CHAPTER 4

Helena and Reese were up in the kitchen eating a sandwich for lunch which Alfred had made for them. After making the sandwich, Alfred gave the two of them some privacy. "So, you really quit your job for me before learning that the commissioner is Bane in disguise?" Helena said.

"Yes, I did," Reese replied. "I thought his treatment of you was beyond any explanation, and I was not going to tolerate it. You're more important than my job."

Helena smiled. "And you are more important to me than me being the Huntress. I love you."

The two of them put down their sandwiches and leaned over the Island. Thy kissed there in the kitchen, neither of them wanting the moment to end.

Watching from the first level was Barbara sitting in her wheelchair. Seeing the two of them together again seemed right. They were madly in love with each other. Richard came up from behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "They do make a beautiful couple, don't they,"

"They do," Barbara agreed. "That's why I think after we deal with Bane, it's going to be over. I think it will be best to let her go free and live the life she always wanted. Dinah and I will continue on our own," Barbara said with a sigh.

"There's no other way. Since she released the anger built up inside of her, she doesn't have the focus to continue the hero business much longer. It will only be a matter of time before these circumstances will again overcome her and she will go mad again. She has to want to be Huntress by choice, and not forced into it."

"I know," Barbara replied. "All I want for Helena is to be happy, and if that means I have to let her go and be her own woman, then so be it, but it will not be the same without her."

"Some times, people were not meant to live a superhero's life for very long. Tim Drake was one of those people. Truthfully, there are very few who live their entire lives as heroes. You and Bruce are the only ones who had remained in the hero business since the beginning. I retired for many years, so not even I stayed through the end. I'm not planning to stay in the hero business. As soon as Bane is put away, then I'm heading back to retirement, and hoping to spend more time with you."

Barbara looked up at Richard with a loving smile. She stood up out of her chair, without using the handles of her wheelchair, and walked into his arms. Richard embraced her with his arms, and brought his head down and kissed her across the lips. Her body melted in his arms, as she closed her eyes. She floated in the river of pleasure.

* * * *

Alfred was in the clock tower alone that night. Helena and Reese went out for a romantic evening, taking the night off to rest up for the coming storm of violence that they were expecting to hit. Barbara and Richard also went out to spend some time alone. Dinah had gone out roaming New Gotham, in case something did happen.

Every security features were activated and running making Alfred feel a little safer. All this talk about a coming storm of violence had him spooked out. He had finished doing his dinner dishes, and enjoyed a night of peace and quiet. He walked up the staircase leading to the second floor when he heard the sound of glass shattering.

"What was that?" Alfred said to himself. Suddenly, jumping out of Helena and Dinah's room was Raven.

"Hiya, old man!" Raven said with a grin on her face. She twisted on her left ankle and kicked Alfred across the face. Alfred crashed into the railing. He weakly tried to pull himself up using the railing. Raven grabbed Alfred by his suit and threw him into the island in the middle of the kitchen. Alfred was semi-conscious lying on the floor, leaning up against the island. Blood was trickling down the side of Alfred's face. "I could not have planned this better myself. While the cats are away, the mice shall play!"

Raven looked down at the pathetic old man in front of her. "Don't take this personally. I have nothing against you. This is strictly a message for the Huntress." She grabbed a knife from the kitchen draw and knelt down in front of Alfred. With violence, he rammed the blade into Alfred's left shoulder, pinning him to the island. Alfred gasped in pain as pain ripped through his left shoulder blade.

Raven laughed as she stood up and turned towards the railing. She jumped and flipped over the railing and fell to the first floor, landing on her feet. Raven gave herself the tour as she walked up to the ramp. "All the computers and technology; impressive! I can't say I ever paid much attention to them until now."

Raven looked to her left when she heard one of the computers beep like crazy. Raven looked onto the monitor screen. "Ah, this must be Delphi, or rather, it was Delphi." Raven pulled out a hand gun and shot Delphi's CPU. The computer exploded into sparks and flames. She spun around and began shooting all the computers and monitors on the platform. When she was done, the whole platform was a mess with smoke rising and computers on fire. "I think I made my message clear!" Raven laughed.