A night out..., The return of the Gentleman Ghost...

[Mr. Zsasz]

The actress screamed on stage as the grotesque cloaked man stretched his arm to grab her, and yet all who observed the scene did so with half-concealed apathy and discontent. Indeed, the newest production of Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera left much to be desired. The only interesting thing about it, from a sadistic point of view, was the terror and despair in the performers’ eyes, as they realized that they were minutes away from having rotten tomatoes thrown at them by Gotham’s rich and influential.

“Please! Just one miracle…” thought Bob Wilkes, as he came to the realization that his performance as the deformed composer was not fit even for the worst direct-to-DVD B-Movie. “Anything to make the torment stop…”

Then, as if answering Bob and the audience’s prayers, thick white mist appeared on the center of the stage, bringing the horrendous production to a halt. When the smoke cleared, a strange figure dressed in white gentleman’s attire appeared on stage; he held a cane in one hand and wore a monocle, but appeared to have no face!!!

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen” said the strange white figure, taking a bow. “Tonight you all have the distinct honor of being robbed by Gentleman Jim Craddock.” General unrest followed in the audience, who were not able to distinguish whether this was an actual robbery, or a desperate attempt to save the doomed play.

“This is my chance!” thought Bob. “I’ll jump this deluded creep, and then everybody will be too grateful to lynch us. I’ll be a hero!! I’ll be able to leave this production”

Before the disbelieving eyes of the crowd, Bob lunged at the so-called “gentleman”, but to his surprise he passed right through the robber. As Bob slammed his head on the floor, the white figure paused for a few moments, and then turned his attention to the flabbergasted audience.

“Now… as I was about to say… before being so rudely interrupted… there is no need for heroics. If you could just relinquish your treasured possessions to my esteemed associates nobody will be harmed.” The white figure snapped his figures, and four hulking thugs appeared in the room holding bags and handguns. “Gentlemen… and I do use the term in the broadest sense… if you may…”

Within minutes the thugs had assembled most of the jewelry and money from the crowd. When they had finished they joined the white figure on stage.

“A splendid harvest if I may say so myself. Ladies. Gentlemen. Congratulations your taste is impeccable. I shall remember this occasion fondly” The figure tips his hat. “Until next we meet”

And with that, the mysterious figure and his henchmen disappeared in a puff of white smoke. The police would later discover an intricate network of trapdoors and holographic projectors hidden in the theater…

[Ish]

Nightwing swings between the roof tops of a dark and cloudy Gotham. As he dives into the night air shooting his grapple gun toward the next building in view, there is one thought in his head.

'I am so late for this date! Babs is going to kill me !'

Nightwing has spent the last few months in New York trying to get his life together to be a better man ... to be a better hero. In his quest to gain all that he lost he asked barbra gordon out to a performance of The Phantom of the Opera at the gotham theatre in hopes of working on thier friendship, but nightwing finds himself late... very late due to a case that involved the Outsiders. Nightwing lands on the roof of the theatre and begins to fumble out of his gear and into one of Bruce's borrowed tuxes that has been stuffed into his backpack for a quick change.. As he races toward the stairs he can hear the show in progress.

The actress screamed on stage as the grotesque cloaked man stretched his arm to grab her, and yet all who observed the scene did so with half-concealed apathy and discontent.

Grayson jump flips from one flight of stairs to the next covering the three flights with ease as he opens the theatre doors he sees...

thick white mist appeared on the center of the stage, bringing the horrendous production to a halt. When the smoke cleared, a strange figure dressed in white gentleman’s attire appeared on stage; he held a cane in one hand and wore a monocle, but appeared to have no face!!!

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen” said the strange white figure, taking a bow. “Tonight you all have the distinct honor of being robbed by Gentleman Jim Craddock.” General unrest followed in the audience, who were not able to distinguish whether this was an actual robbery, or a desperate attempt to save the doomed play.

Grayson see this and close the door shut. with a deep sigh he drops his head on to the door and drops his shoulders feeling defeated.

'This was... why now?.... Babs im sorry I just...' Grayson runs back up stairs to put on his gear and try to find a way to stop a ghost.

“A splendid harvest if I may say so myself. Ladies. Gentlemen. Congratulations your taste is impeccable. I shall remember this occasion fondly” The figure tips his hat. “Until next we meet” And with that, the mysterious figure and his henchmen disappeared in a puff of white smoke.

Nightwing enters the emergancy exit to the catwalks above the theatre. Crouched low he over hears the Gentleman ghost say his farwells and vanish into a puff of smoke. as the smoke rises Nightwing turns on his termals and watches the goons disapear into a trap door.

Nightwing slides down one of the ropes causing the curtain to drop as he tumbles on to the floor, into the smoke and inside the trapdoor.

[Mr. Zsasz]

“If you could please hasten your pace” said the Gentleman Ghost in a tone that somehow seemed both anxious and indifferent. “It will not take long for someone to call for Gotham’s finest or to realize how we made our exit.” He directed the thugs towards the end of the tunnel. As the last one, a chubby one, slouched past him the Ghost pulled out a silver pocket watch and shook his head(?) in disappointment. “Honestly sir, we do have a schedule to adhere to! We cannot just…”

The Ghost stopped in mid sentence and stood frozen for a second. Something was about to happen. If he had a mouth he would smile, as all the good memories from his past visits to Gotham came flooding back. He put his pocket watch back into place and returned his attention to his men.

“Follow me men, we do have an appointment to keep, and a gentleman is never late!”

The four men looked quizzically at each other for a moment, and then followed the strange white figure. A few more feet and they would reach the entranceway to the sewers, and the speedboat. Then they would be safe…

[Ish]

“If you could please hasten your pace” said the Gentleman Ghost in a tone that somehow seemed both anxious and indifferent. “It will not take long for someone to call for Gotham’s finest or to realize how we made our exit.” He directed the thugs towards the end of the tunnel. As the last one, a chubby one, slouched past him the Ghost pulled out a silver pocket watch and shook his head(?) in disappointment. “Honestly sir, we do have a schedule to adhere to! We cannot just…”

Nightwing drops ande rolls in to the hallway filled with props and turns on his Starlite Nightvision lenses. His fighting sticks out and ready he scans the area for movement and sees the thugs down the hallway toward an emergancy exit.

'There they are! the goons are good as caught, but how do you stop a ghost?'

The Ghost stopped in mid sentence and stood frozen for a second. Something was about to happen. If he had a mouth he would smile, as all the good memories from his past visits to Gotham came flooding back. He put his pocket watch back into place and returned his attention to his men.

“Follow me men, we do have an appointment to keep, and a gentleman is never late!”

Nightwing creeps up on the Ghost and his crew as the ghost gives the order to leave. Grabing two smoke capsules from his right gauntlet, Night wing prepares to throw them between the hench men.

' nightwing thinks to himself, The smoke will blind them and my lenses will give me an edge in the fight, The problem is the gentleman ghost. I have fought him once, but not since his early days as Robin... he is the unknown facter. And as Batman would say we eliminate the unknown. Ill rough up the goons and let one get away with a tracer in his bag. Tail the ghost and at the same time call up hawkman for intell on how to stop a Gentleman ghost

The four men looked quizzically at each other for a moment, and then followed the strange white figure. A few more feet and they would reach the entranceway to the sewers, and the speedboat. Then they would be safe…

A double clicking sound could be heard under the henchmen's feet, and a bellowing smoke fills the room instantly. Nightwing tumbles between the henchmen and says in a cheesey british deadpan voice "Fogs rolling in goveners!" And starts to swing his fighting sticks at the hench man. Nightwing plays it by the numbers fighting the henchmen in the manner that Batman had taught him, but with a dash of circus boy flaring up when he dodged or fliped over a goon. With his lenses making him able to see perfectly, nightwing spots a goon still holding his bag of loot. Nightwing tackles the goon and at the same time slips the tracer in the bag as he fakes a tug of war with the goon.Once the tracer is in the bag nightwing goes with the momentum of the pull and rolls on the ground. Wth the other Henchmen knocked out or in to much pain to move, nightwing notices the door open and throws his batarang as close as possible without hiting the last hench man. The batarang hits the wall ahead of the henchman with a clang and kapluncks into the sewer water. Nightwing rushes to the door only to have it close in his face, as he pounds at the door, nightwing hears the sound of the iron deadbolt locking into place.

[Mr. Zsasz]

A double clicking sound could be heard under the henchmen's feet, and a bellowing smoke fills the room instantly. Nightwing tumbles between the henchmen and says in a cheesey british deadpan voice "Fogs rolling in goveners!" And starts to swing his fighting sticks at the hench man. Nightwing plays it by the numbers fighting the henchmen in the manner that Batman had taught him, but with a dash of circus boy flaring up when he dodged or fliped over a goon. With his lenses making him able to see perfectly, nightwing spots a goon still holding his bag of loot. Nightwing tackles the goon and at the same time slips the tracer in the bag as he fakes a tug of war with the goon.Once the tracer is in the bag nightwing goes with the momentum of the pull and rolls on the ground.

“Well, well if it isn’t the … not quite-as-Dark a Knight?” said the Gentleman Ghost quizzically. There was something familiar about the youth before him. His moves. His face. But not in that costume. Then it hits himn!!! “The squire, all grown up and out of the pixie boots!” he yelped enthusiastically. How fascinating that his first foray in Gotham after all these years would have such an immediate response!!!

As his men were casually being thrown around by the acrobatic avenger, the Ghost casually walked around the fight scene. The last time the boy had tangled with him the … bat … girl(?) had helped him. Was she also here?


Wth the other Henchmen knocked out or in to much pain to move, nightwing notices the door open and throws his batarang as close as possible without hiting the last hench man. The batarang hits the wall ahead of the henchman with a clang and kapluncks into the sewer water. Nightwing rushes to the door only to have it close in his face, as he pounds at the door, nightwing hears the sound of the iron deadbolt locking into place. With the smoke starting to clear, Nightwing turns off the night lenses and looks at his digital display in his left gauntlet.


Out of nowhere the sound of clapping fills the battlefield. The Gentleman Ghost sits atop a box. “Bravo young man!!! Bravo!!! Such a youthful display of athletic prowess and excitement!!! Certainly brings joy to this gentleman’s old bones.”

“Please be a dear and deliver a message to the Dark Knight for me, will you?”

Before Nightwing can react to the voice behind him, the Gentleman Ghost raises his cane, and a steel dart is shot from its bottom aimed at the young adventurer...

[Ish]

Out of nowhere the sound of clapping fills the battlefield. The Gentleman Ghost sits atop a box. “Bravo young man!!! Bravo!!! Such a youthful display of athletic prowess and excitement!!! Certainly brings joy to this gentleman’s old bones.”

“Please be a dear and deliver a message to the Dark Knight for me, will you?”

Nightwing had lost sight of the ghost in the fight and had thought The ghost had escaped out the door, but there he was sitting on a box claping away.... well most of him was any way. Nightwing goes to pick up one of his fighting sticks when the ghost asked

“Please be a dear and deliver a message to the Dark Knight for me, will you?”

the Gentleman Ghost raises his cane, and a steel dart is shot from its bottom aimed at the young adventurer...

With a burst of slime green light coming from the cane, the dart flys into the air strikes nightwing in the neck.

Nightwing struggles to stay on his feet the drug clouding his vision. Nightwing takes a few steps toward the gentleman ghost and rasies his fist to strike, but falls to the floor as the night engulfs him.

Nightwing wakes up with a cotton taste in his mouth and three knocked out goons on the floor. With no sign of any of the stolen loot.

' Looks like part one of the plan is working despite my my blunder'

Nightwing looks at his digital display in his left gauntlet.

"Great! its working! Now to contact hawkman or batman on how to beat the ghost, and follow him to his hideout, But first i need to call the police to get you guys and add some nice plastic kuffs on you bare wrists."

Nightwing puts on the kuffs on the henchmen and runs toward the street exit all the while informing the Gotham police.