It had been almost one month since she arrived here at Gotham University, this young timid lady with a secret. Longing to find a home to call her own, she seemed to find one here in Gotham.

In her dorm, the bed frame shook as she snored. After studying for next week’s exam till 1:00 in the morning, she found it hard to keep herself awake. It was the weekends but she really didn’t want to take any chances.

Suddenly a high obnoxious ring tone disrupted her sleep and she rolled off her bed. It could only be one person who had set that as her caller id.

“What Teri?” she groaned.

“SALE, SALE, SALE!” her best friend screamed at the top of her lungs, “Hurry up get changed!”

“Girl, it’s five in the morning! And I gotta study for that engineering class next week!”

“Uh… earth to Slumber Lass, it’s on Friday. You have plenty of time to study. Give yourself a rest and come shopping with me. I mean I’m always dragging Paco and Jaime along and all they do is whine. PACO SHHH!”

“Fine… let me get changed.”

She took a shower and changed into a dark blue shirt with a faded white cross design, a short dark purple plaid skirt with a black belt, black legging with some small holes at the knees, black sneakers with Chinese dragon traveling around the shoes and a red rose hair pin in her hair.

“My only best outfit for shopping…” she thought.

Without drinking her coffee, she dragged herself out of her dorm and onto the elevator, still half asleep. Her cell phone buzzed again. It was Jaime.

“U coming out or wat? Terri is nutz out here?”

“Hang on…” she texted back.

With the last bit of strength she had she heaved herself out the door and stumbled out into the spring air, ramming herself straight into a lamp post.

“Owwwww…” she moaned.

“THERE YOU ARE! TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH!” Teresa cried as she ran up to her, Jaime and Paco lagging behind. Ana looked up, still dazed from the crash.

“Hurry up!”

“Uh… durrrr…where are my glasses?”

“On your forehead, Sleeping Beauty,” Paco snickered.

“Oh shut it, Taco!” Ana growled. She leaned against Jaime as they made their way to Teresa’s car. It was still dark for the sun had not come up at that time. The only sounds of the morning were of the chorus of crickets and birds and Teresa’s babbling of the huge sales they had at Gotham mall to her boyfriend.

“So you’re starting to see the true side of her, eh Ana?” Jaime asked. His friend weakly grinned.

“Yup. Last week I saw her in a poodle skirt and fuzzy sweater top. This week a 1920s outfit, big fancy hat included. I hate to tell her this but I’m broke,” she whispered.

“Huh. Well too late to tell her that...”

Ana groaned, she wanted to catch up on her book about Midsummer’s dream than go shopping. Since she had forced to relocate her family, she rarely went shopping for herself. She always went to secondary shops to shop for clothing, mostly for Ranger’s growing being.

Jaime slyly smiled and quickly threw her up into his arms. She was too groggy to even notice that she was being carried bridal style by him. She was way to comfortable to even care at all. Paco and Teresa turned to look at them and quietly snickered.

“Shut up and drive,” Jaime snapped as he set Ana down in the passenger’s seat behind the driver’s, taking his seat right next to her. She leaned her head against the door, feeling coolness of its leather texture as the lullaby of the engine made her feel once again drowsy. Paco handed her a cup of coffee and she took a sip of it… and spat it out.

“Yeck! Paco what the hell is this coffee blend, it tastes like… raspberry mixed with Jamaican blend!” she howled. She watched as her friend pounded his head against the dash board.

“That’s because it is! I know how much you hate that stuff but we needed to wake you up, kiddo!” he giggled. Ana rolled her eyes and smiled as she handed back to him.

“Thanks… but I think this fits you better.”

“OMG WE ARE SO GOING TO BE LATE!!!” Teresa screamed as she hit the accelerator.

Ana found herself was pinned to her seat as the car’s tires squealed out of the parking lot. It was like an actual roller coaster with out all the loopy loops or the spiraling track. Teresa made a sharp left, throwing Jaime into Ana before making her way towards the beltway where her driving suddenly became “normal.”

“Okay, now I see what you meant her insanity driving,” Ana mumbled as she shoved Jaime off of her.

“Told you so. Was it a wake up call for you?” he grinned at her.

“Yep, screw the hot coffee bar. I think I’ll hit a Frappuccino instead. I’m also glad I skipped breakfast.”

They drove into the empty parking lot with as the sun turned a fiery orange. Colors flashed into Ana’s mind as the whole world went hazy and faded into a sandy beach. Voices entered and she could see a picture of a man and his daughter gazing at the same sunrise. The little girl’s hair was pulled back in a short pony tail and she wore a plaid jumper.

“Sing me a song, Anny, you know those that are your favorites,” the man’s voice bellowed.

“Anny.”

“Ana!”

Ana looked up in surprise at her friends. “H-Huh?”

“You okay? You spaced out,” Teresa said. The girl nodded quickly as she jumped out of the car.

“Yea… I’m fine. Just thinking bout something. Also…”

“You’re broke?” Paco asked, elbowing his girl. Teresa handed her a white envelope with her name written in a stylized penmanship with hearts and flowers on the I’s and A’s. She blinked as she turned it over, and carefully opened the flap. Inside was a golden gift card that worth at least $10,000 in cash. Ana gasp.

“Girl, I can’t accept this,” she stuttered, holding it out in front of her. She was a thief but she was no beggar. Teresa was the daughter of one of the huge Gotham boosters and owner of the large Gotham mall. This large shopping center was like her walk’ in closet. Teresa could get anything here for free. But to this new comer with a poor background, this was teen thief/ girl’s paradise. She knew how to pick locks, bypass security, hack into hardware systems… she could get away with this.

But she had to resist. She wasn’t Black Spade now, just plain and boring old Ana Squires, the girl with the second hand everything… well not everything… these guys were pretty first class to her.

“Keep it, I insist. This is basically my gift to you as my best friend and welcoming present, Girl,” Teresa grinned. Ana returned the smile and hugged her.

“Besides, Jaime over here can now have something to do instead of dragging his feet.”

Jaime gave a terrified glace at his buddy as the followed them. “Amigo, you better have worked out cause with one girl it’s a marathon but with dios? Ai! It’s going to turn into a nightmare for the both of us!” Paco hissed. They both groaned.

Yep defiantly first class.

The glass doors opened and Ana’s jaw dropped open. This place was huge! Glassy windows, spotless tile floors, high tech advertisement screens, the state of the art elevators, escalators, speakers, etc. A place where she would even bring Red Diamond and Ruby Heart for a heist.

“Admiring the view already?” she heard Teresa asked, “You love the shops then!”

“You sound more like one of the ads,” she replied with a laugh. Teresa grabbed her arm and dragged her down to a large department store that was said to have the most stylish clothing in Gotham. The girls tore through the junior department like twin tornados, leaving behind a trail of loose clothing. Ana realized she loved to shop, it made her feel like an actual normal girl than some frightened nobody with a dark secret.

“That was a sweet sale, plus we got all the good goodies!” Teresa squealed as she handed her two enlarged shopping bags to Paco. Her boyfriend gave a pitiful glance at her before stumbling over at the weight of the bags. Jaime looked over at Ana and held out his hands, expecting to receive the same fate.

Instead, the girl grinned and shook her head. “I’ll let you of the hook,” she giggled, “for now.” Jaime let out a relieved sigh before he was tackled by her hug. The four friends then walked off towards another store the girls were dying to go to. Around noon, Ana treated the gang with a large pizza for lunch, one with four types of toppings: Pepperoni, pineapple and ham, supreme and cheese.

When they finished the boys competed in a burping contest, much to the girls’ disgust. “45,46, 47 seconds, Paco,” Jaime sighed as he shook his head, “You beat me again.” Paco flexed his arm.

“Oh yea I’m good,” he grinned at the girls, Teresa blew him a kissed as Ana groaned and shook her head.

“I’ll never understand how boys and burping contests go hand in hand, ugh,” she mumbled, taking another sip of her milkshake. Her best friend shrugged as Jaime shot a spit ball at Paco.

“I’m going to check out Sandstone’s shoe store with Paco,” Teresa said as she sipped her smoothie, the sound of emptiness of the cup ringing in everyone’s ears, “You coming?”

“Nope. I’m not that thrilled with shoes. Besides you and Paco can have some alone time,” Ana sighed as she stretched.

“Aw we love you too. Now don’t try to do something stupid you two. And remember she’s supposed to be home before curfew is over,” Paco sneered as he and his sweetheart walked away laughing. Ana cocked her head in confusion as Jaime grumbled and raked a hand through his hair. What a stupid remark. Sure, this girl quickly became his close friend, but they weren’t that close. The being a gentleman like posture earlier was to get her to the car. She was tired after studying for seven hours straight which considered her nuts without the caffeine.

“Whatcha thinking about, Jaime?”

He jumped back to reality and stared down at Ana and saw her arm snaked around his. She looked like a little girl with her lips pursed together in a childlike smile and her eyes shimmering like stars.

“N-nothing… it’s nothing really.”

“Nothing…eh?”

“You know what? That question I told you bout. Well I found out that you remind me of my little sister, Milagro. Annoying, nosey and a big pain in the butt.”

Ana stuck out her lip and pouted. “Well you act like my baby brother. He’s also a big pain in the butt and you both are insane!”

Jaime sighed and looked back at her. “So where to, milady?”

He received a purse smack on the head from her. “Do I look like a rich snot princess asking for her butler? And besides,” she said with a small smile, “it’s your choice now.”

“Wha?”

“Arcade, videogames, the huge place with computers, music and crap, or movies. Take your pick. Arcade and videogames… ten bucks say I can kick your B-U-T-T.”

“Oh videogames. Craft of war… you are so on.”

They giggled as they ran off in pursuit of nagging the clerk of playing at least two… ahem… fourteen levels of their game. Others stared at them as they pushed and shoved each other their, laughter growing louder and louder.

After buying the game and getting themselves forced out of the store, Ana noticed a young children’s clothing store and the memory of Ranger flashed into her mind. Him in clothes that didn’t fit him and made him look like a sitting scarecrow in his wheelchair.

“Sister! I hate these clothes! They’re too sticky and stuffy!” he would whine.

“Sorry kiddo… but I can’t afford brand new ones,” she would say. She hated saying those words to him.

“You thinking of your brother huh?”

“What?” She looked back at Jaime. His warm hand was on her shoulder and that concerned look was staring into her heart. She nodded sadly and flipped out her phone to show him a video of the brat.

“Sup, squirt,” the sound of her voice asked.

“GAAAAAWWWWHHHH!” Ranger yelled as he displayed his most ugliest face to the camera.

“Wonderful, Mr. Personality. Keep that up and I won’t get you that game you wanted.”

“Fine, Ana, geez you’re so stoic!”

The video stopped and Ana stared up at Jaime. A frown was pasted to his face and he look like was about to cry as he stared at the little boy with no legs.

“That’s your brother?” he whispered.

“Yea. His legs were deformed and had amputated when he was born. The doctors said it was a five percent chance that he would live past his first birthday and he scored that five percent. That was seven years ago…and now he’s grown into a spoiled brat on wheels.”

She took arm and led him into the store, a small blush unknowingly appeared on her face. Unlike her recent “bizarre” browsing, she took her time to look over the materials and details of each other young boys’ clothing. She wanted to buy two perfect outfits that suited Ranger’s likings.

He was a rather a wild young one, with a high vocabulary and an extreme sense of curiosity in machinery. She still remembered the first day she “accidentally” fell into his “secret laboratory.” That was when he announced to her that instead of tattling, he would be her own advisor in her heists. … and she ask for anyone better than him. Despite their sibling disputes, they depended on each other for support. Ana always took care of her brother and in return, Ranger, with his quick thinking and clever tactics assisted Ana from an old warehouse just outside of Hub city with his four-legged assistant, Nana who during the operations was known as Ruby Heart.

“Okay, Princess Happy Skippy, Terri forced me to promise you that I would carry those bags,” Jaime said, rolling his eyes. He took the bags from her tired hands before she could even protest. He gave her one of those prize winning smiles of his and her heart skipped. She dismissed it but saw that it was harder to recoil than the first time they met. But either way she had thrown it out of her mind once again.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a fit notorious giggles. She looked up as a lady in a red and black jester’s costume grinning at her and Jaime while swinging around a large rifle. She fired at the ceiling above them before following the Joker towards terrorizing more costumers.

“Look out!” Ana cried as she shoved Jaime of the way. Suddenly she found herself dangling high above five stories, her only life line was Jaime who held her by her wrist.

“Ana! Hang on!”

Then in a heart beat, her wrist slipped through his fingers like grain and downward she plunged; into large watery exhibit featuring an aquatic wildlife attraction that laid underneath the mall, one where costumers could walk in a glass tunnel that separated them from the creatures.

Muffled screams and the excitement of pitter-pattered feet forced her eyes to fly open. She looked up as she continued to sink, watching the blurry light from the ceiling window grow dimmer and dimmer. She clawed at the liquid walls as she struggled to swim upwards, in doing so had knocked her glasses off. Her breath was growing shallower by the second as her efforts grew weaker and weaker and she noticed a shark swimming towards her. This couldn’t be the way she died!

The sounds of someone diving and sight of blue orbs fired at the shark shattered the silence of death and awoke Ana from her grieving thoughts. She weakly stared at a figure of black and blue, furiously swimming towards her as her body continued to sink, red eyes desperately begged her to hang on. Then her world went black.

Blue Beetle held her figure in his arms as he rose towards the surface. Time was against him as he prayed that she survive. He flew out of the water and hover over the timid crowd bellow, his eyes only fixed on the fragile body he held close to his chest. Water dripped from her frozen face and onto his suit.

“Please don’t die,” he pleaded. A shadow flew past them and landed at a nearby railing. Batman stared at him then at the girl before giving an understanding nod of approval. He looked over his shoulder and made a gesture to three young teens to follow.

“Come when you’re done! Joker’s cronies are still scattered through out the building so we’ll need you,” he called. His three pupils glanced at Blue before trailing after him, excitement flaring in each of their eyes. Blue Beetle’s scarab beeped in disappointment as they disappeared behind some rubble.

“Oh can it, suit. What would happen if you were me and this was your friend that just risked her life for you?”

The scarab taunted him again.

“This is not some stupid mushy matter, Goober! Now help me clear her lungs!”

His scarab took on of it’s legs off of his shoulder and attached it to her heart. Aliened with its host’s strength, they sent a small shockwave into her body. She fell back into arms and once again they sent another small shockwave into her heart.

At that moment, Ana gasped and hysterically coughed up water. Her chocolate eyes fluttered and her pupils adjusted to the light. Blue Beetle gave a sigh of relief as she looked around, obviously trying to come to terms with what had just happened to her.

“Hey Princess, you okay?”

She looked up into those red eyes of his. She didn’t expect the boy in blue to come to her rescue, especially since she escaped his grasp with the Tiffany Diamond. But how stupid could she be? He was staring at Ana not Black Spade. Just some damsel in distress not some well known girl thief that he saw.

“Y-Yea…” she answered, blushing at the name princess. A smile flickered on his face as his grip on her tightened, causing her to yelp in surprise. The scarab on his back beeped impatiently.

“Okay… okay…” he sighed, hovering over towards a safe zone where her bags were left stranded with no Jaime in sight. Blue Beetle landed and continued to stare at Ana as she struggled to piece her memories together. It happened all in a blur of light and sound like the fast forward of a movie. The feeling of falling, the muffled screams, that shark… weird… She shook her head and dragged herself back to reality.

That’s when she noticed Blue Beetle still staring absent mindedly at her, a small sad looking frown on his lips. She fidgeted with her star necklace.

“Erm… can you put me down please?” she asked, a tad bit nervous of his spaced out look.

“O-oh… heh right. Sorry about that,” he stuttered, struggling to hid the guilt on his face, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yea… good luck kicking their cans,” she gave him a gentle smile and watched as he flew off to join his team. This boy… her rival in this silly little game of crime called “Cops and robbers” had just save her life… maybe she had really misjudge this guy.

Just then that one tone rang and she flipped out her phone. The thoughtful emotion melted away into the cold business type. She would have to think of Blue Beetle later. Right now, another gig was up.

“What?”

“You okay, Sis? I’m watching the news right now and just heard that you fell into the aquatic life exhibit. You’re not hurt are you?”

“No. Is this why you called?”

“No… but you do need to steal something… cept well it’s overseas. Teleporter is almost set to go to London, by George! You need to steal… I mean borrow something from the Dutchess there. A certain gem of hers.”

“Okay… but not now. I’m still at the mall and…” she spotted Jaime stumbling towards her, an expression of horror pasted on his face. He placed his hands on his knees and looked up with a pathetic look in his eyes.

“Please tell me you’re not-”

“Jaime,” she gave a weak chuckle, “I’m fine. Just wet and cold that’s all.” She smiled as she shook her head a little. She still felt a little out of it and she thought she was catching a cold. She shivered and felt two arms wrap around her petite figure.

“I’m sorry…I’m such an idiot…” he whispered.

“You couldn’t do anything, Jaime… it’s just the force of nature. It’s the timing and the forces of evil that we can’t do anything. Not to sound corny… ”

Her heart skipped again and she felt weak against his touch. This feeling was killing her more and more. Why did this boy take pity on this foolish girl? Why did she never feel lonely like she always had been through out most of her life? Why was she so weak around these people? Why was this glass wall that kept her from everyone shattering?

That night she quietly rode the bus to Hubcity. It was quite a lovely place yet sadly did have some dark places infested with all sorts of evil. Here her small family lived in the shadows on first floor of a rundown apartment. She quietly knocked on the door.

A short plump woman with white locks and light blue eyes stared up at her with a frown. “WHADDA WANT, SOLDIER?” she yelled.

“Hello, Grandma… I mean General, ma’ma I mean sir…”

“That'll do. State your business, Sergeant.”

“I came to help Ranger with the garden,” She lied. Okay so her grandma wasn’t the brightest light bulb in the box but when she always answer the door, Ana had to find a reason to be coming home to her family.

Nana trotted after her into a dirty room filled with star charts, broken chemistry beakers and a wall with a large dark smudge in the middle. A little boy in a wheel chair was facing the grimy window.

“About time,” he mumbled as he wheeled his chair in a 180 degree to face her.

“Sorry boss… I didn’t know I was that late,” she sighed as she flopped down on his messy bed, “Have you cleaned up this pigsty, dweeb?”

“Why? I can’t reach anything. Mom can clean it”

“You shut up and stop ordering around Nana! Now come on before the “general” gives us orders attack her enemy, the nutty cat lady, Mrs. Cramblecook.”

Nana snorted as she began picking up the star charts scattered on the floor with her teeth. In fact Ana believed that this was her actually birth mother reborn as a dog as corny as it sounded. The girl was grateful for this faithful companion and wished to find a way to repay her.

They stood in front of the abandon lot next door. Wild weeds and shrubs entwined with each other, creating a sort of fence of roses that would have only been found in Sleeping Beauty. It was truly beautiful if not deadly to those who stepped in it for the first time.

Inside this maze of horrors stood a run down little house with its roof caved in from the center. It’s walls were hidden by dead bugs and wild ivy and it’s only chimney crumbling by the years. It was a sore sight but it held a secret that no hero or villain or person knew about except for the scarred family of outcasts.

Inside it was worse… it held another room of wonders made by the young little inventor. The three gathered together in a tight circle as a fragment of the floor flashes underneath and a tube suddenly encased them. Then downward they plunged.

The hidden room was a laboratory that even the brightest scientists would envy. This was made by the inventor, Ranger Henri Squires, a young boy with big dreams. But another family took residence here when they stepped through those doors.

Gone were the Squires… in this other life they didn’t exist this poor little family. In their place were three Aces of thieves: Black Spade, Red Diamond, and Ruby Heart. Some would ask, “Where is the Black Clover?” The family never spoke of the idea of a fourth member nor did they care if the suite wasn’t complete.

Black Spade dumped her day clothes on a nearby chair and walked up to a nearby vanity mirror she stole last year from a spoiled rich girl in Norway. She applied a mask of reddish purple eye shadow, navy eyeliner and dark red lipstick to her face, transforming this ugly duckling into dark swan.

“Hey Princess, you okay?”

The memory of the pleasant boy she met in Gotham and had save her life she forced out of her mind. Right now… she had to focus, no child’s play till after. Though she wished to quietly thank him for saving him, she knew her duties as a thief were to be put first.

She teased her hair a little and tied it back with a satin red ribbon. And with placing on her hat, her sweet innocent face was replaced with the relinquishing cold beauty of an emotionless young woman.

Ruby Heart once named Red Heart waited behind her, an Ace of Hearts dangling from her spiked scarlet collar as her black tail shook with glee. She held Black Spade’s Magenta belt in her mouth. As Ana wrapped her deceased mother’s belt around her waist, Ruby Heart gently yanked the wrinkles from her arm warmers. She trotted a few feet back and stared at the girl, a mother’s proud look displayed on her doggy face.

But her juvenile “cub” did not smile back. Ana was long gone, much to the dog’s sadness. And with that, Black Spade disappeared into a transporter without a word.

“CATCH HER! THAT WITCH IS GETTING AWAY-”

Black Spade sprinted out of the mansion window and dove down to the little houses below, an emerald crystal dangling from her neck. Secretly she enjoyed her adventure in London. This was the first time she ever had a heist overseas and everything here was beautiful at midnight.

Faster and faster did she run, leaping from one home to another, each growing taller as she neared the Big Ben, how beautiful it was. She reached a church’s high steeple and flung herself with full force towards the clock tower, a nine of clovers in her hand. Suddenly the card’s hook shot up and clipped onto the long hand with a young thief dangling on the other end like a fish.

She dangled her feet and stared at the far away mansion. It would be a while till word gets out of a robbery. Those dumb guards were taking a very long nap with their dogs lovely chewing on the steak she gave them. Such adorable animals.

Besides, two other crimes was in affect and the royal guard was too busy to handle both. She even heard that Batman and three other heroes were fighting the Joker so who would care about some stupid heist.

“HEY!”

She looked up in surprise and nearly fell off the hand. A figure in blue hovered in the air before her. A smile curled on her lips as she stood up. How much she wanted to gush the thank you to him but she knew if she did this, she would reveal her true identity. This boy would be the only one she would smile.

“Why isn’t this a pleasant surprise on this romantic midnight?” she laughed as she danced across the long hand, “A poet’s night with a full moon and shining stars.”

“Erm… don’t fall off…” he stuttered. But she didn’t hear the word at the end. Black Spade turned to him.

“I saw what you did back in Gotham. You saved that girl’s life.”

“What?” he blinked.

“What you did, you had a choice of saving that girl or running off to fight Harley Quin and Joker with Batman and the outsiders. And you chose to risk your life instead instantly trying to be a big shot hero like that guy that was said to have come from the “future”. It’s one pet peeve a hero has to overcome in order to be a good superhero. To over look the fame and glory and push forward in doing right.”

He stared into her brown eyes. “Why do you say that? You’re the wrong that most of us are trying to make right. You, Joker, Two-face, Catwoman… all of you make this place live in fear!” he said angrily, darting towards her till they were only a foot apart.

“I see you haven’t come to that stage yet,” she frowned as the hand jolted to seventeen, “That good or evil, we’re are all brethren and to destroy a life is to destroy one’s self nature. I, like Catwoman, do not participate in the blood thirst others crave for centuries. Those are hounds twisted by lies and take to promote war and terror and control. Those are things I do not want. I am only a Robin Hood.”

“You’re a thief but you talk like Batman and Wildcat. Like a hero.”

Black Spade’s heart thudded. What was he talking about? She was no hero! She never was! And yet those words some how came from herself… the cold yet merciful lady of the night. As if they were another’s words. Blue Beetle took the chance and lunged at her, only to crash into the four. She giggled and shook her head.

“Nice try, sweetheart, but you’re going to try harder than that,” she kissed his forehead and slipped a queen of hearts into his hands and skipped into the seven. The blue scarab beeped in despair at it’s host’s actions. Honestly he let the same thief get to him…

…again.