Chapter 73

Montoya circles us as we raise our hands in the air.

"Down on the ground, hands behind your backs," she instructs.

We do as she says, getting down on our knees and placing our hands behind our backs.

Montoya adjusts her fedora as her trenchcoat blows in the wind, "I can't believe this case was muddled by some...vigilantes. You two are probably why the trail went cold, right? Did you tamper with police evidence?"

I glance at Batwoman, not knowing how to respond.

"We didn't, we heard about the missing circus children through some street kids and wanted to help," Batwoman explains, trying to make her voice sound lower to corny effect.

Montoya suddenly lowers her gun, "...Barbara?"

She lowers her head, "Wow...seriously, it's that obvious? Is my voice that distinct?"

"You're Batwoman? I would've never guessed," she confesses, "but that doesn't mean I'm not going to turn you in. You have the right-"

"Renee, we can help you," she interrupts, "we know who's been selling the children. We just need to find them. I don't care if you take the credit for it, I just want justice."

Montoya crosses her arms, "Huh...well...if you know who they are. Can you lead me to them?"

Batwoman turns to me, and I respond, "Yes, I think we can."

"Do you guys always get around on rooftops?" Montoya asks as we scale an apartment fire escape to get to the roof.

"No, we also have the Batmobile," Batwoman responds.

She stops, "...Batmobile?"

"It's what I call it. The name's still a work in progress but so far I haven't thought of anything else."

We reach the top, the morning sun just over the horizon. The three of us take a moment to stare out at the sunrise, the sun peeking out from behind two taller buildings.

Refocusing our attention, we look down at the Flea, just across the street from the rooftop we're standing on. There's no way Clyde, Hakeem, and George would give up control of the Flea so easily. If they're not there themselves, then they at least have people that will lead us to them.

"Alright, if I'm going to be working with you guys, I need to know both of your identities," she glowers at me suspiciously.

I sigh, before removing my mask. Montoya's eyes widen, "N-Natalie…?"

"Small world, isn't it?" I chuckle before putting my mask back on.

"That...that actually makes sense. You use to be a government agent, right? So you'd have the skills for this kind of thing," she realizes.

"What? No way, you use to be a government agent?! You never told me!" Batwoman exclaims.

I chuckle, "I guess it just never came up."

"Okay, finally, if I'm going to be working with you two, I can't be seen doing so. Do either of you have some sort of disguise?" Montoya asks us.

We look at each other, our eyes glancing around for any possibility. Suddenly, I get an idea, "Hey, you could use this!" I take out the mask that I got from Amanda and hand it to Montoya. She looks at it with suspicion, before putting on the mask. I wonder what her face will morph into.

Her facial features disappear, leaving only the outline of her nose.

Batwoman gasps and gawks like a schoolgirl, "Woah...you have a disguising mask?! Why didn't you tell me about this?!"

"Government agent, remember? A girl's gotta have her gadgets," I excuse flippantly.

"Can we focus here?!" Montoya shouts, before calming down and sighing, "Ugh...so, who are we looking for, exactly?"

I give a description of the three fences.

"Alright, and this is their main base of operations? Hmm...I'm not sure if I should call backup. It is procedure...but then one of the Lieutenants like O'Hara could easily take credit for the case...you know what? What the hell? I'll call for backup after we catch these guys. Then the Unis will just be there to clean up the mess," Montoya turns to me, "...no offense."

"None taken."

Just then, a beat-up old car drives up to the entrance of the Flea. Clyde, George, Hakeem exit, leaving the car out front. I point, "That's them."

Montoya rolls up her sleeves as she adjusts her leather gloves, "Let's do this."

Ed shuffles about his basement lair within the GCPD. He always arrives at work early, getting in through the basement's back door who's lock can easily be picked. His apartment isn't much to impress, and besides, most of his equipment is here anyway.

Standing in front of his workbench, he tinkers with various parts on the table. Having read some books on theoretical physics, he's been trying to achieve one of his childhood dreams of building a machine that will allow him to access alternative dimensions. If he success, all he needs to do is build a ray that will turn anything into cotton candy and his childhood dreams will be complete.

On the corkboard above his workbench is tacked a picture of Kirsten Kringle. He'd secretly made a copy of her resume picture from the precinct files, and it's hung there ever since. He often imagines that she's smiling at him through the picture, a silly assumption of course, but that's what imagination is for.

Next to the semi-stolen picture of Kirsten is a picture of Ed and Natalie during their high school graduation. Having both graduated early, the two of them are both visibly smaller than the rest of the graduating class. Ed smiles, remembering the momentous occasion. Afterwards, he and Natalie went out for pizza and said their final, tearful goodbyes. She promised him that they would keep in touch via letters. But after a while...the letters stopped, abruptly at that. Had his childhood friend abandoned him?

But now, years later she returns. Why? Maybe it was just a coincidence, them running into each other on the fateful day. As children, he'd always considered her his confidant, his constant. The idea of losing her seemed impossible until it actually happened. Seeing her again made him feel like they'd never said goodbye. But just as soon as the idea that they could continue their friendship just as it once was, he discovers that she's had so many different experiences, ones that he's completely unaware of, even now. Of course, she was a government agent, many of her adventures are probably classified, but, it makes him feel as if he's been shut out, or rather, pushed out.

And then there's Natalie's suitor, whose name is still a mystery to him. Over the weeks, he's developed a mental image of him, having never seen the man before. Or maybe, perhaps he has and Natalie is just keeping his identity annoymous. Maybe her man is someone from the precinct! But...no, she wouldn't date someone in the workplace, none of these men are her type. Natalie has never been a fan of gruff, brutish men...unlike Kirsten. Sometimes, Ed wished that Natalie's taste in men would transfer to her, it would make Kirsten interested in him and make Natalie solely a friend. Because as much as she wishes, that's all they'll ever be. Very good friends...

"Mr. Nygma, there you are," Ed practically stumbles backwards onto his workbench as Kirsten Kringle enters the room.

He smiles, "Ms...Ms. Kringle. How...how unexpected."

"Yes, well, I came down here to ask you if you've seen my hairpin. I left it on my desk a few days ago and now...for some reason...I can't find it. Would you know anything about it?"

He glances around, "N-no...not at all. But if you would like me to assist you in finding it-"

"No," she holds her hand up, "huh...if that's how you're going to play it Nygma, fine. Good day."

She marches back up the narrow stairs to the precinct. Ed's smile fades as he reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out Kirsten's hairpin, silver with a flower accent. He holds the pin up to his nose...peaches and cherries. She must use the Ace brand of shampoo, maybe he'll buy some for himself, just so that he can remind himself of her scent.

"Aha!" Kirsten cries, flinging the door open.

Ed raises his hands to his chest, his right leg pulling up as he scrunches his eyes shut.

"I knew you had my hairpin!" she declares, marching over and snatching the hairpin from him, "I had the Unis install a security camera into the basement room. I gave you a chance to confess, but you didn't."

She looks down at the pin, and shakes her head before putting it away, "Ed...what is wrong with you?"

He stares blank-faced at her, unable to give a response. There's something wrong with him?

She sighs, before exiting the room, leaving Ed by himself. He sits down in a nearby chair, contemplating her final words. He'd taken the pin as a token of her, something of hers to keep for himself. Often in fiction books he's read, women find this attractive, but apparently not so with Ms. Kringle.

Ed sighs, maybe he should ask Natalie about it when she gets here. She knows a lot more about the art of romance than he does. Maybe in return he could teach her how to solve a Rubix Cube. Good ol' Natalie, always there to balance his imperfections, and comfort him in times of need. What would he do without her?

Author's Note:

Narutoske: Thanks, and lol, yeah, Montoya caught them, but it all works out, at least for now. Who knows, she could go public about their identities. And it wasn't technically a date, although it could be read that way ;)

Erik-is-my-angel1234: Thanks, hope you enjoy!

Thanks! :)