CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - BENEATH THE SURFACE

The operative sat in the dimly lit room, his face partially obscured by shadows. Blood trickled from a cut above his eyebrow, and his hands were bound tightly behind his back. Despite his injuries, he remained as calm as he could be, his eyes flicking between Taylor and Robin with a quiet, measured defiance.

Taylor stood to one side, leaning against the cold steel wall of said room with her baton resting in her hand, trying to project confidence she didn’t entirely feel. The captured operative wasn’t just another thug—he was trained, disciplined, and loyal. This wouldn’t be easy.

“Talk,” Robin said sharply, standing to Taylor’s left. His voice was low but laced with an edge that promised consequences if he didn’t get answers.

The operative scoffed, leaning back in his chair, seemingly relaxed. “You think breaking me will get you anywhere? You know nothing of what’s coming.”

Robin’s expression didn’t change, but Taylor caught the slight tightening of his jaw. He wasn’t used to being stonewalled. Neither was she, for that matter. Though, to be fair, she wasn't exactly surprised—it wasn’t the first time she’d dealt with someone more afraid of their master than the people questioning them. Still, every second wasted felt like another step closer to whatever Ra’s al Ghul was planning.

Taylor stepped forward, deceptively calm. “We’ve already stopped one of your weapons, but we both know that wasn’t the endgame. What’s Ra’s planning?”

“Your city’s already crumbling,” the man continued undeterred, his tone almost smug. “Ra’s will do what you’re too afraid to do—burn the rot away.”

“Rot?” Taylor’s voice carried a weight that made the man’s smile falter. “The only rot here is you and your League, preying on a city that’s already struggling to stand—leaving families without homes, without hope. You think that makes you strong? It makes you pathetic.”

The operative didn’t respond, but his eyes flicked toward her, a flicker of something—doubt, perhaps—crossing his face.

Robin’s patience seemed to wane as levelled his sword at the operative in one smooth motion. “You don’t have to be alive to give us what we need,” he said coldly.

The operative’s expression wavered, but he didn’t break.

Taylor raised a hand, stopping Robin. As he reluctantly put the weapon away, she moved to crouch in front of the operative, her mask making her expression unreadable.

“You think you’re untouchable,” she said quietly. “But we’ve already torn through your supply chains. We’ve dismantled your operations in half the city. You’re losing, and you know it. Ra’s left you here to slow us down because you’re expendable.”

The man’s jaw tightened, and Taylor finally saw the flicker of doubt in his eyes.

“What’s Ra’s planning?” Robin repeated, his voice sharp.

There was a long silence as the operative hesitated, the cracks in his resolve starting to show. Finally, he exhaled heavily. “Gotham is a disease. It’s rotted from the inside, poisoned by corruption and greed. Ra’s isn’t destroying it—he’s cleansing it. What rises from the ashes will be stronger, better.”

Robin’s eyes narrowed. “So that’s the plan? Reduce the city to rubble and rebuild it in Ra’s al Ghul’s image?”

“How?” Taylor asked.

“We have many weapons,” The operative admitted. “And we have many targets—bridges, power grids, water supplies. Ra’s plans to take it all down at once. The city will collapse under its own weight.”

Taylor’s stomach turned, but she forced herself to stay composed. “And then what?”

Taylor could feel something was off as the operative’s eyes gleamed with a faintly fanatical light, but she couldn’t quite place it. She glanced at Robin, who had also picked up on the subtle shift in the man’s demeanor, though it elicited anger in him rather than caution.

“Gotham will become a symbol. A warning to the world that corruption cannot stand. Ra’s will bring balance.”

Robin twitched, as if physically holding himself back from unsheathing his sword again. “Where are the next targets?”

The operative shook his head, his lips pressing into a thin line.

Taylor’s patience snapped. She grabbed the man by the front of his costume, pulling him forward. “Where?” she hissed.

For a moment, he looked like he might resist. But then, something in her voice—or maybe the insects drawn by her anger—made him break.

Though not in the way she expected.

Before either of them could react, the operative shifted, biting down hard on something hidden in his mouth. His body convulsed, and foam bubbled from his lips as he collapsed onto the floor.

“No!” Taylor lunged forward, but it was too late. The man’s eyes glazed over, his breathing halted in seconds.

Robin knelt beside the body, checking for any signs of life, but after a moment he shook his head. “Cyanide capsule. Standard League protocol.”

Taylor stepped back. “Fuck!” The word came out sharp, echoing through the cold, dim room. They were so close to uncovering Ra’s plan—so close—and now their only lead was gone.

. . . . .

Taylor and Robin left the safe house in silence, retreating to a nearby rooftop, the weight of failure hanging between them. She leaned against a rusted railing, her mind replaying the interrogation over and over. They had been so close. One more question, one more minute, and they might have had everything they needed. Instead, all they had was a dead operative and a handful of unanswered questions.

“I should’ve seen it coming,” she muttered, breaking the silence. “I should’ve realized he’d take the easy way out.”

Robin didn’t respond right away. He stood near the edge of the rooftop, his cape shifting slightly in the breeze, eyes fixed on the streets below. “It wasn’t your fault. League operatives are trained to die before they betray Ra’s. He would’ve done it no matter what.” His voice was quieter than usual.

Taylor scoffed. “That doesn’t make it any less of a failure. We’re running out of time, Robin. Ra’s is moving faster than we can keep up, and if we don’t figure out his next target soon…” She trailed off, unwilling to finish the thought.

Her fingers gripped the cold metal tightly as she continued. “So what now? We’re back to square one.”

“Not exactly.” Robin shook his head. “He confirmed something important—Ra’s isn’t just destabilizing Gotham. He’s mainly targeting infrastructure. We just need to figure out his next targets.

“How?” Her frustration was evident in her voice. “If he takes out the right infrastructure before we figure it out, it’ll cause a chain reaction. Panic will set in, and the city will collapse.”

“But we know what to watch for.”

“The community we’ve rallied—they’re already scared,” Taylor continued, as if she hadn't heard what he said, “If word gets out about Ra’s plan, morale will crumble.”

Robin turned to face her, a frown on his lips. “Then you don’t tell them everything. Not yet.”

Taylor gave him a sharp look. “Lying to them isn’t going to help.”

“I’m not saying lie,” Robin said, his tone placating. “I’m saying give them a reason to keep fighting. Focus on what they can do. If you let fear take over, Ra’s wins without firing another shot.”

Taylor exhaled slowly, trying to steady her nerves. Robin might be right, but she wasn’t sure she should hide the truth from the people she’d rallied. She knew the risk of letting fear fester in the dark, of keeping people in the dark under the guise of protecting them. The community had stood their ground when no one else would. They deserved more credit than just being told half the story.

“They’ll fight better if they know what’s really at stake,” Taylor said quietly, breaking the silence.

Robin‘s expression was bewildered. “You think telling them Ra’s is planning to bring the entire city to its knees is going to help morale? They’re already on edge, Swarm Queen. If they lose hope, they won’t fight at all.”

Taylor didn’t look away, meeting his gaze. “It’s not about hiding the truth, Robin. It’s about trust. If they feel like we’re keeping things from them, they’ll lose faith in us anyway. They need to know what they’re up against so they can prepare—not just for the fight, but for what comes after.”

Robin frowned, clearly weighing her words. She could see the doubt in his eyes, the part of him that had been trained by Batman to control information, to only share what was absolutely necessary.

“You’ve led people before,” he said finally. It wasn’t a question, more of an observation, but there was something in his tone—curiosity, perhaps, or maybe respect.

“Somewhat.” Taylor sighed, glancing back at the distant buildings. “But that doesn't matter. People aren’t as fragile as you think. They’re scared, sure, but that doesn’t mean they can’t handle the truth.”

Robin’s expression didn’t soften, but he gave a small nod. “Fine. You tell them. But you take responsibility for whatever happens next.”

Taylor exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of his words settle on her shoulders among others. She knew it was a risk. The truth could either strengthen the community’s resolve or break it entirely. But if there was one thing she had learned in Brockton Bay, it was that people deserved the chance to fight for themselves—even if the odds seemed impossible.

“I will,” she said firmly. “I’m not afraid of that.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The only sounds were the distant sirens and their muted breathing. Taylor didn’t know what would come next, but she knew one thing for certain: she couldn’t lead through fear, not like this. If Gotham was going to survive, they needed hope—and hope could only exist where trust lived.

Still…

“We need more time,” she suddenly said. “Time to figure out where Ra’s is hitting next. Time to prepare.”

“We’ll get it,” Robin said firmly. “But we need to move fast. Ra’s won’t wait.”

Taylor nodded, determination hardening her expression. They didn’t have all the answers, but they had enough to keep going.

“Let’s get back,” she said, moving towards the next rooftop. “There’s a lot of work to do.”

Robin followed without a word,

. . . . .

The next night, Taylor gathered the community leaders at the same centre where they’d made their plans. The atmosphere was tense, the air heavy with unspoken fears. She could see it in their faces—doubt, weariness, the weight of fighting an enemy they couldn’t fully comprehend.

“We’ve learned more about what we’re up against,” Taylor began, keeping her voice steady. “Ra’s al Ghul is targeting key infrastructure—power plants, water supply lines, bridges, things of that nature. If he succeeds, the city won’t just fall into chaos. It’ll collapse entirely.”

A murmur spread through the room, voices rising in concern.

Jack, the older mechanic, raised a hand. “How do we stop something like that? We’re not heroes like you. We’re just trying to protect our families.”

“I know,” Taylor said. “And I’m not asking you to fight their operatives head-on. We can’t win that way. But we can do as we have been doing to disrupt their plans. Block their access to key sites. Alert each other when we see them moving through the neighborhood.”

“What about the authorities?” someone else asked. “Why isn’t Batman dealing with this?”

Robin stepped forward, his expression hard. “Batman’s dealing with an otherworldly threat at the moment. We don’t have time to wait for him to be done. This is our fight now.”

The room fell silent. Taylor could see the fear in their eyes, but also something else—resolve. These people had survived Gotham’s worst for years. They knew what it meant to fight for their lives.

“We’ve already come this far,” Taylor said. “And I’m not giving up now. Remember, if we stand together, we can protect what’s ours.”

Slowly, one by one, the people in the room nodded. A teenage girl stepped forward this time, her expression set. “Alright. Tell us what we need to do.”

Conversations ensued until it was time for the group to disperse, which they did one after the other, each deep in thought. However, as Taylor and Robin prepared to leave, Marcus stopped her.

“You’ve done good here,” he said. “Whatever happens, you’ve given us hope.”

Taylor nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. Regardless of what they called, she didn’t feel like a hero—not now, not ever. But if she could stop Ra’s al Ghul, if she could save this city… maybe that would be enough.

For now, it had to be.

. . . . .

After the meeting, Taylor and Robin walked through the dimly lit streets side by side, postures relaxed yet alert for any danger.

“You did well,” Robin said after a moment.

Taylor glanced at him, surprised. “You’re not exactly generous with praise.”

“I call it like I see it,” he replied. “You’re leading them. They trust you. That’s more important than any power or weapon.”

Taylor didn’t respond immediately. The weight of responsibility still pressed heavily on her, but for the first time in a long while, she didn’t feel entirely alone.

“We will stop him,” she said quietly, more to herself than to Robin. “No matter what it takes.”

Robin didn’t reply, but his silence felt like agreement.