(Author's Intro....
This story (Episode 2) is a 'prequel' to the 'A Day In Gotham' series that I wrote a year or so ago. In particular, it precedes 'Batgirl's Dilemma' which is the first story that I wrote and technically is Episode 3 in the series. I always had it in mind to come back to Batgirl at some stage (she's such a fun character!) and fill in some gaps, and this story attempts to set the stage for some of the later action. As it developed, it grew (as usual!), so I've split it into three parts. This will therefore be Episode 2 Part 1. Hope that's not as complicated as it sounds!
Some kind people have contacted me over the last year requesting a follow-up to my last piece, Batgirl Vexed (Episode 8), particularly as the ending was not to everyone's taste, so I've sketched out a storyline which I'll hopefully have ready shortly after I've finished these three episodes.
As ever, I write these for people's entertainment and to give me some practice in the black art of storytelling. Feedback of any shape, size or intensity is always welcome!
Please enjoy........ Duke1951)
Index :
1 -- Batgirl Goes Solo
2 -- Threats in the Barn
3 -- Batgirl Has a Problem
4 -- A Fate Worse Than ........?
5 - Plan A -- High Expectations
6 - So What Was Plan B Again?
7 - The Aftermath
8 - After the Aftermath
9 - Heather's Party Surprise
10 - Catgirl Attempts 'Gentle Persuasion'
1 -- Batgirl Goes Solo
The adrenaline had stopped pumping. The excitement had dissipated. It had become, unbelievably, a bit boring!
She stopped in front of a large department store and examined her reflection in the giant plate glass window. Even in the dim street lights, the image reflected back brought a satisfied smile to her face. She turned slightly to get a profile, pleased at the way her tight purple costume clung to her shapely figure. Her latex clad bosom thrust forward suggestively, her narrow waist was gripped by the bright yellow utility belt and her nicely rounded rear end curved smoothly down into a pair of lithe, young legs that disappeared into her long black boots. She lifted her black gloved hands to smooth the bush of red hair cascading down her back from the under the purple cowl. It was a blatant, narcissist pose, but she didn't care. She looked fabulous, she knew, and she felt great about it!
It was late, about eleven, and the streets of Gotham City were starting to clear. It didn't look like she'd be getting much action now, and on top of that, and to her considerable annoyance it was just starting to drizzle with a light rain. She drew in a deep breath as she thought back to her earlier excitement as she'd started her first solo patrol. It was the first time without either Batman or Robin doing their hand-holding routine.
It really was frustrating! She'd spent months pestering Batman to let her loose. She'd invested years of her young life training hard under Batman's guiding hand, building up her strength, learning fighting techniques that should have won her Olympic medals. Now here she was, almost twenty two, a finely tuned super-athlete ready to take on the worst that Gotham could throw at her and what had she achieved? A couple of 'drunk and disorderlys', a failed mugging and a thwarted bag snatch!
At least the bag-snatcher had made a run for it and she'd been able to demonstrate her speed and power in taking the young hooligan down. The police had queried the bruising when she'd handed him over but hey, a girl had to get some fun out of fighting crime didn't she?
Then there'd been the reporter. How he'd found her she didn't know. He'd wanted to follow her, write up a scoop. Ah, as if! She'd soon sent him off with a flea in his ear as well.
It almost brought a tear to her eye. Such high expectations, such a miserable tally! Batman wouldn't laugh of course. He was better than that, but she could almost hear the slightly condescending words of re-assurance that she'd get when she reported in. And 'condescension' was the last thing she wanted from Batman. She'd so hoped to be able to impress him, make him see her as a woman to contend with, not a girl anymore. Make him want to wrap his arms round her, to feel her urgent response, to pull her to him and take her ........
'Oh God, not again!' she thought angrily to herself as she wiped the vision from her mind, 'Get a grip girl. This is getting almost obsessive!' She hadn't been able to suppress the little shiver that ran through her though, or the tingle that had appeared between her legs at the thought of those strong hands caressing her.
Suddenly her senses sharpened! What was it she'd heard?
She stepped back into the shadows as she turned towards a group of men who'd just tumbled out of one of the nearby bars. They were laughing and joshing each other in the friendly way men do after a few drinks. She studied them warily. There were four of them and they were big, powerful looking men, casually dressed but, for all the laughter, there was something sinister about them. It looked like this mob really could be worthy opponents because the word that had caught her attention and was bouncing around her brain didn't normally sit well in conversations about football or the barmaid's physical attributes.
'Kidnap' meant something a bit more serious surely!
She followed them discretely around a couple of corners, excitement mounting, before watching them board a large black SUV. There was just time to dash forward, keeping low, and attaching a Bat-Tracer to the rear bumper before it pulled out into traffic.
Heart pumping hard, she twisted round and sprinted away towards the alley where she'd parked her Bat-Bike a couple of blocks away. This was more like it, a bit of action at last!