"The brightest flame casts the darkest shadow."
-George R. R. Martin
John Blake had resigned from the police force.
It had been a year since Batman had died. Since he had disappeared. Since he, John Blake, had taken on the mantle of the Nightwing.
At times, he wished it was different. At times, he wished that Batman was there instead of him.
However, that was all wishful thinking.
Gotham was under his watch now. He intended to take care of it.
Lara Warren wiped her forehead, and smiled slightly. A day's work well done, she decided as she began to pack up her chemicals and such.
As a scientist, Lara rarely finished early. It seemed that she was constantly working. However, that night, she was finished.
She began to head home, humming softly to herself as she went.
"You know, it's not safe for little girls like you to be out at night," A deep, rough voice said.
Lara whipped around, her dark, curly hair flying out behind her. "Who's there?"
A hand was over her mouth in a moment, a large body pressed against her back. Instinct took over for Lara, and she threw an elbow into the man's side. While he was distracted, she took the opportunity to kick him in the groin.
She withdrew a switchblade from her boot, and launched herself at the man.
She barreled him over, knocked him onto the ground.
With her legs wrapped around him, pinning his arms, and a knife against his throat, she leaned in close.
"Don't. Touch. Me," She hissed.
The man spit at her. Lara tsked at him as it missed, running down his cheek instead. "Go to hell, little girl."
"I'm already there, sweetheart," Lara said. She brought the switchblade's grip down on his head, and knocked him out. Then, she stood up, and brushed her loose white shirt and jeans off. She grunted as she lifted the man up under his arms, and dragged him into an alley. She took a spray paint can from her lab coat, and looked at it.
Did she really want to do this again? She'd left that all behind…
Lara shrugged. No one would be able to tell anyway. Maybe that new Nightwing guy could use some help.
She shook the paint can, and, above the man's unconscious body, she spray painted a large F. In another pocket, she found a set of handcuffs. How she had so much in her pockets, she had no idea.
Lara handcuffed the man to a pole. She glanced around, making sure no one had seen, and walked quickly away.
Above Lara, a pair of watchful eyes surveyed the city. The eyes of Selina Kyle, known to many simply as "The Cat". She was crouched to the ground, invisible to most other eyes. She raised an eyebrow at Lara's antics, and was considering leaping down to stop her, when she heard a voice behind her.
"Selina," The voice of Blake said. Selina turned, a slow smile spreading across her masked face.
"Blake. Long time no see," She said in a smooth voice. "Where have you been?"
"Taking over for Batman," Blake replied, walking towards her. He had a new costume now, Selina noticed. The Nightwing thing probably had called for a costume change.
"Oh, and how is that working out for you?" Selina inquired, crossing her arms loosely over her stomach as she straightened up.
"Not as well as I've hoped," Blake said. "Haven't seen you stealing things recently. Taking a break?"
"You should know me better than that," Selina said. "I don't take breaks."
"Whatever you say," Blake said. The cold night wind whipped around the two, blowing their hair and clothes.
"So what brings you to the rooftops?" Selina asked, spreading her hands as if the highest parts of Gotham were hers and hers alone.
"I saw you up here, and wanted to greet you. Is that such a terrible thing?" Blake asked.
"It's something more than that," Selina said, walking closer to Blake. She trailed a finger down his cheek, and smirked as he shivered. "Don't try to lie to me," She murmured.
"Fine," Blake said. "There's something new out there. Two things, to be exact."
"Oh, really? Why don't you tell me who-or what-they are?" Selina asked.
"They go by Firefly and Labyrinth. One of them seems to be working for someone-attacking criminals. The second has begun killing people."
"And where do I come into this?"
"We're going to locate them."