Gotham's daughter

Alfred's Discovery

Gotham city, 24 hours before...

Alfred was unusually worried as he drove across the Metro-Narrows Bridge. He didn't even remember the last time he was in Metropolis and as he drove, he tried to find explanations for the strange call he had received.

Luckily for him, his master was out of town that day, so he could hit the road without having to explain anything, not least because he wouldn't even know how to do it.

After driving for nearly two hours, he finally arrived at the old, gray building, the address of which was on the letter he'd received earlier that day, requesting that he urgently report to the Metropolis social service.

A thousand suspicions of falling into a trap passed through him, but what the hell! It was a public building, it couldn't be a kidnapping or anything like that. With that thought, Alfred entered the building.

When he arrived at the reception, a middle-aged woman, with a gaunt skin and a visible bad mood, showed him to room twelve, where he would find the person he was looking for, the person who had called him there.

"Katherine Lane" he read the name on the office door before knocking twice. Promptly, a beautiful young lady with black hair in a bun, wearing a white shirt and pencil skirt, smiled at him.

"Mr. Alfred Pennyworth?" She asked extending her hand.

"Yes, miss, or should I say ma'am?" the butler asked as he shook her hand.

"Miss." The woman spoke kindly. "I'm Katherine Lane, please come in and have a seat," she said, pointing to a chair in front of her desk. "You must be wondering why I called you here."

"Actually yes, miss Lane."  The butler replied as he sat down.

"Well, the matter is delicate, Mr. Pennyworth, so I wanted to speak with you personally."

"What it is?"

"We have a girl in custody, and she indicated you as the relative we could look for."

"That's impossible, miss." Alfred said convinced. "I have no relatives in this country. I have only one niece, but she is currently at a boarding school in the Swiss countryside."

"I can assure you that this is you." The woman confirmed with equal conviction. "The girl gave me her full name, profession and address."

"Ma'am, if I told you how many crazy scams and extortion attempts I get every day, you would be surprised. I believe that this time the situation is no different."

"So you believe the child is a fake?"

"Probably."

"Anyway, I would like you to see her and talk to her, we need to clear this situation. May I ask to bring the girl here?"

"Of course, miss." Alfred allowed it, because he wanted to resolve that unpleasant situation as quickly as possible.

Katherine made a call asking them to bring the girl, and in a few moments, an employee of the institution entered the room accompanied by the girl.

She was a girl between nine and ten years old, dressed in a gray uniform, had thin black hair, slightly disheveled and infinitely blue eyes.

Alfred was in shock to see her.

***

The butler tried to hide his surprise as he looked at the girl who now stood in front of him.

"Are you Alfred?" the girl asked looking at him.

"Yes, little girl."

"I'm not a little girl, I'm nine years old." The little one said with a charming and familiar petulance.