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Ch. 9
Selina returned home to find her father sitting in his favorite brown suede chair smoking a pipe. She slipped off her evening coat, hung it up and strode toward him. Coming around to his right she greeted him with a quick kiss.
"Hi daddy."
"Where have you been, Selina?"
Selina crossed the room taking a seat on their leather couch. She frowned. "Can't a girl have a nice night out with a friend?"
"You consider Dent a friend?"
"You had me followed. Again. Daddy we talked about this. I can take care of myself."
"I know, but I still don't trust the man. You know that."
Selena sighed. "I know and you know that I don't trust him either. He's still the same man who dumped me five years ago." She got up and started to pace. "What is with men and their work? Always obsessing over the next greatest project or achievement. No offense, dad. I know how much work you put into the family business."
Mr. Kyle watched his daughter thoughtfully. "None taken. Selena, we've talked about this. Dent is young, rash, impulsive, and jumps into things hands first leaving his head behind. At the rate he is going I'm surprised he hasn't fallen yet. A man's pride can only carry him so far."
Selena ran a hand through her dark auburn hair and sighed deeply. "Yes, your right dad. Sorry, guess I'm just a bit wound up. I had a friend tell me the city is reopening a murder case from a few years ago. It'll probably be on the news tonight."
"Rough stuff these days. Though I still don't like the thought of someone thinking they can dress up like bat and take the law into his hands."
"You mean Batman? His icon is intimidating but I think he means well for the innocent civilians of Gotham."
"You could have fooled me. Don't you recall the first time I ran into him?"
Selena's brow creased with disapproval. "Well, let's think back to whose company you were in the presence of," she snapped.
"How was I supposed to know Oswald Cobblepot was the Penguin? He's my friend."
"You mean was your friend."
"Yes. Sorry. Was my friend."
"You were the innocent civilian caught up in the crosshairs of Gotham's greed. Batman knew that. How? I have no idea. But you were very lucky to get out of there alive."
"So, what are you saying?"
"Well why are you judging someone who ends up saving your life?"
"Because he works outside the law."
"Well, so did Oswald. You don't see him running around this city trying to help people. Just himself. Dad, I owe my life to that vigilante. You know the police would have never made it to me in time."
Her father remained silent.
"I know you don't like him dad, but this city would be run by crime lords without him."
Her father ran a hand over his face feeling a week's worth of stubble. "We can agree to disagree. This creature lurks in the shadows ready to strike. How is that different than a criminal?"
"His methods are strange, suspicious, and at times extreme, but I believe he is making a difference. A decade ago, no ordinary citizen would be out two hours before sunset, and now the night life in this city is flourishing beyond anything I have seen. This coming after one major change: the appearance of Batman."
"Or was it the fact that the mayor was asked to add in a hundred more officers to its ranks?"
"So what? He did that because the police were being slaughtered by gangs and shootouts gone wrong. They could add a hundred more men today, but still not make a dent in the crime that seeps through this city. For all we know, Batman is more than one person. It could be a code name for a black op hit team sent by the U.S. Government. It would explain the use of abnormal brutality. How else can one man dump more than one criminal at the GCPD? He has to be working with a team."
"You may be on to something, Selena, but I don't want you to obsess over it."
"Dad, I'm just thinking out loud here. I'm not obsessed with him or it."
"As my only daughter, Selena I want the best for you and that also means your safety. You may be an adult, but you'll always be my little girl and I could never live with myself if something happened to you."
Selena smiled warmly at her father. "I know, dad. Well, I'm exhausted, so I'm going to head to bed early."
"You don't want to chill with your old man?"
"Well, I'll be seeing you in less than 10 hours, so we can "chill" then. Night, dad." Selena gave him one final hug before disappearing upstairs to her quarters. As she sat down on her plush blue comforter her phone buzzed. It was Bruce. He said he got her message and they could discuss her findings next week.
She closed her phone and took out the card Dent had given her. She looked over the card once more. Max Derain. Why would he be interested in her father's business?
All her family managed were Gotham's high-end clubs. Unless he wanted to book a high-end event for a social party there really was nothing to invest in.
Besides the fact that there were plenty of other places so have a party. Dent would surely tell his friend that. More specifically, Dent said Mr. Derain wanted to speak to her. Why not go directly to her father?
As Selena sat there, she pondered whether she should tell her father about it in the morning. Knowing him, he would jump at an opportunity if it presented itself. However, she knew the last time she let that happen it ended in a disaster.
Her father wasn't naturally a troublemaker, but trouble always seemed to find him. Since the death of his wife, he had begun to spiral and if she hadn't been there to support and urge him on, he could have ended up going crazy. She let her thoughts tumble around her mind as she dressed for the evening. Whether or not she told her father right away, she needed more information. Letting it go for now, she curled tighter into the folds of her soft comforter and drifted off.
As the moon rose steadily higher into the sky, a wind from the north blew across the city. It swept over the Gotham river churning its waters white. Late night walkers pulled their coats closer fighting off the sudden brisk gust. It clawed its way past the skyrise buildings, swarmed through the dark alleyways, releasing a bone chilling squeal. Somewhere in Gotham's underground subway station a lone figure sat hunched over on an empty bench his face half lit by the dying embers of a cigarette. His hardened gaze bore into the dusty darkness landing on a hastily spray-painted bat symbol on the opposite wall.
Bats, rats and brats. He chanted in a husky baritone. Signs, fines, and delicious wine. Gotham will soften and become an empty coffin. Bats will fall above them all when apex comes to prowl.
The figure stood up swaying as he thrust his hands in the air waving them wildly. His shadow writhed in the darkness as he slipped over the edge of the subway rail guard and toppled onto the tracks. His crazy chant bounced off the rounded walls of the subway tunnel system echoing into the darkness that soon swallowed him whole.
Bats, rats, and brats.
Signs, fines, and delicious wine.
Gotham will soften and become an empty coffin.
Bats will fall above them all when apex comes to prowl.
Well that just got dark quickly...