Story: "Evolution One: Whispers in the Dark" (30 Pages)

Credits:

Greg Rucka (plot, script)
Shawn Martinbrough (pencils)
Steve Mitchell (inks)
Todd Klein (letters)
Wildstorm FX (colors, color seperations)
Dennis O'Neil (edits)

Feature Character:

Batman

Supporting Characters:

Alfred Pennyworth
Oracle
James Gordon
Harvey Bullock
Mackenzie Bock
Lucius Fox

Villains:

Ra's Al Ghul (last in ...)
Whisper A'Daire
Kyle Abbot (first appearance of both)
Able Crown (head of the Burnley Town Massive; behind the scenes)
the Burnley Town Massive
Ekin Tzu (Dai-lo of the Lucky Hand Triad)
the Lucky Hand Triad
Emanuel Escabedo (head of the gangs in Coventry, connected to the Columbians; behind the scenes)
the Columbians
Vasily Kosov (behind the scenes)
the Odessa Mob
Pasquale "Junior" Galante (head of the Gotham Mafia; behind the scenes)

Other Characters:

Mayor Daniel Danfort Dickerson II
Willis (the Gotham City District Attourney)
Emma Jankow (a violin protégé)
Dirk Sims (a gossip columnist at the Gotham Tribune)
Congressman Chaffey

Synopsis:

Ra's al Ghul, archenemy of the Batman, sends two of his servants - Whisper and Abbot - on a mission in Gotham City, warning them that 'the detective' is a dangerous foe. Batman, of course, knows nothing of this, and has been spending much of the three months since Gotham reopened fighting back against the various factions of organised crime which have newly arrived in the city. Tonight, though, is the grand re-opening of the Gotham Public Library, funded by Bruce Wayne. The cream of Gotham society are there, as is the mysterious newcomer, Whisper, who seems to work her charms on everyone present. At the same time, Mr Abbot murders Triad leader Ekin Tzu's wife, placing the blame at the door of the Russians.

The reopening over, Bruce changes his clothes and goes on patrol as Batman, finding himself at the youth centre funded by Able Crown, one of Gotham's new crime bosses. He spots a sign of break-in, and encounters Abbot inside, who displays signs of being a were and calls him 'detective' before setting off an explosion that destroys the youth centre.