Commissioner James Gordon stood at the base of the Gotham Clock Tower with Helena Kanly, a slender, dark-haired girl of sixteen. She had on a backpack and carried a suitcase in each hand. He was balancing two legal sized boxes in his arms. A revolving door was in front of them, flanked on either side by a set of standard glass doors, leading into the main lobby. On one side of the main entrance was a bar called the Dark Horse and on the other was a bookstore, the Read Alert.
"This is it," he said, lifting his eyes skyward. "My daughter lives up there, on the top floor."
Helena followed his gaze. The building towered over the surrounding buildings by at least four stories.
"I didn't know anyone lived here," she said. He voice was soft, cautious. "I thought there were only businesses here."
"As far as I know, Barbara is the only full time resident. Other than the businesses on the ground level, most of the building is owned by WayneTech. After her accident, Barbara started working with computers full-time. It was always a hobby of hers but she helped redesign the city's technological infrastructure and now runs most of WayneTech's networking services from her apartment. I wish she got out of the house more often, but I have to admit she's got a hell of a view from up there."
He led her to the elevators and, after setting down the boxes, produced a white piece of plastic the size of a credit card. On the panel inside the elevator door there was a blank button above the standard floor buttons. He waved the card in front of it and it turned green. The elevator doors closed and it started upward.
"Electronic key," he said. "She'll give you one too. It's the only way to trigger the elevator to go to the top floor."
Helena nodded then cast her eyes downward. They rode the rest of the way in silence while Helena's fingers danced nervously with the hem of her shirt. Gordon thought about the wounds suffered by Blockbuster, the man who had killed Helena's mother, and felt an involuntary shiver at what lay behind those delicately manicured nails. In a fit of blind rage, Helena had ripped Blockbuster up, tearing his skin to the bone in some places.
A soft ding told them they'd reached their destination. The doors opened on a small hallway. The only apartment door on this floor stood open. Barbara held it until they got inside, and then shut it behind them.
"If you want to, go ahead and put your things in the first bedroom," Barbara said after greeting them. "It's made up and ready to go. I've got some snacks made in the kitchen for us. Meet me in there and we'll talk."
Gordon led Helena into the room and placed the boxes on the bed.
"Why don't you go ahead and unpack these boxes so I can take them back with me," he told her. "I need to speak with Barbara for a moment and then I'll leave you two ladies alone."
Helena just nodded and opened the first box. Gordon walked to the kitchen where his daughter was sitting at the table behind her laptop. A plate full of small pastries and cookies was on the table with three cans or soda.
"I just wanted to give you a heads up," he said. "Helena already knows her mother was Catwoman."
Barbara looked surprised. "Really?"
"Apparently, Selina wasn't all that secretive about it, at least not with Helena. She even told Helena that one day someone might come gunning for her out of revenge and taught Helena self-defense tactics, just in case."
"Looks like it paid off."
"For Helena, at least. Just wanted to forewarn you in case the conversation ever headed in that direction, you could decide how much you wanted to tell her of your former life." He picked up one of the pastries and put it in his mouth. "Mmm. That's good. Reminds me of one of those things Bruce Wayne's butler used to always serve."
"You don't say," Barbara said, smiling.
Helena walked in with the two empty boxes. Gordon took them and said, "You ladies behave yourselves. I've got to get back to work. If you need anything, call me."
"Thanks, dad," Barbara said and shut the door behind him when he left.