*J* (the continuation)

Part Forty-One: Chapter 303: Inside You

Bruce looks down at the blood coming out of his wound. He looks up and sees his secretary standing in the doorway horrified. She quickly looks down at her phone in her hand and starts calling 911.

"No, hang up!" Bruce shouts. He couldn't let her call the police. He couldn't let them go after Jason. Maybe because he felt guilty. He felt like this was his fault.

"What?! A masked man just walked in here and attacked you!!" She shouts back.

"Please. Put the phone down, I'm fine. I'll drive myself to the hospital. I'll reach it faster," he stands and hurriedly limps from his office and to the elevator. He fumbled for his phone with a bloody hand as he struggles to hold the belt with one hand. He calls Alfred back. "Change if plans Alfred. I'm coming to you."

"Sir, you shouldn't drive. Need I remind you that you aren't in the batmobile sir. You have no autopilot. What if you faint? You could have a fatal wreck," Alfred warns.

"There's nothing you can do to save me in Wayne Tower. Prep the room. I'm on my way," and he hangs up and quickly returns both hands to the belt. The blood was making his hands slip on the leather. He exits the building and quickly rushes to his car in the parking garage. He quickly gets in and speeds off.

He had to get back to the bat cave. He needed both hands to keep his belt pulled tightly. But it still wasn't tight enough. Bruce was still gushing blood from his wound. But he had to drive. He quickly calls Alfred back.

"Sir?" Alfred answers, lacking his normal unsurprised tone. Bruce Heheard his concern loud and clear.

"I need you to keep me talking Alfred," he pants and takes his hand off the wheel to readjust the belt.

"Did you beat traffic sir?" Alfred says as he rushes down to the batcave.

"No traffic," he says grabbing the wheel again, "Estimated ETA twenty minutes."

"Very good sir. I'm was preparing emergency equipment. It would be of great help if you tell me more about the wound," Alfred says as his shaking hands grab bandages and sutures.

"Five inch blade. Serated edge. He drove it in to the shaft and twist the knife in the wound. He severed the general artery. I'm using my belt as a tourniquet," he tells him, "It's not as effective as I would have hoped."

"Can you estimate how much blood you've lost so far?" Alfred asks.

"Pint and a half, maybe two," Bruce swirvs as he fights with the belt again.

"And what should I tell the Joker sir? It's going to be rather difficult to hide this from him, don't you think?"

"Alfred you can't let J find out who stabbed me. If he knew Jason was alive..."

"He would remedy his mistake. Yes sir, I'm aware," Alfred answers.

The minutes seemed like hours as Bruce struggled to drive and hold his belt at the same time. He was beginning to grow tired from blood loss. He knew he didn't have much time. Over the intercom Alfred fought to keep him talking and conscious while he prepared their emergency room. And keeping Bruce chatty was a feat in itself.

"Mmm...n-t gonna...make it," Bruce mindlessly utters as his eyes roll back in his head. Bruce fought hard to keep his eyes open and the belt pulled tight. With every prescious second it became harder and harder to do.

"Yes you will Master Bruce, just keep talking to me. You have to stay awake. You're almost here, just get to the manor, it's faster than to the cave," Alfred says as he moves about the room quickly.

Bruce quickly turns on the private road that led to the manors front gate. He wastes no time with stopping for a code. He gasses on the car and hits the gate, plowing through it. "Mmm pa-ssssin...ou-," Bruce struggles to get out, "...c-cant...," And this was all that Bruce was able say. He had lost consciousness. All of the sudden Alfred can feel the vibration in the bat cave from Bruce's out of control car crashing into the manor.