Chapter 2
Disturbed Passion
Bruce Wayne the billionaire prince of Gotham City laid flat on his king size bed with his bare chest , wearing his dark blue Levis with the sunlight reflecting off his rich flesh tone showing his battle scars, enclosed bullet wounds and bruises. His silver hazel eyes flicked opened when he heard footsteps entering the bedroom. Alfred Pennyworth was surprised to see his young master in the bed and resting. It was like a shock to the system.
"Good afternoon, Master Wayne, I trust that you slept well." The butler said settling a tray of mix fruit, yogurt and a power shake on the night stand. Bruce stretched flexing his built chest and then yawned.
"I was just the amount of rest that I needed." He said standing up onto his feet. He was sore but he trained his body to fight the pain that was coursing through his veins. He rubbed his right shoulder and then lifted up the green mixture of his health shake that Alfred had prepared for him. He gulped it down quickly, trying to this taste buds into thinking that it was just plain juice, when it was soya and kiwi mixed together with a few taste spoons of honey. He never once showed his faithful butler that he was in pain; he never shed a tear if he had broken bone. Instead he would just grin and bear it and let the pain work through him. He pushed himself to every limit, discovering new things every day, clashing with his very soul into proving that he was strong to face his demons.
The young billionaire walked over to the stand up mirror and looked at his reflection, his tight muscles, dashing sharp featured face that many women in Gotham and in other parts of the world swooned over treating him like he was a treasure of the world. All Bruce saw in the reflection were traces of his parents. He could the drive into his deep sorrowful silver hazel eyes that would change color if the sunlight reflected into the pupils. He made his father's heart, and his mothers determination but he also was a tortured soul that sometimes felt trapped in his own world trying to find the doorway of freedom that he searched for every night. He knew that his key to his freedom from the despair was his creation the Batman.
With Batman came loneliness. Most of it Bruce carried deep within his heart forms of guilt, confusion and unsettled painful memories. During his years of donning the cape and cowl, he'd witnessed many lives becoming fading graves, done many things a lot of them ugly and some he would call inhuman. He'd succeeded his battles, trails and accomplished his goals he had set out to do. He knew that every night when the signal reflected into the clouds, he would endure another battle.
When he made his choice to return to Gotham City, after eight years of intense training, Bruce realized that it wasn't going to be easy to preserve the foundations of justice that were imbedded into the crack sidewalks of the narrow streets. He had to make a choice, a vow to his very soul.
The choice was to become a symbol, a beckon of hope that would set a prime example on the hearts and minds of Gotham's citizens that would either embrace him as a hero or a villain. Those were the words that Bruce confide his mind to believe. "Was he a man with a purpose or a monster out for blood?"
"Sir, I hope I'm disturbing your deep thoughts but you are late for your meeting?"
Bruce sighed. "I hate going to those meetings Alfred… He covered his mouth and yawned "They boring, all members of the board talk about is the annual stocks inclines or declines. I think Fox can handle things on his own for today. I need to get out, I'm restless." He thought of Diana. "Maybe I can take her out for breakfast?"
"It's the afternoon sir,"
"Whatever, the daylight hours are all the same to me Alfred." He walked over to the oak dressed and pulled out a black dress shirt and then grabbed his expensive sunglasses, propped them over his chocolate brown hair. Then he sprayed on his Giorgio Armani cologne and pinched his cheeks to had color into his face. As he walked out of the master bedroom, Bruce left his butler with instructions. "I need to you to plug into the police data files and downtown the current reports onto a Jpeg and then send Gordon a next to meet me at the Gotham River bed tonight at eleven, to come alone."
"Is there anything else that you need me to sir? Feed your bats in the cave perhaps?"
"No, that will be all Alfred." Bruce said as he walked out of the room.
"Are you talking the Lamborghini or the Porsche that is parked in the garage?"
"I was thinking of the Augusta MV its' easier to prowl the streets with and makes me less noticeable to the general public eye. He dialed his Blackberry for Diana's private number that she had given to him in case the Batman ever her help.
Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman was walking out of the bathroom, with a towel wrapped around her hour glass shaped body, she heard the phone on her bed chime and quickly grabbed it. "Hello?" She said.
"Princess, it's me."
"Bruce, is everything alright, you're not in danger are you?"
"I assure you Diana, everything is fine. What are you doing right now?"
"Now, I'm getting dress."
"Perfect. I'll see you in twenty minutes. Wait at the front doors." He hung up and slid his body on the leather seat of the expensive sports bike. He pulled on the red helmet with the visor over his slick back comb hair and fired up the roaring engine.
Inside her hotel suite Diana was choosing what outfit to wear, finally she made up her mind and pulled on a light blue tank top and a pair of boot cut jeans. Then to complete her ensemble she pulled on black lace sweater and a pair of high heel boots that stopped just below her knee cap. She tied her back in a pony tail and grabbed her purse.
Bruce parked the bike at the curb and removed his helmet right one a pair of tall blondes walked by, he gave them a dashing smile, and making both of women blush and giggle as they walked pass the bike and gazed at his sharp features. "Good afternoon ladies," Bruce said smiling playfully.
Diana emerged from the glass French doors and saw Bruce talking with two blondes as his body leaned against the bike, his facial expression was something that Diana never saw before, it was almost like he was fading it. She walked towards the group; her head was held up high and ocean blue eyes looking directly at the billionaire. The two women looked at Diana, giving her both a death glare and a smirk. Bruce dumbfounded turned around and saw his date.
"Diana," He said walking over to her. He gave her a small kiss on the cheek. "Wow, you look good." His eyes were burning with desire; they narrowed checking her out from the legs up. "Are you ready to see the town?" He asked.
Diana nodded.
In the shadows of the rose bushes one of the Aphrodite's spies, a small creature was looking at both the princess and the knight, he smirked. "Careful little princess , you're being watched."
After a few hours of spending time together both Bruce and Diana were at the Gotham Docks standing on the wooded floor boards of the dock and watching the ships past.
"The city is beautiful at night," Diana said.
"Is it, I wasn't looking at the city." Bruce replied looking at her as he pulled her close to him. He leaned his head forward and their lips locked into each other's until she pulled away.
"Why are you all of the sudden so interested in me ? You weren't before?"
"Princess, I have been in love with you ever since that time of the invasion, when you came to the Leagues aide . But after you were exiled because you bought men to your home, I thought that it would be wrong to have a committed relationship with you , after all you are a immortal warrior from a society that hates man."
"Bruce , my mother will not approve of this , but I have to follow my heart . I love you Bruce Wayne. I have loved you ever since are first mission; I wondered who was the man behind the mask. Your lips I carved with passion, and your body doesn't even get me started with that subject. But I know what my mother will say if she finds out that I'm romancing with a mortal she would disown me as her daughter and take away my powers."
"You don't know that Diana."
"So what will happen between us Bruce?"
"We'll just have to wait and see princess." He kissed her again until he looked at his Rolex. He pulled away from her lips, dreading to leave the woman he was falling in love with but he had responsibilities. "I have to go, I am needed."
"I know."
The midnight air was chilling to the bone even though it was only late April ; Gotham Bay had frozen over as Commissioner Jim Gordon carefully walked on the snow covered bridge that lead into the entrance of a tunnel underneath a train track overpass. . The wind chill was make his bones ached as he pulled out a flare and lit it.
Within seconds Batman appeared from the shadows, his cape blowing in the wind.
"Good evening commissioner," the Dark Knight said.
Gordon nodded. He looked at his trusted ally, the man that he respected both as a crime fighter and a friend. "You sent a text message this afternoon."
The masked figure nodded. "I've been triangulating the coordinates of the exact stop of which the murder took place two nights ago. I found beach stains on the alley way of the crime scene site and followed them which lead me to this spot."
Batman pulled out a device from his belt and moved towards the edge of the tunnels water way entrance and pressed the button on the device to make the light become inferred. He shone it on the ice covered cement and found drops of blood leaning towards the cement edge. Batman bent down and picked up a glass syringe floating in the icy water.
"Found something?" Gordon asked looking over at Batman.
Batman stood up and Gordon the needle. "This might be the cause of death of the Jane Doe."
Gordon looked at the object. "An hypodermic needle? I'll get my detectives on the local drug market. We've been trying to catch this unsub for weeks. This makes six victims- we found the same needle at the East Side, the same alley way where my detectives discovered the first Jane Doe."
"I don't think we're dealing with a gang. Not this time." Batman growled.
Gordon waves the evidence bag. "Then someone with medical experience?"
Batman had vanished into the shadows.
"Never mind," Gordon said. "I swear when day I'm going to staple his cape into the ground."
Batman was busy typing on the black keyboard when Alfred entered with a tray of tea and toast.
"I trust you had another eventful evening," Alfred said as he placed the tray next to a pile of medical book on blood types and plant toxins. Batman was focused on the screen and then on the opened book.
'Master Wayne."
Batman shifted his gaze to his butler. "Alfred. Sorry I didn't hear you."
Alfred looked on the books. "What's all this for sir?"
"Research, Batman explained. "Something doesn't fit right about the second victim Ashley Whitethorn. Her blood type was type A and the first Jane Doe was blood type B. Both were exposed to the same substance but I can't be sure that they died the same way."
Batman stood up and moved to desk were a microscope was and a few blood filled tubes.
"Miss Prince, called."
"Diana?" Batman growled. "I forgot about our date. I've been working on this case that I totally forget to pick her up. She must think that I stood her up."
"I told Miss Prince, that you were busy working on a murder case or whatever you call it. She understood and told me to tell you that she will be coming over tonight. I invited her to dinner."
"Very good Alfred," Batman replied as he typed in the blood type and looked at the screen. He stood up and looked through the lens at the sample of blood and then back away.
"It doesn't make sense. Why would two different blood types die from the same effects? This looks like question only a Fox can answer."
"Indeed." Alfred replied. "And Bruce Wayne has a meeting with him at ten."
Bruce nodded and then looked clock on the computer screen.
Bruce entered the empty board room and walked over to the window where he would usually wait for Fox either with another idea for his nightly activities of DNA samples. But this time he was empty handed and dumbfound not knowing what was slipping by under his nose.
"Let me guess another long night?" the older gentlemen asked.
Bruce smiled. "It had its moments Mr. Fox."
"I trust you don't need a new suit?"
Bruce shook his head. "No, I need a blood DNA examined." He hand Fox the piece of tissue containing a sample of the Ashley Whitehorns blood. "It seems to be inclusive I thought you might have a look at it ."
"I'll see what I can do."
Alfred entered the BatCave with a tray of tea and blueberry muffins. Bruce turned around and looked at Alfred.
"I set the computer to standby..."
"Will you be going out tonight sir?" Alfred asked even though he knew what the answer was already.
Bruce's jaw tensed involuntary but he didn't turn to face his butler. He didn't want to look at Alfred.
"I have a job to do."
"Even the most dedicated works take a vacation at some point in their life," Alfred point out. "Despite what some misguided people in the media may argue. You're only one man."
Alfred pointed to Bruce's arm, the same arm that his master had been inching earlier and he could tell that it was extremely sore. "Some of those injuries need attending and proper rest if they're to heal. I'm sure Commissioner Gordon and his detectives can keep Gotham from tearing it's self apart for one night."
Bruce bit his lip.
"What about Miss Prince? She'll be here in one hour."
"Keep her happy until I arrive, enlighten her with tales of your war stories."
The billionaire walked over to the steel case and lifted out the graphite cowl.
Convenience store, Frankie Blacks walked out stuffing a candy bar in his mouth as he placed a 50 dollar bill in his coat pocket not realizing that two eyes were watching his every movement as he made his way through the dark trash filled alley.
A young girl around 14 years old was sitting on the wet pavement with her boney back against the wall cradling her arms around her waist. Frankie licked his lips as he passed her.
"Why hello there cutie," he sneered. "What are you doing down here and all alone? Someone could attack you."
The girl gulped down. She was too weak from low blood sugar. It had been three days since she tasted a crust of bread or an apple.
"Go away …" she coughed while rubbing her chest. Frankie threw his candy wrapper on the pavement and moved in closer, placing his chubby hand on her wet hair.
"Leave me alone creep!" she growled.
"Why you're powerless right now. Perfect doll to play with in the rain."
"The girl said she wants to be left alone," Diana growled. "And I suggest you obey her wish little man."
Frankie looked up and saw Diana crouched down on the fire escape. She swung her lasso which wrapped alone Frankie's leg.
What ?" Frankie screamed as he was yanked from the pavement and pulled between the stairway and a pile of ripped open trash bags. He looked into the eyes of Diana. "I suggest you leave this sister alone little man unless you want a broken leg." She said showing her fist.
Meanwhile Batman shifted his weight for the fifth time in under an hour. No matter what level of discipline, staying crouched down on the balls of his feet for hours at a time taxed muscles as well as patience. He settled again, scanning the distant building through the small viewing lenses.
It was dark from the moonlight behind hidden behind the rain clouds.
The soft orange glow coming from the street lights and being emitted from nearby buildings provided only faint illumination allowing most of the alleys ways and buildings to be engulfed with darkness.
The familiar smells of hot bread cooking in the ovens from the nearby bakery entered the air ways along with the smell of diesel from the local buses that would make their stops frequently every two minutes with the same people that would swipe their bus passes and sit in the back with no one to bugged them as they tried to relax with the stresses the world brought on to them. While he was perched he smelt the faint of salt water that was mixed with also the disgusting fishy smell coming from the river.
"Master Wayne,"
Batman pressed his comlink that was located inside the ear of his cowl. "What is it Alfred?"
"Miss Prince is waiting up stairs for you sir,"
"I'll be there when I can."
"With due to respect sir, you can't keep a woman waiting."
Bruce rolled his eyes under the cowl. "Fine, I'll be at the Manor in a few minutes."
Batman stood up, removed his grappling hook from the hostler that hung from the back of his belt and fired the grappling hook to the roof top across. He swung his body into the foggy atmosphere of the city and landed smacked the hard cement roof top of the First National Bank roof. His long cape touched the cold wet puddles that formed on the crack cement as he raced to the ledge and dove into the air.
Bruce walked over to her."You look amazing Diana."
"Thank you. "
He leaned his head over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"So this is where the billionaire prince lives."
"Yes. "
" You must get lonely in this place?"
Bruce gave her a silent nod.
"Would you care to show me around?"
"Of course dinner won't be ready for an awhile." he took her hand." Follow me."
On the stone stair well the led to the upper level of Wayne Manor both Bruce and Diana were holding each other's hands as they walked up the stone steps. Never before has Bruce ever felt so comfortable to be with a woman. There was something about that her he wanted to unleash/
Bruce led her to the master bedroom doorway; she peered inside the dark room that had a few lights on. "So this is where the prince of Gotham sleeps?" She smiled be naive
He nodded. " It was my parents bedroom before they died." he lowered his head.
" You miss them don't you?"
" All the time princess." he responded with a grim expression. "All the time, what about you do you miss your mother and sisters."
"Yes, I miss my mother, she used to say that I was her little sun and stars and I was her whole world. All that I have of hers to keep her close by to my heart is her strength and wisdom. There are sometimes I wish I could go back home, and ask her for my forgiveness but once you break a law there is no going back."
"I have one thing. It's the only thing that I have left of my mother." He said.
Bruce walked over to a dresser and pulled open a drawer. Inside was a silver tin box, he opened it with Diana standing behind him looking at the treasure inside. To her surprise it was a pearl necklace."This was the last thing my father gave my mother before they were killed in crime alley. The last thing of hers I watched roll down the pavement in the puddles of blood."
"It must mean a lot to you."
He looked at the necklace, his fingers touched the pearls. Diana watched him closed his eyes, the sound of gun sounding off and his mother screaming out his father's name echoed in his ear drums. Then the sight of his parents lying on the blood stained pavement, lifeless and cold entered his mind.
"Bruce?" Diana asked.
He opened his eyes." It's just another painful memory that needs to be locked up." He closed the box and then looked into the mirror. Diana walked closer to him, she could sense his pain. It hung over him like a shadow, which never went away. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her cheek. He turned his head and looked deep into her eyes.
"The world is full of painful memories handsome. But if you lock yourself up with them you'll never see the good memories it has to offer."
Bruce brushed the hair off her forehead. He leaned his head over and they became locked into a deep heartfelt passionate kiss that made time freeze around the
Alfred entered the room." Master Wayne "he smiled as he saw the two of them embraced in a kiss."Very well sir. I can see that you are busy."