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Chapter 27: The Collection
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"It took three months to complete, and I spent basically all the money I can spend on it. It houses my babies after all."
Ian spoke as he opened the door to the room. Not just any room and no just any door. The security of the small compartment almost rivals those of bank vaults.
The door not only requires a code but also facial recognition and fingerprints.
The metallic chamber lies deep beneath Cat's rest, and only Ian can access it if we exclude the gods and superpowers that can shred reality.
"Even the d-diamond?" Selina asked, her tone was that of confusion.
"Everything, but that doesn't say a lot considering there are only a few things within, my collection is still a bit empty due to my high requirements."
Now that Ian thought about it, he realized that his requirements got much higher since his arrival here.
He had to up his game in a world as magical as this, otherwise, the chamber would've already been filled up with useless stuff.
"Yet I'm here... Why? Do you really trust me that much? I am after all a criminal, and who's to say I wasn't just deceiving you all along?" Selina couldn't hold back her curiosity and asked several questions.
"Hmm, I just don't care? If it happens it happens, it's not the end of the world. I will retrieve all of my things no matter what, so I think taking anything from me is a bad idea."
He spoke casually as his eyes brightened at the sight of what lies within the room.
The Kryptonian sword, dagger, and pendant were all at the side. Several pieces of small diamonds exquisitely positioned next to each other.
Their queen was placed in a higher position, The Russifer Diamond. Not far from them were all the Kryptonites he acquired.
Yet strangely none of those were at the center of the room. The guest of honor of the chamber was a scroll, or more like several old pieces of paper forming a scroll.
"Where did you get those? And what are they?" Selina asked about the Kryptonian sword and dagger after staring at the diamond for a few seconds.
"Alien technology. I accidentally acquired it back in Metropolis after you left. You did hear about the aliens that were looking for Superman, right?"
Speechlessness was an understatement when speaking of Selina's state of mind. She just had to ask, "Aren't you telling me too much? Even if you don't care, aren't you being naive here? I hope you aren't telling just about anyone this."
Despite the strictness of her tone, it was apparent that she was just looking out for him. Having such a thing will certainly lead to some unforeseen negative consequences if known.
Ian smiled at her and shook his head, "I certainly wouldn't tell just about anyone, but even if I did, I just don't care. This is just how I am. What's the worst that can happen? Dying?" He couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the end of his words.
"I see now why you are who you are. I guess living with a power such as yours can shape a person to not care about many things," Selina softly muttered, not knowing whether his power is a curse or a blessing.
"Perhaps," Ian murmured, not explaining any further. Sometimes he thinks that he was born like this, uncaring about many things. That is why he dearly desires to know what he is, or at least the source of his power.
Ian already had his gloves on as always, so he didn't mind picking up the diamond. The golden rule of diamond handling is to never let it touch the skin lest it loses its sparkle.
"Don't worry about me, I am just like any other human being, there are things I care about, just not as much as everybody else, and I care not for death... That's all."
He of course noticed the concern and perhaps sympathetic glances of Selina, but he needed none of that.
He might hate his power sometimes, but never once had he considered it anything but a blessing. It's the sun brightening his every day just like the sparkling of the diamond before him, "Beautiful little things, isn't it?"
Selina decided to let go of the subject after his words. She understood that perhaps she didn't understand him as much as she thought.
She smiled as she approached him, "It is... Could it be this is my reward for our latest job? Would you be so generous?"
She was just being the mischievous cat she is and didn't actually expect anything, so imagine her bafflement when Ian took her hand and placed the diamond in it, "It's yours. I don't have much interest in it anymore."
"Wait what?" Selina still didn't quite comprehend what he just said, understandably a bit confused.
"It's yours. I had a lot of fun adventuring with you, so I saw it as a fitting show of appreciation. Your seduction was successful you could say... Hahaha,"
Ian couldn't help but let out a laugh after saying that. He simply couldn't hold it back simply because there was little to no seduction to be seen. The seductress was afraid of seducing him.
Selina however didn't that funny. She was still lost in bafflement as stared at the diamond in her hands then at Ian, not knowing what to say.
"On a serious note though, I'd advise you to leave it here. The danger of selling it is too high, and you'll easily be traced if words spread around in the black market.
You should know who set the diamond in the museum in the first place, the penguin, a dangerous crime lord of Gotham, and I heard a lot of whispers about his unending search for the robbers."
Ian pinched Selina's cheek, seeing her absentmindedness, "Did you hear anything I said? Just wait until I get rid of the Penguin then you can sell it, alright?"
"Y-yes?" She barely got her bearing back but she at least comprehended what he said. She did feel a bit embarrassed for acting like a child among other things. "Just don't do anything dangerous, ok?"
After seeing Ian nod at her, she went ahead and placed the diamond in its original place.
She felt even more awkward being around him, he had done so much for her without him even realizing it, and now this... She felt like keeping a distance from him and not accepting his dead wish tendencies is kind of...
However, Ian managed to evaporate all that awkwardness without him realizing it.
"Now to business. Do you happen to know of any demons, devils, satan himself or some kind of angel, god, mythological god, or just someone supernatural who knows of supernatural stuff such as these?"
"What are you talking about?" She'd like to think he was just joking, but his face told her otherwise.
"Well, I'd like to decipher the scroll, but I'm missing a few pieces and some information... Of course, I am working under the assumption that it was actually written by some supernatural entity." Ian explained.
"And what led you exactly to that belief? Couldn't it be just like any other ancient scroll, the doing of ancient people?" She questioned still not understanding his thought process.
"I mean just a few days ago, aliens descended on the earth, and they could literally destroy mountains, so something like this isn't so far-fetched. Moreover..."
"Moreover?" His manner of speech somehow gave birth to anticipation in her.
"Moreover, I just got a feeling." Ian eloquently answered.
"That's it???"
"I mean, that's usually good enough for me, and don't mind that, just tell me if you know anything regarding that."
"Unfortunately, I know nothing of such things... But Batman might know. He had been in the city for a long time fighting against crime, and he might something about that.
I told you before that he required your assistance in something. Perhaps you can ask him about that then? As a price for helping him."
And thus the cooperation between two strange people started. One could even say two insane individuals, just one crazier than the other.