Tim stepped out of the car, dressed in a simple dark gray jacket, having swapped out his usual suit. Today, he didn’t need armor. He didn’t need algorithms. He only needed to see one person clearly.
As he walked into the preschool, he was already a familiar face here. The receptionist immediately smiled at the sight of him, greeting him in a tone that was almost a bit excited:144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUusr6kfIK
“Mr. Drake, right on time again—Finn’s still in the classroom.”
“Thank you,” Tim replied with a faint smile, handing over the pick-up authorization form he’d prepared in advance. He didn’t linger on small talk and made his way toward the classroom with steady steps.
He paused at the door.
Through the small window, he saw his nephew building a towering structure of blocks with several other children. The tower leaned at an angle that defied gravity, yet each child was completely focused, none of them seeming to think it unstable. The corner of Tim’s mouth twitched.
“Mr. Drake, would you mind waiting a moment?”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrquLfI8UCQ
A gentle yet firm voice spoke from behind him.
Tim turned around.
Nora stood there, holding a few workbooks in one hand and lifting the hem of her long skirt with the other. Her expression was that of someone welcoming an important guest—but also someone who had grown used to dealing with him.
“Let Finn finish his castle, okay?” she said softly.
Tim looked into those green eyes.
He had seen them hundreds of times over the past two weeks—from every angle, every resolution. But seeing them in person, those eyes still looked like fresh buds under sunlight: warm, bright, even making one forget she’d once kicked him square in the face.
Can’t ask about the guns or prep supplies too soon.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukBfh9WQnq
Tim knew this conversation needed the right build-up.
He looked at her and gave a small, almost imperceptibly sincere nod.
“Miss Nora, I have a request.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“This Saturday—are you free?”
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Finn must never find out about this.
Tim warned himself as he suppressed a twitch at the corner of his mouth. The kid had been loudly declaring that he would marry his teacher every single day, proudly asserting his claim in front of the entire family. If he found out his uncle had asked his “future wife” out?
The Wayne household would never hear the end of it—and there was a real chance he’d even call Leila, all the way in Europe, sobbing to tattle on him.
Tim had no desire to deal with an outraged Mediterranean phone call.
In truth, Nora’s initial reaction had been exactly what he expected—she frowned, likely thinking she had private matters to attend to that weekend and about to decline.
But Tim didn’t pressure her.
He simply added, in a quiet tone:144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOwWeYTo1o
“I’ve already picked the place. G2 Tactical Training Range, out on the edge of Gotham.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhebOunPJu
“It’s quiet, fully equipped. I’ll handle the ammo. Everything’s legal. You can try any model you want.”
Nora paused for a moment.
She didn’t ask why it was a shooting range. She didn’t question why Tim had chosen such a specific place. She simply lowered her lashes, as if calculating something quickly. Then she looked up, her voice calm.
“I’m free this Saturday at noon. One o’clock okay?”
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Saturday afternoon came with clear sunlight, and for once, Tim wasn’t wearing a suit.
Instead, he was dressed in dark, casual clothes—loose but clean, understated yet agile. It was what he called his “non-combat combat outfit.”
From the trunk came the thud of heavy metal. He placed the last crate of firearms carefully inside and closed the trunk.
The night before, he’d broken into Jason’s safehouse—well, “broken into” was a stretch. Jason had clearly known and just didn’t care.
After all, the wall of weapons in that place was hard to ignore—everything from handguns to sniper rifles, neatly arranged, even the bullets sorted by type.
Tim had selected a few models that weren’t too lethal but offered strong handling. He didn’t touch anything truly dangerous.
He wasn’t here to fight.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSM2MjcIKg
He just wanted to test someone.
Bullets. Ear protection. Goggles. Muffs.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAJCJe26Bs
All accounted for.
He started the engine and drove toward the outskirts of the city. The range he had in mind was one Nightwing used for long-range training—quiet, secluded, well-equipped, and secure from interruptions.
When he pulled up in the jeep, Nora was already there.
She leaned against her car, arms crossed. Her jeans fit cleanly, and over a gray tank top, she wore a button-down with the sleeves rolled just below the shoulders, revealing streamlined collarbones and arms—not soft, but lean and honed, like a fighter.
When she saw him step out, her eyes flicked to the trunk.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVWNbHeED8
She didn’t say much. Just raised a brow with a smirk.
“You’re serious.”
Tim gave a small smile and shut the door.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpaK8TNStl
“I told you. You can try every model.”
Nora walked toward the trunk, Tim following close behind, making mental notes with each step:144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSB1Ierwcz
Steady gait. Low center of gravity. Excellent muscle control—144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOe90Edhuj
This woman’s combat instincts weren’t casual.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Yd3DXHh95
They weren’t from a hobby.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPXKNu4srA
This wasn’t just target shooting.
He didn’t know if he’d get the answers he wanted today.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDB3VEMXnmF
But one thing he knew for sure—
She was not just a preschool teacher.
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Nora bent down and opened the first gun case. The light reflected off the metal parts, making her green eyes seem lit from within.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHFq1UcaNp
She didn’t make a sound, but she clearly inhaled — like a connoisseur catching a familiar scent, or a book lover opening a beloved old volume.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdsKyJ4Y2tg
Tim watched from the side, like he was observing some unknown creature.
She carefully lifted a semi-automatic pistol from within, handling it like an antique as she examined the mechanisms and details.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzTeuy6FbJ
Tim suddenly felt a bit relieved that he hadn’t brought Jason along.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xfwgf9gG3
Not because he needed backup — but because if those two started talking gunpowder, he was afraid he’d become a muted background character.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHejVAbaFcZ
He couldn’t help picturing Nora and Jason at a gun show, exchanging insights and pointing at specific guns to discuss recoil feedback.
His facial muscles twitched slightly at the thought.
“This one… M1911?” Nora asked while skillfully racking the slide, emptying the magazine, and checking the chamber. It was clear this wasn’t her first time handling one.
“Not a commercial model — custom internal mechanism, tuned recoil,” Tim replied simply.
She nodded, her tone more serious than anyone going on a “date” should be. “Where’d you get it?”
“From a friend’s collection.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzoU981OHp
Tim didn’t mention names. “Friend” was putting it mildly — that friend had once died, then returned, fully armed.
Nora didn’t press further. She moved on to the second case — a short-barrel shotgun.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg13uuaIglI
Her hands instinctively ran across the grip and safety, like she was confirming some familiar sensation.
That made Tim’s brow tighten.
His eyes drifted back to her — clean jeans, plain tank top, no makeup, no earrings, no nail polish.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3V6aYIsV6N
Not even a necklace or bracelet.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKuk7TjEqt
None of the things a woman might wear for a “date.”144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurvvLflY2l
No intention of adorning herself at all.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERKLbSCdQQ
Clean. Unadorned. Like someone always ready to pack up and vanish from the world.
What is she guarding against? Or… running from?
He couldn’t help but ask, “You don’t wear accessories?”
Nora’s gaze never left the firearms on the table.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPcdyFYD3H
Her pale green eyes landed on the hammer, as if checking some detail — or maybe reliving a familiar procedure.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnXRHrJipC
Her tone was as calm as if she were talking about lunch:144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfnZpt6MSe
“I don’t have many. Kids tend to grab them.”
Her fingers gently circled the safety as she pulled the weapon a little closer to herself — clearly not intending to elaborate.
Tim nodded. The answer made logical sense — he’d said similar things himself.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTWQUszXqy
Kids often leap at you without warning and grab whatever they can — necklaces, earrings, even buttons.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjUwF8LVmV
Still, a faint sense of dissonance rose inside him.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjGhIn36uU
Like a tiny needle poking at his thoughts.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYeoAmGigDx
The answer made sense… but didn’t feel whole.
Nora’s fingertips moved across the guns, each one like an old friend.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayuqKq0Sr1
She wasn’t distracted by the dazzling variety — instead, she picked out a few with balanced weight and clean construction.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3415POJw7Z
She placed them on the designated test area with practiced ease.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNDBOz3MlU
Even Tim had to nod in quiet approval.
He stood nearby, hands in his jacket pockets, silently observing the order and rhythm of her selections.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzxl3ZRH7i
Her manner didn’t resemble someone handling a gun for the first time — nor did it seem like casual interest.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBfSKtfuwy
She was too calm.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgj3f7qbHAX
Too natural.
Tim felt a flicker of doubt swirl in his mind:144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqa0i7Ru5Ns
Was this familiarity… or was it a rookie hiding their inexperience too well?144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqxXLQItjz
He couldn’t tell.
He watched her gear up, slipping on a bulletproof vest.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwtTuLTRX3
Then she began loading the magazines — her movements swift and clean.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQJGpLZcVO
From the way she aligned the bullets to the angle of the barrel,144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPyOFYz2iv
even the order in which her wrist applied pressure — everything was seamless.
She disengaged the safety and chambered a round.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDJ7tEXgjv
The whole process was silent and smooth, the only sound being the soft clink of metal against metal echoing in the air.
She stood in the firing lane, feet shoulder-width apart, grounded firmly.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV96Ev6RuM2
Her stance looked like it had stepped right out of a textbook.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiW7uG03Rho
She lowered her knees, evenly distributing her weight across her feet.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirBGPNhKmS
Her spine straight, arms naturally extended.
There was nothing flashy or showy about her form — but it radiated a quiet pressure that dared you not to underestimate her.
In that moment, Tim almost didn’t recognize her.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZE0cMEQvu
This wasn’t the woman who painted stars and stacked blocks with kids in kindergarten.
Her gaze had changed — it now held a sharp focus, almost aggressive in its intensity.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0nTEo2JSK
Those green eyes were like blades, locked onto the target, her whole posture like a crouched panther, poised to strike.
The air split open.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzMWqW1fX3
A single shot rang out, crisp and sharp.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsw1l14ZC7
The recoil rippled from the muzzle,144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkxsrqp8xs
and for a moment, the room seemed to fall into perfect silence.
Tim blinked, catching the sight of a single, deep black bullet hole on the target — nearly dead center.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnwoC00sDm
He wasn’t sure whether to be impressed…144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rZRZCIETe
or start rewriting her threat assessment file.
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and then Add to home screen.