a/n: Hi all,

Phew; there was a clear majority opinion about how last week's chapter ended. I hadn't expected such visceral reactions in my inbox, but I loved it nonetheless. This week's chapter is a bit of a doozy in length, but I didn't want to break it into two. That said, I will be moving house this week which means it'll be two weeks before I get to posting a new chapter. Apologies in advance, but I'll be tight on time and without evenings to delve into the story. Hopefully this longer chapter will make up for the delay.

As always, a thank you to all reviewers - especially for this last chapter. Your comments this past week were superbly appreciated.

Cheers, EQT.95


"So what'd you say?"

Sophie jumped at the voice behind her, forgetting Melvin was there. He was standing in the threshold of the kitchen, arms crossed and head cocked to one side in curiosity with an empty coffee mug hanging loosely from his hand.

"I - I, uh… I said I needed to think," Sophie admitted, already regretting her decision.

"Too bad," Melvin remarked, turning back into the kitchen.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, following closely behind.

"Can you explain to me how this fancy ass machine makes coffee?"

"Melvin, what did you mean by that?"

"It's such a simple thing, you know?"

"Melvin-"

"-and yet there are so many options; I have never been so confused-"

"Would you please-"

"-by how much this thing does all of these other things -"

"Melvin."

"- but doesn't do the most obvious thing; the thing you expect it to."

"Just press the green button."

"You get I'm speaking in metaphor, right?" Melvin grinned, looking up from the hissing coffee maker.


"Anything?"

"Nothing new to report."

Kate sighed in frustration.

"Kate, you need to slow down. I'm exhausted, and I'm not even the one jumping around on rooftops," Luke said, eyeing Kate who had just returned from the night's patrol. They had spent the last three days chasing theories for who could have stolen the batsuit technology from Wayne Tech, and their leads were running out.

"We need to get ahead of this," Kate shot back in tired annoyance. She knew Luke was right; she'd had a near miss that evening with one of Maroni's cronies. She rubbed the side of her healing ribs at the fresh memory and knew her slow reaction was from lack of rest. But she also knew that everyday they didn't find the batsuit culprit, the likelier it would become a bigger problem. Since Saturday, there had been no report from the Crows of a break-in, which reinforced their belief that it was an inside job. What wasn't clear was the connection: who had executed the break-in, and what were their motives?

"Sophie called again," Luke called after Kate as she went to change out of the suit. He sat in his anticipation for the handful of minutes it took for Kate to reappear. "Did you hear me?"

"Yea, Sophie, got it."

"You gonna call her back?"

"I- I'll… yea, I'll get to it," Kate waved off, her temper shortened by the want of sleep.

Luke stared at her curiously.

"Obviously I'm not doing it this second; it's three in the morning," Kate reasoned. "Are her credentials still working?"

"Oh! I forgot to check," Luke said, bolting from his chair. They had fallen into a habit of checking Arkham's database for release files to track Butler's activity. "I think we need to juggle less, Kate."

"Well maybe if we ever solved anything…"

"Just saying. With Cobblepot, Butler, Mouse, Wayne Tech, insurance fraud, Tommy,"

"Tommy?"

"Tommy was released from Arkham last night," Luke said excitedly, from his screen. "We should-"

"I'll pay him a visit."


Sophie glanced at her phone again, willing it to ring. She picked it up, scrolling to recent messages. She stared at the 'unread' message she'd sent to Kate earlier that morning. It had been four days since she'd talked to Renee, and in that time, Sophie had been unable to get in touch with Kate.

While Kate wasn't always prompt about getting into the office, she'd not been in at all that week. It was unlike her not to show up, and definitely unusual for her not to respond. She'd called Luke the night before who assured her Kate was fine if only preoccupied with all the construction activity at the new buildings, but that didn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. They'd all but suspended their investigation into Cobblepot and the suspicious events encircling the Dent case, and with the looming board meeting coming up, Sophie worried nothing would come of it once Jake was back in the saddle as Lead Crow.

Now that the audit was over, it was also anticipated that Kate would step down at the upcoming board meeting, meaning her window of time to talk to Kate was narrowing. Cobblepot aside, Sophie had restlessly laid awake the last few nights weighing Renee's words. Her initial reaction to Renee's ultimatum had been to reject it: how could someone ask her to cut ties with one of the most important people in her life? But the more she thought about it, she realized that whether it was Renee or not, if she ever wanted to move on from Kate, she needed the space. She couldn't see or talk to Kate everyday and be reminded how much she had loved her while balancing another relationship.

It was an unexpected demand, and yet Sophie understood the logic. But before she could respond to Renee, she needed to talk to Kate first. She needed to know where Kate stood. Sophie had asked for a week, and her time was running short to get answers. If there was a chance… if Kate was feeling the same feelings she was… Without giving it another thought, she pressed the call button and brought the phone up to her ear. She counted the rings as her brain flustered with nerves.

"Hello?"

"Kate, hey, h-"

"Hey Soph, sorry I haven't called back; things have been - it's been a bit hectic."

"Oh, no," Sophie said quickly, hearing Luke's words from the night before echo in her mind. "It's fine - totally get it."

"Thanks."

"Do you have a minute now to chat?"

"Actually I'm just about to walk into a-"

"Candy Kane!" came a voice cutting off Kate's words over the phone.

"Kate?" Sophie asked, hearing the familiar nickname. "Are y-"

"I gotta run. I'll call you later?" Kate said before ending the call.

Sophie stared at her phone, stunned. Candy Kane? The nickname brought up a slew of memories: she had first heard the dreaded nickname on her first visit to Gotham with Kate. They'd spent the day at Wayne Tower with Bruce and were getting ready to head out to a friend of Kate's when she'd heard the name called out in the same, excited, teasing tone.

She felt the blood drain from her face as the memory pieced together. She turned to her computer, navigating the files to confirm her suspicions: Tommy Elliot was out of Arkham.


Kate glared in annoyed surprise. She hadn't expected a greeting at the elevator, and it was all the more frustrating to see the malicious grin plastered on the face at the end of the hall.

"When they called up to tell me Christmas came early, I almost didn't believe them, but here you are."

Kate walked toward Tommy who was leaning casually against the doorframe to his office.

"I wanted to be the first to welcome you back. When I heard the news-"

"Oh, enough of the niceties, KK," Tommy replied with a scowl in his brow and a smirk still playing across his lips. "That's from a time when saving face was filled with dramatic flare no one believed. We're different - we grew up with the internet."

He turned and entered his office as Kate followed. The space was the definition of overcompensating: it was lush with a double-height ceiling and lined with mahogany bookshelves stacked to the top with what could only be first editions. Plush sofas and armchairs surrounded an ornate fireplace, and in the middle of it all was an oversized office desk.

"So, how can I help you, Candy Kane?" Tommy grinned, his eyes flickering with mischief as he leaned against the polished edge of his desk.

"You can start by telling me how you managed a roundtrip ticket out of Arkham. Your fate was sealed months ago and yet here you are."

Tommy let out a hollow laugh. "I thought you'd be more excited to see me."

"And I thought we'd moved past niceties."

"I don't suppose your recent dabbling in real estate has anything to do with this little visit. Afraid of the competition? Don't worry Kitty Kane, we're in different leagues. But I'll give you some advice; on the house," Tommy continued, his grin uncontainable. "The first rule of real estate is that everything is negotiable."

"And here I assumed it was 'location, location, location.'"

"That works if you're a follower. If you want to be successful, you must lead. A leader negotiates the location into existence. A leader takes a slum and turns it into a multi-million dollar penthouse. Followers will flock, but by then the area has been marked and the rate of return has plummeted."

"Some call that gentrification."

"I call it winning."

"That's a fairly singular view."

"Tell that to my many bank accounts."

"So is that how you did it? You paid someone off to let you out early?"

"Why would you do that?"

"What?"

"Here I am, offering my wisdom to you, and you go and change the subject."

"Wisdom?" Kate mocked back.

"Kate," Tommy said with the tone of a pretentious professor. "Have I ever told you about how I made my first million?"

"You had rich parents who died prematurely?" Kate shot back.

Tommy scowled in disapproval before pushing off his desk and stepping toward the glass skin that separated him from the city beyond.

"I convinced an old man to sign over a plot of land to me. It was just north of here - if you squint you can almost see it behind the cheap construction that's since been built."

"So you swindled your way into money."

"Hush, Kate. It's story time with Tommy, and I do not like being interrupted," Tommy interjected, glancing briefly at Kate before returning his attention to the skyline. "He was already wealthy and didn't know it; there were millions in untapped potential on that site. The only problem was getting access to it."

"How do you mean?"

"It had this decrepit old historic building perched on the back edge of the lot. In an earlier time it would have been considered a mansion, but it had over three decades of degradation on it before I ever gave it a second glance."

"So what, you fixed it up?"

"No, it was in shambles, but it had a pretty insurance pay out when it mysteriously blew up. Gas leak, if you'll believe it," Tommy replied simply, a grin spreading across his lips.

"You'll forgive me if I don't."

"Always the cynic. Even when we were kids," Tommy said, waving a dismissive hand. "But I always had a feeling about that place. I had stopped by one afternoon about a week before the dreadful explosion, and do you know what I suggested to the old man?"

Kate shrugged her shoulders in feigned indifference as she watched Tommy continue.

"I told him to find new housing."

"He lived there?" Kate asked, her eyes widened

"Your use of past tense is well-placed: he lived."

"You killed him?" Kate asked, cutting through the smoke and mirrors of Tommy's gas leak excuse.

Tommy chuckled at Kate's shock. "Oh, don't be silly. You think I'd sit here and confess murder to you? Of course not: he died shortly after of a heart attack, but that left me with a fortune in empty, undeveloped land."

"I didn't really come here to listen to your old glory days, Tommy."

"Yes, Kate. You came to find out how I got out of Arkham, but I think we both know you already have that answer, don't we?"

Kate scowled at Tommy, trying to read his expression.

"Are you really going to make me say it?"

"I think we both know you'd enjoy the monologue," Kate retorted.

"Oh, but humor me. Ask a question first. I need a good prompt."

Kate sighed in annoyance. She wasn't interested in playing games, and she could easily walk out of the office without entertaining another minute of Tommy's conversation, but she needed a confirmed lead.

"Wayne Tech."

"That doesn't sound like a question, Candy Kane," Tommy toyed back.

"How did you get out of Arkham?"

"The boring one," he sighed. "Of course. I liked where you were headed before."

"Tommy-"

"Fine, fine. You got me. I bought my way out, but not with money. Money is fine when you have it, but my assets have been tied up since well…"

"Since you had your ass handed to you by a woman in a wig?"

"One could argue the odds were in her favor. I had one Wayne Tech device and she had an arsenal. But I digress - it's all in the past, and I'm turning over a new leaf."

"You'll forgive if I don't hold my breath."

"Oh, no, Kate, it's true! Arkham helped me see much about myself and my ways. How selfish I had become: it corrupted my mind. It's why I ended up there. My greedy, selfish desire to kill Batman drove me to do those things."

"And now?"

"Now? Now I'm a man of the people. I was offered a deal I couldn't refuse: the chance to be liberated and now that I have tasted it, so shall I bring liberation to others."

Tommy paused, glancing at Kate for her to bate him on. After a moment of silence he sighed in mock disappointment before continuing. "I was assigned one of the brightest minds in Arkham: Dr. Randolph Butler. He takes a very nuanced approach with all of his patients. For some he uses drugs, for others he talks, and for his most special, he negotiates."

"Meaning? You've been waxing poetic ever since I got here. Either tell m-"

"Oh Kate, you always did take the fun out of things. It's so good to see you playing adult though. Bruce must be very proud to have such an obedient bitch like you around."

"Are you trying to make a dog joke? You're trying to say I'm Bruce's dog?"

Tommy sighed in annoyance at Kate's unwillingness to play along.

"Kate, if you ever want to make it in this business, you have to learn a little give and take."

Kate stared back, unmoved by Tommy's remark. In turn, he gave Kate a sly leer before giving into his own desires to narrate.

"The real art in business is learning what people want and finding a way to give it to them at an inflated rate. For Dr. Butler, it was easy: I was able to call in one favor to get my sentence reduced."

"What did Butler want?"

"He wanted to know that I could do it."

"What are you saying?"

"It was one of our first sessions. He asked me 'Tommy dear boy, tell me, if you could do one thing to prove your superiority, what would it be?'" Tommy paused, letting the words hang in the air for a moment before continuing, "And of course the easy answer would have been 'to kill the Batman,' but I let his words dance around in my brain, and it took me another two weeks to give him an answer."

"And that was…?"

"To pluck the symbol of the bat from the sky," Tommy grinned.

"So why didn't you just take an axe to the bat signal?" Kate replied lamely.

"Kate, must you always be so dim? Destroying a physical object is one thing, but I wanted so much more. Batman exists to Gotham as a god; he reigns as an untouchable. I wanted to strip that strength away from him. I wanted to see him return to his mortal form for the people of Gotham to see him for what he truly is: a man of normal flesh and blood."

"Fine, ok," Kate said, playing along. "Except Batman disappeared three years ago."

Tommy rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Honestly, Candy Kane, if not for our history I'd kick you out. You've missed the point! I said the symbol of the bat. Bruce may not be here, but his protégé reigns over the night."

"So your objective is chaos?"

"No, no; chaos is for the Joker. I simply want to see the return to normalcy where one man doesn't stand above the rest."

"Unless it's you."

A grin flickered across Tommy's face, "Now you're getting it. Bruce has stood above everyone else for too long. Now it is my turn."

"And to do that…"

"I needed to make the Bat family mortal again. To mortalize them."

"How?" Kate asked, struggling to understand how his stealing the batsuit played into his narrative.

Tommy sighed lazily. "This is the boring part, if only because it was so easy. I returned to Dr. Butler with my answer. He was impressed with it; he isn't like boring doctors - he understood the significance of it," Tommy said, getting lost in the memory of the conversation. After a moment of silence he broke his stare and continued. "He told me to do it."

"He told you to destroy Batman?" Kate said in disbelief.

"I thought it was a joke, too, but he assured me that in fulfilling my deepest desire, I would cure myself from the narrow-minded, self-debilitating life I had created. If successful, I would go free. I don't think he expected me to succeed. I thought he was simply baiting me into getting caught and extending my sentence at first. After sitting on it for another few weeks, I began to realize I wasn't constrained by the walls of Arkham. I could still get things done, and I knew if I stayed at Arkham any longer I might actually become crazy. So I gambled and made a call."

"To who? Johnny Sabatino?" Kate asked. It was an intentional slip, and she hoped it would lead Tommy to divulge more than the aimless bravado he'd been giving.

"Looks like someone did her homework," Tommy said, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "But no, I needed someone with real connections - connections that would get me the top-level security access to Batman's invincibility."

Kate watched Tommy with mounting frustration. He was dancing around what she already knew, and he knew it.

"Who did you call?"

"We both know I'm not telling you that, but I do hear you two are actually quite chummy these days. It's interesting what people keep hidden in plain sight. Remind me, you returned to Gotham how long ago? It was all quite curious timing with-"

"And this person, she gave you the access you needed? No questions asked?" Kate asked, brushing past Tommy's insinuations. She wasn't ignorant that Tommy might have his own suspicions about her, but that was a small fish compared to the looming threat of the batsuit residing in the wrong hands.

"She? Always the feminist," Tommy remarked, letting Kate's digression play out. "Let's just say our agendas aligned."

"You both hate Batman?"

"We both hate the current system. It's time for a change, and together we are uniquely qualified to put the machine in motion."

Kate had more questions than she knew would remain unanswered, and who Tommy had called would remain one of those mysteries for now.

"So, how did it happen?"

"How should I know?"

Kate balked. How could Tommy not know?

"Oh Candy Kane, you must see your face. You thought you'd just stroll in and get all the answers? Where is the challenge in that? I've learned my lessons: the less I know, the better my chances of keeping these hands clean," he said, waving his fingers about for added emphasis.

"All right, so you proved you could do it."

"I did."

"And you got your freedom."

"Precisely."

"So now give it back."

Tommy laughed unrestrained. The high-pitch of it rang through the space, and Kate felt her annoyance flare.

"Oh Kate, always so naive. I don't have it. And even if I did, I wouldn't just hand it back."

"What do you mean?" Kate asked, feeling the color drain from her face. She hadn't expected Tommy to just give it back, but she also hadn't expected him to part with it.

"I've already sold it. Twenty million deposited yesterday. Frozen assets or not, I'm a millionaire again."

"By who?"

"Well if I just told you that'd take all the fun out of i-"

"Tommy," Kate interrupted, her temper getting the better of her. If Tommy was serious, this was suddenly a very different kind of problem. She could handle Tommy, but if this was in the hands of someone else, it complicated the matter.

Tommy glanced at Kate, eyeing her with renewed curiosity.

"Tell me, Kate. What is this to you? Wayne Enterprise determined you were the most qualified to come interrogate me?" Tommy asked before clicking his tongue knowingly. "I don't think so."

"You're going to get people hurt."

Tommy's grin returned. "Well that's quite perverse. And how would I be doing that? I'm giving people protection."

"For twenty million? You're giving protection to the wrong people, Tommy."

"Who are you to decide right people and wrong people, good and bad? You're no better than Bruce."

"If that's supposed to be an insult…"

"Only time will tell who is right and who is wrong, Candy Kane," Tommy said, ignoring Kate's remark.

"And until then, you've accomplished what, exactly? You're free but Batwoman is no weaker than before. Batman could return and he'd be just as protected in his own suit."

"But what do you think they'll do when all the baddies start sporting their bat gear, hm? They aren't the only ones fighting crime. The GCPD will be bringing a knife to a gun fight."

Kate stared at Tommy, registering his words. The pieces all started falling into place: Tommy had selected the one thing that kept Batman, and Batwoman by association, protected from the bullets and knives that they fought against. It's what kept them 'immortal'. By stealing the batsuit and handing it over to an unknown buyer, they risked allowing that same protection to a slew of baddies. Maybe Batwoman could fight that off, but there was a lingering truth she couldn't shake: if this was effectively produced and distributed, the upper hand would be theirs. Even though she could continue moving about the night in protection, the GCPD and Crows would be fighting a losing war.

"Unless, of course…" Tommy mused. "There was something that could penetrate the armor."

"The rail gun," she admitted.

Tommy's laugh echoed again unrestrained off the walls.

"You see? I don't need to kill the Batman. He will do it himself."


"You're late," Luke said without looking up from his computer.

"Not my fault," Kate muttered. She had just returned to the flat with a duffle bag in tow. They had agreed she'd be back before midnight to relieve Luke from babysitting the flat and ensure they both got a full night's rest for the first time in days, but a mugger had other plans.

"And make sure you hang that up; last time you -"

"I'll hang it up," Kate interrupted crossing the space to a makeshift closet. She opened the door and slipped in. A scraping sound could be heard through the space as another panel beyond opened. Kate proceeded to unzip the duffle bag and hang up the batsuit.

"Is that mud?"

"Dry cleaners were closed," Kate remarked casually. She glanced back at Luke with an amused grin, but his no nonsense face interrupted her fun. "I'll clean it tomorrow, I promise."

Luke nodded in approval before returning his gaze to the screen.

"Food?" Kate asked hopefully.

"Fridge."

"It came!" Kate exclaimed, her eyes lighting up at the silver box that had appeared. She opened the door relishing the cool air that hit her face. "See? It's gonna be a regular home in no time."

"The construction is becoming a real problem though."

"A minor hiccup. They'll be done in a few weeks," Kate called from the depths of the fridge. She reappeared with an armful of fixings as she proceeded to make herself a sandwich.

"What are you working on?"

"Contracts."

"You're the best, you know?" Kate said through a mouthful of pickle.

"Also, Sophie stopped by. I thought you were going to call her."

"I was. But then she called me first."

"When?"

"This morning."

"Well she came by tonight."

"I couldn't chat. I was walking into Tommy's. Did she say what she needed?"

Luke shook his head. "No, but she looked stressed."

"That's just been a permanent feature of her face since Point Rock," Kate joked. Luke glanced up, unamused. "It's fine. I'll call her," she replied before glancing at the time, "tomorrow. I'll call her tomorrow."

"That's what you said last night."

"Tommy took priority," Kate dismissed quickly. "Do we have chips?"

"Second shelf on the l-"

"Aha! Found'em."

"Aren't you worried?"

"Hm?"

"Sophie. Aren't you a bit worried? You're being a bit… casual about this."

"Luke, if it was something real, she'd have left a message," Kate reasoned. The truth was that she'd been avoiding calling Sophie back. It concerned her that in all the messages and missed calls that Sophie wasn't being explicit. In Kate's experience, Sophie only ever avoided naming a reason when she wanted to talk about their relationship, and that wasn't a path Kate was eager to walk down.

"Kate."

"What?"

"Your phone is ringing."

A shot of fear struck her as she glanced down at the screen and felt a wave of relief at the name glowing back.

"Hey Melvi-"

"Call Sophie."

"I-I was, I mean, I'm going to," she replied, surprised by the interruption.

"No, you're avoiding. Call her."

Kate sighed, annoyed that her two closest allies were both pressing her about this.

"I will."

"And don't make me call about it again - we aren't in school anymore," he said.

"I won't."

"Good."

"Was that it?"

"No. What are you doing this weekend? I hear there's this parade thing Saturday."

"You want to go to the Gotham City parade?"

"Yea, I mean, mostly I wanted to see you before I ship out again."

"You're leaving? I thought you had some time," Kate replied, her disappointment clear.

"Duty calls."

"Shit. I can't Saturday. How about Sunday?"

"No can do - flying out then."

"Friday then."

"Deal. I'll text you for the deets."

"Perfect."

"And don't forget to call So-"

"I know, I know. I'll call."

"Who was that?" Luke asked, observing Kate over the top of his screen.

"Melvin," Kate said absentmindedly, already lost in thought again. Melvin was leaving, and he knew Sophie was trying to reach her. That meant it was definitely about their relationship.

"Point Rock guy?"

"Yea."

"Calling about Sophie?"

"Would you just-"

"It's about you two, right? That's why she wants to talk?"

Kate sighed in growing frustration.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, Luke. I just… I don't know," she answered honestly, staring down at the plate of food and realizing her appetite was gone.

"You said Tommy might…"

"Yea."

"...shit, Kate. I'm sor-"

"Don't," Kate sighed. "Please just… don't apologize."


Kate stared at her phone, a nervousness washing over her. Luke had left minutes earlier, and Kate found her fingers messaging Sophie: you awake? She spent the next two minutes staring at the screen hoping Sophie was already asleep and the message would be lost until morning. Instead, it shifted from 'unread' to 'read', and a sinking feeling filled her as an incoming call flooded the screen.

"Hey."

"Hi," came Sophie's voice over the phone. "You're up late."

"I should say the same to you."

"I'm getting stuff ready for the handoff with Jacob," she replied, alluding to the upcoming board meeting.

"Right, of course."

"You're hard to track down these days."

"Yea, sorry about that. I may have bitten off more than I can chew; three buildings was a bit overambitious."

"Yea, I can imagine," Sophie said, her mind obviously elsewhere.

A silence hung in the air, and Kate found herself fighting to stop her next words:

"Uh, Luke said you stopped by. Said you wanted to talk about something?"

"Oh, right, yea," Sophie feigned as though also remembering the event.

Kate could hear the hesitation in the silence that followed.

"S-so, is now a good time or-"

"Renee found out," Sophie interrupted, "about us."

"Oh," Kate replied in genuine surprise. "How'd that go?"

"Uhm, not so great; it was Saturday night after… It doesn't really matter when. But we fought, and she left."

"I'm sorry, Soph," Kate said, realizing the reason for her message to Melvin that night.

"It's… she came back - the next morning. And…"

"And, what?"

"She asked me to stop this."

"This?"

"Us. She… she doesn't want to keep doing this if you're in my life."

"I see," Kate said softly. Somehow the stakes of this conversation felt too great for a phone call, but the cowardly part of her was glad she could hide behind it. "So… so what did you say?"

"I said I needed to think about it."

Kate didn't instantly reply. Instead she felt herself spinning. Sophie didn't say no. But she didn't say yes. But she might say yes. Every side of Kate was reeling at this. Half of her wanted Sophie to tell Renee no; they were Kate and Sophie - no one in their right might would ask that to end. The other half of her wanted Sophie to tell Renee yes; while it was something Kate would never get over, it would once and for all solve the nagging want for Sophie as something more than a friend. Her conversation with Tommy earlier in the day was a wake-up call that too many people knew or could know her identity.

"And what have you been thinking?" Kate asked finally.

"I've been thinking about us - about the last few weeks and, just... everything. And, I guess I just need to know… Is there any future for us?" Sophie asked. "Because if there is, I don't wa-"

"There isn't."

The words left Kate's lips before she could stop herself, and the ringing silence on the other side of the line was enough to know they'd done the trick. With every passing second Kate saw a future with Sophie fade.

"I'm sorry, I just… that came out harsh-"

"It's fine. I got it," Sophie said dismissively, but Kate could hear the quiver in her voice and imagined the shimmer of tears welling in her eyes. This was the second time in as many months that Kate was knowingly hurting the only woman she'd ever truly loved, and it wasn't getting any easier.

"Renee is great," Kate tried, "And you two are… I think you should give it a shot."

Her words faltered unconvincingly, and a part of Kate wanted to interrupt herself and take them back. It would be so easy to do that - to say how she really felt. But she also knew there wasn't room in her life with Batwoman.

"Sure, yea," Sophie said and Kate knew she was choosing words that could conceal the cracking in her voice.

"I'm glad you called though," Kate said, feeling her own throat tighten. She realized by encouraging Sophie to see Renee, she was effectively asking Sophie to walk away from them, and it wasn't something Kate was sure she could face again. She wiped away a stray tear from her cheek as she took a slow, deep breath.

"Uhm, so… I mean, you just tell me what y-you decide though."

Sophie didn't reply, but Kate knew she was nodding on the other side of the phone.

"And uhm… yea, just - I'll see you Friday."

"Yep."

"Ok. G-goodnight, Soph."

"Mhm."


"All right, well there is much on the agenda, so let's get right down to it. Mr. Duncan, do we have any old business to discuss?"

"Only the Duela Dent case," Duncan said, squinting down at his notes. "But if there are no additional comments on that…?" he paused, glancing up at the board. When no one spoke, he moved on. "Right, onto new business then. First up is a matter of the board. I have here a letter of resignation from Ms. Kane who, after today, will no longer be a member of the board. Stepping into her role will be Jacob Kane. I'm know everyone is already aware but for the purposes of the meeting minutes: Ms. Kane's - now Mr. Kane's - position on the board is directly tied to the bylaws which state that a position on the board will always include a representative from the Kane family or by proxy."

Sophie glanced across the room at Kate. Sophie had arrived early in hopes of catching a word with Kate, but, as usual, Kate arrived with only seconds to spare. They'd not spoken since the call, and Sophie wasn't sure if Kate's timely arrival was a source of relief or anxiety. The call had ended with Sophie in tears, and she cursed herself for not keeping it together long enough to say all she wanted to. Even still, part of her needed to hear Kate say the words to her face before she could close that chapter of her life. She was meant to meet Renee that night with an answer, but after nearly seven days of racking her brain, she was no closer to one.

"- which brings us to Mrs. Cobblepot's reallocation proposal. Margaret, would you do us the honor?" Duncan said, offering the room to Cobblepot who was already standing in anticipation.

"Thank you Alan. Yes, as you all are aware, we have been making a concerted effort to review the methods of the Crows. A number of unfortunate circumstances have prompted this internal review, and while the GCPD and City did not come to any pointed conclusions, I feel it is important for us to begin adopting a new way of working. And that is why today I stand before you requesting an immediate reallocation of funds to directly put to work these strategies.

"I have here a number of studies that reinforce and support this shift. These have been circulated over the last two weeks for board review and, pending no objections, I believe we can move forward with a vote."

"Mrs. Cobblepot, perhaps before we get into that territory, we take a few minutes to discuss the merits of your proposal. It is quite lengthy and, while you did provide bits over the last two weeks, the lump sum of the material only came through in the last twenty four hours. It is quite a lot to digest in such a short period of time." Duncan chimed in with practiced apology in his tone.

Cobblepot looked like ice might shoot from her eyes as she broke into a fractured smile. "But of course, Alan. Perhaps I'll begin with the facts: Gotham City has seen a thirty-seven percent increase in crime over the last three years. Poverty is up six percent. Petty crime is rampant in the streets, and no one feels safe. The Crows were established to bring balance to the city, but it's clear the current system is ill-equipped to do that.

"This company has three divisions: the Task Force, the Surveillance Division, and Community Outreach. Currently 85% of our annual budget is allocated to support the Task Force, ten percent to SD, and a menial five percent to CO for tax deduction purposes."

Cobblepot gave a knowing smirk as a smattering of chuckles swept through the room at this remark.

"These allocations made sense when the company began: we were the new kids on the block trying to make our presence known, but times are changing. We can no longer sit by idly as the market shifts around us. Nearly four months ago we were awarded the largest surveillance contract this company has ever seen, and we've already failed at upholding our end of the deal. While we've been squabbling over the Task Force, a break-in occurred at Martha's Bakery."

"I'm sorry, Margaret, what are you talking about?" Duncan interjected, his surprise apparent as others voiced similar disbelief.

"Last weekend there was a failure in our surveillance system, and Wayne Tech was directly impacted by it."

"And why are we only now just hearing about it? This has been known for a week and we've not been briefed? A break-in at a Wayne Enterprise subsidiary is not something you keep concealed," Mila Cantor interjected. That she was speaking up made clear the unrest that had just been achieved by Cobblepot's news.

Kate watched in surprise. Her and Luke had spent the last week tracking the internal workings of the Surveillance Division to determine whether they were aware of the break-in, but no communication had circulated suggesting any knowledge. A lack of formal paper trail went against protocol, and yet, Cobblepot knew.

"Internal reviews have been ongoing Ms. Cantor. A formal report will be issued soon, but this only highlights my point: we are nearly a week into a break-in, and a report is still being processed. The Surveillance Division is flagrantly underfunded.

"There is growing technology that can allow us to better protect. It is my ambition that we adopt these tactics moving forward. By rebudgeting and repartnering, we can better serve Gotham and ourselves which is why I have outlined in my proposal a rebalancing: the SD immediately receives ninety percent of the annual budget, the CO is permanently disbanded, and the Task Force is downsized. In an effort to catch up, I've also proposed partnering with Gotham Security and it's newly merged partner, Covert Surveillance."

"I think in principle no one at this table disagrees with your suggestion that we address the lagging support of the Surveillance Division. Had we been briefed on this break-in a week ago, I'm sure we'd all be on better footing to discuss the merits of this proposal," Duncan remarked, clearly perturbed by being blindsided with the information.

"The untapped market is in surveillance, and we are not up to the caliber of our competitors. It's time for a change, and together we are uniquely qualified to put the machine in motion."

Kate's eyes widened in surprise. Cobblepot's words stoked a memory from days earlier when she stood in Tommy Elliot's office and heard him say the exact same thing. She stared in shock as the web unraveled before her: Cobblepot was Tommy's contact and access to Wayne Tech. It all started making sense: Margaret wanted to pivot the Crows toward a different system. By giving Tommy access to the Crows most important client, she could prove the deficiency of the surveillance system, and, in turn, give Tommy the technology he needed to upend Gotham.

She felt an uncontrollable anger build up as she realized the significance of Cobblepot's betrayal. By attempting to advance her own agenda, she'd willingly put lives at risk including the very lives who made of the company she sat on the board for.

"You're wrong," Kate said suddenly. She had stopped listening, minutes earlier, lost in her own thoughts, but the interruption did the trick. Cobblepot paused mid-sentence as every eye in the room shifted to Kate. She wasn't sure where this was headed, but the last thing she'd accept was letting Cobblepot continue unchallenged.

"Ms. Kane?" Cobblepot asked, finally recovering from the shock.

"You're looking to fundamentally shift the mission statement of this company."

"Look at the landscape - at what Gotham is shifting toward. Evolution is a natural thing, Ms. Kane."

"Except what you're proposing is devolution. This isn't how to produce change. You can't surveil your way toward a crime-free city, Margaret," Kate shot back. "You are calling out private corporations as the basis for gutting a company built around making the city safer. Cities aren't corporations."

"Ms. Kane, perhaps now would be a good time to let the adults at the table talk," Margaret said coolly, her gaze dripping with distaste. "You may think you have ideas, but you fail to grasp the core principles of invoking change: you need evidence to back it up. While you've spent the last few months playing adult by day and painting the town with your privileged lifestyle by night, others have been hard at work pushing for change in this city. It may surprise you to know that it takes more than showing up to a simple board meeting once every few weeks to enact that change. Perhaps if you made more use of your time reading the paper than being in it, you'd understand that."

Margaret paused, glancing at Kate's reddened cheeks in approval. That Kate's tenure on the board was over and her true opinions were coming to light allowed Margaret to use all of the ammunition she'd stored for just this moment, and she was taking the opportunity to wield her control.

"These aren't unfounded suggestions, and I have the backing of real studies and case work that proves the integration of added surveillance reduces crime output. Ms. Kane, if you had bothered to read the studies I've submitted, you'd know that increased surveillance reduces overall crime by fifty one percent."

"And if you were truly making an argument based on science and logic, you'd know cherry picking facts isn't how you win an argument, Margaret. The fifty one percent you cite was linked only to vehicular crime in car parks when coupled with improved lighting, increased security staff, and intentional upgrades to the surrounding infrastructure," Kate cited in response, her eyes not leaving Margaret.

The tension hung in the air as every eye on the board transitioned from Kate back to Margaret. An amused smile played across Margaret's lips, but her eyes were piercing with hatred at Kate. She let out a soft chuckle before replying, "Yes, perhaps I've gotten ahead of myself. I am an optimist, and I believe fifty one percent is achievable. There are others though. Another study found a twenty-three percent reduction in crime on public transportation."

"That study fails to accurately portray that one outlier station accounted for the 23% decrease while the other four stations observed increased crime-"

"An example of improvement nevertheless," Margaret shot back.

"Yes, except if you had read through to the endnotes, you'd have learned the reason for the decrease was because the station had been shut down two weeks into the twenty week study-"

"A clerical error-"

"-and three months after publication, the study was revoked for inadequate control samples and faulty data. I'm sure your inclusion of a failed study could be chalked up to the same thing: a clerical error."

Eyes broke from the volleying and began passing nervous glances at each other. For the first time Cobblepot's posture broke, suggesting her frustration.

"Very good Ms. Kane. So you've found fault in two studies-"

"Two studies you touted, unprompted," Kate continued, her gaze intense on Cobblepot. Kate's anger was growing, and her temper unfettered. If she couldn't stop the batsuit technology from being stolen, she could at least do her best to damage Cobblepot's agenda.

"Yes, and there are many more, unfaulty studies where those came from. As I was saying earlier, these are all compiled in an effort to show the significant achievements that can be made by focusing our attention on a new, more modern, singular approach to security," Cobblepot said, attempting to shift the conversation back to the room.

"Such as?" Kate continued, unphased by Cobbplepot's rhetoric.

"Ms. Kane, I don't think sifting through all forty plus studies would be the best use of the board's time."

"So am I to understand that you've compiled this list of studies to have the board simply take it at face value? What better way to vet an idea than for all of us to collectively go through each case as every one of the board members surely are want to do anyway?" Kate glanced around the table. Some of the faces looked utterly uncomfortable with the proceedings while others were seething. Kate briefly made eye contact with Duncan who winked back in approval.

"The introduction of added surveillance in the North Side of Chicago reduced crime by thirty-three percent in five years-"

"And it saw a redistribution of that crime extend down to the South Side. Gotham is a collection of boroughs: simply washing one area of crime doesn't not altogether rid the mentality for it."

"In the last two years, an increase in videoed surveillance has produced an eleven percent drop in crime in National City-"

"Please do not tell me cctv is taking credit for Supergirl," Kate scoffed as a chuckle broke out across the room. Cobblepot glanced in surprise as the color drained from her cheeks. "I can do this all day Margaret, but I think the point is clear: radical change cannot be achieved with a few added cameras. It is an extensive, coordinated effort to rebuild trust among the citizens of Gotham."

"Lofty ambitions without an ounce of evidenc-"

"In 2010, Camden, New Jersey had 3,000 abandoned buildings with forty percent of it's 77,000 residents living below the poverty line. While over 11,000 arrests were made in 2009, a $14 million budget deficit in 2010 resulted in 160 of the 400-person police force being laid off which led to a reduction in arrests of just over 9,000, yet the homicide rate between those two years increased by nearly 15% and by 2011 burglaries had increased by 65%-"

"An example of how a lack of law and order produces chaos-"

"Except in 2013, instead of reverting to the old ways of policing, they disbanded it in favor of community-based policies. It put officers in positions of facilitators and conveners rather than arbitrary deciders of what's right and wrong. It implemented a use-of-force guidebook developed with New York University's Policing Project, and it prioritized listening to residents over ticket quotas-"

"This is all well and good advice for the GCPD, but we aren't here for that kind of business, Ms. Kane. Our finances are not dependent on traffic tickets."

"You can't have it both ways Margaret: you want the Crows to be the voice of law and order when it suits your agenda of growing surveillance, but when it comes to functioning as a broader source of order you wipe your hands of it?" Kate shot back. "No one way is best, but if we're actually here to do any good, the company's mission should be to go out of business because implemented policies aren't centered around big-ticket clientele and instead focus on bringing trust back to this city."

"And I think that mentality proves why it's good that your tenure on this board will not extend beyond this meeting," Cobblepot replied, her tone matter-of-fact. "And that you're standing here minutes away from your termination telling me all of this matters very little to the direction of this company."

Kate opened her mouth to argue but understood that in one swift moment she had lost. It was one thing to take a stance in a room of peers, but Kate had just surrendered that status, and her words now meant little. Cobblepot's smirk was proof enough that she also recognized her victory.

"Perhaps we postpone this conversation until the next meeting. I think some homework is to be done by all board members before a path forward can be determined," Duncan chimed in. The glisten of support was still in his eyes when he looked at Kate, but it had dimmed slightly by Cobbelpot's words.

A few awkward murmurs of approval was enough for Cobblepot to see she didn't have the support she needed to ram through her proposal, and she conceded her argument for the moment. Kate glanced down at the pad of paper in front of her in frustration, realizing she'd played the game wrong too late. Cobblepot retained control, and now it was likelier than ever before that the very thing she'd been afraid of would happen: the Task Force would be reallocated to a closet of monitors in a reactionary capacity. Somehow Tommy and Margaret had both succeeded in getting what they wanted.

"Very well, I believe that leaves only one remaining item on the agenda, and that is the topic of Lead Crow," Duncan said, glancing down at his notes. "We faced a rather unique situation in the City's audit, and it forced Jacob Kane to step down from his role in an untimely and unprecedented way. While the confidence of Jacob remains, the established bylaws require a certain way of reinstating him. They are as follows:

If the sitting Lead Crow has not established a history of leadership unbefitting the position, he or she may only be removed by a showing of unanimous support by the board for his or her replacement. Only then may the sitting Lead Crow's resignation be requested.

"As Ms. Moore has done nothing to suggest otherwise, it is left to the board to request her resignation only after the successful reinstatement of Jacob. As this is meant simply as a formality, I assume there is no need to discuss?" Duncan said. He glanced around the room for a suggestion to the contrary and, after seeing none, he continued, "Jacob, Sophie, if you would please step outside while we vote," Duncan said, nodding at Sophie and Jacob who, like the rest of the board, had remained silent during Kate and Cobblepot's argument.

Sophie stood, her eyes fixed on Kate whose own gaze remained focused on the dark walnut conference table. She had assumed Kate's absence the last week was because of waning interest in the Crows, but after seeing Kate's performance just now, Sophie was reminded of Kate's unwavering conviction. Long forgotten memories of their late night conversations were now clear as day in her mind; Kate was fighting for diplomacy in a world that wanted to exert control through Big Brother tactics, and she came to the ring prepared.

She watched the door close to the conference room as she paused at the adjacent wall, leaning against it. Jacob too leaned against the wall.

"Agent Moore."

"Sir."

They'd spoken little since the beginning of the audit. To most it was seen as a way to avoid any lingering suspicion that Jacob was still secretly in control throughout the audit, but others knew their deteriorating relationship was the real cause.

"I hope you've kept my office in order," he said casually, trying to break the months of tension.

"And I hope you like pink walls," Sophie smirked as his eyes bulged slightly in surprise at the joke.

"I expect there will be a lot to catch up on."

"I've already consolidated the major points. We can go through it this afternoon so you've got the weekend to review the rest."

Jacob nodded appreciatively.

"It'll be good to have you back, sir."

"Lying never suited you, Agent Moore," Jacob said with a grin. "But I imagine after being number one, stepping back into number two can seem like a demotion."

"Sir?" Sophie asked, unsure she'd correctly heard Jacob's words.

"The Task Force was in shambles without you. You're a right pain in the ass, Moore, but I can't think of anyone I trust more as my second in command."

"I… thank you, sir."

Duncan opened the door shortly after, his face stoic. It didn't have the same jovial excitement the last time Sophie had stood outside the board room, and she sensed something was wrong. Jacob didn't seem to notice as he took the lead, reentering the board room. When she crossed the threshold, she could practically feel the chill in the air, and the pointed stares among the table of board members made her uneasy.

"Uhm," Duncan began, clearly disoriented. "We have just tallied the votes, and… unanimous consent was not achieved. Ms. Moore shall remain Lead Crow for the interim period."

Sophie barely registered the rest of the meeting. It lasted only a minute or two longer, but a haze had washed over her that made it feel like a lifetime. She could feel the anger emanating off Jacob who remained at her side for the remainder of the meeting. It was only when they had adjourned that he rose and crossed the room to Cobblepot. Sophie watched the animated exchange, unsure how to proceed, but before she could ponder that, her eyes glimpsed Kate who was trying to slip out of the room unnoticed. Sophie turned on her heel and quickly followed.

"Kate, wait," Sophie called out, grabbing Kate's arm. "Where did all of that come from?"

"What?"

"In there - just now with Cobblepot."

"It doesn't matter - it… it didn't matter," Kate replied, and for a moment Sophie could see the world of frustration and anger on Kate's face.

"It did though. You didn't see the faces on the board," Sophie said quickly. "Kate, look at me, yea? It mattered th-"

"I think we're done, right?" Kate interrupted, her temper on full display.

The interruption brought to the forefront their unfinished conversation from two night's earlier. Sophie struggled with Kate's insinuation that she was ok ending things between them.

"Done? Kate, I… can we talk? I don't want to-"

"Katherine."

They both turned to see Jacob approaching them, his annoyance unmasked. "A word?"

"Sure, meet you in the lobby," Kate replied, her tone shifting to a practiced casualness.

"Yes," Jacob growled. His glare was intense and Sophie couldn't recall ever seeing him this rattled. It was equally a surprise to her that he hadn't received the votes, and she understood why he would be upset, but this level of anger felt explosive. She was tallying the votes in her head again, trying to figure the outlier. It was possible Duncan bailed - he wasn't Jacob's biggest fan, but perhaps the audit had made his outlook more conservative. Jacob moved to walk past them before he turned to Kate again, "And make it quick, because you have some explaining to do."

Jacob briefly glanced back at Sophie, his rage untamed before storming off. Realization slowly dawned on her.

"Kate? Did you… did you just…?"

"He was going to gut the Task Force," Kate said quickly, nodding towards Jacob's receding form.

"I don't understand. Why wou-"

"It was Cobblepot's last demand to get the votes."

Sophie stared in shock. Jacob was willing to fold to get Lead Crow?

"How do you know? Maybe he wa-"

"Duncan."

"B-but… but why?"

"The rest of the board will position themselves with Margaret. Everything's going to change with him at the helm."

"Kate…" Sophie stared at Kate, again at a loss for words. The woman standing before her had, not twenty minutes earlier, gone toe-to-toe with Margaret Cobblepot and then now, in her final act on the board, she ensured Cobblepot's agenda couldn't be implemented through a back alley deal with Jacob. Sophie had worried everything they'd been working toward would be swept under the rug, but after everything - even now - Kate was still fighting.

"Anyway, I need to get going," Kate said, stepping away from Sophie as the other board members began spilling out into the corridor.

"Wait-"

"You have a month, Soph."

"Kate, w-"

"I need to go deal with my dad before..." Kate said, glancing at the board members mingling in uncertainty. "Message Luke if you need anything - he's a good resource."