Diana awoke to the delicious smell of bacon and coffee. She peeked one eye open and groaned when sunlight starting to burn through the canvas tent. She rolled over, trying to shield her eyes from the increasing glare while finding a comfortable position on the hard tent floor. Unsuccessful with either effort, she finally gave up when her stomach grumbled, demanding food. She sat up, careful to keep her covers pinned tightly to her chest then listened for sounds of activity around the campsite. Per her usual custom she'd slept naked under the wool blankets Bruce had procured for them as her armor was uncomfortable to wear in bed. She heard a clink of metal on metal from the direction of the campfire and surmised one of her teammates had gotten a head start on the day. Warily, she spied the dress Bruce had given her hanging from the tent pole at the opposite end of the tent, then opted to pull on a pair of denims and flannel shirt she'd stolen from the parcel Bruce had bought himself. Her only choice for footwear besides the blue shoes that matched the dress were her red boots, so she pulled them on, stuffing them underneath the oversized pants, which she hitched up with a leather strap.
The top of the tent was only four feet tall. She made her way out of the tent crawling on all fours. Once clear, Diana rose up to her full six-foot height. Bruce was crouching next to the campfire, tending to breakfast. He had his back to her but turned at the sound of her approach.
"Coffee?" he asked, pointing to the pot hanging over the fire. Bruce had rigged it to hang from the spit crosspiece via a piece jumpline he'd cut from his utility belt. She raised an eyebrow whether his use of Batman's gadgets constituted a violation of the no powers rule but opted to remain quiet, knowing he'd rationalize it somehow.
"Not yet," she replied, shifting back and forth on her feet uneasily. "I have to pee first."
Bruce did a double-take to make sure he'd heard her correctly then grinned after her. She made her way towards a grove of trees which seemed to offer at least a hint of privacy from prying eyes. She returned a minute later, now relieved of the pressure of a full bladder. Diana gratefully accepted a mug of coffee from him then she nodded to the men's tent. "Lantern still asleep?"
"He's out cold." Bruce replied. "How'd you sleep?"
"Fine until you started snoring," She whispered with a hint of reproach. "You didn't tell me you snored."
"You didn't ask." He deadpanned. "Are you sure it was me?"
"I heard Lantern mumbling something about Shayera in his sleep and there was snoring in the background so it wasn't hard to figure out. The canvas doesn't block much out, including sunlight."
"And people say I'm the detective." He grinned, then handed her a piece of bacon along with a plate of biscuits and gravy.
"When did you have time to make this?" she asked incredulously. "Let me guess. You keep breakfast warm in your utility belt."
"Woke up awhile before sunrise." He replied somewhat defensively. He looked at her, trying to determine if she was making game of him since some newly recruited Leaguers had recently approached him with some really ridiculous ideas for gadgets in his belt, as if something the size of a Thanagarian energy mace would just fit right into a spare compartment. "I don't sleep much. Thought I might as well get a head start on our day."
Diana sat down on the log then propped her plate on her lap. She cautiously dipped a small piece of the biscuit in the gravy then took a bite. Her eyes glowed with delight. She took a few quick bites then swallowed it so she could talk. "Bruce, this is fantastic. Where did you learn to cook like this?"
"Did some survival training when I was younger," he started. His face lightened for a moment as he reflected on an obviously pleasant memory. "One summer when I was fifteen Alfred paid a guide in Colorado to teach me how to live off the land. Comparatively speaking, this was pretty easy."
They stared at each other for a moment, then Diana's face got more serious. She looked down at her feet, trying to think of something to say, then stared at him uncomfortably, "About last night…"
"Any coffee left in that pot?" a voice interrupted from the tent. They looked over and saw John peeking his head out, still rubbing sleep from his eyes. Diana scowled a moment, frustrated her attempt to broach this topic with Bruce down was interrupted yet again.
Stiffly, John raised himself from the tent, stretching out as he walked towards the campfire. "Man, I can't remember the last time I slept in a tent. Had to be in Kuwait in 91'."
"Recon group?" Bruce asked over his mug, handing over a freshly poured mug to a grateful teammate at the same time.
"Yeah," John admitted, searching his memory. "Come to think of it, I was with Recon then. A few pounds lighter and some younger back muscles sure made it a lot easier to sleep on the dirt. I've gone soft in the Lantern Corps."
"Soft is hardly the word I'd use to describe you." Diana commented dryly, looking at her teammate's chiseled frame, then handed him a plate of breakfast.
"You make this?" John asked in surprise, munching on some bacon.
"Don't thank me. Thank Bruce." She replied. "He's the man of many talents."
"Whatever." Bruce dismissed the compliment quickly. He dumped the last of his coffee on the ground with a quick flick of the wrist. "Let's get fed and break camp ASAP. I want to get into town before the banks open."
Breaking camp was relatively easy although loading up the horses turned out to be a chore. Diana volunteered to water and feed the horses while the men struck down the tents. While she'd grown up on Themyscira riding her Arabian mare bareback, it only took her a matter of moments to learn how to saddle the horses and get them to accept the bit for their reins. The problem came when they needed to load up their uniforms along with tents, food and other equipment Bruce had purchased the day before, in addition to the two foot cubic metal box which contained Booster Gold's time machine.
John and Diana loaded up their horses but neither had much experience with the equipment nor the proper way to rig the horses. Bruce warily watched their attempts to secure their equipment, then noticing that both horses were beginning to resemble a pack rat's delight, he set his jaw in such a fashion that both Diana and John knew better than to argue with him. They backed away and allowed him to handle it, knowing since he was a control freak anyway he'd probably re-pack it even if they had done a good job the first time. He set to work untying their handiwork then re-loaded their horses properly.
Fifteen minutes later they were on their way into town. They rode their horses single file down the same path Bruce had taken into Coloma the day before. Once they'd reached a clearing wide enough to comfortably accommodate their horses next to each other, Bruce turned in his saddle and motioned his teammates to bring their mounts next to him.
"We're about ten minutes from the town." He started, then focused his attention on John. "Lantern, this isn't going to be easy, but if we're going to be successful in this mission then you're going to have to act as our bodyguard. I'm honestly not sure if they'll let black people stay in the hotel. Expect a rude reception but don't lose your head, whatever the outcome."
"Got it." John replied, then gave his teammate a reassuring shake with his head. "Don't worry about me."
Bruce considered his teammate for a moment before focusing on Diana. "I introduced myself as John Wayne to the townspeople yesterday when I said we'd been held up. Also said I had a wife and a servant. You're still Diana but if anyone asks then tell them you're my wife."
She considered the information silently, working her jaw in a way that showed she was irritated with his proposal (especially in light of his reluctance to clarify their romantic status). "If I'm your wife, where's my ring?" she asked, reluctant to play the role of kept woman. "Won't people ask?"
"Got stolen yesterday by the bandits. I'll buy you another one." Bruce replied brusquely. "Let's keep it simple. Our cover is that we're from Gotham but decided to seek our fortune out here with the Gold Rush. We came on a Clipper ship called the Sea Witch from Baltimore to San Francisco around Cape Horn, got outfitted there and made our way to Coloma until we were held up by four bandits yesterday morning. Two bandits were young white guys and two looked to be Mexican. General descriptions if anybody asks: medium height, medium build, brown hair, brown eyes, all wearing blue or red bandanas over their faces so we couldn't see them. I don't want people trying to organize a search party on our account. It might tip Chronos off something's amiss. Just keep it simple. We'll check into the hotel, get our rooms then deposit some of our money at the bank. We'll scout that then see if we can learn anything about the gold wagons which head back to San Francisco. Don't be obvious but keep your eyes and your ears open. Any questions?"
"You couldn't tell us this last night why?" John asked sarcastically.
"I didn't want to keep you awake all night rehearsing your lines." Bruce replied with equal sarcasm, then clicked his tongue twice to get his roan moving. As his horse moved forward, Diana detected an immediate change in his persona as the Bat retreated behind the vapid grin of Bruce Wayne.
John and Diana hesitated in their saddles a moment before starting down the path after their teammate. "Rehearsing my lines?" John asked rhetorically. "Who does he think he is?"
"John Wayne." Diana called over her shoulder, then spurred her horse forwards to catch up with Bruce.
Their arrival in Coloma excited little if any initial comment. That changed once the men in town got a glimpse of Diana. Most of the townspeople who'd seen Bruce the previous day didn't recognize him as he was now outfitted with a large black cowboy hat. There weren't many Negroes in town but John's race didn't really constitute a newsworthy event, just a few double-takes from some of the Southern-born townspeople who stared. John felt their stares on him but detected no indication they would provoke a confrontation.
Diana was a different story.
She was wearing the royal blue dress, hat, gloves and parasol, having put on the dress after they'd broken down most of their camp with the exception of her tent. Ordinarily in their everyday lives as Leaguers in the 21st Century, Diana's staggering beauty caused some commotion. In a town where the ratio of men to women was more than 12 to 1, her arrival was celebrated as something of godsend. Dirty miners waiting in line for breakfast at one of the restaurants caught sight of her then started following their horses down the street like a group of lemmings racing to throw themselves off the cliff. The crowd started with a group of ten miners but by the time they'd reached the Milner Hotel and tethered their horses, the crowd had swelled to over 150 men, all of them clamoring for her attention.
Bruce dismounted from his horse, tethered it and the pack mule to the railing then held his hand up to Diana. She nodded politely at his gentlemanly gesture, then allowed him to assist her dismount from her mare. Diana placed her hands on his shoulders as he lifted her down, hands settling around her ribcage to support her weight. Still tight in his grasp when she reached the sidewalk, Diana smiled meekly as the crowd surged forward to get a better look at her. John was barely able to find a space clear from which to dismount from his horse then he joined them on the steps leading to the hotel.
"Hey Mister!" an anonymous voice called out from the crowd. "1,000 dollars for your wife!"
"I ain't never seen a woman that tall!" Another one yelled. "How long's it take to shave them legs?"
The crowd roared at the innuendo then an informal auction broke out amongst the miners, peaking a minute later with a bid of $10,000 as Diana and her cohorts looked on in shock.
Annoyed by the attention, Bruce finally raised his arms to quiet the crowd, yelling out, "I wouldn't sell her for all the tea in China!" then shocked both her and John by enveloping her in a passionate kiss. The crowd roared and egged on by their cheers, Bruce leaned her back a bit, eventually dipping her to give the crowd a good show. Her leg actually came off the ground, thigh purposefully rubbing on his as he supported both of them easily. He finally broke off the kiss a minute later, raising her shocked figure back to an upright position next to him. Bruce maintained his arm protectively curled around her waist, pressing her into him. Despite the confines of the dress, her breasts were enjoying the pressure of his body against hers. She stole a quick opportunity to tease him, surreptitiously pressing her breast against his chest while pretending the contact was incidental. The crowd lustily cheered the two of them once more then satisfied that she wasn't for sale, dispersed to head back to another long day of working in the mines.
Bruce cocked his eyebrow then gave her a sultry grin she'd seen months before when they fled from the Thanagarians.
"Sorry" he whispered, then led them through the doorway where a clerk was waiting behind a desk.
"Don't be." Diana whispered back with a smirk as they relived a private joke. She nodded surreptitiously as if to show that she understood it was part of the act however her heart was racing for the second time in as many days. Diana was sure her face was flushed with the heat of their kiss and turned away from him, as if to inspect the architecture of the hotel. She took a deep breath then followed him into the hotel in a semi-daze while John trailed behind them.
"Help you folks?" the clerk asked helpfully.
"My name is Wayne…John Wayne. I require two rooms." Bruce started warmly but with a hint of aristocracy evident in his manner. He raised up to his full height, a physical display intended to demonstrate he wasn't a man to be trifled with. "One for me and the missus and the second for my valet, Mr. Stewart."
"I'm afraid we don't allow Negroes in the hotel." The man apologized.
Bruce nodded smugly as if he'd heard the message before then slipped the man a $10 bill. Nodding to the clerk's nameplate on the table, "Tom is it?" The man nodded in reply. "Tom, would this help ease the rules a bit? I'm afraid Mr. Stewart isn't allowed to leave our company. I'm somewhat wealthy and having my security guard stay in a different hotel defeats the whole purpose of paying him to protect us."
"Two rooms you said?" the man replied with a wink, surreptitiously pocketing the money. "Just so happens I have two rooms on the second floor. 2B and 2D. They're across the hallway from each other. Would that serve your needs?"
"Splendidly." Bruce replied with a vapid grin, then slipped the man another $10 bill. "Three more things. First, I need the horses stabled and fed..."
"Done." The clerk replied, snapping his fingers at a livery boy seated in the corner who bolted out the door a moment later.
"Second, I need our bags delivered upstairs..." The clerk snapped his fingers again and the bellman strode out behind them, "…and thirdly I need directions to the largest bank in town. I have a large amount of money to deposit."
"That would be the Wells Fargo branch at Third and Main." The clerk replied helpfully. "They handle almost all of the dust and nuggets the miners bring up from the shafts then take it to San Francisco. Best security around here if you're making a deposit."
"Who would be in charge of security?" Diana asked, then was surprised when she felt Bruce stealthily pinch her arm, a clear signal to remain quiet.
"Kit Carson." The clerk replied with a frown, surprised that a woman would be asking such a question.
"The Kit Carson?" Bruce asked disarmingly. "I thought he was a woodsman. That's what the papers back East say anyhows."
"They hired him a few months back after he drove in a herd of longhorns all the way from Amarillo." The clerk replied with touch of awe in his voice. "Word was Mr. Fargo thought security was getting a little lax with some of the gold wagons so they hired Mr. Carson. He runs a pretty tight ship now."
"I'll have to look him up." Bruce replied, then grabbed the two keys from the clerk's outstretched hands. He gave one key to John then slipped his own hand into Diana's gloved hand before leading her to the staircase. She gamely played the part, biding him until they were up in their room a minute later. As soon as Bruce closed the door she started to protest but he put his fingers over his lips, pleading for her to maintain her silence a moment longer. She acquiesced again, eyes flashing in anger, then impatiently waited in a chair by the window. A bellman knocked on the door a moment later then four of his counterparts brought the rest of their baggage into the room. Bruce motioned for them to set the bags in the corner, tipped the four of them, then closed the door behind them. His expression changed from vapid playboy back to the Bat, then he pulled up a chair across from Diana.
"Sorry about the pinch," he began, but his voice betrayed no real feeling of sincerity. "But this is an unusual mission. Women in this age weren't treated very well nor were they expected to be heard regarding matters of business. I know you may not like it but if we're going to keep a low profile then you're going to have to play the role." Seeing that she wasn't mollified, he tried a different tack. "I told you my parents were murdered by a punk with a gun, right?" She nodded, remembering her surprise when during the flight home from the Fortress of Solitude, Bruce had confessed his heart's desire to her in the aftermath of their confrontation with Mongol.
"Look at me," he began, motioning to the holstered gun hanging from his belt. "I'm wearing a gun to fit in with the expectations of this society. It's not loaded but wearing it goes against everything I've fought for since my parents were killed. It's a role I have to play in order for this mission to be successful. That's the reason I kissed you in front of that crowd. If I didn't, you'd be spending the rest of the day turning down advances."
"I thought you kissed me because you liked it." Diana said, a flash of defiance visible in her eyes when he rationalized an ulterior motive for toying with her emotions.
He considered her point but was interrupted by Lantern's knock on the door. Shrugging his shoulders sheepishly, he pulled the door open a moment later and their teammate strode into the room, asking, "Ready to make a deposit?"
"He's ready." Diana replied sweetly to Lantern, then turned a stern face back to Bruce. "But you and I are going to have a little conversation when you get back."
The walk to Wells Fargo was only two blocks but John decided to use the time to his best advantage to needle his teammate. "So, do you think we have a future on the karaoke circuit?"
"Don't quit your day job." Bruce advised dryly.
"Never thought I'd see the day when you lightened up enough to sing campfire songs or make-out with Diana in front of 100 strangers." John replied, a serious look overtaking his mirth. "Say what you want about not being a people person and all, but I think being in the League, or more likely being around Diana, has done you good. You should spend more time with her. The change might do you even better."
Bruce countenance changed immediately and John could almost feel the tension radiate from his teammate, who stopped and looked him dead in the eye. "Thanks for the advice, John, but give is a rest. Think about it…'The change' might get me killed. There is no place in Batman's life for a complication like Diana."
John wasn't about to back down from his teammate, no matter how intimidating he tried to be. He was a Marine after all. "Look, all I'm saying is that she's obviously interested. If any other Leaguer tried to stick their tongue down her throat she would have broken their jaw, regardless of the mission."
"I'll try to keep that in mind." Bruce replied as they arrived at the bank branch. "Let's get back to business, shall we?"
An hour later the two men returned to the hotel room. Diana opened the door then closed it behind them once they gained entry. Locking it to ensure they wouldn't have any unannounced guests eavesdropping on them, she turned back to them. "Please tell me we're going out now. I don't want to be shut in all day long."
"We have a lunch with Kit Carson at Beringer's in fifteen minutes." Bruce announced.
"How did you arrange that?"
"First I put $1,000 on deposit with the manager to pique his interest. Then told him I was part of the Wayne family from Gotham. He immediately offered me a line of credit for $10,000." Bruce replied, remembering the man's nervous energy when he learned he was dealing with a scion of a wealthy east-coast family. "I also intimated that I might be interested in making a substantial equity investment in his bank but given my concern about the bank's security I would have to do some due diligence to take care of my investment. Naturally greedy, he offered to set up lunch with the head of security."
"What's your plan?" John asked, still of unsure how his teammate was playing this role.
"I think we should give Carson a general description of Chronos as the guy who robbed us. It corroborates our story of being robbed while providing us with motivation to doing a ride-along on their coaches if we can talk them into it."
The walk to Beringer's turned into another spectacle as Diana managed to attract another large crowd of admirers. Another impromptu round of bidding for her broke out while they walked.
"She's like a rock star." John whispered to Bruce.
"It's going to blow our cover." Bruce hissed back, visibly annoyed at the commotion.
"Sorry." Diana whispered modestly as they entered the restaurant. The maitre'd sat them in the corner while John stood behind them, malevolently glaring at any other patrons who spied a glance in their direction. Bruce and Diana ordered some tea then waited for Carson. Curious, Diana pulled back the curtain to peek at the throng of admirers. As soon as they saw her face in the window, the crowd spontaneously erupted with a round of cheers. Mortified, she pulled the curtains back tight then turned her attention to a man in his mid-forties making his away across the room to their table. He was dressed in an overcoat fashionable with his fellow outdoorsman. He wasn't particularly handsome but carried himself with a confidence Diana found attractive. Not waiting for an introduction, he took a seat at the opposite side of the table from Bruce and Diana.
Still strangely silent, he took a hard look at each of them. His gaze lingered on Diana for what felt like an eternity to her. Satisfied with his inspection, he finally introduced himself. "Kit Carson," shaking hands with Bruce. "My manager indicated you wanted to meet me."
"Name is Wayne, John Wayne." Bruce replied with the same smile he'd used to disarm the townspeople the previous day. He nodded to his companions, "My wife Diana."
"Ma'am," Carson tipped his hat politely, then leaned forward towards her. "Forgive my impertinence, especially considering your husband is bigger than some bears I've had to wrestle in a tent or two, but if I may be so bold, may I just say for the record that you are the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen in my life."
Diana was speechless but touched by the direct manner in which the man expressed himself. "Thank you." She replied, sure that any other reply would have ruined the moment.
Bruce furtively stole a glance her way, surprised Carson's compliment was having such an affect on her. He elected to let the man's pass at his "wife" slide for the moment, reasoning that if he played the outraged husband then they would have a more difficult time in securing help to thwart Chronos. He leaned backwards, pointing out John Stewart to Carson, who finally switched his stare away from Diana.
"Mr. Stewart provides security for my family."
"Just the three of you?" Carson inquired.
"That's right." Bruce replied.
"Where you from?"
"Gotham."
"My manager told me about a Wayne family from Gotham that has a reputation of being pretty wealthy." Carson replied. "Which one are you?"
"Thomas Wayne is my father." Bruce replied. "I had a letter of credit from Gold's bank in Gotham, as well as an introduction from its Chairman, Stanley Gold, but unfortunately we were robbed on our way here. I'm considering making an investment in your bank but after our experience, I want a chance to evaluate the operation, especially the security. The fact they've hired such a man as yourself speaks volumes."
"You've heard of me?" Carson asked with surprise.
"You have quite the reputation back East," Bruce replied, continuing to disarm the man with his affable tone. "That being said, I wonder whether we might put some of your security team on the lookout for the men who robbed us."
"Certainly." Carson replied. He turned and waved to a young man who looked no older than twenty to make his way over to the table. The lanky young man ambled over, wearing a two-gun rig which immediately set him out from his peers. "Yessir?"
"Hickok, these people are clients of the bank. Somebody robbed them on their way up from Sacramento. I want you to take down their descriptions in case these bandits get greedy and come after our wagons."
"That wouldn't be Bill Hickok, would it?" John's voice boomed out from behind them. "As in Wild Bill Hickok?"
Hickok eyeballed the stranger who knew his first name, a Negro at that, and suddenly his posture stiffened. His right hand glided downwards to release the leather strap which kept his Colt .45 pistol secure in the holster, then coldly attempted to stare the older man down, "Do I know you, Mister?"
John coolly eyed him in return then showed his palms to Hickok, signifying he wasn't carrying a gun. Not that he hadn't heard people in the Old West weren't capable of shooting an unarmed black man, but he reasoned that it made more sense than any other alternative.
"People say you're one of the best shots they've ever seen, that's all." John replied.
Hickok's eyes narrowed as he considered the compliment, then decided to back down from his aggressive stance, reasoning that he would keep an eye on him in the future. He turned back to Kit Carson, his boss, "You want to get me that description so as I can get it to our men? We've got that big wagon train heading out tomorrow morning after all."
Bruce sat forward in his chair. His 6'3" height and 235-pound bulk was dominating compared to that of either Carson or Hickok. Both of them noticed his piqued interest in the wagon train. "Where's it heading?" he inquired with a disarming smile.
Carson hesitated for a moment about whether the man had a right to hear privileged information then decided his manager's instructions superceded his natural secretive tendencies. Shrugging his shoulders indifferently, he decided to answer the question. "Tomorrow morning, call it 10 a.m. Heads to Sacramento then San Francisco. It's a big one. Probably two tons of ingots divided between four wagons."
"Would it be all right if we rode along with you?" Bruce implored. "At least as far as Sacramento. I have some items I'm going to need to purchase there anyway. I would like to travel with your security so we won't get robbed again."
"Mister Wayne, that sounds fine with me." Carson agreed. "See you in the morning."
After providing a general description of Chronos which left Carson's men scratching their heads, the three of them made their way back to the hotel then headed upstairs. Bruce and John sank into the upholstered chairs by the window while Diana hopped onto the Queen size bed.
"What an interesting man." Diana observed, her expression softening as she remembered his compliment.
"Carson seemed to be quite taken with you as well." Bruce observed nonchalantly, but Diana thought she detected a note of jealousy in his expression.
"Sometimes its refreshing to hear a man say what's on his mind." Diana replied with a hint of reproach. "You should try it sometime."
Bruce glared at her but elected to remain silent.
"Is it dangerous for you to be posing as one of your ancestors?" John asked, deciding the moment was ripe to change the subject.
"My family has been there since 1820. None of my relatives were ever interested in leaving Gotham. I'm the seventh generation to live in the Manor. It's being built right now." Bruce replied. "Even if word does get back to them in six months, they'll denounce me as an imposter and that will be that. It won't do any long term damage."
Diana couldn't argue with his rationale so she decided to keep the conversation moving, knowing that Bruce had a habit of clamming up. "So we wait until tomorrow then prevent Chronos from stealing the gold?" Diana asked helpfully.
"I think I'll keep an eye out for him tonight." Bruce replied as the Bat settled in behind his eyes once again. Even without the cowl his countenance changed dramatically when he mentally made the switch from Bruce to the Bat. "He may just decide robbing the bank at night will be easier."
"I'll take the second shift." Lantern replied. "I didn't sleep that well last night but if I get some sleep from now till midnight then I'll be good to sunup."
"What about me?" Diana asked pointedly. "It's not as if I'm not capable."
"You're more than capable, Diana." Bruce replied, "It's just that you attract more attention than we need already. If somebody sees you up on the roof across from the bank then it's bound to cause a riot."
"If I put my hair up and wear men's clothes…"
"You'll still look like a supermodel with your hair up, just wearing men's clothes instead of that dress." Bruce cut in. "When Chronos makes his move, then we'll need you. Until then, you've got to keep a low profile. You've already got a fan club out there. If Chronos senses something's not quite right, he'll probably move onto his next target. We can't take that risk as I'm only guessing we can track him to his next strike."
Diana opened her mouth to argue the point then realized he had a point. "So room service for me tonight?"
"That would be good." John and Bruce chimed together.
At midnight, Bruce quietly knocked on the door marked "2D". Lantern answered his knock a moment later, looking refreshed from his nap. He motioned Bruce into the room then closed the door behind him, brightening an oil lamp from a dull flame so that they were more than dark shadows in the room.
"Anything going on?" John asked quietly.
"Quiet." Bruce replied, handing over a dark jacket and cap he'd purchased from Bell's store earlier in the evening, as well as a pair of night vision goggles he'd pulled out of his utility belt and a palm sized disk taken from The Clock King. "There's a good vantage point from the top of the hardware store. Nobody should be able to see you and it covers the back entrance. Even if Chronos manages to materialize inside the bank, the sensors on that device will tell you he's here."
"Got it." Lantern replied, pulling on the cap and jacket then he nodded to his bed in the corner. "You going to crash there or in your room?"
"I'll grab a change of clothes first." Bruce replied looking at some tar on the jeans he was wearing. "But this looks fine."
Diana awoke to the sounds of a creaking door opening behind her. She was sleeping on her right side, faced away from the door when it opened. Bruce stealthily crept into the room but she decided to surprise him instead.
"Checking up on me I see." She playfully whispered towards his dark form, backlit by a lamp lit down the hallway
Bruce paused for a second then realizing she was awake, closed the door with a solid push. "What are you doing awake?"
"Couldn't sleep." She replied. The room darkened again and his figure was swallowed up in the gloom. There was little if any ambient light in that room and the overcast sky had swallowed up the moonlight again.
"Come over to the bed," she patted the covers next to her. "I won't bite."
"There's a Thanagarian 150 years in the future who'd probably beg to differ." He replied evenly, but did as she asked, sitting on the opposite side of the bed from where she lay.
"I should say that I don't bite unless you want me to," She whispered huskily, searching for his hand. Diana inhaled his scent as he settled onto the bed, a faint trace of him mixed with the soapstone and leather picked up from his new clothes. She finally located his left hand, then turned it over to stroke the palm with her fingertips. They sat in silence for a moment, each contemplating what the next step might mean for them, but neither of them initiated the next move, cautious to a fault. The only thing that stirred in the room was the labored sounds of their breathing. Diana could feel the tension radiating from him like a furnace then he bolted off the bed a moment later when she reached out to him, desiring more of his touch.
"What's wrong?" she asked, frustrated that her advance had been rejected.
"Don't Diana." He muttered darkly.
"Don't what?" She asked, then her voice hardened from her frustration. "It's not like you haven't been pretty forward with me the last day or so. I thought you would at least appreciate the attempt."
"I've just been playing the role according to the requirements of the mission." He insisted, repeating the mantra of the Bat.
"Bruce, you kissed me last night when no one was looking so don't rationalize our mission to me." She reminded him, her frustration fueling a new edge in her voice. "You and I have been through too much together to casually dismiss what's been going on between us as if it were some acting exercise."
She sat up towards him, pulling the covers closer to her chest but not concerned if they revealed her naked form to him. "What are you so afraid of?" she asked softly.
"I'm afraid that you'll make me weak," he whispered, turning to her. The anguish on his face was evident even in the darkness of their room. "The journey back in time was a perfect illustration that I'm not one of you."
"Your mortality is the last thing that I'm worried about." She replied.
"That's ironic." He snapped back. "Considering that you're immortal, I would think you would be more concerned for my well being."
"That's not what I meant and you know it," she argued forcefully. Wearily she leaned back on her pillows, searching for the right words to express herself. "There are some valid reasons I might accept for us not pursuing a relationship, but your mortality is not one of them. There are no guaranties for either of us. My immortality is no guaranty of a long future. Mongol almost killed me in the Fortress last month. That doesn't mean I don't want us to take the chance to care for each other."
"Then that's the difference between you and me," Bruce replied, reaching for the door in two quick strides. "Because I'm not willing to take that chance."
"Then stop playing with my emotions." Diana yelled at his back, louder than she'd intended as he paused in the doorway. "I don't want to play this game anymore Bruce. If you walk out that door now, you'll be walking away from my last attempt to get through that thick head of yours. It's your choice."
Bruce contemplated her message silently in the doorway for a full minute, weighing her words. Diana didn't breath once as he stood there, then choked back a sob when he closed the door behind him, leaving her in the darkness.