Masks

Dick found himself liking Hogan, and JARVIS. He'd been surprised to be told (by the AI himself) that J wasn't a flesh-and-blood entity, but there was little doubt in his mind that JARVIS was a person, sentient and capable of caring to an amazing degree.

(and of kicking Dick's rear at chess and poker, but that was not to be revealed to Bruce or even Alfred. Ever.)

He'd heard stories about Stark's genius, but this was unbelievable. Just...wow. He hoped he'd get the chance to meet the man in person sometime.
The company people kept also said a lot about who they were. Hogan was fiercely loyal to Stark, as was JARVIS, and Bruce Banner to a lesser degree. Not because of his money or fame, but the man himself had earned that by everything he'd done to turn away from being 'The Merchant of Death' and create Iron Man. No magic or fancy powers, just enough guts for an army. Yeah, he could see why Stark and Bruce Wayne might find a common ground.

For today, he and Happy had been summoned to a meeting with Stark's CEO, Pepper Potts.
Stark himself, as well as Bruce, had been delayed in returning, for some unspecified reason. There'd been a sense of 'don't ask why' when Bruce called him...Oh well. Pot, kettle.

MIss Potts looked every inch the proper businesswoman when they entered her office. She was sitting at her desk, seeming completely at ease. She offered him a polite smile. From what Hogan had confided, though, she was no more 'just' a business mogul than Stark was. So Dick watched her carefully, attentive and keeping a respectful distance at the same time.

"Please sit down, gentlemen."

She held a folder, which she set aside to regard Dick measuringly.

"I had some brief conversations with Mr. Rogers and Miss Romanoff earlier. They're demanding to be released, and also to have Tony 'explain himself' regarding his absence from the Tower." She sighed a little. "Legally, much as I'd love to, we can't lock them up indefinitely without due process...or get rid of them. Not yet."

"Ma'am?" He blinked, slightly taken aback by the 'not yet'. Was she intending to 'disappear' them? They'd acted badly, but hadn't actually hurt anyone. Or not physically, unless there was something he didn't know.

"Tony and I discussed this during his trip. He's been waffling over it, but this latest tantrum of Rogers has made up his mind. He wants them permanently evicted from the Tower. All four of them; Barton, Wilson, Romanoff and Rogers. He's willing to make an exception for Bruce Banner, and for Thor in the rare times he's here, but..."

Her voice wavered when she mentioned Thor. Hogan looked as though he'd noticed that, too, but Dick spoke up first.

"Thor being your biggest concern?" he asked to clarify.

"Yes. I'm honestly not sure how he'll react. And we've been discussing tactics. We don't think any of them should be told about this until the absolute last minute. Less chance of them having time to plan a counterattack of any kind."

Happy mulled that over. "Dr. Banner isn't ...Potentially, he could be very dangerous, of course. But I don't think he or the Hulk would side against Mr. Stark, just based on what I've seen of him. The worst he might do is refuse to get involved on either side. I kinda think you should let him in on this, Pepper, though I'll go with whatever you and Tony say."

"I know a couple other people who could stand up to Thor, if necessary," Dick said after a moment's thought. "Do you want me to ask them to contact you?"

Pepper drew in a soft breath. "I'd actually...meant to ask you about one of them. " She tapped a fingernail on the folder. "We did a background check on you, as well, after Happy told me what was going on." She picked it up, handing it across the desk.

Dick accepted it, unoffended. You couldn't have too much information, was a rule he tended to abide by, and ignorance in the superhero business was definitely not bliss!

"Yeah, he'd be a good choice," he agreed, seeing the photo that was atop a small sheaf of papers. "He's a Boy Scout, even though I don't think they had those where he comes from originally."

* * *

Tony had locked the doors to their suite after he and Bruce had retired. Disturbing an Alpha when his or her Omega was in heat was asking for said Alpha to open a six-pack of whupass on you, no matter how good a relationship you had with them the rest of the time.

The walls were still not completely soundproof. Catrin took to staying out of doors as much as possible, or exploring the further rooms in the Manor.

Alfred, with Bruce's earlier permission, took her to the caves beneath the house. She shivered, not altogether with cold, though it was dark and bitterly icy down here this time of year. The sight of Bruce's armory and "Batmobile" had distracted her. She'd spent some time looking at notes for a project he'd left out on a table. A device of some kind...early warning system? But not for a vehicle or building...the description said it needed to be able to operate in space.

She made a mental note to ask him about it soon. While she wasn't as skilled at the engineering sciences as they were, she wasn't uneducated either. Maybe another pair of eyes would help.

She hadn't \quite wrapped her head around the idea of being a big sister, but oh, she hoped....

Someone behind her cleared their throat. She jumped, then turned on them, raising a hand that held her tessen.

The interloper stepped back, lifting both hands in a 'no threat' gesture. "Sorry." She was tall, dark-haired and fair, with an athlete's or fighter's muscles. Her voice was low, and pleasant. "I was looking for someone else. I didn't mean to frighten you." She had an Alpha's scent too, but it was muted somehow. She politely didn't stare Catrin down though she didn't not look at her, either.

"Batman? Or Bruce Wayne?" Catrin asked.

"You do know him, then. I'd thought perhaps...He didn't mention that he'd taken on a new ...assistant."

"That'd be because he didn't," Catrin decided abruptly to tell the whole truth for once. "I'm not one of the Bats, I'm his daughter. Diana Prince, is it?"

The Amazon's eyes widened. "... I see. Yes. It's an honor to meet you, Lady--?"

"No lady," she laughed. "It's just Catrin. "

Before Diana could ask any further questions, a man's voice crying out in pain--and the sound of a gunshot--echoed down the lift that accessed the Batcave.

Alfred! Catrin turned and hurried in that direction.