Chapter 18: Visiting Hours
Dick's POV
"Can we go wake up Carter?" I can see a mischievous look in Damian's eyes.
"What's your definition of 'waking her up'?" I ask him with suspicion.
"Pouring a bucket of ice water on her. Why?"
"We can wake her up, but not your way."
"Whatever, Grayson. Your way won't be as fun." He says as he crosses his arms.
Tim, Damian, and I walk to the door of Chris' room. She's still asleep, and it's already 9:43! I don't understand why not everyone is a morning person. Still, even though Bruce is a night person too, he's awake. At least I think he is...there are sounds coming from his room.
I silently open her door and peek inside. Her room is dimly lit by the sunlight flooding in through her window. Her computer, along with some pencils, pens, and that kind of stuff usually on desks, are neatly organized on her desk. The area near her mirror is empty except for a brush, comb, some hair ties, and a tiny jewelry box. She's more of a tomboy than a girly girl.
Chris' face is half hidden by the blanket. And yet, she looks so peaceful. I don't really want to wake her up, but it's already late (in my book at least).
The three of us approach her bed. Tim bends down closer to her ear. He's about to say something when Damian interrupts him.
"If you really want to wake her up, kissing her on the lips will have your more desired effect."
Tim's cheeks turn a light shade of red as he takes a small step back, but the color quickly turns back to normal. Damian smirks at him.
"You...you can wake her up, Dick." Tim states. I don't know why he's so nervous all of a sudden. He's over his crush on Chris...right?
"Ok." I lean down and shake her body lightly.
"Chris, wake up." I whisper.
She doesn't wake up. I lean over and put my mouth close to her ear.
"Chris! Wake up!" I yell, shaking her more violently.
"Is that really the best you can do?" Damian taunts. I ignore him when Chris groans and turns over.
"Go away..." She complains.
"C'mon. Get up. You can do it."
"Ugh...Grayson you are pathetic. This is how you get someone up."
Damian jumps on top of Chris and starts yelling. "Carter, you imbecile, get up!"
"Get off me Demon!" Chris yells. Her voice sounds awake, but she's still lying in her bed, eyes half open, trying her best to push Damian off of her. "You're heavy for a 12 year old!"
"Well you're light for a 12 year old!" Damian complains back.
At least it's working.
"Chris, get up or I'll jump on you too!" I threaten.
"Don't. You. Dare." Her eyes are almost fully open, but her tone is threatening, like Batman's.
"Oh I will." And with that, I jump on top of Damian, and together we apply weight onto Chris.
"Tim, if you try to jump on me, all three of you are going to break my ribs. I don't think you want to be scolded by Bruce along with a kick to your balls, courtesy of me!" Chris threatens.
"I won't..." Tim states, almost like he's shy.
"We aren't moving until you get up." I state.
"Ugh...fine! Now GET OFF ME!"
I push myself off of the bed, and Damian follows suit. Chris starts breathing heavily as she pulls herself up.
"How many times do I have to tell you?! Don't wake me up like that!" She narrows her eyes.
"No promises." I say.
"Why would we stop doing something that amuses us?" Damian asks, while laughing hysterically.
Chris rolls her eyes. "Get out of my room!"
"No. We're dragging you downstairs. If we leave, you can always fall back asleep." I state.
"Well I-" Chris is cut off when I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder. I look at Damian and Tim. Damian has a wide grin while Tim is barely smiling. I don't know what he thinks of all this...
I expect Chris to bang her fists on my back, kick her legs frantically, and start screaming, but instead she just lies limply on my shoulder.
"What's up with you?" I ask.
"No use fighting and wasting my precious energy." She grumbles.
Tim and Damian run ahead down the stairs while I stop in front of Bruce's room.
"Bruce? You comin' down?"
Silence at first, then a shuffling sound.
"I'll be out in a moment. Just head downstairs." He replies, sounding rather grim.
Geez, what's up with him this morning?
"Okay." I turn around.
"Hurry up Daddy!" Chris yells as I begin to descend the stairs.
I'm at the bottom of the steps when Alfred emerges from the kitchen with a plate of food, a look of horror on his face.
"Master Richard! Put your sister down now!" Alfred's shocked voice echoes through the room.
"Yes, Alfred." I slowly slide Chris off my shoulder and place her back on the floor.
"Thanks..." She says as she turns around and grabs the plate from Alfred. She makes her way to the table.
"Miss Christine, that is Master Bruce's plate of food. Yours is in the kitchen."
"What's the difference?" She asks with a mouthful of food.
"Master Bruce has a larger serving size than you do."
"Really? Well, I guess, since he's a grown man and all...but I always feel the servings you give me are too little. I'm just gonna continue eating this."
"Alright then...just make sure you finish it, no matter how full you are." Alfred heads back into the kitchen, probably to add more food onto "Chris'" plate, which is now Bruce's.
Tim takes a seat next to her. "Are you sure you can finish that without getting too full? I mean...you are pretty skinny."
"So are you! And just because I'm skinny doesn't mean I don't have a large appetite. Besides, don't skinny people need to eat more because food gives more nutrients and carbs and whatever that stuff is?"
"Well you used the right words, but-" Suddenly, Chris shoves a spoonful of eggs into his mouth. Damian smirks and I laugh.
"You just got served!" I say.
Chris laughs as she takes the spoon out of Tim's mouth. I don't know whether or not my joke is funny because Chris laughs at both hilarious jokes and stupid jokes. Her reason for laughing at stupid jokes: "They're so stupid, it's hilarious!"
All of us are laughing, even Tim through mouthfuls of food, when Bruce comes down the steps wearing a suit and expensive loafers (I forget the brand).
"Father, why are you dressed like that? It's Saturday. You don't have work." Damian questions.
"I'm going to Arkham."
Silence. Is this undercover work for Batman? Or...
"Are you going to visit Jason?" I ask, and all heads turn to me.
A pause. Then Bruce speaks.
"Yes."
More silence. I always feel uncomfortable when the mansion is completely silent. It's kinda like the silence has an echo that moves throughout the entire house. Also, mansions are usually haunted in movies and stuff like that. The silence just adds to the creepy factor.
The silence is broken when Chris' spoon clatters onto her plate. I look back, and it looks as if the plate was licked clean. I never knew Chris could eat that much!
"Can I come?" She asks, and then everyone's gaze shifts to her.
"Why?" Bruce asks.
"Plenty of reasons, actually...well plenty in my book. I've never really seen Jason without a mask. Two, I've never actually been inside Arkham...and I've always been curious. Three, I wanna see what Jason is like when he's apparently 'more insane than he already is.' Four, I wanna see Phoenix...I feel like there's a different reason why she's there...and that's it, I think. Wow, that actually is a lot."
Bruce is deep in thought. Its not like she can get badly hurt; the psychopaths are behind bars and surrounded by guards. Then again, how many times have villains escaped from Arkham?
"Alright, you can come. Just make sure you are near me or a guard at all times. Don't be curious and wander off."
"Relax, Bruce. I'm not a child...well technically I am, but you know what I mean. I know I have a tendency to explore every new place I enter, but I have self-control. Besides, it's not like I can sneak away from you that easily."
"Go, get changed."
Chris stands up, nearly knocking over the chair. As she runs up the stairs, she yells a triumphant "Yes!" while making a fist and moving her elbow closer to her side. I don't really know what that gesture is called. At least she's happy. I can't help but smile.
Damian approaches Bruce and says. "Father, may I also accompany you on your visit to Arkham? Someone needs to be able to protect Carter when you can't."
"Okay. You go get changed too."
He barely gave that any thought. I guess Damian's reason for wishing to go is an automatic ticket for going.
Before heading upstairs, Damian approaches Tim and whispers something in his ear. When Damian pulls away, he is smirking. Once Damian turns around, Tim's cheeks begin to turn a bright red. What did Damian say to him?
Tim's POV
Dammit! I'm blushing! Go away, blush! Turn back into my skin color!
The Demon...he's lucky.
"Carter and I will be able to sneak away from Father, and who knows what'll happen. Or maybe, I can sneak into Autumn's cell and we will make out. Either way, you lose one of the women you show affection toward. Well, you are going to lose them both anyway. Why would anyone show you that kind of affection. Too bad you can't come... I doubt Father will allow one more person to come."
I'm not sure if I'm the one with a disgusting mind or if he is.
****Break****
Chris' POV
We're here.
We enter the visiting room. In the center of the room is a glass wall separating this part and the other part. On the other side is a table and a heavily chained door.
Jason is sitting on the chair with his arms chained to the table and his head facing down. He's wearing a dirty orange jumpsuit, his sleeves are pulled up halfway, and his breathing is shallow as he faces down, his bangs covering his face.
Jeez, Jason looks creepy, but I'm really curious.
Bruce takes a step forward and sits down on the chair in front of the glass. Jason shoots up his head.
I take a step back as I stare into those wide eyes full of insanity. He stares straight at Bruce but doesn't say anything.
"YOU!" He suddenly yells as he tries to get up.
"Jason." Dad says, keeping a calm tone.
Damian and I take two steps back towards the door behind us as Jason stares straight at Bruce with wide eyes.
"Dad…" I say. Without turning his head, he nods, signaling us to leave.
We walk out of the room as Jason yells something we can't hear.
We walk down the hallway with two guards at our sides, to the other visitor's room right next to this one.
We stop right in front of the dark door.
"I'll go first." I say, and the guards start to unlock the heavy door and I enter alone.
"Be careful Carter." That's the last thing I hear before the guard that came in with me closes the door.
The room is dim. A table sits in the middle of the room. There's no glass this time...I don't know why though. There's also a door standing at the back of the room, probably leading to the hallway of cells.
I stare into her dark, hard eyes. I see no sign of fear, just anger. She's sitting on the seat right in front of the table, leaning forward. Her arms are completely chained to the table, much like Jason was, although her chains seems to be heavier. Her ankles are also chained to the floor, but it looks to me that the chains are loose enough for her to lean in and whisper something in my ear to break my mind again. I have to be careful.
She just glares into my eyes. The light makes her look like she has dark circles under her eyes...well that, and also because she's bowing her head a bit. There is a large frown on her face as she stares right into me.
I take a seat in front of her and lean back in my seat as far as I can get. But no matter how hard I lean my back on the seat, I'm not getting any farther from that scary glare of hers. Whoever trained her is good, even teaching the Bat glare to her. I don't think Jason taught her that glare. Bruce's Bat glare usually only sends a chill through my spine, but hers...hers...makes me want to move as far away from her as possible. I have to stay strong and not show fear.
After a little silence, she lifts her head, and the dark circles around her eyes disappear. Her frown leaves, replaced with a smirk.
"So...are you real or...is this a dream?" I furrow my eyebrows as I ask.
"Yeah I think this is real. You know, you're not my first visitor...a woman...uh, what's her name? The doctor? Eh nevermind her name. She also came here just before you did." She says to herself.
"Autumn." I say firmly. She raises an eyebrow but looks down at her hands that are still chained.
"Hmm?" She hums.
"I need to ask you questions." Then I turn to the guard and motion for him to leave. He obeys. I'm surprised he didn't even hesitate.
"What kind of...questions?"
"Why did you turn yourself in? After all this time trying to get away from us, after trying to kill us...why would you just...turn yourself in?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows even more.
She looks up at me, her eyes empty; this time there's no rage, no anger, nothing...just clouds of fog in her eyes.
"Cause I wanted to." She answers and I shake my head.
"I doubt that."
"Go ahead, doubt it. But it's the truth."
"Who would wanna check themselves in Arkham?"
She cocks her head. "This girl." She smirks...I think her stay here at Arkham made her insanity grow worse.
I look at her. She has no collar around her neck...which means they don't know she's a meta.
"You can leave anytime you want to. Just burn off all those chains and bars and just walk out? Why are you still here until now?" I ask.
"You curious?" She smirks.
I snap my fingers in front of her eyes. "Come on Autumn, snap out of it!"
"Oh my gosh! That's what the woman said earlier! Oh yeah her name's...E...Elizabeth?"
I wave my hand in front of her face. "Why are you still here? Why not just leave?"
She blinks her eyes and the fog disappears, there we go...not even drugs can keep her down...I guess.
"I hate this place, I really, really hate this damned place. You know every night, I listen to the screaming of the insane men to lull me to sleep. It's too dark…too gross...you know that feeling, when it's so cold, so hopeless...that feeling...bounces off the walls of this place."
I've noticed.
"Being stuck in that empty cell...just gives me the feeling of being burned in hell. You know that feeling?"
I look down. "No." I answer honestly.
"Well, I've felt that feeling...the feeling of no hope, no light, no joy, the feeling of burning everyday on the inside...I know that feeling, and damn…it hurts...so much. I've felt that feeling at least...once in my life, maybe twice or thrice...but when that feeling faded from time to time...it made me feel better. But here!"
She pauses and stares into my eyes seriously. She's knows what she's saying.
"Here! Aw, hell. I get that feeling every single goddamned day! The feeling of just wanting to die! And just kill myself! And to just stop thinking about the consequences! I get that feeling every time I wake up and open my eyes! And god, do you know the stench of hopelessness just fills the entire damn asylum! It fills my lungs everyday!"
She just stares into my soul as she talks.
"I HATE THIS PLACE! And I always think about leaving this place! Everytime I wake up, wishing to be somewhere else, but then when I open my eyes...I'm in that rotten jail cell!" She nearly stands up, and I shuffle in my seat.
"We both know that you can get out anytime you want." I cock my head. "So why don't you?"
She sits and leans back on her seat, the chains on her wrists cling as she looks down.
"I worked hard to get here, from juvie, to the rehab, to right here."
So she's been potentially killing all those people?
"Don't get me wrong, I am insane. Sometimes, I just lose it."
"Lose what?"
"Control. Over my mind, over my actions. Sometimes I just kill, no matter who it is...no matter the consequences." She looks up at me. "Sometimes...rage just, takes over. Sometimes Phoenix just doesn't care."
For a minute I thought I saw something else in her...but I don't know what it is.
"Don't think that I'm just faking my insanity just to get into Arkham."
"Don't worry." I say "I don't think that at all. But why? This place...it's no place for a twelve year old. Why would you even try to get in here? Why not go to an orphanage or something?"
"And just leave my brother alone?" So she's here for Jason...
She looks at me with hard eyes. "I guess…" I say looking down. "No! I...I Promised. I'm keeping that promise, even though he didn't keep his." She looks down, emphasizing that she doesn't want to talk anymore. Almost instantly, her head jerks back up, and I can see the insanity in her eyes.
"GO AWAY! LEAVE! I DON'T WANNA SEE YOUR DAMN FACE!" She says coldheartedly. Then she looks back down.
I nod and stand up. I narrow my eyes at her. She's still my enemy. Nothing will change that. The door swings open and I walk out.
Damian's POV
I walk in, passing by Carter as she exits.
I step in and the door locks behind me. I told the guards not to come in with me. I don't need some weaklings trying to protect me. I can fend for myself.
I take a look at my old friend who just recently looked up and smirked at me.
"Woah, three visits in a day, new record!" She says and I walk towards the seat and sit down. Her jumpsuit is like any other jumpsuit, although her sleeves are also rolled back, much like Todd's.
"So, whatcha here for, Dami?"
"A question."
She lowers her eyelids and stares at me. "I already told Carter what she wanted. I'm not gonna tell you anymore."
I lean forward and take a closer look at her face. Her eyes are are hard and cold, but somehow is still reflecting the light of the dim lightbulb.
Her skin looks soft and white like the day I met her. Her hair still looks soft and shiny, a bit wavy with the line cutting in the middle, although it's quite messy...somehow, it still seems neat…
She's giving me a bored stare. I feel like I could stand up and leave and forget that this encounter ever happened. But I have gone this far. I cannot turn back now.
"No, Autumn. I have a different question." Her eyelids widen a little, looking more interested.
"What do you wanna know?" She asks, now raising her eyebrow and leaning back.
"Why did you kiss Drake? Why would you show him any affection? Do you...like him?!" Her smirk grows in amusement and she shakes her head.
"Hmmm, are you jealous Dami?" My eyes widen and I lean back and cross my arms.
"What! No! Why would I be jealous of that...that imbecile!" I say and she chuckles lightly, making it sound almost like a light giggle.
"Really? Cause it seems to me that-"
"Just answer the question, Autumn!" Why do I feel comfortable talking to the...enemy?
"Heh, okay, okay." She says, sounding like her old self again. The Autumn that I knew…
She sighs. "Yeah Dami, I like Drake." She says seriously and I jump off my chair. I would topple it over if it wasn't stuck to the ground.
"WHAT! I WILL...I WILL KILL THAT-"
She chuckles. "Gotcha!" I glare at her and sit back down. "You should have seen your face!" She laughs. I glare at her.
"Autumn, I am serious. Do you like Drake?"
She leans back, pulling the chains, but she doesn't seem bothered by the chains. "It was less than a peck. It meant nothing." She says smiling at me. I cannot tell if she is messing with me, or if she does or does not have any affection for Drake.
"But why did you kiss him? If you don't like him?" She rolls her eyes.
"I'm twelve Dami, and so are you. I'm not looking for a soulmate." She didn't say 'yet.'
"Drake is like, fourteen! I don't see why the 'kiss' would matter to him." She says.
Oh, the 'peck' matters to him very much. It does to me too.
"But you still kissed him!"
"It meant nothing." She repeats. "Why does it matter to you anyway?"
"No reason...just being, a...a...friend, that is all." She smirks at my answer.
"It means nothing." She says.
I can't tell if she's telling the truth…girls...they're so confusing.
"Really?" I lean forward. "I don't believe you." I'm truly not convinced.
She's just about a meter away from me. Somehow, even in that orange jumpsuit, she still looks...neat. She even looks and smells quite nice. I do not understand how...she is able to keep on a certain glow even in this dark place. Maybe it is her smile? Or her white teeth? Or her slightly wavy hair? (Well, her bangs are mostly wavy, curling up on the sides of her face, like her brother's. But her bangs are much longer, of course.)
She chuckles. "My time in this room is going to be up soon, so I can't really explain anymore. But…"
She leans forward...and her soft lips land on my right cheek. The hair in the back of my nape stands, my eyes widen, and my mind breaks in half as I feel her cool, soft lips on my cheek.
Then the softness disappears and she leans back and smiles at me as my mouth drops.
"I thought you could use one." She smiles at me. "Now you and Tim are even." She says, still smirking.
"Di...di...s...gu...gu...st…i...i...ng." I cannot finish my word, but I don't wipe my face.
She smiles. "Whatever." Guards from the other door come in.
"Leave now." One of the guards tell me. I stand up and walk towards the other door still with my mouth wide open.
I encounter Carter.
"Damian! What did she tell you?! And why is your mouth wide open?!" She asks me.
"Damian? Damian?" Her voice starts to become distant as she repeatedly pokes my shoulder. "Damian? Earth to Damian?"
She stops poking me and cups her hands around her mouth. "Yo Damian!" She yells in my ear and I blink my eyes and look at her.
"Well? What did she tell you?"
I rub my ear. "Never do that again, Carter." I threaten and she rolls her eyes.
"What did she tell you?"
I touch my cheek. "Nothing. Let's get back to Father." I say, starting to walk down the hall.
"Um...dad's the other way." I turn around, still holding my cheek.
"Right. I obviously knew that." I say, and Chris rolls her eyes again.
Wow. Now I have a story for Drake. I smirk as we walk down the hallway.
When we reach the door, I can hear a lot of yelling. One of the guards opens the door, and we step inside. A yelling Todd is being dragged away, and Father is just standing there, watching him.
"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!"
Father bows his head slightly, then turns to Carter and me. He walks to us, and places one hand on my shoulder and the other one on Carter's.
"Let's go." He says rather grimly.
Chris' POV
Dad ushers us out of the room and we walk down the hallway. We are about to turn a corner when I remember something...something about when we were walking into Arkham. Someone I noticed when I was exploring with my eyes. It's too late to switch sides with Damian...
We turn the corner, and I turn my head to the right. I find myself staring at a mad clown whose crazed eyes are staring back at me. I shudder a bit. I've only seen The Joker this close once before...a few months before I was adopted. I'm pulled back into that horrible memory.
"Basty's not gonna save you this time, girly." The Joker chuckles in my face, spitting on me a bit. Disgusting. Wait, how does he know Batman's saved me before?
I can't say anything. I can't do anything. I'm gagged and chained to a tilted platform, so I'm almost standing perfectly straight.
"Well, actually...I want him to come and play! And you, girly, are my BAIT!"
I've never been this scared before...this fear rising inside of me...it's overwhelming. And that clown's creepy face isn't helping.
"You are pretty for bait...well I've used prettier to get Batman to come out of his cave, but I guess I'll just have to settle with you." He sighs, then reaches out to touch my face. I try to push my face away from his hand as far as I can, but I can't go any further. His hand is just a centimeter away from my face when one of his henchmen is taken out. The Joker pulls his hand away abruptly and turns on his heels.
"Batsy! You've decided to join the party! Did you bring Bird Boy? Oh wait... I KILLED HIM! HAHAHAHAHA!"
Batman emerges from the shadows and takes down the rest of the thugs. I can't see the entire thing because my vision is blocked by the clown's messy mop of green hair. Batman slowly approaches The Joker, his long cape trailing behind him.
"Let. Her. Go."
"But where's the fun in that? C'mon Batsy! Put on a smile! This is a party! A death party for your little sidekick."
Batman steps closer to The Joker as the madman continues talking.
"Awww...you still aren't smiling. Maybe one more death will do the trick!" He pulls out a knife, and at first I think he's talking about Batman.
"Touch her and you will regret it." Oh...he meant me. BATMAN! CAN'T YOU CALL NIGHTWING TO GET ME OUTTA THIS MESS WHILE YOU HANDLE THE JOKER! ARE YOU GONNA HELP ME OR JUST HAVE A LITTLE TEA PARTY WITH THE CLOWN?!
"I've never heard that one before!" Joker says, skipping forward and rolling his eyes. At that moment, Batman punches him in the face. The Joker stumbles backwards, the knife in his hand is only inches away from my stomach.
Joker recovers and starts swiping his knife at Batman. Batman ducks and swipes his foot on the ground, causing The Joker to lose his balance and fall to the floor. He picks Joker up by his shirt.
"You're going back to Arkham where you belong."
"Oh not just yet, Batsy!" He swings his arm back, and the cold blade rips my shirt, penetrates my skin, and enters my body. I want to scream, the pain is too much...the most pain I have ever felt. But somehow, I'm able to keep it in... I shut my eyes and I scream inside my head as tears fall down my cheeks.
AAAAAAAAHHHHHH! THAT HURTS SOOO MUCH! SOMEONE HELP ME! STOP THE PAIN! GET THIS THING OUT OF ME! NOW! BATMAN! HELP!
I open my eyes again. The Joker rips the blade out of me as Batman drops him. I want to scream even more. I look down and see the crimson liquid spilling out of my body as Joker crawls away.
I look back up and see Batman's wide eyes. He rushes over to me and starts to release me from my bonds. Surprisingly, Joker isn't doing anything to stop him. I look over in his direction and he places something on the floor. At first I don't know what it is, but then I hear ticking. A bomb.
"Well...I gotta run! Maybe this time, you'll die in the explosion! First Bird Boy, then Batman! I must be the luckiest man in the world!" And with that, he runs out of...wherever we are.
"You'll be okay...you'll be okay..." Batman keeps repeating as he releases me. He takes out my gag and carries me. My head is leaning on his shoulder as he holds me. I can tell that he's using his suit to stop the blood flow of my stab wound, since my side is being pressed onto him as we run out of the building. I wince at the pain, but I try my best to ignore it.
Instead of watching the building slowly fading in front of me, I look down and watch Batman's dark cape flap up and down as he runs. Suddenly, orange fills my vision, but it's immediately replaced by black. The black of Batman's cape.
We were far enough from the building that we didn't end up being pushed away by the explosion. Wow. He runs fast.
The last thing I remember is Batman lying me down onto the prickly grass and treating my stab wound before I black out.
I also remember my fear dying down when I was in Batman's arms. I felt safe. Batman has always protected me from harm. Even before I was adopted by Bruce Wayne, Batman was like the father figure in my life.
I blink, and the memory fades away. I find myself facing the freak clown in his cell.
"Why are you so familiar? Maybe you should be my first victim once I break out of this place! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
I feel Bruce's grip on my shoulder tighten as he pulls me closer to him, sort of like a protective hug.
"Stay away from my daughter." Bruce threatens, and the guards step in front of me.
"No promises! HAHAHAHA!" He continues laughing as we walk away from his cell.
I know he was probably only trying to scare me. He sees me as some helpless girl with a rich daddy. He probably thinks that I see myself as a spoiled princess who has everything in the world. But he's wrong.
If he actually meant what he said...if he's going to come after me once he breaks out just because I'm familiar, then he's just asking for a death wish.
I can protect myself. My brothers will protect me. Dad will protect me. Batman will protect me.