It was week two of investigations. Gotham had been experiencing a new series of attacks. Left and right top gang leaders had been dropping like flies. However much of a blessing this was, it was still murder, and the murderer was someone fitting the same description as batman.

"Never in all my days did I think I would be watching over Rupert Thorne." Sighed Tim, as he slumped down and leaned against the base of the gargoyle he was just perched on.

It was late, and the late September air had a slight bite to it.

Marti took over for him, focusing her binoculars on Thorne in his office, then to his secretary filtering through files on the couch. "Me neither… But Thorne would be the likely target."

"Still think this could all be his doing. I mean… He's just getting all the other competition out of the way."

"You'd think that were the case… Oh wait!" Marti's attention shifted up to a quick flash in the room.

"What?!" Tim said hopping up to his feet.

"Look!"

Inside Thorne's office the lights were out, and all could be seen were the flashes of gunshots.

"Better hurry!" Tim said shooting his grapple gun across the gap of buildings.

Swooping down Tim and Marti crashed through the window, and rolled to break their fall. Both retreating behind a tall file cabinet, they waited for the smoke to clear in the space.

It was eerily silent in the space. Crouching down Tim went first, stepping carefully, he tried his best to avoid glass on the floor. Carefully stepping around file folders, he spotted a hand poking out from under some papers.

"Finch, over here." Carefully he pushed away the papers, and looked down at the person. It was Thorne's secretary. Checking her pulse, he found nothing. "She's dead.

"So is Thorne," Marti said, standing over Thorne's lifeless body next to the main doors.

Down the hall a light tap of a door could be heard.

"Let's go!" Marti said running down the hall.

Looking to the elevator, she saw no lights indicating use. So she continued down the hall to the stairs. Kicking the door she heard hurried steps below. Tim shot his grapple gun at the ceiling and grabbed Marti round.

"Batman, we are tracking the killer! They have just killed Thorne." Marti called over them com.

"Alright, I'll be right there."

Tim double tapped his trigger, increasing the speed of the descent. "Be ready to jump em' as soon as we reach the ground."

Marti nodded at this.

As soon as she was in reach of their target, Tim released Marti. She narrowly missed landing a punch, and was nearly cut across the midsection by what looked to be hand held scythe. Hopping forward she made a beeline for the hooded assailant.

"You okay?" Tim questioned as he caught up with her.

"Yeah. I managed to dodge, but just barely."

The hooded figure kicked through the front glass door, and shot their own grapple hook up to the rooftops.

"Who is this guy?!" Tim marveled as he followed suit.

They dashed along the rooftops, keeping their target just barely in reach. Tim tossed batarang after another, but all were evaded or blocked. "Block this!" Tim called out, inviting for her to toss out a cable trap to wrap round the legs. Their target fell to the ground with this, but quickly went to work cutting the line with their scythe hand tool. As they quickly approached, Batman swooped up from the other side of the building, blocking the way. The assailant stopped in its tracks, but did not put down its weapon.

"It's good to see you again Bruce."

Both Tim and Marti gasped at this.

"Robin, Finch… Get the GCPD here. Notify them about Thorne."

They looked over to him, still confused about how this person knew him.

"Oh. please… Don't send them away for my sake."

"I see you are still keeping up with your work Phantasm."

"Bruce, you don't have to put up this act." The person quickly pulled off their hood, revealing a frightening skeletal mask. "In fact…" The person's voice suddenly changed from a deep mechanical male tone, to a velvety woman's voice. "Why don't you call your ex fiancee by her name."

"Mom?!" Marti let out before she knew it.

"Finch. Go with Robin to the police."

"No, wait… But-."

"Do as I said!"

"Marti?!" Andrea said, turning round to face her.

"Mom? What is going on?"

"You have our daughter out here with you?! You made her like you?!" Andrea spat, turning her attention back to Bruce.

Bruce slowly moved in closer to her, still ready to fight.

Andrea moved quick, and grabbed Marti. "Don't even try Bruce." She threatened, holding her scythe up to Marti's neck.

"Andi, that's our daughter." Bruce cautioned, holding his ground.

"I trusted you with her Bruce, and you… You did the one thing I didn't want for her."

A helicopter could be heard in the distance.

"Looks like my ride is here. Sorry Bruce. But…" Andi pulled out a gun, and pointed it at the back of Marti's head. "This is where we part."

"Andi please!"

The helicopter let out a ladder, and Andi grabbed at it with her free hand, while keeping the gun pointed at Andi. "I wouldn't try anything fancy Batman. There are three other guns on her right now as I speak." Three laser dots shined on Marti, all at vital points.

Batman nodded over to Robin, and they both put their hands up. Andi nodded at this, and lightly tugged at her rope ladder. The ladder was slowly pulled up, and the helicopter moved away, till it was out of sight. The laser dots slowly dimmed out, and Marti slumped down to her knees.

Batman quickly lunged forward, grabbing Marti, and signaling for Tim to follow him down the side of the building. They grappled down the ground level, and darted through to the underground railway.

"Robin, take Finch home. I'm going after Andi." He said handing her over to Tim.

Tim nodded, and readjusted Marti in his arms. "Marti you okay?!"

A cold chill ran up her spine. She was too in shock to speak.

"Alright, lets go."