Upstairs in Wayne Manor
Dick Grayson awakes from his nightmares, which are reoccurring each night.
He walks downstairs to get a drink and maybe calm his nerves. Dick notices that Alfred is nowhere to be seen. There’s only one place left for him to be.
As Dick walks down the stairs to the Batcave, he notices Alfred is trying to tell something to Batman as quickly as he can.
“…the hate.”
“Alfred, that doesn’t make any sense. It doesn’t explain anything to me,” Batman says hastily.
“Alfred what is it?” Dick asks.
“We are trying to find what this may mean.” Alfred passes Dick the piece of paper which he was writing down the Morse code.
“‘Some others underestimate the hate’,” Dick reads to himself.
“…that is all it says, Sir,” Alfred explains to Batman.
“There needs to be something else here,” Batman replies.
Dick looks at the note and studies it very quickly. He comes to a conclusion. “I know what this means.”
“What does it mean, Dick?” Batman asks.
“SOUTH.”
“South? How do you know that?” Batman questions.
“It’s the first letter to every word. These puzzles are easy. My dad use to make me do puzzles like this all the time.”
“South. Then the bomb has to be straight down from me.”
Batman runs down the hall and sees the bomb sitting on another power machine.
“I’ve found it.”
Batman slowly opens it and studies the bomb trying to see if it’s another fake.
“It’s real, I’ve found it.”
As Batman begins to unarm the bomb, he hears someone behind him.
“Batman! We finally meet. I knew you would make it here.”
“Riddler!” Batman says as he turns to face his foe.
“Ooooo, why use subtleties. I’ll simply call you Bruce and you can call me Edward.”
“I don’t know where you got this idea that I’m Bruce Wayne but I assure you, you’re wrong, Riddler,” Batman says with certainty in his voice.
“Haha! We shall see, Mr. Wayne,” Ridler says as he spins his cane, which he is holding.
Batman throws a Batarang quickly to see if there’s more to the Ridder then he appears. The Batarang hits squarely on the Riddler’s cane.
“You see, Batman, I have studied you and because of all the metal objects you use I’ve applied a small magnetic connection to my cane. Hope you don’t mind,” Riddler says with a smirk.
“Don’t Mind at all, Nigma,” Batman says as he dives towards the Riddler with an arm ready to swing and hit Ridder in the jaw. The Riddler catches the swing but it seems as though Batman suspected it as he throws the Riddler towards the bomb and as soon as the Riddler is up, Batman is ready with another swing. The Riddler drives his cane into the ribs of Batman before he can get the hit in. Batman walks back, nearly falling and holding his ribs. The Riddler comes with another swing and Batman just dives out of the way. Then the Riddler does a jab with his cane towards Batman, but Batman dives out of the way and the cane narrowly slides over the bomb as sparks fly from the wires.
“You should know, Riddler a magnetic charge would fry the wires of your bomb.”
“You’re CRAZY! That could have destroyed us both!” Riddler screams at Batman.
“Yes. But it would have just affected us. As a precaution, I turned the power to the machines off.”
“You’re crazy… We could of…” Riddler does not have time to finish his sentences before Batman hits him with an elbow and knocks him out.
“Alfred call the police.”
***
