Chapter 12
It had been five days since the shooting and there was still no sign of the Joker. Huntress and Reese, along with Oracle's guidance, had searched New Gotham high and low and had come up with nothing. They searched all his old hideouts, but everyplace looked like they had been abandoned for years. They knew he was hiding, planning his next move, but they didn't know when or what he was planning. It had them all frustrated.
Barbara sat at her bay of computers, hoping for a lead, but finding nothing. She sighed and turned to pick up a file folder from the table at her right. Inside, it contained every shred of information she could find on the Redmonds. Though Melinda had told her not to worry, Barbara feared that, with their current luck, a custody battle was about to ensue and she wanted to prepare. She had almost lost her foster daughter once in the previous month, she would not lose her again.
As she flipped through the information, the elevator doors opened and in walked Helena carrying a duffel bag. Barbara quickly hid the folder under a stack of papers, then turned towards Helena. "Did you find anything?"
Helena walked up the ramp, leaned against the table and sighed, "Nothing. Reese and I finished surveying the docks, but nothing turned up. You?"
Barbara sighed, "No, it's as if the Joker never escaped from prison. I can't find anything."
"If only we were so lucky." Helena looked around the room. "Where's the kid?" Dinah had been released from the hospital earlier that day.
Barbara looked up towards the second floor of the clocktower. "She went to bed about an hour ago. She's still pretty weak. It'll take awhile before she's back to normal." Barbara looked to Helena, finally spotting the bag she was carrying. "What's with the bag?"
Helena looked down. "Well..you see.I thought," she stumbled through her words embarrassed, "I thought I'd crash here for a little while. What with the Joker back and all, I just thought it would be safer if we all stayed close. Is that okay?"
Barbara smiled, "I think that's a great idea. You always have a room here, you know that."
Helena smiled. It was the first time Barbara had seen Helena smile since she'd walked in on their cereal fight at the hospital. That had been almost five days ago. She was about to comment on it when a scream came from overhead.
Barbara and Helena looked at each other. "Dinah!" they exclaimed. The two women took off upstairs, following the direction of Dinah's screams.
It had been five days since the shooting and there was still no sign of the Joker. Huntress and Reese, along with Oracle's guidance, had searched New Gotham high and low and had come up with nothing. They searched all his old hideouts, but everyplace looked like they had been abandoned for years. They knew he was hiding, planning his next move, but they didn't know when or what he was planning. It had them all frustrated.
Barbara sat at her bay of computers, hoping for a lead, but finding nothing. She sighed and turned to pick up a file folder from the table at her right. Inside, it contained every shred of information she could find on the Redmonds. Though Melinda had told her not to worry, Barbara feared that, with their current luck, a custody battle was about to ensue and she wanted to prepare. She had almost lost her foster daughter once in the previous month, she would not lose her again.
As she flipped through the information, the elevator doors opened and in walked Helena carrying a duffel bag. Barbara quickly hid the folder under a stack of papers, then turned towards Helena. "Did you find anything?"
Helena walked up the ramp, leaned against the table and sighed, "Nothing. Reese and I finished surveying the docks, but nothing turned up. You?"
Barbara sighed, "No, it's as if the Joker never escaped from prison. I can't find anything."
"If only we were so lucky." Helena looked around the room. "Where's the kid?" Dinah had been released from the hospital earlier that day.
Barbara looked up towards the second floor of the clocktower. "She went to bed about an hour ago. She's still pretty weak. It'll take awhile before she's back to normal." Barbara looked to Helena, finally spotting the bag she was carrying. "What's with the bag?"
Helena looked down. "Well..you see.I thought," she stumbled through her words embarrassed, "I thought I'd crash here for a little while. What with the Joker back and all, I just thought it would be safer if we all stayed close. Is that okay?"
Barbara smiled, "I think that's a great idea. You always have a room here, you know that."
Helena smiled. It was the first time Barbara had seen Helena smile since she'd walked in on their cereal fight at the hospital. That had been almost five days ago. She was about to comment on it when a scream came from overhead.
Barbara and Helena looked at each other. "Dinah!" they exclaimed. The two women took off upstairs, following the direction of Dinah's screams.