That evening, Nightwing knocked on the window.
Claire blinked. The window? Really?
She hadn’t left out any bagels today.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXy2t5X3yx
Hadn’t done anything unusual.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Vkhb2y6Bp
Unless…42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hnEYTZBOf
No way.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDxeSnSg4A
Could he remember yesterday?42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtQNNPyuIA
Already?
She opened the window with the cautious hope of someone half-expecting a miracle.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQutWV6gUt
If he really remembers… am I supposed to cry now or something?
Nightwing jumped in.
Still handsome, still rude.
“Uh, ma’am, sorry to bother you this late… I just wanted to check if you needed… help or something? Like, stress or…”
Claire's eyes went flat.
Help? Stress? That tone—42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ524W0JAm9H
Oh no.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOr04Q6mYJg
Don’t tell me.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetuepv0zv9
Blue Eyes really was the informant.
He actually reported back.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaE7JYb8IrO
That fast.
She stared at the vigilante awkwardly fumbling through his sentences.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSRICkDYer
Nightwing, huh?
He looked over at her.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOFL0KWABh
Trying to act casual. Failing.
Claire said coolly,
“Robin’s still on Queen Street. Go pick him up, I’ve got dinner ready.”
Nightwing froze.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozKpey737P
Totally lost.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcNkeP7JbP
Perfect.
She shoved him back onto the balcony.
“Just assume I’m psychic,” she said, turning away to head downstairs to the kitchen.
I need to reset.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTP64j3q0Ue
Do something normal.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6mo7NZZ8R
Remind myself I’m still human.
When she returned upstairs with three bowls of soup, both of them were already there.
Damn. They should consider driving Uber.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gT6Liiihg
Nobody in Gotham moves faster than these two.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoHSQv3OnZ
Claire opened the door, balancing the tray.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZsIbLfIxc
Nightwing sat bolt upright, still recovering from the earlier shock.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgsw54BOZb
Robin, on the other hand, was giving her the kind of stare usually reserved for ticking bombs.
Great. Everyone’s here.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3mNIMt1aE
Should’ve charged admission.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwc9qrLaXV3
At this rate, my life’s a live show and the audience keeps walking in on cue.
Although tonight’s audience looked a little more interesting than usual.
She didn’t say anything.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93vfbYaDcz
Just placed the soup on the table.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdf73l7LP7
Ceramic on wood. A soft, solid sound.
Real. Tangible.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsy2rZ9Dwl
Shame I’m the only one who’ll remember it.
Robin was still suspicious, but his nose didn’t lie.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5DXHtLrKf
He moved to the table.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54QtLLK426
Nightwing, still stiff, edged forward too.
Hunger breaks down defenses. That’s one thing I remember clearly.
Claire gave them a look.
Don’t thank me. You’ll forget by morning anyway.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAO8xyXB4b
Which, honestly, is kind of nice.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEFy16l7zf
No one remembers if I’m kind. Or if I screw up.
“Go ahead, it’s still hot,” she said flatly, like she was mentioning the weather.
Nightwing opened his mouth like he wanted to say something.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRy1ENOopc
Ended up mumbling,
“How did you know he was on Queen Street?”
Claire stared him down.
“Eat first.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vV32fyFdR
Then ask.”
She turned to get more utensils.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWSOMzfTYm
Behind her, she heard Robin whisper,
“Is she actually psychic?”
Nightwing didn’t answer.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLphWZRI10C
Just sipped his soup in silence.
Good. Silence means doubt.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHUldMRPpz
Doubt means I got to him.
Claire leaned against the doorway.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawn69VgHqO
Didn’t smile. Didn’t frown.
I’m not psychic. I’m stuck.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPdc09kASo
But honestly, being a weird psychic lady might be easier.
Once they were done eating, Claire struck first:
“Don’t call Batman. I just talked to him yesterday.”
Two pairs of blue eyes jerked toward her.
Now that’s the reaction I’m looking for.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhEw3dwKay
Like I just recited their home address.
Claire raised her hands like she was surrendering.
“I know this sounds crazy but…”
And she began explaining.
She kept the language simple.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTv474nej6q
Used the clearest logic she could.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1rvzKpCZi
But the more she talked, the more that old fatigue crept up her spine.
Every time I explain this,42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhhFK7CXP6
It’s like banging my brain against a wall.
When she finished, the two were only half-convinced.
“So… this is your tenth loop?” Nightwing asked.
“Yep,” Claire replied.
She leaned against the table, her voice turning practical.
“Now tell me—42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZ9CmhcBaH
That young blue-eyed cop at the station,42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUeAaYru0h
how do I reach him?42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyCxHPaY6K
You know,42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfiYqGyGTG
when every day starts over.”
Nightwing and Robin exchanged a look.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTRvmamBMJ
Robin’s face said it all:
Dude. She’s onto you.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgvTyG04Ho
Claire looked at him, voice calm.
“Batman said he’s a test point.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTHQLrtUza
I tried.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnRL4XD2wu
He thinks I’m crazy.”
Nightwing pinched the bridge of his nose, like he was trying to rub out fatigue—42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLh6tb6nzr9
or maybe guilt.
Of course he thought that.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBgIw1R7K0
Back then, I didn’t know anything.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJo3aZSXlue
Every time I meet you for real… I’m wearing this damn suit.
He looked up, meeting her eyes.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraE0KAIzl8
His voice was careful.
“I know this sounds insane, but…42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdylzpnO6fE
have you considered maybe he’s not a plant?42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7V6jgwCzvM
That he’s just… a regular cop?”
Claire stared at him.
Not moving.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgEJ3sC17B
Not blinking.
Regular?42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo60LH3X24M
You expect me to believe that?42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tf0Dg5Ym1
Batman’s so-called ‘test point’ is just some guy with a badge and a nice face?
“I’m not sure if you two actually know each other,” she said slowly, “but he really does feel like someone you people placed in the department.”
Nightwing glanced down at his spoon. Didn’t respond.
This is so unbelievably messed up.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDtFkBiuiS
I am him.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwat7Du5Te2
But the daytime me has no idea this is even happening.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqpwDcaCZx
I’m the informant you’re talking about—42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tZpYXiPwd
and the guy you’re talking to right now.
His chest tightened, a strange pressure building behind his ribs.
Claire went on,
“If he’s really not one of yours…42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCCu0P77J0
then maybe I need to try something else.”
That made Nightwing look up, fast.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRWjy2yXiL
His eyes sharp, voice caught in his throat.
Don’t.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdCcLQy6Gs
Please don’t.
I don’t know what you’d do to him.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6fq1OZnRu
I don’t know what I’d do to you.
Damn it, Batman.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37xPxYM82Y
You used me as an anchor point—42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOlQmtftos
sent the clueless version of me to test her,42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSq3pOBECT
and the suited version to analyze her.
What the hell are you trying to pull?
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4CL4zxFbu
