SEL Chapter 43

Helena gazes up into the dark, wincing as a drop of icy water lands on her face. There are downsides to being based in a cave. She’s in a hospital bed and wearing more bandages than she ever has in her life. She feels pretty good, and she’s not at all embarrassed about how Alfred probably had to cut her out of her costume.

“What kind of **** am I on?” she asks.

“It’s only morphine. You’re a bit of a lightweight,” Alfred says absently as he considers her X-rays. “Don’t try to move.”

“OK.” Helena feels like she’ll agree to anything. “Is Gordon OK?”

“Merely injured. Ms. Stephanie was able to handle things at the debate.”

“Good for her,” Helena murmurs.

“Try not to talk anymore. You lost a great deal of blood. Let’s rest.”

“****.”

“Yes,” Alfred says patiently.

“I have school tomorrow.”

“No.”

“Can I have an umbrella?”

“Yes, I will do something about the water. My apologies. Master Bruce was always very stoic about these things. Perhaps to his cost.”

“Thank you, Alfred.”

“You are very welcome, Ms. Bertinelli.” Alfred steps away from the bed, and his smile vanishes. Helena’s injuries are serious, and her recovery will be long. That’s not the only problem. He crosses the bridge to the main platform and goes to the Computer. There, he replays the footage captured by the Batplane. It clearly shows Helena unflinchingly firing an entire magazine into Slade Wilson and then quite intentionally kicking him into a fall that could only be fatal.

He folds his arms and bows his head, chewing his lip. After a long time, he reaches out and deletes the footage, then the backup, then the original file from the plane itself.

SEL

Summer Gleeson sits alone in her apartment, wrapped in a blanket on her sofa. Several empty bottles stand on her coffee table. Her TV is on.

Chatter about the political ramifications of what happened is warranted.

Condemnation of Gotham for another live demonstration of how unsafe the city is: that is fair as well.

Lucius Fox is giving a press conference about the experimental technology that allowed Barbara to get out of her chair: likely necessary and wise. Barbara’s enemies would be sure to accuse her of faking her disability.

Barbara is not giving a statement because she is grievously wounded. Legitimate.

Viti Saxena is respecting that, which is less fair than necessary. Besides, everyone can see where this is going.

That’s all fine. The part that Summer cannot overlook is the microphone. Even if she didn’t have the bump on her head to remind her, the endlessly looped footage would still be there. Nobody died in the attack on the debate, and that means there’s no need for decorum. People are free to find humor in it, and they have that in the clear footage of Barbara’s excellent throw. The most popular version contains a cartoonish “Donk” noise when the mic strikes Summer and knocks her senseless. She’s used to being in the public eye, and she’s been ridiculed before, but never like this.

Summer pours herself more whiskey.