All of us arrived and slid into our duties of keeping watch and looking for anything suspicious. Kara took to the skies to meet up with Superboy as soon as we left the cave. I haven't seen her face-to-face since then.
10:30 pm
Poison Ivy: CLEAR
Supergirl: CLEAR
Superboy: CLEAR
Huntress: CLEAR
Green Arrow: CLEAR
Red Robin: CLEAR
Batgirl: CLEAR
Nightwing: CLEAR
Flash: CLEAR
Katana: CLEAR
Batwoman: CLEAR
Robin: CLEAR
Batman: CLEAR
Oracle: NO READINGS
…
11:15 pm
Poison Ivy: CLEAR
Supergirl: CLEAR
Superboy: CLEAR
Huntress: CLEAR
Green Arrow: CLEAR
Red Robin: CLEAR
Batgirl: CLEAR
Nightwing: CLEAR
Flash: CLEAR
Katana: CLEAR
Batwoman: CLEAR
Robin: CLEAR
Batman: CLEAR
Oracle: NO READINGS
All is quiet, except for the screeching of an occasional owl and/or bat.
12:00 am
Poison Ivy: LEVEL 1 PERIMETER BREACH. OWL KILLED A BAT
Supergirl: THAT'S NOT NECESSARY IVY – CLEAR
Poison Ivy: JUST THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Superboy: CLEAR
Huntress: CLEAR
Green Arrow: CLEAR
Red Robin: CLEAR
Batgirl: CLEAR
Nightwing: HOW SYMBOLIC – CLEAR
Flash: HUH? – CLEAR
Katana: I REMEMBER THAT NIGHT – CLEAR
Batwoman: CLEAR
Robin: CLEAR
Batman: CLEAR
Oracle: HOW COULD YOU FORGET? – NO READINGS
I know what they're talking about; The Night of the Owls. Unfortunately, I had my own watery issues to worry about.
12:45 am
Poison Ivy: CLEAR
Supergirl: CLEAR
Superboy: CLEAR
Huntress: CLEAR
Green Arrow: CLEAR
Red Robin: CLEAR
Batgirl: CLEAR
Nightwing: CLEAR
Flash: CLEAR
Katana: CLEAR
Batwoman: CLEAR
Robin: CLEAR
Batman: CLEAR
Oracle: NO READINGS
It's been over two hours and still no sighting of Night Shadow or anyone from Intergang. Either Batman's info is wrong or they're waiting until the witness is fast asleep to strike.
1:30 am
Poison Ivy: CLEAR
Supergirl: CLEAR
Superboy: BORED STUPID – CLEAR
Huntress: GET OVER IT – CLEAR
Green Arrow: CLEAR
Red Robin: WE'LL DO SOMETHING FUN AFTER THIS – CLEAR
Batgirl: CAN I COME? – CLEAR
Nightwing: GO OUT FOR ICE-CREAM – CLEAR
Flash: WHAT ARE THEY, TWELVE? – CLEAR
Katana: THEY ARE FREE TO JOIN ME FOR A SPARRING MATCH AFTERWARDS – CLEAR
Batwoman: CLEAR
Robin: I WANT TO SPAR WITH KATANA – CLEAR
Batman: NO – CLEAR
Oracle: NO READINGS
…
2:15 am
Poison Ivy: CLEAR
Supergirl: THERE ARE TWO GUARDS COMING YOUR WAY HUNTRESS – CLEAR
Superboy: CLEAR
Huntress: I SEE THEM, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT GOLF – CLEAR
Green Arrow: I USED TO PLAY, AND I WASN'T TOO BAD EITHER – CLEAR
Red Robin: OOH, LET'S GO MINI-GOLFING AFTER THIS – CLEAR
Batgirl: WHAT'S OPEN THIS LATE? – CLEAR
Nightwing: JOES'S TWENTY-FOUR HOUR MINI-GOLFING – CLEAR
Flash: WHO WOULD WANT TO PLAY MINI-GOLF AT THREE IN THE MORNING? – CLEAR
Red Robin: I DO
Superboy: AS LONG AS THERE ARE NO MONKIES
Batgirl: WHY WOULD THERE BE MONKIES AT A PUTT-PUTT PLACE?
Superboy: THERE COULD BE
Supergirl: YOU TWO ARE RIDICULOUS
Katana: THE SPARRING OPTION IS STILL OPEN – CLEAR
Batwoman: CLEAR
Robin: CAN I GO MINI-GOLFING? – CLEAR
Batman: I'LL THINK ABOUT IT – CLEAR
Supergirl: LET HIM GO BATMAN, IT'LL BE GOOD FOR HIM
Oracle: I AGREE - NO READINGS
Supergirl's P.O.V
"That Batwoman isn't a talker, is she?"
"Casual convo isn't really her style during sting operations."
"I've noticed." Kon-El drops another ten feet below me to get a closer look at the cabin and its surrounding area. There are over 30 police officers and FBI agents surrounding the cabin, with five highly-trained special forces officers inside. I did my research.
I X-rayed the building as soon as I got here. The witness was sitting in the kitchen and chatting with an FBI agent that had come in to check up on them. Now the witness is fast-asleep, getting rest for their day in court. Superboy will be there undercover as protection, but I'll be there as Linda Lee-Danvers on the behalf of the Daily Planet like I have been for the past week.
Before showing up for the sting, I got a call from Bullock. The GCPD S.W.A.T team took down the operation I discovered with Kate, yesterday. I can't believe it's only been a day since then. It's felt like a week since I brought Dinah to the hospital. And it's felt like a month since Kate and I were hanging out in my apartment, getting ready to eat our toasted cheese-sandwiches and talk about what happened in that alcove.
Time.
That is what it all comes down to. Time. And I'm running out of it. Diana called me on the League communicator to tell me she expects me soon. I only have a few more days in Gotham before I have to meet her in London. I need to set things straight with Kate before then.
3:45 am
Poison Ivy: SOMETHING PASSED THE PERIMETER, NOT ANIMAL
Supergirl: I DON'T SEE ANYTHING
Superboy: I DO, GREEN ARROW YOU'RE UP
Huntress: I SEE HIM
Green Arrow: GOT HIM
Red Robin: NIGHT SHADOW?
Huntress: NO, INTERGANG THUG
Batgirl: I'VE GOT TWO MORE IN MY SIGHT
Nightwing: ONE IN MINE
Flash: SAME
Katana: CLEAR IN OUR AREA
Batwoman: NEED ASSISTANCE?
Robin: WE'VE GOT NIGHT SHADOW
Batman: ON GO
Oracle: GO!
XXX
The operation goes down relatively smoothly. All of us took out our respective Intergang thugs, but the real catch was when Robin took down Night Shadow, and according to Supergirl, without the assistance of Batman. Batman says they're planning on taking him to the new Star Labs compound on the outskirts of Gotham. There, he can be dealt with accordingly.
With everyone leaving to go spar or play mini-golf, the only thing left to do is check on the witness. Supergirl was assigned to do that and I volunteered to go with her.
"Batwoman." I look above me and see Kara floating down to meet me.
"What's with the change in costume?" She is no longer in her black covert uniform but her normal one.
"I'd like to keep the fact I own a covert uniform from the press as long as possible." I nod to show I understand and follow her as we walk towards the cabin.
"I'm surprised with how fast you changed."
"Super-speed, it comes in handy."
"Of course." I watch Kara from the corner of my eye and she winks at me. I smile and enjoy the walk, however short, to the cabin.
When the officers and agents see us, they approach us and shake Supergirl's hand. No one comes up to me. Just as we approach the front door, a marine steps out of the house and salutes both myself and Kara.
"Stand down, captain. I'm not your superior." The captain lowers his hand and goes to shake Kara's.
"It's just good to see you, is all." Captain Osgood lets go of her hand and shakes mine. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Batwoman." I'm glad he's not confusing me with Barbara and calling me Batgirl. Then again, with Stephanie being Batgirl now that shouldn't be an issue. Captain Osgood steps back and opens the door for us. "She's inside."
She?
Kara leads the way as we step in and stand in the main room, which is filled with four other marines and three FBI agents wearing bullet-proof vests. "She's in the back," says Osgood, closing the door behind us. Kara moves past the men and heads straight for what looks like the kitchen. Osgood and I follow behind.
"Kara? Is that you?" says a soprano voice with a French accent. Out of nowhere, a small girl jumps in Kara's arms. Kara laughs and spins her around a few times then puts her down. "Je vous ai manqué. Où avez-vous été?"
Kara laughs and moves a long strand of curly auburn hair out of the girl's eyes. "Je protégeais votre vie." The girl makes a face as she laughs this time.
"Your French is still not very good." Kara sticks out her tongue.
"It would be if I had a better teacher." The girl smacks Kara's arm and Kara feigns hurt. The two laugh and play for a few minutes, until Kara remembers they aren't the only ones in the room. "Oh, Maddie. Ceci est mon ami, Batwoman." Maddie smiles widely at me then stands on her tip-toes and grabs me by the shoulders to pull me down and kiss me on both of my cheeks. To my surprise, she also gives me a chaste kiss on the lips. I pull back a little surprised and see Kara with her hand over her face shaking her head. "Ne pas embrasser les gens sur le Maddie lèvres." Maddie goes wide-eyed for a second then looks at Kara and me before saying sorry to us.
"Je suis désolé. I keep forgetting people don't like to be randomly kissed on the lips." Maddie sits at the kitchen table. I notice there is no one else in the room except for the three of us.
"The first time," starts Kara, "that I met Maddie was at a hotel. She wanted to meet me, so I arranged to meet her and her entourage in a large office in the hotel I was staying at. I'm waiting for her, and mind you I was in my official Kryptonian clothes, when she bursts through the doors and makes a beeline for me. And just as the doors close and I put out my hand to greet her, she takes me by the shoulders and does the same thing she did to you." Maddie laughs at Kara. It sounds like the tinkling of small bells.
"You should have seen the look on her face," adds Maddie, "and how her face turned red as an apple. In that moment, I did not know if she was going to slap me or faint from mortification." Kara takes her cape and pulls it around so it's draped over her right arm then leans against the kitchen counter, all the while laughing.
"Looking back, I can laugh about it. But I warned her not to do it again, at least without my permission." I don't like the feeling I get when Kara insinuates she would even let this Maddie kiss her. Then again, this could be Kara being polite. I stand in the middle of the kitchen and look between the two of them. Their body language reminds me of old friends from high school or long lost sisters.
"Maddie, you're the witness I take it." Maddie nods and leans back in her chair slightly. "How did you get involved with Intergang? How do you know all of this damning evidence against so many people?" Maddie smiles and looks at Kara. Kara nods her head slightly, as if giving her the approval to do something.
"I have a certain specialty that comes with my services." I open and close my mouth and take a closer look at Maddie. "What is wrong Batwoman? Scared I will see your secret identity?"
Maddie is telepathic.
"Madeline is the niece of the prime-minister of France," says Kara. "She's also a meta-human and a talented one at that. When I first met her, she tried looking into my mind. Thankfully, Martian Manhunter and Miss Martian taught me a few tricks to keep out unwanted visitors." I look from Kara to Maddie.
"One of the officers in the foreign division of Intergang began courting me, after I broke it off with him another Intergang member, from your domestic side, began dating me. Through him, I was able to learn most of their secrets that involved the U.S.A and Canada. When I had enough, I took some needed proof and began helping the FBI."
"Sooner than later," interjected Kara, "Intergang caught on and tried to have her killed. I stepped in with the help of Batman and saved her life. She was put into protective custody and the rest is history."
I take the time to mull over what I've learned. "If you are telepathic, and if Supergirl really was trying to find you, how come she didn't?"
"Kara flies too high and at night. I usually go to bed quite early. Besides, my telepathic abilities don't have a very large radius. Anyway, it is half past four in the morning. I need my beauty rest for tomorrow. The Gotham D.A is moving my testimony up by a day, so I am due in court tomorrow. So, bonne nuit... ou bonjour." Kara laughs and gives Maddie a hug and a kiss on the top of her head goodnight. Then Maddie comes over to me and kisses me on the cheek.
"Do not worry Batwoman, I won't tell Kara you have a severe crush on her." Maddie pulls back with winks before heading off to her bedroom. When she's gone, I look at Kara, who is giving me that odd look again.
"It's getting late," she says, "or should I say early. I've been up for nearly two days straight and even I need my beauty sleep. I'll walk you out." Kara and I go out the front entrance. The agents, officers, and marines say their goodbyes and a few escort us until we've reached the edge of where Poison Ivy's perimeter was. We watch as the two officers disappear into the woods. I don't say anything to Kara until I'm sure we're alone.
"So, with Night Shadow caught and your friend protected and ready to testify, what will you do?" Kara looks at me and smiles softly.
"Wonder Woman needs me in London. There is a large conference going on between certain members of the League and a few diplomats concerning the recent anti-meta-human rallies going on in Bialya."
"I didn't know that was going on?"
"And that's how Bialya wants it."
"When will you be leaving?"
"Tomorrow." Oh. Wow, this is sooner than I expected. "…we should plan something."
"Huh?"
Kara laughs. "I said, since I'm leaving tomorrow night we should plan something. Just the two of us."
"Sounds great."
"Then it's a date." Kara smiles widely then floats up. "Oh, and Batwoman? No costumes." Kara winks at me then takes off into the night sky.
Tomorrow I have a date with Supergirl. I need to get home before a let out a girlish squeal of delight or something to that nature. I'm still, after all, an adult.
The French in this chapter is based entirely on Google translate.