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-yesiamweird

I'm early… I thought brushing a strand of hair out of place in the reflection on the mirror. I had the meeting with Daggett in a little over an hour but I knew that it would take me about thirty minutes to walk to his tower in the middle of the city. In the mean time, I walked out from my bedroom ready for a delicious breakfast, until I noticed a clank from down the hall in the kitchen.

"John?" I questioned uneasily and then turned the corner to see him fumbling around the stovetop in his uniform. With a smile, I leaned into the wall making sure to fold my hands over my chest, "What are you doing, oh helpless roommate of mine?" I giggled as he turned to me with a tired look.

"Shut up. I got work at two o'clock and I only got four hours of sleep last night. "

My smiled continued as I pressed my weight off the wall and towards the refrigerator. "Awww poor baby!" I taunted him as usual.

"Shut up… and why the hell are you dressed for work? I thought yesterday was the last day of the shop."

I nodded pulling out a packaged piece of cheese and a can of sprite while flipping the tab open, "It was. Ian is taking the rest of the inventory to Goodwill. But I am going to meet Mr. Daggett for a suit consultation." I placed the can to my lips and took a sip as John raised an eyebrow curiously. "Well," I wiped my lips with the back of my hand explaining to him, "He wants to keep the business alive and I'm coming in to see his propositions."

With the can in my hand, I walked away towards the couch in the living room area where my purse had been left all night, "Well I don't know how long it's going to take but I should be back this evening. I need to get food. When will you be back?"

He turned his back towards me as he attempted to crack his two eggs he had placed on the counter. "Not sure. Whenever I get my paperwork done I guess."

"Jesus Blake, I never see you around here anymore." My free hand went to my hip and my body seemed to sink into while pressing my butt out to the side. "Didn't know being a cop would mean no life."

John chuckled half-heartedly, "Whata you care?"

With a shrug of my shoulders I nodded my head, "True." I turned to the door and then opened it. "See ya later." I responded and waited for his "Later" remark before shutting the door. Somehow I couldn't shake the feeling of his aloofness towards me and almost thought about walking into the apartment again and demanding an explanation. Then again, I needed all the extra time I had to make it to Daggett's company downtown and I am too cheap to take a cab.

With a half-hearted sigh, I removed myself from the front of our door and walked down the hallway towards the elevator.

The streets were busy as usual, but there was something extra interesting roaming around the bustling roads of Gotham. "Extra extra! The return of Batman and the conspiracy's behind his appearance plus Billionaire Bruce Wayne loses all his money!" The paperboy's cried.

At first, I was thrilled to see the public interested in Batman's return but something seemed skeptical about this information regarding Bruce… Blake and I had just gone and visited Mr. Wayne the other day. He seemed to be in a fine condition (well, besides being an aloof plush member of society). Halfway downtown I had to fork over two dollars to purchase one of the many papers roaming around the blocks.

I read as I walked and tried my best to comprehend as much information as I could while walking and avoiding the rushing people along the way. It couldn't be… It wasn't true… how?

Bruce Wayne now had… nothing?

My thought couldn't wrap around one fact that was left out of the papers…one fact that only John and I, and maybe that old butler Alfred, knew.

How was Bruce Wayne going to keep up his return of Batman with no funding?

Without even realizing it, I had arrived in front of Daggett Industries. I sighed heavily while folding up my paper, and placed the important information into my black handbag.

"Hello there, do you have an appointment?" The woman at the front desk smiled widely with her bright red lips. I nodded silently walking over to the desk while my high heels clicked against the polished marble floor. "Then please just sign this and as soon as your appointment is ready, I will inform you which floor you will ride the elevator up to."

Nodding with a slight smile, I took the pen and notepad from out of her hands and filled out my information.

"Why thank you, Miss. Robin. For the moment, Mr. Daggett is in a meeting over at Wayne Enterprises but when he returns I will inform you and your consultation will proceed. In the meantime, will you please take a seat over in the other room. There are refreshments on the counter. Please help yourself."

This woman was on my nerve… she was way to happy of a person for me to deal with at the moment. I avoided her smile once again turning on my heels and towards the waiting area.

I bit my lip noticing the fact there was no one else waiting in the room. "So I'm the only appointment for the moment…" I mumbled. "Greattttt…"

I really hoped I wasn't walking into a trap. The first time Daggett had come into the store, I nearly thought he was going to rape me in front of everyone. Now I was under his roof and rules.

"Well," I smirked sitting down and folding my lean legs over top of another, "It will be funny when Daggett is in the paper with a black eye."

My thoughts of self-defense changed into the paper; this morning's paper to be exact. I pulled out the folded news report from my bag but instead accidently pulled out my cell phone by mistake. "You know…" I thought aloud as my hand wrapped around the rubber protector. "I bet Blake doesn't even know."

I proceeded to tap Blake's contact info on the screen and hold the device to my ear while it rang. On the third ring, he answered gruffly.

"Hey what is it?"

"Well, so good to talk to you too…" I scoffed and then quickly added, "Did you hear the news about Bruce?"

He must have been confused, or just being stupid as usual, because he paused more than he should have, "Uh no why what happened?"

"He apparently is a big gambler and lost every single dime of his money. He has nothing… I wonder if it had anything to do with the stock exchange scandal last night?"

"I don't know, maybe… good thinking."

I smiled proudly. "You'd think the police would look into it but I guess they are too busy with their thumbs up their asses attempting to catch Batman."

The noise on the other line was beginning to be bothersome. I assumed he was driving in the car. "Hey now… I won't let you talk to me like-"

"Blake please don't tell me that a police officer is driving and talking on the phone? You know that you're supposed to be a law abiding citizen too."

"Talking on the phone and driving isn't against the law."

I rolled my eyes, "Well you are supposed to be a good example for others. Hurry up and get your butt to Wayne Enterprises. Daggett's secretary told me he's in a meeting there, so Bruce probably is too."

"Will do. But why?"

I sighed, "I don't know… I just have a feeling he might need help or something."

"Oh alright,"

"'Kay…"

"Well…" He awkwardly mumbled. "Bye."

"Bye!"

"Bye."

"Good-bye!" I tapped the end button on the screen quickly making sure I had the last word before our conversation ended. With a slight snicker to myself I placed my phone carefully back into the slouched pocket and then continued to unfold the paper flipping through the articles listed within.

Of course my laughter and snickering couldn't be contained with the conspiracy theories of Batman's return. They were just absolutely ridiculous, to the point I thought I might have accidently bought the Inquirer instead of real news.

Then something else caught my attention.

"Daggett industries buy out local cement companies around the city?" I thought aloud in a hushed whisper to myself. "Why would Daggett want cement companies? I thought he was a-"

"Miss Robin?"

I jumped at the sound of my name.

The secretary from before smiled. "Mr. Daggett is about to leave from his meeting. Would you please proceed to floor 26 on the elevator? Mr. Stryver will inform you what to do from there."

I stood from the chair with a forced smile. "Sure thing. Thank you."

"You are very welcome! Have a good day." She curtsied and removed herself from the room. I had to shake my head at her constant happiness. It was seriously annoying…

With the paper still in my hand, I pressed the up button on the elevator waiting for it to reach my level. When the doors opened I wasted no time hesitating for the number 26 floor, it being the top floor anyways.

"Okay… just show him the details you wrote out last night, and see what he has to say." I intended on giving myself a pep talk. "Don't be defensive if he doesn't like your ideas…well be defensive if he gets touchy-feely like last time…but even then." Now I was annoyed, I groaned holding my forehead against my palms. "Just smile."

When the doors opened, I looked around careful looking for the 'Mr. Stryver' person but instead saw no one…

The room was interesting. It had two floors just on the one floor level. There were a few closed doors on the side, a big meeting room in the back level with a desk and a couple of lounge chairs on the level above it. Where I stood near the elevator, there was another lounge and waiting space and so I took the liberty of waiting in the room.

I sighed as I sat in the plush chair, this one being nicer than the one downstairs, and crossed both my arms and legs over one-another. "And now we play the waiting game…this has not been very productive."

I don't know how long I waited since I must have dozed off even with my eyes open, but when I finally realized someone else had entered the outside room, it was already too late for me to announce myself.

"HOW THE HELL DID MIRANDA TATE GET HER NAME ON THE WAYNE BOARD?!"

I stood carefully making sure that my heels didn't click against the floor. Peaking out from the side of the wall, I noticed Mr. Daggett and another skinnier man with black hair walking beside him frantically.

"I mean," Daggett continued, "Is she seeing him? Is she sleeping with him?"

"I don't know?" The man answered.

"Oh you don't know anything do you!?" He fumed. "And where the HELL is BANE?!"

My eyes widened at that comment. "Bane?" I whispered under my breath carefully and made sure to pay attention to any details concerning this Bane person.

The man next to Daggett shook his head, "W-well we told him it was urgent…"

Daggett continued on with his rage. "Yea I bet he's-"

"Speak of the devil… and he shall appear…"

My heart stopped seeing the mountain of a man standing behind Daggett and the other man, I assumed he was Stryver. They turned to face the intruder, Bane, and the two men behind him. He had some sort of mask on his face that must have mumbled his voice like it did, but I couldn't see him very well from the distance I was located.

"What. The hell. Is going on?" Daggett fumed.

"Our plan is proceeding as expected." Bane slurred through his mask.

Daggett took a few steps towards the giant, "Really? Do I look like I'm running Wayne Enterprises?" He was being rhetorically rude to the rather large man. "Your hit on the stock exchange, it didn't work, my friend!"

The stock exchange? That was Bane? And Bane is working for Daggett… so then Daggett is the whole master mind in this game. And then Bane was the one on the motorcycle last night?

Damn… I shook my head. I should be a freaking Cop by the way I was putting together this puzzle.

"And now you have my construction crews running around the city at 24 hours a day, how exactly is that supposed to make my company absorb Wayne's?"

The tension in the room was thick…something wasn't right. This 'plan' seemed to big for a spoiled brat like Daggett to be behind everything…

"Leave us." Bane commanded to Stryver.

"No!" Daggett pointed his finger at the man. "I'm in charge."

Even though Bane was as big as a mountain and probably could break Daggett like a twig, the only reprimand he gave to the entrepreneur was a simple open hand on his shoulder.

Bane whispered, "Do you feel in charge?" His words caused shivers down my spine. My hairs throughout the back of my neck stood. I had rested my forehead on the wall waiting for Bane or Daggett to respond, but instead I heard footsteps walking towards me in the room.

Quickly, I attempted to find a place to hide, but found nothing. When Stryver and I made eye contact, I was afraid that he would point out my location to the others. Instead he pushed his back against the other side of the wall and shook his head quickly as if telling me to be quiet.

Daggett must have whispered something to Bane because the masked man proceeded to say, "And this gives you power over me?" The tone in his words seemed drastic. Something bad was going to happen, I could tell.

There was another pause, possibly indicating Daggett whispering once again… And in the next moment Bane responded again, "Your money and infrastructure have been important… til now."

Another pause.

"I'm Gotham's reckoning. Here to end the borrowed time you've been living on."

Daggett's voice was just a little bit more than a whisper, but all I could make out was "… pure evil."

"I'm necessary evil." Bane answered and I watched as he swiftly held Daggett's face in the palm of his hand and twist his head backwards. Daggett scream was muffled by Bane's hand, but what I did hear from the slight indication was torture.

I looked to Stryver on my left and noticed he began to walk towards the back of the room while keeping to the side of the wall and chairs. "Where you going?" I whispered in a hushed and desperate tone. If he had somewhere to escape this demon, I was intent on going too.

Stryver only shook his head and then opened a door hidden in the wall. I heard a slight click after he closed it. "Damn." I muttered and peaked my head back out from the side.

Daggett's body lay motionless on the floor with his head twisted to the back. As much as I wanted to gag from the sight, I was more concerned with Bane and his men. "Our plan is in full effect." He nodded turning to his cronies.

Now was my chance. I only hoped the elevator was still stuck in the shaft… I had to escape and warn Blake about Bane. Tell the police that Bane was in fact a real person, and not some myth Gordon had been rambling about after the night I found him washed up in the sewers.

Bane and his men looked like they were leaving from the side they entered, so I hastily hopped over the wall and reached out for the elevator button. Of course, not thinking, I realized my heels had made a horrible clatter informing the men I had witness the event.

The elevator dinged open, just my luck.

But the men noticed me. Also, just my luck.

"Shoot her!" One of the men yelled and I ducked just as a round of bullets entered the wall I had been hiding behind the entire time. I squealed capping my hands over my ears and then slammed my hand down on the floor 1 button. The doors closed as I heard running footsteps.

"Oh thank god…" I exhaled resting my back on the cold metal wall. "Ok, all I have to do is call the police." I pulled out my phone from my purse and then stomped my foot on the floor realizing I had no service in the elevator.

"Damn. Of course… well I'll call when I get out…" I thought about walking off the elevator and that annoying woman attempting to greet me.

Then I thought about her safety in the building with Bane still here. I sighed, "It's a good thing I'm a nice person." I shook my head figuring if I didn't warn the woman I would never forgive myself.

I looked at the light up number smiling that I only had five more floors to travel down. With my cell clutched in my hands perfectly and my body right in front of the steel doors, I keep my racing thoughts patient by tapping the heel of my shoes on the floor.

The elevator stopped and opened slightly allowing myself to exit. Something didn't feel right… the front desk woman was not in her position. I looked around the grand room and noticed not one person in the midst.

"Hello?" I called out walking towards the desk. "Hello!?" I asked concerned approaching the desk. "Hell-" I gasped as I looked down at the woman bleeding on the floor. She had four bullet holes in her blouse surrounded by pools of blood.

"Oh my god." I shook, and then looked around the room noticing the men surrounding the marble stairway across the room.

I attempted to turn around when a man pulled my hair and threw me to the ground. I could feel my knee scrape through my pants as soon as my hands connected with the floor. Without another thought, I grabbed the handles of my purse and swung into a defensive stance. "Back off you-" I started to say until I recognized the face in front of me. "You…" I shuddered.

It was the same blonde man that came into J.R.W. Suits and Ties, the one that shot and killed Brent and JW. Then my anger condensed in my face and I snarled. "You're the bastards!"

I had dropped my purse and jacket with my hand balled into a strong fist. "You killed them! Brent and James Washington! You fuck-" I was about to test my strength against the leader's cheek when my hand stopped just before his face.

Something was holding me back. Actually, someone was holding me with a strong hold of their hand around my elbow. "Naughty." The familiar bloodcurdling voice echoed through my ears. I grunted feeling my back hit the floor and winced at the tenderness of my back since the robbery.

I opened my eyes at the robotic voice not exactly sure what to do or say. It was in that brief millisecond that I could observe every inch of this killer. He seemed to have some sort of voice-box gag in his mouth, the only visible part of his face were his eyes…eyes focused on me not doubt. His stare narrowed and I groaned once more feeling my arm twist underneath his grasp. "And just who, are you?" He questioned softly.

I gasped trying to hide my pain from him. "M- …Maggie." I attempted to be defiant but knew I had failed miserably at doing so. "Who are you…what are you?" I questioned and then felt his grip loosen on my arm.

"I'm Gotham's reckoning." His eyes smiled, in a sense, and he leaned back into the heels of his feet as I attempted to sit up.

"And what does that mean?" I found myself observing the muscles surrounding this man's neck, shoulders, and arms. No doubt he could kill me in a second… I just watched him do it to Daggett. So why was he toying with me?

"It means…" He breathed reminding me of Darth Vader imitations I used to do when I was a kid, "The games are about to begin."

"Batman will stop you."

He nodded at me, "Batman? I am counting on it." He wrapped his giant hands around my shoulders and picked me back up to my feet. "You believe in a man that runs around in a costume all night?"

I nodded not even daring to lose eye contact with him. "Yes." I paused and then sneered, "From the looks of it you're doing the same." His grip on my arms tightened and I felt my spine snap and crack into place.

I probably shouldn't have said that.

"You…" He breathed once and then twice. "Do not…fear me."

"No."

The look in his eyes brought chilled my arms but I defiantly told myself to show no weakness. I could only stare back into his gaze.

His fingertips ran up my neck towards my cheeks rubbing and grazing the skin on my face. I instantly felt the chill of his damp skin on mine causing me to almost fall weak to the tender and feel of his fingers on my flesh. But something very familiar crossed my mind as he continued to examine my face. The smell of him surrounding me was similar and yet odd…he smelt like the sewers.

I flashed back to the other night that Blake and I rescued Commissioner Gordon. That god awful smell…it was on this man too.

"You do not fear death…do you?"

I smiled once again trying to hide the fact I was uncomfortable with his hands on my face. "No." I could have sworn I saw a smile underneath that mask, but I'll never know. He pushed me to the side and pointed to the doors leading to the street. "Go. You will die with the rest of the city then."

I picked up my coat and purse while the guard men watched me walk pass silently. "Perhaps…" The masked man's voice echoed. "We will meet again, Maggie. Only time will tell."

I nodded with a glare and then quickly paced myself towards the outside. As I entered the threshold something raced through my mind. It wasn't a thought of mine, but merely an echo. He wanted me to hear this…he wanted me to be afraid.

"Follow her!"