Kei groaned as she woke up, her back and arms feeling stiff and rigid.

Where was she? And why did it feel so dark?

As she woke up and her body started to become more alert, Kei realized she was strapped to a chair with three thick pieces of knotted rope.

Two of them kept her arms behind her and another was on her stomach.

And they were tight enough where she couldn't move much, except for her legs.

"You're awake. Good. Hello, Miss Nakajima."

Kei flinches (not being able to jump) upon seeing a feminine figure with blonde hair, robes and an owl mask appear before her.

"You're one of the Court of Owls?" Kei guesses, trying to not appear intimidated.

"Very astute observation." The figure replies with what sounded like condescension. "I am the Grandmaster of The Court. But...titles are quite boring, don't you think? Allow me to introduce myself properly," the figure takes off their mask to reveal a beautiful woman with red lipstick and hypnotizing green eyes, "Samantha Vanaver."

Kei studies her face for a moment as she flicks back in her memory to articles she had seen at Gotham Gazette.

"You're a socialite, right? Your family is one of the richest in Gotham."

"I see you've done your research. Lovely. Especially impressive for someone who isn't even a native of the city."

"How do you know so much about me?" Kei asks, narrowing her eyes up at the woman.

The Grandmaster chuckles lowly.

"Miss Nakajima...I am a member of The Court of Owls: we have eyes and ears everywhere."

"What exactly do you want from me?" Kei asks, uncomfortable under Samantha's steel gaze.

"Well...you see, Miss Nakajima...while your report would be valuable to the people of Gotham," the woman pauses for dramatic effect and places her mask on her face again, "we would prefer if Gotham only knew us as a myth...so I'm afraid Kei Nakajima..."

Samantha grabs an object from the table behind her, holding it out in the light to reveal a pistol.

"Tonight is the night you die."

Samantha points the gun at Kei's hand and prepares to squeeze the trigger and Kei holds her breath, squeezing her hands into fists behind her.

This is it.

She squeezes her eyes shut, wanting this nightmare to end and she thinks about the short life she has lived just far.

She thinks about her family in Central City.

She's got mom and dad and her four brothers back home.

She thinks about her uncle Adrian and his wife who have treated her like their own flesh and blood.

And she thinks about Selina last, how much she helped her despite not having to.

But mostly, Kei thinks about how bleak this scenario is.

Kei Nakajima would just be one of many who died and never returned or were found again.

But then...suddenly—

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Kei's eyes open wide just in time to see Selina and Samantha wrestle with the gun as it lets out a big, audible BANG! into the ceiling above, making Kei flinch again.

The pistol falls to the ground and Selina manages to scratch at Samantha's owl mask, which seems to leave the Grandmaster shocked as she feels the cheek where the scratches had been placed before she recovers.

"Hm...the Protector of the East End risking her life for a newbie reporter? How pathetic!"

"Do you really want to goad a woman who just scratched at your face? Because trust me...my claws can do more damage than that." Selina threatens, unsheathing them for a moment to prove her point.

"I will do as I please. You may friends in low places but everyone—including you Miss Kyle—are helpless to stop The Court. We are everywhere."

"We'll see about that." Selina glares at Samantha, effectively ending their conversation.

It seems good it ended there since Samantha already looks bored with the way she languidly shrugs her shoulders.

"Fine. Have it your way. But I'd be careful if I were you, Selina Kyle." The Grandmaster declares before she disappears in a flash of smoke.

"That woman gives me the creeps." Selina murmurs before she turns her attention to Kei.

All her fire from earlier is gone, replaced with worried looks and a gentle touch.

"You okay?" Kei nods silently, smiling despite the situation.

"You came...I didn't think you'd actually come rescue me." Selina smirks, her green eyes glimmering with mischief.

"Yes, well...I tend to save the things I like. Jewels, people...a cat statue or two." Kei lets out a small chuckle at that last part.

Selina's face turns more serious again as she crouches down to cut the ropes with her claws.

"Seriously though...are you sure you're okay?" Selina asks after a moment of silence while she concentrated on freeing Kei's arms and stomach from her restraints.

"Yeah...I'm okay. A bit stiff and almost lost my life but I think I'll survive." Kei replies soberly, rubbing her arms to aleve the stiffness.

"Good. Because I have a way to get you out of here."

"Oh? Good. Hey, by the way: how did you find me?"

"Well, I got nervous and went to the old clock tower and found a recording device on a table. It's how I found out where they were located."

"They were recording my conversation with them...why?"

"I don't know. I'm assuming leverage—or a way to threaten people you know into complying. I guess it's been abandoned for so long, they didn't think anyone would find the recording. After knocking you out, the two people in the room talked for a bit, mentioning an old cave system and I knew where it was...so here I am."

"It's good you came to rescue me. I appreciate it."

"It's a miracle I came at the time I did." Selina argues in retort, "a moment longer and you would've..." she trailed off, shaking her head to not even have to think about the possibility.

"Let's not talk about the doom and gloom—we've been here too long. We need to get out as soon as possible. Can you stand?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Great. Come with me." Selina holds out her hand once Kei stands up and starts sprinting out a secret entrance Kei hadn't noticed in the darkness.

They went down a few entrances and exists before Selina stopped briefly as they nearly careened into yet another door.

"I think this the end. This was the way I came in." Selina explains before cautiously opening the door.

Their luck had ran out. Selina and Kei find themselves surrounded by at least twenty Court Talons.

"Crap!" Kei murmurs under her breath.

"Of course this wouldn't be easy." Selina says with a sigh before unsheathing her claws.

"You have a plan?" Kei asks nervously as the Talons unsheathed their weapons from their sides.

"Not exactly. But I'm sure I can improvise." Selina explains with a small smirk before going to attack one of the goons claws first.

Author's Notes

...I did not think this through but Samantha is kind of an idiot here for revealing herself to Kei—

This chapter was way less dramatic when I planned this out before but I like this one better I think, more stakes involved. Kei gets saved before she gets killed by the villain instead of just Selina coming to rescue her after the villain does a dramatic monologue and leaves. It's less realistic but this is based on comics where crazy stuff happens all the time so it's to be expected.

Side note: Samantha is originally a character from the Batman vs Robin animated movie and ever since I have heard about her, she's become my head canon pick for the Grandmaster of the Court of Owls lol

I haven't seen the film myself, ironically, so her personality is of my own making :)

Sorry for the month long wait only for this to end in a cliffhanger😅

School's been crazy with three weeks left til I graduate and I honestly lost the motivation to write😭

Buuuut...KEI AND SELINA ARE BACK!!

I've missed them both very much <333

Not sure when I'm going to update next though, hopefully I'll go back to my original schedule :')

BatgirlGeek❤️

P.S. Also it's very fitting that I'm writing this storyline since the Gotham Knights game as them as the villain (and I'm very excited for that game, hopefully I can get my hands on it!)