Seated across one another and with their meals right in front of them, Tom dug into his meal while Talia used her chopsticks to eat hers.

Talia paused her meal as she seemed like she was hesitant to voicing her thoughts. “I want to sincerely apologize for betraying you and joining hands with my dad to fight against you.”

“I know you’re just doing this as a formality and so we could start up this new alliance with no bad blood between us.” Tom replied, knowing her apology wasn’t a genuine one and neither was it out of regret but of duty.

“As a daughter I am mad at you for disgracefully ending my father’s life but as the leader of the League of Assassins, I have to put that behind me and do what is beneficial for the League.”

“I expect no less.” He said with a drumstick in hand before biting a chunk of meat from it.

As they ate their meal, Talia paused with her chopsticks halfway into her meal, contemplating in her head before speaking. “About my father’s corpse.”

“Your father’s corpse, huh.” Tom replied, taking a break from his meal as he took a sip from the glass of red wine next to him. “What about that old bastard?” He asked, knowing Talia was walking on eggshells and trying her most possible best not to aggrevate him.

“I Know I am in no position to ask but, I would like to know what has become of my father’s corpse.” She insisted.

“I cremated him, then scattered his ashes across the desert. I wasn’t going to risk having you lots bring him back to life with some Lazarus pit juju, so now his corpse is one with both the desert and the wind, but his soul has probably taken permanent residence in the underworld. It’s about time that immortal bastard forcefully got his ass laid to rest, for crying out loud.”

“Even in death you disrespect my father.” Talia said with a glimpse of emotions in her eyes.

“A lifeless corpse doesn’t need respect, their gone and moved on to whatever awaits them at the other side.” He replied as he casually cut up a piece of stake and chewed on it.

“Everybody get down!!!” A voice came from the restaurant as masked individuals threatened the people in there with fire arms. “Don’t even think about it.” One said with his gun placed at the head of the receptionist who’s hand was reaching for a button beneath his desk.

“Hands up in the air.” He yelled. “Take off your jewelries empty your purses into the bags before you.” Another instructed the crowd.

“Great, trouble just seems to follow me whenever I try to relax. “

“Do not resist or try anything stupid, don’t be a fool and give up replaceable items rather than lose something you wouldn’t be able to recover, your life to be precise.” He added as the rest went around with bags, collecting the valuables.

Reaching for his smart watch, a gun was pressed against the side of his and Talia’s head. “Hey kid, I wouldn’t make a move if I were you.” Tom slowly retracted his hands and raised it above his head as both him and Talia slowly rose to their feet.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Your big sister is quite the hottie.” He said then spanked Talia’s ass, then accompanied it with a short whistle as he checked her out with lustful thoughts while the rest continued to raid the place.

“You’re both coming with us, I want a piece of this cutie pie over here.” A black bag was thrown over Tom’s head and same as Talia, but she immediately ducked away from the bag, grabbed the head of her harasser then broke his neck on the spot.

“Fire!!!” One of the robbers yelled and their guns were immediately trained at both of them.

The sound of the first gun shot reverberated across the room as a shot was fired directly at Tom’s chest. “Wrong move dude.” Tom said with his head still inside the black bag.

After hearing this, they were confronted with a shocking sight, the man who fired the shot had his hand pressed tightly against his neck as blood gushed out of it.

Tom removed the black bag over his head and more shots were fired, Talia immediately ducked as two knives slipped right out of her sleeves and into her hands. She sprang into action as she engaged the gun men one after the other like some ninja from Mortal Kombact, ripping out their innards the second her blade reaches them.

“A little help would have been appreciated.” She said to Tom who seemed to be very relaxed, considering the situation they found themselves. “You just ruined the nostalgic feeling of being held hostage.

“Hold it right there!!!” A female among them yelled as electricity crackled around her, blasting a shot at Talia. Tom instantly pulled Talia to the side with his telekinesis then returned the blast back to its sender with a casual slap but it missed her by an hair’s breadth.

“That was a warning shot.” Tom said to her in expectations of her to be shaken by that display. Instead she let out a laugh before addressing him. “Why don’t we take it outside pretty boy, and do not even think of making any clever moves because I could electrocute every other person in seconds.” They were just two of them left and the sound of sirens could be heard approaching from a distance.

“And why would I do that? I could take you down before your eyes complete a blink.” Tom replied, noticing a fire had broke out in the midst of the action earlier and it was rapidly spreading, trapping everyone inside.

“Even if you take me down, that dude over there is a Pyromaniac who would burn everyone to a crisp in seconds. So I suggest you quietly come with us.” Licking her lower lip in a lustful manner, she add. “It’s been a while I met someone who could stand up to my abilities, it would be a waste to end you right now without seeing what you can actually do.”

The sound of cough filled the room and the bystanders were enclosed by the flames and choking from the fumes, while the two oppressors had on gas masks. A sudden gust of wind swept through the restaurant and extinguished the flames, purging away the fumes with it.

“I have a better proposal, how about we do it my way.” While she looked around in surprise, Tom’s voice came from behind, and she was presented with an unexpected sight.

As she looked around in wonderment of the extinguished flames, he swiftly made his way to her fire bending companion and buried his fist deep through his spine and out of his chest.

As she beheld this sight, her expression twisted into that of anger mixed with irritation. “You’ll pay for that.” She said as electricity began to cackle around her.

…

[Barbara Gordon’s POV]

That night Barbara just returned to the Batcave after her usual night patrol, bored from the slow evening she had. “Welcome Miss Barbara, how was your evening?” Alfred welcomed.

“Thank you Alfred.” She replied as she took off her cowl. “It was a slow evening, all I did tonight was stop some muggers who were about rapping a lady who found herself in the wrong neighborhood.” She added.

“Thanks to you that lady was saved from that unfortunate fate. I’ve prepared snacks for you to go with some tea to help you sleep soundly tonight.”

“Thank you Alfred, I’ll have them right after my bath.” Suddenly the blaring sound of an emergency alarm engulfed the Batcave. “What is it?” Bruce asked, as he entered the Batcave with his cowl off.

Barbara hastily made her way to the system, clicking on keys until a report came up on screen. “An emergency alarm from Bruschetta’s, an exquisite restaurant way down town.”

“I know where it is, I’ve been there once for a business dinner.” Bruce replied while Barbara just gave him a short look before moving on. “What’s the situation?” He asked.

“The police are unsure but they labeled it as either a robbery or an hostage situation.” She replied.

“Why would the attackers target a restaurant in the first place?” Alfred wondered out loud.

“Maybe they are mad at them since they weren’t able to get reservations and it’s an act of revenge, or they are robbing the place because only the rich and well connected would be in there, kind of hitting the jackpot at the least expected place.” Barbara said as she geared up.

“It's either the latter, or they are after someone. It might be a kidnapping.” He speculated as he stroked his chin while pondering on what could be the actual motive of the attackers. “Let’s move out, the police are already on their way heading there as we speak.”

Batman wore his cowl and Barbara did the same, before heading out, Batman in his Batmoblie while she took her bike and they drove off into the streets of Gotham, hoping to get there before it was too late.