For the next three days Bane remained absent from the townhouse. Between monitoring Scarecrow's court and making his daily stroll through the mean streets of Gotham, he was researching someone who had nothing whatsoever to do with his siege of Gotham.
He had spent hours hunched over his laptop, reading a treasure trove of tabloid and blind gossip pieces. His brow furrowed with amusement as he read accounts of one shoddy incident after another involving the volatile actress, Kitty Nash.
There was the dust-up backstage at the Gotham Awards, where at the last moment, the rising young star of 'Promises, Promises' insisted on presenting the Best Musical award alone, rather than with the co-presenter who had been scheduled to be by her side.
She'd had a server at Ascari Grill fired after the young woman struggled to open the bottle of wine Kitty had ordered.
And there was the time she stormed the maternity ward at Gotham General, demanding to see her ex-lover, who was at that moment attending to his wife as she gave birth to their child. Although the expectant couple had initially reconciled, the marriage didn't survive Kitty's selfish stunt.
Barsad joined Bane in the mayor's suite at City Hall, and he too submerged himself in the scandal-filled life of Kitty, the woman who was posing as an amnesiac and cooking for Bane's men at Daggett's townhouse.
He entered the suite carrying his own laptop and plopped himself down next to Bane at the massive board room table.
"Everything we need is here, brother. Text messages, emails, FaceTime. This shit is fantastic," he enthused, rubbing his hands together. "It's like a book you can't put down."
Barsad opened the laptop and whistled as he scrolled through text and video messages, scoffing at the salacious content.
"I don't know which is filthier - her mind or her mouth," he called over his earbuds.
Bane was too pre-occupied to reply, because a cover story that appeared on a seven year old edition of the Gotham Daily News had just caught his eye. He was quiet for a moment as he read through the story, and then he spoke.
"I believe I may have found the catalyst for the hurricane that is Katrina Nash," he rumbled without taking his eyes from the computer screen. "The smoking gun, if you will."
"Left at the Altar," the headline screamed. "Actress defiant as bridegroom says 'I don't'."
Together Bane and Barsad accessed raw video uploaded to the tabloid by various wedding guests, and watched in fascination as a younger and more innocent Kitty walked down the aisle accompanied by a faceless man.
Bane gasped, enthralled by the two-tier, cathedral wedding veil trimmed with silver ribbon that covered her face and shoulders. Beneath the veil her eyes sparkled like sapphires and her peachy lips were moist and promising.
She looked nothing short of radiantly beautiful.
The mercenary's mask rattled unsteadily as once again the hair on his arms stood up in the presence of Kitty Nash.
At the altar the groom could be seen seen shifting back and forth on his feet, looking anywhere but at the woman he was about to marry.
As Kitty and her escort approached, the visably uneasy groom whispered something to his best man before abruptly brushing past him and disappearing through an unseen exit.
Gone.
The cell phone video jerked every which way until settling on the pews, capturing wedding guests shifting in their seats as they sensed something had gone horribly wrong.
Another video revealed the best man reluctantly taking Kitty's hand, speaking to her briefly and giving her a gentle hug. Kitty was comforted by various members of the bridal party as the minister herded the hired musicians, ushers and guests out of the church.
Yet another video confirmed what the tabloid newspaper had already described. Instead of escaping by a less conspicuous exit of the church, as any rejected bride might be inclined to do, a composed Kitty made a grand exit via the church's magnificent main entrance, pausing for a moment at the top of the stairs outside as she waved, blew kisses, and tossed her bouquet into the bewildered crowd.
With her head held high she lifted the veil from her face, took the the train of her magnificent dress in hand, and carefully descended the church steps into a waiting car.
Barsad leaned back in his chair as the video ended. "Holy fuck," he exclaimed. "No wonder she's such a bitch. That's one bitter pill to swallow."
"Indeed, brother," Bane groaned as he rose from his seat and cracked his knuckles in anticipation. He was very much looking forward to his next meeting with Kitty. "I do admire her fierce pride, however."
Inside the glass townhouse once owned by John Daggett, Kitty fumed silently. For three days she had been doing exactly as Bane's mystery woman had mocked her for — slaving over a hot stove and washing up afterwards.
She felt used and abused. Where was Bane? He had disappeared on her first night cooking for the mercenaries, and she hadn't seen him since.
She was anxious to get the ball rolling. Anxious to indulge her own lust, and then make him fall in love with her.
She'd been looking forward to the witching hour that he mentioned. She'd show him all right. Innocent Jenna knew a few moves that would blow his mind.
Unfortunately, she was becoming very impatient with Bane's absence.
Then, just as she angrily ripped off her apron and tossed it aside, she heard his garbled tones echoing in the townhouse's expansive foyer.
"Leave us," he ordered the mercenaries who were stationed inside. Everyone left, save for Barsad, who disappeared into a dark corner to observe.
Kitty had butterflies as she smoothed her gathered hair and dusted off her clothing, She realized she should have been wearing something more glamorous than a tee-shirt and jeans, and something more than just pale lipstick, but she had been cooking, and it couldn't be helped.
She had made up her mind to initiate the witching hour, after which she planned to be naked beneath him, taking full possession of what lay between his magnificent thighs.
"Good morning, Mr. Bane," she whispered brightly as Bane entered the kitchen. "How nice to see you at last. May I make you something to eat?"
Beneath his mask, Bane smiled, but cut to the chase.
"I've grown tired of this ruse, Katrina, far sooner than I expected I'm afraid."
"Oh don't be silly, Kitty enthused. "What ruse are you talking about, and why have you stayed away for so long? I've been looking forward to that witching hour you mentioned, now that I'm used to the idea."
"Enough pretence, my dear. You are faking your amnesia. We both know it. We have enjoyed our role-playing, however brief it was, but now is the time to come clean."
"Oh, my goodness, Mr. Bane," Kitty exclaimed, wide-eyed and serious. "What on earth can you be talking about?"
With lightning speed, Bane wrapped his enormous fingers around the delicate set of bones that comprised her wrist.
"Cease and desist," he ordered ominously as he began to apply painful pressure. He then pulled his phone from his pocket and forced her to watch one of the videos he'd accessed earlier that day.
Kitty let out an agonized cry when she recognized the content, and turned her head away as if terrified by the sight of it.
"Why are you showing me this?"
"Because I've come to realize that Jenna is merely a passing fancy, my dear. You, Katrina, are a far more compelling subject!" He released her wrist abruptly and watched her stumble to the floor on all fours.
He then issued a demand in a tone of voice that was nothing short of blood-curdling.
"Why are you here?"
As Kitty staggered to her feet she began her transformation. She tugged at the tie that had held her hair in place, and allowed the black waves to fall free, steeling herself for whatever was to come.
When she felt ready she turned, revealing the cold blue stare that belonged to Kitty Nash. Jenna was no more.
"Payback," she hissed. "You kidnapped me, and forced me to watch an understudy take my place. You took away the only world where I belonged. And your civilian army destroyed the few possessions that ever meant anything to me."
"I see," Bane warbled, curiously. "What sort of payback did you have in mind, my dear?"
Kitty tossed her luxurious locks over her shoulder. She realized there was no point in hiding the truth or lying to him anymore. He held the keys to Gotham's fate, and to hers as well.
She met his curious gaze and told him everything, little caring about how he would receive it.
"I planned to lure you into bed and become your instant addiction, and I was going to enjoy every single minute of it," she sneered. "I was going to make you fall head over heels in love with me and pretend I felt the same. And when I had you in the palm of my hand, I was going make your world come crashing down around you."
Bane's brow rose, as Kitty continued.
"I was going to laugh at you, and tell you that you were nothing more than some mystery woman's neutered 'yes' man. I was going to tell you that I could never fall in love with a masked monster like you, and that you were a goddam fool to hope that anyone ever could!"
For a long moment there was only the sound of Bane's erratic respiration, until he finally spoke.
"You have been publicly humiliated by one man, therefore the entire human species must suffer." he observed lowly.
"It's what I do in my spare time, Bane. I'm good at it."
"The hate you feel bleeds into every other aspect of your life. I know something about that. No one is spared. Isn't that right, my dear?"
"I already have a shrink." Kitty snarled. "Stop psychoanalyzing me."
"Your ego knows no bounds." he continued as he paced around her. The tone of his voice had grown chilly again. "What makes you believe that I could fall in love with you? Or more to the point, what makes you believe I am even capable of such an emotion?"
Kitty frowned. Rarely had her mind travelled in that direction. Of course men fell in love with her. She'd never known one not to. Except... the man who abandoned her on their wedding day.
"I was born in prison. I grew to manhood in the company of the lowest of humanity. Murder and sexual assault were common occurrences — committed without a single moment of remorse. These acts were born of necessity in such an environment. I myself was beaten within an inch of my life in that place, only to be rescued by a man who later betrayed me in a manner which was decidedly cruel.
So, believe me, Katrina, when I say that I have no love in my heart. It would seem that we both have that in common." His cruel words were followed by an unblinking chocolate stare.
Kitty shivered so violently that she wondered if Barsad had opened a window. She sank to her knees and covered her mouth as a horrible realization swept over her. She was in danger.
"You witnessed what happened at the Stock Exchange, Gotham Stadium, and Blackgate. Many people have died. Many more will die. There is a bomb that will eventually go off. And yet here you are plotting to make me fall in love with you."
Kitty felt as though she was being swallowed whole by fear. Bane was unrelenting.
"Did you think you could hurt me with name-calling and emasculation? If so, I am afraid you made a very grave assumption."
With her head down, the now terrified Kitty gasped quietly as tears began to fall freely to the hardwood floor. For the second time in a few weeks she felt herself humbled by emotion. Above her the mask wheezed unsteadily as Barsad emerged from his corner and confined her wrists with a zip-tie.
"Don't...don't hurt me," Kitty sobbed softly, uttering desperate words that were foreign to her. "Please forgive me for misjudging you! Please."
"Good morning, my friends," Bane bellowed, waving to the crowd from the steps of City Hall as Barsad shoved Kitty forward.
"I give you Kitty Nash! Celebrated Gotham stage star, tabloid sensation...and jilted bride." His voice was rich with mockery for the terrified woman who was now his prisoner.
"She came to us under false pretences, using her unique abilities to pursue a private agenda. Now that she has been exposed, allow me to reveal a few details of her plan."
A traumatized Kitty couldn't feel the cold penetrating her thin tee-shirt as she prayed to awaken from a bad dream.
She wondered how such a horrifying turn of events had come about, and felt her whole life passing before her. All the unconscionable means by which she had secured stage roles, all the ways she had used and abused men, all the cruel words she had spoken. Had she lived such a selfish, black-hearted life that that she was now being punished?
"I am a pragmatic man," Bane told the crowd, as he gripped the straps of his fortified vest. "I am aware that we have many enemies among us — rebels who would seek to overthrow our revolution here in Gotham. It is those rebels to whom i wish to address today.
Kitty Nash infiltrated us, and deceived us. From her post in the kitchen of the late Mr. John Daggett's home, she had ready access to a full slate of weapons - knives, cleavers, and mallets. She had every opportunity to disable my men, and myself, in order to give aid to you, our enemies. However, the woman who lovingly accepted your standing ovations every night was not thinking of you when she failed to act. No, she was thinking of her own physical desires, and her need to conquer yet another victim on a long list of men. I leave the rest to your vivid imaginations and of course, I leave her fate in your hands!"
With those words, Bane turned and disappeared inside City Hall.
"Sorry Kitty," Barsad said calmly as he poked his rifle into her back. "Gotta send you into the mob. Bane's orders."
"Wh-what?" Kitty shrieked as she rounded on him. "You can't be serious! It's a tug of war out there! They'll tear me to pieces after what he said about me!"
"That's the idea," Barsad shrugged. "Maybe it's best if you just close your eyes and pretend you're about to meet your adoring fans 'til the end comes."
Author's Note: I hope you all had a good summer. Thanks for reading.