That evening, Nightwing knocked on the window.
Claire blinked. The window? Really?
She hadn’t left out any bagels today.83Please respect copyright.PENANAQnXoGPOOj6
Hadn’t done anything unusual.83Please respect copyright.PENANASzmmvbBi6f
Unless…83Please respect copyright.PENANAW2PRfNGOF7
No way.83Please respect copyright.PENANAtydSqrgJXi
Could he remember yesterday?83Please respect copyright.PENANAULDrvJ8Mnr
Already?
She opened the window with the cautious hope of someone half-expecting a miracle.83Please respect copyright.PENANABA952SSZzf
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—83Please respect copyright.PENANA9NA7i8UN7e
Oh no.83Please respect copyright.PENANAs3B9sgR7aa
Don’t tell me.83Please respect copyright.PENANACctEeJn5pH
Blue Eyes really was the informant.
He actually reported back.83Please respect copyright.PENANAVAMk9akjr9
That fast.
She stared at the vigilante awkwardly fumbling through his sentences.83Please respect copyright.PENANA6ZYHFWqOAn
Nightwing, huh?
He looked over at her.83Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0S0lK2Cq8
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.83Please respect copyright.PENANAhGLJ9rc95x
Totally lost.83Please respect copyright.PENANAIelE50dm5H
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.83Please respect copyright.PENANA1MnWahX4xW
Do something normal.83Please respect copyright.PENANAIlzGqLUn7J
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.83Please respect copyright.PENANA9GbY6sTEeO
Nobody in Gotham moves faster than these two.
83Please respect copyright.PENANAp8Y6Q8nAhE
Claire opened the door, balancing the tray.83Please respect copyright.PENANABFZ9Ub1fuy
Nightwing sat bolt upright, still recovering from the earlier shock.83Please respect copyright.PENANAWbcW2iilEk
Robin, on the other hand, was giving her the kind of stare usually reserved for ticking bombs.
Great. Everyone’s here.83Please respect copyright.PENANA8vVXb09YTo
Should’ve charged admission.83Please respect copyright.PENANAukzhkAMqpG
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.83Please respect copyright.PENANAy8H6J9JGyB
Just placed the soup on the table.83Please respect copyright.PENANAyBpQJruzYW
Ceramic on wood. A soft, solid sound.
Real. Tangible.83Please respect copyright.PENANAZi50lZhZTo
Shame I’m the only one who’ll remember it.
Robin was still suspicious, but his nose didn’t lie.83Please respect copyright.PENANAfduq2AKVpj
He moved to the table.83Please respect copyright.PENANAQWuq10UAdy
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.83Please respect copyright.PENANAxqKtYhRBVU
Which, honestly, is kind of nice.83Please respect copyright.PENANAmFTWhLgnQG
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.83Please respect copyright.PENANApf24GI352B
Ended up mumbling,
“How did you know he was on Queen Street?”
Claire stared him down.
“Eat first.83Please respect copyright.PENANAuZyDgQiu10
Then ask.”
She turned to get more utensils.83Please respect copyright.PENANAyggrsTdQd8
Behind her, she heard Robin whisper,
“Is she actually psychic?”
Nightwing didn’t answer.83Please respect copyright.PENANAizWgTfv22V
Just sipped his soup in silence.
Good. Silence means doubt.83Please respect copyright.PENANAg4Sul2ZN7Q
Doubt means I got to him.
Claire leaned against the doorway.83Please respect copyright.PENANAJCWmMIxKEg
Didn’t smile. Didn’t frown.
I’m not psychic. I’m stuck.83Please respect copyright.PENANAJRWG3dA9k0
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.83Please respect copyright.PENANA761cwCdSiH
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.83Please respect copyright.PENANAslGvLVraiY
Used the clearest logic she could.83Please respect copyright.PENANAzJkJCrZ3st
But the more she talked, the more that old fatigue crept up her spine.
Every time I explain this,83Please respect copyright.PENANA5CYoDU0sqf
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—83Please respect copyright.PENANAX5PIfZOGMd
That young blue-eyed cop at the station,83Please respect copyright.PENANAwyZee0cUS7
how do I reach him?83Please respect copyright.PENANAamGReKkg6g
You know,83Please respect copyright.PENANAjHAevQiPWh
when every day starts over.”
Nightwing and Robin exchanged a look.83Please respect copyright.PENANAQVCDgkFns7
Robin’s face said it all:
Dude. She’s onto you.
83Please respect copyright.PENANAk04WJ9OQIx
Claire looked at him, voice calm.
“Batman said he’s a test point.83Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2Xf4fwJ8O
I tried.83Please respect copyright.PENANA3Sm6hcg55T
He thinks I’m crazy.”
Nightwing pinched the bridge of his nose, like he was trying to rub out fatigue—83Please respect copyright.PENANAcxG9xyyOxN
or maybe guilt.
Of course he thought that.83Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6ouuJ9Hfp
Back then, I didn’t know anything.83Please respect copyright.PENANAuAaCVkkAph
Every time I meet you for real… I’m wearing this damn suit.
He looked up, meeting her eyes.83Please respect copyright.PENANANvW6N6Q6Xf
His voice was careful.
“I know this sounds insane, but…83Please respect copyright.PENANADmZROXxIZS
have you considered maybe he’s not a plant?83Please respect copyright.PENANA2pi6HFc94p
That he’s just… a regular cop?”
Claire stared at him.
Not moving.83Please respect copyright.PENANAmyTo6nzv7k
Not blinking.
Regular?83Please respect copyright.PENANAsNcE7kKRBo
You expect me to believe that?83Please respect copyright.PENANAo1tn2RZXHc
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.83Please respect copyright.PENANApjI3OTnZmp
I am him.83Please respect copyright.PENANAFtbpnCijVV
But the daytime me has no idea this is even happening.83Please respect copyright.PENANA7riwjV8AuL
I’m the informant you’re talking about—83Please respect copyright.PENANAOByTqY4S4P
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…83Please respect copyright.PENANA9mxRuYoJXT
then maybe I need to try something else.”
That made Nightwing look up, fast.83Please respect copyright.PENANAFyiCpFZWW2
His eyes sharp, voice caught in his throat.
Don’t.83Please respect copyright.PENANAY64wYX6Sl9
Please don’t.
I don’t know what you’d do to him.83Please respect copyright.PENANAUPngh3ddhw
I don’t know what I’d do to you.
Damn it, Batman.83Please respect copyright.PENANAiWGJt6VvFs
You used me as an anchor point—83Please respect copyright.PENANAqCxPHwcpuk
sent the clueless version of me to test her,83Please respect copyright.PENANAY29Fug2UgW
and the suited version to analyze her.
What the hell are you trying to pull?
83Please respect copyright.PENANAQ5ORmsmhjD