He couldn't be serious. Bruce Wayne? That rich orphan? It didn't make sense. I've never heard anything super bad about Bruce Wayne. Maybe my opinion was biased from when I met him. It was a year ago, and of course, I was on a mission to kill a woman named Lindsay Olson. I had to go to a huge party. I'd consider it more of a ball than anything. Only live classical music was playing and sometimes Lindsay herself would sing a song or two. It was a masquerade party, and we all wore face masks, even though we could all tell who was who. I remember I really had to look the part. I had to put on a black, form-fitting dress and put winged eyeliner on. I usually didn't dress that flashy or put makeup on like that. I felt really confident though when I dressed up like that.
Lindsay was singing, but I couldn't remember what song because I was dancing with a bunch of people. It seemed as if people were just throwing me around. I was dancing with a different person every minute. Bruce Wayne went out of his way to dance with me. He walked up to me, while I was dancing with someone already, and asked me if I wanted to dance. I accepted, and he grabbed my waist delicately. He was very good at this, so I just went with his flow.
"I haven't seen you around here before," he said, with a slight smirk on his face. His voice was cool and smooth.
"I'm new," I responded, as he ducked me to the floor, and picked me back up again.
"Well, I should introduce myself. I'm Bruce Wayne." Something was so amazing about this man and I couldn't pinpoint it. I just had this really good vibe from him, and I've never felt that before. It seemed as if I could look into his soul and it'd be pure. But I also remembered how his face has been plastered on every magazine, showing off his arrogance. He once walked into a restaurant with two models, and they started swimming in the decoration pool, and instead of leaving when asked, he bought the restaurant instead. It seemed witty and clever to me; but also highly arrogant. It didn't seem like I was dancing with the same man.
"I'm Raven Black," I said. I felt like I shouldn't have told him my name.
The song ended after that, and he let me go. "You're a very good dancer, Raven. Thank you."
"You too, you're welcome." Then he walked away. I watched him walk out of the doors, awestruck. He seemed nice, but so mysterious. How can he be out in public acting like a dickhead and completely change in here?
As I sat at the table with Ra's, I started thinking deeply about that encounter with him. I started thinking of the exact details. Bruce approached me, which now seems weird after hearing about this. I also noticed how he was snooping around Lindsay's stuff right after I did. He wasn't full blown looking through it. Just a glance, and then he walked away, but I definitely noticed. Even back then, I noted how mysterious he was, and how his personalities change. He was definitely hiding something. Now it all makes sense. He acts the way he does to hide his true nature. A weapon maker who wants to destroy the world. But... it still didn't feel right in my heart. If Bruce really was who Ra's said he was, then I have to kill him. For the good of the city... And twenty million dollars seemed like a hella fair price.
"So will you do it? If you do this mission, you could potentially save Gotham," Ra's said.
I let out a deep breath. "I... I'll do it."
Everyone at the table cheered. "Yes! Thank you, Raven. You'll be doing the world a favor, I assure you," Ra's exclaimed, a wide smile on his face.
I nodded, not really feeling it right now. They all seemed so happy, but I really had a weird feeling in my gut. I could just be sick from everything that's been going on lately. I don't know why I was lying to myself. This felt wrong. I needed to obviously make sure that Bruce really was making weapons, and if he was, then I'll kill him. If he isn't, then I'll tell Ra's to stick his twenty million right in the urethra. "How long do I have?" I asked.
Ra's thought for a moment. "Who knows when he plans to destroy the city? I'd say the maximum you can wait is six months. But if you find any information that he's going to do it earlier, well... you know what to do."
"Right." I sipped my drink. "Alright. I'll see you later, Ra's." With that, I got up from the table and left the bar. I can't believe I only took one sip of my drink the entire time. Now would be an awesome time to be drunk or high. I unlocked the doors to my car and got in, just sitting in the front seat for a couple moments. I need to plan this. I have to get into Wayne Enterprises, obviously. But how? This was going to be difficult. If it really is as dangerous as Ra's makes it seem, then I have to be extremely careful.
For the first time, I didn't even feel like driving home. I needed to walk to relieve some of this stress and think properly. I'll end up crashing if I drive. I climbed the top of Tiff's Bar swiftly, and set on my walk home. Do I go to Wayne Enterprises during the day or night? Do I put on some disguise or go full Assassin stealth style in there? Do I interrogate some of his employees? This was complicated. I could do all three. Yes, all three. Perfect. I can have some sort of disguise on to make it into the building, interrogate an employee, knock their ass out, and go stealth mode to look for more clues. Seemed like a good plan.
I heard the sound of a cape flap in the wind and I knew it wasn't mine. Batman must've been waiting for me the whole time. I turned around to see him standing there, looking intimidating as ever. His cape moved in the breeze and looked elegant, and his stern look on his face made it truly a sight to see. If only he wasn't out to kick my ass all the time, I'd probably like him. "Haven't we already had our round of fun today, Batsy?" I asked.
"There's no limit," he said, his voice growly as fuck. I wonder if that hurt his throat, because whenever I try to impersonate him, it hurts me.
I ignored what he said, even though I had a million comebacks already. "So you going to attack me yet or what? Or are we finally coming to a truce?" I smirked.
He rolled his eyes. "I'm here to talk to you."
"You think you should use your real voice or what? That can't be good for you," I commented, chuckling a little bit.
Annoyance shone in his eyes like the sun. "I've been watching you for a long time, Raven. You used to be honorable. Killing the corrupt, the abusive, the murderers," he said, and I started to feel my heart sink. Am... Am I going to get a lecture from Batman? "You were never a criminal up until now. You like to think you've always been one, always been evil, cold and vicious... but you weren't. The Assassin's are a respectable cause and you are a disgrace. You shouldn't even have the honor of calling yourself one. I just want to ask you - what changed you? Was it the money, the fame, or the fear you spread throughout Gotham?"
My eyes were wide open. I don't think I've ever actually talked to Batman before. I would just mess with him, or he would purposefuly try to fuck up one of my missions, and we'd fight. I don't think we've ever truly just stood around and talked like this. And the moment we do, he manages to make me feel like shit. But what the fuck does he know? He's not like me. He's not one of us. He goes around trying to get everyone arrested when he probably doesn't understand a fucking thing about this life. I don't need a lecture about the Assassin's from him. Calling me a disgrace? I'm starting to think Batman's real identity is my mother.
"So you're telling me that at one point, you were okay with me killing people? You're just as fucked up as I am. I don't need to hear this from someone who dresses like a bat to try and scare people. I need to go give my cat fresh water, so fuck off," I snarled. I leapt off the side of the building, and send the electric static through my cape that would make the fibers inside realign. When they realigned, I could soar across the city.
When I got home, I walked through the door to see glass on the floor and lilacs on the ground. My siamese cat, Galaxy, was sitting next to the shards, looking me in the eyes, her tail flicking against the ground. "Galaxy! You can't just break my stuff when I forget to give you water!" I exclaimed, grabbing a broom and dustpan quickly. "Such a spoiled brat," I muttered as I swept the pieces. Galaxy meowed at me and I knew she meant business if I didn't give her water now. I quickly did that to appease her anger, and then took a shower.
I can't believe Batman is disappointed in me. Actually, I can. I shouldn't let it get to me but damn... it's so weird and random of him to do that. I think he was listening in to the conversation at the table. I agreed to kill Bruce Wayne, and then he gave me that speech afterwards about how I'm a disgrace. I'm not going to care what Batman thinks of me. He hates me, I hate him, so I shouldn't really be surprised. He's been on a mission to take me down for a while now. I'm going to let it go. After my shower, I went to bed.
I woke up to the sound of glass breaking. I walked out into the livingroom to see Galaxy sitting next to the broken glass shards of a candle on the ground. Her tail was flicking on the floor and she stared at me dead in the eyes. I haven't even drunk my coffee yet, and she does this shit? "Galaxy!" I exclaimed. "What the fuck!" I went to her dishes and saw her food bowl was empty. Oh my God, I need to get an automatic feeder or something because I'm gonna eventually have nothing left in my house with the way she's acting. I filled up her bowl, poured myself a glass of coffee, sat down and started to think of my plan for today. I think what I'm doing to do is dress up as a pretty, preppy girl and ask for a tour of the building.
I put on a dark red blouse, a black skirt and some heels, even nerd glasses. I put my hair in a ponytail but I also made sure to tie a knife around my thigh, just in case. I grabbed the keys to my red Audi R8. I looked over at Galaxy, who was sitting by a picture frame, her tail tapping against the wood. "Galaxy, I swear to fucking God, if I come home and anything in this house is broken, no more fancy feast for you. Or treats." Her tail stopped tapping and she blinked at me. Like, a really slow blink. Sometimes I wondered if she actually understood me. I stared at her for another minute, before rolling my eyes, and leaving.
When I got to Wayne Enterprises, I saw a sign up for job offerings as an intern. That made me stop and rethink my plans a little. I could work here instead, and find out myself, and nobody could be suspicious of me. I'm sure over one thousand people have applied for the job already. If there is no possibility of me getting that job, hopefully the commotion going on in there will give me a distraction.
I walked through the glass doors, feeling elegant in my heels. Everything in here was so shiny and clean. I walked up to the receptionist's counter where a blonde woman smiled at me. "Hi! Are you here for the job?" she asked.
"Uh... Yes, I am." She handed me an application. I sat down and filled it out. I put my name as Raven Knight instead of Black, just in case someone knows that name and assumes I'm a criminal. I didn't even know what to put on special skills, so I left it empty. This whole application seemed empty. I was definitely not getting this fucking job, that's for sure. I still gave it to the receptionist, and she pointed me to a seating area that was filled with people already. I was supposed to wait until I got my interview. I'm glad I brought my phone because I played Flappy Bird for a solid hour, and texted Tiffany what I was doing, and she thought it was funny that I'm actually doing a job interview. When my name was called, I shut my phone off.
I walked into Bruce Wayne's office, and all I could think about was how now would be a perfect time to kill him. All alone in his office. But I didn't have proof he's done anything wrong. I had to wait. That's the smart thing to do. I will get my chance again, especially if I get this job, then I'll have a chance every damn day.
"You can sit there." He motioned to a chair in front of his desk, and I sat down. "Well, hello there," he said, looking down and reading my application, "Raven Knight. Huh, it's funny. I swear you look familiar."
"No, I don't. You're mistaken," I said.
He chuckled. "I'm pretty sure I've met you before. Wait, you're the girl I danced with at Lindsay's party. I thought your name was Raven Black, not Knight?" he asked. His eyes were shining in the sunlight and they were captivating. They were a bluish grey, and piercing.
"You got me." I smiled. "That was me. I told you a fake name just to stay safe. Sometimes I get guys stalking me, you know? A girl's gotta be safe."
"Understandable, especially with what happened to Lindsay," he said, a look of sadness in his eyes.
I looked down. "Yeah, a real shame... Never can trust anyone these days..." I mumbled.
"So, you're interested in applying for an intern position at my company. It says here you have no work history, and no skills. I saw you drive up in an Audi R8, so I guess I'm just wondering why you want this job?" He didn't seem suspicious at all, just genuinely curious. This guy knows how to act, because he definitely has something going on.
"I... um... I would like to finally have some work experience... and um... a reliable source of income... and... more skills." Holy shit, we should all sit down for a minute and thank whoever you believe in that I didn't turn out to be a normal person. I keep listening to the sound of my voice and wanting to puke because I realize how stupid I sound.
He smiled, and when he did, his eyes sorta glow. It was kinda... cute. Too bad he's got a dark secret or I'd probably think higher of him. "You could always just sell your car when times get tough, right?" He laughed.
I fake laughed. "Yeah, I could."
He took a deep breath. "Tell me about yourself."
What kind of job interview is this? I've never been in a real job interview but who asks that question? Does he really care about what I think of myself? "I am a girl, and I like to drink coffee. In fact, I actually look forward to my mornings because I love coffee so much. My cat is an asshole and breaks my shit when she doesn't get her way. Um... I spend most of my time outside, exercising. I am a car fanatic. I guess I have a good sense of humor. I cuss a lot. That... that's about it," I said. These words just keep coming out of my mouth and I'm angry at my mouth for even allowing my tongue to form these stupid ass words. I know this is not what he means by 'tell me about yourself'. He probably means if I like cleaning or some shit. I don't know. I've never had to do this.
He smiled and let out a little laugh, and I noticed that he laughs at me a lot. He must think I'm funny or stupid. What if he's mocking me in his head? I felt my body get hot then, because I felt embarrassed. Damn it! Why am I so bad at this? I feel like Snoop Dogg trying to give an inaugeral address while stoned. Unbelievable. "What's your cats name?" he asked.
"Galaxy," I responded.
He made a face like 'eh, not bad', and then scribbled something on a piece of paper. I could read what he was writing and it was literal scribbles. That was odd. Was he trying to make it seem like he's taking my interview seriously? Surely he can tell I can read that? "Where do you see yourself in five years?"
What?! What the fuck?! Are these questons what every normal person has to deal with? How annoying! He doesn't truly care where I am in five years. "I don't know," I answered, honestly. I knew saying that was a mistake so I tried to fix myself. "I mean... hopefully with a little work experience."
He laughed sincerely at that. Oh fuck. I really fucked this up and embarrassed myself in front of Bruce Wayne, my potential target. I almost felt bad that someone wanted me to kill him. He thinks I'm funny. I should never have to kill someone who thinks so highly of me. "I'll tell you what, Raven. I've liked you since I first met you, at Lindsay's party. I'm going to be making a serious risk here, but I think you can learn a lot from me and my company. Everyone around here constantly has a stick in their ass, so I'm pretty sure they can learn a thing or two from you as well. I'm going to give you the job, okay?"
My heart almost jumped out of my chest. "Really? Wow, thank you so much!"
"No problem," he said. "You start tomorrow. Be here at eleven AM. Don't be late on your first day. Tell Galaxy I said hi."
"Yes, of course," I said, in a rush. He clearly dismissed me and I left the building. I had to go tell Tiffany about this immediately! She was texting me asking how the interview was going, but I couldn't text her back until now. I texted her that I'll be at the bar soon, and I drove there. I was so happy. I actually got a job. Wait, I'm forgetting the point. This is a very good thing but this job is to solely learn what is going on at Wayne Enterprises. If they are building deadly weapons, I'll have to kill my boss. When I got to the bar, I ran up to Tiffany, exclaiming,
"I nailed that interview!"