InsaneJournal

Who: Bruce Wayne
What: Narrative.
Where: Wayne Enterprises, Gotham.
When: After this.
Warnings/Rating: None.

The news of the security breach at Wayne Enterprises spread quickly. Part of that was likely owed to the press conference occurring within the building at the time, which meant that cameras and reporters were already on the premises, and the arrival of the Gotham PD along with a wave of Wayne's own personal security stood absolutely no chance whatsoever of going unnoticed. Rumors flew, speculation was abound, and a fair handful of news stations found ways to waste air time as they waited for details to emerge. Ambulances arrived, and snapshots of paramedics filing in to treat the unfortunate security guards in the crossfire--none suffering much worse than wounded pride--were plastered across television screens in the meantime, along with footage of the crowd gathered outside, as most everyone had been herded out the nearest exits save for the most senior members of the Board.

Perhaps interest would have fizzled and died eventually, had the situation continued on as such, but Bruce Wayne's arrival in a sleek black limo roused the interest of the press and breathed new life into what had nearly become a tangle of speculation and the unknown.

He had been elsewhere during the break-in, Bruce had, meeting with developers and lawyers and the like near the docks, discussing a new project to inject new purpose into the Narrows and hopefully improve Gotham's employment rate in the process. What no one knew, however, was that Bruce had known about Selina's little visit long before anyone else, even the company's own security. Yet despite this knowledge, despite forewarning of what the Cat had planned, he did nothing to stop it, and he feigned ignorance until his phone rang with the belated news of what should have been an immediate priority. Should have been, but wasn't, though no one was the wiser; he played his part well.

Bruce was grim-faced and silent as he made his way through the cluster of cameras and reporters and chattered questions, looking every bit the part of concerned CEO, suggesting that, despite his playboy ways, perhaps he had begun to take his role seriously in Lucius' continued absence. He spoke to the police, he listened the security guards who had regained consciousness, and he inspected the shorted-out cameras and the safe himself, more for show than anything else. No one expected him to be capable of tracking down the one responsible on his own, and he made his suggestions mildly, a stark contrast to the Bat's harsh command. Surely, he pointed out, the thief was no longer on the premises. They were skilled, whoever they were. Increase security, attempt to track the stolen bond--he kept the missing deed to himself for the time being, seeing no reason to share that information with Gotham's finest--but surely there were far more important things for the police to focus on, weren't there?

The officers on the scene exchanged glances, and he knew what they were thinking; only a billionaire would remain so calm.

When Bruce Wayne finally emerged from the building, after a quick strategic chat with the company's public relations specialists, he was far less grim, though still somber. The shouts and cries for comment, for details, all died to a hush when he shocked them all and agreed to speak of his own free will. He smiled, and there was the playboy, the charmer, and he glossed over the theft with practiced smoothness, speaking without saying anything at all. Yes, there was mention of the thief, suspected to be a woman, though her physical description could fit any female in Gotham, of the compromised safe, and the fact that she had bested the security patrol, but it was vague at best, the details.

Later, some might wonder how he'd hijacked a press conference about break-in and theft at Gotham's most influential company and turned it into a PR stunt. They might wonder how the transition from the concern of Wayne Enterprise's compromised security to the company's newest ventures had been completed so seamlessly. Bruce vowed to get to the bottom of the matter, to rectify the problem, and from there he spoke of new building developments, of a planned Wayne Foundation fundraiser, of the good Wayne Enterprises intended to do for Gotham; and yes, there was even mention of the wilting plant life in Robinson Park. Of course, he was modest, averting most of the responsibility and placing it upon the Board, but by the end his PR agents--who had undoubtedly been having mini panic attacks during his entire spiel, considering his past actions--breathed a sigh of relief. He'd even made the reporters laugh a few times, and this time, they weren't laughing at him so much as they were laughing with him.

Eventually, the crowd dispersed, and Bruce managed a rare private smile as he left the police behind to finish up and headed back to the Manor. Perhaps there was hope for his city yet. As for Selina, he had no doubt that she would use the money for the girl, rather than for herself, and he decided he could allow Luke an hour or two through the door before returning to Gotham, just to be sure.