A bullet sliced through the air, its echo ringing inside the shooting booth.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUlw9twE6K
The sound was muffled slightly inside Tim’s earmuffs, but he still heard the sharp crack as the bullet hit the target dead center. He glanced at the screen showing the impact point—nearly a bullseye.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzfqyQmSLV
Not luck.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4C6vGORvcB
It was the result of steady, ruthless precision honed through hours of practice.
Nora showed no extra emotion. She simply pulled back the slide and naturally slipped into her second aim, like breathing.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gLuxzCCEa
Her shoulders were relaxed, but her wrists were steady as stone.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxTD7Gnh8V
The next bullet hit the upper left part of the target—a joint, a disabling zone. A combat-style shot.
Tim suddenly realized he had no idea what kind of training this woman had received.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPXSkmUfyz
Where had she learned this?158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70IgRbKJfZ
This wasn’t the kind of accuracy one gets from just “a few times at the range.”158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45hwvOKEyv
This was the kind born from fear and experience—an instinct forged in survival.
Before firing the third shot, she briefly pulled back her gaze and glanced at Tim.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCq5CbsKVDq
“Can I change the distance?” she asked softly.
He nodded and adjusted the panel.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ945luqYJ5k
The target slid further back.
It was only then that he realized—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAe5EYU0QXb
he’d been holding his breath.
Not out of shock.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SEB8vY7r9
Out of caution.
And he didn’t like it.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPADtK6Ucrr
That sense of unease—he never even felt it around actual villains.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMFINjL7Xz
But around this supposed “civilian”?
From the moment he’d laid eyes on her, his body had been on edge.
But she wasn’t a villain.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQTkJWjNPz
Not a spy.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdYsH9QoCL
Not an assassin.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoiVBvT0Iu
She was… a kindergarten teacher.
Then—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHu10IsxBwG
Bang.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuKKlZlm7d
The third bullet fired.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXJuuKbcpB
Another dead-on hit, so clean it made his skin crawl.
Tim took a step back and leaned on the table, pretending to check the gun case.
But what he was really thinking was:158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKrUcNqQ1r
Who the hell is she?
158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDCiqtuWq6
158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZAPcMxscf
Afterward, they cleaned the guns together and packed them back into the case.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAl2xhB3rJ
Spent casings rolled lightly across the table, making soft clinks—like the aftershocks of a quiet war.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhnnpQti62
Tim picked up a cloth and began wiping down the barrel, each movement precise and cold, the rhythm of someone raised under the Bat's training.
Nora sat across from him.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuilqRggz9v
Her shoulders had dropped slightly.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrOYN7eoOu
She was still gazing at the rifle she’d just used—almost like she was savoring it.
Then Tim noticed—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF85F8xU2ji
her hands were trembling.
Not shaking violently—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTRq0RHkix
but the subtle, accumulated tremble of recoil and exhaustion.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYbcRvkwfE
The kind that creeps in after a long time shooting.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gMsWjXjpJ
Like a soldier finally unarmored.
Well, to be fair—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcXP7sMF3o
she had been shooting for nearly three hours.
He saw traces of gunpowder still clinging to her fingertips.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLzxrzfRi5
Her skin glowed faintly warm with residual heat.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgoMVpvEJ6
But she hadn’t complained once.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡote8Flz9QC
Hadn’t asked for a break.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4abJLC1q99
As if this kind of fatigue had long been a part of her rhythm.
Good.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQsnoTCyYw
At least she’s still human.
Tim let out a breath quietly, as if reminding himself of that helped balance his perspective.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCL3ZZEkt8l
He couldn’t let suspicion cloud his judgment.
He’d only stepped up for a few rounds himself.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9OmOQef0q
The scores were decent.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSzLwN4hEV
But none of his shots had hit fatal zones.
And he knew exactly why.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1feLMphChT
It wasn’t a matter of skill.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdr7WhTfrr8
It was a matter of training.
Batman’s rules were clear:158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvb779Vgs5i
Subdue, don’t kill.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGdnez00uQ
Be precise, but never lethal.
It was a philosophy.
Nora, though—her aim was different.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWO7kL2uS1u
She wasn’t trained by Batman.
She was faster.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lzaIpcIKU
More instinctual.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2dBNVFZWU
And she liked aiming for the head.
Tim had noticed.
Not intentionally, perhaps.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ307EqraFmD
But something in her subconscious always chose the direct hit, the clean strike, the no-loose-ends shot.
That…158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0gIrjGOgP
couldn’t be known by the rest of the Bat-family.
Tim’s mouth twitched.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDuqS8boe3
If Bruce ever found out, he’d be watched—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeO67GaRd1
drowned beneath that silent, disappointed stare.
Not everyone escapes Bruce’s morality.
He looked over at Nora, who was calmly oiling her gun.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48c1HasBKl
Her wrist moved naturally, fluid around the body of the weapon, every action muscle memory.
After a moment, he spoke.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6w2AOPZQN
“Your aim’s really good.”
Nora didn’t look up.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7N6kJTzKxS
“Thanks. I used to have a lot of chances to practice,” she said evenly.
Tim’s lips parted slightly.
A lot of chances to practice...158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cep5tomNa
Not something an average civilian would say so casually.
His mind raced through possible backgrounds and scenarios,158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZylTynY6G
but Nora didn’t offer any more.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFv8jcVT6T
She just kept wiping.
Then—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSTh0u0B9L
she paused.
Cloth still in hand,158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzVkvQh9BZ
her gaze drifted somewhere distant—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlEZJXRKX9
to a time he couldn’t see.
“Actually, guns aren’t my strong suit,” she said quietly.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuXGECmKEn
“I only used them for a short time.”
Tim held his breath.
That sentence didn’t sound like small talk.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRagyG6tE9
It sounded like a confession—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwO6YsvS3r
like a smuggled thought sneaking out of a sealed memory.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Q6JMuoPYJ
Each word soaked with invisible weight.
Then she added—
“I spent most of my time… with archery.”
158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1uOQk0XZly
158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfsTtr52uV
“Archery?” Tim raised an eyebrow. “So… you like archery?”
Nora gave him a glance but didn’t answer right away.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWbhXoo5fM
Her fingers were still checking the gun bag’s clasps.
“Not really about liking or disliking,” she said simply.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pt5SOmx15
Her tone was neutral, like talking about breakfast options—plain, forgettable.
“It was more like… life demanded it, so I learned.”
She paused, then smiled softly at him.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSF25Zv2iqL
A gentle curve of the lips—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7WahQBl3h
like wind brushing past leaves.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcn7UTgdlZS
No ripples.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZtWGj2MMX
But it lingered.
Then she turned away and put the arrows back,158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxe0xIpKPv
her tone a bit lighter:158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOjRWba2kF
“I used to think—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3dIkEgYb6
if I ever quit teaching kindergarten,158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0EwuODJ0f
maybe I’d become an archery coach.”
Tim didn’t answer.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzz5VlD5Q6o
Just watched her back.
So that was… her career backup plan?
Or… was it her real passion?
She’d never listed anything about archery on her resume.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YPrZ9bsd4
No competitions, no licenses, no training certificates.
How much was she still hiding?
He lowered his gaze to the safety goggles on the table,158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjVrVBL7ck
and a more frustrating thought struck him.
If she did quit being a kindergarten teacher…158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeCxZ9UOVd
Finn would absolutely lose it.
That kid basically lived for Nora.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmR5afiYS12
Declared he’d marry her eight times a day.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6tSe1mMd9
Made weekend cards for her.
Tim rubbed his temples.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtg18PQeTPP
He could already hear Finn’s future wailing echoing through Wayne Manor—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwr4an4jSS9
and then the inevitable call from Europe.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeN6lYWJCz
“Tim! What the hell happened?!”158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkB0qvMDDkR
Leila’s voice, sharp and panicked.
…No.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNrCY46LQh
That backup plan could not happen too soon.
Tim was still calculating the feasibility of buying the entire kindergarten.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3rbty0C38
Shifting funds wouldn’t be a problem.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcd3Rbye8E
The real issue was how to mask the motive so that neither Finn nor Bruce would catch on.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7T8vHbHFQ
He had already mapped out a few potential shell company routes and plausible justifications—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4woRo0w6cy
until he heard someone call out:
“Mr. Drake.”
He turned his head.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcN1foDnYXi
Nora had just placed the last rifle into the case, closing the lid with practiced ease.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpCvoc9iym
After locking the latches, she gave her hands a quick clap—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFt377hk9qy
as if marking the end of a ritual.
“Just call me Tim,” he replied reflexively, his voice unintentionally soft.
Nora gave a small nod, her expression unusually earnest.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4XuGabrE5
“Tim, thank you for inviting me today. I really enjoyed it.”
Her eyes still shimmered with leftover excitement—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4U7FDC9Go0
so different from the cool, sharp precision she had while shooting.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszLAfGdOby
This was human.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zABrRbRHi
This was joy.
“Let me buy you dinner,” she said. “I know a great Italian place.”
Tim froze.
For once, he wasn’t strategizing.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO69B0w4jAC
He wasn’t analyzing risks.158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLgqMITuSv
He wasn’t scanning for background intel.
He just… froze a little—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqmBY3oS75
and then nodded.
“Sure,” he said.
His voice wasn’t loud,158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLreE0AmmZw
but the way the words landed felt like the quiet turning of a page—158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKpw8QzlC0
a new chapter quietly unfolding.
158Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6AJ7HyxFp
and then Add to home screen.