The drugged man stared into Shade's eyes. Even though the room was dark she could see the outline of the contrasting red of all the capillaries in the whites of his eyes. He lunged at her again and she ducked, using both arms to flip him over her shoulder. She ran into the kitchen and grabbed a chef's knife from the block.
He ran at her again, not seeming to notice the knife. He wasn't afraid of it. The police had come to realize these people were not afraid of guns either.
She did not want to kill him. She never wanted to kill anyone, but she was growing tired. The fight had been long and she was spent. She needed to incapacitate him. As he came closer she stood still and let him get an arm's length away before swinging the blade at his arm. Blood poured onto the floor but the pain did not stun him for more than a second. She cut him again, close to the same spot, using the moment of pain where he was distracted to grap a cast iron skillet from the stove.
After knocking him over the head, he collapsed.
Once he was down she checked to make sure he was still breathing and ran to the closet where the woman, presumably his girlfriend was hiding. the police sirens were growing louder as they approached.
"Are you okay?" Shade asked the woman who crawled out with tears in her eyes.
She nodded as Shade helped her to her feet.
"He's not dead," Shade assured the woman.
"I know," the woman said. "I know you wouldn't kill him."
"The police are going to have a lot of questions," Shade told her.
The woman nodded again.
"And I...actually have a few.." Shade said as they walked over to where her unconscious boyfriend was laying.
The woman looked afraid to touch him. She blinked with teary eyes and looked at Shade.
"Was this his first time using this...drug?" she asked.
"Yes," the woman rambled sadly. "I was afraid to try it.."
"Do you know who sold it to him?" Shade asked.
"No," she said. "But he told me the guy came up to him on campus..that's all.."
"Why...why would he try this? Hasn't he seen the news?" Shade asked her.
The woman nodded. "He's been...really stressed and a bit depressed lately...he just...and now...what? He's going to jail?"
"I don't know," Shade told her. "The substance is illegal..the other surviving users have been sedated for days...I don't know what will happen."
"Shade.." the woman said weakly.
"Yes?"
"He came at me like he didn't even know me..If you hadn't come..." the woman went on. "I think he would have-"
The police came in through the open door at that moment but they both knew what she was about to say. He would have killed her.
.
.
.
"Somebody's sleepy," Adriana said to Arsenio who yawned for the third time in a row.
"No!" he replied, wanting to stay up. He got onto his knees and picked up his stuffed frog.
"It's fifteen minutes past your bedtime, little one," Bruce said.
The three of them were in the bed and had just finished reading a book. Asenio began to bounce on his knees and make whining sounds. Adriana and Bruce looked at each other trying not to laugh as his fought his sleepiness,
"Come here," Bruce said to Arsenio and extended his arms.
"Nooo," Arsenio said and pulled his frog's arm. "No sleep!"
"Arsenio," Bruce said a bit more seriously and finally Arsenio went to him.
Adriana watched as Bruce held Arsenio for a few seconds, and almost immediately Arsenio closed his eyes. He couldn't resist sleep as Bruce rocked him.
"I'll take him to bed," Bruce whispered and got up carefully. Before leaving he walked over to Adriana's side of the bed to she could kiss Arsenio before Bruce took him to his room.
Adriana closed her eyes and thought about the day she had. Everything had gone well, but they were no closer to finding out how to stop the dangerous new street drug. Bruce returned to their room moments later.
"Are you nervous for tonight?" Bruce asked her.
It was time for one of two missions they needed to complete for Phase Two of making the Joker disappear. They needed to break into a facility to replace his DNA sample that was being held under tight security and being kept frozen. They were not due to leave for a few hours and hadn't decided whether or not they should sleep.
"A bit," Adriana said. "But we've gone over the plan a million times. We're trained with the tranquillizer guns. We'll be able to sneak in during shift change..I think it will go perfect."
"So do I," Bruce said and laid beside her. "After this, in a few days we'll go to the storage property to collect the physical evidence. It will be easy and quick."
"Mhm," Adriana said.
"If anyone's going to make this go smoothly," Bruce said. "It's us three. We're skilled."
Adriana smiled at Bruce as he threw the covers over himself. She rolled onto her side and looked at him.
"You think Jack is skilled?" she asked.
"In his own way," Bruce said.
Adriana continued smiling.
"Yes, he's grown on me," Bruce said. "I'm relived his scans came back as normal after taking a small hit of..whatever the hell is in that drug."
"So am I," Adriana said. "Speaking of which...I'm glad that I haven't quit going after the people using it. I saved a woman's life earlier."
Bruce took a deep breath.
"I'm aware," he said. "I'm also aware that this man was going through a lot. Was approached with a dangerous offer that he was not likely to turn down. He was chosen."
"That's an assumption," she said.
"And whoever chose him was probably hoping he would kill a cop," Bruce said. "Or raise more hell. They probably are trying to get to me."
Adriana frowned.
"Not everything has to do with you," Adriana shook her head. "Some people just sell drugs to make money."
"Jack seems to think this is a ploy to get to me," Bruce said.
"Yeah which is why I don't like the two of you being so close," Adriana said. "He has no evidence of that...just a hunch-"
"His hunches are usually spot on," Bruce said. "The numbers are increasing. You can't handle them all-"
"So what are you suggesting? I just stop?" she said. "I've handled them all so far. I've got this-"
"I'm suggesting we leave it up to the police," Bruce said. "Our efforts are best used in tracking down the producers and sellers."
"We have no leads. Nothing," she said plainly. "So in the meantime you want me to let people die?"
"No, however we can save more people by-" Bruce said but she cut him off.
"I've saved them all since I've been focusing on this," she said. "All of them since I became aware of-"
"Adriana I don't want us to argue about this," he said. "Not now. We need to keep our heads clear."
"Fine," she said. "But until we have at least some...thread of a real lead on this...I'm going to keep doing what I have been."
"Fighting zombies," Bruce said.
"They're not zombies," she said. "They are people. If I can save them from being shot by the police by knocking them down then..I'll do it."
"The one's that are alive still haven't returned to normal," Bruce said. "They have to be kept sedated. The doctors believe they have permanent damage. They are essentially zombies."
"No one can know if it's permanent," she said. "It's only been a few days. We'll see."
"We will," Bruce said, his voice firm.
"Are you mad at me?" Adriana said. "For...well...defying you?"
"You're my wife..not my prisoner or child," Bruce said. "I can't give you orders."
"Well..." Adriana said and touched his cheek. "You could. All you've done is tell me that you don't me you don't want me doing this, that I shouldn't be doing this...You haven't forbid me."
"And what if I did?" he asked.
"I..." she said. "I wouldn't be happy."
Bruce nodded. "I know."
Bruce then grabbed Adriana's wrists and quickly got on top of her.
"Oh," she gasped as he held her captive.
"But I can ask you very nicely," he said.
Adriana laughed. "Is this supposed to scare me?" she asked. "You're just making me horny."
She wrapped her legs around his hips and kissed him.
"It was worth a shot," he sighed.
"Make love to me," she whispered. "After all we are breaking into a heavily guarded facility in a few hours. Like you said...we need clear heads tonight."
"We do," he murmured and couldn't help but smile. "As you wish."