The Batman: Downfall Ch. 03

"She is somewhat of a celebrity sir," Alfred said entering the room with a tray laden with a teapot, cup and milk. "Gotham seems to be handling itself quite well without you." He moved with ease across the study placing the tray on the desk with hardly a clink from the china.

Bruce would not come out and say he was jealous of the new hero in town, though deep down something stirred that had green eyes. The news reporter spoke on at length about nothing in particular about this new hero, it was simply filling the void as a video played of edited and strung together clips of Batgirl in action, or rather swinging away or running away from the camera. She certainly knew how to handle herself for the time being. Her acrobatics were impressive, was it something she had picked up in a past life perhaps, "Who does she remind you of Alfred?"

Alfred looked at the television while he poured the tea, without looking he stopped pouring at the perfect moment, his eyes never leaving the screen, a blaze of red hair beneath a rushed mask disappeared up a wall without slowing, "A younger you perhaps?" He looked Bruce's way and smiled.

"Funny." Bruce froze the image on screen, "I was thinking more along the lines of someone of a feline persuasion." The idea was absurd but there was something there perhaps, 'clutching at straws Bruce' he told himself.

Alfred straightened up and looked back at the television, "I see bat ears, not cat ears sir, I have no doubt if Miss Kyle was back in town you would know about it." Bruce failed to respond which gave Alfred the answer he had expected, "So she is back in town."

It was times like this that Bruce felt like the young boy who had driven Alfred crazy all those years ago, he had to smile as Alfred gave him the one eyebrow arched reproachful look that would be swiftly followed by a spell of heavy duty manual work, grounding or worse mathematics. "Well a Miss Samantha Kinkalow is in town." Alfred looked at him puzzled, "Kinkalow is a breed of cat Alfred."

Gotham Royal hotel, Monday 10:00am

Bruce did not have an opening line for when Selina Kyle opened the hotel room door what could he say to a wanted cat burglar and ex-lover after five years of nothing. As it turned out it was not something he had to worry about as the door opened and he caught a fleeting glance of a blonde haired lady with a mobile phone pressed against one ear, she had opened the door and turned immediately around to walk back into the suite, "Leave the lunch on the table, your tip is there too," she called over her shoulder, then "You still with me Richard, good," back into the phone.

Bruce walked into the room and closed the door quietly behind him he took off his heavy coat and admired the suite that the Gotham Royal Hotel had given willingly to Selina. The blonde lady disappeared into one room, a bedroom with a four poster bed as she spoke on the phone. Bruce walked around the large living room, two settees in matching beige sat opposite one another a large, low glass coffee table between them, Bruce looked at the dining table noticing the hundred dollar tip sat beneath a small snow globe of Gotham City. He finally stopped his tour to look out of the window at a dreary Monday morning in Gotham City.

"Hey your paid to deliver food not admire the view," The woman shouted over. Bruce turned and smiled at Selina Kyle, even with a blonde dye job and green contact lenses he recognised her instantly. Selina's mouth hung open then closed with a small smile, "Richard I got to go something's come up." She terminated the call as the man on the other end shouted at her not to hang up. She stared at Bruce Wayne, the man was still as handsome as ever if a little tired looking, his little crooked smile making her tingle inside as if she were a teenager again. "Look what the cat dragged in."

Bruce raised his arms from his side, "been a long time Selina, or should it be Samantha?"

Without hesitation Selina walked over to him and hugged him tightly, feeling the muscles beneath the expensive suit ripple as his arms entwined her, she kissed him gently on the lips "I can be whoever you want me to be?"

"How about a Batgirl?" Bruce whispered back.

"Kinky, but I haven't played dress up in five years Bruce," He looked at her with surprise then ran one hand through her once brunette now blonde curls, "This doesn't count." She broke the hug and walked around the low coffee table before sitting down and offering Bruce to do the same opposite her, the more distance the better. She stared at him for a long moment then let out a laugh, "Bruce Wayne, I should have known that sooner or later you'd come knocking at my door, though the question if it would be Business or pleasure seems to have been answered." Had Batman arrived this meeting would be progressing in a different, more violent way.

Bruce rubbed his clammy hands together and willed his stomach to stop flip flopping. He felt stupid for suspecting Selina of being Batgirl, though the first reason he had for being in town was going to be a more difficult one to approach. Again he did not need to worry about it as Selina broached the subject first, "Are you wondering if I am in town because of the Heart Diamond?"

"It had crossed my mind," The diamond was the largest on record and was in the middle of a world tour, which for this month landed it in the Gotham museum.

"Yes I am here for the diamond," her honesty was remarkable and a little sad that their meeting would end on a sour note, "But not to steal it," Bruce looked at her curiously as she reached across for her small clutch bag and pulled a card free. She leaned over and slid it across the low table.

Bruce picked it up, "Cable and Kinkalow Security," Bruce read aloud.

Selina nodded, "Samantha Kinkalow at your service. I am the second half of this countries upcoming security and protection services. I have dined with Presidents and Monarchs and bedded a few of them too," she said with a wink, "What's the word people use nowadays," Selina tapped one manicured index finger against her rouge tinted lips, "Ah yes, I am Legit. Surprised?"

Bruce pocketed the card, "Not at all, it's good to see and it's good to see you again." It was all true he had been stumbling over what to say before she had opened the door, then he had been a nervous wreck as he waited for her. The embrace had been like coming home...yet part of him, the part of the Batman was cautious, calculating the odds on a long con. Once a crook always a crook, but Selina had been different, she wanted to do good she just never did.

She laughed, "You don't believe me, not totally anyway," she waved him off as he opened his mouth to argue, "Don't worry Bruce, I don't blame you. I still wake up some days and don't believe it myself. I have missed you." Her smile faltered and she stood up trying to hide the way she wiped a tear from one eye. "Would you believe I cried when you disappeared after the Chemical plant fire? I was readying myself to stand over your Grave. I even started to write a eulogy then next thing you know BAM! Bruce Wayne appears in the gossip column a couple of days later"

Bruce stood up and went to her as she stood hugging herself looking out of the window. He put his hands on her shoulder and leaned in, "You of all people would have been contacted first." She remained still at the window, Bruce behind her inhaling her perfume and natural scent beneath, "Alfred knew to do that." He moved his head down and placed a gentle kiss on the nape of her neck, "I have missed you too Selina."

He felt her body tense beneath his hands, "Don't say it if you don't mean it." She said with words thick with emotion. She had given up on Bruce Wayne when she walked out of his manor five years ago, leaving behind a man hell bent on saving a city beyond saving. Yet when she had watched the news and heard the reports that Batman had appeared badly injured if not close to death she had cried for him and knelt down praying to God for his survival. When she had discovered Bruce Wayne alive though slightly injured due to a Polo game accident she had cried tears again, this time bitter ones for not being there for him. "You have to leave."

"I have to stay," Bruce replied and turned her around finding her lips waiting for his own. His arms closing around her and pulling her in close, her mouth opened eager for his tongue to explore as her hands found his back and pulled herself closer to him.

His hands found her waist and he pulled himself firmly against her letting her feel how hard he was already becoming for her. He pushed her against the window, grabbing at her blouse and fumbling the buttons through their eyelets rapidly, Selina responded by grabbing his shirt and ripping it open, buttons flying in all directions. They kissed again harder, more animalistic now as their bodies crushed together.

Bruce found the hem line of her dress and pushed it up past her thighs feeling her stockings on his palms as he did so. One hand found her panties and tugged at them roughly, Selina gasped as the flimsy fabric tore loudly and were then pulled abruptly from her body. Bruce leaned back unable to stop kissing her as he worked at his trousers belt, then buttons before forcing them down with his underwear making his now fully erect cock bounce free as the elasticated underwear relinquished its grip. He guided his cock head to her sex, finding her lips already moist and eager he pushed forward feeling her parting and stretching as he forced himself into her.

Selina hugged his neck as he filled her up she gasped as his thick length stretched her and filled her for the first time in five years. She freed one hand and fumbled for his toned backside and pushed herself down onto him further until he could go no deeper. There was no lingering, nothing intimate as he began to push harder and faster into her, her bare backside slapping against the window pane a gasp or grunt from her mouth with each deep thrust.

Bruce sped up feeling Selina spreading around him, her muscles working at his cock spurring him on. He pushed deeper still somehow working faster and faster until he felt his testicles tighten and his cock spurted hard inside her.

Somehow they had made it to the bedroom and now lay entangled beneath the soft sheets, Selina rested her head on one arm looking down as Bruce drowsed away, "You know that was a bad idea don't you?"

"Was it? As far as I can tell it was a fantastic idea!" Bruce replied with a cocky smile on his face, eyes still closed. If he opened them then reality would come flooding back in and reality wore a cape and bat ears.

"This is not going to end the way we want it to," at this Bruce finally opened his eyes. "I leave Gotham in a couple of weeks and we'll have a meal where you beg me to stay but we both know it is not going to happen."

"But you'll ask me to leave Gotham for good," Bruce continued and Selina nodded slowly. "And I will say no," the reality and the truth of their life together was painful and never ending.

"Because He has unfinished work to do," Selina finished for him, neither of them needed to mention who He was, they both knew. "He is still there Bruce, waiting to come out again Police warrant or no police warrant you cannot just lock him away, I know it and you know it."

Bruce pushed himself up, wincing as a dull pain throbbed from his right shoulder, he half rolled and gave Selina a long kiss, "When the time comes, will you be waiting for me?" The smile was genuine and what Bruce had yearned for, the gentle nod she gave was not needed.

Boone Arboretum, Monday noon

Harley disliked the new guy helping Ivy. They talked about things Harley knew nothing about, they whispered and laughed, they whispered and fought but without Klaus the spray would not have been completed. Poison Ivy held the small bottle in her hand now, the clear liquid inside swilling about gently, "Can you reproduce it?" She asked not taking her eyes off the bottle.

Klaus Cannon shook his head, his wild grey hair swaying back and forth, "n-n-n-not a c-c-chance," his stutter grated on Harley and she balled her fists at her side. "I would need m-m-m-more of the source." Harley had broken the good, mad doctor out of Arkham along with another party of interest for Ivy. Now that guy had really scared Harley, her eyes strayed to a metal door, vines and creepers stretched across the cool metal, holding the door firmly shut and it's inhabitant locked away for the time being.

Within three days Klaus had worked out the issue by using pressure rather than evaporation and condensing. A new piece of machinery had turned up at the doctors request, Harley had slowly started to realise that Ivy was being funded somehow by someone, but getting to Ivy lately had been impossible as the spray neared completion. Now Ivy wanted more but she had wasted so much of it that all they were now left with sat snuggly in Poison Ivy's hand. "O-o-o-o-one spray, up close or it w-w-w-w"

"Won't work we get it you stuttering fuck," Harley spat out silencing the doctor instantly he cowered in his chair shrinking inwardly, how he had survived Arkham Harley would never know. "Thing is, it isn't going to work anyway with no Bats to spray it on."

Poison Ivy could not agree more, The Batman had been scarce for over two weeks. Not dead, certainly not dead but lying low, Gothamites loved him even more now, every night he evaded the police the more they cheered his name and this new one. This Batgirl was unexpected, a mild diversion at any other time but now someone who posed a real hindrance. "Klaus clean the lab and prepare agent two for aerial dispersal, we keep to the plan." Harley took a deep breath but Ivy cut her off before she could shout the place down, "You wanted to play my little Quinn now you shall get your chance, Joker and the others might be lying low but we don't have that luxury anymore. Go wake The Batman."

"What about Bat-Bitch?" Harley knew the answer but just loved hearing Ivy's dulcet southern tones that made her panties moist.

"Kill her if you have to, but make sure Batman gets the package." Ivy tossed a small clear baggie containing dust and debris, Harley caught it one handed and ran out of the Arboretum squealing like a little girl.

The laughter had woken the man behind the closed metal door, the creepers pushed harder against the thick door as two powerful arms hammered on the other side a roar muffled by a mask poured out as the thick fists hit the door repeatedly, "In time my boy, you can have your fun too." Ivy said and smiled to herself.

Gotham Museum, Monday 9:22pm

Samantha did one last circuit of the Museum, Richard never understood why she was so hands on with each job they took, he was happy to sign on the dotted line then hand the grunt work to their employee's nearly all of who were either ex-military or ex-secret service they knew their jobs and did not need Richard or Samantha watching over them. But Samantha had an eye for things others would overlook. She had spent half her early life as a thief, an exceptional one at that which meant she could see things that others would not look twice at.

The sewers for instance, smelly for certain but with so many tunnels new and old some of them leading right into the museums lower floors where alarms had never been placed. These were sealed now, small windows also sealed even though the Museum curator had laughed when she had said a midget could squeeze through. He had not laughed at all when she had hired one to break in and leave a particularly smelly gift in the Curators office to prove her point.

The Diamond sat on a marble dais a Perspex stand lifting the stone further up in the middle of one hall inside a large glass dome which was bullet proof and almost shatterproof if someone tried to use a resonance field. Red rope surrounded that leaving it tantalisingly just out of reach of the thousands of people who would be viewing it in ten hours' time.

It was the hall itself that now made Samantha jittery it was open on all sides by large archways that led to four long corridors with rooms leading off those as you headed down. Yes, looking from the end of one corridor up to the diamond was an impressive sight but it gave someone a clear line to run down too. The only agreement Samantha and the curator could come to was for her security team to be in the hall at all times and armed. She walked in through one of the archways now and was greeted with a stern nod by the two night guards, pistols holstered and their MP5 submachine guns nestled in their arms.

"Enjoy the silence while you can Jimmy, tomorrow is going to be hell, just don't let your guard down now." Samantha joked to the bulkier of the two guards, ex-army with a buzz cut haircut he refused to grow out.

Jimmy gave a big smile, "Don't worry Ms Kinkalow if any midgets try to get in, me and Diego can handle it." The midget story had spread like wildfire through the team. Samantha opened her mouth to speak when the roof exploded.

The streets of Gotham, 6:30pm

Barbara Gordon had become Batgirl there was no way around it no way of changing the name it was not going to go away so she had embraced it and found that she kind of liked it after all if she put the feminism to one side. Batgirl had found her feet, now she lunged from rooftops and swung in graceful arcs landing with ease on her feet or rolling elegantly and unfurling with gymnastic aplomb, it was nearing midnight and she had foiled two carjacking's and one mugging. It was wonderful but also a little samey, where were the big guys, the crime family bosses, the Joker, the Penguin even two face was nowhere to be seen.

Batman was not dead they all knew it, why go out and cause mayhem that would draw him to them, leave it to the police and then have Gotham all to themselves. The radio in her earpiece crackled with chatter from the police cars and dispatch, after three weeks things were getting back to the mundane, Batman was not about so regular crime had to fill the gap.

She realised she was bored, the thrill was still there, sort of, but the crooks were mundane and the last one simply lay down with his arms behind his back, where was the fun in that. She arched her back feeling the muscles stretch and loosen up she gave a sigh of relief just as the radio in her ear exploded with chatter.

Gotham Museum,

Harley Quinn was the first one down the rope, the smoke had not cleared, some of the iron work was still smouldering from the blast but she could not wait to cause more havoc. She hit the ground with a "Ta-dah!" and arms raised straight above her head, she heard her men landing all around her gruff grunts and heavy boots. Harley had come with six of them, all the more to really tear the place up. Harley spotted the two guards which was kind of easy as they raised their submachine guns at her, everyone was shouting to drop their weapons even her men were shouting it, Harley yelled over the top of them all and silence fell, "Gee fella's you all take too much testosterone this morning," No one replied.

Harley watched the woman stand up her legs wobbling threatening to give way beneath her "Hey cutie pie," Harley called out and the lady looked at her with confusion, for a second Harley thought she recognised her, but she was too clean cut to be anyone Harley Quinn would hang with. "We are here for the diamond, hand it over and no one gets hurt."

Samantha blinked repeatedly clearing her vision and hoping the ringing in her ears would stop on its own. She made out the woman in front of her, which was not difficult to do, there were not many women wearing fishnets, plaid skirt and white face make up around Gotham. "That's not going to happen, Harley Quinn." She said the name before thinking and cursed herself.