Caffeine Withdrawal | T. Drake ✔

[27] Wrath Of The Huntress

Helena had never been one to conceal her identity, unlike the other vigilantes in Gotham. She had never felt the need to do so. Anyone who knew Helena Bartinelli also knew her as the Huntress, a lethal and unpredictable force to reckon with.

She had long since trodden upon the thin line that separated vigilante and evil mastermind but never really fell in any of the two categories due to her morally ambiguous nature. She was the only daughter of the most feared crime boss in Gotham, an heir to the Bartinelli legacy and thus she had learnt about brutality since a very young age.

But as time lapsed, she had chosen her own path and after she started dealing out her own brand of justice, she quickly became one of the most feared individuals in Gotham.

But it had been a few months since she had started working with the Birds of Prey and had to tone down some of her methods so they didn't interfere with the morals of other members. Her first mission had been alongside Oracle to release another founding member of the team, Black Canary, from the clutches of the evil mastermind Savant.

Ever since then Oracle had offered her a permanent place in the team and gradually the Birds of Prey had been extended to other recruits as well; the most prominent of which were Spoiler, Catwoman and Lady Blackhawk.

Their current headquarters were at Gotham Clock Tower in which Oracle had installed her whole set up to monitor and direct the team members. Oracle's identity was only known to a select few of the team members including Helena.

On the other hand, Helena was well aware of the woman behind the mask of Catwoman as she and Selina Kyle had worked together continuous times in the past and were on quite friendly terms with each other.

Her recent case along the Birds of Prey was sort of a backup plan for the Bat vigilantes. Red Robin had been tackling the major Penguin case but what he hadn't figured out was the simultaneous activities of Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow.

Oracle had tasked her and Catwoman to keep an eye on the Scarecrow and probe further into his recent endeavors.

Helena was just returning from her stake out and had planned to spend the night at Selina's place. Night had tightened its hold over Gotham and despite the silence, the dark alleys seemed to be vibrating with sinister activity.

Helena had learnt to ignore those vibes because it was very common routine in Gotham but deep down somewhere her senses had perked up as if telling her that something was going to go wrong.

And though she knew she could handle whatever fate had in store for her, her thoughts unnervingly drifted towards Alexander.

She judged the time, it was around midnight and he would probably be at the Iceberg Lounge by then. But she couldn't ignore the gut feeling that was alerting her so she changed path and headed to the nightclub instead.

When she reached there, the guard at the gate refused to let her through saying something along the lines of a fight going on inside. But she held her crossbow threateningly at him making him step aside and pushed through the doors.

The club was a mess once again and her eyes darted around the premises landing on the bar. Alex was nowhere to be seen but the most damaged part of the club was his counter.

Eyes blazing she proceeded towards the main fight and saw that Alex was held up by two thugs while two more were beating the shit out of him. Without even thinking twice she landed two arrows in the shins of the men beating Alex and another two pierced the shoulders of those who had been holding him up.

Collective screaming was heard and the crowd parted, turning to face her. Alex had dropped down in a bloodied heap and she stormed forward, her eyes blazing furiously at the men she had already injured.

"What the hell is going on here?" Helena demanded in a severe tone that shook through the whole club, "why the fuck are you beating him up? That's the reason no bartender stays to serve drinks to you ungrateful little fuckers."

"He's a spy, he was listening in on our conversation and I noticed more than thrice," one of those men had ripped out the arrow from his shin and was staring back at Helena with an equal rage, "you should have at least heard us out before attacking."

"Alexander? A spy? You've lost your mind," she retorted bending down to help Al up, "as for listening to you first, let me tell all of you. If anyone dares to even think of laying a hand on him, he has to get through to me first."

"Why does he even matter to you?"

Her grey eyes flashed in anger and she held her crossbow up again at which the crowd dispersed immediately because every single person there was aware how well she could plunge arrows deep through the heart.

"Where's Cobblepot?" She asked instead, "does that man have no policy to grant security to his employees? Call him here right this instant!"

"He doesn't have time for these trifling fights."

"He better have time for an arrow through his heart then," she roared and one of the spectators scurried off to fetch Cobblepot.

Helena gently lifted Alex up, her hand brushing across the bruises on his face delicately. His eyes were shut from fatigue and pain but he was mildly conscious.

"What is the bloody matter with you all?"

Oswald Cobblepot had arrived at last and Helena turned to face him, anger seemed to vibrate off her.

"That's what I should be asking you. You employed this man as a bartender, he works his ass off for you people and you can't even keep him from getting beat up?"

"He must know to tread with caution, he must have done something to cause the fight and that is none of my concern," Cobblepot snapped harshly.

Helena raised an eyebrow as if challenging him, "it will be your concern if he files a complaint against you."

"And where would he go? The GCPD? That's fucking useless, both you and I know that. Plus his contract clearly states that he is not to leak any sort of information about what goes on in the club. If he steps that rule, he will get an even rougher treatment."

"He's not stepping up any rule I can guarantee you," she replied, "but if you do not control your mob here, you will be responsible for the consequences."

She cautiously lifted Alex up, supporting him as he stood up with his arm round her shoulders. He had probably gotten a concussion for he could not process clearly what was happening around him and his eyes were dropping shut.

"Arrange a room and fetch a medic if you don't want this situation to get worse," Helena's voice pierced the awkward silence that had spread through the club, "and the rest of you, take your drinks by yourself now that you've gotten the bartender beat up so bad. Hopefully you'll realize his importance when you have to do his tasks on your own."

***