Shadows and Cards (a Batboys x OC)

Chapter 18

   Damian

It had been a few weeks since Athena had started staying with them. She had gone on quite a few patrols with everyone, including Bruce which surprised us all. He had stayed out of this situation for a while, but it seemed that he just couldn't resist training her as his daughter. But she had settled in as best as a girl with wings and elemental powers could with a bunch of men.

They had also been doing a lot of detective work on Rebirth Corp. and Avinome. They did have a lot in relation to each other, the same type of research, the same founder, even the same equipment. 

Athena was very interested in a certain piece of machinery, a DNA processor specifically made for feline genes. She had to stay in the manor most of the day, and when she went out anyone who was with her had to keep a close eye. She had seen very little combat, and Damian thought it might have been getting to her head. Anytime she came across a criminal, she had a hard time keeping herself from severely injuring or killing them. But so far, she has stayed distant and conservative of her powers.

When Damian entered the Batcave after breakfast and a daily dose of Jason's annoying rage and a punch to the face for his retort, he was surprised to find Athena madly typing on the main computer. He approached her hesitantly and found her pulling up a picture from Tim's reports. And as she enhanced the picture, he saw that it was a photo of what looked like a girl with ears and a wolf tail, and a pair of sun yellow eyes that glowed in the dim picture. Athena was mumbling about something.

"Morning, whatcha looking at." Damina started casually.

Athena jumped up from the chair as if she had not heard him come in with her enhanced hearing.

"Hey, mind staying out of my freaking business for a few moments? Can't I get some space?" Athena snapped.

Damian laughed. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Not particularly in the mood Damian. If you really want to know, I'm sure Tim has records of all of our sleeping, eating, and combat activity. He's just like that. Now leave me before I torch your face off." She held her hand open and a ball of purple and orange flame sparked to prove her point.

Damian could tell she was spooked by something, given her apparent threats and that she had deep black circles around her eyes.

"Are you really okay? If this girl is so important to you, then let me help you find her," he said.

Athena looked at him with hard eyes and her hand curled and uncurled over the keyboard. She sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"Ok fine, you won. You can help me if you stop being nice to me and start being the normal cold-hearted assassin you normally are. Deal?"

Damian grinned wickedly, "Deal. Now, who is this person?"

Athena pronounced solemnly, "She is an assassin for the elite force of killers known as the Night Kingdom. One of the top commanders of the lupine force, she has committed over two hundred counts of first and second-degree murder. She has also the only assassin besides me to be able to fully shift from one form to the next, in her case a full wolf. She is only twelve years old and has surpassed every Test that has ever been administered in the NK. That said, meet my sister Kayia."

He couldn't believe what he just heard. "You have a sister? And who is the Night Kingdom and how do we not know about it? How do I not know about it?"

"Ok, calm down. The Night Kingdom is obviously the name that we used for our league of animal-human hybrid killers. And since I had no idea who Rebirth Corp. was, they must have used this alternate name so that we wouldn't ever find out who we work for or what our goal was. We were all bred to follow orders without question.

"But what really stumps me is how Kayia has survived for three years in the open with only her wits and not get caught. She may be resourceful, but there is no way she could have kept herself hidden. After all, she does have ears and a tail."

Damian glanced at the picture once again and felt just a twitch of sadness for Athena. Damian looked back to her, and her wings were starting to waver between feathers and water. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"If she really means that much to you, then I will help you," he said.

She looked back at him from the picture, and he saw a flicker of hope in her eyes. But it soon faded and she shrugged off his hand.

"What happened to our deal? I thought I said no more sappy Damian, that's Dick's job."

Damian laughed in spite of himself. "Right, won't say sorry anymore and try and surprise jump you more often. And more rage is required as well."

Athena smiled and nodded in a mocking way. "Yes, that sounds much better. I can't stand nice people. They're no fun."

"Oh, so you like bad boys?" Damian said sweetly, cocking his head.

Athena blushed and lunged for him. And so Damian and Athena spared for a while, Damian getting in as many punches and he could all while Athena was snarling and dodging him in the air. It must have been at least an hour when Damian noticed the alarms and lights blaring around the computer and leaped out of the pit to see that a huge crime spree was underway in the GCPD.

"Athena!" Damian called, "You have to see this."

Athena landed beside him, folding in her wings, and pressed a button that pulled up the GCPD security feed.

"Oh, my gods. Is that who I think it is?" Athena breathed.

Damian nodded, "It is. Three of The Joker's best goons, Smiley, Chuckles, and Knock-out. And what looks like three dozen assassins raiding the GCPD archive and Tech department. They have Chief Gordon and the rest of the cops as hostages."

"No, no that's not who I mean." Athena shook her head, "Suit up, we'll deal with this. Shut down the alarms and meet me one block East of the police headquarters in an hour. No one else can know where we are going. Got it?"

"Uh, ok. What are you going to do?" Damian asked.

Athena looked back at him as she opened the door out of the Batcave and smiled grimly.

"There is someone I need to have a little chat with."