CHAPTER 6
Danielle arrived to the clock tower, having a night off from working the bar. Tonight, Gibson agreed to handle the bar, which brought some much needed rest for Danielle. She decided to take some of the night and visit Helena. When she got there, she found Barbara, Dinah, and Helena on the platform. "Am I missing out on something?"
"Danielle, we may have a serious problem here," Barbara said.
"What kind of problem?" Danielle said.
"Danielle, I am afraid that your father is not being straight with you."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because the bug has stopped working all together. It flickered off once before and came on exactly when you entered the café. I think your father knows about the bug."
"Impossible," Danielle replied. "If he was lying I would know it because of my powers. I am detecting no deceit at all from him. The bug might just be malfunctioning."
"I would attend to agree with you, Danielle, but the timing is just too coincidental. It malfunctioned after he woke up and turned back on just as you entered the café. It didn't miss a single word of conversation between you two. The timing is just too precise for it to be accidental."
"I'm sorry, if this is the only evidence you have, then it's no way near enough to raise my suspicion. I can feel his heart beat, and his heart beat would speed up because of being under stress. Lying causes stress in the body. I detect no stress in him."
"I don't understand what's going on, Danielle. Just please be careful. There is something amiss here."
"He's my father, Barbara, and I know for a fact that he has gone straight. There is nothing to fear." Danielle had enough of this conversation and decided just to go home. She was too fed to have fun tonight. Maybe she could go find her father and spend some time talking to him.
The three girls watched as Danielle stormed out of the Clock Tower. "Well, that didn't go well," Dinah commented.
"Now what?" Helena asked.
"You two keep a very close eye on Penguin. I will try to figure out what he's planning to do."
* * * *
Reese was on his way home, looking forward to getting a good night sleep when he found Dinah sitting on his front steps. Seeing Dinah sit their waiting for him reminded him of how it usually was Helena there waiting for him to get home. "Dinah? It's not safe for you to be seen in the public either. You too are now wanted by the police."
"The Huntress and I need your help. Oswald Cobblepot has returned to New Gotham and we think he's up to something. He is otherwise known as the Penguin. He was an arch enemy of Batman. We believe he's up to something big, but he seems to be giving Oracle a difficult time trying to figure him out."
"You actually think that I can do better than Oracle? You have all that technology that far surpasses my capabilities."
"True, but he is very intelligent, and having battled Batman numerous times, he knows the way we think. Perhaps your lack of technology will prove to be the factor we need to stop him."
"How have you been able to track him here in New Gotham in the first place?" Reese asked.
"He's also Danielle's father. She thinks he is here to make amends with her, but we have evidence that makes Oracle suspicious of his real reason for coming back."
"I don't quite understand how I would be able to help you, but I will take a look at our records at Arkham Asylum over the past twenty years and see if anything sticks out."
"He and Danielle have been making frequent visits to the New Gotham Café, and he has always been there early. We don't know how long."
"Interesting. I'll be on it first thing tomorrow," Reese replied. He walked past Dinah up to the door before stopping. "How has Helena been?" He asked, without looking back at her.
"She's been okay, but she is still depressed," Dinah answered. "Are you two ever going to work things out?"
"I don't know, Dinah. I still care for her deeply, but I wish I could be sure that she felt the same about me. She didn't care for me enough to allow me close to her when she needed help. That's when I had to rethink about where our relationship was going." Reese opened up the door and walked into his apartment before closing the door behind him.
Danielle arrived to the clock tower, having a night off from working the bar. Tonight, Gibson agreed to handle the bar, which brought some much needed rest for Danielle. She decided to take some of the night and visit Helena. When she got there, she found Barbara, Dinah, and Helena on the platform. "Am I missing out on something?"
"Danielle, we may have a serious problem here," Barbara said.
"What kind of problem?" Danielle said.
"Danielle, I am afraid that your father is not being straight with you."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because the bug has stopped working all together. It flickered off once before and came on exactly when you entered the café. I think your father knows about the bug."
"Impossible," Danielle replied. "If he was lying I would know it because of my powers. I am detecting no deceit at all from him. The bug might just be malfunctioning."
"I would attend to agree with you, Danielle, but the timing is just too coincidental. It malfunctioned after he woke up and turned back on just as you entered the café. It didn't miss a single word of conversation between you two. The timing is just too precise for it to be accidental."
"I'm sorry, if this is the only evidence you have, then it's no way near enough to raise my suspicion. I can feel his heart beat, and his heart beat would speed up because of being under stress. Lying causes stress in the body. I detect no stress in him."
"I don't understand what's going on, Danielle. Just please be careful. There is something amiss here."
"He's my father, Barbara, and I know for a fact that he has gone straight. There is nothing to fear." Danielle had enough of this conversation and decided just to go home. She was too fed to have fun tonight. Maybe she could go find her father and spend some time talking to him.
The three girls watched as Danielle stormed out of the Clock Tower. "Well, that didn't go well," Dinah commented.
"Now what?" Helena asked.
"You two keep a very close eye on Penguin. I will try to figure out what he's planning to do."
* * * *
Reese was on his way home, looking forward to getting a good night sleep when he found Dinah sitting on his front steps. Seeing Dinah sit their waiting for him reminded him of how it usually was Helena there waiting for him to get home. "Dinah? It's not safe for you to be seen in the public either. You too are now wanted by the police."
"The Huntress and I need your help. Oswald Cobblepot has returned to New Gotham and we think he's up to something. He is otherwise known as the Penguin. He was an arch enemy of Batman. We believe he's up to something big, but he seems to be giving Oracle a difficult time trying to figure him out."
"You actually think that I can do better than Oracle? You have all that technology that far surpasses my capabilities."
"True, but he is very intelligent, and having battled Batman numerous times, he knows the way we think. Perhaps your lack of technology will prove to be the factor we need to stop him."
"How have you been able to track him here in New Gotham in the first place?" Reese asked.
"He's also Danielle's father. She thinks he is here to make amends with her, but we have evidence that makes Oracle suspicious of his real reason for coming back."
"I don't quite understand how I would be able to help you, but I will take a look at our records at Arkham Asylum over the past twenty years and see if anything sticks out."
"He and Danielle have been making frequent visits to the New Gotham Café, and he has always been there early. We don't know how long."
"Interesting. I'll be on it first thing tomorrow," Reese replied. He walked past Dinah up to the door before stopping. "How has Helena been?" He asked, without looking back at her.
"She's been okay, but she is still depressed," Dinah answered. "Are you two ever going to work things out?"
"I don't know, Dinah. I still care for her deeply, but I wish I could be sure that she felt the same about me. She didn't care for me enough to allow me close to her when she needed help. That's when I had to rethink about where our relationship was going." Reese opened up the door and walked into his apartment before closing the door behind him.
