Dr. Silvia Mendel

When her department manager stomped into her bureau and told her that the CEO, Bruce Wayne, would make a surprise inspection through the labs and it would be her honor to show him around, Dr. Silvia Mendel was really pissed.

Last night she run into a brawl fighting as her alter ego, Insomnia, and not enough with that, she met Batman for the first time since she moved to Gotham City. Now every bone in her body was hurting and she was in bad mood.

Without turning from the computer screen she said sharp: "Boss, I have more important things to do, than giving private lessons in biology to playboys. The assays do not work and the data seems wrong in every way. Can´t someone else do it?"

A harrumph from behind told her, the "playboy" was probably already standing in her room listening. Great, only 3 months in the company and she really stepped in it.

She just continued speaking, pretending she had not heard anything and still not turning, because then she would have to apologize: "All right then. Tell Mr. Wayne I´m with him in two seconds, I will just secure my terminal."

She heard footsteps and a door closing and the voice of the department manager on the floor. She closed her eyes briefly taking a deep breath, secured the terminal and got up. She enjoyed the pain of the many bruises while stretching her back.

Can´t be worse than the street gang she fought with yesterday. The guys, 6 or 7, were bullying two girls in the streets. Heaven knows what could have happened if she wouldn´t have come by and had taken care of the boys.

But now there was no time to think about that. She squared her shoulders and went outside with a bright smile on her face. "Mr. Wayne. It is a pleasure to meet you."

His face told her, he had heard the "playboy" seconds ago and was not believing a word she said.

"The pleasure is totally mine." He gave back, slippery as an eel and she could see that he also did not tell the truth.

Quit pro quo.

At least she was professionally very good and she had the impression that Mr. Wayne knew at least a little about her main research area, the tissue engineering. She hadn´t thought that.

When they parted again the tension of the beginning was gone and the mood collegial nice. She went back to her office, knowing that her department manager would follow any minute to talk to her about her rude behavior in the beginning.

But when he came he said to her surprise: "Mr. Wayne thanks you for the competent tour through the labs. He is impressed by your skills." Then he left. She looked after him is disbelieve. Again Mr. Wayne was good for a surprise. She had already feared to be fired. Whatever. Back to work.

Normally she went to the company's fitness area after work, for a little workout. But facing her bruises she thought briefly about skipping it. Then she thought again about the night before.

As she was not able to sleep at night, she started years ago to patrol the streets with her motorbike and to fight criminals if there was a chance.

She had borrowed her street name from her disability to sleep, Insomnia. Yesterday everything was almost like every day. She was almost finished with the guys, when she heard a little noise behind her. Batman was standing there and he growled: "Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?"

Completely taken by surprise she hurried to her bike and drove away. She had thought about meeting him so often. She also had prepared a few cool remarks in case HE would show up. She knew Gotham was his area and she would have to face him one day. But when it happened her head went blank and she run away like a little girl. Shit, shit, shit.

So, missing a good brawl as her sleeping medication cause of the many bruises and a little bit because she feared to meet HIM again, and again not knowing what to say then, she decided to work out till she was wasted. Normally she could sleep after this. At least sometimes.

The fitness area was open to all employees till 10 pm, but after 8pm she was usually alone. So she made endurance and circle training till most colleagues were gone and then went to one of the extra rooms, where they held Yoga, Pilates and Aerobic courses a few times a week. She plugged her MP3 into the hi-fi system and pumped up the volume.

To hammering beat she made Capoeira. Not the usual music for this kind of martial art, but she could go better to the limits with bands like Gothminister.

Twice she had the impression of seeing someone glancing in the room through the little window on the door. Sometimes a few curious colleagues wanted to know what the noise is. But today she believed to recognize the face of Bruce Wayne. No. Must be imagination. Why should he be here at this time of night? Certainly he was in a fancy restaurant with a model or a beautiful actress.

But when she left the building after a hot shower, she noticed his sports car on his parking spot. And again he had the impression of seeing him for a second behind the wheel, but when she looked again the car was empty. Like he would hide himself. She started to worry about her mental health. Was she developing a persecution complex? Yeah. Persecuted by Bruce Wayne…

She hopped on her old Honda and drove home. For hours she lay awake in her bed. Thinking of Batman and Bruce in turns. She still did not know what to tell Batman, when they would meet again.

With this thought she finally fell asleep at dawn.