3342/I Know A Secret

I Know A Secret
Date of Scene:	08 December 2017
Location:	Gotham City
Synopsis:	Mariam and Barbara have a confusing conversation
Cast of Characters:	Oracle, Mariam O'Shea, Batman

---

Oracle has posed:
It's been several days since the Wayne holiday gala where Barbara embarrassed the hell out of herself with a spit-take. She's grateful very few people actually saw it happen, the tabloids being what they are about the Wayne name. Today, she enters the manor without benefit of Alfred opening the door, ducking in through the large main doors quickly to get out of the snow that is beginning to fall. Leaving her coat on a standing coat tree at the entry, she moves carfully and heads toward the parlor carrying a canvas tote bag and a laptop bag.

She is just settling into a seat, curled up on one of the sofas in the room, when footsteps bring her blue eyes around to the newcomer entering the parlor. "Oh, hi!" She smiles at the bodyguard. "I'm sorry -- I didn't realize Bruce was actually back yet. How are you?" Because obviously if Mariam is here, Bruce is in the building SOMEWHERE.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    Mariam comes wandering in, dressed in her usual skirt suit with her hair pulled back. Her hair is slightly damp and there is the faint scent of soap clinging to her, giving away that she recently had a shower. Which is a little strange for someone on duty. The ever-present sunglasses have her eyes hidden, leaving anyone looking at them to regard their own reflection. "I don't think he's here." The bodyguard raises her left arm, tugging up the sleeve a bit to look at the watch with the plain leather band around her wrist. "Oh, not even close. He said it would be a couple of hours before he made it back."
    She moves further into the room, going to find a seat on one of the plush armchairs. "And to answer your question, I'm doing quite well. Thought I might catch up on some reading while I waited. I didn't realize anyone else was here other than Alfred, wherever he ran off to."

Oracle has posed:
Quirking a brow, Barbara looks amused. "He actually left you here, and you aren't pissed? Or is that just the calm before you rip his head off and crap down his neck for him?" After all, Bruce is making it VERY hard to do her job. To answer the last part, Barbara shrugs slightly. "Alfred's likely in the kitchen making tea -- it's about that time of the day and he is nothing if not prompt. I just got here, myself." She gestures toward the front foyer. "Open door policy for some of us. Family." A different kind of one, to be sure, but family all the same.

She has her legs curled up into the sofa, and she looks pretty comfortable there with her laptop settled on her lap and her glasses perched on her nose. "Ms. O'Shea.... do you mind if I call you Mariam? It's terribly difficult running about with such formality all the time." She shrugs a little. "Call it a personal quirk."

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
"I don't mind a bit. I only worry about formality in a work setting. At the moment, I'm sort of on break." She shrugs, as she smiles a bit but then she shakes her head. "After the other night, I insisted he start learning self defense if he was going to be ditching me left and right. I had never had a client manage to do that before." She gives a rueful shake of her head as she continues. "We met up here in the gym. Which is amazing by the way. That's where I was the last hour. Mr. Wayne offered use of them when I like."
    She shifts back to the original conversation. "Anyway, when I was trying to teach him something the other day we had a ...disagreement." She purses her lips and decides that is a good choice of words so leaves it there. "He asked me to resign. I agreed. But then he had a change of heart and did a little confessing about his secret life after the death of his parents. To say I was surprised is an understatement."

Oracle has posed:
Barbara nods immediately. "That gym is incredible. When I was younger, he used to let me use it to practice gymnastics. And of course, when he adopted Dick, it got a LOT more use after that -- couldn't keep that guy off the freakin' chandeliers." The redhead is more than a little amused by the tales Alfred can tell.

When it shifts back to the other conversation, though, Barbara goes very still. "He.... excuse me?" Her brain is now running about a MILLION MILES AN HOUR.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    If Mariam notices a change in Barbara, she doesn't outwardly show it. She just continues. "He told me the family knows, including you. So that's why I didn't worry about saying it. Like I said, I was surprised. Someone being that dedicated to living a double life. I mean, there were a few times he seemed a little too smart to be the playboy that he pretends to be. Just little tiny things. I had dimissed them until he explained. Then it all fell into place. Hiding that he can fight, that he's smart, so others can't take advantage of him. He explained to me that why he would leave me, so he could go take care of business."
    She considers a moment, thinking back to the information she knows. He was young when his parents were killed. The strength of will it had to take for a child to make those decisions. She admires him, to say the least. Her phrasing might indicate all isn't quite confessed though. "If he fired me, he would've been assigned a new bodyguard. By telling me, and finding out he can handle himself if push comes to shove, now when he needs to go take care of something, I let him. And I cover for him if I can."

Oracle has posed:
At first, as Mariam talks, Barbara's internal voice is cataloging just how far south things have gone. Is Bruce POSSESSED? Jesus! He told her WHAT? Her blue eyes are watchful, but she still doesn't move much or say anything.

And then additional details begin to come to light. "I... see," she says finally. And then Barbara finally begins to breath again. "I'm very glad that he finally let you see inside that facade of vapid playboy," Barbara tells her quietly. Because the best lies are mostly true, and Bruce has given Mariam that. "He doesn't often trust anyone enough to tell them... as wealthy as his parents were, I think that had he not had Alfred, things might have gone very badly for him. People ... suck," she comments wryly. "They would have used him and gotten close to take what he had just because he was wealthy and alone." She can't help the smile. "He really is quite smart. And thank GOD I don't have to pretend only to know the playboy." She rolls her eyes. "That is a huge chore at times, honestly."

Mental note: WARN THE BOYS what Bruce has told the bodyguard.

"I'm also really glad that you're willing to watch his back and cover where you can. Have to *seen* the women who hang on him?" Barbara shudders. "Terrifying barracudas or completely brainless twits! Now *you* can intercept them!"

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    "I've had a few very mean visions of them protecting his body, after his comment the other night. Them in the line of fire specifically. I enjoyed that image a lot. I shouldn't have but they are horrifying," Mariam agrees as she crosses her legs. It's about as close to relaxed as she gets when she isn't alone. "How does he tolerate them? I mean, I know he wants to keep up an appearance so people underestimate him, but I would be ready to just shoot myself in the face a half hour of their obsessing over clothes and make-up." They are about as opposite of Mariam as humanly possible, in more ways than that.
    She rests her hands on the arms of the chair, face scrunching up a bit. "That Tawny... I swear if I can get ahold of his phone, I'll delete and block her number myself." Mariam shifts her voice, pitching it higher with a slightly nasal quality. "But Bruuuuuce. I need a new Mercedes in Passion Pink to match my new manicure!"

Oracle has posed:
Setting aside her laptop, Barbara starts to laugh shamelessly. "Oh. My. God. Right?? I have looked at some of those women and just .... my brain is BOGGLED by what they think is important. I can't fathom if it's all just an act or what!" The redhead dies at the impression of Tawny.

"I *hate* that woman. Seriously. She is *so* certain that she's going to be Mrs. Bruce Wayne that one time, when she came here and I happened to be on my way out the front door? She actually looked at me like I was a rodent and sniffed, stuck her nose in the air, and muttered under her breath, 'Going to have to make sure his taste in hookers gets better after we're married.' I literally almost peed myself laughing at her. Cuz she hasn't got a snowball's chance in hell!" She is laughing so hard by now, there are tears. It's rare that she gets to really ENJOY the realities of Bruce with someone of the female persuasion.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    As she tells the story, Mariam is starting to smile. When she mentions being called a hooker, she giggles. And by the end, she is just laughing. It is strange for her. She isn't one to share her emotions. They are guarded hidden away like the rest of her behind the suit and glasses. Yet, she doesn't mind it. There is something about Barbara that makes her at ease. Comfortable talking and perhaps opening up a little.
    Not a lot. She isn't going to be sharing the details of her history. Course, she isn't aware that Barbara probably knows more about her than her own employer.
    "There are a couple of them who seem to realize they don't have a chance. They just are enjoying the ride while they can. Pun not intended." Since that could be taken a couple of ways. "But Tawny is a special sort of snowflake." She shakes her head again. "I'm actually rather glad to know he wasn't really off with her when he ditched me. She doesn't need encouragement. I mean, I can't imagine she would be the type he'd ever be with. Not that I know him very well behind the mask." Figurative, not literal. "Maybe she is completely his type." She shudders as though that is one of the most horrifying things she's ever imagined.

Oracle has posed:
Barbara groans at the mention of puns! "Oh God, don't." She is still horrified by her own puns the other night! Shaking her own head at Tawny, the redhead just gives Mariam flabbergasted face. "A special sort of snowflake. I like that description. Cuz WOW." And then she chuckles a bit more. "No.... I'm not entirely sure *what* Bruce's 'type' would be..."

For moment, Barbara looks sad. "He's been through so much loss, I'm not sure he even 'has' a type. Not like that. I mean... he's a guy, and he seems to like women a good bit. But the kind that are drawn to the playboy aren't smart enough to see through that mask... and the ones that *are* smart enough, I think he'd probably chase off really fast." Shrugging a bit, Barbara admits, "That's probably way more than I should have actually said out loud. But... I rarely have anyone to confide those thoughts to. Please forgive me for being quite that indiscreet."

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    "Nothing to apologize for," Mariam tells her immediately with another shake of the head. "That was part of our discussion the other day in the gym. He explained he was very private. I think that's part of why he asked me to resign," she admits, tilting her head slightly as she thinks it through. "Because he wanted to keep things private, keep people outside his bubble. I knew the day that the board gave me my position watching over him, Mr. Wayne was angry. I saw it in his eyes that day and I feared this would be a nightmare assignment."
    She can't help but smirk a little there. "Alright, in some ways it was since there was the way he would give me the slip, when I know I'm good at what I do. Or having to watch Tawny batting her eyelashes at him over dinner while trying to feed him." She rolls her eyes behind the glasses, not realizing that the expression is lost on Barbara though she probably can read the sentiment in her other body language. "But now I get it. He said he'd try to be honest with me unless it would endanger me." Her brow furrows slightly. "A weird thing to say really. But I think he was just trying to express his sincerity." Her own attempt at interpretation led her further from reality instead of closer.

Oracle has posed:
"Probably," Barbara agrees with the last sentiment -- the better to serve the misdirection, after all. "He's not exactly fantastic with articulating the important stuff. Even with those of us he *has* let in. There's always... a subtle distance." She snorts. "You'll see it when you watch him with Dick and Damian." Shaking her head, Barbara merely shrugs and smiles. "I just don't let him do it to me -- I ignore the no trespassing signs and do whatever I want. It's good for him."

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    "Being that he was raised alone, it may be harder for him. He always has to guard himself on top of it. May have affected how he relates to others." Mariam frowns a little at herself as she starts psychoanalyzing the man. She forces that right back into the recesses of her brain and shifts back to her companion.
    "We may be cut from the same cloth, Ms. Gordon," she says with another faint giggle. "I tend to push when I feel it's the right thing to do." Like dragging Bruce into the gym, when she thought he didn't know how to handle himself. "Although for me, it's only in regards to his safety. I'm not in the friends and family zone."
    That brings her to something else as she gives a soft smile. "I haven't really gotten the opportunity to be around his sons much. Just seen them in passing, like at the party. You and Mr. Grayson are involved, correct? I know the matchmakers were all over you but I also noticed the hair the other night."

Oracle has posed:
Barbara blushes just a bit when she realizes to what Mariam is referring -- she *was* a little mussed coming down the stairs. Oh Lord. That might mean Bruce already knows. Shit!! That's a bit of a tizzy.

"We ... Yeah, I guess we're involved," she replies finally, looking a little at a loss. "Neither one of us is exactly sure how Bruce is going to react, though, so... if you don't mind keeping that on a bit of the down-low, I'd appreciate it immensely." Not exactly the truth, but close enough for now. "The tabloids have linked me and Dick off and on for years, but we were never really anything more than friends. I really don't feel like dodging the phtotgraphers again." The last time it happened was when Dick was in New York dating... what the heck was her name? Babs doesn't even remember right now. "It's a *huge* down side to the Wayne name, I have to admit."

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    "Yeah, the paparazzi can be merciless. I'm learning that the hard way." Her previous clients hadn't been subject to that particular hassle. "Why would there be a problem with Mr. Wayne? It's obvious he cares about you to anyone with two eyes. I've been able to see it a couple of times at functions at least. I would think he'd be happy if the two of you are." She presses her lips together slightly. "Or is it one of those 'no one is good enough for my son' sorts of situations, even if he does think of you as family?"
    Without knowing, Mariam can only guess at the details. Not knowing so much of their background and history leaves her with only the more obvious to use for her assumptions. "And don't worry, I won't say anything to Mr. Wayne. That's your business."

Oracle has posed:
There's a long blink when Mariam says that about Bruce caring. Barbara gets a faint, soft smile. "No, it's not the 'not good enough for his son' thing, I promise. It's just... perhaps the easiest way to explain it is that for the same reasons he doesn't let people see past that facade he has, he worries that allowing the outside know who really is close to himself and his family might make them targets. You know... hostage situations and things like that." She shrugs. "He worries a lot," Barbara comments. She's pretty sure someday she's going to Hell for all the half-truths she's told tonight. They've got to be adding up.

Shifting a bit in her seat, Barbara shifts the topic as well. "So now that you know he's a smarter than he acts, do you like working for him a little more? You definitely were not having a good time of it that first week." She grins just a touch wickedly. "I kept waiting for you to lay him out on his ass for being a jerk."

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    "Well, I did have to remind myself a few times that punching the boss in the face would not look good on a future resume," Mariam admits with another smirk. "He does play the jerk awfully well. I have no idea how it does it. If he wasn't who he is, I'd say he should be acting in Hollywood. The man has some skill."
    If only she knew how many and to what degree, she'd be completely amazed.
    "It does make things easier so I'm not spending hours and hours searching for him while stressing out. While I was sure he had simply avoided me, the very real possibility he had been kidnapped was there in my mind. I knew I couldn't report it though until the requisite time. I mean the GPS was turned off on his phone. Most kidnappers would just ditch the thing so I took that as a good sign about his well being."
    She realizes that the conversation was neatly shifted away from information about Barbara. Avoidance tactics. Much like Mariam had done when the conversation got a little too close to her. "Didn't make me less inclined to want to hurt him for putting me through that."

Oracle has posed:
"Can't say I blame you," Barbara laughs quietly. "Not sure I would have restrained myself." The admission holds a wealth of amusement. "I know why he has the face that he has in public, but some days I wanna just slap it right off him."

Tilting her head, she asks, "I'm assuming you don't have a family you're going to be taking time off to see... but do you get actual time off?"

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    And things shift back to her. Mariam turns her head to the side slightly away from Barbara, giving away her discomfort in that little motion. "I can't say that I'm close to my family. I mean, my parents are around but there was some stress between us in the past. We aren't really beyond it yet." She is not explaining all that history, particularly since the last time she mentioned her past as a felon it led to her getting fired. Sort of. Well, not exactly but she'd believed it thus she was even more insecure about it now.
    "I had a lot of time off before getting the last two assignements with the Sentinels program. I had gotten hurt on the job. Which led to me being laid up recovering. I spent some time in New York and such. Read a lot."

Batman has posed:
    "And her boss is a real taskmaster, time off? Never." The light and amused tone of voice is given and carries across the room as Bruce Wayne steps through the mildly ajar door into the room. A red and green sweater is upon him and tan slacks cover his legs, festive but rather low-key in the festiveness. He looks across the way towards Barbara, then to Mariam. His brow furrows a touch, but only a moment.
    "I see you both have been getting along like a house on fire." He steps further into the room, pausing to rest a hand on the back of Barbara's chair as he looks between the two women. "Should I be worried?" He asks, smile broadening slightly.

Oracle has posed:
Bruce's voice brings Barbara's blue eyes around toward the door, and she offers a faint smile at both his appearance and perhaps to reassure him. "We're doing fine," she tells him, reaching back to touch the hand on the chair. "You should only worry that now that you've told her the big bad secret, I have someone now to commiserate with about the playboy facade -- finally, I can kvetch out loud about your brainless twits!" Barbara's teasing tone belies the faint worry in her gaze as she meets his eyes. It's not like him to share even that much, so that he did is cause for concern to her.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    With the arrival of her boss, Mariam is immediately shifting out of leisure mode and into work mode. She rises to her feet, smoothing her skirt automatically as she does so. "Welcome home. Mr. Wayne. I trust that your business went well?" She has no idea what sort of business it was, simply that he had wanted some time. At the comment about his choice of companionship, she can't hide her smirk.
    "I'm very sorry but we do seem to share a lot of the same opinions in regards to the women you spend time with. Certain ones in particular." She doesn't mention Tawny by name but her head shifts slightly to Barbara, the smile shared as she thinks of their earlier conversation in regards to the worst of the bunch. She turns her gaze back to him, mirrored lenses reflecthing green and red from his sweater.
    "Will you be in the for the evening?"

Batman has posed:
    Looking across the way towards Mariam, his eyes narrow slightly even as Barbara touches his hand. It is, indeed, a strange position he has perhaps placed the woman. With some of the facts but nowhere near all of them. Bruce gives a nod towards his bodyguard as he answers her. "I plan to stay in, may even go to bed a little early. Tomorrow, however, is the Hilton gathering. I intend to put in an appearance but then hopefully will be gone after two hours. Roughly."
    Something about the man's tone of voice is firm, forceful, not quite Batman... not quite Bruce. But clear and precise.
    To Barbara he tells her, "We need to tell the others that Ms. O'Shea is informed about my efforts for the business, important that we all communicate clearly."

Oracle has posed:
Barbara's smile is easy as she says, "Dick will be thrilled to know he doesn't have to pretend in front of her, I'm sure." Damian never pretends anything. "I was hoping to catch you this evening about one of the programs you asked me to check on your laptop. I didn't realize you were out and about tonight. I can talk to you about it tomorrow, if you'd like. The information on the zip drive was really enlightening."

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
"Very good," Mariam says as she gives Barbara a smile. "It's been a pleasure speaking with you. Nice to know that I have someone like minded around."
    She glances at Bruce. "I will meet you here tomorrow at our usual time." If he prefers otherwise, he will let her know as he has done in the past. She takes a step in the direction of the door. "I will leave you both to visit without having a shadow eavesdropping on everything. That has to get annoying, I'm sure." Oh if only she knew how much. "Good evening."

Batman has posed:
    "Good evening, Ms. O'Shea." Bruce gives her a nod as he steps to the side and away from the chair, moving towards the one opposite of Babs that the bodyguard had been occupying. He settles down, easing back into the chair, crossing a leg over his knee and lifting a small hand to offer a faint wave in departure.
    It's only after the door closes behind the young woman that Bruce looks in turn towards Barbara fully and his tone of voice becomes a touch more intent. "She's more of an asset taken partially into confidence. In five months her post will be empty and will move her to another position." He crosses his arms over his chest, dark blue eyes narrowing as he looks to the side, then back towards her. "Couldn't maintain the repeated excuses it would have needed to maintain full operational activity."

Oracle has posed:
"I have no doubt," Barbara replies easily, her own tone not as lighthearted but certainly just as calm as it's been. "Frankly, I think it's a wise decision -- by giving her that much of an in, you're telling her as much of the truth as she needs to know and cementing her loyalty. As well as her willingness to give you a little breathing room. It's a good decision." Not that he was really asking her or attempting to defend the decision or anything like that -- not Batman. He explains nothing. Right?

Barbara just lets him keep thinking it.

With the door shut, which she verifies carefully, she does tell him, "The drive was a pinger -- sending a message to tell someone on the other end where it was when it was activated. So the theory I've got so far is that someone hired them to go looking for something and ping when they've found it. I'm searching for any high-value targets in this general region. I've kept it isolated for now. But I'd like to set a tracer on it and bait a trap, see who comes for it. " She smiles slightly. "And I've got a safe version of the information I've gathered otherwise ready for you to read through."

Batman has posed:
    The tall man's brow furrows sternly as he looks somewhat past her, as if looking beyond that chair she's seated in as his thoughts distance. He grimaces to himself as a thought flips forth and he gives voice to what it engenders, "I'd like you to review the recording from my visor six days ago. The day after the riot."
    He lifts a hand slightly as if to stay her from asking any questions for now. Instead he explains levelly, "Just see if there's anything I missed. Compare it with the security footage. I'd do it myself but I'm going to be away from the computer." The Computer.
    Another moment passes then he tilts his head towards her, "Do we have a list of those potential targets? Or will we need more incidents to try and find the individual on the other end of the drive?"

Oracle has posed:
Barbara nods to the request to review his footage. "Sure," she replies. It's always good to have another set of eyes. "I'm compiling the list of targets, yes. The men were German, but the insignia in the drive is ... nothing I've ever seen before. I'm working on backtracking their locations and their bank accounts to see if I can determine who hired them, but so far it's a blank. The drive phones home to what amounts to a digital PO Box in South Africa. That's why I'm thinking about bear bait," she admits.

"Also, when you have the chance and you're working on the uniforms, I'd like to go ahead and have the lenses set into mine as well." She's put off doing it for a long while now, preferring to see with her own eyes. "I'm working on integrating the HUD readouts on all of them with the Computer. But that's probably after the New Year."

Batman has posed:
    His fingertips drum softly upon the arm of the chair as his eyes slip to the side. The freedom to be introspective in her presence is a good thing for him, to not have to make pretense to social mores is a luxury. But then he gives a nod to her and lifts a hand in recognition. "Sounds like a good course of action. The bait and the lenses. Will get it set for everyone."
    That having been said he pushes himself to his feet, adjusting his sweater with the sweep of one hand as if to make sure he's presentable for the public. He starts to step back towards the door, just a single stride, but then he pauses and tilts his head towards Barbara. "What's your read on O'Shea?" He stops and offers her his hand should she wish to rise as well as he seems intent to get to work right now in any case.
    "She used to work for Baby Doll, and after that Fire Bug." He looks towards the door, brow knitting as he considers the possibility of the woman listening at the door. Deems it unlikely though he knows those doors are fairly thick and sound-proofed. "Then supposedly reformed." That supposedly might seem insulting if the woman was privy to it, but such is his way of speaking.

Oracle has posed:
Barbara raises a single copper brow. "She's already proven that she'll take a bullet for her primary," she says, though she's well aware that Bruce already knows all that. "My read on her is that she got into a bad situation, did some questionable things, and got given a second chance. She's done nothing since coming to work for Wayne Enterprises three years ago that could even be deemed remotely worrisome." She smiles faintly. "And believe me, I dug." She would.

"I think you should continue to play it carefully... but if she stumbles onto the rest of the secret, I think it's highly probable that she will die before betraying it." ANd coming from Barbara, that's probably the highest form of praise -- she doesn't trust other people to watch his back. That he has a bodyguard and it's NOT one of "Us" bothers her. But she's clearly spent significant time researching this bodyguard.

Batman has posed:
    That answer causes him to purse his lips, his gaze still leveled on the door for the moment. He looks to the side towards her and he gives a small nod. "That's my read as well." That hand rests again on her chair as his eyes lower to it, as if that piece of furniture had the answers. Then he shakes his head and tells her, "My ideal end result of this situation is that she performs her duties successfully for the next five months, then she's able to return to her career and forgets all of this." His hand lifts to gesture absently towards the walls of the manor, yet meaning assuredly not the building itself.
    As she rises he steps to the side and resumes his advance on the door, "If she learns of more..." He grimaces and stops just short of that tall oak door with its curved woodwork. "This life is not for everyone." And as he looks to her it's most likely clear that he means most everyone else. Except for him.

Oracle has posed:
She understands the message. More than she'd like. After taking his hand and rising, she picks up the laptop that was sitting next to her on the chair and a canvas tote. "Some things have to happen the way they happen," she tells him quietly. "Whether we like them or not. Let's hope that's not supposed to be her path."

Barbara walks with him to the main doors and leans up to kiss his cheek. "I'll be working from home tonight, but I'll have my eyes and ears on if you need me."