Book Three : Siege

Chapter 29

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The Batman had to come back. He must. That was the plan.

The following morning I was discharged from the hospital. While Gordon had to remain in observation. He was still in bad shape. I had seen briefly. He had an oxygen mask and slept on his side. He could barely talk without losing consciousness. I knew he would get better. But it didn't make me feel any better. I knew what was coming and I did nothing to lower the blow. No, I watched as it happened. I was hating myself for it. How could I just stand there while my family suffered? I hated that. I had no choice, though. The events had to unfold the way they were supposed to. This way we had the upper hand on Bane and Talia 'al Ghul. We didn't want to lose this advantage.

"It's good to see the suit again." I said as I came down the stairs.

The suit was still in its case. It had been a long time since I last saw it. Bruce stood in front of it, staring at it.

"Alfred is afraid that I would want to fail." Bruce said as I came to stand by his side.

"He loves you." I replied. "He only wants you to be safe."

"I know." Bruce turned away from the suit. "But I have to go back out there. If Bane is as dangerous as you say he is, then the city needs me."

"I know." I sighed. "But be careful." I turned to him.

"I will." He kissed my forehead.

I wanted to be there when everything would truly start. I needed to get back out there. If the Bat was going out there today, then so would the Detective. Just like Bruce, I put on my suit. A white buttoned up shirt, my leather jacket, blue jeans and my dark boots. And with my badge around my neck and my gun in its holster, I left the mansion. And drove to the Stock exchange building downtown.

"Rookie, aren't you supposed to be resting?" Stephens asked me as soon as I walked up to him.

"I've rested enough." I countered. "What's the situation?"

"You gotta get in there!" The chief of security ran up to Foley.

"This is a hostage situation." Foley replied dismissively.

"No, this is a robbery." The chief retorted. "They have direct access to the online trading desk."

"That's the situation." Stephens quietly said to me.

"Yeah," I turned towards Foley.

"I'm not risking my men for your money." I heard Foley said.

I turned back to the Gotham stock exchange building. I could only imagine how the hostages were feeling inside. I had faced him once. Bane was massive and he was a brute. His mask only contributed in rendering him more impressive. More frightening. His deep and gravelly voice, his movement, his speed. Bane was vicious.

The barriers were being raised. Snipers were positioning themselves on the rooftops. They had cut the fiber and they were now taking care of the cell tower. It was an attempt to slow them down but I knew it wouldn't work. It would only take them eight minutes to steal Bruce Wayne's money.

Gunshots were heard. Stephens and I stood together, we pulled out our guns and waited. The doors to the Gotham stock exchange opened and the hostages with their hands up, slowly walked out. Some of the hostages in the back cried out in fear. The rest of them scattered away and fled from the scene, as four bikes sped out of the building. Among those riders was Bane.

They had taken four hostages with them. Foley ordered us to hold our fires as they fled. Two of the hostages were thrown on the side of the streets. Stephens and I got in a patrol car and chased after them. The outcome wouldn't be changed from me taking action. It was my job to protect and serve. And so far, my presence had not yet interfered with the events.

"What the hell?" Stephens muttered looking in the rearview.

"What?" I turned to him quickly.

"Something's wrong with the lights." Stephens answered.

There was a sudden blackout in the tunnels and our car died down. I recognized the gentle humming of the Dark Knight's bike. I couldn't help the grin that split my face in two.

"This just got interesting." Stephens grinned as widely as I was.

Stephens was one of those rare people who knew the truth about the Batman. I didn't mean his true identity but the truth about him being innocent. Stephens knew about what really happened on that night eight years ago. He had kept the secret like the rest of us and he had done it dutifully.

Batman took down one of the bikers. Two patrol cars had stopped to apprehend the suspect and take care of the hostage. I didn't stop the car. This time I followed the Bat.

"One bike's pulled off, no hostage. Should we pursue?" Bane drove past us as the words came on the radio.

"Negative. Stay on the Batman." Foley ordered the patrols.

Bane was getting away. He could have been stopped right there and then. Even in the movie, if Foley had not been obsessed with capturing Batman. This could have been stopped earlier. I supposed that at the time, believing the lies that were told, it was only expected that he would go after the Batman. The murderer that killed Harvey Dent. But I knew the truth. I could take the car and chase after Bane. I considered it for a moment. However, that wasn't the plan. And if I did that, it would just change the outcome. And that wasn't a risk I was willing to take.

We quickly changed target. We went from chasing Bane and his men to chasing the Batman. The Dark Knight disappeared in a dark alley as he was surrounded by all the police cars there was in town.

"Like a rat in a trap, gentlemen." Foley said proudly. An officer handed him a megaphone, he was about to speak but was blinded by the light that came from the alley.

"You might have the wrong animal there, sir." An officer next to us commented.

The wind picked up as the hovercraft flew over their heads. The Batman had escaped them. "Good to have him back, uh?" I whispered to Stephens.

"You don't say." He smirked back at me.

It was official. After eight years of hiding, the Batman had returned. Of course, his return had drawn the police off of Bane. Bane and especially Talia knew what they were doing. They knew exactly what to do to draw the Bat out of his cave. Of course, the real reason the Batman was out there, was because I told him what would go down. But still, they knew what to do to draw him out of hiding. Plus, this was a plan that had been hatched months ago, probably years ago.

Bruce knew what their plan was. And the show he put on tonight was only for them. He let them believe they still lead the game. Although, I was hoping that he wouldn't be sent into the pit. I was hoping that we would find a way to avoid the Siege. That we would stop Bane and Miranda before any of those events took place.

"Oh, Alfred?" I was walking up the stairs.

"Good evening, Miss Sanders." Alfred nodded at me.

"I thought you'd be asleep by now." I smiled at him. But the Butler did not smile back. "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid that Master Wayne and yourself aren't working towards the same goal." Alfred said.

"What do you mean?"

"You gave him the tools he needed to defeat Bane and yet, he had not seek any help." Alfred continued. "On the contrary, he persists on following the course he was set on." I remained quiet. "He sees only one end to his journey."

"That's not true." I protested. "He knows there's a life for him out there. And we do have a plan."

"Is it me you are trying to convince, Detective? Or yourself?"

"Alfred."

"I will not bury another member of the Wayne's family."

"So, you're leaving." I stated. "I did not expect that." I scoffed.

"I hope you understand, Detective." Alfred said.

"I do." I nodded. "I was just hoping you would stay with us—I would love to promise you that he won't—but—"

"No one can't make that promise." Alfred smiled.

"Is there anything I can say to make you stay?"

"I'm afraid not."

"I'm going to miss you, Alfred." My eyes welled up with tears.

"I will miss you, Miss Emma." I hugged him. "I trust you will look after him."

"Of course." I pulled away.

I watched his back as Alfred walked out of the mansion. I naively thought because he knew what would happen in the future, he would stay. Maybe that was the problem. Knowing what was to come and seeing how Bruce dealt with it, frightened him more than anything. Knowing was worse than not knowing.

"Do you see only one end to this?" I asked Bruce softly while we were in bed. "Do you think you're gonna die?"

"No." He replied.

"Alfred seemed to believe so."

Bruce turned on his side. "Do you believe it?"

I turned on my side to face him. "I know there's a life beyond Batman for you. I know you want one." I sighed. "It's just—I want this to work, I want you to stay alive."

"I know." Bruce pecked my lips. He pulled me closer, my head was now resting on his chest.

Hopefully, it would all be over soon. He trained during those last eight months, he knew how to take Bane down. He would be able to resist the man, maybe even be able to take him down. I hoped for it at least. But Alfred's words stuck with me. He only sees one end to his journey. Bruce was willing to fight, I knew that. And yet, Alfred's words rang true.

"So, the Batman has returned." Rachel sat on my desk and handed me a cup of fresh coffee.

"Yes, he has." I nodded at her. "Foley wasn't too happy about it."

"Why now?" She asked me.

"Bane." I simply said. "A few nights ago, Gordon and I had the honor to meet him in the sewers."

"What's so important about this Bane?" Rachel asked me.

"The man has a small army in those sewers." I told her. "I've seen it with my own eyes, Rachel. Now more than ever Gotham needs the Batman. That's why."

"You're terrified of this Bane, aren't you? I can see it." Rachel said.

"Yeah, he terrifies me."

Right this moment, Bruce was showing the reactor to Miranda before the board meeting. Soon, Wayne Enterprises would be in her hands. Soon, he would meet up with Bane and this would end. That was why he trained up for eight months. He would not go into the pit and Gotham would not be under siege. Nonetheless, I felt as though we were running out of time. That no matter what had been done, things would just do they way they were supposed to. But I knew it was different this time. We were going to change everything. And yet, there was a rock in my stomach. A fear that gripped my heart, that made it hard to breathe. It terrified me to lose him. I was starting to regret telling him everything.

"Can we help you, officer?" Foley asked Blake as he walked into Gordon's hospital room.

"Uh, yeah." He answered. "John Daggett's body was just found in a dumpster about an hour ago. Thought you might want to know."

"Why?" Gordon asked as he took the files Blake handed him.

"Well, his name's all over these permits I just pulled to, uh, map the tunnels under Gotham." Blake answered. "That's MTA maintenance, uh, sewer construction, couple of other things."

"Where did you get to with the tunnel searches?" Gordon turned to Foley.

"He's more worried about capturing the Batman than searching the tunnels." I commented.

"Remind me to tell detail to keep hotheads out." Foley looked between Blake and me. "We've had teams down there. It's a huge network."

"Well, get more men. Work a grid. I want him found." Gordon told him.

"Yeah, the, uh, masked man. We're on it." He said mockingly. I glared at him.

"Lose the uniform, you're working for me now." Gordon said to Blake. "We could use some hotter heads around here."

"Sir, that could also be a coincidence." Blake started to say.

"You're a detective now, Son." Gordon looked up at him. "You're not allowed to believe in coincidence anymore."

"Congratulations, kid. You just got promoted."