Inside the hall, the crowd was whimpering. A few others stayed quiet. It wasn't the first time they'd been held as hostages. All they needed to do was stay quiet and do as they were told until help arrived. Except that the assailants hadn't said a word to any of them.
"What do you want from us? Why are you keeping us here?" someone from the crowd said.
From the floor above a screen was lowered down through the hole that was made in the explosion. It had a countdown. They had roughly two hours before the time ran out. Stepping out of the shadows was Catwoman. She smiled at the crowd. And slowly raised her hands.
"Catwoman! You did this?!"
One of the assailants was pushing her from behind with his automatic assault rifle. She turned to hiss at him and he backed up a step but didn't lower his weapon.
"Listen up, folks. These people want your funds," Catwoman told them ignoring the previous question. Wasn't it obvious she wasn't with the idiots? "All of them. Stocks. Bonds. Land. Businesses. And even your firstborn if you'll let them have it. You have two hours to decide whether your assets or the lives of those you are here to help through the charity are more important. If you choose your assets, all the less fortunate of Gotham will die. If you give up your assets, they live."
"Please, the choice is easy and already made," said a woman in her mid-thirties. "Let them die. I'm not giving away—"
On the screen, they showed someone in the narrows being shot on the street. The crowd gasped. Then one of the masked men stepped forward and shot the woman who'd spoken up in the head. Everyone screamed while two of the masked goons dragged the woman away leaving a trail of blood behind.
"Oops!" Catwoman said a hand hovering an inch from her mouth and eyes wide as she stared at the deceased woman being dragged away. "I forgot to mention that if they die, you die."
"Why are you here?!" someone asked her.
"Me? I came for the free food and drinks. But I ran into your party crashers outside instead," she shrugged. "I was outnumbered."
"So you're not with them?"
Catwoman snorted. "Hardly."
"Who are they working for?"
Catwoman shrugged. She really had been caught outside trying to sneak in. She was given instructions on what to say over a radio one of the men was carrying. And now she too was a hostage. Sort of.
Everyone looked at Catwoman skeptically. Then looked around at one another. They had less than two hours left to decide what to do. All they had to do was wait out the clock. They were hopeful that by then help would arrive. With Catwoman already inside, it wouldn't be long before Batman showed up.
"Tick-tock, people," Catwoman said as she freely walked around the crowd and debris.
The crowd began to whisper to one another. They watched their assailants and turned to look at the clock. Catwoman hadn't said anything else and the men weren't talking. They would wait. And if help didn't arrive, they would die. Because whoever was behind the entire ordeal didn't deserve a single cent.
Catwoman was surveying the area and taking stock of those who were there. She made her way to a back table and jumped on top of it before she sat down. She played with her tail that just so happened to be her whip and surreptitiously watched the assailants. The idiots hadn't disarmed her. Maybe they thought a whip and some claws couldn't stand up to automatic weapons. But little did they know that if you put a Cat against a man, the Cat always won. Or she gave up one of her lives to fight another day. Either way, they couldn't hold her hostage for long.
Tim and Hailey looked at one another when the table they were under jostled. Hailey wrapped her hands around her middle and Tim lifted a finger to his lips. They needed to be quiet. No one had noticed them and he wanted to keep it that way. He looked at his mom and worried his lip. She wasn't bleeding from anywhere. From what he and Hailey could tell, some debris hit her on the head and knocked her unconscious. She was breathing and her heart was beating normally as far as they knew. Hailey knew how to count the heartbeats. But because she was scared she couldn't remember how many heartbeats were normal. And she couldn't compare them to her own because her heart was beating almost as fast as a scared rabbit.
"Don't worry, kids," Catwoman whispered only loud enough for them to hear. "Batman's on his way. I'm here to get you out as soon as he makes his entrance."
Tim's eyes widened and he looked at Hailey and smiled. He was very grateful that she'd run over to help him. Especially now knowing that Batman had sent someone in to get them out. He knew he'd done that specifically for Hailey. But he didn't mind. Not one bit. They were safe. And his mom would be fine.
"That's Catwoman," Tim whispered. "Everything'll be alright."
Hailey nodded then looked down at her wrung hands. Where was Jason? He was supposed to be here already with Batman. Hailey had been counting on it. It was the only reason she dared to run back into the crowd to help Tim with his mom. There was no telling what the men wanted. Killing off the hostages one by one had been a sure bet. And from what they heard, someone was already dead. The only place they found to hide they took. In all the confusion and chaos no one had noticed them. But then again, Catwoman had found them really fast. Hailey looked up and frowned.
"What's wrong?" Tim asked looking at Hailey's expression.
"How'd she know we were right here?" Hailey said as quietly as possible. Tim struggled to hear her, having to scoot just a little closer until their sides were pressed together.
"Batman told her?" Tim said quietly with a shrug. He wasn't sure if Hailey knew that her adopted family happened to be Batman and Robin. How could she not know?
Hailey nodded. Maybe Jason had made it out. And that meant he had told Batman. She sighed in relief. She was still scared but now she had hope. As soon as Batman arrived, Catwoman would get them out. They would be safe. Soon. Maybe.
Tim and Hailey couldn't see what was happening behind the table cloth. But they knew that Catwoman hadn't moved from her spot. Sirens were heard outside getting closer. Then a spotlight shined through the window. Nobody said anything, not even the men holding them hostage. But there was a collective sigh of relief.
"This is the police," said a stern voice through a megaphone. "We have the place surrounded. Snipers are set on each and every one of you. Come out with your hands high or we will be forced to fire. We'll give you two minutes to come out quietly. Do it now!"
Hailey held on to Tim's hand and closed her eyes tight.
"They didn't even move," Catwoman said.
The table creaked above Hailey and Tim. They looked at one another but then they had to hold Janet down when she started to squirm.
"No, they're not intimidated in the least," Catwoman continued to speak.
"Mom, it's okay, we're safe," Tim said quietly close to his mom's ear. "But you have to be quiet. Please."
"Tim?" Janet croaked as she looked at her son. He caressed her cheek.
"The police are here," Tim said softly. "And Batman's coming. We'll be okay."
Janet groaned in pain.
"Are you hurt?" Hailey asked her.
"Just...just a headache. I'll be fine, dear. Thank you," Janet said and rubbed her head. "Help me up, Tim."
"No, mom. Stay still," Tim told her and held a hand to her shoulder. "We don't need the ones who did this to know we're down here."
"From what I could tell," Catwoman was heard saying in a low voice. "The cops have a bead on each one of them. Maybe you should wait until they take them out."
"Who is that?" Janet asked the kids.
"Catwoman," Tim told her. "I think she's talking to Batman. He sent her in here to get us out."
"I suppose, but there was no mention of a bomb. Just the guns. Maybe there are more masked men in the narrows where the guy was shot."
There was a beat of silence.
"A hoax?" Catwoman said. "No, I didn't recognize her. So, she was with them? Makes sense. No one seemed to care when she was dragged off."
"Three, two," the police on the megaphone counted.
"Everybody get down!" Catwoman shouted and dropped to the ground rolling under the table where Tim and Hailey were. She covered them with her body as the police finished the countdown and fired. The crowd screamed and a few thumps like bodies falling to the ground were heard. Also, a semi-loud explosion was heard making everyone scream again. Then sound like electricity shorting out was heard. The police rushed into the building breaking the windows and making quite a raucous.
"Let's go, now!" Catwoman said in a hushed tone. She helped Janet up to her feet and ushered the kids into the hallway leading to the bathrooms. Batman and Robin were standing there. There was a hole in the wall next to them leading outside to ensure Catwoman and the kids made it out.
Robin grinned at Hailey then rushed after Batman who was already making his way towards the hall. From the hole that Hailey and Tim and the others came out of, a crowd followed. Paramedics were on standby. Catwoman helped Janet to an ambulance and then left Tim with her. She took Hailey into her arms and ran into an alley were Alfred was waiting.
"Oh, my dear child. How stupid of you to run back into the fire," Alfred told her and then wrapped his arms around her holding her tight to his body.
"Tim needed help with his mom. I couldn't just leave him!" Hailey told Alfred and started to cry. "I was so scared."
"There, there," Alfred told her as he caressed her hair. "You did the right thing. You'll be fine now. Thank the lord."
Hailey continued to cry but once her sobs died down, Alfred helped her into the car.
"Let's go home, dear."
"What about Jason?" Hailey said quickly looking back at the noise and the red and blue flashing lights that could be seen from where they were. "Where's Bruce?"
"Let's not worry about those two," Alfred said shutting the door and making his way into the driver's seat. "Master Jason is with Master Bruce who is a little busy talking to the commissioner about the incident. They'll be home before you know it."
Hailey frowned at what Alfred said. Jason was with Batman. Why would Alfred tell her that he was with Bruce? Hailey sniffed and rubbed her eyes. As the car passed the scene, Hailey saw a paramedic helping Tim into an ambulance. His dad was standing back talking to him before the doors were shut and the paramedics drove away.
"I hope Mrs. Drake will be okay," Hailey said and turned to look at Alfred through the rearview mirror when he asked what she meant. "She got hurt. I think a chandelier or part of the ceiling fell on her head."
"Oh, my," Alfred said with a gasp.
"She was unconscious until a few minutes before we made it out," Hailey said and wrung her hands. "I think they took her to the hospital. Can I-Can I go too?"
"Are you hurt?"
"No," Hailey said and shook her head. "I just want to make sure she's okay. And I want to be there with Tim. His dad didn't go with him to the hospital. Maybe he's all alone and—"
"Say no more," Alfred told her and made a u-turn. "We'll go pay them a visit. I'm certain they'll appreciate it, dear."
"Thank you, Alfred."
Alfred was the one to find out where Janet Drake was being kept. She was still being seen by the doctors in the emergency room. Jack had arrived and was with her but Tim was left behind in the waiting room. Alfred spotted him sitting in a corner chair with his feet up on a chair and an arm wrapped around his knees. He didn't look worried. Instead, the boy was absorbed with the news report.
"Tim!" Hailey called out and ran up to him.
"H-hailey," Tim said standing up and running a nervous hand over his slacks as if to straighten them out. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw the ambulance take your mom. Is she okay?" Hailey asked in a hurry and sat down in the seat next to the one Tim had been sitting in previously.
"Yeah, yeah, she's fine. They're just taking a CT scan and running some tests to make sure. But she says it's just a headache," Tim said and sat down. He wasn't worried in the slightest.
"Oh, okay," Hailey said and sighed heavily. She was very relieved to hear that Janet would be okay. Then she turned to look at Tim again. "Do you mind if we stay with you until you get to see her?"
"No, not at all," Tim said. Then he looked at Alfred and fidgetted nervously.
Alfred bowed his head and said he was glad to see the young master was doing fine after the horrid ordeal. He asked if either of them needed anything but before they could answer in the negative he said he would go get them something to drink and eat.
"You don't have to stay," Tim said politely.
"I know, but I want to keep you company," Hailey said and wrung her hands. "And if I go home, I'll just be alone. You don't mind, right?"
"No," Tim said and turned to look at the TV again. "They said it was a computer program."
"What?"
"A computer program. An AI. That's what attacked the charity. The men in masks weren't real. They were robots. And so was the woman. The one that was shot."
"They looked real," Hailey said skeptically. "The guns were definitely real."
"Yeah," Tim said and huffed out an aggravated breath. "Just watch. They're about to talk to Commissioner Gordon."
She turned to watch the TV. Commissioner Gordon was talking about what happened. He explained who was behind the attack. An AI developed in S.T.A.R. Labs that took it upon itself to enact a mock trial program meant for game testing into the real world. The press began to ask questions and the commissioner did his best to answer them. But the press was in the belief that there had to be someone who was behind the whole thing. That there was no possible way for an AI to do anything on its own without the creator having programmed it to do so or without the creator's knowledge. According to the commissioner, further investigation was still ongoing.
"I bet you it was the bald man," Hailey said out of the blue.
"What?" Tim said and looked at her curiously.
"There was a creepy bald man at the charity. I saw him talking to Bruce. But when the mask men shot up the place, he was gone," Hailey told him.
"Maybe you should tell Mr. Wayne about that," Tim said hesitantly.
"Why? You think I might be right," Hailey said.
"The more they know the better," Tim said with a shrug. "I don't remember seeing anyone like that though."
"Well, Bruce probably won't take me seriously. I'll tell Alfred to see if he thinks it's worth mentioning."
"What is this you need to run by me then?" Alfred said as he placed a juice bottle in Hailey's hand with a sandwich he bought at the cafeteria. He gave the same to Tim who thanked him. After Hailey told him what they were saying on the news and what she remembered, Alfred nodded sagely. "That does sound intriguing, Miss Hailey. Perhaps we should take note of the man's description while it is still fresh in your mind."
Alfred made his way to the receptionist's desk to ask for a pen and paper. He would be sure to pass along the information to Bruce as soon as he could. They ended up staying at the hospital with Tim until close to two in the morning when Jack finally entered the waiting room to retrieve his son. He thanked Alfred and Hailey for keeping Tim company and told them Janet was staying overnight for observation due to a concussion. Tim said he'd call them once his mom was home so that they wouldn't worry needlessly. Alfred thanked him and said his goodnights as he ushered a very sleepy Hailey back to the car. Hailey slept the entire car ride home. When they arrived at the manor, Alfred carried her to bed and tucked her in after removing her shoes. Hailey simply rolled over and buried herself deeper into the covers. Alfred sighed and hurried downstairs to the cave. He needed to let Bruce know what Hailey had told him. Because if he knew something about gut feelings, it was that they were almost never wrong.
