Batman 47-X and Maria stood outside her old apartment building, the once-vibrant neighborhood now worn and neglected. The building's exterior was marred by graffiti and broken windows, a stark contrast to the memories of happier times that seemed to haunt Maria's gaze.

  "Home sweet home," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the distant hum of traffic. "At least, it used to be."

  Batman 47-X approached the door, his enhanced senses picking up on the faint scent of decay and disuse. He knelt, examining the lock, and produced a small tool from his utility belt. A few deft movements ter, the lock clicked open, and the door creaked inward.

  The apartment was dark and empty, the air thick with dust and the faint odor of mold. Maria stepped inside, her eyes scanning the familiar rooms, now stripped of most of their furnishings.

  "Nobody's been here for months," she whispered, her voice barely a breath. "Where is she, Batman? What happened to my little girl?"

  Batman 47-X pced a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll find her, Maria. I promise."

  She led him to the kitchen, where a small table still stood with a single chair pushed back as if waiting for someone to return. Maria retrieved a photograph from the refrigerator door, held by a magnet, its edges worn from years of handling. She pced it on the table, her fingers tracing the outline of a young girl with fiery red hair and a wide, gap-toothed smile.

  "She's thirteen now," Maria said, her voice filled with longing. "She was twelve when I was taken."

  Batman 47-X studied the photograph, committing every detail to memory and uploading the picture to the servers at the base. The girl's bright eyes seemed to look directly at him, and he felt the weight of his promise.

  "We'll find her, Maria. And we'll bring her home."

  Maria looked up at him, her eyes filled with hope and gratitude. "You promise?"

  Batman 47-X nodded firmly. "I promise to do everything in my power. Now, let's get you to my Gotham. I have resources there that will help us find her faster."

  Maria hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. Yes, please. I want to see my little girl again."

  Harley sat cross-legged on her narrow bed, watching as Tammy pulled on the blue dress with its white apron. The fabric rustled softly as Tammy smoothed down the skirt, then reached for the bck headband on the dresser they shared.

  "So you're going up to see Mr. Tetch again?" Harley asked, picking at a loose thread on her bnket.

  Tammy nodded, securing the headband over her reddish blonde hair. "Yeah, like usual. He and Alice are having a te dinner tonight."

  "How's Alice handling that?" Harley's voice carried a sharp note of concern as she watched her roommate's reflection in the rge mirror.

  Tammy paused for a moment, her hands stilling on the dress's ties. "She seems to be fine with me. Last night I could tell she was a little bit weird, but when Mr. Tetch talked to her, she got over it."

  Harley leaned forward, her expression growing serious. "You need to be careful, Tammy. I've heard rumors through the grapevine that Alice gets jealous when Mr. Tetch shows too much attention to us girls. And those girls... they tend to disappear."

  Tammy dismissed the warning with a wave of her hand, turning to face Harley. "Oh, that's nonsense. Mr. Tetch cares for me and makes sure I'm okay."

  "The st girl thought the same thing," Harley muttered, but Tammy wasn't really paying attention anymore.

  "It's okay. Well, Harley, you have a good night and I'll see you tomorrow morning." Tammy grabbed her small purse from the nightstand.

  The clock on the wall read 9:00 PM as Tammy headed toward the door of their third-floor room. Just as she reached for the handle, three sharp knocks echoed through the thin wood.

  Tammy opened the door to reveal a tall, skinny man with a gentle smile. His green overalls hung loosely on his frame, and his eyes held a kind but unfocused quality.

  "Oh, hey Janitor J," Tammy said with a quick smile. "How are you doing?"

  "I just came to see if you need me to take out the trash or do any repairs," J said, his words coming slowly but earnestly.

  "Maybe take out the trash, but you can talk to Harley. I have to go." Tammy stepped past him into the hallway.

  "Mr. J!" Harley called out, her face lighting up as she slid off her bed and ran over to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist in a tight hug. "I'm gd you're here. How are you doing?"

  Mr. J's face brightened with genuine warmth. "Oh, I'm doing fine. I just came to see if you need anything fixed or if the trash needs taking out."

  "Well, before you do all that, sit down and talk to me," Harley said, taking his hand and leading him to the small sofa against the wall.

  They settled onto the worn cushions, and Harley curled up beside him. "How have you been doing?"

  "Yes, I'm doing good. How about you?" J asked, his voice gentle despite its slow cadence.

  "Same as I normally do. Pying my part in the movies. Everything is fine." Harley leaned against his shoulder, finding comfort in his steady presence. She took his rge, calloused hand in both of hers, gently stroking the back of it with her thumb.

  Mr. J might have Down syndrome, might struggle with words and move slowly through his thoughts, but he had a kind heart. In this pce where most of the employees either ignored her or looked at her in ways that made her skin crawl, J was different. He was one of the few people who treated her like she mattered, who asked how she was doing and actually cared about the answer.

  Harley felt safe with him, protected in a way she rarely experienced in this building. As she continued to pet his hand, she pushed away the nagging worry about Tammy going upstairs to have dinner with Mr. Tetch and Alice. There was nothing she could do about it now anyway.