Chapter 5 ~ Life Hangs On A Thread

                                    

                                          
"Batman, Red Robin, a robbery with hostages has been signaled on Columbia Street," Oracle's voice suddenly said in the com link.

                          
"On it," Red Robin replied as he stood up from the rooftop he and Batman were standing on. It surprisingly was a calm night this day. Excited that something was finally happening, Red Robin hopped down from rooftops to rooftops until he reached the Batmobile, parked in the darkness not far from where both of the heroes were. The Dark Knight joined him a few seconds later and drove until they arrived in Columbia Street. After they had established a plan, they split up in silence.
                          
Red Robin climbed on top of the building which was just in front of the bank where the robbery was taking place at the same time. He took his binoculars out of one of his many pockets in his utility belt and started to scan the inside of the building. He saw that there was five robbers heavily armed inside the bank. He also noticed that they had eleven hostages who were obviously completely scared. The teen frowned with anger when he saw that there was also a small child who looked not older than five or six years old who was sobbing next to his mother while she was trying her best to reassure him.
                          
"Batman, there are five robbers plus eleven hostages, one of them being a child. The robbers are heavily armed" Red Robin said with a low voice.
                          
"Copy that" the hoarse modified voice replied "I'm about to enter in the building."
                          
"I'm following you" the teen replied as he put his binoculars back in his pocket. He stood up and silently climbed down the building. He thought for a little instant then grappled his way up to the bank's rooftop. Once there, he walked to the building's ventilation system and jumped inside of it. He landed with a thud in the ventilation channels and cursed under his breath for this. Then, he turned on the little computer which was inside his gauntlet and studied the best way to get to the first floor by the ventilation channels.
                          
***
                          
"Take off all your precious little jewels and all your money out of your wallets and gently put everything inside the bag if you don't want a bullet inside your stupid skull!" one of the hooded robbers said with a dark tone and a sadistic grin as he shot the ceiling with his assault rifle. Panicked, the hostages did as they were told, not without trembling when the thugs were walking past them. One of the robbers who was standing guard informed the others that the GCPD was beginning to gather around of the bank.
                          
"Don't' worry, I already have an escape plan," the one who seemed to be the boss responded confidently. He walked all around the bank and smiled with one of those creepy smiles that make you thrill with terror when he saw the little girl who was curled up against her mother, trying to hide herself inside her large coat. The man grasped her roughly by the arm and held her in front of him. She immediately started to cry for her mother when he took her away.
                          
"Calm down sweetheart," the man murmured with a sadistic grin as he took a gun out of one of his holsters and pointed it towards the little girl's mother. Then he raised his voice and declared, "if anyone tries to stop us, I kill the little princess over here,"  he put the barrel of his gun just under the child's jaw. Terrified, the poor little girl cried even louder and the man pressed the barrel even more against her skin.
                          
"Release the girl!" a menacing voice suddenly ordered from above the room. The robbers' boss jumped a bit in surprise but started to laugh insanely.
                          
"What do we have here?" he said with a large grin as he tightened his grip around the child "show yourself, coward!"
                          
"As you wish" the voice said and half a second later, the Dark Knight was standing in the middle of the room. With an even colder voice, he ordered, "Release the girl, this is your last chance".