When Two Gangs Unite

4

"So......Dad! What's the haps? " Gale asked as soon as the kids sat around the table in the Batcave.

"First, I need to know the names of our guests and their strengths." Bruce said.

"Okay? Mr. Wayne, I'm Katie Forrester and this is my twin sister Kay. We happen to be black belts in Taekwondo." Katie began.

"Is that your real name?"

"Uh, no. My actual name is Kayla but I prefer to be called Kay."

"I'm Elije. I prefer not to say my last name."

"I'm Ace Sorensen. I'm a stunt airplane flyer."

"I'm Princess Zara of Barkingburg, and this is my younger brother Prince Zachary Ryder of Barkingburg. I am trained in multiple martial arts and sword arts. Zachary, introduce yourself."

"Yeah. What she said. I'm trained in multiple martial arts and sword arts as well. I also happen to be a certified LifeGuard, police officer, stunt motorcycle rider, spy, and all around rescuer."

"For real? How old are you young man?" Bruce asked.

"I'm fifteen." Ryder replied.

"Well, then. Since the introductions are made, we must be discussing the reason for this meeting." An elderly man spoke up.

"Right. So, kids, remember the incident with the clock tower in town square last year?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah! Wasn't it a distraction for a bank robbery?" Bree asked. Bruce nodded.

"I recently got word about that incident. There are more of these bank robberies popping up everywhere around the world. It can't be Andrew Walsh and his father, because they are locked up tight." Bruce said.

"Are you certain? Can you tell us more about the the incident last year? Perhaps if we know what exactly happened, we may be able to help." Zara requested.

"Last year, there was a mystery between the clock tower and a break up from a love couple. The hands on the clock were moving backwards to 11:45, the time a certain girl was supposed to deliver a letter to her sister. We all believed someone was trying to torture the girl by using the clock tower to count down to the time she never delivered the letter and setting off a bomb. Many people of the town gathered at the clock tower to see what happened. It was then we realised that the clock tower had to be a distraction for the real crime, a bank robbery." Damian explained.

"So what you're saying is that the countdown was tied into the entire computer system that powered the clock tower and that caused you to believe there was a bomb. And the people who programed the computers were the same people who programed the computers for the bank that was robbed." Zara asked.

"Y-Yes. How'd you know?" Dick stammered.

"Oh, I was there that night and heard everything. But my point is that if the men who attempted the crime were able to pull it off before getting caught, is it possible that they would be able to escape their cells? Have you recently checked their cells? They could have escaped and began those other bank robberies." Zara said.

"This is possible. And I did hear word that two prisoners had disappeared from their cells from the Commissioner." Bruce said.

"Well, what if those men are the missing prisoners? We should send squads to investigate each of the banks that were robbed from. Perhaps if there are similar traits in each robbery that point to the one here, could we assume that these men were behind all these robberies?" Kay asked.

 "Yes, Miss Kayla. That is a wonderful idea. Master Bruce, you should listen to the young lady's idea." The elderly man spoke again.

"But Alfred, that could be dangerous" Bruce argued.

"What you do every night is dangerous. At least these children have experience in self-defense and can protect themselves. And you could send one or two of your own children with them." Alfred said.

"Fine. On one condition: Everyone has to have their mobile devices on at all times."

"Dad, please! If you send us out, we'll be fine! This isn't the first time we've done recon missions! You once sent us to Bialya! We can handle ourselves." Bree exclaimed.

"Yeah, Dad! Listen to Bree!" Tim, Stephanie, Cass and Jason cried.

"I know you can I just want you safe!" Bruce exclaimed.

"Wait, does this have to do with Mom?" Gale asked. Everyone sat there, waiting to see what Bruce would say.

"...Yes, it does." Bruce finally answered. The Penta Girls all sat there confused as the Waynes all bowed their heads.

"Mr. Wayne, if you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Ace asked.

"Oh! Look at the time! Master Bruce, you have a meeting with Mr. Fox in ten minutes. I suggest you hurry." Alfred stepped in, saving Bruce.

Bruce nodded bid everyone farewell and left. Alfred left to clean upstairs in the manor.

"So what happened?" Ryder asked. Zara jabbed her elbow in his side.

"Well, as you know, only Bree, Damian, Terry and I are his blood children. Dad had a wonderful wife and she was a great mom. With her, they had Bree, and I. Her name was Helena Wayne and she loved fighting crime alongside her husband. She was just great at solving cases as he was. One day, it became known that she was too great at solving cases. Dad sent her on a mission while her trained with us. She solved the case but we had to go save her. She died on the way home from a bullet hole that had punctured her heart. The case she solved had to do with a shipment of new guns. She stopped the sale but not before they got her. Dad vowed to never let us on our own missions for fear that we might have the same fate as mom." Gale explained.

Everyone sat there in silence.  Some sat there grieving the loss of their mother while others sat there wallowing in sadness due to the sad tale.

Alfred came back after about a half hour. He promptly led the children to the large computer and pressed some keys. A video call came through and it happened to be Bruce.

"Gale, I'm assuming you told them the story? Well then. I decided that no matter how hard I try to keep you safe, it's time for you to spread your wings. So I'm sending groups of you to the main cities where the bank robberies happened."

"Really, Dad!? When? Who are the squads?" Gale squealed. Her other siblings did the same.

"I want Barbara, Dick, Ace and Kay go to the first area, in Jump City. Bree,Damian, Jason and Elije will go to Bludhaven. Terry, Tim, Stephanie and Katie will go to Central City. Zara, Ryder,Cass, and Gale will go to Barkingburg. Your job is to investigate the crime scene and to see if process matches us with the one last year." Bruce listed.

"Roger that, Dad. We'll have the intel to you ASAP. " Stephanie said and ended the call.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get ready!" Cass cheered.

Within minutes, the children were in their spy gear and on their way to their drop off points.