𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕑π•₯𝕖𝕣 𝟞: 𝟑 π•π•šπ•§π•–π•€

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Finding Bruce Wayne at your place of work was rather surprising. You felt bad looking at him; he was a total mess after what the Riddler revealed to the public about his family. Although it seems like the Wayne's deserved it, you still felt bad for the surviving Wayne. Before, you thought Bruce might have thought himself too good for the publicβ€”he was never out, never did anything with his money, didn't do anything. Now, things were different. The way he interacted with you at the funeral changed everything. He was not above anyone; he treated you, someone who people like Falcone take advantage of, with respect and kindness. The assumption that he didn't want to be out in the public because he was too good for anyone was wrong; you could see that he was just slightly awkward and introverted. 'Maybe I'll have to give him a call later,' you thought. 'But not right now. I have to find Selina.'

Selina was supposed to find Batmanβ€”she had thought of a plan that they could use to find Kenzie, so she was grabbing him. 'Just don't make any moves without me,' Batman's voice echoed in your head. You touched your lips as you remembered your kiss that you shared shortly after. As you were heading out of the building to meet Selina at the bat signal, you found her leaning against the alleyway outside of the building. She was fuming.

"He's not there," she shouted, frustrated. "I've waited for hoursβ€”he never showed!"

"Maybe he's just busyβ€”"

"I say we do this without him," she decided. "Probably easier too. That asshole has to pay now."

Honestly, you thought that you really should wait for Batman. "Selina," you said gently, hoping to calm her down. "Remember what happened last time? At the recycling plant?" Selina arched her brow. "Last time we did something without him, we almost died."

"Yeah, well, you live and you learn. So what, you backing out too?"

"Noβ€”"

"Then come one, let's go. I've already thought up an alternative plan while I was waiting for the dick to show up."

You found yourself back into the club and applying a fresh swipe of lipstick as you approached the 44 Below entrance. Kenzie was there guarding the door, eyes already on you and staring hungrily.

"Hey, sugar," he greeted cheerfully. "Haven't seen you for a while. You working tonight?"

"No, I just got off," you giggled. "I was hoping on catchin' a ride home..."

"Well if you need a ride, I can pay a taxi forβ€”"

"...with you." You batted your eyes and picked at his sleeve. "Please?"

Whatever internal battle Kenzie had with himself was short lived because he gave in rather quickly. "Ah, what the hell. Just let me grab my keys and ask one of the guys to take my place. I get off in 15 minutes anyways." He returned to you, eagerly. "Let's go, baby."

Taking his hand, he followed as you led the way. He was getting rather handsy. The twin bodyguards let out a whistle as they saw you leave with Kenzie; you flashed them a smile. The alley was pretty darkβ€”no street lightsβ€”and you were gonna ask him something before he suddenly pushed you against the wall.

"I don't think I can wait that long," he huffed. "I've been eyeing you for a loooong time now. Be a good girl andβ€”" His feet slid back from beneath him, causing him to drop to the ground hard. He let out a wheeze.

"Whatβ€”!"

Before he could make another remark, you quickly covered his mouth and wrapped your arm around his neck. You only let up once he passed out.

"Nice job," Selina complimented while coming out of the shadows. She was retrieving her chain from around his legs. You shrugged and started going through his pockets. A watch, his phone, his gun, another phoneβ€”wait...

"Selina, I think this is your phone."

"What? Give it here," she demanded before immediately grabbing it from you. She swiped on it for a few seconds before letting out a chilling cry. "Iβ€”oh my god. She called me! Annika called me!" Crying, she clutched her phone to her chest. You had to pry her fingers away so you could grab it back. Pressing play started a horrifying voicemail.

"Help," Annika pleaded into the phone before a man yelled at you to get back.

"Hey, hey, what're you doin', Kenzie? You're scaring her." It was Carmine Falcone. You paused the recording.

"I really think we should wait for Batman," you told her.

"Play it."

"Selinβ€”"

"I said play it, goddamnit!"

Staring at her, you thought for a moment. "Not here," you said slowly. "We'll listen to it but not here." Selina nodded curtly after a while. "Help me with him, would you?"

Selina tied him up with some zip ties that she had brought and you both heaved him onto your motorcycleβ€”not before she took his gun, of course. You handed Selina her phone, which you were sure she listened to on the way to the bat signal given the tears going down her face. She helped you carry him into the elevator, albeit rather roughly, and dropped him onto the ground by the ledge. You turned on the light to signal Batman hoping that he would see and put on your catsuit that Selina brought with her. She was already in hers.

You sat against the building near the elevator; you were waiting for Kenzie to wake up or for Batman to show upβ€”whichever came first. Your phone buzzed once in your pocket. Fishing it out, you saw a text from an unknown number.

Hey, it's Bruce.

You totally forgot to text him with everything going on. Under better circumstances, you would have loved to talk to him; you're a little busy at the moment. Kenzie was still down though, so you tapped your finger on the keyboard as you replied.

Hey... How're you doing? You feeling alright?

I've been better.

Sorry about earlier, I was a total mess.

It's okay!

Don't worry about it, I'm sure there's enough on your plate

Yeah, haha.

I was thinking maybe we could meet up sometime?

I really need a break, it would be nice to relax after everything that's happened.

Coffee, lunch, or dinner? Your pick.

Bruce Wayne asking you out? Say it ain't so! As you thought up a reply, Kenzie soon woke up dazed. He groaned as he sat up. Quickly pocketing your phoneβ€”and leaving Bruce on readβ€”you stood up and made your way to the man.

"Get on your knees," you ordered. He spat at your feet so you kicked him hard in the ribs. "Now!" He let out a pained wheeze as he shuffled into position.

Everything was rather quiet as you waited. Kenzie's labored breath and the bustle of the city were the only things you could hear as you stared at the bat-shaped light in the sky. Your phone buzzed once again after a while, but you couldn't check it as you were watching Kenzie. Selina, however, was growing in frustration, gun in hand.

"What do you want? Please, don'tβ€”"

"Shut up," Selina shouted as she punched him from under his chin, causing him to reel his head back. She let out her anger by assaulting him, causing him to cry out. This lasted for a while before the sound of the elevator stopping to open caused you to turn around. Batman, as well as a police officerβ€”whom you recognized as Gordon from the funeralβ€”marched out. You stood by Kenzie, waiting. A memory of you flashed in Batman's mind; 'So anytime I want to see you I just need to light that bad boy up?' He was hoping you would have called him for a different reason...he also understood why you never texted him back.

"I found him," Selina called out as she gave him a kick that made him bend over.

"I see that." Batman's guard was up.

"He had my shit and my phone. She left a message the night they took her. She called meβ€”"

"β€”Gordon! Help me out, man! She got my gun!"

"Shut up," you ordered as you smacked the back of his head. Selina aimed the gun at him.

"Put the gun down."

"I'm telling you, god damn it! She called me," Selina yelled at Batman. When he didn't relent, she pulled the gun away and fished out her phone. "Listen."

"Helpβ€”"

"Hey, get back here! Where are you going? Come back here!" Annika cried into the phone.

"Hey, hey, what're you doin', Kenzie? You're scaring her."

"I'mβ€”I'm sorry, Mr. Falconeβ€”"

"β€”Please, please, please," Annika begged. "Please don't hurt me, please."

"Hey, don't be scared," Falcone assured. "Come here." Batman and Gordon leaned in closer, listening. A tear fell onto your cheek as you covered your mouth in silent horror. "Now let me ask you again. What did Mitchell tell you?"

"Noβ€”nothing. Heβ€”"

"Don liked to talk, I know that. Especially to pretty girls like you. That's why I made him take your passport, until we could have this little...conversation."

"All I want to do is get out of here, okay?" Between Annika's voice trembling and her thick accent, it was a little hard to hear. "You'll never hear from me again, nobody will, pleaseβ€”!

"We're gonna get you outta here, I promise," Falcone raised his voice in frustration. "But first, I gotta know...what did he tell you?"

"He...he just said that they all made a deal with you."

"Oh," he hummed. "He told you about that, huh? The deal?"

"He said you gave some information on some drops thing, and that's how he became mayor. He said that you were a very important man."

"Right," he hummed again. "Okay." Annika's piercing scream filled the air. More tears fell from your eyes as you could hear her struggling. "Just take it easy."

"Jesus, he's strangling her," Gordon said. A few more seconds of tussling played until the phone call ended. Batman was deep in thought.

"Rata Alana," he said. "A falcon has wings, too."

"Falcone is the rat?" Gordon asked. The men looked at Kenzie. Walking up to him, Gordon asked, "Falcone works for you guys? The mayor? The D.A.?"

Kenzie swallowed. "No," he sighed shakily. "We work for him. Everybody does."

Batman asked, "How?"

"Through Renewal. Renewal is everything."

"The Renewal fund?" Gordon pressed.

"Yeah. After Thomas Wayne died, they all went after it like vultures. The mayor, Falcone, Maroni. Everyone got in on it. It was perfect for making bribes, laundering moneyβ€”a huge charitable fund with no oversight. Everybody got a piece." Kenzie took a labored breath before continuing, "But Falcone wanted more. So he orchestrated a play to take Maroni down big. He'd rat out his drops operation, make the careers of everybody that went after him, then install them all as his puppets." Batman looked at you. "You think this goddamn election matters? Falcone's the mayor. Has been for the last 20 years."

"Come on, Vengeance," Selina said. "Let's go kill that son of a bitch...this creep tooβ€”" you put your hands on Kenzie's shoulders to hold him still. "β€”let's finish this."

"No!" Batman knocked the gun out of Selina's hand. She readied herself for a fight. "We'll get him. But not that way."

"There is no other way," you finally said. "He owns the city! Did you not hear him?"

"Cross that line, you'll become just like him." Batman's gaze shifted from Selina to you. His eyes pleaded as he said, "Listen to me. Don't throw your life away." His attention went back to your feline partner as she studied his face. Her composure suddenly changed to a relaxed one; you knew what was about to happen. Batman was not with you.

"Don't worry, honey," Selina said as you rested your foot onto Kenzie's chest. You smiled at him as she said, "I got nine of them." Instantly, Selina shoved Batman away letting you kick Kenzie off the building. Both men lurch forward to save the falling man, letting Selina grab the fallen gun. Batman's harpoon gun quickly fires around his ankle, allowing the men to pull him up. As they were distracted, you and Selina ran to some wires that were used to pull a crane, sliding down them gracefully. You could hear Kenzie screaming.

Already speeding away on your motorcycles to the club, you couldn't see Batman chasing you down the building.

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