Batman Beyond: Dark as Inque

Under the Spell

"When he decrypted the drive he found out that Derrick Powers was using the Wayne-Powers company to create a nerve gas that would eat the flesh of the person affected. He then deduced that the reason dad was killed was because of this. Dad's murder was framed to look like Jokers when it was actually an assassination. I argued with the Batman but he told me to take it to the police....I didn't," said Terry as he turned away from his mother and stared out the window at the dark morning air. "What did you do Terry?" she asked afraid of the answer.

"I went back to Batman's cave and stole one of his suits. I hunted down Powers and the assassin and brought them to justice. I then realized that Gotham needed the Batman more than ever so I took on the Batman mantle and trained myself for five years to fight for the people of Gotham. Last night I went out as the original Batman did and fought the criminals of Gotham. A woman named Inque took my phone and when you called she answered. I used to fight her years ago but she stopped, she found out where I lived and who I was and now she's sleeping in my bed because she has no where else to go and no one to look out for her," said Terry as he turned and faced his mother. She only stared at him in shock, "I'm Batman mom...I've fought for five years to protect the people of Gotham...and nothing you will say can stop me."

She stood up and approached him slowly, she then slapped him across the face but he barely moved. "HOW DARE YOU DO THIS!? ALL THOSE LIES YOU TOLD US ABOUT WORKING FOR BRUCE WAYNE AND YOU WERE OUT THERE RISKING YOUR LIFE! YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS EVER AGAIN TERRANCE. YOU HEAR ME!" screamed his mother as she slapped him again. He didn't even react but just stood there and accepted the slap. "Are you done?" he asked. "STOP ACTING LIKE THAT!" she screamed as tears fell down her cheeks and she sank to her knees sobbing, "I-I can't loose you too T-Terry...Not like I l-lost him." 

Terry knelt down next to his mother and pulled her into his embrace, "I do this mom so that no one else will lose their parents. So no one will ever lose someone they love the way we did." His mother sobbed and held onto her son, "Y-You can't d-do this Terry y-you're t-too y-young." Terry stood up breaking the embrace as a fire ignited within him, "Mom, who do you see when you look at me? The boy whose shoes you used to tie every morning, the teenager you drove to his first date? While you are here every night, I am out there... the ONLY THING between the innocent and the predatory..."

"Maybe you-you think you're some sort of Batman but-" began his mother. "No, not 'may be'. I am. When the mugger or the thief stop to think twice, that is fear. That is what I am. I am the reason the criminals breathe easier when the sun rises. So no, Mom, I am NOT in going to stop. I am Batman whether you like it or not!" said Terry as he breathed heavily. His mother got up from her knees and wiped away her tears, "Then you won't do so in this house...I want you to leave."

Terry nodded, "That's your choice..." Terry turned and walked towards the door of his bedroom when the radio in the kitchen turned on and let out a high pitched squealing sound. His mother covered her ears as did Terry. He kept his ears covered and approached the radio yanking out the power chord shutting it up. "What the hell was that!?" asked his mother.

CRASH!

Terry turned and got into a defensive position ready for an attack but it was his brother Matt walking into the kitchen. He eased up, "Uh sorry if we woke you Matt...it's only five-thirty in the morning why don't you go back to bed?" said their mother with a shaken voice. His brother didn't answer and Terry noticed his vacant expression, "Matt bud are you okay?" asked Terry cautiously. Matt looked at them and smiled a creepy smile, "One by one they'll fall. One by one it shall be done."

"What're you talking about?" asked his mother softly and with obvious confusion. "One by one they'll fall. One by one it shall be done," repeated Matt as he reached behind his back and pulled out a knife from the waistband of his pajama trousers and threw it at their mother's chest. Terry's reflexes were quick and he managed to catch the blade of the knife in one hand just before it struck his mother's chest. Her eyes widened in fear at what had just happened.

"One by one they'll fall. One by one it shall be done," laughed Matt as he pulled out another knife and rushed at Terry. Terry dodged the knife attacks from his brother but refrained from striking him, "He's not in control!" yelled Terry as he dodged another attack. "He's hypnotized. That sound from the radios must've been the trigger -ARGGGH!" Terry wasn't paying attention and Matt managed to stab him in the shoulder just below the collar bone. "TERRY!" yelled out him mother in fear. Matt pulled out the knife and was about to strike again when his hand was wrapped up in a black goo. 

Terry looked up to see Inque at the kitchen door, her arm extended and wrapped around Matt's hand that was holding the knife. "Want to explain to me Terry why your brother is trying to kill you," asked Inque as Matt kept trying to free himself. "Sorry Matt," said Terry as he punched him in the face knocking him out. 

"Terry what have you done to your brother!" yelled his mom in anger. "He tried to kill you and me! I need to keep him out of action so I can-" he stopped talking and looked to the radio then to his brother. Inque set Matt into the chair and approached Terry, "What's going on in that brain of yours?" Terry didn't answer but left the room. He returned moments later in his Batsuit (without the cowl) and holding a gaming console, "Matt was playing a video game before he went to sleep. If my hunch is right there is an encoded message in the game that was triggered by the radio making Matt attack us. If that's true then we aren't the only one's  that's experiencing this."

He pulled out his grappling gun and took out the cartridge, they watched as he dismantled it and held out the long thread, "This is Kevlar rope. It'll hold him until I can figure out how to reverse the affects of this hypnosis."  Terry tied Matt to the chair and turned to his mother, "No matter what he says you will not let him go. If you do he will kill you without hesitation. Do you understand?" His mother didn't answer but looked at Matt with tears in her eyes. "Do you understand?" he asked again in a firmer voice. She nodded but still didn't speak. Terry turned to Inque, "Stay out of trouble."

He went back to his room and put on his cowl activating the comms link. "Bruce this is Batman. We have a problem...my brother and possibly anyone his age are under some sort of spell...and I know just the man to talk to."