Hi everyone welcome back or just welcome in general. To my lovely readers thank you so much for coming back to the beginning of Gotham's Finest and giving these new ideas a chance, I really hope you like them just as much as I do. Without further ado happy reading!

Just How Much Insanity Is Enough?

"Ok Liz, I just bought Tallon some more food and treats today, so if I'm not back before 12 just go ahead and feed him for me, and if I'm not back before four, then something happened and you know what to do. As always spare key is stuck beneath the wallpaper at the bottom of the door." Yadda, yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah, repetitive bullshit, she should know the drill by now. I never used to have to leave the apartment this much but every single job that I've been given by Nate seemed promising at first but ended up being a complete waste of my time. Not a single one paid above five thousand, hell my rent was close to two thousand a month itself, granted central Gotham wasn't the cheapest choice location wise but it's actually better to hide in plain sight sometimes. I came to the realization a bit late, shame on me, that I was being given the jobs that were deemed the "least dangerous". Nate said he was only looking out for me, but it's a bit laughable considering the numerous dangers in my life that he has no clue about.

Yet, thanks to mine and Nates friendship I now have the pleasure of finding my own jobs, I won't lie that I've gotten a bit lazy these past two years because the jobs he provided just fell into my lap and I never had to worry about the process. Yet even now I still can't take credit entirely for this particular job, word was going around the darker side of town that LexCorp was offering a 'mighty fine' prize for any dirt that someone could dig up on Wayne Enterprise, his words not mine. Rumor has it that Wayne was backing out of a huge deal with Luthor, one that could cost a couple millions, like either of them really need it though, does sometimes make you wonder what they are hiding. Regardless of the proposer or the stipulations of the contract, I'm not one to turn down a promising job proposal, never have been, and anything that has to do with Wayne was interesting enough, price tags just a bonus.

"I still don't know why you bother keeping that dog if you could go to jail at any given moment...it's a bit fucked up if you ask me." Liz has been my neighbour ever since I moved to Gotham when I was twenty-two, a little bit of fear and money is all that's kept her from going to the police for the past four years. She's as far from a friend as I could get in this city. However it works, Tallon gets a friend while I'm out on the town and I can go out with peace of mind knowing that if something were to happen to me he would be taken care of, or at least he would be fed. He turns into a child when he's hungry.

"No, no, I don't think I asked for your opinion, have you never heard them say that the loneliest people need companionship the most, are you saying I should deny myself that?" She didn't say anything, like I knew she would. "Just keep your thoughts to yourself Liz because if it wasn't for him you wouldn't be getting a check, which by the way won't be coming this month if we keep up the chit chat, so I'm gonna head out. If anything happens to my dog, I will kill you in the most painful and excruciating way, no one will ever find you, yadda, yadda, yadda, you know the drill…" I slipped on my jacket along with my gloves while I headed for the stairs.

"I hear the same speech every week Scar."

"Well then you should have it memorized by now, I'll let you tell it to me next time." The slamming of the door signalled my exit and the end to the conversation. In all honesty I just wanted to stay home so I could binge watch season three of Hannibal, is it stereotypical to watch crime shows when you are a criminal yourself, I don't think so. Reaching the bottom of the stairs I made my way to my pride and joy, a 2013 Aprilia Tuono, it was a standard motorcycle, definitely nothing compared to Batman's bat bike, but it was what I bought with my first major steal, so therefore it shall always remain my baby. I slipped my ipod out of my backpack and popped my earbuds in before putting on my helmet then I revved up my baby while A Little Piece of Heaven blasted in my ears.

I made my way out of the parking deck and started on my way without the aid of GPS, I had no need, I've been to the house too many times to count. There was something different in tonight's ride, my head was in the job and I knew exactly what I had to do, but something felt off. Almost like the universe was telling me that this job was going to fail, but when do I ever listen to the universe?

I parked my bike about a half a mile away from the house, or more accurately mansion. I had seen a couple pictures of the mansion in magazines but they really didn't do it justice, and I couldn't help but scoff at the size of the place.

"Compensating for something Mr Wayne?"

I had to laugh at my own ridiculous joke, I had been surveying the Wayne manor, hiding at the edge of dense forest for the past three weeks memorizing every inch of the outside and studying the latest in Wayne technology that he had installed, as if the playboy couldn't be anymore conceited he has to use his own technology. Don't get me wrong I was by no means a genius, I still screw up every now and again when it comes to comes to hacking into higher grade technology, what can I say, I'm still learning.

I slipped my pack off of my shoulder to take out my laptop, the standard login screen popped up when I opened it, SL394, once my password was typed in the familiar picture of myself holding
Tallon as a puppy came on the screen.

I opened the file labeled BW-WT quickly and pulled up the camera footage of the house that I hacked into about a week ago. As creepy as it may sound I had spent the past week watching the footage trying to see a pattern in Wayne's habits, that also meant that I saw a lot more of that man than I needed to. I pulled out my little notepad that contained all of my codes and passwords, I will never understand how some people can memorize codes like this. Normally it wouldn't have taken me more than three minutes, but I had to be sure that everything was correct, one little mistake and I would trip the alarms and the GCPD would be on my ass faster than I could say oops. Wayne tech was some of the hardest security to deal with, I have only ever dealt with it maybe a handful of times.

I have to hand it to Wayne, he has some of the most beautiful technology imaginable.

Since surveying Mr Wayne for last couple of weeks I've learned that the man is more of a night owl than I am and that's saying something. He's also out of the house almost every night of the week which is understandable since he's 'Gothams most eligible bachelor', what a load of bullshit, he's only eligible because of dead daddy's money. Regardless I do wonder what he's up to all night, second thought I have ideas.

The only thing that matters is that he doesn't get home till morning, which is plenty of time.

While scrolling through the various camera feeds I noticed that there was no sign of Wayne, just one man walking up the steps dressed in a button up shirt, vest, and dress pants, after seeing that he showed up on the feed every day I figured he must have been rich boys butler, this could end up being easier than I thought. I tried to push the thought away, everyone knows nothing good ever comes from being over confident, obviously I wouldn't kill the old dude, but that didn't mean that I could just leave him running about.

Okay so let's run through the plan one more time. Shut down the alarm system, kill the motion sensors in the backyard, enter through the back door, go up the stairs, laptop is on the desk in the master bedroom. You can do this, piece of cake, even if there's only five mintues on the clock for it.

I slung my backpack over my shoulders after shoving the laptop back in and started towards the house, the trip wasn't a pleasant one, then again walks through the woods in the dark never are. Once I reached the edge of the woods I saw the lights coming through the glass walls. Kneeling down on the ground I pulled my laptop out one last time, just to make sure that all the security systems that were off stayed off and that the butler, or whoever he was, wouldn't be any trouble.

I saw him enter the kitchen through the feed and begin to fix something, I knew that I would at least have a care free minute depending on what he was fixing to get inside the house. Hell he could be fixing a peanut butter sandwich for all I know, actually that sounds pretty good, I should fix that when I get home, crunchy peanut butter though, crunchy is always the best. Shit, stop it! Focus!

I ran as fast as I could to the back door, the knob turned without any hesitation due to the system setup. My jaw dropped once I stepped inside the house, damn this place is even bigger in person. I could hear the clinking of silverware and the sound of cabinets being closed shut, which was good, it meant he was still in the kitchen, but in order to get upstairs I would end up being directly in his line of sight. Knowing that I would have to get rid of him before I could do anything I waited until the shuffling stopped, and footsteps could be heard walking toward the entryway. I leaned against the wall and made my move once he became visible

As soon as he crossed the threshold with a tray in his hands, I grabbed his arm and swung him around, forcing him into the wall. His head knocked back from the force, always go for the head first, disorientation is key to not getting your ass kicked. When I kicked the back of his knee his body collapsed, and I slammed his head into the wall once more, knocking him out cold. When he sank to the floor I checked his pulse, which was steady, he would probably have a slight concussion along with some major bruising. I stepped over his body along with shattered china, glass and juice.

By some unforeseen miracle the sandwich that he had made fell to the ground on the plate that remained unbroken. Well who am I to ignore this sign? I picked it up off the floor and took a bite while I made my way into the foyer. Holy shit that's good!

I held the sandwich in my mouth while I ran up the stairs since I didn't have long before the guy would wake up again. Making my way into the master bedroom I saw the object of my desires sitting on the desk, it was already opened like a shiny new christmas present.

Before I walked into the line of sight I grabbed a sharpie out of my backpack, when I had it uncapped I colored over the built in webcam, can't take any chances. Now I could turn the laptop on, when the login screen popped up I stuck my hard drive into the USB port, it was my very own concoction. It simultaneously cracked the password protection, scanned for any traceable software that could lead him to me. While it did it's job I sat back and ate. I found not one but three tracking applications which took around four minutes to deactivate. Once it was done I shoved the laptop into my bag and made my way out of the house leaving the unconscious butler in the hallway.

Mission successful.

Granted stealing isn't the most ethical way to live but when you are good at what you do then why do anything else? I couldn't help but let out a yell of happiness at my success while I speeded down the street, probably not the safest thing to do but it felt right.

You may be wondering, now Scar, why go to all that trouble for a meager, yet expensive laptop, for a job that asked for dirt? Well there's blackmail, saved passwords, photos, files, and all things that could make me a very rich and happy young lady. After I get all of the information that I can from the laptop I'll probably end up selling it at a pawnshop, I've got a guy that never asks any questions.

Once I got to my front door I saw a note taped to it.

Hey Scar, I came by to check up on you, you weren't here though, obviously, just give me text when you get back. Stay safe. -Nate

Well who else would it freaking be? I crumpled the note and shoved it in my pocket. When I unlocked the door and walked in I was attacked by Tallon and his mighty tongue. "Oh, why yes I missed you too boy," I contented myself with laying on the ground since he clearly did not want to get up even though he had stopped his assault. Both of my hands grabbed his face so I could lift my chin up to meet his nose, his tongue darted out and licked in response.

"You know I was thinking that with the money that I'm gonna make we should go on a trip, maybe up to the mountains, we could rent a cabin, actually we could buy a cabin, and you could play in the snow, would you like that boy? I know you don't get to be out like you should, I'm so close to finding a middle ground boy, just need a little bit more time." He just cocked his head to the side with his ears perked up, I rubbed my hand through his thick fur and pushed him aside. I walked into the kitchen to get him a treat from the fat wookie cookie jar, right as I was taking the lid off I could hear him start to growl very loudly behind me.

My body automatically went into defence mode knowing that he never growled unless someone posed a threat to himself or to me, I grabbed one of the knives from the knife block on my right and turned around, quickly throwing it at the indtruder. Can you guess who was there? The Manbat, or Batman, or whatever the fuck he wants to call himself was standing in my living room dressed in his ridiculously bulky outfit that nearly blended in with the dark apartment with my knife in his hand.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," he then threw something that sliced the back of my hand that was still being held up from my throw. Why tonight of all nights does he decide to come after me? Tallon leapt onto him after seeing me hurt, he tried to clamp onto his arm but his teeth couldn't sink into skin. I grabbed the knife from the floor while he struggled with getting Tallon to let go of his arm, once his back was to me I ran and leapt for his neck, swinging myself in hopes of bringing him with me. He righted himself by grabbing my wrist in a tight hold while he threw Tallon off of his arm towards the door away from us.

I could hear him let out a small yelp which made me even more determined to beat the living shit out of this bastard. He grabbed my upper arm to toss me in the same direction, my feet came flat on the ground, helping me to keep from being slammed onto my back. When my balance was somewhat restored I brought my right leg into a high kick, causing my foot to connect with his face. He let go for a quick second which was all that I needed to right myself.

When I stood in front of him again my leg raised and landed a sharp kick to the center of his chest, if it were anyone else the blow would have won me the fight. Yet it only budged him enough to push him over the couch. He landed on his knee on the other side, I leapt over the couch and went to kick the side of his head but he caught my leg before I could deliver it. The sudden pause in my momentum caused me to fall back on the couch with my head hitting the armrest. This is my own fault for not getting the more cushioned couch.

I'm not going to try and be a tough guy by saying that it didn't hurt, because it did, it hurt like hell, but I shook it off and slashed at the wrist that held my leg. He was tough I would give him that, regardless if it was the fact that his armour lessened the contact of steel to skin or not he didn't even flinch. Since that didn't work I jerked my leg which caused my boot to come in contact with his nose, oh please, please, please let that have broken his nose, his body fell back onto my coffee table while his hand let go of my leg. I'll admit that his grunt of pain made me very happy, now I knew that I would have to aim for his face since that was the only part of his body that wasn't covered by his suit. I jumped off of the couch and onto his chest and raised my knife to stab him in his neck, but of course he grabbed my wrist before I could.

He twisted my wrist causing me to let out a short scream of pain and drop my knife, his face moved to avoid it as it fell and clattered to the table. I felt myself go airborne as he threw me over the couch and onto the floor. My left shoulder received the brunt of the impact I still got back on my feet but his arms wrapped around me from behind trapping mine at my sides. He was leaning slightly backwards as I struggled, causing my feet to lift off the ground. I heard growling and could only assume that Tallon had grabbed a hold of his cape. I forced my feet to the ground and pushed back off of the ground and towards his chest causing him to fall back with me still in his arms, I looked up and saw that Tallon was attempting to bite of the fake ear of his mask.

"That's not helping Tallon!" My voice was hoarse from the pressure that was being put on my chest but I refused to stop struggling. "Can't we work something out Batman? I'm pretty sure I've never stolen from you, but if I have can we call a truce?" I didn't receive a reply but I really wasn't expecting to. "Come on! What has Bruce Wayne ever done for you?"

I could see his eyes widen before he flipped us over, and the last thing I saw was his ridiculous mask before my head was slammed into the ground.

Huh that technique seemed a bit familiar.

When I finally joined the land of the living I was handcuffed to a lamp post outside of my apartment, I looked up and didn't see any sign of Batman, but what I did see was even worse than the pointy eared bastard. There was an animal control van and Tallon was struggling against the pole that they used, trying to get to me, he would have been barking if they didn't have a muzzle around his mouth but I could still hear his whimpers and it broke my heart.

I struggled against the handcuffs, "no, no you can't take him!" They didn't even pay attention to me, all they did was pick him up and throw him into a kennel in the back. When they slammed the door shut and drove off I screamed after the van, my screaming attracted the attention of the tenants in my building who had gathered outside. I let my head hang in defeat I knew that, that would probably be the last time that I saw him, see Scar this is why you don't get attached.

A pair of officers came up to me and one kicked the bottom of my boot to grab my attention, I looked up at them with a glare that would have made the grim reaper shit his pants. "You must be pretty important to be hand delivered by the Batman himself, he gave us specific instructions to send you straight to Blackgate."

I gave a small laugh, "you would honestly take directions from a grown man that runs around in a Halloween costume? Hell for all you know I could be innocent. Really, what has the police force come to?" I was fine with being sent to Blackgate, I give it at least a month before I'm able to get out, I know Nate has a few connections.

He nodded at the officer that was standing next to him and told him to take me to the car. The man went behind me and grabbed my arm to lift me from the ground, once he uncuffed one hand he unwrapped the chain from around the pole and quickly snapped it back around my wrist.

Now I consider myself to be an opportunist, and it just so happens that an opportunity had presented itself to me. I knew that I wouldn't escape by doing this frankly I wasn't trying to, there were too many people, but I figured what the hell, I'm going to prison anyway, and all because Batman said so. What is he God over the police force?

I was now standing straight in front of the officer the was first talking to me, without any indication I lifted my leg and landed a hard kick to the underside of his jaw causing him to fall back against the hood of a parked car, I quickly turned and kneed the officer behind me in the stomach. I then jumped while swinging my arms beneath my feet making my cuffed hands once again usable as they were now in front of me. I punched the officer that was bent over in the side of his head with my closed fists causing him to fall to the ground.

I turned back around to deal with the other officer but was met with the end of the gun instead, I held up my hands in a gesture of surrender. "Truce?" All I got was a scowl, but hey it serves them right for taking away my dog.

"Make sure she gets in the car Vince," he lowered the gun and walked to some of the other officers that just witnessed him get his ass handed to him all the while rubbing his jaw. I also saw Liz amongst the crowd of people that he was heading towards, she looked at me with a smirk that said "payback bitch", I wasn't going to fool myself into believing that she wouldn't say anything to the police, I no longer had the element of fear hanging over her head. The officer or more accurately Vince grabbed the wrist that Batman had twisted earlier causing me to scrunch up my face in pain.

Officer Asshole just smirked at my grimace, hey I fought the Batman and got in a few good punches, what the hell have you ever done with your life sir? The other guy came back as I was being led to the cop car, "change of plans Vince, we are gonna have to send Miss Scarlett here over to Arkham."

Wait, what!

Let's just say that being admitted into a place built for the criminally insane is not a pleasant experience. First I was strapped into what I presume is a modification of a medieval torture device that made me completely immobile, then I was poked and prodded for blood, fingerprints and DNA samples. They tested to see if I had any strange diseases or mutations, unfortunately they didn't find any mutations, but it would have made life a whole lot easier for me if I had, had some. On top of everything else they took my leather jacket, I really loved that jacket, but at least orange didn't look too horrendous on me, I take that back actually, I don't think orange can look good on anyone.

I was told that I would have my first therapy session with somebody named Dr. Quinzel whenever she was next available since it was late at night now but before I was led to my holding cell I was required to take a shower to wash all the dirt and makeup off of myself, so they could get an accurate picture of my face. Personally I feel like it's an excuse for the guards to ogle the prisoners, maybe I should write a strongly worded letter. Being put in Arkham put a bit of a damper on my initial plans of escape, I don't think anyone has ever escaped before, or at least none that I have ever heard of, guess I should try and be the first.

After a ridiculously cold shower I was escorted to my cell, some of the inmates cat called, some huddled in a corner, while a few could be found licking the bars of their cell. It was not a pretty sight, I'll admit that one inmate made me jump when he rattled his cell door and yelled some very vulgar things that I would prefer not to repeat.

I was pushed into my cell none too gently and let's just say that I would have a bruised knee in the morning, bastards. To be honest, after a few years of doing this I hadn't thought that I would ever find myself in jail, I was the best at my job and I had never left a trail. How the hell did Batman find me, I sure as hell never entered a place that had guano hanging from the ceiling.

"Ha ha ha, tell me doll just how much insanity could there be inside that tiny body?"

Oh boy you made it to the end, I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any questions please feel free to message me I enjoy all sorts of feedback so please don't hesitate to leave a review. Happy reading!