Chapter Text
Duke had spent the last 23 minutes tied to a chair surrounded by five guys who are just starting in the life of crime. These men who were not yet goons wanted to make a splash and get the big hitters to notice them. He was just minding his business at a convenience store when they had knocked him over the head hard enough to render him unconscious. Honestly, they had gone for the best option for a hostage (behavior wise) of the Wayne siblings. No one had told them that the Wayne family does not give into ransom demands. They had also been completely unaware that anytime a member of that family gets kidnapped, Batman or more likely one of his associates would come to the rescue.
Cut to Black Bat crashing through the window on the far-right end of the room from Duke’s position. There was an audible sigh of relief from the teenager. The men seemed frazzled not only from the young woman who just crashed into the abandoned apartment, but also because their hostage was relieved that this slim woman was here to save him. They had heard about her. Before this moment they had already feared her the most out of Batman’s crew. For good reason, too. Nobody had moved yet. Cassandra looked over to Duke and started signing. Are you okay? The boy nodded. Any injuries?
“My head. I’ve got a headache. Maybe my pride as well. Still unsure about the second one.” This time it was her who nodded in understanding.
The men looked back and forth during this exchange. One of them, possibly late 30s with olive skin, average height, cropped short brown hair, and chestnut brown eyes spoke up, “Hold up! How did you find us here?” Black Bat took a couple seconds to think of her response.
“Newbies. No masks to hide faces. Security camera picked up a name. Saw faces from cameras across city. Easy to find.” Duke laughed at that. He knew they were dumb, but not so dumb as to make mistakes like that. They really were rookies. Another man on the shorter side with an angular jaw but otherwise similar features to the other guy who spoke, stepped forward.
“You may have a reputation, but I can b—” Quickly cut off by a kick to the chest that threw his body back and landed him on his butt. The costumed woman tilted her head like an inquisitive dog. She was obviously questioning if they want to be her next victims. The rest of the men knew to back off.
“We are very sorry. He’s free to go. You can turn us in. Just please, don’t kick our asses!” The rest of the men, save the man still on the floor, nodded eagerly. Fair enough, Duke thought. He started laughing again. His upper body shaking violently with laughter that was unheard.
“Hostage thinks you are pathetic.” At this point his laughing could now be heard as a wheeze and he looked lightheaded from lack of oxygen. “Very pathetic.” Duke tried his hardest to reign in his laughter. He really did. Because if he didn’t, he would fall unconscious again. The laughter died out but he still had a proud grin on his face.
“She’s not wrong.” At the teen’s words, the man on the floor lunged at him, not a fan of being made fun of. Cass smacked him around a bit. Now she’s just toying with him. Eventually she subdued the man and the rest of the crew. Duke untied himself and dropped the rope back onto the seat of the chair. This will definitely be coming up in the batfamily’s next story time about patrols.
Little brother, are you ready to go?
“Lets. I need to take a Tylenol when we get back.” She nodded and slipped out of the shattered window and he followed. She took him to the cave to make sure he got back and was taken care of.
“Batman,” she said. He was hit on the head and has a headache. He needs Tylenol.
“Of course. Alfred and I have it from here. I’ll join you later on patrol. You can head back out.” With only a look away from her for a couple seconds, she was gone.