Countdown to Halloween has begun

Batgirl bounced from one roof top to another. Meeting her doppelganger had creeped her out. She was looking for something to do. But with a week until Halloween all that was happening was in the clubs or homes. Kara did have a smile on her face at seeing all the “Sexy Gargoyle babe” costumes people were wearing.

“We are famous Oracle,” Kara said over the encrypted line.

“Something like that Batgirl,” Barbara responded over the channel.

They used the code names despite being on an encrypted channel just in case, and to avoid another “Operational Security” lecture from Bruce.

“You got anything?” Kara asked.

“Nothing in this part,” Barbara said, “Even the crazy homeless are buttoning down. Heard a couple in a back alley talking about moving to Central City for the winter.”

“Did you leave them a dinner bag?” Kara asked.

“Of course,” Barbara said, “They thought a ghost dropped it off.”

Kara looked around and arched an eyebrow.

“Where is boss man and Junior?” Kara asked.

“Word was the Falcone Family was doing some stuff tonight by the docks so Bossman took Junior on his fishing boat,” Barbara snickered.

“I wonder if he is getting sea sick. You get anything out of Goth-corp?” Kara asked, “They are slimy as diarehha.”

“Only thing recently that raised a flag was an email to legal about trying to sell the Victor Fries security camera footage,” Barbara said.

Kara looked around for something… anything, to do.

“Base are you there?” Kara asked knowing Alfred would be listening in.

“Of course,” Alfred said, “How can I be of assistance?”

“What have you got happening on your end?” Kara asked.

“The BBC has just started the morning news show and there is a lovely piece on the Queen’s Corgis,” Alfred responded.

“Bossman?” Kara asked.

“Go a head and pack it in,” Batman intoned, “We have things under control here.”

*

Classes were boring, more spread sheets and corporate law lingo… Real estate had like three separate languages already.

“So what are your plans for the afternoon?” One of Kara’s classmates asked.

“I am going to get a Halloween costume or three, then pick up the demonic redhead,” Kara smiled.

“Your buddy Gordon is demonic?” another classmate asked.

“No, I was referring to my foster brother,” Kara snorted.

*

“Come on you punk!” Justin pushed Jason again.

Jason looked over to the left and the right and smiled.

“You really are just a toddler throwing a tantrum,” Jason baited.

Jason shot his eyes to the side and saw Helen and Karen walking down the hall towards them, Helen stopped and turned around and spun Karen around too… Jason got the message. Jason saw Garfield with a skateboard…

“I’ll show you tantrum!” Justin snapped as he threw a punch.

Jason caught the punch, twisted Justin’s arm, spinning Justin around and pushed him to the right making him step on the skateboard, which made the skateboard slide from under him tossing Jason to the left into the lockers and Garfield back on his butt. It took less than a fraction of a second.

“Garfield man,” Jason said calmly, “You got to be more careful with your board in the hallway. Here let me help you up Justin.”

Jason got his left hand on Justin’s shoulder and with his right he grabbed Justin’s belt and hooked his thumb on the band of his underwear. Jason pulled the other boy up while giving him a wedgie. Jason leaned in to whisper in Justin’s ear.

“I grew up a street rat, which means I had to fight for every scrap of food,” Jason’s tone was venom, “Just remember that.”

Jason stepped back and looked at the other guys helping up Garfield. Some of his fake tan smeared and green was showing.

“What is going on here?” Helen Wayne called in her best strict Dean voice.

“Nothing,” one of the students said, “Just minor accident.”

“Miss Star, see Mister Logan to the nurses’ office, that looks like a nasty bruise. And you Mister Lawford, are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah Dean Wayne,” Justin said.

“Good, now get to your classes,” Helen ordered and looked at Jason, “A word Mister Todd.”

One of the kids started to hum the Funeral Dirge but quickly retreated when Helen’s eye focused on him. The teenagers all ran off leaving Helen and Jason standing in the hallway.

“How much trouble am I in?” Jason asked.

“That is up to Mister Wayne,” Helen said pointing above her shoulder at a camera that caught everything.

“Shit.”

*

Kara walked next to Jason from the parked SUV to Wayne tower. Her Sexy Witch costume, Vampiress costume, a Bat-Babe outfit and a few others for the club parties she was expected to be seen at. Jason had gotten into trouble and Bruce had ordered them to stop by Wayne Tower on the way home. AS they approached, Kara spotted a familiar face.

“Hay,” Kara smiled at the skinny blonde man, “Jean-Paul was it?”

It took a second to register. But Jean-Paul Valley looked Kara in the eyes and she could see his mind click.

“Miss Wayne,” Jean-Paul smiled, “Who is this?”

“My foster brother,” Kara said, “Jason Todd.”

Jean held out his hand politely and Jason gave a quick shake.

“Jean Paul Valley,” he introduced himself.

“Hi,” Jason said.

“So what are you up to?” Kara asked.

“I was going to hit the gym and head home,” Jean said, “I am finished for the day.”

“Do you want to get coffee some time?” Kara asked calmly, “You seem like you could use a few introductions to make this your home.”

“Sure, ah…” Jean reached in his pocket, “Here they gave me a box of these.”

It was a card with his name and a phone number printed in front of the Wayne logo.

“I’ll be in touch…” Kara smiled.

“Thanks, have a good night…” Jean-Paul said as he walked off.

There was a long, heavy pause.

“Don’t even start with the snark,” Kara snapped pre-emptively.

“What? Oh, right, Blonde sex joke or something,” Jason said watching the man walk towards a subway, “Who do we know that deals in vampires and soul suckers?”

“What?” Kara asked.

“I can tell that guy has more personality than that,” Jason said, “But it’s like something sucked the life out of him or he has been totally brainwashed and isn’t a real person anymore.”

“You can be a real wet blanket yourself,” Kara snapped.

“But at least I am naturally an asshole,” Jason said proudly.

*

Kara sat with Lucius in his office while Bruce talked with Jason…

“So… what do you think of Jean Paul Valley?” Kara asked.

“Not sure what to think,” Lucius said, “He has a brilliant mind.”

“But?” Kara prodded.

“I know you and Bruce are looking into him and his family,” Lucius shrugged, “But I am not sure what you expect to find.”

Kara thought for a second and then looked at the wall between Bruce and Lucius’ offices.

“How good is the sound proofing?” Kara asked.

That made Lucius smile.

“How loud is the music on your earbuds?” Lucius asked, “Because I can hear everything when Selina comes by to Tease Bruce in his office.”

Kara put her pen in her note book and reached up with her hand and turned off the powerdampeners. She had expected Bruce yelling at Jason, but hadn’t heard any, now she wanted to know what was happening. Bruce was sitting there next to Jason going over video of Jason’s past fights. Bruce calmly and quietly pointed at points in the fight giving suggestions. Jason was calmly asking questions and thinking about the answers. Bruce stopped and looked up. Somehow he knew she was peeking and instead of being mad, he frowned and waved for her to come in.

“Excuse me Uncle Lucius,” Kara said grabbing her stuff.

Kara walked out of Lucius’ office and into Bruce’s. Bruce’s smile was formal, like he caught her cheating on a test.

“Kara,” Bruce said, “I will be taking Jason home… You can go on.”

“Ok,” Kara said and put her stuff away before walking out.

As she made her way to the elevator Lucius was doing so likewise. As they got into the elevator Kara hit the ground floor button. She thought for a second, then spoke to Lucius.

“You mentioned Selina…” Kara started.

“She arrived before lunch and left a half hour before you got here,” Lucius rolled his eyes.

“Ohhhh, that explains a lot,” Kara said realizing what was really going on.

Kara looked at her phone. Thursday afternoon and just over a week till Halloween next Friday.