The Bane of Our Existence [The Dark Knight Rises]

15: Let the Fire Rise Inside of You

Her new black sneakers were hidden underneath the dress pants she wore, slightly too long for her even though she was tall. They did not have time to shop around for perfection, and quite frankly, Bría didn't care. Her disguise was simple but efficient, wearing a stock market assistant jacket, she went by completely unnoticed by the rich and greedy. Most of them didn't need help, so their eyes scanned over her like she was just dirt, the scum of the earth. She, and the others of Bane's men who had also snuck in under disguise, were overlooked.

Bría slipped into the women's washroom, which was completely empty, and she reached into the feminine hygiene bin and found the weapon that she had placed there. Gripping the cold metal in her hand, she wondered if she would have to use it. It was so heavy, too bulky for her, but when she held it she also felt that surge of power. She'd already killed two people, the path was opening up for her, and yet she still remained at a crossroads.

Tucking the gun into the back of her pants, she walked back out and remained anonymous to everyone around her. Taking advantage of her position, she walked down to the basement, where the underground parking was. The others were waiting for her, and she needed to be the one to let them in. A man in a dark blue uniform stepped out from the booth where people would pay for their parking, and put his hand up to slow her down.

"Ma'am, you're not authorized to be down here. May I see your identification?" he asked.

"I work here, I'm just going to my vehicle," she told him.

"This parkade isn't for staff," he said firmly.

She cocked her head to the side, "You're going to let me by, otherwise a lot of people are going to get hurt."

His eyebrows narrowed, and then he turned back to the small booth. There was certainly a panic button in there, and she had to stop him before he pressed it. Her feet kicked up underneath her, as if they had control over her, and she was running towards him as fast as possible. Reaching behind her for the weapon, she gripped it and turned off the safety. Skidding into the booth, she held the gun up to him, threatening to use it.

"Don't move," she told him, the line feeling like it was out of some bad action movie. But this was real life now. She noticed her hand was not shaking as it had been the first time she held such a weapon; she was already developing a cold steel casing around herself, she was already beginning to darken.

"You don't want to do this!" he shouted at her.

"You have no idea what I want to do." She gestured for him to raise his hands.

He did so, reluctantly.

Bría carefully reached over to press the button that lifted the gates, to allow vehicles through from the road. The revving of motorcycle engines echoed throughout the whole parkade, and it sent a spark through Bría. Moments later, the motorcycles were all around. Men dismounted and it was Bane who walked towards the booth where Bría was still holding the man at gun point. He stood just outside the booth for it was not big enough for all three of them, and he coaxed her on.

"Let the fire rise inside of you," he spoke through his helmet, and it came out muffled yet still clear enough that she understood.

Her finger ghosted over the trigger.

"That's it," he encouraged again.

She stared the frantic young man in the eyes, unapologetic, and then she pulled the trigger. The man yelled in pain as blood began to seep from his gut, his hands went to favour the wound, and he slid down onto his knees. As he bled out, crying in agony, he slumped down to the floor and stared right at Bría, right through her.

Somehow, she felt nothing but cold.

"Come," Bane told her. "There is work to do."

She pressed the button to shut the parkade gates, and then followed Bane and his men as they made their way to the front. Climbing the stairs that led to the entrance, where armed guards and metal detectors waited to oust anyone who tried to cause trouble at the stock market, Bría walked with a new found confidence, only one step behind Bane. No one else walked that close to him, only she was allowed.

Bane was still wearing his helmet, which covered his masked face, when he walked through the metal detector. It went off and flashed, beeping loudly to alert him of his mistake.

"Hey Rookie," a guard said, "lose the helmet."

Bane took off the helmet, revealing who he was -although no one really knew, for this was his first public appearance- and making the women recoil. He used the rock-solid helmet to knock her unconscious, and that's when he was attacked by the others. Two other men attacked Bane, firing gun shots at him, and he proved himself untouchable. His fighting was pure power, completely raw, fueled by something Bría couldn't understand.

They proceeded to the main floor, Bane had not even worked up a sweat, his helmet in his hand once again. Gunshots sounded on the main floor, screams of men and women as they all dropped to the floor didn't make Bría feel uncomfortable. For these people were not innocent, no one in Gotham was innocent. She walked right alongside Bane now, no longer a step behind him, and she could feel his presence acting as a power to her.

Everyone was lying on the floor, hands covering their heads. A few braver men sat tall in their chairs, ready to defy the commands given by these fearless mercenaries who would not hesitate to kill them.

Bane handed his helmet to an unsuspecting employee.

"This is a stock exchange," the brave man who was still sitting said to Bane as he approached. "There's no money you can steal."

"Really?" Bane asked as he grabbed the ID badge on the man's jacket. "Then why are you people here?"

Bane grabbed the man by the collar and dragged him to a desk, slamming his head against it and rendering him unconscious. He took the ID badge and slipped it into the device beside him, and then another one of Bane's men began typing on a little portable computer. Bane began to walk around, studying the faces of those terrified at his presence.

Bría stood sturdy, gun in her hand, ready to fire. She'd climbed over the main obstacle, the wall that held her back. Deep down there was still some part of her that was trying to fight this change, this acceptance of darkness, but she forced it down. She knew what it was, the little voice of her mother telling her to be good above all else, to never do harm to anyone. She always heard her mother's voice, but now it was faded and nearly insignificant.

Not long after the process had begun, the fibre had been cut, and Bane decided it was time to go mobile.

Bane beckoned for Bría to come close as the other men grabbed hold of hostages. The motorcycles from the parkade could be heard coming up the stairs towards the main floor.

"Are you wearing it?" Bane asked her.

Bría lifted her stock market employee jacket to show the bullet proof vest she was wearing underneath, then lowered it again. Bane nodded in approval, and then together they walked towards the motorcycles that had been brought to them. Bane grabbed his helmet from the unsuspecting man who had been holding onto it.

"Thank you," Bane said to him, then walked towards the motorcycle. He mounted the bike, and gestured for Bría to join him. She slipped behind him, clutching onto him, her arms unable to reach all the way around his girth. A crowd of citizens had to crowd around the motorcycles, protecting them as they were herded towards the front door. A few select people had been chosen to be hostages for the other riders, though they were strapped to the motorcycles so that they could not jump free.

Bría felt her heart pound, and she did not know if it was from clutching onto Bane or because she was acting as his human shield.

He had promised that she wouldn't get hurt.

She believed him.

Nice long chapter! Thanks for reading! Question, what is your favourite Tom Hardy movie? I've seen a fair amount of them (thirteen, plus the show Taboo), and Mad Max: Fury Road is definitely my favourite.