A/N: CATgrl, I'm glad I have your attention. I just hope my story can continue to hold it. Thanks for the review though; it gave me reason to get right to work on the story.

Chapter 3

Later that night, Terry was suited up and flying through Gotham City following leads that Bruce Wayne sent to him from the Batcave. He had not mentioned his break-up to his mentor, but Bruce knew something had happened. He'd studied people for too long to not realize a personal problem was occurring. He hadn't pressed Terry on the matter because the seventeen-year-old was just as head strung as he had once been.

"It's unusually quiet tonight, Terry." Bruce told Terry.

Terry let out a sigh. "I'm surprised this city isn't swarming with Jokerz since my day hasn't been top notch."

Bruce let the irritating question over why Terry was depressed go, even though he feared that if trouble did arise that Terry would be too distracted to respond properly. "I don't understand why it's so quiet."

Corinna sneaked into the city museum and walked around searching for security lasers. She had heavily-made metal shoulder pads and chest plate. She also had metal bands on her forearms and thighs. All four had three curved spikes sticking out of the side. The spikes were for show, and they could be removed if need be. She used the spike bands to store knives in. Two knives were in her armbands, one at her side, and one ninja swords hanging from her belt along with her gun. Corinna was armed and ready to face Batman.

Corinna's metal earpieces were rigged with wires that tapped into the mainframe of the building. She followed the information to the security booth surrounded by safety glass. 'Not safe enough,' she thought as she drew her sword. Her sword had a name, Arven, had engraved symbols to indicate Corinna's ninja training and protect her on her journeys.

Corinna drew back and slammed her sword into the glass as hard as she could, and the safety glass shattered as if it had been ordinary glass. Lights flashed to indicate trouble, and Corinna smiled. "Bring on the Bat," she said out loud.

Terry was still soaring through the sky when Bruce came over the headset. "Terry, there's disturbance in the Gotham City Museum."

"I'm on my way." Terry said as he spun around in the direction of the museum.

By the time Terry arrived a few minutes later, Corinna was waiting on top of the roof the building next to the museum. She watched patiently awaiting Batman to show his face again. Finally, he reemerged from the building, and Corinna leapt through the air.

Batman never knew what hit him as Corinna smashed into him. He was knocked through the air and onto a nearby roof. He saw a flash of a black costume and metal accessories, but he didn't get a good look. Quickly, he scrambled to his feet and saw the figure crouched on the ground staring at him from behind a mask covering down to the nose.

Corinna rose and let Batman take notice that she was a woman. "So, you're Gotham's hero, Bats," she said condescendingly.

"Yes, and who are you?"

Corinna grinned. "I'm the beginning to your end, Batboy," she said smugly.

Corinna leapt in the air and landed a kick in Batman's stomach before he could even see her move. Her ninja training surpassed all that he had learned, and she was finding him less of a challenge that she'd thought. It actually disappointed her that her victory would be so easy.

Batman backflipped away from another attack, but Corinna leapt in the air and landed with her knee against Batman's shoulders. He let out a cry of pain and dropped to the ground. "Come on, Batman, is this all you've got?"

"Terry." Bruce asked worriedly. "What's going on?"

Batman rose up off of the ground and took a deep breath. "It's okay, I've got it under control."

Corinna laughed. "Sure you do," she chimed in. "Just keep telling yourself that."

Corinna's overconfidence led her being knocked off of her feet by Batman. He'd sneaked up behind her using the Camo-mode on his belt and gave her a nice shove. She fell onto the cold, hard concrete of the roof and shot Batman an angry stare.

As quick as a cat, Corinna was on her feet clutching Arven. Like lightning, she'd slashed the front of Batman's suit; right across the red bat on the front. It gave Terry a shock inside of the suit, but the electrical shock didn't harm Corinna since her gloves were lined with rubber. Batman dropped down to one knee but didn't take his stare off of Corinna. The electrical energy spat for a few seconds then spurted only every thirty seconds.

"Terry!" Bruce yelled; afraid for the safety of his protégé.

Corinna held her sword high and watched the fear in Batman's eyes. She started bringing the sword down with all of her might but knew that Batman would scurry out of its path. She didn't care if she didn't injure Batman because she was using scare tactics and proving that she was a worthy opponent.

Batman had no doubt in his mind that Corinna was a worthy opponent, and he rolled out of the way of the sword. He jumped to his feet and saw that the sword had never touched the ground and was safe in its hilt. The ninja was standing in a fighting stance, and Batman waited for an attack.

Corinna paused then charged Batman; her fists flew through the air, but Batman was able to dodge them. 'Okay, he does have some skill,' she thought as she brought her knee up into Batman's stomach while he was focused on her fists. She wasn't fighting fair, but that mattered little to her since she was just getting a job done.

Batman doubled over only to receive a kick in his face, and he fell backwards. Corinna leapt into the air showing off her martial arts training from earlier points in her life. Batman back flipped onto his feet before Corinna's feet smashed into where he had been laying. "What do you want," he asked.

Corinna's mouth formed a grin. "I want to who is the man behind the bat," she replied as she pulled out a syringe from one of the pouches on her belt.

Batman was perplexed, and Corinna took his second of hesitation to jump him and bring him to the ground. She sat upon his chest and jammed the syringe needle through the Batsuit and into Terry's flesh.

Batman let out a cry of pain, and Bruce kept calling his name. "Terry, what's going on," he demanded.

"Don't worry, Bruce Wayne," Corinna told the former Batman, "Your batboy is fine."

Bruce stared at the computer screen as Corinna looked directly into Batman's eyes, which were wired to show Bruce everything that Terry saw. "How does this girl know about us," he asked himself.

"I know everything about the both of you." Corinna told him. "And, you'll have to trust me on that until I decide to reveal myself once more.

Corinna pulled the syringe out of Terry's skin and smiled at seeing it full of blood. She back flipped off of Terry's chest and placed the syringe in a container for safe keeping. The blood was going to be a back-up blackmail against Batman if all else failed. She'd use his DNA to reveal his true identity to everyone.

Batman got up off of the ground and prepared to resume the fight, but Corinna back flipped off of the building's roof. "Catch ya later, Bats," she called out.

Terry took to flight again in search of Corinna, but the streets and alleys were clear. There was no sign of the ninja. "Damn," he muttered.

"She's gone." Bruce stated.

"Yea, I noticed." Terry snapped back as he touched the slash across his suit then to the thin layer of his suit at his neck, where Corinna had taken blood.