"What's black and blue and red all over?" the gruff voice echoed through the empty building. Detective Grant whirled in surprise to face the intruder. The kid he'd been talking to bolted with the speed and skill of a rat. A young dirty-blonde brute jumped from the nearest stack of rusting machinery onto the startled officer.

"You!" the assailant answered himself as he landed. Grant fell to keep the younger man's momentum, then used it to throw him. Though he kept his strength up, the detective hadn't actually fought anyone in years. He didn't recover as quickly as he'd have liked and it cost him. A rock-solid fist found his kidney and lifted him a good four inches off the ground. That's when he knew he was in trouble.

"Dealing to little kids," The brute spat. "You aughta be ashamed." A knee followed this accusation, knocking the wind from the older man. "But since you don't seem real broke up about it." An elbow smashed into the back of his head and Grant saw a bright flash. He sputtered as best he could.

"He's a...contact..." but he was cut short by a stiff kick to the face that released his fragile grip on consciousness.

**************

Spoiler entered the abandoned factory from a top level window. Coming back to this part of town only two days after her encounter in the alley below was ludicrous and she knew it. Her sides ached from exertion even though she moved infuriatingly slowly. But Tim had been no comfort at all and he didn't mention sending Alfred. The more time went by the more she believed she'd only dreamed the strange visitor and their conversation.

So, here she was, seeking out her savior, secretly hoping that a man who patrols the streets with a baseball bat saving young women could solve all her problems. She rolled her eyes at herself not for the first time, but still crept further into the building.

She heard a muffled voice and upon reaching a cat walk, leaned over gingerly to find the man she'd been looking for. He was standing over an unconscious black man in a trench coat. She cocked her head and blew caution to the wind.

"This is not what I expected at all." The blonde man's head snapped up with an expression as though she'd walked in on him in the bathroom. Startled, and a little angry but mostly embarrassed. Upon recognizing her he grinned.

"So the purple girl returns."

"What are you doing? Is he alright?" She was more than a little concerned. Fortunately his explanation reassured her.

"He'll be fine. Just some jerk cop I taught a lesson to for dealing to a little kid." He shrugged. "Saw it all the time in the 'Haven. They take the stuff from guys they bust and sell it back on the street for extra cash." He looked at her quizzically. "Are you comin' down or what?" already bored with the subject.

Spoiler blushed, suddenly grateful for her hood. The attraction she felt for him embarrassed and excited her at the same time. He had strong features and exuded a raw unchecked energy that was both frightening and appealing. He took her silence another way, however.

"Oh. That's right you're probly still pretty broken up." He thought a moment. "Can you meet me on the roof in a minute? I wanna do one more thing." She nodded and turned back toward the window she'd come in. As she inched her way up she heard glass breaking somewhere below and wondered. When he hoisted himself into view she got a better look at him. He was wearing a plain hockey jersey, but there was no sign of the bat. Then she noticed he'd gained an accessory. A metal baton hung from his waist.

"That's new." She pointed nonchalantly.

"Oh this." He whipped it up and flipped it in his fingers expertly. "Figured that crooked cop didn't need it anymore. Heh." Spoiler cringed inwardly. The breaking glass. She shook her head. "Hey what do you say we get outa here." He continued. "No tellin' if that kid'll bring back his buddies. Might even be in the gang that..."

"Sure. Fine, let's go." She cut him off and turned to throw a line to the next building.

"Whoa, Hot Stuff, not like that." He grasped her wrist and not gently. "You're too hurt for that." She pulled free and turned to face him.

"It's Spoiler! And how do you think I got here?" She was lying, of course. She'd hitched a ride on the back of the light rail then climbed the fire escape very slowly. The fib had the desired effect though. He took a small step back and looked her up and down as though seeing her for the first time. Then, suddenly waived it off.

"Well, I'm Tad!" he mocked the emphases on her name. "and I couldn't keep up with you anyway. Come on. The place I'm stayin' isn't very far. We'll go my way."

They did hop a few buildings before descending to the street, then further, under it. Tad's way turned out to be the sewers. It didn't take long.

"So you're from Bludhaven?" Spoiler asked trying not to sound too interested.

"Yeah" He replied easily. "That's where I usually patrol. Just laying low up here in Gotham for a while. I've sorta got a score to settle but I'm waiting for the right time."

He'd been leading but now dropped back to walk along side her.

"So what's your real name?" he asked.

"And why would I tell you that?" She was playing and he knew it.

"Maybe because I saved your life." Again, he mocked her tone perfectly.

"Don't you know about Secret Identities?" she fingered her hood.

"Hey, I'm the one who tossed your costume before I called the ambulance so they wouldn't know who you were." She blushed again, this time profusely. She'd forgotten what Alfred had said about her being almost naked. So did that mean he really was there? Or had Tim mentioned it? "So you owe me double, I think."

"I don't owe you anything." She said sharply and walked ahead. Her embarrassment had made her defensive. Tad, in all his tactful genius, replied:

"Hey, don't feel shy. I didn't call you Hot Stuff for nothing." He reached out to stop her. Spoiler spun batting his hand away and dropped into a defensive stance. He was confused for a moment.

"Don't touch me." To her dismay, Spoiler heard her voice waiver on the edge of a sob. This set off an immediate reaction in her companion.

Tad hated it when girls cried. It was so pitiful; it disgusted him. He finally understood what was wrong with her and it made him angry.

"You listen to me." His voice alone was menacing but the poor girl was not prepared in the slightest for his next action. He thrust his fore arm into her chest pushing her into the wall. Next, he jutted his knee into her thigh so she couldn't kick anything vital. She appreciated that he'd pinned her without touching her rib cage but that did nothing to lessen her fear. At last, he ripped off her hood. "If I'd wanted to hurt you, little girl, I would have joined the party in that alley." He took off some pressure but held her there until she absorbed the words and her fear turned to anger. That's better, he thought, and released her.

"Now, I was stopping you because this is the end of the line." He grasped the ladder and ascended. "Either you trust me or you don't. You can settle down and come up, or find your way home. I really don't care."

She rubbed her thigh and watched him climb. There was no logical reason to follow. "Except" She thought to herself, "Tad just accomplished what no one else has before. He took away my fear. He gave me no excuses but didn't try to tell me what to do either. He didn't go easy on me, yet made it clear that he wouldn't hurt me." Suddenly something wonderful occurred to her. She grabbed the nearest rung and started up.

"How long have you been patrolling?" Spoiler called.