PREQUEL- The Birds Of Prey: Batgirl (Batman Fanfic)

Chapter 1: The Dark Knight

I walk down the streets of Gotham City, smog weighs down low as I cut through a small alleyway. I am still wearing my gymnasts outfit, goose bumps rise up on my skin from the hard winters air. The hair rises on the back of my neck and an uneasy feeling nestles at the pit of my stomach. The light from my phone cuts through the dark night and it vibrates loudly, the noise echoing around the street. I look at the screen and I see Richards name and I smile and press accept.

"Hey" I say into the phone, looking over my shoulder.

"Hey yourself, just wanted to check if you were home safe" Just from the tone of his voice I can tell that he is worried about me.

"Don't you worry, I am just walking up the steps to my house now, there's no need really" Lying never sits well with me, let alone to someone that I love. Just another small amount of guilt added to the pile nestled next to my heart.

"Oh good" He sighs "How was gymnastics?"

"It was-" The words trail off as I spot two men walking towards me and I veer off down an alleyway. "Uh, okay.. I guess. I couldn't do some of the work that Ms. Robin gave me which sucked, just kept... falling" I keep turning down different alleys as I spot new groups of men walking towards me.

"Hey, Babs, are you okay?" I can tell that he is really worried now.

"No I just thought I heard something... er... downstairs" I lie again, the words burn like acid in my mouth.

"Want me to come over?" He inquires, the words did not even sound like a question.

I now turn around a corner, straight into a dead end and turn around again now faced with seven men, all tall and well built. 

I start hyperventilating, not through being shocked or scared but from pure adrenaline. The large pile of guilt seems to evaporate as I stare down all of the men whom are now starting to make there way towards me.

"Barbara, tell me where you are. I know your not at your house because I am standing outside of it right now. Are you in trouble? Tell me where you are!" Richard shouts down the phone, panic laces his voice. 

"Hang up the phone" Says one of the men, who seems to be the leader of this gang. I willingly oblige as he steps forwards and swipes it out of my hand. 

My eyes adjust to the new darkness of this alleyway, and I take in the appearance of this man. His skin is older and wrinkled, his jaw covered with a grey beard. Hollow and sunken in eyes stare at me, maybe with lust or desire, I cannot tell. He steps even closer to me and I can smell whiskey on his breath, along with the foul stench of body odor and cigars.

"She's pretty this one, and young" He calls to the men who have now formed a tight circle around us. "but matured" and he stares me up and down, placing a hand on my chest, covering my heart. 

"She's scared" He whispers, leaning in close to me, pressing his body against mine and bowing his head so his nose brushes against my neck. 

The truth is, that I am not scared. I am invigorated.

His hands now travel from my chest, down to the waistband of my tracksuit bottoms which I had thrown over my leotard.

"Someone hold her down whilst I take these off" He says, leaning away a little.

I hardly have time to process these words before a strong vice-like grip pins both of my arms behind my back and uses the other to cover my mouth. With this, a small amount of fear leaks through the adrenaline surrounding my heart. I kick as hard as I can as he removes them, and I land a shot to his mouth and he stumbles backwards into the shadows.