Now that Arias had received the invitation for the Gala, he decided it was best to head to Washington. The event was only a few days away, and with his properties in Gotham sold, there wasn't much keeping him there—aside from a few minor characters. With that in mind, he set off for Washington with Harley, who had now become his personal assistant and the only remaining member of Gotham's special task force.
The whereabouts of Shade, Roulette, and Giganta were unknown. Arias found it odd that Giganta had also disappeared the night he and Harley took Gregor's life, especially since he had no reason to believe she was involved in the attempt on his life. Thankfully, crime in Gotham was at an all-time low, so the special task force wasn't needed. Arias considered disbanding it entirely but ultimately decided against it, recognizing the value of such a rare position of power. Furthermore, now that Lex Luthor had a hand in Gotham, he was quickly investing in anything that could increase his influence and public acceptance.
The moment Arias gave up his role as the coordinator of the special task force, Luthor would likely form his own and have the public vote him into the position. Thus far, no contact had been made between the two. Arias stayed out of the public eye, with his last headline being the task force's credit for apprehending Catwoman. Luthor, on the other hand, couldn't avoid the Gotham headlines even if he wanted to. From donating millions to local charities, opening much-needed facilities, and giving out scholarships, Luthor was ensuring he remained the talk of the city.
Arias could tell that Luthor didn't see him as relevant. After all, with an approximate net worth of 1.2 billion and very few connections, Arias was hardly a threat in Luthor's eyes. His ego wouldn't allow him to show concern over a newcomer like Arias, even if he was dangerous. Luthor was likely focusing on outcompeting Bruce Wayne. Arias wasn't about to disrupt such an advantageous situation—for now, Luthor was improving a city that would eventually belong to Arias anyway. Why interfere with free labor?
…
Arias arrived in Washington late in the evening, and as expected, the city was buzzing with activity. Despite the Gala being a few days away, many dignitaries had arrived 3-4 days early to settle in, resulting in heightened security throughout the city. The airport alone had numerous reporters and journalists from the world's top media stations camped outside, ready to bombard any relevant figure who walked out.
Thankfully, Arias wasn't well known outside Gotham, so he didn't draw much attention. He exited the airport wearing a stylish suit, while Harley wore a tight office outfit that accentuated her curves. Without her usual clown makeup and dyed hair, she looked like a sexy blonde assistant accompanying yet another playboy billionaire.
"Wow, Mr. M, I feel like a real star." Ever since her near-death sexual experience with Arias, Harley had stopped addressing him as "boss."
As the two walked toward their hired service car, Harley waved and smiled at the many flashing cameras as if she were on a red carpet.
"What do you think, Mr. M? Should I flash 'em?" A mischievous grin spread across Harley's face as she made the bold suggestion.
Arias wasn't surprised by her comment. He knew the world looked very different through her eyes. And as interesting as it would be to cause a stir, he rejected the idea.
"Behave. It's too early to start an international incident."
"Aww, whatever you say, Mr. M." Harley's smile didn't fade as she continued to wave enthusiastically until they got into their vehicle.
The drive to the hotel where Arias would be staying was uneventful, aside from Harley's constant suggestions for depraved activities to pass the time. However, they soon found themselves stuck in heavy traffic. Harley took this as an opportunity to pitch even more ideas.
Arias sighed, turning his attention to the nervous driver, who was trying to ignore the conversation in the back.
'Man, these rich guys sure live different lives,' the poor driver thought, doing his best to block out Harley's suggestive comments.
But it was difficult…
"Come on, Mr. M, I really wanna have your spunk all over my face. I'm sure the driver won't mind."
Arias sighed again and turned to the driver. "Driver."
The man panicked. "Huh! Oh, yes, I don't mind…"
"See?" Harley urged joyfully, but Arias ignored her.
"I was going to ask how much longer the traffic will be."
The driver, embarrassed, cursed his dirty mind. 'Damn it, I need to stop listening to this and focus.'
"Driver? The traffic," Arias repeated, snapping the man out of his thoughts.
"Oh, yes, sorry. It shouldn't be much longer. There's a security checkpoint up ahead, since a lot of big shot—I mean, dignitaries—pass through. Unless your home is around here, civilian cars are prohibited from passing. Judging by how long it's taking, someone big must be up ahead."
"I see. We have no choice then." Arias leaned back in his seat, about to relax when his senses suddenly heightened. He narrowed his gaze at the vehicles ahead and frowned.
"Shit." Without warning, Arias grabbed Harley and pulled her into his embrace before diving out of the car.
The driver was confused, but before he could react, the vehicle at the front of the line, which was approaching the checkpoint, exploded!
The explosion was small, covering only a few meters in radius, but powerful enough to send surrounding cars flying and cause some to explode or catch fire. As Arias raised his head, he saw the car he had just been in go airborne along with a few others.
Harley, who was under him, had been shielded from the shockwave and only suffered some aches from hitting the tarmac.
"What's going on, Mr. M?"
As she asked, the sound of metal clattering on the ground echoed around them as canisters tumbled onto the road. In the next moment, smoke billowed out, enveloping the entire street.
"It seems someone is wanted dead."
.