First Impressions [Selina]

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Slowly, the smaller of the two hands on the clock ticked along to the next minute. It had done so five times while he waited, although he judged that he wouldn’t be sitting there for much longer. Waiting wasn’t customary to Ra’s, usually people waited to see him. And while they waited to see him, they didn’t sit in a waiting room such as this. The colouring pleased him, with the darker tones fitting well with the company’s name, Black Cat Security. Although to his admission, Ra’s was more interested in the CEO, Miss Selina Kyle. The League was not new to business; in fact it quite recently operates through it. Thus there are few modest companies that Ra’s does not know of.

One hand upon the head of his black cane, the other tapping on the chair’s arm, Ra’s’ eyes dotted around the room. The receptionist hadn’t spoken since he’d entered, welcoming him to wait until her boss was ready to see him. Her fingers slightly tapped away on the keyboard, concealed behind her desk. Not once had her eyes lifted from the computer screen, how professional. How little she likely knew about her employer though. Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman. A brilliant thief but still a criminal, maybe too good for the GCPD but not the League. If knowledge is power, Ra’s would rule the World. He also knew of her relationship with Mr. Wayne. For the past few months, Assassins have reported the two of them meeting on numerous occasions, in and out of costume. There are few secrets that the League can’t discover.

When he first arrived at the building, Ra’s was first impressed by her company. Not many criminals actively pursue legal work outside of their criminal activities. She’d have no lack of money to fund her business ventures. His thoughts then wondered if this was form of redemption for her, an attempt to rehabilitate and remove herself from the Gotham Underworld. Admirable but good cannot wash out the bad nor vice versa, those were the words that Ra’s lived by. This wasn’t a social call however; business was at the fore front of his mind as ever. Wayne is a thorn in his side, however much he respects the man. His night time escapades are giving this hopeless City enough energy to live on, when it should have fallen many years ago. Being close to Bruce, hopefully she might have a word with him upon hanging up the cowl.

Obviously she’ll say no at first, but by merely planting the thought in her head, he might achieve his goal. No man can fight forever, hopefully she will soon realise this and persuade him to pursue other ‘hobbies’. Tick. Another minute sat in this room, with the receptionist’s fingers rolling along the keys on her keyboard. Perhaps if he’d arranged this meeting with his real name, not a false one, he might have been granted an audience much sooner. Henri Ducard was always a favourite guise of his, the one he’d told Bruce all those years ago. And even before that when he had the meeting with the French Aristocrat. Suddenly he heard footsteps from the end of the corridor that led to Selina’s office. A large framed man walked into the waiting room, giving Ra’s a slight nod, to which Ra’s gave one back, before collecting his coat from the stand and leaving. “Miss Kyle will see you now, Mr. Ducard. Just head along the corridor and she’ll meet you there.” Pushing himself up with the cane, Ra’s smirked at the young girl. “Thank you.” He tilted his head courteously before moving on along the short corridor. It didn’t take him long to reach the end, where a door stood, black with a silver handle upon it. His hand reached out and turned it, allowing him entrance into the office.

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It was a Tuesday. What did that mean? For most, nothing. But for her, it meant all those hard-hitting weekend partiers were rescheduling, due to 'sickness' on a Monday, and she was now getting bombarded with new meetings for the week, and so forth. So while her secretary was shuffling things, Alec was ...doing whatever he did at his computer. While she herself looked over two different desks; one spread with blueprints, another her more formal desk, which held her laptop, tablet, and her cellphone. It wasn't long before she had a small 'ding' echo in her earpiece, a message popping up on her screen saying she had a walk-in. Her jaw went tight for a moment before she responded, telling Alec to walk him down the hall in 3 minutes. That would give her enough time to ...get straightened out.

"Shit." Escaped her lips for a moment, as she glanced into her tablet's reflective surface. She was primp and proper as ever; charcoal skirt, today an emerald blouse with a sort of decorative tie at the neck. Heels, demure baubles, her hair gently pinned up from her face at her temples. Her jacket had been discarded along the back of her chair for ease of movement, and her cup of coffee had barely been touched. So while she applied a fresh coat of lipstick, she smiled, the name piped into her not-quite their earpiece as she heard Alec's footfalls, and then another set outside her door. On her feet in a second, Selina was at the door, welcoming the man, Mr. Ducard into her sanctum.

"Forgive me, Mr. Ducard. I wasn't quite expecting you, so please excuse the ...work in progress." A quick once over was able to give her valuable information; cane, tall man, not infirm, but...not entirely play-acting, either. French, possibly. Henri, with that spelling, was clearly European. And the man had..an accent. Across the pond, a slight flush crossing over her cheeks as it made her neigh homesick for the briefest of moments. The color of his suit was vivid in the light of her office; the tone not a dark black or blue, but a rich red, she noted, nearly black. Ochre came to mind, as morbid as it was.

"Please sit, and what has brought you to Black Cat Securities this morning?" Offering him a choice of seats; there was a duo of chairs before her desk, as well as a rather plush sitting area of a chaise, and several chairs. "Can I get you any refreshments?" There was also a glass and copper cart, with several decanters of colored liquors, as well as her own personal French press atop her desk; nearly untouched. For a woman that worked nocturnal hours, as well as daylight, Selina Kyle was quite put together.

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Giving a slight nod to the man at the door, Ra’s entered the room with a slight smile on his face as he approached Miss Kyle. Immediately it was clear to him why Bruce valued her so dearly. Dark hair, darker eyes and a smile that likely cuts through most men. But Ra’s isn’t just any man. Although from what he’s seen of Catwoman, it’s easy to picture the Woman beneath the suit. A man such as Bruce Wayne doesn’t fall in love with just anyone and she’s proved that not only does she have the looks, she also has the brains, her successful building stands as an example of that. “No Miss Kyle, forgive me for the intrusion, it’s obvious that you’re a very busy woman. I’m just glad I’ve finally got the chance to meet you, your reputation precedes you.” With in a flash, Ra’s took her hand and kissed it lightly. He did so in a way which wasn’t smarmy or romantic, as his name suggests he is supposed to be from Europe so perhaps it’s customary there when meeting a beautiful woman.

As they walked across the room to her desk, his eyes darted over every inch of the office. His eyes were mainly focused upon the array of blueprints. Obviously things were busy here at Black Cat Security. When she asked him about a drink, he stopped for a moment to observe the blueprints while her back was turned. “If you’re offering, I think I’ll allow myself some wine. A glass once in a while will hardly kill me.” Even if it did he’d always just come back. Being at the peak of physical fitness for a man of his age, Ra’s didn’t often partake in the consumption of alcohol but he often had a drop of red wine. He likes the feeling of drinking a vintage that is younger than him.

Turning from the other table, he sat before the desk and placed one leg over the other, his hand stroking the carvings on the hilt of his cane. His thumb ran around every cut and bend, something he could do in his sleep as he’d had it for so long. The fingers upon his other hand unbuttoned his jacket as he sat, as was customary. He wore one of his favourite suits, that being said he had many favourites. It was very rare that he wore anything bright or anything that would make him stick out. However he saw his sense of fashion quite suits, with suits often being tailored for him. “Straight to business. Now I’m almost certain that you’ve never heard of me before, where as I know quite a bit about you, no thanks to your current endeavours with Mr. Luthor.”


Perhaps he’d catch her off guard with his next comment. “I’m actually here concerning a mutual friend of ours, Mr. Wayne.” As he mentions his name, his gaze was fixated upon her eyes, noticing any slight movement that might give away her night time activities. Before continuing, he listened for if anyone was in the room although he believes that the man who was at the door had left to give them privacy. “Your company isn’t my main interest; in fact I require your ‘other’ skills. There’s no point in denying who you are come night so I’ll be blunt, I require something that Mr. Wayne has and like I said your reputation precedes you so here I am.” The smirk from earlier had vanished, he was now deadly serious. He could always have one of his Assassins collect what he needed however this mission had two objectives. The first was to get Ra’s a certain chemical for Dr. Crane and the second was a more subtle one. If Bruce ever found out that his lover had broken into his company, it would likely drive a wedge into their relationship, weakening the Dark Knight for a time while his heart repaired.

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Thankfully for him, Selina was quite familiar with the European way of things, considering she'd aquired most of her education across the pond, as it was fondly refered. Not that this Mr. Ducard would know, but it did bring a smile to her face, a certain lightness to her being at the gesture. Even his own apology was unexpected, but warm. He was rather dapper, his slight inflection in his voice reminding her of long-lost good memories. His words, sadly, she had heard before, and just as much, they usually preceeded a request. And not the standard business she saw in daylight hours.

Pursing her lips, she heeded his request for beverage."Sadly, Mr. Ducard, I don't have any fine vintages here at my office. I do have a lovely sweet port, if that would be a slightly lackluster substitute, I could offer." She invited him to, poised above her cart filled with crystal decanters, as well as several matching tumblers. Pouring herself an inch or two of something, she only moved when he'd responded, finally joining him at her own desk, offering him his own beverage, if he'd chosen a suitable replacement.

Settling into her own chair, she gently rolled up one of the sets of blueprints, enough so the expansive of glass between them was bare of anything. Opening the table for discussion, metaphorically to a degree. As he made himself comfortable, she was careful to watch his mannerisms, his each gesture, and file them away. His phrasing had already alerted her, as well as his unplanned 'dropping in.'

Chuckling slightly at his words, she was not shocked. It seemed the Metropham revamp was bringing her more business, as well as more requests for 'favors' in the same breath."It seems quite a few are looking more into my services, after my partnering with Mr. Luthor. I can do nothing but welcome the business, you know." As he then mentioned Bruce, she nodded, a smile still on her lips."Wise of you to see the connection. Most know I do consult for Mr. Wayne, and I'm oft seen with him at public social events. You're in good company, if you are a friend of his, I must admit." But his next words took her off guard. How...did this man know Bruce, and know who she was? If that was true, he also was quite aware of just who Bruce was as well...and the myriad of connections that meant. A quick depress of her finger, and Selina spoke to her secretary with ease."Natalie? Can you hold my calls for the next....45 minutes at the least? I'd appreciate it." It wasn't a distressed tone, and interestingly enough, it was the numerical amount that would show the degree of ...alarm. This one meant to honestly, hold her calls, but to keep Alec close at hand.

Sitting back in her seat, she was quite silent as she thought about his request. It was a breath, in, and out, three times before she finally would say a word to this odd man, with an even more ...peculiar request.

"Mr. Ducard, I appreciate your flatterly, your honesty in making connections and networking, but sadly, I do believe you're missing one point; conflict of interest. If you are claiming to be a mutal friend of Bruce Wayne, yet are assuming to know what I do in my nighttime, private, off-office hours, there is a bit of a discrepancy. And I have been leveled with such claims before, that you're not quite speaking in such blunt terms, but unless you can claim evidence to back up such an assumption, I do believe you're barking up the wrong tree with your request." There was no accusitory tone in her voice, she was rather pleasant. But when you've had accusations like the ones he's made toss at her time and time again, you learned to feign offense and claim astonishment at something that was actually the truth. She wasn't even going to get into the fact that her willingly stealing something from Wayne Enterprises may have been a thing of the past, but now? No, she'd have other plans.

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A slight burst of laughter came from Ra’s but it was quickly silenced. His dark eyes were still focused upon her own eyes, spying for any guilty movements that she would let slip. Ra’s wasn’t a man to make allegations without some form of proof first. Getting up from his chair, he began to move towards the drink table, picking up the port with his back to her. Now his eyes scanned the bottle, examining the make and it turned out to be one he recognised. “Perfect, I believe this will suffice.” The cane was propped up against her desk; clearly he didn’t require it to walk as might have been thought. While holding it with one hand, his other removed the cork; the sound of it opening shook through the room, breaking the sound between the two of them. Pouring the bottle into one of the glasses, Ra’s placed the bottle back before giving a quick sniff of the drink’s scent. It smelled warm and festive, which suited the rapidly approaching holidays.

Taking a drink, Ra’s enjoyed the feeling of warmth that shot down his throat. Before continuing, he rose the glass to her, commending her on choosing such a fine beverage. One hand in his pocket, Ra’s made his way back over to the desk, giving her a lengthy glance before returning to his seat. “I’m sure you believe that you’re close to Bruce, that he holds you dearly. Well perhaps you then know of how he became to be what he is today. I would like to think, against my better judgement, that I played a large part in his rebirth. I won’t bother going into the details but I’m sure you know the story already. I haven’t seen him in a while; last time we met we had a rather violent falling out.” Again he rose his leg up onto the other so that he was sitting comfortably. Taking another sip from the glass, he paused before continuing.

“But ah yes how does this involve you. I’m respecting your intelligence so at least return me the courtesy. I know who you are and I know what Mr. Wayne is. Do not treat me like the others who might have accused you, as I’m not like them.” Ra’s could provide any amount of proof through tapping her phone or photographic evidence but hopefully she’d be mature enough to realise the situation she was in. The sooner she stopped falsely defending her innocence the quicker they can get down to business and the quicker Ra’s can move to more pressing matters. “You shouldn’t be concerned about how I know who you are, rather that you should be focusing on what I’m yet to do with you.”

Ra’s gave her a while to respond, never moving his eyes from her. Would she be honest with him? Not likely. Batman and his followers all live covered in a cloak of lies, ready to drop it at a moments notice. She is after all a criminal. “You are a criminal Miss Kyle, no matter what your company says. Strange that Mr. Wayne has over looked your criminal actives for romantic reasons, a just man would have you arrested. But still now for the first time in your life you have a use, to do something that doesn’t personally benefit you but for a greater cause.” Leaning forward on his chair, Ra’s placed both of his hands upon the desk, staring at her with a morose facial expression. Then suddenly his face changed and he dug his hand into his pocket to retrieve a photo. Upon it was a young woman who would be quite familiar to Selina. He placed the photo down before her and brought both of his hands together, gazing over to her. “I believe you’ve met Miss Geier. Such a young pretty thing, it would be shame if she got caught up in this due to your bad decisions.” His tone was deadly serious. Ra’s hated seeing the blood of innocents but sometimes drastic action needed to be taken. “Help me and I won’t lay a hand on her, don’t and I won’t be accountable for my actions.”

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Guilt was not a word in her repertoire. Not that Mr. Ducard would be aware of that, but as the saying went, 'Innocent until proven guilty' and Selina Kyle had done not a damn thing wrong. So once he had settled in with his drink, the cane abandoned, only then did her eyes survey the ornament, noting it's well used appearance, and the delicacy with how it had been crafted. More and more, she was disliking this situation, and even moreso the man before her, who claimed to know Bruce, and herself, as well as their alter egos in kind.

It was true, what he was saying. She didn't exactly know the step-by-step route of how he had become Batman, but she did know the reasons why he did it, and for now, that was all that mattered. He was a man with a tragic past, and was each and every day trying to overcome the lingering pain that was dredged up by the loss of not only one parent, but both in what was supposed to be one of the best times in life; childhood. So if this was one man that helped him to reclaim his own understanding, she could honor that, but the threads, and delusions of grandeur? Catwoman didn't play that game, and neither did Selina Kyle.

Taking a sip of her own drink, Selina nodded slightly. "Then I have to appreciate your skill, Mr. Ducard, in aiding a man along his spiritual path, helping him to regain what he had lost, at once. Perhaps I should look on you more kindly as a Father, and not as a stranger." She said softly. Parents were a point of contention with herself as well, orphaned at a young age, but in a much different way than Bruce, but no less harshly.

"And I don't mean to judge, Mr. Ducard. It's just in my position; in what I do, and being connected to Mr. Wayne, it's not uncommon to be accosted near weekly by those claiming I am something I'm not. And I do agree, the majority does not possess your finesse, or your confidence. Forgive me on that error, for as much as you know about me, and I am lacking in knowledge on you, I may have made a rash judgement." Ever apologetic, Selina sat comfortably in her own seat, nodding her head, before shifting slightly in her seat, moving in as he shifts closer to her desk as well. Picking up her pen, she clicks it a few times before jotting down Henri Ducard on a note, and then asking him for his number. She's about to hand the pen over to him when he yet again accuses her of being a criminal. The accusation is grating on her, considering she's a world-wide known cat-burglar, a high-profile thief that hasn't been caught, but is talked about quite a bit.

"My company is separate from my after-hours activities, so while you continue on to say such things, you keep insulting me. I doubt you'd say to Bruce that he's an empty headed moron, now would you? Just because that is what he portrays to the public, doesn't make it what he is, does it?" Her lips press into a thin line as he mentions the 'greater good' and the fact he's assuming she'd never done anything good, or great with her life. Cut off by him reaching into her pockets, her eyes go wide for a moment, her heartbeat calming while he only withdraws a photo. It's....a snapshot of Charlotte, heading in to school. Blinking her eyes, Selina quietly gets up, and goes to where the photo is on his side of the desk, and picks it up, glancing at Mr. Ducard. "No, I'd rather not she get tied up in this." Her words are barely above a whisper as her eyes meet the man not only threatening her, but someone she has grown to care for. Flipping the photo over in her fingertips, Selina sees there is nothing on the back. Poising her pen over the photo, she asks him if he'd like her to write down Charlotte's name. "I just...don't know how you'd be able to get this. She's...quite safe. I am her guardian-" her voice trails off, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears.

Standing slowly as she tries to recover from the revealed photo, Selina offers the it back to him, the proximity causing her to gasp slightly. "Mr. Ducard! You didn't tell me you have a suit of Lyons velvet! I had thought it was velveteen...but this is exquisite! I honestly haven't seen this sort of quality since the early 1800's, and then it was French made..." she prattles on, clearly mesmerized by the quality of his suit. "If I may...." she murmurs, pen shifted between her fingertips as she touches the finely made collar, and simultaneously speaks, pressing the pen against his neck, as it finally dispenses the drug harbored within. "Sorry to change the subject from you accusing me of being a criminal, Mr. Ducard...." As the man slumps in the chair near instantaneously as the M99 infiltrates his system via the non-needle injector commonly used by diabetics with a needle phobia. Using a modified Lorentz-force actuator, the medication of choice (usually insulin) is pushed into the skin, near mimicking a mosquito's proboscis. "...But I don't take kindly to insults and threats..." She adds calmly, rather collected, as the whole show of emotion was clearly an act, and a damn good one at that.

Either way, the strong dose of Etorphine, animal analgesic and paralytic will have the man knocked out cold, for at least several hours. Not that she will need that long, but with a bit of a twist and click, she delivers a second, smaller dose to this Ducard character. Pocketing the photo, Selina goes back and sits at her desk, depressing her intercom, and dialing a number at the same time. "Natalie, I need Alec in here. Proceed with continuing to hold for 57 seconds. Thank you." There is a second click in her ear, and it's Missy cheerfully answering. "Heya hon. Can I talk to Bruce, it's urgent. Cooper-Hamm account." There is a small gasp from the secretary, a click, and then she can hear the affirmative, the gruff voice on the other end clearly understanding her intrusion.


"Yes, the line is secured. I have a question. Who the fuck is Henri, with an i, Ducard, what is he doing here claiming to know about you and me, and yes, in that way, how did he track Charlotte well enough to get a rather candid of her at school, and most importantly, why is he dressed in a wine-colored Lyons velvet suit from, oh, circa the god-damn eighteen HUNDREDS?!" The majority of her 'question' is calm, until she gets to the peculiarity of Ducard's suit. Narrowing her eyes at the unconscious man, Alec enters quietly, and starts to restrain the man with those lovely plastic zip-ties that nearly every IT tech has on hand. Natalie and Alec were able to execute Selina's coded rhetoric beautifully, and both were going to get a hefty thank you from their boss.

"No," she continues speaking into her earpiece. "He's drugged, and restrained. And something within urged me to give him a bit extra, so I did." She pushes the pen with a fingertip along her desk, before shaking her head again. "So, why don't you get your ass over here, since this asshole is claiming he 'helped you become the man you are now,' and get Dick or Kory to get Charlotte from school, and bring them to the manor." The tone she is using speaks volumes, and unless he has a better, much better plan, she's not taking no for an answer.

After Bruce gets off the line, she nods to Alec. "Thank you. You both did beautifully. If you can notify Natalie that Mr. Wayne will be stopping by, I'd appreciate it. If you want to issue a cash bonus to you, and Nat, and hold down the fort for the rest of the afternoon, I'd appreciate it. Let's make it five." And by five, she doesn't mean dollars, or hundreds, but thousands. To both of them. While waiting, Selina finishes off her glass, and eyeballs the one remaining on her desk. Bruce can do what he wishes with that, while she makes another call; to Charlotte's school, explaining that there is a bit of an emergent situation, and that she will be picked up by yes, Kory Anders. The supermodel. There is already a faxed consent signed by both herself, and Kory en route. The secretary there gives a chipper response, and Selina has all the time in the world to wait the 13 minutes it will take Bruce to show up. He likes to be punctual. And it should give her just enough time to play back and cue the video for him to watch.

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Sipping what was left from his glass; Ra’s bent forward and picked up the bottle, pouring some more out for himself. An exquisite drink, he’d have to purchase himself a bottle for his own office. Firmly placing the bottle back down upon the table with a loud thud, his focus shot back to her. How many young women like herself had joined the League? Far too many to recount. If she hadn’t originally turned to crime, her abilities could have been used for the greater good, not personal gain. Such a shame. Not fond of the use ‘father’, the smirk upon his face vanished. “Mr. Wayne had a Father; I was merely a tutor, helping him along. He had such potential...now it’s all gone, wasted upon this.” It was if he was talking about the very building they were in, let alone the City itself.

“Do as I ask and you need not fear me, oppose me and there will be dire consequences for you and those you care about. I only hope that you see sense before it’s too late for young Charlotte.” Watching her use the pen, his eyes quickly turned to the photo of Charlotte. As innocent as she was, she was a necessary sacrifice to motivate Ms. Kyle. Young, her mind likely still fresh for new ideals and motives, she’d be a perfect candidate for recruitment, if Wayne and Kyle didn’t get their claws on her first, filling her mind with nonsense. If only everybody knew the truth about Gotham, so many are content to live in squalor and corruption. So many like Charlotte.

“Bruce Wayne is...complicated. On one hand I respect the man; he’s shown great conviction and strength, saving this City from the brink of destruction. Then again he’s a thorn in my side, saving what is lost when he could be doing so much more to help Humanity. I’m tired of trying to persuade him to use his skills for the greater good. I don’t have the same respect for you. You’re a criminal, a parasite who leaches off of others, stealing what you can for any profit. In fact you disgust me.” Facially, he had not change. He gave the same in different look as before, taking another drink from his glass while moving the glass around in his hand.

His cruel eyes watched her as she looked at the photo, it was clear that this girl was a weakness that Ra’s could use against her. “I can do a lot more than just take photos of people, believe me.” Once they began tailing Selina, they discovered Charlotte. Then a team was sent to investigate her, where she went, who she talked to and what her connection to Selina was. Quickly they discovered her relationship with Selina, which Ra’s aptly, saw as a key persuasion topic to use. With one word, his men could take her and it would be like she never existed. Would the World miss her? Likely not. She’s just another Young Girl lost in a sea of crime and death, impossible to care about singly when so many others are in the same position as her. “Safe? She’s safe by your standards, not mine.”

His eyes shot down to the clothing he was wearing. He’d never gave his attire much thought until she brought it up but she was correct that it was a fine suit, being one of his personal favourites. Following her with his eyes as she got up, he watched her approach him with caution. He never suspected what would occur next. Before he knew it, he felt the jab of the pen in his neck, which caught him entirely by suprise. Damn it you Old Fool! He felt old, sluggish, tired, feelings he didn’t often feel for a man of 600 years. The cane slipped out of his hand onto the floor, as did the glass, spilling the drink all over the table. Blurred vision, slow reactions, he could do nothing to fight to the poison. He should have seen it coming; clearly he was out of practise, having gone to long without being in action. Slouching in his chair, Ra’s attempted to move but fell unconscious before he could. This would be a minor set back.

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“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”


Despite the fact that the route was projected to be a 13 minute long drive, his last solemnly spoken reply to Selina’s frantic phone call indicated he undoubtedly didn’t question how grave the situation’s nature truly was. Slipping past his front office secretary’s attention, Bruce Wayne made his way swiftly and inconspicuously out of the Wayne Enterprise building and into its sub-level parking garage. In mere seconds the multi-billionaire started the engine of his pricy jet-black Porsche and peeled loudly out onto Gotham’s bustling downtown mid-day streets.


Henri Ducard.

No, Ducard was simply an alias used – not the true title name of the man who now had Selina so on edge.

Ra’s al Ghul.

That was the true name of the man who had been so completely responsible for teaching Bruce the fine skills in espionage, infiltration, combat, strategy, and intimidation. Ra’s al Ghul had taught Bruce the ways of the League of Shadows – ancient practices only mastered to expertise level by just a handful of souls within the world… Harnessing the deadliest men and women in the world, taught to play all roles of judge, jury, and executioner. Their sole purpose was to rid the world of corruption that infested all society in effort to bring a better future to all with their ideals of New World Order.


Due to the fact that all goals and ideals practiced and taught by Ra’s – carried the same solution of extermination by murder to those deemed unfit by their standards, was what drove Bruce to leave and completely expunge any and all ties with the League of Shadows. Erasing all connection with Ra’s al Ghul. Though Bruce had been successful in his departure from such a faction, it wasn’t without its consequences. To rid oneself of a man like Ra’s al Ghul after being mentored, molded, created by him was damned near impossible – Ra’s power extended endlessly around the world and could not be ignored if he so wished. It had been years since Bruce had last encountered the ominous man of near immortality…


And when the altercation had finished, resulting in Ra’s taking leave from Bruce’s life – it was more than a slap in the face to hear that he was now truly back in Gotham. Invading the most intimate and highly protected areas he held sacred with his sudden appearance at Selina Kyle’s office. Whatever game Ra’s was playing, Bruce wanted none of it – and that was made perfectly clear in the way he now reacted to such newly learned information. Nine minutes and thirty-six seconds later, Bruce arrived at Black Cat Securities and bolted into the office building without a second’s hesitation.


“Oh! Mr. Wayne, Miss Kyle said she was expec--” But the front office secretary was cut off as Bruce stormed past the personnel desk attendant, only to bark at the security guard who manned the elevator access.


“Executive access to Selina Kyle’s office, NOW!” Without question, the guard immediately let Bruce pass due to Selina’s prior orders.


“This really isn’t the best time to be drinking.” Bruce’s cold, harsh tone now rang out from the suddenly opened doorframe of Selina’s corner office. He swept into the room, looking so out of place and yet not, in his charcoal grey business suit which starkly contrasted against the dark, feral, and incredibly intense look upon his face.


“How long has he been unconscious?”


Immediately he noticed the miniscule dot that marked Ra’s neck which indicated Selina had injected a sedative into Ra’s blood stream. Good, that was more potent and should give them a little more time. He hoped.


“I pinged out a digital signal to the computer network inside Charlotte’s school. So far, nothing is out of the ordinary there. I will still contact Kory or Dick, if you need.” He focused his razor vision onto Selina.


“You should leave, head to my Manor – I’ll alert Alfred you’re on your way. I’ll stay and handle Ducard.”

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So he wasn't going to give her anything over the phone other than a guarantee of shaving three minutes off his arrival time. Jaw clenched, she took the first 5 minutes to sit near the window of her office, body angled so she could calm her breathing, and watch the knocked-out, restrained man. This wasn't ok. Whatever shit he had in his life shouldn't be seeping into hers. And if it was going to, she had to be aware of it. So for the remainder of the 4 minutes she had, she finally stood, composed, and ready to hear the reasons this man was here, threatening not only her, but Charlotte.

So when she heard the muffled voice of Alec, and the insistent of Bruce, she turned those green eyes to Mr. Wayne, who looked more Bat than heir at the moment, and her eyes went stormy.

"I usually offer refreshment to walk-in appointments." At his near barking tone, she set her jaw, bracing herself for a fight. "Nine minutes and fity-five seconds. M99. Don't ask where I got it, I'm not going to tell."

As he accosted her with data, she breathed a sigh of relief that there was nothing amiss. "Is it too rash to pull her out of class? I just-" She stopped, mid-word nearly as her eyes flashed angrily at him. "No. I'm not fucking leaving, Bruce. This..Ducard...whatever, is wearing a decades old-suit, is claiming to be some sort of father-figure to you, spiritually he claimed, and comes and threatens me! You've got to be fucking kidding me, I'm not leaving. Call Kory, I'll call her. Whatever. Her, and Dick. Send them to the manor with Alfred, and I'm sorry, but this is something that will require a-some explaining on why he's going after Charlotte, for me to do something as Catwoman, what the hell he wants me to do, and most importantly, how the hell he knows all this!" Her rant is calm, despite her heated words, the alphabetical syllabus abandoned as she became more impassioned with her need for explanation.

"Start talking, now." She 'encouraged' him.

[Deleted]

Not surprised in the least bit by Selina’s blatant retaliation to his suggestion for her to leave, Bruce simply reacted by pulling out his cell and began to eloquently re-configure the smart phone’s casing. Before Selina’s eyes, his daily cell phone was transformed into a makeshift comm-link capable of dialing in on only one frequency – the one he designed. Within a spans of a few seconds an alert was sent out to Dick, Kory, as well as an overall broadcast warning to those linked in to his own “bat signal” feed.

Very minimal information was included in the air-tight protected and elusive alert broadcast – simply a warning stating:

    Ra’s al Ghul, League of Shadows in Gotham. Threat level EXTREME. Updates to follow.

Bruce then took immediate action to use the deftly hidden restraints he brought along to secure tightly around Ra’s, keeping him immobile even while he was drugged.

“We need to get him out of here and into my car as inconspicuously as possible. Do whatever you need to do to make things copasetic with your staff. I know where the back door is – meet you down in my car in 5 minutes or less. I’ll explain then.” Bruce was all direct action, no time for hesitation or doubt. With Ra’s now hoisted up over his broad shoulder, Bruce made his way towards a secret exit cleverly disguised within Selina’s office quarters.

And sure enough, in less than 5 minutes and moving with the exact speed and stealth that Ra’s had taught to him years ago, Bruce managed to smuggle the unconscious man into his car. Even though he drove one of his precious and expensive sports cars, it didn’t mean that he didn’t keep it well equipped with an arsenal of gadgets, weapons, suits, and any other tool/device/item he may need for an unforeseen rough situation. A rough situation like the one he was in now. With Ra’s newly re-secured with stronger bonding restraints and refreshed with another injection of a potent (but non-lethal) of tranquilizer, Bruce sped off down the bustling downtown street the very second Selina put on her seat belt after having made her way to his car.

“Ra’s al Ghul was my mentor many years ago – the first mentor who trained me in the combat of Shadow Arts. Taught me what it was to seek out vengeance and then how to apply justice. He taught me how to become something more than just a man; how to be a symbol. Batman’s essential core in combat, espionage, skill, intellect – all came from what Ra’s taught me.” Bruce paused a moment, the memories of endless training, pain, anguish, exhaustion, terror, and triumph flooded back in a wisp of a second – yet still capable of driving his vehicle through the thick of traffic without any distracted behavior in the least.

“Problem was, Ra’s mentored me in such extraordinary skills as a means to recruit me as another one of his followers in the League of Shadows, practicing a genocidal, twisted, and elitist agenda. I had sought Ra’s out, knowing rumors about such a League of Shadows existing but never truly verifying after looking for so long, traveling all around the world. It wasn’t until Ra’s presented himself to me, alluding to the goal of bringing justice to the world that he and the League honored, did I realize such training existed. But during the end of my training did I come to realize both Ra’s and I had two very different ideas about what upholding justice truly means. He looks to bring justice by purging and destroying all society – finding the corruption to be too wide spread, and then re-starting the world anew under his governing law.

"Judge, jury, and executioner. That’s when I knew I was no member of the League of Shadows. I became Batman. Given the League’s allusive background, it’s been determined that they’ve been around for centuries – seeking out the select few to join their cause in ending the society of today so they can rebuild their own warped utopia for tomorrow. Ra’s… Is a founder of the League Shadows – making him centuries old himself. I found this disturbing fact regarding his immortality to be true when I learned about his secretive, habitual use of a specialized deep well geyser spring called the Lazarus Pits. By bathing in the mineral potent ancient waters, Ra’s or anyone who uses the Lazarus Pits is granted an extension of immortality – for a temporary amount of time. Once the time is up, you become mortal once again – unless you continue to bathe every so often in the Lazarus Pits.”

They had now reached the freeway, clear of traffic and congestion. Bruce took this moment to now cast a quick, dark glance over at Selina.

“The man has all the time in the world to infiltrate, collect data, information, observe, interact and disappear within society… The extent of what Ra’s knows about you, me, anyone who casts a mark on his radar, is limitless. It’s because of me that he has come to you. Come to Gotham. The last time we ended terms, it didn’t end well but it ended with an understanding. Stay out of my city and I’ll stay out of your way. Looks like those terms have just been broken…”

[Deleted]

Oh. So he had a fancy phone, too? Her phone routed two different numbers to the same phone, and she didn't have to use the transformer method on it. So take that, WayneTech. Rolling her eyes, she waited until he finished texting out whatever, to whomever.

"He'll be out for a bit longer. I made sure of that. M99 doesn't lie, Bruce." Eying him as he slapped more restraints on the unconscious man, she was clearly irritated that he still hadn't said a work, and had texted on his fancy phone for no reason. "Sending love notes to anyone in particular on your fancy phone, Mister Wayne?" She taunted him sarcastically, before he barked; yes, barked orders at him. And before she could call someone to help her, or even let him know about the hidden door he was already moving there. It was a quick press of her button to let her secretary know she was stepping out for a bit, and to reschedule her meetings for the rest of the day, and she'd gathered her jacket, and a messanger bag with ease. If anything, she wished she had jeans at this point, but oh well.

Rechecking the hidden door after Bruce left through it, she waved a small electronic drive in front of a rather benign looking disc on her wall before leaving. No doubt Bruce would want to see the full footage of the whole...experence with Mr. Ducard. Narrowing her eyes before she left, she waved at the secretary, and IT employee before making her way to the elevator, which was able to get her down to Bruce's car in two minutes and fourty-three seconds flat. She still had time to spare. Sliding into the opened door, her belt was on in moments, the force of the engine, and the skilled driver's, well, skill, pressing her back into her seat.

Still fuming, her anger was now a slow burn, something that colored her face in a tense mein as she listened to his little explanation. Ok. She took a breath. Things were coming together. He was a mentor, in the past. Which..if she was doing her math correctly, would put Ra's al Ghul...much older than the man that had sat before her, and threatened her so calmly. Not Henri Ducard, but Ra's al Ghul. Most of those she knew had multiple aliases...but what? Her eyes went wide at another set of words she was familiar with. League of Shadows. She'd had to deal with them more times than she'd like to remember over the years. And when she tried to not deal with them, that group tried to get her to do their bidding under layer after layer of subterfuge. Sometimes good, and sometimes horrible.

A few things clicked in her mind, and she gasped suddenly. "This man, trained you? And he's...that old? The suit makes sense, then." And it had been preserved so well. But...these pits. How had she not know about all of this? Or been aware, at the very least?

As her heart beat faster and faster, her mind seemed to clunk back into gear, her eyes blinking rapidly as she went to her own phone, and sending out a text to Charlotte. "Grab that bag from your locker, head to the office. There will be a call in a few minutes. Stay there until D,K or A get you. I'm fine." She sent, before calling the private school that Charlotte attended. "This is Selina Kyle, Gennifer. Can you get Charlotte from class? I have a family emergency. I think Ms. Anders, or Mr. Grayson will be picking her up. Thank you!" She said calmly, before giving Kory a call, the same message being reiterated in a manner of seconds. "Can you snag Dick, too, and head to the Manor? Bruce and I will be following as soon as we can. Just..she's not quite aware of everyone's identities so keep that off the topics at hand for the time being. I appreciate it greatly."

Terminating the phone call, Selina glanced over her shoulder at the slumped, decades old man, and then to the rather grim Dark Knight in Wayne attire. "I know how Eddie can run, Bruce. I doubt that Mr. Ducard here is aware, though. Perhaps you can set him on Eddie. And how the hell would he be able to find me, through Charlotte? I was careful." She whispered through grit teeth.

As he explained about limitless time, and broken terms, she glared at him. "Well, you know. This should have been included in 'terms of dating.' Something like, 'Oh, honey, just be careful if some old man comes by, and threatens you. It's just my old mentor.' Are there any others like him that may pull some sort of shit like this I should be, oh, you know, aware of?" If she was being more snarky than standard, she had a right. When his affairs jeopardized her own affairs, and she was blindsided, there wasn't any specific rulebook on how to remain calm. She doubted there ever was, unless you possessed no emotions. Or empathy.

Pressing her fingertips to her temple, she sighed. "At least most of those I know are dead, or...I can handle them." she sighed to herself. While she had people that really didn't like her, her 'work' in Gotham hadn't been pinned to her directly. She was too good at what she did. No one hated her, enough to threaten those she cared about. Not that she let out publicly that there even were people that cared about her, or she cared about. There was one loose end, but one she could easily tie off.

Sighing again, she slipped off her heels. "So, where are we headed?, Mister Terms?"

[Deleted]

[Continued in both concurrently running threads:  Fool Me Once and Fool Me Twice ]