Batman Beyond: The New Dynamic Duo

Rebirth Part 1

May 31st, 2019
Gotham City
11:30 pm

~"Big news in the financial world today. Once again, billionaire Bruce Wayne has averted an attempted takeover of his company by Derek Powers of Powers Technology. Powers vowed that he is not through yet. And speculation has seen stock in both men's companies hit all-time highs. Still no word from the kidnappers of debutante Bunny Vreeland following a ransom payment of $5 million without leads as to the girl's whereabouts," a report casted through the radio.

"Hey, kid, you're on TV," one of the kidnappers told Bunny Vreeland, who was tied up and gagged. "The money's all here, take her out!" Another guy called out. The kidnapper pulled out his gun and aimed it at her, but before he could pull the trigger, a batarang knocked the gun out of his hands.

Suddenly, Batman landed right in between them and immediately started punching the man. Others tried to take Batman down but were also punched or kicked away.

Out of nowhere, a pang in Batman's chest shot threw him. He determined he was having a heart attack! Full of pain, Batman clutched his heart and slumped over. Unfortunately, this weakness presented the opportunity for a kidnapper to hit him with a crowbar, sending Batman to the ground. "Ever since I was a kid, big bad Batman's always been making life hard for guys like me," the man said as he started to repeatedly whack Batman with the crowbar.

Through his pain, Batman managed to spot a gun next to him. As an instinct, he grabbed it and aimed right at the man. Before he could could even process

BANG!~

Present day 2039

With a startled gasp, Bruce Wayne shot out of his nightmare. Sweat trickled down his face as he tried to calm his strangled breaths. Suddenly, the doors of his bedroom flew open, and seventeen year old Eliana Grayson, accompanied by Ace the dog, ran right towards him. Without saying a word, the girl pulled out some medications for the man to take.

"Thank you," Bruce said as he handed back the glass of water he took his pills with. "I was worried sick. One minute, I was sleeping soundly, and then the next, I was woken up by Ace, who was barking like crazy. I knew it had to do with you, are you okay?" Eliana rambled. "I'm fine. It's been twenty years, and that memory still haunts my dreams," Bruce spoke softly.

Eliana knew the memory he was talking about, the night he retired as Batman, and she also knew what his nightmare showed him. "You didn't kill the man Bruce, he ran after you aimed the gun in his direction. As for the gun...it was a survival instinct. You saved Vreeland that night," she reassured.

Bruce looked straight into her eyes with distraught, "But at what cost? I broke the very rule I obeyed as Batman after decades of crime fighting, and I'll have to live with the guilt for the rest of my life."

There was nothing Eliana could do to make him think otherwise. "You should rest. If you need me, you know I'm here," Eliana stated softly as she pulled the covers over him. As she walked to the doors, a soft voice called out to her, "Thank you, Eliana." It broke Eliana's heart to see him suffer this way for the rest of his life. She wished she could make his nightmares disappear.

"You never need to thank me, Bruce," she whispered sternly before closing the door.

~8~

It was early next morning when seventeen year old Terry Mcginnis boarded his usual elevator in order to get to school. He turned to look at the tv displaying the news, "Making news today, as every day, Gotham's own financial zard, Derek Powers, rocked the stock market by acquiring several local industrial firms. In the third hostile Wayne-Powers takeover this year, Powers has retained his crown as Gotham's most dynamic corporate king.