Hey, guys. Merry late Christmas to you all. Here is something I made especially for all my loyal reviewers and watchers. Without you guys, while I still would have continued the story, I would not have felt such confidence and pride in my work. Stay tuned for the fourteenth chapter coming soon on New Years Eve.
I hope you guys have had some happy holidays!
"Do you see anything, Jon?" Becky asked, trying to peer into the darkness that clouded her vision. She could barely make out the lone shipment being delivered into the warehouse where they were waiting.
"Not yet," he whispered back, binoculars in his hands as he tracked the truck's movement as it unloaded the cargo from the ship, glancing slightly to the sides to scan for any signs of Friitawa's goons or Batman.
There!
His eyes focused on the small bands of thugs approaching the shipment, motioning for Becky to come closer as he shared his binoculars with her. "Do you think that these people were what Tetch was talking about a few weeks ago?"
She narrowed her eyes, focusing on their features. "I think so. It does fit some of Jervis' descriptions of the goons near the University, but do you think that those are Friitawa's thugs? I mean, those things hardly look human."
"Trust me, those are Friitawa's. She would be sadistic enough to try to genetically alter her thugs to enhance their senses," Crane replied.
The thugs started to carry the shipment off, nearly coming right under where the two were hiding.
"Get ready," he hissed, readying his scythe.
"Don't kill them, though. We'll need them alive in order to know the whereabouts of Friitawa's hideout."
""Fine, but if we have no choice, we will kill them," he huffed, crouching down, ready to spring.
"Alright," Becky replied, mimicking his actions.
When the goons finally were right under them, they leapt from their hiding places and landed near their target, fear gas shaken and ready as they released the gas. They both scattered as the goons opened fire, dodging and rolling to the side as they made their way to the shipment.
Most of the goons scattered, running fearfully away from the scene. A few stood and fought, but they were no match against the two as they weaved and dodged the punches and gunshots, and easily knocked them out.
"Well, that was easy. I thought you said this was going to be difficult," Becky replied, confused. Usually, goons like that were more likely to fight than to run, yet they seemed to scatter and flee quickly, giving up their prized shipment.
"I thought it would. But let's not push our luck."
The two then approached the shipment, preparing to unload the supplies and make off with it.
But as they touched the cargo, the crate exploded, sending them hurtling to the ground as Crane lost consciousness from the blast.
From the shadows nearby, Friitawa grinned as she approached the aftermath of the explosion.
"Looks like the fake shipment worked just as planned," she mused, as she walked towards Jonathan's limp, unconscious body.
Becky slowly lifted herself up onto her knees, struggling to move her hands and knee as she crawled pitifully towards him, wincing as she moved her burned body. "Get away from him," she cried weakly, struggling to stand, only to find her cane knocked out of her hands as Friitawa smashed the hand holding it with her foot, causing her to cry out in pain.
Linda only grinned, smashing her hand down harder. "Foolish girl! Do you honestly think that you can even stand against me? Look at yourself! You can't even take a single step without falling over."
"That doesn't mean I won't try!" she growled, her eyes glaring up at the albino as she struggled to free her hand.
She laughed as she turned away, lifting her foot off of her hand in the process. "Doesn't matter if you do or don't. Nothing can stand in my way. Not even you, in the long run."
"I already know what you're trying to do, Friitawa," Becky cried, as her hand inching towards her cane. If she could just get her fingers around it.
"Oh? You do?" she replied mockingly, turning to face her. "And what might that be?"
"You're trying to unleash the Scarebeast on this city!"
Linda frowned. "Hmph, I'm surprised you figured it out. But yes, that is my plan. Part of it, really."
"What's the other part?"
"Now, why would I reveal that to you? You're not even worth the time I've spent talking to you."
"Then what are you going to do then? Kill me?" she asked, not even flinching as Friitawa glared at her.
She shook her head. "No, I'm far too busy to dirty my hands with your blood. After all," she replied, swiping the cane from Becky's grasp just as the young woman had grabbed it. "Without this, you're no more than dead meat." She whistled, calling her goons to her. "Make sure there's not a single breath left in her body, boys."
The goons grinned, their teeth crooked and black, like the mouth of meth-addicted wolves, their claws ready to slice and dice.
Becky looked up in fear, trying to get up and fight as Friitawa grabbed Crane and slipped into the shadows.
They inched closer and closer, their grins widening as their claws reached out for her, ready to rip and tear into her flesh.
She closed her eyes, awaiting the inevitable.
Suddenly, a greenish-yellow ball rolled near the group, bouncing with a noticeable ting-ting-ting sound before lightly tapping against one of the goons' foot.
Electricity arced up the ball, electrocuting the goons as the electricity jumped from person to person, causing them to fall over, a slight sizzling sound coming from them as they were knocked out.
Becky slowly peeked one eye open, surprised to find that she wasn't dead as she looked in shock at the bodies around her.
"Well, aren't you going to thank me for saving your life?"
She looked up as she saw the Riddler approach her, his green and gold question-marked suit catching the dirty streetlights.
"After all, I could've just walked away," he replied snarkily, a smirk on his boyish face as he extended his hand to help her up.
"Well, thanks," she said, leaning against the wall for support, shakily maneuvering her other leg to support herself as she grabbed his hand. She looked with worry around her, unable to spot either Friitawa or Crane. "Now, where did Friitawa go?"
He snorted. "How should I know? Am I really supposed to be responsible for every single criminal in this city?"
Her eyes narrowed into a glare. "I don't have time to play games, Riddler. Jonathan is in grave danger, and if I don't stop Friitawa, all of Gotham will be destroyed."
He snorted. "You? But what can someone like you do about it? You can barely walk," he stated, gesturing towards her lame leg.
"I don't know, but I've still got to try. It's the least I can do for him, after all he's done for me," she said, trying to hobble along, with the Riddler slowly following her.
He raised an eyebrow. Here was a woman, who was small and could barely walk, who was going to face at least half of Black Mask's men with nothing but her fists. He couldn't help but admire her determination, even though he knew it would only result in her death.
"Well, if you're going to be facing her alone, how are you going to survive long enough to even get to her and rescue your beloved boyfriend?" he asked, grinning as he saw Becky blush.
"He's not my boyfriend," she muttered, trying to hide her blush. "But you do have a fair point. As much as I would like to storm her warehouse, I don't even know where it is or how I'm going to get past her defenses.
"Then I suppose you have no choice but to rely on me to get in," said the Riddler, twirling his cane.
"So, will you help?" she asked, her hopes beginning to rise.
"Hmm, let me think… eh, no." he replied, a coy grin on his boyish face.
Becky's hand curled into a fist. No wonder Jonathan hated this guy. He was more annoying than that annoying dog in that hunting arcade game. Just seeing his grinning face made her want to jab him right in the nose. "Then if you won't offer me help, then just get out of my way! Besides, you'll just be another dead body by the time this is over."
"Maybe, maybe not. You can't guarantee that."
She sighed. "No, I can't. But I know that Jonathan will be, if I don't get there in time." She tried to shuffle along, only for her grip to slip and cause her to tumble to the ground. She tried sitting up, a growl of frustration coming from her.
The Riddler, feeling sympathetic, helped her up, letting her lean on his question-mark staff as she slowly pushed herself up from the wall.
"But why do you hold him to such high value, Becky? Why take the risk that you'll be killed just so he can be safe?"
"It's because I love him, Riddler. And I love Gotham, despite how much it has hurt me over the years. And if you love someone or something, you'll do anything to protect them," she replied, her gaze hardening as she thought of the millions of people that were in danger. "And if Friitawa gets her way, Riddler, there will be nothing left of Gotham. Business will plummet, people will be too afraid to go out of their homes, and to make matters worse, the whole Justice League will probably be swarming the city."
The Riddler's eyebrows rose in shock. He had not figured that into the frame. He had assumed that Friitawa was just trying to keep tabs on her enemy, much like he did for his. He hadn't expected her to be bent on citywide destruction, although, in hindsight, he probably should have thought about it before agreeing to such a small portion of information as a reward. And, though he would not admit it, he, too, cared about his home, and he didn't want his city to be ruled by someone as cruel as Friitawa. Plus, if she had her way, he would get no reward for his troubles, and she would probably stab him in the back once she was done with him.
Slowly, he started to smirk. "You make a fair point. Very well, Miss Albright. I will help. I can get you past the cameras and guards, and I can lead you to your cane, but that's all I can do. The rest will be up to you."
And for the first time in long time, Scream felt hope as she started to formulate a plan to stop Friitawa once and for all.