Marcus returned to patrol Sunday night feeling refreshed.
Two full days off. Normal time with Sarah. Family dinner with Uncle Mike. Actual rest and recovery.
Turns out everyone was right. Rest makes you more effective, not less.
He met Spoiler on their usual rooftop at 10 PM.
"You look better," she said immediately. "Less like a zombie, more like a functional human."
"Thanks. I think."
"Definitely a compliment. Two days off did you good." Spoiler pulled out her tablet. "Ready to get back to work? Because I've got something big developing."
"How big?"
"Remember that fencing operation I've been tracking? The electronics theft ring?" Spoiler showed him surveillance data. "I finally traced it to the distribution center. Warehouse in the industrial district. They're moving a major shipment Tuesday night. This is our chance to take down the whole operation."
Marcus studied the data. "How many people?"
"Estimate eight to ten. Mix of street dealers and organization management. This isn't just stopping thieves—this is dismantling the network." Spoiler zoomed in on the warehouse layout. "But it's too big for just us. We need backup."
"What kind of backup?"
"I'm thinking we loop in police coordination. Not Bullock—he's good but limited authority. We need someone who can mobilize a tactical response team." Spoiler looked at Marcus. "You comfortable working that closely with law enforcement?"
"Depends. Can we trust them not to arrest us while we're helping?"
"That's the question. But if we want to actually take down organized crime instead of just individual criminals, we need to start thinking bigger. Police have resources we don't."
Marcus thought about it. She was right. They'd been effective at street level, but organized crime required institutional response.
"Okay. How do we approach this?"
"Carefully. I'll reach out to a contact I have—detective who's been watching our work, seems sympathetic. We provide intelligence, they provide the muscle. We stay anonymous but coordinate timing." Spoiler made notes. "But Marcus, this is escalation. Once we start working with police directly, we're crossing a line. Can't go back to being completely independent after that."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Not necessarily. But it changes the dynamic. We become... assets. Resources. People who can be called on. That's more responsibility."
"We're already taking responsibility. This just makes it official."
"Fair point." Spoiler closed her tablet. "Alright. I'll set up the meeting. Tuesday night for the operation. You good with that timeline?"
"Yeah. Gives me tomorrow to prepare."
"Good. Now let's do a patrol. See what trouble Gotham's gotten into while we were resting."
The patrol was routine—one attempted mugging (stopped), one domestic disturbance (de-escalated), one group of teenagers breaking into a car (scared off with minimal intervention).
But toward the end of the night, Marcus felt something.
That familiar sensation. Being watched.
He stopped on a rooftop, enhanced senses scanning. Nothing obvious. But the feeling persisted.
"You feel that?" he asked Spoiler.
She was instantly alert. "Feel what?"
"Like we're being watched. Someone's out there."
Spoiler scanned the surrounding rooftops. "I don't see anything. But your senses are better than mine. You sure?"
"Not sure. Just... a feeling."
They waited in silence for a minute. The sensation faded.
"Could be paranoia," Spoiler said. "We've been high-profile lately. Makes sense to feel exposed."
"Maybe." But Marcus wasn't convinced.
They finished the patrol without incident. But the feeling stayed with him.
Someone was watching. I'm sure of it.
Monday brought training and preparation.
Morning: classes, catching up on schoolwork that had piled up during the intense weeks.
Afternoon: I-Ching's dojo. Weapons training—staff work, defensive techniques.
"You're distracted," I-Ching observed. "Your mind is elsewhere."
"Just thinking about an operation coming up. Big one."
"The bigger the operation, the more important focus becomes." I-Ching adjusted Marcus's grip on the staff. "Distraction in combat is death. Clear your mind. Be present."
Marcus tried. But his thoughts kept drifting—the warehouse operation, the feeling of being watched, Uncle Mike's warnings about sustainability.
After class, I-Ching pulled him aside.
"Something troubles you. More than just an upcoming operation."
"It's nothing. Just... feeling exposed lately. Like people are paying too much attention."
"Attention is inevitable when you do work that matters. The question is whether the attention is friendly or hostile." I-Ching tilted his head. "Trust your instincts, Marcus Reid. If you feel watched, you probably are. The question is what you do with that information."
"What should I do?"
"Be aware. Be careful. But don't let paranoia stop you from doing what needs doing." I-Ching placed a hand on Marcus's shoulder. "Fear of being watched is natural. But it cannot control you. Use it to sharpen your awareness, not dull your effectiveness."
Evening: Ted Grant's gym. Boxing training, working combinations with Tommy.
"You're holding back," Tommy said after their second round. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, just tired. Big week coming up."
"School stuff or other stuff?" Tommy's tone was knowing.
Marcus glanced at him. "Other stuff. Why?"
"Because I've been training here for five years. I know what fighters look like when they're preparing for real fights, not just gym sparring." Tommy smiled slightly. "Whatever you're doing out there, be careful. You're good, but even good people can get hurt."
Does everyone suspect? Or am I just that obvious?
"I'll be careful."
"Good. I like having you as a sparring partner. Don't get yourself killed."
That evening, Spoiler texted: Meeting set for tomorrow. Detective I trust. We provide intel, they coordinate tactical response. 8 PM warehouse district. Be ready.
Marcus responded: Ready. What do we need to bring?
Your speed and my planning. That's it. Let the police handle the heavy lifting.
Understood.
And Revenant? This is big. Biggest thing we've done. No room for mistakes.
I know. I'll be ready.
He logged the upcoming operation:
DATE: August 25
TOTAL ABILITIES: 270
MAJOR OPERATION INCOMING - TUESDAY:
Taking down organized theft ring. 8-10 suspects. Distribution center. Coordinating with police for the first time—Detective that Spoiler trusts. This is escalation beyond what we've done before.
PREPARATION: Training at dojo and gym. Mentally preparing for larger operation. Uncle Mike's warnings about sustainability echoing. But this is what we've been building toward—actually dismantling organized crime, not just stopping symptoms.
CONCERN: Still feeling watched. Could be paranoia. Could be real. I-Ching says trust instincts but don't let paranoia control me. That's good advice.
TOMMY'S COMMENT: He knows I'm doing more than just training. Didn't push for details but told me to be careful. How many people suspect at this point? Ted probably. I-Ching definitely. Tommy now. OpSec might be slipping. Need to be more careful about separating identities.
NEXT STEPS: Rest tomorrow. Prepare mentally. Meet with Spoiler and detective Tuesday evening. Execute operation. Dismantle the network. Make real impact.
PERSONAL: Uncle Mike wanted me to be smart. Sarah wanted me to be sustainable. This operation is both—working with police instead of going alone, using resources available, thinking strategically. That's smart. That's sustainable. That's what I need to keep doing.
ABILITIES: Still at 270. No new copies this week. Too focused on rest and preparation. That's okay. Quality over quantity.
He closed the app and tried to sleep.
But the feeling of being watched stayed with him.
Someone's out there. Watching. Evaluating.
Question is who. And what they want.
Meanwhile - Undisclosed Location
Barbara Gordon watched the live feed from micro-drones positioned around Crime Alley.
"They're planning something big," she told Kate over comms. "Police coordination. Major operation. This is significant escalation."
"Think they're ready for it?"
"Reid's improving incredibly fast. His combat integration is remarkable—he went from reactive amateur to tactical operator in three months. That's unusual." Barbara pulled up their operation success rate. "97% success rate over three months. That's impressive for unsupervised operators."
"You still think it's enhanced learning from whatever brought him back?"
"That's my best guess. Some kind of accelerated skill acquisition. But without more data, I can't confirm the mechanism." Barbara made notes. "Brown's tactical planning is excellent. The coordination between them is professional level."
"So the recommendation?"
"Almost there. I want to see how they handle this police coordination operation. If they can work within institutional frameworks while maintaining operational effectiveness, they're ready for recruitment." Barbara's expression became more serious. "Two more days. Then we make the recommendation to Bruce."
"Understood. What about the League activity?"
Barbara's fingers flew across the keyboard, pulling up surveillance data. "That's the concerning part. League of Assassins presence in Gotham has tripled in the past month. Multiple safe houses established. Increased surveillance of their own. That level of activity isn't normal."
"Think it's connected to our subjects?"
"Unknown. The timing is suspicious—increased League presence coinciding with two promising new vigilantes. But I can't establish a direct connection." Barbara zoomed in on League movement patterns. "Could be they're watching the same targets we are. Could be something else entirely. Ra's doesn't operate in Gotham without purpose."
"Should we accelerate recruitment? Get to Reid and Brown before the League does something?"
"Not yet. We need more data on what the League is actually doing here. If we move too early, we might trigger exactly what we're trying to prevent." Barbara leaned back. "But Kate, stay sharp during their operation Tuesday. If League operatives show up, we need to know immediately."
"Will do. What's the concern—that the League will try to recruit them?"
"Or eliminate them. Or something else. Ra's al Ghul is unpredictable." Barbara pulled up additional surveillance. "We're not the only ones paying attention to Gotham's newest vigilantes. That makes this complicated."
"And dangerous for them."
"Very dangerous. They have no idea how much attention they're attracting or from whom." Barbara studied the screens. "Two more days of observation. Then we bring them in before this situation escalates beyond our control."
"Copy that. Maintaining close overwatch."
"And Kate? If anything feels wrong during their operation—anything at all—you intervene. We're not losing these recruits because we were too cautious."
"Understood. Out."
Barbara continued studying the data.
Two promising vigilantes operating openly in Gotham.
Batman's network evaluating them for recruitment.
League of Assassins increasing operations for unknown purpose.
All converging at the same time.
That's not coincidence.
That's a powder keg waiting for a spark.
She pulled up the encrypted connection to Bruce Wayne.
Time to update Batman on both the recruits and the League situation.
This was getting more complicated by the day.
Tuesday Morning
Marcus woke up feeling the pre-operation tension.
Tonight's the night. Biggest operation yet. Police coordination. Organized crime takedown.
No pressure.
He spent the morning in classes, barely paying attention. His professors' voices faded into background noise as his mind ran through scenarios, contingencies, escape routes.
Sarah texted during lunch: You okay? You seem distracted.
Big operation tonight. Just mentally preparing.
Be careful. And Marcus? Remember what your uncle said. Be smart, not just brave.
I will. Promise.
Good. Text me when you're done. Let me know you're okay.
Will do.
The afternoon dragged. Marcus trained lightly—staying limber, keeping his body ready, not exhausting himself before the operation.
By 7 PM, he was in position at the designated meeting spot—a rooftop overlooking the warehouse district.
Spoiler arrived at 7:30, followed by a figure in plain clothes at 7:45.
The detective was a woman, late thirties, professional appearance. She looked at both of them with careful assessment.
"So you're Revenant and Spoiler. The Crime Alley vigilantes."
"That's us," Spoiler said. "You're Detective Montoya?"
"Renee Montoya, Major Crimes Unit. I've been watching your work. Impressive results." Montoya pulled out a tablet. "Spoiler says you have intelligence on the theft ring distribution center. Walk me through it."
Spoiler laid out the entire operation—surveillance data, organization structure, timing of the Tuesday night shipment, estimated personnel.
Montoya listened carefully, asked smart questions, took notes.
"This is solid intel. Better than what we have internally." She looked at both of them. "How do you want to coordinate?"
"You handle the arrests and processing. We handle the initial takedown—we're faster, more mobile, can secure the scene before suspects scatter." Spoiler pulled up the warehouse layout. "We go in first, neutralize immediate threats, hold position until your tactical team arrives."
"You're talking about entering an active crime scene with armed suspects. That's dangerous."
"We've done it before. Successfully." Spoiler's tone was confident. "We know what we're doing, Detective."
Montoya studied them both. "Alright. But if this goes bad, I can't protect you. You're operating outside legal authority. If you get hurt or killed, that's on you."
"Understood," Marcus said. "We're not asking for protection. Just coordination."
"Fair enough." Montoya checked her watch. "Shipment arrives at 10 PM. My team will be in position by 9:45. You move in at 10:15—gives them time to get comfortable, distracted. We come in at your signal. Clear?"
"Clear."
"One more thing." Montoya looked at them seriously. "Why are you doing this? You could walk away. Live normal lives. Why risk yourselves?"
Spoiler and Marcus exchanged a glance.
"Because someone has to," Spoiler said simply. "And we can."
Montoya nodded slowly. "Alright. Let's take down some criminals."
At 10:14 PM, Marcus and Spoiler moved into position.
The warehouse was active—vehicles arriving, people moving crates, organization in motion.
"Eight suspects visible," Spoiler whispered through comms. "Matches our estimate. You ready?"
"Ready."
"Then let's do this. On three. One... two... three."
They moved as one.
Marcus's enhanced speed carried him through the side entrance before anyone reacted. His combat training—I-Ching's flow state, Ted Grant's boxing, tactical awareness from Spoiler—all flowed together naturally.
First suspect down. Second. Third.
Spoiler came through the main entrance, her combat precision taking down two more before they could draw weapons.
"GCPD! Nobody move!" Montoya's tactical team flooded the warehouse.
The remaining suspects tried to run. Marcus cut off their escape routes. Spoiler herded them toward the police.
Within three minutes, all eight suspects were in custody. The shipment secured. The operation complete.
"Clean work," Montoya said, approaching them. "Professional level coordination. You've done this before."
"Few times," Spoiler said. "Gets easier with practice."
"Or you're just good at it." Montoya handed them a card. "This is my direct line. You get intel like this again, you call me. We work well together."
"We might take you up on that," Marcus said.
"Please do. Gotham needs more people willing to actually help instead of just complaining." Montoya nodded to them. "Stay safe out there."
They disappeared before more police arrived.
On a rooftop three blocks away, Marcus and Spoiler caught their breath.
"That was smooth," Spoiler said. "Really smooth. Police coordination works."
"Yeah. Detective Montoya's solid. We can work with her." Marcus leaned against a ventilation unit. "This is what strategic operations look like. Not just us stopping crimes—actually dismantling organizations."
"Exactly. This is what I've been working toward." Spoiler smiled behind her mask. "We're getting good at this, Revenant. Really good."
Marcus's enhanced awareness suddenly kicked in. That familiar sensation—being watched.
"We're being watched," Marcus said quietly.
"What?"
"Someone's here. Close. Watching us."
Spoiler was instantly alert, scanning the surrounding buildings.
A figure on the adjacent rooftop. Red and black tactical gear. Female. Armed with what looked like specialized equipment.
The figure didn't move. Didn't run. Just... watched.
"Who is that?" Spoiler whispered.
"No idea. But she's close. Really close."
The figure raised a hand—not threatening, just acknowledging. Then she was gone, moving across the rooftops with professional speed.
"What the hell was that?" Spoiler asked.
"Don't know. But whoever she is, she's been watching us. Closely." Marcus's enhanced senses tracked her movement until she disappeared completely. "And she's really good."
They stood there for a moment, processing.
"We're attracting attention," Spoiler said finally. "Serious attention. People with professional-level skills are watching us."
"Is that good or bad?"
"Don't know yet. But it's something." Spoiler looked at Marcus. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Just... surprised. Whoever that was, she wasn't trying to hurt us. Just observing."
"Observing for what purpose?"
"That's the question."
They finished their patrol in thoughtful silence, both aware that their operation had been watched by someone with serious capabilities.
Back at his apartment, Marcus logged everything:
DATE: August 27
TOTAL ABILITIES: 270
MAJOR OPERATION - THEFT RING TAKEDOWN:
Complete success. Coordinated with Detective Montoya (Major Crimes). Eight suspects in custody. Distribution center shut down. Professional level operation. Police coordination works—this is sustainable model for larger operations.
MYSTERY WATCHER: Someone was observing our operation. Female, red/black tactical gear, professional level equipment and skills. Didn't interfere, didn't attack, just watched from adjacent rooftop. When we spotted her, she acknowledged us and left. Non-hostile but definitely evaluating us. Who is she? What does she want? Why is she watching us so closely?
SPOILER'S ASSESSMENT: We're attracting serious attention. Professional level operators watching us. Could be good (potential allies?) or bad (potential threats?). Unknown at this point.
CONCERN: This is the second time I've felt watched recently. First was vague sensation. This was direct visual confirmation. Someone with significant skills is tracking our operations. Need to figure out who and why.
OPERATION SUCCESS: Biggest takedown yet. Working with police is effective and sustainable. This is the model going forward—strategic operations, institutional coordination, actually dismantling organizations instead of just stopping symptoms.
NEXT STEPS: Continue coordination with Detective Montoya. Figure out who mystery watcher is. Stay alert for more surveillance. Keep improving effectiveness while staying safe.
PERSONAL: Uncle Mike said be smart. Sarah said be sustainable. Tonight was both. Professional coordination, successful operation, no unnecessary risks. This is what vigilante work should look like.
He closed the app and stared at his ceiling.
Someone was watching them.
Someone with professional-level skills.
Someone close enough to observe their entire operation.
Who? And what do they want?
Outside, Gotham's night continued.
But Marcus knew something had changed.
They weren't just two vigilantes operating independently anymore.
They were being evaluated.
By whom, and for what purpose, he didn't know.
But he'd find out soon enough.