CHAPTER TEN
"You know what to do?" The stubby man asked as he finished typing some notes into the computer system.
"Of course! I'm not the benighted student I once was! Most of my skills have even surpassed yours!" the blond shot back with venomous contempt.
"Calm yourself," The stubby man said, waving the other man off. "I want this to go EXACTLY as we planned." The words rolled off his heavily accented tongue. "I'm being cautious. The Bat is more resoursful than I thought he was. I won't underestimate his skills again. Now, one last time..."
The blond sighed with irritation and crossed his arms. "Wait 'till he goes back to his room and has made the phone call BEFORE activating the chip, than have him drive me back here to load the equipment." The blond sighed again. "I've got it, you bumbling walrus!"
"Do not take that tone with me!" The smaller man growled, standing up. "The Bat fooled me last time, and would have gotten away with it if he'd thought to destroy ALL the tapes. If it wasn't for the one made of his butler's interrogation..." he trailed off. "Make sure you don't screw up! I am THIS close!" he said, holding up his hand and parting his thumb and index finger by a few centimeters. "He nearly got me killed! I OWE him!"
The blonde only stared at the older man with a neutral expression before turning to leave. "Just as long as I get what I want out of this deal."
"Don't worry, my Mad friend...You shall have it."
***
The clock entrance clicked open and Bruce Wayne emerged into the study, glancing at a few printouts. The clock automatically swung shut behind him as he made his way over to his desk.
"Damn. Nothing," Bruce grumbled, slamming the papers down on top of the desk.
"Am I to gather you have not found what you were looking for?" Alfred asked as he stepped into the room carrying a tray with a cup of coffee.
"No." Bruce shook his head. "Did Dick leave yet?"
Alfred nodded. "Yes, Sir. He did go down to say goodbye..."
Bruce grumbled something Alfred was unable to make out. "I meant to go over this stuff with him, like I said I would." He rubbed at his face, trying to shake the sleepiness out of his eyes.
"I'm sure you did," Alfred offered gently. "But, you've become so engrossed in your work, lately, you may not have noticed he was even there. Perhaps you should get some sleep, Bruce." He handed the younger man the cup.
Bruce reached out. "Tha--" Than he stopped, analyzing what Alfred had just said, and starred at the proffered cup. "I'll only drink that if you drink some of it first."
Alfred looked aghast. "I beg your pardon, Master Bruce?"
Bruce crossed his arms and set them on the desk, glaring up at Alfred. "You heard me. If there is nothing but coffee in that cup, why shouldn't you?"
Alfred looked at the cup, then at Bruce. "Because it is unsanitary to drink from another person's cup," he deadpanned.
"Alfred, we've exchanged blood, I hardly think a little spit is going to harm me." He continued to sit there, waiting.
Finally, Alfred set the cup back on the tray, scooped it up and stalked out of the room, mumbling something to himself.
Bruce couldn't help but smile. God love Alfred. He always meant well, but right now, slipping Bruce sedatives in his coffee was not going to happen. There was far too much that needed to be done. And that feeling he'd had back in the cave after the dream... He leaned back in the chair and steepled his fingers, thinking. *What did the Joker have to do with all this?*
"You know what to do?" The stubby man asked as he finished typing some notes into the computer system.
"Of course! I'm not the benighted student I once was! Most of my skills have even surpassed yours!" the blond shot back with venomous contempt.
"Calm yourself," The stubby man said, waving the other man off. "I want this to go EXACTLY as we planned." The words rolled off his heavily accented tongue. "I'm being cautious. The Bat is more resoursful than I thought he was. I won't underestimate his skills again. Now, one last time..."
The blond sighed with irritation and crossed his arms. "Wait 'till he goes back to his room and has made the phone call BEFORE activating the chip, than have him drive me back here to load the equipment." The blond sighed again. "I've got it, you bumbling walrus!"
"Do not take that tone with me!" The smaller man growled, standing up. "The Bat fooled me last time, and would have gotten away with it if he'd thought to destroy ALL the tapes. If it wasn't for the one made of his butler's interrogation..." he trailed off. "Make sure you don't screw up! I am THIS close!" he said, holding up his hand and parting his thumb and index finger by a few centimeters. "He nearly got me killed! I OWE him!"
The blonde only stared at the older man with a neutral expression before turning to leave. "Just as long as I get what I want out of this deal."
"Don't worry, my Mad friend...You shall have it."
***
The clock entrance clicked open and Bruce Wayne emerged into the study, glancing at a few printouts. The clock automatically swung shut behind him as he made his way over to his desk.
"Damn. Nothing," Bruce grumbled, slamming the papers down on top of the desk.
"Am I to gather you have not found what you were looking for?" Alfred asked as he stepped into the room carrying a tray with a cup of coffee.
"No." Bruce shook his head. "Did Dick leave yet?"
Alfred nodded. "Yes, Sir. He did go down to say goodbye..."
Bruce grumbled something Alfred was unable to make out. "I meant to go over this stuff with him, like I said I would." He rubbed at his face, trying to shake the sleepiness out of his eyes.
"I'm sure you did," Alfred offered gently. "But, you've become so engrossed in your work, lately, you may not have noticed he was even there. Perhaps you should get some sleep, Bruce." He handed the younger man the cup.
Bruce reached out. "Tha--" Than he stopped, analyzing what Alfred had just said, and starred at the proffered cup. "I'll only drink that if you drink some of it first."
Alfred looked aghast. "I beg your pardon, Master Bruce?"
Bruce crossed his arms and set them on the desk, glaring up at Alfred. "You heard me. If there is nothing but coffee in that cup, why shouldn't you?"
Alfred looked at the cup, then at Bruce. "Because it is unsanitary to drink from another person's cup," he deadpanned.
"Alfred, we've exchanged blood, I hardly think a little spit is going to harm me." He continued to sit there, waiting.
Finally, Alfred set the cup back on the tray, scooped it up and stalked out of the room, mumbling something to himself.
Bruce couldn't help but smile. God love Alfred. He always meant well, but right now, slipping Bruce sedatives in his coffee was not going to happen. There was far too much that needed to be done. And that feeling he'd had back in the cave after the dream... He leaned back in the chair and steepled his fingers, thinking. *What did the Joker have to do with all this?*