Batman: Raiders of the Tree of Life
Chapter 4: Rome
When Dick stepped off the plane in Rome he was elated. He had spent the majority of the nine hour flight trying to avoid an annoying blond flight attendant. She had spent the majority of the flight flirting with Dick. He had pulled his Indiana Jones hat down almost over his nose and tried to study the notebook, but the woman just didn't get the hint. However, as much as the situation annoyed Dick, he was sure the man seated next to him was just as annoyed. The man beside him desperately wanted the flight attendant's attention but she ignored him except to ask what he wanted to drink or if he needed napkins. All in all, it had been a very uncomfortable flight for Dick.
Slinging his duffel bag over his shoulder, he scanned the crowed airport for Dr. Turner. After just a few minutes, a woman in a fitted navy dress and pumps approached him. She had long shapely legs like a dancer's and delicate features. He judged her to be about his age or slightly older. Her long brown hair reminded him of Anne Hathaway.
"Dr. Jones I presume?" she addressed him.
He looked at her confused until he remembered the hat. "Dick Grayson actually mam." He tipped his fedora.
She laughed. "I'm Dr. Turner. Anna Turner. I work for Barron Burkhalter. He told me you would help me find my last partner Bruce Wayne. You're his son, right?"
"You could say that," said Dick. "What do you know about Bruce?"
"If you're wondering if I know about his alternate midnight persona, yes. I do. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. Only Barron Burkhalter and I know the truth about Batman in this organization."
Dick laughed without humor. "So, how do you like working for a dangerous blackmailer?" he asked.
"He's my great-grandfather, so I take it as a privilege," replied Anna. She gave him an unreadable smile and tapped her fingers on his cheek for a brief second. "You could be so cute if you weren't so skeptical. I'm here to help you find Bruce. Believe it or not, I want him back too."
"Because you need a detective," Dick pointed out. Looking at Anna he wondered, why were all the hot women on the other side?
"Yes. I need a detective to help us find the Tree of Life and Bruce is our best hope. My great-grandfather is dying. He's my family just like Bruce is yours. I want them both to be safe because I know how much it hurts to lose someone you love."
Dick saw honesty behind her hazel eyes and decided that he could afford to give her the benefit of the doubt for now. "So where do we start?" he asked.
Anna gave him a travel pamphlet. "For the rest of the daylight, we act like tourists and scope out the Vatican and the catacombs. Later tonight, you can change into your superhero costume and start doing whatever it is you do to find Bruce."
They stopped at a small Airbnb apartment over a leather working shop. They walked between two little sandstone pillars and through the kitchen. There was a small living room with smooth white walls, wood flooring, and red furniture. A large open window let in the daylight and provided a good view of the street. Two bedrooms lead off the living room. Noticing a bag and a dress on the bed of one room, Dick guessed that he and Anna were sharing the apartment while in Rome. Dick dropped his bag in the other room and Anna changed into a tourist's tee-shirt and shorts.
He allowed Anna to lead him through the crowded streets of Rome. The summer sun over the city was intense. Already exhausted by the long flight, Dick was a little grumpy about having to navigate Rome in the broiling heat. Only the spectacular scenery and history kept him going.
They got lunch at a little café across the street from the apartment. Playing the part of a young couple on their honeymoon allowed them to move though the city without attracting unwanted attention. "So," said Dick leaning back in his wicker chair under a large green and white umbrella, "what's the plan? I assume we have a place to start looking for Bruce."
"Yes. After we scope out the Catacombs, we go to the Vatican. We have to meet up with Agent 44. She's new, but very competent and devoted."
"Ooh, Agent 44. Is this cloak and dagger stuff? Like a real spy mission sort of thing? I'm kind of thinking James Bond."
"You are nothing like Bruce," laughed Anna taking a sip of her strawberry smoothie. "He was so brooding and serious. You, you're suspicious but I there's more than that too."
"And you're pretty fun for being a doctor of history and having real creep a great-grandfather."
She sighed. "I'm just lucky to have him. I don't have any other family since my fiancé Joe was killed in a car crash a year ago. I guess I just became an agent for him because I needed something to fill the hole in my life. Great-grandfather isn't all bad. He's been good to me and I want him in my life."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know," said Dick quietly. "I know how hard loosing someone you love can be. My girlfriend Barbra was shot recently. I never got the chance to ask her to marry me." Barbra, I miss you.
Anna raised her glass, "to the ones we loved, lost, and will always remember. To Barbra."
Dick smiled and raised his glass. "To Joe."
The first stop they made was the catacombs. Sadly, the tour guide didn't know anything that Dick and Anna didn't. The tour was short and disappointingly useless for both of them. The only good thing that came of it, as far as Dick was concerned, was that he had found all the weak points in the security to be exploited later.
As they walked away from the catacombs, Anna slid her hand into his and rested her head on his shoulder. They laughed and perused a few giftshops like any other couple before heading to their next destination. Dick found a pair of plastic glasses with a fuzzy black mustache attached. He tried them on. Anna jumped when she turned around. He laughed and she slapped his chest before pulling them off the bridge of his nose and putting them back on the sale rack.
Next, they visited Vatican City. The art and architecture were jaw-droppingly impressive, but the masses of tourists were annoying. The hot stones in the hot sun surrounded by hot people was a little unpleasant. Why couldn't Bruce have gone missing in the fall when it was a little cooler? Scanning his surroundings, Dick saw a several nuns making their way through the crowd. Without warning, Anna started to pull him towards them. He nearly walked in an old nun who was dressed a little differently than the rest. He guessed she was the matriarch or something like that. "Pardon me madam nun. Nice outfit by the way. What are you going to wear tomorrow?"
The old woman in black and white just looked at him and laughed lightly, "I have heard all these jokes before my son."
"I guess you're not amused then," said Dick.
She put a hand on his shoulder. "Keep trying, I'm sure you can come up with something original."
Anna swatted his arm. "Dick! Show a little respect for the sisters." To the nuns she added, "I'm sorry about him. He makes a lot of bad jokes."
"That depends on your taste in humor," Dick defended himself and his jokes. The nuns shook their heads, a few rolled their eyes, and a few others laughed at Dick (mostly the younger ones). Dick watched as Anna passed a little piece of paper to one of these younger women who concealed it in her robe. Turing his attention from them, Dick saw a couple of Cardinals walk by in splendid red silk robes and costly looking miters. "I want one," he said.
"A nun?" asked Anna, "Dick Grayson! I thought you were one of the good boys. I should have known."
"No not a nun! I was talking about those big pointy hats," he explained pointing to the Cardinals.
"You already have a hat," she informed him.
"Isn't it a beauty?" He pressed the fedora further onto his head and watched Anna role her eyes at him for a second time since they met only hours ago. The sun was getting low and they were done scoping out Rome for the time being, so they headed back to the apartment to change. Just as the air was cooling off they were done exploring and going to work. Dick thought his luck was pretty hard. He closed the door to his room and struggled into his Nightwing costume. Unfortunately, he couldn't bring all of this regular arsenal with him on the plane which aggravated him to no end. Blasted TSA.
Stepping out of his room, he saw Anna dressed in black cargo pants and the fitted triple-weave Kevlar jacket. A maroon domino mask covered her eye and a black hooded cape covered her long hair. There was a bow and a quiver of arrows on her back. Dick took in her appearance with a sweeping glance. He hadn't expected the woman in heals and a dress he had met at the airport to be a part of the hard fighting and danger he and Bruce were accustomed to. She planted her legs apart and folded her arms over her chest as he regarded her appraisingly.
"I like your costume," she said cocking her head, "I don't think many people can pull off black body suits like that."
"I didn't realize you would be helping me for this part," he said.
"I've got as much moxy as you. And the name's Night-watchman in the field tonight. Don't forget Indiana."
Dick gave her a mock two-fingered salute. "No problem there." He took his grappling gun from his belt and put a strong arm around Anna's waist. He let out of cry of exhilaration as he jumped out the window and into the warm night air of Rome; one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Author's Note:
No offence intended to any Catholics. My family is mostly Catholic. That is, the part that's not atheist, Muslim, Protestant, or Buddhist. Yeah, we have some really interesting family gatherings. Coexist, right? Out of respect, please don't comment on my family.