Chapter 17: Solving the case

Alfred who was still stationed at Wayne Manor with a few agents waited impatiently for some news. Of course he trusted Agent Hayes and her men, but he also knew how reckless the two teens could be. Also, how dangerous would Thomas Jr really be?

"Mr. Pennyworth," a male voice calls out and pulls Alfred from his worried thoughts. When he looks over he finds agent Ivory walking toward him.

"Sir, I just got off the phone with Agent Baldwin, Thomas Wayne Junior was apprehended in the Allen State Forest without a single shot being fired and is now in the process of being transported to the SuperMax."

Alfred sighs in relieve; "I'm glad to hear that Agent Ivory. But do you mind telling me where they taking him?"

Ivory smiles and says; "To an inhospitable place somewhere in Alaska. Your Bruce Wayne really knows how to give someone the cold shoulder."

"Indeed he does," Alfred says while gloating then turning it back to serious as he continues; "But I wish this doesn't become a common habit for him. That's the one thing that worries me about him having to deal with so many enemies."

"Well as long he has you and Selina Kyle in his corner, I don't think we'll have to worry about him becoming a monster."

"So with Tomas Wayne Jr now in custody, I take it you and your men will be leaving soon?"

Ivory replies; "We'll commence our withdraw in the morning, but our motion sensors will remain in place and we'll even assemble a backup force for Bruce in case he needs us again."

Before Alfred could reply on that, another agent comes into the room and says; "Excuse me sir, but we have a video link established with Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. You can watch it in the study."

Alfred doesn't hesitate for a moment and quickly dashes into the study and sits down in front of the laptop.

"Hiya Jeeves!" Selina said cheerfully. They had changed back into their normal clothes but Selina was still wearing her helmet from the mission to record the conversation on her helmet cam.

"Master Bruce, Miss Kyle, I'm glad you two are alright. Where are you now?"

Bruce replies; "And undisclosed but secure location and we got here about an hour ago."

"Are Agent Hayes and George still with you?"

After hearing her name Hayes pops into view between the kids and says; "Yes Alfred, we're still here. George has turned in for the night, but I think it's going to be quite a while before these two will hit the hay."

"I can imagine, Master Bruce and Miss Kyle are quite the energizer bunnies."

Hayes smiles cheeky; "Yes, the past few hours I found it quite hard to keep up with them, but to tell you the truth Alfred, I love these kids as if they were my own."

Alfred can't help but smile at that statement then Bruce says; "We'll have to sign off soon but before we do that, I just want to let you know that Selina and I may decide to go on vacation here."

"Alright Master Bruce, you all stay safe now and I'll see you when you return home."

Selina smirks and says; "Yeah don't worry, I will keep a close eye on Bruce. I have so many ideas for this vacation you wish you would be here to stop me from doing them with my billionaire!"

Alfred opens his mouth to respond to that but Selina is quicker and adds gleefully; "Bye Jeeves!" Bruce and Hayes smiled and waved at the stunned butler right before the session timed out.


The safe house Bruce and Selina stay once belonged to a big time drug dealer, but shortly after his arrest, the authorities discovered that he had bought many things with the proceeds including the house and they seized everything accordingly. It was turned into a temporarily safe house shortly after the manhunt was completed.

Bruce stands in the backyard watching the sun rise when Selina comes outside the safe house and joins him.

"Morning B. What-cha doing?"

"Good morning Selina. I'm just watching the sunrise, it's such a beautiful sight."

Selina can't help but smiles; "Yeah it is."

The street girl hooks her arm in Bruce's and lies her head against his arm staring dreamily into the distance where the sun is setting. Bruce slowly starts to sense that he is now at a 'now or never' moment.

Bruce takes in a long deep breath and says softly as he keeps his eyes locked at the sun rise; "There's something I need to tell you."

Selina tilts her head up curiously and Bruce slowly looks aside and into her eyes, warmly. The girl feels her heart skip a beat before it starts racing like a drum inside her chest. She had seen that look before. Months ago when she helped him tricking Silver.

"After my parents died I thought I would never smile again, that I would never find someone that close or even closer ever again." Bruce drops his eyes to the ground, chuckles nervously and adds; "But then you waltzed into my life which I don't mind at all. I was happy, because you made me dare to smile again. And after a while… after all what happened since we know each other…after these past few days…I grew to love you more."

Bruce lets out a little sigh. It was out, nothing to be done about it now. He can only wish Selina won't break his heart to smithereens. But the look in her eyes tells him she most likely is doing it anyway.

"But why?!"

Why? That's not really what Bruce had expected. A punch in his face? Maybe. A witty escape comment? Definitely. But 'why' is definitely not what he expected.

Selina notices the warily look on the billionaire's face ad continues; "You have all the luxury a man can dream off, you can get any fancy girl, so why would you 'love' a girl that practically grew up on the streets?"

"Selina, don't say that," Bruce said trying to sound determined but his voice broke anyway. "You should know by now I don't see you like that!"

Selina takes a step back as she shakes her head firmly; "It doesn't matter Bruce. You can aim higher, so don't waste your time being grounded with me."

"Stop it Selina!" Bruce practically shouted at her. Selina looks up startled and sees the pain in her friend's eyes when he says with much gentler voice; "I made my decision, okay?"

Selina frowns confused; "What?"

"Fancy girls and fancy parties can take me high and far, but what if that's not where I want to be?"

Selina opens her mouth to say something, but all she can mouth is another "What?"

Bruce however takes a step closer and looks deep into her green eyes as he says; "Right here, by your side is the only place I want to be!"

A deep silence follows as they look each other in the eyes. Bruce tries to find traces of what Selina is thinking. Would she run and never come back?

Before Bruce knows what happens Selina grabs the lapels of his shirt and pulls him in for a kiss. Bruce feels his knees become weak, but manages to stay steady.

Then Selina breaks the kiss and says softly; "This might be a bit late to say, but I will stay with you…follow you wherever you go."

Selina confirms her words with another kiss then Hayes and George walk out into the yard and watch the teens break their kiss.

"Good morning," Bruce says nervously as if he was taken off guard by their presence and then follows Selina to meet them.

Agent Hayes smiles and greets; "Morning kids."

Selina says, smiling cheeky; "I guess the one thing that brat did right was bringing us closer together."

"Maybe that was the council's plan all along, stir up chaos in the name of making our relationship official."

Selina smacks the young billionaire against the back of his head and says; "You're starting to think too hard, Bruce. Give that cranium of yours a break for once."

Bruce rubs the back of his head then saying; "Speaking of breaks, I've decided to remain here for a week. I mean, a vacation would be well-earned, isn't it? If Selina is interested of course."

"Sure B. We could use a change in scenery."

That's amazing, because I get to be around you guys for a while longer since I'm still in charge of your security," Hayes says cheerfully. "And I even have a cabin just outside the city. Don't worry, it's in better shape than the one Thomas was hiding in."

"Cool," Selina said.

George clears his throat and says; "I know we have to leave this place soon but before we do that, I have an announcement to make."

"What's that George?" Bruce asked.

George smiles proudly; "I've decided to join the FBI. I applied to them online this morning."

"Wow George, what brought this on?" Selina asked.

"After everything that's happened, why go back to my mundane life in Gotham when I can have far more exciting adventures with the feds?"

"Just how long is the training period for federal agents?"

George chuckles; "Twenty weeks, but don't you worry Bruce, you and Selina will see me again."

"Good luck, George," Selina said then all three of them embraced him in a group hug before he departs.


Thomas is taken by a team of men to a vehicle that will transport him to the supermax prison.

The entire night he had been thinking about the stuff he had done to his twin brother, and what the council had told him about his past, and he finally realized they kidnapped him right after birth. If only he had known that days sooner, then he would never had agreed working with them.

Thomas knows Bruce would never agree to another conversation, and he doesn't really blame him for it. Maybe writing a letter would be an option, if he gets a chance for it. From what they told him about Supermax prison it wasn't a pleasant place. The worst of the worst criminals are locked in there.

When they told him that Thomas wondered if that made him automatically worst of the worst criminals as well. But Bruce wouldn't think he was, right? Maybe Bruce just picked the prison because it was the most far away from him.

"Get your little ass inside, you brat," one of the fed agents says as he pushes the boy to the back of the vehicle forcefully.

Thomas can't help himself but tears are about to well up in his eyes. He so wished it all had been a bad dream, but it wasn't. He had blown his only chance of having a twin brother.

Suddenly another fed screams for them to take cover as he pushed Thomas to the ground. A bullet flies past his ear and lands into the vehicle behind them.

All the feds try to find cover then shooting into the direction the bullet came from. Thomas remains on the ground motionless but then the fed drags him up to his feet and behind a nearby tree for cover.

Thomas knows exactly who's responsible for the shooting. The council has send assassins for his head and they won't stop until they get it.

The agent who's with him starts shooting after a few bullets dug deep into the tree they are hidden behind. Then suddenly a bullet flies through his left clavicle.

Thomas screams in shock as the agent sinks back behind the tree covering his shoulder for pressure. The other agents and feds keep shooting at their attackers.

The young boy suddenly rips a piece off his shirt and pushes it against the agent's wound who howls in pain shortly. Then he grabs his gun and reloads it before handing it to Thomas.

"My guess is that they want you!" the agent grunts in pain.

Thomas stammers as he looks at the gun; "Yes, but…

"Then take this gun and get out of here!" the agent cuts off and shoves the gun into the boy's hands before wrapping his own hand back on his wound.

Thomas shakes his head; "I never used a gun before and besides, you need help!"

"My men will help me! Now get out before I change my mind and shoot you myself!"

Thomas looks confused and asks; "Why? You're supposed to take me to that prison. Why you care they shoot me?!"

"Look kid, I have no idea what they've done to you or told you to convince you to work for them, but you're still a kid and kids make mistakes. I might be a fed, but I also know you don't deserve it to get shot by those people you worked for. Now get out!"

Thomas clutches the gun in his hand and glances at the agent one more time who grunts in pain; "Run kid! Just run! I'll be fine!"

The young boy turns around facing the woods and starts running as fast as he can. Behind him the shooting continues which makes him run harder and harder as tears stream down his face.

After five minutes of running Thomas halts to take in his surroundings. He has no idea where he is or where to run too.

Thomas takes in a few deep breaths before he continues his flight, but before he can even take a step a painful jolt shoots through his body and he lets out a very loud scream.

Somewhere else in Concord a vehicle travels down the road and inside sits Agent Hayes, Selina and Bruce who tells his butler they will remain in New Hampshire under the watchful eye of Hayes and her team.

Bruce Wayne completes his phone call as their convoy stops at a red light and Hayes turns her head to ask them a question.

"So kids, any of you interested in breakfast?"

Bruce and Selina cheer in glee, but then Agent Hayes gets a call and when she picks up her happy face melts into a horrified expression before slowly facing Bruce and Selina.

"Agent Baldwin just called to tell there's been an attack at Concord's police station when they tried to transport your brother who fled into the woods shortly after. All agent Baldwin can say is that they heard a loud scream coming from inside the woods."

Bruce's turns pale, instantly, and agent Hayes wraps her arms around the young billionaire.

Selina takes her boyfriend's hand into hers and whispers; "It's not your fault, B."


Well, this was the final chapter of this story. There will be a sequel to this story that will be written by swiftbolt99 and it has "Granite state" in the title. Full title will be added later if you haven't found it by then. Also there will be another story that will sort of continue on this one which will be written by me and it's called; Dangerous Obsession." I'm not sure when the first chapter will be out, but if you followed my author name I'm quite sure you will get an alert.

Anyway, let me know what you overall thoughts are about this story.

Big thanks to swiftbolt99 for helping me with ideas. Without him I would have hit another writers-block. LOL