A/N: Okay, in this chapter I introduce one of my favorite characters (she's not mine, but I love her just the same)… and I completely screw up some lives.
Disclaimer: I bought The Long Halloween, Dark Victory, Haunted Knight, and Hush. Can I have him now?
Chapter 6: Three Birds with One Stone
December 4
9:23 am. Leah woke with a start, a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her mouth felt like something had crawled in and died, her hair was oily from sleep, and stomach growled with hunger. She got up and wandered blindly for a moment, then sat back down and groped for her glasses. When she had them on, she went to the kitchen, stumbling slightly. She steadied herself on a counter and filled a cup with water, gulping it down, slaking her thirst a bit. She refilled the cup and grabbed an apple before going back to the living room. She finished off the apple and the water, which helped the feeling in her stomach a bit, but something still lingered, an empty feeling beyond the hunger. As she stood to throw the apple core away, she noticed that there was a message on the answering machine. It was from her mother:
"Good Morning, Leah, and Happy Birthday!" the voice was tired, but cheerful, "I'm sorry that I'm not at home right now, but your father and I will be home in a few hours, for cake and presents. I've got a special surprise for you, too. We'll see you by four at the latest, probably earlier. I love you, and I'll see you soon."
For some reason, she felt the emptiness in her stomach grow as she listened to the message. There was nothing unusual about it, nothing menacing. But she still felt the apple coming back up. She'd forgotten today was her birthday.
10:46 am. The lobby of Wayne Tower was enough to make Solomon drool, and to make Leah nervous. She was wearing her army coat and jeans, and had a woven hat jammed over her still-wet hair. She stamped her boots slightly and walked over to the marble reception desk, ignoring the look of disdain the red-headed secretary shot her. The woman tapped her fingers on the gold filigree as she chatted to someone on the phone. Leah just barely caught the "I love you too, baby. Gotta go." Before the woman tuned towards her, "How may I help you," she asked, in a voice that suggested she'd like to help her out the door.
"I'm here to see Mr. Lucius Fox. I made an appointment a few hours ago, uh, Leah Bowden."
The secretary glanced down at her computer and typed in the name. A look of irritation passed over her face as she spoke again, "Your name's here. But I'm afraid you'll have to wait. He's in a board meeting right now."
"Oh. Thank you," she glanced over at some chairs lined against the far wall. They looked immensely comfortable, "I'll just wait over there, then?"
Again, the flash of annoyance, "Yes," her words were clipped, "That will be fine."
Leah smiled at her as she walked away, and plopped down in one of the chairs as delinquently as she could. She felt the smile turn to a grin when the secretary's eyes narrowed. It was fun to piss off such a snob. It helped her nerved calm down a bit. She absently inspected her tan messenger bag. It wasn't festooned in buttons and artwork, like so many other people's, but was definitely old and used. She liked it; it fit her like the jacket did. Said jacket was starting to become uncomfortable in the heat, so she slid it off and looked down at her sweater. It was a light blue-violet color, perfect for wintertime. She leaned back and continued to watch the secretary. The woman glanced towards the doors from time to time, taking note of the people who came in. After a while, Leah took a look at her watch. She'd been waiting for a half an hour. She stood and walked over to the secretary again.
"Is he almost finished?" she asked, "Because I have some other things that I have to do."
"Mr. Fox is a very busy man," was all the reply she got.
"I understand that, but I just want to know how much longer I've got to wait."
"Look, kid. I don't know who you are, but whatever it is that you need to talk to him about, it can wait," she glared at Leah, then her eyes slid past to the doors. Suddenly, her shoulders straightened and a wistful smile came onto her face. Leah spun on her foot to see what had brought about the sudden change in the red-head, and ended up hitting the man. Her glasses fell from her face, and she lost her balance trying to catch them. Fortunately, he caught her and replaced the glasses in her hands. Whoever he was, he definitely worked out. She could feel the muscles of his arms through the fabric of his suit.
"I'm so sorry," she said, "And thank you. I'm friggin' blind as a bat without…" she trailed off as she recognized the smiling face of Bruce Wayne.
"Not a problem," he turned towards the secretary, "Alice, I need to see Fox. Is he available?"
"Of course, Mr. Wayne. He's downstairs."
"Wait!" Leah said, glaring at the woman, "I've been waiting here for thirty minutes. And I had an appointment."
Bruce turned to her, "You can come down with me. I'm sure that he won't mind."
"Wow, um, thanks. Again. Mr. Wayne," she was a little astonished at his reaction. Most people in his position would have just ignored her and walked away. The secretary, on the other hand, had a look of pure venom etched on her face. Leah grinned at her as she walked away.
"I'm afraid I didn't properly introduce myself last time we met," he said, jerking her back to her senses, "I'm Bruce Wayne," he extended a hand.
She took it tentatively. Yep, this guy was seriously strong, "I know," she said, "My name's Leah."
"Nice to meet you again," he steered her towards a service elevator that looked older than the glass ones that traveled up and down the front of the building. It opened smoothly, though, and the ride was fast, "Can I ask you why you're meeting Fox?"
"I came here to thank him."
"You seem to be thanking people a lot today. What'd he do?"
"He helped me out of a sticky situation," he questioned her with a look; "It's not exactly the kind of thing you do over the phone. Or talk to strangers about," she added pointedly. He took the hint.
The doors opened again onto a lower level. It was a huge basement, filled with tables, cabinets, and storage containers. Bruce called it the Applied Sciences Department. She called it cool. He laughed, then, and she studied him. He seemed a far cry from the broken man of a month earlier. He was warmer, for a start, and more open. They weaved between the tables, over to Fox, who was bending over a microscope and taking notes. He glanced up as the pair approached.
"Ah, just the people I was hoping to see," he smiled, "And how are you feeling, Ms. Bowden?"
"Better, thanks. I was a little groggy this morning, but I'm all right now."
"That's good to hear. Mr. Wayne, I suppose you have some business that you need to deal with?"
"I do, as a matter of fact. But it can wait for a little while."
"Good," he turned back to Leah, "And what are you here for, exactly?"
"I was wondering if you had anymore of… that stuff you gave me. I'm running a little low."
Bruce glanced between the two quizzically. What was going on? Why was Fox asking about her health? She'd seemed perfectly fine to him.
"Indeed I do," he stood, "Bruce, if you would excuse us for a moment?"
Bruce nodded and watched as the two walked towards a table that held a centrifuge and a refrigerator. Fox opened the fridge and pulled a small black case from inside. Leah checked the contents of the case discreetly, then slipped it into her bag and thanked him. The whole thing took no more than a few moments, but there was obvious relief in her eyes as they walked back over.
"I've got to head back home now. I've probably been gone too long already."
"It was good seeing you again, Leah," Bruce said.
"You too, Mr. Wayne," she smiled at them both, "'Bye Mr. Fox. And thanks again."
"You're welcome. Feel free to come back any time."
She snorted, "Tell that your secretary."
When she was gone, Bruce turned to Fox, "What was that all about? She was being pretty evasive about why she came."
"Oh, Mr. Wayne, I don't think that I'm the one who should be telling you. We've all got little secrets, right?"
Bruce smirked, knowing that was all he was going to get, "Right."
11:04 am. Leah had walked home, choosing to enjoy the cold of the air. She liked winter. The chill made Gotham's pollution less evident, and everything seemed a little bit cleaner. Once the first snow fell, the streets would be filled with black sleet. But for now, the sun actually shone on the buildings, and the city didn't seem quite so desolate. She took a deep breath as she approached the building, filling her lungs and enjoying the bite of the cold.
When she reached the top of the stairs, she twisted the key in the lock and opened the door, then froze when she saw the figure on the couch. Was this what she'd been feeling odd about? Quietly, she walked up behind the person, who stood and turned, a grin on her face.
Leah launched herself at the intruder, "Selina!" she cried happily.
Selina was knocked back by the force of the hug, but managed to keep her balance, "Whoa, whoa girl!" she laughed, "I do need to breathe!"
Leah stepped back and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry. I just… I mean, I haven't seen you in two years!" she tilted her head, "How was Metropolis?"
"I'll tell you over lunch. You haven't eaten, have you?"
"Not in about two days."
"Come on, then. How about we try that new Indian place on fifth? My treat."
A few minutes later, they were on the highway to downtown Gotham. Selina glanced over at Leah, "So, little cousin, I bet you're wondering the real reason I came back."
"My parents called, didn't they?"
"Guess you weren't wondering, then."
Leah's voice was quiet, "Why didn't you come last year?"
Selina seemed to hesitate before she spoke, "I was… held up. Business was real bad, and I couldn't afford to take the time off. I'm sorry."
"Alex was hurt bad, Selina."
Selina met her cousin's eyes, "He wasn't the only one."
"I survived."
"Barely. How are you feeling now?"
Leah squirmed. She hated talking about herself, "I'm fine. Just a little tired."
"You've got to be more careful," he green eyes were sad, "I don't know what your family would have done if it had been worse."
Leah crossed her arms, "Once. One single time I slip, and everyone has to be there for it. I'm fine. Really."
"I know, sweetie. I just…" she stopped and focused her eyes on the road, "I worry about you," she finished quietly. She wasn't even sure if she'd said it out loud, but Leah sighed and muttered a soft, "Thanks." They passed the rest of the ride in silence.
Once they reached the restaurant, however, Leah smiled at the smell of food. As the waiter seated them, she glanced at Selina, "So, how was Metropolis?"
"Bright. All shiny, like it was new," opened her menu, "The only thing that was like Gotham was the size. Other than that, it's like they're day and night."
"Did you see Superman?"
"Not up close. He was all over the news," she looked up, a smile on her face, "I did meet the great Lois Lane."
"What was she like?"
"Couldn't spell worth a crap," Leah laughed, "But she always got the story. Her partner, Clark Kent, was nice. A little odd, but nice."
"What d'you mean?"
Selina's green eyes sparkled, "When was the last time you had a guy tell you that you looked 'swell'?"
"I haven't had a guy tell me I looked anything but bored."
"That's a shame. You grew up good, kid." They gave the waiter their order, then went back to their conversation, "So I hear there's a new hero in Gotham, now."
Leah nodded, "They call him Batman," she gave Selina a conspiratorial look and leaned in close, "Because he dresses up like a giant bat."
"I'd gathered as much from the newspapers. And Bruce Wayne came back last year. Seems like Gotham's getting its fair share of press," she glanced up as the waiter approached, "Food's here," she said.
3:02 pm. Gordon stood on the side of the highway, by a taped-off section of road. The small black sedan was strewn across the area, and the three bodies that had been thrown from the car were being loaded onto stretchers and taken to the morgue. All three had eerie grins on their faces, and a single playing card had been found on top of the cylinder of gas in the trunk.
He looked back over the scene, wondering when the Batman was going to catch this Joker. He was obviously a complete lunatic. Maybe not as crazy as Crane had been, but definitely a few nuts short of a bunch. Gordon shuddered, remembering the head of Arkham Asylum. The most frightening thing about that man was how he had managed to pass for sane for so long. Fortunately, Batman had managed to find him a month or so after the incident, babbling something about Carl Jung and archetypes. Either way, he was now an inmate of the facility that he'd once run.
The lieutenant shook his head and turned his attention back to the current case. No one had claimed to have seen the Joker yet, but he heard whispers of a chalk-white face and ruby-red lips that always smiled. A shock of green hair and a purple suit. Gordon wondered where they came from. It was always a friend who had a friend who had seen him.
He drove back to the station in silence, leaving the cleanup to the road crew. He had a positive ID on all the victims and had to inform any relatives of the accident. He felt a pang when he checked the cards out. He'd be telling some poor little girl that her parents and brother were dead. He rubbed a hand over his face and prepared himself for the visit.
3:57 pm. Leah and Selina had walked around downtown for a while, until Selina had to go to work. She'd dropped her cousin off at home before heading out. As soon as she got in, Leah realized how tired she still was, and had barely pulled her shoes off before crashing on the couch. The doorbell woke her up, less than an hour later. As soon as she saw the police badge, her stomachache came back full force. A sharp, wrenching pain that would have had someone weaker doubled over. But she stood straight and invited the man in.
"How can I help you Officer...?"
"Gordon. Lieutenant Gordon."
"Lieutenant. Sorry."
"Are you Leah Bowden?" he asked, tentatively. He seemed to hope that she would say no.
"Yes. That's me. My parents should be home soon, if you need to talk to them," his face twisted when she said that, and though it seemed impossible, she felt the pain deepen.
"I'm so sorry to be the one to bring you this news," he said, tugging at his sleeves. She kept her face stone as he spoke the next words, "They were murdered, earlier today."
"Does my brother know?" Gordon felt his gut wrench, why, oh why did he have to tell her?
"You… your brother was killed with them."
"Oh," her voice was soft, almost nonexistent. She stared fixedly at her shoes, concentrating hard on the black. He didn't see the hand that curled into a hard fist by her side. Gently, he patted her on the shoulder, and apologized as he left. Just before she closed the door, her eyes met his. There was something odd about them; they seemed… different from how they'd looked before. But then the door swung shut, and she disappeared from view.
8:56 pm. A shadow prowled the streets, moving lithely on both rooftops and in alleyways. Two ears pointed upwards, and there was no noise as the shadow silently entered a real penthouse suite in the Hotel Astoria. No alarms sounded as the figure opened a safe with deft fingers, and removed a string of pearls and two diamond rings. The jewels glinted for a moment, then disappeared into a black cloth bag. Then the shadow was gone as silently and quickly as it had come. On a roof, another shadow, bigger and more menacing, watched as the lithe figure dropped into the darkness. The large shadow followed, amused. A cat burglar.
Batman moved as silently as the cat did, if not more so. He wasn't quite as fast, though, and she vanished around a corner. He hesitated, remembering the last time he had followed a woman into a dark alleyway, but needn't have bothered. A voice, soft and smoky, purred next to his ear, "So you're the famous Batman."
"And you have something that doesn't belong to you," he was bothered by the fact that she didn't seem afraid of him. Most criminals would be cowering in fear.
She stuck out her hip and pouted, "It doesn't belong to you, either, Batboy. Guess you'll have to find your own."
He lunged for her, but she jumped backwards and pulled herself partly up a drainpipe, "Nope," she grinned, "Not on a first date. You know, Batman, I'm just not that kind of girl." With that, she turned and moved easily up the rest of the way, disappearing over the rooftop in seconds. He followed quickly, with the grapple gun, just in time to see her jump off the other side. By the time he reached the edge, she had vanished. He was frustrated and upset, she shouldn't have been able to get away from him so easily, but he let it go. Gotham's glitterati could stand to lose some of their valuables. There were others that needed his attention.
Ummm… should I go hide? Or did you like? Trust me, there is a reason for everything. You'll just have to review and see.