Andrew gazed through the window of the photography studio,
enraptured. So, this was Dinah Lance, supposed daughter of
the legendary Black Canary. She was so different than what he
expected, so. carefree. As the daughter of a superhero, he
expected her to act like more of a superhero herself. Her
golden blonde hair was a perfect wave as it swept back and
forth. Her hazel eyes never missed a thing as they scanned
the room. He just stared, overpowered at her. But the
realization of why he was here in the first place hit him,
and his feelings were immediately rushed away. His boss
wanted her. He wanted her for vengeance against her mother.
And like it or not, Andrew had to make sure his boss got his
wish. He had to lure her to him; he had to make her reveal
her secrets. But how? How could he save her without hurting
himself?
Meanwhile, at New Gotham's finest and most
elegant hotel, James Edmund was on his cell phone. ::Wyatt
looks like he's gettin' soft,:: said the voice of Edmund's
most trusted spy, Ben Patterson. "I see," Edmund replied,
stroking his chin, "I expected that somehow." ::Want me to
give him a little reminder of what he's supposed ta do?::
Edmund smiled. "Just a little one, Patterson. I want to keep
this one alive. I need him." ::Got it boss. I'll keep ya
posted:: The criminal boss hung up, and snickered, "I'm
watchin' you Wyatt," he chuckled to himself. "I'm watching
you."
The next day, Andrew decided to break away from Dinah, and
experience more of New Gotham. He walked around until he
reached the city square. There, there were many different
shops, stands, and just plain hangouts. His attention turned
to the flower stand where a middle aged woman in a wheelchair
was looking at flowers. He moved in to observe her more
closely. She picked out a rose, and smelled it. Her face
showed that she was thinking of many things. Curious, he dove
into her mind to see what she was thinking. Her mind was
flooded with memories, especially of two people. Many
thoughts involved a male, about the woman's age. In every
memory, he was with her, once in what looked like the inside
of a clocktower; another showed them by that same flower
stand. There were many other memories involving them, each
filled with happiness, and love. But one memory showed a
tragedy. The man's body was illustrated, dumped carelessly
near a trash dumpster and the woman was seen crying. Andrew
was filled with grief for the woman, but thoughts of another
person quickly grabbed his attention again. It was Dinah! She
appeared to be very close to the woman, almost like a
daughter. Again, most of the memories showed the two
together, inside that same clocktower. One memory in
particular seemed to play over and over in the woman's mind.
They both had solemn expressions on their faces. Dinah was
talking, unfortunately, he couldn't hear, but when she
finished, she walked away, and the woman's eyes were filled
with tears again. There was more, but Andrew was immediately
interrupted by a swift blow to the head, rendering him
unconscious. The face of Ben Patterson loomed over him. "Ya
betta focus on what ya came here ta do," Patterson muttered
in his hit-man-ish voice, "Ya can't wuss of this. Ya know
what Boss'll do if ya disobey 'im."
At that same time, over at that flower stand, Barbara Gordon
wiped a tear from her eyes, her mind flooded with memories.
Her own thoughts were interrupted when she heard a familiar
voice call her name. At first, she didn't believe it, but
then the call grew louder, then the sight of Dinah running
towards her became visible. "Barbara!" the young adult
called, rushing to greet her former mentor. When she finally
reached her, they embraced each other in a hug. "Barbara!"
the youth exclaimed breathlessly, finally breaking away, "I
can't believe it's you! How have you been? Where's Helena?"
The former instructor smiled. "I'm fine, and so is Helena,"
she replied, "We're still doing the whole saving New Gotham
thing, but it's been very different without you. So what
about you? What have you been doing?" Dinah began relaying
her past two years on her own to her teacher, until the sight
of Andrew's unconscious body caused her to stop in shock.
"Barbara, look!" she pointed, "We have to get him to a
hospital or something!" She ran over, while Barbara wheeled.
When they got to him, Dinah grabbed his hand instinctively.
She saw him watching Barbara, then being rendered unconscious
by what looked like a hit man. "Looks like he took a blow to
the head!" Dinah shouted to a passerby, "Call 911! Tell them
to get an ambulance over here! Hurry!"
Hours later, Andrew woke up in a hospital bed. Sitting next
to him, to his surprise, was the relieved face of Dinah.
"Good morning," she murmured to him. Andrew was confused.
"What happened?" he dazedly asked. "You were hit on the head,
or something," Dinah replied. "I found you, and waited here
with you until you woke up." Andrew sat up, the dazed feeling
slowly going away. "Thanks, Di-," he stopped when he realized
that he never "met" Dinah yet. "What?" she asked. "I said,
'thanks'," Andrew said, "I don't think I know you. What's
your name?" "Dinah," the girl smiled, "My name is Dinah."
Meanwhile, at New Gotham's finest and most
elegant hotel, James Edmund was on his cell phone. ::Wyatt
looks like he's gettin' soft,:: said the voice of Edmund's
most trusted spy, Ben Patterson. "I see," Edmund replied,
stroking his chin, "I expected that somehow." ::Want me to
give him a little reminder of what he's supposed ta do?::
Edmund smiled. "Just a little one, Patterson. I want to keep
this one alive. I need him." ::Got it boss. I'll keep ya
posted:: The criminal boss hung up, and snickered, "I'm
watchin' you Wyatt," he chuckled to himself. "I'm watching
you."
The next day, Andrew decided to break away from Dinah, and
experience more of New Gotham. He walked around until he
reached the city square. There, there were many different
shops, stands, and just plain hangouts. His attention turned
to the flower stand where a middle aged woman in a wheelchair
was looking at flowers. He moved in to observe her more
closely. She picked out a rose, and smelled it. Her face
showed that she was thinking of many things. Curious, he dove
into her mind to see what she was thinking. Her mind was
flooded with memories, especially of two people. Many
thoughts involved a male, about the woman's age. In every
memory, he was with her, once in what looked like the inside
of a clocktower; another showed them by that same flower
stand. There were many other memories involving them, each
filled with happiness, and love. But one memory showed a
tragedy. The man's body was illustrated, dumped carelessly
near a trash dumpster and the woman was seen crying. Andrew
was filled with grief for the woman, but thoughts of another
person quickly grabbed his attention again. It was Dinah! She
appeared to be very close to the woman, almost like a
daughter. Again, most of the memories showed the two
together, inside that same clocktower. One memory in
particular seemed to play over and over in the woman's mind.
They both had solemn expressions on their faces. Dinah was
talking, unfortunately, he couldn't hear, but when she
finished, she walked away, and the woman's eyes were filled
with tears again. There was more, but Andrew was immediately
interrupted by a swift blow to the head, rendering him
unconscious. The face of Ben Patterson loomed over him. "Ya
betta focus on what ya came here ta do," Patterson muttered
in his hit-man-ish voice, "Ya can't wuss of this. Ya know
what Boss'll do if ya disobey 'im."
At that same time, over at that flower stand, Barbara Gordon
wiped a tear from her eyes, her mind flooded with memories.
Her own thoughts were interrupted when she heard a familiar
voice call her name. At first, she didn't believe it, but
then the call grew louder, then the sight of Dinah running
towards her became visible. "Barbara!" the young adult
called, rushing to greet her former mentor. When she finally
reached her, they embraced each other in a hug. "Barbara!"
the youth exclaimed breathlessly, finally breaking away, "I
can't believe it's you! How have you been? Where's Helena?"
The former instructor smiled. "I'm fine, and so is Helena,"
she replied, "We're still doing the whole saving New Gotham
thing, but it's been very different without you. So what
about you? What have you been doing?" Dinah began relaying
her past two years on her own to her teacher, until the sight
of Andrew's unconscious body caused her to stop in shock.
"Barbara, look!" she pointed, "We have to get him to a
hospital or something!" She ran over, while Barbara wheeled.
When they got to him, Dinah grabbed his hand instinctively.
She saw him watching Barbara, then being rendered unconscious
by what looked like a hit man. "Looks like he took a blow to
the head!" Dinah shouted to a passerby, "Call 911! Tell them
to get an ambulance over here! Hurry!"
Hours later, Andrew woke up in a hospital bed. Sitting next
to him, to his surprise, was the relieved face of Dinah.
"Good morning," she murmured to him. Andrew was confused.
"What happened?" he dazedly asked. "You were hit on the head,
or something," Dinah replied. "I found you, and waited here
with you until you woke up." Andrew sat up, the dazed feeling
slowly going away. "Thanks, Di-," he stopped when he realized
that he never "met" Dinah yet. "What?" she asked. "I said,
'thanks'," Andrew said, "I don't think I know you. What's
your name?" "Dinah," the girl smiled, "My name is Dinah."