RedX Ch02

Red X

Ch02

Bruce Wayne rolls up the sleeve of his canali suit to check his watch. It’s not often a billionaire playboy is kept waiting at an expensive restaurant by a young reporter girl, especially not when the billionaire is Bruce Wayne. The reporter girl is Penny Turman whom he met before at a party for charity.

Turman comes running in through the doors of the hotel. She is a complete mess. Her newly curled hair is slightly tangled and her nervously blushing face is covered in a thin layer of amateurishly applied makeup. Her cheep but pretty dress is wrinkled and there is a faint sight of mud caked to her high heeled shoes. She’s carrying a folder that looks like it was literally stuffed with papers and held together by only a select few courageous paperclips. Though not believing that she is telling the truth when she says she’s here to see Bruce Wayne the waiter brings her to Wayne’s table and is surprised when he greets her.

Wayne looks through Turman’s pile of papers. Newspaper clippings and police reports are scattered throughout the hastily compiled folder. “You’re doing a paper on my humanitarian work?” He asks. “But this all look sort of…” She snatches the files away and goes completely red when she sees them. “I can’t believe I did that.” She apologizes. “I brought the wrong folder.” “That looked like you where investigating the Batman.” Wayne watches her for any sort of reaction that might indicate that she knows about his uncommon late night hobby. Her face is completely red and she shifts in her chair. “Well, I really intended on doing a story about you but I mixed up the folders.” She explains. “That folder’s not really for work. Back home there was a string of criminal groups that would end up being found unconscious in crime scene with the evidence of their crimes. It looked a lot like Gotham’s Batman but there was one major difference.” “What was the difference?” Wayne feigns mild interest while suppressing his own genuine interest. Turman has a spark in her eye when she tells him what she knows. “The difference was that when there wasn’t enough evidence to put the criminal in jail or if their crime met certain characteristics then the criminal would be found dead.” “Sounds messed up.” Wayne says. “Definitely. The guy who did it would always leave a small X like the one in this photo at the crime scene.” Wayne has to keep his eyes from widening when she shows him the picture of one of the X’s found at a crime scene. This was turning out just as he thought it would. “That looks a lot like a Bat boomerang.” He tells her. “What Batman uses are called Batarangs.” She corrects him. “Because he’d always leave these behind and some of his earlier victims had X’s carved into their chests the killer’s been called Red X.” “Sounds kind of corny.” Wayne looks over her collection of files and pictures, memorizing as much as he can. “He seems to like it.” Turman finds a copy of a letter written to the police in her pile of papers. “This was found at one of the crime scenes when he started gaining recognition from the public. Wayne looks at it and start reading aloud. “To the police from your friendly neighbourhood Red X: Thanks for the name. Love it. Here’s a few drug lords for your troubles. You can find the rest at…” He goes over the rest in his head before handing her the letter back. “He seems like a nut job.” Wayne tells Turman. “Yeah.” She says. “But the police can’t seem to catch up to him. He’s a dangerous vigilante who kills anyone he thinks he should.” “Why are you so interested in him?” Wayne brings the questions up. “I want to help bring him in if I can.” Turman explains. “The guy’s killing people left and right. We’d probably be better off with the regular criminals than this guy. And even if he is trying to help us murder is murder and he’s just as guilty at the people he’s condemning.” “Your home town sounds pretty dangerous.” Wayne gives her the folder back. “Where are you from again?” “Oscura city.” Just as he expected.

Another night in front of flashing computer screens and bright lights. Wayne studies page upon page of information. "Alfred." He calls. "I believe I've found the suspects I will be investigating." He brings up pictures of each person. "These are the people who attended the party last night who have had ties to Oscura city. Richard Jeffries and his son Kyle. Penny Turman, the young reporter I bumped into moments before loosing my key, who also happened to be doing a story about me, Charlotte Sullivan and her boyfriend Alexander Arkham, the son of the latest Black Mask Jeremiah Arkham, who met in Oscura city. One of these people holds the key to finding this Red X." "Shall I begin an investigation of the persons in question?" "I already have." Wayne looks back over to his computer screen. "The Jeffries already have a questionable past due to many underhanded dealings that have been looked at by investigators who met untimely demises. Penny Turman's real name is Melissa Devons, daughter of Mark Devons, a man murdered by Red X. She took her skills as a journalist to hunt him down from place to place. Charlotte Sullivan's parents who where old friends of my own parents died under obscure circumstances and she has been attending a private school in Oscura city. It seems that by age fifteen Arkham graduated high school and moved away from home. By age eighteen he graduated college, majoring in psychology. He gained his PHD at twenty and completed his training hours this year at age twenty three." "He's quite young." "Yes, but not as young as Charlotte Sullivan. How does a private high school student with a rich family come into contact with the genius son of an asylum owner attending college? Then there is the suspicious actions of Melissa Devons calling herself Penny Turman. It wouldn't be the first time a reporter pretended to do a story on their own secret identity." "May I suggest investigating Richard Jeffries first sir?" Alfred says. "It would seem that he has been spending quite a lot of time in his office since arriving in Gotham." "I was planning on it." Wayne stands up, pulling his cowl down over his face. "He is my prime suspect."

It's not hard for the Batman to break into a high class government contractors office building. He get to the office where Richard Jeffries is working on some papers and making phone calls. Batman places a listening device in the vent he's hiding in just in case. Jeffries leans back in his chair. "Yeah. So bump up security then. I don't want this happening again." Jeffries complains into the phone before realizing that it was cut off. He looks over and Batman has his finger on the button. The shock almost knocks him out of his seat. "Staya way from me you fucking lunatic!" He scrambles to get away but Batman has his hand on the arm of his chair. "Sorry for interrupting." He says. "But I'm in need of information." "What do you want to know?" Jeffries asks. "Red X. I've already found a considerable amount of files on your computer relating to him on my way up here." "That's against the law." "So is trafficking illegal drugs through Oscura city. Talk." Jeffries sweats profoundly before giving an answer. "He's been messing with my business for years now. I don't know why. Slippery B@$+@(&. None of my guys can catch him. I even had to put my kid on security to even keep up with him." "Any leads?" "Not a one. He just keeps getting away. We did stop him a few times. But we never catch him." "So, he targets your company?" "All the time. He loves any weird new technology. Tranquillizers, communication devices, paperclips. Anything that seems to interest him." "Anything particular?" "No. He just takes whatever. there ain't no logic." "I see." Batman lets go of the man's chair. Jeffries swings around with a gun but Batman is already gone. he picks up his phone and dials. "Hey. We have a problem."

Bruce Wayne spends the earlier night up researching any lead he can find. In the morning Alfred comes down the stairs to the cave. "Any new leads sir?" He asks. "Not much, but I think I may have found out what our little friends weakness is." Wayne says, brining up several newspapers on his screen. "Our thief seems to have a thing for Xenothium." "Forgive me if I'm wrong sir." Alfred says. "But is Xenothium an incredibly unstable substance?" "It seems this red X is a daredevil." Wayne confirms. "And he's not the only one with a thing for unstable power sources. It looks like twelve Xenothium deposits have been bought by Liberty Corporation." "Madam Sullivan's parents company." Alfred notices. "That's right." Wayne brings up another article. "And it just so happens that tomorrow there will be a large number of Xenothium products kept in the main hall due to a social gathering of the rich and famous." "An awful lot of such gatherings lately sir." "Yes." Wayne says, getting up from his computer. "What better time for a thief to appear? I'll be sleeping for the rest of today."

Bruce Wayne makes his appearance at Liberty Corporation as planned. "Bruce!" Charlotte runs over to meet him. "I'm glad you got my invitation." She says with a grin. "Alex wont shut up about swords and armour since he talked to you back then. Please make him stop." "I'll do what I can." Wayne tells her as Arkham shows up through the crowds. "Mr.Wayne. Nice seeing you again." Arkham says, shaking his hand. "Any news on that Myng Dynasty piece you ordered?" "Not yet." Wayne sighs. "Looks like I've got to fire a couple of people to get that thing through customs." "It's worth it for that thing." Arkham says. "You've gotta let me see it some time." "You got it." "I'm surrounded by geeks!" Charlotte sighs. "Anyway, I have to go introduce the main event and pretend that I had anything to do with what's happening tonight." She waves as she rushes off to the stage.

Wayne and Arkham talk about armour for a while. "So, how did you meet Charlotte." Wayne asks, trying to get something he can run off of. "Do I look too old for her?" Arkham asks. "It must seem weird since we're seven years apart." "No." Wayne says. "I was just curious." "We met on a bus. She dropped her books and I helped her pick them up." Arkham explains. "I noticed that she just happened to have an issue of Magniman and I had to say something." "You're into comic books?" Wayne asks. "Oh yeah." Arkham tells him. "I love the stuff. I'm more into anime but I love comics a lot too. After seeing that she had that comic I couldn't help but ask her where the comic book store in town was since I couldn't find one. We started talking and she gave me her number. It sort of went from there." "How did you react when you found out her age?" "Age isn't a problem. As long as two people love each other then who cares what other people think."

The time's come for Charlotte's speech. "Thank you all for coming." She says into the microphone. "As you already know Xenothium is considered the most powerful potential energy source in the world but no one has been able to develop a way of making it stable and not loose that vast power. But unstable or not, that doesn't make it any less pretty." The curtain behind her falls to reveal a case with a crimson stone. "And this is Xenothium in its natural state. Isn't it beautiful?" The stone is projected onto monitors which make it look humungous. Like this everyone can see how the crystal stone shines like liquid. It looks like a stone of blood. "It is pretty isn't it." A voice rings out over the crowd second before the light go out. They come on a second later and the stone is gone "Thanks for the present." Everyone looks in the direction of the voice. A skinny looking caped figure is standing on top of a ledge by the roof, high above the crowd. He's wearing an entirely black suit with a large crimson coloured X on the chest which travels down his legs and arms and both boots have an X on the front, as do both his gloves. He's wearing a black cowl with a white skull from the forehead to the maxilla which has another crimson X on the upper left of the forehead with the lower right line extending through the right eye like a scar. He's holding the raw Xenothium. "I will cherish this forever." He says holding it to his chest. "But for now I must bid ye adieu." Then he tosses an X at the window and it explodes, causing the glass to shatter and he leaps out.

Within the confusion Wayne escapes the crowd and takes to his alter ego. He quickly picks up X's trail and catches up to him a few buildings away. "Finally caught up Bats?" He hears Red X's voice from the shadows. "Here to bring the big bad thief to justice?" Batman tosses a Batarang into the shadows, nailing Red X in the head and knocking him off balance. "Low blow bro." X chuckles and faces Batman. "I know what you're doing." Batman tells him. "You want to stop crime. That's why you targeted those people bak in Oscura. You steal because it's the only way you know to get the tools you need. But killing isn't the answer." "Aw, a sermon. You really do care." Red X throws a couple of X's at Batman. He dodges but the X's explode and  knock him off balance for only a moment before he gets back to his feet and comes back in for an assault. Batman grabs Red X by the neck. "Nice hand shake." Red X says. "You don't have to do this." Batman tells him. "I've seen lots of kids like you. Kids with talent. I trained them, took them in and made them into heroes. Isn't that what you want to be?" "You're right. Oh I wish I had a father figure to set me on the right path. I'll change and be a good boy from now on…or." There's a jolt of current through Batman's suit as it comes in contact with Red X's glove. "I could send an electric shock through the weak point of your suit and escape with the Xenothium. A father figure would be nice but I like how this stone matches my eyes." "I could teach you." Batman makes a move to strike at Red X's helmet. He takes it and is unfazed. "No thanks. I don't want to be like Grayson or Todd. Flying the Batman Inc cape is kinda stupid. Then again, so was telling the world you fund Batman. Are you retarded?" X dodges another blow. "It was just a matter of time until someone put two and two together and figured out your laboured secret identity Bruce." Batman kicks him off of his balance but X is still talking tough. "But I guess I really shouldn't put all the blame on one little mistake. For one thing I figured it out a long time before that. Bruce takes a long, unexplained vacation overtime Bats has a life or death crisis. Then there's the varying age of your sidekicks and bruce's adopted children. Now there's two Batmen and Dick Grayson is looking a little two old for the Christmas tights." "Good observations. Let me make a few of my own." Batman goes for the mask but is sprayed by a gas. "Naughty naughty." X kicks him off. "No one ever gets under the cowl until the third date Bruce. That's teh rule." X runs off, not noticing the tracer on his back or the concious Batman fallowing its signal.

Great chapter!