The Lone Knight (Under The Cowl Book #1)

CHAPTER 14

Dr. Thomas Wayne... Father.

Martha Wayne... Mother.

Grace Pricilla Wayne.... Daughter.

It was from a distance when Stephanie had last seen the headstones of Batman's family. The plot where they laid was well kept with lush green grass and accompanied by a fresh bouquet of flowers every week. But never had she seen three headstones. 

"Grace, was she his daughter?"

"The Bruce Wayne of this universe was very different compared to your Batman. By day he was a billionaire, father, and successful businessman. And by night he fought crime to better the lives of the people living in Gotham. He was the American hero."

"What changed?"

Stephanie watched Renee turn to look down at the headstone of Bruce's daughter.

The date on the headstone is of last year.

"How did she die?"

"Hit and run accident. Grace was riding her bike when a drunk driver made a wide turn." Renee paused. "He didn't bother to stop. Grace's death broke Bruce. A woman who found her in the middle of the street caught Grace's last words, "Batman will make sure I won't die."  Bruce adopted Grace when she was a baby. He found her in a drug den. Her mother had overdosed on pills and her father was dead after a stabbing over a gambling dispute. Bruce gave up being Batman for her."

"I don't understand how I fit into all of this. Shit, I don't even know how I got here."

Stephanie didn't need to see whatever face Renee was trying to hide from behind that Question mask so she won't have to spill whatever she was keeping to herself.

"I'm I suddenly talking to the wall over here."

"We wanted to try our hand at time travel first. Hugo Strange knew of some people who could help us. But when that didn't work, we turned to those of the occult to help us raise the dead. Many were against the idea. And we nearly gave up hope, until Leslie found Bruce's journal. Bruce had written about his journeys as Batman and with the Justice League. That's when she learned of the Multiverse and the other versions of us."

Renee removed her faceless mask and pulled out a photograph tucked in her breast pocket.

Hesitant to reach for the photo, Stephanie watched Renee had it to her.

Stephanie took the photo and looked at what was a family Christmas card.

In the photo it's of Barbra, Dick, Alfred, Leslie, and Bruce sitting in the center of the photo holding a blonde hair little girl. A little girl Stephanie immediately recognized.

Caught off guard, Stephanie gave Renee a double take thanks to what's captured her eye. "What is this? Why am I in this photo?"

"That little girl was you of this Earth. Leslie and I brought you here because we believe you can save Bruce from what he's become. We traveled to many Earths to find you. The other you from the others Earths were not who we needed for our plan to work. When we found you, we found out you were older and the only one trained by Batman. At first we believed there was no way we could get you to our Earth because you'd see us coming a mile away. So we waited and watched you."

"You still haven't told me how I got here?"

"When you and the Dr. Tompkins of Earth-one went to Africa for relief work, you came down with a fever. It had you sick for nearly a week. Back on this Earth we set up the very same relief center and had you portal here while you were on bed rest."

"That was nearly half a year ago. Why tell me this now? What's changed- It's because the Collectors of the Fifty-Two found me, and they must be after you and Leslie too. That other Supergirl made it sound like a severe punishment is what awaits me?"

"I will get you back home."

"Oh, so that's it, hand me my lunch pail and send me off on the yellow bus. You said you portal me here, how?"

"We know someone who can create rips in the universe. On your Earth a man by the name of Vibe can do the same."

Renee kicked the two suitcases she carried here towards Stephanie's feet.

"No lunch pails, sorry."

Stephanie could sense there was a set condition to whatever Renee was handing her. Nothing in this world is free.

She bent down to turn the suitcase over on its side and opened it up.

Inside, the cowl seemed blacker than she remembered, shinier too, like it's never been touched. The cape and the rest of the body armor and utility belt it came with only made what she was seeing all too real. Stephanie reached for the other suitcase. And inside she found all the gadgets she'd need as Batgirl, from the baterangs to the grappling gun much stronger and with a little more weight than the one she used before.

"I picked this up on my way to find you."

Stephanie lifted her head and grabbed her break-away staff tossed her way. "Where did you find all this?"

"Buried under heaps of rubble in the Batcave, I believed it might have been Barbra's in case you're wondering."

"Barb did have big feet." Stephanie joked. "Why are you giving me this?"

"Besides needing it when you might find yourself hunted by the Collectors of the Fifty-Two..., I need your help with stopping Bruce. He's killed more people than what was publicized, and I don't think he's finished."

Stephanie scoffed. "You really think if he sees me he'll stop all of this killing?"

"I know this is a selfish request, but we care very much for Bruce. And hopefully by seeing you he'll return to the man he once was."

"I wouldn't know where to start looking for him. I only knew he'd be a GothCorp because I followed DA Lee."

"Here, take this." Renee handed Stephanie a piece of paper with a list of names.

"What is this?"

"It's a list of government officials in Gotham. While you were following the District- former District Attorney, I was following the man he was meeting with, Garret Furroni. He created a ledger filled with the names of people in government on his payroll. Checking them out might put you in Bruce's path."

"This is a pretty long list of names. What will you be doing?"

"I will be finding a way to get you back home. And another thing, I don't think I can keep the Collectors off your scent. So try not to draw too much attention to yourself in the meantime."

"You can't expect that after giving me this."

"I can dream, can't I?"