Trinity

In retrospect, Jeanine Harris realised the short cut she opted to take through the Napier Park was not her most sensible decision of the day.

At first, it seemed harmless enough, a fifteen-minute walk on paved sidewalks through the park that stood between her and her apartment on Kane Avenue. Returning from her job at a boutique in one of Gotham’s fashionable districts, she was exhausted from putting in overtime due to a stock take exercise her manager decided to spring on them this morning. The ten minutes shaved off her trip home seemed like a good enough reason to take the short cut. As she walked into the hedged entrance of the park, it seemed like a small price to pay until she could finally afford that car she wanted so much.

********

He was on his way back to the car when he saw her crossing the street with the clear intention of entering the park at 7.00 pm at night, unaware of the danger she was inviting upon herself.

Napier Park serviced several neighbourhoods in the area, with a demographic that ranged from middle class to low income households. It was government funded and thus maintained just enough to keep it serviceable without the robust grounds keeping that was indicative of parks in wealthier neighbourhoods. Nevertheless, it was, during the day, a place where nannies and homemakers gathered to trade war stories, where children could run unfretted through the playgrounds or where people could enjoy the sun lying across the grass.

However, when the sun went down, it was a decidedly less hospitable place.

********

Jeanine Harris was painfully aware of this as she delved deeper into its expanse and discovered rather belatedly, that Napier Park was a quite scary at night. Some of the bulbs in the lampposts along the pathways were dead, leaving patches of terrain near pitch black. She saw no signs of life, save her own, making her more anxious as she continued walking down the lonely paths.

Jeanine’s growing fear made her jump at everything, from the tall shadows to the chirping of insects in the dark and then the deafening silence in the wake of so much emptiness. Hastening her pace didn’t help the situation as it only made her heart pound louder in her ears until she could hear nothing else.

Finally, the chilling emptiness filled with the sound of voices and for a brief instant, Jeanine was almost relieved. Until she rounded the turn of the path and realised what she had walked straight into.

She stopped short at the sight of them gathered around a picnic area partially framed by trees. She counted seven of them, not quite teenagers, not quite adults either. They were of an age where they could become anything given the right impetus. Unfortunately, the shaved heads, the leather jackets and the cigarettes burning holes through the night, told Jeanine the final path they had already started to take.

Upon sighting her, their eyes latched on to her like the wolf pack that had suddenly picked up the scent of the lamb that had wandered inadvertently unto their territory.

Jeanine tried to walk past them, keeping her eyes down, making no eye contact or offering any response to their chillingly suggestive greetings. There were seven of them, her terrified mind identified, seven of them and just one of her. Seven was supposed to be a lucky number but it wasn't for Jeanine tonight.

Her silence was all the provocation they needed and the next thing Jeanine knew, she was surrounded with no hope of escape.

“Please don’t hurt me,” she pleaded softly even if it was an exercise in futility.

“Don’t worry,” one of them revealed a predator’s leer as he flicked his cigarette into the bushes. “It won’t hurt long.”

*********

Well that didn’t take long, he thought when he heard the scream he almost expected to hear.

Jeanine’s troubles were almost inevitable in the face of human nature and its uglier impulses. The night was the breeding ground of all sin, the keep for the monsters of our lesser natures.

He followed the girl in discreetly, using the darkness that was the source of his crusade as his cloak as he moved through trees and used the curve of lampposts like a shadowy wraith on the hunt. He had intended to follow her long enough to ensure she cleared the park without incident but clearly, that was not meant to be. As he caught sight of what had forced her to scream, he counted seven thugs wearing the colours of a local skinhead group. Most of its members had seen the inside of the jail at least once in their youthful lives, one or two he even helped there.

By the time he closed in, they had already dragged the girl off the pathway and forced her against the picnic table. The sound of tearing fabric had reduced her cries of help to whimpers of desperate pleading. The mind had great capacity to prioritize in such situations. The absence of escape had turned her focus towards survival.

If the Batman had anything to with it, she would have both.

**********

“Those verminous curs are trying to force themselves on her!” Diana exclaimed as she witnessed the scene unfolding while hovering some distance from the ground with growing fury. “We have to help her,” she declared, preparing to intercede on the atrocity about to be committed.

“No,” Clark said firmly, barring her way with a one arm. “He’ll handle it.”

“There are seven of them,” Diana countered. “You said he had no powers.”

“Yeah,” Clark nodded with a little smile as he watched the Batman closing in on the thugs and their victim. “I’d think they’re in a lot of trouble. ”

**********


This wasn’t happening, Jeanine told herself frantically, feeling her skin exposed to the cold air as something was torn away from body. This isn’t happening! Closing her eyes, wishing for it only to be over as she felt rough hands preparing to destroy her both body and spirit, Jeanine withdrew into her mind to hide from overwhelming despair. Suddenly, she heard something that sounded like the flapping of fabric, a thick, sweeping sound that seemed to fill the world.

The sound was followed by a cry of pain that was not hers. Confused, Jeanine dared to open her eyes and saw that something, dark and terrifying was moving through the seven men, its dark cloak swirling around them like a whirlwind.

“It’s the bat!” One of the thugs shouted as he saw a friend slamming head first into a lamp post with such force that upon bouncing off the column, landed hard onto the concrete floor, unmoving. He brandished a blade and ran toward the demon, just a second before another comrade staggered backwards, blood flowing freely from a shattered note.

“You’re just a f**king man!” He hissed. “I ain’t afraid of you.” He prepared to bring down the blade on the curve of a bicep when something gleamed under the light of the moon, an instant before he screamed in pain and grasped his bleeding hand. Something that looked like a ninja shuriken but shaped like a bat, protruded from his flesh. He looked at his hand, shifting his gaze away from the dark shape long enough to be distracted. When he raised his eyes again, the last thing he saw was a dark gauntlet knocking the consciousness from his world.

With three of the seven down, two had opted to take the safer road and flee. The two that chose to remain decided to up the stakes. A gun was brandished…briefly. Unaware of the Batman’s inherent dislike of any weapon requiring bullets, one of the two thugs standing took aim not at the dark avenger but at the girl he would have saved. Underestimating the Batman’s speed, he had a moment of clarity when he saw something spinning through the air, landing against his wrist hard enough for him to hear bone break.

With a sharp cry, he dropped the weapon and gave the Batman the clearway to reach him. A one two punch, a side kick and the sixth of the seven had gone down. The last had taken the opportunity to rush Batman while he had been dealing with the gunmen, attempting to lock an arm around his neck. The Batman reacted as only a perfect engine of coordination and instinct could, with ruthless efficiency. Within a fraction of second, the thug was thrown over the Batman’s shoulder, landing hard enough to end the thread of him for the time being.

Jeanine had recovered her senses enough to see rescuer surrounded by her would be rapists. The Batman lifted his eyes to her and said coldly, with a voice of brittle glass. “Go home and call the police.”

She nodded, wildly and covered up her exposed chest. She wanted to speak, to make him understand what it was he had saved her from, to let him know that at her most despairing moment, he had shown her that hope was never futile. Tears in her eyes, she wanted to tell him thank you.

“Go,” the hard voice spoke again with less of an edge, “where it’s safe.”

Jeanine wished she could tell him, that safe was where he was.

*********
After the girl had gone and Batman had ensured the thugs who had not run off were held captive until the arrival of the police, he resumed his journey back to the car, reaching in minutes of the safety of the rooftops. Achieving his own kind of flight with superb acrobatics and high tension grappling hooks and wire, Batman moved through the night air with ease and was well and truly away from the scene of his heroics before he stopped and looked up to the sky.

“What do you want?” He asked tautly, knowing that there was someone to hear him. “I’m working.”

Clark smirked and descended from sky where he and Diana had kept pace with the Batman as he made his departure from the park. “Took you long enough,” he said landing on the rooftop, with Diana at his side, a few meters away from where Bruce awaited impatiently for them. “I thought you’d never spot us.”

“Well I was busy with verminous cur,” the Batman retorted, turning his eye on Diana.

“You knew we were watching?” She said with surprise. “I thought you said he had no powers,” Diana turned to Clark questioningly.

“I can hear well enough,” Batman said shortly, irritated that the question hadn’t been directed at him. “I’m surprise those goons didn’t hear you either. Did you want something in particular Superman or are you here to introduce me to your new girlfriend?” He couldn’t resist taking a jab considering what the tabloids had been screaming of late about Superman and Wonder Woman.

“Very funny,” Clark brushed the comment aside although for the first time, the notion of what Metropolis and the world must be thinking of him and Diana disturbed him. “Diana, I’d like to meet Batman.”

Diana didn’t know how to regard this man in the dark costume. Something about him, elemental almost, made her cautious to approach him. He had no powers and yet he had heard her and Kal while he had been in combat. He had revealed extraordinary combat ability, which always impressed a warrior like herself, but everything about his manner told her to stay away. Why did he choose to wear such a costume, to wage a one-man war against evil?

“I am pleased to meet you Batman,” she greeted extending a hand towards him. “I am Diana of Themiscyra,”

“I read the tabloids, Princess,” Batman said shortly ignoring the greeting. “I take it this isn’t a social call.”

Clark grimaced, deciding the years had done nothing to improve Bruce’s people skills. He could be charming enough when he was wearing the playboy façade but when he was with the people who knew his true self, the man was as abrasive as sandpaper.

Diana withdrew her hand, having great reservations of entrusting someone so disagreeable with a mission of such importance and only Kal’s endorsement forced her to remain. Despite herself however, Diana was rather curious as to the tale behind the man in the mask and kept silent her reaction to his rudeness.

“We need help,” Clark sighed getting down to business, since Bruce wasn’t going to make this at all easy. “Diana is looking for an artefact that’s pretty important to the Amazons and some danger that might affect us as well.”

Reservations aside, Diana spoke up because she didn’t feel Kal was providing this man with an accurate accounting of how important Harmonia’s talisman was to the End of Days. “It is foretold since as long as we can remember that there will be a day when the god of war will rain devastation upon the world to take his place at the ruler of the gods. Of late, the portents of this have grown much stronger and we Amazons knew that if we did not do something, both our world and the Patriarch’s World would be devastated. Key to this final battle is a talisman, fashioned by the war god’s daughter, Harmonia. We must find it if we are to stop what’s to come.”

Batman listened without speaking and when she was done, lifted his steely gaze to Clark. “You believe this?”

“She believes it and one of the terrorists who tried to gun down the Amazon at Hayes Park sure ass hell believed it. It doesn’t matter what we think of their gods, we can’t take the risk of not believing her.”

Batman stared at the woman for at Clark and then Diana, his gaze lingered for a moment, appreciating the beauty of her. Up close it was even more overwhelming and for all the haughtiness of her rather imperious tone, her voice was lyrical, soft and exotic.

Turning away, he said abruptly. “You two can handle it on your own. You don’t need me.”

Dark cloak trailing away them, Clark saw Bruce preparing to leave. “Diana can you give me and Batman a moment please.”

Diana wanted to protest but noted the expression on his face and opted to obey. She walked way to the edge of the building, leaving him alone with his supposed friend.

***********

When she was gone, Clark spoke again. His request to Diana had halted the Batman’s departure for the moment.

“I don’t have all night,” the implacable man started to say.

“I’m sorry,” Clark spoke before he could finish the sentence. Bruce was taken back a little by the apology that come out of left field but said nothing. “When Chloe died, I should have told you about the Construct. I was so messed up about how I failed her that I ran off like a self centred jerk and left everything and everyone behind. I didn’t think of how leaving would effect the people cared about, Lois, my mother and you. I don’t expect you to forgive me but try to understand that I loved her just as much as you did. She was my best friend and knowing that I had failed her because I had been too busy worrying about my high school crush instead of my training, was more than I could stand. I ran away like a coward and I am sorry. You and Lois deserved better than that.”

Clark sucked in a breath, never realising that such words could be so hard to say. “You don’t have to like me or forgive me Bruce, but Diana believes that something big and bad is coming at us and as strange it may sound to either of us, I think she’s on the level.”

Batman didn’t speak for a long time and even if he wasn’t wearing a mask, Clark wouldn’t have been able to figure out what was going on behind his eyes. Bruce was the most compartmentalised person he had ever met and when he went to ground, not even a being with x-ray vision could find him.

Finally, the Batman spoke. “Bring the Princess to the cave tomorrow,” he replied turning away. “Take the long way and tell her to bring everything she has on this talisman. If we’re going to find this thing, I need all the information she has on it and this prophecy she’s talking about.”

Clark let out an inward sigh of relief. He didn’t know if his apology had made or difference or the threat of Armageddon had caused Bruce to change his mind but it was start. “We’ll be there.”


**********

Thanks to Diana’s accidental exposure to the world at Hayes Park, the demand for Diana to make an appearance at some of the social engagements attended by the Amazons was high. Inadvertently, Diana’s heroic turn had made her the darling of the Amazon tour and it seemed like everyone wanted to meet the new ‘Wonder Woman’, a name Diana still had difficulty accepting. While she preferred to concentrate on her mission, Diana was nevertheless a Princess of Themiscyra, with obligations to her people.

When Hippolyta learned that Diana would be journeying to Gotham, she had taken the opportunity to accept an engagement in that city on Diana’s behalf. Hippolyta wanted her daughter to be seen as an Amazon, not some sensational celebrity with an equally sensational moniker.

Thus, Diana found herself, an hour after her encounter with Batman, walking up the red carpet leading into the O’Neill Art Gallery, representing the Amazon nation. Kal had engagements of his own in Metropolis and left her to the ministrations of the aide appointed by the UN to assist the Amazons during their stay. Miss Candy had explained to Diana that wealthy contributors would be more inclined to part with their cash if they could meet her.

Diana did not understand the correlation between the two.

Fortunately, Kal had assured her before his departure that her presence would be in aid a good cause and Diana sensed she could rely upon his guidance in such things. Since her arrival in the Patriarch’s World, she had enjoyed a new kind of friendship with Kal-El of Krypton. He was the first man she had considered a friend and it surprised her how much they had in common, not only physically but also in spirit and manner. Although he was very much a product of the Patriarch’s World, his belief mirrored very much the Amazon ideals of peace and harmony.

As she made her appearance at the gallery, Diana wished Kal where here to talk her through the evening. Even though she was a formidable combatant on the field of battle, the art of socializing in such a new setting was unknown to her. Nor did it help that she felt exceedingly uncomfortable in the dress she asked to wear.

When news of her attendance at this function was known, several garment makers contacted Diana offers to wear their gown. It required Miss Candy’s explanation for Diana to understand that this was an honour of some kind and so for the sake of good relations, she agreed to wear one of the gowns for the evening.

Unable to fly, Diana was driven to the gallery and was immediately beset by a barrage of exploding flashbulbs when she emerged from the limousine. Everyone appeared determined to get a picture of the Amazon Princess in the Oscar de la Renta gown of red sheath splendour. The colour was very similar to her own standard and Miss Candy had suggested she wear her hair up and leave her tiara behind. In fact, the only things that she had worn of her costume were her silver bracelets, forged by the flames of a god.

Immediately escorted inside by the host of the event, a well meaning official who took every opportunity to be photographed with her, Diana spent the next hour tediously shaking hands and meeting people who seemed only interested in her celebrity. She had begun to loose track of all the faces when suddenly, the hand that she had extended to shake yet another well wisher was commandeered and Diana felt herself being tugged gently away from the group.

“Don’t worry Farley,” a cool, somewhat relaxed voice in the midst of all the fawning adulation called out to her host as she was led away, “I’ll have her back after this song was over.”

Only relief at the unexpected but welcomed escape prevented Diana from protesting his forward manner. Despite herself, she was mildly curious as to who her mysterious rescuer was but with his back turn, his identity eluded her momentarily. Only when they reached the centre of the dance floor, where other couples had gathered to dance to the music of four piece jazz band, did Diana get her first look at him.

Like the other guests, he was dressed formally, however, on him, the clothes, which she still, found odd compared to the dress of Themiscyra, seemed to suit. His build was powerful but not exaggerated, with blue eyes and an intense gaze that didn’t seem as sharp when he rested them on her. Diana stared at him for a few seconds, taking in the sight of the ruggedly handsome face and trying to determine how he could look as beautiful as Kal and yet be different as well.

“I do not know how to dance,” Diana confessed sheepishly. Her cheeks bloomed a little in colour.

“I get the feeling you learn quickly,” he offered her a smile and Diana was surprised by how much she liked it. “Just let me lead.” He slid an arm around her waist and entwined her fingers in his.

It was the first time she had been so close to a man and Diana could not help be affected by it. It caused tingles under the skin she couldn’t identify and seemed to make her heart beat just a little faster. She wished her mother were here to explain it. Glancing past his shoulder, Diana observed other couples on the floor and they seemed to be enjoying themselves. The music like everything else in the Patriarch’s World was a new experience but it was also very charming and lyrical. Diana watched where the other women, who were dancing, put their hands and did the same. The gesture made him smirk.

“What amuses you?” She inquired, once again liking that roguish smile.

“Just knowing that I was right,” his eyes twinkled. “You do learn quickly.”

After a few minutes, Diana had reached the point where she was able to move to the tune of the music without embarrassing herself. It felt nice and she noted that all eyes were open them, watching her as well as him, she realised with a mixture of excitement and fascination.

“You did not tell me your name,” she pointed out, as she grew comfortable in arms, much to her surprise. .

“Bruce Wayne,” he replied. “You’re Diana of Themiscyra.”

“Yes,” she nodded shyly. “Is this a customary practice then, among all men and women in the Patriarch’s World? “

“The dancing?” Bruce asked. “Yes, as far as back as one can remember. It is a socially accepted way of the sexes to share an innocent personal moment.”

“Is that what we’re having?” She raised a brow, “an innocent personal moment?”

“Nothing’s ever really innocent,” he smiled. “However, you did look like you needed rescuing.”

She could not deny him that. “Are you in the habit of rescuing women all the time Mr. Wayne?”

Bruce held a straight face. “Occasionally,” he replied, “but I also wanted to meet the most beautiful woman in the room.”

Diana laughed softly, “Does that charm work on everyone?”

With a wink, Bruce drew her in just a little closer, “you tell me.”


***********

Since his return to Metropolis and Lois Lane’s life, one of the more annoying aspects of a dual identity was the need to maintain the lie that he and Lois were just colleagues, not intimates. Before he had left for his training, Clark and Lois had begun living together at the farm and now that he was back, it was not a simple matter of returning to that familiar arrangement. While he spent most nights at Lois’ anyway, Clark did have an apartment of his own in the city, a couple of blocks away from Lois.

Fortunately, being able to fly faster than the speed of sound enabled him to come and go from Lois’ apartment as he pleased. Flying through her balcony, Clark noted by the clock that it was late. On his way back from Gotham, he hoped Diana was faring well at that charity benefit she was forced to attend, Superman had been needed to put out a chemical fire in Illinois, foil a robbery on the way back through Ohio and then deal with a few brush fires in his home town of Metropolis.

“Lois,” Clark called out when he stepped onto the balcony. The first thing he noticed was that the balcony door was shut although not locked. Still, Lois usually left it open for him. Wondering if something was wrong, he stepped in cautiously and noted the sofa. A pillow and a blanket was sitting on it.

Clark entertained two possibilities; one Lois had a houseguest and two, he was in trouble. Suddenly Bruce’s comment about showing off his girlfriend returned to haunt him.

Scanning the house, he saw Lois was already in bed and approached the bedroom door cautiously. “Lois?” He asked gingerly.

The next thing he knew, the door swung open and Lois was there.

“Lois, is something….” He didn’t get a chance to finish as she tossed his pyjamas pants at him and slammed the door.

Clark stood there for a moment and sighed, “yup, definitely in trouble.”