Detective Comics 13

The Horde of the Green Dragon

Breakfast at Wayne Manor had always been a fairly solemn affair. Elizabeth would usually limp to her chair, bandages still wrapped around her various injuries, while Alfred silently served. Since the addition of Dick Grayson, the conversation had been livelier.

"Look at this!" Dick spread the newspaper across the table, nearly disrupting the carafe and spilling the orange juice. Alfred neatly removed the tall glass from the table as Dick read the headline aloud.

"Third kidnapping this month!" Dick shoved food in his mouth in between bylines. "Kidnappers strike again, leaving behind blood and mayhem!"

"Dick, you really shouldn't read that type of thing at breakfast." Elizabeth scolded him. She ate her toast and bacon as Dick seemed to inhale everything in one gulp after another.

"Sorry," Dick folded the paper none too gently and tossed it to the carpet. "So, is that going to be our next case?"

"I'm not sure. This gang seems a pretty rough bunch. They focus on the rich and squeeze them for a decent sum."

"So maybe it's not money they're after?"

"Possibly. The first victim was worth millions, yet they only asked for a hundred thousand. The second had interests in over a dozen companies, yet they asked for less."

While the conversation was going on, Alfred had retired to the kitchen and started to clean. The phone ringing snapped him away from the sink. "Wayne Manor, how may…Wong?"

Wong's voice was a harsh whisper. "Alfred, old friend, I'm in a spot of trouble."

"What is it?"

"I can't say over the phone, but if you could hurry to my shop. It's a matter of life or death!" The line went silent.

Wong looked at the receiver as the line cut off. He carefully placed it back in its cradle as the front door opened. "I thought I locked that."

Six men stood before the counter. One was dressed in the old style while the rest wore sharp and obviously new suits. "Mister Wong, I've heard some much about you. Even in China we hear tales of Wong-Mayor of Gotham's Chinatown."

Wong narrowed his eyes as he stared at the hint of a green tattoo around the man's wrist. "And I've heard of you, or at least your boss. What do you want here?"

"A simple business transaction." The man smiled. The men behind him stepped back at once. "One that will cost you nothing. In fact, nothing is exactly what I want from you."

"I take it you want me to stop…well, I do so much. Could you be more specific?"

The man's smile vanished. "You are asking questions about my men and my boss. You are to stop that. Agree and we leave."

"And if I don't?"

The man snapped his fingers. The men behind him pulled long carving knives and axes from their jackets. His smile came back. "Do we have an understanding?"

A brass Buddha statue sailed through the air and smashed into his face. The man dropped, swearing in Cantonese. "Kill him!"

Wong picked up a stool. One of the gang leaped over the counter, axe in hand. Wong shoved the stool, catching the legs under the man's arms and twisting him away. He kicked the dropped axe into his hand and blocked an attack from behind.

The leader was dragged away as the rest of the group rushed. Wong's fists and feet moved like lightning, blocking and delivering punches as the narrowness of the shop forced them into a smaller group just to get close.

"Enough!" the leader drew a pistol and fired. Wong staggered back, his midsection bleeding. "Finish it you fools!"

Wong, breathing heavily, backed against the wall. He raised his fists. The gang, now with renewed strength, rushed. Wong blocked one attack, but was powerless as the blades found their target. The shop keeper went down, crashing head first into his counter.

The leader wiped his nose. "Let's go. No doubt the police have been called."

"Boss, shouldn't we search the place? What if he had evidence?"

"Fine, torch it. The destruction will serve as a warning."

Elizabeth fought through the crowds. After Alfred told her, she rushed to the small shop as fast as she could. She pushed through the crowds as flames licked at the upper stories. "Wong?"

She stopped when she saw the body. Nearing it, she saw a small figure clutched in the dead man's hand. Prying it from his grip, she narrowly avoided the ceiling collapsing as the fire department arrived. She staggered out the front as the firemen began to spray the flames.

Her look told the crowd more than words. She numbly talked to the firemen and the few police officers that arrived. She didn't tell them about the figure. She didn't have time to examine it until she arrived back at Wayne Manor.

"What could it mean?" She stared at it. It was small dragon carved from jade. The greenness of the stone was contrasted against the dark tones of her study. "The name perhaps?"

"Maybe Wong was trying to tell you who?" Dick spoke up. He had left her alone to mourn.

"Maybe." She stood up. "Tell me Dick, what do you know of Gotham's history?"

"Is this a test?"

"Of sorts." Elizabeth walked over to a particular shelf and pulled a few volumes down. "We'll get into the full history later, but by last century Gotham was ruled by the five families. They started out as gangs. There was the East-Siders; the Falcones and the Maronis were founders of that and still fight over that side. The Wounded Ravens handed the North and the Green Dragons fought with them and the All-Americans for control in the West. Most of the gangs banded together and drove the Dragons out some time ago."

"So, you think they came back?"

"It would make sense. They're trying to reestablish themselves and kidnapping would be the fastest way to that. Wong must have found out something. I think the Bat needs to pay a visit to Chinatown."

"Swell! Let me get my costume!" Dick hopped up, but Elizabeth clamped down on her shoulder.

"No, I said the Bat, not the Bat and Robin." She put a finger to his lips. "Listen to me, until now we've been playing it safe but these men are killers. You think they'd hesitate to shoot a boy?"

"But you might need backup!" He protested. She shook her head.

"I appreciate that, I do, but right now you're staying here at the manor with Alfred. I also told him to check on you, so no sneaking out."

"I could wait until he falls asleep." Dick thought, but almost on cue Alfred entered the room.

"I never sleep young sir, I merely wait."

The fire brigade had left, leaving the shop a burnt wreck. The sight was almost offensive. Wong and his shop had been fixtures of the block for decades, going back to her grandfather's time. Seeing the hollowed-out husk reminded her of an open wound.

The Bat easily slipped in through the back. She stayed low, as to avoid any attention from the street. "Ok, where would you hide evidence?"

She checked upstairs in the living quarters. She moved carefully, although the floor creaked with every breath. The safe had been opened, no doubt by the curious constables, and the contents gone. She checked behind photos and paintings. She spied a chess board sitting undisturbed by a ruined telephone. "Wong never cared for the game. Why would he have that?"

She moved to examine the board and the few pieces when she heard footsteps. She crouched and listened.

The voices were faint but unmistakably Chinese. "Why are we here again?" A young voice yawned.

"Because dummy, the boss said look for evidence. That old fool must have found out about us somehow and from somewhere. We have to see what he knew and if he told anyone else." The other voice was harsher, even whispering.

"Yeah, but we torched the place pretty good. Even if the old man wrote anything down, you think we could find it? For all we know it went up in the blaze, assuming it was written down in the first place."

"You've…got a point." The harsher voice agreed. "Ok, let's give it a few minutes then beat it."

The Bat sat in total silence and stillness. "They might be going back to their headquarters." She waited, barely breathing as the two walked around downstairs. When she heard their footsteps fade, she crawled out the window and perched on the fire-escape. She saw the two enter a small black roadster and drive off.

She climbed down to the alley and hopped into her own car and followed.

When the red car left, Robin stepped out of the shadows. "Thanks for driving me down here." Alfred emerged behind him.

"I couldn't very well have you ride down here by yourself Master Robin, plus Wong was a dear friend of mine."

The pair entered the ruined store and made their way upstairs. "See anything unusual?"

Alfred noticed the chess board. "Hmm, perhaps." He walked carefully over to the board. "Odd, Wong hated the game, yet the pieces are arranged like he was playing."

The board had only a white king, a white rook, two black knights, and three white pawns. The king was situated in the third rank, while the rest of the pieces were seemingly placed at random. "How odd."

"I never played chess before. Aren't you supposed to crown the king or something?"

"Checkmate, but…wait." Alfred stepped back and looked at the other pieces. "From an overhead perspective, it looks like the pieces form the letter 'P'. P, third row…P3?"

"Maybe it stands for something…pier 3 maybe?"

"Pier Three at the Gotham Dock? Well, it may not be much of a lead but I suppose it couldn't hurt to swing by…"

-B

Alfred drove the motorcycle, with Robin hanging behind him, to the docks. They didn't see the red roadster, but they did see a fair amount of activity for the lateness of the hour. "Odd, but no ships or cargo. It could be nothing, but I suggest we observe. If it proves to be nothing we head back to the manor. Agreed Master Robin?" Alfred looked around to see himself quite alone.

"Oh bother."

-B

The Bat watched from the shadows as men filtered into the area. A few lights from the ceiling provided illumination. She noticed most of the men were dressed in business suits, but a few of them; older she noticed, wore changshans of dark green.

"Brothers, I'm so honored you could come." One of the older men spoke. He was speaking Cantonese, but thankfully she could understand that.

"Let's get to the business. Who's the next target?" One of the younger men asked.

The older man smiled. "Despite the recent setback, I think we should continue with the intended target-Elizabeth Wayne!"

The Bat stifled a gasp.

"After that fool Wong called? How do we know he didn't warn her or the police?"

"Because our informants in the police have told us nothing. If Wong had any ideas about our plans, he never told her or another living soul."

"So, when do we do the job?"

"That is a good question. Wayne is a loner, with only one full time servant. Odd but then those rich enough seem eccentric. She seems to have taken in an orphan though."

"Should we take the brat too?"

The older man shook his head. "No, too often these rich fools take in children like stray mongrels. Best to kill the brat if you have too."

The unmistakable sound of something falling echoed across the warehouse. At once more lights flooded the area and men drew guns. The Bat shrank into the shadows. "Spread out, find the intruder!"

The Bat looked up and her heart sank. "Robin!"

The red and green clad youth was perched on one of the supports. Lights shined on him. "Come down! We won't shoot you if you come down!"

Robin sighed and climbed down a nearby ladder. He was roughly grabbed and dragged over to the bosses. In heavily accented English, the men asked. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"Nobody and nothing you creeps can give!"

The men stepped aside and started talking among the group. "This bad; a child in such a costume? Clearly one of those mystery men is around."

The Bat drew out a batarang and took aim at the nearest light. It exploded in a shower of sparks. The men started to panic and fire their guns. "Stop!" the bosses dragged Robin before them. "We know you're out there! Surrender and we won't hurt the boy!"

One of the younger men stepped forward. He ripped his shirt off, revealing a thick chest and swelling muscles. He drew a thin sword from a scabbard and held it overhead. "Let me fight him!"

The bosses pushed Robin towards the swordsman. "Here then, do what you wish."

The swordsman swung the blade a few times. Robin noticed the thin blade. "This won't be as easy as working with Jacques the knife thrower, but I think I can handle this palooka." He dodged the sword as the swordsman kept him contained to a single area.

"Ha! Used to open areas, aren't you? Like a bird…but have you seen a bird with its wings cut off?"

More lights went out. One of the bosses screamed as he was dragged into the shadows. This gave the swordsman pause, which was long enough for Robin to slam his whole weight onto the man's ankle.

The swordsman swore in two languages and swung his blade wildly. The rest of the gang opened fire into every darkened corner. The boss's scream made them stop. "Hold your fire you fools!"

"Let the boy and your hostages go." The voice came from everywhere.

"Listen! Obey!" the boss cried out. The gang dropped their guns. The swordsman seethed as he looked down at Robin but the blade clattered to the pavement. Light flooded the area as the police burst in.

"Everyone hands up!" Gordon yelled through the bullhorn as his men surrounded the Green Dragon.

"Boss, check this out!" one of the officers shined his light up. One of the gang bosses was suspended upside down, his mouth gagged.

"A perk of the job. Sometimes they come gift wrapped." Gordon ordered his men to cut the boss down.

-B

One use of an axe later and several cargo holders were opened, freeing the occupants. "Kidnapping, slavery, heh, you boys will hang twice for this." Gordon oversaw the gang being loaded into the awaiting paddy wagons.

Some reporters had already gathered outside the pier. "Commissioner Gordon, any comments?"

"Only that thanks to a nameless citizen were we able to break the back of the Green Dragon Gang." Gordon waved off the other questions.

The next day, Elizabeth and Dick sat down to breakfast. "You disobeyed a direct order."

Dick looked down at his meal. "Sorry, but I did figure out the clue."

"True, but I arrived at the same location just as you did. This isn't a game Dick." He didn't say anything. "But I am glad you came. Next time you may not be so lucky."

The end

Based on "Horde of the Green Dragon" which was first published in Detective Comics I#39 (May 1940) with credits to Bill Finger (script), Bob Kane (pencils-officially), and Jerry Robinson (inks)

Be here next time for the Joker!

From Wolvmbm

Thus the Dynamic Duo of this world is born. Finally we get to see Batman and Robin be formed in this world. Although things are slightly different with a different Wayne taking care of young Dick Grayson. One has to wonder if that would lead to anything else different for the caped crusaders of Gotham City? Please do keep up your wonderful series as I cannot wait to read what's next for this heroic duo of justice.

Thanks! Things aren't going to be the exact same, I can assure. If you want to know, keep reading.

From Darci

An interesting version of the story in Detective Comics#38. Like other readers, I was wondering if Robin would be female in this universe? You didn't choose to go that way, but there are plenty of other changes and consequences to ponder. For example, the aunt in France is presumably Harriet Cooper, but she only exists in Earth-1 at DC. We know about George and Clara Grayson from Earth-2, so now we wonder what their versions here will do? Lots of other changes besides those, such as the battle at the Cainin Building. Robin was much less involved than in the original story, and Blades met his end in a different manner. Let's see what the implications are from that?

For this series I look at every Earth and version and pick what I feel is the best, so yeah, the unnamed aunt is Aunt Harriet (from the '66 series) while Dick also has an aunt and uncle on his father's side too. A million thanks for reading and for the comments too.

Keep your eyes open for the next issues

Action Comics#13-The Cab Protective League

All American Comics#1-The Origin of the Green Lantern

Sensation Comics#15-The Railroad Plot