Chapter 88
Wayne Manor. A week later.
In his room lay a bandaged young man, both of his arms were broken, his legs were stretched, five ribs were broken, and four had a crack, not to mention the concussion and heaps of bruises all over his body and several knocked out teeth.
This man was Bruce Wayne. Officially, he is now on sick leave due to a car accident he got into with his adopted son Jason Todd. The guy was sitting next to him, all sullen and depressed. His mood has not changed for a week. Now he feels physically better. He had a broken couple of ribs and a crack in one, as well as a dislocation of his right arm, which was now in limbo and several hematomas.
Dick and Barbara sat in two adjacent chairs. Barbara was absent from home for a couple of days, for which she flew in from her father. But during this time she had three new teeth inserted and the same ribs were healed. Although the bruises were still there, they were cleverly hidden under the clothes.
Dick suffered the least of all, surprisingly. Only cracks in two ribs and bruises. There weren't even any knocked out teeth.
There was also a woman in her thirties, of medium height, dark-haired with short hair and brown eyes. Her name was Alexandra Bordeaux. She was Bruce Wayne's bodyguard. Although recently she even started helping her ... boss in his "crusade" after she recognized his alter ego. At the same time, she in the depths of her soul wanted to be more useful to him. But she was afraid to admit to herself her secret desires and passed off all this as through measured respect and loyalty to this person. But when she looked at a person who was not even physically exhausted, but morally her heart was bleeding. She wanted to do something more for him. But she did not know what she could offer him and do. And she did not recognize herself because of this.
An elderly man with a mustache and a receding hairline entered the room. It was Alfred Pennyworth, the Wayne family butler and fellow member of the family and meeting.
He brought tea and coffee for the exhausted people to get their thoughts together and still start talking.
- Thank you Alfred. - Sasha nodded with a half smile, taking a cup of coffee.
"Not at all, Miss Bordeaux. Although I would recommend you get some sleep and not spoil your health with coffee. I hope that at least you will listen to the old man and do as I advise.
Dick and Bruce smiled slightly, as they were already accustomed to listening to such a familiar grumbling of a person that they replaced their father, grandfather and uncle at the same time.
"This Dinklage ..." drawled Barbara. "I got it from my father because of him. But my mother didn't know it yet. It's good that she's still in Washington.
- This goat ... - Jason tried to say something, but Bruce stopped him.
- I did what I was forced to do.
- What?! - instantly exclaimed indignantly Barbara and Jason.
- What have you heard. - supported the mentor Grayson. - It was you who attacked him small. He had no choice but to fight back. Bruce, emotionally, stood up for you. And already a real battle ensued. Barbara and I also had to support him. He was one against four. Four Jason! - he raised his voice in the last words - And besides, that we have suffered so much, we have no right to blame him. Something I have not heard so many angry words addressed to Dr. Freeze, Ivy or someone else.
- We initially reacted too harshly to him. Bruce added thoughtfully. - He has certain abilities. He is not a meta person, I already understood that. But not a magician either. This would show the artifacts I got from Zatana. He is a human. But he clearly has some kind of strength. That said, I got the impression that he didn't use all of them. And besides, despite our numerical superiority, he did not use firearms. And he could ... He also has an amazing ability to ... reproduce his copies. And they fired from neighboring skyscrapers. But at the same time, the arrows should have almost been stuck to them. After all, it is impossible to catch on without special equipment. I deliberately chose this place and prepared it for all cases and outcomes of our "conversation".
- He has power, what could be a threat to Gotham? - Sasha gave a voice.
"Anything can be a threat to Gotham City, Sasha. Dick smiled. "But I doubt, I doubt very much, that he wishes harm to our city.
There was an awkward silence, which was broken by the "recumbent knight"
- But I am concerned about the question of how he was still able to figure it out. I'm talking about the secret of my personality. Only people of a genius mind were capable of doing this on their own without my prompts. I suspected before that he was not a simpleton, but now I don't even know what to think. What else does he hide in himself?
"But we never found out. - Todd - Because of me.
- You are to blame for this situation exactly as much as I am. Bruce answered him. "I pushed him too hard first. Even then, near the docks, he was ready to rush to attack me. I was too rude and tactless. And I also keep silent about the fact that I broke off and hit him.
"In that case, Master Bruce - Pennyworth - Mr. Dinklage is the height of prudence and tolerance. He understood your condition and did not provoke a conflict. Only this was only a temporary measure, which only delayed the conflict.
- But we did not learn anything new, but only aggravated our relations and parted almost as enemies. - added Gordon.
- If you are interested in my opinion, then I think he is not going to be at enmity with you. - followed by Bordeaux. - it was he who called Alfred to pick you up. Plus, like you ... you said Bruce he didn't intend to kill you. Here, most likely you ... infuriated him, so he broke into a fight. Rather ... different circumstances were superimposed on each other. Because of what there was such a misunderstanding. In addition, if I'm not mistaken, he also conveyed that he can still make contact, but only when you all have a "cold" head. Not anytime soon. You have not yet recovered from your injuries.