"It could have been different." She said.
The words stuck in her mind. It could have, but it wasn't. It could never change and neither could she. Something happened that day that changed her life forever.
Jenny had grown up in Gotham City for thirteen years She had just started eighth grade. Gotham was a city ridden with crime. Gangs ruled the streets; villains ruled the allies and streets as well. The worst villain was the Joker. A psychotic circus clown was what she called him. She never worried about any villains or street gangs. Batman caught most of them. Why would they bother with a meaningless teenager? She didn't know the half of it.
Jenny's father had been a very powerful and persuasive man. He never let his wife or Jenny know what he did for a living. He was a mob boss. He had no idea that his actions would eventually have consequences. He had just recently crossed the Joker. One of the first rules you learn in the crime business was never cross the Joker. He wasn't very forgiving.
Jenny woke up to a normal morning. She set off for school. She decided to take a shortcut this morning. She turned the corner and entered an ally by mistake.
"I guess I took a wrong turn." She said.
"Maybe I could help you," A voice from behind said.
Jenny turned around. Suddenly two men in masks jumped her. They slammed her in the back of a truck. The back was divided from the front. Jenny was terrified. She thought she was going to die.
Jenny had seen nothing but darkness until the van stopped. The two men threw out of the van. She still didn't know what was happening.
"Well. Well. Well. You're father won't like this at all. Will he? AH HA HA HA!"The Joker said.
Jenny looked the Joker right in the eye. She wasn't afraid for the moment.
"You can't win. Batman and Robin will find out you kidnapped me and they'll save me. Then, they'll send you back to Arkham where you belong." Jenny said insolently.
"Insolent brat! They don't care. Your father is their enemy." Joker said slapping her.
"My father did nothing," Jenny screamed kicking him in the stomach.
The Joker was stunned. She wasn't afraid. He laughed.
"Put her on the crane. If the ransom isn't paid she gets dropped. Let's see how much her father crosses me when I have his daughter." Joker said laughing insanely.
Jenny had no idea what he meant. The two men grabbed her and tied her to a crane. They lifted it above a vat of chemicals.
"What now boss?" The first one said in a gruff voice.
A window crashed open. In jumped the Caped Crusaders. Batman and Robin had made their entrance.
"Game's up Joker." Batman said.
"Ha ha. On the contrary, Batman. You and the birdbrain won't be able to save her. Drop the crane." Joker commanded.
Jenny dropped into the vat. She was in there for thirty seconds. Robin pulled her out. He checked to make sure she was still alive. She was. When he touched her, she saw a series of images about Batman. He was Bruce Wayne.
"Go fight. I'm fine." Jenny croaked.
"You may have saved her, but not her parents!" Joker said pressing a button on his jacket.
A screen popped up. It showed Jenny's parents getting shot. They fell down instantly. She screamed. She put her hands over her head and crawled into a corner. She'd never see them again. It was all her fault. The Joker laughed. Batman knocked him out. Robin ran over to Jenny. He held her.
"I'm sorry. You're parents. My parents." Robin said.
"Robin. Let's go. Leave her. The feds will put her where she belongs." Batman said showing no emotion.
Robin hesitated. Jenny whispered something to him.
"Bruce Wayne." She whispered in his ear.
He didn't say anything. He doubted she knew anything real. It was impossible to make sense of what was happening for her. She had been through too much. When the feds came, she was in the same position.
"We're here to help you. Come with me. We're going to get you out of here." The social worker said.
Jenny followed her. She got in the car with no hesitation. Whatever was going to happen to her couldn't be worse than what had already. When they arrived at the orphanage, it was night. She didn't know how, but she managed to sleep that night.
The next week, she took a walk. She knew where she was going. She arrived at the Wayne manor quickly. She planned to tell them everything she knew about Bruce or should she say Batman.
When she got to the door, she began feeling nervous. She rang the bell. A man in a suit appeared.
"I'm here to see Bruce Wayne." She said
"Welcome. I will take you to him." He said.
He led her to what looked like a library. She walked in. She didn't know he had this much money. That explained all of Batman's gadgets to her. He was filthy stinking rich.
"You have a visitor master Bruce." The butler said.
"Thank you Alfred." Bruce Wayne said.
Jenny stepped forward. Bruce looked surprised. He felt guilty for just leaving her, but he couldn't risk his identity. He was not surprised about where they put her. It was where he adopted Dick Grayson.
"I know you're Batman." Jenny said seriously.
"I'm sorry you must be mistaken." He said.
"No. I'm right. I can read your mind. When I was dropped into the chemicals, I somehow gained the power to read minds." She said.
"Please come with me for a moment." He said.
Jenny reluctantly followed him. She wondered where he was taking her. She soon figured it out. It was the way to the Batcave. She couldn't believe she'd actually get to see it. Robin was down there too.
"I trust you are on the same side as us?" He asked.
"Yes" She said.
"Dick. Come here for a minute. Jenny, this is Dick Grayson." He said.
"Hey. How's it been going? I mean it's only been a week since… Well you know." He said nervously.
Jenny was silent for a minute. She felt out of place. His parents had been killed too. She read about it in the news. She felt guilty about it. After her parents died, she found out her father was Tony Zucco. He had been the one to kill Dick's parents. Maybe she shouldn't have come.
"Robin, I know who all of you are. I read your mind. The chemicals must have given me some kind of powers. I don't know if I have any other powers. Is there anyway you could help me?" Jenny asked nervously.
"We'll help you on two conditions. You can't tell anyone about this and you're going to help us fight. You'll go onto enemy lines and figure out what they're up to. You're a mind reader, it should be easy." Batman said.
"Fine. I'll do it." She said without hesitance.
"We need you to enter Tony Zucco's gang and find out when they're planning shoot down the bank." Batman said as if he was a military officer.
"I can't." She said.
"Why not? Batman said.
"He used to be alive. The Joker killed him." She said looking down.
"Okay then." Batman said knowing instantly why Jenny had looked down.
It began to get dark out. Jenny left. As she walked back to the orphanage, she felt as though she was being watched. She didn't know if it was Batman or someone else. She pretended she didn't notice. She could here the orphanage there was another fight between two of the guys again. They had been fighting over stupid things lately. She didn't care. She hated it there. She wished she had never taken that shortcut. Her life had been destroyed ever since. The other orphans didn't believe her story. The feds had made up a story to cover up their mistakes on security in Arkham. It was their fault. Jenny knew that. She hated them for it.