Chapter 9

Old Gotham Court House

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Ethan sat against the windowsill looking through cracks in the glass at the scene below.

The Old Gotham Court House buzzed with activity as armed men filtered in and out of the building loading weapons into the trucks waiting out front. Higher ranking members stood over the labourers barking orders and threatening the slackers with impressively descriptive depictions of where they would stick their guns if they didn't move faster.

This was the first time Ethan had seen gang activity on this scale, sure he knew most of the local gangs by reputation and had he been desperate enough at the time he may have even joined up with them. But this was something much bigger than gang-bangers selling drugs it toed the line of being an organised army armed to the teeth and thriving with enough numbers to easily out gun the GCPD.

It needed to be stopped.

"How did no one notice this?"

Ethan whispered his question between breathes even though it was unlikely they would be over heard from this distance. His cat-inspired partner didn't even curl a whisker at the scene instead Selina tapped her heel against the floor impatiently.

Occasionally she would peak through the glass, huff, then look away to glare at the walls.

"I don't know but if Bats keeps me waiting any longer I'm going to leave claw marks all over his car"

Ethan had to stop his inner geek from bursting out at the mention of Batman's infamous vehicle forcing himself to keep focused on the lethally armed gang they were planning on assaulting.

"We need to stop Two-Face, stop this"

She scoffed then gave Ethan an amused look.

"You don't even know whats going on down there"

Ethan bristled.

"I don't need to know, it's Two-Face, he needs to be taken off the streets"

Selina shook her head.

"Careful there little vigilante, leave Dent to Bats, it's better if he doesn't see your face or even know you were here to begin with"

"I'm not going to cower in a corner"

"I don't expect you to, but be smart, you're not wearing a mask and you don't want this to find it's way back home"

There was an unsaid message in those words that Ethan heard loud and clear, the last thing he needed right now was for any of this to get anymore involved in his personal life than it already was.

He didn't carry on the conversation but nodded in silent understanding the thought of his Mother coming home to find Gotham's worst banging on their door silenced his tongue.

Ethan went back to peeking out the window watching the shadows to see if he could spot their recently made allies.

Batman had ordered them to remain hidden while he and Robin scouted the surroundings, Ethan immediately agreed while Selina scowled and tried to argue but Bats didn't give her time to make her case evaporating into the shadows with his sidekick leaving the criminal duo alone.

Occasionally Ethan thought he would catch a shadow moving in the darkness below only to lose track of the dark silhouettes the moment he blinked, the Gotham vigilantes moved like liquid blending into every shade and shadow along their path it was terrifying to witness.

Eventually Ethan's eyes gave up trying to keep up with the heroes as he moved his gaze onto the people he visibly see making mental notes of the targets he would take out first when their assault began.

The teen had been in his fair share of fights he knew how to defend himself just fine but the rock-wielder held a ball of nervous energy in his stomach, not because he was going to be fighting but because he would be under the scrutiny of the Dynamic Duo.

A small part of him wanted to impress them, it sounded dumb in his head and Selina would blame it on his 'hero complex' but Ethan didn't care. He wanted to prove himself, prove that he could do some good out there instead of abusing his gifts for his own selfish reasons.

All he needed to do was follow Batman's plan.

Ethan was to draw enemy fire at the front whilst the others worked from the shadows taking the gang members by surprise, when the enemies numbers thinned down Robin and Batman would focus on apprehending Dent leaving Selina and Ethan with clean-up duty.

A sound solid plan. Nothing like the paper mache ideas Selina threw together on the spot.

The cat burglar hadn't been pleased about the role she was given. Ethan knew she was being purposely kept away from Dent and his mysterious illegal tech.

He also knew Selina was plotting something.

There was no way Catwoman would go through all this effort just go home empty handed that wasn't how she worked. He didn't know what she was planning but he prepared himself for the inevitable chaotic outcome it would bring.

Selina straightened up suddenly unfolding her arms to rest them alluringly on her hips.

Ethan followed her line of sight to find that the crime-fighting duo had returned from their scouting mission, Batman's looming frame filled up the door way before he moved to give way to Robin's much less daunting silhouette.

The Boy Wonder smiled at him and Ethan couldn't help but return the look feeling a bit foolish for smiling so hard.

He liked the Boy Wonder more than he should considering they were on opposite sides of the fence.

But there was something disarming about him that made Ethan feel like he didn't need to be on guard a warm pleasant feeling that hummed in his gut melting whatever walls he usually kept up.

Batman however was another story.

Ethan couldn't remember a time when someone made him feel so small and irrelevant with just a look, one second of eye contact and those walls shot straight back up making every muscle tense to the point of solidifying.

As if sensing his thoughts the Dark Crusader moved away from the entrance stalking towards them like a panther poised to pounce.

Batman kept his lenses trained on Ethan making the rock-wielder feel like he was being glared at by Medusa herself turning him to stone (ironically). Ethan had the unmistakable impression that the Dark Knight didn't trust him, unlike his sidekick he hadn't spoken a single word to his face he just stared effectively freaking the teen out.

If it was a tactic to get under his skin it was working brilliantly. Robin playing the good cop and Batman the bad, his stress levels soared every moment in the caped crusader's presence only to be quenched with the Boy Wonders friendly nature.

"Two-Face is on site, we need take down his operation quickly"

Batman handed Selina two earpieces from his utility belt she didn't blink at them taking one for herself placing it in her ear and handing the other to Ethan. The small black bud was light in his hand fitting into his ear with a pop followed by a brief static sound and when the Dark Knight next spoke his voice rumbled directly into his ear.

"Whatever Dent has planned he is making his move, we're going to stop him-"

Selina raised her handed interrupting dramatically.

"I have a question! Just to recap Sparkles here gets all the fun up-front, Boy-Birdie and you get to dance with Dent, and I'm being left with handcuffing the leftovers"

"Yes"

She exaggerated a sigh swinging her hips towards Batman with an evil glimmer in her eyes.

"Pity...But I guess out of the two of us I am the most talented with a pair of cuffs..."

Ethan rolled his eyes moving toward the exit not wanting to witness Selina's attempts to flirt with Batman to get her own way.

"I'm going to get in position"

The Boy Wonder watched Ethan move and with a nod from his mentor followed him out the room.

"Wait up! I'll join you"

Ethan smiled as the Boy Wonder fell in step beside him hoping he didn't appear too over-eager to have the young vigilante with him.

The two teens began their ascent of the stairs towards the roof where they would await Batman's orders, Robin hung back behind Ethan a little to both check the small screen built into his wrist guard and to make sure he didn't have his back to the other teen.

"What are you doing?"

A couple of taps on the screen and the Boy Wonder resumed walking at a normal pace.

"I planted a couple of bugs on Dent's men to track their movements, just checking they are where I left them"

Ethan's eyebrows shot up.

"That's...pretty cool"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, stealth isn't one of my strengths...kinda wish it was, being able to sneak up on people like that? Sounds awesome"

Robin grinned feeling his ego expand.

"It's nothing compared to B, you know this one time he slipped Green Lantern's ring right off his finger while talking to him"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean I wasn't there to see it but whenever the story comes up GL gets all kinds of defensive"

Silence fell over them as Ethan pictured the story in his head but by the time they reached the entrance to the roof the mood had shifted from playful to serious. Robin whispered for Ethan to keep low as they opened the door and moved along the edge of the building to survey the gang below.

Out of the corner of his eye Robin caught the meta-teen gnawing on his bottom lip.

"Nervous?"

"No."

Ethan blushed knowing he had replied too quick and then mentally cursed himself for blushing he had never been a good liar.

Ethan was nervous but for an entirely different reason than the one the Boy Wonder was thinking of thankfully he didn't call out his bluff instead Robin pointed towards one of the more gritty looking gang members guarding the trucks.

"That one is coordinating most of their efforts, take him down first if you can, it will knock the others off their game"

Ethan nodded slowly.

"Right...thanks"

"Keep a level-head and you'll be fine"

"What about you? You're not bullet proof"

The vigilante grinned.

"Just focus on what you're doing I'll be fine, I'm going to get closer to B, we'll radio when it's go time"

And just like that Ethan watched him disappear over the roof's edge.

The meta-teen let out the breath he had been holding running his fingers through his hair. All he had to do was take out the bad guys, avoid letting Two-Face see him and somehow figure out how he was going to lose Batman and Robin when all of this was over.

Easy right?

The ear piece in Ethan's ear crackled to life and the voice of Gotham's Dark Knight spoke sending shivers down his spine.

"Everyone in position?"

Ethan shakily whispered his reply followed by Selina and Robin.

We're doing this... We're really doing this.

"Be ready to attack on my signal"

Ethan shook off the nerves quickly moving to the middle of the roof in order to get a running start he had never jumped off a building this high but it wasn't going to deter him even as his mind filled with all sorts of embarrassing images of him face-planting the ground.

He whipped his sweaty hands on his pants hoping the motion would calm him down.

"I got this...I got this..."

Just keep a level-head...

"Now"

Ethan ignored the uneasy tension in his gut running at full pace using the edge of the roof as a spring board for his super strength to push him high up into the air. Ethan heard the roof behind him crack and out of the corner of his eye he saw half the building cave in on itself from the force of his jump.

The roofs destruction gained the attention of the men below who began shouting at one another as they watched the meta-teen sail through the air.

The wind roared in Ethan's ears as he plummeted downwards, the shouting men's voices were cut short when Ethan hit the ground, violent quakes spread out from the landing zone knocking multiple thugs on their asses.

And Ethan was quick to act not giving them time to process what was happening launching himself at the man Robin had pointed out from the rooftop.

His opponent saw him coming without any hesitation he raised his weapon peppering the air with bullets.

Being shot at was something Ethan thought he grow used to but it seemed to always make him feel the same, angry. It filled him with a cold rage that someone he didn't know would pull the trigger at the sight of him, that a stranger could be so quick to kill another. And with every ping each bullet made bouncing off his body that rage grew till Ethan saw red.

The veteran criminal kept firing eyes growing wider as the teen got closer, he hissed an order at his subordinates and moved to put distance between him and the unknown attacker. But Ethan was prepared, completely unfazed by the addition of more gun fire hitting him he twisted the concrete beneath the man's feet into tendrils of stone that clamped onto his legs.

The veteran yelled frightfully having no way to avoid the punch that followed.

Ethan felt his chest swell with satisfaction seeing his opponent fall to the ground unconscious turning his attention to the retreating subordinates.

The meta-teen slammed his fist into the ground sending seismic shock waves rippling under the surface, the men tripped over their own feet on the vibrating earth unable to keep steady aim on their target even as he ran into their personal space with his fists flying wildly.

Ethan's blood pumped with adrenaline as the fight blurred into a mess of upper-cuts and right hooks each swing hitting its mark. The excitement and thrill that was pulsing in his veins soaked into the ground below causes it to rise and fall like it were breathing.

He was brought out of the battle haze when he heard Batman's dark voice growl into his earpiece.

"Where is Selina?!"

"She bolted! I saw her going through one of the air ducts up top!"

"Stay with the meta, I'll find her"

His mentor's reply was more of a snarl than an actual sentence.

Ethan had just finished with the remaining men his heart still racing when he noticed Robin moving out from the shadows lenses fixed on him.

"Copy that"

The Boy Wonder spent a few seconds eyeing up Ethan then moved his gaze over the unconscious fallen with a whistle.

"Not bad, you did better than I thought you would"

Ethan felt his chest swell with an odd feeling he wasn't sure he knew the name of but he kept his face as neutral as possible not wanting to embarrass himself with how good it felt to get a compliment from Robin.

"-but you should reign in that strength, the force you were using was a bit extreme"

"Huh?"

Robin gestured to some of the men on the ground, Ethan hadn't really paid attention to them once they had fallen too caught up in the flow of the fight. But at a second glance he could see the unnatural angles that some of their limbs lay in and unless those men were somehow triple jointed there was no way those bones weren't broken.

The warm swelling in his chest quickly turned to a lump of ice that dropped to the bottom of his gut with a thud.

"I didn't want to-"

"Hurt them?"

Ethan nodded.

"That's part of what we do, there's no way to go about this peacefully and just to clarify I'm not blaming you here, just keep in mind not everyone has super strength"

Ethan swallowed finding his throat was dry.

"It's easy to forget...I've always been like this, been strong, that's normal to me I just don't know how to..."

"Control it?"

If there was another term for hitting the nail right on the head Ethan couldn't think of it.

Even as a child he had had difficulty keeping his strength in check, he'd never been able to play football with the other kids or take part in Gym class in case he hurt someone. And that was only because of his super strength the list of limitations he had because of the other side of his powers was even longer.

"Yeah... guess I'm still learning"

Robin smiled.

"Me too...I have a friend who struggles with his powers too"

That peaked Ethan's interest, The Twins had been his first encounter with other metas and he didn't exactly get to stop and ask them for advice.

"How does he manage his?"

"Well...he doesn't really..."

"Oh.."

"But hey maybe we could introduce you? Who knows you might teach each other something"

Ethan wasn't sure how to process that, it was almost like a promise...a promise of something after tonight, something after all of this mess, a chance to learn and grow with others like him. A chance to (dare he say) make friends. But he didn't say anything, after all they had no idea what the outcome of tonight would be.

His earpiece crackled to life once again but in place of the Dark Knight's fear inducing voice was the sound of a struggle followed by a crash and a silky feminine laugh.

Ethan immediately pressed the button on his communicator to open his channel.

"Selina?"

Robin watched him intently as the struggling stopped but the line stayed open.

"Get your filthy paws off my stuff!"

That voice was definitely not Selina or Batman. Who ever it was they sounded dangerous, angry and wild.

"Harv! Fancy meeting you here! Look I know we got off on the wrong foot before but there's no reason to-"

Another scuffle followed by what Ethan now realized was Two-Face's voice cursing.

"Get out of my face cat!"

"Which one?"

Ethan smiled despite the severity of the situation.

"Funny Kitty...Pretty Kitty...Dead Kitty"

The gunshot was loud, even through the communicator, but it was the silence that followed that was deafening.

Ethan yelled Selina's name several times with no reply but by then he was already running into the court house with Robin on his heels urging him to slow down.

She's fine. She has to be. She wouldn't let herself get hurt by that maniac.

But the silence on the other end of the line spoke for itself.

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