8 Tik Tik Boom

(Alton Carver POV)

Finally ... finally I can talk freely now. I managed to take off the mind-controlling pin ... Now I have to go and warn the Court. I'll go now when it's still dark. Calling would be too dangerous. The little shit would pay, I would make sure of that myself. Fuck the Court on that.

I had been doing these boring errands for the boy and it was time that was over. Without further ado, I made my way to one of the secret hideouts. I took off all my clothes and any devices that even remotely looked like something he had created. 

After that, I set the entire place on fire and left. It was important that he didn't know where I lived or what I was doing. And even if he did know now, it would be too late. I was already out of his reach. 

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I made sure to hide my trace well and not use any form of electrical device for a few hours. I made it to my third safe house and only then contacted the Court. 

"This is Talon. I was compromised for the last couple of weeks. But I am finally free and we need to talk. The Court needs to know of the information I hold.", I say to the person listening. 

"Received message. How urgent is it?", the voice said.

"Highest priority. Concerning B... ...ay..e ... Ah shit."

Fuck ... I couldn't say his name. It seemed the after-effects were still there. What did he do? Was this intentional or an after-effect? I just ... can't say his name ... how is this possible? I will have to take some time off after this. 

"Please repeat. Highest priority, concerning who?", the voice said.

"Can't say the name right now. Please tell the Court members that we have to meet at the earliest time. It concerns the future of Gotham and is very important. Talon out."

This should get them together fast. I have to get this information out and then deal with the little shit. I do wonder why I didn't deal with him right away ... I could have just killed him, now that I am free. 

But there is the chance that he has some form of protection and if I'm unable to tell the Court about it, I might as well kill myself. 

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The meeting was set to take place the day after tomorrow. I guess they are calling all the important members to attend this. The board must guess the reason for my emergency call and figured out that it was about Bruce Wayne. 

That's good at least, that way I won't have to repeat my failure and shame that many times. I will probably be killed off for this failure, but if I tell them just how dangerous he is, they might forgive my mistakes. Normally the Court of Owls isn't forgiving at all and they are looking for my replacement already. It's not the first time I made a mistake. But it's the first time I made a mistake this big.

I f*cked up badly and I wasn't sure redemption was possible. 

I got to the location that was sent to me. It was a secret location and the usual place where the big council meets. I enter the main hall and am met with the usual condescending looks of most of the members. 

I don't bow, that is something for underlings and weaklings. I am a proud Talon. No matter what the result is tonight, I have my pride. 

"Talon, you have called an emergency meeting of the highest order and the Court of Owls has assembled to hear this news you speak of. What is this we heard that you were compromised for the last couple of 'weeks'?", the leader of the Court begins the meeting. 

"That's right, dear Court. Since the last time, I brought you the news of the situation concerning "/("*ç/%"( )"*ç%"% ..."

"What was that? Speak clearly Talon!", one member says.

"That's that thing, dear council. I am unable to say the name of the ... b..bo-boy ... *haaa haaa haaa* It is impossible to speak of him ...", I say after breathing hard. 

"You can't speak of ... him? Who is that person you are talking about?"

"That's the problem ... it is impossible to say his name. It happened when I was in the hospital ... the person managed to take control of my mind with a device and has held me in his clutches ever since. 

Using my training I managed to weaken the control slowly over the weeks and finally managed to break free and remove the device two days ago. It is however still impossible to say the person's name in any way. I tried over the last two days or write down his name ... with no luck. 

I don't know what he did to me, but whatever it was ... it was extremely dangerous. He is not even that old and already has come up with world-changing technological devices. I urge the Court to deal with him now as fast as possible and not give him time to ... to .. *Urgh*"

I tried to continue to speak, but it was impossible. I felt nauseous and like there was something ... inside me! What was going on? Someone, please ... 

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(3rd Person POV)

"And who is this grand inventor and creator that poses such a threat then, Talon?"

[That would be me!], a mechanical voice said. 

The Court looked at the Talon, as that was where the sound came from. He had his mouth open and ... just kept it open.

"This is no time for jokes, Talon. As far as I am concerned I think you have already outlived your usefulness.", a member said.

[Oh, but that wasn't the Talon ...], the same voice said. It still came out of the Talon's mouth, which he had still open. But he wasn't moving his mouth. 

Then something else happened. The Talon began to convulse and his muscles to spasm uncontrollably. This surprised and unnerved everyone a bit. For about 7 seconds this went on until it suddenly stopped.

The Talon looked up and ... something else happened after that. 

His eyes ... they began to shine in a blue-white colour ... His eyes began to blink a few times and then ... light came out of them and projected someone into the hall for everyone to see!

"Is that..."

"No way!"

"You're ..."

"Bruce Wayne", the leader said finally.

[In the flesh ... or rather in the projection.], the voice came out of the Talon's mouth. 

In a Star Wars-like fashion, the upper body of Bruce Wayne was seen looking at them. He had an amused smile as he looked at all of them. How could he see them? Well, he had the Talon move his eyes around.

"What is this?"

[This is me completely shitting on you and your order. It is also my tinkering being useful. The beta testing if you will.]

"You are speaking through the Talon? How are you doing that?"

"We must have this technology!", someone screamed.

[Hahaha, you're all shining in a green colour ... how unbecoming of such pompous pricks like you are. But I guess that is how you got rich in the first place ... is it not?"]

"How are you doing this?"

[Well after I had the good Alan under control, I used him as an ... experiment. A guinea pig if you will. Technology of this magnitude has to be tested after all.]

The body of the Talon moved slightly, alerting Bruce. It seemed the Talon was unhappy with being used that way. 

[Oh, what is that? Did you think you were allowed to sleep? No no no, my dear slave. I used the time you thought you were sleeping to modify your body. I added a nice little device to your vocal cords, to be able to control them remotely and another one to your brain, to see what you see and of course control you and project myself. All quite simple really.]

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It was silent in the hall for a moment.

"You truly have to enter our order. It has been foretold and this proves it.", the leader said.

[Touching. But I must decline. You see this is my goodbye to you all. I just did this to tell you how much I just don't care about you all.]

"What do you mean?"

[I implanted the Talon with ... quite a powerful bomb. He is a walking bomb right now. This is what I mean. See this is me using my test subject for more than just one experiment.]

"What?!"

"Impossible!"

"We have to get out!"

"SILENCE!", the leading owl said.

"You would kill hundreds just like that? Do you want us to believe an 11-year-old boy could or would do that? You would go against all that your father has ever stood for."

[You've clearly mistaken me for someone who gives a shit. I didn't even plan to do it that way, but it's fine either way. I am not my father.]

"Then what about all those people who will be affected by the blast? Are you that heartless that-"

[Goodness you're ruining everybody's last moment alive. Shame on you.]

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A beeping sound was heard as Bruce activated the bomb. This made everyone panic. People began to run away and crash into each other. Those who were weaker were thrown to the floor and trampled over.

"No! Please we can make a deal. I'll give you any-"

*BOOOOOOOOOOM*

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"BREAKING NEWS: BIG PART OF GOTHAM'S HIGH SOCIETY DIES IN BOMBING"

Those were the headlines of the newspaper the next day. Bruce was having breakfast and enjoying his tea when he read the newspaper and listened to the news. 

"An unknown source says that some of the richest were attending a party last night when a terrorist organisation known as the Skunks attacked the party in a suicide attempt, resulting in many deaths. Right now there are no known survivors but the investigation is just beginning from what the police say. 

Judging from the smell in the area, the name of the terrorist organisation is well deserved. It does indeed smell like the strong-smelling secret of a skunk. From what the source told us, it was apparently a ... fart bomb. But that can only be a sick joke if it's true.

Reporting live from Gotham

Jessica Vale"

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"Haha how could she say all that with a straight face. Fascinating what the news in this city will swallow as long as it gives them a good story. I never thought it would make it into the news."

Bruce was not laughing but rather had a slight smile right now. He thought it was interesting to mess with the media and get to know them better. It is essential to know how the media in your city ticks. That's why he messed with them a bit and called them last night anonymously. Funnily enough, he indeed called it a fart bomb, but when he told them that, he didn't expect it to make it into the news. 

"Sometimes my genius ... it almost makes me arrogant."

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That was what Bruce managed to do in one week ... ONE WEEK of trying to figure out a new project and Bruce invents a new powerful infinite energy source that is beyond poweful and clean as well, and bombs most of Gotham's high society to smithereens. And he's not even 12 years old yet. What is he going to do when he becomes a teenager? Pickle Bruce will truly make his debut. 

It seemed that an unhinged Bruce Wayne was far too dangerous to let loose on the world. Someone had to stop this ... boy. Time travellers wish they took this moment to get rid of Bruce because they won't be able to in the future.

Bruce was growing. He was gathering experience in this world as he didn't have the experience of the templates anymore. He was putting his intelligence to use. And the more time passed, the better he got at using his talents to their fullest. It won't be long and he would delve into impossible science and things that only higher dimensional beings could understand. 

With his templates, he was bound for greatness. 

All the best versions of Rick Sanchez mixed together into one. Azmuth from Ben 10, was considered the smartest being in 3 to 5 Galaxies but was also hailed as the smartest being in the universe. And finally Thanos the Mad Titan. Granted he didn't have the thousands of years where Thanos went on a kiling spree but he had his intelligence. And now he fully understood just how smart he truly was. And it is scary.

Yeah, no one was prepared for that.