This is the continuation from the fifth chapter of this here story into the sixth chapter of this here story.
Yes, yes, I know that this one is pretty much cut in half compared to this story's other chapters, but I felt as if this one deserved to be on its own. I mean I could've just added it into the end of the fifth one but no.
Alright, so with all of that said and done, here's the newest addition to the story.
Shortly after the agreement was sealed, Maria thought she'd hurry the rest of the conversation along before Killer Croc changed his mind and tried to kill her father. The same went with Maria's father since right after the two men shook hands, his own hands went straight back to his shotgun.
The rest of the meeting went over quick and easy. It was primarily Maria telling her father about the details about their job that her and Croc had come up with during their time spent together. The job, itself, was to infiltrate the Gotham City bank and steal all the money they possibly could from the bank. Naturally, the Batman would show up right as some sort of alarm was tripped, but Mr. Komori held the solution to that little problem.
By the time the Dark Knight appeared on the scene, Maria's father would have a few of his own men start to run from the bank with empty bags.
"Now if that flying rodent doesn't fall for that old trick, then you're both on your own". Mr. Komori stated plain and simple. "If he does come for you, then it's up to each of you to choose what course of action to take: fight or flight".
He left it at that and didn't bother to take the subject any further. After all, he was talking to two, grown adults who were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves, but if they were caught then it was out of his hands.
A few more, little details here and there about what who was to do what, and the conversation began to draw to a finish.
"Alright," Mr. Komori sighed with some relief. "Does this plan satisfy you both"?
Croc said nothing but merely nodded in agreement.
"This is fairly easy job we've come up with," Maria said and turned her head towards Croc. "But we'll need a day or two to sort some minor things before we can carry out the job".
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, cher," He grunted as rose from his seat. "I don't really care. Whatever you need to do, do it. Two days from now, I'll be back to collect ya for the job and you'd sure as hell better be ready by then".
"Don't worry, I only need to get some of my blades ready for the-"
"I said that I don't give a shit what ya do," Croc growled slightly. It was certainly obvious that at this point he was done. "I've got better things to do right now, so be a good girl and show me to the door".
Maria's pointed ears shot up in surprise at the way he talked to her, and that was followed by the death glare that she was bent on giving him. "I ain't your bitch," She spat. "You know where the door is, so see yourself out". As soon as those words went past her lips, Maria wished with all her might that she hadn't said them even though Croc deserved it.
Now.
Yes, now she was going to die.
Waylon smirked down at her as her eyes widened with fear. "You're pretty stupid, huh"? He growled in her face. "You should've just kept your mouth shut… You'd probably have better chances of living then"?
"Y- Yeah," She said as she found it hard to find her voice. "S- So thank God for the fact that we just settled on a heist. After all, you said that you need me and my father's men in order to pull it off right"?
"You got it," He hissed, his expression growing deadly. "But let me make one thing clear, cher. I don't care about your needs. I don't care about your wants. I don't care about your job. I don't care about your family, and I don't care about your friends. I don't care about you". He was cold and venomous as he spoke. "So don't fuck this up and don't fuck with me. Got that, little mouse"?
Maria had no reply- not that she was given a chance to give one. Croc brusquely turned away and exited the room. The young thief stood still and remained silent, listening to the sound of his footsteps descending the stairwell, growing fainter with each and every step.
"Asshole," Maria scoffed as soon as she was sure that Croc had left.
Mr. Komori had jerked in surprise at the comment. He let out a big sigh as he realized the danger was gone. They managed to dodge a real bullet there. Anything could've gone wrong in a negotiation with rouge, Killer Croc at that!
"You are so fuckin' reckless that it's not even remotely funny". He said in response to his daughter's words. Leaning an elbow on the edge of the sink he sat next to, he heaved another shaking sigh of relief, his forehead landing against his open palm with a light smack.
Maria remained were she sat on the sofa, eyeing the empty doorway. She appeared distant and his mouth set into a serious frown. After another few moments, she turned and looked to her father. "Did you hear the way he talked to me," She finally said. "I am not a person to be taken light- you know that! And what did you agree on again?! Oh yeah- thirty-five percent my ass, I'm the one who'll be doing all of the real work! I'm the one who'll be taking the risks"!
"You know that's how most of these things go down..." Her father shot back, irritated beyond belief. "The bigger man comes to the smaller man and if the smaller man doesn't do what he's told- BHAM! He's knocked right into next week"!
Maria raised a brow, "…Or he just kills the other man,"
Setting his shotgun down, Mr. Komori brought both hands to his forehead. "What am I going to do with you…"?
"Yeah, yeah," Maria sighed. "I'm more trouble than I'm worth". She let a slight laugh go and looked back up to her father.
He still held his head in his hands. "Dad…? Are you all right"?
Maria then stood up and walked over to her father and placed a hand on the man's knee. "Did Waylon really frighten you that much"?
"You mean Killer Croc"? The man then laughed weakly. "Then fuck no. No, I'm just overwhelmed with the fact that I just signed a deal with a demon that involved my only daughter- my only child- working with said demon. Other than that I'm just peachy".
"Hey you've got no reason to fret, dad. We've got the whole thing planned out, and I'm fairly certain that Waylon doesn't want to eat me. Well… maybe he wants to smack my arrogance and my smartass sentences right out of me, but other than that there's nothing to lose sleep over".
"Yes, but you need to realize that I don't want you working with someone who'll attract the Batman's attention! The Dark Knight might beat the living daylights outta you and suspend you from the top of a building for Christ's sake! Then you'll be sent to Arkham Asylum- or maybe Blackgate Penitentiary- and I won't be able to get you out once you're in there! And-"
"And you need to stop worrying"! Maria silenced him. "I'm a grown woman and a skilled thief, and I can take care of myself, father".
"…I know," Mr. Komori examined the floor intensely and wished he were anywhere else but in this uncomfortable situation. He was supposed to be telling his daughter what was what, not the other way around.
"You've protected me in the past, but I don't need you worrying about me at this point in my life". Maria told him. "Now I know you're my father and that's your job, but your job is not to worry about whatever job that I'm put in or told to do".
"Alright, alright," He sighed in defeat. "I won't worry if you get yourself locked up. And if you do happen to get locked up, then it's all your own damn fault cause you're a reckless hellbound soul. Oh, and don't bother calling me to bail you out when that does happen, cause I ain't gonna pay your bail".
"Thanks…" Maria smiled.
"You can be such a fuckin' handful sometimes, you know that? I mean look at all the damn trouble that shows up on my doorstep every time you walk into one of my bases".
"I know, I know" She replied with a smirk. "I'm your little burden".
"Damn right you are,"
"Dad"?
"What"?
"Did you really worry about me when I was gone for those few days"?
"Don't push your luck, Maria".
Ok so that is the end for this chapter, my good readers.
Until the next chapter is posted then, and don't worry. The next one will be its normal size and length for the chapters that I've got planned for this story.