*SLAM*

The sudden crash forced Bruce to straighten up from his chair. His eyes burst wide open, only to shut once again when the sunlight from the windows blinded him. Sudden movement to his right got him to turn and find Alfred with a tray of snacks and coffee.

"Ah, so you've finally awoken."

"Ugh," Bruce groaned while he rubbed the dirt out of his eyes. "What time is it?"

"A bit past noon, sir." Alfred answered as he laid the tray next to him. The butler's gaze then shifted towards the rest of the table. "My, you've been quite busy."

Bruce turned towards the countless stacks of papers and binders scattered across the table. Events from the previous night all came back to him now. "I've been looking over every file MPD has that relates to the Salvatore mob. Business operations, associates, cold cases…" A quick glance to the disarrayed stacks in the corner made him sigh. "...A lot of damn cold cases."

"Oh dear, have you found anything to help our current case?"

"Besides the fact that the human mind can only work so much before crashing" Bruce grumbled in sarcasm before he took a long sip of coffee.

"I'm sorry sir?"

"I said I found nothing of interest yet," The Wayne-son was quick to cover while he down placed his mug. "The mob has stepped on far too many toes and made just as many enemies. Even if we did narrow down our search to more personal cases of Sal Valestra himself, that's still a large number to sort through. There has to be something we're missing."

An idea came to the butler. "If I am not mistaken, I seem to recall you mentioning that Sal Valestra came to see William Earl during your visit to Wayne Enterprises."

"Because he got spooked and wanted Earl to do something." Bruce finished as realization struck him. He scowled to himself for not realizing the connection sooner then headed towards the staircase. "Looks like Earl and I need to have a chat."

"Can I persuade you to take a sandwich with you sir?" Alfred suggested, having gestured towards the tray of snacks he prepared on the table.

Bruce shook his head. "I'll get Drive-Thru".

While Bruce prepared an ensemble to wear to Wayne Enterprises, he heard the ring of the house phone echo through the halls of the manor. It stopped seconds later when he heard Alfred answer it, "Wayne Residence, how may I serve you?".

As the Wayne-son walked down the stairs, his hands fumbled at his tie, he was surprised to see Alfred still on call and even more so when the butler eyed him with a dirty look.

"Did he now?...Yes, I see…Well, I'm sure Master Bruce intends to make it up to you. Perhaps dinner as soon as you're both available?"

That got Bruce's attention. His eyes widened at his butler's sudden suggestion to whomever was on the phone. Before he could interject, the butler was quick to finish the call. "Yes, I shall inform you once Master Bruce is free. Good day to you, and apologies once more for his most recent behavior."

Once Alfred had hung up the call, Bruce glared at the phone then turned towards the butler. "Alfred, what was- "

"Miss. Schnee called, sir."

The name got Bruce to clam up. He knew where this conversation was gonna turn up.

"She was worried about your whereabouts when you had 'ghosted' her once more yesterday. While it may be excusable once, it becomes incredibly discourteous the 3rd time it happens, in no less than 24 hours might I add."

"I could explain- "

Alfred didn't let him finish. "Whatever excuse Batman has cannot justify any actions done by Bruce Wayne. Now you will make up for ALL transgressions done to Miss Schnee by taking her out tonight and giving her a wonderful evening. Perhaps you may even have some fun of your own."

"But- "

"No buts" Alfred smitten to his charge, much to the Wayne's chagrin. "And besides, it's about time for Bruce Wayne to be in the limelight once more, " He glanced towards the stacks on the dining area. "As if Batman would be going anywhere any time soon."

Bruce opened his mouth to continue his protest, but no words were spoken. He knew better than to contest against the butler when he was cross. Years of being raised by the man had taught him that. While reluctant, the Wayne gave in nonetheless. "Fine. Tell Willow that I'll pick her up around 5. And book us someplace fancy and popular in the city, I don't care where."

As Bruce reached the front door, he looked back at Alfred. "And just for the record, I didn't need you to tell me to make it up to her" was all he said as left the manor for Wayne Enterprises.

The butler gave no physical response. He glanced down towards his watch and counted down.

By the 10 second mark, the front door had burst open and Bruce walked back in. His eyes turned away from the butler's gaze while his cheeks were slightly rosy. He then gestured to his tie.

"I, uh, need some help."

Alfred couldn't have helped himself from rolling his eyes while he made his way to help his young charge with his tie. Some things never change.

"You doin' alright, Jim?"

Captain Gordon looked up from the file he read and was greeted by Detective Bullock, who held twin cups of steaming coffee. He released a long yawn before accepting a cup of joe. "Morning, Harv."

Bullock snorted while he walked about the different boxes scattered around the office. "Jim, it's a half hour past noon. Pretty sure half of the guys outside are already on lunch break."

Hearing that got Gordon's eyes to widen. He knew the sun was out at least because it bled through his blinds, but never did he ever think it was already past midday. A quick glance at his watch only confirmed the detective's statement. He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose before a migraine started settling in. Gods, Barbara is gonna kill me.

"You've been busy." Bullock pointed out the obvious as he glanced at the various folders scattered around on his desk. Witness testimonies, crime reports, almost everything they had on just a single man: The Batman. "Find anything useful?"

"It doesn't make sense."

"What doesn't?"

"Our bat vigilante," Jim answered while wiping his face before leaning back into his chair. "Earliest sightings have him taking down minor and major felonies on the street. Sure, he's violent, but never to any of the civilians. Perps can't give a clear description because they treat him like a boogeyman. Hell, most don't even recall seeing him before waking up in a cell or the hospital."

The detective took a file from the desk and glanced through it. "Any mob relations?"

"If you count threatening every single one of their operations. He managed to catch the attention of each mob head in Mantle."

"Geez, this guy's got a death wish." Bullock commented, dropping the folder back onto his desk. "So they're in cahoots then, Batman and Phantasm. Both wanna take down the mob, starting with Valestra"

"There's a small hiccup with that conclusion."

"And what would that be?"

"Batman hasn't killed anybody."

That got Bullock by surprise. "What?"

"Broken bones and trauma. Otherwise, they're all still breathing."

"Maybe he changed his MO? After striking a partnership." Bullock suggested, but Gordon shook his head and passed him a folder.

"Arms Deal, a couple nights ago. Most of Valestra's men were found dead on the scene with Salvatore's name written in their blood."

"So?"

"3 survivors, one of them being Valestra's men. If they were really working together, they wouldn't have left anyone."

"So, in other words, we're back to square one." Bullock grumbled as he tossed the folder back onto the desk before crashing himself onto a nearby seat.

Seeing his defeated partner had finally allowed reality to set in for Gordon. A sudden wave of fatigue washed over his body before forcing him to sink back into his chair. Both men sat there in silence. Their aged bodies ached and pained from the stress of the past couple days.

"Harvey,"

"Yeah, Jim?"

"I've been thinking," Captain Gordon sat upright to properly look at his old partner. "We've been trying to bust Valestra and the other mobs for years and achieved so little. Yet, it only took 2 costumed vigilantes to finally stir things up."

Bullock laughed at his old friend. "What, you thinkin' of dressing up in tights too?"

"I'm being serious, Harvey. The progress they've made in a week is what we've been trying to do for months. Valestra is finally sweating! What good are we if we can't even make the bad guys shake in their boots!" Gordon grit his teeth and slammed his hand on his desk in frustration.

Fortunately, Bullock has seen him like this before. He knew the problem and how to fix it. "Look Jim, you're tired, got a lot on your plate, and ain't thinkin' straight. You're starting to forget what separates us from them."

"And what's that?"

"We're cops, Jim. We have both the right and authority to do what we do. Those vigilantes answer to no one and are breaking the law for their own personal reasons."

He was almost convinced. Jim would have agreed with him, had he not been eying the sketch of 'The Batman' on his desk. "Maybe not all of them."

"Whatever the case, Jim, we try to do things here by the book. It's what you've been preaching and inspiring every cop in the precinct to do for more than a decade. And doing things by the book doesn't lead to bodies on the streets and perps in the hospital."

By then, the older Detective knew he had finally won the Captain over. Jim sighed and relaxed back into his chair. Removing his glasses, he rubbed any dirt and tiredness from his eyes while he took long calm breaths.

There was no denying the truth in his partner's words, Jim knew that. While they may not have Valestra or any of the other mobs within their grasp, it doesn't mean that there hasn't been any good progress made so far. Thanks to his work from officer to Detective to Sergeant to Captain, he's inspired many officers to abandon the old corrupt ways and do things by the book. It's because of his work that the city and the people started to trust cops once more after so many years. It's because of his work they finally got real change in different places like the courts and attracted sponsors from Atlas to better fund everything from the streets to even the different precincts in Mantle.

But even with a huge spurge of positive impacts, it still never felt enough. Something always had to escalate; less corruption meant it would be harder to weed out those who are in hiding; better public trust meant it was easier for the corrupt to take advantage of the weaker; the more funds that came in, the easier it is to lose or 'redistribute' it to 'other places'; and that's not even considering their 'leaks' to the mob/s.

Every three steps they took, it always ended with them taking 2 steps back. Progress was there, but it's been slow. The thought had always been at the back of his mind, but never had it been brought to the forefront this quickly.

This case was getting to him, from a professional and a personal level.

Still sensing his partner's inner turmoil, Bullock was quick to take out his keys, grab his partner's coat, and toss it at him. "Alright Jim, you've spent enough time here. We'll visit Barbara first before grabbing some grub. I don't know 'bout you, but I'm starvin'."

Before Jim could even make a single retort, the Detective was fast out of his office like the wind, with the door slamming behind him.

Another sigh left the Captain's lips, but not the same as the last one. He knew Harvey meant well and was only looking after him. And when it came to pulling him from working himself to death, there was nobody else like Harvey Bullock to make sure of it.

Harvey was right. Jim thought to himself. No use in working if I'm a dead man walking.

Pulling on his coat, Captain Gordon gave one last look at the 'Batman' folder on his desk before shaking his head and following after his old partner for a break.

Gods knows he is going to need it.

Bruce was starting to get used to the stares he got while walking through Wayne Enterprises. Even though he's been back for sometime now, there were still many who couldn't believe their eyes whenever he showed up. But, based on what he's been hearing, they were more dumbstruck than awestruck.

'Is that Bruce Wayne? What's he still doing here?'

'I thought the board kicked him out.'

'You think he's still trying to own the company?'

'Gods, I hope he isn't.'

Sometimes he did wish that his training didn't make his hearing as astute. It was all too difficult to ignore; the continuous murmurs wherever he went; the way different employees and managers just eye him out of the corner of their eyes; the look of disdain they try to hide by looking the other way. Fortunately, none of it bothered him too much. It wouldn't be the first time he's felt like an outsider in an unknown environment.

Similar to last time, Bruce instinctively knew the directions and not long did he arrive at his dad's- William Earl's office. Unlike last time, however, there was no on-going conversation that he could eavesdrop on. He knocked on the door and waited for a response.

"Come in!"

Opening the door, The Wayne son was once again greeted by his father's old office with William Earl seated once more behind (his father's) the desk, who looked shocked to see him.

"Bruce," Earl stood up and properly greeted the man before asking. "What brings you here? Still trying another shot for CEO?"

"Well, you don't have to worry about that, at the very least." A fake chuckle left the Wayne's mouth. "I've just been looking into more of the company and its history. Speaking of, there was something about it I wanted to ask about."

Earl looked hesitant to continue to ask. He first went over to a nearby desk to pour a glass for Bruce and himself before proceeding. "...And what about? I'm sure Lucius would surely answer any questions you have about the company."

"It's about Salvatore Valestra."

He noticed Earl freeze mid-pour before placing down the bottle. His reaction shifted when he gave a hearty laugh before turning and handing Bruce a drink. "Bruce, you haven't been tooning into the latest gossip now, have you? Ha! I can assure you that you shouldn't believe everything the media shows you."

"You said he and my father were old business partners. Exactly what kind of business they do?"

Once more, Earl laughed him off and evaded the question. "I can't tell you that, Bruce. Even then, you don't have to worry. It shouldn't be a concern to you-"

"The company having relations with public criminals and mob bosses IS a concern to me! I don't know what kind of business this company has with Salvatore Valestra, but it should be passed through me-"

"As a matter of fact Bruce, it actually shouldn't," Earl said firmly, having enough of Bruce's attitude. "This may be your father's company, but you have no stake in it. You don't own this company and you're most definitely not CEO. Now, whatever business this company has with anyone, regardless of their reputation, you are the LAST person in this Kingdom who has a say on what this company should and can't do."

Bruce could do nothing, but glare into the eyes of William Earl, who did the same. Although neither man was willing to back down, the former knew that he was at a disadvantage. Whatever the older man was hiding, it could be the key to learning more about the Valestra mob or the Phantasm. There had to be another way to get the information.

Their staredown would be interrupted by the door to the office swinging open. It was Lucius Fox, much to Bruce's surprise.

Lucius must've been shocked to see him as well, because before he could state his business for being there, Earl had beaten him to the punch. "Lucius! Great timing. May I ask you to please escort Mr. Wayne out of the building? Our business with him is over. If he were to come back here, please make sure that he sets an appointment with us first before letting him in."

Lucius' eyes only gave Earl a side glance, sensing some of the tension in the room before his arrival. "R-Right. Of course." Stepping aside, he gestured to the Wayne son out of the room.

Forced without a choice, Bruce kept his glare at the man before giving one last good look of the room and walking out, with Mr. Fox following behind.

As they walked in unison, the Wayne son began to memorize every detail of the hallways; which hall led to where; what each room housed and its use; and how many ventilation ducts there were. A plan was starting to formulate in his head, but he was going to need more than what he can observe.

"So," He glanced at Lucius following him. "I'm guessing nothing is going in and out of R&D now."

The man chuckled at his statement. "And you would be right on the money. Which now begs the question of: What in Remnant were you both arguing about?"

"Salvatore Valestra."

The name caught Fox's attention. "And what about him?"

"He and William Earl were in the office together when I first came here. I remember him saying that Salvatore Valestra was an old business partner of my father."

"You wouldn't mind spilling some details about that, would you?" Bruce asked.

"Sadly, my hands are tied too tightly for me to do that," Lucius shook his head in response. "Even if I could, I'm not sure how much help I could be. Whatever business they had was before my time here in Wayne Enterprises, and even before I met your father."

To say Bruce was disappointed was an understatement. So much for the easy way. It would seem that Bruce Wayne would be unable to get any more information there. Time for Plan B.

The rest of their walk to the elevator was silent, with neither of the two wanting to continue the topic. While waiting for the lift, Lucius couldn't help but ask Bruce something that had been on his mind the moment they talked.

"This is dangerous territory, Bruce. Why the sudden interest in Salvatore Valestra?"

He asked the man as he walked into the elevator. The only response he got was a smirk before the elevator doors closed.

"Just being a concerned citizen."

"Master Bruce, you should be getting dressed and ready by now. Your dinner with Ms. Schnee is in an hour!"

"And I'll make it, Alfred. Just call Willow and tell her to meet me at the restaurant. Have my clothes ready in the car and meet me nearby."

The radio went silent for a couple moments before he heard a heavy sigh from the other end and the line going dead. With that out of the way, Batman continued to navigate his way through the Wayne Enterprises ventilation system.

Not many can say that they broke into their own company. But then again, he didn't own Wayne Enterprises.

It was a surprise how scarce the security of the building was. He had no trouble breaking in through a vent at the top of the building and found no opposition as he went through the vents in the hallways. With the exception of a few guards and a couple easy-to-hack cameras, there was little to no protection. It's a wonder how nobody in Atlas ever thought of breaking in.

In no time did Batman gracefully fell through the ceiling vent and found himself in the office area Bruce Wayne had walked through earlier in the day. Once again, not much resistance on the floor and barely any guards that passed through. With how low the level of security it was, it would've been smooth sailing from there.

That was, until he got to William Earl's office.

Turning the knob, he felt a strong resistance that indicated that it was locked, which confused him. There was no keyhole or any kind of sensor that would indicate the requirement of a keycard or scan. It was no ordinary lock, and wasn't something that he could hack into. Perhaps an electromagnetic lock? Whatever security that was lacking outside was surely made-up to protect the office.

He was at an impasse.

He had to find a way to get inside. Based on memory and his understanding of the ventilation system, the duct inside wasn't large enough for someone like him to enter through. Kicking down the door or breaking through the window would bring too much attention once morning arrives.

An idea then popped in his head. If the lock was electrical in nature, shutting down the power may disable the security system. Fortunately, thanks to his trip in the vents, he knew where the power relay for the entire floor was. After a little trip to the power relay, Batman was able to disable the lock at the push of his belt and entered the office.

The place looked different at night, almost somber in atmosphere. With the lights off, the majority of the room was covered in darkness, with the only source of illumination being the glistening city from the window. Although almost everything was caked in shadow, he was still able to make out the shape of the desk and the cabinets behind.

Switching on the desk lamp, Batman first started with the desk. There wasn't any terminal or device to access a terminal, meaning whatever documents or files kept had to be paper. Checking the drawers, he found numerous types of documents: employee files, finance reports, business deals, meeting minutes, etc. None of them were worth the interest or related to his case.

Having cleaned out the desk, he moved towards the cabinets behind. Once more, numerous unrelated documents and files that weren't of interest. It wasn't until he opened a pair of cabinet doors did he freeze.

Inside hung a large painting of the Wayne Family; all of them formally dressed with Thomas and Martha Wayne standing behind while their 2 children, Bruce and Summer, were at the forefront. Other boxes were seated below the painting, but Bruce paid it no mind. This must've been where William Earl placed his father's belongings once he took over. He at least had enough respect for the man to not stick them all in storage.

Bruce continued to stare at the painting, his attention undeterred by anything. He could still remember when this was painted.

His mom often pleaded to his father about wanting to have a proper family portrait, something that they could hang somewhere in the manor. It took a while and a lot of convincing, since they already had tons of paintings and photos around the manor, but eventually the Wayne matriarch wore him down. Summer didn't have any issues with it; she always loved trying out different dresses and outfits. Little Bruce, however, wasn't as enthusiastic about it as his sister because it meant wearing neck-tightening suits and polos. It was probably the reason why he wasn't smiling as brightly in the portrait like everyone else.

When was the last time he thought of them like that? A whole loving family, bonding with one another and enjoying the limited time they never knew they had. How long had it been since he relived those memories, instead of the same one night after night going down that alley? Looking at the pristine picture felt like looking through a cracked mirror, reflecting a time when everything was better. A world where siblings weren't estranged from one another, children weren't robbed of their parents, and the scum didn't claim the lives of 2 kind and innocent-

*Click*

The subtle sound interrupted Batman from his thoughts. It was the knob of the door. Someone was here.

Lucius had noticed something was off the moment he stepped in William Earl's office.

First off, the door was unlocked. It would've been impossible as they should've been automatically locked by now and the only other people who can even enter weren't in the building. Next was the desk light being on. Although he knew Earl to be occasionally forgetful, never had he ever worked long enough in the office to have left it on in the first place. Last was the cabinet that held Thomas Wayne's belongings. In the last decade since everything was placed there, nobody has ever opened that cabinet, let alone left it open. Not even William would've done it. He was far too proud of his current position to have ever thought back to Thomas Wayne.

Approaching the desk, he laid the files he held down and sat atop of the work surface to face the rest of the room. He folded his arms then spoke.

"Alright now, you can come out. I know you're here, so there's no use in hiding."

A minute would pass before something had emerged from one of the corner shadows. It was a dark silhouette of a man. On his head were pointy ears that were similar to a bat. His white eyes stared straight through his own soul, but Lucius wasn't afraid. In fact, he wasn't even concerned.

"You must be pretty desperate to break into Wayne Enterprises."

Although his facial expressions were hidden behind a mask, he was able to notice the slight confusion he had.

"Wayne Enterprises hasn't been prosperous since the sudden death of the Wayne's. Since then, it's been a steady decline in terms of stocks and innovations. Had it not been for other parties involved, the company would've already gone down under."

Never had he seen a man grimace more than he already has. The way his white lenses squint looked almost unnatural, unnerving even.

"So, what brings you here?"

For the first time since he caught him, the Batman spoke. "Information," He growled. "One of those third parties involved in Wayne Enterprises is Salvatore Valestra. I need to know the full extent of his connection to the company. It may be the key in an on-going case."

Lucius absorbed the information and contemplated his next actions. It didn't take long to make a decision and made his way to the Wayne portrait. Much to Batman's surprise, he removed the family photo and revealed a hidden safe within the wall. A few button presses later, he was able to retrieve the contents: a folder full of documents, some ledgers labeled by year, and a smaller black notebook.

"Here," Lucius said before handing the safe's contents to him. "Earliest books of Wayne Enterprises, written by Thomas Wayne himself. Whatever connection that mob boss has to this company may be linked here."

Batman's eyes narrowed at Lucius before accepting the documents from the man. "William Earl won't take this lightly."

"That's 'if' he finds out. Don't worry about me, William never checks on these anyway. He won't notice they're even gone."

He still looked unconvinced at Lucius' willingness to simply hand over something so valuable. "Why help me? What do you gain out of this?"

That got a chuckle out of the man before he smirked.

"Call me a concerned citizen."

If Batman's eyes could kill, then he would've died far earlier in the conversation. How those white lenses slit even further was beyond him.

Fortunately, their conversation was interrupted when someone knocked on the office's doors. Both turned to the door and attempted to stay quiet, but whomever was there must've already known someone was inside.

"Mr. Fox? Are you in there?"

"Damn it, Greg must be starting his rounds now. I'll keep him distracted while you-"

He stopped mid-sentence when he turned around and saw the vigilante gone, with the window left ajar.

"...Right."

Having been on her fair share of dates in the past, Willow has to say that it's a first to have your date not only be unable to pick you up last minute, but also be late to something that he planned for.

She's been waiting outside of the building for 20 minutes now. That's 20 minutes past their agreed meet-up time. It was already starting to get freezing. Although she brought along her shawl, it did nothing to help keep her covered arms and legs warm. But no matter how cold it got, the Schnee persisted. She had a good feeling about the kind of man Bruce was, and she wasn't willing to give him up just yet.

Luckily, she didn't have to wait too long as a limo arrived by the entrance's sidewalk and out stepped Bruce Wayne.

Although he seemed to be dressed his best for the evening, it was easy to spot how much of a rush he was in; how ruffled and wrinkled different parts of his suit was; his disheveled hair; and even the way his tie was clumsy put together. Willow couldn't help, but chuckle at how cute he looked that way. Maybe she wasn't the only person nervous about tonight.

"Nice to see you finally arrive, handsome. I was starting to think you've stood me up again."

"Sorry I'm late! I was a little...preoccupied with an errand."

She rolled her eyes at the little excuse, but didn't hold it against him. "Must've been pretty important."

"Not as important as dinner with you is." Bruce answered,

Now that he got a better look at her, he had to admit, she looked beautiful. Still following her family's traditional color scheme, she paired her light purple and white-sleeved jacket with a white cravat that's being held by a silver brooch with a red stone. While her pencil skirt complimented her jacket, her black tights were of complete contrast. Out of the few times he had seen her, he didn't think she could ever look any more stunning.

Bruce couldn't take his eyes off the Schnee Heiress, and it hadn't gone unnoticed. Willow coughed to both get his attention and cover the rosiness of her own cheeks. "Ahem. How about we continue this inside?"

"R-Right, Right!," Knocked out of his trance, the Wayne-son actually stumbled over his own words for once. He then offered his arm. "Shall we?"

She didn't need to be told twice. Willow gladly accepted and held on tight, slightly admiring what's hidden underneath the thick coat.

I am embarrassed to say that I have actually written 25% of this more than a year ago and only started finishing it December. It probably doesn't help that I shifted most of my focus on finishing Rise of the Girl Wonder. This was actually supposed to be longer, but I've held off the update far too long already.

Good news is that I am now going to focus my attention on Sins of our Fathers now since ROTGW is finished (Although do expect the sequel story to out before this finishes). Also expect the next chapter to be out sooner because it will simply cover Bruce and Willow's date!

Anyways, sorry for the long wait. Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment or a review if you liked it! I do not own any of the characters.

All characters and names used are owned by either Rooster Teeth and Detective Comics (DC).