“But look at who I’m asking,” Bane quipped back.“A monumental genius in his own right.A brave soul, fighting for good against evil.A superhero in his own mind—”
James raised his hand up to halt the smartass list.“Ok, ok.I get it.Although I am all of those things and I am a superhero for sure.But we do not have time to list all of my wonderful qualities.”He laughed.
“Oh, good.I mean I do love fiction but we do not have time for all that fantasy really.”Bane smirked.
“Ha-freakin-Ha,” James retorted dryly.
They left the playroom and went back to the living area.
James went over to the computer area and set up his laptop.Then he sat down to type in commands.
Bane headed to the kitchen area and started a pot of coffee.He had a feeling that it was going to be a long night.When the coffee was done he took a cup to James.
James murmured his thanks.
Bane just shook his head.He realized that James wasn’t even thinking about the coffee, he was busy digging.There had been countless times when he’d seen the man disappear like the Ghoster name entailed.His presence would leave the room so to speak as he hunted for whatever they needed to use as a weapon against some bad guy or crime organization.
Then as to Bane’s comments to the genius part...That wasn’t a joke.James bordered on being the best in the world at research.
Bane drank his coffee then went back to the torture room to check all the implements over.It had been months since he’d been here.He looked in drawers and cabinets.
The man he hired to watch over the place, Jack, was a certified specialist in the military at one time.He was in his 70’s now so he played onsite security for Bane.He had scared off a few intruders over the years.Mostly homeless people.At first, Bane had instructed him to set these few homeless men up in their own places.
Most didn’t know that Bane spent about one million a year on resettling people that could be helped.He also secretly worked through Cassie Tory, Faith and Dante along with Trudy-Babygirl to help abused women and kids.They all had been sworn to secrecy about the project.It would not do for Bane to be known as ado-gooder.
He also had men like Jack in about eight warehouse districts in several cities.They all did security for him and helped the homeless in each area.Especially veterans.These men Bane had hired as caretakers were more than glad to help ex-soldiers to get a better life.
Bane knew he would be going to hell in the afterlife.He didn’t feel like any amount of do-gooding would excuse him from the blaze of burning eternity.However, he had a few dreams a couple of years back.Grace appeared in them and she asked him to take this path.Help others.She said it would help his soul.
Bane wasn’t sure if that was true, but he promised Grace, so he had built a whole network on the side, unbeknownst to anyone else.Being credited as a philanthropist or getting praise was not what he desired.He actually thought of it as washing the dirty hit money – he’d collected over the years – clean of the blood it was so hopelessly drenched in.
Chapter Five
Finally, two hourslater, James leaned back in his chair and glanced up.His eyes widened as he looked around the living area.He found Bane sitting there but he also noted that Bastain was there as well.Along with Ari, Sheba, Orrin and Cane.
Ari and Sheba waved at him in a sort of a girl-like teasing way with Cheshire smiles on their faces.
