"This case is kicking my ass," Batman groaned as he stumbled out of the batmobile. "Wonder what Bruce would do," he sighed. He pulled the cowl off his head, and freeing damp, black hair. He glanced toward Asami, who was taking her helmet off, and placing it on her motorcycle. She ran her hair through her thick, black curls as she moved toward the large computer.
"Hush," Asami said before taking a seat in front of the many screens. Peeling off her mask, she hunched forward. She pulled her gloves off, revealing a thick, gold band that decorated her left ring finger. She twirled it around absentmindedly. "You know he would do exactly what you're doing," she told him as she finally turned to face her husband.
She watched as Robin emerged from the vehicle behind him. The small girl had a smile on her face as she bounced over to her father and gave him a hug. "It'll be alright, daddy," she cooed into his side. She quickly pulled away, and made her way toward Asami.
"I still don't like you going out there with him," Asami murmured as she pulled the child into her lap. She held the ten-year-old tightly against her.
"But Uncle Dami is too big for Robin!" The girl was not going to let this go without a fight. She had been born to be Robin with her father.
"I meant on this case, kiddo," The woman clarified. She did not mind her daughter being out there and fighting. She knew the girl could hold her own, but this was a dangerous case. She did not want little Mary Grayson to get caught in the crossfire.
She looked back at Dick as he leaned over her, and stared at the data on the screen. "Damian can't help you on this? Not even Tim?"
Dick shook his head. Even Babs was not much help at this point. However, he was beginning to see the dangers as well. He could remember all the stupid shit he went against when he was a child, but that was different. This was his child that he was putting in danger.
He reached out and ruffled the child's dark curls. She looked just like her mother, except for the piercing blue eyes. Her eyes were filled with an innocence that he had not seen in a Robin in a long time. He pursed his lips. He feared the day that she would see something she could never forget; something that would taint her pure soul.
"They are helping. Even Barbara is doing what she can," he paused, his eyes narrowing, "and I can't ask the old team for any favors…not after what happened with Artemis," he murmured, eyes now trained on the screen. "But you're right," he said, his voice returning to the Batman growl. Asami's brows knitted together at the sound. She spun around in the chair before putting a comforting hand against his cheek.
He looked down at his two, strong, wonderful girls. "Mary, you need to stay behind with Alfie," he ordered. The girl's nose scrunched up as she began to pout. The look was definitely one she had learned from her uncle Damian. He sighed, and shook his head. "That was an order, not a request," he said.
Mary turned to look up at her mother. She gave Asami the same look, only to have the woman shake her head. "I'm siding with the bat this time," she told the girl. "I'll go with your dad, alright?"
Mary let out an exasperated sigh, but nodded. She slid off of her mother's lap, and pulled the green mask away from her eyes. "Fiiiiiine," she groaned. Asami tugged the girl back, and placed a kiss on her forehead. The little girl moved over to her father, allowing him to give her a kiss on the cheek.
"Goodnight, little bird," Dick cooed to the girl.
"See you in the morning, my little firebender," Asami said afterward. "Show me your flame," she urged the girl before she could walk away.
Mary smiled at her mother. She held her hand out, and created a small flame. Asami watched it flicker above her hand. The child giggled, and finally extinguished the flame. She spun around, black curls whipping with her, and bounced away. The parents watched their daughter ascend the staircase, until she disappeared into the manor.
"I can't wait until Bruce returns," Dick growled, eyes back on the screen. He leaned over Asami, and began to tap the keyboard. The two were completely silent. The tap of the keys and the hum of machines filled the air.
"I have no idea where these kids are from. There are no records of them even existing," Dick growled as he stepped away from the computer.
The two stared at each other for a long time. There was no telling where they were coming from, or why the perpetrator felt the need to film their deaths. The videos had been horrific. They had been able to keep them from Mary for this long, but both had seen at least one of them.
Asami gulped back vile as she turned toward the computer. "We have only a few hours left before the live feed…" She rose to her feet. She pushed her mask back onto her face, and slid her gloves on. "I'm going to patrol, see if we missed anything," she mumbled. She flexed her fingers, and then stared at her husband.
"Be careful," he told her. She walked over to him, and brushed her lips past his. The two smiled at one another, before Asami finally moved away.
"I always am," she said with a giggle. "I love you, Richard," she said, her eyes narrowing as she winked at him.
"I love you, too, Asami," he responded, his voice tired, and almost forced. She frowned, but knew he was preoccupied.
She sprinted towards her bike, and then hopped onto it. She pulled the helmet over her head, turned on the ignition, and then she was gone.
Her hair whipped around her as she emerged out of the cave, and onto the road. She was anxious to close this case before another body was added to the growing list. The bodies had been hidden all over Gotham. The only reason they had been found was due to the DVDs that had been mailed to the police. The murders, from the moment the person woke up in their death room, to the moment they were hidden was recorded.
She could still see the first film she had seen. She had seen a lot in the last fifteen years of being in this strange, new world, but that had been the icing on the cake. She was livid. She was going to catch the bastards that were doing this, if it was the last thing she did.
Her mind went blank when she felt herself lose control of the bike. She tried to slow it down, only to have it skid across the pavement, sending her flying off it. Her body bounced against the concrete. A low groan escaped her lips when she finally came to a stop.
Eyes narrowed, she slowly lifted her head. A metallic taste filled her mouth. She was quick to pull her helmet off, and toss it to the side. She had bit her lip pretty bad during the fall.
She put a hand up to wipe the bit of blood that was trickling down her lip. She spat out a bit of blood as she jumped to her feet. She scanned the area, her body now positioning itself into a fighting stance.
"They had you hidden so well, miss not-from-around-here," a strange voice cooed from the darkness. The woman tried to pinpoint the location of the voice. Her brows furrowed. She did not have time for this.
"Come on, Teekl, dinner time," the voice cackled. The laughter continued as a large creature pounced from the shadows. Asami quickly rolled out of the way. She landed on her knees, and reached out to grab a fist full of fur. The glove on her hand buzzed, before shocking the large cat that had attacked her.
The cat let out a pain filled howl. It craned it's head around, and chomped into Asami's arm in retaliation. She bit back a scream, and quickly pulled away as the cat released her. Retreating into the shadows, she cradled her injured arm. She needed to get away.
She pulled a grappling hook from her utility belt, and quickly aimed it. The grapple shot from the gun. She felt the chord go taut, before pulling her forward. She did not make it far off the ground before the chord snapped. She rolled before she could completely fall. Her good hand held onto her injured arm in an attempt to protect it as she landed in the shadows.
"I thought this would be harder…oh well," the voice said. This time, it was much closer. Asami's brows knitted together, and she glanced around desperately. She could hear his hands clapping together, followed by a few chants.
This was one of the few times she wished her mask had night vision. She ate her words when the alley suddenly lit up. She stared at the boy that was still chanting. She took a few steps back, still trying to assess the area. The source of the glow was coming from beneath her.
She tried to run, but it was too late. She heard her name being shouted, but the noise was muffled by the nothingness that followed. The woman was shaking. She did not know what was happening. Within a few seconds, the scenery had changed completely.
She cradled her injured arm. She stared around the island she had been placed on. She pursed her painted lips together, tears now forming. She knew exactly where she was. She collapsed, tears now streaming down her cheeks. She peeled the mask from her face, and tossed it to the side. Asami did not want to be here. Not now, and definitely not after all she had experienced.
She pulled a locket out of her suit. She was not supposed to have it, but she had always known something like this could happen. She stared down at the image of Richard, Mary, and herself.
She was no longer home.