Before any of us could make a move, a figure dropped out of the sky, landing in between us. Their red helmet reflected the light from a street light into my eyes, as I struggled to focus on him. He was wearing a leather motorcycle jacket and a black shirt with a red bat printed in the middle. I stumbled back a few feet as he swept Vito's legs out from under him. He let out a painful yelp as his head audibly hit the ground. Before he could recover, Red helmet guy had pulled a gun from his waist. The gun clicked as he switched the safety off.

"Robin." 

He glanced at the wall, his helmet produced a robotic voice.

Following his gaze, my eyes widened. the boy wonder had joined us, his yellow cape scrunched up against the wall as he lazily leaned on it. The wheels in my head began turning as I looked from Robin to the person in the red helmet. 

Red Hood  I thought in both fear and amazement. I watched as Red hood pointed his head towards the other perp who was sprinting down the sidewalk. Robin scoffed before whipping out another batarang and chucking it at him, after a second, the thug seemed to trip over himself as his legs became immobile. He fell on the ground and stayed there, motionless, a thin wire wrapped up his legs.  Robin began to follow him down the sidewalk before Red hood put his hand out, stopping him. 

"Leave him." he nodded his head in my direction and Robin followed his gaze. I pressed myself further into the wall as Red Hood turned back to the unconscious thug on the ground. Before I could react, Robin's arm wrapped around my waist. I tried to push him off of me but his steel grip didn't give.

"Wha-Ufgh" the breath left me body, cutting me off as the ground disappeared beneath my feet. I grasped his suit as we zipped through the air. Before a scream could escape my lips, we landed roughly on the roof of a tall building. The second my feet touched the ground I pushed myself off him. 

"What the hell?" I watched as he put away his grappling hook and slowly put his hands out to his sides. 

"I'm not going to hurt you." he took a cautious step towards me. 

"Just.. just stay there!" I stumbled away from him, my head spinning. I squatted and put my head between my knees, swallowing the bile that rose in my throat. I focused on my breathing and the sharp wind that was tying my hair in knots. 

When my surrounding stop spinning I looked up to see that I was now alone on the roof. Confused, I moved to look over the edge of the building. Robin was back on the ground while Red Hood was now standing over the thug. He pulled a black pistol from a holster and pointed it at his head.

"Todd, don't!" Robin reached his hand out towards him.

A shot rang out.

I dropped into a ball behind the roof barrier, fear replaced any fighting instinct I had left in me. I waited a moment, listening for any sign they were coming back. I peeled myself off the ground and sprinted to the opposite side of the roof, I reached the fire escape and I paused to empty the contents of my stomach before practically throwing myself down the narrow stairs. My pounding headache began to spread down my temples and I could feel it compromising my vision. Refusing to slow down,  I continued to pump my legs until I made it out of the alley I landed in.  I tripped over my feet and faceplanted. Not knowing if they were still following me, I scrambled to my feet, feeling the gravel embed itself under my nails as I did so. 

I pushed past my throbbing head and without looking back I ran as a new wave of adrenaline gave me energy. I found myself on a new street, a few shops were still open. Covered in sweat and blood and not wanting to draw attention to myself anymore tonight, I put on my sweatshirt that was tied around my waist. I entered the closest building with lights on.

The open wound on my throat stung as the AC hit it. I pulled my hood over my head and ducked to the back, hiding behind a row of bookcases. As I slowed my breathing, another wave of nausea hit me. I groaned as I rested my head against the shelves.

I jumped as an voice came over the load speaker, announcing in a bored voice that the bookstore would be closing in ten minutes. I shakily took out my phone and called a cab, stopping to ask a worker what the address of the store was. 

When I saw the yellow car pull up at the curb I practically ran from the exit to the car door, throwing myself in the seat.

I blurted my address at the driver and sunk into my seat as he pulled away. I took this time to examine my now swollen hand, I gritted my teeth as I flexed my fingers. A bolt of pain shot up my arm and I yelped. 

"Are you alright miss?" The driver looked at my through the rearview mirror with worried eyes. 

"Yes, sorry," I said through clenched teeth. I used my good hand to ruffle through my hair until I came across a sticky knot. I looked at my fingers to see they were covered in blood. I winced again, regretting not going to the ER. I sighed, knowing it would freak Ian out if he knew I went to the hospital. He would never let me out of the house again if he found out what had happened. 

Ian moved out and got his own place at twenty , six years later I decided staying with him was safer then living with mom. Our dad was never in the picture, he left before I was born. Mom was an addict, before I moved in with Ian I used to have to chase away her dealers from our doorstep. When I couldn't scare them off and they stayed in our house overnight with mom, I would run away. I was used to getting mugged, it had happened before. Like most runaways in the city, I had a brief encounter with the Dark Knight a few years ago when he took down one of my muggers. Ever since then I've been determined to find out who him and his 'sidekicks' are. 

I looked out the window, pondering my encounter tonight. Suddenly I remembered something that Robin had said. 

Todd 

Who was Todd?

I decided to search deeper into the name when I got home. And after a shower.

I sighed out of relief, knowing that this horrific night would soon be over. Looking ahead I saw the turn for my road approaching. I frowned as the car rolled past the turn and continued going straight. 

"Excuse me, that was the turn", I furrowed my brows and began to feel impatient. 

"Right, my apologies miss. I'm new to this profession and not familiar with this area yet," he said in a thick british accent.

You're not kidding I thought. what other cab driver wears a suit and tie on the job. Settling back into my sear I closed my eyes, thinking how much better I would feel after a few painkillers. I grew more irritated when I noticed we had not circled back to my street yet, and were now heading up a road lined with trees.

"Do you even know where we're going?"

"Uh- Yes miss of course jus-please sit tight". His accent made his stammering hard to hear his words but I understood completely that we weren't just 'lost'. 

"Let. Me out. Now." I ordered. I had heard enough cold cases my brother had shared with me.

He stayed silent, slightly accelerating the car. I jiggled the handle of my door, it didn't budge. I could feel myself starting to lose it again. 

"I'll call the police,"  I threatened. My hand already reaching for my phone. 

No signal.

 "WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME!" I shrieked. His solem eyes sadly looked into mine through the rearview miror. Without a word, he pressed a button on the dashboard, making a black partition rise behind his seat while the windows around me darkened, enclosing me in the dark. 

No longer able to suppress my panic, I began to hyperventilate. I curled up into a ball in the backseat as the car stopped, I could feel the front door opening and closing. He had left me alone. I used this opportunity to try and kick out the window. 

Nothing.

I slammed my fists into the door, tears running down my face.

"LET ME OUT!" 

Suddenly, the vents switched on.

what was coming out of them wasn't air. A thick and dense fog spilled into the backseat, burning my eyes. I gagged and clawed in the darkness as I couldn't help but to continue inhaling the smoke. My throat felt as if someone had forced a hot rod down it. I helplessly screamed, only making it burn worse.

After a minute I slowly felt my brain shut down as i lost feeling  in my body. I could feel myself slipping into the darkness, and I didn't want to fight it anymore.

the dark spots in my vision grew until I couldn't see anymore. I smiled as the darkness took away my pain.