Bruce cursed under his breath.
When did Batman suddenly become the head of The Dead Souls Gang?
It felt like all of Gotham believed it.
He stood before the reporters, fists clenched, jaw tight with frustration. Reporters jabbered their cameras and questions at him, relentless.
Bruce exhaled, reached out, snatched the microphone from the Wayne Daily reporter, and spoke carefully but with strain.
"Batman and his so-called Bat-Gang… I want to be clear. I do not support their actions. Gotham does not belong to The Dead Souls Gang, and the Diamond District will never be ruled by a gang, no matter how many costumes they wear."
His right hand trembled slightly. Damn the Bat-Gang, Axel. You stupid son of a bitch.
Bruce forced himself to continue into the camera.
"As for the damaged Wayne Group building, reconstruction begins immediately. However, for the safety of the public, we will not rebuild it as high as before. Too tall a structure creates too much danger when it falls."
He paused, eyes burning with irritation.
"Wayne doesn't want to hurt anyone. We want to protect this city."
With that, Bruce lowered the microphone. A wave of security guards, stirred into action, parted the reporters and began pushing them back.
Lucius approached, looking at Bruce with concern.
"Bruce, what's going on with this Bat-Gang in the Diamond District?"
Bruce scrubbed a hand through his hair, exasperated.
"It's Axel's prank, all of it."
Lucius hesitated, then led him toward a nearby building.
"Fortunately Axel only destroyed the above-ground structures. Our underground lab is intact and there are alternate entrances. We should head back and check it out."
Bruce nodded, exhausted.
"I've wasted too much time today. Especially this afternoon — I got a critical lead from Alexander Luthor."
Lucius blinked.
"Alexander Luthor? How did you run into him?"
Bruce pressed the elevator button.
"He met Axel at Wayne Manor. I was there too."
Lucius's eyes went wide.
"That must have been serious. You were gone all afternoon."
Bruce's cheeks flushed slightly, but the arriving elevator saved him from answering further.
Before he could step in, a jolt rippled through his body.
In the next instant, Flash had whisked him into the Speed Force.
Bruce's view became a swirl of impossible colors before Axel and his assembled group appeared.
Meanwhile, Lucius looked around inside the elevator and called out.
"Bruce? What did you find out? Hello? Bruce!"
In Downton Manor, the moment Bruce materialized, Rachel rushed at him, tears streaming as she threw her arms around him.
In seven years apart, Bruce had become stronger, harsher, colder at times. Now, seeing him in her arms again moved her deeply.
Bruce softened immediately, returning her embrace.
"Rachel," he whispered, voice thick, "after tonight I'm going to find us a house near your job. I'll make time for you."
"Be with your grandpa," Axel yelled from across the room, grabbing a cream puff and launching it at Bruce.
Bruce caught it awkwardly and gave Axel a helpless look.
Axel just smirked.
"From now on, Rachel is staying with me in Downton Manor."
"Don't even think about that," Bruce snapped, anger flaring.
Axel laughed.
"It's not a thought. It's a plan. If Rachel leaves without permission, I'll tear her apart in front of you. And I can resurrect her a hundred times. Every bit of the pain she goes through — that will be on your head."
Bruce clenched his fists.
"Just what do you want, Axel? This Bat-Gang mess in the Diamond District. Your house arrest of Rachel. You're targeting me! Are our families enemies? Why are you doing this?"
He stalked toward Axel, fury burning, but Kara and Flash pressed the table down, holding him back.
Bruce pushed. Harder. Harder.
"I said damn it!" he roared, trying to break free.
Suddenly Alfred's hand seized Bruce's arm, stopping him.
"Alfred!" Bruce snapped, but when he saw tears in Alfred's eyes his anger froze.
Alfred met his gaze with a mixture of grief and joy.
"Bruce, seeing you like this… alive, emotional, human… I can't describe how happy it makes me."
Alfred blinked back tears, remembering Bruce seven years ago, stepping off the plane from Nepal, distant and cold, like a machine.
Now Bruce argued, felt anger, expressed passion. That was all Alfred had hoped to see again.
Even if Axel took every building in Gotham, Alfred thought, Bruce being alive and himself was worth more than any city.
Axel watched them, smirking.
He stepped forward and slapped Bruce's shoulder.
"You still don't get it, Bruce. We're all temporary here. Move back in. I'll let you and Rachel live in the basement, as long as you keep it quiet, haha."
"Go to hell," Bruce growled, punching Axel hard before turning away.
He looked at everyone, then back at Rachel.
"I think that since no one can stop Axel right now, we have to stay as close as possible to find his weakness. So Rachel, will you stay in the basement with me?"
Rachel's eyes filled with tears, but she smiled.
"Only if it's a basement Bruce Wayne has lived in."
She clung to him without letting go.
===
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