Wow this chapter is finally done! How long has it been…? I don't even know. I'm so glad this is done and there's only one chapter left of this so hopefully that will be up soon. Please enjoy and review!
As the sunlight lapped across the courtyard in a soft wave of gold, Wally frowned as he pressed his forehead to the glass of the window, his mind stuck. He had been mulling over the events of last night since the daylight had first started to appear and, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see a way out of this. He knew Dick knew he had spent last night here and he could hardly pretend he hadn't heard the giant battle that had gone on outside. The HIVE Five had been chased away and he was relieved at that but they wouldn't be gone for long. Jinx had taken out her telephone, which he had been astonished by, and was waiting for it to ring but it hadn't yet, the silence stretching out like it was trying to torture them both. Every minute that passed felt like a weight on their shoulders and it was like they were each waiting to see when it would eventually break them.
He turned away from the window to look at Jinx and his face softened at the sight of her hunched body perched at the end of the bed, dressed in a long dark brown gown. She was staring at the silent phone in front of her, which now seemed to have an ominous presence of its own, with her hair falling messily around her shoulders and her face paler than usual. He could see her hands were trembling like they were being pulled at by invisible strings and it brought back the reality of what could have happened last night. She had been racked by a panic attack when the sounds of the explosions had grown closer and it had only gotten worse when they had heard the distinctive voices of her teammates among the chaos. She had been in such a state of fear that he had had to almost pin her to the bed to get her to calm down, whispering reassurances in her ear when he had felt on the verge of terror himself. They had spent the night in a state of constant fear as the fight outside had raged, holding each other like they were their last lifeline, listening out for the dreaded moment when silence would capture them and the door would open. Now that it had ended and that moment of discovery hadn't come, it had left a strange void that they had yet to address. The battle was over but the war was yet to come and their situation was as precarious as it could get. It felt to him like there was no way out for both of them and he hated how powerless he felt to stop it.
He pushed himself away from the window and sat himself down on the bed next to her. She didn't acknowledge him and he realised how tautly she was holding herself, her body unwilling to relax. He wriggled himself closer and raised a hand to brush some of her hair behind her ear. When that didn't get a reaction, a small smile appeared on his face as he was hit with an idea and he bent his head over to place a kiss on the side of her neck.
The soft touch made her jump and she nearly sprang away, her mind brought back from the depressing thoughts she had been thinking. "Wally get off!" She burst out, trying to get away from him but finding she was only feebly fighting against his hold. "Get off me right now!"
"Don't want to." His muffled reply came from within the depths of her hair as he took a great bunch of it in his hand and worked his way around her neck. He held her as her struggles grew weaker and kept planting soft pecks on her skin. He heard a sudden noise and drew his head up sharply only to see the spots on her cheeks had grown pinker and she was giggling like a little girl. The sound was strange coming from her mouth and she looked like she was trying to stop it but it was still music to his ears and it spurred him to carry on, moving from her neck up to her jawbone and her flushed cheeks.
"Wally, stop, that's so ticklish!" She almost begged him and he finally obliged her with a last lingering kiss on her lips that she responded warmly to. They were now lying back on the bed with their legs dangling off it and the sunlight creeping up the wall almost like a warning. She wriggled onto her side to look at his grinning face easier and her eyes narrowed playfully at him.
"What was that for?" She asked him, giving him a prod to his side.
"You looked upset," he answered honestly. "I wanted to cheer you up."
"I'm not sure anything could do that…" She said wistfully, looking back at the telephone and he saw her face fall. "We're in a real mess here, aren't we? This shouldn't have happened."
"But it did and I'm glad of it." Wally leant over until he was barely an inch from her, their warm breath mingling in the same space. All she could focus on were his blue eyes and how calming they were. Even when she had been in the deepest depths of her panic she had focused on them like they were an anchor holding her in the midst of a stormy sea and thy held the same power over her now. "We'll find a way out, trust me."
She smiled sadly as she looked at him. "It's not you I don't trust," She said. "It's the rest of the world. Your friends won't rest until I'm buried and you know that."
"Buried?" His head shot up and he looked at her alarmed. She sighed as she sat up to face him, straightening her skirts as she did so.
"Wally I killed a man with a chair leg not two days ago not to mention all the countless other things I've done over the years. If the authorities get their hands on me, they aren't going to let me go. There won't be any mercy for me."
"That isn't going to happen!" Wally felt like his blood had turned to ice as he looked at her perfectly calm features. The thought hadn't even entered his head but now it had lodged there it felt like a blade had been run through him. The image of her dancing at the end of a hangman's rope burned into his eyes and he had to forcibly grip her shoulders to steady himself. "We are both going to get out of this fine Jinx, I swear it!"
She shook her head slightly and put her hands on his arms. "Wally-"
At that moment, the telephone rang and they both jumped, staring at it as it's noise echoed around the room as they held each other tightly. He looked back down at her and saw her serene look had gone and was replaced with one of pure terror that she quickly masked when she saw him looking.
"You need to go." She told him firmly, pushing him towards the door. "You need to get back to your friends or they will be suspicious."
"What about you?" He asked, nervously looking at the ringing phone which was beginning to sound almost impatient.
"I'll be fine." A crafty smile appeared on her lips and determination sparked in her eyes; in that moment he could see why she had risen to the top so quickly. "I am Miss Jinx after all."
"That you are." He smiled and he pulled her in for a last desperate kiss. As he broke away, he quickly kissed the end of her nose before he dived for the door. He heard her giggle again before she took a deep breath and headed for the phone. The last shot of her he had was of her picking up the phone and the blur of an angry voice shouting from the other side. There was a part of him that really wanted to run back in there but he knew she could handle it. Whether he could handle the wrath of Dick Grayson was another matter.
He walked over to the door and spent a moment wondering if he should knock or just waltz in like nothing had happened but it ended up not mattering as the door suddenly swung open and before he could say or do anything, his back was against the wall and a furious-looking Dick was standing in front of him with his hands clenched around his throat.
"Are you really that much of an idiot?!" He roared as the other three came rushing out of the room to prevent another murder from taking place. "What were you doing, running off with that vixen whilst we were all fighting?! Are you that foolish Wally?!"
"Well good morning to you too Dick." Wally rubbed at his throat as Dick was pulled off him by Kori. He saw the way she was hugging him close to her as she whispered in his ear and couldn't help but smile cheekily. "Hey, what happened with you two? Damn, I can't believe I missed that."
"You missed the entire battle." Victor pointed out bluntly.
"Yeah it was awesome!" Garfield exclaimed but a look from Dick quelled his excitement instantly and he took a side step behind Victor. "And Dick and Kori-"
"That's not important right now! Seriously Wally, I can't believe you," Dick went on angrily as he rolled over Garfield's comment, barely able to look his friend in the eyes. "You were there all night and not once did you think to come out? How can you even come back after that? Spending the night with that…that…"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence." Wally voice suddenly cut through coldly and they all flinched at the rapid change. "She's not the one who deserves your insults. I know I should have come out to help but she was scared, I couldn't leave her there alone. You have every right to be mad at me Dick but you don't have to be angry at her."
"Don't have to be-are you protecting her?" Dick glared at his friend before it seemed to dawn on him and he groaned loudly. "Oh God Wally please don't tell me you've fallen for her."
"So what if I have?" Wally looked at him concerned as he rubbed his eyes and he suddenly felt like he didn't want to know what he was about to hear. "I mean, you and Kori-"
"That has nothing to do with it, it's completely different." Dick snapped. His eyes focused back on Wally and he could see they looked just as pained as he felt. "That woman…she's not who you think she is."
"What do you mean? Dick, I know you don't approve and I understand but-"
"She's Miss Jinx." Dick had said it quietly but the power of his three words felt seismic. Wally had to press his hand against the wall behind him as he stared in shock. His eyes darted to stare at all of them and he could see the sympathy in their gazes. They knew, he thought, the realisation shaking him to his core. They all knew…
"No…" That was the first thing to come to his mind and the tiny word slipped from his lips before he could gather himself. "That can't be true…You must be wrong, I was there all night and I didn't see anything that would even hint that she was-"
"Wally, it's true," Dick told him firmly, putting his hand on his shoulder and gripping it like he was trying to force him to see sense. "I realised it yesterday. That piece of black lace…haven't you noticed she only seems to wear black? She only arrived the night after the murder, don't you find that a little odd? It's exactly the kind of thing she would do, just to gloat like the sick woman she is." He deeply sighed as he looked at his friend. "She's been deceiving you, my friend. Jane Hexelton is an illusion and nothing more."
Wally couldn't answer; it felt like the ground underneath his feet was about to cave in and it was taking all his might to keep standing and stop himself from bolting. I should have known he would work it out this quickly, he thought cursing. If I managed to, he definitely would have. This is a disaster, if they walk in now they will find her own the phone with the HIVE Five, she couldn't fight them all off…
"I know it's a lot to take in right now." He suddenly heard Victor's voice say soothingly as Dick let go and stood back from him. "It must be a shock. He was going to tell you last night but by that time you had already gone."
"Right…I guess I brought this all on myself." Somehow he managed to straighten up and talk normally even if the words tasted like poison on his tongue. He knew that the only chance he and Jinx had left was if he went along with them, even if it was just for a little bit longer. "When were you planning to move in?"
Dick raised his eyebrows at the sudden change of attitude but he went on regardless. "As soon as possible. I'm awaiting a call from the office so we're heading to the front desk for that. I can then present our findings and then we can arrest her once we have back-up sent. I know what she is capable of-I won't have her getting away this time. She will pay for her crimes Wally, just you wait."
"Good." Wally said firmly, trying his hardest to sound like he meant it. "You go on down, I'll catch up. I…I just need a minute."
Dick looked like he was about to insist when Kori gently put a hand on his arm and steered him away. "Of course friend Wally, please take as long as you need. This must have been a great shock." Dick looked like he was going to protest but Kori silenced him with a thinly-veiled threat of a smile and he quickly turned away. Wally had to smile. One night and she had him wrapped around her little finger. She was good. "We will see you later."
"Thanks Kori." Wally nodded and smiled at her as she led Dick down the corridor. Victor and Garfield each gave him a sympathetic pat on the back as they passed and he felt a twinge of guilt that he was being forced to lie to them all. They weren't trying to hurt him, they were just doing their jobs and he knew a few days ago he would have done the same.
The second they disappeared around the corner, he ran for Jinx's door and yanked it open. As he pushed it open and nearly sent it flying off its hinges, he saw Jinx slam the phone down and glare at it, every ounce of her fury directed at it.
"Urgh, I hate them so much!" She growled furiously before she looked up and saw Wally standing there. "Wally, what's wrong?" She said, feeling fear trickling down her insides when she saw how pale and waxy his face was. "What happened?"
"They know." He heaved out, closing the door behind him and walking over to her. "Dick figured it out, he knows you are Miss Jinx. He's known since last night…that's what he was going to tell me. Right now, he's waiting for a call…that's going to allow him to arrest you."
"What?" Her hands shot out and grabbed his arms and he held her up as the news sank in. He could feel how tightly she was gripping him and he pulled her closer, burying his nose in her hair. "How did they… This is bad, this is worse than I thought."
"Why?" He pulled his face away slightly and saw she was avoiding his eyes, keeping her face pressed against his chest. "Jinx, what happened on the phone?"
She let out a bark of laughter, a harsh bitter sound that sent a jolt through her frame. "They were just moaning at me that their failure last night was my fault for not giving them the room number. Then Seymour came on and he started saying something was off with me…it's so damn obvious, even they can sense it. I had a go at them, yelling that they should have used their brains and the only reason I was off was because I was stuck here but I don't think they bought it. I heard Gizmo muttering as I hung up…it sounds like they are onto me as well. He was saying he wasn't sure if I could be trusted anymore…" She clung closer to him and he could almost feel her racing heartbeat fall into sync with his own. "God, this is awful. I'm so tired of this."
"Tired of what?"
"I'm tired of this stupid cat and mouse game. I'm tired of constantly being hunted, I'm tiring of having to cover my tracks all the time, I'm tired of having to lead those idiots, I'm…tired of hurting people Wally." She pressed her face close to his chest so he could only just hear her muttering. "I'm tired of being Miss Jinx Wally. I don't want this life anymore, I don't want to be a freak but I'm stuck like this."
"You're not stuck like this," He told her. "Believe me Jinx, if I could think of a way out of this, we would be gone in a heartbeat but… I can't think of anything, damn it!"
"What if I told you there was a way out of this?" She suddenly said and he drew back a little to look at her in astonishment. Her face was marked with blurry tears but her mouth was firmly set as her eyes looked deeply into his. "I…didn't want to do this, this was meant to be a last resort and you won't like it at all but I have to."
"What is it?" He asked her, his eyes searching her face. "Jinx, tell me."
She hesitated before she questioned him. "Did you ever wonder what I did after I murdered Mumbo?"
He flinched at the word murdered but then looked confused as he shook his head and a thin smile appeared on her face. "I didn't think so. You detectives can be so narrow-minded at times."
"Jinx…" Wally said warily, already not liking the sound of this. "What did you do?"
She looked up at him and sighed before she spoke. "After I had…disposed of Mumbo, I knew I had to have some sort of safety measure, just in case anybody got close to thinking I was the one responsible. So that night, I went around the hotel and I hid some of these around the place." She went to her bag and rummaged around in it before she pulled out a small round silver device that reminded him of a cross between a doorknob and a pocket watch. There was a small section that was open and he could see the finely-tuned tangle of machinery like the inside of a clock. He reached out to touch it but she pulled it out of his reach. "These are Gizmo's latest little inventions; they look pretty harmless but they have enough power to send this place crumbling to the ground where it belongs." She put the thing back in her bag and looked back at him before her hand delved back in and pulled out an even smaller silver device that was just a simple square with a button on it. "I have the detonator here. I press this and the hotel falls and every piece of evidence they have to trace me will be gone with it." She sighed a little when she saw how he was staring at her. "I told you it was my last resort."
"Jinx are you crazy?" He said, his eyes wide as he stared at the device then back into her eyes. "You can't do this, think of how many people will be here! Do you want to be responsible for all those deaths?"
"There won't be any," She told him, her voice strikingly calm even though her hands were trembling. She reached around and picked up her parasol to try and steady them but it only seemed to make it more noticeable. "A place as big as this will take a few minutes to fall, plenty of time for people to run. Also there aren't that many guests here, you've surely seen the book at the front desk." When he bowed his head and didn't answer, she went over to him and put her hand to his cheek. "I know you are scared for your friends but you said they were at the front desk so they'll get out without any problems. Please Wally, this is the chance we need, our only chance to get away from this and be…not like this. I…I want you to come with me."
"And what if I refuse?" He lifted his head up only the smallest bit so his forehead was resting on hers. His voice was soft but it still felt like it was cutting through her. "What will you do then?"
She squeezed her eyes together tightly as she forced herself to push him away and turn around, her parasol clenched tightly in her fist. He made to take a step forwards went suddenly she whipped her arm around so the end of the parasol was pointing at his delicate flesh of his throat. She looked at him unwaveringly, her eyes hardened but her voice was teary. "Then I'll just have to knock you out." She said. "You'll wake up on the pavement outside next to the wreck this place will be. You'll then go make a report on what happened, say you tried to stop me or whatever, and then you'll go on with your life whilst I make a new one somewhere else and you will never need to see or hear of me again." The tip of the parasol edged a little closer and he could feel it's coolness on his skin. "This is going to happen Wally; I'm not going to be captured. This is your choice. I'm not going to force you."
She closed her eyes and silence engulfed the room, the air suddenly still as if it too was eagerly awaiting his response. Wally heaved a few breaths as he stared at the woman in front of him, a woman so desperate to be something new she was willing to destroy all she had been to do it. Raven's words echoed through his mind and he realised this had been the moment she had been thinking of. The moment where he had to choose between his life as a detective here in London or a life somewhere else with her. Slowly he raised his hand and drew the tip of the parasol away from his throat. He had made his choice.
She almost winced when she felt the movement of the parasol, letting him drag it away as she waited. She braced herself for the sound of him opening the door and leaving, knowing she wouldn't follow him, but instead she felt his arms loop around her waist and his mouth caught hers in a kiss that erased all doubt from her mind about what he wanted to do. Relieved, she almost sobbed into his mouth as she kissed him back hungrily, her parasol falling from her fingers as she used them to pull him even closer.
They broke apart breathlessly, still so close together it felt like nothing on Earth could have separated them. Pink eyes stared up into sapphire ones as Wally cracked a grin.
"You really think you're going anywhere without me now?" He laced his fingers with hers and kissed her wrists, his lips against her weaving veins. "I'm not leaving you now. Besides, I'm the one under your arrest."
Down at the front desk, Dick was getting more and more wound up with each second that passed. Not only had the promised back-up not arrived yet, even though they had promised to be there on the double, he was growing more and more uneasy about the fact that Wally still hadn't arrived. Both Victor and Garfield had volunteered to go and look for him but Kori had warned them not to, saying that giving him space was the best thing for him. He smiled at the way she was standing by the door, her sheer will keeping them from going and he felt a surge of love for her. It was almost a testament to their friendship how he and Wally had fallen in love on the same case but he didn't want to think about what his friend was going through. He was still mad at him but he was also beginning to pity him. He would have to take him out for a beer after this, he thought to himself as he tapped his hand irritably on the top of the phone. He suspected Wally would be glad to put this all behind him.
The tension in the room wasn't helped by the others, who kept quiet so they didn't disturb Dick. When Kori looked at the way he was hunching his shoulders and keeping his head low, all she wanted to do was go over and hug him but she knew he needed space just as much as Wally did and so she held herself back. Victor and Garfield sat next to each other but didn't speak in case Dick snapped at them but they exchanged looks. They too felt sorry for their friend but they also could work out how he hadn't seen it too when Dick had. Victor had seriously considered voicing this but seeing Dick in the state he was in, he decided to let it lie. Love can be blind after all, he thought as he leant back against the wall.
The hallway was surprisingly bustling that morning with people forming a long line to the desk to hand in their keys and sign out. The place was alive with chattering as people left and the single solitary man that was positioned behind the desk looked frantic.
"Wow," Garfield commented as he lazily watched the crowd beginning to file out. "I guess people didn't want to stay after last night, huh?"
"I guess so." Victor answered. "Would you if you heard that Miss Jinx had been staying here? Most people would run a mile."
"And it looks like they're doing so." Dick said, turning around to watch the hustle as he joined the conversation, not noticing how both Garfield and Victor jumped at the sound of his voice. "That's a good thing. It means there will be less distractions around when we eventually arrest her. God knows what she will do once she's cornered." He looked back at the phone and growled slightly. "They're supposed to be here right now, where are they all?"
"Relax Dick." Kori went up to him and just her standing next to him and taking his hand subtly seemed to calm his frayed nerves. "They will be here soon and this will all be over. Just think of this as more time for civilians to leave the area."
Dick smiled a little and squeezed her hand tightly. "Yeah, I guess you're ri-"
His sentence was cut short as a low rumbling erupted from the other side of the hotel that suddenly made everyone stop in their tracks. The hallway chatter fell silent as another rumble quickly followed, one that was much louder. The building lurched as a third, much louder and closer rumble rocked the whole room and people screamed as they were sent sprawling to the floor. The four of them crashed into the wall as they tried to steady themselves. Dick pulled Kori over to him and he felt her nails digging into his hand. He looked up and gasped in horror as he realised the rumblings were getting closer and giant cracks patterned like a spider's web were working their way across the walls and ceiling. The Academy Hotel was rolling like it was in an earthquake and it couldn't hold itself upright for much longer.
"Everyone get out!" He yelled at the top of his voice as people started to crawl towards the door. "The place is about to cave in!"
He hauled Kori to her feet and they ran for the door, pursued by Garfield and Victor who were pulling people along as the crowd fought to be free of the shaking hulk. They all spilled out into the bright sunshine and ran across the road. All the people in the streets had stopped to stare, their daily lives paused as they heard the hotel roar like a mighty beast as it started to fall apart. Dick ran with the crowd, not letting go of Kori's hand, but then he stopped in the middle of the road his face suddenly white as a ghost.
"Wally's still in there!" He shouted and she only just heard him over the chaos and noise of the people around them. He watched her face go equally bloodless and he let go of her hand to turn around but he was already too late. The building let out one last great rumble like a wounded animal before it collapsed. The walls fell in and a great cloud of dust sprang up, turning the world grey and gritty for a few moments as everyone shielded their eyes. When Dick finally looked back, the Academy Hotel had been reduced to a pile of rubble, large chunks of wall and furniture spilled out over the road like entrails with only a hollow bit of its structure boldly remaining. It was no more.
Dick fell to his knees as he stared at it. Behind him, the sound of whistles and sirens alerted to the street that back up had arrived and the mess would be taken care of but all he could focus on was the sight of the wreckage.
"No." He whispered, the word feeling like it was ripping his throat. "No…"
The fall of the Academy Hotel attracted great media attention with reporters flocking to the scene only moments later. Every survivor there was interviewed as the site was combed over for any sign of what might have caused it. Not one of those witnesses had any idea of what could have happened and none of them had also seen how moments before the first rumblings, a red-haired man in a long overcoat and a pink-haired woman dressed in black had left the building via the back entrance and went down a side street, taking only a moment to look back before they disappeared.