Bruce Wayne

Chapter 24: Perilous Information

Bruce turned his gaze in other directions, using the beams of the passing flashlights to better examine his surroundings. He didn't find anything of apparent usefulness. Bruce knew remaining perfectly still would let him hold his breath longer but leave him stranded in his current location.  Swimming away might get him out of range of the criminals, but the movement would also deplete his available air faster.

He was considering a swim to the other side of the pier when the beams from the flashlights suddenly departed as the goons ended their search. Bruce came up slowly, repeating his earlier technique of ascending just enough to raise his pen snorkel out of the water. A gulp of harbor water emptied the shaft of the pen and let him breathe again. The polluted water left a slightly metallic taste in his mouth, sinking to his stomach and making him want to gag, but he focused on his breathing and stayed motionless.

                                                                                               ***

Eight tense minutes had passed since Bruce had taken refuge in the harbor. When a series of muffled thumps signaled doors closing, Bruce focused his attention on the headlights; they swept past his hiding place as the two vehicles drove away. In no rush to leave concealment and possibly blunder into any criminals still lingering in the area, Bruce continued to wait.

His ability to breathe wasn't a concern anymore since he'd been able to use his improvised snorkel again, but other problems were starting to arise. The cold water was making his hands numb and prevented him from keeping a firm grip on the rope he held. His muscles were also being affected by the low temperature, and his arms trembled slightly; Bruce didn't know if it was from muscle fatigue or the early stages of hypothermia. No matter what the cause, Bruce knew his time in the water had to end quickly, but if he surfaced while any of the criminals were still in the vicinity, his life might be the thing that ended.

An approaching flashlight beam caught his attention, and Bruce managed to take a deep breath before submerging once more. His faltering grip made the descent more difficult than it had been the first time, but he managed to reach the anchor. Looking up, he saw the flashlight switch on and off in a series of pulses. Bruce watched the pattern, and when he recognized it as Morse code, he was able to decipher the message being sent down to him. Removing the grappling hook from the anchor, Bruce swam to the surface for the final time, taking several deep breaths of air when his head and shoulders emerged from the water. Alfred waited on the pier, flashlight in hand.

"We have the place to ourselves again, Sir," Alfred called out to him, careful not to use his name if someone else was listening.

Bruce was exhausted and had trouble swimming over to where Alfred stood. He tried to throw the rope of the grappling hook, but his numb muscles made it a feeble attempt. Alfred knelt down and grabbed Bruce by the shoulder, pulling him up and onto the pier. Bruce stayed on his back for a moment, breathing hard and shivering uncontrollably.

Alfred hurried back to the van, driving it to where Bruce was freezing to death. Taking a blanket from the back, Alfred wrapped Bruce in a cocoon of multiple layers and assisted him up into the van. Shutting the rear doors, Alfred moved with urgency to the driver's seat, climbing in and turning the heater to maximum as soon as he'd closed the door. Putting the van in gear, Alfred sped away from the docks and returned to Wayne Manor.

                                                                                          ***

Bruce had faded in and out of consciousness during the drive home, but when he finally did wake up, he found himself in a bathtub of hot water. He was still attired in the black outfit he'd been wearing for his mission to the docks; the only things missing were his shoes, gloves, and ski mask. Feeling had started to return to his skin, and he could better control the movement of his fingers.