Bruce Wayne sat alone in the manor's dining room, surrounded by a level of wealth that would have made most Gothamites physically ill. The table beneath his breakfast was a masterpiece of handcrafted hardwood imported from somewhere expensive and unnecessary. Bruce was fairly certain it cost more than some families earned in a year. The plates weren't much better. Alfred had once shown him the replacement cost after one had been chipped by an unfortunate guest. Bruce had spent an entire minute staring at the number in disbelief. Those damned plates probably cost enough to keep a drug addict supplied for life.
Normally he found the absurdity of it amusing.
Today he had a headache.
The previous night's patrol had left him battered even by his standards. Every muscle ached. A bruise along his jaw throbbed in time with his heartbeat. Behind his eyes sat a dull pounding pressure that refused to leave no matter how much coffee Alfred poured into him.
Bruce lifted the mug and took another sip before closing his eyes.
Slowly he inhaled.
Then exhaled.
The pain remained, but it drifted further away from the center of his thoughts.
Again.
In.
Out.
A technique learned decades ago in the mountains. The Tibetan monks had taught him that pain was real, but suffering was often a matter of focus. Bruce had never mastered the philosophy the way they had, but he had learned enough to function through injuries that would leave most people bedridden.
The throbbing in his skull dulled slightly.
"Sir, the morning paper."
Bruce opened his eyes and glanced up. Alfred stood beside the table holding a folded newspaper. As always, the butler looked perfectly composed. Not a wrinkle on his suit. Not a hair out of place. Bruce privately suspected Alfred had some supernatural ability to remain immaculate under any circumstances.
"Thank you, Alfred."
"My pleasure, sir."
Bruce accepted the paper and noticed the faintest hint of amusement hidden behind Alfred's professional expression.
That immediately made him suspicious.
"Anything important today?" Bruce asked.
Alfred's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, "The front page is quite illuminating."
Bruce frowned. That was never a good sign. He unfolded the paper and immediately felt his stomach sink.
The headline occupied nearly half the page.
BREAKING NEWS! POWERS INDUSTRY BROKERS A DEAL?
Bruce's eyes scanned the article.
Powers Industry, one of the leading companies in the high-end hotel business, recently confirmed a rather jarring business deal. Maria Powers has sold several hotels to new business mogul Kieran Everleigh. It is already confirmed he will be renaming the Powers hotels to The Continental. Construction is set to begin as soon as next week.
Board members when asked said they have no idea why Maria Powers has made this move. No statements have been made by either party at this time and it is unknown at what price Kieran Everleigh acquired the hotels.
Mr. Everleigh has risen fast in the hotel business. Is this just another step in his rise?
Bruce read the article once.
Then again.
The third reading only made it worse.
A curse slipped from his mouth as he lowered the newspaper.
"Son of a bitch."
Alfred wisely chose not to comment.
Bruce pushed his chair back and rose to his feet, already feeling pieces of a puzzle beginning to align in his head. Maria Powers. The Court. The Talons. The gangs. The hotel industry. Kieran Everleigh. None of those things should have connected as neatly as they suddenly did.
The dining room door burst open before he could fully process the implications.
"Bruce, have you seen this shit?!"
Dick Grayson stormed into the room waving another copy of the newspaper. He looked like he'd gotten dressed halfway through reading the headline. His shirt was untucked, his hair was a disaster, and there was genuine alarm in his eyes.
Bruce held up his own copy.
"I just read it."
Dick threw the paper onto the table hard enough that it slid nearly the entire length of the polished wood.
"You know what this means, right?"
Bruce stared at the article for another moment before nodding, "Yeah."
Dick folded his arms and waited.
Bruce hated saying it out loud because the more he thought about it, the more obvious it became.
"All of his competition is gone," he said quietly. "The Court is effectively dismantled. Black Mask's organization was gutted. Falcone lost territory. Most of the gangs are either weakened or fighting each other. The city's power structure has been shattered over the last year."
Dick's expression darkened.
Bruce continued, "And through all of it, Kieran Everleigh somehow comes out ahead."
The realization felt ugly, "He wasn't trying to save Gotham. He wasn't cleaning up corruption. He saw an opportunity."
Alfred silently refilled Bruce's coffee while Dick slowly lowered himself into a chair.
"As soon as Maria Powers was exposed as part of the Court, she became vulnerable," Bruce said. "Her husband was put in the hospital. The Court collapses. Her support network disappears. Public scrutiny increases. Then suddenly she sells a massive portion of her company to the one man positioned to buy it."
"You think he forced her?" Dick asked.
Bruce stared out the window toward Gotham's distant skyline.
"I think he cornered her."
The distinction mattered. Kieran didn't strike Bruce as the type to put a gun on a table and make threats. But then again, what personality was in control at the time?
Men like Kieran built situations where every available choice benefited them. They maneuvered people until surrender felt like the safest option. No witnesses. No crimes. No evidence.
Just outcomes, dick swallowed hard, "He just became one of the most dangerous people in Gotham."
Bruce didn't disagree.
The terrifying part wasn't Kieran's growing wealth. Gotham had always been full of rich men. The terrifying part was how he'd acquired it. Every enemy that stood in his way had somehow been removed, yet Bruce couldn't point to a single crime that would hold up in court.
The Court of Owls was gone. The gangs were weakened. Public opinion loved him.
Legitimate businesses were expanding under his control and now an entire luxury hotel empire was being absorbed into the Continental brand.
Bruce felt a knot tighten in his stomach. Because Dick was right, not only had Kieran won.
Batman and Robin had helped him do it.
"We helped him," Dick said quietly.
The words hung heavily in the room. Bruce looked back down at the newspaper. At Kieran Everleigh's smiling photograph. At the headline celebrating another business victory.
For the first time since the Court had fallen, Bruce felt genuinely uneasy.
Because Gotham hadn't escaped a shadow ruler.
It may have simply traded one for another.
***
The penguin paced, he hated pacing. His most trusted men looked at their boss nervously.
"Get out!" He snapped and his men quickly followed
Oswald was not happy, no he was far from fucking happy. The morning paper sat on his desk and he cursed the day he let Kieran Everleigh live.
He cursed the day he thought making an alliance would let him corner the fucking parasite that is the underpass.
In hindsight staying out of the court takedown was a mistake. A major one at that. But, he couldn't do anything now. Kieran built to many allies.
Him included.
Typical Gotham one day you're the one with leverage the next, you're nothing. Oswald waited for a phone call.
He knew the devil known as Kieran Everleigh will call and Oswald knew he would have to play ball.
****
"The continental has grown, and is growing more."
"Good. Keep an eye on their progress, if they grow bigger than Gotham, then I will introduce myself. What do we know about Kieran Everleigh."
"He is a madman but, charismatic enough for his allies and enemies to look the other way. He seems to be able to position himself into situation where he cannot possibly take a loss, the man is highly manipulative and dangerous. His combat prowess is unknown because not many of his victims live long enough to tell of their encounter."
"The most concerning part is he seems to genuinely believe he is making a difference while the only thing he has done is increase his power."
Ra's turned to face his soldier, "That is the most dangerous type of person."
"Sir, I recommend if you do approach to take it with extreme caution. Kieran Everleigh is… unpredictable."
——
A/N: Full chapter soon the still mapping some ideas, the question is go big or go safe?Hope you like the interlude, it was supposed to include more but, I think the first chapter of the new arc is best suited for what i wanted to include.