New Earth: Batwoman

Chapter 17

Jonathan Cartwright was confused when he was guided back to the visitation room for the second time in two days. But his confusion faded when he saw who it was.

"Well, well, to what do I owe this pleasure Ms. Kane?" Mouse asked.

"I have questions for you Mr. Cartwright. Or would you prefer I called you Mouse?" Kate asked, taking Mouse aback.

"How did you know that name?" Mouse asked.

"Alice mentioned it in her debut video. She called you her mouse when she attempted to convince the Crows to trade Sophie for you." Kate said, glad she had that cover.

"Well Ms. Kane, I'm not telling you anything about Alice or your family unless you give me my freedom." Mouse said.

"I don't have questions about them." Kate said.

"Oh really, then why are you here?" Mouse asked.

"I have questions about your father." Kate said and she could tell she'd piqued Mouse's interest.

"Really, well I'll spare you some time. I haven't spoken to my father in years, he's the one who made me what I am today. But I will tell you what I do know about his whereabouts." Mouse said.

"Keep talking." Kate said.

"He's dead." Mouse said.

"You honestly believe that to be true, considering his specialty?" Kate asked.

"What do you mean?" Mouse asked.

"I found the cell he held my mother and sister in at his old house. In it were plans for human skin face masks?" Kate asked and Mouse sighed.

"He made those masks to cover up my face after the accident disfigured it. Said he was doing it to help me." Mouse said.

"But instead, he only did it for his own convenience. He told you to hide your true face for years, is it any wonder you ended up in a place like this?" Kate asked.

"What's your point?" Mouse asked.

"Did you ever see your father's body?" Kate asked and now Mouse was beginning to see where she was going with this.

"No, I didn't." Mouse said.

"Then what's to say that he didn't use those same talents he used to try and hide you to disappear himself." Kate asked, really just trying to get into his head, since this was a new tactic she and Helena had come up with. Plant the idea in Mouse's head that his father was still alive so that when he did inevitably escape from Arkham, he would no doubt lead them not only to Alice, but then they would lead them to both her mother and August Cartwright.

"Even if that's true, I have no idea where he is. What exactly were you hoping to accomplish with this?" Mouse asked.

"Since I know that you won't talk, your father might be more willing to and even if he isn't he's evaded justice for too long. And I think that we have something in common." Kate said.

"And what might that be?" Mouse asked.

"We both want to see your father suffer." Kate said and Mouse looked at her considering.

"Well, you're not wrong. But if he is still alive, I don't know where he is." Mouse said.

"Then I think I've gotten all I need from you." Kate said as she got up and walked away from the glass, smiling at herself, since for once, she was the one getting in Alice's head instead of the other way around. She knew it was only a matter of time until Alice broke Mouse out and he gave her the same message she'd given him. That would definitely get into her head and cause her to slip up. At least, she hoped so.

"So, how'd it go?" Luke asked as Kate entered the Batcave.

"As well as expected, I planted the idea in his head, now we let it drive him crazy and if Alice makes a move to get him out of Arkham, he'll share our little message with her and hopefully, it'll get in her head too." Kate said.

"So what do we do in the meantime?" Helena asked.

"Business as normal. Speaking of, Helena, you want a job?" Kate asked.

"What?" Helena asked.

"Bruce was grooming both us to take over Wayne Enterprises, but you are technically his heir. If we're going to rebuild Wayne Enterprises into the diamond it once was, then we need to do things differently, starting with having two people in charge instead of just one." Kate said.

"You want me to be your business partner?" Helena asked.

"We're already partners in the field, why not be partners in our day jobs as well?" Kate asked.

"The board would never back two CEOs." Helena said.

"The board doesn't have the pull it once did, since they're the reason the company fell into its current state. I honestly thought that Bruce would've made sure his board of directors would be prepared to run the company in his absence before he left." Kate said.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Helena asked.

"You know more about the business than I do and while I'm doing my best, I think we both know that you're the person Bruce really wanted to take over the company." Kate said.

"Kate, while I appreciate the offer and I'll help you rebuild the company, you're it's CEO now, I also abandoned it when I left. I will however take the job of VP. Maybe we should consider renaming the company to Kane Enterprises to symbolize a new beginning." Helena said.

"Let's talk." Kate said as they headed upstairs to continue this discussion.