De-escalating by starting a brawl...

January Second, 3 in the afternoon, Gotham City…

“So how was your New Years?” Kara asked without betraying her insider knowledge.

“Well, not too exciting,” Kitrina responded, “I mean, the place is still standing.”

“I am sure the cats appreciate that,” Bruce smiled as he looked over the finger food that Selina had laid out, “Are there any… ah there they are.”

“Are those new?” Kara asked pointing at Maven’s pants.

“Yes,” Maven said, “Holly got them for me for Christmas.”

The pants were silver capri length pants with cheetah prints down the outsides of the thighs and Maven wore them matched with a White Tee-shirt with the black parts of a Bobcat printed across the chest. Bruce stood out in his pressed pants and button-down shirt. Alfred would never let him leave the house “Dressed down.” Kara wore her normal rubber leggings and a Star City Astronaughts Hockey Jersey and Holly was wearing tank top and sweatpants (and interesting underwear Kara noted).

“You sure you girls don’t know anything about the broken windows on the observation deck above us?” Selina asked as she came back into the kitchen and living room area.

“We had nothing to do with that,” Holly said as if she had been repeating it since Selina came in this morning.

“Mmm, Mozzarella and Prosciutto,” Selina said as she plucked sliced piece of meat wrapped around the cheese from Bruce’s plate.

“Hay…” Bruce protested.

“You and Holly making any plans for the month off?” Selina asked as she held the stolen treat like a cigarette.

That got some curiosity from Kitrina.

“Holly and Kara are both enrolled in the community college,” Maven explained, “They have the same vacation schedule.”

“SO you get over a month off for Christmas break?” Kitrinia asked.

“Baring any disasters,” Holly shrugged.

“Kitrina, turn up the volume,” Maven asked, “Please.”

“And today Miagani University held a press conference announcing that they would be hosting Professor Woodrue, the noted plant geneticist for the spring semester as a guest lecturer and to conduct research at the university,” the News announcer read the teleprompter.

“What’s with the scowl mister Bruce?” Holly asked.

“They went ahead after I told them that the Wayne foundation wouldn’t have anything to do with Woodrue,” Bruce frowned.

“What’s wrong with the professor?” Kitrina asked.

“What do you know about Lucius Fox?” Bruce asked.

“Black guy,” Kitrina started, “Runs the Wayne company while you are off trying to save the planet and chasing certain feline femme fatales…”

Kitrina was pointed at Selina.

“And my Uncle use to say he was the brains behind the Wayne company. No offense Mister Wayne, but they had a low opinion of your intelligence. Mister Fox was the smart one according to my uncle,” Kitrina added.

“Well,” Bruce smiled, “I will admit that Lucius is a brilliant person and he started as a developmental engineer a long time ago. He has been promoted to run the day to day based on merit. When the rumors of the trustees looking at Professor Woodrue started, Lucius brought me a folder two inches thick of ‘why to avoid Jason Woodrue’. He went over and put all sorts of notes on papers that Woodrue had published, printouts of news paper articles of possible scandals… It was impressive.”

“What were some of the concerns?” Selina asked.

“His close work with Arcane and General Sutherland and both of them are contracted by the CDC and the military… so I am not sure I like where that could be going…” Bruce stated.

“Didn’t the TV just say the professor worked with plants?” Kitrina asked.

“Even I caught that one,” Holly added, “So what does the CDC and the military want with plant genetics?”

“We don’t know,” Bruce shrugged, “But if that were not enough, he never fully explained the disappearance of his research assistant, Doctor Isley.”

“I remember that,” Maven spoke up, “Young woman just got her Doctorate and was getting ready to move to a big conservation group just up and vanished. Woodrue tried to blame it on her friends at the ELA.”

“Eh-el-ah?” Kitrina asked.

“Earth Liberation Army,” Selina said, “Eco-terrorists that wrap trees in steel chains in the hope that they kill a logger down the line when the chainsaw bounces off the chains.”

“That sounds like a lovely bunch,” Kitrina’s statement oozed with sarcasm.

“Well, like I said, there were two inches of objections,” Bruce shrugged, “But it seems that the Trustees of Miagani University have decided to overlook those concerns.”

*

Police Report, Jefferson Parish, LA, USA.

January 3, 5:43PM local Time.

Sheriff Deputies for Jefferson Parish were dispatched to a disturbing the peace call outside of Jean Lafitte off of Bayou Villars. A John Pershing (Owner of the Silver Mermaid) and Hank Braun (Mechanic) on board the Silver Mermaid (25’ Fishing Boat) were off in the Bayou Villars water area fishing while listening to news radio. Mr. Pershing reported that following a recap of daily news a figure came to the bank of the Bayou Villars from the swamps. The figure was a Caucasian female about five foot five to five foot seven in height and about a hundred and ten pounds with long red hair with leaves in it. She was seen wearing what could be described as tattered jeans and a faded tee-shirt. The figure was calling over to ask where the news stated on “Woodrue” was going. Mister Braun and Mister Pershing stated they tried to shush the woman since they were fishing and she was screaming. Woman continued to demand to know where the News said “Woodrue” was going. Woman started acting further in an erratic manor. Mister Braun called to the woman to quite down since the news was about to start recap again. The woman listened for the news article about this Woodrue character and then started screaming and shouting about “Murderer” as she left the area.

Any officer encountering a woman matching that description should approach with caution and be prepared to refer the subject to a mental hospital for involuntary evaluation.

*

January 6. Gotham Academy, Gotham Connecticut.

Jason and Raven held hands as they walk down the hallway.

“Hand on a second,” Jason smiled.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Rave said in her flat dry voice.

Jason turned and smile, trying to imitate Hans Solo.

“Hay, it’s me…” Jason said.

“Exactly,” Raven rolled her eyes, “Hay Jinny, still have detention this coming weekend?”

Jason went to the special alcove that served as the locker area for the pre-freshmen. He looked at the brown haired girl and the black haired boy, they both had the same blue eyes…

“Hi, Jason. Nice to meet you,” Jason put on a smile.

“Mary,” the girl said as she shook Jason’s hand.

“Billy,” The boy said in turn.

Jason stood back and looked at the pair.

“So how did your parents get you in here?” Jason asked.

“I managed to get in on an academic scholarship,” Mary spoke up.

“Cool, so you are the smart one,” Jason nodded, “Did they work a deal to take your brother with you?”

“What?” Mary snapped.

“Dude, I’m an orphan,” Billy growled.

“Really?” Jason asked.

“Yeah,” Mary said, “I only met Billy when I came here…”

Jason turned and looked around.

“Hay Izzy? What do your think? Luke and Leia?” Jason called to a passing student.

“Wasn’t Luke a blonde?” Izzy said as he kept walking.

“What do you think Jinny? Luke and Leia?” Jason asked the cowgirl in the hallway.

“I can see it…” Jinny said while making a face.

Raven and Jinny both sighed and walked closer to Jason.

“You think we are related?” Billy asked.

“He doesn’t,” Jinny said.

“But he just acted like we were,” Mary added.

“Jason is a fighter, not a thinker,” Raven rolled her eyes as she hugged the red-haired boy, “He doesn’t think. He just blurts what ever out of his mouth.”

“Ah…” Mary said, “So he isn’t here because of his smarts…”

“Nope,” Jinny said.

There was a noise from the hallway. Billy rolled his eyes, he recognized something.

“Hang out here for a second…” Jason smiled.

Jason slipped from Raven’s arms and went out into the hallway as a crutch slide across the hall to his feet. There was three of the rich kids surrounding a young scrawny white kid with a limp and a mop of black hair.

“Freddy,” Billy said behind Jason.

Jason knew that Raven would keep him back… Jason kicked the crutch into his hands.

“Ahhh,” Jason said in a mocking tone, “The Cripples cane is broken…”

“It’s not broken Jason, it’s just shit, like you and this loser,” the leader of this trio snapped.

“No, it’s broken,” Jason said as he walked across the hall towards the three pinning the kid with a limp to wall, “See?”

The first rich boy tried to give Jason a punch in the gut, only to punch the aluminum pipe of the crutch. Then he flew back as Jason gave him an uppercut with the crutch. The one to the right got the handle to the throat just before the one to the left got the foot in his crotch.

“ENOUGH!” the woman’s voice echoed down the halls, “Miss Roth, Miss Hex, you know where Mister Sanchez’s class room is?”

“Yes Miss Wayne,” both girls said.

“Good, escort these three pre-freshmen to the classroom… I am going to have a word with these four…” Helen Wayne pronounced like a judge about to read the riot act.

*

Holly sat across from Kara and Barbara was too her left, the three girls were dressed in their “Moto leathers;” Leather biker jeans, Leather biker jackets, boots, and tee-shirts under the unzipped jackets. They sat at the table in the café chatting.

“You are still a dork, a sexy dork, but a dork,” Holly giggled into her coffee.

“Don’t tell me you never plaid a roleplaying game,” Barbara said.

“Yeah, in the bedroom, with lingerie…” Holly snorted, “Not with dice or computers…”

“I am going to have to side with Holly on this one,” Kara snickered, “It was much more fun to roleplay in the bedroom than trying to do pen and paper games with your dad watching…”

“Ok, fair enough,” Barbara said, “Still no reason to make fun of the dice on my shirt.”

“Ok Dungeon Mistress,” Kara said with a mirthy grin.

“So what is the lynx up to?” Barbara tried to change the subject.

“She went with ‘Lina to check on the school that Kit is enrolled at,” Holly shrugged.

“Please tell me they weren’t wearing visible rubber…” Barbara asked assuming a scandal coming.

“No, they were perfectly vanilla when they left,” Holly shrugged, “Having a thing for latex might be a requirement to be in Selina’s pride, but we aren’t stupid.”

Kara and Barbara didn’t say anything, but just looked at Holly.

“Shut up,” Holly said as she took a sip of her coffee drink.

Kara’s phone buzzed. Kara pulled it out and looked at it… it was a secure message from Bruce, or rather it was a message from Batman to Batgirl. Kara read it over and arched an eyebrow.

“What happened?” Barbara asked noticing something was up.

“What did Jason do this time?” Holly asked.

Kara pointed at Holly.

“She asked the right question,” Kara looked up from her phone, “It seems one of Jason’s classmates needs a crutch.

*

Police Report, January 6, Paris, French Capital District

Suspect in Child Trafficking's case was found murdered in an apartment (Location Censored). Suspect (Name Redacted) was believed to be working with a international cartel known as The Legion of shadows. There were no signs of forced entry. Whiteness, (Name redacted) reported seeing the suspect enter with a young girl of mixed Asian/ Caucasian decent. Examination of the premises indicates that multiple underage females were forced to engage in sexual activities. How ever the location of the other victims us currently unknown…

*

Knox was impatient, he was waiting for the clerk to come back with the court records on a few of the trials of people that he suspected were caught by the Gargoyles.

“Here you go Knox,” the clerk put a banker box on the counter, “The records you requested.”

The clerk picked up a folder off the top and was about to walk away.

“Hay, hay, what are you hiding from me?” Knox barked.

“This isn’t one of the files you requested,” the clerk said.

“Let me make sure,” Knox grabbed the folder, “Lets see, Crystal Brown vs Author Brown… Divorce Decree… Well shit. This isn’t my stuff.”

“Don’t publish on it,” the clerk pleaded as he took back the folder.

“I’m not that kind of shit bag,” Knox said as he pulled the first folder, “Lets see here, Connecticut vs Nigma, Edward…”

*

The pair walked into the administrative office of the school. Kara was there with Jean-Paul of all people.

“Can I help you” the receptionist asked.

“Mister Valley from Wayne Bio-Medical, I am here to fit a crutch for one mister Fredrick Freeman,” Jean-Paul pulled out an ID.

“He is right over there,” The Receptionist pointed with her pen, “Hello Kara, Miss Wayne is expecting you.”

“Fredrick Freeman?” Jean-Paul approached the boy sitting with a twisted leg.

“Freddy,” the boy said, “You don’t mind if I don’t stand up…”

“Not at all,” Jean-Paul smiled, “How tall are you? Five Eight?”

“Five Nine,” Freddy said.

“Here are the keys to the SUV,” Kara said as she passed, “I will see what other damage my little brother did.”

Kara went to Helen’s office and was met by Karen standing at the door looking like an angry amazon statue. The door opened and a man she recognized as a police captain walked out with Helen.

“Thank you for your co-operation and letting us have a look at the footage Miss Wayne,” the Captain said.

“Any Idea what the bail will be?” Kara asked.

“At this time it has been determined that Jason Todd acted in self-defense,” the captain said, “The video shows that the other kids threw the first punches. Now he may still face disciplinary action from the school, but he isn’t going to be arrested this time.”

The police captain left. Helen gestured for Kara to join in the officer. Kara followed Helen into the office. Karen closed the door behind them. Kara Looked at Helen and waited for her to start her tirade. But instead, Helen went to her computer and backed up some video and started it… Three kids were picking on the Freeman kid with his old-fashioned aluminum crutch. One of them kicked the crutch out from Freeman and the younger kid slammed into the lockers next to him. Jason then came over picking up the crutch and then the three kids turned to face Jason. The one in the middle throw a punch, only for Jason to catch it with a sweep of the crutch and then broke the crutch on the middle boy’s face and then took the other two down just as brutally.

“As you can see,” Helen stated, “Mister Todd decided to de-escaladed the situation by turning it into a fight.”

“That is a hell of a situation, ‘de-escalate the situation by turning it into a fight.’ What would the Captain think?” Kara asked.

“Have you read Bruce’s briefing on William Batson?” Helen asked rhetorically.

“Yeah,” Kara said, “Is it me or does ‘Shazam’ sound like something from a 1970’s TV show?”

Helen didn’t say anything, but glared at Kara.

“What did Bruce tell you to do here?” Helen asked.

Kara produced a ‘Good Luck Coin’ from her Motorcycle jacket.

“Ah, so he wants the track him,” Helen almost smiled.

“What aren’t you saying about Freddy and Mary?” Kara asked, “There is more to their part in Billy’s fate than you put in your briefing.”

“I put in everything relevant,” Helen stated, “Freeman and Broomfield are effectively his brother and sister… They will continue to be important to him throw out his life…”

“Fine, keep your secrets for now,” Kara said, “Lets assume you were only referring to Jason being an ass to keep Billy from screaming Shazam in the hallway… But, remember, I didn’t land on the Kent family farm… I landed here in GOTHAM.”

Kara made her way out of the office. Jean-Paul was there with Freddy helping him fit the new crutch and Mary Broomfeld and Billy Batson were there with him.

“High, I’m Kara, Jason is my brother,” Kara said as she came over and introduced herself.

Mary, Billy and Freddy looked at her, there was no recognition in their faces.

“Your brother is a psycho,” Mary said flatly.

“Jason has a lot of trauma in his life,” Kara didn’t disagree.

“You should have your self-checked out, insanity runs in the family,” Billy added.

“That isn’t a problem,” Kara said.

“Why is that?” Freddy asked.

“He is my foster brother,” Kara smiled, “I have my own problems, but Jason had his troubles.”

“He is an adopted kid?” Billy asked.

“Yes, Jason, Dick and myself are all orphans…” Kara said.

“Who is your foster dad that can afford to get me a brand-new custom fitted crutch?” Freddy asked.

“Mister Wayne is my boss,” Jean-Paul said.

“Kara Wayne?” Mary gasped.

“Yeah,” Kara said sheepishly…

“Cool,” Billy and Freddy chimed in.

Kara reached up and turned off her power inhibitors. In the flash of a second, Kara reached down and stuck the tracking beacon with its adhesive inside the leg of the crutch just before Jean-Paul put the rubber foot on it. It happened in a flash, so hopefully no one noticed. Kara then slowed down and pulled out the poker chips. She handed the three to Billy, who was closest to her.

“Here,” Kara said, “I think you three need these more than me.”

“What are they?” Mary asked.

Billy handed Freddy and Mary one each.

“They are good luck coins I got a while back, I went to the opening of a casino and they were handing them out,” Kara said, “Sounds like you three could us them.”

“Thanks,” Freddy smiled.

“Yeah, thank you,” Mary was still examining the chip.

“Who is Fortuna?” Billy asked.

“Latin for Fortune, or lady luck,” Jean-Paul said, “You ever heard O’ Fortuna?”

“Yeah?” Mary said.

“Well the song is a man cursing how Luck has heaped him with troubles, which it why it is do bombastic and depressing,” Jean-Paul added.

“Are you sure you want to give these away?” Billy asked.

“I have five of them in my pocket,” Kara smiled pulling more out, “The opening happened right before a hurricane so the casino people were giving bags of them away.”

“That doesn’t sound that lucky,” Freddy noted.

*

Bruce sat at his desk in the office looking over the message from the Justice League. Kara didn’t bother trying to be stealthy, but she was quite out of respect.

“Did you give them the chips?” Bruce asked.

“Yeah… Even told them the bit about the casino giving away bags of them because of a hurricane,” Kara said.

“Good,” Bruce put the smart phone down and turned to Kara.

“What is up?” Kara asked.

“The mystery man gave himself a name,” Bruce sighed.

“A name?” Kara asked.

“Seems he was watching a camera feed of Arrow and his brats complaining about him while they arrested his pawns and is now calling himself ‘the Cluemaster,’ frankly I don’t know who I am more upset with,” Bruce groaned.

“Jason would blame Ollie…” Kara noted.

“How was your meeting with Barbara and Holly before it was interrupted?” Bruce asked looking at Kara.

“Good,” Kara smiled, “They were cool since they know we have to deal with Jason.”

“I will have to do a Parent Teacher meeting with the parents of the three brats Jason pummeled,” Bruce groaned.

“I have a sneaking suspicion Helen knows that Freeman and Broomfeld have more of a part to play in Captain Marvel’s future than she is letting on,” Kara stated.

“You are not wrong,” Bruce said ominously.

Kara waited for him to add more, but he simply got up and went for his suit jacket.

“I am off to the Academy,” Bruce said, “Swing by Selina’s and borrow a few whips so you and Alfred can use them on Jason.”