"That's a cool watch!"
"Want to buy it?"
"I'm okay!...Ooh, ooh, that backpack has Supergirl on it!"
"Do you want it?"
"Nah. It's cool to look at though!"
Chloe was strangely hesitant about buying things. Courtesy of Tanya's funds, Aaron was open to spending money, whereas before he was picky about it. Eight million dollars was eight million dollars. He could spend his money lavishly.
Yesterday, he had bought Chloe clothes and children's toys. She loved them largely because she didn't have a strong sense of fashion and her capacity for expectations was at sea floor. Hopefully that would change as the days went by. Today, they were at the mall. He wanted to expose her to the wider world. Bring her an experience that was contrary to the decrepit streets of Gotham. So far, she was having the time of her life.
"What's that?" she asked, pointing at the array of tables closeby.
"That's the food court," Aaron answered. "We're going there for food."
Her mouth opened into a circular shape and she nodded. "Okay. Food is good."
Chloe was curious and obedient. When he asked to hold hands so that they wouldn't get lost, she obliged enthusiastically. She didn't mind listening to him when he said she was straying too far or staring too much. She was a girl who seemed to talk, walk, and act like his daughter.
Aaron blinked. 'Daughter…?' He glanced down at her. 'That sounds…intense. Oh jeez, but I bet from an outside perspective I look like her father.'
Everybody he knew said he looked like he was in his thirties. Given Chloe was nine years old…yeah, the timeline made sense.
"Um, can we get a Big Belly Burger? I always wanted to try it," Chloe said, pointing a small finger at the fast food restaurant. Aaron nodded and squeezed her hand.
"Sure."
Eating, shopping, laughing, and pointing. That was the crux of their time at the mall. And honestly? Aaron enjoyed it. It was nice getting to go outside for a change. Talk and walk with someone instead of being cooped up in his living room watching anime and movies.
He arrived at his apartment complex carrying what must have been a dozen bags. In the halls, he encountered a familiar face.
"Claire," Aaron greeted with a thin smile. The blonde college student who had told him of the disruptive noises he had made. "Hi. How's it going?"
Claire stopped and blushed. "H-hey. Aaron, right?"
"Right." On the sleeves of his right arm were the bags and on his left was Chloe. "This is Chloe, by the way."
"Oh." Claire blinked. The two were blue-eyed blondes, a rarity in Gotham. The smile that spread across Claire's face was contagious and she kneeled down to talk to the little girl. "Hi there! Wow, you're cute!"
"Hi!" Chloe said, waving politely with her free hand. "I know you!"
Claire formed a puzzled smile. "Um, I don't think we've met."
"We have! At the dumpster!"
"Dumpster…?" Then it dawned on her. "You're the dumpster girl!"
Chloe giggled. "I am!"
Claire seemed to look at Aaron in a new light. A bad light. Her brows furrowed as she asked passionately, "She's your daughter? You let your daughter live in the dumpster!?"
Aaron tilted his head. "Um, no."
"I told you about her, remember? I said to look out for the person in the dumpster. Remember!?"
She was close to yelling. For a college student, Claire had an astonishingly strong sense of justice. It was bewildering seeing the once shy girl turn into a heroine.
"I do remember. I met her not too long ago," Aaron explained calmly, "and decided to take her in."
"He saved me," Chloe chipped in. "Mr. Aaron is awesome!"
The college girl glanced between Aaron and Chloe, confused, before faltering as their words set in. "O-oh. Makes sense. My bad…"
She looked just about ready to fight. Seeing her fists unclench gave Aaron relief.
"I found her and thought I might as well take her in. Maybe get her officially adopted too."
Aaron's casual suggestion made Chloe leap in excitement. She held his hand with both of her own and although they were small he could feel the affection and admiration. "R-really?"
"Yeah, why not?"
"Really!?"
"Really," Aaron confirmed with a smile. He looked back at Claire and said, "As amazing as this conversation has been, we have to go and unpack. Until next time, Claire."
"Y-yeah." Like last time, Claire's face was on fire. Red beyond belief. Embarrassed as if she was standing naked in a crowd. "S-sorry…"
"It's fine." He tapped Claire on the shoulder as he walked past her. "Don't kill yourself over it."
As they headed into the elevator, he could hear her groan and smack herself. Aaron and Chloe exchanged glances, before laughing.
"She's funny," Chloe said, giggling incessantly.
"She is."
"Do you think she wants to be your girlfriend?"
Aaron paused. The elevator doors opened with a deafening ding. He craned his neck down at the little girl, puzzled. "Where did you learn romance from?"
She stuck her tongue out cheekily. "It's a secret! But does that mean she really DOES want to be your girlfriend?"
Aaron sent her a flat expression. "No."
"Aaron and Claire, sitting in a tree~! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage! Then comes Claire with a baby carriage~!"
He knew reacting would only feed into her delusions, so he just continued to act oblivious. Silent. The girl swung his arm to and fro, giggling enthusiastically.
Opening the door and setting the bags inside was physically and mentally relieving. He was able to sit Chloe down and continue their prior discussion.
"So what do you want to do?" Aaron asked. Chloe tilted her head and he clarified, "Do you want me to officially adopt you? Or should we hold it off?"
"It…um, I like the idea but it is a little fast," Chloe admitted. Her legs danged on the sofa as she thought deeply about it. "But…you're a lot of fun, sir. Plus, it's better than sleeping out there in the snow."
Aaron grimaced. "Yeah, it is."
A thud came from his room. The walls were thick enough to muffle it from Chloe's ears but for him the distinct noises could not be missed. The dull heavy sound was accompanied by the evening winds and a heaving grunt. Cassandra, he thought immediately, and he told Chloe, "Be right back," before sprinting to his room. "And don't move!"
He didn't know whether he was lucky or not, because he was absolutely correct. It was Cassandra Cain, the Batgirl, casually and coolly sitting on his room window.
"Hi there," Batgirl said. The cape and the pure black mask were too iconic to not recognize. Aaron gently shut the door.
"Cass, good to see you. Um…" Aaron nudged towards the direction of the living room with his chin. Batgirl blinked as she climbed inside and read his body language.
"Bad time?" Batgirl asked, rubbing the back of her neck. Aaron nodded sheepishly. "Sorry," she said.
"It's alright. You really should just give me your number. It would make timing your visits much easier."
"I don't know how to text," Batgirl admitted, embarrassed.
"We can call. It takes only two or three touches to do."
"Oh." Again, she rubbed the back of her neck. He could tell she was turning red. "Makes sense."
There was an awkward silence. She kept coming to Aaron because of the silent, peaceful comfort of his home. Without it, it felt cumbersome. Inconvenient. Simply the knowledge of another individual within their vicinity felt like an atrocity. It made the secretive, forbidden aspect of their meetings less comfortable.
But Aaron was Aaron. He shared a bond with her that went beyond comfort or location. Somehow, he managed to pull her onto the bed, take off her mask, and get her to talk.
"…Leviathan is making moves. I'm nervous," Cassandra admitted.
"That's alright." He put a hand on her back. Usually, it was disciplined and straight but now it was slouched. Weak. Anxious. "Is Batman doing okay?"
"He is."
"What about Nightwing?"
"He's coming from Blüdhaven to help."
"Tim Drake?"
"Him and I are working together."
"Duke too?"
"Yes. I mean, no. Complicated."
Well, that answered Izzy's inquiries. Duke was busy doing something beyond the fight with Leviathan. Aaron had already deduced as much but the confirmation was good to hear.
"Is it a war?" he asked.
Rather than answer, she stayed quiet, her eyes fixated on the floor. Then, she turned to him, eyes burning with emotion. "Leave Gotham City."
Aaron was taken aback. He slowly edged his hand away from her. "What…?"
"Leave Gotham, please. Leviathan is going to fight Gotham's villains in a war. Harley and Ivy have decided to join the Penguin and my mother."
In other words, the scales of power have tipped. Leviathan still held the military advantage but with Ivy there was an X-factor. A variable they couldn't quite calculate.
"Talia has also decided to support the Penguin. She convinced the D.E.O to do it." Cassandra's eyes were pleading–begging him. "So please. Leave before the war. Before everything. If you get hurt, I…"
Aaron put a hand on her shoulder. He could see the light in her eyes. She thought he was going to agree. To run away from this god-forsaken city.
He could do it too. With the money he received from Tanya, he could very easily flee from the city. He could buy out a condo in Metropolis or a farm in Kansas. Anything was possible with the money he now possessed.
Unfortunately, he had to shake his head and break their hearts.
"I can't," he muttered. "Sorry."
To twist the knife in his own heart, she didn't say anything. She didn't ask why. She didn't even argue or act stubborn like he thought she would. She just smiled and said, "Understood."
Cassandra rose but he held her back. Smiling, he said, "I still owe you cupcakes, remember? And you owe me whip cream and chocolate syrup. We'll meet again, Cass. Pinky promise."
She didn't reply. She didn't acknowledge their pinky promise. Rather, she put on her mask, leaned down, kissed him on the cheek through her mask, and left like a shadow. The window closed with a dull thud. His fingers touched the warm feeling on his cheek.
When he returned, Chloe was busy rummaging their load from the mall. Plenty of toys, dolls, cars, and spinning tops for her to fiddle with. She flashed him a toothy smile before returning to her packages. She tore through them like an unforgiving villain.
"You wanna beyblade?" Chloe asked, showing him the pack of five. It was the metal version, not the old plastic ones.
Aaron graced her a smile and said, "Sure."
Gotham, in spite of its faults, was his home. He wasn't going to run away right as things got tough. Not when he had resolved himself to make a difference.
***
> Tanya: Hello. Are you available for another hotel booking?
Her text came as a surprise. Aaron blinked twice, contemplating his decision. It was the morning and he elected to take another emergency day. His supervisor called him and asked if it was due to his hospitalised sister. While glancing at Chloe, Aaron said yes.
He didn't mind railing her. His stamina had returned and he could certainly use the millions. His concern was Chloe. Where would she be while he worked?
He checked his contacts. 'Hadiyah…? Hm, too risky. I don't trust Jaina or Vicki either. Definitely not my supervisor or Tam Fox. That leaves…Shug-R. Hell no.'
Chloe was busy playing games on his TV console. Unexpectedly, she was adept at FPS games. A little too good. Aaron wondered if it was a good idea introducing her to these types of games.
"Die, die, die," he heard her mutter under her breath. She sprayed an entire magazine on a basic zombie and showed no remorse as she killed the zombies. Good stuff.
Anyway, his only option was somebody who didn't know him too well but still trusted him.
Claire. His downstairs neighbour.
Before he knew it, he was on the second floor of the complex. She said she lived directly under him. He knocked on her door and waited. It took perhaps two seconds before it opened.
"Hi!" Claire smiled widely, like she had been expecting him. "Aaron! Oh wow! How are you doing?"
"Great. How about you?"
He unconsciously glanced inside. Her apartment unit was a mess. Clothes were strung everywhere/ Bottles of coke and Mountain Dew were empty and tossed uncaringly, and there were seven or eight boxes of pizza lying around. It was a college student's room, alright. Aaron pretended not to notice.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Claire replied, giggling nervously. She leaned on her door, arms spread wide, attempting to hide her pathetic excuse of an apartment unit. "What can I do for you?"
Suddenly, Aaron lost all desire to ask her. Wearing polka-dotted shorts and a light-blue gown, she did not look responsible in the slightest. She was a mess. He should have figured it out from his prior interactions with her.
"Well…I need somebody to babysit Chloe for a few hours."
He had never seen someone's eyes shine so brightly. She leapt up at him and gathered his hands into hers. "Really? I can help! I had an older brother–he was pretty much a baby! I can do it!"
'Had? Past tense?' was his immediate thought.
"Right…" Aaron eyed her sceptically. "Are you sure? Do you know how to take care of a child?"
Claire scoffed. "I am a grown woman. Of course I do."
"Hm. Do you know what date it is?"
"H-huh?" Claire laughed his question off. "What does that have to do with anything?"
Aaron's eyes flickered at the cans of soda in the background. "You probably haven't slept for days, right?" Before she could give a rebuttal, he added, "Let me guess, a late assignment? An exam next week? It is exam season."
Claire faltered. She craned her head back to her unit, ears flushing red, before turning back to him. "I know what this looks like…but it's not."
"Sure," he said flatly. "By the way, it's the 17th of December. A Friday."
"Ah. R-right." Claire rubbed the back of her neck. She did that a lot when she got anxious. "Er…so about Chloe…"
"I don't have many options, to be honest, so I'm afraid I have to leave her in your care." Aaron sighed and handed her a checklist.
"What's this?" Claire asked, reading through it like a superhuman.
"Things Chloe likes and doesn't like. Foods, habits, do's and don'ts, those kinds of things. I've been keeping notes."
"Oh. Ohh." Claire glowed with a new fire. She looked up at him, smiling, and said, "You can count on me!"
"I hope so."
He gave Claire the keys to his apartment and left her in charge. He told her–with no offence–that her place was a garbage heap. There was no way he was having Chloe stay there. Claire was surprisingly okay with it. She said she had always wanted to see his place.
Kind of weird but okay.
***
When he arrived at the hotel room, Tanya was waiting for him. Wearing black lingerie, eyes doused in desire and craving his body, her hair brushed and her arms under her bust.
The door clicked as it closed.
"Hello, Aaron Reigner~"
Her hands grabbed the back of his head as she pulled in for a kiss. She was hungry and pressed her body against him, hoping for a reaction. She got what she wanted. Something poked her stomach, a bulge in his crotch, and she smirked as she broke away.
"Are you excited?" Tanya asked.
He didn't bother with a reply. Instead, he grabbed her waist and heaved her up. Instinctively, her legs locked onto him and pulled him close. He carried her to the bed as they furiously made out. Her rouge lipstick smearing the sides of his cheek.
Aaron stripped, giving Tanya a hell of a show as he exposed his lean body. Then his boxers came off and his semi-erect cock plopped out. He could see the astonishment and the need to ravish the beast.
Tanya was addicted. Obsessed. The thing that swung between his legs. The third leg. The cock worth over eight million dollars. It meant more to her than her charity events.
"Lord," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed, one hand holding his dick by the base. "I told you at the charity, didn't I? I can't hold Lucius' like this. Mm. I'm sure he would be jealous." Her fingers couldn't touch. With both hands, it was possible but with one? No. Tanya looked carefully, invigorated.
The sight. The comparison. The cheating. The taboo nature. Everything spurred her on as she went faster and faster.
She had seen more than a handful of times yet it never ceased to amaze her. Watching it harden and throb and become wet with pre-cum…
Tanya shuddered. Her expression flickered between her sexual appetite and her self-control. The ever devouring feeling in her stomach or the nagging voice in her mind. Hearing Aaron grunt convinced her to make a choice. His voice was heavenly. Low and manly, controlled and passionate, everything a woman craved. Her fingers shifted around his member with a new resolve.
It was her choice. Her decision. She would suffer the consequences if need be.
But all she wanted right now was this massive white dick.
"Mm." Aaron caressed her head. His eyes had been observing her carefully. Her enthusiasm, no, her loyalty to his cock had grown. He hadn't even hypnotized her yet.
Tanya wasn't the most technically skilled in terms of handjobs. Cassandra had her beat by miles. Still, he enjoyed her enthusiasm and the contrast in complexion. Her dark chocolatey hands almost melting into his white cock.
He reached full mast. Tanya let out a little gasp and giggled. Over a foot long, multiple times longer than her husband or any cock for that matter, and it was for her pleasure. Her leisure.
"I want to be on top this time," she requested.
She was the boss, he supposed. He lay down on the bed, hard cock pointed upwards, as she appeared above. She squatted down, pulling her lingerie panties to the side, cunt dripping, and engulfed his member.
Her back arched as she cooed. "Ooh~! It's thick! Lord~!"
No matter how many times he took her in, the sensation of being stretched apart never stopped. Her pussy would adjust to its ordinary state, but when introduced back to his addicting meat, it went right back to being the waterfall it was. Inch by inch by inch, breathing with control as she kept going.
Then bam.
She had taken everything.
If there was one thing Aaron could appreciate about Tanya, it was her fat ass. Good god was it fucking addicting to slap and grope. His hands explored the black booty, fingers sinking in like quicksand.
Tanya laughed, panting, and eventually started pulling herself up and down.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
She was slow. Painstakingly slow. But each resounding clap nearly shook the room. He could feel and see her booty making waves.
"Am…am I doing good?" the fifty-year old woman asked, chest heaving. Her lingerie was in the way, hiding those MILF-y mounds.
Aaron decided to take matters into his own hands. He rose up, unlinked her bra, and allowed her tits to be exposed. He started sucking, learning from his experience with White Rabbit, and made her cry it in joy.
"W-wait, that's–ooh!"
His tongue lolled her dark nipples. His hands worshipped her tits. He felt her cum under his touch, shudder and quiver as he gifted her body with sensitive strikes.
"O-oh! Aaron. Mmph!" Tanya covered her mouth in shame. His cock was inside her, hot and throbbing, and his lips were sucking her soul.
Aaron moved gently. His girth made sure to stretch her walls properly. Her fluids trailed down him and he could feel her orgasm fast.
His tongue also tasted a slight amount of baby milk. She was a mother in her fifties, of course she could still breastfeed. After lolling and tasting it, which admittedly was too peppery for his taste, he pulled away. His tongue wiped away the white secretion and he rested his head back down.
Tanya was reeling over the ecstasy of orgasms, a moment of weakness that Aaron took advantage. His hips lurched up, the knob of his member reaching so deep inside Tanya felt the wind get knocked out of her.
"O-ooooh~!"
He started thrusting. Fucking. Destroying her cunt. Tanya wasn't ready. She was never ready–and never would be. Every time he plowed her ass, she succumbed to the tsunami of gratification. His cock, deep and wide, making her cum again and again. Her black booty made waves as his pelvis launched into her repeatedly. It was a mesmerizing sight, for sure. Watching her MILF body fall to his big fat cock, feeling her break and moan and whine.
"You're so goood~! Looord~! Aaron! Aaron~! AAARON~!"
Tanya called his name. Her tongue flopped out mindlessly. He went faster, harder. The claps of her ass cheeks became louder. Clap! Clap! CLAP!
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
The room was nothing but her sweat and moans. Her tits went rampant, uncontrollable. Her lingerie, long forgotten and to the side, might have been useful here. Aaron grabbed them. Groped them. His fingers pinched her nipples and she hiccuped. Tears streamed down her cheeks as his cock penetrated her deepest parts. Aaron dominated. He always dominated. His balls bounced between his legs. His member rose up and down her cunt. The smile on his face widened. He could feel the pressure, the deep sensation of release. The recoil of her ass, smacking him in a rhythmic beat, was remarkable.
When he came, he came hard. His white hot load overwrote everything her husband had done in the past three decades of their marriage. It was all gone, replaced by the essence of a white man–of Aaron Reigner.
The storm ended. His cock stopped throbbing. Tanya had collapsed on top of him, utterly drained of her energy.
"Tanya?" Aaron called out.
Thirty seconds later, she raised her head. Aaron blinked twice. Her eyes were empty, like a puppet's.
"Oh, right. My hypnosis ability." He exhaled. Tanya's gaze was fixated on him unnaturally. "Jeez. I don't want mind control everytime I cum."
Morals aside, Tanya was already in his pockets. There wasn't a thing she could do to him. The evidence of their affair was too damaging for her to act against him in the future. Lucius Fox's reputation–no, her childrens' reputation would be irreparably destroyed.
'Wait, speaking of Lucius…'
"Why are Bruce Wayne and your husband on bad terms?"
During the party, Lucius was hesitant to talk about Bruce Wayne, AKA Batman. Why?
"During the Joker War," Tanya began, gasping for air as if it was a robotic task, "Lucius was kidnapped by Punchline and tortured. Before that, in a separate incident involving Jace, Tamara was nearly crippled. She had to go through months of rehab. Ever since then, Lucius has hesitated to help Batman. He supplies him with information but limits the budget of Batman's technology."
"I see." That made a lot of sense. "What about We Are Robin? Is he the one running that program?"
"He leaves it to Julia Pennyworth."
"Who?"
"Alfred Pennyworth's daughter."
Oh, the butler's daughter. That piqued his interest. "Why her?"
There was another burst of jealousy as she explained, "After Alfred's death, she also grew to dislike Batman. Together, Lucius and Julia supported a separate group of vigilantes: We Are Robin."
"Wait, wait, wait…what? Alfred is…dead?"
"Yes. Bane killed him."
Aaron stared into her eyes, bewildered, but received the empty gaze of a puppet in return. Alfred was dead. Was that why Cassandra was so infatuated with him? Why she loved his food so much? Alfred was the grandfather-figure of the Bat Family. Someone they could all rely on. Even the problem child, Jason Todd, bore no ill-will against him. He was the old guy everyone liked.
'And he died.'
All of a sudden, Cassandra's actions during their first meeting made sense. In an act of desperation, admiration, and sorrow, she slept with him. She always complimented his food because it was likely reminiscent of the late butler as well. She vied for his love and attention because there was a hole in her heart.
A hole that he filled to the brim.
It had started with Alfred's death, yes, but now it was something greater. He had known for a while that Cassandra harboured intense feelings of love for him. Hell, if he was being honest with himself, he bore those very same feelings towards her. It was a mutual attachment neither of them were ready to confront or speak of. The mere thought of having a girlfriend was weird to him. Sleeping? Fucking? That was fine. But dating? For some reason, that gave him chills.
'I need to talk to her. Properly. No tip-toeing around or ignoring. I have to confront her about our relationship and whether we'll be something…more.'
Aaron inhaled sharply, his resolve hardened. He had one last lingering question though. Something that he had been wondering for the past few weeks.
"Who is Lucius' affair child?"
"Jace. He was born to Elena Aoki. Lucius was starting at Wayne Enterprises and struggling. One thing led to another and he fucked his assistant, Elena."
It wasn't just roleplay then. Tanya felt very strongly about her husband's affair. He could see the wisps of rage in her eyes. The hypnosis dissolving in wake of her conscious willpower. Lucius cheated on her, plain and simple. And, given that Jace was the oldest, it was during the early years of their marriage.
Aaron was a morally grey person for sure. He fucked Hadiyah right in front of Jace, annihilating his self-confidence and whatnot, but even he had to admit what Lucius did was fucked up. There was a difference between cheating on your wife–the woman you promised to share your life with–immediately after your wedding, and fucking some dude's innocent crush. A huge, huge difference, in his opinion.
No wonder Tanya was so eager for this affair. She needed an outlet. Revenge. Something, anything to make her feelings of hate simmer.
Aaron didn't mind being that outlet. Not one bit.
***
By the time their session ended, it was six o'clock. In Gotham, that was practically nighttime. He left Tanya unconscious and gagged, her holes thoroughly creampied. She promised she was on the pill. Hopefully that would be enough.
He texted Claire and asked about Chloe. From the photos she sent, she was doing alright. Maybe eating too much pizza.
'As long as she's having fun,' Aaron told himself, shaking his head with a smile.
His next destination was Thompkins Clinic, also known as the Thomas Wayne Memorial Clinic. He heard the rumours. Everybody in Gotham did. It was funded by Bruce Wayne but also supported by many villains during No Man's Land, namely Ivy, Clayface, and Mr. Freeze.
He wanted to check on the Robins. They weren't his responsibility, technically speaking, but he felt an obligation towards them. He texted them in advance, letting them know of his arrival.
The clinic was small and humble, expected of a location in Park Row. Luckily, it wasn't very busy, likely because nothing city-bending had happened. No Joker attack, no gang war, nothing. The past few months had been relatively peaceful. Of course, with the upcoming war, that would soon change.
Aaron maintained a key eye on his surroundings. The clinic was great and all but he didn't trust the region in the slightest. No matter how much Bruce Wayne invested, the East End would always be crime-ridden.
"Who are you?"
Leaning on the reception desk was a colourful young woman. Short blue-ish, magenta-ish hair, a nose piercing, and a swaggerish disposition.
"Oh, hi, I'm Aaron. I'm a friend of Izzy and Riko."
She did not look convinced. Crossing her arms, the punk girl leaned back further on the desk. The actual receptionist pursed her lips and said nothing.
"Sure. Do you know what room?"
"I think it was 202."
"Upstairs." The punk girl inhaled and jabbed a thumb at the staircase. "No elevators. Sorry."
"No problem. Thank you."
She must have been a volunteer here. She certainly wasn't a guard, she wasn't wearing the uniform. Her vibe was rebellious and headstrong. Smart but willful.
Gotham was just full of characters, wasn't it?
He went up the stairs and entered the hall. The small window on the door had a sign on it: CLOSED. A fake-out, likely Jada Thompkins' doing.
He turned the door knob. The treatment unit was smaller than he expected. There were two beds on each side, making for a total of four, and the window was covered by grey curtains. It was dystopian. Tragic.
But the light in their faces made the heavy atmosphere drift away.
"Aaron!" Riko leaped to her feet and pulled him to a quick hug. She backed away, feeling it was too forced, and smiled at him. "Ahem. Good to see you."
"Riko." Aaron gave her curt nod, then turned to Izzy and Shug-R, who were sitting on a bed at the back. "Girls."
"Yo," Shug-R greeted, sounding casual but smiling despite it. Izzy, meanwhile, sent a small wave and a grin.
"Riko's been missing ya," a cocky voice said. "Aaron this, Aaron that. That's all she's been talking about ever since we woke up."
"Daxton Chill," Aaron said. The red-haired male with the shitty hairstyle grinned at the call of his name. "It's good to see you talking."
Daxton gave a thumbs-up. "Hey, I'm like Red Hood. I never die. I just keep coming back."
"Cap," Izzy said. Daxton shot her a glare. "Anyways, did you get us food?"
"Yep." Right before he came, he bought food from a nearby convenience store. Chips, chocolate, candy, energy drinks. Stuff college students would devour left and right. He placed the bag on the table next to Daxton's bed.
He and Andre were still resting up while the girls relaxed and talked.
Andre Cipriani was silent, understandable since this was their first face-to-face meeting. Aaron noticed he was a lot like himself; introverted, awkward, and a little emo.
"Thanks," Andre muttered. "You really bailed our asses."
"No problem."
"Dr. Thompkins didn't ask questions either," Andre said. "I heard the rumours but…"
"Yeah, I get it," Aaron said. "Rumours can oftentimes disappoint, but this Dr. Thompkins is the real deal. Her mother was instrumental to Gotham back in No Man's Land and I'm sure the daughter will do the same."
Andre chewed on his lip. He seemed grateful but bewildered. "Mhm." He inhaled and added, "I thought we were dead."
"Me too," Daxton interjected. "I can't believe I got stabbed…it felt like…a million needles in one place exploding. You know what I mean?"
Aaron blinked and joked, "I've never been stabbed, so no."
Daxton snorted. "Fair enough. But more importantly, that bitch Angel Breaker is crazy. Literally. Her swords made all these SWOOSH and ZIING sounds! If we had magic swords, we would have won for sure!"
His proclamation was met with groans. Not what Aaron expected.
"He's been saying that for the past two days," Izzy told him. "Magic swords this, magic swords that. He can't accept the fact that we got our asses beat. We had Ivy AND Harley on our side and we still lost. That bitch is just crazy strong, end of story."
"She was trained," Andre stated quietly. "Very well trained. She must have honed her skills for years under the tutelage of a keen master."
The atmosphere suddenly grew thicker. Riko and Andre exchanged glances. They must have discussed this prior to his arrival.
"She told us the sword spoke to her and told her of a threat that was coming. She was granted her powers because only she could face it," Riko explained. "Her sword, like Daxton was saying, seemed magical. It absorbed all of our attacks, whether they were punches, kicks or projectiles."
"It definitely wasn't a tech sword," Shug-R added. "Unless her sword was made by Lex Luthor himself, which I sincerely doubt."
Aaron took a seat on the single empty bed across from Daxton. He thought over their experiences.
"Harley's hammer didn't work?"
"Nope," Izzy said, popping the P. "Even Ivy's poison and plants did nothing. Angel Breaker's sword sucked her chemicals in like a vacuum. We thought we could take advantage of when that happened, but…she was too fast. Too skilled. She ducked and weaved our attacks with ease. It was super annoying."
"Are you sure she's human?" Aaron asked. There was a pause for thought.
"She was red and black. Her skin was completely white too. Like paper white. Whiter than Harley," Daxton said. "Her outfit also looked tight as fuck–"
"Daxton, shut up," Izzy cut off. "Human or not, it doesn't matter. The point is: she's mega strong. I'm not sure if Batman can beat her."
"I doubt that," Andre retorted. "Batman can beat anyone. He just needs the time."
"Which he might not have," Izzy shot back. "Look, Batman is a superhuman but unless he calls in Superman…Gotham is done."
"The new or old Superman?" Shug-R asked.
"Both!" Izzy threw her hands up in the air, suddenly frustrated. "Just call both and have them kill these clowns! God."
"Unfortunately, the Supermen are out in space," Aaron said. Seeing their shocked looks and the way they were caught unaware, he probably shouldn't have told them that. "Sorry. It was in this week's news."
"Martian Manhunter? Hawkgirl? Green Lantern?" Daxton asked, listing off the powerful heroes in desperation. Aaron shook his head.
"Pretty much the entire old school Justice League roster is gone. There's some huge event in another solar system. World-ending stuff. At least that's what the news is saying."
A laptop was on Shug-R's lap. She didn't want to believe his claim so she went on Google, typing two hundred words a second and searching official and sketchy news outlets alike. Eventually, she let out a lengthy, dreary sigh. "He's right. The JL is not an option. They're gone. It was announced this morning…"
Daxton swore. "Fucking shit…"
Nobody spoke. The bleak reality of their situation sucked the positivity out of them. Their hopes and dreams. Aaron wanted to give out words of encouragement. Alas, he did not have confidence for something like that yet. His lips were sealed shut.
The door creaked open. The long-winded sound screeched their ears and they instantly became irritated and silent. Aaron could sense the panic in the Robins. Were they betrayed? Was it just a doctor? The questions ran through their minds like a crashing locomotive. Aaron, however, thought it was best to remain patient.
Who better to prove him correct than the rebellious volunteer at the reception. Her footsteps were silent and filled with poise, but the crew deflated nonetheless.
"Harper Row," Riko said, her voice flat. "Is there something you need?"
There was tension, Aaron could immediately sense it. The weight was like a bubble, ready to be popped by the point of a needle. A remark. Harper's gaze went from Daxton to Andre, then to the two women in the back, Riko, and finally Aaron. She raised a brow, intrigued.
"A friend?" Harper questioned. Riko nodded. "From what I heard, he knows?"
Silence. Aaron's heart rate picked up. He had sensed a presence behind the door but he incorrectly assumed it was a nurse or doctor standing by. He was wrong. This punk woman had been eavesdropped.
"She says she's Bluebird," said Izzy, brows furrowed. "She claims to be a hero, like us, and made us an offer."
"Look." Harper, all of a sudden, seemed to lose that overconfident bit of herself, dropping the outwardly pretenses. "I talked to Batman. He warned me that Gotham needs people to protect the civilians. He needs us. Not Nightwing, not Red Robin, not Red Hood, us. The little guys. Everybody knows we're not as well trained or well-equipped as those guys. And I'm sure you discovered that fact very literally. You're outclassed and there's nothing you can do about it."
"Shut the fuck up," Daxton spat, growling. "Who do you think we are? We know that! We know we're outclassed! That doesn't mean we can just stop doing our job!"
"Don't tell me to shut up, dumbass, when you can't even see how useless you are." Harper sneered. "Seriously, you had her outnumbered. You had Ivy and Harley, yet you still lost. Think about it for a fucking second. You're not beating anyone anymore. These are the big leagues. Acknowledge that."
He could sense the brewing anger of Daxton and Izzy. The latter was prepared to spew out Spanish curses at the young lady, her lips curled down in a contemptuous sneer, and from there the conversation would turn nastier and unquestionably stupid and worthless. Aaron needed to step in.
"Alright, alright." Aaron stood up and approached Harper. She was the same height as Cassandra so he towered over her. He could see a tiny flicker in her blue eyes. "Harper Row was your name? Hi, I'm Aaron. Look, these guys are a little tense. Talk to me instead. What is it you want? Can't the GCPD do what you ask? Defeat the fodder? Clean up the streets?"
Harper looked him up and down. She must have been satisfied with what she saw because she immediately calmed down. "My bad. Sorry. To be honest, I've been on the streets too long. When that happens, you tend to get aggressive." She turned her towards Daxton and offered an apologetic look. "Sorry, man."
Daxton blew air through his nose and looked away. "It's fine."
It didn't sound like it did. Whatever. It was progress.
"Anyway, what you said is true. Problem is, the GCPD might not be able to help this time. There's a target on Commissioner Gordon."
"Oh hell no," Izzy muttered. "If he goes down, then the cops are gonna turn spineless again."
"And right when he returned from retirement as well," Andre commented.
"Exactly," Harper said. "I wouldn't be surprised if there was news of him getting gunned down right this second."
A chill went down Aaron's spine and as if his bad feeling had come to fruition Shug-R spoke up.
"And you would almost be correct," Shug-R announced, her glasses reflecting the blue light of her laptop. "Jim Gordon, age 51, shot twice in the leg and hospitalized."
"God dammit." Izzy groaned. "Just our luck…"
Harper sighed and scratched her cheek. "Alright, I didn't actually think that would happen. Still, that proves my point. Gotham needs us. When the buildings collapse, the helpless will need people to look to. Batman is amazing but he's not a god. He needs our help."
There was a murmur. A line of dialogue between the Robins that could only be read and understood by their years of deep friendship. Shug-R and Izzy threw glances while Andre and Daxton breathed and gestured.
The conclusion was forgone, however.
"Fine." Izzy–Robina–the makeshift leader leaped off the bed and strutted up to Harper Row. "We'll help you. We don't have a problem taking orders from you either. Promise us one thing though."
Harper straightened up with determination and nodded for her to continue.
"Do. Not. Betray. Us."
Harper narrowed her eyes and pounded a fist to her heart. "Loyalty is hard to come by, I know, but I swear it. I won't.."
Her blue eyes were sincere. Aaron and Izzy could see it clearly. This girl, this woman, she was genuine in her desire to do good.
Now, did that mean she was trustworthy? Certainly not, but it was better than nothing.
Aaron checked his phone and saw a message from Claire.
> Claire: hey. ik i said i would take care of chloe but something came up. can you come home?
> Aaron: I'll be right there. 5 minutes
> Claire: ttyl
"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I have to get going," Aaron said aloud. He came up to Harper, gave her a nod, and added, "Great meeting you, Harper. I hope you and Izzy get along."
He brushed past her, opened the door, and exited the hospital at a brisk pace. He saw Jada Thompkins in the halls and waved at her. She was busy but was able to wave back with a smile.
'There's six or seven doctors in the clinic.' His gaze sweeped the area. White walls, small hallways, and expensive equipment. Bruce Wayne probably should have invested in the clinic's structural integrity rather than the medical supplies. The place looked like it was a century old. The paint on the walls was cracked and rusting.
Inevitably, when Gotham was once again swallowed in chaos, there would be a sea of people here. The legend and legacy of Thompkins Clinic would continue, from mother to daughter. Yet its condition did raise concerns. He stepped outside, thinking, and shoved a hand in his pocket, grabbing his phone to call a taxi.
"Wait up, Aaron Reigner."
The abrupt call of his name forced him to stop. A finger tapped his shoulder. Glancing back, he saw Harper Row, hands in her pockets and standing beside him.
"What's up?" Aaron asked, brow raised and hands lodged in his pockets.
"The streets are dangerous. It's good to have someone tag along."
'I was going to call a taxi but…I don't want to embarrass her.'
Aaron smiled down at her. He slowed down, matching her pace, and said, "Thanks. I owe you one."
"It's no problem," she muttered, pulling her collar over her mouth. It was cold outside. December gave no mercy as they breathed out a steady chill.
"You think it will snow soon?"
He didn't know if Harper was shy or awkward with men, but she didn't speak for a solid two minutes. The jacket she wore wasn't as thick or protective as his. Maybe it was that.
"Maybe," Harper replied. "Hopefully not. Snow plus war? That's a recipe for disaster. Our electrical grid might not be able to handle it either."
"Considering Zero Season? Probably."
Zero Season. Aaron must have been six years old when it happened. Riddler's first super crime where he used an EMP detonator to remove power from the entire city. The darkness was staggering and the fear moreso. His caretakers had come close to abandoning the orphanage and only stayed because they didn't know what the Riddler would do next. Again, it was fear that kept them in-line.
And that fear was justified too, because soon there was flooding on top of the power outage, and the only way to remedy the disaster was to solve the Riddler's great challenge.
Aaron remembered little of what happened in those months. Those two or three months where the Riddler reigned supreme, when he boasted absolute power, when Batman did not fully emerge from the shadows. He was six, a boy understanding very little of the things around him.
"Zero Season. Even without Riddler, it was bound to happen," Harper claimed, shaking her head and tutting. "I'm sure you've noticed that Gotham City has been growing colder over the past decade."
"Climate change," Aaron supplied.
"Yep. Climate change." Harper kicked her feet as she walked. "Gotham is super, super old and the city council, before and now, don't like to mess with things. The issue was, at the time, they didn't winterize the wind turbines and the natural gas infrastructure. It's why they weren't able to get the power on for months. The Riddler's meddling combined with the unexpectedly cold winter season screwed things over."
Aaron turned his head and listened attentively. Topics of politics, social issues, and science intrigued him when it came from someone that was obviously schooled in it. Harper continued without halting in their path.
"On top of that, Gotham's power grid isn't connected to the Eastern or the Western Interconnection. Those are our two main national grids. Meaning, we couldn't import electricity either."
"Hm. What about Mexico though? Isn't there a connection there?"
Harper looked up at him, eyes twinkling, impressed. "Yeah, you're right, there is. Unfortunately, unless we paid an absurd price, Mexico wouldn't give Gotham anything."
Aaron chuckled. "Even back then, our municipality was corrupt as hell. I doubt they'd cough up a penny."
"Exactly." Harper finger-gunned him. "Even now, our grid isn't perfect. There's been a dozen reports from U.S. federal regulators that our power plants would fail in certain high-intensity conditions."
"So if it starts freezing rain, we're done for?"
"Yep!"
"You think it's possible for Mr. Freeze to conjure up a massive winter storm?"
"I'm pretty sure he's already done that. Batman was able to stop it before it got too crazy though."
"Isn't there a chance he'd try again?"
"Probably."
"Gotham sucks."
He and Harper shared a laugh over the grievances of their city. Despite her unruly appearance, she was very well-educated. Not just smart but introspective. She offered solutions and gave an informed opinion over her area of expertise.
The minutes felt like hours and the sight of his apartment came into view.
"I'll see you later, Harper." Aaron bid her goodbye. She did the same while wearing a small smile.
"Yeah. See ya, man."
He swiped in and headed to the third floor. Seeing the plate number 312, he was washed in the comforting presence of his home. He unlocked the door and braced himself for a mess.
"Huh…"
Unexpectedly, there wasn't. It was largely the same, with perhaps the addition of a random beyblade on the floor. Chloe and Claire were at the kitchen table, eating what seemed to be mashed potatoes.
"Aaron!" Chloe, her hands messy in the light-brown food, wiggled her arm left and right. "We're eating right now!"
"This is all I can make," Claire admitted sheepishly. "I usually order."
"If you need to order, then just ask me," Aaron replied. "I can pay."
"I couldn't do that–"
Claire cut herself short as he whipped out his wallet. He slid out three hundred dollar bills and offered it to her.
"What…what's that?" Claire chuckled nervously. Her hand itched for the money. Aaron wanted to laugh but he simply edged the bills closer.
"Your payment. You didn't think I was going to let you do it for free?"
"...yeah?"
This time, he chuckled. "Take it."
"A-alright. Thanks!" Claire swiped the money from him. "Four hundred bucks for every shift?"
"More if you want," Aaron said.
"Best. Day. Ever!" In a burst of speed and emotion that surprised even Aaron, the blonde college student tackled him in a hug. "Thank you, thank you!" She jumped, her cheeks rubbing his chest. He patted her on the head weakly.
Aaron's expression turned stone cold when he saw Chloe's mischievous face. She didn't need to say anything to tease him.
"Err, cool," Aaron said stiffly. "No problem."
Claire broke away and stared up at him with bright, blue eyes filled with eagerness and respect. "I won't let you down, sir!"
"There's no need to call me sir…"
"Sir, yes sir!"
"Isn't there somewhere you need to be?" Aaron asked, wanting to avoid Chloe's silent giggling.
"Oh, yes! Sorry, my bad! Gotta go!" By the time Claire skipped away, the effect was already done. Chloe stood on the chair and began singing with the biggest grin in the world.
"Aaron and Claire, sitting in a tree~! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"