N A T A L I E   D O R M E R

B L A C K   C A N A R Y  II

[WARNING IS ADVISED: TRIGGER WORDS!!! MENTIONS OF SELF-HARM AND KILLING INCOMING].

CHAPTER EIGHT: THE RIDDLER'S GAMBIT

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GOTHAM CITY, NJ — CLOCK TOWER

Riddler's henchmen are still trying to break into Barbara's condo via pick-locking and they're growing quite frustrated with the grueling process.

"Shit! This isn't working! Use the damn hammer!"

"They should have called this the Fortress of Solitude instead! Fucking thing won't budge!"

Another of Riddler's Henchman does as told and takes out from the toolbox a large metal steel sledgehammer and hits the lock into pieces, leaving a large hole in the front door. The Riddler's Goons rush toward the door and are stopped in their tracks by another steel grate door panel as a row of chain locks add further support

"What the hell?! What is this lady's deal anyway?!" Riddler Henchman exclaimed angrily.

"Someone get the metal shears!"

Meanwhile, Barbara is at her workstation still playing Riddler's game unfortunately she is stuck on a rather tough puzzle.

"Tick Tock. Tick Tock. Come on, Oracle. I don't have all day. Answer the damn riddle already." Edward spoke up annoyed and tapped his foot rather impatiently.

"Shut the hell up, Ed! Just let me think for a minute here geez...Okay, what is the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space, the beginning of every end, and the end of every race? It's a trick question, the end is at the end of every race, and the answer is END." Barbara concluded out loud.

Barbara then types the answer to the difficult riddle and gets a loud negative buzzing sound.

"Ah, Ah, ah. Wrong answer, Ginger Snap. I don't do tricky questions. Try again." Nygma responded with a sly smirk and wiggled his finger.

"Darn it. Okay, think, Babs. Think...Goal? Line? Wait I've got it! At the beginning and the end, it's the letter E!" Barbara responded out loud as she then typed onto her keyboard the letter E and smashed the enter button.

Barbara smiles proudly as she gets a correct buzzing sound from the Riddler's game show. Nygma takes off his bowler hat and throws it onto the ground in anger throwing a tantrum.

"Why you little—Ugh! Okay, well played, Oracle. Onto question three. This is the final act. Let's see how smart you truly are! Riddle me this. Turn me on my side and I am everything. Cut me in half and I am nothing. What am I?" Nygma said.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me, Ed?" Barbara spoke up annoyed.

The Riddler's Henchmen got the metal chain locks cut with the metal cutting shears and kicked the front door wide open. The group of rugged crooks and muggers rushed inside Barbara's condo as they glanced at their surroundings looking for the target in question.

"Where the hell is that bitch?!" Riddler's Henchman exclaimed.

"Doesn't matter now. Just trash this place and get it over with!" Riddler Henchmen #2 responded.

Barbara heard the loud commotion coming from outside her secret workstation and grew quite nervous as her palms became very sweaty.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck. Okay, think, Babs. What on its side is everything? A pie? A pi? A coin?"Barbara spoke up while deep in thought.

Riddler's Henchmen meanwhile are mindlessly flipping over couches, tables, and shelves. Whatever they can get their hands on they have trashed in Barbara's condo.

"Come out, Come out, wherever you are..." Riddler Henchman whispered creepily while holding a sharp object in his hands.

On the nearby rooftops of Gotham City are perched onto the ledge Robin II and Black Canary as they're scanning the area and forming a plan of attack.

"What do you see, Bird Boy?" Laurel asked slightly annoyed as she didn't have Detective Vision and couldn't see what was happening from afar.

Jason grinned and watched through his Detective Vision everything unfolding as he answered amused. "I see Riddler's Henchmen entering the Clock Tower forcefully. They are armed and dangerous."

"How many are there?" Laurel asked.

"About 12 to 15 of them. That's counting both the indie and outside of the Clock Tower." Jason answered.

"Then what are we waiting here for? Come on let's save Barbara already." Laurel spoke up and went to jump off the rooftop but was stopped in her tracks by Jason who grabbed her arm forcefully.

"Hold on a sec there, Birdie. We can't just go there with guns blazing. That's suicide." Jason said and let go of her arm.

"What? It's the Riddler, Jason. How tough can he frankly be?" Laurel said.

Jason nodded in agreement and spoke up. "True. But he's still dangerous and one we can't take lightly."

"So what do you suggest then?" Laurel asked while arms crossed.

"Well since Riddler Goons are patrolling both inside and outside the Clock Tower I say we take them out stealthy and silently. Once we do that we can then stop whatever Riddler has planned for Barbara." Jason explained.

Laurel smiled proudly and nodded in agreement. "Huh, looks like my teachings are rubbing off on you after all."

Jason rolled his eyes playfully and spoke jokingly. "Oh, please. Don't get so full of yourself, Lance. You're a good teacher. But I prefer my mom more. Now she's a better teacher."

Laurel faked a gasp and swatted his arm. "Jason! That's not how you talk to your teacher."

Jason chuckled and took from his utility belt his Bat Grapple then handed it to Laurel. "Here. It will be more useful to you for maneuvering around."

Laurel takes it from him with a small smile and secures it to her hip. "Thanks."

"You know how to use it right?" Jason asked.

Laurel nodded and answered. "Yes, it's the same as Oliver's grappling hook arrow. Piece of cake. But, uh, don't you need it too?"

"I have a cape remember? Now try and keep up, Birdie." Jason responded nonchalantly then glided down to the Clock Tower finding a nearby Gargoyle to perch on.

Laurel shakes her head and smiles to herself. "Just like his father and mother..." She then points to a nearby ledge and pushes a button on the grapple gun as Laurel is launched into the air.

"Holy shit!" Laurel exclaimed fearfully while mid-flight as she had let go and awkwardly landed onto a random unknowing Riddler Henchman.

"Ah! My nuts!" Riddler Henchman said while groaning in pain.

"Sorry, Handsome. But you had it coming." Laurel said while on top of him and then delivered a headbutt to the enemy knocking him out.

Jason chuckled humorously over his earpiece and spoke up. "I thought you said you already knew how to use it, Lance."

Laurel dusted herself off and went to find a good hiding spot in the shadows. "I do know how. It's just been a while that's all. And don't even mention it to your parents you hear as they won't ever let me forget it."

"Okay, okay, I won't tell a single soul. But that shit was hilarious you have to admit." Jason said.

"Zip it, Bird Boy. Not another word. We have a mission to complete remember."

"You're right. Okay, let's teach these punks a lesson that they will never forget." Jason said and perched down to do a silent takedown.

The duo effortlessly took down their enemies silently with a variety of different techniques. The outside of the Clock Tower was secure and now all they needed was to get their way inside somehow.

"You take the vents. I'll take the elevator shaft." Laurel orders and splits up with Jason who nods in agreement.

"See you on the other side, Laurel," Jason said and began crawling into the vents.

Laurel opens the doors to the elevator with her superhuman-like strength and then extends her arm out as she aims her grapple gun at the ceiling. In an instant, she is lifted into the air this time without any trouble, and makes it to the top of Gotham's Clock Tower.

Back inside the Gothic structure is Barbara Gordon secluded and still playing Nygma's twisted game as she's dangerously close to running out of time. The brilliant redhead hastily typed multiple answers to the puzzling riddle but unfortunately, none of them were correct as she got a loud unfavorable buzzing sound for her troubles.

"Shit. Come on, Ed. Give me a break will you." Barbara exclaimed frustrated and glared up at the holographic screen of the Riddler.

Nygma shook his head and with a wide grin spoke up into the screen. "No can dosville, Baby Doll."

Nygma looked at the digital clock on his wall and chuckled evilly enjoying this thrilling moment as he then glanced at the nervous wreck in front of him.

"Can you feel it, Oracle? Are the walls closing in? Is that so-called brilliant mind of yours failing you? Good. Oh, no. Do you hear that? It's the Grim Reaper scraping at your door!"

The Riddler's Henchmen had finished tearing down the place and had now met back in the living room.

"The bitch ain't here. So what do we do now?"

"Did you not pay any attention to the briefing that we had earlier you moron?"

"Uh, not really. Sorry, I was too baked to listen."

"You fuckin dope. Anyway, the boss already told us what to do. Bring it over here."

A Riddler Henchman brings over to the gang a large duffle bag and opens it revealing to them bombs set with timers ready to blow at any minute.

"You know what to do boys. Blow this place into smithereens! Show Gotham what happens when they try and fail to match wits with us superior folk!" Riddler echoed out in encouragement into the living room speakers.

"Sure thing boss."

"Oh, I sure do love this job. Ha. Ha. Ha."

Barbara grimaced at the scene unfolding in her living room complex and then peeked closer at the security camera footage seeing the Riddler's Gooms placing bombs around the complex.

"What the hell are those idiots doing, Ed?" Barbara asked.

"Only what I had instructed obviously. If they couldn't find you then they had free rein to blow up your whole operation." Nygma answered nonchalantly.

Barbara takes a closer look at the bomb clock face as it ticks away and it causes her to think deeply.

"Hmm, I think I've got it."

"Sure you do, Oracle."

"It's time. The riddle has something to do with numbers." Barbara answered.

"And what would make you think that?" Nygma spoke somewhat nervously knowing that she was getting closer to solving the puzzle.

"Turn me on my side and I am everything. Cut me in half and I am nothing." Barbara repeated.

"Yes, I know the riddle woman. I'm the one who wrote it remember." Nygma remarked annoyed.

Barbara then glances at the Clock Tower face and its numbers that are plastered on it. She squints her eyes and tilts her head to the side at the number 8.

"Is it infinity?! No, it's the number 8! Because if you look at it on its side it's like the infinity symbol but if you cut it in half then you only get zeroes!" Barbara explained cheerfully finally getting the riddle.

Barbara then typed onto her keyboard the number 8 and was about to hit enter when she was stopped mid-way by an exasperated and worried Riddler who then yelled into the screen.

"Wait! Let's talk about this! Come on I'll give you another riddle. Maybe another game? Let's continue playing..."

"Go fuck yourself, Eddy. I ain't in the mode for any more of your games."

"No, this isn't possible! I'm the Riddler! I can't be defeated!"

Barbara then hears loud groans of pain and some light scuffle going on in the other room. She looks at her security feed in the living room and smiles seeing her boyfriend Jason and dear friend Laurel fighting the Riddler's Henchmen.

"And there comes the calvary," Barbara spoke up proudly.

"This isn't over, Oracle! I will have my revenge! Mark my words! I will not stop till I have bested you!"

"Yadda, yadda, yadda, Ed. Admit it you've lost here today."

"Never! I shall never yield!"

Barbara rolls her eyes and then pushes the enter button on her keyboard. In an instant Riddler's irate and baffled face disappears into dust onto all of the display screens on her workstation.

"Nooo!" Nygma exclaimed comically.

"Game over, Champ," Barbara said and smirked.

The Riddler's Virus is now gone with no trace of ever existing and Oracle's systems are rebooted once again as she has gained back control of her domain.

"Systems fully restored. Welcome back, Barbara Gordon."A.I. Batcomputer announced.

Barbara sighed relieved to hear that and smiled.

"Yes, it's good to be back. Now let's see if we can help out our friends here. Batcomputer please activate Clock Tower defense protocol. Codeword I Am Batgirl."

"Acess granted. Preparing defensive protocols."

Meanwhile in the living room of the Clock Tower, both Robin and Black Canary had come to aid Oracle as they were fighting what seemed like an endless wave of Riddler Goons. Additionally, Oracle was also helping out and fighting off the Riddler's Henchmen using the Clock Tower defense systems via many trap doors and electric-charged projectiles.

"They don't seem to be stopping." Jason pointed out and used his bow staff to clock a few enemies in the head.

"Neither will we," Laurel said and used her martial arts to kick and punch the enemies out cold.

Then Laurel gets an idea and gets Robin's attention. "Cover your ears!"

Robin nodded and did just that as he took cover behind Canary while she let out a powerful sonic scream toward a hoard of enemies knocking them down like pins. Robin smiles and breathes a sigh of relief.

"You could have used that move in the first place. Ending the fight much quicker," Jason said.

"Yes, true. But what would be the fun in that," Laurel said in a teasing tone.

Robin then goes to dismantle the ticking time bombs with help from Laurel.

"Barbara the place is secure. You can come out now." Jason said.

Barbara rolled her wheelchair into the living room and took a quick look around seeing the messy aftermath. "I'm gonna send Edward a huge bill to pay for all this damage." Barbara joked.

"It would only be right. After all, he did try breaking in. That's a big no-no." Laurel said smiling and went over to hug her dear friend.

Barbara smiled back warmly at her Birds of Prey member and hugged her back warmly too. "Thank you for coming to my aid, Laurel. That Riddler sure is a real pain in the ass."

"No problem, Babs. Besides I didn't want him to get all the credit now. He's still relatively new to this superhero gig." Canary said and gestured to Robin earning a slight giggle from the redhead.

Jason rolled his eyes playfully and spoke up. "Yeah, no kidding on Riddler being a pain. I don't know how Bruce does it. Having to hear his whiny voice all the time and his dumb riddler trophies."

Jason then went over to kiss Barbara on the lips and she reciprocated his affection and kissed her boyfriend back. Then loud clapping from a certain mysterious individual interrupted their moment as all eyes were on him.

P A U L   D A N O

J A M E S   G O R D O N  II

"Well done, Barbara. I knew you had it in you."

Barbara's emerald green eyes widened in horror as she grasped the armchair of her wheelchair tightly and her knuckles white for the fear she seemed to feel at the moment. Jason stuck an arm out as he shielded his girlfriend from danger and glared daggers at the imminent threat.

"Who the fuck are you?" Jason demanded.

"And what do you want?" Laurel added sensing the tension in the air rise to an alarming rate.

The mysterious figure took off his disguise as he was dressed as one of Riddler's Henchmen and stepped out of the shadows flashing a toothy wide grin.

"Oh, she didn't tell you who I am? I'm hurt, Barb."

"How the hell did you get out of the Asylum?" Barbara asked blurting out the words fearfully. "The last time I saw you was in extreme isolation cut off from everyone and anything."

"Exactly, Barb. I was in custody..." He emphasized and grinned like a Chesire cat. "That was until a certain crooked cop then came to my cell and broke me out."

"Officer Boles..." Jason muttered clenching his teeth in anger.

"Barbara, who is this deranged man?" Laurel piped up and quickly started to notice the slight resemblance between them.

"Go ahead, Barb. Tell them the ugly truth. You knew this day would come eventually."

"H-He's...my brother...James," Barbara stated upset while hot salty tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"What?! Your brother?" Laurel said appalled.

"Wait, your brother James? And he knows about all of this? About us? About Batman?" Jason added rasing his hands in the air and freaking out a bit over here.

Barbara, unfortunately, nodded her head in confirmation and looked rather ashamed to be related to such a monster.

"I've known for quite some time. Ever since she started working with your boss a couple of years back when she had just graduated college. I remember that day vividly in fact. They were so damn proud of you." He spoke with venom in his voice.

Jason put two and two together as realization hit him like a semi-truck and he had a very serious horrific look on his face. "You're the Gotham Ripper..."

"The one and only." James smiled proudly and bowed in front of them.

James Jr. stepped forward dangerously close to them and Jason shielded his girlfriend glaring back at him. "Stay back, Junior."

"W-What do you want, James?" Barbara asked.

"To finish the job that Joker had started of course. Funny I still remember that day quite vividly." James answered amused..

"Wait is that why that deranged clown broke you out of the Asylum? To get back at Barbara?" Laurel questioned.

"God, no. That was just a small favor that he owed me. Now as for all of this well that was all of my own doing." James responded and circled the trio who were in the center of the Clock Tower very creepily.

"What do you mean?" Jason asked.

"Where else would the Riddler get the idea to attack your hidden base, huh? And do you think that Edward was smart enough to know about all this? That out of all the people in Gotham, you dear sister were the brains behind Batman and Batwoman's operations all this time, hmm?"

James then takes out a large sharp knife with rusty blood stains from his coat jacket and holds it close to his face eyeing the trio dangerously like a predator would do with its prey.

"So you told them?!" Barbara exclaimed fearfully.

"Well, yes, but only what they needed to know. The rest I still hold close to my chest dear sister." James answered loving the pure terror on their faces.

"I was the one who gave Joker the idea to go after Gordon's precious daughter..." James confessed shocking the trio to their core.

"You sick fuck!" Laurel said with disgust toward him.

"Why the hell would you do such a thing?! She's your sister! Your blood!" Jason exclaimed in anger and bewilderment as he was not able to comprehend what had just been dumped onto them.

Barbara in the middle of this madness was speechless and all she could do was cry profoundly hurt by all this.

"Correction, Jason. She was my sister. She was my blood..."

"Then what changed, huh?! What did I ever do to deserve this?!" Barbara spoke up angrily through her salty tears and slammed her fist onto her armchair rest.

"Why don't you go ahead and ask the woman who we call mother? From what the doctors have diagnosed at the Asylum they've been saying that it runs real deep in the family." James answered and chuckled evilly.

Barbara shook her head as she began to put the pieces together of her brother's bizarre and frightening childhood up to recent events "You monster! I knew you were always this way. I just didn't want to nor I could believe it. Even after all the evidence had pointed directly towards you."

"Oh, sis. I'm so flattered you finally see me for who I really am. But don't look so sad. I promise you that It will be painless...more or less," James said and stepped dangerously closer to his sister but was denied by a hard shove from Jason.

"Back off, Freak! I'm not letting you get near Barbara ever again. One more step and you'll get my foot in your ass." Jason exclaimed and shielded his girlfriend with his arm extended outwards.

James chuckled humorously and wiped the blood from his nose. He then spoke up and glanced at the couple holding hands. "Oh, that's so cute. Even in that crippled state dear, sis. You still somehow find love. But I mean come on, Barb. Look at you," James said and gestured to his sister mockingly. "You haven't been living. You can't call this living.  You've just been on life support ever since Joker did the deed with you. Now it's time for me to pull the fucking plug." James concluded and took off his long wet trenchcoat to reveal hidden explosives that were on his person.

"It's a suicide vest!" Laurel exclaimed and backed away alerted.

"That's right, Bird-Lady! Either you hand over my sister toward me or you let myself and the rest of us be blown to kingdoms come! So choose carefully your next move." James spoke with glee while holding the detonator in his hands ready to pounce on the red button.

Jason reassured Barbara by placing his hand on her shoulder as he looked across toward Laurel and nodded already thinking of a plan to get out of this tight predicament.

"You know something, James. I don't see that appeal as to why Gotham should fear you." Jason spoke up.

"What did you say, Bird-Boy?!"

"That right there. I mean look at you. Everything about you isn't original and has been taken from other notable serial killers like Joker and Professor Pig. Do you think you're that unique?"

"Watch it, Jason.." Barbara spoke up not knowing their plan. "Don't get him upset."

"Trust me, Babs," Jason whispered and gave her a knowing look.

"You should listen to her more often Bird-Boy. Saying stuff like that will get you killed." James Jr. spoke up slightly irritated.

"Oh, please. Without that vest on you, I could take you down in under 3 seconds." Jason said in a cocky voice and wanted to get on James Jr.'s nerves.

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yeah, and I would know considering I'm the one who trained him after all. Because you're just a psycho with a knife. You're no better than a Victor Zsas wannabe..." Laurel mocked with a sly smirk plastered across her face.

James' green eyes filled with fiery anger as he glared daggers at the Blonde Bombshell obviously gotten to by her disrespectful comment. All of James' attention was on Laurel and he didn't notice Jason throwing a Reverse Batarang toward his direction.

"One..."

Then the blunt object hit the back of James' head cutting him open and leaving him disoriented while also dropping the detonator to the ground as luckily for them it didn't go off.

"Two..."

Laurel then sees the chance to shut up this monster for good and disarms James of the sharp butcher knife and kicks James in the leg breaking it.

"Three..."

"Aaah! You bitch!" James groaned in pain immediately grasping at his right leg on the floor.

Laurel glanced down at James coldly watching him squirm on the now bloody floor. "That's for Barbara."

"You broke my legs! I may never walk...oh...like my sister! I get it now! Good one!" James said realizing the irony and began to laugh outlandish.

Barbara sighed relieved as the madness for them was finally over and got comforted by her friend Laurel. Once Jason destroyed the detonator with his boot he then went over to the now-injured James Jr and grabbed him by the collar.

"Told you it would only take three seconds," Jason said with a confident smile and then delivered a hard-looking headbutt to James Jr.'s skull putting his crazy ass to sleep.

—🦇—

A/N

Hello, Wattpad Fam! It's me again back with another update! It's been a while since I've last written a chapter for this book. I hope y'all are still invested in this Batquinn story. I appreciate the lovely comments and votes as always really motivate me to keep writing and telling great stories. I really would like to hear from you guys about what you do and don't like about my story. This chapter was a little hard to write mostly because of James Jr. I didn't know how to write him exactly as I didn't want him to be like a Joker 2.0 or something. So I tried to base him off Chucky and other known infamous fictional killers. Anyway, please write me your thoughts about what you think so far as I could use the ideas. ❤️