Batgirl #33 (2014)

While discussing what to do about the threat of Knightfall and The Disgraced, Batgirl and Black Canary were interrupted by a third vigilante wearing the same colours that Knightfall wears, and now, Batgirl makes the perhaps hasty decision to attack the newcomer based on suspicion alone. With all of the evil things that Knightfall's own band of vigilantes has done in recent memory - particularly to people Batgirl cares about - she would rather take the chance and apologize later than be caught off-guard. Worriedly, Dinah grabs Barbara from behind, warning that this woman is obviously not with Knightfall - she's not fighting back, after all. Sighing, Barbara has to calm herself and accept that she will have to apologize. Though she knows she hasn't earned trust by her actions, Batgirl offers a hanky for the blood and an apology to this woman who calls herself The Huntress. She explains that she cares about Gotham City, and to that end, she is offering her help in cleaning it up. Batgirl suggests that she'll trust Huntress if she reveals her identity. Dinah steps in between them and urges her friend to give Huntress a chance without that inconvenience, and reluctantly, Barbara agrees. Finally, Batgirl explains that the problem with fighting Knightfall's control over Gotham is that every time they take down one of her cells, she moves the rest of her gang elsewhere, without leaving a trace. However, Knightfall has lieutenants in The Disgraced, and she believes that they can be exploited to get the upper hand in the battle. She has a lead on one of them, but using that lead may come at a cost. Later that night, Barbara returns home to her apartment and wakes her roommate Alysia from her sleep at the ungodly hour of four in the morning. Woozily, Alysia scoots over in bed and accepts Barbara's gift of biscotti, making small talk about her girlfriend Jo and Barbara's father's plight in prison. Barbara shifts subjects away from that crisis, uncomfortably admitting that she needs to know who offered Alysia and her friends the job of sabotaging the Carter Reznik Foundation building - but she can't explain why. Alysia comments that she already knows that Barbara is some kind of undercover cop. Rather than dissuade her or admit the truth, Barbara embraces the convenient alibi and presses Alysia for the name. Alysia responds that her contact was named Michael. Knightfall, meanwhile, is planning an attack on the citizens of Gotham that will wipe out all of the bad people, and she has set the deadline for sixteen hours. To that end, she has called in several operatives. Bleak Michael, in preparation for that deadline, heads home, and encounters Batgirl and her companions waiting for him in the parking garage. Unfortunately, he's more powerful than they expect. Recklessly, Huntress tackles him from behind, smashing him through the windshield of a parked car. As they deal with him, Dinah realizes that they have a witness, who exclaims that she won't do anything about it. Warning the girl away, the trio drag Michael away, knowing that the evidence in the smashed car will let Knightfall know he was taken before they planned it. When Michael regains consciousness, he finds himself dangling from a crane over a busy Gotham street from several stories up. If he activates his ability, he will cut himself loose, and fall to his death. Batgirl explains that she knows he wants to help Gotham, but Knightfall's methods are unacceptable. She tries to appeal to his sense of morality, but before he can agree to help them, Knightfall's men come for them. However, they soon realize that these men didn't come to kill them - they came to kill Michael. They shoot through his bonds, and it is only a quick leap from Batgirl that saves his life. Moved by her effort, Michael reveals the plan to kill every criminal still remaining in Cherry Hill at midnight. It won't be as easy as breaking into her building anymore, though. She's moved, and brought in an army of mercenaries to do the job. Batgirl decides that if they are to fight a war, her side is going to need more soldiers - so she places calls to Melody McKenna, Katharsis, and Obscura. For the last of those, she is forced to broker a deal in exchange for manpower. She will have to work for Obscura. Finally, with one more call to make, Batgirl uncomfortably asks Batman for the keys to the Batboat.