The Scarecrow was right: if it had been Bruce, he would never kill someone so easily.
But Kara was different. When she learned that the Scarecrow's real name was also Jonathan, she harbored a quiet grudge.
When the moment presented itself, she didn't hesitate. She stomped him to death.
"Tch, don't get my boots dirty—especially Bruce's boots," Kara muttered, glancing down at the blood that had inevitably stained her feet. She curled her lips in disdain.
But she didn't ponder too deeply. Did they intend to dirty her boots on purpose?
With the Scarecrow dealt with, Kara turned on her heel and leaped in the direction she'd come from. Once airborne, she launched herself into the sky, gliding away.
Though the Bat-suit was designed for gliding, it didn't allow for active flight.
In essence, it functioned like a parachute—effective for descending from great heights without injury, but incapable of ascending into the air.
Kara, however, was different. Utilizing her own innate flight ability, she soared higher to orient herself before heading toward the location Bruce had pointed out earlier.
Eventually, Kara landed on the roof of a nearby building, where Bruce had already rescued his childhood friend and love interest, Rachel Dawes. Rachel held a small boy in her arms.
"Is that your child?" Kara asked Rachel as she touched down lightly on the edge of the roof.
Rachel quickly shook her head. "Of course not! He's just a boy I met on the streets. I couldn't let him fend for himself. But—wait, is Batman working with someone now?"
This was news to Rachel. After all, Batman had always worked alone—or so she thought.
"You two stay here and don't move," Bruce interjected, stepping forward to shield Kara and address Rachel with concern.
Rachel frowned. "What about you? Are you still fighting them? It's too dangerous."
"Miss, that's the whole point of what we do," Kara said with a shrug. She knew full well Bruce hadn't called her in to babysit Rachel or Gordon. The real fight was yet to come.
"Let's go," Bruce commanded, motioning for Kara to follow as he turned to leave.
"Wait!" Rachel called out after them. "At least tell me your names! The next battle could be life-threatening, and if something happens, I want to remember you."
Kara grimaced. What kind of comment was that? Don't jinx us like that! What a thing to say.
Still, Bruce turned, his cape billowing as he perched on the edge of the building. His gaze met Rachel's expectant eyes, and he spoke solemnly. "It doesn't matter who I am beneath the mask. What matters is what I do."
"Bruce?" Rachel whispered, shocked, but he didn't wait for her reaction.
Kara raised her hand in a mock salute. "Goodbye, miss," she said as she followed Bruce, leaping after him.
"Wait! Are you Miss Kara?" Rachel shouted after her, the realization dawning.
Kara caught up with Bruce and hissed, "You did that on purpose, didn't you? You're trying to out me!"
Bruce didn't deny it. He was acutely aware of the risks ahead. This was not the confident, seasoned Batman of legend; this was a novice, grappling with uncertainty and mistakes.
Rachel's words had struck a chord. If this mission ended in his death, at least she would know who he truly was and why he had fought.
"You're going to owe me an interview," Kara grumbled. "And Bruce, let me remind you, Rachel has a boyfriend."
"He's dead," Bruce replied bluntly.
Kara scoffed. "Wow, so you're making moves on a widow now? Classy. What about Jennifer? She's ten times better than Rachel and actually loves you. What a scumbag," she muttered under her breath.
By now, the two of them had crossed half of Gotham, their dark figures slicing through the fear-toxin-laden skies.
To the terrified citizens below, their silhouettes appeared monstrous. Under the effects of the toxin, they became the stuff of nightmares, causing many to faint on the spot. Yet, inadvertently, this brought a strange calm to the chaos on the streets.
Finally, they arrived at the train station—a critical location. The high-speed train connecting Gotham to the mainland was central to the League of Shadows' plan.
The train platform was swarming with Ra's al Ghul's operatives. They were loading a microwave emitter onto the train—a device capable of vaporizing Gotham's water supply and unleashing the fear toxin citywide.
Kara and Bruce exchanged a glance. Without words, they conveyed their strategy.
As Ra's turned to face them, he addressed Bruce with a smirk. "You've taken my lessons on theatrics to heart, I see."
Kara tilted her head toward Bruce. "What lessons is he talking about?"
Bruce shot her an annoyed look. Did she really need to bring that up now?
Ignoring her, he stepped forward and declared, "This ends tonight."