Checkmate

            "Bruce!  What brings you all the way up here so late in the evening?" Powers asked as Bruce walked towards his desk.

            "I think you can guess," he growled in response.

            "I can only hope you've come to tell me you've changed your mind about my little business venture," Derek replied with a slick smile.

            "Cut the act!  You don't really believe I'd let you get away with threatening my wife, do you?"

            "Your wife?" Powers gasped.  "Oh yes!  I do recall someone mentioning this morning that you were married to the lovely Ms. Purcell.  And what a pleasant surprise that was.  You should be congratulated on your excellent taste."

            "It won't work Derek.  Whatever files you've falsified are not going to stand up in court."

            Powers' eyes narrowed.  "Are you willing to put that theory to the test Bruce?"

            "I've had copies of this company's financial statements stored off-site since you took over.  If you take this any further I will have an army of lawyers take you apart piece by piece.  Then I will sue you for everything you own."

            "You're bluffing old man."

            "I never bluff."

            Derek's jaw worked tensely debating how to play his hand.  Finally he smiled broadly.  "There must be some misunderstanding, Bruce.  I never said Mardi was responsible.  In fact the data may very well be erroneous.  I'll have my people look into it."

            "You do that.  And I'm warning you Powers – don't ever try to get to me through my wife again.  I won't be so reasonable next time."

            He turned to leave the office and Powers called out, "She's quite the little hellcat Wayne.  I trust she's worth every penny you paid for her."

            Bruce gripped his cane hard enough to turn his knuckles white, but he did not respond.

            He found her in the bedroom packing her suitcase.  "I've taken care of Powers.  You don't have to worry about him anymore," he said from the doorway.

            "Wonderful," she replied flatly, pulling several shirts out of the closet, folding them and placing them in the case.

            "Where are you going?" he asked.

            "First thing in the morning I'm dropping my resignation off at the office, and I'm seriously considering telling that pompous SOB to pucker up and kiss my ass.  Then I'm going to go and visit my daughter."  She opened a drawer, removing several armloads of clothes.

            "How long will you be gone?"

            She looked directly into his eyes.  "Indefinitely."

            "You're not even going to discuss this?"

            "That's funny, Bruce, that's really funny."  She added a bag of toiletries.  "You lied to me.  There's no getting past that."

            "I never said I wasn't…"  He didn't bother to finish the thought.  It was a childish sentiment to assuage his guilt of omission.  It didn't work the first time he used it and would not go very far into making his case this time around.  "Is there anything I can say to make you change your mind?"  She paused and for one moment he thought she would renege, but then she closed the lid of the suitcase and snapped the locks into place.  This wasn't something she was going to simply laugh off.  Grabbing the handle she hefted the bag off the bed and walked towards the door, stopping in front of him.  "Please don't go," he calmly implored her.  "I love you."

            "I know, but that's hollow consolation for deceiving me all this time.  I did not marry Batman."  She moved past him into the hall.  "I'll call you tomorrow afternoon to let you know where I'm staying."  She entered one of the guest bedrooms and closed the door behind her.  He heard the soft click as she slid the lock into place.