Oracle

Chapter 20

"Remind me why I am in the worst part of Gotham again?" Dinah asks atop a building in the Narrows.

"We need to talk to her. Besides, it's nothing you can't handle. I will be able to hear and see the whole meeting. Just... be nice."

"I'm more of a dog person..."

"Give me one good reason I should talk to you." The Cat hisses from behind Dinah.

"I am the Black Canary."

"Yeah, yeah, no need for formalities here, girlfriend. I know you work with her, so first just ask her how Bruce is."

Dinah turns her head away awkwardly, "Umm, I think she wants to talk to you."

I sigh remembering my talk with Catwoman when I still had use of my legs, "No, she wants to talk with Batgirl. She warned us about Bane... Just repeat what I say to you."

Dinah turns back to face the Cat, "She says she told him about your intel, but he didn't listen."

Catwoman advances towards her prey; the blades on her fingertips ready to strike, "I told her to keep him safe."

"And she did. She got him help right after Bane left, and it's because of that help that he is still alive."

The Cat stops in her tracks, eyes softening, "He's alive."

The Canary smiles, relieved. "Yes. Yes he is."

Her eyes glaze over quickly, "Our agreement was still not met. Tell her not to show her face again around here, unless she wants to get skinned. That goes for you too Tweety Bird."

"Did you ever consider that it was his own fault?!" Dinah snarls.

"Hey, hey, easy, Dinah," I try to calm her through the headset.

The Cat circles back towards the Canary. "Excuse me?"

"You of all people should know how stubborn he is. Did you even consider the fact that he would have died if we hadn't gotten there when we did? That innocent people died because of this... monster you're protecting?!"

"People around here don't take the M word lightly, especially him."

Dinah's vitals spike as she continues to shout, "What other kind of person ties up a kid and puts a virus in him to infect the whole city?"

Catwoman laughs, "Now you're just making things up. Little birdie seeing stars?"

Suddenly, Dinah's fingers are clenched around the Cat's neck as she slams Catwoman to the ground and shoves her forearm into her throat. "Do I look like I am making this up?"

"Dinah!" I shout, "Whatever the hell this is, snap out of it! Snap out of it!"

Her vitals slowly drop back down to normal levels as she backs away from Catwoman. "We found a shipping container with DNA evidence on shackles that are linked to the spreading of the Clench Virus."

The Cat's voice is soft. "A shipping container?"

"Even if this virus is not connected to Bane, I doubt it's a coincidence that Bruce gets attacked before all this goes down... It would make it easier, but it doesn't make it right. I know you're not a killer."

"You don't know a damn thing about me." The Cat sneers.

"I saw the fear in your eyes just now, when I mentioned the shipping container."

She smirks, "Shipping is not my area of expertise."

"Really, then why is it when a shipment of young girls comes into town, they are saved by a Cat? Everyone has a soft spot. Just so happens I found yours."

The smile falls from her face, her voice going soft. "What do you want?"

"Tell me everything you know about Bane. We think he had a bigger plan set in motion before we took him down."

Her face falls as she looks away.

"Even the smallest detail about this guy could help us."

"I don't know if this is connected... I know a few people have died within the last week from a drug called Venom."

"Overdose?"

"No. I mean, the cops all said it was but something seemed off."

"Like what?"

"The symptoms. They all go crazy before they... you know. I heard a woman screaming and thought it was some perv trying to get lucky. I was barely able to get away... you were right about seeing fear in my eyes, but it wasn't because of the child trafficking... it was because the strength you had just then; it reminded me of what I can only guess are the side effects of Venom. I just hope you put the son of a bitch in Arkham or I will kill him."

Dinah is silent, and so am I. In times like these, the line between vengeance and justice becomes thinner and thinner, and it is very appealing to go from one side to the other. But we all know that once you start down the road to vengeance, it never ends.

Catwoman grabs a piece of cardboard, blown up onto the rooftop, and starts to carve into it with her nails. "Good luck, Tweety Bird, you'll need it."

Dinah takes the scrap of cardboard. "Thanks. And, don't call me Tweety Bird."