Fear is something that he's always been able to use to his advantage, having done his best to overcome it after years of struggling. He had once told himself that he couldn't let fear define him, because if he did, it cripples him. That does not mean he does not fear though. He does. He fears losing his friends, his chosen family, he fears losing the life that he has. For a long time, after getting the memories of the other man in his head, Brian did his best to fight it. And for a while, he thought he had managed to kill that fear. Only, Brian realizes now that he's wrong. He's so wrong, because now he's face to face with the man who is trying to destroy him. He looks just like Brian, he talks like Brian, but he seems to have a better view of himself. After almost two years, Brian knows this man to be Bruce Wayne. He has his memories, and while he might not have all the memories that Bruce has, Brian knows enough to put two and two together.
There is nothing else in this room but Bruce and Brian, and two chairs. Without saying a word, the two men both take a seat opposite each other. They sit in silence for hours it seems like, before one of them speaks. It's Bruce. "Do you know why you're here?"
It's a weird question to ask, and Brian doesn't know. "I'm dreaming, I think."
"Brilliant deduction, Brian," Bruce replies, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're here so I can finally be rid of you once and for all."
Brian is shocked by the words, because for the longest time, the two men have been working side-by-side, or as much as they can. "You can't, I'll be gone. My life will disappear."
"Wasn't that something you always saw coming?" Bruce said, crossing his arms. "You always knew you were the weaker one. You always knew you would lose."
The first time Brian realized who the other man in his head was, he was pissed off. Angry. That anger is coming over him now, fists clenched tight against his sides, wanting to result to violence against the man in front of him. That is where the two of them have always differed: Bruce isn't really for killing, where Brian believes fully in it. Brian owns a gun. Brian has used a gun. It's something Bruce has tried to remove, but it weighs on the other man. Brian knows it does. But there's nothing that the man can do - they're stuck together.
Unless.
"I wonder, what is it going to be like when you're gone?" Bruce drones on, as Brian stays where he's sitting, but not sure why he's still there. He should have left. Only, there is no way out. Black walls, black ceiling, black floors. Two silver chairs. A single light above them. It's as if he's being interrogated and maybe he is. This is apparently the World's Greatest Detective in front of him, Brian should be in awe. Truth is, he's terrified. He's aware of what the man in front of him can be capable of. He's seen the videos that were left after the shift happened. He's seen the wounds he's received because of them.
"They won't miss you. I doubt any of them will. You're not really much of a man, Brian Wallach. You're a shell. You're just a filler, until the main act can get on stage." Bruce leans forward in the chair, and the light hits him in a perfect way, as when Bruce grins, it looks positively devilish. "It's my turn."
Brian tries to argue, but as he opens up his mouth to speak, nothing comes out. His mouth is moving but words do not appear, and the more he tries to speak, the worse it becomes. Bruce is laughing at him, amused at Brian's attempts to try to argue, but he can't. He's not a match for Bruce Wayne, he's not been mastering this level of interrogation his whole life. He hasn't been dedicating his life to crime fighting. No, Brian could be called a criminal for some of the things he had done in the past. He could be called a killer for things he had done in the past. He won't be a crime fighter. He'll start crime. He'll destroy things. He always has. Brian tries to talk but now his mouth won't move. It won't even open. He lifts a hand to press against his lips, but only his lips aren't there. His mouth isn't there. It's completely disappeared.
"Haven't you ever wondered what you'd be without your voice? You talk so damn much, it's like you like to hear yourself talk. But you don't really hear yourself, do you? You're no substance, you're just...words. Nothing but words." Bruce says, as Brian frantically is pulling at where his mouth used to be, hoping he can break through the skin but nothing is happening. It's a fruitless effort, and no matter how hard he tries, nothing is happening.
"You know who really won't miss you?" Bruce asks, "Veronica. Your wife. She's not really your wife anyway. She's my Selina, you know. She'll take over Veronica and make her disappear too. You have no place here. This is our world now. Boston is now our Gotham."
Brian tries to scream, but he can't. No sound comes out, and the look on his face is one of pain. Bruce Wayne laughs. Brian tries to get up, but finds he's stuck to the chair. Bruce is coming towards him, a sharp Batarang in his hand, the light of the lamp hitting the black chrome of the item so that it blinds Brian temporary. Brian flinches away and closes his eyes for a second. When he opens them, Bruce is gone.
That is, until he feels the sharp point of the finely crafted weapon against his throat. Brian swallows hard. "You know my rule on killing, but if you're getting rid of something that should have never existed in the first place, is it really killing?"