Chapter 8- Something Has Changed
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'What… are you doing?' Ebony said as she was slowly backed against the wall by Bane's bulk.
'I am… claiming what is mine, Ms Black.' Bane explained.
'I don't have the memory card on me.' Ebony said. 'Barsad has it.'
'I am not talking about a memory card, Ms Black, I am talking about... you.' Bane said confidently.
He was so close, a breath away, yet he hadn't touched her.
For some reason Bane seemed even more threatening than usual.
'Me… yours…? What makes you think that I am y..yours.' Ebony stammered, surprized at his words, almost moulding herself to the cold concrete pylon behind her.
He was kidding right?
'Because, you chose me, Ms Black.' Bane explained accentuating his words.
Ebony was taken back with this accusation.
'And how exactly did I do that?' Ebony asked in a tone.
'You ventured into my domain… ' Bane started.
'You stepped behind the curtain into my quarters… '
'And you fell asleep in my bed, remember?' Bane said, raising his arms to place his palms either side of her on the concrete, boxing her in.
'Wha… what…? That is not fair.' Ebony argued, although she silently acknowledged it was all true.
She had done every one of those things.
'Life is not fair, Ms Black' Bane rebutted jovially, raising his arms to box her in against the wall.
'The last one was unintentional. You know I wasn't feeling great...' Ebony backtracked.
'Did you not think that there would be repercussions?' Bane replied threateningly.
'I am a very private person, Ms Black. Do you think that I permit just anyone to reside in my… personal quarters?' Bane warned, exaggerating the last two words.
He had a point.
But... was that a subtle admission of some kind?
'Well, I would have still been in my apartment if…if you hadn't insisted that I see you right away. I didn't mean it… I didn't do it to provoke you.' Ebony protested, although there was a part of her deep down that welcomed his perilous proximity.
Strangely, the closer he was, the more alive she felt.
She felt like that every time she was in his presence, and now that he was closer than ever, Ebony felt electric.
On the verge of trembling.
But was it fear… or… excitement? Perhaps both.
'Ah, but you have…' Bane insisted. 'Wearing the mask heightens my senses and I still detect your scent on my pillow, Ms Black.' He said, lowering his masked face to hers, looking her dead in the eye.
Ok she already knew that wasn't the smartest thing she could have done…
But...
Wait. A. Minute…
Surely he didn't actually mean any of this.
Reluctantly taking her eyes off him for a few seconds, Ebony glanced around.
Although not in earshot, there were many men busily invading the newly accessed 'toys' at the armoury hidden beneath Wayne tower.
If he was really serious about manhandling her, getting physical with her, he wouldn't be doing it here.
This wasn't the time or the place.
Which meant… Bane was just toying with her… again.
This time, she almost fell for it.
Bane was trying to make her feel… uncomfortable, testing her resolve, her strength, her… 'mask', as he would call it.
Perhaps this was his strategy for her.
It was all just a game to him.
Bane wanted to break her, remove her mask, as he had the Batman's.
And he had calculated that after his recent impressive display of strength, that she may be rattled more than ever.
Bane remained silent, eyes piercing hers.
Ebony's fear and concern turned to annoyance.
The best course of action was to remove herself from the current situation.
As quickly as possible, before she said or did anything to 'provoke' him futher.
'Well then… I thank you greatly for your generous hospitality… but I must be going.' Ebony said as she slipped underneath Bane's muscular arm boxing her in.
Moving quickly, Ebony put as much space between her and the masked man as possible.
Bane watched Ebony quickly scurry away and out of sight upstairs.
Surprisingly, he let her walk.
If he wanted to, she had no doubt he could have kept her there… forcefully.
So he had just been toying with her after all.
Testing her reaction, perhaps.
She wouldn't fall for it again.
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Autumn leaves swirled and a large bird cawed nearby as Detective Blake knocked on the massive gothic doors of Wayne Manor.
It seemed that no one was home.
Not Bruce Wayne.
Not even Alfred.
After not seeing Wayne for days, his concern for his billionaire friend was growing.
Perhaps Wayne had found Bane without him and got himself into trouble...
Blake went to the last place he had seen Wayne.
Where he had dropped him off in Old Town.
Sitting in the patrol car, trying to figure out why Wayne would come here, he spotted someone of interest.
It seemed Selina Kyle was heading out.
Out of town, that is.
To the airport to be exact.
But Blake caught up with her before she could leave.
'Why would you run? You can't hide with a record like this.' Blake questioned her.
'Maybe it's not you I'm running from.' Selina replied.
'Who then, Bane?' Blake pressed. 'What do you know about him?'
'That you should be as afraid of him as I am.' She said.
'We can offer you protection.' Blake said.
Selina just gave him a look of utter ridicule.
He couldn't blame her.
He knew the GCPD had it's flaws… it's corrupt cops.
Blake stood to leave.
'When I spotted you, I was looking for a friend of mine. Bruce Wayne…. Did they kill him?' He asked.
Selina looked him in the eye.
'I'm not sure.' She replied.
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Days passed and Ebony had avoided Bane for the time being, spending as little time underground as possible when she made her reports.
She didn't know what rattled her more.
Bane's show of physical power or the mental hold that he seemed to be gaining over her.
His amplified voice remained on a continuous loop in her head.
Danger is merely a distraction from your pain….
Do I… distract you from your pain, Ms Black….?
Having taken Wayne thousands of miles away back to his 'home' The Pit, Ebony had no idea that Bane had boarded a small plane out of Gotham with a few of his men.
Barsad kept everything running seamlessly in his absence.
Who knows what Bane had in store for Gotham, but with all of Barsad's hints, Ebony had a sinking feeling there would be some serious changes coming and not for the best.
Ebony had to admit though, that there was something about Bane that intrigued her.
Something pulled her towards him whilst every bone in her body screamed to run.
Bane had an air of confidence and control that was nothing like she had ever come across before.
Was there any truth in what he had said?
Did he want her?
Did she… want him?
But, not knowing how she felt about everything going on, Ebony wished everything to go back to the way they were, before the night she had ventured into the sewers.
Ignorance was bliss.
Just like his, her mask was staying on.
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Ebony had just finished getting dressed after a shower when she walked into the kitchen to see Barsad sitting on her sofa once more.
'Jesus H. Christ!' Ebony exclaimed, startled, stopping in her tracks.
'No, just me.' Barsad replied quietly.
He was a comedian now too, apparently.
'Seriously, you could knock...' Ebony said, annoyed.
She hated him just popping up unexpectedly like this.
'I would let you in…. probably...' She started.
Barsad said nothing.
'…and lucky I'm dressed.' She added, thinking that she would never walk around her own house in just her underwear ever again.
'Lucky for whom?' Barsad threw back at her.
Ebony shot him a look, unimpressed.
It was always the quiet ones…
'Make yourself at home.' She said sarcastically, gesturing with her arm.
He already had.
'Perhaps I should just get you a key.' Ebony commented dryly.
Barsad said nothing.
Maybe he already had one.
'Well, what do you want? Does Bane want to see me again?' Ebony pressed him.
'You have been avoiding him.' Barsad said quietly.
'You could say that.' Ebony replied.
'Why?' Barsad enquired.
'He thinks I belong to him.' She added. 'He is joking… right?'
'Bane does not joke.' Barsad replied seriously. 'If I were you, I would take it as a compliment.'
Great. A… compliment.
Barsad paused in thought.
'And you… do not want to be… his?' He enquired politely.
Ebony replied silently with an evil look.
Was this guy for real? Definitely a wingman…
She didn't want to be anyone's.
She liked her independence too much.
'After watching what he did to the Batman with his bare hands... I can't say I want to be anywhere near him.' Ebony started.
Although she wasn't sure if that was entirely true.
'Besides, I have no doubt that if Bane truly wanted something, he would take it, without hesitation or negotiation.' Ebony replied.
'Yes… and no... ' Barsad said.
'Not everything can be… acquired by force.'
Barsad hesitated, before elaborating, telling Ebony about Bane's dark and violent past.
The hardships Bane endured in the Pit and how they both trained at The League of Shadows.
It seemed that Barsad had the deepest respect for the big man and they were very close after working together under dangerous circumstances for so many years.
'There are… many things that you do not know about him, but let me tell you this. Although Bane has had many women in the past… he has only ever loved one.' Barsad said.
Love and Bane were not two words Ebony thought she would ever hear in the same sentence.
More like death and Bane… torture and Bane… pain and… Bane.
The last one had a nice ring to it.
Barsad continued…
'Although this love endured for many years, it was always one sided, never acknowledged or returned. I have seen the toll that has taken on him, yet he would never admit to it.' Barsad said sadly.
Ebony listened, intently as Barsad went on.
Why was he even telling her this?
'But… I have sensed a shift in him recently, an occurrence I never thought I would see. Especially now, with what is to come after years of preparation. Nevertheless, something has changed. Something completely unforeseen, unplanned...' Barsad said, pausing.
He eyed Ebony, wondering if he should tell her.
Ebony waited for Barsad to elaborate further.
Growing impatient she asked, 'Well… what? What is it?'
'You. That something… is… you.' Barsad said.
Replying with an annoyed scoff, Ebony wouldn't hear it, shaking her head.
This was getting way too deep.
This is Bane they were talking about.
'You are clearly mistaken. Bane is not interested in anything except conquering Gotham for all I know. He just enjoys testing me, toying with me. Like a cat playing with his prey before he eats it...' She spat, continuing.
'Besides, he told me he would kill me if I were of no further use.' Ebony added.
Well, he hadn't exactly said those words, but it was always implied.
Barsad shook his head.
'The fact alone that you know as much as you do, and are still alive, speaks his approval of you.' Barsad continued.
Ebony raised an eyebrow.
Great. Whatever that means…
'And… let's just say that you can rest assure that the intruders that attacked you in your apartment will not be making another appearance.' Barsad added.
Ebony's eyes widened.
Well that was interesting…
Did Bane kill them?
'Think about it…' Barsad started, 'you and him are not all that different.'
Ebony's face displayed her obvious disapproval on that front.
'Really.' Ebony replied sarcastically.
'And how do you figure that?' She asked, unimpressed to be compared to a powerful mercenary leader of an underground army that was planning something bad for Gotham City.
'Well, it is quite obvious actually. You both live with pain. Bane controls his through his mask. So have you, in a sense.' Barsad continued.
All this talk of 'masks' and 'pain' was making her uncomfortable again.
Not ready for another deep and meaningful conversation, Ebony shook her head.
She decided it was time to change the subject.
'So… why are you here anyway?' Ebony asked abruptly.
'Surely it isn't to tell me the history of Bane's love life… or lack of one.' She said dryly.
'No, it wasn't.' Barsad chuckled quietly before continuing.
'There will be some… disruptions to the city tomorrow.'
'What… disruptions?' Ebony said curiously, worried.
Obviously, The League had something to do with this…
'Pack a bag and go to this address before 15:00 hours tomorrow. His orders.' Barsad said seriously, leaving a piece of folded paper on the coffee table.
'Why… what is there?' Ebony asked warily.
'It is a safehouse. One of many we have in the city. The guards will let you in.' Barsad replied.
Ebony was surprized that he was telling her this.
'And why would I want to leave my own little piece of paradise to go there…?' Ebony asked defensively, but with growing concern.
'You will find out soon enough. Just be grateful Bane has permitted you this information.' Barsad replied.
Ebony remained silent, not giving any indication of a decision either way.
After Barsad had left, Ebony looked at the piece of paper.
The address was for a hotel in the upper east end of the city.
What was all this about?
She could tell Blake, but then would that risk his life?
Yep, probably not a good idea…
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The next day, Ebony sat crosslegged on her sofa
Tick….tock
She glanced at the clock.
It was 1pm.
If she were to leave, she should do it soon.
She fidgeted nervously.
Tick… tock…
2pm.
Should she stay or… go….?