Chapter 7

2009:

The East End was a disaster zone. Far from the wake of Ra's rampage, it would also be the last targeted for redevelopment. Many displaced members of society were flocking in now, moving into the squatters and fighting on the streets for every scrap of food they could get their hands on. The slum corners were so overcrowded all one could see walking down a sidewalk was body after body lying side by side, some under cardboard boxes, some hugging each other for warmth, and a few here and there completely still. Selina could not bring herself to look at those, knowing that there was no one to make burial arrangements, knowing that all the council could do was pass through the streets each day in their armoured vehicles, scattering the homeless while loading the dead into vans to be cremated.

It might have been poetic if it wasn't so horrific, watching the aftermath of a crisis. She always thought she would enjoy the chaos, if anarchy were ever to break loose on society. Not so. How she ever could have was a mystery. This wasn't a game anymore. No hunts, no thrills. If it had been a part of the city best avoided before, now it was as good as sealed off from the rest of Gotham. The people here, they were desperate, forsaken. Even Batman would not be there to save the day. Well, if not Batman, perhaps she could be around to whip them back in line.

She crouched low in the back end of the alley, ears pricked.

"Here, pretty, pretty. C'mon little one... we won't hurt you," growled a voice from around the corner. Right on schedule.

Whip in the air, she swung up to the lowest level of the fire escape and perched on the railing. The voice was definitely coming from the right, and the manic giggles of his chums could be heard over the whimpering of a child. The sick bastards. She let her whip fly again, landing on the street light just above them.

"Leave the kid alone."

The men paused, squinting about them. One eventually caught her shadow beyond the weak glare of the lamp light and grinned, licking his lips as he did so. "Oh look, a little kitty. Wanna come play with us too?"

"Not on your life, Sicko." She leaped down. The cat o' nines lashed out, wrapping around his neck and dragging his burly figure head first into the lamp post. There was a sharp crack along with the clang of metal. Now the other two had abandoned the child, a girl by the looks of it, and were edging towards her.

"Bad kitty," the owner of the voice she had first heard spoke, "Papa spank." His face was creased, grime caking between the folds of his forehead and cheeks. His eyes were in sunken pockets of skin, shining dully like crude oil. Slobber hung off his unshaven chin, which led to a cruel mouth twisted over yellowing teeth. He lunged forward, but Selina was ready, spinning around to aim a back hook to his head, the heel of her boot crashing into his temple. He went down with a thud, but not before the last one started running towards Catwoman.

He was skinny, but just as cruel looking. The cut of the business jacket he had on suggested he had once lived a comfortable life, or at least, that it had once belonged to someone who did. The cuff buttons had fallen out and the ends of his sleeves lay in tatters. She ducked as his fist rushed into her view, rolling to the side into a half crouch. The man stumbled, but then turned around, breath heavy and panting, eyes bulging as he staggered once before picking up speed again.

"Tear you apart, you wench," he cried. Perfect, really. Selina grabbed the trailing bits of cloth as he charged towards her the second time, redirecting him towards the gutter with a quick tug, physics taking care of the rest. Commonsense said they wouldn't be down for long. The girl was still huddled next to the wall, eyes squeezed tightly shut throughout the fight.

"Hey there honey, let's get you somewhere safe, uh huh?" The thin child was near weightless as Selina half cradled her, one arm securely round her waist as the other swung the whip high above them. Soon they were between the slopes of the tops of two old terraces, hidden from view and inaccessible by most. The girl had clung to her the whole way, and even now was shivering as she slowly took her fingers out of the grip on Selina's shoulder, twining them together in her lap instead.

"Oh what are we going to do with you?" Selina sighed, half to herself. A gasp escaped from the girl's lips, and Selina was about to assure her she was safe when she realised the girl was staring at something across her shoulder.

"I thought it would be you," she said as she twirled around to face a black bat symbol etched on grey cloth. It had been a while. "You look like hell," she continued. He actually did, and it wasn't just the stubble dotting his jaw line. 'And I thought I had it bad,' she said. "Don't you have your little girlfriend to help?"

"I heard of a vigilante in the Eastside, thought I would come check it out," brusque, very professional. Could have been better delivered if he didn't look on the verge of collapsing.

"Well someone had to. You've certainly not been here. Have you even seen the place?" She replied cooly. "No, never mind the place, just that poor child over there," she said, softening her voice as she glanced at the still silent girl staring saucer eyed at the pair.

Batman looked at Selina, then nodded. "I have," he said. He turned to the girl, then back to Catwoman again. "You're doing good work here."

"Not nearly enough," Selina sighed, "While those rich playboys are out making bets on who wants to be the next big guy in that toasted world that used to be Gotham, the forgotten are left to rot. Where is Bruce Wayne, huh? What has Wayne Enterprises been doing? Some rebuilding project." Her arm shot out to the sides, pointing towards the city centre, voice getting heated again.

"I am sure, Mr. Wayne is concerned about the establishments in the east," Batman said, capturing her wrists and bringing them down to her sides, stilling her. Selina struggled against his grip.

"Oh yeah? And how exactly would you know that?"

"Trust me."

"Trust you?" Selina scoffed. "How do you expect me to do that? You don't trust me. I lower my guard, you slap the handcuffs on me. I tell you I'm reformed, you don't believe me. I truly begin to walk the straight and narrow, you cut ties entirely. I don't even know who you are." He had let go of her by now, but they were unbearably close. Selina placed one slender hand on his chest, skimming lightly across the black symbol. "Why should I trust you?" she asked again, voice a mere whisper into the folds of his cloak.

"There is a children's shelter, just beyond the main east sector. The child should be safe there," Batman said to the space above her head. Two seconds later he was gone.

Oh Batman, what happened to us?

"Come on child, we're going to get you some place safe," Selina said, coaxing the child into a hug. "Now, what's your name?"

"Holly, ma'am."

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