Melanie glided silently behind Terry. Her suit was nearly identical to
his, except that her Bat symbol and wings were yellow instead of red. It
felt familiar, like her Ten costume, except it was more powerful. They
spent most of their time soaring overhead, since it was a quiet night.
There were only a few attempted muggings and burglaries to interrupt their
aerial tour of Gotham City. They patrolled mostly in silence, except for
Terry's occasional comment about batsuit features, or flagpoles to avoid.
Most of the time, he was watching her.
Melanie was trying to stop shivering. She wasn't cold, in fact the midnight air felt warm. She felt somewhat afraid, maybe nervous - she wasn't sure which. But something felt eerily familiar - after all, this was how she dressed, how she moved, back when she was Ten. Yet this time, she had a completely different purpose. Was she afraid, that with all the familiarity, she might slip back into her old ways? Melanie shook it off. This was a new life now, and I'll take it one step at a time, she thought, whispering her doubts away.
Their patrol finished earlier than she expected. Terry was relieved as the approached the Manor. She did well for her first night, and he could only wish that the next five nights would be just as mild, until she grew more accustomed to being Batgirl.
"We're home," he called as they entered the cave. Max and Bruce were standing at the console. Their grim expressions told Terry there wouldn't be five slow nights for Melanie's benefit. "What?"
"There's a rally tonight. Daniels and maybe his brother will be there," Max said pensively. "You guys need to do some undercover recon." Melanie looked up at Terry. He frowned. If something went wrong, he thought, we'd be defenseless in our civvies. He looked back at Melanie,searching her face.
"Be honest with me," he paused for a second. "What do you think about going in alone, with me backing you up in the Batsuit? I won't be far, and we'll have the comlink open the whole time." Melanie was nervous.
Had she taken on too much by asking to help?
"Slag it, Ter, this is what you need me to do," she replied firmly. "Let me get dressed, and you can tell me more." Terry smiled.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Crowds on skinheads pressed toward the front of the stage. Melanie, like a piece of driftwood in the surf, was being pushed along by the human tide, until she was nearly pressed against the stage. She was dressed much like the others around her - white tank top, black pants tucked into black military boots. A red bandanna tied around her head and several silver earrings served to camouflage the imperceptibly small earbud that linked her to Terry, Max and Bruce. This tiny plastic device brought her a strange measure of comfort as she tried to relax and just listen to the speaker.
"...and what do we get in return? A word of thanks, anything?" the crowd roared in response. "Damn right, we get nothing! The free world gets nothing in return for its goodwill to the less fortunate. They're starving, and we send food. They're sick, and we send medicine. They're killing each other, and we send help. And what difference does it make? Did it make a difference in South Africa, in Somalia, in Iraq?" The crowd roared again, hungry for blood. Before the speaker could continue, a sandy-haired man took the stage and the crowd surged forward.
"Thanks, Robert. My brothers and sisters, this is an important time for us. We have a decision to make - whether to continue pouring our resources into helping people who are unwilling to help themselves, or to rebuild our own society, to serve those of us who give a damn?" The crowd cheered as Melanie got jostled around by some enthusiastic skinheads. One looked down at her, almost apologetically.
"You OK?" she nodded mutely. All this time, she felt like she was watching a movie, and didn't expect one of the characters to speak to her. He continued. "Smith really makes sense, doesn't he?" She looked up at his clear, green eyes and boyish face. Under the menacing cover, he was just a kid. Melanie smiled. She was calm now, receptive and ready.
"Yeah, he makes so much sense," she responded genuinely. "Wasn't Martin Daniels supposed to be here, too?" she asked, innocently confused. The boy's brow furrowed.
"Who? Naw, this is John Smith. Never heard of - Martin?" Melanie just nodded, hoping Max heard his response. She got her answer seconds later.
"Hmm. John Smith an alias, Oracle? It sure looks like him up there," Batman's voice sounded tight. She guessed he was perched somewhere high, with the suit's cloaking system engaged.
"Checking it. Yeah, it looks like Daniels. And I'm also checking against a photo of his brother." Max paused, tapping furiously on he keyboard."It's pretty blurry. Could be either one." She turned to Bruce. "You think he knows we're watching him? You think maybe he's not even there?" Melanie's spine went numb with fear. What the hell did she get herself into? she wondered.
Bruce scowled. Oracle would have considered this before sending out operatives, Max thought, banging her head against her fist. At length, Bruce spoke. "No he's there. He might suspect that we're watching, but I don't think he has any reason to look for Batgirl." Max and Melanie sighed in unison. "The next move is to locate Daniels, assuming that's his brother on stage. But proceed only when ready," he added sternly. Melanie nodded inwardly. "We'll keep working to ID the speaker."
The speaker known as John Smith continued. "For so long, our resources have been misspent. Money, food, medicine - human lives - have been wasted on people and societies that have no interest in their own well-being, let alone the advancement of their people. Well, a new day is coming, brothers and sisters. We will see, in our lifetime, how these people will reap the harvest of their bad seeds. Now that the world leaders weary of their constant drive toward self-destruction. Now that we are ready to give up on people who have given up on themselves long ago." The crowd cheered ravenously. Melanie noticed the green-eyed boy was looking at her. She turned and cocked her head. He looked down sheepishly.
"Um, if you want to meet him, I think I can arrange that," he said, "John Smith, I mean." She smiled, a little touched by his sudden bashfulness. Melanie widened her eyes a little, playing the cute blond girl act.
"Could you really? You know, that would be so schway," she bit her lip for a second, then extended her hand. "My name's Emily." OK, remember, your name is Emily, she thought.
"Tom," he said, taking her hand. "After he's done up there, OK?"
"'OK - but are you sure?" Melanie asked again, hoping Oracle would pick up her hint.
"Proceed with caution. Terry, stay close," came Oracle's response.
"Yeah, of course!" Tom responded warmly. "He likes meeting his supporters."
+++++++++++++++++++++
Melanie followed Tom behind the stage, passing several armed security guards who nodded them through. She wondered what Tom's connection was to this organization, especially since he appeared so young. Past the stage area were a few portable trailers, like the ones found at construction sites. "C'mon," he waved her on, as he approached he stairs to one trailer's doorway. Melanie paused for a second, noticing that here were now three men coming up behind her. She sensed an ambush. Suddenly, her nervousness turned to cold panic when Terry's voice shouted in her ear, "Run! They're onto us!" Before Melanie could react, and before Batman could reach her, the three men were upon her. Two held her to the ground, and the third pressed his gun against her cheekbone. Terry watched in horror, praying for an opening.
"If I shoot," he snarled, "you won't die immediately. You get to hang around while we - enjoy your charms." Melanie tried to suppress her panic, and stare coldly back into the man's eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"I just came for the rally,"she said, looking confused as she eyed the men. They look like splicers, she thought, noting various animal-like features, and especially the size of her interrogator. Melanie hoped none of them had enhanced olfactory senses, or else Terry would be compromised. Better play my cards to protect him, too, she told herself.
"Bullshit," he spat. He squatted down and brought his face close to her's. "No one knows the name Martin Daniels here. Why are you asking about him at this place?"
"Suck my dick," she hissed.
The butt of the man's Glock crashed down on the side of her head. Melanie blacked out for a moment. Batman tensed, a wave of nausea making his stomach shudder. As the man reached down, apparently spotting her earbud, Melanie whipped her head around and bit hard. The man leapt back with a yelp. Before he could recover, Terry was upon the two other men, who fell in a heap after he attacked invisibly. Melanie twisted from the ground, and swept her interrogator's legs. He landed hard. Her open palm met his nose, causing blood to pulse out as he screamed from the damage. The Batman scooped Melanie up and rocketed past the trees, putting his body between her's and the bullets that had started raining toward them from the trailer door.
Melanie's head was throbbing. She could feel her blood forming a sticky stain in her hair and forehead. She leaned heavily against Terry's chest. She vaguely heard him speak. He was shaking.
"I'm sorry," he whispered unsteadily. She groaned in response. She wanted to say more. Instead, Melanie just clung to him more tightly.
++++++++++++++
Melanie was trying to stop shivering. She wasn't cold, in fact the midnight air felt warm. She felt somewhat afraid, maybe nervous - she wasn't sure which. But something felt eerily familiar - after all, this was how she dressed, how she moved, back when she was Ten. Yet this time, she had a completely different purpose. Was she afraid, that with all the familiarity, she might slip back into her old ways? Melanie shook it off. This was a new life now, and I'll take it one step at a time, she thought, whispering her doubts away.
Their patrol finished earlier than she expected. Terry was relieved as the approached the Manor. She did well for her first night, and he could only wish that the next five nights would be just as mild, until she grew more accustomed to being Batgirl.
"We're home," he called as they entered the cave. Max and Bruce were standing at the console. Their grim expressions told Terry there wouldn't be five slow nights for Melanie's benefit. "What?"
"There's a rally tonight. Daniels and maybe his brother will be there," Max said pensively. "You guys need to do some undercover recon." Melanie looked up at Terry. He frowned. If something went wrong, he thought, we'd be defenseless in our civvies. He looked back at Melanie,searching her face.
"Be honest with me," he paused for a second. "What do you think about going in alone, with me backing you up in the Batsuit? I won't be far, and we'll have the comlink open the whole time." Melanie was nervous.
Had she taken on too much by asking to help?
"Slag it, Ter, this is what you need me to do," she replied firmly. "Let me get dressed, and you can tell me more." Terry smiled.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Crowds on skinheads pressed toward the front of the stage. Melanie, like a piece of driftwood in the surf, was being pushed along by the human tide, until she was nearly pressed against the stage. She was dressed much like the others around her - white tank top, black pants tucked into black military boots. A red bandanna tied around her head and several silver earrings served to camouflage the imperceptibly small earbud that linked her to Terry, Max and Bruce. This tiny plastic device brought her a strange measure of comfort as she tried to relax and just listen to the speaker.
"...and what do we get in return? A word of thanks, anything?" the crowd roared in response. "Damn right, we get nothing! The free world gets nothing in return for its goodwill to the less fortunate. They're starving, and we send food. They're sick, and we send medicine. They're killing each other, and we send help. And what difference does it make? Did it make a difference in South Africa, in Somalia, in Iraq?" The crowd roared again, hungry for blood. Before the speaker could continue, a sandy-haired man took the stage and the crowd surged forward.
"Thanks, Robert. My brothers and sisters, this is an important time for us. We have a decision to make - whether to continue pouring our resources into helping people who are unwilling to help themselves, or to rebuild our own society, to serve those of us who give a damn?" The crowd cheered as Melanie got jostled around by some enthusiastic skinheads. One looked down at her, almost apologetically.
"You OK?" she nodded mutely. All this time, she felt like she was watching a movie, and didn't expect one of the characters to speak to her. He continued. "Smith really makes sense, doesn't he?" She looked up at his clear, green eyes and boyish face. Under the menacing cover, he was just a kid. Melanie smiled. She was calm now, receptive and ready.
"Yeah, he makes so much sense," she responded genuinely. "Wasn't Martin Daniels supposed to be here, too?" she asked, innocently confused. The boy's brow furrowed.
"Who? Naw, this is John Smith. Never heard of - Martin?" Melanie just nodded, hoping Max heard his response. She got her answer seconds later.
"Hmm. John Smith an alias, Oracle? It sure looks like him up there," Batman's voice sounded tight. She guessed he was perched somewhere high, with the suit's cloaking system engaged.
"Checking it. Yeah, it looks like Daniels. And I'm also checking against a photo of his brother." Max paused, tapping furiously on he keyboard."It's pretty blurry. Could be either one." She turned to Bruce. "You think he knows we're watching him? You think maybe he's not even there?" Melanie's spine went numb with fear. What the hell did she get herself into? she wondered.
Bruce scowled. Oracle would have considered this before sending out operatives, Max thought, banging her head against her fist. At length, Bruce spoke. "No he's there. He might suspect that we're watching, but I don't think he has any reason to look for Batgirl." Max and Melanie sighed in unison. "The next move is to locate Daniels, assuming that's his brother on stage. But proceed only when ready," he added sternly. Melanie nodded inwardly. "We'll keep working to ID the speaker."
The speaker known as John Smith continued. "For so long, our resources have been misspent. Money, food, medicine - human lives - have been wasted on people and societies that have no interest in their own well-being, let alone the advancement of their people. Well, a new day is coming, brothers and sisters. We will see, in our lifetime, how these people will reap the harvest of their bad seeds. Now that the world leaders weary of their constant drive toward self-destruction. Now that we are ready to give up on people who have given up on themselves long ago." The crowd cheered ravenously. Melanie noticed the green-eyed boy was looking at her. She turned and cocked her head. He looked down sheepishly.
"Um, if you want to meet him, I think I can arrange that," he said, "John Smith, I mean." She smiled, a little touched by his sudden bashfulness. Melanie widened her eyes a little, playing the cute blond girl act.
"Could you really? You know, that would be so schway," she bit her lip for a second, then extended her hand. "My name's Emily." OK, remember, your name is Emily, she thought.
"Tom," he said, taking her hand. "After he's done up there, OK?"
"'OK - but are you sure?" Melanie asked again, hoping Oracle would pick up her hint.
"Proceed with caution. Terry, stay close," came Oracle's response.
"Yeah, of course!" Tom responded warmly. "He likes meeting his supporters."
+++++++++++++++++++++
Melanie followed Tom behind the stage, passing several armed security guards who nodded them through. She wondered what Tom's connection was to this organization, especially since he appeared so young. Past the stage area were a few portable trailers, like the ones found at construction sites. "C'mon," he waved her on, as he approached he stairs to one trailer's doorway. Melanie paused for a second, noticing that here were now three men coming up behind her. She sensed an ambush. Suddenly, her nervousness turned to cold panic when Terry's voice shouted in her ear, "Run! They're onto us!" Before Melanie could react, and before Batman could reach her, the three men were upon her. Two held her to the ground, and the third pressed his gun against her cheekbone. Terry watched in horror, praying for an opening.
"If I shoot," he snarled, "you won't die immediately. You get to hang around while we - enjoy your charms." Melanie tried to suppress her panic, and stare coldly back into the man's eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"I just came for the rally,"she said, looking confused as she eyed the men. They look like splicers, she thought, noting various animal-like features, and especially the size of her interrogator. Melanie hoped none of them had enhanced olfactory senses, or else Terry would be compromised. Better play my cards to protect him, too, she told herself.
"Bullshit," he spat. He squatted down and brought his face close to her's. "No one knows the name Martin Daniels here. Why are you asking about him at this place?"
"Suck my dick," she hissed.
The butt of the man's Glock crashed down on the side of her head. Melanie blacked out for a moment. Batman tensed, a wave of nausea making his stomach shudder. As the man reached down, apparently spotting her earbud, Melanie whipped her head around and bit hard. The man leapt back with a yelp. Before he could recover, Terry was upon the two other men, who fell in a heap after he attacked invisibly. Melanie twisted from the ground, and swept her interrogator's legs. He landed hard. Her open palm met his nose, causing blood to pulse out as he screamed from the damage. The Batman scooped Melanie up and rocketed past the trees, putting his body between her's and the bullets that had started raining toward them from the trailer door.
Melanie's head was throbbing. She could feel her blood forming a sticky stain in her hair and forehead. She leaned heavily against Terry's chest. She vaguely heard him speak. He was shaking.
"I'm sorry," he whispered unsteadily. She groaned in response. She wanted to say more. Instead, Melanie just clung to him more tightly.
++++++++++++++