Chapter 11: Complications
Melanie stood across from Tabitha in the middle of the spacious basement that she had converted into a training area. Various gym equipment and martial arts weapons lined the walls, though for now Melanie wanted to focus strictly on hand-to-hand combat.
"Alright, let's start with the basics. Come at me with a punch," Melanie instructed.
Tabitha bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh this is gonna be so cool!"
She rushed forward and threw a wild, uncontrolled punch towards Melanie's face. With ease, Melanie stepped to the side, allowing Tabitha's momentum to carry her stumbling past.
"Too much enthusiasm, not enough discipline," Melanie critiqued. "A real attacker isn't just going to stand there. Again, and this time focus on your form."
Tabitha nodded, looking slightly embarrassed by her overzealous first attempt. She took a breath to center herself before stepping forward and throwing a straighter, more controlled punch. Melanie deflected the punch to the side with her forearm before delivering a gentle counter-strike to Tabitha's solar plexus, causing the teen to hunch over reflexively.
"Oof!" Tabitha grunted, before shaking it off. "Okay, guess I deserved that one."
"You did well, stayed controlled. Don't forget to keep your guard up and expect counterattacks," Melanie said.
She dropped back into a fighting stance, her fists raised defensively in front of her face. "Now, try a few combinations. Alternate punches, don't be predictable."
With her eyes narrowed in focus, Tabitha started bouncing lightly again before throwing a one-two combo towards Melanie's upper body. Melanie easily blocked the punches, but Tabitha pressed on, mixing in a few strikes towards her midsection as well.
Melanie managed to counter a few of the punches while allowing a couple subdued hits to land to reward Tabitha's effort. After a minute, with Tabitha beginning to breathe heavier from the exertion, Melanie blocked a punch and delivered a swift leg sweep that dropped Tabitha onto her back with a thud.
"Owww…" Tabitha groaned dramatically from the floor. "I think I pulled something in my back."
Melanie smirked and offered a hand to help her up. "You'll live. The point is to keep your feet under you and stay aware of all of your opponents weapons, like their legs."
Tabitha took Melanie's hand and bounced back up, still brimming with enthusiasm. "Got it, expect the unexpected! Man, I can't wait to actually knock some bad guy's teeth out someday."
Melanie shook her head, though she was unable to hide her amused smile at the teen's passion. "Patience, grasshopper. You've got a long way to go first."
GCPD Headquarters - 10 AM
Renee Montoya rubbed her temples as she sat at her desk, files and photos from the recent string of shootings scattered before her. A knock at the door caused her to look up as Lieutenant Jake Allen entered.
"Please tell me you have good news, Allen," Montoya said dryly.
Jake sighed and took a seat across from her. "If only, Commish, if only. I talked to some of my CIs about these shootouts between Red Hood and Falcone's guys. They seemed pretty convinced that Falcone is out for blood, and he ain't stopping until the Hood is dead. Some of Maroni's guys have been working with them, like some kind of united front."
Montoya leaned back in her chair, looking doubtful. "They obviously think Red Hood's their mystery killer, but Batwoman was adamant Hood was framed for the killings at the freight yards."
"Do you believe her?" Jake asked.
Montoya gave a tired shrug. "She hasn't lost my trust yet, I'm inclined to."
"Maybe she's just trying to cover for her buddy," Jake suggested.
"She's always been straight with us, and there was another shootout in the East End an hour ago. Three dead, all known Falcone associates." Montoya crossed her arms. "Something doesn't sit right."
Jake raised an eyebrow. "What doesn't?"
Montoya leaned forward and began rifling through the files on her desk. "Dent's fundraiser at Wayne Manor, went awry when the killer hacked all of the guest's phones and sent a message that he was coming for Dent."
Jake nodded. "Yeah, I heard about that."
"Well if that's the same guy who killed Dr. Thorne and Falcone's guys at the freight yards, then it definitely isn't Red Hood." Montoya paused, her eyes shifting up to Jake as if waiting for him to finish the assertion himself.
As Jake's eyes met hers, he gave a slow nod. "Because Red Hood's the type to make himself known. He wouldn't keep himself hidden, using some voice changer to make threats."
Montoya nodded. "Exactly. Unless he's simply trying to fool Batman and Batwoman, I think he truly was framed. My guess is, our real killer wants the attention of Falcone and Maroni on Hood instead of him, now that he's shifted his focus to Dent."
"What's your feelings on that whole ordeal? You think Dent's dirty like the guy says?" Jake asked.
Renee turned around in her chair and opened up the shades on the window behind her. She gave a pensive look out at the skyscrapers in the distance as the question hung in the air.
"I don't know. My gut tells me that out of our two prospective new mayors, Thorne's dirtier than he is."
Melanie blocked a strike from Tabitha and countered with a sweeping kick that knocked the teen onto her back again.
"Ow! Seriously, I'm gonna be bruised all over at this rate," Tabitha complained.
"That's the reality of training. Now get up and go again," Melanie instructed.
Just then her cell phone began buzzing from atop a nearby weight bench. Melanie held up a hand to pause the session and went to check the caller ID. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"I need to take this. Keep practicing those combinations on the dummy," she directed Tabitha.
Tabitha shrugged and went to attack the suspended punching bug as Melanie answered her phone.
"Joseph? I gotta say you're the last person I expected to hear from," Melanie greeted.
"Melanie, hi. I know it's been forever since we've talked. I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time," Joseph replied, a hint of weariness in his tone.
"No not at all, I was just…working out," Melanie said, keeping details vague since Tabitha was within earshot. "Is everything okay?"
Joseph let out a heavy sigh. "Honestly, no. I'm sure you've heard about the fundraiser debacle. That stunt, which Rose's campaign has already begun to use against me…I'm worried, Mel. What if I'm not cut out for this?"
Melanie frowned, picking up on the anxiety and self-doubt in his voice. "Joseph, listen to me. You're absolutely cut out for this. No one cares about this city or its people more than you. What happened was just a cheap ploy to throw you off your game. Your reputation as D.A precedes you, you've done wonders for reducing crime in this city. The people won't forget that."
"You really think so?" Joseph asked.
"I know so," Melanie said firmly. "You can't let one jackass with a laptop get in your head. Gotham needs you, Joe. Don't lose sight of why you started this."
Joseph was quiet for a moment on the other end, allowing the silence to hang in the air before replying. "You're right. I just needed to hear it from someone I can trust. With everything feeling so uncertain lately, it helps to know I've still got good friends in my corner."
Melanie smiled softly. "We're more than good friends, we're family. Just because Maria and I never got to tie the knot, doesn't mean I don't consider you family all the same. Now go out there and keep being Gotham's white knight, and call me anytime, if you need a pep talk or just to talk things out."
"Thanks Mel…I appreciate it. I'll let you get back to your workout now. Hopefully we can catch up in person soon."
"Definitely. Take care of yourself, Joe," Melanie said warmly before ending the call. She looked over to see Tabitha gazing at her curiously. "Sorry, where were we?"
"Who was that?" Tabitha asked.
Melanie in turn, waved her off. "An old friend going through some stuff. Now, reset and get those hands up."
Joseph sat his phone down on his desk and leaned back in his chair, feeling a bit more at ease after his call with Melanie. Her encouragement was just what he needed to refocus himself and get back out on the campaign trail.
A few minutes later, his phone buzzed again. With one look at the caller ID, a smile formed on his face and he wasted no time in answering. "Hello?"
"Joseph, it's Sabrina," greeted the sultry voice on the other end. "I just wanted to check in after everything that happened at the fundraiser. How are you holding up?"
Joseph leaned forward, pleasantly surprised to hear her voice. "Oh, hey Sabrina. I'm doing alright, all things considered. Just trying to power through."
"I can imagine it's been tough. What that hacker did was horrible," Sabrina said, with sympathy laced in her voice.
Joseph nodded. "It was a real sucker punch, that's for sure. But I'm not giving up. I know that I've done nothing wrong, and Gotham's still very much worth fighting for."
"Spoken like a true leader," Sabrina praised. "Let me know if there's anything I can do. I'd be happy to help your campaign in any way."
"I appreciate that, thank you," Joseph replied. He hesitated before adding, "Maybe we could meet for drinks soon? Once I get a spare moment to actually breathe."
Sabrina gave a soft laugh. "I'd like that. Call me whenever it works for you."
"Will do. Enjoy the rest of your day, Sabrina."
"You too, Joseph."
Once the call ended, Joseph placed his phone down on his desk once more. He felt even lighter than after the call with Melanie. Having two women who believed in him, two close women at that, seemed to be just what his battered morale needed.
Unbeknownst to Joseph, the entire conversation had been listened to by another interested party. Outside the building, Damian sat in his car, having tapped into the call remotely.
"Got it," Damian murmured as the call disconnected. The computer screen display in his car, which showed Sabrina's number. His eyes narrowed, his suspicions about the alluring Ms. Kyle deepened. Whatever game she was playing, he would get to the bottom of it, that much was a promise. With a quick scroll through his contacts, he called his secretary, Lyn.
"Hey Lyn, I need you to do something, and I do apologize for it being last minute. I'm going to send you a number, belonging to a woman by the name of Sabrina Kyle. I need you to invite her to meet with me at my office at her earliest convenience."
East End, Gotham City - 11 AM
Jaiden opened his eyes, only to shut them immediately at the invasive sunlight filtering in through his window. He let out a soft grunt as he slowly sat up, rubbing his face. Upon opening his eyes, he looked down at himself. He was still wearing his Red Hood costume, save for his mask which was on the floor beside his bed.
"God damn it…"
He forced himself to get off the bed as he began peeling off his bulletproof jacket and vest, revealing a muscular torso mottled with bruises from blocked gunfire. Wincing, he examined the contusions in the nearby bathroom mirror.
"Damn idiots got a few lucky shots in," he muttered to himself.
Opening the medicine cabinet, Jaiden grabbed a bottle of painkillers. He shook several pills into his hand and downed them dry, then washed them down with a swig of whiskey from a nearby bottle on the counter, as if it was a regular combination.
Gingerly, he lowered himself back onto his unmade bed and reached for the first aid kit on the nightstand. Methodically, Jaiden cleaned and dressed the scattered cuts on his arms and torso, patching himself up just enough to function. It was a familiar routine born of years treating his own injuries, whether from gang fights, shootouts with criminals, or clashes with his estranged vigilante family.
Once the tape and gauze were in place, Jaiden leaned back with a grunt. His bruised muscles ached, the painkillers having barely taken the edge off. His thoughts turned to the violent routine he had begun, battling the combined forces of Falcone and Maroni whenever he showed his face as the Red Hood. He almost admired their persistence, even as they fell before his guns again and again.
"Damian...you better have something good to offer me when this is all over…" Jaiden muttered, taking another burning swig of whiskey.
Wayne Enterprises - Noon
Sabrina stepped off the elevator into the executive suite of Wayne Enterprises, caught off guard by Damian Wayne's sudden invitation. Lyn directed her to his office, where she found the billionaire waiting behind a pristine desk.
"Ms. Kyle, so glad you could make it on such a short notice," Damian greeted warmly, rising to shake her hand.
Sabrina concealed her surprise, smoothly taking his hand. "Of course, Mr. Wayne. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Please, call me Damian," he insisted casually. "Have a seat. Can I get you a drink?"
"That would be lovely, thank you," Sabrina replied, sitting across from him and crossing her legs.
Damian stepped over to his sleek bar cabinet and poured two glasses of expensive bourbon. Handing Sabrina her drink, he took his seat behind the desk once again.
"I wanted to pick your brain, given your history with our mutual friend Joseph. Since you two go back to your school days, I thought you might have insight into how we can best support his campaign during this…challenging time."
Sabrina arched an eyebrow as she took a sip from her drink. She weighed how to respond, after all she needed to walk a careful line between gathering possible intel for Falcone and not appearing suspicious. "I'll certainly help if I can. Joseph always responds best to emotional support from people he trusts. Beyond that, I'm not sure what I can offer that you don't already know."
Damian studied her for a moment before replying. "Fair enough. I'd still value having you directly involved in the campaign. Knowing him like I do, and I'm sure you can attest, his pride won't allow him to ask you for help."
He reached into his desk and pulled out a contract that he slid across the desk towards her. "That's why, I'm prepared to offer you a role on a special team of political consultants Wayne Enterprises already has working directly with Joseph's campaign, with all the accompanying benefits of working for Wayne Enterprises. The salary is quite generous, as I'm sure you can see."
Sabrina's eyes widened slightly as she reviewed the proffered contract. The figure he was offering would pay handsomely, far more than her haphazard jobs for Falcone. She was tempted, but hesitant to switch allegiances so easily, at least until she better understood Wayne's motives.
"I'm flattered, really," she started slowly. "But I'd like some time to think over this kind of position change. I hope you understand."
Damian gave an easy smile. "Of course, take all the time you need."
Sabrina finished the rest of her drink, and placed the now empty glass on his desk. She recrossed her legs fluidly and stood to leave. "Well, I won't take up anymore of your time. Thank you for the offer Damian, and the drink too off course. I'll be in touch soon about whether or not I accept the position."
"It was a pleasure, Sabrina," Damian replied, shaking her hand once more.
As she left, Damian's smile dropped. He picked up the empty glass she had drunk from and sat back, staring at it.
The elevator doors slid open and Damian strode into the smaller secondary Bat Cave beneath Wayne Tower. The sound of machinery whirring emanated from the adjacent workshop. Peering inside, Damian found Tiffany hunched over a worktable, goggles on as she carefully soldered components on a device of some sort.
"Do you ever do your actual job here?" Damian asked, announcing his presence.
Tiffany jumped slightly, then flipped up her goggles. "Oh, hey boss. And yes, I do. I know how to multitask, move back and forth."
Damian held up a small plastic bag that held the glass that Sabrina previously drunk from. "I have something I need you to analyze when you get a chance. A DNA sample."
"Oooh mysterious," Tiffany said, taking the bag and holding it up to examine its contents. "I'll queue it up after I get this pulse emitter repaired."
"Good. Have the results sent to me as soon as they're ready," Damian instructed.
As he turned to leave, Tiffany spoke up again. "By the way, did you end up using that Bat Drone I built yet?"
Damian paused. In truth, the surveillance drone had already proven quite useful in his investigation thus far. However inflating Tiffany's ego any more than necessary was something he loathed doing.
"I field tested it, yes," he answered in a neutral tone.
"And…how'd she handle?" Tiffany pressed with a smug grin.
Damian maintained his impassive expression. "It performed adequately. The cloaking and recording capabilities seem effective."
Tiffany rolled her eyes. "Gee, don't hurt yourself by gushing over my work. I'll take 'adequate' as high praise coming from you." She waved the DNA sample bag with a cheeky expression. "I'll get you those results ASAP, oh reticent one."
"See that you do," Damian replied before sweeping out of the workshop back towards the elevator, the faintest hint of an amused smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.
Falcone Penthouse - 2 PM
Tony sat at his desk, poring over the hospital plans and case files Sabrina had stolen from Joseph's office. His eyes scanned for anything potentially damaging to the D.A turned mayoral candidate, anything he could hold over him. His focus was interrupted by the shrill ringing of his phone. Despite not recognizing the number, he answered anyway.
"Who is this and how'd you get this number?" he asked.
"I'm a very well-connected and influential woman, Anthony," the voice of Rose Thorne answered on the other end.
A sly smile formed on Tony's face as he recognized the voice.
"Councilwoman Thorne, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Falcone greeted smoothly.
"Cut the crap, Falcone," Rose replied bluntly. "I want to know if you or your associate Danilo were behind that stunt at Joseph's fundraiser."
Falcone raised an eyebrow. "My dear Rose, I'm offended you would even ask. Why would I ever target a good man like our District Attorney?" he replied innocently.
"Oh please. Your family has always meddled in this city's politics when it served you, and with Dent's success at cleaning up this city's crime, I know the thought of him being mayor makes you sweat," Rose shot back.
Falcone chuckled. "While your accusation is baseless and untrue, I do have my theories on who was behind that attack—that guntotting nuisance Red Hood."
"Red Hood?" Rose asked, a bit taken aback.
Sensing an opportunity, Falcone pressed on. "Indeed. He's playing some game, trying to remain anonymous, but I know it's him. He's become quite the—excuse the wording, thorn for both myself and Ghost recently. Perhaps you could use your campaign to…persuade him to cease his crusade against upstanding businessmen like us, hmm?"
Rose hesitated before answering carefully. "If I were to do such a thing, what would you offer me in return?"
Falcone leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling. "Name your price."
Rose remained silent for a moment. Falcone could tell she was thinking very carefully about her next words.
"If you could use some of your influence to further…challenge, let's say, Joseph's campaign, it would be quite beneficial to me," she replied.
Falcone sighed and shook his head. "Tsk tsk tsk, Rose. I'm afraid that doesn't work for me. I like to keep my options open for potential friends in high places. It'd be foolish to take Mr. Dent out of the ballgame before giving him a chance to become mayor and prove his worth."
"...Well that's my price, Anthony. Take it or leave it," Rose said with sharpness in her voice.
Falcone's eyes narrowed slightly, and his tone adopted a much more serious edge as he leaned forward in his seat. "Listen here Rose, I know your daddy taught you well about how this city works. People like me, get people like you in office. Together, we make this city move. I have no personal dog in the fight between you and Dent, in fact I have stuff on both you–"
"Like what?" Rose interjected.
"Well when it comes to you…it would be quite a shame if secrets about just how much your dear cousin Matthew followed in his old man's footsteps. What was it they called him? The Crime Doctor?"
Rose gasped audibly. "You wouldn't dare."
"Oh don't gamble with me, Rose. I win every time. You've structured your entire campaign around your cousin's death—real classy by the way, but just imagine how much it would crumble with that information."
Silence hung over the line before Rose spoke again, her voice now icy. "So you want me to target Red Hood in my campaign…or that information becomes public?"
"See? You're learning, but no. No, let's leave Matty's secret life on the shelf for now. That type of agreement is much more one sided, it's blackmail. I'm going to give you a trial run of just how mutually beneficial working with me could be if you become mayor, by giving you reason to target Red Hood, and vigilantes in general all on your own accord," Tony said.
"Get on with it then," Rose said impatiently.
A sly smile formed on Tony's face. "When I said that Red Hood was a thorne in the sides of Ghost and myself, I wasn't just talking about the Freight Yards. That was a hit solely on one of my operations. Where Ghost comes in at, is your dearly departed cousin."
There was another wave of silence over the line for a moment. "What…what are you saying?"
Falcone scoffed. "Oh come on, you really didn't connect the dots as soon as I told you the mystery man was Red Hood?"
"Red Hood…killed Matt?" Rose asked, her voice breaking slightly. Though pain was evident in her tone, there was also simmering anger.
Reclining in his chair, Falcone smiled in satisfaction.
"Now the question becomes, are you just going to stand for that?"
D.A's Office - 3 PM
Damian walked briskly through the halls of the District Attorney's office, Bruce Podolsky trailing close behind. He had tried calling Joseph multiple times that morning to no avail. Damian knew his friend needed support, and he was going to give it to him however he could.
"Remember, if this campaign continues to tank, don't go down with the ship. You can always pull your support," Bruce advised quietly.
Damian glanced at him. "Joseph is my friend. I don't abandon friends."
Reaching Joseph's office, Damian gave a cursory knock before entering, Bruce on his heels. Joseph was standing behind his desk, rolling his double-headed coin between his knuckles as he stared down at some files, frustration etched on his face.
"Damian, what are you doing here?" Joseph asked, pocketing the coin in exasperation.
"You haven't been answering my calls. I wanted to check on you after everything that happened," Damian replied.
Joseph waved a hand dismissively. "I'm fine, I've just been dealing with the fallout. My team is working overtime trying to spin it, but there's only so much damage control we can do.
"Have you given any more thought to who was behind the hacking?" Bruce asked.
Joseph's expression hardened. "It had to be Rose. This is a play right out of her father's playbook."
Damian and Bruce exchanged a look. Stepping forward, Damian continued carefully, "Joe, I get why you would suspect her, but think about it logically. The hacker claimed responsibility for killing Dr. Thorne. Why would Rose be involved with that?"
Joseph opened his mouth to object but paused, realization having dawned on him. After a moment, he sighed and sank down into his chair, rubbing his temples.
"You're right. This whole thing has me so on edge I'm grasping at straws. I have no idea who's after me or why. I've done nothing wrong," Joseph admitted.
Damian placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure it out. For now, stay focused on your vision for Gotham. Don't let this derail you."
Joseph managed a faint, grateful smile in response. Just then, the TV on the wall caught their attention as a news anchor announced an impromptu press conference held by Rose Thorne. The screen cut to Rose standing at a podium, looking uncharacteristically shaken.
"My fellow citizens, it is with a heavy heart that I come before you today with news regarding my cousin Matthew's murder. Evidence has come to light identifying his killer as the violent vigilante known as Red Hood."
Damian and Joseph stared at the screen in dismay, while Bruce seemed simply confused, as Rose continued.
"For too long, these costumed vigilantes have taken the law into their own hands, spreading mayhem under the delusion they are helping this city. Red Hood's senseless murder of my own flesh and blood confirms the danger posed by such rogues. As your mayor, I will not tolerate those who undermine law and order. The GCPD must be empowered to stop figures like Red Hood and the Batman by any means necessary. Gotham must be purged of these false protectors."
As her inflammatory speech ended, Damian muted the TV and turned to Joseph, who looked equal parts stunned and crestfallen. This new ploy against Red Hood threatened to further muddy the waters surrounding the real killer's agenda. Damian knew he needed to get to the bottom of this scheme quickly, before Joseph's vision for hope in Gotham was extinguished completely.
"Red Hood? This doesn't make any sense. He's never made a secret of his lethal methods before. Why would he try to hide killing Thorne? Why would he kill Thorne in the first place?" Joseph asked.
Damian's expression was grim as he replied. "Because he didn't do it. Rose is lying, plain and simple."
Joseph stood from his desk and began to pace in agitation. "I've always supported Batman's mission, vouched for the good that vigilantes can do for this city. Sure he and Red Hood are known to leave bodies in their wake, Red Hood especially, but sometimes that's what you need. Why would Red Hood want to ruin my campaign?"
"He doesn't," Damian stated firmly. "Rose needed a scapegoat to push her anti-vigilante agenda. Red Hood was an easy target."
Joseph ran a hand through his hair, conflicted emotions playing across his face. "I need to meet with Montoya, get her to set up a meeting with Red Hood or Batman or both."
Before Damian could respond, his cell phone rang. Checking the caller ID, he saw it was Tiffany Fox.
"Sorry, I need to take this. I'll be right back," Damian said, stepping into the hallway.
"Tiffany, now isn't a good time," he answered tersely.
"Sorry boss, but those DNA results you wanted are in. I really think you should see this for yourself," Tiffany replied.
Damian sighed, glancing back towards Joseph's office. "Just send me the file. I'm in the middle of an important meeting."
"If you say so, but don't say I didn't warn you," Tiffany said.
After a few moments, Damian's phone pinged as an encrypted file downloaded. Opening it, his eyes widened.
The report showed a complete maternal match between Sabrina and Selina Kyle. That much was obvious, but Damian merely wanted to confirm. That wasn't the shocking aspect. Right next to the maternal match, was a paternal match for Sabrina that read one name and showed one picture.
Bruce Wayne.