16 Chapter 16

Terry remotely opened the gate to let the unexpected visitors in.

He opened the door and welcomed them in.

A middle-aged woman wearing a business attire went in the mansion. Her face was indifferent and made her seem unapproachable.

"Commissioner Gordon. Alfred."

"Director Waller."

Amanda Waller saw Barbara Gordon and Alfred then immediately greeted them. Barbara also did the same while Alfred just nodded.

"Please sit down." Alfred offered her a seat. She accepted his offer and sat down on a couch across from Alfred and Barbara. Amanda Waller's subordinates waited outside for her. Terry filled a place behind Alfred as he was his personal attendant.

Amanda stared at Terry. It made Terry uncomfortable but he didn't look away.

Alfred noticed this unusual behavior and started the conversation to turn her attention away from Terry.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Amanda looked at Alfred and did not answer his question but instead asked another question.

"Is that him?"

"You know my attendant?" Confused about Waller's question, Alfred asked.

"Your attendant is the new Batman?"

Terry was surprised by the sudden assertion of him being Batman. Alfred and Barbara didn't know how to answer that question but their silence was more than enough as Amanda Waller smiled.

"I understand if you do not want to tell me but those in the know will probably assume that the new Batman is connected with you. The family of the previous Batman. You wouldn't give away Bruce Wayne's alias to just anybody." Waller said.

"...Yes. He is in fact Batman." Alfred said after pondering.

"I actually came here for him."

"Then, I'll get some tea." Alfred got up from his seat.

"No, I'll-"

"Sit down. Our guest came for you specifically." Terry offered to get the tea for the guest but Alfred insisted that he'll do it instead.

"...Okay" A little hesistant but Terry took Alfred's place entertaining the guest.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Amanda Waller. Director of ARGUS. I knew the previous Batman personally. We were occasional allies. We had a...complicated relationship even when I was still an agent. I hope I can count on you too, his successor, Mr..." She held out her hand towards Terry.

"McGinnis. Terrence McGinnis, but everyone calls me Terry." Terry said as he shook her hand.

Amanda Waller was surprised. Like she's seen a ghost. She took her hand back and stared at Terry.

"What is it?" Terry addressed his concern at the unwarranted stares he has been receiviing from Waller.

"No..." She uttered as her forehead began to sweat.

"'No' what?" Terry furrowed his brows in confusion at her reaction upon meeting him.

"N-no. It's nothing. I just remembered who you are. You're Warren and Mary McGinnis' son, correct?"

"Yes. And I'm also very familiar with you. My parents' former boss."

"It's funny isn't it. How fate works." A chuckle escaped from Amanda Waller.

Terry didn't appreciate her laughing. His bad memories of the past are directly connected to ARGUS. His parents were working for them at the time of his father's death and they also fired his mother afterwards.

"So, what do you want?" Terry went straight to business as he doesn't want to exchange meaningless chatter anymore.

"I need your help. Deathstroke is in Gotham."

Terry and Barbara looked at each other with wide eyes. The one Terry has been waiting for came back.

"When did he arrive?" Barbara entered their conversation.

"We don't know, but he was seen last night in blackgate prison. His plan was foiled by the Warden but he will most probably come back."

"What exactly did he want in blackgate prison?"

"That's why I came here. I do not know who hired him this time or if it was personal."

"And how do I not know this happened?" Barbara's tone had a hint of anger. As the commissioner, she should have been told about what happened inside her jurisdiction that is Gotham.

"We isolated the incident." But ARGUS also has definite power given by the government "It was our fault that he escaped from our facilities twice. The first time resulted in Warren McGinnis' unfortunate death. He escaped last year for the second time"

Terry furrowed his brows. He already knew this and blamed ARGUS for a while for his father's death.

"It couldn't have been the work of the mob. They don't have anyone in there that is valuable to them." Barbara said in a thinking pose.

"Do you have anyone that was taken in there lately?"

"Could it be?!" Barbara faced Terry.

"...Maybe." Terry replied.

"Could it be what?" Amanda asked.

"We captured a bunch of people and held them in there for money laundering. It's still in investigation."

"Are these people you captured connected somehow?"

"We believe so. We have been on it since last month."

"How are they connected?"

"They are part of a secret organization called the court of owls. Do you know them?"

"Yes. Bruce has mentioned them before. Then, they have recovered."

"Apparently. But they are still in a state where they can be prevented from gaining back their power. They have acquired someone formidable if they did hire Deathstroke."

"Even so, Deathstroke has always been my target. This just makes it more convenient." Terry said with furious eyes.

"But what could they possibly want in blackgate?"

"I'm heading there after this. I would like you to come along with me to ask around."

"I was already planning on doing that even if you didn't invite us, Ms. Waller." Terry said with a grin.

"Drink some tea to warm yourselves before leaving." Alfred arrived with freshly made tea.

"Thank you." Amanda took a cup that already had tea in it.

----

"That Damn Henry Page. He's ruining all our plans by selling information about us to those thugs!" A man shouted while he was sitting on a swivel chair with his feet on top of the bloodied desk.

"Are you sure that he sold it or he's doing it on purpose so you can be caught?" The man drinking coffee at the couch in front of the desk said. The man had silver hair and wore an eyepatch. His swords were placed at the coffee table along with his black and orange helmet. It was Deathstroke.

"I know the characteristics of our members. He's too cowardly to do that of his own will. That man has been blinded by money and wants a cut from what those goons get from us."

"If you say so." Deathstroke wanted to rebut, but he didn't want to interfere in the man's business that much.

"Why would I want opinions from someone who failed doing their job? You couldn't even kill the vice-mayor like I told you and to top it off, you were made to retreat by some Warden."

"You're right, but I killed him instead for you didn't I?" He gestured at the man laying lifeless on the floor. It was the head of the maroni family.

They were in the maroni family's home and base of operations. The guards that were supposed to be guarding the door were now lying on the floor, headless.

"Plus, that man was not just SOME warden."

"Shouldn't you be doing another attempt at blackgate right now? Why are you just sitting around?"

"It's not that easy. The security is probably going to be tighter. We won't be able to do anything about it now even if he talks. And now that I know who's the warden, the price for killing a man locked up in there has just gone up."

"Tsk."

"Don't be so stingy. You're vice-president of Wayne Enterprises! The next Bruce Wayne! Or so they say...right, Mr. Derek Powers?" He said, then took a sip of his coffee.

Derek Powers cursed and thought that if only he had the Talons again, then they wouldn't have to rely on a mercenary.

----

"Commissioner Gordon. Director Waller." The large tall man wearing a suit greeted them.

"Warden Dorrance." Barbara greeted him back and Waller just nodded.

"Wouldn't you like to come inside?" They were outside Blackgate prison. The warden invited them in but they seemed like they have no intention of going inside.

"We're sill waiting for someone." Amanda Waller stated.

"May I ask who?"

"That would be me." A figure emerged from the darkness. It was Batman.

"Ah. The new Batman. Nice to meet you, finally." The large man held out his hand and smiled.

"This man is Eduardo Dorrance. The warden of blackgate prison." Barbara made an introduction for Eduardo to Batman.

Batman shook his hand and nodded.

"I was friends with the previous Batman before I was the warden so, I hope we have a good relationship too." He said with a thin smile.

Amanda Waller chuckled through her nose. Barbara was also smiling at them.

"What?" Batman asked.

"Nothing. It's just weird hearing from Eduardo that he was friends with someone who he almost paralyzed by breaking their back." Barbara said.

"Ah. That was a long time ago. That was before he got me back then we got to sit and talk with each other. He saved my life. My views would still be clouded and I would probably be unable to walk today because of the side-effects of being addicted to Venom if he had not help rehabilitate me."

"You're...!" Batman exclaimed.

"Yes. He's the man that broke the bat. Bane." Barbara confirmed his thoughts.