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[b][center][color=gray]BATMAN[/color][/center][/b][/h1][/sup][/color][indent][sub][COLOR=gray][I]OTISBURG[/I][/COLOR][/sub][/indent][indent][sup][right][COLOR=gray][b]FIRST FLIGHT - A COUP DE MAIN[/b][/color][/right][/sup][/indent][INDENT][hr][/INDENT]
[INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][color=DARKGRAY]Isabel Gálvez felt at ease when she clocked out after a long day assisting affluent customers as a sales clerk for a high-end store in Otisburg, just a stone's throw from the newly erected WayneCorp Stadium. But the bittersweet truth was that the high-tech stadium now stood where her neighborhood once thrived, pulsating with life and love. The predominantly Hispanic community had already been grappling with gentrification from opportunistic landlords and a volatile housing market when the city swooped in, buying up the land and providing compensation to residents forced to leave. However, the money received was only sufficient to move to another low-income neighborhood, which also was struggling with rapid gentrification. Many of her old neighbors ended up moving to The Hill, while those with large families or considered the underclass were left with no choice but to move to East End, The Bowery, or The Narrows—the neglected neighborhoods of Gotham.

It was fortunate for Isabel that she had enough money saved for a rainy day to afford a cheap apartment in The Hill. Soon after, she found employment at the high-end store nestled in a retail center that replaced a beloved diner, which had been a fixture in the neighborhood for generations. Now, it was where she had to deal with snobbish, rude customers who had no qualms about flaunting their wealth. At least the paychecks were decent enough to make it worthwhile sticking around.

She said goodnight to her manager and started walking to the subway station close by. But what was supposed to be a ten-minute walk would turn into a terrifying encounter as someone came from behind and pressed a knife against her neck.

[color=white]"Shh, stay quiet, or things will get real messy."[/color] The commanding masculine voice carried an air of strength even in its hushed tone. His firm grip on Isabel made it impossible to break free herself. And the glint of the sharp blade was more than enough reason to obey. The figure spoke again with authority, [color=white]"Now, you and I will go inside and have ourselves a little chat about your workplace. That alright with you?"[/color]

Isabel knew she had no other choice but to comply. If she had been directly confronted, she might have just run back to the store, praying the manager was still there, or even reached for the pepper spray sashed in her purse. Unfortunately, its contents had spilled out on the concrete sidewalk along with her phone. And she dreaded that any sudden movements on her part could easily prove fatal. So, she nodded to his demand; her terror was made very apparent. The aggressor relievedly sighed before dagging her to the entrance of a recently shuttered store. Isabel took a moment to survey the quiet street ahead, a chilling realization dawning on her that this night could be her last, with so much left unfinished. The gravity of the situation overwhelmed her, and she began to weep in the stifling silence, which only infuriated the attacker. [color=white]"What did I say about making any noises?"[/color] He sneered, getting ready to use his blade. [color=white]"Looks like I'll have to give you a little warning."[/color]

All of a sudden, the sound of shattering glass jolted them, and she felt the assailant's grip loosen ever so slightly. This was her chance. Without hesitation, she stomped on the assailant's foot with all her might, using her pointed heels to dig in very deep. And with a yelp, she managed to break free and dropped to her knees, desperately crawling to her purse. Frantically rummaging through it, she searched for the pepper spray until a bloodcurdling scream interrupted her efforts, followed by an eerie silence. Startled, she found the spray and spun around with it in hand to use, only to find no one there; the aggressor had seemingly vanished into thin air, leaving behind only his pocket knife and scattered shards of glass in his wake. As she rose from the ground and took in the scene, she noticed the shattered glass door and heard faint groans coming from inside amid the sounds of a struggle.

Isabel couldn't make out what was happening inside, and frankly, she wasn't too concerned about the wellbeing of her attacker. Yet, for a fleeting moment, she caught sight of the creature perched on him; its ominous silhouette and bat-like appearance sent her running back to the store, heedless of her purse and its contents still on the ground. As she ran, Isabel spotted her manager in the parking lot, just about to get into his car. She called out to him, and thankfully, he heard her.

[color=white]"Isabel, are you alright?! What on earth happened to you?"[/color] The manager hurried over to her, concern etched on his face.

[color=white]"I was attacked."[/color] Isabel gasped for breath and then looked back, the image of the creature still vivid in her mind. Yet, when the authorities came, she found herself at a loss of words to rightfully describe it. Her assailant's incoherent ramblings about "a bloodthirsty monster" only deepened the confusion. So when pressed for further details, she mustered the courage to recount the harrowing experience in full detail from the start and chose to finish with: [color=white]"But a [i]bat[/i] saved me."[/color][/color][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT]
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