Kate awoke a little before nine the next morning, significantly later than her usual. The previous night had been fitful, her insomnia due to Barsad's version of a heart-to-heart. She mulled over his words for hours, played them over in her mind repeatedly throughout the night. She reluctantly dragged herself out of bed and began her morning routine. When she emerged from the bathroom, she was surprised to see him sitting at the foot of her bed.
"I knocked, but you obviously couldn't hear me."
"No morning duties?"
"Not today. Did you sleep well?"
"No, I didn't."
"Then I take it you gave some thought to our conversation."
"As I recall, you did most of the talking."
"I felt it was necessary."
"I thought about what you said for most of the night. As much as I appreciate your confidence, or whatever it is, in me, I can't possibly do what I know will be expected of me. I can't participate in murder."
"Your government has employed the use of mass murder on the grandest of scales since its inception. We have far less blood on our hands, yet you condone their actions and condemn ours."
"Who says I condone it? You don't see me working for the CIA, do you?"
"In your warped society, the immensely wealthy control everything, they flagrantly oppress those less fortunate. You, of all people, are all too aware of that fact."
"I don't know what you want from me here."
"I want you to free yourself of what you already know is false. I want you to be completely honest with yourself. It's only then that you will be able to see things as they truly are."
"I think you've misunderstood my motivation, which is my fault because I haven't exactly been forthcoming."
"How so?"
"I didn't do what I did because I'm sympathetic to your cause or whatever it is."
"Why'd you do it then?"
"Back in Gotham, on my way home one night, a man attacked me. Long story short, Bane and some of your colleagues put a stop to it. I don't know why, but I was grateful. I felt indebted to him, and that's why I did what I did."
"I had no idea."
"I figured if he wanted you to know he would have told you. Please don't let on that you know about this."
"You needn't worry. What you just divulged to me will not leave this room. You have my word."
"Thank you. I was hoping you could enlighten me as to why someone who has no qualms about slaughtering thousands would come to the aid of one random stranger?"
"You speak of him as if he's some sort of depraved monster. He isn't."
"That's kind of the image he's projected in the last few months, wouldn't you say?"
"I'm going to educate you a bit. I may be completely crazy for doing so, but I feel it's necessary to your growth. I think it would be good for you to hear the truth for once. But first you must give me your solemn oath you will never mention any part of what I'm about to tell you."
"I promise."
"My allegiance lies solely with Bane, and it always will. That withstanding, I had some reservations in regard to your city's destruction. I thought it too rash, too merciless, but it was not my place to sow the seeds of discontent. I'm a soldier; it is not my place to question."
"It doesn't make any sense. He said he was going to give the city back to the people, which honestly didn't sound like a bad idea if you ask me. Why go through all that trouble just to blow it up in the end?"
"The revolution was a sham. He wanted to give the people hope and then crush that hope. It truly is the most efficient way to destroy something."
"But why?"
"I'm getting there. Even after Bane was stabilized, we weren't sure he would live. Anyone else would have died. He was in pieces, and he'd lost a substantial amount of blood. He was in a coma for almost a month. We had nearly abandoned hope when he finally woke. He didn't mention you. Was he conscious when you found him?"
"Barely. I thought he was going to die right in front of me. I felt compelled to try to comfort him in his final moments because of what he did for me."
"He may have wanted to die. Needless to say, I'm glad he didn't. But make no mistake, he surely would have, had it not been for you picking up that phone and telling me what I needed to know. You did us a service, and I wanted to repay that. I wanted to give you the chance I was given many years ago."
"You said he may have wanted to die. Why?"
"The plan did not succeed. Gotham was saved in its final hour."
A rush of sheer relief permeated the very fiber of her being, but she wasn't about to let him bear witness to her happiness.
"How? I thought Pavel was the only one who could disarm the fusion reactor?"
"It wasn't disarmed. Batman intercepted it and plunged it into the sea. Due to my position, the unenviable responsibility of informing Bane of what had happened fell to me."
"Why did Bane want to destroy the city?"
"His actions were on behalf of the leader of our organization."
"I don't understand. I thought Bane was the leader."
"He is now, but back in Gotham, another held that distinction. The city's destruction was engineered by our former leader, and Bane made it his life's work to see her plan come to fruition."
"Her? Your leader was a woman?"
"Yes."
His revelation was beyond stunning.
"Why did she want to blow up Gotham?"
"I've already shared more with you than I should have. I've told you what I have because you are severely misinformed. Now that I've shared some truth with you, I'm hoping you'll start to see things more clearly. Remember, everything I've told you must be kept in the strictest of confidence."
"How can I be sure what you've told me is the truth? You could be lying in order to sway me."
"Do you honestly think I would stick my neck out just to mislead you?"
"Are you kidding? First you told you brought me here because I was hurt. Then you say you did it because you think I'm sympathetic to your cause. And now you're telling me it's because you want to repay me for my assistance. You've done nothing but lie to me since day one!"
"I didn't exactly have an abundance of time to think it through. It was an impulsive decision based on a combination of all the factors you just mentioned."
"So do you regret it? Bringing me here?"
"I don't know yet. Whether or not I do will depend solely on your actions."
"I don't want to let you down, but I can't promise I won't when I don't even know what will be expected of me. Bane knows firsthand I'm utterly incapable of killing. And despite your and his contrary assertions, that is what you do."
"We take life only when it is deemed necessary. Anyone who has the potential to threaten or undermine our efforts must be dealt with."
"What are your efforts?"
"Whatever our leader deems appropriate and necessary."
"So it's a dictatorship?"
"All members are aware of our policies and accept them wholeheartedly. No one is forced into service; we are all here by our own choice."
"But why, Barsad? Why do you choose to follow someone so immoral?"
"You misjudge him. He's helped a great many people, myself included. He delivered me from a horrid existence."
"So because he saved your life you think you owe him yours?"
"I wasn't forced into servitude; I pledged myself willingly."
"You don't strike me as a bad person. You must know, in the depths of your soul, that what you are doing here is fundamentally wrong."
"You only believe that because you've been programmed by a morally ambiguous society. Once you've been fully enlightened, de-programmed if you will, you will be able to see things as they truly are."
"You cannot honestly believe that just because you don't kill as many people as governmental regimes that your crimes are any less horrendous."
"We cannot achieve our goals without bloodshed. As unfortunate as it may be, it is a necessary evil. Your most alarming misconception is that you think everyone we kill is innocent."
"Gotham is full of innocents."
"You're attempting to refute the facts because you've tried to convince yourself that humanity is innately good even when you know the facts to be contradictory. Your internal conflict exists only because of the false morals your society has instilled in you. I was just like you long ago. True enlightenment doesn't happen overnight. It is a tempestuous process, a long journey, one that is worth it in the end. I believe you'll get there in time, just as I did. Speaking of time, it's getting late. I have to go. I'll be back later to take you to exercise. You can have your meals in the kitchen from now on."
"Thanks for . . . you know."
"We have a certain degree of trust now, you and I. I hope we can build upon it with time."
She nodded in response.
After leaving Kate, Barsad went into the communications room where Bane awaited his arrival.
"How is our guest today?"
"Pensive."
"How long before she will be ready for her first assignment?"
"It depends. What did you have in mind for that?"
"I've been giving some thought to having her accompany you on your next assignment."
"Which is?"
"It will take place in a week or two. I'll brief you on it well beforehand. In the meantime, she should be given more liberty. We cannot inspire her loyalty by treating her like an inmate."
"I told her she could eat in the kitchen from now on."
"Does she trust you?"
"Not completely. She's somewhat stubborn and set in her beliefs, but all in all, she was receptive. I think with some time, she'll come around."
"How confident are you of that?"
"As confident as I can be, under the circumstances."
"Barsad, you brought her here so that makes her your responsibility. Although I will not deny my misgivings about your decision, I take into consideration that you made it in haste. Therefore, I am inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt. In preparing her for initiation, as you know, she will learn even more about us. Eventually she will know so much that if she fails, she will have to be dealt with accordingly. And if that happens, it will not be by my hand that she meets her end; it will be by yours.
Bane then left the control room, and Barsad was left to his own thoughts. A lump formed in the mercenary's throat at his boss's disquieting declaration. He never imagined he would be the one to have to kill her if she failed. Despite his position, he didn't enjoy killing on a personal level; he derived no joy or thrill from the necessary acts. If he wanted his charge to live, he would have to do everything in his power to ensure her success. His words to her earlier regarding whether or not he regretted his decision suddenly took on a grave new meaning.