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Mayor of Gotham, Chapter 2

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"I don't think this is a good idea, Mr. Wayne."

Though he knew that Lucius Fox was only saying what he felt was in Bruce's best interest, Bruce had heard those words said to him many, many times even though he hadn't been at the Wayne Enterprises tower for more than an hour. He underestimated how quickly word would spread of what was supposed to be kept secret until the press conference that would take place shortly, but it wasn't like the lack of secrecy was going to sway his decision. Within the next hour, Bruce Wayne would make a formal public announcement that he would declare candidacy for the position of Gotham City's mayor.

"I can understand your concerns, Lucius," Bruce said to his elderly friend as he noticed that familiar look of anxiety on his dark-skinned face. Straightening his red tie in the nearby mirror, the chairman of Wayne Enterprises nodded his head in satisfaction before turning around fully to face Lucius. "You're thinking that if I announce candidacy and if I get the position, I'll be unable to run Wayne Enterprises. You know I have enough faith in you to keep things running while I'm in office."

"That's not what I mean," Lucius protested as his employer stepped away from the mirror and made his way to the elevator, where dozens of reporters awaited his arrival at the podium set up in the lobby. "Bruce, if you do this, you'll be painting a target on your back for your critics to fire at. With all of the philandering you do after hours, there's no way that anyone is going to take you seriously as a candidate! All you really have going for you in terms of public image is the Wayne Foundation, and the orphan bit will only take you so far in the world of politics."

Sorry, Lucius, but if possible I would have liked to stay away from politics myself, Bruce thought as he continued to listen to Lucius' protests in a vain attempt to sway his decision away from the announcement he was about to make. The reason I'm doing this isn't because I necessarily want to become mayor. I'm doing this to make sure that a potential madman doesn't become mayor and make this city a piece of Hell on earth. This city has enough problems without the corruption spreading right to the root of City Hall.

As the two entered the elevator and watched the door close behind them, Bruce's mind wandered briefly to what happened the night before that prompted him to make his decision. Buffet's offer wasn't the first time that suggestions had been made to Bruce to use his sway to enter the world of politics. There were several reasons why Bruce said no, from the conflict of interests that would arise from being the head of Wayne Enterprises to the overall disgust he felt around politicians who were in many cases as much of a monster as the villains he faced as Batman. Perhaps the biggest reason was that becoming mayor would draw more public attention to him than he would have liked, and make his patrols as the Dark Knight more difficult to follow up on.

But as soon as Bruce Wayne met Tammany Crux, who had already announced his intention to run for mayor, and then summoned by Commission Gordon as Batman to investigate a series of surgery-related murders, Bruce realized that the only way to combat what was potentially a dark conspiracy to unravel Gotham City's fragile order was to play the game that Buffet wanted him to play. Even if Bruce Wayne didn't win the election, directly combating Crux's bid would give him an opportunity to observe him and see what his game was.

"...and even if you put me in charge of the company, what would happen if you lost the election? Stocks would plummet, and we're in the middle of a huge bidding war with Lexcorp for the rights to design the military's new plane," Lucius continued as Bruce returned to reality with the elevator door opening to reveal the mob of reporters that had gathered around in preparation for Bruce's press conference. "And even if you won, we need you to make the necessary preparations for the deal. It's not like you have any successors picked in the case you need to step away...which you would if you won, by the way."

"I'll ask Dick if he's available," Bruce replied somewhat distantly as he mentally focused himself for his press conference. "He's a very capable young man and I don't doubt that he'd be able to control things once I step into office."

Lucius let out a sigh before lowering his voice and putting a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Listen, Bruce...if your mind is made up, just let me know ASAP what your plans are for Wayne Enterprises. We don't want this to look like you're doing this just off of a whim."

"...I'll do what is best, Lucius," Bruce said quietly before straightening his black business suit one last time and stepping into the podium. "That is all I can promise you."

As the head of Wayne Enterprises, Bruce Wayne had called for many press conferences over the years, though most of them were called because he was maintaining his facade as "billionaire playboy" and announcing yet another business acquisition or merger that made Wayne Enterprises' empire even wider than before. There were a couple of times that Wayne Enterprises' ethics were called into question with how large it was getting, claiming it was monopolizing whatever market it was entering, but most of the lawsuits filed against them were soon dropped as they lacked any reasonable grounds for accusations. Bruce took absolute care in making sure that Wayne Enterprises didn't fall into the same traps that many other companies fell in when it came to remaining ethical.

This press conference would be different. Whenever Wayne Enterprises or even the charitable Wayne Foundation held a press conference, the press never took Bruce Wayne's speeches at face value. To them, he would always be the "billionaire playboy" whose eccentric behavior and continuous flirting made his parents roll in their graves with every action he pursued. Today, Bruce would shed that persona and give the press a very slight glimpse of his true self. He would need to if he wanted his plan to succeed.

As Bruce stepped up to the podium, there was a polite applause from the press, one that Bruce had grown accustomed to as the head of a major technology firm. Once the applause subsided, Bruce cleared his throat and tapped on the microphone once before officially beginning his press conference. "I'm pleased that you were able to come this morning on such short notice," Bruce began as he scanned the crowd for any deviants like he usually did when he held a conference. "I know how difficult it can be to brave the morning congestion in the city to get here."

...looks like everyone's clean, Bruce thought as he decided that, at least for now, no one was going to take a shot at him from the crowd. Even with the cape and cowl off, Bruce Wayne had been the target of someone's bullets many times, and on more than one occasion was the shot taken during a press conference such as this one. Thankfully, his extensive training as a vigilante taught him how to detect potential danger in small crowds such as this one. No danger yet, but if "Crux" is planning something, he probably already knows I'm scanning the crowd like this. Time to make my announcement.

"I'll get right to the point. The reason I called you all here today is that I am officially announcing my intention to run for mayor."

It started off very subtly at first, just a couple of people muttering to each other as those words left Bruce's lips. A few seconds later, the subtle muttering became a steady rumbling as more of the reporters spoke to their cameramen to make sure that they had heard correctly. After about ten seconds, that rumbling suddenly became a roar of questions like a flock of birds rushing towards a piece of food that was tossed their way. Even though Bruce was never one for politics, him running for mayor didn't seem like that far of a stretch for him. Clearly, he underestimated the great care he had taken to make sure that the stoic Batman could not possibly be the eccentric Bruce Wayne.

Without missing a beat, Bruce spoke into the microphone and attempted to bring order to his press conference. "I will answer your questions one at a time: we have plenty of time to answer them so there's no need to rush," Bruce said with a thin smile before shifting his eyes to see an attractive blonde woman with a mircophone. "Miss Vale, we'll start with you."

Even though Bruce addressed Vicki Vale formally, he had known the television reporter for a very long time, and even dated her during Batman's younger years. There was even a time when Bruce Wayne considered letting her in on his secret, but he wisely decided not to knowing full well how determined Vicki would be to get a scoop that no one else could possibly get. Even if she didn't do it maliciously, Vicki wouldn't have been able to help herself in making Batman's identity a public matter. As such, Bruce and Vicki drifted apart and now they were only acquaintances.

"This seems a little out of the blue for you, Bruce," Vicki said bluntly as her cameraman zoomed in on Bruce's face, inching ever-so-closer to get a better reaction. "With your pedigree, you could have entered politics long ago and no one would have bat an eyelid, but Wayne Enterprises is nowhere close to struggling. Why would you throw away your position in the company to become mayor, especially now when there's no reason to?"

"I was made an offer by Mr. Buffet last night during my charity ball," Bruce motioned to the portly Roger Buffet sitting behind him, who was beaming with pride as he watched what he perceived as "his candidate" make his announcement. "I was reluctant to accept at first, partly due to the reason you just mentioned. It's true, Wayne Enterprises has been thriving the past couple of years and financially there is no reason for me to put my bid in for the position of mayor. But I like to think that by running for mayor, I'll be able to show the public a side of me that I've kept hidden for a very long time."

"And what side might that be, Bruce?" Vicki asked with a hint of anticipation.

Bruce's expression hardened slightly as he spoke, and though it was a subtle change, the rest of the press quickly took note of it and leaned in, with some of them taking pictures as the words were leaving Bruce's lips. "Many years ago, I lost my parents to the disease that has gripped this city since its inception. I was ten years old when that happened, a very impressionable age for anyone, and I still remember putting my hand in my mother's blood as it pooled on the ground. If not for Alfred, I have no idea where I would be right now. More than likely, I would have been consumed by my desire for revenge and Wayne Enterprises as you know it wouldn't exist..."

Bruce paused as he took note of the surprised expressions of the reporters and photographers, many of which he recognized as veterans who had survived the terrorist plots that plagued Gotham City the past few years (in one case, a literal plague ran through the streets that left a deep wound in the city's morale). This was something that Bruce rarely let anyone see, a side to him that eventually permeated throughout his core and turned him into the Batman. Now, he was giving the public a faint glimpse of the man that struck fear and awe into those that saw him when he put on the cape and cowl.

Seeing that he had their attention, Bruce Wayne continued. "The last mayor that ran Gotham City resigned in disgrace, having let the disease that killed my parents run throughout the city unchecked, and I'm not talking about the Clench. I'm talking about the disease of evil and greed that lurks within the hearts of all men. Instead of tempering that evil to make ourselves stronger, this disease spreads throughout the city with no cure other than death and deception. I've done my best to help cure the root of the disease with the Wayne Foundation...but there is only so much I can do from that end."

"You're not the first mayor to run for office with a stance on crime," Vicki replied with the same bluntness she exhibited before. Bruce figured that out of everyone, she would be the one most shocked to hear about Bruce's hidden aggression against crime, but she remained eerily calm throughout. Perhaps Bruce underestimated Vicki's perceptiveness. "If you're going to expect votes just based on being an orphan, you'll have to do a lot better than that to convince people you won't let them down like so many other mayors."

"...I'll discuss this further during the first debate," Bruce responded as he realized that he was coming on a little too strong this early in the game. He needed to be steadfast in his resolve, but not so much that people began to question what kind of man Bruce Wayne truly was. "Just know that unlike those other mayors who might have been tempted by the riches that the criminal element offered them to keep them in check, having already tasted wealth I have no desire to accept it from those type of people. I will do my part to make this city a better place."

Seeing another man raise his hand, Bruce Wayne identified Vicki's longtime co-worker and rival Jack Ryder and pointed him out. "Mr. Ryder, do you have a question?"

"Yeah, Bruce, I do," the ever-persistent reporter said with even less respect for formality than Vicki, either because he didn't want to be outdone by his rival or because he felt that showing such brashness would elicit a response from Bruce that Vicki couldn't get. With his dark hair slightly uneven to give him an even greater aura of brashness, Jack's glasses tilted slightly on his nose as he gave his question. "Why are you running for mayor now if you're doing it for your folks? You could have stepped in during any of the other elections."

"It's true, Buffet wasn't the first person to make me an offer to enter politics," Bruce replied as he remembered the long history he had with Jack Ryder. Despite his attitude problems, Ryder knew full well about what Bruce was talking about with how diseased the city could be when it came to crime, having been a victim of it himself. One attempt on his life was so dire, that Jack Ryder almost disappeared completely, instead replaced by the insane mutated "Creeper" that Batman had the privilege of allying with if only to keep him in check. Though a cure was found for Ryder's mutation, Batman had continued to keep a close eye on Ryder over the years to make sure that the insanity that gripped him did not emerge again.

But while his sanity was no longer in question, his personality was a different story.

"The reason I am entering politics now, Mr. Ryder, is because I believe Wayne Enterprises is stable enough to thrive in my absence if I am elected mayor," Bruce lied with just enough truth that Ryder wouldn't be suspicious to his answer, though he could tell that Ryder wasn't really satisfied with what he was given. "In the previous elections, there was always some sort of calamity gripping Gotham, and it wasn't too long ago that Gotham City was rebuilt after the earthquakes. Now that things have settled down a bit, I would like to take the next step in healing this city."

"Heya, Bruce..."

Suddenly, the tiny microphone lodged in Bruce's ear buzzed. During every press conference, constantly aware of how big of a target a billionaire could be as well as the small handful of enemies who knew of his secret, Bruce kept a small receiver in his ear that only those who had access to the Batcave could send messages from. Though Bruce Wayne had access to top-notch security measures, Batman only trusted those that he had personally trained to watch over his well-being during his civilian time. Unfortunately, Bruce would need to change the frequency again, because the voice that whispered in his ear was most definitely not one he wanted to hear.

Unable to respond to the voice, Bruce Wayne continued accepting questions while paying close attention to what the voice had to say. "I leave Gotham City for just a few weeks, and already you're doing something to piss me off," the all-too-familar cocky voice taunted as he knew full well that Bruce couldn't answer him or even react to his presense. "You always knew how to stroke your ego just subtly enough that the others wouldn't call you out on it...but me, I always know when you're on another ego trip looking to prove how damn superior you are."

Though he couldn't visibly react to the voice, Bruce had become a master as subtly doing what he felt was necessary for his safety without alerting others than he was in danger. Turning his head to make it appear that he was looking at Lucius Fox, Bruce instead looked to a small corner of the ceiling, where he spotted the shine of a rifle reflecting in the morning sun. Without staring too much at it, Bruce turned back to the reporters and continued answering questions. It wasn't easy listening to the voice in his receiver and answering questions from the crowd, but it was something that a mind as sharp as Batman's could do without much trouble.

"Here's what's going to happen, Bruce," the voice hummed as the man he was taunting continued acting as if there was nothing out of the ordinary happening apart from his announcement. "Since you know where I am, you should have no trouble avoiding this sniper round I'm about to fire right at your brain. When that happens, panic will spread, and you'll use that opportunity to make one of your grand escapes. At that point, you'll head back to the Batcave, get your gear on, and meet me at the Alley and we'll have a more intimate talk."

That's not good, Bruce thought as he stopped listening to questions and instead focused himself entirely on how to avoid complete chaos that was about to ensue once that shot was fired. He knew full well that the voice wasn't bluffing, and there was no way he could prevent him from firing the shot from where he was standing. At least, there wasn't any way he could do so without raising questions about Bruce Wayne that he wasn't prepared to answer. If he fires a shot in here, someone could get hurt, but if I bring attention to him, he might fire at a civilian instead.

"3..."

Turning around to see Buffet, Bruce quickly rattled off a possible scenario that would allow him to casually dodge the bullet that the interloper was going to fire at him. He knew that the bullet was only meant to get his attention and disperse the crowd, but the difficulty with the situation was that his assailant was unstable enough to fire at a civilian instead just to say that he outsmarted Batman. He would need to do something that would allow him to move out of the way while at the same time focus the shot on him. At the first least, he knew where it was coming from.

"2..."

"Mr. Buffet, if you would be so kind as to come up here to the podium," Bruce said with a smile as he motioned over to the politician who seemed slightly uncomfortable, possibly due to the hangover from his antics the night before. As Buffet sprang to attention and walked next to Bruce, the newly-announced candidate widened his smile as he put on his facade. "Mr. Buffet, I want to give you a chance to discuss with the press what you discussed with me last night. I think you'd be able to explain it better than I could."

"1..."

"Mr. Wayne, you can't expect me to recall everything I said to you," Buffet said nervously as he continued to sweat from the vertigo he was feeling from his hangover. "It was...a very hectic night for me. I just remember making you the offer and-"

"Oh, you'll do fine, Roger," Bruce said before putting his hand around Buffet's back and using his powerful build to huddle Buffet down a bit. With his voice falling into a whisper, Bruce comforted Buffet with the ulterior motive of dodging the bullet that would fire any moment. "I know it was a rough night, but you can't be so banged that-"

*ZIP*

Huddling down both his head and Buffet's just in time, Bruce watched the bullet pierce the podium and lodge itself onto the stage, as did everyone else who was watching Bruce and Buffet have a slight "group talk." Putting on a new facade, Bruce's eyes widened in shock as he turned to where he spotted the rifle and pointed. "It came from over there," he exclaimed as he watched the rifle slip into the shadows. "You can still see where the gun is!"

"Not bad, Bruce," the voice said before emerging from his shadow and vaulting off of the perch on the ceiling. With a graceful mid-air flip, the figure rotated in the air before landing on his feet and revealing himself to the press. Though his brown leather coat and blue jeans seemed like that the intruder wasn't particularly out of the ordinary, when he turned around to face the paparazzi they immediately took note of the red helmet that masked his face, with a pair of white impassive eyes that hid his murderous intent. Unzipping his jacket to reveal the red skull painted over his bulletproof vest, the villain switched frequencies so that his voice could be heard to the crowd and pulled out a handgun.

"Some of you might know me, and some of you won't," the young masked man said before pointing his handgun at Bruce Wayne and firing, watching Bruce narrowly dive out of the way of the stream of bullets. Watching Bruce fall to the floor with a rough landing, the young man formally introduced himself while reloading his chamber. "My name is the Red Hood, and I just so happen to be another 'victim of crime' that Bruce here seems to like championing."

Bruce's eyes narrowed as he turned to face the youth that at one point had been some Bruce considered a possible heir to the mantle of Batman if something should happen to him. Back then, he was just a boy named Jason Todd: someone who Batman met when he was trying to steal the Batmobile's tires in the alleyway that Red Hood had referred to earlier. Instead of turning him in, Batman decided to train him and eventually christen him as the second Robin. The hold the title of Robin was a great honor and brought with it a prestige that Batman hoped would prevent Jason from falling into the same criminal patterns that so many young people in Gotham fell into.

But Jason Todd's idea of Robin was a far cry from what was Dick Grayson's original idea of Robin. Instead of being the anchor that kept Bruce Wayne's humanity in check, the young Jason Todd was filled with so much rage and malice to the criminals they fought that there were times where it was Bruce Wayne who kept Jason Todd's humanity in check. Jason Todd took delight in the adventures he and Batman shared, but at the same time he got a particular thrill out of inflicting pain on the villains they faced. Not even a brief stint as part of the Teen Titans could temper Jason's bloodlust that only seemed to get worse as he got older.

Tragically, Jason Todd was killed in an explosion shortly after being beaten within an inch of his life by Joker, all because he wanted to track down his mother who betrayed him. But just like several of Batman's adversaries, Jason Todd would seemingly rise from the grave to haunt Bruce again, only this time by fulfilling the path the Batman hoped to steer him away from. Gone was the headstrong second Robin, and in his place was the murderous vigilante Red Hood, the vicious vigilante that sought to cure Gotham's rampant crime rate by drowning it in a sea of blood.

Now I need to figure out how I stop him from turning the lobby of Wayne Enterprises into a sea of blood without revealing myself as Batman, Bruce thought angrily as he pushed Buffet away and watched him flee into the crowd of cameramen and reporters madly scurrying about in an attempt to keep from getting shot. Even though he held no ill will towards Vicki Vale or Jack Ryder, the paparazzi by nature were in some ways scummier than the criminals they sought to expose. They always had to be the first to get the scoop, even at the expense of one of their own. As long as they were rabbling about trying to get a scoop, Bruce wouldn't be able to clear the area.

"What do you want, young man?" Bruce said as he pretended not to know his attacker as intimately as he did. "If you too are someone who knows how I feel, then tell me what I need to do to satisfy you."

"Satisfy me!? Oh man, you're a real piece of work, Bruce," Red Hood shook his head before pointing his gun directly at Bruce's head. "You know what would satisfy me right now, Bruce? What would satisfy me right now would be to call you out on your bullcrap and tell the entire world what kind of a fraud you really are. You run the sympathy card because you're an orphan, thinking that'll be your ticket to office, but I know you don't have the balls to do what's really necessary to save this city from itself!"

"With all due respect, young man," Bruce replied sternly as he stood up straight and folded his arms. He'd done this many times in the past when Jason Todd was acting out of line, doing his best to be a stern parent when his child was out of control. Even though Jason had seemingly lost himself in his thirst for carnage, Bruce still saw him as the angry little boy that he took under his wing. In a strange way, his current behavior was just another chapter in the saga of "rehabbing" him. "I've lived in this city all of my life, and I'm well aware of how deep the corruption goes. Perhaps if you help me, we can work together in stopping the madness."

"We did work together, old man. It didn't work out so well," Red Hood deadpanned as he cocked the hammer of his handgun. "You want to send shockwaves? You want to really make the bad guys sweat? How about I tell the world your big secret and they get to wrap their brains around the fact that the man who want to run the city is none other than the big bad-"

"Don't even think about it, young man," Bruce growled with the same quiet ferocity that made men piss themselves when he donned the cape and cowl at night.

"Or what, old man, huh!?" Red Hood snapped before pointing his gun at the crowd of reporters that were narrating the scene the best they could. "What are you going to do if I do? Are you going to silence me so that I don't blab? Of course you won't! Are you going to make me so afraid of you that I wouldn't dare spreading your secret? Of course you won't?"

"...stop this," Bruce said curtly as his eyes narrowed in anger.

"If I put a bullet in one of these reporter's heads, what are you going to do to bring me to justice, Bruce?" Red Hood's finger danced across the trigger as he aimed for the head of Vicki Vale. "Are you going to break my arm? Are you going to break my leg? Are you going to beat me so senseless that I wouldn't even be able to pull a trigger again? Come on, Bruce...WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO!?"

"Burn."

Feeling something warm coming from above them, Red Hood and Bruce Wayne looked into the sky just in time to see the jet of flames start to crash down on top of the former. Both of them quickly jumped away to avoid the flames, even though they were clearly meant for Red Hood, and soon after a cloaked figure in red and gold dropped down from the ceiling to face the young man that a moment ago was going to murder a woman in cold blood. As the stranger unfurled his long red cape and exposed himself to Red Hood, all the former Robin could do was ask a simple, almost childish question.

"...aren't you supposed to be dead?"

Lifting one of his golden gauntlets and pointing his hand at Red Hood, the stranger unleashed another stream of flame before speaking. "Leave now, or you shall take my place in the afterlife," he growled as Red Hood rolled out of the way before firing a shot directly at his golden armored chest. The bullet bounced off of the armor accordingly, and instead pierced one of the large windows in the lobby, though the stranger recoiled slightly from the impact. Reaching for the broadsword at his hip and pulling it out to reveal its fiery blade, the stranger issued his ultimatum once more. "Leave or burn. Make your decision."

Undeterred, Red Hood fired another bullet at the stranger, though this time aimed at his head. Weaving out of the way, the stranger charged forward and prepared to run Red Hood through. But while his bullet-proofing prevented him from being completely susceptible to Red Hood's gun, it did not protect him from Red Hood's other abilities. Vaulting over his attacker's shoulder as he rushed towards him, Red Hood flipped around and drove a knee in the back of his head, stunning him long enough to wrap his elbow around his neck and place him in a sleeper hold.

"I bet you think you're all that, hotshot," Red Hood hissed as his new enemy thrashed to break free while Red Hood used his free hand to pull out his trademark kris dagger. "You'll have to do a lot better than that if you want me to take you seriously." Carefully putting the blade in front of the stranger's face just so that he could see his reflection in its blade, Red Hood continued. "Last I checked, you've been dead a while. I guess that kind of makes us brothers, doesn't it...Azrae-ACK!"

Help came from an unexpected corner, or at least unexpected from the reporters' points of view. Using his powerful frame to overcome the thinner Red Hood, Bruce Wayne wrapped his arms around Red Hood and forcefully tossed him away, watching him land on his feet and slide across the floor while Azrael gasped for air. "Oh, I see how it is," Red Hood growled as he put his kris back in his pocket. "You can't face me one-on-one anymore because you're in bigshot mode, but double-teaming is perfectly OK!"

"You were about to kill this man. I had to stop you," Bruce replied in a manner that made Red Hood question whether he was talking to Bruce Wayne the billionaire or Bruce Wayne the Batman. Standing firm and clenching his fists, Bruce's eyes narrowed as he spoke to Red Hood bluntly. "I won't have you turning my building into a battlefield. Leave now and don't come back unless you've gotten rid of your weapons."

"...whatever. It's not like you're much fun like this anyway," Red Hood said with a shrug before lifting his arm and firing a grappling hook from one of his wrist-mounted devices hidden under his coat. With the hook latching onto an air duct, Red Hood soared into the air and quickly climbed into the duct as he waved goodbye to the man he once called his surrogate father. "We can discuss this when it's not so crowded. What I want to talk about, I want to talk about without the rest of your goon squad listening."

As Red Hood scurried through the duct, Bruce Wayne exhaled deeply as he watched his hired security look into the duct and quickly bark orders into their radio. He doubted that they would be able to catch Red Hood in time: he trained Jason better than that. For now, he was just thankful that he was able to avoid a bloody confrontation with his former protege. For a moment, it was beginning to look like the only way to stop Red Hood from murdering someone was to shed his veil of secrecy. If not for Azrael, things could have become extremely tense.

"...is that you, Jean-Paul?" Bruce whispered as Jean-Paul made his way over to him.

"...are you alright, Mr. Wayne?" the familiar voice of Azrael asked.

"I'll be fine, but if you're him, then we have many things we need to discuss," Bruce replied as Azrael turned around and prepared to retreat.

"We'll discuss them later, Mr. Wayne," Azrael said before looking to the duct that Red Hood crawled into. Pulling out a more traditional grappling hook, Azrael tossed the rope up to the duct and watched the hook latch onto it before pressing a button and quickly ascending so that he could crawl out after the villain. "For now, I will pursue the fiend. Focus on your work."

Focus on my work, Bruce repeated as he straightened his tie once more and walked over to the gaggle of reporters ready to swarm him with even more questions than before. Hopefully I'll be able to keep this work separate from my Batman work...because it's starting to look like they're joining together.

Bruce makes his formal announcement to declare candidacy for the position of mayor, but he soon finds out that mixing in his Bruce Wayne business with his Batman business can have unexpected difficulties.
© 2012 - 2024 JellyfishKrag
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MightyMorphinPower4's avatar
Awesome chapter again I';, suprized nobody done it before