《I am the Night》Chapter 25: The Court of Owls
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Wayne was starting to get annoyed by the fight as most of his home had been trashed due to the fighting and the girls seemed to be oddly quiet like they were mad at him. Clark also sat with the girls not participating at all even though he could stop the fight at any time. The Talon's once immaculate costume had been torn to shreds.
Wayne took a breath after body slamming the Talon and asked, "You're William Cobb, right?"
The Talon rose to his feet not responding.
"Look, William, I get it. The Court of Owls sent you here because of my messing with the schools, right? You obviously didn't expect to be sent to Batman's place." Wayne dodged as the Talon threw a small knife at him which Clark casually caught as it came near Silver in the dining room.
The Talon finally spoke, "I love killing Waynes."
"Willy, you really aren't getting it. I know who they are. The Court that is, I read about them in Batman comics." He smiled and then started listing off the names of the Court members.
The Talon furiously attacked him again trying his best to kill Wayne only to be taken down as Wayne grabbed him in a submission hold. "Who the hell are you and how do you know all of this?" The Talon gasped.
"Clark, do you mind? Little help here." Wayne panted.
Clark smiled and then faster than the eye could see ran over and knocked him out.
Wayne untangled himself and then got up dusting himself off, "Thanks, that guy was really pissed at me."
Clark nodded and then asked, "Should I drop him off at GCPD?"
"Would you? Thanks, Clark, it would be awkward for me to do so." Wayne sat back down at the table as Clark vanished only to return a second later in his Superman suit. He picked up the Talon and flew away.
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Silver was still sitting there with her mouth open and asked, "Wait, you were really having breakfast with Superman? So then Wonder Woman..."
Selina nodded and said, "Just left, yeah."
Silver looked as if she didn't want to believe it, "Bruce what kind of life do you really have?"
Wayne poured a glass of orange juice before taking a bite of yogurt, "Well, it's probably not the kind of life you fantasize about truth be told. I work out six hours a day, I spend another ten hours a day running all over town picking fights with scum bags or doing detective work. Seven days a week, rain or shine."
Selina nodded and added, "Adrenaline junkie."
Silver frowned and then asked, "So the only way to get close to you is to be like you... That's what she did, right?"
Selina and Wayne looked at each other and nodded. Selina said, "I've only known him for a short time, but he changed my life."
Wayne nodded and then said, "Silver, Selina isn't someone who tried to fit into my life. She is someone that already lived my lifestyle. We had chemistry and well..."
Selina took Wayne's hand and smiled, "I changed my lifestyle a little, but yeah. I didn't do that just to make him mine. It was more that I felt that his calling was right for me."
Silver waved her hand at the destroyed furniture, "And what the hell was that all about?"
Selina and Alfred also looked at Wayne waiting for an answer, "Oh... Yeah, well the Court of Owls. Hmm, this is gonna be hard to explain. Basically, they are an ancient organization of Gotham City elites that pull the strings from the shadows. Do you know how conspiracy nuts are sure that there is a Deep State? Well, the Court of Owls really is kind of that. Only local. So, a Deep City."
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Selina raised an eyebrow, "You said it was about the schools. Why do you think that?"
"You said it yourself, if the schools are rotten, they create more criminals." Wayne scarfed down some fruit and then added, "The question I kept asking myself was, who would benefit from Gotham having crime? Who would want the dreary, dark Gotham City we have been living with for so many years?"
Silver gasped, "Gotham City Police Department."
"In part, yes, but also private security, gated communities, pretty much any people that make money to provide safety." Wayne then looked across the table, "Alfred could you pass me one of those grapefruits?"
Selina looked confused and then asked, "But why would they try to kill you? I mean Bruce Wayne?"
Wayne raised his eyebrows and smiled, "They don't like my plans for the city, and... I didn't ask."
Silver and Selina looked at each other and then Selina asked, "Wait, do you mean these guys are mostly just pissed that you didn't ask them first? That's stupid."
Silver rubbed her chin in thought and then said, "No, no it's not as stupid as you might think. You haven't spent much time with the ultra wealthy. People with a lot of money tend to be less like Bruce and more like... Um, well have you met Alexander Luthor? More like him. Basically, they are tyrants that feel like they have a right to decide the fates of everyone else."
"And some men just want to see the world burn," Alfred added.
Wayne pointed at Alfred and shook his finger, "He said it, he really said it!"
Selina rolled her eyes and shook her head rubbing her eyebrows. Silver looked confused and looked at Wayne with the unsaid question on her open mouth. Alfred smirked and asked, "One of my actors?"
Wayne laughed and said, "Sir Michael Caine in The Dark Knight. It's too bad we can't watch it here... A really good movie. Shit, would it be too weird if I paid to have it made? It would be a hit, I think it was like the third or fourth highest-grossing film of all time... No, that would be really narcissistic."
"Says the guy with his name on this building and like most of Gotham." Selina snorted.
Alfred nodded in satisfaction.
Silver looked confused and then quietly asked Alfred, "Is he... You know, alright?"
Alfred shrugged, "Master Wayne is his own thing."
Silver looked at Selina, "And her?"
Selina sighed, "Part of it."
Silver got up from the table and looked at Selina, "I can't say for certain that I have given up."
Selina raised an eyebrow, "Does that really matter?"
Silver brushed her hand through her hair and then like a haughty wealthy heiress tossed her head to the side allowing her long hair to fan out over her shoulder, "Maybe not, but Bruce did date me for a year before he met you. I can wait you out."
Selina smiled and then said, "Good luck finding your prince."
Wayne shook his head as Silver marched over to the elevator and disappeared without another word. Alfred put his hands down on the table and said, "Well then, I shall contact the Wayne Construction people to send some workers over. Shall I have new furniture brought in to replace the old, or would you like to change things?"
Wayne looked at Selina and asked, "Do you want a say in this?"
"Seriously? Cause I would love to pick out some things." Selina brightened up.
"Alfred, you can take Selina over to the computer and pick out the new decor. I need to deal with this owl thing." Wayne cleared the plates from the table before grabbing his phone to make a few calls.
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