Barbara Gordon's perspective:
Barbara had finished her first day on her first job, a part-time technician who worked at Wayne Enterprises after school. She and Bruce Wayne agreed that this was for the best. In the first place, this was perfect for the working relationship of two allies in a war against crime. In the second place, the possibility of having to work late gave Barbara an explanation of the Batgirl persona causing her to miss bedtime: Bruce had Barbara working late. Being late to come home had gotten her in trouble before, and she had run out of excuses.
The explanation for why Barbara got a job with no experience? Bruce had told Commissioner James Gordon that it was a personal favor. Bruce couldn't very well give the real reason, especially to Barbara's own father. Besides, Barbara was a computer genius as well as a great athlete. Any doubts among her co-workers as to whether she deserved the job quickly vanished.
Bruce led Dick Grayson, Alfred, and Barbara down the stairs to the Batcave. "We've got a surprise for you, Madam Barbara," said Alfred.
"You're gonna love this," added Dick.
Bruce showed Barbara a set of Batgirl uniforms. "Other than being made for a woman of your size," Bruce explained, "These uniforms are just like mine. They provide protection against unarmed strikes, fire, poison, knives, and to a lesser extent, bullets. Instead of merely a grappling hook and rope, your new utility belt has a grappling gun that I call a Batgrapple. Batacid, Batgas, and a hacking Battablet are also available, and your new Batarangs are more refined than the old ones."
Barbara was floored by this. These suits were far superior to her old one, which was just barely adequate. "Very generous," Barbara gave her thanks. "How much did these cost you?"
"For me," Bruce assured her, "Practically nothing."
"Master Bruce almost literally has money to burn," grinned Alfred.
"Ain't that the truth?" asked Dick. "He thinks he can buy a father-son relationship with me like he buys everything else. Kidding, Bruce." Barbara wasn't so sure that this was a joke.
"I know it's terrible to refuse these," Barbara put it as sensitively as she could, "But I don't want to get rid of my old uniform. For sentimental reasons, you know."
"That's OK," said Bruce. "We'll keep it in a glass case as a memory of what you used to wear. But now these are yours."
"Deal," Barbara shook his hand.
"I understand you like each other," said Bruce. "Good. You won't mind patrolling together in the Batmobile. As it's the anniversary of the event that made me The Batman, I'm taking the Batcycle alone."
"Is this personal?" Barbara guessed.
"Dick can fill you in."
The Hog's perspective:
Becky "The Hog" Traylor, Al, Daisy, Joey, and Yuji Takahan were in the meeting room at Country Buffet. "So what are the other mob unions doin'?" asked The Hog.
"They seem to have arms comin' in," Al unsurprisingly reported. "But they ain't doin' nothin' on offense, just defense."
"Sounds like at least some of them ain't sure about war," said Daisy.
"Perhaps cooler heads will prevail," said Yuji.
"Ah doubt it," said The Hog. "Riko Dimiquen really, really hates me. Ah feel the same thing about him. At best, it'll be just his business takin' us on."
"Ah think we should go after him first," suggested Joey.
"No," disagreed Al. "Without gettin' the others on board, the one startin' the war'll end up goin' up against all other organized crime in Gotham City."
"Yeah," concurred The Hog. "We go to war only when we know it's about to happen or we can somehow turn the others against the Dimiquens."
Batman's perspective:
It was the twenty-fourth anniversary of the death of Bruce Wayne's parents. He was on the very street on which it happened. To get the best view, Batman Batgrappled onto a nearby building.
Batman found himself flashbacking to the night his parents died. They had come out of a movie. Batman remembered little about this movie except that, ironically enough, it was about a hero who fought terrorists with tools given to him by an old man and seemed to have a knack for getting out of tight spots.
On the way back to the car, young Bruce Wayne and his parents were attacked by a mugger. Batman still had no idea who this was. His parents had given into the mugger's demands, but he shot Bruce's parents anyway. Bruce was sure that he was next, but the mugger seemed to think he was suffering enough and left with the money and diamond necklace.
After a adolescence and early adulthood learning science, technology, detective work, and going to Asia to learn martial arts, Bruce Wayne had been ready to fight crime under the intimidating identity of a bat.
Reliving these memories at this location became more painful every year. But out of respect for his parents, Batman had to do it. As hard as it was, he knew he'd be doing it the next year. Unless he was killed within the next three hundred fifty-six days. Maybe by The Joker, Poison Ivy, a common thug on a lucky night, or an accident as Bruce. Death and taxes were the only certainties in life, after all.
Batman saw a couple and their daughter being stuck up by a mugger down below. A welcome diversion.
Batman descended to the ground in time to throw a Batarang that knocked the gun out of the mugger's hand. Batman charged in and delivered a jab-jab-cross that knocked the mugger flat.
"Thanks," said the mother.
"Saved our lives," said the father.
"You're like a prince in a fairy tale," smiled the daughter.
Batman Batgrappled away, looking at the daughter on his way up. The odds now were that she would never understand how it would have felt to lose her parents as a child. And Batman liked it that way.
Three more innocents saved. But the war continues.
Robin's perspective:
Robin was driving the Batmobile. Occasionally, he looked to the side at The Batgirl. She sure is pretty.
"You never told me how you ever got into this life," said Batgirl.
"I almost feel like a mirror image of him," said Robin.
"Other than your cheerful demeaner," disagreed Batgirl. "And your sense of humor. And that fact that you're not a workaholic."
"OK," relented Robin. "You've made your point. My parents and I performed at an ice show. They were killed by the Zucco crime family because the boss wouldn't agree to a protection racket."
"How awful," said Batgirl.
"Batman and I got the people who did it, but it didn't do Mom and Dad a whole lot of good. And, yeah, I passed on a cuss word there. Batman doesn't allow it."
"Stick in the mud?" asked Batgirl.
"More like a stick in the swamp," said Robin. "Anyway, keeping what happened to our parents from happening to us is why we do what we do. What's your story, Batgirl?"
"I guess I'm supposed to get dramatic," said Batgirl, "But the truth is that dad taught me the values of loyalty, courage, compassion, and above all, justice. That's all there is to it. Sorry to disappoint."
"Don't worry," Robin had no problem with her motivations. "You're better off without the hurt we have except... why have you hidden this from your father? If you can't trust him..."
"It's not a trust thing," said Batgirl quickly. "He wouldn't want me doing this. He specifically forbade me to become a policewoman."
"It's still worth it to have..." Robin took a harder look at what he thought he saw. "...We've got trouble."
Robin drove the Batmobile onto a sidewalk, cutting two men off from the car they planned on using to store the the large TV set and personal computer they had stolen from G-Mart.
Robin pulled a switch and the front shield of the Batmobile opened. He and Batgirl jumped onto the hood to stare down the thieves.
"Oh," said one of the criminals, relieved. "Just the kids."
"It's way past your bedtime," said the other.
"Don't rise to their insults," said Batgirl. "Keep your cool." She was right. Robin almost lost it, which might have caused him to make a mistake. "We strike on three," said Batgirl. "1... 2... 3!"
Batgirl and Robin both each dived on another burglar. Batgirl stunned her target with three snap kicks, while Robin twisted the left arm of the other behind his back to paralyze him with pain. "Still think we're 'Just kids?'" asked Batgirl.
"You win," pleaded Batgirl's collar. Robin's nodded in agreement. Robin couldn't help but feel bad that he couldn't seem to help but make mistakes without a Bat around. He felt like the dumb male in a comedy film who needed a wiser father-figure or ethereal girl to keep him from making mistakes.
A bit down the drive from the burglars who were now tied up for the police, Batgirl asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," denied Robin.
"You're not being honest with yourself. You're usually really talkative. And since when do you pass up an opportunity to talk smack to lawbreakers? Mm-hmm. Either you just got mutism, in which case, Alfred needs to check you out, or you're feeling down."
"I almost got provoked into a careless attack," said Robin. "I don't know why I keep making these mistakes."
"Just keep trying," said Batgirl. "You'll learn."
"I sure hope so," Robin said under his breath. "You won't tell Batman, will you? Because then I'd really get it."
"Cross my heart that I won't," Batgirl promised with a "pinky swear" gesture. "I've been chewed out by dad a lot of times. I get it." Robin sighed in relief.
Batman's perspective:
Batman opened the window of Commissioner James Gordon's office and crawled into it. "Any news?" asked Batman.
"You'd think after a year of this I'd be used to it," said Gordon, clutching his chest. "The Traylor crime family seems more tense."
"That's odd," said Batman. "Surely they know that with four other archcriminals free, we can't focus on them. Sounds like they may be preparing for a mob war."
"That had occurred to us," said Gordon. "The possibility of a long, bloody war between gangs is probably our greatest fear."
"Get more men," said Batman. "From the National Guard if you have to."
"Mayor Lindseed will never accept that there's a crisis of that magnitude until he has to," explained Gordon. "He knows that if people think there is, they'll lose confidence in him."
"He can't rise above being a politician?"
"Not in this lifetime."
"What about the other four? The Penguin, Riddler, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn?"
"You've heard about the escape of Query and Echo, the two ladies who used to work for The Riddler. I believe they're reunited. And that meanwhile, Quinn and Ivy are now partners. Ivy must be what satisfies Quinn's dependent personality disorder. Beyond that, nothing."
"They haven't made any moves?"
"If you're asking if they're taking their time so we have no intel on them, the answer is yes."
Batman thought. It wasn't right to hide what Gordon's own daughter was doing from him. "To tell you the truth..." Batman began before stopping.
"Yes?" asked Gordon.
"It's about your... daughter."
"I don't believe you've met her."
"I have. She's..." Batman's mouth suddenly stopped. What he was about to say seemed like justice and yet, Barbara's second life as Batgirl was important to her. Gordon would undoubtedly end it and all the future good Batgirl would have done if he knew the truth.
"Do you have something to say about her?" asked Gordon.
"She's... a promising young woman. She'll make you proud, Commissioner."
"I know."
That's it. I've chosen to keep Barbara's secret from her father. Whoever said that the right thing to do was always easy to see hadn't been out in the world much.
Alfred's perspective:
Seeing Batman, Batgirl, and Robin talking after their separate city patrols, Alfred smiled. When he took this job at Wayne Manor several decades before, he couldn't know that helping heroes would one day be part of the job. He doubted he would have taken it if he'd known then, but now that he was part of this important team, he couldn't imagine a better life for himself!