Chapter 62

Woof! Woof!

"Hey~ buddy." Terry crouched down as Ace greeted him at the front door. "You're doing a good job keeping watch for Alfred." He said as he petted the dog.

"He has been doing a good job of keeping me company. He even took care a burglar all by himself one time." Alfred said with a faint smile.

Alfred, now in his nineties, has maintained his strength enough to live by himself. Terry, before he moved out of Wayne Manor, proposed to Alfred about hiring his brother Matt to be his attendant. Alfred refused because their mother would be alone. He suggested that Matt should live with his mother at least until he graduates college and have a job that can pay for a place of his own.

But it was also to prevent another stray from discovering the batcave which almost always happens.

"He looks like a great companion for you, Alfred." The robed woman behind Terry took off her hood and revealed herself.

"It's good to see you again, Diana." Alfred greeted her with a warm smile.

"You still look strong."

"Just enough to live by myself, but I can already feel the years piling down. Please, come in."

After letting the two of them in, they settled themselves in the living room.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please. I miss your tea, Alfred." Diana replied.

"Oh, I'll do it. Catch up with her instead." Terry said as he got up and went straight to the kitchen.

Alfred just smiled and nodded before he sat down with Diana. "Don't worry. I trained him myself to make tea."

"I heard he became your attendant before. That is some fate for your master's son to become your servant."

Alfred chuckled. "It was the circumstances at the time."

"..." Barbara made a wry smile. "It's really good to see you again, Alfred..."

"It's good to see you too. Why are you here, by the way? You haven't contacted anyone ever since..." Alfred paused.

Diana had a mournful expression. "It's... something personal..."

"Well, whatever it is, you can stay here."

"I planned on it. My business... is connected to Bruce."

"Is that the reason why you're keeping the eye of anubis in your bag right now?" Terry came back with a teapot and teacups arranged on a tray.

Diana took out the large gemstone out of her bag. "This... is just for bait."

Diana, as Wonder Woman, asked the museum to lend it to her to keep it safe. She said it was being targeted right now and it isn't safe with their security.

After Terry brought down the teacups already filled with tea, he settled down on the couch too.

"So, your business is with someone who's targeting this."

"Yes."

"May I ask who and why are you after this person?"

"Talia Al Ghul..."

Alfred was unphased but Terry was surprised.

"She went to themyscira and stole something from me..."

"What would you do if you catch her?"

"I'm going to kill her..." Diana said with unwavering eyes.

----

"Hmmm..." Barbara was in thought as she looked outside the window of her office. The police headquarters was busier than ever. "I can't say I missed this..."

-What?

Terry overheard her and replied. They were on a call and he was on speaker.

"I'm sorry. I just have a feeling that this spike in the crime rate just now has something to do with Diana's business with Talia."

-What should we do, then?

"Best to stay out of it. This is their business. Our job is to prevent casualties."

-That's it? Talia is going to get killed!

"Terry. Talia can handle herself. I don't know what she stole from Diana but maybe it has something to do with the fact that she can fly now. I saw her visiting Bruce's grave one time."

-You're only telling me this now?

"Look. It's best we don't get involved. Alright?"

-.... I feel like you're not telling me something, Barbs.

"Think whatever you want. I'm hanging up." Barbara pressed the button on the speaker to hang up. She sighed and dropped her head. "Talia is bad news, Terry. I'm sorry."

----

Terry sighed after Barbara hung up.

"Who was that?"

"Dana? It's nothing. Just business." Terry said before walking towards her. "Let's go back. It's the weekend."

Dana and Terry shared a kiss before going upstairs.

----

Ding dong.

The security cameras showed a police officer with a teenage boy behind him as they waited for the gate to open.

The gate electronically opened and the police and the boy entered the premises and headed towards the door of the mansion.

The door of the mansion opened before they could arrive.

Alfred and Ace was waiting for them.

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, Police officer. What can I do for you?"

"Well, sir. This kid has been caught causing trouble in a bar last night. He beat up three guys, sending them all to the hospital. That's two offenses. Assault and underage drinking.

"I didn't even drink." The teen muttered.

"I am sorry but I think I missed something. What does that have to do with me?" Alfred said

"Well, sir. This kid says that he lives here. We were planning on letting him off with a warning but now I'm thinking that we should detain him." The officer glanced at the kid.

"Hmmm..." Alfred pondered as he looked at the teenager. "What is your name, young man?"

"Damian Wayne."

"Wayne, he says." The officer scoffed as he sent a glare to Damian's way.

"I'm sorry, but are you saying you are..."

"Bruce Wayne's son." Damian finished Alfred's sentence for him.

"Yup." Drawing the line, the officer tilted his hat at Alfred. "I'm sorry, sir. I think this kid is a pathological liar. We'll leave now. Sorry for disturbing you." He grabbed Damian's arm but Damian yanked it off.

"Wait." Alfred said. "What's your mother's name?"

The officer couldn't believe that the old man is believing this kid. While Damian just smirked.

"Talia Al Ghul..." He replied.

----

"Yeah, so this kid says he lives there. No one wanted to take him there but the sarge just had to see me. I was even keeping myself busy." A uniformed police officer was talking to two detectives by the water station.

Barbara so happened to overhear their conversation while she was getting coffee.

"Can you believe this kid? He says to the old man living there, that he's a Wayne. More so, Bruce Wayne's illegitimate son. The balls on that kid. And you know what? It worked out for him. The old man accepted him into the mansion. I think he's gone senile. I even said to call me personally if something happens. You never know with a kid like that. His folks probably didn't raise him right."

The things he said caught Barbara's attention. She immediately walked up to them.

The detectives that were talking to the police officer pointed at the uniformed police officer's back.

When he looked back he saw Barbara and was caught by surprise. "C-Commissioner!"

"Where did you drop the kid you were talking about?"

"Oh, uhhh... It was at the old uh... Wayne estate."

"The old man. What did he say before accepting the kid inside?"

"He asked for the kid's name and his mother."

"What was it?"

"Damian Wayne and... Tale... Tale Allure?"

"Talia Al Ghul..."

"Yup. That's the one."

Barbara ran to her office immediately after she confirmed it.

----

"What is it now?" Terry said as he drove his car headed to Wayne Manor. "After not telling me anything, she decides to call me. Classic Barbara." He muttered to himself.

The gates opened as soon as it recognized the car.

After heading inside the house, he saw Barbara and Alfred, sitting in the living room with a kid he has never seen before. The kid was getting friendly with Ace too.

"What is it?" Terry said after he sat down.

"He says he's Bruce Wayne's son." Barbara gestured with her chin.

Terry furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Talia Al Ghul's child." She continued.

Terry widened his eyes at the sudden revelation and looked at the teenager who was busy playing with the dog.

"What's his name?" Terry asked.

"My name is Damian Wayne. Please refrain from talking about me like I'm not here." He said looking annoyed as he continued to play with the dog.

"I'm sorry, but it's dangerous for you to be here right now." Terry looked at the other two. "It's dangerous for him to be here right now! It's a good thing that Diana is still at work in the museum."

"I already talked about it with him. He agreed to keep the fact that he is Talia's son from Diana." Alfred said.

"And that solves everything?"

"Then, would you like to give him lodging instead?"

"Why is giving him somewhere to crash the problem here? He's obviously sent here for unknown reasons."

"I can't be somewhere else. I'm a Wayne. I should be here, at the place where my ancestors built. I'm finding out how my father has lived, and so far..." He looked around the place with an arrogant smile. "...it is to my liking."

"You know, Damian. Terry here is Bruce's son too. He's your half brother."

"So? He hasn't even been living like a Wayne. He lives like he's ashamed of it. I will never be ashamed of the legacy that my father has left. The empire my grandfather created."

Terry and Damian glared at each other.