This story is rated M.
This story takes place in it's own reality as characters may be slightly older then they should be.
All characters (unless stated in author's notes at the end of the final chapter) are the property of DC comics.
Chapter 7:
Batman dropped down onto the roof of The Night Rose. The square was littered with people yelling and pointing to the statue of Excalibur in the centre of the fountains. The statue had been built to look like The Lady of the Lake was giving up Excalibur, or taking it back, depending on which part of the story it been designed on, no one was actually sure. The sword was at a slight angle so many believed it was the latter as it looked as if she'd just caught it. From the top of the sword a figure was hanging upside down. Batman quickly glanced around to see where he could find a foothold on he large blade and then, pulling his pistol from his belt, fired a line across the square and directly over the top of the sword.
Holding onto the gun grip, Batman squeezed the second trigger to tighten the tether and then let himself glide down the cord.
As he drew closer, Batman could see the young woman struggling in the rope that was wound around her, her long brown hair flicked form side to side as she tried to break free. "Stop struggling." Batman called as he readied himself to drop onto the blade.
"Batman, be careful." Barbara shouted.
"Barbara?" Batman dropped onto the blade. "What are you doing here?"
"Batman!" Robin shouted from the fountain below. "Cut her down, I'll catch her!"
Batman pulled the knife from his belt and sliced through the rope that was holding the struggling Barbara to the sword and watched as it slowly fell into Robin's arms as the police car turned the corner and drove into the square.
It took a little over five minutes for Commissioner Gordon to take custody of his daughter and thank Batman and Robin. The ambulance sirens sounded around the square as it drove off to the hospital with Barbara inside while a line of police officers tried to keep the crowd back away from Batman and Robin.
Batman glanced into the crowd as he and Robin walked off toward an alleyway. He could see Lois Lane trying to push her way to the front and smiled. "Not this time Miss Lane."
"What?" Robin asked they are turned and stepped into the darkness of the alleyway.
"Just Lois Lane from Metropolis, she's in the crowd." Batman said.
"She'll be spitting feathers she never got to interview you." Said Robin.
"I wonder why Poison Ivy let Barbara go?" Batman looked at Robin.
"I have no idea." Robin said as he scratched at his arm. "Bit odd though."
"I better get back to the manor and see what I can find out." Batman turned to the car parked in the darkness and pressed the door for it to open. "You coming?"
Robin turned and looked back toward the square. "No, I have to keep up appearances." He wondered what Felicity would think of his absence. "I'll get back as soon as I can."
Batman wanted to tell him to return straight away so they could get to work on the case but he knew there would be nothing Robin could do. "Well, as long as you're back by midnight, we have a long night ahead of us."
Robin watched him get into the car. "I'll be back by midnight, don't worry." He said scratching his arm. "See you later." Robin said as he walked off down the alley.
Batman closed the door and watched the dashboard light up. Switching on the ignition he pushed the foot to the floor and guided the bat mobile out of the narrow alley and along the streets. 'I'll call the commissioner tomorrow and go and see Barbara.' He thought as Gotham faded into the distance and he turned the vehicle down a dirt road.
Tim pulled his trousers off and dropped them into the compartment under the back seat. He was glad he'd parked down the alley and left his car under the broken lamp. Pulling his trousers on he felt the slight pain in his upper left arm again.
"What is that?" He said as he pulled his red top off and pushed it into the compartment with his trousers. He couldn't see anything in the dim light but he could feel a slight bump, like a bug bite, on his skin as he ran his fingers over it. "God damn Mosquitos."
After pulling his shirt on, Tim removed his mask and closed the compartment. Climbing out of the car, he buttoned his shirt and started walking back toward the square. His left arm ached a little and he flexed it to try and ease the pain.
As he walked out of the alley he could see Felicity stood near the toyshop.
"Where have you been?" She said as he approached. "You missed Batman, Robin and the police. There was this poor woman tied onto that sword and they saved her."
"Sorry, I went to the car to call the police and the police cordoned off the alley when I tried to come back out." Tim said as he glanced around at the people still milling about in the square.
"You were in the alley? Did you see Batman and Robin?" She asked.
He could see her smile widen and there was a look of childish enjoyment in her eyes. "Yes, I didn't go near them, never know what they might do."
"There hero's, what would they do?" She said taking his hand.
"No one knows who they are, and I don't think it would be a good idea to be caught spying on them." He said as he lead her back across the square towards his car. "So, you want me to take you home?"
"That would be nice." She smiled. "You could come in for a nightcap if you like?"
They walked into the alley and after a taking a few minutes to kiss in the darkness, Tim opened the door for her and they drove off toward her room.
Walking around the fountains, Clark looked over the sword. He had been listening to Batman and Robin as they chatted with the police. Glancing up he watched Lois trying to get information out of a police officer who was still trying to answer people's questions about what had just happened. From what Clark had heard, Commissioner Gordon's daughter had been kidnapped and that was her hanging from the sword, but no one had any idea why.
Pulling out his mobile phone, Clark toyed with the idea of calling Jimmy. 'What would be the point, everything's over.' Clark thought. 'If anything, he'll be upset that he missed the chance to snap Batman.'
Clark watched Tim Drake walk out of the alley, he remembered the young man running into the alley only moments before Batman turned up. 'He couldn't be?' Clark wondered but the idea of Tim Drake being the caped crusader vanished with the realisation that Batman was good couple of feet taller and much wider than the man now walking back toward the alley with same woman Clark had seen him dining with earlier.
It was as Clark was putting his phone back in his pocket, he glanced down into the water and saw it. A small syringe, only an inch long with a tiny needle. Reaching down into the water he carefully picked it up, he couldn't see anything in the plastic tube but he wondered if there could be anything in the needle it's self. 'Who would I give it to?'
Clark looked around at the Square, he wondered if the police would be interested. It wasn't until he heard the car start in the alley that Clark thought about Robin.
