away from the building, then started the walk to his meeting. Bruce was not looking forward to it.
After the meeting Bruce walked out very angry. He simmered quietly. Powers was really annoying! Bruce decided to walk to the Gotham park to relax. It was a beautiful night. The stars gleamed like diamonds on black velvet. The Summer breeze felt cool and soft. Suddenly Bruce felt uncomfortable. He turned swiftly. No one was there.
"Bruce," whispered a cold voice. Bruce whirled, his cane in both hands. A rather bulky muscled man stood before him.
"And you are?"
"They call me The Ticker," the man in the red costume with a black bomb on it and a clockface on the bomb answered.
"Uh huh. " Bruce looked totally unimpressed and started to turn away. The Ticker grabbed Bruce's arm suddenly to find himself eating dirt as Bruce, after tossing the guy, walked calmly away. Bruce put his left hand in his pocket and pushed Batman 2's call button.
" You're not getting away with that," The Ticker stated as he flipped into Bruce's path again.
"This is getting tiresome," was Bruce's only reply as he again walked around the brightly colored villain. The Ticker pulled a time bomb and threw it at Bruce. Something black hit it, and the Ticker looked up. As Terry went into action, he noticed that Bruce's cane had hit the bomb at about the same time as the batarang. "Man," he mumbled to himself, "He is prepared." The Batmobile was vanishing over the buildings and Batman2 appeared feet first into the Ticker's face.
"Uhmmmmmphf!" The Ticker made a couple feet long scar on the nice manicured lawn as he was pushed back. Quickly, the Ticker punched Batman2 in the jaw and then added a time bomb, just to be friendly. Batman2 fell back with the punch, then leaped to cover Bruce from any and all shrapnel from the bomb. The explosion knocked them a few feet away. Batman2 got up gasping and choking on the smoke only to find The Ticker gone.
"So, who was the guy in the red jamies?" Batman2 asked.
"I'll tell you later," Bruce answered, returning the bottom of his cane to the ground.
"Okay." Batman2 assented. "Are you okay?"
"I'll live." Bruce answered shortly.
"Hold it a minute," Batman2 said ducking into the underbrush. Bruce waited. Two minutes later, Terry exited in his regular clothes. "Drive you home?" he offered. Bruce nodded and they walked to the car in silence.
In the Batcave Terry asked again," So, who was that megalo maniac?"
"I think it was Hurny," Bruce answered slightly shortly.
"And who's he?" asked Terry.
"Well, he was a scientist who worked for me about fifty-five years before you showed up. He was brilliant and young. Unfortunately, the scarecrow did something to him. Hurny went crazy and started making bombs during business hours. I fired him. He's hated me ever since. He went to prison, though he disappeared around forty-eight years ago, after he escaped from prison. Don't underestimate him. He's smart, though a bit deranged. I met him as Batman several times."
"Whew, Bruce! You sure have a lot of fans." Terry whistled. Bruce gave him "the Look".
"After all these years, how do you know it's the same guy?" Bruce narrowed his eyes to slits.
"I make it my business to know. Besides," he added, his voice brisk, 'I've seen him wear that costume before." Bruce looked up. "Terry, go on and finish the rounds."
"Alright. See ya later," called Batman 2 as he flew off.
"Okay," Bruce answered quietly. Terry's rounds were pretty normal (the odd robbing here and there, a mugging elsewhere, the usual) until he flew over one of Wayne Enterprise's old labs. He was just cruising when something hit him hard.
"Ouch! Hey! I need that ar... Oh. Hi. Can I have your, autograph, address, and phone number? I'm a really big fan of yours." Batman 2 said while pretending to bring out a pad of paper and a pencil.
"So. Batman prowls after the sheep is safe from the wolf." said the Ticker. Terry wondered what Bruce would think of that.
"I guess you also got a degree in deep meaning in English class too," Batman 2 responded as he ducked away from the bomb that got thrown at him. "Hey, what's that other toy in your right hand, Tick-Tock boy?" Batman 2 was referring to an oblong rod with buttons on it.
"That, my pungent friend, is how I'll get back at Bruce Wayne," the Ticker laughed insanely and threw another bomb. Batman2 ducked and the bomb exploded against the building. Batman2 paused a moment to look at the destruction ("Whoa," Batman2 commented), then turned to look at the Ticker who was getting ready to throw another bomb at him. " I hope you have enough money to pay for damages." Batman2 remarked sardonically as he ducked the three bombs thrown at him, used his jet rockets to ram into the Ticker, knocking him off his feet. The Ticker tried to bean Batman2 with the rod, but Batman2 grabbed it hard. Suddenly the world exploded out from under Batman2's hands and a bright light blinded him. Suddenly he was falling fast toward a building far below. "Uh-oh," Batman2 said as his eyes cleared. The building was rushing to meet him. "Man, this was not in the job description!" Batman2 said through clenched teeth as he tried to make it so that the landing wouldn't break every bone in his body. Impact.
"Ouch! Next time I'll bring a parachute," Batman2 told himself as he pulled himself up. "Now I know how a bounced ball feels." Batman2 heard something behind him. Instantly he ducked and flipped backward, throwing a batarang as he did so. There was a loud explosion, throwing Batman2 on his face. "Maybe that wasn't such a hot idea," Batman2 said to himself as he tried to pry himself from the roof. It was as easy as trying to pry packing tape from paper. As he moved his arms, he felt a sharp pang. Looking at himself, he found pieces of shrapnel sticking out of his suit. "Maybe I should find a safer job." Batman2 reflected, then smiled. "But where would be the fun in that?" he answered himself. The Ticker had disappeared. "Rats! I lost him," Batman2 complained staring over the side of the roof. The pain was getting worse, and his head was dizzy after using it as a battering ram. Rain started falling. "This just isn't my day," Terry complained as he touched his forefinger to the side of his cowl. "Wayne, I've lost him." Batman2 waited for the usual chastising. The com link was silent. Except for static. "Wayne!" Still nothing. "Oh, no!" Batman2 whispered to himself as he opened his wings and fired his jet boots toward Wayne Manor.
At the Young Bruce's (The original Batman's) manor...
" Master Bruce? I have your suit set out for tomorrow night's dance." Alfred said as he straightened up a lopsided cushion.
"Thanks Alfred," Bruce answered as he headed for the clock. As he went down the stairs to the Batcave, he saw Barbara sitting at the Batcomputer, looking something up. Quietly Bruce got changed, and then walked up behind Batgirl.
"When's that shipment coming in?"
Batgirl jumped noticeably. "Please don't do that," Batgirl gasped, "You nearly scared me out of ten years of my life." Batman wasn't even fazed.
"The drugs shipment?" Bruce asked in his deep Batman voice. Batgirl sighed.
"The shipment is coming in tonight at two in the morning at pier 13." she answered as she called up the information. Batman studied it for a moment, then asked, "Where's Dick?"
"Upstairs seeing Tim," she answered, her eyes on the computer. Poor Tim had sprained his ankle last night when he had been thrown at a wall and landed on his foot wrong.
"Did I just hear someone say my name?" a voice asked. Batman turned.
"Hi, Dick. How's Tim?"
"Well, he's been better, but it still hurts like the dickens. He'll make it." Dick answered, walking to the changing room as he did so.
"Good." Suddenly a voice said uncertainly "Bruce?"
Something was different, Terry decided on his way to Wayne Manor. For one, the buildings didn't look the same. Then it suddenly hit him. He didn't have to dodge the air cars. Looking down, he saw that the cars weren't the cars he was used to. "Oh, man!" Terry thought. "I'm in trouble! Please tell me this is a dream." He pinched himself. It hurt. "I've gone back in time!" Urged by the thought, Batman2 zoomed even faster to Wayne Manor. So that's why his com-link didn't work! Terry thought as he slowed down to enter the Batcave. As he got further inside, he heard voices. One of them was deep and authoritative, another wasn't as deep, but still had a self assurance sound to it, and the last was a girl's voice. The deep voice was familiar- it sounded like Mr. Wayne. Then he came to the last corner. He held himself against the cool stone and peeked. There were indeed three people in the room. He zoomed in on each one. They were all in suits, and one was terribly familiar, though the others he had seen as well. Terry was startled.
"Bruce?"
The three figures turned simultaneously, Batman and Nightwing had batarangs out and ready to throw. Terry decided the cat was out of the bag, so he very slowly and carefully edged his way out into the open.
"Um...I can explain," Terry started, feeling very self conscious. "You see, I was on patrol for Mr. Wayne," here Batgirl started and Nightwing narrowed his eyes, "when this guy explained to me he was going to kill Mr. Wayne, so naturally I tried to stop him when I grabbed hold of this rod he had, and there was a blinding light, after which I found myself in the past. Actually, I'm from the future. I became Batman after Mr. Wayne retired for twenty years. "
Nightwing looked at Batman as Batgirl looked at Batman2. Terry noticed her staring at him and said, "Barbara Gordon?" Batgirl gasped then asked, "How do you know who I am?"
"Well, that's a long story. You see, you become the Commissioner, and once you came into the Batcave to get information on Curare and you asked Mr. Wayne if he'd sewed up all the bullet holes in your costume." Terry shrugged. "Before then, I didn't know." Batman2 could feel Bruce's eyes boring into him. He felt seriously uncomfortable. Now he knew how the criminals felt. Terry waited. Then Batman put his batarang away in one fluid motion. If Terry didn't know better, he'd have thought Bruce had pulled it out of mid-air. Nightwing followed suit. Terry let his breath out; he hadn't even known he'd been holding it.
"Who were you having trouble with?" Bruce's voice sounded harder than steel.
"Uhh.. It was some guy that worked for you at one point, I think his name was Hurny." Batman nodded. Then he looked Terry up and down. Suddenly he turned to Batgirl.
"Stay here with him. Nightwing and I will be back," Batman ordered, then walked towards the Batmobile with Nightwing.
"Can I come along?" Batman turned to look at Batman2.
"Not tonight. Assuming you're from the future, you need to be able to blend in until we find a way to get you back to your own time. Batgirl can help you with that." Batman answered as he climbed into the driver's seat. The top slid shut, and the Batmobile gunned out of the Batcave. Terry turned back to Batgirl. She eyed him speculatively.
"So, How did you get to be Batman in the future anyway? I'm dying to know." Batgirl grinned in anticipation.
"Well, see my dad worked for this guy named Powers, and he had this leg man of his bump my dad off because dad knew Powers was making this nerve gas, and I met Mr. Wayne trying to get away from the Jokers. They chased me onto his property, and I crashed my bike. Then Mr. Wayne told them to leave because they were trespassing. They didn't leave."
"So what did Bruce do about it?" Batgirl asked, interested.
"Well, they tried to attack him, but he whipped his cane up and whapped them about. He was so cool! I helped, but he got a lot of them by himself. I was surprised an old guy could do that." Batgirl laughed so hard she fell out of the chair in front of the computer. Terry himself giggled along with her. After she had control of her laughter-she was now down to just giggles, she urged him to go on.
"So, then he wasn't feeling well-he has a heart problem- so I helped him into the house after his dog growled at me."
"Bruce gets a dog?" Batgirl seemed mildly surprised.
"Yeah. Then he fell asleep, and I was planning to let myself out, but Ace barked at me, so I decided to call my dad (I didn't know he was dead at the time). However, I heard this rustling, and it turned out to be a bat in the clock. I tried to let it out, but the clock swung aside, so I found out the secret. After I found out my dad died, and found the disk, I took it to Mr. Wayne and kinda borrowed his suit." Terry paused awkwardly. Batgirl's eyebrows crawled up her forehead and into her hair.
"Seriously?!"
"Yeah. So anyway, ...." He finished the story. Batgirl giggled again.
"So, your mom thinks it's just a regular job?"
"Yes." Terry yawned loudly and suddenly felt very tired. "I'm slagged."
"Excuse me?" Batgirl asked, a little puzzled.
"Tired." Terry translated, leaning on the Batcomputer. "I work hard all night, and then I have to try to stay awake during school, which is hard." Terry yawned again and pulled off his cowl. Batgirl looked at him funny.
"Well why didn't you say so?" she reprimanded him. He shrugged apologetically.
"I had other things on my mind." She grinned at him, then led him upstairs into the house...
Next morning, Terry woke up in a big four poster bed. It was so soft and warm he didn't want to get up, so he rolled over. He heard the door open and a cheerful, "Good Morning, sir." as Alfred opened the drapes in the window after the foot of the bed. "Breakfast will be served in half an hour, " Alfred continued, "and there are appropriate accoutrements in the wardrobe, and the bathroom is to your left."
"Thanks, Alfred," Terry replied, peeking his head out from under the pillows.
"You're welcome, sir," Alfred replied and exited the room. Terry sighed and pulled himself up to get ready for the day.
After a shower and a change of clothes, Terry turned up in the dining room for breakfast. Bruce and Dick were sitting at the table. Alfred came in from the kitchen with fluffy pancakes melted in butter and a pitcher of milk.
"Hi...Terry was it?" Dick asked as he stabbed several pancakes from the serving platter and transferred them to his plate.
"Yeah, that's my name," Terry confirmed. He tentatively forked a couple of pancakes, and tried one. It was delicious!
"So, how would you like to take a tour of old style Gotham?" Dick asked. Dick was wearing a black T-shirt and pants, while Bruce was dressed in a nice comfortably form-fitting black suit with a red tie.
"Sure, that would be lots of fun," Terry agreed between mouthfuls. Bruce looked at Terry, then said, "Good. We'll meet back here at six o'clock." Bruce finished his milk, then got up to leave.
"Is the car out front, Alfred?"
"Yes, Master Bruce."
Later that night...
Bruce was dressing in a nice looking tux when there was a knock on the door.
"Yes?" Bruce answered in his Bruce voice. Terry walked in, decked out in a nice suit as well.
"So, how did work go?" Terry asked.
"As it normally does," Bruce replied as he straightened his tie. Bruce looked at Terry, though to Terry it felt as though he was reading his mind. "So, what's your question?"
"Well, " Terry answered, "I wanted to go on rounds tonight. Tim offered to let me wear his suit since he's not able to go right now." Terry looked up at Bruce expectantly. He knew that in his time he wouldn't have settled for less than his proper standing, but since technically he wasn't supposed to be here, he'd live with it. Besides, once he got back to the future, he could be top dog again. Bruce stared at him back for a few minutes. Terry began to feel slightly uncomfortable and tried not to be the first one to look away. He didn't succeed. He blinked then searched the room for something to change the subject.
"I suppose so," Bruce answered, turning his attention back to his tie.
"Great! Thanks. I'll go see if Alfred has something left over in the fridge. I'm starving," Terry's voice dwindled as he disappeared round the door jamb and down the hall. In the kitchen, Terry opened the fridge and saw some absolutely delicious looking cheesecake. He reached his hand in...
"Don't let Alfred catch you doing that," a voice said mischievously behind him. Terry quickly pulled his hand out as if he'd burned it and turned to Dick, who was standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face.
"Oh," Terry said, "I didn't know the cheesecake was off limits." Dick's smirk twitched and finally settled into a full blown grin.
"Alfred hates it when anyone tries to eat between meals." Dick walked over to the fridge and pulled out the cheesecake. "Hungry?" Terry looked skeptical.
"I thought you just said we weren't allowed to," Terry pointed out. Dick poised, knife in hand over the helpless cheesecake.
"Well, if you're not hungry, that's fine with me," Dick shrugged as he sliced a very liberal portion and transplanted it onto his plate. Terry looked shocked.
"I am so hungry!" Terry retorted.
"Well then dig in!" Dick said as he brought out another plate and fork. "Just don't tell Alfred, or he's likely to think you'll ruin your dinner." Terry grinned and cut himself a slice.
Peter had stayed up very late last night, so he woke up at about five o'clock in the evening. Not of his own accord, though. The alarm screamed at him. A disembodied hand appeared out from under the disheveled blankets and searched for the disturbance. Peter's fingers finally found the culprit, and slammed his hand on the snooze button. The alarm clock went silent, and Peter's head emerged from the sea of blankets. "OK, I'm up." he mumbled incoherently, turning over. Five minutes of silence reigned before the alarm decided Peter really did need to get up. Peter jumped out of bed as if he'd been stung. Then he gave the alarm clock a glare. The alarm clock didn't listen. Peter sighed and got dressed. Five minutes later, he was out the door and down the street. When he got to the Spingle-Spangles club, he saw that the important people were arriving.. He unlimbered his camera in time to catch a picture of a solidly built tall man who wore a suit that looked expensive. An announcer gave the name of the obviously rich man.
"Bruce Wayne."
Peter was a bit surprised. He wasn't quite sure what he had expected Bruce Wayne to look like, but that wasn't quite it. "Oh, well, " he thought, "I'll just have a boring evening. I wonder what the people are like around here..." his thoughts trailed off as he walked up the stairs into the expensive building when he heard the announcer say, "Miss Felicia Hardy". Peter did a double take, and whirled around. It was her all right. She was flashing smiles as cameras zeroed in on her and were flashing wildly. "Well, all their pictures are going to turn out badly," Peter mumbled under his breath as he resumed his original direction. "No wonder newspaper's pictures mostly look washed out and terrible. The lights of all the flashes going off at once add together and mess up everyone's exposure. I wonder if they try to take the worst rejects, and sell them to tabloids as UFO sightings." Peter thought and scratched his chin. "Nah." He continued snapping pictures. He was getting a nice picture of the model space station when someone tapped his shoulder.
"Peter! I didn't know you were going to be here." As Peter turned around his eyes met with Felicia Hardy. With her stood Bruce Wayne.
"Well, I am a photographer," Peter answered, " but I kind of found out last minute, and I didn't know you were going to be here either."
"Oh! I forgot to introduce you two." Felicia turned to Bruce. "Bruce, this is Peter Parker and a very good photographer. He gets very good pictures of Spiderman, among other things."
"Nice to meet you, " Bruce smiled and shook hands with Peter.
"And Peter, this is Bruce Wayne, a billionaire." Felicia finished smiling.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Peter said in his turn.
"So, who is this 'Spiderman' character that you get such good pictures of?" Bruce asked with a smile. Peter thought fast.
"Well, uh..."
"Spiderman is our city's superhero," Felicia supplied. "He's a very nice gentlemen, though Peter's employer hates his guts. J. Jonah Jameson thinks he's a menace to society, though, " here Felicia giggled, " Spiderman has saved him more than once. I guess some people never learn." She made a funny face. Peter's expression remained mostly neutral during her description of Spiderman and had a tendency to glance at the surrounding crowd. Felicia looked up at Bruce.
"Would you like to dance?" he asked politely holding out his hand to her.
"I'd love to," she answered accepting his hand. Bruce waltzed her expertly onto the floor. Peter noted that they made a good couple, though she wasn't as close to his height as some of the girls. He also noticed that Felicia was getting jealous glances from around the room. Peter laughed silently to himself, and continued his job of picture taking.
An hour later, people started seating themselves at the tables around the dance floor. Bruce Wayne sat at the head table along with Lucious Fox and other executives. Peter picked a relatively close table where the other members of the press could sit when they weren't madly scribbling or taking pictures. This table was also close to a door. When everyone was seated, Lucious Fox stood up to tell them why they were there and introduced Bruce Wayne. The crowd clapped as Bruce took the floor.
"Thank you, " he started. Gunfire drowned out his next words as a couple of masked criminals made their way to the main table. Everyone ducked under tables or behind chairs and some started screaming. When the criminals reached the middle of the floor, they stopped firing.
"All right, folks!" one of the criminals said loudly, " hand over your money and jewels before my gunfinger gets itchy." He glared at them. His accomplice went around the room collecting priceless jewels and wallets, while the guy in the middle watched and got ready to shoot anyone who disobeyed. Bruce was very uncomfortable. He couldn't exactly "sneak" away and suit up: Lucious had grabbed his arm and still hadn't let go of it. If he could just...
Later that night at the batcave, Terry was training with Bruce before going on patrol as Robin. Terry needed it. He wasn't used to throwing batarangs as much as he was to just shooting them out of his suit. Batman explained carefully how t