THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS
xx. GOODBYE GOTHAM
❝THINGS AREN'T WHAT THEY SEEM.❞

THE STACKED DECK WAS A BAR AND POOL HALL located in Old Gotham, near the docks as it overlooked the waterfront. Its neon red sign had a few letters burnt out, amplifying the rundown exterior of the red brick building. It wasn't a place Anastasia had visited before, but Laura had come the night before with Selina. She had recounted her night to Anastasia, going into vivid detail about their late night date. Though, Laura was hesitant to officially call it a date until she saw Selina again. In the back of Anastasia's mind, a voice reminded her that the Stacked Deck was also the place where Bruce and Selina had their secret meeting. She recalled the text messages she had found on her husband's phone. But for now, they needed to focus on Erina Sato and Emmett Novak.

They had promised to take half an hour, but it had been longer than that. Before they had headed to the Stacked Deck, they decided to take a detour to Laura's apartment. There, the two of them had taken showers to rid themselves of the remainder of Arkham Asylum. Anastasia had scrubbed her hands and feet clean of the unearthly substance from the underground lab. It had easily come off with soap and water, fortunately. But, her clothes had been soiled from exploring the lab and the rainfall. So, Laura had allowed her to borrow a pair of dark wash jeans, a red blouse, and black trench coat. Laura was taller than Anastasia, so the jeans were a bit on the longer side. However, it was a problem fixed by cuffing the bottoms. Laura had dressed in a similar outfit, donning a purple top instead. They had opted for something simple and comfortable, wanting to blend in with the others on the streets of Gotham.

Laura parked her car next to a pair of motorcycles in front of the bar, allowing them to catch a glimpse into the establishment through the windows. Anastasia stepped out of the vehicle, grabbing her purse. It was a cross-body that hung at her waist, a bit smaller than the tote bags she was used to carrying around. She had all the essentials: her switched-off phone, her wallet, her flask filled to the brim with bourbon, a red lipstick, eyeliner, a few feminine hygiene products, and a .38 revolver that once belonged to her father.

Anastasia opened the door, hearing the bell ring above her head as she and Laura entered the bar. A few heads turned their way, curious to know who would show up to a bar at five o'clock in the afternoon. However, the sun had already begun its descent and nightfall would be among them within the hour. Some eyes lingered on them, but most went back to what they were doing. Her green eyes scanned the room for Erina, but to no avail.

"I hope she didn't leave," Laura mumbled from behind her, running her hand over the mahogany built of the pool table nearest to them. Laura had mentioned she and Selina had played a few games of pool, making Anastasia wonder if that was why there was a sweet dreamy look on her face. "I texted her we're here, but she hasn't replied yet."

"I guess we'll wait and see," Anastasia suggested, not having much of another idea. They couldn't miss a chance to find out the secrets Emmett Novak hid, the last confirmed person who had seen Eric before the infection.

The bar was occupied by several people, scattered throughout. There was a couple having dinner at a table booth in a deserted corner. A group of motorcyclists played a game of billiards as they cheered in excitement for each gain. Then, there were people on their lonesome as they drank quietly at the bar. Despite the three lonely souls, they moved in unison with each gulp of bitter liquor and deprecating sigh. It made Anastasia want to join them, wanting to wallow with the pit growing deep within her chest.

After a few minutes of wandering the bar without results, Anastasia decided she didn't want to wait. She walked toward the curly-haired bartender, giving the woman a smile who seemed to have immediately recognized who she was. After all, one of the televisions hanging overhead played the news on mute while another played a football game. For a moment, she and Bruce flashed across the screen. It was a clip from a press conference about a year or so ago, showing their endorsement of then running candidate for mayor, Harvey Dent.

The bartender didn't return her smile, raising a brow. "How can I help you, Mrs. Wayne?"

"I'm looking for Erina Sato," Anastasia explained, realizing it would be best to skip the pleasantries. Laura came up behind Anastasia, crossing her arms as she faced the bartender. It seemed that the bartender had recognized Laura too, relaxing ever so slightly.

The bartender shrugged her shoulders, continuing to clean a glass with a white rag. She wore a silver badge, announcing to the world that her name was Maggie. "I don't know anyone with that name."

"We're her friends, I promise," Laura added, pulling up text messages between them to show the bartender. She eyed them both, reading the text messages before checking the phone number they had been sent from. "She told us to meet her here. So if you know where she is, it'd be a great help."

"I didn't expect Erina to have friends in such... high... places," Maggie muttered, placing the glass down on the counter behind her. She pointed to a closed door adjacent to the bar, the sign read Employees Only. "She's down the stairs, waiting for the two of you with that Novak guy."

"Thank you," Anastasia said, nodding at the woman. It could be assumed that Maggie and Erina were friends, considering the former was protective. She still watched them with wary eyes, untrusting.

They opened the door, noticing the concrete stairs that descended into the basement of the bar. Usually, buildings close to the docks didn't have basements due to the water constantly crashing against the rockside. Flooding was common, expected almost. But, it seemed the owners of the Stacked Deck didn't care as they built deep into the ground. The staircase was lit by white fluorescent lights, leaving a blue tint across the room. Voices echoed upward, a man and woman.

Turning the corner, they spotted who they assumed was Emmett Novak tied to a metal chair as blood dripped from the open wounds on his face. His forehead had a deep gasp, appearing a bright red as blood pooled underneath the skin. His lip was busted, having endured a punch to the face. Those were the injuries they could see, his clothing covered everything else. Erina stood next to him, circling the chair as she held a metal pipe in her hands. Her eyes narrowed on him, not having heard them come down the stairs.

Anastasia stepped forward, shocked at the sight of the man beaten to the pulp. She had expected to talk to Novak over a cup of coffee, not like this. Her eyes wide, looking back at Laura to see a similar expression on her face. She stayed back, unable to handle the smell of blood that lingered in the room. Anastasia turned her attention back to Erina, noticing the blood that stained her skin and clothes. "Erina!" she shouted, causing the woman to spare a glance back. "What the hell are you doing!?"

"Getting answers," Erina responded. Her gaze was sharp, unyielding to their judgmental states. Her hands tightened on the metal pipe, itching to hit Emmett Novak again. He was still conscious, eyeing them with dull eyes as he silently pleaded with them to help.

"Like this?" Anastasia gasped out, shaking her head. She stepped closer, being able to see more of the man's injuries. All of them were fresh, standing out against the existing scars that littered his skin. "Erina, this man needs to be taken to a hospital. This isn't right."

Erina laughed, throwing the metal pipe down on the floor. It clanked against the floor, the sound bouncing off the concrete walls. She placed her hands behind his chair, looking down at him with a sweet smile. "Meet Emmett Novak, one of the late Carmine Falcone's most trusted men," she began, gripping the man's hair as she forced him to meet Anastasia's eyes. "Novak sits at the top. He handled a majority of Falcone's dirty work. He's a criminal, a monster. He's killed innocents to get what he wants. And, if he had any of us tied to this chair... Oh, he'd do so much worse."

His eyes had morphed into something cold, calculating. Anastasia stared at him, trying not to think about the crimes he committed. She didn't want to think about the people he murdered, the people he crossed, the people he worked for. It almost made her think he deserved this. It was mercy compared to what he had done to others. She gulped, taking a step back as she stood between them and Laura.

"Has he..." Anastasia trailed off, letting out a deep sigh. She didn't want to think about her morals, wanting to get answers instead. She wanted to know what had happened to Eric and how it connected to her parents and the experiments. Torturing a man wasn't right, but they had already come so far. And, Erina had already taken things into her own hands. "Has he said anything yet?"

Erina let go of him, ignoring the string of curses he sent in her direction. His tone was harsh as he berated her for being a traitor, but one glare from her caused him to quiet down. "Not much," she shrugged, wiping the blood from her hands with a discarded rag that hung from the nearby sink. In the corner of the room, Anastasia could see a laundry set-up too. The light flickered, causing their shadows to dance against the concrete walls. "It took me a while to get him to confess that he knew my brother. He said Eric was notorious for hounding Falcone's men and getting them thrown in jail. So, he was sent to... take care of him. But, he decided to have a meeting with him instead."

It didn't surprise Anastasia that Erina had been so harsh on the man. Novak had been sent to kill her younger brother, someone who Erina had spent her whole life protecting from the shadows. She frowned, trying to create a timeline in her mind. "So, he infected Eric with something?"

"I already told you I had nothing to do with that shit!" Novak spat out, glaring at the three women in the room. He struggled against the ropes, but they only burrowed deeper into his tender skin. It caused a frustrated sigh to leave his chapped lips, turning his glare toward Erina. "Just you wait till I get out of this! I'm going to kill you and your friends, traitor."

Erina's lips twitched upward, bending down to pick up the metal pipe. It caused the man to flinch, hearing the metal screech against the concrete. "Not unless I kill you first, Novak."

"We can't kill anyone," Laura reprimanded from her spot on the stairs, sitting on the second to bottom step. She had her arms wrapped around herself, shivering from the cold. Her nose wrinkled in disgust, trying to create as much distance from the situation as she could. "It won't help any of us if we're sitting in a jail cell."

Anastasia agreed with Laura, knowing they couldn't kill someone to get what they wanted. It had filled her with so much guilt to know that Doctor Franklin had died because of her meddling. She didn't want to add another man's blood to her hands. As much as she wanted to find Eric, they could stoop to a level as low as the criminals of Gotham. But, they silently reminded themselves that Erina was a trained assassin. She wasn't like them. She lived in a world of carnage and death, something she had become accustomed to since she was a young girl. But, if they followed down Erina's path, it would land them all in Blackgate Penitentiary. A sigh left Anastasia's lips, turning to face Erina's annoyed expression.

"There has to be a better way, Erina," Anastasia insisted, sparing a glance at Novak who had lowered his head to spit out the blood that had pooled in his mouth. Despite his predicament, he wore a smug expression as he met her eyes. "Hitting him with a pipe only gave us so much information, so we should switch tactics."

"I have interrogated men with much stronger wills than his," Erina said, taking a threatening step toward Anastasia. "I will break every bone in his body until he tells me where my brother is."

Erina was roughly half a foot taller than Anastasia, appearing even taller with her heeled boots. Her hand gripped around the pipe, swinging it back and forth slowly. For a moment, Anastasia thought Erina might hit her. But, she didn't waver as she stared at the dark-haired woman. And, neither did Erina as the two women awaited for the other to strike first. She didn't want to argue with Erina, knowing that the two were on the same side. They both wanted to see Eric return home safe and healthy, free from the infection.

Instead of focusing on Erina, she turned her attention to Novak. Anastasia stared down at the man, ignoring how his dark eyes looked her up and down. "How much?"

"How much of what?" Novak asked, lifting his head to keep his eyes trained on her emotionless expression. A grin appeared upon his lips, causing a cut to reopen as blood dripped down his chin. Yet, his expression didn't contort into one of pain. He took it well, putting on a brave face despite Erina prepared to strike him with the pipe.

"How much will it cost to get you to tell us everything you know?" Anastasia asked, placing a hand against her hip as her patience began to wear thin. His eyes twinkled with interest, something both she and Erina noticed.

"I'm not a traitor," he mumbled, clenching his scarred hands into fists. "A show of cash isn't gonna do anything for me."

However, his words didn't reach his eyes as he chewed the inside of his cheek. She could tell he was considering it, knowing exactly who she was. After all, everyone in Gotham knew who the Waynes were with their faces displayed on every street. She wondered if Novak had been there when she was at the Skyline Club. If he had, she didn't notice him. At least, the memories of the Skyline Club were clear in her mind as the veil lifted. She had noticed her memories had begun to come back, as if puzzle pieces were being put together to create a whole image.

"Who are you still loyal to? Falcone is dead," Anastasia reminded, raising a brow. The scene flashed before her eyes, remembering the panic that had spread when Sergeant Renee Montoya had burst through the doors and shot Falcone dead. A man that Gotham feared was now buried six feet deep underground, forever to be forgotten. She took a soft breath, facing the gruff man. "Everyone has a price, Novak. And, I have pockets much deeper than Falcone."

He hummed, thinking about her offer as his eyes wandered from her to Erina. Then, he spared a glance at Laura who was silently observing the scene. Eventually, he looked back at Anastasia and smiled sweetly. "And, if my price is in the millions?"

Anastasia bit the inside of her cheek, trying to hide her amusement. Lovejoy Corp alone was a multi-million dollar company, but it was worth much more being under the umbrella that was Wayne Enterprises. Though, she was being closely monitored and she knew someone would notice if millions disappeared from the company.

Still, she didn't show her concern as she shrugged her shoulders. "I can afford it."

Novak bit his lip, debating whether he should name his price. "How about five million?"

"Fuck off," Erina gritted out, shaking her head. Anger had overtaken her emotions, crossing her arms over her chest as she still held the pipe. It seemed she had lost hope after Novak's words, not knowing that Anastasia would spend that money if it meant saving Eric. She placed the pipe against his shoulder, brushing it against his cheek. "Name something realistic, Novak. Don't be a greedy bastard."

"Erina, stop," Anastasia said, shaking her head at the taller woman. The other woman hesitated, but did as she was told. Erina stepped away from Novak, looking away from Novak as a few shaky breaths left her lips. Anastasia spared a glance in Laura's direction, noticing she was writing everything down on a small notepad. "Alright, Novak. Let's agree on five million. No more, no less. Give us the information we want and I'll wire you the money."

Her words seemed to shock both Erina and Laura, watching her with wide eyes. Anastasia ignored them, continuing to watch Novak who had begun to chuckle. His face beamed with glee, unbothered by the injuries he had suffered to the tune of five million dollars. It was something Anastasia noticed, coming into wealth. It was too easy to throw around money to get what you wanted, leading her to believe that it was too easy for men like Carmine Falcone and Thomas Wayne to rise to power.

Novak seemed suspicious, frowning. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"Well..." Anastasia mumbled, trying to find a way to earn Novak's trust. She couldn't transfer him the funds first, not wanting to risk the chance Novak might not play fair. And, she knew Regina was watching closely. If she was found transferring funds to a known associate of Falcone's, it would be all the evidence they need to prove the allegations are true. "You know where I work and where I live, Novak. If I don't give you the money, you can come shoot me in the head."

At her words, Novak chuckled. "Alright, Mrs. Wayne, I'll keep that in mind."

"So?" Anastasia said, crossing her arms. She tried to think of the questions they needed about Eric answered, collecting her thoughts as she stared at Novak. "Tell us where you saw Eric last. And, why did you decide to have a meeting with him? Why not kill him right then and there if that's what you were ordered to do?"

"I'll kill you if I don't get that money, sweetheart," Novak threatened, narrowing his eyes. However, he relaxed as he leaned back in his seat. A sigh left his lips. "I don't know how he did it, but he managed to figure out I was tailing him for weeks. He contacted me, called me on my cell phone and said he had cash for me if I did as he said. So, we decided to meet."

She began to map out the series of events in her mind, wanting to make sure all the information made sense. Eric Sato was known for going after Falcone's men, chipping away at his defenses as he tried to reach the inner circle to save his older sister, Erina. Emmett Novak was sent to assassinate Eric, unsure whether Falcone or someone else had called the hit. Eric had managed to figure out someone had been following him, ultimately being able to track down Novak. Most likely, he had used his tech skills to figure out everything there was to know about Novak and that was how he had gotten the man's number. But, they still didn't know why Eric wanted to meet Novak instead of exposing his crimes and sending him to jail like he did with the rest of Falcone's men.

"Why did Eric want to meet?" Anastasia asked, wanting more clarification on the situation. After all, the last she remembered of Eric before the infection was that he unlocked all the documents. She wasn't sure what he had seen and what he was planning to do with the information. She trusted Eric, but there was still a chance he would go against them.

"He wanted to ask about some documents," Novak shrugged, trying his best to remember as the three women stared intensely at him. "He had his father's Arkham Asylum files, asking questions about what happened with his father all those years ago. But, that's above my pay grade. All I know is that Falcone sent Masashi Sato to Arkham after he was done with him."

His words caused Erina's ears to perk, standing up straight as she walked to Novak. "How is that possible?" she spat out, sinking her nails into his shoulder. However, the man didn't wince as his jacket took the brunt of her infliction. "Falcone murdered my father. When was he in Arkham?"

"He didn't kill him... Well, not right away," Novak explained, staring up at the anger that flashed across Erina's face. Anastasia stayed quiet, watching the scene unfold. The woman's pain unfolded, becoming apparent in her actions as her eyes glistened. "Falcone still needed his expertise and Sato compiled since you, Erina, was still under Falcone's thumb. He killed Mr. Sato much later, eight years to be exact. You had turned sixteen, completely under Falcone's control with that device."

Unconsciously, Erina brushed a hand against the side of her neck. Her fingers lingered on the scar behind her right ear, the place where the device had been inserted. It had been removed now, finally being free from Falcone's relentless control. It was obvious that Erina wanted to hit Novak again, wanting to take out her rage on the man. But, she refrained. She didn't say another word, taking a step back as she leaned against the wall for support.

"So, where'd you meet him?" Anastasia asked, knowing neither Erina nor Laura were in the state to interrogate the man. She would continue, knowing this was how they would help Eric. At least, they weren't resorting to torture anymore since Novak was more than happy to reveal information at the thought of becoming a millionaire.

"We met at this café," Novak answered, being careful with what he revealed. His trust in them was still nonexistent, but he still continued to speak. "We talked for a little bit, mostly about Mr. Sato. I answered all of those questions. Then, he wanted to know where Erina was hiding out. But, I told him that it would take a lot more money if he wanted more out of me."

Anastasia frowned, knowing that Eric worked in I.T. and it paid well. But, it wasn't something that could buy off Novak if his asking price was in the millions. "How much did he pay you?"

"Two hundred thousand," Novak replied.

"Where'd he get that kind of money?" Erina asked from her spot, still leaning against the wall as she watched Novak with cold eyes. Her anger had shimmered, becoming silent as she awaited answers from the tied-up man.

Novak shrugged, tugging at the ropes as he silently asked her if she could remove them. But, Anastasia ignored his plea since they couldn't risk untying the man who could murder them all within moments. Erina stood a chance, considering she had formal training but Anastasia and Laura were out of luck. "All he told me was that he stole it from his place of work," he mumbled. "Kid's too smart for his own good."

Anastasia spared a glance back at Laura, noting down Novak's revelation. It didn't surprise Anastasia that Eric had effortlessly been able to steal from Wayne Enterprises, probably from her own desk when she allowed him access. She would have to go into the computer and make sure there wasn't any evidence that there was money wired to any of Falcone's men. If Eric had come to her, she would have helped. But, this had happened during the week she had spent in the hospital. She couldn't blame Eric for taking things into his own hands.

A sigh left her lips. "Then what happened?"

"Not much," Novak muttered. He looked down, staring at his bruised knuckles. "Throughout the whole meeting, Eric's condition was getting worse. He looked as if he was on the verge of death, fighting some sort of fever. At first, I thought he was just sick since the weather was dropping," he trailed off, deep in thought as he clicked his tongue. "But now, I know it was that strange sickness associated with the animal attacks."

His recount of the event still didn't explain how Eric had gotten infected. It only informed them that some of Eric's last lucid moments had been spent searching for the truth about his father and hunting down his sister's location. It didn't help the investigation, but it did give Erina more information about what had happened to her family.

"Eric said he'll get me the money I wanted to get more information on Erina, so I left it that," Novak mumbled, sparing a glance in Erina's direction as he feared his words would earn a reaction from her. But, she stayed silent. So, he continued. "After I spoke to him, he went into the pharmacy next door. Said he wanted to pick up some medicine. I left, so I don't know what happened to him."

The public was still unaware what the animal attacks truly were, only having a few eyewitness accounts from the people who had survived the attacks. But, Anastasia had learned it was some kind of sickness that infected a person and turned them into some kind of... monster. Eric hadn't been fully turned yet, but he was getting close. And after the events at Arkham Asylum, she knew a similar creature lived in the underground lab. It made her wonder how much Doctor Radcliffe knew about the creature, considering it must have lived for yeared down there. It was too late to save that unfortunate soul in the underground lab and some of the infected people in Gotham. But, she still hoped it wasn't too late to save Eric.

"So, what's the address?" Anastasia asked, deciding she didn't need to know more about their conversation. After all, they needed to find the location where Eric had gotten infected and perhaps that would explain how people were getting infected.

Novak gave them an address on Founders' Island. It was one of the three main islands that made up Gotham City, but it was an island that was under heavy construction for years. It was where the first Lovejoy Hotel was located, now abandoned much like most of the buildings in that part of Gotham. The city was trying to reconstruct the whole island, wanting to move away from the previous gothic architecture with the introduction of modern skyscrapers. Though, the island was still in early development which meant a lot of the island was underdeveloped with crumbling buildings with the same architecture as Old Gotham. Most of the island was left to rot until someone with deep pockets would come buy the land and build another skyscraper.

Founders' Island was where the first reported animal attack had happened, slowly spreading throughout the rest of Gotham as numbers increased as the days went by. Still, the reports were isolated to the outskirts of the city in areas that bordered the water where less people frequented. It could be possible Eric had become infected upon entering Founders' Island, somewhere near the café. After all, he was fine when Anastasia had seen him before the debate. It was only afterward that the animal attacks had started, making her wonder if the Children of Arkham had something to do with the attacks too. But, they hadn't claimed responsibility for it yet as they proudly claimed every other destructive event. Still, it was worth exploring Founders' Island for the source of the infection and to see if there was anything out of the ordinary. It was a huge island, so it would be as if they were looking for a needle in a haystack. The creatures only attacked at night, using the shadows as a means to hunt. The sun had been setting when they had entered the Stacked Deck, so Gotham must have settled in darkness by now. It was the perfect time to go hunting.

Erina was the one to break the silence first, moving toward Novak with a raised brow. She seemed satisfied, but her deep distrust of the man made its presence known. "Are you hiding anything else from us, Novak?"

"Well..." He muttered, trailing off as he avoided Erina's stern gaze. Biting his lip, he hesitated but eventually he caved and told them more of the story. "That wasn't the last time I saw Eric. When he didn't contact me again, I went to check on him. I went to his apartment and his bedroom... It was covered in blood, unsure if it was his or someone else's."

"That much we know," Anastasia pointed out, remembering when they had decided to check up on Eric at his apartment. The state he was in still haunted her dreams, remembering how dead his eyes had been as he attacked them without a thought. "There were signs of a struggle in his apartment. Someone had been there before all of us."

"I... I was probably the one there before the two of you then," Novak confessed, shaking his head. Guilt riddled his expression, keeping his gaze on the concrete below his feet. "His door was unlocked so I let myself in, checking out his apartment before I found him in his bedroom. He attacked me and I... I shot him a few times. But... It was like he couldn't feel pain. He didn't even flinch."

"You shot him?" Erina spat out, grabbing the pipe again as she raised it up in the air. She was prepared to attack, but Anastasia stopped her as she got between Erina and Novak. The dark-haired woman glared. "Get out of the way, Wayne."

"Stop, Erina," Anastasia said, shaking her head. Erina lowered the pipe, letting out a heavy sigh as unshed tears welled in her eyes. Her concern for her brother filled the room, suffocating all of them. But, they needed to keep their emotions in check. "He didn't kill Eric. When Laura and I saw him last, Eric was still alive. We have to assume he is still alive."

"I don't think Eric can be killed in that state," Novak confessed, keeping his wide eyes focused on Erina. It was then that Anastasia saw real fear shine in his eyes. Whatever he had seen with Eric, it had been enough to spook him. "I unloaded a whole clip into him and he acted as if the worst thing I did to him was give him a shove."

"How'd you get away from him?" Laura asked, wanting to know more as she looked up from the notepad where she was writing everything down. She had already gone through a few pages, keeping track of everything that was being said.

"I ran out the front door and into the alleyway, kept running for a few blocks till Batman showed up out of nowhere," Novak explained, clicking his tongue as his expression turned into one of disgust at the thought of Batman. Even though, it seemed that Batman had saved Novak's life in this situation. "Eric moved too fast for Batman, losing him easily. It was almost as if he disappeared and would reappear streets away. It was... strange. I followed for a little bit, but I wasn't trying to get tangled up in that mess. So, I got out of there."

"Batman had come close to catching Eric when we found him too," Anastasia mumbled, thinking back to the day when Batman had saved their lives... again. He had been angry at how reckless they had been, going as far as to scold them. It must be the stress that the man was under, considering the city was taking a turn for the worst with everything that was going on.

"But then, Eric disappeared," Laura pointed out, shaking her head. It did seem that Eric had disappeared into thin air, but that was impossible. It was more likely he had been able to sneak away without anyone realizing. But, it did make Anastasia wonder if Batman had learned anything more about the animal attacks since he seemed to be actively investigating too.

"Then, we have to assume Batman doesn't have him. My brother could still be out there," Erina remarked, beginning to pack away her things in her backpack. She was prepared to leave, taking the information Novak had given them and starting their search. "And now, we have a pattern. He keeps returning back to his apartment, so I'm going to check there first and then expand my search."

They had two locations to check ━━ the café and Eric's apartment. The first one would allow them to figure out how Eric got infected and perhaps, lead them to find more infected. The second one would hopefully lead to Eric, but it was still a shot in the dark. Yet, the three had hope they'd be able to make some progress in the investigation and figure out what was going on in Gotham. Erina was going to take Eric's apartment. That meant, Anastasia and Laura were to search the streets of Founders' Island. They would begin their search at the café and then branch out.

"What if you don't find Eric?" Anastasia asked, wanting to know what the plan was if their leads led nowhere. If Novak's information was futile, then that was it. There was nothing else they could do except wait for more attacks, hoping one of them would be Eric. But, that wasn't ideal since people all over Gotham were dying or ending up in the hospital.

"Then, I'll hunt down Batman," Erina muttered, letting out a heavy sigh at the possibility she wouldn't find Eric. "Find out what he knows about these attacks."

Anastasia nodded, deciding that was the best course of action. After all, it seemed Batman was on the hunt for Eric too. Or, at least, he was trying to figure out what was going on with the animal attacks. But, Batman seemed like a difficult man to track down. Hopefully, Erina could find him. "Be careful," Anastasia reminded, giving Erina a sad smile. "I know he's your brother. But, we saw him in this... deranged state. There's no telling what he could be like right now."

"I'll be careful," Erina said, appreciating her concern. From her bag, she pulled out a spare handgun to give to Anastasia. "Here, take this. In case some of Novak's buddies show up or someone else gives you grief."

She shook her head, unzipping her purse to pull out the revolver. It still had all six bullets loaded in it from years ago, but Anastasia had cleaned the gun and made sure everything worked a few days ago. Still, she didn't have the courage to pull the trigger yet. "I already have a gun."

Erina smiled, nodding her head. "You're growing on me, Anastasia," she teased, making her way over to Laura instead. She held out the gun to the curly-haired woman. "Take it. For protection, at least. We don't know what we're up against."

"Guns don't work on those things," Novak pointed out, earning a glare from all three women.

"Don't remind us," Erina muttered, rolling her eyes. She still wasn't happy to hear that Novak had shot Eric multiple times, but it was still strange how his body was able to withstand so much trauma. "Everything has a weakness. We'll find one. And, you were never a good shot, Novak. I wouldn't be surprised if you missed every shot."

"Fuck off," Novak spat out. But, he didn't say anything further as he settled into his seat.

Laura sighed, finally taking the gun off Erina's hands. She made sure the safety was turned on before she tucked it away in her purse. "Better safe than sorry, I suppose," she whispered, mostly to herself. She met Anastasia's eyes, pointing to her purse. "How long have you had that gun in there?"

Anastasia shrugged, running a finger along the cool zipper of the purse. "Since I got out of the hospital after the debate," she confessed. "I found it in a box of my father's things."

"That's smart," Laura said, nodding her head. "Especially since Penguin and the Children of Arkham keep threatening us too. We never know when we'll run into those goons."

"Children of Arkham are everywhere," Erina added, sighing as she put on her jacket. It was too cold outside to be without one, considering earlier it looked as if it might rain soon. "We need to do this smart and fast, especially with all the checkpoints that Mayor Dent has set up."

Anastasia nodded, keeping her eyes focused on Erina. "Are you sure you want to do this alone? We can all stay together, search one area at a time."

Erina shook her head. "I work better alone."

They prepared to leave, but Novak's voice stopped them. He struggled against his ropes, glaring at them. "What about me?"

Anastasia was the one to answer first, shrugging her shoulders. "You'll stay here while we go check out the leads."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "That ain't fair. I'll be stuck here for hours."

"It is fair if it means I'm paying you five million dollars," Anastasia retorted. "I want to make sure you aren't lying to us, Novak. You won't be seeing a cent if any of this leads nowhere."

"It'll lead somewhere," he mumbled, sighing. Again, he reluctantly relaxed when he realized he wasn't going anywhere for awhile. He huffed, staring at the flickering light above him. "Just hurry back, I'm hungry."

And, with that, the trio left the basement. The bartender, Maggie, promised to keep an eye on their special guest for a few hours, but gave them until ten o'clock to come back. It meant they had a little bit over four hours to hunt down clues to help them. With a clear plan in mind, they split up and promised to rendezvous back at the Stacked Deck in four hours.

━━ ━━ ━━

IT TOOK SOME TIME TO REACH FOUNDERS' ISLAND, considering the evening traffic had picked up and the bridges were crowded with people trying to rush home. The island was one that Anastasia frequently visited, considering Wayne International Plaza was located there. And, it was the only way to get to Miagani Island where Wayne Tower was located. The first Lovejoy Hotel was built on Founders' Island, but there were two others on Miagani and Bleake Island. Those ones were much bigger and extravagant than the first hotel ever built. The first Lovejoy Hotel, nicknamed the Charlotte, was fifty stories high and still stood tall after being abandoned. One of the Lovejoy Hotels, named Anastasia, was on Miagani Island and it was across from Wayne Tower. It was seventy stories high, a bit shy of the seventy-eight stories of Wayne Tower. The hotel on Bleake Island was called the William and it was at sixty stories, but it didn't bring in as much business as the Anastasia.

In Gotham, the tallest building was Wayne Tower and it was something everyone knew. It was a building you could see from every corner of the city, even from Arkham Island. The Anastasia Hotel rivaled it, being dubbed as the heart of Gotham that welcomed everyone with open arms. Though, the same couldn't be said about the Charlotte Hotel. It had been closed for more than half a decade, set for renovations that would never come. It stands there, haunted by ghosts since the city didn't have enough money to tear it down and Wayne Enterprises kept paying the bills to keep it up. So, it would continue to haunt Gotham until someone made a decision on what to do.

"Are you okay?"

She was pulled out of her thoughts, making her look back at Laura. Her eyes held a hint of concern, glancing up at the broken Lovejoy logo on top of the hotel. All the lights in the building were turned off, appearing as dark as the night sky. It was brightened by the soft glow of the moon and stars. "I'm fine," Anastasia reassured, shrugging her shoulders. "I was... I was just on memory lane for a moment."

"This is where your father died," Laura whispered, placing a gentle hand against Anastasia's shoulder. Her touch was soft, comforting. No doubt, Laura was thinking about her own father who had passed away a few years prior. Anastasia never realized how much she had in common with Laura before. "It's okay to be sad. To mourn."

"Laura, I'm fine," Anastasia repeated, brushing off her concern. She didn't want to think about the events that had conspired in the hotel, knowing the memories wouldn't be pleasant. She had spent too much time locked away in that hotel and the thought of it made her sick to her stomach. "This isn't about me. We're looking for Eric."

"Yeah, okay, but I'm here for you if you do want to talk about it," Laura whispered, giving her one more smile before they looked up at the café they were supposed to visit. There was a painting of a smiling lady as she held a latte in her hands that stared back at them. The café closed at five o'clock. It was half past six, meaning they were too late. However, the bright lights of the pharmacy next door illuimated the street. "Let's check out the pharmacy? See if anyone recognizes Eric."

Stepping into the pharmacy, they were welcomed by the warmth of the heaters that blasted hot air toward the entrance. A bell had gone off, signaling to the workers that someone had entered the store. However, there seemed to be only one woman working in one of the three aisles as she restocked bandages on the shelf. Otherwise, there was quiet music playing from one of the speakers that filled the silence. Approaching the woman slowly, they noticed that a few of the shelves were empty and broken.

"Excuse me?" Anastasia called out, earning the woman's attention.

She looked up, setting another box of bandages on the shelf. "Hi," she greeted, giving them a tired smile. "Can I help you find anything?"

"We're looking for our friend, Eric," she explained, pulling out her phone from her back pocket. After having it switched off for hours, she finally turned it back on. It took a few seconds, but the phone turned on and seemingly hundreds of notifications came through. She had multiple missed calls from Bruce and text messages from him that asked if she was doing alright. She ignored them, opening her photo gallery instead. Pulling up a photograph of Eric, she showed it to the woman. "Have you seen him?"

Her expression dropped, letting out a heavy sigh as her gaze unconsciously flickered to the broken shelf. "Yeah, I've seen him," she muttered, bitter annoyance lingered in her tone. "He looked normal coming in, just exhausted. His skin was puffy, sweat dripped off his skin as his words slurred. I've seen plenty of people like him before, usually it's a really bad fever or they're drunk."

"He's been missing for a few weeks now," Anastasia confessed, causing the woman's gaze to soften at her words. She sighed, putting the phone back into her back pocket. But, the pharmacist still seemed hesitant. "If you have anything that might help us find him. It would mean a lot to us."

A sigh left the woman's lips, urging them to follow her as she led them toward the back of the pharmacy. She unlocked the door to the office, letting them inside. The pharmacist turned on the light, allowing them to see the two degrees she had hanging on the wall. The store must be run by the woman, considering photographs of her and her family were pinned to the wall. She took a seat in front of the computer, turning it on as Anastasia and Laura stood behind. "I tried to recommend just some regular fever reducing medication," she explained, shrugging her shoulders, "but then his demeanor completely changed."

"Changed how?" Laura asked. She still kept out her notepad, taking notes. From where Anastasia was standing, she could see that Laura had written down the pharmacist's name was Cecilia.

"He has a quick temper," she clarified, logging into the computer before she pulled up the security footage of the day Eric had entered the pharmacy. At first, he was calm and collected as he made his way toward the counter to talk to the pharmacist Cecilia. However, his demeanor did change fast as he slammed his fist against the counter. He pointed an accusing finger in the woman's direction, shouting words they could not hear. "He became aggressive fast, shouting and throwing things around."

Anastasia winced, watching as Eric began to destroy one of the shelves in the third aisle. He pushed it hard, sending it flying with strength unseeming of a human being. Most of the product on the shelf had been broken, earning shouts from the woman. It had left a hole in the wall too, destroying the drywall. In the video, Cecilia rushed toward him as she tried to stop him. However, he shoved her hard and she had hit the counter before falling to the ground. It earned pity from Anastasia, wondering if it had left her with an injury. If it did, the woman didn't show it as she sat tall and watched the video.

"It was so strange," Cecilia muttered, shaking her head. The video stopped with Eric running out of the pharmacy and her calling the police. "His skin had turned pale with his veins appearing a dark red underneath his skin. And, his eyes... They held this inhuman look, almost as if the poor boy was losing his mind. Something was eating at his brain."

"Was there anything in particular he asked for?" Anastasia asked, curious what Eric's last lucid thoughts had been.

She hesitated, wondering if she should tell them. It must have violated some medical law, but there was no one there except them to know the woman had revealed information she shouldn't. "Just don't let anyone know I spoke to the two of you. I don't want any trouble," she said, clicking her tongue. "But, he came in and complained about a headache. He said it had been bothering him for about two days."

He had been infected two days prior to the video. Looking at the date of the video, it meant he had gotten infected near the middle of September. It was a few days after the debate, meaning Eric had been one of the first wave of people infected by the unknown virus. Without realizing, the woman had helped them build a clearer timeline of the course of events. She looked at Laura, noticing that she had already written it down. If they cross-referenced the date with Eric's personal files and text messages stored on his phone, they might be able to tell where he was when he got infected.

"I called the police, but they couldn't find him," Cecilia mumbled, turning off the computer as she turned to the two of them. "And, insurance hasn't kicked in yet so I can't fix the shelves and walls or afford any new product yet."

Anastasia frowned, noticing the slight distress on the woman's face. It made her feel guilty, knowing that all the product Eric had destroyed came out of the woman's personal funds. She reached into her purse, pulling out her checkbook. "What were the damages?"

"What?" Cecilia asked, confused. Her eyes landed on the checkbook in Anastasia's, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "It was close to five thousand. Why?"

She hummed, nodding her head. Instead of paying the woman five thousand dollars, Anastasia wrote her a check for ten thousand instead. Signing the check, she ripped it out before handing it to the woman. "It's for the damages."

Cecilia hesitated, but slowly took the check from her hands to look it over. Her eyes glistened with tears, rushing over to give Anastasia a tight hug. It made Anastasia smile, patting the woman's back. "Thank you, Mrs. Wayne!" Cecilia beamed, holding the check close to her chest. "You don't know how much help this money is going to be for my family! You must be the miracle I prayed for. Truly, thank you."

"Don't thank me," Anastasia said, shaking her head. She didn't want to be thanked, considering it was her selfish actions that led Eric to being infected. And then, he had destroyed half of her shop under the influence of the sickness. She couldn't change the past, wishing she had never gotten Eric involved. But, she could do something to help the woman and if money was the way to go, so be it. It was the least Anastasia could do to right all her wrongs.

"When Eric ran out of your shop," Laura added, earning the woman's attention. Her pen tapped against the notepad, curiosity piquing across her features. "Did you see which direction he ran off in?"

"I think he ran across the street, but he disappeared into the alleys," the woman answered, shrugging her shoulders. It didn't seem like she would know anything more, considering Eric never returned and the police report yielded no results. It was time to expand their search and look elsewhere.

"Thank you for your help," Anastasia said, giving the woman another smile.

With that, the two of them had left the pharmacy. It was darker outside, considering all remnants of the sun had disappeared. The moon shined brighter than before and the stars twinkled in a cloudless sky, but the wind brought a sharp chill. The weather forecast had been wrong, there was no rain. But, it didn't change how their teeth chattered as they clutched their jackets closer together to block out the wind.

"Well, this has become one expensive trip," Laura mumbled, waiting for the walk sign to appear across the street of rushing cars. There were still people on the street, but the cold weather caused most people to stay inside. They spoke in hushed tones, knowing others had habits of eavesdropping. "Still planning on giving Novak five million dollars?"

"No way," Anastasia scoffed, shaking her head. She didn't care if she was being unfair, but she couldn't pay a criminal millions of dollars. It wasn't the right thing to do, especially since the man had committed unspeakable crimes. "He doesn't deserve it and I can't get caught paying off one of Falcone's men."

Laura frowned. "But..." she mumbled, trailing off. "He said he'll come kill you if you don't pay him."

"Add him to the list behind Cobblepot," Anastasia muttered, watching the sign turn as the cars stopped on both sides of the street. They began to walk toward Laura's car that she had parked on the other side of the street. Its bright red color stood out against the other black and white cars, shining like a beacon. She ignored the Lovejoy Hotel, staring down at them. A part of her wished Laura hadn't parked in front of the hotel, but they were almost out of there.

"But, Ana..." Laura whispered, stopping next to the driver's side of the car as Anastasia went to the passenger side. "He's a trained assassin like Erina. He'll sneak in, slit your throat, and be gone before even Bruce can notice."

"Let him try," Anastasia shrugged, remembering the revolver tucked inside her purse. If anyone tried to hurt her or Bruce, she wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. But with the heavy security Wayne Manor had, it would be highly unlikely for Novak to sneak inside. For Cobblepot, it had been too easy to sneak in since they had thrown a party. But, after the last one, they weren't going to have parties any time soon. "I have a bullet with his name on it."

"Killing someone can't be easy," Laura said, unlocking the car. They took a seat inside, being shielded from the harsh winds outside. The weather was dropping too fast, making Anastasia wonder if it would snow any time soon. "Let's forget about Novak for a moment," she suggested, pulling out her notepad from her pocket as she looked over her writing. "Now, we have a rough estimate of when Eric was infected. We can check out his━━"

The sound of her phone ringing caused Laura to grow quiet, making Anastasia sigh as she pulled it out from her back pocket. A picture of her and Bruce on the screen told her that her husband was calling her again. She bit the inside of her cheek, accepting the call. "What is it, Bruce?"

"Ana, honey, I've been trying to reach you all day." His voice came through the speakers, settling deep within Anastasia's mind. He spoke in a soft tone, no doubt having been stressed about her disappearance. "Where have you been?"

"I'm out. With Laura," Anastasia answered vaguely, not wanting to give Bruce all the details. After all, he didn't need to know about their trip to Arkham Asylum or their meeting with Erina Sato and Emmett Novak. She sighed, drawing patterns on the jeans with her sharp nails. "I'm busy, Bruce. What do you want?"

"I... I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Bruce said softly, making Anastasia feel guilty at the dismissive tone she had been talking to him with. However, Bruce masked his emotions well as any hint of distress disappeared. "I also wanted to tell you that I managed to convince the board to hold off on any decisions. They aren't going to remove you as CEO." A beat of silence passed. "At least, not yet. I'm not sure what any future decision will be, but they aren't happy with how things are playing out."

"It's still good news," Anastasia reassured, grateful that Bruce had managed to change the board members' minds. It must not have been easy, considering how adamant Regina was to remove her out of office. "We can still fix this, Bruce. We need to work harder and have faith. It'll all work out in our favor. It has to."

"It will, I promise," Bruce said, agreeing with her words. For a moment, they settled into silence as they waited for the other to speak first. Eventually, he broke the silence. "So, when will you be home?"

"Soon, I just..." Anastasia looked at Laura, noticing the nonchalant expression on the other woman's face. She sat quietly, messing around with the pen in her hands. "We're getting something done right now, okay?"

Her words sparked further curiosity in Bruce. "Where?"

"Out on Founders' Island, nothing important," Anastasia said, shrugging her shoulders even if Bruce couldn't see it. "We're just grabbing dinner and maybe, going to get some shopping done."

Laura watched her effortlessly lie, frowning. It made Anastasia realize how easy it was getting to lie to her loved ones, making her wonder what toll this investigation was taking. She had told too many lies, especially to Bruce. It was difficult to keep up with all of them.

"I'll see you at home, Bruce," Anastasia whispered, letting out a soft sigh. She leaned back in the seat, wishing she could tell Bruce the truth. But, she couldn't involve him. It was too dangerous. She was in too deep, knowing the issue was rooted deep within the legacy the Lovejoys had left behind. And, she needed to be the one to fix it. "I have to go."

"Okay, see you soon," Bruce said, melancholy rooted deep within his words. "I love you, Ana."

"Love you, too, Bruce," Anastasia said softly. She hung up the call, facing Laura.

The curly-haired woman sighed, shaking her head. "When do you think you'll tell him the truth?"

"I don't know," Anastasia confessed, taking a deep breath as she stared out the window. Her attention was drawn to the dimly lit alleyway that was adjacent to the Lovejoy Hotel. The alley would lead behind the hotel, big enough to have a car drive through it. "Hopefully, I'll never need to tell him. I just want to get all this sorted out and go back to normal. Bruce never needs to get involved."

"If it gets worse," Laura suggested, rubbing her hands together to chase away the cold. "I think you should tell him. You don't need to go through this alone. He can help."

"It's bad enough I got you and Eric involved," Anastasia whispered, feeling the guilt increase tenfold as she thought about Eric. He didn't deserve the fate he received, making her wonder if he was still alive. They didn't know anything about the sickness and no one had seen him for weeks. Deep down, Anastasia feared the worst.

"I'm choosing to help you, Ana," Laura reminded, shaking her head. She reached out, taking Anastasia's hand to give it a soft squeeze. Still, Anastasia couldn't look at her as she stared at the alley. "You don't have to feel guilty about people wanting to help you. It's what friends and family are for."

"Laura..." Anastasia whispered, pointing a finger toward the alleyway. She hadn't heard the woman's words, too distracted by the strange silhouette she was seeing in the darkness. "Do you see that?"

Deep within the shadows of the alleyway, there was a creature that crawled on all fours as it moved haphazardly without another thought. It stuck to the darkness, avoiding the glow from the street light. Anastasia rolled down the window, squinting her eyes to get a better look. The logical side of her brain tried to convince itself that it was a trick of the light, nothing out of the ordinary. But, the longer she stared, the clearer the figure became. It looked to be a lanky woman with skin as pale as moonlight and hair as dark as the night sky. Her hair stuck to her skin, pale yet covered in red patches with stalks growing out of her head and neck. She snarled at seemingly nothing, knocking over a trash can. Anastasia stepped out of the car, ignoring Laura's protests who had yet to notice the woman. Being out in the open, she was only several feet away from the woman who watched her with wide beady eyes.

"Hello?" Anastasia called out. Her movements were hesitant, taking a step forward with her arms raised to show she wasn't a threat.

The woman seemed to be frozen in time, watching with her emotionless eyes. She held something in her hands. A rat, perhaps. It was difficult for Anastasia to tell from her spot. The animal struggled in the woman's hands, but she only squeezed.

Slowly, Anastasia reached into her back pocket to get out her phone. She kept her eyes focused on the woman, not daring to look away. Opening up the camera, she aimed it at the woman before snapping a picture. It would be something she could show the police to help them figure out what was going on with the animal attacks.

The flash frightened the woman, causing her to drop the rat before she bolted off into a sprint in the other direction. Without thinking, Anastasia rushed after it as the sound of footprints echoed into the quiet air. Laura called out, confused as she rushed out of her car to follow Anastasia deep into the alley.

The back alley was empty, causing Anastasia to come to a stop as she panted. Her lungs burned, making her rest her hands against her thighs as exhaustion threatened to take over. But, she ignored her body's warnings as she stood up straight and looked for the infected woman in the shadow of the Lovejoy Hotel. Her hand brushed against the building, using it to support herself. "She was right here," Anastasia gritted out, clenching her jaw as her chest continued to ache. "I saw it!"

"Okay," Laura said, nodding her head as she looked around. However, it seemed as if the woman had disappeared into thin air. The back of the hotel was fenced off to prevent trespassers, police tape everywhere that had never been removed from the original investigation of the incident. The area looked untouched for years, grass grown through the cracks of the concrete as nature took over. But, signs of humanity appeared with the graffiti that was painted across the walls. "Where'd it go?"

Dark red stains marred the gray concrete, visible with the dim lighting from the distant street lamps. It felt as if society was miles away, causing the world around them to settle into silence. The red glistened underneath the light of Anastasia's phone, meaning it was still fresh. "I think that's blood," Anastasia mumbled, kneeling to get a better look at the substance. The blood trail led toward the hotel. "They're hurt, bleeding."

She began to follow the trail, noticing it took them further behind the hotel until they reached an opening into the building. From the looks of it, they were staring at a maintenance entrance but it was difficult to tell since the door had been ripped off its hinges. It laid a few feet away with a sign that said PRIVATE PROPERTY, KEEP OUT. Though, it didn't seem as if people were keen on following the rules. There were deep scratches in the metal door, along with the sides having indentations of human handprints. The blood trail led into the darkness of the hotel.

"Do you think we should help?" Laura asked, messing with the car keys in her trembling hands. She stood behind Anastasia, staring into the abyss of the hotel. "What if they're just like Eric? He attacked us last time, could have killed us if it wasn't for Batman."

Anastasia wasn't sure why she wanted to follow the creature into the hotel, but there was a voice in the back of her mind that was telling her this was the right thing to do. It felt as if something was calling out to her, as a parent would guide their child to them in times of danger. She could hear the call of the void, beckoning for her to follow. "You can stay out here," she numbly suggested, keeping her eyes focused into the darkness as she half-expected to see a pair of glowing eyes. "I can check it out on my own."

"No, I can't let you do this on your own," Laura immediately dismissed the idea, putting on a brave face as she smiled at Anastasia. "Safety in numbers, right?"

There was safety in numbers, considering it was two against one. Though, there was no telling what else lingered in the abandoned building. It was fifty stories consisting of hundreds of rooms where anything could be hiding. The secrets that the building held could only be heard by the walls and creatures that roamed freely within it. Anastasia wouldn't be surprised if rodents infested the building, considering she could see rats scurrying around the alleyway. Along with the rodents, insects of every shape and sizes lingered as her skin began to crawl. Taking a deep breath, she took a step inside and allowed her phone's flashlight to lead the way. She reached into her purse, hand tightening around her revolver before she pulled it out. Laura did the same with her handgun, turning the safety off.

Anastasia recalled the hotel's blueprints, considering she had studied them a few weeks ago when Laura had first dug them up in their lost files. They were somewhere in the back of the hotel, wandering in the maintenance shaft where most of the generators and the hotel's internal systems were located. It was an area only employees would have had access to, noticing all the faded signs taped to the walls. But, it seemed people had sneaked inside due to the graffiti that marred every square inch of the walls. Though, it was interesting to see everyone's artworks mix together to create one masterpiece. All around them was concrete and wiring, cold seeped through as a sharp breeze whistled through the shaft. There was one sign that glowed in the dark, appearing a bright green as it told them to run toward the emergency exit.

"This isn't very smart," Laura pointed out, sticking close to Anastasia as she kept her gaze behind to make sure nothing would sneak up on them.

The further they traveled from the entrance, the darker it became from the lack of windows. The air became cold and still, making it harder for them to breathe. For a brief moment, it felt as if she was back in the underground lab of Arkham Asylum. The walls felt as if they were starting to close in on them, beckoning them into the darkness.

"Ana, are you even listening to me?" Laura called out, grabbing Anastasia's arm to make her look back. "We don't want to get cornered with that thing. If they truly are infected, then they'll be aggressive like all the others. A lot of people have already died from these attacks."

"Batman was able to knock Eric out," Anastasia reminded, despite knowing she didn't have the same strength as Batman. And, with her healing injuries, it made it harder for her to get around. But, she wouldn't give up on their investigation. Everything had a weakness, including the infected. "The infected still react like human beings. We just need to be careful."

Laura slowly nodded, trusting Anastasia. She held the gun tight in her hands, letting out a heavy breath. "Aim for the ankles, I suppose," she suggested. "At least then, it'll be easier to run from them if they're crawling."

"It was scared of the light," Anastasia remembered, recalling the way the infected woman had flinched and ran off when the light had shone on it. She didn't want to shoot anyone unless she absolutely had to, considering they were still a human being. "Maybe that's why they only come out at night?"

"Could be," Laura nodded, taking a mental note. They still didn't know much about the infected, so any piece of information was helpful to the two of them. "Maybe, we can leave and come back in the morning? It might be safer, too."

Anastasia ignored her friend's warnings, following the blood trail as the cold engulfed her senses. She shivered, feeling her hands and feet numb from the drop in temperature. The trail had led them to the end of the maintenance shaft, facing a doorway that led into an office. Closing the door behind them, it blocked out the cold wind. She shined a light, taking in the damaged state of the room.

"Oh, God," Laura muttered, looking around the office space and the blood splattered across the floors and walls. It had dried up a long time ago, meaning it couldn't belong to the infected woman. Along with the blood, there was the same black substance that coated almost every surface in the room. It looked as if the furniture was decaying into the ground, surrounded by nothing but dust and spores in the air.

There were multiple desks in the office, being big enough to hold six people. She noticed the Wayne Tech computers, sighing at the logo that stared back in the darkness. Most of the furniture was pushed to the sides and covered by a plastic tarp. The black sludge coated the walls, floors, and furniture. It made her sick, causing her to wrinkle her nose as she breathed through her mouth to avoid the smell. "This is just like the dormitory in the underground lab at Arkham," she explained to Laura, clenching her jaw as she tried not to focus on her nausea. "This can not be mold, right?"

"It could be a mixture of mold and mildew," Laura suggested, snapping multiple photos with her phone. She focused on the deep cracks in the wall, making it seem as if an earthquake had hit the building. Or, someone had taken a hammer to the wall to take out their frustration.

Anastasia shrugged her shoulders, wanting to believe it was nothing but mold. She took a step closer, shining a light on the liquid that oozed from the cracks. It felt as if the building was shedding tears, threatening to break down on them at any moment. The lab looked exactly the same, making her uncomfortable. "This isn't normal, Laura."

"None of this is normal," Laura muttered, shaking her head. She snapped another photo, continuing to look around the room for anything out of the ordinary to photograph. There was no source they could find that was causing the mold, except for the cracks in the wall. They would have to check what was on the other side to be causing such a reaction. "This matches the photographs in the documents, Ana. Whatever those scientists found, it's creeping into the real world."

"So, those pictures were taken in another world, you think?" Anastasia asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't know what to think anymore, feeling as if there was a line that was her delusions and reality. But, they couldn't logically explain anything that was happening in an ordinary way. Sure, they could say the room was covered in  mold. Perhaps, rabies was causing the infection in all those people. The underground lab just had some scared animal running around in it, nothing else. And, the secret experiments that took place? Anastasia didn't have a way to explain that one, letting out a heavy sigh. It all seemed too... crazy. It made her wonder if she had truly lost her mind.

"Don't you think so?" Laura asked, raising a brow. She looked around the room, shuddering as she shook her head. "After all, you've been having visions of this other world too. And, the last time I checked, Gotham doesn't look like this."

"What should we do then?" Anastasia asked, frowning. She wasn't sure if this was something you brought to the police. Or, if there was someone else more qualified to handle such things. "Maybe we can collect some of this and get it tested? Then, we'll know for sure if it's mold or not."

"I wouldn't touch it with your bare hands, just in case," Laura warned, looking through her purse to see if she had some sort of container where they could store some of the substance.

"Well..." Anastasia trailed off, remembering she had touched the substance back at the lab. "It might be too late for that."

"What if that's the cause of the infection?" Laura asked, eyes wide as she looked down at Anastasia's hands. Though, she didn't feel sick or... aggressive. "It could be polluting the water? Maybe that's why we're seeing a spike in infected people at the hospitals."

"Maybe..." Anastasia said, letting out a soft breath. "I guess we'll find out in that case."

She leaned against one of the desks, shaking her head as she looked around the large room. Fortunately, most of the blood in the room had long dried and that provided some level of solace. The trail had led into the room but there was no sign of the infected woman. Her green eyes remained on the wall, noticing the circular shape the cracks made. It wasn't perfect, but looking at it from a few feet away allowed the shape to make itself known. She felt uneasy, dreading what was on the other side of the wall. Deep down, it felt as if she knew. Her mind couldn't remember, wouldn't remember. But, it didn't stop her body from reacting in fear.

"Let's get out of here, Laura," Anastasia said, pushing herself off the desk. Perhaps, it was all the spores in the air but she couldn't catch her breath. It made her feel faint, wanting to be outside instead. "I don't feel well."

"Yeah, okay," Laura agreed, wanting to leave the hotel as soon as possible too.

Laura walked toward the metal door, manicured hand curling around the handle. Anastasia stood off to the side, keeping her eyes focused on the circle. Something was off, Anastasia could feel the air shift around them. She approached the wall again, keeping her ear close as she listened. It almost sounded as if something was whispering on the other side, but she could be mistaking it for the wind whistling in the maintenance shaft. Something crawled underneath her skin, making her scratch at her arms to rid herself of the anxious feeling. Her mind told her to breathe, reminding her that everything was okay. She would be home soon. The sound of Laura opening the door echoed in the air, the creaking caused by hinges abandoned for years. Cold air entered the room, closing in on the two girls as Anastasia shivered.

It had happened too fast for Anastasia to process what was going on, still having her back turned to Laura as she studied the wall.

Hearing Laura's blood-curdling scream made her flinch. It echoed throughout the room, overpowering the creature's gargled snarl. It made her look back to see her closest friend pinned to the ground as she struggled against the monster. Her hand trembled, forcing the light to focus on the creature. It wasn't the same infected woman they had followed into the hotel, making her eyes widen as she faced the creature. In the surrounding darkness, it was difficult to see most of the creature as it towered over Laura. But as her vision focused, the first thing she noticed was that it was without a face.

All she could see was sharp jagged teeth as fungus remained where the creature's head should have been, growing haphazardly in different directions. When it snarled again, Anastasia could feel its warm breath filter through the room. It caused her to force down bile as she stumbled back into the wall, trying not to focus on the pungent smell that filled the air. Before either of them could react, the creature sunk its teeth deep into Laura's neck as it tore into her skin. A pained shout left Laura's lips as she scratched at the creature, but it did not react.

Anastasia ran forward, grabbing the creature's shoulders before pulling it off Laura. She struggled to get a grip, feeling how wet the creature's skin was underneath her fingertips. Digging her nails into its shoulders, she was able to gain some traction. It was taller than her by several feet, standing to its true height as its head brushed against the ceiling. She noticed how red its veins appeared underneath its translucent skin. The creature must have been a human being at one point, but it had lost its humanity a long time ago.

It flailed its arms, hitting Anastasia across the face as it caused her to lose her balance. The creature grabbed her by the neck, easily lifting her off the ground as she struggled against it. She couldn't breathe, eyes wide as she faced the creature's mouth. Her phone had been knocked away, falling underneath one of the desks but the flashlight was still on. It partially illuminated the room, allowing Anastasia to face her death. But, she could still hear Laura fighting for her life and it sparked her will to live too.

She reached at her side, feeling her fingers brush against the revolver. Lifting it into the air, she aimed it at the creature's mouth before she pulled the trigger twice. It howled in pain, dropping her to the ground as it backed away before falling on its back. It writhed in pain, leading Anastasia's to notice her own injuries too. She couldn't see what it was doing in the darkness, using the distraction to tend to Laura.

Kneeling beside the woman, she pressed her hands against the open wound on her neck. "Ana..." she breathed out quietly, closing her eyes. She tried to push Anastasia away, but she could barely lift her arms. "Go. Just go."

"I'm not leaving you," Anastasia said, shaking her head as she tried to control the bleeding. She faced the woman through blurred vision, trying to blink away her tears to focus on saving her friend's life. Blood began to coat her hands, too fast as Laura gasped up at her with wide eyes. Laura's hands slowly moved to her neck, pressing down too when they heard the creature start to get up. "You're gonna be fine, Laura. I promise, okay?"

Anastasia struggled to find her revolver in the darkness, running her hands all over the ground before they finally brushed against it. She lifted it high, eyes wide as the creature stood to its feet with a few clicks coming from its mouth. Her hand trembled, watching as the creature's head looked around for a few moments. Then, it seemed to pick up where she was as it immediately turned around and screamed. It came rushing forward, arms flailing as it prepared to grab her. Anastasia fired off a few more rounds, aiming at the creature's face. She didn't stop till she heard the click from the empty chamber. It fell back from the impact, frailing against the floor as it clawed at the fungus covering its face. It was in pain. Good.

She rushed over to Laura again, ignoring the blood that pooled underneath her shoulders. She hooked her hands underneath Laura's arms, trying to lift the woman off the ground. Her body ached in protest, feeling a familiar burn settle deep within her chest. Tears pricked at her eyes as she struggled to drag Laura across the floor. They weren't going to die down there, they couldn't. It wasn't fair. It wasn't what Laura deserved, being dragged into Anastasia's mess. All she needed to do was save Laura's life. However, Anastasia couldn't even get them out of the room before the creature rose to its feet. It was angry, growling as it crawled on all fours toward the two of them.

A snarl left its lips before it rushed toward Anastasia to tackle her to the ground. Her head hit the concrete but that was the least of her concerns as the creature bared its teeth at her, saliva dripping from its mouth and onto her face. Her hands at the creature's chest to keep it away from her as it snapped its teeth, but her arms trembled against its inhuman strength. Her gun had been knocked too far away, somewhere the light couldn't reach. But, it didn't matter. She had already used her last bullet. Still, she tried to reach for it or any kind of weapon as the creature quickly began to overpower her efforts.

And, when she had accepted her death, something had changed.

The air shifted and began to move too fast as it rattled everything in the room. The cracks in the wall disappeared and a rift into pitch darkness opened. It had distracted the creature, looking up to face the void. Anastasia pushed the creature off her, watching as it tried to crawl away. However, it was too slow against the thick dark vines that sprouted from the rift and twirled around the creature. It made the creature scream, struggling against the vines as it was dragged across the room and into the wall.

Anastasia struggled to sit up, feeling her energy depleted as she took shaky breaths to make sense of what was happening. She clutched one of the desk's legs as she stared into the darkness of the rift, feeling the tug as it engulfed everything in the room. Anastasia couldn't see anything, feeling as if she was staring into a black hole. The strong winds caused her hair to fall in front of her eyes, making it harder to see than it already was. Laura had lost consciousness, appearing pale due to the blood she had lost. Anastasia tried to grab her and hold her close, but the vines moved faster as they engulfed Laura. She tried to take Laura's hand, shouting her name to get her to wake up.

Yet, Laura had been taken into the same void as the creature.

She shouted Laura's name again as she sobbed quietly, feeling fear grab a hold of her. Her flight and fight response had been broken, leaving her with only the option of running. Still, she couldn't find it within herself to move as she clung onto the desk. One of the vines coiled around her ankle, pulling her hard. She struggled to stand, trying to run out of the room. But, the vines only tightened as it moved up her leg. It slammed her into the concrete, knocking the wind out of the woman. She tried to grab onto something, feeling her nails scratch against the floor. But, the force was stronger as it dragged her into endless darkness.

Then, the room settled into unnatural silence as the rift faded back into cracked concrete. It was as if no one had been there in the first place, all traces of life had disappeared. Still, something dared to break the silence. A cell phone buzzed underneath a table and with no one left around to answer, the buzzing ceased. The hotel had gone quiet, Anastasia and Laura lost to the place between life and death.

♡

I BLAME THE SPOOKY SEASON FOR ALL THE HORROR VIBES THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWING UP IN THIS BOOK, but I'm glad I managed to get this chapter out this month because it's October for Anastasia too and us! It took me some time to write this chapter because I kept rewriting and rewriting it. It was hard to come to a spot where I was happy with. The last two thousand words or so, I rewrote five times I think. I still am not completely happy with it, but I don't think we can get it better than this. I want to thank Remy ( samwnchesters ) for helping me beta-read and helping me improve this chapter. Without her, I have no idea when this chapter would have been published tbh! So, please go check her out because I love her so so much!

In the first half of the chapter, we got to see Erina again! She is my baby and I love her so much, even if she did take things to the extreme with Novak. Honestly, she's terrified for Eric's life and she would do anything to get him back. And, she has known Novak since she was a child and he is not a good man. So, she wouldn't hesitate to hurt him either. Of course, Anastasia and Laura have never tortured someone before so it was quickly put an end to. Luckily, Anastasia's millions are able to pull her out of trouble in this chapter (but that won't always be the case). We should see more of Erina in the next chapter, especially because the next chapter is in Bruce's POV. I am super excited to write some scenes between the two, especially because I do love them in Identity Crisis!

Also, I decided to make Gotham a lot like the Gotham we see in Arkham Knight! I have been playing that game nonstop and I can't help it from influencing this book. Though, the biggest difference is that Bruce in this book has only been Batman for like 2 - 3 years. He is still very early on in his career! So, nowhere near the level of Arkham Batman yet! But, it's still fun to pull some inspiration. And, I think the map of Arkham Knight was great and it works so well! Because now, I can just turn on the game and walk around as Batman to map out scenes for this chapter! But, some things may be inaccurate still but it's okay! Locations can wary. I also added there's three Lovejoy hotels in Gotham. They were the first three ever opened. The Charlotte is the first one ever made on Founders' Island and it's been abandoned since the incident. Then, the William was opened on Bleake Island and it's okay! Finally, the Anastasia was opened on Miagani Island and it's right across the street from Wayne Tower! I thought it would be super romantic to have them close by hehe.

So, that ending, huh? Anastasia and Laura are gone, hehe. I won't reveal much of what happened because we'll learn about it in the next few chapters! This book has definitely taken a turn for the worse now, so expect a lot of sadness in the upcoming chapters. We won't see much happiness for a while. Sorry in advance, but it needs to be done! I didn't describe the creature too closely, but it's a blend of clickers / bloaters from TLOU and the demogorgon from Stranger Things. There's stages of the infection so the creature they just dealt with was late stage infection compared to Eric (who was very early on in the infection before Batman found him). We'll see more of these creatures soon! None of this was part of the plan when I originally plotted out this book, but watching the new season of ST and replaying both TLOU games brought this on. And, honestly, I'm okay with that!

AMARA.
[ PUBLISH DATE ━━ 10.27.2022 ]