Batman: Angel of Death Part I

MARTHA WAYNE FREE CLINIC
GOTHAM'S EAST END

"Well, Doctor Kane, it's nice of you to help us get more of these patients looked at," said Dr. Leslie Thompkins. The silver haired middle aged woman looked at the young man as he wrapped the wrist of a child.

"Well, Bruce kinda forced me to come down here to check on things." said Joseph Kane as he finished the bandage. He turned to the child, "Now I want you to rest this wrist for a few days. Nothing intensive, do you understand?"

"Yes, Doctor Kane," said the kid as he ran off to meet up with his mom in the lobby.

Joseph turned to Leslie, "Bruce sent me to talk to you about the medication issues."

Leslie nodded, "In my office." They went into her office and Leslie invited Joseph to sit. Both knew their mutual benefactor's secret life, and both knew what was going on is important.

"I don't oversee Wayne Pharmaceuticals, Leslie, so I don't know why I was sent."

"You know, Joseph, that Bruce wants this to be discreet."

"But these deaths, Leslie...no other batches being sent out is having any problems."

"People are dying, Joseph; the poor and helpless come here for a safe place for healing."

"Criminals too."

"They know the rules, Joseph; they can get healing but beyond that they're on their own. But the deaths; the old, the young, those with disabilities."

"This is a simple painkiller, like aspirin; it shouldn't be causing deaths!"

"Yet it is, Joseph; someone is tampering with the drugs."

"Here?"

"Maybe, but maybe on the manufacturing end as well." Dr. Thompkins opened a door and handed files to Joseph. "Here are the patients who died."

Joseph began leafing through the files. "Same nurse....."

"Betty, you think its her?"

"An Angel of Death; not without evidence. I'm also going to need bloodwork and...."

"That was done at the morgue...and I doubt you'll get access."

"But we know someone who will."

******

THE BATCAVE

"Here you go, Joseph," said Nightwing, handing Joseph files. "I'm getting too used to breaking into evidence rooms."

"How did you do it?" asked Sam Kane, Joseph's little brother.

"Well...." began Nightwing.

"Not a word, Dick," said Joseph, looking through the files. "Last thing I need is you giving my very impressionable brother ideas about breaking and entering."

Nightwing flipped over to where Joseph was leafing through the files.

"Where's the big boss?"

"Investigating his own holdings, looking for clues; you just missed him." Joseph looks up from the files. "Whoever did this...he's a real bastard...."

"What?"

"He turned the painkillers into a painful poison! And his targets are the helpless! Why would someone do that?"

"You know the answer, Joseph," said Nightwing.

"What is it?" asked Sam.

"That people don't need a reason to hurt others...." was Joseph's sole response.

******

WAYNE PHARMACEUTICALS

Batman stood perched on the rafters overlooking the new generic painkiller. The new painkiller was a revolution; it would not trigger allergic reactions like in the case of some painkillers, was stronger, but wasn't addictive. It would revolutionize modern medicine.

So the fact that certain batches were being sent to the Free Clinic and were killing people was a matter of concern.

So he had to do the unthinkable...he had to steal from his own company.

Preferably without harming his employees.

Batman hid in the shadows as the security guards and the employees worked on packaging the drugs. A whistle blew, signalling a late night break. The guards and employees left...except for one. A lone security guard went over to the controls for the compounds comprising the drugs. He began adjusting it, transforming the next batches into poison.

Batman dropped to the catwalk and sneaked over to the "guard." However, he did not notice the lone screw on the catwalk...which fell onto the catwalk below. The "guard" looked up, and sneered. He removed his uniform, revealing a set of chainmail. Over that was a white tabard with a blood red cross.

"The Bat Demon!" grinned the "guard", drawing a collapsible sword. "FOR THE ORDER OF SAINT DUMAS!"

The man charged. Batman threw down a smoke pellet, obscuring the man's view. He vaulted behind the man's back and kicked the follower of St. Dumas in the middle of the back. The man stumbled; Batman used the time allotted to put a flash drive in to countermand the programming. He then turned to face the knight who swiped at him with his blade.

"Why are you tainting the drugs for the poor? Not very noble of you," Batman locked the blade in the fins of his gauntlet.

The knight struggled with his trapped blade. "We must cull the weak and unclean before we use Azrael to purge this city."

Batman laughed, a rare sound that would scare even the most crazed zealot. "You fool, Azrael turned away from your order long ago." He was referring to the present bearer of that title, Michael Lane.

The knight smirked as he planted a kick into Batman's gun and freeing his blade. "The true Azrael will rise, and purge this city!"

Batman frowned and as the man charged Batman grabbed his wrist and held him over the catwalk. "That won't happen. And who is behind this mission."

"Like I will tell a heathen like you. It's too late, more will come to taint the drug. What would heal the refuse will kill them. Besides, we've gone beyond just painkillers." The knight grinned, moments later a cyanide capsule in his molar silenced him forever.

Batman tossed the man aside and went to where the tainted pills were. He grabbed several for evidence. He then hit his comm.

"Operator, come in."

Joseph's voice came through the radio, "Yes?"

"I stopped whoever was tainting the painkillers, but the poison has likely spread to other medications sent across the city."

"That's horrible."

"I got a sample of the tainted painkillers, perhaps you'll be able to figure out an antidote."

"I'll try, but it will take time. Who's behind this anyways? Luthor? That would be his style...."

Batman's eyes narrowed at the sight of the knight's corpse. "The Order of Saint Dumas."

"I read your file on them, I thought they were weakened."

"No, and I need you to check on a grave in Lady of Angels Cemetery; Jean Paul Valley. I placed sensors there."

"Care to tell me the reason?"

"No."

"Suit yourself, Pointy Ears," quipped Joseph as he ran the sensor search.

"You're not going to earn training if you're going to call me that, Joseph."

"It's how I deal with the frustration...." Joseph's voice trailed off.

"Is the grave disturbed?" asked Batman.

"No, it's intact, the sensors haven't been set off. What does it mean?"

"That you and Leslie are right; there is an Angel of Death out there...and perhaps not the kind you think."

TO BE CONTINUED