Prologue

"Hello?" It was Luke Fox hearing his voice echo through Wayne Manor as he was walking in the empty home of Bruce Wayne. He found his way around, being here many times, going through the secret door that leads towards the batcave, "Bruce?" Luke remembered when he first came down to this cave. It was dark and the cave barely had any lights. He remembered finding out about this place and his reaction. Bruce Wayne as Batman was a surprise to him. He figured out the connection by learning from his father Lucius was using Wayne Enterprise to help build this cave, and giving Batman all his tech, but that was a long time ago. Lucius Fox is now dead and so is Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne's butler. Now Luke is alone, helping Bruce behind the scenes to continue his quest to protect Gotham from the criminals who try to destroy it. The cave was filled with trophies that Batman had collected over the years. The suits of Gothams protectors were on the displays. From Batman's suit to Nightwings and his during his crime fighting days as Batwing. 

When Luke came down the stairs he saw Bruce working out. His fifty-five year old body was covered with scars from over the years of crime fighting. Ever since Derek Powers took over Wayne Enterprise, all he has been doing is staying in the cave if he isn't out fighting. Bruce could hear the tap of Luke's cane as he was walking towards him, "You're loud Luke" Bruce told his old colleague's son. 

"Sorry to bother you, I thought I would check on you. You don't seem to go out much these days" 

"What's there to do? Only the mission matters" Bruce pushed back. Luke wasn't visibly shocked by this having to work with Bruce during his days as Batwing. He let out a sigh, "Do you even care that Darek Powers is taking over your family company?" Bruce said nothing and dropped the dumbbells on the ground before standing up to look Fox directly in the eyes. 

"Of course I do, but Powers made it clear he is interested in my company and I won't be around forever. His father was a friend of mine. That is the only reason why I am allowing it to happen"

Luke just let out a sigh, "Alright if you say so" adjusting his glasses. He knew once Bruce's mind was set there was no changing his mind, so he just let the subject go.

He and Bruce walked over to the computer to see what was going on in Gotham. They were listening to the news to see what was going on. Bunny Vreeland was kidnapped and was being held for ransom. The location was unknown. Luke looked at Bruce who was visibly angry. Bunny's mother was an old friend of his. Bruce turned off the computer before walking over the displays to pick up his suit. Luke tried to stop him, worried about his health after the incident last time, "Bruce, are you really sure its a good idea to be going out. Last time you were struggling to breath and I almost had to call the hospital. You were unconscious for three days" 

"I remember," Bruce said, almost not caring about his own health.

Luke took a deep breath, getting even more annoyed with Bruce. Part of him wanted to walk out, so he didn't have to worry, but he was the only friend Bruce had left in this world. He then looked at his old suit then down to his fake leg. Courtesy to Mr. Freeze. If Luke couldn't help his friend, at least he could support him in the shadows.

"Do you even know where to find her?" Luke had asked. 

 After Bruce changed into his before he stepped out. Luke could barely recognize him. The suit was similar to his Batwing suit, but it was all black and there was no cape. He had his mask on that covered all of his face. The red on his chest was a bat symbol.

"I will find her" was the last thing he said until he got into the Batplane and took off, leaving Fox alone.

Bruce was flying around in his New Batplane. Unlike the last one, this one was faster and more up to date with its technology. He used the technology in the plane to find out where Bunny Vreeland was through her phone. The location took him near Gotham Park. Bruce then jumped from the Batplane and tapped a knob on his belt that turned him invisible, which was also one of the latest parts of Bruce's belt. He walked around to find any clues, without trying to be seen. He then turned on detective mode to help him with the search.

Ultimately after searching every inch of the park, he was not successful. Before he left, he came upon a phone laying on the ground. Bruce picked it up to analyze it. The phone belonged to the missing Bunny Vreeland, the one he tracked. Once he went into her phone, he was analyzing any clues that might have led to her kidnapping. One name came up on the phone, Vincent. 

Bruce then used the jets from the boots to his batsuit to go up to the nearest rooftop. Once he got up he uncloaked himself, so he could go back up the batplane. Once he did that, he plugged in the phone. Thanks to using Waynetech, Bruce was able to track this Vicnent. Flying the batplane he finds himself watching a man in a hood walking. He looked at the tracker and its tracking back to the man. Bruce then flew down using the jets in his boots.

The hooded man was walking, looking paranoid. He was stopped when he saw Batman standing in front of him, "Where is Bunny Vreeland?" 

The man who was walking by got scared. Even tried to run, but Batman used his grapple to wrap it around the man's feet. It turned out he was a young man, who looked afraid. 

Batman brought him into an alley, where he pinned him against the wall, "Bunny Vreeland. You were the last person she spoke to. Where is she?" 

"Please, I didn't do anything"

"Then you shouldn't have run" Batman held his grip tighter. The one, who was being interrogated, was scared. Suddenly Batman found himself on the ground, after being hit on the back of the head. He looked up to see three people behind him.

"You alright Vinny?" the attacker asked his friend. He shook his head, trying to run. Batman tried to stop him, but was stopped by a mob of attackers. Batman uppercuts the one, who tried to hit him. The second one got punched in the face, and the other got kicked in the stomach. The first person who fell down got back up with a knife in his hand. He tried to cut Batman, who dodged it before hitting him in the face again.

Vinny was running down the street, scared, but he found himself tied up again. It was Batman, who picked up, throwing him on a rooftop. 

"Please, don't hurt me" Vinny had his hands up in the air. Batman grabbed him and brought him to the edge of the roof, "Then answer my question. Where is Bunny Vreeland? You were the last person she spoke to"

"You're right. I met her about a week ago. Very nice girl, but a group of people came to me"

"What group?" Batman said, starting to grind his teeth. Then a pack of drugs fell out of Vinny's pocket.

"Idk, but I saw an opportunity, so I told them, where I was meeting her, and then they kidnapped her and held her for ransom"

"So you traded her for drugs!?" Batman said angrily.

"I am sorry man. Please don't hurt me" 

"Where is she now?" Batman was starting to get impatient, lowering his arms.

"At the old Gotham Museum. If her parents don't deliver the ransom, then they will kill her" he was then thrown back to the ground.

"We will see about that" Batman, then punched him directly in the face, knocking him out.

Before he was about to return to his plane, Bruce fell to one knee, breathing heavily. This came back to the cave, where Luke sees this, worried he decides to reach Bruce, "Bruce, can you hear me? Your heart rate is going up. What's going on?" 

"Bruce then begins to stand up, "Nothing, I am fine"

"Clearly not. Perhaps you should return to the cave?" Bruce immediately shoots down this suggestion, "No. I know where they are holding her"

"Why not just call Barbara then? She is a Detective, she will get Bunny home safe" Luke suggested.

"Because if they see cops, they will kill her. I am her best chance" Luke took a deep breath and knew Bruce was right, so he let it go, knowing he would do it anyway, "Fine, just be careful"

Bruce didn't respond, instead he jumped into the Batplane before leaving for the Gotham Museum. He jumped out to find a place to hide, so he could scan the area. Tapping into the mask, the eyepiece inches closer to see who it is. Its a criminal with a gun in his hand. He was wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses. Batman tried to get a good look at the shirt and it had a penguin sign on it. 

Batman tapped his ear piece to contact Luke, "Get this, the guy outside has a penguin shirt" 

"A penguin shirt. Is he part of the Cobblepots crew?"

"Must be. Rumor has it, when Oswald died, his crew disbanded. Some joined with Black Masks or Two-Faces crew, others fled town. I am going in" 

"Alright Good luck Bruce" Luke turned off communication. Batman flew in stealth mode. 

Sneaking up he knocks the card unconscious before opening the vent he goes into. Crawling, while having his detective mode on. He looked to find who he was looking over. He turned the other direction to find that Bunny was being held in the west side of the museum, where the armory is. Convenient enough one of the thugs was near the vent, so Batman exits out of it and sneaks up from behind in a choke hold. The guy was screaming for help, but no one could hear him with his mouth covered before being passed out. Batman then looked up to the nearest ledge and grappled towards that.

He then scans the room to see that there are four more people in the room besides Bunny. Each of them were holding guns in their hands. One of the thugs sees their own passed out on the ground, causing him to freak out, when he runs over. Another one follows, panicking as well. 

They each spread out to find out who is attacking them, not knowing its Batman. There is only one goon that keeps watch on Bunny. Batman takes a mental note on this. One wrong move the girl could die. 

Batman is hanging from a ledge. He sees the three spread out. The dark knight then jumps down to hit the second thug in the face. Accidentally a gunshot comes off, hitting the ceiling. This blows Batman's cover. Two of the thugs come running his way. No time to hide somewhere, Batman throws his batarangs at the both of the thugs hands, dropping their guns.

Both of the thugs then run towards Batman, who begins to fight them. He punches one and kicks the other in the face. The thug gets up and Batman punches him again in the face. He lands three blows before landing on an uppercut that sends him flying down the stairs unconscious. 

Batman then takes a deep breath before walking up the stairs towards the bridge that connects to each side of the room. When he walked up, he then locked eyes with the man that was holding Bunny at gunpoint. The gun is pointing at her head, "Stop or I will shoot" 

Thinking about what to do, Batman Lifts his hands in the air. When the thug points the gun at him, he releases a batarang from his sleeve and throws it at the gun, causing the thug to miss. Batman then runs over and kicks him to the ground after he lets go of Bunny. Releafed, Batman finally lets take a deep breath, but then finds himself clinching his chest in pain. He then sees Bunny on the floor and walks over to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked in an unemotional tone. She murmurs something under her gag, but he can't understand her. Before he removes it, Batman is then hit on the back. He looks up to see its a thug in a black clothing, with a crowbar in his hand. Judging by his appearance, he was the boss of the kidnapping. Batman then got up to charge towards his foe, only to fall on the ground, clinching his chest. He was having a heart attack. The boss smiled and walked over, "You know ever since I was a kid people like me have been afraid of Batman. Now I get to be the one that kills him" He swings his crowbar at the bat, beating him with every inch of his life. All Bunny could do was hide, as she watched in horror. For the first time in what could be a long time, Batman was crawling for his life. The boss was slowly taking his time to walk. When he got closer it looked like the end for Batman, but just before he could feel another crowbar, he picked up a gun and aimed it at his foe. The boss just panicked, dropping his crowbar, "Please don't shoot" he then ran out scared. 

Bunny came out and saw Batman had a gun in his hand, causing her eyes to open in shock. Batman looked towards her and away, he walked out in pain, not realizing what just happened. By the time the Gotham Police came in he was already gone, vanished.

Batman limped out of the back of the building seeing that the police already arrived. Realizing that he was holding a gun in his hand, Bruces immediate instincts kicked in, causing him to throw the gun in anger. 

"Bruce?" 

Bruce looked over to see that it was Detective Barbara Gordon. She knew him so well that she knew he would be here, however he didn't respond, "Bruce what happened" 

"Its over Barbara. Tonight Batman is over" that was all he could come up with before getting on his plane. Before Barbara could say anything, Bruce took off into the sky.

Bruce later arrived in the cave, where he was being treated by Luke, who had medical training from his days in the army. All Bruce could think about is what he could have done to that thug if he hadn't ran away. He vowed never to use a gun, but after tonight he realizes that the time has come. He just continued looking down, when Luke finished patching him up. "All done" He saw there was a look in Bruces face that concerned him, "Bruce, Everything alright?"

"No. I almost killed a man" he said coldly.

"But you didn't" Luke said, trying to find words to encourage Bruce, but nothing would work. 

Bruce then stood up, "I spent all my life trying not to be the monsters that killed my parents. Even when I was on the floor, crawling for my life, I was desperate enough to pull a gun on a man. I am not better than he is. You were right Luke its time" 

"Time for what?" he asked confusedly. 

"Time for Batman to end" 

After getting changed back into regular clothes, Bruce hung up his cowl for the last time. Luke looked on saying nothing. All Bruce did was stare at the glass before murmuring words to himself, "Never again" he then turned his back away from the suit and went up the stairs with Luke Fox to close the lights to the batcave one last time.