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"Clean": Robert Amherst is concerned about the special agent that has been sent to eliminate him. He recalls watching "The Batman" on his window some time ago and he deduced that they have decided to get rid of him and "clean" all the evidence possible. Amherst's orders were to execute the plan

Quote1 You think they would send you after me if I was just doing a favor for a mayor somewhere? My orders come from the top. The White House. The Commander In Chief. Any more questions? Quote2
Robert Amherst

Batman: Gotham Knights #31 is an issue of the series Batman: Gotham Knights (Volume 1) with a cover date of September, 2002.

Synopsis for "Clean"

Robert Amherst is concerned about the special agent that has been sent to eliminate him. He recalls watching "The Batman" on his window some time ago and he deduced that they have decided to get rid of him and "clean" all the evidence possible. Amherst's orders were to execute the plan and then clean all the evidence to cover the entire operation, but now the cleaner is going the get "cleaned". Frightened and alone in a hotel room, Amherst waits for dawn and the time when he finally leaves Gotham City and disappears.

However, Batman has been looking Amherst for the poisoned drugs business. His manhunt for Amherst has been tough, but he is tougher. Using all his deducing skills, investigation abilities and his physical training, Batman has uncovered many of Amherst's undercover plans and the people he has been dealing with. Finally, Batman crashes the place where the last known associates of the man he's hunting are staying. Batman beats all of them to a pulp and leaves the leader for the last. The leader, in defiance, stands against Batman, but the latter shows him that any man that stands before him, shall fall before him by threatening his comrades with information about them and their medical records. The leader gives away Amherst location and he also tells Batman that the man is soon leaving town.

Amherst remembers his training and how he has prepared to be the best, but his instructor told him that there is always going to be someone better prepared, faster, smarter and hungrier than he is, and that if he ever encounters that person, he should run like hell. However, it's too late for Amherst, who doesn't believe in Batman, until the Caped Crusader appears in the shadows of his hotel room. Amherst pulls out his gun and threatens Batman, who doesn't make a move. Amherst then tries to negotiate with Batman, but the dark knight just wants to know about the poisoned drugs. Amherts is confused and he tells Batman that the drugs operation are just a cover up for the big mission. Batman asks Amherst about his ultimate goal and he confesses that he contacted a professional man only known to him as "Mr. Smith" and paid him 20 million dollars for a "character assasination" related to Bruce Wayne. Batman is in shock and he just wants to know who gave the order. Amherst laughs at Batman thinking that the orders were given by someone with less power than the most important man in the country. Amherst orders were given by The President of the United States of America.

Appearing in "Clean"

Featured Characters:

  • Batman (Flashback and main story)

Antagonists:

  • Robert Amherst (Flashback and main story)

Other Characters:

  • Robert Deren (Single appearance)
  • Scott Wilson (Single appearance)
  • Dana Kellerman (Single appearance)
  • Eli Goldman (Single appearance)
  • Gregory Baithswaine (Single appearance)

Locations:

Items:


Synopsis for "Hands"

Batman is chasing a criminal known as "Nails" to the subway tunnels, but he stops when he notices an skeleton hand on the ground. Batman analyzes the hand and follows a trail of bones until he finds the skull. Batman deduced that he skeleton belongs to a four year old girl. Batman then finds a necklace and he narrows the possibilities and discovers the identity of the deceased girl. He recalls the story of a lost girl on the subway years ago, when she slipped away from his grandfather just when the train started moving.

Batman decides to go to the place where the grandfather and his son are currently living but he finds nothing on the place, just a table full of pills. Batman goes to the hospital to reveal the information he learned about the "missing" girl to his father, but when he arrives he watches as the grandfather, lying on his deathbed, confess the truth to his son. The pain of the loss is big, but the son forgives the old man. When the son leaves the room with a nurse to sign some forms, Batmam gets in the room and gives the old man the necklace from his granddaughter. The old man stares at Batman and speaks the word "finally". Moments later, the son find his father dead with the girls necklace on his hand.

Batman continues his search for Nails and, for the criminal's own good, he hopes he doesn't find him that night. However, deep inside, Batman hopes to catch him that night.

Appearing in "Hands"

Featured Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Nails Grieg (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Celia Patricia Nielsen (Flashback only)(Appears only as a corpse)
  • Celia's father (Single appearance)
  • Celia's grandfather (Flashback and main story)(Single appearance; dies)

Locations:

Notes

Trivia


See Also

Recommended Reading

Links and References

Batman 10 Cent Adventure 1
Bruce Wayne: Fugitive Crossover
DC Bullet 2024

This comic issue is a part of the Bruce Wayne: Murderer? and Bruce Wayne: Fugitive story that went through every Batman Family title in 2002. Bruce Wayne was framed for the murder of his love interest Vesper Fairchild and forced to go on the run from the law so he could prove his innocence. This adventure almost completely compromised his identity from the inside.

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