I neither own nor created Batman/Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Leslie Thomkins, cousin Fredrick, Gotham City, Deadshot, or Amanda Waller. I'm not sure who did create all these characters, but I'm grateful to them. Madge, however, is my original character. ;)

Here it is! A new "Nightwatch" chapter at last. I'm introducing a character previously unseen in this story, though DC fans should recognize her.

This fanfic is for entertainment purposes only, so please read and be entertained.

Madge put the kettle back on the stove-top. Then she turned toward the table. The doc and her friend sat waiting for their tea to cool.

The doc's eyes and face were blank. Madge had seen the faces of her co-workers look like that after particularly long nights. Where had the doc been? What had been done to her?

Their guest took a sip. His clipped voice startled Madge from her musings. "Why this tea's nearly a contender of Alfie's."

Madge's blinked at him. "Alfie's?"

Leslie sighed as she lifted her own cup to her lips. "He means Mr. Pennyworth, dear."

Madge's widened eyes looked back at Leslie. Dear? The doc had never called her "dear" before.

Fredrick grinned in the young woman's direction. "Don't mind her, Love. The doc gets a little "sentimental" when she's been "unsettled."

Madge turned her stare back to the man. She raised one eyebrow while lowering the other. Leslie set her cup back in its saucer with a longer sigh. "I think I'll go to bed after I finish this."

Fredrick's gaze gentled as he looked back to Leslie. "You do that Love."

Madge turned a scowl back upon Fredrick. "Now she's 'Love' too?"

Fredrick winked at the younger woman. "All ladies are 'Love' to me, Miss, unless I'm dating them. Then they're 'Lover.'"

A flash of Leslie's usual dry expression crossed her face. "Don't mind him, Madge. He's better behaved than he talks."

Madge turned her stare back to the older lady. Madge? The doc had never called her by her first name before. The younger woman's expression gentled as she gazed upon the elder. What had happened? Instead of asking, Madge turned and put the box of tea away.

. . .

Alfred turned his head. The bat-car was rolling into the cave. When it had settled onto its platform, the Batman stepped out of its driver-door. Alfred nodded to him. "Good to see you've returned unharmed, sir."

The vigilante nodded back. "How is he?"

"Stable and unconscious, as requested."

The Batman walked over to the table and let his eyes sweep over his adversary and the machines monitoring his condition. Owning a company that made hospital equipment had its perks. "Well done."

Alfred gave an even briefer nod. "Within several hours he should wake famished. Will we still be 'entertaining' him then?"

"That depends."

The Batman walked over to his computer and typed out a message.

. . .

Dozens of monitors glowed in the dimly lit auditorium. Keyboards were played like pianos hammered by enthusiastic maestros. Whispers mixed with pages turning in manila folders. None of it had any effect upon the only woman in the room doing nothing.

She was six-foot-one. One might not notice, however, until someone shorter stood beside her. She was wide enough to otherwise obscure her height. Silver hairs shone in an otherwise dark, curly mass held back in a bun. Eyes the color of coffee stared at the biggest screen showing a map of Gotham.

Dots blinked in several places upon it. Some of these moved while others held still. Each dot was someone that "could" be their quarry. The dots changed color from pale yellow, to orange, to red as the agents watching them reported more and more confidence "this" was their man. Most of them still shone pale yellow.

Their target had left bodies scattered across the globe. He'd gotten away clean every time. She wanted him. So, all these agents and analysts here wanted to be the one or ones to identify and capture her quarry for her. No one could give their career a boost like "she" could in this field, among those at their level anyway. They wouldn't follow her to the second phase of her program. A good word from her though, could lead to the White House. Sadly, this wasn't to be.

Either someone had messed up, or he was that good. She'd treat them like they'd messed up, though she hoped he was that good. It would validate her obsession with him.

The monitors flashed, and then blacked out. Fingers stopped typing. Eyes stared. I.T.'s began to move. It seemed like a crash at first. Then words appeared on every screen. "I have him." The room went silent until she spoke.

"Pack it up people. Someone beat you to it."

The agent who'd pulled this team together for her bowed his head. His career too would take a hit rather than a boost from this night. Then he raised his head again and echoed her command. "You heard Agent Waller. Pack it up!"

. . .

"Are you sure you wish to do this, sir?" Batman turned to look at his butler. Alfred stared back into his ward's covered eyes. The older man's own usually cool gaze was a bit warm, a bit sad. "We could turn him over to another agency. Enough are looking for him."

Batman's voice responded rougher than usual. "With what evidence? Nothing recorded what we saw him do. Even the engraved bullet-casings have no prints. We've kept them in our possession since removing them from the crime-scenes ourselves. Our operation would have to be uncovered for them to even begin to investigate. And he'll end up in her hands anyway. We might as well put him there ourselves … with stipulations."

Alfred nodded.

He then went upstairs to ready Master Bruce's usual post-hunt routine. The Batman, meanwhile, walked up to his near-killer and stood over him. He stared into the man's unconscious face for over a minute before speaking again. "You almost deserve her."

I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I have reason to hope the next chapter will not have to be waited for as long now that I have finished up a different story. :)

Reviews are much appreciated and often responded to.

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes