Chapter 39: Self-Defense


"Today, on News Byte, we have confirmation of Man Eating Giant Rats living beneath the streets of Gotham and their connection to a series of kidnappings in Gotham City. Teresa McGinnis and Dana Tan made a daring escape from the clutches of this deadly kidnapper earlier this evening."

Max gaped at the television screen. Her best friends had been kidnapped and she had to find out from the news!? She had been freaking out all day when Terri and Dana hadn't shown up for school. By the end of the school day, Max had convinced herself they had just blipped because no one could have that terrible of luck! For crying out loud, Jokerz had attacked Terri not even a full week ago! Plus, she had a stalker who was part of a terrorist cell—or whatever Kobra classified as these days.

"These Gotham teens were waiting for their dates out front of Rhino's Dino yesterday evening when they were abducted by Patrick Fitz and his giant rats." A picture of a boy who looked unfortunately like a rat himself appeared on the screen. "Fitz was a runaway who has apparently been living right under our feet with an army of rats at his beck and call—a modern day Ratcatcher."

Max shuddered at the thought of so many rats. However, she couldn't picture both Terri and Dana getting captured. They would have fought tooth and nail against such a creep, and sure, maybe one of them might get taken out but the other would have gone to get help. Heck, Max could imagine Terri letting herself get caught so Dana could go free…unless Dana was caught and Terri let herself get taken too?

Max glanced over at her personal computer screen. The algorithm she had made to find double lives finally finished its run over Hamilton Hill students and while Terry wasn't at the top of the list, she was within the top ten.

Max blinked several times, as if to dislodge the possibility, while the news story played out.

"Fitz would become obsessed with young women featured in the local news and would begin following them from the sewers. As he grew bolder and prepared to abduct these young women, he would leave flowers as if in a romantic gesture. Ms. Tan had received two flowers before she was abducted the previous evening along with Ms. McGinnis." The background of the news showed the streets and alleys near Rhino's and it looked like a warzone, but the camera zoomed in on two untouched flowers—familiar flowers.

"The two were taken to his underground home, which was positioned above a toxic waste site. The young women report being surrounded and watched by hundreds of rats, some of which were the size of Great Danes. Fitz and these rats made sure Ms. Tan and Ms. McGinnis did not leave their sight." The camera panned out to the emergency vehicle Dana and Terri were sitting in. Both girls had heavy blankest wrapped around them, but Max could still see the bandages on both of their shoulders. They were covered in soot and grime, and their mascara was running down their cheeks as they huddled together.

"Fortunately, Fitz collected numerous objects, some of which would help the two young women escape." The camera panned over to what appeared to be a grappling gun by one of the blown open manholes. It looked like it had a bat insignia. "The young women tricked Fitz into leaving them alone for a short time. In that time, the young women made their escape. It is presumed the underground fire that rocked the South-East neighborhood was Fitz attempting to take his hostages out before they could leave the sewers."

Apparently none of this footage was live, since the next screen to appear had Dana and Terri exiting a hospital with Dana's parents and police officers around them. "He didn't want us to leave—he would have killed us before thinking of letting us go," Dana said with a slight tremble to her words.

"He had killed the girls before us," Terri added somberly.

The clip ended and the News Byte anchor took up the full screen. "What a harrowing twenty-four hours for these brave, young women."

Max turned the TV off and stared blankly at her computer screen. Karl Gall, Ken Dampier, Jo Olson, Ellen Fletcher, Ted Blackman, Terri McGinnis, Sal Valletta, Kami Taylor, Todd Roger, Jessica Guerra. This was the top ten list of students likely to be leading double lives. Terri ranked sixth. Max grit her teeth and adjusted the parameters to coincide with Batman sightings. It took a few minutes, but Terri was the first name listed once the data was compiled. Max swallowed and quickly deleted the whole program.

That wasn't possible, was it?

Jo Olson regarded the trio of friends during second period. The Tan girl and McGinnis girl had been asked numerous questions about the kidnapping since arriving at school. The pink haired girl (Gibbson he thought was her name) just kept looking at McGinnis like she was suspect and probably for the same things Jo was noticing. For instance, McGinnis deflected most questions and kept giving Tan looks when she started to describe their escape plan in too much detail. This led to Tan frequently stopping herself from providing specifics. So far, no matter who asked, it just seemed like the girls were lucky and resourceful, but he knew there was more to it.

Boss' interest in McGinnis had increased tenfold after the failed date. Jo was convinced the girls planned to get kidnapped or to not actually have the date, but Boss refused to see it that way. Then again, he'd probably think of it as another point in McGinnis' favor if he did believe the double date was a trap for the rat freak.

To make matters worse, Boss was set on McGinnis being one of his consorts now, which meant coming clean to his handlers about his interest and the fact he had blipped them the night of the failed double date. Jo wanted to curse or bang his head against his desk—whichever would draw the least amount of attention—because not only was Boss counting on his intel on McGinnis, but so were the Handlers.

Boss was a teenager who had his first crush, so why were the Handlers taking this seriously? Clearly McGinnis was not a fit for Kobra, but no, Boss was convinced she'd fit right in. So now the Handlers wanted to know if she had the temperament for a Kobra consort. Maybe McGinnis' record might suggest she'd be down for less than legal activities, but she was clearly on the straight and narrow now n' days.

Jo glanced around the room and saw one of the lacrosse players who'd roided out during the last home game. Now that was something he found more beneficial for Kobra than some girl. If he had to guess, the guy had taken a Slapper, some new street drug. He'd passed the intel onto the Handlers, and their interest had been piqued. They wanted him to find the supplier and see if a deal can be struck—apparently it was reminiscent of some serum a most-of-the-time-rival and sometimes-ally used. The Handlers were curious how this might help with the transformation process for the Kobra faithful.

Jo sunk into his seat and wished he could be back on the streets doing Kobra's work, but he was supposed to be an inside man now. He glared ahead of him at McGinnis before focusing back in on the stupid lecture. This was all pointless, especially since Kobra was going to remake the world and schools would be unnecessary then.

Dana didn't get why Terri was so insistent on keeping the involvement of bat-gadgets on the down low. Sure, Dana could accept that maybe it might inspire others to find relics from the first Batman and his Robin, but the way Terri insisted that was a terrible thing… Well, Dana couldn't get behind it.

Sure, she got the safety angle Terri was selling but there was more to it. It was almost like she was trying to protect Batman—new and old. Like, if people could break apart his gadgets and rework them the way Terri did, it would be detrimental to Batman and the whole of Gotham. Were the inner workings of the Bat Gadgets recognizable or something? Would it reveal who Batman was or was affiliated with? And for that matter, how did Terri even retrofit them?

How did Terri know how to take the bat gadgets apart and get them working? Surely there'd been people in the past who had tried that same exact thing! There had to be stories about it, unless…there weren't stories of people succeeding. Then what did that mean? Terri was a genius and succeed where countless others failed? Or…or she knew how to work Bat Gadgets.

Dana glared down at her lunch as she ignored some freshmen asking her a question she'd already answered fifty times that day. Thankfully, Chelsea intervened. "Back off Twip, can't you see we're trying to eat?" The kid trudged away, and Dana gave Chelsea a tired smile.

"Thanks," she mumbled as the blonde sat back down.

"No problem. They're getting annoying anyways," Chelsea said flippantly as she dug back into her salad. "I don't know how you and Terri have kept your cool or how you're back in school so quick." She shuddered before adding, "I'd stay home for the rest of the week after being kidnapped by some ratboy!"

Dana pierced a grape tomato in a mixture of annoyance and anger. "I was going to, but I didn't want to leave Terri alone to all the questions and scrutiny." How could Terri just casually go back to school? Then again, she had been kidnapped and nearly raped by Jokerz not even a week ago, so this maybe wasn't so traumatic? Well, that or there was something wrong with Terri…

Like how Terri could rewire and fix retro Bat gadgets like it was nothing?! How could she move so silently even in heels, how could she keep Patrick from waking up while she worked on throwing metal weapons?! Why did she get to drive the Batmobile, why were Batman's rogues after her? Why was she not freaking out being back in the open where anyone could be watching them and could try to attack them!?

Dana startled when a kid dropped his lunch tray somewhere behind them and it clattered loudly. Why was Terri so collected and calm?! It wasn't fair and it didn't make sense!

There was some commotion and then Dana recognized the sound of Terri's footsteps. She could turn that on and off, couldn't she? She could be silent one second like some secret ninja, and the next she could sound like your average teen dragging her feet.

Terri sat down heavily beside her, sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. "What'd the boss want?" Max asked—speaking up for the first time since Terri left to take that call. Was it Dana or did Max look almost suspicious of Terri?

"Vale wants to do another interview, and I straight up refuse, but Bruce thinks it will settle things down," Terri said with an eye roll. "Oh!" she added sarcastically, "and Billings wants to have a session with me. Let's completely ignore the fact that I've been attacked and kidnapped three times before now on top of my Dad being murdered but hey! Kidnapped by Neo-Ratcatcher is the tipping point apparently…"

"Billings is seriously only reaching out to you now?" Chelsea asked. "My dad blipped me for one art auction, and I was called in. I mean, I was upset that he'd prioritize his stupid collection over me and my cheerleading, but still!"

"Billings hasn't called me in yet," Dana mumbled.

"Maybe you need to reach a certain threshold of terribleness before you see him," Terri groused and rolled her eyes again.

"That doesn't explain why he'd call Chels in for her Dad flaking on her once and not you two for being kidnapped," Max argued.

"I maybe acted out a few times during middle school, so my Dad is quick to send me to a counselor when he blips on me," Chelsea said almost sheepishly.

"Still, Max has a point. Why not talk to me after Stalker or one of the other incidents?" Terri mused aloud, which made Dana frown.

"You haven't been seeing anyone after all the close calls you've had?" She couldn't believe it but at the same time she could.

"Grayson and Bruce had me talk to an old friend of theirs," Terri said with a shrug.

"But not a licensed therapist?" Dana pressed and felt her stomach drop. How was Terri so strong? Was that even strength? Is that why she's been lying to them so much because she hasn't been getting the help she needs? Is that why it feels like her friend was living a second life?

"Grayson's been a big help and he's suggested a few people, but I don't want that getting into the news. It'll just be more fuel for Powers' attacks against me."

"Maybe you should talk to Billings," Chelsea said as she waved her fork in the air.

Terri sighed and dropped her head forward, "Maybe, but not this week."

Dana frowned some more and then startled when her phone rang. She didn't recognize the number but knew it was a Gotham number—most spam callers these days either didn't come up on caller ID or had an international number. She hesitantly answered the phone as she got up from the table.

"Hello?" she answered cautiously.

"Little Dana," her brother said from the other end. His voice had deepened but there was still that odd tone in his voice, like he found something funny.

"How did you get this number," she whispered as she felt her stomach drop. She could feel her friends watching her in concern as she just froze.

"I've always known it," Doug said dismissively. She could just imagine his sharp, almost manic smile as he spoke next. "I got to make a phone call today because I apparently cooperated with an ongoing investigation. I'm not a rat, little Dana." That was a threat, clear as day, that was a threat.

"Is that all you wanted to say?" she asked stiffly, her voice trembling.

"Can't a concerned big brother talk to his little sister?" he asked rhetorically. "I saw you on the news. You've grown but you'll always be little Dana to me." It was what a big brother was supposed to say but she felt the lack of true care or emotion in his words. Just that ever-present twisted amusement of his.

"I told you that McGinnis girl was trouble. People with a lot of money and power are after her. Keep up your association and they'll be after you too and it won't be rats." He hung up then and Dana began shaking.

Terri, Max, and Chelsea were next to her not a moment later. "Dana?" Terri called her attention carefully but did not touch her. Chelsea nearly hugged her but followed Terri's lead.

"Who was it?" Max asked.

"My brother…" Dana whispered; she somehow got those words past her tight throat. "H-he threatened me."

Chelsea began to make an incredulous remark but Terri was already ushering Dana away from the blood. "What exactly did he say?"

"He implied my turning over his letter made him a rat and he's not a rat. He implied that being around you will make a target," Dana whispered on the verge of crying.

Terri's expression turned cold. "And if he's been called a rat they might go after those he cares about on the outside too," Terri deduced. Dana took in a shuddering gasp.

"What do I do?"

"He knows those calls are recorded, right?" Terri asked, and Dana shakily nodded. "So even if you went to the police to say he threatened you, the record won't show that, will it?" Dana shook her head now. She could tell Terri's mind was racing with different ideas and plans.

"I need to make a few calls, but I think more self-defense training is in order." Terri paused and added, "If you're up for it."

Self-defense training. What she had learned from the community center didn't help with Patrick. But the training Terri had been doing had helped her. "Only if its like the kind you're taking."

Terri gave a slight smile. "That's why I need to make some calls," she said.

"I'm up for it, Terri; thank you," Dana added and hugged her friend. Terri returned the hug before gesturing for them to rejoin their worried friends.

"So…" Terri began with a smile, "Who's up for learning some self-defense?" she asked her friends. Chelsea and Max both made faces.

"Hard pass," Chelsea said.

"I'm not athletic," Max remarked before looking Terri up and down, "But maybe something light?"

"I'll see what I can wrangle," Terri stated before pulling out her phone and moving away from them again. Dana felt a little more at ease knowing she'd be learning how to protect herself better. She didn't doubt for a second that Terri would make sure Dana got some training.

Jo Olson frowned. He was tailing one of the lacrosse boys who seemed to be hitting withdrawal pretty hard, which meant the kid would be going to his supplier soon. However, Jo just caught sight of a brown jacket he'd come to look out for. McGinnis. She was tailing his target too.

She had a baseball cap on as if that made her unrecognizable, though she did a good job of remaining subtle as she followed the jock. Jo realized he was made by McGinnis at the same time she noticed him. She looked frustrated for a moment but then the jock's supplier rolled up in a black-tinted windows car. McGinnis' gaze went straight back to the car and she gritted her teeth in annoyance.

The kid quickly exchanged credits for a pack of slappers, and then put them in his bag. Jo just raised an eyebrow at McGinnis who huffed and then pulled out her phone and made it look like she was texting. She then walked toward the jock and, well damn, the girl could pickpocket. Maybe she had more promise than Jo had initially suspected.

Jo quickly caught up to McGinnis. "So, what are you going to do with those?" he asked.

"None of your business," McGinnis retorted.

"Maybe you should make it my business," Jo said with a smirk as he continued to walk beside the girl. There was a passing patrol car that he nodded his head toward. "Afterall, you've got contraband on you now."

"Do I?" Terri asked with her head cocked to the side without missing a beat or breaking her stride. "Or do you?"

Jo raised an eyebrow and felt in his pockets to see there was indeed a packet in his pocket. "Respect," he commented. "So, you just good with your hands? Or can you do more?"

"I'm sure you've heard I can fight, also think about your phrasing next time you speak." McGinnis gave him a disgusted look, and Jo blinked before blushing.

"I didn't mean it that way!" Boss would have his head if thought Jo had been flirting with his desired consort.

McGinnis' straight expression cracked, and she smirked. "So, your boss is the jealous type, huh?"

"What boss?" Jo asked nervously.

"Your slip up the other day was obvious. Odd though that a teen is your boss," she commented with a shrug before shoving her hands in her pockets.

Jo was sweating now and nearly tripped. "How—I mean, what do you mean?"

"Pale boy, black hair—I saw him just before I was kidnapped by Fitz. Considerate of him to try and help but…" McGinnis shook her head as they continued to walk vaguely toward Hamilton Hill High.

Jo sighed. There was no point lying, even though the handlers wouldn't be happy. "Boss thought you must have planned the abduction. To help your friend, right?"

McGinnis glared at him and stopped walking. "And?" she practically growled. Okay, he could see her being boss' consort now.

"So…" Jo began as he tried to think of how to get an idea for the kind of person she really was. "Stealing Slappers, is it some vigilante thing? Or was what happened with Ratboy because he was after one of your friends?" Did that make sense?

Maybe she had stolen the slappers to help that kid? But then, why put them in Jo's pocket? All Jo could think was that there were two possible reasons for stealing the slappers, and the one Boss would prefer conflicted with her actions from the other night. So, either McGinnis was some vigilante type and had dealt with Ratboy and pocketed the slappers for some justice thing; or, she only dealt with Fitz because he was targeting her friend and had pickpocket the Slappers to sell or copy.

"He was after one of my friends and I blew him up. Just think what I'd do if anyone else crossed my friends," McGinnis threatened, and Jo swallowed. Okay, yep, she could definitely be a Kobra consort.

"I get why the Boss likes you," he said nervously and back away from her. McGinnis glared even more threateningly. Jo half wondered if this was what being stared down by Batman felt like because he felt pretty close to shitting himself and some of the older Kobra members had described the Bat's glare as shit-inducing kind of scary.

"You up to steal anything else?" Jo asked in a squeak.

McGinnis' glare softened, and she raised her eyebrow. "Depends on what it is?" she asked with her arms crossed now crossed casually over her chest and her weight relaxed on her back foot.

"Can't tell you, not until you've proven yourself," Jo retorted.

"I don't like waking into things blind," McGinnis replied and began stalking off.

Shit. Jo hurried after her. "You won't be blind when it comes to the heist, but the details up until then…" Jo trailed off and shook his head.

McGinnis slowed down and regarded him for a long moment before sighing. "Send me the details, but it better be worth my time." She then picked up her pace and headed toward the nearest ATrack line.

Jo exhaled slowly and pulled out his phone. Unbeknownst to him, a small device had been attached to the collar of his shirt and the phone call he was about to make would be over heard.

"Fang," someone greeted Olson and the pale man flinched.

"Handler," Olson returned the greeting. Terri pretended she was scrolling through her phone while observing Olson from the ATrack platform. She had earbuds in that were connected to one of the bugs she'd placed on Olson.

"Did you find the Slapper supplier?" the Handler asked.

"No, but that McGinnis girl was also trailing one of the students using Slappers. She picked his stash without alerting him," Olson stated.

"Promising, but anyone could pick a junky."

"She planted the Slappers in my pocket when I confronted her. I didn't even notice." Terri seldom used her pickpocketing skills since Juvie, but she had been practicing them after what happened with the Jokerz. It might help to have some sleight of hand skills to get out of trouble.

"Hmm, curious, but we do not know her intentions," the Handler remarked.

"Which is why offered her a job and she said 'it better be worth my time' and that she didn't like to go into things blind."

"It is not a foot soldier's place to offer such jobs," the handler reprimanded.

"But it could be a test to see if she is worthy of the Boss' affections. If she betrays Kobra, she dies."

The handler hummed in thought. "Very well. There might be something for her to do, and we'll see how she reacts to her role within Kobra."

Slow pulse. Terry quickly sent the recording she'd captured to Bruce and just in time for the train to arrive. She had no idea how to go under cover; she'd just seized the opportunity when she saw Olson trailing one of the jocks on Slappers.

Oh god, Bruce was going to give her such a lecture over this, especially since it sounded like there wouldn't be a way out of this for her. She'd have to properly take down Kobra and its boss—now if only she could remember where she'd seen that boy who was their boss!

Terri was spiraling in her thoughts as the train carried her off toward Grayson's place and by the time she exited the train, Bruce was calling her.

"Are you insane?!" he growled. "You have no training in undercover work!"

"Yeah, I realize that, but the opportunity was there for the taking. Also, we need to take down this Slappers ring before this 'job' comes up."

Bruce growled in annoyance before sighing. "I looked into Bane. He's nonresponsive—too strung out on his own Venom to be behind this."

"Strug out how?" she asked.

"He apparently needs it to live."

"But he's unresponsive, you said, so how does he have a supply still?"

"Because he told the formula to someone," Bruce finished her thought. "Did you keep a sample, or did you give all the Slappers to Olson?"

"I kept one, yeah. I'll bring it over for spectra analysis after I have dinner with Mattie. Grayson's been on my case about having one meal with the twip a day and after everything the past few weeks…" she trailed off and sighed.

"…It will be good for you to have dinner with him," Bruce said slowly, and Terri imagined it physically pained the old man to say those words.

Before she could comment on the uncharacteristic display of sentimentality, Bruce continued speaking. "I'll run through a list of people with access to Bane and see if I can track any large money exchanges in the meantime."

Terri gave an affirmative response before bringing up another matter. "Were you able to ask Sifu Han about Dana joining lessons?"

"Han will be too advance for her, but he does have several beginner classes she could join," Bruce said.

"Send me the information and I'll pass it along to Dana." Terri was genuinely worried about her friend and wondered if she should train the other girl a bit too.

"Are you certain her brother was threatening her? I looked over the recording and it seems innocuous."

Terri sighed. She wasn't surprised. "I trust that Dana knows her brother better than either of us, but you also didn't see her, Bruce. She was shaking, and after what happened with Fitz…I just want her to be safe."

Bruce sighed. "I understand that Terri, but if she sees too much she might…connect the dots, so to speak."

Terri swallowed uneasily. "I can't put my friends in danger like that again, Bruce. I can't. Mattie's learning self-defense, why can't my friends too?"

"I'm not saying they shouldn't learn self-defense, Terri, but if they see you fighting as Batman and recognize your style—it's happened before."

"What?"

She could hear Bruce's unease before he reluctantly spoke. "Tim, he knew who I was because he had been observing mine and Robin's movements."

"And you think because Dana's been accusing me of having some double life that she'll put the pieces together," Terri murmured.

"Yes, and the more people who know who you are, the more leverage points Batman will end up having."

"Leverage? Really?" Terri couldn't keep the disgust from her voice. "They're my friends, Bruce. They've been there for me since Juvie."

"And yet how many fights have you gotten into with them lately? High school friendships seldom last," Bruce commented.

She knew Bruce had a point, but it was a shitty, callous one. "No wonder you have no friends," Terri couldn't stop from remarking and then hung up the phone. She was practically at Grayson's gym and apartment. Grayson would know something was up with her if she didn't get a handle on her emotions.

Part of Terri wanted her friends to know but she understood the further danger that would put them in. She also believed her friends wouldn't tell anyone, but she got Bruce's caution and fear. Ugh, the old man's paranoia was rubbing off on her!

She slammed the door closed behind her and threw her bag down just inside the door and kicked off her shoes. Grayson was saying goodbye to some of his students and so blinked several times at her loud entrance. Terri just walked past him and went straight to the gymnastic rings before pulling herself up and then began to bench press herself into the air.

The last of Grayson's loitering students stared at her before hurrying out of the gym. Grayson sighed and waited for the last student to fully leave his building before following her into the gym.

"What did he say this time?" he asked.

"Why do you assume its Bruce?" she asked between pants of exertion.

"It's usually Bruce or Dana and Max."

Terri used the rings to swing herself up into the air before dismounting. Her arms were burning. "Bruce doesn't understand why I'm so worried about my friends," she said. It was a partial lie. The old man knew why she was worried, but he disagreed with what she wanted to do to make sure they were safe.

Grayson sighed and nodded his head. "Bruce has never been good at making or keeping friends," he remarked. He got closer to Terri while looking around for Matt. "I think the closest he's ever had to a friend was Superman, and they're estranged now."

"Wait, for real? They were friends?" Terri asked in shock.

"If you call having contingency plans and a stockpile of kryptonite being friends," Grayson remarked before shaking his head.

"That's messed up but…" Terri didn't want to finish her thought.

"Superman could be a threat if he was mind-controlled," Grayson said tiredly. "He'd never willingly hurt an innocent or the planet he's chosen to protect."

Once again, Terri wondered if Grayson was Robin or even Nightwing—she was pretty sure Nightwing had worked with Superman a time or two.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm getting all paranoid and cynical like him," Terri confessed quietly.

"And that you'll end up a lone just like him?" Grayson guessed. "Yeah, I used to worry about that too, but unlike him, I've learned to open up." He gave her an almost wry smile. "Mostly," he joked.

Terri snorted and shook her head. "You're plenty open, Mr. G." Grayson smiled some more and held out his arms in a gesture for a hug. Terri's smile broadened, and she hugged the grim old man. Even if both the old men in her life could be frustrating, she still had these moments where they understood. She just hoped someday her friends would understand too and not be in danger either.