New Earth: Batwoman

Chapter 7

Kate was currently sitting at her desk at Wayne Tower, working on her plans to turn it into a real estate firm and also trying to comprehend the fact that not only was her sister still alive, but her mom was too. And she swore she'd do anything she had to in order to make sure that while she'd be locking Alice up in Arkham for the rest of her life most likely, but more importantly, she was going to get her mother back. She knew that Alice was beyond redemption right now, but maybe if she could save her mom, then they and her father could bring Alice back from the brink of insanity. But either way, she was going to put her family back together.

However, she was driven from her thoughts when she heard the elevator open and saw Sophie enter her office.

"Do I want to know how you got past security?" Kate asked.

"Turns out flashing a crows badge makes it easier to get past security." Sophie said and Kate sighed.

"So what brings you here?" Kate asked.

"Your dad has practically barricaded himself in his office and has pretty much left the day to day operations of the Crows to me. Every time I try to question him about it, he just says it's a personal matter and while I respect that, if I feel like if whatever is going on is going to distract him from his duties and inadvertently put my fellow crows and I in danger, then I'm going to need some answers." Sophie said and Kate nodded.

"We recently discovered that the bone fragments that we thought belonged to my mom and sister actually belonged to deer." Kate said.

"Wow, no wonder he's so distracted." Sophie said.

"And that's not the end of it." Kate said.

"Okay, what is it?" Sophie asked.

"It turns out the reason the coroner's office misidentified animal bones for human ones is because they were paid to. By my now ex-stepmom." Kate said and Sophie did a double take.

"Wait, Catherine Hamilton paid the coroner's office and the police and everyone else to make us think that your mom and sister were dead?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah, my dad and I both moved out and honestly, I'm pretty sure Mary is considering it too, since she was just as disgusted at what her mother had done as my dad and I are." Kate said.

"You realize that Catherine broke the law right? I mean, she's committed both corruption and conspiracy." Sophie said.

"Because of how much corruption that exists in the GCPD. She used it to her advantage once, who's to say she won't do it again." Kate said and Sophie nodded.

"I'll talk to your dad, see if maybe the Crows can start looking into that. I'm pretty sure half the reason Batman existed was because of the corruption in the GCPD." Sophie said.

"Probably." Kate said, even though she knew the real reason her cousin became Batman, it's not like she could Sophie that.

"So anyways, what exactly are you planning on doing here now that you're back? I know that your cousin Bruce left you in charge of his properties here in Gotham after he left, any idea why he chose you for that by the way?" Sophie asked and Kate sighed.

"I guess he thought I was the best person for the job. And I'm gonna prove him right." Kate said.

"Meaning what?" Sophie asked.

"This company meant everything to Bruce and to my Uncle Thomas and practically every other Wayne since it was founded. And I'm going to rebuild it." Kate said.

"What, how, no offense, but you don't exactly have the background to rebuild a company like this." Sophie said.

"More than you'd think. Before I went to Point Rock, I spent a lot of time here, I even interned here directly under Bruce in high school. Honestly, I think he was kind of grooming me to take over, since while I may not have worked here, I know enough about this company to get it back on its feet. Especially with a new subsidiary in real estate I'm planning on opening." Kate said.

"Really, why real estate?" Sophie asked.

"To help build up the rundown buildings outside of the Crow's districts and provide the working class of Gotham with affordable housing." Kate said.

"Wow, you really have changed." Sophie said.

"You have no idea." Kate said as Luke entered the office.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Kate, there's been a break-in at a Wayne R&D site." Luke said.

"Duty calls." Kate said.

"Thanks for the talk Kate." Sophie said.

"Any time. Just call next time." Kate said and Sophie smiled.

"You got it. I'll show myself out." Sophie said as she walked towards the elevator.