The Darkest of Knights

"It'll take a lot to top this one Cyrah." Alice said to her as she got in the passenger seat. "So what do you say, take her down or give her a joy ride? Either way she'll owe us." Alice smiled.

Cyrah gave that evil grin. "Did you say soemthing? I thought we had to get back to the manor quickly as possible." She said with a devilish grin. Payback was a b*tch. And her name was Sarah Carol Roper.

In the back of her mind, she was secretly glad this had happened- it had given them a break from the norm and her and Alice seemed to be getting along now.

Karmy stared, completely bewildered, at Cyrah. "Not cool man! Let me down, ya hear me! Let! ME! DOWN!" she continued to scream and try to hit the car and the two jerks. "I swear I'm gonna get you two back for this, get me down!!!"

"You can't pay us back for getting payback on you. Hush." Cyrah said to Karmy. She wouldn't deliberateley hurt Karmy, but she had this one coming no matter how much she protested. From the fake- dying thing to the whole mouth-to-mouth thing, Cyrah was going to enjoy this.

"Yes I can and I will!" Karmy banged her head against the roof of the car. "But, I won't have to if you would just let ME DOWN!!" she continued to scream at the top of her lungs.

"Heheheheh... Ahahahahah... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" Alice laughed slamming her foot on the gas. One foot may be in the grave, but at least the other was on the gas. They pulled up on the driveway and let Karmy down. "You do something like that again we'll strap you to the Batwing." Alice warned. "Like I said. You're not getting us back."

Karmys knees buckled from the amount of shaking they were doing. "Y-y-y-yes I will..." she swore, her face pale from the fear. "I'll get you two back for this..."

"Batwing Karmy. Night." Alice said walking up to The Manor and going to her room for sleep.

...

Dick woke up and looked at the time. He turned in his bed to check his side. Still empty. Was Barbara still out? He got up and went to the living room where Wintergreen had already made breakfast and served it to him, promptly. Dick turned on the television to Action news.

"Good morning Gotham! I'm your host Alaska Flowers, and this is Gotham City, Action News. Today is November 12, 2031; 08:00 am. Yesterday afternoon Mr. Freeze launched an attack on the Synergy Mall, no casualties occurred, thanks to several known heroes from The Seven Days that shook the World Sarah Roper and Karmy Anderson, along with several civilians were able to stunt Mr. Freeze's attack and the police arrested him shortly after." The bright eyed redhead said smiling. "Action in the STEAM building last night woke the citizens of Gotham up with gunfire and explosions. The only thing Action News was able to pick up was that Gotham's Dark Knight was found in S.T.E.A.M's building late last night, SWAT got there too late before the Batman threw the CEO out the window, murdering him."

Dick leaned back shaking his head in disapproval. "Dammit. Just when I wiped my plate off of suspicion." He muttered cutting open an egg.

"Gunfire, gunfire, and even more gunfire. After neighbors reported gunfire in the house of Harry Wells, a local was found by police in a puddle of blood but no bullet wounds, oddly enough. He was brought in by to The Commissioner for Questioning, as he has some connection to STEAM. Again, our dear Dark Knight was found fleeing the scene of the crime."

Dick spat out a mouthful of orange juice. "What the hell is going on?!" He demanded out loud to himself. Wintergreen came with a wet rag to clean up the juice. "No idea Master Dick. Did you kill anyone last night?" He asked. "No, god no! The Batman doesn't kill!" Dick said in unbelief. "Where's Babs? Still no sign of her?" He asked Wintergreen. "No sir, no sign of your Fiancee'." He reported finishing up and walking out. "Somebody's gonna pay for this.. Or else-" "Or else what Master Dick? Your going to dress up like a Bat and run around at night?" Dick glared at Wintergreen. "Shut up.. I'm trying to.. Whoa, whoa, whoa... What's this?

"Barbara Gordon drew a crowd when she was found early this morning beaten and tied in a batsuit, detectives are making speculations if she was put in the batsuit before or after she was brutally beaten. A hero came up and offered to take her back, he goes by the name Cassius. Apparently he or someone he knows can nurse the late commissioner's daughter back to heath."

Dick sat there stunned. Immediately, he dialed Cassius' number.

"Still.." Karmy curled up on the front steps of the Manor, "Least the plan worked." she said and fell asleep on the stone steps.

Cassius poped on the com buds on his headset. They calle dhim a 'hero.' Could you beleive that?! In retrospect, however, he begrudgingly admited he probably had earned that title at several points in the past few days. Oh well. "Whadaya' want Greyson?" He said in the ER of the hospital. He hadd to ge there at least there to get her major injuries and bullet wounds taken care of before he dared to try and move her to his old apartment- where he still had a room full of medical gear stuffed away, even if the Riders resided there now.

"Where are you taking Babs? I heard the News Broadcast say you took her in. Where are you? What's going on? Is she okay? I didn't see any footage or pictures. What happened? How is she doing? Is she breathing okay? How much blood loss? Where can I meet you? I'm on my way right now, just tell me where, c'mon is she okay? Cas, talk to me! What's going on?!" Dick panicked nearly stepping on Karmy on his way out to his car.

"Careful Dick!" Karmy called out to him before turning over. "Alice broke a window in your car!"

Dick turned to Karmy, "What? Alice wouldn't do that what are you talking about?" He asked, "Alice is careful, she won't-... what the hell!? How did she break the backseat windows?"

"Hey, she's going through withdraw from quitting cigarettes. I can't explain what she does to let off steam." Karmy said

"She wouldn't smash my windows. I've known her when she was a teen. She wouldn't spite me like that." He said to Karmy, still on the phone with Cassius, "I'm leaving to find Babs, call me if anything happens. Or you see Alice smashing anymore windows." He said hopping in his car.

"I believe... he went out to pick up groceries. Eggs?" Wintergreen offered switching the subject quickly.

"As have I Dick, and she wouldn't do it. I was just trying to cover up for Cyrah, she was the one who broke it. Sorry for lying, just wanted to protect her." Karmy called out to him.

"Groceries is going on. Your eggs are getting cold." Wintergreen pressured off the subject.

"Yeah, tell me the story later." Dick said driving off.

"Will do!" Karmy sat up and watched him drive off. "Prick." Unable to sleep, she walked up to the top step and plopped down, watching the morning go by. "Damn I could go for some coffee." she sighed.

Karmy just walked in, "Good morning Ms. Anderson, coffee is by the fridge." Wintergreen said. "Ms. Gordon is still out from last night."

"The fridge eh?" Karmy raised an eye brow to Wintergreen. "Are you sure its by the fridge Wintermint? Or in the safe that Alice told me about?"

"The coffee maker is right there, I fixed some coffee for Master Dick not five minutes ago." He explained pointing right at it. "And I believe he's still sleeping." Wintergreen said pacing around looking for something in the kitchen.

Karmy hesitated but approached the fridge anyways.

"There's still a fresh pot right there." Wintergreen directed, "Mugs are right above you." He said finding the remote to the television and shutting it off.

"Nah.." Karmy said, turning away from the fridge. "I promised Alice that I would quit. A promise is a promise after all." she headed out the kitchen door. "I'll just be on the roof so give me a ring if something happens!" and she snapped her fingers and portaled to the roof, plopping down on the edge, letting her legs dangle off the side.

Alice woke up checked the time. "Ugh.. too early in the morning to get up... too early for crime to start. Its illegal to commit a crime in the morning." Alice slurred getting up. "Ugh.." she reached for a pack of cigarettes and popped one in her mouth. She opened a drawer where her zippo was supposed to be. "Oh right.." she said spitting the unused cigarette out. "Can't enjoy a damn camel in the mornings anymore." She mumbled to herself and getting out of bed to get dressed and prepare herself for the day.