Chapter 2 - Concealed Past

Lying on the bed, he continued to watch the photo searching for more details.

While scrutinizing the photo, his thoughts were on "Bialya". Which became "Greater Bialya", a country of the middle east, unstable, were several civil wars broke out and controlled by a dictator, Queen Bee.

After some Internet research, he found that Bialya is a militaristic dictatorship ruled with an iron fist and did not signed the UN's Justice League charter.

The investigation about camp #6 bore no results, never mentioned in any news reports or testimony. Finding a ghost could be easier.

"Is it some state secret? But it looked like a humanitarian camp, why would they hide it? Had illegal experiences happened?" with the Reach scandal last year, this assumption soon came to his mind. "Did my parents escape from the camps? The perpetrator should come from Bialya in that case."

Staring at the ceiling, he muttered, "Mom, Dad, who were you?"

Flashback – 3 months earlier

"You're finally up. I thought you were dead." Arriving in the kitchen, his dad told his every morning joke.

"Yes dad, but think about other jokes, it starts to be boring." Arthur said before sitting at the table and biting a toast.

"I'll think about it. Don't come back late tonight, you may have a girlfriend but I don't want it to impact your studies." His father replied to him, his eyes still focused on the news of "The Daily Planet."

"Let him be, his grades have always been good, and I like that girl." Sandra Reed, his mother told his father, while sitting at the table with her cup of coffee, "On which topic is Lois Lane article today?".

"An interview of Karren Star from Starrware Industries."

"She's a passionate reporter. I like to read her articles about LexCorp." A mischievous smile appeared on her face.

"Mom, everyone knows that you love scandals, even the neighbors know." He replied while shaking his head.

"People love scandals, that's why all journalists are hunting for a scoop."

"Yeah, that's not to denounce corruption." Sarcasm was his favorite form of communication.

"You're too naïve, son." His father told him while looking at him, "They're always a hidden side, remember that."

"You're strange today, usually you preach me when I broke the rules. I'll go back from school around 10:00 PM."

"Don't be late. I don't want to be a grandmother yet. I'm too young for that."

His parents were not exactly caring parents, they cared about their rules and their work over everything else. So much that sometimes he only sees them on morning as they spent the night at the clinic.

They didn't shower him with gifts nor they talk about their everyday life or the past. Sometimes, he found that they repeat a lot. Almost every morning, the topics of conversation were the same. He sometimes thinks they should develop their social life, at least they would gain some conversations subject.

On the way to high school, in the metro, he saw his parent's old friend, a titan with an eccentric fashion sense.

"Hi, Trent! Already working?"

Trent took him in a warm embrace while a big hand rubbed his hair "Hello little guy. On your way to see your girlfriend?"

"I've school."

"You could skip class." Nonchalant a usual, he responded while eying a girl.

"I don't know how my strict parents can be friends with someone as casual as you." Follow his gaze he saw a girl. "What's the problem with that girl? You want to take her to the hotel?"

"Remove that smirk from your face little shrimp." quieting down, he continued, "Her mother hired me to follow her, she's skipping class every few days."

Arthur was startled, no flabbergasted "You're following her, that's a joke. I thought it was your casual clothes. I hadn't expected that you were working in it."

This time it was Trent's turn to be surprised "What's the problem with my clothes, it's perfectly fashionable."

"It remains to be proved. How can you follow someone in these clothes? You're more eye-catching than a fugitive in an orange suit!"

"It's called "to hide in plain sight,", you're right to go to school, you have still much to learn." He descended at the next stop, putting on a dark blue vest with a white Batman logo on the back.

Watching him depart, he wondered, "How can he maintain any credibility as a private detective."

Trent Jeffords was an old friend from his family; they met him when moving in New-York. An ex-policeman, he resigned after a traumatic event he never told anybody. Trent married his wife last year and will be a father in a few months.

10 minutes later, he arrived at school, nothing special about it, nor prestigious, nor boasting an old history, a common high school of New York.

Arthur was an exemplary student, among the best, furthermore pushed toward studies by his parents, his results were high. His look was good, by the second year, he got himself a girlfriend. Jessica Han was a blond girl, of short stature and smart. She was adopted at 4 years old by a Chinese couple.

They hit off well together, met on several parties and soon started to hang out together.

"You'll go to the party to celebrate the championship victory tonight?" it was her first phrase, and he knew where she wanted to lead the conversation.

"No, or I'll have to hold your hairs as you throw up in the bathroom. I know what you want to say, should we go to your house? Your parents are not here for two days left, no one will disturb us."

It was clear; she didn't like to drink but the only time she drank; he drank with her which led to their first time, told by everyone to be unforgettable; He totally forgot it. But waking up in the same bed, they started over until their phone started to vibrate like crazy because of their parent's worry.

Her face took a deep shade of red; he loved her shyness. "Yes, why not?" she replied with false ease.

"Giggle", he ceased laughing seeing her pouting.

After school, they took the bus to her home, where they were soon busy entangled in the bed until exhaustion.

"You're not that shy anymore, seem more like a tigress." Laughing while caressing her back, he put a kiss on her collarbone. "Ouch, don't bite me. I was praising you." It seems he jested too much.

"I'll bite you much lower next time." A small laugh escaped her lips.

"Not a chance. I'll bite you much lower, not the other way around." They heard the deafening sound of an explosion as they wanted to resume their activities.

"Boom."

Putting up his clothes on, he opened the curtain at the window and saw a battle scene.

"Watch that, it's the Titans and the white alien that ripped apart the little alien impersonating a guy of the United Nations." Arthur was excited; he always liked superheroes, and here in front of him were the Titans.

He saw Nightwing in a black costume with a blue symbol; Starfire orange from head to toe with a purple attire flying around while emitting some energy; There was also Darkstar previously known as Wonder Girl, now the new one is blond, she was wearing a black suit with steel parts, a shield and a sword; a sort of pterodactyl that should be Beast Boy and Raven clad in black only revealing her pale face and thighs.

The white alien, the Justice League called him Lobo in a press conference. He was howling "Keezy fem" at Starfire before punching her in the head.

"Keezy fem? I would like to know what it means."

Jessica put her hands on his back while saying, a tad angered, "Yeah you love superheroes, but you ruined the mood."

Turning around, he saw her pissed off face "Oh…. Yes…. You're not wrong."

The later stage of the fight happened elsewhere, it moved away bit by bit. They could finally resume where they left it.

He went back home by midnight, prepared to listen to the nagging of his parents. They were strict, break a rule, and the consequences will be dire.

Getting off the taxi, he saw that the lights were still on, as usual, he would not be spared and was prepared to be preached until 3:00 AM.

"Mom, Dad, I know I've promised you to be back by 10:00 PM but…" His voice derailed, his thoughts slipped away from his mind, he felt numb, there was no sound as if the world became mute as his mind faded in the dark.

Arthur woke up 3 days later in a hospital room, he was in excruciating pain. Soon after his awakening, a doctor stepped into the room. "Hello Arthur, I…."

His mind was numb; he didn't realized the flow of time after the doctor visit.

He has been shot in the chest; It missed the heart by a hair, his parents were dead, a bullet each in the heart, a neighbor found him. It was an assassination, no theft, no rummage, …

Hearing that, his mind was left in a fog, he stayed in the room, unmoving during hours as his gaze was locked on his chest wrapped in a bandage.

After that day, he suffered headaches which caused extreme pain. Not only this, he was exceedingly tired, sleeping almost twenty hours a day.

And one day, it snapped, all the pieces of furniture were floating in front of him. He was marveling at this sight, reaching his hand, he tried to grab the bottle of water floating in midair and…. it stopped.

Everything fell to the floor in a clatter.

Immediately, sounds of running's foot came across the door, and a nurse stepped in with a frown "You again, can't you stop your tantrum, it'll change nothing to the situation." She berated him before cleaning up the mess and left leaving the door open.

His mind was clear, no headaches, freed of fatigue. It was a wonderful sensation, his thoughts evolved, and it became like an anthill, everything working at peak efficiency.

He checked that no one was coming this way and locked the door. He focused his thoughts to try to raise the water bottle for thirty minutes but not to avail. He shifted his target to the plastic spoon, and the miracle happened, it soared up slowly and wavered in the air.

"Unbelievable."

After that, every day became a training day, and the changes were easy to notice. Each day passing, one after the other strengthening him. It wasn't the only change as the day passed, a thought emerged and grew into an obsession; "I can kill them, I can have my revenge".

The final push to put him down the road of vengeance came with Trent. "Arthur, I've bad news I'm sorry. An old friend from the police told me they closed the case."

He was flabbergasted, "It was not even two weeks ago. It's far too quick."

"Yes, it's weird. There is only one explanation; someone is putting pressure to close the case."

"Who? Who is it?" He lifts from the bed, catching Trent by the arm.

Trent put him down the bed while telling him, "I don't know, it's far too high in the hierarchy. I only know that it came from Gotham City. Whoever it is, he was, or is at Gotham."

"Trent, could you do something for me?"

"No, I know what you want to ask. You want vengeance, but you're powerless, the person who did that won't hesitate a second to kill you. Try to live on." He told him with a feeble smile.

"Live on until what?" Arthur bellowed "Until they come back and kill me?"

"Arthur, listen to me. I'm a detective. I will find them and obtain justice."

"Are you kidding me? They forced the NYPD to shut up. You can shove your justice deep into your ass!" it enraged him, but he still succeeded calming down.

"If I show you I'm not powerless, will you help me?" he stared deep in his eyes with an iron determination.

"Show me what?"

Lifting his hand, Trent's wallet flew out of his pocket and became stable in midair, then all his cards and banknotes started to move out one after another and commenced to swirl for thirty seconds before coming back to their original position.

"I discovered it six days ago. I could barely levitate a plastic spoon for twenty seconds before it fell to the ground. Now, will you help me?"

Trent looked at him for half a minute before showing a resolved expression "I want to know your plan first."

"I wish you to help me die." It took an hour to convince Trent to support him.

The first step was to produce a false suicide attempt which will become a coma with Trent's contact help. It would give him time to develop and hone his telekinesis.

The second and final step was the death of Arthur Reed, which will give birth to Aiden Sharp.

It was the beginning of his revenge.

Present Day

Gotham

The alarm clock woke him up at 6:00 AM with tears rolling from his eyes.

"It's been a long time since I dreamt about the past."

Lifting from the bed, he took his breakfast and put on sport garments while performing all the chores simultaneously with his telekinesis. It was a great gain of time and more efficient than domestics robots.

Running, he headed toward Robinson Park in the chilly morning air of Gotham.

He devised a new training routine to power up his hand to hand combat skills; this new routine was a classic training with something special. During the exercise, he stimulated his muscles with his telekinesis to fasten the process and to get a better equilibrium of his muscles to obtain a body made for fighting; in theory, but the process would take months.

He wavered as to learn a new fighting style in a dojo, but it would take at least several months to learn a new martial art, even more time to master it, even if he was a prodigy.

He must boost his combat skills rapidly. The only realist choice was to perfect his mastering over the martial arts he already knows. Even if he couldn't attain Batman level as a martial artist, he could strengthen with his new training trick.

Training in his small apartment wasn't an option; he trained at Robinson Park, which was the territory of Poison Ivy some years ago, but now that she's in Arkham Asylum. The park returned to his previous users; many people were practicing sport here.

It was Saturday; he had all the time necessary, but contrary to usual, he didn't gone to the public library to study with Barbara. He trained until midday, then bought a sandwich in town, he then took the direction of the Bialyan quarter of Gotham, but before that he heads back to his apartment to retrieve the photography.

The Bialyan quarter is not well known outside of Gotham because the population was far less than Gotham Chinatown. It commenced approximately fifty years ago, with the first civil war Bialya sustain in the twentieth century. Later on, twelve years ago, another vague of immigrants came to Gotham with the ascent of Queen Bee to power.

His afternoon would be devoted to discovering what was camp #6 and who were the individuals on the picture. If he identifies them, he may find what he is looking for.

On the Internet, he discovered that camp #6 and everyone related to it are untraceable. His mind was running wild, his parents were murdered and now he discovers a phantom subject;He may have found a huge secret and his parents were sitting on it all this time.

If that secret was so significant, they could have tried to do something. Why didn't they tried to denounce it at the United Nations? Was his target so influential that he can influence the United Nations? It seems unlikely, even if someone is powerful and respected, they'll always be a rival, someone jealous of his success and ready to pull him down.

The Bialyan quarter wasn't different from the rest of Gotham, except for the restaurants and the population, all the buildings were in the same old style of Gotham.

"Excuse me, I…." He tried to ask someone on the street but was overlooked. It wasn't surprising, if someone you don't know approach you in Gotham's street, except for the rich quarters, you would hasten up your pace and left him behind because there is fifty-fifty chance for him to be a thief.

Aiden started over, but the results were the same. "Why do I have the impression of canvassing?"

After two hours of failure, he was tired and sweating. Today was a sunny day, to cool down he got in a bar and bought a beer. The bar was neat and tidy; the clients were few this afternoon.

"Thanks for the cold drink, you're saving me." He talked to the barman while peering at the old photo.

The barman was a typical Bialyan in his fifties with a slight accent. Approaching Aiden, he told him discreetly, "Young man, follow me to the backroom. I have something to tell you."

Raising his head, he saw the man staring at him, he doesn't seem to be a bad guy and even if he were one, he could make him pass through the wall. He nodded his head and got up from the barstool.

"Lucy, take care of the bar. I have to discuss something in the backroom."

Arriving at the backroom, the barman turned around and told him, "You should stop your investigations, or you'll die."

Frowning, he asked, "Is it a threat?"

"No, you misunderstood. These camp dating from before Queen Bee rise to power are a taboo subject. The only thing you'll found is death. I wanted to warn you, my brother died for the same reason." He was sad and his voice was trembling.

"Please tell me what you know." His voice hastened, that person has the answers.

"I already told you. There is only death. Thirty years ago, when I was still living in Bialya, I heard rumors about takedowns on villages all around Bialya. According to the rumors, they sent the captives to various camps, where they were subject to inhuman experiences.

In those days, I was a fearless young man wanting to help his people in reporting the living conditions to the international press. I found my way to one of those camps with my informant's help." He made a pause and emptied a glass of whiskey before resuming "What I saw that day is still haunting my nightmares; I couldn't approach the camp, but I saw movements outside the camp. Some soldiers were throwing corpses in a mass grave." He emptied another glass.

"I think you should slow down with the whiskey."

"I'm not proud of it. I fled. I left the country. The soldiers saw us but we managed to flee. After that I tried to report it, I wrote an article and gave it to a foreign reporter. The next day, it was my village that was raided, I was at the neighboring town with my brother, when we came back, it was desert, bodies were rotting here and here. Some died by gunshots, other by mutilation…"

His voice derailed, and alcohol didn't help it make it clear. Aiden lied him down on the couch while taking his glass away.

"We fled the country. Once in Gotham, my brother wanted to report it. He thought that here, no one could block us to warn the media. He was wrong. I never saw him again after he departed to the United Nations building."

"You don't have to be ashamed; you did everything you could. It's not your fault." He fell asleep while crying.

Watching his reaction, Aiden knew in what kind of mess he stepped on: a huge deadly mess.

The barman woke up ten minutes later. "I'm sorry, but now you know you should stop."

"These camps still exist? Did you know someone on this photo?"

"No, I heard from others that when Queen Bee rose to power, these camps were demolished."

Aiden thanked the man, paid his tab and left the bar, outside it was already dark.

Leaving the bar, he was in disarray. Were his parents being prisoners in that camp? Were they kidnapped while helping people? How have they fled? Who commanded this camp? Did his powers come from these experiences?

That conversation gave him more questions than answers.

"I have to find more. I need a name." Heading back home, Aiden was motivated start again tomorrow.

Batman POV

Batcave

6:00 PM

In the Batcave, only the training sounds of Barbara and Tim were heard.

Bruce Wayne was lost in thought while looking at the computer screens. It was rare of him.

Since the battle with "Gotham Tormentor" he frequently reminisced his own past.

"I don't want justice; I want to see the despair on the face of that bastard as I torture him till death!"

This phrase reverberated in him; In the past he could have told the same words. The loss of his parents drove him to the edge; It was the key factor that made him the Batman.

"What are you thinking about? Seeing you that way, it seems important."

Dick appeared behind him in his costume of Nightwing full black with a blue eagle symbol.

"Dick, you finally came back. I hadn't expected the break you mentioned to Kaldur would be fighting crimes in another team."

"No, it's not about the Team. I needed a blast of fresh air after Wally death. But I discovered that I'm not made for vacation. So, I gathered a bunch of people who didn't belonged either to the Team or the Justice League and created the Titans."

Dick was talking, sitting on a handrail while watching Batgirl and Robin fighting each other. Behind him scrawled the Batcave on three levels. It looked at the same time like a high-tech headquarters and a museum. They were all the equipment necessary to fight crime, a high-tech laboratory worthy to be among the best, a training space with all imaginable equipment and a garage with all the vehicles, Batmobile, bikes, helicopters, …

On the other side were the mementos of all Batman opponents and dangerous items that were too hazardous to be left to others.

"You eluded my question. What are you thinking?"

"Sigh" He stood and headed to the training space watching the training of his apprentices.

"A new player appeared in Gotham two months ago, you surely heard of it "Gotham Tormentor."

Lifting his brows, Dick explained, "Yes, I heard, he tortures peoples in the street to obtain answers. From what I know, he should have a telekinetic power."

"Yes, that's him. We confronted him two days ago."

Seeing his mentor pause surprised Dick. "What happened? Was he that strong?"

"No, I neutralized his powers with a little trick and his hand to hand skill were barely average." He paused again "He was like you Dick, like me, like us. He wanted vengeance."

"What? You want to help him like you helped me?" Dick was astonished by his assumption.

"No, it's easier to convince a thirteen-year-old boy than a young man. He would be too stubborn, I want to stop him, to put him on the right track." Crossing his arm, he turned around toward the computer.

Nightwing followed behind and asked "What did you saw in him? Many people were in that situation, such as Katana, Harley or Tally Man.

He may not come back on the right side, even you have wavered whether to kill Joe Chill and the Joker after Jason's supposed death."

"If I have the possibility to avoid it, I would like to avoid the emergence of another super criminal." Batman replied in a flat tone while typing on the computer.

"You're hiding something, I'm sure of it. I may not have Tim talent as a detective but I know you, there is something else."

"I felt it, his burning rage. He lost his parents. I am certain of it. I was in the same situation and I think there is still hope for him."

"Clark once told about you that you should be a killer, you should want to tear the world apart for what the death of your parents but your turn pain into hope." Remembering the past, he quoted the Man of Steel.

"He said this about you before, but you have to know that not everyone is as strong as you."

"It sounds like Clark, but I think I am right. The Tormentor handed over some criminals to the police and gave all the secrets of the Dimitrov family to the media."

"If he goes past the point of non-return, you'll have to send him to Belle Reve, or even worse, to Arkham."

"Stop, Dick, you know like me that there is no point of non-return. Among us, some did worse than him, Green Arrow, Big Barda, and many others. Lex Luthor created your friend Superboy."

"You seem soft you didn't change personality with Clark? Usually it would be Diana or Clark that would persuade you to give a chance to those with doubtful history."

"Keep your jokes to yourselves, and it was me who persuaded them most of the time, it was me who give her chance to Artemis." Bruce replied with a slight smile. "I have work to do. I know from Dimitrov that the Tormentor is searching for active assassins in New York area in the past six months."

"You already discovered his identity?"

"No, something strange happened. I found nothing. Not a trace."

"What?" Dick knew the skills of his mentor to solve a mystery, if Batman found nothing, it means that the Tormentor target knew how to cover his traces even to the Justice League.

"In the past six months several murders took place in New York, you should know more than I. You're active over there now. I searched every case; Among those some were solved, I linked up two with the League of Assassins, and the rest are still unsolved.

Among these cases, I searched for victims with sons, among these, I located every family member.

If his parents were murdered in the last six months, the case was erased, I found no informatics trace of erasure, Barbara double-checked. It's like if the case was never opened, to begin with. Furthermore, there was no news in the media."

"You have a lead on who could be behind this ?"

"Maybe Luthor, Argus, the League of shadows, the possibilities are vast, but without a starting point it will be difficult. If I want to help him, I need everything he knows."

"Something is telling me he will not agree."

"Then I must convince him."

Behind them, the door of the elevator opened and Alfred Pennyworth stepped out with cold drinks on a tray.

"Thanks Alfred, there's nothing better than a cold drink after training." Batgirl approached him seemingly exhausted.

"The pleasure is mine miss Barbara." Giving their drinks to Barbara and Tim, he stepped toward Bruce and Dick "Sir, I hope you don't forget the Gala of the Wayne Foundation next week. You have to be present." A bit of blame was heard in the voice of the old butler.

"Alfred, you know perfectly that I have better to do than go to a gala accompanied by models."

"Sir, can ask you when was the last time that Bruce Wayne showed up at an evening party ?"

Bruce had no time to respond as Dick interjected with a smile. "A long time ago."

"Putted that way, Alright, I'll go."