Disclaimer
The characters used in the story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I have used them in the story which is entirely a product of my own imagination. However the characters names Mark Smith, Amelia Smith and Gregory Smith are my own creations as a part of the story and do not refer to any person, living or dead
Chap 19
Bruce, who till then fixed his gaze on Diana, turned around on swiftly on his chair and keyed in something into the computer.
"Amelia Smith is in Coma. She had received third degree burns from an accident...on the same day Lisa was murdered...I mean, found dead," he reported.
"That is not a coincidence!" Diana remarked.
"I see!" Bruce nodded.
"And Lisa died saving her!" Superman exclaimed.
"May be a more subtle reason," Bruce remarked, turning to Diana. He was slowly getting used to her being Diana and not Lisa. Lisa, in his mind, was fading away. He told himself that Bruce Wyane in him was dying out again. And it was necessary.
"Lisa couldn't tell me everything, in the...short time she had to explain. I could only find a half torn photograph in her hand." Diana said in reminiscence.
"The photograph must be an evidence then" Superman considered.
"Wait! Did you remove the photograph from her hand?" Bruce questioned suddenly.
"I did! Why?" Diana looked puzzled.
"You removed the evidence from the scene of crime!" Bruce exclaimed.
Diana lost her patience. "Stop taunting me, Bruce! I know that you know it was important."
"That distorted the case, Diana, don't you see? Your sister was deliberately murdered. But the case was registered as an accident, circumstances unknown, because there was no sign of assault on the body, no weapon found and hence no foul play to suspect." Bruce explained.
Diana did not buy that.
"I don't think leaving the photograph there would've done any good either. The police would've disposed off with it anyway. I would've taken her away too, if it wasn't for her insistence to leave her there."
"That's odd!" Superman exclaimed.
"What's odd?" Diana scowled.
"The fact that your sister wanted to be left there. What was she counting on?" Superman turned to Bruce who was considering his statement.
"Don't you think it's odd?" Bruce asked Diana.
"I thought it was. But then, it all became plain. She wanted everyone to know that she was dead." Diana explained.
"Yeah! That makes sense." Superman said, finally taking a seat beside Bruce. Diana was still left standing.
"I think there is more to it that just that," Bruce frowned, "Otherwise, you wouldn't pass yourself as Lisa."
Diana squirmed.
"Complete your version, Diana!" Bruce said, clamly.
"Well I don't know for sure why Lisa was killed. I can only guess that Amelia told everything to Lisa before entering into coma, or may be before the accident itself! Someone must've eavesdropped on her conversation and thus, tried to eliminate both of them. Amelia survived, but Lisa was dead." She concluded.
"And what is your course of action now?" Superman asked.
"To obtain evidence against the Smiths." She said, thoughtfully.
"And you wanted to impersonate Lisa and blackmail Mark into yielding." Bruce added.
"Yes, I wanted to..." Diana nodded.
"What do you mean, wanted to?" Superman frowned.
"Will you say, or should I?" Bruce raised his eye brows at Diana. He felt a little bit of Bruce Wayne coming back into him.
"I cannot," Diana replied weakly.
"Very well," Bruce nodded, "she came to Gotham to complete her transformation into Lisa."
"You mean..." Superman's eyes widened.
"Plastic surgery! She was to be the first customer to the Wayne tech's new and improved Plastic surgery." Bruce waited, to see a change in her expression. She was biting her lower lip and her fists were clenched, for the worse was to come. Bruce, for once, seemed to enjoy her feeling of mortification, although he couldn't help but revere her for the bold decision she took to change her beautiful face completely.
Clarke wanted to speak, but did not. He waited for Bruce to continue.
He continued.
"Her meeting Bruce Wayne was an accident, as she said. But an accident which gave her a new solution to the problem. Bruce Wayne, a friend of Mark Smith, would serve the purpose as Mark Smith himself would. She thought I was involved. She thought I was his partner, for I was one of the shareholders in their company and the majority stock holder in their hospital. She got the list of invitees to the part from Mrs. Grange, who took her to be the same Lisa Prince. She saw the name of Mark Smith in that, and her initial impression was justified. She made sure she attended the party, though uninvited, and tried to befriend Bruce Wayne. The rest followed." He stopped, as he realised he was completely Bruce Wayne again.
"And the attacks on you? How could Mark have suspected that she is passing herself as Lisa?" Superman, who was listening patiently till then, broke his silence.
"Who said he did?" Bruce smiled, sardonically.
"Then why would he orchestrate such attacks on you, unless he thought she was Lisa and you were her...whatever. That is the only way I can think to justify, that he threatened Lisa that he'd kill you if she...umm...I don't know – exposed him." He paused and considered, Bruce still smiling at him, "All right! This seems a little far-fetched to me now." He nervously returned the smile.
"My dear Superman!" Bruce said, with unusual warmth in his tone, "It is the other way round. It is 'she' who orchestrated the attacks. That is the whole point."
Superman grew pale, and shook his head in disbelief.
Diana spoke finally, "And you deduced all this in 2min?" Sarcasm was predominant in her expression.
"Tell me I am wrong!" Bruce demanded.
"No..." she said soflty, "You are not!"
She closed her eyes
A dreaded silence prevailed.