𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕 -
Batman soon grabbed a laptop and placed it on his car and typed the URL, Batman typed swiftly but I expected he spent most of his time typing away with how he had been in this role for almost 2 years.
The screen was in complete darkness for a moment making then tension rise but died as soon a question mark showed "<?>", it was Riddler and he made it so they would have to wait until he was willing to talk to them.
<?> : Have you figured it out yet?
Penguin with wings?
Riddler was unresponsive for a moment, it was as if he was thinking about what to type next or laughing at us.
<?> Interesting.
<?> It seems I'll have to give you another clue.
<?> 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐝. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐥𝐮𝐦, 𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦. 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐚𝐦?
"An orphan," I answer instantly.
I knew this was about Bruce and his father, he was most likely going to take us to the orphanage where Wayne estate used to be.
An orphan
<?> Yes, Well done Ghost.
Ew, I never cringed harder in my life especially now because I knew Ed was Riddler.
<?> Perhaps this will help you find my next victim.
Victim?
Dead?
<?> Goodbye, Batman.
The screen returned to its state from when we first typed in the URL, I knew that where he wanted us but I knew this was a set up for something.
"He wants us to go to the old Wayne estate orphanage, he either means Bruce Wayne or Bruce's friend that grew up in that orphanage or possibly both," I sighed.
Bruce understood what I meant and noticed that I was hinting at the Riddler being Ed, I knew I had told him about Ed at some point so I was surprised to know he pieced it together so quick.
The green lit up again, with that haunting question mark.
<?> Make sure to bring Y/N, who would of thought that Ghost was so smart?
The fucking creep had made it listen in to our talking whilst we had the webpage open so I closed the tab and slammed the laptop shut, I then paused for a moment and took a deep breath as I didn't want to lose my composure again as last time it got us hurt.
"Take me to the Wayne Manor and I'll get Y/N but I won't be able to come with you," I sigh.
I knew that something was going to happen to the Wayne manor so I would be able to stuff my suit in Bat's car and hopefully warn Alfred, Bat agreed as he seemed to understand the situation and drove us to the Manor.
I walked into the house and took my suit off as soon I closed the door and ran to my room to change into some different clothes after all that mess then ran back downstairs, I found Alfred in the study and walked up to him.
"Alfred, Riddler is planning something and I don't know what. I need you to be safe, promise me nothing will happen?" I say to Alfred.
He seemed surprised and nodded his head.
"Thank you Alfred, I'll see you later," I smile.
Alfred waves goodbye to me and I smile and wave goodbye to him as I opened the door and picked up the bag that I stuffed my suit into but I also packed a flashlight as I knew that the orphanage was left to rot, I walked up to the car and waved to Batman and Gordon and smiled before I got into the car.
Bat drove us to the orphanage and looking at it just plagued my mind with the awful memories of it again, I stop in my tracks and Bat turns to look at me and I knew it was probably Bruce's concern knowing that I had to suffer the tragedies that were never spoke of in here.
I took a deep breath and started walking again, Gordon was behind me so he walked next to Batman and asked if I was involved in the orphanage somehow and he explained that I was sent here after my father went missing and how my mother was already gone.
We stepped into the orphanage and it was silent with only water droplets being heard, I grabbed my flashlight out of my bag and switched it on and looked around as Gordon and Bat also switched on their flashlights.
"What's that sound?" Gordon questioned.
I instantly knew what the sound was, we often had choir whilst we were living under the rood of this hell.
"It's from our choir, singing Ave Maria," I sighed.
I knew what was going to happen, I knew why Riddler now took my only photos of the orphanage from me.
I turned around and started walking in Gordon's direction and started charging down a hallway, Bat followed after me so Gordon followed after as the music only grew louder making me cringe from the memories of all the nightmares and horrors I witnessed here.
I kicked the doors which spray paint on them saying 'where it all began' opened which caught Gordon off caught and I charged in expecting to see Edward but instead, the video of us singing in the choir was playing and I stormed into the centre of the room and looked around hastily looking for Ed.
Bat goes to put a hand on my shoulder but I freak and throw a punch which I land, I instantly felt so bad.
"Shit! Fuck, sorry!"
Bat stood up and I knew that he forgave me but then Thomas Wayne's face suddenly was being projected onto the chipped wall instead of the choir, I knew what would happen now as both Ed and Riddler had shown their pure hatred for Bruce to me.
Batman and Gordon watched the screen as Riddler started to speak with his muffled voice and heavy breathing.
"The Wayne and The Arkham," Riddler hummed.
I was feeling my blood boil and I was getting ready to kick the shit out of Ed.
"Gotham's founding families but behind closed doors, they hide dark secrets of murder and insanity," Riddler boomed in confidence.
I could see Bruce's eyes widen in shock as Riddler said that, he was uncertain of how to feel and was processing what was just said.
"Martha's mother? Shot and killed her husband, before killing herself!"
The photos of the crime scene rapidly was smacked onto the display as if to prove his point with the amount of evidence he had, he was acting like he was god and all high and mighty.
"And the cause of death was covered up!"
More photos of the crime scene were displayed with the death certificates overlapping all of the photos.
"And Martha herself was in and out of the insane asylums for years!" Riddler boomed.
"You think someone is gonna be mentally stable after your mother killed your father?" I scoffed.
Photos of Martha being in Arkham Asylum flashed on the screen and I could feel my blood boil as Bruce stood there in shock, I knew that he had his suit on and he still had his cold, blank face on but I could tell he was so distraught.
"Thomas Wayne paid hush money to keep it all under wraps! The Waynes and Arkhams, lies, deceit and MURDER!"
The video then concluded and I turned to see the spray paint in the same green paint that was on the doors into this room saying 'the sins of the father' and 'renewal is a LIE.'
The slip of paper Gordon gave me from the Riddler with the riddle on it, the answer was in front of me 'What was new, is new again. Rebirth. Restoration. Reformation.'
"The sins of a father?" Gordon asked, breaking the silence.
That's when it hit me, I had warned Alfred earlier that I was sure Riddler was going to do something and to be careful but Riddler's behaviour and the video suggests he was going to do more than expose or kill Bruce.
Oh no, he wanted their legacy gone.
"Oh shit, Alfred!" I gasped.
Bat looked at me in concern and I grabbed his arm not daring to explain what might of happened to him, Bat knew instantly where to drive and started calling Alfred as we sped towards the Manor.
I could feel my anxiety and guilt creep in for leaving Alfred with only a warning, not a plan not anything.
Bruce was sat there begging for Alfred to pick up the phone and on the third call, we got a response.
"Hello?" Dory answered, in her naturally sweet tone.
Her tone had a ping of hurt to it though and I knew whatever Riddler had planned already happened, the wave of guilt crashed and I felt myself on a verge of a breakdown.
"Dory! Put Alfred on line line, something bad is going to happen!" Bruce yelled in a panic, I only just now realised he took his mask off.
I already knew what Dory's response was going to be as I heard voices talking in the background and felt my heart rip in half, I felt so stupid to only leave him with a warning and no way to reach out to Bruce or I during this stupid mission.
"I'm afraid it already happened sir, about an hour ago," Dory said, I could hear her heartbreak.
When I looked up, the view of the Manor was no longer blocked and you could see it with smoke and flames carving away at it.
Bruce only sped up the car and before we turned into the Manor, he took his suit off and stuffed it into a bag he had in the car then drove past the Manor's gates.
Bruce jumped out of the car and I jumped out too and grabbed his hand, the police talked to us and asked us some questions then walked of for one of them to return and hand us a letter that had 'To The Batman and The Ghost" Written on it.
Bruce took the letter with a shaking hand as we were both fighting back tears, I let go of his hand to open the letter and for Bruce to slowly open the folded paper.
"See you in Hell."
Hell was referring to Arkham Asylum and I felt so much anger and sadness hit me at the same time, Bruce pulled me close as we stood in front of the home that Bruce and I met at.
Ed was going to pay.
𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧: 26.03.22
𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝:
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝:
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 1,727