The Lone Knight (Under The Cowl Book #1)

CHAPTER 37

     It didn't bother Stephanie to know two different sides were depending on her, both unknowingly vying for her help in ways that would betray the other if she were to choose one.

She had no loyalty to either, no obligation to fulfill the expectation of a promise. She did not know these people. And although both Alec and Daria saved her life, it did not discount the fact she needed to look out for herself as well. Whose there to say they won't turn on her as soon as they get what they want? Last thing she needed, with Leslie a proof, was to fall for the deception of a familiar face.

Cyborg and Daria led both her and Gypsy to an Argus black site far from the city.

A building like this, plain and far from structurally fortified to call a stronghold meant to stage off an attack given the reputation of the infamous Argus, gave off the vibe as a place easily overlooked. Likely Leslie's the one who wanted it that way, to hide in plain sight.

"If I didn't know any better I'd think they were pretty lax with the security." Gypsy said.

"You saying that's not what you see? Stephanie asked, a thought she already shared with herself.

"And what is it you see?"

"They've built their building in the middle of a pit and left it surrounded by hills. They're wide open to any sort of attack by anyone who dares stand so bold. But I think that suppose to give the bold a false sense of belief they hold the advantage."

"The walls are lead fortified." Daria said.

And it wouldn't surprise me to find kryptonite behind those same lead walls.

"There are hundreds of red wires sprawled in all directions, making it nearly impossible to get through." Cyborg added, he too using his vision to see what the human eye cannot.

"That's unless you happen to be tiny enough to slip through." Stephanie suggested, and what everyone else became quick to understand what she meant.

Argus may expect Daria to do a flyby over their facility. They may already have a fully loaded arsenal of kryptonite in stock given the bladed edge of the emerald rock on Deathstroke's arrowhead. And Gypsy's ability to create portal breaches, though very convenient, is very dangerous if opened here without some sort of barrier to hold it in place. It was why Renee told me to use the handheld grenade launcher and fire off the gel packs in the middle of the street.

Stephanie dove into her utility belt and pulled out a single pair of goggles.

Each lens ignited a white light at the turn of the nozzles on the sides. She adjusted the settings from zooming in and out to night vision, and stopped until the setting that allowed her to see the hundreds of red tripwire intersecting like a spider's web.

Time to go old school.

Stephanie could see everything the untrained eye could not. And it was time to put her skills into action.

Given the space to take a few steps back, Stephanie liked to give herself a running start. Contemplating her next step was only going to add to the mounting pressure to perform. And she had to be flawless. She'd gone through similar exercises while with the Birds of Prey. And every time she'd either stick her foot a little too far out or failed to crouch low enough to keep her butt from hitting the string she had to slide herself under to evade.

Stephanie's running start began with a leap head first between one of the many red security lights across the open field.

She rolled across the ground but did not stop as she slid underneath another not as low red tripwire compared to what she's use to crawling under. It was a dance with each line she saw inches from touching even her cape. Getting closer to the building, Stephanie's pace slowed though she did not stop. Gentle like a ballerina on a tightrope, she was quick with each transition. She was sure rust would've kicked in by now, felt her movements come all too naturally.

Stephanie could see herself getting closer to the facility as the wires were no longer spaced far enough apart to avoid the way she'd like. The difficulty was starting to increase. But Stephanie did not allow herself to become intimidated. She continued to move forward. Whereas it made her work a little bit harder and think and at little bit smarter.

The finish line was now in her sights. And what had to come next was going to take daring and risk.

Pulling off a front aerial while holding her breath, Stephanie found herself with space in front of her.

She exhaled, free with range to move however she wanted.

Perhaps in a different setting and under different circumstance she'd get a standing ovation. Instead it's the sound of a crushed leaf under her boot. Nothing major, nothing to think could spoil the element of surprise she worked hard for.

So she thought.

Blinded by floodlights coming from the roof of the Argus warehouse, Stephanie could hear the sudden sound of something rising, like an elevator. Heavy, the rising stopped. Unable to see what was just unveiled, it's the spinning of metal and the clacking of more metal hitting the floor when Stephanie recognized it was a machine gun turret ready to rain metal and lead down on top of her.

Stephanie ran as fast as she could towards the side of the warehouse. Never mind the popping firecracker sound, the acrid odor of gunpowder burned her nostrils tasting sour charcoal and pennies on the roof of her mouth. 

The air she breathe began to thickened.

"There goes the element of surprise." she said into her cape.

Stephanie reached into her utility belt and pulled out a sticky grenade. The last time she used one of these she forgot the timing and nearly lost a hand. It was a screw up that gave her an ear full of Batman's scorn.

Tossing the grenade onto the wall and giving herself time to brace herself, all there was to do now was wait for the boom.