Anna's Beginning

Only hours after Bruce had finally awoken, Anna found herself running around the house helping Alfred, without his consent, to decorate and prepare for the guest who would be coming to Bruce’s birthday. After a few hours of work, the mansion’s driveway was lined with black and white balloons, the entrance hall was packed with serving men and women, and the kitchen was a bustle with cooks.

Before any of the guest could arrive there was a knock on the door and Anna ran to answer it. Opening the door, there stood Rachel Dawson, Anna’s mother. Anna found herself struggling not to slam the door shut in her face. I only have room enough to forgive one parent per year, Anna thought to herself.

There was an awkward silence as they stood there looking at each other, that was broken when Alfred came walking up.

“Why hello Rachel,” Alfred said with a large smile, “it’s so good to see that you were able to make it for the party.”

“Sorry Alfred but u can’t stay,” Rachel said with an apologetic smile, “I just brought this for Bruce.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come in?” Alfred said, gesturing an offer for her to enter. Anna just stood there in the shadows of the door, doing her best not to give her mother the death glare.

“I have to get back, I just wanted to leave this,” Rachel said handing Alfred a present.

“Rachel?” Anna heard her dad say from behind her.

“Looks like someone’s been burning the candles at both ends,” Rachel said with a laugh as Alfred handed Bruce the present, “Must have been quiet an occasion.”

“It is my birthday,” Bruce said with a laugh.

“I know. I’m sorry I can’t come tonight,” Rachel said, “I was just dropping off your present.”

“Typical,” Anna whispered beneath her breath.

“You’ve got better plans?” Bruce asked a little hurt.

“My boss had been missing for two days,” Rachel explained, “which in this town means that I should probably start by looking at the bottom of a river.”

“Rachel,” Bruce went to say something but was cut off by the ringing of Rachel’s cell phone.

“Excuse me,” she said before answering it, “Rachel Dawes….. Who authorized that?....... Get Crane down there now. Don’t take no for an answer. Call Dr. Lehmann, tell him we need our own assessment on the judge’s desk by morning.”

“What’s wrong?” Bruce asked, becoming as serious as Anna could ever remember him.

“It’s Falcone,” Rachel said, “Dr. Crane moved him to Arkham Asylum on suicide watch.”

“You’re going to Arkham now?” Brice asked, “It’s in the Narrows, Rachel.”

“You enjoy your party Bruce,” Rachel said grabbing out her car keys, “some of us have work to do.”

“You be careful,” Bruce warned her.

“Happy birthday,” Rachel said with a smile and then turned to Anna, “Bye Anna, I love you.” Anna just gave her a forced smile before Rachel turned and walked back to her car. Looking over, Anna saw Bruce open his present from Rachel. There was a little note in side that said, “Finders keepers” and under that there was an arrow head.

“What does that mean?” Anna asked Bruce. He just watched Rachel drive off, then turned around and walked off leaving Anna at the door. A couple minutes later, Alfred came bustling into view, a bit flustered.

“Dianna dear,” Alfred whispered to her, wow that’s a first, “your dad’s not ready quite yet, would you mind greeting the guest and entertaining them will I help him.” And before Anna could even tease him about calling her by her first name, he disappeared back into the crowd. Wonder why Bruce isn’t ready?

Anna did her best to help keep the guests entertained, while waiting for Bruce to come back to the party. Over at the buffet Lucius was getting himself something and other guests had formed small groups, most likely gossiping about what they thought about the mansion. Anna was getting flustered, why wasn’t Bruce here, this after all was his birthday party.

“Diana, is that you?” a woman called out from somewhere behind her. Turning around, Anna saw one of the Wayne family friends. Now what was her name again? Not being able to remember her name, Anna just smiled as she walked up. The lady seemed to be dragging along an oriental looking guy. “Diana dear, could you tell me where Bruce is, I think he would be interested in meeting this man.”

“Oh, I'm sure he’ll be along anytime now,” Anna said looking around, hoping to see Alfred or Bruce, but couldn’t see through a group of men standing in front of her. “Maybe you could introduce him to me.”

“Oh, how rude of me,” the lady laughed, “Diana this is, Mr. Razalgool, that’s how you say it right?” The man didn’t seem too interested in their conversation. “And this is Diana Wayne.”

“Did I just hear right,” a man said coming up from behind her. He was tall, with dirty blonde hair, military cut and a goatee, “you are a Wayne?”

“Yes sir, I'm Bruce's daughter, would you happen to know him,” Anna said, looking the man up and down. Something seemed off about him, but she wasn’t going to say anything.-

“Yes, I do know Bruce, but he never told me that he had a daughter,” he said, obviously fascinated at the fact that she was Bruce's daughter.

“And what would your name be?” Anna asked.

“I am Ducard, your father trained with me,” Ducard informed Anna.

“Trained? What do you mean he trained with you?” Anna asked perplexed. Ducard just chuckled, then looked over Anna’s shoulder. Turning, Anna saw that the lady, still dragging Razalgul behind her, had finally managed to find Bruce. The look on Bruce's face told her that these people weren’t on Bruce's good side.

Walking up to Bruce, Anna was only able to catch the last couple pieces of their conversation, something about watching someone die.

“Ahh, but is Razalgul immortal,” Ducard said walking up from behind Bruce, “no, his methods supernatural.”

“Or cheap parlor tricks to conceal your true identity, Raz,” Bruce said, looking Ducard in the face, or was his name Raz, Anna was getting confused.

“Maybe a man scrambling over Gotham roof tops wouldn’t begrudge me duel identities,” Ducard/Raz said.

“Anna, why don’t you go and get Alfred, I think he went upstairs,” Bruce instructed her. Anna did as Bruce said, shoving her way through the groups of people. What had that man meant when he said scrambling over roof tops. One thought came to mind, but it was just too farfetched for Anna to believe.

When she was halfway up the stairs she heard Bruce saying something, maybe a toast, but he sounded drunk. Anna stopped in her tracks wondering what Bruce was doing, he hadn’t had enough alcohol to be drunk, or at least she hadn’t thought he’d had enough. Had she heard him use the word free loaders? Shortly after his voice faded, people started filling out the front door. What the hell? Where are they going. They had disgusted looks on their faces. Anna snuck back down the stairs and hid behind a pillar, eavesdropping on Bruce and the other guy.

“He’s not a member of the league of shadows,” she heard Bruce said.

“Of course not,” Raz said, “he thought our plan was to hold the city to ransom.”

“But really you are going to release Crane’s poison on the entire city,” Bruce said.

“Then watch Gotham tear itself apart through fear,” Raz said. What was he talking about, what was going on?

“You’re going to destroy millions of lives,” Bruce said.

“Only a cynical man would call what these people have lives Wayne,” Raz said, “crime, despair, this is not how man was supposed to live. The league of shadows has been a check against human corruption for thousands of years. We sacked Rome, loaded trade ships with plague rats, burned London to the ground. Every time a civilization reaches the pinnacle of its decedents we return to restore the balance.”

“Gotham isn’t beyond saving,” Bruce said, “give me more time. There are good people here.”

“You are defending a city so corrupt we have infiltrated every level of its infrastructure,” Raz said, “When I found you in that jail you were lost, but I believed in you. I took away your fear, and I showed you a path. You were my greatest student. It should be you standing by my side saving the world.”

“I’ll be standing where I belong,” Bruce said, “between you and the people of Gotham.” The way Bruce said that, it reminded her of her guardian, could he really be Batman?

“No one can save Gotham,” Raz stated, “when a forest grows too wild, a purging fire is inevitable and natural. Tomorrow the world will watch in horror as its greatest city destroys itself. The movement back to harmony will be unstoppable this time.” When Raz mentioned fire, the other men in the house started dumping gasoline on the carpeting and furniture, but Anna wasn’t through hearing what Bruce and Raz were talking about.

“You have attacked Gotham before?” Bruce asked.

“Of course,” Raz said, “over the ages our weapons have grown more sophisticated. With Gotham we tried a new one, economics. But we underestimated certain of Gotham’s citizens, such as your parents. Gunned down by one of the very people who they were trying to help. Create enough hunger and everyone becomes a criminal. Their deaths galvanized the city into saving itself, and Gotham has limped on ever since. We are back to finish the job, and this time no misguided idealists will get in the way. Like your father you lack the courage to do what is necessary. If someone stands in the way of true justice, you simply walk up behind them, and stab them in the heart.” At these words Anna knew what Raz was talking about. A man came walking up behind Bruce, but wasn’t able to get past Anna, as she jumped onto his back, wrapping her right arm around his neck, to get a sleeper hold on him. Unfortunately this guy was a lot tougher than he looked, which was saying something, because he looked as if he could bench press a school bus. Well maybe not a school bus, but you get the picture.

The guy through himself back, slamming Anna into the pillar she’d been hiding behind. Her world went fuzzy at this point, orange flames danced in her vision, her head throbbed, but she wouldn’t let the guy go. Then, something hard, maybe a baseball bat, whacked her in the back of the head. Her world went black, she wasn’t sure how long, but long enough for the guys to have disappeared, and a huge beam to have fall across her lower legs. This was the worst ending to a party Anna had ever experienced.