Chapter 11

Jim

They found Miles' body lying in the street, he head a bullet wound right in the head. He didn't have to think twice about whose work this was. Blake was here last night hidden up on the fire escape across the street. He saw Kate light the fire, Later he said that Bane himself showed up and brought Miles. They had heard that Bane caught him and four others following the second truck that supposedly had the bomb in it. Jim was surprised that Miles joined them. Unfortunely it was only for a few hours. Izzo took off his jacket and covered Miles' head.

"He was a cop once. It was only a matter of time before the bullet caught him." Said Izzo as Blake and Foley watched him.

"I'm I the only one here who sees that Kate has turned." Said Foley, Jim turned to him. "She has no choice. Bane's the one pulling the strings." Said Jim as he looked at Blake. "Pulling the strings but he didn't pull the trigger, Kate did that." Snapped Foley as he shook his head and turned away from Jim out of frustration. "Commissioner I know you love her like a daughter but we all got to face facts here. She knew what she was doing. I saw her execute this man." said Blake pointing down at Miles. "Exactly. Jim, she's lost." Said Foley. Izzo stood beside Blake and Foley.

"She's not the same girl we once knew. She's changed, Bane has got her all twisted up." Said Izzo. Jim shook his head; He couldn't believe that, he refused to believe that. Jim knew that Miles was behind Gerry's murder, but Gerry had made sure that there was no trail to follow. He did his best into it but every piece of evidence he put together was never enough to get warrants. And even he did, the Judges were well paid by Falcone. But Miles didn't deserve to this he admitted to himself. But he had to keep some faith in Kate.

"Bane knows her too well. Even before this. Kate explained that much, Three times Bane could've put down like all the others. If it's one thing we can agree on. It's that there's more to Bane than any of us can see. Somehow that involves Kate as well." Said Jim as turned around and looked at every one in the face. Foley sighed aloud, Izzo nodded. But Blake continued to stare back at him. Jim know that look to well, it was the look of uncertainty.

"You sound like you're trying to convince yourself as much as us." Blake said as he held his gaze on Jim. He turned away looking back into the empty street before him. He was trying to convince himself. He had to; at this point it was he had left.

Bane

He watched from the roof top of City Hall as Kate and her team walked down the street. The wheel of fate had begun to turn; everything that he planned for Kate was in full effect. Barsad had given his progress report about the day's activity. She didn't seem to realize that she was falling into one of them. And from he saw last night, she had given into her anger. He saw how the flames were rising in her, and now those who wronged would parish in them.

He continued to watch as they entered the building. He turned around and went for the door to return to the headquarters that he had set up in Jim Gordon's former office.

Kate and Barsad were in the office waiting on him. "I'm here for that file, I want the remaining two that are alive. As well as those who tainted the badge. If I remember there were six names of those that Jim suspected." Said Kate looking up at Bane, He stared into her eyes and saw nothing. None of the emotion that had been there before, there was no trace of the old Agent.

"Carry out your judgments as you see fit." Said Bane as leaned followed and leaned down to open the bottom drawer and pulling out the leather bind folder, Kate took the binder then sat down in the chair and pulled out the manila folder inside. She tossed the binder on the desk, the first page of the folder were list of names, all in Jim's handwriting. "James Rory (deceased), a Michael Rory and a Leonard (Lenny) Bentley. As for cops I have Randell Smith (retired), Avery Mills (retired), Jackson Mane (deceased), Craig Nelson (retired), Tony McCann (retired) and Robert Flannigan (retired)." Kate read out load. She then fell quiet and looked through the file; one by one she looked at the photos of the suspects then of the officers. All the photos she took out then put in her zipper pocket on her cargo pants.

Bane had looked through the case file himself from cover to cover. He watched as Kate sat quietly at the desk writing down the names and last known address on the back of each photo. Once in a while she glanced up and caught his eyes then went back to work. He could see that there was no fear in those eyes, before every moment of eye contact was a challenge for her; he knew when he made her uncomfortable and frightened. But now it was as she didn't see him, her eyes seemed to look past him. It was fascinating, so he kept watching. Barsad paced the room for a few moments then sat down in the chair Kate. Bane had taken a few steps back, then turned his back and stared out the window. Long enough until he saw his reflection in the window then he turned around back to Kate.

"We'll visit the addresses given, if they're there. We'll round them up and bring back here." Said Kate as she looked at Barsad who looked up at Bane.

"Why here?" Bane asked with curiosity, Kate grinned then looked up him. "I want Gotham to witness the execution." She replied so plainly, there was no emotion in her voice. Bane liked where she was going with this. "As you wish." He said and looked at Barsad. "You stay, Agent Messner you can share this with the rest of your team." He ordered.

"My name is Kate. Not Agent Messner." She said with a trace of annoyance. She stood up from her chair. "I was waiting for my resignation to be processed when the occupation began." She said and turned her back then disappeared out the door.

Bane tilted his head then turned his attention to Barsad who waited patiently as ever. "It appears that everything is in full motion." He said as he looked down at Barsad. He kept his eyes on the table. "Over the recent weeks she seems to be letting go of whatever it is that helps her kept what feelings she has felt. I have no doubt that she'll carry out this task." He said.

"Splendid. Make sure she carries it out to the end. I want to see if she really can go through a public execution." Bane said as he turned away from Barsad then went back to the window. Barsad was standing up from his chair when Bane turned around again, "Jim Gordon won't be a problem any longer. Talia has full faith in that, every day he loses grip on his supporters." Bane said as Barsad nodded then exited the office without a word.

Kate's personal anger was her fuel. Those flames were rising. Bane could see that much, if she kept to her plan he just might see her lose herself entirely. Her little correction about the Agent line had shown him that. Soon she would be free of those boulders of emotion that she carried. He explained as much to Talia who had taken an interest in his side game, He was surprised when he detected a bit of jealousy from Talia when she had heard about Kate. He had shared everything with Talia about their earlier short engagements, He even included why he had to have her other Agent love interest taken out of the equation and risked visiting Kate in the hospital back in Africa. Talia seem to understand his personal amusement and interest in Kate.

Bane returned to the window and avoided seeing his reflection for as long as he could. He thought back to that night in Zimbabwe.

The small clinic was understaffed so sneaking in was easy. He had another brother there to remain out in the hall as he went in alone. Barsad remained at the compound in recovery from the slug that was taken out his leg. As he entered the room he stood over her. She was lying in the hospital bed after the bullet wound that she had in her shoulder, she was sound asleep, cuts and bruises covered her face. Her hands and arms were bandaged. From what Barsad had explained, she crawled out of the back passenger window; there had been broken glass everywhere. His story was evident to the cuts and bruises. He was annoyed that she had taken a bullet wound; he wanted no harm to come to her. But a few of the others that were there all said that if she had stayed down and out of the line of fire it could've been avoided. But even then Bane knew that Agent Messner wasn't one to stay down, one way or the other she would pull herself back up and continue on. Clearly, she and her partner had walked ten miles back to civilization and got the medical attention that was needed.

Now here she was, she looked so fragile in her condition. He took a moment just to look at the damage. A strand on her dark brown hair had found itself across her forehead, in his opinion it was ruining her beauty that she had in her sleep, as gently as he could he brushed it away from her face. When his finger tip brushed her ear that's when she stirred. For a second he froze, when she didn't wake. He sat down with such ease on the chair by her bed; he could hear the wood scream under his weight. He watched her sleep peacefully for thirty minutes, He allowed her that much. For when she woke and found him there he knew that panic would sweep over her and she'd no longer be as beautiful as she was right now. So he waited.

She stirred again, at first lightly then it into violent jerking. He knew that she was having a nightmare. Just as his hands reached her forehead her eyes shot open. She saw him then sat up and reached for the dresser, but there was nothing.

"There, there Agent Messner. The stress and tension will cause your muscles to tighten and it will make the I.V painful." He said so calmly. Kate was in full terror, her nostrils flared her breathing was heavy. Bane leaned back and raised his hands. "I am unarmed. Just here to talk." He said, Kate looked around the room. "You don't need to be armed to kill me." She hissed

Bane placed his hands on his lap, "I thought that you would see by now that I don't want to kill you." He said as quietly as he could. Kate glared back at him, "Why?" she asked as she slowly sat up and made herself comfortable. The tension was still written on her face. "The world is just a little more interesting with you in it." He admitted. That much was true, since he first laid eyes on her.

"My partner called this in. Another team of agents has been dispatched from D.C for an investigation. It wasn't supposed to go down the way it did today." She muttered, then twitched and groaned. "Ease your muscles; a bullet was just removed from your shoulder." Bane advised. And watched as she slowly leaned back against the pillow but kept her eyes on Bane.

"Now to business." He said and leaned forward. Kate twitched again. "What the hell happened to day?" she asked. "Your informant Craig Howard failed to mention that his former employer had Daniel Warren request to your team. He was told to follow your every move. He knew that we were acquaintances. He was paid to bring in me in alive. Howard on the other hand needed my help to make sure that Warren failed that mission. A week ago we had intercepted a message to Warren that as soon as I was in your custody his job was to take out you and your team so he could collect his payment." Bane explained and watched Kate's expression, "So you pretty much saved my life again." She said plainly staring at the blanket. Bane could see that the information was still settling in, but he could see the tears that were forming. "For oblivious reasons I could not let that happen. I came here to shine some light on the event and to apologize for your current state." He said and stood up. Kate didn't bother to look up. Instead he saw the tears roll down her cheek, He turned and walked way just before he got to the door he heard her wail in pain. Not from the bullet, but from a shattering heart. Bane was familiar with that pain.

(A Fine Frenzy-Almost Lover)