Subtraction Time (Chapter Six)

Banner by Purplemoon123

Sorry for the month-long wait. I'm really working on finishing a years-long WIP, then I'll be able to put more time and energy into this fic.

Flashbacks going into Chloe’s side of Harvest, then starting on Ambush (the one I’ve been waiting for). And the Gotham side fits between the 66-68 mark of Batman Begins.
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Chapter Six

November, 2011

“… will be only for official League business,” Victor went on, gesturing to the rather humongous space around them. “Any fooling around with comm equipment in the meeting chamber will result in docking of lounge privileges. Is that clear?”

There were some murmurs from the kids, but most of them were directed at Diana.

“I heard she can read minds,” Zan whispered.

“No, she can’t,” Jayna hissed. “She can just make you tell the truth if she ties you up with her magic lasso.”

Zan gasped. “How is that less cool?”

“You know, Rach can read minds,” Garfield added.

“Yeah?” Jayna turned to Rachel, who just put her head down. “What color am I…”

“… but I guess no one wants to see the lounge,” Victor said loudly.

All whispering died down and Chloe tossed Victor a shrug. “Maybe we can all take a little break in the lounge,” she announced, moving to stand near Victor. “They’re kids,” she said out of the side of her mouth. “They’re excited. Give them a minute to take it all in.”

He rolled his eyes, but nodded. “The lounge is ahead. You can explore the lounge on your own for five minutes.”

No one seemed to move in until Diana went in first. They followed, still whispering about her. Chloe could understand why. She was an impressive figure, nearly as tall as Clark or Oliver and… Well, the outfit was something to see.

Oliver chuckled as he drew up to her, looking at Victor over her head. “Do you ever feel kind of second string? I mean, first Superman and now her…”

“Please,” Chloe groaned. “Try being a non-hero around you people.” She gripped Oliver’s arm. “Besides, you’re pretty much first string to me.”

Oliver bent to her. "Aw, Babe..."

“You two make me sick,” Victor muttered.

“Oh, that’s nice,” Oliver huffed, turning on him. “You know, if you ever meet a nice, nubile, vacuum cleaner, we’d be perfectly…”

“You know, I’m about to dock your lounge privileges,” Victor cut in.

Chloe chuckled and moved to the lounge. “I’m starting to wonder who the adults are here,” she tossed over her shoulder.

October 29th, 2010

Chloe was starting to wonder why she’d come back to Washington. She was getting a little sick of all this self-exploration and reconnection and none of it telling her a thing about those blank, hazy spaces she’d barely seen in Fate’s helmet. 

Sure, it had just been a bit lonely in Star City and she couldn’t help thinking it would be nice to have a few more days with the only people from her past that she could actually see. But she wasn’t seeing much of them. Both Lana and her father worked all day, which left her walking the streets of DC… sometimes the parks. She kept thinking she might see her again… not that she did.

She gave up and moved back toward Lana’s building. 

It was stupid, anyway, hanging around fountains and memorials in vain hopes of meeting some strange woman she only talked to for scant minutes. It was ridiculous to be disappointed when every brunette with a bun turned around and wasn’t her. She didn’t know why she was so fixated, even angry at the woman for not showing up. But it was just… horribly unfair!

God! Even that was silly. It’s not like the woman owed her anything. She walked on, staring at yet another brunette bun. She wasn’t even going to try to get in front of this one and take a look. She’d been fooled one too many…

Sirens suddenly sounded down the street and the woman stopped, her head moving to the side, that familiar profile in full view.

Chloe stopped. “Hey!”

Then she just ran off! 

“Wait…” Oh, she was definitely angry now. She ran after her. This wasn’t stupid or silly or anything like that. A person doesn’t just say wonderful, life-changing things and then disappear! It was just rude!

Chloe panicked for a second when she disappeared into a throng of tourists, but then she saw her, ducking into an alleyway. Even knowing the certain evils of alleyways, Chloe didn’t hesitate. But then she almost got knocked over by a blur of red, white, and blue… and gold.

“Sorry, sorry!” 

Chloe stared after her, her mouth falling open as Wonder Woman took a running jump into the air. She’d heard of her, of course, and not just from Lana. It might not be national news yet as none of the stuffy DC news outlets wanted to acknowledge she existed, but you couldn’t walk among tourists in DC without hearing whispers of Wonder Woman. But that wasn’t what had her slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

“Am I just a magnet for them?” she gasped, running toward the same sirens Wonder Woman was chasing. With her experiences, it was impossible not to put two and two together. Besides, she saw the woman's eyes. She’d spent too much time remembering those eyes not to recognize them again, even as the woman rushed past.

When she finally broke through the crowd surrounding the hooplah, she saw her jumping from the hood of a black car with what looked like a healthy dent.

The police were just standing back, as much in awe as the crowd, as Wonder Woman pulled driver's side door off and pulled out at least two men out by their suits, walking them in the direction of the police, who only barely remembered to take their handcuffs out when she released the men to them.

She moved back to the car, then, carefully opening the rear door, her face changing as she crouched down, a smile appearing. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.”

A sneaker poked out of the doorway before a body followed. It was a girl. She couldn’t be more than twelve. 

“Are you hurt?”

The girl shook her head, wide-eyed. 

Wonder Woman just patted her shoulder and looked like she might leave, only Chloe stepped to the front, hastily pulling out her cell. 

“I know who you are and I think we need to talk,” she said loudly into her cell, but with her eyes on Wonder Woman as she started through the crowd of onlookers. “Hey, why don’t you meet me in the park?” she said casually, but still loudly.

Wonder Woman stilled, her eyes flicking to Chloe.

“Same place,” Chloe went on. “Don’t forget to… lean into it,” she finished lamely, closing her phone and moving backwards. 

By the time she made it to Dupont Circle, it was getting dark. Colder, too. In fall, the tourists were thinning out more and more. It was actually empty, but for one woman. 

She took a deep breath and approached the bench and the woman sitting with her back to her. Her bun was sloppier now, somehow that comforted Chloe. It showed that she had issues, the same as Clark or Ollie, transitioning from hero to day wear. Chloe stopped and sighed. “I’m sorry about ambushing you back there but…”

Chloe barely had time to blink before she found herself flipped over and seated on the bench, something squeezing her wrist. 

“Who are you?” the woman demanded, her eyes hard.

Chloe looked down, dazed, to find a rope tightly encircling her wrist, a faintly glowing rope. “Chloe Sullivan,” she answered dully, her eyes widening at the words leaving her mouth. What the hell was she saying? She wasn’t supposed to just blurt out her…

“And what do you think you’re going to get from this? Money?” 

“No. Bruce takes care of my expenses,” Chloe droned. What the hell?

“Who’s Bru…” The woman shook her head. “I don’t care. What are you after? Some kind of hold over me, then? I don’t respond to blackmail!”

“Why would I blackmail you?” Chloe shook her head, trying to shake off this fog. “That would pretty much invalidate my life’s work.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’re not the only hero I know.” Chloe met her eyes, still hazy. “I work with them, help them. That’s why I don’t exist.”

The woman just stared back. “Okay, your answers are not helping.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why did you follow me?”

“Because you said something that changed my life and I couldn’t stand not knowing you better.”

The woman laughed suddenly. “Okay. This is a little too much truth.” The rope loosened and Chloe could see its light fade. 

“Whoa.”

“So, Chloe Sullivan, you don’t exist? I guess that explains that stuff about breaking up with your entire life.”

Chloe shook off the fog as the woman pulled back the rope. “You remembered me, too?”

“Kind of hard not to.” She stuffed the rope into her bag. “I’ve never experienced so many cryptic answers and that was without this.”

“Do you mind telling me more about that rope?”

“Yes. I do. So I won’t,” she said evenly.

Chloe suppressed a pout and stared at her. “Well, you could at least tell me your name. You know mine.”

“I thought you knew who I was.” 

“I know you’re Wonder Woman,” she said, whispering the name. “But I don’t know what you call yourself outside of that.”

The woman just stared at her.

“You can put that thing back on me if you want. But I’m not here to mess with your life and I think you know it,” Chloe said evenly.

“God!” The woman rubbed her eyes under her glasses, then sighed. “It’s Diana. Okay?”

“Nice to officially meet…”

“I’m so screwed,” Diana, apparently, groaned.

“What?”

“I mean, you figured me out. Maybe anyone can…”

“No, no, no,” Chloe cut in hastily. “Believe me. I’m not just anyone.”

“Am I that obvious?”

“Only to me.” Chloe had to laugh. “See, you’re not my first. I’m kind of a magnet for people of the… hero persuasion. But,” she began carefully, “you might want to… rehearse things a little?”

Diana shook her head. “Why would I need to rehearse. My abilities come naturally.”

“No, no. Just tweak the finer points of… well… transitioning between. Believe me, it’s tough to get right. My first is still pretty indistinguishable from day to night. I’ve always tried telling him he needs to cultivate distinct…”

“Your first what?”

“Hero.” Chloe shrugged.

"You have heroes?"

"I kind of... help certain heroes."

"Your first... Which one?” Diana gasped. “Is it the one in Gotham? Because I read the papers and I can’t figure out who he might be. Or is it the Keystone City guy? Because I hear he moves so fast, he wouldn’t even need to bother hiding. Or The Blur? In Metropolis? Or the… How many do you know?”

Chloe laughed. “That’s a lot of questions.”

Diana chuckled. “Sorry. It’s just… I know they’re out there. And I know they must have people they let in and… Well, I don’t have anyone like that. It’s so strange to come across someone who… knows what it’s like.”

Chloe nodded back to the street. “So what happened back there?”

“Ransom drop gone bad. I mean, I picked up a little from police radios when I was running to the assist. Politician’s kid. They had police looking over the drop and I guess the guys got wind. Turned into a chase,” she said casually, “they were losing them, yaddah, yaddah. I just figured I’d pitch in.”

Chloe shook her head. “Oh, so no big deal.”

“Well, half my work is done when I show up. They’re usually too surprised to see me to make a move.”

Chloe frowned. “Well, that surprise could wear off. You might have to start getting in on the police scanner action beforehand and planning your strategy. You could also go on patrol. Keep out of sight and…”

“Wow. You do know what you’re talking about.”

Chloe smiled and glanced down before meeting her eyes again. “Maybe just a little.”

Diana smiled back. “Do you like Indian?” She stood. “Because I know a place. Best chicken tikka masala you’ve ever had.”

Chloe stood as well. “I wouldn’t know the difference. Metropolis didn’t have a Little India.”

“Ah, so that’s where you’re from. So which is it? Arrow or Blur?”

Chloe lifted her chin, grinning. “How about both?”

“Look at you!” Diana took her arm. “Well, that’s it. I’m buying you dinner and maybe dessert if you’re talkative.”

November, 2011

“Will they ever stop talking?” Victor groaned. It was only two minutes into their five minute break and he was already rubbing his temples.

“They’re teens,” Chloe said with a laugh. “You’d better get used to it if you really want to train them. There’s going to be giggling and loud music and fighting and crushes…”

“Don’t remind me.” He gestured at Zan. “I’m going to have a hell of a time keeping that one away from Courtney. I can see it now.”

Chloe hadn’t noticed that. She’d been too busy staring at Rachel… who was staring at Garfield. It was almost infinitesimal, but she could swear she detected a blush sometimes. 

Chloe sat back in one of the bean bag chairs. In time, they’d be replaced with the real stuff as the place got fixed up. The kids would have to work crew duty, after all. It would be a lot of hard work, getting this place up to potential. Still, she envied them. As a teen, it would have been her ultimate dream, holed up with the specially-abled and seeing them grow. Sometimes she missed it, having her own power, brief as it was. It might not have been the most showy ability, but it had potential.

Then again, Oliver didn’t have a lick of supernatural talent and he got along just fine. Hell, so did she, in the end. Of course, she had a little help along the way.

November 12th, 2010

“Focus,” Diana whispered.

“I’d focus better if you let me have a coffee break,” Chloe muttered, trying to get her ankle to move to her knee without her entire body falling over. She was getting better at it.

“Not falling for that again. You jitter all over the place. This isn’t about hyping up. Now just breathe in deep and feel the power of the earth under you.”

“It’s all damp and cold,” Chloe whined. This sunrise session nonsense had to stop. “Can’t we do this in the afternoon when it’s not miserable out?”

“I work. Remember?” Diana breathed, transitioning out of “tree.” 

“For the government,” Chloe growled, trying to follow her. “I don’t know how you put up with it with the VRA gaining…”

“It’s best to be close and learn more before you react,” Diana said calmly. “You taught me that. Now, will you let me teach you?”

“I’m not much for relaxing, usually,” Chloe grunted, trying to transition into “warrior” with Diana.

“This isn’t even about relaxing. It’s about rebirth, refocusing, getting to the core of yourself and figuring out what you truly need.”

She stared at Diana and tried to follow her. She made it seem so easy. They all did, really, those hero types. Everyone she knew through Clark and the others she’d heard of, but never met, the ones she found now… They all seemed to have this drive and pure focus that, if they could just hone it in practical ways, they’d be just right. 

“Okay.” She stood straight and clapped her hands. “That’s enough of me. Your turn.”

Diana sighed and sat, cross-legged on the grass. “I’ve been working on it. But it’s still… weird.”

“Talk’s cheap. Let me see. There’s no one around.”

Diana had flown them out to a rather secluded area, after all. She looked around one last time, then stood and picked up her bag. “Don’t laugh.”

“I’m not gonna laugh.” Or she’d hold it in if Diana seemed to think this would inspire merriment. Chloe liked to think of herself as a one-woman focus group of sorts. She wasn’t here to derail the work. She was here to encourage.

“It’s still new is all.”

She smiled as Diana moved a few feet away, kind of wishing Bruce was a little more open to critique or suggestion. That still annoyed her. Because sometimes she liked to think this was that hazy purpose she was looking for, bringing these heroes together. 

She wanted to say it was so he could have this be over and exist again, see Oliver, tell him she’d never leave him again. But something told her that wasn’t all there was. And she knew it would come. Besides that, Bruce was probably the biggest obstacle with how he “worked alone.” 

She beamed at Diana as she took a deep breath, tossing Chloe a wink. Something told her Diana might play well with others.

She jumped back as Diana started spinning, speeding up and turning into a whirling blur. It went on for at least ten seconds, like some kind of Tasmanian Devil gone either wrong or terribly right. Then Diana stopped, Wonder Woman gear fully on… except the headband, which was clamped over her eyes.

She pushed it back. “What do you think? I mean, it’s not perfect yet, but…”

“No. I like it. I mean, it’s… impressive. But what do you do with your other clothes?”

“I figure I leave them… somewhere.” Diana shrugged, holding up her purse.

“Well, it’s something to see. But we probably don’t want anyone to see it. Maybe… rooftops?” Chloe gestured vaguely above. “I mean, there’s always a rooftop most places. And they aren’t heavily frequented. Then you know where to find your stuff later. But…” She stood, applauding. “That is one quick change.”

Diana gave her a laughing curtsy. “Yeah?”

“Quickest I’ve seen. I guess they don’t call you Wonder Woman for nothing.” She cleared her throat. “But what about the rest of the time?”

“Glasses on, hair back, neutral colors, makeup natural, blend in,” she recited.

“Perfect!”

Diana groaned and moved to Chloe, taking her hands. “Why do you have to go?”

Chloe grasped her back. “Because I haven’t figured it out yet.”

“Here I thought I was helping you focus…”

“You are. Believe me. I… I feel like being with you has done wonders.”

Diana pulled back. “Like what? I still can’t get you to stop griping for your precious coffee.”

“Well, it helped me stop worrying. I know it’s coming,” Chloe said, holding her stare. “That purpose, that push. I know I can’t keep trotting the globe, panicking that I have to seek it out. Because I know it will come to me, wherever I am.”

“And where are you going?”

Chloe shrugged and smiled. “Does it matter? You can always call me.” Chloe giggled. “Hell, you can come get me. I know what you can do.” And it was amazing, absolutely wondrous. She had to think even Clark would be impressed.

“But do you know what you can do?” Diana countered.

Chloe laughed. “Observe and advise?”

“Inspire,” Diana whispered, pulling her in. 

Chloe smiled and hugged her back.

She was still smiling as she waited in line at the airport’s duty-free shop, another journal in hand. She’d written. In the past two days, she’d filled Alfred’s journal right up with fear and hope and plans. Maybe it was all nonsense, never to be seen or read by another soul. But it was nice just to put pen to paper after all this time. It was nice to stare down at her own words and not worry that they’d be found. 

November 25th , 2010

“Sometimes, I think it wasn’t just Lex,” she said, staring across Wayne Manor’s kitchen island at Alfred as the TV droned on in the background, little human interest stories, Thanksgiving outreach efforts... “I mean, he fired me," she went on. "But that wasn’t a reason to stop writing. I’d tell myself that I could still investigate and help people and hadn’t I unlocked so many mysteries? I had a front row seat to such amazing things. So what was the point of writing about it?” She shook her head. “But I think I was always afraid of putting something down, making something… real. Something someone could find. It’s hard to be open when you’re keeping so many secrets.”

“Well, I’ll bow to that,” Alfred said, picking up his mug.

“But it’s silly. It’s just ink and paper. I can keep it or destroy it. But I shouldn’t be afraid to write it. I’ve always been a writer, an observer, at heart.”

Alfred tilted his head. “Is that what you think it is?”

“What?”

“This purpose you’re waiting for. Are you the observer?” 

She thought back to that night, that date night with Oliver after he got out of the hospital, when he made it sound so simple. 

“You want to write. So why don't you?"

"Because I can't write about what I..."

"There's more than us hero types going on in the world."

The crazy thing was, it was that simple. But it was too simple to be the answer. 

Chloe shook her head. “No. I’d know if this were just about me getting all this down for posterity. It’s just nice, writing again. I don’t think I ever let myself realize how much I missed it. So maybe that's something to be thankful for today.” She smiled.

It felt important. So did finding Bruce and Diana, which seemed too crazily fated not be something she was meant to do. But it didn’t have that mission accomplished flair.

She wished it did, though, wished she could go home. She’d been looking through back issues online and she’d love to get back to Metropolis and personally meet one Cat Grant, who seemed to be railing against vigilantes, bad-mouthing The Blur and claiming she was “personally attacked” by Green Arrow. And this was before Oliver’s coming out! She didn’t even want to see what the woman had written since. It would probably all be horribly inaccurate and give her no clearer picture of what was going on. 

That was what was so frustrating! What little she could glean from the media told her nothing. Clark and Oliver wouldn’t be so active if there wasn’t something big going on. And here she was, miles away from the action, just sitting here cooking… Well, not really. 

Alfred straightened at a loud ding. “That’ll be the turkey.”

“Are you sure I can’t…”

“Oh, no.” He cut in quickly. “You’re a guest.”

Alfred had refused her “help” several times. She knew the real reason why and she didn’t blame him. Her only major cooking skill was finding the takeout menus.

“I’ll tell you what you can do,” he said, moving to the oven, baster in hand. “You can find Master Wayne and inform him that we will be sitting down at seven o’clock with or without him.”

She hopped off her stool and saluted him. “On it.”

He’d been sleeping the day away, as Alfred said he did now, last she knew, but he wasn’t in his room. She found him in the caves, of course. 

“Hey! Time to take a break. Alfred says…”

“Not yet,” he cut in breathlessly, ducking under a revolving bar. “Got hit on the shoulder last week. Hurt like a b*tch. Left a hell of a mark, too. I need better reaction time, anticipate the blows, so…”

“Hey, it’s Thanksgiving.”

“I’ve already done my Thanksgiving duty,” he grunted, rolling backwards as it nearly caught him. “At least a hundred thousand worth of catered dinners for needy families and shelters, so…”

“Yes. I read about that.” She’d also read about Batman all over, both here in Gotham and away. He was doing so well. He deserved a break. “But Alfred has been slaving away on your dinner, so come on! Turkey time!” She clapped her hands.

“Not yet.”

She rolled her eyes. “How is that even helping your reaction time? That bar’s moving in time. You’ve probably got the rhythm of it down by now.”

He growled and stopped it, turning to her, moving to the mat. “Fine. You come at me, then.”

“I don’t want to,” she mumbled.

He chuckled. “Out of shape with all your little vacation time?”

She crossed her arms. “For your information, I have been doing yoga.”

He laughed harder.

“What? I am very centered and focused. Also, I just had a shower. I don't want to get all sweaty,” she said, lifting her chin.

He shrugged. “Fine. If you’re afraid…”

She rushed at him. He rolled out of the way, but she quickly corrected and landed on her feet.

He glanced up, surprised. “Balance is better.”

“Told you.” 

He circled her. “Hit me.”

“You’ve had an injury,” she said, backing away. 

“It barely hurts anymore.”

She glanced down, sighing loudly. “Still, I don’t want to make it worse.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Like you cou… Oooph!”

She caught him in the stomach with her shoulder, driving him to the mat before tucking her head in and rolling away. “Shouldn’t underestimate your opponent,” she said, landing in a crouch.

He shook his head and stood, then gave her a small smile. “Now we’re getting somewhere. Come at me again.”

“Oh, no. I’ve already won. I don’t see the point in…”

“You knocked me down once,” he cut in rolling his shoulder, “an injured man.”

“I thought it barely hurt.”

“I was just putting a brave…”

“Master Wayne? Chloe?” they heard, echoing through the cave.

“We’re coming,” Chloe called out. “See what you did?" she hissed at Bruce. "You dragged your feet and now poor Alfred had to come down and…”

Alfred came in, almost ran. “You have to see," he panted. "It's on the news... you...” 

Bruce straightened and moved to him. “Is it Falcone? Was he released? Damn it! I’ll…”

“No.” Alfred met Chloe’s eyes. “It’s something on your end. In Smallville.”

****************

Chloe wasn’t sure how many times she’d watched the report by now. She just kept rewinding that DVR, trying to put it all together. The cell phone footage showed The Talon burning. She let out another involuntary sob. But not for the Talon. The place did hold memories, but so many, too many of them were painful. 

It was who’d been in it. Lois, Lucy, Uncle Sam… 

They were all safe now according to the reporter, though Lois’ escape had been narrow, apparently aided by The Blur. She rather doubted Lois was the target. She could put it together from there even if it weren’t for the headquarters of the anti-vigilante group, “Stop the Menace,” now burning in downtown Metropolis. No fatalities, thankfully. But how long would that last?

She knew who it was behind this, who it had to be.

She swiped at her eyes. “Enough of that.” She was done crying. It was time to get to work.

******************

Bruce paced behind her in his tech center. “Mind telling me what you’re doing?”

It was after hours on Thanksgiving day, no one was here. Not even Lucius. Chloe rather wished he was. She would have liked a chance to see that man one more time, maybe get a little tour of the system. Still, she was getting through okay. "I'm only creating a worm.”

“With Wayne Industries computers? Lucius will…”

“Don’t worry. It’ll never be traced back to you,” she said, still typing away as she reached for her cold coffee, finishing it in one gulp. “I know how to cover my tracks.”

“You know how to overreact,” he grunted. “Any news from home and you just want to run back to…”

“I'm not going back to Smallville,” she said levelly. “And this is not me overreacting. This is me figuring it out. This is why I’m here. I feel it. This is what I’m supposed to do.”

“You mean leave? Don’t pretend you aren’t. I saw you packed again.” She saw him pick her bag up off the floor in the monitor’s reflection.

“I packed carefully,” she said, eyes still on the screen. Anything she had that was black and some toiletries. Just the barest of essentials. “That should tell you something.” She picked up the cell phone she’d been using, plugging it in, syncing it so the command would be in her hands wherever she was. “Done,” she said, unplugging and moving to Bruce to grab the bag as the screens went blank.

He held on. “What’s done?”

“Just a little info-gathering, then a freeze. Get their systems under my control. There will be no more explosions.”

“So you know who…”

“I escaped them before. Turns out, I shouldn’t have taken my eyes off them for a second. Well, they have power, but I have better people on my side.” She gave him a pleading look and he released her bag. She took it, but didn’t stuff the phone in. She kept that in her hand as she placed the bag on her shoulder. 

“Something tells me this will take more than frequent flyer miles,” he said tiredly.

“I’ve got that covered. Because speaking of people…” She dialed quickly. “Hi. Rachel, I was wondering if you might be free to…”

“Yes,” Rachel said eagerly. 

Bruce jumped about a foot. She didn’t blame him since Rachel had said it from right behind him. 

Rachel blinked at him. “Hey, isn’t he…”

“Bruce Wayne, Rachel Roth. Rachel Roth, Bruce Wayne,” Chloe said impatiently, gesturing between them. 

“A kid?” He shook his head.

“Believe me, she’s more than just a kid.” Chloe moved to Rachel and took her by the shoulders. “You remember who you found me with before. I’ve got their location. Can you take me there?”

Rachel nodded, looking rather excited. “Of course. Anywhere.” She put up her hood. “And call me Raven.”

“Raven?”

She frowned. “Is that too… dark?”

“No. I like it,” Chloe whispered. “It’s very mysterious.” Chloe adjusted Rachel’s hood, then turned her attention to Bruce. “I can’t tell you everything. I can’t tell anyone.” She smiled and shrugged. “Besides, I think you have enough on your plate here.”

“Well… what about Alfred?”

“He’ll…”

“You went on and on about him slaving over dinner. Maybe he’ll…” He looked down. “Maybe he’ll miss you.”

She let out a surprised huff of laughter. “Oh, just Alfred?”

“With you using all my miles and my money and eating up all my food and interrupting my work…” He smirked. “Who needs it?” He held out a hand. “Nice knowing you.”

“So withholding.” She shook her head and pushed his hand away, tossing her arms around his neck. “This isn’t goodbye,” she whispered when he finally hugged her back. “And I think you know it.” She drew back. “I don’t care what you say now. You won’t always be able to go it alone. I’ll be waiting when you finally admit it.”

He chuckled. “See, now you’re just annoying me more. Get out of here.”

She smiled and backed toward Rachel, putting her bag across her shoulder. “You ready?” She tapped her forehead. “It’s all in here.”

Rachel nodded. “I think so.”

She gripped her phone in one hand and Rachel’s arm in the other. “Hey Bruce?”

“You're still here?” he said, rolling his eyes. 

“Tell Alfred to freeze me a plate. I’ll come back for it as soon as I can.”

He met her eyes soberly. “You just better.”

She smiled as his face disappeared into the white light engulfing her.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Back in less than a month this time. I swear it!