Catching a Train [Open]

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Even moving down the painfully slow escalators above, the rattling tracks echoed and shook the walls from below even if no one noticed. Beneath all the coughing, laughing and crying, Tim could hear the brakes screech through the tunnels as the trains pulled into each station. His head covered with a hood, his hands in his pockets and a backpack over his shoulders, he looked like any other teenage commuter in this City. Standing upon the escalator in between a spluttering Old Man and a woman shouting on her phone, he realised how much he hated using public transport. The grind, the stress involved just wasn’t worth it. Even though the Waynes once built and funded most of the subway lines, many years had passed since and no improvements or renovations had come. He’d have to mention it to Bruce next time they met.

Arriving at the bottom of the moving stair case, Tim stepped off and began to march through the crowds of people to the station itself. Vendors shouted out across to him or any other passerby, attempting to sell their goods which varied from phones to magazines. Every where he turned, another man stood in a large box with his items dotted about the counter and dollar signs in his eyes, although Tim was smart enough not to buy anything. He might complain but it was him who chose to use this mode of travel, wanting a change from being driven around by Alfred and the bike was out of the question so using the subway made sense to him.

The temptation to change into his Robin suit, which was in his backpack, was tempting to the tired young Teen, who wished to use it to pass through the crowds quicker. Alas he knows what Bruce would say about him doing so, about how he should act responsible. It had been a while since he’d had the chance to don the red, black and gold suit he loved so much. Since he’d got himself injured while out on a patrol, Batman had never given him the chance to redeem his lost skill, keeping him locked up in the Batcave to do training upon training, so that the same incident would never occur again. At first Tim understood the reasoning behind so much training but after the best part of a month doing very little else, he’d become fatigued and stressed with Bruce’s lessons, he needed a break.

To make himself feel better, Tim decided that he should go and visit his Father, Jack Drake, who was still in hospital after his kidnapping. Tim had been Robin for barely a few months before his father and Mother were taken from a dig site in South America by a native people. Before Batman could save the both of them, Janet had been killed with a poison. A poison which had infected Jack, sending him into a coma. The Doctors don’t think he’ll walk again, if he ever makes improvement. Hopefully in the next few weeks, he’d get enough strength to leave the Hospital and to come home, as nothing would make Tim happier. Tim didn’t often stay in the apartment; he preferred staying at Wayne Manor. He was old enough to look after himself but if he ever needed anything to do, he could always just go to the Cave below.

First Tim needed to drop his gear off at the Apartment, placing it into his hidden strong box in his room, which Jack knew nothing off. Tim had a set of gear in his Apartment just in case he didn’t have enough time to make it to the Batcave, meaning he could just suit-up there. Making his way down another set of stairs, he arrived at the platform, waiting for the train that would take him to Robinson Park. This wasn’t the first time he’d used the subway before; he knew what he needed to go and where he needed to be. A group of people stood about the platform but Tim paid little attention to them, leaning upon a tall white pillar that stood in the corner, feeling his shoulder. The pain had gone, Dr. Stenet did a great job, he was glad he went to her.

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Batgirl had heard the train's wheels come to a screeching halt and felt the forward motion grind to an abrupt stop which made her thank her inner self for the fact she had bothered to grab the seats on both sides of the isle. It was the third stop since the action had started to unfold and like all the other stops before it, no one got off or on the train.

It had been the proverbial Mexican standoff for the last thirty minutes, with Batgirl facing off three heavily armed thugs, the closest of which had a Glock 9mm shoved up next to a mother's right temple with another gun pointed to her baby's head. The crying had mostly stopped though the demands for her to do as the gunmen had told her had not. The moment she had interrupted their plans by dropping four of their cohorts in the next car the men had grabbed the mother and child with the demand that Batgirl surrender - get rid of the belt - and unmask.

The train moving again, Batgirl sensed a movement behind her and reacted before anything could happen. As it turned out, it was one of the passengers, the loudest one demanding her surrender, but the blow to the side of his head stopped his hand from reaching for the cowl. Batgirl knew that once rendered helpless, they would not hesitate to kill her or anyone else in the car, but her time was running out.

The goons in the car behind her would be waking up soon enough and then she'd be surrounded, unless she could come up with a plan, one that she was finding very hard to come up with, what with the two guns in such close proximity to their intended victims. The people outside of the car were passing by at a faster pace than before, telling Batgirl the train was getting up to speed, and she knew she must have been a sight to them, what with her standing - seemingly frozen in time - not thirty feet away from the gunmen who were the only other ones still standing.

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Through the tunnels, Tim could hear the train approaching the platform. Every one on the platform began to move towards the edge, ready for the train to slowly halt by their feet. Tim found his way to the front of the group, his hands in his pockets as he waited for it to arrive. Passing by them at an increasing speed, everyone watched as it showed no signs of slowing down, rocketing through the station at alarming speeds. Many jumped back from the edge, catching a brief glimpse through the windows of those inside. Those who weren’t a thug cowered away from them in fear. It was a hijacked vehicle and Tim needed to stop it. Then through the glass he saw her; Batgirl. She looked like she was in a sticky situation, although Tim had no doubt she couldn’t handle herself. Still she could use the help.

He had to move quickly. Reaching into his backpack, he took out his mask. The crowd took no notice of him, their eyes focused on the train, thus he could put on his mask with out needing to worry about being seen. The last carriage was coming up as the first one went through the far exit, so he’d need to move at lighting speeds to catch it. Pushing his way through the crowd, Tim shot off the platform with a powerful leap, grabbing the rear of the carriage. Those watching gasped at the hooded vigilante who held onto the back, now realising that he had just stood amongst them yet they never realised.

Holding on with all of his strength, Tim looked through the glass on the rear door, seeing that the driver was unconscious at the controls. With a swift attack from his elbow, he smashed the glass and reached through, undoing the lock and opening the door. Climbing in, the open door shook behind him with the rush of wind. After checking the pulse on the driver and finding that it was healthy, he peaked through into the last carriage, seeing two men with baseball bats stand with black masks on as another held out a bag as he went around collecting wallets. When he’d reached the bottom of the carriage, walking back up again to his friends, Tim decided he’d make his move. Kicking the door wide open, many of the passengers turned with shocked faces, as did those holding them hostage.

“What the hell? Who’s this nut job?” One exclaimed as he held his bat up in an attack position. The one with the bag only had time to turn around to see Tim lift his fist up to smash him upon the chin, sending him flying back onto the floor. With one clean hit, he’d knocked him clean out. The other two wouldn’t go down as easy. Charging, the first swung at him, hitting his bat off one of the metal poles as Tim ducked down, hitting him twice in the gut before using the poles to propel him forward with a kick which knocked him down too. Picking up the bat for himself, Tim used it as a shield against the attacks of the last one. Eventually disarming him after being forced to the back of the carriage, Tim threw down the weapons and slid down between his open legs, jumping up behind him and hitting him with a closed hand. All were down, now he only had to move through to the next carriage where Batgirl stood. Placing his finger over his lips, he told the other passengers to stay quiet. If they shouted, the others would be alarmed and the game would be up for him.

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*It's your move Batbitch, but no matter what you do it will be your last.*

"Brave talk for a man hiding behind a woman. You are hiding behind her, aren't you? And the name is Batgirl, let's leave your mother out of this, shall we?"

Edging ever closer to the gunman, Batgirl placed her left hand on the back of the next seat while she quietly reach for a bat-a-rang. It would be a tricky shot at best, but one she had practiced for countless times in the cave. Moving quickly, Batgirl threw the rang with pin-point accuracy, its pointed edge finding its target - the man's forehead - sending him backwards into the opposite door. Moving for the woman, Batgirl drove a solid kick to the man's wrist to break his hold on the gun before she drove a second one to his nose, ending the man as a threat for the night, but if she thought that was to be the end of it, Batgirl was wrong.

"UUggggggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

The freed woman grabbing the gun, she raised it and fired, the bullet hitting Batgirl square in the chest with enough force to send Batgirl flying backwards between the rows of seats, before she fell to the isle. Stunned from the point-blank shot, Batgirl groaned deeply - the Kevlar reinforced weave of her costume having stopped the bullet, though it had done precious little to stop the pain. Stars danced before her masked face, as Batgirl slowly pulled herself back up, and though she was seeing double, Batgirl could just make out the woman's approach to finish her off, as she had been an accomplice, not victim, something Batgirl should have taken into consideration.

"You..., you weren't a victim at all, but a decoy."

*That's right, Batgirl..., and you are dead.*

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The Woman with gun in her hand kept it trained upon Batgirl as she walked past her, turning to the thugs who were just regaining conscious. As quickly as she had donned it, her weak innocent hostage guise had fled from her. Now her real self was in control, a commanding woman with a demanding voice. “Dead once we give you to the Penguin that is, you’re worth a fortune to a guy like him. Take her to the front of the train and tie her up, I’m going to check up on the other idiots. Don’t let her go, not that she’s in much of a state to do anything.” A dark smirk appeared on her lips as her fingers stroked the handle of the pistol, reminding Batgirl that she will use it again. The man Batgirl gave a swift kick to stood up, blood trickling from his nose as he held his wrist. He grabbed Batgirl’s leg and began to drag her along the metal floor past all the other hostages. “Hear that? You get to live for a little bit longer. Then once we give you to the Bird, you’ll be wishing we ended you right here.” His short burst of laughter was stopped by the pain in his wrist, which still bothered him greatly.

By this point, Tim had passed into the carriage behind the one with Batgirl in, having disposed of the two criminals in it as swiftly as he did with the last. Down on one knee by the fallen body of one of the criminals, Tim gave a brutal finishing punch to the downed man, knocking him out. The sound of a gun shot echoed through the carriage, startling many passengers, bringing some to tears. Tim’s head bolted up, looking at the door, standing up while approaching it slowly. Suddenly the door flew open and the same woman who had shot Barbara stood before him. Her mascara had run down her cheeks from the fake tears before, although Tim didn’t know that. She gave a quick glance to the downed men before she exploded into tears, running at Tim before clinging onto him, holding him tightly. “Thank God you’re here to help us! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Tim began to edge her off slightly; it wasn’t every day a modestly attractive woman held him so tightly. All part of the job, he guessed. “I saw a woman I think, a superhero. Do you know where she is?” He asked in a reassuring tone, his hands upon her shoulders to comfort her. The woman thought for a moment, putting all of her ability into the helpless disguise she had put on. “Yes! She was at the front of the train with them horrible men! I..I could take you to her, show you where she is.” Tim smiled and nodded from beneath his hood, allowing her to lead him through to the next carriage, with Tim deciding to enter first in case of attack. Once they were in, she closed the door behind them and a dark smile curled upon her face. All of the hostages cowered as she approached them, making Tim worry for a second.

He just turned around in time to see her reveal the pistol from her handbag which she had flung over her shoulder. The innocent damsel in distress was gone, now she was back to her deceptive self. “I don’t know who you are Kid but if you’re anything like that other one then you’re worth a lot to me. Get movin’ or I’ll redecorate this train with your brains!” Tim cursed himself, how could he have been so stupid to believe her? Batman would never have trusted her so easily, now his life is in danger. Hands upon the back of his head, Tim began to move towards the driver’s cabin where they took Barbara.

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The pain in her chest radiated sharply, but even so, Batgirl had thanked the powers that be for the added shielding to the chest area of her costume. A requirement insisted upon by the Batman himself, Batgirl had fought the idea at first, until he had pointed out just how good a target a big yellow or gold bat could be painted across one's breasts, and though Batgirl had lost that argument, she had stayed alive, even from a .357 Magnum fired at point blank range.

Dragged through the first car to the dismay of the frightened passengers, Batgirl waited until they were clear of any other passengers before she grabbed the legs of two seats and pulled her upper body back, the sudden move of resistance catching the thug completely off guard. Pulled off balance in a minute, Batgirl pulled her free leg up to her chest and then drove a solid kick into the thug's crotch, knowing exactly what the kick would to his equilibrium let alone his ability to stand of be a threat.

Getting to her feet, Batgirl drove a hard punch to the base of his neck to finish him off, and then looked up - back toward the end of the car to see the woman escorting yet another passenger toward her car, though there was something vaguely familiar about the kid, and even if she didn't recognize him completely, the presence of a mask over his face told Batgirl he had to be a friend, though she was not about to take such a scene for granted, not this time and not from that woman.

In seconds, Batgirl was out of the car and heading for the roof, knowing that the open space up on top was a cramped one, Lying flat on the roof, she fished for a length of cord from a compartment of her utility belt and then tied it off on one of the side hand rails, before she became perfectly still. With the lights still on down below, Batgirl knew she'd be able to see the woman and her prisoner, and once they were at the right spot, Batgirl would swing down - crash through the window - and take the woman out..., provided they were at a section of track where two sets of rails existed.