Whenever You Need Me

Bruce furiously typed a message into his flip phone.

Selina, I need your help. Alfred is in trouble. Meet me at the corner of 71 Welding Avenue

Bruce got into his car and drove a few blocks down to where Jeremiah had told him to go.

He got to the street corner just as Selina was walking up. Bruce nodded to a semi that they could use as cover and they wordlessly started walking towards the building.

Selina told him, "This is the site."

"Thanks again for meeting me, Selina," Bruce thanked her.

"Sure," Selina replied flatly.

Bruce continued, "I didn't have anyone else to call and I know it's asking a lot so, I just really appreciate..."

"Bruce," she interrupted, "I'm gonna be here whenever you need me."

Even in the horrible situation they were in, Selina's words warmed Bruce to the core. They'd been at odds for so long, and the entire time Bruce had been on a constant downward spiral. Then, she came back to him and everything got better almost immediately. Sure, they were tracking down the psychopathic twin of the guy who'd almost killed Bruce several times over, and that same guy was holding his only family left hostage, but at least Bruce wasn't alone this time.

This time, he had an ace in the hole.

Selina jarred him from his thoughts, saying, "Okay, that's the address..." They were standing in front of a large, abandoned factory. "I don't see anyone though, that could be a trap, right?"

"I don't know," Bruce answered truthfully. "Jeremiah could've killed me at the cemetery; he wants something out of me."

"Like what, to be your best friend?" Selina sarcastically replied.

Bruce ignored her snide comment. "Trap or not, if Alfred's in there I need to find out."

Selina shook her head at his bluntness and said, "Alright, B. I'll get up on the rooftops; you go in the front door." With that, Selina was gone, not even giving him the chance to reply.

Bruce chuckled softly. "Sure, that works."

Selina ascended a rickety pole that had sticks shooting out of it, like a ladder, making her way to the top in seconds. She took a quick glance back at Bruce just as he entered the building, silently wishing him good luck.

Climbing up to the top of the roof, she found a service door that'd been left locked.

Selina chuckled to herself.

In her world, a lock was more of a nuisance than an obstacle. In under ten seconds, she had the locked picked and entered the building. There was a staircase leading down to a dark hallway and Selina crept towards it. She didn't know how long she'd been walking for when she came across the first bit of light since she'd been entered the complex.

Stalking in, she counted two guards watching a couple monitors.

Selina's heart dropped.

On the screens were pictures of Bruce, running around the bottom floors screaming for Alfred while, unbeknownst to him, a familiar yellow gas filled the air. It was Scarecrow's fear toxin.

Speaking of which, a raspy voice called out from behind her, "Jeremiah said Bruce Wayne might try to bring his friends... I suppose you're one of them..."

Selina whirled around to see the Scarecrow himself, dressed in his raggedy best. He was holding a sinister looking scythe and his dark eyes seemed to lack any emotion whatsoever. Selina tried to play dumb, saying, "What? No, I just wandered in here."