Turner went over the newspapers in fine detail trying to
discern what had happened… The Times had
a story profiling some of the wealthiest men in the world… and he was surprised
to find a sketch of himself among the pictures… “Baron of the McNeil-Hardy
estate, Turner D Century is the financial epicenter of San Francisco…” The
profile listed many different companies that he was the owner of. Looking over the profiles Turner saw that
there were two cities that he didn’t recognize and both had two different
entries. In Gotham Connecticut, there
was Bruce Wayne, the head of Wayne Industries and the Wayne Foundations charity
while the other entry was the “Mysterious Bat-man” and his circus of vigilantes. In Metropolis New York out by Niagra Falls,
the financial baron was Lex Luthor, an industrialist while the other main man
was “Superman” the mysterious “Man of Tomorrow” and head of the Kryptonian family
of heroes.
“Why is there always a supporting cast for these heroes?”
Turner wondered aloud, “Why can’t they stay isolated and alone? Why do they always get partners, understudies
and sidekicks?”
Turner let out a hearty chuckle as he read the notice
from New York City… Edwin Jarvis, head of Stark Industries and guardian of the
insane man-child Tony Stark. Turner
noted that Van Dyne Industries was still thing and that the heiress in charge
was still the socialite Janet Van Dyne… The woman largely responsible for the new-fangled
craze of rubber clothing for all women…
“Hm… Reed Richards is still at play here too and
according to this is behind the secret of Van Dyne’s daily wear rubber clothing…”
Turner mused, “He must still have the secret of his Unstable Molecules that
made the Fantastic Four’s uniforms impervious to their own powers and has sold
the secret to Miss Van Dyne.”
Turner went over some of the other sections of the newspapers…
Sadly the Avenger were still a thing here.
There was a notice of a charity boxing match between Captain America and
Thor. And there was an article about the
Black Widow… interestingly the article called her the princess of the Russian
Empire’s Spies and asserted that there were rumors that she was one of the
orphans sponsored by the Tsar himself… Turner
chuckled at the description of her costume taking note of the Widow’s red Hour
Glass on the black rubber bustle of her skirt…
“I wonder,” Turned mused for a second.
He reached into his night stand and retrieved the “E-Reader”
tablet. It was still there, but it had
notable changes… the buttons were engraved brass that looked like they were
hand fitted. There was a knock at the
door.
“Mister Century…” a woman’s voice called, “May I enter?”
“Yes,” Turner answered.
The woman that entered was clad in the exact same outfit
as the one that had delivered his papers and coffee, but this woman was Hispanic
with a streak of blue hair running throw her bun.
“Mister Century,” the woman looked down as she squeezed in
the door, “A Miss Kane of Gotham’s Kane Industries is here to see you. I told her you were not ready to see anyone
but she insisted.”
Turner could tell the woman wanted to continue to call
the visitor rude or worse.
“If she insists on seeing me, I will forgo my morning
bath… But I will not forgo the use of the lavatory. Tell her I will be with her shortly,” Turner
commented.
“Yes Master!” the girl backed out of the door.
Turner rose from bed and went to the lavatory attached to
his bed room and was pleased to see that those modern connivances had remained. Siting on the very modern and very
comfortable toilet he thought about what was happening… So much was Edwardian
and traditional yet many of the things he liked about the demandable world of
the future remained. Woman knew their
place but dressed in a manner that very much pleased him even if he refused to
admit it in public.
*
The Maid with the blue hair, “Julianna” as another maid
had called her led Turner down to the sitting room where his guest waited. She was clad in a mix of Victorian,
Edwardian, steam punk, and fetish… Her knee high black leather boots were
modern Punk ‘shit kicker’ boots with a thick chunky heel, her stockings from
what he could see were white rubber, her pencil skirt went from just above her
knee to below the coat and was made of gun metal grey leather, the short jacket
was also gun metal grey leather, the blouse peeking out at the neck was scarlet
silk and Edwardian in cut and on her head was a small steam punky miniature top
hat pinned in her almost neon short red hair.
As soon as he entered she snapped at him.
“CENTURY! KEEP
AWAY FROM KANE INDUSTRIES!” she barked before taking a deep breath and
continuing, “I know you have trying convince the managers of my California
Companies to jump ship on me so you can take over… but trust me, I will never
sell to you and if push came to shove, I will sign everything over to my
cousin, Bruce Wayne!”
Miss Kane poke a finger into the collar of the bathrobe
on Turners chest.
“And everyone will accept Bruce Wayne as a rightful heir
since he is the son of Martha Kane!”
“Miss Kane,” Turner tried to pile on the charm, “I think
you miss understand. I am not interested
in buying your assets of stealing them, rather I have been looking for a more
traditional and long term merger, the kind where our child inherits both
companies?”
Kane’s eyes narrowed, she crossed her arms and then a faint
smile crept into the corner of her scarlet painted lips. She lunged over around Turner and French
kissed the maid Julianna grasping cheeks with both hands. Breaking the kiss Kane leaned back and stared
at Turner for a second.
“I would rather be saddled with a Cobblepot than bear
your child,” Kane then smiled at the maid again, “Although I would happily be
barren with a bride… Stay away from Kane
industries!”
Miss Kane turned and left.
Turner turned to the maid, whose cheeks were as flush and
red as the visitor’s hair had been.
“Master, I would be honored to bear your child,” the maid
said, “I would be honored to help you practice for your chosen bride…”
“Yes,” Turner thought to himself.
‘Miss Kane of Gotham is rather queer…’ Turner mused, ‘I
must learn more about Gotham and Metropolis… as well as the new versions of the
heroes I had faced before…”