A/N) Ok, So I am just gonna skip my excuses and say I am soooooooooo Sorry! You guys have given me some awesome feedback, more then i had hoped for. I thank you extensively. I hope this chapter was worth the wait!
Don't forget to let me know how this story is going so far! Love?Like?Hate? Anything? I'm all ears . . .er, eyes?
"That's that. "Robin grinned as Annie tied up the criminals they'd just brushed off.
Annie smiled at him, "I was hoping it would be easy tonight." She stepped closer and took his gloved hand in hers, "It's been really busy lately huh?" Her soft voice soothed his ears.
"Yah. That's ok though. It means we get to spend time in a different way." He pushed her shiny hair away from her face.
She giggled lightly, "Come on let's-" Her eyes widened as she gasped out at something behind him. Tim turned around and looked up, following her vision. Just barley catching a dark figure disappear over another roof top.
"Someone was standing there. . . " Annie spoke out worriedly, "I-"
"Forget it. Come on. Batgirls probably waiting." Tim assured her, shaking it off.
It was nothing. Probably just a shadow. Or hey, maybe Batman came back. He wasn't sure how he liked that thought though.
But a nagging feeling, more like the Bat feeling he'd learned was sparking in him.
They were being watched . . . and he bet diamonds to doughnuts it wasn't a good guy that was doing the watching. . .
She rubbed a sleepy eye and staggered down stairs. Her hair was usually just lightly frizzy in the morning, but last night had taken a lot out of her. She hadn't bothered to comb it before going to bed. Annie washed her face in her bathroom and let out a yawn. She blinked at her reflection, a sharp faced girl looked back. She smiled at her.
At least she knew who that girl was now. Mostly. She hadn't let her empty thoughts plague her so much since she'd come to live at Wayne Manor. Instead she filled it with new thoughts and memories. True, she'd wanted to know badly in the beginning, who was she before? Where had she come from? Those sort of things. But slowly the need to know just seemed to . . . ease away, as if they weren't all that important. As if there really wasn't anything to find out about.
She let out a small breath and slipped out of her night dress, what did it matter anyway. She was content here. Talia Al Ghul didn't know where she was and the people she'd met while here where nothing like those over in that horrible island lab.
She turned the hot water on. It didn't matter. She was certain of a lot of things now, this was what a home was for real.
After a refreshing shower Annie combed her shiny black hair and dressed in a over-sized cotton yellow shirt that reached mid thigh. Then, with a light step, she flitted downstairs into the breakfast nook.
Inside Tim was eating cereal and absently watching the news, he looked positively bored. She thought he was adorable. Timmy gave her odd feelings that she didn't know what they were at first. But after some time she realized he made her feel safe and comfortable. He was sweet and gentle and only wanted the best for her and anybody he knew.
"Good morning all." She smiled at the way Tim's eyes brightened when they saw her.
"Morning Annie. Have a good sleep?" He stood up and moved a chair out for her.
"Yes, how about you Barbara?" Annie looked at the red haired woman she'd grown into adoring like a sister she never had.
"Ok. As good as I can get it," Barbara smiled tiredly, before sipping her coffee and turning her attention back to the boring newscaster.
"Liar." Tim accused, "You never sleep anymore. Honestly Babs your going to fall dead from over exhaustion."
Barbara threw him a half amused look, "Said the little boy that's up reading half the night."
Annie giggled at the boys attempt of a scowl. Just then the news caster blared then cut off.
"We interrupt this news report to give you an unscheduled report." A woman, Mrs. Caster, she was called, broke through, she seemed afraid, "Last night the police found three dead bodies all bleeding out in alleyways. Bullet holes were mercilessly punctured through their heads and chests. The faces, however were still intact enough for the police to match their identities. These three man are said to be a few of Gotham's top leading drug dealer leaders. Tony Stiller, Bobby(Knuckles) Ink and The throat."
Annie's eyes widened in shock.
Tim and Barbara, however, seemed unfazed by this.
"Probably another gang fight." She heard Babs mumble while taking a deep drink of her coffee.
"Leading witnesses say that they saw what appeared to be a masked man mutilating them, then leaving them to die. An unnamed witness even went as far to say that he thought it was Batman that did it. Commissioner J. Gordon won't give any comment on the accusation but there is one big question flitting in the air of uncertain minded citizens. Are the 'heroes' of our world crossing the line?'
Coffee went sputtering across the room and splattering all over the TV screen as Barbara choked and coughed, "What-the-heck!" She choked out. Tim patted her back, fear actually crossing his face.
"They think we did it? Oh gosh no." Tim looked at Annie worriedly.
She suddenly felt very small. What was going to go wrong now?
"They can't" Barbara spat, "Not after everything. Come on Tim. We're getting to the bottom of this." She growled out, patting the coffee off the screen half minded with a towel before throwing it aside and marching out of the room.
Annie watched as Tim followed the red head obediently. She decided to follow too. Whatever killed those men she had the sick feeling that they should know about it.
Wally hummed to the song on his car radio, his eyes on the road. He hated driving. Too slow. No matter what speed he went. Listening to music was all he could do to pass something of the tortures time.
Suddenly his song was cut short by an urgent message.
"We warn Gotham citizens to stay indoors after dark. There's reports of Capes out for blood on the loose, so don't take any chances."
Wally screeched to a road marking halt.
"What?" He glared at his radio. Blood thirsty capes? They better not be talking about my friends.
"We knew it would come to this one day." Tom Bulling's voice came through. Wally hated this guy, he was a sleazy good for nothing talk show host, that spoke nothing but dirt against anyone that wouldn't bend to his will.
"Give freaks with abnormal abilities the power to believe they can control something then they let it get to their heads. As far as any decent minded person goes, these monsters had better be shot on sight before its too late."
Wally punched the offending voice. The radio sizzled then died. With an angry hiss he started the car up again and headed for Gotham.
Something was up. And he was going to find out what it was.
Talia glared at the man stationed in front of her father. A man she loathed to a point where she actually let it show on her smooth face. A disgusting traitorous monster.
She hated how her father let power blind him. His project was terrifyingly successful. Nobody knew about it, not even Batman. But He wouldn't have any of it.
"We have an agreement." Al Ghul spoke darkly to the assassin in front of them.
The traitorous Deathstroke.
The man lifted his masked face, "We do. I'll get your little lost child, in return you give me whatever I require. Simple." With that said he rose and walked out of their base. Talia's green eyes narrowed as they followed him out. Unable to keep her anger at bay she turned on her father.
"Why? We're so close to everything. Why risk it with that devil?" She demanded, "For one Boy!"
Her Father slammed his fist into the table, "Not one boy!" He hissed, "That boy, curse his soul, is a close soul of the Detectives, and if he finds him and realizes our lies . . . everything, our plans, our caution, all will amount to nothing! We have enemies daughter, don't you forget that." With that said he shoved past her and disappeared out of the grand room.
Talia watched him go.
She had to find a way out of this.
Before it was too late.
This makes no sense. Barbara glared at the screen. Nothing, aside from what they heard on the news this morning, said anything about what had happened.
It wasn't a cape. It couldn't be. They all knew the unspoken rule. A rule Batman made law. It just didn't make any sense. Hmmm . . . definitely a new criminal in Gotham. But who was he? What was he? Where was he? So many questions, and no answers. It was enough to make her want to throw her chair.
Timmy was in the sparring area with Annie, improving their aim. If she wasn't so wound up she would have thought the way he was instructing her was cute. But right now she was to down in thoughts.
"Ms. Gordon, Mr. west is here to see you." Alfred appeared out of nowhere and then disappeared just as fast. If he was several decades younger that man would be one heck of a crime fighter.
"Babs!" Wally's voice rang through the cave. She sighed, rubbed her head, and went towards him.
"Hey Flash. You rang?" She tried to make light of the situation.
"Don't play that game with me. I invented that game. What's this?" He demanded, showing her the papers.
Shoot, it had made the papers! Who the hell was this guy!?
"Wally, I really don't know. That's what's bugging me." She pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation.
Wally's blue eyes scanned her face as if searching for something else, "You sure. It wasn't- You don't think It's a cape right?"
She gave him a 'how dare you suggest such a thing' kind of look, "No! Come on Wally, we're all freaks. None of us are that crazy though. Right?" She sounded doubtful suddenly.
No. Whoever this was, was just trying to get attention. He wasn't doing anything big. Yet. He just killed a couple of gangsters. What harm is that?
She cringed to think what Batman would say to her current train of thoughts if he had heard them. We don't Kill. No matter how horrible the criminal is.
Yah. So who was breaking that rule?