"Babe?" Tommy asked as he hopped out of the Batmobile and bounded up the steps of the Batcave. Tommy searched, looking for Black Canary. He was beginning to get a little concerned.
The relationship between Tommy and Black Canary had been strained, ever since that fateful night that ended with the capture of Ra's Al Ghul. Tommy had been confused but relatively normal; something had changed in Black Canary, though, and it had Tommy a little on edge. First she had been distant and then she wasn't there at all.
And now she literally wasn't there at all, in that Tommy couldn't locate her. He searched everywhere: the clocktower, her usual rotation, and now the Batcave, but found nothing. It wasn't like her to disappear without telling anyone and neither Tommy nor Barbara Gordon had heard nothing.
It was very, very strange.
Tommy clicked on his comm and got a hold of Barbara.
"Is she there?" Barbara asked with a tinge of concern.
"No," Tommy replied. "I can't find her anywhere."
"Something's wrong," Barbara stated. "Huntress hasn't heard from her either. Dinah wouldn't just take off. Someone might have... have..." Barbara let the implication hang in the air.
"We need to find her," Tommy said quickly, "But I'm lost."
"You need to find The Question," Barbara told him. "They're the only way we'll find her."
"What Question?" Tommy asked, confused.
"THE Question," Barbara told him.
Tommy sighed. "Look, is this a riddle because I already told you I fucking ha-"
"No, you idiot," Barbara cut him off. "The Question is a person. That's their superhero name."
"Oh," Tommy said. "...Well that's kind of confusing."
Barbara continued. "They're the best detective in Gotham this side of the Real Batman. If anyone can find Canary, it's them."
"Okay, so where do I find them?" Tommy asked.
"I'll send the address to your car," Barbara told him. "But you better hurry; this time of night, The Question might already be at work."
***
The Question was not quite at work yet. In fact, she was currently debating whether or not she should play.
Renee Montoya, now known as The Question, had her feet up on her desk and was trying to look nonchalant as she eyed the woman who had just entered the room. It was hard for Renee to be nonchalant around this woman, however. If Renee was The Question, this woman was The Answer.
"I like your office," The red-haired beauty told Renee. "Feels quaint, but homey." The woman scanned the room, eying Renee's tattered bookcase, her small portable heater, the coat rack that was currently holding her trenchcoat, fedora, and trademarked mask that made her face imperceptible.
"Thanks, Kate," Renee replied. "Or I guess you'd prefer Batwoman now."
Batwoman smiled, her ruby red lips standing out sharply against her pale white skin. It was strange for Renee to see Kate Kane like this; they had known one another, been intimate with one another, at a time when both were very different. Renee had been a hard-working patrolwoman for the GCPD, while Kate had been a relatively hard-partying socialite. They had met when Renee had pulled Kate over for speeding and, despite Renee's moral qualms, had soon began a torrid affair.
It had been the best months of Renee's life but it ended quickly when Renee wasn't willing to go public with their relationship. She thought she was protecting her career and, in the end, she had been right; once the GCPD had found out that she was a lesbian Renee had soon found herself isolated and marginalized at work by everyone except her partner, Harvey Bullock, and her mentor, Jim Gordon. Renee soon felt lost and it wasn't until the original Question had found her that she had felt a new purpose in her life.
As The Question, Renee felt reborn. She felt new. And she had abandoned almost every part of her old life. All except her feelings for Kate.
Renee knew that Kate Kane was Batwoman for a few years now; it wasn't hard to piece together when you knew that Batwoman was a beautiful, impulsive, yet incredibly strong redhead. Other people might not have been able to see past Kate's fluttery facade but Renee knew Kate, the real Kate, and she knew exactly what she was capable of.
She was taken aback, however, when she got a look at her up close. The Kate Renee knew was a pretty orange-haired woman with a great set of curves. Batwoman had long red hair, white skin (most likely make-up) and rather severe features.
Her skintight black suit, however, revealed that the curves were still there. It hugged her hips and strained at her ample breasts, highlighting her two best attributes. A cape was red on the inside and gave a great silhouette of Kate's body. Renee tried not to stare.
"What do you need, Kate?" Renee asked. She felt underdressed. Batwoman felt larger than life in her suit while Renee, in her white dress shirt and dress pants, felt depressingly normal. Kate always made her feel underdressed, Renee remembered.
"I was hoping you could help me," Batwoman said, leaning against the edge of Renee's desk. "I've been trying to find someone and I figured you'd be just the person to help me track him down."
Renee couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. She had been secretly hoping that Batwoman had been there just for her. "Who are you after?"
Batwoman faltered before speaking. "I'm going after Bruno Mannheim," Batwoman said finally.
Renee dropped her feet off her desk and stared at her former girlfriend. "Bruno Mannheim?" She asked incredulously. "Kate, are you insane?"
Brune Mannheim was the head of the Religion of Crime, a dark & mysterious syndicate that was rumored to be involved in some sick shit: cannibalism, human sacrifices, you name it. They were a dangerous organization because they weren't in it for money or power: they believed that what they did would make them gods. They were crazy.
