Fourteen

"What is the verdict?" Temujin's voice turned both Bane and Choden toward the doorway to Bane's room. The Mongol stood there, unsmiling, oddly grave.

Choden removed his latex gloves as Bane shrugged into his shirt. The Tibetan glanced toward his patient, said, "I would prefer that he have a few more days to regain more of his strength after his journey, but I know better than to expect compliance from this hard-headed one. So," Choden gestured fruitlessly, "he is yours, my friend. But he is to wear his brace at all times, and you are to give him frequent rests. He will tire quickly because of the mask's effect on his respiration, so for now you will limit his time to half the normal sessions."

"I'm fine, Choden," Bane insisted.

"You are fine only when I say you are fine."

Eager to abandon his fussing attendant, Bane started for the door, curious about Temujin's seriousness.

Temujin said nothing as they left the dormitory behind, heading not for the dojo as Bane had expected but instead along a corridor that would take them to the Great Hall where Bane had had his audience with Rā's al Ghūl.

Measuring the Mongol's unusual silence, Bane ventured, "Were you strong-armed into this?"

Temujin said nothing for a moment, then, "I regret that you must settle for me as your teacher."

"I'm glad it's you; I'm honored." The familiarity of his teacher also relieved Bane, for Temujin would understand the challenges presented by his debilities better than any other instructor here. Yet Bane kept this feeling of relief to himself, afraid it might subject Temujin to undue pressure.

"As I told you before, there are those far more skilled than I who are also far more committed to the League than I. One of them should be your teacher."

"Rā's al Ghūl seems to think highly of you. When I met him yesterday, he said he hopes that you will stay with the League."

Temujin grunted then muttered something in his native language.

"Ducard wants you to stay as well."

"I will stay until my wife's last murderer is located by Ducard's assets, then I will leave to finish what was started years ago."

"I can come with you; I can help. I owe you that at least."

"You owe me nothing, Bane. We have helped each other equally since we first met in that God forsaken pit. What I do for you now, I do as a friend. And though I appreciate your offer, you will need to remain here in order to complete your training; where you stay and where you go are now no longer under your control but the League's. Besides, what I have to do, I will do alone."

"Will you come back after that?"

"I do not know."

"Well, I hope you do, and so does Talia. She would be crushed, you know, if you didn't stay with us. You're like an uncle to her. Well, what I imagine an uncle would be anyway."

Temujin glanced over his shoulder, and a slight grin crept into view. "It is no use, my young bull. I know Ducard and the League's figurehead have set you up to persuade me to stay. But, rest assured, that decision will be mine and mine alone."

"I meant what I said—Talia and I want you to stay, regardless of what anyone else wants. You're my friend."

"Friends are a luxury in our line of work, Bane. It is often better to have none. You have lost much already in life; I would hate for you to lose more."

Bane frowned, hoped that Temujin was not anticipating his own death in his efforts to avenge his wife. Wary of continuing this particular line of discussion, he instead asked, "Why aren't we going to the dojo?"

"First things first, my friend. Before you are able to prepare your body, you must first prepare your mind. So every day you will be up at six a.m. and meditate for at least an hour before we begin our physical regimen." He halted outside the Great Hall. "Demons chase you in your dreams. I hear you at night, as do many others. You must learn to be at peace with yourself, including what others have done to you and what you have done to others. You must learn to be stronger than the demons."

Bane colored at the mortifying thought of others knowing of his night terrors. But there was no sense in denying them, especially when Temujin could perhaps help him overcome them; after all, no one here better understood what drove those nightmares. "It's not just at night," he admitted. "Sometimes I have…flashbacks…during the day."

"And what are these flashbacks about most of the time?"

Bane gestured to his mask. "The day this happened."

Temujin nodded thoughtfully and opened the door. He led the way into the empty Hall where, as usual, candles burned throughout. Bane wondered who lit them and if they stayed burning always. The scent of incense slipped through the medicinal fog of the mask. His attention touched briefly upon the large chair at the far end of the room as he remembered the imposing figure who had sat there yesterday. Where was Rā's al Ghūl now? And why had Temujin referred to him as a figurehead?

As they sat on the floor beside one another, Bane asked, "Is Damien Chase one of the reasons why you might not stay?"

"And what makes you ask such a thing?"

"It was pretty clear yesterday that the two of you aren't on good terms."

"He did not approve of me being allowed to leave the League. He felt I was dangerous, knowing all that I know and no longer being tied to Rā's al Ghūl and his organization. But Ducard knew I would never betray them after I left."

"Ducard seems to like Chase."

"Chase is a very valuable asset to the League. As Ducard told you, Chase is his right-hand man."

"He's an American?"

"Yes. He is the son of an extremely wealthy man, a man who helps fund the League and utilizes its services on occasion. He has known Ducard many years. Damien was a troublesome boy and continued to be so as a young man. His parents tried to control him but could not. He attended Harvard, and though he graduated high in his class, he showed no interest in applying what he had learned. Against his parents' wishes, he joined the military—special forces. In skill, he excelled, but in following orders he did not. Eventually he was discharged—not voluntarily, mind you—but he could not assimilate back into society. Turns out his one true skill is in killing. His father finally acknowledged that and asked Ducard to take him on. That was three years ago."

"So you're telling me the League is actually made up of assassins?"

"The members of the League are whatever Rā's al Ghūl requires them to be. Assassins, spies, men of business, security. A wide range indeed."

"And what will I be?"

"Only time will tell. But I am sure of one thing—you will be capable of much more than Damien Chase, and it is for that reason that Chase will despise you."

"Despise me?"

"Yes. He very much enjoys his standing in the League…and in Ducard's eyes. He looks up to Ducard as a father figure, especially considering all that he feels is lacking in his own father. And by now he has heard all about what you have done for Ducard and what Ducard has done for you. When Ducard is not around, Chase can be like a petulant, jealous child. He will feel threatened not only by your personal relationship with Talia—a relationship that adds value to you in Ducard's eyes—but with your relationship with Ducard as well. And he will feel threatened by your skill."

"Why would he? I haven't been trained yet."

"Because, my friend, he will see—as do I—that you have the potential to one day replace him as Ducard's lieutenant. While Chase is indeed highly skilled in combat and covert operations, he lacks your intellect. Your wits coupled with your training will make you formidable indeed. Ducard may have a certain bond with Chase, but rest assured one's value to the League will outweigh any emotional attachment when it comes to Talia's father. He is a man of singular purpose."

Bane hesitated. "And what is that purpose, Jin?"

"That piece of your education will come from Rā's al Ghūl, and no one else, least of all from someone on the fringes like me. I am responsible only for your training; at least the beginning of it. And speaking of that, we have wasted enough time as it is. Now…you will tell me more about these flashbacks and nightmares. Together we will unlock ways your mind can combat them. Repressing them will only be counterproductive. So before we begin our meditation, you will tell me everything that you can."