It was a somber scene at the gardens of the Presidium. The second such scene in two days. One day after the funeral for The Turian Councilor, the Citadel was once again in mourning. Bruce stood in the crowd of dignitaries present to pay their respects to the late Matriarch Benezia T’Soni.

 

The Asari Councilor was giving an eulogy with Liara by her side. In a manner of speaking. Neither of the two surviving Councilors were actually at the funeral. Both were still on the Destiny Ascension, only present at the service via a holographic projection at the urging of C-Sec who didn’t want to risk losing another Councilor. Citadel Security were also out in force during the service. Determined not to allow another attack.

 

When the Asari Councilor finished her eulogy, Liara took the stage to say a few words about her mother. This was one part of Liara’s trauma Bruce couldn’t identify with. When his parents were killed, he was too young to be expected to say a few words at the funeral. He couldn’t even imagine standing in front of a crowd in this situation.

 

Liara’s words were brief but labored. She struggled her way through as she described her mother as a great leader of her people. How she was an inspiration to all Asari and an example to the rest of the Galaxy. Something she did not mention, Bruce was sure no one else noticed, were personal stories about Benezia as a mother. It seemed that Benezia’s status in Galactic Politics had built a wall between them.

 

At the end of the ceremony, Liara received condolences from several of the attendees before finally coming face to face with Bruce. They stared at each other silently for a moment while Bruce searched for something to say. The image of Liara holding her mother in her arms, the memory of him looking down at his own parents flooding his mind.

 

Liara could see that he was struggling, so she just asked. “Does it get any easier?”

 

Bruce considered that question for a second before answering honestly. “No, it doesn’t. But, one day, you’ll figure out how to live with it.”

 

“How long did that take for you?”

 

Bruce hesitated. “A long while.”

 

Liara nodded, perhaps smart enough to see the real answer on Bruce’s face. She gave her best attempt at a smile in response to the gesture. She gave up on it halfway. “Thank you for coming.”

 

“If you need anything.” Bruce said. “Just give me a call.”

----------------------------------

 

Alfred entered the Beta-Cave to see Bruce sitting at the bat-computer. Bruce wasn’t doing anything, he was just sitting there staring into space while Alfred placed a tray of fresh food and coffee next to him. He didn’t even react.

 

Alfred broke the silence. “Master Bruce, Lieutenant Vakarian’s condition has apparently improved. He should be waking up soon.”

 

“Thanks, Alfred.” Bruce said plainly. Tension clearly simmering beneath the surface.

 

“Sir, what happened to him was not your fault?”

 

“I made a choice.” Bruce stood up from his chair. “I chose to abandon him and the Silversun Strip and for what? I failed to save Benezia and I failed to capture Bane.”

 

Bruce walked around his chair and, in a sudden burst of rage, he shoved the chair forward and yelled. “I was too slow!”

 

“Master Bruce, you did everything you could.” Alfred insisted. “You had no way of knowing-”

 

“Why do you think she was here!” Bruce cut him off. “She knew, Alfred. Benezia knew I was Batman. I don’t know how but she did. She came here to ask for help. She came here for Batman and instead she got the playboy. And now she’s dead, because I was wearing the wrong mask at the wrong time. A mask I shouldn’t be wearing in the first place.”

 

“Sir.” Alfred said cautiously. “You can’t live your entire life hidden away from the galaxy, losing yourself behind the mask of Batman.”

 

“Why not!?” Bruce yelled. “Why can’t I? What has Bruce Wayne done other than get in the way of Batman?”

 

“Bruce Wayne has helped build and maintain our colonies.” Alfred argued. “Bruce Wayne has funded charities to help people of all species. And, as a Celebrity, Bruce Wayne is an inspiration. An example that anyone can overcome even the worst kind of trauma to live a life worth living.”

 

“It’s a lie, Alfred.”

 

“So is Batman.” Alfred pointed out. “No matter all the tricks, gadgets, and armor, Batman isn’t the mythical monster that so many criminals of the galaxy believe he is. He is a man. It’s the same with Bruce Wayne: Trillionaire Playboy. All the parties, fundraisers, and celebrity gossip. All theatricality and deception, designed to create a symbol. An idea. Batman provides fear to the criminal element, sure. Security for people who could be victims of them, yes. But fixing the galaxy takes more than fear and security. It takes hope, and that is what Bruce Wayne provides: Hope.”

 

“Bruce Wayne has made many mistakes.” Bruce said as he thought about everything he has said and done in the past. Before he became Batman.

 

Alfred walked up to him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “So has Batman. Because, at the end of the day, they are all the same person. Still growing. Trying to learn from those mistakes and become a better man. And for that, I am very proud of you.”

 

Bruce finally calmed himself and smiled. Thankful as always for the man who, through the worst circumstances, had assumed the role of father to him. A role he excelled at. “Thank you, Alfred.”

 

--------------

 

Garrus woke up to the sound of his heartbeat coming from the medical equipment. His eyes adjusted to see Tali sitting next to his hospital bed. She looked at him. “You’re awake.”

 

“Where am I?” Garrus asked as he became more aware of his surroundings.

 

“Huerta Memorial.” Detective Anaya said. She was standing at the opposite side of the bed from where Tali was sitting. “You got hit by the gas.”

 

“I figured as much.” Garrus said. “What’s the situation on the strip?”

 

Anaya asked Tali to leave the room before answering. After the Quarian was gone, she explained. “We’re cleaning it up. Whatever that toxin was, it sent over a thousand people into a massive frenzy. Dozens are dead, hundreds are injured. Goddess only knows what they were experiencing.”

 

Garrus had some idea. As he became more alert, the memories started coming to him. The nightmare the gas had thrown him into. The two figures that emerged to torment him. His father confronting him was bad enough but that other figure. A vision of himself, spewing the hard ‘eye for an eye’ mentality that had always been lingering in the back of his mind. The fire and hate in that voice…was terrifying.

 

“Are you alright?” Anaya asked. “You were hit by that gas. Do you remember anything?”

 

“I’m alright.” Garrus lied. “I don’t remember anything.”

 

“Alright.” Anaya could see that wasn’t an honest answer but chose to accept it. “You were in pretty bad shape for a while until we got a cure.”

 

“Cure?”

 

“Dr. Crane.” Anaya sighed. “He was able to ‘quickly’ study the drug and develop a cure.”

 

“He was able to just whip that together in a hurry?” Garrus asked.

 

“A very impressive feat.” Anaya answered sarcastically, sharing the Turian’s suspicion. “There is one more thing….you’re not going to like it.”

 

She was right, Garrus didn’t like it at all. The doctors tried to insist that he should take more time to rest but, with the drug now out of his system, they couldn’t actually keep him there. With Anaya in tow, Garrus marched into C-Sec HQ and made a beeline to the Executor’s office. He motioned for Anaya to wait in the hallway while he barged in.

 

The door closed behind Garrus while he barked to the Executor. “What the hell is going on!?”

 

The Executor raised his hand from behind his desk. But, before he could say anything, Garrus spotted Saren standing in the office. “And what the hell are you doing here!? You’re supposed to be under house arrest!”

 

“Given the escalating situation.” The smug Spectre answered. “The remaining Council has decided to rush my review.”

 

“Well, good for you!” Garrus yelled. The Executor tried again to cut in but Garrus was seeing red at the moment. “I’m sure having Crane in your back pocket helped a lot with that!”

 

“I called upon Dr. Crane to deal with the crisis in the Silversun Strip.” Saren shrugged. “His experience and expertise made him an obvious choice.”

 

“Awfully convenient that he was able to get that cure together as quickly as he did!”

 

“I don’t understand your meaning, Vakarian.”

 

“Enough!” The Executor finally managed to put in. “At the Council’s ‘request,’ I have deputized Saren Arterius and have formed a special task force to investigate these attacks…with him at the head.”

 

“This is my case!”

 

“This isn’t simply a gang war anymore, Garrus.” The Executor fired back. “Multiple Assassinations, a terminus gang invading the Citadel, conducting acts of terror. As a Spectre, Saren has the experience and expertise required to deal with the situation.”

 

“And I’m big enough to admit when I was wrong.” Saren said. “You were right about the Blood Pack.”

 

“The Blood Pack killed Lady Benezia.” Garrus pointed out. “But the people who launched the chemical attack on the Strip were Salarian. Last I checked, Salarians and Krogan don’t get along. Not even in the Terminus.”

 

“Well, that’s something that we’re going to have to investigate.” Saren replied.

 

“Like you did with Fist and Crane’s staff.” Garrus growled. “You have done nothing but get in the way of this investigation. And speaking of Crane’s staff, I have to question how Crane was able to get that cure.”

 

“Garrus-” The Executor started.

 

“No.” Saren raised his hand. “He’s right. Dr. Crane and I were obviously too quick to declare Kersya secure. Clearly, further investigation of Crane’s people is required. And I do hope you agree to join my new task force, Garrus. Major Crimes have been on this for a while, I’d certainly value the input of you and your team. I actually had a surprisingly nice chat with Sargeant Harkin. Quite knowledgeable…for a human.”

 

Garrus gritted his teeth. Harkin had seen Garrus alone with the Batman. The threat was clear: Don’t start throwing accusations at the Spectre, he will retaliate. A fresh flurry of rage suddenly built up in Garrus. You arrogant piece of shit, you want to threaten m-

 

Garrus shook his head, shoving down that wild thought in an instant. “Sure, I’m sure my team would love the opportunity to work with a Spectre.”

 

After that, Garrus grudgingly assisted Saren in picking out the members of his new task force. And together they ran down the new security measures C-Sec was putting in place. Or, rather, the measures Saren was putting down. Stricter curfews, checkpoints, the works. He’d probably put the entire station on lockdown if the Council allowed it…though maybe that wasn’t his agenda.

 

It was during all this that a message came in on his omni-tool. Garrus checked it after the meeting was done. It was Batman. He was asking to meet. Garrus sent a quick acknowledgement and, after he was done with Saren, made a quick pit-stop in C-Sec’s inventory before going to a rooftop not far from HQ.

 

The Dark knight was standing like a statue when Garrus arrived. He turned to the Turian. “I’m glad to see that you recovered, Garrus.”

 

“Yeah.” Garrus sighed. “The same can’t be said for everyone on the strip.”

 

“I know. And I’m sorry for not being there. I had to make a choice.”

 

You backstabbing, masked freak!!! Garrus managed to stop himself from saying that out loud…what was that? “No, you just would’ve been gassed to. Besides, someone on this station had to be there for Lady Benezia. I’m just sorry you couldn’t get there in time.”

 

Batman seemed to examine the officer. “Are you alright?”

 

“Yeah, I’m just exhausted.” Yes, that’s all it was. The memory of that vision weighing down on him. His father. His other self. That’s all that thought was. Just a memory. “But we have bigger problems. Saren has used the crisis to take control of the investigation.”

 

“You think he’s involved?” The question was practically rhetorical.

 

“The attackers on the strip were Salarian.” Garrus explained. “Just like the people who developed the Titan for Bane. It can’t be a coincidence. Crane is involved which must mean Saren is as well. But they’re paid up with the right people. I can’t even talk to Crane without Saren looking over my shoulder.”

 

“I can talk to Crane.”

 

“You sure about that?” Garrus asked. “The attention is finally on the Blood Pack. You go after Crane yourself and you’ll be right in Saren’s crosshairs.”

 

“I think that’s unavoidable.” Batman said plainly. “And we need answers.”

 

“I had a feeling you’d say that.” Garrus pulled out two vials. “These are the cure for that toxin. One and a spare. I have no idea how long lasting they are.”

 

Batman took the vials. “Keep your comm handy, I’ll let you know if I find anything.”

 

Garrus looked down at his omni-tool to give the link Batman has been using top priority. “I’ll be ready, just try to not-”

 

He looked up and saw that Batman was gone. “How the hell does he do that?”

 

Garrus left the rooftop and started making his way down to the street when he suddenly stumbled upon Harkin waiting for him. He had a slimy grin on his face. “Hey, boss. Didn’t realize you were into rooftop gazing. Looking out on the wards. Very romantic.”

 

“I’m not in the mood, Sargent.” Garrus said while he tried to walk past. “We have a job to do.”

 

“And yet you’re here. After taking a detour in inventory. Not actually a proper use of C-Sec resources, is it?”

 

You Two-Faced piece of shit!!! Garrus suddenly grabbed Harkin by his collar and shoved him up against the wall. “You Two-Faced piece of shit!!! You want to lecture me about proper procedure, how many times have drugs and credit chits disappeared on cases that you worked in between the cocktail parties Udina throws for you!?”

 

“Wow.” Harkin smiled. “Tell me how you really feel. But who are you to judge right now? One of the noble Vakarians running errands for a vigilante. I mean…who's the real Two-Face here, boss.”

 

And with that, Garrus suddenly regained control himself and released Harkin. “I’m too tired for this back and forth, Harkin. And I don’t have time for it. Just tell me what you want?”

 

“Just a mutual understanding.” Harkin said with a smug smile. “I’m sure we can both have a ‘blind eye’ as far as the both of us are concerned. Maybe a nice recommendation the next time a lieutenant spot opens up.”

 

“Fine.” Garrus said, desperate to simply end the conversation. If one less eye on his own shady activities is what he’s angling for, Garrus can live with that until the threat has passed. And it’s not like Garrus can actually stop Harkin’s next promotion with Udina in his back pocket.

---------------------

 

Batman had left the batmobile and was now standing atop of a building looking down at Kersya Bio-Chemicals. He spoke into his comm. “Alfred.”

“I’m here, sir.” Alfred replied from the Beta-Cave. “The drones have completed their scan. Predictably, the building appears to be shielded. However, the structure seems to have sub-levels that don’t appear on any of the Citadel’s official records.”

 

“Then that’s where I’m going.” Batman said while he leapt from the building and extended the wings of his cape.

 

“Very good, sir.” Alfred replied. “Keep that cure at the ready.”

 

Batman landed in an alley several buildings down from Kersya. Using his omni-tool, he located an entrance to one of the maintenance tunnels and hacked in. 

 

Deep within the sub-levels of Kersya was the very heart of Dr. Crane’s less than legal studies. His Salarian staff were working on various tasks while he himself was studying footage of the trial he conducted on the strip. Images of the various species reacting to his fear-toxin played on multiple screens.

 

One of Crane’s aids stepped forward with a datapad. “Dr. Crane. We have the latest reports from the various hospitals. Lasting side-effects, details of the visions they experienced.”

 

Crane stood there for a moment, taking in the images. The sight of people terrified and turning on each other while his toxin consumed them. Finally, he responded. “Catalog the effects. Arrange by species, age, gender, background, etc, etc. Make sure the report of what they saw is extremely detailed. No data is useless.”

 

“Yes, sir.” The aide turned and left Dr. Crane who continued to stare unblinking at the screen. Though his gaze was redirected to an alarm at the bottom of the screen.

 

Using the keeper tunnels, the Batman had hacked his way into Kersya. He used a program that he had been working on ever since he learned of the Quarian hacker Bane had been using to smuggle their way through the Citadel’s inner infrastructure. The Dark Knight knew he would need his own way through the Keeper’s encryption. It seemed to work, he just hoped that he had enough tech skill to avoid alerting the former STG scientist. He would know soon enough.

 

Batman looked around the room, he seemed to be in a storage area. Using his omni-tool, he scanned the crates that filled the space. He spoke into comm. “Anything?”

 

“The crates aren’t shielded.” Alfred answered as he studied the results on the bat-computer. “No explosives. They appear to be crates of chemicals.”

 

“Ingredients.” Batman concluded.

 

“That seems to be the logical conclusion.” Alfred agreed. “Can’t tell you specifically what chemicals but…good lord, the quantities. How much of this ‘fear toxin’ does Dr. Crane need.”

 

“Military scientist.” Batman said, thinking aloud. “Working for profit. If the attack on the strip was meant as a demonstration, he could have some pretty big orders to fill.”

 

“You don’t sound too confident in that theory, sir.”

 

“It strikes me as a ‘best case’ scenario.” Batman explained. “If Crane is in league with Saren and Bane, the need for this amount of toxin in addition to the titan compound….”

 

“That would be a frightening combination.”

 

Batman looked up and saw a vent in the roof. Using his grappling gun, Batman leapt up and entered the duct. Moving quickly but quietly, he moved through the facility. Whenever he came across another vent, he would survey the scene. More storage for chemicals and equipment. Hallways with techs and security on patrols.

 

Eventually, he spotted an opening. A bodyguard, likely a former STG Commando, patrolling alone in one of the storage rooms. Batman waited for the guard to be in the right position and, before the Salarian could even register the sound of the vent, he was suddenly behind him to perform a very silent takedown.

 

Batman then hacked into the guard’s omni-tool and synched it up with his own. He spoke to Alfred. “Tapping into their communications now.”

 

The Dark Knight’s omni-tool beeped to indicate that it completed its task. But before Alfred could respond, a slow, Salarian voice came into his ear. “Welcome, Batman. I hoped that we would meet during your stay on the Citadel.”

 

Batman didn’t respond. He just stood up from the unconscious guard while a blast shield closed the air vent above him, followed quickly by the door opening up in front of him. Batman didn’t know what Crane’s game was, but he had the cure at the ready. Thankfully, Alfred knew to keep quiet while their comms were compromised.

 

Batman slowly stepped out into the hallway. Another door opened up as an alarm sounded off for a half second while the lights went out…and slowly came back with red, emergency lighting. Batman gave absolutely no reaction. He just walked down the hall.

 

“I enjoy the armor, Batman.” Crane said in his ear, presumably watching him over a security feed. “I have always assumed that the name was literal but the design is quite eloquent. I have a feeling you and I have a lot of similarities.”

 

“You and I are nothing alike.”

 

“Are we not?” Crane taunted softly. “Bats are a common phobia among your species. You use fear as a weapon. To intimidate and manipulate. To test and learn. Just like me.”

 

“You unleashed a chemical attack on innocent people.” Batman fired back. “An attack that provided the blood pack an opening to kill an Asari Matriarch.”

 

“Indeed.” Crane said. “Very interesting timing.”

 

“You expect me to believe you had nothing to do with that. You’re in league with Saren. Saren is in league with Bane.”

 

“Is He?” Crane mused. “Interesting…though irrelevant.”

 

That took Batman slightly off guard. “Irrelevant?”

 

Slowly, methodically, Batman marched into a lab filled with consoles and Salarians working away at those consoles. A couple of them gave the Dark Knight a cursory glance but they mostly just went about their business in the dim red light as if he weren’t there. Batman, himself, gave a view useless glances at their screens. Salarian mental processing was so quick they went through pages and paragraphs of work at a rate most humans couldn’t hope to keep up with.

 

Crane continued in his ear. “What possible relevance could Saren’s motivations and alliances have on me. I am a scientist, Batman. I believe in conducting my experiments. Collecting and analyzing data. Changing variables. Common error to view different species as monoliths. Important to examine unique individuals, the effect they have on others….”

 

A sudden burst of white smoke came down from the ceiling above. The salarians working in the room were clearly given no warning. Their shock and panic was immediate. Batman, for his part, simply jammed the injector between the armor plates on his upper thigh and injected himself with the cure as the gas enveloped him.

 

After a second, the dim red lights grew brighter and began to overtake the room while the faces of the Salarians began to twist and morph while the Scarecrow finished. “And the effect of different formulas.”

 

Different Formulas…Wrong cure…A trap!!! The thoughts rushed through Batman’s head while he felt his heart rate jump up from the toxin. The injector dropped from his hand while the panicked, distorted Salarians began to attack him.

 

It took every ounce of willpower for the Dark Knight to not be over aggressive in defending himself. He shook off the drugged scientists and dropped a flash grenade as he retreated back to the door. At least, he was sure that was the door he came in from. It was open. It didn’t look much like a door any more. More like a portal.

 

He stepped through it just as the flash bang went off. That proved to be a mistake. Disoriented, Batman didn’t prepare himself for the bright flash that blinded his vision. For the bang that rang his ears while the red light disappeared. Suddenly there was darkness.

 

“Tell the Scarecrow what you’re seeing!” A high pitched voice screeched in his ear. “What does the giant bat fear most? What are its nightmares?”

 

While staggering in the pitch black, Batman thought he could hear Alfred calling out to him while the feeling of the floor vanished. He was falling! He didn’t know for how long but felt the impact. He cried out as the space around him became bright white.

 

“Bruce!” A woman’s voice yelled back to him. A familiar voice.

 

Young Bruce looked up with tears in his eyes. The pain in his knee rang sharply. “Mommy!”

 

The white faded away and the feeling of wind hit his face while his mother ran across the grassy field to him. A member of Wayne Security was right behind her. Bruce looked up at the tree he just fell from while the two adults knelt beside him.

 

His mother was completely beside herself. The Security guard was more calm while he examined the knee. “I think he’s going to be alright. But we should get him back to be safe.”

 

“Alright.” Bruce’s mother said while guard took the boy in his arms, brought him to the car, and, after flying back, carried him though the main colony. Several of the Colonial officials expressed concern for Bruce while he was taken to the med bay. As the Security Guard suspected, he was fine. Just a sprain.

 

Bruce was disappointed. Going out to explore with his mother was the only fun he had been able to have since arriving on Mindior with his parents. Part of his father’s tour of the colonies that Wayne Enterprises funded. After a bit more fussing from the colonial med staff, Bruce saw his father come in. Flanked by the Colony’s mayor.

 

“Is he alright?” Thomas Wayne asked the head doctor while he hugged his worried wife.

 

“Your son is fine, sir.” The doctor answered. “I can give him some light painkillers if you like but, frankly, I think some ice would suffice.”

 

“Some ice will be fine.” Thomas nodded with that trillionaire smile that Bruce would spend the rest of his life trying to replicate. The doctor nodded and walked away. Thomas looked at his son with a sigh. “Climbing again? Trees or boulders?”

 

“Tree.” Bruce answered.

 

“I tried to stop him.” Bruce’s mother said. “But he got up there so fast.”

 

“Any reason you weren’t listening to your mother?” Thomas asked pointedly.

 

“I wanted to get a good look of the colony.” Bruce answered.

 

“The view from our shuttle isn’t good enough?

 

“It’s not the same.”

 

Thomas laughed while a nurse brought a bag of ice for the boy’s knee. Thomas thanked the woman before turning back to his son. “Don’t think this gets you out of our breakfast with the Shepard family tomorrow. They have a kid your age. I’m sure you’ll be able to have some fun.”

 

Bruce nodded as he applied the ice pack to his knee. He writhed in pain for a moment, his armor scraping against the metal floor while the medi-gel soaked in. He looked up at the trap door he fell through and around the room, still feeling the effects of the toxin.

 

The entire room seemed to shiver while Batman stood up, his knee now numb from the medi-gel. He took a deep breath, straining to get his heart rate back under control. Hoping that the worst of the toxin was behind him. He stood up as the room went pitch black again.

 

“It can take a while to realize you're in a nightmare.” The Scarecrow hissed in his ear. The sound of mechanical gears turning filled the room as the digital glow of faces emerged while the LOKI mechs became active and stood up around the Dark Knight. “You mistake it for a normal dream…a simple memory…and then the terror strikes.”

 

The LOKI mechs drew their pistols. The voice of Bruce’s mother echoed in his head. “BRUCE….RUN!!!”

 

“No.” Batman said defiantly as he threw batarangs at some of the mechs as the others opened fire on him. The shots deflected off his shields while the mechs he struck with batarangs trembled and exploded. The explosions sent debris flying all over as the Colony of Minior burned around him.

 

Shuttles and fighters were zipping across the sky. The outmatched Colonial militia was scrambling to fight off the Batarian slavers who were rampaging through the town center. Young Bruce stood terrified as one of the shuttles came crashing down into one of the nearby buildings. The Colonial soldiers were dropping like flies. Bruce’s mother saw him in the chaos. 

 

“Bruce!” His mother yelled at him while several Batarians surrounded her. “Run!”

 

“NO!” Bruce yelled charging the slavers. With each punch, the slavers shattered into sparks around him. And then Batman was standing there in the wreckage of LOKI mechs he had left, the digital lights of their faces dimming into darkness. The red emergency lights came back, illuminated the room while the shadows grew from behind the Dark Knight.

 

Batman turned to see the pumpkin headed ghoul smiling at him. It’s four long talons stretching out while he screeched. “And then the nightmare becomes real!”

 

Scarecrow launched its talons at Batman who rolled away to dodge the attack. Ooze flowed from Scarecrow’s mouth while he continued to taunt. “The nightmare becomes you. Consumes you. You feel it in your waking moment.”

 

After dodging a few strikes, Batman managed to land a punch on Scarecrow. Sending him back towards the wall. Using his talons, the Scarecrow leaped back and crawled up the wall as Batman threw more batarangs. Missing every shot. The Scarecrow reached the ceiling and fired bolts down at him.

 

Batman dodged the darts with a roll. He looked down and saw the darts were more doses of Scarecrow’s toxin. The Dark Knight shook his head and looked back up at Crane whose image seemed to ripple like water between that of the armored Salarian and the pumpkin headed ghoul. 

 

The Caped Crusader strained to keep his vision focused while he dodged another round of toxin filled darts. Crane could clearly see that the toxin was losing some of its potency…or that Batman’s will just needed a bit more of a dose. In either case, the infiltration had clearly failed. It was time to go.

 

Batman dropped a smoke bomb while simultaneously tossing a magnetic charge on the door behind him. With a pop, the charge incinerated the lock and the doors slid open. Granting him a path of escape. He dropped a shock grenade behind him to slow Scarecrow's pursuit.

 

Alfred’s voice suddenly came back into his ear while Batman ran through the facility. “Sir! Mordin’s failsafe protocol has re-secured the comm. What is happening? Your vitals are all over the place.”

 

Batman couldn’t be sure the voice was real. No more than the surroundings around him that were now in constant flux. Alternating between the red-lit halls and the chaos of the Batarian attack on Mindior. In this moment, he had to trust it was. In the midst of everything, he had to believe that Alfred was real. He answered into the comm. “Code red! Need a point of escape. Be sure the batmobile is there for immediate return to the cave.”

 

“I still can’t get a clear image of the building’s interior.” Alfred explained. “But I can see that you are still several levels down below the street.”

 

That was clear enough. Batman went through the shifting hallways, dodging attacks from mechs and shadows all the while Mindior burned around him. Gunfire rang out around Bruce while the Batarians surrounded his mother who screamed out to him. “Bruce…RUN!!!”

 

Bruce’s heart was pounding as he ran through the field of fire. He spotted a vent in one of the prefab units and slid into it. From there he watched in horror as his mother and father were knocked to their knees in the middle of town square while the leader of the Batarian slavers stepped forward. His battle armor glowing like the sun while he aimed his pistol and killed them both.

 

And then there was silence. When the attack was over, Bruce emerged from his hiding place. He collapsed to the ground where his parents were. Where Liara T’Soni was holding her mother with tears in her eyes.

 

Tears in his eyes, Batman looked up the vent he had slid into. It was a vertical shaft. He fired his grappling hook and flew upwards, an explosive charge later got him to the street. To the Batmobile. There Bruce was loaded into the shuttle by the Alliance Marines who had arrived too late for the Colony of Mindior. Too late for his parents.

 

Bruce just sat in the vehicle silently as he was taken away. Just as he now did in the Batmobile, flying on auto-pilot as the exhaustion from the toxin and its nightmare began to overtake him. And just like with the long shuttle ride from Mindior, Alfred was right there to help when the Batmobile returned to the beta-cave.

Bruce goes to visit Liara(The Court of Ksad Ishan)