Innocence || Gotham

SIXTEEN

"Boring," Barbara sing-songs.

"Right?" Jerome scoffs, shaking his head.

Another few minutes had passed since Galavan was knocked out. All this thinking was starting to stress Evelyn out. She needed a release of some sort. She can't exactly make out with anyone at the moment, so she'll have to do the next best thing.

"I'm bored," she complains, taking a seat at the edge of the stage. "Why did we give them ten minutes?"

"Alright, Dollface." Jerome sighs, taking a seat beside her. Naturally, the camera aims itself at the two of them. "Let's play a game. Pick a person, any person."

Evelyn genuinely grins, excitement arising. "Really?"

"Yeah," he nods, giving a wave of dismissal. "Go on, pick."

Evelyn scans the crowd, her eyes landing on a quivering old man. She, with a smirk, points to him. Jerome uses his hand for shade to see. "You, Sir! Mustache! Old!" He calls out, pointing at the old guy. "Yep, I'm talking to you, stand up for me please!"

Hesitantly, the man stands. He quivers in his spot and makes no move to defy Jerome. Jerome hops off the stage, grabbing an apple from a nearby table before delicately placing it atop of the old man's head.

With a grin, he motions to the apple. "Try and shoot the apple."

Evelyn huffs, her gun already in her hand from excitement. Her eyes narrow at the ginger, finger hovering over the trigger. "I meant killing someone."

"Yeah, I know, but it hasn't been ten minutes yet. Besides, what's more fun than watching them quiver in fear?"

Watching said fear leave their eyes. Evelyn lifts her gun, eyes narrowing at the target. The loudness of the gun startles everyone, pieces of the apple fly off in different directions.

"Well?" Jerome announces, looking around the room, "clap."

The room gives a hesitant clap, applauding the young woman's accuracy.

"Now," She begins, aiming her gun at Jerome. "What's to stop me from killing you?"

Jerome gives a tight grin, taking slow steps towards the young woman. "The same thing that's stopping me from killing you."

By now, he was in her personal space, but that doesn't stop Evelyn from placing the tip of her gun against his chest.

"You've been telling me to 'release my inner psycho' all week and now you're telling me I can't?" Evelyn whispers. Her ice-blue eyes look into his dark ones, silently challenging him. "Come one, рыжий (ginger), What happened to that?"

"There's a time for fun and there's a time for action," Jerome corrects, no longer grinning at her. "This is the time for action."

"This isn't gonna end well, Jerome," she responds. "I think we both know that."

Jerome grins again before hopping onto the stage to squat right behind her. The blade of his pocket knife suddenly presses itself against her throat, causing people to gasp. Evelyn rolls her eyes.

"Follow the plan, or 'Dollface' will become ironic," he growls, pulling away. As he pulls away, he makes sure to leave a shallow slash on her upper arm, causing her to hiss from the sudden pain.

"You've already used that," she reminds, glaring at the ginger as he puts away the pocket knife.

Barbara lets out a grunt of annoyance, causing the two to turn their heads. Jerome manages to stop her just in time from killing the doctor.