Batman v Superwoman
Dawn of Justice
(Note: Here it is the moment you've all been waiting for, I hope that I could do it Justice for all of you. Also I had to move a few scenes around to make the story flow better for me. I hope you all enjoy it)
Chapter 6
Daily Planet, The Next Day
Claire and Jimmy were currently standing side by side in the editor-in-chiefs office in front of a very disgruntled Perry White. He hasn't said anything for 2 and a half minutes he was just taking deep breaths and rubbing his temples. Claire stood strong she knew she was in trouble for what she did and that she would have to explain herself, she had prepared her argument the night before this was something the Planet had to cover. Jimmy however was sweating bullets nervousness clear on his face. When he met Claire he in the Daily Planet lobby he spent the entire walk telling her how they were so fired, that she was going to have to live with Lois and he was going to move back to his parent's basement. Perry finally straightened himself and looked at his two reporters.
"I logged into your drop box to find copy, and boy did I find copy" Perry said as he held up the empty Sports section of the Daily Planet
Claire continued to give Perry her determined glare, while Jimmy was trying to avoid eye contact
"Nothing about football, no photos, no interviews with players or fans nothing" Perry said agitated as he tore the paper to pieces
Each rip made Jimmy flinch while Claire stayed steadfast
"Now I'm not going to fire you two, but you better have a good explanation or I'm gonna have you two making donuts runs on minimum wage for a year" Perry shouted angrily, now was Claire's moment
"Mr. White I'm sorry for not covering the game, but this is something I had to look into. For the last week I have been investigating the Bat vigilante of Gotham city. I used the trip to Gotham to further my investigation and I am sorry." Claire said genuinely a bit disappointed in herself for misusing Perry's trust
"But this is something the Daily Planet has to cover I assure you. This Batman is like a one man reign of terror, he's been constantly targeting the port and the nearby projects and tenements. And from firsthand experience at the GCPD I believe the cops are actually helping him" Claire continued calm and collected
"Crime Wave in Gotham, also breaking news water wet" Perry said in mock astonish
"Mr. White this has been going on for Years why haven't we covered this" Claire said
"Because the Bat is Gotham problem not a Metropolis problem, if Superwoman starts hanging purse snatchers off building then you can go on your little protest" Perry replied blatantly
"That doesn't matter we're a world covering paper, the Gotham Gazette has a complete bias on this. Perry when you publish a story you're making a choice about who matters and who's worth it. Do none of the people affected by this matter" Claire pleaded
"Good Morning Smallville, the American conscience died with Robert, Martin, and John" Perry retorted
"You know you don't mean that. If the police won't doing anything the press has to, that's what the planet stands for" Claire said boldly
"And so can you if it was 1938, but it isn't Kent. You need to drop this and do the next assignment I give you" Perry said agitated, Claire wanted to continue but Perry simply raised his hand stopping her and then turned to Jimmy
"And what's your excuse Olsen" Perry said wanting to hear Jimmy's excuse
"W-w-well I mean I-I W-was going to but I….I…Uhhh" Jimmy stammered out nervously
"Langston's family lived in Gotham, Jimmy needed the closure" Claire said
Perry face softened as he buried his face in his hands, Then Lois barged in the room holding a Ziploc bag
"No match, my guys in the crime lab never seen one before" Lois said holding out the bag, Perry took the bag and examined its contents
"It's called a bullet you shoot people with it" Perry replied sarcastically handing it back to Lois
"Wait is that from Africa" Jimmy said a bit worried
"Yep recovered from the firefight. Not sold anywhere in the world commercially or in the black market" Lois said enthusiastically
"So" Perry asked
"So who sold prototype military rounds to a bunch of mercenaries in the desert?" Lois asked
"You're the reporter Lane, tell me" Perry replied without looking at her
"I believe the US Government is arming the rebels, while claiming to support the elected government" Lois said
"What do you want Lane" Perry said bored
"Flight to DC tonight a week at most" Lois asked kindly
"Go, coach, no extra leg room" Perry said waving her off, Lois nodded then walked to the door
"Gotcha Perry…. Economy plus maybe" Lois asked sheepishly
"COACH LANE, and bring Olsen with you he needs to redeem himself" Perry shouted gesturing to Jimmy
"Thank you Mister White" Jimmy said happily
"Just do your job Olsen" Perry said annoyed, Jimmy nodded and followed Lois outside, Claire was left alone with Perry
"Perry I can't drop this we need to act" Claire pleaded
"Listen Smallville you're not the first person to take on the Batman, others have tried and they all failed" Perry responded
"You know I'm different Perry I have a portfolio and witness statements with enough support we can force the Gotham PD to finally do something about this" Claire continued
"The GCPD doesn't care Kent. In their eyes the Bat is a Godsend gift. He down the bad guys and doesn't answer to anyone" Perry said
"And that's the problem, when did breaking someone's arm or branding them become Justice. I know he's done well for the City and he has technically never killed anyone, but his methods are brutal and cruel. And he is getting worse how long is going to be before he's leaving bodies in the streets, someone needs to do what's right" Claire argued
"It not for you to decide what right Kent is, nothing is ever black and white. Listen I can see you're passionate about this, but trust me this is not a hole you want to venture down. People who try to look into this get hurt or worse, and I…. I don't want that happen to you. You're a sweet girl Kent, you don't deserve that" Perry said concerned
Claire sighed Perry was worried about her getting hurt. She knew beneath the gruff exterior was a kind man.
"Okay Perry I'll do what you want. Just Let me hold onto this gather more information and give me a chance to prove this is worth it" Claire pleaded, Perry sighed in defeat
"If you can convince me I'll run it" Perry conceded
"Oh thank you Mr. White" Claire said like a happy schoolgirl
"Hang on cowgirl you still have a job and I'm expecting to do it. Two days from now there's a benefit for the Library of Metropolis. Someone on the committee requested that Claire Kent cover it, probably some old Charity crone who has a thing for farm girls" Perry said handing a stack of papers to Claire which she gladly took
"I'm on Mr. White" Claire said as she walked out of the room
"If I see the word Bat in one sentence, it's the mail room" Perry said threateningly, Claire gave him the thumbs up before closing the door
Claire placed the papers on her desk and sighed. She turned to see Lois stuffing her messenger bag with various object, Claire approached her
"So you're looking into the incident" Claire asked, Lois simply smiled and continued what she was doing
"You're digging up snakes Lois, and that's dangerous" Claire said concerned
"That's why I didn't tell you Smallville" Lois replied
"It not anything we haven't done before" Jimmy said leaning on the desk
"Lois has a record of upstaging herself on dangerous cases" Claire joked
"True, so what has Perry banished you to for your insolence" Jimmy asked
"Benefit for the Gotham Library. Usual stuff shaking hands, listening speeches, taking quotes from the usual stuffed collar higher class who want to look good for the public" Claire answered
"Oooo, that bad huh" Jimmy said
Claire didn't really have a taste for these kind of events, some of the people were genuine but others were there for the publicity.
"Remember what I told you about events like that, those rich boys will be all over you. A new bright eyed, bushy tailed reporter, straight from the heart of America they'll try to eat you up like the predators they are" Lois warned, Claire simply smiled
"I'd like to see them try" Claire replied confidently
They all shared a laugh and Claire brought them in for a hug
"Be careful out there okay" Claire whispered
"Of course we will" Jimmy said
"Stop worrying, do you want us to call when were in DC" Lois said
"That would be nice" Claire replied
"Okay mom, see ya later" Lois said as she walked off, Jimmy gestured goodbye and followed
Claire waved then returned to her desk.
Claire's Apartment, Later in the day
Claire returned to her apartment after her work day at the Planet. Lois and Jimmy left early to make the flight to DC. She entered her apartment and taken off her jacket and bag, also placing the papers Perry gave her on the benefit on her kitchen table. The papers told her that she needed to wear a dress to the event, and to be honest she really didn't want to. She just never liked wearing dress she felt like they were to revealing and she wore a skin tight blue onesie for a living. And she hated wearing heels she was already 6'1" she didn't need to be taller and they were just impossible to walk in. She dressed the way she dressed to hide body so people won't be ask as to why Mild-mannered Claire Kent is built like a Greek statue.
Claire entered her bedroom and was surprised by a gown draped on her bed with a small box a top it. The dress was blue similar to suit with a dark red sash around the waist. It had sleeves that would go up to her elbows and it would cover her legs perfectly. It covered her chest but did show of her back. And the entire thing was a size bigger so it wouldn't hug her body and show off her physique. Claire picked up the box a small note was attached to it, she removed it and read it
Dress like you actually want to be there Smallville. I know you're basically a kindergartener when it comes to fashion so I decided to help you out. I thought of your insecurities and bought something I think you can work with. Also why your there don't be afraid to use those looks of yours, that might be the only way to loosen some of they're lips.
Don't break anyone in half while I'm gone
Lois
Claire smiled at the note, Lois must've made a clothes run before heading to the airport. Claire examined the dress and thought that she could work with this. Claire still had the box in her hand and she opened it. In there was a pair of glasses, not like her large spherical glasses that took up half her face? These were thinner and sleeker more oval shaped. There was also a brilliant yellow hair stick in there. Claire took in a deep breath then exhaled, she had two day till the party.
Metropolis Library, Two Day Later
"Well this is going as expected" Claire thought as she stood outside the Library press pass around her neck.
The dress she was wearing was surprisingly comfortable and did its job well enough. She used the hair sticks to hold her hair up into her usual bun though it was a bit cleaner than what she usually does. The glasses felt the same as her regular ones though they didn't dull her eye color as much, if people looked close enough they could see the blue. She almost came to this party in her sneakers, luckily Jenny lent her some shoes for the event slightly elevated heels but Claire was able to work with it. Claire made sure not to put on any make-up, she didn't care much for the stuff and she didn't want to stand out that much. She kept her slouch trying to make herself seem shorter and shrink into the crowd. She was approached by a few fellow reporters commenting that she was beautiful, she gave them a smile, a thank you, then kindly sent them away. She had a job to do and she wasn't going to let Perry down again. Another downside to wearing this dress was that she couldn't hide her suit under her clothes like she usually does. In the end she had to stuff her suit inside a separate bag and hide it in the library earlier when she arrived.
Claire stood behind the ropes of the red carpet as she watched various members of the elite class enter the building. Waving hands, camera flashes, usual stuff, some of the reporters were trying to get quotes from the people right there on the spot. But Claire knew better she'd wait till they were inside easier to get a one on one no distractions. Claire recognized many of the people who walked into the building, she's seen them at other events and even interviewed a few of them. In seemed like everyone had arrived to the party and everyone was going to head inside.
But then a single car pulled up to the walkway and everyone stopped to look back. The car was all black, classic looking, and it was immaculate. Then a lone man stepped out of the car, there was nobody else in there he drove himself. He was wearing an all-black suit, pants, and shoes. His hair was dark brown but gray streaks could be seen mostly on the sides of his head. He had a strong chin with a five o' clock shadow and an overall handsome face. The man straightened his suit then proceeded to walk down the carpet. Practically the entire crowd gasped and the camera flashes began again increasing tenfold, everyone was speaking at once to talk to this mystery man. Claire stood at the end of the carpet surprised by the crowd's reaction to this person and finding herself a bit curious about him. Claire turned to one of her fellow reporters who was getting his camera ready.
"Hey who's that" Claire asked pointing to the man, the other reporter gave her a disbelieving look then laughed a bit
"Wow you really are new, kid that is Bruce Wayne" The reporter said, and Claire was surprised
"Bruce Wayne as in Wayne Enterprises" Claire asked
"The one and only, you are looking at the CEO. Though I'm surprised he's here, the guy doesn't leave Gotham City unless it important. The guys poured so much money into that cursed city trying to dig up some good that isn't there" The reporter mused
"So he's a philanthropist" Claire inquired
"Yeah, but it's only a cover. Man was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He's an S-Class playboy, bet he'll leave this event with three lovely ladies tonight. Better watch yourself or you'll be one of them." The reporter warned
Claire simply examined the man curiously. He was a respected member of Gotham society with a whole lot of influence. She was curious to ask his opinions on the Batman, this would be for her private investigation nothing to do with the planet. Bruce walked down the carpet confident smile on his face waving to the crowd, but not answering any of the question asked. The Bruce passed Claire and for a split second they're eyes met, Claire looked deep into his Hazel eyes and had a realization.
"W-wait…was he" Claire thought at Bruce smiled at her then passed her
Claire stood there for a few seconds gathering her thoughts, when the light nudge of a person passing her knocking her out of it. She regained her composure and entered the building.
During the next ten minutes the party got into full swing, people were chatting dancing. And Claire was doing her job talking to various high class members of society and philanthropist. She could easily tell who was being honest with they're donations and who were doing it for the publicity. Claire had gotten some good statements enough to fill in her article, now she just had to wait around and see how the party goes. But Claire did want a chance to speak with Bruce Wayne and began to look for him. Suddenly there was a light tap on her shoulder
"Um excuse me are you Ms. Claire Josephine Kent" a meek male voice said
Claire turned around and gasped at who she was talking to. It was a young man shorter than her and was kinda scrawny compared to her at least. He had wavy red hair, and blue eyes. Was wearing a dark purple dress shirt with a black suit over it, black pants, and shoes. Claire knew who he was his face was plastered everywhere in Metropolis almost as much as Superwoman's.
"Oh I am so sorry, um good evening I am Alexander Luthor, but you can just call me Lex everybody does" Lex said with a kind smile and a extended hand
"Oh I know who you are Mr. Luthor, who doesn't. You were the biggest benefactor to the rebuilding of Metropolis. I'm just surprised you know my name" Claire said surprised shaking his hand
"Oh you know Metropolis is my home I just couldn't let it fall apart. I have to be honest I'm just a fan of your work, I've read all your articles though I have to say my favorite was your first. Your coverage on the Smallville battle was so engaging, the emotions were so real it was like I was really there" Lex said astounded
"Oh why thank you Mr. Luthor" Claire was caught off guard by the sudden barrage of compliments
"And I must say your photo does not do you Justice, if I may say you are quite riveting this evening Ms. Kent" Lex said with a boyishly cute smile
Claire couldn't help but smile at his compliments he was so charismatic, so much so that she couldn't look him straight in the eyes.
"But I know you have a job to do, I'm probably keeping you from it" Lex said as he turned away
"Oh yes I do, so may I ask you some questions. It's not every day you get to talk to the richest man in Metropolis, maybe the world" Claire joked, Lex turned around and smiled
"Okay ask away Ms. Kent" Lex said jovially
"Alright then why did you donate so much to the Metropolis Library" Claire asked
"Well I believe that knowledge should be available to everyone and I don't want to seem rude but I will go into more detail on my motivations during my speech whenever they decide to do it. But also because the scars are still deep from the Black Zero Incident and I just want to help the city heal. Sometimes it's the little things that matter in the world" Lex said, Claire smiled as her mind wandered to the event
"With what happened during Black Zero and recent events, what are your opinions on Superwoman?" Claire asked curiously
"Ah, the million dollar question. Well I never met her person, my only interactions are from the paper and the news. Cute face, saves people, apparently very humble what's not to like. But what happened back then and in Africa, even if it's not her fault she is still connected to it. And now people are scared and rightfully so, but then again we don't know the full story. Maybe if she were to come out and explain herself that may alleviate some tension, make things a whole lot easier for everyone" Lex reasoned
Claire thought about it for a moment. She considered addressing people about what happened during Black Zero to explain her side of the story, but what good would that do to the people who lost so much during her battle. And the same was for the Africa incident, but maybe talking to them would be better for all of them. Claire then continued her questioning
"Um, Mr. Luthor this question isn't for the planet, this is for my own private investigation. What do you make of the Gotham Batman?" Claire asked
"Wow the Batman that is a scary guy. He's one of the reasons I don't Gotham very often. Overall a guy who dresses like a bat and spends his nights beating up criminals is not exactly the pillar of mental health. The man is clearly disturbed and is a danger to himself and the civilians of Gotham. But I guess taking out a few Crime bosses gets you in the good graces of the GCPD, because the police sure aren't doing anything. If the police aren't going to do anything somebody else has to…. Will that be you Ms. Kent" Lex said
"I'm not really sure Mr. Luthor" Claire said unsure
"Please call me Lex. You know if you want a hometown opinion on the Bat you should aske Bruce Wayne, where is that old dog" Lex said looking around
"Philanthropist, bibliophile, and true friend to Metropolis. Mr. Lex Luthor" A women on stage announced as everyone began clapping for him
"Oh that's my cue, just look around Claire I'm sure you'll find him. Enjoy the party" Lex said as he walked to the stage
"Thank you for your time Lex" Claire said gratefully
"No Claire, thank you" Lex said as he turned around to run up to the stage
Claire was caught by surprise by the sudden glint she caught in the corner of Lex's eye. Lex walked on stage thanking the woman and taking the mike
"Alright, Speech, speech, uh. Blah, Blah, Blah, uh. Open bar. The End" Lex said nervously making the crowd laugh
"Okay, okay, but seriously people. The word Philanthropist comes from the Greek. Meaning a lover of humanity. It was coined about 2,500 years ago" Lex said
Claire was listening intently until something caught her ear, it was a high pitched electrical static. She recognized the sound it came from some kind of communication device, not phones something else, something hidden. Someone was carrying a concealed communicator. Claire's mind rushed was someone going to attempt to rob the benefit, if so maybe she could stop it before it happened. She began focusing harder on the sound and began looking around trying to find where it was coming from. She began to hear a voice behind the static but it was garbled, she was going to focus harder on it until she saw something she was not expecting. Standing at the side in a brilliant red dress was the woman from the desert, the woman Claire had that strange conversation with, Diana Prince was right across from her. For a moment they're blue and light brown eyes met and a spark was shared between the two. Claire simply stared, while Diana smiled at her then walked away. Claire was going to pursue until Lex chimed in
"Books are knowledge and Knowledge is power. And I'm heh, um no, what am I, what was I saying" Lex said confused, Claire looked at him a bit concerned as did the rest of the audience
"The Bitter sweet pain among men, is having knowledge with no power. Because….. That is Paradoxical and…. Thank you for coming" Lex said with a bit of anger then stopped walking of the stage
During that Claire saw the glint again in Lex's eyes. Did the speech strike a nerve with the young billionaire? From what Claire heard about him his father was supposedly dead, may some memories were drummed up. Before Claire could inquire more about the Lex's small breakdown, she saw him. Bruce Wayne standing only a few feet away from her, Claire took a deep breath
"Now or never Kent" Claire thought to herself as she approached the billionaire playboy
"Excuse me Mr. Wayne, Claire Kent Daily Planet" Claire said with an extended hand
"Oh my foundation has already issued statements on its support of….book" Bruce said shaking her hand not really paying attention to her
"Excuse me" Claire said a bit offend by the lack of attention, Bruce snapped out of his stupor and looked Claire in the eyes
"Sorry I get distracted when I see a pretty girl, bad habit. Don't quote me alright" Bruce said charmingly then began to walk off
"Oh great it's going to be one of these" Claire thought to herself
She had experienced this before multiple times. One of the downsides to her disguise was that a lot of people didn't really take her seriously when it came to reporting. Many thought she was just some sweet country girl getting in way over her head in the big city. When those moments came she found it was best to break character for a bit and show them she means business. Claire took a deep breath and straightened her posture standing her full height, eyes filled with determination.
"Mr. Wayne what is your position on the Bat vigilante in Gotham" Claire said strong and bold
Bruce stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at Claire. Whether it was the change in her tone of voice or the question she asked, Claire now had Bruce's attention.
"Daily Planet, wait do I own this one. Or was that the other guy" Bruce said
Claire's face remained neutral, 'Focus on asking the questions' that's what Lois told her to do in these situations.
"Civil liberties have been trampled on in your city, Mr. Wayne. Good people are living in fear." Claire spoke calmly and focused on the task at hand
"Don't believe everything you hear, Miss." Bruce replied straightforward
"I've seen it, Mr. Wayne. I've been to Gotham. He thinks he's above the law." Claire said boldly unflinching
Bruce paused for a minute gathering his thoughts, and during that minute Claire felt it. Something about him changed he was dropping the billionaire charm and much more serious aura surrounded him. He was taking Claire seriously now, and she was ready for whatever he could throw at her.
"The Daily Planet criticizing those who think they're above the laws. A little hypocritical, wouldn't you say? Considering every time your hero saves a cat out of a tree, you write a puff piece editorial, about an alien who... if she wanted to, could burn the whole place down. And there wouldn't be a damn thing we can do to stop her." Bruce replied stoically
Claire was surprised by the comment, she wasn't expecting the Superwoman jab. Still she remained steadfast and felt the urge to defend herself.
"Most of the world doesn't share your opinion, Mr. Wayne." Claire replied calmly
"Most of the world last time I checked is pretty split on her Ms. Kent. And maybe it's the Gotham City in me, we just...have a bad history with freaks dressed like clowns." Bruce said
Claire's eyes narrowed at the billionaire. She did her research on the city, she knew who he was talking about
"Mr. Wayne, Superwoman is nothing like him" Claire replied calmly though the tension between the two of them was increasing
"I think the people during the Black Zero event would disagree" Bruce continued
"What happened there wasn't her fault" Claire said her voice rising a bit
"They came because of her. The city and the people paid the price for her actions" Bruce said bolder
"She was trying to stop them. She was trying to help" Claire said glaring harder at Bruce
"Well she tried…. And she failed" Bruce said coldly
Both they're faces remained neutral, but the tension between the two was high. Claire was clenching her fist tightly, telling herself that she couldn't punch this jerk through a wall. What did he know about what happened, about what she had to do. They continued to stare each other down Claire actually looking up at him a bit. He was taller by a few inches, she wasn't used to people taller than her. But she wouldn't let him know it bothered her. The stare down continued until a voice snapped them both out of it
"Ah, I told you you'll find him" Lex said breaking the tension and making them both look at him
"Bruce Wayne meets Claire Kent. I love it, I love bringing people together" Lex said happily clapping his hands together
Claire took a moment to take a breath and calm herself down. She looked back at Bruce, his serious aura was gone replaced by the one she felt before.
"Lex how are you" Bruce asked happily
"I'm doing fine Bruce you old boy. You're not giving Ms. Kent here a hard time are you? I'd be careful she's from the country, I shook her hand it's like Steel. This is one woman you do not want to scorn" Lex said playfully, making Claire smile
"I've scorned worse Lex. And we were just having a small disagreement on personal views. Hopefully I was able to answer your questions Ms. Kent" Bruce said with a smile
"Yes…. You were. Thank you for your time Mr. Wayne" Claire said with a fake smile extending her hand for him to shake.
And Bruce did, he was surprised by how strong her grip was. At the same time Claire was surprised by Bruce's grip. She put a little more power into her handshake enough to make him uncomfortable, but he was taking it. The released each other and stared for a few seconds
"If you may excuse me I have something I must take care of" Bruce said kindly then walked off
Claire simply nodded and watched him walk away. Lex lightly patted her shoulder
"Take it easy on Bruce okay. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He wouldn't last a second" Lex said playfully as he walked off
Claire was left standing in there slightly annoyed by the whole thing.
"Just…. Let it go Claire. You got work to do" Claire said to herself as she walked through the party
But what Bruce said struck a nerve with her and he couldn't stop thinking about it. Claire decided to endulge on some of the snacks and some wine. She didn't drink that much not that she could get drunk, but she would occasionally have a beer or sip some wine. Before she could take a sip the electric static came back, Claire put down the glass and began searching for the source again. But then a voice broke her concentration.
"So we meet again Ms. Kent" Diana said from in front of her
Claire jumped a bit in surprise, once again this woman appeared from nowhere catching her off guard.
"O-oh Ms. Prince, what a surprise" Claire stammered out nervously making Diana smile
"That is a lovely dress you're wearing. You're a stunning beauty even without the help cosmetics" Diana said
"It's actually a loan from a friend. And I'm not really into make-up" Claire said
"Also you're standing your full height that's good to see" Diana said
Claire's eyes widened in surprise she had forgotten to slouch again after her conversation with Bruce Wayne.
"I also witnessed that conversation you had over there with Mr. Wayne. Who knew there was such fierceness behind such kind eyes, I think you impressed him" Diana said
"Well I'm not out to impress him, I have a job to do and I needed him to take me seriously. Not that I appreciated when he was." Claire said with an annoyed frown
"Well you know how boys can be when a cute girl comes onto the playground. Always wanting to show how tough they are, even if it hurts the girl's feelings" Diana mused
"He didn't hurt my feelings…. He just irked me" Claire said as picked up her glass and drank fro it
"You seem like person who doesn't drink often" Diana inquired
"I do it when I'm annoyed. That's…. not as bad as it sounds" Claire said defensively making Diana laugh
"I'll drink to that" Diana said happily as she picked up a glass and drank from it
"So Ms. Kent what bring you here" Diana asked
"Work, usual stuff. Getting quotes from the upper class for tomorrow's issue. What about you" Claire asked
"I came to pick up something of mine from a friend" Diana said as if she were in deep thought
Claire nodded and looked down at her glass. There was a question on her mind she just had to ask Diana.
"Ms. Prince…. I came here early before the guest with other reporters. I didn't see you enter the building" Claire asked cautiously
"Maybe I didn't use the front door" Diana said with a sly smile
"S-should…. I be worried about that" Claire asked
"That is for you to decide" Diana replied
"Yeah well my decision making has really been sucking lately" Claire said sadly
"There will be those who will look at actions with malice and contempt, you can never tell what's going to happen as a result all you can do is shoot in the dark. Like what you did in Africa" Diana said
Claire's eyes widened upon hearing that. Africa did she see her turn into Superwoman, did she know.
"You saved that child without even thinking about your own safety that was very brave" Diana continued making Claire sigh with relief
"But I can understand your hesitation. No matter what you do, no matter how much effort you put. It always comeback full circle, it's always never enough" Diana said sadly, Claire noticed and frowned a bit
"W-well like you said you're just shooting in the dark. You can't tell how stuff is going to go and maybe things do go around in a circle. But instead of worrying about that, you worry about the moment and what you need to do" Claire said encouragingly
Diana smiled at the girl, her optimism was infectious
Server Room
Bruce had just finished putting a device on one of the Lexcorp servers in the hopes of retrieving the information he desired. Mercy had just arrived to show him out and back to the party. Once he was alone he brought his hand to his ear and began talking
"Alfred, how long until the download is done" Bruce asked into his earpiece
"You have seven minutes until the download is complete, so you have some time to kill. Go upstairs and socialize maybe you can finally find a girl who can make you honest…. In your dream Alfred" the voice of an elderly man spoke through the earpiece
"I have my eye on a girl from Metropolis. Did you search her up like I asked" Bruce continued
"Yeah, yeah I found her. Claire Josephine Kent, born in Smallville, Kansas, moved to Metropolis. Became a reporter for the Daily Planet, and a pretty good one at that. Some of her best work come from the collaboration of Lois Lane the planet's top reporter, and James Olsen a photographer" Alfred read off
"Lois Lane, she's the one who had the most interaction with the alien" Bruce said
"Yes she has had the most run in's with Superwoman. Apparently she has pulled the three of them out of some pretty tight scrapes….. Please tell me you're not going to use the poor girl, to try and get closer to Lane" Alfred said raking his hands over his face
"The more information I gather on Superwoman the better. I approach her and see what I can squeeze out" Bruce said as he straightened his tie
"With all due respect Master Bruce, based on what I heard from your past interaction with Ms. Kent. Your regular strategy of playboy charms, alcohol, and a one night stand won't be enough for Ms. Kent. She's not stupid" Alfred said
"I've dealt with worse Alfred. I just won't use playboy Bruce Wayne, I use the real Bruce Wayne" Bruce said as he returned to the party hall
"The real Bruce Wayne, heh. If she saw the real Bruce Wayne she'll end up calling the Psych Ward" Alfred said bored
Bruce examined the Party searching for Claire when he finally saw her by herself sitting near a table, Diana left a bit earlier to handle personal Business. Claire sat there bored, she had everything she needed for the paper. She didn't really need to stay anymore, so she prepared to leave. Until a shadow loomed over her
"Hello Again Ms. Kent" Bruce said kindly
Claire mentally rolled her eyes, not wanting to deal with this man right now or ever again
"Hello again Mr. Wayne, I've gotten enough quotes for the Planet, so I'm about leave if you may excuse me" Claire said as she stood up
"Ms. Kent if I could just have a few minutes of your time I need to say something" Bruce said calmly
"Mr. Wayne I really need to go…." Claire said trying her hardest not to be rude
"I'm Sorry" Bruce said simply
Claire stopped mid-sentence and stared at Bruce a bit confused. The aura around him was no longer the charming one or the serious one. It was just calm, normal, and approachable.
"Can we sit and talk" Bruce said gesturing to the seat
Claire decided to give him a chance and sat back down, Bruce sitting right next to her.
"Listen, I was very rude to you before. You were just doing your job and I was giving you a hard time to make myself feel better. So I humbly ask for your forgiveness Ms. Kent" Bruce said
Claire examined him looking deep into his hazel eyes. He was genuinely apologizing to her, he was legitimately upset about how he acted towards.
"Well…. Thank You Mr. Wayne. I accept your apology" Claire kindly and a bit surprised making Bruce smile a bit
"I can see you're a bit surprised. The billionaire playboy actually knowing how to say sorry, I assure you I was raised to be better than that" Bruce said with a soft smile
"But I will admit that you also surprised me. You are a lot tougher than you appear, then again I should expect that from a reporter" Bruce said
"Well I guess we both exceeded the others expectations" Claire joked
Bruce gave her a small laugh, it was cute. Claire felt her face heat up a bit and joined in laughing with him. Bruce stopped laughing then looked down to the floor
"The reason I don't have the best opinion on Superwoman is because I was in Metropolis during the Black Zero Event. I was on the ground when everything went to hell" Bruce said solemnly
Claire frowned a bit, realizing where he was coming from.
"I can understand why you feel that way then" Claire said understanding
"Listen this is something I've been sitting on for a while. I felt like there's been a weight on my shoulders ever since the event, I have never told any news outlet what happened during Black Zero. But…. Now's the time to break my silence. Ms. Kent I would like to set up an interview with you so that I can finally tell everyone what happened" Bruce said looking at Claire with a smile, Claire was surprised by this
"Why me?" Claire asked
"Because you seem like someone who will right the truth. That despite our differing opinions you won't let your bias alter the story. I trust you to let the world see my words unabridged" Bruce said putting his hand on hers
Claire's face immediately burned red from his touch and his words, this man was completely different than the one from earlier. Claire pulled her hand away from his and looked away embarrassed
"W-w-well you'll h-have to talk it over with M-mister White to set up an interview, t-t-then I'll have to check my schedule" Claire stammered out
"Alright then I'll do that. I have to take care of something, but I hope we can meet again Ms. Kent" Bruce said as he got up and walked away
Claire sat there for a few minutes slapping her cheeks to make the blush disappear. She was caught off guard by Wayne's change in attitude. But she still had to be cautious, this could all be an act and he was playing the long con. Before Claire could think any deeper, the static came back. Annoyed by this Claire got up and focused on the sound trying to find its origin. It was coming from downstairs, she went down the steps following the sound. The voice behind it became clearer
"The transfer is complete" the garbled voice said
Claire continued to follow the voice until she passed the kitchen, where a news report was playing in Spanish. Though Claire was able to easily understand it and heard the urgency in thee reporters voice
"…..a deadly fire has interrupted the Day of the Dead festival in Juarez. While some were able to evacuate many are still trapped in the building, emergency services are unable to reach them. If nothing is done soon, those people will surely perish" The reporter said sadly
Everyone in the kitchen was worried, Claire stared at the screen her eyes filled with determination. She knew what she had to do. She exited the Kitchen and ran down the halls, luckily she hid the bag with her suit in a supply closet down here. She ran towards the supply closet in hopes of retrieving it, when she turned the corner her heart froze. Diana Prince was standing in front of the open supply closet examining the bag, she didn't open it she just looked at it. Diana turned to see the shocked Claire
"I was trying to find a place to duck in cover, when I open this door and find this bag that doesn't belong" Diana said holding out the bag to Claire
Claire calmed herself and stared Diana down
"Is this your bag" Diana asked calmly
"Yes" Claire replied as her eyes wandered down to a small device in Diana's hand
"Is that yours" Claire asked pointing to the device, Diana brought it up and looked at it
"No" Diana replied bluntly
They stared at each other for a few second the tension slowly rising. It all disappeared when Diana laughed and tossed the bag to Claire.
"I won't tell if you don't. Keep going down this hall, you'll find a back exit it's a lot more private" Diana said as she walked past Claire
Claire stood there dumbfounded by this entire situation, she quickly turned around
"Who are you Diana Prince" Claire asked, Diana looked back
"A women who's seen the worst of man's world. And doesn't want another noble soul swallowed up by it. Now don't you have somewhere be" Diana said playfully
Claire wanted to ask so many questions but she was right, she took off down the hall and found the door Diana was talking about. Strangely the knob and lock were broken, this just added to the questions she had. But she didn't have time she rushed outside the door taking the suit out of the bag. She removed her dress and accessories stuffing them inside the bag and easily slipping into her suit. She then rocketed off towards the sky leaving the sound of a boom behind her. She soared towards Juarez determined to save the lives of those people, no matter what the world thought of her.
(P.S- If you like what you read please leave a review. Constructive Criticism is appreciated, it makes me a better writer) ;)