Batgirl: Ascension (a fanfic)

Barbara Gordon

Barbara Gordon blew raspberries waiting for her father Lead Detective Jim Gordon. She paced back and forth in the living room. She turned on the TV and sighed when she saw the news:
[Black Mask cornered in shootout]
It screamed across the screen like a slap to the face. Black Mask was a massive case for her father. Now, he was likely making his final move, and it went to hell. Barbara bit her lip as she thought on the costume upstairs. The black suit, yellow boots and cowl. Could she finally gather the courage to put it to use? Without her mother, she was unsupervised in this big, old house. Taking a deep breath in she marched upstairs.
As she got to her bed and sat down. She looked around, hesitant. Perhaps he would be home soon. By chance her phone buzzed. She looked at it:
"Sorry Babs. I won't be able to make it home. Go ahead and order take out. The extra card is in the cabinet. You know the one."
After a few more beats.
"I love you."
Barbara clenched her jaw and put her phone away. She undressed and pulled the lockbox from underneath her bed. She opened and found the neatly kept secret: her bat suit. She forced her way into the tight, polymer clothes. It had took her a better part of the year to assemble the get up, but it was now or never. She could do this.
She stood up after putting on the suit and the boots. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw her red hair fall over her face. She brushed her hair back and put on the cowl. It was just as form fitting as she had remembered.
"Phew." She breathed out. "Now or never bats."
She ran downstairs and out the backdoor. She went to the garage and opened it up. Hidden in there, was her motorcycle. A gift from a friend of hers, Jason. Jason, like her was angry at the crime in the city. And like her dared to suit up. He had gone out a couple times already. He had gotten his ass kicked but he also laid a beat down on some criminals.
She picked up the radio and earpiece. She placed it around her waist and the earpiece looped around her ear. "Todd, you there?"
No response.
"Todd?"
After a long beat. "Ms. Gordon. I was wondering if you'd be coming out tonight."
Barbara smiled as she opened up the garage door and revved the engine. "I'm on my way."
"Black Mask can be handled by the police. I have my ear to the ground on a deal going down in The Narrows. Sending you the cords."
The Bluetooth on her motorcycle lit up. The path was clear and she zoomed out of the suburb she had called home for the past three years. Eager to prove herself tonight, she headed out. It only took ten minutes to get to the Narrows. A crime ridden part of town, even more so than normal in Gotham. Word was Two Face, The Riddler, Scarecrow and the Penguin all made this their home base.
Finding the alley Jason had sent her, she hopped off the bike. She looked around, only to see trash littered about the area.
"Took you long enough." Jason said from the dark as he jumped down from a fire escape.
"Jason." She smiled.
"Babs." Jason bowed. "Batman and Robin will likely be with your father today."
Barbara nodded. "What's the deets?"
Jason turned serious. His dark outfit similar to her own. His boots were red though. They had shared design piece amongst each other. Given they didn't have a reason to, neither wore a cape. Only to stick out more if they did. Jason pointed down the alley, there lay a fence.
"I already cut a way in. Ever since the Great Escape, there has been more rumors spreading around as the old guard criminals try and rebuild their empire. This can stop it in it's tracks."
"How'd you hear about this?"
"I've got my resources." Jason shrugged as they walked down the alley. "Let's just say before this I wasn't exactly on the up and up."
Barbara scoffed.
"Oh, and we should come up with code names for each other. Should any intercept our comms."
"I've been working on getting us something more secure. The apps is still a little buggy but I think it should be up and running by the end of the month."
They approached the fence and Jason pulled a corner to the side. Barbara and Jason bowed low but got in. They jumped down and onto the roof of some old warehouse.
"This way." Jason said. They went to a sky light that was open. They peered down to see a metal walkway above the grounds of the warehouse. "Lead the way."
Rolling her eyes she jumped down. Her boots clanged loudly but Jason's descent was even louder. They waited, listening. They continued their conversation in whispered hushes.
"I think boots were a bad idea."
"Steel toe should incapacitate the right people though."
They walked north down the walkway and down a set of stairs to a walkway that lined the far wall. They got to the middle when a van pulled into the warehouse. Followed by three other vans. About a dozen armed men appeared to get out of the vans and open up the back. They begin piling boxes out.
"Evidence?" Barbara whispered.
"Taking photos now." Jason nodded as he brought his camera up. The faint sound of a shutter clicking as he aimed the camera down. As they waited two black SUVs pulled up.
"Dear lord..." Jason breathed out.
From the passenger seat of one of the vans a man in a dark green suit walked out. He placed a bowler hat on his head and grabbed a cane.
"Is that?"
Below them another man's voice boomed loudly in the large warehouse. "Riddler! My old cellmate. Glad to see you landed on your feet."
"No thanks to the bat." Riddler's high pitched voice cackled.
Walking up was a man in some raggedy looking clothes and some type of straw mask over his face.
"Scarecrow." Barbara whispered out.
"You secure the perimeter?" Scarecrow asked as he walked forward.
"No need. The bat is busy with Black Mask."
"I hope you're right." Scarecrow looked up and around. Jason and Barbara ducked as his line of sight went up towards them. "There are shadows moving about. One word keeps popping up on my radar."
"Owl?" Riddle mused.
"Yes, and it appears they are enemies of the bat..."
"But us." Riddle confirmed. "Whoever they are, we will handle them. I imagine bats is much more of a problem for them."
"What of Superman?"
"He's been in Metropolis, appears his time with the bats is up."
"And the boy wonder?"
"Haven't seen him in a couple."
"What happened to Robin?" Barbara whispered.
"Shh." Jason responded.
"So, what do you have for me?" Scarecrow finally said.
"Preem guns for a premium client."
Riddler went about showing Scarecrow around.
"What do we do?"
"We can't take them all." Jason shook his head. "We'll wait for one of them to leave and jump the ones that remain."
Barbara nodded their head as they watched the deal go down. The boxes of weapons was pictured by Jason and the deal too. Soon the cargo was loaded onto the SUV.
"Pleasure as always Riddler." Scarecrow reached out a hand.
"Pleasure's all mine." Riddle bowed.
*Bang*
A shot rang out and everyone ducked. Jason saw the flash, he looked across the way and zoomed in. Barbara followed his line of sight, there they were. Someone with a rifle.
Scarecrow collapsed as Riddler and Scarecrow's goons started firing up into the rafters. The sniper started firing again. A goon went down as the Riddler hopped behind cover. Two more shots rang out as two more men collapsed. Soon every goon down below was ducked behind cover.
"We don't have to do this!" Riddler yelled. "Let's make a deal!"
Large boots began clanking as a behemoth of a man walked in. "Take this as a lesson you two."
"Bane!" Riddler stood. "What the hell is this?"
"The Narrows belong to me now." The man known as Bane said. "And the League of Shadows."
"What the hell is that?" Riddler squealed.
"You're warning. Scarecrow, Riddler...stay out of the Narrows. And we won't have a problem."
"You aren't the only game in town." Riddler shook his head as a dazed Scarecrow stood up. He wiped at his chest and a bullet clanged to the ground.
"Bane." Scarecrow rubbed his chest as he spoke. "We don't have to be enemies. Let us help you take down the bat."
"I don't take failures in." Bane said, his voice was warbly and deep. Some type of foreign accent behind his luchador mask. "Slade! You can go."
The man with the gun nodded and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"You've been warned." Bane simply said as he walked out of the warehouse.
Scarecrow and Riddler glared after him but nodded at each other. Riddle spoke first. "Owls, assassins and the bats? I think it's time we enact the plan."
"I'll make the arrangements to my people." Scarecrow nodded.
"Why didn't you fear toxin him?"
Scarecrow shrugged. "My lab was destroyed. Building from the ground up, isn't exactly easy."
"Go." Riddler said. "I'll clean up here."
Scarecrow snapped his fingers and one of the dead goons was dragged away with him. "To each their own Riddler."
"To each their own...for now." Riddler smiled.
The SUVs left with Scarecrow and his goons.
"Ten plus the Riddler." Jason said. "Ready?"
"Ready as ever." Barbara breathed in.
The walked to the end of the walkway and found a ladder. They quietly descended as one van drove off. "Shit." Jason said.
Another drove off but they smiled when they heard the Riddler's high pitched shrill. "Hurry up!"
Another drove off and they rounded the corner. There he was. With three men left. They threw the last of their dead comrades in the back of the Van. Jason and Barbara gave each other a look and a nod. They sprinted forward. The first two were easy. Jason clotheslined one, knocking him out in short order. Barbara brought her tonfa back and cracked a man across his face. He landed on the ground with a thud. Riddle turned to face them.
His goon started shooting but Jason threw a knife at him. It got him in the hand and he dropped his gun. Riddler merely smirked at them as Barbara kicked the last man in the face.
"Now who could these be? More bats? Or owls?"
"We're here to arrest you Riddler." Jason simply said.
"A kid." Riddler turned his head toward Barbara. "Two kids."
He raised his hands up, dropped his cane. "Fine. Take me into police custody."
"Hands behind your back! And turn around." Jason demanded.
Riddler did so. Jason brought his fist back and punched him hard in the back of the head. Riddler, dazed hit the floor hard. Jason handcuffed him, tight.
"Hey watch it, shit head." Riddle demanded.
"No weakness for crime." Jason whispered in his ear. He hoisted the thin man up to his feet. They brought him to a large metal beam. It looked to be a support structure.
Barbara called the cops, giving them a tip of a deal gone bad.
Tying him to the beam the two of them fist bumped each other. The Riddler merely laughed as they walked away, disappearing out one of the many warehouse entrances. They found their way to the walkway again. Circling back, to ensure their prey was captured.
After a few minutes a neat black car pulled up. Barbara recognized the woman who stepped out.
"If it isn't the Detective's little sidekick." Riddler cackled. "Come to arrest me then?"
Detective Montoya nodded as she hauled him up and pushed him into the back of the police vehicle. She called for backup and another man, large and fat appeared out of the other end.
"Bullock, keep an eye on him. I'm going to do some snooping around."
Barbara and Jason took that as their queue to leave.