Chapter Five

The van was waiting for them where she said it would be. McEwan and Montana quickly climbed in through the back cargo doors. As soon as the doors were closed the van drove off. McEwan quickly checked on Dick. Ghoul was seated on the driver's side wheel well; he was still holding Dick who was sleeping soundly on his lap. Ghoul watched McEwan as he wordlessly studied Dick, his expression inscrutable. McEwan abruptly got to his feet and headed towards the front.

McEwan squeezed into the passenger seat. He put on his shoulder harness, turned on the radio, searched for a news station, then finally settled down.

"It's all over the news, if that's what you're looking for." His companion broke the silence first. "I don't get it, Jamie! You already have three strikes against you . . . another arrest and you'll be tried as an adult! You won't be sent back to the JDC--!"

"That's bad?" McEwan asked sardonically.

"--You'll be sent to Blackgate!" His companion finished exasperatedly. "Although, I think you're definitely demonstrating Arkham Asylum tendencies!" McEwan grinned.

"Yeah, but you love me anyway, right?" McEwan studied her angry profile. As always he felt himself catching his breath when he gazed upon her. Some would say that perfection was an impossibility in another human being, but they had never seen Katherine Evans. She'd been called "Heavens" Evans by the cheerleading crowd she'd hung out with in high school; however, somewhere along the line she came down with the "Stupidity" virus and fell in love with him.

McEwan still shook his head in amazement. The pickpocket and the Homecoming Queen, like something out of a fairytale. And here he'd gotten her involved in this. Great way to show your love, he thought.

"Look, Kat, I want you drop us off at the old hangout, then forget you ever saw us. I should never have asked you to do this!"

"It's too late for that, Jamie. I'm already involved. What's going on anyway? Why did you break out? Who *is* that little kid? Where's Lucky? I thought you said he was coming with you?" McEwan waited for Kat to finally pause for breath.

"The kid's the reason we broke out. The Vigils were trying to kill him . . . Zucco's orders." He explained succinctly.

"Zucco? What does *that* rat have to do with it?" Kat asked.

"It's a long story, Kat . . . I'll fill you in later. As for Lucky . . . Napalm and his pal Gunner knifed him. He's dead. I'm sorry." Kat drew in a sharp breath.

"Lucky--?" she whispered. "Ohmygod! What'll we tell his Mom? He's all she had."

"I don't know, Kat . . . I just don't know. I sent him ahead to open any exits that the electronic security system couldn't take care of. Napalm either followed him, or he was waiting for him. Anyway, by the time Ghoul, Montana and me arrived, he was already dead. Jay Dee was fighting with Gunner . . . and losing badly. He's lucky we arrived when we did, or we'd've had two dead friends . . . Not to mention the little Acrobat would probably be dead, too."

"Acrobat?" Kat asked.

"The kid."

"I see. So why do the Vigils and Zucco want him dead?" Kat asked. "You're going to explain *every*thing now, Jamie, or I pull over and throw you all out. Understand!?" McEwan looked at her determined profile. He sighed; he was too exhausted to argue, so chose to explain instead.

*****

"Hey, sleepyhead . . . are you going to sleep all day? Rise and shine!" The soft feminine voice sounded maternally insistent. Dick turned on his side, burrowing deeper into his covers.

"Ten more minutes, Mom . . . please?"

"Sorry, little guy . . . but it's time to get up. Come on . . . I got you some breakfast." Dick's awareness suddenly snapped him awake. Not Mom! Mom was . . . he couldn't complete the thought. Where was he? Fingers! Dick sat up and immediately pushed himself as far from the strange girl as he could.

"Who *are* you? Where am I? Where's Fingers?" Dick's blue eyes were as big as marbles, and he clutched Elinore tightly to himself. The girl was beautiful, but looks could be deceiving. Mom had always told him to never talk to strangers. His heart rate was elevated; his breathing rapid, like he'd just finished a double matinee performance. He felt himself breaking out in a cold clammy sweat.

Okay, she's just a girl, Dick reassured himself. You held your own against Blade and Napalm. Gunner, too, for a little while.

"Hey, kid  . . . don't panic, now. I'm Kat . . . I'm a friend of Jamie's." At his suspicious glare, she explained, "Fingers. You *do* know his real name, don't you?" Dick shook his head at first, then nodded yes.

"I forgot," he admitted.

"Well, that's understandable. Sometimes I forget he's got a real name, too," Kat said softly, smiling. "By the way, what's *your* name?"

"They call me Acrobat," Dick said. At her encouraging look, he added, "But my *real* name is Richard . . . Dick . . . Grayson."

"Well, I'm mighty pleased to make your acquaintance Mister Richard Dick Grayson," Kat said. "And *my* name is Katherine Evans, but everyone calls me Kat." She gave him a friendly smile, which Dick returned a little uncertainly. "Come on, now. Do you think you can stand? Jamie told me you'd been hurt. Do you feel any dizziness?"

"Uh-uh," Dick said, shaking his head for emphasis. Kat smiled.

"Is that *uh-uh* I don't think I can stand; or *uh-uh* I don't feel any dizziness?" Dick returned her infectious smile.

"I don't feel any dizziness."

"Good. Do you feel hungry?" Dick nodded enthusiastically. "Great. Come on. Let's go in the kitchen."

"Where *are* we?" Dick asked curiously.

"We are in what was once the Gotham City Lights Night Club. Now, it's just an abandoned building that the boys sort of took over a few years ago. Between Lucky and Jay Dee they were able to restore some of the utilities into the building, without the knowledge of the Gotham City Utilities Company, of course."

She smiled suddenly at a memory. "Those two! Jamie used to say that they were like two guys sharing one brain. Jay Dee would come up with these wonderful and seemingly impossible ideas on paper; Lucky would turn the ideas into reality." At Dick's questioning look, she explained. "Jay Dee would draw up the engineering specs for . . . say a gadget . . . then Lucky would build it." She dropped her eyes in grief. "I can't believe he's gone."

Dick walked up to her and took her hand. He looked up at her with profound understanding. "He was my friend, too. If he hadn't agreed to help me, then maybe--" Dick couldn't go on. Kat placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, Dick. Let's get you some breakfast." Dick nodded.

Chapter Six

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