THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS
xxi. EMERGENCY CONTACT
❝DO NOT LOSE HOPE.❞

IT WAS HALF-PAST ELEVEN O'CLOCK and each tick of the clock worked to add tension to the looming dread that surrounded Bruce Wayne. His eyes focused on the digital clock that glared back at him in the darkness of the Batcave and it took everything within him to not grab his keys and go searching for his wife. But, he reminded himself Anastasia needed space after everything that had happened at the charity ball and then with the board of directors. She was with her friend Laura, safe and sound. He didn't want to seem like the overbearing husband, but Anastasia refused to return any of his calls or messages. He had managed to reach her around seven o'clock (four and half hours ago) and she had promised to come home soon. She said she was on Founders' Island, having dinner and shopping with Laura. A peek at their shared bank accounts showed that no charges had been made. It had been a lie, Bruce realized.

A heavy sigh left his lips as he ran a hand across his face, hoping it would cure the exhaustion that settled within his bones. He stared up at the Batcomputer as it continued to analyze and notate irregularities in Eric Sato's DNA. Bruce had yet to finish making an antidote to Eric's condition, but he had worked tirelessly on it. He was getting close, but every test came back as a failure.

Bruce looked down at his phone, staring at the picture of him and Anastasia. Only she could get him to dress up in matching reindeer onesies, causing a soft smile to appear on his lips at the fond memory. She had made Alfred dress up as Santa Claus that Christmas Eve while the other employees had been dressed up as elves. The whole manor had been decked in Christmas decorations, shining brighter than it had ever before. It would only be two more months till Christmas was upon them. He was always willing to go the extra step for his wife, knowing she had never experienced the simple joys in life. Her childhood... Even if she could not remember it, her childhood was something formed from a nightmare. And, Bruce wanted to replace all those damaged memories with happier ones for her.

He unlocked the phone, going to his recent call history. It was almost embarrassing how many times he had called Anastasia. But, his embarrassment was overpowered by his worry for her safety. He was about to call again, but he heard the elevator in the near distance.

Alfred.

"You look worried, Master Bruce," Alfred commented softly, setting down a silver tray beside him. There was a cup of tea on it, still steaming from the cold trek from the kitchen to the cave. He looked up at the computer, noticing the latest test to separate Eric's clean DNA from the infected DNA was eighty percent complete. It was the twentieth test in the past few days and at the rate it was going, Bruce had an inkling it would fail like the others. Alfred placed a hand on his shoulder, tilting his head to get a better look at his expression. "Is this about Mr. Sato?"

"No."

He answered simply, sparing a glance in the direction of the cryo chamber where Eric Sato lay in a dreamless sleep. It had taken Bruce days to track him down since Eric would simply vanish into thin air during the chase. He was fast, but Bruce had been faster when he had caught him off guard. The chamber was the only thing that kept Eric from turning into another one of the monsters running around Gotham ━━ all infected with the same unknown virus. If he could figure out an antidote, he could cure Eric and hopefully, help the others too. In a simple explanation, Bruce was worried about Eric and the others infected. But, at that moment, his mind could only focus on his absent wife.

"I'm worried about Ana," Bruce confessed, turning to look at Alfred. Still, he struggled to meet the older man's gaze. "She's not home yet. And, she isn't returning any of my calls."

Alfred hummed, lips twitching upward as annoyance flashed across Bruce's features. "Perhaps, now you understand how she and I feel when you ignore all our calls."

"It's different with me, Al. You always know where I'm at," Bruce sighed, knowing a lecture was coming from Alfred.

Bruce kept his eyes on the phone, waiting for it to ring. For Anastasia to call him, requesting to pick her up. But, it was likely Laura was going to drop her off or she would sleep over at Laura's. At least, Bruce hoped Anastasia would tell him if it was the latter. It would cause his tension to lessen. It was rare that Anastasia was out so late at night and if she was, she was always at the office. But, the office wasn't a stable place for either Anastasia or Bruce. It wouldn't be long till the board of directors came up with a decision behind their backs.

"But, Anastasia doesn't know," Alfred said softly, letting out a heavy sigh as he took a step back. He stood straight, looking around the cave as he shook his head. "When do you plan on telling her? You must be tired of telling all these lies, Bruce. Especially to your wife."

"I am tired..." He whispered, leaning back in his seat as a familiar ache settled in his back. In the depths of his mind, Bruce had told Anastasia about being Batman a million times. All of them ended in a different way, making him fearful of how the real Anastasia would take the news. Most of the scenarios in his mind ended with Anastasia angry at him, some of them ended with her hurt, and there were rare ones where she was alright with it. He could only hope it wouldn't destroy his marriage with Anastasia. He couldn't lose her, not after everything they'd been through. "There never seems to be a good time to tell her, Alfred. The last thing I want to do is add to her stress."

"The doctors said to create a safe and stable environment for Anastasia," Alfred mumbled, understanding where Bruce's hesitation to tell his wife the truth was coming from. He clasped his hands behind his back. "But, you threw that out the window the moment you decided to become Batman. The best thing to do now is tell the truth before it's too late."

Bruce cleared his throat. "Can you try calling Ana?"

Alfred nodded. He pulled his cell phone out of his coat pocket, dialing Anastasia's number. Bruce hoped it was just his calls that Anastasia was ignoring, but Alfred's call went unanswered. She never ignored Alfred's calls, causing a deeper pit to grow within his heart. Her voicemail echoed throughout the quiet cave, telling them to leave a message.

"She may be busy, Master Bruce," Alfred said softly, but even he couldn't hide the concern he felt. He may be an excellent actor, but Bruce had grown up with the man. "I'm sure she's alright."

Bruce had enough of not knowing, shaking his head. He turned to the Batcomputer, pulling up another window as he moved the test to another screen. He inputted a few commands into the computer before it pulled up a map and pinpointed his wife's precise location. For a moment, the icon blinked on the map before it became solid. "She's on Founders' Island like she said..." he trailed off, narrowing his eyes. He frowned. "She's at the Charlotte Hotel?"

"What could she be doing there?" Alfred asked, mimicking the same frown on Bruce's expression. "The Charlotte has been shut down ever since William died. The board voted against making repairs and focused all efforts on the Anastasia instead, considering it's right across Wayne Tower."

"She told me she was out shopping and having dinner with Laura," Bruce mumbled, trying to think of a reasonable reason why she would go to the abandoned hotel. But, a part of him wondered if it had anything to do with the flash drive and the information on it. He had saved a copy of it on the Batcomputer, having combed through bits and pieces of it. He still had yet to go through the whole document, but he had found the files pertaining to the human experimentation Anastasia mentioned at the charity ball. He should ask her more about it, and find out what she's up to. "Hopefully, whatever she's doing, it isn't anything reckless. She's been getting into trouble with Laura these days."

"And, with trouble comes the lies," Alfred started, eyes flickering to the document file named Anastasia on the screen. It was the document with the files downloaded from the flash drive. "Lady Anastasia has been keeping a lot hidden from you, Master Bruce. Maybe... She's picked it up from you."

Bruce sighed, ignoring Alfred's words. "I'll call her again," he said, dialing her number again. He listened to the phone ring, pleading silently he would hear her voice on the other end. Even her angry words were better than the silence. But, it was the same result as before when the call was sent to voicemail. He huffed, standing to his feet before he grabbed his jacket hanging on the nearby coat rack. "I am going to go get her."

"Really, Bruce?" Alfred mumbled, sighing as he fiddled with his hands. He knew Anastasia wasn't feeling like herself these days, acting differently. And, Alfred had always been overprotective of her after everything that had happened with William. Bruce knew that Alfred kept Anastasia's secrets if she ever told him anything. "What if she is fine?"

"Then, she would have picked up," Bruce added, walking toward his car parked in the Batcave. Usually, he would have it parked next to Anastasia's up above. But, he had patrolled as Batman earlier in the night and had stopped a few petty crimes. Fortunately, no activity from the Children of Arkham or the Infected was found in Gotham. He looked back at Alfred, noticing his concern. "Look, Al, I'd rather look like the overbearing husband than sit here and do nothing while she could potentially be in trouble."

"At least, don't tell me you're going as Batman," Alfred hummed, taking a glance at his Batsuit that was on display on the other side of the cave.

He had three suits, all designed by himself and Lucius. One was kept in the cave while the other was tucked away in a secret compartment of his car. And the last one, was in Anastasia's car tucked away in the same secret compartment. In more ways than one, their cars were similar. It was still a wonder to Bruce that Anastasia hadn't accidentally stumbled upon the features in her car. The suit he used the most was the one in the cave, considering the others were in case of emergencies.

Bruce frowned, debating within himself for a few moments. "No, I'll go as Bruce. It'll be fine. And, if Batman needs to make an appearance, I have the suit in the car."

Alfred nodded. "Do hurry back with Anastasia, Master Bruce."

"Keep an eye on the antidote for Eric," Bruce said, pointing toward the Batcomputer that had returned to the antidote screen. It was showing ninety percent complete this time. "The tests have been failing all night. If it fails again, just restart the process."

Alfred nodded again. "As you wish."

Bruce entered the car, speeding out of the cave and toward the City of Gotham. He watched as the dark greenery turned into bright city lights, still bustling with life at the late hour. The navigation in his car led to the location of Anastasia's phone, telling him she was still at the Charlotte Hotel. He tried to call her again, but he received no response. There was a familiar dread entering his mind and soul, reminding him of those tense moments before the massacre at the debate. He still remembered how it felt to hold her in his arms, moments away from death.

The debate hadn't been the first time either. He could still vividly remember the first time Anastasia had almost died in his arms, despite it being over five years ago. It had taken her months to recover, having forgotten her past memories completely until only some flickered back into place. Since then, Bruce had done everything in his power to protect his wife from every threat. But, everything he had done hadn't helped. It was as if the universe was out to destroy Anastasia Lovejoy and there was nothing Bruce Wayne could do to save her.

He took a sharp breath, tightening his hands around the steering wheel as he checked the ETA ━━ four minutes. It wasn't the same situation as the incident at the Charlotte Hotel five years ago. It wasn't the same situation as the debate a few weeks ago. Anastasia was safe. But, he couldn't chase away the demons that haunted his mind.

The Charlotte Hotel was shrouded in darkness surrounded by bright neon lights of the other skyscrapers, causing him to look up at the building that disappeared into the thundering clouds. He parked in the empty lot to the left of the hotel. Most of the street was quiet, considering not many wandered on Founders' Island so late at night. Not with all the construction in the area, if anyone was around it was the city's workers.

It was past midnight, a seldom greeting into the new day. Bruce locked the car, stepping into the cold air that autumn brought. He looked down at his phone, noticing Anastasia's position had not changed since he had left the cave. It made him swallow the lump in his throat, reminding himself to not jump to conclusions. Quietly, he began his walk to the front of the hotel where a few people roamed the streets. No one seemed to pay him any mind, laughing amongst themselves about something outside of his earshot. The front double doors were locked and barred, despite the glass of the door being broken. Stained glass in a pattern Bruce couldn't recall, it had been too long since he wandered to this part of the city. No one had gone through the front.

He looped around the building, looking for an opening. The windows to the hotel rooms were too high to climb, knowing Anastasia wouldn't have been able to climb with her injuries. And, the windows didn't open and none seemed broken from where he stood. The back of the hotel was fenced off to discourage trespassers, but he managed to find an opening. So did others, considering graffiti marred the walls. He frowned, noticing a dark substance coating the concrete. It still glistened in the moonlight.

Bruce kneeled, shining his phone's light to see the actual color of the substance. It was a maroon red, no doubt blood. He had seen it many times during his nights as Batman. It wasn't a splatter of blood, but more as if someone had stood there and let it pool underneath them. He pressed a button on the side of his phone, watching as the flashlight turned a dull blue. His access to the Batcave was secured. "Alfred?" Bruce mumbled, pressing another button on the earpiece he always wore. "There's blood here. I'll analyze it and send it to you. Let me know if it's... If it's Ana's."

"Dear God, Bruce," Alfred whispered, letting out a shaky breath. Bruce sent over the analysis, hoping it was discarded paint that a graffiti artist dropped. If it was Anastasia's... It was too much blood. He couldn't bear losing her again, not like this.

He moved slowly but began to follow the trail of blood into the building through the broken maintenance door. It was torn off its hinges, something neither Anastasia nor Laura could have done.

"Good news, Master Bruce," Alfred chimed through the static of the earpiece, immediately causing Bruce's shoulders to drop. He knew the news before Alfred could say it. "The blood doesn't belong to Lady Anastasia. But, the DNA is mutated similar to Mr. Sato's."

"So, it belongs to someone infected," Bruce said, voicing Alfred's unsaid thoughts. What had Anastasia gotten herself involved in? He frowned, letting out a heavy sigh.

Bruce continued to follow the blood, listening to the wind howl throughout the maintenance shaft. It felt as if the temperature had dropped, allowing him to see his breath surround the air around him. His jacket blocked out most of the cold, but it still found a way to steal the heat from his hands and feet. The light from his phone illuminated his path. But, it also made him realize no one could survive losing so much blood.

"Stand by, Alfred," Bruce whispered, typing on his phone. "I'm going to try calling Anastasia again."

"Let me know if she picks up," Alfred replied.

Bruce put Alfred's call on hold, ringing his wife's number instead.

The silence was filled with a familiar ringtone, earning a frown from Bruce as he stared down the long concrete hallway. "Ana?" he called out, hearing his voice carry deep down the hall. "Are you there?"

The ring of the phone stopped, filling the silence with Anastasia's voicemail instead. You've reached Anastasia Lovejoy. Please leave a message.

He could leave a message, but he had a feeling there wouldn't be anyone on the other side to listen. He disconnected the call. Immediately, he called her again and began to follow the ring of the phone.

Bruce made his way to the end of the hall, staring at a closed door where he could hear her phone ringing on the other side. He knocked on the door, waiting to hear a response on the other end. The phone stopped ringing, the voicemail playing again. "Ana, it's me, Bruce," he said, knocking again. "Open the door, please."

There was no reply.

He held the door handle, taking a steady breath. Preparing himself for what was on the other side, Bruce did his best to not let his emotions get the better of him. He opened the door, eyes immediately taking in the state of the room. It was as if he had stepped into a crime scene, noticing all the dried blood and the unknown black substance that coated the walls and furniture. It was unlike anything he had seen before.

But... He had seen it before, remembering the photographs he had seen on Anastasia's secret flash drive. It was something he wasn't able to come up with a logical explanation for, but he had studied the photographs the night before. While Anastasia had slept safe and sound beside him, still coming off the effects of the drug as the antidote did its job. He wished he had brought it up to her then, telling her he knew what she was up to and had stopped her. Now, he didn't know where she was and it was eating him alive.

Bruce called Anastasia again, watching as the phone lit up underneath the table. He reached down, picking up the phone. Blood coated his fingers, but he tried not to let it get to him as he cleared his mind. The screen was cracked, but he could still see their smiling faces in the background photo. He wiped the phone against his pant leg, trying to clear the blood off it. But, it seeped into the cracks of the glass. The blood could be Anastasia's. But, he refused to jump to conclusions.

He returned to Alfred's line. "Anastasia isn't here," he said softly, standing straight as he looked around the room. "But, I did find her phone."

"W-What?" Alfred asked, stuttering as a tremble remained in his voice. "Where could she be?"

"I don't know," Bruce muttered, staring at the deep cracks in the wall. He noticed the circular pattern they made, piquing his interest at the unnatural shape. It couldn't have been caused by an earthquake. Perhaps, a broken pipe in the wall. But, the pipe wouldn't encompass the whole diameter of the wall. He looked down at the pool of blood; the edges dried into the concrete but the middle was still wet. Someone had been laying there, bleeding out. "There's blood all over the room. Signs of a struggle. They were attacked."

"Attacked?" Alfred repeated. "Who do you think?"

"I'm not sure." It was all Bruce could say, looking around the room.

"In hindsight, it would have been best to go as Batman," Alfred commented.

"I have a suit in the car. It'll be fine," Bruce kneeled down, scanning the pool of blood. His hand trembled, but he waited till he was able to steady himself. He needed to keep himself calm, steady, with a clear mind. It was the only way he could help Anastasia and Laura. "Let me know if the blood belongs to either Anastasia or Laura."

"Of course," Alfred replied.

He continued to study the crime scene, walking around the office space. It was an office that belonged to the maintenance staff, having loose paperwork all over the room about the closure of the hotel and the steps needed to be taken to make sure no issues would arise. "They were taken by surprise," Bruce commented, noticing how the pool of blood was by the door. "One of them must have opened the door and was attacked."

Bruce followed the flow of the scene, noticing the bloodied handprints on the concrete around the pool of blood. Someone tended to the wounds, then they were dragged away. He noticed more blood several feet away, but there were only a few drops. An injury occurred here, maybe someone's head was slammed or a knee was busted. He scanned the blood, sending it to Alfred to analyze as well.

After a few moments of silence, Alfred spoke. "Master Bruce, the pool of blood matches Ms. Moretti. As for the second sample you sent, it's a positive match on Lady Anastasia."

"Laura was attacked," Bruce concluded, seeing the scene play out in his mind. Without his cowl, there was no augmented reality to physically show him. But, he was logging everything into his phone and they would be able to review it back at the cave. The bloodied handprints were Anastasia's, stumbling when the attacker had turned their attention to her. "Anastasia tried to stop Laura's bleeding, but she was overpowered by the attacker. She was thrown several feet away, hitting her head. It's the most likely injury from the position she was in."

"Master Bruce, there's a third set of DNA in there," Alfred added, causing Bruce to pause as he listened. "It's mutated. They were fighting off an Infected, I believe."

Bruce looked around the area where Anastasia's blood was found, frowning when he noticed a revolver discarded in an empty corner of the room. He picked it up, noticing the Lovejoy engraving in the frame. He checked the chamber, noticing all the shots had been fired. Pointing the gun across the room, he imagined himself in his wife's shoes. "Anastasia had a gun on her," he relayed back to Alfred, trying to imagine the Infected that would have been rushing toward her. He could see the splatter of blood across the tables and the ceiling, hitting most of her shots despite how haphazard they had been. "She shot off all the rounds, but this thing kept coming at her."

"The Infected do show inhuman strength," Alfred pointed out, remembering how difficult it had been for Bruce to subdue Eric Sato. "I just... I just hope the girls are alright."

"Alfred..." Bruce whispered, ignoring the ache deep within his chest. Do not focus on it. It won't help Anastasia if he was deep within his emotions. He clenched his jaw. "There's a lot of blood in this room."

"Do not lose hope, Master Bruce," Alfred said. His voice was clear of any tremble, appearing strong for him. "They are alive. If their bodies aren't there, then they are alive. We know how capable Anastasia can be when cornered."

Bruce hummed, recalling the incident from five years ago. She was stronger than anyone gave her credit for, even if she didn't remember. Perhaps, Alfred was correct. It was important to have hope. "We'll find them," he said, putting the gun into his coat pocket. He looked for further clues, studying the blood. The blood smeared in the direction of the cracked wall. "But, I can't tell where they went afterward. It looks as if they were dragged into the wall?"

"How is that possible, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked.

"Some kind of false wall, perhaps?"

He knocked on the wall, but it felt solid. It was a concrete wall, too cold for an office environment. Bruce felt pity for the people who used to work in the office space, knowing how cold it could get. It reminded him of the Batcave during the winters. He lifted his phone, looking through the camera so he could see through the wall. It only led outside into the alleyway. It wasn't a false wall.

"There's nothing here, Alfred," Bruce said, shaking his head. "I don't know where they went."

"Perhaps, they were carried out?" Alfred suggested, trying to jumpstart a new set of possibilities in Bruce's mind. It worked, Bruce began to imagine who could have shown up. "No more blood trail to follow since it could be dripping onto their captor's clothing. Or, it blended with the infected blood already in the hall."

"It's possible," Bruce mumbled, nodding his head. "If this was only an Infected attack, they would have been ripped apart and... eaten. Remnants of their corpses would still be here. So, they weren't killed in the attack."

"I never thought otherwise," Alfred commented, silently reminding Bruce to be optimistic.

But, this was Gotham. He had seen how the shadows in this city worked as Batman. He loved the city, but he didn't trust it. His mind would always go to the worst-case scenario before anything else. It was fortunate to have Alfred by his side, always letting him see the positive in every situation.

"So, someone came to their rescue?" Alfred continued, humming slightly to himself. His voice was still mixed in static, barely able to get a proper signal in the hotel. "Scared off the Infected? They are quite skittish from the footage you've captured, running at the first sign of danger."

"Check hospital records," Bruce ordered, making his way toward the exit. There was nothing else in the room, having found everything possible he needed. His eyes stayed trained on the darkness, trying to spot any movement. He checked all the rooms he passed, making sure no one was in there. "I want to see if they've shown up anywhere."

"Right away, sir."

Bruce headed back to his car, letting out a shaky breath. He tried to stay calm, looking around the area. Across the street, there was a café and pharmacy. Small buildings compared to the skyscrapers that surrounded it. Both of them were closed, but there were cameras set up on the streets that pointed toward the hotel. Perhaps, they would be able to hack into the city's security footage to see what happened. "Alfred, there are cameras across the street," Bruce pointed out, unlocking his car. He pressed a button, having the key fob scan his thumbprint. "See if they picked up on anything."

"I'll start on that," Alfred said. His voice was barely above a whisper, trembling with worry again. Still, he tried to stay strong. "As for the hospitals, Master Bruce, there's no mention of them."

"Laura can't survive losing all that blood," Bruce pointed out, frowning. He stared at the car, making sure no one was around to see him. The streets were empty and there were no working cameras that pointed into the parking lot. The Charlotte Hotel had its power off for a few years, so it wasn't likely the cameras worked. "If someone took them, they know she needs medical attention."

And, Anastasia would need medical attention too. If she hit her head hard enough to bleed, it could leave lasting damage. And, she hadn't healed completely from her injuries at the debate. Being attacked would worsen her condition. All the injuries she had endured over the years, especially in her early years had changed Anastasia from the girl he used to know. She was strong, but she was also fragile. It was a contradiction, Bruce knew. But, it was the only way he could explain Anastasia.

"Sir, the camera footage doesn't show them entering or exiting the hotel," Alfred pointed out, earning a sigh from Bruce. He had hoped they would see who took them out of the hotel. "But, I can see what happened to Miss Moretti's car. It was stolen... and a traffic camera caught it running a red light two minutes ago."

"Perfect. Thank you, Alfred," Bruce muttered, pressing another button on his car. He watched as the color faded into a midnight black as the Batmobile came into view. He walked toward the side, pressing his hand against a panel as it read its fingerprints. He looked around again, making sure no one was around.

Changing into the Batsuit, he stood tall as he tightened his gloves. This wasn't a job for Bruce Wayne. It was up to Batman to find out what happened to Anastasia and Laura and bring them back home. He hopped into the car, speeding off toward the last known location of the stolen vehicle.

"Do we have a positive ID on the thief?" he asked, driving through the traffic on the streets as he ran red lights himself. It wasn't as if the city could give him a ticket, considering the plates were hidden when the car was in Batmobile mode.

"We do," Alfred said, clicking away at the computer. Being outside of the hotel, the connection to Alfred and the Batcomputer was much clearer and Bruce could hear every breath. "His name is Maverick Cavanaugh. Not much on his record other than petty crimes. Grand theft auto is a first for him."

"He picked the wrong day to steal a car," Bruce muttered, narrowing his eyes as he came to the street where the car was spotted several minutes ago. He drove around, slower this time. His eyes wandered, looking for the red paint of Laura's car. The streets were mostly empty, considering it was after one o'clock.

Finally, he spotted the bright color of the car in an alleyway. The bright headlights illuminated the pair in front of Laura's car, making him frown as he parked his car in the mouth of the alley. The thief was against the brick wall of the building, pleading for his life as none other than Catwoman towered over him with her claws sunk into his neck.

"We were missing your presence, Batman," Catwoman, Selina Kyle, cooed as she shot him a playful wink. She held up the man, showing off her handiwork as he bled from the cuts on his cheeks. She smiled at the man, chuckling. "Now, you better tell me where you got this car, or I'll have him fuck you up."

Batman narrowed his eyes, taking a slow step forward. If this was any other time, he would have stopped Selina from further hurting the man. But, he was willing to do anything to find out more information about the whereabouts of his wife. He stayed quiet as his fists clenched.

"Okay, okay!" the man cried out, having had enough of Catwoman's abuse on his own. His hand trembled, covering his face from any further scratches. "I just found it on the side of the road! The doors were unlocked and there were two purses in there. I hotwired the car and drove it off. I didn't see anyone, I swear!"

Batman walked over, lifting the man by the throat before slamming him into the brick wall of the alleyway. "Do not lie to me," he gritted out, noticing Selina's smirk from the corner of his eyes. He squeezed, watching the man panic. "What did you do to the two women?"

"I swear I didn't do anything!" he gasped out, trying to pry Batman's hands off his throat. "I just stole the car, please! I don't know anything about the owner. Look! Everything is still in the car. I didn't even get to use their money yet!"

He knew the man was telling the truth, considering the cameras had only seen him come up to the car and steal it. It was done after the time Anastasia and Laura would have been in the hotel, so they would have been long gone. Bruce tried to compose himself, not wanting to lose control again. He slammed the man into the wall, knocking him out. Placing the man on the ground, he turned to face Selina's annoyed expression. "Selina," he muttered, narrowing his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Bruce," she said, replying in the same tone. Turning toward the red car, she walked over to it as her hand trailed over the hood. "I saw Laura's car and I decided to give her a surprise. Perhaps, steal a kiss or two." Her words trailed off, eyes narrowing in the direction of the unconscious man. "Well, imagine my surprise when I see that asshole driving around in it instead. He was counting the hundreds he found in your wife's purse."

Bruce looked in the car, picking up Anastasia's purse from the passenger seat. He unzipped it, searching through it to see if there was anything else that could help him figure out what his wife had been up to. The first thing he found was a Gotham University ID, earning his interest when he noticed her dark hair and the fake name ━━ Remy Fowler. He looked over at Selina, noticing she had found a similar ID in Laura's bag.

"Amara Auditore," Selina mumbled, raising a brow at Laura's long blonde hair in the photograph. She placed a hand on her hip, chuckling. "Are our girls leading some kind of double life that we know nothing about?"

"You and Laura?" Bruce asked, meeting her eyes across the roof of the car. He knew that Selina didn't feel much toward Harvey Dent, considering their relationship was only a way to reveal more opportunities for robberies. But, it did seem that she cared about Selina. "Does she know you're Catwoman?"

Selina clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "Not yet. We've only been on one date, Bruce," Selina reminded, smiling to herself as she continued to look through Laura's purse. "Though, I think I'll tell her about my secret identity long before you tell your wife about yours."

Bruce frowned, ignoring her comment. He hadn't told Anastasia because he was trying to protect her from that part of his life. Batman was too dangerous. He would get her killed. Being Bruce Wayne's wife was safe. It kept her away from the carnage of Gotham. He could protect her from the shadows. But, it seemed as if he had failed to protect her again. He continued to look through Anastasia's purse, noticing a ripped piece of paper stuffed into a ball. He unfolded it, looking over the words. It had the address of the Stacked Deck written down, along with a phone number. The familiar name Erina Sato was written below it.

He knew who Erina Sato was, considering he had come across her a few times as Batman. She was a trained assassin, operating underneath Falcone's controlling thumb. He had tried to help her once, but her fear caused her to fall back into old habits. But, Falcone was dead now. He wondered how she was dealing with her newfound freedom. And, Erina was Eric's older sister by four years. It was possible that was how Anastasia had crossed paths with the woman, considering she must be looking for Eric. Perhaps, if he had only told her he had Eric then she wouldn't have been looking for him. If he had told her the truth about Batman, she could have been safe at home. Perhaps, she would be on comms with him or out in the field as... Batwoman? He knew Lucius had made her a suit about a year ago, but Bruce wanted to protect her from the evil that made up Gotham.

But, the most likely situation would be that Anastasia would leave him because of all the lies he had told over the course of the past three years. He wouldn't blame her. It was what he deserved.

"So, what do you know?" Selina asked, noticing the look on his face.

"They were attacked," Bruce informed, trying not to let his emotions show. He clenched his jaw, pausing his search through Anastasia's bag. He didn't want to reveal much to Selina, not wanting her to meddle in his investigation. "By one of the Infected running around the streets. I don't know where they could be, but I hope retracing their steps can lead to some clues."

Selina frowned, letting out a shaky breath. "Goddamned Infected," she spat out, clenching her jaw as she avoided his gaze. "I've heard they tear their victims to shreds. They don't hold hostages."

"The working theory is that they were taken by someone else," he continued, clearing his throat. It was barely a theory, considering he didn't have all the clues he needed. But, it was the best he could come up with. "First, they were attacked. And, then someone came to help them and scared off the Infected."

"It would take a group of people to scare off an Infected," Selina mumbled, crossing her arms as she narrowed her eyes. He could see the anger that burned in her eyes. "So, someone kidnapped them?"

"Maybe," he said. "I hope not."

"Of course, they did," Selina spat out, throwing the purse back into the car. Her hands clenched into fists, pointing an accusing finger in his direction. "Anastasia Lovejoy-Wayne is a multi-millionairess married to a billionaire. She has a target painted on her back and someone probably followed her. Laura... Laura just got caught in the crossfire."

Bruce frowned, narrowing his eyes. "So, you're saying it's Ana's fault?"

"They wouldn't have been kidnapped otherwise!" Selina shouted, shaking her head at him. "So, now what? Do you have any leads?"

"The car was the lead," he said, facing the unconscious man. He would have to retrace Anastasia's steps, see who she spoke to that day and what she had been up to. It would reveal clues and hopefully, patterns that would lead him to someone that would want to take her and Laura. And, if they were kidnapped, there should be a ransom soon.

"I'll ask around," Selina whispered, sighing. "See if any of my buddies know anyone in the kidnapping business. Perhaps, I can figure out who took them."

Bruce nodded, deciding it wouldn't hurt if Selina was helping him. Still, he wanted to be careful with what he told her since she already knew too much about him. He had only known her for a short amount of time, unsure if he could trust her completely. "Perhaps, a ransom will be sent soon."

"And, you better pay whatever they're asking," Selina said.

"Of course," Bruce said, knowing he would do anything to get them back. "Whatever they ask, I'll have enough."

"Okay, I'm going to make some phone calls and turn in a few favors," Selina said, starting to walk away. She looked back, facing him with a solemn expression. "I'll let you know if I hear anything."

Bruce nodded again. "I'll patrol the city, and see if I can find them."

"I'll meet you sometime in the morning," Selina said, hugging herself to protect herself from the biting cold. The temperature dropped even further that night, seeping into Bruce's suit.

"At the manor?" Bruce suggested. "It'll be safe there."

"Okay, see you then." With that, Selina disappeared into the alleyway. However, she took Laura's purse with her before she left. It was Bruce alone with the cars and the unconscious man.

"Alfred," Bruce mumbled, knowing that he had been listening the whole time. "There's nothing in the car except their purses. The driver only found the car unlocked on the side of the road. He doesn't know what happened to them."

"I'm sorry, Bruce," Alfred replied.

He continued to look through Anastasia's purse, frowning when he pulled out a flask. It was still full, making him unscrew the top to take a whiff. Bourbon whiskey, the same drink she kept hidden in her closet. Bruce didn't approve of Anastasia's drinking, knowing they were interfering with her recovery. He would have to talk to her about her drinking problem, knowing there were better ways to cope. He set it down on the roof of the car, seeing if he could find anything else noteworthy in her purse. He frowned, pulling out a card. It didn't seem anything of consequence, staring at the name Elide Dean on the card. It was just an informational card about an art exhibit opening in December. It was probably just handed to Anastasia and she put it into her purse.

There was nothing else in the purse, causing Bruce to put everything back how he found it. He held it close, taking it to the Batmobile instead. He set it down on the passenger seat, wishing its owner was there too. After turning off and locking Laura's car, he began to head out. He took a seat in his own car, feeling the heat blast against the lower half of his face. He pulled out of the alleyway, putting in directions to the Stacked Deck instead.

"Alfred," Bruce called out again. "Have someone pick up Laura's car and drop it off at the manor."

"Right away," Alfred said, typing away at the computer before he heard a distant ping. He cleared his throat, letting out a heavy sigh. "What's your next move, sir?"

He held the crumpled paper in his hand, seeing the Stacked Deck's address and Erina's phone number. "I'm going to pay Erina Sato a visit."

♡

IT TOOK ME A LOT LONGER TO PUBLISH THIS CHAPTER THAN I WOULD HAVE LIKED and it's only here now because I decided to split up the chapters! I would rather split everything up than post a chapter that's more than 15,000 words. This way, I can think more of what I want to do since I haven't planned out this part of the book that much. So, I am winging it! But, I have future chapters planned out and I am so excited to share!

So, this is just a snippet of Bruce's POV and we'll see more of him soon! I have most of the next two chapters written, so hopefully they'll come out soon rather than later! But, no promises! Life has been kind of stressful. There was a bad storm here at the start of the month and that made work super busy because I work in a hotel. My power, luckily, didn't go out but my internet did for a little while. Then, I was sick for a few days but I recovered quickly! So, if this chapter is a whole mess, I am sorry but hopefully it'll be more interesting in the next chapter!

Writing mystery is hard because I have no idea what goes into actually solving a case, but I am going to take some inspiration from TV shows and replay Batman: Telltale soon to revive my memories and hopefully, spark more muse! I still hope you guys liked this chapter! A lot of stuff is coming up and I will try my best to keep chapters on the shorter end. But, expect long chapters to make appearances because I always end up hitting 10K words in these chapters (unless I split them up!). Also, my Selina Kyle fic should be posted at the end of act one for this book! AND, I hope to get more of my DC fics out soon too! Been feeling very inspired for the fandom these past few months!

AMARA.
[ PUBLISH DATE ━━ 11.17.2022 ]