Russian Roulette

Chapter 15 : Getting to know

The White House

A black SUV passed the security checkpoint guarding the White House and pulled up to the North front of the building. Inside the vehicle Secret Service agent Daniel Watson pulled the handbrake and glanced at his passengers seated inside. "You'll have to wait here first." he told his passengers. "Security's way tighter during these two days." then he got down and entered the White House. Seated at the passenger seat Bruce fumed inwards while glancing at his watch, a gift from the maternal sibling of Isabella's grandmother. 

"Not many people are here today, somehow." said Richard Grayson, his eldest adoptive son. "You think Isa's around?"

"She would be, I hope." he replied.

"I've never entered the White House, on paper at least." Tim Drake, the youngest adoptive son said. "It would make a great photo experience."

"You can't simply take pictures Tim." Bruce said. "Aside from a few rooms, you can't approach the West Wing."

"The White House is highly protected, ranging from snipers on the rooftop and SAMs."

"Do we need to dress properly to meet the VIP?" 

"Probably in your head Tim." Dick teased his younger brother. The door of the North front opened and a figure stepped out. The figure promptly approached the window of the passenger seat and knocked on it. 

"You're my wife's chief of staff." Bruce said, prompting Tim to drop his phone in surprise.

"Oliver Evans." the figure introduced himself. "Agent Watson said that you're looking for my boss."

"Is she around?" he asked the chief of staff. 

"Sorry, no." he said, with an apologetic smile. "She's on her way to New York right now."

"New York?" Bruce lifted a brow. "And President Reagan?"

"You're late for the second time." Oliver said. "The president has already left in Air Force One, en route to Cairo. For talks between Afghanistan and Syria."

"Why is she in New York?"

"Vice President Reagan, is, tasked by the president to attend the G7 summit. If your next move is to enquire for any free time with my boss, you'll have to be patient." Bruce isn't happy upon the answers but he is clearly aware of the responsibilities the vice president must bare if the president is away for any pressing issues such as important meetings. "But I must advice you sir, the summit can be very long." he nodded but said nothing. "If the meeting ends early I'll be sure to notify." finishing, the chief of staff turned and headed towards a waiting vehicle to bring him to New York City.

"Oops. Missed the deadline." Dick said with a chuckle.

"I wouldn't blame her." Bruce said. Ten minutes later Daniel climbed into the driver's seat and looked at Bruce for any further instructions. 

"You don't have any place to go sir?" he braved the question.

"How about lunch?" Tim suggested. "I heard that there's a restaurant called Jefferson's Place."

"Not a bad idea." Dick said.

"Then Jefferson's Place it is?" the agent asked.

"Not a bad idea too." Bruce said. 

Jefferson's Place

"I felt like I've been transported back to the Colonial Era." Dick mused when he set foot inside the restaurant. The restaurant is filled with customers, mostly federal employees and members of the Senate. Not much people batted an eye when they saw Bruce enter the restaurant. Most of them already met Bruce, both in person and on media channels. 

"I'm confused." Tim said. "Is the vice president your girlfriend or your wife?"

"Bruce and Isa are already married." Dick retorted. "Jason wasn't confused." Jason, the second brother, chucked his phone at Tim despite just sitting beside one another. 

"Okay, married." he said. Daniel kept an eye on Bruce along with several agents tailing behind them in another vehicle while seated at the bar area overlooking them. "And for three years?"

"We wanted the marriage to be a private affair." Bruce said, not even blinking. 

"Anything the both of us should know about... um..."

"Isa's cool." Dick took over the conversation. "She's former FBI, ranked Major in the Army, locked up two presidents, brought down-"

"Presidents? Haven't seen it."

"Former President of Russia, Aleksei Yuvchenko, and a Venezuelan President."

"I remember that night when Bruce and a woman saved our ass in the steel mill." Jason asked with a low voice. "Was she a new vigilante?" Dick responded by glancing at Bruce.

"Seriously, bringing guns too?"

"Luke and I have already said that she's with the military, and the FBI. It's practically suicide if you don't go gun toting."

"I know that Bruce has issues with me having guns, and she-?"

"She doesn't have murderous impulses like you." Bruce said coldly. 

"Okay, what did she do for a living before this whole thing?"

"Flew on fighter jets, survived an IED ambush, part of a black ops team, using her web of connections to solve cases."

"Now that's a story I'd like to hear." Jason said. "But what type of connections?"

"Her FBI past is much a mystery to me." Dick replied, scratching his head. "But I know Isa will go ape, it's her contacts after all." Jason tried to cut in but abandoned the attempt when food was served. 

"A little bit too close to comfort with the name calling Dick. You don't think that Bruce will go ape?"

"We worked together before." Bruce said.

"Yeah, that South Korean Inspector in the NYPD." Tim said. "Inspector Lee."

"They seemed close."

"As childhood friends." Bruce added. "Besides me and Thomas, the three of us are inseparable as kids."

"Doesn't she have families?"

"A large brood. We can catch up, if she's available for dinner."