BAE Chapter 63

“We aren’t Bruce. And we aren’t pretending to be,” Barbara adds.

Stephanie holds her gaze, then nods. She understands what Barbara is trying to say.

“I’ll text Alfred,” she says, fishing out her phone. “Got to have a little fun with it. I want something new.”

“Oh, God. You aren’t going to do the hood, are you?” Barbara asks, taking a drink of her smoothie.

“I so am,” Stephanie replies, thumbs flying.

Barbara rolls her eyes. “It’s off-brand. If you wear the hood, nobody can see your ears. Like half your power comes from your ears.”

“Whatever. You wish you had a hood.”

“My suit is without equal,” Barbara says defensively.

“The gray one or the black one?”

“Both of them. The gray one was all me,” she adds quickly. “Not Alfred.”

“He did the black one? He did those boots?”

“We don’t deserve him.”

“We don’t,” Stephanie admits, sending the text and putting the phone away.

“Hood and mask? It’ll make it easy for them to tell us apart.”

“Maybe I’ll wear a red wig like Kate does. Redhead invasion.”

Barbara’s thoughts are straying to a different redhead. She focuses.

“You have to beat Kate’s score before you can come out,” she warns.

“Shouldn’t be too hard.”

“She’s less of a mess than she used to be.”

“I don’t know her at all. I just remember that whenever TV covered her, she was getting her butt handed to her by people I’d never even heard of.”

“Be careful. One of those people is her twin sister,” Barbara warns.

“I can play well with others.”

Barbara nods. She leans forward and offers her hand. Stephanie shakes it with an ironic smile.

“I won’t let you down, Boss. Probably.”

“Perfect.”

BAE

Barbara is relieved. She expected some red flags in her chat with Stephanie, but there were none. Stephanie is not on the rebound here. She’s a mess, but so are the rest of them.

Everyone has their own reasons for putting on a costume. Bruce did it because he couldn’t handle his trauma. Barbara tells herself that she did it the first time because her father was being framed, or because GCPD wouldn’t let her join because of her height. Those aren’t the real reasons. Kate’s reason is a joke, but Stephanie is different. If any of them had a valid reason to dress up like a weirdo and do sketchy things in the first place, it was her. Maybe that gives Barbara confidence that Stephanie won’t flake out. She has a sneaking suspicion that Stephanie, the daughter of a villain, might be the most well-adjusted player on the field.

Or it might be a little early to make that call.

Barbara has a little time before meeting with Summer, so she accompanies Stephanie to the Cave. Kate is already there, warming up for the night.

“Stepping out on me with a young blonde,” Kate says, taking off her boxing gloves as she approaches.

“Stephanie, Kate. Kate, Stephanie. Get along. Because if you don’t, I’ll just fire whoever I like less,” Barbara threatens.

She heads for the Bat Computer, where she’s joined by Alfred.

“Ms. Kane and Ms. Stephanie appear to be getting on,” he notes mildly.

“Too early to say,” Barbara says, taking her seat. As always, Bruce’s massive chair makes her look like a tiny child. “Do you track Amanda Waller’s movements?”

“Only her plane. Master Bruce at one time had access to her computer, but I believe she’s improved her network security.”

“Where’s the plane?”

Alfred leans past her to operate the computer. “Gotham International.”

“She’s here in person. She wants that blood,” Barbara says, irked. “God knows what she’s going to use it for. No point trying to get it back now. What was Bruce’s policy toward her?”

“There was a mutual respect in place. They tried not to attract the attention of the other. When Ms. Waller strayed too close, Master Bruce would sternly warn her.”

“How sternly?”

“I really can’t say, Ms. Gordon. I was here. Polishing silver.”

Barbara sighs. “I guess tonight you’re polishing something for Stephanie to wear.”

“Quite. I take it your meeting went well.”

“We aren’t exactly the Justice League, Alfred.”

“Indeed, no. You’re considerably better tailored.”

Barbara smiles up at him, then takes his hand and squeezes it gently. “You would tell me if I was doing this wrong, wouldn’t you?”

“I wouldn’t have to, Ms. Gordon. That’s why he chose you. Now, the matter of Ms. Stephanie. Shall I alert Master Tim?”

“No. That's Stephanie's business. Let her handle it."

“Have you spoken to Master Dick lately?”

“That will be all, Alfred.”

“It most certainly will not. Mr. Fox wanted you to know that Dr. Isley has gotten to work and that he sees nothing amiss. It appears you’ll have your prototype vaccine dose very shortly indeed.” Alfred moves a little closer, lowering his voice. “Are you quite confident in your plan?”

“To be the guinea pig? Of course. It could take weeks off the clinical trials, and even while we wait, we can show off our success publicly. This way if Seed hits the streets tonight and some girl wakes up with a surprise tomorrow, she can know that there’s an answer on the way. She won’t have to wonder if clinical trials will pan out. She’ll just have to wait. That’s meaningful,” Barbara says.

“I’m not questioning the value it might have. I’m questioning your confidence that Dr. Isley won’t turn you into a rosebush,” Alfred says, annoyed. He always loses a bit of his polish when he’s huffy like this.

“If she does, you’ve got two more girls dressed as bats to take my place.”

He doesn’t look happy. He takes a deep breath.

“It’s begun,” he says.

“What has?”

“The formula. A dozen reported cases today.”

Barbara’s heart sinks. “Women with penises?”

Alfred nods.

“Is there a vector?”

“Not to my knowledge,” Alfred says, glancing toward Kate and Stephanie, who are still chatting down in the training area. “The police are aware.”

“How have we not heard about this?” she asks.

“I expect the news to properly break this evening. There was already some talk on the five o'clock broadcasts, and social media.”

Barbara catches herself before she can slam her fist on the desk. She knew this was going to happen. This is the feeling that drives people to dress up as bats and punch someone. She takes a deep breath. After the docks, she knew that it couldn’t be stopped. It’s amazing that it took this long.

“We have to find out where it’s coming from. Hit the source,” she says. Elite pride? Falcone? One of the other mobs?

Barbara gets to her feet and walks to the railing.

“Girls,” she says, and Kate and Stephanie look up. “Seed is out. We’re dropping everything. This is our priority.” Barbara leans on the railing, gazing down at the two of them.

Someone needs to get to Gotham General Hospital to learn more about the victims.

Someone needs to get to the Iceberg Lounge and see if they can find someone selling Seed there; it's the likeliest place to find a dealer who might know something.

Someone has to play defense to make sure that Aki doesn’t capitalize on Waller’s move today to make Barbara look weak.

Someone has to go on patrol; with something like Seed on the street, deterrence has never been more important.

“Kate, get to the Iceberg Lounge, no costume. If you find someone dealing, abduct them so I can question them," Barbara orders. "Stephanie, get to Gotham General. Find out everything you can about the victims. I want the medical charts and whatever interviews GCPD has done. We’re looking for a pattern with the victims to point us at who’s supplying it.”

Kate and Stephanie look taken aback. They exchange a look, then nod.

“OK,” Kate says soberly.

“On it,” Stephanie agrees.

“And me, Ms. Gordon?”

Barbara looks over her shoulder at Alfred. “Stephanie’s going to need something to wear.”

“Very good, Ms. Gordon.”

That leaves Barbara.

Should she keep her meeting with Summer?

Or strike fear into the hearts of criminals?