Batgirl: Ascension REDUX [CONTENT WARNING! REDUX Has More Action And Smut!]

Babs, the Bold

Barbars Gordon blew raspberries, staring up at her ceiling. The dancing lights of passing cars could only keep her busy for so long.
“Oof.” She sighed and swung her legs off the couch. Sitting up she rubbed her face.
She turned her head and turned up the news when she saw the title screaming across the screen: [Black Mask cornered in Shootout]
Barbara’s leg tapped fast on the ground. Her father’s biggest case in a couple years was coming to a head on live television. Detective Jim Gordon would find a way to take Black Mask in. He always did, with the help of Batman of course.
“Bats…” She said slowly, thinking of the black suit, yellow boots and cowl upstairs. “Come on, girl. Gather the courage…”
She jumped when her phone dinged. She quickly checked the messages.
[Daddy: Sorry Babs. I won’t be able to make it home tonight. Go ahead and order take out. The extra card is in the cabinet. You know the one.]
She put her phone down, and out of the corner of her eye she saw the notification of a follow up message.
[I love you]
Barbara clenched her jaw, putting her phone away. She undressed as she started walking upstairs. Throwing her clothes in her laundry bin with a finality. She reached deep under the depths of her bed and pulled out a lockbox. She placed her finger on the locking mechanism, it clicked open. Neatly folded inside: her bat suit. She forced her way into the tight, polymer clothes. It took her a better part of a year to assemble it.
“Now or never Babs.”
She stood tall in the suit and boots. Staring at herself in the mirror, she saw her red hair fall over her face. Brushing her hair back she slipped the cowl on. Just as powerful feeling as when she first put it on. Then, she didn’t fight crime. Just a matter of putting on an outfit she had spent months on. She took one long breath out.
In an instant, she was flying down the stairs. Her boots gliding across the ground as she ran to the garage at the back of the house. Her dad was rarely home, he would throw an absolute fit if he saw her ride. She opened the side door and strolled to the back of the mostly empty garage. Tucked in a corner, underneath a large tarp she threw the side?
“Beautiful.” She smiled, staring at the powerful, matte black motorcycle. “Thank you, Jason” She grinned before she gasped. “Jason!”
She rushed over to a counter top and pulled a plastic container from one of the shelves above. Digging around, she found what she was looking for. A high-tech communicator. This was of her design. She turned it on and wrapped the Bluetooth earbud into her ear.
“Jason?”
There was a long pause.
“Shit.” She paced back and forth. “Jason?”
“Babs. I was wondering if you’d ever head out. Tonight is turning into quite the show with Black Mask gathering all the attention downtown.”
Barbara grinned as the garage door opened. She sat down on the beast of engineering. It revved alive when she started the engine. She lightly placed a dark, reflective helmet over her head. “I’m on my way.”
“Black Mask can be handled by your dad, the police and the Batman.”
“Where am I going then?”
“I have my ear to the ground on a deal going down in the Narrows. Sending you the cords.”
The GPS installed in her helmet lit up a path in the upper corner of her vision. The path was clear as she zoomed out of the suburb. Eager to prove herself tonight, Barbara straddled the loud motorcycle, weaving in and out of traffic. It took her a mere fifteen minutes to get to the Narrows. The infamously, crime-ridden hellscape of the lower city. Being known as ‘crime-ridden’ in Gotham made it an especially dangerous area.
Pulling up the alley Jason directed her to, she hopped off the bike. She peered around, only to see trash littering the area.
“Took you long enough.” Jason said from the dark. He jumped from the fire escape.
“Jason.” She smiled with a small wave.
“Babs.” Jason gave her a slight bow. “Batman and Robin are with your father today. I just checked the news feed. The bat signal is bright in the sky tonight.”
Barbara looked up to the cloudy night sky, but couldn’t see the signal from her vantage point. She nodded and looked around. “So, details. What we dealing with?”
Jason became serious. He patted his dark suit, similar in design to her own. Finding what he wanted he pulled out a small data pad. Looking down, Barbara noted the much dirtier red boots he had on compared to pretty shiny and practically new yellow boots.
“We should’ve invested in the cape.” Barbara jested.
Jason looked up from his data pad and scoffed. “Perhaps when we find out how the Bat created his tech.” He put the data pad away and pointed to the fence at the end of the alley.
“I cut a way in already. Ever since the Great Escape, there have been more and more rumors spreading around that the old guard is returning. Criminals that brought this city to its knees…back and looking to rebuild their empire. We can stop a part of it in its tracks tonight.”
“Lead on.” Barbara gestured for him to lead the way. “How’d you get this info?”
“I’ve got my resources.” Jason shrugged. They strolled down the alleyway. “Let’s just say before this,” He gestured towards the suit, “I wasn’t exactly on the up and up.”
Barbara chuckled.
“Oh! And we should come up with code names.” Barbara turned her head. “Just in case they intercept our comms.”
“The app is still buggy. But once I get it running, it should be secure.” Barbara offered.
“Let me guess –” Jason started.
“End of the month.” They said together and shared a look.
“Well, I deserved that.” Barbara smiled. “This time, it will be at the end of the month.”
“Sure.” He extended the word out to accentuate his doubts.
They approached the fence and stopped. Jason went to a corner and pulled the fence to the side. They both bowed low and got in. Below them, the roof of some old warehouse. They jumped down and landed with a soft thud on the roof.
“This way.” Jason pointed.
They went up to a skylight. Barbara lightly grabbed a handle and pushed. To their surprise, the window slid right open.
“Ladies first?” Jason asked.
Barbara rolled her eyes but jumped down. The loud clang of her boots had her cringings. Jason’s descent was even louder. They shared a look, waiting for any sign of enemies.
“Boots might have been a bad idea.” Barbara said.
“Steel toe is a bonus.” Jason offered.
“Let’s go.”
Barbara led them town a walkway and to set of stairs. This led to a lower walkway, much closer to the ground floor. They might be spotted if they weren’t careful. When they got halfway to the next set of stairs down, a van pulled into the open warehouse. Soon, three others followed. About a dozen armed men flooded out of the vans. Setting up a perimeter down below. Calling our reports and actions as they did so.
“Well organized.” Jason whispered.
“Evidence?” Barbara whispered and pointed as the goons started unloading the goods.
“Got the camera.” From a small satchel on his side, he pulled out a pretty substantial camera set up. The lens itself looked worth more than her computer. “Taking photos now.”
As Barbara listened to the whir and clicks of the camera more vans showed up. Two more to be precise. They were spray painted with a giant green question mark.
“Dear lord…” Jason breathed out.
From the passenger seat of the far van, a man in a dark green suit walked out. He placed a matching bowler hat and twirled a cane around in his hands.
“Is that…?” Barbara stared.
Below them, another man’s voice boomed loudly in the spacious warehouse. “Riddler! My old cellmate. Glad to see you landed on your feet.”
“No thanks to the bat.” Riddler’s high pitched voice cackled.
“Scarecrow.” Barbara gasped.