Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Wayne Legacy: Rise

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 11:

Wayne Manor

While Diana and Steve continued to hold each other outside, the rest of the party had walked in to give them alone time.

Once inside, Kara said in a clear voice, “Athena. Send group text to Silver St. Cloud, Barbara Gordon, Alex Danvers, Eliza Danvers, Cathy Perkins, Myndi Myers, Terrance Berg, Harvey Dent, Jim Gordon, Andrew Garcia and Sam Lane. Message to read: ‘She said yes, marriage bells will soon be ringing.’ ”

“At once, Kara.” The ethereal voice belonging to the Waynes’ super computer system replied.

Dig left to check the back perimeter, the security guards stationed there and ensure the laser grid was working properly but not before subtly reminding Kara with a look that it was time for her to go to bed.

Alfred reminded her not so subtly, using actual words.

Kara rolled her eyes and made for the kitchen, Tommy on her heels.

Kara pulled out two bottles of beer for herself and Tommy. Opening one, she handed it to Tommy who took it with a raised eyebrow.

Kara opened the other one but before the bottle could reach her lips, Alfred materialized out of thin air and pulled it from her hands, walking off with it, not saying a word.

Kara let out a disappointed sigh. “Hard crowd to get a drink around.”

Tommy shook his head, considered offering his own and then decided to set it down as well. “Alfred is kind of like that butler in Mr. Deeds. I didn’t even see him in the kitchen. He was just there, like a ninja from the shadows.”

Kara laughed at his assertation. Alfred was probably right. Kara had blood work and antibiotic therapy in the morning and two drinks of champagne would have been enough. Had this been any other night, she would have argued with Alfred and done as she pleased.

“He does that.” Kara told him. “So, tomorrow I have a medical examination with Eliza in the morning, but maybe we could go horseback riding in the afternoon. Do you ride?”

Tommy snorted. “Only once, when I was very drunk, and I broke my collarbone. Do you have horses on the grounds?”

“Yes, the stables are three hundred yards behind the first tree line at the south edge. We also have a 9‑hole golf course with a driving range and a tennis court. I could take you down to the basement and we could swim or there’s a clay shooting range my dad loved. Does any of this sound fun?” the blonde asked hopefully.

“Yeah… I can’t say I do any of those things well, but it will be fun to try. I’ve never spent time in a pool besides lounging in one. Horses sound fun. It would be interesting to experience one sober. I do have a few things to do this weekend. Maybe you could accompany me? Monday, life is going to become very… different for me.”

Kara raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was talking about and remembering that he did have a life in Star City.

“You have to go back soon, don’t you?” she asked, a little sad. The past couple days had been great, but it was bound to come to an end. Soon, Kara would be living her romantic hopes vicariously through her sister.

Tommy cleared his throat. “Yeah, that’s the thing. I’m moving… I mean I’ve moved… here. To Gotham. I got a nice loft downtown… Diana was helping me clean it this afternoon. It’s more like an attic, but it has electricity, water and a bathroom, or at least a sink and toilet. I need to buy some clothes and a new phone. I’ve cut ties with my father… money and everything else so I’m starting at the bottom.”

Kara was speechless for a moment then smiled. “That’s funny. Seriously what were you and Diana doing all afternoon?”

Tommy smiled tightly. “Uh, no… I mean, yeah, I’m being serious. I was walking around downtown and stopped for lunch. I really liked Gotham. It’s got an old charm, probably because most of the buildings in downtown are… old. Not in a rundown way, just more of a gothic… Gotham way, if that makes sense.

“Anyway, I was taking in the atmosphere and found this grocery store and deli for sale. I decided it was time I grew up and made my own way in life. I told my father I was done with him, cut up my cards, got a loan in my name and bought the grocery store. It’s down the block from Wayne Tower. Diana said your dad used to take her and Bruce there. Carmen’s Grocery. You know the one, right?

“Anyway, since I own it now and there is a kind of attic above it with a bed and bathroom, I’m now a resident of Gotham. Diana really did help me clean it this afternoon.”

Kara stared at him blankly for a few moments, letting that sink in.

Once it did, Kara looked at him closely, taking in his anxious look as he waited for her response.

“Have you lost your mind?” she finally asked.

Tommy cringed, not getting the response he had hoped for. “Possibly? Look, I needed purpose in my life. I needed to get out of Star City and away from my father and his cushion.”

“So, you bought a grocery store?!” Kara exclaimed, her voice rising as she spoke.

Tommy nodded. “I tend to think of it more as a deli. The sandwiches are out of this world. Diana practically begged me to stay at the manor until it is cleaned up and I agreed since she was so insistent. The previous owner is staying on for six months to teach me how to run the business. That means Monday morning, I start my first day of work ever, at six a.m.”

“I’ll buy it Monday morning.” Kara told him. “How much did you pay?”

“Four hundred and ten thousand, but it’s not for sale.” Tommy told her.

Kara raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure, but the property alone should be worth that, considering its prime location. Regardless, you are going to sell to me. It’s a mistake.”

“It is not a mistake. I want this. I’m having my own life and my business is the start of that.” Tommy told her.

“Why Gotham City?” Kara asked.

Tommy looked at her strangely as if the answer should be obvious. “I wanted to be near you. It would be difficult to court you from Star City. I have nothing holding me there. I can start over anywhere and I wanted to start near you.”

“Court me?” Kara asked in disbelief. “Tommy, please tell me you didn’t do this to be near me.”

“Number one, I did it because it felt like the right thing to do. It’s time I grew up and I was never going to do that in Star City. Number two, yes, I decided Gotham would be a good place to start over because I am determined to win your heart. It’s a big heart so it will take a lot of effort on my part. Plus, this town is very cool in an old-world kind of way. I love the architecture. Even my store is like a historic landmark.” Tommy replied sincerely.

Kara closed her eyes and leaned against the kitchen island. “I hate wearing contacts.”

Tommy was confused. “What does that have to do with my store possibly being designated as a historic landmark?”

“That girl you saw at the charity ball? She doesn’t exist, Tommy. The girl in glasses you saw in my office doesn’t really exist either. This is me.” Kara told him, showing him her casual outfit of jeans and a Gotham City Knights football t-shirt.

“Okay. You still look like Kara to me.” Tommy said, still obviously confused.

“Do I? Because I’m not your type. I enjoy doing things other girls do not. My idea of fun involves having grease on my hands. I keep my hair in ponytails or buns because I don’t want it in my way when I’m working. I’m strange and I know it. I’m the weird, secluded loner people whisper about. I’m not like the other girls you have been with. I went to a night club once and nearly died. I didn’t even like the club. It was too noisy, and I hate crowds.” Kara told him, her demeanor extremely tense. “I get that I am different and that is why you are here but different isn’t always a good thing. The novelty will wear off and you will be stuck in Gotham City running a grocery store and living in an attic.”

Tommy brushed a stray hair that had slipped from her ponytail off Kara’s forehead, causing her to close her eyes and shiver.

Ignoring the feeling, she continued, getting more to the crux of the issue as she saw it. “I have practically no experience with guys. I’ve never been in a serious relationship or even a casual one, and hardly have any experience with sex. I don’t think I was even good at it. Okay, I’ve done it five times, all over the course of two days with the same guy. The first three times weren’t great but the fourth was pretty good and I really had it down by the fifth.”

Tommy looked at her in disbelief. “You managed to sneak away from Diana and get laid? Does she know?”

“Absolutely not, and I would appreciate it if we could keep that to ourselves.” She demanded. Seeing him nod in agreement, she continued to lay out her argument. “The point is you know practically nothing about me. You don’t know the parts of my life that really suck. You haven’t seen me after gene therapy treatments, how nauseous I get or how I often vomit for hours. I can’t just go out on dates like normal people. I am followed by bodyguards and press. I have to stay a safe distance from people. If we were to go out, the media would dig up everything in your background and plaster it all over the papers. Hell, the government would investigate you!”

“Anything else?” Tommy asked.

“I like you, Tommy. But… but why would you really want to become involved in my life? My sister, I could understand, she looks like a goddess and is strong and confident but I’m not. I’m just me. People talk about how smart I am, not how beautiful or socially graceful, or confident I appear, because I’m not. I’m the girl genius who is really good at making things.” She explained.

Tommy let go of her hand. “Okay… are you out of insults towards yourself?”

“I can never talk about most of my work. It’s top secret so when you ask about my day most of the time, I will say I can’t talk about it.” She reminded him.

“Have I mentioned before how hot that is?” He responded lightly with a grin.

“Yes, and that’s still a little weird.”

“You could use a little weird in your life.”

Kara laughed quietly. “Tommy, we have never even kissed…”

Tommy placed his hands on her cheeks and placed his lips on hers. Kara stiffened for a moment then relaxed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

After what seemed like minutes, he pulled back, leaving Kara breathless.

“Now we have.” Tommy said softly. Holding her eyes with his, he smiled. “I want to get to know you. I’m interested in you. I like you, Kara. And yeah, you are right… you are not like any other woman I have ever been with because you are the only woman who has ever made me want to be a better man. I feel better when I am with you.

“Please, give me a chance. Let me prove myself worthy of you.”

Kara took a deep breath and looked at the ground. Then she met his eyes. “I have a lot of secrets.”

“I’m good with that. I wish I had secrets. Unfortunately, an internet search will reveal that I filled up my dad’s pool with beer once and swam in it. Not something I recommend. I also rented out a football stadium to play strip football with a dozen models. Believe me, I wish I had secrets.” He said with a little bit of self-recrimination in his tone.

“I’m serious, Tommy. There are things I can’t tell you. Things I may never be able to tell you. Getting involved with me means getting involved with my family and we are… complicated.” Kara told him, not knowing how else to explain it.

Tommy saw her indecision and was determined not to take no for an answer. “I saw a business today, an opportunity and took it because it felt right. Being with you feels right too. I don’t see what we could have as a fling.

“Can you please believe what I’m telling you, Kara?”

Kara nodded slowly with a shy smile.

“So do you want to see where this goes?” Tommy asked. “Because I do. I really, really do. I know I’m not… planned, but spontaneity can be good sometime, so let’s just go with it. I can’t promise it will work, I can’t promise what the future will bring but I promise you will enjoy the journey.

“The big question is are you willing to take a chance on me?”

Kara smiled and kissed him again. It felt right and that made her decision for her. “Yeah, we can give this a shot. You really cut your dad off, huh? How did he take that?”

Tommy took her hand, and they began walking in the direction of her room. “He said I would fail and come crawling back to him within a couple months. This was after he said he was proud of me for worming my way into your life. I called him a monster and told him I never wanted to hear from him. I disconnected my phone this afternoon, so I need to switch services tomorrow. Your sister gave me a small loan to get my feet under me that I have to pay back in three months or else. I think this store will be a good start.”

“A good start?”

Tommy nodded. “Yep, I plan to buy every small business around Wayne Tower within the next couple of years. At least those for sale. I should have a small business empire in no time. If Wayne Enterprises employees want to step out and buy something, they will enter my Empire.”

“Diabolical.” Kara admitted, enjoying his confidence.

“I like to think so. Taking over the world, one block at a time. Soon people will come to recognize me as the Master of the Universe and not your sister. I might even get a contract to be the military’s sole supplier of sandwiches.”

Kara laughed, enjoying his humor as always.

“How about we get to know each other a little better.” Tommy suggested. “We need to know the important things first. For instance… I know your greatest joy is grease. What is your greatest fear?”

“Kangaroos.” Kara told him immediately.

“Kangaroos?” Tommy asked, trying to keep a straight face.

“Kangaroos are a legitimate threat to humans. They have long claws, are very tall and can drown a dog.”

“Drown a dog?”

“It’s happened. They bite, gouge, kick… did you know there was a mob of angry kangaroos in Burpengary, Queensland who attacked a lady in her yard in 2004? She was taken to the hospital and nearly died of blood loss. Some say the pack had almost fifty assailants.”

“Fifty kangaroos attacked this woman.” Tommy said, a bit surprised. He had no idea kangaroos were such a threat to humans.

“Last year an extremely muscular kangaroo attacked dozens of gardens in Australia and finally attacked an elderly woman, damaging her neck, shoulders and legs. He was six feet tall and looked like he had been taking steroids. I saw a picture of him. They called him ‘Kangasaurus’.”

“Wow.”

“They also keep their children in dark places.”

“Uh huh…”

“And they attack cars with reckless abandon.” Kara added.

“Okay…”

“And they choke each other out when they fight. Plus, have you ever seen one watching a human? They don’t move at all. It’s like they turn into statues, contemplating if they should murder you or not. Never screw around with kangaroos, Tommy.”

Tommy nodded, not having thought kangaroos would be a legitimate fear, but it made sense in a Kara sort of way.

“What about you?” Kara asked.

“As a child, I was afraid of the dark. I grew out of it thanks to a wide range of nightlights that I slowly weened myself off of. Then, I was afraid of rats and still am to be honest. But I think my number one fear now is yachts or boats of any kind. Please don’t ever offer to take me out on your yacht.”

Kara nodded, figuring that made sense after what happened to his friend.

“No yacht dates.” She assured him. “It’s a good thing our island has its own runway.”

“And no zoo dates.” He offered.

“The zoo? Gotham City has the best zoo in the world. You don’t like zoos?” Kara asked incredulously.

Tommy raised his hands. “I just assumed with your fear of kangaroos, you wouldn’t want to be at a zoo.”

Kara shook her head. “No reason to fear the Gotham City Zoo. There are no kangaroos there.”

That confused the man. He hadn’t been to a zoo since he was a child but would imagine Gotham City’s zoo would have the exotic animals.

“How are there no kang… you own the Zoo, don’t you?” Tommy asked without really asking as the obvious answer came to him.

Kara grinned. “Absolutely. One of my favorite places in the world. We can go soon. I’ll introduce you to Sam the Lion.”

“You aren’t afraid of lions?” he asked.

Kara shook her head. “Nope. At least with lions you know where you stand.”

The two continued their talk until they arrived at her bedroom door where he kissed her once again, then bid her goodnight.

He walked back downstairs instead of his room and made his way to the kitchen where he retrieved his previously abandoned beer from the fridge. Sitting at the table he took a drink and tried to relax.

Another chair slid out and Dig sat, also holding a beer. Tommy hadn’t even noticed him walk into the room or open the fridge.

“She is something else, isn’t she?” the large man asked.

Tommy smiled. “Changed my world the moment I saw her. Even if she wanted nothing to do with me, it was over. I knew she was like no other and I would never find someone like her. I could feel it in my gut before I even said a word to her.”

Dig chuckled. “Yeah, she is some kind of special. I shook her hand and felt how tough they were on such a little thing. The people who work for her genuinely love her. I haven’t known her for long, but she is definitely unlike anyone I’ve ever known or anyone I will likely ever meet.”

The two sat in a comfortable silence until Dig spoke again. “I can tell by the way she looks around you that she is really into you. I’m not sure if it’s your hair or that cocky smile, or maybe you represent some carefree life she has always wanted to live. Maybe it’s just you.

“That said… Tommy, do you have any idea what I will do to you if I see you in some club without her, or screw around on her, or lead her on, only to break her heart? Can you really grasp the concept of how much pain I will put you through? Diana won’t even get a shot at you before I’ve hurt you beyond repair.”

Tommy finished his beer in one long swallow. “Yep, kind of figured. Not sure if I agree with you. Diana is pretty damn fast, so I’d bet on her.

“Look man, I’m not screwing around with her. The guy I used to be died the moment I saw her. That guy wouldn’t have gone through this trouble, or even considered starting a new life. Just give me a chance to prove it.

“I need someone to believe in me because I just walked away from everything I’ve known and am pretty damn scared right now. I could use a friend. I know what I’ve done in the past… it is not a past I’m proud of, but everybody should get a second chance, right?”

Dig thought for a moment and smiled. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of in my life too, Tommy. You’re right, everybody deserves a second chance. If it means anything, I am rooting for you. Considering how you haven’t let Diana intimidate you, you got heart.”

Dig brought out two more beers and the two toasted. “Star City loyalty.”

“Star City loyalty.” Tommy agreed.

After they completed the toast, Dig said, “I’ve got a Toyota midsize, a couple years old. I bought it after I left the military. It’s sitting in the garage unused since I drive Kara around in an armored luxury car. A hundred bucks a month, five-thousand total, and it’s yours. You are probably going to get tired of taking cabs to visit vendors or make your way out here to visit Kara.”

“Thanks, Dig.” Tommy replied, smiling. “I’ll take you up on it.”

Dig shrugged his shoulders. “I know about starting over. This job is kind of like that for me. I’m blessed to have landed here. Maybe you’ll have the same luck.”

While the house was slowly falling asleep for the night, Diana remained awake, her head on Steve’s chest as they lay in bed.

“You can hear everything in the house, can’t you?” Steve asked her.

Diana smiled, and slightly nodded. “I have since I was a small girl. If I listen, I can hear over the entire grounds, all twenty square miles. It takes concentration though. The sounds aren’t constantly rushing into my ears. I memorized Kara’s heartbeat and breathing patterns when she was still an infant. Over the years, I’ve trained myself to wake up when she does. If she begins to have any congestion in her lungs, I can pick it up before Eliza’s stethoscope can.”

Steve hummed, hugging her close.

“You know, you’re the only one who has never complained or said a word about it.” Diana said softly.

“About what?” Steve asked.

“Mine and Kara’s relationship. Alfred and Bruce never understood it, but they didn’t try to change me. My friends pointed out to me from time to time over my life about how I am with her. They say I am controlling, overprotective, obsessed even. I hear everything, even things said about me that I wasn’t meant to hear. But you have never had a problem with it. Why?”

Steve stayed quiet for a moment. “I guess because… even if it is an intense relationship, it’s easy to see it’s built on love. I get it. Kara was abandoned and left to die and you being you, decided that was never going to happen. It shows me the depths of your capacity to love. You’ve got a big heart, Diana. It’s just who you are. When you love, you don’t do it easily, but you don’t do it halfway when you choose to love someone.

“As for Kara… she is sick. Despite her desire to be independent, she knows she is sick, that one bad decision could cost her everything. You make her feel safe. She is as devoted to you as you are to her. I think your relationship is beautiful.”

“Thank you.” Diana said happily.

“That said, you do know that you are going to have to let go a little bit. Take some chances. Let her do some things on her own or go somewhere she has always wanted to go. She is going to be under intense pressure now. Her life will be scrutinized like never before.

“She is going to be the brain behind the U.S. military. Some people aren’t going to like that. She might be attacked in the press, attacked by those who disagree with U.S. policy and even foreign enemies. She has a lot more protection now, but she is also going to feel a lot more trapped too. It’s going to be a challenge for us.”

“Us?” Diana questioned.

“You said yes.” He reminded her. “So, yeah, it’s going to be a challenge for us, but we can do it. Just keep having dance offs in the office to make business decisions, maybe buy her that football team and it will be okay for now.

“Dig is good for her too. The General was right in recommending him knowing Kara’s temperament well enough to guess Dig would probably click with her. Tommy… if he is sincere he could also be good. He certainly knows how to go all in. I can’t believe he is planning on living in an attic above a grocery store. I might drive out tomorrow and help him clean some more.”

“I helped enough for both of us.” Diana grumbled, squeezing him lightly.

Steve grinned, knowing she hadn’t really minded. “Diana, you’ve seen the way he looks at her. He could be big. He isn’t scared of you. He’s not scared to go against his father. He is beginning to figure out who he is and that’s because of her. Just keep giving him hell, keep pushing him and letting him prove himself.”

The next morning, as the day staff cleaned the manor, the family slipped down to the basement along with Tommy Merlyn.

Eliza took blood samples from Dig and Tommy, placed them in a small machine in the room and declared them healthy after a few minutes.

Kara walked into the medical room and sat down, leaning back on the chair.

“Tommy, you can go upstairs with the others.” Kara told him. “This is going to take about an hour, maybe a little longer.”

Tommy pulled a deck of cards from his back pocket. “I was thinking since you were just going to be sitting here, I could show you some card tricks. I would play blackjack with you, but something tells me you count cards.”

“You don’t mind?” Kara asked, ignoring the card counting comment, a little surprised he wanted to stay with her, but mostly happy about it.

Tommy walked into the glassed off area and took the seat Eliza pointed to. “Not at all. Afterward, you can show me this big bunker and then maybe the horses, or this golf course? What other secrets do you have lying around this manor? A bowling alley? How big is this place anyway?”

“Big.” Eliza answered for Kara. “Twenty square miles, inside the stone wall perimeter. The actual size is much larger.”

She laughed at the shocked look on the man’s face as she took two vials of Kara’s blood for testing. It took an additional five minutes for Eliza to prepare the tests, set up two IVs and leave, telling them she’d be back in an hour.

While they waited, Kara watched his card tricks, calling out each one and telling him about the wonders of Wayne Manor.

When Eliza returned, she reminded Kara that next Saturday would be gene therapy and she was to drink no alcohol or eat after five p.m. the night before. Then she bid the two a good weekend and left to enjoy the rest of hers.

On the golf course, Diana and Steve were playing a round. Golf was something they enjoyed playing with each other, mainly because they both were horrible at it. Due to the nature of the game, Diana’s strength gave her no advantage and she had to rely on finesse which was not one of her many talents. Steve had little opportunity to play sports since he spent most of his life flying and exercising to improve his flying.

“It must be weird for Kara. Usually, it’s you in the basement keeping her company.” Steve mentioned, wondering how Diana truly felt.

“I want him there next Saturday with her as well.” Diana said, obviously not happy she wasn’t with Kara given her tone, despite it being her idea to let Tommy stay with her sister.

Steve cringed. “That’s gene therapy day. She doesn’t like me there during gene therapy. She stays in her room afterward vomiting. It might be a good idea to keep Merlyn away. She won’t want him to see her like that.”

“That’s why he needs to be there.” Diana countered. “If he can’t handle her at her worst, he doesn’t deserve to be with her any other time.”

Steve shook his head. “They’ve been seeing each other for a couple days. Let’s maybe give them a little time. Look, it’s not just about Tommy. You don’t want Kara embarrassed, do you? Besides I’m sure he will have to work.”

“That’s the advantage of being the owner. You can take off when you want to.” Diana reminded him.

“Like you can take off whenever you want to?” he countered, eyebrow raised knowingly.

Diana admitted to herself he had a point.

“Look, it’s Kara’s decision whether he’s with her next weekend. You are going to have to allow her input on this, Diana.” Steve told his reluctant fiancé.

Diana rolled her eyes but let it go. She would just subtly bring up the idea to Merlyn that Kara may need some company on Saturday, and they could work it out themselves. It would take everything in her to refrain from just telling them to do what she wanted.

Diana struck a ball and it sailed past the hole by a hundred feet easily. Frustrated, she snapped the club with her hands. To her irritation, Steve could not stop laughing at her shot and reaction.

“It’s a dumb game.” She argued just as her phone rang. It was Cathy Perkins.

Cathy was not at the office but all phone calls to Diana’s official office number were routed to Cathy for review to decide if it was worth Diana’s time. Listening to Cathy, it was no surprise the assistant was unsure what to do with this call.

In truth, Diana had expected to hear from this particular caller and wondered briefly if she should take it, or just ignore him and block his numbers.

Deciding to get the loathsome task done and dusted, she answered. “What can I help you with, Mr. Merlyn?”

She heard a chuckle on the other end. “I think we are on a first name basis by now, Diana.”

“No, we aren’t, Mr. Merlyn. What do you want? Unlike you, I am running an empire and my time is precious.” She told him as she stood on her private golf course with a snapped club in her hand and a smiling fiancé doing his best to hold in his laughter.

She heard nothing on the other end for a moment, not even a breath.

Finally, the odious man said, “Have I don’t something to offend you? The last time we spoke…”

“The last time we spoke was at a public gathering where we were being watched.” Diana interrupted before she had to listen to whatever delusion he was under. “We put on a cloak of civility as expected of our status however once the ball is over we go back to our true selves. I have little time. I suspect you wish to speak about your son. So speak.”

Merlyn cleared his throat. “I suppose you know Tommy and I had an argument.”

Diana’s eyes grew hard as she fought to reign in her rising temper. “I know Tommy told you he was done with you. I know you suggested that he use his friendship with my sister as an opportunity to foster future deals with our company. I know you told him to enjoy his time here because my sister could die at any moment. I listen to everything involving my family, Mr. Merlyn.”

“I see… ” Merlyn said carefully, obviously taken aback. “I believe what you heard was taken out of context. Tommy and I were having a disagreement about the course his life is taking…”

“Silence, Merlyn.” Diana ordered, cutting him off yet again. “I understood perfectly. I bugged his phone and heard everything very clearly.

“I believe Tommy has made a great decision breaking away from you. I also heard him tell you not to contact him. I expect you to abide by your adult son’s wishes and stay away from him while he is involved with my sister.”

Malcom responded, his voice rather cold now. “I would expect you of all people would respect the bond of a parent to a child, Diana. I am sure you miss your parents.”

Diana smirked, suspecting he would bring this up to rattle her.

Unfortunately for him, trying to rattle Diana Wayne was an exercise in futility. “A nice attempt to get under my skin but I came to grips with my parents’ death years ago. It is a shame you felt the need to bring it up and the fact that you did speaks volumes about your character. I am sure your wife would have approved and been very proud of you.” She said sarcastically.

She waited a moment to see if he would respond, but his silence also spoke volumes.

Knowing she had him now, Diana continued, her voice ice cold and as sharp as the sword in her vault. “Know this, Merlyn. Once your son’s interest in my sister became apparent with his arrival the other day, I made some contingency plans in case either of you decided to be a problem… and you are fast becoming one. So listen closely.

“I have three members of your board of directors, loyal to me. I have made tender offers to your shareholders with enough stock to prepare an infringement at any time if I so choose. Should you wish to fight this, I will initiate a proxy fight that will cost you, one you cannot afford and one you cannot win. I am one word away from taking everything from you and you could not stop me.

“Of course, once I take your company from you, you will be left with billions. But I have learned from friends at the IRS and FBI, that they would be very interested in your tax records for the past ten years and are looking for an excuse to subpoena and audit you, which a takeover bid from Wayne Enterprises would initiate.

“One word from me will bring down everything you have worked for your entire life and leave you with nothing but a potential prison sentence.

“Now… do we understand each other, Mr. Merlyn? As long as Tommy is in my sister’s life, you will stay away from him unless he contacts you. Am I clear?”

Merlyn was silent, not sure what to say for a moment. Finally he spoke. “I wasn’t aware you would mix business and personal issues, Diana.”

“As far as business, it is always personal with me. War is personal and I don’t like being challenged.

“Don’t screw with me, Merlyn, and don’t waste any more of my time. If my assistant gets another call from you… if you challenge me in any way… and if you ever call me anything but Miss Wayne again, change the sign on your building to Wayne Enterprises.”

Diana ended the call and leaned back with a smile on her face.

“Have I ever told you how much I love your people skills?” Steve asked her, a huge grin on his face.

Diana grinned and shot the finger at the man. “I’ve cleared the field for the two of them. We will see how this plays out. Take your shot. I’m almost out of golf clubs… again.”