(AN) Holy crap, I started the follow-up!! I hope my first go at fanfic writing wasn't a complete waste of our time. I now offer you the next installment of my first fanfic.
I do not own the characters owned by DC Comics
BATMAN II: BEYOND
Chapter 1: New World's Order
Bruce Wayne, the man who would become the Batman. Fate had handed him the will and determination to train for the life of protecting the lives of innocents. He grew up believing that fate was something that did not exist, absolutely refusing to believe in it. He believed in making things work through choice, never willing to consider that he was not in control of his own life.
If fate had no hand in his current situation, he was forever doomed with horrid luck.
Standing on an unfamiliar platform that now rested in his cave, Batman did not move a muscle. The last thing he remembered was being captured by Slade in one of the giant ships hovering over Gotham. He remembered Slade incapacitating Diana and dropping her out of an opening in the ship. A sight that was more disturbing than he was willing to admit.
He remembers the ship reaching escape velocity and leaving earth's orbit, shooting past the Watchtower.
The next thing that comes to mind is waking up inside of the same ship, laying face first on the ground. Hearing that he was not alone inside, he played possum to find any information he could. It turned out that the ones inside the ship with him were a crew from a salvage ship that had made its rounds in the area.
Easily taking care of each crew member, Batman left the one ship and boarded the next to find answers. His answer had come in the form of the ship he was in being surrounded by two other ships, both of which designed after the ones that appeared over Gotham. Only this time, they bared the markings of both Wayne Defense and the United Nations of Mars.
At first, he thought he was hallucinating. On one of the monitors in the salvage ship, the date had shown that it was forty years into the future. With his firm belief in the impossible being possible, Batman came to the conclusion that he was indeed not hallucinating.
As his ship was being boarded, Batman checked his supplies in his utility belt. What he found was that only his batarang compartment was full, the others empty.
All but one compartment...
Batman retrieved a small device that looked like a prototype he had been developing. Knowing full well its function, he pressed the lone button.
After pressing the button, he suddenly found himself standing on this platform. The button activated a teleportation device that he had been in the middle of designing for sometime, yet never finishing the specifications. To his minimal amusement, Batman was happy to see that it worked.
He stepped off of the platform on to the steel grated steps, taking him to the main floor of the cave. Batman looked around finding that, for the most part; the cave had been kept as it were. However, he knew full well that it had been purposely kept up for his arrival.
A setup...
Batman walked to the open area directly between the main computer and his display of costumes. He stood directly in between them, looking at the costume display carefully. He noticed that the case with the shackles that Slade used to hold him captive were gone. In its place was a new case that displayed a brand new costume.
He began to lean towards it ready to walk, only to briskly turn and walk to the computer. Batman quickly positioned himself and sat down on the chair, ready to find some answers. He found that the keyboard was no longer in its place. In fact, all of the buttons were no longer there.
Batman studied the layout of the computer, trying to find any form of activating mechanism. He then remembered another of his many ideas.
"Computer, on..."
The screen suddenly sprang to life as the digital image of a bat silhouette appeared on screen. Batman leaned back in his chair, taking his usual position when his mind becomes more useful then the computer.
"Computer, last known activation period of main computer systems..."
The computer screen shot to life once again.
CHECKING...
LAST KNOWN ACTIVATION PERIOD APPROXIMATELY TEN YEARS, SEVEN MONTHS, FOURTEEN DAYS
Batman felt an uneasy chill run down his spine. The computer has not been accessed in over a decade.
"Computer, ID of last known user..."
CHECKING...
As the computer worked, Batman's mind was going at a speed that only he could describe as...
TERRENCE MCGINNIS
Batman had formed a full scowl just as the main screen switched to another image. A loading screen came up, Batman's attention fully applied. After the loading sequence, a recording began.
"Hello Bruce, I trust that you've made it back safe and sound?"
Batman listened as the image of Slade appeared on the screen
"Do not bother to vocally respond to whatever I may say, this is a recording. By now, I presume to believe you know that this is not your original time. This is approximately forty-three years into the future you would have lived to see. In fact, as my traveling through the times has proven, one of many possible futures. You will find that the world you know has dramatically changed. Quite frankly, for the worse...
"Inside the new display case, I have outfitted you with an updated version of your current costume. I would have left you mine, but the image that would give your comrades would prove to be detrimental to you. So I had decided to keep the old design with the upgrades of the new suit."
Batman continued to stare intently at the screen.
"If you'll notice the entrance to Wayne Manor no longer exists. The blast door is permanently closed, as well as the hangar and exit for your ground vehicles.
"There is much more you will need to know, but you must find those answers by yourself. I suggest you begin your search on Mars, the senate house to be exact. An important meeting with the heads of the Martian colonies will be held exactly nineteen hours from the time you were to be discovered by the salvage crew. The new hovercraft you designed was an excellent attempt to combine both ground and air travel with one vehicle. In fact, it was the very vehicle I used during my time as Batman. However, I have made the proper modifications to ensure its durability through space travel. Also installed is a working teleportation device that you also designed, with a modification or two of my own.
"You will go undetected by the Martian fleet if you use the cloaking device. I suggest you also take the time to adjust to the new suit I designed for you. If I know you, you would want to make a few adjustments yourself. The blueprints are stored in the hard drive, along with the schematics for everything you will be using in this time.
"Good luck..."
The recording ended as Batman sat quietly in his chair. He knew that he had to find the surviving League members if he was to get back to his original time. Slade practically told him where to find them.
Immediately he stood up and walked towards the display case. The closer he got to the new suit he noticed that it was no longer his traditional colors. This time the suit was a pitch black with only the physical design similar, and symbol on the chest was a fine silver. A perfect mix of his original and new suit
He opened the case, removing the suit with ease. It was strangely lightweight, even more then he had originally designed. Batman removed his glove and felt the fabric of the new suit with his bare hand. The material was far lighter then the one he currently wore. Even more than the new suit Slade had returned to the past with.
As his fingers inspected the suit some more, he began to notice he presence of wires and circuits sewn into the fabric. Obviously the same circuitry Batman used to create the new suit. The cape, however, felt exactly the same. Other than the lightweight material, he noticed that the design was fairly standard.
Batman removed his cowl, Bruce's face getting its first taste of cool air for the first time since he had awoken on that ship. He carried the new suit over to his usual work station to the left of the display case. He set the new suit on the table, beginning to remove his current suit.
Bruce knew what he had seen out there in space. Those men in the salvage team were definitely humans, and two of them he was certain had faint Gotham accents. So trying out this new suit was something he felt would show no immediate harm. If Slade wanted to kill him, he would have already. Bruce was also convinced that just before he was abducted, Slade was almost pleading with him.
Enough of a sign to Bruce that Slade wanted him alive.
Bruce removed the rest of his suit, noticing again that most of the body scars he once had been healed completely. He almost had forgotten what Slade had done to him. Bruce felt the anger begin to boil again as he recalled most of the events before he left.
Bruce calmed himself, focusing on the task at hand by applying the new suit. He slipped into the trousers easily, although they were not an exact fit. He noticed that the trousers were a one piece with the boots already attached to them.
"A little too big, McGinnis..." Bruce said to himself as he held up the over-hanging waist.
A small light began to flicker on the right side of the pants. As Bruce investigated, he noticed that a button was there. He smiled to himself for a brief moment before pushing it. The pants immediately shrank to a perfect fit as Bruce pressed the button. Bruce then lifted the top over his head, applying it to his torso. He noticed the gloves were already attached to the sleeves as the top automatically fit to his torso. Bruce figured it read the signal from the pants.
Bruce felt light as a feather with the new suit on, however he had yet to apply the cape and cowl. He noticed that the costume was more of a dark blue rather than black. The cape and cowl remaining black. Finally, he applied the last piece of the suit as it fit perfectly on him.
Text immediately appeared digitally in the lenses of cowl as Batman felt the slight tingle of the suit powering up.
RETINA SCAN REQUIRED
Batman was then treated to a small red light directly in both eyes.
IDENTITY CONFIRMED
POWERING DOWN FAILSAFE SYSTEM
BEGINNING FULL ACTIVATION...
CHECKING SYSTEM PROTOCOLS...
PRIMARY POWER SOURCE...CHECK
SECONDARY POWER SOURCE...CHECK
EMERGENCY POWER...ERROR
APPLY BELT TO CONFIRM EMERGENCY POWERSOURCE AND FULL SYSTEM ACTIVATION
Batman turned to the table to apply the final piece of the suit. The new belt was a light gray, again mixed design with his old belt and prototype. As he buckled the belt into place, the suit became fully operational. He memorized the functions that the prototype was to incorporate when he finished the original design of the new suit. However, the modifications that had been done left him with no choice but to run a complete test.
"Computer", Batman said standing by his work table. "Ready the training room. Run program one-zero-four-seven at sixty degrees celsius, precipitation at seventy-five percent."
The new suit was remotely connected to the main computer, something that he had planned to work in down the road. He took his first steps in the suit walking past the work station into his exercise area. He stood over a specific spot on the floor that was outlined by a large square.
"Run program..."
The floor around him slowly began to sink into the ground, the loud hum of the hydraulics working echoing throughout the cave. As the last of his exercise machines disappeared into the ground, the ground was sealed by blast doors reforming a floor area. Four large walls began to rise from the ground, enclosing the area around him. Green lines formed a grid around him; just a bright light flared.
Batman was now standing on top of the old theater that he exited those years ago. A complete simulation of Gotham had been rendered; even a light but steady rainfall had begun.
Batman moved towards the edge of the building, placing a foot on the ledge. He looked down at the simulation, a horrible feeling running through his body. He could not help but feel that maybe this is the only way he would ever see Gotham again. Batman moved his head around some more, using the new scanner in his cowl to map out the city. Batman had already known the terrain of Gotham, but he needs to test out all of his equipment if he is to get the proper feel for it.
Then he noticed the most peculiar thing.
On a formed puddle resting on the ground of the roof, Batman saw his reflection. Other than the five o'clock shadow that had grown, the new suit was identical to one he had already seen. He couldn't notice as it was in the display case, but the suit was completely identical to the one that the Justice Lord Batman wore.
The presence of Slade in his time period has probably altered far more than Batman or any of his comrades had realized.
Wasting no more time, Batman extended his arm and pointed with his fist. A grapple shot out from the suit and Batman leapt off of the building.
Batman sat inside of the new vehicle he had designed himself, the BM37. Among other things, Slade apparently took it upon himself to finish most of the upgrades Batman had been planning for some time. But mostly Batman noticed that his designs had been modified considerably. While Batman was training, he adjusted to those modifications fairly quick.
"Computer", Batman said. "Upload training manual for the BM37."
Automatically, the suit took Batman's hands to each side of the cockpit. They attached to control handles, even though Batman was not ready for an immediate departure. However, Batman wanted answers as quickly as possible.
IMPUT DESIRED DESTINATION...
Batman wanted to know first hand what had happened to Earth. Slade gave no implications as to the state Earth was in after forty-three years. Batman didn't even want to imagine what might have happened, but he had to find out.
Batman put in the coordinates for the BM37 to take him exactly over Wayne Manor. If anything drastic had happened to Earth, Batman wanted to find out about his home and Gotham first. Deep down, Batman could already feel that outside the confines of the cave, a different world awaited him. The only question was what kind of world.
The BM37 began to hover in place, ready to depart. From inside, Batman saw a brief blue light emit around the BM37, then the light disappeared along with the cave. He now found himself hovering in place, this time surrounded by dark clouds. Thunder could be heard, showing that Batman had rematerialized in the middle of rain storm.
The sensors showed that Batman was now twenty thousand feet in the air, directly above Wayne Manor. Batman piloted through the clouds, the electronic buffers in the BM37 absorbing the turbulence from the storm perfectly. He began a slow descent as the rain continuously beat down on the BM37.
Batman exited the clouds and could already see the terrain of the land below. The rain made it difficult to make out the specifics of the ground out of the windshield, so Batman activated the infrared camera. On the bottom left corner of the windshield, the heat signature of the ground below could be seen.
Batman's fears were true when no sign of Wayne Manor appeared on screen.
"Computer, clean scan..."
The camera switched to a normal view, only this time the camera was able to edit out anything with a water concentration. The rain was no longer a factor and small build ups of water on the ground were no longer visible. Batman descended closer to the ground, only to see that now in the place of the manor was a series of burnt trees and ground covered soot.
However, those trees did not appear on the infrared sensor at all.
"Computer, switch to infrared again."
Just as Batman thought, the sensors showed that no burnt trees were anywhere in the vicinity. Switching off the infrared, Batman piloted to just about twenty feet above the ground and just outside the grounds of his property.
Batman decided to have a closer look.
The bottom of the BM37 opened and Batman leapt to the wet ground below. He landed as the soft turf of mud splattered and the rain continued to pelt the ground. He looked on at the trees that weren't really there. He switched the lenses in his cowl to infrared as he began to walk the grounds. Batman's naked eyes saw that the path he was currently walking should have been obstructed by small, charred forest.
Batman walked without walking into any supposed trees, his feet slightly sinking into the wet earth with each step. The air was extremely cool as his suit automatically adjusted its temperature. Batman picked up a strong heat signature coming from the center of where his home used to stand.
Batman immediately switched on the cloaking device in the suit, making him completely invisible. He didn't want to risk engaging a hostile until he found what he was looking for. Picking up his pace, Batman continued towards the source of the heat. As he was getting closer, the shape of the signature was becoming visible. What Batman could see now was a large metal crate.
Batman reached the source, now seeing a long instrument on the top of it. The crate was easily ten feet length, width and height. Batman switched off his infrared for a moment to see that in fact his eyes could not see the crate. Switching back the infrared, he concluded that this device was generating a holographic image of a battle-torn wooded area.
Batman standing on the ground where his family's home once stood was beginning to hinder at his emotions. Fighting back any distracting feelings, Batman quickly sprinted to the edge of the cliff into the extension of the old Gotham River. Batman reached the edge and looked down at the water. He dropped to his knees as the realization of his predicament began to set in.
Batman was no longer in his own time, he already knew that. He already had settled on finding the means of returning home, and he fought back the notion that his future did not look bright. Batman looked behind him at the holographic trees as the rain continued to pour. He knew that he could no longer linger around anymore and that his answers would be found on Mars.
Now standing up, Batman remotely piloted the BM37 back to his position on the cliff. It arrived with the bottom hatch open ready for his reentry. Batman shot a grapple up to the ship, lifting him quickly inside as the hatch closed.
"Go", Batman said as he readied himself in his seat.
Batman let the autopilot take control as he allowed himself a moment to rest. He was interrupted as the beeping alarm sounded inside the ship. Batman returned to manual control as he readied himself again.
"Computer, report..."
The sensors began to show that two objects were flying towards him at an alarming rate from five hundred miles away. Batman quickly punched in coordinates as he piloted the BM37 out of Earth's atmosphere. He was cut off quickly as two ships suddenly appeared almost thirty yards behind him.
"Great..." Batman said to himself.
The two ships used a teleportation device to gain ground on him. Batman knew that he couldn't afford getting caught right now. He needed to work freely and quickly as soon as possible.
"Computer", Batman said. "Ready to teleport one hundred miles from Martian patrolled space."
WARNING...
DESTINATION UNDER SURVAILLANCE AND IS DECLARED A NO FLY ZONE...
ANY SHIPS INTRUDING INTO AIRSPACE WITHOUT PROPER AUTHORIZATION WILL BE ENGAGED ON SITE
Batman was already regretting designing the automated system.
USE OF CLOAK HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND WILL BE ACTIVATED ONCE IN MARS AIRSPACE
AWAITING COMMAND FOR DEPARTURE...
"Do it!" Batman shouted as he was losing his patience with his own creation.
He had stocked up on the necessary supplies he would need, already familiar with the new equipment that had only been in the design stage since he last remembered. But knowing how to build them was a small sign of knowing how to use them.
If anything were a metaphor of his life, this was it...
Returning to his home fresh from a forty-three year absence and now already leaving to fight the good fight. Batman didn't even have time to silently laugh at himself, the BM37 immediately cloaked and teleported.
From the cockpit, Batman saw the skies of his home disappear and the vastness of space replace it.
"Scan region", Batman immediately said.
The onboard sensors showed that the Martian fleet had been patrolling the sector he was in. The fleet would not be able to detect him, but Batman decided not to linger. Before he could move his ship, the onboard sensors picked up a signature of another spacecraft. The two ships that chases out of Earth did not show up on his sensors.
"Computer, unidentified ship onscreen..."
The screen came on, but nothing could be seen. Batman viewed the screen carefully, and then noticed a slight wave. Whatever was out there had a cloaking device like his. Batman was hoping that the bogey did not have sensors like his. Batman locked on to the signature of the bogey and followed it. He was not surprised to see that it was headed towards Mars. As he was on a pursuit course, Batman needed to know what exactly he was following.
Luckily for him, the ship de-cloaked.
He followed the ship, hoping that this was a Martian vessel. The ship itself was roughly the size of the salvage ship that he was inside of earlier in the day.
The sensors began to pick up radio signals, Batman then activated the long range transmitter.
"...Scout Class Vessel 243l returning to Mars. Requesting clearance, landing code 3572. Over."
"Scout Class Vessel 2431, permission granted. Over."
"Roger that, thanks a bunch."
The ship was indeed a Martian vessel. Batman wondered from where exactly that scout ship was returning from.
Realizing that no threat was to come from that ship, Batman decided to go about his mission with haste, teleporting from space directly into Mars' atmosphere.
Batman could already see with his own eyes that the terrain of Mars was completely different. He noticed that scattered across the red planet, large cities could be seen from thousands of miles in the sky. Surrounding each city was a, what Batman could recognize only as, some sort of atmospheric processing grids. Like large dams that held in the breathable air.
"Computer, locate the Senate House of the Martian colonies and amount of time until the next meeting."
THE SENATE HOUSE IS LOCATED THIRTY-THREE DEGREES LATITUDE, SIXTY-FIVE DEGREES LONGITUDE
THE CITY OF NEW METROPOLIS
THE NEXT MEETING WILL COME INTO ORDER APPROXIMATELY SIXTEEN HOURS AND FORTY-FIVE MINUTES FROM CURRENT TIME
Batman found nothing comforting with the name of 'New Metropolis'. He contemplated returning to Earth to put to rest some of his nagging feelings, but his mind was already set on the task at hand.
Batman flew the BM37 at a lower altitude, trying to gain a better perspective of the cities. Batman noticed that most of the cities were very similar to the ones on Earth. In fact, most of the cities that were flying by underneath him were near carbon copies of the old cities. Batman saw what he thought was downtown Paris as he flew over one particular city.
The BM37 arrived over the skies of New Metropolis. Batman marveled at the striking similarity the city had with the Metropolis he knew. He flew down over a roof top that had the highest vantage point. The tallest building in the area was one that Batman could not help but notice right away. The company's name was in large letters, displaying its greatness to the world.
Wayne Enterprises...
Batman scowled slightly, the idea of his family name being carried on without him was almost more than he could stand. He flew to the top of the building, easily one hundred and fifty stories high.
"Computer, maintain cloak and hover over this spot."
Batman took a deep breath before he was ready to exit onto the roof. He had to find his contacts as quickly as possible. The only thing that bothered him was if whether or not anyone was still around to be considered a contact.
Batman leapt out of the hatch as the BM37 sustained it's cloak. Batman landed on the brand new rooftop, himself cloaked as well. It was daytime, and keeping a low profile was high priority. Batman walked to the edge of the skyscraper, looking down at New Metropolis. Past the flying vehicles that littered the sky below him, he could see the ground as people commuted in a large mass.
Batman lifted his head to view the skyline. He was amazed, this was...Metropolis. The only difference was that it was in mars and surrounded by the atmospheric processors.
Inside of Batman's cowl, the lenses showed a small blinking light as he looked in a specific direction. The light represented The Senate House, showing him exactly where he needed to go.
Batman leapt off of the roof, cloaked completely, and shot a grapple to the building across. He positioned himself to leap off into the sky, that is until he heard the sound of an explosion from the ground. Batman looked down again, this time adjusting the lenses in his cowl to magnify the view. From what he could see, the entrance at the bottom of the Wayne Enterprises building was being attacked. He was able to see a small crew of fifteen men, well armed and firing into the commuters.
Wasting no time, Batman let go of his line and jumped into a face-first freefall towards the ground. Batman watched as the attackers began to slaughter the people as though they were animals. Batman fired down four gas pellets towards the attackers, well before he even came close to the ground. The pellets exploded around the attackers as Batman flipped himself to a feet-first position and the bottom of his boots revealed that they were jet propelled. His descent was quickly slowed as he was now hovering to the ground.
He could hear the voices of the attackers as the nearby crowds were in a frenzy from the gunshots. Batman landed on the ground as he switched to his infrared view to easily see the attackers. Batman was directly behind one, slamming the side of his hand into the neck of the first of his prey. The attacker fell limp to the ground as the rest began to become subdued by the gas and fell to the ground as well.
As the smoke from the gas quickly dissipated, Batman began to check one of the attackers on the ground. Batman knelt down and opened the small vest on the young man. The young man looked to be around twenty years old, a Hispanic male.
The shirt the young man had on was a white shirt with the words 'Free Earth Now!' and 'Die Amazon Bitch' handwritten onto it. Batman looked up from the attacker to see that everyone in this group were dressed exactly the same with the black vest, white t-shirt and army fatigue pants. Batman looked back at the crowd of people who were gunned down. He quickly walked towards them as he could get a count of thirty-three people were lying on the ground, one of them a little girl no older than ten. Those who weren't dying were already dead.
Batman felt his stomach wrench just as sirens could be heard. Batman quickly switched on his cloak as the small paramedic ships appeared on site. To him, they looked just like buses that could fly, obviously meant for multiple patient transports. He then walked back to the crew of assailants as the medical ships arrived.
Batman made an escape, taking the gunman who shot the most people with him.
Gilda Mitchell was working tirelessly at readying the speech for the chancellor to give for the senate meeting. She kept the television on her favorite channel to see if her Wayne Enterprises stock had risen while she worked at her normal job. The news channel she watched broke into breaking news as Gilda finished transferring the data to the Chancellor's PDA. She looked at the television just as the reporter on location was beginning his story.
"...Here at the Wayne Enterprises Headquarters in downtown New Metropolis, a terrible scene has just taken place. Members of the terrorist group 'God's Children' have once again attacked the citizens of Mars. Leaving in their wake twenty-nine dead, four wounded. However, a story within this tragic event has risen as well."
The television screen switched to another view.
"One of the security cameras in the city caught this shocking footage. As you can plainly see, the members of 'God's Children' were quickly subdued as they were engulfed in a thick, cloud of smoke. As the smoke began to clear, what can only be described as an act of heroism could easily be recognized. A local citizen has taken the law into their own hands as he dressed up in a Batman costume and easily defeated the terrorists. As we enhance the view, you can see a close up of the hero as he indeed wearing a Batman costume. Jean, I don't know what to make of this, but I'll have more when it's available. Rob, Jean, back to you in the studio..."
Gilda watched as the anchors of the news channel replayed the footage. Gilda couldn't help but to feel happy that someone outside of the government has decided to stand up for the people. However, she knew that this behavior was far from encouraged on Mars. But she couldn't help but to let the romantic side of her take over in that very moment.
Gilda stood up from her desk and walked towards the chancellor's door. She put her hand on the handle only to hear two voices talking. Being that the vice chancellor was able to tell if anyone was around, she decided to enter without knocking.
"...It was him, I am sure of it."
Gilda entered the large and lavish office and immediately saw that the chancellor was sitting at her table with a troubled look on her face. The chancellor had been under great scrutiny since she came into power all those years ago. Gilda knew the topics that didn't sit well with the people, but she agreed completely with the chancellor and her decisions. The vice chancellor was standing in front of her table, looking down with great concern. Gilda had been working as an assistant for years, but she still had trouble adjusting to seeing the vice chancellor's face.
"What is it?" The chancellor finally said as her face was as serious as ever.
"Your speech is ready, ma'am", Gilda said.
Gilda simply walked up to the chancellor's desk as the chancellor began to stand up.
"Gilda, I need for you announce that the meeting will be delayed", Chancellor Prince said. "I have to attend the scene of the terrorist attack."
Gilda watched as the chancellor walked from around her desk and headed for her door. Gilda could never understand the reasoning behind the chancellor's choice of wardrobe. She knew it was primarily for her heritage, Gilda wondered if the chancellor just likes to show off her extremely long legs in front of everyone.
Chancellor Prince made it to her door just as the vice chancellor walked to her side.
"J'onn, we have to be certain", Chancellor Prince said with a hint of enthusiasm in her voice. "If it is him, we cannot risk losing him again. This could be best good news we have received in a long time."
"It could be a hoax", Vice Chancellor J'onz said. "But I am positive it was him. The trace was faint, but I am almost positive that it is him."
"Then let us be quiet about it until we know for sure, my friend", Chancellor Prince said.
Gilda watched as the chancellor and vice chancellor exited the large office. Gilda leaned on the counter, thinking about what all had been said. She hated being in the dark, and she knew something juicy was being kept a secret.
"Who were they talking about?"