Ch 26: Out of the Pan
The two days after the funeral went by in a haze of me either crying or numbly staring at nothing. I didn't leave my room and barely remembered anything that happened. I finally snapped out of it the morning before I left for Gotham.
"Little Bird, we need to talk." Dad said gently as he entered my room.
"Why?" I asked blankly, as I continued to lay on the floor amidst piles of clothes that still needed to be packed and an open suitcase.
"Because some of it concerns you." He said, sitting on the floor next to me. He started stroking my hair. He only did that when I was upset, or he didn't know how I was going to take whatever he was about to say.
I signed. "What now?"
"They found the other escapee." he started. When I didn't respond, he continued. "He was in a warehouse in the Bronx. Slit his own throat in front of the officers who found him."
"And this pertains to me how?"
"It means, the case is closed. It means, I can retire early. My last day is Friday."
"Okay." I shrugged. I knew he'd retire once this case had finished.
"You're not surprised?"
"Not really. The gym is finished, this place is almost completely packed. All that's left is to move into the gym's apartment." I reasoned.
"I know I told you not until the end of the school year, but-"
"I get it. There's no reason to be here anymore." honestly, I had barely registered the conversation. All I really wanted was a distraction from my emotions.
"There's something else. We need to talk about Jason."
That got my attention. I sat up and looked at Dad.
"I'm pretty sure I know the story by now. Uncle Tim and Aunt Steph explained it to me. What's more to know?" I crossed my arms.
"I've noticed the way you look at me now. Like you're not sure about me anymore. I assure you nothing has changed between us. You're still my daughter, regardless of bloodlines."
"That's not it at all." My voice sounded stronger than it had since Anni went missing. "How can I trust anything you say? I even told you after I found out about Batman that I was done dealing with secrets. Did me being adopted just happen to slip your mind?"
"Jamie, you know there's more to it than that. I know you saw the agreement Jason and I signed."
"I'm sick of that being an excuse. You know what I think, I think you wanted to keep the peace between Bruce and Jason, because the moment Bruce would have found out Jason gave up a kid instead of taking full responsibility for me, they would've had another falling out. Bruce told me you kept me from him long after you adopted me. I'm not sure though, if that was because of Jason, or your own petty issues with Bruce. I don't really care, because all I am at this point is an unwanted mistake and an old experiment. And you're the last person I want to talk to." I stood up and stormed out of my room. I was on the roof and was dialing the number before I realized what I was doing.
"Sorry I missed your call. Leave a message and I'll get back to you!" The well of pain and grief that had been numbed the past few days finally overflowed at the sound of Anni's voice. The ache in my chest became a sharp pain and I was crying for Anni all over again.
I was on the roof well past midnight, and it had to be below freezing. I was absentmindedly throwing snowballs onto the roof across the ally from ours.
"Too cold to be up, don't you think?" Aunt Cass startled me, causing me drop the snowball I had just made. She dropped a coat around my shoulders and handed me a mug of hot cocoa.
"Thanks. I guess I was too angry to even notice the cold." I said, sipping the cocoa.
"Don't hold it against him. He did what he thought was best. He loves you more than anything."
"Did he send you up here to talk to me?" I frowned.
"No, but you really hurt him. I don't know what was said, but I haven't seen Dick like this in a very long time. Don't forget that he is grieving for your friend too."
"I know, but I... it's just that...ugh! You're right." I slumped onto the ledge of the roof.
"I understand your anger and confusion. But I've learned that you can't understand most people until long after what they've done. And fate has a funny way of making things happen." She put an arm around me.
"Do you really believe in things like fate?" I asked, leaning into her.
"I've experienced too many things to believe that life is coincidental. I'm not sure I'd say I believe in fates though."
"Why do bad things happen to the most undeserving people? What kind of cruel fate rules the world for such terrible things to exist?"
"I don't know, Jamie. I wish I had the answer, but even after everything I've seen, I've never been able reason why things have to happen to way they do. Sometimes, we're just helpless to life and its horrors. And I'm sorry you've been dragged into it. Dick was just trying to break the cycle. He especially, has seen so much heartache, he wanted better for you."
"Yet here I am, with a dead best friend and a lying father." I huffed.
"He wanted to tell you. So many times he came close. It ate away at him to keep it from you."
"What stopped him?"
"You. He would see how happy you were and couldn't bring himself to ruin it. They say knowledge is good, but they don't tell you knowledge comes at the cost of your innocence." She stated.
It hurt how true that statement was. Wasn't that my exact reasoning for not saying anything about Anni talking to her dad. Her happiness mattered too much for me. Just like mine was to Dad.
"I think I'm gonna go to bed." I stood up. Aunt Cass smiled at me.
"I hope I helped a little."
"You gave me a lot think about at least." I hugged her and headed to bed.
"Teams in Gotham are still working to contain the contamination and recover Powers' body, but so far there's no sign of Powers. Experts suggest he was destroyed when he went nuclear." The newscaster was saying.
"At least McGinnis has some justice." I mumbled to myself. I grabbed the last of the papers on my desk and shoved them into my bag. I noticed the papers on MedCorp that Bruce had given me were still in there. I really needed to read those. I grabbed them and started skimming over what Bruce had highlighted. Most of it was pretty unimportant to me, just company history. Until I came across Project Whisper, prototype JVT. Dated August of 2023.
12Aug2023
Subject is healing well after procedure. The device is online and functioning properly. Emotional range test will begin in a week.
GPS tracking range has been tested up to a 60km distance. Anderson believes true range could be at least 300km. This theory will be tested in a month when I take the subject to New York. After five years of studies and planning, Project Whisper has begun.
20Aug2023
Data collected from emotional test provide more than enough for further study. It is not everything we need, but it is a good start.
Distance range has moved to 150km.
The heart rate monitor is now online and reading the subject's heart rate as slightly fast, but Dr. Jacobs is not concerned. She believes our subject is prime stock for Prototype JVT.
29Sept2023
Distance range has far surpassed all predictions. Over 1500km range. That is more than needed for phase 2.
The subject has been with us for a year now and developing at a continuous rate. She has progressed beyond expectations. Dr. Jacobs has no concerns for the subject or future projects involving subject.
The final test will be initiated after the new year. Until then, we will continue with emotional testing.
26Jan2024
The subject has been released for the final test. This one test will help gather enough information for phase two of Project Whisper. An annual check on the subject will be conducted to update our data.
And that was where it ended. Bruce had written notes in the margins on his theories and deductions. He believed that my mother was the author of the notes and I was the subject. It made the most logical sense. He also had a suspicion that Valentina and Victoria were the same person. For whatever reason, she just chose to introduce herself differently when she had met Jason.
It bothered me how formal the notes were written. Victoria sounded so detached in her writings. I knew that's how scientific notes had been written for centuries, but damn, I was her daughter and she wouldn't even use the name she had given me. Just subject. Which hurt a lot more than I wanted to admit. All I was meant to be was an experiment.
That cold-hearted bitch. Who uses their own child for their own selfish needs? Uncle Damian's mother and grandfather came to mind, along with Aunt Cass' father. It seemed to be another family trend.
Other things were bothering me about the notes as well. Like, why wasn't there anything about the final test or the annual checks? How long had the final test lasted? For all we knew, it could still be going on. What was this phase two? Had that started yet? Why was phase two so important to whatever Project Whisper was? I had so many more questions than when I started.
Plus, on top of all that, I still had questions about what I had overheard about Michelson's autopsy.
I scowled at the papers, and shoved them back into my bag right as Dad knocked on my door.
"Come in." I said, zipped up my bag, hiding any evidence of the MedCorp files.
"I think we need to talk about some things." He started.
"Why is it whenever you start a conversation like that, it never ends well." I frowned and crossed my arms.
"I think I would be best if you moved out of the manor when you get back." He said.
"Oh look I was right." I rolled my eyes, and turned to continue to pack my bag.
"Jamie, I'm being serious." He grabbed my left arm. I flinched. It was mostly healed by now, but was still tender. "Sorry. But this just supports my reasons to get you out of there." He stated.
"Reasons? You haven't justified anything we've talked about in the last 24 hours. What happened to my arm has nothing to do with me living in the manor. And I'm not moving. Not yet."
"You're telling me you would have chased down Spellbinder even if you didn't know about Batman?" Dad asked skeptically.
"Yes. He went after people I care about. I would never be able to stand by and watch. Something I learned from you." I argued. He sighed.
"How I raised you aside, I also think a change of space would be good both of us. You've been through a lot these past two weeks. It's time for a fresh start." He said, looking at a picture of Anni and I from this summer that I hadn't been able to bring myself to pack yet.
I didn't have a problem living at the gym, (my room was pretty schway) but I had a life at the manor that I honestly enjoyed. Sure Bruce wasn't the friendliest, but he at least listened to me. And didn't keep his own secrets from me. I needed to stay at the manor. The cave was too great a resource to give up, especially if I was ever going to figure out what exactly was going on with my mother and MedCorp.
It all came down to the fact that the gym was too far from... wait. Bruce had told me he had a few smaller "caves" throughout Gotham in case the one at the manor got compromised. Plus whatever safe houses the rest of the bats had set up throughout the years. There was bound to be something near the gym.
"You're right. A change of scenery would be good." I said, grabbing the picture off my desk. He looked at me in surprise.
"Just like that? That's all I needed to convince you?"
"I put a lot of work into that place. And it's closer to everything than the manor. Plus I doubt Bruce would stop me from visiting just because I don't live there." I reasoned. He gave me a doubtful look.
"What are you up to?"
"Nothing. If anything, I can use it as a distraction." I said solemnly, while absently running a finger along the picture frame.
"Come here." Dad pulled me into a hug. I couldn't stop the tears.
"Ugh! I hate this." I pulled away, furiously wiping my eyes.
"I know. Some days you'll find yourself crying for no reason and others you won't even think about it. But takes time." he hugged me again. I took a deep breath and calmed myself.
"I need to finish packing. The train leaves in 2 hours." I told him.
"Alright. Come get me when your ready." he patted my shoulder and left.
I arrived in Gotham later that night. When I got back to the manor, I found a paper sitting on my bed.
Certificate of Name Change
This document hereby dictates that Miss Valentina Isabel Ramirez legally changes her name to
Victoria Isabel Rogers on October 13, 2015.
Well that cleared up the Valentina mystery. I'd have to ask Bruce where he found that later. For now, I needed sleep. I felt like the last week had crashed down on me now that I was back in Gotham. As much as I didn't want it to, the world continued to turn, dragging me with it.
Well now we've got some insight into Victoria's side of things.
I want to thank everyone who has stuck with this story and its many delays. I'm always grateful to those who take time to read it!
Fun fact: Jamie has never been camping in her life. Its something she's always wanted to try, but never had anyone to go with.