JUST BUSINESS

Comeback

The clinic waiting room left Bruce with conflicting feelings. He was pleased to see the majority of patients came here ill, not injured. The one place where evidence of his success could be seen clearly, no one wanted to go to. And though he would never admit, not even to himself, the place also devastated him. Feigning obliviousness, he still felt their eyes on him, glances stolen when they thought he couldn't see them. Looks of jealousy and disdain from people he did everything to help. The friendly, naive smile he carried felt more a mask here than any other time he wore it.

„Bruce, we were just waiting for you." Leslie called from the exam room. „Barbara said you called her here and Fox had a box of medicine I've never heard of brought over. What is going on?"

Still pretending at injury, Bruce hobbled over, briefcase in hand. Barbara sat by the window, watching him take two documents from his case. He gave the good doctor a copy of both the research paper and letter.

Barbara peeked at the document while Leslie skimmed through it. Her eyes shot wide at the words 'total nerve-cell regeneration'.

Having read the paper summary and letter, Leslie crossed her arms defiantly, „I will not have you use the poor and the desperate as guinea pigs. I though you were above that, Bruce." She was sorely disappointed in him. „Far above it."

„You wouldn't, and I am." He answered honestly. „I have already been the first test subject, and I'm neither poor nor desperate."

„You what?" Both women gasped.

„Tested myself first." Bruce repeated. „The motto is: 'We don't make what we don't use', remember."

„And it worked?"

„The ribs and ankle have healed completely. Examine me." He tossed the jacket aside

She shook her head. „You can fake it, suppress pai-"

„X-ray him." Barbara cut in, hoping against hope.

Bruce immediately took to removing his shirt. He paused no sooner than undoing the two top buttons. It was gone. The knife-wound scar over his chest wasn't there. Nor the memento of gunshot to his side. It was all gone. Bruce looked up befuddled, meeting two equally stunned faces.

„I don't think I'll have to." Leslie said in a low tone.

„I'm trying it out." Barbara was confident, her eyes still fixed on Wayne's empty skin.

„Put her in a gown and on a bed. I'll get the supplies." Bruce bee-lined to the storage, buttoning up as he ran. „We'll need to mix the medication with dextrose for on the spot energy." He picked an IV pack and a vial in one; and an injection in the other hand. He returned just when Barbara finished changing.

The youth took a deep breath like an athlete before a competition. „I'm ready."

„It's best to deliver the medication as close to the injury as possible, otherwise some of it will be spent on the in-between tissue."

„Reversed spinal fluid biopsy." Leslie already selected the best procedure. „Anything else."

„One part drug, nine parts dextrose." Bruce elaborated as he injected the vial substance into the IV pack and than took out a cc of the diluted fluid. „She might need an oxygen mask, but probably not." He handed the injection to Leslie.

„Right." The doctor tapped the needle and squirted a drop, than pat Barbara on the shoulder. „Lie down on the side, curl up in a fetal pose and hold your knees tightly." She directed.

Bruce mused for a moment. „Mind if I provide some analgesia?"

„Feel free to try." Leslie shrugged while sterilizing the lower back.

„Close your eyes, Babs" Bruce spoke in a soft tone.

„Okay." Her expression still showed fear.

„Relax. Breathe in to the count of two, hold your breath for a beat, breath out to the count of three. Start by breathing out. Ready?"

She nodded.

„One, two, hold. One two three, in... out... in... out..."

Her expression turned calm. Bruce made a nod to the doctor. The needle made its way in. Barbara bunched her jaw and sucked the breath in.

„It's in." Leslie gave her a gentle squeeze on the forearm. „It shouldn't hurt any more." Having slowly emptied the content she pulled the needle out and placed a band „Done."

The youth sighed her relief.

„Feel anything?" He asked.

Barbara frowned with her eyes closed, listening in on her body. „The puncture feels kinda warm."

„Legs?" Leslie pulled a pen-tip over the sole of one foot.

Barbara paused. „Nothing..." She muttered disappointedly.

„It takes time." Bruce encouraged, though looking no better than she felt.

„Seeing how you will never be ready in time for the ball." Alfred cut in from the storage. „I took it upon myself to deliver your clothes here." He took three clothing bags from a travel bag: a youthful dress, a serious gown and a classy suit.

„You sir, will change in there." He shoved Bruce his attire and pointed at the small toilet. „Manners and all that." He added half-heartedly.

Turning to the women, Alfred whisked out two make-up sets. „Yours." He answered their questioning faces. „Don't ask."

Before either one could react, Bruce stepped out, miraculously changed. „I'll leave you two to dress up." He said without giving them a look as he left the clinic the same way his butler came in.

Alfred stared at his confident stride. „He healed already?"

„He did." Leslie was not entirely approving of it.

In the limo, Bruce called Q. „Update."

„It's real and located at an old LexCorp spare-parts warehouse just outside Metropolis." The paranoid man said without needles elaboration.

„What happens in two weeks?"

„Two weeks exactly – nothing. Two weeks three days – the presidential debate. You think Lex will-"

„...bring up the Lords?" Bruce finished. „Definitely. He'll stir the spirits, use the missile to force the League's hand, make it look like they attacked first and retaliate with public support." And Cadmus' ultimen - new and improved. He thought.

„I was going to say floor them." Q said, sounding as insignificant as his insight.

„That's a non-question." Bruce was cold. „He'll make the reasonable moderates look like naive sissies. Receive more support for it."

„What do we do?" Q was concerned.

„Prevent it." Bruce sounded as it was peace of cake. „Discredit him and disable the missile before the debate. Preferably on the same day."

„So he doesn't have time to respond." Q understood.

„Precisely."

„How do we do it?"

„I'll call you when I make contingency plans. You will dismantle it on the spot, I will take care of the reputation." Bruce hung up.

„Brucy's reputation?" Barbara wheeled to the limousine.

„Exactly." He helped the women inside. „Alfred, Gotham Plaza please."

No sooner than they drove off, Barbara looked down in shock. „My shoes..." she stammered. „They're too tight."

Leslie stared. Alfred nearly lost control of the vehicle. And Bruce swallowed a lump the size of Everest.

­To be continued...