For a few blissful moments, Saoirse was under the impression her kidnapping had been a horrific nightmare; yet she unfortunately realised that her "pillow" was in fact Jimmy Junior who was snoring softly. The alcohol induced sleep allowed her to roll away without disturbing his slumbering body and she quickly took advantage of the situation. She stood before his sleeping form and interlocked her fingers together. The cuffs restrained her from properly punching him, so she hoped a wild swing aimed at his temple coupled with the back of his head smashing into an iron bar would knock him fully unconscious. She stood astride him and prepared herself, knowing she only had one chance to get this right. Once she scanned Jimmy's fingerprints, she would leave the cage and seek a way to unlock her handcuffs. Her knuckles white from the pressure, she began the ungracious blow.

The snarling of the warehouse door forced her to drop heavily to the ground, using Jimmy as a make-shift landing pad. He stirred from his sleep and clumsily pushed himself upwards as footsteps quickly approached. Jimmy's eyes were red from too much whiskey and he seemed completely oblivious to the nearing visitors. Quickly changing tact, Saoirse reluctantly began to help him instead of knocking him out.

'Jimmy, you need to get out of this cage before they see you.' She hissed, looking in the direction of the visitors. He gazed at her blearily, a fuddled smile pulling at his lips.

'Why?'

'Jimmy; that could be your dad out there, he won't want to see you "fraternizing with the enemy."'

'But you're not the enemy…'

'For now, he thinks I am.'

'I suppose you're right.' With surprising balance for a hung-over man, he sprang to his feet, scanned his hand and exited the cage. Saoirse ignored the urge to follow him, knowing she would have to be patient for her opportunity to escape. Yet when it arrived, she would sink her teeth into it and wouldn't let go till she'd tasted the sweet centre of freedom.

Jimmy lounged easily in one of the chairs, pretending to be cleaning his gun as the two figures emerged from the darkness. Judging by the slowly retreating shadows, Saoirse guessed it to be early morning, a strange hour for there to be any visitors. As the shadows were dragged from their faces, she found Jimmy Spillane senior flanked by another lieutenant. 'How did our stubborn visitor sleep Junior?' Jimmy Senior asked, his voice booming throughout the cavernous interior.

'Nothing to report.' Junior responded, embracing his father and firmly shaking hands with the silent lieutenant.

'I have to say sweetheart, the cage suits your wild disposition.' Jimmy Senior said while peering through the bars. 'Now, has the hot-headed girl calmed and realised the error in her ways?' He asked patronizingly, fuelling the angry fire which burned white hot in the pit of her stomach. 'Being stubborn was always a marvellous strength of yours, but don't you want to leave this confining space Siobhan? It really is quite filthy.' Saoirse controlled herself, pushing the anger into a safe which was buried deeply within her. There would be time to experience that emotion but this situation was too volatile for her to clumsily lose her temper. Her piercing gaze found Jimmy Senior and she ignored the urge to throw a tantrum, knowing it would only highlight her helplessness.

'Jimmy Spillane, my free will is being held to ransom. You understand better than most how to handle a ransom situation and must respect my stance. After all, I learnt this stubborn reaction from you.'

'Did you now?'

'Growing up in the Conlon household, I learned much from lying on my bedroom floor and eavesdropping on the conversations conducted in the living room below. There was always something to be gleaned whenever you and Michael Conlon had tea. One of these conversations surrounded a ransom situation where one of your boys was kidnapped. I remember quite distinctly you saying there was no problem as long as the kidnapped man didn't comply with the captors conditions regardless of the tortures he was subjected to. I personally found this approach bizarre and illogical; however seeing my current predicament, I realise what you said makes sense. By refusing to co-operate and having no fear of you killing me, the power doesn't stand with you… it lies with me.'

'You may feel empowered by this dramatic statement, but I'll let you in on a little secret Siobhan. When I gave that gem of advice to your dad, it was because I knew we were going after our boy. But who's going to come looking for you? What loyal friends have you made which would be willing to help you from this?' Saoirse's answer died in her throat. She knew she had no-one in the entity of Gotham City who was loyal enough to pull her out of this situation. Mr Fox would be concerned but he didn't know her well enough to risk his life for her. As for Mr Wayne, the way she'd blackened his eye would rightly stop him from embarking on any sort of rescue trip. Her so called best friend had deserted her, leaving her completely alone. Before sinking into the pits of despair, she remembered never hoping for outside interference; her escape plan relied solely on her and the idiotically romantic Jimmy Junior. She didn't need anyone's loyalty but her own.

'Is Michael coming back today?' She asked, smoothly changing the subject.

'Your father is returning later this evening, he's busy moving in at the moment.' Saoirse ignored her plummeting heart. 'Don't worry; he won't forget to pay you a visit. Right, we'll be off then. Just came to make sure Siobhan was where she was supposed to be. I'll see you at home Junior, your mother's cooking her Sunday pot-roast. Don't be late.' With that Jimmy Senior turned and left the warehouse, his expensive shoes echoing while his silent lieutenant continued to stalk his every movement. As the door squealed shut behind them, Junior heaved a heavy sigh of relief.

'Finally, they're gone!' He said gleefully while approaching the cage and allowing himself to enter. Saoirse again restrained herself from bolting towards the exit, reminding herself Junior would no longer be her pawn to manipulate if she revealed her true intentions. His eager approach meant she still had a hold over him and now they were alone, Saoirse knew she needed to tighten her grip. Substituting a grimace for a smile, she threw herself into his awaiting arms and did her best to shower him with romantic affection. After a few nauseous minutes Saoirse managed to pull herself away and sat unsteadily on the floor, her stomach clenched in rebellion. Jimmy's arm once more snaked around her waist and as he muttered sweet nothings into her ear, anger boiled in her veins once more.

No guilt rested on her shoulders concerning the merry chase she was leading Jimmy on. Choosing to embark on some bizarre romantic quest which involved becoming a gangster was not her responsibility to shoulder. Junior was only a stepping stone to freedom; she had no intentions of allowing him to become her boyfriend or "gun moll" as he so horrendously put it. Any person she wanted to embark on a relationship with wouldn't dare keep her locked in a cage until she yielded to her captors.

With the anger reaching a seething red, she took great pains to lock it away with her previously suppressed rage. After carefully stowing the volatile feelings away, she leant her head against the one person she could manipulate; eternally grateful he remained oblivious to her scalding thoughts. She distracted her roaring mind with violent fantasies concerning each of her captors, paying special attention to Lieutenant Briggs who'd atrociously violated her witness protection programme and landed her in this horrific mess. When she got out of here, she promised herself he would receive a painful visit.

The longest four nights of Saoirse's existence had dragged by and with the rise of every moon, her father had returned to persuade her to return with him. Each time she had refused in a different manner, be it by violent swearing, screaming or saying nothing at all. Despite where her father had failed, Saoirse had made remarkable ground with Jimmy Junior. Due to her perseverance, Junior was completely under her sway. Last night, Saoirse had slowly built up to her proposal which held her escape in the balance: the proposition for Jimmy Junior and herself running away together. After some light persuasion, Junior had fallen head over heels with the idea and promptly began planning their escape. Saoirse had been extraordinarily careful in containing her clinical accuracy concerning their escape, she needed to conceal the hours of thought she had put into this plan. After clumsily guiding him towards the right strategy, they slept on the plan and decided to act it out the following evening after her father would leave, rejected once more by his own daughter.

The day had slouched past but finally, finally the evening had arrived. Saoirse watched with impatience as the moon strolled upwards, seeming to take longer than usual. The two had agreed Michael Conlon had to see her one more time before they left. It would give them an entire night's head start on the mob to catch a plane to Europe. Jimmy already had discreetly booked the flights… Only thing is, Saoirse wasn't getting on any plane with Jimmy junior. As soon as she left this cage, she was making a beeline for Gotham's Central Police department. Jimmy's betrayal would make him a wanted man, someone who the mob would undoubtedly want whacked. Saoirse found herself decidedly cold towards the probability of Jimmy's death, so strong was her will to survive. The grinding of the warehouse doors caught her attention and for the first time since she'd been held captive, she was glad to see her father approaching. He was a big man with receding brown hair and deep blue eyes, dressed in a sharp suit which had undoubtedly fallen off the back of some truck, accidently of course. Saoirse noticed he'd brought more of his cronies this evening; at least ten different gangsters flanked her father's arrogant stance. It seemed tonight, he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

'Young lady, you've given me the run around for the past few nights, but not tonight! I need this warehouse so that my clients here; can carefully store their stock without fear of it going missing. Now I'm providing you with an ultimatum so you can learn a little respect for your elders. Anthony Gambino; would you mind presenting the choice for my daughter?' An Italian-American, or a pure bred as Junior would say, stepped forward.

'Siobhan Conlon, I'm sorry we're not meeting under more comfortable circumstances.' He said as he approached the cage. Saoirse watched him closely, wondering what her father was up to; doing business with an Italian was not his style. 'I suppose you don't really remember the night where your drink was spiked with Cerulean? Well your dad and I have been working closely together on this little project and both realise the enormous potential this drug has in this fine city. Think of the people you could manipulate, the authority which could be wrestled from the powerful if this drug were the weapon utilised. And for such a powerful component, it really is a pretty picture. Look –' He opened up a small vial and tapped a strikingly blue powder onto his palm. 'Dissolved in alcohol, it gains direct access to the bloodstream which goes straight to the brain.' He tapped his temple twice.

'I don't see any ultimatum.' Saoirse said impatiently.

'Ah yes, I'll stop meandering and make my point. The powder as I'm sure you know, dissolves well in alcohol, like so.' He took a glass from a nearby table and tipped some honey coloured liquid into the crystal from his hip-flask. After adding a pinch of the powder and dissolving it, he returned to the cage. 'This particular batch of Cerulean is especially potent and won't allow you the pleasure of a memory blank to forget your ordeal. Now here's your choice. Return with your father, be a good daughter and enjoy your life. Or stay here, and have all the food and drink you're offered laced with Cerulean.'

Saoirse's mouth fell open. 'You're not serious.' She stuttered.

'I never make an empty threat Ms Conlon, providing them only results in a weak reputation. I always stick like glue to my word. Oh and one more thing; you have to decide right now.'

'Why right now? I can last till morning without food or drink.'

'Be that as it may, your father wishes this matter to be concluded this evening. And if you decide to reject your father's generous proposal, then the surplus men you see here will force this liquid down your throat.' Saoirse eyed the dangerous men, knowing they would yield to any command from their superior. She couldn't allow that hallucinogen to enter her blood stream again yet she also would not accept her father's proposal. All hopes of her escape began to trickle away as she swallowed her fear and defiantly shook her head.

'No. I don't choose either. I bypass the ultimatum.' To her horror, Anthony Gambino began to laugh.

'You green girl, you can't ignore an ultimatum, it is a decision in which you pick the lesser of two evils, it I not a choice in which you have the luxury of refusing.'

'Well I refuse it!' She snarled.

'A feisty one you have here Michael Conlon. Alright boys bring her out, she didn't choose so we'll have to decide for her.' Saoirse scrambled to the furthest edge of the cage and held onto the bars tightly. Two large thugs entered the cage and approached her, ignoring her flailing limbs she tried and failed to fight them off. After biting and kicking, she was brought to her knees in front of her father who offered her the drug laced alcohol. Saoirse stared rebelliously at her father, refusing to accept the glass. His blue eyes looked at her in disappointment before her nodded towards another two men who took the glass from him.

'Stay nice and still pretty.' One muttered as his hand clamped firmly around her nose, wrenching her head backwards. Her arms and legs were pinned to her sides and the fourth member approached with the crystal glass. Saoirse clenched her teeth together, willing to bite off this gangster's fingers instead of letting that liquid enter her body. She tried squirming but it was no use, the glass was placed against her lips and her mouth was slowly but surely wrenched open. She closed her eyes as the liquid slowly moved away from its glass prison. When she opened her eyes again, all the lights were shut off. Torches were immediately recovered form belts as each gangster withdrew their guns and began looking for the intruder. A back-up generator allowed some light to battle the warehouse's heavy shadows yet the trespasser was still cloaked in the darkness. One of the thugs set the crystal glass on a nearby table and withdrew a machine gun from beneath his coat. Saoirse had no idea how he'd managed to conceal such a weapon and decided not to ask. She surveyed her surroundings uncertainly as did her captors. The ceiling was lost to darkness but as soon as her gaze lowered, she knew someone or something was falling from the roof at a very fast pace. With a few war cries emitted, the mobsters began shooting at the falling intruder who so happened to be gliding towards the ground via a set of bat wings. He landed mere feet from Saoirse and much to their amazement, began engaging the gangsters in hand-to-hand combat. Saoirse took the opportunity to roll away from the ensuing brawl towards a hiding place, grabbing Jimmy Spillane Senior's coat en-route. The groans of injured men echoed eerily around the warehouse as Saoirse scrambled in the pockets for the keys to her cuffs. Eventually a hidden zip pocket granted her the keys and after a few fumbling seconds, her hands were free for the first time in days. She rose from her hiding place to find an astonishing sight. The Batman was taking on all ten members of her father's hired muscle. Shivers stole through Saoirse's body as she watched the legend gracefully dispose of one, two, three, four attackers in a beautiful variety of martial art steps which demonstrated his control over his own body. Never before had she seen a man so capable of defending himself regardless of the number of attackers. Bones were broken and blood was shed as the batman blocked and counter attacked with the ferocity of a mythical creature. Saoirse was intoxicated by the gruesome yet elegant display of violence, her heart pounding as the Dark Knight outclassed each and every challenger.

Her gaze was torn form the spectacular spectacle as she noted Anthony Gambino, Michael Conlon and Jimmy Spillane Senior haring towards the exit, using the time when Batman's attention was distracted to escape. Saoirse quickly searched for the safe where she had buried all her emotions from the past four days and unleashed the rage which had so carefully been supressed. Her blood pounded in her ears as she tore after the three gangsters, knowing with this adrenaline rush, she'd reach them before they escaped. They managed to heave the warehouse door open and slip through the entrance before she reached them. Her hands were clenched around the hand cuffs, and using the metal band as a make-shift knuckle duster, she grabbed Jimmy Spillane Senior by the shoulder, turned him around and swiped his face with an adrenaline pumped right hook. Blood and teeth decorated the ground followed heavily by his unconscious form. Next was the Italian; Anthony Gambino; who might have made it to his car if he smoked less cigars and ate less of his wife's oily cooking. Saoirse took a savage pleasure in kneeing him in the groin area and swiping him with an old fashioned one-two punch combination which brought him to the ground. With an exceptional rush of adrenaline, she sprinted after her father who had successfully gained access to his car. As the engine started, Saoirse felt decidedly reckless and instead of jumping out of the car's way, threw herself at the windscreen, her hands covering her head for some last-minute protection. The glass shattered upon impact decorating her with a thousand shallow cuts which would make her next shower a living hell. Her momentum carried her through the extinct windscreen where she spectacularly head butted her father. She lay still for a moment, the engine of the car conking out as her ears rang from the clash of skulls. She slowly moved each part of her body, genuinely stunned to find no bones broken from her recklessness. Her head pounded but she was pretty sure she'd escaped a concussion. Carefully, she managed to withdraw herself from the car and walked painfully back towards the now silent warehouse. Upon entering, she found Batman tying a length of rope around the ten thugs which were locked tightly inside one of the circus cages. After finishing, the Dark Knight approached, his powerful body dramatically stalked by his billowing cloak.

'You're bleeding… you're bleeding everywhere. What happened?' Saoirse had forgotten just how deep his voice was, adding perfectly to his overall terrifying image.

'It's sort of what happens when you leap through the windscreen of a car and clash heads with a gangster who's trying to take off into the sunset.' She muttered in a far-away voice, grimacing with pain.

'What's your name?' He asked instead of voicing how reckless an act that had been.

'You don't remember my name? Look Batman, I know you're busy and all, but I drove your bat-mobile, you should at least remember my name.'

'I know your name. I'm just checking to see if you know your name in case you're concussed.'

'Oh. Yeah… that make's sense. Saoirse Nolan. My name is Saoirse Nolan.'

'Are you hurt?'

'It probably looks worse than it is.' She replied; the cuts sustained from the windscreen stung but her body itself remained fairly unscathed given her careless behaviour.

'I'm counting on it. Did the others escape?'

'You missed three outside. Don't worry; I didn't let any get away.' She said, her voice adopting a slightly dreamy tone. The two exited the warehouse, Saoirse hobbling awkwardly beside the striding legend. They first came upon Anthony Gambino's unconscious frame which Batman threw carelessly over his shoulder as if he weighed no more than a child's doll.

'Are those his teeth on the ground?' He asked.

'Yeah… I used my handcuffs as a knuckle duster when I hit him. It had a rebound effect though…' Saoirse muttered, raising her right hand to see where the cuffs had bit into her palm.

'You need medical treatment. I'll take you to the hospital as soon as we're finished here.'

'Screw the hospital, I need to go yell at the police and bring the pain to Lieutenant Briggs. Actually, I could use your help for that…' Saoirse murmured, unaware she was voicing her thoughts aloud.

'And why must you cause Lieutenant Briggs harm?'

'It's sort of a long story; I'll tell you if we have time.' She muttered as he dragged all three big-shot gangsters into a cage of their own. He found a new piece of rope and secured it around the unconscious trio before returning to Saoirse's side.

'You can tell your story en-route to the hospital.' Saoirse didn't have the strength to argue.

'Do you mind if I lean on you? I'm feeling a bit woozy…' She murmured, her vision blurring then re-focusing every minute. She felt his strong arm grip around her waist but a shrill voice made her blood run cold.

'Get your filthy hands off her, she's mine.' Snarled Jimmy Junior who had somehow escaped Batman's wrath.

'Take it easy there kid, that's some heavy machinery you've got there.' Batman said calmly as if this conversation was completely normal.

'Jimmy –' Saoirse began.

'Quiet Siobhan, I'm going to get you out of here and then it's off to Europe for us!'

'I thought you said your name was Saoirse?' The Dark Knight said in an undertone.

'Wold you try and focus on our current predicament?' Saoirse hissed.

'What do you want?' Batman asked, returning his attention to Jimmy junior.

'To get Siobhan and leave this place.'

'Alright. Go. Take her.' Saoirse glared at Batman, outraged by his plan.

'You won't interfere?' Junior asked unsteadily.

'Not in here, you're the one with all the control. Take her and leave, I won't stop you.'

'Siobhan, come here.' Junior beckoned. Saoirse flinched when he called her by that name and reluctantly edged her way towards him. As soon as she reached him he went to embrace her, yet thankfully throwing yourself through a windscreen provided an unexpectedly valid reason for refusing him. She cast back a confused look to Batman as Jimmy shepherded her out of the warehouse for good. He increased the pace, continuously looking behind him for any sign of Batman exiting the warehouse and giving chase. The two eventually sat in the front seats of Junior's car, Jimmy breathing a huge sigh of relief while the machine gun rested on the dashboard. 'Well what do you know? The Batman was true to his word.'

'Not quite.' Came a voice form the backseat followed by a swift blow to Jimmy's temple, knocking him completely unconscious. Saoirse painfully turned around and stared at Batman in awe.

'How the bloody hell did you get in there?' She wondered aloud. He merely tapped his nose twice and quickly left the car. He helped Saoirse from the passenger seat and quickly grew impatient with her stumbling walk. With a yelp she was lifted from the ground and carried towards the concealed bat-mobile. She was too sore to argue as Batman placed her like a child into the passenger seat of the car. He climbed in beside her, waited for the roof to slide back into position and allowed the Tumbler to roar into existence. He manoeuvred it expertly through the winding alleyways which slowly began to form more road-worthy tarmac.

'What's your story which ties you to the Manhattan mob?' He asked. Saoirse looked at him for a second, unsure whether she could trust him with this information. Yet with her witness protection so blatantly broken, it hardly mattered for trust now. As the tumbler hungrily ate the road, she relayed her story from growing up with a mafia boss to her testimony in court to her witness protection scheme. Not once did he ask a question throughout her tale and it was only when she finished did he speak.

'So your name isn't Saoirse Nolan?'

'I'm not the person I used to be, I'll never fit back into Siobhan Conlon; she seems like a forgotten child-hood friend.' Saoirse muttered.

'And you're sure it was Lieutenant Briggs who jeopardized your witness protection?' She nodded. 'And what was this about you going to Europe with the machine-gun?'

'As children he was always very taken with me so I capitalized on those feelings and manipulated him to provide an escape route. He was my way out as I wasn't relying on anyone to come save me.'

'What about your friend, the one who was stabbed?'

'Lisbeth? Oh she's gone, some bullshit about her post traumatic stress never ceasing when she was around me.'

'I'm sorry.'

'Don't be, I'm just happy she finally showed her true colours… So where do you get your hands on a vehicle like this? I'd expect to find it in my place of work.'

'Wayne Enterprise?'

'How did you know I worked there?'

'I know things.'

'Well… good for you.'

Saoirse felt a sudden bout of exhaustion crash over her, the last of her adrenaline had finally worn off and she was beginning to pay the price for her excursions. She curled up on her chair and quickly lost the fight to keep her eyes open. She had somehow found herself in the goddamn Bat-mobile and she was falling asleep instead of digesting its fascinating centre. This just wasn't her week… As the realms of dreams and the impossible tugged her firmly downwards, she managed to mumble two essential words.

'Thank you.' She whispered as her surroundings melted into the shadows.