Gotham City
Thomas Wayne Clinic
2:50 AM
Batman POV:
"Augh." Numbness and pain assaulted my body and my last memory. I was pursuing a lead on the Joker location. I had infiltrated the building that the Joker Henchmens were using as a base. I had taken them out, but it was a trap. They had rigged the entire building to explode. I had managed to escape through the roof, but they had anticipated my moves.
A sniper was waiting for me. I had managed to escape from the building with my grappling hook, but the sniper took me by surprise. The suit armor took most of the damage, but it was of powerful caliber.
Someone had done their homework, they made a goal plan, and they played me. It was time to change that.
I groggily open my eyes and take in my surroundings. I am lying on a hospital bed with an IV connected to my right arm with an EKG. I quickly reach for my face and feel the metallic texture of my cowl.
My identity is still safe.
I look down on my body and see that the upper part of the suit is gone, leaving my chest bare and full of bandages and splints. The bandages are filled with some type of herb by the smell.
And the lower part is off, leaving me with half of the protected jumpsuit that I wear under the suit, except my knees, which have something cold and soothing on them.
But before I could muse more, I heard footsteps approaching the room where I was staying. I lay down quickly on the bed.
The door opens, and a man, by the sound of his breathing and feet,
"Hey!, you. You're finally awake." The man called out of ignorance.
I keep still.
"I know you are awake; I put a pencil on your bed, and now it is on the ground, and I know that wasn't because you moved on from your sleep; you sleep completely still like a corpse, so get up; I need to examine you." The man simply said that, shattering my deception.
I rise and open my eyes.
"Where am I?" I demand from him
"You are at Thomas Wayne Medical Clinic; I brought you here after I found you bleeding on the garbage." The man simply says, I start to assess him.
He looks young, he looks at me with a doctor smile, and he is wearing a doctor coat with an stethoscope on his neck.
He doesn't have any weapons, and he isn't tense at any level; he has no deep breaths or tense posture.
"What time is it?" I demand to know
"Well, it's about 2:51 in the morning," he says after taking his phone to check.
I get up from the bed, and the pain makes herself aware as soon as I stand.
"What do you think you are doing?" The doctor asks me
"I need to go back." I try to take a step, and the pain flares up, bringing me to my knees.
The doctor comes and helps me.
"You can forget it." He tells me, putting me back in bed.
"I am fine!" I snap back at him.
He turned to me, his smile and eyes turned sharp looking at me. I could feel pressure coming from him.
I only felt this from three people.
Ras Al-Ghul
Lady Shiva
Deathstroke
"You will sit your ass on this bed, then I will treat you, and only then, when I discard you, will you leave to go break yourself again? Do you understand?" He tells me
I give him the famous bat glare.
He isn't even fazed and returns with an even more fierce glare.
And I won't admit it out loud, but... this glare is scary.
I could even swear his eyes were red for a second.
I grunt in surrender.
He then returns to his doctor smiling, and the pressure dissipates instantly.
Who is this man?
"Well, sir, you have some pretty sure injuries; you got 2 gunshot wounds, 4 rib fractures, and some light burns," he says after showing me a couple of x-rays.
"Thankfully, the bullets didn't hit any vital organs, and the ribs didn't provoke any internal bleeding. I already cleaned and stitched your open wounds, put bandages on your burns, and know that you are awake. Do you feel any headache or ringing in your head?" He asked me
"No!" I curtly answer him
"That's good. I was fearing you had a collision or any head injury. It appears you have a very thick skull, sir." He tells me with his doctor smile.
I narrow my eyes at him.
'Is he mocking on me?'
He then assumes a more serious expression.
"You have other serious previous injuries that I found, some that didn't heal the right way; I fixed all of those I could. I also found that you have several muscular tears on your knees; no doubt, all of the landings you do have put quite a lot of strain on your knees." He tells me, making me widen my eyes a little bit.
I am feeling a bit of pain on my knees lately, but I didn't think it was this bad. This could affect my overall speed and kick force.
I have to find a way to remove this strain on my knees from my landing.
"I manage to start the treatment on the damaged tissue, but you will have to find another way to land, other than the fact that you have more scars than
Scar from Fullmetal You are perfectly healthy; there is no sign of cancer or cardiac disease." He tells me to then start to collect my exams and start to put them on a file.
I'm going to need to steal that file.
He suddenly turned to me, waving me off.
"Don't worry, I am just collecting for you; I have a couple of herbs and remedies that will help you." He gave me the file.
Did he read my mind?
Is he a meta-
"You can relax; I didn't read your mind; I know you have a secret identity and all, so no worries; I even didn't touch the mask." He told me with a little smile on his face.
And that put me more at ease.
Not much. I need to find out more about who he is.
"Well, now I'm going to let you sleep so that you can rest properly. If you need anything, just scream and I will come here, okay?" He tells me, gives me a little smile, and leaves the room.
I'm going to rest for a while, then I'm going back to Batcave.
But unknown to Batman, green energy was imbued on the herbs of his wounds. The first reason this was made was so that his wounds would heal properly and without drawing much attention; the second was that the most stupid man in the entire universe could literally sleep.
Batman has a lot of qualities, but one horrible quality is his ability to downgrade his own being and health.
His body looks like a fuckin pole scratcher.
Then a deep sleep invaded Bruce's body; his whole body relaxed, and just like that
The world-greaster detective doozes like a baby.
______________________________________________________________________________
4 hours later:
"Good morning, sleepy head." The doctor's voice woke me.
I fell asleep.
How?
My body feels relaxed and rejuvenated.
My injuries are almost painless.
What happened while I slept?
"It's time for you to get up. I just need to give you a final check, then you are free to go." He tells me kindly.
"What is your name?" I am suspicious of his actions.
"Doctor Markus Asklepios is at your service." He said this while giving me a mock bow.
I narrow my eyes at him, memorizing his name and features.
"Let get this over with!" I reply impatiently.
He takes out of my coat pocket a small white flashlight and tries to approach me.
I grab his wrist before he can get any closer.
I apply some pressure, but he doesn't appear to care at all.
"Oh relax, it's just a flashlight, mister paranoid, and if you wish to hurt, I could have done it when you were asleep," he tells me with a mocking smile that got even bigger when I released his wrist.
He points the flash light more to my right eye than to my left.
"Pupils are reacting normally; there is no sign of bleeding or damage to the socket."
He started to acess me and me; he looks younger but at the same time experienced; he didn't show any outrage or fear of me at any moment; he didn't try to take off my mask at any moment.
Showing that he doesn't care about my identity
He then started to examine my bandages.
"The wounds have closed nicely and with no sign of infection or bleeding, that's good," he tells me, and he starts to check my ribs, making me have to hold a since of pain.
"The bruising and inflammation are already starting to subside; after they are gone, the ribs will start to heal normally. I would recommend rest and keeping yourself well hydrated, and with a healthy amount of vitamins, I would recommend vitamin D and calcium to help." He surprised me with his expertise and knowledge.
"My final diagnostic is 7 to 8 weeks for full recovery, 2 weeks for the gunshots to fully heal, and 6 weeks for the ribs to heal completely. Well, it could be more; after all, I think you are not the type of person to rest quietly," he says at the end.
He is efficient and good; he possesses a deep knowledge of anatomia and medicine.
"All right, you are officially discharged. If you feel any pain or discomfort, our doors are always open. I think it is time for you to go. Mr. Thompkins usually arrives around this hour of the morning, and I don't know how I would explain you to her," he tells me, surprising me that he knows Leslie
"So farewell and try not to get shot anymore." He gives me a wink and leaves the room.
I stay still for a second.
'I really need to investigate this man.
I walk to my room window and start climbing up the building.
The pain is lower but still present.
I then start to make my way across the rooftops towards the batmobile.
______________________________________________________________________________
Batcave
7:25 AM
Third person POV:
The batmobile rumbles as he enters the entrance of the batcave before stopping.
On a platform was standing a man, dressed in a sharp Butler suit, looking relieved at seeing that the man he sees as his son has arrived safe and sound.
Well, as safe and sound as a vigilant can
(Michael Caine as the OG ALFRED)
The batmobile doors open, and Batman exits slowly.
Alfred sees that he is completely bandaged.
"Master Bruce! We lost contact with you. I was fearing the worst. I was going to call Master Dick from Blue Haven to find you." Alfred says while helping Batman walk.
"I am Okay Alfred; I was ambushed after I was checking up a lead on The Joker; I got shot and passed out." Batman reassures Alfred, which has the opposite effect.
"My goodness, let me take a look!" Alfred is already entering his medical persona.
Ever since Bruce became Batman, Alfred has become his medic, stiching bullet wounds, stabs, and even more.
Batman only reassures Alfred
"I am already treated," Batman explains to Alfred, showing his bandages.
Alfred examines Bruce's wounds and sees that they were properly cleaned and treated.
"However did that, know what they were doing" Alfred can't help but comment on seeing some of the stitches that Bruce had.
Well done and perfect in way and form.
"Do you require anything more, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked Bruce after seeing that he was already recovering and knew that Batman wasn't going to show up tonight.
Bruce looks at the file that the medic has given him.
"Gather as much information on Markus Asklepios as possible."
______________________________________________________________________________
Thomas Wayne Medical Clinic
7:25
Markus POV:
"Achoo!" I sneeze
"Are you okay there? Are you getting sick?" Doctor Thompkins asked me with worry.
"No, just a bit of dust." I wave her worry off.
"So what do we have for today?" I ask her
"Well, we have a couple of car accidents on the highway, and if that wasn't enough, we have a couple of victims with cold burns and hypothermia, thanks to Mr. Freeze." Doctor Thompkins informs me
"All right, let go!" I say to her
______________________________________________________________________________
Batcave
10:33 AM
Third-person POV:
"Markus Asklepios, born in Boston on July 8th of 1989, born from Joseph and Suzie Asklepios, father half American and half Greek and mother Greek, graduated with honors from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece at the age of 20. He returned to America after he had finished his residence and is currently employed at Thomas Wayne Medical Clinic." Alfred read his reports of everything he managed to find about Markus.
"His parents?" Bruce asks Alfred
"Deceased, sir," Alfred responds.
"Any footage of him with Batman, Alfred?" Bruce asks his friend
"A couple, sir, here!" Alfred then shows Bruce the footage.
On the screen, there is footage of a camera.
It shows Markus carrying an unconscious Batman through the streets of Gotham to the Thomas Wayne clinic.
"Do he have any relations with the League of Shadows or the Injustice League?" Batman asks Alfred
"No, sir, our search didn't appoint any type of relationship; he didn't have any abnormal internet search history or any shady monetary movement in his finances," Alfred informs Bruce.
"How is he financially? Based on his skills, any hospital would kill to have him, so why would he choose to work in the clinic?"Bruce inquires curiously.
"It appears, Master Bruce, that his parents have left him a large sum of money as his inheritance, about 30 million." Alfred informs Bruce.
Bruce hums in agreement
"Master Bruce, why the sudden interest in this young man? From what you told me, sir, we should be thankful to this young man for saving you and nursing you back to health." Alfred inquires about Bruce.
Bruce takes a deep breath and sighs softly.
"He was...different," Bruce tries to explain.
"How different, Master Bruce?" Alfred inquires
"He didn't show any sign of fear of me, not even a bit; he just looked calm and collected the whole time, and he looked at me with a look of respect and...adimiration." Bruce tries to explain
Alfred got stunned for a bit but then released a small chuckle, getting Bruce's attention.
"What ?" Bruce asked Alfred after seeing him chuckle.
"Didn't it occur to you that he was maybe meeting his hero?" Alfred's inquiry stuns Bruce.
"No matter what you say, Master Bruce, or how you see yourself, you are a hero, and people are going to see that." Alfred finishes with a pearl of wisdom.
"Now rest, Master Bruce; I will bring the lunch in 30 minutes," Alfred says as he leaves Bruce thinking.
Bruce keeps thinking about what Alfred told him.
He then sees the folder that Markus gave him; he grabs it, opens it, and reads its content.
He can help but feel flabgasther. Inside are a lot of recipes for supplements and herbs-based medicines that would help with his injuries.
And what flagged him was a couple of sketches of a modification to his batsuit that would take away the strain on his knees from landing, and even a couple about how to improve strength, protection, speed, and agility.
If he didn't know best, he would think that Lucious had come up with this.
He then looked at the screen of the laptop that was displaying a picture of Markus.
'Who are you?'
______________________________________________________________________________
Gotham
Location unkown
23:22
"B-Boss ?" A scared goon fearfully asks his insane boss
"WHY AREN'T PEOPLE DIEING ON THE STREETS?" The boss, who was raging like a madman, was dressed in a purple suit; his hair, eyebrows, lips, and eyes were a bright green.
"B-Boss It's because of the new doctor" another frighted goon tries to say.
But he was stopped by the Joker, who shot him in the head.
"WHAT DOCTOR?!!" Joker screams at his other goons, but the other goons look scared and confused.
Seeing this Joker sigh exasperated
"FIND THE ONE HE WAS TALKING ABOUT AND BRING HIM TO ME!" The Joker screams at his goons, who scurry away.
Seeing this Joker sighs
"Where is Harley when you need her?" Joker says to no one at all
______________________________________________________________________________
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Here a Sunday Special
Hope you all liked
Word Count: 2805