A/N: Sorry about the delay everyone, but I've had personal issues to deal with. I'm back now, and the story gets exciting.
Bruce is broke, and since they know Porter is alive they want to safeguard the reactor. That means bringing in Casey Novak. Meanwhile, how do Penguin, Porter, and Bane plan on working their strategy, and where does Selina fit into all of this?
Disclaimer: Don't make me say it!
Enjoy and review!
Chapter 9: Gotham's Reckoning
"So let me get this straight Liv," said a slightly put out Casey Novak. "You and Fox brought me from my office at short notice for this?" The docks just off Lower Fifth overlooking the North River wasn't her idea of a day trip.
"Bear with us Miss Novak," said Fox.
"Do you not trust me Casey?" asked Olivia.
"Honestly?" Casey shook her head, a mischievous glint in her eye. "No. Fox yes, you no."
Olivia rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence Case."
Fox was chuckling, "I don't know Mrs. Wayne. Miss Novak's statement sounded alright to me."
"Well Mr. Fox, do you think it's a good idea to get on the bad side of your boss' wife?"
"Point taken," said Fox, knowing she didn't mean it. Opening the door for the two lovely ladies, Fox entered the small construction trailer.
"Oh yeah, this seems promising Liv," chided Casey, taking in the Spartan surroundings.
Raising her eyebrow, Olivia glanced at Fox, who nodded knowingly. "Please keep your hands and feet inside the trailer at all times." Reaching a panel on the wall, he punched in a code and ran his thumb over a scanner.
The floor of the trailer began to descend. Prepared for the eventuality, Fox and Olivia stayed firm. Casey on the other hand, clad in black stiletto heels, nearly fell over. Despite that, a huge grin spread over her face. "This is it isn't it? The reactor is down hear."
"Yes it is Miss Novak," Fox smirked, seeing how Casey looked like a kid with a new toy. "We built it underneath the river so that it could be flooded in case of a security breach."
"Is Bruce Wayne really that paranoid?"
"I'm going to plead the fifth on that."
Olivia smiled at his answer. "Good move Lucius." She turned to Casey. "He really is."
Casey grinned at her friend. "Why couldn't Mr. Fox say it?"
"He's Bruce's employee. I'm his wife; I'm allowed." She remembered back to the day when he insisted to Fox that they build the reactor here. Though Olivia supported him on that, she'd be lying if she had said that she wasn't a bit skeptical of the necessity of the security measures. With Bane, Porter, and Penguin running around with Dr. Pavel however, she now realized how right he had been.
The elevator hit the bottom of the reactor room. A massive cavernous space underneath the North River, it was empty except for the ball-shaped reactor, control panel, and the lone figure in a slick, black three-piece suit standing by it. Olivia's heart always fluttered at seeing her husband. After six years of marriage their love had only grown, not dimmed.
Always one to get to the point, Casey called to Bruce, her voice echoing in the massive, rectangular hall. "So this is what my investment built Mr. Wayne?" She, Liv, and Fox walked over to the center.
"Well, in these volatile times we live in," he said, turning. "Liv and I thought it would be best for you to see it for yourself." He shook Casey's hand, greeted Lucius with a smile and a nod, and finally approached his wife. "Hey Liv." He took her in his arms and pecked her lips. "Miss me?"
"Always," replied Olivia, pulling him in for a deeper kiss.
"Ahem." The two broke the kiss to find a ticked off Casey, her arms crossed, and a smiling Lucius Fox, amused by the situation. "Now if you two are done playing tonsil hockey, let's get back to the business at hand."
Detangling from Olivia, the now chuckling Bruce straightened his tie and took the position next to Casey, Olivia flanking him on the other side. "Fair enough. What would you like to know?"
"Does it work?"
Sighing, Bruce answered truthfully. "It does."
Casey was awestruck. "No fossil fuels, no toxic chemicals, and no radioactive waste. Cheap, clean energy for the entire city." She turned her head to look both of them in the eye. "Three years ago, a Russian scientist named Leionid Pavel published a paper about the possibility of weaponizing fusion reactors. One week later, your reactor stated developing problems. One isn't independent of the other I suspect."
"Case," said Olivia, a silent plea in her voice. "If the reactor were to be brought online, the danger to Gotham would be too great."
"Would it help to know that the same scientist died in a plane crash?"
'No he didn't,' thought both Liv sand Bruce. However, they decided that Casey didn't need to know that. She was on the list of people who knew about the marriage but not about their alter egos. "Someone," added Bruce, "Will eventually figure out Dr. Pavel's methods, and turn this into a nuclear weapon. We can't in good conscience let that happen."
"So what are you asking me to do Bruce?"
"I need you to take over Wayne Enterprises, buy out my former shareholdings. Once ensconced in the board, you'll have complete control of the reactor, where I want you to do nothing until we can guarantee its safety."
"And if we can't?"
"Decommission it, flood it."
"Abandon the world's best chance for a sustainable future? For a person who's spent her entire life trying to better the world since she accepted Adam Schiff's offer to join the New York DA's office, I'm not sure I could do that."
"Look Case, the world's not ready for this sort of power. I'm begging you to help us." Olivia hoped Casey would accept. If not, Ganzel would take over WE and deliver Bane the reactor on a silver platter. "We trust you to do the right thing."
Snorting, Casey took a last look at the machine. "It's flattering that you two trust me that much, though you have no choice."
"Bruce could have flooded this chamber any time in the past three years but we're choosing to trust you. Please Case, would I steer you wrong?"
Casey thought for a moment. "No, I suppose you wouldn't. Fine, I'll do it at today's meeting."
"Thank you Casey," said Bruce genuinely. He looked at his wife. "I'll see you after the meeting."
"I'll be there." Olivia kissed him soundly, earning another eye-roll for Casey.
TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR
"Alright, the meeting will come to order," called Lucius Fox from the end of the table. Assembled today were all twenty-nine members of the Wayne Enterprises Board of Directors, most having made a point of being here whatever their schedules due to the seriousness of the crisis. Sitting at the edge opposite Fox, Bruce noted the presence of Bart Ganzel, his pudgy frame seated confidently near the middle of the table. No doubt he was thinking his chances of a takeover good.
"Now, shall we discuss the latest business…"
"I'd like to point out," interrupted Ganzel, "There's a non-board member present here." He pointed straight at Bruce. "This is highly irregular, even if his name is above the door." The billionaire just shrugged, though inwardly uncomfortable. He felt naked without Olivia by his side; she had become truly indispensable to him in the six years they had been married, and while he wouldn't have had it any other way he was always a bit nervous when they were separated.
"Bruce Wayne's family built this company," said the Chairman Emeritus, defending Bruce. "And he himself has run it…"
"Into the ground! I mean, gambling on futures? What kind of verkakte scheme is that? Not only has he nearly made the company kaput, but he's also lost all of us a lot of money. I'm sorry but he can't be here."
Fox looked Bruce in the eye. "I'm afraid he has a point Mr. Wayne." Knowing this was to be expected, Bruce rose from his seat and headed out, not before seeing a reassuring smile from Casey.
Outside, the waiting mob of press had gathered. "How's it like being one of the people Wayne?" asked one reporter, Bruce brushing him off.
"I'm sorry Mr. Wayne," said the security guard, "They had orders." He was referring to the city workers towing his Bentley, obviously for reasons of poverty. 'That's just great.'
A figure tapped him on the shoulder. "Need a ride Mr. Wayne?" asked Amanda in her distinctive southern drawl.
Bruce furrowed his brows. "I'm not sure riding in the back of a squad car is such a good idea."
Amanda chuckled. "Such a charmer. Don't worry sir, you won't be alone."
Intrigued, Bruce took the officer up on her offer only to see, happily, that Liv was in the back. "Hi honey," he said released, hugging her (the windows were tinted so prying eyes weren't a worry).
Olivia gave him a quick kiss. "How was it?"
"You don't want to know," he groaned. Olivia kissed him on the cheek and leaned into him, her head on his shoulder, trying to make the stress go away. She always did just by being there.
"You comfortable back there Chief?" asked Nick from the driver's seat, smirking knowingly.
"We're just fine Officer Amaro." She looked back at Bruce, grinning. "At least one of us still can get a car and driver." Bruce replied to that by squeezing her ass, earning a glare and then a giggle form her.
"If I may ask Mr. Wayne," asked Nick as they drove. "Why did you put on the mask?"
Bruce looked out the window, his mind drifting to those lonely days eleven years before. "To protect the people closest to me. There are always those that should be kept out of shit like the stuff I dealt with."
"Didn't seem to work with the Chief did it?" observed Amanda, a smirk on her lips.
Chuckling himself, Bruce kissed his wife's hair lovingly. "Well, as you probably know, Olivia here can't stay away from the fight. It's like a mental illness."
"Hey!" Olivia scolded. "Who was it who saved your ass when the Joker was about to cut you up on the roof?"
"I had it under control Liv."
"Riiight," said Olivia, rolling her eyes.
Now laughing, Amanda glanced back. "Is he always this way?"
Olivia looked up at her husband. "You don't know the half of it."
Eager to change the subject from his shortcomings, Bruce piped up. "So what do you two know about Bane or his whereabouts?"
"Not much," answered Nick. "I've got about a hundred pages of sewer records that the partner and I have requested. We've been pouring over them all night, even though we could be doing more important things… OW!" he yelped as Amanda elbowed him in the ribs.
Chuckling, Olivia knew what he was insinuating. An idea popped up in her head. "You know what, drop us off in Old Town." She glanced up at Bruce. "I think it's time we play a visit to Elliot's girlfriend."
Nick looked confused, Amanda only shrugging with her lack of knowledge. "The Commissioner has a girlfriend?" he asked.
Olivia looked back at Bruce, whose eyes told her she was on her own. "Sort of," she hedged, not saying anything else. Nick and Amanda were even more confused.
TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR
Grabbing several dresses from the closet, Selina began stuffing them in her suitcase when she heard yelling in the stairwell.
"Please leave," stated Heather, her blonde hair tousled.
"I don't think so," shouted Bruce.
"There is no one here by that name sir."
"I am a Gotham City police officer," growled Olivia menacingly. "You do not want to piss me off."
"It's fine Heather," called Selina, catching the attention of all three. "They're not marks, not that they have a cent to their names anyway."
She led them into the apartment. "So this is where a master thief lives?" said Olivia.
"It's not much, but it's more than you two have right now."
"Actually," corrected Bruce, "They're letting us keep the Manor."
Shaking her head with frustrating laughter, Selina snorted. "Even the rich don't go broke the same as the rest of us." She placed a pair of pants in the suitcase, swiping her dark brown hair to the side.
"You going somewhere?" asked Olivia.
"Just getting out while the going is good." She zipped it up. "Anyway, how's the commissioner doing?"
Olivia shared a knowing smirk with Bruce. "He's fine. Still weak but he's a fighter. Same as you," she couldn't help but ad, her husband snickering.
"I'll bet," she answered back, not able to get those azure blue eyes out of her mind. It was infuriating though part of her didn't mind, which was even more infuriating to the professed loner and master thief. "So what brings you to where the other half lives?"
"Our powerful friends want to change your mind about leaving so soon."
Selina looked up from her packing. "And how would they do that?"
"By giving you what you want."
"It doesn't exist," she retorted, stressing every syllable.
"They say it does," replied Olivia, leaving no room for doubt.
"And what do they want me to do, hmm?"
"They need to find Bane, says you know how and to meet him between the 43rd and 44th Street stations."
Mulling it over, Selina made up her mind quickly. "Tell them I'll think about it."
"Good." Bruce took a look around. "Believe it or not, I like your place, right Liv?"
"Of course," answered Olivia genuinely (even Selina picked up on it). "I wouldn't mind living here." Hand in hand, they began to leave.
"Mr. and Mrs. Wayne!" Bruce and Olivia turned, leaning on the doorway. "I'm sorry they took all your money," said Selina, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Looking at each other for a moment, they turned and answered together. "No you're not."
TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR
In all his ten years working for Bart Ganzel, he had never seen his boss this furious. He got mad sure, but this tantrum was rivaling the ones Elliot Stabler or Carmine Falcone had in the old days. It freaked him out.
"God damn it! How could this happen!" yelled the squat former pimp, throwing his coat on one of the many couches in his penthouse.
"Welcome back honey," joked Penguin, nursing a glass of whiskey. "How'd the meeting go?" He knew how it went, hell he was angling for this. He just wanted to get a rise out of his former ally.
"How'd it go, I'll tell you how it went. I waltzed in thinking I had this in the bag, and then by a vote of 19-9, Casey Novak got the company! How the hell did she do that?"
"Maybe she's just better than you, Waugh, Waugh, Waugh," Penguin stated honestly, enjoying himself too much.
Ganzel was in no mood. "Shut up feathers, or I'll have the police and FBI on you so fast you'll need to be an Ostrich to get away." He turned to Cassidy, still standing there like a good soldier. "Where's Bane? Tell him to get his tuchus down here Cass!"
"I said it was urgent sir."
"Well he'd better…"
"Speak of the devil." The menacing, almost robotic voice could be picked out by anyone it was so distinctive. "And he shall appear." Out of nowhere Bane emerged, Porter behind him. Both were intimidating as ever; even Penguin got the chills from them, and he had been unfazed by the Joker.
Too angry to care, Ganzel got in the mercenaries' face. "And what do you think you are doing Bane!"
"Our plan is proceeding as expected," said Porter, the masked giant keeping silent for the moment.
"Are you blind, or just stupid? Casey Novak is in charge of WE now, so the little Stock Exchange job fucked up!" Normally, the former pimp had excellent danger sensors, but eight years of supposedly-clean businesses and easy living had dulled them. The old Ganzel would have likely headed for the hills now, but the new Ganzel was having none of it. "You've got my construction crews running around like rabbits, my men doing god knows what in the tunnels, and how is all of this exactly going to help my company absorb Waynes?"
"It doesn't," grinned Porter, sneering at Ganzel as he fondled a rare statuette.
Penguin, seeing where this was going, glanced at Cassidy. "Leave us Cass."
His anger rising even more, Ganzel practically screamed, "Don't move a muscle!" Cassidy just stood there, not knowing what to do. "I am in charge here!"
"Do you feel in charge?" The temperature in the room plummeted as Bane broke his silence, running a hand along Ganzel's cheek.
The former pimp suddenly lost his anger, all of it replaced by fear and dread. He noticed Penguin smirking and Porter chuckling evilly. This was not going well at all. "I've paid you a small fortune."
"And this gives you, power over me?" Bane stroked his cheek in a soothing manner, though in reality it was anything but. "You're money and infrastructure have been important, until now."
Cassidy took that time to leave, Penguin's squawking laugh mixing in with Ganzel's whimpers. "What are you?"
"I am Gotham's reckoning. I am the equalizer fate has willed to arrive." Ganzel was too busy shaking form Bane's words to notice Porter sneaking behind him.
"You're pure evil."
"No, we are necessary evil. And we will do everything in our power to accomplish our goals."
Abruptly, Bane stepped away. Ganzel wanted to run but Porter jumped in behind him and snapped his neck. Cassidy could hear the muffled grunts, knowing that he had to get out ASAP. He wasn't cut out for this shit, which is why he took this job when Batman and Batgirl put an end to his days as a corrupt cop.
Seeing the lifeless body of his former ally, Penguin rose and nudged the corpse with his shoe. "Oh Bart, Bart, Bart. You died the way you lived, like a dog." He turned his attention to Bane, "So now we begin the next stage in our plan, luring the rodents out of their lair." This was the part he was looking forward to, well that and dealing with Benson, Stabler, and Gordon, the ones who put him away in ADX Florence.
"Yes," answered Bane, "But first you need perform a service for us."
"What service do you need?"
Porter stepped next to him. "Do you still have contacts in Blackgate Prison?" Penguin grinned.
TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR TDKR
Black pumps clicking on the laminated hospital floor, Olivia strode determinedly toward Elliot's room, the two young officers Rollins and Amaro in tow. Seeing Maureen come out of Elliot's room, she flagged her over. "He Maur."
"Liv, so good to see you. Shame about Bruce; getting robbed blind must have been rough on him."
Olivia nodded; they had dropped Bruce off at WE nearly five hours ago for a talk with Fox. He was taking a company car home so it wasn't a problem. "He's coping, though he says he's fine as long as he has me."
"Awwe," sighed Maureen. "You are so lucky. I wish I had a man like that."
"You will Maur, just give it time. How's you dad?"
"Just as stubborn as usual," she said, sharing a knowing look with Olivia. "Wants to get out of here even though he's not fully healed. Dickie's in there with him, as is Tucker and Jim."
"Oh joy; thanks Maur, see you later."
"See you Liv."
Entering, Olivia announced herself to the three men. "Sorry I'm late everyone."
"Hey Liv," said Elliot, his voice weak but filled with resolve.
"Greetings Olivia," said Jim Gordon, adjusting his glasses.
"Chief," grunted Tucker, seated next to his boss.
"Hey Aunt Liv," said Dickie, giving his aunt a bear hug. "Did you hear the news?"
"No, what happened?"
"We found Bart Ganzel's body in a dumpster in Old Town a few hours ago. Ol' pimp's probably pissed off the wrong person. Could be Penguin's tying up loose ends."
Olivia's body went rigid, ice coursing through her veins. It was Penguin alright, along with Bane and Porter. Shaking off the fear, she cleared her throat, "That's what we want to talk to you guys about. Come in."
Nick and Amanda entered, both clutching folders. "Ah, if it isn't my two favorite rookies," said Gordon. "What have you got for us?"
"Well, Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Captain," started Nick, "My partner and I dug up several construction permits regarding the sewer systems that all involve Ganzel Industries."
"Let me see that," said Elliot, taking the files from them. "Where did you get with the tunnel searches Ed?" he asked Tucker.
Tucker groaned and looked at Gordon. "Remind me to tell detail to keep hotheads out. We're working on it sir, but there's a lot of ground to cover."
"Double the teams, work a grid. I want this asshole found."
"Ah, the Masked Man, right." Olivia shot a glare a Tucker; it was obvious that he wasn't taking this seriously.
"Lose the uniform you two," Elliot called to Nick and Amanda. "You are working for me now, Detective Rollins and Detective Amaro."
Both beamed with pride. "Sir," mentioned Rollins, "I hate to be devil's advocate, but it could just be coincidence."
"You're detectives now. You aren't' allowed to believe in coincidences anymore. Isn't that right Liv?"
"Sure is Elliot. You'll find out one day Dickie." The uniform flashed the signature Stabler grin at her, the spitting image of his dad.
When everyone but Olivia had excused themselves, Liv sat down beside the bed. "So how are you El?"
"I've been worse, believe me," he smirked, Olivia chuckling.
"Oh by the way El, that mystery girl from the raid, she says hi." Olivia giggled when Elliot spit the water he had been drinking all over his lap.
A/N: Wanted to end the chapter on a lighthearted tone.
Up next, Liv and Bruce have a long talk. Also, we have the fight in the tunnels! Stay tuned.
Please Review!