Secrets in the Darks

[Doc]

I was retired from this. That's what i told Bruse, Barbera, Cassie, Dick, Tim, hell, i even told Superman to his face I wasn't interested helping the League out on a case when Bruce was occupied. That's like telling God to go jump.

I'd spent three years in the suit. seven years after Bruce had taken me in after Tash was murdered by the Council. Since I worked at a Wayne Industries wharehouse he felt responsible. Found the Cave about a year later. Against his better judgement, he trained me, though now he had too 'Boy Wonders', me and Tim. Me and Robin. I became Nighthawk and defended Gotham by his side for five years. Then i heard about the Council in LA. i insisted on going. He said no. I quit and went anyway. Bruce made sure I had somewhere to stay (and a suit incase I changed my mind). But I had a new war. Vampires. Demons. Apoalypses (Apocali?). Never thought I'd get drawn into the life again.

Then came the call. Joker was on his way to LA, and he had about one thousand gallons of his laughing gas and Drusilla with him. Bad combination, and Doc couldn't cut it. There was only one way to do it.

I stood at teh top of the WQayn Tech building, looking down at the mask before I put it on aga. Doc was out for the night.

Shadowwing had come to LA.

[Jessy]

"Right, so, that's the Jefferson done. Next stop...Um, which one is it, oh yeah, 'Licoln street resting ground'. Resting ground, jeez, it's just a graveyard, and why am I talking to myself when I'm patroling?" I left the Jefferson graveyard with a bounce in my step. Only two and I swear, the way I'd dusted them would make Doc proud. AS I stepped off the road my heel got stuck in the drain.

"Oh gre- Ow- owowowowowowow!"

It was the Lincoln street grave yard. A young redhead, not more than fifteen, cornered ina crypt by two of the ugliest vampires in existence. It was tonight. I knew it.

"Couldn't I have been told that without the headache?" I muttered, increasing my speed as I headed towards the Lincoln.

[Doc]

I landed a hard right on the vampire. I wasn't going to take on vamps in costume, but this creep didn't give me a choice.

I dropped some smoke bombs and vanished into the cloud, helping the girl escape. I'll come back for ugly in a minute.

[Jessy]

Ok, black smoke is never good, is it? I started running, breaking my other heel in the process. Great, a new pair of flats. As I aproached the door of the crypt something young, frightened and redheaded hit me like a tonne of bricks. The girl from my vision. What vampire lets their prey get away so easily? Coughing a little I walked through the smoke before tripping over an unconcious vampire to find myself nose to nose or rather stake hovering perilously over heart, with the second vamp. "Ok, how'd she get away and why is he unconcious?"

[Doc]

"He picked the wrong neigbourhood," i said with a gravelly voice.

[Jessy]

"Nooo, well, yeah, but you picked the wrong neighbourhood. This is my area."

[Doc]

"Maybe. But I'm moving in, so i suggest you tell you fanged friends to stay out of my way."

[Jessy]

"My fanged friends? I'm not the one in a bat costume. And if you move in, watch your back. I don't hold with glory hunters. Smoke and mirrors get people killed."

[Doc]

"Who said it's all smoke and mirros?" i asked. this was actually fun. "By the way, the Bat's in Gotham. And watch your back."

[Jessy]

"Ok, I really don't like you. REALLY REALLY. And I do not get head splitting visions so that some idiot in a costume can come along with smoke, which, by the way has probably damaged my lungs, and NOT kill the vampire!" Said vampire was beinning to wake up.

[Doc]

"Vampire huh?" I said, feigning ignorance. Rule one in secret identities, have no similarities. "That'd explain alot."

[Jessy]

"You know, bout yay high, pointy teeth, allergic to sunlight?"

[Doc]

"I get the point. Kinda describes Joker's new friend."

[Jessy]

"The Joker? Ok, let's focus on the vampire part, shall we?"

[Doc]

"You may well be my only link to these...vampires," i said. "Reports have her over five foot, dark hair, pal skin, likes eighteenth century dresses. Does that match any vampires you've faught?"