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Barbara had never imagined things would be going so well and then so badly. Inviting Damian to join their all-girls mission had been a last-minute decision per Cass’ insistence. Which is part of what led to Barbara looming over the second-level balcony of the all too shady night club in a dress she had been wanting to save for Valentine's. They had tried to avoid coming to this situation for as long as possible but it ended up just being an avoidance of the inevitable.
Whisper A’daire changed everything when she started to hang a little too close to the smuggling arms ring that Batgirl, Black Bat, and Spoiler had been following. The previous Al Guhl agent, now intergang affiliate, had no real reason to be in Gotham let alone talking to what they had thought were lowly thugs. Cass had almost immediately advised that getting anywhere near her would be impossible since A’daire could recognize an assassin by the way they walked. The only real information Barbara was able to dig up was that she planned on being at The Gotham Tap Room to celebrate her birthday. Of what age, no one was sure.
With what little information they had to go on, Barbara was forced to trust whatever details Cassandra could provide. The main one being that, unfortunately, A’daire was far more suspicious of women than men and that bringing along one of the guys would be far more helpful than any other form of preparation. So, Barbara did her due diligence as team leader and asked if Damian was available to help them get their eyes closer to the target. After hearing her affiliations, he was quick to agree to the task.
Barbara slipped her hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and flicked all the comms to life. “Don’t get too close” she warned hiding her lips behind a champagne glass. She could see Damian shifting between the crowds of people, careful to keep his hands tucked towards his Armani suit, to make it to the lower level bar where A’daire was sitting.
“Don’t micromanage BG” came Stephanie's reply she glanced up to the other side of the room to glare at the blonde who was lingering near the lower deck doors. You don’t understand you fool. I didn’t tell Dick that I was stealing his child for this and if I return him with so much as a bruise I’m screwed. When she looked back at the youngest he had migrated just close enough so that his outer mic could pick up some of what A’daire was saying.
“Yes I suppose it is a lovely night” A’daire smiled at one of the many men flocking her. They all seemed to think her designer dress meant she had designer money. Barbara was sure she did, but the dress was stolen off a woman’s dead body three days ago. The red did a good job of disguising the blood.
“Guarded” Cass muttered after the conversations seemed to keep dying.
“Not for long” Damian replied into his, hopefully, fake champagne. Barbara couldn’t do a thing as he moved to sit only a single bar stool away from the target. Completely ignoring her orders. What the crap are you doing you midget? Before she had a chance to voice those thoughts it seemed A’daire took notice.
“He’s not doing what I think he’s doing…right?” Stephanie asked hesitantly. No. Surely not.
Damian smoothly took off his tie and undid his first two buttons before fanning the top part of the fabric. “A bit hot tonight” he commented toward A’daire.
He is. Oh my Gotham he’s-
“Definitely” A’daire replied with a smile before sparing a quick glance at the seat closer to her. Damian took the hint and slipped over.
“Two Old Fashions please” Damian ordered to the bartender.
“Damian you little sh*t” Barabra cursed ignoring the weird look one of the partygoers gave her. She couldn’t bring herself to pay too much attention to her own cover when Damian muted their link. Crap. “Plan B. We’re all moving a bit closer. Keep distance” she ordered quickly going towards the stairs as subtly as possible.
“Old fashions? Aren’t those a little…classy for someone so young?” A’daire practically purred.
“Class doesn’t know age, lovely” he replied with a smile fiddling with his button-up to reveal his abs when he leaned against the counter. He drank his shot and it was the next sentence that assured Barbara he was definitely drinking real liquor. “Forgive me if I can’t force the dumb American inflection. I’m a bit too bored tonight to care.”
She locked eyes with Cassandra and they both waited standing just close enough to shoot a Batarang if they had to. “What in h*ll is he doing?” Barbara questioned sounding pained.
“He’s pulling a Bruce isn’t he? Only he would be dumb enough for this.”
“No” Cass denied.
“I don’t mind. You’ll find I’m not exactly American myself” A’daire whispered and Damian inched close enough that his breath must have touched her shoulder when he whispered back.
“Of that I have no doubt, beloved.”
Oh Gotham, no.
“He’s pulling a Talia” Cass corrected in disgust.
The far too-close leaning near the bar, the drink order, even the forced v going down his shirt made him a mirror image of his mother. Allowing his natural accent to slip was only a portion of the puzzle. He was practically dripping Al Guhl. a risky choice given their target was originally a member of Al Guhl island but there wasn’t much they could do about that now.
“What’s your name sweety?” A’daire continued.
“Leon Faez. Yourself?” could that be more fake?
“A’daire” she replied vaguely.
“She’ll need a nudge for more information Robin.” Cass muttered to herself. It was never a good time if Cass was unsure about the outcome of the conversation.
“I’m back” Stephanie interrupted coming on the coms for the first time in ten minutes. “Sorry had to vomit real quick. What’d I miss?”
“I don’t suppose you have any plans for the evening, Madam A’daire?” Damian questioned and Barabra wanted to join Stephanie in her gagging sounds. This couldn’t go on much longer.
“Hmm” A’daire entertained grabbing him by the cufflink. Barbara snapped to hold Cass from moving if only to give the youngest the benefit of the doubt. Come one Damian. Figure it out or get out. “I’m free right now.” oh h*ll no. Unfortunately, it seemed Damian was fine with the turn of events and easily disappeared into the crowd.
“sh*t” Barbara cursed and didn’t miss the terrifying glare Cass sent her as she ripped my hand way.
“Now chase?” she snapped and Barbara nodded.
“Yeah. Now chase” Stephanie agreed.
Damian kept a careful distance from the target as they shifted between people before winding up in the back room of the disgusting bar. It had more than a few boxes, evident to it’s purpose as a storage locker. A’daire turning to shut the door provided him the perfect opportunity to sneak his favorite dagger into his palm.
“We wouldn’t want someone wandering in” She told him as she turned back around, hair flipping elegantly over her shoulder. He was certain she made an excellent assassin in her time.
Too bad he was far better.
“Tell me, love, what brings someone so beautiful to a place so…” he trailed off and let her laugh finish the sentence.
“Oh you know, a bit of crime” she grinned and he could see it was a test for his true colors.
“What’s your flavor?” he challenged and she slipped a hand up his arm.
“Arms dealing. Drug smugglers tend to run into a lot of it.” guns? The ring only used knives. She must be funneling them out. That’s why they were always unarmed.
“Can’t imagine why a drug smuggler would want to hand anyone their guns” he pondered, steadying his grip on the blade when she shifted to push him a bit closer to the wall.
“Because they don’t want to die?” she hypothesized giving a wink. “I run with upper crowds you know. Intergang has noticed an interesting gun emerging from Gotham trades. Not that you’re interested in that, pet” She cooed and he couldn't help but grin.
“No, not really” he confessed, quickly flipping her around to hold the knife to her neck, facing her towards the door that slammed open at nearly the same time to reveal three furious looking batwomen. Hmm. That doesn't look good. Perhaps I should have kept my comlink on.
“Cass” Barbara ordered and he couldn’t blink before his sister had knocked the target out completely. Not bothering to catch her face from slamming into the floor and breaking her nose. I should have kept the comlink on.
“So, it's actually intergalactic arms smuggling” he smiled casually leaning against the wall. He quickly grabbed his suit jacket to close around his open shirt gap when he found Stephanie looking disgusted. “You’re welcome” he tacked on and Barbara had the audacity to smack him on the head. Hard.
“You disobeyed my every order!” she yelled and before he could yell back his sister was up in his face buttoning up his shirt. He blushed and tried to push her away.
“I can do that on my own” he huffed and she glared. A clear sign that she felt he could not.
“Oh we know” Stephanie gagged. He rolled his eyes and put his hands over Cass’ once she finished.
“I’m fine. We got what we wanted” He assured with a bit of a nervous grin. He blamed Grayson for the habit.
“Never again” Cass ordered storming out, dragging A’daire’s body behind her.
“Seconded. That was foul” Stephanie nodded following after her.
Barbara, it seems wasn’t going to let it go either because she came up behind him and put her arm around his shoulders as they walked out. “You turn your comm off again so you can underage drink and flirt, I will hand you over to Dick faster than you can unbutton that shirt of yours,” she threatened and he hid his head in his hands.
They don’t understand me mother.
“Also, Bruce knows you went with us so better hope you don’t smell like alcohol.”
I am so dead.