Chapter 13
Kate saw a vehicle driving the wrong direction on the road, GCPD following behind it. The Crows had successfully rerouted the caravan out of the way of the runaway vehicle swerving down a side street. It had been an incredibly close call – only moments before the van, which definitely held some of Alice's gang, would have slammed into the vehicle carrying Mr. Delacroix. The Crows vehicle behind it had to jump the curb to avoid the out-of-control driver. Luckily there were no civilians in the way, but it effectively cut the three-vehicle convoy down to two.
The Caped Crusader pulled the Bat Cycle onto the sidewalk, just behind the Crows vehicle, as the van shot passed her, the trailing GCPD cars were catching up. Kate reached out to Kara via the comms and explained that she regained her follow of the caravan. She hoped the blonde would be able to rejoin the surveillance of the caravan as soon as possible, fearing another booby trap of sorts. The blonde promised to get back on track as soon as she could – she was almost done securing the masked criminals.
"Luke, do you know where the backup from the GCPD is?" Kate wanted to know. Her friend's voice came in through her helmet,
"They're chasing that vehicle going the wrong way."
"This seems way too organized for Alice," she said.
"I agree but with Mouse out of the picture, that leaves Tommy Elliot," Luke figured.
"That would seem a little more his style, but you think that Alice would let him run the show?" Kate wondered.
"Alice is too busy trying to kill you, which Tommy would have no complaints with. I think they'd manage," the man at the Bat Computer said. Kate figured he was probably right.
"Based on the GPS, the two vehicles are just outside Gotham University. I'm going to take up my position," she told him as she rerouted to a less populated portion of the college campus so she could change her clothes.
"Good luck," Luke said before the radio fell silent for a few minutes.
"I'm overhead. The Crows were wrapping up what I started," Kara came on over the comms.
"Excellent. I'm almost ready," Kate said.
"I'm going to scan campus and look to see if we have any more unwelcome visitors," the blonde told her.
"Good call," the brunette was now completely changed into her uniform and began making her way towards the chemical engineering department building via building rooftops.
"They really need to get a grant or something to help them out," Kara suddenly said.
"For what?" Kate was confused by her comment.
"Lead pipes. Gotham is an old city and the university hasn't seen fit to remove all of the lead piping. It's not fully blocking my view but I'm getting spots of buildings where the mains are that are blocked off," the blonde explained.
"The good news is that Alice doesn't know about your issues with lead. Also, I'll make sure to see about helping the university when this is all over," Kate told her. She'd reached the roof of the intended building and was now attempting to see about a door or roof hatch she could use to gain entry.
"Good. Meantime, I see nothing which would normally make me happy but…" Kara trailed off.
"But that means Alice is still lurking. She's probably hoping to corner Delacroix inside the building. I figured an out in the open approach would be too risky, but I also figured she'd be here by now," Kate admitted, finding a rooftop door and quickly dispatching the lock with the help of her tool belt.
"What if she is?" Kara asked. She hyper focused her vision onto a manhole cover and surrounding pavement near the chemical engineering department building.
"The sewer," Kate said, entering the stair tower and heading down to the second floor where the meeting was supposed to be taking place. In her head she was glad that the building was only seven stories and that she was in good physical shape.
"Winner winner chicken dinner. I have movement inside the sewer pipes – they have to exit at the manhole though so that puts them right where I can get them. Secure Delacroix and make sure the Crows don't let him leave until we have everybody. These could just be more of her masked bunnies," Kara told her.
"On it," Kate said, hoping that Alice was indeed in the sewer. She'd slip away while Kara was dealing with her sidekicks but that was fine. Once they got Delacroix out of Gotham, Alice would have to resume her search for someone else who might be able manufacture Kryptonite. It would keep her distracted and possibly easier to catch.
The brunette reached the second-floor door and quickly exited into the hallway a few minutes later. She could hear gunshots ringing out and Kara beating the perps up. The early morning meeting meant that there were not a lot of students in the hallways but that didn't mean those that were there weren't freaking out. Quickly, as she could, Kate told everyone she passed to stay down inside the hallway and away from the windows as she made her way toward the room where Delacroix was supposed to be speaking.
"Freeze!" Someone shouted behind her and instead of listening, she whirled around, finding two Crows standing there, their guns leveled at her.
"You're supposed to be making sure the esteemed CEO is protected. I'm not your problem," Kate told them.
"We have orders to bring you in," one of them said.
"You do realize that Alice could be in this building right now, right? Who is a better prize? Her or me?" Kate pointed out. The two lowered their weapons. As far as they knew, Batwoman hadn't killed anybody, but Alice had.
"A truce then for the moment. Delacroix is secure in the lecture hall. We were sent to patrol the hallway and get any civilians out of danger after the gunshots were heard. We were told that Supergirl is outside, dealing with some of Alice's crew," the second one said.
"How many entrances and exits into the lecture hall?" Kate asked.
"Two at the front and two at the back. We're short staffed but each door is covered," the first one said. Kara's voice interrupted Kate's thoughts,
"All bunnies accounted for but no Alice. I'm heading to you."
"Backup is on the way," Kate smirked, not realizing in all the commotion that Alice was already switching gears to Plan B.
To Be Continued…