sam_storyteller (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sam_storyteller) wrote2012-08-10 08:52 pm
sam_storyteller) wrote2012-08-10 08:52 pm
Entry tags:
Victory Bonds 4/6
Title: Victory Bonds
Rating: PG (for profanity)
Summary: The year is 1947, and Daily Planet front-pagers Clark Kent and "Louis" Lane are about to get the story of their careers, courtesy of the fledgling Justice League: the enigmatic Superman, the spy-turned-vigilante codenamed Bat, intelligence agent and newly minted Green Lantern Alan Scott, and Ambassador Diana, Princess of Themyscira.
Warnings: See Chapter One.
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
When the building exploded behind us, the shockwave lifted me off my feet and threw me through the window, and we landed hard on the other side. We rolled, tumbled through wreckage, and finally came to a stop not far from an unexploded missile. I scrambled up and dragged him away just as Lantern caught up with us. Diana landed on her feet nearby, running forward. I was vaguely aware of sirens in the background, shouting men, running feet.
"Are you all right?" she asked, as I eased Batman down. He was unconscious, and there was a choking wheeze to his breathing I didn't like. "Hera and Artemis, is he -- "
"No," I said, scanning him, my vision still flickering in and out. "He's just had the wind knocked out of him. There's no internal injuries, no broken bones...I can't see through his cowl," I said, frustrated.
"Can you normally?" Diana asked, eyes wide.
"No -- I mean...x-ray vision," I said, and Green Lantern swore. "I don't use it much or mention it because it makes people think I'm a peeping tom."
"I can float him to a hospital," Lantern offered.
"Yeah, that'd go over well," Diana drawled. She reached for the cowl, and Lantern and I both protested, but it was too late. She'd already flipped it back off his face, tugging it behind his head.
And there we were, looking into the face of Bruce Wayne.
"Son of a bitch," Lantern said admiringly, then looked hastily at Diana. "Pardon my language."
"Don't worry, it's just what I was thinking," she replied. "Is that who I think it is?"
"You have to admit, nobody would suspect," Lantern replied as I scanned his head. There would be time for surprise later.
"He's fine," I said, relieved. "Concussed, looks like. He'll have a hell of a shiner and a headache in a few hours."
"The hood's lined with something," Diana said, inspecting it. "Some kind of metal."
"Lead foil," I answered. "I can't see through lead."
"How would he know that?"
"Batman knows a lot of things he's not supposed to," I said, steadying his head with my hands. "Put the cowl back on."
"Why?"
"Because in about ten minutes the press is going to be all over this. The police are already looking, and Lane's around here somewhere," I said. I tilted my head at where the recently-arrived Metropolis police were staring at our huddle.
"Where do we take him?" Lantern asked, as Diana eased the cowl back over his head. "You got a safe house around here?"
I glanced at them both. I knew who they were. And now, we all knew who Batman was.
I'd lectured Batman on trust; time to soldier up and put my money where my mouth was.
"I have a place," I said.
"I'll carry him," Diana offered, easing him into her arms. He coughed, seemed to stir for a moment, and then passed out again, face buried in her shoulder. "You lead."
I straightened, glancing back at the warehouse, the fire lighting the sky. It bounced off police cars and arriving ambulances, fire trucks as well.
And there was Lois, frantically scribbling notes, talking at the same time, demanding something of one of the officers. She gestured at the fire, and then looked up squarely at me. Our eyes locked.
Then she lifted a hand and flicked her fingers. Shoo. It was so Lois that I couldn't help laughing as I lifted off.
***
When we returned to my apartment -- landing on the roof and taking the stairs down -- we found Ari, dead to the world, curled up in the chair next to the open window. He was shivering in his sleep. He'd washed the grime off his face and hands, but his hair was still a filthy crow's nest.
"Where are we?" Diana asked, Batman -- Bruce Wayne -- still held in her arms.
"Clark Kent's apartment. We're safe here," I said.
"Does Clark Kent know that?" Lantern asked.
"Bedroom's through that way," I told Diana, pointing towards the open door. Lantern raised an eyebrow at me.
"I don't mean to be nosy, but how do you know where Clark Kent's bedroom is?" he asked, as Diana took care of Batman. I busied myself covering Ari with a blanket and moving the chair away from the window, closing it tightly. He burrowed into the warmth with a satisfied sigh.
"I would think it would be obvious," I said. "I'm Clark Kent."
Lantern blinked at me.
"No you're not," he said.
"Yeah, Alan, I am," I replied, reaching into my uniform. I pulled the chain up, off and over my head, setting the medal down on the table. My glasses were sitting there too, on top of a book, and I put them on. He rubbed his eyes as if he'd been looking at something bright. He muttered something about goddamn telepaths, then twisted his ring slightly and looked back up.
"Well. I guess that explains how Kent was always able to get in touch with you," he said, as I began taking off the cape and jacket underneath. I was still sore, and the cape had half a dozen holes in it, but they were visibly shrinking. "Thanks for telling us."
"Didn't have much choice. Batman's got a secret lair in Metropolis, but I don't," I replied. I fingered a bloody hole in the front of my shirt. Exit wound. The skin under it was already healed over, but still tender. "And before you ask, because everyone else in this city has, I didn't have these powers during the war."
He held up his hands. "I didn't have the ring either, I know the drill. Huh. Nice place, by the way."
"Thanks. How is he?" I asked, seeing Diana emerging from the bedroom, closing the door behind her. She looked at me, confused.
"Superman is Clark Kent. You remember, I told you about him," Alan said. Diana nodded slowly.
"This business of heroes having day jobs is a little ridiculous, don't you think?" she asked Alan. "You're a secret agent, he's a reporter, poor Batman's a millionaire industrialist; am I the only one with the metaphorical testicles to fight bare-faced?"
"I don't wear a mask," I protested.
"You might not think you do," she replied.
"We can table this for later," Alan said. "Batman?"
"Resting. Athena, you should see his scars."
"Pass," Alan answered. "We need to get back to the combat zone. They'll want to know what happened."
"Why?" Diana asked. "We did our part."
"They need our statements. We have to do this right, make sure we cooperate with the locals. Especially right now -- this is the first time they've seen us together."
"One of us should stay," I said. "There's a wounded man and a child, they shouldn't be left alone."
"You're most qualified," Diana replied. "You stay."
"Why am I most qualified?"
"You've met Wayne, haven't you?"
"Met is a polite way of putting it." I rubbed my chin. "But I can probably help the most if there are complications."
"Then you stay," she said. "Lantern?"
"We'll come back to check on you, if we can," he told me. "Keep them safe."
And in a rush of air, they were gone.
I went to the bedroom and looked in; in the darkness, Batman's skin was pale. Diana had taken off his cowl, cape, and boots, and tied a strip of torn-off cape around a wound on his arm. His face, relaxed in sleep, made him look younger; I'd always thought Batman must be much older than I was, but Bruce Wayne had barely a handful of years on me.
I scanned him again, found nothing new to worry about, and shut the door.
I made some coffee, sat down, and took off my glasses, hanging the medal around my neck again. I fell asleep at the table, one ear still cocked for their heartbeats -- Ari's quick and light, like a bird's, and Bruce's slower, deeper.
***
They slept through the night, which was just as well; Wayne didn't even wake when I crept into the room to get a suit to change into, one that wasn't bloody and torn.
I was coming back from getting a couple of pastries for breakfast from the little bakery around the corner when he finally came stumbling out of the bedroom. There wasn't much of the playboy about him, but not much of Batman either; bare-faced and damp, he was wearing a pair of my trousers and a whole life's history of scars on his bare chest. He had a bruise on his jaw and a shallow scrape just under one ear, and the wound on his arm had been neatly re-bandaged with another strip of cape. I held a finger to my lips and pointed to Ari, curled in the chair.
Wayne knelt next to the boy and shook him gently. Ari's eyes opened and his whole face lit up; he threw his arms around Wayne's neck and stuttered out a few surprised words.
//You came for me! I knew you'd come.//
//What happened?// Wayne asked, holding the boy tightly. //When I left you were safe.//
//They came and found me -- they knew about you -- they found out you'd rescued me. They brought me to America because they knew you'd come if you heard...//
//Easy, easy,// he said, leaning back. A genuine smile crossed his face, fond and indulgent. //Stop for breath, chick-bird.//
//Don't ever leave me behind again,// the boy pleaded. //I missed you, I missed you -- //
//I know, I'm sorry. I thought you'd be better off where you were.//
//No. I want to stay with you.//
//Well, we'll discuss that later. Shh, Ari, it's all right,// he added, as the boy clutched his shoulders again. //Look how you've grown. You must be a foot taller now.//
Ari nodded into his shoulder, not letting go. Wayne's eyes drifted up to find me watching, and I glanced away.
"I don't mean to pry," I said, fiddling with the bag of pastries.
He looked down at Ari. //Chick-bird, this is Clark Kent. He's a friend. Say hello to Mr. Kent.//
//Hello, Mr. Kent,// Ari said shyly, finally releasing him to look up at me.
//I have breakfast,// I offered. Ari glanced up at Wayne, who nodded and gave him a little push. I gave Ari the bag and he took it to the table nearby, devouring a doughnut with gusto. Wayne and I stared at each other.
"So," he said finally. "Guess I'm busted."
"Necessary, I'm afraid," I replied, as he went to where Ari was sitting, dropping into the chair next to the boy. "You were unconscious. We had to make sure your skull wasn't fractured."
"We?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow. "I suppose Superman just conveniently deposited me and my protégé in a reporter's apartment and expected you'd keep quiet?"
I took off my glasses and stared at him. He stared back. I tried to project Superman.
After a moment, he groaned and rested his head on his arms. Ari glanced at him, glanced at me, and grinned.
//Superman,// he said. //I like him, Drohung.//
"How did I miss that?" Wayne asked, voice muffled.
"Everyone does," I said, shrugging.
"The others know too," he said. "About me."
"Yeah. They send their good wishes. They're taking care of things."
"Great." He sat up, but he still stared down at the table. "Seven years of anonymity up in smoke, and Clark Kent is Superman."
//Do you want this?// Ari asked, offering him a cherry danish. He shook his head, and Ari crammed half the thing into his mouth at once.
"On the up side, it means I get the anonymity concept," I said, trying to cheer him up. "This is one story I'm content not to break, Mr. Wayne."
"Oh, I think we've moved into Bruce and Clark territory, don't you?" he asked. "You got any coffee?"
"I think it's a good thing," I said, going to the kitchen. I brought back two cups of coffee, guessing that he took it black. He sipped it cautiously, then took a healthy slug. "I told Lantern and Diana who I was. We should know how to reach our...alternate selves, if necessary. And now it's all out in the open, at least among us."
Bruce watched me over the rim of the coffee cup. Finally, he turned to Ari.
//Go up to the roof,// he said. //Look all you like. Memorize what you see. Mr. Kent and I need to talk. Come back in half an hour, yes?//
//Yes, sir,// Ari said brightly, and crawled out the window. I looked at Bruce. He shrugged.
"Kid likes to climb," he said.
"You're good with him."
"He's a smart boy. But I suspect you wanted to talk without little ears around, even little ears that don't speak English."
"What's the kid's story?"
"His family was Jewish -- they were in hiding, and they were found out. The family was killed; Ari's the only one who survived," he said. "He was clever and full of anger, which were qualities I needed at the time. Near the end of the war I left him with a Jewish family in Switzerland. I thought he'd be safe there."
"Someone knows he worked for you."
"I intend to fix that," he said darkly. "But I'm much, much more interested in you, at the moment. Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for the Planet, who couldn't tell me as much as I wanted to know about Superman. I think you owe me a story, too."
"How much do you know about me?" I asked.
"Just what Lantern told me. You're an orphan, don't know where you came from. He thinks you came from outer space. He thinks that little bauble you wear probably has some answers, and I agree, but someone wouldn't let me look at it."
"It's mine. And that's only part of it. You want the story, the real one?"
A cynical smile crossed his face. "Do I."
"A while back there was a meteor shower over Kansas. Not just lights in the sky -- a lot of rock fell to earth. Couple of cows were killed, a few barns caught fire. Jon Kent and his wife Martha went out to help. All night they worked the bucket brigades, chased down some horses that had got free. Around dawn, when it was all over except the cleanup, they headed back to their farm. Outskirts of Smallville, Kansas."
"Lois said you came from Smallville. I thought she was joking."
"It's a nice town. Good people. Anyway, coming back to the farm they saw smoke coming up from one of the fallow fields, the one Jon was going to plant corn in next spring. They went out to make sure nothing was on fire, and they found a metal capsule, about so big," I said, framing its dimensions with my hands. "Inside was a baby, wrapped in a red blanket. Didn't know where he came from. Didn't care. Martha couldn't have kids -- doctor had said so already -- and here was a baby dropped straight from God for all they knew."
"So you've always had your power."
"No. They raised me like any ordinary kid. Told me I was adopted when I was ten -- they didn't say from where. Didn't matter. They were my parents, I was their son. I grew up working the land like Pa, school in the winter, church on Sundays. There wasn't anything strange about me, other than I liked reading more than most of the farm kids. We made it through the Depression all right; didn't get hit as hard as some, anyway. Left school, thought I'd spend my life tilling the land the way Pa was. War changed all that."
"Changed everything," he said quietly.
"When the war was over -- that's when it all started for me. I started being able to...do things. That's when they told me the real story for the first time. Couldn't stay in Smallville. It felt...suffocating. It felt dead. So I came to Metropolis, got a job, thought I'd just live my life. But I had a call, like preachers are supposed to get, only...for this. I had a call. No reason to give one man all this power unless he put it to use."
He studied me, blue eyes sharp, missing nothing. "Bet you were a Boy Scout."
"Your turn," I replied, ignoring the remark. "I heard about you during the war."
"I gave you a story already."
"You gave me his. Give me yours."
He sighed, looking down at the table. "America joined the war not long after I took control of Wayne International. I was twenty-one. I thought I was going to save the world. We needed factories badly, machines for war. We were way behind the Germans. Japanese got the drop on us. The Allies needed guns and spies. I could give them both. I got the factories up and running in England, and then I offered my services to the OSS. Four years I spent sneaking around. You get a taste for it."
"Some do, maybe."
"I did. I picked up Ari and he helped me for a while, but war's no place for a child. I left him where I thought he'd be safe. War ended, I came back...thought I could do some good in Gotham."
I narrowed my eyes. I didn't need to see his pulse to know he wasn't telling me something.
"Nobody just up and decides to fight like that. Something made you."
He took a sip of coffee thoughtfully.
"There's a rhyme in Gotham," he said. "A children's rhyme. You learn it wherever you are, whoever you are; it's in the air somehow."
Beware the Court of Owls
That watches all the time
Ruling Gotham from a shadow perch
Behind granite and lime.
They watch you at your hearth
they watch you in your bed
Speak not a whispered word of them
Or they'll send the Talon for your head.
"But there's another rhyme too," he continued, eyes closing.
Beware the Court of Owls
But fear one monster more
The Bat-man lurks in darkest corners
Behind windows and doors
He flutters through the night
He hides under the eaves
He eats the owls that try to roost
And into your room at night he creeps.
"Cheery stories you have in Gotham," I said.
"We're realists, of a sort. Anyway, the Bat-man had been a legend as long as the Owls, long before I was born. He suited me more, so I took his name. I told you once. Fear is all some people understand."
"That doesn't explain it, though," I said. "What made you do it. When was your calling, Bruce?"
"I was eight," he said. "About the same age Ari was when his parents were killed."
"Eight?"
"Do you know what happened to my parents?"
I nodded. "Everyone knows that. They were murdered."
"By a punk who wanted my father's wallet and my mother's pearls. I saw them die. I learned life didn't last long. It could end at any time. They never caught him, and I learned that life was unfair and cruel. I knew then that there was no point to my life, and certainly no point to my death, unless I used what I'd learned to make sure -- "
His fists clenched.
"I thought when the war came I could...purge it. I could do something that would let me be my own man. But -- did you ever see any of the camps?"
I shook my head.
"I did. Two of them."
"Kuhr said something...?"
"Josef Kuhr. You heard of him?"
"I heard enough."
"He's a chemist. He has no empathy, no conscience, no soul. He used the camps as testing grounds. He was trying to work up a way to aerosolize typhus, to stop the Allied troops. He was close, I think, when I managed to get a unit to the camp he was holed up in. When the cavalry arrived, they liberated the camp, but he got away. I thought he was dead."
"He may be, now."
"I hope not."
I raised my eyebrows.
"I believe in justice. I have to. It might not be your idea of justice, but Gotham isn't Metropolis. Anyway, I won't kill; not my end of the job. I want to see him tried before he's executed. Every monstrous thing he did should be held up to the light, shown for what it was." He sighed. "After Kuhr...after that camp I knew that nothing would ever be enough to make me stop. If men could do that to one another...there was no hope unless I forced hope. So I do, every night. I terrorize and fight and I force hope down the choking throat of my city, hope that we can find our way back to real justice. And I will until I die."
There wasn't much I could say to that.
"Guess I'm done with the Dumb Bruce routine, at least around you," he added lightly, after a pause. "Relief, in a way. He's exhausting to maintain."
"Lois?" I asked, because I had to. "You two seemed...close. For a while."
"She was using me. Don't think I wasn't aware. She's a remarkable woman; I was using her too. I'm not interested in a romance with her. Anyway, she talked about you a lot," he added. "And then she called you. I had my suspicions about Luthor even before he tried to buy the Planet, but when I heard you tell her he was there -- "
"You were listening?"
"Vigilante."
"That's no excuse!"
"I don't have to excuse my behavior to you. Especially since technically I'm your boss."
There was a long silence while I worked this out.
"You bought the Planet," I said.
"Couldn't let Luthor have it. Besides, it's a solid investment. Everyone needs the news." He gave me a small, genuine smile. "Nothing will change. What the hell do I know about newspapers? Perry White's the only one who knows it's me who owns the place and he's not telling. Well, and now you. For a newsman, you're sure keeping a lot of secrets, Clark."
"Sometimes it's about knowing what not to print."
Bruce turned towards the window, looking out at Metropolis. "Do you remember when we met, I asked you why Superman chose Metropolis, not Gotham?"
"Do you remember what I told you?"
"Metropolis is your home. And I'm the son of Gotham. My family -- on both sides they were city founders, men and women who tried to do right by it. I try to do the same. But maybe Lantern and Diana are on to something. The world's changing. It's not enough to be the champion of the local village anymore. We're going to have to look at a bigger picture."
"I think we've made a pretty good start, don't you?"
He nodded. "I suppose so, but it's not over yet. They knew enough to use Ari against me. He's not safe, not until we know the whole ratline's wrapped up. Hopefully the Metropolis boys will roll on anyone left in Gotham. I may need to stay in the city for a day or two."
"Metropolis isn't Gotham, though. The police here aren't going to let you just walk in and question anyone."
"Then I won't tell the police," he said. Before I could reply, he rose and went to the window, leaning out, twisting to look up. //Ari! You can come back down now,// he called. I guessed that was the end of our conversation.
//But I haven't seen everything yet!// Ari called back.
//Ari Siegel, come down right now, young man!//
There was a yelp, and then Diana was descending with Ari squirming in her arms. She ducked quickly through the window. I heard Alan on the stairs, and he came through the door while Bruce fussed over Ari in German, dusting him off and ordering him to be polite to Fraulein Diana and Herr Scott.
"Is anyone eating this?" Alan asked, taking the last doughnut out of the bag.
"And does anyone in this godsforsaken League have any coffee?" Diana added. I got up to pour her a cup. "Have you seen the paper yet? We made the front page."
"I did!" I said, pleased.
"Did you see who got the byline?" Bruce asked, studying the newspaper intently.
"I can make a wild guess," I answered. He held it up. I hadn't checked the byline before, and now I did: Lois Lane and Clark Kent.
"Strange." I frowned. "Usually whoever files gets sole credit."
Bruce tapped her name with a finger.
"Oh! Yes. She said she'd do that," I told him. "She said -- "
I'm tired of being Louis, and I'm tired of not getting what I want.
"Well, Louis outlived his usefulness," I said awkwardly, blushing.
"Wait -- Lane's a woman?" Alan asked.
"Problem?" Diana said, crossing her arms.
"No! Just -- you didn't tell me she was a woman," he said to me accusingly.
"Not my place to tell. Anyway, she looks snappy in a suit," I replied. "How'd she do, is it good press?"
"It's decent enough. She kept up her end of the bargain, anyway. Does she know who you are?" Bruce asked.
"No. Not...not yet," I said, guilt filling me suddenly. I'd asked for a few days, and I was perilously close to my limit. And I hadn't shown for the story last night...
"Are you going to tell her?" Bruce asked.
"I don't know that it's anyone's business but mine," I said. "I wouldn't tell her who you all are."
"Have you considered you're putting her in danger?" Alan asked.
"You haven't met Lois Lane, have you?" Bruce said, amused.
"I'm still sorting things out," I said. "Yesterday only my parents knew what I did. Now four other people do. Anyway, we need to decide our next move."
"Not before you have all the information," Alan said, exchanging a glance with Diana. "Luthor escaped."
"What?" Bruce and I asked in unison. Ari startled. Bruce reached out, touching his shoulder reassuringly.
"I had him," Diana said. "I tied him up. Then the explosion -- I thought the police took care of him, but he must have fled. I made the knots tight. I don't know how he escaped. Hopped away, for all I know."
"Not your fault," I said. "Clearly he's resourceful. If even one of his guards got away, they could have taken him somewhere safe."
"Well, they'll find him," Alan said. "Diana and I gave our testimony to the police. They're looking for him now. The man you pulled out of the acid -- "
"Kuhr," Bruce growled.
"He's alive. He's in a secure wing at the hospital. Twenty-four hour surveillance. They don't know if he'll make it yet. The rest of them are under federal watch. They've already matched up a couple of them with known and wanted war criminals."
Bruce bent his head and exchanged a few urgent words with Ari. When he looked up again, he was pale.
"Ari was Luthor's trap for me," he said. "He says only a few guards saw him, but Luthor knows who he is. Ari's not safe until we find him."
"I can help with that," I said, heading for my uniform.
"It's police business now," Alan called, and I paused. "Look, the story's out in the paper. Everyone but Luthor is secure and if they can't find him, you can join in the search, but you should give them a chance first. The big guns are our job, not the day to day. The fastest way to piss off the entire world is to barge in like we're some kind of lords of dominion. We have to let people handle people."
I stared at him. "You can't be serious."
"This is one of the reasons Diana and I planned the League," he said. "It's about communication and control. We have to be controls for each other."
"That man ran Nazis through my city! My city!" I said.
"And he'll get his."
"Clark," Bruce said quietly. "Lantern's right."
"What? You just said -- "
"I can protect Ari. We're the Justice League, not the Revenge League. And I'm pretty sure you picked that name."
"They can have the day," I said. "If they can't find him -- "
"Then you can ask to help," Alan said firmly.
"Who died and made you leader?" I asked sharply.
He held up his ring. "You think I got this in a Cracker Jack box, soldier? I inherited it. The Corps made me responsible for preventing threats because my predecessor did die -- that's how it works. You and Diana are terrifyingly powerful, and Bruce can run rings around all of us intellectually. I have to make sure you aren't threats too. So you come to heel to the League, or this gets very ugly, very fast."
I glanced at Diana. She shrugged. "He's right. We have a lot of power."
"Then what do we do?" I asked.
"I go back to DC with Diana," he said. "Bruce takes the boy back to Gotham. You stay here. We clean up the fallout from last night and we get back to normal. The police know to contact Diana through her embassy if they want to speak to the League. They'll need a statement from you and Bruce eventually."
"Keep the boy out of it," Bruce said, clearly avoiding using Ari's name the same way Alan was.
"We haven't mentioned him," Diana replied.
"Good. I need to work out what to do with him."
"I'll manage anything that needs managing from DC," Alan continued. "And then we handle our business like we have been, until something comes up we can't handle alone. At least now we can call each other without worrying about secret identities and masks."
Silence settled over the room. They looked as if they were waiting for me, as if even Lantern's power couldn't stop me if I decided to cause trouble.
"I should get to the newsroom," I said reluctantly. Alan nodded.
"Until we meet again, then," Diana said. "It was an honor fighting with all of you."
Diana and Alan left, heading for the roof, which at least offered some cover when they took off. Bruce looked thoughtful.
"I need to buy a car," he announced.
"Sorry, what?" I asked.
"Nothing flashy. Besides, it's a very Bruce Wayne stunt to pull, barging into Metropolis and buying a car on a whim. I'll say I crashed the one I was driving. Have to get the boy back to Gotham without getting noticed, and Batman's wheels are a little conspicuous in the daytime. I'll pick up something this morning, get us both to Gotham, come back and bring the other car home tonight," he said, sounding distracted. "My butler can get him settled in."
"He's staying?"
"For now, at least. You want the car when I'm done with it?"
"I'm sorry, are you offering to give me a car?" I asked.
"Well, you can't fly everywhere," he drawled. "Pay me for it if you want, but it won't dent my income much. Can Ari stay here until I get back?"
"Sure," I said. "But I do have to go to work. Take my keys. Leave 'em under the mat when you're done."
He shook his head. "Boy scout."
***
"Historical" Notes:
The first rhyme Bruce recites in this chapter comes from a recent Batman comics event, the Court Of The Owls, in which a mysterious Illuminati-type group appears to have been running Gotham almost since its inception, aided by chosen warriors known as Talons. The second rhyme is mine; while there is no firm canonical evidence that Bat-man existed in Gotham as a mythological opponent to the (thought-to-be) mythological Owls, there are multiple canons where it's implied that Batman was an urban legend before Bruce took up the cowl.
Bruce Wayne totally did buy the Daily Planet that one time, btw. (You can read more of the issue here if you're interested.)
Chapter Five
Rating: PG (for profanity)
Summary: The year is 1947, and Daily Planet front-pagers Clark Kent and "Louis" Lane are about to get the story of their careers, courtesy of the fledgling Justice League: the enigmatic Superman, the spy-turned-vigilante codenamed Bat, intelligence agent and newly minted Green Lantern Alan Scott, and Ambassador Diana, Princess of Themyscira.
Warnings: See Chapter One.
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
When the building exploded behind us, the shockwave lifted me off my feet and threw me through the window, and we landed hard on the other side. We rolled, tumbled through wreckage, and finally came to a stop not far from an unexploded missile. I scrambled up and dragged him away just as Lantern caught up with us. Diana landed on her feet nearby, running forward. I was vaguely aware of sirens in the background, shouting men, running feet.
"Are you all right?" she asked, as I eased Batman down. He was unconscious, and there was a choking wheeze to his breathing I didn't like. "Hera and Artemis, is he -- "
"No," I said, scanning him, my vision still flickering in and out. "He's just had the wind knocked out of him. There's no internal injuries, no broken bones...I can't see through his cowl," I said, frustrated.
"Can you normally?" Diana asked, eyes wide.
"No -- I mean...x-ray vision," I said, and Green Lantern swore. "I don't use it much or mention it because it makes people think I'm a peeping tom."
"I can float him to a hospital," Lantern offered.
"Yeah, that'd go over well," Diana drawled. She reached for the cowl, and Lantern and I both protested, but it was too late. She'd already flipped it back off his face, tugging it behind his head.
And there we were, looking into the face of Bruce Wayne.
"Son of a bitch," Lantern said admiringly, then looked hastily at Diana. "Pardon my language."
"Don't worry, it's just what I was thinking," she replied. "Is that who I think it is?"
"You have to admit, nobody would suspect," Lantern replied as I scanned his head. There would be time for surprise later.
"He's fine," I said, relieved. "Concussed, looks like. He'll have a hell of a shiner and a headache in a few hours."
"The hood's lined with something," Diana said, inspecting it. "Some kind of metal."
"Lead foil," I answered. "I can't see through lead."
"How would he know that?"
"Batman knows a lot of things he's not supposed to," I said, steadying his head with my hands. "Put the cowl back on."
"Why?"
"Because in about ten minutes the press is going to be all over this. The police are already looking, and Lane's around here somewhere," I said. I tilted my head at where the recently-arrived Metropolis police were staring at our huddle.
"Where do we take him?" Lantern asked, as Diana eased the cowl back over his head. "You got a safe house around here?"
I glanced at them both. I knew who they were. And now, we all knew who Batman was.
I'd lectured Batman on trust; time to soldier up and put my money where my mouth was.
"I have a place," I said.
"I'll carry him," Diana offered, easing him into her arms. He coughed, seemed to stir for a moment, and then passed out again, face buried in her shoulder. "You lead."
I straightened, glancing back at the warehouse, the fire lighting the sky. It bounced off police cars and arriving ambulances, fire trucks as well.
And there was Lois, frantically scribbling notes, talking at the same time, demanding something of one of the officers. She gestured at the fire, and then looked up squarely at me. Our eyes locked.
Then she lifted a hand and flicked her fingers. Shoo. It was so Lois that I couldn't help laughing as I lifted off.
***
When we returned to my apartment -- landing on the roof and taking the stairs down -- we found Ari, dead to the world, curled up in the chair next to the open window. He was shivering in his sleep. He'd washed the grime off his face and hands, but his hair was still a filthy crow's nest.
"Where are we?" Diana asked, Batman -- Bruce Wayne -- still held in her arms.
"Clark Kent's apartment. We're safe here," I said.
"Does Clark Kent know that?" Lantern asked.
"Bedroom's through that way," I told Diana, pointing towards the open door. Lantern raised an eyebrow at me.
"I don't mean to be nosy, but how do you know where Clark Kent's bedroom is?" he asked, as Diana took care of Batman. I busied myself covering Ari with a blanket and moving the chair away from the window, closing it tightly. He burrowed into the warmth with a satisfied sigh.
"I would think it would be obvious," I said. "I'm Clark Kent."
Lantern blinked at me.
"No you're not," he said.
"Yeah, Alan, I am," I replied, reaching into my uniform. I pulled the chain up, off and over my head, setting the medal down on the table. My glasses were sitting there too, on top of a book, and I put them on. He rubbed his eyes as if he'd been looking at something bright. He muttered something about goddamn telepaths, then twisted his ring slightly and looked back up.
"Well. I guess that explains how Kent was always able to get in touch with you," he said, as I began taking off the cape and jacket underneath. I was still sore, and the cape had half a dozen holes in it, but they were visibly shrinking. "Thanks for telling us."
"Didn't have much choice. Batman's got a secret lair in Metropolis, but I don't," I replied. I fingered a bloody hole in the front of my shirt. Exit wound. The skin under it was already healed over, but still tender. "And before you ask, because everyone else in this city has, I didn't have these powers during the war."
He held up his hands. "I didn't have the ring either, I know the drill. Huh. Nice place, by the way."
"Thanks. How is he?" I asked, seeing Diana emerging from the bedroom, closing the door behind her. She looked at me, confused.
"Superman is Clark Kent. You remember, I told you about him," Alan said. Diana nodded slowly.
"This business of heroes having day jobs is a little ridiculous, don't you think?" she asked Alan. "You're a secret agent, he's a reporter, poor Batman's a millionaire industrialist; am I the only one with the metaphorical testicles to fight bare-faced?"
"I don't wear a mask," I protested.
"You might not think you do," she replied.
"We can table this for later," Alan said. "Batman?"
"Resting. Athena, you should see his scars."
"Pass," Alan answered. "We need to get back to the combat zone. They'll want to know what happened."
"Why?" Diana asked. "We did our part."
"They need our statements. We have to do this right, make sure we cooperate with the locals. Especially right now -- this is the first time they've seen us together."
"One of us should stay," I said. "There's a wounded man and a child, they shouldn't be left alone."
"You're most qualified," Diana replied. "You stay."
"Why am I most qualified?"
"You've met Wayne, haven't you?"
"Met is a polite way of putting it." I rubbed my chin. "But I can probably help the most if there are complications."
"Then you stay," she said. "Lantern?"
"We'll come back to check on you, if we can," he told me. "Keep them safe."
And in a rush of air, they were gone.
I went to the bedroom and looked in; in the darkness, Batman's skin was pale. Diana had taken off his cowl, cape, and boots, and tied a strip of torn-off cape around a wound on his arm. His face, relaxed in sleep, made him look younger; I'd always thought Batman must be much older than I was, but Bruce Wayne had barely a handful of years on me.
I scanned him again, found nothing new to worry about, and shut the door.
I made some coffee, sat down, and took off my glasses, hanging the medal around my neck again. I fell asleep at the table, one ear still cocked for their heartbeats -- Ari's quick and light, like a bird's, and Bruce's slower, deeper.
***
They slept through the night, which was just as well; Wayne didn't even wake when I crept into the room to get a suit to change into, one that wasn't bloody and torn.
I was coming back from getting a couple of pastries for breakfast from the little bakery around the corner when he finally came stumbling out of the bedroom. There wasn't much of the playboy about him, but not much of Batman either; bare-faced and damp, he was wearing a pair of my trousers and a whole life's history of scars on his bare chest. He had a bruise on his jaw and a shallow scrape just under one ear, and the wound on his arm had been neatly re-bandaged with another strip of cape. I held a finger to my lips and pointed to Ari, curled in the chair.
Wayne knelt next to the boy and shook him gently. Ari's eyes opened and his whole face lit up; he threw his arms around Wayne's neck and stuttered out a few surprised words.
//You came for me! I knew you'd come.//
//What happened?// Wayne asked, holding the boy tightly. //When I left you were safe.//
//They came and found me -- they knew about you -- they found out you'd rescued me. They brought me to America because they knew you'd come if you heard...//
//Easy, easy,// he said, leaning back. A genuine smile crossed his face, fond and indulgent. //Stop for breath, chick-bird.//
//Don't ever leave me behind again,// the boy pleaded. //I missed you, I missed you -- //
//I know, I'm sorry. I thought you'd be better off where you were.//
//No. I want to stay with you.//
//Well, we'll discuss that later. Shh, Ari, it's all right,// he added, as the boy clutched his shoulders again. //Look how you've grown. You must be a foot taller now.//
Ari nodded into his shoulder, not letting go. Wayne's eyes drifted up to find me watching, and I glanced away.
"I don't mean to pry," I said, fiddling with the bag of pastries.
He looked down at Ari. //Chick-bird, this is Clark Kent. He's a friend. Say hello to Mr. Kent.//
//Hello, Mr. Kent,// Ari said shyly, finally releasing him to look up at me.
//I have breakfast,// I offered. Ari glanced up at Wayne, who nodded and gave him a little push. I gave Ari the bag and he took it to the table nearby, devouring a doughnut with gusto. Wayne and I stared at each other.
"So," he said finally. "Guess I'm busted."
"Necessary, I'm afraid," I replied, as he went to where Ari was sitting, dropping into the chair next to the boy. "You were unconscious. We had to make sure your skull wasn't fractured."
"We?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow. "I suppose Superman just conveniently deposited me and my protégé in a reporter's apartment and expected you'd keep quiet?"
I took off my glasses and stared at him. He stared back. I tried to project Superman.
After a moment, he groaned and rested his head on his arms. Ari glanced at him, glanced at me, and grinned.
//Superman,// he said. //I like him, Drohung.//
"How did I miss that?" Wayne asked, voice muffled.
"Everyone does," I said, shrugging.
"The others know too," he said. "About me."
"Yeah. They send their good wishes. They're taking care of things."
"Great." He sat up, but he still stared down at the table. "Seven years of anonymity up in smoke, and Clark Kent is Superman."
//Do you want this?// Ari asked, offering him a cherry danish. He shook his head, and Ari crammed half the thing into his mouth at once.
"On the up side, it means I get the anonymity concept," I said, trying to cheer him up. "This is one story I'm content not to break, Mr. Wayne."
"Oh, I think we've moved into Bruce and Clark territory, don't you?" he asked. "You got any coffee?"
"I think it's a good thing," I said, going to the kitchen. I brought back two cups of coffee, guessing that he took it black. He sipped it cautiously, then took a healthy slug. "I told Lantern and Diana who I was. We should know how to reach our...alternate selves, if necessary. And now it's all out in the open, at least among us."
Bruce watched me over the rim of the coffee cup. Finally, he turned to Ari.
//Go up to the roof,// he said. //Look all you like. Memorize what you see. Mr. Kent and I need to talk. Come back in half an hour, yes?//
//Yes, sir,// Ari said brightly, and crawled out the window. I looked at Bruce. He shrugged.
"Kid likes to climb," he said.
"You're good with him."
"He's a smart boy. But I suspect you wanted to talk without little ears around, even little ears that don't speak English."
"What's the kid's story?"
"His family was Jewish -- they were in hiding, and they were found out. The family was killed; Ari's the only one who survived," he said. "He was clever and full of anger, which were qualities I needed at the time. Near the end of the war I left him with a Jewish family in Switzerland. I thought he'd be safe there."
"Someone knows he worked for you."
"I intend to fix that," he said darkly. "But I'm much, much more interested in you, at the moment. Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for the Planet, who couldn't tell me as much as I wanted to know about Superman. I think you owe me a story, too."
"How much do you know about me?" I asked.
"Just what Lantern told me. You're an orphan, don't know where you came from. He thinks you came from outer space. He thinks that little bauble you wear probably has some answers, and I agree, but someone wouldn't let me look at it."
"It's mine. And that's only part of it. You want the story, the real one?"
A cynical smile crossed his face. "Do I."
"A while back there was a meteor shower over Kansas. Not just lights in the sky -- a lot of rock fell to earth. Couple of cows were killed, a few barns caught fire. Jon Kent and his wife Martha went out to help. All night they worked the bucket brigades, chased down some horses that had got free. Around dawn, when it was all over except the cleanup, they headed back to their farm. Outskirts of Smallville, Kansas."
"Lois said you came from Smallville. I thought she was joking."
"It's a nice town. Good people. Anyway, coming back to the farm they saw smoke coming up from one of the fallow fields, the one Jon was going to plant corn in next spring. They went out to make sure nothing was on fire, and they found a metal capsule, about so big," I said, framing its dimensions with my hands. "Inside was a baby, wrapped in a red blanket. Didn't know where he came from. Didn't care. Martha couldn't have kids -- doctor had said so already -- and here was a baby dropped straight from God for all they knew."
"So you've always had your power."
"No. They raised me like any ordinary kid. Told me I was adopted when I was ten -- they didn't say from where. Didn't matter. They were my parents, I was their son. I grew up working the land like Pa, school in the winter, church on Sundays. There wasn't anything strange about me, other than I liked reading more than most of the farm kids. We made it through the Depression all right; didn't get hit as hard as some, anyway. Left school, thought I'd spend my life tilling the land the way Pa was. War changed all that."
"Changed everything," he said quietly.
"When the war was over -- that's when it all started for me. I started being able to...do things. That's when they told me the real story for the first time. Couldn't stay in Smallville. It felt...suffocating. It felt dead. So I came to Metropolis, got a job, thought I'd just live my life. But I had a call, like preachers are supposed to get, only...for this. I had a call. No reason to give one man all this power unless he put it to use."
He studied me, blue eyes sharp, missing nothing. "Bet you were a Boy Scout."
"Your turn," I replied, ignoring the remark. "I heard about you during the war."
"I gave you a story already."
"You gave me his. Give me yours."
He sighed, looking down at the table. "America joined the war not long after I took control of Wayne International. I was twenty-one. I thought I was going to save the world. We needed factories badly, machines for war. We were way behind the Germans. Japanese got the drop on us. The Allies needed guns and spies. I could give them both. I got the factories up and running in England, and then I offered my services to the OSS. Four years I spent sneaking around. You get a taste for it."
"Some do, maybe."
"I did. I picked up Ari and he helped me for a while, but war's no place for a child. I left him where I thought he'd be safe. War ended, I came back...thought I could do some good in Gotham."
I narrowed my eyes. I didn't need to see his pulse to know he wasn't telling me something.
"Nobody just up and decides to fight like that. Something made you."
He took a sip of coffee thoughtfully.
"There's a rhyme in Gotham," he said. "A children's rhyme. You learn it wherever you are, whoever you are; it's in the air somehow."
Beware the Court of Owls
That watches all the time
Ruling Gotham from a shadow perch
Behind granite and lime.
They watch you at your hearth
they watch you in your bed
Speak not a whispered word of them
Or they'll send the Talon for your head.
"But there's another rhyme too," he continued, eyes closing.
Beware the Court of Owls
But fear one monster more
The Bat-man lurks in darkest corners
Behind windows and doors
He flutters through the night
He hides under the eaves
He eats the owls that try to roost
And into your room at night he creeps.
"Cheery stories you have in Gotham," I said.
"We're realists, of a sort. Anyway, the Bat-man had been a legend as long as the Owls, long before I was born. He suited me more, so I took his name. I told you once. Fear is all some people understand."
"That doesn't explain it, though," I said. "What made you do it. When was your calling, Bruce?"
"I was eight," he said. "About the same age Ari was when his parents were killed."
"Eight?"
"Do you know what happened to my parents?"
I nodded. "Everyone knows that. They were murdered."
"By a punk who wanted my father's wallet and my mother's pearls. I saw them die. I learned life didn't last long. It could end at any time. They never caught him, and I learned that life was unfair and cruel. I knew then that there was no point to my life, and certainly no point to my death, unless I used what I'd learned to make sure -- "
His fists clenched.
"I thought when the war came I could...purge it. I could do something that would let me be my own man. But -- did you ever see any of the camps?"
I shook my head.
"I did. Two of them."
"Kuhr said something...?"
"Josef Kuhr. You heard of him?"
"I heard enough."
"He's a chemist. He has no empathy, no conscience, no soul. He used the camps as testing grounds. He was trying to work up a way to aerosolize typhus, to stop the Allied troops. He was close, I think, when I managed to get a unit to the camp he was holed up in. When the cavalry arrived, they liberated the camp, but he got away. I thought he was dead."
"He may be, now."
"I hope not."
I raised my eyebrows.
"I believe in justice. I have to. It might not be your idea of justice, but Gotham isn't Metropolis. Anyway, I won't kill; not my end of the job. I want to see him tried before he's executed. Every monstrous thing he did should be held up to the light, shown for what it was." He sighed. "After Kuhr...after that camp I knew that nothing would ever be enough to make me stop. If men could do that to one another...there was no hope unless I forced hope. So I do, every night. I terrorize and fight and I force hope down the choking throat of my city, hope that we can find our way back to real justice. And I will until I die."
There wasn't much I could say to that.
"Guess I'm done with the Dumb Bruce routine, at least around you," he added lightly, after a pause. "Relief, in a way. He's exhausting to maintain."
"Lois?" I asked, because I had to. "You two seemed...close. For a while."
"She was using me. Don't think I wasn't aware. She's a remarkable woman; I was using her too. I'm not interested in a romance with her. Anyway, she talked about you a lot," he added. "And then she called you. I had my suspicions about Luthor even before he tried to buy the Planet, but when I heard you tell her he was there -- "
"You were listening?"
"Vigilante."
"That's no excuse!"
"I don't have to excuse my behavior to you. Especially since technically I'm your boss."
There was a long silence while I worked this out.
"You bought the Planet," I said.
"Couldn't let Luthor have it. Besides, it's a solid investment. Everyone needs the news." He gave me a small, genuine smile. "Nothing will change. What the hell do I know about newspapers? Perry White's the only one who knows it's me who owns the place and he's not telling. Well, and now you. For a newsman, you're sure keeping a lot of secrets, Clark."
"Sometimes it's about knowing what not to print."
Bruce turned towards the window, looking out at Metropolis. "Do you remember when we met, I asked you why Superman chose Metropolis, not Gotham?"
"Do you remember what I told you?"
"Metropolis is your home. And I'm the son of Gotham. My family -- on both sides they were city founders, men and women who tried to do right by it. I try to do the same. But maybe Lantern and Diana are on to something. The world's changing. It's not enough to be the champion of the local village anymore. We're going to have to look at a bigger picture."
"I think we've made a pretty good start, don't you?"
He nodded. "I suppose so, but it's not over yet. They knew enough to use Ari against me. He's not safe, not until we know the whole ratline's wrapped up. Hopefully the Metropolis boys will roll on anyone left in Gotham. I may need to stay in the city for a day or two."
"Metropolis isn't Gotham, though. The police here aren't going to let you just walk in and question anyone."
"Then I won't tell the police," he said. Before I could reply, he rose and went to the window, leaning out, twisting to look up. //Ari! You can come back down now,// he called. I guessed that was the end of our conversation.
//But I haven't seen everything yet!// Ari called back.
//Ari Siegel, come down right now, young man!//
There was a yelp, and then Diana was descending with Ari squirming in her arms. She ducked quickly through the window. I heard Alan on the stairs, and he came through the door while Bruce fussed over Ari in German, dusting him off and ordering him to be polite to Fraulein Diana and Herr Scott.
"Is anyone eating this?" Alan asked, taking the last doughnut out of the bag.
"And does anyone in this godsforsaken League have any coffee?" Diana added. I got up to pour her a cup. "Have you seen the paper yet? We made the front page."
"I did!" I said, pleased.
"Did you see who got the byline?" Bruce asked, studying the newspaper intently.
"I can make a wild guess," I answered. He held it up. I hadn't checked the byline before, and now I did: Lois Lane and Clark Kent.
"Strange." I frowned. "Usually whoever files gets sole credit."
Bruce tapped her name with a finger.
"Oh! Yes. She said she'd do that," I told him. "She said -- "
I'm tired of being Louis, and I'm tired of not getting what I want.
"Well, Louis outlived his usefulness," I said awkwardly, blushing.
"Wait -- Lane's a woman?" Alan asked.
"Problem?" Diana said, crossing her arms.
"No! Just -- you didn't tell me she was a woman," he said to me accusingly.
"Not my place to tell. Anyway, she looks snappy in a suit," I replied. "How'd she do, is it good press?"
"It's decent enough. She kept up her end of the bargain, anyway. Does she know who you are?" Bruce asked.
"No. Not...not yet," I said, guilt filling me suddenly. I'd asked for a few days, and I was perilously close to my limit. And I hadn't shown for the story last night...
"Are you going to tell her?" Bruce asked.
"I don't know that it's anyone's business but mine," I said. "I wouldn't tell her who you all are."
"Have you considered you're putting her in danger?" Alan asked.
"You haven't met Lois Lane, have you?" Bruce said, amused.
"I'm still sorting things out," I said. "Yesterday only my parents knew what I did. Now four other people do. Anyway, we need to decide our next move."
"Not before you have all the information," Alan said, exchanging a glance with Diana. "Luthor escaped."
"What?" Bruce and I asked in unison. Ari startled. Bruce reached out, touching his shoulder reassuringly.
"I had him," Diana said. "I tied him up. Then the explosion -- I thought the police took care of him, but he must have fled. I made the knots tight. I don't know how he escaped. Hopped away, for all I know."
"Not your fault," I said. "Clearly he's resourceful. If even one of his guards got away, they could have taken him somewhere safe."
"Well, they'll find him," Alan said. "Diana and I gave our testimony to the police. They're looking for him now. The man you pulled out of the acid -- "
"Kuhr," Bruce growled.
"He's alive. He's in a secure wing at the hospital. Twenty-four hour surveillance. They don't know if he'll make it yet. The rest of them are under federal watch. They've already matched up a couple of them with known and wanted war criminals."
Bruce bent his head and exchanged a few urgent words with Ari. When he looked up again, he was pale.
"Ari was Luthor's trap for me," he said. "He says only a few guards saw him, but Luthor knows who he is. Ari's not safe until we find him."
"I can help with that," I said, heading for my uniform.
"It's police business now," Alan called, and I paused. "Look, the story's out in the paper. Everyone but Luthor is secure and if they can't find him, you can join in the search, but you should give them a chance first. The big guns are our job, not the day to day. The fastest way to piss off the entire world is to barge in like we're some kind of lords of dominion. We have to let people handle people."
I stared at him. "You can't be serious."
"This is one of the reasons Diana and I planned the League," he said. "It's about communication and control. We have to be controls for each other."
"That man ran Nazis through my city! My city!" I said.
"And he'll get his."
"Clark," Bruce said quietly. "Lantern's right."
"What? You just said -- "
"I can protect Ari. We're the Justice League, not the Revenge League. And I'm pretty sure you picked that name."
"They can have the day," I said. "If they can't find him -- "
"Then you can ask to help," Alan said firmly.
"Who died and made you leader?" I asked sharply.
He held up his ring. "You think I got this in a Cracker Jack box, soldier? I inherited it. The Corps made me responsible for preventing threats because my predecessor did die -- that's how it works. You and Diana are terrifyingly powerful, and Bruce can run rings around all of us intellectually. I have to make sure you aren't threats too. So you come to heel to the League, or this gets very ugly, very fast."
I glanced at Diana. She shrugged. "He's right. We have a lot of power."
"Then what do we do?" I asked.
"I go back to DC with Diana," he said. "Bruce takes the boy back to Gotham. You stay here. We clean up the fallout from last night and we get back to normal. The police know to contact Diana through her embassy if they want to speak to the League. They'll need a statement from you and Bruce eventually."
"Keep the boy out of it," Bruce said, clearly avoiding using Ari's name the same way Alan was.
"We haven't mentioned him," Diana replied.
"Good. I need to work out what to do with him."
"I'll manage anything that needs managing from DC," Alan continued. "And then we handle our business like we have been, until something comes up we can't handle alone. At least now we can call each other without worrying about secret identities and masks."
Silence settled over the room. They looked as if they were waiting for me, as if even Lantern's power couldn't stop me if I decided to cause trouble.
"I should get to the newsroom," I said reluctantly. Alan nodded.
"Until we meet again, then," Diana said. "It was an honor fighting with all of you."
Diana and Alan left, heading for the roof, which at least offered some cover when they took off. Bruce looked thoughtful.
"I need to buy a car," he announced.
"Sorry, what?" I asked.
"Nothing flashy. Besides, it's a very Bruce Wayne stunt to pull, barging into Metropolis and buying a car on a whim. I'll say I crashed the one I was driving. Have to get the boy back to Gotham without getting noticed, and Batman's wheels are a little conspicuous in the daytime. I'll pick up something this morning, get us both to Gotham, come back and bring the other car home tonight," he said, sounding distracted. "My butler can get him settled in."
"He's staying?"
"For now, at least. You want the car when I'm done with it?"
"I'm sorry, are you offering to give me a car?" I asked.
"Well, you can't fly everywhere," he drawled. "Pay me for it if you want, but it won't dent my income much. Can Ari stay here until I get back?"
"Sure," I said. "But I do have to go to work. Take my keys. Leave 'em under the mat when you're done."
He shook his head. "Boy scout."
***
"Historical" Notes:
The first rhyme Bruce recites in this chapter comes from a recent Batman comics event, the Court Of The Owls, in which a mysterious Illuminati-type group appears to have been running Gotham almost since its inception, aided by chosen warriors known as Talons. The second rhyme is mine; while there is no firm canonical evidence that Bat-man existed in Gotham as a mythological opponent to the (thought-to-be) mythological Owls, there are multiple canons where it's implied that Batman was an urban legend before Bruce took up the cowl.
Bruce Wayne totally did buy the Daily Planet that one time, btw. (You can read more of the issue here if you're interested.)
Chapter Five
no subject
I was really surprised by your choice to make Ari Jewish. I guess I assumed that he was a gypsy, since Dick is canonically Romany and the gypsies were as persecuted during WWII as the Jews.
Thank you, as always, for writing and sharing this. I particularly love your take on Lois. Heh, I wonder how many people thought the byline was a typo at first.
Also: "Does she know who you are?" Bruce asked.
"No. Not...not yet,"
Suuuure she doesn't.
no subject