Night had fallen completely. After driving all day, Bruce was mentally drained. All he wanted now was to return to that rented room and get some proper sleep, but Gotham had proven that no day ever brought anything good.
He had barely sat down on the sofa after getting home when he heard movement outside the door. Someone was pounding on it. Bruce warily approached the door and listened to the sounds outside.
Before long, a man's voice called out, "Open up! Open the door, now! I'm the landlord, open up!"
Bruce had no intention of opening the door, but it was soon unlocked from the outside. It had not been forced open—the man had used a key.
A gloomy-looking man stood outside, sizing Bruce up. "Who are you? Where's the original tenant?"
"I'm Selene's boyfriend..."
"I don't care what your relationship is. I only rent my property to people I trust. Get the hell out, stranger!" the landlord shouted.
"But the rent hasn't expired yet..."
"I don't care about the rent!" the landlord raised his voice. "Whoever I rent to can stay. Anyone I didn't rent to needs to get the hell out!"
Bruce saw through him. The landlord simply wanted the place back so he could rent it out again and collect rent twice. Faced with someone this unreasonable and overbearing, Bruce had no intention of reasoning with him. He raised the gun in his hand.
The landlord stared at him. "Don't think you're the only one with a gun. No one gets to break the rules here. If you don't leave soon, just wait and see."
With that, he turned and left. Bruce stood by the door watching him go, a bad feeling rising in his chest.
Back in the room, exhausted after a full day, Bruce