Chapter Two: Get Out

Terry had often found himself being stronger, faster, and more agile than most people. Often he wouldn't take the initiative to fight unless provoked, but it always seemed like the world wanted to provoke him. He really didn't understand why Dana was the first person the Jokerz decided to pick on. He could only count it towards his own rotten luck.

Feeling the force of Dana's body being ripped away from him, Terry was running out into the middle of the parading Jokerz as they drove on cars and nabbed handbags from unsuspecting victims.

"Cheer up sweetness, where is my smile?" The Joker called J-man said as he tickled Dana. He was dressed as the original Joker with a purple suit down to the iconic flower held on his lapel. Dana giggled from his tickles asking him to stop as she fought his hold on her.

"Hands off Dreg," Terry said as appeared beside them. Tossing J-man over his shoulder into a parked car. Quickly he grabbed Dana from the bike and set her on her feet, with a grateful glance back at him she ran to the crowd she had been taken from earlier. Popping his neck Terry eyed the Jokerz as they watched him back with predatory vigilance.

Dodging a girl dressed in a horrid rendition of 'Harley Quin' wielding a rubber chicken with spikes and another Joker dressed as a mime swinging a baseball bat. Terry grabbed hold of a light pole and used his momentum to kick the mime flying… He hated normal mimes let alone ones trying to knock his head off? Shaking his head, Terry watched a larger black guy holding a metal ball that was attached to a chain, he had a muscular body and the clown makeup might have been humorous if he hadn't started to whirl the weapon over his head.

Looking around for a weapon Terry spotted baseball bat that had been discarded earlier. Throwing the object the Joker went down before he ever got too close. Feeling like he might get out of the fight truly unscathed he looked for Dana to make sure she was still safe.

When he found her, Dana's eyes had widened in fear. She noticed what Terry hadn't yet, the Jokerz had only been stunned but they were far from defeated… Terry had only earned their wrath.

"Terry… run!" Dana yelled bringing his attention back to his foes in time to make him spring into action.

Not waiting for the Jokerz to regroup fully Terry ran to a motorcycle that had been discarded by one of the Jokerz earlier, luckily still he found that it was still running. Jumping on he flew down the street with the Jokerz hot on his trail. Hightailing it to Gotham Bridge Terry hopped to lose the creeps in the afternoon traffic. Placing a helmet on his head he raced down the street.

Suddenly as he started across a massive bridge Terry realized two Jokerz were attempting to sandwich him in between them, each with chains in hand. Whirling them above their hands, within moments Terry realized what they planned just before they thrust their weapons towards him. Their ability to work in unison might have surprised him if he hadn't been in fear for his own life.

Stomping hard on his breaks, Terry decelerated to a near stop leaving the Jokerz to hit each other instead. Swiftly the duo had lost their balance as they tumbled off their bikes and skid across the road going out of sight.

Seeing he still had three Jokerz on his tail, Terry jumped the side ramp allowing his bike to slide on a support beam, and then he managed to hop the bike on to another highway which passed beneath the bridge he had been on. Thankful to not wrecked, Terry kept driving not giving the Jokerz a chance to catch up.

Terry didn't look back but if he had, he would have seen J-man and his band of freaks stop on the edge of the bridge watching which exit Terry decided to take. With a smile, J-man spoke, "Gotham Harbor… We can catch up with him there." Narrowing his eyes while the smile faded from his face J-man whispered, "No one makes a fool of us Jokerz."

Terry drove for twenty minutes straight and had taken so many different turns he hadn't realized he was putting himself into a corner. It was when he had taken his last turn that he heard the sound of four motorcycles behind him. Looking back he spotted the lights gaining on him, pushing his bike to get more speed he didn't realize it when he came upon a lone figure standing in the gloom on the night. Swerving to miss what the old man he tumbled to the ground rolling for several moments until he came to a stop.

Terry was in the wilds of Gotham now close to the seaports, he wasn't going to get help now even if he needed any. The bike had already burst into a flaming mess completely unusable. Thankfully the new regulations kept the explosions to a minimum, due to the low combustion fuel is used. But it also meant he wouldn't be driving away either.

Taking off his helmet Terry got into a fighting stance. There were five again. They must have picked up the members he had already downed or swung by and got some more thugs to join, either way, he had been in worse situations.

"Aw, we just want to put a smile on your face, kid. You're no fun…" One said as he took out what appeared to be a switchblade knife.

Terry had a reply on his lips but before he could say a word he heard a voice speak out, "Leave him alone." He spoke with such authority and determination hope built-in Terry's chest for possible back up. Which quickly died when the figure stepped out into the light. It was the old man that made him wreck earlier.

'What in the hell did he think he was going to accomplish, he was walking with a cane! Now I will have to protect Mister McGee here.' Terry thought internally. But if Terry truly understood who was standing in front of him now, he might not have been as worried.

"Get off my property!" The old man demanded.

"It's ok, I can handle this," Terry said hoping the old man would get the hint and leave.

J-man wanting to see the old man squirm approached him in mock rage, "Who do you think you're talking to old man… We are the Jokerz!" He growled out in his best intimidating voice.

With a light smile akin to a child spouting nonsense Bruce replied, "Sure you are."

J-man hated a lot of things, but what he hated most was when people didn't take him seriously. He'd picked to the most feared man in Gotham to emulate and this old bastard just laughed him like he was nothing! He was going to show this moron what being a Joker was all about!

Swinging his fist at Bruce's face J-man missed spectacularly, then before he even realized what was happening Bruce used his walking cane to knock his head in three different directions then he buried it into the overly dressed wannabe's stomach.

J-man flew backward into his group of thugs completely spent. The surprise on everyone's face was applicable. No one expected to see an eighty-year-old man beat a twenty year old black and blue. Everyone stood frozen in place at this incredibly weird sight.

A part of Bruce loved that he could still beat criminals to this effect, while another longed to put back on his suit and protect the city once more. But the slight pain in his chest told him he might not have enough left in him even to take down all of the thugs. Luckily for him, the young man had seen that Bruce could handle himself and joined him ready to take down the remaining four 'Jokerz'.

The larger black guy in the pathetic attempt as Joker and scarecrow attacked Bruce with a knife, while Bruce easily matches the larger man in sparing with his cane. Pushing him back with surprising strength Bruce knocked him down with a painful swipe to the Joker temple, while another Joker wannabe attempts to catch him off guard but gets similar treatment as the knife-wielder.

Terry is surprised by the older man's abilities he had shown more skill then even he was capable in some instances. Kicking a joker away with both feet then rights himself almost immediately, Terry is instantly in his stance once more ready for the next attack.

In the corner of Terry's eye, he saw the old man dodge the rubber chicken and whack the 'Harley Quinn' wannabe flying off her ride flipping her in the process. When he spotted J-man attempt to sneak up behind him with a bat. Terry wanted to warn him, but before he could the older man dispatched him with a comically whack to the face using his cane once more.

Still struggling to get to their feet J-man and his goons left completely defeated.

Terry was still completely flabbergasted about how easily they had dispatched these goons. Terry could have handled them… But not as easy as they had today.

(Writers note: Yeah I know he seems a little weak, since he is genetically the son of Batman and Wonder woman. There is a reason for this, but it won't be explained anytime soon. Bear with me, and all will be explained in time.)

Glaring them down as they left Bruce had his fun and decided to go back home. It was a long walk and he didn't have time to play wet maid to the punk standing beside him. The pain was already starting to overwhelm him taking a few steps he heard the kid say, "Man, you're something." In what sounded like awe.

He didn't need the worship, so he continued on. The pain started to make him feel short of breath dropping his cane he leaned against the concrete gate gasping.

"I've never seen anyone…" Terry cut his words short as he saw the older man gasping for breath. With three long strides, he was standing beside Bruce worry written across his face.

"Are you ok?"

"M..My medicine… at the house." Bruce pulled out a remote opening the gate.

Quickly grabbing hold of the elderly man's shoulder Terry helped him walk the rest of the way to the giant mansion on the rocky mountain path. He had heard of many older houses all over the city, but the gloom and disrepair of this one was startling.

Inside of the old house, Terry walked down the stairs into a setting room he had deposited the old man earlier. It was a little funny, even now he had no clue what this man's name was.

Handing him a glass of water and the pills he had been instructed to get Terry attempted to broach the subject. "So Mr… oh I guess you're going to rest now, huh. No problem. My old man is probably waiting up for me now anyway… I'll just see my way out."

Walking away something in his gut was niggling him telling him something wasn't right about the old man. Hearing squeaking noises Terry's attention was drawn to an old Victorian English clock, and something was inside of it thrashing around.

"Hold on little guy, just give me a second and I'll get you out of…" His words cut off abruptly as the clock slid into the floor revealing a dark staircase descending into a dark abyss. Terry's curiosity overwhelmed him, he had always been a fan of mysteries, and here lay one of the biggest he had ever come across. Throwing caution in the wind he descending the stairs and once he got to the end… All he could see was darkness.

Looking around he found three light switches. Flipping each one up it revealed three things; A massive computer shut down for what looked to be some time, A car completely black and sleek… not uncommon but it resembled something that he couldn't put his finger on. And last was a series of costumes… wait no they looked more like armor.

Suddenly everything clicked into place.

"Geeze, no wonder he could fight," Terry said looking around the Bat-Cave.

Suddenly Terry was knocked to the ground and standing above him was the old man… or Batman.

Anger was making Bruce's cheek muscles twitch. Holding up the cane he was only able to say two words, "GET OUT!"