Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or any associated characters.
This is my first attempt at a fan fiction, and I would really appreciate feedback. Enjoy!
She wandered around the room in wonder. The party was splendid. However, it would have been nice if she knew more of the people there other than some of the police officers. Whatever could the commissioner have been thinking of? He had no idea she was not the socialite type, and never would be. Not that she's impolite, just shy and quiet. She had already slipped away into a secluded area, seating herself near the window. It's not like anyone had really been talking to her, anyway. Staring into the night, she wondered what she would do. The officers had not noticed that she was gone.
Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne arrived at the same party with his ward, Tim Drake. As Bruce wandered from acquaintance to acquaintance, never seeming to tire of it, Tim did rather quickly, deciding to go and check out the refreshments. On his way there, he noticed something he thought to be quite unusual. He saw a woman sitting alone, near a secluded window. Tim decided to investigate; perhaps she was bored, and would be more interesting company than Bruce and his friends. He approached the window and looked outside, wondering what it was she saw, but saw nothing of any consequence.
He looked toward her and said, "Nice night, isn't it?"
She didn't answer. He waved his hand in front of her face, but she seemed not to see it. Then he reached out to touch her shoulder, and shake her to see if she was even alive, when suddenly, her head snapped around, the expression relaxing once she saw that the kid was no threat. In the meantime, her sudden movement had startled Tim, causing him to take a step back.
She smiled and said, "So, are you tired of this boring party too?"
He replied, "Yeah, I don't know why they dragged me here. Other than the refreshments, it's a snoozer." She laughed lightly.
"I see you don't enjoy fancy parties either." Her easy-going manner eliminated any strangeness Tim had felt earlier.
"So, what were you looking at outside?"
"I was looking at nothing but seeing everything at the same time, in an attempt to forget where I am and how uncomfortable I feel being all dressed up."
"Are you serious?" Tim asked incredulously.
"Yes, actually, I am. I know that sounds silly for someone my age…"
"I thought I was the only one here who doesn't enjoy dressing up!"
"Dressing up and looking nice I enjoy. Being dressed up is what bothers me."
"The whole thing bothers me," Tim replied. She laughed again.
"My name is Lorelei, and you are?"
"Tim. Are you from around here?"
"No, I'm actually from the west coast, I just moved into Gotham City this week."
They continued to talk about many things, and Tim found out where she came from and what she does for a living, but what he found to be interesting was that she studies the martial arts, specifically karate. So of course, he started asking all sorts of questions about that.
Bruce was speaking with the commissioner who said, "There's someone I'd like to introduce you to. She just moved here recently and does interpreting work with Japanese companies, she's over here…"
Bruce followed the commissioner to where Bullock, Montoya, and a couple of other detectives were standing and chatting.
"Where did Lorelei go?" he asked, sounding just a little worried.
Bullock replied, "What do you mean, where is she? She's right here…well, she was when we got here; maybe she went to powder her nose or something."
Montoya quickly left to check. Upon her return, she informed them that she hadn't seen her.
"You people are telling me that she just disappeared? You were supposed to be keeping her company, remember?"
Bullock retorted, "Well, I was trying to talk to her, and then she gave me this look and called me a jerk."
"No, you were hitting on her, Bullock, and she wasn't interested," Montoya said in clarification.
"Why is this woman's whereabouts such a big deal?" Bruce asked politely, detecting a case that may need some special help.
The commissioner replied, "She's been moved to the east coast to for her protection. She is a key witness to a case that will bring down the Martellini mob family, a very powerful and notorious mob family based on the west coast."
"Have they followed her here to Gotham?"
"Not that we're aware of, but we're keeping our eyes open." the commissioner said.
"What does she look like? Maybe I can help you find her."
"She's about average height, with curly brown hair and blue eyes. Okay then, let's spread out and see if we can find her. Move it!"
Lorelei was talking to Tim when three strange men walked up. "Miss, we have something to discuss with you, it's urgent." One of them informed her.
"Tim, it was nice talking to you, I'll see you later." She smiled at him, but he noticed that something was not right here. They were closing in on her.
"Are you sure you're with these guys?" He asked.
"It's not your business, kid!" One of them replied angrily.
Quick as a flash, she rose, stepping in-between them to protect Tim.
"Tim, it's ok. Nothing is going on here, I just need to speak with these men in private." She said calmly, but the look Tim saw on her face told it all. Next thing she knew, they were pushing her out a side entrance.
Tim ran, frantically looking for Bruce. Finally finding him, he said, "Come quick!"
Bruce asked him what was wrong, and Tim told him all about the scene with his new friend as he led him to where she had been.
"Let me guess, she has curly brown hair and blue eyes."
"How did you know?"
"Call it a hunch."
"This discussion is closed. I have nothing more to say to you!" Lorelei declared as soon as they were outside, and started to run away.
"That's what you think!" one of the men said as he reached out and grabbed her arm. She stopped, and twisted her arm out of his grasp, while one of the other men's fists found it's mark on her face, knocking her down to the ground. Rising up, she found that they had maneuvered her into a dead end. As another one of them headed in to strike at her again, she blocked it and struck back, and as the rest advanced, she did the same to them, and ran out of the side alley, only to find one more of them, one of which held a gun. She turned to run the other way, but was shoved into back into the alley. His accomplices recovered, two of them grabbed her and shoved her hard into the wall, then stepped clear while the man who wielded the gun took aim and fired.
************************************************************************
Batman and Robin were outside on the rooftop. Robin recognized her as she was shoved backward into the side alley.
"Robin, go find the commissioner, and tell him to call for back-up, now!"
Robin went inside while Batman jumped down into the alley, but was too late. The shot was fired. He tackled and disarmed the man with the gun, knocking him out cold. The other three turned around in surprise, as he knocked them all down effortlessly. He saw her lying there, and quickly knelt down and checked to see if she was still alive, when she came to and started to get up.
"Don't try to move, help is on the way!" As he said this he noticed her holding her side.
"Watch out!" She pushed him away as one of the assailants attempted to strike him on the back of the head. Batman intercepted his intended blow. Batman quickly came to her assistance as she finished standing up.
"Are you alright? What happened?"
"Not…really…" was her response as she collapsed. Batman caught her as she fell. That was when he saw it. The gunshot wound in her side, and the large bloodstain on her dress accompanying it. Then he noticed something odd—a white rose sitting in the middle of the puddle of blood on the ground.
Her assailants had all disappeared.