Meredith Storm: Drifters

by AvariceMoonMoon

Meredith Storm is the newest member of the Drifter gang of thieves with a mysterious origin. All five thieves have faced his or her own trials in life from Gotham to Metropolis. What was originally a stop on the road to riches and fame became the gang leader's vendetta of an unhealed grudge against the Joker. Will the madness and terrors of Gotham's most wanted consume the gang?

3. Chapter 3: To Kill a Clown

CHAPTER THREE: TO KILL A CLOWN

When I awoke the next day, I discovered that Mark and Lucyfer were gone. Tim and I remained in the cabin basement, resting and waiting. My leg hurt a lot less than it did yesterday. I hadn't looked at it yet, but I assumed that it was down to deep scars instead of bleeding, swiss cheese under all that gauze. My shoulders were definitely sore. I could feel fading bruises all over my body.

Tim on the other hand was horribly bruised and seemed very dazed. He would flinch any time there was a loud noise. Dark shadows under his eyes indicated that he had gotten little sleep all night.

Eventually, Lucyfer and Mark suddenly arrived with a white-coated man wearing a black bag on his head.

"Close the door," Lucyfer said to Mark.

"You close it, so I can tell him what's going on," said Mark in protest.

"Fine!" She hissed, closing the doors.

Mark pulled off the black bag, and I saw the doctor had a fine, gray beard and a head of gray hair. He looked at Tim and noticed me lying on the couch. "Who's the worst?" The doctor asked with a warm voice.

"That one," said Mark, pointing to Tim. Then, Mark pointed to me. "And she took a grenade to her leg, but I've stopped the bleeding for the most part."

"Well, I certainly have my work cut out for me," said the doctor, walking over to Tim.

Mark continued to discuss Tim's injuries using words of medical terminology that I could not understand.

Lucyfer kicked up the black bag on the ground and caught it in the air with one hand. She glanced over to me. "I'm hungry as fuck. How about you?"

I nodded.

"I'll bake a pizza." Tossing the black bag on the jacket rack, she reached into the freezer and pulled out a frozen pizza. "You guys want some pizza?!" Lucyfer yelled over to Mark, Tim, and the doctor.

"I'm holding out for the good stuff," said Mark.

"...I'm fine," said the doctor. "He's going to need surgery for that skull."

"Okay." Mark closed up the hospital area with the plastic and prepped the area for surgery. "...Lucyfer where's the scalpel?"

"Goddammit," said Lucyfer digging in the kitchen drawers. "I use it for the pizza."

"What?!" Mark exclaimed.

"I keep forgetting to buy a pizza cutter, so I use the scalpel!"

"That's highly unsanitary!"

"I sterilized it every time I used it." Lucyfer chucked the scalpel over to the plastic. The scalpel bumped into the plastic and clanged on the floor.

Mark opened the plastic up and picked it up off the floor. He pointed at Lucyfer with the scalpel. "From now on, medical equipment is restricted to medical use!"

Lucyfer shrugged. "Whatever, Mom."

"And I'm gonna tell Helen that you keep calling me 'Mom'." He closed up the plastic.

"Do it!"

"I will!"

Lucyfer walked over to the plastic and winked at me. "Hey, Doc! Check his junk while you're in there. I think it turned into a mom-gina." She headed back over to the kitchen.

I snorted.

"Hardy har har," said Mark, likely rolling his eyes. "I'm still sore from you being a psycho bitch last night."

"I'm sorry you aren't man enough to handle my inner bitch."

"I don't think any man could handle that demon."

"Demon?! WHAT?!" Tim shouted, confused.

"It's okay, Tim!" I called over to Tim. Must be thinking about the Demon, Ra's al Ghul… "There aren't any demons here! It's just an expression."

"Oh," he replied.

"Yeah, Tim, it's okay," said Mark, soothingly. "Lie back down and we're gonna make you feel better."

"Okay."

Lucyfer looked to me as she popped the frozen pizza in the oven. She thumbed over to the plastic room and mouthed "what?".

I shrugged and winced a little, feeling the pain in my shoulders.

"You need some painkillers?" She asked.

"I'll be fine," I said, shaking the pill bottle next to me. Haven't taken any since I went to sleep last night, but the healing has taken a lot of the edge off... I definitely need a shower... a shower always makes me feel better...

Should I stop Mark from letting the doctor see me? Maybe I should take a peek before the doctor takes a look and gets curious...

Sighing, I got up and limped over to the bathroom.

"You need a crutch or something?" Lucyfer asked me as I passed through the medical area and the kitchen.

"I got it," I said with a grunt as I stepped through the bathroom threshold.

Closing the door behind me, I pulled off my shorts and sat on the toilet to peel back the first patch of blood-soaked gauze on my leg. It was nothing but a purple bruise and a scar. Carefully, I pulled back the rest of the gauze. The rest of the wounds were nothing but purple bruises and scars, too. Pulling off my shirt, I looked at the mirror. The acid burn on my right shoulder was a peeling, first degree burn. On my left shoulder, there was a small scar and purple bruise where Joker stabbed me. All the wounds from fighting the thugs were yellow bruises that were almost faded. Everything was reduced to soreness, minor bruises, and a first degree burn.

Well, shit...

I stared at the mirror, kind of surprised at how fast these devastating wounds healed.

These sort of wounds kill people or take weeks or even months to heal into scars... The average person hit by a grenade would be lucky to walk again... These wounds weren't the typical scratches that healed in ten minutes, but I suppose my body had many hours to heal them to this point.

God... what am I going to tell the others? They all know how bad my wounds were last night. Maybe I should just tell them?...

I sighed. Might as well take a shower and think about it.

Removing any remaining garments, I entered the shower and considered my options carefully.

Well, should I just tell them the truth? Why shouldn't I?

Lucyfer might try to abuse the fuck out of it. I could just hear her now. "You're fucking immortal?! Why the fuck you lying around when you're a fucking god?"

I wouldn't want them to treat me any less than they do now... It's awesome, but at the same time... I can't risk this getting out... Other people might try to use this ability to their own advantage... maybe even experiment on me... try to replicate me for own their special armies...

Maybe I could tell Mark... possibly even Tim and Ollie... but Lucyfer is a loose fucking cannon with that mouth... I absolutely cannot tell her... The last two heists went so horribly wrong, probably because of her spreading rumors... perhaps she told the same source about her desire to steal the key to Gotham City... It was on her bucket list... I don't know for sure... but I'm not about to start another fight with her over it... I'm sure as soon as we get out of this city that things will get better for us. This place has a higher percentage of bad luck than most places... That has been taking its toll...

I could tell them that Poison Ivy helped heal me in gratitude for ferrying her across the bay?...

Yes!... That could work... Plants may have a lot of poisonous qualities, but they also provide a lot of medicine. I'm sure even Ollie would buy that lie.

Relieved, I hummed a little in the shower and cleaned off any dirt or leftover blood.

If anyone wanted to analyze this mysterious, healing plant; I could say it washed away while in the shower. "I wasn't thinking, Guys. I'm sorry. Got hit in the head a lot yesterday."

I smirked. Excellent... and let's make sure that doctor doesn't see shit.

After I stepped out and put my short clothes back on, I took the bloodied gauze pieces and threw them in the trash.

I peered out the door to see Mark and the Doctor were still working. Lucyfer scrutinized me as I peeped out.

Meeting her gaze, I waved her over to me. Make her feel like I still trust her.

She raised her brows and strolled over to the bathroom

I let Lucyfer come in the bathroom.

"What?" She asked.

I closed the door behind her. "Don't freak out. I don't want that black-bag doctor to hear," I murmured. Then, I stepped back for her to look at my leg.

Lucyfer's mouth dropped and she covered it quickly. She made a muffled noise behind her hands. "What the fuck?" She muttered to me.

I inhaled and put my hands together. "So, I didn't mention this because I was still mad last night... but Poison Ivy-the plant lady-gave me some weird salve to use for my wounds because she was grateful for being ferried across the bay. I went to take a look when I took my shower and I saw that it was almost completely healed."

Lucyfer stared at me. "Then why the fuck do we have a doctor? Let's give Tim this shit! Hell, let's pass it around and give it to Ollie so she can replicate it!"

"She kept the vial after I put it on," I said with a shrug.

"Do you know where she hid out?"

I frowned. Ohh shit... why didn't I think of that question... "No, and no, we're not stealing from Poison Ivy. We're already going to fucking war with the Joker and burned bridges with the Penguin. I'm not gonna piss her off, too."

"Well, could we buy some from her!" Lucyfer suggested, throwing her arms up.

"Not if she knows you're out to kill Harley Quinn," I said, shaking my head.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"They're friends that occasionally team up."

Lucyfer grimaced. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." I nodded.

She face-palmed. "Goddamn... well, we're gonna put this to a vote again... since you got such a hard-on for democracy."

"Fine, but leave the doctor out of this conversation," I insisted.

"He's a professional."

"I don't care. He's not one of us."

Lucyfer folded her arms. "Fine. Hide those legs under a blanket, and I'll get him out the door after he's through fixing Tim."

She opened the door, and I followed her out. After picking up a few pieces of pizza, I sat down on the couch and covered my legs with a blanket.

After an hour or so, the doctor and Mark eventually came out, removing their medical masks.

"You do good work for an... entrepreneur," said the doctor.

"Thanks," said Lucyfer before she put a black bag on the doctor's head.

"Don't I have one more patient?" The doctor asked from inside the bag. He did not seem fazed by the bag. Must be a regular enough thing for him.

"Yeah, Lucyfer," said Mark, touching the black bag. "Meredith needs care, too."

Lucyfer kept the bag down. "Nah, I just checked. She's healing just fine, ask her."

"Yeah," I agreed with a nod.

"Let's go to the car, Doc," said Lucyfer. "I'll grab you a water on the way out."

"Thank you," said the doctor.

Mark approached me as Lucyfer walked out with a water. "Meredith?"

"She'll explain on the ride back," I replied. "Does Tim need any after care?"

He shook his head and frowned to himself. "Just rest. If he wakes up suddenly, be there for him. Keep him calm."

"Okay."

"Mark! Get the door!" called Lucyfer.

Mark rolled his eyes and strode over to the door. "Coming!" Mark closed the doors behind him.

Sighing, I waited on the couch, waiting for them to return or for Tim to wake up. Ollie's been a helpful vote so far. I better tell her about the Poison Ivy incident.

I approached the laptop and called up Ollie.

"Oh, Meredith?" said Ollie, surprised to see me calling. "What's going on?" She appeared to be playing some sort of video game with a controller in her hands.

"We're gonna have another vote I think," I said.

"Uungh! What's it about this time?" She asked, rolling her eyes.

I caught her up with the Poison Ivy affair.

"...Lucyfer thinks she can just buy this shit from Poison Ivy?" Ollie asked with a raised brow.

"Yep," I confirmed.

"God-fucking-dammit. Granted, you are clearly on Ivy's good side, but I bet that vial is so small because it's so rare. She's not going to want to hand it off to humans willy-nilly. She'll probably tell you so and turn you away if you're lucky... You still got the bandages, right?"

"They're in the bathroom trash."

Ollie nodded. "Uh-huh. Dig 'em out, and we'll have them analyzed for whatever this super salve is. Probably check your blood, too..." She paused what she was doing and looked at me. "Is he supposed to be up?"

I looked around and saw Tim was standing behind me. His head was completely wrapped in bandages. "Hi, Tim," I said cautiously. "You okay?"

"I make coffee?" He asked in some sort of Middle Eastern or South Asian accent. Indian, maybe?

"Um... sure," I said, frowning.

"I make coffee," he said with a smile and a bow of his head. Tim walked over to the kitchen.

I looked back over to Ollie who was watching intently. She looked about as startled as I felt. "Definitely some severe brain damage," she muttered. "Bag up your bandages and keep an eye on him."

"I'm gonna set you in the kitchen," I said quietly as I moved the laptop over to the counter. Ollie had a full view of Tim who was humming merrily to himself as he crushed up some coffee beans in a bowl.

I got a sandwich bag and headed to the bathroom to bag the bandages.

"Allo, Ollie," said Tim in the kitchen.

"Hey," said Ollie nonchalantly.

"We need best beans. These beans no good, Ollie, but I make bettar."

I returned to the kitchen. "All right," I said to Ollie. "I'll be visiting you in the near future with these, Ollie."

"Meredit, what in bag?" Tim asked, noticing the bag in my hand.

"She ran into magic plant lady with healing salve," said Ollie, simplifying her words. "I want to analyze what's left with my computer."

Tim nodded. "O.K. Very cool, Ollie."

"Lucyfer is going to want to go after said plant lady for the salve," I said. "That's bad."

"...Plant lady have coffee plants?"

I shook my head. "I doubt it. Plant lady mostly have deadly and dangerous plants. Poison. I got very lucky."

Tim frowned. "O.K. We tell Lucyfer no. No more enemies. Too much head pain."

"Maybe you should have some water and stay hydrated," suggested Ollie.

"Yes, yes, water make coffee."

I pulled out a bottle of water from the fridge and handed him one. "Here."

"Ah, thank you, Meredit!" He drank the water. "Cold. Coffee must be hot." He started looking for spices and stuff in the kitchen. "Not much ingredient! How make coffee with not much ingredient?!"

"Well, make do for now," said Ollie. "We'll eventually find you some better ingredients. Some imported goods perhaps?"

"Very good. Make it soon."

"Go ahead and tell Ollie what you need," I said. "She'll go shopping online for you."

"Yes! You are smart, Meredit! Ollie, make list."

"Okay," said Ollie, pulling out a notepad. "Tell me what you want."

Tim started rattling off ingredients, and I could not understand him at all.

Ollie stared at him. "Jesus. I might have to pull out my translator for this. Say it again but slower. What's your base language anyway?"

"Punjabi."

Ollie typed into her computer. "Okay, let me pull up this program so I can understand better. Your accent is thick as hell."

"O.K."

"Why are you talking like that anyway?"

"I am from Pahkeestahn," said Tim.

Ollie made a face. "Whuh? Pahkeestahn?"

"Pakistan," I said, for Ollie.

"Ohh."

"Yes. Pahkeestahn," insisted Tim. "My name is Farid Nejem. I sell excellent coffee."

"Can I keep calling you Tim?" Ollie asked.

"My name is Farid Nejem."

"I'm sorry. We just always called you Tim."

He sighed. "If you insist."

"Maybe you're stuck in one of your old identities, right now?" I suggested. "I mean you did suffer a pretty bad head, injury recently. That's why your head's wrapped up."

"Huh?" Tim touched his wrappings on his head. "That my turban. I wear because I'm Sikh. Old tradition."

"Wait a minute, aren't Sikh supposed to let their hair grow?" Ollie asked. "You're pretty bald last time I checked."

Tim pouted. "I am bald on my head. What you want from me?"

Ollie shook her head. "Just give me your ingredients so I can go shopping."

He started rattling off the ingredients again for Ollie. Then, I watched as he continued to grind beans and spices together in that bowl. After he seemed satisfied with it, he started to makeshift a way to brew it instead of using the coffee maker. He hummed to himself and the kitchen reeked of coffee.

Eventually Lucyfer and Tim turned home as Tim was pouring me a cup of coffee.

"Holy shit," said Mark as he stared at the mess in the kitchen.

"I make coffee," said Tim, proudly in his Punjabi accent.

Lucyfer and Mark looked to me.

I shrugged and picked up the cup of coffee. "I think he's reverted to some former identity as a Pakistani coffee-maker." I drank the coffee carefully. The first sip immediately fired up my brain and I stared out. "Damn. That's not bad." I drank more.

"Well, hey, let me try," said Lucyfer.

I handed her my cup and she tried it.

"Fuck," she said, staring at the cup. "What the fuck did you put in there, Tim? Cocaine?"

"Farid," corrected Tim.

"What's a Farid?" Lucyfer asked.

"My name. Farid."

"Yeah, he's going by Farid now," I said. "English is broken, and his first language is Punjabi.

"Coffee?" Tim handed Mark a cup.

"And his primary focus is making an awesome cup of coffee," I added.

Tim grimaced. "Bah! Wait until I get real ingredient!"

"Well, do you feel like voting, Tim-er-Farid?" Lucyfer asked.

"For what?"

"The issue of Poison Ivy."

"Plant lady," I explained.

"Oh," said Tim. "My vote no."

"No?" Lucyfer asked, annoyed. "Seriously?"

"I'm a no, too," said Ollie on the laptop. "We're already tangling with the Joker. We're not messing with Poison Ivy, too. Just give me time to analyze Meredith's bandages to clarify the composition of the salve."

"It would be better if we didn't have to use it at all," I said, folding my arms. "She's also in league with Harley Quinn, who we're going to try to murder with the rest of the Joker gang. 3-2, Lucyfer."

"4-1 actually," said Mark, taking a sip of the coffee. He blinked, amazed by the power of it. "But I do want Ollie to analyze those bandages."

Lucyfer sighed. "Whatever. Go head over to Ollie's right now while I discuss advertising with Ollie. Mark, you watch over our new… coffee-maker over there." Lucyfer handed me the keys and took the laptop from the kitchen.

I took my bandages and headed over to Ollie's, knocking on her back door.

"Come in," I heard her voice on the intercom.

I opened the door as she buzzed me through.

Ollie waved me over to the couch as she sat at her computer, typing away. "Give me a sec."

I sat down and waited, sighing as I waited for the moment to tell her the truth.

"Okay," she spun in her chair and faced me. "Let's take a look at those."

"Can we talk for a sec, Ollie?" I asked.

"What's up?" She rolled her chair across the tile and sat in front of me.

I rubbed my temple. "I lied about Poison Ivy's salve."

Ollie studied me. "Because of Lucyfer?"

"I hate to say it, but the last two heists have been an absolute hell. The last thing I need is for the truth about me to get out."

She leaned back. "Okay. What's the truth, then? Are you a mutant or something?"

"I guess?" I shrugged. "I just know that my body would always heal itself no matter how hard I tried to kill myself... but before the first suicide attempt, I would heal normal... Maybe it's a curse?" I shrugged.

Ollie rolled her neck. "Well whatever it is, you have every right to lie to Lucyfer right now... She's been such a bitch lately... Have you ever had your blood tested?"

"They did at the hospital and the asylum, but they didn't notice anything different."

"Hmm, I'll just have to conduct a few tests of my own." She held out her hand for the bandage bag, and I handed it to her. "In the meantime, your secret is safe with me. If anyone tries to bust down my door, the house blows up so they won't have time to beat it out of me."

I winced. "No offense, Ollie, but that's pretty extreme."

"But effective," said Ollie as she adjusted her glasses. Then, she rolled over to a desk with a lot of mailing items like boxes, envelopes, stamps, bubble-wrap, tape, etc.. Ollie put the bandage bag in a box, and then she rolled into the bathroom.

"Come in here," she called to me.

I walked over to the bathroom and saw Ollie holding a tray with a needle connected to a tube ready to drain in vials.

No. Ugh, no. I hate having my blood drawn. "Ugh," I groaned. "Can I just cut myself open and bleed into a beaker?"

Ollie grimaced. "Nonsense. This is more sanitary and clean." She set down the tray on the counter. "Sit in my chair."

Reluctantly, I sat down.

"How can you hate needles if you got that tattoo?"

"It's little pokes here and there. My veins or arteries, whatever you draw from tend to hide so I get jabbed repeatedly."

"I see a good one in that arm right now." Ollie tied a rubber tie around my arm and put gloves on.

"How do you even know how do this?" I asked.

"I ordered a book from the internet. Don't worry, I've done this on myself before."

I groaned and stared at the yellow ceiling.

"Just think of a desert." Ollie started tapping on the spot she was seeing.

"A desert?"

"Yeah. Describe it to me."

I furrowed my brow. "Um... soft, yellow sand going on for miles and miles. Nothing alive as far as the eye can see... Just dark mountains in the distance."

"Okay, now imagine a cube in the desert."

"A cube? That's odd."

"Just imagine it," Ollie insisted.

"Um, it's a gigantic obsidian cube floating in the sky. It's rotating on one point. Intricately carved... ancient... Inside the cube is a labyrinth of tombs, treasure holds, and traps."

"Wow... that's pretty gnarly." She stuck me in the arm.

I winced and saw the blood run through the tube and into the vial. Holy shit... she got it in one try...

"There's also a ladder," Ollie continued.

"...It's... a golden ladder lying in the sand. The sand has been wearing it away a bit."

"And there's a horse…"

I frowned. "How long does this keep going?"

"That's the last part."

"Um... It's lost and confused... not used to the desert at all... He trips and rolls down a hill."

Ollie snorted. "What does he look like?"

"White horse, black hair. Big and strong... just lost in this strange environment. A storm is coming and I'm a little worried for it."

"This is a perception thing I read online. The desert is supposed to be your life. The cube is you. The ladder is your friends. The horse is your lover."

I sighed. "Well shit. I feel like a self-centered asshole."

Ollie chuckled. "Nah, it's all good. You probably feel alien... a little different. I had a six-sided die sitting in a square of a rickety ladder on the ground. It's a flat desert of black sand and rock during a sandstorm. A red horse picks the dice up with its tongue and spits it out. The dice lands on one." She pulled out the needle and put a bandage on the puncture.

I automatically put my hand on the bandage to give it pressure.

"Aren't you asexual?" I asked.

Ollie marked the vials and closed them up. "Yeah, but I'm not aromantic. I'm not about sexual desire, but I can really like a person to the point of wanting to be with them all the time. That bit with a horse was thought of in utter disgust... probably meaning that I imagine my lover to be wanting a little more than I would and it would gross me out."

"Oh."

She smirked. "And you imagine your lover to be confused as hell in your life… That's funny shit."

"I'm hard to understand sometimes," I said with a shrug.

"Ditto, or I'm too honest and they can't handle it. Stand up."

I got up and she sat down. After I walked out, Ollie rolled over to the mailing desk and put the vials in the box. She closed up the box and taped it up quickly like she had done it a million times before.

"I'll send this off to S.T.A.R. labs," she said turning back to me. "It'll be completely anonymous. And... since you are feeling good and free... I want you to get that speaker back from GCPD evidence sometime soon... or rather Lucyfer wants it back for research."

I sighed. "Okay..."

"For what it's worth, it's a pretty badass piece of equipment. Might be able to sell it for a pretty price online."

I nodded.

"In the meantime, I would appreciate it if you sung your songs into that mic over there." Ollie stood up and unveiled a large microphone in front of a computer. Then, she typed into the computer and started an audio program. "...Okay. Hit the spacebar to stop and go."

"Oh... All right," I said, a little nervous.

"Pretend I'm not even here." She stepped back over to her computer, sat down, and started typing rapidly. "Explain instrumentation and stuff as you see fit."

I walked over to the mic and sighed. Then, I worked on singing and explaining every song that I could remember. I started to forget Ollie was there as I focused on my project.

As I finished the last song, I turned to Ollie. She wasn't typing anymore.

"That was a lot of songs," she commented.

"Yep," I said with a shrug. "It's okay if you guys can't do it."

Ollie waved dismissively. "It'll just take time and a lot of enjoyment."

"Okay," I said with a nod. "Do you have information on breaking into the GCPD?"

"Yep. It all starts with you walking in the front door."

"Bold choice," I commented.

"My source says you can get into the ventilation through the women's bathroom..."

I arrived at the GCPD building and saw a front desk with a young, uniformed cop sitting there. His hair was short and brown, but you could tell it was naturally curly. "Can I help you?" He asked, smiling a bit.

"Hi," I said with a soft smile. "I need to report a robbery, but first-is there a restroom I can use? I'm sorry. I just had to run out the door and sometimes I just don't think."

"Sure. Go on up a floor and there should be the women's on the left... Desk sergeant will send you to a cop that will help you find the guy... Did the robber hurt ya?" He gestured to my face, concerned.

I touched my face, feeling a faded bruise. "Oh no, that was just some loser."

"Did you hit him back?" The cop asked.

"Oh yeah," I said, blushing.

He smiled. "Good. I really hate it when nice girls get smacked around by losers."

"Ugh. Me too. It's why I box." I noticed his name tag said Beckett.

"I believe it. You got the shoulders."

"Oh?" ...Are my shoulders ridiculously blocky or something?

"That's a good thing," Beckett quickly added. "Makes you a real woman."

Oh... He is definitely coming on to me. I felt myself turn red, and I chuckled uncomfortably. "Um, pardon me." I headed up the stairs.

"Ugh, idiot," Beckett muttered to himself.

"What?" I asked.

"Uh, nothing, just looking at a funny email. Just uh right upstairs..."

Sighing, I walked back over to the desk. "I'm not good at taking compliments on my appearance," I explained. "I'm more... accustomed to deflecting nasty comments. I think you were being nice... I just uh... I'm not good at that."

"Well... whatever bad things they said about you they were wrong," said Beckett.

I stared at Beckett, absolutely stunned. You literally know nothing about me, Dude. I am a thief and a lunatic on the run. I'm about to steal a piece of evidence. "Okay then," I said. "That was nice of you. I'm gonna go." I kept walking upstairs, feeling very uncomfortable in my skin.

After I entered the main area with all the cops, I immediately walked over to the bathroom. I checked the stalls and approached the handicap stall with a covered vent duct in the middle of the wall. It blew out lukewarm air as it sat above the toilet paper dispenser.

After putting on my ski mask and gloves, I firmly pulled the loose, vent cover off. Setting it on the dispenser, I climbed inside. Once inside, I pulled the cover back on and continued along the ventilation towards the elevator shaft. I reached the bottom floor and found the evidence storage. It was currently dark and unoccupied. There were many shelves in this vast room. The only light source came from the main door labeled "Evidence".

I pulled the tracking screen from my pocket and looked to see where the speaker was in proximity to me. It was somewhere in the middle or far corner of the room from what I could tell. After I put the tracker in my pocket, I took off the vent cover and set it on top of a shelf in front of me. I crawled over it on top of the shelf and hopped down onto the floor.

Thinking I heard something, I stood quietly and listened to the sounds of the room. There was only air blowing in from the vents and a slight electrical hum. I continued following my tracker toward the middle of the room. It was locked with a combination padlock. I picked it open with ease, using a trick Lucyfer taught me. When it opened up, I found the speaker in its case.

Quietly, I pulled out the case when I heard a jingling of keys. Quickly, I closed the locker and scurried over to a dark corner with the case beside me.

Someone unlocked the door and opened it up. I couldn't see them, but I could hear them flipping a light switch. The room remained dark.

"Huh, weird," commented the cop.

Indeed. That certainly wasn't my doing.

I heard a click and saw the beam of a flashlight suddenly illuminate the room. He walked over to the shelf I was hiding behind and opened up a locker. It was then I noticed a silhouette perched on shelf above me. The person was somewhat smaller and looking down at me.

The cop whistled a tune and closed up the locker again. His light flashed upon the silhouette for a moment as he turned around. The silhouette was Robin.

Please leave me alone... I am not in the mood.

As soon as the cop exited the room, Robin leapt down. "That's evidence."

"And you're what?" I asked. "The evidence police? Clearly, we're both here to take something for one reason or another, so let's call a truce."

"I'm not a criminal."

"Says you. Now get out of my way."

"Sorry, can't let you do that."

I set down the speaker. "Fine. Let's dance, Birdboy."

We held up our fists. I waited for him to lunge at me. When he did, I tased him.

"Argh!" Robin shouted as he hit the ground.

I picked the speaker back up and tased him again.

Robin shouted in pain. "Not... fair..." he said with a tight voice.

"I didn't realize criminals were supposed to play fair," I commented as I put the taser away. "Oh." I picked off a device on his belt. It looked like the grappling gun these guys were always using. "I'm taking this because you wasted my time."

I headed back over to the vent I entered in and used the grappling gun to pull myself up. Once I reached the elevator shaft, I used the gun again to grapple up the shaft to the main floor level. Carefully, I pried open the doors and peered inside. No one out there. I stepped out, pulled off my mask and gloves, and just walked towards the door.

"Whoa. What's that you got there?" Beckett asked, confused.

"Turns out you guys recovered what was stolen from me," I said with a smile as I looked back to him. "The thief is still out there, but I'm just glad I got this speaker back. It was expensive."

"That's awesome. I'm glad we could help you out."

"Totally. But uh, see ya' around?"

"That would be awesome."

Suddenly, the doors were opened and Commissioner Gordon walked in with several officers. Reporters were around him, shouting, "Commissioner! Commissioner!"

Bowing my head, I quickly stepped back out of the way, hoping they didn't notice who I was.

"Commissioner, what progress have you made on finding the Drifter gang?" Vicki Vale asked, stepping ahead of Commissioner Gordon.

"The police are doing everything they can to take these criminals down," said Commissioner Gordon flatly.

Keeping my head down, I casually pushed my way past some reporters as they kept talking. "S'cuse me. Sorry."

I walked down the steps and headed back towards the jeep, taking a deep breath.

"Hey, where you goin' with that?" A guy with a Brooklyn accent asked.

I looked back and saw it was stocky Detective Harvey Bullock who had just pulled up in his car.

That hardass gave me such a rough time back when I was a homeless pickpocket! Oh I loathe this son of a bitch.

"Storm?" He asked, shocked to see me.

If I get in the jeep, it's compromised. If I run by foot in the middle of the day carrying a 50 lb speaker, I probably won't get far... Wild goose chase and then get back in the jeep?

I ran across the street and darted between two buildings.

"Stop, Police!" Bullock shouted at me.

Some cops started chasing after me and I heard sirens going off. Man, I wish I could wear the speaker bag like a backpack... so bulky and heavy!

A police car pulled up in front of me and Bullock stepped out with his gun. "You're surrounded, Storm!"

Oh boy.

I held up the grappling gun and fired it to the building behind him. A scream escaped me as the gun yanked me off the ground. It sent me flying hundreds feet in the air and dropped me on top of the building.

Then, I landed on the rooftop on my back with the speaker on my abdomen. My heart was beating rapidly and I felt a ton of adrenaline running through me. I laid there for a moment, very dazed from that experience.

A pigeon suddenly landed on the speaker and peered down at me. It cooed slightly. Almost as if to say, "whoa, what are you doing up here?"

Groaning, I sat up and the pigeon flew away. Helicopters were coming. I'm not out of the woods yet.

I stood back up and took a deep breath. Grappling from building to building, I moved until I was out of the area. As the helicopters started getting too close, I ducked down on a shadowy fire escape.

I called up Ollie and sat down.

"You're a slick motherfucker, Meredith," Ollie said. "I saw you just walk by on a reporter's camera, and they're raving about it on the news now. Who noticed you?"

"Bullock," I said bitterly as I sat at the bottom of the fire escape. "He's the one that put me in Blackgate."

"Ugh. Hate that guy... also, can you fly now?"

"No, I stole this cool, grappling gun while I was in evidence. No joking. I love this thing... but uh, I left the jeep by the GCPD and there's no way in hell that I'm going all the way back there when they're looking for me. Do you have a contact that can help me out here?"

She considered. "Hmm... I suppose I know a guy in the Diamond District that owes me a favor. There's a bench around the corner from where you are. I'll have Isaac pick you up in no less than ten minutes around the corner."

"Okay. Thanks, Ollie."

"No prob. Also, any idea where that grappling gun came from?"

"I ran into Robin in the evidence room," I said with a smirk. "Tased him and stole it from him."

"Nice," Ollie applauded. "You might want to drop it though."

"Really?

"Yeah, all that expensive technology those Capes use must have tracking devices in them. At least, that's what I would do with all my stuff."

"Okay then." I chucked it across the alley. It clattered on the ground. "Can we get something like that made? It was so cool, Ollie."

"I'll look into it. Talk to you later." She hung up.

I sighed and watched a police helicopter fly by, looking around for me.

Eventually, Isaac arrived with the brown jeep. He was a stout young man with stringy blonde hair and thick rimmed glasses. "You Mary?" He asked, glancing around.

"Are you Isaac?" I asked.

"Yeah, get in."

I put the speaker in the back and hopped into the passenger seat next to him.

He drove off quickly and didn't say a word the whole way. Then, Isaac pulled up to a pawn shop in the Diamond District. "I'm sure you can take it from here," he said flatly as he got out.

"Thanks, Dude," I said as I got out through the passenger window.

"Yep." Isaac walked back into the pawn shop without another word.

I shrugged and got into the driver's side of the jeep. Then, I headed back to Ollie's with the speaker.

"Nice," said Ollie as I entered with the speaker. She was sitting at her computer watching me.

I set the speaker down. "What's the verdict on the press?" I asked.

"You're a lunatic thief with some serious moxie," said Ollie turning back to her computer. "The Drifter gang is armed and extremely dangerous. They can't identify Mark or Tim... just you and Lucyfer, especially since Lucyfer was a bassist of a popular metal band. Jack Ryder's talking about you right now actually." Ollie flipped a switch and typed at her computer.

"-She was in the asylum for attempted suicide and is a manic depressive," said Jack Ryder. "She murdered her designated doctor and ran away... presumably joining up with this Drifter gang led by Lucyfer from R.I.P. Dreams-"

Ollie switched it off and looked at some sort of chat link. She rolled her eyes. "Lucyfer says, 'it would be so cool if you called the radio station'."

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I'm not that crazy."

"That's what I was thinking, too," said Ollie, shaking her head as she typed a reply.

I looked at the screen and notice that Ollie's screenname was theAdvocate while Lucyfer's was theDevil.

"The Devil's Advocate," I commented. "That's clever."

"I thought so, too," said Ollie.

theDevil: it would be so cool if meredith called up ryder right now! XD

theAdvocate: She and I are rolling our eyes right now.

theDevil: fun-haters :C

theAdvocate: If YOU want to do it, I'm not stopping you. I will however judge you ... a lot... especially if you mention our plan to kill the joker. if anyone suspects anything, it will blow up in our faces AGAIN.

theDevil: fucking hell advocate! i have been fucking careful. i have no idea how the joker found out about that last time.

theAdvocate: I know. I'm just paranoid after last time. You all got pretty fucked up, and Tim might have permanent brain damage. I mean, wow.

theDevil: It was NOT my fault. Joker just showed up and shot me in the middle of my riff!

theAdvocate: It just amazes me that you want to draw more attention after all that.

theDevil: Well, forgive me if I wanted to lighten the mood and raise the morale after that shit night. The public only knows that we stole the key... and stole back our speaker. They don't even know that the key is horribly damaged.

theDevil: just forget it.

Ollie and I sighed simultaneously.

"I suppose she has a point," I commented. "We're all feeling it after that heist."

"So, you want to call up Jack Ryder and say hi?" Ollie asked, with a raised brow.

"I don't know about that, but we ought to do something to cheer up and feel better about ourselves as a gang."

"But what?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but let me know on that grappling gun. Hell, maybe even some heat vision glasses or something."

"Sure." Ollie shrugged.

"Thanks."

"No problem… and are you planning on telling anyone else about your condition?"

I folded my arms. "I'm debating… I don't know. I didn't really want to tell anyone about it. If it ever got out, I would be a subject of experimentation. Some people are absolutely nuts about finding out the secret to immortality and creating super-soldiers. You know?"

Ollie nodded. "Sure. Just try not to set off grenades in your pocket again."

I chuckled. "Yeah."

"By the way, how's the psychology going in your head?"

My smile faded a bit. "Um, fine. I mean it's been stressful lately, but being with you guys has made a lot of difference for me. I feel like I can actually make it and not be a burden to people… It never completely goes away, but it's definitely better than before."

"That's good." Her thoughts seemed to go elsewhere for a moment.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"As long as I don't ever have to leave, I'm fine," said Ollie flatly.

"When did it start?" I asked.

Ollie considered. "Oh… sometime after my father died. I mean, I've always been a homebody, but I just started going out less and less. Then, I didn't leave my apartment unless I absolutely had to. Once I figured out ways to get things delivered, I pretty much stopped going altogether. There wasn't much point. I started to realize I had a problem after I refused to go to my aunt's funeral. She wasn't just any aunt either. It was my favorite aunt who was practically a mother to me… Got help and started exercising my ability to leave my home. Then, my landlord didn't renew my contract and told me I had to leave. Couldn't cope. Barricaded the door and got dragged out against my will. Then, Scarecrow exploited the hell out of that fear. I couldn't leave my cell without pissing myself and having an anxiety attack… You know the rest. Dr. Whistler tried to help… My partnership with Lucyfer was a saving grace."

"What made you think about it today?" I asked.

Ollie sighed and started packing her pipe. "It… it's nothing. Just a resonance of that argument with Lucyfer."

"Okay," I said, unsure.

"You've had a long day though. You go home."

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked, concerned.

"Yeah... Just need some time to think." She lit up her pipe.

"Okay. See you later, Ollie."

"See ya', Meredith." She blew a puff of smoke out her nose.

I walked out the door and drove back home with the radio off. The only sound was the wind blowing by. I wish I knew how to help her feel better... I wish I knew what to do… How can I help us all in these shaky times?...

Maybe the only thing for it is time itself… time to heal and otherwise rejuvenate…

I let my mind go blank as I drove the rest of the way home.

As I entered the basement, I heard Lucyfer talking. "...Ma, it's too risky with all the shit that's been going down lately... They know it's me, so they might be watching you guys in case I swing by. We'd love to come over, but we're all feeling paranoid and worn to the bone right now. Plus, one of us is having multiple personality problems after the brain damage he got…" Lucyfer was sitting at the table, and she waved to me. There was a heavy fatigue in her eyes.

On the couch, Mark was sitting next to Tim who now had sunglasses and a long stick like he was blind. They were watching the weather report. Weather was going to be a high of 88F and low of 52F tomorrow.

"Hey, Meredith. This is Sato," said Mark, indicating to Tim. "He's a blind, Japanese guy who is very cranky."

Tim/Sato muttered something under his breath in Japanese.

"Ohayo Gozaimasu," I said, politely.

"Ohayogozaimasu, Meredith-san," said Tim/Sato with a slightly deeper voice than usual. He bowed his head in my direction. "You speak Japanese?"

"I only know a couple of random words. Sorry."

"Better some than none." He scathed towards Mark.

"What does Ohayo-whatever mean?" Mark asked, frowning.

"Ohayogozaimasu. It's a formal way of saying hello," I explained. "The informal way is ohayo."

"Ohio?"

"Close enough."

"Well what's konichiwa, then?"

"Good morning-I think," I said.

"Hai," said Tim/Sato.

Mark looked to Tim and then to me.

"Hai means yes," I explained. "Sayonara is goodbye. Onee-san is big sister. Kawaii means cute. Um… shi means four and also is the word for death… so it's an unlucky number. I mostly know these things from some Japanese T.V. shows I've seen over the years."

"Fine, Ma," said Lucyfer. "Fine!" She closed her phone and flung it across the room. Then, she laid her head on the table, defeated.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"We're going to meet my mom and dad at my cousin's tonight," Lucyfer said with her face buried in the table.

"Your cousin?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, he has a more secure place away from cops. Hell, the guy hates cops about as much as I hate clowns."

"Wow," I said.

Lucyfer turned her face to the side so we could hear her better. "Yeah… his criminal parents were shot right in front of him because they wouldn't give themselves up. It's too bad they're dead. I probably would've gotten along with them better than my own parents… Bryce is practically my brother. We just have our own ideas about how to spend our time."

"So why are you so bummed about meeting up with the family?" Mark asked.

"I just want to focus on killing this clown," moaned Lucyfer. "I'd like to heal my wounds and maybe just maybe enjoy myself… But fuck it, Ma wants to meet at Bryce's tonight. Dress the way you feel like it because I do not care."

"Hmm," said Tim/Sato, shaking his head. "Back in my country, elders were to be respected.

"That's hilarious," said Lucyfer, "because most elders I know don't deserve my respect. Plus, Mark looks more Japanese than you."

"I'm actually half-Korean, but I guess I see your point," said Mark.

Tim/Sato scowled. "Korean? Bah." He muttered to himself in Japanese.

Mark rolled his eyes.

"How long are we going to cater to this multiple personality disorder?" Lucyfer asked, annoyed.

"I think these days it's called Dissociative Identity Disorder," I commented as I walked over to her. "We just gotta keep catering to it. Otherwise, the distress might make him do something drastic and make more personalities pop out. The general idea is for him to come to terms and change personalities less and less."

"Thank you, Dr. Storm," said Lucyfer, resting her cheek on the table.

"We all need to do something fun after this," I said.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but we're all so mopey. We need something to cheer us up and feel better about life."

"We could plan a vacation!" Mark said excitedly, standing up. "Just have fun for a week or two after we leave Gotham."

"But where do we go?" Lucyfer asked.

"Um… well, you and Tim have seen most of the world, where should we go?"

"I have seen nothing," insisted Tim/Sato. "I'm blind."

Lucyfer sat up and thought about it. She sighed through her nose. "Um… how do we feel about Germany?"

"I'm from Germany," said Tim with a slight German accent, taking off his sunglasses.

"Oh,.. Hans, right?" Mark asked.

"Ja, Hans." Tim/Hans looked at his sweatpants and frowned. "Hmm, not proper… but yes. It has been so long since I've been back. Where are my reading glasses?"

Lucyfer held the glasses on the table up.

Tim/Hans walked over to her. "Thank you, Fraulein." He put them on. "But I am from Munich and would love to show my friends the nooses."

I snorted. "I think you mean 'ropes', Hans."

"Oh, dear, excuse me." He touched his glasses. "Ropes. What are nooses then?"

"They are specially knotted ropes used to hang people by their necks until they're dead."

"Oh dear," said Hans.

"Well, you probably have a few of those lying around," said Lucyfer, smirking. "So a week in Munich, then?"

We nodded across the room. Yeah, Germany sounds fun… the castles… the schnapps... the culture...

"Wunderbar," said Tim/Hans as he clapped his hands together.

"Would you like to plan something out?" Lucyfer asked Hans.

"Me?" Hans said, surprised.

"You probably know the place better than me. I was only in Munich for three days while R.I.P. DREAMS was on tour. Just make sure you discuss our budget and passports with Ollie."

"Can I help?" Mark asked Hans.

"Certainly," said Hans, smiling softly. "Have you ever been to Germany, Mark?"

"I've never been across the pond, but I got things on my bucket list in Germany."

"Wunderbar. We talk with Ollie."

Lucyfer opened up her computer and turned it to Mark and Tim/Hans who sat together on the other side.

"Just don't forget that we need to leave in a couple hours," said Lucyfer as she stood up.

"Oh, I better take a shower, then," I said as I headed over to the bathroom.

"Meredith!"

"Yeah?" I stopped at the door.

Lucyfer gave me a thumbs up. "Nice job pulling that speaker today."

"Thanks." I walked inside to clean myself up for the dinner.

I wore my nice blacks. Mark wore a new black jacket. Lucyfer was wearing her black t-shirt and black jeans with chains hanging from her pockets. She had her usual dark eyes and red lipstick. Her red highlights were fairly pink today. Tim/Hans was wearing a sports coat and nice pants with his reading glasses.

We all got in the jeep and Lucyfer drove us off. I sat in the front with Lucyfer. Mark and Tim/Hans sat in the back, talking about things in Munich.

Lucyfer glanced over to me. "I'm actually getting more excited the more those two talk about it. It was a good idea, Meredith."

"Well, you technically made a point about lightening things up earlier," I said.

"What?... Oh, you saw those messages."

"I couldn't help but see over Ollie's shoulder."

Lucyfer straightened her back. "Uh-huh. Bet you guys were laughing."

"Not really… We're all just stressed out, Dude."

"Hmm."

We arrived outside Gotham City in a kinda sketchy suburb. Windows were barred and boarded up. There was graffiti on wooden fences. A few cats hissed at us as we rolled by their trash cans. Eventually we reached a blue house with a security door and barred windows. It looked kinda nice compared to the others. A gray pick-up truck and a black SUV were parked up front. The lights were on inside.

We strolled up to the door. Before Lucyfer could knock, a tall man around her age picked her up and hugged her.

"Bryce, get off!" Lucyfer said, annoyed yet amused.

Bryce had short white hair and a strong chin. His shoulders were really broad and he had a goofy grin. He was slightly taller than Mark. "I'm not on you, Angel."

"Put me down!"

Bryce dropped her suddenly. "The Angel has fallen," he joked.

"Oh that was funny the first time you said it a million years ago, Old Man." Lucyfer got back up and she was suddenly snatched up by a stout woman with blonde hair. "Hi, Ma." The woman gave her kisses like none other.

Bryce looked over to us. "Hey, I'm Bryce. You friends with this weirdo?"

"I heard that," said Lucyfer.

We all introduced ourselves and Tim/Hans introduced himself as Hans.

"Where's Tim?" Lucyfer's mom asked. I think she said her name was Helen?

"Hans is Tim, Ma," explained Lucyfer. "I told you that he's got multiple personality issues."

"Oooh. That must be difficult. Well come on in, I almost thought you weren't going to show." She waved us inside.

We entered and I saw a man with a silvered brown beard sitting in the living room watching a game. There was a cane in his hand.

"Roy, they're here," said Helen.

"I heard, Woman," said Roy, standing up with his cane. He was as tall as Bryce. "How are ya', Angel Cake?" He asked Lucyfer.

She hugged him. "Hey, Papa. How's your leg?"

"Gone." Roy stepped back and lifted up his left pant leg. He had a prosthetic leg from mid-thigh down. It was metal. To emphasize, he tapped it with this cane.

"Goddamn," said Lucyfer.

"My legs are such shit they might as well give me new ones."

"What happened?" Mark asked.

"It's a long story," said Helen. "But please, have a seat at the table." She indicated to the round table in the dining room.

We all sat around the table. I sat between Mark and Lucyfer. Tim/Hans sat next to Mark. Roy sat next to Tim/Hans. Helen sat next to Roy. Bryce sat between Helen and Lucyfer.

There were pans of pork chops, potatoes, green beans, and rolls as well as some sort of pie. Holy shit. Home-cooked food… family dinner… who knew that those terms could be so alien.

Helen and Roy bowed their heads in a prayer. I put my hands in my lap politely. Mark did the same.

"Father, we thank you for bringing us together tonight," prayed Helen. "We've all been facing hard times lately. It's just a test of our faith that won't shake us or break us apart. We all wander in the dark with lights in our hearts and together we stand in the blaze of your glory. Thank you for all that we have and help us find our way to peace. Amen."

"Amen," we said in unison. Then, we started digging in.

"Are any of you religious?" Helen asked.

"Ma," scathed Lucyfer.

"I'm just curious."

Tim/Hans and Mark shook their heads.

Helen looked to me. "How about you, Sweetie?"

"I was raised Catholic, but came to be Atheist when I started thinking for myself," I said, shrugging. "Hope you don't hold that against me."

"Oh no. I was just honestly curious."

"Honestly, Ma," said Lucyfer. "The best policy is to never talk religion or politics."

"And you are the authority on social norms?" Bryce asked with a smirk.

Mark snorted.

Lucyfer reached across me and hit Mark in the arm. "Please, Bryce. You're practically a hermit. Also, this neighborhood is so sketch that you probably tell what time it is by counting the drive-bys."

There were suddenly gunshots nearby, making everybody sit stiffly and quietly. We all heard a car screeching away.

"Well, I guess it's 6:30 PM," said Bryce with a smirk.

We all chuckled.

Haha, somebody probably got shot… We're terrible people but this pork chop is amazing...

"I don't know. There's a certain je ne sais quoi about this neighborhood," said Bryce, smirking.

"It was the price, wasn't it?" Lucyfer asked.

"Maybe... and I like my privacy… I noticed you're camping out in the woods."

I frowned and looked at Bryce in surprise.

"Whatever, I know you've been in town for two months," said Lucyfer, rolling her eyes. "Cop-hunting again?"

"I'm just checking on my little cousin," said Bryce with a smirk. "I hear you've been running into trouble."

"With other criminals, but we're taking care of it before I leave. The cops around here are just chasing their tails as usual. They would have their hands up their asses if it weren't for Batman and his little birds."

"Angel," said Helen softly. "No crude language at the table."

"Okay, Ma," said Lucyfer, rolling her eyes a bit.

"This is really great, Mrs. Smith," Mark said after a pause.

"Yeah," I added. "Thank you."

"Please, call me, Helen," said Helen with a smile as she looked over to Roy. "It was a team effort really."

"Always is," said Roy, winking at Helen.

"But thanks, Hon," said Helen.

Mark started discussing cooking and spices with Roy and Helen. Lucyfer and Bryce nipped at each other back and forth. Tim/Hans and I remained quiet and polite in our own heads.

"Meredith, you haven't said much," commented Roy, looking over to me.

"I don't have much input for the conversations going on," I said with a shrug.

"She and Tim-er-Hans are the quiet ones of the group," said Mark, putting his arms around Tim/Hans and me. "Silent but deadly."

I shook my head and smirked. "I'm not that deadly, especially compared to Mark the Marksman over here," I nodded to Mark.

"He's still not very good at throwing apple slices," said Lucyfer, chuckling.

I snickered.

Mark took his arms off Tim/Hans and me. "It was right after you blasted a bass guitar in my ear while I was sleeping," said Mark, leaning to look around me. "I hadn't even had coffee yet!"

Bryce laughed. "That's what happens when you sleep in, Mark… I'd always wake Angel up with Polka music cranked up all the way."

"One time you woke me up by shooting Papa's shotgun into the ceiling!" Lucyfer said, pointing to Bryce. "I had to keep a bucket under the hole for almost two years."

"What!" Mark exclaimed, shocked.

"Meine Güte!" Tim/Hans exclaimed.

Roy shook his head. "All the neighbors came running over, banging on the door, and asking if we were getting robbed. I said, 'no, my nephew just thought it was funny to shoot a hole in the roof in order to wake up my daughter.' Needless to say, they visited with us a lot less."

"Just as well," said Helen, shaking her head. "That Crawford woman was an awful gossip, and she always spilled her coffee."

"This stuff never happens in Metropolis, Lucy," murmured Mark, shaking his head.

"You just get alien gods like Superman," said Bryce, shaking his head.

"I'll take it. I mean goddamn. If I did that, my dad would've given me the belt. I'm just saying… I mean what did they do in South Dakota, Meredith?"

"I remember being threatened with the belt and soap," I commented, "but I mostly got timeouts and got grounded if I ever was bad."

"That's all you were ever threatened with?" Hans/Tim asked, surprised.

"Yeah, what were you threatened with?" Mark asked.

Hans/Tim blinked and looked down at his plate. His accent dropped off into his normal Tim voice. "Just about everything… from being locked in a hot closet… to getting my genitals chopped off… to being shot in the head."

Everyone was quiet.

"Your parents did that?" Bryce asked, gazing at Tim.

"My parents sold me into slavery when I was very young," said Tim, "so it was mostly my masters…"

Mark put an arm around Tim. "But no one does that to you anymore. You're a free man, Buddy."

Tim nodded. "May I use the bathroom?"

"Ah, sure," said Bryce. "Down the hall to your left."

Tim got up and went down the hall.

Roy shook his head. "Don't know how anyone could do that to their own blood."

"Or even a child," said Helen, gazing down the hall where Tim went. "That's just terrible."

We all gazed down at the table in a sad silence.

"Yeah," said Lucyfer, bitterly, "but he got through it. He's more of a man than most guys I've ever known. The most agile and kindest son of a bitch… Those parents of his missed out on a wonderful human being and I hope karma hurt 'em good."

We continued eating quietly and Tim eventually returned to the table. After a while, life returned to the conversation and I felt like we were starting to feel some unity again. We all needed this.

"So are you two a couple?" Helen asked, Mark and me.

I felt myself turning a bit red. "Um, no, we're all just friends," I said quickly.

Mark turned and winked at me. "Then, why are you blushing?"

"I'm a little embarrassed she asked," I said honestly, turning redder. "That realm of relationship status has just always bewildered me. I mean you're cool and all, Mark, but I prefer your friendship."

"That's fine. I'm just teasing ya', Mere." He ruffled my hair.

"If anything, Mark and Lucyfer are in love," said Tim, casually.

"S'cuse you?" Lucyfer asked, leaning forward to look at Tim.

"The way you two bicker back and forth."

"I think you've been watching too many RomComs, you weirdo," said Lucyfer.

"RomComs?" Roy asked.

"Chick flicks, Papa. Romantic Comedies."

Roy grunted.

We had a pretty nice dinner together and eventually started heading out after Lucyfer nudged me.

"It was nice to meet all of you," said Helen, hugging each of us on the way out. Roy shook Tim's and Mark's hands.

"Nice to meet you," I said with a nod.

She gave me a hug and I hugged her back. Reminds me of how I'd hug my mom… except my mom was taller.

"Oh, you're a nice hugger, Meredith," she commented.

"You, too," I said. "Thanks for this lovely night."

Roy and I shook hands. Then, he decided to give me a little hug, too. "You be careful out there."

"We will."

Bryce nodded to us and hugged Lucyfer. While she was getting hugged, the rest of us started heading out towards the brown jeep.

"That was fun," said Tim. "I like them."

"Ditto," said Mark.

We drove off home, feeling better about life.

Several weeks went by as Lucyfer worked with Ollie in secrecy, planning out the best way to massacre the Joker gang. Mark and I managed Tim's personality changes and maintained our skills in preparation for the final Gotham job. Mark and Tim/Hans started working out a secret Munich trip with Ollie's help. I was mostly left to my own devices and started writing poetry when I wasn't practicing shooting or fighting with Mark and Tim.

Finally, we were called to a warehouse in the downtown area. Mark and I picked up a few gadgets from Ollie, then we headed out together on his motorcycle. Lucyfer and Tim had already gone ahead with the brown jeep.

I arrived at the warehouse with Mark and noted the fifteen, hired thugs were waiting around.

"Where's Lucyfer?" I commented.

"Probably up there in the office," said Mark, pointing at an upstairs office window.

We walked up the stairs and stepped inside.

Lucyfer looked over to us as Tim stood by with a cowboy hat. "About time," she said, looking over to us.

"Howdy," said Tim/Jimmy with a nod.

"Jimmy, right?" I asked. That's the Montana personality if I remember correctly.

"That's right, little missy," he said, smiling softly. Tim/Jimmy put his thumbs in his pockets. "Don't know why it's so hard for y'all to remember my name."

"Sorry, Jimmy. We've all been stressed lately," said Mark, slapping Tim/Jimmy's back.

"Well, let's get started," said Lucyfer. "Meredith, go find Matches and Freddy. You're going to be our lookout in the rafters." She handed me three headsets.

"What are we watching for?" I asked with a raised brow.

"Just be my eyes. If you see anything of interest, let me know."

"Okay then. What's the actual plan?"

"You'll see," Lucyfer insisted. "Just get out of the building when I tell you to get out."

I sighed. "Okay then," I said with a shrug as I put a headset on. "Matches and who?"

"Matches and Freddy."

"Okey dokey. Good luck, Everyone."

They nodded to me, and I headed back out the door. I sighed outside the door, feeling uneasy about not knowing the full picture. Let's just do this and get out.

"Matches! Freddy!" I called out to the thugs. "You're with me."

A couple of guys walked over to me and I handed them the other two headsets. "We're lookouts." I looked them over.

Matches had sunglasses; a trimmed, black beard; dark hair with traces of silver; and a black jacket. The man was taller and had very broad shoulder. He also had a match sticking out from his mouth.

Freddy had a long, red beard and hair; a few scars on his face; and aviator sunglasses. He reeked of cigars and was sort of stout, a little taller than me, had a black t-shirt, and had a heart tattooed on his left shoulder. Inside the heart was the word "Mom".

A little cliche, but I'm glad you love your mom.

"Take off the sunglasses, Guys," I said as they looked at their headsets. "It's dusk, and I would like for you guys to be able to see."

They glanced at each other and took off their sunglasses.

Matches had piercing blue eyes and a scar around his left eye. Freddy had warm brown eyes.

Matches' eyes kind of remind me of Bruce Wayne's... huh.

"Cool. Let's go." I headed out the door.

"What are we supposed to do?" A thug by the group asked.

"Wait for the others," I replied before Freddy closed the door.

"So are you Meredith?" Matches asked with a Brooklyn accent as we headed over to the brown jeep.

"You got it," I said.

"Heard you tussled with the Joker yourself."

"He's not exactly hard to tussle," I said. "He's just got little tricks up his sleeves. Otherwise, that guy is a punching bag with a big smiley face."

"What's the plan?" said Freddy.

"We're gonna be the eyes on the inside and report to Lucyfer. Probably climb up the rafters of the warehouse they're hiding out in and run out when she tells us to run. I don't know what she's planning exactly, but I don't blame her. Last heist has left us all a little paranoid. Probably some sort of explosion or gunfire."

Matches tried the passenger door.

"You gotta come in through the window," I said as I opened up the driver's side.

"Oh." He squeezed through the window and sat down in the seat.

Freddy hopped in the back. "It would be better if you just took off the doors," he said heavy smoker's voice.

"Not a bad idea," I replied as I turned on the jeep. I drove off and headed down to the Falcone shipyard where the Joker gang was hiding out. "Hey, Matches."

"Yeah?" Matches replied.

"I feel like I've heard your name before for some reason. What's the last name?"

"Malone. Matches Malone. I sometimes work for Thorn."

"Uh-huh..." I glanced over to him. "What do you do?"

"Whatever needs doin'. Look, I've been through Lucyfer's whole interview process. Unless you don't trust her judgement..."

I sighed. "Whatever, Man. I'm just jogging my memory. I feel like I know you from somewhere and it's bothering me." It's gotta be his eyes. Those eyes that remind me of Bruce Wayne...

As we stopped at a red light, I looked at his face again. "This is gonna sound stupid, but you remind me of Bruce Wayne."

Freddy laughed and coughed. "That pansy-ass playboy?"

"Nah, nah, I've heard this before," said Matches, smirking at me. "Broad shoulders and chinline."

"And his eyes," I added.

"What? You got a crush on the guy?" Freddy asked.

"No," I said, frowning. "I just saw him up close at that last heist. I was working undercover as a sound tech. For some reason, he just walked up and talked to me like we were equals. It was fucking weird."

The light went green, and I pressed the gas pedal.

"Rich people always look through you, you know?" I continued. "They pretend you don't exist like you're trash in the street. They act like they can fly even though they're just being carried on the backs of the people that need the money."

"Eh, he probably talked to you 'cause he needs to tease every girl in the room," said Freddy. "I've seen a lot of guys like that. Without their money and games, they got no salt."

"I guess I'm just used to seeing the worst of people... especially the rich."

"Oh yeah, you used to be homeless, right?" Matches asked. "They were talking about you on the radio the other day."

I sighed deeply. "Yep. Rich people are more likely to harass you and curse your existence than help." Young people beating you with bats and other weapons... People scolding you for not getting a job and quitting the drugs even though they know nothing about you... Men offering money for sexual favors both jokingly and seriously... Fighting them all off, chasing them, and screaming for them to go away...

"Gotham City has gotta be one of the worst places in the country to be homeless," commented Freddy.

"Probably," I said. "One of the mottos among the homeless was 'never apologize because the world will never apologize for what it does to you'."

In the rearview mirror, I saw Freddy nod. "Makes sense." He scratched under his ginger beard.

I pulled into a parking spot a few blocks away from the location and hopped out. "Okay, stay on my heels. They probably have some form of patrol."

They both grunted in agreement.

I snuck around the alleys, listening intently and peering around corners. I saw a pair of guys walking around the building talking to each other.

I waved Freddy and Matches down, ducking by some trash cans.

"You think those Drifters are gonna strike tonight?" A Joker thug asked.

"If they do, they got another thing coming," said the second joker thug. "Every thug in this place is armed to the teeth. There ain't no way those pussy-thieves are getting past us."

"Joker seems to be really expecting it soon."

"Well, yeah, weren't you there at the key thing? That blonde chick-Lucyfer or whatever-was pissed as hell. She's the leader and that bitch is gonna be out for blood."

"You think they'll use that speaker that one chick stole from the police? Make us go deaf... or make our heads explode?"

"There's no speaker strong enough to do that." They rounded the corner and started walking away from us.

I stood up and climbed up the building ladder to reach the decrepit roof. There were rust patches and holes in various spots.

"Be careful," I whispered to Freddy and Matches as they stepped onto the roof with me. Then, I carefully crawled on my hands and knees across a thin area. Freddy and Matches followed me in the crawl, and I found a hole that led down into the rafters.

I lowered myself down onto the rafter and walked down the line towards a lit up area. I gestured for the guys to split up into different corners as we gazed down at the thugs below. The clown thugs were drinking and different groups were playing card games. There was a sign hanging between rafters that said, 'Welcome Back, Joker!'

I turned on my headset. "No sign of Joker," I commented.

Freddy and Matches turned on their headsets. They couldn't see him either.

"Just wait, Meredith," said Lucyfer. "What's going on right now?"

"A lot of thugs are playing cards and drinking. There's a sign that says, 'Welcome Back, Joker!'."

"I see. Well, let me know if anything changes and make sure you can get out of there in thirty seconds and that they're not doors."

"No pressure," I said, frowning. I glanced over at Freddy and Matches. "Do you guys have 30 second exits near you?"

They looked around. I saw an open window nearby me.

"I got one," I said.

"I do not," said Matches.

"I do," said Freddy.

"Okay, Matches," I said. "Get closer to either Freddy or me once the Joker arrives. Then, you can follow one of us out when Lucyfer tells us to go."

Matches gave me a thumbs up. "I guess I'll be following you out then."

"I got this open window over here. Do you see it?"

He gave me another thumbs up.

"Great," I said with a nod.

"So we still have no legitimate idea about how this is gonna go down?" Matches asked.

"Nope. At best, I'm thinking they're collapsing the building somehow." I shrugged. "Otherwise, why do we have a run call?"

"Garage door's opening," warned Freddy.

We looked down and saw the opening garage door. A van came through and pulled over on the side. The Joker stepped out and waved. A big grin was on his face, but he definitely still had healing bruises on his face from our fight.

A bunch of thugs started woohoo'ing and clapping. "Joker! Joker! Joker! Joker!"

Joker bowed, grinning. "Thank you. Thank you." Several thugs got out of the van.

"The Joker has arrived with some thugs in a van," I announced on the headset.

"Thank you," said Lucyfer.

Matches started walking over to me on the rafters while staying low. He seemed pretty adept on them.

"Christmas has come early, Gentlemen!" Joker said, waving the thugs down. He snapped his fingers and thugs dragged out Commissioner Gordon, Detective Bullock, and two other police officers I didn't recognize. Oh no...

"Lucyfer, we got a problem," I said.

"What?" Lucyfer replied.

"Joker's got four hostages."

"Eh, it's fine," said Freddy. "They're just some cops and the commissioner cop."

"Oh, then I don't see the problem, Meredith," said Lucyfer.

"Lucyfer," I hissed. "We agreed to killing a bunch of clowns not cops. I don't like these guys any more than you do, but at least they do their jobs. Some of them have families. We only steal from scumbags, remember?"

Lucyfer sighed. "Four people for the price of all the other people Joker's killed including 200 of my fans and friends? Hell, he almost killed you and Tim-or Jimmy-whatever he's going by now because of the brain damage that poor man got."

The four hostages were tied down in chairs in the middle of the room.

"Just give me time to get them out," I said. "That's all I'm asking."

"Are you crazy?" Freddy asked. "You're gonna get yourself killed over four cops that would put you away if they ever caught you."

"Mind your own business, Freddy. Lucyfer, how much time can you give me?"

"...Five minutes," said Lucyfer flatly. "That's all you get, and if you aren't out of range in time... then what happens happens. I'm not letting that son of a bitch get away again. You got it?"

"Yes," I said.

"Good. Then hurry up. The rest of you get out. I'm closing up shop."

Freddy shook his head at me and headed out.

I studied the room. The hostages were surrounded by the thugs and the doors were being blocked as we speak.

"I'll help you," said Matches, looking at me.

I blinked, surprised. "Okay... Follow me."

We headed out the window. I noted our hired thugs were running around door to door. Matches and I leapt down onto the ground.

"Where are we going?" Matches asked.

"Underground." I ran over to a nearby manhole cover and pried it up. Then, I jumped down into the hole and rushed through the sewers. I put on my heat vision goggles when I felt we were approximately underneath. We were right under the circle of hostages and saw what I assumed to be the Joker moving around them.

"Three minutes," said Lucyfer.

"Can you get me on your shoulders?" I asked Matches.

He lifted me up and I stood on his shoulders. Matches held my ankles. Then, I started laying out C-4 around the circle of hostages on the ceiling.

"What's the plan?" Matches asked.

"I'm gonna blow out part of the floor," I said. "We cut 'em loose and then we all run. By the way, why are you helping me?"

Then, Matches' phone started ringing.

"Who the fuck left their phone on?" Lucyfer asked.

"Sorry," said Matches as he took off his headset. "Gotta take this real quick."

"Unprofessional," scathed Lucyfer.

"Yeah?" Matches answered his phone. "What is it supposed to look like?... Well, then stop her... I'm busy right now... Look, I'll call you later..." He hung up. "What did you say, Meredith?"

"Why are you helping me?" I asked again.

"You got a point. I'm not much for cop-killin' either."

I sighed. "Well, thanks I guess." Still questioning your motives...

"Welcome."

"Hey Bonnie and Clyde, you got one minute," said Lucyfer. "HEY! STOP HIM!"

I felt myself turn red. "Almost done. Okay, let me down, Matches."

Matches let me down and we got back behind a corner.

I watched with my heat vision and detonated the C4 when the moving figure was away from the four.

There was a loud explosion and the hostages dropped down into the sewers in a chorus of shouts. I threw down smoke bombs and ran over to them with Matches.

"Thirty seconds!" shouted Lucyfer.

We cut the hostages loose and led them out by their hands. "RUN!" I shouted.

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"

There was extremely, loud guitar music and everything rumbled in the underground. It was 10 times worse than the key heist. I could feel all my bones rattling and everyone struggled to not fall over. Bricks and debris started falling down.

Above the surface, I could hear Lucyfer singing over the extremely loud guitar music.

"YOU'RE GONNA SCREAM WHY? WHY? WHY?

R.I.P. DREAMS WILL SHOUT DIE! DIE! DIE!

YOU'RE GONNA SCREAM WHY? WHY? WHY?

R.I.P. DREAMS WILL SHOUT DIE! DIE! DIE!

YOU WANNA KNOW WHY?!

I... HATE... CLOOOOOOWNS!

WHITE-FACE, BUMS, MIMES, AND THUG!

ALL THE SAME FACE-PAINTED CULT FROM HELL!

DEMONS HUNGER FOR ATTENTION AND INNOCENCE:

CHILDREN'S WIDE-EYES AND TENDER FLESH.

FOR YOU, WE GOT A CHEF'S SPECIAL ON FLAMBĖ...

TASTE THE BURNING RUBBER ON YOUR FACE

AS WE ROADKILL THE FUCK OUT OF YOUR RAAAAAACE!"

The ceiling started to collapse on that last scream, and we were all slammed onto the ground by the debris.

I groaned under all the rock and brick and shifted it around to get out. Fatigued, I stopped and rested for a moment while I was halfway out. Gazing ahead, I saw we were still underground in the sewers. A man wearing a rabbit mask carrying Lucyfer away down the tunnel. She was unconscious and helpless.

No...

Groaning, I tried to pull myself out and got halfway out as the masked man turned the corner. "Lucyfer," I whispered with a raw voice as I reached out. Weakly, I lied back down and lost consciousness.

When, I awoke again, I remembered my legs were still under a pile of rubble. I struggled to pull myself and finally managed to get free. Lucyfer... gotta save her...

Then, I realized Matches was stuck under the rubble, unconscious among the other cops we saved. Can't leave them down here...

I started digging him out and found a heavy board was on top of him.

Matches grunted as he looked up to me. His beard was askew. What the hell?

"Is anything broken?" I asked with my raw voice, frowning.

"I'm not sure," said Matches.

"I'm gonna pull you out, but first-" I yanked his beard off.

"Ow!" Bruce Wayne touched his face in pain as it turned red.

"Fucking knew it," I said, tossing the beard aside.

"I can explain."

"Yeah yeah, give me your hands, you sneaky bastard." I took ahold of his hands and gritted my teeth as I struggled to pull him out from the rubble. When his chest was out, I hugged around his torso under his arms and struggled to pull him out again. With a groan, I managed to get him out and topple backwards onto my back. My head smacked on the ground and everything hurt.

Bruce's head was lying on my stomach for a moment before he struggled to his feet. He pulled out a ski mask and covered his face as the cops started waking up. Then, he helped me up to my feet.

"Ugh, what happened?" Bullock asked.

Bruce and I casually walked by them towards the intersection to check if there was anyone else around.

"Freeze, you two!" Bullock shouted at us. "Explain what happened!"

I turned around. "We saved your pathetic asses is what happened," I said, folding my arms. "So say thank you and let us part ways for now. We're all hurting and I'm sure you'll figure out what happened as soon as you step outside, Dickhead."

"Storm?" Bullock was extremely confused. "You saved us?"

"Believe it or not, I do have a conscience when it comes to innocent life." I brushed powder off me.

The cops all eventually got up. Commissioner Gordon's glasses were broken.

Then, I could hear a hissing... like a crocodile...

"Shh!" I shushed them, hearing it.

"Stay close," Bruce murmured, hearing it, too.

I stepped close to Bruce. We walked along the sewer tunnel as quietly as we could. I peered around the corner and saw Killer Croc walking our way. There was a ladder next to him leading up to an escape.

I looked to Bruce and thumbed in the direction I saw Croc. "There's a ladder behind him," I murmured. "When I lead him away, you take them up the ladder." I nodded to the cops behind him.

Bruce shook his masked head.

I shook my head at him and patted his chest. Then, I leapt out in the middle of the sewer intersection before Bruce protest further.

Croc hissed at me, baring his teeth. He had a cut on his head and was covered in dust like we were. Must've been hit by the death metal of desolation, too.

"Wow, oh what large teeth you have..." I said, staring up at him.

"All the better to eat you with," Killer Croc sneered, raspy.

I stepped backwards, laughing uncomfortably. "Oh. Come on, y-you don't eat people... right?"

Killer stepped forward, grinning a bit with all his sharp teeth. His yellow eyes were narrowed on me. "What do you think, Bitch?"

He does. I kept walking backwards a little quicker since his steps were huge. "Well, I'm sure I'd taste nasty. Sewers! I mean, am I right or am I right?"

"I'm sure you'll taste as sweet as lamb chops. Maybe sweeter... Maybe you'll scream like one."

"Nah... I'm not a screamer." We passed by the intersection where Bruce was. Croc was too focused on me right now. I turned around and ran for it, hooking a sharp right for a main hub. If I remember correctly, it had chains hanging in the middle that I could get an extended jump. I ran as fast as I could, feeling Croc gaining momentum on me. His hot breath was on my back.

He almost snatched me as I jumped for the chain and swung up. Croc splashed down into the pool below and I swung over to the right to double back. I ran down the tunnel with my heart pounding in my chest. In no time, I heard Croc stomping after me in the distance. I climbed up the ladder and saw Bruce waiting with the manhole cover. As Croc reached up, Bruce dropped the heavy cover on his arm. Croc pulled his arm back inside, screaming in pain.

I lied on the ground, exhausted from running. "Eat that, Bitch," I muttered.

Killer Croc popped the manhole off and grabbed my ankle. Feeling my stomach tighten, I dug my nails into the concrete and was dragged down violently. I felt him bite into my thigh. His teeth sank in deeply and blood cascaded down my skin.

"Fuck!" I shouted, trying to kick him in the face with my other leg. Angrily, I struggled to slam my fists into his head. "You miserable son of a bitch! I am going to skin you and sell you at a Cajun festival, Motherfucker! FUCKING CAYENNE PEPPER ON THE FUCKING BARBIE!"

Suddenly, Croc was smacked down onto the ground, but he didn't let go of my leg. He ripped out a whole chunk and turned around to fight a masked Bruce Wayne.

"I know that scent," Croc snarled at him.

Killer Croc and Bruce started fighting. I searched my pockets as I lied on the ground in absolute agony. Then, I found a knife in my boot and a taser in one of my lower pockets. The taser was still charged. Hiding the taser, I threw the knife at Croc, aiming for his heart as he closed in on Bruce.

Instead of hitting Croc's heart, it nailed him squarely in one of his butt cheeks. He yowled in pain and turned to look at me. "YOU BITCH!"

Huh. Perception must be pretty fucked up. I showed him my middle finger.

He stomped over to me, very pissed off. Absolutely seething, Killer Croc picked me up and squeezed me tightly between his hands. "I will feast on your bones!"

"Not today," I said before I tased him in the neck.

Killer Croc screamed as he was shocked.

The electricity ran through me, too, so I couldn't release the shock switch. Eventually, the power ran out and Croc collapsed to the ground, unconscious. With a thump, I landed on his chest. I groaned in pain and did not want to move. Blinking, I saw Bruce standing nearby with his mask still on.

"Bruce," I said, weakly. I struggled to get up, but had no energy left in me. It was then I noticed most of my fingernails had been ripped off my fingers. Did that happen when I was dragged down back into the sewers? Blood ran down my hands onto Killer Croc's chest.

Bruce knelt down next to me.

"The Hatter-the Mad Hatter… Find him, please… He's taken her."

Bruce nodded, understanding. Then, he looked up and ran off.

My eyelids slowly closed as I saw him run down the tunnel. "Please…" I murmured.

I heard several footsteps nearby, and I lost consciousness.