The aftermath of the incident at the concert hall had been messy.
After the crossfire, explosions, and the chaos that followed.
Sebastian had been admitted to a hospital with injuries serious enough to keep him there for at least two days.
That same night, well past 2 a.m.
Sebastian was lying on his bed sleeping, half covered by a hospital blanket, when he felt a subtle shift near him.
His eyes opened slowly and glanced to his side, only to find a large, dark figure standing beside his bed, staring down at him in complete silence.
Sebastian blinked once, taking in the silhouette of the figure.
“This is awkward,” he said flatly.
“Please tell me you’re straight, or I’m going to be very concerned right now.” Batman’s eyes narrowed.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“Currently?” Sebastian replied, shifting slightly against the pillow to face Batman better.
“A wounded man attempting to sleep.
Surely you can find something more productive than breaking into hospital rooms.” “I looked into your past,” Batman said.
“Beyond the Central City incident in police records, there is nothing.
No history.
You fabricated your identity.” “And people claim you work with the law,” Sebastian said dryly.
“From my perspective, you’re just another criminal with more specific needs.” Batman’s expression hardened.
“You will answer my question.
Who are you?” Sebastian gave a faint smile.
“Everything you found is true,” he said.
“Well… partially.
The incident happened.
It simply wasn’t recorded anywhere else and was added to the profile at the last moment.
My identity is not fake,” he continued.
“It’s that everything else has been removed.
Feel free to dig as much as you like.” Batman kept staring at him.
“You expect me to believe that?” “It never gets old,” Sebastian said.
“I tell the truth, and no one believes me.” “Who deleted it?” Batman asked.
“And why?” “Government NDA,” Sebastian replied casually.
“That’s all you’re getting.” Batman remained still for a moment before asking, “Why Gotham?” “To mess with you,” Sebastian replied.
“And the rest of the fine collection of maniacs inhabiting this city, why else come to this hellhole?” Batman said nothing and kept staring silently at him “Though,” Sebastian added, “the real answer is cheap rent.” “You’re lying,” Batman said.
“I think I’m beginning to understand you,” Sebastian said.
“You’re just as insane as the rest of them and you know it.
The only difference is that your insanity has some social productivity to it.” He shifted his gaze back to the ceiling.
“I’ve been here less than two months,” he continued.
“So far, I’ve encountered idiotic thugs, lunatics leading armed gangs, a paranoid vigilante, Eris’s personification…” He paused briefly.
“rich old families forming an owl-themed club and ruling Gotham with literal undead freaks, and apparently there’s a demon god sealed under the city waiting to end the world.” Another pause.
“I have yet to confirm the last one,” he added.
“But given the bullshit I have seen so far, I’m inclined to keep an open mind.” Batman kept staring.
Sebastian sighed.
“I believe I’ve entertained you enough,” he said.
“Next time you decide to pull something like this, you might wake up with me standing over your bed in your… rather grim manor.” Batman’s eyes narrowed further.
Then he moved.
In a single motion, he grabbed Sebastian by his hospital gown and lifted him off the bed.
But he stopped before saying anything due to a gun pressed against his neck.
Sebastian was smiling.
“At this distance,” he said calmly, “and given my reaction speed… you die.” A brief silence settled between them.
“You were expecting me,” Batman said.
“I suspected,” Sebastian replied.
“Initially, I thought the commissioner knew your identity.
But after Eris’s spectacular performance, I realized she was the one who knew.” He tilted his head.
“Which led me to reconsider the commissioner situation.
It is possible he doesn’t know… but he definitely suspects you based on his reaction.
If that’s true, then he is probably keeping a distance out of respect.” Batman released him.
Sebastian lowered the gun and went back to laying on the bed as if nothing had happened.
“I’m not one of the lunatics you usually deal with,” he said.
“So let’s keep this relationship amiable.
You clean up the city.
I mind my own business.
However, if I come across some of your crazy assholes, I might call you to perform the cleaning duty.
I get scared easily after all” He adjusted slightly, laying back into a more comfortable position.
“Oh,” he added, “and tell Eris she needs to work on her acting skills.
Watching her lie to my face was… entertaining.” Batman remained still for a moment, studying him.
Then he turned and moved toward the window.
“You have a remarkable talent for theft,” Sebastian said casually.
“Unfortunately you were born wealthy, we could have had a true legend, the bat who steals” Batman Jumped off the window.
[That should confuse the shit out of him regardless of his paranoia.
Being a nobody has its merits] Sebastian thought to himself before going back to sleep.
——— Batman landed silently on the rooftop across from the hospital.
A few steps away, Batgirl and Robin stood waiting, their thoughts still on the conversation they had just heard through the comms.
There was a brief silence before Batman spoke.
“If you encounter him again,” he said, “be cautious.
He is dangerous.” Batgirl looked at him.
“You think he already knows about me being Batgirl?” “He might,” Batman replied.
“At the very least, he suspects it.” Robin folded his arms.
“Do you think he was telling the truth?” Batman did not answer immediately.
“It’s difficult to determine,” he said after a moment.
“He could have mixed truth with fabrication.” Batgirl said quietly.
“I’m sorry, Bruce,” she said.
“I think I helped him confirm your identity.” Batman shook his head.
“I doubt he figured it out tonight,” he said.
“More likely, he already had a strong suspicion.
Your reaction may have helped him as final confirmation… or just made him suspect your own identity.” He frowned.
“I’ll run a full scan across every accessible database,” he continued.
“If nothing surfaces, then I will consider the possibility that his records were deliberately erased.” He paused.
“What concerns me more,” he added, “is what he said about the club.” Robin looked at him.
“The rich families?” Batman nodded.
“I’ve suspected for some time that certain old Gotham families are working together behind the scenes.
If such a group exists… it would explain a great deal.” Batgirl frowned.
“But how would he know about something like that?
He is new to Gotham and has very few appearances caught on camera.” “That is exactly the problem,” Batman said quietly.
Robin tilted his head.
“Why not just force the truth out of him?” “No,” Batman said immediately.
“He would not hesitate to expose my identity if pushed.
We need to understand him first.” Robin shrugged.
“At least he doesn’t seem like a criminal,” he said.
“He helped, didn’t he?” Batgirl looked conflicted.
“He also didn’t hesitate to shoot people,” she said.
“When he came back, there was no remorse or care, he was still joking.” She crossed her arms.
“That’s not normal.” She turned back to Batman.
“Do you think he would call you if he ran into something serious?” Batman answered “Yes, he will try to use me if dangerous criminals annoyed him.” ——— The following morning came quietly.
Barbara stood outside the hospital, her thoughts still circling around the events of the previous night.
Despite Batman’s warning, she had decided to come anyway.
Her curiosity had won over cautiousness.
There was something strange about Sebastian that she couldn’t put her hand on.
And he changed the wording of the same story depending on who he spoke to.
She suspected he hides truth behind word play and omissions.
She stepped inside, approached the front desk, and asked for his room.
The response caught her off guard.
“He checked out at dawn,” the nurse said.
“Against medical advice.” Barbara blinked.
“He what?” “He insisted on leaving,” the nurse added.
“We tried to stop him.” “Of course he did,” she muttered.
He didn’t strike her as a person who can keep sitting in one place.
——— Elsewhere in Gotham, inside the Iceberg Lounge, Alfred was in the Penguin’s office.
“I didn’t think Two-Face would attack a musical event” the Penguin said with a frown.
“It was unexpected.
However, he got played by one of the audience followed by receiving a beating from Batman” Alfred said.
“Serves him right.
I am sorry he ruined your night.” The Penguin said.
Alfred shook his head “No, it is that uncivilized animal’s fault.
Attacking a musical concert is a pathetic act.
I admit, there was a moment where I thought to step onto the stage and put him into his place” “Why didn’t you do that?
I would certainly not mind it, he earned whatever retribution you wanted to deliver” The Penguin said.
“I could, but he is still a client here.
If I stepped in that could be mistaken for your stance and that would damage the prospects of your establishment.
What kind of a butler would I be if I allowed my impulse to rule me?” Alfred replied The Penguin nodded with a pleased ugly smile.
His butler was thinking of him and his establishment even on his days off.
He was truly the perfect butler.