___

The way I fell into the water was as if I had no mass. The nonsolid form I phased into made it so the surface of the water merely passed through my being. Once I was below, however, my focus faded, leaving me to return to my normal body, the cold of the depths chilling me outside and in. I opened my eyes to see nothing but darkness but could make out the debris of the cargo ship. I felt myself sinking again. It was peaceful, for one brief moment. I could forget about the danger, the freezing water. I could just sink below effortlessly, feeling the tranquility in that slight moment.

That was until a wave came crashing into me, rolling me around under the water. The storm still drudged on, now making the ocean waves restless, picking up volume. With my trance broken, I tried to kick my feet upward to make it to the surface, but I wasn’t adept at swimming yet. I looked up to see the light of a crescent moon as I made my way up, it's glow now more visible to me. It shined white, in its beauty, showing me where I was. The blast had blown me into the waters a few feet from the ship, the tall structure along with the edge of the boat completely blown off, with bits of metal and wood still hanging off of it. Paddling, I made it to the surface, taking a deep breath once my head reemerged.

I somehow managed to half wade, half float my way to the dock beside the cargo ship. I pushed myself up out of the water, lying on my back to face the sky. The dock began to pool with the water that fell off of me, though the rain still made sure to never let me dry. I was cold, wet, tired, and aching all over from the beatings I took from the men I fought early. Not to mention, tenderized by Candyman’s chains. There was one important thing to take away from it all.

I was alive.

My abilities were now uncertain like I truly had no control over them now. They managed to save my hide a few times now, thanks to luck’s favor on me tonight. However, I grew concerned. I could have been killed, multiple times earlier had my abilities not shone through. Like Lucius always advised me, luck isn’t a reliable ally, because it will always run out eventually.

On top of that, while I lay on the docks with rain pouring down on my face, I pieced together the many things Candyman had told me. That, according to him, my existence was a mistake. That the reason this… force- was after me was because I shouldn’t exist.

What did any of that mean? As I lay on my back, the night swirled above me. My body was sore and aching, I tried to think about it all.

My heart was weak, he said How can that be the reason?

Since getting out of Alpena, I’ve had very limited interactions with people, outside of the normal group I was working with. Save for some of Wayne Enterprises’ staff, and Sydney.

What if it could be one of the people I was closest to?

No, I told myself. Don’t go there. It can’t be any of them. Most have done so much to help me. It wouldn’t make sense that one of them was conspiring against me, doing all of this.

Suddenly, I shot up, sitting up fully alert. A gust of energy flowed into me when I remembered the last thing Candyman said to me before he detonated his explosive.

He mentioned a name… He mentioned a name! Candice? No… Cadence… No… No! It was-

Caedes!

I quickly jumped up from the docks, excited to finally have something. Even if it was a scrap. A name, one I didn’t recognize. One of the others might! I spun around, about to run off of the docks. That was, until Red Hood scared the ever-living shit out of me, standing right in front of me.

I gasped from the startle, before letting my breath go once I realized it wasn’t an immediate threat. Deep down, I was still hesitant about him, but I learned tonight he was willing to help when his interests aligned.

“Oh, good. You’re alive still.”

He grumbled to me, before checking the bullets in his gun.

I rolled my eyes at him, slightly annoyed, wishing we were still fighting Candyman. Then, at least, I would be spared from his words.

“Save it.”

I sighed, collecting my thoughts, before inhaling deeply. I spoke again, this time with uncertainty hidden in my voice, shaken up by the encounter we both had with the deranged killer, who was now missing in the sea. I needed to find a way to speak clearly. Wisely. With reason. In a way that didn’t piss him off, but got the message across to him.

“Something is happening… Something really messed up. I don’t know how or why… But we both need answers from each other. And threatening me won’t get any of us closer to stopping this. We don’t have to trust each other. Just… help me piece this together. Deal?”

Red Hood stood in silence for a moment. Looking away towards the other docks, before looking back at me. He was still hunched over ever so slightly with his shoulders, his leather jacket now glossed over with rain. Drops still raced down his metal helm without a face, the moon now reflecting off of its round, red surface. I waited for a second to see if he’d respond. Instead, he just stood in silence.

“Are you okay?”

I asked quietly, lowering my head slightly as I looked at him.

“I’m peachy. Just astonished that someone who fights like my grandfather can form such coherent sentences.”

My mouth formed a frown faster than a blink. My nostrils curled up in disdain. His unpleasant wit and insults were spiteful, in the most grueling, sarcastic way. The impressive and obnoxious thing was - he could do it in a snap.

“So, are you going to make me play that stupid game of yours? I share, you share, we all sing ‘Kumbaya?’”

I exhaled sharply, pinching the bridges of my nose with both hands raised. As if the night wasn’t already rough enough. Now I have to deal with him.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. And this time I’m going first… Last time, you seemed to know something. You told me and Robin not to get involved… And then, tonight, you come here, not for the hostages, but for Candyman. You also mentioned someone named Harley earlier. So, what do you know?”

He sighed, shaking his head slightly.

“It’s what I thought I knew. I mentioned Harley to you last time. Joker’s girl before he died. She and Candyman made their own splinter groups. I knew both of them had their differences when it came to what to do. But both of them still have one thing in common. They want Joker back, at any cost. And when you mentioned that something was bringing them back, I originally thought one or the other got a hold of something… They’re both fucking stupid, but their ambition outmatches that. So it didn’t surprise me that after all these years they found a way. I figured the threat they were talking about was all of us. So after our little conversation, I went to find Candyman, which led me here-”

He then clicked his tongue, before cracking his knuckles, continuing.

“-But, based on what he told me. Apparently he isn’t behind it. Just a lackey to some other bastard. Either way. If things are going the way I think they're going… Things are about to get very ugly… Now - I heard Candy yelling at you when I was searching for you both. Then you yell back at him. Spill it.”

He said in a harsh tone, but it had a sense of harmlessness behind it.

I looked up at the sky, rain still tumbling down on us both. Exhaling slowly.

“His life story at first. Killing his father, then being hurt in the prison. To how he got the name Candyman…”

“Yeah. He’s a real sick bastard… Which is why he’s been on my list for years. What else?”

“You should know… The thing I didn’t get to mention last time was the threat. According to both Crane and Candyman, it’s me… I’m the reason this - this thing - is bringing these monsters back. To kill me. In exchange for coming after me, they said it’s… she’s - granting them an escape from death, in Crane’s words. Candyman told me the reason was because my existence… is a mistake… That my heart was weak… God, I don’t know what any of it means!”

I threw my head down in frustration, squeezing my eyes shut. I hoped deep down, that maybe it was all a nightmare. That I’d wake up cozy in Sydney’s apartment, but I still felt the rain on my face.

I wasn’t waking up, because I was in the twisted, horrific reality.

Red Hood nodded slowly, acknowledging my words, before speaking up.

“So... This thing out there - apparently a she- is bringing back these fuckers because - what - You’re mommy’s little accident? You’re not the only one. I get you’re a little freak with your parlor tricks or whatnot, but there are much freakier things in this city… You’re right, that doesn’t make sense… As for your heart, being sensitive isn’t exactly what makes you a target."

I paused, listening to his words, nodding slowly. Ignoring the slight jabs at me, I just analyzed. My abilities… What if it did have something to do with them?

“Maybe it really is because of what I can do? Maybe they want it all for themselves?”

“Or maybe it’s the other thing you mentioned. That you’re alive with these tricks when they don’t want you to be.”

“Either way, I still don’t know how they are capable of doing this… Bringing people back from the dead.”

I looked down at my boots, seeing the dirt and dust now coating them slightly. I then realized something. Was there anyone in Gotham that Red Hood knew about that could bring someone back after they were dead? I jumped at the chance to ask the question.

“It's my turn now. You’ve been fighting here in Gotham longer than me, I’m guessing-”

“Points for Sherlock.”

Red Hood interrupted. I hissed out a sigh before continuing.

“So… You know more of the people involved with Gotham. Has there ever been anyone who’s been resurrected in all that time, or had abilities to do so? At any given time?”

I crossed my arms slowly, tapping my forearm anxiously.

“There’s… one. But it wouldn’t make any sense. A long time ago, I caught wind of someone named Ra’s al Ghul. Never met him. I was told by… someone… he was over six hundred years old. There are these… natural pools of sorts around the world. That can heal anything. Even bring you back from death. He was the leader of a group here in Gotham, called the League of Assassins. They oversaw the pits. He used them to resurrect himself for centuries whenever he died. He also used it to help those in his league.”

I shook my head, inhaling slowly. No, it couldn’t be that. Crane wasn’t thrown in a pit in the security footage I saw. It had to be a power of sorts. He was brought back right there, at that moment, lying still in the morgue. The memory of how it happened haunted me. The way the red mist crept into his orifices. My insides churned at the image I displayed in my head.

“No… That’s not it.”

I said quietly.

“No shit, I haven’t gotten to that point yet. Ra’s al Ghul hated criminals. So much so he was willing to slaughter half of Gotham to get rid of them. The probability of him teaming up with scum like Scarecrow and Candyman are close to impossible. That and Ra’s Al Ghul hasn’t been seen since he escaped three years ago.”

I crossed my arms, my nostrils curling up again from the frown I conveyed to the smartass standing in front of me.

“I meant that it couldn’t be him or those pools. Because when Crane was resurrected, it was right in the morgue.”

“Wait, you saw him resurrect? You were there?”

He asked, in a low, raspy tone.

“No. I wasn’t. Someone pulled up security footage to show me when he to escape the morgue. We saw… something else.”

“And… What did you see? C’mon!”

Red Hood made spinning motions with his fingers impatiently, motioning for me to hurry and tell him.

“It was this… thing. It was a floating, glowing red sphere. Made out of this liquid of sorts. It floated over to the compartment with Crane’s body. Before the tray pulled out on its own. Then, this gas of sorts with that same glowing red energy just went up Crane’s nose, and into his mouth. I… I don’t know how else to describe it. Then the footage glitched out for a few minutes. That’s when we saw the officers.”

“That’s… definitely not natural. Definitely something I’ve yet to see… So, that’s lovely. I fucking love Gotham and its cesspool of freaky shit.”

Red Hood huffed out sarcastically. I used my hands to rub the sides of my temple. I tried to think of something else. Something Candyman said that Red Hood might know about.

The name! Maybe he’s heard it before.

“Candyman mentioned a name, right before he blew himself up and almost killed me. He said… ‘Caedes will make sure it ends tonight.’ Have you heard that name before?”

Red Hood teetered on his heels before responding.

“Nope.”

He made an exaggerated popping sound when pronouncing the word, his grim voice keeping a low tone. After a quick pause, he continued.

“And if I haven’t heard it, no one has. So, once again, another new stain on the block to deal with… What else did Candyman tell you? Besides his cryptic bullshit and oh-so-tragic background story.”

“He said I needed to fear those coming after me. He said they were soldiers… And on top of that all - he knew my name… I don’t know how. But he knew. So did Crane. There’s no way they could have known… Right?”

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Red Hood chuckled under his helm, his voice echoed under the metal spheric hood.

“I mean, it’s really not that hard to figure out. If they wanted to, they probably could have found your name by snatching up one of your old court files and transfer notes, like I did. My guess though, is that Candyman knew it from the start. The night you were supposed to be transferred, one of his men told me they were ordered to come and find you in that transfer vehicle. It was planned. He might have been given your name, and he told the others. Not to worry though. I’m sure Lucius Fox has kept you secure up at Wayne Enterprises. I don’t see that going badly at all.”

He once again finished his sentence with a sarcastic jab.

My eyes widened at a sudden realization.

What if I put him in danger? What if I’m a risk to him and everyone who goes to work there?

Most of them don’t know my real name, Lucius said so himself. He keeps everything vigilante-work-related tightly knit. Only him, and Sydney know. My mind started to fill with worry. My legal documents stated I was to undergo rehabilitation but never stated where. I haven’t left Sydney’s yet, focused on training myself for the task of keeping Gotham safe. If they could access all of the sealed files that exposed who I was, Wayne Enterprises and anyone in it would be in grave peril.

How did Red Hood know where I was staying? Did he access my legal documents?

“How did… How did you know that’s where I worked?”

I said quietly.

Red Hood crossed his arms, tapping his index finger on the opposite forearm in an impatient fashion.

“I know everything. About everyone. I’m the eyes and ears of this city. And I’m not above breaking the rules to keep it that way. Let’s just say I wasn’t too happy about you, an unstable, walking deathtrap, being that close to Lucius. Or the others. Hell. I still don’t like it.”

I felt my heart hurt inside. Did he… Did he believe I could hurt them? That I would willingly put them in danger? I stung, like a thorn in my chest. I stood up straighter, tilting my head slightly in shock. The only thing going through my mind was - how dare he?

“You think I’d hurt Lucius? The others? I would let myself die before that! They’ve been… They gave me a chance… To learn how to control whatever the hell is going on with me! I started doing this because I wanted to make them proud. To show them I could be redeemed! I know I messed up… with Scarecrow. But I’m trying to do better. For everyone…”

Before I could continue, Red Hood sighed with a slight grumble erupting from his throat, throwing his head upward.

“Christ, I’m sorry I said anything at all, so stop your ranting. I don’t need your reasoning of why you do this, because I truly, just… Do. Not. Care. You didn’t fuck up with Scarecrow in my opinion, the sniveling little rat should have been put in the ground years ago. The issue is, that you didn’t intend to kill him. You got dosed, and you lost your shit. Who’s to say one heated game of Monopoly won’t set you off? Causing you to cut up a poor bastard. From your file, you mutilated your mom, her boyfriend, and seven other fucking other inmates in the Corrections Facility. Doesn’t matter if you meant it or not. You still did it. That’s why my breeches are in a bunch about this whole issue. What happens if it’s Lucius, or the Boy Scouts next time, huh? Scarecrow can go to Hell three times over for all I care. I’m waiting to see who it’ll be next time...”

I exhaled slowly, relaxing my hands to unclench my fist. I couldn’t help but stare blankly at Red Hood. Guilt and fear washed over me. He was right. I killed those people. Losing control didn’t change that. My heart felt the sting ever more slightly. The rain still toppled down, the wind howling to the moon in the storm.

I listened to the waves crashing around. Like low cymbals to accompany the beating drums of thunder. That's when I closed my eyes slightly.

No, I thought.

That was in the past. Lucius still believes in me. Sydney still believes in me. Lucius said to me early in the morning when he recounted the story of his fallen friend and hero, he said I had a responsibility. The weight on my shoulders to do right by the people of Gotham. Batman, the legacy I now was indoctrinated in, spared the lives of even the most ruthless. He believed in justice. I’ve witnessed Red Hood kill people Batman would have spared. How I felt when I saw it. Criminals who should have deserved it, yet it still felt wrong. Like grave injustice. As the wind whistled in my ears, I knew which path I wanted to take. There wasn’t going to be another victim next time. I was going to do my best to face my enemies with honor.

“You’re wrong...”

I quietly said, my voice quivering. I opened my eyes to stare into the helm in front of me. A man with no face, yet I could tell he stared me down as if he dared me to falter. Dared me to show any indication of uncertainty. I wouldn’t give in. Instead, I lifted my chin, as if to challenge him.

There was silence between us, before he spoke up, changing the subject.

“Anything else that Candyman said?”

I paused. In his story, he mentioned his inspirations for murder. His cousin, a hitman in Cuba… and the Joker. Another familiar name. Red Hood also stated he originally thought Candyman and another woman were behind this all. Trying to resurrect… him.

“He mentioned Joker. And you mentioned him earlier… He's dead, right?”

Red Hood was silent again. I didn’t need to hear his words to know he was angry at the direction my question was going.

“He’s a pile of fucking ashes. Where he belongs.”

He said grimly, with a growl.

I took a sharp breath inward, mentally preparing myself to tread carefully now.

“... And Crane and Candyman are back… Do you think there’s a possibility he’s…”

I trailed off, quiet and careful.

“If he is, he’s made the biggest fucking mistake of his second life.”

He said threateningly. He wasn’t calm anymore. His anger now boiling up in his words, his voice rising. I held my breath, swallowing slightly at the rage Red Hood was displaying.

“... I don’t know what he’s capable of. Can you help me understand? So we can pre-”

“I’m only going to say this once again, so make sure it sticks in your dull mind. I’m not uttering a fucking word about him. If you want info, ask the others, or find a fucking news article. But I will not talk about his vile, depraved ass. Nothing more than his pathetic name. Do I make myself clear?”

“Look, I’m sorry to bring it up, I just-”

“Do. I. Make. My. Self. Clear?”

His words got more violent, though his volume wasn’t to a yell yet. He slowly jerked his head to the left, cracking it intensely.

I just stared at him. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t ease my way into the subject. Whoever Joker was, he must have done something cruel to warrant this reaction out of Red Hood. His sarcastic, bitter, harsh, and cynical figure changed to a dark, brooding, and almost murderous tone. I let out a small breath after holding it for so long in caution. Realizing that the name Joker evoked the feeling of walking on eggshells with Red Hood.

I put my hands up, as to signal my retreat from the subject. I owed him some form of reprieve since he had saved my life before.

“Thank you.”

Red Hood spoke viciously, irritated.

A sharp, digital voice in my ear cut through the long and tense stillness we exchanged. My unwillingness to agitate the figure in front of me, and Red Hood now too enraged to speak. I gasped out at the sudden scare.

“Entity, come in! Is everything okay?”

I let myself relax again after I realized it was Oracle, contacting me through my comms unit. I lightly pressed the button on my ear, sharing one last glance at Red Hood before turning away to face the docks as I spoke.

“I’m fine now. Had a tough run-in. Candyman escaped, though. I-I couldn’t do anything. He detonated an explosive right when I had it. I managed to protect myself against the blast. But he deliberately dropped it there before fleeing…”

“God… That’s beyond troubling… Especially given the fact he was supposed to be dead before this. First Crane… now him.”

“The worst part is… I think he’ll be back. They’ll all keep coming back until we can get behind it all… And he said there’s more of them.”

“If there is, we’ll find them. We’ll stop this. Don’t worry, Sarah.”

I smiled slightly. After the grim events of last night and tonight, her words of comfort meant everything. Even when it seemed like we wouldn’t piece together the puzzle, she made me believe we had a chance. That we had hope.

“Thanks, Oracle… Crap! Is Robin still in the warehouse?”

I quickly spun around to look towards the crumbling building. Almost completely forgot the reason I was here in the first place. I expected to see Red Hood still behind me, standing on the docks. But he was gone. Vanished into the storm air. My eyes darted around to try and spot him, but they never saw a resemblance to him in the surroundings of the docks.

“Yes, he just finished up not too long ago. He’s inside making sure everything is stable. Apparently, there was a device rigged with a poisonous gas. He thinks it was for the police when they would have shown up for the hostages. He made sure to take down the fugitives without alerting them. Hostages are safe, and out of the building thankfully. All that’s left is to diffuse that weapon, and he’ll be out.”

“Please tell him to be careful,”

I asked, unsettled by the fact he could be hurt in there if he made a mistake with the diffusion.

“He’ll be okay. He trained extensively for this. When we can spare more time, we’re going to do the same with you. We owe you that. It’s just been… overwhelming the last year or so.”

Oracle sighed on her end, her tone conveying exhaustion.

“I’m going to be honest. Robin and I had our hesitations about you in the beginning. But if Lucius trusts you, I trust you. You’ve pulled through in helping us with these investigations, and I want to thank you.”

I smiled slightly hearing this. Finally, I thought. A hopeful word. Doubt started fading again.

“That means a lot, Oracle. I’m going to do better from now on. Lucius told me about your mentor, Batman. The fact I was trusted to join his legacy is an honor.”

“You didn’t know him before? Did you not get any news in Alpena.”

I swallowed, uncomfortable thinking about my time there wasting away.

“N-No...”

“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that, Sarah… How are you holding up now, after Candyman?”

I took a small breath in, exhaling slowly through my mouth. The cold temperature displayed my breath in front of me.

“He’s… He’s a monster, Oracle. They all are… But I’m okay. It’s not going to be like last time. That won’t happen again, I promise…”

“Hey, don’t worry. I believe you. I know what it’s like. They play little mind games to make you unsteady. And sometimes, it does make you feel like you’re going crazy.”

“Yeah. Yeah, it does. But I’m okay. I am. Thank you, Oracle. At least I’m a bit closer to figuring this out… I got a name.”

“A name? Give it to me, and I can look for it in the databases.”

“Candyman said the name Caedes… Right before he blew himself up.”

“Caedes? Let me see…”

A bit of silence followed while I waited for her results.

“Hmm. Nothing. Not in criminal records, asylum files, nothing…”

“Damn it… It is something new, then.”

“To us, yes. But, the bright side is, we at least have a name. Once we have more to go off of, it’ll be an important piece to have when we’re putting it all together.”

I noticed the skies were starting to lighten, and when they did, I spoke.

“Is there anything else we need for tonight, Oracle?”

It took a moment before I heard her speak again.

“Doesn’t look like it. Robin is cleaning up the loose ends tonight. Why don’t you head home? Get some rest.”

I nodded and said my goodbyes before grappling away from Bleake Island. Away from the god-forsaken marina that almost claimed my life twice. As I swung through the air, the rising sun peaked through the horizon, the rain easing into small droplets as the clouds lightened. From what Sydney mentioned a few days ago, it was supposed to rain through Halloween, only a day away. As I grappled, the name that came up tonight kept bouncing around in my brain. Despite all of the danger, all of the peril that came from tonight, something came from it.

Caedes, I thought. I have your name now.

___

Once I arrived at the apartment, I snuck through the window, closing it silently as to try not wake the others. My clock read six o’clock sharp, which meant the others would be awake in thirty minutes. Undressing, I carefully put my new suit back into its respective case, hiding it in the closet until it was ready to be brought out again tonight. Slipping into my previous pajamas, I couldn’t help but lay down for a brief moment.

After a moment of relaxation, I felt the stinging on my forehead get worse. I shifted my head slightly to the left, looking into the mirror I had propped by the closet. I bolted straight up when I noticed I had bruises everywhere, and a small gash on my forehead. My lip had been split open and was starting to harden due to clotting. A bruise started to form on my chin, most likely from the wooden plank I was beaten with just hours earlier.

How am I going to explain this to Sydney? To Bill? I tried to think of a possible fib. I fell in the shower, maybe? No… That wouldn’t fly with my injuries.

I looked at the bruises on my neck, and how they made a red ring around the smooth skin. It made me think back to the time I had gone out to confront Sydney’s assaulters, and how one of them had tried to suppress my air.

With an idea forming in my head, I carefully tiptoed to the fridge. To my luck, I noticed that we had but a single egg in the carton.

Bingo, I thought, There was my story.

I carefully sat at the table and waited. It felt like an eternity before I heard Sydney and Bill’s bedroom door open. I could hear quiet laughter as they both walked out of the same bedroom.

“I’m telling you, baby! Keep snoring like that I’ll have to call Ripley’s Be-”

The kitchen light flipped on, and a startled Bill jumped back after he saw me.

“- Jesus! Oh my God, Emily!”

He rushed by my side, looking at my injuries.

Sydney gasped out, before going to grab the first aid supplies atop the fridge.

“What happened?”

She said frantically, bringing the red bag to me.

I remained calm, inhaling slowly before speaking.

“I’m so sorry, you guys… I got up in the middle of the night to get some water, and I noticed we were out of eggs. I-I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I could run to the grocery store behind here real quick and pick some up. I was going to try and surprise you guys this morning with breakfast… You know, since Sydney’s been teaching me how to cook?”

Bill looked at me with sympathy, as Sydney dabbed a bit of rubbing alcohol on the wound, before putting a small piece of suture tape on top of the cut on my forehead.

“Well, that’s very sweet of you, Emily, but what happened? How’d you end up like this?”

I sighed, letting the lie come naturally.

“Some guy posted outside of the grocery store cat-called me. And when I told him to leave me alone, he threw a punch at me… Trust me, you don't have to worry. He looks worse.”

I smiled reassuringly at him. He gave a slight chuckle before clicking his tongue.

“As much as I want to applaud that, why didn’t you come to us? Did you at least press charges on him?”

“Oh, he ran away before anything. I was more upset that I broke the eggs during the fight, and figured I would just head back… I’m sorry guys, I didn’t want to wake you, or worry you.”

Sydney sighed lightly, before cleaning my lip up. She looked skeptical, but gave a glance to her husband. She knew deep down what the root cause of my injuries were, but also knew Bill was to be kept in the dark.

“Sa- Emily… You worry us more when you don’t tell us anything… Okay?”

I nodded gently, letting Sydney finish up. Bill put his hand on my shoulder, patting me.

“You know you can tell us anything, right kiddo? Next time, let us know where you are going. As much as I love surprises, this one is a little scary.”

Bill gave a wry smile, before grabbing his wallet and perking up again.

“Well, due to our egg-less-ness, I say we go grab a bite to eat! What do you say, girls?”

Sydney gave a groan of dissatisfaction, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Ah, this is on you, Emily! All on you!”

Sydney pointed at me jokingly, before putting the first aid supplies away.

Bill motioned for me to follow too, and I slowly got up. The light of the morning was starting to come in, warming up Gotham. I couldn’t help but be grateful for these two. With them, my troubles melted away. I didn’t have to think about the awful Candyman or Scarecrow. I could forget about the asshole in the red helm, and all of the pressure put on me by the others.

I could be a normal person, for a few hours at least.

As I walked out the door and climbed into Bill’s car, I let the troubles of the night fade away.

___

After the shift at Wayne Enterprises ended, I couldn’t help but feel my heart pump with adrenaline. In a few short hours, I’d be on the streets once again, dealing with the new emerging threat. One that I caused apparently.

I decided I’d waste no time getting ready. I wouldn’t fall asleep and be plagued by nightmares. On my bed, I sat and waited anxiously for the sun to go down. I had Lucius’ device on my leg, waiting for it to blink.

I decided to reorganize all of my tools in my belt. I went through each one, and as I did I realized how much of it I never used. I told myself that tonight, I would try to branch out, using these gadgets to help me. Since my abilities were waning, I figured I would need all the extra help I could get. I got to the last one, and couldn’t help but sigh.

The small taser Sydney gave me was still in the belt. I thought back to her words as I held the object in my hands. Taking her advice from the night before, I put the taser in my boot, where it would be hidden from view. A secret advantage, I thought.

Once I did, I noticed the red blinking lights and knew that it was my cue to leave. Sneaking out of the window, adorned in my light, armored suit, I activated my gauntlets, heading towards Wayne Enterprises.

Grappling through the city, I felt the wind start to pick up again, blowing dead leaves around the buildings I weaved through. The clouds in the sky started to come back as if they sensed my presence and darkened. My heart started feeling heavier for some reason. Like a dark, impending doom crushing me in my stomach.

Maybe I should turn back, I thought.

I decided against the notion. Whatever's out there, it needs me to figure it out. I needed to be the one to stop it. Once the Wayne Enterprises building was in view, I managed to make my way to the roof, calming my thoughts as I waited for my first mission of the night

A few minutes later, a click in the comms unit indicated someone was about to speak.

“Ms. O’Harren, lovely of you to join us this evening. How are you fairing after our last chat?”

“I could be better Lucius. But at least we have a name that’s responsible for what’s going on.”

“Ah yes. Oracle informed me. Unfortunately a new one to our records, but it is a name nonetheless. I figured you could use a break from that investigation, however. How do you feel about making a quick stop first?”

Confused, but eager to take my mind off of things, I accepted his offer.

“Excellent. It appears there’s a smaller level threat that could use our brief attention, and one I believe you can clear out quickly. Standby while I get the details.”

I stiffened up, straightening my back. Readying myself for the next mission. After a small silence, Lucius’ voice came through again.

“You’ll be headed to Arkham Asylum. One inmate with a violent history got out of his cell and is most likely loose in the building. You’ll have to hurry though. It’s going on lockdown in thirty minutes if they can’t locate the subject by then. It’s the new systems they implemented two years ago for better security.”

Once given my directions, I grappled off, not wasting any time.

“I’m on it, Lucius. I’ll contact you once I’ve gotten there.”