Batgirl Begins

Chapter Ten

As we left the cave, I looked behind us to see a mansion fading away in the fog. I looked back ahead to see the Batmobile speeding through the streets of Gotham. The buildings began to grow smaller, and more warehouses lined the streets before finally reaching our destination.

    "Arkham Asylum," Batman said, parking a block away. "I'm going to attempt to recapture the escapees. You are going to stay out of sight and observe. Do you understand?"

    "What?!" I exclaimed. "I wanted to finally be put to a true test."

    "Next time." Batman opened the hood and jumped out of the car. I reluctantly followed, but taking a more obscured path. At least I'll get to test out my new stealth skills, I thought while I kept a jogging pace hidden in the trees, careful not to make a sound.

I stopped at the top of a hill overlooking a small dip in the clearing. There I saw all the villains of those named by Batman's computer running away from the prison. I realized they were headed in my direction. It was already dark, but I could see Batman curving around them in the shadows. He was going to block their path.

    When he was about twenty feet in front of them, he entered the moonlight. All five villains stopped in their tracks, but the Joker was the first to step forward. My body went rigid when I saw the Joker's face. The sight of him sent me flashbacks, and I almost fell to the ground at the memory of McKenna. But I regained my posture. I had to focus on the scene before me.

    Joker was talking to Batman in a calm, yet frantic way. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but Batman didn't want to chat. He threw a perfectly aimed baterang at him. At contact, foam spread around the Joker and solidified. He was immobile. Batman moved on to the face the rest of the gang. I heard Harley Quinn screech, "PUDDIN'!" and run around to help Joker. Batman flunch a baterang with a rope line around her body, causing her to fall to the ground, tied up. Catwoman sprung forward, and attempted to claw at Batman. He caught her hand and flung her to the ground. She pounced back up and jumped on his back. Batman put his large hands around her neck and flipped her over his head.

    All the while, Poison Ivy was using her plants to free the Joker, and Two-Face cut the ropes off Harley. Batman punched Catwoman in the gut and she fell to the ground. Batman turned to see Harley running at him. She gave him a solid punch to the jaw, but he barely flinched. They entered a fist fight. Harley was stronger than she looked.

    I noticed the Joker whisper something to Poison Ivy, and she gave a quick nod. This is not going to be good.

    After finally knocking out Harley, Batman spun around, but I saw what was going to happen before he did. Poison Ivy had summoned vines out of the ground, and they slinked along the ground like snakes. When they reached Batman's feet, the vines coiled around his legs and up his torso. His arms were bound to his side.

    Two-Face and the Joker stepped up near him. Joker was laughing, and Two-Face took out a large silver coin. They had moved closer to me during the fight and I could hear what was being said.

    "Seem's like fate is about to fall upon you, Bats," Two-Face with a malicious grin. He held up the coin. "Heads: you die by gunshot. Tails: you die by Joker's choice of torture." My heart started to race. Could I sit here while my mentor might die in front of me? How could he expect me to stay hidden at this point?

    "It's a win win situation!" The Joker said excitedly. "But don't you think a gun is a bit too... nice? I say torture either way!"

    "That's not how it works," Two-Faced retorted with a growl.

    While they were talking, I noticed Catwoman had slunk into the shadows of the trees. She was headed towards me! I had to think of a hiding spot fast. I looked up to see a low branch and leaped as high as I could to reach it. I grasped the wood and pulled myself up. I quietly leaped to the larger branch a foot higher, with the trunk hiding me. Catwoman passed underneath without noticing me. I let go of the breath I realized I was holding, and sighed in relief.

    My attention snapped back to the clearing when I heard a loud scream. I jumped from the tree, suddenly very worried for Batman. But when I looked into the clearing, it wasn't Batman that was screaming, it was Poison Ivy. Batman was using his baterangs to puncture the vines around him. She must have empathized with the pain the plants were feeling because the grip on Batman loosened, and he ripped his arm out. He cut through the vines and lounged at Two-Face. He tried to reach for his pistol, but wasn't quick enough. Batman kicked him square in the jaw, causing Two-Face to fall backwards.

    "How dare you hurt my babies!" Poison Ivy screamed. She summoned more vines out of the ground, but Batman threw multiple baterangs that exploded at contact. The Joker started laughing and jumping around like a lunatic. Batman tried to attack him, but was throw away by Poison Ivy's plants. He threw more explosive baterangs, taking out the plants.

    Harley Quinn started to stir and stood up. She walked over and stood next to the Joker. "When can we go Puddin'?" I heard her say.

    "As soon as our ride gets here," he assured her. I stood and watched helplessly as Batman took on Two-Face and Poison Ivy by himself, with Joker and Harley standing watching. I realized Joker was an easy target. I looked down at my utility belt and opened the pocket with my explosives. I pulled one out, and aimed it right for the Joker's head. I could do it, I could end my pain and guilt. I could end it all with a simple flick of my arm. I glanced at Batman, who was skillfully fighting two super villains at once. I looked back at the Joker for what felt like hours.

    "What am I doing?" I whispered, lowering my arm. Batman was right. Killing makes me no better than Joker himself. I was putting the baterang back in my belt when the sound of a helicopter entered my ears. The trees around me started to shake from the wind created by the blades of the helicopter approaching the clearing. Machine guns fired rapidly towards Batman, causing him to adjust his stance behind Two-Face. I looked to see the Joker and Harley Quinn jump in the open doors first, with Poison Ivy following. Two-Face got one more punch in before running as well. Batman followed, but couldn't stop them in time. He jumped for the landing rods, but dropped back to ground before it got too high. He turned away as the helicopter flew out of sight.

I ran after him into the clearing. "Why did you let them go?" I asked.

"Next time," he said without stopping. I nodded and silently followed him back to the Batmobile. We rode back to the training center and I changed out of my Batgirl suit. I said a quick goodbye to Batman and left for the zeta tube. When I arrived back in Wheaton, my heart flipped upside down when I noticed the time. I was an hour and a half later than I'm supposed to be. What excuse could I come up with? I knew Dad would be pissed.

I approached my house with a pit in my stomach. As soon as I opened the door, I saw a fork fly through the air. Right at me.