Author Notes: Thanks again for stop by and read. Still without a beta, so sorry for all the grammar and spelling mistakes. This is a BMWW chapter.
Chapter 5 - Revelations
The penumbra surround them thought a maze of halls that lay ahead. He didn't remember how long he had held her hand, but that he was in such at ease with the gesture shocked him, so he slowly released her hand from his tight grip. He had never been one of those that crave for physical contact, in a way that was an advantage in Utopia where personal relations were often repressed. He curled his fingers hard against his palm, as he did every time he found difficult to regain control, although in this case he did it too because he still had the burning sensation of her warm hand on him.
He couldn't linger on the feeling, they were under attack, and the walls of the corridor could be tear apart any moment, so he started to jog trough the labyrinth dark halls, with her at his side, close enough to feel the warm from her body. Despite the danger he was very aware of her, he could see her trough his night vision lenses, but he didn't need the technology enhance earing to find of the sound of her pace, her sweet scent, he noticed that she was faster than him but she was jogging at the same speed as him, the only difference was that her feet never touch the ground, and apparently she adapted quickly to see in the shadows. Every now and then he stopped and push-hidden buttons, that closed doors and opened others. After what seem an eternity in the dark to Diana, she asked him.
- Have we lost them? -
- Apparently, but we need to get to a safe site where you can change and I can get ready before we go after the third signal.
- Change?
- Your clothes… You have a very distinct outfit, we do not need you to stand out, and we need you to blend in.
- This is my armour, given to me by the Gods! and... What is wrong with they way I dress?
He didn't answer that, instead he pushed another series of buttons and a new door opened let in a bright light that blind Diana for a moment. As they step into the light Diana could see a spacious, dark and elegant yet almost Spartan room; the unique pieces that stand out were an enormous glass desk and a glass chair that looked very comfortable. For some reason despite the layout of the room, she found it quite familiar.
- This is your house -
Her affirmation took him by surprise. "How did she know? This is a generic room; there is not even a portrait of my parents as much as I would like to".
- This is a safe place.
They remain silent. He realised that her beautiful raven hair was now covered with ashes and her legs has mild bruises "I wonder if she is hurt", without saying a word, he approached the desk and instructed the computer to scan them for possible injures, and to put the room in a secure mode. He observed the results on the surface of his desk.
SCANNING HUMANS FOR INJURES AND INTERNAL DAMAGE... RESULTS: ZERO LETHAL INJURES FOUND.
ACTIVATING DEFENSE PROTOCOL A-3-8.
- We need to wait here at least for a while before we can move.
Her presence both unsettled and soothed him, the contradiction was making him feel nervous and that they were alone in a room for the next couple of hours did not help. Angry with himself for his lack of self-control he decided that it was better to increase the distance between them and walked to the opposite side of the large room. Batman's attitude didn't went unnoticed to Diana, she knew how dangerous he could be when he had one of his distrustful moods, so she stood still but vigilant. Batman approached slowly to near wall and touched a button. The whoosh of an automatic door reveling a walk-in closet made Diana jump, but she waited as Batman despaired briefly inside and retrieved something that resemble to an one-piece suit.
- Put it on –he said growling.
Diana glared at him, and looked with distrust at the garment. She resent his tone of voice to commanding for her regal upbringing, so she lift her chin and was ready to toss the clothing to the floor when Batman, for the first time since they arrived to the room, looked at her in the eyes and said.
- We need you to blend in. This will help– Her voice was gentle and polite, almost apologetic, he realised he had been blunt.
Diana took the garment, while arching an eyebrow and she gave him a mischievous smile
- Where should I get dress? Here? –
- You can change in there and fresh up - He opened a door to a pristine but white bathroom. For the first time since her arrival to this era she was very self-conscious.
- That bad? -
- Not at all, I however, I'm a mess. - He said with a half smirk.
"This is new. Self-depreciation is not the usual Batman" thought Diana and more relief she entered the room he had open for her. It was a pristine white bathroom, with all the necessary things and other gadgets she could not figure out what would do. However the basic functions seem the same as in her time, while she bathe she reflected on how this Batman will help them, she knew it was almost a miracle that they found him at the research centre, "a lucky coincidence maybe? No, there was not such a thing" he was there doing something and of course being whom he is he didn't care to share that information with them. For all she knew he had his own agenda and as before with Gotham this resistance movement and Utopia came first, however she could not shake the feeling he was almost like the Batman of her time and for that reason she trusted him, "I hope I'm not wrong", she smiled at the thought apparently been around Batman had rub off on her, "I'm getting paranoid, but I need keep my eyes open and learn more about him and to see whom is behind the cowl".
In the meantime, Batman had entered an extra bathroom and freshen up too. Quickly he put on a new Kevlar light armour. His cowl and its white lenses retracted when he hit a button in his left forearm and when he pushed the same button twice a dark gray one-piece suit appear instead of the Kevlar armour, it was an illusion, but enough to pass as a normal Utopian citizen in the streets. He already had a pair of black gloves on, and he put on a cap and a pair of transparent goggles that hide at some degree his piercing blue eyes.
Feeling safe in his new uniform, he headed straight to the computer, and started to forge a new identity for his guest, he knew it was crucial to pass the multiple controls of Utopia. He was a good hacker and in all those years he had manage to crack many of Utopia's systems even designing a program that alow to create a new identity. He had conceived a plan long time ago to forge new identities for the resistance but it redeem useless once the new DNA controls were in place, but since Diana didn't have a previous identity to hide this will work perfectly, the last phase of the program ran a series of scenarios to determinate the best new identity, the one with the lowest possibility of detection, taking in consideration a variety of variables from height, to gender, age and even sexual preferences. The results of the program surprised him "Ridiculous" he thought, so he ran the last part three more times, each time the results were the same. There was no mistake, it was the best option, he sighed. Her voice took him out of his musings.
- I am ready. What is next? – She asked.
He looked up from the screen and found her astonishing, even with the gray one-piece, she still managed to look beautiful. She still had her tiara and the boots, but the sleeves of the one-piece suit was concealing her bracelets, her lasso was hidden too. Anyway, he didn't plan to spend much time at the streets.
- It will be better if you put these on too –He said at the same time he handled her a pair of goggles, a cap and a pair of gloves.
Then for the first time since arriving to this era, she looked at his face in a nearly unobstructed way. Her heart skipped a beat, there he was looking at her intently with his ice blue eyes, the handsome face of Bruce Wayne, even with the goggles on and the cap, the resemble was uncanny. She slowly put the goggles and the cap on, trying to stay calm.
- Now you look more like an Utopian - He said and couldn't repress a small smile, that despaired as fast as it came to his face.
She lightly blushed by the way he looked at her. She saw a spark of joy flash in his ice blue eyes, before it vanished to leave only sorrow lingering, she felt sad, that look she knew too well. Again he find himself close to her, too lost in her sapphire blue eyes and forced himself to return to his computer, and touched the screen to found out how much time they had left before the next inspection.
- We will need to wait for another hour.
He didn't say more, and they end up in another uncomfortable silence. Diana decided to break it.
- Do you have a glass of water? I am thirsty -
- Of course, if Alfred were here, he would kill me for my manners - He said that and immediately regret the words that came from his mount.
- Alfred? - The idea of Alfred in this time comforted her, she managed to respect and love the old english gentleman, he was almost like family to her now.
- My surrogate father -
- Where is he? - It would be so good to see him, even in the direst of circumstances. She thought
- He pass away -
- Sorry. I... - She lost the rest of her voice, the news hit her like a ton of bricks, Alfred dead?, even if it was not the same person the news was equally hard.
- He died when he spoke against the regime. The positron lords conveniently passed a law establishing that all Utopian citizens must die when reaching the age of 60, over population control they called, our resources cannot hold anymore more tan 140,000 people in the station, but that is a lie, there are ways, it just another from of terror - a cold anger washed over him - He is one of the main reasons I started the resistance. I put on this fight for him and for my parents; their memoir is what keeps me going.
He realised that he was sharing too much with this stranger, things that he barely vocalise to himself. He poured water in a glass and handled it to her. Diana could see his distress and grief, she wished to comfort him, so she put her hand over his shoulder, she felt his muscles relax under his hand. She said.
- One thing I've learned is that tyranny can have many dread powers, but none of them has not the power to rule the spirit * - She was looking at him earnestly he reciprocated the look as trying to read her soul, whom was this woman who with her simple touch could wash away his sorrows and warm his heart? and for the first time he felt something he tought he had forgotten: Hope.
- Don't take off the gloves - He said coldly while moving away from her.
The sudden change of topic, leave her befuddled for a moment, but then she understood, he had just put on the detached mask of Batman even of he wasn't wearing the cowl, but again she was not easily intimated, so she decided to play his game, after all she wanted to learn more about this era.
- Why is that?
- Gloves keep us protected
- From?
- Virus, potential infections… things like that - Seeing her confusion, he decided to elaborate - After the pandemic, people were having all kind of theories about how the decease could spread. Eventually the use of gloves became mandatory, although there was never a relation between touch and contagion. Is more like a security blanket.
- I see. I will not take them off then. Is there anything else that I need to know about what I am wearing?
- The gloves will be helpful to disguise you. If by chance we need to pass trough some routine security controls you will pass them, however they are not going to hold something more strict. The same with the goggles.
- Ok, I will wear them all the time. Have you been able to contact Flash and J'onn? Are they close the other signals? – She asked with concern.
- According to Nightwing's and Robin's last reports both of them were close. However, at this moment I cannot contact them with out revelling their position to the positron lords.
- Why?
- Because the routine control on this sector is going to arrive at any minute. All this room is due for a routine scan at any moment, and the information that goes out from here will be thoroughly analyzed. We need to pass this control if we want to get to the source – A robotic voice interrupted him:
ROUTINE CONTROL…PROCEED TO PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND IN THE SCANNER
A light in the wall appeared and Diana placed her hand there imitating what Batman.
SCANNIG ROOM….TWO HUMANS DETECTED… BRUCE WAYNE …. AND…. DIANA WAYNE…VITALS STABLE…DNA CONTROL CHECKED… THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION…
Diana was taken aback from the information the robotic voice has just issued
- Care to explain? – She said while arching an eyebrow.
- There is not much to explain. You are my wife.
- What twisted game is this?! I'm Diana of Temiscira, Princess of the Amazons, I bend to no one, and I'm certainly no man's property! - Diana said quite infuriated.
- Relax princess, you are not my property; this is the only way to explain your presence here, in this room. We need you to blend in remember? The gloves I've just gave you, have a false identity, in this case Diana Wayne, wife of Bruce Wayne, that is because it is the only plausible reason to explain your presence here at this hour, since only married couples can share private chambers.
"Princess…even in this version Bruce gets on my nerves". That explanation seems somewhat logic, but still something else bothers her.
- Are you not worried about revelling your secret identity to me?
- No. If everything goes as planned none of this will ever happen –His voice was flat, cold, but his eyes show a hint of sadness.
- And if it doesn't go as planned?
- Then you will be stock with me, and as my wife, I should not keep secrets from you – He said with sarcasm.
The idea surprised Diana; he saw that in her face and his expression harden.
- Don't worry princess. I will find a way for this to work, so you can return to your esteemed friends - He said with a mix of defiance and cold bitterness. He turned around and pressed the tactile screen of his desk.
ACTIVATING PROTOCOL A-23. ROOM SECURE.
- We can leave, let's move - He said without looking at her and leave directly to the streets of Utopia.
A/N: Thanks for reading. Reviews and comments are most welcome.
* Similar quote against tyranny from Edgar Brightman