First Light » Titans [2]

3|| Dead Ends

The thin, red hand on the clock ticked by with each passing second. The soft, repetitive tick, tick, tick, was the only sound in the small, grey room.

Sophie breathed slowly. She could do this. She just needed to remind herself why she was back here.

Beams of soft afternoon light flooded into the room from the narrow windows at the top of the wall. Dust floated by, shimmering under the rays. She watched the particles fall slowly to the shinning metal table she sat in front of.

She could do this, she just needed to stay calm.

She licked her lips and forced herself to meet the dull green eyes of the man across from her.

Henry Dane sat on the opposite end of the table. His thin lips were twisted up into a sickly sweet smile and eyes that mirrored her own studied her. His button up and slacks had long since been replaced by a bright orange jumpsuit with Gotham Penitentiary written on the back.

"Welcome back Sophia." He spoke softly and with kindness--Like a father who hadn't seen his daughter in a while.

It made her stomach twist with nausea and sparked that fire in her chest. She breathed slowly and forced her expression to stay neutral.

She wasn't going to let him win, not again.

"I wasn't sure you were going to come back after our last conversation. You seemed distraught when you left." He sat forwards in his metal chair, rattling the chains around his feet and wrists.

Her jaw ticked as the memory of her last visit replayed in her mind. Her case had hit yet another brick wall. She convinced Commissioner Gordon to help get her into the prison to privately speak with Henry; and he read her like a book. He preyed on her emotions and she took out weeks of frustration on him.

She was lucky she was even allowed back in to see him.

"Your trials in a little over a week Henry," she stared blankly at him, "after that the only person you'll be seeing is the guards who bring you food in the morning."

He pressed his lips into a straight line. "My lawyer has explained that the court wanted me put in Arkham. You're doing, I assume?"

"No," she scoffed, "I wanted you put in Blackgate Penitentiary, but either way you'll never see my face again."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Sophia." He grinned.

Sophie clenched her jaw to fight back the swears clawing up her throat and clasped her hands together. She squeezed down on her fingers. The pressure was enough to stop her from throwing a punch, or a crystal, at his face.

"I know that Luthor wanted you out of prison, why?" She quickly moved on.

Henry hummed and sat back in his seat. "I couldn't answer that even if I was so inclined to."

It would be so easy for her to lean across the table and slit his throat. So very easy.

"I'm tired of your games Henry. I'm tired of all of this." She leaned forwards and tightened her grip on her hands. "Either you tell me everything you know or I walk out that door and figure it out on my own."

A slow smile pulled at his lips before a low rumbling laugh shook his chest. "You remind me so much of your mother. She was a spitfire too."

Sophie jolted upright from her seat and slammed her hands down on the table. "Don't you fucking dare!"

Her chest rose and fell quickly and the ticking of the clock was drowned out by the sound of blood rushing through her ears. She glared daggers at the vile man before her.

Henry slowly sat forwards and narrowed his eyes. "It wasn't my intention to hurt your mother, Sophia. I only wanted the best for you and the rest of the human race." He seethed.

"So you tortured kids?" She hissed.

He sighed heavily and sat back. He reached up and scratched the stubble on his chin. "There's always a price to be paid, as I'm sure you know."

Sophie's eyes widened and she scoffed bitterly. "Twenty four kids are dead and that will always be on you! You've got a first class ticket to hell whether you help me or not."

He looked up at her and gave another gut twisting smile. "There will always be more to the story Sophia. And i'm afraid it's a story I can not tell."

"Right." She pushed away from the table and made her way to the heavy metal door. She clicked the small buzzer beside it to alert the guards that she was finished.

"Despite your disdain for me you'll continue to come back here. I may not be what you imagined but I am still your father." Henry said forcefully.

"No." She spun around with fury in her eyes. "You have never and will never be my father. I have a family, I have a father. The only reason I keep coming back to this shit hole is because I never want to see you hurt another kid again!"

A piercing buzz came from the door before a guard pulled it open. She brushed past him and made her way down the grey and white visitor hall.

Whatever secrets her father had he could keep. She was done playing his games. She was done with all of the sleepless nights and throbbing headaches. She'd find the information she needed somewhere else.