Trapped : The Island of Torment

Chapter 6 : Suspect Identification

Bruce took the final sip of tea and stood up from the couch, as Philip set the teacup back on the saucer. "We should start searching for Isa." he said. 

"As soon as possible." Philip said, standing up. The four men headed to the study and Bruce approached the grandfather clock, which acted as the main entrance to the Batcave. Turning the handles of the clock to 10 : 48, the time at which Bruce's parents were killed. The grandfather clock moved, revealing the secret entrance to the Batcave. Philip eyed the elevator in silence as Bruce stepped in, with him and the rest of them following from behind. "Elizabeth would have been surprised when you first showed her this." he commented, as the elevator doors closed and began to descend. 

"A bit." Bruce smiled. "I only told her for the first time when we had our first date in Wayne Manor." The elevator reached its destination and the doors opened, revealing a spacious cave acting as the headquarters for Bruce's work as Batman. 

"Are you sure about this Bruce?" Dick asked from behind. "Showing him the cave?" 

"Perhaps you should question yours, rather than Bruce's judgement call." Philip said, his voice cold. "All the work Elizabeth had been doing for the family, only to end up in wind thanks to you and the other members of the family who trusted someone's lies. rather than Bruce's or Isabella's side of the story." The equipment in the Batcave hummed to life when Bruce approached. Sitting on the chair he immediately began working to track down his wife's location. "Can you hack into the cameras at LGF Consulting?" he asked. 

"Should be." Bruce said, his fingers dancing on the keyboard. A few minutes later the security camera feeds from the crime scene a few hours before the kidnappings appeared on screen. "I believe that the kidnappings happen simultaneously, somehow it doesn't feel that it is a coincidence." The day began normally in the feed, with the receptionist entering the consulting firm after disabling the alarm and setting up for the day ahead. Isabella appeared first in the camera feed, stepping into the elevator at 8 : 40 am and exiting two minutes later, carrying a backpack on her shoulder and a work briefcase on one hand. Her business partners, Dominic 'Dom' Hayes and Gerald 'Gerry' Carter entered the elevator ten minutes later, also carrying their working materials in backpacks and briefcases. 

Downstairs in the office reserved for the security team is also getting ready for the day. Edward Alden, the friend of Isabella, Dominic and Gerald who had a stint alongside them in the black ops team Elite Alpha while serving for the British SAS, is recruited to be the head of security of the firm, in charge of looking after the safety of the firm's personnel. Edward is a dutiful head of security, taking his job very seriously, which he promised to do during his interview with the human resources department. Bruce knows that the British SAS is the best of the best military special forces the British can offer, as in the case of his butler Alfred, who was a former British SAS before coming to Wayne Manor. The floors above the consulting firm were rented out to multiple companies, hence the heavy human traffic occurring after nine in the morning. 

A minivan arrived outside the building, bearing the logo and name of a company providing cleaning services. The personnel spilt out from the back of the van, carrying cleaning equipment with two men wearing baseball caps. "Bruce, focus on the two men." Philip said. "They seemed... odd." Both of them continued to watch the feed in fast-forward, where the two men disappeared into a nearby emergency stairwell. Opening the trash can they placed a small canister inside, unaware that the security camera is recording their every move. One of them removed his cap and Bruce immediately pressed pause on the feed. 

"That's Malcolm Merlyn." Oliver said, stepping forward. "He was known as Al-Sa-Her within the League of Assassins."

"If he's one of your foes, why is he here in Gotham?" Bruce asked, while Philip took over watching the feed. 

"He's probably in cahoots with someone." Oliver said. The second man with a baseball cap removed his, revealing a bandaged face. The man looked up at the camera but his expression was cold and calculating. 

"Thomas Elliot." Bruce said. 

"You know him Bruce?" Philip asked. 

"He used to play with me and Isa when we were children." Bruce explained. "He grew jealous after what happened to my parents."

"According to Eliza... you lost your parents, and inherited the family company and fortune." Philip said. "A terrible loss I say." Bruce nodded, as he recognized that he would be haunted by the deaths of his parents, which Isabella had long recognized and accepted. "As far as I can see here... these two men are behind all this, but this is a pure discussion rather than hearing a full confession from the suspects. 

"Agreed." Bruce said. "Elliot was released from prison two weeks ago."

"You didn't expect that he would target your wife, even though they too were friends." Philip said. 

"You took the words right out of my mouth." Bruce said. 

"We used to remember the story of how Park Chung Hee was assassinated." Philip said. "But taking my wife hostage as well... he might as well sign his death warrant." 

"You would have known how I operate." Bruce remarked. 

"I know." Philip said. "Should we pay our two suspects a visit?" 

"We should." Bruce said, standing up. "Elliot was always a reclusive man since taking up the mantle of Hush." 

"Finding him will not be easy, got it." Philip said. "Perhaps finding Merlyn is the first piece of the puzzle now." 

"I'll see you guys in Star City then." Oliver said, turning to leave the cave. 

"You seemed efficient for an average South Korean." Dick commented. Philip said nothing and turned away, facing him with his back in cold indifference. 

"We better get going then." Bruce said. 

"I'll see you there Bruce." Philip said, heading towards the elevator to prepare for the journey ahead.