The Wayne Legacy: Knightmare
By BetterInTexas
Chapter 10:
Wayne Manor
Diana stared out the window of her new third floor bedroom. Though it was only ten p.m., she was exhausted and had changed into her nightgown, waiting for Steve to finish showering so they could go to bed early.
The conference call had been smooth, but she had been fighting feelings of edginess throughout the day. She worked with Sam that afternoon on investments made in the last quarter, tracking mutual fund growths and upcoming market predictions. Finance was a gift of Sam’s that was recognized in college but not taken advantage of in her position at Axis. Between the two of them, they not only determined how Wayne Enterprises could reasonably forecast certain trends, but also how the company could manipulate them. Diana could tell her new Vice President was having fun but not even that could brighten her day.
The root of her extreme unease was down to one factor… Diana could not feel Kara.
She had known this feeling before, a reason why she avoided leaving Gotham City without her little sister unless she had no choice. In those few instances, she had returned as quickly as she could.
From the moment Kara had entered then seven-year-old Diana’s life, she had a connection with the little girl.
Diana often had feelings about people that were strong. In a way, she could read an aura without the whole visual color thing new age psychics loved so much. She could instinctively tell if a person was trustworthy or not, if they were basically ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Most of the people she had met in her life swayed in one direction or the other, though some swayed farther than others.
Kara was different. When Diana’s eyes locked with the tiny newborn’s, she was mesmerized. She could feel Kara’s emotions. It was instinctual for her, just like breathing. She knew when Kara was happy or sad, angry or frightened, or even hiding something from her. As long as Diana was in Gotham, no matter what she was doing, she could feel Kara’s presence strongly.
Now she could feel nothing, and it chilled her to the bone. It felt like someone had taken a piece of who she was and ripped it out, leaving a void in its place. It was a feeling that was making her almost physically ill, and she didn’t know what to do about it. Being away from Kara in the past had never affected her as badly as their separation was doing now. It left her wondering if something more had happened on Themyscira than she realized in her deal with the Fates, a side-effect she hadn’t anticipated.
She was so lost in thought, staring out the window at the stars in the sky, she had not heard Steve walk up behind her, not registering his presence at all until he wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned back into him instinctively and sighed.
“She has been texting you and sending you pictures all day. Dig has been texting you. You know she is okay. I know it’s hard but try to relax.” He suggested.
Diana wished it were that easy. “I’ve never really told you about the bond Kara and I share… how I am linked to her. I’ve never understood it, but it has always been there. I can feel her… I can feel her presence. If I was in class, for example, I could feel her… essence at the manor. The closer to the manor I came, the more accurate my knowledge of her whereabouts. Instead of calling for her, Mom and Dad would just ask me where she was… I always knew.”
“How?” he asked.
Diana shrugged. “I guess it is something that comes with my genetic history.”
“Can you feel anyone else like that?”
Diana shook her head. “People I am close to, I can feel their emotions but not accurately. I would know if you or Alfred were in sudden emotional distress, such as one of you having a nightmare. It’s the same with Bruce.
“But Kara is the only one whose presence I can pinpoint. I would guess it has to do with what the Fates told me, that I willed her to live, kept her alive with my ‘celestial light’. I don’t even know what that means, much less how I did it. I only know I was always anxious whenever I had to leave town for business without her, but it was never this bad, it wasn’t like I could barely function.
“What happened on Themyscira has changed our bond into something deeper, more pronounced than what it was before. It seems the farther away I am from her, the less I feel that connection to her and now, it is gone. It makes me feel… empty. Like there is a place inside me that is normally bright and optimistic, and it has become dark and foreboding.”
“You can’t feel her now at all.” Steve realized. “She is too far away.”
“Yes, and it is taking everything in me not to go to her.” Diana admitted.
Steve held her close, kissing her cheek. “I’m proud of you. You let her go without a fight. That was a hard thing to do. I didn’t know her physical proximity had such a literal effect on you. Do you know if she feels it?”
“She has never said, but Alfred has told me she has bouts of anxiety when I have been away.” Diana told him. “I hope I’m wrong, but if our separation is affecting me this badly, it may affect her too. What if she has a panic attack, Steve? What if she is bitten by a snake? What if she rolls her ankle or falls and breaks a bone?
“I should have told her no or insisted I go as well. We could have gone after the conference call, or I could have rescheduled it. We could have all gone. Why was it so important that she only go with Tommy? Do you think she is going to have sex with him?”
Steve’s eyes grew large as Diana started spiraling before his eyes. He needed to stop her descent or at least the direction her thoughts were going. “Kara is like my little sister. I do not think about anything to do with Kara and sex. I just pretend she will never have sex, but truth is, she is a grown woman. Whatever she decides to do with her boyfriend, isn’t our business.”
Diana shook her head frantically. “She didn’t pack condoms. I know because I went through her bag twice to make sure she didn’t forget anything. She is on birth control, but condoms are still a must.”
“You went through her bag twice?” Steve asked, desperately hoping to change the subject.
“I don’t think that’s the point. Eliza has had Tommy checked for everything and found nothing but how is that even possible? You know the number of sluts he has screwed? Why did I let him stay around? How stupid am I? Dad would be so upset with me!” Diana’s voice was raising in volume with each question.
Steve turned her around so she could look at him. Her eyes were wide, and she was definitely showing signs of hysteria.
“Diana, calm down!”
She gripped his shoulders and the delicate touch she usually had was turning into the bone crunching touch he knew she always held back.
“Diana, do not crush my shoulders. Take a breath. Take a deep breath.”
Diana closed her eyes and focused on her breathing.
“That’s good. Match my breathing. Stay calm.” Steve directed her. “She is okay, and you are okay. Say it.”
“She’s okay. I’m okay.” She repeated.
“Good. Dig is with her. Nothing is going to happen to her. You know that. Dig is with her. Say it.”
“Dig is with her.” Diana relaxed her grip on his shoulders, resting her forehead on his.
Her phone beeped and Diana was gone from his arms and across the room, the phone to her ear before Steve even realized she moved.
He relaxed when she said Kara’s name and a smile graced her face.
For her part, Diana did her best to sound calm because she could detect the anxiety in Kara’s voice. “How are you doing?”
“I’m kinda nervous.” Kara admitted softly. “Dig said I should call you… I miss you so much. I shouldn’t have left you behind. It is beautiful here, but it doesn’t feel right seeing it without you.”
This was the moment Diana had wished for. It was all she could do not to ask Kara if she wanted her there. Diana knew she could have the jet ready to fly in under an hour and be with Kara on the trail before noon tomorrow. She pushed down her wants and needs in favor of Kara’s… and Kara needed to try and do this on her own.
“It’s going to be okay. Some things you are going to experience for yourself, Kara. It’s part of growing up.” She said as calmly and steadily as she could. “If it helps, I am missing you as well. Everything in me wants to be with you but you are there, and you must take it all in. Live in the moment and enjoy every second.”
“I probably sound like a child right now, don’t I?” Kara asked, feeling defeated, but calmer now that she could hear Diana’s voice.
“No, Bunny.” Diana reassured her. “I think we have become reliant on each other and we’re both having separation anxiety. I nearly had a panic attack a few minutes ago but Steve talked me down. What’s done is done so enjoy what you are seeing, who you are with, the journey you are on.”
“I think on the shuttle ride to the cottage last night, Tommy was about to tell me he loved me.”
“The shuttle?” Diana was surprised by that. It wasn’t exactly a romantic spot. “Did you tell him about your crush on Rick Flag or something along those lines and hurt his ego?”
“Of course… not.” Kara lied poorly. Diana knew all her tells.
“So what stopped him from telling you?” She asked.
“I cut him off and changed the subject.” Kara admitted.
“What would you have said if he had?”
Kara was silent, pondering Diana’s question and still not coming up with an answer.
“I don’t know.” She finally said.
“Then you made a wise decision.” Diana told her reassuringly. “When someone says something like that, you can’t say it back unless you mean it. I never told a single man I dated in my life that I loved him before I met Steve. When I realized my true feelings for him, it was a revelation but not a surprise. You remember that day.”
“Yeah,” Kara grumbled. “You woke me up and we flew to San Antonio. I had to stay in the jet.”
“Once you truly love someone, you will know.” Diana told her. “Tommy is a good man, and I have no doubt he loves you deeply. He wouldn’t have changed his life to the degree he has if he didn’t. But sweetie, you have to figure out what you feel, not respond to how he feels or say what you think he wants to hear.
“You have time to let this grow into something more. If he tells you he loves you and you aren’t sure what to say, tell him that. You owe it to him and yourself to be truthful otherwise you will both end up getting hurt.”
“What if he gets tired of waiting?” Kara asked.
“Then he isn’t the right guy for you.” Diana’s tone was adamant.
Kara was silent for a moment. “You don’t think he is, do you?”
Diana pondered her question, not sure how to answer. She liked Tommy, he respected and treated Kara the way she deserved to be treated. Truthfully, she didn’t think he was the one for Kara, but ultimately, no matter how hard it was for Diana to admit to herself, it wasn’t her decision. It was Kara’s.
“What I think doesn’t matter, sweetie.” She finally said evenly. “Some answers you have to find on your own. When the time comes, you will know.
“Now, why don’t you take your pill and go to sleep. You shouldn’t be hiking if you are exhausted.
“I love you, Bunny.”
“I love you, Didi. I’ll send you lots of pictures tomorrow. I’ll video call you when we reach the summit so you can see the view.” Kara ended the call and Diana felt the lightness in her leaving.
She got under the sheets and curled into Steve’s arms, doing her best to fall asleep.
Hours later, Steve was nearly thrown out of bed when Diana screamed and sat up. She fell from the bed and vomited on the floor then continued to gasp, trying to catch her breath.
“Diana!” he shouted, kneeling on the floor next to her.
She shook her head and sat back, continuing to take deep breaths.
“What happened?” he asked, hoping this wasn’t some physical connection to Kara or whatever it was the two had.
“Nightmare.” She whispered.
“Want to talk about it?”
If it had been anyone else, Diana would have turned them down. This was Steve though and she always felt better when she talked to him.
“Cronus.” She admitted. “It was so real, like I was there again. I could feel my bones breaking. I felt the cuts, the one that ripped the flesh across my chest. I remembered how hard it was to breathe. I was on the ground, only this time that harpe sword stabbed me in the heart. I could feel it and when I tried to sit up, I saw Mom and Dad and… Kara. Their bodies were at his feet.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I had such a violent reaction.”
Steve understood. Diana had always been strong, the strongest person in any room. But what had happened to her in Tartarus was traumatic. Though she downplayed it, he had seen what she looked like when she returned. He had spoken to Dig and was told what Diana had looked like right after she had killed Cronus, bleeding and nearly ripped open, breathing unsteadily likely due to broken ribs.
Despite her superior genetics, Diana was human.
“You went through something horrible, Diana. You are going to have nightmares and that’s okay, we’ll get through them together. I bet this one caused you to have such a strong reaction because Kara is so far away from you.”
Diana stood up and walked to the bathroom, coming back with some towels and began cleaning the floor.
“It was so surreal.” She said, for the first time really opening up to him about what she’d gone through. “I had never been hurt like that. Then I was surrounded by so many people. People I had grown up wondering about, a lady calling herself my mother and I couldn’t deal with any of it, so I brushed it off and focused.
“After the Fates healed Kara, I just wanted to run. I wanted to get to her, but I also wanted to… I needed to get away. I ran because it was too much. I was more focused on killing Hecate than dealing with the fact that the woman who gave birth to me was standing right in front of me.”
“There is nothing wrong with what you did, Diana.” Steve assured her. “It was a stressful situation. I know you have been in stressful situations, but this was on a different, more intense level.
“I’ll let you in on a secret. I have nightmares about it to. I dream about how you looked coming back and see your body in your brother’s arms. It kills me that you went through that, and I wasn’t there.”
“You were where I needed you to be, Steve, like always.” Diana told him. She stood up and walked back to the bathroom, dumping the towels and brushed her teeth. Soon, she was back in bed and slowly drifted off again.
Diana slept peacefully enough but Steve was unable to. He lay awake for the rest of the night, keeping an eye on the love if his life, simply watching her breath in and out, running his fingers gently through her hair in the manner that always helped her relax.
At six a.m., Steve decided to ask Alfred to cook a breakfast he could bring to Diana in bed.
On his way down, he saw Bruce coming out of his room and greeted him.
“Did you go out last night?” Steve asked.
Bruce shook his head. “No. I stayed in. It was nice to be in my old room. I hate that Kara took off as soon as I was able to get all my things from storage and the other house moved in, but it will be a nice surprise for her I hope.”
“I thought with Kara gone, you would be taking advantage and going out every night.” Steve mentioned, having been made aware of Bruce’s agreement with Kara that had made Diana very happy.
Bruce looked back up the stairs. “I guess I just wanted to be here if you needed any help. I know you probably don’t, but I was worried about her. I know she doesn’t do well without Kara nearby. I know she has you, but I wanted to be close if the two of you needed me for any reason. Although, now that I say it out loud, it sounds wrong.”
Steve placed a hand on Bruce’s shoulder. “Hey, Bruce, I get what you are saying. You thought she might have a rough night and wanted to be here for her if she did. I appreciate it and she will too. I think the three of you are going to do each other a lot of good. The fact that you were here last night instead of doing your Batman thing tells me a lot.”
“I’m glad she has you, Steve.” Bruce admitted. “You bringing her breakfast?”
“Yep.”
“That’s nice. After breakfast we should spar.” Bruce suggested.
Steve looked at Bruce like he’d lost his mind. “That’s a great idea. You know what, after that, we could drive out to Wayne Tower and give the flight simulators a whirl. They are so realistic you can feel the G forces. Kara is one hell of a pilot. Do you have a lot of experience dogfighting in F/A-44s?”
Bruce sighed. “Point taken, Maverick.”
Blood Mountain
“Tommy!” Kara said once again, trying to wake him.
Tommy moaned and rolled over on his back. “Good morning? This isn’t my place. I can’t feel my feet. Did I get drunk?”
Kara rolled her eyes, laughing. “Are you usually not able to feel your feet when you are drunk?”
Instead of answering, Tommy composed himself and got his head straight. “Camping, hiking, Slaughter something and Blood Mountain. I can roll down… maybe. Still can’t feel my feet and want to brush my teeth. I need to change clothes… what time is it?”
“Six a.m. Unfortunately, backpacking doesn’t have the same amenities that a permanent campsite has but we do have one time use toothbrushes. I’m afraid a shower will have to wait until we are back to the base cottage.” She told him. “If we make good time today, maybe we can reach the summit and start back down. We can be at the cottage by tomorrow afternoon and relax until it’s time to leave Monday morning.”
Tommy nodded. Now that he had shuffled out, he could definitely feel his feet again and wished he couldn’t.
“I’ll bandage those blisters.” Kara offered.
Tommy waved her off and took the bandages and ointment that had been in her hands. “I’ve got it. How are your feet?”
“A little sore. A small blister on my right heel and one on my left middle toe. I’ve put antiseptic on them and bandaged them. I set my alarm early so I could watch the sunrise. I was going to wake you, but you seemed so peaceful I thought you could use the extra rest.”
Tommy was appreciative of that, then realized what she had said. “You have blisters? Shouldn’t we be evacuating you? That’s dangerous, Kara! Does Dig know? Should we tell him? Those can get infected so easily!”
Kara shook her head, touched that he was so concerned. “I checked before we left with Eliza. The bandages and antiseptics I brought are the best to fight infection and keep your feet pain free. I’ll be fine. I told you my immune system was doing better. If I was in danger, I wouldn’t be here. She will check me out when I get back, but hikers get blisters all the time. I will be okay.”
Tommy shook his head, annoyed at her cavalier attitude and the lack of explanation she had given him regarding her sudden medical breakthrough. He had been warned when they started dating that she had secrets she could never tell him, but he never thought improved health would be one of them. Perhaps whatever helped her was illegal and she couldn’t talk about it.
It still stung that she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, tell him.
“I talked to Dig last night after you slept.” Kara reported. “He offered to hike with us today if either of us needed help…”
Tommy cut her off immediately. He was not going to be seen by special forces soldiers needing Kara’s bodyguard to carry his pack for him. He could tell she didn’t need the help. She acted as if her pack wasn’t there.
“I’m good. We are good. Let me brush my teeth and we can head out.”
“Cool, I’ll pack up the tent and put it back in my pack.” She said with a smile.
The morning and afternoon went by much quicker than the day before because Kara did not make as many stops. She still enjoyed the scenery but was focused on reaching that summit.
At 12:45, Dig walked out from seemingly nowhere, wearing camo with a phone in his hand.
“Diana wanted me to record when you reached the summit.” He explained.
Kara nodded and stepped up on the highest point of Blood Mountain. It wasn’t Everest but she still considered it one of the biggest accomplishments in her life so far.
She gazed over the forest far below and the smaller Appalachian Mountains that stretched out for what seemed like forever. The clouds were brighter from her viewpoint, the sky more blue.
Kara took her phone and video called Diana.
“Good afternoon, Bunny. I was beginning to worry.” Her sister said. Kara thought that might have been an understatement.
Diana usually woke up looking like a runway model, her appearance was impeccable at all times. But not this afternoon. Her hair was a mess and there were bags under her eyes as if she hadn’t slept in days.
Kara put on a smile to hopefully ease her sister’s concern. “I was in a hurry to reach the summit. Look at this view, Didi.”
Kara panned the phone around for Diana, taking in everything. When she looked back at the phone Diana was smiling but Kara could tell it was forced.
“It’s lovely. I’m so proud of you.” Diana told her. “Be careful on the way down. It may feel easier but it so much more unstable. Use your hiking sticks and do not become complacent.”
“I won’t.” Kara promised. “I’ll text you at least every hour. I was in such a hurry to get here… I didn’t mean to worry you. I’ll be home soon.”
“Of course, sweetie. Be careful. I love you, Kara.”
“I love you, Diana.”
Tommy walked up beside her, admiring the landscape. “I admit, this is cool. It’s worth the pain. I’ve never seen a view like this.”
Kara took his hand and the two stood tall, taking in everything around them. Kara tried to live in the moment, but Diana’s appearance wouldn’t leave her mind. Her sister had either not slept or slept very restlessly last night. Kara knew Diana would have difficulty with her being gone but to see such a physical effect shook her as much as Diana’s false bravado and cheer.
They stood on the summit for an hour and around two p.m., began their descent. By Kara’s reckoning, they could be halfway down by nightfall, camp and enjoy the stars, then be back at the cottage by Sunday morning.
A small part of herself couldn’t help but think she could be back in Gotham late Sunday night, but she ignored it as best she could for now. She had planned on returning Monday, so she would return Monday.
Seeing Tommy struggling a little with his pack, she said, “Are you sure you don’t want Dig…”
“Nope. I got this. How hard could it be to go down, right? It can’t be as hard as going up.” Tommy said and wished he hadn’t as soon as the words left his mouth.
Gotham City
Arkham City District, Saturday night
Blake had finally been reinstated to patrol after surviving desk duty hell. Cash had taken off tonight so despite this only being his second patrol, he was on his own. He had asked to be assigned to what was unofficially known as Arkham City, the run down area around the asylum where homeless, drug dealers and street walkers hung out and often lived. Most of the buildings were closed down, not fit for human residence.
There were a few late-night convenience stores and pawn shops, but they had so many bars on the windows and doors they resembled a cell at Blackgate Prison. A person had to be buzzed in by the owner or employee just to do business and pass through a metal detector.
He had yet to patrol the Narrows. He knew the Narrows had a great many people living there and not just illegal squatters. The Narrows had a higher crime rate probably because crimes were actually reported there. So much went on in Arkham City that a person would never know about.
He had passed four cars on patrol tonight in the last hour, so he knew he wasn’t alone. This area, the Gotham Harbor Docks and the Narrows were where the heaviest police presence was. The hope was that the cops presence alone would dissuade criminals from coming out into the night.
He couldn’t help but remember what it had been like growing up around Gotham. At one point or another, he had lived in the Narrows, Arkham City when it was still habitable and even Crime Alley. Orphanages and group homes usually weren’t scattered among the wealthier districts. The only time he saw a cop was if they arrived to gather their takes.
The changes were palpable and that made him think of Diana Wayne. That thought led to her brother, the specter in the night looking out for cops and working in the grey area. There were rumors of a Batman among cops, but no one had seen him or at least admitted it. Blake and Cash hadn’t spoken of it. It was best he stay a rumor.
Batman should also consider something that covered his eyes. Those dark eyes gave too much away. Bruce Wayne could hide behind a smile. A smile could be easily faked. A darkness in one’s eyes never went away. He saw that same darkness in his often enough, more so since he returned from overseas deployments.
Suddenly, a poorly dressed man in clothes that more closely resembled rags, ran out in front of him and hit the hood of his car. Luckily he was driving slowly, taking in the area and able to slam on his breaks to keep from hurting the man.
Blake got out of his car, hand on top of his holstered gun. “What the hell are you doing?! You could have been hurt!”
Blake took a quick look around to check his surroundings and, once he was satisfied no one was sneaking up behind him, gave the man his full attention.
The homeless gentleman was older than he initially thought, though it was harder to pinpoint an approximate age of those who lived on the street. He appeared to be in his late fifties, with a long grey beard and long, wild hair that was unkept. The clothes were most likely found in the dumpster and from the smell, Blake guessed he hadn’t bathed in a long while. His hands were opened, and Blake saw no obvious weapon. His eyes seemed clear, sobered and focused.
“I just need someone to listen to me. I went to the precinct today and nobody would listen to me. They wouldn’t even take a report.” The tone in the man’s voice showed his distress.
Blake relaxed just a bit but still kept his distance.
“Tell me what’s going on. I’ll try to help you or point you to somewhere that can. Just don’t do anything stupid like attack me so you can sleep in a cell tonight. If you want a cell and a cot to lay your head on, ask me nicely.” Blake offered, knowing sometimes, especially on hot nights like this or cold nights in the winter, many homeless people would commit a crime just to have a bed under a ceiling to sleep on.
“It’s my friend, Max. He went missing Friday night. We share a spot, have for years. We split up dumpsters on the alley by fifty-first and Dunkirk. I heard him scream but when I got there, he was gone.”
Blake took his hand off his holster and pulled out a pad and pen. “Fifty-first and Dunkirk. Got it. Can you describe Max? Does Max have a last name?”
“Of course, he got a last name. He just ain’t ever told nobody. He’s a couple inches taller than I am, maybe ten years younger.” The man said, calming a little since someone was finally listening to him.
“So that would put him around?”
“Low forties, I guess. About a hundred and fifty pounds, maybe five feet, nine inches tall. He has grey hair but usually manages to stay shaved. Always has a little stubble though. He keeps his hair cut close and has a bald spot on top. He usually wears a Gotham Giants ballcap. He’s a big baseball fan. Has every member of the 1976 World Series team memorized along with their stats.”
“If that’s the case, he is probably closer to your age. He wouldn’t have been born or just a toddler when that team played. He never told you his full name or age? How long have the two of you been friends?”
“About five years. On the streets, you only know what you need to know. Pasts don’t matter, you know? Talkin’ about it don’t do anyone any good.”
Blake supposed he had a point. The social structure of the streets was complicated but also stripped down to bare needs.
“What’s your name, friend?”
“Paulie.”
“And what did Max have on when you saw him last?”
“Red t-shirt and brown shorts. He was wearing some old, bright red sneakers. The sole was about to fall off the right one.”
John nodded and handed the man a card. “I’m gonna look for your friend but I can’t make any promises. It’s a big city. He could have been spooked off by some street punks and changed spots. I’m gonna do my best though. If you hear anything else, call that number and ask for John Blake. Leave a message if I’m not there and I’ll find you.
“Now, was he on the Northside or the Southside of the alley?”
“He had Southside.” Paulie told him, cocking his head to the side questioningly. “You really gonna look into this? They told me at the station to get out.”
“I’m gonna look into this.” Blake promised. “Keep your eyes open and watch out for yourself. If you hear of anyone else disappearing, let me know.”
Blake drove off, heading directly to the last known location of the missing man. He wasn’t surprised the station didn’t take the man seriously. Homeless people disappeared every day from their normal haunts for a lot of reasons, many of which had no criminal activity as the cause. They moved, got side jobs as drug runners or thieves, got real jobs or decided to hit the road.
However, it was unlikely the man moved to a different part of the city. Homeless tended to stick to their own territories. A homeless man staking out territory in Arkham City did not just suddenly decided to try his luck in the Narrows. The walk was long, and he would have gone through areas of the city where he definitely would have been noticed.
Blake checked the computer in his car for any report of a homeless man being picked up the night before for suspicious behavior. Suspicious behavior was code for ‘someone walking along in an area who did not belong’. It was sad but true. If a homeless person was walking by a closed jewelry store at night, they were questioned and often taken in or taken back to their territory.
Seeing nothing as he slowly drove along, he proceeded to the where Paulie had last seen his friend.
He radioed that he would be away from his unit and began walking down the alley, shining his light on the ground, searching for anything that may have been left from the night before that indicated he was taken by force.
He reached the end of the alley and found a tall fence with dumpsters on both sides. It was obvious no truck had entered and grabbed the man then drove away with him. He doubted Max was pulled over a fence. Paulie described one scream, not continuous ones.
He walked back the way he came, then stopped halfway. A sole of a sneaker was on the ground next to a dumpster.
“So, he was attacked here, pulled back enough that the rest of his sole came off.” Blake mumbled.
“Good find.” A voice came from behind him.
Blake pulled his weapon as he turned, only to have it taken from his hands.
The Batman was in front of him, holding his gun by the barrel.
“Damn it, Man! You can’t just do that! I could have shot you!”
“Unlikely.” Batman replied.
Blake calmed his breathing and took his offered gun back, holstering it. “What the hell are you even doing here? I told you your secret was safe. You following me?”
Batman shook his head. “I’ve been watching this area closely, learning about its occupants, pimps, street walkers, drug pushers and homeless. I noticed that a few of the regular homeless have gone missing the past few weeks. Max was the latest one. He always sleeps in the same place, always works the same allies and same dumpsters and always worked with Paulie. I followed Paulie tonight, hoping to get a clue on Max’s fate and heard him talking to you, so I came to check the alley. Considering I was traveling over rooftops, you beat me here. Why are you here?”
“Why do you think? I’m a cop.” Blake said, a little incensed at the vigilante asking the question. “Someone went missing under mysterious circumstances and it’s my job to check it out. The homeless are some of the most honest people you will meet most of the time. When you got nothing to lose, you got no reason to lie.
“So what are you really doing here? You didn’t get dressed up in that suit to check up on homeless people.”
Batman smiled, enjoying Blake’s straight to the point attitude and also appreciating his view of his job. “The police don’t know this, but considering how many secrets you keep, I suppose you can know one more. The District Attorney’s office is running an investigation into Arkham Asylum. More specifically, Dr. Jonathan Crane.”
“Crane? The head shrink?” Blake’s surprise was obvious.
“Yes, the Director with a shady past. I’m keeping a look out for anything unusual in the area.”
“Like missing homeless people.”
“Exactly. Want to follow Max’s trail with me?” Batman asked.
Blake took a look around. “Sure, but I got no idea where he could have gone. A fence at one end, impossible to carry a guy over unless you are strong as hell and can leap nine feet carrying a man over your shoulders. You know anyone like that?”
It took everything in Batman not to show any reaction to that comment, because, of course, he actually did know someone easily capable of doing that. Instead, he remained silent watching as Blake worked through the scene.
“Paulie would have noticed if a car passed the end of the alley where he was working. I’m guessing you didn’t take him up to the roof of these buildings, so it looks like he disappeared into thin air.” Blake said, studying the area.
Batman picked up a white towel peeking out from under the dumpster, sniffed it, then handed it to Blake.
“Chloroform.” Batman told him.
John took a sniff and nodded. “He was taken by surprise from behind, then turned so he could be pulled toward the wall. That’s when the loose sole came off completely. So if he was pulled towards the wall…”
Batman was already pulling the dumpster from the wall, and he saw the hole that had been busted out, likely with a sledge hammer.
“How long did you know that was there?” Blake asked, annoyed.
Batman smirked. “When I saw the sole. It was the only explanation. You came to it faster than I thought you would. Good job.”
Blake rolled his eyes and shined his light into the hole that was roughly four feet tall. He ducked in, surprised to see a small walkway that was about five feet wide.
“What the hell is this?”
Stepping into the walkway behind Blake, Batman said, “The building we are entering was built one hundred and seven years ago and has gone through many renovations and uses. One of those uses was as a luxury hotel. This would be a servant’s walkway. According to the original blueprints, this leads to a laundry mat in the sublevels. Let me take a look.”
He held out his arm and a small ping went out, Blake watched his forearm emit a blue hologram showing the entire area in a foot long blue light.
“Neat trick.”
“I’m full of them.” Batman quipped. “No one moving but that is a bed. It’s hard to tell but that could be a body on it.”
Both men moved quickly, Batman pushing Blake aside in the narrow hallway and leading the way much to the cop’s irritation.
They took a small flight of stairs down and entered the old laundry mat. There were no washing machines in the room but there was a makeshift table. On the table, a man was strapped down, wearing the clothes Paulie described Max as wearing. A Gotham Giants ballcap was on the floor.
There were straps around his knees and shoulders that were so tight, they indented his skin.
His face was the most chilling thing about him. His eyes were wide open, and his expression was one of horror. His mouth was frozen in a scream. There were no obvious stab wounds or blood. If either man had to guess at the time of death, it would correspond with not long after Paulie last saw him.
“What could have done this? The guy looks terrified.” Blake whispered.
“The killer waited until Max was awake and gave him a toxin, most likely airborne though you should keep that to yourself. The crime lab should be able to discover it on their own. An autopsy will give us a chemical makeup of the gas used and its ingredients. I’m going to take a scraping from his nostril and run it on a Gas Chromatograph to determine the chemical makeup.”
“You got one of those lying around, huh?” Blake asked drily.
“Yes.” Batman answered.
“So, Crane?”
“Or someone doing his work. I doubt we will find any physical evidence connecting him. The best shot we have is if the chemicals are the type only found in Arkham Asylum and we can tie him to the possession. He left the body here rather than risk moving it because he never thought a cop would investigate a homeless man’s disappearance.”
“How did he get out?” Blake asked.
“My sonar didn’t show another exit. I’m guessing he waited for Paulie to leave, then walked right out. He got lucky having a victim walk right up to his hiding spot or maybe he had watched the man’s movements. Either way, you have to call this in, and I have more work to do tonight. I’m going to visit Crane’s place again while he sleeps and check for any new evidence linking him to the gas or his latest victim. If I could find the clothes he wore, it would be helpful.”
Blake raised an eyebrow. “You are just going to walk into his place without him waking up?”
“That is the plan.”
“Huh… you’ve never done that to me, have you?”
Batman looked at Blake for a moment and then smirked. “If I had, would you want to know?”
Blake thought for a moment then shook his head. “Let’s get out of here. It stinks. CSU can have this. I can’t believe I was brilliant enough to find the body with no problem. You are going to have me promoted to Detective in a few months if you keep this up.”
Bruce laughed at Blake’s assessment as he pulled out a very small blade from his belt and a small plastic bag. After taking a skin sample from the nasal canal, the two exited the building, both with one thing on their mind… Jonathan Crane.
Gotham International Airport
Monday morning
The jet landed at ten-thirty a.m. and at ten thirty-five, Kara was down the airplane stairway and in Diana’s arms.
Neither woman had done well after the summit. They had stayed in constant contact.
Tommy would be lying if he said he wasn’t annoyed.
Kara spent most of Sunday in the cottage, trembling, and Tommy could not calm her down. Only long phone calls with Diana and Dig speaking to her had kept her from full blown panic attacks once the hiking had ended.
Tommy had hoped he could be the one to calm her. He tried to be reassuring but nothing he did was enough. Kara had even snapped at him a few times, something she had never done before. She had apologized but it was still a shock.
“Stop it.” Steve said, walking up beside him, both watching Diana and Kara holding each other as if they hadn’t been together in years.
Tommy raised an eyebrow and looked at Steve who appeared as tired as he felt. “Stop what?”
“I know what’s in your head. I thought it a few times myself when I first got to know them.” Steve told him bluntly. “You can’t compare their relationship to those of normal sisters. Nothing about the way they grew up was normal. Kara’s condition was rare and deadly, they lost their parents violently and unexpectedly and Diana became a mother at twelve-years-old. They don’t do well away from each other. For a very long time, they were all the other had.
“It wasn’t your fault Kara was so nervous, and you couldn’t calm her. If it makes you feel better, I had a hard time calming Diana and I have been doing it for years.”
Tommy supposed that did make him feel a bit better. He knew what Steve said was true. Nothing was normal about the Wayne family. He had been around them for a few months and still didn’t understand all the dynamics.
He should just be happy Kara took the chance and made a big step going away with him, even if it was apparently too much too soon. Tommy relaxed and smiled, watching Kara give Diana a Blood Mountain t-shirt.
While Steve was soothing Tommy’s pride, Diana was basking in Kara’s presence once again. The closer Kara got to Gotham, the lighter Diana had felt. The void inside her began to close and be filled with warmth.
Diana felt Kara’s relief as it washed over her, and it gave her hope that her little sister wouldn’t want to leave her again to go traveling.
“How are your feet?” Diana asked, concerned. “I shared the pictures you sent of your blisters with Eliza. She said they looked fine but is at the manor ready to look you over. Did you twist your ankles or cut yourself? Did anything happen that you didn’t tell me about over the phone?”
Kara shook her head, enjoying Diana fussing over her for once. “I’m fine but Eliza may need to check Tommy’s feet.”
“I’m good.” Tommy assured her as he walked up to them. They both knew he was lying due to the fact he was limping slightly.
Diana laughed and hugged him, suggesting he be checked out regardless. Tommy was so surprised by her hug that he agreed.
Once they reached the manor, Kara let Tommy be seen first. She raced to her room to drop off her backpack intending to head back down to the basement immediately but was sidetracked when she walked out and heard movement in Bruce’s room.
Diana had told her that Bruce had moved in and only went out once on Saturday night.
“Bruce?” Kara called out and knocked. Hearing nothing she opened the door and stuck her head in the door. Her mouth dropped open at the sight before her.
In the open space of the room where, as a child growing up, he had his television, sofas and some small tables, Bruce had set up a training mat, a heavy bag, some sort of wooden structure with sticks attached to it and a pull up bar.
He was also sparring with a man, both turning towards her when she opened the door.
Kara was rendered speechless as she gazed at a shirtless John Blake wearing sparring gloves and looking at her.
“Hi, Kara. Did you have a good trip?” Blake asked her politely.
Kara wasn’t sure what to say… in fact, she wasn’t able to form a coherent thought much less respond as she stared at him and his chiseled physique glistening with sweat.
Diana walked in behind her and put an arm around her shoulders, a huge grin on her face. Her little sister’s thoughts were as clear as day to her. In such close proximity, she could feel Kara’s strong emotions as she stood there, unable to look away from the man. Diana had to admit, Blake was really nice to look at so she couldn’t blame her.
“Isn’t this great, Kara? I never thought it would happen, but Bruce has made a friend. It’s so good seeing him play with others. John has an interest in learning martial arts so I’m sure he will be around quite a bit from now on.” Diana informed her.
Kara’s stomach erupted with butterflies, even as Diana’s words registered in her brain. “Oh… great.”
Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction 
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