Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Wayne Legacy: Knightmare

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 02:

Gotham City

Residence of Police Commissioner Jim Gordon

Bruce had let himself in the backdoor and waited in the dark for the dwelling’s occupant. The Commissioner had told Bruce to meet him at his home as soon as the sun fell. He had become used to meeting with Gordon in the warehouse Wayne Enterprises owned, so Jim wanting to meet him here was a surprise.

Jim had lived in the small brownstone for years; at one time with his wife and daughter. His wife had left him when Barbara was three, leaving Jim to be a single working dad, the woman having no desire to take Barbara with her. From what Bruce understood, neither Barbara nor Jim had spoken to her since the divorce had been finalized.

He stood from the kitchen chair where he had been waiting when he heard Jim open the door and walk in. The Commissioner walked straight into the kitchen and before Bruce could warn him, turned on the light.

“Son of a bitch!” Jim yelled, jumping back and instinctively reaching for his gun before realizing who was there.

“I was about to say something. You turned on the light before I could.” Bruce explained apologetically.

Gordon placed a hand on his chest and caught his breath. “I told you to come over tonight. Why the hell are you in that suit, standing in my kitchen in the dark!?”

Bruce frowned. “I wouldn’t think you would want your neighbors seeing us meeting. You said you needed me here tonight.”

Jim shook his head, sighing. “Take off that damn mask and cape and have a seat. I meant for Bruce Wayne to come over, dressed like a normal person, doing normal things like knocking on the door, maybe bring a six pack of beer. I’ll definitely be more specific next time.”

Bruce took off his cowl and detached his cape then had a seat.

“You did good last night.” Jim told him, passing him a beer. “You aren’t planning on going out tonight, are you?”

Bruce shrugged. “I had planned to, don’t have too much else to do.”

Jim shook his head. “You go out too much. Gotham has three million citizens, Bruce. Driving around looking for muggings every night is futile. You gotta take some time for yourself, or at least give Alfred a few nights off. I know the man must be tired. He’s trying to take care of Wayne Manor, his girls and you.

“Kara may have made that suit for you and Diana is grudgingly going along with this, but Alfred? He is literally stuck in the middle.”

Bruce admitted to himself Jim had a point. Alfred was caught in the middle and he had been since he returned. He was also physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.

While Bruce, Diana and Dig had fought on Themyscira and in Tartarus, Alfred had watched Kara dying, something he refused to talk about, other than to say he had never seen Kara so close to death and it shook him greatly. He refused to give details, but Bruce could guess seeing her heart stop, something that had never happened before, and watching her body rapidly shut down would give him more nightmares.

“I don’t need him all the time.” Bruce admitted. “Most people in the Narrows don’t give me a second look when I’m suited up on my bike. I’m thinking of watching the area around Arkham more closely.”

Jim took a drink then tilted his beer at the man. “Not a great idea. Keep working leads to find the source of the drugs. There isn’t anything you can do with Arkham. You checked out Crane’s place and it’s clean, you can get into Arkham, but someone is going to know you were there after you left. The risk isn’t worth the reward.

“Thanks to your trip last night and Eller’s sudden onset of a conscience, we got enough for an A.D.A. to plant bugs in specific areas. Before that can happen, Harvey and his team are dealing with patient rights and all kinds of legal stuff I don’t understand but it should happen soon.”

“I’ve also got a lot more police presence around Arkham. Your sister wants that area cleaned up, so we are trying to relocate squatters.” Jim stood up and walked into the kitchen closet. “Kara wants to build a new football stadium on top of where Arkham is now. Diana said Kara wants the Gotham Knights team slogan to be ‘Welcome to the Asylum’. Diana hates it but I think it’s kind of catchy.”

Bruce smirked. That did sound like his little sister. “I wasn’t aware the sale had gone through.”

“I don’t know. Diana is doing something, but she wants certain things from the City Council meaning lawyers are involved. She will push for the city to build her new stadium and she will turn the area into an entertainment or residential area. I don’t get into her business even if I could understand it. Kara wants the team, so Diana is going to buy her the team. You know how their dynamic works.”

While Jim had been talking, Bruce heard him shuffling around in the closet, moving items and metal clinging against metal.

He finally stepped out with a steel pipe in one hand and a pipe wrench in the other. He placed the items on the table in front of Bruce.

He looked at Jim with a raised eyebrow.

The man said pointing to the sink. “I need the drainage pipe replaced. There’s a bucket for the runoff under the sink. I haven’t gotten around to it, but I thought you could handle it.”

“You did?” Bruce asked.

Jim nodded. “One of us needs to get this done tonight. I’m forty-eight with a bad back and you are twenty-eight and able to jump across roof tops. You do the math.”

Bruce looked at Jim for a few moments, waiting for the man to smile and let him in on the joke. Slowly he realized Jim wasn’t joking. “You wanted to meet here so I could fix your plumbing?”

“That and I didn’t feel like driving out to the warehouse. So, you might want to start.” Jim told him unapologetically. “I’m ordering Chinese takeout. Sound good?”

Bruce let out a breath and drained his beer. “From the place on fifth?”

Jim nodded.

“General Tso’s chicken, fried rice and crab Rangoon.” Bruce replied, standing and taking the items from the table.

He slid under the sink, cutting off the water and began removing the old pipe.

“So, what is the next step with Crane?” Bruce asked, dumping the old pipe in the bucket he’d placed under the open pipe. “You said Dent’s sending an A.D.A. in to spy and plant bugs. I feel sorry for that bastard, working in that dump all day, surrounded by lunatics and spying on a possibly homicidal psychiatrist. Is it someone on Dent’s bad side?”

“It’s Rachel.”

Bruce jerked up, slamming his forehead on the underside of the counter.

“Oww!” the man grunted, holding his head and sliding gently out from under the sink.

He was about to speak when Jim held up his hand for quiet as he ordered. After he hung up the phone, he asked, “How’s your head?”

“It hurts.” Bruce replied, checking for blood.

“Consider us even for the heart attack you nearly caused when I found you waiting for me tonight.” Jim remarked with a chuckle. “Get back to work and I’ll tell you about it. That pipe isn’t going to replace itself.”

Bruce took a deep breath and slid under the sink while Jim told him of Rachel’s recent rehiring at the District Attorney’s office.

“So, Diana in her great mercy, granted a slight reprieve for Rachel, allowing her back in the city as long as she followed certain conditions and then, when she needed someone to throw into an insane asylum, is suddenly fine with Rachel being in the D.A.’s office. That’s typical Diana.” Bruce said, angry at his twin for her treatment of someone that was once so close to their family.

Jim shook his head. He wasn’t blind to the problems between the siblings. There had been some small movement towards reconciliation between Bruce and his sisters , but he was well aware not all was forgiven or smooth sailing in the Wayne household.

“You talked to your sister lately?” He asked curiously.

“Yeah, I talked to her this morning. They are flying back to the states tomorrow, but she and Kara are stopping in Philadelphia for a business meeting of some sort. Alex and Barbara are taking the jet back to Gotham and it will return to Philly to pick them up the next day.”

“And Kara?”

“Not since she stopped by to give me my half million dollar plumbing suit.” Bruce slid from under the sink and turned the water on, then watched for leaks. “Jim, what do you think of what Diana did to Rachel? You can’t be okay with her actions.”

As Bruce dried his hands, Jim handed him another beer and pulled one out for himself.

Jim sat back down, sighing. “I think no one handled that situation well. I was angry as hell that Finch let that son of a bitch go. I was angry that he used Rachel to run interference with Diana. I wasn’t surprised by Diana’s actions at all. Rachel shouldn’t have been either… it’s not like Diana hid her feelings about the deal. Rachel got fed a line of crap from Finch who she probably had a little crush on, and seriously underestimated Diana’s reaction.

“Did I approve? I approved of everything else Diana did. She put a stop to corruption in this city with one election.

“She also put her own people in place. It was what I would expect from her. No, I don’t think she should have destroyed Rachel to the degree she did, but I understood it. She felt betrayed by someone close to her and that was never going to end well. The only one who could have talked her down disappeared though.”

Bruce stilled at that statement, surprised Gordon said it.

“I couldn’t have stopped her.” Bruce defended himself.

“Bruce, you have always been the only one who could reason with her.” Gordon told him knowingly. “Are you telling me you couldn’t have made a difference? I doubt you could have stopped her completely, but you were the only one who had any chance of holding her back a bit. That blonde friend of Diana’s, what’s her name, Silver? Yeah, Silver damn sure wasn’t going to argue with Diana when she was that furious.”

“So, it’s my fault?” Bruce asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

Jim shook his head. “I’m not saying that, Bruce. I’m just saying that I understood why your sister did what she did. You know Diana better than anyone, so you aren’t surprised either.

“You also aren’t responsible. You aren’t responsible for the bad things Diana has done nor do you get credit for the good things she has done.

“Rachel was a good kid, but she believed Finch when he convinced her to talk to Diana, using their relationship to further his own career. In his desire to bring down Falconè and make a name for himself, he put her in the line of fire, seriously underestimating your sister’s power and influence. This was Finch’s fault and he deserved what he got. You want to blame someone, blame that dead asshole.”

The two sat in silence, drinking until the doorbell rang announcing the food had arrived. After they had finished eating, Jim told Bruce to follow him to the living room where he had a seat in his recliner while Bruce settled on the couch.

“So, you did good with Eller. You didn’t leave any marks on him, did you?”

“No. He’s too frightened to ever say anything about me. I greeted him in a dark kitchen as well.” Bruce replied with a chuckle.

Jim rolled his eyes at the younger man’s cheekiness. “Good. Now, let’s talk about your crime fighting career. You say you’ve got skills my officers don’t. I’ve seen enough to believe you. There is a certain criminal that is highly skilled and has eluded us for years. My officers simply can’t catch her. She pulled off a string of high-end jewelry thefts a few years ago. Two stores and one museum. We’ve been tracking similar thefts all over the nation. No one can catch her. She has broken into some of the most secure places in the country. Her crimes follow a pattern, and it looks like she is heading back to Gotham or Metropolis. My guess is Gotham. You know what they say, there is no place like home.”

Bruce had a feeling that’s where this had been heading. He had listened on the streets and visited her old haunts but found no mention of Selina Kyle anywhere.

“If you know…” he started.

Jim held up a hand. “We don’t have proof, but everyone knows who it is, here in Gotham at least. She wears a mask, has a taste for the theatrics like you. We called her ‘Cat Woman’ and it tended to stick across the country. You and I both know only one woman could have those kinds of skills… your old girlfriend, Selina.

“In the past, I would have said you wouldn’t have a chance in hell of catching her. That girl never met a cop she couldn’t escape. Now though, you have the skills to catch her. The question is, will you?”

Bruce sighed. “I’ll find her and talk to her.”

Jim looked amused. “You going to do that with every criminal? Or just the ones you have a past with, Bruce?

“You are going to have to decide what kind of crime fighter you want to be. Are you going to have a strict code, or will it flex when it comes to certain things? I have a feeling you didn’t learn these enhanced skills from angels on high. You’ve been involved with some unsavory people. What happens if they come back into your life? Selina is coming soon and if you can’t bring her in, that’s fine. I’ll leave you out of it.

“I’m not judging you, Bruce. I just need to know where your lines are.”

Bruce sat back and closed his eyes. “I can’t arrest her, or anybody.”

“Of course you can’t, you’re not a cop.” Jim replied. “I don’t need you to arrest her. I need you to be willing to trip her, tie her up, tackle her until we can get there. If you want in, I can give you some spots she will most likely hit. You can be waiting for her. She gets held up and we find the jewels on her, we can ID her, trace her movements, check her apartment, hold her accounts, and break the case without bringing you into it publicly. She may claim the jewels were planted by the Batman, but she can’t stop the investigation into other areas of her life that will nail her.

“We just need you to catch her.”

Bruce sighed. “When do you expect her?”

Jim shrugged. “She was in Opal City a few days ago. Gotham is within striking distance. Since you are back and the world knows it, she will probably contact you first. Maybe not.

“It’s your call, Bruce. I said we would work together, not me giving you orders. Give it some thought and let me know.”

Bruce nodded.

“My AC has been acting up. Do you know anything about those?” Jim asked, changing the subject.

“Goodbye, Jim.” Bruce said, standing up quickly to move to the kitchen, retrieve his cowl and cape and sneak off into the darkness.

Jim sighed. “Should have asked him to check out the garbage disposal when I had him in the kitchen.”

Philadelphia

Dig checked with the forwarding team before he pulled into the residential neighborhood. He had sent three SUVs with three guards apiece to ensure the neighborhood was safe before driving Diana and Kara to the destination. There was no reason to believe it wasn’t safe. No one besides Steve, Bruce and Alfred knew they planned to stop off in Philadelphia before going back to Gotham. Barbara and Alex were on their way back now so the world should assume the Wayne sisters were as well. The jet was scheduled to return in the morning to pick them up before too many people were alerted to their actual whereabouts.

“No suspicious activity in the neighborhood.” Dig told the women.

Kara snorted, looking out the window. “Why would there be? It’s the suburbs. We just passed an elementary school and a park. This isn’t exactly the Narrows.”

“I consider every place you go as a potential war zone until I am satisfied it’s not.” Dig reminded her. “Speaking of security, Diana, you know we need to talk…”

“Don’t.” Diana said, raising her hand.

“It’s going to come up. You know how suspicious it will look if you don’t have visible security. You can’t exactly tell the government you can move fast enough to avoid bullets and kick every human’s ass, not to mention ancient deities, so you don’t need any. You don’t want questions being asked, right?” Dig asked knowingly.

Diana was frustrated by the topic but knew Dig was right. It would be an issue. If she didn’t surround herself with security the government would step in and do so, without her consent or knowledge. The last thing she wanted was questions.

Diana’s main issue was a loss of freedom. She loved driving everywhere, enjoyed driving fast in her sports cars, deciding to take off in the middle of the day without notice, just to get away for a while. She didn’t want the constraints that came with Kara’s security detail.

“Perhaps one or two when we travel. They can follow me home and then leave for the day. I don’t need to be watched too closely, Dig. There are plenty of guards at the manor. A couple following me on the drive to and from work will be enough. So long as they understand what I say goes. If I tell them to back off, they back off.”

Kara shook her head from the backseat. “That’s not the way it works. Sometimes safety comes before comfort, and they may have to do things you are not comfortable with to ensure your safety. Right, Dig? Isn’t that what you said when we met?”

Dig glanced at Diana in the passenger seat and wisely stayed quiet.

A few minutes later, Diana broke the silence that had descended in the vehicle. “Pull over when we get close to her home. I need to call and give her a little warning at least.”

Dig pulled over a few houses away from their destination.

“Hello?” A young sounding voice answered.

“Is this Samantha Arias?”

“No, this is her daughter, Ruby.”

“Could I speak to your mother?” Diana asked pleasantly.

“Sure, may I tell her who is calling?”

“Diana Wayne.”

The teen on the other end whistled. “Cool name! It’s like the really rich woman’s from Gotham City. Hold on.”

Diana could hear a conversation in the background but even she could not make out the words due to the poor reception of phones. She knew it was more than a simple, ‘the call is for you’.

After a few moments, a cautious voice came on the line. “Hello?“

“Hello, Miss Arias. This is Diana Wayne, the really rich woman from Gotham City. I hope I am not calling at a bad time.”

The line was dead quiet, so much so Diana was wondering if the call had dropped. “Miss Arias?”

“Oh! Sorry. You really said ‘Diana Wayne’?”It was obvious Diana’s ploy to throw the woman off was working in spades.

“Yes, that would be me.” Diana replied, her tone light. “My sister and I happen to be in the neighborhood and were wondering if we could drop by. There is a matter we would like to discuss with you, and it is probably best spoken of outside your office.”

“You are in the neighborhood? My neighborhood? You just happen to be in Philly in my neighborhood?” Samantha’s voice rose in pitch slightly with each question.

Diana laughed. “Hard to believe, isn’t it? Okay, the truth is we are coming back from Iceland and made a stop for the day in this lovely city specifically to speak to you. If you are busy or you can’t, I understand. This is sudden and it is a beautiful day so I’m sure you and your daughter are enjoying it. If we can’t meet with you now, then perhaps later today?”

“No, no!” Samantha exclaimed before catching herself, moderating her tone to something probably more normal for her. “Now is fine… I guess. I’m not really prepared to attend to guests. How long will it take for you to be here?”

“Actually, we’re about to pull up in front of your house. Please, don’t do anything to attend to us. We aren’t dressed to impress and would just love to chat. Would that be okay?”

Because of her enhanced senses, Diana heard the woman gulp and whisper to her daughter to pick up nerf balls and throw the laundry into the bin.

“Yes… of course. I’ll be waiting for you. We will I mean… waiting… but you are here. Give me a minute to pick up… to turn… please use the driveway. No reason to stay on the street.” The woman finally ended up saying, obviously unsettled which is exactly what Diana wanted.

“Excellent.” Diana ended the call and grinned broadly.

“You have got to stop doing this to people, Diana.” Kara mumbled, shaking her head.

“If I set up a meeting, she would spend hours preparing, making herself sick with worry and overthinking everything. A few moments of a racing heart is better than hours of anticipation.” Diana explained.

Dig laughed. “You like keeping people off balance. It lets you see who they are past the pretensions we put on in organized settings.”

Diana laughed. “Dig, sometimes I think we share a mind.”

The car pulled into the driveway and Dig exited first, looking around. A black SUV was at one end of the street and another at the opposite end. These were rented, not the armored ones used in Gotham that were filled with weapons, but he felt it was enough. They were manned by Wayne security that had traveled back from Iceland but not as many stayed as he would prefer. John’s driving goal in life was to protect his charge and spontaneity, such as an unscheduled stop in the itinerary, was his mortal enemy.

“I’ll be in the car.” Dig told them, deciding the house would be safe since Diana was with Kara.

The Wayne sisters walked up the nicely landscaped sidewalk to the front door. Both were wearing tshirts and jeans, with well-worn sneakers. They had their hair pulled back in ponytails, giving off their most casual vibe. For Kara, it was natural. For Diana, it was a disguise as much as Bruce’s bat suit was.

They knocked and after a few moments, the door was opened by Samantha Arias who was breathing heavily and red in the face. It was obvious the woman had just done the fastest cleaning of her life.

“Oh… wow. It’s both of you.” Sam said, eyes wide.

“Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Miss Arias.” Diana replied.

“Please, call me Sam. Come in, come in.”

She moved back, waving them in and the sisters stepped inside.

A brunette, teenage girl was in the living room, shifting from foot to foot in nervous anticipation. Her eyes widened when she saw the blonde.

“Kara Wayne!”

Kara smiled shyly, giving her a short wave.

Instead of saying anything, Ruby ran out of the room and was back in seconds with a red, two-foot long, triangular-shaped drone with multiple cameras on the bottom. She also had a black sharpie in her hand.

The teen stopped in front of Kara, bouncing in her obvious excitement. “Could you please sign this for me? Is it true you made this design when you were ten and figured out a way to make it a tenth of the original cost for mass production? How did you make these cameras so sharp, but the lenses aren’t designed for typical 4D filming… okay I have so many questions.

“I have your microscope too. This year’s newest model in fact. I love your tech. Can you sign my microscope? I’m building my own remote-controlled boat to take to the pond at Veterans Park. Could you look at it? I would love your opinion on the edges. I know you have worked on marine stealth with battleships and submarines. I think I have the ballast perfectly and plan on building a small sub next. Can I show you my design?”

The girl was talking so fast Kara was having a hard time keeping up and had no chance to answer any of her questions.

“Ruby! Calm down.” Sam told her. Turning to Kara, she explained, “I’m sorry, but she is a big fan of yours. Science and robotics are a passion of hers.”

Kara grinned. “Of course she is into robotics… all the cool kids are. Do you compete?”

“Absolutely. I placed second in regionals last fall. ” Ruby said proudly. “I could show you, but I doubt it would impress you.”

Kara took the sharpie from Ruby’s hand and signed the drone. “I am always impressed by robots. Show me what you’ve got. Whatever you have is one hundred percent better than those who don’t try.”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “That is so cool. Can I quote you? It should be like our new team slogan.”

Kara nodded. “You can absolutely quote me. Let’s go check your projects out and leave the adults to their boring grown-up talk.”

Kara followed an animated Ruby to her room, leaving Diana and Sam alone.

“I’m not sure which one is happier. When Kara meets someone who loves science, she gets so excited. I hope you don’t mind that she just absconded with your daughter.” Diana said delighted with what she’d seen so far.

“I think my daughter absconded with her.” Sam pointed out. “Please, have a seat on the sofa… or anywhere.”

Diana sat on the sofa and took in the area quickly without lingering on any one thing. It was quaint, filled with love. Photos of the two of them littered the room. It smelled slightly of lemon Pine Sol, Kara’s favorite scent. The furniture was functional and comfortable. All in all, it gave Diana the impression of a home lived in by a mother and daughter who loved each other very much.

Sam was dressed as casually as Diana, but she had a feeling Sam had been wearing shorts and jumped into the jeans, considering one of the cuffs was stuck inside her boot while the other hung outside. Perhaps Kara was right, and she really did need to stop ambushing people before someone fell and hurt themselves.

Sam sat on the recliner but was not reclined, instead she was leaning forward and giving Diana her undivided attention.

“This is unexpected, but it’s an honor to meet you.” Sam told her. “So, what can I do for you, Miss Wayne?”

Diana smiled and sat back, stretching her arm across the back of the couch to give an impression of relaxation, hoping to put her host at ease.

“It’s Diana to you, Sam.” She told her easily. “You have a lovely home. This neighborhood is lovely as well. How long have you lived here?”

“Almost two years. We bought it when I got promoted to head of financial auditing.”

Diana nodded. “That would be right after you found discrepancies in waste disposal prices and discovered the plant foreman in Kentucky was dumping liquid waste into ground wells and taking allocated money from the company for himself. He was arrested as a result. You saved the company bad press and saved many people in nearby towns that could have drunk the tainted water. Thanks to your actions, the EPA was able to act quickly and effectively. Axis owed you for it.”

“You know about that?” Sam asked, her eyes wide in stunned disbelief.

Diana smirked. “I know quite a bit about you. I’ve been watching your career closely ever since Lucius Fox made you an offer to work for Wayne Enterprises several years ago. He was disappointed when you turned him down. After reviewing the information Lucius had gathered on you, so was I.”

Sam stiffened a bit. She had several offers at that time, but Axis was the one that allowed her to raise Ruby in a safe and affordable neighborhood. Sam wouldn’t have been able to afford one of the middle-class neighborhoods in Gotham with a new executive’s salary. The property was much cheaper in Philly and the public schools were much better. At the time, Gotham schools were not great places to educate children and she certainly couldn’t afford the private schools.

“I regretted that I couldn’t take the offer, it was the most appealing career wise. At the time though, Ruby was much younger, and we needed a more economically friendly area to settle.”

“I understand.” Diana said, genuinely sympathetic. “Gotham has come a long way, but I am not blind to what it has been in the past. I hope you don’t mind me asking direct questions but that seems to be the only way I know how.

“Sam, are you happy at Axis? Are you still happy in Philadelphia? This is a lovely area, but you are not being used to your full potential, nor are you getting paid for it, are you?”

Sam shook her head slightly. “You have been watching my career, haven’t you? You obviously know I was passed over for COO. Dan had twenty years’ experience. I was disappointed but not surprised.”

Diana wasn’t surprised either. It was the way of many companies. “Wayne Enterprises doesn’t grant promotions on service time. I put the best where they belong, whether that is someone coming up in the company or someone outside of the company, which brings me to the purpose of our visit.

“I have an offer for you and would like you to fully hear me out before you make any decisions.”

Sam had the idea this might be why the Wayne sisters had shown up out of nowhere. She doubted someone of Diana’s power and stature had just shown up to have a chat. She was curious as to what position she might be offered. She knew little of the innerworkings of Wayne Enterprises but knew it was different from most large corporations.

Seeing she had Sam’s full attention, Diana proceeded to lay out her proposal. “I’m sure you know of our recent contract with the government. Wayne Enterprises is nearly doubling in size as a result. We own over two hundred companies, everything from Midas Tires to Burger Palace Incorporated. We own the largest chain of movie theaters in the nation. We have the second largest reserves of natural gas and oil. We are the leaders of solar energy and wind turbine markets. These are but a few of our markets.

“I have always managed all branches of the company to the best of my ability. I rely on my division chief executives but, when possible, oversee much myself.

“Recently, my sister’s health has greatly improved. I plan to travel much more with her, something we have never been able to do. I will also be getting married soon. I don’t want work to consume my life or anyone’s for that matter.

“I need a Vice President who can learn under me, the same way I learned under Lucius. I need a third-in-command if you will, to help me run the company… although in reality, you would be my second. Kara just can’t seem to make herself care about the actual business side of things.”

Sam sat quietly, trying to understand what she was saying. Why was Diana explaining her need for a second-in-command was a mystery to her.

Diana said she had an offer…

Sam froze as the implication of what Diana was saying caused a tingling chill to erupt throughout her body. “Are you saying… you want me…”

“To be that person, Sam.” Diana affirmed. “You are a financial genius, looked over because of your age. Age has never been an issue for me. I hire the best person for the job. A case in point is when I placed my entire cyber security department into the hands of an eighteen-year-old girl because she was the best in the world at what she does.

“I see that same potential in you. I see the drive in you. I also see the love.

“I admit I surprised you because I wanted to see you in your home. I can tell a lot about people by seeing where they live. You and your daughter love each other very much. The normal teenage angst between a mother and a teenager seems to be missing in you two. You rely on each other and support one another.”

Sam nodded, impressed by how well Diana could read her and Ruby’s dynamic.

“I don’t want this job to consume your life any more than it does mine. You need to take time for yourself, spend time with Ruby, be there for her, but I won’t lie. It will be tough. There will be long hours at first, but those will ease as you settle into the job.”

Diana reached into her back pocket and pulled a card out, handing it to Sam. “Here is an initial offer.”

Sam flipped it to the back and saw a dollar sign followed by many numbers.

“Oh… my… God… you are serious.” She whispered, almost numb now.

“I never joke about business or about getting something or someone, I want… and I want you, Sam.” Diana stated, the seriousness in her voice unmistakable.

“You will need security and you may not be crazy about the living situation. Across from Wayne Tower, we own a residential building with luxury suites. My department heads live there. Each one has their own floor, and the building is highly secured. I’ve always kept the penthouse open for visiting guests but considering your position, I would like you to have it.”

Seeing she still had Sam’s attention, Diana continued. “Ruby will be able to attend Gotham Preparatory. Wayne Enterprises owns it. We recruit the brightest young minds in the country and offer them boarding and internships over the summer with Wayne Enterprises in fields they may be interested in. Ruby wouldn’t stay on campus, obviously, but she will have a driver take her to and from the school. The robotics program is out of this world. Kara designed this past year’s curriculum herself.”

Sam held up a hand, needing to slow things down long enough to catch her breath. “This is a lot to take in. When I woke up this morning, I didn’t think I would be sitting here, talking to you about… wow. You don’t want to interview me?”

“That’s what this is. I’ve researched your life, been watching your career for years and was impressed, but I needed to meet you, get a feel of what you are about. I go with my feelings about people. I have seen what I needed to see.

“You have high moral values and are family oriented. You went through college raising a child meaning you are tough as nails. You risked your career by calling out your own company for breaking environmental laws. You could have easily lost your job. That means doing what is right is most important to you. It means you can’t be bought off or compromised.

“Your child does not have nose rings, nor does she dress like black is the only color in the world. She asked my sister to sign a drone and a microscope. You have raised her to be smart, comfortable in her own skin and not afraid of her own intelligence.”

Sam shook her head. “I have no experience with any of these business ventures you spoke of.”

“Don’t let that concern you. As I said, I will teach you just as Lucius taught me.” Diana explained. “We fly back to Gotham tomorrow, and I would like you and Ruby to return with us. Let me show you what Gotham City and Wayne Enterprises could offer. Stay for a few days in the manor. Let me show you the penthouse, the school, the sights. Ruby isn’t attending any summer classes, is she?”

“No…”

“That was a rhetorical question. I already checked.” Diana said lightly, smiling.

Sam shook her head. “I have work this week…”

Diana waved it off. “Call in sick. You haven’t taken any sick days in four years. Take some vacation days if you must. Give me a chance to convince you and the only thing you will need to do for your present job is to hand in your resignation and start your future with us.

“Ruby will be a freshman next year. Four years at Gotham Prep and she can go to any college she desires, anywhere in the world. Her future would be unlimited. No door would ever be closed to her.”

At that moment, Ruby ran back into the living room. “Mom! Kara showed me how to boost the power on my battle bot. I think with an axe it could cut through PVC pipe now and still maintain balance. I need to find a competition to enter. She said she can rebuild the processor on my laptop and add memory to make it a gaming platform.”

“Have a good talk?” Ruby asked both, when she stopped to catch a breath, looking between them.

Kara had walked out behind her, a large, knowing smile on her face.

“I was just suggesting to your mother that the two of you should come to Gotham City tomorrow on our private jet and stay with us for a few days. You should see the projects Kara works on in our garage, Ruby. She likes to restore cars, but her classic planes are her favorite projects.” Diana told her, winking at Sam.

Kara nodded, adding in her own salvo to her sister’s direct assault to sway the Arias women to their side. “Most of what goes on at Wayne Tower is top secret, but many floors are open. I could show you the 3D platforming and motion capture rooms we have, maybe preview some video games that will be hitting the market in the next few months.

“At the manor, we have horses, tennis courts, a golf course and as many drones as you could want, most of which have never been put on the market and never will because of their power. I shouldn’t be the only one allowed to enjoy their awesomeness.”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “Mom, we have to! Please say we can! Please! I’ve never ridden a horse and the planes and the drones… I’ve never played tennis. Didn’t you say once that we should try golf?”

Sam shook her head, dazed. The Wayne sisters knew how to get what they wanted and weren’t afraid of a hard sale. She had thought Diana was making her an offer she couldn’t refuse but Kara was working her daughter and it was very effective.

Diana smiled and stood up. “Ruby, you and your mother have much to discuss. The offer stands for whenever you are ready. If you would like to come to Gotham with us tomorrow, my personal cell number is on the card. No strings attached. If you do come, see what I’m offering you first hand, then decide it isn’t for you and your daughter, I understand. We won’t be leaving until around noon. I hope to hear from you.

“For now, we must go. We just returned from Iceland but since we are still technically on vacation and neither of us have been to this lovely city, we have much to do.”

“Definitely.” Kara agreed. “We are going to see the Liberty Bell, Freedom Hall and maybe take a personal tour of Eastern State Penitentiary tonight. How creepy would that be?

“Thanks for having us over. You’ve got a cool place. Ruby, I’m sure we will see each other soon and Sam I hope we can talk more, perhaps on the flight tomorrow.”

“They haven’t decided yet, Kara.” Diana reminded her teasingly.

Kara snorted and looked at Sam, smiling. “You might as well give in. You’ll figure out soon enough that Diana always gets what she wants.”

Diana shook Sam’s hand and walked out behind Kara. As soon as the sisters’ SUV pulled out of the driveway, Sam closed the door and leaned heavily against it. Then she slid to the ground and sat against it, slowly taking in what just happened.

Ruby was staring at her mother, a little concerned. “Okay, I just worked on my favorite battle bot with the smartest woman in history, a twenty-one-year-old tech legend, and you look like you got hit by a truck. What is going on?”

Sam placed her forehead on her knees and wrapped her arms around her legs. “Not a truck, more like a hurricane. We need to talk.”

Ruby helped Sam up and the two went to the back porch. Ruby listened for the next twenty minutes while her mother detailed her conversation with Diana Wayne.

Then she handed her speechless daughter the card and the number on the back with a dollar signs and many zeroes.

The fourteen-year-old’s mouth dropped. “Mom?”

“Yeah?”

“Why are we even discussing this?” the girl asked.

Sam let out a breath. “It’s a huge change, Rubes. It changes everything.”

“Everything for the better!” Ruby exclaimed, excitement oozing out of every pore of her body.

Sam shook her head. “Not everything might be for the better. We would have to sell our house.”

“To live in a giant penthouse.” Ruby countered.

“No backyard.” Sam reminded her.

“I’ll live without.”

“You’ll be leaving your friends.”

“I don’t like them enough to turn this down.” Ruby replied succinctly. “Mom, I could go to Gotham Prep! Kids fight for scholarships to Gotham Prep!”

“I’ll be working long hours. Longer hours than I do now.” Sam told her.

“I can come hang out in your office after school, because its literally across the street! You know the office is going to be huge. You are working in a glorified cubicle right now. I bet you will be on the top floor of Wayne Tower!”

Sam smiled a bit, eyes watering at the encouragement her daughter was giving her. “You would really be okay with this?”

Ruby laid her head on her mom’s shoulder. “Mom, you got passed up for a promotion that you deserved by those jerks. I know it hurt your feelings.

“Now Diana freakin’ Wayne, the biggest bad ass in the business world, comes to our house and recruits you to be Vice President of Wayne Enterprises. She’s offering you everything you want and deserve. You are going to be a millionaire the moment you say yes and one of the most important people in the world.

“You can’t tell me you don’t want this after everything you have given up to raise me… all the long hours you have worked for little recognition by people who don’t appreciate you.

“Diana Wayne does… and she wants you. You do want this, don’t you, Mom?”

Sam smiled. This was a dream opportunity, one a person would aspire to but one that usually never happened in real life. She would live in an exclusive luxury penthouse, her daughter would attend one of the best schools in the country, and the pay was outrageous.

She had an opportunity to learn from Diana Wayne. She would be respected in the business world. She could use all her skills, not just the ones Axis deemed useful. She would be appreciated.

Even more flattering was she hadn’t even applied for a position. Diana went out of her way to visit Sam at her home and made no secret that she really wanted her. Diana could have anyone in the world begging for this position, but she had come to Sam.

“Yeah, I do want this, but not at the expense of your happiness.” Sam told her daughter.

Ruby rolled her eyes. “Do I look unhappy? I seriously want to cry for you right now I’m so happy. I probably will because this is an incredible opportunity for both of us.

“Look, we can go to Gotham tomorrow, stay a few days and if it’s horrible, we can always say no. But we must go to Gotham. This is life changing, Mom, and you deserve it.”

Sam kissed her daughter’s forehead, picked up her phone and dialed.

Diana answered on the first ring. “So, we will pick you up at eleven?”

“You really do know how to get what you want, don’t you?” Sam said brightly, feeling a bit lighter having made the decision to at least explore the offer.

“Stick with me and I will teach you the secret of always getting what you want.” Diana promised.

“Eleven sounds good. See you tomorrow.”

Sam ended the call. No decision had been made but she knew at that moment, for better or worse, her life would never be the same.