Robins
"The Ballad of Shelly May" Act 2
Issue 10 By James Brady
Now, Gotham's East End
Damian sprints across the rooftops as he watches from the streets bellow as men dressed in hoodies and tracksuits with women dressed in skimpy outfits with jackets over them, holding torches, lead pipes and dustbin lids as they charge towards a group of GCPD Officers standing behind Police cars. He thumps across the roof tops towards the action as he hears Tim in his ear piece again.
"Damian! Wrap it up. Alfred's got the coordinates of Bruce's signal."
"Silence Drake, me and Todd will have this handled shortly, Robin out!" He shouts as he leaps from the building and towards the battle. He plunges his boots into the ribcage of a large man as he lands, throwing him to the side. He looks up to see 3 other men and woman rushing towards him. He dodges the strike of a nail riddled baseball bat before leaping up and wrapping his legs around the arm of a woman holding a switch blade. He twists his hips and throws her to the ground. He looks up to see the baseball bat coming at him again. He dodges the strike while pulling his cape off his shoulders. He grabs it in his fists and whirls around before the man can take another crack at him and pulls the cape over his head. He uses the momentum and confusion to push the man into two others standing behind him. He steps back trying to regain his momentarily lost breath when, SCKAT! He feels the slice of a blade across his face, drawing blood and knocking him to the ground. He looks up to see the switchblade carrying woman again coming at him. "Hey! It's just a kid!" He hears shouted from behind him. He looks into her crazed, demented eyes as he feels the blood trickling down his face from his wounded cheek. She laughs uncontrollably, like a static TV, as she lunges towards him, blood on her blade and fear in his eyes.
The blade doesn't touch him as he slowly opens his eyes, finding the pain didn't reach him. He sees a gloved hand tightly woven around her wrist before she's pulled backwards and thrown to the ground.
The same gloved hand then reaches out to pull him up again, but he bats it away.
"I'm fine, Todd."
"Of course, I assume you had some secret 10-steps-ahead plan for, metal blade to the skull."
"Not really in the mood, Todd." He says getting to his feet while rubbing his scarred cheek.
"Let's clean this up." He says pulling his gun out.
He fires off two rounds into the necks of two men racing towards them causing them to fall to the floor. He turns to the cops, still standing behind their squad cars.
"Tranquiliser darts." He calls, showing them the darts in the chamber.
Damian looks up to Jason. "Drake, said they-"
"Hold up." Jason says reaching into his one of the compartments on his belt. He bends down and puts a Hello Kitty Plaster across his face.
"What? Is that a plaster?!" Damian says pulling it off his face and looking at it.
"You don't want that getting infected now." He laughs as Damian glares at him throwing the plaster to the ground.
"Grow up, Todd." He says before firing off a grappling hook to a nearby building, pulling upwards away from the street.
"Ah, c'mon Damian!" He shouts after him.
He attaches the grappling hook to one of his guns and fires it off, pulling him after him.
"It was a joke!"
"Quit it, Todd!" Damian says as he races across the roof tops towards Bruce's location.
Days Ago
Gotham's Upper East Side
Shelly and Georgia walk up the steps towards in the abandoned Tailsend Theatre.
"So you get his number?" Georgia asks.
"Who?"
"They guy... you were talking with?" Georgia asks in a playful manner.
"Oh yeah, the upper class guy? No, no... No I didn't." Shelly says shaking her head.
"Why not? He was pretty cute and totally into you."
"What? No we were just chatting you know. Anyway he's all upper class and fancy and stuff, he wouldn't be into me."
"He doesn't know who you are and you were looking like class."
"He probably already got a girlfriend and he wouldn't be interested in seeing to me though. He works for Wayne, freaking, Enterprises and he's like 20!"
"He works at Wayne Enterprises? Well you don't need his number. Just go to the front desk and ask for him."
"Oh like that's going to work..."
"No harm in trying doe..."
"Shut up..." She says smiling at her friend.
They make their way into the theatre and the joking stops as they look to see bullet holes across the walls with splatters of dried blood where the man in the Red helmet had killed Tricc.
"Oh my god..."Shelly exclaims.
"Shhh..." Georgia hisses. "Just be chill okay. They can't know we know anything, alright?"
"Yeah... yeah..." She mutters.
They get to the top of the stairs to see the old prop room, now filled with boxes holding guns and drugs at the sides of the room with a worn down oak table in the middle of the room. Around the table is Tricc's second in command, Briggs, with a group of prostitutes and other gang members standing around the table. Next to Briggs is a man dressed in a massive Technicolor robe with a strange looking helmet on his head. They glance over as Georgia and Shelly enter the room.
"C'mon, girls. You're late, huh?"
"Sorry, Briggs." She says.
"Alright. So we've still got some debts to pay off to Cobblepot and the Black Masks and I don't know exactly how we're gonna do that without some outside, help. The other option is going completely bust and I don't think that's the best option for any of us. So, this is where Mister Dekker comes in." He gestures towards the robed man next to him.
"I go by, Crazy Quilt now." He says coldly.
"C-Crazy Quilt?" Briggs asks slightly confused.
"Yes... do you have a problem with that?"
"No... Of- of course not."
"Now step down, sir."
"Yes. Of course." Briggs steps out of the way, allowing Crazy Quilt to get to the front of the table.
"Now. I will be the new leader of this gang and we're going to start making some new rules around here. Recruitment will be a must. We are going to need numbers and we are going to need, loyalty."
He pulls a small box out of his robes and places it on the table.
"And this will bring it to us."
He flips the latch and reveals a box full of syringes with strange multicoloured liquid inside.
"Some of the purest heroin ever created. Think of it as you think of an oasis in a dessert. This is your salvation. This is what shall keep our clan strong against the tides of Gotham City. This is what will lead us to dominance."
He turns to Briggs.
"Put out your arm my son and be the first of our clan to become strong."
Briggs nervously turns to the other members in the gang.
"Listen, Mister Dekker-"
"Crazy Quilt. I won't warn you again."
"Uh Quilt. I think we should talk about this in person, man. We're not looking for this kind of scene man."
"So you've turned on me?"
"No I just think we should just discuss this in private before we start-"
Suddenly, Briggs is grabbed by his head and is slammed into the table by two men standing behind him. The room seems to leap back in a wave of fear as Shelly catches a glimpse of Technicolor moving lights in the men's eyes. Next to them Crazy Quilt stands looking down at Briggs, as the colours on Quilt's helmet begins to glow a shade of red.
"Your friends, Dwayne and Martinez were more than happy to take my drugs and now they're strong as I'm sure you could tell me. They're strong and loyal and ready to do what is needed. Are you Mister Briggs? Are you ready to do what this gang needs to do to survive?"
Briggs looks across the table to see the pushers and hookers standing looking at him in horror. He stops struggling from Dwayne and Martinez's grasp and sighs.
"Yes... I'm ready." He mumbles with a whiff of angst in his voice.
"Excellent." Quilt's helmet's colours begin to cool back down again and the colours in Martinez and Dwayne's eyes revert to their regular murky tinge.
"One thing, first." He says standing back up again as he looks Quilt in the eyes.
"I'll do this, if you let them decide. If you force loyalty you won't get it. I learnt that myself, man. You let them decide whether they wanna be in this gang, clan, whatever."
Quilt surveys the room, looking over the pushers and hookers standing in shock of what they've just seen. Shelly could kiss Briggs right now.
"I agree." He says to Briggs. He turns to the people of the gang. "Meet back here tomorrow. Then we shall decide your fate."
"Yeah. Same time. I'll text you if anything comes up alright?" Briggs shouts as they leave the theatre room.
Hanna one of the older prostitutes at the age of 30, turns to Georgia and Shelly as they leave the room.
"Hey most of the girls are meeting in the Macy Dees a few blocks up at about 3-ish. We're gonna discuss this # *& alright?"
"Yeah we'll come." Georgia says.
"Peng." Hanna says smiling to them.
Georgia and Shelly walk away from the building together.
"I'm not signing up with that guy." Georgia says after a moment. "He's #^%$ing crack pot."
"Well what's our other option?"
"I dunno. See what the others are dong at 3 in Dees."
"You ever think about... getting out?" Shelly asks.
"Getting out?"
"Yeah."
"Every. Day."
"So... this could be our chance."
"Yours more like."
"Huh?"
"That guy. Hit him up, charm him into getting you a good job or something, girl."
"What so I can be reliant on him then? It's just a substitution for another pimp."
"Not really. He seems nice."
"..."
"It's worth a shot, Shell. Better than this."
"I couldn't leave you behind, Georgia."
"I'll sort myself out Shelly. I always do right?"
"... Alright... I'll hit him up. But it's a long shot right?"
An hour later
Wayne Tower
Shelly walks into Wayne Tower in the centre of town in her best clothes and steps towards the main desk in the chrome room with huge silver walls and immaculate people walking around in suits and ties.
"Hi, I'm here to see...uh Tim Drake, young guy, about my age. He works here." She says to the woman at the help desk.
"Tim Drake? Do you have an appointment?"
"Uh no but if you call him, I'm sure he'll remember me."
"Okay." She picks up the phone looking suspiciously at her. "What's your name?"
"Um... Cassandra May. He doesn't know my name though."
The receptionist raises her eyebrow.
"But tell her that I'm the girl from the hotel this morning."
Both eyebrows this time.
"Okay..." She says as she turns to the phone at her ear.
"Yes, hello Mister Drake. Cassandra May is here to see you. She says that she's the girl from the hotel this morning... uhuh... uhuh... alright." She puts the phone down.
"Please take the elevator to your left. He's on floor " She says gesturing with a practiced smile on her face.
"Thanks man! I mean... uh Jenny." She says looking at her name tag.
She walks through a metal detector and is sent into a small elevator. She stands next to three business men in the elevator. She's never smelt so much cologne in her life.
The elevator stops and she gets out at the floor. She makes her way through a long corridor towards a door with the Tim Drake, Executive Manager of Commissions and Investments. She slowly opens the door to see Tim doing upside down sit ups hanging from a metal pole hanging on by his legs while talking on a head set. He looks over to Shelly swings down from the pole.
"I'll call you back in half an hour alright? Thanks." He says pushing a button on the headset and pulling a towel around his shoulders.
"Hey. What's up?" He asks smiling at her.
3 hours later
East End, Macy Dees.
17 girls sit around two small tables that a have been pulled together as they all share small bags of friends between each other. Hanna sits the nearest to the table with a group of 5 girls crowded around beside her with most in smaller groups. They girls are all about the same age, late teens to early twenties with some looking slightly younger. Hanna seems to be the oldest person there.
"Alright so, we ain't coming back. I know a guy who works over with Cobblepot's guys and he's pretty sure we can go work for them. Tricc was a good pimp and I liked him but this Crazy Quilt guy is a godamn nut job. If you guys want in we're meeting him tomorrow. Give me a text."
The girls all talk amongst each other. Georgia turns to Shelly.
"I think we should take it."
"I dunno. I'm thinking about getting out of this anyway."
"What?"
"It's just that when I met Tim we had a real connection y'know and I think I'm going to go straight... for him."
"Woah, alright. Chill. This is a big step Shelly."
"I know it's just, I want to take another crack at it. I haven't told him yet but if I can sort myself out and get a proper job and stuff I'm sure I can make it."
"Shelly..." Georgia says looking down to the ground. Her eyes tense.
"And I'm sure you could too Georgia." Shelly says putting her hand on her friends.
"I just wanted to say how proud I am of you." Georgia says looking up at her with tears in the corner of her eyes.
"No c'mon. Don't smudge your liner." Shelly says pulling out a tissue and giving it to her friend.
She puts it over her eyes as the two hug each other. The other girls look over to see them together and leave them alone.
4 Hours Later
Gotham's Upper West Side
Tim and Shelly are sitting in a restaurant having dinner together. Around them are well fed people in high class suits and dresses. Shelly fumbles with the delicate cutlery but Tim doesn't seem to notice or mind.
"So yeah I think me and my band are gonna split up unfortunately."
"Man that's a real shame." Shelly says.
"Yeah. But hey, at least my day job is still going well. Looking to get a promotion sometime soon and stuff. But what about you? I've just been blabbing about myself for like half an hour."
"Oh no it's fine. I found it quiet enlightening."
"Then enlighten me." Tim says as he puts his knife and fork down. "What's the story of Shelly May?"
"The story?"
"Yes. I know barely anything about you. You've kind of just came out of know where and into my life all of a sudden."
"Well there's not much to tell really. Ahaha... well... I'm from Burnside actually. I.. well my family live there and I go to school there and uh yeah."
"School?"
"I mean uh... College. Yeah."
"Ah right. So what're you study?"
"Ergonomics and 19th Centaury Poetry."
"Oh that sounds fascinating. Can you recite any Poetry for me?"
"I wouldn't be much of a Poetry student if I couldn't do that would I?"
She clears her throat and begins.
Evening by evening
Among the brookside rushes,
Laura bow'd her head to hear,
Lizzie veil'd her blushes:
Crouching close together
In the cooling weather,
With clasping arms and cautioning lips,
With tingling cheeks and finger tips.
"Lie close," Laura said,
Pricking up her golden head:
"We must not look at goblin men,
We must not buy their fruits:
Who knows upon what soil they fed
Their hungry thirsty roots?"
"Come buy," call the goblins
Hobbling down the glen.
"Oh," cried Lizzie, "Laura, Laura,
You should not peep at goblin men."
Lizzie cover'd up her eyes,
Cover'd close lest they should look;
Laura rear'd her glossy head,
And whisper'd like the restless brook:
"Look, Lizzie, look, Lizzie,
Down the glen tramp little men.
One hauls a basket,
One bears a plate,
One lugs a golden dish
Of many pounds weight.
How fair the vine must grow
Whose grapes are so luscious;
How warm the wind must blow
Through those fruit bushes."
"No," said Lizzie, "No, no, no;
Their offers should not charm us,
Their evil gifts would harm us."
She thrust a dimpled finger
In each ear, shut eyes and ran:
Curious Laura chose to linger
Wondering at each merchant man.
One had a cat's face,
One whisk'd a tail,
One tramp'd at a rat's pace,
One crawl'd like a snail,
One like a wombat prowl'd obtuse and furry,
One like a ratel tumbled hurry skurry.
She heard a voice like voice of doves
Cooing all together:
They sounded kind and full of loves
In the pleasant weather."
She lets out a breath and looks up to see Tim's reaction.
"Wow..." Tim says sitting backwards. "And you learnt that all off by heart?"
"For my class isn't it."
"I'm... impressed. Is uh that what you want to do? Like later in life?"
"Umm... I don't know. Maybe."
Shelly hears a buzzing coming from her pocket and picks it up to see Georgia is calling. She looks at the call for a second before cancelling it.
"Oh feel free to take that."
"No don't worry. It's cool. I'll call her back later."
Later
Tim and Shelly walk out of the restaurant talking together.
"You want a life back to Burnside?"
"Oh no it's fine. My friend is giving me a lift."
"Ah right. Well my car should be around shortly."
Shelly looks over to see a group of boys dressed in hoodies walking towards them.
"Hey you! You # &^ing Slut!" One of the boys calls.
Tim looks around to see them walking towards them. They approach and the leader takes his hoody down to reveal his bruised and blackened face.
"You got the # &^ beaten out of my and my guys you little Whore!"
"Hey!" Tim says getting between them. "You don't have the right, man. Go bother someone else."
"Who are you? Some rich client # *&?"
"We're just on a date alright. Now get lost."
"On a date?! Ahahahaha!"
Shelly steps in.
"Trey come on. Please don't do this."
"She's a godamn prostitute man! Are you blind?! AHAHAHAHA!"
The rest of the gang start to laugh making jokes to each other as Tim turns around to Shelly. He looks her in the eye in surprise. She sees a little something, a tiny spark die out in his eye as he looks at her for whom she really is. Her guts twist inside of her as she looks into his eyes. This bloody gorgeous man... knows.
He snaps back around.
"Listen buddy. Unless you and your penny plundering crew here want more bruises I'd suggest you guys back off and leave Shelly alone. You hear me good?! Beat it."
Trey visibly runs his tongue along the brim of his capped teeth as he looks at the two of them.
"C'mon. Let's go. Think Shelly's gotta finish her date to get paid hahaha."
They turn around and set off down the block. Tim watches till they leave and then watches a little more before slowly turning to Shelly. The car rolls up beside them as Tim looks to her. She tries to explain and he mumbles how it's okay. It doesn't bother him. It's fine. Of course it's okay.
"Tim, I just-"
"Shelly you don't have to make excuses. It's just... I'm going to need some time to think, is all..."
"Yes.. yeah of course."
"I'll see you later." He says as he gets into the car.
It drives off and Shelly takes the long walk back to her hotel.
She sits in her empty room and gets a call from Georgia. This time she answers it.
"So...how'd it go?"
"I... don't know..."
"Why what's wrong? You sound awful."
"I... I'll speak to you about it tomorrow. Just... could you tell Quilt... I'm in."
Next Issue: Curtains falls as The Ballad of Shelly May comes to a close.