A/N: So, this chapter isn't going up for awhile for me (it's 4/2/18 for me currently) but a couple days ago I got my fifth dog. I must be insane. I now have 5 dogs and a cat but I don't regret any of them. So, my new dog, Bailey, is my writing buddy as she loves sitting on my lap no matter where I'm sitting. Thankfully she's lapdog size (she's a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel/Dachshund mix) so she's pretty small and a fantastic jumper. Also, did any of you see Ready Player One? Oh my God, despite not being very close to the book (sorry if that's a spoiler), it was still incredible and one of my all time favorite movies! Anyways, to the story….
P.S. I think they made Bruce way too short in this game. He normally is rather tall but he looks like a midget compared to some of the people so I changed it a little bit.
Thx!
AMM
I need to talk to you. Urgently.
Stacked Deck. 6pm. No Capes.
I look up at the sign across the street. A few cars pass and I turn my head to the side as not to be seen before crossing the street to the bar. I walk into the bar and look around, seeing people playing pool, talking, and drinking, like any normal watering hole. I see people look to me and then start murmuring about me. I walk towards the back of the bar to avoid as many people as possible and approach the jukebox. "Huh, tunes for drinking, dancing, and fighting. Not necessarily in that order."
I walk between an empty pool table and a pool table with only a few men playing, but I can hear them talking about the cops raiding the manor, which they sneer at.
I glance up at the TV as I approach the bar. "A new twist in the race for the mayor's office, as Harvey Dent backer Bruce Wayne comes under fire for alleged corruption. Joining me live is Mayor Hamilton Hill. Mr. Mayor, you said earlier today that in light of the allegations against him, Bruce Wayne should distance himself from Dent, but that was unlikely to happen. Why?"
"He strikes me as, well, the jealous sort. Very possessive of his toys." I look away, annoyed, but make sure to keep my calm. Better keep a low profile.
Just then, the bartender approaches. "You lost? Cuz I don't have time for tourists." She eyes me over. "Looks like you walked into the wrong bar."
"Uh, yeah. I'm looking for a woman-"
She cuts me off before I can finish my sentence. "You wouldn't be the first."
"Selina Kyle-I'm told she practically lives here."
"Selina, huh? You don't really strike me as her type." She tells me suspiciously.
"You'd be surprised."
"Hey," A gruff voice says behind me. "Don't I know you?" I turn to find a bald man with a long grey beard approach me. "It is you! Knew it!"
I glance around at his rather loud outburst. "Cops take all your fancy clothes? Or you trying to lay low? 'Course, you're not really the low-lying type."
"Nice to meet you, uh…."
"Frank. Yeah-funny, seeing you here. So much in the papers. Whole other thing meeting the man in real life. You're taller then I thought you would be."
I go to respond when I hear a woman say," Leave him alone, Frank. Man's just trying to have a quiet drink." Selina strolls right up to us.
"He didn't seem to mind the company. But, whatever." Frank turns and goes back to his pool game while Selina leans against the bar.
"Selina, I need to tell you something important."
"Better be an apology," she jokes sarcastically. "You were supposed to take care of our….mutual problem. Instead you just pissed him off."
"That's why I'm here. You're in danger."
"I've had rats on my tail all day," she admits.
"The man who hired you. His name is Oswald Cobblepot."
"Never heard of him," she brushes off.
"He goes by 'Penguin,'" I try and it immediately catches her attention as her eyes widen and lock on mine.
"Penguin?! Shit. You've gotta be kidding me." The bartender sets down two scotches in front of us though neither of us ordered anything. We go to an empty booth. "You should've just killed me on that rooftop. I'm dead anyway." Then she looks at me again. "When you screw someone over, you really screw them. The Penguin,"
"It's not my fault that you're in this, Selina, but I can help you out of it. Tell me what you know about Penguin."
She turns to face me more. "I only know him by reputation. I'm surprised you've never heard of him. He's a big deal across the pond. He's more dangerous then you think."
"I grew up with Oz," I reveal. "He's the first real friend I ever had."
"I'm not surprised. Questionable morals and a penchant for theatrics-you two have a lot in common." I scowl at her as she leans closer and lowers her voice. "The question is, why Gotham? Why now? It's not like he's hurting for crime syndicates abroad."
"He thinks he's changing the world for the better. No matter the cost."
"Well, he's no Joan of Arc, that's for sure." She leans back in her seat. "Well, I'm not sticking around to find out."
She's just going to leave? Just like that? "Oswald-Penguin is about to unleash God knows what on this city. You can't just leave." I rasp quietly.
"A good reason not to be here when he does." She says, picking at her cuticles. "You want to stay? That's your choice."
"If Penguin is everything you say, there's no tree high enough for you to climb. He will find you." Selina arches her eyebrow at me, clearly curious about my train of thought.
"So what are you suggesting? The bat helps the cat?"
"And the cat helps the bat." I lean my elbows on the table, waiting for her answer. She leans forward herself.
"Bruce, sweetie," Uh, what? "The gallant knight thing, it really is adorable. But what would Harvey think? The two of us. Working together. After all, I'm not really an all work and no play kind of girl. Harvey knows that." I narrow my eyes at her. Does she think I'm in this for more then just her help? 'Cause if so, she is sorely mistaken.
"You and Harvey-it's pretty clear you aren't just friends." I suggest.
"Please. I'm just toying with him." So she's stringing him along? Harvey would be heartbroken if he knew. "I only take my claws out for someone special." She flirts, eyeing me seductively. I try not to roll my eyes. "You and I-" She starts to say when the door bursts open and multiple men flood in. I recognize the man on the phone from earlier. He's Oz's right hand man, or so it seems.
Selina looks between the men walking towards us and me. "Well, Bruce. You were right."
"Selina Kyle?" the man with the phone says. "Penguin says, 'allo,'" He shoves his phone in his pocket and I watch as a man with a piece of pipe walks over to the jukebox, selecting a song. "Beat it! We're here for her!" The man tells me, pointing over his shoulder. When I continue to sit there, eyeing Selina, he says, "If you care about your own skin, you'll get the hell out." I jump from my seat and immediately punch a man in the stomach repeatedly, which forces the others into action. I can hear Selina begin to fight as well.
A man walks towards Selina with a beer bottle but I stop him and he seems surprised. I punch him in the face, grab the bottle, and hit another guy in the face causing the bottle to shatter before turning back to the guy and punching him into the booth. Another man runs towards me but I grab him by the throat and Selina roundhouse kicks him in the head.
She looks to me, surprised and I just smirk before turning back towards the guys that get back up. One guy pulls out a knife while the other picks up the piece of pipe. We run at our respective thugs, dodging their attacks. I throw the man with the knife on one of the tables, sending him crashing through it. The man with the bottle from earlier finds his way to his feet and runs at me but I put him in a headlock before slamming his head on one of the pool table edges. I look over at Selina as she finishes off her own thugs when I see more men run in.
"Not done yet," She pants before grabbing a pool stick. A few of the men get back up again and she whacks them in the head before I punch them. She hits another guy over the head as I sweep someone else's feet out from beneath them before we move to be standing back to back. A few of still manage to get to their feet.
"I think they want more." She says almost playfully.
"Then let's give it to them," I respond.
They all run at us but Selina passes me the pool cue and then ducks as I swing it around. One gets back up and grabs a stool, swinging it at me and breaking the pool cue in half. I take out a large group with the broken pool cue while Selina takes down her last guy. We both notice one more come running at us and we look at each other. Selina runs at me and I hook my arm with hers, flinging her over me and at the thug. She starts towards me when I hear police sirens in the background.
"You fight pretty good-for such a pretty boy." I smirk when the cop car pulls up out front. I quickly kneel next to Penguin's top guy and pull the phone he's always on from his pocket. "Come on! This way!" Selina starts running and I quickly follow her out back.
We run out into the alleyway and take deep breaths but then a few cops show at the entryway.
"Quick! Check the alleyway!" One yells and Selina and I dodge behind a car.
"Do you see anything?" I hear over a radio.
"Negative. Let's check the other side." The cop replies. I look around the back bumper of the car and watch the cop retreat while Selina pants behind me.
"Are we alone?" She asks seductively.
I look at her over my shoulder. I know I'll have to answer her but really don't want to. "Yeah, we're alone," I turn to face her as she rises up on her knees and leans in very close. She puts her fingertips on my cheek but I pull away.
"Let's get outta here," I suggest. We both stand and she walks away.
"I'll take the rooftops-you take the alley." She says.
"Wait," I approach her. "Just….stay out of trouble."
She scoffs. "Now where's the fun in that?" I smirk as she walks to a wall. "You shouldn't trust me, you know." I want to ask her who says I do but she pulls out her magnetic device from the rooftop a couple nights ago and ascends to the roof of the neighboring building. I watch her disappear before putting my earpiece in and pulling out Penguin's thugs phone and a small device that will transfer data.
"Alfred, I'm uploading the contents of a smartphone to the batcomputer. Check to see if there is anything on the phone we can use."
"Processing it now, is everything alright? There are quite a few police cars convening on you."
"It's fine," I brush off. "Has the batcomputer found anything yet?"
"Bruce, there are a number of messages here. All from Mayor Hill." I start to walk towards the back of the alley.
"Mayor Hill?" I ask in disbelief.
"The last voicemail is his. Listen to this-"
"I gave you everything I have on Wayne! I've held up my end of the bargain and I expect you to do the same!" I pocket the phone and stand at the edge of the alleyway, hands tucked in my pockets.
"This is very shady indeed. Whatever they're talking about, it doesn't sound good." I hit a button on the side of my phone in my pocket and watch as my Ferrari rolls to a stop in front of me.
"I should have guessed. Hill's working with Penguin. If Hill's talking with Penguin, he must know something. It's time I paid him a visit." I growl.
"I agree. The Mayor must have answers. But if I may offer a word of advice-people look up to Batman after how you handled Falcone. Terrorizing the mayor could damage that goodwill. Then again, Batman's methods would certainly get him talking immediately. Bruce would have to depend on his guile to loosen Hill's lips."
"Going as Bruce is the smart choice." I hop in the car and speed to City Hall.
A/N: This took longer then it probably should have but when I have an adorable doggie on my lap, I kinda get distracted. But who wouldn't?! She's adorable! And making my other dog currently with me super jealous.
Thx!
AMM
