Normalcy

It was Tuesday, a school day. Chloe's legs were dangling off the chair in **** enthusiasm. She munched on her slice of Nutella bread with a huge smile. With a fork, Aaron ate his own toast.

"You look excited," Aaron said.

"Mhm, mhm. Yesterday was so fun! We did an art project! And math! It was so much fun!"

Math? Fun? Well, as long as she enjoyed herself. He pushed himself off his chair and waited at the door. In a minute, Chloe followed, backpack worn and her chocolaty breakfast swallowed.

"Is the taxi here? Or is Carrie dropping me off?" Chloe asked, running down the stairs. She didn't like elevators–said they were too cramped and slow.

Carrie functioned as a co-parent of sorts. Again, courtesy of the Waynes, she worked full-time for his daughter's well-being. Breakfast, school homework, and whatever else Aaron required whenever he was busy with ordinary work or Gotham-changing work. Occasionally, Carrie wasn't available and he had to rely on Claire (Gotham Girl) to babysit or pick-up. The past two weeks was a time of learning as he adjusted to raising a child at school. It wasn't easy but he was getting the hang of it.

They stepped outside the apartment but rather than a yellow taxi waiting for them it was a sleek, black sedan. Cyan highlights wrapped its automotive curves and its front lights a glorious navy. Chloe was immediately smitten.

"W-woah, what is this?" Chloe looked up at him, wide-eyed. "I-is this ours? No way, right…?"

Hands in his pockets, he approached the car and, as if sensing his presence, the door slid open. The inside was just as futuristic as one would expect. "Our new car. I got a friend of mine to pull some strings."

Tanya Fox, as the wife of Wayne Enterprises' CEO, could snatch a model of the Mirage X500 in less than an hour. Two hours before Chloe was awake, he texted Tanya and requested the brand new model. An hour later, the car had arrived at his apartment parking lot.

"No more taxi!" Chloe leaped towards him, grinning.

Aaron laughed and caught her in a hug.. "No more taxi. Also, we have a guest inside."

"Huh? Who? Who?"

"Check."

Chloe detached herself from him and peered inside. The driver's seat was empty. The back, however, was where a certain black-haired woman sat. "Oh, Ms. Cassandra! It's great to see you!"

Cassandra sent a small salute. "Captain Chloe, reporting for duty."

A grin. "Reporting for duty!"

The car was self-driving so really Aaron didn't have to sit in the driver's seat. He did because he didn't want to risk a police officer pulling him over or mistaking him for a criminal. Seriously, the self-driving feature would be amazing in helping pull off heists.

As they drove off, with the help of the front mirror reflection, he watched as Cassandra and Chloe played rock-paper-scissors.

"Not fair! How do you win everytime?" Chloe asked, pouting. Cassandra pointed her nose upwards, proud.

"You snooze, you lose."

"More like…you cheat, you win!"

Cassandra pretended to be offended and shook her in disappointment. "Skill. All skills."

"I will discover your secret, Ms. Cassandra…"

Chloe's warning came off childish rather than menacing. A little chuckle escaped the pretend driver. He glanced at the wheel and saw as it smoothly turned and drove the car. 'Self-driving cars are so cool.'

Aaron turned on the radio. Immediately, he was blasted with the over the top voice of Jack Ryder.

"Breaking news! Last year, Kane Enterprises bought out Hamilton Rifle, a Fortune 500 company, and placed them as their second largest branch. Net worth valued at approximately fifteen billion dollars now, it is the number one supplier of guns in all of America!"

Oh. Ohhh. So that was what they were talking about. Aaron chuckled, the noise unnoticed underneath Cassandra and Chloe's games and laughter. 'Man, I love it when things go according to plan.'

"Yet!" Thud! Jack Ryder slammed the table through the radio. "Today, Catherine Hamilton has announced she will be training her daughter, Elizabeth Kane, as the next CEO of not just Hamilton Rifle Company but all of Kane Enterprises. A daughter, mind you, that has been shielded from the public. Is she up to the task? Is this not too sudden a move? What will the shareholders think!?"

Good question. What would they think when he cleaned the streets of Gotham of its gun problem?

'Who cares.'

He focused back on Cassandra and Chloe. Those two mattered to him more than any shareholder in the world.