"Sorry to call you down here but I didn't feel comfortable discussing this over the phone," Bruce said to Adriana. He had texted her to come to his office as early as she could in the morning.
"Well...eight in the morning it pretty early but I don't mind," Adriana said, playing it casual, not letting on that she knew that he had been threatened by Shade.
"Do you know what this is about," he asked after waiting a few moments.
"I can...kind of see what happened," Adriana said and sat in a chair in front of his desk. He walked around and leaned against the desk, crossing both arms, and looking at her with a very serious look in his eyes.
"I need you to help me," he said. "To find out who this woman is. I can't have someone knowing my identity and threatening to expose me."
"Well...if I'm seeing it correctly...she said she would do that if you don't stay away from her," Adriana said. "She might be telling the truth."
"Adriana," he said. "You're suggesting I just...do what she says? This woman is a threat."
She could see how stressed he was. If she revealed who he was, he would without question, be imprisoned for the murder of Harvey Dent. The Joker would run free. It would be a disaster.
"I know but...so far she hasn't exposed you," Adriana said.
"So far?" Bruce asked angrily.
"I mean I'm assuming she didn't just find out who you were last night?" Adriana said, sounding like she was guessing. "If she's known for a while and hasn't told anyone, it's likely she's not a threat."
Bruce started shaking his head.
"I need your help here," he said. "I know the types of situations in the city she handles, and I know where she will be. You just have to come along with me the next time-"
"Bruce that doesn't sound safe.." Adriana said. "I don't think I should be out there when you're fighting crime and all-"
"I will keep you safe, you know that," Bruce said sternly.
"I know..." she said
"You just need to be there," he said. "Close by to read her mind and find out who she is."
"Oh Bruce..." Adriana said. "I...I don't know...it doesn't sound like a good idea. I don't know."
"It sounds like..." he said with a bit of disbelief. "It sounds like you don't want to help me."
"It's not that, Bruce. It just doesn't seem like the right thing to do-" she said.
"The right thing to do?" he said, his voice now raised. "But you think it's right for her to threaten me? To be an anonymous person knowing-"
"I don't know if we should invade someone's privacy," Adriana said.
"Like she's invaded mine?!" he was now yelling. "I don't understand you right now. You did this type of thing for the police for years. You have been in the presence of deadly criminals and exposed their secrets but you can't do this for me?"
"But she isn't a criminal...technically," Adriana said. "She hadn't done anything wrong-"
"Threatening me is wrong," he said.
"What are you planning on doing with her identifying information?" Adriana asked.
"I don't know. Maybe I will pay her a visit to remind her who she is dealing with," he said.
"Is any of that really necessary-" she asked.
"Yes," he said.
"Bruce," Adriana said firmly, "I don't want to do this. I don't think it's justified."
"I get it," Bruce said, uncrossing his arms. "How much do you want?"
"What?" she asked.
"You want to be paid, I understand. Just tell me how much-" he said.
"You think this is about money?" Adriana asked. "It's not. I just don't want to do this."
"So you simply just don't want to help me," Bruce said.
"Bruce..this isn't the same as with the police. I mean those people were actual criminals with something to hide that was hurting others. This is completely different...You want me to do this out of spite and it's going to be out ...in the streets in a situation we can't control. And now I have to be in pretty close proximity-" she said.
"Stop," Bruce raised his hand.
"I'm not just making excuses-" she said, reading his thoughts.
"Yeah," he said and turned around. "I have to get started with work."
"Bruce.." she said, hearing the icy tone in his voice. "Please...just try to understand where I'm coming from."
"It's not like it would be difficult for you. All you need to do is to be around her for a moment...and you can't even do that for me," he said. "I suppose I overestimated the depth of our friendship."
Adriana had been in this situation countless times before. When friends or partners knew about her abilities, eventually they all wanted to use her for her abilities in a way that she was not comfortable with. In this case, it would have been since she was Shade. But it didn't change how she felt. Like she was going to be used and if she didn't go along with it, she would be abandoned.
"Bruce..I'm really sorry," she said as he crossed the room while was talking and walked over the door to open it for her.
"Like I said..." he said. "I have to get to work."
They looked at each other for a moment. He wanted her gone.
.
.
.
Adriana were in a very nice hotel and was sitting in front of a vanity, waiting for the makeup artist Farhad had hired. She was supposed to go the housing compound of Ali Al-Hashimi and get to his office to retrieve blueprints for the lab that the Joker wanted to break into.
"This will work," Farhad said. But she could hear the nervousness in his voice.
If they weren't able to do what the Joker wanted, he would kill them both. Farhad had barely escaped with his life in the warehouse.
"Thanks," Adriana said with a weak smile.
She was still felt hurt by her interaction with Bruce that morning. But there was no time for that. Not time for pain and sadness. She couldn't feel sad right now, she had to be focused. Successfully getting the blueprints would likely show the Joker that she was useful as more than just an assassin. That needed to be her only focus.
The makeup artist, a young woman named Roksana, arrived moments later. She chatted with Adriana in Arabic..small talk..and Adriana found it hard to focus.
"I'm all done" Roksana said in Arabic when she was finished.
The makeup was beautiful. The wig that Roksana had chosen to cover Adriana's red dyed hair was almost hip length and a rich chocolate brown. Adriana was again, wearing her dark contact lenses. She reminded herself of her sister, Harri, as she gazed into the mirror.
"I am so very hopeful," Farhad said to Adriana. "Here is the dress. You look wonderful, my dear. Thank you Sana."
The dress was a mesmerizing pink color with turquoise and red accents. It was incredibly festive.
"The car will be in the front in fifteen minutes," Farhad said.
.
.
.
Farhad opened the back passenger side door of the car for Adriana and she got in alone.
"Alexander...hi," Adriana said to the driver as she got into the black town car. She recognized him from before, as the Joker's tech expert.
"Hello, Sheena," he said and teached back to hand her an old looking cell phone and what looked like a flash drive. "Once you are in his office, you plug this into his computer. Make sure it is on. It will take a about five minutes...make sure you check this phone and I will update you on my progress. When I'm done the car will return for you."
"I understand," she said as he pulled off.
"You look wonderful, by the way," he added shyly.
"Thanks," she said and gazed out the dark tinted windows.
.
.
.
As Adriana ascended the steps into the mansion where the party was being held, she couldn't help but wonder if Farhad was being too optimistic. The security guards looked serious as they checked the list of names of each guest in front of her. The wind was icy cold but she loosened the long deep pink jacket around her body to expose a bit more of her dress as a distraction.
"Name, please?" one of the guards said in English, while holding a tablet.
"Yesmina Shervani," Adriana gave the alias that Farhad suggested.
"Hmm...not here," the guard said. "Were you invited?"
"Yes.." Adriana said. "By Ali."
"Ali," the guard said and tilted his head. "Al-Hashimi?"
"Yes..we met at...the Oasis Spa," she lied, scanning the guard's thoughts for information about places their boss frequented. He went to the spa every week. "Last Wednesday, I was there for a massage and we crossed paths. He mentioned where he lived and that he was having a party tonight...that I should come. He didn't mention that I needed an invitation..how embarrassing...I'm so sorry, I should have called ahead-"
"Not to worry," the guard said, finally smiling before stepping aside so that she could enter the mansion. "Enjoy."
"Thank you," she said.