CAIN

6. The Stranger

Two nights since the fiasco at the office of the Black Mask, Cassandra finds herself sitting outside on the railing of a fire escape outside the window of the room Ming Chen allowed her to use. Cassandra decided to stay an extra night to fully heal from the gunshot wound in her shoulder. Now that she is rested and kitted up with new clothing and even weapons, Cassandra is ready to continue roaming the dangerous streets of Gotham City.

As she makes her way down the street, Cassandra is thinking about all the events leading up to now. All of the brutal training from her father, her running away and fleeing to Hong Kong, and even the events from the other night. The fact that she even survived all of it being only a teenager is quite remarkable. Is it because of all the training from her dad, or was it all just luck? Then she thinks about Robin who randomly swooped in and saved her. Although being her first time in Gotham City, Cassandra knows that Robin works for Batman. She begins to wonder why it was him to come in and save her and not Batman himself. She would have rather seen the Dark Knight himself rather than one of his sidekicks. Cassandra then looks down at her shirt, still wearing the black shirt with the yellow bat symbol on it even though it is stained with blood on the shoulder area and even shows a hole from the bullet's point of entry. Cassandra then lets off a slight sigh and zips up her hoody covering the shirt and throws her hood over her head.

Without any real destination to go to, Cassandra continues to roam the city streets, in the most grueling of neighborhoods as well. She is hoping to find something that piques her interest even a little. Maybe get into some more trouble and test out her skills on Gotham's scum. As she walks down the dreary roads, Cassandra suddenly stops and looks behind her. Seeing nothing but vacant, trash-infested streets and dark buildings, she can't seem to fight the feeling that someone is watching her. Could she have gotten Batman's attention? Could it be Robin following up on an investigation? Or is she just imagining things? Cassandra then continues to walk forward hoping the feeling will just go away.

Cassandra finds herself in a little more lively area of Gotham on a strip with an assortment of clubs and bars. The one that sticks out the most to young Cassandra has to be the one with a giant neon penguin wearing a monocle in front of it. Not sure why it catches her eye, but the music and lights coming from the club are the most vibrant on the entire block. Cassandra looks behind her one more time to ensure she isn't getting tailed and then makes her way toward the doors of the penguin singed club. At the double doors of the club is a huge bouncer blocking the entrance wearing nothing but all black. As the guard stands there arms crossed looking menacing, Cassandra walks up to the gentleman looking to get inside the club. The guard holds his hand out blocking Cassandra from getting past him.

Bouncer: Sorry, kid, but this club is for grown folks only.

Cassandra just stares at the guard and quickly peaks over her shoulder another time. Now she's unsure what to do.

Bouncer: Besides, you're not even dressed to code. No street clothes. So you gotta bounce.

Cassandra looks down at her clothes and then looks up. She remembers all of the equipment she took from Ming's closet. Cassandra walks away from the bouncer with a slight smirk on her face as she continues around the corner of the building. Up above her is a small window cracked open leading inside the club. Cassandra looks up at the window and reaches for something on her side. She then pulls out a rope cable with a hook at the end of it and begins to twirl it as she attempts to throw it up at the window. She tosses the hook end up into the window and snags right onto the ledge on her first try. As she tugs on the rope to ensure that it is stable, she then glances over her shoulder once more. She still can't shake this very odd feeling and it is starting to concern her more. After seeing that there was nothing there, again, she then makes her way up the side of the building and into the club window.