2013-12-28 - Cutscene: How Nightmares Begin

Bruce only made it thirty minutes in the master bedroom, the room that was once his parents. There is nothing of his parents in there now, but clothing for a man, workout clothes, expensive tuxes and suits, and the like. Bruce recognizes none of it, but he knows they are not his Father's clothes.

He quickly escapes to downstairs, and that is where he stands before the old grandfather clock that does not work anymore. He remembers exiting it, but how to get inside? The late teen Bruce thinks upon this carefully, and after searching and playing with the clock hands, his stomach rolls when he tries out the time of his parents' murder.

He spends about an hour just exploring the Bat Cave, seeing the technology he never dreamed of, the trophies and the Robin memorial stand. It seems so wild; I mean who keeps an over-sized dinosaur in a cave beneath his mansion? Apparent HE does.

Almost two hours later he is still fighting the computer and have only hacked through some of the firewalls when Alfred Pennyworth comes down in the elevator and then down the stairs to the level with the Bat Computer.

Alfred sighs long and hard, "I should have known Master Bruce." With a tired and sad expression, he steps forward and places a hand on the young man's shoulder.

Bruce stiffens under Alfred's hand, but does not pull away. "I HAVE to know Alfred."

And Alfred starts to enter his own codes, and though it does not unlock everything it unlocks a lot. Alfred then goes to get coffee for both of them, bringing it down as Alfred brings a chair and actually sits with Bruce. He answers questions the few times Bruce speaks up, but most of the time Alfred just watches the young man he never got to know read and investigate right before his eyes.

As time progresses, Bruce's expression becomes more and more determined, and a mixture of confusion, grief, anger, and pride. It's due for breakfast, and Alfred then says, "Twenty more minutes Bruce, then breakfast will be served. The family comes down at different intervals."

Bruce pauses in his reading to look over at Alfred, and his expression softens, "Alfred...thank you."

Alfred smiles softly, "It has always been an honor to be there for you Master Bruce." He then takes his chair and leaves the Bat Cave to go start breakfast.

Bruce stares at the screen, looking over Joker's file. Jason Todd's file is still mostly locked, but bits of it are open thanks to Alfred's passcodes. The Joker's most recent mug shot stares out at Bruce. "A monster; one I helped create." His sighs deeply and rubs his tired face. He has a feeling; the nightmare has only just begun.