𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐑𝐄 , nightwing

013 bonding gone wrong.

𝐈 wasn't certain about our little voyage when we arrived, but as Sirius led me to some storage units, I parked up with a newfound eagerness. I'd read something online on the phone Dick gave me about some storage units housing really expensive artefacts and stuff, and although we weren't on a storage auction, the tiny hidden part of myself childishly longing for an adventurous surprise got the best of me.

It was a long row of outdoor storage units, and as I stranded Dick's baby Batmobile in the centre of the surrounding units, the car jerked to a halt, leaving Sirus clinging onto her door handle with a very distressed expression as if countless people had just walked right over her grave. "Oh my god." She panted dramatically as she stepped out of the vehicle. "I'm driving on the way back."

I pouted playfully. "What, you didn't like my driving? I was thinking of going into professional racing." She scoffed, laughing lightly as she led me over to a unit she had access to. "Right. Well, with your speeding, you could definitely go into racing, though I severely doubt it would be without casualties."

"Of course, of course." I nodded, following her along to the unit. "Where's the fun in it if there's no death? Rachel said there's always at least one explosion or death in a Fast and Furious film. Racing's no fun if I can't pretend I'm in a movie." Unlike the ones we parked by, our unit was indoors, so in following Sirius, we found the one with our number as she pulled the door upwards. I had no clue how she even had a unit or if it was even hers, but who was I to question?

I looked like a detective's man cave. The walls had countless photos pinned up like the entirety of the wall was her very own pinboard, a desk sat on the left with scattered information all around. The right housed some storage boxes - of what, I don't know. Finally, the centrepiece: what appeared to be a tanning bed lighting up the centre of the room with a light purple LED glow. "Damn, you've been getting your tan on in here? I mean, have you left the power on to this the whole time? I do not envy your electricity bill."

Some more lights flickered on and illuminated the walls as they began to glare right back at us, many mug-shot style portraits littered the walls amongst maps and symbols and ancient languages, etcetera. Unsurprisingly, Sirius seemed dumbfounded by the sight of it all. I'd already gathered on my way here that she was working off of a whim, having the keys but no knowledge in regards to this place or the unit's contents.

She stood observing for a moment before instinctively clicking a tape recording into an old fashioned stereo that sat on the desk beside her. As for me, I'd already begun filing through the information pinned up, following the red strings to try and piece the information together as much as I could. From what I'd read so far, Sirius appeared to be originating form another world, and there seemed to be a prophecy of sorts revolving her.

A recorded audio message replayed from the tape as I continued to sweep around the room. "November sixth, twenty seventeen. Log entry two dot eight. My efforts to locate and secure the girl has led me to a terrestrial religious convent in Covington, Ohio, where she and her mother took refuge eight years ago."

"They knew the girl only as Rachel." Sirius headed towards the bed as I caught myself in my train of thought. I could read the language on the walls, though very clearly not human. So far, I wasn't quite sure how. "Evidence suggests a Russian human trafficking ring operating out of Europe supplied Rachel and her mother with new last names."

Sirius scoffed as she began to look intently at some tribal style Ravens and symbols above the tanning bed, turning around to head towards the desk. "I'm flying to meet my contact in Vienna tomorrow at..." The tape recording then started to scramble, Sirius's voice glitching amongst the playback as she headed to eject the tape.

As she found a flashlight and began to scour the walls, I located a sort of journal book with recalled events, formatted information and summaries on the majority of the walls. As I began to read through the information, I found that her real name was Koriand'r, and that she was searching for Rachel using a cult of some sorts. There was a large mystery depicted about Rachel's father, though it didn't seem to be openly stated or written about.