Terry McGinnis got out of the cab and tossed cash to
the driver. He wasn't all that concerned that the guy
thought he was rude. In this building where two women
that where forever going to change his life. His aunt
or at least the woman he would have called his aunt if
life had been different. And the other woman well she
was the one he was the most nervous about. She was
his sister.
Terry stood at the door of the watch tower as it
started to rain. He didn't know how to do this but he
really wanted a larger family and that is what stilled
his hand. The rain came down in a much harder stream
and still he couldn't move. He had come all this way
and was stopped by the door. Getting in was the one
aspect of this adventure he hadn't thought out. Just
as he was about to give up his way in appeared in a
beat up car.
The Pizza guy walked up the steps double and triple
checking the address on the slip. Terry took one quick
glance at the slip and took out his wallet.
"I'll take that for you" Terry said paying the guy.
The pizza guy jogged down the stairs mumbling about
the rain and lousy tippers. Terry watched the car
drive out of sight.
"Pizza" he yelled pounding on the door
The speed that Terry was let in showed him two things,
one that these women where serious about their pizza
and two that the security system here needed work.
"Miss Dinah please ember to check the security
camera's before you let someone in " said a very
familiar English voice.
"Alfred" Terry said weakly.
" How may I help you is--Master Terry. I'll ask Miss
Barbara to see you now" Alfred said as he hurried off.
"Where do you want me to put this" Terry asked
gesturing to the pizza he still carried.
" I'll take it "Dinah said . As she took the box from
the guy that had so scared Alfred. This was just not
right and She didn't need to be as well trained as
Huntress to see that.
Barbara Gordon was not what Terry expected. She was in
a wheelchair. How could someone in a wheelchair have
once been the famous Bat Girl? What caused her
accident? Would she be ok with Terry taking over the
cowl from Bruce? These are all question's he could
have asked Bruce if he had bothered to mention he was
coming which he didn't.
Bruce was great about sharing all information that
applied to Batman or his exploits as the Bat but
anything personal was totally off limits. Terry used
to get annoyed by the lack of information on is
employer but as he grew older he understood the need
for privacy. But finding out that he had a son Bruce
Still shared only the basics. He knew that Bruce had
Another child that he fought along side Barbara Gordon
and Dick Greyson and that Alfred was always with them
and even now was only a phone call away.
Why wouldn't he share information about how his former
partners had changed. Wasn't that something he should
have shared? What if Terry had decided like his old
man he needed partners. Somehow Terry figured that if
it had come up Bruce would have told him about what
happened.
"Mr. McGinnis Alfred tells me it's important I meet
you. If you keep gaping at me like you've never seen a
woman or a wheelchair I'll have to wonder about keep
him with us. " Barbara said coolly.
Barbara's words pulled Terry quickly from his own
mind. " Um I'm here to um.."Terry stammered. How does
one announce that you've all the sudden picked up a
batch of new relatives. This was proving harder then
getting into the house.
"If you can't figure out why you're here I suggest
You leave. "Said Barbara slipping into Oracle mode.
"Ms. Barbara, perhaps I didn't give you all the
information you need before making such a request"
Alfred spoke up bravely.
"Out with it then Alfred, our dinner is getting cold."
Barbara said.
"Perhaps your office would be a better place for this
discussion" The butler suggested forcefully.
"Alright Alfred." Barbara said.
"Alfred this kid barely speaks. He conned his way in
here. He knows all about this place and he is staring
at me like he's never seen a wheelchair before. Why
are you defending him ?" asked Barbara.
"He is doing as well as can be expected Miss. Master
Bruce knew this was probably going to happen and did
little to prepare either of you. Master Bruce has
always valued the fact that you both are always so
able to conduct yourselves well in difficult
situations." The butler said.
" Who is he ?" said Barbara.
"Master Bruce's son " Alfred said.
Chapter 2
Bruce has a child. That in itself was almost
impossible to believe. And if Barbara hadn't raised
Helena herself she would never have believed it was
possible. He was very careful about that sort of thing
usually. He loved children and would have wanted them
if his life hadn't become so complex. He believed that
children where a luxury that super heroes could not
afford. They where innocent of the choices their
parents made, and where the perfect target for an
attack. So a second child was just unbelievable how
did Bruce let it happen a second time and would he
have if he had known about Helena.
Helena she was working at No Man's Land right now so
Terry was safe. But how would she explain his
existence to Helena? She barely tolerated Bruce for
more then a day or two and now she had a brother yup
this wasn't going to go well at all. There where days
it just would have been better if she stayed in bed.
In fact there where days she thought it would have
been better if she had never met nor developed a
little crush on the local billionaire. But she
developed her crush and this is what she had now in
her life. Best just to start dealing with it.
" Alfred would you bring our guest into my office."
Barbara called.
The young man walked into her office looking very
unsure of what to do now.
Barbara had been so hard on him when he first came and
he was soaking wet and not looking forward to yet
another tongue lashing . So he sat down across from
her and waited .
"Alfred can you set up our dinner in here so we can
chat" Oracle said.
"Yes Miss " the English butler said.
"So your Bruce's newest ward" she said.
"I worked for him until I decided it was time I did it
on my own." Terry said.
"And your Bruce's son. Will I be able to meet your
mother." Asked Barbara.
"Actually that wouldn't be a good idea. She has no
idea I'm Bruce Wayne's son. " Terry said.
"How can a woman not know who the father of her child
is?" Barbara asked amazed.
"She and my Father used a fertility lab run by the
Genstar Corporation"Terry said.
Realization dawned in Barbara's eye's slowly. Genstar
had been around them a lot in the old days. But how
did they get sperm samples ? But then again there had
been a lot of tests done and none of them questioned
any of it.
Who in their right mind would create children without
consent though? The look of bewilderment must have
been clear on her face because Terry jumped in
quickly.
"The woman who ran the place admits she did it. She
said that she had done it out of compassion for the
human race. The world will always need heroes and
those hero's will all pass away. So it came to her
that as long as they have children their legacy will
continue." He explained
"But genetics only count for so much of a person.
"Barbra said.
"And environment takes care of the other parts" Terry
finished.
"Oh my god tell me she didn't" Barbra gasped in
horror
"She did." Terry said.
The woman in the chair bent her head and wept. People
always pitied her the loss of her legs but this this
was worse. To lose your legs was sad that's true. And
it is also true that that night changed her life for
ever. But all of those losses came because she was
doing what she chose for herself. To lose everything
just because someone one day had a theory that was
just monstrous.
"Where is she?" Barbara demanded.
"To old and feeble now for justice to feel satisfying
"Terry said.
"Oh I don't know about that I can think of a few
things that might be fun. "Barbara said bitterly.
Thankfully Terry had no idea about Barbra's special
suit or he would have tried to talk her out of it.
Instead he provided her with a intelligent and
interesting conversation through her diner. And it was
As he was leaving for the evening that she made up her
mind. He called her Aunt Barbara. And treated Dinah as
if he was her big brother something that gave the girl
a thrill. No she couldn't go herself but she knew
someone who could.
"Huntress this is Oracle. I need you to run a special
errand for me tonight" the call went out.
Chapter 3
"Tell me what you need Oracle" said a very sexy
bartender.
" I need you to handle a problem for me" came the
answer.
"Resse is sitting here too. We thought we had a quiet
night ahead of us. " She said.
"It isn't something that would make the scanners"
Barbara explained.
"I really need this please "She begged.
"Give me the details" Huntress said.
Later that night both Helena and Reasse sat in his
apartment trying to make sense of Oracle's request.
" I swear it doesn't make sense . I has to frighten an
old woman and tell her she was being called to explain
her behavior towards the people who trusted her. "
Helena said as she propped herself up against the
headboards.
" Maybe she was repaying a debt "Resse offered .
"That much I figured but to who and what kind of debt
is the question. " said Helena.
"The only way to know for sure is to ask "said Reasse.
" Don't worry I intent to."she said.
: Inside the English Classroom of Barbara Gordon the
next day:
"Hi Helena . I don't suppose your here because you
want to read the writings of Maya Angelu .. or asminov
are you ?" Barbara asked hopefully.
"Couldn't stand English when you forced me to be here
why would I like it now?" Helena answered.
"Ok then you missed me suddenly" said Barbara.
"Nope" Helena said as she sat on one of the desks.
" So we're gonna talk about last night then I'm
guessing" Barbara said finally.
"Yeah that was my plan "Helena said.
"Can we make this a need to know project?" Barbara
asked.
"Sure we can . I need to know why I threaten some old
rich lady. Feel better now ?" Helena shot back.
"Ok but Helena you aren't going to like this and I
tried to spare you" Barbara said tiredly.
"It all started when I was younger your Dad and Dick
where still in the fight. It was a heyday for us.
Superman, Wonder Woman, Canary, just about everybody
was around. We where the answer and the people seemed
to love us. The government was a bit concerned by us
though and they came and ran tests on us twice a year.
It was like going to get a physical and they swore to
keep our identities a secret. Well it seems they took
certain genetic samples without us knowing and
apparently your father has a son he never knew about .
Helena you have a brother. " Barbara said quickly...
Ok so she now had a brother. A 23 year old brother. He was born only a few years after her and he had dear old dad in his life. Sure no one knew they where related until a few months ago but at least Terry knew Dad approved of him . Ok Helena knew she was sulking and being completely unreasonable but she was allowed. She just found out she had a brother one that everyone knew but her. Hell he had even managed to charm Barbra. He was slowly taking over her life.
That was her story and she was sticking to it. And she made the punching bag pay for every second of hurt she was feeling. It felt great to hear that bag moaned under her abuse but eventually she realized one thing – it was time to face the piper. So she finished her workout in a less aggressive mood, Toweled off and hit the showers.
An hour later she stood in her normal bad ass black staring at the door to her brother's room. The kid deserved points for not being gaudy and staying at some rich resort place. He had chosen well in her estimation. Instead of the I'm a Wayne and your not route he could have chosen he played it simple. Middle of the road hotel and cabs to get around. Helena had to give him points on that.
Helena rapt on the door and waited impatiently for it to be answered. Terry got to the door and nearly swallowed his own tongue. The woman on the other side of the door looked like Trinity wished she did in the Matrix movies. This woman gave bad ass black a whole new meaning. Shaking himself out of his admiration for her fashion sense he decided he needed to ask her what she wanted.
"Can I help you ?" he asked.
"Helena Kyle. Your older sister." she said.