“Pretty generous for a thief.”

It was a voice she had never expected to hear again. Spinning around, she found Bruce Wayne standing on the sidewalk behind her. He was dressed like a common laborer, with a scruffy beard and work clothes, but there was no mistaking the former prince of Gotham. His face was lean and weathered, but, much to her surprise, he was standing straight and tall—despite what Bane had done to his back.

The sound of that awful crack had haunted her dreams for months now.

“You came back,” she said. “I thought they’d killed you.”

“Not yet,” he said.

She got her guard up.

“If you’re expecting an apology—” But he shook his head, cutting her off.

“It wouldn’t suit you,” he said. “I just need your help.”

“And why would I help you?” she asked warily.

He pulled a USB drive from the pocket of his jacket.

“For this. The clean slate.”

“You’re gonna trust me with that?” she responded. “After what I did to you?”

Truth to tell, she still felt bad about luring him into Bane’s ambush. He hadn’t deserved that, especially after he had helped her get away from those mercs. So what if he was a wealthy do-gooder looking for trouble? At least he wasn’t a monster like Bane.

“I’ll admit I felt a little let down,” he said. “But I still think there’s more to you. In fact, I think for you”—he held up the flash drive—“this isn’t a tool, it’s an escape route. You want to disappear. Start fresh.”

Steal a brand new life, she thought. Tantalized by the possibility of reinventing herself completely, she greedily plucked the drive from his fingers. She looked it over, almost afraid to believe that it might be real. Then reality set in.

“Start fresh?” she said. “I can’t even get off this island.”

“I can give you a way off,” he promised. “Once you’ve gotten me to Lucius Fox. I need you to find out where they’re holding him. Then take me in.”

Easier said than done, she thought. “Why do you need Fox?”

“To save this city.”

“Who says it needs saving?” she challenged him. “Maybe I like it this way.”

“Maybe you do. But tomorrow that bomb’s going off.”

She felt the blood drain from her face—there was no reason to doubt him. If anyone was capable of nuking an entire city for his own twisted purposes, it was Bane. Suddenly, she saw her future going up in flames, but she tried not to let on how spooked she was.

“So? Get your ‘powerful friend’ on the case.” Saving Gotham was Batman’s job, not hers. She was just a thief, out to survive any way she could.

“I’m trying,” he said. “But I need Fox.”

First we ID the truck, Gordon reminded himself. Then we figure out what to do next.

He and Miranda strolled down a snowy street. Nobody seemed to be watching them, but he kept his head down and his coat collar up. Glancing around just to be safe, he discreetly slipped her the Geiger counter. Getting hold of the device had been a challenge in itself. He just hoped it paid off.