MELVILLE, BLÜDHAVEN

"You've got to be joking right?" Dick Grayson was speaking into the payphone in the entrance foyer of his new apartment building. "I mean five hundred dollars to turn on a phone?"

The deep masculine voice with a slight Arabian accent came back through the receiver. "I am so sorry Mr. Gregson..."

"Grayson"

"Yes Mr. Grayson, so sorry. But you see we are not showing a credit history." Dick could hear the sound of typing on the other end of the phone. "What again was your date of birth?"

Dick repeated his birth-date for the fifth time today.

*"It is amazing that a man your age shows no sign of a credit history. We will have to have either a certified check or money order in the amount of $500 in order to connect your phone."* The telemarketer seemed to quote from his script.

Dick almost growled. "Very well, what's the address?"

Dick jotted down the mailing address and hung up the phone. He then started doing the math to himself. "Lets see, a thousand for electric, five hundred for phone, a hundred for water, and another hundred for cable." Dick let out an audible sigh. ~That doesn't include the cost of moving everything from my place in New York, and at the Manor here to Blüdhaven.~

Dick returned upstairs to finish sweeping out his apartment. He had already replaced the door. The new one was reminiscent of a bank vault, with five different locks. One of these locks, a gift from Babs, was a touch screen key code. The inside was fairly clean now, and the cot he had set up would have to do for a bed until he could contact the movers. His thoughts drifted back to his days and chores while at the circus. ~Well~ he thought to him self. ~It's true what they say...~

DC LEGENDS Presents...

ELSEWORLD'S FINEST #11
"...Momma said there'd be days like this."

Written by Keith Leighton

AVALON HILL, DUSK

Bobbo was a man of Australian descent, Aborigine to be precise. He was a small man, almost five and a half feet, with his hair in a natural crown of dreadlocks. The business suit he wore made him look as important as he felt. It was a sharp cut solid gray Armani, with a black tie for contrast. He entered his employer's sanctum with an air of concern and a touch of fear.

"You have news for me?" Again this room and its shadows played tricks. Bobbo had though his employer in front of him, but the voice coming from directly behind him was so startling he jumped a bit.

"Y...Yes sir." Bobbo regained his composure, yet he didn't turn around. He hated looking his employer in the eyes it disturbed him. "As per your request I have had Marin 'disposed' of, and as of now Lynx and her companions are converging on the streets to spread the news of your claim."

"Good, all goes according to plan." The shadow spoke from his left now, and Bobbo had not even heard his boss move. "My plans for Gotham were ruined, but this city doesn't have Gotham's protectors now does it?"

BLÜDHAVEN, 12:01 AM

Nightwing still relished in the new suit Harold had made for him. The solid black body suit allowed him to blend into shadows. Yet it had just enough of a navy blue trim to let the criminals see him coming. As he glided over the roofs of Blüdhaven he felt alive again. The wind in his face reminded him of the days in the circus; up here he never missed his parents. The line tightened as he reached the bottom of his arc and began to swing back up. With years of practiced grace, he waited until he had reached the apex of his accent and released the line. Momentum sent him forward, and he spun his body in a summersault with a half twist. Somewhere in the middle of the twist he had extracted a second jumpline and sent the "night rang" attached to it out into Blüdhaven's night sky. The line wrapped around an outcropped statue on a nearby building and Nightwing continued his patrol of the streets of Blüdhaven.

~Now lets see, we start at the bottom, and work our way up.~ He thought to himself. Nightwing angled towards an alley where he had seen a fire a few moments ago. Landing in the shadows he took in the scene.

Gathered around a hobo fire in a barrel were four members of a local gang, each one seemed to have a different ethnic background. Hardware was their name if Dick could remember correctly. Dick was about to make his entrance when the sound of a motorcycle cut him off. He turned to look, as did the gang bangers as the cycle stopped at the end of the alley.

The man on the bike was of African-American descent, dressed in military fatigue pants, a muscle shirt, and sported an eye patch. The gang members reacted as one.

"Yo Bullet, Whazup!!!???"

Bullet, as they had called him, returned the call with a smile. "Whazup!!!???"

Nightwing smiled and could only wonder where a table was.^

Bullet went through a series of "secret" handshakes with his gang and then settled in by the fire.

"Yo Bullet," The Mexican gang member began. "What's up with all the heat on the street? It's hard to get a mamasita these days when there's a war going on."

The Hawaiian was as questioning. "Yeah, who's laying the smack down on Marin's gang?"

Bullet smiled. "No one's sure Rocket." Bullet warmed his hands at the fire. "Near as I can tell someone's cut Marin out of the loop, and is trying to set themselves up as the new King of the Ring."

"Yeah but who?" asked the oversized white boy with some thick glasses.

"That's what I'd like to know."

Nightwing had stepped from the shadows, and as expected all five gang members turned guns pulled. Nightwing smiled.

"Trust me boys your going to want to drop the weapons."

The Mexican spoke up. "What's up Esa? Migrating season for Gotham's Freaks?"

"Not exactly, now boys, lets lower those lead spitters. I might be able to help." Nightwing noticed the tension mounting. Not the reaction Bruce would get. But then this wasn't Gotham, and he wasn't Batman. Nightwing watched their eyes. The Mexican flinched first.

Nightwing was airborne as the Mexican pulled the trigger. Bullets raced underneath Nightwing's feet as he threw his weight forward, and landed, planting his hands on the ground. He then threw his weight back into his legs sending them towards the Mexican. Locking his ankles around the Mexican's neck and then twisting him into a move he'd stolen from Lita of the WWF, he always loved the high flyers. As the Mexican's head impacted the concrete, Nightwing launched three nightrangs into the hands of the other gang members causing their guns to clatter to the ground, and then rolled up to stand facing Bullet. He stood there nose-to-nose, the gun and gun arm over his left shoulder.

"Now then, you were saying 'Bullet' was it?" Nightwing stared deep into Bullet's eye.

Bullet smiled, and then smirked. He stepped back and holstered his piece. "Well since you ask that way, who could refuse."

Nightwing smiled.

BLÜDHAVEN LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER

Chief Redhorn was an overly large man. Mostly muscle, but largely fat. He worked out, kept his bright red hair cut regulation length. He was the model cop. He was Chief of the Blüdhaven police department. And he was also one of the most corrupt officers on the force. He looked at the Mexican gentleman seated before him.

"So Eddie, tell me again, just so I'm sure I got it right." He used the Mexican's real name instead of his street name. The street name gave them power.

"Yeah so, right." Eddie started. "Me and the posse were chillin right? And then outta nowhere this guy in his PJ's just shows up." He looked over at the corner of the room.

Inspector Dudley Soames had brought him to Redhorn. "Deadly" Soames was the name he was known by on the street. He was dressed as if he were a private detective. Trench coat, slacks, dress shirt and tie.

Soames looked right through Eddie. "I think you're not finished, Boyo."

Eddie looked back to Redhorn. "Yeah so this guy bashes in my face, and then Bullet just starts telling him all kinds of stuff."

"What did he tell the Vigilante?" Redhorn asked.

"Couldn't hear it all." Eddie answered. "But it had to do with the mobs I know that."

Inspector Soames had walked up behind Eddie. "Good enough for you Chief?"

"Yeah that'll do."

Soames very quietly snapped Eddie's neck. "Now your through, Boyo." He looked back to the Chief. "What now?"

"I can't have some masked clown making a mess in my back yard." Redhorn said.

Soames looked on inquisitively.

"Set up a meeting with our new friend Soames." Redhorn started putting on his coat. "Tell him I want to see him personally this time."

"I'm not sure that's a wise id..."

"I don't CARE!" Redhorn roared. "If it wasn't for him, that costumed do-gooder wouldn't be here, and this would still be MY city.!"

Soames smiled to himself as he retrieved his cell phone from his coat. "Very well 'Chief'"

THE ROOFTOPS OF BLÜDHAVEN

~Bullet was rather helpful for a thug~ Nightwing thought. ~Now let me see, Marin disappears two months ago, twenty-one of his "partners" wind up floating in Gotham Harbor, and now there seems to be a new power in town, working through this new gang Bullet mentioned.~ He crouched in a bird perch position arms resting on his legs. ~It's going to be a long night.~

Reaching into a compartment on his arm, he sent his jumpline flying, and swung off into the night. ~Next Stop Freddy Mihn~

AVALON HILL

Chief Redhorn was ushered into a room that lacked all light whatsoever.

"You do realize you've overstepped your bounds Chief?"

"And you realize that thanks to you Bludhaven now has it's own costumed vigilante." Redhorn spoke in the direction the voice seemed to come from.

"Ah. The Dark Knight has sent one of his little Knights Errant after me?" The voice was on his left now.

"This is MY city no matter what section you think you run." Redhorn belted out.

He was rewarded by a strike to the face that sent him sprawling to his knees. "I have wronged you?" The shadow spoke. "I think not."

Redhorn dove to tackle the voice, but hit only air and then a wall.

"I can run this city quite well without you."

Redhorn turned and dove again, this time he was tripped as a hand struck the back of his neck.

"I only wish I could see you die."

The last thing Chief Isaac Redhorn heard was the cracking of his windpipe.

Soames was watching the whole time.

The shadow spoke after it breathed in the scent of Redhorn's blood that oozed from the dead cop's nose. "I believe that with the strings I have in place, congratulations are in order Chief Soames."

Dudley smiled. "Chief Soames." His smile widened. "I like that."

^As a personal note, they say a writer puts a lot of himself into his characters. Dick is a Huge WWF fan as am I. That explains the table comment.

Well now here we are at Issue Two Already, and I must say the responses are better than I thought.

Anyway without any hesitation, lets read some mail.

Well Derrick thanx for that warm welcome. As for the scene changes, I've always thought that when you write Fan Fic you should stay to form. Comics change scenes with no warning whatsoever, some segments are three pages, some one panel. So I try to make a Comic Book fan fiction flow in that way. Anyway I'm glad your looking forward to more cause there is lots more to come.

Barry Reese
Constructive Criticism, Inc.

Thanx Barry. Once again another Warm return. I'd like to address your likes and dislikes.