There are moments in a person's life when they start to wonder about the choices they've made and the things they've done. It's about twenty seconds of perfect clarity where everything comes into crystal clear focus.
I'm right there right now.
I've been beaten to a pulp before. I've been at deaths door before. I've been so damn many things that it's hard to focus on one or two. But this, this is worse than anything I've ever been through before.
This is hell.
I'm in hell.
And that little fucktard Ratboy is the one sticking it to me. With his hands and feet and that stupid little grin.
I roll over on my side and I gasp for air. I can taste iron in my mouth and I think my nose is broken. And hey, that's just for starters. I'm really not sure what else is shattered because right now everything hurts. I guess the part of the drug that killed the pain is long gone.
Adam moves over to me and yanks me up by the hair. He looks at me almost curiously. "I'm amazed," he says to me with a strange smile. "You're a hell of a lot stronger than you look."
I reach for a witty comeback but nothing comes to mind. My head is spinning like a stuck wheel and I'm just not getting anywhere fast. He drops me back down and makes a circle with hand. I guess that means continue because Ratboy kicks me right in the gut. I bite down hard and my lip starts to bleed.
I don't know how long this has been going on but it feels like an eternity that I've had four men kicking and punching at me. I've never seen the other two before but they hardly matter.
It's Ratboy I want.
They plan to let me live.
I don't think I'll be that merciful with Ratboy given the chance.
"Stop," I hear a voice say. It's not Adam or Zeus so I'm momentarily confused. Grateful mind you but perplexed.
Then I look up and see who the newcomer is and my stomach crashes. I feel like I'm about to hurl. I press my face against the desk and bite the edge of my sweater. Or what's left of my sweater anyways. It's pretty much torn to shreds at this point. Yes, the bruisers can see my bra. Lucky them.
Yeah, gallows humor. Bite me.
"Hey Cat," Mick says as he bends down next to me. His voice is so gentle but I can feel how tense he is. How incredibly pissed off he is. He wants to hurt me but he's fighting for control. The rabble-rouser in me tells me to taunt him but my body screams out that it can't take much more.
"Mick, what are you doing here?" Adam asks, his voice very quiet. I can tell that he's irritated but he seems to know his place. He seems to be willing to defer to Mick but I'm not quite sure why. I mean Zeus clearly prefers Adam's leadership skills.
"This doesn't concern you, Adam," he replies gruffly. He waves his hand back at him. "Get out of here, I'll handle her."
"I think you've done more than enough of that," Adam replies. "Mick, come on, stop bending over to this girl."
I laugh. I realize immediately that it was a mistake because Ratboy buries his steel boot into my ribcage. I hear a wet crack and pain surges like wildfire through me. I'm kind of amazed that I can still feel any pain at all. I mean at this point, everything is becoming one giant mass of ouch.
Mick is on his feet within seconds. He slams Ratboy to the ground and punches him twice hard across the face. Ratboy staggers backwards and hits the railing, almost falling over it. I can see blood dripping from his mouth. I want to cheer but I hate Mick too so I stay quiet.
"Man, I thought you were dead," Ratboy gasps out. He sounds and looks pathetic. Like a weasel.
I don't like Mick much but I like Ratboy less.
"Enough," Adam says, grabbing Mick's shoulder. "This is by your dad's orders. He wants her roughed up a bit. Stand back and let us finish our job."
I roll onto my back and look up at Mick through hazy eyes. My vision is blurred by all the blood and sweat. I feel like every inch of my body is on fire. It's too much. It's too damn much.
No more.
Mick sighs. "Fine but then she's mine."
"Not tonight son," Zeus says, coming around to stand behind Mick. He puts a hand on his shoulder and appears almost fatherly. Again a nasty insult comes to my mind but the only sound that comes out my mouth is the gurgling of blood. It's getting harder to breathe and I wonder if something is wrong with my lungs.
"She's about done, sir," Adam tells his boss. He reaches down and lifts me up. I groan and try to swing away from me but he holds me without much effort. He slams his balled fist right into my gut and I shake as the force cracks another bone. I see Mick make a face but he doesn't step forward.
He's not about to cross his old man.
Can't say as I blame him.
I've dealt with some nasty characters, most of them with superhuman powers, but this guy is hard-core. Mean as hell and evil as the devil. He likes my pain and he seems to enjoy my fear.
I don't want to show him any but after being beaten to a near bloody pulp, I'm not doing such a bang-up job of disguising my emotions.
"Good," Zeus says, stepping over to me. Adam is still holding me up in the air, carrying me like I'm a fucking rag doll. Zeus lifts my chin and forces me to meet his eyes. My left eye is nearly swollen shut but I can still make him out with my right one. He's amused.
"Son of a..."
Yeah, that's all I manage to get out and I'm not even sure the words were in the right order
He squeezes my jaw, his thumb biting into my flesh. Involuntarily I cry out. I'm angry and I'm in my pain. My body has betrayed me.
I'm a fighter. I've been doing it all my life in oh so many ways. My body is usually my best weapon but this time it's let me down. I don't know what drug they've been putting into me but it's weakened me substantially.
I can't fight. I can't defend myself. I'm completely at their mercy.
I don't want to die.
This realization hits me like a ton of bricks.
For the last several weeks I've been living on the edge, almost like I'm waiting for the fall.
I don't want to tumble.
"Oh Helena," he says. "You don't look so good. I admire your bravado but you're losing ground, sweetie."
I groan. I hate when people call me names like that. Just plain pisses me off to no end. Still, I remain silent.
"Sir?" Adam says stepping behind him. I can see that he's keeping an eye on Mick who looks irritated.
"We're done here," Zeus tells Adam. He moves his face closer to mine. "We're going to have a little discussion within the next few days. You're going to do me a favor."
I spit at him.
I know, I know. I couldn't quite resist.
My reward is that he drops me to the deck and kicks my side with about as much force as he can muster. I cry out, tears spilling down my cheek. I feel darkness swirling around me.
I don't want to die.
"Dad..." I hear Mick call, his voice suddenly seeming very far away.
"Give her a bit..."
Zeus is saying something but I can't quite make out the words. The pain overwhelms me.
You remember what I said earlier about moments of perfect clarity? Well this is one.
I know in this moment that one way or another, this all has to stop.
It's over.
"You have a test today," Barbara Gordon reminded her young charge, using her best teacher voice. She swept around to the opposite side of the table and plucked a piece of toast off a plate.
Dinah groaned. "You had me out all night digging into dead people, I think you can write me a damn note."
Barbara lifted an eyebrow. She was long accustomed to working on only three or four of sleep but the blonde standing in front of her was definitely dragging. And it wasn't just the baggy sweats giving off that vibe.
"I suppose," she replied slowly. "But you'll have to take the test at lunch tomorrow."
"Can't I just take it here at home?"
"No," Barbara replied firmly. "You always cheat."
Dinah laughed. "Oh no, not me. I'm not the one who cheats. You always stand over my shoulder prodding me and pushing me. You know, 'are you sure that's the answer you want to give' and all of that."
"Do not," Barbara shot back.
"Uh huh," Dinah snorted. She shook her head and yawned. "So does that mean I can go back to bed?"
"Yes, go back to bed," Barbara grinned. She brushed her hands off, scattering crumbs on the table. She looked at the small mess for a few moments, fighting with the urge to clean it up. She glanced at the clock on the wall and noticed that she was already a few minutes behind.
"You can do it," Dinah quipped. She watched her mentor stare at the messy table. "You can walk away."
"Oh shut up," Barbara muttered as she moved around and swept the crumbs into her cupped hands. She dropped them into a nearby trashcan and then turned to glare at Dinah. "Do not mock your guardian."
Dinah just winked and her and yawned. "No never, wouldn't dream of it. Have a fun day at school."
"Sure, sure," Barbara replied. "Oh hey, do me a favor."
Dinah turned back towards her, blonde hair spinning. "Mm?"
"Wake Reese up before eleven. He has a meeting with the Commissioner this morning."
"That doesn't sound good."
"Probably isn't good," Barbara agreed. "Daniel Balestrom knows all about Reese's family ties. I'm guessing they want to talk to him about Zeus."
"Reese really doesn't want to talk about him," Dinah noted.
"He really doesn't," Barbara chuckled. "But we all have to face the music sooner or later." She sighed. "And right now that includes me."
"Hey Barbara?"
"Yeah?"
"What about Helena? Isn't...isn't it time?"
"Time?" Barbara queried. Then she nodded. "It's time. I'm gonna go by her apartment tonight." She wrung her hands.
"Are you going to bring her back?"
"I'm going to try." She locked eyes with Dinah and then smiled. "Don't worry, if I know Helena, by now she's completely worn out. Even she can only sulk for so long."
Dinah laughed. "I thought you knew her better."
"True enough," Barbara said, cocking her head. "Okay, I'm out of here. Go back to bed. Don't forget to wake Reese up."
"Will do," Dinah yawned. Over her back she called out, "Bring her home."
"I will," the redhead replied softly.
Barbara slipped into the elevator. She waited until the doors closed and then dropped her head into her hands. She prayed to every god that was listening that she hadn't lied to Dinah.
Every single bloody god.
"Daniel," I say by way of greeting as I walk towards the table he's sitting at. Okay walk isn't quite the right word for it but I think gimped makes me sound pretty pathetic. Just the same, I place the crutches on the side of the table and drop down into the chair.
We're sitting on the outside porch of a little café in downtown New Gotham. It's one of those swanky little ones that are heavily populated by being drawing a lot of zeros in their paychecks.
"Jesse," he says, taking my hand. It's a firm handshake. Daniel is definitely a man's man. I used to throw the football around with a little bit. That was before he got married and before both of us got busy with our careers. "How's your leg holding up?"
I shrug. "The doctor thinks I'll be able to toss the crutches in about five weeks so that's something I guess."
"And the rehab?"
I grimace and he chuckles. "Yeah," I admit. "Really haven't gotten there just yet."
"Well you know the department won't clear you for active duty until you pass a physical, right?"
"I know," I reply. "But I don't think you called me here to talk about me doing wind sprints."
"True enough," Balestrom admitted. "Here's the thing Jesse, I'm worried about you."
"Me?"
Daniel smiled, not unkindly. "I know what's going on. I know that Zeus is killing a lot of the mob children. Another one died this morning. A child of Tiger's."
"That's three."
"Jess, I'm worried that you're on the list." Daniel takes a deep breath and I know what's coming. "If I have to, I'll out you to protect you."
I shake my head. "I'll resign long before that happens. I'm not wearing his legacy on my back."
He stares at me and I can tell that he's trying to figure out how to change my mind. Finally he decides to change subjects. "Hey, we had some of the lab boys check out the video from the robbery the other night. You know the one where your friend was killed?"
"Uh huh," I say cautiously. This topic doesn't thrill me either. I don't like lying to Daniel but I don't have much of a choice here.
"They believe it matches the eyes of the robber who shot you at the Shield Ball several weeks back." He shrugs. "We can't use it in court but it appears that our girl is still running with that gang. We're also trying to match the tattoo on her back."
"Don't bother," I drawl. "I've seen that one maybe a hundred times."
"That distinctive?" he asks, lifting an eyebrow. I think he thinks I know something. He's not wrong but I need to be smarter. I need to pull everything a little bit tighter. "Looks like a drunk goose to me."
I laugh. I remember back to a conversation I had with Helena about the tat. I had asked her what it was and she had with great indignation declared that it was a phoenix. Perhaps an evil phoenix I had retorted. Yeah, that had been an interesting night.
"I don't know Daniel. What about fingerprints?"
He shakes his head. "None. The scene was wiped clean. We know she didn't kill your friend; a guy did that. Still, that one is crazy as hell."
"You're turned on by a woman in leather with an attitude aren't you?" I quip, my lip lifting up into a smile. I find myself amused even when I know I shouldn't be. Leave it to Helena to entice someone even without trying.
"Like you should talk," Daniel chuckles. "Speaking of which, what happened to that beautiful girlfriend of yours? Haven't seen her lately."
"Hard times," I answer, not untruthfully. "She needed some time."
"I'm sorry," he says, sipping from a tall glass of what looks like tea. His posture is lazy but I know him well enough to guess that he's on edge. He can probably tell that I'm being evasive.
"Yeah, it'll be okay," I reply mildly, watching his face carefully. I accept a glass of water from the waiter and then order a cheeseburger. Daniel gives me an amused smile.
"We're at a fifteen dollar a plate café and you order a cheeseburger and lemon water?"
"You forgot the fries," I quip.
"Indeed." He sighs. "Look, here's the thing; I think you know more than you're telling me. I'm not sure what it is but there's something going on with you. I don't know what it is but I'm asking you now, for old-time's sake, come clean. Let me help you."
I shake my head. "Don't have anything for you Daniel."
He leans closer to me. "Jesse, I did some looking into this girlfriend of yours..."
You know what, I'll never know what he was going to say next and I think I'll wonder about it for the rest of my life. It was something about Helena. That much I know for sure at the very least.
Everything else was lost in a spray of bullets.
A spray meant for me.
The first wash of gunfire cut down an old couple lunching next to the railing. They both fell to the ground, instantly dead. It gave me a few seconds but just enough to stumble from my chair. I use my left arm and I grab at Daniel, yanking him down under the table. He pushes it up and over us but he's too late.
A bullet slices cleanly through the air and embeds itself in his throat. He looks at me wide-eyed and then reaches out for. Blood spurts out of his mouth and he tries to talk. He falls forward three seconds later.
Dead as the table I'm using to shield myself from the bullets.
I look over the table to try to see who it is that's firing and I see a black van out in front of the café. Some little punk in a ski mask is leaning over the door firing a semi-automatic.
I reach down to Daniel's body and take his off-duty gun out of his holster. I release the safety and I open up. My third bullet nails the jackass kid right between the eyes. The driver of the vans freaks when all the blood sprays back on him and he hits the pedal. The van leaps and then speeds away, leaving a long black track in its wake.
"Fuck!" I scream as I stand up. I push the gun into my belt and drop down next to Daniel. Stupidly my hand reaches out to check for a pulse but all I get is a fistful of blood. I change directions and lift up his palm. I bite my lip when my eyes pass over the gold wedding band he's wearing.
A wife. Three kids.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Two waiters from inside the restaurant come rushing out. One is a Hispanic kid name Jose who doesn't speak a wick of English but he never hesitates to drop down next to a man who is lying bleeding on the ground. The fellow is still alive. At least for now. I watch uselessly as Jose rips off his apron and starts working to stop the blood.
I stumble to my side and my injured leg gives out. I end up on my ass starting out around me at all of the bullets. I look down at Daniel.
"That was supposed to be me," I say dully.
I look at the wedding band again.
I guess I'll be the one then.
The one bringing home the ring.
It was supposed to be me.
She dropped to the ground with a loud thud, her body rolling to the side. Blood dripped down across her skin and spilled onto the beige carpet. He nudged her with his boot, disgusted at the mess.
"I could have carried her," Adam said mildly, carefully watching his boss's unhappy face.
Zeus slipped into the kitchen and went over to the sink. He turned the water on and began to wash his hands clean of the blood. "Did you know she uses strawberry soap?"
Adam lifted an eyebrow. "Sir?"
Zeus lifted up a oddly shaped bottle. "Soap. It's strawberry. Smells great."
"Oh," Adam replied. He glanced at his watch. They'd been beating the hell out of Helena Kyle for most of the day and he was exhausted. The boss usually wasn't so thorough about someone he intended to keep alive but he knew better than to second-guess him.
"Problem?" Zeus asked, turning towards the young man. "You question my decisions?"
"No," Adam said quickly. "Not question per say."
"You're concerned that I'm as deluded as Mick?"
"No. No, sir."
"I'm not," Zeus laughed. "Don't worry. I think we might yet have a use for Miss Kyle. And right now at the very least, she's being kept alive as a favor to an old friend."
"Old friend?"
Zeus frowned. "Well not so much. An old one-time friend. When I was much younger we ran a hell of a heist together."
"You lost me, sir."
"Her mother was a woman who went by the handle of Catwoman. She was the single best thief that I have ever met in my entire life."
"So you're keeping her alive because you had a fling with her mother?"
'Once upon a time," Zeus mused. "And only for now." He bent down next to Helena. "You cross me again and I will rip your insides out and make you watch."
Helena just sputtered in reaction, both of her eyes nearly swollen shut.
"What about Hawke?" Adam asked, accepting the towel that Zeus was holding out to him.
"Jesse or Al?"
"Jesse. Al's still in prison."
"And of no consequence," Zeus murmured. "A few of the boys went to deal with Jesse a bit earlier. He shouldn't be a problem."
Helena made a noise from the ground but both men ignored her.
"Mick's not going to be happy," Adam commented. "He wanted to deal with the cop himself."
"That's too bad. She was always too much woman for him anyways." He glanced at his watch. "We should be going." He bent back down over Helena. "Be seeing you soon."
She heard the two men move towards the door, one of them scuffing the carpet. The door slammed shut and then all she heard was silence. She rolled herself into a ball, hissing as her insides screamed at her.
She tried to move but her body refused. She tried to crawl but her legs instantly turned to jelly. She felt the burns of tears on her cheeks but she managed to hold back the torrent.
Even alone she didn't want to give in. Didn't want to break.
"Helena?"
She blinked. Well as much as she could anyways. She knew that voice. She wondered idly if she was just imagining it, searching for a source of comfort.
Reese was likely dead.
God only knew who was next.
"Oh God, Helena..."
It certainly sounded like her.
"Ba...Bar...buh...Barbara?"
"Oh baby," the soft voice said. The empathy the brunette heard nearly broke her heart. It was too much.
She heard the sound of wheels coming closer, scraping over the carpet. Then a loud thump as her mentor dropped herself to her knees. She felt a slight tug as Barbara lifted her into her arms and cradled her against her breast.
"Barbara," Helena gasped, tears starting to trickle down. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...."
The redhead pulled her closer, whispering nonsense words into her ear. Blood spilled freely onto her clothing, staining her new green shirt. Barbara didn't care. She pressed a kiss to Helena's feverish forehead. 'It's okay. It's okay. I've got you now."
Helena pressed her face against Barbara's skin, drinking in the warmth and the emotion. The tears came faster, almost like a tidal wave. Finally and with the force of a typhoon, they shattered the dam wall.
She began to sob, her body wracked by horrific tremors. It sounded like a wounded animal howling in agony. Barbara just continued to hold her, rocking her slowly and speaking to her in a very soft voice.
"Shh baby, shh...."
"Help me," Helena gasped out between sobs. "Please...I'm so sorry..."
Barbara kissed her hair and smiled slightly. "You're home now."
-FIN
There's one more story to come folks.
I'm right there right now.
I've been beaten to a pulp before. I've been at deaths door before. I've been so damn many things that it's hard to focus on one or two. But this, this is worse than anything I've ever been through before.
This is hell.
I'm in hell.
And that little fucktard Ratboy is the one sticking it to me. With his hands and feet and that stupid little grin.
I roll over on my side and I gasp for air. I can taste iron in my mouth and I think my nose is broken. And hey, that's just for starters. I'm really not sure what else is shattered because right now everything hurts. I guess the part of the drug that killed the pain is long gone.
Adam moves over to me and yanks me up by the hair. He looks at me almost curiously. "I'm amazed," he says to me with a strange smile. "You're a hell of a lot stronger than you look."
I reach for a witty comeback but nothing comes to mind. My head is spinning like a stuck wheel and I'm just not getting anywhere fast. He drops me back down and makes a circle with hand. I guess that means continue because Ratboy kicks me right in the gut. I bite down hard and my lip starts to bleed.
I don't know how long this has been going on but it feels like an eternity that I've had four men kicking and punching at me. I've never seen the other two before but they hardly matter.
It's Ratboy I want.
They plan to let me live.
I don't think I'll be that merciful with Ratboy given the chance.
"Stop," I hear a voice say. It's not Adam or Zeus so I'm momentarily confused. Grateful mind you but perplexed.
Then I look up and see who the newcomer is and my stomach crashes. I feel like I'm about to hurl. I press my face against the desk and bite the edge of my sweater. Or what's left of my sweater anyways. It's pretty much torn to shreds at this point. Yes, the bruisers can see my bra. Lucky them.
Yeah, gallows humor. Bite me.
"Hey Cat," Mick says as he bends down next to me. His voice is so gentle but I can feel how tense he is. How incredibly pissed off he is. He wants to hurt me but he's fighting for control. The rabble-rouser in me tells me to taunt him but my body screams out that it can't take much more.
"Mick, what are you doing here?" Adam asks, his voice very quiet. I can tell that he's irritated but he seems to know his place. He seems to be willing to defer to Mick but I'm not quite sure why. I mean Zeus clearly prefers Adam's leadership skills.
"This doesn't concern you, Adam," he replies gruffly. He waves his hand back at him. "Get out of here, I'll handle her."
"I think you've done more than enough of that," Adam replies. "Mick, come on, stop bending over to this girl."
I laugh. I realize immediately that it was a mistake because Ratboy buries his steel boot into my ribcage. I hear a wet crack and pain surges like wildfire through me. I'm kind of amazed that I can still feel any pain at all. I mean at this point, everything is becoming one giant mass of ouch.
Mick is on his feet within seconds. He slams Ratboy to the ground and punches him twice hard across the face. Ratboy staggers backwards and hits the railing, almost falling over it. I can see blood dripping from his mouth. I want to cheer but I hate Mick too so I stay quiet.
"Man, I thought you were dead," Ratboy gasps out. He sounds and looks pathetic. Like a weasel.
I don't like Mick much but I like Ratboy less.
"Enough," Adam says, grabbing Mick's shoulder. "This is by your dad's orders. He wants her roughed up a bit. Stand back and let us finish our job."
I roll onto my back and look up at Mick through hazy eyes. My vision is blurred by all the blood and sweat. I feel like every inch of my body is on fire. It's too much. It's too damn much.
No more.
Mick sighs. "Fine but then she's mine."
"Not tonight son," Zeus says, coming around to stand behind Mick. He puts a hand on his shoulder and appears almost fatherly. Again a nasty insult comes to my mind but the only sound that comes out my mouth is the gurgling of blood. It's getting harder to breathe and I wonder if something is wrong with my lungs.
"She's about done, sir," Adam tells his boss. He reaches down and lifts me up. I groan and try to swing away from me but he holds me without much effort. He slams his balled fist right into my gut and I shake as the force cracks another bone. I see Mick make a face but he doesn't step forward.
He's not about to cross his old man.
Can't say as I blame him.
I've dealt with some nasty characters, most of them with superhuman powers, but this guy is hard-core. Mean as hell and evil as the devil. He likes my pain and he seems to enjoy my fear.
I don't want to show him any but after being beaten to a near bloody pulp, I'm not doing such a bang-up job of disguising my emotions.
"Good," Zeus says, stepping over to me. Adam is still holding me up in the air, carrying me like I'm a fucking rag doll. Zeus lifts my chin and forces me to meet his eyes. My left eye is nearly swollen shut but I can still make him out with my right one. He's amused.
"Son of a..."
Yeah, that's all I manage to get out and I'm not even sure the words were in the right order
He squeezes my jaw, his thumb biting into my flesh. Involuntarily I cry out. I'm angry and I'm in my pain. My body has betrayed me.
I'm a fighter. I've been doing it all my life in oh so many ways. My body is usually my best weapon but this time it's let me down. I don't know what drug they've been putting into me but it's weakened me substantially.
I can't fight. I can't defend myself. I'm completely at their mercy.
I don't want to die.
This realization hits me like a ton of bricks.
For the last several weeks I've been living on the edge, almost like I'm waiting for the fall.
I don't want to tumble.
"Oh Helena," he says. "You don't look so good. I admire your bravado but you're losing ground, sweetie."
I groan. I hate when people call me names like that. Just plain pisses me off to no end. Still, I remain silent.
"Sir?" Adam says stepping behind him. I can see that he's keeping an eye on Mick who looks irritated.
"We're done here," Zeus tells Adam. He moves his face closer to mine. "We're going to have a little discussion within the next few days. You're going to do me a favor."
I spit at him.
I know, I know. I couldn't quite resist.
My reward is that he drops me to the deck and kicks my side with about as much force as he can muster. I cry out, tears spilling down my cheek. I feel darkness swirling around me.
I don't want to die.
"Dad..." I hear Mick call, his voice suddenly seeming very far away.
"Give her a bit..."
Zeus is saying something but I can't quite make out the words. The pain overwhelms me.
You remember what I said earlier about moments of perfect clarity? Well this is one.
I know in this moment that one way or another, this all has to stop.
It's over.
"You have a test today," Barbara Gordon reminded her young charge, using her best teacher voice. She swept around to the opposite side of the table and plucked a piece of toast off a plate.
Dinah groaned. "You had me out all night digging into dead people, I think you can write me a damn note."
Barbara lifted an eyebrow. She was long accustomed to working on only three or four of sleep but the blonde standing in front of her was definitely dragging. And it wasn't just the baggy sweats giving off that vibe.
"I suppose," she replied slowly. "But you'll have to take the test at lunch tomorrow."
"Can't I just take it here at home?"
"No," Barbara replied firmly. "You always cheat."
Dinah laughed. "Oh no, not me. I'm not the one who cheats. You always stand over my shoulder prodding me and pushing me. You know, 'are you sure that's the answer you want to give' and all of that."
"Do not," Barbara shot back.
"Uh huh," Dinah snorted. She shook her head and yawned. "So does that mean I can go back to bed?"
"Yes, go back to bed," Barbara grinned. She brushed her hands off, scattering crumbs on the table. She looked at the small mess for a few moments, fighting with the urge to clean it up. She glanced at the clock on the wall and noticed that she was already a few minutes behind.
"You can do it," Dinah quipped. She watched her mentor stare at the messy table. "You can walk away."
"Oh shut up," Barbara muttered as she moved around and swept the crumbs into her cupped hands. She dropped them into a nearby trashcan and then turned to glare at Dinah. "Do not mock your guardian."
Dinah just winked and her and yawned. "No never, wouldn't dream of it. Have a fun day at school."
"Sure, sure," Barbara replied. "Oh hey, do me a favor."
Dinah turned back towards her, blonde hair spinning. "Mm?"
"Wake Reese up before eleven. He has a meeting with the Commissioner this morning."
"That doesn't sound good."
"Probably isn't good," Barbara agreed. "Daniel Balestrom knows all about Reese's family ties. I'm guessing they want to talk to him about Zeus."
"Reese really doesn't want to talk about him," Dinah noted.
"He really doesn't," Barbara chuckled. "But we all have to face the music sooner or later." She sighed. "And right now that includes me."
"Hey Barbara?"
"Yeah?"
"What about Helena? Isn't...isn't it time?"
"Time?" Barbara queried. Then she nodded. "It's time. I'm gonna go by her apartment tonight." She wrung her hands.
"Are you going to bring her back?"
"I'm going to try." She locked eyes with Dinah and then smiled. "Don't worry, if I know Helena, by now she's completely worn out. Even she can only sulk for so long."
Dinah laughed. "I thought you knew her better."
"True enough," Barbara said, cocking her head. "Okay, I'm out of here. Go back to bed. Don't forget to wake Reese up."
"Will do," Dinah yawned. Over her back she called out, "Bring her home."
"I will," the redhead replied softly.
Barbara slipped into the elevator. She waited until the doors closed and then dropped her head into her hands. She prayed to every god that was listening that she hadn't lied to Dinah.
Every single bloody god.
"Daniel," I say by way of greeting as I walk towards the table he's sitting at. Okay walk isn't quite the right word for it but I think gimped makes me sound pretty pathetic. Just the same, I place the crutches on the side of the table and drop down into the chair.
We're sitting on the outside porch of a little café in downtown New Gotham. It's one of those swanky little ones that are heavily populated by being drawing a lot of zeros in their paychecks.
"Jesse," he says, taking my hand. It's a firm handshake. Daniel is definitely a man's man. I used to throw the football around with a little bit. That was before he got married and before both of us got busy with our careers. "How's your leg holding up?"
I shrug. "The doctor thinks I'll be able to toss the crutches in about five weeks so that's something I guess."
"And the rehab?"
I grimace and he chuckles. "Yeah," I admit. "Really haven't gotten there just yet."
"Well you know the department won't clear you for active duty until you pass a physical, right?"
"I know," I reply. "But I don't think you called me here to talk about me doing wind sprints."
"True enough," Balestrom admitted. "Here's the thing Jesse, I'm worried about you."
"Me?"
Daniel smiled, not unkindly. "I know what's going on. I know that Zeus is killing a lot of the mob children. Another one died this morning. A child of Tiger's."
"That's three."
"Jess, I'm worried that you're on the list." Daniel takes a deep breath and I know what's coming. "If I have to, I'll out you to protect you."
I shake my head. "I'll resign long before that happens. I'm not wearing his legacy on my back."
He stares at me and I can tell that he's trying to figure out how to change my mind. Finally he decides to change subjects. "Hey, we had some of the lab boys check out the video from the robbery the other night. You know the one where your friend was killed?"
"Uh huh," I say cautiously. This topic doesn't thrill me either. I don't like lying to Daniel but I don't have much of a choice here.
"They believe it matches the eyes of the robber who shot you at the Shield Ball several weeks back." He shrugs. "We can't use it in court but it appears that our girl is still running with that gang. We're also trying to match the tattoo on her back."
"Don't bother," I drawl. "I've seen that one maybe a hundred times."
"That distinctive?" he asks, lifting an eyebrow. I think he thinks I know something. He's not wrong but I need to be smarter. I need to pull everything a little bit tighter. "Looks like a drunk goose to me."
I laugh. I remember back to a conversation I had with Helena about the tat. I had asked her what it was and she had with great indignation declared that it was a phoenix. Perhaps an evil phoenix I had retorted. Yeah, that had been an interesting night.
"I don't know Daniel. What about fingerprints?"
He shakes his head. "None. The scene was wiped clean. We know she didn't kill your friend; a guy did that. Still, that one is crazy as hell."
"You're turned on by a woman in leather with an attitude aren't you?" I quip, my lip lifting up into a smile. I find myself amused even when I know I shouldn't be. Leave it to Helena to entice someone even without trying.
"Like you should talk," Daniel chuckles. "Speaking of which, what happened to that beautiful girlfriend of yours? Haven't seen her lately."
"Hard times," I answer, not untruthfully. "She needed some time."
"I'm sorry," he says, sipping from a tall glass of what looks like tea. His posture is lazy but I know him well enough to guess that he's on edge. He can probably tell that I'm being evasive.
"Yeah, it'll be okay," I reply mildly, watching his face carefully. I accept a glass of water from the waiter and then order a cheeseburger. Daniel gives me an amused smile.
"We're at a fifteen dollar a plate café and you order a cheeseburger and lemon water?"
"You forgot the fries," I quip.
"Indeed." He sighs. "Look, here's the thing; I think you know more than you're telling me. I'm not sure what it is but there's something going on with you. I don't know what it is but I'm asking you now, for old-time's sake, come clean. Let me help you."
I shake my head. "Don't have anything for you Daniel."
He leans closer to me. "Jesse, I did some looking into this girlfriend of yours..."
You know what, I'll never know what he was going to say next and I think I'll wonder about it for the rest of my life. It was something about Helena. That much I know for sure at the very least.
Everything else was lost in a spray of bullets.
A spray meant for me.
The first wash of gunfire cut down an old couple lunching next to the railing. They both fell to the ground, instantly dead. It gave me a few seconds but just enough to stumble from my chair. I use my left arm and I grab at Daniel, yanking him down under the table. He pushes it up and over us but he's too late.
A bullet slices cleanly through the air and embeds itself in his throat. He looks at me wide-eyed and then reaches out for. Blood spurts out of his mouth and he tries to talk. He falls forward three seconds later.
Dead as the table I'm using to shield myself from the bullets.
I look over the table to try to see who it is that's firing and I see a black van out in front of the café. Some little punk in a ski mask is leaning over the door firing a semi-automatic.
I reach down to Daniel's body and take his off-duty gun out of his holster. I release the safety and I open up. My third bullet nails the jackass kid right between the eyes. The driver of the vans freaks when all the blood sprays back on him and he hits the pedal. The van leaps and then speeds away, leaving a long black track in its wake.
"Fuck!" I scream as I stand up. I push the gun into my belt and drop down next to Daniel. Stupidly my hand reaches out to check for a pulse but all I get is a fistful of blood. I change directions and lift up his palm. I bite my lip when my eyes pass over the gold wedding band he's wearing.
A wife. Three kids.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Two waiters from inside the restaurant come rushing out. One is a Hispanic kid name Jose who doesn't speak a wick of English but he never hesitates to drop down next to a man who is lying bleeding on the ground. The fellow is still alive. At least for now. I watch uselessly as Jose rips off his apron and starts working to stop the blood.
I stumble to my side and my injured leg gives out. I end up on my ass starting out around me at all of the bullets. I look down at Daniel.
"That was supposed to be me," I say dully.
I look at the wedding band again.
I guess I'll be the one then.
The one bringing home the ring.
It was supposed to be me.
She dropped to the ground with a loud thud, her body rolling to the side. Blood dripped down across her skin and spilled onto the beige carpet. He nudged her with his boot, disgusted at the mess.
"I could have carried her," Adam said mildly, carefully watching his boss's unhappy face.
Zeus slipped into the kitchen and went over to the sink. He turned the water on and began to wash his hands clean of the blood. "Did you know she uses strawberry soap?"
Adam lifted an eyebrow. "Sir?"
Zeus lifted up a oddly shaped bottle. "Soap. It's strawberry. Smells great."
"Oh," Adam replied. He glanced at his watch. They'd been beating the hell out of Helena Kyle for most of the day and he was exhausted. The boss usually wasn't so thorough about someone he intended to keep alive but he knew better than to second-guess him.
"Problem?" Zeus asked, turning towards the young man. "You question my decisions?"
"No," Adam said quickly. "Not question per say."
"You're concerned that I'm as deluded as Mick?"
"No. No, sir."
"I'm not," Zeus laughed. "Don't worry. I think we might yet have a use for Miss Kyle. And right now at the very least, she's being kept alive as a favor to an old friend."
"Old friend?"
Zeus frowned. "Well not so much. An old one-time friend. When I was much younger we ran a hell of a heist together."
"You lost me, sir."
"Her mother was a woman who went by the handle of Catwoman. She was the single best thief that I have ever met in my entire life."
"So you're keeping her alive because you had a fling with her mother?"
'Once upon a time," Zeus mused. "And only for now." He bent down next to Helena. "You cross me again and I will rip your insides out and make you watch."
Helena just sputtered in reaction, both of her eyes nearly swollen shut.
"What about Hawke?" Adam asked, accepting the towel that Zeus was holding out to him.
"Jesse or Al?"
"Jesse. Al's still in prison."
"And of no consequence," Zeus murmured. "A few of the boys went to deal with Jesse a bit earlier. He shouldn't be a problem."
Helena made a noise from the ground but both men ignored her.
"Mick's not going to be happy," Adam commented. "He wanted to deal with the cop himself."
"That's too bad. She was always too much woman for him anyways." He glanced at his watch. "We should be going." He bent back down over Helena. "Be seeing you soon."
She heard the two men move towards the door, one of them scuffing the carpet. The door slammed shut and then all she heard was silence. She rolled herself into a ball, hissing as her insides screamed at her.
She tried to move but her body refused. She tried to crawl but her legs instantly turned to jelly. She felt the burns of tears on her cheeks but she managed to hold back the torrent.
Even alone she didn't want to give in. Didn't want to break.
"Helena?"
She blinked. Well as much as she could anyways. She knew that voice. She wondered idly if she was just imagining it, searching for a source of comfort.
Reese was likely dead.
God only knew who was next.
"Oh God, Helena..."
It certainly sounded like her.
"Ba...Bar...buh...Barbara?"
"Oh baby," the soft voice said. The empathy the brunette heard nearly broke her heart. It was too much.
She heard the sound of wheels coming closer, scraping over the carpet. Then a loud thump as her mentor dropped herself to her knees. She felt a slight tug as Barbara lifted her into her arms and cradled her against her breast.
"Barbara," Helena gasped, tears starting to trickle down. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...."
The redhead pulled her closer, whispering nonsense words into her ear. Blood spilled freely onto her clothing, staining her new green shirt. Barbara didn't care. She pressed a kiss to Helena's feverish forehead. 'It's okay. It's okay. I've got you now."
Helena pressed her face against Barbara's skin, drinking in the warmth and the emotion. The tears came faster, almost like a tidal wave. Finally and with the force of a typhoon, they shattered the dam wall.
She began to sob, her body wracked by horrific tremors. It sounded like a wounded animal howling in agony. Barbara just continued to hold her, rocking her slowly and speaking to her in a very soft voice.
"Shh baby, shh...."
"Help me," Helena gasped out between sobs. "Please...I'm so sorry..."
Barbara kissed her hair and smiled slightly. "You're home now."
-FIN
There's one more story to come folks.