Up in the night sky, the moon shown bright, hitting the figure of a man just perfectly as he stood on the edge of a building. His shape blocked the light, letting her know it was the Batman. A moment after she first saw him, she lifted a pair of binoculars to her eyes and stared up at him, waiting.

Waiting for what? Well… According to the clock, glowing green numbers, for the Batman to be distracted in a moment or two… A beep came from a small device attached to her ear. Carefully, as to not lose sight of him, she raised her right hand to her ear and pressed lightly.

"Is everything going according to plan?"

"Of course boss. The bomb is set to go off in exactly an hour, and we've placed it on the far side of the city as you've asked."

"Very good… Come back to base and prepare. Your team will leave for the target last." She pressed the button again, and smirked again as batman sprang into action. He put a hand to his ear, much like she'd just done, and leapt from the building, spreading his cape to catch the wind.

He was most likely heading for her decoy, and by the time he realized he'd been tricked, she'd have what she was after. But just to be sure, she unlocked a case on the table, containing her baton. Setting the binoculars down lightly, she lifted the smooth wooden stick with both hands. She pressed a button the handle, to make sure it was in perfect working condition.

Indeed it was, she agreed, as almost like a light saber, the layers of wood folded out, ending with a sharp, deadly point. She pressed another button, and the wood retracted, leaving only the sharp metal point. Perfect for slashing ones throat… Which of course was her very goal that night.

With the Batman busy disarming a decoy bomb, and her thugs hitting several jewelry stores around Gotham… She was free to go after the real target of the night.

She waited a few minutes, allowing for Batman to get farther away, before leaving the small room. On her way down a staircase, she constantly glanced back over her shoulder, and sighed in relief when she reached the bottom.

"Hey boss, we're ready to go." One of her underlings approached her.

"How many times must I remind you to call me Marley?" She hissed. The man paled, gulping as her grip tightened on the baton.

"I'm sorry Marley, I won't forget again."

"Good. As for the mission, I want you to send a team out every. Five, minutes. Starting after I leave, and make sure they are spread throughout the city."

"Away from the target house, I understand b-Marley."

Without anther word, he hurried off. She shook her head, thinking 'I need to keep my eye on him…' Before she slipped out the door to the base and entered the alley way. If she were seen, someone was sure to call for the police. To avoid publicity, Marley climbed the ladder of the fire escape, all the way to the roof, crouching behind a large metal pipe. As silently as possible, she began [picking her way across the rooftops, sometimes sneaking through alleys to reach the next building.

The base wasn't far from the Target house, and soon, she could see it… A tall red apartment building. Very familiar to her… A sudden wave of anger coursed through her. She clenched her fists until her nails cut into her hands. The wind, blowing a bit harder than it was before, whipped her hair around her face. With a growl of annoyance she reached up to push it out of her face.

Before she moved any closer, she inspected her hands. The cuts weren't deep, and actually had stopped bleeding already.

"Time to move…" Glancing around the area quickly, she sprinted to the edge and dropped down onto another fire escape. Her shoes made a soft clack every step she took. Every step made her wince, afraid someone was following. It was a great relief to her when she reached the ground and could begin the climb up the other escape. The first 'floor' was as far as she got before she was interrupted by a beep in her ear.

"What do you WANT?" She hissed. "I'm busy!"

There was no reply on the other end. Just a swish of air, a clack, and an electrical crackling.

"What…?" It couldn't be Batman! He couldn't have found her decoy's true purpose, or stopped all her underlings… it was impossible! It was too SOON. The only way he'd know was if… If one of her men had betrayed her. In fact, she was most sure of it. She would need to do this fast.

Marley pulled her communicator from her ear and smashed it, incase he could trace her signal, before rapidly ascending the fire escape to the top floor.

The window was unlocked, sliding open easily so she could slip inside. A book on the table by her left was used to prop it open for a quicker escape. It had dents in it from all the years of use.

'The living room…' he would be in his bed by now. Watching the news before he drifted off to sleep. She was hoping to wait until he'd be out in a few minutes, but Batman, for all she knew, could be on the way at that very moment.

Everything was in the same place as before. The same couch in the same corner, the same old bookshelf next to the black and white TV… But now was not the time for reminiscing. Assuming it was, in fact, the Batman on the other end of the communication line, she couldn't afford to waste time.

"N-no! Stay away from me!" The man screamed, terrified. Eyes wide, he searched for something to throw. The nearest thing was a blue vase. He chucked it at him as hard as he could, dismayed as he dodged. The man backed up against he wall, throwing another vase. This time he CAUGHT it. He placed it on a table as he passed, not even looking.

Next thing he knew, he was pinned to the wall, the angry face of the bat glareing at him. His eyes seemed to look into his very soul…

"Where is your boss?" He demanded.

"W-what boss are you talking about?"

"Don't play with me. I know this is more than just a simple robbery." Batman growled. 'This guy wasn't smart enough to set a decoy like that.'

"I-I swear! It was all m-my own genius!" The man stuttered, the fearful look in his eyes grew more… fearful the more he pressed for answers. Batman noticed something on his ear. It was a communicator, much like his own.

"Then you won't mind me taking this, will you?" He reached for it, and before the man could struggle, he had it in his hand.

After several more questions unanswered, Batman tied the man up and taped his mouth, then called for the police. With a last look over his houlder, he jumped from the window and glided to a shorter building's roof.

'I wonder who's on the other end of this communicator…' batman thought. 'Now's the time to find out.' he put it next to his ear and pressed the speak button.

"What do you WANT?" A voice hissed at him. "I'm busy!" It was a female voice he hadn't heard before.

'I'd better put a trace on this.' he did so quickly, in less than five seconds, then dropped it and smashed it with his boot.

Marely slipped quietly into the dark room. She was in luck, apparently. Usually he would be watching the news at this time instead of sleeping. She brought up her baton and clicked the button silently, the sharp knife tip ready for its job.

The target, a man named… Well, the name isn't important. We'll just refer to him as 'The target' for this portion of the story. The target, as I was saying, lay in bed, staring out the window into the full moon. The Bat Signal was shining, like almost every other week it did. With a small smile, he wondered who was causing trouble this time. The Joker? Two Face? Or maybe even the Riddler was out again. Most unlikely, however, as he'd only just been taken back a month or so ago.

He closed his eyes, sleepines weighing his eyelids down. Not but a minute later, they shot open as a sound came to his ears. It sounded like someone was in the room. He sat up and yawned, pretending not to notice. He reached for the light switch by the bed and glanced around the room. He didn't see anyone. But hust to be safe… He reached under his pillow and felt for his gun. It was there, and still loaded, he assumed. Ready for firing. Another look around and he shut off the light, kepping a hand under the pillow.

'That was close.' She thought, suppressing a sigh of relief. She'd just ducked under the bed before the light turned on. She was wasting precious seconds waiting here. The batman could be on his way,. She was now most certain of it. Her underlings. They were all cowards, to afraid of her to play jokes. There was a slight chance it had simply fallen off in a fight, if Batman had quickly run to the scene of a robbery and knocked out her crew… But she would most definetly bet on him comeing.

She heard a snore from her target. 'Still sleeps loudly…' she growled in annoyance, slipping out from beneath the bed. Before she got to her feet, she noticed a little book. 'What's this?' It was too dark to see, so she stuffed it in her coat pocket for later reading.

She readied her baton again, crawling around to he side ogf the bed away from his face, and stood, ready to strike.

'What would anyone want with this building?' Batman thought, approaching the building the trace had led him to. He checked the map of the building on his arm thing he never really had time to name. (He was thinking the Battracker or something like that, by the way.) The little red blip indicated he should climb to the top floor. Batman aimed hiw grapple hook for the top of the fire escape.

He hadn't really meant to fall asleep, but as he woke, blinking away his sleepiness, the face of a young woman glared down at him. Pure hatred swam in her eyes, as well as anger. At his through was a stick of some kind, that pressed into his skin. It took him a moment to notice the prickly feeling and the wetness sliding slowly down his neck. When he did, his weariness evaporated, replaced with fear. His eyes opened wide.

"Mr. Jackson…" She said quietly. Angrily. He winced at the hatred in her voice. Her glare was intenese.

"My name? How do you know it?" he asked, sounding anything but courageous.

She didn't answer. He risked sliding back, into a more comfortable, sitting position, and reaching his arm slowly behind him, searching for the gun.

"Stop moving." she yelled. He slipped, startled, sliding back a few inches.

"Stop moving!" Batman pulled himself silently to the fire escape flooring, and peeked through the window. There was a woman, standing with her back to the window. She had something in her hand. He wasn't sure it was a weapon or not, so he switched on his detective mode. She was outlined in red. And little box appeared to the left of his vision, showing her heart rate, a little higher than normal, her status, which was calm, and her weapon. She appeared to be holding a stick with a blade attached, according to the box.

'I need to get in there, without alarming her.' He moved silently, sliding his fingers under the window, praying it didn't make a sound. Luck was with him. The window opened silently.

"Why are you doing this?" The man on the bed asked. His voice was strained as he tried to hide the fear.

"If you… Think back a few years. Maybe… Fifteen? Or is it twenty now." She replied. "You know the two of were never good at math…"

Intregued as he was, he wouldn't risk the mans safety. He snuck up behind her, ready to do a silent takedown, when she suddenly spun around and brought her stick across his face. Well, his mask, actually. With contact, the metal against metal made a loud screech.

Now was his chance! As she spun to deal with Batman, who'd at some point snuck inside his room, he was free to grab for the gun. He took aim quickly, and pulled the trigger.

At the sound of the gun going off, Batman's first instinct was to duck. He pulled the woman down with him, though not fast enough. She let out a soft cry of pain as she hit the ground. The bullet from the gun had gone through her right shoulder, and was now dripping blood down her arm and onto the rug.

He quickly took aim for another shot. He wasn't sure how batman had moved so quickly, but there he was, grabbing his wrist to stop him from continuing. He immediately let go and stared at the woman again. She was already on her feet, glareing at him. Their eyes met for a moment, and the realization set it. "Marley?"

"I'll be back, Mr. Jackson." was all she said before jumping out the window and disappearing.

He looked at Batman. "Aren't you going to STOP her!?" He demanded.

"I'll find her soon enough. She has no one left to turn to." He said. By now, all the robberies set up around the city had been stopped, and all were being arrested at this very moment.

"How would you know?" Mr. Jackson asked as Batman let go of his wrist. He was ignored.

"You seem to know her. Tell me what you know."

There was a moment of silence, and then he answered. "Her name is Marley. She's my daughter…"

"Why did she try to kill you?"

"I don't know. Years ago, when she was only six years old… She murdered my wife, and if I didn't have the night shift that night, I would have been dead as well."

"And how do you know it was her?"

"Our neighbors heard the commotion and called the police. When they arrived, she was just sitting there… In the corner. The knife was still in her hands."

"Why is she out here and not in custody?"

"She ran away. You know how kids are always good at sneaking away."

"Anything else I should know?"

Mr. Jackson turned and thought for a moment. "Not really. But-"

Batman was gone.