Chapter 9: Where the Hell Am I?
Morning in Gotham
Joshua woke up to the muffled chaos of Gotham—the distant hum of traffic, police sirens wailing, and the occasional argument from the alley below.
It was a new day, but the same grimy city.
His body still ached from last night's fight. Maroni's crew hadn't been a challenge, but they weren't pushovers either. He had taken hits, dodged bullets, and clawed through criminals.
But none of that mattered right now.
Joshua sat up, rubbing his temples. He needed answers.
Where exactly was he?
He knew he was in the DC Universe, but that didn't tell him much. DC had dozens of timelines, alternate realities, and reboots. Some versions had a Batman who could bench press a tank; others had a Batman who was barely holding Gotham together.
Which Gotham was this?
He needed to figure that out—fast.
---
A Clue in a Photograph
Joshua's eyes landed on an old, framed newspaper clipping hanging on the motel's wall. It was slightly crooked, the glass cracked in one corner, but the image was clear:
Batman, standing on a rooftop, cape billowing in the wind.
The shot was taken at night, the Gotham skyline hazy behind him, and beneath the image was a caption:
"Gotham's Dark Knight Strikes Again – Criminals Beware."
Joshua frowned, staring at the picture. Something was off.
Then he saw it.
In the background, Wayne Tower loomed over the city—but the logo was different.
Over the years, Wayne Enterprises had several logo variations. Some versions had the sleek, modern "WE" insignia, while others used the bold, spelled-out "Wayne Enterprises" branding.
This logo? It was an older design.
Joshua narrowed his eyes. That told him a lot.
---
Digging for Answers
He grabbed the motel's old, dust-covered laptop and booted it up. The free Wi-Fi was painfully slow, but he didn't need much.
First search:
"Wayne Enterprises logo history"
Several results popped up, and after some digging, he found a match.
This specific logo was used in a Gotham where Batman had been active for years—but wasn't fully settled into his role yet.
That meant this wasn't a Gotham where Bruce was still figuring out how to be Batman, but it also wasn't one where he had a fully formed Bat-Family.
Joshua leaned forward. That was good.
If Batman wasn't completely hardened yet, he might still be predictable.
---
The Justice League Factor
Next, Joshua typed:
"Current Justice League members"
A few results popped up—articles mentioning Superman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash.
But one thing stood out: No mention of Cyborg.
Joshua frowned. In a lot of modern versions of DC, Cyborg was a founding member of the Justice League. His absence meant one of two things:
1. This was an older continuity, before Cyborg was part of the League.
2. Cyborg didn't exist in this timeline.
That was an important distinction.
---
The Luthor Factor
One more search:
"Lex Luthor latest news"
A top headline read:
"LexCorp Announces New Metropolis Tower Expansion."
Joshua clicked on the article, scanning the details. Luthor was still playing the role of a respected businessman. There were no reports of him going to jail, no confirmed supervillain status.
That meant Superman was active, but Luthor hadn't fully revealed himself as a villain yet.
Joshua exhaled.
So, to sum it up:
Batman was experienced but still adjusting to his role.
The Justice League existed, but it wasn't fully solidified.
Luthor was still pretending to be a businessman.
That meant this was a world still in motion. Not an ending, not a beginning—something in between.
And that?
That was perfect.
It meant there was room for him to grow, to adapt, and to carve out his own place.
He smirked, shutting the laptop.
Now that he knew where he was…
It was time to decide what to do next.
---
End of Chapter 9
Chapter 10: Shadows and Secrets
Batman's POV – Watching the New Player
Gotham never slept.
For some, it was a city of endless crime. For Batman, it was a battleground.
Perched on a rooftop, he observed the streets below. Tonight had been different.
A new player had entered the game.
At first, he had dismissed the reports—a creature in the shadows, attacking criminals, moving faster than normal men. Gotham was full of rumors, and he had seen enough costumed lunatics to know not all of them mattered.
But this was the second time he had seen it in action.
The first time had been brief—just a glimpse, a single encounter. But Batman had studied the footage, tracked the patterns, and now he watched firsthand.
The figure—a humanoid creature with sharp claws and a wolf-like design—dropped into an alley, interrupting a drug deal. Five men. Armed. But they never stood a chance.
Efficient. Precise. Calculated.
Batman narrowed his eyes. This wasn't mindless brutality. Whoever this was, they weren't killing. They weren't out of control.
They were hunting criminals.
And that made things complicated.
Because Batman didn't just fight criminals. He controlled Gotham's chaos. He knew how every piece of the puzzle fit together. This… thing was unpredictable.
Unacceptable.
Batman moved.
---
The Confrontation
By the time he landed on the rooftop behind the creature, he had already decided how this would go. He would test them. Gauge their response.
"You've been busy."
The figure didn't flinch. Didn't panic.
He turned slowly, his yellow eyes locking onto Batman's.
"I have," he said simply.
No fear. No hesitation. That was interesting.
Batman studied him. The way he moved, the way he reacted. The posture was too relaxed for someone facing Gotham's Dark Knight for only the second time.
"You're not a rogue, not a vigilante," Batman stated. "So what are you?"
Then came something unexpected.
The creature stepped forward and said two words:
"I won't."
Batman's expression didn't change, but his mind was already processing.
Then the creature leaned in slightly and whispered:
"I know your secret."
Silence.
For a split second, Batman felt something he rarely did. Not fear—calculation. Risk assessment.
How?
How much did this thing know?
Who—or what—was it?
Before he could decide his next move, it spoke again.
"I won't tell people your secret."
Batman didn't react outwardly, but inside, his mind was already adapting.
This wasn't a threat. It wasn't leverage. It was a statement.
That changed things.
The creature wasn't an enemy. Not yet.
And so Batman made his decision.
"…We'll see."
With that, he vanished into the night.
But as he moved through Gotham's rooftops, one thought lingered.
Who the hell was this thing?
And more importantly—
What was he planning next?
---
End of Chapter 10