Panic in Cicero! Or, to put it more aptly, the top floor of the Gotham Mermacia. Midnight was but a few ticks of the clock away and with it, the year 2113. Dozens of recently rehired and unarmed GCPD beat officers were being held hostage by the very armed members of the Kangaroo Court, a twisted group modeled after the late Harvey Dent -- a.k.a. Two-Face. The Sandman was lying -- in pain -- on the floor amidst the shards of glass he brought with him after crashing through the skylight above with the cat-woman... who was currently clawing her way through the flesh of Graham, the Court's present leader. But what about the Batman? Isn't this his book? Patience, dear reader. Outside the hotel, the familiar whirring of the Batmobile's turbines cut through the night air, as Tim Drake suits up for a little midnight rumbling, to bend the phrase. Ready at last, Tim leaped out onto the ledge hundreds of feet above the ground, as graceful as a jungle cat. He quickly made his way to the window, checking a compartment on his belt. This shouldn't take long at all; not if this stuff was as potent as Alfred had said it was. In fact, things should all be over pretty quickly. 10... **** The DCFutures FanFiction Group recognizes that Batman and all related characters are property of DC Comics. These stories are written for no profit, but rather a strong desire to peer into the future of the DCU. The stories and concepts presented herein, however, are property of the author. So there. **** BATMAN: DCF #34 **** Written and Directed by Erik Burnham darvey@rocketmail.com **** BATMAN created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger BATMAN: DCF created by Erik Burnham **** "Some Hideously Overwrought Cliché" **** 9... Graham knew what fear was like. It wasn't a conscious decision to be afraid (it rarely is), but it was a decision made, nonetheless. The creature that had just attacked him was, in all fairness, fearsome enough to make even the most courageous of men show at least a little trepidation. ...Or something like that. It was a woman in a blue leotard... and the term woman was used loosely. She had short, black fur covering her body, pointed ears, and claws that were unzipping rivers of blood upon Graham's unprotected body. His followers, the militant jury known as the Kangaroo Court, would not fire upon this beast for fear of hitting him. The vigilante known as the Sandman was lying dazed on the floor not twenty feet from Graham and the she-beast amidst an ocean of shattered glass, trying unsuccessfully to load a pellet into his sidearm. Why didn't he just shoot her?, Graham wondered. The Sandman just made Graham's list. He would be prosecuted in due time for this affront. Pain! **** 8... Pain ran rampant through the cat-woman's body. Pain that signaled Dr. Tippitt's dissatisfaction with her progress. Pain that radiated through the collar she could not remove, pain that became frustration, frustration that was to be taken out on the foolish man that was giving off the waves of aggression. The man she was trying to kill for all she was worth at this very moment. Why was she trying to kill him? The question made its way like a comet in the night sky even through the cat-woman's muddled mind. Wasn't killing an evil thing, something there was a commandment against? Maybe so, the voice rained through her head, washing away the comet's blaze. But I command otherwise. More pain, pain unlike any she could ever remember being inflicted upon her. She was like a passenger in her own body, reacting as an animal would because she could not even form a coherent objection to her situation nor defense to the pain. Rationalization was out of the question. So she merely reacted. She reacted to the man with the funny face on the roof. She reacted to the aggressive man before her, tearing through his flesh with her claws. With one swipe she removed half his face and then... stopped. She saw something out of the corner of her eye. Something dark. Something aggressive. Something big. **** 7... Tim was proud of himself and his abilities. The Batmobile had arrived faster than he'd expected. Sandy'd provided a great diversion with his date. And Tim himself had gotten out of the room slicker than Lamont Cranston. One very quick change later -- and Tim was back on the scene. What he saw was not pleasing to the eye. Cops -- that he had just worked to get back on the payroll -- held hostage. Boo, hiss. Kangaroo Court folk -- and why the hell weren't THEY extinct -- holding "The Man" down with some superior firepower. Quick side thought -- if "The Man" is being oppressed by someone else, does that mean "The Man" is no longer "The Man," but instead it's just a case of... Okay, silliness later. The idiot who was in charge was having a little disagreement with the lady in fur... and it looked like he just got to be a little bit closer to his idol, Mr. Dent. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. The cat-woman stopped going ballistic now, Tim noticed. In fact, a calm swept over the whole room. Everyone was giving him the hairy eyeball. Hey, it's what happens when you know how to make an entrance. ...And just happen to be wearing a black fibroarmor suit with very pointy ears and a huge red bat right in the middle of your chest. The Sandman looked to be in bad shape... that type of spill would do it to you. Thirty feet at least, maybe more... and to land right on the back. Judging from his body language and difficulty loading his sidearm, Sandy was dazed -- and it looked like he was slipping in and out of consciousness to boot. Maybe he had a concussion. Not good, not good at all. **** 6... Liam Concord wasn't feeling so good. That last step really was a doozy. Check, please. Ha. Okay, now that the obligatory heroic bravado was out of the way, it was okay to note that he was in a lot of pain, and he quite possibly suffered a concussion... which meant he would have to come up with an excuse for such ailments. Liam's mind quickly formulated an excuse and filed it away. When he left this party -- hopefully -- he'd spend several hours on his computer forging plans to go rock climbing tomorrow, reservations for hotels and such... The rest was history, or hopefully, rather, would NOT be history. Liam was having trouble focusing and was glad for the thousandth time that a mask was there to shield the frustration on his face. WHY COULDN'T HE LOAD THE CARTRIDGE IN HIS GUN? The cat-woman was not in full control of herself; this, Liam was positive of. He noticed the collar she was wearing, and he'd paid attention to the contortions on her face, timed to the blinking of a light on that collar. Someone was controlling her. Someone wanted her to be nastier than she was inclined at present. But who? WHO? Okay, so there weren't enough clues for even the most adept of detectives to piece together that mystery. Or at least it seemed that way while the little birds were circling Liam's fedora at a breakneck pace. The cat-woman left the leader of the fanatics alone now, concentrating on the window? Oh, terrific. The Batman had showed up... and was certainly what the cat seemed to want, or rather, seemed to be what her controller wanted -- judging by the rapidity of the light's blinking. And Liam would have to use lethal force -- which he didn't want to do -- if he couldn't get this special clip in his gun... **** 5... Jon Isaacs was angry beyond a word's ability to describe. This evening made the GCPD look like fools! True, there was no way for them to know what was going to happen, and this was not the place for weaponry. Of course not. Jon would never again be caught this defenseless, he swore on his mother's grave. But... Where... Was... ...Drake? The host of the party was a very hot commodity only moments ago; and now, he was nowhere in sight. Hmm. Jon Isaacs took a fraction of a second, comparing speeches in his memory, noting the talent with which two individuals disappeared... even in chaos, Jon's mind remained at its peak. It was how he had managed to keep himself alive. Tim Drake vanishes. A black shadow appears. Is it possible...? **** 4... Graham's face was on fire. Fire! As much as that witch had hurt him before, he was in pain the likes of which he could not fathom. All he'd wanted to do was kill the rich pig and leave peacefully; why was that a problem? The rich, the evil, the oppressive, always so complained about, yet always so very protected. Drake had run, coward that he is... he denied his fate -- but Graham would deliver the verdict one way or the other. **** 3... The Batman was surprised at the ferocity of the cat-woman's attack. What did he do besides walk into the window? He didn't even have time to say hello before this chick -- pun, hah -- jumped him. She was fast, too -- it took less than a second for her to switch targets. ...That may make it a bit more difficult to do the job he had to do. Tim was positive that the knockout gas he'd brought with him could knock out the cat-chick here, but he HAD TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THE BUTTON FIRST! Sheesh! How was one supposed to do one's sworn duty when there was always opposition to it? Tim didn't want to hit this woman -- she was a woman, after all... and he still felt residual guilt from belting that Batgirl. Nothing wrong with chivalry, after all. Besides, he was letting the woman do all the hitting. On him. Hitting on him. Ha ha, oh how rich. Was Sandy feeling any better yet? Tim glanced over his shoulder as he took the brunt of a bite on his wrist -- Tim thought he heard a tooth crack -- and saw Sandy sitting up... and aiming. BANG **** 2... It happened faster than you can say 'Bob's your uncle,' Sandy let loose a blast from his pistol, and, being a crack shot, hit the cat-woman's collar. It cracked and sparked. She stopped attacking Tim to bat at it. It fell off, and Tim could have sworn he heard the woman laugh. Without giving it any thought, Tim hit the button on his belt, releasing a LOT of chemical anesthetic into the air around him. Members of the Kangaroo Court and guests of the party alike were dropping like flies. When all was said and done only The Batman and The Sandman -- with their filtering masks -- were left standing to hear the bells chime. 1... HAPPY NEW YEAR -- and welcome to 2113. **** It was midnight, and the two vigilantes found themselves standing amongst a sea of bodies. "They better not be dead," The Sandman muttered. "Or what? You'll shoot me, Hawkeye?" "That may be an option even if they're still alive." "Please." "Don't tempt me, Batman." The Sandman surveyed the scene. "The leader's gone." "So is the cat-chick." "What did you use here? Gas-wise?" "Something experimental." "Do you figure I might...?" "Looking to trade recipes, are we?" "When I see a good idea, Batman, I go for it." "Is that a fact? Well, then, here's a great idea for you: invest in something to break your fall next time, Sandy. I can't be here to save you every time you get into trouble by being clumsy AND ill-prepared." "Clumsy?" The Sandman raged, whirling around from his self- assigned task of disabling up weaponry. He was met with nothing. ...Of course. Happy New Year, you impossible braggart, Liam thought, smiling. It's always a pleasure. **** THE END! **** NEXT ISSUE: Patriot terrorists have decided to attack a UN delegate at Mercy Haven hospital -- and Clark is powerless to assist! ...That means it's up to Batman to save the day -- but the Justice League is having some problems of its own -- and Tim Drake has to step in there as well! "Wish They Were Here" (a nice two-part story) is coming... and soon! **** GOING BATTY **** I suppose you've all noticed that this issue was a bit short -- that's what the plan was "ten seconds" and such. It was meant to show what happened in a very short amount of time! A gimmick, I agree -- but I think you'll all forgive me (at least I hope so) when you start in on #35! I mean, I crammed so much into this arc I'd almost need more Batmen to keep up with it all! Will Alfred hop into a suit? Or maybe Paul Chandler? Who knows! Oh yeah... I do. And you will too, VERY SOON! Make sure to read And Justice For All as SOON as it ships [so you won't be completely surprised when your read the next Bats]! Now we move on to letters! (Keep 'em coming!) Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 09:30:08 -0700 (PDT) From: Jason Tippitt Subject: Re: Bats #33 To: darvey@rocketmail.com, erik@brainerd.com Erik, I thought #33 was one of your best issues to date. A lot going on, but it flowed really well. Tim's speech to the cops was very well-written; your use of Liam Concord didn't seem forced; the new villain and the old ones all worked well; and Tim's musings revealed a lot about what goes on in his head. -- Jason T. ****Thank you, sir! The flow bothers me -- especially since issues #33 and #34 are "re-dos" from a crashed hard drive! And Liam's presence was another worry - force only works in Star Wars, after all...**** From: MSR77@aol.com Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 15:15:53 EDT Subject: Re: BATMAN: DCF #33 COMMENTS To: darvey@rocketmail.com Erik, First of all, this issue was great! I especially enjoyed the battle between Sandman and The Cat-Woman. It was nice seeing a Cat-Woman in your Batman and I will be looking forward to seeing what becomes of her in the next issue. I also enjoyed the return of The Kangaroo Court, they've been gone for too long and I figured they'd be returning soon enough. Lastly, it was interesting seeing the interaction in this issue between Tim and Liam Concord better known as The Sandman, they seem to have a lot in common. Anyways, keep up the good work and I'll be looking forward to the next issue of Batman DCF! Mike Rehor ****Always a pleasure to hear from you, Mike. And if you liked the interaction between Tim and Liam, be sure to check out The Brave and the Bold -- it's currently running a Sandman/Batman arc by Bryan Hall himself!**** From: "Doug Randolph" To: Subject: Batman #33 & Beyond Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 19:26:19 -0700 Erik, I am really enjoying your Batman stories and especially the way you are weaving Clark Kent into them. Got to fess up, I'm a Supes fan and the kinda neat (and strange) thing about DC Futures is that Clark is prominently featured in the Batman and not the Superman title. Only disappointment with #33 was that there was no Clark or Alfred. By the way, the Alfred/Clark relationship is more than an adequate replacement for the old Jimmy/Clark (Kal-El) relationship. These two are the most interesting character set in the DC Futures universe. I assume that most of the unfolding of the details around Clark/Supes disappearance and re-awakening will be found in your titles (though to be safe I read the Adv of Supes also). Questions like what was Luthor's role? How was Supes hurt -- kryptonite or some deadly new super-weapon? Did Batman find the critically injured Supes? Did Bat's efforts to save Supes cause the near 100 year hibernation? Will Clark occasionally don The original super-suit? Will he regain his full super-powers? Will Alexi figure all this out and come after Clark with some real K (which is useless against the new Superman of Metropolis)? Great potential for future stories -- I'm looking forward to Batman beyond #33 for the answers! Thank You Doug ****No Doug, Thank you. It's always a pleasure to read a long, well-thought letter. First off, I'm sorry about your one disappointment in #33... but that's the reality of the supporting cast. They don't always appear every issue (and believe me, whenever Clark or Alfred fail to show up, I always take a lot of flak for it) but they won't be going anywhere anytime soon. As to why Clark is in Batman, well, I just thought it'd be a neat idea! (; As to the reason for Clark's hibernation... it was a plot to analyze and utilize the powers of Mr. Kent -- and the most basic revelations can be found in AND JUSTICE FOR ALL #8! (Yes, elaboration will eventually be forthcoming.) And out of all the other questions above... I can answer one (almost) for sure... the blue suit with the big red S belongs to another right now; and Clark won't be returning to it anytime soon. At least, not in 2113...(insert Dr. Evil laugh here.)**** -Erik VISIT GOTHAM: http://www.geocities.com/area51/chamber/9727/gotham.html VISIT THE DCF DISCUSSION BOARD: http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=6074