章節 15: THE GREY AREA

The sound of the gunshot hung heavy in the rain-soaked air, a chilling punctuation to the tense atmosphere that had enveloped the construction site. But just as the trigger was pulled and the world seemed to slow, a blur of movement descended upon the scene.

A shadowy figure, graceful yet resolute, appeared out of the darkness. It was a woman in a black suit with a bat symbol on her chest, just like Batman's. As far as I remember, there was only Batman and a couple of metahumans, five years ago. She must be new.

She moved with an agility that matched the raindrops falling around her. Her sleek black suit clung to her form as she landed near the man who had just attempted to take his own life. Her cape billowed behind her, a manifestation of her ominous presence.

With quick precision, she extended her arm, and her bat claws shot out, gripping onto the gun just as he pulled the trigger. The force of the gunshot reverberated through the air, and the gun fired harmlessly into the ground.

The man gasped, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. His trembling hand was still gripping the gun, but it had been redirected away from his own head. He stared at Batgirl, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

She glanced around and saw two dead bodies, one floating within the small pond and the other one lying at the edge.

"Haaa," I sighed, "Don't you people sleep at night?"

Her attention shifted to me, her eyes narrowing as she assessed the situation. Her voice was firm but measured as she addressed me, "Who are you, and what's happening here? Did you kill them?"

The rain continued to fall, adding an extra layer of tension to the scene. The glowing lights of the city created an eerie backdrop, casting long shadows that danced with the raindrops.

The man was visibly shaken, his entire body trembling as he clung to the gun. He seemed to be struggling to process the abrupt turn of events.

I looked into the goon's eyes, "Did I kill them?" I asked him with a smirk.

The man stared at me with a mixture of fear and confusion. He was trembling in shock. His voice trembled as he answered, "N-No... It's our fault."

"Isn't it amazing?" I chuckled. "The irony of a criminal admitting their own fault, especially when they were moments away from blowing their brains out."

Her eyes shifted between me and the man, her expression unreadable behind the mask. "Step away from him," she ordered, her voice firm.

I raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on my lips. "Can't do that. Not after they shot at me. Besides, I have a promise to keep and he is a motherfucking scum who tried to sell his family for drugs. And you, whoever you are, who are you to come in between us?"

Batgirl's gaze remained steady, her stance unwavering. "I'm here to prevent any further violence and ensure justice is served appropriately. Taking the law into your own hands isn't the answer."

Rain continued to fall in heavy drops around us, the darkness of the night occasionally illuminated by the distant city lights. The tension in the air was palpable, a result of conflicting motives and a complex situation.

The man seemed to be struggling with his emotions. He was visibly torn, his eyes darting between me and Batgirl as if unsure how to react.

I looked at Batgirl and then back at the man. "So, you're here to ensure justice, huh? Just like Batman, I presume. But tell me, do you think these bastards deserve a fair trial? Do you think they should be allowed to continue with their lives after what they've done?"

"Nobody has the right to take another person's life, no matter what they've done," She replied firmly. "Justice must be served through lawful means, not through acts of vengeance."

I chuckled darkly. "Oh, please spare me the moral lecture. You and Batman, you live in your own little world of right and wrong. But sometimes, the line between those two isn't as clear as you'd like to believe."

Her stance remained resolute, her eyes never leaving you. "Two wrongs don't make a right. And taking the law into your own hands only perpetuates a cycle of violence."

The rain continued to fall, creating a backdrop of somberness to the conversation. The man seemed to be hanging on to every word, torn between his own guilt and the conflicting ideologies being presented before him.

"Tell me, Batgirl," I said, my voice taking on a colder edge, "what do you know about these men? About the lives they've ruined, the pain they've caused? Have you ever been in a situation where you had to choose between justice and vengeance?"

Her expression remained impassive behind the mask. "I've faced difficult choices, but killing is not the answer. If we start killing, then there won't be any difference between them and us. We will become the very thing that people fear."

"And what about it?" I asked, "Killing them will instill fear in the hearts of the other criminals. They will think twice before committing a crime. Civilians who were thinking of taking the dark road would take a few steps back due to that fear. This is the only way to permanently stop the crime rate in this place."

Batgirl's eyes remained fixed on me, her voice unwavering. "Fear can be a short-term solution, but it's not sustainable. True change comes from addressing the root causes of crime and creating a just and fair society. Killing won't bring back the lives that were lost or repair the damage that's been done."

The rain continued to fall around us, adding a sense of melancholy to the atmosphere. The man seemed to be struggling with his emotions, torn between my perspective and Batgirl's.

"Look around you," she continued, her tone firm yet empathetic. "This city is full of pain and suffering, but responding with more pain and suffering won't solve anything. We need to work together to create lasting change, to find ways to prevent crime and help those who have been led down the wrong path."

I looked at the man, his face stained with tears and rainwater, his expression a mixture of fear and guilt. "Do you hear that, Michael? According to her, you deserve a chance at redemption. But we both know that's just a fairy tale, don't we?"

The man's gaze shifted between me and Batgirl, his voice shaking as he replied, "I don't know... I messed up real bad, and I hurt a lot of people. I... I deserve to die."

Batgirl's attention shifted to the man, her tone softening. "It's never too late to try to make amends, to find a way to make things right. But it won't be easy. You'll have to face the consequences of your actions and work hard to change."

I scoffed, shaking my head. "You're living in a fantasy world, Batgirl. You think these criminals will change? You think they'll suddenly become model citizens and contribute positively to society? They made their choices when they took the shot and I made mine. Had I been a regular civilian, I would be a pile of splattered meat on the floor that you goody shoes people would have been cleaning right now."

Far away, I can hear the siren of the police. I need to take care of this matter and get out of here. I have had enough of her crappy ideology.

[Bang!] While we were engaged in an argument, the man took the gun and shot his brains out.

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