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So much for the third date, Kate Kane thought.She stood on the street corner just outside One Gotham Center, right on the border of the Diamond District, wearing some horrid teal nightmare of a gown and waiting for Alfred to pull up in the limo. The ride wasn't for her, as much as she wished it.Instead, it was for the inebriated, black-gowned woman clutching her neck: Rachele Brookheim, head chef at the Grand Arms Hotel and, for the past two weeks, Kate's girlfriend. Before tonight, things between them had been great, if not completely serious. Passionate in a way that reminded Kate of a healthier form of her random hookups after the Academy. Tonight’s event had been their first public appearance as a couple. It would likely be the last.Apparently, Rachele Brookheim and free alcohol was a bad combination. The gala inside may have been stuffy and mind-numbing, but it wasn't embarrassing. Dragging Rachele through a sea of tuxedos and ball gowns wasn't the least dignified moment of Kate’s life, but it was certainly close.Kate glanced at the giggling mess hanging off her. Was that how she herself had looked just a few years ago? There was so much about that time she didn't remember… or had blotted out. Probably for the best. But she did remember the sensation of being watched, of being filmed, as if the lenses of the paparazzi were burning into her. She felt that same imaginary heat now.Kate sighed. Rachele had been fun, but… this was a step too far. So sudden, too. Who would have expected one of the city's top chefs to be such a lightweight? And such an enthusiastic one at that?Well. She didn't need more alcohol problems in her life, even someone else's. Tomorrow she'd break things off. The important thing now was getting her home safe, hence the call to Alfred.At last, the familiar limo eased around the corner, gliding up to the curb and parking in near silence. The passenger-side window rolled down.“Miss Kane,” Alfred nodded with a kind smile. “And Miss Brookheim, I presume.”“Unfortunately,” Kate said. She jostled the other woman. “Rachele?”“Mmm…?”“This is Bruce's driver, Alfred. The one I told you about. He'll see that you get home safe.”“Ohhhh,” Rachele slurred. “H’lo, Alex.”“Madam,” Alfred said, not missing a beat.Kate reached for the back door, and was startled when it opened. Seated in shadows in the rear of the limo was a lanky woman with short hair. Hard to see features. Khakis and a blazer, maybe.“Uh… thanks,” Kate said, helping Rachele in.“Sure,” the woman replied. Cockney accent, curt. She grabbed the door and slammed it.Well then, Kate thought. The woman's voice sounded familiar. Had she been the one on comms during that mess with Cluemaster a while back?
Whatever, doesn't matter right now.
She leaned back into the passenger-side window.“Don't mind Julia,” Alfred said. “She can be cantankerous now and then.”
Ah, that's your daughter, eh?
“It's fine,” said Kate. She reached into the car. “Thanks, Alfred.”“Of course, Miss Kane,” he said, shaking her hand. “Enjoy the rest of the gala.”Kate sighed. “Easier said…”Alfred chuckled as the window rolled up. Kate watched the limo until it made a left at the next block and disappeared. The imaginary heat she felt earlier seemed to dissipate.Back inside, Kate grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing waiter and sipped it as she decided what to do next, pretending she didn't see or hear the clusters of whispers scattered around the lobby. This was, ostensibly, a business gala, so it made sense to conduct business. Or try.She scanned the room. There was Barbara Gordon, Batgirl herself, here to represent her energy company. Kate liked her; she'd have to at least say hi before this was done.A few meters away stood Luke Fox, the fellow vigilante Batwing and head of FoxTech, in another cluster of people. Kate almost rolled her eyes at seeing him; he reminded her too much of Bette. Just in the crimefighting gig for the fun of it. The two of them had been Gotham's sole protectors for three solid days a year or so back when the all the others had left to do… something. Kate still wasn't entirely sure what. But it had been excruciating, and she had kept her communications with Luke to a minimum.She sipped her champagne. Speaking of which, who was on duty now? Bruce was also here, somewhere.Definitely need to talk to him, Kate thought. They were going out later tonight to recruit for his “boot camp” idea. Maybe they'd pick up whoever was-A commotion of camera flashes and excited murmurs drew her attention to the front doors.A moment later, Violet Paige walked in.Well, son-of-a-bitch, Kate thought. Another reminder of the past.Violet wore a midnight purple gown and a fox stole around her otherwise bare shoulders, along with her usual expression of arrogant disinterest, even as shutters around her snapped in a cicada-like frenzy. The tabloids had been all over her return to Gotham, of course, even though it had just been this morning. And that excitement had yet to die down, even in this city.Kate had been on the receiving end of that attention early into her aimless years, before the tabloids had split off to focus more on her specifically. Before everything blurred together in a single mass, resolving into focus for the night in the alley that set her on her present path.Violet had been a fling, nothing more, and one of the few Kate actually remembered. Not the fine details. Not what their final argument had been about, or what exactly had been said. Just clouds of memory: drunken fucking in a cheap downtown motel that had lead to drunken shouting on the balcony that had become a drunken shoving match in the parking lot, all lit by sickly yellow streetlights. Violet, pantless and barefoot, had finally flattened Kate with a sloppy haymaker, then stumbled toward her moped, speeding off as Kate double-birded her with a bloody nose. And later, that very image of her on the front of the Gotham Tattler.Young and stupid, she thought.Kate drained her glass and left it on another passing waiter's tray. She tracked Violet with her eyes, and shortly their gazes met across the room. She saw Violet squint, and found herself almost wishing for a confrontation. It would liven things up, if nothing else, and it had been a while since she had caused a ruckus at one of these events...But Violet continued on, heading, predictably, for the bar. Passing her only yards away, as if making a dare.Kate exhaled. Fine, then. Better to get her mind off the past, anyway.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"So," Kate said, landing on a gargoyle next to Bruce. "You're not telling me something."It was just after 2 AM, and Gotham was in the midst of a thunderstorm, coupled with, of all things, moderate snow. In this city, such weather could just as easily be the work of a supervillain or an ancient curse as it could a random, freak occurrence. As long as no one was being harmed, Kate didn't much care which.She had stayed at the gala another half-hour after Violet's arrival, too mentally numb to deal with the whole thing anymore, though chatting with Barbara had been pleasant. Just before leaving, she had spoken with Bruce to confirm their midnight recruiting plans, noticing he seemed slightly harried. More than usual.That recruiting had gone well enough, Kate supposed. It was a young and misfit squad: three teenagers - one of whom had a distractingly similar surname - and a reformed supervillain. Kate had her doubts about them, and had let them know as much during a pep talk of sorts on the roof of the main GCPD headquarters. But then, that was what this whole project was about, wasn't it? Training these younger vigilantes to become more effective.And now they were all on their way to someplace called the Belfry, for a brief tour. The new trainees lagged somewhere behind."What?" Bruce said, without looking at her."You're afraid," said Kate. "You wouldn't be making a move like this if you weren't. Which means you know something more about what we're facing than what you're telling me."Bruce set his jaw.Knew it, Kate thought. Getting read like that never felt great. But the way to prevent that was to not keep secrets."I'll play your game for now," she continued. "But I want you to understand. This is our mission, together. I am not your subordinate. I am your partner."She readied her grapple gun."And if there's something I need to know," she added, aiming at a ledge across the street, "I better know it."She fired and swung away, pleased with that ultimatum. Dealing with Bruce required little ambiguity.In a moment, she reached the apex of her swing and drew the line back in, the cold metal squealing on its spool. She flung her cape open to glide, the snow hissing off it. The Old Wayne Tower, site of the Belfry, stood directly east of her eight blocks away, a red light blinking on its mast.Eight blocks, Kate thought. Eight swings-She noticed Bruce next to her, also gliding, and sighed."Of course," she said."You're right," Bruce said. "No secrets. That being the case, I have something to share.""I appreciate it," Kate said. "So what else do you know about this Colony?"Bruce shook his head, and a shelf of snow dropped off his cowl. "Not about the Colony. There's another new player in town.""How new are we talking?""As in, at tonight's gala new," said Bruce. "I noticed some suspicious activity: four men leaving for the alley. When I went to check, there were only three. All beaten unconscious."Kate scoffed. "So an alley brawl means there's... what, a new vigilante? Tell me you have something more to go on than that.""Yes," Bruce said. "Surveillance footage. Grainy, but it shows a fifth figure. All-white costume.""So it's a kidnapping then," said Kate. Her jaw tightened involuntarily."Undetermined," Bruce said, readying his grapple for a new swing. Kate did the same. "There's little to go on. For all the video shows, the final man simply ran off. But I want you to keep your eyes peeled. The Colony is our priority, but it can't overshadow everything else."Our, Kate noted."Got it," she said. They fired their grapples simultaneously, each catching a new hold. "I'll keep you posted if I find anything."They swung, leaping into glides at the top of their arcs again, snow falling from their capes in sheets. Kate helped herself to a lungful of frigid air, and smiled.
Maybe this won't be so bad, after all.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Kate sped home on one of her less-conspicuous motorcycles, in a sour mood. The rising sun did little to help.Things were not going well.Last night had been her first true crack at her new... cadets? Trainees? No matter. They were rough around the edges and unfocused, that was the important part.After the tour of the Belfry, she had run them all through the Army Physical Fitness Test to get a baseline, and they'd all passed; even Basil, who had looked like he was about to pass out halfway through. But there was a clear air about them that they didn't think they needed more instruction. It spelled problems down the line if it wasn't reigned in quick. Fortunately, Kate knew a thing or two about knocking people down a peg. The so-called Mud Room might be useful for that-A soft hiss high above caught her ear, and she parked a moment to listen. There, at one-o'clock, heading the same direction as her over a block of apartments. A white speck of a craft, the rider in a matching suit."So there is someone new in town," she muttered. Not that she doubted Bruce, but having her own confirmation was good.She watched the craft a moment more, until it disappeared behind taller buildings."Who the hell wears white?" she added, kicking her bike back up and speeding off.----"Any updates on our mystery figure?" Bruce asked, his blue hologram projected above Kate's forearm. She was crouched atop one of Gotham's many abandoned buildings, this one an old law firm on West 40th.It was Sunday, and Kate had called him just as her patrol began. Mostly to inform him of her plan to stress-test the new team, but the ghostly new arrival would be a factor as well, at least until contact was made."Last sighting of the craft was 0400 yesterday," she said. Hers. Nothing new in the meantime. "Maybe they found what they were looking for, left town."It didn't sound convincing, not even to her."Doubtful," Bruce said, crossing his arms. "A costume and this level of tech rarely spell short-term."Kate suppressed a smile at that hidden jab... if it even was a jab."Keep an eye out," Bruce continued. "If someone new is looking to stake a claim, we need to know who they are. And what they're after.""Of course.""Anything else?""Not right know," Kate said."Then I'll see you at the Belfry," said Bruce. His image dissolved, and the projector on her gauntlet darkened.As her eyes adjusted to the night, Kate saw a fleck of white fall and perch on an old, decrepit roof sign two blocks away.
Well, speak of the devil.
Time to introduce herself. There may not be another opportunity.Kate leapt off the roof and spread her cape. From this height, she'd have a smooth descent to the other building.The figure remained motionless apart from the head, swiveling in wide, intermittent arcs like an owl. The large "ears" of the helmet made Kate wonder if they contained some type audio equipment; noise cancellation or some other kind of filtering. Despite looking more like a cat, an owl might not be too far off from their suit's capabilities. Hell, maybe the cape could turn into wings.Suddenly, they jumped down from the sign.Kate adjusted her trajectory; the figure was headed toward her, fortunately, which would only make the drop steeper. The bright suit made whoever this was easy to track.Gonna need to work on some things, Kate thought. They weren't even traversing the rooftops efficiently; weren't even trying to, it seemed.Finally, Kate mentally continued the figure's path and dropped to the probable roof of a block of townhouses, her boots not even crunching. She stood and waited.Moments later, the figure vaulted over a ledge and landed in a crouch in front of her. Now viewed up close, and not through grainy surveillance tapes, Kate could see that the mystery person appeared to be a woman. Strong-looking. Tall, over six feet, though some of that was due to the absurd, inscrutable helmet. Come to think of it, the entire ensemble was bizarre: the helmet, the garish white suit, the oversized... hockey gloves? With spikes on them?
Points for originality, I guess.
Her mind flashed for an instant to Violet Paige. Was it too coincidental, her returning and this new player showing up? Perhaps. Vigilantism didn't seem to be Violet's thing, though... but then, the same could be said about her."There you are," Kate said, breaking the brief silence. "The mystery figure in white.""Move," said the figure. Her voice was electronically altered, deep and compressed. Vocoder, probably."We need to have a conversation," Kate said.The figure took a step toward her. "Busy."Real Chatty Cathy, this one, Kate thought. She tensed herself, prepared to throw down if necessary. One didn't need to be a Cassandra Cain to see ill intent here."You run around in a costume in this town, people take notice," said Kate. "You can't expect-""Notice this."And there it was, a wild haymaker left hook. Already primed for violence, Kate dodged easily by leaning back and circling to her right. It helped that the punch was slow.The figure lurched off-balance from her own momentum."You want a fight?" Kate asked. She moved in for a submission, caught the woman awkwardly around the torso as she stood. "Have it your way."She prepared to throw an elbow to the head, but felt thick fingers gripping her right bicep. Then she was airborne.Okay, stronger than she looks, Kate thought. She had just been overhead tossed... left-handed."Not my type," the figure droned, as Kate adjusted herself into a soft landing. "Although under other circumstances..."She lurched toward Kate with another punch, a right this time. Again Kate dodged, and a chunk of a gargoyle's wing exploded into dust. There was obviously power behind the blows, but the mystery woman was not a good striker. Leaning too far forward, barely engaging her hips, telegraphing... small favors, Kate supposed.She took a classic boxing stance and cracked a tight left hook across the helmet's jaw. Hopefully that would rattle her.Kate dodged a right hook and threw a side kick into the woman's right hip. She dropped to a knee, scuttled sideways to dodge a leaping punch from Kate."Been a blast!" said the woman, as she stood.Kate threw another kick, reaching. A miss as her target leaned away, then exploded up with a backhand right.It took Kate in the chest, knocking the wind from her and sending her sailing over the edge of the building. She barely had time to register what had just happened.
grab something anything grab something you're gonna die anything ANYTHING
She reached out and caught the guardrail of a fire escape, grunting in pain as the impact spread up her arm and into her torso. A scraping as that arm left its socket, and then a hard blow of the fence to her ribs.Kate held there a moment, catching her breath. Nothing broken. Good.What in the hell was that?It had been so fast. If that woman had been a better fighter...She shook her head. She wasn't, and that's what mattered. Brute strength could be dealt with easily enough.Kate lifted herself over the railing and dashed back up to the roof, ignoring her dislocation for the moment.Gone. Of course.She popped her shoulder back in place, almost absently. Not the first time that had happened."Hostile with super strength," she muttered. "Just perfect..."She couldn't have gone far, though. However strong this woman was, she was amateurish. She'd been heading east, and on foot, so perhaps-A loud bang from down the street. Kate dashed to the edge of the roof just in time to see a white cape vanish through the front door of another brownstone about 100 yards away.Making it way too easy, lady, Kate thought. Just what in the hell are you after so bad?She vaulted from the roof onto the next building, traversing any obstacle in her way, until she arrived in front of the other townhouse. 802 West 40th, she noted. Even in the low light and from across the street, the front door was visible on the entryway floor, dented in and still wobbling.Oddly, the only lights on in the whole building seemed to be coming from the third floor. Four adjacent windows, just to the right of the front door. Curtained, unfortunately.Kate flicked on her cowl's thermal mode and ocular cameras, then dialed 911 from her gauntlet. Whatever the woman in white was here for, the cops would be needed one way or another. She herself would interfere if necessary, too.From so far away and through a thick wall, the infrared image was fuzzy, but Kate could make out the mystery woman by her cape and helmet. She stood before a massive blob of heat.What is that?"911, what is your emergency?""Hello, yes," Kate said, putting on a slightly higher voice. "I need to report a possible burglary at 802 West 40th Avenue. I saw someone smash the front door in.""Okay, ma'am, where are you now? Are you safe?"A shift on the infrared from the heat blob. A figure standing up? Then what was on the floor...?"I'm standing across the street," Kate said, "I'd like to remain anonymous, please.""Sure," the dispatcher replied. "You're sure this isn't... like, someone forgetting their keys?"The figure reached up toward something and pulled."Yes," Kate sighed. "They knocked the whole door down. Plus this place might be abandoned."A small blob of heat broke off from the larger one, and dashed out of the room.No... Kate thought."All right, all right," said the dispatcher said. "Just making sure. I've got a car on the way now-""Oh fuck," Kate said.A young girl, no older than 10, had just ran out of the building, a metal collar and length of steel cable around her neck.Those are kids in there. Kate's vision started to go red. She took a fast count of the small blobs; five left."What? What?" said the dispatcher."A kid just ran out," Kate replied, flicking off her thermal. "Tell them to hurry the hell up, get some EMTs and fire here, too. Just in case.""Right," said the dispatcher. He sounded shaken. A few seconds of typing.The girl crossed the street at a jog. Kate leaned over the roof, saw her stop in the adjacent alley, cowering in the shadows behind a dumpster midway down.Dammit! She couldn't just leave this kid unattended, but there were obviously more in the building. At least the mystery woman seemed to be on the right side.
Now's your chance, lady.
"Units are on their way," said the dispatcher."Good," Kate said. "You might not like this, but I'm hanging up. Gotta make sure this kid's okay."She terminated the call without waiting for a response.The girl still cowered, scrunched into a ball. The rest of the alley, fortunately, was cluttered but clear of anyone else.Gonna be scared no matter how I do this, Kate thought. She found herself hoping she'd get a crack at whatever bastard was responsible for all this mess, and pushed those thoughts aside for the moment.She spotted a service ladder, and gently lowered it. The girl didn't hear.Sirens in the distance as her foot left the last rung. She deliberately made a soft crunch on the asphalt so as not to completely startle the child.The girl still looked up sharply, almost frozen with fear. Kate was perhaps twelve feet away, and knelt down, spreading her cape to make her symbol visible. The girl's frightened expression took on a cast of confusion."Are you okay, sweetheart?" Kate asked.The girl blinked."That's all right," Kate said. The sirens were notably closer now. "It's okay if you're scared. I just want you to know you're safe.""Are... are you with Batman?" the girl whispered. Close to awe."Yes. My name is Batwoman. What's yours?"The girl looked hesitant. "Rosie.""That's a nice name," Kate said. She felt an odd twinge on the right side of her head, like a weak electrical current, but ignored it. "Listen-""Are you Batman's girlfriend?"Kate couldn't help but grin a bit at that. "No. We're just friends.""Are you with the cat lady?"Cat lady. Hell, maybe that was the mystery woman's code name. Not the best for this town, but whatever."Yes," Kate repeated. Louder sirens, a fire engine now in the mix."Then why are you out here?"Sharp one, Kate thought.A police cruiser squealed to a stop in front of the brownstone, the blue-and-reds washing over the alley. Kate glanced up, and saw more children dashing out of the building.She counted five, and breathed a sigh of relief. Good.She also noted, with some alarm, that flames were licking the windows of the very room the children had been in. What the hell was going on here?
Piece it together later.
"Just in case any of you got out early," Kate said. "It's not safe out here alone.""It's not in there, either."Now a fire engine and an ambulance pulled up, sirens echoing off the tight row of buildings."Listen, Rosie. The police are here now. Do you have parents?"Rosie nodded."Okay. They'll help you get back to them, and help the other kids, too."She held out a hand. Rosie took it after a moment of deliberation, and they stood."Want me to walk you over?" Kate asked."No... I can do it," said Rosie. "But thanks."She hugged Kate around the waist, scrunching up her cape in the back."Sure thing," Kate said, swallowing a lump in her throat. "I'll be here if you need me."Rosie held on a moment longer, then ran back to toward the other children. She blended back in well enough that none of the first responders seemed to notice the new arrival.
Brave kid.
Kate watched the scene for a while, leaning on the same dumpster Rosie had hidden behind. The EMTs bundled all the children in blankets and loaded them into the ambulance. The fire burst the windows of its room, raining glass onto the sidewalk and sending the firefighters scrambling to meet the flames with their engine's ladder.What a mess. But at least the kids were safe-A soft scrape above her, to the left, and then the woman in white leapt down onto another dumpster closer to the alley opening, landing in a crouch. She didn't seem to have spotted Kate, only about twenty feet away.Sneaky one, Kate thought.The woman also watched the scene for a bit, motionless.Go on, Kate thought. Credit where credit's due. And let's hope she doesn't try to punch me again.She stepped out from behind the dumpster."This wasn't in the script," the woman muttered to herself.
Things rarely are, lady.
Kate crossed her arms. "Good work," she said.The woman whirled around."Getting those kids out of there," Kate added.The woman jumped down to face her. Once again, Kate kept cool but primed herself to fight."Fuck your approval," the woman said, clenching her oversized left fist. "Gotham belongs to the Bat, right? Signal in the sky and all."She stepped forward and jabbed a thick, accusing finger toward Kate."Marking his territory. His property." Her voice became louder. "So why the fuck were those kids in there? Why didn't your kind save them?"She got right in Kate's face.
"Why were they just left there to burn?!"
Kate took the tirade without flinching. Maybe this was Violet Page, after all. The anger was certainly there. And maybe she'd really been a meta this whole time. Wouldn't be too unusual.But short of ripping her helmet off right now, there was no way to tell besides, perhaps, post processing the audio Kate was still recording. Right now it didn't matter much.Regardless of her identity, this woman had barely any indication of being cut out for this life. Physically, maybe. But she was undisciplined in many respects. This kind of hair-trigger temper wouldn't last long in Gotham.Still... Kate wasn't about to tell her quit. Not yet."We didn't leave anyone in there," Kate said. "We knew you were getting them out." It was a small lie, but after that display? Mystery lady could go piss up a rope.Kate took her grapple gun from her belt. "We see you now. And we'll be watching."She fired onto the ledge of the building the woman had dropped from, continuing toward her original destination of the Belfry."Yeah, fuck you too," she heard behind her as the gun's winch pulled her up.Fuck yourself, Kate thought. She landed on the roof and got her bearings. The Belfry stood southwest of her about three miles away, shrouded in mist. It would be a good jog of sorts, and she'd still be early for the training session.As she made her way toward the tower, swinging and running and leaping, she put the recent events out of her mind for the time being. She would tell Bruce everything, of course. Hand over all her collected data. But right now, her focus needed to be on her trainees.The woman in white had, completely unintentionally, provided Kate with a specter of some of her worst fears about this whole training operation. And however hard she had planned to push them before... they would be getting it even worse now.