Chapter 55: Family
It was the first time I had seen Roy since our little encounter in the gym room of the cave. Even with the fact that we had come from the same place, Roy had gotten to Dallas way before I had, and in return decided to pick me up from that entrance of a zeta tube downtown in an expensive black Cadillac - most likely a rental from Batman or someone who had way more money than I could ever dream of.
"I can only imagine what's underneath that coat." Roy said as soon as I slid into the passenger's seat, and closed the door behind me. Suddenly, I was glad I had worn a long coat - one that hung loose and low - so Roy, or anyone else for that matter, could see an single inch of the tight gold dress I was modeling.
"Well, in that case, please pick your jaw up from off the floor when it falls off later tonight." I hinted, smiling and staring out the window. I could hear Roy sigh.
"How did your boyfriends ever deal with you? Please tell me you have a remote or something?" I rolled my eyes at his sarcastic question.
"My boyfriends got a lot more than they intended from the relationship than you can imagine. And no, my remote has no buttons, and I use it to whack people who touch me. Hint, hint." Roy rolled his eyes and stared at the road.
"You know, I don't expect you to let this one down or anything, but at least give me some credit. Your more cunning and tempting than you may think, and I took a big step seeing that you're an ex-assassin and all."
"I'm not letting that down, until you let the whole assassin thing go. So when you're ready to accept that nobody's perfect, give me a call. I give out rewards all the time." Roy huffed at my comment.
"I can only imagine..."
It was quiet for the remaining time and I practically thanked God when we finally arrived at the club. I heard Roy sigh beside me, the first noise I had heard him make for almost thirty minutes. Parking across the street in a wide open alley, I stared, watching the bright gold lights light up every time the door opened and someone went in or out. I swallowed.
"I find it weird that this place looks more like a club in L.A. than one in Dallas. Aren't there supposed to be, you know, cowboys and stuff like that?" Roy asked and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I huffed.
"Yeah, if you're not a native Texan and from the nineteen-forty's. Texas isn't all cowboys, Roy. You better start doing better research or soon enough you'll make a huge mistake and end up going to hell instead of heaven." Roy laughed.
"I'm going to pretend that you meant your statement to be as religious as possible for someone as insanely... committed to hating religion."
"I don't hate religion." Roy rose his brow in an attempt to counteract my denial.
"Oh, really? Then, please, enlighten me by telling me what religion you are exactly. Or what you believe in, that'll do also." I could practically see Roy smiling through his blank face.
"None of your damn business."
"So you do hate religion." I glared at Roy.
"I do not hate religion. I just think that every one has their own opinions and beliefs, and maybe most of them are completely, utterly asinine."
"So... you're an atheist?" I frowned and looked away from Roy, staring out the windshield in hopes to change the subject. It was the first and last time that I'd ever be happy about my father's appearance, and I knew that, when I stared out and noticed his figure in the alley across from us, his eyes dark and his hands gripping the knob to the back door of the club. I swallowed.
"He's here. Why don't we continue this interesting conversation later when I'm not around my crazy ass family?" As the door shut behind my father, I opened the passenger door to the car, my heels clicking against the rocky pavement as I got out and closed the door softly behind me. I held the black clutch firmly in my hands, my thumb fiddling with the black diamond ring encircling around my middle finger. I stared at the ground to calm my racing heartbeat, my eyes barely noticing the contrast between the grey ground and the gold plated platforms and black straps, and not to mention my own black nail polish that was painted neater than I had seen it ever been on my nails. I looked up.
"You ready?" Roy said, finally getting out of the car and fixing the side of his belt - where I imagined a hand gun would be. I shrugged.
"As ready as I'll ever be, unfortunately." Roy ignored my comment, though his brow rose in deep interest as we crossed the no longer busy street. Roy stopped at the door and turned back to me, eyes focused on the road behind me before looking at me.
"Do you have your earpiece in?" I nodded and he sighed. "Good. You might need it." But before I could ask him why, or how, or what, or whatever, he was gone. I had followed him inside, but was engulfed in a raving group of women, most of them wearing less clothes than even I was, considering.
"May I take your coat for you, Miss?" I heard over the blasting of music. Turning around I made eye contact with a polite - or what I thought to be - British gentleman. I wasn't at the club for anything except finding out what the hell my father was doing, but acting like I wasn't into the dancing or anything would be suspicious as hell, and I didn't need more than one man on my ass that night.
"Uh, sure..." I said hesitantly, shrugging off my jacket and revealing more than I really wanted to, to the public, that is. I didn't dare look back as I was engulfed once more and separated from whoever the hell had taken my jacket. I was lucky that it wasn't that important to me, and that I had not a single thing in the pockets.
The room was getting more crowded every minute, and before I knew it I was being pushed to the bar, away from the crazy groups of people dancing dances that should've truly been illegal in the country. Before the bartender could come over and flirt with me by offering me some shitty martini and what not, I escaped to the restroom, where I stared at myself through the mirror, attempting to slow my heartbeat and maintain my mental stability - especially when I knew that the one of the most deadly men in the world was present. Literally.
I looked down at the sink, taking a deep breath and then looking back up to find none other than The Phantom staring back at me. Or, my father, so to speak.
"You're not going to get anything from just stalking me. You know that right?" He spoke, his voice deep and his smile dark.
"You do realize that you're in the wrong restroom, right?" I spoke, ignoring completely his previous question. His smile faded, but then came back darker.
"As if rules apply to me, darling. Now you, on the other hand, rules are everything. As if you didn't already know. Say, how's the Justice League treating you? Do they have you under lock and key when it comes to your full potential?"
"A better question would be what the hell are you doing here? Texas? Seriously? I mean, I know the girls here a cute but I could've sworn that your more of a Brazilian type, I mean just look at Lena. American - Brazilian. You're favorite type."
"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm more of a... world wide type of guy. And Texas was just one of my last stops I had to make in order to finish my plans in the Americas. Not that any of that will be any use to you or that boy talking in your ear."
As if on cue, Roy whispered through the earpiece. "Have you seen you're father yet? I haven't." I swallowed.
"Yes, yes. I know everything that's going on right now. And I feel so proud of you, right you. I mean, just look at all the hearts you've broken in the last week. Ace, your former bodyguard, and my former assistant. Patrick, the man who's way to young to have started a family. Roy Harper. The boy you broke from the beginning. God, what refreshing memories. My colleges are so jealous of what my daughter's grown up to be. As much as I'd rather have you at my side, helping your poor old father finished some... unfinished business, this is second place. Gold's great, but silver's good. Right?"
"How did you..." I whispered, eyes wide as I turned around and stared at him, face to face. He smiled.
"I know Martian Manhunter erased some of your memories, but he didn't erase that many. I mean, I still have friends all over the world, hacking into servers, spying on people who are almost invisible to the human eye. It's amazing really."
"What the hell do you want?"
"Darling. You've asked that question too many times. And, honestly, it's starting to get boring. So, why don't we start with the basics shall we? I just want my family back. And since you're stuck in one corner and I, the other, there's only one person who can pull us all back together. Alex."