Meeting, and Heist...

~Omniscient Pov~

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"I finally lost them..." Ezra brought down his hood quickly. He fixed his posture and kept a normal demeanor. Slowly he made his way out of the area and quickly headed back towards the streets.

'Now I'll need to find somewhere to develop my new powers... And likely more to come.' He thought to himself. Walking along the sidewalks, since it was quite late at the moment. There was no one around in the streets.

He looked around a bit more, 'Damn... I've forgotten how dead this place can be.' Ezra thought to himself. Not blaming the people here at all for the lack of life at this time of night. Not even a single soul was around.

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"Hey, lady... No need to be shy. We ain't gonna hurt ya' "

"Yeah, me and my boy here just want to talk." 

'Huh?' Ezra knew that kind of talk... A part of him wanted to mind his own business. Especially since too much happened in one day. He whopped a powered thug's ass. Injected the guy. Injected said person's blood into his body. Getting knocked out through that process. Then got a better version of the same power than he expected.

And just a minute ago, he ran from the police...

Ezra was many things at the moment, and mentally drained was one of them.

'Still, I can't just let it happen.' Without wasting any more time, he turned down the typical dark alleyway where these guys tend to mug kill, or assault people.

He sighed, "Hey, bozos... Leave the lady alone. Or, prepared to get your asses handed to you." Ezra said, looking to see who it was... However, the moment he saw her. He could immediately tell.

'She's... She's stronger than me...' His instincts told him that without an inch of a doubt. Not a little either, but he could tell that she was a giant amongst giants. Those idiots couldn't tell, but the strength her body was releasing felt as if it was getting stronger as the moments passed...

"Who's this little fucker?" One of them said.

On the other hand, Ezra kept his eyes on the woman, his instincts still screaming at him about her overwhelming amounts of power. But, he couldn't back down now; he had already intervened. It's clear to him that if she wanted the two fools dead, they'd be long gone already.

Seeing a twerp ignore them, the two thugs turned their attention to him, their sneers replaced with annoyance. "I asked you a question, punk!" the bigger one said, stepping forward menacingly.

Ezra didn't flinch... He only let out another sigh of annoyance, saying "I'm the guy who's about to make you regret ever bothering her." His cold looking eyes sharpened even more, causing the thug to visibly flinch.

But, the smaller thug laughed, "Oh, we've got ourselves a hero here? Let's teach this kid a lesson."

The bigger thug lunged at Ezra, but Ezra was quicker. He sidestepped the attack and landed a solid punch to the thug's gut, sending him sprawling on the flood.

Thud~

'One down.'

The smaller thug hesitated for a moment before rushing in, but Ezra was ready. He ducked under the swing and swept the thug's legs out from under him, causing him to fall on his face.

Thud~

'The other down...'

As both thugs groaned on the ground, Ezra turned his attention back to the woman, still suspicious of her... But, she hadn't moved an inch, just watching him with an unreadable expression, "Are you okay?" he asked, trying to gauge her reaction.

As she walked forward, the shadows washed away... Then, he finally got a good look at her, his eyes widening for a moment when he did. Golden blond hair, around his height maybe an inch taller, ocean blue eyes with a shapely yet fit figure... She looked unrealistically beautiful, which might have explained why the thugs wanted to do what they did.

Hearing his question, she nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving his. "I didn't need your help, but... thanks." Her voice was like honey...

Ezra shrugged it off, 'I can see that... I'm just trying to figure out why someone of your caliber would let something like this even happen.' He thought to himself but shrugged it off. It wasn't his business.

"Maybe not, but I couldn't just stand by and do nothing." He said.

She seemed to consider this for a moment before giving him a small smile, "You're brave kid, I'll give you that. But you should be careful who you pick fights with." She then looked past him and brought out her phone...

"Even if you can handle it."

Ezra nodded, still feeling the weight of her presence, "I know. Still, I couldn't just let those guys get away with it."

The woman glanced down at the thugs, who were starting to recover. "They won't be bothering anyone for a while..." she said. Then she turned her gaze back to Ezra, "What's your name kid?"

Not liking to be called a child. He thought about it for a moment, giving someone like her his real name would likely be a drag, and he needed to end this conversation quickly, "It's, Miller." He replied.

She paused for a moment and then revealed a small smirk, "I don't think that's your real name... But, I'll buy it for now..." She then stretched her hand forward, "The name's Kara." She said, "And... You should probably go before the police show up."

Hearing that puzzled him, 'How the hell did she get that hunch?' He asked himself.

But that isn't what truly confused him here, it was her name, 'Kara... No way... As in, Kara fucking Denvers? Supergirl... She's, supergirl!?' Ezra thought, legitimately panicking. It explained her absurd strength and looks. However, he kept his poker face for now.

Ezra hesitated but nodded, "Yeah... Take care, Kara."

As he walked away, the revelation sank in deeper. 'Supergirl... and I just stepped in to save her.' He chuckled to himself, realizing how absurd the thought was.

'Why was she even here? At this time of the night? This makes no sense...' He thought about what Kara would even do out this late, especially in Gotham. One thing was for sure, Kara didn't need his rescue, and she certainly didn't need to be out at this hour dealing with fodder street thugs.

'Ahhh... Fuck, me...' He tiredly muttered in his mind, genuinely annoyed. Nothing good came from tonight other than some eye candy. But that was it. Now, he just wanted to go home and sleep.

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~Omniscient Pov, Wayne Manor~

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"Hello Miss Kara, it's nice to see you..." Alfred said, his tone polite and welcoming as always.

Kara smiled warmly at him, "Hello, Alfred. It's good to see you too."

Their meeting took place in the quiet confines of the Batcave, the dim lighting casting long shadows on the walls. Kara had come to discuss a recent string of unusual activities in Gotham that had caught her attention.

"Master Bruce has been keeping an eye on the developments..." Alfred continued, leading Kara toward the central console. "He believes there might be a connection to the disturbances you've been investigating recently."

Kara nodded, her expression turned serious, "I've noticed the same patterns recently. It's why I was out so late tonight. I had a run-in with a couple of basic thugs, but something about the situation didn't sit right with me..."

Alfred raised an eyebrow. "Hmm~ Do tell."

Kara explained her encounter with Miller while leaving out his identity but mentioning his bravery, "I found it interesting how strong he was. Knocking out a grown man in a single hit easily isn't normal, especially if you consider his size." She explained.

Alfred listened intently, his face thoughtful. "I will relay this information to Master Bruce... In the meantime, perhaps we should monitor this individual more closely. His involvement might be more than a mere coincidence."

"No... I doubt it. The men fought him with the intent to harm. Plus, he was just a child. His involvement in it is likely next to nothing... So, do me a favor and don't mention that part, ok?" 

Alfred nodded, but a hint of concern remained in his eyes. "Very well, Miss Kara. However, it would be prudent to keep an eye on the situation. This city is known for its surprises, and it's best to be prepared."

Kara sighed, knowing Alfred was right. "You're right, Alfred. I'll keep looking around next week around these times and let you know if anything else happens."

"Thank you, Miss Kara. Be safe out there..." Alfred said with a respectful nod.

As Kara left the Batcave, her mind was still on the young man she met earlier... Despite her reassurances to Alfred, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to that Miller kid she met earlier than met the eye. For now, she'd keep her distance and stay alert.

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Back in the Batcave, Alfred approached Bruce Wayne, who was deep in thought, analyzing data on the Batcomputer.

"Master Bruce, Miss Kara said she had an interesting encounter tonight... One I wasn't supposed to inform you about either, but..." Alfred began, recounting the details of her meeting with Ezra.

Bruce listened carefully, his expression growing more serious with each word. "A young man with that kind of strength... You think he's part of that project?" But, he had more pressing concerns at the moment.

Alfred shook his head, "I'm not sure sir, but it could be a problem if he is..." He finished.

Bruce nodded, "I'll take a look at that after I get this over with... The penguin has something cooking up recently. And we've been stuck on the same leads for the past few weeks, and nothing has come out since..." Bruce said, his frustration evident.

Alfred nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Very well, Master Bruce. I'll check the city's cameras to see if I find anything of importance, and keep an eye on the young man in the meantime and report any significant findings."

"Thanks, Alfred. Let's hope we can crack this case soon." Bruce replied, turning his attention back to the computer.

Bruce's fingers flew over the keyboard, analyzing data and cross-referencing leads. "Oswald Cobblepot... Just what are you up to?" he muttered to himself. The Penguin had been unusually quiet lately, which was never a good sign... Something big was brewing, and Bruce needed to be ready for whatever came next.

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6, nearly 7 hours had passed as Bruce continued his investigation, piecing together fragments of information. 

Eventually, a breakthrough came, "Alfred, I think I found something..." Bruce said, a glint of determination in his eyes. "It looks like the Penguin is planning a major heist at the Gotham Diamond Exchange."

"Shall I prepare the Batmobile, sir?" Alfred asked.

"You know the answer to that already... We can't let him get away with it." Bruce replied, already suiting up.

Alfred handed him his cowl, and Bruce placed it over his head, transforming into Batman. The Batmobile roared to life, its engine a powerful growl echoing through the cave.

"Let's go." Batman said, his voice was steely and resolute.

VrrrRMMM!!!!!

The Batmobile sped through the dark tunnels of the Batcave, emerging into the streets of Gotham. The cityscape blurred past as Batman raced towards the Gotham Diamond Exchange, his mind focused on the mission ahead.

The Penguin wouldn't know what hit him...

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"Alfred, I'm in... Going through the vents as we speak." Batman said. Using his infrared vision. He could see multiple life signs below himself.

"He has hostages as expected. There are seven in the main room alone. Around 4 guards." He took out a few of his batarangs, "Alfred, see if you can get me a vantage point using the building's old blueprints. While you're at it, see if you can jam the cameras too."

"Of course, sir..." Alfred already began, looking through the blueprints of the building.

"There should be separate ventilation ducts that head east from where you are. Then head up from there, and follow the path to your right. There should be an exit that should take you back to a higher point of that section of the building." He instructed.

"Already on it." He grappled to the top ledge and headed forward until he came back towards another closed vent, however when he looked out. He could see them much better than before...

Using silent explosives, He slowly covered the surface area he needed to remove.

'5, 4, 3, 2, 1...'

Clank!~

He quickly caught it before it could land fully, he caught it and placed it to the side. Already having his batarangs out, he focused for a moment. With three in one hand, he threw them, each going after their respective guards, except one...

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

All of them exploded into smoke, knocking out each of their guards instantly. 

"Wat de??!'-" Before the man could say anything, Batman swooped down and kicked him across the room, instantly making the man drop his gun. The sound of the gun clattering on the floor echoed through the now-silent room...

Batman's cape billowed behind him as he stood up, his silhouette a dark shadow against the dim light. His eyes scanned the room, ensuring there were no other immediate threats. The guards lay unconscious, the smoke slowly dissipating around them.

"Where is he?" Batman's voice was a low growl, filled with anger.

The man on the floor groaned, clutching his side where Batman's boot had connected. He tried to scramble away, but the knight was on him in an instant, lifting him by the collar with one hand.

"I won't ask again!" Batman warned his face inches from the man's, "Where. Is. Cobblepot?"

Fear coupled with defiance flickered in the man's eyes as he stammered, "Wat een pech, klootzak, ik spreek jouw taal niet." The man spoke in a foreign tongue.

However, the dark knight's eyes sharpened, considerably, "Vertel het me... Of ik breek elk bot in je lichaam..." His voice was a menacing growl, laced with fluency in the man's language. 

The man's eyes widened in surprise, his bravado wavering. He swallowed hard, trying to regain his composure. "C-C-Cobblepot... Hij is hier... in de kelder... in de kluis." he confessed, his voice trembling.

Batman released his grip, letting the man fall back to the floor, "Dank je." he said, his tone cold and unyielding, "Als je liegt, zal ik terugkomen. Ik zal mijn deel van de afspraak nakomen." Batman raised his fists. Knocking the man out cold.

After dealing with the scum, he turned his attention to the hostages, his intense gaze softening slightly as he assessed their condition. They were huddled together in a corner, fear evident in their eyes but otherwise unharmed...

"You're safe now..." Batman assured them, his voice calm but firm. "Stay here and stay quiet. Help is on the way."

One of the hostages, a young woman, mustered the courage to speak, "T-Thank you." she whispered, tears of relief streaming down her face.

Batman gave a curt nod before walking off, "Alfred, contact the GCPD... I'm sending the hostages out now... Also, were there any basement sections in the blueprints you have?" He asked. Now slightly puzzled.

"No... Using the 1998 model. I don't see any version that contains a basement," Alfred responded, his tone equally perplexed.

Batman paused, his mind racing. A hidden basement? This was unexpected. "Understood. Keep monitoring," he said, turning his focus back to the task at hand. He approached the hostages again, his presence commanding their attention.

"Follow me. Stay close and stay quiet," Batman directed, leading them towards the exit. He moved swiftly but cautiously, ensuring their safety as they made their way out of the building. Once outside, the hostages were greeted by the flashing lights of police cars and the concerned faces of the officers.

With the hostages safe, Batman turned his attention back to the mysterious basement. He retraced his steps, his mind calculating potential entry points and hidden passages. The bank's basement wasn't on any official blueprint, which meant it was likely constructed for illicit purposes...

As he descended back into the bowels of the bank, he activated his cowl's infrared sensors, scanning for any hidden doors or unusual heat signatures. Near the vault, he detected a faint anomaly in the wall's structure. Carefully, he pressed on a seemingly ordinary brick, and a hidden panel slid open, revealing a narrow staircase leading further down.

"Alfred, I found a hidden entrance. I'm going in." Batman reported, his voice a low whisper.

"Be careful, master Bruce. This could be a trap..." Alfred cautioned. "I know, but he could potentially have more innocent people down there with him as well... Call anyone who can help. I'll likely need it."

He didn't like the idea of calling for help. But he knew he needed it. At times like these, he abhorred his mere mortal frame...

Bruce hung up and proceeded with caution, each step calculated and silent. The air grew colder as he descended, and the faint sound of machinery hummed in the background. At the bottom of the stairs, he found a dimly lit corridor lined with reinforced doors...

He moved quickly, checking each door. Most were empty, but one contained a small room filled with surveillance equipment and crates marked with Cobblepot's symbol. This was more than just a basement; it was like a hidden command center.

Batman scanned the room, noting the security monitors displaying various parts of the city. Cobblepot had been planning something big, but now his operations were exposed. He gathered evidence, disabling the equipment to prevent any further use.

"Alfred, I've found some sort of hidden command center. Cobblepot's been planning something extensive. I'll send the data to the GCPD. Make sure they secure the area," Batman instructed.

He looked down further realizing that the basement led farther downwards. As he was about to go down carved pathways, he spotted something in the corner of his eye. Two pieces of ripped-off clothing, likely belonging to a woman...

"Understood, sir. I'll alert Commissioner Gordon immediately." Alfred replied.

"Good... For now, I go deeper."

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END