“No, I mean literally. I received an alert from your bank accounts half an hour ago. There has been some suspicious activity.”
“Suspicious activity?” Bruce’s words faded as Alfred handed him a phone, showing him an overview of his accounts.
“Looks like someone’s organization needed a boost of funds,” Alfred replied.
Bruce stared down at the zero balances in three of his older accounts, the ones that he’d had prior to turning eighteen. All three had been completely emptied. His throat turned dry.Madeleine.
“Holy shit,” Harvey muttered as he looked on from behind Bruce’s seat.
More lies, more deceit.None of what Madeleine said to me at Arkham was true.She had been after his funds this entire time. And when he had decided to soften and open up to her, she’d sent him to jail and taken his money in the process. Just like the Nightwalkers. Just like what they had done to every single one of their past victims before they killed them. And that meant they would target everything Wayne Industries stood for now, if the pattern of their past victims continued to hold. They would target the new accounts that had opened to Bruce, where the bulk of his family’s fortune sat.
“With all due respect, Master Wayne,” Alfred said politely, “hell if I’ll let your parents’ legacy end up in the hands of a bloody criminal mastermind.”
Bruce swallowed hard and tried to channel his rage into action.Focus. Think.His thoughts went to Lucius, who was currently sitting among those held hostage at the gala.Didn’t he rig up a new security system for my new accounts?Bruce thought. Then he straightened.
The security system placed on his new accounts. No wonder Madeleine hadn’t touched those yet; maybe she was having trouble breaking past the shields Lucius had put up. Maybe she…
An idea began to brew in his head.
“I’m going to need some more help, Alfred,” he said. “And from you, too, Harvey.”
He half expected Harvey to hesitate, but his friend didn’t even flinch. “Tell me what you need me to do. Do you have a plan?”
Bruce nodded grimly. “The start of one, at least. Harvey—I need you to alert the police. Tell them not to open fire on the drones. Tell them to stay back. I don’t know what Madeleine and the Nightwalkers will do to the hostages if the police try to move forward. Stall them, okay?”
“I’ll throw myself at them if I have to,” Harvey said, leaning forward to grip Bruce’s headrest. “Just be careful, got it?”
“You too.” Bruce exchanged a smile with his friend. As Alfred pulled up to the side of a street, Harvey got out of the car and, without a backward glance, headed toward the flashing lights.
Bruce watched his friend go. Then he glanced at Alfred. “We need to make a pit stop.”
“Where?”
“WayneTech.”
Alfred shot him a wary glance. “Lucius would warn you none of those prototypes are ready for use.”
“Says the man drivingthiscar. Lucius is currently being held at gunpoint at the concert hall,” Bruce replied. “I think he’ll forgiveus.”
“Not if you don’t make it out of there alive.”
“Come on, Alfred.” Bruce cast his guardian a fleeting smile. “What’s the point of being a billionaire if I can’t have a little fun?” At the withering look on Alfred’s face, he added, “I have to do this. I will do it with or without your help. Butwithyour help, I’ll have a better chance.”
Alfred shook his head. “I first realized you’d be a handful when you accidentally set that old garden toolshed on fire with a blowtorch,” he replied. “Do you remember that? You were thirteen. Five years later, here we are, aiding and abetting you as a fugitive.” His voice lowered. “My job is to keep you safe, Master Wayne. But if that means making sure you don’t try something absurd behind my back, then so be it.”
—
This time, there was no one to greet Bruce as they pulled up to the back entrance of WayneTech—only two streetlights illuminating the road.
Bruce hopped out of the car first. As Alfred followed, Bruce reached the door and put his palm down on the security pad.Please open,he begged it silently. It beeped once, then glowed green, and the door slid open. Bruce let out a breath in relief. Inside, slivers of moonlight sliced the floor into stripes, leaving the rest of the dome-roofed interior bathed in deep blue.
They reached the end of the hall, where a final set of sliding doors waited. Bruce placed his hand on the palm pad again—but this time the pad flashed red. The doors stayed shut.
“It’s not working,” Bruce muttered.
“Allow me,” Alfred said as he came up beside Bruce. He put his own hand out and pressed it against the pad. “Lucius must not have put you in the system yet for this room.”
The pad flashed green, and the doors opened, letting them in. Bruce ran down the halls, eyes scanning each row—until he finally slowed in front of a glass panel displaying the metallic silk outfit inside.With reinforced links like microscopic chain mail,Lucius had said.Not ready for prime time yet,he’d also said—but it was functional, and better than nothing. Bruce glanced at Alfred, who gave him a nod.
