When Kate regained consciousness, she found herself in bed once again.

"What was that about?" the familiar voice that was not Bane's asked.

"I had a panic attack, if you must know."

"Why?"

"I can't believe you have to ask. Look, I don't want to talk right now."

She grabbed her pillow and rolled over.

"You're hardly in a position to be making demands."

"I wish you hadn't brought me here."

"You've not been precluded from leaving."

"And you know damn well why I can't. I have food, no money, and no idea where the hell I am. He said the weather and terrain would kill me."

"You don't realize just how lucky you are, do you?"

"Lucky? You call this lucky," she scoffed at his audacious comment.

"You may want to reassess your situation. In case you weren't aware, Bane isn't exactly known for his mercy. I've seen him end the lives of many a man with a mere flick of his wrist."

"Why do you think he's letting me live?"

"I don't know; gratitude perhaps. Despite the propagandistic assertions of your erroneous media outlets, he is a fair and rational man with a distinct reverence for loyalty."

She didn't know if it would be smart to divulge the fact that Bane had saved her life. She decided to err on the side of caution and not mention it at all.

"In any event, you've healed sufficiently. Therefore, you will not be permitted to lie around in this room any longer. Idleness is not a trait we will tolerate."

"What would you have me do?"

"What did you do in Gotham?"

"I was a waitress. I served food to the privileged elite."

"Did you enjoy that line of work?"

"No, I didn't. It was a way to make ends meet. I don't suppose you can understand the concept of not having a choice."

"Well, we definitely have no need for a food servant. "I suppose it's back to the drawing board then," he replied as he took his leave.

"Maybe not, but we all could benefit from a chef," she called out as she left. "Maybe you could drop that in the suggestion box!"


Kate retired early that night, but her efforts to achieve sleep were abject failures. She tossed and turned for several hours until she heard the cracking of her door. The intruder approached her bed beneath the cloak of complete darkness.

"Are you awake?"

The altered voice was unmistakable.

"Unfortunately."

"Would you like to know what brings me here at such a late hour?" asked Bane as he sat at the foot of her bed.

"Of course, but I don't expect an answer."

"Why is that?"

"Because you people seem to derive a special kind of pleasure from keeping me in the dark about things."

"Barsad tells me your occupational skills are rather limited."

"Who?"

"My second-in-command, the man who has been caring for you."

"Yeah, he made my uselessness around here pretty clear."

That all too-familiar feeling of dread took hold of her as the magnitude of the situation dawned on her. She knew what was coming. Why else would he visit her in the middle of the night? She was of no use to them, and now he knew it.

He could feel her body quaking on the bed.

"You scare so easily. I don't even have to put any effort into it."

"What can I say? Your reputation precedes you. Since you brought it up, why are you here?"

"I would like to know more about you."

"What do you want to know?"

"First, I'll tell you what I do know. I know that you were born June 14, 1986, that your last address was 1824 East Laurel Street. I know that your parents, David and Karen, surrendered their custodial rights in your thirteenth year and that you were subsequently placed in foster care until you reached adulthood. You graduated from East Gotham High School in 2005 and you have no record of college matriculation."

"You've done your homework. I guess that's not so surprising given the circumstances."

"Forgive my frankness, but your life in Gotham does not seem very appealing."

"What's your point?"

"My point is that you are no longer in Gotham. Perhaps it's time for you to make a fresh start."

"What do you mean?"

"You could learn a thing or two here if you so desire."

"Like what? How to kill people?"

"Barsad warned me you had a fire to you, that your timidity is sometimes quickly supplanted by an unanticipated flippancy."

"Sorry. It's just that I think . . . no, I know that I'm incapable of taking life."

"That fact was evident the night of our first meeting. I mentioned nothing about taking life so why have you introduced the subject?"

"From what I can tell, your sole purpose is devoted to just that."

"I will not deny the fact that is indeed a necessary evil at times. It's even just in some cases, but it is not our sole objective."

With those words, Bane's tremendous form rose from the bed and proceeded to the door.

"What are your other objectives?"

"You will have to wait to find out. In the meantime, you will embark upon the long journey to your new life. Your training will commence soon."

"What kind of training?"

He left the room without answering her, and she tried desperately to put the precarious development out of her mind.


Kate rose earlier than usual the next morning. Wrought with unprecedented fears of her uncertain future, she hardly slept at all. She cringed at the thought of what Bane had in store for her.

Not wanting to disregard her hygienic needs, she took a quick shower and brushed her teeth fastidiously. About an hour later her caretaker, whose name she now knew was Barsad, entered her quarters unannounced, much to her displeasure. He clearly did not have an affinity for knocking, not a shocking lack of good manners considering how he chose to spend his life.

"It has been decided that you shall receive training," he announced.

"So I've heard," she said glumly.

"It will consist of both physical and mental preparation. First your overall physical health must be evaluated. You will see a doctor this morning for just that purpose. Follow me."

She proceeded behind him down the narrow corridor into the large room with the monitors. It was full of people as it had been the first time she had been there. After traveling through an intricate series of passages which made the place seemed like nothing more than a maze, they arrived at the medical wing of the facility. It looked just like a normal doctor's office except for being completely devoid of any anatomical visual aids. He grabbed a hospital gown and handed it to her.

"The doctor will be in in a minute. I'll be outside."

After just a few minutes, the doctor entered the room. He was a short, middle-aged man with a slight frame and an olive complexion. She deduced he was of Indian or perhaps Middle Eastern descent. He wore wire-framed glasses, and his face was clean shaven. Unlike the rest of the population of the bunker, his attire was civilian: a light brown sweater vest over a white button-down shirt and brown slacks. The stereotypical stethoscope completed his ensemble. He looked so stereotypically normal.

"Miss Lowry?"

"Yes," she answered softly.

"I am going to perform a full physical examination this morning. Tell me, when was your last physical?" he asked as he eyed his clipboard.

"About eight years ago," she replied, somewhat embarrassed by her answer.

"Let us begin. Please step onto the scale."

The old-fashioned metal scale read 115, a few pounds shy of her normal weight. The doctor then took her temperature and blood pressure and listened to her heart. He instructed her to flex each limb so he could test her reflexes. After that he examined her eyes, nose, ears, and throat and then made his way down to her abdomen and back to her spine, feeling every part of her for any abnormalities. Then came the awkward part.

"All right, Miss Lowry, please remove your gown."

The doctor gently probed each breast in a meticulous, circular motion.

"Well, everything appears to be in order. I did not note any obvious signs of ill health. You seem to be a perfectly healthy young woman," he smiled as he clicked his pen. "Just a few routine questions and some blood work, and we'll be finished. Do you take any prescribed medication?"

"No."

"Do you use or have you used any recreational drugs?"

"No."

"Do you smoke or consume alcohol on a regular basis?"

"No."

"Any family history of illness?"

"I'm not sure."

"Are you sexually active?"

"Not currently."

"Any sexually transmitted infections?"

"No."

"Any past pregnancies?"

"No."

"Al right then, that about covers my inquisition," he said with a slight smile. "Do you have any questions or concerns?"

"No, I suppose not," she muttered.

"Good. Should you have any problems in the future, you will be sure to let our mutual friends know so that you may see me again."

She nodded.

"You may get dressed now. My nurse will be in in just a moment to obtain a blood sample. Good day, my dear," he smiled again.

"Thank you, Doctor."

She forced herself to return the smile, as she felt his kindness was genuine. She wondered if he was there of his own volition or if he was like her, a captive just trying to make the best of a bad situation.

When the affable doctor turned and exited the exam room, she removed the gown and changed back into her normal clothes, which that day consisted of a black tank top and gray yoga pants. Just as she pulled the second pant leg on, she heard a knock at the door.

"Yes?"

"May I come in?" a woman with an Indian accent asked.

"Yes."

The nurse was a short, slender woman with long, black hair that was tied back in a ponytail and wore standard-issue medical scrubs.

"I'm going to draw some blood for testing. You may feel somewhat weak or dizzy after, so you'll need to eat something immediately and take it easy for the rest of the day."

As the nurse went about her mundane task, Kate's boldness reared its head.

"What's your name?"

"Meera."

"I'm Kate."

"I know."

"Why are you here, Meera?"

"To do my job, of course," she smiled.

"What I mean is . . . are you being held against your will?" she whispered cautiously.

"Of course not," she smiled again.

"Well, I am. And I'm really scared," her voice quavered.

"There is no need to be frightened. No one will harm you here as long as you do what you are asked."

"And just how the hell do you know that?" she asked irritably.

"Just try to relax."

Meera began to turn around when she was finished, but her uneasy grabbed her arm before she could leave.

"Please help me," she begged tearfully. "You're my only hope."

"Mr. Barsad is right outside the door. We would not want him to hear this conversation, would we?"

Kate shook her head in defeat.

"As all things, it will get better in time. Good day, Kate."

She should have known better than to confide in the nurse, but she was beyond desperate. She only hoped that Meera would not betray her confidence by ratting her out to Barsad or even worse, Bane.

"Are you decent?" asked Barsad.

"Yes," she replied.

At least he had the courtesy to knock this time.

"It seems you're the picture of health."

"Please tell me that was the hard part."

"I'm afraid not."

"Dare I ask what's next?"

"We need to establish an exercise regimen for you. You're healthy now, but that's mostly due to the fact that you're young. If you want to maintain that health, you must exercise. The body requires an adequate amount of exertion, along with a balanced diet, in order to maintain prolonged health and vigor. Once your body is in prime physical condition, we will turn the attention to your mental well-being.

"You sound like an infomercial."

"What's an infomercial?" he asked in a tone that indicated her attempt at humor was obviously lost on him.

"Never mind," she shook her head in resignation.

"Come on, you've got work to do."

He led her outside the medical quarters to a part of the bunker; a mid-sized gym, complete with every exercise device known to man.

"You should exercise for at least an hour each day. It's best to do this in the late afternoon, around four or five. You should incorporate, cardiovascular, flexibility, and resistance training into your routine."

"I've no idea what any of that is."

"Walking is low-impact cardio. Its benefits are immense, but our accommodations aren't very practical for roaming. We do, however, have a treadmill, which essentially provides the same experience. It's very customizable; you can go as fast or slow as you like. I'd also recommend the exercise bicycle, it's good for toning the legs. Stretching will greatly improve your flexibility. Weight-lifting is a good example of resistance training. Start slow, don't go trying to lift more than you can handle. You should start with the lightest of weights and work your way up."

"Work my way up to what? Being the female Bane?"

Her irreverent comment succeeded in eliciting a chuckle from him that neither of them had anticipated.

"We don't expect you to transform into a mountain of muscle. Your goal is a lean, trim body that is agile and flexible. A little extra strength wouldn't hurt either."

"Is this your not-so-subtle way of calling me fat?"

"Not at all. Your weight is healthy, proportionate for your frame, and you have a desirable body mass index. All you need now is a bit of toning and definition, and your body will be well on its way to being a weapon."

"I'll be a weapon," she said deadpan.

"If you take your training seriously and commit to if fully, yes."

"Do you have an exercise regimen?"

"Of course, though I'm not able to devote as much time to it as I would prefer."

"So you don't work out every day?"

"I'm afraid my duties do not allow for it."

"What duties are those?"

"This isn't Twenty Questions. Once your body has reached its optimal level of performance, your training will advance to the next step."

"Which is?"

"Are you familiar with the Basic Training program employed by the military?"

"Please tell me you're joking."

"Our program is similar. It will prepare you both mentally and physically for your future duties. Though I must stress that once your initiate training culminates does not mean you're on Easy Street. Training is a continual process and is essential if you want to find your place here."

My place.

That was something she had never found in all her years, and it had not been for lack of trying. She was almost afraid to envisage it anymore. Each time she felt it within her reach, it was always ripped away from her, and she was left with that all-too-familiar feeling of despondence.

She hadn't belonged with her parents; she was an inconvenience, a burden they did not wish to bear. She hadn't belonged with her foster families; they had all displaced her without fail as soon as she began to achieve some semblance of stability. She hadn't belonged with any of her three assumed boyfriends; they were all more than happy to bleed her dry and toss her aside. And she most assuredly had not belonged in Gotham; her birthplace that besmirched her every chance it got.

She was terrified, there was no doubt about that. But maybe, just maybe, this recent detour her life had taken wouldn't be as bad as she feared. Maybe she wouldn't meet her end at Bane's hands. Maybe it really would be possible for her to shed the shackles of her former existence and evolve into the capable, confident person she had always longed to be. She knew it was probably just the wishful thinking of the hopeless, but it was all she had. If she was going to make it through this, she would have to give it her best shot.