What the Pictures Show

Chapter 11

In the quiet farmhouse in Kansas, Dick sat at a large wooden table covered with stacks of news articles about Bruce, meticulously poring over each one. Clark was by his side, diligently going through a different pile, circling key points with a red pen. They'd been going through the mountain of documents for two days. Hours of hard work had led them to make significant progress in sorting through legal documents and finding potential flaws in the articles that could be brought up in defense of Bruce.

A gentle breeze blew through the open window, carrying the refreshing scent of nature, a stark contrast to the smokey streets of Gotham or Bludhaven. The distant barking of a dog could be heard from outside. Dick found himself momentarily distracted.

"Krypto's having a great time out there," he mused, "I wish I could join him, but we have so much work to do. I just want this stupid thing to be over with."

Clark nodded sympathetically. "At this pace, we should be finished soon."

"You know, I just wanted to say thank you again. Being here on the farm has really been a great help while we figure things out."

Clark smiled warmly. "Of course. We're happy to have you all here."

Dick moved to point out a specific article to Clark. "Look at this one. They claim Bruce was paying off Dr. Thompson so she would lie in my medical record, but they don't provide any concrete evidence to back that up. She wasn't even in the country at that time."

Clark shook his head and tisked disapprovingly. "You're right. Hopefully, a thread like that can discredit all of their claims. Maybe see if some of the photos are bogus too. This kind of reporting is just sad. If you don't have proof, don't present it as fact. It's not difficult. Look at this one." He placed a newspaper in front of Dick that was covered in large red circles and scribbles. "This journalist completely misquoted the witness. The statement was twisted to make it look like Bruce was guilty, when it was about a completely different topic."

Dick took his head into hisnhands and groaned. "Why do they even do this? They're ruining our lives and they don't even have the decency to go about it the right way."

Clark shrugged. "They think they're doing the right thing. Sometimes, people may believe their methods are necessary for achieving the desired outcome, but it's crucial to remind them of the bigger picture, the long-term impact on those they're responsible for. They should have brought this so-called evidence to you and the authorities before they made any sort of claim as a front cover story."

"Front cover stories are valuable though, I guess."

"You know, maybe we could all learn the same lesson all these shoddy journalists need to learn. You and Bruce could be more transparent about the work you all do. I talk to the press all the time."

Dick grinned. "Ah, that's where we differ, Clark. You're all about that sunshine and rainbows approach. But you have to admit, Bruce's way has its merits too. He does great work in the shadows. Besides, being transparent would probably require us giving up our identities which is not happening."

Clark placed the paper he was reading aside and looked at Dick with a more serious expression. "Maybe Bruce should be less shadowy. He could show he cares for you all for one thing."

Dick rolled his eyes jokingly. "Bruce does care, but he has to be strong for Gotham. He has to be Batman. It's not an easy job. He doesn't exactly have superpowers, you know. That plus a naturally stoney demeanor doesn't equal bubbly reporter Clark Kent. He may seem cold to you, and, yeah, we argue a lot and he's tough, but it's different when he's your dad. You pick up on the tiny eye crinkles that mean he's smiling on the inside."