BAE Chapter 48

“Bold, Ms. Gordon. Maybe a little too bold,” Lucius says when they’re alone in the elevator after the meeting.

“Can’t give Earle an inch. He’s just dying to see these plans fail so he can double down on consolidating all the power with the dinosaurs,” Barbara replies.

“That may be, but he’s got more experience in the business world than you do. Try not to write any checks you can’t cash,” Lucius tells her, taking out his glasses and putting them on. They emerge from the elevator into a large, empty space. “This used to be an applied sciences testing center, so it already has most of the security infrastructure that you’ll need for a situation like this. This is where we’ll put her. The question, Ms. Gordon, is the level of comfort that you want to keep her in.”

“Why is that even a question?” Barbara asks, folding her arms and considering the vast space. She likes minimalism and feeling uncluttered, but this is a lot. However, it won’t just be an oversized studio apartment. Ivy will workspace, living space, and probably some gardening space.

“Ms. Gordon, surely this morning’s meeting should give you an appreciation for optics,” Lucius tells her dryly.

“I see. Hmm.” Barbara frowns. “What do you think about what happened last night?”

“As a black man, I think that the actions of the Batgirl make me feel my first spark of optimism for humanity that I’ve felt in years,” he says ambiguously.

Barbara raises an eyebrow. “And as a businessman?”

“I think the Batgirl is in for a world of hurt.”

Barbara sighs. “I was afraid of that.”

“Soft on crime in Gotham? That’s a controversial position to take, Ms. Gordon.”

“I know.”

Barbara’s phone beeps, and she checks the text from Kate: YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING VICKI

She frowns. “What channel is Vicki Vale on?”

“She makes most of her appearances on five. There’s a TV in my office.”

BAE

Vicki Vale is, of course, astonishingly beautiful. A few years ago, Barbara looked up to her as the gold standard of what a glamorous redhead was supposed to be like. Now, Barbara looks at her a little differently. Vicki’s doing a special segment on a lunchtime commentary program, a less classy version of Gotham Insider.

“The footage is certainly provocative,” Vicki says on the TV screen as Barbara and Lucius sink into chairs in the office. “I’ll let you watch it for yourself.”

Video plays of Barbara walking side by side with the Penguin inside the iceberg lounge.

“Is this surveillance footage?” Lucius asks, absently pressing a button to make his office soundproof. “Where was that? When?”

“The Iceberg Lounge,” Barbara replies tightly. “Last night.”

“What the devil were you doing there?”

“Investigating the **** of Amelie Araignee.”

“Turn anything up?”

“Complete waste of time.”

“Worse than that,” Lucius murmurs, his eyes on the TV. Vicki is back on the screen.

“I don’t know what to say, Tom. Batgirl and the Penguin look positively chummy in this footage. Eyewitnesses report that the footage doesn’t tell the whole story, but when we take this and add it to reports from last night about Batgirl protecting Harley Quinn from the police when she had just set off explosives…”

Lucius turns the TV off. “That’s just a taste of what’s coming for you, Ms. Gordon. If you stay on this path.”

Barbara’s eye twitches. “How do we look on Daggett?”

“It’s doable. We can make good on the promise you made to Dr. Isley, but it won’t make you many friends. Ms. Gordon, there is a culture at this level in which members of a certain caste look out for each other.”

“Even our competitors?”

“Class supersedes that. Especially in this political climate and it’s an election year. But you already know that. What do you really have in mind for Daggett?”

“I’m going to play that close to the chest for now.”

“I won’t be the last one to ask you. Not all of the board members are idiots,” Lucius warns. “That includes me. What is really happening here?”

Barbara takes a deep breath. “Too early to say.”

“Lord have mercy.”

“Not in Gotham. Aki Aramaki wants to talk to me.”

“I’ll bet she does. She’s married to the DA. Your alpha act is working too well, Ms. Gordon. You’ve got the board wrapped around your finger for these weather balloons you’re sending up. That will have political consequences, and you can bet that Ms. Aramaki wants to put her finger on the scale,” Lucius tells her frankly.

“I won’t let that happen.”

“Won’t you? You’ll need her the first time a vote comes around.”

Barbara grimaces.

“Batgirl has leeway,” Lucius says, watching her face. “She can make her own rules. Barbara Gordon, however, has no margin for error. Bruce and I gave you your foot in the door. If you blow it with these people, you won’t get a second chance. Now. What’s it going to be?”

Barbara sighs and glances at him. “For Ivy?”

Ivy will have to be comfortable. That’s not in question. But the level of generosity that Wayne Enterprises needs to show right away is still negotiable.

Focus on practicality in Ivy’s accommodations?

Or emphasize her comfort as a show of good faith?