A/N: Finally back to my normal stories and we're starting back up with a doozie. When I played through this part of the game, I couldn't believe it. I can understand but disagree.
P.S. I actually wrote this chapter about three weeks ago and simply keep forgetting to post it. Sorry!
Thx!
AMM
To say walking into Wayne Tower was awkward would be the understatement of the century. Each person I passed stopped to stare at me and/or shoot me nasty looks. The security cross their arms and shoot death glares my way but thankfully don't try to stop me from going in.
Upon entering the tower, I keep my head down and tuck my earpiece into my left ear as I round the corner to the hallway that leads to my office.
"Almost there, Lucius," I tell him, pushing the doors to my office open.
"I'll meet you down in the lab. Some aspects of the Children of Arkham are….worrying." I freeze in the entryway at a familiar figure holding the framed photograph of my parents.
"Great," I mutter to myself, referring both to what Lucius told me and to the woman by my desk.
"Bruce!" She gasps in surprise. Clearly, she hadn't been expecting me to be at the office.
"Chairwoman," I greet as I approach.
"I didn't think you'd be here." She admits. " I was, uh….I used to look to Thomas for guidance in hard times." She carefully sets the photograph back down. "Must seem silly, after everything that's happened. You know what they say about old habits."
I push my hands into my pockets as I look down, understanding what she means. There've been many times that I've looked to that same picture and asked it what I should do on a difficult business deal or even personal matters. I stared at that picture right before I decided to become the Batman and when I was debating if I should give Diana a chance for something more then friendship.
"Yeah, I miss them too. Both of them."
"I know. Every day, I wish your father was still with us. He was wise beyond his years….and Martha….she was such a delight to have around." Regina seems to be fond of dredging up my parents, but part of me actually doesn't mind. I don't hear much about them anymore, at least, not the positive.
Regina paces to the front of my desk where she leans against it and looks at me. And judging by the look on her face, she didn't just come here to stare at an old picture.
"I've been called in for an emergency board meeting." I feel my heart stutter; already knowing the board meeting is not going to bode well for me.
"I wasn't told about it."
"You….weren't invited, Bruce. You are the topic of discussion for the board. They want to decide what your future at this company will be. Whether to….dismiss you or not." My hands reach up to fidget with my tie at the base of my neck. Normally, I'd consider myself to be very grounded and stable but after all that's happened in the past week, I've become a nervous, anxious wreck most of the time. I rarely feel calm and in control anymore.
"You have to understand, Bruce, this company is bigger than any one individual. We have to keep face. And after this scandal…." Her eyes are full of sympathy. At least I know she'll be on my side for the discussion. More like argument, if I know the board of Wayne Enterprises well enough.
"What my father….I'm not him, Regina. I would never compromise the lives of innocents for my own benefit."
She nods apologetically. "I know that, Bruce. But you have to understand that what the public wants to hear isn't always what we want to hear. The whole city is watching to see what our next move is going to be."
"Bruce, I've got something." Lucius suddenly speaks up in my ear, oblivious to what's happening in my office right now. "You need to get down here. Now."
"I worked with your parents for years," Regina continues, walking around my desk to stare out the floor to ceiling windows with one of the best views of Gotham. "And neither of them ever gave any indication of foul play. How could you have ever known?"
"Bruce,"
"You're nothing like him, Bruce. We always build up the people closest to us."
I appreciate the sentiment, I do, but I need to know she's going to try and fight for me.
"Then go tell that to the board," I try to say without sounding desperate. Unfortunately, it comes off harsher then I intended. Some of the sympathy leaves Regina's eyes and she becomes defensive.
"What do you think I'm trying to do, Bruce? I'm not your enemy. You should remember that." I'd rather bang my head on my desk then have this conversation right now. "Don't forget who your allies are, Mr. Wayne. I'll come get you after." And with that, Regina storms past me and out of my office.
I run a hand through my hair and release a ragged breath. Good to know that I'm capable of pitting those fighting for me, against me.
As soon as the door shuts, I finally respond to Lucius. "I'll be right down." Approaching the chess board off to the side, I switch the proper king and knight pieces and step back as a nearby bookcase pops out of the wall and slides away, revealing the secret entrance to the lab.
Before the door opens, I must unlock it. So, I approach the desk and reach under the surface, finding the proper button that unlocks the door. I hear the audible click before it swishes open, allowing me access.
The elevator doesn't descend until confirming my identity with a retinal scan. Seconds later, I'm sliding down and entering the lab.
"It's good to hear she's still in your corner," Lucius tells me as I approach him and shake his hand.
"Spying on my conversations again?" Lucius shrugs and smirks at me.
"Hey, I'm looking out for you. There've been whispers that the board was going to take action against you. If you lose the company, Batman will take a massive hit too." Don't remind me.
"I know the cave is well equipped, but all of this is owned and paid for by the company. You can't afford to lose their resources. I'd like to be optimistic but from where I'm siting, it doesn't look good."
"Right now, finding out how the Children of Arkham are spying on the police is more important. What have you got?" I need the distraction of the Children of Arkham to keep me from stressing over the board meeting.
Lucius turns away, not meeting my eye. "It's Wayne Tech, Bruce. As you know, Wayne Enterprises is a telecommunications giant." He approaches the computer linked to the batcomputer in the cave. "If someone were to, say, build a backdoor into that tech-"
"You're telling me the Children of Arkham hacked into the system?"
"So that's the thing," Lucius finally turns to meet my eye. "Do you want the good news or the bad news? You're not gonna like it."
I sigh, "No shortage of bad news lately. Might as well just pile more on."
"Well, you see, this backdoor they're using….I built it."
"You? What are you talking about?" I brace myself for Lucius to tell me he's been double dealing me this whole time or something. It would be icing on the cake.
"When your mission as Batman started, you needed a way to monitor the city. Well, this is how. I piggybacked Batman's surveillance onto Wayne Enterprises' signal." At least he's not selling me out.
"If the Children of Arkham have access to the same system, does that mean they know my identity?"
Lucius sits in the chair and types a few commands into the computer. "It looks like they've only accessed the GCPD so far. Not a lot of activity otherwise."
"I'll have Alfred warn Gordon. The GCPD needs to get rid of their Wayne Tech devices." I pull my phone from my pocket.
"Smart move," Lucius comments before looking back to the computer screen.
Alfred, I've got news
What is it?
Did Lucius find something?
The Children of Arkham hacked into Wayne Tech. That's how they're listening in on the police
This is worse then I thought. I'll contact the station
"I've encrypted our access." Lucius relays as I slide my phone into my pocket. "I can fortify it, but it's gonna take longer to force them out of the system." Of course it will. "The question remains….how did the Children of Arkham find out about the backdoor in the first place? They shouldn't have been able to find it. Not unless they knew what they were looking for. Whoever broke in certainly knew how to cover their tracks." I lean against the desk as I watch Lucius type.
"When the cops raided the manor, they seized every computer belonging to Wayne Enterprises," I admit. "Mayor Hill must've given them to the Children of Arkham."
"Trying to save himself, I'm sure. I'm going to keep working on this Children of Arkham business. See if there is a way to shut down their access entirely."
"We'd better lock this stuff down. Just in case." I stand and begin to walk away when I notice an updated family photo sitting on another desk beside the computer. "Tiffany's really taking after you….and Luke, stubborn as always." I smile affectionately at the picture; glad Lucius has such a happy family to go home to every night. I may be jealous, but I'm glad for him too.
"I think of what Gotham has become. And I think of them. They give me all the reason I need to work with Batman. He's the one that will truly protect them." He glances at the photo with a distant smile before turning back to his computer.
"And he will, Lucius. Always," I confirm.
I go to leave when Lucius flips on the news and I stop to listen.
"Newly elected mayor Harvey Dent gave a rousing speech late last night refuting claims that the Children of Arkham were gaining control in Gotham. Despite his run in with the masked group on the way to the event, people are still hopeful that Mayor Dent can pull through on his campaign promises." I step back towards the computer as the screen switches to a clip from Harvey's speech last night.
"Who are the Children of Arkham really fighting for? Who is Batman really protecting? 'Cuz it's not us. It's time that we, not masked vigilantes and violent fringe groups, fought for ourselves. I will fight everyday for Gotham and I ask that you join me. We are proud citizens of Gotham! And this is our city!" His opinion of the Batman really dropped. Understandable since I didn't reach him in time the other night, but still. His opinion of me has completely changed. I turn the news off after Harvey's clip ends.
I go to leave once more and hide the table in the middle room on the way by, hitting the button hidden on the underside just as my phone vibrates in my pocket.
I slide it out, glancing over the message. "Looks like Regina's headed to my office. I should go." That was fast. Not a good sign.
"Before you do," Lucius unplugs something from the computer and holds it out towards me. "Here, get that back to the batcomputer. It'll install the added security measures. You'll also have all the info I've found on the Children of Arkham's activity within the system."
"Thanks, Lucius." He stands from the chair to be closer to eye level with me.
"I've always got your back, Batman. Now get out of here. Regina doesn't like to be kept waiting." I offer him a small smile, the most I can muster at the moment before heading back up to my office.
A/N: We'll find out Regina's verdict in the next part and I'll start brainstorming getting Diana in again somewhere. Lord knows Bruce is gonna need her.
Thx!
AMM
