Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Wayne Legacy: Rise

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 12:

Wayne Manor

Diana couldn’t help but smile at the breakfast table Monday morning. The day before had gone great. Kara had taken Tommy horseback riding, followed by Dig and her security detail maintaining a discreet distance on their own mounts, while Diana and Steve had a long talk. She had told him everything, even let him read the parts of her father’s journal that described her entrance into the Wayne family.

She was determined to have no secrets in their marriage. She showed him the heirloom room in the basement that held her armor and weapons. He had asked her to model the armored outfit. Diana declined, but promised to consider it at a later date.

She told him what was going on with Bruce, about their childhood, and what they had done since the death of their parents. She explained the apparent reason Bruce had left, the fact that he was swinging from rooftops dressed like a bat and why she had not told Kara yet. This information stunned him more than her story of how she arrived in a bolt of lightning and her powers.

There was only one incident she was a bit nervous about as to his reaction. There were only two people who knew what she did to Joe Chill… Kara and Alfred. Alfred had always told her to keep it that way. Yet she told Steve. To her relief, he thought it was justified and didn’t judge her.

All in all, things were going well, and she was pleased.

Tommy had driven Dig’s car, or his car now apparently, to his store last night and stayed there as he needed to be up early to start his new life as a small business owner. Kara was happily chatting away with him this morning as she ran on the treadmill, gushing about how excited she had been her first day of work.

Diana doubted Tommy Merlyn was as excited about getting up at six a.m. to prepare for the day. Kara had spent her first day at work with an interior designer remodeling her large office space to her liking. Tommy would probably be sweeping, cutting meat and stocking groceries.

At ten a.m., Diana and Kara would be signing the first contract but also the binding one with the U.S. Government. At two p.m., she would be holding a press conference with Kara, General Lane and Congressman Milton announcing the deal, basically telling the world that Wayne Enterprises had privatized National Defense. Later in the week, she would announce to the world the locations of the first production facilities, including two that would possibly bring twenty thousand jobs to Gotham City alone when considering satellite businesses to support the new production plants.

She would have city leaders in Metropolis, Central City and every other major city in the United States begging her to consider building facilities in their cities.

Things were coming together as she had planned with one exception: her brother.

Because of his escapades, Diana needed to distance herself, Kara and the company from him if he were ever caught. It was becoming clear he would not stop what he was doing.

There had been two bat sightings the night before, runaways saved from kidnappers at bus stops. The police presence had grown but it was impossible to follow every girl that did not want to be taken to a shelter and the Russians were apparently desperate to recoup their losses.

She had a plan to address this issue as well.

Gordon and Dent would be organizing a joint task force with Homeland Security. The HSD had the authority to enter places if there was sufficient probable cause that would normally need a warrant from judges which could slow the process.

With the DEA and FBI informants flooding Gotham City in the next few days, the Russians would be out of business and behind bars, except those foolish enough to fight. They would end up in body bags. The Feds would raid every suspected hideout in the Narrows, cleansing the dirtiest spot in Gotham.

Bruce could very well be caught in the crossfire. She didn’t want that to happen but if she could not talk him out of ‘his mission’, she would make sure his actions didn’t fall back on the family or company and that plan was already in motion.

But none of this could compare to the joy she felt when she looked at her left ring finger.

Diana had always thought, was certain even, that romance was something that would never happen to her. Steve had changed that, and their relationship was not ending in heart break like she feared it would one day. He knew her secrets, had for years, never spoke about them and never pressured her. He simply loved her.

Kara would finally have the big brother Bruce should have been. She loved how close and at ease the two were with each other.

Her little sister and Dig had grown close quickly too. She got along and bonded with him in a way she never had with previous bodyguards.

Diana felt on top of the world.

“I can’t believe this crap.” Kara grumbled, breaking Diana’s bubble of happiness. She looked at her sister who was reading her electronic notebook.

She knew exactly what Kara was reading. With everything going on, Diana had forgotten to warn her.

“Look at this.” Kara said, sliding the notebook across the table to Diana.

‘Wayne Family Divided’, the headline read, with the byline reading ‘Vicki Vale’ .

Three weeks ago, Wayne Enterprises’ CEO Diana Wayne released a statement informing the public her brother, Bruce Wayne, had returned to Gotham City after having gone missing for six years. Diana Wayne told the public that she had no idea where her brother had been and would not comment on the issue further. Bruce Wayne has yet to release a statement or agree to an interview on his whereabouts.

Though he was seen dancing with his two sisters at a Star City charity gala, a source close to the Waynes maintains tensions remain high amongst the family and the trio of siblings have not been seen in public together since.

According to the source, Bruce Wayne has not been allowed to move into Wayne Manor and remains living elsewhere, reportedly searching for new property to purchase. Also, he has not been given the option to buy any shares of the company, leaving Diana and Kara Wayne as sole owners and executives. There are no plans now or in the future that involve Bruce Wayne having any place in the operations of Wayne Enterprises.

“I wish I knew who this so called ‘close source’ was.” Kara said, her expression annoyed.

“Silver St. Cloud.” Diana told her without hesitation.

Kara looked at Diana with wide eyes, obviously wondering how she knew that and why Diana hadn’t done anything about it.

“Why would Silver say anything to Vicki Vale about our family?” Kara asked carefully.

Diana shrugged her shoulders. “Because I told her to. Every article you have read over the years claiming information from a source ‘close to the family’ has been given to Vale by Silver who tells Vale what I want her to say.”

Dig chuckled admiringly. “Absolutely brilliant.”

Kara looked at the man, then Steve and a disgruntled Alfred.

“Ok, I’m confused.” She admitted when she saw no surprise from any of the men.

Diana sighed. “From now on, you are spending two hours with me every Monday and Wednesday morning and sitting in on certain business meetings. I realized when you told me you never read the papers you were signing that I had failed you. You may well have to run Wayne Enterprises one day and you need to learn more about the overall business side of the company rather than spending all of your day overseeing R & D projects that interest you.”

“Uh… number one, that sounds awful, number two, I doubt I will ever run our company, and again, number three, that sounds awful.” Kara replied with a frown. “What does this have to do with Silver feeding information from you to Vicki Vale?”

Diana took a bite of eggs and sat back deciding it was time to impart some of the hard-earned wisdom she had learned apprenticing with Lucius. She had never spoken about these things with her little sister because she didn’t want Kara distracted. She wanted Kara to be able to create, to build… to dream. She let Kara do what she did best, and Diana handled everything else. It was a system that worked for them and took pressure off Kara. Now she would be a media target more than ever and needed to learn to deal with these things.

“This is a social media age, Kara. You of all people know that. A rumor is as good as a fact in today’s world and there will always be rumors about our family. The key is to determine what rumors become taken as fact and what rumors are dismissed by the public. Getting out in front is the best plan of action.

“In this specific case, our customers and our new government partners may have fears that a man who disappeared for six years could come into Wayne Enterprises and begin making decisions that could change the course of the company. If I tell Vicki Vale that this isn’t true, I am on record as speaking out against Bruce. If Silver tells Vicki Vale, the rumor is eventually taken as fact, our names are not attached, and Vicki continues to trust Silver. This allows us to control the rumor mill to a great extent.”

Dig shook his head, still grinning. “Like I said, brilliant. Every intelligence agency in the world uses misdirection. Business is the same way. Control the information the enemy receives, and you control the enemy.”

“If you weren’t so good at your job, I might have considered you for Vice President, Dig.” Diana remarked, with a raised eyebrow and smirk. Turning back to her sister, she asked, “Does this make sense?”

Kara nodded. “Yeah, but it doesn’t feel right.”

“No, it isn’t, but it is necessary. People are going to write a story regardless.” Diana explained, reaching over to squeeze Kara’s hand in understanding. “They will search until they find something. We have more than thirty staff cleaning the manor, ten gardeners working throughout the day, security guards patrolling the grounds twenty-four/seven and thousands of employees in Wayne Tower. We cannot keep people from talking. Vale is more likely to print a story from a trusted friend like Silver, who she believes is selling me out, than a story made up by a janitor.

“This afternoon at the press conference, someone will ask about the article. I will say ‘I have no comment’. I won’t say it isn’t true or deny it. Simply saying ‘I have no comment’ makes the public believe it is true and the story will be dropped quickly without any direct statements on our part, while also ensuring our customers that there will be no changes at Wayne Enterprises.”

Kara could see the sense in that. Dig was right. It probably wasn’t right to have Silver lie but in this case, she was simply telling the truth without the need for the sisters to publicly distance themselves from Bruce.

Not for the first time, Kara realized what a dirty game big business could be. Diana usually shielded her from such harsh realities, but she knew she would have to learn one day. She couldn’t stay in the lab forever and ignore the rest of her responsibilities. She couldn’t ignore the media forever, be the recluse who stays in the shop or stays at the manor, the one who might be healthy, or might be dying, depending on what story is going around at the time.

“Silver doesn’t tell her about me, does she?” Kara asked hesitantly.

Diana shook her head. “No, it is understood by the media that questions about you are never answered. Unfortunately, those thousands of people who see glimpses in our lives, talk at times, but Myndi can usually root out the source and deal with them.”

Alfred cleared his throat. “Did you feel it was necessary to publicly announce the divide between you and your brother, Diana? Could you not have assured the government privately?”

Diana could hear the anger in his voice and wasn’t surprised. She had expected a reaction like this, but simply didn’t care. The woman was more upset that he was supporting Bruce in his ridiculous actions.

“No. It wasn’t just the government that needs convincing. Our customers, our future customers… everyone needs to know there will be no changes. Despite the fact we are a private company, risk of change could affect the markets, possibly cause a negative impact on the economy. This was the best way to handle it.” Diana told him, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she continued sipping her coffee.

“Your father would not have been happy with this.” Alfred said bitterly.

That one statement ruined Diana’s good morning.

Steve obviously felt the temperature around the table fall, so he quickly cleared his plate and headed towards the kitchen.

Diana put her cup down and folded her hands in her lap to keep from breaking the table. Eyes flashing, she responded as calmly as she could. “Dad did not do business in the age of social media. He didn’t have to deal with a brother who left and may have been dead then returned under mysterious circumstances.”

Her eyes narrowed at the disappointed frown on Alfred’s face. “Actually, if Dad were alive, he probably would have publicly disowned Bruce for what he pulled. You believe you know what Dad would have done? You’ve never made a business decision in your life so do not judge me when I am the one who was left to uphold the Wayne family legacy and keep the business growing.”

Alfred face was growing redder as he clenched his jaw. “You are right, Diana. I haven’t made a business decision in my life. I have tried to guide you as best I could to make right decisions.”

Diana leaned forward, resting her arms on the table, her fist clenched, and her anger finally broke through. “I have and you have always agreed with them, until it comes to Bruce. You let him get away with everything. You seem to think abandoning us for six years with no word is no big deal. In fact, if it were up to you, he would have had a desk next to mine the day he returned.

“What was it you said to me? ‘Please listen to him, Diana.’ I listened to him enough to know he has lost his mind and instead of stopping him, you are encouraging him! What is right about that, Alfred? What do you think Mom and Dad’s opinion of his actions would have been? Or yours for that matter?!”

Alfred stood up and leaned on the table. “I have expressed my displeasure with his actions many times…”

“And yet you help him.” Diana countered. “Where have you been going every night after we go to sleep, Alfred? You’re watching out for Bruce as always.”

Kara listened to the back and forth, extremely uncomfortable. It wasn’t unusual for Diana and Alfred to argue, but never to this degree and the subject was confusing. What was Bruce doing that had Diana so angry and why was Alfred leaving every night?

“Can you two please stop?” Kara asked quietly.

Diana heard the worry in her quiet voice and looked at her, instantly forgetting about Alfred, and his anger. “I’m sorry, Bunny. Alfred and I have disagreements over Bruce that go beyond the obvious. There is nothing for you to worry about.”

Having never seen such a heated discussion between the two, an uncomfortable Dig stood up with his plate thinking it was time to leave and bring Kara with him. “Kara, how about we get ready to leave for the office? I was thinking maybe you could drive today if we take the secondary route…”

Kara waved him away. “What are you encouraging him to do, Alfred?”

Dig sighed and went in search of Steve.

Alfred looked towards Kara then back at Diana. “You haven’t told her.”

“I didn’t want her upset. Since it doesn’t concern her, she didn’t need to know.” Diana said quietly, daring the man to disagree with her. It was a contest of wills that occurred more than once over the years when Kara was involved.

Alfred grunted in obvious frustration. “You wouldn’t listen to Bruce or even try to understand what he was going through. You don’t even know why he is doing what he is doing. You are dismissing him as crazy without a second thought. Now you won’t even tell Kara what you do know? Perhaps if she understood…”

“Perhaps you might want to shut your mouth!” Diana said heatedly as she stood, cracking the table in half in her anger. “I’ll decide what she needs to know. If you tell her and her anxiety makes her sick, do you think you can live with that, Alfred?

“I have asked you to intervene for weeks when it comes to Bruce’s actions, and you’ve done nothing! You encourage him, supporting him with your presence! If he dies, it’s on you. When you get to the other side one day, you can explain it to Dad!”

Kara stood, visibly shaking, her chair falling backwards.

“Stop!” She yelled loudly. “Enough! This is ridiculous! Whatever the hell is going on… Diana we have a big day. After the press conference, I have a project proposal for the general and Congressman Milton. Barbara has to meet with the NSA liaison officers… we have too much to do to worry about Bruce! This is a happy day and it’s going to stay happy!”

Both Alfred and Diana looked down sheepishly. They knew Kara did not do well with confrontation and both knew they had taken this too far.

Diana cleared her throat, looking at the remains of the table. “Alfred, will you please take care of this before tonight? I’d appreciate it.”

Alfred recognized the olive branch for what it was. “Of course, Diana. You two have a good day.”

---

Downtown Gotham City

Two hours later, Alfred walked into the hotel suite Bruce had booked after Diana kicked him out of the penthouse to find the younger man’s bags packed and sitting on the floor.

“You found property?” He asked.

Bruce nodded with a grin. “I bought the old Falcone residence. The bank couldn’t wait to get rid of it. It’s perfect. The right distance from the city and the FBI somehow missed his secret tunnel system underneath the property. It has enough space that I can modify the underground area to fit our needs.”

“Our needs…” Alfred whispered disheartened, closing his eyes, Diana’s words echoing in his head.

With frustration in his voice, he looked at the younger man and said, “You thought it was wise to buy the estate of a convicted mob boss. There is a reason the bank had difficulty selling it.”

“I know. I got it at a great price.” Bruce grinned, ignoring the disapproval in Alfred’s voice and demeanor. “I suppose you think it uncouth for a Wayne to reside in a former mob boss’s residence. I don’t think it will fall back on my dear twin. After all, a source close to the family has publicly denounced me. I’m sure when Diana is asked about it, she will give a ‘no comment’, solidifying it as fact in the eyes of the world.

“So, who is the close source? Wait, don’t tell me. With Rachel banished, the only lackey she trusts to do it would be Silver St. Cloud. Am I right?”

Alfred sat on the couch, biting his tongue against another argument and turned the television on. He switched to a news channel then checked other world news channels. Each one had a message indicating Wayne Enterprises would be holding a press conference along with a countdown clock. The clock indicated there were twenty-two minutes left.

“I should have gotten you help.” Alfred finally said quietly.

Bruce raised an eyebrow. “If you could talk Kara into it, that would be great, but I doubt she is ever going to be on board and Diana would kill both of us before we had a chance to ask.”

Alfred shook his head. “I should have gotten you help after your parents died. I should have sent you to a counselor. Instead, I taught you to fight. I thought if you and Diana had a mission to focus on, it would allay your grief. I never expected you to take it this far.”

Bruce opened his mouth, but Alfred raised a hand. “I thought you would be okay when you went out with Diana. I knew she wouldn’t let anything happen to you. But she quit, saw the futility in it and found a different path. You were too far gone for me to pull back, so I trained you harder. That was my mistake.”

“Your lessons have kept me alive all these years, Alfred.” Bruce argued.

Alfred huffed. “I would like to blame this on your parents for leaving me in charge, but the fact is I failed them in regard to all of you. I enabled you, allowing you to turn into this person you have become. I let Diana run the house to the point she was giving staff instructions before she was fifteen. And Kara…

“I wasn’t ready to be a father to a five-year-old girl… a sensitive, sick, heartbroken girl, who had so many problems. I didn’t know what to do with Kara. I did my best by keeping her occupied with studies, projects, games, anything I could think of to just get the both of us through the day until Diana got home.”

Bruce shook his head. “That was all Diana was ever going to let you do. She had an obsession with Kara since Kara was weeks old. Even when Mom and Dad were alive, she would butt heads with our parents over Kara. Luckily, Dad was more stubborn than she was, or Kara really would have been kept in a bubble in Diana’s room.”

“It had nothing to do with stubbornness. Diana respected your parents, but she didn’t respect me. I never gave her a reason to, or I could have stopped it.” Alfred insisted. “Kara is so smart, I never stood a chance at containing her as a child, but I could have tried. I could have been a parent to her, but I was too afraid of making a mistake. Instead, I let Diana take control of Kara and without your parents to reign her in, Diana took it with her usual intensity.

“I failed all three of you.”

Bruce was taken aback, finally recognizing the man was truly upset. “Alfred…”

Alfred held up his hand. “Don’t argue with me, young man. You are swinging over rooftops in gear you made while living with the League of Shadows. You left everything and everyone who loved you behind because of some single-minded pursuit of revenge that won’t stop until you are killed. You don’t even know who you are getting revenge against.

“I am proud of Diana, but I am not blind to her faults. She is a loving person, but she is also ruthless. Those she loves are protected, those she needs are used and those who betray or defy her are trampled beneath her feet.

“And Kara… Kara has stayed in Diana’s shadow for so long, she feels really comfortable and safe there. I never encouraged her to move out of it.”

“I should have been a father to her… like Thomas.” Alfred said wistfully, staring at nothing. “Thomas could make Kara so happy. He made her confident. He held her constantly, carried her on his shoulders while she hung onto his hair with her tiny fists. Oh the way Thomas and Martha could make her laugh brought joy to my heart.”

Bruce felt a shiver, realizing Alfred had tears in his eyes. “I should have been that person, the one who made her feel safe, loved, happy and confident. I should have made her laugh. Instead, I stepped back and let Diana do it.”

“You couldn’t stop her.” Bruce argued.

“I never tried! I never tried to stop you! I should have gotten all of you counseling, given you the help you needed like a responsible adult would have in the same situation.

“I’m accountable for the mess the three of you have become. I never tried to stop any of you. I failed your parents, and I failed their children.” Alfred told him morosely.

Bruce sat silently, taking in Alfred’s despair. The man felt he had failed them and, looking at it from Alfred’s perspective based on what he just said, Bruce could understand why he did.

Unable to stop himself, Bruce asked Alfred the question he had wanted to avoid but suddenly needed to know. “Did Diana kill Joe Chill?”

A bitter smile graced Alfred’s face. “You remember Diana demanded to speak to that monster before he was sentenced to life in prison?”

“Yeah, but she never told me what happened… she refused to talk about it.” Bruce told him.

The older man hesitated slightly, then said, “She promised him, if he ever left prison, for any reason, she would find him and end him. Diana…”

“Always keeps her promises.” Bruce finished, saddened but not surprised. “Does… does Kara know?”

Alfred laughed quietly, though the sadness in his eyes was telling. “Diana only knows of two people capable of hacking the Witness Protection database undetected. She certainly wasn’t bringing Barbara Gordon into family business.”

Bruce closed his eyes. “Did Kara know what she was giving it to Diana for?”

“Of course she did.” Alfred replied, looking at him like he was an idiot. “When Diana asked her to get the information, Kara immediately handed it to her. Your younger sister had been keeping tabs on the man since he walked out of prison, waiting for Diana to ask her for the information, knowing she would.

“You think it’s impossible for Kara to hate? She even asked if she could go with her, but Diana refused, of course, swearing she would end him. The way Diana looked that night when she left is a sight I will never forget. I still have nightmares about it.”

Bruce didn’t ask, waiting for Alfred to reveal more, wondering if he would.

After a moment, the man continued. “She left the house, planning to run two states away, dressed in her armor, with a large, hooded cloak over herself that made the armor look dark and her face seem like a pit of blackness. It was the first and last time I have seen Diana in that armor.

“She had that damn sword on her back. That sword… it has always scared me. She reminded me of the blood-soaked woman who left Diana with us. She wasn’t a daughter, a sister, a socialite or a businesswoman. She was a warrior who was out for blood. I pitied any creature she may have been hunting that night. You think you look fearsome in that costume. Pray you never see your sister in that armor with that sword in her hand.”

Bruce sat back, not wanting to know more. He had always thought the armor was a bit funny. It was strapless and the skirt hardly covered more than Diana’s bathing suit did. The red and blue gave her more of a cheerleader vibe and he thought the taira made her look like a princess from mythology.

Like Alfred, he had never seen it on her though he knew Kara had.

But Bruce knew exactly what Alfred was talking about when it came to that sword. When Diana held her sword, she looked and acted like a different person. That sword had tasted blood.

Apparently, it has now tasted their parents’ killer’s blood as well.

And Kara was a party to it.

Alfred got up and prepared them tea, deciding that line of inquiry was over and the two sat quietly, each man to his own thoughts as they waited on the news conference to start.

---

Wayne Tower

Kara paced in the lobby, feeling sick. As she was the other owner of the company, Diana had insisted Kara needed to be present at the press conference but had assured her she would not be asked any questions.

This was worse in Kara’s mind, but she didn’t know how to tell Diana. Kara hated speaking in public, but she also hated staying in the background, as if she lacked the capability to speak. Those in the press were told not to ask her questions, a rule they followed if they valued their careers and wanted to be asked to future press conferences.

Today was different though. There were many more reporters from additional news outlets, including several from overseas. The huge lobby was filled with people and camera equipment.

The podium set up was larger than normal, as it needed to be. General Lane, Congressman Milton, Senator Luis Wilson from the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Secretary of Defense would be seated to the left and right of the lectern. Diana was sitting in the middle where she would be available for questions after Milton made the announcement. Kara would be by her side, putting her in clear view of the audience with no one to hide behind.

“You okay?” Dig asked, noticing how pale she was becoming.

Kara tried to give him a weak smile but failed miserably.

“You don’t have to say anything, Kara.” Dig reminded her.

“That’s the problem, Dig. Look at them. One of them, if not all, are going to want to ask me questions. If I don’t say anything, if Diana answers for me, everything everyone has said about me is true. The public already speculates that I don’t have a mind of my own, that I follow Diana around like a puppy. If I allow her to answer or worse, she tells them they aren’t allowed to ask me questions, how is that going to look? How can my employees respect me? How can the public respect me if I can’t even speak for myself?” Kara asked.

Dig said nothing, knowing it was true. He wondered if Diana had made a mistake letting Kara out here. Diana felt she could control the media and their questions, but Kara was right. This press conference was live and one question by a reporter who wasn’t afraid of Diana Wayne would be all it took to hurt, not only Kara’s public image, but more importantly, her self-esteem.

Luckily, she had two things going for her. She had fifteen minutes to prepare, and she had the guy who personified confidence on speed dial.

“Call him.” He told her. Seeing the puzzled look, he elaborated further. “Let’s step to the back behind the stage so you can call Tommy.”

Dig guided Kara to the back, shielding her from the crowd as best he could, keeping her hidden behind a large fake plant near the elevators.

Kara dialed and was relieved when Tommy answered immediately.

“Hey, beautiful!” Tommy answered happily. “The whole store is about to watch you on television. We still on for tonight? A small celebration dinner, right?”

“Tommy… I’m not sure what to do. I’m nervous as hell, my hands are sweaty, it’s getting hard to breath and my stomach feels sick.” Kara admitted. “They are going to ask me questions. If I don’t answer, you know how that will make me look.”

“Yeah,” Tommy said, having thought of this. “If you don’t answer, it will seem like Diana has to do your talking for you. So answer questions honestly but don’t give out any information they don’t ask about. For instance, don’t mention that you are afraid of kangaroos. The world will be watching, and you don’t want to offend Australia. Don’t admit to your family calling you ‘Bunny’. Keep it short and simple and it will be over before you know it.”

Kara chuckled. “That’s easy for you to say, but I’m not you, Tommy. I’m the girl who hides, not the one who stands out.”

“You stood out to me.” He reminded her. “Your sister was practically unnoticeable standing next to you. What are you wearing? Glasses right?”

“Yes. Should I take them off?”

“Nope. You look great in glasses. You rock them, Kara. Women have to spend hours and pounds of makeup to glow like you do naturally and they sure as hell can’t pull off glasses. Is your hair in a ponytail?”

“No, I straightened it this morning. Breakfast was so tense. I’ll tell you about it tonight.” She rambled in answer. “Do you think I should use a ponytail?”

Tommy was quiet for a second. “Normally, I love the ponytail look, but for this press conference definitely go with the straight long hair. Is Diana’s wavy?”

“Yeah.”

“Good, you will be seen as your own person, not a blonde copy of her. Look, I get it. It’s scary but you got this. You are the smartest person in that room. You are the smartest person in the Tower, probably the whole damn world. These people should be in awe of you.” Tommy told her confidently. “And as for any questions they may ask, one of the many things I love about you is how brutally honest you can be. The first question you ever asked me was why I hated my father. Dial back the brutality but stick with the honesty. Show them who you really are.” Tommy instructed.

“I’m still feeling sick. What if I pass out? What if someone asks about my health?” Kara asked, calming slightly at his reassurances, but still extremely apprehensive.

“Tell them it’s none of their damn business. You told me you have spoken at conferences before, and in group meetings, at universities. This is no different.”

“This is very different.” Kara argued. “When I spoke at those events, those were my people. We spoke the same language… science. In our fields, our work speaks for itself before we ever get on stage. The only scientists here are the ones who work for me, and I will have to face them if I make a fool of myself.”

Tommy sighed. “I get it, Kara, but this is you now. You thought you were in the public spotlight before… now it will be more intensified. This is the price you pay for your dream job. You’ve told me you wanted to be like Diana before, but you aren’t Diana. You are you and I think you are a pretty amazing person.”

Kara nodded and took a breath. “Okay, I can do this… I can do this, right?”

“You were born for this. You are in no one’s shadow, Kara. The entire United States Government is putting their faith and money on your brain. It’s proof that politicians can make good decisions sometimes. In other words, you have pulled off the impossible.” Tommy told her, throwing in some levity to hopefully help her relax.

Kara took a deep breath and smiled. “I’ll see you tonight?”

“I’ll be there are seven.”

Kara thanked him and ended the call. She began pacing, taking deep breaths, continuing to try and calm down. After a few minutes, she walked to the far end of the lobby where a large portrait of Thomas Wayne hung.

“I don’t remember as much as I would like.” She told Dig. “Not the way Diana and Bruce do. I was five when they died so a lot has slipped away but the memories I do have are so strong.”

Dig remained quiet, a constant steady presence.

“He would read Shakespeare to me before bed. When I was sick, he would stay with me, tell me how strong I was, read stories about heroes and heroines, princesses and knights.” Kara said softly, staring at the strong features of the man who face would soften in such a loving way whenever he looked at her. “He always told me I was ‘little but fierce’ . I remember him always telling me that when I was scared. ‘Though she be little, she is fierce.’ ”

Dig nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder. “He was right. You aren’t a little child anymore, but you are still fierce. Show them how fierce you are. Show them their protector.

“You should know, I am aware of everything that goes on around you, everything that is said… it’s part of my job. I have never heard a negative word from those in this building. Your employees? Your teams? They love you. Those guys I interviewed who had been your security for years? I found out that every one of them would fall on a grenade for you. You inspire people… you inspire me. You’ve got this, Kara.”

“It’s time to take a seat.” Dig told her, glancing back in the direction of the podium. “Sit back, take slow deep breaths, and if someone asks you a question… you decide if you want to answer. Either way, I believe in you and so does everyone else in this building.”

Kara gave Dig a small smile and allowed him to escort her to the stage. Diana saw her and took her hand with a warm smile, walking with her to their seats.

“I’m sorry, I was going over some last minute details with the Congressman and Senator.” Diana told her. “Are you okay? I can tell you are nervous.”

Kara thought of answering but her throat was dry. She simply nodded.

“You won’t have to answer anything.” Diana promised. “The media has been told not to ask you any questions. If it’s too much, you can go to your office now. We can say it’s for security reasons.”

Kara thought of this, thought of taking that offer but if she hid now, she would be hiding forever.

“If any questions are directed to me, I will answer.” Kara told her sister in a shaky voice.

“Bun… Kara, you don’t have to.” Diana assured her.

“I’m about to be solely responsible for the largest and most powerful military in the world’s weapons and the best intelligence agencies’ cybersecurity. If I can’t answer a few questions, I probably don’t deserve that responsibility. I can handle this, Diana. Trust me. I need you to believe in me.” Kara told her, her tone seeming to plead with her sister.

Gently squeezing her sister’s hand, Diana’s smile lit up her eyes with the unfathomable depths of love she had for the blonde. “I have always believed in you, Kara. Never doubt that.”

The conference began with Milton addressing the assembled crowd and the viewing audience all over the world.

There was silence in the room as the esteemed Congressman laid out the terms of the contract with Wayne Enterprises.

Once he asked for questions, the lobby exploded in noise. Milton stood quietly, waiting for the hum to die down before he pointed to a random reporter he didn’t recognize.

“Robert Blakely, Associated Press. Would it be fair to say this contract basically privatizes national defense and intelligence capabilities?”

Milton had expected this question and was glad it was out in the open. “It is no secret that Wayne Enterprises has done business with the government in the past and continues to do so in the present. This contract extends that work and allows all the pieces in the National Defense Department to work in sync. By working with one company, one that has proven itself in the past many times over, there will be no issues with conflicting contractors or money wasted on parts that do not fit. Most of our intelligence agencies already use Wayne Enterprises hardware and software. This will consolidate all of our programs and agencies together. I do not see it as privatization but more of a partnership.”

The questions continued in the same vein until Milton felt he was repeating himself. He motioned to Diana who stood proudly and approached the podium.

She smiled slightly and pointed to the reporter standing next to Vicki Vale, no doubt infuriating the Gotham reporter.

“This contract gives Wayne Enterprises complete access and influence over our nation’s defense. How do you feel about that level of responsibility?”

Diana looked at the woman seriously. “Well, I’m a little freaked out.”

After a moment, where one could only hear cameras clicking, she smiled, winking at the crowd. Every reporter in the lobby laughed.

Kara shook her head and grinned. Once again, no matter the stage, Diana could play a room and have them in the palm of her hand with a single line and a charming smile.

“In all seriousness, my sister and I recognize the great responsibility this places on us and our company. Wayne Enterprises will be working closely with the government, and we have an extremely talented group of people who will endeavor to deliver the quality this company strives to achieve in all our endeavors.

“Every single person employed by Wayne Enterprises is the best, whether it be in research and development, production, executives, to even the smallest divisions of our company. These are the people who provide much needed services, not only to the government but to the world at large.

“We are an old company with businesses in a multitude of fields. We have always felt the pressure to perform for our customers, whether they be the government, a city or town, a large corporation looking to lessen their carbon footprint, a small business looking to grow or a family seeking to better their lives.

“Our father proudly served in the military… he was a hero. He loved this country and taught us to love this country. Despite the weight of responsibility, I can say we are proud to be able to serve this country in any way possible.”

The floor opened up again and Diana pointed to a woman just behind Vicki Vale, who glared at her once again.

“Cynthia Newsome, Washington Post. When will construction of the facilities begin and in what cities will they be built?”

Diana placed her hands behind her back and stood straight. Kara recognized this as her presidential posture, one she had learned from their Dad.

“Construction on two of the facilities will begin within the next two weeks. One will be an aeronautics plant next to Gotham International Airport and the other will be a special projects facility on Stryker Island.

“We have plans for ten more facilities over the next six months but have not decided on locations, nor have we approached any cities as of yet.”

“But all facilities will be built in the United States?” the reporter asked as a follow-up.

“Yes.” Diana assured her. “We hope the influx of jobs will stimulate many economies. We estimate these facilities will hire over twenty thousand Americans at a minimum.”

Hands were raised once again until one voice yelled over the others, requesting something that made most reporters shut up and cringe.

“I have a question for Kara Wayne.” A man shouted.

Diana kept a pleasant smile on her face but was inwardly angry. Reporters allowed into this press conference were given a set of rules. One of the rules was to never ask Kara questions.

“Who are you and what organization hired you?” Diana asked, causing nervous chuckles in the room.

The man’s scowl never left his face. “Snapper Carr, Daily Planet. Is she available to talk or do you speak for her?”

One hundred percent of the room knew Snapper Carr’s career just came to an end.

“I speak for myself.” Kara’s voice called out quietly but firmly. Diana turned and met her eyes. Seeing her sister’s calm determination, she nodded, stepping away from the lectern.

Kara approached, her heart racing, palms sweating but she remained outwardly calm. She kept reminding herself of her father’s words. She was fierce.

The room remained silent, a testament to the unusualness of this situation. Kara Wayne spoke at universities and tech conferences to small groups of people and those times were rare. She attended balls and charity events at her sister’s side, but one thing Kara Wayne never did was talk to reporters, especially during a press conference.

“Your question, Mr. Carr?” Kara asked, her voice strong.

It was obvious the man was taken aback, obviously not having expected her to answer. In fact, he had been counting on her not answering. His entire story angle was how anyone could trust the defense of the nation to a twenty-one-year-old girl who couldn’t speak for herself.

Thrown off-balance by this unexpected turn of events, he said, “At twenty-one, you have already developed fighter craft, guns, missiles, and drones for the military. Some people, including those overseas have begun calling you ‘Lady Death’.”

Kara waited for a moment, hearing nothing. She finally asked, “I don’t hear a question.”

“My question is how it feels to be the largest war profiteer in history?” Carr snapped back, irritated things were going off-script and trying to salvage the story he hoped to write.

An angry General Lane stood up, but Kara held up a hand to him then turned back to face the man.

“If you think I am a war profiteer, then you clearly do not know what the term means, so let me educate you, Mr. Carr.

“A war profiteer is ‘any person or organization who makes unreasonable profits from warfare’ -that means there are hostilities between at least two parties if you aren’t aware- ‘by selling to anyone and everyone at exorbitant prices, often creating shortages to drives prices even higher. This can include selling shoddy products at high profits as well.’

“That’s pretty much the accepted definition of that phrase.

“Now, while we do make realistic profits from all contracts, Wayne Enterprises does not make or sell shoddy products. We do not sell weapons except to those licensed to purchase them and we do not sell to anyone outside of the United States with a few rare exceptions concerning our allied nations but only then with the approval of the United States Defense Department.

“Make no mistake, our country’s defense is not something my sister or I take lightly.”

Kara settled as she fell into a comfortable, confident rhythm, one she used when lecturing to her peers. “My job is to lead all research and development divisions of Wayne Enterprises. These divisions include innovators and pioneers in medical technology and pharmaceuticals, clean energy breakthroughs, environmental protection and restoration, cellular services and devices that bring the world together, software that protects private information of consumers, entertainment art, fossil fuel production and management that not only adheres to but exceeds the EPA standards. These are all products we make available to the world.

“Wayne Enterprises is many things. Yes, we do make tools for our government to protect itself and defend our people, but our company is so much more… and I am proud of all our teams and employees who make this country and world a better place.”

Carr would not be put off, though he was a bit less sarcastic given the dressing-down she had just given him. “You mention all these accomplishments by your departments but isn’t it true that you spend most of your day making weapons? You sold your first fighter jet to the Air Force at eighteen. Now at twenty-one, you will be designing weapons that will kill hundreds of thousands over the course of your lifetime. Does this not bother you?”

Kara looked down at the lectern for a moment, not moving.

Before Diana could rise, Kara looked up at the man, her solemn expression belying her normal sunny countenance. “When I was growing up, I watched a lot of movies. Some of them were superhero movies, those science fiction extravaganzas that captures everyone’s imagination. Something always bothered me though. Every one of those movies had the same theme. The military would show up and be cast aside, ineffective until the superhero showed up to save the day.

“But this is the real world and in the real world, the military and police are our superheroes. They are the ones tasked with protecting liberty, putting their lives on the line everyday so we don’t face acts of terrorism in our homes.

“They are the kids who graduate high school, go to boot camp and are prepared for war at eighteen. They are the ones who decided to go to college at a military academy and serve their country when they graduate. These brave young men and women, the adults who have dedicated their lives to protecting us… the officers of law, civil and federal, our career military men and women… they are the superheroes .”

Taking a breath, Kara continued, speaking from her heart now. “These men and women… they are my heroes… and I promise you, when they go out and put their lives on the line, I will make sure they have the best equipment possible. I will make sure they are never outgunned or unprotected. My projects protect those heroes who are ready to lay down their lives so you have the freedom to ask questions without a government telling you what you can and cannot write.

“I wish we lived in a world where weapons weren’t needed. But until we do, I promise our soldiers, our officers, our first responders… our heroes… you will always have the best I can give you.”

Though the reporters were dead silent, a roar could be heard outside Wayne Tower. Police and citizens were cheering loudly, listening to the words of the youngest princess of Gotham City addressing the world with confidence and patriotism.

“Any further questions?” Kara asked the subdued room.

Hearing nothing, Kara stepped aside, and Diana approached the podium, thanking everyone for attending and directing further questions to the Military Public Affairs office.

Kara sat, shaking in her chair but relaxed when she felt Dig’s hand squeeze her shoulder from behind.

Sam Lane leaned close to Kara, obviously choked up, his voice breaking slightly. “There are over one million, three hundred thousand military personal serving right now and millions of veterans. You just became a legend to every one of them, Kara. Your father would be so proud of you.”

Smiling her thanks to Sam, she stood, breathing deeply and gaining enough strength to join Diana in leaving the podium.

As the attendees were pushed back from the stairs by security, Vicki Vale pushed her way forward, reaching towards Diana with a microphone.

“Do you have any comment on the rumor that Bruce Wayne has been cut out of the family business?” she practically yelled.

Before Diana could answer, Kara stepped forward, answering for both of them.

“We have no comment.”