Batman and Catwoman: Family Mystery

27. The First Time

(Past)

The first time Bruce Wayne had done something like this, was when he was just 22 years old. But even by then, Bruce was much enlightened for his age. He'd just come back from spending 5 years with the League of assassins.

He'd been invited as the guest of honor to the final show of the circus in town. The circus master was giving him and Alfred a complete tour of the site, from all the different stalls to the backyard.

Bruce meanwhile was more focused on the side deals going on. Each trailer was visited by a gang of three men, demanding money. Most of the crew had reluctantly given in, but someone put their foot down. From his outfit, Bruce guessed the man was a Flying Grayson.

"You'll regret this! I warn you! You're gonna want our protection!" The boss shouted and left Grayson standing in the middle of the ring.

The commotion had drawn out his crew, a woman and a boy. Bruce noticed the man's worries fade away as the boy came up to him. Probably his son.

The tour had ended and Bruce was free to roam around until the show began. Bruce left Alfred and ran to his car to get something, not stopping to apologize for running into someone.

"No manners!"

"Let it go, Jack! We're gonna miss Timmy's picture with the Graysons before the show!"

Bruce was back in time by the show started, quietly slipping into the seat Alfred had saved him.

The billionaire was thoroughly enthralled by all the presentations, especially the last one. Every act before had been perfect, but the Flying Graysons had been a killer.

The second Bruce saw the terror in the boy's face, he'd jumped off his seat and ran to the backyard. He found a good spot to change outfits, leaving his old clothes behind a dumpster as he chased after the speeding car.

He shot a grapple at the back bumper, using the momentum to launch himself to the roof of the car. The driver steered erratically in an attempt to throw him off, while the passengers began shooting through the roof.

Bruce tossed an E.M.P down the road and jumped off the car, which flipped over the second it drove over the device. The engine was on fire, forcing anyone who survived to crawl out of the wreckage.

The driver was just past the window frame when he was lifted up in the air, his feet hanging.

"WHY!?" Bruce shouted the question in the thug's face. The question he always wanted an answer to.

"We's told him! Said to Grayson! He'd need insurance!"

"The only thing he needed protection from, was YOU!"

Bruce pressed the man against the spinning tire. He screamed as the hot leather burned against his back.

"We was just following orders! Let me go!"

"Who do you work for?!"

"Z-Zucco! Anthony Zucco!" The man revealed, then recognized his mistake. "Kill me, please!"

Bruce wanted to, but he drew a line. The line that separated him from common criminals. From assassins.

"I don't kill." He whispered aloud and dropped the man, handcuffing him to the window frame.

"Wh-who are you?"

"I'm the Batman." He answered, without looking back.

Bruce returned to Alfred, who was still waiting in the main tent. The police had evacuated the place and were questioning any witnesses. As they were walking out, Bruce saw the young Grayson sitting in an ambulance, a shock blanket over his shoulder as he sobbed.

Over the next few days, the Grayson murders was the talk of the town. Every newspaper and news station reported it, until they started to talk about the Queen's Gambit sinking on its cruise.

The news also reported the three thugs left at the side of a burning car. The police had arrested them, but they refused to confess. Instead, they cried about the Batman. The mayor and commissioner refused to give credit to a vigilante, promising that Gotham's corrupt police would diligently handle the case.

The circus held a public funeral for the Graysons, which Bruce attended. He hung at the back of the crowd, watching people approach Richard. The circus wanted him to stay with them, but the law required that he go to an orphanage.

Bruce finally stepped forward when Tony Zucco himself came to visit the boy. As a final blow to John Grayson, he wanted Richard as part of his gang.

"I promised to protect your parents, and I failed." Tony said in a regretful voice. "I don't want to make that mistake again. I would like you to come with me."

"That's funny," Bruce Wayne came to stand behind the boy, "I was gonna ask him the same thing."

"Wayne." Tony gritted.

"Zucco." Bruce tossed back.

"Come with me, boy!" Tony held his hand out for Grayson.

"Like you said; you failed. I won't." Bruce put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

Zucco stepped forward, but Bruce looked over the criminal's shoulder. Zucco looked back to see the billionaire's bodyguards ready to act, drawing the attention of cops hanging around.

Zucco laughed, recognizing his defeat, and stepped back, wishing the boys good luck.

With his parents' murderer finally gone, Bruce took a knee in front of Richard, apologizing for coming on too aggressive, but assured Dick that he had the final decision.

Staying with the circus was too traumatic for Dick, and both he and Bruce knew that many of the orphanages in Gotham were straight out of Oliver Twist. Still, he didn't want to stay with Bruce.

Bruce understood the boy's decision, and took him to St. Swithin's, the orphanage funded by Wayne Manor. Dick stayed there until Zucco came for him again, but this time he was stopped by the Batman.

Tony Zucco didn't stay in jail too long, and Bruce took Dick out of Swithin's, instead enrolling him in a boys school under the name John Blake.

That had been the first time.