___

Sure enough, training became relentless, adding ruthlessness to the mix the more I started to get things down. Once most of the basics had been learned, Nightwing did more than nudge me past my breaking points. He shoved me, metaphorically and physically. He never held anything back, and that was how I learned how to truly defend myself. There were countless days I was left with more bruises than skin at the end of training. Some days I even left contemplating if it was worth it. In the end, I always returned, however, stronger and a little wiser than the day before. After those tough days, I would return to Sydney, and discuss what I learned.

Nightwing taught me some acrobatics while he was at it, figuring out how to maneuver my body to do what I wanted. Soon, every lesson became muscle memory, and it became unique to me. When I fought, I learned to channel strength into my limbs instead of my fists, providing heavy blows despite my lean stature. I favored evasion before eventually combining it with my powers, becoming nothingness to avoid the blows of enemies. My proudest accomplishment was learning how to stay clear-headed in the face of danger, never once bringing out the monstrous claws my abilities had in their arsenal.

Nightwing said my attacks and defenses were still sloppy, but agreed they were coming together. I was never able to beat him in sparring, however. Nightwing, in his cheeky, devious nature, always had a trick up his sleeve. His lecture after taking me down was always the same:

"Expect the unexpected, even if you think you expect it. As cliche and confusing as it is. It's the best way not to get killed out there. Have an open mind to what could happen."

One day, two months later, I finally got that lesson down, beating him with his weapon after he attempted to catch me off guard. Up next, was to wait for the next step, for the final touches.

So wait I did. For the rest of that week, I waited till the days died out. Working with Sydney during the day, fetching different things for the workers in Wayne Enterprises. On that Friday, I was pulled aside by Sydney after I had run out to get everyone some lunch. With the brown bags of different sandwich orders in my hands, she grabbed me gently and pulled me into a corridor.

“Hey kiddo, sorry to bug you. I just got a word from Lucius. Once you’re done, go see him. It sounds important.”

She gave me the look, and I knew instantly it wasn’t anything corporate. Lucius needed something, regarding vigilante work. I gave her a nod.

“Did he tell you anything else?”

She smiled, looking at me as if I asked a preposterous question.

“Other than the fact he hopes his sandwich stays warm after you deliver to the nineteenth floor? No. Nothing about what we both know it’s about.”

“O-Oh. Right.”

“It’s okay, kid. Just make sure you get to him soon. And if you’re looking to get out of the gossip circle when you visit Shannon, just tell her Sydney needs you back ASAP.”

With a wink and a smile, Sydney walked away. I turned to face the elevator I was near, and walked through its metal doors to complete my task, wondering what was in store for me in Lucius’ office.

___

When I arrived at Lucius’ office floor, I knocked. Once receiving the okay, I opened the heavy doors and was greeted with the unfamiliar site of Lucius standing alone in his posh and undoubtedly expensive attire. Usually, I was used to seeing Lucius alongside my temporary mentor, Nightwing, chatting about different happenings around the neighboring city, Bludhaven. Curious as to why the scene had changed this time, I walked over to greet Lucius at his desk.

“Hey, Lucius. How are you doing?”

“Well, I’m fine with all things considered. I have many an investor leaning on me about a deadline for a certain product. They are threatening to pull if it isn’t complete.”

“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that. What’s the product?”

“An… improvement, of sorts. On a previous invention. A formula for an injection made for military soldiers. Increases adrenaline and pain tolerance for the injured, so they can stay alive longer. To either continue to fight or until help can reach them.”

“That sounds very important, Lucius. I could see why they’d want that as soon as possible.”

I nodded, listening to him describe the product.

“Well, part of the issue is making sure it won’t fall into the wrong hands. Having security measures in place is part of the job.”

“Wrong hands?”

I asked, puzzled.

“There’s always a misuse for a product. No matter the good intentions behind it.”

Lucius explained, before walking over to the window.

“Then again, you would get the product first,”

Lucius spoke, glancing back at me for a second.

“You mean, you give WayneTech out to the people you help out there?”

“Well, I like to think of it as lending, instead of giving. That’s how it’s always been. In fact. WayneTech had a hand in making what I wanted to show you today.”

I felt my body fill with excitement. Lucius and Nightwing had been dropping hints about gadgets, and different tech I would be using out in the streets. Now I knew what was important. Lucius was ready to introduce me to it finally. I had but one question, however.

“Where’s Nightwing? Is he coming in too?”

“Ah. Sadly that’s another thing I must reveal. Good news, and bad news. The good news is Nightwing concluded your lessons. The bad news, unfortunately, is that it was done prematurely. Bludhaven needed his presence, which meant he had to leave.”

I walked over beside Lucius, still perplexed by the statement.

“So… he’s gone? And my training done? What does that mean for me?”

“It means-”

Lucius paused, turning to me while pushing his glasses up.

“- That you’re ready. He had asked me to relay back to you that even though there is so much more to learn, he believes you’re ready for your first task out in the field.”

A flutter in my chest caused me to almost lose my balance. Silence was all I could emit, trying to process the words Lucius had just spoken. Until finally, words of disbelief slipped from my tongue.

“Y-You’re not messing with me, Lucius? Are you serious? I’ll get to finally help?”

Once he nodded, I let a gasp out, followed by a small smile. Everything I had worked for, was now here. The bruises, cuts, and bumps I had endured all led to this. I looked at Lucius, with gratitude splashed across my face. If only Nightwing were here to thank for his hand, as well.

I could see the warm smile painted across Lucius’ lips. Glimpses of pride reflected from his eyes as he spoke.

“I’m proud of you, O’Harren. I hope you realize that. You’ve worked so hard to get to where you are now.”

I looked out the window, glancing at the bright city lights that gleamed in the afternoon sun. The city that I would soon be serving was shining brighter than ever in the dying September light.

“Lucius…. I-I don’t know what to say. Thank you… I wouldn’t have been here without you, or Sydney. Or Nightwing. All of you believed in me… And I’ll continue the fight for you all…”

Lucius chuckled, walking out from behind his desk towards the elevator.

“Well, if you’re going to fight, you’ll need the tools to help you do so. It’s time to introduce you to some of them.”

Once he spoke, I hopped behind him, following him to the elevator as I took his subtle hint to join him. We both stepped inside the elevator, and I could feel my arms almost shake due to the excitement. Lucius pressed the button for the Lab, after giving access with the keycard on his suit. After a brief moment, the elevator doors opened to a bright white light, and we stepped into the mechanical spotlight.

“Lucius, where is everyone?” I asked, noting the time. Usually, Sydney and her crew would be all about, making and testing different things for Wayne Enterprises.

“Ah, all at a staff meeting on floor six. Deliberately planned for today.”

“What if someone walks in?” I asked, looking around suspiciously.

“I have their keycards locked for an hour. This won’t take long.”

Just as Lucius spoke, he went to the computer. Once he inputted the commands, the room began to shift like I had seen it before. I saw the brightness in the room fade as the walls changed, and each station flipped itself into something new.

A new exhibit caught my eye, as the different stations changed. A case that housed a feminine mannequin, which last time stood barren, was no longer so. Walking past the different gadgets and artifacts, I approached slowly gazing upon what adorned the mannequin inside of the cylinder display case. A black armored bodysuit wrapped tightly around the mannequin's plastic body, sleek and shiny. The ribbed panels in the suit assured security, as the light material looked surprisingly protected. The sleek black material was interrupted by a bronze-like metal that embellished different parts of the armored suit, like the center of the chest which held a strange symbol of what I interpreted to be a bat. The knee-high armored boots, belt, and gauntlet-like gloves all shared the bronze material as well, with certain parts of the armor harboring some scratches and scrapes. What brought life to the attire was the black and bronze cape that proudly covered the shoulders of the suit, the sharp edges flowing down just above the ankles.

I was mesmerized by the armor, looking at the beauty and the boldness of it. Lucius came up beside me, his smirk visible out of the corner of my eye.

“Interesting that you went right to this one. Like what you see, Ms. O’Harren?”

Not taking my eyes off of the display case, I responded.

“What is this, Lucius? It hasn’t been here before.”

“This is being lent to us. Graciously, by the owner. You’re roughly around the same size. The woman who owned this suit is… retired, of sorts. It took some convincing, but she was willing to relinquish it back to me for some time until yours is completed. She only asked to keep the helmet that came with it.”

I turned to Lucius, confused at his words.

“Y-You’re saying this used to belong to someone? Someone who fought crime in this?”

Lucius paused for a moment, looking at the suit, solemn due to what seemed to be unpleasant memories echoing in his mind. Whatever they were, he wasn’t sharing.

“She used to go by the name Batgirl. Until tragic circumstances befell her, leading her to retire from the mantle. However, she has agreed to pass the torch. To you.”

“I… I don’t know what to say. Are you sure she’s okay with it, Lucius?”

“I’m sure, Ms. O’Harren. She is, however, very fond of this suit. So, she does request you do your best to preserve it to the best of your abilities.”

I nodded excitedly, looking at the suit once more.

“I’ll do everything I can, Lucius. Is there a way I can thank her?”

Lucius stumbled over his words briefly as I turned to look at him again. He finally agreed to a nod, before speaking.

“I’ll- uh… Relay the message. She is fond of her privacy.”

I nodded slowly, accepting what Lucius was offering. Something deep within me was crying out that there was some secrecy in Lucius’ statement. Like there was something he didn’t want me to know. I studied him carefully, watching as he moved over to introduce me to something else. His hands pointed at the wall, where a multitude of tech and gadgets resided. He began pointing each out to me.

“These will be some tools you’ll use in the field. Like the voice synthesizer, used to replicate an individual's vocal patterns. Or, this-”

He paused, picking up what I thought originally were guns. That was until I noticed the claws at the edge.

“- Grapples, for travel. Specifically to or from higher areas…”

___

Lucius continued, moving from restraints and grapples to an explosive gel-like substance and smoke grenades, to interrupter devices and other technological gadgets that work in the user's favor. I followed him to each one, asking questions as we went along. Later in the night, once most had gone home, I was able to practice with some of them, using most of the techniques Nightwing taught me to be cautious with them. The grapples were my favorite, as I found using them came naturally, somehow. I even got to try on the suit, fitting me like a glove. Despite how heavy it seemed, it was breathable, and light. Lucius explained that the suit used to have a helmet, but the mysterious woman who lent it wanted to keep it for sentimental reasons. Instead, a mask was given, which concealed the upper half of my face. Obscuring enough of my identity away under its straight, black material. The only downside to the suit was the cape. What I thought would be a fine addition turned out to be a slight bother. I was slightly shorter than the original wearer, making the long cloth drape behind me on the floor. On occasion, I almost tripped myself on the heavy cloth, accidentally stepping on the cape. Despite the minor setback, I started to feel comfortable in the suit. Like it was a second skin.

When the night settled, we concluded. Lucius let me know that Sydney was waiting for me in the parking garage. With my new suit and gear in a protective case, I was about to leave the room when Lucius halted me. Before I could toddle off, he motioned for me to come to him.

“Ah! Ms. O’Harren, I forgot something.”

As I approached him, I watched as he grabbed three small devices from the wall. He met me halfway, extending the devices to me. I took each one, studying the shapes. One looked like a small oval, connected to an earpiece. Another, was a circular device, with the same bat symbol adorning the top of it. The last object was smaller than a button, with a slight red tint to it.

“These, you’ll need. A comms unit for communicating in the field, a signaling device that’ll alert you when you’re needed in the field, and a tracking device. Hook that to your suit under your boots, and we’ll be able to see your location in the field in the instance of trouble.”

“Trouble?” I asked quietly. I looked up at him, moving my thumb over the small tracking device.

“What kind of trouble do you think is out there, Lucius? You mentioned the last girl had something tragic happen…”

Lucius sighed softly, putting a hand on my shoulder.

“I warned you before about the dangers of this work. Remember Mr. Elliot?”

I winced slightly, thinking about the serial killer again.

“Unfortunately, sir.”

“Well, there is peril just like that night, Ms. O’Harren. This work is not for the faint of heart… But it is for the betterment of Gotham. Still. It’s not too late to back out.”

I closed my eyes, breathing in before exhaling a heavy sigh in determination.

“No, Lucius. It isn’t that. I want to help, I do. I just want to be prepared.”

Lucius looked at me, smiling slightly.

“Remember what you trained on, and you will be Ms. O’Harren. Do you think you’re ready?”

I thought for a moment. Thinking of all the spars, and the knockdowns. Also thinking of the victories. Every advantage I could possibly have. It dawned on me that I’ve done all I can in the time I’ve had. It was finally time to put it to the test.

“I’m ready to be out there Lucius. Just let me know when we can start.”

He raised his eyebrow, looking at me with a challenge in his eyes.

“How about tomorrow then? We’ll begin your first night then. You remember the plan?”

I nodded, thinking back to what we discussed a month ago. In order to not raise Sydney’s attention, I would sneak out of the small bedroom window in the room I resided in. However, thanks to Sydney’s awareness, unbeknownst to Lucius, I didn’t have to be as stealthy.

“Good. Tomorrow, use your gear to make it to Wayne Enterprises. Meet me on the rooftop when I signal you. That’ll be your first task.”

My eyebrows bunched together in confusion.

“W-Wait. How will I get there?”

“Consider that your first test. Use what gear you have to figure that out. I trust you remember the route to here?”

I nodded silently, swallowing my questions and concerns.

“Good. Then I shall see you then. Goodnight, Ms. O’Harren.”

My nerves kicked in right as he mentioned the word ‘test.’ This was my chance to prove myself ready, I thought. If I screwed up the first, most basic task, who knows how I’ll fare fighting crime. The anxiety rushed through me as I agreed to Lucius’ terms. We parted ways, as I left to greet Sydney awaiting me in the car.

___

I barely slept through the night, thinking instead of how I would navigate the city unseen. The grapple Lucius gave me was an option, but I was still new to the tech. On top of that, it would be difficult with just one. Tossing and turning in my sheets, night turned to day. The echo of the waking city slipped through the thin walls of my small room, and I begrudgingly made my way to the kitchen with the chains of exhaustion weighing my body down.

It wasn’t until I saw Syndey sitting at the dining table that an idea formed. What Lucius didn’t know was that I had an advisor at my fingertips, and she was clever enough to help me figure out the preferred method of transportation.

Once we exchanged dramatic goodbyes with Bill, we entered the car. Before she could even speak, I jumped down her throat with my burning question.

“Sydney! Tonight’s my first night out, and I need your help.”

Sydney’s eyes widened, surprised by my sudden enthusiastic desperation.

“I uh… You were telling me that you were done with training. You didn’t tell me he wanted you to start tonight!”

I lightly panicked. She was right, I had forgotten to mention that to her last night. Completely clouded by the question of how I would even accomplish making my way to Wayne Tower.

“Sorry, Sydney. I was a little… distracted.”

“By what kiddo?”

“He gave me a test of sorts. I need to meet him at Wayne Tower tonight when he signals, but the issue is I have no clue what to do or how to get there.”

“Well. Knowing Lucius he would have given you at least something. What did you come home with yesterday in the big case?”

“Uh, a suit, some tech… A grapple!”

I paused, snapping quickly as we began to brainstorm.

I lowered my shoulders in disappointment, however.

“Wait. One alone is hard to travel long distances in. That crosses that off.”

Looking back at the case in the back seat, I grabbed it. Bringing it in my lap, I clicked it open. As I did, Sydney spoke.

“Wait. How the hell does Lucius expect you to get to him without tipping me off.”

I made a wincing face, knowing the answer would not please her in the slightest.

“The window… In the room I’m staying in?”

I asked, raising my voice in a hesitant question.

The look of disapproval was strong on her face. Slight irritation flushed her cheeks.

“Oh- That man! Making a girl like you sneak out of my window. In my own apartment! What’s next, he wants you to take my car? You better at least close the window!”

A quick light flashed in my eyes as I looked over at her. The idea I had in my head was snuffed out as hastily as it came, however, as Sydney saw what I was planning and shot it down coldly.

“Oh hell no. Not my car, girl. Not with what you are about to go out and do.”

She looked, before glancing down at the suitcase. A gasp escaped her lips when she saw the suit I was given, folded neatly inside. She went to touch it before stopping herself.

“No way! You? Batgirl? How’d you get this?”

“Oh, uh. No. Lucius said it was lent to me from her. Whoever she is. I’ve never heard-”

“As much as I’m cautious about vigilantes and what they do, Batgirl was a badass. And kind too. Bill and I encountered her when the corner store a few years back when it was being robbed. We all watched her whoop the man in the alley before he could escape. She was also there to help when-”

Sydney stopped herself. Before she could finish, she paused in solemn silence, clearing her throat of the words she almost spoke.

“Anyway. She was kind… You didn’t tell me you got her suit.”

I smiled slightly.

“I guess I didn’t know her significance. The suit fits me perfectly. Except the cape gets in th-”

“The cape! That’s it!”

Sydney clapped her hands, before grabbing the suit. She unfolded it, the cape almost overtaking the car.

“What the?- See! This thing’s even bigger than the car!”

I laughed in utter annoyance after speaking. Sydney only chortled, looking over at me as if she judged my intelligence slightly.

“Maybe that’s because it’s not just a cape. Seeing Batgirl, she could glide with this thing, somehow. You know- as if she could fly? Kinda the whole schtick with the Bat Gang.

I didn’t have time to question her on what the ‘Bat Gang’ was. Instead, I jumped right into what I was itching to know.

“Well, how?”

“I’m not too sure. She’d… grip the edges like this-”

Sydney paused, similarly gripping onto the cape to show me.

“-and she’d glide in the air. Maybe tonight, you can get to the rooftop of the apartment and try it out?”

I smiled at her, excitement rushing through me.

“You’re a genius Sydney. Thank you!”

“I am, but thank you, Sarah.”

She gave me a warm smile before patting me on my knee. As we drove off, I put the suit back in the case, looking out the window. As the world blurred, so did my thoughts.

I had my means of transportation, now I just needed to courage to execute the plan.

___

Work went well enough, with my intern duties seeming to satisfy the employees at Wayne Enterprises. Since Lucius was only there for a brief moment, I stopped by to ask for a second grapple gun. After he obliged, Sydney and I went home after her shift ended. Sure enough once home, Sydney taught me how to keep track of bills before attempting to teach me a simple Chicken A-La King. After narrowly saving our dinner from burning, Bill returned home. We ate, talked, and laughed at Bill’s melodramatic retellings of the day, all before the night concluded. Bill retired early, and before Sydney followed she pulled me into a close hug, whispering in my ear.

“I’m proud of you. But please, be careful tonight Sarah. You got everything you need?”

I nodded carefully, looking up at her with a nervous smile. It seemed the pressure of tonight would take over my eyes, misting them with tears of fleeting courage.

“I’m kind of scared, Sydney,” I whispered back.

Sydney looked at me with sympathetic eyes. I could tell she wanted to talk me out of it, but instead, she paused. The gears in her head shifted towards my needs rather than hers. Like a natural, maternal instinct in her that arose.

“You can do this, kiddo. Just remember your training. And remember you’ve got more than those deadbeats out there. Understand?”

Nodding once more, she pulled me into another hug.

“Thank you, Sydney.”

After a long hug, we retired to our respective rooms. Normally, I would have climbed into the soft covers to retreat into a quiet slumber. Instead, I sat on the edge of my bed, staring directly at the suitcase on a stool in the corner of the room. Leaning directly against it was the bat-shaped signaling device, staring at me as I waited for its call in anticipation. It felt like hours, and despite my nerves calling for some kind of action all I could do was sit in vigilance, still and at the ready.

When time seemed to slow, that’s when the moment struck me.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

The noise emitted, almost snapping a sense of action into my brain. A subtle red flashing light blinked in the device, alerting my eyes. I leaped towards it, grabbing the device off of the suitcase. I thrust the suitcase onto the bed, flinging it open to retrieve what I needed.

Firstly, the suit. I adorned it quickly and cautiously. Lucius warned me to make sure everything was secure, as the slightest thing out of place could mean an open weakness for me. Second, was the belt, gloves, and boots. Once those were in place, I attached each of the gadgets Lucius gave me to the large belt around my waist, securing them to my person. Thirdly, was the large cape, which I attached to the clips on the shoulders. Finally, would be the mask, which was the most important feature, according to Lucius, as identity was the most vulnerable thing we possessed.

Once I had everything set, I ran to open the window but happened to stop as I ran past the mirror by the closet door. Frozen, I became distracted by who I had become. When I approached the mirror, my reflection became clear. A suit of immense beauty and boldness now made me complete. Long, chestnut hair almost blended in with the bronze metal that illuminated the armored suit. Pale skin was protected by the black material underneath, except for my face, which now was concealed by a heavy domino mask secured to my eyes. Pale green eyes that peaked through with wonder.

All the fear I had melted away for a brief moment as if the suit had given me a streak of courage. The wonder in my eyes had then turned, shifting to a gleam of determination. The girl I had seen before this moment was almost a false image of myself. This was who I wanted to be. Someone strong, someone who protects rather than maims.

I finally felt like who I was supposed to be.

Snapping back to reality, I gave myself a brief nod in the mirror. Affirming myself to go out and do what I needed. Once done, I broke my gaze, running towards the window and opening it carefully. Climbing out of the opened glass entrance into the night. I closed the window behind me, before starting to stealthily climb to the roof of the apartment.

The cold chill of the September winds crept behind my neck, blowing my hair wildly as I climbed up the different balconies, doing my best not to raise suspicions. Before training, this feat would have been difficult to complete.

I guess I had Nightwing to thank for my conditioning, I thought. Something I’d do if I ever saw him again.

Making it onto the roof, I could feel my heart pounding within me. Slowly walking towards the edge, I stopped once my toes were hanging off of the edge. I could hear my nervous breathing, echoing loudly in my ears. I closed my eyes briefly, remembering what Sydney said earlier.

“She’d… grip the edges like this- and she’d glide-”

With my eyes closed, I did my best to replicate how Sydney gripped the cape in the car. I then opened my arms as wide as I could. With the cape flapping in the wind, tightened by my grip, I fought with myself.

Jump, or not to jump?

Fear was tackling my courage, as I opened my eyes to look at where I wanted to go. The building across the way, another apartment complex in the making, was slightly lower. That would be my target.

"Jump!"

The voice from within me came out, almost as if it were to nudge me with encouragement. Just as it spoke, I followed its instructions.

My feet leaped off of the edge, leaning forward to dive into the night. I held onto the cape for dear life, but what I thought would be an easy glide was not so. I couldn’t help but shriek out in panic as the cape fluttered in the wind, causing me to falter in the air. I realized quickly I was not gliding, but instead falling. My heart skipped many beats, as my mind begged out desperately for ideas.

What a way to go, I thought. A vigilante in the making killed before they could even make their first assignment.

That’s when impulse and survival instincts kicked in. I let go of the cape, as relying on it was useless anyway. Quickly, I made the split choice to reach for one of the grapple guns in my belt. I had only seconds to spare. I managed to grab it, and without wasting time I aimed for the apartment complex under construction.

Within a second, I pulled the trigger.

I felt the cable from the device shoot out from the gunlike gadget. In just brief moments, the grapple attached to the roof of the building. Being just feet from the ground, the sudden yank of the grapple began pulling me towards the apartment, causing me to swing through the night air as I held on to the grapple gun for dear life. My stomach churned, and my heart stopped as the sudden feeling of weightlessness and a lack of gravity became my reality for a few seconds. I approached the edge of the building, and I realized quickly I wouldn’t be able to make it over. Instead of a straight shot, I’d be catapulting straight into the brick building.

Once again, with seconds to think, I lifted my body up as the grapple brought me inches from the edge of the building. Managing to flip my body over, I narrowly avoided the crash, maneuvering myself onto the roof. I began to tumble, rolling onto the roof roughly as the grapple gun retracted. I stopped deadcenter of the roof, breathing heavily and letting myself settle after two near-death experiences within seconds of each other.

Slowly pushing myself up, I kneeled. Clearly, the cape was not my way to Wayne Enterprises, as it required secrets and knowledge I did not possess. I cursed silently, spitting on the ground as I dusted myself off. I stood up, looking around at where I was. Looking into the distance, I could see the large tower of Wayne Enterprises, mocking me with its bright blue lettering. Holding up the grapple gun, my eyes peered at its features as I brainstormed a different way to complete my test.

That’s when another idea hit me. One grapple alone was impossible. I had, however, grabbed an extra today when I went to see Lucius. I don’t know why I thought about it, but at this moment I was glad I did. I quickly reached to grab the second one from my belt, now holding both in my hand.

It was now or never, I thought.

Without another second to waste, I aimed one grapple at a building in the distance. Pulling the trigger, I began flying towards it as the cable dragged me behind it. Before reaching the destination, however, I shot the other grapple at another building, while at the same time clicking the release button on the first one. Before I knew it, I was soaring through the sky, using the grapples to swing from the buildings with ease. I couldn’t help but cheer in excitement. It was as if I was soaring, flying like a bird in the night.

Stolen novel; please report.

Sooner than later, Wayne Enterprises was closer to me than before. When it was a grapple away, I could see a figure standing on the roof, pacing back and forth slowly. An idea formed in my head, and instead of aiming the last grapple at Wayne Industries, I closed my eyes. My abilities allowed me to move from place to place, almost reappearing as if from the shadows. I imagined my new place behind Lucius on the roof, and in an instant, I was in the air without any grapples to keep me airborne. However, Instead of falling. I felt my feet fall onto my knees as the ground reached them. When I opened my eyes, I had reappeared on the roof, right behind Lucius.

He quickly turned around in surprise, almost flinching from the sound of my knees colliding with the concrete on the roof. Once he realized who was behind him, he gave a slight chuckle.

“Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting you to make your way here with those. But regardless, you’re here. Congratulations, Ms. O’Harren.”

Once I absorbed the impact, I couldn’t help but grin widely as he said this. Standing up, I walked over to Lucius, with the wind blowing past me in a slight gust.

“Thank you, Lucius. Now, what’s next?”

“Right into it, I see. I can appreciate that. First things first, do you have your communications unit?”

I quickly reached into my bronze belt, grabbing the small oval earpiece. Lucius instructed me on how to put it in my ear and activate it. Once I did, he pressed two fingers to his ear, and I could hear the echo of his voice in the earpiece.

“Can you hear me alright?”

I confirmed that I could, and Lucius instructed me on how to talk as well. After testing was complete, Lucius pulled out a remote from his suit pocket.

“Now that the comms unit is settled, we don’t have much time. There’s currently a robbery in progress on Miagani Island.”

I tilted my head in confusion.

“Miagani? Where is that?”

“Ah, somewhere a little too far to reach with your grapples alone. Hence why I prepared this-”

Lucius pressed a button on the small remote, and once he did an object that stood beside him shot up, levitating in the air. When I got a good look, I realized it looked similar to a hang glider, with two short handles directly under it. The large machine made of dark silver metal had boosters behind it, lighting up in flames to prevent it from falling.

“Normally, we’d find transportation on the ground for you. But since you cannot yet operate any vehicles, I decided to configure this using the blueprints for another invention. A smaller version, if you would. I’ve simply dubbed it ‘The Wing.’ It will take you to the coordinates I input via artificially intelligent autopilot.”

Curious, I approached it, looking under it in awe. I put my grapples away, before lightly touching the handles. My nerves came back, as I was reeled back into reality. A robbery was in progress, and I was about to go stop it. My heart rate picked up significantly, as I stared at The Wing in contemplation and focus.

“Nervous, still?”

As my breath began to shake, I nodded in response. Lucius gave a sympathetic nod in my direction. Despite all the fear inside of my being, I swallowed it down. I couldn't back out now, not when I was needed. I needed to be brave, for those counting on me in that robbery. With a slight shake of my head, I shook all doubt away. It was time to be cold, and let my instincts take over my fear.

“I’ll be alright. Where’s the robbery on Miagani? What;s the situation, Lucius?”

“The third-floor luxury shop, Calliste, in Midtown Mall currently has a robbery in progress. From what it sounds like from Police Scanners, it's two men specifically targeting the luxury shop on the third floor. They don't have masks on, which allows me to go back and work on face scans for their identity. I'll let you know when it is completed. Two security guards seem to be in on it as well. They managed to lure the majority of security staff into a backroom and barricade it shut.”

As Lucius spoke, I gripped onto The Wing’s handles, holding on for dear life. However, a mechanism dropped down once I did, allowing me to stand on a bar so I wouldn’t be hanging on in a struggle.

"- The two guards were eventually knocked out by the two perpetrators. But they stood completely still while they did so... According to police reports. Be careful when you're in there. And be extra vigilant. Remember Nightwing's steps to accessing situations. I'll keep in touch. Through your comms. And Ms. O’Harren-"

My attention snapped to him as I looked Lucius in the eye, waiting to hear his last word.

“- I believe in you. I’ll see you back soon.”

With that, Lucius pressed a button on his remote, and The Wing shot off into the distance, making me lose my breath in surprise. I watched as he faded in the distance, the night sky swallowing him whole as we left Wayne Enterprises. My attention then turned to the clouds whirling by, the stars in the night shining brightly in my eyes. They seemed so close as if I could reach out and touch them. Once again, I was mesmerized by the journey, gaining a newfound determination as I flew through the windy sky.

I can do this, I thought. I can stop this robbery, and in doing so, I would be on my first road to redemption.

___

After a few moments of flying over the different Islands of Gotham, The Wing began lowering down towards a building. When I saw the letters “Midtown Mall,” I knew my destination was close. I noticed the sound of gunshots ringing out, and my heart began to pump adrenaline throughout my system. Without a second thought, I let go of the handles, leaping from the bar that held me up. Regret instantly hit me as I began to free fall.

Why did I do that, I thought.

The feeling of weightlessness filled me, as I dropped from the sky. My eyes drifted to the parking lot, and I knew what I needed to do. Focusing my energy, I willed myself to reappear on the asphalt in front of the mall. Closing my eyes, and opening them, I changed places. No longer falling, I was standing feet first on the ground.

Made it, I thought. Now I needed to run.

I sprinted as fast as my legs could carry me. Bursting through the mall doors, I ran in, only stopping to look above me at the massive structure of the mall. Though it only had three floors, the elongated building indicated it had plenty of stores. I recounted the information Lucius gave me in my head, to remind myself of the mission.

"Third floor. Luxury Shop. Damn. What's the name?"

I whispered to myself. I began running in, touching the button on my comms unit.

"Lucius, I’m in! But, what store is it again? "

I ran through the empty marble lobby, trying to find an escalator or staircase somewhere. Gunshots and screams were getting louder, as they echoed inside the establishment. My heart raced.

I needed to get to them in time. I couldn’t fail anyone today.

I managed to find a flight of stairs, and I began to run up them, disappearing a reappearing in smoke steps ahead to make the ascent faster. When I made it to the third floor, I followed the sound of the gunshots.

“I believe the name in the reports was-”

POP! POP!

Suddenly, shots rang through the air, making Lucius’ voice fade away in my ears. My adrenaline continued to kick in as I ran.

I need to hurry. I NEED to hurry, I thought.

Suddenly, I came up to a large store on my right. I could see people huddled behind shelves and clothing racks, with shrieks and sobs coming from the cashiers up front. All three employees were held at gunpoint by two looming figures wearing dark clothing. I looked up at the glowing cursive sign above the store entrance.

"Calliste. I found it!"

I exclaimed in my comms unit. I rushed into the luxury store as soon as I confirmed it, hearing a monotone voice coming from a middle-aged man in a grey sweater. He was threatening to shoot the cashier in front of him if she didn't empty the register. The way he spoke was off. I couldn't quite place it, but there was no time to. I had to get the two gunmen subdued. I couldn't let him hurt anyone in here. The weight of the mission began to dawn on me, and I lifted it on my shoulders with the determination I carried here with me.

Just as the man in grey pushed his gun to the cashier's temple, I reappeared to the side of him, managing to turn into my shadowed form. I expected him to be startled, but he just turned quickly in my direction. I quickly used all of my might to kick him into his younger accomplice, sending the two back. When the younger man balanced out, he pointed his pistol at me, firing. I knew his move even before he did, and I anticipated it, changing into my nonsolid form. This was just like training, and I suddenly felt more confident in my moves as I dawned on that realization. Adrenaline still went coursing through me, though. The difference between now and training is that these guys are willing to pull the trigger. These guys won’t hesitate to kill me.

No more games, I told myself. It’s the real deal.

I disappeared from view, only to reappear in black smoke behind the two, kicking the younger man down again. The older man shot his pistol at me, but I phased into pure smoke while he fired, his bullets disappearing into my shadowed body. I quickly jumped and kicked his hand, knocking the pistol from it. Once he was disarmed, I swiped him across the face with the side of my hand, which sent him staggering back. I noticed the young, curly blonde accomplice was getting ready to shoot again, so I phased behind him. Using my elbow, I delivered a powerful blow to the side of his head, making contact with his ear and pampered locks. The hit sent the kid falling hard, connecting ever so violently with the polished tiles. From the thud I heard, it sounded like he would be down for a while.

Well. That took care of him, I thought.

Which only meant it was now his accomplice to take care of. I then looked at the older man on the other side of us and was instantly puzzled by his expression. Blank, lifeless, soulless. As if he wasn't even fazed that I was beating him. Something was wrong with him, but what that could be was still unknown to me. I noticed neither he nor his partner in crime spoke or cried out during the fight. It was like a walking husk of a man, with no life in him.

What in the hell was going on?

My analysis of the man was taken advantage of, as he quickly drew another hidden handgun out of his pocket and fired right at me. Not thinking, I just ducked behind a clothing rack. Behind it, I could see three customers hiding in some coats on the wall, scared to move. I squatted down to conceal myself for a brief moment, hearing the blank man's footsteps walking slowly over. I took a deep breath and looked at the other customers.

"When I tell you to go, bolt okay? Get to the exit!"

I whispered urgently. I saw one of the three frightened customers nod rapidly. I took another breath in, before disappearing out from my cover. I managed to appear right in front of the man, grabbing his trigger hand and twisting it, before headbutting him and swiftly sweeping his feet to make him tumble down. A move Nightwing was fond of, and one he passed onto me.

"Now! Go now! Go!"

Yelling back to the customers, I watched as the three emerged from the coats, running and shrieking out of the store. The man with the blank stare grabbed my ankle, attempting to make me fall as well. I stumbled, but stomped down on his temple, delivering a hard blow to his head. As soon as I did, I felt the grip on my ankle loosen, and the man fell limp.

Oh no.

I was relieved that the fight was over, but a new worry washed over me.

Did I... Did I kill him? Oh god, what if I did?

Switching back to myself, I urgently kneeled by him, trying to remember Lucius' lesson on taking a pulse. The shadowed smoke disappeared around me, as I placed my two right fingers firmly against his wrist, begging him to give me a sign I didn't end him.

Come on... Come on! I felt another wave of panic wash over me just before I felt a miracle. Veins thumping against the skin of the man's wrinkled wrist.

Oh thank God, I thought.

With the fighting done, I slumped down onto the cold tiles, feeling the sweat drip down my face. Though the fight wasn't necessarily hard, the fear of life and death made every move feel like a strain.

I did it. I showed control. Took down the two robbers, alive! The excitement and satisfaction started to pour in.

I completed my first mission.

With this exciting notion, I remembered Nightwing's words about how to deal with situations after. About how I needed to secure people who posed a threat. With that, I quickly ran over to Goldilocks on the side of the store, bringing out one of the pairs of restraints that were given to me by Lucius. After dragging him over to the wall, I securely cuffed Goldilocks to one of the clothing racks that was bolted into it, taking the gun out of his hand. As I made my way back over to the unconscious middle-aged man, I picked up the first pistol he dropped when I kicked it out of his grip. I was about to restrain and confiscate his weapon as well before I saw two people emerge slowly from the back of the store. At first, I thought they were coming to see if it was safe and were being cautious.

"You can come out now! It's safe! Everybody, run for the exit!"

I expected them to sprint for the exit as soon as they heard this, but the only people who did were the cashiers hiding behind the counter. As they ran rapidly, I could still see the two girls walking slowly over. As they got closer, I noticed their expressions- or rather their lack of expressions. Blank, empty, soulless. I felt my suspicions grow, but I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt.

"You guys are safe. The two people robbing the stores are being taken care of. I suggest you hurry out of h-"

Just then, I heard heavy footsteps to my left, inside the store. Startled, I turned to my shadowed form again, ready for anything. Three people, one of them a very large man - a manager from the looks of his attire - emerged from the back of the store. When they did, I noticed each had their own blank expressions.

What in the hell is wrong with them, I thought to myself.

All three walked up slowly, like zombies without life. Just then, I heard the sound of the gun the middle-aged man dropped being picked up, realizing one of the original girls to emerge got to it. I sharply turned my head over in time to see the short-haired teen lifting the handgun's aim at me. All without a single emotion in her gaze.

Right as she fired, I disappeared, quite literally and narrowly dodging a bullet. I reappeared in front of another blank stare, this time it belonged to a girl dressed in gothic attire. She swung a punch at me, catching me off guard. It made contact with my cheek, making me grunt from the force behind it. Though I recovered quickly, swinging the side of my hand at the side of her head, and kneeing her in the chest. Just then, I felt the crushing sensation of a large man's grip around my cape, dragging me towards him. I tried to fight against his strength, but it overpowered me. As he pulled me closer to him, I had an idea. Thinking quickly, I reached on my shoulders and detached the clips that held the cape in place, causing the man to almost falter back as I attempted to run away, free of the burdensome cape and his grip.

My freedom was short-lived, however. The man recovered quicker than I thought, managing to toss away the cape and wrap his strong hands around my person. Within seconds, the burly man swung me around and body-slammed me down hard on the marble. I cried out at the impact but ended up rolling backward, jumping back up to face my opponent. I had no time to process the pain. My back faced the exit of the store, and my eyes focused on the surroundings. As I did, I realized four of the five were walking slowly towards me, with a fifth woman trying sluggishly to open the register. The short-haired girl brandished her pistol, holding it up menacingly. I slowly backed up, trying to figure out how the hell I was going to take them all. That's when I heard the gun reload -

POP! POP! POP!

I quickly phased into a nonsolid form, bullets once again disappearing into me. I looked up and watched as three of the assailants sprinted at me, with the short-haired girl staying behind to aim. I picked up my pace, backing up. Just then I felt the round shape of the railing around my spine.

I guess I backed up into it too quickly because it sent me toppling over onto the second floor. I let out a slight shriek as I fell briefly, crying out as soon as I made contact with the marble flooring below me. Landing on my back, I turned over slowly, feeling pain shoot up my spine, and the wind knocked out of me. I looked up, only to see the three assailants jumping down too. The impact should have hurt them, but they didn't even make a sound when they landed.

What was going on here? I have to figure it out, but to do that, I have to take them down.

I stood up, getting into a defensive stance. In front of me stood the goth girl, another teen, and the hefty manager. I looked up to see that the short-haired girl still pointed the handgun at me. I had to think. I had to figure out quickly who to take out first, in a way that didn't get me killed. The shooter, I thought. She had to go first because if she's up there firing, I won't stand a chance. Then, I needed to take out the weaker people below - the teen and the goth girl. Before finally - focusing on the big guy. The fewer attackers I have focusing on me while I fight the stronger the assailant, the better. Alright, I told myself. I had my game plan. It's time to execute it. The three below started to run at me. I took a deep breath, my shoulders lifting up before I began running too, grabbing out both grapple guns from my belt.

Just as the larger man was about to hit me, I used my right foot to leap off, jumping up and spin-kicking him. He staggered back, and out of my way. While I was still in midair, I aimed the grapple toward the railing above, right by the girl with the handgun. It hooked on, and I jetted up towards her. Before she could pull the trigger, I hopped over the railing, swinging my feet over to kick her back. While she staggered, I ran at her using my elbows to land blows left and right. Luckily, she wasn't very fast with reflexes, so she blocked none of it. I finally used my grapple to smack her upside the jaw, sending her almost soaring back. As she fell, I phased over in front of her, using a sharp round kick to send her into the wall on her left. When she slumped down the marble exterior, I watched for a split second to make sure she stayed down.

She most certainly did, not moving a muscle in her unconscious state. I nodded to myself after confirming, quickly kicking the gun that fell out of her hands over a few yards, making sure that horrid thing was out of her hands. I looked over the railing to see that the three other assailants were trying to run up the escalator to me.

Big mistake, I thought to myself.

I set my sights on the one I'd take out next - The goth girl. I aimed the grapple again to the railing across from me - and above the assailants. It hooked, and as I swung across. As my targets were near, I used my feet to graciously kick the goth girl in her pierced face, making her fly off of the escalator stairs, colliding roughly with the floor below her. From the looks of it, my boots and the impact from falling were enough to subdue her. When the grapple ended, I grabbed onto the railing, swinging over.

Well, that was easy I thought. Now onto the other teen.

I watched as the two remaining assailants made it to the third floor again, beginning to sprint in my direction. I began to sprint towards them too, ready with a game plan. The burly guy came at me first, swinging with his muscled fist. I fell back in my dodge, using my right arm to catch me, as I slid under him to avoid his punch. I then pushed up off of the ground, before reappearing behind the last teen, side-kicking them into the bigger assailant. They both stumbled back, and I took advantage of that, spin-kicking the teen to the left. The taller teen who was more slender, threw a weak punch at me, but I blocked it by pushing it aside with my forearm. I kept blocking his frail punches, until I saw an opening, kicking them square in the chest. As they flew back, I disappeared into smoke, only quickly reappear in front of them. I quickly tossed my grapples on the ground, grabbing the teen by the arm, and violently swinging them over my shoulder and onto the hard tiles. I heard the thud and didn't even have to look at them to know they would stay down. Three down. One more.

I turned to see the looming, muscular man. He was expressionless, yet sprinting at me with deadly determination. I looked at my surroundings and got a brilliant idea.

I know how to bring him down, I thought, but it required perfect timing.

I picked up my dropped grapples, aiming for the man. Then, anxiously waited for him to be where I wanted him to be - right in front of me. The anticipation made the adrenaline pump through me, but I contained myself. I couldn't strike until the right moment.

Here he comes, I thought.

He continued to charge until he was right in front of me.

There he is.

Right as he ran up to me, about to tackle me, I pulled one grapple trigger and aimed at the ceiling above, and my one aimed right by his leg. Both hooked on to their destinations, but I quickly disengaged the second grapple right as it caught on his shoe, causing the cable to tangle around the man’s leg as it retracted. I then felt the intense tug of the grapple above, pulling me up towards the ceiling. It also began dragging the hefty man up with me, trying to return itself to the grapple gun I held. Right as I hit the ceiling, I felt myself drop down suddenly, as I let go of both of the grapples, leaving me and the man free-falling.

This was all according to plan, I thought.

I quickly grabbed onto the guy's leg as we fell, and I managed to flip over with him in my grasp. Surprisingly, he was easy to manage while in midair, with gravity using its magic. I swung him down right as we made contact with the marble flooring. Using him as a landing cushion, my fall wasn't as severe. I achieved what I needed. He was out cold, and all of the zombie-like attackers were subdued. Right as I stood up, I knew there was one thing left to do.

Stop the robbery.

I remembered there was one more person, a woman, attempting to open the registers. So I ran back to the Calliste Luxury Store, sprinting through the entrance. There I saw the woman standing next to another person - a girl. The woman quickly turned around and began running at me with a pen raised like a knife. No expression whatsoever. I quickly disappeared and reappeared in front of her, landing a punch to her eye before round-kicking her to the side.

Well, that didn't last long, I thought.

I turned to the girl, unsure of what the outcome would be. Her back was turned to me, facing the counter and back of the store. My suspicions arose, so I made sure to stay in my shadowed form, letting smoke whip around me wildly.

"Did she take you hostage? Are you okay?"

I tried to ask her, walking up to her slowly. She was small in stature, even shorter than me. Her hair was like a waterfall down her back, glistening strawberry blonde. She had a cyan-blue jacket on, fur protruding from in wild strands. This girl stood there, with her back turned to me, saying nothing. Something in my gut screamed at me that something wasn't right. I tried to keep talking.

"Look I need you to get to safety, I haven't secured this place yet."

No response. The only thing I could hear was my heart pounding.

"Miss, are you alri-"

I lightly placed my hand on her shoulder and turned her around. A teen girl with freckles scattered across her face stared back at me. A small scar was spread across the side of her mouth. Her eyes were almost black, and abyssal. I could have sworn they swirled. She looked right at me as if staring into my soul. A tsunami of fight or flight engulfed me as if her gaze waved danger signs in front of me. I took a small step back, unaware of what to make of this creepy kid. Her stare was confident, but then as I backed up, she grew a confused expression. She took a slow, menacing step towards me, staring deeper into me as if she thought I'd keel over dead just by looking into her eyes.

When nothing happened, I watched her expression grow from confused, to infuriated. She gritted her teeth, balling up her fists. Now it was my turn to look confused.

Who is this girl? Why is she angry with me? Was she a hostage or... a foe?

My thoughts were shattered when the girl roughly, and awkwardly, grabbed my shoulder and yanked me down to her level. I yelped out in surprise, unsure of what to make of this. I knew with a mere punch I could send this girl flying. I was confused more than anything at this point.

She wasn't trying to fight, yet she looked like she wanted to end me. As she yanked me down, I could feel her angry breath on my cheeks, as if it were the wind of a disastrous storm. It was as if our noses could touch, as she stared into my eyes. Smoke still swirled around me as she glared me down.

What in the hell is she trying to do?

I was about to push her off when I heard a voice to the side of us.

"M-Mary? W-Why? What did you do to me?"

Me and the girl, who I assumed was Mary, looked over at the boy handcuffed earlier. Goldilocks seemed to have his expressions back, looking up fearfully at Mary. She tilted her head, making a nasty scowl. She roughly let go of me and walked slowly over to the boy. He whimpered, shutting his eyes tightly after seeing her. Desperate whines and sobs escaped his frightened lips.

"Mary... Mary no! Mary, why? Please don't do it again!"

What is this kid talking about?

Just then, Mary kneeled in front of him and started caressing his cheek, as if to comfort him. She stroked his curly blonde hair, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. Now, I was really confused. His whimpers never stopped, but she cupped his face gently, giving him a small kiss on the lips. He then stopped his whimpers, opening his eyes slightly.

"M-Mary?"

As soon as he opened his eyes, his gaze met with hers. His sobs and whimpers now went silent. I watched his face relax, into an emotionless, zombie-like state. To my unsettlement, both he and Mary turned to face me slowly, in unison. The boy spoke again, this time monotone and void of life.

"I don't know who you are. Or who you think you are. But you've messed up things enough. I'm walking out of here, and if you stop me, I'll kill you.”

The voice this boy had was different. Almost as if he were reading something off. Not to mention, it was intertwined with a female voice as if both spoke at the same time. The silence afterward just added to the eerie, creepy nature of it all.

What? I couldn't help but think.

Just then, the boy's head drooped down, as if he lost consciousness. The girl then stood up, walking towards me leisurely. As she did, she slowly slipped a buck knife out of her jacket pocket. She slowly raised it to me, as if to threaten me. In my confusion, I tried piecing together what was happening.

Then it clicked. It was her. It was all her.

The way she looked into what seemed like her boyfriend's eyes, and he instantly became - mesmerized? No. He was fully hypnotized. Like his soul left his body and she took over.

Was she the one speaking when he talked to me? That didn't make sense - unless I considered another factor.

Mind control. Somehow.

It all made sense when I put it together. Mary must have had Goldilocks and the older man under her control, to rob the mall. She made two guards lure in the other security officers to lock them away so they wouldn't be in her way, before knocking the two out. I bet she wasn't anticipating much of a fight until I showed up, otherwise, she would have kept the guards under her thrall. When I showed up, she must have been hiding in the back with the unsuspecting five people - just customers. When Mary lost the fight against me using her boyfriend and accomplice, she must have gotten in their heads, using them to try and stop me.

How did she get them all, though?

I thought back to her intense stare, and how she became frustrated as she continued to peer into my eyes. Then, the minute her boyfriend opened his eyes, she took control…

That's it! Eye contact. If that was the case, however, why didn't it work on me? She did her best to try, judging from her weirdly prolonged eye contact with me just moments before. I watched as she stared me down while holding her sharpened buck knife, slowly walking out of the luxury store.

Somehow, while I was in this shadow form, she couldn't control me. I was safe from her gimmicks, but others weren't. With everything figured out, I had to put an end to this. If I stopped her, it would be over.

Thinking quickly, I grabbed a thick black scarf from one of the clothing racks to put in my belt, and I ran at her. She seemed unphased, gripping her knife, ready for a fight. Right before I reached her, I reappeared behind her, kicking her in her back. She staggered forward slightly but didn't falter. She swung her arm around rapidly, too quick for me to dodge. All I could manage was to hold my hand up, the knife slicing my hand open. I cried out in pain, feeling its sharp sting blast through my shadowed hand. Mary swung again, this time I managed to swerve out of the way. Using all of my might, I swung my leg up to kick her, sending her back afoot.

Unlike the others she was quick to recover from my attacks, running toward me with her buck knife raised slasher-style. She then brought it violently down in front of me, attempting to stab my chest. I swiftly grabbed her knife-wielding hand, gripping it tightly and trying to force her weapon out of her hand. Though Mary was small in stature, she was strong. We struggled against the side railing, her trying to force the knife on me, while I resisted. I then remembered Robin's lectures about how I needed to think on the spot, hearing his voice in my head telling me how seconds of doubt or inaction could mean life or death. I swung my head forward, colliding my skull with Mary's. The both of us grunted in pain, but I took advantage of this moment. I twisted the knife from her hand, making it fall onto the second floor. Mary shoved past me to try and grab it as it fell, but she was unsuccessful. She then flipped her hair back, looking at me with venomous, hate-fueled eyes. Her freckles twisted into a snarl, her teeth gritting in frustration.

I could tell the fight was over, and I think she could too. I stood firm, taking out the other pair of restraints I had in my utility belt. A newfound confidence filled my being, as I looked over to her.

"It's over. Now, we can do this the easy or hard way. It’s up to you."

No response. Her mouth opened wider in anger, curling into a nasty scowl. I then noticed something. Her tongue was missing, seemingly cut short. From the looks of it, the incident happened a long time ago. Mary had no interest in doing things the easy way, and she lunged at me. She began throwing punches left and right, like lightning. I blocked most of them, keeping up with her fast-paced assaults. However, she got a good right hook in, with her fist slamming into my jaw. I went back a few paces but caught her off guard as she lunged at me again. Using my left foot to push off, I managed a jump kick that collided right with her gut, sending her falling to the ground. I reappeared to the side of her. Before she could hit the tile, I spun quickly around to kick her against the railing, watching as her small frame collided against the metal bars. The clash of the bars behind her made a very distinct sound, and I watched as she slumped down, seemingly defeated.

Though she wasn't moving much, I knew I needed to act quickly. I rushed over, flipping her on the ground to place her hands behind her back. Once the restraint was on, I propped her back up against the railing. She seemed groggy but was luckily still conscious. Her angry expression only grew more rageful. I pulled out the black scarf I took from Calliste, quickly tying it around her head like an eye mask.

With that, the fight was finally over. I sighed, letting my shoulders relax, walking away from the culprit for a brief moment. I pressed the button on my comms unit, speaking into it.

"Lucius, it’s me! I've got everything at the mall under control. But- It isn't exactly a simple story..."

I trailed off, unsure of how to explain this to her. Sure, I've dealt with creepy men in clown masks, but I've never dealt with anyone with strange abilities like mine. How would we get her incarcerated safely?

"I'm glad to hear it, but I've been keeping tabs through the security cameras I've gained access to. So far I've counted... eight people. Were they all involved?"

"No. Only the girl right here. From what I could gather, her name is Mary. She came here with her - boyfriend? I think. And the other man…”

I trailed off, trying to figure out how to word my next statement carefully.

“Lucius, she was controlling them. I don't exactly understand how, but when she'd look into their eyes, she could take them over... They are all innocent."

"That's... alarming. I'll leave a tip with the police who are - never mind..." He paused.

"Looks like they got to the building, they should be heading up no-"

"What the FUCK is that?"

I sharply turned to a raspy voice down below. Police officers were just now rushing in below me on the second floor. Their guns pointed up at me, as one of them exclaimed. I quickly put my hands up, yelling back at them.

"Wait! It's not me! It's the girl here!"

I quickly changed back, the shadows that once encased me fading away, pointing towards Mary restrained on the ground in front of me. The police officers whispered amongst themselves.

"Keep your hands where I can-"

Just then, cutting the officer off, his radio erupted out a voice. I couldn't make out what it said, but the officer seemed to respond.

"So if it ain't her, who are we after?"

After a response from the radio, he chimed in again.

"You're telling me some tiny broad did all this, all from an anonymous tip?"

Before I could answer him, I heard Lucius speak through my comms unit, almost startling me.

"I suggest you head down to talk to them. I sent the tip in with the CCTV footage, but your input might be useful as well."

"But, what do I say? They saw me before I could change back. What if they think I had something to do with this?"

"It'll be okay. The security cameras show you are on their side. When they hear you explain what happened, it'll fortify that conclusion."

I sighed to myself, lowering my hand from my comms unit. I watched as the officer in charge told his crew to lower their weapons at me. I took a deep breath, unsure of the events that would follow. I pulled Mary up, her arms still restrained behind her. The black scarf was tied tightly around her head, ensuring her powers wouldn't affect anyone. I began walking her, and at first, she resisted my firm grip around her arm pulling her along. I then tightened my hold.

"Enough, Mary. I'm taking you down to have a little chat with the officers. Resist, and it'll be much worse for you."

I managed to grumble out.

I was already nervous about what the officers would think of me, but the thought of her getting loose and turning an entire group of officers against me made me not want to risk anything. She let out a sharp growl, begrudgingly letting me walk her down the escalator. Once we made it onto the second floor, I approached the group of officers. Once I was closer, I could count ten of them, all either looking at me like I was something to fear or looking at the girl I escorted in confusion. Their leader, a tall and lean man with a pressed dress shirt stepped forward, looking at me, then back at Mary.

"So this is the one behind it?"

He raised his bushy eyebrow, pointing to her in disbelief. His voice was kind, yet firm, with a heavy Philly accent shining through.

I nodded, looking at the officer.

"Yes sir, she's the one behind it. The others are all innocent. She has-"

"Wait, why the hell is she blindfolded?"

He squinted at me, now pointing to the blindfold she adorned.

"It's a necessary precaution, sir-"

"Sergeant."

He said calmly, but sternly. He then flicked the badge he wore on his chest. I was confused about why it mattered but decided to appease his need to be named correctly so I could continue.

"Okay... Sergeant. As I was saying, she can control people when she makes eye contact. She came here with two men and a couple of security guards under her control. When I arrived and stopped the robbery at Calliste's, she took control of five people hiding in the back of the store, using them to attack me. I managed to get them under control, and that's when she attacked me with a knife."

I then saw two officers come up, who wanted to take her. I stepped away from Mary to allow them to do so, looking back at the sergeant who watched them take her towards the escalator to the first level. He shook his head, before turning back to me.

"Do you know who she is? A name, moniker, anything?"

“No Sergeant. All I could gather was that her name was Mary. Other than that, I have no clue."

I crossed my arms sighing, looking at the ground.

I heard him mumble something about 'new damn problems' as he took out a notepad to write on. As he jotted down a few things, he then told his remaining men to start calling for detectives and paramedics to come in, and attend to the victims Mary possessed until they arrived. I felt extremely bad, realizing I had to hurt innocent people to stop Mary. I scratched the back of my head nervously until the sergeant spoke up.

"Gotta say, I don't know why Mayor Gordon lets you freaks run around. Most of the squad thinks you're all a big help. I say you're all roaches. Every time one of you fucking dies, more keep popping up. I say you all need to follow the Bat to the grave, spare us all the trouble."

I was taken aback by his words, confused, and almost hurt. Did... did he just say he wants me dead? What bat was he talking about?

I wanted to protest and tell him to handle this on his own next time, but I bit my tongue, and let him ramble on. Once he finished his mumbling as he wrote, he finally closed his notepad, placing it into his pocket. Paramedics and detectives soon swarmed the building, helping the injured and dazed victims out and beginning to analyze the scene. I wasn't sure if I could be of assistance anymore, and was about to leave. A question popped into my mind that needed answering.

"What's going to happen to her? How will she be dealt with? She can't have that blindfold off, without risking-"

I was cut off sharply.

“Let us worry about that, okay? We'll take care of it."

"But you don't understand, if you do you could be putting your-"

He held his hand up to my face, stopping me from completing my sentence. He then sighed and activated his radio, telling the person on the other end to get more men in the mall to help.

I was starting to get angry, clenching my fists. I didn’t care if this guy was a sergeant, an officer, or anything. It was as if he was treating this as your average home robbery when it was so much dire than that. If they ignored my warnings and took off that scarf, she could obliterate everyone in her path. Customers on their own could provide their strength in flesh to fight, but an entire battalion of officers under her control? With their guns, I would be shot down, and she'd go free to continue her carnage. I couldn't let that happen.

This asshole, sergeant or not, needed to hear me.

Letting my anger fume, I changed. Within seconds, shadows and smoke engulfed my being, letting me become the monster I was inside. I sighed out in frustration, grabbing the sergeant by his shirt collar and pulling him down to my short stature. He cried out in fear, staring into the voidable creature I had become. The blackened smoke that made up my hand gripped his shirt tightly, as I began to rip him a new one.

"You need to listen to me NOW! Because if you don't, and one of your men messes up, you all could be massacred! You don't understand how dangerous she can be! So please, PLEASE take this seriously!"

I was gasping for air after my rant. Though no one could tell with the smoke that was now my being, I knew I was red in the face. The men around aimed their weapons at me as soon as I grabbed the sergeant, and they remained trained on me. The man in my grip shook in his bulletproof vest, nodding vigorously after my yelling. I took a deep breath and sighed, letting go of him. He staggered back after being free from my grasp. He took a moment to himself, dusting his collar off and composing himself.

"Stand down! Get back to securing the area!"

He hissed out at the officers. They put away their weapons, most of them still sharing concerned glances my way. They returned to their business, and the sergeant activated his radio once again.

"Spencer! Hobbs! This is Ricci. Make sure you secure the suspect good, and keep that damn blindfold on. Put an extra one on her too if you can find one. Work on finding out who she is, then book her! Over."

He dusted himself, looking back at me, his lips curling into a disgusted frown. I straightened my shoulders, changing back. When the smoke around me dissolved, he turned white as a sheet. He shook his head, looking down and breaking his gaze.

"Fucking freaks, the lot of you! Go back to where you came from. We've got it from here."

I tilted my head at him and gave one nod in his direction.

"It's been a pleasure- Sergeant."

I made sure to accent his title, in a mocking tone. He sneered and sharply turned away, walking towards the escalator to the third floor. As I left, I heard him talking to another officer who approached him, only making out a few words.

"Fucking creep show... Grab me by the shirt again! Like some nightmare... Fucking demonic entity!"

I smiled to myself, somehow proud that I had managed to spook the sergeant. I don't recall being able to stand up for myself, but I guess these coming months have made me a bit bolder. I began heading towards the exit of the mall. When I headed out, I saw the night fading to dawn, and the sun coming up to greet the world. I stood and admired it, as it was the beautiful counterpart to my sunsets. Interrupting my view, a voice cut through my comms again.

"Sarah, The Wing is almost to you. Good job today, you did extremely well."

I touched my earpiece, looking over at the line of police cars.

"Thank you, Lucius. I just hope they listened."

"From what I saw on security, you managed to convince them. If it were anyone else, I'd warn you not to do that again. However, Ricci has always been a bit… rough around the edges."

Just as he warned me, the metal small aircraft came down. Without hesitation, I ran up to it, jumping and grabbing onto the handles.. It quickly secured me with the step bar that hung down, and once I confirmed that I was ready, The Wing began to soar off.

I sighed, beginning to relax. Once my adrenaline subsided, all I could feel was the rush. My body began to acknowledge the pain, my body aching from being hit a few times and my hand burning from the cut I received from Mary. I lifted my hand to inspect the damage. Sure enough, I was still bleeding from the slit in my palm, though it had slowed down quite a bit. I sigh, looking down at the city below..

"Ah, I believe I’ve found her."

Lucius’ voice cut the silence once again. I touched the comms unit to respond.

"What is it? What did you find?"

"Our suspect. Her full name is Mary Millstone. Age seventeen. The parents are Fred and Kelly Millstone. She was born with a growth in her mouth that was hazardous to her health, and to correct the issue, they had to amputate it along with her tongue. Leaving her - mute."

"That explains why she never spoke to me directly during our encounter. But she could speak through her boyfriend..."

"Right. Her parents own a small outdoorsman shop on Miagani. She attends an online school, and... Oh."

He paused. The abrupt stop seemed to drag on.

"What's going on Lucius?"

"Her marriage license hearing was supposed to be today. To one of the men she came in with, the younger one. His name is Callum Young. Looks like the other man she came with was his father, Ulysses Young. They belong to a very small congregation, where usually that stuff is normal. It looks like- from police reports - She's run away several times. Her parents signed consent. From looking at all of this, it's an arranged marriage, one she didn't want to be in..."

My heart started to feel heavy with sadness. This poor girl. Without a voice, literally and figuratively. The police didn't help her, and she didn't have an out. It all made sense now. The anger she displayed. She wasn't scared, worried, or desperate. She was just someone with nothing else left to lose, and someone who had enough.

"Oh dear. I'm seeing new reports pop up from her parent's known address. Police are calling it a murder-suicide committed by the mother. I believe we both know what happened..."

I nodded to myself, sighing.

"If I'm being honest, I'm glad they are dead. How could anyone do that to their daughter?"

Memories of my mother came flooding back. Her carelessness, her selfishness. The way she only looked out for herself. She tormented me, her flesh and blood because it meant spending time with a deadbeat she was infatuated with. What if she was involved with people like Mary's parents? With the slightest change of fate. I could have been poor, silent Mary instead. No voice to defend or stand up for myself.

I couldn't help but think: what if she could turn a new leaf, like me? Use her abilities for good? I had to pop the question.

"Lucius. Is there hope for her? Is there a way one day she can be like me?"

I heard him sigh softly through his comms unit. It sounded somber, hopeless.

"I don't think she will. There are the ones who can look past their misfortune and pain to help others, and there are people who let it swallow them whole. From the sounds of it, Mary's let it get to her."

"Maybe if she just got help? You guys gave me a chance to redeem myself, what if you did the same to her?"

"It's kind of you to see the good in people. I hope you'll continue to keep that view while working out here. The truth, however, is that some people would rather watch the world suffer like they did than try to prevent it from causing more harm. You wanted to be better. Despite everything that's happened to you. Gotham needs people like you for her to grow stronger."

"Starting to think Gotham will only see me as a monster..."

I recalled my encounter with the police force and the sergeant. He called me a creep show. A demonic entity. However, I couldn’t help but feel proud of his words. He needed to be taken down a peg in the ego department. I was able to scare him down his pedestal for a brief moment.

"Well, in a way, you need Gotham to fear you too. More specifically, you need to be the thing criminals fear when they are committing these crimes. You can't protect a city if you don't bare your teeth a little, I always say. You are a symbol of hope, but also a warning."

Lucius' tone conveyed wisdom and comfort. Putting his words into perspective, I felt better and more confident in myself. This horrific thing I was born with; this twisted gift made from nightmares. Maybe it was more than just an advantage while out on the field. This monster inside me could be the creature criminals look over their shoulders for. The boogeyman for ill-doers. An omen for the assailants of the innocent. Sergeant Ricci was right. I was a demonic entity.

Entity.

I liked that. It rang in my ears. It had no true definition. A phantom, a ghost, a ghoul. Something to make the spine shiver at night. Something that, if spoken in whispers amongst the night, could instill fear in the minds of criminals of Gotham. It could be the fierce cloud that washed over the city.

"Sarah, you're arriving at Enterprises soon. I'll relay everything back to him, and keep you updated. So far, there's nothing else to tackle tonight. You did well... Sarah, you there?"

I shook out of my thought bubble, watching as I approached the building. I quickly activated my comms unit to reply.

"Y-Yeah, sorry. I'm here, Lucius. Sounds good. And... one more thing before you go-"

"What would that be?"

“You know how you give out nicknames, like Nightwing and Batgirl?”

“Yes, even though I did not come up with them-”

“I think I found mine.”

A slight silence emitted from the comms unit, before Lucius spoke again in surprise.

“Well, I’d be delighted to hear what you came up with Sarah.”

The name echoed in my mind, and in a brief silence, the vision of who I wanted to become from that moment on filled my thoughts.

"I think I’d like to go by Entity, Lucius- The Entity.”