Flash: Swift Vengeance #1

2 months have passed. The mob war still rages between the Falcones and the Maronies. The scales of the war are evenly matched, and it doesn't look like it's going to end any time soon. But there's a new player in town, a neutral force. Nobody knows who or what it is, but some say he moves faster than lightning, that he snatches bullets from the air, and that he can fly. Some say he's just an urban myth, but others swear they've seen him. They call him....The Flash!

In the meantime, Bruce Wayne, a forensic scientist for the Gotham City Police Department, has been the target of several mysterious death threats and murder attempts. He and his now-Fiancee, Selina Kyle, have maintained a low profile, but Bruce is ever vigilant in his quest for justice against Maroni, who slipped through his fingers once before. Bruce would not let him slip away again.

Carmine Falcone sat back in his chair, sucking on a cigar. The room was dark and musty, very large but empty except for a desk, a couch, a few chairs, and a table in the middle. Falcone sat behind the desk, with his visitors sitting in front of the desk in the chairs. In the room around him were his brother, Charlie, his son Anthony, and a few assorted thugs and a couple of hired hitmen, including Harry "The Horse" Manning and Louie "Trick Shot" Malone. The Roman looked around the room before speaking again.

"Bruce Wayne. He can connect me to the Minelli murder. That, needless to say, is not a good thing. I want him gone. My past attempts to take him out have not worked. Don't make me have to do it personally. Mr. Manning?"

Manning stood up and addressed the Roman. "Well sir, I've, uh, got my people working on it, and, uh, I think that I can have him, uh, taken care of by, oh, I'd say the end of the week."

"I want Wayne gone as soon as possible. As in YESTERDAY. 'End of the week' doesn't WORK for me. Mr. Malone?"

Manning sat down as Malone stood up, straightened his suit coat, and turned to face the mobster. "You can consider Wayne as good as dead, I've figured out a way to get rid of him in 2 days. The GCPD's annual company picnic. Plenty of wide open space, lots of room to maneuver and get a good shot off. He's ours, sir."

A smile crossed the Roman's face. "Now that's what I like to hear out of my employees. You're a real go-getter, Louie. I like that. But if Wayne's not dead in 2 days, you can consider yourself as good as dead."

Both Malone and Manning turned and exited the room, almost knocking each other over on the way out the door. Falcone laughed as they walked out, half at them and half at the prospect of having Wayne out of the picture. He turned to his brother. "Charlie," he said, "do you have any idea how happy I am about this?"

A smirk crossed Charlie Falcone's face. "I'm just glad to finally see my little brudda takin' carea 'imself insteada havin' me take carea 'im for 'im."

The Roman laughed, as did Charlie and The Roman's son, Anthony. The Roman looked at the boy proudly. "Tony m'boy," he said to his only son, "Some day this whole thing is gonna be yours. You think you can handle it?"

2 Days Later - Gotham Centennial Park, the site of the annual Gotham City Police Department company picnic.

Bruce looked at Selina as they pulled up to the picnic. "Do we have to do this? you know I hate these kinda things..."

Selina eyed Bruce slyly and smiled. "Oh but you say that about everything, and then you just end up having a good time anyway. Besides, I enjoy them."

As the picnic dragged on, Bruce became more and more bored with his fellow police officers. As a chemist he never got out of his office much. He never conversed with his coworkers, which was probably for the best, mostly because he wouldn't want to let anything slip that might connect him to the Flash and second because they all annoyed the hell out of him. Bruce decided to go for a walk around the park.

As Bruce walked along, he wondered what Selina was doing. He wondered where his brother Barry was, how he was doing with that girl he had married, what was her name? Fiona? Bruce really liked that girl, and was happy for his brother that he had married such a nice young lady.

Bruce had reached the edge of the park. He turned around and, as he started to walk back to the picnic, a car pulled up next to him. Bruce didn't notice the car, he just thought it was another passing motorist. one of the car's windows rolled down, and the barrel of a .22 calibur gun stuck out, pointed at Bruce. Bruce turned and saw it, too late. The gun fired, and the occupants of the car smiled and pulled away as Bruce Wayne fell dead to the ground.



	*Flash: Swift Vengeance!* By: Joe Grunenwald Chapter One: A Walk in the Park ______________________________________________________________ 2 months have passed. The mob war still rages between the Falcones and the Maronies. The scales of the war are evenly matched, and it doesn't look like it's going to end any time soon. But there's a new player in town, a neutral force. Nobody knows who or what it is, but some say he moves faster than lightning, that he snatches bullets from the air, and that he can fly. Some say he's just an urban myth, but others swear they've seen him. They call him....The Flash! In the meantime, Bruce Wayne, a forensic scientist for the Gotham City Police Department, has been the target of several mysterious death threats and murder attempts. He and his now-Fiancee, Selina Kyle, have maintained a low profile, but Bruce is ever vigilant in his quest for justice against Maroni, who slipped through his fingers once before. Bruce would not let him slip away again. ______________________________________________________________ 12:30 AM - the "office" of Carmine "The Roman" Falcone "Gentlemen, we have a problem." Carmine Falcone sat back in his chair, sucking on a cigar. The room was dark and musty, very large but empty except for a desk, a couch, a few chairs, and a table in the middle. Falcone sat behind the desk, with his visitors sitting in front of the desk in the chairs. In the room around him were his brother, Charlie, his son Anthony, and a few assorted thugs and a couple of hired hitmen, including Harry "The Horse" Manning and Louie "Trick Shot" Malone. The Roman looked around the room before speaking again. "Bruce Wayne. He can connect me to the Minelli murder. That, needless to say, is not a good thing. I want him gone. My past attempts to take him out have not worked. Don't make me have to do it personally. Mr. Manning?" Manning stood up and addressed the Roman. "Well sir, I've, uh, got my people working on it, and, uh, I think that I can have him, uh, taken care of by, oh, I'd say the end of the week." "I want Wayne gone as soon as possible. As in YESTERDAY. 'End of the week' doesn't WORK for me. Mr. Malone?" Manning sat down as Malone stood up, straightened his suit coat, and turned to face the mobster. "You can consider Wayne as good as dead, I've figured out a way to get rid of him in 2 days. The GCPD's annual company picnic. Plenty of wide open space, lots of room to maneuver and get a good shot off. He's ours, sir." A smile crossed the Roman's face. "Now that's what I like to hear out of my employees. You're a real go-getter, Louie. I like that. But if Wayne's not dead in 2 days, you can consider yourself as good as dead." The hitman swallowed hard and responded nervously, "Y-Y-Yes, sir." Both Malone and Manning turned and exited the room, almost knocking each other over on the way out the door. Falcone laughed as they walked out, half at them and half at the prospect of having Wayne out of the picture. He turned to his brother. "Charlie," he said, "do you have any idea how happy I am about this?" A smirk crossed Charlie Falcone's face. "I'm just glad to finally see my little brudda takin' carea 'imself insteada havin' me take carea 'im for 'im." The Roman laughed, as did Charlie and The Roman's son, Anthony. The Roman looked at the boy proudly. "Tony m'boy," he said to his only son, "Some day this whole thing is gonna be yours. You think you can handle it?" The teenager smiled. "I wouldn't want it any other way, father." ____________________________________________________________ 2 Days Later - Gotham Centennial Park, the site of the annual Gotham City Police Department company picnic. Bruce looked at Selina as they pulled up to the picnic. "Do we have to do this? you know I hate these kinda things..." Selina eyed Bruce slyly and smiled. "Oh but you say that about everything, and then you just end up having a good time anyway. Besides, I enjoy them." Bruce looked at Selina nervously. "Ok, but can we at least leave early?" As the picnic dragged on, Bruce became more and more bored with his fellow police officers. As a chemist he never got out of his office much. He never conversed with his coworkers, which was probably for the best, mostly because he wouldn't want to let anything slip that might connect him to the Flash and second because they all annoyed the hell out of him. Bruce decided to go for a walk around the park. As Bruce walked along, he wondered what Selina was doing. He wondered where his brother Barry was, how he was doing with that girl he had married, what was her name? Fiona? Bruce really liked that girl, and was happy for his brother that he had married such a nice young lady. Bruce had reached the edge of the park. He turned around and, as he started to walk back to the picnic, a car pulled up next to him. Bruce didn't notice the car, he just thought it was another passing motorist. one of the car's windows rolled down, and the barrel of a .22 calibur gun stuck out, pointed at Bruce. Bruce turned and saw it, too late. The gun fired, and the occupants of the car smiled and pulled away as Bruce Wayne fell dead to the ground. *.....continued.....*