Chapter 9: The Museum Auction

"Welcome, Diana Prince," a guard said once he saw her ID. Diana had decided to go to the audition at the Gotham museum. She was wearing knee-length scarlet strapless dress and had black round framed glasses. "I hope you enjoy your time here."

"Thank you sir," Diana responded before entering the museum. She walked inside and found herself in a typical museum and among a large crowd. She immediately went to the beverage table and got herself a glass of champagne. The view from the table allowed her a view of the entire crowd making it easier for her to spot someone if need be. Right now, she was looking for possible candidates for who could be Batman.

She pushed a button on the frame of her glasses to activate the scanner. Batman had made it for her to help with undercover missions. Kind of ironic that this would be his downfall. She scanned the room for men that might fit the profile. She knew Batman had to be rich, have the build of an athlete and young, which did narrow it down some but not a lot. The ones that did fit the bill she scanned and put in her glasses' database. She would look through their profiles later.

'Hummm, not many people are passing this way,' Diana thought. 'I guess I'll have to mingle if I want to get some more candidates.' She got up from the beverage table, glass still in hand, and walked around a bit. She was in the thick of the crowd when she was bumped by a man in tux. She dropped her glass and it shattered into a million pieces. The man knelt down to pick up the glass pieces.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he said. He turned to one of the servers. "Sir, could you please get us a broom?" The server nodded and left. Diana knelt down to clean up some of the pieces as well.

"No, it's fine," Diana said. "And it's my fault. I should have been paying more attention." Diana looked up at the man. He was tall, had jet black hair, and tan skin. 'He seems to fit the bill.' She was about to scan him when he looked up at her, so she pushed her glasses up her nose instead. His eyes were a piercing blue, she noted. "I didn't catch your name."

"It's Bruce," he informed her. "Bruce Wayne."

Bruce had come to the audition out of necessity. Bruce Wayne had to make an appearance otherwise the public would get suspicious. He honestly would have rather stayed with Cassie, but he could not risk the public figuring him out especially now that the League was on his tail. So Bruce played the part and everything was fine until he accidentally bumped into someone. He turned to see who he had bumped and saw thousand of champagne glass pieces on the floor. He knelt to help clean up.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Bruce said. He turned to one of the servers. "Sir, could you please get us a broom?" The server nodded and left. A woman, probably the one he bumped into, knelt down to clean up some of the pieces as well.

"No, it's fine," she said. "And it's my fault. I should have been paying more attention." They continued to clean up the big pieces. He then looked up at her and was surprised by two things. The first thing was that she was starring at him and the second thing she looked familiar. She pushed her glasses up her nose. "I didn't catch your name."

"It's Bruce," he informed her. "Bruce Wayne. Yours?"

"Diana Prince," she responded. The server had returned and started sweeping up the pieces.

'Diana Prince?' Bruce thought. 'That's Wonder Woman's secret identity name. I'll have to treed lightly.'

"Nice to meet you Miss Prince," Bruce said. "I'd shake your hand but my hands are full." She smirked. He threw the glass pieces in his hands into the trash and Diana did the same. "Sorry about that."

"It's alright," Diana responded. "It happens. Not much we can do about it. So what's Gotham's billionaire playboy doing here?"

'Good, she knows about my reputation,' Bruce thought. 'She won't think I'm Batman.'

"Browsing," Bruce said. "I like to see what the museums are selling in case I want to get something. My father use to do the same as a result we now have so much stuff we had to build an extra wing to fit all." Diana chuckled. "So why are you here?"

"The Gotham Museum wanted another organization to participate in the audition so I can here as my organization's representative," Diana answered.

"So where is your organization located?" Bruce asked.

"Paris," Diana informed him.

"Alright everyone! The audition will be starting in five minutes!" a man announced.

"I'd better get going," Diana said. "It was good to meet you."

"You too," Bruce responded. They shook hands. "I hope we'll meet again."

'He's not as bad as the public claims,' Diana thought as she headed towards the audition room. 'He was completely respectful towards me. But maybe it was just an act. But he had nothing to gain if it was an act. I'll have to talk with him more first before I make a judgment call.' She sat down in her assigned seat and waited.

"Alright! Let's get started!" the auctioneer declared. An art piece was unveiled. "This is a rare painting by Scarlett LaBerge called Journey to the Light. So I'll start the price at 500 thousands." Diana thought the painting was lovely and it would a great addition to the museum even if it was a recently made one. "Do I hear 550?"

"600," Diana called.

"600," the auctioneer repeated. "Wait, 630, 650, 670, 710."

"780," Diana called out.

"780, 820, 870," the auctioneer shouted. "895, do I hear 915?" Diana sighed. That was too much for a single painting, especially one that had no historical significance. "Journey to the Light is going to Miss Loriten for 895 thousand. Going once, going twice..."

"One million," Bruce called out. Diana's jaw dropped.

'Why did he do that?' Diana thought.

"Going once, going twice," the auctioneer called. "Sold to Mr. Wayne for one million dollars."

'Why did I do that?' Bruce thought. 'She is probably going to hate me for this. But she obviously wanted it so maybe she won't.' Diana walked over to him.

"Congratulations," Diana said.

"Actually I want you to have it," Bruce responded. "If you still want it that is."

"Are you trying to woo me?" Diana asked.

"No," Bruce answered. "Consider it a gift from one friend to another."

"Thank you," Diana responded. "It'll look nice on my wall."

"You're welcome," Bruce said.

"So is this the part where you invite me to your house and then leave suddenly?" Diana questioned.

"Well, if you want to come over," Bruce started. "I mean. So we can hang out as friends."

"I'd like that," Diana admitted.

"Great," Bruce responded. "Does three sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," Diana answered.

Note: The painting and artist mentioned are not real. And I'm sorry if that's not how auctions work. I've never been to one.