THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS
xxv. THE LONG HALLOWEEN
❝ARE YOU GIVING UP?❞

WORD ABOUT THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ANASTASIA LOVEJOY-WAYNE HAD SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE and the prime suspect was none other than her loving husband, Bruce Wayne. His eyes burned into the computer monitor, watching as all news media accused him of murdering his own wife. It had been close to two weeks since Anastasia and Laura Moretti had gone missing. The date was October 31st, Halloween. He had exhausted every lead, every theory and was left with only dead ends.

Searching through Anastasia's phone had been his first task. Through it, he had learned what they had been doing at Arkham Asylum on the day of their disappearance. Bruce had visited and spoken to the warden, a haughty man named Quincy Sharp. He wanted to speak with the same doctor that his wife had been tracking, Arthur Radcliffe, but he was out on vacation with no return date. It had been a dead end, considering the warden revealed nothing but complaints about how his wife and her friend had posed as college students and snuck into a closed-off part of the Asylum. Then, he had threatened to press charges but his threats amounted to nothing. Later that night, he had visited as Batman and searched the underground lab but there was nothing of consequence. Someone had scrubbed the place clean of evidence. On her phone, he had also found photographs she had snapped of the Infected they had followed into the Charlotte hotel. The timestamps in the photo's data helped to create a more accurate timeline, but provided nothing else.

Next, he had focused his efforts on Penguin and the Children of Arkham. Again, he had learned nothing worthwhile. They were the most likely suspects, considering the rumor was that they had been the ones to start the virus spreading throughout Gotham. And, previously, they had tried to kill Anastasia at the debate and they had targeted her at the charity gala two weeks ago. The Children of Arkham wanted to end corruption in Gotham and it was no secret they were targeting the Waynes after they had already taken out Carmine Falcone and Hamilton Hill. But, there was no further evidence that linked them to Anastasia and Laura. Either they were good at hiding their tracks or they hadn't done it. Still, Bruce kept a close eye. He was able to use Cobblepot's broken phone to establish a connection into their communication line. So far, the chatter was to a minimum.

Despite the dead ends, he had the help of Selina Kyle and Erina Sato as they searched endlessly throughout Gotham with their connections. But, they came back with nothing. No one knew much about the disappearances, more so shocked that someone had been able to abduct them so easily. The GCPD had gotten involved, launching an investigation. Lieutenant Jim Gordon kept Batman in the loop, telling the vigilante things he wouldn't tell Bruce Wayne. Along with the media, the lead detective of the case, Rafe Gideon, had pinned the disappearance on the husband. Gordon had reassured Batman that they were still looking into the Infected attack, but the evidence was thinning. It seemed there was more evidence of a murderous husband than an Infected attack. Bruce chalked it up to the bad reputation he already had with the media, portraying him just as his late father. However, there was still no warrant out for his arrest and he did have Gordon on his side... for now.

Bruce had hoped to receive another message from Anastasia, anything to prove she was still alive. He could only replay her old message so many times, trying to find any kind of clue of where she was being held. But, the audio was corrupted. He continued to wait, but all he received was radio silence.

"Master Bruce?"

Bruce frowned, looking back to see Alfred standing a few feet behind him with a tray of breakfast and tea. He hadn't heard Alfred come down the elevator, if he was being honest. "I'm not hungry," he mumbled, returning his attention to the computer. "I need to work."

"Bruce..." Alfred sighed, setting the tray down beside him. Steam rose from the tea, drifting in the air for a few moments before disappearing. His eyes focused on Alfred, taking in his sunken features and pale skin. "You need to eat, keep up your strength. Lady Anastasia would worry if she saw you like this."

"She isn't here to see me like this," Bruce muttered, typing at his computer as new communication logs between the Children of Arkham's command posts came in. They had set up hidden bases throughout the city, but none had put any plans in action. He had visited one of the bases, watching how they used other legitimate activist groups as a front. Only their communication ran through the groups, none of the COA members were present. He couldn't take any further action yet.

Alfred cleared his throat. "Miss Moretti's family arrived in Gotham from Seattle last night."

It earned a sigh from Bruce. He was fully aware of how the Morettis saw the disappearance, accusing the Waynes as the reason why their daughter was missing. Bruce had only spoken to Laura's younger sister, Emilia, over the phone. She had been volatile, screaming at him. Bruce understood. He wished he had someone to blame, someone to shout at. The only person that came to mind was Anastasia. And then, himself. If she had only told him the truth, he could have helped her. She wouldn't have dragged herself and Laura into a dangerous situation alone. But, he knew the reason she did not come to him. The secrets he held, the Batman, was something that came between them, whether Anastasia was aware or not. Ultimately, he could only blame himself too. It was all his fault.

"I received a call last night from Emilia while you were out on patrol," Alfred continued to speak when Bruce remained silent, clasping his hands behind his back as he stared up at the news article on one of the monitors. WIFE OF BILLIONAIRE BRUCE WAYNE STILL MISSING, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIRST SEVENTY-TWO HOURS. Even in her disappearance, they didn't dare say her name. It was still his name that was brought up, one could make the mistake that he was the one who had gone missing. "She wanted to have a meeting with you, considering Laura disappeared during a work trip."

"I'm sure they do," Bruce muttered, leaning back in his seat. He felt empty, being drained of any emotion during the past restless two weeks. His hopes of finding them alive were starting to... dwindle. It was a thought he didn't want to face, but it was the only logical conclusion Batman could come to. "I can't face them right now. I don't have anything to say."

"Of course," Alfred said, nodding his head. "I will push any request for a meeting."

Silence filled the Batcave, both men deep in thought. Bruce couldn't understand where they could have gone, having searched most of Gotham himself. If anything, there should have been a ransom sent to his door or... their corpses would have shown up by now. It was truly as if they had disappeared into thin air.

"I would have expected a ransom by now," Bruce commented. He didn't dare voice the second notion to Alfred, knowing that mentioning Anastasia's potential death would earn him a scolding. Again. It was something Alfred didn't even want to think about, saying it out loud was another story. But, it was the only thing on Bruce's mind.

"I would have too," Alfred replied, nodding his head. "Unless someone has more ulterior motives than money. But, this is Anastasia we're talking about. She isn't involved in anything... dangerous. She doesn't have any enemies."

Unlike Bruce Wayne and Batman, something both of them were thinking.

"The only leads I still have are the Children of Arkham and the origin of the documents," Bruce added, pulling up the documents Anastasia had gone to great lengths for. Thousands of documents that would ruin a lot of lives, some still alive and thriving in Gotham. If word had gotten out that Anastasia had it in her possession, she would have been the target of countless people. "It's the only thing Anastasia was doing in secret."

"But, no one could have known Anastasia had those documents," Alfred reminded, thinking of possible leads to draw from the information they had. "The only people who could have possibly known are Laura, Mr. Sato━━"

Who was still in cryogenic sleep, Bruce thought as he spared a glance toward the glowing ice chamber. The virus was continuing to spread, but slowly. Eric may not have a lot of time left, but Bruce wasn't any closer to creating an antidote.

"━━his sister, Erina, and perhaps, the doctors at Arkham who were in charge of the experiments," Alfred continued, letting out a heavy sigh. "It is possible the Children of Arkham are aware of and searching for these documents as well, considering the documents seem to hold every nasty thing anyone did in Gotham over the last century or so."

It was an exaggeration, but it was still a fair assumption to make that the Children of Arkham were after these documents. It would support their cause, exposing every wrongdoer in Gotham. There were three main doctors listed in the experiments: Hugo Strange, Rupert Franklin and Arthur Radcliffe. The first doctor, Rupert Franklin, was someone Anastasia met with. He had lost his mind that same day, causing fatal stab wounds to himself. She had met with Arthur Radcliffe and now, he was nowhere to be found. It left Hugo Strange, but he was someone elusive. He still worked at Arkham, but said he had no part in any illegal experiments. It was a lie, but one Bruce Wayne couldn't point out without admitting to having the documents.

"It is very unlikely the Children of Arkham is taking the side of the doctors in charge of the experiments," Bruce pointed out, typing away at the computer. On one screen, there was everything they knew about the Children of Arkham. On the other, everything they knew about the experiments was displayed. "The main goal of the Children of Arkham is to expose the corruption of Gotham. The experiments in the 60s and 70s are an example of that corruption. They tried to use Anastasia during the charity gala to expose that corruption."

"Perhaps, we should look deeper into the victims. It may lead us directly to the Children of Arkham's leader," Alfred suggested, watching as Bruce pulled up a list of victims. Most had died in the experiments, unable to handle the doses they were given. Some were let go after the experiments failed, considering Patient Zero, Charlotte Thornton, and Patient One, William Lovejoy, had disappeared without a trace. The experiments involved taking samples of Charlotte's blood and administering it to the other patients, but why? What were they trying to do with it? Bruce wasn't sure, considering most of the information in the documents was redacted.

"It's still difficult to believe Anastasia's parents were a part of this," Bruce said, folding his hands together as he stared up at the screen. It was difficult to believe that his own family, the Waynes, funded the experiments and continued them for years till they shut them down. His family's corruption ran deep, deeper than he could have ever imagined.

"Though, it would be an outrageous turn of events if William Lovejoy turned out to be the leader of the Children of Arkham," Alfred muttered, staring at the picture of young William on the screen. He would have been in his late teens, barely old enough to be an adult. Staring at the photograph of Charlotte, it made Bruce realize how similar Anastasia looked to her mother. They had the same eyes. However, he had always seen Anastasia's eyes soft while Charlotte's gaze was hardened by what she had endured.

"He's dead, Alfred," Bruce muttered, shaking his head at the dark memories. He didn't want to think of the man that tormented his wife for years. William Lovejoy was a monster and everything that happened to him was well-deserved.

"And to think he wanted to kill you, Bruce." Alfred's tone was bitter, still angry after all the years that had passed. It was something they rarely mentioned, considering the memories no longer existed in Anastasia's mind. Bruce didn't want to trigger those memories, knowing they would bring nothing but turmoil to his wife. "We should consider it a miracle Lady Anastasia loved you more than she feared her father. Or you may not be here right now."

"I never doubted Ana," Bruce whispered, frowning when he noticed more communication coming in from the Children of Arkham's command posts. But, nothing worthwhile other than mindless chatter. He wasn't interested in listening to what everyone wanted for lunch. He looked at Alfred, sighing. "She made the right decision in the end."

"If only she remembered," Alfred said, shaking his head.

Bruce cleared his throat. He wasn't sure if Anastasia remembering her traumatic past would do her any good. If anything, she was happier with her memories gone. She didn't have anything holding her down or anyone to fear. He had seen her genuinely happy and he didn't want her to lose that. "Doctor Radcliffe has been missing," he changed the topic, not wanting to dwell on the distant past. "It is possible he could have planned the abduction. Though, it would mean the virus and creatures are tied to the experiments. But, we can only link the virus to the Children of Arkham. There must be some evidence we're missing."

"Possible theory, but the man is pushing his 80s," Alfred reminded, shaking his head as he looked at the Arkham ID of the doctor on screen. "Anastasia and Laura, even in their injured states, could have easily overpowered him."

"But, not an Infected," Bruce commented, knowing they had been unable to fight off the Infected that had attacked them. But, there was still no sign of them or the Infected person.

"If we can prove Doctor Radcliffe had access to and could control an Infected, then it is a valid theory," Alfred agreed, nodding his head. Bruce jotted down their notes, wanting to make sure they had every line of thought tracked and covered. He didn't want to miss any clues.

"We won't know for sure till we find him," Bruce said, knowing he already had systems in place to track him down. If he was still in Gotham, Bruce would find him. "As for the Children of Arkham theory, they have every motive to take Anastasia. Penguin already has plans to kill her then me. Revenge, I suppose for him. But, the leader wants to cure corruption. To them, we are the corruption."

"But, no actual evidence yet," Alfred sighed. It was their main working theory, but the Children of Arkham continued to evade Batman and the private military Mayor Dent had deployed all over the city. They were smart, much smarter than someone like Penguin.

"Perhaps, a meeting with their leader will reveal more answers," Bruce pointed out, knowing that going to Penguin revealed no answers. He would have to go to someone working above him, especially the leader of the Children of Arkham. But, it was difficult to track someone whose identity was hidden. They could hide in plain sight, could be someone he had come across. There were endless possibilities.

"The only one who has been able to arrange a meeting with the leader is... Vicki Vale from the Gotham Gazette," Alfred commented, recalling the few articles Vale had posted over the course of the last two weeks.

"Then, I meet with Vicki first," Bruce stated, nodding his head. "Find out what she knows, where she met with the Children of Arkham."

Alfred hummed. "Are you thinking of going as Bruce Wayne or... Batman?"

"Batman will be the best approach," Bruce said, pulling up Vale's articles from the past few weeks. The Gazette was one of the news outlets accusing him of allegedly murdering Anastasia too, but so far Vale hadn't written anything regarding it. "It wouldn't make sense why Bruce Wayne is looking for the Children of Arkham when he should be focused on his wife's disappearance."

"Yes, that is true," Alfred agreed, nodding his head. It wasn't any easier talking about Anastasia's disappearance. The manor had grown cold without her presence, Bruce had noticed. He hadn't slept in their room since she had disappeared, nor had he touched any of her things. He wanted everything exactly the way she had left it.  "We'll set up a meeting between Batman and Miss Vale," Alfred continued, earning Bruce's attention again. "Oh, and do not forget that you're supposed to meet with Miss Kyle at five o'clock."

"I remember," Bruce said. He sighed, standing to his feet. "I should get ready, have to go down to the office."

"At least have breakfast first, Master Bruce," Alfred said, trying to stop him from going any further.

Bruce shook his head, looking down at the watch around his wrist. "I'm not hungry, Al," he mumbled. "I have to go."

━━ ━━ ━━

THE CROWD OF JOURNALISTS NEVER FALTERED, Bruce noticed as he avoided the constant flashes and endless questions buzzing in his ears. Just as all the other days, Bruce ignored them as he walked up the stairs toward the building. The security guards at the entrance gave him a snide look as they held the door open, but Bruce ignored them too. He walked through the building's lobby, acutely aware of how everyone began to speak in hushed tones as he passed by.

At the elevators, he found Lucius Fox ━━ one of the first he had trusted with the secret of Batman. He was one of Bruce's closest friends and strongest allies. And, even he worked tirelessly to help Bruce find his missing wife.

"Mr. Wayne, Happy Halloween," Lucius greeted solemnly, nodding his head. The elevator doors opened, allowing them to step inside and have a moment of privacy from curious eyes. He pressed the button to the top floor, sparing Bruce another glance. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," Bruce responded. He kept his eyes up, watching as the numbers on the digital dial went up with the elevator. Looks of pity were starting to become common, even from the people closest to him.

Lucius cleared his throat. "Any news on Anastasia?"

Bruce shook his head, clenching his jaw as he took in a sharp breath. As each day passed, it was difficult to hear her name and how some people accidentally had started to refer to his wife in the past tense. "I'm still tracking the Children of Arkham and Doctor Radcliffe," he informed. "But, nothing else other than that."

"We'll find them," Lucius reassured, reaching out to place a gentle hand on his shoulder. It didn't stay there long, only for a few moments before its presence disappeared. "The drones are still surveying Gotham, covering all of Gotham in just ten minutes. They'll pick up the first sign of either Anastasia or Laura."

"Good," Bruce said, nodding. He was grateful to have Lucius' help, knowing the two of them could get a lot more done than the GCPD combined. "And, what about the underground drones? Are they still roaming the sewers?"

"The drones are working as expected," Lucius said, pulling his phone out of his pocket to review the data the drones had collected. He frowned, clicking his tongue as he showed some errors to Bruce. "However, there is a lot of inference the underground drones are picking up. Some kind of anomaly."

Bruce stared at the phone, noticing the footage the drones had picked up in the darkness of the sewers. It moved too fast, pushing around a lot of water to where the drone had been unable to capture a clear image. "You think it can be related to the Infected?"

"Perhaps..." Lucius mumbled, shrugging his shoulders as he continued to stare at the footage. "It moves too fast, some kind of creature. But, the camera didn't pick up any of the clicking noises they make."

Bruce hummed, wishing something would go in their favor but they were running into dead ends at every turn. "Must be some wild animal that's setting off the sensors then," he said, knowing animals found themselves trapped in the sewer system sometimes. "Has it picked up anything else?"

"Some kind of maze down in the heart of Gotham," Lucius confessed, opening up the map created by the ground-penetrating radar. It looked to be a labyrinth deep underneath the ground, but the radar could have easily picked up a ventilation system or the subway system. The image was constantly changing as the radar picked up more information, none of it standing out. "There's no heat signatures running through this area other than animals ━━ most likely rats or birds."

Bruce nodded. "Thank you for the update, Lucius."

"Of course, Mr. Wayne," Lucius said, offering him a warm smile. "We won't stop searching till we find them."

The two of them went their separate ways, Lucius getting off on the floor dedicated to the Research and Development department while Bruce continued the ascent to the top floor where his and Anastasia's office was. He stepped out of the elevator, pausing when he saw who was waiting for him in front of his office. Beatrice and Emilia Moretti, Laura's mother and younger sister, stood in the middle of the hall as they spoke, shouted, to Monique and Anya. The latter were in the midst of explaining how they had already spoken to the police and had no further updates. At the ding of the elevator, they had turned around to face him.

"Mr. Wayne!" the older woman, Beatrice, called out as she rushed over to him. Her daughter, Emilia, followed close behind but much slower than her mother. She was more intent in making sure her mother wouldn't stumble than his presence. Beatrice's trembling warm hands took his cold ones, giving them a weak squeeze. "Please, has there been any news?"

"No, nothing yet," Bruce responded, holding the woman's hands. He could see how red the woman's eyes were, swollen from all the tears she had shed. Her daughter looked the same, pale with reddened eyes. If he was being honest, his appearance must be identical to theirs. "The GCPD is searching for them. They will inform us if anything changes in their case."

Emilia frowned, not finding peace in his words. Instead, her gaze hardened as rage flourished within her eyes. "The news has accused you of playing a hand in their disappearance."

"The husband is always the first suspect in cases like this," Bruce explained, doing his best to appear unbothered by the accusations Emilia threw at him. It was on everyone's mind, knowing what previous generations of the Wayne family were capable of. He had read all the news articles, knowing most described him as heartless. Perhaps, it was true. He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgment, considering it was the best way to find Anastasia. "Once they realize their leads with me go nowhere, they'll start looking for other more useful leads."

"But, it's been two weeks!" Beatrice screamed at him, angry at his lack of emotion as she ripped her hands out of his grasp. He lowered his hands, placing them by his side as he stared at the woman. Monique and Anya watched from a few feet away, waiting for his reaction. Over the past two weeks, they followed him around endlessly when he was in the office. They had no idea what to do in the absence of Anastasia's presence, looking to him for guidance. "My daughter is missing!" the older woman continued to yell, voice echoing throughout the hall. "We've been told nothing."

"I understand, I am in the same situation as the two of you," Bruce said. "But, we must have faith in the police."

"Faith?" Emilia spat out, taking her mother's hand. The other woman looked too upset to speak any further, using her free hand to cover her mouth as she cried softly. "It won't be long till this becomes another cold case in the GCPD's file cabinets."

"Emilia━━"

"Your wife, Anastasia Lovejoy-Wayne, is someone everyone in Gotham knows ━━ the so-called Princess," Emilia bitterly muttered, shaking her head at him. "They'll keep looking for her. You don't have anything to worry about. But, my sister? There's barely a mention of her in the news! Most media outlets leave her out completely. She will be the one everyone forgets. She will be the one who stays missing!"

"What is going on here?" the voice of Regina Zellerbach sounded, causing everyone to look back at the other woman. She narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms. With how strict Regina had been the past two weeks, it wasn't a surprise she could make the room go quiet. "Monique, call security now."

"Regina, there is no need for that," Bruce said, disapproving of Regina's aggressive decision. After all, this was Laura's family and they had a right to be upset. And, their words did hold some truth to them. "We were just having a conversation."

"I can hear all the shouting from down the hall," Regina retorted, pursing her lips. She kept her attention on Beatrice and Emilia, approaching as her heels clicked against the ground. "This is not the time or place to have a conversation like this. I will set up a meeting in the next few days to speak about Ms. Moretti's involvement here and what she was up to with Anastasia during company time. But, not right now."

"Come on, Mama," Emilia said, still directing a glare in Bruce's direction. "Let's go."

"Monique and Anya, go with them," Regina ordered, letting out a heavy breath as her posture relaxed. Bruce could tell how tired the woman was, noticing how her mask fell. "And, figure out a time for a meeting with my assistant, please. Thank you."

"Yes, ma'am," the two women mumbled softly, following the Morettis into the elevator.

Bruce watched the doors close, leaving just him and Regina alone in the long hallway. For a moment, his eyes flickered toward the closed doors of Anastasia's office. He had gone in there once after her disappearance, searching through her computer and desk. He didn't find much, unfortunately. He sighed, returning his attention to Regina. "They are only worried about their daughter's disappearance," he reminded. "It's been two weeks. They fear the worst."

"Anastasia and Laura's disappearance has affected us all, Bruce," Regina sighed, touching his arm. She had been around in his life for a long time, remembering she used to be a close friend of his father's as well. He looked down at the woman, noticing the brooch pinned to her suit. It was a bird ━━ an owl to be exact. "My deepest condolences, I am not sure how you are coping."

"I am fine," Bruce said, looking down at the time on his watch. It was still early in the morning, just a few minutes after ten o'clock. But, he didn't want to spend his time talking about his feelings with... Regina, of all people.

"Bruce, I do have to mention that all of Gotham believes you have killed Anastasia," Regina reminded, earning a sigh from his lips. They entered his office, opting to speak inside instead of the hall. "Look, it isn't good for the company. The investors aren't happy, so many of Wayne Enterprises' projects have been put on hold while some investors have pulled out completely."

"So?" Bruce said, raising a brow. He wasn't interested in hearing about the investors, nor did he care about them at the moment. "Wayne Enterprises can cover the cost."

"But, for how long?" she asked, placing a hand on his desk near the photograph he kept of his parents. He stood behind the desk, taking a glance at his computer. It was locked, showing off the Wayne Enterprises' logo. "The company will go under if it continues like this. Do you want to throw away everything your family has worked so hard for?"

"Regina, I can't focus on anything else except bringing my wife home," Bruce muttered, not wanting to speak about his family either. He didn't want to talk at all if he was being honest. "Once I've done that, I'll be able to focus more on the company. Plus, Wayne Enterprises runs itself anyways. You said so yourself."

She sighed, holding her hands up in defeat. Perhaps, she had noticed his shift in mood. "So, does that mean you'll stay as CEO?"

"Perhaps, only if Anastasia does not want to return as CEO," Bruce informed. He had been made interim CEO hours after Anastasia's disappearance had gone public. The company needed to appear strong for the stockholders and investors, but it continued to crack under the pressure. He may have to remain as CEO for the time being, considering he didn't want Anastasia to have any stress when she came back. It would be best for her to rest. Strict bed rest this time, Bruce had been too lenient last time after she had gotten out of the hospital. He couldn't make that mistake again. He couldn't let her get hurt again. But first, he needed to find her.

"The only good thing about Anastasia's disappearance is that Lovejoy Corp's stock has risen. At the current moment, it's the only company under the umbrella of Wayne Enterprises that seems to be doing well," Regina continued to speak, clicking her tongue as she faced outside the large windows. "People love a sympathy story."

Bruce shot her a look, feeling a twinge of anger at her words. If anything, her words lacked empathy and her dislike for Anastasia came through. It wasn't as if Regina had a problem with Anastasia. It was more so she had a problem with William Lovejoy and translated that anger to Anastasia. She had not originally been supportive of the merger between Wayne Enterprises and Lovejoy Corp, but William played a hand in convincing her. But, the companies spoke for themselves now and it was a decision well made.

"Bruce, do not worry. I'm sure she'll turn up," Regina tried to provide words of comfort, sighing softly as she shook her head. She crossed her arms, taking a step back to create some space between the two of them. "If anything, she and Laura have just gone on a quick vacation. After everything that's happened, I wouldn't be surprised if she's relaxing on a tropical island."

"Mrs. Zellerbach, I have a lot of work to do," Bruce said, pretending to shuffle through some paperwork on his desk. It was just documents he needed to sign, nothing too important in the grand scheme of things. "I would like to be alone."

"Of course," Regina said, nodding her head. She began to make her way out, giving him one last forced smile. "If there's anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to call my assistant. Unfortunately, I will be preoccupied with a few interviews."

"Interviews?" Bruce asked, confused why she was conducting the interviews and not their recruiters.

"Just reviewing some possible candidates for some vacant high-level positions," Regina said, not giving him too many details. Too many things were happening in secret at Wayne Enterprises, but it wasn't something he could focus on yet.

Instead, he only nodded and watched her leave.

Alone, Bruce had locked the doors to his office and headed into the secret entrance that took him down into the R&D lab that only he and Lucius had access to. There, he worked endlessly as he tracked the drones all around Gotham to search for any possible leads that would help him in his search for Anastasia and the Children of Arkham. But, the hours of work led to nothing.

Always nothing. No leads.

Nothing.

By five o'clock, he had made it to a small café of Selina's choosing and was sitting across from said woman. The sun had begun to slowly set, settling toward its winter schedule. Tomorrow, it would be November 1st and technically, it was still the autumn season. But, the cold had made its home in Gotham. He held a mug of tea in his hands, but had yet to take a sip from it. They were seated outside, the cold air stealing the heat from his drink. He turned to Selina. Her black-painted lips were turned downward, holding a mug of her own. She had gotten a coffee, complaining that they didn't have anything stronger. But, Bruce had just reminded her that she had been the one to pick the place.

"Have you learned anything new?" Bruce asked, hoping Selina held the missing puzzle piece he needed.

"No," Selina mumbled, taking a sip of her coffee. "None of my connections knew anything about it, said that kidnapping a rich girl isn't their style. I tracked down a few members of the Children of Arkham, but they didn't know anything. All they do is wait around for orders from someone much higher than them."

"I've been tracking Penguin's communications with the leader," Bruce mumbled, taking a glance around to make sure no one was listening to their conversation. The two of them spoke in hushed tones surrounded by the mindless chatter of the other patrons. "It's not a lot of communication, but they mention their plans here and there. But, they speak in some kind of code."

"Penguin isn't that smart," Selina hummed, shrugging her shoulders. "It should be easy for someone like you to figure out what they're saying."

"They haven't mentioned a word about Anastasia or Laura," Bruce pointed out, confirming Selina's assumptions that he had been able to crack their code. It had taken only an hour or so, too easy to break that Bruce suspected they were communicating elsewhere as well. "But, they have mentioned the experiments at Arkham ━━ the same ones Ana and Laura were investigating."

Selina frowned. "What have they said about it?"

"They believe the Arkham experiments and the virus are related somehow," Bruce informed, tapping his fingers against the glass of the table. His tea had gone cold, but it didn't matter to him. He hadn't been planning on drinking it. "But, even if they are, it doesn't help us figure out where they are."

"And, you really know nothing about these mysterious experiments?" Selina asked, raising a perfect brow. Her eyes held a hint of mischief, but she was also accusing him of keeping secrets. It seemed even she didn't completely trust him. "The Waynes played a huge part in them."

"It happened decades ago during the sixties and seventies," Bruce explained, keeping his head low as he wondered what other illegal activities happened behind the closed doors of Arkham Asylum. "It was something my grandparents and my father were a part of."

"Huh," Selina hummed, twirling her finger around the rim of the coffee mug as she looked around the café. The people walking the streets and traffic caused a lot of noise, drawing their attention. "Looks like your parents died before they could indoctrinate you into whatever twisted game they were playing."

Bruce didn't find humor in Selina's words, turning his attention to the crowds instead. He could feel eyes on them, but he couldn't place the third person in their meeting. In fact, he had felt discomfort since he had arrived at Wayne Enterprises. He knew there was someone tailing him. "I have searched through my father's old study and there is nothing," Bruce muttered, folding his hands together. He had abandoned his drink. "He kept his secrets, even Alfred doesn't know."

"What are we supposed to do, Bruce?" Selina asked suddenly, letting out a heavy sigh as set her cut down. She pulled her jacket closer, shivering as she finally faced him. Their eyes met and Bruce could see the true emotions she hid behind her nonchalant attitude. He wasn't sure what the relationship between Selina and Laura were, considering the two barely knew one another. But sometimes, a connection could be made in a single night. "We can't wait forever."

"There is nothing else we can do," Bruce said softly, knowing the last thing he wanted to do was wait around. He had been out every night, searching for any sign of the two of them. But, all he found was more infected, mauled corpses, and the Children of Arkham. "There aren't any more leads to follow."

"But, it's been almost two weeks," Selina huffed, leaning back in her seat as she crossed her arms. Her nails dug into the upper arm of her coat, staring at him with an annoyed expression. "I'm tired of it. I want our girls back. Quite frankly, it's boring here in Gotham without them."

"I understand," Bruce said. The only thing he wanted was his Anastasia back home, safe and sound.

"You look like you haven't slept at all," Selina teased, leaning forward to get a closer look at him. Her sharp nails scratched against his cheeks, trailing against his dark circles.

He pushed her hand away, not in the mood for Selina's games. He leaned back in his seat, not realizing how tired he truly was. But, he couldn't rest. Not yet. "I've been patrolling the streets, looking for them," he informed. "So far, I've found nothing."

"You sound like you've lost hope," Selina whispered, frowning. She didn't seem happy with his tone, but he was past the point of caring what Selina wanted.

"I haven't," Bruce corrected, knowing he would never give up on Anastasia. Especially not after she had asked him to keep his faith in her, promising she would be home soon. All he wanted was another message from Anastasia, something that would convince him he wasn't chasing a ghost. "Tonight, I'm planning on meeting Vicki Vale. She's had multiple meetings with the leader of the Children of Arkham. She knows how to find them."

Selina tilted her head. "What if she doesn't tell you?"

Bruce frowned. "I'm sure Batman will find a way to make her talk."

"And," Selina continued, biting the inside of her cheek, "what if the leader had nothing to do with their disappearance?"

"Then, I'll take them in for all the other crimes they've committed," Bruce said, knowing there was plenty that would put the Children of Arkham behind bars for a long time. They had committed murders, held riots, destroyed property, and put Gotham in a state of emergency. The GCPD and Gotham's people wanted to see them brought to justice. Of course, there were a lot of people who also believed the Children of Arkham was exactly what Gotham needed to rid it of corruption. There was a fine line between justice and what the Children were doing. "At the very least, it would be one problem out of the way."

Selina took a sip of her coffee, nodding her head. "I suppose you're right."

Bruce felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He felt a surge of hope flourish within his heart, pulling the phone out of his pocket as he hoped to see a voice message from his wife again. But, all hope faded when he saw the name Harvey Dent flash across his screen.

He sighed.

HARVEY DENT.
We need to talk.
Now.

Selina noticed his reaction, giving him a playful smirk as she raised a brow. "Who is it?"

Bruce put the phone on the table, clenching his fists. "It's Harvey."

"Great," Selina groaned, rolling her eyes. "As far as boyfriends go, he was the worst. So obviously in love with your wife, constantly talking about her while we were out on dates. Though, I suppose I was counting on it. I only dated Harvey to get close to the Waynes, considering you two are the best to rob in this city. You being Batman... That was something I didn't suspect."

"Sorry to disappoint," Bruce muttered, unbothered by Selina's words. She had already told him before she had planned to get close to Harvey to be able to rob them eventually. But, then all her plans had changed with everything that went on in Gotham. The city had a way of changing people.

"I never said I was disappointed," Selina shrugged, smiling at him. For the first time in this conversation, her emotions were true and he could tell she was talking about something else entirely. "I'm glad I went to your charity gala, think I may have met the love of my life."

"I should go see what Harvey wants," Bruce muttered, sighing. The last thing he wanted to do was go see Harvey Dent, considering their last meeting had ended with them arguing and seconds from fighting. Something was wrong with Harvey, something within his mind as he fought within himself. "He's made a mess of Gotham."

"I know. There are checkpoints on seemingly every street," Selina muttered, shaking her head. She wore a sour look, crossing her arms. "The whole city is under martial law with Harvey Dent controlling it. Anyone suspected of being infected is arrested and shipped to Arkham Asylum for quarantine. No one has returned so far."

"The GCPD supports it... for now," Bruce mumbled, knowing everything from what Gordon had told him. The GCPD tried its best to work with the new private military presence, but their ideologies clashed. "The police have made some kind of truce with Batman, willing to work together for the time being to deal with these threats."

"Well, talk about an apocalypse," Selina mumbled, chuckling to herself. She finished the rest of her coffee, placing the empty cup back on the table. "Instead of the undead, we're getting vicious monsters. Not what I expected from Gotham."

"A cure seems impossible," Bruce said, shaking his head. All the tests continued to fail, much to his chagrin. "The antidote is missing something. I just can't figure out what."

"Hopefully, it comes to you soon," Selina said, twirling the ring around her finger. "The city is on its knees. It needs a hero... It needs you, Bruce."

"I'm not a hero," Bruce muttered, standing to his feet. After all of his failures, he didn't feel like a hero. "I should go, Selina. Harvey wants to talk about something, sounds serious."

"Send him my regards." Selina let out a dry chuckle, leaning back in her seat as she refreshed her lipstick. Bruce left some money on the table, more than enough to cover the bill and tip for the waitress.

Bruce left in his car, heading toward City Hall. It was only a few blocks away, a drive that would take less than ten minutes. He couldn't help but notice the black sedan that had been following him since he had left Wayne Tower. He parked in front of City Hall, stepping out into the cold air. For a brief moment, he watched the black sedan park several cars back as they attempted to hide the fact they were following him. Bruce knew, of course. But, he allowed himself to be followed since it could be linked to Anastasia and Laura's disappearance. At least, he hoped.

He entered the building, being allowed up to where the mayor's floor was located. Again, people eyed him as he walked past. But, it was easy for him to ignore the stares. Everyone was curious, wanting to know if Bruce Wayne was capable of murdering his wife.

"Welcome back, Mr. Wayne," the mayor's assistant, Deborah, said to him from the receptionist's desk by his doors. She had been the assistant for the late Mayor Hill as well and Bruce had met her several times before whenever he had a meeting with Hill. She pointed to the doors, smiling at him. "You can go right in."

He nodded, entering the office of Mayor Harvey Dent. The man looked up from the papers he was reviewing, pressing his lips together as he silently told Bruce to close the door. And, Bruce did to give them the privacy they needed for their talk.

"Bruce," Harvey greeted quietly, remaining in his seat. He wasn't wearing his mask, making Bruce frown at the damage Penguin had done. His skin was doing its best to heal, but the scars would remain forever. Harvey held a coin in his hand, rubbing it between his fingers.

"Harvey," Bruce said, speaking in the same tone as him. He still stood, approaching Harvey at his desk slowly. "You said you wanted to talk."

"I did..." he muttered, setting the coin down on the table. It was placed heads-up, facing Harvey. "I wanted to speak about the Children of Arkham."

"I told you before, the Children of Arkham have their eyes set on you. Like it or not, they see you as another part of Gotham's corruption and have plans to get rid of you," Bruce stated, knowing he and Harvey had this conversation before. "There was another attack against you a few days ago, right?"

"There was," Harvey scoffed, rolling his eyes. He turned away, facing the setting sun outside instead. It had almost fallen behind the horizon, leaving most of the sky dark with a sliver of light. In just a few minutes, night would be upon them. "They don't like the military presence in the city. It's making them nervous."

He hummed. "I heard Batman showed up to help."

"Yeah, but the damage is kind of done though, isn't it?" Harvey gritted out, clenching his jaw and fists. His gaze had darkened, staring at the coin on his desk. Harvey picked up the coin, twirling it before the two of them listened to its rattle as it spun. "Harvey Dent does everything by the book, to the letter of the law. But, that isn't working."

"You can't break the law, Harvey," Bruce muttered, aware of how Harvey's tone had dropped into something much... darker. He continued to stare at his former friend, feeling pity manifest within him. He still cared for Harvey, considering the two had been friends for some time. But, Harvey had hurt him and his family. He couldn't forget that.

However, Harvey wasn't listening to him. He was holding a conversation with someone else entirely, someone Bruce couldn't see. "Sure it is..." Harvey said, gulping. His tone was higher, fearful. "He's turning things around."

"Barely. Slowly," Harvey spat back at himself, turning to look in the direction of his unscarred side. Bruce could only watch, seeing him have a whole conversation with himself. "It's been weeks and nothing. The City belongs to the Children of Arkham and their infected monsters."

"Harvey..." Bruce tried to interrupt, not knowing what to do in this situation. The only thing similar was Anastasia's behavior a few years back, but she never spoke both sides of a conversation. After her father had died and she was still in therapy, Anastasia would have episodes of complete terror where she would be scared of something that wasn't there. She would scream at it to leave her alone and it always took a lot of coaxing to bring her back to reality. Harvey seemed to be in a similar state, but he echoed both sides of a conversation as he fought with himself. "Snap out━━"

"I'd like to see you do better!" Harvey gritted out, clenching his fist as the coin continued to spin on the table. It was slowing down and about to fall, but the man grabbed it and tucked it into his pocket. "Watch me."

Bruce had enough, rising to his feet. "Harvey, snap out of it!"

Harvey slammed a fist against the table, glaring at Bruce with rage burning in his eyes. "We all need to snap out of it," he gritted out, pointing an accusing finger in Bruce's direction. "Do what is necessary to protect the city, no matter the cost."

"Why did you call me here, Harvey?" Bruce asked, not wanting to spend any more time in the man's presence. There was something wrong with Harvey, something dangerous. And, it couldn't be left unchecked, especially not with all the power he held in his hands. "This wasn't a social call, I'm sure. We are not friends anymore, not after everything that happened."

Harvey chuckled darkly, taking a seat back in his chair. He leaned back, folding his hands together as he stared at Bruce. "Are you working with the Children of Arkham?"

"Excuse me?" Bruce scoffed, glaring at Harvey for even making such an assumption. His family was next on the Children's list, knowing they had plans in motion to get rid of him for a long time. It was working, considering he had lost all public support and his own company held daggers in his direction.

"It's not an unreasonable assumption, Bruce," Harvey shrugged, narrowing his eyes at his reaction. "After all, they've already accomplished killing mob boss Carmine Falcone and previous Mayor Hill. How hard could it be to kill playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne? Though, I suppose they can't call you a playboy anymore after you settled down with Anastasia, right?"

Bruce stayed quiet, wanting to know where Harvey was taking this. He didn't enjoy his wife's name leaving Harvey's mouth, feeling a twinge of anger again as he remembered the debate and all the lies Harvey had told in the hospital. He had left Anastasia in a state of distress, considering his lies had caused her the most damage.

"My men have been doing a lot of searching," Harvey continued, reaching for a file within his cabinet. He placed it on the table, but didn't open it yet. "The Children of Arkham, they're using Wayne Tech."

"That they stole and hacked into," Bruce explained, crossing his arms. He didn't like being accused of siding with the people ruining Gotham. It was already bad enough that he was accused of Anastasia's disappearance. He didn't need any more fingers pointed in his direction. "I informed the GCPD about the security breach and they've gotten rid of all their Wayne Tech for the time being."

"And, what about Anastasia's disappearance?" Harvey asked, tilting his head. He was gauging his reaction, taking in everything he did. It almost felt as if he was in a courtroom and Harvey was the opposing lawyer that did his best to find a flaw in his story. "All of Gotham thinks you did it. Poor Ana even alluded to it the night before her disappearance at the charity gala. Said the Waynes have a way of making people disappear."

Bruce's jaw clenched, letting out a sharp exhale. "Are you accusing me of hurting my wife?"

Harvey only smiled. "Did you?"

"No," Bruce spat out, turning around to leave. He had enough of Mayor Dent. "And, I don't need to answer to you, Harvey."

"So, you don't think it's strange how you and Selina Kyle have been seen going on dates?" Harvey asked, causing Bruce to stop in his tracks as he looked back. He opened the file on his desk, showing off documents with a full background check on him and photographs of his meetings with Selina over the past two weeks. Fortunately, Harvey knew nothing about his meetings with Erina Sato since he always had gone as Batman. "And, this is not including the date you were just on when I had texted you."

"God, Harvey," Bruce scoffed, shaking his head. He didn't care what photographs Harvey had or how he was trying to twist them. He had never and will never cheat on Anastasia, despite what everyone claimed to think. It seemed clear in Harvey's mind that he and Selina were having relations behind everyone's backs. "Look, Selina and I met to discuss the case and what GCPD is doing to find them. It wasn't a date."

Harvey hummed. "My sources say differently, Bruce."

"So, you're the one who's having me followed?" Bruce rolled his eyes, letting out a soft sigh. It was another lead down the drain, considering he was hoping the people following him were the same ones who had abducted Anastasia. Despite how Harvey was, he wasn't responsible for what happened to Anastasia and Laura.

"I had to," Harvey said, admitting to it. "Especially when all fingers point to you."

"I have been looking for my wife tirelessly, Harvey," Bruce gritted out, feeling the anger he had felt throughout the past few weeks start to manifest. He tried his best to keep it under control, especially after what had happened with Penguin. But, each day brought him closer to the edge. "I think you should be focused on your job. Gotham is turning into a warzone out there."

"It's called applying pressure, Bruce," Harvey defended, clenching his fists. The two men glared at one another, feeling nothing but malice. Bruce didn't see the man he called a friend in him anymore, wondering how things could have changed so quickly. In just about two months, everyone's lives had turned upside down. "It won't be long till the Children of Arkham have nowhere to turn."

"I'm leaving," Bruce muttered, shaking his head. Harvey Dent did things his own way, but he was still following the law for now. If anything changed, it would be Batman to greet him next instead of Bruce Wayne. "Stop having me followed, Harvey. It won't end well for you."

"We'll see about that, Bruce."

Bruce stormed out of the office, heading back toward his car. He looked in the direction of the black sedan, but the parking spot was empty. Hopefully, Harvey would heed his words. If not, he would have to deal with it personally. He took a seat inside, ringing Alfred.

He picked up on the first ring. "Master Bruce?"

"Call Vicki Vale," he ordered, clicking his seat belt as he pulled out of the parking spot. He wasn't sure where he was driving to yet, but he needed to take his mind off things. "Set up an encryption."

"As you wish."

The phone rang two times before Vicki Vale answered.

"Vale," she answered, voice mixing with the sound of keyboard clicks and other voices in the background. She must still be at the Gotham Gazette.

"I saw your story in the Gazette," he said simply. "I want to talk."

"Who..." Vale began softly, confused for a moment. But, it wouldn't be difficult for an investigative journalist to know who was calling. "Who is this?"

"You know who this is."

Vicki let out a shaky breath. "Batman? I... I didn't realize you were a fan of my work."

"Didn't say I was a fan," he corrected, pressing his lips together. "Just said I wanted to talk."

"I've been meaning to thank you for what you did at the debate... I'm not sure I would've made it out of there otherwise," Vicki whispered, causing Bruce to clench his jaw. The night of the debate had easily been one of the worst nights of his life. He had almost lost Anastasia, again. She cleared her throat. "I'd say I owe you one."

Bruce stayed quiet, watching as the last rays of sun completely set over the horizon and darkness engulfed Gotham.

"Meet me in about an hour," Vicki said, causing him to steal a glance at the clock. It was about six o'clock, so he had an hour to kill. "Cobblepot Park."

"Deal."

Bruce hung up, driving toward the park. He found a quiet place to dress into his Batsuit and waited for Vicki to show up, sitting on the edge of the stone wall. The park was mostly empty except for a few people sleeping in tents across the way. Perhaps, it would be better if Cobblepot focused on repairing his park rather than destroying Gotham. He could make a positive change. It was about fifteen minutes past seven when Vicki showed up. He dropped down a few feet away, seeing Vicki leaned against the statue of one of the Cobblepot ancestors. It was only a while ago in early September when he had been there with Anastasia when Oswald wanted to meet. A few thugs had tried to rob them but failed. It felt like such a long time ago to Bruce, but it had barely been two months.

"Strange place to meet," he commented.

"Wasn't sure you were gonna show," Vicki mumbled, pushing herself off the statue as she took in the sight of him. He approached slowly, stepping underneath the light of the lamppost. "Gotta admit, part of me thought it was a prank call. Nothing is ever this easy, especially when you're a reporter."

He stayed silent, watching her through narrowed eyes.

"So... Batman..." Vicki began, holding out a notepad. She began to slowly circle him, studying him before she moved to a nearby bench. She took a seat, taking a sip of her coffee. She set the cup down, holding a pen instead. "I'll skip the obvious question. The Children of Arkham seem to be your latest target. We all know their methods are... extreme. But, what about their message?"

Vicki pulled out her phone from her pocket, hitting record.

"Their leader claims that Gotham's elite has been abusing their power, often at the expense of ordinary citizens." She held her notepad, setting the pen against her lips as she raised a brow at him. "For the record, do you think there's any validity to what they're saying? In your opinion."

"Turn the recorder off."

Vicki scoffed at his tone, rolling her eyes. "I thought this was an interview?"

"Turn it off, now."

She sighed, but did as she was told. Tucking the phone back into her pocket, she turned to look at him with an annoyed expression. "Happy? Will you talk now?"

He stayed quiet, knowing he wasn't there to give Vicki Vale an interview about Batman. He wanted to know more about the Children of Arkham and for now, she was talking.

"Their message is picking up traction," Vicki pointed out, letting out a soft sigh. She stood, standing a few feet in front of him. "Especially since the interviews I've had with them."

"I need to know everything they've told you," he demanded.

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "You could have just read the paper if that's all you wanted to know."

He wasn't amused with her reply. And, she quickly noticed how his mood changed.

"It was a lot of posturing and grandiose monologuing, really. 'We're going to purge the city of corruption' sort of thing," Vicki informed, sighing. "Not great from an investigative standpoint, but the public will eat it up. They had a lot to say about the military presence Mayor Dent has set up, too. Saying it's another way to keep ordinary citizens under control."

"Where did you meet? How did they contact you?" He asked.

"Okay, I'm going to stop you right there," Vicki said, shaking her head at him. She picked up her coffee, taking another sip of it. She turned to look at him with a stern expression. "I'm not selling out a source... not even for Batman. The circumstances of that meeting are confidential. Just like this one... I'm sure you wouldn't want me telling everyone how to get a hold of you."

"The Children of Arkham are hurting this city," Batman pointed out, frowning at the woman. And, they had almost gotten Vicki herself killed. "They don't deserve your protection."

"That's not up to me to decide," Vicki commented, placing a hand against her hip. They could hear the sound of people in the distance, reminding them that they weren't completely alone. "I have to remain unbiased. Something you should learn to do."

He frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm talking about Anastasia and Bruce Wayne?" Vicki said, raising a brow. The mention of himself and his wife made him uncomfortable, but he tried not to show it as he stared at the woman. She approached him, giving him a playful look. "I think everyone saw how Batman dived to protect Gotham's princess after she was shot at the debate."

"I was trying to save her life," he defended his actions, keeping his eyes turned away from Vicki's curious nature. "Nothing more."

"Perhaps, but it's the little things people notice," Vicki pointed out, shrugging her shoulders. "The way you held her close, whispered something into her ear. Or, at least, that's how it looks from far away."

"She was most likely going to die in my arms," he admitted, facing her with a stern expression. "I didn't want her last moments to be full of fear."

"Sure, but now you have some media outlets saying you and Mrs. Wayne are in a secret relationship," Vicki laughed, shaking her head. She turned to look away from him, humming. "Though, I'm sure it doesn't matter anymore. She's been missing for almost two weeks, most likely dead if what the GCPD is saying is true."

His jaw clenched, earning a familiar ache.

"Look, I want to believe Bruce Wayne is a good guy, but with all the information that's surfaced..." Vicki scratched at the back of her neck, shaking her head. "Everyone's angry... Everyone wants him to answer for what his family has done. Everyone except for you. Why haven't you gone after him yet?"

"I have bigger things to worry about than some billionaire, Vale," Batman gritted out, turning to face in the direction of Wayne Tower. Even from where they stood, he could see the building peering across the horizon line. Next to Wayne Tower, Anastasia Hotel stood tall. Vicki followed his gaze, frowning. "The city is being attacked on all fronts by the Children of Arkham and there's an unknown virus spreading with no cure in sight. People are dying at every turn. Bruce Wayne can atone for his sins another day."

"There's still something about him. You can't ignore the facts," Vicki said, letting out an exasperated sigh. She gestured to the Cobblepot statue behind her. "Whether he intended to or not, his family has been stealing from innocent people for years. Recently, documents have surfaced that the Waynes have been holding experiments in the depths of Arkham for decades. They've hurt so many people."

"This isn't━━"

"And, I was there at that charity ball, the night before his wife's disappearance," Vicki pointed out, crossing her arms as she shivered from the cold. "She was about to reveal secrets, speaking even further about the experiments. Until, of course, her husband dragged her off the stage. She even warned us all, telling us the Waynes make people disappear. I have the footage of that if you'd like." He shot her a look, causing her to chuckle as she shrugged her shoulders. "Look, all I'm saying is that you should focus less on the Children of Arkham and more on Bruce Wayne."

"So, you think Bruce Wayne had something to do with his wife's disappearance?"

"It's too much of a coincidence to not think that," Vicki hummed, throwing her empty coffee cup into a nearby trash can. She turned to look at him again, offering him a smile. "So, what is Batman going to do to protect Gotham from Bruce Wayne?"

"Like I said, there are bigger threats," Batman said, standing his ground. "The Children of Arkham and the virus... I have to deal with them first. Perhaps, they were behind the abduction as well."

"I don't think they're in the business of kidnapping high-profile targets," Vicki mumbled, shrugging. "But then again, I never asked them." She fidgeted with the pen in her hands, pushing it through the spirals of her notepad. "Are you looking into the disappearances around Gotham too?"

"No," he lied, not wanting to give Vicki another connection between him and Anastasia. "That's a job for the GCPD."

"The GCPD... Right. You're doing what you think is best, I get it," Vicki sighed, shaking her head in disappointment. It seemed as if she was wanting to get something out of the meeting too. She began to walk away from him. "Good luck with the Children of Arkham. I'll make sure your message gets out."

He moved in front of her, stopping the woman in her tracks. His height easily towered over her, causing a shadow to fall against her figure. "We're not done here," he warned. "Give me the location of the meetings now."

She raised a brow. "Are you threatening me?"

He didn't budge. "Take it as you want."

Vicki frowned, staring at him. Finally, a sigh left her lips as she opened up her notepad and began to write down a few locations on the paper. "Here, these are the locations we've met for the interviews," she mumbled, ripping out the piece of paper before handing it to him. "They called me from a different payphone line every time and I was the one given a time and location. Nothing more."

He looked over the locations, realizing two of them were warehouses by the docks and others were skyline maintenance stations. The latest meeting which had occurred two days ago was at the Skyline Depot, Highland Line. It wasn't too far from their current location, only about a mile or so away. Vicki had begun to walk away from him, clearly upset. But, he didn't care. He had another lead to the Children of Arkham's leader.

Instead of using the car, he decided to grapple through the skyline. It was much faster if the distance to cover was only a mile. He was in the air when he got the call, hearing his phone ring in his earpiece. He answered the call, pressing a quick button on his gauntlet.

"Master Bruce!" Alfred's panicked voice came through the earpiece, causing him to frown. "Are you there?"

"Yes, Alfred, I'm here," Bruce said, dropping onto one of the roofs to be able to speak to him more clearly. "What's going on?"

"I was listening to the GCPD's communications and... they have spotted a blonde woman running through the streets covered in blood. They're in pursuit," he informed, causing Bruce's heart to stop completely for a brief moment. It felt as if the world had stopped, waiting for him to process the information. He gulped, coming back to reality. "Do you think it's Ana?"

"Where?"

Alfred sent him the location and he immediately headed toward the coordinates, moving away from the Skyline Depot. The Children of Arkham would have to wait. Nearing the scene, it was easy to follow the mess since traffic stretched for blocks due to the police cars blocking off a whole street. He was led to an alleyway, looking down to see a blonde woman aiming a shotgun toward a group of police officers. From his position, it was difficult to make out the faces.

"Put your gun down!" one of the officers shouted at the woman, trying to de-escalate the situation. "We won't warn you again!"

"Get away from me!" she screamed back at them, haphazardly aiming her gun at the three of them. It wasn't smart to aim a gun at police officers, considering it gave them permission to use deadly force to protect themselves.

They all had their guns drawn, prepared to shoot. He acted quickly, dropping down to shield the woman from the spray of gunfire. He winced, feeling the impact of bullets against his suit.  The woman's shotgun went off behind him, but it didn't hit him. Nor did it hit any of the cops. The woman had purposefully fired it into the air, but the sound still rang in his ears. He dropped one of his smoke bombs, filling the alleyway with thick smoke. It caused the shooting to cease, everyone unable to see a thing.

"Stop! Everyone put your guns down now!" a voice shouted, allowing him to relax as the smoke began to clear.

He immediately recognized Gordon coming on the scene, shooting a glare toward his officers. It wouldn't be the first time they defied orders, knowing the GCPD had a shoot-to-kill order against him alone. For the time being, the truce between them allowed them all to be on the same side. Finally, he lowered his arm to face Gordon and the GCPD.

His suit had taken the brunt of the gunfire, damaged but nothing Lucius couldn't fix. He had counted, only six gunshots had gone off excluding the one from the woman behind him. He turned to look at her, hearing the relieved sigh leave his lips before he could realize it. There was something wild in her eyes, frantic as she continued to aim the gun at his chest. He couldn't help but take in the blood that stained her clothing and coated her skin and hair, making him frown. Something was off about her... something he had easily noticed from one look at the woman.

But, there was no denying it.

It was his Anastasia.

And then, instead of offering him the smile he was so accustomed to as Bruce Wayne, she fired her shotgun straight at him.

♡

IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A MONTH SINCE I HAVE UPDATED and I am so sorry about being missing, but life has been busy! Want to say that I hope every one had good holidays and that the new year is treating you all kindly! It feels like it is going by so fast, but so slow at the same time! My holidays were very busy, but fun too! Spent them at home with the family, nothing else very special! And, made some New Years' resolution that I will hopefully finish this year!

I originally wanted to get this posted on January 4th because that is my birthday! It was supposed to be a birthday present from me to you guys, but it didn't work out that way. And, I'm glad it didn't because I was able to add more to this chapter! I know this chapter wasn't very fun, considering it was just Bruce going around and sort of running errands. He's just in meetings with several people, but I hope the next chapter will make up for it! I have already written the rough draft and it is 8000 words, so the finished draft is going to be a lot longer. But, it was a fun chapter to write! In this chapter, I included some scenes from the game and changed them up slightly to fit the book! The next scene in the game will have to wait though! Now, we'll just focus on the plot of the book because we can't go into the game again for a while!

I feel like I had so much to say in this note, but now nothing is coming to mind. My plans for this book are to get Act One finished by the end of the year. Then, hopefully post my other DC books! I need to work on other books too because I haven't updated some of them in a long time. But, this book is main priority at the moment.

ALSO !! I wanted to share some gifts my friends have made me for this book!!

[these beautiful covers were made by ptolomeae and they fit the upcoming vibe of this book so well! and the words appearing around anastasia in the second cover! 100% how cece and charlie are speaking to her in the other world hehe!! ripley is so talented and these covers have me in absolute awe!! 😩❤️]

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[this beautiful edit was made by almanqalorian and oh my god, look at these two! they look so cute together and ah, my babies. definitely so attached and absolutely love this edit. 🥹]

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[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

[this cover and this trailer was made by samwnchesters and oh my god, the way the trailer revived so much love and inspiration for this book!! all the stranger things, tlou, and dc vibes combined into one! it so so perfect and definitely one of the best trailers I have ever seen!! 😭]

HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER ❤️ the next one will be out very soon!!

AMARA.
[ PUBLISH DATE ━━ 01.10.2023 ]