Batman & Robin And Me .:rewritten:.

XXV. Mask & Cape

"WE STILL HAVE YOUR SUIT, MISS Harmony." Alfred told me as we stepped through the sliding bookcase doors. "Master Bruce insisted we keep it."

"Really?"

We walked down the stairs to the Cave, a spray of cold mist from the waterfall welcoming us. Then, we made the short trip across the steel bridge to the lowest platform, the largest one. It was about as big as three basketball courts side by side.

Alfred walked all the way over to the right end of the platform. The steel storage room stood next to the transparent tube containing the suits, of which there were now four. A control panel stood in front.

"They...put mine up there?" I asked, amazed and rather touched. Alfred watched me carefully, a soft smile on his old face.

"Yes, Miss Harmony. They did."

I passed in from of the first glass. It held a Batman suit, complete with golden utility belt, serrated gauntlets and long, black cape. The second held a Robin suit, also outfitted in every accoutrement. The third tube held what I assumed was a Batgirl suit, and I paused to look at it.

I really wanted to ask Alfred about this one, but I didn't have time. So, I went to the fourth case.

The fourth, and last, case held my Charm costume.

"Okay, I'm suiting up." I announced.

There was a long pause, and then I coughed and turned around to Alfred. "Uh...how do I get it out of the case?"

He smiled, and leaned forward to press the large red button on the console directly in front of my tube.

There was a whirr of machinery, and the front of the tube disengaged, sliding smoothly down and out of sight. The illuminating light in the top of the tube clicked off, and I pulled the suit and everything else out of the case.

"In there, dear." Alfred pointed to the storage room, and I rushed to change.

The suit was the same as before, blue with silver belt, gloves, cape, and boots. This time, however, my mask matched too. It had been painted in my absence.

I stepped out and looked around for Alfred, finding him a couple levels up at the main Batcomputer.

"Where are they, Miss Charm?" He asked, his old hands flying over the computer at a speed that astonished me.

"The docks." I said, confidently. He turned to look at me.

"And the Joker said that?"

I paused. "Well...no. But I recognized the place where they were, and he just told me to come. I don't think he would have expected me to know if it wasn't the docks."

"We must verify it, nevertheless." Alfred turned back to the enormous monitor and I watched as a map of Gotham popped up on the screen. He typed some more, and four blinking dots showed up on the screen, two red and two yellow.

"Oh, drat," Alfred squinted at the screen. "They don't have them on. That complicates things."

"They don't have what on?" I asked. "And why are there four dots?"

Alfred pointed at the two dots that were basically on top of one another, one red and one yellow. "Their utility belts, my dear. They have their trackers and main comm links in there. It looks like they're in the water just outside the warehouse."

"What?" I shrieked. "Batman and Robin?"

"No, no, Miss Charm. Those are their utility belts."

"Oh." I put my hands to my racing heart, relieved. "Then what are these?" I pointed to the other pair of blinking dots.

"Those are the trackers implanted in their masks. You were correct, dear. They do seem to be in that warehouse."

I nodded. "Okay, how do I get there? It's kinda far to walk--"

Alfred pointed down to the Batmobile.

"Really?" I gasped. "I can use it? But I can't drive, and I'm not old enough to have a licence and I don't think--"

"The Batmobile's navigational computer will take you there." Alfred soothed. "Then, when you get there, all you have to do is leave it there until you need to get back in. Don't worry, if one does not have access to the system, it would require a nuke to break in."

"Do I have access to the system?"

"I'm putting you in now." He turned back to the keyboard. "Your access will expire in twenty-four hours--think of it as a temporary guest pass, so to speak."

He took my hand and pulled the glove off, placing my palm flat on the screen.

"Fingerprints matched." The monitor declared. "Standard User: Charm. Basic Batcave functions are unlocked."

Alfred turned to me. "There--you can use most anything in here. Now go."

I nodded and pulled my glove back on, climbing down from the Batcomputer to the bottom level. Alfred followed me.

"I really hope I don't come back in a body bag." I said, softly, trying to quench my sudden fears. "That would really ruin a perfectly good day."

"I believe you can rescue them," he told me, laying a hand on my shoulder. "I would never have agreed to this otherwise."

"But I'm just a thirteen-year-old girl. I'm nothing special."

"You are an extraordinary young woman, Harmony Sanders. Everyone else knows it, child. It's time you started seeing it too."

I scoffed, sliding into the drivers seat. Quickly, I gave him a thumbs up. "I'll come back with Bruce and Dick or I won't come back at all, Alfred. I promise."

Then, the door shut and I was in the Batmobile, alone. Putting my hand to the navigation computer, feeling the coolest I had ever felt in my life, I commanded: "Set a course for the docks."

This time, I was prepared when the nitrogen booster ignited. The car pealed out of the Batcave with a roar, and I leaned back, watching the navigation screen and the tiny blip that represented the Batmobile slowly moving towards the docks and the blips that represented Batman and Robin.

"Hang on, guys," I said aloud, fiercely. "I'm coming for you."

A/N: Only a few chapters left! Things are about to go down...