《I am the Night》Chapter 21: The School Board

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April 6, 2022

I have only been living in Bruce Wayne's life for a little more than a week and I have already fallen in love, murdered evil people, and changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of normal people. I finally understand the meaning of power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. I have shaken hands with a god and kissed a goddess.

I started training Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon, but why? Maybe because I feel like it is their destiny? Or possibly because I know in my heart that I have to have an escape plan to leave Gotham behind if I want to have a deeper relationship with Selina. Those Bruce Wayne memories won't allow me to just leave. I can't just leave. Is it Wayne Bruce's loyalty? His heart?

Selina. In my world, she is the fictional criminal, Catwoman. In this world, because of my interference, she has become the hero Robin. There were many versions of the Batman and Catwoman story. In most, they have an on-again-off-again relationship because Batman is married to the idea of being a hero and Catwoman seeks the thrill of theft.

I am going to tell her about my real identity, she may react poorly to it. I am tired of being alone. In this world and in that world. She is my first true love, I want her to know.

"Mr. Wayne?" One of the school board members asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I was just writing some notes. Thank you for allowing me to come and speak with you today." Wayne stood up and walked over to the podium and then said, "The Gotham City School District has an annual budget of 30 billion dollars. Yet the city's children have no access to lockers to store their books. They aren't allowed to bring bags to hold their books. The schools are littered with trash. The walls are covered in graffiti. The school lunch program serves food that none of you on the board would be willing to eat each day."

He took a sip of water and then went on, "I went to Amadeus W. Arkham high school yesterday to meet with the Superintendent. I explained before holding the meeting that my grant of one billion dollars required her to attend in person and on time. She showed up over half an hour late. That school is less than thirty minutes from her office. I know, because I left her office at 2:30 to get to the school 3. 30 minutes before the time of our appointment. Traveling from her home in Metropolis would take over an hour during traffic at that time. Leaving her home at 2:30 would make her over half an hour late. Her staff explained that she teleworks from home every day but one each month."

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Wayne looked at each board member and then asked, "Is this woman fit to be your Superintendent of schools if she can't even bother coming in to work on a day when a 30th of the school's annual budget is at stake?"

He sighed and then shook his head, "I wanted to form a partnership with the Gotham City School District as part of Gotham Renewal. We are talking billions of dollars worth of investment into school infrastructure and teacher salary increases and yet your Superintendent thinks my time isn't even as important as her comfort. How do we proceed?"

Wayne sat back down next to Selina.

The chairman of the school board looked from right to left at each of the members of the board and then spoke, "Mr. Wayne, while we can all appreciate your desire to want to help the community I don't think replacing such a..." The chairman's phone buzzed and he looked down at it with a conflicted face. He cleared his throat, "As I was saying, all in favor of the immediate removal of Dr. Leighton as the Superintendent of the Gotham School district?"

The board unanimously supported her removal. The chairman of the board smacked his gavel down and then said, "Mr. Wayne thank you for bringing this to our attention. The Gotham City School District looks forward to a long partnership with..."

Wayne cut him off asking, "Who was it?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Who sent you a message, who was the person that changed your mind?" Wayne asked again.

"I really don't know wh..."

Wayne stood up with Selina right behind and left the board meeting as murmurs went through the small crowd gathered at the meeting. Outside of the board room, a reporter asked Wayne, "I'm interested to know who it was too. He was going to turn you away and protect her, wasn't he? It sure sounded that way."

Wayne shrugged at the reporter and walked over to where Alfred was waiting. He got in the car with Selina right behind him. The Rolls sped off to Wayne Tower.

Selina looked at Wayne and asked, "What was that?"

"Alfred, Selina, I have something of a secret I have been keeping from you two that I think needs to be spoken. I'd like some time to think about how to say it, so we'll all sit down at the table once we get home to discuss the matter." Wayne looked more intense than normal.

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Selina looked up at Alfred through the rearview mirror who just nodded solemnly. The three of them were all very quiet as the car pulled into the garage. They continued to walk in silence up to the elevator and then to the penthouse. Wayne pulled out a chair for Selina and then sat down at her side. Alfred sat at the chair directly across from Wayne.

"I am not Bruce Wayne," Wayne said while looking into their eyes.

Selina looked at Alfred who leaned back a bit. Alfred nodded and said, "The night before the Charity Ball, right?" Alfred thought about it and asked, "Shall I call Leslie?"

Selina looked between Alfred and Wayne and then asked, "Wait, if you aren't Bruce Wayne, who are you?"

"Wayne Bruce, I worked at a bookstore in California." He stared at Alfred and then looked at Selina, "I tried to stop a mugging one night on my way to see a movie, The Batman, and I was shot in the chest. I blacked out and when I came to Alfred and Dr. Thompkins was speaking to me in the Batcave. In the world I was from this was all fictional."

Alfred looked intensely at Wayne and then asked, "Do you have his memories or yours?"

"I have both sets of memories. I remember Bruce Wayne's life exactly like it's my own. I also remember Wayne Bruce's life exactly like my own. At times, things get confused together only, as Wayne Bruce I know this world as being fictional, and that allows me to see things beyond Bruce Wayne's memories. I can accurately predict certain future events based on things Bruce Wayne shouldn't know yet." He took a deep breath.

Selina looked at Wayne like he was crazy while Alfred tapped a finger on the table. "Master Bruce... Or should I call you Master Wayne? I think we should have Leslie give you an examination to make sure you don't have some kind of brain damage and then ask Diana what she thinks, hm? The world of Gods and Goddesses she is from may know more about the existence of other worlds. If they are real."

Wayne exhaled and then nodded. Selina put a hand on his arm and asked, "Your feelings for me?"

"Are my genuine feelings." He quickly spoke up, "You are the first woman I, Wayne Bruce, have ever truly loved."

Alfred looked at Selina and said, "Ms. Kyle, I can tell you that since the night in question Master Bruce has not been acting like himself which leads me to believe that he is either experiencing some kind of brain disorder that is affecting his decision-making abilities or he is true in what he is saying and another personality has replaced Bruce Wayne's." Alfred looked at Wayne and said, "I mean no offense when I say this, but I think it would be best for you and Master Bruce if we can find a way to restore your personalities to their rightful places."

Wayne looked at Selina and his heart squeezed painfully. She looked at him with the same look in her eyes. Alfred saw them looking into each other's eyes and felt as if he were the bad guy at this moment. They all sat in silence with their thoughts until Diana returned from her conference loudly bursting into the room, "Hello my darlings!"

She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at the three of them sitting at the table like the world was ending. "What's happened?"

Alfred turned to her and said, "It seems that Master Bruce has been replaced by a man named Wayne Bruce from another world similar to our own, or he is suffering from brain damage that is altering his memories."

Diana frowned and then took out her golden lasso and captured Wayne in it, "Who are you and where are you from?"

Wayne looked at her and said, "Wayne Bruce, I'm from Rio Linda, California. But I also remember being Bruce Wayne from Gotham City, New Jersey."

Diana made a shocked face and then asked, "Why do you think you are from a different world?"

Wayne answered, "I read your comic books as a kid, and saw movies and cartoons about you as an adult."

Diana gasped and then asked, "Who played me in the movie?"

"Gal Gadot."

Diana took out her phone and did a google search, "Oh, she's pretty, I approve."

Selina looked at Diana with a pleading look, "Diana are there alternate worlds like that?"

Diana looked at her and said, "Yes. Yes, there are."

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