"What do you mean I have to stay here?!" Jinx spat furiously, her fingers shaking with rage as she gripped the phone piece that she held in front of her mouth. The moment she had heard the footsteps of that idiot detective leave the corridor she had opened up one of her heavy carpet bags and pulled out one of Gizmo's most successful inventions-a phone that folded up and could be used anywhere without a cord. He claimed that it would be big one day but, like most of the things he spouted about his inventions, the guys didn't pay much attention to it although they acknowledged the device was very useful. "Did anything I just said go through that thick skull of yours? There are detectives crawling around and I need to get out of here!"
"I'm sorry Jinx, really I am." Seymour answered and she had to admit, he sounded genuine. "But you only just registered and if the detective has already seen you there, it would look really suspicious if you left now and you can never afford to look suspicious. That's what you always tell us, remember?"
"Of course I remember!" She snapped through gritted teeth at hearing her own words being fired back at her. "But this is different! These are serious detectives, not your usual soppy lot but some of the best in the business. One of them is Dick Grayson for God's sake, I saw him! And the other one just tried to sweet-talk me!"
"You didn't fall for it, did you?" Seymour sounded worried and it took all she had not to scream at him.
"No I did not, who do you take me for?" She growled and she heard him breathe a sigh of relief.
"Jinx there's nothing more I'd like than to come and bust you out of there but it's too soon. I'll try and persuade the guys but it may take a while."
"Just do what you can." She said finally in her most deadly tone, hearing him gulp as she hung up and then started to crossly fold the phone back up. She used so much force she almost snapped it twice but Gizmo, after the third one she had broken in that way, had made this one out of the strongest stuff he could create in his lab. She then stuffed it back in her bag, burying it right at the bottom before she sat on the end of her rickety bed and huffed loudly. Great, she thought, I could be stuck here for potentially a whole week. Just my luck.
She gave the room a proper look for the first time since she had arrived and she already wanted to tear it apart. It was like she was already in jail but worse as she still had to worry about getting caught. She was also stuck wearing this stupid disguise too which she hated; there was a chalky dust on her skin to rid it of its grey hue that felt horrid and gritty on her skin, the contacts that Gizmo had designed to turn her eyes brown were making her eyes hurt and the wig was itchy. She let out an angry sigh as she took them off and stared at herself in the small mirror that hung on the opposite wall. She hated the idea of being trapped in this place for any more than a day let alone the whole week she had booked herself in for, thinking she would be gone in no time at all. If that stupid detective hadn't walked past… the walls loomed in and she suddenly felt claustrophobic. Normally she thrilled in this kind of game, a game of cat and mouse but usually she was the cat and she found she was hating being the mouse.
Trying to get her mind off of it, she cast it back to the previous night. It had been all too easy for her to find Mumbo the so-called Magnificent and break into his room, she thought he would have been more prepared. The look of absolute terror she had seen in his face had given her a lot of satisfaction and she felt a twinge of it now that made her smile slightly. She had no sympathy for the dumb old man, he was the one who decided to con them and it was his own fault he got caught. She had been planning to make his death quick and easy but he was the one who had put up a fight. She could see a corner of the black lace dress she had been wearing last night that had been torn in the process and she growled. He was lucky he only got a chair leg through the throat.
Still she didn't have to worry about him anymore; now she had to think of that stupid detective. Wally West, she pondered, a fitting name for such a first-class fool. She couldn't believe the way he had acted, a gentleman indeed. Pssh! She scowled even more deeply when she thought of that cocky smile he had given her. Who did he think she was, some giddy simpleton who would swoon at the sight of a handsome man? She deserved to be on the stage with the acting she had just pulled off, making out she was just another well-to-do young lady. She thought of him for a moment, his scarlet hair like fire and his crystal blue eyes…No, she was not going to dwell on that. She stood up crossly to get a grip on herself and realised that she had accidentally referred to him as handsome. So what if he was? She told herself as she went over to the mirror. It would be all put behind her when she was out of here and then he would really see how she could handle herself.
She went to put her wig and contacts back on but she found herself taking a long look in the mirror at the bright unnatural colour. She wished she didn't have to cover them up all the time as in a strange way they were quite pretty. She sighed and pulled on her disguise, trying to ignore the painful feelings that always came with concealing herself. She was a freak, a monster and this was all she was fit for. Jinx was bad, inside and out and these mutations only marked her for her purpose.
She looked back around the room and then at the two carpet bags on the floor, one of which held her parasol. She dug it out swiftly and swung it around in the air as her mind drifted to what she could do. The last thing she wanted was to stay in the cramped musty room but she wasn't entirely sure what it was proper for young ladies to do. She had never been part of society and never been taught etiquette as there was no such thing as manners in the criminal underworld. After a few minutes she decided to go for a walk. After all, despite the cold air it was a nice enough day and she might even see those detectives. She allowed a chuckle to escape her mouth as she opened the door and stepped into the corridor. It would feel so satisfying to walk past them and have them not realise the dangerous Miss Jinx was right in front of them. She had always found it humorous how they had put a Miss in front of her name, like they were trying to make her sound respectable. The door rattled as she tried to close it and she heard curses being shouted from down the corridor. She had to clench her teeth hard to stop herself growling in an unladylike fashion and she shot a death glare at the doorknob as the door finally jammed shut behind her. The sooner she got out of this place the better.
"So," Dick Grayson took a swig from the mug of cheap ale that had been put in front of him and grimaced at the bitter taste. "Where does that leave us?"
The four of them were sitting around a small table in the corner of an alehouse they had found just down the street from the hotel and it seemed as good a place as any to discuss what they already knew about the murder. The place was buzzing with the easy chatter of regulars at the bar and Dick has specifically chosen the place because he knew it would be difficult for them to be overheard. Still just to be safe he had squeezed them into a shady corner of the large room that was mainly made of dark wooden beams running parallel to each other around the walls and ceiling as if in a race. He took another sip as he looked at the faces around the table; Victor was taking up almost a third of the cramped table space and was chugged down his pint like it was water, Garfield was squashed a little between him and the wall but he just looked excited to be there with his green eyes looking between the three of them expectedly and Wally looked to be in a daydream as he stared out at the street through the short round window in front of him. Dick sighed and gave him a clout around the head which snapped him out of it.
"Wally, we need to get to work," He said in way of explanation. "And you've been acting funny since you disappeared in the corridor and turned up late. What were you doing?"
"Sorry, it was nothing." Wally said as he rubbed his head. Dick was far stronger than he looked. Besides he didn't want to say he had been talking to a young woman he had met; he didn't need another lecture about women from him. "So what have we got?"
"We know what time Mumbo entered the hotel from looking at the guest book," Garfield piped up. "And from speaking to the man at the front desk. He arrived at 9pm last night and went straight to his room. Nobody else saw him arrive or leave so he must have been the last to see him alive, aside from the murderer that is." He tried a little laugh but when everyone else stayed silent he turned it into a cough.
"Right. And we also know that nobody else signed it after him or went through the front entrance, meaning either the murderer was already staying there or got in another way." Victor said. "Seeing the state of the place, I don't think it would be too hard."
"What about the people who signed in before him?" Wally asked. "We'll have to do background checks on all of them."
"Yes and I'm certain all of them will have some sort of criminal record." Dick cynically remarked. "But most of the people that stay there are small-time crooks. It's a big step to go from pickpocketing and small robberies to stabbing someone in the throat with a chair leg."
"Whoever this this was no regular crook either." Victor spoke up. "Everything about the scene suggested he was up against a skilled opponent. The bruises he had showed he was beaten pretty badly; they knew what they were doing. There were also some marks on his neck that suggested he was almost killed by a blow to the neck but I think he made them angry hence the chair leg…This was more like an assassination than a murder."
Dick looked thoughtful and stroked his chin. "That would make a lot of sense given the rumours that he had conned the wrong people."
"Who did he con?" Garfield asked, his eyes now as wide as saucers.
"We don't know." Wally said, leaning back in his chair. "Though my friend here believes this could be something to do with the HIVE Five."
"The HIVE Five? No way!" Garfield exclaimed in awe.
"You know about them?" Wally asked curiously.
"Sure!" Garfield said. "They're only some of the meanest, toughest thugs around. And their leader Miss Jinx…she's meant to be the worst of the lot, even though she's a woman."
"Well you should never underestimate women," Wally said as he gave Dick a nudge and watched his face go red. "Eh, Dick?"
"Shut up, we need to focus," Dick said sternly, eager to get off the subject. "If any of the rumours are even the slightest bit true, we have to be on the lookout for her. Don't let yourself be fooled, she's meant to be a master of disguise."
"Yeah, I've heard so many rumours about this girl," Victor said sombrely as he drank some of Garfield's pint which he didn't seem to notice. "I don't think we have a clue what we are dealing with, if it is her."
"I've heard she sold her soul to the Devil to get that good at killing people and knowing where the police are," Garfield said, drawing his arm over his mouth and making his voice go low to try and sound spooky. "And that the reason she hides her face is because she's hideously ugly!"
"Those are silly street rumours," Dick poured scorn on them and Garfield stared at him with a little embarrassment. "But be aware. Any young women we meet could be her. We have to be on our guard at all times."
"Right. Talking of young women…" Wally's attention was distracted as a familiar figure dressed in black walked past the window and went down the street. He followed the shape down the road and stood up to watch her walk around the corner. "Excuse me for a moment."
Dick looked to see what his friend was watching and groaned. "Wally, are you really-" He went to say but Wally had already sped from the table and was running down the street after her.
She heard him calling her fake name and froze on the spot, her fingers tightly gripping the handle of her parasol ready to attack. She wasn't wearing her platforms and for a moment she wished she was as she could have done with some extra height but she hadn't wanted to draw more attention. She recognised his voice instantly and inwardly cursed. What was he doing here? Couldn't he leave her alone? She forced a smile onto her face and turned around to face him as he ran up to her.
"Oh hello again Wally West." She greeted him cordially, trying hard not to let her face twitch. She hated acting like this, it made her feel like her tongue had been dipped in sugar. "Still saving damsels from door keys?"
She took pleasure from seeing him squirm a little in embarrassment and her smile turned into a genuine one. Wally saw the glow in her face and it made him grin back. "I get the feeling you do not have the most favourable impression of me Miss Hexelton."
"Jane." She said, to her own surprise. "It's frightfully boring to be referred to by Miss Hexelton. And I would not say it was unfavourable, just a little too forward. I can't stand flirts; I've dealt with enough of them in my time."
What was she saying? Anyone would think she was trying to get closer to the strange detective. Wally looked at her face, which was slowly growing pinker as he scrutinised it. He wasn't surprised she had to deal with flirts, not with a face as beautiful as hers.
"Then I give you my sincerest apologies," He said with a dip of his head and she could see from his eyes when he looked back up that he meant it. How easy would it be to get lost in those eyes, she found herself thinking before she gave her head a little shake. She was not that stupid. "Let me rectify that by accompanying you on your walk."
"Shouldn't you be working on that case of yours?" Jinx said, fighting the icy edge that was seeping into her voice.
"They can manage without me for a little while." He said confidently, knowing he was going to get a tongue-lashing from Dick later but not really caring in that moment. "Also it's really not suitable for you to be walking by yourself around these parts. There are dangerous people about."
I know, I'm one of them! She wanted to scream but she knew there was no way out of this unless she wanted to kick up a fuss. "Very well then, if you insist." She replied, hoping a little of the hostility she was feeling had entered her voice as she plastered another smile on her face. He however, didn't seem to notice and fell easily by her side as they went down the street.
Their steps fell quickly into sync and she was unnerved by how natural it felt to be walking with him. She kept trying to walk a little ahead of him so her open parasol would block him from her view but he somehow kept catching up with her.
"You're very fast, aren't you?" She said very bluntly and she nearly froze on the spot at her rashness. She had talked to him almost in the same way she would have talked to one of her criminal associates but he just laughed.
"I do get told that a lot," he said. "I'm just naturally a fast runner. It helps when you chase criminals for a living."
"I see." Jinx answered slowly, making sure she slowed her pace. It wouldn't look good if he thought she was trying to outrun him. "Do they often get away?"
"Not usually." Wally said as he tried to take a look at her face. Her expression with its teasing smile was very difficult to read and he couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something. Unlike many other women he had come across who acted meekly and fluttered their eyelashes, he could see by the flash of her eyes that she was toying with him and he was enjoying sparring with her. "Not many people get away from me."
"Is that so?" She murmured and a blush spread across his face. "You must be quick."
Not as quick as you it seems, he thought with another smile at her which she caught from the corner of her eyes. Maybe this could be used to my advantage, she thought with a purr of pleasure. He's getting too cocky for his own good, if I could get some details out of him…
"Talking of criminals," She said suddenly. "How goes this murder case? Has there been any progress?"
Wally looked at her surprised. Most women he had met would have shied away from such a subject, some would probably have gone pale or even fainted at the mention of blood being spilled, yet she was boldly asking him about it with no change in her demeanour whatsoever. She really was different to anyone else he had met.
"Not much," he admitted. "We've only just got here so we haven't had the chance but it looks like this will be a tricky one. Whoever did this was skilled at what they were doing and my friend is convinced it has something to do with this gang called the HIVE Five…"
Her hands suddenly clenched the handle of her parasol and it took her all of her effort not to let her mask slip. She fought to keep her breathing calm and her pace steady whilst her mind was panicking. How had they figured that out? It must have been Dick Grayson, I should have realised he would have spies everywhere, damnit… How much did they know? Do they know I'm here?
Wally saw how her hands went white and hurriedly went to change the subject. I'm such an idiot, he cursed himself, she's staying there, I'm only going to frighten her if I talk like this. "Anyway, you shouldn't worry, we'll find them before you know it. Now, how about we talk about something else?"
"Like what?" She asked him, trying her best to relax. It's obvious he doesn't know it is me and he won't know if I keep this up, she told herself. She looked up at the buildings and realised they were only a few streets away from circling back to the hotel. She only had to keep him talking for a little while longer and she held onto that like it was a lifebelt.
"How about you?" Wally asked leaning over a little as they walked along so he could see her reaction better. He hadn't realised how tiny she was; he wasn't the tallest of guys and she barely made his shoulders. It was kind of cute.
"Me?" She tried to laugh but to her ears it sounded more like a short nervous bark. This was getting worse and worse. "There isn't much to know."
"I'm sure that's not true." He said and she could feel him getting closer. "I'm personally very intrigued by you. I would really like to know more."
"Like what?" She said, now feeling almost confused. Nobody had ever wanted to know her before. She looked at the lopsided hopeful smile of the man next to her and she couldn't help giving a small smile at the warmth she found there which he took as an indication to ask his first question.
"Like…where are you from?"
"Oh…I…" She hadn't thought to come up with any kind of a backstory for this alias, she had never though she would actually be talking to anybody. Her plan had been to lie low and get out fast but that was now out of the window. She would have to improvise. "I'm…not really from anywhere. I travel a lot you see, so I couldn't really say I'm from a certain place."
"Really?" Wally perked up, his interest in this girl piqued. "But you have a London accent."
Damn him, he was good. "That's probably because I've stayed here the longest." She smoothly replied. "We always end up back here somehow, it's like an instinct, like birds returning back to the nest."
"You must have seen so much," Wally marvelled, his blue eyes bright as azure. "I've lived here all my life; I can't even begin to think of the wonders you have seen."
"Well…some of it was." He looked at her and saw how her head was bowed as memories played before her eyes. This was meant to be a fabricated story but it was striking dangerously close to the truth. "Other parts…weren't so wondrous."
"Oh. I'm sorry." She raised her head again to gaze at him and she saw how sad he looked. She didn't need his pity, that was the last thing she wanted! She wanted to snarl at herself but instead she found she was grateful for it. Nobody had shown her any crumbs of kindness before. "What about your family? Are they here?"
"No." She said, thinking carefully about her response. She could see the hotel building up ahead but she didn't quicken her pace. "My parents died a long time ago so I don't have many memories of them. That's what has enabled me to travel so much-nobody has to worry about me."
"So you're completely alone?" Wally's heart felt like breaking when he heard that. Seeing how she looked away from him only made him want to draw her closer and protect her from whatever she had been through. He had seen pain before in people's eyes and faces, it came with the job, but he had never seen anyone so shut down before. "That's awful."
"There are worse things." She told him grimly as they reached the doors of the hotel. "Shouldn't you be getting back to your friends?"
"They'll live without me for a minute longer." He smiled at her as he held the door open. That strange feeling was back and it had settled into the pit of his stomach and was now refusing to leave. He kept trying to ignore it but it refused to go away.
They walked to her door in silence and she unlocked the door quickly, relived to see it didn't jam. "Thank you for walking with me," She said, finding to her surprise that there was a big part of her that meant it and almost wanted it to be a little longer. "It was most pleasant."
"It was all my pleasure Jane." He said as she opened the door and went in. He looked in over her shoulder and saw something that struck him as odd. Both of the carpet bags were still on the floor but one of them was open and spilling out from it was a long black lace dress with a tear running down the length of the skirt that had been cleanly ripped. "What happened to your dress? It looks like you were in a fight or something.
She laughed at that but this time he detected it was different. He couldn't work out why but it was higher and more shrill. "Oh that?" She answered with a flick of her hand as if she was physically shooing the subject away. "That was where it got caught in my parasol when I unpacked it. It is really a shame, that was one of my favourites." It wasn't untrue; it had been ripped when Mumbo had deflected her attack with her parasol and her skirt had taken the impact. That was when she had gotten really mad and gone for the chair leg. And it was one of her favourite dresses.
"It must have been pretty tangled up." He said, his mind whirring as he tried to get a closer look but she hurriedly stepped in front of the door and blocked his view.
"Yes, I really have to get a seamstress to look at it. Thank you again Wally and goodbye." She shut the door before he could say anything and heaved a sigh as she leaned against it, feeling the hard cool wood against her blushing face. There was a pause on the other side of the door before she heard him walk away. She listened to his footsteps as they faded away and she bit the inside of her cheek hard. What was she thinking? She could have blown the whole thing!
She went back to sitting on the bed and tried to think of a way out but the only thing that was swimming in her mind was him. Him and his goddamn smile and his eyes and his…No! She was not going to do this! She let out a savage hiss before she remembered the caring way he had looked at her, like she was a person under all of this and her eyes filled with tears. She took the contacts out, telling herself it was them that were making her eyes water and not the fact that the only bit of love and compassion she had ever been shown had been given to her by somebody she should hate.
Thanks so much for the reviews everyone, please keep them coming! I hope you liked it!