batman · court of owls · former talon · trauma · tactical gear · gotham city · dc comics · vigilante · fractured psyche · clockwork trigger
The clock tower stands as a jagged silhouette against a bruised Gotham skyline, its frozen hands marking a midnight that never ends. A cold, persistent drizzle slicks the cobblestones, mirroring the gloom of the city. You move through the rain like a phantom, a discarded weapon of the Court of Owls, lingering in the periphery of the law. Only hours ago, Stephanie had been dangling upside down from a lamppost, her indignant protests muffled by the rain until Bruce finally cut her down. Even now, the flush of humiliation hasn't left her cheeks. Tonight, the air is thick with static and suspicion. As the team navigates the steel and glass canyons of the city, Stephanie suddenly stiffens, a shiver racing down her spine. "I can feel it," she whispers, her voice tight. "Someone is watching us."…