The Power Of Money

"Alright, I get it," Bruce took two calming breaths. Sensing his uneven breathing, he decided to ditch the hood, revealing everything. After all, whether hooded or not, the truth was out there.

"You, an IRS employee, on a mission to unearth these tax-evading gangsters involved in illicit dealings. You stumbled upon my identity through the gear you spotted on me?" Bruce questioned.

Jack dismissed it with a casual wave. "Not just that, my friend. A bit of deduction on my part. This particular uniform has been phased out, only lingering in the Applied Science Department of Wayne Group."

Leaning in, he continued, "I did my homework on Gotham City before showing up. Found out who's pulling the strings. Fox, from the Department of Applied Science, is a stand-up guy, but he rubbed Earl the wrong way. Currently sidelined, he's practically a warehouse manager. He wouldn't let this gear slip away without reporting it, yet my intel was silent on the matter. So, the only logical conclusion? You, Bruce Wayne, the official heir."

"But wait, there's more. Our intel delved into your past, connecting you to the Shadow Warriors Alliance. I had plans to reach out to you later, but lo and behold, you beat me to it. Didn't expect it to be you, but putting all the puzzle pieces together, you're the only one ticking all the boxes."

Bruce couldn't help but marvel, "Is your intelligence department really that formidable?"

Bruce carefully absorbed Jack's revelation about the "IRS intelligence department," the supposed epicenter of crucial information. According to Jack, this clandestine department held the key to unlocking vital secrets.

With an air of confidence, Jack dismissed other prominent agencies like the FBI, CIA, and NSA, asserting their inferiority compared to the mysterious "IRS intelligence department." In his world, colleagues were not allies but adversaries, except for the pivotal "intelligence department" he claimed to have fabricated, which was a blend of fiction and reality.

However, Bruce found himself unable to validate the authenticity of this department, leaving Jack impervious to the fear of exposure.

Curiosity gripping him, Bruce inquired about Jack's intentions for Gotham City. If powerful national agencies like the IRS were focusing on the city, Bruce felt his intervention might not be necessary.

Jack, the master of deception, claimed that cleaning up Gotham was part of his "assessment task" as a senior agent on the verge of promotion to a Void Agent. He cryptically mentioned the challenge of becoming an unprecedented Void Agent, leaving Bruce intrigued by this new terminology.

The conversation took an unexpected turn when Jack revealed the nature of his assessment task: a solo mission to uncover tax evasion within Gotham's powerful factions, including the Wayne Group. Bruce, initially hopeful for a grand-scale operation, was disheartened to learn that Jack operated alone without ongoing intelligence support.

Feeling a vast disparity between expectations and reality, Bruce grappled with the realization that Jack, a single individual, held the responsibility for this critical task. Despite recognizing Jack's superior abilities, Bruce couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment.

Jack, now posing as an officer for legitimacy, turned the tables on Bruce. He questioned whether Bruce, too, desired to alter Gotham's current state.

Bruce, still processing the unfolding revelations, was astonished. Jack seemed to know about Bruce's intentions before he even took action. The unexpected encounter left Bruce contemplating the complex web of forces converging on Gotham.

"Otherwise, why did you come up with this set of equipment for cave diving?" Jack chuckled, adding a touch of humor to the conversation. "However, I have to say that your idea is a bit too naive, Mr. Bruce."

Naive? Bruce frowned, intrigued by the comment.

"I don't know why the people around you didn't try to talk you out of it, but in my opinion, you obviously have the resources to easily change the current situation of Gotham City. Yet, you still want to play this... like a child playing house," Jack continued with a wry smile. "You have too little experience, and your vision is not broad enough."

Bruce defended himself, "My father once tried to use his abilities to save everything, but his end was not very good."

"That's because he used his abilities in the wrong direction," Jack explained, shaking his head. "When hundreds of millions of family properties are distributed to millions of people, it means nothing to everyone, let alone you. Your father couldn't do that at all. Wayne Group is his, but it's not his word."

Bruce was puzzled, "Then what do you mean?"

"There is only one way to solve the situation in Gotham City, and that is to use strong individual strength to subdue the opposing forces, and at the same time, show enough interests to attract big outside forces to move in," Jack stated. "As the old saying goes, 'Everything in the world revolves around benifit.' If you genuinely want to address the current situation in Gotham, the power of money is the best choice."

"Money..." Bruce muttered the word, feeling a bit perplexed by the concept.

.....

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