Savages
Disclaimer: Same as the last.
Chapter 1
"Alfred."
"Yes, Master Bruce?"
"I need you to run a name for me through the database for when we return; Cassata Quinn."
"It will be ready upon your arrival, sir."
"How many kids do you think he actually has?" Dick asked as Bruce looked at him from the corner of his eye, "Like Gordon said they only know of two biological daughters, maybe she's a niece of Harley's." "I still can't believe someone would reproduce with that psychopath." "You'd be surprised at how many people reproduce with psychopaths." Bruce said as they pulled into the Batcave; Alfred awaiting their arrival. Dick was the first to hop out of the Batmobile removing his mask to see the picture of the blonde haired blue-eyed girl Gordon had described on the computer screen.
"It seems your mystery girl has had quite the record, Master Bruce. Breaking and entering at age thirteen, arson attempt at age fourteen, and at least five murder attempts in the past year." Alfred said as Bruce removed his mask, "That's what I was afraid of. Any of them take place here in Gotham?" "No, neighboring towns." Bruce sat down at the computer, Dick taking his place behind him, "Cassata Ann Quintzel, born August 15, 1990 to one Harleen Quintzel, father unknown." "She used her real name instead of her fake name?" Dick asked raising an eyebrow as Bruce typed again, "Rachel Rose Quintzel and Megan Ann Quintzel, she does it for all three girls; father unknown. My guess is, she did it to throw off the police, she used Quintzel to mark that they are not Harley's daughters." "What hospital?" "Gotham General." "Wait, hold on, I just saw something, scroll back down." Bruce went to the bottom of the list only to show a red haired green eyed boy, "Ian Ross Quintzel, born August 15, 1990." "Oh god, there's two of them?!" "But he has no known record, interesting…" "Master Bruce," "Yes Alfred?" "I'm sorry to interrupt, but dinner is getting cold, you also have a phone call." Bruce mentally rolled his eyes before standing up, "We'll resume this later." Bruce walked up the stairs as Dick looked at the two pictures up on the screen before following suite.
Megan pulled the car up to a screeching halt in front of their hideout, engine still running, while the other four jumped out; Harley running out to greet them, "Mistah J! You're home!" she said throwing her arms around his neck as he pushed her away, "Yes, yes, I'm home, Harley. Step aside, I have work to do." Harley stuck her lower lip out while Megan sped off down the street, presumably to burn the car. Alyssa looked over at Cass, her blue eyes were still casted downwards as Ian lit a cigarette, and he looked at his twin sister, throwing an arm over her shoulders, "C'mon, Cass! Smile, dad's home now." "Yeah," she mumbled under her breath, "great." Ian and Alyssa exchanged glances, "I'm going to bed." Cass said walking towards the door, Ian inhaled his cigarette, "What's eating her?" he asked, "I have no idea," Alyssa answered, "do you think she killed someone?" "Uh, duh, she's had five murder attempt charges on her. It shouldn't eat at her that badly." "That's why they were called attempted you dope, she never killed anyone." Alyssa snapped as Ian rolled his eyes, dismissing the comment with his hand, "Attempted murder and murder are two totally different things, Ian, she could get serious jail time if she's caught." Ian sucked on his teeth making a 'tch' noise with his tongue, "No stinkin' pig is gonna arrest my sister," he said exhaling, taking his thumb, index, and middle finger he pointed them in a gun shape, "they try, I'll blow 'em away." Alyssa sighed shaking her head, "I'm going to go check on her." Ian shrugged throwing what was left of his cigarette on the ground; both heading in at the same time.
Ian continued into the kitchen, if you could call it a kitchen, it was a small room with only a refrigerator and a microwave, while Alyssa headed up the one flight of stairs where she, Cass, and Megan shared a room. Cass was sitting in the windowsill, her blue eyes hazed over, staring out over the trash heaps of scrap metal. Alyssa rapped her knuckles on the door lightly making her jump slightly, breaking her from her reverie, "You ok?" Alyssa asked entering the room, "I'm fine." Cass said looking back out the window, "Look, its ok to talk to me. I'm here to lis-" "I said, I'm fine." Cass snapped taking Alyssa aback, "Ok," she said looking at her, "well, I'll just leave you alone then." As she went to walk out of the room back downstairs she noticed from the corner of her eye that Cass had pulled her knees to her chest, "I killed someone today," she said still looking out the window, making Alyssa stop in her tracks, her back facing her now, "it was terrifying, yet satisfying. Watching the life drain out of someone's eyes, it was a rush; something I've never felt before. Just like running from the cops, only different, it felt like a sleeping giant was awakened. Hearing dad praise me for something so wrong, felt so good to hear. I've been a huge disappointment for the past two years to him, maybe this is the turning point, and maybe I'll be a golden child like Ian is." Alyssa gripped the door frame, her knuckles white, without a word she walked calmly to the stairs, then ran down them, her heart pounding in her ears.
Ian was right.
To Alyssa's downright horror, Ian was right.
As she ran down the stairs, she collided into something, hard, before she could fall she felt a hand grab her arm pulling her upright again, "Best watch where you're going, young lady." Alyssa looked up to see Joker standing there, a grin on his face, "Sorry, Mr. J, I should've been paying attention." She said swallowing hard, "Where's your sister? In your room?" "Yes." Alyssa answered with a pat on the head Joker walked around her, "Be a dear and run into town for us, it seems we've run out of food, again." Alyssa nodded descending the stairs again, quicker this time, as Joker's grin disappeared, he looked up the stairs, walking up; he walked down the hall to the bedroom making Cass jump down from the windowsill before closing the door behind him with a click.
Alyssa walked past Ian, who had an apple in his hand, "Where are you going?" he asked, "Mr. J wants me to go into town to get food." Alyssa said grabbing her black hoodie and face mask which she pulled over her head, "I wanna come." Ian said placing the apple down, "No," she said muffled zipping the hooded sweatshirt up, "Oh, c'mon!" Ian whined, "I'll tell mom if you don't let me." Alyssa rolled her eyes as she grabbed the small handgun lying on the table, "Fine, but make it quick, I don't want to be out late." Ian ran up the stairs to grab his sweatshirt as Megan opened the door, dripping wet, "Where are you going?" she asked wringing her hair out, "Shopping." Megan chortled, "Good luck, it's rainin' cats and dogs out there." Megan looked around noticing that her parents and sister were missing, "Where's mom, dad, and Cassata?" "Mr. J is upstairs talking to Cass, I don't know where Harley is." Ian came back down the stairs, followed by his sister, mascara running down her face. Alyssa rose an eyebrow while Cass by passed the three of them, grabbed her red sweatshirt, opened the door, and slammed it behind her. Ian blinked as he continued pulling his mask over his face, "Well, might as well get goin'," Megan said confusion on her face, staring at the door, "oh, we need milk too." "Fantastic." Alyssa groaned opening the front door, Ian closed it behind them as they exited.
"I'm starving." Ian said as they crouched behind a trash can, "Think we can stop by Penguin's and grab food?"
"Honestly, Ian," Alyssa said exasperated, "we're fifteen, not twenty-one. Cobblepot isn't going to serve us shit."
Ian mumbled something incoherent under his breath while Alyssa eyed the crowd of people who had shopping bags in their hands, but what caught her attention was the male across the way, watching her, watching people, and she quickly pulled her head back behind the trash can. Waiting a few seconds, she poked her head back around noticing the male had started walking towards them, "Shit. Up, up, up, up!" Ian pulled the ladder above them down, quickly ascending, Alyssa jumped pulling the ladder up, the two of them continued up the fire escape with lightning speed. Ian quickly ran off the rooftop to another rooftop, Alyssa following after him for the next two buildings before Ian ran down a fire escape, and into another alley; both panting they looked up to see a figure looking down, "Go, go, go, go, go!" Alyssa said pushing him, Ian ran down the alleyway as fast as he could. Ian rounded a corner going left, quickly grabbing Alyssa by the back of the hood, yanking her back, they both held their breath. No one followed. Feeling safe, Alyssa cautiously stepped out into the alley, looking up and down the alley, and above. Alyssa let out a sigh of relief until she heard someone land to her left, quickly looking she noticed the red and green uniform, "RUN!" she yelled as Ian ran down the alley, she followed close behind, and "This is insane!" Ian said rounding a corner and quickly getting knocked backwards onto his butt, she skidded to a halt, looking up to see Batman looming over both of them, "We haven't done nothin'!" Ian said as Alyssa pulled him to his feet, "Go, go, go!" She said pushing him the other direction, but was blocked by Robin.
Trapped, both teens contemplated going back the way they came, but Alyssa remembered the hand gun in her pocket, she slowly moved her hand in, but before she could grab it, she felt her knees buckle, and her arms yanked behind her, "IAN RUN!" she yelled as Ian ran down the alleyway they had came, "He's getting away!" Robin said, "Let him go." Batman responded looking down at Alyssa, Alyssa looked up while Robin kept her hands behind her, he rose her to her feet. Alyssa's heart pounded in her ears when she felt her ski mask get pulled off she heard a sharp intake of breath behind her, Batman's eyes narrowed, "Who are you?" He asked while Alyssa's knees shook, "Alyssa." She said, "Alyssa Iverson." "Poison Ivy's daughter?" Alyssa shook her head, "I'm her niece." "Oh thank god." "Robin." "Sorry."
"What were you doing with a ski mask on watching crowds?"
"Food shopping."
"With a ski mask?"
"I steal other people's food to keep my family fed. Ok?" Alyssa snapped, "Can I please go home?" she asked not wanting to think about the consequences of returning empty handed, "I think we need to take you down to our friends at the GCPD." Robin said making her turn her head, "I didn't steal anything though. I just want to go home, please, my brother and sisters are counting on me to bring food home." Alyssa said panic beginning to rise in her voice, "I won't do it again, ever, please!" "Hey, Batbrain!" Robin turned to see a blonde haired blue eyed girl standing behind him, arm outstretched, a handgun in her hand, "Let my sister go, or I'll blow your sidekick away." Cass stood firm, her feet placed together, her eyes bloodshot, "I've already killed an Arkham guard, don't think I won't kill again." Batman looked at her then down at Alyssa. Alyssa's eyes locked onto Cass, her hand was shaking unsteadily, If she fires that gun, she'll take one of us out as collateral. She thought to herself feeling her arms get released; she pushed herself up onto her feet. Alyssa watched while Cass slowly lowered her arm to her side, her eyes still on the man behind her watching through narrowed eyes on his mask. Alyssa calmly walked past Robin who watched with a look of disbelief on his face while she joined her sister's side. The two girls looked at each other, turned, and booked it down the alleyway before they had a chance to change their minds.
"Are you crazy?!" Dick asked back at the Batcave, "That was our opportunity to take her in! Why did you let her go?"
"I can't bring in someone who hasn't done anything." Bruce said as the youth ran his hands through his hair, "But she killed someone!" "Sometimes, you have to know when to not pick the fight. We will get an opportunity again, I'm sure of it."
"What if we don't get another opportunity?"
"Now has that ever happened?"
"Well, no, but what if she goes home and tells mommy and daddy and they decide to just up and leave."
"I highly doubt Joker will leave Gotham. Harley might, but I find it doubtful."
"I guess you have a point." Dick muttered under his breath looking up at the mug shot of the girl with blue eyes that seemed to pierce right through him. I just hope it's before she kills someone else.
TBC.
