AAAAAAnnnnd cue the loud dramatic entrance music!

Wait! *dodges any potentially dangerous projectiles that may be hurled in her direction*

I have a good reason for not updating in like years . . . or months. Give or take.

Here it is.

My life sucks.

There said it. Done. Finished. We all friends again? Good. Great. I'm going to give you two chapter today. And probably tomorrow a chapter then I'll probably give you another one on Wednesday and I'd keep going but I've got a freakin family that drags me outside into the demon world every Thursday then work Friday, Sat. and Sun. so . . . yah. How's three days every week for three weeks sound to you guys?

I hope it makes up for those who have been waiting ever so patiently, and to those who haven't.

Enjooooy!

And I really mean it.

"You sure Batgirl?" Robin looked skeptically at the dark building they were staking out from a small ledge in a dark shadow in one of Gotham's more crowded areas.

"No." Her voice came out of the com in his ear after a tired sigh, "Considering this guy's extremely unpredictable, this is the best I've got. Black mask seems to be the only ring leader this guy has yet to murder."

The younger hero resisted the shiver down his spine. Yah, only one so far. He wouldn't ever say it out loud bt this whole mystery killer thing was getting into his head and leavening some pretty ugly thoughts behind. Annie must have noticed him tense up because she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Ok. So if we see anything?"

"Wait for back up. This guy's obviously way above normal criminal level. I'm sending Flash over. Stay sharp. Batgirl out."

Tim ignored the slight hurt at the fact that Babs didn't think he could handle this guy. Sure, she was probably saying it for his own safety, but knowing she thought that he'd get hurt dealing with an abnormal crook kind of stung. Even if she was right.

"Robin!" Annie's voice came out in an urgent whisper, "Look!"

Tim barley blinked. Gun shots cracked the darkness, before they could move, at least six hulking body guard burst through several windows, shattering glass and landing with sickening thuds on the ground. Dead. Robin was sure those were pools of blood spreading under them.

Robin's mind shut down. Which was bad.

"Batgirl we need-" Annie gasped over her com, a gust of wind cut her off.

Flash sped past them and into the building. Neither young hero moved.

Batman would be so disappointed in him if he knew about this deer in headlight moment.

A loud shot killed the silence. Ten seconds later, Tim caught a shadowed figure climbing up the edge of the building. His eyes widened behind his mask.

The killer!

"Quick!" He forgot Barbara's orders, forgot Flash, "Before he gets away!" He shot a grappling hook onto the building, swung across and climbed up quickly, reaching the top on adrenaline.

For some reason he didn't hold out hope that he'd get there in time.

But the shadow was still there, standing on the edge rail. Tim froze, he stared. The figure was tall, and definitely muscled. Definitely a guy. And cape-less.

But . . . why was he not moving? Tim took a step back.

He felt something was off. This guy hadn't been even glimpsed for the past month. Why was he just standing there? Seemed to be staring at the young boy too. Unfortunately he was standing against the moon so the shadows concealed any details Tim might have analyzed. That did nothing to ease Tim's growing fear that the guy was actually. . . studying him. . .?

"Ok. Who are you?" He bit out uncertainly. Like that was gonna work. Bad guys never answered that question.

For some odd reason, Tim felt like the guy was laughing at him.

The boy swallowed as the criminal turned his muscled body to the side, Tim caught a glimpse of silver reflecting off the guys belt. What shocked him was when the man flicked two fingers in a jaunty salute at him and actually jumped off the ledge backwards.

Annie let out a gasp and stretched out an arm automatically, in an attempt to catch him. Tim ran to the ledge and looked over.

Gone.

Just like that.

He swallowed his fear. The only person he knew who could do that was Batman.

And Dick.

Oh crap.

Flash groaned, blinking his eyes rapidly. What hit me? His hand went to his head. He felt his hair. In an automatic panic he snapped upright, his mask was gone he was . . . in the Batcave?

Heis bright blue eyes adjusted to the dim lighting in the overall gloomy sanctuary. Barbara's lean form, hunched over the computer, cleared in his vision.

"Babs?" His voice was horse from not being used. How long had he been out?

"Pretty long, seven hours actually." Tim appeared next to him, seemingly reading his mind, with a glass of orange juice, "Here."

Wally drank it gratefully.

"So . . ." The small framed boy drawled out, the cave went silent, even Barbara stopped typing to look at him, Annie and Zatanna, where'd she come from?, came walking in too. All looked at him.

For what?

Oh . . . Oh yah! Now he remembered.

"Black mask is dead." Barbara helped along, "Care to tell us what happened? Timmy says he doesn't know what went on inside, but he did follow the guy up top. Didn't get any clear details, except the fact that he wasn't wearing a cape. Anything you can give us?" All business.

"Yah," He croaked out blinking back to the scene, "I'd zipped in, goons where already dead. The guy had Black mask in a hold, gun against his neck. He hissed something . . . I don't know for sure, sounded like, 'I'm not Batman,' I don't know." He shook his dizzy head to clear it, "Shot him before I could even blink, saw me, tried to shoot me, somehow . . . . he saw me coming. Knocked me out with a bomb instead. That's it. I blacked out."

"Are you sure?" The young woman prodded on, "Nothing else, no details on costume, looks, anything?"

Wally shook his head dejectedly.

The rest let out a frustrated sigh.

"Aw man. We'll never get anything on him."

"Except that you know he's a guy." Zatanna put out, "With guns, and obvious training."

"And," Annie spoke up, "He can disappear like -like Batman." She seemed to find this frightening. Wally noticed that those words suddenly made everything seem thick.

Barbara stiffened, "I already told you, there is no way it's Batman, in any sense. And it is definitely NOT Dick. You all know that he's not that crazy . . ." Tim noticed she sounded less sure the second time around.

Had Dick gone psycho? It was possible in this crazy world. Maybe after he'd left in a fit of terror and rage he'd gone crazy! Tim looked at Babs, her face had a fearful look to it. He decided she didn't need his negative possibilities.

"Back to the thinking board." She muttered under her breath, and turned back to the computer.

"Sorry Babs . . ." Wally said apologetically. Fastest man alive and I still got nothing! Pathetic.

Talia smirked, satisfied.

She'd just finished sending Batman an encoded message. He'd get it no matter where he was, and it would blow the detective off course. How could it not? Not even Batman could withstand such a reveal of such a huge secret. It would consume him. Father's plans were as good as safe.

She tapped a pointed nail on the metal desk.

Now. To find a way to keep Deathstroke from finding Jason. Well, to do that she had to find Jason. But she didn't know where he was. He was using her own techniques against her to keep from being traced. Brilliant boy. She smiled less maliciously. She wasn't going to let Deathstroke get him.

That was a promise.

Even if it meant going against fathers orders.

She had much work to do. Things were progressing faster than they should have. Quickly she stood up in her tight black body suit and headed out of the darkened room.

Time to get Batman's surprise ready for transport.

Wally circulated the city as Flash. Thinking. Hard. Central had been extremely quiet. Come to think of it . . . all of the cities had been really quiet. Except for the random disturbances in Gotham. Other than that . . . nobody else seemed to be doing much.

The speedster couldn't help feeling it was like a calm before the storm. Only God knew how long the calm would last. And how terrible the storm would hit.

A scream grabbed his attention. Wally sighed. So much for calm. If it wasn't some big time criminal, it was a street thug.

He flashed towards the scream, sure enough, a young woman was being harassed by three men. Geez, how many damsels did he have too-

Mallory? Was this girl jinxed or something? This is like the third time she'd been mugged!

A flash of pink energy flickered from her fingers, the guy holding her crumpled to the ground, groaning. The other two froze. Her eyes flashed pink, a fire hydrant exploded and side KO'ed a guy, the wall behind the last one crumbled.

That was that.

Flash stood there, still not believing he'd seen that. Again.

Mallory smirked in satisfaction and dusted her hands off, turning with a proud look, until her eyes landed on the red clad hero. She gaped.

"Shit." She cursed under her breath, "You did NOT just see that."

He nodded, as stunned as he was the first time he'd seen it.

She seemed to fall angry instantly, "How does this keep happening?! What're the odds! Stupid bad luck!" She kicked the wall next to her angrily.

Flash swallowed. This could be the perfect opportunity. Someone like Mallory on the hero side could really help wrap up this psycho killer quickly.

"W-what's your name Ms?" He knew. Two people, remember.

She glared at him, "Mallory Johnson. Go on, go tell the whole city. So I can get kicked out of this one too!" She let loose, a flicker of pink escaped her fingers and smashed the over head street light.

Wally blinked, "No, No! I . . . I thought you were just another citizen," He ignored her snort, "But you're incredible!" Her hard face dropped for a second, then disbelief popped back up, "You-you could be an awesome hero with the right training. Wanna join my team?" He blurted out the last part.

He swore she was going to flash him with her painful powers. Instead she fell into a dejected stance. Confidence all gone.

"No . . . I can't."

"Why?" He tilted his masked head inquiring gently. Easy West, don't scare her.

"Because. My powers come from a source of bad luck ok. There, I said it. Nobody's supposed to know."

"I'm flattered."

She scoffed, "Only telling you this so you'll leave me alone. I can't be a hero. I destroy things. Not help things. Your looking for a hero in the wrong place when it comes to me." She had a sad, somewhat yearning look she seemed to be trying to hide.

Wally decided she needed some convincing, "So? Most hero's power destroyed things until they figured out how to use them productively. I used to smash into buildings all the time." He stretched out a hand to her warmly, "Come on, I bet you'd be one of the best."

She looked at him, then his hand, then back at him. She seemed to want to take it . . . something wasn't letting her.

"No," She pulled back, "Sorry Flash . . . I'm Bad luck. Being a hero . . . isn't an option for me." She turned and hurried down the ally.

Wally stared after her.

She was wrong. He knew she could be a hero. Why he suddenly had the urge to prove that to her escaped him. But then, when it came to his feelings. Rationality was never a part of them.

There. If you haven't figured out who Mallory is supposed to be by now I am pretty sure you know now.

Hope this wasn't a let down.

Review here to let me know you still want this story to go on.

On to the next chapter!