Chapter 5 - "Follow me" - a blog series

 FOLLOW ME

       Chapter 5 - Batman and Bruce Wayne 

Barbara looked in front of her and there it was, HARDAC. Not quite the way she remembered it though. It was much smaller now. But she wasn’t surprised. Computers had come a long way, as they usually do. HARDAC was just the size of her personal computer.

“You may be startled by so many things right now.” Spoke the computer, “My very existence would be a start. Well, let’s say my friend Mr. Nygma was kind enough to give me a second life. Well, it wasn’t without returns that he wanted me to do this.”

“Wait, why are you telling me all this?” she asked.

“Because he told me you would come here, searching for me. Because this was a part of the deal he offered me in exchange for life, if I may even call mine a ‘life’.” It said.

“A part of it?” she asked.

“Yes, a part of it. You see, Miss Gordon, he resurrected me from the dead and wanted me to do three things for him so that I may stay alive! I’m the genie, shall we say? One of it was to talk to you on the day you come to visit me. And about the other two I cannot say.”

“Talk?” She asked.

“To tell you all this and to tell you more. In his precise words, ‘A man changes with time, but his purpose never does. A camel takes in lots of water, and starts travelling away from the oasis, but its thirst is never quenched.’” Said HARDAC and it went to sleep.

“I have questions!!” she asked immediately, but she would get no answers from HARDAC. The answers were hers to find and Batman’s too.

She walked out of the Cybertron Building, feeling more confused than ever before. She was well into the treasure hunt now and she had four days to find the next ‘treasure’. But the way it seemed, she was early and had earned herself an extra day. She felt like being in one of those old-age arcade games that had timed checkpoints to be cleared. For the time being, the big “GAME OVER” screen hadn’t popped up yet. “Everything seems to be a game for Nygma.” She thought, as she drove back to her office, telling Batman everything that just happened. But Batman wouldn’t respond; she hoped he was listening.

“Camel? Oasis?” she thought, “The next target could be an oil-baron. Or the owners of five star hotels. Or..?” and just then she crossed “Powers Corporation Building” in Central Gotham. And at once she knew it. It was going to be Derek Powers. She knew a lot of things were going on at Powers Corporation. They were growing multifold and really quickly too. Rumours said that Powers was eyeing at acquiring Wayne Corp. She knew Bruce Wayne and she knew he’d try to resist the inevitable take-over of his company.

Powers Corporation was into so many countless industries but had started off as an energy unit, supplying energy to the richer locales of Gotham. So, he was the camel. He was the one travelling from the Oasis. But he still is thirsty?  What was that supposed to mean?

When Barbara reached home, she could feel her head burst. She had done too much thinking and it wasn’t good. She had gotten far, but by no way had she gotten far enough. And about Nygma and his deal with HARDAC, she hadn’t even given a thought. And was HARDAC going to cause any trouble? It seemed unlikely though, HARDAC was grateful for life and almost speaking like a saint. “A soul of silicon!” she thought. She needed one thing badly though; sleep. “Two things” she however thought, “a drink and then sleep.” And so, she downed a shot of Bourbon before she went to her bed.

It was snowing in Gotham the next morning. Barbara left early from home. She had to meet someone important. She drove, to the stately mansion on the grounds outside Gotham, to see none other than Bruce Wayne himself.

“Welcome, Miss Barbara” said an old, yet strong looking Bruce Wayne, opening the main door, “please come in!”

“Wouldn’t he feel lonely in here? I wonder what happened to his butler” she pondered and just then a great dane came dashing at her barking very loudly.

"Cool down, Ace! She's a friend!" said Bruce and the hound stepped away.

“Well Mr. Wayne, if I may, I am here to ask you a few questions about Mr. Derek Powers and his businesses.”

Bruce looked somewhat startled by this question, as though he himself had wanted to say something about Powers but hadn’t quite gotten himself to do it. He then offered her a seat.

“Mr. Powers?” he started, as he walked into the house, becoming inaudible.  He came back after a little while, with some tea and poured her some.

“I’m really sorry, Alfred is in England. His son is graduating.” He said, and continued “Powers is a very complicated man. He is powerful, quite as his name suggests.” He chuckled; he had such a natural charm about him. “But honestly, I find the man to be quite creepy at times.” He added.

“Creepy? In what sense, Mr. Wayne?” asked Barbara.

“Creepy in the sense that he always seems like he is up to something. My people tell me he is possibly into making weapons for terrorist organizations and wants to acquire our company for our R&D section. Lucius Fox seemed hesitant to pull the deal through, but now that he is no more, the board somewhat seems convinced to move forward with the merger.”

Barbara was surprised by Bruce’s reply. It was elaborate, it was much more than she had expected to find out when she stepped into the Wayne Manor.

“So, Mr. Wayne...” she continued, “what kind of weaponry are we talking about here?”

“Chemicals mostly. Once he acquired Dagget industries, rumour has it that he has been intent on developing bio-chemical weapons.”

“I see. Mr. Wayne, if I may be bold enough to ask a favour of you...” she asked

“Definitely, Miss Gordon, anything in my power.” He said

“Would you let us ‘bug’ you for investigation purposes? We have gotten claims that have put Mr. Powers under our radar. And we do not have enough evidence with us to make a move on such a big-shot.” She said.

Wayne seemed mildly surprised, “Sure!” he said nonetheless. 

 

“Well now, if I may, I need to get to work!” she said as she reached into her purse to get a few miniature microphones and transmitters, she got up and handed a few over to Bruce.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Wayne!” she said, “It’s been a pleasure meetin...”

“BARBARA! I’ve got news” screamed the bat-phone in a muffled voice; it was inside her purse.

“That would be my phone!” she said, looking embarrassed.

Bruce Wayne watched curiously as she reached into her purse and pressed the buttons to silence the bat-phone. 

"As I was saying, it was a pleasure meeting you! Thank you!" she finished.

And then she stepped out of the Wayne Manor and waved at Bruce Wayne. She picked up the bat-phone as soon as she got into the car, and she said, “I’ve got news too, Batman. You go first...” and she could see Bruce Wayne waving back at her.