Zennaire’s mouth was agape as they drove through the gates of Lesley’s property. It was bad enough that they got picked up in a car that really Bruce Wayne should have been driving; however, when he saw the house, it was over.
It looked straight out of a history book on the founding fathers. It didn’t fit Gotham’s style. It was bright and clean with its mainly white paint job. They got closer to the place and Zen saw an older man open the front door; a grey mustache adorned his face with matching slicked back steely hair. Two dogs, one black the other white, that were a breed he didn’t recognize came out from within the house and waited for the car to pull around. They reminded him of a collie mixed with a ferret and maybe a greyhound? Regardless of his staggering need to study up on his dog breeds, Zen watched as the car stood pulled to a stop and the old man was at the car door where Lesley sat opening it right away.
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“Master, I’m very pleased to see you back. May I take your coat?”
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“No thank you, Ebenezer. Would you get some stationary out for me? I need to write a few letters.”
He stood up as the dogs nipped at his hands.
“Hello! I’m happy to see you guys too.”
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They calmed down as Lesley petted them behind the ears respectfully. As Bane left the car, the dogs demanded attention from him as well. Zen exited the car and the dogs focused that attention on him. They each sniffed him but quickly were called back into the tall mansion by the old man, Ebenezer?
He stood by the car until Lesley turned to him.
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“Are you coming in?”
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“I’m allowed in?”
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A blush creeped up Lesley’s pale skin as he looked at Zennaire.
“Of course, and other things.”
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He smirked and followed Lesley into the house.
“Can’t believe you like me even with a shaved head.”
“You have really nice bone structure..”
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He briefly paused as he thought about how it was kinda cute how bad Lesley’s compliments were; but it wasn’t hard to just move past that when he looked at that face.
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“Thanks. You do too.”
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He reached up, once again cradling Lesley’s jaw before softly kissing him.
He didn’t let the kiss get too out of his control, he didn’t want Lesley to freak out on him after all. He pulled away only to see the two dogs staring at him.
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“We… we should get inside.”
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Lesley looked between Zennaire and his dogs before taking his hand and heading inside the house.
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“Did you want to formally meet them?”
“Your dogs? I already petted them…”
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Lesley gave a slight laugh before calling the dogs over.
“They’re Borosi. That’s the breed. This is Crow,” he took Zennaire’s hand and had him stroke behind the dog's ear for a second before summoning the other over, “and this is Dove. She's a total softy. Oh be careful, she likes to think she’s a lap dog.”
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Zennaire petted the solid white dog, she was soft and leaned into his hand softly whining when Lesley pulled him away.
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“Oh hush, Dove. Have you said hi to Mr. Bane yet?”
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The dogs bounded down the hallway where Zennaire soon heard Bane’s voice and laugh.
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“They really like him.”
“Oh, Mr. Bane? Yeah. He visits occasionally. He’s pretty nice actually. When… when he’s not trying to rebuild society.”
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Lesley looked away from Zennaire as he spoke before the butler walked up to them.
“Master, I’ve lain out your stationary as you have asked. Shall I fetch the phone as well?”
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“Yes actually. I need to make some phone calls. Zennaire, feel free to go where you’d like. Oh, and if you need anything please ask Ebenezer here.”
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The butler gave a curt bow.
“Yes once I fetch the phone for the master I am at your disposal as well as Mr. Banes.”
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“Oh, ah… thanks.”
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He watched as the two of them left the entryway into a side room. He wandered throughout the mansion taking note of the large portraits of men that looked strikingly like Lesley throughout the centuries his family had lived in Gotham; it was strange however, that they weren’t family portraits.
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There was only one of those.
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It stood at the far end of the hall. It was a huge portrait, almost life size. A man stood with his wife, a baby in her arms and a girl on the other side of the man. Everyone in the photo had startling white hair and red eyes, expect the man, he looked normal enough. He jumped as Lesley’s voice sounded from behind him.
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“Oh, you found the portraits?”
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“Gah! Yeah… they’re really well made.”
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“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I’m not scared.”
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Zennaire’s response came close to cutting the end of Lesley’s sentence off.
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Lesley nodded before looking at the portrait that hung in front of them, a sad smile on his lips.
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“Were these people important Lesley?”
“You could say that, yes. They were the one of the first people to settle Gotham you know, the McKinleys.”
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Zennaire paused to think while he registered the name McKinley. It seemed familiar to him, but he just couldn’t place it. Soon however, he was refocused on Lesley who continued to talk.
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“But please excuse me, I need to see how Mr. Bane is faring.”
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He began to walk away with Zennaire following him.
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“I’ll come with you. I need to talk to Bane too.”
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With a knowing smile playing on his lips, Lesley replied.
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“About getting your gear back from GCPD, right? Fear Doctor?”
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He narrowed his eyes at the albino man before relaxing.
“I suppose my identity isn’t really that secret anymore…”
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“No not really. You’re going to be treated differently by lots of people now.”
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The words from Lesley had a tone of sorrow that infected even his face as he looked distantly down the hallway.
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“You don’t seem to be treating me any different.”
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This broke the spell Lesley was under, causing him to turn towards the other man.
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“We were both in Arkham. I can’t really say either of us are model citizens…”
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Zennaire had trouble believing that. The feeling he got from this man wasn’t one of destruction or even panic: it was just pain.
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“Why were you in Arkham?”
“I killed someone, everyone said it was an accident, but that doesn’t excuse the fact it happened.”
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He kept silent as Lesley paused. His waiting paying off when the other man spoke up.
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“...and it wasn’t an accident.”
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Lesley walked towards where Bane waited, his footfalls echoing through the walls. Zennaire followed silently. He wanted to ask, to prod, but he knew better; it wasn’t his place.
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——————
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Zennaire turned the corner behind Lesley entering the bright room. It took him no time finding the light source, the walls of this room were windows except for the one behind him.
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Bane sat on a couch with a dog on either side of him. When he saw them he nodded at them.
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“Welcome back you two.”
“Hey Bane.”
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Lesley motioned for Zennaire to sit down before he started to speak.
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“I know you both are anxious to… return to reforming the city; however, I think it would be wise for you to say here a while.”
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Zennaire frowned and quickly replied.
“Look Lesley, I need to get my gear and head back to my father.”
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While Lesley opened his mouth, it was Bane who spoke.
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“Zennaire, Crane is fine without you. He’s been working by himself for years. Perhaps it would be well for you to distance yourself from him.”
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“You sound like my brother. I’m Crane’s partner. He’s told me that himself.”
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“And he is a very good liar.”
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Zennaire stood up, his face red with rage, when Lesley's voice broke the silence.
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“Enough. The both of you. I don’t care about Scarecrow. He’s not here. You two are, now listen.”
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Normally, he wasn’t intimidated by a man smaller than him and with the appearance of a doe but the look in Lesley’s eyes said other things. Zennaire sat back down as Crow came and sat by Lesley’s side.
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“The city is going to be looking everywhere for you two. Bane, we’ve been through this before; Zennaire, you’re new to this. Everyone will want to search here. I could stop them, but I won’t. I have plenty of places to store you two while that’s happening.”
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“How can you trust that driver and Ebenezer so much?”
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“It’s not a matter of trusting them. They know their place. I don’t intend you to stay here forever. You can if you want, but I’m getting off track..”
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Lesley paused and patted Crow before continuing.
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“It’ll take some time, but I can safely get you and your gear back.”
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Zennaire had to think, why was Lesley so powerful? And why hadn’t he ever heard of the guy?
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“I can get my own stuff back, that’s not an issue. Though I won’t turn down a free place to stay.”
As he finished his statement, he smiled at the albino who returned it before speaking.
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“I don’t doubt that; however, no more going to the store, park, mall, no social media, constantly changing phones…” he shifted his shoulders back and forth before stopping, “...of course, if you’re okay with that, by all means. But if you want to still be relatively free, then you’ll listen to me.”
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The smile on Lesley’s face wasn’t the soft, coy one Zennaire had grown used to seeing. This was barely a smile; it was ruthless.
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Bane sat in his chair silent as the question was posed.
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“Alright, what do you want me to do?”
“Publically, renounce your father. Say that he used you and it wasn’t your idea.”
“What!? I’m not doing that. He didn’t use me!”
“Zennaire, it’s not hard. Just lie. The public just needs to not see you as a threat. If you can place the blame on Scarecrow, then you’re off free. Everyone knows him. It’ll be a breeze. Then just leave everything up to me.”
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He took a moment to think about that. Use his own dad? He’d be pissed when he found out of course, but… Zennaire was more than able to handle an angry father..
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“Fine. But how are you going to…”
“Don’t worry about it.”
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Bane nodded in agreement as he stood.
“Zennaire, Lesley is quite more capable that he appears. Let him handle it.”
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If even Bane has such faith in this guy, maybe he should listen.
“Fine…”
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At Zennaire’s acceptance, the soft smile returned to Lesley’s face.
“Okay. Let’s get this show on the road then. Ebenezer, would you drop him off at the station please?”
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—————————
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Zennaire soon found himself seated in an interrogation box down at the local GCPD.
When they had seen him so readily turn himself over, they cuffed him and tossed him in here. He could only guess they were calling in backup… The son of one of the Gallery, just walks him after he escapes? Even he’d find it suspicious…
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Yet here he was.
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He watched as none other than Director Gordon and, the hero himself, Batman walked into the room, with the latter hanging back by the door.
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Zennaire couldn’t stifle a dry chuckle as Gordon sat down.
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“What’s so funny, Crane?”
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“Nothing, sir.”
Zennaire wiped the half smile from his face as he looked at the director.
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“The Officer who escorted you in here; he said you wanted to tell us something?”
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“Uh… yeah.”
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There was silence and Gordon urged Zennaire to continue with a look. He averted his eyes. There was still time for him to back out… he didn’t have to betray his father, not like this… Though the thought of seeing Lesley’s disapproving frown or worse, a sympathetic smile.
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“Right… I came here today, because….”
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He gulped, the lie was harder to tell than he thought. Was it always this hot in here?
“I wanted to… uh… it wasn’t my, my idea to go to that warehouse.”
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The sound of chair legs scraping against the concert floor echoed through the room as a deep voice spoke up from the back.
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“We know.”
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Blue eyes met cowl as Zennaire looked at The Bat who continued.
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“Scarecrow put you up to that. So he could get away.”
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He wouldn’t do that. This was just another test from Father.
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“Yes… I came to understand that.”
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This time Gordon spoke as Batman left the room.
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“Alright since you’re going to cooperate; we want Scarecrow’s bases.”
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“Base.” Zennaire corrected. “He only has one.”
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“Uh sure… in return, we’ll expunge your record.”
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Zennaire nodded. And rattled off the location of the base he had visited so many times, the one with all his gear.
The one where he was tested on his loyalty.
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The place he would now be exchanging for his freedom.
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