Richard took most of them down in combat and the others by activating a gas bomb Helena had given him for extreme measures. When they had started firing bullets at him, he used his acrobatic skills to his advantage and took cover behind a dumpster while discreetly activating the bomb for the others.
When the attackers came forward, still a few steps away from that dumpster, the gas diffused through the air, making them drop down unconscious. When Richard looked back cautiously, most of the gang members were still out, the rest were not in the state to fight back and he knew his part was done.
Helena must have alerted the GCPD by then and the police could be there any minute. If he had to avoid investigation, he would have to leave immediately.
But he felt the need to make sure the others were alright so he waited till the gas had all cleared up then approached the warehouse again. Just as he was about to step inside through the gate, Barbara came out.
Her lower lip was split and there was a bruise on her cheek but other than that she wasn't fatally injured. However, his eyes got caught by the girls coming up behind her who she had freed.
Barbara stepped forward and he froze as she gave him a tight hug. He was quite shocked by the sudden spontaneous gesture but hugged back. Her arms were wrapped around his neck while his hands rested on her waist and he felt his heart do a quadruple somersault.
But then a previous conversation of theirs flitted through his head and a smile threatened to break out on his face as he whispered, "twelve at one time. I counted."
"Could be more next time," she remarked with a smile, letting go of him and turned to face the girls who were still not sure whether they had been saved or not. She spoke softly, "it's alright, he's with me. And the GCPD will be here soon."
By then the girls were relieved to realize that they had actually been saved and wouldn't have to go back to the torture they had been put through recently. They could see their tormentors helpless on the ground and were gradually accepting the fact that they had been freed.
One of them stepped up to Richard as well, eyes shining in relief and gratitude, "thank you for everything you've done."
Richard felt a strange sort of comfort to hear those words and he gave her a genuine smile, "you're welcome."
His phone was ringing but seeing it was Helena calling him, he handed it to Barbara to receive the call. By then, the other girls were thanking him too and at that moment he realized something very crucial.
He felt the same way when he had saved Jason from being killed in the alley, helped Carrie out multiple times and saved the Drake boy from a road accident as well.
Two of them were people he knew and cared for hence he had immediately taken the decision to save them. But all the girls who he had helped Barbara save were no less than strangers and yet rescuing them felt the right thing to do too.
Timothy Drake had been a stranger too but he had stepped in because he was too young and had clearly not been aware of the peril he had been in. But in taking the decision to help all of them out, he hadn't felt the least regret.
In fact, it was the total opposite. The gratitude in those girls' eyes was so pure that it shook him.
Right then he was thinking that he had always believed no savior could come for the city and they all had to look after themselves individually. But right then as he saw them and could compare the girls with people he knew and cared for, he struck upon a realization.
They were his people too.
The innocent citizens of Gotham like those thirty young girls right there did not deserve to be left to die just because no one was willing to protect them.
All those words were swirling in his head and he knew some serious thinking was overdue.
But Barbara shook him out of his thoughts, telling him that Helena had informed Jim Gordon that Barbara was at her place so it would be better if both of them left before the GCPD showed up or else Richard could be taken in for a thorough investigation.
And Barbara did not want him to get in any trouble because it was all her plan and he had just been helping her with it. He would have to step in for an interrogation later on as the convicts had seen and recognized him, he would have to give them a valid reason too but Barbara knew she would work it out for him.
All she needed right then was to buy him a little time and that could only be done by avoiding the GCPD at the moment.
"Thinking of the cops..." He looked up and true enough the sirens of the police cars got louder.
"She said to take her bike and come to her apartment."
"On it."
They assured the girls that the police had arrived and they would take them to their homes. But before the cops could come question the two, Richard and Barbara had left for Helena's apartment.
***
Helena let them in and had already arranged for the medical supplies. She was excellent in patching up injuries and knew the two would be hurt from their rescue mission.
"And so the day is saved," she remarked, throwing an ice pack to Richard while she sat down in front of Barbara to clean the cut on her lip, "all thanks to this unexpected duo."
"Trio," Barbara spoke up, "you helped us too."
She shook her head, a smile gracing her lips, "ah it was nothing. I wish I could join in on the butt kicking but that honor was reserved for Richard here."
"Hey... Butt kicking ends up in getting your own butt kicked too," he remarked.
"How much are you injured?" Helena looked up, "cuts?"
"Nope, dodged bullets but thankfully no knives involved."
"So you must be bruised, that's all."
He shrugged, "yeah, I can handle it."
She sighed, making sure Barbara's cut was treated then stood up to go to him as he was sitting in the other corner of the room, "off with your shirt, Richard."
He had noticed the blush creep up on Barbara's face as she slightly turned to look at the clock. "No thanks," he refused.
Helena hit his head with the ice pack, "no thanks? You asked for this then."
Barbara knew the two were close but at the moment she felt as if she was stuck in an awkward situation. She kept her eyes glued to anything and everything other than Richard.
"You're a stripper, you go off with everything publicly," Helena hissed, eyes flashing in a threat, "here I am just asking you to remove the shirt so I can treat your bruises, you idiot. It's not anything I haven't seen..."
But then she stopped herself realizing that Barbara was in the room too.
"Oh... My bad," a meaningful smirk played upon her lips as she looked at Richard then back at Barbara.
Both their faces looked redder than usual.
"I think I should go to the balcony," Barbara stood up, taking Helena's phone, "and I'm borrowing this. I've got to talk to Dad."
With her gone, Richard let out a breath of relief but his friend hit him in the head with the ice pack again.
"Ow, what was that for?"
"Never thought I would say this but you're dead gone for her," she remarked, "like this level of consideration goes beyond my understanding."
"Oh come on, Lena, you're just making a big deal out of nothing," he removed the shirt at last and allowed her to ice the bruises that had formed on his torso.
"Am I?" She raised an eyebrow skeptically, though the smirk from her face still lingered.
"If you're gonna keep forcing her out of her comfort zone, she might never like me back," he mumbled, disappointment evident from his tone, "and I will get to dub you worst wingwoman ever."
"Alright then, fuck off," the ice pack hit his face as she dropped it, "try your charms on her on your own. I'm out."
"Wait what?" His eyes widened in alarm, "out where? Are you leaving me alone with her?"
"Yes," she nodded, a nonchalant expression taking over her features, "are you scared of her?"
"Yes! I mean, no, but where are you going?"
She tried to hold in her laughter at his abrupt reaction, "I have to go get dinner for all of us. I'll be back soon. Or maybe not that soon if you don't want me to..."
"Helena, please..." He sighed, "I am not going to try anything. Come back soon as you get dinner, okay?"
"As you wish, don't whine later about losing such an opportunity," she nodded with a meaningful smile, then went to the balcony to tell her friend that she would be gone for a while.
***