DanaTan
08-16-2001, 11:41 AM
Mother Dearest
by E'tienne
___________________________________
*** I've posted the first few chapters on the old Message Board but then I stopped writing. Anyway, throughout the er, year, I've continued writing... Please tell me what you think :D R&R!!! It's my first nearly completely Batman Beyond fiction so I'm a but rusty at this... And the last time I wrote a fan fiction was four years ago... So heh! Cut me some slack ^_^
___________________________________
Subject : Batman Beyond
Rating : G / PG. The language is very clean... And few fighting scenes since I'm just not good at that :) I think the subject is a little older. That's why I raised the rating to a PG.
Summary : Terry's mother is kidnapped four days before Mother's Day. The suspected kidnapper is an insane murderer who takes pleasure out of slaying mothers of students of Hamilton High. Yes, yes, I suck at writing summaries!
Chapters 1-4/? In other words, this is unfinished. But from here, I think I'm close to completion! They won't let me copy paste the first ten chapters so I'll do this chunk by chunk.
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Chapter 1:
Friday 11:01 AM
Hamilton High School
Room 312
Terry McGinnis found himself sitting on a soft, fluffy cloud. He rested his large hands on the silky wisps -- they felt like a cool mist. As he sat on the cloud, he never once thought about the physics involved in keeping him on top of the cloud when it was nothing more than air. His fingers intertwined with the gleaming white cloud as he sighed contentedly. There was nothing in this world that could make him upset. He was in a tranquil bliss -- in a world where his father was sitting at his desk at home staring at a computer screen. His mother would be behind him, massaging his tired back, as his brother quietly played with the colorful blocks that lay scattered upon the carpet floor. The key word was quietly. Terry leaned back on the cloud. His eyes shot open as his back fell through the misty air.
When his sight cleared, he found himself lying on the floor with his chair under him. Eyes stared at him from all around. Above the whispered mutterings he heard the slow click of heels on the linoleum floor. A manicured hand appeared above him. Gingerly, he took the hand and pulled himself off the floor.
“McGinnis, I know I’m a new teacher, but you have to understand that I will not let you take advantage of my disposition.”
Terry’s eyes avoided the intense green gaze that scrutinized his face closely. His teacher had leaned both hands on his desk as she peered at him.
Before she turned away, she said softly, “I hope you realize that this will be affecting your grade heavily.” She turned around and walked to the front of the room.
Terry groaned. “I didn’t mean to take advanta-”
His half apology was cut short by the ringing of the bell, signaling the end of that class.
Terry’s teacher sighed. “You’re all dismissed. Please remember that your paper is due on Monday. I do hope that you haven’t decided to start it tonight. Have a nice weekend.” She stood behind the black and white topped counter and straightened her papers and books. Watching her class file out of the room, she waited for Terry to come closer before detaining him after class. “McGinnis, see me please?”
“Ms. Richards, I’m really sorry about falling asleep. I don’t mean to --” Terry was cut off by a wave of her hand.
“Look Terry, I know that psychology might not seem all that interesting right now, but give it a chance. Please.” She looked down at her record book. “According to this, you’ve fallen asleep in my class six times before this. I don’t want to bring your grade down at all because I see so much promise in you. But your grades and classroom attitudes are just not up to par.”
Terry looked down at the ground and nodded. “I know, I know...” he drifted off. When he looked back up, he saw a small silver disk in her hands.
“Take this disk home to your mother and have her read it, please.”
Terry closed his eyes and sighed. Taking the disk, he grabbed his bag and headed towards the door. “For what it’s worth, it’s not your class,” he said without turning around. Not waiting for an answer, he walked through the door and into the noisy hallway. He leaned against the wall outside the classroom. His eyes glazed over quickly as he became more and more lost in thought.
Denise Richards sat down on the stool with her grade book in front of her. She unconsciously tugged at the run in her stocking near her ankle. Her eyes scanned the page to the bottom where the name ‘McGinnis, Terrance’ was typed. She might have been a new teacher straight out of college, but she wasn’t stupid. The kid had more to him that met the eye. She was not determined to discover who he really was, but she was determined to help him open up.
Friday 5:05 PM
McGinnis Residence
It was already fairly dark for five o’clock, judging from the lack of light pouring through his bedroom window. His figure was shrouded in black as he leaned against the side of his bed with his head in his hands. Shadows were long and distorted as it fell around him. His door was open.
He heard the front door outside open and click shut. Footsteps walked around the apartment. He could mentally see his mother walk around the small home, hanging up her jacket and putting her purse on the kitchen counter.
“Terry?” Her voice sounded distant. The voice came closer. “Terry? Are you in here?” She poked her head through the open door and peered in. “Ter? Are you all right?”
It took a while before he replied. “Yeah, I’m here.”
Mary McGinnis walked into the room without turning the light on. “Why are you sitting here alone in the dark?”
Terry sighed. He reached into his bag and pulled out the glimmering disk. His mother closed her eyes as the yellow light from the hallway reflected off the metal surface. “Why do you keep doing this, Terry?”
“Just scan it -- You’d never understand.”
“Understand?” Mary heard her voice rising. “You don’t let me understand!”
Terry grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder angrily. “I’m going out,” he muttered as he stormed past his mother.
Mary followed her son into the front hallway. “I am your mother, you know.”
“Believe me, I know.”
Her heart pounded as she heard the front door slam, ricocheting off the walls. Mary gripped the disk in her hands tightly before realizing that she was still holding it. She walked to the computer and slipped the disk in. An image came up on the screen.
Ms. Richards’s face showed up in the image. “Hello, Mrs. McGinnis. This disk is in regards to your son, Terry. I’m afraid that his performance has dropped considerably. Don’t get me wrong -- Terry is a bright kid. I just feel that he is being distracted by something. I don’t know by what, and I do not expect you to know either. However, Mrs. McGinnis, I feel that you should try to reach out to him before it’s too late. Also, on another thought, does he get enough sleep?”
Mary sighed. Sleep? It was a recurring problem with Terry.
Friday 6:24 PM
Gotham Park
The water shivered in the wind, rippling and distorting the reflection of the moon. Terry leaned against the cold gray railing and stared down at the water.
“She’ll never understand,” he muttered to himself. Small drops of rain had begun to fall, but he paid it no attention. He allowed the small droplets of rain slide down his nose and cheeks.
He suddenly felt the presence of another person behind him.
“She’ll understand if you talk to her.” It was a familiar female voice. Without turning around, Terry’s mind formed a mental picture of her long dark hair, her green eyes.
“Why are you here, Ms. Richards?”
“Last I checked, it was a free country to walk my dog.”
Terry felt some warm and fuzzy by the cuffs of his pants. He heard a fast panting below him. He turned towards the dog and bent down close to it. Terry gently ran his fingers over the head.
“McGinnis, do you want to talk to someone?”
“No.”
“It won’t help if you keep it inside.”
Terry stood up, his 6 feet towering over her 5’4 frame. “Who said there was anything wrong?” Before she could answer, his cell phone rang from within his jacket.
“Hello?” He turned away from her. “I’ll be right there.” He hung up his phone and gazed out at the water.
His teacher placed her hand on his shoulder. “Terry?”
“I have to go now,” he replied briskly. He tore away from her grip and walked away. Denise stood there staring at his retreating back, ignoring the raindrops that had just begun to mat her hair against her head.
Chapter 2:
Friday 7:58 PM
Wayne Residence
“You called?” Terry said loudly. He bounded down the long stairs, taking two steps at a time. His voice echoed off the large expanse of stone. A figure sat in front of a large computer screen.
“Took you long enough.”
Terry threw his bag into a nearby chair. “I ran into a teacher.” The old man turned around to look at Terry. “It’s nothing,” he assured.
“Good. We have more perplexing problems at hand.”
Terry walked to Bruce’s side and stared at the screen. “What’s wrong?” It was a copy of the current day’s newspaper.
“What do you know about Christina Wu?”
Terry squinted his eyes. “Well, she’s in my grade... I don’t know her very well. I don’t think she’s friends with Dana or Max. We had the same math class last ye-”
Bruce’s fingers tapped the keyboard. “Well, McGinnis, you’re going to get to know her.”
“Why?” A picture of Christina Wu came up on the computer. It was her senior picture.
“Because her mother was found murdered in her own home. Slashed, gutted, skinned.”
Terry grimaced. “That’s not a pretty sight.” Bruce grunted a reply. “Since when did I become a detective in homicide?” Terry asked, half joking.
“Since you donned the cowl.”
Five minutes later Terry was slipping on the black costume as Mr. Wayne sat at the computer, pouring over hundreds of files.
“You don’t think that this is just a one time thing?” Terry asked as he slipped the cowl over his jet black hair.
Bruce shook his head. “It’s not. Look at this -- A year ago, two apparently unrelated murders in Gotham. The victims were two women. Two women unrelated in every way.
“So?”
“So, there is enough evidence to see a connection between them that probably wouldn’t have occurred to anyone else without the recent murder.”
“What’s the connection?”
Bruce pressed a button and the screen changed. “All three women have a child in Hamilton High. Two senior females, one senior male.”
“Who?”
The screen showed two more pictures. Terry’s heart stopped when he recognized the picture in the middle. In the picture, his longtime girlfriend smiled at him.
Terry tore out of the bat cave after peeling off the costume and stuffing it back into his bag. The rain had begun to fall in buckets but Terry continued running. How could he possibly have not known? Confused thoughts ran through his mind as he approached his motorbike. The wind and rain attacked his eyes and helmet as he sped down the hill into the core of the city. His bike dodged several cars and trucks, speeding to reach Dana’s house in record time.
Ignoring the angry honks of the horns behind him, he made an illegal left turn onto Dana’s street. The buildings were familiar as he accelerated down the block to a large white house at the end. He screeched to a stop in front of the gate.
“Dana!” he called as he burst through the gate and through the Asian garden. Japanese maple trees hung over him, shielding his body from the heavy storm. Terry pounded the door loudly after ringing the bell several times. “Dana! Come on Dayne... Open up! It’s me!”
The door creaked open an inch. Before him stood a short, yet stocky, Asian man. It was her father.
“Yes?” his voice was cold and dripped with sarcasm.
“Mr. Tan, may I speak with Dana please?”
“She’s busy,” he replied curtly as he started to close the large door. Terry blocked him and pushed the door open.
“Please, Mr. Tan. It’s really important!”
“Why?” His eyes pierced daggers at Terry.
“I can’t explain why... I just --” Terry found himself unable to finished his sentence. He couldn’t tell Dana’s father everything.
“She can’t talk to anyone now. Come back later.” Mr. Tan forced the door shut. From the outside, Terry could hear the lock click. He had to restrain himself from pounding on the double doors to attract her attention.
“Dana!” he cried through the door. “I know you’re there! Please Dana, I need to talk to you.” There was no other sound except the whistling of the wind through the trees and the drumlike beat of the rain against the roof. Terry turned around and hurried through the garden to his bike. As he pulled away, a curtain in an upstairs window opened. Dana looked through the window, watching Terry pull away from the curb and into the street. She disappeared back behind the curtain, closing herself off from the world.
Terry gripped the handle of the bike with his left hand as he pressed the speed dial button to Bruce Wayne’s mansion.
“Yes?” he answered on the second ring.
“Why won’t she speak to me?” Terry demanded. The roads were slick and he had to slow down to avoid skidding into another car. He braked gently.
“Give her time,” Bruce answered after a long pause.
Terry stopped at a red light, feeling the hurt and anger boil within him. “Wayne, what’s going on?! What is happening here?”
The old man’s voice was soft as he responded, “I don’t know.”
“That’s a first,” Terry muttered as he accelerated his bike ahead of the traffic behind him. He didn’t know where he was going and frankly, he didn’t care at all. The lights whizzed past him as his speed increased. If Dana wasn’t going to talk to him, he would simply have to look to other sources. His bike slowed down in front of a low rent apartment building. He parked the bike and walked to the entrance of the building. His finger lingered on a small rectangular button.
“Yes?”
“Max, open up. It’s me, Terry.”
The door buzzed and opened. Terry pushed through the door and shut it behind him, keeping out the cold and the rain. As he ran to the elevator, he could still hear the wind and rain howl outside. It was as foreboding as his heart felt.
Chapter 3:
Friday 10:37 PM
Gibson Residence
The apartment was warm and cheery inside. Terry felt himself begin to calm down as he held a mug of hot chocolate in his hands.
“It was before you two started dating, Terry.”
“So you did know about it?” He inhaled the heavenly scent that wafted up to his nose. Max sat down on the couch across from him.
“Not many people knew. Somehow, Mr. Tan had managed to keep the entire ordeal hush hush. For Dana’s sake.” She fiddled around with a pencil in her hands. “This recent... murder... has thrown Dana off balance again.”
Terry shook his head. “Max, what in the world are you talking about?”
“McGinnis, can’t you understand? Her mother was killed by some insane psycho. Dana went out with Chelsea and Blade one night and came back to a gruesome scene. She was the one who discovered her mother’s body in her bedroom. In DANA’s bedroom.” Max leaned back and folded her arms across her chest. “If you ask me, it was a rather traumatic experience,” she said dryly.
“So what happened to Christina Wu?”
“Same thing. And it just completely reminded Dana of something that she had tried to hide and repress for a year.”
Terry didn’t answer. He stared into his mug of swirling chocolate and marshmallow as if it was a crystal ball, hoping that it would give him some answers. “Mother’s Day is next Sunday.”
Max stared at Terry with a dumbfounded expression. “Excuse me?”
“Mother’s Day... It’s next Sunday.”
“Well, yes, I’m quite aware of that fact. What does that have to do with anything?”
“When did... Dana’s mother die?”
“A year ago on Mother’s Day... Oh.”
“Do you think that someone else will be killed on next Sunday?”
Max sighed. “I don’t know. Do you?”
Without answering, Terry stood up and put the mug down on the coffee table. He grabbed his jacket and bag. “I better go home now.”
Max nodded. “Don’t forget your psychology paper.”
“I’ll try not to,” he replied as he shut the door behind him. The day was getting weirder by the minute.
The rain had slowed down when Terry stepped outside again. The wind was still just as strong but Terry didn’t mind it. He got onto his motorcycle and sped in the direction of his house.
Friday 11:13 PM
McGinnis Residence
“Terry’s back,” Matt howled when Terry walked in with his keys dangling from his index finger. His mother slipped into view, wiping her hands on a dish towel.
“It’s raining hard. You better shower and dry yourself before you catch cold,” she said quietly. Mary stood back and watched her son remove his shoes and sopping jacket silently. Where did he go? What did he do? She suddenly realized that she knew absolutely nothing about her oldest son. Terry took his bag and disappeared into his room. Mary stared at the closed bedroom door.
“Mom?” Matt asked, oblivious to everything as usual. “I’m hungry.”
“I’m cooking, dear. I’m cooking.”
Terry removed his wet clothes and hung them on the back of a chair in his room. He walked into the adjoining bathroom that connected his room with Matt’s. He turned the shower head on and adjusted the water. Right before he removed his undergarments, his eyes turned towards the mirror and stayed there.
He stared at his reflection. Bags hung below his light blue eyes and his face was a pallid white. Above that, he was shivering from the cold. Terry moved his hair out of his eyes and rubbed his face. It had a deathly feel to it. He tore his eyes away from the mirror and turned the knob that turned the shower off and the bath on. He needed to rest. He slipped into the bathtub and relaxed in the warm water. The steam calmed his anxious nerves.
Terry walked into the living room in a light blue bathrobe that billowed around his muscular frame. He could hear his mother shuffle around the kitchen preparing dinner. His brother was lying in front of the television, his eyes shining with a glazed over look.
“Hey Twip,” Terry greeted as he ruffled his younger brother’s hair.
“Don’t touch me. Hey!” Matt cried as Terry grabbed the remote and changed the channel. “I was watching first!”
“Too bad.”
“MOOMMMMMMM!” Matt hollered.
Matt ran screaming into the kitchen to find his mother. Terry settled down into the couch and flipped to the news. He sat up when he saw the picture of Christina.
“It was a somber night in Gotham City today for the Wu family. Allison Wu was found dead in her apartment the night before. The cause has not yet been determined and the police are still looking into it. The killer is still on the loose. We urge everyone to lock their doors and windows tonight, as a cautious move to prevent anymore mishaps. Coming up after the break, celebrity John Martin has been nominated as the performer of the year for his song, ‘Don’t Give Up’.”
Terry switched the channel back to what Matt was watching before and cupped his chin in his hands. He had a feeling that the Commissioner wouldn’t like him interfering with what she termed ‘police business.’
“Dinner,” his mother called out. Terry shut off the TV and headed towards the dining area. The smell of cheese had started his stomach on a rumbling rampage.
Friday 11:13 PM
Richards Residence
Gotham Towers
Denise Richards stretched out on her satin covered bed. After a long week of teaching, she was both physically and mentally exhausted. She sat up and stared at her room. It was a large room surrounded by large picture windows. Her apartment stood on the 31st floor of her building, providing her room with a spectacular view at night. The rain had already passed by hours ago and the sky was once again clear enough to see the brightly shining jewels above. The room was entirely in lavender, a color that she had adored since she was but a child.
Her bedroom door slipped open and her puppy trotted in. The white ball of fluff leaped onto the bed and snuggled by her side. “Hi JJ,” she whispered, scratching the dog behind its ears. The dog whimpered.
Denise leaned over and picked up the remote.
Outside she could hear the whir of cars speeding past, the occasional horns; the normal city sounds. Everything in her apartment was nice and quiet. That was one of the advantages of living alone -- You didn’t have to put up with other people. Suddenly, she heard a soft bump in the outside rooms. Her fingers clenched at the bed sheets, her heart racing. It was probably nothing, but she couldn’t help being afraid because of the recent rash of killings. Pulling a robe around her waist, Denise stood up and walked softly to the door. With the carpet under her feet, it was nearly impossibly to detect any footsteps.
She opened the door slowly and picked up the fireplace poker. The hallway was dark and the shadows seemed to jump out at her from every corner. Gripping the metal rod, she threw the lights on. The shadows danced and leapt for safety when the room was suddenly bathed in the bright light. Denise sighed and leaned against the wall as she examined her living room. It was nothing. Most likely, someone upstairs had dropped something or had fallen. Her eyes ran over the perimeter of the room before she turned around to retire back to her bedroom.
She felt anxious and jumpy from the scare. Her hands trembling, she returned to her room and leaned the poker against the wall. Her dog stood on her bed, the slight weight of its body barely making a dent in the sheets. Its eyes were wide circles that reflected the dancing flames from the fireplace.
“Oh JJ...” Denise said, her voice shaking. She ran over to the bed and grabbed hold of the dog, squeezing it close to her body. She could feel the quick heartbeats of the small animal against her skin. There she was, a 24 year old acting like a 5 year old after a horrible nightmare. It was times like these that she wished that she was no longer alone, that she had a family to protect her and care for her. Shaking, she slipped into the sheets with her dog.
The fire cast a warmth against the sheets and against her body, giving her a pleasant tranquil feeling. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier as slowly, she fell into a deep sleep with JJ by her side.
Chapter 4:
Saturday 2:42 PM
Gotham City Police Department
Commissioner Gordon’s Office
“Hello Commish...” Terry said as he leaned against the panel of the door.
“Why are you here, McGinnis?” Barbara Gordon replied without turning around.
“I wanted to ask a few questions.”
“If this is about your girlfriend, I don’t know anything.”
Terry stopped in mid-step. “Why does everyone know about Dana but me?”
“McGinnis,” Barbara turned around from the window. “It’s unrelated to Wu.”
“The old man begs to differ.”
“Then I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“How come it wasn’t in the papers? Why didn’t anyone know about Dana?”
A long silence followed Terry’s question. He stood there, staring at the aged emotionless face. Slowly, she sat down in her chair and motioned for him to do the same. Terry sat down.
“Mr. Tan is a very influential man in this city. You have to understand the effects of power. You can do pretty much anything, as long as you have the ability to. The Wu family, on the other hand, is the average run of the mill Asian family who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Like Wayne’s parents.”
“Don’t bring that up please.” Barbara Gordon turned away. “Are you finished?”
“I guess I am,” Terry said with a hint of uncertainty. He stood up from the chair. “You don’t want me to be involved, do you?”
“It’s not that... No, wait, it is that. We don’t know what we are dealing with. It could be just a rash of recent murders. Or, it could be some homicidal maniac out for a little fun. It isn’t in your job description, Terry.”
“I understand.”
“Bye, kid.”
Terry walked out of the building with his hands in his pockets. He had never felt more lost. He supposed that he could try to speak to Dana again, but he felt that he should probably give her a little more time to cool down.
However, he felt that the Commissioners words had a little ring of truth. It really was not his place.
Saturday 4:29 PM
McGinnis Residence
Terry sat at his desk, staring at his laptop. Books were strewn all around him, piles upon piles of references on Freud’s Oedipus complex. The cursor blinked on the screen slowly, the glow from the computer illuminating the room with a bluish glow.
“What an appropriate topic,” he muttered to himself as he tried to think of an introductory sentence.
He couldn’t think of one, not to his surprise.
As he stared at the paragraph on his lap, his mind began to wander.
Was there a female version of the Oedipus complex?
The answer was yes.
Would a daughter kill their mother to rightfully claim their father?
The thought was too disturbing to continue musing upon, but Terry couldn’t help it. Even though the thought itself was absurd.
Freud was proven wrong, wasn’t he?
His theories were merely theories, not facts.
And, why was he sitting there actually doing homework?
He simply could not imagine his girlfriend as a murderer. He almost laughed out loud at the idea.
Did he have an urge to kill his father to marry his mother? A little nagging voice in the back of his head reminded him that his father was already dead. A sudden grief overwhelmed him, reminding him of what he had lost.
Terry slammed the book shut. He couldn’t concentrate. He turned the laptop off and walked out of his room. He opened the hallway window and peered out into the afternoon air. He had already avenged his father’s death.
But that still didn’t take away the fact that his father would never come back. He would never again hear his voice, never again be a part of a full and happy family. If only he had stayed home that night.
But then, he might not have made it out alive either had he stayed home that night.
There were so many unanswered questions.
Questions like Will he ever finish his paper on Freud the absurd?
He spent the rest of that weekend between the Wayne mansion and his room. It was hard juggling both a demanding job and an annoying paper that had to be done, but somehow by Sunday night he had managed both. Although barely.
It was three in the morning by the time Terry found himself lying on his bed, trying to sleep. How he hated Mondays.
by E'tienne
___________________________________
*** I've posted the first few chapters on the old Message Board but then I stopped writing. Anyway, throughout the er, year, I've continued writing... Please tell me what you think :D R&R!!! It's my first nearly completely Batman Beyond fiction so I'm a but rusty at this... And the last time I wrote a fan fiction was four years ago... So heh! Cut me some slack ^_^
___________________________________
Subject : Batman Beyond
Rating : G / PG. The language is very clean... And few fighting scenes since I'm just not good at that :) I think the subject is a little older. That's why I raised the rating to a PG.
Summary : Terry's mother is kidnapped four days before Mother's Day. The suspected kidnapper is an insane murderer who takes pleasure out of slaying mothers of students of Hamilton High. Yes, yes, I suck at writing summaries!
Chapters 1-4/? In other words, this is unfinished. But from here, I think I'm close to completion! They won't let me copy paste the first ten chapters so I'll do this chunk by chunk.
___________________________________
Chapter 1:
Friday 11:01 AM
Hamilton High School
Room 312
Terry McGinnis found himself sitting on a soft, fluffy cloud. He rested his large hands on the silky wisps -- they felt like a cool mist. As he sat on the cloud, he never once thought about the physics involved in keeping him on top of the cloud when it was nothing more than air. His fingers intertwined with the gleaming white cloud as he sighed contentedly. There was nothing in this world that could make him upset. He was in a tranquil bliss -- in a world where his father was sitting at his desk at home staring at a computer screen. His mother would be behind him, massaging his tired back, as his brother quietly played with the colorful blocks that lay scattered upon the carpet floor. The key word was quietly. Terry leaned back on the cloud. His eyes shot open as his back fell through the misty air.
When his sight cleared, he found himself lying on the floor with his chair under him. Eyes stared at him from all around. Above the whispered mutterings he heard the slow click of heels on the linoleum floor. A manicured hand appeared above him. Gingerly, he took the hand and pulled himself off the floor.
“McGinnis, I know I’m a new teacher, but you have to understand that I will not let you take advantage of my disposition.”
Terry’s eyes avoided the intense green gaze that scrutinized his face closely. His teacher had leaned both hands on his desk as she peered at him.
Before she turned away, she said softly, “I hope you realize that this will be affecting your grade heavily.” She turned around and walked to the front of the room.
Terry groaned. “I didn’t mean to take advanta-”
His half apology was cut short by the ringing of the bell, signaling the end of that class.
Terry’s teacher sighed. “You’re all dismissed. Please remember that your paper is due on Monday. I do hope that you haven’t decided to start it tonight. Have a nice weekend.” She stood behind the black and white topped counter and straightened her papers and books. Watching her class file out of the room, she waited for Terry to come closer before detaining him after class. “McGinnis, see me please?”
“Ms. Richards, I’m really sorry about falling asleep. I don’t mean to --” Terry was cut off by a wave of her hand.
“Look Terry, I know that psychology might not seem all that interesting right now, but give it a chance. Please.” She looked down at her record book. “According to this, you’ve fallen asleep in my class six times before this. I don’t want to bring your grade down at all because I see so much promise in you. But your grades and classroom attitudes are just not up to par.”
Terry looked down at the ground and nodded. “I know, I know...” he drifted off. When he looked back up, he saw a small silver disk in her hands.
“Take this disk home to your mother and have her read it, please.”
Terry closed his eyes and sighed. Taking the disk, he grabbed his bag and headed towards the door. “For what it’s worth, it’s not your class,” he said without turning around. Not waiting for an answer, he walked through the door and into the noisy hallway. He leaned against the wall outside the classroom. His eyes glazed over quickly as he became more and more lost in thought.
Denise Richards sat down on the stool with her grade book in front of her. She unconsciously tugged at the run in her stocking near her ankle. Her eyes scanned the page to the bottom where the name ‘McGinnis, Terrance’ was typed. She might have been a new teacher straight out of college, but she wasn’t stupid. The kid had more to him that met the eye. She was not determined to discover who he really was, but she was determined to help him open up.
Friday 5:05 PM
McGinnis Residence
It was already fairly dark for five o’clock, judging from the lack of light pouring through his bedroom window. His figure was shrouded in black as he leaned against the side of his bed with his head in his hands. Shadows were long and distorted as it fell around him. His door was open.
He heard the front door outside open and click shut. Footsteps walked around the apartment. He could mentally see his mother walk around the small home, hanging up her jacket and putting her purse on the kitchen counter.
“Terry?” Her voice sounded distant. The voice came closer. “Terry? Are you in here?” She poked her head through the open door and peered in. “Ter? Are you all right?”
It took a while before he replied. “Yeah, I’m here.”
Mary McGinnis walked into the room without turning the light on. “Why are you sitting here alone in the dark?”
Terry sighed. He reached into his bag and pulled out the glimmering disk. His mother closed her eyes as the yellow light from the hallway reflected off the metal surface. “Why do you keep doing this, Terry?”
“Just scan it -- You’d never understand.”
“Understand?” Mary heard her voice rising. “You don’t let me understand!”
Terry grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder angrily. “I’m going out,” he muttered as he stormed past his mother.
Mary followed her son into the front hallway. “I am your mother, you know.”
“Believe me, I know.”
Her heart pounded as she heard the front door slam, ricocheting off the walls. Mary gripped the disk in her hands tightly before realizing that she was still holding it. She walked to the computer and slipped the disk in. An image came up on the screen.
Ms. Richards’s face showed up in the image. “Hello, Mrs. McGinnis. This disk is in regards to your son, Terry. I’m afraid that his performance has dropped considerably. Don’t get me wrong -- Terry is a bright kid. I just feel that he is being distracted by something. I don’t know by what, and I do not expect you to know either. However, Mrs. McGinnis, I feel that you should try to reach out to him before it’s too late. Also, on another thought, does he get enough sleep?”
Mary sighed. Sleep? It was a recurring problem with Terry.
Friday 6:24 PM
Gotham Park
The water shivered in the wind, rippling and distorting the reflection of the moon. Terry leaned against the cold gray railing and stared down at the water.
“She’ll never understand,” he muttered to himself. Small drops of rain had begun to fall, but he paid it no attention. He allowed the small droplets of rain slide down his nose and cheeks.
He suddenly felt the presence of another person behind him.
“She’ll understand if you talk to her.” It was a familiar female voice. Without turning around, Terry’s mind formed a mental picture of her long dark hair, her green eyes.
“Why are you here, Ms. Richards?”
“Last I checked, it was a free country to walk my dog.”
Terry felt some warm and fuzzy by the cuffs of his pants. He heard a fast panting below him. He turned towards the dog and bent down close to it. Terry gently ran his fingers over the head.
“McGinnis, do you want to talk to someone?”
“No.”
“It won’t help if you keep it inside.”
Terry stood up, his 6 feet towering over her 5’4 frame. “Who said there was anything wrong?” Before she could answer, his cell phone rang from within his jacket.
“Hello?” He turned away from her. “I’ll be right there.” He hung up his phone and gazed out at the water.
His teacher placed her hand on his shoulder. “Terry?”
“I have to go now,” he replied briskly. He tore away from her grip and walked away. Denise stood there staring at his retreating back, ignoring the raindrops that had just begun to mat her hair against her head.
Chapter 2:
Friday 7:58 PM
Wayne Residence
“You called?” Terry said loudly. He bounded down the long stairs, taking two steps at a time. His voice echoed off the large expanse of stone. A figure sat in front of a large computer screen.
“Took you long enough.”
Terry threw his bag into a nearby chair. “I ran into a teacher.” The old man turned around to look at Terry. “It’s nothing,” he assured.
“Good. We have more perplexing problems at hand.”
Terry walked to Bruce’s side and stared at the screen. “What’s wrong?” It was a copy of the current day’s newspaper.
“What do you know about Christina Wu?”
Terry squinted his eyes. “Well, she’s in my grade... I don’t know her very well. I don’t think she’s friends with Dana or Max. We had the same math class last ye-”
Bruce’s fingers tapped the keyboard. “Well, McGinnis, you’re going to get to know her.”
“Why?” A picture of Christina Wu came up on the computer. It was her senior picture.
“Because her mother was found murdered in her own home. Slashed, gutted, skinned.”
Terry grimaced. “That’s not a pretty sight.” Bruce grunted a reply. “Since when did I become a detective in homicide?” Terry asked, half joking.
“Since you donned the cowl.”
Five minutes later Terry was slipping on the black costume as Mr. Wayne sat at the computer, pouring over hundreds of files.
“You don’t think that this is just a one time thing?” Terry asked as he slipped the cowl over his jet black hair.
Bruce shook his head. “It’s not. Look at this -- A year ago, two apparently unrelated murders in Gotham. The victims were two women. Two women unrelated in every way.
“So?”
“So, there is enough evidence to see a connection between them that probably wouldn’t have occurred to anyone else without the recent murder.”
“What’s the connection?”
Bruce pressed a button and the screen changed. “All three women have a child in Hamilton High. Two senior females, one senior male.”
“Who?”
The screen showed two more pictures. Terry’s heart stopped when he recognized the picture in the middle. In the picture, his longtime girlfriend smiled at him.
Terry tore out of the bat cave after peeling off the costume and stuffing it back into his bag. The rain had begun to fall in buckets but Terry continued running. How could he possibly have not known? Confused thoughts ran through his mind as he approached his motorbike. The wind and rain attacked his eyes and helmet as he sped down the hill into the core of the city. His bike dodged several cars and trucks, speeding to reach Dana’s house in record time.
Ignoring the angry honks of the horns behind him, he made an illegal left turn onto Dana’s street. The buildings were familiar as he accelerated down the block to a large white house at the end. He screeched to a stop in front of the gate.
“Dana!” he called as he burst through the gate and through the Asian garden. Japanese maple trees hung over him, shielding his body from the heavy storm. Terry pounded the door loudly after ringing the bell several times. “Dana! Come on Dayne... Open up! It’s me!”
The door creaked open an inch. Before him stood a short, yet stocky, Asian man. It was her father.
“Yes?” his voice was cold and dripped with sarcasm.
“Mr. Tan, may I speak with Dana please?”
“She’s busy,” he replied curtly as he started to close the large door. Terry blocked him and pushed the door open.
“Please, Mr. Tan. It’s really important!”
“Why?” His eyes pierced daggers at Terry.
“I can’t explain why... I just --” Terry found himself unable to finished his sentence. He couldn’t tell Dana’s father everything.
“She can’t talk to anyone now. Come back later.” Mr. Tan forced the door shut. From the outside, Terry could hear the lock click. He had to restrain himself from pounding on the double doors to attract her attention.
“Dana!” he cried through the door. “I know you’re there! Please Dana, I need to talk to you.” There was no other sound except the whistling of the wind through the trees and the drumlike beat of the rain against the roof. Terry turned around and hurried through the garden to his bike. As he pulled away, a curtain in an upstairs window opened. Dana looked through the window, watching Terry pull away from the curb and into the street. She disappeared back behind the curtain, closing herself off from the world.
Terry gripped the handle of the bike with his left hand as he pressed the speed dial button to Bruce Wayne’s mansion.
“Yes?” he answered on the second ring.
“Why won’t she speak to me?” Terry demanded. The roads were slick and he had to slow down to avoid skidding into another car. He braked gently.
“Give her time,” Bruce answered after a long pause.
Terry stopped at a red light, feeling the hurt and anger boil within him. “Wayne, what’s going on?! What is happening here?”
The old man’s voice was soft as he responded, “I don’t know.”
“That’s a first,” Terry muttered as he accelerated his bike ahead of the traffic behind him. He didn’t know where he was going and frankly, he didn’t care at all. The lights whizzed past him as his speed increased. If Dana wasn’t going to talk to him, he would simply have to look to other sources. His bike slowed down in front of a low rent apartment building. He parked the bike and walked to the entrance of the building. His finger lingered on a small rectangular button.
“Yes?”
“Max, open up. It’s me, Terry.”
The door buzzed and opened. Terry pushed through the door and shut it behind him, keeping out the cold and the rain. As he ran to the elevator, he could still hear the wind and rain howl outside. It was as foreboding as his heart felt.
Chapter 3:
Friday 10:37 PM
Gibson Residence
The apartment was warm and cheery inside. Terry felt himself begin to calm down as he held a mug of hot chocolate in his hands.
“It was before you two started dating, Terry.”
“So you did know about it?” He inhaled the heavenly scent that wafted up to his nose. Max sat down on the couch across from him.
“Not many people knew. Somehow, Mr. Tan had managed to keep the entire ordeal hush hush. For Dana’s sake.” She fiddled around with a pencil in her hands. “This recent... murder... has thrown Dana off balance again.”
Terry shook his head. “Max, what in the world are you talking about?”
“McGinnis, can’t you understand? Her mother was killed by some insane psycho. Dana went out with Chelsea and Blade one night and came back to a gruesome scene. She was the one who discovered her mother’s body in her bedroom. In DANA’s bedroom.” Max leaned back and folded her arms across her chest. “If you ask me, it was a rather traumatic experience,” she said dryly.
“So what happened to Christina Wu?”
“Same thing. And it just completely reminded Dana of something that she had tried to hide and repress for a year.”
Terry didn’t answer. He stared into his mug of swirling chocolate and marshmallow as if it was a crystal ball, hoping that it would give him some answers. “Mother’s Day is next Sunday.”
Max stared at Terry with a dumbfounded expression. “Excuse me?”
“Mother’s Day... It’s next Sunday.”
“Well, yes, I’m quite aware of that fact. What does that have to do with anything?”
“When did... Dana’s mother die?”
“A year ago on Mother’s Day... Oh.”
“Do you think that someone else will be killed on next Sunday?”
Max sighed. “I don’t know. Do you?”
Without answering, Terry stood up and put the mug down on the coffee table. He grabbed his jacket and bag. “I better go home now.”
Max nodded. “Don’t forget your psychology paper.”
“I’ll try not to,” he replied as he shut the door behind him. The day was getting weirder by the minute.
The rain had slowed down when Terry stepped outside again. The wind was still just as strong but Terry didn’t mind it. He got onto his motorcycle and sped in the direction of his house.
Friday 11:13 PM
McGinnis Residence
“Terry’s back,” Matt howled when Terry walked in with his keys dangling from his index finger. His mother slipped into view, wiping her hands on a dish towel.
“It’s raining hard. You better shower and dry yourself before you catch cold,” she said quietly. Mary stood back and watched her son remove his shoes and sopping jacket silently. Where did he go? What did he do? She suddenly realized that she knew absolutely nothing about her oldest son. Terry took his bag and disappeared into his room. Mary stared at the closed bedroom door.
“Mom?” Matt asked, oblivious to everything as usual. “I’m hungry.”
“I’m cooking, dear. I’m cooking.”
Terry removed his wet clothes and hung them on the back of a chair in his room. He walked into the adjoining bathroom that connected his room with Matt’s. He turned the shower head on and adjusted the water. Right before he removed his undergarments, his eyes turned towards the mirror and stayed there.
He stared at his reflection. Bags hung below his light blue eyes and his face was a pallid white. Above that, he was shivering from the cold. Terry moved his hair out of his eyes and rubbed his face. It had a deathly feel to it. He tore his eyes away from the mirror and turned the knob that turned the shower off and the bath on. He needed to rest. He slipped into the bathtub and relaxed in the warm water. The steam calmed his anxious nerves.
Terry walked into the living room in a light blue bathrobe that billowed around his muscular frame. He could hear his mother shuffle around the kitchen preparing dinner. His brother was lying in front of the television, his eyes shining with a glazed over look.
“Hey Twip,” Terry greeted as he ruffled his younger brother’s hair.
“Don’t touch me. Hey!” Matt cried as Terry grabbed the remote and changed the channel. “I was watching first!”
“Too bad.”
“MOOMMMMMMM!” Matt hollered.
Matt ran screaming into the kitchen to find his mother. Terry settled down into the couch and flipped to the news. He sat up when he saw the picture of Christina.
“It was a somber night in Gotham City today for the Wu family. Allison Wu was found dead in her apartment the night before. The cause has not yet been determined and the police are still looking into it. The killer is still on the loose. We urge everyone to lock their doors and windows tonight, as a cautious move to prevent anymore mishaps. Coming up after the break, celebrity John Martin has been nominated as the performer of the year for his song, ‘Don’t Give Up’.”
Terry switched the channel back to what Matt was watching before and cupped his chin in his hands. He had a feeling that the Commissioner wouldn’t like him interfering with what she termed ‘police business.’
“Dinner,” his mother called out. Terry shut off the TV and headed towards the dining area. The smell of cheese had started his stomach on a rumbling rampage.
Friday 11:13 PM
Richards Residence
Gotham Towers
Denise Richards stretched out on her satin covered bed. After a long week of teaching, she was both physically and mentally exhausted. She sat up and stared at her room. It was a large room surrounded by large picture windows. Her apartment stood on the 31st floor of her building, providing her room with a spectacular view at night. The rain had already passed by hours ago and the sky was once again clear enough to see the brightly shining jewels above. The room was entirely in lavender, a color that she had adored since she was but a child.
Her bedroom door slipped open and her puppy trotted in. The white ball of fluff leaped onto the bed and snuggled by her side. “Hi JJ,” she whispered, scratching the dog behind its ears. The dog whimpered.
Denise leaned over and picked up the remote.
Outside she could hear the whir of cars speeding past, the occasional horns; the normal city sounds. Everything in her apartment was nice and quiet. That was one of the advantages of living alone -- You didn’t have to put up with other people. Suddenly, she heard a soft bump in the outside rooms. Her fingers clenched at the bed sheets, her heart racing. It was probably nothing, but she couldn’t help being afraid because of the recent rash of killings. Pulling a robe around her waist, Denise stood up and walked softly to the door. With the carpet under her feet, it was nearly impossibly to detect any footsteps.
She opened the door slowly and picked up the fireplace poker. The hallway was dark and the shadows seemed to jump out at her from every corner. Gripping the metal rod, she threw the lights on. The shadows danced and leapt for safety when the room was suddenly bathed in the bright light. Denise sighed and leaned against the wall as she examined her living room. It was nothing. Most likely, someone upstairs had dropped something or had fallen. Her eyes ran over the perimeter of the room before she turned around to retire back to her bedroom.
She felt anxious and jumpy from the scare. Her hands trembling, she returned to her room and leaned the poker against the wall. Her dog stood on her bed, the slight weight of its body barely making a dent in the sheets. Its eyes were wide circles that reflected the dancing flames from the fireplace.
“Oh JJ...” Denise said, her voice shaking. She ran over to the bed and grabbed hold of the dog, squeezing it close to her body. She could feel the quick heartbeats of the small animal against her skin. There she was, a 24 year old acting like a 5 year old after a horrible nightmare. It was times like these that she wished that she was no longer alone, that she had a family to protect her and care for her. Shaking, she slipped into the sheets with her dog.
The fire cast a warmth against the sheets and against her body, giving her a pleasant tranquil feeling. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier as slowly, she fell into a deep sleep with JJ by her side.
Chapter 4:
Saturday 2:42 PM
Gotham City Police Department
Commissioner Gordon’s Office
“Hello Commish...” Terry said as he leaned against the panel of the door.
“Why are you here, McGinnis?” Barbara Gordon replied without turning around.
“I wanted to ask a few questions.”
“If this is about your girlfriend, I don’t know anything.”
Terry stopped in mid-step. “Why does everyone know about Dana but me?”
“McGinnis,” Barbara turned around from the window. “It’s unrelated to Wu.”
“The old man begs to differ.”
“Then I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“How come it wasn’t in the papers? Why didn’t anyone know about Dana?”
A long silence followed Terry’s question. He stood there, staring at the aged emotionless face. Slowly, she sat down in her chair and motioned for him to do the same. Terry sat down.
“Mr. Tan is a very influential man in this city. You have to understand the effects of power. You can do pretty much anything, as long as you have the ability to. The Wu family, on the other hand, is the average run of the mill Asian family who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Like Wayne’s parents.”
“Don’t bring that up please.” Barbara Gordon turned away. “Are you finished?”
“I guess I am,” Terry said with a hint of uncertainty. He stood up from the chair. “You don’t want me to be involved, do you?”
“It’s not that... No, wait, it is that. We don’t know what we are dealing with. It could be just a rash of recent murders. Or, it could be some homicidal maniac out for a little fun. It isn’t in your job description, Terry.”
“I understand.”
“Bye, kid.”
Terry walked out of the building with his hands in his pockets. He had never felt more lost. He supposed that he could try to speak to Dana again, but he felt that he should probably give her a little more time to cool down.
However, he felt that the Commissioners words had a little ring of truth. It really was not his place.
Saturday 4:29 PM
McGinnis Residence
Terry sat at his desk, staring at his laptop. Books were strewn all around him, piles upon piles of references on Freud’s Oedipus complex. The cursor blinked on the screen slowly, the glow from the computer illuminating the room with a bluish glow.
“What an appropriate topic,” he muttered to himself as he tried to think of an introductory sentence.
He couldn’t think of one, not to his surprise.
As he stared at the paragraph on his lap, his mind began to wander.
Was there a female version of the Oedipus complex?
The answer was yes.
Would a daughter kill their mother to rightfully claim their father?
The thought was too disturbing to continue musing upon, but Terry couldn’t help it. Even though the thought itself was absurd.
Freud was proven wrong, wasn’t he?
His theories were merely theories, not facts.
And, why was he sitting there actually doing homework?
He simply could not imagine his girlfriend as a murderer. He almost laughed out loud at the idea.
Did he have an urge to kill his father to marry his mother? A little nagging voice in the back of his head reminded him that his father was already dead. A sudden grief overwhelmed him, reminding him of what he had lost.
Terry slammed the book shut. He couldn’t concentrate. He turned the laptop off and walked out of his room. He opened the hallway window and peered out into the afternoon air. He had already avenged his father’s death.
But that still didn’t take away the fact that his father would never come back. He would never again hear his voice, never again be a part of a full and happy family. If only he had stayed home that night.
But then, he might not have made it out alive either had he stayed home that night.
There were so many unanswered questions.
Questions like Will he ever finish his paper on Freud the absurd?
He spent the rest of that weekend between the Wayne mansion and his room. It was hard juggling both a demanding job and an annoying paper that had to be done, but somehow by Sunday night he had managed both. Although barely.
It was three in the morning by the time Terry found himself lying on his bed, trying to sleep. How he hated Mondays.