Finally a new chapter up. I hope you enjoy it!
The smell of need and sex hung in the air. The lights were blinding and the music was loud. He didn't mind though. The lights and music where quickly banished to the back of his mind as he walked past a few tables. His plate was full of orders and he placed a glass on almost every table he past. He saw some man were surprised to see a boy his age walk in the waiter themed costume. Though some seemed to enjoy the view on the new recruit running around.
Carlos was watching Alex from behind the bar. He knew the prostitute was a smart boy but still, it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye open to see if he was doing okay. Also, he had to make sure Alex hadn't boast about his photographic memory and that he wasn't forgetting the drinks he brought away.
Alex's plate was quickly emptied so he returned to the bar. The boss watched as the boy filled in the papers with the costumers. After the blonde teen was done he looked up, seeing Carlos look at him. He smiled.
"I'm almost up, right?"
The man nodded. "Why are you asking? You know I call you when you have to get ready, right?"
"Yes, I do," the boy sung. "But I'm just so hyped for my first performance!"
Carlos watched as the boy drew a beer and placed it on his plate. The young teen pulled out three shot glasses with one hand as the other grabbed a vodka to fill the glasses with. He placed them on his tray next to the beer and took off to serve.
"Carlos," the man's eyes released the youth to look at his blonde worker. "I've got someone asking for Alex."
"Is that a problem?" the man asked, hearing the hesitation in her voice. "He won't perform until 11."
"I know, but,"
"Alex is a prostitute, he does lap dances." The man explained. "Go tell him he has been ask for," the man said, walking off.
What was it with those girls. Why couldn't they except that Alex did just as much as they did. Maybe it was because they're female. Don't they have something like a mother instinct? That may be causing them not liking the idea of Alex being an prostitute.
"Alex," the boy looked up at the voice from behind. "Someone asked for you."
Surprise filled his face for a moment. Carlos had told him that not many were asked the first night and that he shouldn't feel bad if he wasn't. But he was asked. Somebody was interested in him instead of all the ladies around him.
The surprise quickly changed into a big smiled. He nodded. "Okay, I'll put my tray away," the boy sung before walking off.
-\/-
The man cursed under his breath.
"Just come with me Bruce!"
From all the Leaguers they've send the Man of Steel to pick him up. He told them to fuck off, but no, they'll send the big boy to collect him.
"You don't understand," the dark blonde man growled. "You've never understood the relation between Richard and me."
"Because you never speak of it!"
"Fuck off!" the man cursed out loud this time.
"Why did you lie to Richard?" the four eyed reporter spoke. "It's because of that that we lost him."
"You lost him," Bruce spat. "I was an idiot to think you could keep up with him. He's trained too well for you to keep up."
Christopher smiled as he saw Superman frown at the insult. Nobody ever questioned Superman's abilities in the League, not truly. And he just did.
"Just come with me or I'll take you by force."
"You really want to go there?" Bruce fell back into his bed. "If I weren't busy actually finding my son I would have asked you to try me," the slightly younger man fixed his eyes on the ceiling. "Go away."
Clark took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. "Let me at least help you find him."
"Listen," Bruce got back up and walked past his team mate, not meeting his eyes. "I think Richard is hiding from someone."
"What?" Clark turned around only to see Bruce put on his shoes. "Why would you think that?"
"The call we intercepted. The one of Dick in the Hotel. In which so many people were murdered," the man placed his belongings in his backpack and shove it onto his shoulder. "He called himself Alex. Maybe he wasn't doing that because people would recognize him as Richard Grayson. Maybe he was hiding for someone who already knew he was there."
"So, this brings us where, exactly? We still have to find him."
"He won't show if you're there, too risky," Gotham's savior explained. "So, I'll ask you kindly if you will leave me alone to find my son," the man spoke the word kindly almost through clenched teeth.
There was a silence and sharp blue eyes glared up to the softer blue ones. "Fine," The Kryptonian eventually said.
The detective turned away and left the room without another word.
"Just be careful, okay?" Clark whispered, only for the dirty walls to hear.
-\/-
Alex's hair was still damp as he took a seat at the bar. The lights had been turned down to a more cozy strength. All the girls were wearing their casual cloths as they flipped back their last shots for the night.
"Want some too, Golden Ass?" Carlos asked, holding up a shot glass.
"Really, you're going to call me that?" the boy asked, excepting the glass of liquor. He threw it back into his throat before slamming it back down on the bar. "That man was drunk as hell."
"Drunk or not," Carlos smiled. "He still came singing out of the room."
"Bet they never sung for you," the fake blonde laughed back. He could feel at least two jealous glares fixed at him. Carlos maybe liked him too much for his other workers to like. "But I think it's time to hit the bed. I'm beaten."
"Nah," Carlos moaned. "It's still early."
His boss was clearly drunk and the girls only seemed to get more irritated. Why couldn't he just walk out of this?
"Come," the man pulled him over engulfing his lips. The young hooker's eyes grew wide.
"Carlos, I'm your worker now," the teen said after he pulled away.
"Don't worry, I'll pay you extra."
"You're drunk!"
The owner tried to pull Alex over by the wrist he was still holding. "Just come," the man moaned in a drunk manner.
"No," the boy snapped, pulling his hand free in one quick movement. "See you tomorrow," he greeted the other workers before quickly walking off to a bedroom and locking himself in.
"But Alex!"
"Carlos!" Dick could hear one of the girls hiss. "The fuck's wrong with you?"
"You've been acting weird tonight. Leave the boy alone," another feminine voice spoke.
"Keep out of it," the man hissed back.
"Those are your rules. No sex with the workers before, meanwhile or after the shows," a voice the fake blonde recognized as Dia, stated.
The boy heard a few softer words being shared before most girls rather quickly left. Hanging with a too drunk Carlos was apparently not that fun for them either.
The boy quickly snuck under his sheets before turning off the small lamp on the desk.
-\/-
Alex turned to his side, feeling the morning light shine through the curtain's hit his face. It was time to wake up, but the warmth of his bed was still welcoming him to sleep a bit longer. He opened his eyes, curious to the time.
Blue eyes grew big as he saw Carlos sitting on the chair across his bed. "Carlos!"
"Blue?" was all the man said as he rose.
"What are you doing in here?" the boy spat, angry the man had snuck up to him in his sleep.
"To apologize for yesterday," the man picked up the lenses container, opening the left part of it, seeing the brown contact lens. "I was rude and embarrassed you."
Alex rose, not caring he was only in his boxers. He took his lenses out of Carlos's hand. "You pretty much embarrassed yourself too," he placed the container back on the night stand. "Plus, I think the girls don't like me that much. And your scene didn't help to solve that either."
"I'm very sorry," the man said, sincerity clear in his voice.
The boy sighed. "I was really wasted yesterday. I shouldn't have treated you like that."
"You shouldn't favor me either," the young prostitute answered. "That doesn't work in a company like this."
"Agreed," the owner sighed. He sat back down again. "So, are you going to tell me why you use contact lenses."
"No real reason. I just get quickly bored with myself. I like changing things up," the boy took a string of his bangs in between his index finger and thumb. "Just like changing my hair color."
"You don't like the way you look?" Carlos asked, a bit worried. It sounded the boy was not really happy with himself. He even sounded somewhat insecure. And that didn't really fit in Alex's picture.
"I do, I just like change," the boy shrugged. "There is nothing behind it."
"Oh," the man rose. "Well, that's good to hear," he walked to the door. "Now get dressed, and I'll buy you some breakfast, my treat."
"Hadn't I told you that I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself?"
"You did," the club owner smiled. "But this is to make up for yesterday."
Alex sighed, rolling his eyes. "Fine."
-\/-
It has been two weeks since Superman had tried to convince him to return to the Watch Tower. It has been two weeks and he still hadn't found his son. The gang war was growing and he had already search the places he had hoped to find Richard.
At the moment he was just entering every shop, every hotel and so on. He was planning on a full sweep. The evening was coming so he planned on looking for him in de restaurants and clubs in the night time, mapping Gotham in his mind, keeping keen he didn't miss anything.
He was looking, taking in every detail around him. He was used to look for clues as a detective, but this time it was harder than he wanted it to be. It was more pressured, more difficult. Because this time he was looking for the flaws of his son. Which he had learned him to erase. He taught Richard to be almost perfect in it. Good enough for him. And now he's facing the difficulties of that training.
So when he saw it, it took a little time to land. The one thing that was out of place. The thing that almost seemed to belong out of place.
He couldn't see it at first, yet is was screaming at him. Two parts in his mind where fighting. The one who said it was as it should be, one that told him that this was wrong!
He hadn't even noticed that he had stopped walking, he hadn't even notice the people brushing by as he blocked the way. Al he could do was stare at it. At that one thing he wasn't supposed to be staring at.
That he noticed it was even a surprise to him. He can't remember any menus of any restaurant he passed, yet now, now he saw a writing at show plan. "The new addition; Alex Noble!" a small picture included of a blonde boy with too little clothing.
A teen prostitute.
That happens in Gotham. That shouldn't be anything noticeable. Many teens are forced into prostitution by either circumstances or their parents. Bruce Wayne started a foundation for it, even.
Yet there he stood, staring at the picture.
"Alex!"
He hit the glass, protecting the show plan from the rain. Alex! Alex was the name he used back then. And he still using it.
Richard have been crying out to him and he didn't hear! Using the same name, this was the clue. The clue he was missing for weeks! The clue the Blue Scout couldn't even find.
"I'm so stupid," his voice was more a breath as he started to laugh. "I'm so incredibly stupid!"
Bruce couldn't help himself from smiling wide. He had finally found him! Tonight was the night. Tonight he would bring Richard home!