An alarm clock blares as Clark sits up in his bed, stretching his arms.

*yawn*

Clark scanned the room, ready to help Bruce, but found that he wasn't there.

"Bruce?" said Clark, confused.

Getting up, Clark walked around the room, searching for a sign of where Bruce went. Oliver and Victor had already left for another trip, so Bruce and Clark were alone on this.

Maybe Oliver and Victor should know about this stuff, they're our teammates and they could help.

Clark, realizing the Bruce had probably already started the search, promptly pulled out his scroll and called Bruce. However, the scroll simply went to voicemail.

"Damnit Bruce, why'd you start without me?" said Clark.

Using his x-ray vision, Clark scanned team RWBY's Room. While the remainder of Team RWBY had gone into Vale to look for Blake, there was a certain someone rooting around the room.

"You've got to be kidding me." Said Clark.

Bruce stepped lightly around team RWBY's room, spandex gloves on his hands. He kneeled down on the ground, taking stock of Blake's belongings.

She's got a fair number of belongings. Fictional books on philosophy, history books, a tea set.

Bruce picked up a particular book, Ninjas of love.

Hmm?

Bruce cracked the book open, only to bear witness to drawings of half-naked ninja's.

Huh, everyone's got an odd side.

"Not entirely sure how a pornographic book will help us find Blake."

Bruce looks up to see that Clark had come in through the window.

"It might." said Bruce, "Even the most unlikely things can put us on the right path."

"You sure?" said Clark, "I may not be a detective, but I'm not sure how a tea set will lead us to Blake."

Bruce sighed, "We need to find her soon, Sionis might give the kill order for Lawtons daughter at any moment."

"I know," said Clark, "But is there anything in here that can actually help?"

"I have a program scanning city surveillance for her." said Bruce, "If she gets tagged, I'll be the first to know."

"Wouldn't it be more helpful if we just searched manually, like the rest of her team," said Clark, "I don't really know if rooting around her room will truly help."

"It helps to know the person." said Bruce, "If we know her interests, her traits, it will help us better acquire her whereabouts."

Bruce suddenly gets an alert on his scroll, pulling up a point on a map of Vale.

"Where is she?" asked Clark.

Bruce cocked an eyebrow, "You said something about a tea set?"

"So," said Blake, sipping tea, "You want to know more about me?"

Blake sat at a rooftop café, sipping tea across from another faunus, a monkey faunus. Her ribbon was off, exposing her true faunus ears.

"She speaks!" said the faunus, "It's been like 24 hours, and you've given me nothing but weird looks!"

Blake shot the faunus a nasty look.

"Like that!" said the faunus.

"Trust me," said a new voice, "The look has some history behind it."

Blake and the faunus turn to find a smartly dressed Bruce Wayne standing over their table.

"Don't worry, the bill's mine," said Bruce.

Blake stood up, staring Bruce down, "Why are you here? How did you find me?!"

"I'll explain." Said Bruce, "Please, have a seat."

Blake, skeptical, took a seat as Bruce did.

"Wow!" said the faunus, "You're friends with Bruce Wayne, mega gazillionaire!"

"Not friends Sun." said Blake, "Acquaintances at best."

"Your name is Sun?" said Bruce, extending his hand, "Nice to meet you."

Sun shook Bruce's hand enthusiastically, "Hah, now I can say I dined with the CEO of a massive corporation!"

"I'm sure that's very exciting." said Bruce, sipping some tea, "What happened? From what I heard, you ran from your friends."

Blake looked into her tea, "It's complicated."

"I'm sure," said Bruce, "especially considering your history."

"My history?" said Blake before her eyes widened, "You...You know?"

"As I said before, I was doing research," said Bruce.

Blake raised her hand, feeling her cat ears, "How?"

"It started the day of training." said Bruce, "When we fought, I recognized the moves you used, They're common among White Fang soldiers, people I've fought before. I also noticed that you were able to anticipate my attacks within the smoke cloud, despite eyesight being useless. The only way you could have found me was by using other senses, and everyone knows the faunus have heightened senses compared to normal humans."

"How did you know for sure?" said Blake, "For all you could have known, it might have been a coincidence."

"I had Clark check under your ribbon." said Bruce, "And before you ask, he is here and listening, he's just getting some apple pie before coming up."

"I'm here!" said Clark, carrying a plate containing an entire pie.

"Clark," said Bruce, "did you get an entire pie?"

"Don't worry, I paid for it myself!" said Clark, "Oh man, it smells so good!"

"Clark, money isn't the problem." said Bruce, "Who's gonna help you eat an entire pie?"

"I will!" said Sun, "Though I wish it was banana's foster."

"You knew?!" said Blake, angry, "This whole time?!"

"Yes," said Bruce, "I can understand that this is distressing, but-"

"Why?" said Blake.

"Why what?" asked Bruce.

"Why didn't you just turn me in right then and there?" asked Blake, "It's clear you hate the White Fang, wouldn't that extend to me?"

"Not necessarily," said Bruce, "because I know."

"Know what?" asked Blake.

"Everything." said Bruce, "I know about Ghira, Kali, how you stayed after they left, but not for long."

Blake could only stare in disbelief, "You, know all that?"

"I do, because I needed a full picture of who you were before I could trust you." said Bruce, "And after I put the pieces together, I think I can."

Blake looked back into her tea, "Just one more question, how did you find me?"

"I took control of the surveillance system, set up a program that would identify you." said Bruce, "But it was slow because the system only picked you up around an hour after it saw you. So I went ahead and took a stab at where you were. I guessed this rooftop cafe."

"How did you know?" asked Blake, "Why this cafe, instead of say, the diner down the street?"

"You have a tea set." said Bruce, "So you don't strike me as the diner type."

Blake sipped her tea, "Honestly, I'm impressed."

"There's just one thing I'm missing." said Bruce, "Why did you run?"

Blake put her tea down, "You know as well as I that I have a history with the White Fang. I made a slip of the tongue, outed myself. I ran because I was scared of how they really reacted, how much they would hate me."

"Don't assume that!" piped Clark, mouth full of apple pie, "Your teammates are some of the most understanding people I know, I'm sure that they're just worried."

"True, they are looking for you." said Bruce, "It may be best for you to go back to them after you help us."

"Help you?" said Blake, "I've got my own mission, I have to figure out how Roman Torchwick is framing the White Fang."

Bruce and Clark looked at each other, "Blake, I don't think Torchwick is framing the White Fang, They really do work for him and Black Mask."

"Black Mask!" said Sun, "That guy is terrifying! I've only heard a few stories, but they're all freakin awful. Think any of them are true?"

"All of them." said Bruce, "Trust me, he's worse than you think."

Sun swallowed, "Ulp."

"Wait, how would you know about this?" asked Blake, "And the White Fang wouldn't work with Humans, especially not those bastards."

"Deadshot told us under truth serum." said Bruce, "Plus, having someone like Black Mask in charge would definitely keep them in line."

"But why work with them in the first place?" said Blake, "What do they possible offer the White Fang."

"These are important questions, but we'll have to answer them later," said Bruce.

"Why?" asked Blake.

"Because Deadshot has a daughter, and she's in Black Mask's hands." said Bruce, "The White Fang is our only lead."

"Deadshot has a daughter?" said Blake, "Is that why he was targeting us?"

"Yes, Black Mask does this often in order to get unwilling assassins to do his dirty work," said Bruce.

Blake looked conflicted, "Is this why you came to me, to ask for my help?"

"I came to ask if you knew any places where the White Fang might have bases." said Bruce, "Any info that might point us to a possible location for the girl."

Blake put a finger up to her chin, "I know they have an old base at the chemical plant, and that there were rumors of White Fang operatives working the docks."

"Good, then we have our leads." said Bruce, standing up, "Clark?"

"Mph!" said Clark, swallowing the last of the pie.

"You hit the docks, I'll hit the warehouse," said Bruce.

"Wait," said Blake, "you're going to dump all this information on me then leave?"

"We got what we came for," said Bruce, "you don't need to be any more involved than you are. Go back to your team, they're worried about you."

"There's no way that the two of you can handle two different White Fang strongholds on your own!" said Blake.

"I don't plan on waltzing through the front door, I'll stay out of sight, grab any vital info and the girl if she's there, and make it out." said Bruce, "If you get involved, it would be an unnecessary risk."

"Really?" said Blake, "And it's not a risk for Clark?"

"Clark is practically impervious to harm, it's why I chose him." said Bruce, "His life isn't even in any real danger."

"Bruce." said Clark, "Didn't we talk about letting more people help?"

"It's too dangerous." said Bruce, "We're the only ones capable."

"Bruce, shut up." said Blake, "Shut up and listen."

Bruce grimaced, staying silent.

"You strike me as the type of person who wants to help, to get things done." said Blake, "But you and Clark can't do this alone, as much as you think you can. You're not forcing me to help you, I'm choosing to help you."

Bruce sighed, "Even if you do help, one of us is still going alone."

"I'll help!" said Sun.

Blake turned to Sun, confused, "Sun, we just met. Are you sure you want to get involved in something as bad as this?"

"I mean, I've got time to kill." said Sun, "And after hearing all of this, I don't think I'd feel very good not helping."

"Ok, so that makes four of us." said Clark, "That means we should split into teams of 2, hit the docks and the chemical plant separately."

"Sun's with me." said Blake, "We can hit the docks, see if Deadshot's daughter is there."

"Are you sure?" asked Bruce, "Maybe you should take Clark with you?"

"Bruce," said Clark, "You're not going alone."

Bruce sighed, "Fine, teams of two. But if any of you are discovered, you pull out immediately."

Blake frowned, clearly displeased with Bruce's request, but sighed, "Fine, but you better do the same."

"I will." said Bruce.

Clark nodded along, "Alright, this is it. Let's save this girl!"

Red Hood One walked along a catwalk, loading bullets into his revolver. Looking out over the catwalk, he observed the rest of the Chemical Plant, its massive vats of green cocktails and industrial belts. Other red hood members ferried crates around the facility, transporting weapons and portable cover for fortification. Unlike Red Hood One, who's helmet was a massive shiny red capsule, the Red Hood gang underlings simple wore red masks made from fabric as well as various suits and slacks. The masks themselves completely covered the head from front to back, though the fabric was thin enough that the gang members could see out of them.

"Boss!"

Red Hood One turned to one of his underlings.

"What is it Red Hood Eight?" asked Red Hood One, "I'm busy."

"The kid, she won't stop crying!" said Red Hood Eight, "How do we shut her up?!"

Red Hood One sighed, "Take me to her."

Red Hood Eight led his leader down the stairs and into a side office. Opening the door, Red Hood One's ears were immediately assailed by crying.

"Waaaah!" cried a small girl, barely 7 years old, "Let me go! I want my mommy!"

"See!" said Red Hood Eight, "She won't stop bawling!"

"Alright, I got the solution." said Red Hood One, "Get over here, I'll whisper it to you."

Red Hood Eight cocked his head before walking up to Red Hood one, their bodies practically touching.

"So, what's this solu-"

*BANG*

Red Hood Eight gasps as he puts his hand over his heart, blood pouring out as he fell backwards to the floor. Red Hood Eight gagged as blood began to invade his lungs, looking up in terror as he saw Red Hood One holding a revolver, the muzzle smoking. Strangely enough, the child had stopped crying. Red Hood One walked over to the girl, kneeling down and grabbing her by the hair.

"Look at him!" shouted Red Hood One, forcing the girl to look at the dying man, peeling her eyelids back, "I've got plans for a friend, he'll be here soon I imagine. If he hears you, well, those plans are ruined."

The girl sniffled, eyes watery.

Red Hood One sighs, letting go of the girl and walking to the door, "I hear you crying again, he won't be the only corpse that gives you company."

Red Hood One slams the door shut, leaving the girl to stare at the corpse in silence.

Hey, a speedy chapter here. I got a review pointing out a flaw and had to write something to fix it. Bruce's characterization up to this point has been fairly flawed. While I'm closer than I was initially, I think I made him a little too antagonistic and mean. So this chapter is my attempt to right the ship. I also wanted to lean into Bruce's detective skills more. I'm not sure how well I wrote it, so please tell me if it was good or not!

Reviews:

DCDGorjia: I think I answered one of your questions. Phantom Stranger and Specter are great ideas, but I'm saving them for something special.

Thanks for the feedback!

Evinco: Thanks for the feedback!

Hirshja: Thanks a million for bringing this up. While I could use the excuse that Bruce is young and still inexperienced, I felt that you brought up a valid point that I wasn't really writing him close enough to his actual character. Let me know if you find anything else out of character for him (I'm a little afraid him admitting he was wrong was out of character). I also edited the dialogue at the end of the previous chapter to reflect this.

Rewrite: This chapter got an extensive rewrite, specifically in how the conversation between Bruce and Blake went. Instead of apologizing for rude behavior (Something that made sense with the old version of Bruce), This Bruce simply came for info and explained himself to Blake. I also added a Red Hood scene to give him more of a presence.

Next Chapter: Red Hood Strikes!