The Memorial Day Murders

Chapter 4 : Foreboding

Helping Bruce out of the Batmobile it took me an effort to set him down on the bed in the living quarters before bringing the medical kit. "I'm still connected to the comms network Bruce." I said after untying the makeshift tourniquet on his injured arm. "They'll inform me when they're ready." He still have to peel off his armor before the wound can be properly treated, exposing the condition of the wound in full display. He growled as I dabbed an antiseptic cotton on his wound, disinfecting the region. "That hurt?" I asked.

"A lot." he replied as I wrapped bandage around the wound after putting some medicine on it. "I want to keep an eye on them." he told me.

"Your wound..."

"I'm fine Isa." he said, getting out of bed. Shaking my head I returned to the top floor and as I checked the screens Bruce emerged, wearing a navy blue shirt and black pants. "What's the situation?" he asked.

"Luke is nearing Riddler's position." I said, not turning to face him. "Nigma doesn't like outside intervention when he duels it out with Gotham's finest."

"He always have been." Bruce said as he accessed Luke's comms. "Status update Luke."

"You're done with Deathstroke already Bruce?" he asked upon landing on the rooftop where Riddler's last known location is at.

"He was ambushed, lured into a trap." I explained. "Luke, this is the last known location of the Riddler."

"Okay." he said. "Anything I should be careful of?"

"Don't let your guard down." Bruce cuts me off before I could reply. "You know exactly who Nigma is."

"I thought I was talking to one of the most top commanders in Burqa." I didn't reply, and neither did Bruce. I didn't because I don't like to talk about Burqa ever since my CO passed away but I'm not sure why Bruce isn't replying. "Right, what are we looking at?"

"Two storey building, a basement level." Bruce replied, noting the grim expression on my face. "Apparently you forgot why Isa doesn't feel like to hear the name."

"Got it, anything else?"

"The hostages were kept at the basement level." then my phone rang. "Something wrong?" Bruce asked when I frowned at the number.

"Unicorn and Lion. King wants to talk to me."

"Go ahead."

"He wants it to be alone." I said.

"I can handle it." he told me. "Go ahead." Nodding I exited the room and took the elevator down to the living quarters.

"Yes sir." I said into the phone before it reached voice mail.

"Isa? Are you alright back there?" came the worrying voice of Roland Churchill, the chief of MI6.

"I'm fine uncle." I said. "You sound worried."

"It's because I am Isabella." when Uncle Roland addressed my first name I know that something is seriously wrong. "Do you have a computer nearby?" Lucky that I left my laptop backpack here and I propped it up on the study table. My uncle appeared into view on screen but another man flanked his side. "Isabella, have you met-"

"Harold Manchester. It's nice to see you again commander."

"It is nice to see you again lieutenant." the retired commander said. "However the circumstances of our reunion isn't all that pleasant."

"Memorial Day is coming soon." I said.

"Which this is most ghastly of all." the commander replied. "Someone has been out killing soldiers who came back from Afghanistan."

"How?" I asked.

"We don't know, but we suspected it to be a terrorist group at large."

"Commander, The Rising Jihad is dead and gone." I said stoically. "I've seen it myself."

"But groups like ISIS is still at large."

"You have a point commander." I said.

"We lost some of our Afghan veterans here in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. We were worried that the Germans could be next."

"Anything from the BND?" I asked the chief of MI6.

"The BND smelled the threat but nobody was able to confirm that they will be next."

"Should I ring up Benjamin?" I asked.

"Hold that thought first, if I am right, they could be hunting Elite Alpha."

"When you mention Afghan I bet on my MI6 instincts that something is very wrong."

"I only remember that you went to work for the Americans upon leaving the dreadful battlefield in Syria."

"I've got to inform the old gang. Pray that they won't take us out before I can pass on the message."

"I have a feeling that they would strike at Memorial Day Isabella." the chief said. "You have to be careful and always on your guard."

"Always. Thank you both for the heads up." I said before signing off.