Chapter Seven

Batman made short work of Zucco's mooks. Within minutes they were trussed up with plastic tie wraps, waiting for the GCPD to pick them up. There was enough evidence inside the warehouse to send them all away for a very long time. Unfortunately, none of it could be tied directly to Zucco. The loss of the weapons shipment was a serious setback, but Zucco's organization was too firmly entrenched to be successfully stopped for long. Batman left the men for the civilian authorities. He had more pressing matters to attend to--namely, a frightened nine-year-old boy whose face had haunted his dreams for the past two weeks.

He'd never forget the horror of watching the Flying Graysons' fall to their deaths or the empty look in the boy's eyes as he stared into space, deeply in shock. Billionaire Bruce Wayne had been in the audience that night, but it was seven-year old Bruce who'd witnessed the double murder, reliving his own parents' deaths. Unconsciously, his heart had gone out to the boy, and he'd been looking for Zucco ever since.

Batman had assumed that the boy had been allowed to stay with the Haly Circus; he'd observed how all of the performers cared deeply for the boy, and how they'd all been devastated by the double loss. Furthermore, he'd seen how much the owner, Pop Haly, loved the boy. Why in the world had the Youth Authority been awarded custody? Why in the world hadn't he, the World's Greatest Detective, been aware of the fact until the boy had actually run away from the Juvenile Detention Center?

As Batman zoomed back to the cave, he wasn't sure in whom he felt the greater disgust: himself or Dr. Cunningham, the Director of the Child Welfare Services. Well, Bruce Wayne still had some influence in this town, and he was about to start cashing in some chips.

As he stepped out of the Batmobile, Batman's demeanor seemed even grimmer than usual. His butler Alfred raised his right eyebrow with urbane aplomb. Something certainly had his master in a snit lately. It was probably the fate of that young Grayson boy; ever since the terrible accident at the circus two weeks ago, it seemed as if Master Bruce had entered a living hell. He hadn't eaten or slept for almost four days straight now, and Alfred was seriously contemplating slipping him a sleeping draught in his coffee.

"Good evening, sir . . . good hunting tonight?" Alfred asked. He didn't really expect a reply and almost dropped the tray he was holding when his employer responded.

"Stopped a weapons shipment at the waterfront. Zucco's goons. I also found Jamie McEwan, the juvenile pickpocket who escaped yesterday from the JDC, but had to let him go. He claims to have the Grayson boy in his protective custody." Batman paused. "We were right. Zucco has a contract out on the boy. I've got to find that monster before he--" Batman stopped, a wave of dizziness washing over him.

Alfred immediately lay down his tray, and helped his unwilling employer to a chair. "You *must* take some sustenance, Master Bruce. I in*sist*, sir! You're no good to that boy or to yourself if you pass out from lack of food and sleep! Please, Master Bruce . . . a few minutes will *not* make a difference in your endless war!"

Batman nodded, too exhausted to argue. He slipped off his cowl, the seemingly simple act transforming him into his public persona of Bruce Wayne. Not yet thirty, he felt like he'd lived a dozen lifetimes already. Alfred was right. He wouldn't do that Grayson boy any good if he collapsed from fatigue. If he'd only *known* about the boy being sent to the JDC! How could he have allowed such information to slip by him?

He reached absentmindedly for the dinner that Alfred had so painstakingly prepared for him. Delicious! Wayne's ravenous hunger took over. He wolfed down his dinner, much to Alfred's alarm, but still felt hungry once he'd finished.

"Alfred, I don't suppose you have any more of . . . whatever I just ate, do you?" Alfred smiled and nodded.

"Of course, sir. Right away, Master Bruce." Alfred took the empty dishes, and quickly returned to the Manor. The master requesting seconds was a rare enough occasion that Alfred felt he'd best hurry before he changed his mind. Or before the Batsignal called him away on some new emergency.

Wayne stepped into the uniform vault, feeling a little better. He changed into a pair of sweats, and walked over to his command console. He quickly began running several search engines.

"Zucco . . . Zucco . . . Where are you hiding, you sewer rat? I'll find you if it takes the rest of my life!"

Wayne turned at the sound of a soft step behind him. Alfred stood there looking respectful, yet profoundly sad at the same time. He held a tray laden with second helpings. Wayne looked at the man who'd raised him since his parents' deaths, and felt a sudden rush of gratitude for his loyalty.

"Thanks, Alfred . . . I'll take that. Why don't you go on ahead and turn in? I promise I won't go out again tonight. I need to be at Wayne Enterprises tomorrow. I have an early morning meeting with Lucius Fox about one Richard John Grayson."

Alfred raised a single eyebrow in silent query.

"I've decided to try to adopt him, Alfred." Alfred looked nonplussed, but recovered immediately. "I know . . . I know . . . What are the chances of a rich playboy being allowed to adopt a lone boy, when the people who love him the most weren't given custody, because the state found *them* unsuitable?" Wayne shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know if I'll win custody, Alfred, but I know one thing . . . if I *don't* try, I'll never forgive myself. But even if *I* can't gain custody, then I'm putting the full force of Wayne Enterprises behind an effort to ensure that he's never returned to the Juvenile Detention Center!" Wayne gave Alfred a rare smile. "What do you think, Alfred? Are you willing to become a nanny at *your* age?"

Alfred smiled in turn.

"I'm already a nanny, sir," he replied. "I have *you* to look after, remember?" Without waiting for a response, Alfred left his employer to his dinner and silently retired for the night.

****

When the boys returned to their hangout, they found an extremely upset Kat sitting alone in the kitchen. McEwan rushed to her side.

"Where's the kid? Kat, where's Dick? What happened?" Kat threw her arms around McEwan's neck, unable to reply. She felt so ashamed; she'd let them all down.

"They took him . . . we were on our way back, when these two men stopped us. We fought them off, but they . . . they . . ." At this moment, they heard a noise from the front entranceway.

"Hey, anybody home?" The crowd in the kitchen froze in place, exchanging startled glances. Dick! As one they all rushed to the front.

"Acrobat!" McEwan held his good arm out in welcome.

"Fingers!" Dick rushed happily relieved into his friend's arms. He hugged McEwan completely unselfconsciously and squeezed his sore ribs a little too enthusiastically. McEwan withstood the sharp pain stoically. Kat rushed in and hugged Dick to her. She was openly weeping in relief.

"Oh, Dick, I was so worried! When Mikey took off after you . . . I lost track of you! What happened? Oh, why did you run away from me?" Dick struggled against the fierceness of her hold.

"Hey, I'm okay! I got away from him . . . no sweat." They all looked at him with obvious questions in their eyes. Dick shrugged. "I led him to the rooftops, then gave him the slip. Hey, heights are my friends . . . I learned to *walk* on the high wire! Dad used to say I was too young to have any fear and too dumb to know what it was."

He grinned, then dropped his eyes.

"I guess I know what fear is now." He looked up at McEwan. "I don't like how it feels, but I'm not gonna let it stop me. You've helped me, Fingers . . . all of you have. I owe you more than I'll ever be able to repay, but I can't stay here any longer. I only came back to let you know that I was all right. I'm returning to the circus. I belong there . . . it's my home."

McEwan nodded. "I agree, Acrobat; you belong . . . home . . . a kid belongs with his family. But there are some things you don't know. Come on, kid, we've got to talk."

McEwan led Dick into the back room where he'd spent the night. He indicated that Dick sit on the bed, then sat down next to him. He didn't know where to start, so he stalled instead.

"You hungry? Thirsty?" Dick shook his head no. McEwan nodded, then looked away. How to tell him? Sighing deeply, McEwan finally began to talk.

"Dick, you'n me . . . we're pals, right?" Dick nodded. McEwan's hesitation was beginning to bother him. "Kid, this guy Zucco--" at Dick's startled look, he hurriedly explained, "You talked in your sleep . . . mentioned his name." Dick dropped his eyes, ashamed that he'd tried to keep secrets from McEwan. "Kid, the Vigils, Blade, Napalm, Gunner, all of them . . . they all work for Zucco. He's bad news, kid . . . a real psycho, the kind who wears human molars for cuff links." He gave Dick a meaningful look. "Anyway, Zucco's responsible for firebombing several local businesses . . . You probably noticed a couple of gutted buildings when you were out walking today?"

"Uh-huh," Dick said, nodding.

"Zucco's work," McEwan explained. "Some were still occupied." Dick's clear blue eyes widened in shock. "See, he forces the business owners to *pay* him insurance money. Only this insurance money isn't for them to collect payment in case something bad happens to them; it's to *prevent* something bad from happening! In other words, if these people don't pay off whatever Zucco wants, he'll see to it that their businesses suffer some kind of an accident."

"That's what he told Pop Haly! That if he didn't pay off, someone was going to get hurt!" Dick yelled. "Zucco *did* kill my Mom and Dad! He threatened that something bad was going to happen, and Mom and Dad's lines broke! Dad *always* checked our rigging before a show. Zucco must've done something to the ropes *after* Dad had checked them!"

"Yeah, kid, it was Zucco all right . . . it's his M.O. all the way. Anyway, there's another thing you need to know." McEwan paused not sure how to continue. "The Haly Circus . . . kid, the circus left town a coupla days ago." At Dick's startled look, McEwan said placatingly. "Look, Jay Dee found out that Mister Haly submitted a formal adoption request about a week ago and was turned down flat. Child Welfare Services claimed that a circus was not a fit place for a minor child. We checked with some of our sources downtown and discovered that almost all of the money that the circus performers raised to file the petition was eaten up in pre-court costs. They didn't have the resources to fight a long custody battle."

Dick nodded, his head bowed. The tears that he'd managed to hold back these past few days began to spill over. He'd known that CWS didn't want Pop to adopt him, but somehow he'd always felt confident that Pop would win and take him home. How could Pop have *left* without him?

"Look, kid, if it's any comfort, I don't think that your Pop Haly has abandoned you. Remember that he has other responsibilities to the circus, and Zucco's still a very real threat. Maybe he's just moved them to a safe place before he can return for you."

Dick nodded not really believing it.

"Kid, there's one more thing you need to know. There's this guy around town . . . a masked dude who calls himself, Batman . . . have you ever heard of him?" Dick shook his head no. "Well, he's interested in you. Stopped me tonight . . . asked me where you were. I wouldn't tell him, 'cause he's like this straight arrow law and order guy, and I was afraid that he wanted to return you to the *proper* authorities. On the other hand, maybe he can help you. If anyone can track down the Haly Circus, it's Batman."

Dick shook his head.

"No, they don't want me. Nobody does. I guess I'm just gonna have to go back to the JDC." Dick sniffed forlornly feeling abandoned. He turned away from McEwan and lay facedown on the bed. He took Elinore in his arms and hugged her tightly.

"Hey, kid--" McEwan began.

"Please, leave me alone," Dick sobbed.

McEwan looked on helplessly. There was little he could do right now. It was probably best that Dick got some rest anyway. "Okay, kid. Get some sleep. But if you need me, I'll be right outside." Dick didn't reply.

Chapter Eight

Home Page FAQs GCPD Archive Fan-Fiction Archive Links

The Legal Stuff - Batman and related characters are the property of DC Comics. This is an unofficial web site and is not endorsed by or affiliated with DC Comics. All stories present on this site are the copyright of each writer, except for those characters and places that are copyright DC Comics. This web site is designed to provide people with information and entertainment relating to the DC Comics' Batman character and is not in any way a profit-making enterprise.