Voodoo walked inside the dark room. His father sat working with something between his hands, seated on an old wooden chair. He gave him a small bag with hair inside.
"Thanks, son," he said. "I will work my spell on this Voodoo doll. We must wear down her resistance by attacking her emotions. Indirectly, we can influence her—arouse five specific emotions within her that will work for us."
"The big bat wasn't with her, but he is after us too, I'm sure," Voodoo said.
"No problem my son; first her; we must bring her to feel her fear. These emotions must then culminate to bring her to the edge of despair. She will then be sufficiently weakened, and we can begin to seize control of her soul... and you will have a sacrifice for the dark gods."
The man hung a small doll of Batgirl that he had made on a big pot over a fire. He kneeled in front of it.
"We have now inflicted the Lady of the Bats' fear; it will make her weak, soon she will be defenseless."
Selina finished her make-up and looked at herself at the mirror. She was wearing an elegant blue dress. She loved that color. She gave the last brushes to her hair and stepped back again to see her reflection in the mirror.
Inside, she couldn't deny she was worried; she was not sure about Barbara as Helena's nanny that night. She knew she had work to do as Batgirl and had felt she would refuse her request. Maybe Helena had pressed her to do it. She was specialist in blackmailing people or convincing people to do what she wanted with her charm. She smirked to herself, well she had teacher; a good one: Selina.
But anyway, she shook her head; it was Barbara and it was not fair for her to take care of Helena when she could pay a nanny. She looked at her watch, Bruce would arrive for her in a few minutes. She took her phone and pressed the keys.
The red head picked up the phone and put it between her shoulder and her ear. "Yes?"
::Barbara?:: Selina said.
"Hi, what happened? I thought you were at a dinner." She was surprised by her call.
:: Would it be better to call a sitter for Helena? You have work to do patrolling the streets and, well, I don't fell good about knowing that Helena somehow convinced you to do this. "We still have time. I don't want to bother you.::
"Let me go!" Helena shouted, trying to free herself, Barbara had her held up with an arm around her waist to prevent her from touching the floor.
"Oh no, I have it all under control, don't worry." Barbara smiled.
::Sorry,:: Selina said ::I can't avoid worring, you have work to do and Helena...::
"Selina, come on..."
"Mom!! Help!" Helena shouted, annoyed.
"You know me," Barbara put the child against the coach and sat over her, holding her head down with her hand. "I deal with a lot of nasty people; if I can manage them, I can take care of her."
"I can't breathe!" Helena yelled.
"So, don't move." Barbara smirked.
::Is everything okay?::
"Yes, you know Helena, she is noisy sometimes."
::You can punish her if..::
"It's not necessary."
"Cheater!" Helena yelled, struggling unsuccessfully to free herslef. "I'm small and you are taking advantage because you are big!"
::Barbara, I don't want.:: Selina said on the phone.
"Look, go to your appointment, have a good time and enjoy it. I have it all under control." She smiled, wacthing Helena struggling under her.
The doorbell sounded.
"Time out!" Helena raised her head. "Pizza man!"
"A second Selina." She covered the speaker and stood up letting the child go. "Okay, go get it, the money is on the table.
The little brunette stood up as fast as she could and she ran to the door.
"Selina, seriously, enjoy your night."
:: Okay, thanks so much, Barbara.::
"Pleasure." She hung up the phone. She walked toward the kitchen and shouted, "Helena, don't open the box until the table is ready."
"Whom? Me?" the kid answered, opening the box to smell the pizza.
"Yes, you! Close that box!" She heard the Barbara's voice from the kitchen.
"Okay." Helena growled. How did she know what she was doing?
"And you know it's who, not whom."
"Got it!"
Barbara felt strange that night. She moved restlessly on her bed. Everytime she closed her eyes a nightmare appeared. That was not normal for her. She moved from one side to another, trying to sleep unsuccessfully; but the nightmares took over her dreams each time. She sat and felt her forehead covered with sweat. She took a kleenex off the night table and cleaned her face. She had never felt like this before. She saw Helena sleeping sprawled across the bed as usual.
The window crashed suddenly. The tall, black man known as Voodoo was there. She opened her eyes wide, it couldn't be. How he could know that she...?
"I found you..." he growled.
She needed think about that later. She stood up immediately and faced him. "What are you doing here?"
"Barbara?" Helena raised her head sleepily.
"Oh.." he laughed. "You have a daughter, maybe we can have a party here."
"Who is he?" the kid asked, sitting up on the bed.
"Move back Helena!" Barbara shouted.
He took a knife off his belt. "Now your time has come."
"I doubt it," she growled.
"Barbara?" Helena hugged the pillow, scared.
"Stay back!" Barbara shouted.
He moved his arm forward and tried to stab her. Helena screamed. Barbara moved quickly and hit him on his side with her elbow. He bent down and she used her knee to crush his jaw. Annoyed, he grabbed her by the waist and both fell to the floor and struggled.
"You are dead, Batgirl!" he groaned moving over her. He tried to stab her, but she held his hand with hers.
He growled when he felt teeth burying in his shoulder. Helena had jumped on him when she had seen him attacking Barbara. Annoyed, he stood up abruptly. The child fell onto the floor. She tried to crawl away, but he took her by her night shirt.
"Helena!" Barbara shouted.
He wrapped his strong arm around the girl and pressed his knife against her gut. "I can start with her first, Bats."
"No!" the red head yelled. "I'll do whatever you want!"
"Well, no, it depends." He smiled moving the knife against the girl's throat.
"Let me go!" Helena shouted.
"All right, all right!" Barbara stood up slowly. "You want me, take me with you. I promise to go with you, just let her go."
"A good offer," he laughed, "but... no, thanks."
"Helena!" the red head yelled.
She opened her eyes suddenly; her body was covered in sweat. She sat up, abruptly, on the bed and looked around. The room was empty. The window was closed. It took to her a few minutes to recover; it had been a nightmare, a terrible nightmare.
"Barbara? Do you have fleas?" Helena asked in a drowsy voice.
"What?" The redhead blinked.
"You move so much." The child yawned and rubbed her left eye.
"I... I'm sorry..." She sighed with relief knowing it had all been a nightmare and lay down, resting her head on the pillow.
Helena raised her face sleepily and crawled on the bed, letting her head fall heavily on Barbara's stomach, hugging her waist.
"Ouch, careful!" Barbara said.
A snore was her answer. The redhead rubbed her eyes and closed her eyes, trying to sleep and rest.
Sleep.
She just wanted to sleep.
Barbara opened the door. Selina was there.
"Hey, morning," the blonde said, giving her a kiss on her cheek. She observed her eyes. "You don't look well."
"Sorry. I didn't sleep well."
"Helena?"
"Oh no, I had nightmares. Come in; she was protesting because I kept her up."
"Well, it was your revenge." Selina smirked and walked inside.
"Want some coffee? Helena ate her breakfast and went to the bathroom."
"No thanks, I have a breakfast with some friends." She sat in the living room.
"Hey, busy social life. Helena, your mom is here!"
"I'm busy!" the child answered with a shout from the bathroom.
"You've been in there for two hours!" Barbara shouted back.
"I don't bother you when you are in the bathroom," the kid said.
"Whatever you are doing, finish it now! It's late!" Selina shouted to her.
"How was your dinner?" Barbara asked.
"Marvelous. He is marvelous." Selina curled one leg underneath herself. "Handsome, elegant..."
"Millionaire..." Barbara smirked.
"You know that is a plus."
"Yes, I know." The red head smiled. "Selina, you and Bruce had a very serious romance."
"It was long ago..."
"But he is interested in you. It's obvious."
"We are just friends now."
"Have..." Barbara was afraid to ask. She didn't know who was Helena's father and she had never wanted to ask. If Selina didn't tell her, then she respected that privacy. "Did he... ask you about Helena?"
"Well," Selina took a deep breath. It was a difficult topic. Inside, she felt guilty for not telling Barbara the truth yet. "He is a gentleman... he hasn't asked. And I hope he doesn't ask."
Barbara blinked.
"Why the hurry?" Helena walked in, interrupting the conversation before the redhead could ask something else.
"What were you doing?" Selina asked, opening her arms to her daughter.
"Brushing my hair." Helena went to her and gave her a kiss, hugging her.
"How is my kitten?" Selina hugged her back.
"I'm okay. We had pizza last night."
"Mmm... delicious."
"What did you have for dinner?" Helena took her cheeks between her hands and looked at her.
"Pasta and salad." Selina smiled.
"Can we eat pasta today?"
"Sure." Selina stood up and took her hand. "Now let's go, it's late and Barbara needs to go to work too."
"Thanks, Barbara," the child said, giving her a kiss.
"My pleasure, Helena." The red head smiled.
"Are we going to have class on Saturday?"
"Yes, we are almost finished, you are a very smart girl."
"Cool."
"Thanks, Barbara."
"No problem, Selina."
The phone rang.
"I got it!" Helena ran to it and picked it up. "Hello? Barbara? She is here... Helena, who are you?... Good morning, Mr. Gordon, a second." She smiled at Barbara. "Your dad."
"Thanks." The red head picked up the phone "Hi Dad... Sure... I'll see you at eight. Bye." She put the phone in its place.
"Want to come to dinner tonight?" Selina asked, standing up.
"No thanks, I just promised my dad to go to dinner with him."
"Bring him," Helena said.
"Not a good idea, Hel." Barbara smiled with sadness.
"Why not?"
"Her dad likes to have dinner with her alone," Selina explained "It's night for daddy and daughter."
"Maybe later," the kid said looking up to them.
"Yes, we can do it later. It's raining, use this." Selina put a raincoat on her and winked at Barbara. "See you later, Babs."
"See you."