Batgirl

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

One year earlier...

"You ready?" Dick smiles as we stand at the edge of the Clocktower, staring across at the vast city of Gotham.

"You know it!" I yell excitedly, pushing myself off the building with the balls of my feet. I cheer at the top of my lungs as I feel the wind in my hair. I see the gargoyles of a building across the street, and shoot the grapnel gun at it, being sure to use the boost. I speed towards the gargoyle, pulling the release trigger when I'm almost to it. I soar back up in the air, laughing as I see Robin across the street from me.

"Care for a game of tag, Wonder Boy?"

"Only if you're prepared to lose," I hear in my earpiece.

"You're it!"

I shoot the grapnel gun and use the boost as fast as I can, crossing the bridges towards Gotham U. I continue uptown getting into the more dangerous neighborhoods.

"Babs, hang on a second. I think I saw something over there."

I turn and follow Dick quietly to the roof of a chemical factory.

"I think we're gonna get away with it this time, Mr. J. No one double crosses you. Nuh-uh, especially when it comes to guns. Especially when you have a plan to use those guns." A high pitched, obnoxious voice chuckles. Ugh, great... Harley Quinn: a once a great psychologist at Arkham Asylum who traded in her dignity and brains for the hands down worst man in Gotham.

"WOULD YOU QUIT YOUR YAMMERING?!" The Joker. "If you keep shouting to the world our plan, there won't be a plan!"

I peek over to see about six henchmen with clown masks, some loading crates into an ice cream truck. I roll my eyes. You have got to be kidding me. Ugh, this guy is sick. I look over to Robin and hold up six then eight fingers, including Harley and Joker. He nods and then holds up seven and a half. I hold in a laugh, he's right. Harley isn't much of a fighter. But Joker... he's the one to look out for.

With my aim being much better in the months since my run-in with Firefly, I chuck a smoke pellet underneath the truck. Robin and I swoop down on the clowns. While he takes care of the fighting, I sneak over to the truck and pop the tires with a batarang. I knock out the driver, and a few other henchmen in the truck before pressing the emergency call button on my wrist, which alerts my dad, the Commissioner, immediately. We have about ten minutes depending on traffic. I am walking out of the back of the truck, the smoke still heavy in the air, when I hear a gunshot. I race over to see Robin, clutching his shoulder, as he continues to take down the shooter, Joker.

"Did I hit a sore spot?" The clown giggles as Robin knocks him to the ground with a kick. "Did the birdy hurt his wing?"

"You make me sick," He snarls as he punches the Joker repeatedly in the face with his other hand, until the clown is unconscious. He stands up and looks at me, blood dripping down across the R on his chest. "Tie them up for me, I've got to call our ride."

As I finish zip tying all their wrists behind their backs, I feel the wind pick up as the Batplane soars over head. I can hear the sirens of the Gotham City police cars in the distance as a big, black figure jumps out of the plane that is hovering above us. Batman.

"Through and through?" He asks. Robin nods, "Did you get the bullet?"

"No, but I'm pretty sure I didn't bleed on the ground."

"I'll cover your tracks. Batgirl!" I quickly stand like a soldier at attention as he goes over to one of the zip tied henchmen and rips off part of the man's shirt. "Use this to put pressure on the wound." He hands me the piece of fabric and I quickly follow his orders.