His Trophy | Jerome Valeska

thirty five

"Now that we are out of the public eye, Mr Wayne, would you tell us what is so important about these blueprints?" Harvey sighed as he leaned back into the cool metal chair of the police station. 

"Let me get this straight. You tell us to stay out of your investigation, and now you want our help?" Alfred quipped back before Bruce could answer the detectives question. 

"Subtle." Bruce mumbled to his butler. 

Bruce Wayne looked calm, with his butler sitting rigid next to the boy. The millionaire clenched his jaw at the question and clasped his hands leaning forward on the detective's desk. 

"Those blueprints show the exact location of every Wayne corporation building, including the homes of some of our chief members of staff. They also show where future buildings are as well as our warehouses." Bruce explained, his tone matching his expression. 

Harvey stared at the two blankly before sighing as he took in the information. 

"So the craziest man in town now knows where all your secrets are?" Jim quipped.

"Not only where they are, Captain, but how to access them," Alfred snapped back, seemingly annoyed at Jims lack of urgency.

This made him purse his lips. Jim had a deep frown on his face, it was an expression which didn't seem to ever change, not since Rory had been stolen from him. Harvey collected himself, trying to ignore his Captains harsh attitude before he spoke. 

"We have reason to believe those blueprints were instrumental in finding a secretive member of the Wayne staff, which your father met with," he paused for dramatic effect, shifting in his chair, "a man named Xander Wilde." 

Bruce tensed at the name.

"Xander Wilde, he is an architect and a very secretive one. Those blueprints not only reveal where he is staying but how to enter into his home." Alfred said slowly, surprised that the two had found the name of the Wayne employee. 

"Wilde knows more about the corporation than I do, if there was one thing that Jerome would want, aside from me, it would be him." He continued sternly. 

"Can you tell us where to find this Xander Wilde?" Jim asked. 

"I'm sure my father has met him. He was a meticulous notetaker, he organised everything by project. If he has met Xander he would have documented his location." Bruce interjected matter-of-factly. 

"If the information is there, Jim, I'll take you to him. But first we have to stop off at Wayne Manor and check my fathers files." 

#

It was the only moment of sleep which Rory had managed to get since she had watched Lola die. Finally she had found comfort, or she had simply reached a point of physical exhaustion, but the lull of sleep was something she had forgotten. It was a short, sweet moment before she rudely pulled away from its warmth and was thrown back into the cold arms of Jerome. He was standing over her, stroking her cheek gently. 

When he saw her eyes open he smiled, his touch light and soft against her cheek. This gentle second was quickly shattered. Jerome harshly gripped Rory's wrists and heaved her out of the bed. 

Rory, who was still shaking off the mist of sleep, let out a low groan in protest, weakly pulling back from Jerome's grip. 

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but we have to go," he spoke, letting her go abruptly. The sudden realise caused Rory to fall awkwardly out of the bed. 

"Ow," she muttered as she picked herself up from the floor. She pushed her self onto her knees and slowly rubbed the last of the sleep from her eyes.