Violet returned to the table with a pot of herbal tea.

She poured it gently into three porcelain cups, and handed one to each of us.

"Thanks for saving me back there, I really thought I would die there and I was getting a bit edgy. Don't tell people that though, it would ruin my reputation." Victor spoke, sitting forward on his seat.

"I guess you're even now." I murmured, tracing a fingertip around the smooth rim of the cup. "You saved her from a bunch of thugs, she saved you from her mother."

"I guess so, yeah. Also I never would have guessed your mother was Poison Ivy, Violet, maybe because you're a normal colour and not unnaturally green."

Violet laughed. "Bet you're regretting bumping into me and Marceline then, we're nothing but trouble."

He shrugged as he hunched over his tea. "You only see to be trouble because of Ivy, and I think I've gotten off the hook with her. All I need to do is make sure I don't get on the wrong side of Marcie's parents, and I'm good to go."

I laughed, nervously. "I think you might find my dad way harder to please than Ivy."

He pushed his longish black hair back out of his face. "I'm a fountain of charisma, nothing is impossible, I'm sure. I'll be having drinks with him every Friday in no time."

I contemplated telling him about my dad, just so he really knew what he was talking about, but also so I could wipe the smile off of his face. However, it crossed my mind that him knowing might result in him running as far away as he could, and I couldn't risk that as he might be valuable in finding this Happy guy.

"So why did you actually come here, to talk about my dad?" I asked, crossing my legs and stiffening my face.

He took a sip of tea. "No, actually, I wanted to come see if Violet was okay..." he started, but I narrowed my eyes. I could easily tell when he was giving me bullshit. "...and I wanted to get your number."

Violet nearly choked on her tea, and gave me wide eyed look. I unnarrowed my eyes, and raised an eyebrow instead. "Why?"

"Because I'm fascinated by you."

I nearly burst out laughing, but kept my cool. What on earth was there to me to be fascinated about? Sure I looked unusual, and I was a bit blunt with my words, but it wasn't like I was stunningly beautiful or anything. I didn't float when I walked, like a supermodel, and I definitely didn't feel like one.

"And why should I give you it?"

"I'm an expert on criminals and those that frequent Gotham. Without me, you might never find Happy."

I exhaled loudly through my nose, staring him dead in the eyes. "Fine, but no funny stuff, or you're gone forever." I wrote out my number and handed it to him.

He grinned, taking it before holding out his hand. "Shake on it?"

I hesitated but took it. His grip was just a little too strong, but I didn't say anything, my face portraying boredom at best. When he released me, I placed my hand back on my lap. Violet was giving me wiggly eyebrows, and I rolled my eyes at her.

"Dude, do you happen to know anything about Carl Kristoff?" Violet queried, adjusting how she was sitting so she was a little more casual, and a little less feminine. "Just he was the guy that told the FBI about Happy, and it might tell us a bit more if we know who he's affiliated with."

"Carl Kristoff? God he's affiliated with lots of different gangs, even ones outside of Gotham. Simultaneously hated and necessary with each one of them. I won't ask how you got information from the FBI, but what did he tell them, if you know?" he replied, his eyes growing larger at the name, as if he hadn't heard the name in an eternity.

"He only told them the name of the guy, which is why I had so little to go on when I came to you." I answered, finishing my tea.

He scoffed. "Seriously? That's very unlike Kristoff - he's a renowned rat, he snitches on various gangs to others in order to get something in return. He possibly has the loosest lips in Gotham."

"If that's true, maybe he didn't say anything because he felt he wasn't getting anything out of it." Violet added.

He rested his head on his hands. "That's true, maybe he just needs some encouragement."

"If you're suggesting that we threaten this guy until he gives us more information, then I want no part." Violet murmured, smiling. "I've had enough excitement for a good few months."

Victor grinned. "That's fine, it just means that Marcie and I can spend a bit more time together, huh?"

"Gross," I sighed, pushing my hair back. "And now how are you even gonna talk to him? I thought he was in FBI custody."

He tapped his nose. "That's the part where my knowledge comes in - see, Kristoff is based in Gotham and is a known criminal that the GCPD has been trying to lock up for years, just they didn't have enough evidence. Now that the police have clear evidence that he was involved in a murder and passively helped by letting it occur, there's no way they'll be letting him free. They'll be sending him to Blackgate, though I doubt he'll be in there for long as some mob boss will probably pull some strings and get him out in less than a month."

I rested my head on my fist. "So how do we know whether he's in jail or not?"

"We could check the FBI page again?" Violet offered, a little unsure.

He grinned. "That could work. Lead the way, lady."

I rolled my eyes but the three of us headed upstairs. Just as Violet and I had passed into her bedroom, I shut the door right in Victor's face, so he couldn't enter too.

"Girls only, sorry man." I explained, smiling to himself. I heard him sigh on the other side of the door.

Violet quickly got to work, logging on the the computer and loading up the FBI page. The case about my mom was the same as before with no new updates, so she proceeded to type in the snitch's name, Carl Kristoff. This resulted in a hefty criminal record from years ago, which had a significant time gap to the record of his arrest not so long ago.

It looked as it he had been going straight until just recently, though if what Victor has said was true, Kristoff had just been picked up by gang leaders and mob bosses, who paid off the authorities so he couldn't be charged for his crimes. He was just unlucky enough this time to have been found at the scene of a more significant crime than money laundering and trafficking.

The details on his case were basically the same as on my mom's case, apart from the bottom paragraph.

Update - Kristoff has successfully been transported from secure unit in Philadelphia to SCU in Metropolis PD. He is detained and will be transported to Gotham City PD to stand trial. Boat from Metropolis expected to depart on December 31st at 6pm (EST). Transport will be waiting for arrival at Gotham Docks.

"How's it going in there?" Victor called, clearly annoyed that he was missing out on anything fun.

I opened the door and he fell backwards as he had been resting against it. He soon picked himself up and dusted off his clothes, which were still covered in grass stains.

"Kristoff is being sent by boat from Metropolis to Gotham Docks at 6pm on the 31st, before being driven to the GCPD to stand trial." I repeated from the computer.

He widened his eyes. "Trial? Wow they really are going all out." he replied, leaning against the doorframe. "But this is good, it means we can jump him at the docks when he's changing from boat to truck. It also means we don't have to blow the armoured truck open with C4 like I planned."

"C4? Holy crap."

He waved a hand. "It's like buying a slab of beef in Gotham, shit is ridiculously easy to buy for what it is."

I scrunched up my nose - Gotham really was a breeding ground for illegal stuff, all these really dangerous weapons were so easy to get a hold of. I was sure that if the US passed a new law that banned guns from people that weren't part of the authority, the people of Gotham would say fuck it and deal them anyway. That and kill the people that passed the law.

"So what's your plan, tough guy?" I asked, ready for anything. This guy always seemed to have some sort of plan, which clashed with my ideals, as I never made plans I just did things on a whim, and thought about the consequences when they arrived.

"So, it takes roughly three and a half hours to get from Metropolis to Gotham by boat, so if they set off at 6pm, they'll probably get here by 9:30pm. My plan is that you and I wait for the transport to get here, shoot them, maybe dress up in their uniforms, dump the bodies in the lake. Then when the boat gets here, we act like everything is normal, Kristoff gets in the back of the truck, then we drive off with him until we find a nice spot to interrogate him in. I have a personal favourite I'd like to show you."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah that's great, text me the details. Now do you think you could leave the house? I don't think Ivy would like you staying this long, and especially not lingering around her daughter's bedroom."

He gave me a grin. "Sure, grumpy, I'll see you at 8:30pm at the docks on the 31st. An hour early just in case the time is inaccurate, not because I want to talk to you or anything-"

I slammed the door in his face.

"Oooooh." Violet teased, as I turned back to look at her on the bed. "Looks like someone has a crush on you!"

"I don't wanna be flirted with, I just wanna be left alone." I grumbled, sitting beside her.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Because your body language tells a very different story. You know, I think you actually like him, but you just don't wanna like him, that's your problem."

I gave her a look. "Maybe you're just saying that because you like him."

She burst out laughing. "As if! I told you - I only like girls. His ponytail might make him look a little feminine, but the stubble is an absolutely masculine trait. I mean, not that I'd reject a girl just because she had a beard..."

"What are you trying to get at?" I laughed.

She sighed. "I'm saying, you might be in love, and not just with a stupid high school boy. That's a really cool thing."

I scoffed. "Violet, head my words well. It'll be a cool day in hell when Marceline Quinzel falls in love."