THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS
xxiii. RIGHT WHERE YOU LEFT ME
❝I'LL BRING HER BACK HOME.❞

ALL ROADS LEAD BACK TO THE STACKED DECK, Bruce Wayne bitterly mused as he stood perched on top of the opposite building. Heavy rain hit his suit, causing the weight to drag him down. The wind howled, echoing in between the buildings as it caused his cape to follow in the same direction. It was close to two a.m. and the bar was closing early due to the worsening weather. He watched the two lone women still in the bar, one of them he recognized as Erina Sato. Just the woman he needed to speak to.

He dropped down, buckling his knees when his feet hit the pavement. Standing straight, he made his way toward the bar till he opened the door and felt the warm liquor-filled air hit him. The small bell rang above him as the dim lighting reached him, earning the attention of the two women.

"What the fuck?" the owner of the bar, Maggie, scoffed as she took a step back. In her hands, she held a mop while Erina had been helping put all the bar chairs up on the tables. They both stared at him, wide-eyed.

However, Erina was the first to recover from the initial shock. A playful smirk appeared upon her lips, setting down the wooden chair she had been holding. She placed a hand against her hip, raising a brow. "Just the man I wanted to see tonight."

Batman ignored her comment, taking a step inside the bar. He allowed the door to close, hearing it slam behind him from the wind outside. Water dripped from his suit and mixed with the mud covering his shoes, ruining the freshly-mopped floor much to Maggie's annoyance. "I need information," he began slowly, allowing the voice modifier to cause his tone to drop a few octaves, "on Anastasia Lovejoy-Wayne."

"Why?" Erina asked. Her tone had turned defensive, drifting away from the playful nature she had shown earlier. "She's a criminal now or what?"

He could only glare, feeling irritation set within himself. The owner sensed his shift in mood, growing uncomfortable as she cleared her throat to gain Erina's attention. She gestured toward one of the closed doors. "I suggest not talking here," Maggie mumbled, barely sparing him another glance. "I don't want anyone walking by to see him in here."

"Fine," Erina agreed, gesturing for him to follow. She led him downstairs into the concrete basement, earning a frown from him when he noticed the man tied up to a metal chair. His purple bruises and healing wounds stood out to Batman, causing him to look in Erina's direction as he waited for an explanation. She didn't give one, shaking the man awake instead.

He grumbled a few incoherent words, sniffling as he looked around the room before his eyes landed on Batman. "Holy fuck!" he screamed, eyes wide and awake as he struggled against the binds. "You brought the Bat here?!"

"See, he's alive. So, it's not a crime," Erina said, ignoring the man's distress as she focused on Batman instead. Well, holding someone hostage and torturing them was still a crime. However, he didn't say anything. She smiled, showing off her white teeth. "Don't mind Novak. I promise I was going to let him go. Just wanted him to suffer for a few more minutes."

Batman continued to stay silent, not wanting to comment on the situation without any context to why the man was being held hostage. After all, he had his own ways to get information out of people. And, sometimes, he knew he had gone too far but it was the price to pay as Batman.

Erina cleared her throat, noting his silence. "So, talk. What did you want to know?"

"What did she want with you?" Batman asked. He couldn't think of a reason why Anastasia would find herself here of all places, speaking to a known assassin and other associates of criminals. The only connection between the two women was Eric Sato. It was the only reason he could think why their paths would cross, but he wanted to hear it from Erina.

"What's it to you?" Erina asked, crossing her arms. She had always been a closed-off person, but Bruce knew her personally. Or, well, Batman knew her from the first year he had donned the suit. He had tried to help her, but her fear of Carmine Falcone kept her on the path of crime.

A heavy breath left his lips, trying to keep his composure. "Anastasia and Laura could have potentially been abducted or... murdered," he explained, causing Erina's face to drop as she let out a soft breath. Even Novak had quietened down, regarding them with skepticism. "I need you to cooperate."

"Look, I don't have anything to do with that," Erina blurted, shaking her head. "We were all supposed to meet back here a few hours ago. I didn't hear from them, but I didn't think much of it."

He believed her on that part, knowing it was unlikely she had been the one to drag them out on her own. Unless, she had done it with Novak. But, he was tied up and it didn't seem as if he had left the basement for a few hours. It was futile to come up with accusations yet. His best path to take was to gather as many clues as he could and try to piece together the puzzle. "So, what were all of you doing?"

"Following leads about my brother's whereabouts," Erina mumbled, sighing. A look of defeat came across her features, keeping her eyes low on the ground. For a moment, she was quiet as she scratched at her arm. A nervous tick that Anastasia had too, scratching at her skin when something was bothering her. "Anastasia said... She said you've been tracking him too?"

"Eric Sato," Batman clarified, nodding his head. "I was."

"Was?" She asked, mood immediately taking a turn for the worse as she stood straight. "Do you know where he is?"

He stared at her, unsure what he should reveal to the woman. "He's safe, for now."

"That's not good enough," Erina spat out, pointing an accusing finger in his direction. She had taken a few steps toward him, attempting to appear as a threat. But, he had easily bested her in a fight before. Albeit, his first time against her, she had managed to give him the slip and run. However, he had easily learned her strengths and weaknesses. She was still the same from when they had first met. "I want to know where he is!"

"That's all you're getting," Batman gritted out, narrowing his eyes. He stared down at her, staring at the anger that sparked in her dark eyes.

"Then, you won't get any more information out of me," Erina huffed, taking a step back as she turned her back to him. Her arms were still crossed, letting out a shaky breath as she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Batman, but I have never spoken to Anastasia Wayne or Laura Moretti in my life before."

A sigh left his lips, knowing Erina wasn't one to budge. Her stubbornness was something he remembered well from the time they had teamed up to take down Falcone three years ago. But, she had betrayed him instead and fallen back into Falcone's web. All the evidence they had gathered to put Falcone behind bars had been destroyed and the mob boss was allowed to walk free. Until recently, that is. Catwoman had broken into former Mayor Hill's office to steal a drive with all the evidence needed to put Falcone in Blackgate Penitentiary for the rest of his life. Despite knowing Erina had betrayed him in the past, he was willing to trust her now. And, he knew the woman was always willing to make a deal if it meant things would go her way. "Listen, I'll tell you everything you want to know about your brother," he began, earning her attention, "if you tell me everything you know about what Lovejoy and Moretti were up to before their disappearances."

"And, full immunity from any crimes I may be accused of up till now," Erina added, tilting her head. Her playful nature had returned, giving him a smirk. Her words caused Novak to roll his eyes, knowing that her current crime had been kidnapping and torturing him. "If you agree to that, then we have a deal."

He nodded. "You first, tell me what you know."

"I wasn't born yesterday, Batman," Erina scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You go first."

His jaw clenched, as did his fists. But, he did his best to control his festering anger. He understood Erina's skepticism to help him, considering she could still consider herself a criminal. "I managed to capture him, considering he was showing signs of the unknown infection spreading throughout the city. I needed a live subject to study the virus and figure out what's going on," he explained, noticing the range of emotions flickering on Erina's face. "I have him in a cryo chamber for now. It stopped his infection from spreading while I still look for a cure. As of right now, he is fine."

Erina frowned, shaking her head. "Is he awake? Does he know what's going on?"

Batman shook his head. "He's asleep. It's best this way." He waited for Erina to process the information, noticing the sadness that lingered on her face. In a way, he could understand her pain. It was the same way he felt about Anastasia. She was lost to him, someone he was desperately looking for. He cleared his throat. "It's your turn."

"It was a few weeks ago, Anastasia and Laura came to visit me at work ━━ the Over Easy diner," Erina started slowly, sighing. "They asked me if I knew where Eric was. I didn't... Then, they told me what had happened. They were after some important documents on his computer, but they found it broken. Even though they already had the computer, the two of them still wanted to find Eric. Said they were friends."

He nodded, listening. The documents that Anastasia had risked her life for, he had gone through them last night before she had woken up. It was hundreds (if not thousands) of documents filled with the horrors and illegal activities that had occurred at Arkham Asylum. Most of the files revolved around Patient Zero ━━ now known to the world as Charlotte Thornton-Lovejoy, dead wife of self-made millionaire William Lovejoy. Most of the files had been redacted, but he had managed to piece together some of the story on his own. Patient Zero, Charlotte, was born with blood infused with otherworldly DNA and... the Waynes and Arkhams had funded research into trying to figure out what power her DNA held. They had kidnapped children across Gotham and neighboring states to conduct their experiments, one of them being William Lovejoy ━━ orphaned heiress to Lovejoy Corp. Back then, Lovejoy Corp was nothing but a small string of vacation homes and apartment complexes. It wasn't anything on the same level as Wayne Enterprises, but they still took any flourishing business as competition. Bruce had been ashamed of his family, seeing a small glimpse of the horrors they had committed to be put on top. Nothing about his family surprised him anymore, knowing their corruption ran deep. But, he still felt guilty to know that his family had hurt Anastasia's in the past.

"So, we teamed up to find Eric," Erina continued to speak, shrugging her shoulders. "I was tasked with finding the last person that Eric spoke to. That person being Emmett Novak━━"

"━━that's me!" Novak grinned, waving his hand despite being tied to the metal chair.

Erina rolled her eyes. "It took me a while to find him, but all I needed to do was knock on the right doors. Turns out, he has a lot of enemies willing to rat him out. From there, it wasn't difficult to knock him out and drag him here." she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I interrogated him for a while before Ana and Laura showed up. But, he wouldn't say a word till she promised him five million dollars."

"And, I still expect to be paid," Novak added. "Dead or not, I will be collecting payment."

"Then, what happened?" Batman asked as he continued to ignore the chattering man like Erina. Instead, he wanted to know why the two of them were on Founders' Island and how they had run into one of the infected. He only had pieces of what had happened and to retrace Anastasia's steps, he needed the full story. "What were they doing on Founders' Island?"

"No, I won't tell you yet," Erina said, shaking her head. "I want to see my brother."

"No," he immediately shot down the idea, not wanting Erina anywhere near the Batcave. "That wasn't part of the deal."

She shrugged. "Then, you're getting nothing more out of me."

He frowned, knowing Erina wasn't one to bluff. "Fine," he grumbled, approaching Novak first as the man squirmed underneath his watchful glare. "But first, we're taking him to GCPD. Let the police take care of this."

"Sounds good to me," Erina said, chuckling at Novak's pale expression as he struggled against his restraints.

"No fucking way!" Novak spat out, glaring up at the two of them. His anger flared within the irises of his dark eyes, but neither Bruce nor Batman feared the man.

It took one punch from him to silence the man's shouts. Erina didn't have any sympathy, pulling a knife from her belt before tossing it to him. He caught it effortlessly, cutting the ropes that kept Novak tied to the chair. He lifted him over his shoulders, feeling the man's dead weight shift. He gestured for Erina to follow, watching her gather the remainder of her things into a backpack. They headed upstairs into the warm light, noticing Maggie who had finished cleaning the bar. It seemed as if she had been waiting for them to finish so she could close the bar and go home. She watched them leave.

Batman dropped Novak in the trunk of the Batmobile, knowing he would stay unconscious long enough for the drive to the GCPD. He looked up, seeing Erina had already taken a seat in the passenger seat to hide from the pouring rain. It hadn't let up, drenching his suit once more. He entered the car, starting it up before he began to make his way toward the precinct.

"So..." Erina began softly. "Why are you searching for Anastasia and Laura? Why not leave it to the GCPD?"

"It's related to the virus," he said, not wanting Erina to make any connections between him and Anastasia. "Like I said before, I've been looking into the attacks. I'm trying to protect Gotham."

"So, you think one of the Infected took them hostage?" Erina asked, raising a brow. She didn't look convinced, shaking her head. There had been a lot of speculation from the media about the attacks, but they still thought it was animal attacks causing the killings. At least, the GCPD and hospitals were somewhat on the right track but even they didn't know how to help someone in the early stages of infection. All they could do was make the victims comfortable before they succumbed to the virus. "Doesn't sound like them," she continued. "They usually just eat their victims."

He nodded, knowing it was unlikely they were being held hostage by the Infected. "Either it was a change of pattern from an Infected or they were taken by someone else," he said. "I need to know who could be making them a target and why."

"Maybe someone who wants the documents?" Erina suggested, turning to look at him instead of the street. He had considered the possibility, but he couldn't figure out who else would know they had them. They had stolen them from Doctor Rupert Franklin, but he was dead. Still, it was worth looking into. "It kind of makes sense? After all, there's a lot of information in those files that can put a lot of people behind bars."

"It's possible," he agreed, knowing that some doctors and scientists mentioned in the documents were still alive and continued to work at Arkham Asylum. "I need to retrace their steps, figure out who else could have known what they were up to. If this is a kidnapping, then it'll lead me straight to them."

Erina hummed. "This still feels like a job for the GCPD. Why do you care what happens to a few civilians? After all, so many others have already died in these attacks."

He stayed quiet, watching the station come into view. It was a busy night, most of the police cars were missing from their parking spots. He could only hope Gordon was still there. He parked in the alleyway next to the station. He looked at Erina, noticing her curious expression. "Wait here."

Batman stepped out of the car, taking Novak with him. He locked the car behind him, pressing another button as well that would fill the car with gas that would put Erina to sleep. He couldn't risk her figuring out where the Batcave was, so just blindfolding her was out of the question. He didn't want to take any risks. He continued toward the GCPD. However, he couldn't go through the front doors since the officers were more than likely to open fire on him. He grappled up onto the roof, holding onto Novak. Once he was there, he set Novak down on the ground. He clicked a few buttons on his gauntlet, waiting for the call to connect.

"Hello?" the familiar voice came through his earpiece.

"Gordon," Batman greeted, knowing the man would already know who it was from the blocked number calling him. "I'm on the roof at GCPD. We need to talk."

"I'll be there."

It was all Gordon said before the call disconnected. It was a few minutes of silence, the rain beating down on him as he waited. It left him with his thoughts, wondering if Anastasia and Laura were safe. If they were still alive. He heard a door open, glancing up to see Gordon making his way toward him.

"Batman..." he muttered, frowning when he noticed the unconscious man at his feet. His expression was one of wary, eyeing him suspiciously. "What is going on?"

"Emmett Novak," he muttered, looking down at the man. "I'm sure he has priors. Find a way to keep him locked up."

Gordon hummed, kneeling down to get a closer look at Novak. "I recognize him. He was one of Falcone's top men. He's had a warrant out for his arrest since I got that evidence from Bruce Wayne... of all people," He said, clicking his tongue. He stood again, wiping the rain that began to coat his glasses. "This is all you needed?"

"No," he said, standing straight as he gulped. He avoided Gordon's inquisitive gaze, staring at the skyline instead where he could see Wayne Tower and the Anastasia Hotel in the distance. "I'm looking into the disappearance of Anastasia Lovejoy-Wayne and Laura Moretti."

"What?" Gordon asked, frowning. "They haven't even been reported missing?"

"It only happened a few hours ago. I'm sure her husband doesn't know yet," Batman said, turning to look at Gordon as he handcuffed the unconscious Novak.

"Jesus," Gordon muttered, letting out a heavy sigh. He stood next to the wall, underneath the roof that arched over to shield himself from the rain. Reaching into his pocket, he found himself a cigarette and a lighter. It took him a few quiet moments to light it. He took a drag, shaking his head. "How'd you find out?"

"I was investigating one of the Infected," Batman lied, not wanting to tell Gordon he had tracked Anastasia's phone to the Charlotte Hotel. It was a lie that didn't affect Gordon's ability to conduct an investigation, so he didn't feel any regrets telling it. "The two of them were attacked by one, but I was there too late."

"Wait, they're dead?" Gordon asked. His eyes had widened, holding the cigarette close to his lips but not taking another drag quite yet. "I thought you said they were missing?"

"They have to be..." he said, not wanting to consider any other possibility. If Anastasia was truly dead, he wasn't sure what he would do with himself. He clenched his jaw, feeling his teeth grind against themselves as he pushed his emotions to the side. "The Infected leave behind corpses, bones at the very least. There was nothing there."

Gordon listened, nodding his head. "We have to consider the possibility that they themselves are infected now, too. It could be the reason there weren't bodies to find."

He frowned, not knowing what he would do if either Anastasia or Laura were infected. There was no cure yet. The virus turned its victims into bloodthirsty monsters, then they died a painful death when they succumbed to their own injuries. He would have to put them into the same cryo chambers, keep them in a frozen state till the antidote was created. "It's possible, but the infection isn't instant. They would still be themselves for some time before the virus takes over completely."

"We're still monitoring the infected people we've sent to Arkham Asylum, the only ones equipped to deal with this nonsense," Gordon muttered, shivering from the cold breeze. Signs of winter were fast approaching, fall was about to be a distant memory. "They're being closely monitored by their scientists and doctors, but it doesn't look good."

"I'm still working on a cure," Batman mentioned. He trusted Gordon, yes. But, the two of them had a strained relationship since the lieutenant didn't always agree with his methods. Still, the two of them had worked together multiple times over the past three years.

"As are they," Gordon said, nodding his head. He looked at the time displayed on his watch, letting out a heavy sigh. It was past three o'clock. "Alright, thanks for letting me know about all this. I'll wait till the morning, then I'll give Bruce Wayne a call and let him know about his wife. And, find a way to contact Ms. Moretti's family too. But, in case you find them, let me know. I'd rather avoid the phone calls."

Batman nodded, knowing it was him that Gordon would be calling in just a few hours. "I will."

Gordon turned around, attempting to pick Novak off the floor. "Oh, and Batman━━"

However, Batman had already left and was on his way back to the car. He dropped down into the alleyway, looking into the car where Erina was unconscious now. He opened the door, knowing the gas would have dissipated by now. It was a feature that he had never used before, but he was grateful to know it worked. Something to thank Lucius for. He began to drive toward the manor, making sure Erina stayed unconscious the whole time. She breathed softly with her head against the window, unmoving. Returning home was not a comfort to him, making the hole grow deeper within his chest. He parked, stepping out into the cold of the cave.

Alfred approached him slowly, frowning when he noticed the unconscious Erina Sato in his passenger seat. He recognized her, no doubt. "Master Bruce?" he started, confused. "What... What is going on?"

"It's Erina Sato," he informed, despite knowing Alfred was already aware. "She wanted to see her brother in exchange for information about Ana and Laura."

"Oh, alright..." Alfred mumbled, nodding his head. He looked around, unsure of what he should do in the meantime. "I'll head upstairs and call around, see if Anastasia and Laura have turned up at any of their friends' houses." Alfred headed toward the desk first, picking up the photograph of Anastasia and Bruce to make sure Erina wouldn't see it. He held it close to his chest, numbly heading toward the elevator.

Bruce watched Alfred leave. The longer Anastasia remained missing, the worse their worry became. Her chances of being found alive lessened as the seconds ticked by, causing him to feel sick. He moved toward the Batcomputer, deciding to work while he waited for Erina to wake up. He looked at the progress the Batcomputer had made to create a vaccine.

FAILED.

The words stared back at him, causing an exasperated sigh to leave his lips. But, he couldn't give up. He changed a few things in the code and restarted the process. In the meantime, he began to recreate the crime scene where Anastasia and Laura had been attacked. He watched the computer create holograms, allowing him to follow the sequence of events over and over again. He stopped for a moment, staring at Anastasia's hologram and the fear plastered on her expression. It was something the computer generated, but he could only assume it was what she had felt during the attack. The creature that had attacked them was something the computer couldn't render, staring at the strange blank humanoid hologram a few feet away. It was just blocks of white, forming the most likely shape this creature could have been. The infected people died before reaching this stage, so they were still in the dark about the true nature of this virus. But, these creatures were still out there and it was up to him to stop them.

After some time, a soft groan echoed throughout the cave and he turned off the hologram before he turned to look at Erina. He hadn't taken off his cowl, still dressed as Batman. Making his way to her, he noticed how pale her skin had gotten as she looked around the cave with drowsy eyes. She held her head, blinking. "I feel like a house fell on me."

"It's the drug wearing off," he said, watching as she made her way out of the car. The heat was still blasting, keeping her warm. She wobbled and he held his hands out to catch her, but she steadied herself.

"I'm fine," Erina mumbled, taking a few deep breaths as she leaned against the vehicle. She looked around the cave, curious. Her eyes lingered on the elevator that led up. It led upstairs into the manor, hidden behind a false wall. One that Anastasia had somehow never come across in all her years of living there. "So, this is where you live? I should have figured it would be a cave."

He didn't say anything about her comment, urging her to follow him instead. "I'll show you Eric."

Leading her to a small area of the cave to the left, he turned on the light to illuminate the path. The cryo chamber, itself, gave off a blue hue as it glowed. Erina hesitated but stepped closer when he nodded. She looked inside, placing a hand against the frosted glass. He couldn't see her face from where he stood a few feet behind her, but he could feel the sadness that radiated off the woman. It mimicked his own, knowing what loss felt like.

"You know he was four years old when I was taken..." Erina whispered softly, keeping her eyes focused on Eric's sleeping form. His skin had heavy scarring from the stems that grew out of him, something Bruce had done his best to remove. It still lingered in his brain, but the freezing temperatures kept the virus at bay. "Falcone stole my life from me. He tormented my father for years, then killed him when he was no longer useful. But, he kept me... like some kind of... some kind of pet."

Malice laced her voice, twisting around the whispers and showcasing her hidden rage. Her pain was hard to ignore, considering he knew what she had gone through. He had tried to help her many years ago, but she was in too deep. The only solution was to pull out the problem by the roots. And, that had happened with Falcone's death.

"He made me... eliminate... whoever was in his path. Made me into a monster, just like him," she whispered, sniffling as she wiped away the tears that streamed down her cheeks. Some of them landed on the cryo chamber as she leaned against it for support. "I was nothing more than another pawn in his sick game to gain more power and control over Gotham."

"Falcone is gone now, Erina," he reminded.

"But, the damage he's done will never be," Erina numbly said. A soft sigh left her lips, mourning the life she had stolen. "I watched Eric and my younger sister, Ella, grow up from a distance. I watched my mother remarry to a man named Mark who she worked with and have two more daughters, Marci and Melanie. I think they're named after his family members. They're sisters who I have never met."

"There is nothing stopping you from meeting them now," he reminded, causing her to steal a glance back at him. Her eyes were rimmed red, flowing with tears. "You can still be with your family."

She scoffed, shaking her head. "After everything I've done, I doubt they'd want anything to do with a monster like me."

He wasn't sure what to say, trying to think what Anastasia would say in a situation like this. She always had a kind heart, wanting the best for others. She would tell Erina that she still had her whole life in front of her and that a family's love was supposed to be unconditional. She would reassure Erina that her family would welcome her back with open arms, especially since Eric had spent most of his life searching for her. But, Batman didn't say any of that. He watched the other woman quietly, waiting for her to speak instead.

She cleared her throat. "A deal's a deal."

He nodded, again waiting for her to continue.

"Ana shared some of the documents with me, the ones that involved my father and Falcone," Erina started, pulling out her phone to look at the files. She showed him, flipping through them. "My father was locked up in Arkham and kept there for when Falcone needed him. He used me... to ensure my father would comply with his every request. But, in Arkham, he was subjected to the same experiments as Ana's parents, a less ineffective version of them."

"They continued the experiments," he mumbled, frowning as he looked through the files that Erina had. He had seen these when looking through the flash drive, but he had skimmed through most of them. There were thousands of files and most of them looked similar to one another. "But, it doesn't say who carried them out. All that information is redacted."

"I don't think Falcone was aware of the experiments," Erina confessed, shrugging her shoulders. She took the phone back, tucking it back into her coat pocket. "But, the experiments yielded no results. Nothing similar to what happened in the 60s and 70s with Ana's parents."

"Anastasia was aware of this fact?" he asked, wondering how deep Anastasia had looked into the documents. It was likely she had gone through most of them, considering she had a lot of time after returning home from the hospital. But, there was so much information that it was impossible to go through everything in such a short amount of time.

"Yeah, she must have been," Erina shrugged, not knowing for sure. "She told me she and Laura had gone to Arkham Asylum to learn more information about the experiments, meeting with some doctor. Blanking on the name, sorry."

"They went to Arkham Asylum?" he asked, frowning at the new information. "When?"

"Earlier in the day, I assume," Erina informed. It must have been after the board meeting, considering she and Laura had disappeared for hours. Her phone had been switched off for hours, until just fifteen minutes before she had potentially disappeared. He tried to create a clear timeline in his mind, but the details were still missing. "I only know what they chose to reveal as we were heading out of the Stacked Deck. Finding Eric was important to her, but so was figuring out what the experiments were about."

"And, she might have gotten herself and Laura killed," he said, speaking in a quiet voice as if they didn't want to wake up Eric. But, he couldn't hear them even if they had been shouting. His mind began to blame himself, knowing that none of this would have happened if he had only told Anastasia the truth. They could have figured this out together, but it was too late now. Anastasia... She could be gone.

Erina clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "No, there's a fire in that one. There's no way that Anastasia or Laura are dead," she said, still having hope. "I think someone involved with the experiments might have the motive to do something like this. But, it would be difficult to follow someone from Arkham Asylum to Laura's apartment... then to the Stacked Deck. Then, finally, following them to Founders' Island? Why wait so long? They could have easily been taken when they were at the apartment."

He frowned, considering Erina's theory. It was another likely series of events that could have occurred, leaving him with a possible list of people to look into. All the people involved with the experiments that were still alive could be considered prime suspects, considering they had the most to lose if the information was leaked. "But, what were they doing on Founders' Island? What lead were they following?"

"Well, she and Laura were tasked to find out when and where Eric had gotten infected. Novak said he had met Eric at a café, still lucid but barely," Erina explained, crossing her arms as she shivered. "But, I think Anastasia was looking for something else too. She wanted to know if the virus was connected to her parents and the Arkham experiments."

"It's a possibility," Bruce said, nodding his head. "But, there isn't anything concrete connecting it together yet. We can only go off theories and circumstantial evidence."

"From what I read, the Waynes and Arkhams ran those experiments," Erina reminded, shuddering as she shook her head. "So, I'd ask Bruce Wayne if he has any more secrets he's kept hidden from his wife and the public. I could never trust a rich man with questionable morals and a corrupted family line."

Batman nodded slowly, knowing that Bruce Wayne did look suspicious in all this. His family name was already connected to the mob and now the experiments, sources could say that the Prince of Gotham carried on his family's legacy. But, he didn't do anything about this until recently. And, Alfred only knew about their connections to Carmine Falcone. He knew nothing of the experiments or Arkham. Perhaps he could find something about the experiments somewhere in the depths of his grandfather's old locked-up study. But, it was unlikely.

"Though, the main purpose of the trip was to find the source of the infections," Erina pointed out, thinking of her own theories. "Maybe... Just maybe, they did find the source? And, that's why they're gone. It could prove worthwhile to figure out where this virus started, which could have something to do with the experiments. Or, something completely unrelated. Whether it's something natural... or if someone started it."

"Someone?" he mumbled, thinking about everything that had gone on in the past two months or so. Gotham had been turned upside down after the debate between Mayor Hamilton Hill and District Attorney Harvey Dent. It was where the Children of Arkham had made their presence known. "I've heard rumors that the Children of Arkham created the virus."

"It's very likely if I'm being honest," Erina agreed, nodding her head. "The first 'animal' attack did occur after the announcement at the debate where the Children of Arkham claimed they were going to cleanse Gotham."

He needed to rule out that Erina had any involvement with their disappearance, wanting to trust the woman. He believed most of what she was telling him, but a part of him still had his doubts. It could be possible she had begun working with the Children of Arkham, considering so was Catwoman before she realized. "So, what were you doing when they were on Founders' Island?"

"I was looking for Eric, searching his last known location which was his apartment. From what we've seen, despite being infected, the victims tend to return to their homes. It's as if some part of their brain is still working," Erina explained, looking back at the chamber as she placed her hand against the glass. "Now, I've found him."

"He can't leave," Batman said, knowing what Erina wanted to do. But, she would be ensuring his death if she took him out of the cryo chamber. "He's still infected. It'll get worse if we take him out. And, I still need him to create an antidote if we want to save the others."

Erina nodded, understanding. "How long do you think this will all take?"

"I don't know," he confessed, looking toward the Batcomputer that was running the vaccine protocol again. It was likely it would be another failure, but each test brought him one step closer. "Until I can create the cure, Eric stays here."

Erina sighed, chewing the inside of her cheek as she tapped her fingers against the glass. She knew better than to push for Eric's release, not wanting to see his infection get worse. "So, tell me what you found at the scene. What's your working theory on what happened to them?"

"Now, I know they were on Founders' Island looking for the source of the infection," he started, looking down at his gauntlet that displayed a hologram only visible to him through the cowl. "They must have been near the vicinity of the Charlotte Hotel, seen one of the Infected, and followed it inside."

"That's pretty stupid of them," Erina muttered.

"Well..." Batman sighed, knowing it was a dangerous and reckless move by the two of them. Cornering themselves with an erratic bloodthirsty creature had been the, for the lack of better words, stupidest thing they could have done. "The creature attacked. But, neither of the two nor the creature were there when I arrived. I'm not sure where they could have gone yet."

"Maybe they won?" Erina frowned, shaking her head. "Just got up and left. How can you be sure they're missing?"

"The evidence suggests otherwise," Batman countered, wishing that Erina's words were true. But, he knew better than to believe they were fine. He pressed a button on his gauntlet. In the near distance, the crime scene pulled up on the computer. He silently told Erina to follow him.. She looked at the recreation, standing in the middle of the hologram. He played the recreation, allowing Erina to watch what had happened. He pointed to the hologram wall. "All evidence leads to them being dragged into the wall."

"A false wall?" Erina suggested, staring at the blood stains leaning toward the wall.

"I thought so too," Batman said, staring at the same blood stains. The computer's recreation wasn't as graphic as what he had seen at the hotel. He knew he would need to close off the Charlotte Hotel as Bruce Wayne, make sure no one else would be able to enter the abandoned hotel. "But, there is nothing on the other side of the wall. It only leads outside."

"Well, then..." Erina hummed, pointing to how the blood was smeared on the floor. It was mostly all Laura's, considering she had the life-threatening injury. "This could be someone dragging them to move them out of the doorway. Then, they were picked up and taken out of the room."

"There weren't any other footprints at the scene," he pointed out, wondering how someone could have gotten in and out without leaving a trace.

"Criminals find a way," Erina added, shrugging her shoulders with a smile.

"I have limited leads on who could have done this," he said, pulling up profiles of people and organizations on the Batcomputer. Erina followed him, smirking when she saw a profile index made on her. However, he ignored her silent words and pulled up information about the Children of Arkham and Doctor Franklin and Doctor Radcliffe. "This was either a coordinated attack from the Children of Arkham, considering many sources believe they invented the virus. Or, someone linked to the experiments."

"Well, I don't think two old people pushing their eighties did this," Erina commented, humming as she looked at the profiles of the doctors. She noticed the words DECEASED next to Doctor Franklin's. "The only other lead I could suggest is Novak and the other men that worked for the Falcone family. They all know Anastasia and Bruce Wayne were in the room when Falcone was shot and killed. It could be retaliation."

"But, why bother with the Waynes?" Batman asked. "Why not go after the officer who killed him? Or the Children of Arkham who orchestrated all of this?"

"A good portion of Falcone's men disbanded after his death," Erina pointed out, crossing her arms. "Though, his family members are trying their best to regain control. Still, a lot of people cut their losses and ran. Others were arrested and thrown in jail, along with a few of Falcone's inner circle. Though... Several joined Penguin and the Children of Arkham."

Batman nodded slowly, seeing where the clues were starting to connect and a theory was beginning to form. Penguin, Oswald Cobblepot, had a personal vendetta against Bruce Wayne and his wife, Anastasia. He had already attempted to murder her at the debate, then had her drugged at the charity gala to reveal information about the experiments and tarnish the Wayne name further. The Children of Arkham were aware of the experiments, something Anastasia was getting dangerously close to. He wasn't sure how far the organization's reach went, considering their name suggested they had ties to Arkham Asylum. It was likely that they were facing only one enemy, the Children of Arkham, and they were behind everything that was going on.

"And, Penguin has been staying in Falcone's penthouse above the Skyline Club," Erina added, shrugging her shoulders as she watched the gears turn in his head. "Novak has some loose lips, considering he does work for Penguin now. He said they've been planning a hit on the Waynes. Perhaps, this was it?"

"If that's the case, then we have to assume the Children of Arkham are the source of the infection," he said, wondering where the COA could have gotten access to such a deadly virus. It was something otherworldly, considering the Batcomputer still had trouble identifying all the compounds in the virus as they remained ever-changing. "I'll have to give Penguin a visit then, question him."

"More like beat him till he gives you the answers you want," Erina corrected, smirking at him.

Batman didn't smile, staring at her with a grim expression. "I'll have to put you under again, drop you off at your apartment."

"What a gentleman," Erina chuckled, shaking her head. A heavy sigh left her lips, staring at the cryo chamber where her brother rested. "I'll keep an eye out, Batman. Ask around, see if anyone knows the whereabouts of Anastasia and Laura. Gotham's Princess going missing? It's bound to stir up some attention."

He nodded. "Thank you."

She smiled, nodding her head. "Give Penguin hell, alright?"

━━ ━━ ━━

SNEAKING INTO THE SKYLINE CLUB HAD BEEN A SIMPLE TASK, considering most of the guards were dozing off at their posts. He stuck to the shadows, making his way around the penthouse that now belonged to Oswald Cobblepot. Somehow, his name had been written all over Carmine Falcone's will. Something the Children of Arkham had orchestrated, no doubt. It wouldn't be long till the Falcone family's lawyers found a way to take everything back. But for now, everything belonged to Oswald Cobblepot. He entered the office through one of the open windows, noticing that Penguin was seated at the desk. He was oblivious to his presence, speaking to someone on the phone.

"It'll get done, mate," Cobblepot reassured with his feet on top of the desk, unbothered by the person's shouting on the other end of the line. It sounded like a woman, but it was difficult to tell from where he stood. But, he could hear the voice switching every so often. Either he was talking to more than one person or the person on the other end was using a voice scrambler. "Just a little more pressure. I've already put in an application and a glowing letter of recommendation. The job will be mine in no time."

For a moment, Cobblepot had gone silent as he listened to the person on the other end of the call. His frustration was clear on his features, clenching his fists.

"Falcone and Hill have already been taken care of," Cobblepot recalled, huffing as he rolled his eyes. He picked up a photograph sitting on the desk, a picture of the Waynes with X's drawn over their eyes. "It's just the Waynes in our path now. Kill the wife first, she's the one appointed as CEO of Wayne Enterprises and Lovejoy Corp. Then, we'll go after dear ol' Brucie."

Again, the person on the phone snapped at him and he sighed.

"It won't be long till they're out of the equation. They're crumbling," Cobblepot said, grinning to himself. "Don't worry, mate. It'll all work out."

Batman had heard enough, stepping out of the shadows to approach Penguin. His footsteps shook the room, earning the oblivious man's attention. A frightened gasp left Cobblepot's lips, scrambling to his feet as the chair fell back. He tried to reach for something in his desk, but Batman had been faster. He grabbed Cobblepot by the throat and slammed him into the desk. Next, he ripped the phone out of his hand and crumbled it to pieces.

"Batman!" Cobblepot cried out, chuckling awkwardly despite the fear that lingered in his tone. Penguin's attempts to pry Batman's hand off his throat only caused him to tighten his grasp. "What another terrifying entrance! Have you tried a career in theater?"

"Talk, Penguin," he gritted out, lifting him off the table to dangle him in the air by his throat. "Or, I'll break every bone in your body one by one."

Another round of nervous laughter left his lips, face turning red from the lack of oxygen. Batman loosened his grip, but barely. "Talk about what?"

"The Waynes," he spat out, shaking the man. The time he had with Cobblepot was limited, considering it wouldn't be long till someone came looking because of the noise. But, a few minutes was all he needed. "What do you and the Children of Arkham want with them?"

"I have no association with the Children of Arkham!" Penguin lied, causing Batman to clench his jaw as his teeth ground together. "But, I'm sure all of Gotham will find out sooner or later. You, too, will have to wait and see, Batman!"

Batman didn't like that answer, throwing him across the room. He landed on a coffee table, the glass breaking underneath the impact of his weight. A shaky breath left Penguin's lips, attempting to collect his bearings as Batman began to approach. He towered over the man, noticing the blood that began to stain Penguin's suit and skin. "Where is Anastasia Wayne?"

The expression on Cobblepot's face caused Batman to falter for the briefest moment, glaring down at the man as he waited for him to speak. "What the hell are you asking me for, mate?" he scoffed, brushing off the glass. "She's probably cuddled up with her husband Bruce Wayne in that fancy manor of theirs!"

His nose flared, earning a carnal noise from the back of his throat as he pinned Cobblepot to the ground with his fist raised. All he could think about was how Penguin had terrorized him and his wife for the past few months. For a moment, the line between Batman and Bruce Wayne blurred. His anger took hold of him, remembering the pain he had felt when he had held a dying Anastasia in his arms. He remembered hearing her sobs, clutching at the newfound injuries caused by the man underneath him. And, if that wasn't bad enough, Cobblepot had snuck into his home, terrorized his wife, and drugged her. And, now this?

He punched the man hard, watching as his skin erupted crimson and blood began to stream from his nose. "Where is she?"

"I don't know!" Cobblepot shouted, struggling against him as a newfound fear engulfed him.

It earned him another punch to the face, causing a deep cut to appear in his right cheek. Penguin's blood dripped from his glove, but he didn't care. He narrowed his eyes. "She was taken a few hours ago," he snarled. "You and the Children of Arkham have the motive!"

"Look, Batman..." he mumbled slowly, words slurring together as he coughed up the blood that pooled in his mouth. "I didn't take her, I swear." Penguin began to chuckle darkly, noticing the angry look on his face. "I do wish I did though. I've been wanting to put a bullet into her head for a while now."

His jaw clenched again, making it feel as if his teeth would crack underneath the pressure. He punched Cobblepot, feeling the impact of his bones underneath his fist. Then, again and again till all he saw was red as the man groaned underneath him. Cobblepot was close to losing consciousness, moving his head left and right as he struggled to make sense of what was happening. "One last chance, Cobblepot. Where is she?" Batman said, lifting him off the ground as he glared. "Who are you working for? Where are they keeping her?"

"Honest to God, I don't know," he mumbled softly, spitting a mixture of saliva and blood toward his face. He missed, but it still hit Bruce's suit. His eyes began to roll back, but he still continued to speak. "You ain't getting nothing out of me, but I hope she's dead. It saves me the trouble of killing her myself."

One last punch to the face had knocked Cobblepot out cold. He looked almost unrecognizable, covered in heavy bruises and bleeding cuts. But, Bruce couldn't bring himself to feel guilty. He stood to his feet, seething as he began to dig through his desk for any useful information. He pocketed Cobblepot's shattered phone, considering he might be able to trace down the leader of the COA. His desk yielded no results except for a pristine resume that highlighted Cobblepot's extensive career and impressive marks during his college years. All lies. Bruce had seen his record, knowing that he lived a life of crime during his time in London. A frown appeared upon his lips, hearing Penguin's men on the other side of the door. His time was up.

He didn't stick around for long, slipping out of the same window he had come in through. His breaths were heavy, erratic. Unable to catch his breath as he ripped open the door of the Batmobile and took a seat inside, taking shelter from the pouring rain. It had been raining for hours now, with no sign of letting up. His hands shook, but he attempted to hold the steering wheel. He had lost control, something he knew deep down. But, he tried to justify it. Penguin deserved it for everything he had done. He deserved much worse. And, he was still alive. Batman didn't kill him. Even if... Perhaps... Penguin did deserve it. No, he couldn't think like that. It would undo everything he had worked so hard to create. Batman couldn't lose control, not now, not ever. It reminded Bruce of his first year as Batman, remembering the rage he felt. He couldn't allow himself to be that person again.

"Master Bruce?" Alfred's voice came through the earpiece, making Bruce frown. His guardian had heard every word of the confrontation, having been there with him through the call. "Are you... Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Alfred," Bruce said numbly, pulling out of the alleyway as he began to drive down the street.

"Are you sure?"

"I said I'm fine!" Bruce spat out, tightening his grip on the steering wheel as he watched the sun begin to rise against the horizon. He let out a heavy breath, biting the inside of his cheek till he drew blood. "I'm coming home."

It didn't take long for Bruce to reach the manor, parking his car in the Batcave. He ripped off his cowl, throwing it across the room as his fists clenched. His anger had only increased tenfold during the drive home, considering the lead had gone nowhere. Penguin didn't know anything. And, if he did, he was willing to die for it. Which Bruce doubted Penguin would do, knowing the man only cared about his gain. Perhaps, he needed to look deeper into the Children of Arkham and find someone with higher clearance than Penguin. Someone had to know the truth.

Alfred appeared by his side, holding the cowl in his hands. "Master Bruce?"

"She's gone, Alfred..." Bruce breathed out, shaking his head. He closed his eyes, taking in a sharp breath as he tried to control his emotions. "I barely have any concrete leads. She's just... disappeared... into thin air."

"We will find her, Bruce," Alfred reassured softly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Have faith."

Bruce could feel his throat close, unable to say a word as he let out a shaky breath. His hands shook, but it was difficult to tell with the heavy gloves covering his hands. The Batsuit felt suffocating, caving in on him. "I can't track down a ghost," he whispered. "All my leads so far have gone nowhere."

"Catwoman and Miss Sato are still looking. Perhaps, they might uncover something," Alfred reminded, trying to remain strong for the both of them. Despite how well Bruce usually kept himself composed, there was no doubt that he loved Anastasia very much. Her disappearance was taking a toll even he couldn't understand. "And, we can still retrace Anastasia's steps throughout the day. We still need to figure out what she was doing at Arkham Asylum with Miss Moretti."

"That, or we wait for a ransom," Bruce added, finally gaining some control of his emotions. He knew Alfred was right, considering there were still leads to follow. He just... He just hoped they had already found her by now. He took off his gloves, ignoring the blood that had dried on them. He remembered Penguin's words, hoping for Anastasia to be dead. It was a possibility he didn't want to think of. "She can't be dead, Alfred. I... I don't know what I'll do without her."

"Do not lose hope, Bruce," Alfred comforted, pulling him into a tight hug. He gently patted Bruce's back, almost seeing a glimpse of an eight-year-old Bruce who had just lost his parents. His sorrow wasn't one he could hide, at least not from Alfred. "We'll find both her and Ms. Moretti. I know it."

Bruce nodded, allowing himself to hope that everything will be alright. He would find Anastasia and Laura, after all it was what he did as Batman. He would save them and bring them home. Then, he would finally create a vaccine for the virus and put an end to the Children of Arkham. He could do it. Gotham relied on him. Anastasia relied on him.

Something caught his eye, frowning when he stared at the Batcomputer. "Alfred..." he said softly, pulling himself out of the older man's embrace. He watched as a notification blinked on the screen. "There's a message?"

He walked toward the computer, Alfred following close behind. He clicked on the notification, pulling up the unread message from an unknown Gotham phone number. It had been delivered to his cell phone, but there wasn't a timestamp as to when it had been sent. He opened it, listening to the static that came through till a familiar voice sounded.

"Bruce..."

It was Anastasia's voice coming through the speakers, causing a soft breath to leave his lips. A daunting weight had lifted off his shoulders, causing some of the pain in his heart to dissipate. He hadn't realized she had tried to call him. But, his phone hadn't rung and there was no missed call notification. The voice message wasn't long, only a few short minutes. For now, all they could hear was static.

"I'm still here, my love."

"My God..." Alfred whispered staring up at the screen as static filled the air again. It was a sharp sound, almost as if it was someone silently screaming into the microphone. It earned an ache deep within his ears. "She's alive, Bruce."

Her voice continued to come through the static, but it was barely audible. He turned the volume to its highest setting, not caring if the static was hurting their ears. "I know I've kept a lot of secrets... wanted to protect you..." Her voice came through scattered, static mixing with her sobbing. He typed away at the computer, trying to trace where the call had come from. Her crying caused the pain to return, making him type faster as he ran the program. "I deserve to be here," Anastasia continued, making him frown. There was too much interference, and most of her message had been lost. But, some words continued to come through. "I need to find Laura. I need to find a way out of here."

"Where could she be?" Alfred asked, shaking his head. His hands had begun to tremble, but he did his best to hide it as he clasped his hands behind his back.

"Please, don't give up on me," Anastasia pleaded, earning a tug from Bruce's heart. She was in trouble, yet he had no idea how to help her. But, he knew he would never give up on her. He would never stop looking, not until she was home safe. "I'll find my way back to you. I promise. I'll be home soon."

The message ended, causing the cave to settle into an uncomfortable silence. He held his head in his hands, leaning against the dashboard of the computer. He couldn't breathe, feeling his eyes burn.

"She is alive, Bruce," Alfred reminded, placing a hand on his shoulder. It didn't provide comfort, considering Anastasia was still out there. She was in danger and he still wasn't any closer to finding her.

"But, where is she, Alfred?" Bruce asked numbly, watching as the Batcomputer relayed all the information it could figure out back to him.

It said the message had come from somewhere in the heart of Gotham, but it said the year it had originated from was 1987. He sighed, realizing whoever had sent him the message had messaged with the file. Someone must have taken her, this was proof enough. A part of him wondered if the message was real, considering it would be easy to manipulate the sound bytes from interviews Anastasia had given over the years. Especially during the marketing tour when dozens of brand-new Lovejoy hotels had opened all over the world. She had been at the grand opening for each one, giving an interview with it. Someone could have easily fabricated the message, but Bruce had to believe the message was real. His Anastasia was still alive. And, it was up to him to save her.

He clenched his fists, narrowing his eyes at the computer. The message didn't reveal any new information, but it told him that Anastasia was still alive. That was all that mattered to him. "I'm not giving up on her," Bruce whispered, mostly to himself. Alfred turned to look at him, offering a warm smile. "I'll find her and bring her home."

♡

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT IS DECEMBER ALREADY? The year is flying by and the new year is going to come before we know it! For a while, we were in the same season as this book but not anymore because I write too slow, haha. It is still October in the book, but that's okay! I have been adding a lot of new stuff to the plot as I outline and I am so excited to share it with you guys. But, updates may be a little slow since there's a lot of stuff going on at work and my schedule might change to nights. Most likely, it will so I won't be writing at my usual time which is at night. But, I'll make due! Just have to get used to it at first.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Bruce's point of view is always so diffcult to write if I am being honest. He's a complex character and I feel like I am not doing him justice. But, I am trying my best and hope you guys are enjoying! We saw Erina, Gordon, and Penguin in this chapter! Bruce is still not getting any closer to finding out where Anastasia is, sadly. :( But, they should be reunited... soon.

This chapter started out around 3000 words when I finished the first draft, now it's over 10,000 words as the final version. Still not super proud of it, but it's good enough for now! I might come back and make some changes. The whole Penguin scene could have been expanded, but I was blanking when I was writing tbh! I did enjoy writing Erina's scenes and I miss her book. Soon, I will work on her book too! But first, I need to finish this one. It's hard to work on more than one book at a time. But, I do love Erina and Eric. Their stories will be written soon, and Anastasia makes an apperance in that book too. Though, she will be more of an ex-girlfriend in that book haha. Bruce and Ana remain canon in my mind.

But, anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! The next one will be in Ana's point of view again! I am so excited to write her adventures in the demon dimension, haha.

AMARA.
[ PUBLISH DATE ━━ 12.09.2022 ]