Pass Them Over

Chapter 4 - Perfect is Closer Than You Think

Two figures lie on a rooftop studying the building across the way and keeping a watchful eye on all who move about. The warehouse they survey stretches half a city block with vehicles parked off to one side while four guards walk the perimeter in groups of two. Nothing from the exterior gives a clue that this is anything but a normal, high-security warehouse. However, it's contents aren't crates or boxes. No, the merchandise here is living, and the stakes are high.

It's a cold night in Gotham, and the red and black cloak snaps in the last of the winter breeze that refuses to surrender to Spring. The costume is built with east coast temperatures in mind, and if Alex does feel the chill, she gives no reaction as her gaze remains on the building. Tagger doesn't fare as well. Her hood is drawn tight over her head but offers slight protection from the breeze, and as each cruel wind blows, she shivers again yet never complains. Coldness, discomfort, though not welcome are not unfamiliar to her ilk.

Alex stares through the binoculars, her attention no longer on the moving figures as she studies the access points to the building. Part of the Batwoman standard gear, these allow up to twenty-two times magnification, night vision, UV vision, and heat detection. With the parabolic microphone, she can zoom in on conversations hundreds of feet away. Her trained eye and quick mind catalogue each piece of information as she prepares for the next stage of the mission. Next to her, Tagger holds a small dome with a microphone in the middle, a wire from it leading to a set of headphones Alex was wearing.

Reaching out, Alex grabs the device in Tagger's hand and adjusts it slightly.

"Why don't you just hold it your—"

"Shhh!"

Tagger's sigh is heavy, but she holds the device steadily as directed.

It's nearly two minutes later when Alex pulls the binoculars off her face and slides the headset to hang around her neck. "Well, Maggie's in there somewhere. They said they have Martinez, and they're going to ransom her off."

"Told you."

"Don't," Alex snaps, her eyes issuing a warning at the teen. "I know why you did it but just don't. You got her into this mess, now help me get her out."

"And you'll help me get my sister?"

Alex leans closer as she tries to choke back the anger that once again bubbles to the surface ... not that it ever was very far below. "If you had told us in the first place ... yes. Your sister and the other kids, I'll help get them all out. You need to work with me now though. No more secrets. No more lies. We get Maggie and everyone else out, agreed?"

"Yeah, sure. I didn't want to sell her out even when I thought she was Martinez. She seemed nice. She was funny and—"

"She's amazing." Alex's gaze returns to the warehouse, but her attention is clearly divided. It has been for months. "She risked her ass to save a bunch of kids she never met, and she deserved better than this."

"... I said I was sorry."

Alex nods once. "Tell Maggie that when we get her back. First, we need to formulate a plan to get her and the kids out of there safely. I'm sure they won't hesitate to open fire on us just because we have the kids. Maggie's life is worth more than theirs ... until they figure out who she is. I wish we knew how many guards they had down there."

"Twenty-seven."

Head snapping to the side, the full weight of Alex's attention comes to bear on Tagger. "How do you know that?"

"They have my sister. I've been casing the place." Tagger pulls her phone out of her pocket, unlocking it and opening her photos before offering it over to Alex. "I've taken pictures of them. Want to see?"