Mitchell ‘the Mole’ Morrison stared at the red-haired woman sitting across the table dressed in a white t-shirt emblazoned with a bat symbol and blue jeans, a small leather messenger bag on her shoulder. Normally he’d be thrilled at meeting such a woman, but today he felt nervous, despite being on what constituted as his home turf.
Overweight, balding, and inflicted with an infected mole on his nose, Morrison was no catch unless you were looking for suppliers of pirated DVDs.
“So, Mitchell,” The woman said with a smile as she traced an upside-down ‘D’ on the grimy surface of the table, “you were just about to tell me about that trafficker Pradea has storming into town,” she stated as the man behind the counter yelled out an order.
“Not till I know the payment has gone through,” Morrison gulped as he shot a look towards the counter. “Till I have what you promised in my hand.”
“Oh, you’ll get what’s owed to you, Mitchell,” the woman said in a cold voice as her hand gravitated towards the cutlery and napkin to her right.
“Order 62; One vegan ham on rye, one red onion and jalapeno on sourdough, and two medium cappuccinos!” The man behind the counter yelled, prompting the redhead to stand up, walk to the counter and show her ticket. Seconds later she was back with the two sandwiches and coffees.
“You’re a lady of your word Dare,” Morrison announced as he took the sandwich wrapped in paper with a symbol of a pig with an X on its back off the tray. “Last time I ran into someone like you in Gotham she suspended me off a rooftop by a rope and pointed a crossbow at it until I talked.”
“The trafficker, Mitchell,” Dare reminded him as she took a sip from her coffee.
“Him, so have you heard of the Roadrunner?” Morrison stated between bites of his sandwich and sips of his coffee. “He’s the guy who brings in weapons in the trunks of luxury cars. Anyway, Pradea finances his operations and has him scheduled to bring in a lot of firepower into town. Real scary stuff right out of a war zone like machine guns, RPGs, and flamethrowers.”
“Those are heavy items, is he making multiple runs or driving in convoy?” Dare asked as she placed her coffee cup back down onto the table.
“He’s mixing it up, apparently it’s coming in on a truck loaded with cars,” Morrison replied as he watched a man in a duffel coat walk up to the counter. Following his gaze, Dare spotted the man and covertly fished a mask out of her bag, placing it over her eyes.
“Really, an armed robbery on a deli,” Dare mumbled under her breath as she adjusted the filter of her mask to see the displacement caused by the pistol hidden in the man’s coat. “Get down, call the police and tell me where the Roadrunner is offloading if you know,” she added as she walked up behind the man as he drew his weapon and aimed it at the cashier.
“Give me everything you have!” the shooter yelled at the top of his voice.
“Okay,” Dare answered as she performed a leg sweep, knocking the man off balance sending him slamming back first into the tiled floor. Kicking the gun away, Dare delivered a knockout punch to the man before he could think about rising, the blow accompanied by applause. Walking over to Michell and recovering her bag, the informant slid a greasy piece of paper across the table.
Overweight, balding, and inflicted with an infected mole on his nose, Morrison was no catch unless you were looking for suppliers of pirated DVDs.
“So, Mitchell,” The woman said with a smile as she traced an upside-down ‘D’ on the grimy surface of the table, “you were just about to tell me about that trafficker Pradea has storming into town,” she stated as the man behind the counter yelled out an order.
“Not till I know the payment has gone through,” Morrison gulped as he shot a look towards the counter. “Till I have what you promised in my hand.”
“Oh, you’ll get what’s owed to you, Mitchell,” the woman said in a cold voice as her hand gravitated towards the cutlery and napkin to her right.
“Order 62; One vegan ham on rye, one red onion and jalapeno on sourdough, and two medium cappuccinos!” The man behind the counter yelled, prompting the redhead to stand up, walk to the counter and show her ticket. Seconds later she was back with the two sandwiches and coffees.
“You’re a lady of your word Dare,” Morrison announced as he took the sandwich wrapped in paper with a symbol of a pig with an X on its back off the tray. “Last time I ran into someone like you in Gotham she suspended me off a rooftop by a rope and pointed a crossbow at it until I talked.”
“The trafficker, Mitchell,” Dare reminded him as she took a sip from her coffee.
“Him, so have you heard of the Roadrunner?” Morrison stated between bites of his sandwich and sips of his coffee. “He’s the guy who brings in weapons in the trunks of luxury cars. Anyway, Pradea finances his operations and has him scheduled to bring in a lot of firepower into town. Real scary stuff right out of a war zone like machine guns, RPGs, and flamethrowers.”
“Those are heavy items, is he making multiple runs or driving in convoy?” Dare asked as she placed her coffee cup back down onto the table.
“He’s mixing it up, apparently it’s coming in on a truck loaded with cars,” Morrison replied as he watched a man in a duffel coat walk up to the counter. Following his gaze, Dare spotted the man and covertly fished a mask out of her bag, placing it over her eyes.
“Really, an armed robbery on a deli,” Dare mumbled under her breath as she adjusted the filter of her mask to see the displacement caused by the pistol hidden in the man’s coat. “Get down, call the police and tell me where the Roadrunner is offloading if you know,” she added as she walked up behind the man as he drew his weapon and aimed it at the cashier.
“Give me everything you have!” the shooter yelled at the top of his voice.
“Okay,” Dare answered as she performed a leg sweep, knocking the man off balance sending him slamming back first into the tiled floor. Kicking the gun away, Dare delivered a knockout punch to the man before he could think about rising, the blow accompanied by applause. Walking over to Michell and recovering her bag, the informant slid a greasy piece of paper across the table.
ISSUE 13
“GOTHAM”
BY
JOHN CHEESE
“GOTHAM”
BY
JOHN CHEESE
Aliki Marceau sat on the sofa staring at the online map that showed the car dealership listed as Wiley Motors on the edge of Bludhaven city limits, looking for anything that might give her an edge. As she brought up the second page of photographs the door opened, the warm autumn air and smell of diesel fumes washing into the room.
“Kettle’s warm if you want a coffee, Katherine,” Aliki stated as the red-haired woman dressed in a Bludhaven Police Department uniform walked past and collapsed onto the other end of the sofa. “Long day?”
“Hard day too,” Katherine sighed as she untied her hair and let it drape down her shoulders. “Apparently Kiteman stole a laser beam splitter from Gotham Optics campus on the edge of the city early this morning, no casualties but this is the second-high rise robbery he’s performed in Bludhaven in the last month. We also had a ram raid on the Marcus Casino by, and I kid you not, individuals armed with rocket launchers.”
“Casualties?” Aliki asked as she closed her laptop.
“Three fatalities, all among the crew attempting the robbery,” Katherine replied as she bowed her head. “The rocket launchers back blast cooked two of the crew and set off the munitions that killed the third,” she continued as she pulled a folded printout from her belt. “Perps dying mid heist isn’t anything new for Bludhaven but this…this was brutal.”
“The weapons are coming in by road,” Aliki answered as Katherine handed her the printout displaying a Gotham address and the mug shot of a blonde-haired woman. “I have the date of the next shipment and the name of the trafficker,” she added as she shot Katherine a worried smile as she read the name. “You found her? I had no idea you were still looking.”
“I promised, besides Miss Pike has skipped out on her parole officer for the last two weeks,” Katherine told Aliki as she handed her a leaflet displaying a train timetable between Gotham and Bludhaven. “Chances are she’s just an ember in the wind.”
“Well, there’s that old Gotham saying isn’t there,” Aliki replied as she ran her finger along with the timetable, where there’s fire, there’s Firebug.”
“Kettle’s warm if you want a coffee, Katherine,” Aliki stated as the red-haired woman dressed in a Bludhaven Police Department uniform walked past and collapsed onto the other end of the sofa. “Long day?”
“Hard day too,” Katherine sighed as she untied her hair and let it drape down her shoulders. “Apparently Kiteman stole a laser beam splitter from Gotham Optics campus on the edge of the city early this morning, no casualties but this is the second-high rise robbery he’s performed in Bludhaven in the last month. We also had a ram raid on the Marcus Casino by, and I kid you not, individuals armed with rocket launchers.”
“Casualties?” Aliki asked as she closed her laptop.
“Three fatalities, all among the crew attempting the robbery,” Katherine replied as she bowed her head. “The rocket launchers back blast cooked two of the crew and set off the munitions that killed the third,” she continued as she pulled a folded printout from her belt. “Perps dying mid heist isn’t anything new for Bludhaven but this…this was brutal.”
“The weapons are coming in by road,” Aliki answered as Katherine handed her the printout displaying a Gotham address and the mug shot of a blonde-haired woman. “I have the date of the next shipment and the name of the trafficker,” she added as she shot Katherine a worried smile as she read the name. “You found her? I had no idea you were still looking.”
“I promised, besides Miss Pike has skipped out on her parole officer for the last two weeks,” Katherine told Aliki as she handed her a leaflet displaying a train timetable between Gotham and Bludhaven. “Chances are she’s just an ember in the wind.”
“Well, there’s that old Gotham saying isn’t there,” Aliki replied as she ran her finger along with the timetable, where there’s fire, there’s Firebug.”
**********
Gotham City Railway Station…
Aliki stepped out of the station, her eyes gravitating up skywards to the multiple skyscrapers that made up Gotham’s skyline. While she was no stranger to big city living, this was her first visit to Gotham City, and for very good reason. Despite the supposed ‘fast connection’ from Bludhaven to Gotham, the train had been delayed giving Aliki enough time to study ‘the faces of justice’ that she and William had put together the night before her departure. Most of the vigilantes were territorial, patrolling a certain area and each used a different level of force, and all this planning didn’t factor in any of the super criminals that called their city home. Both were a danger, Aliki thought, better to limit the chance of encountering either group.
Placing a face mask over her mouth and nose, Aliki headed for the Narrows, an area of the city colloquially called ‘the Forgotten District’ where she had secured lodgings at Gotham Arms Hotel. It wasn’t just the denizens of the city that were dangerous, exposes had revealed that Gotham’s air pollution was saturated with mutagenic chemicals produced by the Ace Chemical Plant, which led to a mental disorder known as Gotham Psychosis.
As she descended deeper into the city, Aliki recalled what she knew about the Narrows; how it was akin to many of the districts in Bludhaven, how the area was overlooked by the gangs of Gotham, how it was patrolled by a figure known as the Batgirl, one of the more tolerant vigilantes in Gotham and how like the district itself, anyone entering it could easily disappear. Entering the boundaries of the Narrows, Aliki felt a sense of familiarity, her assessment was right, the district was very Bludhaven esque, although the usual graffiti tags of ‘Block Rules and Blud Boys’ were replaced by a red and black moth with a death’s head skull on its thorax.
‘It looked like a gang tag, perhaps her preparation hadn’t been enough,’ Aliki mused as she took her first step into the Narrows. ‘Gotham apparently had more secrets than just the one she was looking to uncover.’
Aliki stepped out of the station, her eyes gravitating up skywards to the multiple skyscrapers that made up Gotham’s skyline. While she was no stranger to big city living, this was her first visit to Gotham City, and for very good reason. Despite the supposed ‘fast connection’ from Bludhaven to Gotham, the train had been delayed giving Aliki enough time to study ‘the faces of justice’ that she and William had put together the night before her departure. Most of the vigilantes were territorial, patrolling a certain area and each used a different level of force, and all this planning didn’t factor in any of the super criminals that called their city home. Both were a danger, Aliki thought, better to limit the chance of encountering either group.
Placing a face mask over her mouth and nose, Aliki headed for the Narrows, an area of the city colloquially called ‘the Forgotten District’ where she had secured lodgings at Gotham Arms Hotel. It wasn’t just the denizens of the city that were dangerous, exposes had revealed that Gotham’s air pollution was saturated with mutagenic chemicals produced by the Ace Chemical Plant, which led to a mental disorder known as Gotham Psychosis.
As she descended deeper into the city, Aliki recalled what she knew about the Narrows; how it was akin to many of the districts in Bludhaven, how the area was overlooked by the gangs of Gotham, how it was patrolled by a figure known as the Batgirl, one of the more tolerant vigilantes in Gotham and how like the district itself, anyone entering it could easily disappear. Entering the boundaries of the Narrows, Aliki felt a sense of familiarity, her assessment was right, the district was very Bludhaven esque, although the usual graffiti tags of ‘Block Rules and Blud Boys’ were replaced by a red and black moth with a death’s head skull on its thorax.
‘It looked like a gang tag, perhaps her preparation hadn’t been enough,’ Aliki mused as she took her first step into the Narrows. ‘Gotham apparently had more secrets than just the one she was looking to uncover.’
**********
Officer William North sneered as the dark-skinned man dressed in a hooded sweatshirt and jeans placed a small cash box on his desk.
“Is that my cut Mr. Bloch?” North asked as the man removed a radar key and unlocked the box to reveal stacks of hundred-dollar bills.
“It’s more than what you asked for,” Bloch replied, his hands shuddering as he dared to look Bloch in his gleaming blue eyes, only to avert them as soon as he did. “I’m not a bank robber, P…please don’t make me do that again.”
“Oh, but you will Mr. Bloch, or should I call you Doodlebug,” North replied as he closed the box and pulled it under his desk. “If you want to keep doing what your evil little art projects, you’ll keep paying me to keep quiet.” He added as he turned on his computer screen and typed up something on a report. “Without me, its back to the Asylum, you don’t want to go back there do you Doodlebug?”
“N…no.” Bloch answered as North opened up his calendar and plotted a new date in the following week.
“I’ll see you next week Mr. Bloch,” North told him as Bloch got to his feet and headed for the door. “Stay out of trouble…” he told him as he opened the door, “or don’t, I really don’t care either way.” He added as Bloch left revealing a woman dressed in a blue t-shirt, with the words ‘Haven Hottie’ emblazoned on it, and knee length skirt of the same colour, her red hair cut to shoulder length.
Walking in, the woman sat down, a look of concern on her face.
“What can I do for you miss?” North asked as he moved his computer mouse to keep the screen on.
“Aliki,” Aliki stated. “And I’m looking for Bridget Pike? I was told she was one of your paroles”
“Sorry I haven’t heard from her for a fortnight, up until then she was staying out of trouble. She even had a solid job as a cleaner at Elliot Memorial Hospital,” North announced as he looked up and down the woman sitting in front of him. “Can’t help you further,” he snorted as he placed his hands on the desk.
“Can’t or won’t?” Aliki asked as she mirrored North’s gesture. “I overheard you talking to your other parole. It’d be a shame if that information found its way to the GCPD, I hear they are taking a solid stance against corruption,” she added as North’s eyes narrowed, rage bubbling on his face despite him trying and failing to keep it in check.
Finally, through gritted teeth, he snarled. “What do you want to know?”
“Only where I can find Bridget, or failing that where she used to call home,” Aliki told him as she placed a pen with a cartoon whale on the side in front of him.
“Is that my cut Mr. Bloch?” North asked as the man removed a radar key and unlocked the box to reveal stacks of hundred-dollar bills.
“It’s more than what you asked for,” Bloch replied, his hands shuddering as he dared to look Bloch in his gleaming blue eyes, only to avert them as soon as he did. “I’m not a bank robber, P…please don’t make me do that again.”
“Oh, but you will Mr. Bloch, or should I call you Doodlebug,” North replied as he closed the box and pulled it under his desk. “If you want to keep doing what your evil little art projects, you’ll keep paying me to keep quiet.” He added as he turned on his computer screen and typed up something on a report. “Without me, its back to the Asylum, you don’t want to go back there do you Doodlebug?”
“N…no.” Bloch answered as North opened up his calendar and plotted a new date in the following week.
“I’ll see you next week Mr. Bloch,” North told him as Bloch got to his feet and headed for the door. “Stay out of trouble…” he told him as he opened the door, “or don’t, I really don’t care either way.” He added as Bloch left revealing a woman dressed in a blue t-shirt, with the words ‘Haven Hottie’ emblazoned on it, and knee length skirt of the same colour, her red hair cut to shoulder length.
Walking in, the woman sat down, a look of concern on her face.
“What can I do for you miss?” North asked as he moved his computer mouse to keep the screen on.
“Aliki,” Aliki stated. “And I’m looking for Bridget Pike? I was told she was one of your paroles”
“Sorry I haven’t heard from her for a fortnight, up until then she was staying out of trouble. She even had a solid job as a cleaner at Elliot Memorial Hospital,” North announced as he looked up and down the woman sitting in front of him. “Can’t help you further,” he snorted as he placed his hands on the desk.
“Can’t or won’t?” Aliki asked as she mirrored North’s gesture. “I overheard you talking to your other parole. It’d be a shame if that information found its way to the GCPD, I hear they are taking a solid stance against corruption,” she added as North’s eyes narrowed, rage bubbling on his face despite him trying and failing to keep it in check.
Finally, through gritted teeth, he snarled. “What do you want to know?”
“Only where I can find Bridget, or failing that where she used to call home,” Aliki told him as she placed a pen with a cartoon whale on the side in front of him.
**********
Fire Trap, Gotham City Narrows…
Bridget Pike watered the plants on her windowsill before putting down the watering can, a worried smile on her face. Turning to head back in the kitchen, she almost didn’t hear the slight clank as the windowsill rattled, and wasn’t fast enough to turn around in time to stop the blue missile slam into her chest knocking her to the floor.
“Hello Firebug, you and I have something we need to discuss,” Aliki stated as she crouched down onto Bridget’s chest. “I’ve spoken to Stallion and Thrill Devil, and they all say you killed my sister!” She snarled as Bridget tried to throw Aliki off, only for her assailant to hold her hands down.
“She was gone by the time I took over,” Bridget whimpered as she began to cry. “I swear, I just cleaned up the mess that was in the room. Blockbuster ordered me to, there was nobody, just broken furniture and cut rope.”
“You’re lying!” Aliki growled as she removed the pair of handcuffs Katherine had let her borrow. “The trail ends with you, it has to!”
“Margot was my friend!” Bridget cried; her sudden loudness shocking both the women in the room.
“Lies! You held her against her will!” Aliki snapped as she moved her face uncomfortably close to Bridget’s, her red hair cascading onto Bridget’s skin. “You tortured her!”
“We took a vote on who’d do the torture, three of us abstained, only Thrill Devil and Brutale took that duty,”
Bridget gulped as she looked at Aliki’s inhuman eyes, the red lenses of her mask giving her face a demonic appearance. “Stallion, Electrocutioner, and I were only jailers, not torturers,” she added as a violent knocking sounded on the door.
“Bridget Pike, you owe Roman Sionnis a debt!” a voice on the other side of the door barked as the sound of a pump-action shotgun being primed was made audible. “Open up NOW!” the outsider boomed, his words lost as the shotgun blasted the door off the hinges to reveal two men dressed in suits, their faces covered in half-masks that resembled skulls. The shotgunner fired again, this time at Aliki, causing her to leap off Bridget, covering the small apartment in two handsprings before delivering a kick to the gunmen, just as his friend flicked open a switchblade.
“You interfering in Black Mask’s business and you going to be fish bait!” the man with the switchblade sneered as he thrust the knife forward, Aliki catching it as she struggled to disarm him.
“Black Mask, Dare, all of you can burn!” Bridget hissed as she pulled up a loose floorboard and connected two wires together.
“Shit!” Aliki spat as she bailed out of the fight, the knife slashing her arm as she leaped towards Bridget. Barely escaping the blast radius of the fougasse, Aliki turned to see a burst of flame engulf the thugs, incinerating the gunman immediately. Looking back at the window, Aliki saw Firebug leap out of the window, a grenade flying in the opposite direction back into the apartment. Grabbing the burning thug, Aliki dove into the bathroom as the grenade detonated, demolishing the front wall of the building.
“And I thought Gotham was supposed the nicer town of the two.” Aliki coughed as she slammed the thug into the shower and turned the water on, hosing him down with warm water. “Why is Black Mask after Firebug?” she asked, the screaming thug. “Tell me and I call you an ambulance.” she added.
“You ain’t scary little girl,” the thug laughed. “You ain’t no bat.”
“I’m asking nicely, you don’t want to see what I look like when I get angry,” Aliki stated as she tried to keep her temper. The thug almost instantly went from laughing to full of fear, as if her inquisitor had begun something monstrous.
“You’re doing it wrong,” a gravelly voice stated from behind Aliki as a gauntleted hand wrapped around her throat and dragged her out of the building. Struggling in vain Aliki saw a flash of black as she was dropped onto the roof, a monstrous figure with outstretched wings and an inhuman face looking down at her.
“Batman,” she groaned as she tried to control her fear, rationale that this was a man in a costume, not some demonic bat creature from the depths of hell itself.
“Aliki Marceau, what are you doing in my city?!” the Bat asked as Aliki backflipped into a standing position, her breathing increasing as her fears began to overtake her, replacing her earlier anger.
“Looking for Firebug, she was involved in the death of my…” Aliki stated as Batman glowered at her.
“…your sister Margot Marceau.” Batman finished as he looked at the panicking young woman. “She’s missing, presumed dead,” he stated, Aliki nodding in agreement. “Calm down, I’ve had reports from Nightwing about your actions in Bludhaven. While I’m not impressed at your actions, I can’t condone them either,” he added, his words causing Aliki to react and reach for her throat, and the rapidly forming bruise.
“Nightwing talks about me? We haven’t met since he tried to arrest me back when…” she stopped and hung her head. “Margot. I know you understand, you lost the second Robin to the Joker. I don’t expect you to help me, but I could use…”
“Training, proper equipment, protection beyond the hockey pads you wear under your clothes,” Batman growled as he turned away from Aliki. “You need to walk away from this life before it kills you.”
“I can’t, and those things aren’t cheap rich boy!” Aliki snapped, anger returning to her core. “The appraisal software in my masks optics are working overtime to price your suit. Funnily enough, I don’t have 1.2 million to spend on something like that.”
“Aliki Marceau, daughter of Count Henri Marceau of Strasbourg. Holder of a joint account with her sister Margot that contains two million euros. Not to mention the criminal holdings of ‘Double Dare’ which is rumoured to be around a further four million euros,” Batman snarled as he turned around and towered over Dare. “But you squat in abandoned buildings and work a menial bartending job. If you were really serious about making a difference you could use what you were given, what you took to help others.”
Rather than recoiling, Aliki’s anger rose as she pointed a single finger at Batman. “You…you think you know me! Why do you think my family’s philanthropic donations stopped when I was sent to Coldstream, when Margot was captured?!” Her voice cracked to reveal her native French accent. “We never kept any of ze funds we liberated; it was all donated back to ze people our marks stole it from. I made a promise to save Bludhaven, just as you did to save Gotham, so don’t doubt that my ‘art is in zis,” she continued before taking a long breath and running her hands through her hair.
“Are you done?” Batman asked.
“Not until I find Firebug,” Aliki replied. “I know Black Mask only be reputation, but if he’s as bad as they say and Bridget owes him, then she’s in massive danger,” she added as she walked towards the fire escape that led back into the building...
Bridget Pike watered the plants on her windowsill before putting down the watering can, a worried smile on her face. Turning to head back in the kitchen, she almost didn’t hear the slight clank as the windowsill rattled, and wasn’t fast enough to turn around in time to stop the blue missile slam into her chest knocking her to the floor.
“Hello Firebug, you and I have something we need to discuss,” Aliki stated as she crouched down onto Bridget’s chest. “I’ve spoken to Stallion and Thrill Devil, and they all say you killed my sister!” She snarled as Bridget tried to throw Aliki off, only for her assailant to hold her hands down.
“She was gone by the time I took over,” Bridget whimpered as she began to cry. “I swear, I just cleaned up the mess that was in the room. Blockbuster ordered me to, there was nobody, just broken furniture and cut rope.”
“You’re lying!” Aliki growled as she removed the pair of handcuffs Katherine had let her borrow. “The trail ends with you, it has to!”
“Margot was my friend!” Bridget cried; her sudden loudness shocking both the women in the room.
“Lies! You held her against her will!” Aliki snapped as she moved her face uncomfortably close to Bridget’s, her red hair cascading onto Bridget’s skin. “You tortured her!”
“We took a vote on who’d do the torture, three of us abstained, only Thrill Devil and Brutale took that duty,”
Bridget gulped as she looked at Aliki’s inhuman eyes, the red lenses of her mask giving her face a demonic appearance. “Stallion, Electrocutioner, and I were only jailers, not torturers,” she added as a violent knocking sounded on the door.
“Bridget Pike, you owe Roman Sionnis a debt!” a voice on the other side of the door barked as the sound of a pump-action shotgun being primed was made audible. “Open up NOW!” the outsider boomed, his words lost as the shotgun blasted the door off the hinges to reveal two men dressed in suits, their faces covered in half-masks that resembled skulls. The shotgunner fired again, this time at Aliki, causing her to leap off Bridget, covering the small apartment in two handsprings before delivering a kick to the gunmen, just as his friend flicked open a switchblade.
“You interfering in Black Mask’s business and you going to be fish bait!” the man with the switchblade sneered as he thrust the knife forward, Aliki catching it as she struggled to disarm him.
“Black Mask, Dare, all of you can burn!” Bridget hissed as she pulled up a loose floorboard and connected two wires together.
“Shit!” Aliki spat as she bailed out of the fight, the knife slashing her arm as she leaped towards Bridget. Barely escaping the blast radius of the fougasse, Aliki turned to see a burst of flame engulf the thugs, incinerating the gunman immediately. Looking back at the window, Aliki saw Firebug leap out of the window, a grenade flying in the opposite direction back into the apartment. Grabbing the burning thug, Aliki dove into the bathroom as the grenade detonated, demolishing the front wall of the building.
“And I thought Gotham was supposed the nicer town of the two.” Aliki coughed as she slammed the thug into the shower and turned the water on, hosing him down with warm water. “Why is Black Mask after Firebug?” she asked, the screaming thug. “Tell me and I call you an ambulance.” she added.
“You ain’t scary little girl,” the thug laughed. “You ain’t no bat.”
“I’m asking nicely, you don’t want to see what I look like when I get angry,” Aliki stated as she tried to keep her temper. The thug almost instantly went from laughing to full of fear, as if her inquisitor had begun something monstrous.
“You’re doing it wrong,” a gravelly voice stated from behind Aliki as a gauntleted hand wrapped around her throat and dragged her out of the building. Struggling in vain Aliki saw a flash of black as she was dropped onto the roof, a monstrous figure with outstretched wings and an inhuman face looking down at her.
“Batman,” she groaned as she tried to control her fear, rationale that this was a man in a costume, not some demonic bat creature from the depths of hell itself.
“Aliki Marceau, what are you doing in my city?!” the Bat asked as Aliki backflipped into a standing position, her breathing increasing as her fears began to overtake her, replacing her earlier anger.
“Looking for Firebug, she was involved in the death of my…” Aliki stated as Batman glowered at her.
“…your sister Margot Marceau.” Batman finished as he looked at the panicking young woman. “She’s missing, presumed dead,” he stated, Aliki nodding in agreement. “Calm down, I’ve had reports from Nightwing about your actions in Bludhaven. While I’m not impressed at your actions, I can’t condone them either,” he added, his words causing Aliki to react and reach for her throat, and the rapidly forming bruise.
“Nightwing talks about me? We haven’t met since he tried to arrest me back when…” she stopped and hung her head. “Margot. I know you understand, you lost the second Robin to the Joker. I don’t expect you to help me, but I could use…”
“Training, proper equipment, protection beyond the hockey pads you wear under your clothes,” Batman growled as he turned away from Aliki. “You need to walk away from this life before it kills you.”
“I can’t, and those things aren’t cheap rich boy!” Aliki snapped, anger returning to her core. “The appraisal software in my masks optics are working overtime to price your suit. Funnily enough, I don’t have 1.2 million to spend on something like that.”
“Aliki Marceau, daughter of Count Henri Marceau of Strasbourg. Holder of a joint account with her sister Margot that contains two million euros. Not to mention the criminal holdings of ‘Double Dare’ which is rumoured to be around a further four million euros,” Batman snarled as he turned around and towered over Dare. “But you squat in abandoned buildings and work a menial bartending job. If you were really serious about making a difference you could use what you were given, what you took to help others.”
Rather than recoiling, Aliki’s anger rose as she pointed a single finger at Batman. “You…you think you know me! Why do you think my family’s philanthropic donations stopped when I was sent to Coldstream, when Margot was captured?!” Her voice cracked to reveal her native French accent. “We never kept any of ze funds we liberated; it was all donated back to ze people our marks stole it from. I made a promise to save Bludhaven, just as you did to save Gotham, so don’t doubt that my ‘art is in zis,” she continued before taking a long breath and running her hands through her hair.
“Are you done?” Batman asked.
“Not until I find Firebug,” Aliki replied. “I know Black Mask only be reputation, but if he’s as bad as they say and Bridget owes him, then she’s in massive danger,” she added as she walked towards the fire escape that led back into the building...