“It was stupid, it was dangerous, it was reckless…” Bruce growled, cowl removed and hanging from the back of his neck as he stomped through the cave.
“Oh yes. ‘Cause dressing up like a bat and running around beating up criminals is a sane thing to do,” Carrie shot back.
“This has nothing to do with me,” Bruce replied as he spun back to face Carrie, anger in his eyes.
Carrie somehow managed to stand her ground, something few could do under that withering look, the fact that she stared at Bruce, not the Bat the only thing keeping her from collapsing in fear. “It has everything to do with you!” Carrie told him. “I am not going to sit here and do nothing while you go risk your life finding out who killed my parents!”
“Well if you don’t ‘sit here’ you’ll end up just like them!” Bruce roared, stepping forward so he was now face to face with Carrie, looming over her by nearly a foot. This time, Carrie jerked back just a bit before finding her courage once more.
“Perhaps if I could intercede here…” Alfred said from where he stood nearby.
“No!” Both Bruce and Carrie responded as one.
“Well I intend to regardless,” Alfred replied. “Miss Carrie is right,” he told Bruce. “If you plan to continue this questionable crusade against crime then she has just as much right to be involved as you.” Carrie smiled triumphantly, until Alfred turned to face her. “As for you, Miss Carrie. Master Bruce is also correct. This is far too dangerous for someone not properly trained. Granted, it is far too dangerous even with said training but that has yet to stop Master Bruce.” He looked back to his employer. “Therefore I suggest you train her.”
“I will not,” Bruce told Alfred. “I do not have time to look after a child.”
“Perhaps
you should have thought of that before
you decided to take her in,” Alfred replied sharply before he turned and walked off.
* * * * * * * * * *
Carrie could barely hide her smile as she dialed in the combination to her locker. After nearly two weeks of training, Bruce was going to finally take her on patrol with him tonight and Carrie couldn’t wait.
“You look happy,” Jason Todd said as he walked up beside her, his own pack slung over his shoulder, Warren a step behind him. “Guess you can’t wait for the weekend.”
“You could say that,” Carrie smiled as she greeted her friend. “We still meeting at Steph’s?”
“Yep,” Jason nodded. “Her dad’s driving us to the park.”
“Morning, you three,” Stephanie said as she joined the others. “How’s it going?”
“Pretty good,” Warren replied, turning to her. “Carrie’s coming with us to the park on Saturday. Which is great, because I need someone to take on the ‘Screamer’ in case you two chicken out.”
“Oh please,” Steph replied, rolling her eyes. “I’m not the one who threw up because he ate five chili dogs before going on the ‘Vortex’.”
“One time,” Warren said. “One time… and I was ten. Are you ever going to let me live that down?” He moaned, although his expression and tone showed he was just goofing around.
“Come on, we got to get to class,” Steph told Warren, the two of them saying goodbye to the others before heading down the hall.
“So… Carrie?” Jason asked, as Carrie pulled her books from her locker, then closed it. “I was wondering if you wanted to catch a flick tonight?”
Carrie shook her head. “Sorry, Jay. I’m busy tonight. Perhaps the four of us can catch one later in the week. I’ll see you at lunch.” Carrie hurried off to her next class, leaving Jason in the hall.
“Right,” he said to himself. “The four of us.”
* * * * * * * * * *
“I don’t know,” Jervis Tetch said, sipping from his teacup as he spoke to Victor Fries, the two men sitting down to lunch in Tetch’s office. “You said yourself it still needs testing.”
“I know,” Victor replied. “But I don’t know how much time she has left. Jervis, please… you’re one of my closest friends, and the only one that can get me access to the lab after hours. At least consider it.”
There was a long moment of silence Jervis thinking over what his friend asked him. “Are you sure?” he said.
“I am,” Victor replied. “This may be Nora’s only hope!”
Tetch sighed, finally nodding. “Okay then,” he said. “Saturday night. I need time to set everything up.”
“Thank you Jervis!” Victor said. “Thank you!”
* * * * * * * * * *
As she opened her locker, placing her books in it to end the day Carrie fought back a yawn. She finally closed the door to find Steph standing on the other side of it. “Don’t do that!” she announced, jumping back slightly.
“Sorry,” Steph said, a rare serious expression on her face. “Listen, the guys and I have been talking… and we thought it would be best if I spoke with you alone, cause we don’t want you to feel like we’re ganging up on you and you might have an easier time speaking to me about it. Anyway…” the blonde took a deep breath before continuing, “We’re concerned about you.”
“Concerned about what?” Carrie asked.
“You’re tired nearly all the time now. You’re schoolwork seems to be suffering. You always seem to be busy during the evenings and Tim is sure he saw you limping one morning.”
“Oh that,” Carrie said. “Well I pulled a muscle that morning. You know how it is sometimes, you’re lying in bed and then… yow!” She smiled at her friend.
“Okay. What about the rest?” Steph asked.
“I’ve just… I’ve had a lot going on. You should know more then anyone that the last two months haven’t been easy on me.”
“You’re right,” Steph nodded. “I guess I’m just worried. But as long as you’re okay. Bruce hasn’t…”
“Of course not,” Carrie protested. “Bruce hasn’t laid a hand on me, in
any way.”
* * * * * * * * * *
“Again!” Bruce barked, dressed in a white gi, watching Carrie pick herself up off of the training mats. Every night for the past week they had done this, training for three hours after supper until it was dark, when Bruce would go out on patrol. Carrie panted, wiping the sweat from her brow. She was always exhausted after these workouts. Bruce on the other would barely break a sweat; of course in her defense she tended to do more ‘work’, and far more flying though the air, during these sessions.
“Yeah, yeah,” Carrie muttered as she once more took a fighting stance. This time she tried something different. She charged at Bruce, but at the last moment, she slid under his legs, using an arm to topple him. “I did it,” she said, surprised as she got to her feet. “Alright! I did it! I did it! I… waaaa…” Carrie shouted as Bruce pulled her down to the mat.
“Never let up your guard,” he told her simply before standing, grabbing a towel and tossing it towards Carrie. “Now get ready. I leave in half-an-hour. With or without you.”
Carrie nodded as she stood and then bounced up the stairs.
* * * * * * * * * *
Stephanie hissed in pain as she poked her finger with a rose thorn.
“You okay?” her boss, Dinah Lance, asked from across the room. The two women were working in a small florist shop in one of the nicer neighborhoods of Gotham. The shop was owned and run by Dinah and she employed about a dozen workers, including Steph.
“Yeah. I’ve just got something on my mind,” Steph said as she quickly moved to the first aid cabinet to get a bandage. “Sorry about that.”
“That’s okay,” Dinah replied, moving the check on the younger blonde. “Want to talk about it?”
“Oh it’s just my friend Carrie,” Steph said. “She’s been going though a lot of things and I’m concerned about her.”
Dinah nodded, listening. “She’s the one Bruce Wayne took in isn’t she?”
“Yeah,” Steph replied. “She says nothing's wrong, but part of me is concerned he might be…”
“Oh no. He wouldn’t do that,” Dinah quickly replied. “I know him… sort of. I went to college with his cousin Dick.”
“YOU went to college with THE Dick Grayson?” Steph proclaimed.
“Yeah,” Dinah laughed.
“Lucky,” the younger woman replied dreamily, causing Dinah to laugh again.
“Anyway like I said I’ve met Bruce a few times and he wouldn’t abuse your friend,” Dinah told her.
“Thanks,” Steph said, feeling a little better as she got back to work.
* * * * * * * * * *
“You know the plan right?” Batman asked Carrie, his voice a low growl as the two stood atop a building and looked down on a nearby warehouse.
“Yes, mein Fuehrer,” Carrie responded. She was dressed in a black outfit similar to Batman’s, but without the cape and fancy gadgets, and with just a hooded mask. “I am to sit here and watch. I do nothing. No-Thing!”
Batman just glared at her for a moment before turning and pulling out his grapple gun. Firing a line, he swung over to the roof of the warehouse, not making a sound as he landed on it. Carrie settled in to watch, using a special pair of night vision binoculars to view the action.
Batman made his way over the rooftop, pausing to look through the skylight, his preferred choice of entrance. It offered surprise and the falling glass shards would cause those below to back up or cover up, giving him a few precious seconds before they could respond. He looked down, watching a number of men moving wooden crates. Crates that he knew contained weapons. He scowled as he prepared to enter; his eyes checked over the assault from each corner, looking at the location of each man below.
Carrie watched as Batman crashed through the skylight, shots being heard a few seconds later. She frowned as she looked through the binoculars. She was only able to make out some of the battle thought the warehouse’s handful of windows. She fidgeted in concern and curiosity. “Damn it… I can’t see,” she muttered.
“That could be a problem,” came a voice behind her. Carrie quickly turned around and saw the Black Canary standing behind her.
* * * * * * * * * *
Batman dove under a barrage of fire, the warehouse interior still partly clouded from the smoke bomb he’d dropped earlier. The caped crusader easily dealt with the man firing the machine gun at him, with only one punch. He then dove to the side, tossing a batarang to knock a pistol out of another man’s hand. The man started to run, but Batman fired his grapple gun at him, tying the man up around the legs and causing him to fall to the floor.
Out of the corner of his eye Batman saw a large shadow approaching, a mountain of a man charging out of the smoke and straight towards the dark knight. Batman took a cue from Carrie’s actions earlier that night and slipped between his legs, tripping the man in the process. As the huge thug crashed to the ground, Batman quickly moved to make sure that he was unconscious.
Taking a quick look around to make sure no one was left, Batman started to tie up the criminals, his actions interrupted by a slow clap as a tall, lean figure walked out from the smoke.
Ra’s Al Ghul.
* * * * * * * * * *
“You sure this is what you want to do, kid?” Black Canary asked as she looked Carrie over.
Carrie nodded. “I do. After my parents…” her voice trailed off for a moment before she spoke again. “I didn’t know what to do. If Bruce and my friends weren’t there I’d…” she trailed off again. “But when I saved Bruce a few weeks back. It felt right. It felt like I had a purpose in my life. Like I was meant for something… something important. Do you understand?”
“I do,” Canary replied. “But this is not easy or glamorous, I know that more then most.”
“I know,” Carrie said. “I read about that incident down at the docks. What happened to you and Miss Gordon.”
Canary sighed. “The fact is there’s nothing I can say or really do that would stop you from doing this if it's what you really want. I just want to make sure you understand the dangers and that you’ll be as careful as possible.”
“I will,” Carrie told her.
* * * * * * * * * *
“Impressive… as usual, Detective,” Ra’s said as the smoke faded.
“Why are you here, Ra’s?” Batman growled as he stalked towards Ra’s, before a large man inserted himself between the two.
“You will not touch the master,” Ubu snarled.
Batman tensed as Ra’s put a hand on Ubu’s shoulder. “It is okay.” He motioned to a nearby chair. “Sit, Ubu… sit.” The large man grumbling as he sat down. “Good,” Ra’s said before he turned his attention back to Batman. “I assume, Detective, that you are wondering why we are here?”
Batman said nothing, merely staring at Ra’s. The man merely shrugged before continuing. “I have recently come into some… information, regarding the unfortunate fate of the parents of the young woman who currently lives with you.”
“No deal, Ra’s,” Batman growled.
“You do not even know what my offer is yet,” Ra’s simply stated.
“But I know you,” Batman shot back. “No deal.” He turned to tie up the last man. “Now leave my city.”
“If that is your wish,” Ra’s replied. “Perhaps young Miss Kelly would be more receptive.”
“You stay away from her,” Batman said as he moved towards Ra’s. In a flash Ubu was up from his chair and just as quick down to his knees, clutching one in pain as Batman barely turned his attention from Ra’s.
The two men stared at each other for a long moment. “Fine then. I will abide by your wishes, Detective… for now. Come, Ubu.”
“Next time,” Ubu snarled as he regained his footing, glaring at Batman for a second before he turned to follow Ra’s out of the warehouse, limping slightly.
* * * * * * * * * *
Steph pulled up in front of Stately Wayne Manor, hopping off her motorcycle. She made her way up to the door and knocked on it. A moment later Alfred answered.
“Ah… Miss Brown is it not? What brings you here this evening?”
“I just got off of work and thought I’d head over here and see how Carrie was doing,” Steph told him.
“Ah,” Alfred replied. “I’m afraid Miss Kelly and Master Wayne are out this evening. I do apologize for the inconvenience and I will be sure to inform them of your visit upon their return.”
“Well I don’t mind waiting,” Steph said.
“I’m very sorry, Miss Brown, but I fear they will not be back for sometime.”
“Mr. Wayne
does know it’s a school night right?” Steph asked.
“Indeed he does,” Alfred said. “He was after all a schoolboy himself at one time, believe it or not. And I am sure he will see that Miss Kelly is back in time to receive a proper night’s sleep.”
“Okay,” Steph said, admitting defeat. “Tell her I’ll see her tomorrow at school.”
“I will indeed,” Alfred replied as Steph headed back to her bike, the older man watching her leave before closing the door as he returned into the manor.
* * * * * * * * * *
Batman watched Ra’s leave, then made sure the criminals were all secured before he exited the warehouse, returning to where he had left Carrie. He also noticed Black Canary as he approached.
“I see you’ve convinced another kid to join your war,” the older blonde woman commented.
“It was her choice,” Batman shot back. “Just like it was yours and Dick’s and everyone else’s. I never ask for help.”
“True enough,” Canary nodded. “Just make sure she knows all the dangers.” She walked closer to Batman, whispering so that only he could hear. “And you make damned sure she’s trained. I don’t want you to go through what I did with Barbara.”
“Do
not tell me how to do my job,” Batman hissed back, his voice low as well. Carrie started to move towards them curious as to what was being said then stopped, even taking a step back as the Batman glared at her before turning his attention back to Black Canary. “
I will see that she is properly trained. What happened to Barbara will
not happen again.”
Black Canary just looked at him for a moment, opening her mouth and then closing it silently before turning and leaving. Batman watched her leave before turning back to Carrie. “Let’s go,” he said angrily. “It’s late and you need sleep. You have classes tomorrow.”
Carrie just nodded as the two headed towards the Batmobile.
