Author's Comments will be after I'm done with this chapter. Till then, read on!
Chapter Two- The Missing Knight
"Wow, so the Alien Princess, and a hero are both into you, huh?" Max was asking as she and Caitlyn were making towards the mall that Saturday morning.
"You don't know the half of it." Caitlyn rolled her eyes, as they walked in a group of classmates waved at them.
"Yeah, having two people fighting over you for your affections must really be a drag." Max stated sarcastically. She agreed to spend the day hanging out with Caitlyn after Caitlyn called her and begged to be in the company of someone on a 'neutral' side of things, but was still a friend.
"Hey, if they were normal people I wouldn't be so worried about it. But they could really do lasting damage if they went at each other's throats about it." Caitlyn said as they went to their first stop, the Smoothie Shop near the entrance of the mall where other kids were gathered.
"I see your point. But still, you think Terr's the kind of guy to loose his temper over something like this?" Asked Max.
"No, but he's not the one I'm worried about. If you'd seen what Titania did to that gargoyle on top of that building, and how she uses those laser eyes of hers? If she went nuts..." Caitlyn went on, running her left hand through her brunette bangs.
"Yeah, yeah, we'd all be doomed, I get your drift. Now, we need to pick an order, there's only three people left in front of us." Max called Caitlyn back to reality, pointing up at the screen above the baristas. "I think I'm getting myself a Strawberry, Pomegranate Blast personally."
"Hmm... Orange Peach Sunburst sounds pretty good to me. Nice, light and refreshing. Considering I already had my Soda this morning, and am saving the other one for tonight's shift at work." Caitlyn said after browsing the high-tech menu.
"And what'll you two ladies be having today?" Asked the red-haired barista with a bright smile.
Once Caitlyn and Max paid for their orders, they left the Smoothie bar to talk about where they were headed to once they finished their drinks.
"And now that we know we won't collapse mid Mall-Troll, let's hit that record shop." Max declared, dumping her now empty drink container into the trash bin, with Caitlyn finishing off the last of her drink in one big slurp. Then cringing from the resulting brain freeze.
"Ah yes, nothing like the old B&B Boys..." Max was saying when Caitlyn caught up. "What's up with you?"
"Nothing, just brain freeze." Sighed Caitlyn, rubbing her forehead, to which Max laughed a little. Then the two began perusing the store's CDs for something to buy.
Finally, after an hour of searching, Caitlyn pulled up a CD that caught her eyes.
"Oh, ooh-la-la." Max saw the disc she was looking at, with a group of five boys on it. "Now those guys have pipes and are easy on the eyes."
"I know, right? I could listen to them all day." Caitlyn went all dewey eyed at the CD. "I know what I'm buying."
"Why'd you wanna do that?" Came a voice from behind, as an arm went around Caitlyn's shoulders.
"Terry! Where'd you come from?" Asked Caitlyn, jumping.
"Terry's bringing me here so I could buy some more music with my allowance." Matt popped his head up.
"Ah, the little monster is out and about from his cave." Smirked Max.
Terry raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, Max, now just who are you referring to here?" Asked Terry.
"Oh, you know." Smirked Max as Matt went over to the kids music section.
"Hey Terry, I want this one!" Matt said, holding up a CD he'd been digging in the racks for.
"Hold on twip, let me look at that first. I don't want mom burning me alive for letting you buy something she doesn't want you to listen to in the first place." Terry was for once grateful for his little brother's need for attention as it dawned on him that Caitlyn probably told Max what was going on.
At that moment, Caitlyn heard her cell phone vibrating in her tote bag and groaned.
"Yeah grandpa?" She asked once she answered.
"There's a robbery underway at the Gotham City Jewelers nearby. I need you to look into it." Dick replied.
"But I'm at the mall with Max! Can't you make someone else tackle it?" Caitlyn whined as Terry turned his head a little to listen in.
"No can do, kid. Crime doesn't stop just because you're out having fun. Now get to work." Dick said, hanging up before she could argue some more.
"Grouchy old man." Caitlyn stomped her foot in frustration. "You know Terry, you're lucky you're baby-sitting the squirt here today." She whispered to him before turning back to Max, digging in her tote for something.
"What's the deal?" Asked Max.
"There's a case downtown that grandpa needs me to check out. Would you mind getting this for me? Here's my Cred' Card. I'll try and be back as soon as I can!" And Caitlyn handed the card and the disc to Max, then hurried off.
"Whattaya know, saved by the twip today." Terry commented, with Matt too distracted by listening to an album in the preview headphones.
"You're not gonna go after her?" Asked Max.
"Not unless the boss man calls and says things are getting out of hand." Shrugged Terry. "She'd probably tear out my throat if I went in unnecessarily right now."
"She is a touchy one. Here, I have an idea..." Max looked at the CD Caitlyn had picked out. Then went to the rack with more albums of the same group. "You wanna stay on the girl's good side, buy her one of these CDs. She told me earlier she only has a few." She handed Terry another CD Case, which he took to look at to see what all the fuss was about with this particular boy band. "Only don't mention that I helped you pick it out."
"Max, you really think I'd be that stupid?" Terry asked with a raised eyebrow.
Catwoman was on the prowl once more, only unlike some of her predecessors, she didn't care what time of the day she moved around in. Especially since she was a school drop out, and it was the weekend, she had more freedom than the next person. Flipping herself nimbly through an entrance she made on the glass top ceiling of the Jewelry store, she landed cat-like on the floor without making a sound. With nearly everyone on an early meeting break, this would be the perfect time to cash in on some fancy rocks. Then make all the people at the next fancy gala party jealous.
With the technology in her suit and mask, she could see the security lasers, thus being able to work her way through like an olympic gymnast, to reach the first of her targets.
"Mmmm... Just like cat-nip to me." She hissed with a smile as she used her particularly long red-painted nails to cut through the glass container silently. Then she started pulling out diamonds, rubies, sapphires, morganite, and other precious gemstones from the case, putting them into a container in her belt.
At the moment she made to grab for one of the larger diamonds on display, two bat-a-rangs shot from the entrance right at Catwoman's hands, causing her to jump back rather quickly from the display case.
"Not a bad day to look at some jewelry, I don't blame you, kitty." Batgirl said.
"You seem to be in a good mood today, bats." Catwoman turned slightly to face her adversary.
"What can I say? Started off on a good note, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna go light on you." She withdrew two of her silver javelins, and with a flick of her wrists they were at their full size in seconds.
"Looks like someone brought two guns to a rodeo." Catwoman's own hand moved to her whip handle.
"You'd be surprised how useful these things can be." Smirked Batgirl. At least Catwoman was worth a bit of conversation before getting into the fight.
She used the javelins as pole vaults to flip herself up and around the whip as Catwoman cracked it at her, until at one point Batgirl was showing some of her genetic skill inheritance from her grandfather while using the javelin in her right hand to fling herself around upside down, with the other javelin smacking right into the side of Catwoman's head, sending her flying sideways into a fancy crystal case display.
"Perfectly good shiny rocks..." Sighed Batgirl. "Oh well, can't be helped." She added as sirens started sounding off nearby and footsteps could be heard.
Once Catwoman heard the sirens, she knew she had to get out, so with a flick of the wrist, the whip she used cracked through the air once more, flicking the laser beam security grid on around Batgirl, and the rest of the shop.
The guards arrived just in time to see Catwoman's nimble form leap out of sight through the ceiling glass window, spraying the Commissioner and her officers in glass.
"Not this time." Barbara heard Batgirl mumble, then Barbara saw Batgirl maneuver her way through the laser beam grid without triggering a single alarm, before following Catwoman's shadow out of the building and onto the roof with the aid of her rocket powered boots.
"Quickly! Surround the building, and don't interfere until Batgirl disables the Cat." Barbara ordered.
"Well well well, looks like someone's built up her bravery levels." Catwoman sounded rather amused as Batgirl landed in front of her as she was making to leap off the building in general.
"So, carrot top, we can do this the easy way, or the fun way. Your choice." Batgirl had her hands crossed over her head as the police surrounded them. "Either way, you loose."
Looking up, Catwoman saw the police hovercraft with their weapons aimed at her. Until she brought her whip around without warning, wrapping the end of it right around the nose of the nearest craft then with strength that surprised Batgirl and Barbara, swung the police craft like it weighed nothing at all, slamming it into three more before jumping through the smoke and the fire, attempting to use it as cover for an escape.
"Oh no you don't." Snarled Batgirl, getting frustrated. She was not going to let this one get away like Red X, or the family of Jokers that often made fools of her. So with another boost of her rocket powered boots, she was soon flying through the air, through the explosions as her grandmother regrouped her police forces, avoiding random debris, and not looking back. She could see Catwoman's shadow leaping and jumping across buildings and rooftops, using her whip to speed her away from the scene of the crime until she landed on a hover delivery truck on the Gotham City freeway.
At this point, Batgirl saw an opening when Catwoman stuck her tongue out at her, obviously thinking there was no way Batgirl could catch her now. Until Batgirl shot two Bat-a-rang's underneath the hover delivery truck, striking crucial wiring that kept it running. With an electrical shortage that sparked on the road as the truck swerved, trying to maintain control, it finally tipped over as it came to a halt.
"Like I said before, Catwoman, either we can do this the easy way, or the fun way." Batgirl smirked as traffic was swerving and spiraling around them, while the driver and the passenger of the truck were struggling to get out.
Luckily for them, Batman appeared as another spark this time ignited a fire, and still Catwoman had not moved from the upturned truck, and Batgirl refused to stand down as Batman got the men out of the rig.
"What's going on here?" The driver demanded as he and his passenger were set down.
"Let's just say it's a cat-fight getting out of hand." Batman said. "You might wanna wrap this up, ladies!" He shouted over the raging flames.
"Oh, don't worry, Bats... This will certainly be wrapped up soon." Catwoman's smirk sent Batgirl over the edge finally.
"Look, kitty, I've been patient thus far, but my patients is wearing thin." Batgirl got into a Tae Kwon Do fighting stance, ready to launch herself at Catwoman, who jumped down from the blazing truck.
"No weapons this time? All right, I'll play along." Catwoman actually wrapped her whip back into its place before she saw Batgirl running at her.
For the first time, Batgirl was grateful for her training with Wonder Woman earlier that year, for she used a combination of Wonder Woman's skills that she taught her, and her own Tai Kwon Do that she'd learned before she became Batgirl as the two women fought each other fist to fist, until finally Batgirl's leg swung around in a wide round-house kick right into Catwoman's face, sending her flying backwards, nearly unconscious.
"Not bad work." Batman commented, as Batgirl tied Catwoman up with the bolo cords, he having decided to stay out of the fight to let Batgirl have her moment. "Always nice to end things with a bang." He added as the engine to the truck nearby exploded right when the Commissioner and her officers caught up with them.
"Hey Commish, hope you got a kitty kennel large enough for this one." Batgirl said as Barbara approached.
"I think we can squeeze her in. We'll take it from here, Batgirl." Barbara smiled at what was possibly her granddaughter's first major victory on the field that didn't involve general smugglers or drug dealers. And when she said Bats, she referred to both Batgirl and Batman as they vanished from sight. She rolled her eyes, muttered something about it being 'typical super-heroes' to vanish without a word, then went straight back to work as two of her officers interviewed the innocent truck driver and his passenger, while she made sure Catwoman was hauled towards a truck. "Oh, by the way, you won't be needing this where you're going." Barbara pulled off Catwoman's mask to reveal Kina Lenne's face staring in shock that she'd been caught, even half conscious.
"Kina Lenne?" Said a nearby officer in surprise. "That teenager who went missing all those months ago?"
"Looks like we found out where she went, and what she's been doing." Frowned Barbara.
"HEY! I'll have you know, when I get out, you'll be sorry you ever messed with me, you wretched old hags!" Kina shouted as the door was slammed in her face on the police hovercraft.
Barbara rolled her eyes, having heard it all before in her line of work, and went on with what she had to do to clear up the major free way that afternoon.
"I tell you, there's something different about that Batgirl." A man was saying in the Police Office building as Barbara was passing.
"Yeah, how do you think so?" One of his friends asked.
"I dunno, she seems more out in the open than the other guy. She sticks around longer for one before vanishing. So -"
"Hey, I don't pay you guys to sit around and talk, we've got cases that need to be reviewed and filed over here." Snapped Barbara, holding her mug of coffee for that day as she walked by.
"Hard ass." Mumbled the man once she was out of ear shot.
After Kina Lenne was booked into jail, it was decided that she wasn't fit for that 'type' of society, and she was swiftly sent to Arkham, near the top-security department. As she passed several of the glass windows, she recognized a fellow former classmate, Leia who now called herself Princess Hart. As she walked down the hallway, she heard someone whistling a tune, and actually looked in the direction to see the Joker, now an old man with his green hair full of gray streaks and wrinkles all over his face. He was lying on his bed, looking flat out bored. She raised a brow before she was moved to her own cell on the same hall.
"Here you go, Miss Lenne. Now be warned about the Joker, he's cunning and manipulative and someone like him can eat a newbie here at Arkham for breakfast." One of the two woman who escorted her said.
"No worries, I'll be a good girl and behave. Besides, it's not like I'd be stupid enough to flirt with an insane, elderly crack-pot like the Joker. I'm amazed he's still alive." Shrugged an annoyed Kina. It was bad enough that she was stuck in Arkham, but to be near the wrinkled, insane father of two fellow criminals? "By the way, will I be able to decorate my cell?" She asked.
"In time, if you behave and respond well to our treatment and therapy that we'll be starting you on." The other woman said, looking at her holographic clip-board.
"Gre-e-a-a-t." Kina rolled her eyes as the door to her future home was, and stared around at how plain it was. She flopped onto her bed and looked up at the ceiling, wondering what Caitlyn, her rival, was doing now that she'd been caught.
"Man that felt good to finally catch that arrogant, read-headed witch..." Caitlyn was saying, clapping her hands together the very next day.
"Woah, kind of dark don't you think?" Max asked in surprise at how she sounded about catching Catwoman at last.
"No, I call it pride in finally catching that smug woman, always flaunting her gems at the fancy parties... gems that she stole and flaunting them right in the police's faces! Not to mention turning up at all the dance clubs that we go to acting like she's done nothing wrong, hanging out with Sharon and Sheryl like they've always been the closest of buds. Man talk about it being fulfilling in seeing her locked up. Now if I could catch Red X, then I'd be in business." Caitlyn shrugged.
"One victory at a time. You don't wanna take this hero thing too much at once, you know?" Terry said, not being too thrilled at how things had been going since she joined the hero scene several months back.
"Too much at once? Then befriending the French Imperial Princess, helping a certain pointy eared Bat prevent a global world disaster twice, keeping the Time Keeper from destroying the universe is going at just the right speed then. Yeah, that all at once certainly isn't too fast." Caitlyn's voice was laced heavily with sarcasm as she said all this.
"Thanks Cate, now could you try saying all that without the sarcasm? I was trying to make a point." Terry could tell the sarcasm in her voice easily, and while most of the time he just chocked it off as it being part of who she was, this time he didn't appreciate it.
"Woah, simmer down there." Max said quickly, handing the two each a glass of water- since they were at her apartment, in her kitchen where they could talk openly without worry.
"Hey, I've said it before, I'm not a fan as to how your grandfather has let you pretty much throw yourself into this whole thing. What would happen if something you couldn't handle were to turn up and I wasn't there to save your butt?" Asked Terry, taking the glass from Max, but still looking at Caitlyn.
"Yeah, yeah, I get what you're saying. Honestly, you sound like a broken MP3... You're worried about me, my safety as Batgirl, and the fact that the Jokerz are planning something in relation to me and have yet to actually do it after nearly three weeks of planning is worrying to you. Does that hit the nail on the preverbal head?" Shrugged Caitlyn, walking into the living room with Max where she had her laptop set up on the coffee table.
"Yes, actually. And I want to make sure that you'll be on your guard too. Something's bound to happen soon. I just don't know what." Terry decided to press on the subject as Max was busy pulling up their homework from school on Friday.
"All right, McGinnis, I think you've made your point to her, now can you two stop your spats so we can focus on Trigonometry and U.S. History for a while, since that's what you came over for?" She asked, handing the two each their papers and notebooks.
Yawning and stretching that evening, Caitlyn was glad that crime had decided to go on the downside that day, giving her a chance to catch up on some homework, and some music she'd been meaning to listen to for a while. She was now curled up in the living room couch with a cup of her favorite soda with ice, watching the evening news by herself. Titania was out on patrol to give her a break, and her grandfather was down in the Command Center helping Bruce from the Batcave keep an eye on things in the city. The reporter on the news was a new face, but rather enthusiastic, with red curly hair held up in a pony-tail, and bright green eyes while her face had so many freckles she looked tanned.
"And today in Gotham City, crime was down as the newest Super Heroine of our area was on patrol." The woman said. "It seems the three of them, Batman, Batgirl and now Titania are doing a fine job on helping the Police keep things under wraps, Ted."
"At least for today, Akima. At least for today. Now on to weather, Jeff?" Ted looked to a point beyond the camera.
Changing the channel, Caitlyn was channel surfing for quite some time by the time Dick finally emerged from the Command Center. He blinked at how tired she looked today, and utterly bored.
"How about some dinner, Cate?" He asked, going into the kitchen. "Since grandma's out still, it'll have to be microwaved. Is that all right?" She nodded while failing to suppress a huge yawn. He noticed she was drinking her favorite diet soda, and if even that didn't keep her awake, she had to be tired. By the time he finished fixing their dinners, he decided to ask. "So, how is it that you can go almost all night long without any sleep, and face an entire day at school with only three hours in as Batgirl. But when it comes to studying homework and hanging out, it takes even more out of you?" He handed her her plate of food.
"Hey, you'd be tired too if your boyfriend was nagging at you constantly about the Jokerz plotting against you, then having to face math and history all in the same day. I'd rather face three Jokerz and a Catwoman than that." She waved her fork full of pasta and vegetables at her grandfather.
"Well, with Titania on patrol tonight, why don't you take the night off. You can catch up on some apparently much needed sleep. You're looking loopier than usual." He added, to which even she in her dazed and drowsy state chuckled at. "And crabbier than usual."
"That would give me a chance to ask you more about Red X." Caitlyn said thoughtfully, taking her glass in her hands.
It clearly wasn't the direction that Dick wanted the conversation to go, but he sighed.
"How did the second X get hold of your suit? You mentioned before it was a mistake that you regret even now." She pressed.
Finally he answered his granddaughter's prompts.
"As I mentioned before, it was back when I was with the Teen Titans... One day, we were responding to a call of a break in at a bunker with... shall we say... extremely rare alloys and chemicals stored deep inside. When we realized the one we were facing was none other than Red X." He stopped, taking a few bites of his own microwave dinner.
"And?"
"It was a confusing situation. I was certain he was nothing but a selfish thief who only thought of himself. But when it turned out that the city was in danger, and my friends weren't there to help me take down Dr. Chang, he came to our rescue. Together, we were able to keep Chang from demolishing the city and our tower. Afterwards, he got away. But not before I took his belt. We were constantly trying to figure out who he could've been. The one person we kept coming back to, was the first figure suggested by Beast Boy. It was laughable, ridiculous that someone like Jason Todd could turn into Red X, doing whatever he pleased. Yet, you know the story of Red Hood, how it took a combination of Batman and Nightwing's efforts to get him into the 'lime light'."
Caitlyn looked at her grandfather during his tale, seeing the pained look in his eyes and in his expression.
"Whoever has the suit now must either be a descendant of Jason Todd, or an apprentice. At this rate, that could be anybody." Dick sighed, finally at the end of the story, though speculating Red X's identity was a heavy toll on him. He never liked to think that Beast Boy was right about X's true identity, yet all the evidence pointed towards the Robin that came after him.
"And Jason would still be around 'cause it's not like he's as old as you or Mr. Wayne either... Erm... no offense." Caitlyn said rather quickly. "So he'd be able to pass on what he knows to another." She hastily went on at a look from her grandfather.
Dick had given her a look that told her that she nearly crossed a 'line' with her age comment, but she covered her steps rather efficiently.
"I think maybe it's time to track Mr. Todd down, to see if it leads to the current X's identity." Suggested Caitlyn.
"You know, I think you may be putting too much on your plate again." Max was saying during lunch the next day. "I mean, going through history cubes on your new tablet to find anything and everything about Red X, and Red Hood, apart from dodging Nathan, and you have work after school too."
"Sorry, but my grandfather peeked my interest telling me tales last night while we had dinner." Caitlyn had her eyes glued on her tablet as she read all the news articles she could as she ate her lunch.
"Reading about two criminals, eh?" Melody read over Caitlyn's shoulder rather curiously, a lunch tray in her hands.
"Yeah, grandpa gave me a history lesson last night while grandma was working late, since I may very well be following her footsteps one way or another by the looks of things." Replied Caitlyn without skipping a beat.
"Looks neat. Ooh... who's the cute one in the red mask?" Melody asked once she took a seat.
"That's Red Hood. Apparently he nearly over took Gotham's Crime Syndicates in a matter of days, but was stopped by Batman somehow. Killed lots of people, Red Hood." Caitlyn showed Melody the article she was reading. "Didn't know you had a taste for the tall, dark and deadly."
"Oh come on, which girl doesn't like to spice things up in her life once in a while? Besides, you know I've always loved the tall, dark, handsome mysterious anti-hero type." Melody swooned at the thought. "Just not necessarily the type who go crazy like the Joker and his family. I do have standards, just like you."
"Eh?" Blinked Caitlyn when Melody somehow wound up turning the conversation on its end once more.
"Tall, dark, handsome and mysterious? Now you wouldn't be talking about me, would you?" Camed Terry's voice as he joined the group after being held back a bit in their last class.
"Please, you're anything BUT mysterious McGinnis." Caitlyn rolled her eyes.
"Oh... Icy." Melody grinned at the two, before hearing the new cheerleader's group calling over to her. "Gotta go. Save that article on Red Hood and email it to me, won't you Caitlyn? I wanna read more after practice."
"Sure thing." Caitlyn waved as the blond went to join the troupe.
"You know, you surprise me. You decide to quit martial arts, and cheer leading when you decide to work for your grandparents, but then you're always busy with research, homework, training, and so on to the point you barely have time for anything else." Max stated, giving Caitlyn a pointed stare.
"Well, it helps when you've got friends there to back you up." Caitlyn referred to both Max and Titania.
"Yeah, and it's also helpful when you've got someone else here to back you up at work." Terry wasn't much of a fan of being left out of the conversation so readily by the two girls.
"Gee... and who could that be I wonder?" Caitlyn scrolled casually down on her tablet. Her grandmother had brought it to her last night upon returning late from work, saying it might help her be more organized in her hectic life. "I'm kidding, I know who you're referring to. Father Christmas, right?" She elbowed Terry, who raised an eyebrow.
"Funny." The tone in Terry's voice showed that he was anything but amused at the jibe.
"Oh, can I borrow that thing? I can rig it so we're all connected and I can get hold of you in case of emergencies." Max asked, pointing at Caitlyn's tablet.
"Sorry, already taken care of. Grandpa is quite handy with technology, amazingly enough." Smiled Caitlyn. "Here's the codes for communication and all that." She handed both Terry and Max envelopes with the information that she pulled out from her backpack at her feet with her left hand while her right held the tablet.
"Man he's a buzz kill sometimes." Moaned Max. She'd been eager to get her hands on the tablet to tinker with it.
"Old people are like that quite often, aren't they?" Said Terry. "And speaking of buzz kills-" He looked up to see Nathan approaching them.
"Hey there, this seat taken?" Asked Nathan, blatantly ignoring Terry and Max.
"Yep. This table doesn't have room for vessels with massive egos to climb aboard." Said a bored Caitlyn, not even looking at Nathan anymore. But that didn't seem to deter the jock.
"C'mon babe, why d'you stick yourself with the pipsqueak and the nerd? You could be doing much better off with someone like me, ya know?" Nathan asked.
"Interesting Nathan, you spend all your time playing football and using strategy in a game. Yet you don't spend any time learning a thing or two about tact before acting." This time it was Terry who acted, standing up with a hand on Caitlyn's shoulder rather protectively.
"Like you should be talking, McGinnis. Last I checked, tact wasn't your middle name. I'm amazed she decided to go for a punk like you, always picking fights and looking like you just came in from a street brawl." Retorted Nathan.
"Um... guys...?" Max and Caitlyn both were trying to get their attention as things were starting to get nasty.
"Hey, maybe there's more to me than meets the eye. Besides, why we decided to start dating is really none of your business. Why don't you just take a hike, before I make you?" Said Terry, the words sounding even dumber coming out of his mouth than when he thought about it in his head. Not one of his banner moments.
"Guys..." Caitlyn said again.
"Bring it on, McGinnis." Ignoring Caitlyn, who's voice seemed a mere squeak over their conversation. "I've got every right to contest whatever you say about you two, ya know? And I've got brawn to back it up."
"So you're saying you're an idiot now? Is that an admission to something the rest of us already knew?" Sneered Terry.
"GUYS!" Caitlyn finally had enough, standing up as the cafeteria went silent at her raised voice. It was the same effect that her grandmother had on people, only Barbara didn't have to raise her voice. All she had to do was give a certain look, and people would know they were in trouble if they didn't either shut up and listen, or give her the information she needed.
Both Nathan and Terry looked at her as she grabbed her backpack.
"Listen, I don't really care if you want to fight or whatever, just stop fighting about me- BOTH OF YOU- and make sure I'm not in the crossfire! Nathan, I've had it up to here with you always hitting on me, no matter how many times I say 'no', even though you know that I'm taken, and McGinnis, I've asked you before to stop being so dang protective of me at every turn. " She snapped at both of the young men who looked surprised at her reaction before she stormed off, backpack over her shoulders, her tablet in her hand.
"Cate!" Terry called after her, seeing people staring as though they were at a tennis match.
Max reached over and grabbed the back of Nathan's jacket when he attempted to follow, surprising him as she turned to the crowd of students.
"As you were!" She called to them. Slowly, their classmates started talking again. But this time, the conversation was about the rare temper tantrum that Caitlyn had just thrown, and the reason behind it. "So... Nathan... You think you're cool coming over here uninvited, just so you can see about hitting on my friend, who is indeed already taken?" She asked with a raised pink eyebrow.
"I just don't think she deserves a punk like McGinnis. Last time he got in to real trouble, he got six months' in juvi." Nathan replied with as casual of a shrug as he could manage considering his situation.
"Well, whether or not you think they are made for each other, that is not up to you, Nathan. And I think you should know... with Caitlyn's grandmother being the Police Commissioner, we've got some friends in some high places, should you decide to cause her any trouble. Caitlyn that is. So if you think you can rough it up in the school zone, you've got another thing coming. Caitlyn's Nana Barbara doesn't make exceptions to anyone who breaks the laws." Max patted Nathan's shoulder rather casually as she finished her little speech.
"You threatening me, Gibson? Is that it?" Asked Nathan.
"Nope. Just reminding you, is all. You'd better get back to your gang of friends, Nathan, they look like they wanna chat with you." Smirked Max in a rather cryptic way, sitting back down to return to her lunch while she waited for her own friends to return.
Nathan frowned in a very dangerous way, for a brief moment as he turned from the pink haired teenager. Sure, he was aware of the fact that Caitlyn was the granddaughter of the Police Commissioner and lived a privileged life. But no one turned him down publicly like that, or humiliated him in front of his friends without paying a price. You wanna play games, Pinky? It's on. He thought as he went back to his table of fellow football players who crowded around him and began to console him, insisting that he was still the best thing to ever happen to their team, that no one was ever as good as he was at what he did. In general, trying their best to act as proper friends while steering clear of the subject of Caitlyn, Terry and Max.
"Cate!" Terry caught up to her in the hallway near her locker.
"Don't you come near me right now, McGinnis." She snarled, not even turning to look back at him. "I'm not in the best of moods."
"Hey, all I was trying to do was help. He was the one who kept pushing back." Terry said.
"Yeah, and not only did you respond, but you put me right in the middle of your fight! Do you know how embarrassing that was? I'm sick of Nathan always coming on to me like that, and this time to add to everything else, he does it in the cafeteria in front of all our classmates. And then, get this, YOU think it'd be smart to retaliate and fire back!" Caitlyn shoved her tablet back into her backpack, reaching her locker.
"I don't see what the problem is, Cate. I thought I was doing my job in keeping guys from giving you unwanted attention. He's the one who wouldn't take the hint that we both wanted him to am-scray." Terry stood nearby, the noise of a crowd of people talking in the cafeteria trickling up to them.
"I'm just getting frustrated... You are my boyfriend, yet there are these people like Titania, and Nathan who are vying for my attention too." She sighed in annoyance, digging through her locker now. In recent months, her locker had changed in its decoration style a little bit. Along side pictures of herself and her friends, there was also a picture of herself and Princess Victoire, some stickers of the Batgirl symbol from the very first rendition to the current model plastered in random order, and images of her current favorite singers. "Titania I can handle, but Nathan is just a big, annoying... well... idiot."
"I hear you there. But c'mon Cate, I'm sorry things got out of hand. I know it's not exactly been a smooth ride the last few months but... yeah." Terry shrugged, not sure what else he could say. He could see she was still in a very bad mood as she scraped herself on a piece of metal from her locker jutting out from the bottom.
"Ouch...! Dammit... Not my day." She withdrew her hand to see it bleeding from the cut, and was reaching into her pocket for a handkerchief as she thought about what Terry said.
Nathan had had enough of waiting and watching. That afternoon after school, he called his gang over the video phone line as he was putting on his Joker mask.
"What's up, boss?" Asked one of his subordinates.
"We act, in thirty minutes. Meet me at the mall. Be ready for a blast of a time. Pinky, be ready by my window in five." And he cut off the connection before turning to his bedroom door. "Hey mom, I'm heading out for a while!" He shouted.
"All right! Will you be home for dinner?!" She screeched back at him.
"No, not tonight! And it's gonna be a few nights before I come back! I've got a school field trip I'm going to!" He said, having come up with a good alibi. It wasn't like his mother ever really cared what he did or didn't do. It was part of why he was able to lead such a clean, clear cut double life. She didn't even watch the news or pay attention to local events. All she really cared about was if there was beer in the fridge, and she was happy. He made sure there was enough beer to last a week in case his plan went awry.
"Ok, whatever. I'll see you when you get back. Stay safe and have fun!" She shouted at him.
"I will mom, believe me, I will..." He said rather quieter than before as he made sure he was well armed, throwing a regular looking nap-sack over his shoulders, tying it off with a toy flower, he walked over to his bedroom window. There in his hover-cycle, was the clown he'd ordered to await him seventy floors up in the apartment buildings, wearing his pink tutu outfit with the clown smile plastered on his face, he waved up at his boss to come on down.
The Jokerz leader jumped in an easy, swift movement and the hover-cycle sped off.
Caitlyn had called and asked Max if she could join her at the mall for some trolling while they talked things over.
"So, what do you need to talk about? Wait- I think I have an idea." Max said after having ordered her standard smoothie. Caitlyn raised an amused eyebrow at Max. "The fact that McGinnis is acting like an over protective guard dog, just like your grandparents?"
"Actually, I just wanted to have an afternoon at the mall talking about anything BUT boys and over protective legal guardians." Shrugged Caitlyn at how shrewd Max could be at times.
"Sounds good to me. So, where do you wanna go first?" Max grinned as Caitlyn suddenly had the look of the 'brain freeze' effect for a moment when she took too long of a draught from her smoothie.
At that moment, two little orbs came rolling down the hallway they were strolling down, stopping just inches from their feet.
Caitlyn and Max knew enough about 'the business' to know what was about to happen. They had barely a moment to comprehend it before smoke came billowing out of the spheres and people started to panic at the sudden darkness, and confusion mounted as insane laughter surrounded them. Then the sound of the hover-cycles entering the mall, one right after another as the Jokerz Gang, led by their leader now on his own cycle flew right around the pair of friends currently coughing and holding their arms over their mouths.
"Hey Boardener, Gibson, you ladies up for some laughs?" The leader asked.
"Not particularly, Clown face!" Caitlyn coughed before deciding to forego formalities, and punching him right in the gut, sending him doubling over in unexpected pain. "Max, get out of here!" She shouted over the sound of revving engines. She had no idea if Max could hear her over the racket as the smoke continued to blacken the hallway and the unseen hover-cycles could be heard all around them. The gang was after her, so she had to get away from the civilians who were currently screaming and running blindly in the dark to get out of here. Instead of running back, she surprised the lead Joker by planting her hands flat on the hood of his cycle, flipping herself up and over in a move that her grandfather had taught her before her days as Batgirl. She never thought it would actually save her from being captured by the Jokerz. But she wasn't about to let her friend become an innocent bystander target so she ran the moment her feet landed on the ground.
"After her! Don't let her get away!" The lead Jokerz gang member shouted, in a rather high pitched tone as he still was obviously reeling from the hit she landed. He had not expected her to fight back, or be strong enough to momentarily stun him from a single hit. Apparently she was still managing to find ways to keep in shape even without taking Martial Arts or Cheerleading, and being so busy with working for her grandparents after school. But the leader of the Jokerz had a plan, and he wasn't about to be outsmarted by this girl he'd had his sights on for months.
"She's at the window, we've got her cornered!" He heard Chucko shout as his leader went after them.
"No where to run, kid." A black Jokerz member with a frown on his face said.
"You think so?" Caitlyn asked, getting herself backed right up to the glass window as they cocked their laser guns at her.
"Remember, shoot to stun, not kill. We need her alive." The leader stated.
Then the laser fire erupted, and Caitlyn was utilizing every ounce of her training from Wonder Woman, and her grandfather to avoid being hit as the glass window behind her was shot out. Just as the shards of glass began to fall to the ground, she shot the leader a sneer.
"Thirty laser rounds a second, and you're still too slow." She said before kneeling, then cartwheeling into the window frame and out of sight.
"NO!" Shouted the J-Man in outrage. He wasn't about to let her get away, even after this. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a grenade as his gang members jumped out of his way, and threw it at the wall.
As Caitlyn fell, she heard the blast from the wall she'd just jumped from. The moment she landed on the rooftop of the neighboring building, she glanced upwards to see the debris from the explosion and then the hover-cycles, one right after another flying through the smoke and flames. Where was the Batman when you needed him? She thought, before rushing across the rooftop at top speed.
Max was still coughing and spluttering when the explosion ripped through the mall, knocking her off her feet. A strong pair of hands helped her back up.
"Where is she?" Asked Batman.
"She went down the hall, that way. They went after her." Max replied.
"Get to safety. I'll be in touch soon." Batman said, then he took off in the direction she indicated, as alarms and sirens could be heard over the screams of shocked and scared civilians.
"You knew this was gonna happen. Didn't you? That's why you were here." Max called after him, and Batman paused.
"I knew something was going to happen. Just not this." He admitted.
Caitlyn had reached the edge of the neighboring building, which happened to be the very jewelry store that Catwoman had attempted to rob just the other day. Glancing back once more, she saw the gang on their hover cycles gaining ground. They would catch her if she stayed here. But without her Batsuit, she wouldn't have the standard amount of control she normally would for such a chase. She had to wing it, and trust her natural judgement. She grimaced, hoping it would be better than her judgement in people, and pushed off from the edge of the roof, gaining enough momentum from running as fast as she could, she did a summersault just before she landed on the next building over to avoid injury.
"Where do you think she learns this stuff boss?" Asked another of his gang members.
"Dunno. That whole family of hers and everyone she hangs out with is a freak. Maybe one of them was raised in a circus act or something. Don't loose her! Where are the Deeds?" He asked.
"They're on twenty forth and Dent. If she keeps heading this way, they'll be there to meet her." Replied Chucko.
"Perfect. Head her off. You four, take the left, you five, the right. Chucko, take the rear and make sure we don't have any Bat trouble. That explosion was bound to attract our rodent problem. I'll take her head on as soon as we catch up to her."
"Got it!" The gang replied.
Caitlyn thought about taking a spare moment to get into her Batgirl suit, but then that would reveal to the gang who she really was. Instead, she jumped from building to building, unaware that they were planning something big until laser fire from the right nearly caught her by the shoulders. She ducked several times while running, pacing herself as she reached another rooftop edge, assessing her situation quickly, she saw fire escape stairs on the edge of a modern skyscraper, and knew she wouldn't be able to reach the top in one leap. Not without her suit. But perhaps there was something she could use that wouldn't be a total giveaway. Looking around on the building she was on, she saw pipes around the doorway that led into the businesses below. It wasn't her standard Javelines, but it would have to do.
Ducking wildly as another group of Jokerz gang members came up on her from her other side, she dodged more laser fire and grenades, until she was in arms length of the pipes. With two massive pulls, she dislodged the pipe roughly an inch or two shorter than her normal weapon.
"What the hell is she doing?" Demanded the frowning Jokerz gang member.
Then, she turned to face the fire escape stairs and ran as fast as she could in the space of the second half of the building. Using the pipe to launch herself into the air the moment the Jokerz realized what she was up to, she barely grabbed hold of the railing of the stairs on the other side of the street, flipped herself around and onto the stairs she ran up as the gang sent lasers at them, firing to dislodge and destabilize the stairs, she nearly lost her footing while the stairs were collapsing into the street below, sending several hovercraft swerving to avoid the falling metal debris.
The moment she reached the rooftop, the gang finally surrounded her. Looking around at all the guns pointed at her, she cocked her pipe weapon at the ready, to attack when the leader dismounted his now parked hover-cycle. He pulled out his own gun and directed it right at her.
"You're coming with us, you know?" He sneered. "You put up quite a show. I never knew you were so talented. Does that come from having the Commissioner as your grandmother, your training in Martial Arts, or someone we don't know?"
Caitlyn didn't answer. Instead, she looked around as the gang edged closer to her. She was surrounded by clowns who were once nothing but a joke in the crime industry, but now they were more persistent, ruthless and cunning. Much more than just a minor nuisance in the real fight against crime in Gotham. In a movement to make it look as though she were surrendering at last, she planted the end of the pipe on the cement of the rooftop. But instead of surrendering, she jumped straight upward into the air, landing on the other side of the circle of gang members. If she could buy just enough time, then help might come to her, and she could make a clean getaway.
She spun around, slamming her metal pipe into the backs of at least three clowns, sending them flying forward and crying out in pain at their unexpected injuries. But just as she was about to gain an upper hand, whips came flying out of seemingly nowhere, one wrapping around her wrists then tying them behind her back. While the other wrapped around her ankles. The sudden attack caught her off guard as Caitlyn had no choice but to drop the metal pipe.
"Thought we'd see how things were going in the chase." Sharon stated as she forced Caitlyn into a kneeling position before the gang.
"It's a good thing we were nearby, right sis?" Sheryl smirked, making sure her grip was tight. She knew what Caitlyn was capable of, knowing her secret identity but not having revealed it to the gang, she and her sister merely warned that Caitlyn was capable of more than they knew when it was time to move in.
"Indeed it was, ladies." The leader knelt down to be at eye level with Caitlyn. Then he winced as Caitlyn spat in his face. "Now, now, no need to be rude. If you don't cooperate then I'll have to blow up that mall of yours to make a point."
"You wouldn't..." She blinked, eyes narrowing.
"Wouldn't I?" He reached into his jacket, pulling out the detonator. "You know... I don't think you're gonna come quietly. So... Let's have some fun."
"No!" She shouted as he pressed his thumb to the detonator.
There was a blast that rocked the city as with a pressing of his finger, the mall went up in flames. Caitlyn could see the fireball from her position atop the skyscraper apartments several blocks away. She started to struggle against her bonds, but the twins weren't having any of it.
"Ah-Ah-Ah, Boardener." With simultaneous grips, they sent a shock-wave of electricity through their whips that caused even the tough, resilient Caitlyn to scream out and fall to the ground once their boss nodded at them to stop.
Batman had been following the trail of destruction left by the Jokerz chase of Caitlyn. It was apparent even to him that she was putting up a fight. But then a shock wave literally knocked him off course when the mall unexpectedly went up in flames. Landing and turning around he saw in the distance flames and debris taking up the entire block. So that was what the Jokerz were doing all afternoon around the mall.
Max had barely gotten out of the building when the explosion sent her flying forward, tumbling on the cement just as the police hovercraft were pulling up. Commissioner Gordon herself was the first to reach her, and helped her to her feet.
"Call the fire trucks and get them here pronto! Make sure we have ambulances on stand by!" She shouted to her officers. "Gibson, are you ok?" She asked the pink haired friend to her granddaughter.
While Max had a splitting headache and felt rather bruised and battered, she otherwise felt all right.
"I'm fine. What happened?" Asked Max.
"Apparently the Mall has just gone up in flames and smoke." Barbara replied. "Where's Caitlyn?"
"I dunno. The Jokerz gang attacked us inside, she took off, and they went after her. Batman's gotten in the chase after them." Max replied, rubbing her forehead.
"Then he'd better know what he's doing. You get home if you're doing ok. We'll handle the rest here." Barbara said after a moment of silence while officers and lieutenants were racing to secure the building and keep anyone that wasn't a paramedic or fireman from going inside.
"Right." Nodded Max, feeling a bit fuzzier than she'd like and deciding it was best to follow Barbara's advice right now. She'd be doing better as Oracle right now, able to check from her satellites and feedback images what was going on in Gotham.
"Now, we've got bombs set all over Gotham. If you're not gonna cooperate, then we'll just see how many buildings we can send up in smoke and flames that you had some attachment to." The leader of the gang sneered.
There was a look of shock and fear in Caitlyn's green eyes, followed a look of defeat on her face that satisfied him.
"I see we've come to an understanding with each other. You, toss her tote aside. She won't be needing it." He looked over at the other female member in the gang, who strode over with a strut in her step, grabbed the bag that hung over Caitlyn's shoulders, broke the handle with a single pull, then tossed it to the floor of the rooftop. "And since I can't have you seeing where our little hideout is..." The leader raised his hand, which gripped the gun he was holding, then smacked the end of his gun against Caitlyn's head once, twice then on the third time, she fell unconscious and limp.
By the time Batman followed the remainder of the trail, the Jokerz were already gone, and Caitlyn with them. Trusting that the police would handle things with the mall explosion, he looked around for any sign that would lead him to the gang. The only thing he found was her tote bag that she carried with her wherever she went. The sound of a cloak announced Titania's arrival.
"I've not been able to establish any kind of mental connection with her for the last fifteen minutes." She said heavily. "The only thing I know for sure is that she's still alive." She went on as Batman picked up the bag.
There was no calling card, no announcement the Jokerz left that would give some kind of clue. Normally the Jokerz weren't so secretive about what they were doing and were an open book.
"Look, I know we've not always been on the best of terms with each other, but if we have any chance at finding her before something happens, the least we can do is find some way to work together." Titania stated after taking a deep breath.
"Right. Like you don't have your own interests at heart when you're saying this?" Batman replied. He was well aware of what Titania thought of Caitlyn, and the fact that Caitlyn was currently annoyed, possibly angry at him for being so protective of her around Nathan, or anyone else that posed a threat. There was certainly no shortage of moments recently when he could've punched Titania, and right now he was using every bit of self control he had not to send his fists flying.
"That's right." Titania wasn't going to play any games right now. "But I also know what's at stake if we don't find her. Barbara and Dick will have lost their children to the gang that can barely be controlled, and we'll have lost one of our best friends if she dies at their hands. And since I can't even establish a mental connection with Caitlyn, I know this is serious."
Batman frowned as he looked at the alien princess, but also knew he had no choice. They would cover more ground if they worked together, and hopefully by the end of this situation, find a way to not only save Caitlyn, but put an end to their feud.
"Fine. What we need to do first is check out all the known hideouts of the Jokerz gang that's responsible for this." He stated.
"Fair enough. No need to tell me where they are. Back when I dipped into your mind, I saw them." Titania explained at a quizzical silence from Batman. "I'll keep in telepathic connection with you while we search."
"First, I want to get this to the Commissioner." He raised the torn and ripped bag that surprisingly still held all of its contents, even the Batsuit hidden within, even though it was in rather a messier state than usual.
Barbara was busy barking orders and taking feedback at the explosion site as survivors were pulled from the wreckage of the mall.
"The gang had this planned out," Her lieutenant said on the third report of the evening. "The bombs were strategically placed to create not only destruction, but prevent anyone from going in or out."
"Make sure you recover all the data from the security cameras for the day, and at least thirty minutes before the explosions went off." Barbara said, and the lieutenant saluted before walking away. She then glanced to the top of her police hovercraft. "You know you can come out at any time."
Batman deactivated the cloaking device on his suit.
"You'd better have some good intel for me." She said with a narrowing of her eyes, before Batman tossed her her granddaughter's tote bag.
"I found that. The last sign of her was at twenty forth and Dent Street." He explained as she caught the bag.
She opened it, and looked inside, her eyes widening.
"The Jokerz kidnapped her before I could reach her. But Titania and I are doing everything we can to find her. She's already going to each of the Jokerz hideouts, and I'm going to join the search." Batman continued when Barbara closed the bag once more.
"You'd better find her, or there will be hell to pay. I'm not going to let this one slide, Batman." Barbara stated.
"Nobody knows that better than me." Replied Batman before jumping up and vanishing into the city-scape.
Author's Comments:
Wow, was this getting long! But I'm glad to be finally getting to a spot in the story I've been rather eager about personally. And in regards to certain scenes in this chapter, I didn't want to make it an easy capture in Caitlyn's case. I mean, as stated in the story, she was trained by Wonder Woman, AND she has Dick Grayson as a grandfather. Who's to say he hasn't taught her a few tricks of the trade over time? Titania didn't have much of a role in this chapter, she was pretty much aloof after Caitlyn told her she needed some time to think about things.
And now with the Jokerz making their move, things are finally moving along again for me.
Not to mention, I wanted to start this chapter off long ago with Caitlyn finally catching Catwoman and nabbing her. There's also the growing curiosity on Caitlyn's part of who the new Red X really is. I'm hoping to be able to solve that mystery in the next part of this Act, along with settling a few old scores.
I hope you guys can forgive me for taking so long with this. I kind of lost my edge for a while with my Batgirl Beyond writing, and had to get it back with a Batman movie marathon this week. I watched Under the Red Hood, Mask of the Phantasm, and The Dark Knight this week and that helped me get back into wanting to write in the story again!
Something else I wanted to talk about is why Caitlyn has issues about being protected by other people. I'm sure a lot of people might not see what the problem is, but she is trying to find a way to be her own 'Bat' so to speak, and having so many people wanting to protect her and keep her from real danger like this isn't really conducive to becoming her own heroine at the moment. She wouldn't mind it so much if it was just from one person, but her grandparents have always had strange ways of letting her be Batgirl, but still being protective and keeping her from the real danger. And Batman has never shied away from getting her out of a tight spot, then at school making sure random guys hitting on her knew she was taken.
She's not exactly been graceful in her rise as Batgirl, though not in a way that most people would think heroes/heroines would be. It's taken her a while to nab her first real villains, and then to keep that momentum going has been a struggle. Sure, she's not a clumsy ditz. But I'm not a fan of that kind of heroine stereo type. I'd rather have a heroine who still struggles with bigger issues of humanity, like being herself, and finding a way to make people understand that even as Batgirl she is her own heroine. And not in the style of her grandmother or Cassandra Cain, or Stephanie Brown.
Everything that's happened has helped build her as a person, more or less. Including the trauma in her life. She's scared of loosing anyone else, and is rather reluctant to become too attached to people at the moment. That may change, however, as the events shape her.
I hope you guys have enjoyed this story so far! And sorry for taking so long to get this newest chapter out to you!
On to the next!