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Batgirl Begins (dbspock/WendyTheRed)

"True...but there's never really one around when you need one." Daisy observed. "And it depends. It goes to my phone, unless I'm not available, then it goes to...a switchboard. rest assured, someone will answer if you call it." Daisy cocked her head when Babs gave her story, then nodded grimly. "I think we might have more in common than you think." She said softly, then nodded over Babs shoulder. "I think you might have your chance for your presentation soon." She said, and indeed if Babs turned around she'd spot Bruce Wayne making his entrance...with a half dozen women surrounding him.
 
Barbara shrugged. "Well, I'll ask Alfred for one if he has time. I'm sure if I tell him what it's for he won't mind grabbing one." And she truly meant asking, she wasn't going to be arrogant and order the man around like some of the others here might. She nodded as Daisy explained what would happen if she called the number. The more she thought about it the more intrigued she was. Still, how would that even work? "I see. I wonder how the switchboard would react to a call from me." She couldn't help the slight amusement in her tone as she thought about that.

She looked thoughtfully at Daisy at that comment but was distracted when she nodded over her shoulder. She turned slightly to look and rolled her eyes at Bruce Wayne's entrance. Oh come on, there's no way this is real she thought to herself with a smirk. "Maybe, it looks like he might be quite busy tonight. I'm not sure he'll peel himself away from his admirers for little plain me. Then again, Sara seemed to like my presentation so maybe she'll grab him by the ear and drag him to a side room for me." The idea made her laugh quietly because she had little doubt Sara was quite capable of doing just that.
 
"No doubt." Daisy agreed. Babs probably wouldn't even need to explain herself, a simple request for a pen was not out of the ordinary. Daisy usually had one...it's just that her dress didn't come with pockets. "And they would react very politely." Daisy assured her. "And be sure to pass any message along. And even offer assistance if the need was immediate." That was, of course, the whole point of the arrangement. Otherwise the call could just go to voicemail.

"I get the impression it's like that every night for him. Everyone's on the lookout for a sugar daddy, and the richest man in Gotham would be a hell of a catch." Daisy pointed out, then chuckled at the image of Sara dragging Bruce away. "I think she might enjoy that too much. Summer would certainly get the wrong idea, though." Daisy looked at Babs with surprise when she shoAttach fileswed no intention of taking Bruce up on his offer of a dance. Was she going to be intimidated by a little crowd? "Do you always give up that easily?" Daisy challenged her.
 
Barbara looked a little surprised at what Daisy said, wondering if there was more to this number than she had thought. "Offer assistance? I thought this number was merely for me to arrange an interview if I decided to try to work at a mysterious government agency that I have no idea about?" She couldn't help adding the last part as she was slightly amused by Daisy's reluctance to even give her a name.

Barbara smirked slightly. "Well, not everyone, but yes, a certain type is on the lookout for a sugar daddy. I think they'll be disappointed though, he has far too much going on to waste his time on something like that." She glanced at Daisy curiously. "Summer? Who is that?" She wondered if there was another member of Bruce's staff she wasn't aware of then looked back over in his direction when Daisy spoke. "I'm here for the interview. The dance is just a bonus. And it's not that I won't take him up on his offer, but I'm not going to compete with that gaggle of women. If he wants that dance, he'll come over and ask me." She shrugged and looked at Daisy. "I have my pride you know."
 
"Well, that's assistance, isn't it?" Daisy pointed out with a smirk, then laughed. "I don't think what they are looking for will take much time. Just his credit card. And Summer Gleason, the reporter. She'd have a filed day if she saw Sara getting physical with Bruce, and she wouldn't let a little something like facts stand in her way. She then looked stunned at Babs next statement. "Uhhh...you do realize that this is probably part of the job interview, right? Do you seriously think Bruce is going to walk over her and just offer you the job because your that good? You may be, but a job isn't always about how good you are, it's how bad you want it. Because if you want something bad enough, you won't let your pride stand in the way of getting it."
 
It was her turn to look stunned. She stared at Daisy then, an eyebrow raised. "Well, I'm not even sure it's a formal interview. I just wanted a chance to show him what I can do so convinced my dad to bring me to this gala." Her mind raced at the implications and considering her theory, she realized it likely was an interview and Bruce Wayne already knew what she could do.

"Are we talking about a dance now or the job interview? I had been viewing the two thing as totally separate, you seem to imply they're connected in a way." She looked from Daisy over to Bruce Wayne, then shrugged. "Alright, I'll take your advice Agent Johnson. Thank you." She smiled at her and then started walking in Bruce's direction.

When she got closer she smiled at Bruce Wayne, ignoring the women on his arms. "Mister Wayne, I believe you and I have an appointment? And I was promised a dance as well?" She wondered how he'd take it and if it would cause any kind of stir. She really hoped Agent Johnson was right and she looked over her shoulder, smiling at the other woman then looked back at him. "I also have some paperwork for you to sign, it seems you have missed some appointments recently."
 
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"I doubt you want a formal interview. Bruce has probably been through so many of those he won't even remember you. An interview during a dance...that's unique, and that he'll remember." Daisy paused for a moment and let the younger woman consider what she had said. If she was half as smart as Daisy estimated, she'd put it together and reach the correct conclusion. Sure enough, after a few moments Babs did indeed head off into the fray.

Bruce likewise ignored the woman in his arms, feigning ignorance as to how she'd even got there, as he heard Babs speak. "Ah, yes. Miss Gordon, is it? I believe you are correct. Did you bring a ticket? And a permission slip from your father?" He smiled broadly at her and winked, curious how she would handle his teasing, then followed her gaze across the room to where Agent Johnson was watching, and his grin faltered a bit. "Ah, yes...I believe Alfred mentioned something about that as well. It seems the job is never done, doesn't it?"
 
Barbara smiled her thanks at Agent Johnson for the advice. She wasn't sure it was smart to trust this woman but something told her she was being honest even if she was evasive about her employers. "Interesting idea. I hadn't thought about that." She replied before she departed to head over to Bruce Wayne.

She was a little surprised by how Bruce Wayne treated the woman in his arms but she also suspected she was there mostly for show anyway. Even so, it surprised her and she arched an eyebrow at his reply. "Indeed, Barbara Gordon. We've actually met before I believe, though perhaps you don't remember it." She watched him closely when she said it, curious how he'd react given what she was hinting at. "I did bring a ticket of sorts. One your lovely assistant Sara Lance has already seen and approved of. As for permission from my father, well, how do you think I came here in the first place?"

She followed his gaze to Agent Johnson and looked back at him. "You know, she might be competition for my services. She seemed to think I might have a future where she works. I must admit, I'm surprised. But you're right, the job is never done. But that doesn't mean we can give up Mister Wayne, we have to keep trying because if we don't, who will?" She inclined her head to the dance floor. "Shall we?"
 
"Yes, we did. When your friend fell into my arms." Bruce said as he smiled at her, and if he had any recollection of them meeting before this night he gave no sign of it. "That would be rather hard to forget, even if I have had a few drinks. And you gave your dance ticket to Sara? Well, then, I suppose the rest of you will have to wait, since none of you have tickets." Bruce shrugged at the remaining woman who all glanced at each other, wondering how the teenage girl had managed to score a ticket when it seemed none of the rest of them had. "And yes, I suppose Jim is well aware of everyone at this party, and knew a dance with me was a possibility."

"And just what services might those be?" Bruce asked with a raised eyebrow. It almost sounded like the sort of proposition a prostitute might make, but he doubted that was what she had meant. "And just where does the work? It seems to have slipped my mind." He chuckled a bit as he took her hand and led her out on the dance floor. "Oh, there are probably over a hundred people who would be more than happy to take my job." He assured her as he placed a hand on her shoulder and one on her waist.
 
She had thought he meant a ticket for an interview but she was catching on to the game he was playing so she merely nodded. "I did Mister Wayne." She smiled at the other women, ignoring any glares she received since she had interest in Mister Wayne but not the kind they had. She saw the raised eyebrow and barely kept herself from rolling her eyes. "The services of a young woman who is quite gifted with computer programming and other skills."

She smiled as he led her out to the dance floor. "You know, Agent Johnson neglected to tell me where she worked, she was quite evasive about it. However, I have little doubt you know exactly where she works, even if she doesn't know that." She replied in a quiet voice as she looked up at him while he positioned himself for the dance. She began to move easily with him, speaking quietly. "You know, I'm grateful she offered me a job. It's freed me to discuss something with you. You see Mister Wayne, I have an eidetic memory and when I look at you, I see a very familiar chin, jawline, lips and eyes. It also occurs to me, that a certain man would need quite a bit of money to have the tools at his disposal he does. There are other things I could mention, but you get the idea."

She smiled at him as they danced and glanced around to be sure no one was close enough to overhear as she continued to speak quietly. "Right now you probably have two thoughts going through your mind, well, three. The first is mostly curiosity. How did a teenage girl figure out in less than a week what people like Agent Johnson can't figure out." She smiled slightly. "The answer to that is simple. I suspect you could easily access my school records and the IQ test I was required to take once and draw your own conclusions."

She continued to dance with him, once more looking around before turning her gaze back to him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and slowly slid them down his biceps before moving them back. "As I thought, the 'lazy playboy billionaire' is extremely fit under his tailored suit. So, the second thought going through your mind is this. 'Can I gaslight her into thinking she's made a mistake?' The answer to that is no. You can't. You can try of course, but it won't work. Even if I hadn't done the mental math on how much your 'other car' would cost, I can tell you, unless you have a twin brother somewhere, I know exactly who you are. Down to that tiny nick on your chin from when you shaved a couple of days ago."

She let out a breath. "And now, the most important question in your mind. What do I plan to do with my knowledge? I'm sure you've already calculated multiple ways to discredit me should I try to make my knowledge public. But you don't have to. I have no plans to tell anyone what I know, not even my father. That includes if you don't hire me at Waynetech. I am not going to use my knowledge against you in any way. I'm only revealing what I know because I want you to understand that we share the same goals even if you look at me and see little more than a teenage girl. I still want your help and your training but I will do my work without it. It's become a calling, a fire inside me that I can't ignore. It's like...I found what I'm meant to do." She shrugged and smiled brightly at him. "Oh, shall I show you the recording on my phone that you've already seen to make the interview official?"
 
"Other skills indeed." Bruce couldn't help but tease her even as he pulled her a bit closer than was necessary for a dance, but he was skilled enough to avoid stepping on her feet as he did so. He looked at her blankly as she mentioned Agent Johnson. "Oh, you mean Sara's friend? Yes, I believe she is with the catering company. Or did Sara say she was with the security detachment? I'm afraid I wasn't really paying attention to that part of her briefing. I didn't know you would be testing me on it. Did Sara put you up to this?' Bruce asked suspiciously.

He smiled at her as she said he had a familiar jawline. "Yes...Miss Gleason does like to get my good side. That's why I keep inviting her to these things. Plus I don't think reporters really get paid that well. Have you seen how skinny she is? She needs a good meal occasionally I believe."

Bruce nodded as she mentioned her background. "Yes, Sara did review some of the results of your background check with me. She mentioned you wouldn't reach your full potential in Gotham's public school system and mentioned you might be a good candidate for a scholarship. I will have to ask Lucius if we have one available in the dancing category, because you certainly excel at that."

"Well, if you want to really see how fit I am, perhaps while your father is finishing up the security end of things after the gala tonight, perhaps you might be interested in joining me for a swim?" He said as he mimicked her moves and began running his hand up and down her body, though in his case his hands wandered towards her ass and breasts. "And yes, I do have a twin brother, or perhaps it was a clone. Or am I a clone? I suppose it depends which tabloid you are reading that day."

"Oh, yes. Sara did mention you seemed intensely interested in a job at my company, and had some unique qualifications I must see. Sadly, she made it quite clear they did not include seeing you in your underwear." Bruce said as he directed their dance towards the side of the dance floor so they wouldn't disturb the other dancers if they suddenly stopped.
 
She smirked as Bruce played dumb about Agent Johnson. "Well, since she's with the catering company you won't mind at all signing the contract she has for you without even reading it. After all, it's just for catering services." Barbara replied, shaking her head with an amused smiled. "Sara hasn't put me up to anything. Not yet. Though I suspect soon I'll be following quite a few of her orders."

Barbara nodded, that amused smile never leaving her face. "Well, you do have to keep up appearances Mister Wayne and what better way than with a tabloid reporter like her, hmm?" She suddenly frowned and glanced around. "Oh...I hope she doesn't take a photo of me. I need my relative anonymity."

She smiled as Bruce complimented her on her intellect, it was probably one of the few things she could be called vain about. Still she couldn't help an eyeroll as he mentioned the scholarship for dancing. "I was into gymnastics, compared to that, dancing is easy." She resisted a sudden urge to smack his shoulder. "And if you wish to give me a scholarship, it needs to be in computers Mister Wayne. You've never met a better programmer and hacker than me. I promise you that."

She moved with him, biting her lip as she felt his hands wandering. Ironically, she was pretty sure it was all an act on his part, meant to distract her and maintain his 'image' so she did her best not to give him the pleasure of reacting or losing focus, even as a slight flush rose to her cheeks and she felt her nipples tighten into hard little erasers. "Well, if you don't want to see me in my underwear, why invite me to swim? I don't have a bathing suit here after all." She considered, then decided to call his bluff. "Regardless, I accept your invitation Mister Wayne. I'd love to swim with you. And when you have time to see my unique qualifications, I'm ready to show them to you."
 
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"I thought Alfred took care of the catering contract." Bruce said with a shrug. "But sure, I'll sign it. Got a pen?" He asked, not even sure where Babs was keeping the contract, much less the pen he was supposed to use. Yes, he did have one in his inside jacket pocket, but he saw no need to remember that at the moment. He cocked his head a bit at her statement about following Sara's orders. "Are you applying for a position with the security division? I thought your specialty was computers...and other things?" is grin widened a bit at her comment about anonymity. "Well, let's see what we can do about that." He said as he pulled her in, burying her face in his chest. Not that Summer seemed all that interested in a photo, as Bruce simply dancing with someone, teenager or not, was not exactly the photo op she was hoping for.

Bruce raised his eyebrow a bit as she claimed to be the best hacker he'd ever met...during his travels, he'd met some of the best hackers in the world, some who had even been in the business before computers were commonplace, and he wasn't sure someone as young as her could have that level of experience. But of course he couldn't point that out. "Isn't hacking illegal?" Bruce asked with a hint of concern in his voice. "That is not an area my company does business in."
"Who said anything about underwear?" From their current position, Bruce couldn't see her flush or hardened nipples, or even feel them with the layers of fabric still separating them. But he thought he heard a hint in her voice as she mentioned her underwear. "Who said anything about underwear?" He pointed out, leaving it her imagination what, if anything, she might be swimming in. He was more than a little surprised when she accepted his invitation to swim, but he wasn't going to back out of it. "I still have a few more rounds I have to make. Why don't you meet me at the pool in 45 minutes then? Alfred or Sara can show you where it is."
 
She smirked slightly, still pretty sure that Bruce knew exactly what the contract was. "I need to grab the contract from Agent Johnson and I'm sure we can find a pen somewhere around here." She shook her head at his question about Sara. "No, no I'm not. But Sara and I will be meeting later to go over some things and I get the feeling she'll be quite...bossy about it." She shrugged, she figured odds were high he already knew Sara's plans but she also thought it was possible he didn't and wouldn't approve so she stayed subtle about it. She blushed slightly when he said 'other things' especially when it was followed up by pulling her face into his chest.

She mentally cursed herself at her little brag, especially the hacking side of it. The thing was, she was one of the top hackers in the world but she'd managed to keep that very quiet for obvious reasons. "You're right, I was just trying to impress you Mister Wayne. I would never do anything illegal, not even if I believed my actions were for the greater good." If he was who she thought he was he'd know damned well that sometimes acting outside the law was needed for the greater good and he'd probably see right through her hasty cover and she was gambling he'd just play along. If he wasn't, he was probably used to people trying to impress him and if this conversation was anything to go by was disengaged enough to believe her or simply didn't care.

She blushed a little deeper at his response about underwear. She had thought he might either say something like 'it's no different than a bikini' or maybe 'I'm sure there's a bikini here you can use.' Instead, he was implying something much different. Much like him though, she wasn't going to back out. "45 minutes. I'll be there." She would set an alarm on her phone after the dance. She wondered which one she'd need to approach about it and settled on Sara. For some reason she had a mental picture of Alfred giving her a disapproving look and she didn't like that idea at all.
 
Almost like she was eavesdropping on their conversation, as soon as Babs said she needed the contract, Daisy was pressing it into her hand...and the document even had a pen attached to it. Daisy smiled and winked at Babs before she impulsively grabbed Dave's hand and led the stunned boy onto the dance floor.

Bruce, for his part, looked genuinely puzzled when she said she had to meet with Sara later. "That sounds ominous. She didn't catch you trying to walk off with some silverware, did she?" He asked, then cocked his eyebrow when she claimed she wouldn't break the law for the greater good. "Really? So you wouldn't jaywalk to try and rescue a cat that was stranded in the middle of the road?" He asked. That probably wasn't the sort of ethical dilemma she'd been imagining, but he was curious where she drew the line.

"I'm looking forward to it." Bruce said with a broad smile when she confirmed she'd meet him at the pool. He then expertly swung her around so she wound up with her back to him, and the contract was out of her hands. Babs would then feel a slight pressure on her upper back, and probably realize he was using her back as a writing table to sign the contract.
 
She was surprised to feel the contract being pressed into her hands but perhaps she shouldn't have been. She gave Daisy a smile and a nod, the smile widening when she saw the woman pull Dave out onto the dance floor. She suspected he'd look back on this night fondly for quite some time and she hoped maybe Sam or Chloe would also dance with him to make it even better. She frowned briefly as she imagined Duela getting her hooks into him but then looked back at Bruce when he spoke again.

It's often said that redheads have a fiery temper. Bruce Wayne likely saw that temper flare in her eyes when he said something about her walking off with the silverware. Her eyes heated and if it was possible she'd have incinerated him on the spot. She instantly tensed and her jaw muscles flexed as she visibly restrained herself. "I hope that was a joke Mister Wayne. I'm not some petty thief who would come into your home and try to steal from you. I have morals and even if I didn't, I'd never do something that might cause my father pain like knowing his daughter was a petty thief and criminal. It'd break his heart." She truly sounded offended when she said it and not all playful like she had during their past exchanges. She sighed then as he immediately moved on to her saying she wouldn't do anything illegal. She slowly shook her head. "Mister Wayne, we both know what I meant when I said I wouldn't do anything illegal even for the greater good." She glanced around and back at him. "You've clearly chosen to gaslight me about what I know. Or you're simply testing me. Regardless, I understand. You have no reason to trust me." She shrugged slowly. "Trust is earned not given. I'll earn it."

She smiled back to him and when he spun her she thought at first the spin would continue but then she realized what he was really doing. She rolled her eyes but wasn't terribly upset, she had promised Daisy after all and she also knew he had to play his role. She was amused more than anything else and when she felt the pressure ease she turned back and held out her hand for the contract. "Forty five minutes then Mister Wayne."
 
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Never fight angry. It was one of the first lessons Alfred had taught him when they began his training, and it had been reiterated many, many times since. And it wasn't just fighting...emotions clouded the judgement on many levels, and he'd learned the lesson on many levels. Was it a lesson Babs had learned yet? Bruce wasn't sure, but he realized his offhand comment about missing silverware had struck a chord with her, and he suppressed his initial instinct to apologize, curious if she would lose her tempter and risk her future. If so, that was valuable information Sara would need to know if Babs was indeed going to go through with the training. "Well, that is certainly good to know. If you do come work for my company, we can't have you stealing all the paperclips." He said breezily, pretending not to notice her reaction. "And no, if I'd known what you meant I wouldn't have questioned you on it." He knew he was asking her an impossible question, though...the kind of things philosophers had been debating for years.

Daisy was clearly the one leading the dance, as Dave was struggling not to trip over his own feet, or step on hers. The easiest thing to do was look down to see what she was doing, but their height difference meant he was pretty much looking down her dress when he did that, so he tried his best to watch her shoulders instead and try and predict her movements from there. So Daisy had no problem leading Dave over towards Babs and Bruce, so before Bruce could hand the contract to Babs, Daisy had snatched it out of his hand without Dave even noticing.

"Forty five minutes." Bruce promised, curious if Babs would actually go through with it. He held up his wrist with of course a very expensive watch on it. "I'd set the alarm, but I haven't figured out how." He claimed. "I'll have to get Alfred to remind me, but I trust you won't mind if I'm a few minutes late. Rounds to make and all, you know."
 
She smirked slightly when he made the offhand comment about the paperclips and decided to let it go, figuring he was either testing her or just make a rich guy joke, perhaps both. "Don't worry Mister Wayne, if I ever take anything from Waynetech it'll be with your permission or Mister Fox's." she said, thinking about her theory that Waynetech probably was the source of some of his gadgets. Mentioning Lucius Fox made her wonder suddenly, could the man know something? After all, he'd need someone to help him get his gadgets and help with technical matters.

She looked up at him as he commented about not knowing what she meant and nodded slowly. "That's fair. Where is my line?" She thought about it and realized what the safest answer was and the most honest answer. "I think my lines are similar to Batman's. Which means I misspoke. I wouldn't, for example, hack your company's servers for my own profit. But if it would save lives? Or prevent some catastrophe? I think I would. It's a complicated question Mister Wayne."

She was briefly distracted from the philosophical discussion by Daisy snatching the contract and she chuckled at the woman's eagerness to have it. She shot her a smile and before she danced away said "I kept my word Agent Johnson. Please take care of Dave." She winked at her and then looked back at Mister Wayne.

She nodded in response to him and lifted her phone out of her cleavage. She quickly set her alarm and looked at him. She had little doubt he knew how to set the alarm and couldn't help an impish grin. "In movies it's the woman who plays dumb to attract a man. Would you like me to set your alarm for you?" She winks playfully at him and arches an eyebrow. "And if you're late, it'll just give me time to explore the pool area."
 
Did her temper really flare up and dissipate so quickly? Or had she realized it was a test and was determined to pass? Bruce wasn't sure what the answer was, and it didn't really matter as the result was the same. He saw no reason to warn Sara about Bab's possible anger issues...yet. "Oh, you'll have to go through Lucius for permission for a take home vehicle. I have no idea what the policy is." Bruce told her. Of course, her answer about where the line was was more interesting, and her answer revealed that she'd just grappled with the same issues he'd faced when he embarked on his crusade. Of course, there was no easy answer to that question. "Well, if it comes to saving lives, you have my permission to do whatever needs to be done with my servers, though I can't imagine what such a situation might be." He claimed.

Daisy gave no indication that she'd heard Babs as she spun away with her dance partner, and Dave gave no indication he had even noticed his partners detour as he struggled to keep up with her smooth movements. Bruce, for his part, glanced over at the couple briefly, a bit impressed with how easily Daisy had secured the contract. "THAT is Agent Johnson?" He said aloud, then shook his head with mock regret. "If I'd known she was going to be wearing that, I would have made her fight harder for my signature." He claimed, then sighed. "Oh, the wonders of hindsight."

Bruce nodded as she offered to set his alarm for him, and stuck out his arm, almost sticking his hand in her cleavage in the process. "Oh, that would be wonderful." He claimed. "Alfred never admits it, of course, but I think he gets a bit weary of constantly remining me of my appointments."
 
The truth was she had realized it was probably a test but she'd also realized that even if it wasn't, getting angry and staying that way was a bad idea. This was far too important for her stung pride to matter. She raised her eyebrows when he mentioned talking to Lucius about a take home vehicle. "A vehicle Mister Wayne? I suppose that means I'm hired, and you're thinking I'll get a company car?" She couldn't help her surprise but then again, she also suspected it was his way of helping her and her father, even if it was in a subtle way. Well, subtle for a billionaire at least. She smiled at his reply about the moral quandary he'd given her. "I can't imagine a situation where hacking your servers would save lives either. Perhaps if armed men entered the building and I needed to use the security systems to guide others to safety or something." She shrugged, it was clearly just a hypothetical musing.

She rolled her eyes at his comment about Agent Johnson. She had little doubt he knew exactly who she was and his comment was meant partially to maintain his playboy persona and also perhaps to see how she'd react. She was getting the feeling that everything he did was calculated in one way or another. She flushed slightly as he stuck out his arm and almost got them both into an uncomfortable situation. She didn't let it distract her, however, and she smiled as she grabbed his wrist in her left hand and began to work on his watch with her right. "I don't know Alfred very well, I only met him today. But I get the sense there is very little that man wouldn't do for you. He loves you like a son I think." She arched an eyebrow as she set his alarm. "Your watch has some aftermarket additions Mister Wayne. I'm sure Mister Fox assisted with those." She set the alarm for 15 minutes before their pool meeting and to go off every 5 minutes afterwards. She cheekily named the alarm "Don't disappoint Barbara Gordon." and smiled at him as she released his watch. "There you go Mister Wayne, you're good to go."
 
"What?" Bruce looked at her blankly when she jumped to the conclusion she had been hired, as if he hadn't suggested just that. "Was that your employment form I just signed? I thought you said it was my contract with Agent Smith. And I thought you said you had something to show me at the pool before you got hired? And you'll have to ask Sara what the protocol is for armed invaders. She told me once, but we were at the beach and she was in a bikini, so that's really all I remember." He said as he returned her shrug.

"I don't think anyone knows Alfred very well." Bruce claimed. "If you met him once...you pretty much know how he will act at all times, and what he's thinking is anyone's guess. But yes, he is well paid and he certainly does his job well." There was a whole lot more to it than that, of course, but Bruce wasn't about to go into it. He shrugged at her mention of aftermarket additions. "Are there?" He asked. "I suppose I should read the manual at some point. I just hope one of the additions wasn't an explosive charge. I would hate to have you set that rather than the alarm." He nodded as she said she was done and withdrew his hand, seemingly ignorant of where it had almost ended up. "I shall see you later this evening, then." He told her as he took her hand and kissed the back of it with a slight bow. "Now if you'll excuse me...I must track down Agent Smith. We have a contract to discuss, after all."
 
She laughed quietly, he really was rather good at this game. Or he was a complete moron but she was pretty sure it was all just a game he played. "My apologies Mister Wayne, I suppose what you said about Mister Fox and a car made me get excited. I'll show you what I have to show you at the pool. It was your contract with Agent Johnson, sorry for the confusion." She shook her head with a bit of amusement at both of them. "Perhaps I will ask Sara about the protocol some time."

She looked at Bruce for a long moment when he spoke about Alfred then she simply nodded. "Yes, he certainly does Mister Wayne. He is deserving of his pay and of respect." She made a face. "Not all of your guests see that I'm afraid. Some of them only see 'the help'." She shook her head.

She wouldn't be surprised if one of the additions was an explosive charge and he got a kick out of mentioning it. She briefly debated looking through the various menus on his watch and setting it on purpose to play the world's most explosive game of chicken with him but she decided against it. "Never fear Mister Wayne, you're in good hands. I know what I'm doing."

She smiled at the hand case. "Agent Johnson, but I think you know that. I'll see you in 45 minutes." Once he released her hand she moved back into the crowd, watching Dave and Agent Johnson for a moment then moving to the table she'd been at before and grabbing a glass of punch before checking the time. She looked around to see if she could spot Sara or Alfred for when the time came that she needed an escort to the pool.
 
"When you do, perhaps we can make it part of your duties to walk me through it again. I'd hate to have to ask Sara again, she isn't fond of repeating herself." Bruce said with the same vapid grin he'd been displaying all dance, but perhaps there was a hint of a warning as well. "If you get the job, that is." And there was definitely a warning attached to that last comment. He sighed softly at her comment about Alfred. "Yes...to their detriment, I fear. I've cancelled a deal or two due to how they have treated him. But it does come in handy sometimes. It's amazing what some people will say in front of the 'help'."

Bruce nodded when she claimed to know what she was doing. "Impressive, considering you've never seen this before." Bruce said, and for once he was serious. It was one thing to get a good grade in school, but quite another to quickly work out the operation of a device you've never seen before. Lucius had designed the device to be intuitive, but Bruce knew there were few people who could have figured it out so quickly.

"Johnson...right. That's what I said." Bruce claimed as he turned away from her, and he did indeed head over to Agent Johnson and cut in on her dance. Dave, for his part, looked stunned that Bruce Wayne of all people was speaking to him...and slipped him a hundred bucks for giving up his dance partner. He wasn't abandoned for long, though, as Sara took him by the hand and began to lead him in a dance, her steps even more elegant than Daisy's were.

Alfred, for his part. was nowhere in sight, but Chloe soon appeared at Babs side, and this time she wore an apron, just like the caterers, and had a tray of sandwiches in her hand. "Hungry?" Chloe asked with a bright smile, and a slight shake of her head as Dave stumbled, though Sara turned it into a dip instead.
 
She cocked her head and looked at him curiously, then simply smiled. "Well, I suppose my duties will be up to you. If I get the job." She heard the warning in his voice but she wasn't as worried as she would have been before. She still remembered the card from Agent Johnson. Not that she would take this for granted, not any of it and she was pretty sure her preference was still Waynetech though she did wonder just how long Bruce Wayne would play these games with her. She nodded her total agreement with him. "Well, as someone who is more 'the help' than..." she shrugged "those other types of people, I am not at all surprised."

Her eyes had taken in quite a lot as she flicked through menus and with her eidetic memory, she briefly mentally replayed some of what she had seen. She looked at him when he complimented her, curious if he was making fun of her but he did seem serious and she smiled. She briefly tapped an index finger against her forehead. "People underestimate us Mister Wayne. They see only what they wish to see, not what is really there." She said 'us' on purpose, though she knew he'd likely ignore it or gloss over it.

She was somewhat surprised to see Sara dancing with Dave but she smiled, knowing the man would have many wonderful memories of this night. She was glad he came and she took great delight in watching him with Sara, very happy for him. She noticed Dave's stumble and how Sara smoothly covered for him before she looked at Chloe. "Chloe, you don't work here you know? Unless you've been hired on, which, admittedly would be a great opportunity for you." She glanced around, then back at her. "I see Alfred is no longer around. I must admit, I'm surprised. He seems like the type to be here unless he had something urgent call him away. After all, he'd want to be available if Mister Wayne needed him."
 
"That's true. Maybe you can be my personal assistant. I'm not sure what happened to the last one." Bruce claimed as he nodded in response to her comment about the help, then nodded again as she tapped her forehead. "Sadly being a pretty teenager is not an advantage I have." Bruce told her, pretending it was her face she was referring to and not her mind.

Chloe chuckled at Bab's comment about being hired on. "How'd you know?" She asked. "Alfred gave me two hundred bucks just to carry around this tray and wear an apron. Easier than the jobs your dad gives me." Chloe claimed, leaving out the part about the pay being far better as well. She didn't want to make her friend feel bad, no matter how inadvertently. Thankfully Babs gave her a good opening to switch subjects. "Alfred is in the kitchen." Chloe explained. "Though I have little doubt if Mr. Wayne needed him, he'd know. I caught a glimpse of the security room as Alfred was taking me to the back...they have more TV screens than a TV studio. Mr. Wayne probably has some sort of panic device on him that instantly summons Alfred if needed." Chloe chuckled as she saw Bruce dancing with the secret agent. "Looks like Mr. Wayne might need help sooner rather than later if he isn't careful with those hands. Though I doubt its the sort of thing Alfred could help with."
 
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