We arrived at the station five minutes before Rachel Dawes' train and hid on rafters above the walkway. Blocked by two men, she pulled out a taser. Bruce and I jumped down. Well he jumped with his cape. I climbed down.

'Hold it.'

While Bruce made quick work of the one he'd landed behind, the other ran.

'That's right, you better run.' Rachel turned around. 'AARGH!' Batman was sitting on the edge of the walkway, I was behind/next to him, hiding my face and upper body in a shadow made by his cape.

She fired the taser at Bruce, who remained completely untazed, if I permit myself to use such a pun, and watched her blankly. After the wiring crackled at least four times he picked it off the suit and flicked it away.

'You've got good aim, I'll give you that,' I said, my voice incredibly low and smooth, yet hostile. Perfect for Thunder. I could tell Bruce wasn't expecting that, though he didn't make any movement.

'Falcone sent them to kill you,' he told Rachel, looking pointedly at the one on the floor.

'Why?' she asked, trying her best to control her breathing.

'You rattled his cage.' He threw down a pile of photographs, all of Falcone's men and associates, found often in the underground bar.

'What's this?'

'Leverage.'

She replied without hesitation. 'For what?'

'To get things moving.'

'Who are you?' She bent down cautiously and picked up the photos.

'Someone like you. Someone who'll rattle the cages.'

When Rachel looked up we'd gone.

'Where did you learn to disappear?' asked Bruce, back in my car. He was in the passenger seat with the cowl off and fiddling with it. I stopped at the lights.

'Practice. Theatricality is an important part of anything like this.'

He tilted his head, surveying me. After a moment he seemed to have decided on asking something. 'Have you ever heard of the League of Shadows?'

'Yes,' I said bluntly. 'Stumbled across them a few years back on an experimental excursion. Let me guess, that's where you learnt half of what you know.'

He nodded.

'Well I'm sorry to disappoint, but I'm not a self-proclaimed member. They, a little like Wayne Enterprises, came to me. Thought I'd be ideal for their cause.'

'You sound like you don't approve of them.'

'Do you?' I spared him a glance as the lights turned green.

'No. Of course not.'

'There you are.' I stopped the car in a secluded place. 'This good enough?'

He nodded and slipped the cowl back on. 'I'll make my own way back at sunrise.'

'Alright. Don't have too much fun.'

He stepped out. I leant forward to call after him. 'I'll drop by at a quarter to three to help with your gear.'

He nodded his thanks and walked away.

'Good morning, Lucius.'

'Evelyn. How are you?'

'In need of a cup of tea as ever,' I replied, throwing my coat over a random table.

'How are those boots?'

'Well, Mr Wayne wants a pair, so there must be something good about them.'

He chuckled. 'What did he say he wanted them for?'

'I decided it best not to ask,' I replied, bringing a third pair of the boots to show Lucius, 'maybe his BASE-jumping includes big heights.'

'You're having that other pair, I take it?' he asked, nodding to thinner, longer, (tad more stylish) boots.

'Of course. I've got to find something that'll go with my watch,' I said, flicking my wrist round.

Lucius smiled. 'The hours you spent on that.'

'-Were worth it, everything works,' I smiled triumphantly.

I spent the morning and early afternoon working on my own suit. I made it pitch black and where Bruce's bat symbol would go, I left no space for it. My suit was skinnier, but no less strong. I also decided that since Bruce got bat shurikens I should get my own as well.

I started by making a large bracelet that was actually a holder for gadgets.

I pulled apart another utility harness and added it to my suit, adjusted a pair of the boots to fit Bruce and grinded about a hundred shurikens with lightning patterns engraved into them. Then after lunch I headed to the manor.

'Alfred!' I smiled when he opened the door.

'Dr Pendragon! Master Wayne is still asleep, I'm afraid. Is there anything you don't need him for?'

I sucked in a breath. 'I'm afraid not, the work today requires him.'

'Well, I was going to wake him up now anyway,' he said and took my coat. 'You'll be needing your bag, I imagine?'

I nodded.

He then picked up a tray and led me upstairs.

We entered Bruce's room and I chuckled lightly. He was wrapped up in his covers and by the looks of it, a long way from being woken up by his own body clock.

Alfred went to put down his tray.

'I'll get it Alfred.'

The look on his face said he initially made to refuse, but then for whatever reason, decided against that and nodded at me with a smile.

'Won your favour, have I?' I asked.

He chuckled.

'Well we're going to need to be firm allies after I wake him up,' he replied, nodding at Bruce.

I smiled and walked the last few paces with Alfred to the window. He threw open the curtains and in poured the afternoon sun.

'Bats are nocturnal!' came an angry complaint that sounded muffled, despite the fact nothing was obstructing his mouth. I laughed. Bruce pulled the sheet over his face and I noticed the large bruise on his bare right arm. It was definitely a four long, three down jump.

'Bats may be,' said Alfred, taking the tray from me and holding it out for Bruce, 'but even for billionaire playboys, three o'clock is pushing it.'

I chuckled as Bruce looked at Alfred, able to lower the sheet now that his butler was blocking the sunlight. He covered his eyes with his hands and looked at me, blinking.

'You said you'd be here at a quarter to three. Nice bracelet.'

Of course he saw it. 'Thanks.'

He nodded in response before groaning and turning his head further away from the light.

'The price for leading a double life, I fear.' Alfred handed him a newspaper. 'Your theatrics made an impression.'

Bruce's attention was caught and he threw his bed covers off.

My eyes widened at his clothing choice.

Bruce sat up, reading the newspaper. 'Theatricality and deception… are powerful weapons, Alfred, this is a good start.'

Alfred indicated the big bruise on Bruce's arm. 'If those are to be the first of many injuries to come it would be wise to find a suitable excuse. Polo, for instance.'

Bruce looked up at his butler for a moment, with a half glare and half that's-a-completely-stupid-idea-seriously-where-the-hell-did-you-get-it-from look. 'I'm not learning polo, Alfred.'

I chuckled again.

'Strange injuries, a nonexistent social life…'

Bruce stood up and drank a glass full of something I classified to be a smoothie. Though it was a bit green.

'These things beg the question, as to what exactly does Bruce Wayne do with his time and his money.'

'What does someone like me do?' he asked, putting the glass down and turning to face me.

'Drive sports cars…'

'Now that idea isn't a bad one,' I said as Bruce lifted his arms over his head and dropped to the floor, landing in a push up.

'Date movie stars…Buy things that are not for sale…'

'Wear hideous pyjama pants,' I said, happy at finding an opportunity to mention them.

'Oi!' said Bruce, returning my cheeky remark with a look before putting his head back down.

'Who knows, Master Wayne, you start pretending to have fun, you might even have a little
by accident.'

'Alright,' he said, breathing a little funny as he pushed up and down, 'where do I start?'

'Well,' said Alfred, 'Mr Earle is having a dinner tonight you're invited to.'

'Oh, god,' I groaned roughly, 'I'd forgotten about that fucking thing – sorry, Alfred.'

'No offense taken, Dr Pendragon.' He had laughter twinkling in his eyes.

'Well,' said Bruce, 'I'd better go to that, then. You'd end up killing him otherwise.'

'Highly possible,' I said, sighing.

'I'll need a car.'

I clicked my fingers at him. 'Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster LP 640,' I said excitedly, 'it's new this year.'

Both their heads moved to look at me.

'I mean, it's no Aston DB9, but! It's Lamborghini. And, Murcielago means 'bat'. Not to mention it makes the most beautiful noise.'

'Where can I get one?' he asked with a smile.

'Grab one on the way to the stupid dinner. But right now-,' I pulled something out of my bag which made Bruce stop his push ups. '-… I've got the boots.'

His face lit slightly and he jumped up.