CHAPTER NINE: WELCOME TO ARKHAM CITY
I hummed a tune softly in my cell, waiting for hours and hours.
Suddenly the door slid open, four TYGERs awaited me.
"Tyger, tyger, burning bright," I murmured.
"Get up, Prisoner."
I got up and strolled out of my cell. They escorted me tightly to the interview room where Strange was waiting. As I sat down, my shackles were revealed to be loose as they hung loose from my belt. I crossed my legs and the leg shackles fell off.
The guards were right by me and looked alarmed, but Strange held up his hand, dismissing their fears. They stepped back into the four corners of the room.
"Remove the restraints," Strange commanded.
I politely handed my restraints to the guards.
"Leave us."
"Professor, are you sure?" One of them asked, concerned. "She did try to kill you."
"She knows better now." He adjusted his circular glasses and kept his dark eyes on me.
The guards left and closed the door behind them.
I raised a brow at Strange and leaned back in my chair.
"You and Olivia Webber caused quite a bit of trouble," he commented.
"Yeah?" I scathed. "Well, you asked for it after the all you did in the asylum."
"Interesting. You never threatened my life so directly until you realized Angel Smith was being followed. I would think that a 'goddess of vengeance' would've acted sooner."
Yeah, I knew that was a little much. "The best vengeance isn't swift. It builds over time. A sudden flare is shocking and sometimes terrifying, but a fire that rises and never stops is haunting."
"You know your way with words, Miss Storm," complimented Professor Strange. "Olivia Webber must be quite a counterpoint for you."
"She was," I agreed. "It made us great partners."
Strange raised a brow. "Was?"
"She's dead, obviously... from the events of Draco Ex Machina. The one that fell on the house was Draco and the other was Ex Machina."
"I see... intervening dragons. How did she build such large and heavily armed machines without being seen?" He asked.
"Overseas, some places will do anything if the price is right and you have proper blueprints. They were purely built for defense against anyone trying to take her. Olivia had severe agoraphobia... I did my best to help her overcome it, but it was never enough. At best, I might've inspired her to not blow up her house if the authorities ever came knocking at her door."
"Excavation has been going on for several days, and so far they have found no remains."
I folded my arms.
Professor Strange raised a brow at me. "I hope you haven't forgotten Angel Smith in your grief. She's depending on you."
I scathed. "There's an underground bunker under the house," I said simply. "It's impossible to get into if you aren't Olivia or me. It won't let me in until Arkham City blows over because I'm not supposed to be here. I am supposed to be in Brighton. Olivia was down there when her skull was crushed by a fallen support. Her robot sent me an email reporting this incident."
"Perhaps she lied to protect herself?" Strange suggested.
"She wouldn't lie to me like that," I said firmly. "We're partners and we know each other all too well. And even if that were true, I have no means of getting down there to find out until Arkham City is over."
"That may be a long time."
"Don't kid yourself. It might be a few years at best, but the cracks will start to show more and more."
"I meant for her body to lie down there," said Strange, "if she is dead."
"They'll probably throw it in the freezer or something. Olivia had a protocol for everything."
"What was Felix Park about?"
"Her father," I said flatly.
"Really?"
"It was built as a memoriam and a hope... Hope that one day she might step outside and look."
"That's all?"
"What else does there need to be?" I asked, exasperated. "It used to be nothing but an abandoned field that condensed years of litter. Felix Inc. was created as an outlet for philanthropy that is meaningful to us."
"Giving back after taking what you want?" Strange asked, bemused.
"A tax write-off," I said with a smirk.
He chuckled.
"By the way, what gave me away in the United Kingdom? Was it the incident at the airport?"
"I'm afraid so. It seems to be your philanthropic acts give you away."
"Pinky's a sore loser," I said, bitterly.
"Pinky?" He asked.
"Oh, incident in Brazil," I said dismissively. "Long story short, I didn't let him on my plane because there was little room already and he was after the same thing. One of the robots sprayed him with a pink ink and knocked him out. He also fired a bazooka at me in Argentina while I was making my getaway. Stopped him in London because he was using a little girl as a shield."
"Something you would never do?"
I shook my head. "Maybe a man, but not an innocent child. He was saying things like 'I'm an American, and I will murder this child. I swear to God.' Like, Jesus. Take it down a notch, fucking psycho."
"It must bother you to lumped in with people like him."
"It does," I confirmed. "People like him are so petty and don't care as long as they get paid."
"Even when you had your desperate times at the beginning of this… career choice?"
I sighed. "I understand desperate, but he's was clearly okay if he's moving internationally. Back in those early days, I stole the wallets of rich men and food. I was starving. I had nothing to prove I could work legally in the country. Stealing was the best option I had compared to everything else... to begging, to... prostitution... I am humble, but I have pride."
"And the morals instilled by your father?" Professor Strange asked.
I raised a brow at Strange. "You still believe my gum story?"
"To be a skilled liar, you have to take parts of the truth to make yourself believable."
"Hmm," I nodded.
"You mentioned him to Dr. Cassiday as well."
I smirked. "Well, yeah. I told her the truth, but the truth itself is difficult to believe."
"Yes, alternate universes, conspiracy... You still believe that?"
"Well, there's no proof for anything else. I'm still on the alternate universe train, because my world was definitely different. No superheroes or aliens... except in our dreams, cartoons, comics... pure entertainment."
"Anything similar to Batman or Gotham City?"
I shook my head. "I've never seen a city so forlorn, but some characters are kinda like parts of Batman with the broodiness, inventiveness, and everything. Um... there was... Wolverine. He was pretty broody, but he was also very angry. Claws would come out between his knuckles and his bones were bonded with an indestructible metal... a regenerating immortal-but he's more likely kill people. Um... Ironman was an inventive and slick playboy billionaire who would build these red and gold colored metal suits and fly around saving the day because his business partner sold weapons to bad people. Instead of keeping a secret identity, he flat out said he was Ironman."
"A playboy billionaire?" commented Strange, suggestively.
I uncrossed my legs and shook out my numb foot. "It helps him fund all his ideas. I suppose he's kinda like Olivia except she sent things out instead of flying around herself."
"You know, don't you?" Strange asked, bemused.
"Hmm?" I asked innocently.
"Batman's identity."
I scoffed. "Well, if you need to ask me, then quite frankly I am disappointed in your intelligence. I mean you if have caused us so much grief-"
Professor Strange cut in. "You're deflecting. Why?"
"Look, I... hold no grudges against him," I said flatly. "He's a good man... occasionally gets in my way, but I can work around it. His morals astound me... it's almost something I would like to aspire to, but realistically I know I can't. It's just not who I am, and I don't have that much hope or drive for humanity. We're such a destructive and cruel race by nature. Peace and unity are impossible for us unless we all joined together to fight something other than ourselves... So, I survive and play by my own rules."
"How did you discover his identity?" Professor Strange pressed.
"We hired out guys for that time we tried to kill the Joker gang," I explained. "He snuck in as one of those guys. Later, I noticed his facial hair was askew and peeled it off his face. Lo and behold... Then, Croc seemed to recognize him by scent while we were down in the sewers. Later, I kinda blackmailed him into working with me on finding the Mad Hatter when he took Lucy."
"Yes." He seemed to savor this information, but his eyes were distant. "Jervis mentioned how Batman stopped you from killing him. In fact, all he had to say was 'stop'."
Blinking, I remembered the battered and bloodied Mad Hatter. His blood was dripping from my hands. "I… didn't think Jervis was conscious enough to remember," I commented. "But Batman definitely pulled me off of him. It wasn't just a simple 'stop'." I rubbed the corners of my eyes. "I was far too angry... It showed on Jervis when I found him in that hidden room in Medical. He was terrified of me."
"But why did you listen to Batman?" Strange asked. "Why not kill Jervis? He more than deserved it."
"I just felt compelled to listen... The way he called my name and sounded so concerned. Reminded me of my father I guess." I shrugged. "Plus, he has a pretty awesome voice. Have you heard it?"
"Yes, I have," Professor Strange said quietly.
I shrugged. "And have you ever had a dad or something like one? A mentor?"
"No."
"Hmm, well, you know how children see their favorite adult like a superhero? Just love the hell out of them-could do no wrong in their eyes?"
"Yes." He raised a brow at me.
"I think that's what sort of I see when it comes to Batman, but I'm very reserved about it and not as naive. He seems so perfect, but at the same time if you really knew him... why he does what he does?... It's really sad... His responsibility has consumed him. No matter what good comes to him all he'll have in the end is that cape and cowl because his vow comes first. He'll be pushing that rock uphill for the rest of his life, and he won't stop until he's dead."
"He spoke to you about a vow?"
"No, I assembled the pieces together on my own," I insisted. "He always leaves two roses in the alley where his parents died. He seems to want to do what he does, but at the same time you get the feeling he sees no other option. He never moved on from the grief and holds himself accountable. During the heist for that key to the city event he held, I looked at him while I was undercover-hell, he walked up to me even though I was just sound tech. He comes off all charismatic and stuff, working off people in the room, but if you pay attention, he withdraws… like he wishes he wasn't here being Bruce Wayne."
"You seem very… enamored with him," said Strange.
I chuckled. "Not romantically. In fact, I pity anyone who falls in love with him and hopes for a happy ending." I shook my head. "Almost as bad as Harley Quinn wishing for a happy ending with the Joker if you ask me… But he never fails to fascinate."
"Indeed," said Professor Strange, staring past me.
Eyes turning green? "I've seen some heroes in fiction that can balance personal life and heroism, but others cannot. They have to choose between what they want and what the world needs. Batman is a self-sacrificer, a martyr."
"But is he what the world needs?"
I shrugged. "I'd say he's a good start for a long, hopeless battle, giving others inspiration to change things. Perhaps, he's inspired you?" I suggested.
Professor Strange blinked.
I chuckled. "Ohh what do I know? I'm losing everything to you right now. My partner, my way of life, my friends… maybe even my mind. I just know you're going to retaliate somehow. The people you hurt in the asylum clearly meant nothing to you… I wonder what you might try with an actual enemy…"
"Does that frighten you?"
I shrugged. "If I were younger, I'd be pissing myself but at this point… bring it on. I have lost the woman I love and can't bury her, one of my friends is terminally ill, another is a recovering amnesiac that got her face beat in by your guards, and I am back in prison in the hands of a narcissistic psychiatrist. What can you do? Make our lives more difficult? Threaten to mind-rape or execute someone? Hand us off to our enemies to rip us to pieces and shatter our psyches? That's just another walk in hell." I sighed. "All I feel is tired and bitter. I expect my friends to die, one by one, maybe build my hope a little at the end and then take it away. Nothing good ever lasts."
"You and Miss Webber were in love?" He asked with a raised brow.
"Got a problem with that?" I growled.
Professor Strange smirked. "I do not. It's just contradictory to her psychological profile. She was a firm asexual."
"Asexual doesn't necessarily mean aromantic," I said, quoting Olivia. "And a relationship doesn't need to be sexual to work."
"Must've worked out well for both of you… with her disinterest and your rather… traumatic time with Dr. Giovanni."
I stared at him with raised brows. "Who told you about that? Most people on the legal side didn't believe us."
"Apparently you told Commissioner Gordon in a police car. A report was filed and there was an investigation not long after. Several female patients of Dr. Giovanni cried rape prior, but the stories were inconsistent and there was not enough evidence to hold up in court."
"Jeremiah Arkham also protected him," I added.
"I see," said Professor Strange. "Tell me what happened."
I sighed. "I suppose I don't have much choice…" I explained how the other patients warned me, how I attempted to intimidate him, how he took advantage while I was restrained, and how I patiently waited to exact revenge. "… and the rest is a blood-strewn crime scene."
"Who removed the limbs?"
"I did most of it. The head, the arms, one leg, and the rest they did themselves, sticking him like a pin-cushion... so he would feel the violation, humiliation, and pain we felt. I believe it was Chantal that cut off the genitals... Had the biggest grin on her face if you can imagine… And ever since I left, they've been calling me the goddess of vengeance."
"Have you killed anyone with such dedication since then?" Strange asked.
I shook my head. "No. At best, I almost beat Mad Hatter to death.
"You monster!" Lucy screamed at Hatter.
"You monster!" I shrieked at Giovanni.
I blinked. "Nothing else was as meaningful. Killing you was close, but it was rushed. I got nervous because so much was at stake. Olivia was pushing me so hard. It's better when you can just take your time. You know?"
"I see. How would you prefer to kill me?"
I scratched my chin. "I'd like to see you in a pool of your blood with all your plans collapsing around you… to see your joy and life drain from your eyes as you realize that this is it. All your hard work and sacrifices… all for nothing. The best part is I don't have to do anything except sit back and watch because I'm not only enemy you have."
"You're talking about the Batman?" Professor Strange asked, smirking.
"Don't make the same mistake everyone else does and think Batman's nothing compared to your unparalleled genius." I made an evil chuckle and stroked my non-existent beard. "No, that is the worst-the most common mistake people make with Batman. He's the world's greatest detective and a symbol of justice… respect that he's one of the most formidable enemies you could ever have and prepare for the worst. Take some notes from Batman's worst enemy the Joker."
Strange frowned. "How do you mean? The Joker always ends up losing."
"Does he?" I asked. "Does he really? He leads Batman in with a joke and nails him with an unexpected punchline. He stole a Robin. He paralyzed Barbara Gordon. He's murdered thousands of people. With the way Joker plays, you will lose even if you win the game. It's not like the Riddler where if you win he just whines about you being a cheater."
"You seem to know a lot about this subject."
"I've drawn parallels to comics I knew to the observations I've made while living here," I said with a shrug. "The main difference is that it's consistently bleak in Gotham…"
"So, how does one win by your conclusion?" Strange asked.
"Expect to lose," I said with a shrug, "because there's no way in hell that you're actually going to win." I scoffed. "You never win big. You win and lose bit by bit."
"What about that mysterious book in Argentina? The one worth 500 million?"
I shook my head. "Money doesn't count. It can come and go in a flash."
"Your little friend mentioned that Deathstroke came after the book as well," Strange mentioned.
"Mm-hmm." I nodded, pursing my lips a bit.
"Am I to understand that you outsmarted him?"
I shrugged and chuckled uncomfortably. "Welllll… I'm pretty sure I was really really lucky on that one." I shook my head. "I am an amateur compared to Deathstroke."
"What happened?"
"The improbable." I chuckled and covered mouth as tears ran out of my eyes. "Oh my God…"
"Tell me what happened," he commanded.
I sighed. "Well, he caught up with me and I was keeping up decently in regards to fighting… but I was clearly outmatched. Eventually, he had me pinned and he went to take my bag. I touched the bottom of the bag, not giving up, and the book fell through the bag like the canvas suddenly didn't exist anymore. It fell open on my chest and blasted him right in the face!" I giggled behind my hands. "It threw him like 50 feet back and he was knocked the fuck out!" I laughed and wiped my eyes.
Professor Strange frowned. "The book was magic?"
I nodded. "Mm-hmm."
"Whom did you give it to?"
"Some English lady I met with in Australia. She quadrupled my pay after I told her what happened."
"You received 2 billion for that job?" He commented.
"Right?!" I exclaimed. "Gave us enough funds for Draco Ex Machina and everything else we wanted to do."
"What was this woman's name?"
"She didn't tell me her name," I replied, shaking my head. "She just said that she was the… um…" I tried to remember what she called herself. "The collector… the appropriator… the… something along those lines. Ugh, this is gonna bug me all day… it's museum related."
"Curator?"
"Yes!" I snapped my fingers. "The curator, but we met in a house in a small town… Olivia couldn't stand secrets—but this woman is smoke to us. People know about her curating hobby that pays extremely well, but no one can put a finger on her." Probably could if I remembered that soldier's name… or call up the book like Hocus Pocus. "Boooooooooooook."
"Did she know anything about the book?" Professor Strange asked.
"Well, she mentioned it does have a history for blasting people with bad intentions. The Nazis added it to their occult collection during World War II. Otherwise, no one can read it. In all my travels, I've never seen anything like it and neither has she."
Professor Strange frowned. "What do you mean by bad intentions? What made Deathstroke's intentions worse than yours? Both of you were out for profit."
I shrugged. "Sometimes I just accept that there are things in life that I will never understand. You're like-you think there's always an answer for everything." I shook my head. "Some things just are."
"You mentioned that a friend was dying. Who?"
"The one-eyed fellow that got caught at the airport. He's got Fatal Familial Insomnia."
"How unfortunate," said Strange. "Where do you know him from?"
"He's a retired member of the gang, supposed to be long gone, but he came back," I said regretfully.
"Why?"
"The insomnia is making him lose his mind, obviously."
"A man went straight for him while he was wandering around Park Row," said Strange, "navigating him back towards Mt. Olympus where they now gather with others."
"Jimmy," I said, remembering Tim's American persona from Montana. "He was supposed to be taking care of Mark."
"Now they're well-fortified in a condemned building—a condemned district even."
"We purchased the building ahead of time and laid in a weapons cache, so what?" I asked, rolling my eyes. "Olivia's paranoia went up after you slipped under her radar, and we had the money. We're also lucky that building isn't completely underwater." I sighed. "What the hell happened underground anyway? Don't tell me it was just an earthquake."
Professor Strange shrugged. "Just accept there are some things in life that you will never understand."
"Wow." I shook my head, folding my arms. "I wish you were dead already."
He chuckled. "What will you do when you lose everything? Will you try to kill yourself again?"
"Maybe… for kicks," I said with a shrug. "My plans tend to fuck up… like fate doesn't want me to die yet… like I haven't experienced enough pain and humiliation… Fate seems to look at you the same way, too."
"Whatever do you mean?"
"Your survival of the assassination attempts. She must have something else in store."
"I predict the dawn of a new age," commented Professor Strange.
I snorted. "Optimist."
"I have always been a realist," he insisted.
"No you haven't."
"Because you think me an optimist now?"
"Not necessarily," I said, toying with his curiosity. "Tell me this, first. Will you let Lucy go?"
"I suppose I will. I'll even let her know about your secret base at Mt. Olympus since you have complied thus far." Professor Strange picked up a radio and relayed that to a captain.
That doesn't guarantee she won't be caught along the way… especially when the release point is in the fucking Bowery where the Penguin is… I expected no less, Asshole.
"So what did you mean earlier?" Strange asked, continuing the conversation.
"Optimism? Everyone is optimistic when they are a child," I explained. "They have hopes and dreams. How long before they're shattered is another matter."
"Interesting. What shattered your innocence?"
I sighed, considering. "My parents' divorce and then them moving in with people I didn't like. All downhill from there. Decided to snuff it in my twenties."
"You're almost 29 now, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I'm a Baby-Face," I said, touching my face briefly. "I don't have a beard to hide behind." I narrowed my eyes at him.
Professor Strange frowned and raised a brow at me. "You can clearly see the rest of my face. My beard only outlines my chin."
"Is it because Bruce Wayne has a really strong chin?" I asked.
His eyes narrowed. "No. I've always done it this way."
"You didn't have an afro in the 70's?" I asked.
"Do I look I had an afro in the 70's?" He replied.
"Well not with that attitude." Frowning, I looked at his bald head.
Mr. Clean. Mr. Clean.
Shhhhhh! Hahahahaha. I struggled to keep my expression in check.
"You think you're funny?" Professor Strange asked.
"Sometimes," I said with a shrug, rubbing my eyes and sniffing.
"What did Olivia see in you? What could you possibly offer her that she didn't have?"
"Someone she could trust and depend on?" I suggested. "Someone who could understand her and love her for who she is in spite of her faults. Someone who could make her laugh and hold her if she cries. Someone who needs her and challenges her. Someone she could understand and love in return in spite of their faults… I don't expect some mean, old man like you would understand what that's like and to know you'll never have anything like that again."
"I see." He stood up, impatient. "You will be released into Arkham City momentarily. I will call upon you if I require anything else." Professor Strange exited the room without another word.
I frowned after him and waited for the guards to enter the room, but it took them about five minutes. Eight guards entered didn't have any guns on them, just clubs and stun batons.
…I'm guessing they don't want to play baseball.
I stood up. The guard rushed over to me, beating me with the clubs and stun batons into a corner. After they beat me down to the ground, a couple of them dragged me out while I was coughing up blood, barely conscious.
"Jesus, that took longer than usual, didn't it?" One commented.
"The crazies need some extra TLC." One kicked me in the face, and I blacked out.
Suddenly, my stomach really hurt and I opened my eyes to see a guy with a clown mask kicking me.
Motherfucker handed me off to the Joker.
"Wake up, you little bitch!" The man shouted.
I caught his foot this time and twisted his leg. Quickly, I got up and saw I was surrounded by clown thugs while standing in an arena-like area.
In the other corner was a really tall and muscular clown wielding a sledgehammer with his one arm. I immediately recognized him as Mr. Hammer. He used to be conjoined with his twin in a freak show. Together they were the Abramovici twins. Now, it's Mr. Hammer and Sickle, but Sickle was working for Penguin and Mr. Hammer was working for Joker.
"Glad to see you're awake, Kid," said Harley Quinn from the upper office. She blew me a kiss. "We heard you participated in Penguin's fights before you sunk his ship, so we figure you and Mr. Hammer could entertain the boys a bit before he smashes your skull in!"
The clown thugs cheered.
"Have fun!" She waved and closed up the office.
The others cheered on Mr. Hammer as he dragged his sledgehammer towards me. I held up a hand. "One final request, Mr. Hammer?" I shouted over the chanting.
He raised a brow and paused.
"I'm obviously going to lose so can you aim for my forehead?" I lied down in front of him and rested my hands on my abdomen.
The men booed
He frowned and shrugged.
I sighed and gazed up at him.
Mr. Hammer raised his sledgehammer high and brought it down to my forehead. The head of the hammer bounced right off my head and smacked him in the head. Groaning, he fell backwards, dazed.
Everyone was dead silent.
Sighing, I stood back up, holding my head in pain. "Shit, Man," I said, taking the sledgehammer from Mr. Hammer.
The doors opened upstairs. "What the hell was that?!" Harley Quinn shouted.
"I'm special," I said, stepping back a little. "I have a message for your boyfriend." I started swinging the sledgehammer around and threw it up towards the office. The sledgehammer crashed throw one of the windows of the upstairs office. I was extremely dizzy after that and struggled to maintain balance. Blinking, I looked at the sea of colors around the room. "'This used to be a funhouse, but now it's full of evil clowns,'" I sung. I flopped on top of a body that I assumed was Mr. Hammer.
He grunted, still out of it himself.
I waved my arms a bit hearing the music in my head. God, I miss P!nk. I let out a long groan of exasperation and pain as I held my agonized skull. Then, I pushed myself up and tried to steady my balance. My pain was even worse whilst standing, but I had to get out of here.
"Shoot her!" Harley shouted.
All the thugs started shooting me, some of them occasionally hitting each other. I remained standing even after they ran out of bullets. I coughed up a bullet and more started clinking on the ground as my flesh grew back.
"What the fuck is that thing?!" A few of them shouted.
I looked around, dazed that I was still standing. My vision was quite blurry. "I am fire! I am death!" I pointed up the ceiling and a hanging thing fell on some thugs, likely from all the misguided gunfire.
Wow...
They all got back and ducked behind things in fear.
"So, Strange thinks he can pull a fast one on me, eh?" Joker asked from the office above. He hopped down. Nope, real Joker's too sick. That's Clayface-Joker. "Show me what you got, Fire and Death!"
"You smell like basil," I commented as he approached. "I'm tired and I want to leave, so stay out of my way." I looked around the area as my vision started improving. I'll be damned if I can actually remember the way out.
"Sure, sure, which way are you going?" Joker asked with a giggle. "I'll try to stay out of it."
I tried to remember which pair of doors I was supposed to go through to get out.
"Aww, are you still disoriented? Do you even know where you are?"
"It's Sionis' Mill," I said, dizzily. "Industrial District."
"Wrong!" Joker hit me across the face with a crowbar. "It's Joker's Funland now!" He laughed crazily.
I spun a little and flopped on the floor with a groan.
"Oh, Mr. Hammer, good to see you up and at 'em. I think we found you a new hammer."
"Thanks," said Mr. Hammer with a thick Russian accent. He picked me up by my ankles and I groaned, realizing I was the new hammer.
"So, why did Strange send you?" Joker asked, looking at me upside down.
"I almost assassinated him and asked him if he had an afro in the 70's," I said as blood dripped from my nose.
Joker giggled. "Ooh really? Mr. Hammer, make sure she's an honest hammer."
Mr. Hammer chuckled darkly and swung me up before slamming me facedown into the ground. He slammed me on the ground back and forth several times before stopping.
I spat out blood as my face swelled. "It's the fucking truth! Ask him yourself, Basil!"
"Mr. Hammer. I think you hit her head too hard. Try an arm."
"My bones don't break," I said before Mr. Hammer dropped me.
He took ahold of my arm and couldn't break my bones.
"Guess you are an honest hammer." Joker grabbed me by the front of my jumpsuit. "Who would hire you to kill Strange?"
"Me," I sneered. "To get my friends out of prison… but he survived and now he's got a grudge. Tried to bail, but he's like 'get back here, I still have your friends'. Sent a few pictures. And in response I sent the heads of the messengers as an RSVP, turned myself in, went through the psych exam and he's like okay, releasing you into Arkham City. Then, those guards walk in with clubs like I'm a baby seal."
Joker laughed. "Aw, poor baby. Does he not know what you can do?"
I shrugged. "Assumed he did if he dropped me here, probably figured you'd drive me crazy. Otherwise, it's more of that divide and conquer shit. Cuz if we're all too busy pummeling each other, then none of us tries to escape or figure out what he's up to, see?"
"She's got a point, Puddin'," said Harley Quinn, leaning in the doorway upstairs.
"What do you think he's up to, Sweetheart?" Joker asked.
"I think he's going to kill everyone and he's gonna make it look legal," I said flat-out.
The thug muttered amongst themselves.
"All this trouble just to snuff us out?" Joker asked, dropping me on the ground.
"Look who's talking?" I retorted, trying to slink away from Mr. Hammer. Mr. Hammer yanked me up by the back of my jumpsuit, holding me there.
"You liking your new hammer, Mr. Hammer?"
"Nyet," said Mr. Hammer. "Squirm too much."
"Well that's no good. Let's discuss some other positions upstairs, Storm. In the meantime, be a dear and fetch Mr. Hammer his old hammer."
Mr. Hammer threw me upstairs through a different window. I landed on the floor with a thump as blood ran out from all the glass cuts. Groaning, I struggled to get up and refocus my vision again. Slumping back to a sitting position, I yanked out a piece of glass stuck in my eye. I couldn't really feel pain anymore, just the gross-out factor of ripping your own eye out. A piece of glass was stuck in my neck, too. I pulled that out along with anything else that was taking too long in my opinion.
Mr. Hammer walked up to pick up something next to me. Softly, he prodded me with the head of a sledgehammer.
Somewhat blind, I stumbled over to the direction where he prodded me. "I don't work for clowns," I said, bitterly.
I heard the real Joker coughing dryly, he sounded like he was sitting ahead of me somewhere. "Oh you ought to keep an open mind," Joker said hoarsely. "You can either play a game or get tossed in the incinerator. I hope you'll reconsider because I think you really made an impact on Mr. Hammer. You can see it clear in his face." He laughed and broke out into coughs.
Stall… Wait for you vision to come back and just go through the fucking window.
"The fact of the matter is you're right. We should be working together in this tight little situation," said Joker. "Let bygones be bygones. I could really use someone like you, and you need a break from someone beating you to a pulp."
I folded my arms, mistrusting this. "Yeah?"
"You see—"
My vision returned and I crashed through the window, shielding my eyes this time. I fell about twenty feet down onto an adjacent roof in a tumble. I ran for it, from rooftop to rooftop, and glanced back to see Mr. Hammer jumping down after me. He ended up crashing through a thin area of the rooftop inside the actual building.
Damn...
I heard the intercom click on. "I think we hit your head too hard because apparently you think it's okay to crash out a window mid-conversation!" Joker shouted. "Boys, a lady in a blood orange outfit with dark hair and a nice rack is quite lost. Could you help directing her back to the mill? Someone's going in the incinerator tonight."
Thugs and snipers immediately noticed and started shooting at me. Gritting my teeth, I struggled to keep running over to the cranes that connected over the Amusement Mile.
I was met with a ton more thugs. Doubling back, I ran over to the hole in the ground that went into the sewers under the central facility of Arkham City. It connected to the Bowery where Penguin was. Better than a place that was completely on red alert about my presence.
Jumping inside the hole, I landed in a tumble and darted through the tunnels. I knew risked running into Killer Croc down here. Breathing heavy, I silently hoped that I could slip by him, and he would deter anyone that pursued me. Thugs were hot on my tail as my speed wavered with the shit shape my body was in from the injuries. My blood trail didn't thin with the occasional shots they took at me. I think was about halfway there when one of the thugs took me down in a tackle.
"Got you, you little bitch!" He growled in my ear.
I struggled to get out from under him and was quickly surrounded by more. They picked me up and slammed against the wall.
"Ain't so tough now? Are you, Freak?" One of them said.
"I'm not, but he is," I said nodding behind them.
They all looked back, horrified. Nothing was there.
"Made you look," I said, chuckling weakly.
"I'm gonna kill her," said one of them, putting a knife to my neck.
"You can't kill her," one of the thugs said. "She's one of those self-healing freaks."
"Oh yeah? Heal this!" The guy slit my throat. Blood spurted all over him and I did my best to not breathe until my neck closed up.
"That is fucked up," commented one of the guys as they watched the wound close.
"Let's get out of here before that Croc shows up. Boss wants her back."
They grabbed my arms and dragged me back the way we came.
Suddenly, they froze in their tracks, when I looked up I saw Croc was standing in front of us.
Immediately, one of them threw me in front of them. "Hey, we thought you'd like a nice chew toy or a freaky, little girlfriend."
Croc growled down at me as I looked back up at him.
Blood spurted out of my mouth and I coughed to the side.
With a grunt, Killer Croc stepped over me and grabbed one of the thugs, biting his head off with ease. The rest ran past him for their lives towards the Industrial District.
I groaned and started heading on towards the Bowery, limping along. Didn't get far before I was lifted up by my jumpsuit.
"I told you to never come down here again," Croc growled, chewing on that one guy.
"I obviously had no other choice," I retorted. "Now let me pass, please. More will probably come looking for me."
"What do they want you for?"
"I don't know and I don't care. I am returning to my friends and taking a long nap. Seriously, just tell me what you want. Cigarettes, alcohol, air freshener, I don't know. I'm sure you need something that I could get for you."
Croc considered for a moment. "Why should I believe you? You could run out and never come back."
"I'm a thief of my word," I insisted.
"Then why did the Penguin keep bitchin' about your people cheating him?"
"Because the Penguin is a hypocritical bitch that cheated us first." I folded my arms. "And as far as I'm concerned you and I are square unless you want something. I don't care if it's a poster or Penguin's private stash of scotch that he keeps in his desk. Just tell me."
Croc puzzled over this for a moment and seemed to remember something. "There's an area ahead that I can't squeeze through, but there's a button. They always use it to play chicken with me."
"Okay, I could probably handle that," I said.
"Good." He continued munching on that one thug and carried me under his arm. Croc carried me along for a good while and he hefted me over his shoulder as the water got deeper. He left the half-eaten corpse floating on the surface and started swimming while I hung on to his shoulders. When we reached a set of bars, he set me up on the walkway. I approached the bars and looked around for the button. There were male voices somewhere ahead, but I couldn't understand what was being said.
I squeezed my way through the bars and approached the buttons on a wall. There was auto, close, open. I pressed "open" and waved Croc over.
He slowly approached with dripping footsteps, probably hearing the voices, too.
"Pull this out of the wall," I said quietly.
Killer Croc took ahold of the box and ripped it out of the wall, exposing the live wires behind it. Then, he threw the box into the water and it sunk. I motioned him back into the water and used my foot like a squeegee to hide his watery footprints on the floor. All they would be able to tell was that the floor was wet.
I climbed over to a ledge by the steps as I heard footsteps coming closer.
Killer Croc kept his eyes above the water as I swam behind a pillar.
"Why the hell are the bars up?" I heard one of the penguin thugs asked.
"Someone probably left it in Chicken mode," said the second.
"Yeah? Then where are all the buttons?"
"…That's not good."
"No shit, Sherlock. We better report it."
"I'm gettin out of here. That thing might be waiting for something to get too close."
Killer Croc got out of the water and they screamed and cursed with fear.
I listened for anyone else coming. Satisfied, I stepped onto the steps and saw Croc bite out a guy's throat after taking a hold of him. The other was under Croc's foot, squirming before his skull was crushed with a loud crunch. Blood and brain matter gushed out from under Croc's foot.
Yeesh. I winced a little and walked past him. "See ya'."
Killer Croc didn't reply. I just heard him munching away, and he was probably watching me leave.
Don't look back. I sighed and navigated myself around the subway system that was crawling with Penguin thugs. I carefully snuck around them and occasionally knocked one out if they were in my way. One of them had a big and black overcoat. I decided to put it on to hide the bright jumpsuit covered in blood. Couldn't find anyone with shoes in my size unfortunately. I did find plenty of guns and knives, though.
There just has to be a men's seven or eight around here somewhere.
I reached the surface and kept my head down as I walked through dark alleys with a machine gun, hoping my coat was enough to convince Penguin thugs at a glance. My feet were tensed up on the cold ground. I was careful to not step on something painful.
"Hey! You!" One of them shouted as I passed by Ace Chemicals.
I continued walking around a corner as if I didn't hear.
"Hey! I'm talking to you, Lady!"
I darted ahead and leapt over a fence. They came running after me and I headed towards the Solomon Wayne Courthouse where the Two-Face gang was holed up. Two-Face was speaking to his thugs at the steps of the courthouse when I came running along.
The thugs pulled out their guns and I ducked down on the ground as bullets flew by from the Penguin thugs and Two-Face thugs. Panting, I crawled between two cars as the group of Penguin thugs were overwhelmed by the numbers of the Two-Face gang.
I heard running footsteps and Two-Face thugs quickly surrounded me as I struggled to catch my breath.
"Up and at 'em, Girlie," one of them said.
I struggled to my feet, shaking a little from the adrenaline.
"Damn, you stink."
"I've been running around all night in a prison not a perfume commercial," I said, rolling my eyes as they escorted me over to the courthouse.
Harvey "Two-Face" Dent stood at the steps in his half-burnt business suit, flipping his lucky coin. His face matched his suit in being half-burnt on his left side. Formerly a good district attorney, he was driven mad by his second personality that contained all his inner rage that was driven out by the criminals that tried to squeeze him back. One of them dumped acid on his face, further damaging his psyche. Now, true justice could be determined by a single flip of his lucky coin: two heads, one damaged side.
"You're Meredith Storm," Two-Face commented with his regular voice. "Drifter thief," his grisly voice added.
"Yeah, I was just headed over to the Amusement Mile," I said with a shrug. "Didn't mean to interrupt your company meeting. I'll be going if you would be so kind."
"Let's see what Fate has in store today." Two-Face flipped his coin and looked. "You're lucky. Go."
I nodded to him and left. I walked past the church and onto the highway that went over the flooded area of the Amusement Mile. Several buildings stuck out from the water. Mt. Olympus was dead ahead with its neon sign lit like a beacon.
I took note of the snipers at the top. A few were even on the radio tower next door. Suddenly, a grappling hook attached itself to the edge of the highway and Tim came flying over to land on the pavement beside me.
With a grunt, Tim stood up and took ahold of me, launching us to the rooftop of Mt. Olympus. There, he warmly embraced me. The gunmen on the roof watched us for a bit.
"Meredith, we heard horrible things," said Tim, touching my face. He had a silver beard, but I knew his bald head and green eyes.
"Eh, just an interrogation and a wild goose chase," I said, "but it's Lucy we have to worry about."
"Yes, her parents told us."
I frowned. "Her parents?"
A door opened and Mark came running out to hug me, sporting a beard of his own. There were dark shadows under his eyes. The top of his head was wrapped in gauze. "Oh, you poor thing," said Mark squeezing me tightly. "If it weren't for my eye, I would've thought you were another recruit nearly beaten to death. What did they do to you?!"
"Long story," I explained, "but Tim, what do you mean Lucy's parents told you?"
"They're here, Mere," Mark explained, letting me go. His robotic eye focused on me while his natural eye was covered up. "They wouldn't let the authorities take their little girl, but they got separated during processing. Did they get Olivia, too?"
"She hasn't been responding to the radio frequency," said Tim. "Robots keep saying she isn't available."
I shook my head. "She didn't make it."
"No," Mark murmured. "It can't be. What happened?"
"I'll tell you, but do you have water, food, smoking supplies? I'm about to drop."
"Nah, we got you. Still plenty of supplies." Mark walked me through the rooftop door. There were a couple floors of snipers and one floor had several beds laid out, along with couches and supplies. "These upper floors are dedicated to the snipers," Mark explained. "I'm usually up here because sniping is about all I'm good for these days. Then, we got supply floors, a kitchen floor, individual rooms as we get closer to water level where we have a hidden entrance that connects to a cool underwater bridge." He stopped us at a middle floor. "This is a meeting room and where Tim sleeps and makes coffee because he's the hotshot."
"Mostly by seniority," Tim explained as I gazed around the floor.
The windows were intact and the framework was pretty. There was an elegant meeting table in the middle and many pillows on the floor. There were piles of 20 lb. bags of coffee grinds and vats. Tim led us through a door that was an office suite with a desk and a couch. His drawings were on the walls, along with a map of Arkham City, a list of problems, troublemaking recruits…
"Hey, you've earned it," I said. "I bet you're doing a great job."
"That's up for debate some days," commented Tim wryly, leaning against the desk.
"Well, if people don't like it, they can take their opinion and shove it," said Mark, sitting me down. "This place is ours. They're just squatting here."
"Where's Lucy's parents?" I asked.
"Probably drilling new recruits," said Tim. "Some of them don't even know how to throw a punch or shoot. I keep telling them to train teachers so they don't have to worry about that in addition to kitchen duties."
"We all need lieutenants." Mark picked up his radio and stopped before speaking. He tossed the radio to Tim. "They don't listen to me anymore."
Tim frowned at this.
"Anyone outside the snipers doesn't listen to my calls," Mark explained.
"What did you want to call for?" Tim asked, confused.
"Meredith is wearing a jumpsuit covered in blood and she's hungry."
"OH!" Tim immediately called up on the radio. "Hotshot calling. I need some rations and a blue jumpsuit on coffee floor. Meredith Storm has joined D.A.M."
"Dam?" I asked.
"Drifters of Amusement Mile," said Tim, tossing the radio back to Mark.
Mark caught it and hooked it onto his belt.
I lied down on the couch as the fatigue set into me, explaining everything of the last couple of weeks.
Someone walked in with a box and a bowl of food. It was a pretty buff Latino guy with a pretty face and rings in his ears. His dark hair was in a ponytail. "I know you asked for the blue jumpsuit, but those things are not comfy," he said as we stopped and looked at him. "And there was an actual box labeled 'Meredith' that's just been sitting around." He set the box next to me.
"Thanks," I said.
"Yes, thank you… I can't remember your name," said Tim.
"Newt," said the guy.
"Newt?" Mark repeated, skeptically.
"Yeah, we drifting out here and I'm a new and fabulous little amphibian." He brushed dust off his arms.
"What are you in for, Newt?"
"Graphic design," said Newt. "Basically, all those propaganda posters you see out there along with the logos and stuff."
Mark squinted at him. "He threw you in prison for those?"
"They look wonderful," Tim commented, also confused.
"Aw thank you, Hotshot," said Newt. "As far I know, anyone that worked on the inside and wasn't a TYGER guard gets thrown in with all the crazies, heathens, and you people. A couple of accountants, engineers, and other little guys are running around, too. My buddy Nick was an accountant. I don't know why. I mean it wasn't like he was unwilling to pay us. I mean I missed a few parking tickets…"
"He's tying up loose ends," I said flat-out.
"But we didn't see anything," said Newt. "Seemed everything was in order. He wanted to intimidate prisoners and engrain the rules from my point of view. Nick might know something, but I'm just a graphic designer."
"People get thrown in here for less," I said, shaking my head. "Protesters… innocent doctors… crazies… I'm sure anyone who definitely knew anything got lobotomized."
Newt's eyes widened. "Are… you for real right now?"
"I wish I wasn't."
"Ugh…" He grimaced. "Strange, my ass… Professor Hugo Freaky."
"Would you guys give me a second alone, please?" I asked.
"Absolutely," said Tim and Mark simultaneously, stepping out.
"Totally." Newt nodded and closed the door behind them, leaving me alone.
I changed out of my gross jumpsuit and threw it out the window. The box contained three different sets of clothing, my armor, boots, two coats, a grapple-gun, a pipe, and a bag of Olivia's smoke mix. I put on the clothes and boots for now and set the pipe to the side. When I was done, I opened the door to see Newt still talking with Mark and Tim.
"…Yeah, I was just wondering because the snipers keep complaining about the shrinking ammo," said Newt. He looked at me. "Oh Honey, you look so much better, except for all the blood in your hair."
"Oh," I said, touching my hair.
"Yeah, I sometimes forget until I go to comb mine. Also, you can just tell that jumpsuit to 'go fuck itself', because that is a lot of blood and I-don't-know-what-but-I-don't-care."
"Threw it out the window," I said with a shrug, feeling the matting in my long hair. Most of it was in the long part of my hair. I pulled out a knife, gathered up my hair into a tail and cut the tail off.
Newt blinked and touched his ponytail.
Ignoring him, I threw my hair out the window. "What were you guys talking about?"
"Making a supply run this week," said Tim. "The Penguin has the most supplies and there are about thirty willing men that need to be led."
"Maybe we could hit all the birds in one throw," I said with a smirk.
"I was hoping so. Will you be ready to go out there again?"
"Hell yeah. I just need a day or two to recover." I sat down and started eating the food that was some sort of stew or soup.
"I don't know how you can even function," said Mark. "After all you've been through."
I shrugged. "Guess I'm used to it by now. Where do I rest?"
"Ah…" Tim considered uncomfortably. "You rest here for now until I can make proper accommodation. The couch is also pull-out bed."
"Well, I don't mean to take over your space."
"I know, but it for best," Tim insisted.
"Where are you going to sleep, Hotshot?" I asked.
"I'll figure it out. You are my guest, my friend, and the most renowned criminals in this building."
I frowned. "That's kinda sad."
"Not really," said Newt. "I mean you're not big like the Joker but you're also not just some murderer or petty thief. You are a psychotic murderer and thief that has been on the news a couple times. I heard you threatened and used the Gotham Nightliner to get close enough to put Hugo Freaky in the hospital."
"Yeah, I meant to kill him," I said, shaking my head.
"Well that's closer than anyone else in this dump." Newt sighed. "You are a legend, Girlfriend."
"Uh, thanks, Newt."
"My pleasure."
"What do you do right now, Newt?" Tim asked.
"Me? Oh I work ration distribution, but in my off-time I like to do little things to spruce up the place."
"Yeah, thanks. You can probably go back to that now," said Mark.
"One more thing though?" Newt asked me. "You seem to have an idea what's going on with that professor's head."
"Kind of. What?" I asked drinking my soup.
"What kind of polish does he use for that big noggin' of his?"
I spat out my soup and giggled, covering my face.
"Is it like the tears of small children…?"
My laughter did not stop and I bowed my head holding my sides.
Mark and Tim chuckled, confused.
"Or is it TYGER guards jerking off-"
I wheezed and coughed. "No, no, no," I said shaking my head and covering my watery eyes. "Oh God no, stop, stop!" I leaned back holding my stomach.
Newt giggled behind his hand. "I did not expect you to laugh that hard!"
"I'm never going to be able to talk to with him with a straight face again," I said, trying to stop laughing.
"Well, you don't talk past the first interview, correct?" Tim asked.
I coughed. "He might want to talk to me later maybe." I snickered, still a little delirious. "Dude… just no."
"Still a giggle machine," said Mark, shaking his head.
"We'll give you some time to rest," said Tim.
"Thanks," I said with a sigh.
"Nice meeting you," said Newt with a wave.
They closed the door and left me alone again. I lied across the couch, exhausted and occasionally giggling.
When I awoke again, I saw an ARACHMECH crawling closer on a wall next to me, beeping. Incoming call from SONNY," the ARACHMECH announced.
"Answer," I said.
"Hello, Meredith," said SONNY in a slight monotone. "Why have you disobeyed the protocol?"
"Because Professor Strange found me and threatened to kill Angel Smith if I didn't come back, SONNY. I had to come back."
"In very brutish fashion."
"Please don't tell me you just called to complain about me breaking protocol because I don't want to hear it, SONNY."
"My purpose is to execute Advocate's wishes," said SONNY. "She wished for you to be kept safe from the troubles of Arkham City."
"Well not everything went according to her plans, SONNY. Life is cruel and unexpected."
"I imagine so with the chaos that seems to happen out there. Logically, it would've seemed best for you to stay with us, but Advocate thought otherwise."
"Well, her head did get crushed," I said, folding my arms.
"Yes. The ARACHMECH scans tell me that you are physically healthy despite detections of blood, but psychological pain can appear to be invisible. How is your psychological condition?"
"Depressed but functioning."
"How would you rate your depression on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 feeling suicidal and 10 feeling happy?" SONNY continued.
"5, but I might drop to a 4," I said honestly.
"What are your future intentions?"
"Enjoy the little things, help my friends survive Arkham City, Mission: Bat-Crazy, and after that, I don't know."
"I also wished to question Mission: Bat-Crazy," said SONNY.
I rolled my eyes. "What about it?"
"You have programmed several ARACHMECHS to deliver strips of paper decorated with black vermilion to Professor Hugo Strange's office desk in Arkham City. Prior plans indicated that Advocate and yourself wished to terminate this man's life. Why has this goal been reduced to non-lethal mercury poisoning?"
I raised a brow at the ARACHMECH, surprised and mildly annoyed by the question. I tried to word my answer in a way SONNY could understand. "The fact of the matter is that Professor Strange's termination has been set at a future date. We cannot terminate him early because some things in life are specifically programmed. We call it Fate."
"By what system can life be programmed?" SONNY asked.
"No one really knows, but I might've come from the alternate universe that programmed this universe. I couldn't change things if I went back there. It's not the sort of thing that people would like to change. It's like changing a story you've known for a long time. Like do you know the "Hansel and Gretel" story?"
"One moment, please… I have now added the story to my cloud memory."
"Okay," I said, continuing. "The point is you can't just go back and change that story. I mean you can create an alternate version but you can't actually force that story to change into something else. In that version, the witch will always be pushed into the oven."
"Point understood," confirmed SONNY. "When will Professor Strange die?"
"The night Bruce Wayne is taken into Arkham City."
"Very well, but why do you poison the professor, attempting to make him ill and madden him with mercury poisoning?"
"Poetic justice and non-lethal revenge until he meets his unfortunate end."
SONNY was quiet for a moment. "Is it because mercury poisoning is sometimes nicknamed "Mad Hatter Disease"? And he used the Mad Hatter to experiment on inmates at the now closed Arkham Asylum?"
"Yes," I said, surprised.
"Poetic justice indeed, but he will be inclined to punish you when he finds out you are behind it. It would be in your best interest to minimize the risk of further damage in your declining psychological health."
"Have the first slips been delivered?" I asked.
"Yes. It may be best if you discontinue the mission to avoid discovery."
"The mission will continue according to schedule," I insisted. "I know you're concerned about Olivia's wishes because she developed you, but I have my own wishes to fulfill. He's ruined lives, ripped apart minds, and is part of the reason Olivia is no longer alive. He is selfish, sadistic, and deserves a taste of his own medicine, SONNY. This is the only way I can cope with my 'declining psychological health'."
"This is self-destructive behavior that will only lead to more suffering, but if that is what you wish?"
"It is."
"Confirmed. Mission: Bat-Crazy will continue on schedule… Perhaps some containers of liquid mercury to escalate poisoning via inhalation?"
"Nice," I said with a nod. "Let's aim for New Year's Day on that one."
"Very well. Anything else I should place on my agenda?"
"Is there data on my travels in Brazil?" I asked.
"Regarding the stop before or after the heist for the Martian's Book of H'ronmeer?" SONNY asked.
"Before."
"Searching… data found, what are you looking for?"
"A man was trying to get on my plane and insulted the RABBOT I was carrying at the time when I said no. The RABBOT sprayed him with a pink ink and knocked him out."
"Searching for incident… Incident found."
"Find out who that man is," I said. "He's on my naughty list. A few days ago he was arrested at an airport in London. He tried to take a little girl as a hostage but was arrested. He is an American."
"By naughty list, you wish to send him a lump of coal?" SONNY asked.
"I wish to send him something unpleasant for sure," I said, scratching my neck. "He snitched me out to Professor Strange."
"Advocate had a preference for sending nail bombs."
"Find out who he is first and I will make a decision. That is all."
"Very well. Ending call."
The ARACHMECH crawled down the wall and under the couch.
In the next several days, Tim, Roy, Helen, Mark, and myself began planning for the Bowery Heist using data the ARACHMECHs gathered. I was to negotiate a cease fire agreement with Two-Face because there wasn't a lot of reason for us to be shooting at each other in the first place and it would give us backup fire when we escape the Bowery. In a few days around 4 AM, we would make our move into the Bowery. Tim would lead the faction for stealing weapons. Helen would lead the group stealing food supplies. I would be rescuing Lucy from a display case in the north wing and drawing the attention of Penguin's gang. The others would stay behind to defend Olympus with Roy and Mark. I also planned to release Mr. Freeze from another display case in the south wing to add to my distraction.
Part of Strange's plan to divide and conquer was handing Mr. Freeze's cryogenically frozen wife Nora Fries to the Joker to blackmail Mr. Freeze into working on a cure for the Joker's illness. To delay Mr. Freeze's progress on said cure, Strange handed Mr. Freeze to the Penguin who was now likely to be armed with a freezing gun that could only be disabled by Mr. Freeze in his sub zero suit. Freeze's primary motivation was to save his wife from her terminal condition. Due to an "accident" caused by his boss at GothCorp's cryogenic lab, Dr. Victor Fries can now only survive in subzero temperatures. His suit maintained his required temperature and provided him with multiplied strength and defensive measures against his enemies.
I had always sympathized and admired Mr. Freeze's passion for his wife, and empathized all the more with Olivia gone.
I returned to Park Row to negotiate with Two-Face and was escorted into the courtroom where he was conducting some trial with a man hanging over a tank of a likely corrosive acid. "Please, Mr. Face, I didn't steal anything I swear!"
"Let's see what the coin says," Two-Face said before flipping his coin. "Guilty!"
The thugs cheered and the man was dumped into the acid with a final gut-wrenching scream.
Two-Face pointed me out. "You wish to tempt fate again?" He asked.
"I wish to negotiate a ceasefire between your gang and the Drifters of the Amusement Mile," I declared.
Hec flipped his coin. "We will hear this. Step forward."
Thugs stepped aside and I approached the front of the courtroom. Two-Face jumped down from the platform and two thugs put two seats together.
We sat down. He continued to flip his coin.
"Unlike the other gangs, we have no reason to hate each other," I started. "You might be looking to take over Arkham City, but we don't care. We just like to be left alone. It would be nice if both our gangs maintained neutrality. You want to strike the Industrial District without our snipers aiming at you. If we want to raid the Bowery, it would be nice if you didn't shoot at us. In fact, maybe we could give each other cover fire, giving ourselves an advantage over the Joker and Penguin while they squabble amongst themselves. We don't shoot or otherwise hurt each other."
"So are we to understand you'll be hitting Penguin?" Two-Face asked.
"Depends on if you agree to the ceasefire."
Two-Face put his coin on his hand and it was the good side. "We agree with ceasefire." He held out his hand.
"Great." I shook his hand firmly.
He pulled me in closer at the end of the shake. "But if you Drifters cheat us, we'll blow your brains out."
"Touché," I said.
He snorted and let me go. "So, are you hitting the Penguin or not?"
"A little hitting, but mostly a rescue mission," I said. "He's taken one of our friends prisoner, Angel Smith."
"We remember her," said Two-Face with his normal voice. "Rough kid. Repeat offender. Her rock star career made her into a better person until the Joker showed up. Then, it was back to basics."
I nodded. "She tried to quit and leave, but the TYGERs dragged her back to throw her to the Penguin, and lure me back into town."
"Can't escape your past," he said with his grisly voice.
"Nope."
Two-Face stood up from his chair. "From here on out, we are neutral to the Drifters of the Amusement Mile and they are neutral to us. Do not shoot at them. Do not approach them. And they will do the same, otherwise, it is war. Yay or nay understood?"
"YAY!" The thugs said.
"Spread the word!"
I picked up my radio. "Attention Hotshot and all Drifters, the ceasefire negotiation with the Two-Face gang has been successful," I reported. "I repeat, successful negotiation with Two-Face gang."
"Hotshot says thank you, Meredith," replied Tim.
"Hotshot?" Two-Face questioned.
"He's the head of the place and he brews the coffee."
"Wait a minute, you guys have coffee?!" One of the thugs called out.
I shrugged. "Yeah..." Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that.
The guy stumbled forward. "Mr. Face, I move we negotiate for coffee!"
"I second that!" Another guy shouted.
Several other thugs held up their hands and motioned for coffee.
Two-Face fired his gun into the air. "Quiet!" He shouted. "We actually miss coffee, too," he said. He flipped his coin in the air and it was the bad side. "We'll have to wait longer."
"Aww," groaned the thugs.
I kind of felt bad for them. Then, again, Tim's coffee was a bit addictive. They'd probably steal all the bags.
"Well, how about some cigarettes and booze?" I suggested. "Penguin's getting a huge shipment and we only have so many people to grab stuff. Our way of saying, Merry Christmas," I said with a nod. "We would just need to borrow some of your guys to move it."
Two-Face flipped his coin. Good side. "How many?"
"Let me double check," I said, picking up my radio. "Calling for Hotshot," I said.
"Go for Hotshot," Tim responded.
"I offered Two-Face part of the shipment of alcohol and cigarettes if he gave us some extra guys to carry their share. How many would we need?"
"I'd cap it at 15-20 and I would recommend them removing the uniforms if they wish to maintain neutral appearance. Meet at ACE Chemicals 3:30 AM tomorrow. They take what they can carry."
I looked at Two-Face and he nodded. "You got it," he said.
"Cool. Later." I walked on through the crowd.
"Later."
I headed back toward the Amusement Mile when an orange cat crossed my path and meowed.
"Hi," I said to the cat. "I don't have any food I'm sorry."
It meowed again.
I sighed and walked past the cat. I miss Chekhov.
The cat followed me more a good while and then parted as I went by the church.
The next morning, we headed out, all geared up. I carried several ARACHMECHs with me in my armor covered by the black coat. We met up with the group of Two-Face thugs in casual wear at ACE Chemicals. They joined up with Helen's crew and took on ski masks.
"All right, Meredith," said Tim. "Alert us when you are inside."
"You got it," I said.
"You sure she should be going ahead alone?" A small man with glasses next to Newt commented.
"Honey, she is Queen of the Mile," said Newt. "She goes where she pleases and don't give a fuck."
I shook my head at Newt. "Don't make me laugh, or I'll never make it inside."
I grappled up onto a building and ran from rooftop to rooftop all the way to the Pinkney Museum several blocks south. Method of entry could be made from the rooftop ventilation… just like old times... Alerting Tim to my entry, I crawled inside and headed over to the north wing while sending an ARACHMECH to monitor things in the south wing. Things were pretty quiet right now since it was so early in the morning. I found fifteen Penguin thugs sleeping and chilling around the north wing. I leapt down and quietly locked the doors leading out of the wing. One by one I incapacitated them and took on the final two in a fist fight, so one could raise an alarm.
"We got Meredith Storm in the North Wing!" A thug shouted. "I repeat, Meredith Storm in the North Wing!"
"You boys better your arses now!" Penguin shouted over the radio as I took the two guys down by slamming their heads together.
One of the ARACHMECHs crawled over to Lucy's display case cage and I saw she was decently bruised up with healing cuts. She was still wearing an orange jumpsuit and her blonde hair was a mess.
"I knew you'd save me," said Lucy with a smirk as the ARACHMECH opened up the case.
"Reinforcements approach," SONNY declared through the ARACHMECH.
"Oh, these things talk now?" Lucy asked frowning.
"Yeah." I gave her my black coat and we picked up guns off the floor. "SONNY, open up the Freeze suitcase."
The ARACHMECH launched over to the case and worked on opening it up as we heard banging on the locked doors.
"What's your plan?" Lucy asked.
"I'm winging it a bit," I explained. "We gotta get Mr. Freeze's suit over to Mr. Freeze in the south wing."
We looked at the big metal suit that glowed blue.
"You expect us to carry that clunky thing while being shot at?" Lucy asked.
I winced. "SONNY, can you handle the suit's controls?" I asked.
"I can certainly try." The ARACHMECH attached itself to the arm. "It seems I can control the defensive systems and basic mechanisms, but it requires a host to physically move."
"Get me in it."
"Miss, the core temperature of this suit is currently -30 degrees Fahrenheit," warned SONNY.
The doors sounded like they were being shot through.
"Do it, SONNY!" I shouted.
The suit opened up and I got inside. The cold was intense and made me do a violent shiver with a sigh. I could see my breath a lot now.
"I'm raising the temperature to 0 degrees," SONNY declared.
A fog was suddenly released from the suit, encasing the room. The temperature felt a lot better.
"Don't forget, we need to put Mr. Freeze in this suit, SONNY." I said. "If we see the freezing gun, the suit can be used to disable it."
"Of course, Miss."
"Why are we saving Mr. Freeze?" Lucy asked, confused.
"It's the right thing to do and I promise it will make more sense later." I put on Mr. Freeze's heat vision goggles on. "Get behind me."
The doors busted open. "Ah, smoke bombs!" One person shouted.
"You do currently have freezing grenades in your arsenal," said SONNY.
I picked up the freezing grenades and started throwing some towards the doors. Somewhat clunky, I walked over to the broken doors to find frozen thugs with more coming. I started shooting at them with the guns while Lucy took shots around me. The suit was pretty bullet proof.
As we reached the center where the shark pool was, I held Lucy back, seeing that people were waiting around the corner.
A freezing blast barely missed her.
The Penguin cackled. "You think you're gonna walk out guns blazing, Storm? Pop your head out again I dare you!"
"Lucy," I said, "stay out of sight." I flipped up the glass helmet and I leapt out in Penguin's view. He blasted hit me with the freezing gun.
I pretended to be frozen in place, knowing full well that the suit was built to break ice easy. Penguin froze the top of the pool over and made his way toward me. He was wearing pajamas and a robe.
"Trying to make it off with the suit and your girl, eh?" He cackled. "I knew you Drifters would come to save her like the suckers you are. Why else would I keep her alive?"
"Freezing gun disabled," SONNY declared.
"What?" Penguin frowned, looking at the gun.
The suit charged up and released a shockwave breaking the ice that held me. I kicked Penguin across the ice and grappled the gun out of his hands.
"Did you actually think Mr. Freeze's suit couldn't withstand a freeze blast?" I said through the distorted voice transmitter before freezing him and his men with the gun.
I flipped the helmet back off because it was fogging up like none other. "Come on, Lucy," I called to Lucy while carefully crossing the icy pool to reach the South Wing.
Lucy walked by the Penguin and his men and gave them a wave.
My joints were starting to kill me and I could barely feel my hands and feet. "Be careful, we might run into one of the Abramovici brothers," I said. I froze a few thugs that crossed my path.
"Just use the freeze gun," said Lucy, shaking her head.
We arrived at the end of the wing and saw Mr. Freeze trapped in a glass case. He looked like he was suffering in the room temperature, leaning on the glass.
"SONNY, open up the suit and the case," I commanded.
The suit opened up with the glass case. Mr. Freeze and I stumbled out of our uncomfortable situations. He crawled over to his open suit.
"Return suit to original temperature," I said, putting my hands in my armpits. My body was shivering like crazy.
Mr. Freeze put the suit on and relaxed as SONNY lowered the temperature. The ARACHMECH crawled off the suit.
"Who are you?" Mr. Freeze asked with his monotone voice.
"Meredith Storm," I said. "And this is Lucy," I said, indicating to Lucy. "We're Drifters of the Amusement Mile and you need to come with me if you want to get out of here. I know you might want revenge against the Penguin, but he's not worth it. You got bigger problems to worry about… like getting the hell out of Dodge."
"With my suit and freezing gun returned to me, I have very little to worry about. Please return my goggles."
"Oh yeah, sorry." I took them off and handed them back to him. Mr. Freeze cleaned them off and put them on.
"Why did you help me?" Mr. Freeze asked.
"Because releasing you and my friend will attract the attention of all the Penguin thugs in the vicinity," I said, flat-out. "So they won't notice what else is happening… and it's the right thing to do. I mean you're only trying to save your wife and that gets me right here." I touched my heart. "Especially as of late, but that's not important. It's best we all leave right now because that suit is slow as hell." I started walking ahead.
"What about the Penguin? He must pay for what he has done to me."
"He's currently frozen over his shark pool and is getting robbed. I'm feeling good about him right now."
"He got off easy," said Mr. Freeze, following Lucy and me as his helmet closed up. We returned to the shark pool and saw some thugs chipping out the Penguin with their backs to us. Mr. Freeze froze them without a thought.
"Okay, let's grapple across this ledge towards the museum entrance," I said.
"But there are more thugs that way," said Lucy.
"So?" I asked, nodding to Freeze.
The ARACHMECHs crawled on Mr. Freeze's suit, wrapped around the suit, and released grappling hooks while Lucy and I held onto him. We swung across to the top part. Lucy fell forward and Mr. Freeze almost fell backwards as the ARACHMECHs detached.
I yanked him forward to keep him from falling.
He sighed through his voice transmitter that made him sound a bit robotic. "I am not doing that again."
"Fair enough," I said as we walked onward.
"These spiders are yours?" Mr. Freeze commented as they crawled off him.
"Olivia's," I said as they crawled onto me. "She's… my partner."
We continued onward towards the initiation arena that was crawling with thugs. Mr. Freeze froze most of them up with ease while Lucy and myself fired at them. Though Mr. Freeze was slow, his stopping power made things a breeze. We walked along toward the front entrance and I noticed a female assassin was locked in a display case with candles.
"Hey, let this one out, Meredith," said Lucy.
"Pretty sure she bites and we're in a hurry," I said bitterly, shaking my head. Don't need any more of these assassin bitches running around.
"Meredith," protested Lucy, stopping me. "Since when are you so cold?"
I folded my arms and narrowed my eyes at Lucy. "Since Olivia fucking died," I said, bitterly. "I've seen those tattoos before… Those judging eyes… Five people like her came after me when I tried to escape Gotham City. They came with photos of you with your face beat in, Lucy. 'Come back to Gotham or they die!'"
"Shit, I didn't know," said Lucy, scratching her head.
"I recommend treating them like black ops TYGER guards," I said. "Because as far as I know, that's what they are." I pointed at the assassin. "You and all your fucking ninja friends can go fuck yourselves whoever the hell you think you are."
She stared at me blankly.
My arms trembled with anger and I continued up the stairs in a huff.
"What happened to Olivia?" Lucy asked, pursuing me. "Did she blow up her house trying to keep the TYGERs away?"
"This is neither the time nor place, Lucy," I said coldly. "Let's just get back to Mt. Olympus."
We continued out the front doors and gave Mr. Freeze cover fire as he made us a path through the Bowery. Other Drifters made their escape with loads of loot. Some ran with shopping carts full of stuff.
"Those are friends," I alerted Mr. Freeze. "Two-Face thugs are neutral with us as well."
We kept moving on out and the Penguin thugs started firing off explosives, tossing molotovs.
"I am running low," Mr. Freeze declared, throwing a few freezing grenades behind us.
"So am I," said Lucy.
"It's okay, we're almost clear," I said, ducking into an alley, seeing ACE Chemicals a few blocks down. "And Mr. Freeze, no offense but that suit needs skates or something."
"I cannot skate," insisted Mr. Freeze.
"Eh, me either," said Lucy, waving dismissively. "Always end up twisting an ankle."
I heard some people shouting in alarm. I looked back and saw the other Abramovici brother with a big sickle coming after our people. Tim was getting ready to rush him. There was a nearby water tower across the street on top of a building.
"Freeze, I'm gonna drop that water tower on these thugs," I said, pointing at the tower. "Do your thing, please." I grappled up across the street. "Tim I'm gonna do something crazy and you're gonna need to get out of the way," I declared on the radio.
"Tell me when," Tim replied.
I laid out explosives to blow out the side and stood to the side. "Five seconds."
There was an explosion and the water came pouring out with chunks of ice already in it.
"Oh shit," I said, seeing big chunks fall.
One chunk of ice came down onto Sickle Abramovici's head and Mr. Freeze froze the falling water as it landed on a crowd of Penguin thugs.
"How much more are coming, Tim?" I asked, watching the south from the rooftop.
"Newt and his accountant friend should be the last," said Tim.
I saw a group with two men in the back chased by a group of thugs. One of the two men was inside the cart of stuff while the other was pushing and constantly looking back, his sunglasses were glaring from the sunrise. I jumped over to the new ice sculpture in the middle of the street and slid down the side of it, facing the oncoming crew. I chucked grenades and smoke bombs over their heads at the Penguin thugs behind him.
As the cart came closer, I saw it was an unconscious Newt inside the cart with bullets. His little accountant friend with glasses was pushing the cart, his face red from overexertion. "Are you the last?" I asked.
He couldn't speak and only nodded his head as he ran by. I picked up fallen machine guns and fired at the oncoming horde of Penguin thugs as I screamed with bloodlust.
I suddenly heard a crack and felt a sickening feeling in my abdomen. Looking down, I saw a blade sticking through me.
I turned my head and saw Sickle Abramovici was partially free from the ice, bleeding from his head while lying on the ground. His sickle was sticking me. Annoyed, I stomped on his arm to get the sickle out of his grasp and pulled the blade out of my abdomen and back.
"You okay?" Tim asked, paling a bit.
"Never better," I said, spitting blood in Sickle's face. I tossed the sickle aside and continued into Park Row with blood gushing out of my abdomen. Any penguins that followed came into the range of Two-Face's crew after we passed ACE chemicals. The Drifters walked home, all of us feeling pretty great about ourselves only to discover a lot of gunfire was coming out of Mt. Olympus. Tim ordered the able-bodied into position for attacking the invading clowns.
Tim nodded to me. "Stay with them," he commanded, nodding to the supply runners. Lucy ran ahead with him while the others looked to me, exhausted.
Mr. Freeze approached me in his suit. "You are bleeding heavily," he commented.
"It happens every once and a while," I said with a shrug as I looked at the icy water under the highway. No one would be letting the bridge loose with these defensive conditions, but they would need more ammunition soon. The others and myself were ready to drop. "Mr. Freeze, could you possibly make a bridge on the water to Olympus.
"I could, but I cannot be seen working with you when Joker has my wife." Mr. Freeze made an ice bridge of his own going towards the old GCPD station that was more east. "Farewell." He walked along, his cleats digging into the ice to give him stability.
"Great," commented a Drifter sarcastically.
"There's no one to raise the underwater bridge," someone commented.
"Are we just going to stand around here?"
"SONNY, let's grapple to the entrance," I said.
"I am afraid we cannot, Meredith," said SONNY. "The circuitry of the grapple-gun and ARACHMECHs are not waterproofed."
"Okay, then. Guess I'm gonna have to swim." I set the ARACHMECHs and grapple-guns aside.
"You'll get hypothermia in that water in no time flat," protested a drifter, "and if you're bleeding you'll attract sharks!"
I jumped into the freezing cold water and swam along towards Mt. Olympus' entrance, gritting my teeth and shivering.
"You're crazy!" One shouted.
Thanks, Captain Obvious, for your wonderful insight…
I swam up to the entrance and climbed inside. Quickly, I cranked up the underwater bridge for them, locked it, and collapsed against the wall, holding my abdomen. The Drifters came running in.
"Get that ammunition upstairs immediately," I commanded.
"I'm the last!" The accountant pushing the cart declared.
"Drop the bridge," I said.
He undid the locking mechanism and the bridge sank back underwater. Groaning, he shut the door and lied on the ground, exhausted. "You have to be one of the craziest, toughest woman I have ever met," he said, looking at me.
"Thanks," I said, lying down myself.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just tired as fuck," I said.
"What? Fuck?" Newt asked, waking up. "What happened, Nick?" He struggled out of the shopping cart.
"That big one knocked you out," said the accountant apparently named Nick. "But I got you out."
"Whaaaat? You saved me?" Newt asked, touched.
The accountant shrugged. "You'd do the same."
"Aw, you." Newt tweaked Nick's nose. "Thanks." Then, he noticed me. "Oh you're bleeding everywhere, Honey. We need to get you to medics." Newt picked me up.
"No medics, I'll be fine."
"Like hell."
"I'm a mutant," I said, flat-out. I wiped blood from the stab wound. "Look at it."
Newt looked. "Shit!" He dropped me.
"Ow," I said, lying on the floor.
"I don't understand," said Nick. "Why doesn't she need a medic?"
"Because her body is healing faster than normal people," said Newt. "It just closed up right in front of me, Man. Super sick."
"Yep," I said. "I try to keep it a secret, but people keep finding out, and I'm starting to give a fuck less and less."
"Because of Olivia?" Newt asked.
"I guess."
"Who's Olivia?" Nick asked.
Newt rolled his eyes. "Her girlfriend that died who made those freaky spider robots, don't you pay attention?"
"I... guess not."
"Well, get up you two sleepy heads, can't just stand in the doorway."
I groaned and got up on my own. Newt pulled Nick to his feet. I moseyed upstairs to the coffee floor to reach Tim's stash of vodka upstairs. I took some swigs and passed out in the office as the chaos continued. Too weak to fight.
Eventually, I was awakened by Tim and Lucy.
"How you feeling?" Lucy asked.
"Better," I said, sitting up. "Didn't mean to slack off at the end there."
"No, you did great," said Tim. "You are hungry?"
"Starving actually."
He helped me up and we headed downstairs.
"Sorry about Olivia," said Lucy.
"Shit happens," I said with a shrug, taking vodka with me. "Just glad you're okay."
We entered the mess hall and a bunch of Drifters said "Heeeey!"
"All hail Hotshot and Queen of the Mile!" One guy shouted drunkenly, standing up. "Woo-woo!"
Many echoed the 'Woo-woo'.
I waved dismissively and sat down with my back against a wall. Lucy down beside me while Tim remained standing.
"Drifters of the Amusement Mile," Tim said, speaking up. "You have all proven your salt in this grand scale heist and the attack of the clowns! That gives me great pride!" He thumped his chest. "Some say we take in the people that other gangs have thrown away. That is true… they see you as trash no one wanted… In my eyes, no human being is trash except those that treat human beings like trash!" He shook with anger. "As the sun rose from the east, we all took out the trash because that is what people do."
There was a moment of silence and then there was clapping and foot stomping that became applause from over a hundred people. Guns were fired off in celebration.
Lucy and I clapped, too.
Tim eventually waved them down to quiet again. "And a moment of silence for the 10 people we lost today, may they not be forgotten as the tide takes them home."
People bowed their heads in silence. 10 shots were fired out the window toward the bay in a slow succession.
"Celebrate as you know they would wish to celebrate," said Tim. "And please remember your rotation, so less shots will be heard in memoriam. Thank you."
There were more claps and the people returned to their conversations and celebration.
Tim sat down with us and we ate together. Lucy eventually went over to join a drinking game while Tim and I sat alone in a pleasant silence.
"I'm gonna head back to sleep," I said, feeling nourished, drunk, and socially overwhelmed. Depression was slowly creeping into my bones, making me feel sore.
Tim nodded. "Do you need me to walk you back?"
"I think I can handle it. Thanks." I got up and headed upstairs with my vodka bottle. As I reached the coffee floor, I passed Mark who looked a little wobbly.
"Hey, how are ya'?" Mark asked.
"The opposite of sober," I said, taking a swig of the vodka. "Good night." I stumbled over to the office and Mark helped me out. I pulled out the bed from the couch, peeled off my armor, and lied down, feeling the room spin a bit.
"You okay?" Mark asked, the room spinning around his head.
"The less I have to think, the better I feel," I said with a goofy grin.
He pushed my hair out of my face and took a swig of my vodka. "Ditto." He coughed a little and I chuckled at him.
"What are you giggling at?" Mark asked, smirking. I felt his body hovering over mine as he leaned in closer to pull me into a kiss. He was tight against me and I was overwhelmed and confused. His hands were feeling around me, and I tensed as he touched between my legs.
"You should've gave in sooner."
Immediately, I grabbed Mark's wrist and pushed him off me. "No, don't do that," I said.
"Why not?" Mark asked, confused as he lied beside me.
"I just can't do that," I said, bringing up my knees and wrapping my arms around my torso. "I can't."
"You know I wouldn't hurt you. In fact, I want you to feel great." He put an arm around my waist and kissed my neck.
"I'm not ready for this," I insisted, turning away from him.
"Don't you love me?"
"You know I do, I just can't right now."
"If not now, then when? I'm not gonna be here forever…" He pulled me against him again. "I'm dying and slowly being driven crazy. I'd die happier knowing I got a little closer to you." He was on top of me again, putting his mouth on mine.
I felt a little aroused thinking about it, but at the same time I kept thinking about Dr. Giovanni… Olivia… all those bad and hurtful memories.
Mark had half our clothes off and I just could not do it. I kicked him off me and onto the ground. Upset, I threw his shirt at him. "Get out of here, right now!" I demanded, putting my shirt back on. "No means no, dammit!"
"Well, I'm sorry, but you've been giving me puppy eyes for years!" Mark shouted, getting up. "I thought you wanted this!"
"I want O-Olivia," I stammered out. "Just get out and leave me alone!"
"Olivia's dead, Meredith. I'm right here but I won't be here forever!"
"Good!" I shouted. "Then I have one less thing to worry about! This whole situation is your fault anyway! You weren't supposed to come back!"
"Tim left me!"
"You told him to get out! You couldn't pick up the fucking phone?!"
"It's hard for me to think when I cannot sleep, Woman!"
"Goddammit just get out!" I opened the door and forced him out. Some bystanders on the stairs were listening and watching.
"You're afraid of enjoying yourself!" Mark snarled, getting back up. "You're afraid of letting yourself have fun because you think everything is going to fall apart again."
"I'm not the happy ending kind of girl. You don't know what's going on out there!" I pointed towards Arkham City. "You don't know the man that's running this place! Did you really call date-rape fun?! I am drunk off my ass and consumed with grief! I am incapable of giving consent!"
"Tell me what's going on, then, Queen of the Mile!"
"There is a psychotic and sadistic mind-rapist running Arkham City," I scathed. "THE MAYOR IS HIS FUCKBOY TAKING HIS MINDFUCK PILLS!" Unable to contain my anger, I slammed my forehead against the doorframe.
I suddenly saw Lucy come running over. "Holy shit, what's going on, Guuuuuuys?"
Mark grimaced. "And people say I'm crazy. I don't know who the hell you are anymore, Meredith."
"Neither do I," I said bitterly. "I also don't know who you are anymore. Go kill yourself, Whoever-You-Are. I'd kill myself, too, but we all know how that goes." I shrugged.
"Maybe I will!" Mark growled, stomping away.
"Good! Tell Olivia I fucking miss her!"
"What happened?" Lucy asked, confused. "Why are we being so nasty?"
"Everything's fine," I said, shutting the door and locking it. I lied back down on the bed and kept drinking rest of the bottle until it was empty. Then, I threw it into the corner and leaned back staring at the ceiling for a while.
"'Misery loves company…
Company loves more…
More loves everybody else…
But hell is others…'"
I sung whatever song came to my head and passed out. When I awoke, I was still decently drunk and it was dark outside. I opened the window and considered jumping out.
Could totally tell Mr. Freeze where his wife is! Christmas cheer all around!
Isn't that a crucial plot point?
Fuck plot points I just want to do something nice that is out of this popsicle.
You're too drunk.
No. You're too drunk.
We are too drunk.
We're still amazing though. Let's goooo!
Fine…
Pulling on a coat, I picked up my grappling hook and prepared to jump out the window and swing around the radio tower over to GCPD. I strolled inside through the back and looked around. "Hellooooo, Mr. Freezy?" I called, going down some stairs into the lab area. It was pretty cold, but I didn't see Mr. Freeze anywhere. "Mr. Freeeeeze!" I called. "I bring tidings and good cheer!" I scratched my head.
Where is he?!
Maybe we're dreaming. There's no way we could grapple that easy across those buildings.
Should I leave a note or just wait for him to come back?
Clown's probably got him right now unless the TYGER guards just magically picked him up. They are sorcerers like that. If we leave a note, it might be seen by the wrong person.
Well, shit, what do we do know?"
"Meredith, I must advise you to return to Mt. Olympus or seek shelter until someone can pick you up," stated an ARACHMECH. "Your current blood alcohol level would kill most humans."
Party pooper.
"I'll do what I want, SONNY," I said, going back outside. "What else can I do right now?"
Well, there is phase two of Bat-Crazy…
What?
Painting a bat symbol in front of every camera and on every billboard.
Where would we even get that much paint? Blood of our enemies?
Joker has graffiti everywhere. We could totally jack his paint.
How much would we need to cover all the cameras in Arkham City? That's an extremely difficult one-man job. That would take at least a week!
It would only be a few minutes if we put it into a montage.
I… can't even right now.
Wouldn't it be great if we could though? Maybe have Flash's superspeed and play Nyan Cat in the background?
Yes, it would be cool but it is not possible.
Let's steal paint and then create a plan to leave the symbols everywhere!
That's even more dangerous than the heist we just did.
Maybe we could apologize and ask nice.
Fat chance…
Umm… how do you make paint?
Ask SONNY, the new Siri.
"Hey, SONNY…" I said, looking to the ARACHMECH.
"Yes, Meredith?" SONNY asked.
"I want to paint symbols on a bunch of walls in the outdoors. Color doesn't matter. Just has to be very visible and hard to remove. What can I logically do this with in Arkham City with the least risk to myself?"
"Processing… ACE Chemicals would likely have something in surplus with the least amount of risk. Caution: some chemicals are corrosive and emit poisonous fumes."
"Works for me," I said, pleased.
"What purpose does this misadventure serve, Miss?" SONNY asked.
"Same as Mission Bat-Crazy. They will be in view of every camera and on every TYGER billboard."
"That is quite extensive, Miss. Each district has 12 cameras, totaling to 48 cameras. There are currently ten TYGER billboards."
"Well, let's see what I have to work with." I grappled across Amusement Mile and swung around the church steeple to reached the roof of the ACE chemicals building and busted open the door of the roof.
"Incoming transmission from Hotshot Tim," SONNY announced.
"Meredith, what are you doing?" Tim asked.
"I'm conducting research for a side project," I said. "What are you doing?"
"I don't mean to worry about you, but you had a lot of drinks and a pretty rough argument with Mark."
"Consider this blowing off steam, Tim." I looked around at the bubbling vats and put on a gas mask.
"Did you really tell him to go kill himself?"
"I said a lot of things. Did they also mention he tried to talk me into sex while I was drunk because he was dying?"
"Someone did mention date-rape. I won't make either of you apologize—
"Good," I cut in. "Because I wasn't the one slipping into his bed running my hands all over him and kept going after he said 'no, please stop'. I had to kick him off of me and shove him out of the room to get him to leave."
Tim sighed. "I'm so sorry that happened. What do you want me to do, Meredith?"
"Nothing. He just needs to stay away from me. I thought I made that clear to him, but I guess he's not into listening to me anymore."
"Very well. Please, be careful whatever you're doing."
"You bet," I said walking around. "End call."
The ARACHMECH beeped.
I clapped my hands together. "So, SONNY, what looks good?"
"If you wish for something noticeable, I suggest VAT 3019, the bright green one. Beware of the fumes and the chemicals are slightly corrosive."
"Okay," I said, noting the bright green vat a few floors down.
"Please allow me to scan the building for helpful materials."
I sat on a step nearby and watched the ARACHMECH run around, scanning the place. The spider eventually returned to me. "There is a hazmat suit and a tank with straps and a tube that can be aimed to shoot 3019 and suck it back up. Ideally, you can spray a blot and suck up any excess to create desired bat symbol. You may be able to do one district per tank filling. If you wish for a dramatic reveal, I can glitch the cameras into being unable to see the symbol until we are ready."
"That would be amazing. Thank you, SONNY."
"You are welcome, Miss. Do you wish to do this now?"
"Nah, I would like to continue this around the end of December when I'm less drunk or hungover," I said. "Whatever. Schedule it in on say the 29th at sundown."
"It is done, Miss."
"Great, thanks." I headed back up to the roof and took off the gas mask.
"What is next on the agenda?" SONNY asked.
"I can either go home or visit Poison Ivy. The latter is sounding better right now."
"To sympathize with the incident between you and Mark?"
"Or maybe not talk about it at all, SONNY. That might be better." I jumped from the building and used the grappler to swing into the far corner of the Amusement Mile where a large plant was wrapped around the building.
"Is this a subject not to be discussed with you, Miss?" SONNY asked.
"Yes."
"Very well. Never to be discussed again."
"Thank you." I arrived at the building and noticed Ivy's brainwashed goons were on patrol. Their eyes glowed green. Casually, I avoided their sightlines and entered the place with ease.
It was somewhat humid inside. The floors had pods and there were large vines all around.
"I haven't seen you in a while, Meredith," commented Poison Ivy as she stood up. She looked about as well as I had last seen her.
"Hard times, Ivy," I said with a shrug. "I'm not very good at calling."
"Neither am I. What brings you my way?"
"A change of scenery I suppose. Had an argument with an old friend and I needed to get away from the building altogether."
"I see." She sat on a bed of moss and clover and I had no idea what else. Ivy patted beside her.
I sat down. "So how have you been?" I asked, smiling softly. "You look like you healed up from the Titan pretty well."
"Thanks for noticing," said Ivy. "I picked up some pollen from a visiting priest that allowed me to heal myself… The park you and your partner created is well-kept. I'm impressed."
"Thanks."
"Is your partner in here as well?"
"No, she died refusing arrest because she's severely agoraphobic."
"I'm sorry," she said touching my knee.
"Sorry about those orchids you lost."
"Don't worry. The one responsible will pay for it as soon as she shows her face again," said Ivy. "Do you plan revenge for the loss of your partner?"
"Certainly, it's in progress actually."
"Really, do tell."
"Tell me what you'll do with Catwoman, first?" I asked.
"Poisonous spores."
"Right, the usual. Can you keep this a secret?" I asked.
"Of course," said Poison Ivy.
"When arrested, I was covered in Anthrax. Before that, I put a deadly mold on five bodies certain people will be looking for. Delivered the heads of said bodies as my RSVP to a threat. I am slowly but surely poisoning Professor Strange via anonymous notes."
"With what?"
"Well, the pigment on the notes is black vermilion which contains Mercury."
"That's very slow," commented Ivy. "Unless you're more interested in driving him crazy rather than killing him."
"Precisely… I tried killing him before and it didn't work out so well, so I'm just going full-on passive-aggressive and screwing with his head as poetic justice for all the heads he has dug into."
"What do the notes say?"
"Nothing. They just have a bat symbol drawn on them. It's the best way to get at him because he is absolutely obsessed with Batman.
"Really?" Ivy asked surprised. "Well actually, now that I think of it, he did ask me a lot of questions about Batman years ago… Asked about when I first saw Batman, things I did before I saw him. I didn't think much about it at the time. What makes you think he's obsessed?"
I considered how to put it. "He makes these offhand comments like how much Arkham City is compared to the work of vigilantes like Batman. He makes them a lot. Whenever he discusses Batman, he puts him down like he's some Joe Schmo in a cape. It's difficult to explain, but I've just seen it before. He's super jealous… and I am all too happy to use that against him."
"Won't he think that Batman is sending these notes?"
I shook my head. "I would think he's intelligent enough to know that Batman doesn't do stuff like this, but who knows?" I leaned back against the mossy wall. "But that's phase one."
"What's phase two?"
"Exposure to liquid mercury and 58 bat symbols all over Arkham City. Then, I think the motherlode of bat notes on Valentine's day."
"The motherlode of bat notes, Miss?" SONNY asked through the ARACHMECH on my shoulder.
"Yes, SONNY," I said, patting the spider.
"How would we manage that?"
"Pay a cargo plane to drop notes from the sky all over Wonder Tower? I don't know. We'll figure it out later."
"Very well."
Poison Ivy gave me a look with her glowing green eyes.
"It's the A.I. my partner left behind," I explained. "Took over her operations. It's like a managing caretaker robot, originally built as an assistant."
"Oh."
"This isn't him by the way," I said gesturing to the ARACHMECH. "He can just take control of other robots in the system."
We were quiet for a while.
"Do you want to talk about what happened that sent you over here?" Ivy asked.
"Well, we don't have to. I could sit quietly with you unless silence bothers you."
"I never really have silence. My babies are always talking," she indicated to the plants and pushed her curly red hair out of her face.
"I just don't want to be here to complain. It'll just put me in a bad mood."
"Well, tell me about it and I'll find ways to distract you," she said.
I sighed. "Okay. Well, the other morning was a big day for us…" I began.
She listened to every word of my story and reacted reasonably to the events.
By the end of it, I was leaned forward with my elbows on my knees and looking straight ahead at the vines covered in flowers and the mycelium… fascinated at how the plants and fungus seemed to be legitimately living and breathing. My eyelids were heavy and I felt drained.
"I think he deserved every foul word you gave him," said Ivy. "Ill or not. There is no excuse for such vile behavior. I must ask though. Do you think you'll ever be able to handle sexual activity?"
"Of course, if I met the right person. I mean I deeply admired Mark when I first met him, but after a while those feelings burned out… especially after the connection I had with Olivia. Nothing feels like it could compare, and I want to take my own pace on mourning and letting her go."
"Absolutely, everyone is different. At least, you seem willing to let go eventually. Poor Harl on the other hand…" Ivy shook her head and sighed. "I don't think she's ever going to let go… even if he does die."
"Probably not," I agreed. "I mean she'll function after a while, but she'll always miss him."
"Would you like to take a try some of these mushrooms with me?" Poison Ivy asked, indicating to some nearby.
"Well, as long as they don't make me sick… I usually prefer to sauté mushrooms."
"I prefer like mine raw. They're fine. They just take you places."
Doesn't it get weird eating your babies? I mean I suppose we raise cattle…
"Okay," I said. "Here's to hoping for a nice trip."
We walked over to these mushrooms and she plucked one for me to eat. I waited until she had hers and bit into mine the same time she did. It tasted gross, but I kept eating it trying to not insult my host. I wasn't feeling any effects.
"I have wine to wash out the taste," said Poison Ivy, wrinkling her face a bit.
A vine opened a trap door and picked up a bottle that looked a little old.
"Thank you," she said, accepting the bottle. She uncorked it and offered the bottle to me.
I took it and politely water-falled the wine into my mouth.
"I gave you the bottle first for a reason," she commented, bemused as she took the bottle and drank.
"I just don't want to give you my germs… and you couldn't kill me if you tried."
"Really?" She asked with a raised brow.
"Yeah," I said. "I've attempted suicide in countless ways… You can hurt me and make me feel sick, but I'm never gonna die because I have regenerative abilities and unbreakable bones."
"So if I kissed you right now, you would not die?"
"Nope."
She chuckled. "I might have to test that later."
We sat down on the moss and clover together, waiting for the trip to come.
"What are you going to do when you get out?" Poison Ivy asked.
"Bury Olivia. Go off on a long vacation," I said. "Then, pick up jobs if we have any clientele left."
"We?"
"SONNY and me," I said.
"Not your Drifter friends?"
"They'll go back into retirement if they're still alive after the end of this."
"If?" Ivy questioned.
"Well, can't you just feel like that Arkham City is gonna have an ugly ending? I just know at the back of my head that my misery is just beginning. I kinda expect all hope to be sucked out… like an extremely horrible version of spring-cleaning."
"That's probably your depression talking."
"Maybe you're right."
"I am right." Funny vibrations came off her as she talked. They were colorful and pink.
"Whoa," I said, staring at her.
"Starting to kick in for you?" Poison Ivy asked.
"Yeah," I said chuckling nervously.
"Just relax and breathe with me."
We breathed together and I saw the plants were all breathing, too. I could almost swear that they were whispering. It felt like we were in a really cool jungle with no bugs or animals.
Poison Ivy ran her fingers along my arm and I felt amazing tingles.
I stared around feeling exhilarated by all the sensations and sounds. She walked around and the vines brought her and me higher up and we wandered on the floors. All the colors were crazy. It was an odd yet enchanting experience, but I think I would stick to weed and alcohol next time. The mushroom aftertaste was pretty bad.
