Russian Roulette

Chapter 18 : Suspicions confirmed

The door of Isabella's bedroom in her flat opened and Bruce, who is listening to her movements, perched up from his sleep. She is speaking to someone on her phone, and instead of English, she is speaking Russian. She might believe that he doesn't know Russian but she is very wrong. "I'll meet you as soon as I can Glasnost." she said. Then another door opened and closed back, prompting Bruce to jump out and sneak out into the living room. His phone buzzed in the pocket of his coat and he connected the call.

"Are you there sir?" came the voice of Alfred Pennyworth, one of his closest allies and friend.

"She left the house Alfred." Bruce whispered, removing a flashlight to look in the dark. 

"Maybe she left for work?"

"She's a federal agent Alfred, I heard her talking to someone, codenamed Glasnost."

"A federal prosecutor?"

"No, FBI." Bruce explained, turning the doorknob of Isabella's bedroom with a gloved hand. "I've long suspected this, that night when she showed up at Wayne Tower is proof."

"My word." he replied. 

"Whoever this Glasnot guy is, he or she is definitely Russian."

"How would you know that?" the curious butler inquired. 

"The phone call she just had, she is conversing in Russian. What do you have on her background Alfred?"

"My sincerest apologies Master Bruce, although we know that Miss Stark is from South Korea I can't dig up much about her family background."

"Nothing?" Bruce asked.

"Not entirely sir. According to the files I have Miss Kim, Miss Stark's mother is a diplomat in charge of the South Korean embassy in the United Kingdom. Miss Stark is captured on camera with her mother when she arrived at Heathrow Airport, they stayed there for four years. She went there with her mother after your parents' funeral." Bruce picked up the photo frames on Isabella's desk, looking at them one by one. 

"Why did you address Isa's mother by her maiden name?" he asked.

"Both Mr. Stark and Miss Kim have separated when Isabella departed with her mother to England, citing that the marriage isn't going anywhere."

"How could that happen?"

"Somehow Miss Stark's father started to cheat on Miss Kim while she remained faithful to him."

"Unhappy marriage then."

"Miss Stark is unaware of that, but both her parents shared custody over Miss Stark. The father agreed to support Isabella as much as he can which includes monetary support." putting the frames back to their original place Bruce turned to her clothes wardrobe, opening it. "Miss Stark hardly sees her father ever since but they maintained contact through online video-calling." 

"Based on her ID tag she is working as a Senior Special Agent in the Counterintelligence division."

"Accessing her files now sir."

"Alfred, how many files you can pull up on Isa?"

"Not much sir but I'll try." Bruce closed back the wardrobe and snuck out Isabella's room, leaving it in the same state before she left. Sitting in the guestroom Bruce sat back and waited for Alfred's response while he looked around. Ten minutes later Alfred called back but Bruce didn't respond as his mind lingered back into his thoughts. Though he refused to admit to anyone he knows that he is falling in love with Isabella when he saw her back in London. Maybe he doesn't deserve to be with her but if he admitted a relationship with her his enemies would be painting their targets on her back. Both Bruce Wayne and Batman have their own fair share of enemies and his decision will plunge Isabella into another world of danger if he isn't careful enough. He had already lost his second ward to a madman already and wasn't ready to lose another loved one to the insane Clown Prince of Crime or any other villains in Gotham. "Sir? Do you hear me?" Alfred's voice pulled him back to reality.

"... Sorry Alfred." Bruce replies. "I was thinking... about other things."

"About Miss Stark," the butler begun. "She is a former of the famous Empire High School in South Korea, ran by one of your other childhood friend's father. Top of her class, President of the Student Board in the school."

"I remember that South Korean women can volunteer for military service."

"Her military dossier also revealed next to nothing sir. She served for a year and a half under the military intelligence department. She left for the United States when the United States Military Academy came knocking."

"West Point." Bruce concluded. "Haven't seen her in the country though."

"The records showed that she was sent overseas after a few months of training, but where she was deployed is a mystery."

"Commanding officer?"

"Miss Stark is determined to keep her family out of her files, I cannot explain why." the butler replied in a frustrated voice. 

"Whatever the secrets she is hiding, it must be important to her. Problem is, is this a good or bad thing."

"Sir, may I be frank?"

"Go ahead." he said. 

"Master Bruce, are you in love with Miss Stark?" he asked. "You have been acting strangely after your trip to London." Bruce didn't reply.

"Even though you are correct I cannot tell her yet. I'm not ready."

"Master Bruce, Miss Stark can very well protect herself from any enemy."

"What about Joker's antics then?" Bruce asked, anger flaring up within him. "Remember what he did to Jason?"

"The Joker chose to torture and kill him sir."

"You didn't see the hatred in her eyes when she saw me Alfred. She doesn't like how I am perceived in the tabloids."

"You should tell her the truth, let her into your world at least."

"No." Bruce clicked off the call and closed his eyes in the dark room, refusing the urge to tell Isabella the true purpose of his facade.