Thanks for your reviews!! I got a lot of feedback from people since my last update, so thanks a whole bunch!! It really let's me know how I'm doing and what not. So, here's a reply to the people with questions and such. I couldn't on the thing (it was messed up) so I just did this:
Maraudergurl2010- Thanks! And when I first start typing his dialogue, it's terribly hard. Once I get passed the first few sentences it starts picking up until I know what I'm going to say. Kind of creepy, but it takes a little bit to get there.
Maximumridewarriorstwilight- Thanks for all of your reviews like that!! I was thinking of having another sibling survive the whole attack thing just so there was family closeness and bonding, but then as I got typing I got this whole "sole survivor" idea, and I realized that for the upcoming chapters, she has to be basically alone. You'll see why though :P
Shellyross55174- Thanks for your review! I know I probably shouldn't have, but I love his quotes and stuff, so when I was typing it fit the whole mood I was going for. But if it ruins my work, I'll definitely stop!
Laurenmlbc- I totally agree with you about Rachel leading him on! And thanks for the action thing, I was freaking (in a way) that it wasn't what I was trying to make it be.
That's it really, if I didn't reply to one, sorry, but either I didn't see it, or there wasn't much to say besides thanks guys so much! They help, in a way, to kind of orient my direction with how I'll do my next chapter because, let's face it; I have no clue what I'm doing. I'm writing as I go. Terrible to do, but I do it.
Like a drug, Haha.
"And then what did The Joker say?" Commissioner Gordan was leaning over his desk, regret but determination in his eyes. Alyss had been in his office for about two hours as she told and retold the attack at Wayne Manor. Her head hurt from the constant questions being rapid fire shot at her, but she kept answering, hoping Gordan would let up soon.
"I can't remember." She groaned, lying through her teeth.
"You see, I had a girlfriend… she was beautiful." Almost every night she had random nightmares with his blade into her mouth as he laughed at her fear. The Commissioner raised his eyebrows at her response, but he didn't push it. The whole situation must be a lot of a young woman to take in so fast. He would have to get the information out another way.
"Are you sure?" He steepled his fingers as he assessed her with a piteous gaze.
"Quite sure. I'm sorry, but I have to get back to work." She stood up, her gaze apologetic. She hadn't slept well in the three days that she had been in the same living area as Bruce Wayne, and it was obvious why.
"What are you doing?" He was leaning against the doorway, watching her as she worked through papers, her thoughts far away as she worked the simple task meticulously.
"What does it look like, sir?" She had kept up formalities, even though she was staying in his home. She had protested to him asking her to call him Bruce, almost as much as she had protested to staying in his house in the first place.
"Miss Alyss, I have the files you asked for." Alfred walked in quietly and passed a few sheets over to her. Alyss's face brightened considerably when she took them, pouring over the words eagerly.
"Thank you so much Alfred! This will make everything much easier." She gushed brightly, looking over at the old man.
"It's never a problem to help a pretty lady." He smiled warmly and asked smoothly, "May I inquire as to what you're working on though?" Alyss grinned brightly and looked down again.
"It's nothing big… I'm just looking through the files they have on The Batman. It's really interesting to see what one person has to say versus another. And then there are so many leads and clues that lead to people in the city that could be him… I've always loved a mystery." She gushed. Looking up though, she froze at the looks on both people's faces. Bruce seemed torn between amusement, anger, and panic. Alfred hadn't moved the polite expression off of his face, but his eyes said something else completely.
Then, the moment passed and Alyss wondered if it had really happened.
"The Batman? You're trying to find out who he is?" Bruce grinned and shook his head, obviously poking fun at her. "That should be promising." His tone was mocking. Alyss turned to glare at Bruce, her face darkening slightly.
"He's saved people more than anyone can ever conceive. Especially people like you." She retorted heavily, anger coloring her tone.
"But if you found out, could you keep it a secret?" Bruce asked, eyebrows raised. A smirk flitted across his face, but all arrogance almost disappeared at the color that drained from Alyss's face at his mentioning secrets.
"Of… course I can. I'm not a rat…" She mused, her face blank, her eyes dazed slightly. She shook her head and the glare was back. "Why would I want to say anything anyway? He'd just get locked up. How could he save anyone then?" Bruce was smirking again and he shook his head.
"Ma'am, sir, I'll just go and prepare supper." Alfred cut in, changing the subject. Alyss let it happen, her breath coming quick. Bruce nodded, his expression unreadable as he stared at Alyss. Alfred bowed smoothly and left the room, his shoes making echoing sounds as he walked away. Bruce stared a moment longer before turning to leave, his hands in his suit pockets. The moment she was sure he was gone, her hands flew up to her neck where a thin chain hung underneath her button up work shirt. Her breathing came in shallow gasps as she looked around in a panicked gaze the small chain clutched in her hand for support.
They didn't know, did they? Of course they didn't, they'd throw her to the police if they knew! Anything to help. Anything.
"Breathe." She commanded herself, suddenly doing the opposite. Taking a deep breath, she looked down at the one picture anyone had of him; a shadow of a bat adorning the dark night sky. She looked over it, suddenly ashamed that she was going to play this game, with The Batman of all people. She should know it could get dangerous, she knew it could probably cost her something even more dearly to her than her family, though at this moment she couldn't think of any. But with a game of cat and mouse someone would find something.
But she couldn't stay away. The obsession was too much. She traced the outline of the bat, her brow furrowed as she tried to think of anything he had said that was important.
"Who are you?" She whispered.
"It's not to see your boss that you go, is it?" The Commissioner teased as they made their way downstairs. He was walking her to her car, seeing that she was an obvious target.
"No." She almost snapped at him, but managed to reel in the anger. Instead, she managed only a minutely disgusted face. Gordan looked surprised at her as they talked. He knew that man probably hired her mostly for looks than competency, but the female obviously not liking the playboy?
That was strange.
"I hear you're staying at his penthouse with him while the ballroom is repaired." Gordan made small talk as they passed Drake, who stopped his walking when he saw Alyss walk past. His face grew red when she glanced at him, but she didn't really see him. She only saw the face of Bruce as he argued with her.
"Yes." She muttered, disgruntled. The Commissioner laughed at the look on her face, but didn't doubt her seriousness.
"Why did he insist?"
"The Joker's after you, obviously. It would be better to stay here and work at the office instead of gallivanting in the Narrows, getting mugged on your way home." Bruce informed her as he guided her unwillingly towards the elevator to take them up to his penthouse.
"And you think you're helping? How is this going to help when the supposed savior is running off to his panic room at the moment when it most counts!?" She retorted as she pulled against his vice like grip. Did that guy work out or something?
"Next time we need a safe room I'll take you with me." He vowed, smirking. Alyss glared, but she could only keep the glare on her face for so long as he opened the door to the biggest hotel room she had seen. She managed to keep her jaw from dropping as the décor of the room settled in, and Bruce took that face as the face of defeat. Smiling, he guided her to her room.
"And here's where you'll sleep." He informed her smugly. Turning around, he fled before she had the chance to retort with something biting and angry.
"His money could protect me." She muttered bitterly. Gordan snorted and shook his head as he opened the door to her car. As she started to get in though, Gordan suddenly grabbed her and flung the both of them onto the ground. Alyss gritted her teeth as the impact of the concrete crushed her lungs slightly, and as she struggled to turn around to see what happened, the Commissioner refused to let her turn. After a few moments of just laying there, wincing in pain, Gordan slowly stood up and pulled her up with him, his face grim. In the taxi cab, the driver lay tied to his seat, joker cards filling the bottom of the floor. His eyes were glazed, and his mouth sported a black object.
"Is that…" Alyss cried, horrified.
"Yes." Gordan clarified. "That would be a bomb."
"So now we can tell for sure that it's you he wants." Gordan held one of the many cards up for a few people to see. On it, a joker was crouched over the words, "Off with her head!" and underneath that it informed them that the quote was from "Alice in Wonderland". Alyss shifted uncomfortably in her seat, more from pain than worry. She had already known it would happen sooner or later. It just happened to be a bit too soon. She had wanted to be a bit more prepared, but now… she felt helpless.
"What will we do to stop it?" Another cop asked, his face shadowed with anger. He seemed as if it was a personal offense against him that The Joker was attacking someone. Alyss found that she admired that about him.
"For now… nothing. We don't know who The Joker is anyway," At this Alyss choked on her drink, the motion missed by others. "We can't do a thing. Doesn't matter how many prints are there. But for Miss Brooks, I want Drake guarding her." Gordan turned and looked at another young officer who seemed just as into the investigation as the other one. He looked over at Alyss with a mixture of surprise and worry on his face. She couldn't miss the gleam of an important job though, and had to laugh at his excitement.
"Something wrong?" The Commissioner asked, curious at her random humor. Alyss just shook her head.
"Commissioner, why do you insist on bringing me up here?" Drake huffed and puffed up after the older man, his face slightly red at the fast pace the Commissioner was going at.
"Because, I need to show you something. And, I enjoy your company." Gordan tacked on the last part with a smirk, and wasn't disappointed when he heard Drake choke on his spit.
"Uh… sir?" He asked worriedly when they reached the top. Gordan laughed and shook his head slowly, walking around the flood light and flicking it on. The bat signal beamed into the bright sky, its light brushing past the clouds in the sky. They didn't have to wait too long; in fifteen minutes he was there, his cape fluttering around him like the shuffling of wings.
"You want The Joker?" Gordan asked when he saw the man's gaze fall on him. Batman only nodded, the annoyance at that simple question in his eyes.
"He won't get him, sir." Drake glared at his boss, his temper getting the best of him. He stepped up and attempted to go face to face with Batman. "He doesn't have time to do everything, sir. He shouldn't be doing anything at all." Gordan sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"We have a way to get him. The Joker has targeted a girl by the name of Alyss Brooks. We don't have a way to get him unless he's after her. You want him, you help her."
"I don't do babysitting jobs." Was the gruff reply.
"Too good to help an innocent girl?" Drake taunted.
"Too busy."
"You're no hero."
"I don't try to be."
"You can't even rescue a girl!"
"You believe you can do that alone?"
"No." Gordan cut between them, his face amused, an idea sprouting in his mind. "He won't be doing it alone, Batman."
"I won't?" Drake glared. Batman seemed smug, his face covered but the expression in his eyes showing all.
"No, you won't. Because you two will be doing this together."
Review please, tell me what you think!!
