IDENTITY CRISIS ━━ bruce wayne.

i. vengeance & mercy don't live side by side

But, there was no one there.

Erina headed back inside, keeping her head low to avoid any hidden cameras she may not have spotted during her scope of the building. Despite most of the building still being under construction, slumlords had no problem renting out to people desperately needing a home. Erina could hear the voices of families on the other side of the thin walls, but she tried her best to ignore them as she headed down the stairs. Her feet moved quickly, almost sprinting to make it back to her car. She unlocked the door, taking a seat inside before she tossed her briefcase in the back seat. The Bat Signal still stared down at her, making her gulp as she pushed the key into the ignition and started the car.

The sound of sirens filled the air, but it was nothing new to the citizens of Gotham. Erina tried her best to remain calm as she drove in the opposite direction, heading away from the chaos she had created.

The voice in her ear spoke again. "Good work, Sato. Till next time."

"Yes, Sir."

Her reply was quick and simple. A hiss left her lips at the loud beep of the transmission being cut, but it wasn't as if the connection was ever truly cut. The device gave them access to many things, allowing them to track her all over Gotham and be able to listen to every conversation Erina ever had. Though, she doubted they had someone sitting around to listen to her daily activities. But, she still remembered what had happened the last time she had tried to escape. It must have been when she was around fourteen years old, but the scars were enough to make her never try again. But, the worst part was knowing they held the string to her life and had the ability to cut it at any moment. It was what they had told her. One step out of line and they would press the button. Erina wasn't sure how true their claim was, but she didn't want to test them.

A sigh left Erina's lips. Her hand went over the bump behind her ear, feeling the sting when she pressed down against it. The jobs were coming more often than not and Erina knew it wouldn't be long till she was on Batman's radar. But, she still reminded herself that Gotham was a big city and that crime happened in every dark alley. Yes, but not everyone is committing murder. Her grip tightened on the steering wheel, taking deep breaths to focus herself. It did not take long for Erina to find herself on familiar streets. She parked, turning off the car as she sat back.

On the passenger seat, she could see an envelope with her name on it. She had noticed it when she had gotten into her car, but her priority had been to escape the crime scene before anyone could show up. Opening it up, she noticed the several hundred dollar bills and a note inside.

For your good work.

It was what the note said, making Erina feel sick to her stomach. It was never a grandiose amount she was paid, considering she was still trying to pay off the debt her father had accumulated when he was still alive. She ripped up the note, throwing the scraps of paper in the back. Erina counted the bills ━━ two thousand dollars. It was barely enough to cover rent. She let out a heavy breath, tucking it back into the envelope. With a marker she kept in her glove box, she blacked out her name on the paper.

Erina exited the car, keeping the envelope close to protect it from the rain. It had started out of nowhere, but rain was to be expected in Gotham. She locked the car, ignoring the looks she received from a few men huddled near a fire. This was the part of Gotham that the officials liked to pretend didn't exist, but that didn't change the fact most lived in poverty. She punched in the code to unlock the door of the apartment building, keeping her head low to avoid the one camera in the lobby. The security guard, as always, was asleep with a rerun of a basketball game playing. Go Gotham Guardsmen! Erina had never been a fan of sports.