Sorry for the wait folk.

Author Note: This is a kind of !!!CRACKISH!!! Fanfiction. I don't own Marvel and DC, nor I am some sort of loremaster. 

I am a amateur writer and only writing this for fun nor I am British.

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(♪ Signalis Soundtrack - Ewige Wiederkunft ♪)

Gotham City.

Night Time.

General POV

Gotham City, this city has a population of over 10 million people and is known for being one of the most dangerous and crime-ridden places in the world. The night falls, and the city is alive with activity. From the skyscrapers that pierce the sky to the back alleys of the slums, there is a sense of danger that permeates every inch of this sprawling metropolis.

It is home to many crime families and infamous villains, each vying for control and power. The police department is notoriously corrupt, and it seems like no one is safe. They lurk in the shadows, waiting for their chance to strike and wreak havoc on the innocent citizens of Gotham.

But it is also the home of the Cape Crusader, Batman, and his Bat Family. With his gadgets, intelligence, and unwavering determination, Batman works tirelessly to bring criminals to justice and restore order to Gotham City. His allies, such as Robin and Batgirl, aid him in his crusade and together they form an unbreakable bond that strikes fear into the hearts of the city's criminals. 

But for the average folks, life in Gotham City is a constant struggle to survive. Crime is rampant, and the police are often too afraid or corrupt to do much to help. Many people live in poverty, struggling to make ends meet, and some are forced to turn to crime themselves just to survive.

"GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

Such as this youngster running down the alleyway, desperately trying to escape the grasp of a group of thugs. Despite being able to expertly weave through the trash and debris, the gang of thugs was still able to keep their pace and even catch up to her quickly.

However, this youngster is no ordinary child. Despite being hungry and out on the street of Gotham for many years, this youngster is still quite capable for her age. She takes a sharp turn, her agility and speed allowing her to easily evade the thugs. But still, they pursue her, their angry shouts growing louder with each passing moment.

The youngster knows she can't keep running forever, but she can't let them catch her. She then spotted what seems to be an abandoned construction site up ahead. Strapping the backpack tightly on her shoulder and Without hesitation, she scrambles up the fence and climbs onto the site, hoping to lose the thugs in the maze of the construction site.

As she runs up the stairs of the building's skeleton, she hears the footsteps of her pursuers growing closer. She mentally curses her luck and keeps running, trying to stay ahead of them. But when she reaches the top floor, she realizes that she has run into a dead end.

She looks around frantically, searching for a way to escape. But it seems like she is trapped, and the thugs are getting closer.  She can hear their heavy breathing and the gleeful sounds of their weapons being unsheathed.

"Oh ho...just you wait when I get you. I'm going to have some fun, you little rascal..."

Looking around once again, there seem to be largely empty crates and abandoned furniture scattered around the floor. Her eyes dart back and forth, the beginning of a plan forming in her mind. She quickly hides behind one of the crates and waits for the thugs to approach.

Carefully poking out her head to see, she spotted about 7 thugs entering the room with one of the thugs staying behind to guard her only exit. Their body language showed that they were confident and relaxed, thinking that they had her trapped. But the youngster had a surprise in store for them.

Quickly and silently, she moved from crate to crate, avoiding the thugs' line of sight. Relying on her father's former training, she silently took out a rock from her pocket and tossed it across the room, causing the thugs to turn their attention toward the sound.

Taking advantage of the diversion, the youngster swiftly moved across the room, slipping past the remaining thug and heading towards the only exit. But before she could make her escape, she was blocked by another group of thugs, who seemed to have been waiting for her.

"Well...well...well what do we have here? A little rat caught in our trap. You should have known better than to steal from us." One of the thugs, who is seen to be their leader, sounded.

Another thug was able to get behind the youngster and wrench the backpack off her back, causing her to stumble forward. Only for yet Another thug to catch and hold the girl in a vice grip. As their leader rummages through the girl bags.

"Scream and cry all you want, nobody can hear you in this abandoned place." The thug sneered in the youngster's face.

Terrified and outmatched, the youngster braces herself for the worst. But then something unexpected happened, all of a sudden there was what sounded like footsteps approaching and a whistling sound...

(♪ Kill Bill Vol 1 OST - Twisted Nerve ♪)

The Thugs all stopped in their tracks, looking around in confusion. Then, out of the shadows stepped a figure. In the dim light, the youngster could make out a man...? The man was still whistling as he stepped out of the shadow and revealed himself.

The man was tall, the youngster could tell that much, he had white ashen skin and wore a hoodie with the zipper down showing a tactical vest with Union Jack Patches that the man wore underneath the hoodie. The man took off his hood and revealed strangely...he was wearing a pair of green sunglasses in the middle of the night?

Reading the man's face and body language the youngster could tell that the man was calm, even relaxed with a playful smile on his lips, but there was a sense of danger around him. The thugs, on the other hand, were clearly intimidated by the man's presence, stepping back nervously.

"Nice weather isn't it?" The man said casually with a gentlemanly British accent, still whistling the tune from the Kill Bill soundtrack.

The thugs didn't know what to do. They were faced with a situation where a man so calm and confident was standing before them, seemingly unfazed by their weapons and numbers.

"Who are you?" The leader of the thugs finally managed to say.

"It doesn't matter who I am...what matter is this..."

*CLANK*

"AHHHHH!"

All of a sudden the thug that was holding the youngster let go of her and yelled in pain and clutching his bleeding mess of a leg as the other thugs turned in shock to see a small hole the size of a soda can in the wall where the thugs that were holding the youngster stood.

"Out there...is an elite sniper wielding a Barrett M82 all chamber in .50 BMG round." The man said calmly, still whistling as if nothing was happening. "One of the most powerful conventional sniper rifles on earth, enough to blow each and every one of your heads clean off like a watermelon…so much as you try to flee this place...or even touch the girl."

The thugs were now terrified, realizing that they were completely outmatched. As the man continues to approach the gang of thugs completely unafraid.

"Now..." The man claps his hand and continues. "The only way you lot are getting out of here alive is to fight me and don't worry I not gonna kill y'all"

The gang of thugs was surrounding him now but the man was still unconcerned as he stopped his whistling and said.

"Are we going to stand around here all night, or are we going to fight?"

The thugs looked at each other, unsure of what to do. They had never faced an opponent like this before, someone who was so confident and calm in the face of danger. But they had no choice, they knew that they had to fight if they wanted to leave this place alive.

Without warning, the first thug lunged at the man, swinging his bat with all his might. But the man was too quick, easily dodging the attack and landing a swift kick to the thug's stomach. The thug doubled over in pain, gasping for air as the man moved on to the next one.

The thug wielding a crowbar tries to get in a lucky hit but the man was too skilled, dodging and weaving around the attacks effortlessly. The man struck back disarming and throwing the thugs over his shoulder and into another one of their friends, taking multiple thugs out in one move.

*Bang*

*Bang*

*Bang*

A thug with a pistol was able to shoot the man multiple times but the man didn't flinch, the bullets seemingly bouncing off him harmlessly. The man then drops and kicks the thug holding the gun and sends his body through the air, crashing into the nearby crates.

"Nice Try Bozo," the man said with a smirk.

The fight continued, the man moving fluidly and gracefully as he took on the remaining thugs. The youngster watched in awe as the man effortlessly took them down, each move calculated and precise. It was clear that he was trained in combat, and probably had many years of experience under his belt.

One of the thugs wielding a knife was able to sneak behind the man while he was distracted by another attacker and luckily stab the man in the neck. For a second the youngster thought that the man was done for, but to her surprise, the man only flinched before expertly grabbing the thug's arm and using his momentum to throw him over his shoulders, and onto the ground with a loud thud and knocking him out.

Finally, the last thug was down, lying unconscious on the ground. The man stood amidst the wreckage, his breathing steady and his face calm. He then turned to the youngster.

"You okay, lassie?"

The youngster nodded, still in shock from what had just happened. The man then took the knife that was still stuck in his neck and removed it with ease, not even flinching as he did. The man picked up the youngster's backpack and handed it back to her.

"Here, I believe this belongs to you."

The youngster took it from the man's hand. Then after that, the man took out a rope from out of nowhere and began tying up the unconscious thugs, ensuring that they wouldn't be able to escape even when they woke up.

The man then turned back to the youngster.

"What is a Young lassie like you doing out here, all alone?"

But the youngster didn't say anything or maybe she just can't speak. Instead, she simply shrugged her shoulders, still in shock from what she had just witnessed. The man then reached out and gently touched her shoulder. His body language indicates that he understands her problem.

"Ah I get now...so you mute?"

The youngster nodded, feeling a sense of relief that the man seemed to understand her without her having to say anything. 

"Hmm...Can you write lassie?" As the man took out a small notepad and pen.

Only for the youngster to shake her head in the negative. Her father hadn't taught her how to write or even read, from her birth he had only taught her how to fight and read body before she ran away from her father after he tricked her into killing someone for him.

"Can you do sign language then? Do you know any gestures?" The man asked, trying to find a way to communicate with the youngster.

Again, the youngster shook her head, feeling frustrated that she couldn't even communicate properly with this man who had just saved her life.

The man looked at her with understanding and empathy, his eyes seeming to look deep into her soul. After a while, the man seemed to be thinking about something before he let off a sign and nodded his head.

"Well, then, how about this?" The man held out his hand. "Do you want to come with me? I can help you."

The youngster looked up at the man, unsure of what to do. But something about him made her feel safe, and she knew that she had to take a chance. Slowly, she reached out and took the man's hand, feeling a sense of hope that maybe her life was about to change for the better.

                          0000000000

Otto Gallahan POV

[New Location Discover: Gotham City]

(Rewards: 2000XP)

(Cassandra Cain LV 47)

(Character Cassandra Cain added to the Bio) (+1000XP)

"Sir, are you sure about this boss?" The concern in Quintero's voice is evident as he spoke through my earpiece. "There is a small chance that you could attract the attention of the League of Assassins if you take her with you."

"I know the risks, Quintero," I replied, "But I couldn't just leave her there. She doesn't have anyone else, and she needs help."

"So we are taking her in then?" The voice of Temptress, my partner and the one who fired the shot, chimed in.

The lassie looked dirty and malnourished, her clothes torn and ragged in some of the area. Her raven hair was long and unkempt, and there was a hint of fear and uncertainty in her eyes. But there was also a sense of resilience, a determination to survive that I couldn't help but admire. Right now Cassandra was looking at me strangely and I didn't need my telepathy to tell me that she was confused about who I was talking to. I quickly composed myself and nodded to her.

"Yes, we are taking her in… for now…," I said firmly as I finished pocketing some valuables on the Thug's body, patching them up, and binding them to a metal pole. "We'll do what we can to help her, and keep her safe for tonight at least..."

I looked down at the young girl beside me, seeing the fear and uncertainty in her eyes. This whole encounter all happened by chance, after resting and recuperating from the intense spar between us, I and Druuna with the use of the sling ring headed out on our first official outing into Gotham City with one goal in mind.

Raiding a local gang's hideout and "liberating" (as the Yank would say) some of the criminals of any stolen goods we could find. Then we stumbled into the midst of the thugs chasing after the young girl.

I know who Cassandra Cain is and what she is capable of. I have read comic books and seen movies, but I never thought I would meet her in person, let alone be able to help her.

Cassandra arrived in Gotham much earlier than I have expected compared to her comic book counterpart, as an orphaned child, she had lived on the streets for years, running into trouble and learning to fight at a young age. She was mute and illiterate, her only communication being through body language, but she was also a skilled fighter, taught by her assassin parents before she ran away.

"Temptress rendezvous on me." I order as I approach the seeming leader of the gang of thugs with an adrenaline shot in my hand.

"So...is the mission still a go, then?" the raven hair beauty asked, clearly curious about what was going on.

"Yes, we still need to complete our original objective. But we will...take the lassie with us for now…," I replied a bit hesitant as I adjusted my green tactical sunglasses and stuck the adrenaline needle into the thug's chest specifically where the heart is. "Besides this whole event is also a good opportunity for some interrogation..."

I could feel The Young Lassie's wariness increase at the mention of interrogation, but I quickly reassured her with a calming smile.

"Oh no don't worry lassie I not talking about you," I said reassuringly as the thugs I injected with adrenaline began to stir awake with a gasp.

(Lowly Thugs Grunt LV39)

"Wakey wakey," I sounded as I slapped the thugs on the face lightly, "I have some questions for you."

"Huh? What do you want?" The gang leader groaned as he tried to shake off the effects of the adrenaline shot.

"Where are you, boss?" I demanded, my voice hard and commanding.

"Who the hell are you?" the leader sneered, trying to sound tough.

"I'm the one asking the questions," I replied calmly, but with a dangerous edge to my voice, "And you will answer them if you know what's good for you."

The leader looked at me for a moment, then broke out into nervous laughter. "You think you scare me? You don't know who you're dealing with AHHHH!!!!..."

I put my pinky fingers into my mouth and decided to give the thugs a good old wet willy, causing him to yelp in surprise and pain and unexpectedly also causing Cassandra to let out what sounded like a snort.

"Alright, alright!" he finally conceded as I released his ear, "Our boss is in the old abandoned factory on the east side of town. You can't miss it."

"Thank you now, who does your boss work for?" I asked, eyeing him expectantly.

"I don't know, man," he replied, shaking his head frantically, "He just tells us what to do and we do it. I swear, that's all I know."

I sighed, knowing that the information I had gotten might not be enough. But it was a start.

"Alright, we're done here but I going to attempt one more thing," I said, pulling the needle out of the leader's chest and wiping my pinky with a handkerchief. 

(Telepathy)

"You do not remember me,"

With my Telepathy, I began scanning and erasing any memories of my face and Cassandra's from the leader's and all of the thug's minds, while also gathering and compiling all relevant memory and information about their boss and any other criminal activities they were involved in. It was an exhausting process because I have to filter many truly disturbing memories, but it was necessary.

"Well...That was easier than I thought, I am getting better at this whole Telepathy thing..." I muttered as the thug began to fall unconscious, then Druuna arrived with the large gun case in hand.

"Now, forget everything you saw and heard here," I spoke commandingly, making sure they all had fully accepted the suggestion before turning back to Cassandra.

"Alright, let's go," I said, leading her away from the scene.

"So...this is her," The promiscuous beauty whispered to me as we walked away, "The Cassandra Cain that you mentioned. And we just rescued her from a group of thugs in Gotham City."

"Yes, we did," I replied, my mind already racing with thoughts of how I could help her. "But how about you? I sense mild irritation coming from you,"

"Yea...two assholes try to make a move on me while you were dealing with the thugs," Druuna replied, scowling. "I took care of them, but it's just ridiculous how some men still don't understand the word 'no'."

"Well...that's Gotham for you," I said with a shrug, "Now let me take that gun case off for you,"

"Aww… and they say chivalry is dead," The promiscuous beauty teased as I made it disappear into thin air and to my inventory after she handed me the big gun case.

Looking at Cassandra, I could tell that she was astonished about what just happened to the large gun case and where it went.

"Don't mind that, lassie," I said with a smile, "It's just a little trick I had."

"Really? A little trick? That trick of yours is overpowered," The blonde AI commented. "To be able to literally carry around anything no matter how big or heavy and make it disappear and appear at will."

"Ah, but it's one of my many useful abilities," I replied with a smirk, "And the reason why I have the highest carry capacity in our team."

The Young runaway looked at me with a curious expression, and I realized that she still didn't know who we were, or what we were capable of. And after a moment of pondering it though I decided to take a bit of a chance to reveal a bit of information.

"Ah screw it! Allow me to introduce myself, lassie," I said, stopping and turning to face her. " My name is Otto Gallahan, also known by my other code name Vagabond. I used to be a S.A.S. Captain and MI6 Special agent before I ended up being an experiment of Cadmus,"

I paused for a moment, letting the information sink in before continuing.

"And this," I gestured to The raven hair beauty beside me, "is my partner, Druuna. She is our expert in infiltration and espionage."

Cassandra looked at us in disbelief, and I could see the questions forming in her mind. But before she could ask, I decided to address her concerns.

"Don't worry, lassie. We're here to help you, and keep you safe," I said reassuringly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll take care of you at least for tonight..."

"So..." Druuna began to question as we left the abandoned construction site. "How did a little girl like you end up being chased by a group of thugs?"

Cassandra looked down, her body language tense.

"Oh right...I forgot that you are mute," The Druuna said, realizing her mistake.

I could sense Cassandra's discomfort and decided to step in.

"It's alright, Druuna," I said, giving her a warning look before turning back to Cassandra. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to. But we are here to help if you decide to share."

Cassandra nodded in gratitude, we then led the lassie into an empty alleyway as the police siren grew louder. Taking the Sling ring out of my inventory, I then turn to the kid.

"A little bit head up lassie, we're going to be traveling a bit faster than what you're used to," I warned her before putting on the ring. "Just stay calm alright?"

Cassandra looked at me with uncertainty, but she understood the situation. I took hold of her hand and activated the ring. In an instant, a golden portal opened in front of us and we stepped through it, the sensation of being pulled through space and time filling us before we arrived at our destination.

"Druuna, go get this lassie to the lab for a check-up…and something to eat too," I ordered as we arrived at the base in our pocket dimension. "Quintero will guide you through the process."

"You got it handsome…" The promiscuous woman winked, taking Cassandra's hand and leading her away toward the lab. I watched them go before turning to my next task.

"Time to analyze the intel we obtained," I said to myself, heading toward the commands corner where Quintero's holographic avatar was waiting for me.

"You know I kinda wonder how a girl like her ended up in Gotham City or how she had been able to survive on the streets or what she did that caused a gang of criminals to chase her like that," Quintero mused as I approached Holotable.

"Well I know WHY she was chased and considering what I know about her in the comic books, it's likely that she ran away from her father after discovering his true nature as an assassin. And as for how she survived on the streets, her fighting skills and adaptability likely played a big part," I replied, pulling up the information I had gathered from the thugs. "Still, we can't solely rely on comic book knowledge, still… I can check Cassandra's bio and her situation later."

"Or you can use your Telepathy to find out more, or even properly communicate with her," The UNSC AI suggested.

"Hmm...now that... not a bad idea," I nodded slowly, considering the possibilities. "But do you think it will work? Can she even project her thoughts and intention for me to hear and read?"

"Well Druuna and I just did a scan of Cassandra's brain during her check-up," Quintero replied.

"And there doesn't seem to be any physical impediment to her but this part," Quintero highlights one area of her brain. "The parts of her brain normally used for speech and language processing are not fully developed or connected. Which is likely the reason why she is mute and struggles with reading and writing. However, her other senses and cognitive abilities seem to be above average."

"I see, Considering what we already know, she likely communicates through other means, probably through body language," I said, nodding in understanding. "A question, you said her language processing is not fully developed but is seen as if she can understand what we are saying, right?"

"Yes, that seems to be the case," Quintero replied. "Her brain activity indicates that she can comprehend language, but for some reason, she just can't speak or read it."

interesting…a bit different from her counterpart in the comic… This might be easier than I thought.

"Hmm... Cassandra can probably project concepts and images through her mind," I thought out loud, "And with my Telepathy, I might be able to understand and communicate with her that way."

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Quintero said but I waved him off. 

"Later and I was to ask the lassie for her consent before trying anything invasive like that," I replied firmly, "We still need to earn her trust, Quintero."

"Understood, sir," Quintero replied, nodding in agreement.

I settled in front of the holo table, staring at the information displayed on the screen. Showing a detailed holographic map of the AO specifically where the old abandoned factory was located.

"The old factory... What can you tell me about it?"

The UNSC Smart AI quickly pulled up the information he had gathered on the factory and began to relay it to me.

"According to my research, the factory used to be an old Wayne Enterprises facility that was shut down due to a gas leak. The building has been abandoned for years, and rumors have it that it has become a hub for criminal activity."

"Yea… I already know what kind of activity…"

"Drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, and …human trafficking," Quintero replied, his voice grim. "It seems that this is where the majority of their operations take place."

"Hmm...Can you bring up the schematic of it?" I asked Quintero.

"Sure thing, sir," the UNSC AI replied, pulling up the layout of the factory. "What are you planning?"

A malicious grin spreads across my face as I study the layout of the factory. 

"A raid,"

[Quest initiated! Raiding The Old Factory]

[This Old Factory has become a hub for criminal activity such as drug trafficking, weapon smuggling, and human trafficking. Your mission is to raid the factory, take down any criminals inside, and rescue any hostages. Be careful, the criminals may have reinforcements and you may encounter resistance. Good luck!]

(Primary Objective: Raid the Old Factory)

(Secondary Objective: Capture or Kill the leader of this whole operation)

(Third Objective: Extract and Rescue the hostages and special HVT)

(Optional Objective: Take all of the Valuables or stolen goods for yourself)

(Rewards: 40000 XP, 40000$, A 40% Item shop coupon, a mystery item?)

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