Bruce and Selina's Granite State Adventure.
Chapter One
Somewhere near Concord, New Hampshire
After speeding down a dirt road in the middle of the woods, a convoy consisting of five black Chevy Tahoes arrived at the cabin.
FBI agents dressed in full tactical gear and armed with M4-A1 assault rifles quickly emerged from the vehicles and formed a perimeter then Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle were quickly ushered from the fourth vehicle with Agent Ashley Hayes leading the way.
She threw her keys to one of the agents standing near the door so he could unlock it.
"It's open ma'am."
"Thank you, Agent Tapper," Hayes replied as they continued on in.
"Wow, nice place," Selina commented.
"Thanks, you two sit on the couch while I talk to Agent Baldwin. You can watch whatever you want on the TV," Hayes replied before disappearing into the kitchen.
Bruce tried reaching for the remote on the coffee table, but Selina beat him to it and sat on couch.
"Agent Hayes will tell us everything we need to know about the attack on the Concord Police Station after she's done talking to Agent Baldwin. So no disaster news for you, B."
"Fair enough," Bruce replied then sat down next to Selina and wrapped his arm around her as she went through the guide on the bottom of the screen.
"Oh, here's something for you," Selina said upon stopping at a show called Squawk Box on CNBC and clicking the select button. The people on the program were talking about latest developments from global financial markets.
Agent Hayes finished her phone call and went back into the living room.
"Bruce, Selina, I have some good news and some bad news."
Bruce grabbed the remote and pressed the mute button then stood up.
"What's the good news, Agent Hayes?" Bruce asked.
"The good news is that all of the attackers at the police station have been suppressed. Seven killed, one injured and has been taken into custody by the agents on site."
"Were there any friendly casualties during the battle?"
"Sadly, yes. Concord PD lost three cops and four of our guys were wounded, they're currently in stable condition at the local hospital."
"And the status of the scrawny little asshole?" Selina asked.
"Well that's where the other bad news comes in. Thomas Wayne Jr hasn't been recovered and judging by the scream, he must've been attacked by something or someone.
"Have the woods near the police station been searched yet?" Bruce asked.
"Agent Baldwin sent a team and a helicopter to look for him shortly after the hostiles were eliminated. It was a small area so they didn't have look very far, but their search turned up empty."
"Maybe the council was looking to pick him off for his failure," Selina commented.
"Or maybe they were trying to silence him to keep us from learning more about them. Until we see a body, it would be safe to assume that he's still at large."
"My people are thinking the same thing, Bruce. Agent Baldwin will provide us with more details by the end of the day."
"Selina and I more than ready to jump back into action if necessary."
"Agent Baldwin knew you would say that and he also told me to tell you that you guys should take some time to enjoy this state. It really is a beautiful place."
"We will, but we must not let our guard down."
"I agree," Hayes replied then sensing that the briefing was done, Selina unmuted the TV.
"So what's for breakfast, Hayes?" Selina asked.
"I was thinking blueberry pancakes, eggs, and bacon if you two are interested.
"Sure," Bruce said with a smile.
"I'm game," Selina replied.
Before heading back to the kitchen, Hayes glanced at the TV and then at Bruce.
"Squawk Box on CNBC? I figured you would watch something like that."
"Actually, my girlfriend here picked it for me," Bruce replied pointing back at Selina who just smiled.
A while later, breakfast was served and Selina was blown away by the taste of the blueberry pancakes.
"Wow Agent Hayes, these pancakes are delicious."
"Thank you Selina, I take it that it's been a while since you had pancakes?"
"It's been a while since I had some this good. Pancakes back in Gotham don't even come close to this."
"You must be referring to those from the restaurants. I know from experience. One time I nabbed some from a guy walking out of a diner. I thought I snagged a good feast, until I put the first forkful into my mouth."
"Did you discard them?" Bruce asked.
"No way. When you're a street kid, the last thing you do is waste food. You never know when or how your next meal might come."
"How long were you on the streets before being adopted?"
"Four years. Four long agonizing years of struggling to survive the mean streets of Gotham. But if someone asked me if they're was one good thing I got out of it, it would be learning how to be a tougher person.
"People who lack toughness tend not to last very long in Gotham. I've seen what happens to the weak on a couple of occasions. And I'm not saying that your parents were weak, Bruce."
"I know," Bruce replied then resumed eating.
Suddenly, Hayes's cellphone rings and she pulls it out of her pocket to answer it.
"Agent Hayes here."
"How are things going with Bruce and Selina?"
"Pretty good, Director. We're just having breakfast and chilling at the spot. The original plan was to have breakfast at the local IHOP but after the attack on the police station, I decided to bring them here instead."
"A good call considering the situation," Director Voss replied then went on to give Hayes her new orders.
"Understood sir, thank you," she replied then hung up."
"What did Director Voss want?" Selina asked.
"He just wanted to see how we were doing and due to recent events, he has decided to keep me assigned to you two indefinitely."
Bruce and Selina cheered upon hearing that then went back to finishing their breakfast.
"Afterwards, she showed them the rest of the house including the guest bedroom.
"I take it you two won't have an issue sharing a bed?"
"We'll be fine Agent Hayes and even though Bruce and I are now boyfriend and girlfriend, the only thing we'll be doing in it is sleeping like babies provided that it's comfortable."
"I believe it is," Bruce commented then walked over to the bed and fell onto it backwards.
"Wow, it looks like he's out already, Selina said as she and Hayes walked over to him.
"He looks so cute when he's asleep," Hayes commented.
"Tell me about it. I remember the first time I broke into his house. I was looking for a little trinket to steal which I did find. But on the way out, I saw this cute little boy fast asleep on the couch. Honestly if I was in a position to steal him instead of a decorative box, I would have."
"But then you would have the issue of trying to keep a scared kid under control and the authorities hunting you for kidnapping."
"But having him and his cuteness all to myself would've been worth it.
"Well you certainly have that now since he is officially your boyfriend."
Selina took another look at Bruce and suddenly began to grin.
"What are you thinking about now, Selina?"
"I just got a wonderful idea, Agent Hayes."
Thirty minutes later, Bruce woke up to the sight of Selina and Hayes smiling down on him.
"Hey there sunshine, did you have a nice nap?" Hayes asked.
"Yeah, you weren't lying. This bed is fantastic, and were you two standing over me the whole time?"
"We were, but then Selina decided to… slightly modify your face."
"Have a look," Selina said then held up a mirror to his face and what he saw shocked him.
"Dollar signs, you drew dollar signs on my face?" Bruce shouted.
"I think it's fitting, you are a billion dollar man after all."
Bruce sprung up and ran out of the room screaming as Selina and Hayes erupted into laughter.
"Wow Selina, you sure know how to get a vacation off to a good start."
"I know, right."
One minute later, Bruce came back with a clean face.
"Such a pity," Selina jokingly commented.
"No hard feelings, so what's next?"
"We're still gonna lay low due to this morning's incident, but I was thinking that we could head out back and play a game of catch."
"Sure, let's do it," Bruce said.
"Great, I'll go get the mitts and the ball," Hayes replied.
A few seconds later, they were in the back yard throwing the baseball to each other as a group of federal agents stood guard.
"So Agent Hayes, are we the first kids you've been tasked with protecting?"
"No, Selina. But you two are the first that I see as more than just another assignment."
"Why's that?" Bruce asked after receiving the ball from Selina and throwing it to Hayes.
"I just felt no real connection to them beyond the parameters of the mission statement. Getting overly attached to the people you're guarding isn't a good idea in my line of work."
"So what makes us special besides seeing us as your own adopted kids?"
"Perhaps it's the Gothamite link we share, or the fact that you and Selina are more than capable of handling yourselves on an operation. But above all else, you two make me feel alive. Alfred strikes me as a great guy too."
"He certainly is," Bruce replied.
"Yeah, but last night's mission was a cakewalk, I would really love to take part in a real operation. You know, the ones that involve knocking down doors and kicking ass."
"If things with Bruce's traitorous brother heat back up again, you just might get your chance, Selina."
"Another reason why I want to see some real action is to show Agent Cunningham what I'm really capable of under fire."
"I understand, he was really of out of line for calling you a sweetheart last night and saying that you would run if a fight started."
"No need to correct him for me, my chance to prove him wrong will come soon enough?" Selina said.
"Maybe he'll find himself in a situation that will require us to save him," Bruce commented.
"Ha, wouldn't that be something," Selina replied.
"I can already see the headlines. Soldier boy turned federal agent saved by a fellow fed and two kids after an op goes wrong," Hayes said then a voice came over her earpiece.
"Agent Hayes, this is Tapper, Agent Baldwin just arrived and says he has information you guys might want to hear."
"Copy that. Tell him to meet us inside."
Bruce, Selina, and Hayes return to the living room where they see Agent Baldwin already present with his laptop on the coffee table.
"Hello Agent Baldwin, we weren't expecting you till the end of the day."
"I know, Bruce. But our wounded suspect came to faster than expected and was very forthcoming during our bedside interrogation."
"What did you learn from him? Bruce asked.
Baldwin brought up the profile of the guy they had in custody and began his presentation.
"This is Clirim Bujar, the leader of the squad that attacked us at the police station today. Born and raised in Albania where prior to becoming a bad guy, he served in the Albanian Army where he rose to the rank of Captain. Sometime after he left the service, he moved to Gotham where he started up a mercenary crew comprised of fellow Albanians that went around doing jobs for the various crime bosses in the city."
"So how did these guys go from beings hired guns for local thugs to working for this secret council?" Selina asked.
"According to Mr. Bujar, he and his crew were approached by a middleman claiming to represent an organization that had great power and influence in Gotham. They were told that an individual of great value to them was in federal custody and they would be paid fifty-million dollars for his capture and safe return to them."
"Does he know anything about Thomas's disappearance in the woods near the police station?"
"He claims not to, but I think there was more than one team of mercs in play and the council probably briefed them on their parts of the operation separately."
"Sounds like a case of the right hand not knowing what the left was doing."
"You're right on the money Bruce."
"You've should've been here earlier, Agent Baldwin. The money was right on him. I took the liberty of drawing dollar signs on his face," Selina replied grinning.
"Thank you for the bringing us up to speed, Agent Baldwin. If you happen to have any breaks in the search for Thomas, I want you to contact us right away."
"Sure thing, Bruce. But in the meantime, try to enjoy the more positive things New Hampshire has to offer. Spending every waking moment fixated on conflict is bad for your health."
After Baldwin departed, Bruce, Selina, and Hayes resumed their game of catch for a few hours then broke for lunch.
After that, they went back to playing catch for a while longer, then went for a walk in the nearby woods until the late evening when they returned to the cabin and played a couple of board games and watched some television before calling it a night.