Chapter 185: Butterfly Effect Part 3

On Friday morning, the Ark Academies had just begun classes, and all students were settled into their respective rooms. Barbara Gordon was currently in one such room in the senior section, attending a general course class when suddenly, the P.A. system crackled to life and delivered a message.

"Barbara Gordon, please report to the director's office immediately. Thank you."

The suddenness of the message caused everyone in the class to glance her way. It wasn't exactly strange, given the special position she held among students, similar to a student body president.

*Wait, I thought the director's position was still empty?* Barbara found the message odd but stood from her seat and quickly left the room.

Soon, she made her way through a series of halls and arrived in front of a large door with the title "Director" on it. Just as she suspected, the slot where a name would normally be placed was still empty.

With a confused expression, she approached the door and knocked lightly. "Uhm, hello, it's Barbara."

Shortly after, the door clicked and opened automatically, slowly swinging open to reveal a fairly modern office with a high-tech aesthetic. Her attention, however, was on the central desk, where she saw Arias leaning against it.

"Oh, Mr. Markovic..." Although it made sense for it to be Arias, Barbara's emotions were conflicted. Who wouldn't feel that way? Unlike most who chose to either side with him or stand against him based on the facts, Barbara remained neutral, unsure of what to believe.

Was Arias really just a criminal mastermind? And if so, what was he planning? Her curiosity had led her to do some digging, but she hadn't found anything conclusive beyond what was publicly known. 

She had also investigated the League to see if they truly operated solely for the government, but in her limited time as one of Batman's protégés, she hadn't seen any evidence of that.

These factors left her nervous about interacting with Arias. Given the circumstances, he could likely tell she suspected him more than before.

Unfortunately for Barbara, while she had the drive, she lacked the resources and experience to uncover the things people didn't want to be found. This was exactly why Arias had tasked her with investigating the moles inside his Ark Academies—to measure her ability. She remained none the wiser, unaware of what Arias truly thought of her.

Seeing her complex expression, Arias quickly discerned that she was becoming less trusting of him. In this situation, any attempt to draw her closer would only raise her suspicion, so he spoke formally.

"Nice of you to join me, Barbara. Don't worry, I won't keep you from class for long. I was just going over a few things with the heads of departments and thought I should consult you about any issues you think I should be aware of among the students."

As Arias spoke, his expression lacked the usual smile she was accustomed to seeing—whether out of confidence or to tease her. This time, he was serious. Barbara noticed the change, but it didn't make her think too much of it.

Caught off guard by the question, she remained silent for a moment before remembering something. 

"Oh yes, there is something. Recently, students have started to divide themselves into groups, with some being more popular than others, so there have been a few cases of bullying. Some students feel like they don't belong to any group and feel left out. I passed a short list of troubled students to my general course teacher, but I haven't received a reply yet..."

She spoke quickly and upright, though the nervousness in her voice was apparent. Arias listened before nodding.

"That's less than I thought—good. I was worried the fear the HS virus caused would have a severe impact on the students—depression, isolation, and the like. It can be troubling if not addressed during the early stages, so please report any problems you notice to a lecturer." Arias showed concern as he spoke and even lowered his head, sighing slightly.

Barbara found it hard to suspect him in that moment. Though she knew Arias was capable of killing, he had shown nothing but care for the Ark Academy population. "I'll be sure to do so, Mr. Markovic."

Arias gave her a small smile and nodded. "I have no doubt. Oh, and before you go, how are you settling in as Batgirl again? Do you feel like you're on the right track?"

This question took Barbara by surprise. She had been expecting something more along the lines of him asking about Batman or the League. But Arias knew that would be a bad idea—he also suspected that Batman might have taken measures to keep an eye on Barbara. For all Arias knew, she could be bugged without even realizing it.

Barbara hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Uh, yeah. Training is still as hard as ever, but I feel like I'm getting it."

Arias smiled and nodded in return. "Good. Gotham's in good hands for the future. Thank you for your time—you may return to your classes."

Barbara offered an awkward smile and nod before leaving the room. Once she was gone, Arias sighed and shook his head. *Let's leave her doubts to settle longer. The emotional impact will be greater then.*