Kara knew Perry White was the current editor-in-chief and her boss at The Daily Planet.
However, she didn't care much about that. Perry had agreed to give her a month of paid vacation, and honestly, Batman and his adventures didn't concern her at the moment.
In truth, Kara was well aware that Batman was Bruce Wayne.
But she wasn't supposed to know that. If she brought it up, Bruce likely wouldn't deny it, but it would lead to unnecessary complications.
Why bother?
Kara wasn't going to run herself ragged for a paycheck. As she'd said before, her income from her column was more than enough to sustain her simple lifestyle.
So, Kara disregarded Perry's expectations, set her work aside, and continued enjoying her peaceful life on the farm.
The farm work wasn't endless or overly exhausting. Sure, there were times she needed to manually water the crops, but for the most part, the chores were a leisurely distraction. When she was bored, she passed the time tending the fields.
She also found joy in harvesting fresh food directly from the earth. Roasting sweet potatoes or corn over an open flame became her favorite pastime.
Her family was curious about her methods, especially when it came to grilling corn. Unlike traditional skewers cooked over a charcoal fire, Kara used twigs to roast the corn whole.
The result? A perfect blend of natural sweetness and a lightly charred aroma.
Honestly, wasn't this the essence of a countryside retreat?
Kara relished her freedom.
Still, no matter how much she tried to avoid it, trouble always seemed to find her.
One night, the shrill ringing of her phone shattered her peace.
Groaning, Kara reached for the flip phone beside her bed. She glanced at the caller ID—it was Bruce.
With a sigh, she answered, pressing the phone to her ear. "Bruce? Why are you calling me this late? If this is just to annoy me, I swear I'll kick you into orbit tomorrow."
It wouldn't be the first time. Back in college, Kara had once kicked Bruce so hard during sparring that he was down for the count.
"Kara, I need your help," Bruce's deep, serious voice came through the line. "Come to Gotham. If you don't, the city might be destroyed."
Kara groaned again. She really didn't want to get involved.
"I'm just a simple columnist trying to make a living, Bruce. Don't overestimate me," she replied, brushing off the urgency in his tone.
To be fair, she'd been ignoring Gotham's escalating chaos on purpose. After all, hadn't Bruce taken down the mafia boss? Shouldn't things have quieted down by now?
But Bruce wasn't letting it go. His voice grew firmer. "Kara, you can fool others, but not me.
I know what you're capable of. Everything I learned over six years, you mastered in less than a year.
And don't forget, I was the one who recommended those teachers to you."
Kara stayed silent.
Aside from the secret of her Kryptonian origins, Bruce wasn't wrong. He probably knew her better than anyone—perhaps even better than her family.
"I need your strength and skills, Kara," Bruce continued. "Stronger than mine, even. Without you, I can't stop this. Gotham City will fall."
Kara ran her hand through her long hair, contemplating. Finally, she asked, "Who's the enemy?"
Bruce responded with two names: "The League of Shadows and Ra's al Ghul."
Kara raised an eyebrow. "Wait. Isn't that the group you joined during your training? And didn't you already take down Ra's al Ghul?"
"I can't explain everything over the phone," Bruce replied. "Just get here."
Realizing she couldn't avoid this, Kara relented with a sigh. "Fine, I'll drive over. But seriously, Bruce, I'm just a regular white-collar worker. You're asking too much of me."
Bruce couldn't help but chuckle. "A regular worker who's mastered every form of martial arts and combat in the world?"
Kara shot back, "Still better than some guy running around in a costume with a ridiculous name like Batman."
Touché.
Bruce let the jab slide and changed the subject. "I've already sent Alfred with my private jet to pick you up."
"Oh, so you're calling him Alfred now? Finally dropped the 'Mr. Pennyworth' act?" Kara teased, but Bruce ignored her.
She decided to set aside the matter of Batman interviews for now. If Perry ever found out, he'd pester her endlessly, which wasn't worth it.
Still, she had one condition: "I'm not doing this for free. If I'm helping you, I want my own gear—just like yours. And I want the Batmobile and all your other fancy toys."
Bruce winced. Even a billionaire like him felt the sting of such demands.
Alfred, overhearing, asked, "Master Wayne, is something wrong?"
"No, Alfred," Bruce muttered. "Just a toothache."
Between the Batsuit, the Batmobile, and all his equipment, Kara's request was no small expense. Yet, he had no choice but to agree.
Though, in true Bruce Wayne fashion, he found a loophole. "Fine. But you can't just take them anywhere. I'll keep everything safe at the Batcave. You can use them when you need them."
Kara readily agreed. Only later, after hanging up, did it hit her.
"Wait a minute… If it stays in his cave, isn't it still technically his? Damn it!"
Bruce had outmaneuvered her. Not only had he tricked her into helping him now, but he'd also ensured she'd come back for future missions.
The man was as cunning as ever.
"Damn it, Bruce," she muttered.
It seemed her peaceful days on the farm were officially over.
It was late at night, but Kara still woke up her family, thinking that the roar of the incoming aircraft would wake them anyway.
She explained the situation—a call for help she had just received from Batman. She avoided mentioning Bruce Wayne by name, saying only that she needed to head to Gotham City.
Jonathan Kent, understandably concerned, worried about her identity being exposed.
Kara reassured them, saying she would wear one of Batman's suits and try to avoid using her superpowers. She planned to handle the situation with only her natural strength.
However, when Alfred arrived in the aircraft, Kara realized it was a prototype silent plane. The family hadn't been disturbed after all.
"So I woke them for nothing?" Kara muttered to herself.
This plane seemed like an early prototype of the future Batwing.
Alfred was the only one on board. Thanks to its silent engine, the plane landed soundlessly, just a short distance from the house.
Kara had sensed the urgency in Bruce's voice during their earlier call. The situation in Gotham City seemed dire. Without hesitation, she bid her family farewell, climbed the rope ladder Alfred had lowered, and boarded the aircraft.
She exchanged a knowing look with Clark, silently telling him to stay behind. While he wanted to help, Kara had already warned him that he needed to mature a bit more before handling such situations.
Unlike many depictions where Superman tries to calm Kara, here it was Kara pacifying her younger cousin, who often felt the need to prove himself.
The aircraft's speed was impressive, and Gotham City wasn't far. Soon enough, they were en route to Bruce's location.
On the way, Alfred briefed Kara on the situation.
"Master Wayne has been severely injured," Alfred began, his tone grave. He explained that after helping the police apprehend Carmine Falcone and exposing his criminal activities, Bruce uncovered some disturbing leads.
But when Bruce went to investigate, he was ambushed with a toxic gas that caused terrifying hallucinations. He was saved only because Alfred and Lucius Fox managed to detoxify him in time.
Alfred described Lucius as the technological genius behind much of Wayne Enterprises' innovations, including Batman's equipment.
Despite his injuries, Bruce learned that his childhood friend, Rachel Dawes, was in danger. He went to Arkham Asylum and successfully rescued her, uncovering a far-reaching conspiracy in the process.
A group known as the League of Shadows, led by Ra's al Ghul, was planning to use a stolen Wayne Enterprises device to vaporize a fear toxin concocted by a psychiatrist named Jonathan Crane, also known as Scarecrow. Their ultimate goal? To destroy Gotham City entirely.
"Wait, what's his name?" Kara suddenly interrupted, narrowing her eyes.
Alfred, startled, repeated, "Jonathan Crane, Miss."
Kara scowled. "Jonathan? How dare he sully that name? He's done for."
Alfred raised an eyebrow at her outburst, unsure of its source. But Kara was clearly offended by the villain sharing her adoptive father's name.
She shook her head, muttering, "Just you wait."
Alfred continued his briefing, explaining how the League of Shadows had infiltrated Gotham City with the help of Falcone. They had smuggled in equipment and personnel under the radar, setting the stage for their attack.
Bruce had been further targeted when his family's ancestral home, Wayne Manor, was set ablaze by the League.
Kara glanced out the window as the plane passed over the smoldering ruins.
"What a shame," she mused aloud. "If I'd known, I would've asked Bruce to give me some of the treasures inside."
Alfred nearly lost control of the aircraft. "Miss Kara!" he exclaimed, scandalized.
Kara waved a hand dismissively. "I'm joking, Alfred. Relax."
Still, Alfred was skeptical, having overheard Bruce's earlier promises to Kara over the communicator. He suspected there was some truth to her jest.
In truth, Kara's remark was only meant to lighten the mood. She wouldn't dream of accepting such a gift from Bruce—not without it being completely devoid of romantic implications.
As the plane approached their destination, Alfred pointed ahead. "We're here. This is the temporary base Master Wayne has been using. We call it... the Batcave."
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