Batbros Forever

It Just Happened - On the Steps of City Hall

It wasn't often that the entire Bat-family went out on patrol together, but there seemed to be a kind of energy in the air on the nights they did.

Robin had this energy running through him as he landed in the alleyway. He and Batman had just busted a small drug ring, and he had been tasked with securing the perimeter.

The young hero scanned the area. While it appeared deserted, he could feel a presence watching him. The force of another person plowing into him confirmed Robin's suspicion.

Using the attacker's momentum, he managed to throw them off. A figure all dressed in black with only their eyes showing was staring, glaring, back at him. "Please give me a reason." Robin grinned, ready to show this ninja wanna-be who they were messing with.

The attacker charged towards him, running so fast the young vigilante hardly had time to react. He pulled out three batarangs and flung them in the masked fighter's path, but instead of pinning or tripping over them, the attacker dodged the first and caught the other two.

Before Robin could even process the action, the fighter slung the projectiles back, pinning the boy to the wall. Robin squirmed as he tried to pull the batarangs from his shoulders as the assassin pulled out a blade.

Just as he glimpsed his own reflection in the metal, something knocked the knife away. Batman dropped from the rooftop and tackled his protégé's would-be killer to the ground.

Robin finally managed to free himself and ran to where his mentor was handcuffing the attacker. Batman pulled down the ninja's hood, and both crime fighters' eyes went wide.

It was a child. A girl with short black hair and brown eyes who looked hardly older than Red Robin. "I want everyone back at The Cave." Batman ordered. This child assassin was far too dangerous to be handed over to the Gotham PD.

III

Once they were all present, the interrogation began.

They all tried for over an hour, asking the girl who had sent her, who her targets were, what she wanted, but through it all, she never made a sound. Even more time was spent asking the same question in different languages before they all decided to call it a night.

"I'll take first watch." Red Hood offered. "I'll let you know if it starts talking."

"Cassandra." Came a small but assertive voice. They all whipped to towards their prisoner. Her eyes seemed to sear through their bodies and into their souls. "Not it." She hissed, focusing her stare at Red Hood.

The young man flushed from the uncomfortable attention. "Good luck." Nightwing smirked as he and the rest of the family headed off to bed.

III

Cassandra didn't start talking. Over the next few days, she stayed completely silent no matter who was guarding her. Yet somehow, her silence seemed to speak volumes. She watched everything with an analytic curiosity and seemed to judge the contents of a person's soul.

Still, Cassandra was quite a cooperative prisoner, and soon Batman decided she didn't need to be watched 24/7.

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"Are you sure we should be sparing with her watching?" Tim asked, glancing cautiously towards where Cassandra was asleep in her chair. "Would you relax? She's out cold." Jason pointed out as he equipped himself with batarangs and foam bullets.

"Besides, it's not like you have any technique worth analyzing." Damian smirked as he retrieved his sword. Tim grabbed his bow staff, ready to defend his skills.