𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒 -

I woke up in the morning and didn't feel the sun beam onto my skin and heat it like it did last time, I looked out the window to see the sky full of clouds that made it look as if it could rain at any point which I knew was a sign that today wasn't going to be a good one.

I stood up and picked out a black dress that Alfred had bought and put on some opaque black tights on with it, I wore a coat that I knew Bruce was going to wear which dropped to just below my knees as I put on high heels.

I walked downstairs to see Bruce waiting for me with the driver outside, Alfred wasn't coming as he said he would stay home and look after the house for whilst we were gone and I nodded my head and thanked him.

My phone suddenly pinged whilst we were waiting for the driver which peaked Bruce's interest, I turned on my phone to see it was a message from an unknown number but I only had Bruce and Alfred's number saved so it didn't surprise me.

"Hey Y/N, its Edward Nashton from the orphanage. I was wondering if you think we could catch up on a coffee at some time today?" 

Bruce looked over my shoulder and read the message and I noticed he was but didn't ask him about it, Bruce and I trusted each other enough to know that we're Ghost and Batman so this was hardly anything important.

"I'll take my motorbike there, I was best friends with Ed," I shrug.

Bruce doesn't seem as trusting in this but lets me responds to the message with a 'I'll let you know when I'm able to", the driver arrived not long after I responded to the message and we both got into the car.

Bruce doesn't really talk much and I knew that he wouldn't talk much for the car ride so I looked out of the windows and smiled as we drove along, when we were close to arriving I noticed the fact that there was a huge crowd but when we got closer it was mostly people dressed as the Riddler.

I knew my attack from Riddler wasn't yesterday or anything but it did make my anxiety levels rise from it, Bruce seemed to notice and looked out of the window as they stared back at us making him hold my hand in a re-assuring way.

The driver soon parked and opened the door which soon caught everyone's attention as Bruce stepped out of the car, I only know noticed he had his dad's cufflinks on too when he stretched his hand out for me to take so I smiled and took his hand.

All eyes were now on us and your could hear all the news reporters going crazy for us, the news hasn't been able to report on either of us for a long time due to the fact we hid in our homes and didn't show up to any events but now they could grab money off us as everyone will want to talk about us.

It was sad to see that the news reporters were desperate to interview us and make things about us when we were at Mitchell's funeral, I understand he was a corrupt man but that gave no reason to then show up to a funeral and disrespect people like this.

Bruce hadn't let go of my hand and we started walking to the entrance of the building when someone grabs my arm then shoves a microphone in front of my face causing people to swarm towards me, cameras and flashes from cameras soon the only thing I saw.

"Are you dating Bruce Wayne?"

"Are you the Riddler's next target?"

"Do you think Riddler had anything to do with either of your parents death?"

"Are you and Wayne a couple?"

Those were the only questions I could hear over the screaming before Bruce pushed them off me and I took Bruce's arm as I struggled to walk up the stairs in heels as I wasn't used to wearing them, making Bruce and I smile at how I kept struggling.

We reached the building and walked in and stood there for a moment as we both looked around the building and I saw a man stood at the top balcony with other people expect he was facing us, he was looking down and I made eye contact with him for a moment before I break it and look back at Bruce.

We see someone try to sneak past the barrier that the police had put up for the officer to grab him and move him back, Bruce stared at them blankly until the new Mayor Bella walking towards us.

We both turned our heads to look at her when she shouts Bruce's name but Bruce doesn't let go of my hand, she stands in front of Bruce and tries to ignore me despite the fact I was stood there standing his hand.

"I wouldn't be bothering you here but your people keep telling me your busy," She says in an apologetic manner.

She had more manners then the news sources outside, she at least seems sorry for brining attention to something at a funeral that shouldn't.

"You know, you really could be doing more for this city. Your family has a history of philanthropy but as far as I can tell, your doing nothing," Bella sighs.

When she mentioned his family I noticed how he suddenly had a tighter grip on my hand as I knew his parents were something he wasn't going to get over easily, Bruce started walking and I gave an apologetic smile to Bella and waved her goodbye as we walked away as I felt she had the best intentions but just needed to adjust a little to Bruce's sensitives. 

We walked into the part where the funeral was being held and I notice Mitchell's son sat on the chair next to his mother, I knew how it felt to be Mitchell in that situation with one parent sat next to you so quiet and bringing you to such a sad and terrifying event. This was going to be worst than mine was though as his father's death was from a serial killer, a man who was so focused on bringing corruption down that he didn't think of people like this kid.

The kid turned and saw me and waved, I smiled and waved back and Bruce saw the kid too and waved.

Bruce and I both had gone through similar things that this kid had, I was just hoping we could solve this case and prevent Riddler from doing anything else dumb as Batman and I did share similar ideas with him but our morals cause us to act differently.

Bruce looked behind us and gestured to me to look up and I saw the same man as before watching us, his eyes didn't break his cold gaze on us but all that I recognizes were the glasses that were the same as Edward's.

I turned to face forward again in case the man knew how to lip read and stood closer to Bruce who then wrapped his arm around my waist, I didn't except Bruce to move his arm but I didn't make a big deal as it wasn't the time.

"The same man was staring when we first walked in, I think it might be Ed though," I whispered to Bruce.

"From the orphanage?" He asks.

"Yeah, Edward Nashton," I whisper back.

Bruce nodded his head and then we Gordon and two other police men were behind us saying how Colson hasn't been heard from since last night, meaning that when I did see someone in the car it was Riddler and I felt my heart drop.

I froze but I realised that we were stood in the centre of the aisle to walk to the memorial, they notice Bruce and I but he was concerned by how I had suddenly just turned pale.

We hear the engine of a car revving and Bruce turns to look behind us to see everyone in the balcony above was now running whilst the man watching us stayed, Bruce still had hold of my waist and we ran out of the way as the car drove down the aisle and almost hits us and we jump into some chairs.

Police quickly ran in and started yelling and demanding things from the person inside the car, I already knew who was in the car but I quickly stood up and Bruce quickly grabbed my hand as he stared at the car for Colson to step out.

"He's got a bomb!" Someone shouts. Wow, get that guy a medal.

Bruce and I quickly run out of there to grab our suits and change into them.

The building was now empty and we Batman came out from the shadows first, I could now see so much more with the contacts Bruce gave me and I got into the bomb squad's robots so I could control it at any time.

"What's he doing? Tell your guy to get out of there, he's going to get himself killed!"

I walked out and saw the pure panic on Colson's face with my steps also echoing like Batman's do due to how silent it was, I could hear the confusion of the other police officers and bomb squad when they saw me step in as well but I was still fairly new.

The ringtone was the only thing that broke the silence but Bat was staring at the letter that was on Colson's chest, that said 'to the bat' on it.

He rips the tape off of Colson's mouth and he instantly starts to beg for his life whilst on the verge of tears, I stood there in silence and turned to look at the little camera they had left and waved at it.

"Why are they waving?"

I turned back to the scene that was happening in front of and Colson soon stopped begging, Bat gestured for me to answer the call and I walked up to the phone and clicked answer then stood next to Batman again.

You see his little logo spray-painted on a dark green wall as his heavy, muffled breathing but what scared me the most was that the bomb around his neck now had a timer ready to start at a moment's notice.

"You came," Riddler sounded so excited. 

"I've been waiting for this for SO long," You could hear the happiness.

I turn to look at Batman for him to be staring at the phone blankly, Colson's  bomb suddenly shakes and a timer starts.

"𝐈𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐥, 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜, 𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐝, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝"

The timer making a high-pitch second with every second that passed often broke me out of my thoughts and stopped me from zoning out, it was like Riddler knew what my weakness was and trying to use it to slow me down.

"𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞," I spoke out.

Riddler laughs in happiness and you could tell he was savouring every last second.

"𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐞. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐲𝐞?"

I could feel my heart racing as my eyes locked on the timer on Colson's neck, the adrenaline helped me focus more as I was now desperate to have this mans life even if he may not deserve it. 

"𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞, 𝐀 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞."

Batman looked at me, he was clearly surprised at how quickly I was answering all these questions but it was mostly likely because I was used to riddles, Ed used to give me riddles all the time in the orphanage and it was our main way to pass time.

"Smarter than the bat, next question!"

"𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭?"

The answer is the answer Batman has been trying to solve on his own, the answer is the rat but Riddler wants the name of who the rat is and the only person who can tell us for sure is Colson. However, the state of Colson and the behaviour he is displaying shows me that he knew this question was going to be asked and he wasn't going to answer it and we were running low on time.

Time was ticking and Batman walked up to Colson was desperately trying to get an answer out of him, there was little time left and I could hear the officers say there was 10 seconds and that's when everything  went into slow-motion for me.

I ran to Batman as Riddler started counting down from 5.

"5,4,3, goodbye!"

I tackle Bat away from Colson and the explosion goes off causing the two of us to go flying into the air but I took most of the damage, my head spun and Batman tried to talk to me and keep me conscious for the swat and police to come running in with guns and put him under anaesthesia.

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧: 26.03.22

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