Disclaimers :: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.
A/N :: Apologize for late update. Life has kept me busy. I am in the process of moving back to Thailand. Still have much packing to do! *sobs*
Warning:: No-Beta. I will try to correct the misspell later. Some Strong Language. And some new characters are being introduced in this chapter! Hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 13 :: Turning Table.
Lessons learned, bridges burned to the ground,
And it's too late now to put out the fire,
Tables turned, and I'm the one who's burning now.
- Daughtry , Crawling back to you.
"What is this?"
He glared down at a person who supposed to be his friend ―a few people whom he trusted, a hand that holding a small disk out to him. And he knew from the other man's squeamish expression that his ever famous Bat-glare was making the Man of Steel nervous as hell.
And Bruce sure this a little piercing gaze was nothing compared to what he actually wanted to do to his colleague right now. After he found out, not only Clark and J'onn knew about Diana's situation. Either of them had said a word to him.
After all this time, he went looking for her like a fool….
Clark spilled the beans after they both saw what the hacker had been trying to do―comparing DNA of this girl to any members of Justice League. Bruce listened without blinking while the man of Steel telling him that he and J'onn found out about Diana's pregnancy after they hauled both of them up to Medical from that faithful Amusement fiasco. And that Diana had made them promised not to tell him.
After that Clark fled the mainframe quarter and came flying back within a minute with his Superspeed, bringing the said object in his hand.
"What is this?" He pressed again. His voice lower than usual.
"Di….Diana asked me to give this to you, when you…umm….know about her daughter―"
"―My daughter"
"Yes. I mean, yours, hers…" Clark paused when Bruce seemed to just keep glaring at his hand. "Look, Bruce. Diana had me and J'onn swore to never said anything to you…..I'd wanted to, I swear. And I know so did J'onn…."
Oh, Really? He glared harder. Clark swallowed and put the disk on the table near the large keyboards.
"Since J'onn is still off-world mission with Green Lantern….You'll get only my side of story. I'm not saying I'm making excuse to get out of it. I know my promise with Diana hurt your feelings―"
His brow quirked under the mask. "You think you'd hurt my feelings?" His voice low and cold. "….No, Superman. Your promise to Diana didn't just hurt my feelings. It'd taken away years with a daughter I never knew exist"
He turned away from his friend. Bruce couldn't stand another look at Clark anymore. His gaze lifted up and met photos on the large screen. The girl who supposed to be his daughter and their identical dark blue eyes. His hands fisted into balls.
"…I'm sorry, Bruce….Diana's my friend too…" Clark's voice laced with regret. "And I just wanted to help her―"
"Help?" Bruce forced himself not to snort. "You'd helped enough. Now, Get out. Get out before I did something we both will regret…" He didn't raise his voice. But he could feel anger pulsing along with his words.
"….Just…look at the disk, alright?"
Bruce didn't reply. He didn't even glance back. He heard Clark let out a breath then a few second later, the mainframe quarter door slid open then shut. He was by himself again.
All alone and the truth right in front of him.
The girl looked mostly like Diana, she had her chin, her cheekbones and her full lips. But her eyes, rounder and the color of dark blue―like his. She would be around Seventeen now. What would she be like? Did she knew about him? Why was she even in Gotham? Was Diana with her?
His gaze slid to the disk his friend had left on the table. He reached for it and held it in his hand. and stared.
Did he really want to know what was in this disk? What Diana had to say? Was he ready to go through this again?
Sharp pain raced through his mind as the distant memory surged. He still remembered that certain moment when he finished reading Diana's letter….
He remembered anger, disappointment and denial.
His jaw clenched, He shut his eyes and trying to bury that memory to the back of his mind. Bruce willed himself to take that disk out and slid it into the slot.
Super Computer hummed lowly as it loading the disk's content. Less than a second later a new window popped up on the large screen. A video file started playing and Diana in her Wonder Woman's attire staring straight at the camera. Her blue eyes saddened and puffy as if she had been crying.
"Hello, Bruce…." She started, Bruce gripped the keyboard for support….Her voice, coarse and raspy like she had been screaming for hours. But she smiled at him―at the camera, and continued.
"…If you are watching this then it means you'd met our daughter― Well, technically I don't know It will be a girl. Although the source seemed to be very sure that I will…." Her gaze trialed off, looking a bit sadder than before. "….anyway, I am sorry you have to know about her this way. I wish I'd been there and telling myself. But if you'd met her without me, that's only meant one thing….My time is up"
What?
Diana on the screen looked back at the camera and gave him the saddest smile, she still looked so beautiful. "….There's war coming, Bruce. One that will make me a casualty. Our child is a key to this war, someone―something….would want to harm her, hurt her. I cannot let her fall victim to them before the time is right. But I don't know how long I'll have. So I am taking her to Themyscira, to train in our Amazon ways. My mother shall look after her when I'm gone. Please understand that I didn't stay because I don't trust her life with you….She just…she'll need our knowledge, ones you might not be able to give. And I do not want to burden you from your duty….I know you love your city, As I've loved mine..…" Tear brimmed in her eyes as she quickly swiped it away. "I'm going home. And I love you, Bruce. Remember that will never change, whereever I'll be….I'll always love you and our daughter. Please take care of her and love her for me…."
The video feed died a second later. His heart felt like someone just threw it up in air and let it free falling…
My time is up.
..When I'm gone…
Did that mean what he thought it mean?
His gloved hands gripped the computer for support when his legs threatening to give away.
…..When I'm gone…
Diana's gone?
Gone as in….passed away?
Why? How?
No. that's not true. He wouldn't believe it until he saw her body…her grave.
Bruce clenched his fists and looked up at the surveillance photos again. His eyes locked on that one picture his daughter-wearing bright red T-shirt, a pair of denim shorts and sneaker stood with both hands behind her back, looking down at street performer. The shot was taken inside what appeared to be subway walkway tunnel. She was smiling, appeared pleased at the performer. Another shot zoomed in at her face, showing dimples on her cheeks.
This girl….. My daughter.
The word seemed so alienated to him. Never in his life, he'd never thought he would have a chance to dream of having children of his own. Let alone, a daughter. With Diana.
I was born from magic, Bruce. I cannot have children without a divine blessing.
He remembered what she told him. That why they never used protection. And since she wasn't in a good grace with her gods by gotten banished from Themyscira, they never thought of petition to have that kind of blessing from her them.
He should have known something wasn't right. Her sudden departure, the disappearance of Paradise Island. And now after seventeen years, his daughter was here in Gotham.
His hand moved, clicking away at the screen. Tracing her details from those other surveillance photos. She had his eyes. Not just the color but the same kind of eyes that made his scowl deepened.
The eyes that older than the owner's age.
He had that kind of eyes ever since he lost his parents. Dick had that kind of eyes when he lost his, Tim also had that kind of eyes as well.
The eyes that knew losing, knew of loneliness.
My time is up. Diana's word echoed in his mind. Resonated within, refusing to let him forget.
It didn't show in all of the photos though, he only had a glimpse of it. Whoever did the surveillance sure know how to capture the moment, looking for vulnerable spot. The way he taught both his protégés.
So came along next question, which one of his protégé trying to hack into Justice League Database?
Bruce narrowed his eyes to the IP address of the computer that was used to hack the database. Whoever did it rerouted their tracks well but he was better, and another few minute showing the password that was used belong to Nightwing.
His gaze narrower as he pulled Dick's league schedules and mission logs. While he didn't doubt the reason Dick would be doing surveillance on a daughter he never knew he had, he did wonder was it really Dick who did it.
The mission logs showed date and time when the photos were taken that Dick was up here doing some training with junior members. So there was only another person who could do this kind of work.
Tim.
But in the devil's name his current protégé spending time on surveillance on this girl. How did they even meet? And he was doing it while on suspension from patrol. Did Bruce just give him the chance to do all these?
Well, only one way to find out.
He activated his comlink and called Barbara.
"Batman to Oracle" He said in his low baritone voice, calm and controlled even though inside he was erupting like a volcano.
A few minutes later a groggy voice greeted him back. "Oracle here"
"Find me Nightwing and Robin. I need them both up here at the Watchtower. Now."
A few minutes of silence before Barbara replied back. "Nightwing is already at the Watchtower….It'll take me a bit to find Robin…" another paused. "Is everything alright?"
He just found out the only woman he'd forever in love with bore him a daughter. And the said daughter was there in Gotham city, right under his nose. Apparently one of protégé had been stalking her without his knowledge.
So, No. He is not goddam alright! He wanted to shout. Nothing was alright. He could feel his control slipping away every damned second.
But Bruce gritted his teeth and took a breather. He clicked his comlink and answered. "….Just find them. Fast…"
Because he wasn't sure how long before he would spontaneously combust. And he wanted his questions answered before that happened.
Sometimes Dick wondered, If spending Summer Break to train bratty little spawns of the devil instead of laying on the beach and sipping frozen Margarita would worth anything. And the fact these brats weren't really spawns of Devils but the senior members of the Justice League.
"Are we done yet?"
Dick glared thru his white lenses on his mask at the person who asked this same damn question for the five times within ten minutes.
Veronica Queen A.K.A. Arrowette, Leaned against the practice dummy. Looking down at her perfect manicure hands, checking cuticles. She wore two pieces bright pink workout clothes that show her midriff. Her long blond hair pulled up in a neat ponytail. Her expression bored as she sucked on her dum-dum.
"We'll be done when I said we are" Dick suppressed his irritation and answered. Before turned back to Superboy who using his head pounding on the dummy…literary.
"Superboy! You're supposed to get out of the straitjacket without killing the hostage that tied to you!" Dick yelled.
"But you said not to use my superstrenght in front of the hostage!" Superboy tilted his head back to him, frowning.
"And why do you keep buttheading the hostage?"
"To knock him out?"
"And then what?"
"Umm….then use my superstrenght after he passed out?"
Arrowette snorted from behind him. Dick just rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.
These two. The junior members of Justice League or that was a pretty title of Hi! I am a superhero's little brat! Arrowette―the spoiled princess of Green Arrow and Black Canary who spent half the training time texting, eating her lollipops and more texting. And then…there was Superboy. He was eager to learn, Dick gotta give him that. But, sometimes Dick wondered if his Kryptonian gene was eating his brain cells? Like Cancer? Because Dick wouldn't say the boy was stupid, if you'd seen him with picking up girls. That kid was a goddamn genius with the ladies. Though…it didn't do much help if he got sent into a mission where there was no female around. Would the kid get his head blown off because he didn't know what to do?
Dick sighed again. ….why couldn't these two be more like Tim? If only Bruce let Tim joined the junior members. Tim would have more patient with them than he was.
Talk about the impossible….
There was no way in hell Bruce would let Tim join these two. After he saw the reviews of their training. Bruce would say it was a waste of time and that Tim belonged in Gotham. Dick remembered when Bruce learned that he joined the Justice league without consulting him.
Sometimes, Bruce forgot that even Dick, his former protégé, former partner. But he was his own person, that Bruce didn't own him, that he wasn't a property of Batman.
"Oracle to Nightwing"
Barbara's voice rang from his comlink, dissipated his train of thought in less than a second.
"Hey, Babe…I mean, Yes, Oracle?"
He could hear her scowling when she replied. "Batman needs you at Mainframe Quarter of the Watchtower ASAP" Barbara paused when she heard Superboy yelped as he tripped the chain and slammed himself into the nearest dummy that happened to be the one Arrowette was leaning on, the girl shrieked and leaped away in time before he crashed. "And I take it you still up there babysitting?"
Babysitting sounded about right.
"What's this about?" Sighing he turned away from the two trainees before he help himself out of misery by choking his own neck.
"Batman didn't say. But I need to get in touch with Robin. Batman wants him up there as well…And I still can't locate him. He turns off all his electronics, including the PDA and the comlink…."
Well, hell….what in the world is Tim up to now? Dick rubbed his aching temples with his gloved hands, ignoring Arrowette's shrieking something unintelligent at Superboy in the background.
It wasn't like Tim to do things on impulse. First he stalked that weird girl…though he thought maybe Tim just infatuated with her or something. Not that he would blame Tim, that girl was really a looker. Now he turned off the locator, breaking another of Bruce's rule.
Never turned off the locator, in case of emergency rescue.
Well, That meant Tim was up to something. Even used his newest disguise earlier today, though…his adopted brother acted like a boy on his first date that just a typical surveillance.
Dick frowned. He realized he didn't catch anything Barbara just said. "…..Anyway, you better go see him soon. He sounded…um…..just go see him, alright?"
"Will do" He said before cut off his commlink. Taking a look at the time, still have about fifteen minutes to go.
Crashing sound echoed the training room accompanied with girly screech. Dick rubbed his temple and decided to end this Escapology class before Arrowette decided to stab Superboy with her Kryptonite laced nails.
Thanks the lord for a small favor that Bruce never adopted a girl.
The sliding door whoosh opened. His eyes caught the screen before he even stepped in.
Dick remembered those surveillance photos that Tim uploaded, he didn't even ask why his adopted brother used his password to login to Justice League Database. But now that he saw what was on the screen. His jaw almost hit the ground.
"I want full story. Now" Bruce didn't even turn his face to greet him. The man just stood with his hands braced on the edge of the keyboard. Even though he didn't raise his voice, Dick could feel his spine started going frigid.
"Umm….I don't think Tim―"
And then he turned to him. Their eyes locked. "I wasn't asking"
Dick swallowed.
Well, shit. Little bro….how would you get out of this one?
Lysandra wasn't sure what she hated more.
Waking up on her stomach, face smothering into pillow. Or, waking up with handcuffs on her wrists.
But with her luck, of course that she got both of the options.
Damn everything to Hades!
Lysandra squinted her eyes and try to glance over her shoulder, trying to figure out what in Hades was going on. Or better yet, what was going on.
Despite her awkward position, she was able to see that she was laying down on the bed, a blanket covered her body. Definitely not hers, from the socks that hanging out from the hamper nearby the bed.
The room was small but cozy. A set of expensive looking laptop sat on the other end of the small room by the closet that its doors were slightly ajar. She got a glimpse of a fade gray armchair at the other end of the room with some black fabric hanging over. Turning her face to the other side, she could see the window leading out to the fire escape, outside was night time. But she could still hear traffic from outside, though not as loud as she used to. Was she even still on Gotham?
Her hair was still braided though tousled. Twisting her body, a sharp pain shot up her body from her back. And memories flashed through her mind…
The artifact, the warehouse, that horse face whore and Steve….
By the gods! Steve!
Panic hit her in the gut as she struggled with the handcuffs. Memory of her loft got blew up sky high and Tim stuck tranquilizer in her neck, twice.
Fury bubbled inside, Lysandra gritted her teeth and pulled hard at her restrains. "That little piece of Minotaur's shi―"
"Hey! Don't have to call me names, alright?" On cue, Tim appeared at the door, holding a tray of food. "I was trying not to get you killed!"
"I wasn't asking. You twat―" kicking her legs, and pulled some more at her handcuffs.
"Oi!" Tim let out a long sigh. He put the tray down on the table by the laptop and leaned back to table, arms crossed over his chest, legs crossed at ankles.
"Let me out of this at once! You hear me!?" Lysandra shouted and slammed her body the bed. Only her wrists were tied so the rest of her body was pretty much free to move. The wooden headboard started to bang against the wall.
"Umm….you might want to stop doing that…."
"WHY" Bang! "THE HELL" Bang! Bang! "NOT!" Bang!
"Well….." Tim trailed off, making Lysandra glanced back over her shoulder. And realized the blanket that covered her, slid off to the floor….leaving her nothing but underwear and sport bra she wore the night before.
Flame flushed her face.
"YOU PERVERT LITTLE PIECE OF SH―"
"Hey! I was trying to tend your wound, Alright? How do you expect me to do it with your clothes in the way?"
"I expected you to leave it the hell alone! It'd have healed itself!"
"Well, excuse me. I was just trying to save you from blood lose!"
"I didn't ask you to!"
"But Mr. Trevor asked me!"
They both breathed heavily from their yelling session. Her eyes stung from the mention of Steve's name. Tim's pale face flushed deep red then he let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, I'm sorry I undressed you, under the circumstance, I was just trying to do what should be done"
"Where are my clothes, Weapons?"
"Clothes…over there" He pointed at the armchair. "Weapons, I confiscated them. For now"
"Confiscated?" Was he friggin' kidding her? "You have no right to do that! I have to get out of here and find Stev―"
"Lysandra…." Tim's voice softened. Oh no, she didn't like that tone at all. He was using that voice trying to coax her to calm down. "There…there was nothing left but debris. I went and checked at your apartment after I tended to you…"
"Wh…what are you saying?"
"Fire department found two bodies, Lysandra….Mr. Trevor didn't make it from the fire"
"No" The pain squeezed in her chest, making it so hard for her to breath. "No, he can't die….he was just brought back to life to help me! He can't just…..die!"
"I'm sorry"
"No! Not again! Not this again!" She screamed, trashed from the restrains, feeling the wetness on her cheeks. Was she crying? "Let me go! LET ME OUT!"
"Stop it! Your wound's going to reopen if you kept moving around!" Tim rushed over and pressed his hand over her shoulder blade but she only trashed harder.
"I don't want to tranq you again, don't make m―OW!" Lysandra didn't know how but she managed to kick his nose with her foot. But not for long because Tim now grabbed her ankle.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! AND LET ME OUT!" She screamed louder. Didn't care if the whole city would hear what she was shouting. She wanted out. RIGHT NO―
"Shit! Tim! What have yo―Oh…"
A new voice startled them, they both froze with Tim holding one of her ankle high in the air and the other hand pushed Lysandra who both hands cuffed to the wooden headboard, flat on the mattress. She glance over her shoulder at the source of that voice. Seeing Tim's adopted brother standing with his jaw hitting the floor.
"….Umm…Please, Excuse me" He said in apologetic tone after several seconds, then retreated back the way he came from. The door swing shut with a click!.
Both of them turned to look at each other. For a good few minutes until Tim yelped and let go of both her shoulder and ankle as if they were hot coal. Her leg fell and hit the mattress, the movement sent the pain shot up from her still tendered wound to her brain. Lysandra grinded her molars and turned her face into the pillow. Not wanting to let him see that the wound still hurt like a bitch.
"I….umm…I was bringing you food, thought you probably hungry when you wake up" Lysandra realized Tim moved backward to where he set the tray down when he first entered the room, not sure how he managed to retreat so fast, not that she give a flying monkey at the moment. Lysandra shot him a glare.
"I don't want food. I want my clothes and my hands to be free!"
"Sorry, can't do. Since we both know you'd probably run head long to find those witches with your wound still tendered" Tim moved closer, got folding tray table open by the bed before set the food on it. Lysandra ignored the delicious smell of whatever in that bowl.
Deciding not to look at the food, she shot him another scowl. "Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?" Giving her innocent look, he asked.
"THIS" She gestured with her eyes. "Don't you realize already that everyone who help me…." Died. But the word stuck in her throat. Her mouth opened to said it but it wouldn't come out willingly. Tears threatened to fall but she wouldn't let it come. She fought hard to hold it.
Tim moved closer. "Lysandra…."
And damned that voice! That soothing voice, he didn't even say anything word, just her name. He just said her name! And the wall she built was about to crumble down.
Her stomach decided it was a good time to growl. Loudly.
Her face flushed. And Tim just laughed. The Jerk!
"I see that your body seemed to disagree with you" He said after a good minute of laughing his butt off.
"Well, My body doesn't always know what best for it!" Lysandra gave him her best glare…but the jerk seemed to be immune to it already! Ugh! "Fine! I'll eat! But…did you forget something?"
"Something?..." Raising a brow at her question, so Lysandra tilted her head toward her bounded hands. "Oh! Sorry…."
Tim pulled a small key out of his pants pocket and released her left hand. Lysandra waited for him to uncuff the other but Tim just slipped the key back in his pocket and walked over to the closet. As soon as Lysandra twisted her body back to sit properly a piece of fabric hit her in the face before slid down into her lap.
Looking down with a scowl, she found a white t-shirt laying there.
"Put that on and eat your food. I'll be back" Tim said and rushed to the door.
"Hey! How do you expect me to put it on with one hand!" Lysandra called out but it was too late. Tim reached for the door swung it opened, slid through and slammed it shut.
Finally she was alone again. With one hand still cuffed to the bed and in nothing but her underwear.
Angry, she punched the pillow hard. "Why you little piece of―OW!"
Pain rippled through her body from the back wound. Lysandra gritted her teeth and mentally cursed at everything. When the pain subsided, she looked at the food tray then back to the t-shirt in her lap then back to the food.
Sighing, she grabbed the soft fabric and slid it on, her left and her head through the designated holes but left her right side stretched over her shoulder. Lysandra gave a scowl at the state she was in then eyed the food.
"At least give me some pants or something…." She muttered.
Only to be answered by the rumble from her stomach. As if to tell her to shut up and start eating.
Well. She could always start plotting her escape when she was full.
Slamming the door shut, Tim willed himself to lean back against it. Trying hard to even his breathing, he had no idea what was it about Lysandra riled him up so much.
Okay, that wasn't all true. He knew what exactly what parts of her riled him up. Didn't mean he was happy to admit it.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Tim tried to push the memories of her near nakedness out of his mind. Last night when he finally dropped her unconscious body on his bed at Dick's apartment in Bludhaven, his brain was too busy trying to tend her gushing injury. His mind didn't even pause and even second guessing when he stripped the leather off her body.
But soon after he cleaned the wounds (including the one she cut earlier on her hand) and made sure the bleeding stopped. And his amusement mind stopped after seeing the flesh started to knit itself back together though very slowly. Tim realized he was staring at her near naked state. Panic punched him hard, almost staggered him. Tim did only things his brain telling him to.
He ran like hell.
Well, after he handcuffed her to the bed and throw a blanket on her, of course. At least, his mind wasn't all short circuits. Tim blamed all his reactions to his hormones. Since he was a teenage boy, he could always blame his attraction to Lysandra to his raging hormones.
After collected himself, Tim went back to check Lysandra's apartment in China Town. He hung out in the shadow watched Fire Department taming the flame. By the time it was done. Only burnt debris left, GCFD found two bodies, burned beyond recognition. No doubt, it was Mr. Trevor and the red head witch.
Contemplated how he was going to tell Lysandra.
Not that it mattered now, he already told her. And the girl sure as hell was plotting an escape or worse, the way to kill him while eating the chicken soup he brought for her.
"Look, bro…." Dick's voice brought him back to reality. One he wasn't sure he wanted to face at the moment. Tim looked up at his adopted brother, already changed out of his Nightwing suit, wearing jeans and t-shirt. Arms crossed and leaned against the kitchen counter. Dick continued. "I'm not judging you if you got some kinky fetish going on but You do realized who the hell you got handcuffed to your damn bed?!"
How could he forget? Tim rubbed his face with both palms of his hands. He muttered. "Yeah….I do.." He paused and looked through the fingers. "And it's not what you think…"
"It doesn't matter what I think. Bruce knows"
"What?" Shit.
"Bruce. He saw the result of the DNA test you were trying to compare….And man, he's not happy. The man looked like he was about to blow a gasket" Dick's eyes fixed on him. Tim knew he was gauging his reaction to the news. But Tim wouldn't let Dick knew he was about to flip a lid himself, so he put his calm mask on and went around the counter, ignoring his brother's eyes and grabbed his half eaten ham sandwich he left on the plate and put it in his mouth. Chewing it slowly.
"Bruce also looking for you, bro…." Dick dropped another bomb. "…he figured out you were the one who took the surveillance photos. And the fact that you turned off every electronic device he couldn't track your location….he knew you're hiding something…or rather you're hiding the girl"
Awesome. He was deeper in the shit pit than he thought. Now Bruce knew Tim's hiding his daughter.
The reason Tim ever think of comparing her DNA was because Lysandra's Amazon heritage, though that was a long shot. But her similarities to Wonder Woman had pushed him into that direction. Lysandra shared her mother's exotic cheekbones, celestial nose and those luscious lips.
But her eyes…..How could he not see the obvious? They had the same eyes. Bruce and Lysandra shared the same dark blue color, though Lysandra's eyes shaped rounder. They also possessed the infamous glare. The way their sharp eyes piecing into your soul, ripping all the secrets of the universe inside of you, forcing you to bare them all to the world.
And Tim remembered what the possessed man said in the warehouse. "I should have known you would run to your daddy"
Plus the fact that Lysandra demanded him to take a blood vow, preventing him to tell Bruce about her. It almost made senses now. What he still didn't get was why would she didn't want Bruce to know. From her reaction she knew exactly who her father was.
"You know what this mean?" Swallowed the food he barely tasted, Tim asked Dick.
"Beside, that old rumor about our Bruce had hot for Wonder Woman was true?" Amusement in Dick's tone almost made Tim laugh. "….Yeah. It means you are in deep shit for not telling him, bro…He has Babs tracking your location. As well as the girl"
"You didn't tell him I was here though, right?"
"I just told him the truth, that you came and go as you please. I didn't keep track of you since the last time you were here using my computer to hack the database"
"And he believes you?"
"I don't think he believe in anything at this point. But Babs is keeping him busy with some other unrelated facts" Dick shrugged.
"Unrelated facts?"
"About a pair of vigilantes caught the museum robbers tonight. Apparently one of the robber was force to call 911. And they recorded the vigilantes' voices. Babs said one of them sound like you. So she sent Bruce that way…"
Tim forced himself not to stop chewing but it was too late. Dick's eyes went wide.
"You were there?!"
But Tim didn't answered. He just shut his eyes and swallowed the rest of his sandwich. Ignoring Dick's muttering, "Shit, Tim…Just Shit…"
Yeah. Tim couldn't agree more.
Lysandra licked the spoon clean. Okay, she admitted she was hungry. No denying food since she didn't know when the next time she would be eating again.
But now that she was full, it was time to get the hell out of here.
Eyeing her still cuffed hand, Lysandra moved the foldable table out of her way and slid closer to the headboard. The cuff clanking against her silver bracelet, the standard model she familiar with. And Tim didn't even use double lock.
Although, Lysandra admitted she wasn't a big fan of what Steve's occupation used to be. She hated tricksters, liars and his job those were all in his resume. But Steve was still a decent man, he did his job to serve his country. Thinking of him she felt a sharp pain in her mind.
Another death because of her. She swore to all the gods on Olympus. His death would be avenged.
Steve wasn't just her keeper, to her he was also a teacher. She was grateful for things that Steve had taught her over the short time they stay together. Picking handcuffs was one of them. Though she wasn't very proficient with it yet. Now it was time to put the knowledge to good use.
Lysandra reached her free hand under her braided hair, poked around until she found one of the bobby pins she'd hidden there and pulled it out. As she pried the pin open and bit off the rubber head of one end, her eyes fixed at the door. Tim and Richard Grayson still talking in hush tone. Lysandra could tell something was going on. Possibly that something was her. So she needed to do this fast and get the hell out of here.
Remembering what Steve'd taught, Lysandra slid the bobby pin in the keyhole. Bending it in the required shape. Took it out and quickly examined before stuck it back and proceeding to get herself free.
Her heart thumped loud in her chest as Lysandra twist and turn the pin trying to get the locking mechanism to release itself. The pain in her back still stung. Meaning she would need a few more hours for it to be completely healed. As soon as she got out of here, she would need a place to crash until she was complete mended. She wouldn't even have a scar from it.
But Steve was still dead. Just like Artemis and Epione.
She would always heal but someone else was still dead.
Don't you realize, Princess. That it won't matter. They will die because of you.
Her hand shook as her nerve starting to flay causing the bobby pin to slip and fell on the floor. Lysandra cursed. She stumbled and reached her free hand to the carpet floor, trying to find that bobby pin.
A droplet fell on the mattress as she bent down. Realizing her cheeks wet with unaware tears, Lysandra pulled the T-shirt up and rubbed the wetness away. A sob escape her. Why in Hades would she be crying? It wouldn't help her out of this damn handcuff. She didn't have time for emotional shit right now.
"I will not be afraid" She said to herself. Remembering her first few weeks with Artemis. how her mentor had taught her the way to psych herself.
"I will not break" Even her breathing and holding the tears inside.
"I will not give up" Looking down at her hands. Flexing until they no longer shaking.
Lysandra grabbed another pin from her hair. No sense to waste time looking for the one she dropped. Taking a long deep breath. She set to work once again.
This time, she determined that she would be free.
"So, this girl is really Bruce's daughter, huh?" Dick said, rubbing his chin. Tim didn't have to answered him that. They both already knew. After telling Dick a reader digest version of his situation. "You do know Bruce's going to skin your hind and hang it on the cave wall, right?"
Oh, Tim wouldn't doubt it.
"Doesn't matter. Lysandra had me take a blood vow not to tell Bruce. And there's bigger problem. Other two witches are still out there.…."
"Uh-huh"
Scowling at Dick's scrutiny, Tim asked. "Why are you giving me that look?"
"What look?" Dick batted his eyes innocently at him. But Tim didn't buy the BS.
"That look you're having" He pointed.
"Maybe because you let the girl led you around by the nose?"
"I did not let her lead me around!"
"Uh-huh. Whatever you say, bro…"
Grinding his molars. Tim reassured. "I did not"
But Dick just snorted. "Come on, Tim. You forgot who trained us? It's the one and only, The Batman. We lie, cheat and steal for the greater good of Gotham city. When was the last time you let something like a blood vow stop you from telling Bruce about the lead to these murderers slash robbers?"
The answer would be Never. Or at least Bruce never caught him with one, anyway. Tim just frowned at his brother. "I guess, it's too late now to make excuses, anyway"
"Yeah, well….sooner or later Bruce's going to connect the dots. And you know with his brain. It would be any moment now" Dick said. "And we listened to the 911 tape, the girl sound crazier than she actually look. Plus the conditions of those thugs you two left behind…Bruce's not going to be happy at all"
No kidding. Tim thought. Remembering how Lysandra stabbed one of the thug in the thigh as interrogation tactic. The girl was no doubt bloodthirsty. And that same girl probably plotting a way to flay him alive in that room right now. Even without Bruce waiting in near future to do that job.
How in the hell he was in this Charlie Foxtrot*?
Tim forced himself not to wince. "I hope her wounds healed before that happened….she got stabbed, shot at and tossed around in one single night. Yet she still fought like a wild cat" Tim rubbed his bruised nose as a reminder. "With her accelerated healing, I still say it'd be at least a few more hours"
"Can she fly?"
"What?"
"Well, you know. She's Wonder Woman's daughter….can she fly?"
Good, question. But since she seemed to be using grapping hook gun similar to his. Tim doubted it. "I don't think so….maybe Wonder Woman's abilities are not running in genetic…But she's trained though. The girl fought like a man" Hard and Dirty. But Tim didn't add that to equation for Dick. "….Why?"
"Well….." He lifted his watched up. Tim saw the red dot blinking. "Because my silent alarm just told me someone just broke the window to the fire escape―"
Shit.
"―But since she can't fly….Hey! Where are you going?" Dick asked when Tim bolted out of the chair.
"To check on the craze woman…Only Lord knows what she's trying to do now!?"
"You do realized are on fourteenth floor and she's handcuffed to your bed, right? There's no way―"
Fumbled with his keys Tim just said "Oh, believe me. For that girl, she will find a way"
The door of Dick's guestroom slam opened as Both himself and Dick rushed in. The bed was empty, the food tray also sat aside empty, her clothes on the armchair gone. His closet wide opened. The window glass to the fire escape shattered.
"Shit!" Tim rushed to his closet. And one look confirmed "She took my utility belt!"
Meaning she got his grapping hook gun and some other things.
"I'm going to try to reactivated the locator in the belt. You check the fire escape. Since this building is one of the taller one. She has to go down a few floors before she can sling that hook anywhere" Dick said and rushed out of the room.
Tim dashed to the broken window. Swiped the glass out of the way before using his keys to open the lock. Quickly sliding his body out the narrow platform.
As soon as his feet dropped on the platform, a fist came flying out of darkness, hitting him in the face. He staggered.
And before he knew it with a clank on his wrist Tim realized he was cuffed to the railing with his own handcuff.
"Seriously, Stiff. We need to stop meeting like this" Lysandra smiled. She was back in her own black leather clothes. His utility belt strapped across her shoulder. "….I swear, everytime we meet. Either you or me are bleeding…."
"Lysandra…" Tim started but she cut him off with a cold stare.
"Give me your key, you traitor" Ah, so she overheard him and Dick too. Just frigging great. He could felt the blood pouring out from his nose.
"I didn't break the vow―"
"I don't give a flying duck! He knows either way! Now give me handcuff key or I will push you off the railing. I bet it this slimy metal won't hold your hanging body for long…."
"Why don't you let us help? Your father―"
"I have no father" Her tone sharp as she stepped closer. She said through a gritting teeth as she leaned in. "I don't need one and I don't want one"
She didn't say anything else, instead sliding her hand into his back pocket. And despite the situation Tim couldn't ignore that way her hand palmed his behind or her sweet exotic scent of honeysuckle.
Screw you, hormones!
The contact less than a few second and Lysandra produced the handcuff key out of his pocket. Tim let out a sharp breath. Lysandra stepped back away, oblivious to his reaction.
Without a word, she tossed the key away to the dark alley below.
"Look, we can work this out. We can still get those witches…" Tim tried to reason with her again.
"Oh, I know. But it will be me and only me to finish those bitches, stiff" She leaned back before adding, "…..And this is for seeing me naked!"
Before he could ask, A flash of silver came into view. She slugged him hard in the face. His head snapped backward and bounced off the metal railing.
His vision went dark.
"―im!...Tim!"
His head hurt like a bitch and someone needed to stop yelling his name! Dick's face came into focus. "Jesus….your nose probably broken"
"Oww…." Tim groaned. His head hurt, his nose hurt. The girl punched him twice in the face! And Dick talked too goddamn loud!
Helping him up. After Dick used his key to uncuff him from the railing. He chuckled. "Damn, bro. She did a number on you within a few minutes? I guess Apple doesn't fall far from a tree, huh?"
Tim wanted to tell Dick to shut up and stop being a dick. But well….He's Dick.
Wiped the blood off his nose, Tim asked. "Did you reactivate the locator on my belt?"
"Yep. Look like she's heading back to Gotham" His adopted brother said. "But you do what his mean, right?"
Oh, he knew it alright. Now that they reactivated the locator. Barbara could also track it as well, meaning so did Bruce.
When they made it back inside the apartment, Dick handed him a pack of ice for his swollen nose. Tim winced as he pressed it on. "I'm going after her….."
"Maybe you should let Bruce know first?"
"Not an option. She's angry and being vengeful. Only lord knows what she's going to do….I think I might be able to talk her out of being suicidal"
"You just got slugged in the face, twice. You want the third time?"
Third Time's a charm. "She caught me off-guard. I won't let it happened again…" Tim shrugged. "Besides, I put a mind sedative on her soup. Sooner or later, she's going to drop somewhere….and I think I know where's she going…"
Dick gave him a long look. Before let out exasperated sigh. "Alright. But be careful. And do not turn off the GPS locator again, Got it? I will try to hold Bruce off for a while….don't know how long that's will last though…"
"Thanks, Dick" Tim said and dropped ice pack on the kitchen table. He grabbed his bike key and was about to go out the door.
"Wait!...you're not changing?"
"Nah. This way she'd feel less threatening" Tim shrugged and waved good bye before he went out the door.
He parked his bike a block away from Dick's apartment as usual. So Tim half jogged-half walked when the elevator slid open on the lobby floor. It was still early in the evening, traffic wasn't so bad since it wasn't weekend. A high possibility that she heading to her own apartment in China Town. Tim could get there in less than twenty minutes. Hopefully He would be able to talk some senses into her. Or at least caught her before she passed out from the sedative.
As his bike came into view, Tim checked his PDA again. Confirming his theory when the red dot blinking toward the subway line leading back to Gotham. Putting his PDA back in his belt, he was about to deactivate the alarm. When the flowery scent hit his nose.
But nothing like Lysanda's. This scent was too sweet, too sickly sweet. He remembered that scent…..
"Hello, Handsome" A voice came from behind. Tim whirled around to see a pretty blond woman came out of nowhere. Her designer dress and shoes contrasted with the large man standing behind her.
Tim's heart dropped to the ground when he remembered she was one of the museum robbers. She smiled but all he could see was pure cruelty that radiate off her like a total maniac. "….We didn't get to introduce ourselves last time, did we? I'm Caroline….."
And she snapped her finger. An unseen force so powerful knocked him backward, he crash landed into the building wall nearby.
Pain erupted in his head. his vision blurred. The blond woman stood over him, as well as the large man with his eyes grew bright yellow in the dark.
The woman smile again. "…..and you are my next meal"
And then…..Nothing.
There was nothing left on the top floor of their loft apartment. Only burnt remains of what was left behind yellow police tape. Lysandra gripped the hard edge of the building from across the street. Holding in a sob. She bit hard on her bottom lips.
"Too bad he has to die, isn't it?"
An unfamiliar male voice came from behind. Lysandra's spine stiffened. She slowly turned around and saw a tall blond man in a tight black T-shirt, Leather pants and biker boots standing there. He also wore a pair aviator shade. Who in Hades, wore sunglass when there was no sun?
As if to answered her mental question. His took off the shade and stepped closer. Lysandra's heart hammered when she saw the swirling, glowing red iris. He gave her a smile that didn't match his eyes.
Swallowed hard. She gritted the word out. "…..Ares"
*Charlie Foxtrot is a military slang for Clusterfuck. In case anyone didn't know.
Ps; Huh. Always end at cliff-hanger. I am so sorry again! LOL
Next chapter will be posted around third week of June. Since I will be back in Thailand it might take a while to finish the next one.
Thanks everyone for reading. And don't forget to review! I'd love to hear what you guys think!