Dangers in the Dark

A Maniac's Laugh 16.3

Third Person POV

Wayne Manor

While many kids of the same age as Bruce would've been outside, taking in the freedom of the daytime hours by playing with their friends or bike riding and exploring the city, the young Wayne boy was doing something about as opposite as possible. Instead, he had paper scattered across the entire desk and he was jotting down yet another inconsistency that he had noticed within his company. He couldn't help but wonder if his at her had known about these issues. Surely he would have done something about it if he knew.

Either way, his father wasn't here now to fix any of the issues in the company; it was now down to Bruce to sort out. Because despite his young age, Bruce had already developed a feeling of responsibility for the people that could have potentially been affected by his company. Hence why what Alfred was about to tell him was so important.

"They called to confirm," Alfred announced as he entered the room, arms folded behind his back, but Bruce didn't even look up from his scribbling. "You're meeting with the board of Wayne Enterprises tomorrow." Now that he looked up to.

"Excellent," Bruce said in relief, resting his hand on top of his other as he looked at his legal guardian. "I was afraid they'd postpone again."

"Well, I'll say it one more time," Alfred began, though even as he started he knew that it was going to be a fruitless effort to try and convince Bruce to listen to him. "I think that ... it's an incredibly bad idea, Master Bruce. I think it's reckless. I think it's premature. Quite frankly, I think it's bloody dangerous."

"We've already been over this a hundred times, Alfred," Bruce interrupted quickly. He understood Alfred's concerns, really he did, but this was an obligation that Bruce felt he needed to go through considering it was now his company. "My mind is made up. Can you pass me that file over there?"

Knowing that it was pointless to argue against it, seeing as Bruce was one of the most stubborn people he had ever had the pleasure of meeting, Alfred wandered over to the side table and picked up the file Bruce had gestured to.

"Well ... I've said my piece," Alfred sighed, placing the file in front of Bruce who immediately started to look through it. "If we're both found dead in a ditch, don't blame me." He was only half-joking. "And I suggest, Master B, that if you're going to do this then you don't involve Miss Holly." Bruce looked up at that, already knowing that that was pretty much the opposite of what he had planned to do. "It's dangerous enough as it is and I don't think we should risk Miss Gordon getting caught up in this mess."

Silently, Bruce nodded his head, not trusting himself to agree with Alfred's statement as he knew Alfred well enough that he wouldn't believe him. Instead, he turned back to his file and continued looking through it for anything that would be useful for tomorrow's meeting.

He did partly agree with Alfred's suggestion of not involving Holly as it was inevitably going to be a dangerous journey but he also knew that Holly was already too deep into this investigation to leave now. Plus, Bruce had found that on many occasions, she would notice things that he had missed. It was nice having a second pair of eyes to pick up on his mistakes. And ... and it was also nice to have just someone around who was his age, something that he hadn't really experienced, even before his parents' untimely deaths.

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Barbara's Penthouse

One foot in front of the other, Barbara eagerly walked down her spiral staircase in a pair of her favourite sparkling silver heels. They had always been Jim's favourite as well when they went out. She'd matched it with a short navy dress and a bronze belt around her waist.