AK: Warning Lexi-centric. I may need three chapters after this, or just one long epic chapter and a short epilogue chapter afterwards. I'll see how I'm feeling. We'll check in on Princess Psycho later.
Chapter 10: Brand New Night
"So tell me again how you became a legend, even in Star City." Gene asked in Lexi's ear.
Zigzagging through traffic on her Batgirl Cycle for the first time in two week, Lexi rolled her eyes at her childhood friend question. "Try and cheat me at poker again and I'll show you."
He laughed through the headset built into her suit's mask. "C'mon, just tell me. Inquiring minds are dying to know…"
Lexi scoffed. "I'm not helping you get street cred from three cities away. You have Pratt for that."
"She sends her love, by the way." Gene added. "So does Micah. He asked if you need him to pulverize Caden. What's that about?"
"We broke up."
Gene deliberately misunderstood. "You and Micah? Since when were you two a thing? I knew you had a thing for my brother."
"WHAT?!" Lexi swerved at that. She barely regained control as she boosted her bike above traffic. That sneaky little...
Lexi glanced at her scanner, which beeped with an alert on some activity, and she veered off to quell it. "Har-de-har-har, Queen. You know who I meant."
"But you didn't deny it." He paused. "Do you need Micah to break his leg? I can help too."
Lexi sighed. "You're like an annoying younger brother I swear. No need. I'm over him." And she was. The past two days of Young leering at her from afar and sending her texts had shown her she hadn't known what a clingy , two-faced bastard the guy actually was. Lexi couldn't find what it was about Caden that had attracted her in the first place. Another misspent seven months…
"Still… Just to be safe."
Batgirl dismounted from her Cycle on the roof ledge of a Lower Gotham building. "I can handle it myself, Queen. And tell Micah I don't appreciate his spying."
"Not spying when Julie posts about your epic diss at lunch today. I liked it, in case you were wondering. Melodie gave it a seven out of ten on the slushie heave. Said you should have used the soup."
"I like the soup," Lexi mumbled under her breath in response, activating her boosters so she could fly downwards towards the commotion. A robbery. Nothing major. "Disconnecting for a bit, Queen. BG, out."
With the link down, Batgirl sprung into action, knocking out one of the robbers with her landing. Springing off of him, she hit the closest one with a Batarang that knocked his laser pistol out of hand. "Okay, folks. The sign says closed. Do you guys even read?"
"It's Batgirl!" one shouted. "I thought she was dead."
"And I thought tonight would be a peaceful patrol." Batgirl crossed her arms over her chest. "Care to turn yourselves in and make my night?" The remaining three pulled guns. "Okay, then. I'll take that as a no."
Another one sneered. "We'll make her dead."
She cocked her head. "Really?" She sighed, readying two Batarangs, she threw both at the two in front of the truck. They dodged and chuckled at her supposed bad aim, only to realize one was a gas and the other a means to knock out their getaway driver.
"Get 'er!"
Batgirl smirked. "And I missed this?"
XXX
When Lexi came zooming into the Batcave an hour later, after wrapping up with the police and the robbers, she found her father hunched over the Batcomputer.
He was rewatching the interrogation from three nights ago.
"I swear… We wuz paid tuh guard the rig… Just guard it..." the weasley survivor's voice pleaded. The guy had his right arm cast and his right leg in an elevated cast, a bruised cheek and wild eyes. Dirty blond hair was matted to his scalp and his weasley brown-green eyes darted from Commissioner Jamison to Detective Barlowe.
"Then why were there traces of genetic chemicals on the scene?" Commissioner Jamison snarled.
"I dunno!... It wuz a side job for me. Hired muscle to scare off competitors… This girl came in out of nowhere!... Bent my hand and leg into a pretzel and didn't look back. "
"So she touched you? Couldn't find any other prints on your clothes except yours, Stivinsky."
Stivinsky's voice rose. "That's cuz she didn't! She wuz a psychic- the move em with your mind type. Kept asking for a Prince or something. We didn't even get to fire before we went down." He swung around to stare wildly at Jamison at the fact.
"What did this girl look like?" Detective Barlowe asked. The middle aged woman looked calm, complacent, the opposite of Jamison.
"S-she was petite, like one of them dolls my mother collects. L-long brown hair and big eyes- them eyes were soulless! S-she wore a pale dress- no shoes though. Fuckin' crazy bitch killed my friend Larry. Heard his screams before..." He swallowed thickly.
"Why was she there? Who is Prince?"
The guy calmed at that. Sheets shuffled as he gesticulated with his only good arm. "We wuz paid to guard it. Not explore it. Only ever saw the outside… I swear, we didn't know anything that was on the ship. Thought the company called in the job."
Jamison leaned in close. "I think you know more than you're letting on. And I will put you in jail for withholding information."
Stivinsky lowered his head. "I want my lawyer then."
Terry growled in frustration. "He clammed up the minute Jamison mentioned pressing charges for trespassing."
Lexi hummed from behind. "Probably has priors." Reaching over her father's shoulders, she took control of the interface, calling up police records and a photograph of the victim.
"I checked. There's nothing I can use against him. I've tried." Terry sighed.
She frowned, stifling a yawn. "Maybe he's closely connected with something else we can use."
"Max pitched that angle too." Terry dragged a hand down his face. "We're...working on it." He stood up from the chair. "It's just so frustrating."
"We'll get it." Lexi smiled ruefully.
Terry looked back at her. "Look who's mellowed out."
Lexi shrugged. "I've had a pretty good week."
"No more freak outs over what you can't control?" he asked.
"Other than the lack of season three to Spice and Wolf? I'm solid. I'm human. I promise, I'll keep my head screwed on tight." Lexi affirmed.
"Good."
"Good night, dad."
"Night Lex. The Dark Knight needs to make an appearance until sunrise."
"Ah, the perks of being a sidekick…" Lexi smirked, making her way up the stairs to the elevator.
XXX
Sunday brunch with Julie and the girls was uneventful, except for a stray "fan-gasm" over the reappearance of Batgirl. Lexi didn't even mind that, she just gave a noncommittal response when Angie gushed over Batgirl's singlehanded apprehension of the robbers from the night before.
"Dessert, ladies?" their uber-cute waiter asked, arching a brow sexily at Harry.
Harry didn't notice, or blatantly ignored, his flirting. "I'll have the chocolate cheesecake to-go. And a slice of the famous mud pie, for here." She flicked her long dark brown hair over one shoulder, back to reading the latest Roland Report on her tablet
"Angel's food cake for me." Angie ordered.
"Sweet rolls for me, the strawberry kind." Ricky grinned.
"Wanna split a sundae?" Julie asked, tapping one manicured finger on her selection.
"Sure." Lexi closed the menu. " One caramel dream sundae for here, and a triple layer crepe to go."
When the waiter left, Julie gave Lexi a look. Lexi shrugged. "My dad stayed up late yesterday, and the kitchen wear is on the fritz. Thought I'd spare him mom's leftover pancakes."
The table shuddered in consensus at Dana's cooking prowess. "The woman makes a mean ensemble, but her breakfast is deadly- especially reheated." Ricky wisely intoned.
"So, William West." Angie suddenly brought up.
"What about William West?" Julie smirked.
"He was talking about you on Friday." Angie revealed, looking at Lexi.
Lexi sputtered with her lemonade. "What? Julie?" It couldn't be her.
Angie slowly shook her head. "No, he said McGinnis. He was talking to his pals about how hot it was you took down Ruff."
William West was a hottie. He was collectively known as the hottest bad boy Hamilton Hills High had to offer. He was the tall, dark and handsome cliche girls never got tired of. He was also firmly against dating good girls, like Lexi. He preferred bad girls, like Julie.
"Okay…"
"Said you have hidden depth." Angie emphasized.
I also have a hidden black belt in judo, Lexi thought. "Okay…" Lexi couldn't really see where this was going.
"West wants to explore that depth."
"Get out!" Ricky gasped.
"Wanna rebound with the Wicked West?" Angie smirked.
She giggled. "As soon as I get that root canal I've been dreaming of. Dream on; I'm taking a leave of absence from dating, for now."
Angie launched a fry at her. "You are no fun to live vicariously through." the matchmaking brunette pouted.
"Hey, why not try to set up Julie?" Lexi suggested, earning a solid smack to the shoulder from said tribute.
"Traitor!" hissed Julie.
They dissolved into eating desserts when they arrived, concluding with RIcky's moan of discomfort. "Too delicious… I'm ruined for every other cake…"
They paid the bill, and sat waiting for their cards back, conversation stilted by Harry's preoccupation with her phone now.
Lexi looked over at the sidewalk, watching pedestrians. A familiar and misplaced figure caught her attention.
Stivinsky sat on the curb in a wheelchair, eyes darting around as pedestrians wove around him, annoyed.
The waiter came back with their cards and tried to slip Harry his number. Enjoy your day, ladies." he responded shortly when Harry ignored him in favor of an update from Stephen.
Harry immediately stood. "I have to go. Stephen should be finishing his rehearsal soon. I better go before Helpful Hannah digs her helpful little claws into my man."
Lexi let her eyes get back to Stivinsky, who began to move up the street. "I better go too. Before, uh, dad decides to chance the pancakes."
She quickly slipped onto the sidewalk, trailing Stivinsky until the corner. There, a sleek black car waited for him. Cursing under her breath, Lexi pulled her loose hair into a knot and slipped shades over her eyes. She grabbed the nearest taxi, slamming the door shut as a business man tried to creep in after her.
"Hey!" he groused.
"Get the next one!" Lexi shouted. "Follow that car!" she instructed the cabbie.
"You got it, sweetheart."
XXX
Cassidy shivered, not from the cold but from the loss of connection to her power. Her powers…
They were nearly destroyed her. But when she was stronger, when she could feel her powers again, she would destroy them.
Cassidy smiled slightly in spite of her shivers. "Soon, my Prince… You will be avenged."
XXX
AK: The hardest- and longest- part is yet to come. As you can tell, Cassidy's identity beyond her Prince is fragmenting, culminating in her revenge. This is going to be an interesting fight scene. As always, R&R! 3