They Fall in Line

Daleville, Connecticut

12:39 A.M EDT


Something landed forcefully on Nightingale's back and she went tumbling across the roof. Exhaustion overwhelmed her senses as her body skidded to a halt. Pure darkness flooded her vision and pain paralyzed her as she slipped unwillingly into the fold of unconsciousness.

Must stay … awake. Her determination lapsed for but a moment and Gale was lost to the world.

Unconsciousness, or black outs, were the equivalent of a death sentence. It could always be her last waking moment when something such as this happened while on patrol. Normally she would manage one way or another to drag her limp body into the safe realm of shadows before she fell into the blackness of respite, but tonight her luck had run dry.


Red Arrow watched with a mixture of shock and horror as the amateur heroine who'd managed to bring him to his knees was sent sprawling across the rooftop. He involuntarily followed the Nightingale with his eyes as she finally came to a halt on the other side of the roof, where she landed on her stomach, limbs splayed out, and her face lying on the side.

"Well, isn't this unlike you, the little bird managed to bring down you," scoffed the attacker. Red Arrow turned to see Cheshire looming over him.

His mind raced with thoughts as he leapt into action. He'd formulated a list of twenty questions he was asking himself as he reacted.

Red Arrow glanced at his bow on the far side of the roof not far from where the Nightingale was, he'd need to get to his weapon in order to face Cheshire.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, hero," a cold voice threatened from behind him. "I can throw a knife faster than you can get to that stick of yours."

Slowly, Red Arrow turned around. Behind him was a lanky person about the same height as him tossing a dagger leisurely in his hand. Red Arrow didn't take too much time to analyze the new opponent, he only took notice of the many throwing knives holstered on the guy's belt, and the crimson red strips on his forearms.

Great, I'm between a rock and a hard place without a weapon and the only possible back up is either unconscious or too far away to help.


A groggy cloud lifted as Nightingale began to register her surroundings again. Without moving she took stock of what had happened, fighting any amnesia that had incurred from the blow.

Cold water, pain in left shoulder, sick feeling in stomach, lesser pain in ribs and legs, head hurts worse than shoulder, she listed as she registered them. I'm Nightingale and I'm not safe.

Somehow she sensed she wasn't safe, a primal instinct let her know. Staying as still as she possibly could, Nightingale listened for anything audible around her.

It's raining, was the first thing she listed. The noise felt comforting, but the next sound extinguished any comfort she felt.

"And to think on out last date you were so possessive, but here I find you cheating with someone out of your league," a vaguely familiar female voice said. She couldn't recall where she'd heard that voice before, but she couldn't recall anything too quickly with her brains pounding on her skull. "Here's an idea, why don't we trade dates?"

"Sounds fine to me, and I've got something special planned for the Nightingale," answered a hauntingly familiar tone.

"Scourge," she breathed. Gale's mind snapped out of the rut it'd been in at those words.

She tensed as she tried to remain still. If he planned to slit her throat where she lay, she'd have to be ready for him. He'd have to come to her and his knife could be rendered ineffective given the speed and surprise of attack.

Relax, it's going to be alright, Gale told herself. You're awake and not incapable.

She breathed evenly as footfalls were heard coming towards her. Without noticeably moving, Nightingale tested her muscles in her legs and prepared to sit up as Scourge approached.

Though she couldn't see him, she felt his presence and could sense him crouch next to her.

"Pity it has to end like this," he said softly. "I'd enjoy this a whole lot more if you were awake, Nightingale."

"So do I!"

Nightingale rose from her position and punched a surprised Scourge in the jaw. He lost his balance and dropped his knife.

She could see it in his eyes that he hadn't anticipated her awakening, and for reasons beyond her reasoning, she recognized a hint of relief. But it didn't matter; she'd surprised both Scourge and his partner whom she'd identified as Cheshire, exactly what she needed.

Gale didn't waste any time in getting to her feet and black flipping out of the scything arc of Scrouge's freshly retrieved knife.

What's this? When she landed in a ready crouch, her hand brushed Red Arrow's bow. Perfect.

She saw the auburn archer cornered by the cat assassin. It didn't take long for Scourge and Cheshire to realize what could happen, but Nightingale had already taken action.

"Arrow, catch!"

She grabbed the bow and thrust it into the air in Red Arrow's direction.


Red Arrow caught his bow as the melee began. By default he was now partnered with a not-to-be-underestimated amateur. While he didn't entirely think it was wise to be paired with a vigilante he'd been fighting not five minutes ago, he was grateful that he would not be standing alone.

For whatever reason Cheshire had appeared, she'd brought someone else with her. Another unknown in the game being played on the small town game board. But unlike the Nightingale, he was a force of evil, that was evident by the death threat and the vigor that he swung at the bird girl with. Whoever he was, Nightingale seemed to be familiar with him and able to take care of herself in a fight against him.

"Well, this is more like it," purred Cheshire as Red Arrow blocked her sai with his freshly caught weapon. "Just you and me! But isn't she below your standards when it comes to something like this?"

"It doesn't matter since I'm fighting you," he quipped as he shoved her back.

He nocked an arrow to his bow string in record time and released it, sending it flying at Cheshire.

"Too true," she replied. "But I suppose your new sidekick friend must be good if she can handle you."

Cheshire deflected the punch arrow and charged at him. He didn't have time to nock another arrow and shoot at her, so he was forced to fall back on using his bow as a Bo staff of sorts.

Her sai hit his weapon of accuracy with a clang. Red Arrow stepped back as the three-pronged weapons hit, steadying himself.

He hadn't been ready for the attack, so he hadn't been prepared to repel it, and put some firing space between him and Cheshire.

Cheshire took advantage of this instantly, and turned their fight into close combat.

With one quick fluid motion, Cheshire removed one sai from his bow and used the butt of the weapon to jab him in the stomach. Reflexes took over his movement as he doubled over to protect his vital organs.

"Shit!" he exclaimed as Cheshire last move sent him stumbling backwards. She'd brought her knee up with speed as he doubled over, knocking him in the face, and then to finish it off, she delivered a round house kick to his chest.

"I can see why you changed your name to 'Red Arrow'," Cheshire remarked. "You're not at all fast. At least not tonight."

He had no time to make a reply of his own as she reengaged him. Cheshire seemed to be determined to force him into the middle of the roof, forcing him to give up ground during the fight.


Under the red ski mask, Nightingale could see a cold smile forming on Scourge's lips. He indefinitely was going to enjoy this more now that she was awake. She too was glad it was turning out this way. Life was very nice though she knew that beloved people were waiting for her, but she had a commission, the job of protecting Daleville and she probably needed to be alive to do that.

She intended to fight with vigor that she had not previously used for the past hour or so. Daleville needed Nightingale alive to protect her, and she intended to remain so until the battle that was raging in her town passed over.

Nightingale's fight with Scourge would be different from the ones she'd engaged in throughout this night. It would have a totally different theme from anything else.

He had a clear objective in their fights, unlike Tom and Allie, he meant to harm her, and ultimately kill her. His fight theme had a select few themes for her, and she had only one objective: fight, win, survive, and apprehend him.

Scourge was a slippery one. She had known that the Daleville police probably wouldn't manage to keep Scourge locked up, but she could hope.

With a blade in hand, Scourge swiped at her. But she ducked out of the way of his blade's deadly arc. Scourge didn't often use his throwing knives in their rooftop rumbles, not unless he knew that he'd hit his target.

Their rooftop scuffles consisted of close combat moves, and Scourge dodging her whip. Scourge stuck to using his knives as if they were Escrima sticks.

Despite the obvious advantage of not having sharp projectiles thrown at her with deadly accuracy, Scourge was just as deadly as ever during these bouts, if not more so. His knives were sharp enough to cut her without her feeling it until it was too late, and using them in the fashion of Escrima sticks made it near impossible to keep from getting sliced.

Fortunately, tonight she'd caught him off guard, and he only had one knife in hand, so his scything slash left his chest unguarded. Taking advantage of this opening, Gale preformed a precision round house kick.

He staggered backwards, whether because of the force she'd kicked him with or due to the bruises that she'd let on his torso the night before, she couldn't tell. Though seemingly harmed by her attack, Scourge smirked, evidently pleased that she was fighting for all she was worth.

"Well, well aren't we just full of surprises tonight, little songbird?" he taunted, while pulling out a second dagger he'd neglected to use at the beginning and twirled it in his finger menacingly.

"You're one to talk," she responded. "Didn't I leave you in a pair of handcuffs last night, yet here you are."

She didn't often press Scourge's nerves during their encounters, but tonight she needed answers and Scourge was the only conduit present that she knew well enough to know when to stop pressing her luck.

"Yes, a situation I've been meaning to thank you for putting me in."

She might not have gotten any answer out of him, but she'd sure pressed his buttons.

He charged at her, blades prepared for an attack. His anger expressed itself in a fight much like Tom's did, through focused moves and energy, but it also appeared in his time and words and partly clouded judgment.

Gale advanced quickly, but leaped over Scourge and ducked under the sweeping blade as Scourge spun around. She back pedaled a strategic distance away as Scourge slashed at her again, and he left an opening that would quickly close, but not quickly enough. Nightingale unleashed a front kick.

Scourge grunted, but gave no ground. Instead of waiting for Scourge to lash out at her again, Nightingale back flipped and then propelled herself further back with her hand. In mid air, she unwound her whip from her waist where it'd been for the last few fights.

"Stepping it up a notch, are we?" Scourge assessed coolly as she cracked her whip in a challenge.

"That's an understatement." Nightingale smirked and swung her whip at him.

He dodged and charged at her as her leather length receded. She crouched just in the nick of time to avoid Scourge's flying kick. As her opponent landed and regained his footing, she danced around to face him.

Now her back was to the edge of the bakery rooftop and her face towards Scourge, and the fight between Red Arrow and Cheshire. It looked like they were going at it tooth and nail, but she really didn't pay too much mind to them. The only thing she took note of was their proximity to her and Scourge.

Scourge positioned himself in a ready stance, and twirled his knives menacingly in a challenge, waiting for her to make the first move. Gale studied him for a moment, eyeing him for any weakness or unguarded opening that she could take advantage of.

We're practically at an impasse, she thought setting her jaw and decided upon just a point blank charge. It'd give her time to think and allow Scourge to react to her.

Her bolas weren't an option at this point. It was uncertain that she would actually hit the lithe villain and she didn't want to waste them at this point in the night.

She noticed Scourge smirk as she came at him. Nightingale momentarily realized that she had played right into his hands, but she too had to smile which she hid expertly.

So we're playing a game of tag, huh? she thought to herself as Scourge side stepped her advance. We'll just see how that works for you, Scourge.

With a quick pirouette, she picked up enough momentum and snapped her whip once more at Scourge.

This time, however, the cracking leather length hit its mark. She hadn't been aiming to hit his hands to disarm him, nor his chest to inflict more painful bruises in that already pained area, but she'd instead intended for her whip to coil itself around Scourge's forearm.

Scourge was taken aback by this, she usually used her whip only to ward him off, disarm him, and in general inflict pain on him. She didn't often use this offensive attack on him, thus he was stunned when her whip tightly wrapped itself on his arm.

Using the momentum of Scourge's surprise, she yanked on her leather length as she hard as she could and as quickly as she could.

Her strong tug cause Scourge to stumble forward, his grip on his knives loosened as he staggered towards her. Nightingale used this all to her advantage.

She stepped forward as he came forward and preformed another round house kick on him in the chest. He dropped his dagger altogether as he staggered and fell backwards.

Nightingale knew the fight was over. She'd won her rooftop rumble against Scourge.

"You ready to give up ye-"

"Nightingale, get out of the way!" Red Arrow called a warning to her.

For a few seconds, Gale didn't know what she was doing, but she did register that she'd pulled some gymnastic maneuver to evade Cheshire's thrust of a katanna sword. She found that she had back pedaled away from a knife wielding Scourge with vengeance glinting in his eyes, and a sword swinging Cheshire who was advancing towards her.

"We're never going to give up, little songbird, not until you're dead," Scourge declared. The fearsome determination mixed in with the vengeance in his black eyes made her stomach churn with fear. He definitely intended to kill her and if he didn't succeed, Nightingale would bet her bottom dollar that Cheshire would to it.

"Ah, but you're forgetting something, my fiendish foes," she taunted with a satisfied smirk to hide the fear she felt. "You've got to catch me first in order to kill me."

Before Cheshire or Scourge could process her words, she'd leapt off the edge of the building and swung across the street. If those two were hell-bent on killing her, then she intended to have them work for it.