Still reeling from Talia's revelation and being introduced to Damian, Bruce was completely at a loss for words. Choosing to travel incognito, Bruce promptly changed into civilian clothes, and loaded several supplies into a nondescript van he owned. Talia agreed to send her guard away and accompany Bruce to the safe house with Damian. Bruce knew he could not trust Talia completely, but under the circumstances, felt that it was best to keep her and Damian close by.
As he loaded the van, Talia could sense Bruce was seething in anger. Bruce was in complete shock and disbelief that he had a 10-year-old love child with the daughter of one of his greatest enemies, and had no idea about the boy's existence. Bruce had every intention of scanning the boy's DNA to be sure, but the resemblance was unmistakable.
"Bruce, I am sorry you had to find out this way. I truly am, but I would not have come to you if the situation were any less serious," Talia pleaded.
"It's been 11 years," Bruce seethed, as he continued to load cases of materials into the cargo bay of the van, "How could you keep something like this from me?! How could this have happened?"
"You don't remember our night together in Damascus?" Talia asked, visibly chagrined, "As I recall, you were especially romantic that evening, under the moonlight."
"Mother, please…" Damian groaned, recoiling in disgust and embarrassment.
"I remember you drugged me to make me do what you wanted," Bruce retorted, coldly, "You'll forgive me if I don't look back on that night as fondly as you."
"I loved you, Bruce," Talia insisted, holding back tears, "I still do…and I know you felt something for me all those years ago."
"Even if that were true, you had no right to do what you did, let alone keep him from me all these years," Bruce shot back, angrily facing Talia. Growing defensive, and wanting to protect his mother, Damian drew his katana and placed himself between his parents, pointing the sword to Bruce.
"That's enough, Father," Damian stated, defiantly, "What's done is done. I may not be the son you wanted, but I am your son nonetheless. And I will not let you attack my mother!"
"Stand down, Damian," Talia ordered, "Your father is upset, but he would not hurt me."
"I take it he's been trained well," Bruce said, observing the boy's demeanor and technique, "Why now, Talia? Why wait a decade to tell me about Damian?"
"Because I did not want to be a burden on your life and your crusade," Talia explained, once again holding back tears, "You and my father are so much alike; you are both so dedicated to your chosen vocations, and I did not want our son to be caught in the middle of your conflict. I'm not expecting you to forgive me, and I realize that you may hate me as you do my father and his mission, but I kept Damian from you for his protection."
"Protection from who? I would have never let anything happen to him," Bruce replied, "You should have told me!"
"The same way you protected Jason?" Talia shot back. Bruce stared at her furiously, especially at mentioning his fallen protégé. It was a low blow, and Bruce wanted to tear into her verbally, but with Damian in the room, Bruce felt that the conversation had best be put on hold for the time being.
"Just get in the damn van, both of you," Bruce seethed, closing the cargo door before moving to the driver's seat. Talia and Damian followed, despite the tension in the air.
Inside the van, Bruce and Talia were still too angry to speak to each other, but Damian had many questions to ask his father, eager to know more about the legendary warrior his mother told him about. Despite the tension in the air, the young man could not help his curiosity.
"I overheard you mention people who were missing," Damian spoke up, addressing his father and breaking the silence, "Who are we looking for?"
"Alfred Pennyworth and Selina Kyle," Talia answered.
"Pennyworth is your servant, right Father?" Damian asked, "I was surprised when Mother told me you only have one."
"Alfred is much more than a servant," Bruce began, "He's been my mentor, friend, and protector for many years. When I lost my parents, Alfred took care of me. All these years later, he still watches out for me."
"I've heard about Selina Kyle, the cat woman," Damian continued, "Do you love her?"
"Yes, I do. Very much," Bruce replied. He wanted to be honest, but couldn't help but feel awkward speaking about his current girlfriend in front of the son he just met, while sitting next to the boy's mother.
"Do you plan on marrying her?" Damian asked, before Talia interrupted.
"We...haven't discussed anything like that at the moment," Bruce said, growing slightly flustered; the awkwardness of discussing this in front of his newfound son and his mother was not lost on him.
"I have so many questions," Damian continued, eager to get to know his father better, "Was your father also a great fighter?"
"He was a doctor," Bruce replied, somewhat bemused by Damian's curiosity, "He was kind and compassionate. He never turned a patient away, regardless of where they were from or how much money they had."
"And your mother? What was she like?" Damian asked.
"She was a schoolteacher," Bruce explained, "She was also generous and caring. She often taught students in areas of Gotham that were much less fortunate than we were."
"Is it true that you have studied with masters all over the world?" Damian asked, referring to Bruce's extensive martial arts backgound.
"Yes. Even before I lost my parents, martial arts had been an interest of mine," Bruce said, "I wasn't much older than you are now when they were taken from me."
"And that is why you became a warrior? To punish criminals?" Damian asked.
"Partially. Yes, I wanted to strike fear into those who would prey on the fearful," Bruce explained, "But more importantly, to protect those who cannot protect themselves."
"Mother told me you have taken a vow not to use guns or to kill," Damian began, "That seems unwise. How can you be a force for justice if you are not willing to kill your enemies?"
"Damian, please," Talia scolded, "That's enough."
"It's alright, Talia," Bruce reassured her, "It's a question I get asked often. When my parents were murdered, I was driven by revenge. It wasn't easy, but over time I learned that revenge is not enough of a motivation for wanting to protect others. Revenge is an emotional response; it's not the same as justice. The need for revenge clouds one's judgment; that's how mistakes are made in the field. Killing for revenge only leads to more killing."
"But what about those who deserve it?" Damian asked, "And what about self-defense, or times when there is no other choice?"
"I don't believe it's our place to decide who lives or dies," Bruce explained, "I understand that legal system in this country is not perfect; nobody is perfect. I may not always operate within the law, but I respect it. Without laws, there would be anarchy; and anarchy is unsustainable. It always leads to more people getting hurt."
Damian took a pause to reflect on his father's beliefs. They were a foreign concept to the young assassin, who was taught from birth to kill or be killed.
"You've never killed anyone in battle?" Damian asked, curious about his father's unique stance on lethal force. Bruce took a sigh, as he winced with regret.
"I've never set out to kill anyone, Damian, not intentionally" Bruce explained, "But the truth is that a lot of different outcomes happen in battle that we can't always control or anticipate. I have done things I am not proud of; I have maimed, I have tortured...and yes, sometimes I have had to make difficult decisions in the heat of battle or in wartime when there is no other option. I have faced many threats in my life, ranging from common criminals to aliens with the powers of gods. So yes, I have made mistakes. I'm not perfect, but I do the best I can to make sure to keep losses to a minimum, on any side."
"That is your code?" Damian asked, curiously.
"Yes. It is a standard I expect of myself and of all my students," Bruce emphatically stated, "I believe it is a quality that separates us from the criminals. What we do has to be about more than thrill-seeking or taking your own pain out on others."
Damian sat quietly, reflecting on his father's words, taking them to heart. He is every bit the man Mother told me about, the boy thought to himself, I don't see the similarities between he and Grandfather, though.
The van drove towards a remote, wooded area, through a private driveway, to a large cabin on the side of a lake. The cabin was one of many properties Bruce had bought over the years as a potential safehouse in the event that the Batcave would be compromised. Spotting several unmarked vehicles parked near the cabin, Bruce was relieved to see that it looked like his team had successfully followed his instructions and met at the designated rendezvous point.