Tonnage

Details Shmetails.

>>

It's half after six in the evening, and he's getting ready to try something that he doesn't know will work. He'll definitely need help, and he imagines the man stays very busy. But he has to try, and the internet is only helpful to a point. Once you know the terms, the internet can be useful. To learn the basics it's best to have somebody you can ask. But before he can get started on that, his phone chirps at him insistently.

“Hey, Lou. What's up? You need something?”

“Naw, kid. I'm good. Settling in with one of my old black-and-white movies. But the fax machine just kicked off. Kid, they want to get this thing started like now. Thinking on it, this is the best time of year for pouring concrete. Chances are they want to get the exterior and any foundation work done during the summer, and it's already mid-June. You have an appointment to see this Fox character tomorrow, and he offered to let me sit in on things as well if you'd like.”

“That's up to you, Lou. I'm already going to ask for the best filters we can get on the air so you can visit without worrying too much. Anything else you want?”

Lou chuckles. “A spare room to stay in when I visit would be nice. Hell, I may end up staying there for a while if it gets done quick enough. The place I was gonna pick up, the deal fell through. Water damage. Needs a roof, and some mold removal. They won't come down on the price. Greedy bastards.”

Tom grins. “No problem. Once I have my place, you can stay anytime!”

His uncle laughs. “You say that now, but what happens when this tag team of hot superhero chicks decides they want some time alone with ya? Gonna kick me out then?”

Tom rolls his eyes. “I don't even know who they are, Lou. We're friends and that's great. But it isn't like things are going to get any closer when we aren't even on a first-name basis. Besides, what would they want me for? Leather? Feeding the homeless?”

“Tom, you really need to wake up. You can knock around cars and ignore bullets. There's going to be a girl out there for you, I promise. Just get your high school done, and then once you're in college you'll see. The girls you knew, when they start to get a little independence and want to experiment?”

He laughs for a few seconds. “Kid, you are simultaneously the most extreme experiment possible, an unabashed bad boy that manhandles maniacs, the biggest slap in the face to any straight-laced parents around, and a genuinely nice guy. I think you can count on some action when the time comes. Probably a lot more than people that don't give out first names and hide behind masks.”

Tom sounds mortified. “Lou, do you have to?”

“Until you get with the program and stop dogging yourself all the time? Yeah. Yeah, I think I do. Things are different. You are different. You're so different that so far you've saved an estimated thirty lives, and the papers don't even know about the other night. So yeah. You're different. I won't say that's a good thing, kid. But I'm starting to think it isn't a bad one either. Think on it yourself some, will ya?”

There is silence for a moment. “Okay, Lou. I'll try to... I dunno. Think positive, I guess. When is the appointment? And do you want to go? That seems like an important part of the equation.”

“Yeah, kid. It's not that I don't trust Wayne, the guy and his company seem to err on the side of angels more often than not and he gives away more to charity a year than I'll make in my life. But I feel like you shouldn't be riding this one solo, and since this came up we can slow down on your mobile home and do it right. The appointment is at nine, and it just says we'll be met in the lobby. Traffic will still be dumb at nine on a Monday, so we'll head out fifteen after eight. Make sure we can find parking and such. Meet me at the yard office around seven forty-five and we'll scrounge up some food and head out.”

“Okay, Lou. Can do.”

>>

Once the phone clicks off, he brings up the chat feature that the bats use and tries. It takes him a few minutes to figure out how to send a private message.

Tom: Q? No pressure, absolutely none. But, if you have a minute I was going to try to recreate that casserole thing you made last week for my uncle and me. I was wondering if you could send me the recipe. Maybe answer my dumb questions on Tuesday after my shopping and I try it? You don't have to, obviously, and I know your crew must keep you very busy.

Tom: But I thought I would ask.

Q: Tom, I would be delighted. The recipe I will ask Oracle to put in your phone directly when I have a moment, we can simply set up a file for such things.

Tom: … I think she must be in the private chat because it just showed up.

Oracle: Guilty. I am the admin, Tom. Not trying to be nosy, but it's rare anybody uses private chat so I got curious. Good luck measuring up, Q is a miracle worker.

Q: If you'll recall, one of my primary skills involves teaching. I suspect we will be fine. Now, Tom. When and where to use the spices is most important, so many I have taught in the past will merely dump in handfuls of this and that, allowing no time for...

The conversation lasts twenty minutes, and Tom has more questions than answers at the end. But that doesn't stop the smile as he starts making his list. Hopefully, they can hit the store on the way home tomorrow. He'll need some different pans and other kitchen tools he doesn't have as well as half a dozen spices he didn't know were even a thing. He hopes he can get it right. He'd like to offer dinner to Lou when it's his turn that isn't hot dogs or ramen by the pot for a change.

>>

Monday. 3:20 PM. Wayne Enterprises, Office of Lucius Fox.

Louis is once again going over the blueprints for the nine-block project that will be getting started tomorrow.

It's immense in scope, but using existing construction as much as it does will save a hell of a lot of money as long as the buildings are sound enough to be brought up to code, and most of them should be. It's been thirty years since the last contract he had with Wayne Enterprises or the city for anything even remotely like this, but the last time he was in those places the concrete, steel, and brickwork was good. Some of the floors were gutted, and one has some fire damage that might be a problem. But aside from that the only real issue he sees is getting rid of the squatters.

Thankfully, that's Wayne's problem.

He does have a question though. “I'm not against it, but is there a reason this is going to be as secure as Fort Knox? I have some idea about this kind of thing, and just the material costs alone are going to be ridiculous.”

“That is true, Mr. Bernhardt...”
“Told you to call me Lou.”
“So you did, I apologize Lou. But my employer doesn't see this entirely as a charity endeavor. He's purchased twenty-seven additional properties in the area, and he is hoping that if this works he can make the money back when the property values in the area increase.” Lucius sighs. “He'd do it anyway if he had to. But this was able to get it past the board, so he was able to step things up considerably. However, that makes this less of a charity to the board and more of an investment. And so, they want their investment protected. Most of these benefits are already available in the homes of the wealthy of Gotham. Those of means protect themselves as best they can from the local criminal element. This simply offers that security to upwards of ten thousand additional souls between the various buildings that are living below the poverty line, assuming they are willing to participate in wellness checks at the soon-to-be clinic, and are making use of the job training and other educational opportunities which will be provided. Hopefully with an eye to then employing the resulting trained worker, and once they have their affairs in good stead they'll move out and make room for the next. We expect the process for any individual to take a year or more, but hopefully less than three.”

Louis nods. “It's an assembly line to get people on their feet, healthy, and back to work.”

Fox nods. “Just so. Mr. Wayne has floated the idea of employing the ones trained here at Wayne Enterprises directly.”

Lou nods absently as he pages through the documentation they had been going for and modifying. Tom is still looking at the screen where the blueprint is slowly rotating. The building he'll be in on one side, and the collection of nine on the other.

“This is too much, Mr. Fox. I can't... I...”

“Thomas, you are missing a very important point here.”

Tom gives him a look. “Really?” He is motioning to the screen as he does so.

Fox nods, chuckling. “Really. All of that on the screen? None of it is yours. The trust fund, that is yours. The pay you'll receive and the penthouse you'll be staying in are both due to your status as a Wayne Enterprises employee. I won't lie, he's taking this chance because you'll be there. But that doesn't make the building yours. Importantly, it also means that any profit made from the building or loss from it is also something that Mr. Wayne will collect or cover.”

Fox turns to Lou and slides over one last piece of paper. “Before you go, now that we have the blueprints confirmed I was authorized to offer you the salvage contract for the properties. We'll be gutting most of them and updating facilities throughout. Even if you weren't involved directly a quick check at the books shows that you run a tight crew, one we've never had a problem with in the past.” He holds out a pen. “Only if you are interested, of course.”

Louis glances at the contract, sees it is essentially the same thing he signed before, and takes the pen. “Works for me.”