Ch 7

Tonight when I was sleeping my shoulder was being shaken then I opened my eyes wonder of the disturbance of my sleep, the images before me was quite blur then I saw my dad. I hugged him and he hugged me back.

"What happened?" I asked exciting and afraid at the same time.

"Bruce Wayne is not here, the house is empty so we can pick you up my dear." My father wore his glasses but I noticed his tone was a bit different since the last time I talked to him.

"Come on let's go, Don Matteo already prepared a jet for us in the airport just 30 minutes from here."

Then I stood up and wore my slipper and jacket following my dad. The house was very empty at night I never knew it since my room always locked at night, I saw my dad came with 2 big men and they ushered me out to the front door. Just after I got inside the car I heard police siren cars were getting closer. The driver drove speeding maximum to get away from the police, it turned out that Don Matteo sent 3 cars to pick me up the other two cars launched the shooting attacks to the police cars kept them busy so they couldn't catch with the car that I rode.

When we arrived in the airport there was a jet prepared for us while many people guarded it ready to shoot any unwelcome guests. Suddenly before the car stop there was a small bomb blew just outside the car made the driver stop driving stepped on the brake so sudden until I almost jump from my seat. I was rushing outside the car following my dad, then I saw a man wore a ridiculous black costume with mask hiding his face. The light was bright I could see that batman was punching and kicking all of the guys but he did not kill them, slowly I follow my dad's direction to go to the nearby warehouse which only required me to run inside.

My dad was stop by the batman then I realized that all Don Matteo's men already taken care single-handedly by this guy. I couldn't see his face since he was wearing the mask covering half of his face only showing the down part of his face. He putter my dad's hand who was going to attack him with a knife and punched his stomach.

"No!" I shouted to him then he stopped and let my dad sunk to the ground. Before batman could come near me more people came to attack him, but he threw bombs into their directions and the fight ensued. I could not walk and watching him in awe to shocked to move felt powerless on my two legs.

My dad came to me and he put a knife on my neck which shocked me and I looked at him felt betrayed.

"Stop right there batman or this woman will die." He spoke with cruel voice while watching batman which I never heard him using it before.

Batman stop fighting, looked at me then spoke in a husky whispering yet scary voice. "You won't get away from this."

My dad or the one that I thought was my dad laughed cruelly put the knife closer to my neck cut lightly on my skin left it bleeding. Batman stood there did not do anything.

"Tie him up." I heard my dad told the men.

Batman let them tied him up and sat him in a chair when we were inside the warehouse.

"Sorry my dear here to cover your wound." My dad acting like he was sorry then gave me a white handkerchief, I took the handkerchief and looked at him angrily he did not realize that I made skin contact with him when I took the handkerchief away from him. Just a slight touch that he won't realize but made me know for who he really was. This monster was not my father he lied to me, He planned the whole things with Matteo, he planned to brainwash me while he produce strong pills to cover my memories, he killed a tall blonde woman with his own hand using rope suffocating her till she couldn't breathe, he contacted Matteo and always observed my behavior every time even when I was working in Wayne enterprise. This guy was a criminal who used me for their personal gains while monstrously killing others without feeling guilty afterward. I hate this man but I couldn't let him know that I knew about all of that. I took the knife slowly from the place he left of after sliced me on my neck while he busied punching batman.

"Dad why don't you allow me to give this guy our final killing pleasure." The cold voice came out from me but I have no other way if I want to save this guy who wore funny bat costume I had to pretend that I was on Manuel's side.

Manuel Cannighan smiled for his successful way creating a monster, he always thought that Anna was his biggest achievement the girl responsible of the death of many indirectly but she never felt guilty not that he allowed it, after all his medicine was too strong to cover her emotions resulting in her became emotionless. He had his worry when Anna disappeared for 3 weeks without taking his pills but he was sure that Anna's loyalty was unquestionable since she was proven of her high value respect to him especially with her ability to read people's past just from the skin contact.

Manuel knew Anna and liked his new machine when she was ruthless, it looked like Anna wanted to torture batman with his memories just like what she did when she told him about Carolyn or Grace Hart's secrets. He tortured Grace mentally put her down and scared her from what Anna told him then finally he killed her felt bored torturing the victim who was easy to be scared of. Batman will be his latest victim and made him famous when he torture him he smiled unknowingly.

I could see Manuel's smile and knew what's on his mind he was disgusting but if I want to save batman then I have to play along with his mind.

Manuel nodded and let me walked to the batman. He was sitting on a chair with bruised around his lips which was bleeding. I stared at him cold before bow to look at him on the eye, somehow I felt similar with his brown eyes but my mind did not want to think about it at this time since I only had a slight chance to help him.

I touched his open face and scenes of Bruce Wayne flying across my head, I closed my eyes and did not let my emotion betrayed my face. I knew him Bruce Wayne, and his memories did not lie I was Anna Kroux. I saw everything that he was telling me days before all of that really happened. That instant moment I regained my memories then I opened my eyes looked at him, the guy that I loved willing to protect me until he was tied and wounded just for me.

"Interesting." I said loud so Manuel won't be suspicious.

"Dad you'll be having a feast with this guy." I smiled cunningly and whispered to Batman's left ear, "I remember you Bruce." Batman's body was tensed I could feel it then I stood up slowly so he could look at me.

Manuel walked to my direction when he already close enough to me I smiled coldly then held the knife out to his neck so quick. He was surprised by my sudden attack on him but could not do anything.

"Hold your weapons or I will slit his throat and Matteo will kill you all." I knew Manuel was Matteo's half brother.

I was standing between batman and Manuel and ordered the guy in front of me to cut batman's rope tied his hands. He hesitant then I pressed the knife deeper to Manuel's skin.

"Release batman!" Manuel looked frightened ordered his man.

Once batman free and stood beside me I ordered them to threw their guns aside faraway behind the warehouse which they did immediately.

"Let's go!" Batman told me allowed me to go first with Manuel still being hostage knife on his neck.

I ushered Manuel to walk outside with batman behind me, no Manuel's men dare to follow us until we reach the door batman locked the door of the warehouse blocking Manuel's men way out.

Until we were at the open field I kicked Manuel hard on his stomach.

"You are a bastard pretending to be my father and made me do all the horrible jobs for you." I felt angry and being used.

Manuel held his stomach then said on trembling voice, "No Anna I really love you as my daughter."

I couldn't bear his lie but I need to know the truth. "How did you know about me?"

He was only looking at me so I put knife to his neck again. "Speak!" Batman did not do and say anything let me deal by my own.

"I noticed you when one day you were studying for your master degree in the university. You seldom came to the lectures but your score were the highest. You were distant yet very clever, then I suspect you have paranoia with people since you always refused to let other people touch or interact with you. When you were gone I looked all over for you then I saw your picture with Bruce Wayne when Bruce Wayne was brought back from the death. I sent Grace Hart befriending you, she told me about your secret when she got you drunk and you told her all about it."

"Why did you kill Grace then?"

"Grace knew about you and me too much I couldn't let her live." His eyes were cruel.

"Let's bring him to the police." Batman held my shoulders with his hands.

I looked at Manuel on disgusting look knew that the kind like him will never change even though he was put in jail. When I did not concentrate Manuel grabbed the knife from my hand and stabbed me so quick, batman kicked him and shot him on his hand.

I was laying down while holding batman's hand and lost my consciousness with the pain on my stomach.

When I regained my consciousness I woke up I already in the hospital's room Bruce was sleeping holding my hand I moved my fingers slightly to let him know that I was awake. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at me smiling.

"Water." I felt thirsty, he gave me straw to drink the water from the glass then put the glass back.

I felt pain on my stomach and made a little sound. He looked worry and tired.

"You are good now, doctor told me that none of your vital organs hurt you just need to take a lot of rest." His voice was soft and his eyes was genuinely glad looked at me. I looked at him knew he was like a train wreck, not shaving his beard and he wore rather messy clothes.

I smiled weakly before touching his hand again. "Thank you Bruce for not give up on me." Bruce then hugged me softly afraid to hurt my weak body.

On the next few days I had more visitors came, Alfred who was hugging me said that he missed me, Lucius and Joanna who told me that they'll wait for me to have dinner again as soon as I am well and that my job was still vacant waiting for my return. Oliver Queen who brought a big bouquet beautiful flowers invited me to recover to his place where I will get a special private nurse which I suspect will be him, I laughed but refused his offer he winked at me said that his invitation sending plane to bring me to Star City still available. I told Oliver that my heart belongs to somebody else, he understood even mentioned Bruce is lucky to have me by his side.

Lex and Chloe Luthor came with Bruce, while the men excused themselves to let us had the woman-talk I could feel Bruce's warm gaze on me.

"Chloe I heard from Bruce that you were the one who found me."

Chloe took my hand and covered it with hers she smiled sweetly to me. "Yes, but Bruce was the one who never gave up looking for you I only helped him giving some clues of your whereabouts."

"How about Matteo and Manuel situation now? I haven't asked Bruce yet about them."

Chloe answered with dramatic voice. "Well it turned out that Matteo cover his crimes very good but carelessly treated his guys like rubbish so Bruce did the digging while Lex contacted the FBI to set up Matteo. Bruce was there when it happened he even provided FBI with his latest technologies so FBI can arrest him sooner. For Manuel when he was taken to custody he tried to run away so the police had to shot him and he was dead losing blood on the way to the hospital." She was still holding my hands.

I felt guilty and sad because just like Matteo and Manuel did I also felt responsible for the death of many people.

"Hey you had no idea at that time of who they are, and the medicines erased your emotions and your memories so you couldn't possibly completely responsible of their crimes." Chloe could read my mind but I still look at her feeling sad.

"Anna no one can blame you when you were not on your normal state and if there was anyone to be blamed of it was Matteo and Manuel to take advantage of your situation." I smiled at her and hugged her.

When I felt calm I asked her suspiciously, "how did you know about my ability?"

She gave me a wide smile, "I did my research and lived almost half of my life in Smallville met many meteor infected freaks I didn't think it's impossible of what you can do."

I smiled again this time feeling glad that Chloe knew about me but not judging me about it or found me weird.

"Thanks Chloe."

"Anytime Anna now you have to rest and prepare yourself to be devoured by Bruce Wayne." She said naughtily.

"Chloe he hasn't told me that he loves me." I sounded desperate this time.

Chloe's eyes opened wider. "You mean you and Bruce were never talking about it?" I shook my head. "Ok, at least two of you have done it right?"

I shook my head weak again, now she was laughing. "Omg we are talking about Bruce Wayne here his feeling is evident to you and you two never had sex before. Was it because Bruce or you are crazy."

"Chloe!" I felt embarrass.

"I never had sex before ok." My voice was low but she catch on what I was saying. She was beyond surprised then she laughed until tears falling to her cheeks.

"Chloe please." I tried to tell her to calm down, when she finished laughing she looked at me straight.

"Listen Anna if Bruce is not having sex with you soon then you tell me ok, I'll ask Lex to kick some ass to him and will kidnap and send him to south pole with you alone until he make love with you."

"Can you do that?"

"Oh Anna you have no idea of what I am capable of."

I laughed hard with her then before we knew it the door was open, Bruce and Lex looked at us wondered.

Chloe looked at Lex and Bruce then I squeezed her hand and whispering to her. "Don't tell anyone about this ok."

She smiled and winked at me.

"Ladies what was so funny about until we could hear your laugh through the hall?" Lex asked first.

"Oh honey if only you knew," Chloe tried hard to contain her laugh.

I only gave two of them awkward smile couldn't answer the question.