We Are in a Mess
Danger Zone; Part Two
Batman scanned the rooftops of Gotham City, picking out one window in particular. But he did not find anything out of place, for now.
He had been at this for weeks and still nothing had happened. Bruce wondered if Stephan wouldn’t follow through with his threats after all. But Stephan had already lost once at Club Fluorescent, where his thugs were knocked out by Leah, who hadn’t even need the help of Batman or Bruce that night.
No, Bruce thought, Stephan would not give up now. Not when he had been beaten down so easily – that had probably just fueled his anger, and he wouldn’t underestimate Leah this time. Stephan would be careful in getting his dignity and respect back and procuring his revenge. He couldn’t afford, nor would he risk loosing again.
And now Stephan knew that Leah has some tricks up her sleeve. He surely wouldn’t let that be his downfall again.
What he didn’t know was that she had the ever watchful protection of Batman.
But perhaps not watchful enough. Bruce cursed as he got close enough to Leah’s window to notice the disturbance.
The phone was knocked off the hook, lying on the floor along with a shattered plate and overturned chair.
And the TV was on – Leah never left the TV on. But the food that was smeared underneath the smashed plate was still microwave hot, so whoever had taken Lean couldn’t have gotten far.
Hearing the rev of an engine, Batman looked to the street in time to see a man shove someone in a van, which quickly started to drive away. Batman threw a small magnetic tracking device down towards it and when he saw it had attached correctly, he raced away to the Batmobile, that was waiting for him a few blocks away, as to not cause suspicion.
The tracking device led him to what was known as the Maroni's headquarters. He'd need a good plan to successfully try to infiltrate the place.
Not knowing what they were doing to Leah, he got closer to the hideout and quickly scanned it, looking for inspiration for a plan.
He found his opening, and after preparing himself, Batman crashed through an overhead window, startling none other than Stephan Maroni.
Stephan recovered and quickly grabbed Leah and pulled out a gun, pointing it to her head. Batman scanned over Leah's physical state – quite bruised and cut up but had no serious injuries that he could see – before taking out a batarang and deftly throwing it, lodging it just below Stephan's right trigger finger.
While Stephan was screaming in pain, Batman knocked him out, but not before being cut on the cheek with the end of the batarang that was sticking out of Maroni's hand.
To Leah it was all a blur – a rush of adrenaline. But when they got to the batcave and Batman started tending to her injuries, Leah noticed his.
“You have to get that treated!” she yelled at him.
Batman looked up, almost seeming surprised, and just growled in that low voice of his, “It didn't cut anything vital, I can take care of it later. I'll be fine.”
“Yeah, right. It's still bleeding,” Leah criticized. “Let me fix it.”
With that she yanked the first aid kit out of his hands and started cleaning up the blood. Soon, though, it became apparent that the Batman's mask was in the way.
“That'll have to come off,” Leah said hesitantly.
After a moment in which Leah had no idea what was going through the man's head, he finally pulled the mask off.
“Much better,” :Leah stated, and continued fixing the cut.
“You know Bruce,” Leah said offhandedly, “You should be more careful – this is probably going to scar. Hopefully not that badly, though. It's fairly shallow.”
Bruce just stared at Leah. She noticed, and laughed nervously.
“Really, Bruce, you thought I'd be so shocked that I'd run away or something? This kind of stuff tends to happen to me. And besides, I've seen Batman hanging around my apartment for a week or so now. Don't think I hadn't noticed. Trying to be sneaky, were you? And it started right after you – Bruce – saw me get attacked by Stephan's cronies.”
Bruce removed her hands from his face and held them in his own, larger ones.
“Leah...”
She just rolled her eyes. “Don't worry, Bruce. I won't tell anyone. It's too unbelievable, anyways. Actually, I... I'd like to help you. No, I will help you Bruce. I promise.”
“You don't have to. It's dangerous.”
“I know I don't have to. I want to.”
Bruce didn't say anything, he just looked at her. And Leah just continued to take care of his cut.
He had been at this for weeks and still nothing had happened. Bruce wondered if Stephan wouldn’t follow through with his threats after all. But Stephan had already lost once at Club Fluorescent, where his thugs were knocked out by Leah, who hadn’t even need the help of Batman or Bruce that night.
No, Bruce thought, Stephan would not give up now. Not when he had been beaten down so easily – that had probably just fueled his anger, and he wouldn’t underestimate Leah this time. Stephan would be careful in getting his dignity and respect back and procuring his revenge. He couldn’t afford, nor would he risk loosing again.
And now Stephan knew that Leah has some tricks up her sleeve. He surely wouldn’t let that be his downfall again.
What he didn’t know was that she had the ever watchful protection of Batman.
But perhaps not watchful enough. Bruce cursed as he got close enough to Leah’s window to notice the disturbance.
The phone was knocked off the hook, lying on the floor along with a shattered plate and overturned chair.
And the TV was on – Leah never left the TV on. But the food that was smeared underneath the smashed plate was still microwave hot, so whoever had taken Lean couldn’t have gotten far.
Hearing the rev of an engine, Batman looked to the street in time to see a man shove someone in a van, which quickly started to drive away. Batman threw a small magnetic tracking device down towards it and when he saw it had attached correctly, he raced away to the Batmobile, that was waiting for him a few blocks away, as to not cause suspicion.
The tracking device led him to what was known as the Maroni's headquarters. He'd need a good plan to successfully try to infiltrate the place.
Not knowing what they were doing to Leah, he got closer to the hideout and quickly scanned it, looking for inspiration for a plan.
He found his opening, and after preparing himself, Batman crashed through an overhead window, startling none other than Stephan Maroni.
Stephan recovered and quickly grabbed Leah and pulled out a gun, pointing it to her head. Batman scanned over Leah's physical state – quite bruised and cut up but had no serious injuries that he could see – before taking out a batarang and deftly throwing it, lodging it just below Stephan's right trigger finger.
While Stephan was screaming in pain, Batman knocked him out, but not before being cut on the cheek with the end of the batarang that was sticking out of Maroni's hand.
To Leah it was all a blur – a rush of adrenaline. But when they got to the batcave and Batman started tending to her injuries, Leah noticed his.
“You have to get that treated!” she yelled at him.
Batman looked up, almost seeming surprised, and just growled in that low voice of his, “It didn't cut anything vital, I can take care of it later. I'll be fine.”
“Yeah, right. It's still bleeding,” Leah criticized. “Let me fix it.”
With that she yanked the first aid kit out of his hands and started cleaning up the blood. Soon, though, it became apparent that the Batman's mask was in the way.
“That'll have to come off,” Leah said hesitantly.
After a moment in which Leah had no idea what was going through the man's head, he finally pulled the mask off.
“Much better,” :Leah stated, and continued fixing the cut.
“You know Bruce,” Leah said offhandedly, “You should be more careful – this is probably going to scar. Hopefully not that badly, though. It's fairly shallow.”
Bruce just stared at Leah. She noticed, and laughed nervously.
“Really, Bruce, you thought I'd be so shocked that I'd run away or something? This kind of stuff tends to happen to me. And besides, I've seen Batman hanging around my apartment for a week or so now. Don't think I hadn't noticed. Trying to be sneaky, were you? And it started right after you – Bruce – saw me get attacked by Stephan's cronies.”
Bruce removed her hands from his face and held them in his own, larger ones.
“Leah...”
She just rolled her eyes. “Don't worry, Bruce. I won't tell anyone. It's too unbelievable, anyways. Actually, I... I'd like to help you. No, I will help you Bruce. I promise.”
“You don't have to. It's dangerous.”
“I know I don't have to. I want to.”
Bruce didn't say anything, he just looked at her. And Leah just continued to take care of his cut.