Disclaimer: I do not own any DC characters. However, the plot is mine.
FINDING LIBERTY
Chapter One: Metropolis?
~~~~ Bat Cave ~~~~
It was nine past 6 a.m. by the time the Bat mobile pulled into the Bat cave. The top opened and Batman, slowly, but steadily pulled himself out of it. He had even more cuts and bruises than before when he had seen Selina. He moved over to his mega computer and sat heavily in his chair. From the sound of light footsteps to his left, he assumed Alfred was making his way down the stairs. Batman pulled his cowl off to reveal the tired but handsome face of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne. He was exhausted.
Alfred made his way to his master with the first aid kit in tow. "Long night Sir?"
Bruce grabbed a hand mirror and looked over his face. Noticing the cuts he frowned. 'How will I explain this at work?' He set it down and looked wearily at his butler and long time friend. "That's putting it mildly Alfred." He then sighed and turned to his keyboard and started typing away.
Alfred looked on in disapproval. "Perhaps you should get a bit of rest first Sir. You have that meeting in a few short hours. I also recommend that we take a look at your injuries before you retire." Alfred insisted.
Bruce did not look his way, but continued typing. "I saw Selina Kyle tonight."
Alfred raised a grayed brow. "Oh? And is Ms. Kyle the reason for your many abrasions?"
This time Bruce did turn to Alfred. "No." He then frowned. "She said that she wanted to tell me 'goodbye'." His eyes flashed at the thought.
This caught Alfred's notice. "Goodbye sir?"
Bruce nodded, and then turned back to his mainframe. "She would not say where. But I have little doubt that she'd assume I'd not find out on my own."
For the first time that night, Alfred looked at the large monitor beside him. He noticed that Bruce was searching the database for recent money transactions and flights and such. "You think she's up to something?"
"She came to me to say goodbye. She's never done that. Why now?" He stopped typing, feeling that he's found something.
"Perhaps Ms. Kyle is deciding to retire." Upon Bruce's weary look, Alfred continued. "Or perhaps she's about to do something that she doesn't want you to know about, but subconsciously wants you to look for her." Alfred's brow furrowed. "You think it's something dangerous. Something she may not survive?"
Bruce shook his head. "I don't want to jump to conclusions. If she were in trouble, she'd tell me."
"Would she?" Alfred questioned.
Bruce ignored it. "Besides, Selina is always careful."
"Like she was careful with the cat cult?" Alfred could not help but comment. Bruce kept silent. Alfred knew he was troubled. Bruce typed a few commands and brought up a surveillance of Selina at Gotham's Airport. He zoomed in on her ticket and was able to discern it as a one-way to Metropolis, Kansas. "Metropolis? What is there for her in Metropolis?" Alfred asked.
Bruce kept quiet until he found... "That's what." He stated as he pulled up an article on an exhibit on the gods and goddesses of Egypt. He sighed in disappointment as he pulled up a list of items marking the worship of the goddess Bastet.
"Do you really think that she would risk it in a city with Superman? She's likely to go straight to jail if she tried." Alfred noted. "And let's not forget the one-way ticket Sir. She doesn't plan to leave anytime soon."
Bruce shook his head. "No Alfred. That just means that she doesn't plan to return here anytime soon. Who knows where she's headed after she got the goods." He glanced over to the med kit. "Leave the kit Alfred. I'll tend to my bruises. They aren't serious and there aren't many." Alfred looked hesitant so Bruce reassured. "I promise to go straight to bed once I'm done. Go rest. I know you've been up all night waiting for me."
Alfred started to object, but by the look on Bruce's face he consented. "Very well sir. I bid you a good rest." With that, Alfred left the cave, leaving the med kit behind.
Bruce watched him leave before turning back to his computer. He entered a few commands on the keyboard. 'He should be home by now.' He thought to himself. He opened his com-link and dialed a Metropolis number. He then quickly disconnected the call. 'On second thought, I don't want to involve him.'
Instead, he tapped into the Gotham City Airport database. He quickly reserved air space for his personal jet. There wasn't much available until the afternoon. But considering his morning meeting, it works out pretty well. He smirked. "No one will bat an eye at Bruce Wayne's sudden visit to Metropolis." He disconnected his connection to the airport's mainframe.
His smirk dropped as he stared at the picture still on the screen before him. "What are you up to Selina?" He wondered out loud before shutting everything off into sleep mode. His eyes narrowed. 'I'll find out soon enough.' He thought to himself. He grabbed the med kit and immediately started treating his wounds. The sooner he got the done, the sooner he'd get a couple hours of sleep. Hopefully it'll be enough. Lucius will kill him if he fell asleep during another board meeting.
AN: I am so pleased that you guys like the story so far. And thanks for sharing some of your ideas with me. I'm still not sure on the pairing. Years ago, it was going to be BM/CW romance and SM/CW friendship. Now since then I've read some SM/CW fics and find that I kinda like the pair. So I'll just leave it to fate for now. I have a real strong idea for how this story will play out. The relationship isn't the big picture so I don't have to decide on that just now. I just really hope that I can make this as entertaining for my readers as possible. Let me know what you think of this chapter. I promise they will get longer.
And oh yeah...
PLEASE REVIEW!
;-)
