10.
"I heard about your break in. Is everything all right?"
Bruce nodded at the sound of Fox's voice, sunk deep within the chair of his office, trying his very best to think of why someone would break into the manor, which was still under construction, and better yet, what they would be after.
All he could manage was that he needed to find a place closer to the city. While the mansion was being rebuilt.
Along with the fact that he obviously needed to take up a sport.
Lucius Fox stood in the doorway, concerned.
"I received a call."
Bruce nodded, not really paying attention.
"It was a threatening call."
Bruce looked up.
"I recorded it if you are interested."
Bruce was very interested.
Meanwhile…
Alfred woke up.
He hadn't slept so late since the war.
He woke up to Paul stuffing a Tiffany Lamp into his bag.
He quickly chased him out what was left of the mansion with a fire poker, and then locked all the doors that could be locked.
He then made himself a sandwich and went to the computer, he had a gardener to find. Then cleaning to do.
Also meanwhile…
Lt. Gordon strolled over to Athena, who had her head resting in the lap of some strange man, also cuffed to the bench, who had scars around his mouth. While she slept he stroked her hair as if she were some sort of cat.
Noting her usual distaste for being woken up in general.
Having woken her up at work a few dozen times.
He nudged her with his foot.
When her eyes opened and she sat up he freed her from her shackles. "Come with me, we need to chat…privately."
"What about me," the man asked, obviously hurt.
Gordon handed him his coffee, "You may be here a while."
Meanwhile…
Lucius Fox pressed the tape recorder with his finger and a masked voice came out from the device.
"This message is for Bruce Wayne. Cease doing business with the military. Cease all interaction with the mob whore. Cease all immoral activities and we won't be forced to take action."
Bruce was unimpressed, "Negly?"
"Probably," Fox agreed, he pressed the stop button on the recorder. Then he sat back in the chair in front of Bruce's desk. "What do you suggest we do?"
Bruce sagged back in the chair.
He rubbed his temples and looked upwards for guidance.
"Do you think Negly is the one who broke into your house?"
"Absolutely," Bruce agreed.
"Do you know what he was after?"
Bruce then looked to Fox, and projected to the older and wise man, "No. And that's what bothers me. I can't figure out what he's after. I wasn't robbed. They couldn't find whatever they were looking for…I'm stumped. They even went after Athena…I have no idea what to do."
An hour later…
Having found several hopeful potentials for the position of yard boy. Alfred began to clean up what was already a messy house.
Deciding to live in the manor as it was being rebuilt was not such a grand idea. He was really regretting it.
Mumbling and hissing about the dust from the construction, while he swept up broken glass in Bruce's bedroom.
While he swept he got something peculiar from underneath the bed, where Athena had been when she awoke to the intruders.
A cell phone.
Cautiously he picked it up. Knowing about the devices, not much, but enough. He pressed the button and turned it on, stepping into the light by the window. He saw a screensaver of a cat.
A pet most likely.
He scrolled through the contact list, not recognizing any names. And then he looked at the pictures and dropped the phone when he saw them.
A blush spread across his face.
Meanwhile…
Athena gratefully took the coffee Gordon offered her.
They strolled down the sidewalk, within a crowd, Gordon spoke softly and she listened, holding the steaming beverage to her plump lips.
"…since I can find no records of these federal agents in Gotham, and they took you to the Vice Floor, I think there may be a leak in that office. So you need to be extra careful. Especially if they think you are a danger to them, Athena."
She listened closely.
"These dirty cops intentionally tried to kidnap you. If you hadn't snuck off, they could have gotten away with it. I know you have nothing to do with the mob and your brothers business, but you have to think, who would hurt you to hurt your brother?"
Athena made a face, "That's a long list…can you keep a secret?"
The two wove around a group of Japanese tourists snapping away at Wayne Tower.
"Of course," Gordon nodded, adjusting his glasses.
Athena stopped.
She leant close to the lieutenant, "My brother and his lover have been talking about moving. Moving the whole organization to up state New York."
Half an hour later…
Bruce stood at the front desk at Gotham's Police Station.
Copy of the tape in hand.
Having been on hold for a good forty minutes, he decided to just walk down the street to the police station, with a copy of the tape. The voice on the tape belonging to Negly, he was certain.
Adjusting his tie he cleared his throat.
The old man glanced up at him. There was a glint of darkness in his eye. As if he was bored and was ready to whip out his gun, start shooting, and go out in a blaze of glory. "What?"
Bruce brandished the tape, "I have a recording of a threatening message from that crazy Negly person. I want to press charges. Today. So if you would be so kind and point the direction I need to go…"
The old policeman narrowed his bushy eyebrows.
"Bruce?"
Bruce turned and spotted Lt. Gordon returning from outside. He smiled, "Lieutenant, right?"
Gordon smiled and nodded kindly. "Yes. I dropped Athena off at your offices, she was here earlier. How can I help you? Have you had any further problems?"
Bruce handed him the tape.
"What's this?"
Acting outraged, "That is a tape of that little twerp Negly threatening me, again. I demand justice. He can't be threatening and protesting me. This has gone on long enough. I've been patient."