Part VI

Bruce gave a slight nod of thanks to the doorman as he held the entry door open for him. The lobby of the building was richly appointed, just as he would have imagined. Marble floors were littered with thick rugs and various sofas and chairs, each wrapped in luxurious fabrics. His attention though, was focused on the far wall where a short man stood next to a bank of elevators. Crossing the lobby floor his leather soled shoes rung out against the marble flooring, causing the short man to turn. Upon reaching the elevators Bruce extended a hand to press the already lit up button on the wall panel.

The diminutive man next to him rocked nervously from side to side, his hands clutching furiously at an extremely large bouquet of flowers. He noticed Bruce watching him and gestured to the flowers.

"Blind date," he said nervously.

Bruce flashed him one of his best smiles as he replied.

"Lucky girl."

The man nodded in agreement.

"You don't think it's too much?"

"Not at all. What woman doesn't love flowers? "

"No. I mean too many flowers."

Bruce paused a moment to select the best tact to use in this situation.

"To be honest, I think it might be a little much. Why don't you let me buy half of those off you?"

Nodding energetically in agreement, the man began separating the enormous bouquet in to two smaller, yet still large, bouquets. He kept the one for himself and handed the other to Bruce.

"How much do I owe you?"

"Oh, Don't worry about it. I really appreciate the advice."

Following the division of the flowers the two men stood in an uncomfortable silence, both waiting impatiently for the elevator car to arrive.
An eternity seemed to pass before a ping rung out across the lobby, signaling the car's arrival. The doors opened and the small man darted in and pressed his desired floor on the panel. Bruce remained stood silently to the outside of the elevator, making no motion to get in the car. Observing this, the man stuck his hand against the retracted doors and stuck his head out.

"You coming?"

"I'll wait for the next one, thanks."

Indifferent, the man shrugged and stepped back to let the doors close. As that elevator rose, the one adjacent arrived in the lobby. After assuring that there were no occupants inside, Bruce stepped in to the small elevator and pressed the large button marked seventeen. When his elevator had begun its ascent Bruce whispered her name.

"Oracle?"

Only a small amount of silence was allowed before her voice responded in his ear.

"In trouble already?"

"You could say that," he mumbled.

"So what's up Boss?"

"Can you get a lock on my location?"

"Yeah. You show up in the Van De Graff Building on Hudson."

"Good. I need the occupant's name for apartment 17G and while you're

at it, cross reference that with Bruce Wayne."

"Sure thing. Just let me do a quick search and compile the info. Shouldn't

take but a few seconds."

She began typing and his ear was filled with the sounds of her search efforts. She was doing it. Undoubtedly, Alfred had forgotten that he had a world of information at his fingertips in the form of the Oracle. He allowed a small smirk to settle on his lips as he straightened his tie in the elevators mirrored wall.

Bruce could hear her still typing in the background, then a phone began ringing and the typing stopped. He hoped that she would ignore it, but the ringing persisted and he heard her answer. She was talking to someone in hushed tones. He didn't know who it was for certain, but he had a real good idea.

"Bruce?"

"I'm here."

"Alfred just called."

"Oh?" He asked innocently.

"I'm afraid I can't help you anymore."

"Give me the information, Oracle."

"No can do, B. Speaking as a woman scorned, this is well deserved."

He said nothing the remainder of the trip. He only spoke as he left the elevator behind him.

"Resuming radio silence, Oracle."

Emerging from the elevator Bruce set about the task of finding his date's apartment. Given the layout of the floor that should have been relatively easy.

It had only two hallways that bisected at their centers. Easy right. Not tonight. The problem was that the apartments themselves were randomly ordered. To his left was apartment E and to his right apartment B. He had to check all the doors before he discovered that it was the apartment farthest away from the elevator, therefore the last one he check. Alfred's punishment was quickly becoming an irritation.

Finally after much exasperation, he was there. Before knocking, he straightened his tie again and arranged the flowers. Being satisfied that both were in their proper positions he knocked twice on the door. He will look back on it later and decide that he really didn't expect what greeted him as the door opened.

The woman was attractive. That much was a fact. Definitely in the top ten of Bruce Wayne's dates. It wasn't until she opened her mouth that he fully realized why this was a punishment.

"Brucie!"

It was awful. It boggled his mind that something so seemingly normal could produce something so horrific. Alfred was very fired.