Espera | R. Grayson ✔

[08]

Richard took most of them down in combat and the others by activating a gas bomb Helena had given him for extreme measures. When they had started firing bullets at him, he used his acrobatic skills to his advantage and took cover behind a dumpster while discreetly activating the bomb for the others.

When the attackers came forward, still a few steps away from that dumpster, the gas diffused through the air, making them drop down unconscious. When Richard looked back cautiously, most of the gang members were still out, the rest were not in the state to fight back and he knew his part was done.

Helena must have alerted the GCPD by then and the police could be there any minute. If he had to avoid investigation, he would have to leave immediately.

But he felt the need to make sure the others were alright so he waited till the gas had all cleared up then approached the warehouse again. Just as he was about to step inside through the gate, Barbara came out.

Her lower lip was split and there was a bruise on her cheek but other than that she wasn't fatally injured. However, his eyes got caught by the girls coming up behind her who she had freed.

Barbara stepped forward and he froze as she gave him a tight hug. He was quite shocked by the sudden spontaneous gesture but hugged back. Her arms were wrapped around his neck while his hands rested on her waist and he felt his heart do a quadruple somersault. 

But then a previous conversation of theirs flitted through his head and a smile threatened to break out on his face as he whispered, "twelve at one time. I counted."

"Could be more next time," she remarked with a smile, letting go of him and turned to face the girls who were still not sure whether they had been saved or not. She spoke softly, "it's alright, he's with me. And the GCPD will be here soon."

By then the girls were relieved to realize that they had actually been saved and wouldn't have to go back to the torture they had been put through recently. They could see their tormentors helpless on the ground and were gradually accepting the fact that they had been freed.

One of them stepped up to Richard as well, eyes shining in relief and gratitude, "thank you for everything you've done."

Richard felt a strange sort of comfort to hear those words and he gave her a genuine smile, "you're welcome."

His phone was ringing but seeing it was Helena calling him, he handed it to Barbara to receive the call. By then, the other girls were thanking him too and at that moment he realized something very crucial.

He felt the same way when he had saved Jason from being killed in the alley, helped Carrie out multiple times and saved the Drake boy from a road accident as well.

Two of them were people he knew and cared for hence he had immediately taken the decision to save them. But all the girls who he had helped Barbara save were no less than strangers and yet rescuing them felt the right thing to do too.

Timothy Drake had been a stranger too but he had stepped in because he was too young and had clearly not been aware of the peril he had been in. But in taking the decision to help all of them out, he hadn't felt the least regret.

In fact, it was the total opposite. The gratitude in those girls' eyes was so pure that it shook him.

Right then he was thinking that he had always believed no savior could come for the city and they all had to look after themselves individually. But right then as he saw them and could compare the girls with people he knew and cared for, he struck upon a realization.

They were his people too. 

The innocent citizens of Gotham like those thirty young girls right there did not deserve to be left to die just because no one was willing to protect them.