Old Knights, New Days

November, Twelve Years Ago

........He sits perched on the ancient window sil of the abandoned sweatshop watching the dance that has been performed for his benefit for the last three nights. Briefly rubbing his arms, The Batman wonders if the new lightweight thermal layering for his costume has arrived yet. He makes a mental note to ask Alfred when he returns in the morning. Even his cape provides little comfort in the slicing winds that cut through this neighborhood like a sharp knife through a rotten apple core. The crime rate has dropped predictibly in the colder weather, and only the most needy preditors are out tonight. But the "mugging/assault" going on before him like the last three nights has finally caught his attention.

........Gotham City PD has staged these little "traps" before, and he might have thought that even they would have better sense than to be out on a night like this. But the moves of the "mugger" and the "victim" ( and a pretty one she was too ), are of even a higher caliber than might be found in the GCPD. No, these two knew how to fight... and one of them looked very familiar now. Withdrawing his Batarang and guide wire, he loops a electric wire and slides down quickly, quietly, landing with the softest of touches from three stories up. Now directly in front of the duo, he grabs the woman and throws her quickly over his shoulder and against an alley wall. The assailant, with missing only a beat, swings a powerful right cross. Barely sidestepping it, The Batman lays into "the mugger" with a double-fisted blow that stops him in his tracks. "Now we're even, Champ." , Batman thinks to himself as a smile traces briefly across his lips. Even before "the mugger" can move, a green glow appears above and slightly behind The Batman. Gracefully, with one smooth stroke, he pull out from his Utility Belt a small wooden dart and arching back throws it into the green glow without taking his attention away from the two now coming to their feet. A yell and then another yell as a man in a large purple cape appears and begins to fall swiftly to the ground. The two are now on their feet and begin to move towards the falling man, but Batman again, nearly casually, throws another batarang and wire towards the caped meteor, its wire snagging him by the ankle and catching him and stopping him with a sudden jerk, his cape brushing the ground.

........ "Now that I have your attention, I think we need to talk." Batman slowly eased the caped man to the ground. "Its a quick acting sophoric agent... you should be back to full command of your abilities in a couple of minutes." The woman rushed over to her fallen friend and whispered "Alan! Are you all right?"

........ "Yes, Di... just a little stunned. But code names, please... we're among strangers."

......." Sorry, Lantern."

........"Man, oh MAN! I'm glad I never hadda fight you in th' ring!" Ted Grant was rubbing his jaw and knocking the grime from the alley floor off his clothes. "I've only been smacked like that a couple of times in my life, and I think..." Grant trails off squinting his eyes and remembering back five or so years to when a young man paid him a LOT of money for some intense boxing lessons.

........"So young man... Bat-Man, isn't it?" Green Lantern said trying to focus his thoughts and will power; "What are you doing in Gotham? Why the night time terrorist vigilante act?"

........"Its no act, sir. I'm doing what needs to be done. What you three and the others left undone. I apologise if I haven't acted with the same sort of attitude that you might have, but these are different times. And I am effective." Batman spoke with nary a quaver in his voice, not overly stern but nearly reprimanding, which was picked up by his audience.

........ "Now see here, you young 'whippersnapper'! We managed to do a lot of good a long time before you ever mangaged to swing a rope and we did it without scaring people, good honest people half to death!" Dinah Drake Lance screwed her fists into her hips and gave the tall dark man a whithering stare. Behind her, Batman noticed Ted begin to tense, almost ready to punctuate Dinah's outburst with his fists.

........"What she is trying to say, "Batman" "; Green Lantern interupted, placing extra emphasis on his name, trying to convince himself that he really was a hero, " is that there are ways of doing what you are doing without going against the grain of the authorities. I've read reports that you've even attacked police officers..." Glancing back at Dinah, Batman noticed that her stare intensified.

........"i've never injured an officer while he was performing his duty. There are too few good policemen left on the force for me to do that. However, finding the corrupt ones is a simple pleasure I allow myself. The infrastructure of goverment is as delapidated as the buildings you see around us. I cannot align myself with the failed. You and your generation, in the daylight, on radio, with your Society... they are not for me. I am not a role model."

........"There's much to be said for friends... why even this new crop... they even have a "Justice League of America" now... why not..."

........ " I am not a team player."

........ "Hey guys, why not leave him for now... we can keep an eye on him and maybe even... huh?" Ted Grant saw a line pull taunt and The Batman reel himself up on it quicker than they could react. "Lantrin'... can ya...?" "Not for another minute or so, 'Cat. Let's leave him for now."

........As the sun crept over the Gotham skyline, the old man moved nearly as slowly towards the three in the corner booth in the Gotham Broadcasting Employee Cafeteria. "'Ere ya go, Mister Scott. Three joe's... black 'n hot, just like youse likes 'em."

........"Thanks Ezra. Can you call Eileen and tell her that I'll be in a little late this morning?" "Shure t'ing, Mr. Scott!" Ezra put the tray down on the table and moved over to whisper in Alan Scott's ear "Bit of a young, for you aint' she?" and cackled quietly under his breath as he moved away with a broad smile on his wizened face.

........."So." Alan took a large draw off the steaming mug of coffee."What do you two think? Do we have another Reaper or what?" "Well, I don't care too much for his methods. He seems so... angry." Dinah looked into her coffee and poured a second packet of sweetner into it and stirred." I know that we've seen a few driven men...and women in our time, but he... well, he kind of scares me. Di told me that even back in Star City, the underworld's heard of him, and he's a role model whether he likes it or not. He needs to be playing closer to the law. Maybe we could have a JSA press conference, saying whether or not we approve of his actions."

........"Don't think he's lookin' for approval. I think he's lookin' f'r somethin' else. And anyway, both of you two were pretty much the outlaw when you started out... heck, we thought The Canary was a crook! Anyway, he hasn't done anythin' wrong yet, just rubbed a few fatcats and City Hall suits the wrong way. Nothin' wrong with that. We keep an eye anna ear out and leave 'im be." Ted Grant finished his cup of coffee and made a face."And Alan! What escaped Nazi do you have in your kitchen... this stuff's as nearly as bad as the stuff Al Pratt used ta brew! Now Joan Trevor, SHE made a good cuppa coffee!"

........"Yah, like you should talk, Grant!" Alan leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head. "Anything you'd brewed would have crawled out on its own!" Dinah stiffled a laugh. "Anyhoo, I gotta be openin' up the gym in a few minutes and I can just jog down the couple miles before I open, so..." Sliding out of the booth, Alan Scott asks "Do you need a... lift?", pointing to his ring. "Nah! Just a quick two mile jog. Be good for me. Give "Junior" a kiss for me, lady!" And with a salute to Alan Scott, Ted Grant makes his way to the street.

........"How 'bout you, Dinah? Can I offer you a lift?" "Heck, yes! I'm not a Nework Executive like some people, and the trip back to California is pretty pricey for us flower shop people. Let me visit the little girls room and i'll meet you on the roof top in five, OK?"

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