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A girl left the car the target was in, it was the same girl who had been seen with him lately. A short Latina with wavy hair, she was pretty and unknown, probably arm candy for the young CEO. She wore simple jeans and a cropped hoody with her hair in a ponytail. The girl was probably as young as the target, maybe a year or two older. She was obviously with him for the money, he wasn’t even being a gentleman and opening doors for her.
They talked for a few seconds while he was leaving the car. Once they started walking towards the building, the group observing them moved. Their transportation was in position and their target rip for the taking. They surrounded them just like practiced. One of them went for the girl to keep her out of the way, meanwhile another took the boy dragging him towards the transportation.
There’s a scream, then the one who went for the girl is down. There’s five of them so this should have been easy. Five grown men, who trained for this against a rich pampered boy and his arm candy. But the girl is no arm candy. One by one she takes down all of them before they were able of getting the boy in the van.
-You okay, Tim?
-Yeah, I’m fine.
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Once all the would-be kidnappers have been arrested it’s time for the police officers to take Tim and Jo’s statements. After it’s done the vultures arrive.
-Mr. Drake-Wayne what can you tell us about the kidnapping attempt?
-As of now, not much – he positions himself in front of Josephine who seems a bit startled by the camera suddenly in her face – it was stopped and all of them except the driver were arrested.
-The witnesses report that the girl with you stopped it, who is she?
-She is my bodyguard; Bruce has been getting worried of attempts and threats and hired her.
By the end of the day the internet has identified her as Timothy Drake-Wayne’s bodyguard. Her name exposed along with her sister’s which was so easily taken from the concert they had had a few weeks prior.
-Well, look at the good side, if we need to do another concert like that, we can have Tim promote it on his Instagram.
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-Why are you even wearing your cheer uniform today? – Ellie asks.
-I just felt like it – Juliet shrugs – is a bit of a confidence boost, feeling cute, you know.
-Why would you even need a confidence boost? You’re gorgeous and you’re awesome – Cady sounds confused.
-Aww, thanks – she side-hugs her friend – just felt a bit down this morning.
-Is it the whole my sister made me a target by becoming a rich boy’s bodyguard thing? – Kelsey has been worried about it ever since it came out.
-Nah, that’s a good thing, you think Tim Drake is attractive in pictures? He is way better in person.
-Is that a crush I hear?
-It’s a “God! He is hot” – Juliet fans herself - for now, who knows in the future.
They’re leaving the school after classes, in their usual group. Juliet and Cady walking home together after leaving Kelsey and Ellie at the bus stop. There’s the usual lot of cars at the front of the school, both from those who drive as from those whose parents take them home.
-Wait – Jules stops them while they go down the stairs.
-What’s wrong?
-Stay here. Kels, be ready to call 911. Cady, start filming on your phone.
-Jules, what’s wrong? – Kelsey insists.
-Stay here - Juliet rarely sounds that serious, so they stay.
Cady starts filming as Juliet walks away, her camera focused on her friend. Ellie notices the van just as two men approach Juliet.
-Hello? 911? – Kelsey also noticed – There’s people trying to kidnap my friend. We are at James Garfield High School on Gotham. She knows self defense and is fighting them.
-Did she really just throw her backpack at his face? – Ellie half drowns a laugh while clutching Kelsey’s free arm.
-I can’t see the plaque from here, is a van.
-Oh god, that ponytail will hurt.
A few minutes later, Jules had kicked one man in the head hard enough to knock him out and made the other one fall to his knees after elbowing him in the nose right before she kneed him in between his legs. The cops arrived right then cutting off the escape of the man driving the van.
When it was over, and the cops securing the men, the girls ran to check on their friend. Once they made sure she wasn’t overly hurt, they watched Cady’s video - Do you think I could upload this? You look badass.
-Kicking names and taking ass? – Jules laughs while massaging her scalp, that hair pulling stunt had hurt – go ahead.
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Juliet was carefully brushing her hair that night when a sound on her window caught her attention. After opening the curtains, she found Red Robin.
-What are you doing here? – she opened the window and ushered him in before looking outside to check if there were people around to see it – someone could have seen you.
-I’ve been doing this for years, trust me, no one saw – he moves a bit uncertainly before leaning against the window – I wanted to check on you, see if you were okay.
-Oh – Juliet moves to sit on her desk chair – I’m fine, I wasn’t badly hurt.
-Badly, you said badly, so you were hurt.
-Just a couple bruises and a tender scalp, nothing worse than a training session with Damian.
-They pulled your hair? – he approaches and touches her head softly before pulling away.
-Yeah – now that he is standing closer while she is sitting down, she is looking up at him.
He moves away before talking again – I also wanted to apologize.
-Why? What did you do?
-They only tried to kidnap you because Jo is my bodyguard, that makes it my fault.
Jules snorts at that – Tim, my dad was a cop. I’ve been an adjacent target since I was born. Jo was kidnapped by a nutcase who wanted revenge on dad. This wasn’t your fault; they were the ones doing it.
-They wouldn’t have done it if she wasn’t my bodyguard.
-She was the one who took the job, Tim, that was her choice. I supported her on it, that was my choice. We knew what we were getting into – she stands up and walks to him – none of it was your choice Tim, none of it is your fault – Juliet puts her hand on his chest before glancing up at his mask covered eyes – do you need a hug?
-Maybe – comes the choked answer.
Juliet wraps her arms around Tim’s waist while hiding her face into his neck. After a few seconds, he relaxes a bit and put his arms around her, leaning his head against hers.
-Are you sure you’re okay?
-I’m sure, Tim.
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Kon
I heard everything, that was really cute, you should ask her out.
Tim
Shut up.
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Paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork. Most of his job was paperwork the last few years, he missed doing fieldwork.
-Commissioner! – a knock on his door, he might have jinxed it.
-Come in.
-There was another attempt at kidnaping one of the Erixour kids, the youngest one.
He is six, sometimes he wonders what’s so wrong with this city – Is he okay?
-The kidnappers escaped. The one calling was one of the teachers from the elementary school. They haven’t been able to assess the kid.
-What do you mean? – James started moving, already thinking on how to help Jeremy.
-He climbed a tree and won’t come down.
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-Come on, Jeremy, you know me, come down.
When James arrived, he found several teachers surrounding a tree at the front of the school.
-Status?
The highest-ranking officer at the site started talking – The teachers reported two men in a van trying to take Jeremy Erixour while he was waiting for his usual pick up. Apparently, Jeremy screamed “fire” punched them in the balls and climbed the closest tree before they could catch him. He has been in the tree since.
-I’ll take it from here. Focus on getting intel on the kidnappers – he orders before approaching the tree – Hello Jeremy!
-Hi, Uncle Jim! – his face is barely seen between the tree’s branches and leaves, he seems to be right at the top.
-Will you come down so I can check on you?
-Nu-uh.
-Why not?
-That’s what Jo said.
-What else did she say?
-If any stranger tries to touch you or take you somewhere punch their weenies or boobies, scream “fire” and climb a tree. Don’t come down until Jo or Jules is there – he clearly memorized it.
-He won’t come down – a teacher approaches – I’ve been trying since he climbed. I’m Danielle Stone, his home-teacher.
-James Gordon, his custody officer – they shake hands.
-They’ve had a rough year, but Miss Erixour seems to be doing a good job with him.
-She is, she definitely made a good contingency plan.
-We called her as soon as we realized what was going on, she should be on her way.
-She doesn’t have the help of a police car to be here so soon.
-I’m his sister, let me pass – they hear a shout, then Josephine is beside them – Hi, bye – then she is climbing the tree – hi baby.
-Jo!
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-He’s finally asleep – Josephine comes back to the living room where Jules, Babs and Uncle Jim were waiting – he thought it was entertaining, but I still booked an emergency session with his therapist.
-How has that been going? – Barbara asks.
-They’re working through everything. She says the whole acting younger thing is normal after losing a parent, just ways to deal with grief. She says is not the main priority right now, a symptom instead of the origin.
-Age regression, I’ve read about it – Babs puts down her tea – are you reconsidering the job with the Wayne’s?
-I don’t know – she sighs.
-You shouldn’t – Jules changes seats to cuddle next to her sister – we are tougher than that, you don’t give up because of bumps on the road. I’m fine. Jeremy is fine. We will be fine.
-And the kidnappers are not fine – Uncle Jim adds, at their confused faces he continues – one of the officers texted me. The kidnappers were delivered to the police station beaten up, badly. They confessed to trying to kidnap Jeremy to get money from the Wayne’s. The Red Hood caught them. The officer says they just keep saying they won’t touch kids under the protection of the Red Hood, have you been in contact with Red Hood somehow?
-I don’t think so.
-He was there, wasn’t he? – Jules cuts – that’s what you said – she is looking at the commissioner – he was the first to arrive after dad.
-He was – James nods – maybe we should assume kids related to his cases to be under his protection. If you are all fine, I’ll go deal with it.
After he leaves, Jo looks at Barbara – Do we know Red Hood?
-Yes, Jeremy more than you, they met at the concert, he likes kids in general and adored him. I’m surprised he let them live.
-I’ll have to thank him, then.