V
A Symphony of Information
As they rushed out the back exit to private parking, Barbara was glad to see Alfred Pennyworth again. The mature English gentleman was still Bruce's official guardian, just as Bruce Wayne had become the guardian of Dick Grayson, his ward. To call Alfred Pennyworth a 'butler' would have been a grave disservice to the true nature and worth of the man.
"A pleasure to see you again, Mr. Pennyworth." Barbara beamed Alfred Pennyworth a gracious smile. Like any good gentleman, Alfred held the door to the limo open for Barbara Gordon even though Bruce Wayne insisted Alfred was to never hold the door for him.
"As always, the pleasure is mine, Miss Gordon. I hear there was an… unexpected event. I trust you're both well?"
"Quite well, Alfred, thank you. Bruce was quite heroic." Barbara took her seat next to Bruce. She hadn't looked in a mirror since the Edward Nigma incident, but she was sure she didn't look half as good as when the evening began. But then again, why did it matter to her right now?
As the car left the reserved parkade, Bruce leaned ahead to give direction to his loyal friend. "Alfred, please drive Miss Gordon home. Oh… I'm sorry, Barbara… Did you want something to eat first? I know there was to be a meal after the ceremony."
"Thanks, but I'd better not. Dad would get the wrong idea." There was only one man in the world that her father would have gladly have given his daughter's hand to. As it happened, she was sitting next to him.
"He shouldn't. I have mentioned to him that I am married." Bruce Wayne held up the wedding band on his left ring finger.
"Dad's got this crazy idea that you wear a wedding band to discourage any potential female… suitors. Please don't take this the wrong way, Bruce, but my father does have access to all legal matrimony records in the country… And he's looked. There's no record of a marriage license for Bruce Wayne to be found. Of course, I consider our relationship as professional, Mr. Wayne… although I can't say the same for my father." No sense in getting her hopes up, Barbara figured.
"That's not true, Barbara. I do think of us as friends. You'll have to trust me though, I am married."
"Of course, Mr. Wayne."
"Bruce. Please, call me Bruce."
"Alright…Bruce. And yes, we are friends. Despite what the staff seems to think."
"Good, now that that's settled… There's some business I would like to discuss while we travel. Let's do a little digging through the corporate finances of the mayor's last campaign with the Oracle system. I want to know if Edward Nigma was telling the truth and how much unreported money was involved. If the mayor is impeached, I want to know one way or another."
"What's she like?" Barbara wanted to do a little digging of her own.
"…Pardon?"
"Your wife, what's she like?"
"…Tragic… Powerful. Mysterious… innocent. Now let it go, Barbara."
"Yes, sir." Barbara grinned. Somehow, she knew Bruce Wayne was a sucker for the tragic, powerful, mysterious, innocent type. It fit him. Barbara wondered if Mrs. Wayne had ever seen the light of day through a window in stately Wayne manor, or whether she even lived in Gotham. She certainly was Gotham's best kept secret.
Wayne hit two buttons to raise the privacy divider between the back seat and Alfred. The safety partitions also went up around their windows, blocking all outside viewing access and encasing the back of the limousine into darkness. Safe from peering eyes. Barbara wondered if this is what he did when he wanted to do naughty things in the back of his limo... She put the brakes on that train of thought immediately.
"Oracle…Halo Access. WayneNet. Search files Edward Nigma". At his voice commands, holographic files and screens floated on the air before them. Bruce pondered where to begin.
"Excuse me, Bruce. Do you mind if I drive?" For a second, Bruce wondered if Alfred's driving had offended her. Then he realized that she was referring to the holo-files before them and his hesitation. Obviously, it wasn't Alfred's driving that had caused her discomfort.
"Oracle, Change User."
Bruce sat back and watched beams of light flash across Barbara's fingertips, beginning to obey her slightest touch, all the while scanning her DNA and fingerprints, as a symphony follows the baton of the conductor. Now in her element, files were arranged in a movement as Barbara Gordon conducted light and information itself, issuing commands to change the tempo, the score, the theme. She dove through financial accounts while numbers and dates proceeded along laser lines, affixed to a web of transactions and transgressions. Wayne had built the instrument, but Barbara Gordon was the maestro.
"Bruce, there's a 6 million dollar contribution from Devinette Enterprises to the mayor's last campaign," his beaming VP announced triumphantly after four minutes. He knew Barbara was good. Now he knew how good.
"Never heard of them."
"Devinette is French for Riddle. Hold on… Ah ha! It was a holding company for Griphus Trust, the financial arm of RiddleWare. It's like he wanted to be caught!"
"…Maybe he did, Barbara. After all, I think Nigma was buying something from the mayor with this off-the-books contribution. He seemed to have no interest in politics before this 'donation'. Probably political favor or inside information. He didn't want to make it impossible to trace if he were double-crossed. And judging from tonight, it looked like he was."
"I've just dropped the relevant files into your drive for review. The car's pulling over... must be my stop. Can you drop the divider, Bruce?"
Alfred pulled the limo over in front of Barbara Gordon's downtown suite in a very desirable part of town as the divider fell. He was about to get out and open the door for Miss Gordon - when two lovely arms wrapped around his neck from behind and fiery, copper hair spilled onto his shoulder and neck as Miss Gordon kissed him on the cheek. He hadn't even heard or sensed her lean forward from behind.
"Thank you, Alfred. I'll let myself out. Say Hello to Mrs. Wayne for me," she whispered into his ear.
As she was leaving through the car door, Bruce called out to her, "Oh, and Barbara, that was a very nice speech you wrote for your father. Thank you."
Hair the color of sunset-clouds across a sea of fire and eyes of crystal blue reappeared back into view, neither hiding the coy grin of the smartest woman he employed.
"What gave it away?"
"Tonight let the city give you her deepest thanks and love. That's the first time I've ever heard your father say the word 'love'. Did the old man take much convincing?"
"Not at all. He's said it to me all my life. Good night, Bruce. Good night, Mr. Pennyworth. Be of love a little more careful than of anything."
When they had pulled away, Bruce Wayne stared ahead and noticed a queer and rather rare phenomenon...
"Alfred… are you blushing?"
"Yes sir. I do so appreciate the works of Mr. E.E. Cummings."
Author's Challenge: There's 50 Bonus FanFic points to anyone who guesses the identity of Mrs. Wayne before Chapter 8. She's a well-established DC character. Good Luck!