「 F I F T Y F I V E 」
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Gotham City, the city of never ending crime and turmoil, but also of ambitious ventures and economic advances.
Gotham's underworld thriving under the moonlight. A whole other world bleeding into reality and it was those in charge making their presence known amongst the big ballers. Oswald cobblepot being one of them. He didn't need a renowned family name with generations upon generations of ancestral land or wealth. He only needed a name and his growing reputation. He'd clawed his way up towards the top of this nasty little food chain. His legacy being carried by that of the name Penguin. One he highly detested but soon grew accustomed to. As those who called him it where the ones he was most feared by. The ones who felt most threatened and boy did that make him smile. Penguin now holding many of the assets needed to sit at the top.
Penguin stepped out from his sleek black limousine heading straight for the pent house of his newly prized asset. His shined shoes stepping out onto the freshly polished tiles of the pent houses open plan suite. The silhouettes of a couple stood staring out at the streets of Gotham city. A glass of whiskey in hand as Penguin sauntered onto the balcony. "Quite the show tonight." He said merrily watching as Katrina Kyle turned from her spot beside the tall stranger. Her curled fingers falling from the boys bicep as a small smile graced her lips. " Shame I missed it." Her hand finding an empty glass pouring herself another glass of expensive champagne. " Another time." Her glass lifted to her lips filling down another sip as the shadowed figure gripped the railing of the balcony. Penguin moved to stand beside the stranger glaring off into the streets, his eyes becoming hooded as he lost himself in deep thought. Penguins hand reached out grasping the boys shoulder turning to gave him. "I understand it must have been hard seeing her m'boy." The eyes of Jacob Hernandez falling in line with Penguins. The lifeless glare in them dominant as they filtered into their newly accustomed dark pools. " You could say that." He sneered through gritted teeth knocking back the burning alcohol from his glass. " She's changed. You need to move past that if we are to succeed." Katrina slowly moving to stand beside the two, her slender fingers reaching out to comfort Jake once again. " She doesn't care about you anymore." Katrina whispered into his ear, her fingers squeezing his bicep. " She's one of them." Penguins eyes slyly meeting Katrina from behind Jakes tuft of hair messy hair. The two sharing a small nod as a hidden smirk danced across the young vixens lips. " We have to do everything in our power to succeed. Scarlett Quinzel is an asset that needs taking out." Penguins gaze on Jake as the two locked eye contact. " She's not the girl you grew up with young Jacob. That girl you think you know isn't real. She never has been. The girl you met tonight, the girl you've seen and heard so much about is real. And now it's our job to make sure she doesn't get involved in destroying the plan. Am I understood?" Jakes jaw clenching as he nodded in Penguins direction. "Crystal clear." His eyes wandering back off towards the flickering lights below. "Good. I expect you know your next assignment." Both Katrina and Jake nodding as Penguin began to leave the two alone in the suite. Katrina standing closer to Jake as she shared a lingering look that both she and Penguin understood. This was strictly business, there is no room for personal conflicts, they only lead to personal error and lack of judgement. This was strictly primal instinct. There is no room for liabilities. No room for childish crushes of hopeless romance, time to toss away the pinky swear promises of endless friendship, a sacred bond between two children declaring everlasting friendship and loyalty. It was time for Jacob Hernandez to wash his hands clean of Scarlett Quinzel.
Scarlett angered cries but distant echoes in the minds of the houses residents. Jokers men standing before him all lined up in a pretty row. The green haired clown paced back and fourth, back and fourth before halting in place. The echoes of his footsteps fading from the air as he stood before his victim. A snivelling man who'd failed to uphold their end of the bargain. Grayson stood beside Johnathan frost. The boys weary eyes falling onto the beaten man whimpering before them, trying his hardest not to flinch at the sound of shattering objects coming from down the hall. She'd sure inherited his unhinged temper Grayson thought as Joker landed a clean punch in his victims jaw. The once silvered metal of his knuckle duster splattered red being tossed aside lazily as Joker gripped the mans face. " I don't like rats." The man squirmed as he began to beg for his life. " I've told you everything I know." He pleaded swaying forward as the blood dropped down his lips onto the prestige tiled flooring. That was going to be a difficult stain to clean up, one Harley would most definitely notice. But as Joker was about to land another hit onto the snivelling excuse of a man the echoing of footsteps snagged Grayson's attention. There she stood. Her form limp almost as she stared down through puffy worn eyes down at them from a top of a grand staircase. Her lips pulled between her teeth as began to descend the staircase. The unfamiliar dead look pooling in her eyes. One Grayson had never seen before, but then again he'd only seen the happy aspects of her, the fighter not the defeated.
Joker spun on his heel facing his ever so fruitful daughter. His angered expression of rage melting into that of malicious excitement as he knew that look in her eyes all to well. This was going to be a performance of a lifetime. He did enjoy pulling at her strings, she was far more easier than Harley to get a reaction out of. She may have inherited most things from her mother but her raging temper was a 100% all his.
" Hello honey" he drawled enthusiastically his lips curving into a smirk of mockery. His usual face around her recently. " come to join the party. Have you finished your tantrum?" His eyes falling from her, his attention drifting to the snivelling man crouched one the floor. That smirk of his still dancing on his lips. No doubt letting his sadistic thoughts run wild. " Did you know." The words tumbling from her lips as she folded her arms across her chest, the cold tone of her voice leaving those around her to shift uncomfortably as they watched the two engage with one another. " You're going to have to be a little more specific?" Jokers fingers clicking as his men yanked the whimpering man back in the grasp, his fist pulled back ready to land another hit. "I'll ask again. Did. You. Know." Her words dragged out as she made her way past the watchful stare of Grayson. His eyes practically pleading with her to stop. "DID YOU." She practically screamed shrugging off the hand of a fellow henchmen attempting from letting her get any closer. Her hand latched around the mans swiftly yanking his wrist downwards as she tossed him head over heels over himself knocking him onto his back. A small growl erupted from jokers throat as he pointed an accusing ringed finger towards her. " I told you to forget about it. Did I not tell you to get rid of all those liabilities." His electric stormy iris meeting hers the two locked into a challenging stare. " I did warn you—." " So you knew..." scarletts eyes filling with a new found rage as she let out a blood curdling scream. Her legs dragging her into a heated thrashing run. Her hands bolting out right as she clawed the air reaching for the infamous clown. The warm arms of Grayson grasping her waist hauling her back as she thrashed in his grip. " I'm going to tear you're eyes from hour fucking skull—." She screeched like a banshee baring her teeth like a rabid animal. " Got it. Got it. Got it." Joker chanted boredly faking his enthusiasm. As he turned his back on her as Grayson attempted to drag her further away from him. "Get off of me." Scarlett spat thrashing harder in Grayson's arms. Her claw like nails scratching across his bare arms in attempt to release herself. " I'm sorry but this is for your own good." Grayson panicked as he tried to regain his falling hold on her. " Fuck you. Fuck you! Fuck." She screamed throwing her head back into his. "YOU." Grayson cried out as he grasped his bloodied nose. Scarlett fell from his arms wasting no time lingering for Joker. Her hands finding the nearest object to her. Her fingers curling around the handle of jokers gun as she ripped it from its holster. " You've got 2 minutes before I blow this piece of metal right between your eyes." Jokers eyes rolling back as he pulled a bored expression an exaggerated sigh leaving his lips. " Do it." His forehead pressed against the cold barrel. "Do it." His hands raising slowly as he stared into those raging eyes of grief. "Do it." He bellowed before forcefully grasping the gun from her hands. " You're a sick man." She shouted defeatedly as he pulled the gun back tirelessly pulling the trigger hearing the thud of a body hitting the ground as the erupting bang echoed in the air. Scarlett barely flinched was she stared tirelessly. " a sick, sick man. I hope you get what's coming for you. Even if I have to do it myself." Scarlett spat turning on her heel. Her fingers curling into a fist, her nails digging into her palms as she balled them tightly until her knuckles turned white. " Don't worry. I'll be your friend." He called cheekily before falling into his spine chilling laughter.
" Don't you worry. You'll get what's coming to you." Scarlett muttered as Harley came into view. The platinum haired vixen late to the commotion standing in nothing but her silken robe with her hair pinned into two sloppy buns on her head. The look of confusion painted across her face as she watched her daughter fleeting figure storm past her. Before her eyes landed on the bleeding heap on her newly polished flooring.
" Not my new fucking rug."