The high of my awakening has slowly faded as I made my way back through the swamp and towards where I parked my car. I had to make use of a magnetic field view spell to find my way back since I kinda got disoriented. Unfortunately, despite my many lives, I still kind of suck at finding the cardinal directions without help.
The walk back to the car is pretty much the same as the walk to the island. Though since my thoughts aren't occupied with wondering where a mysterious voice is taking me, I'm free to speculate on how the modern consensus functions.
I mean, there was a publicly known and recognized Alien invasion that caused a group of superheroes to unite and form a UN charter organisation. Last I checked, superheroes and aliens weren't accepted parts of the consensus. I mean, sure, I could buy that sort of stuff, becoming accepted eventually. The thing about that is, back when I died last in '88, the technocratic-backed consensus was as strong as ever, with zero sign of people with superpowers right out of comic books. So, somehow, the consensus has shifted enough over twenty-seven years to allow metahumans to be accepted as a fact by the sleepers.
Despite how big a change this is, I'm certainly not complaining. With Superman flying around fighting against aliens and supervillains, a person throwing bolts of lightning isn't that out of the ordinary. I mean, yeah, it will attract attention, but as long as I don't go claiming it to be magick, most people will just assume I'm some Metahuman.
I finally reach where I parked my car, a small dirt parking lot meant for 'hikers' to park their cars whenever they go 'hiking'. It should be obvious to everyone that by hikers I meant gangsters, and by hiking, I meant body disposal.
I quickly unlock my car and slide into the driver's seat. I shut the door and turn on the car before I drive out of the dirt square and onto the dirt road that cuts through the outermost parts of the swamp and connects to the highway.
The drive itself is pretty boring, so I'm free to start figuring out my plans.
The first thing I'll be doing should probably be finding a place to set up a sanctum. Doesn't have to be anything big, just big enough for me to perform some rituals and maybe store some stuff for rituals. Fortunately for me, Gotham has tons of abandoned buildings, a network of caves used for smuggling, and an old sewage system that got disconnected back in the 1890s. So I'm pretty flush for choices. Honestly, the hardest parts gonna be finding the actually secure options; abandoned buildings will probably have homeless squatters, and so will most of the easily accessible sewage tunnels and caves.
After I get a sanctum sorted out and everything, the next step would probably be to have enough money to quit working at O'Shaughnessy's. Some simple alchemy to transmute some lead into gold will probably be the easiest and most legal thing to do. Lead into gold is a pretty simple alchemical ritual that is well within my abilities.
I turn onto the highway, the vast stretch of dark grey pavement stretching out in front and behind me as far as the eye could see.
The highway is basically deserted right now, or at least this stretch of it is. Not a lot of people need to go up north to New York City right now.
The drive back into the city is pretty unremarkable, just staying focused on the road in front of me as I figure out how I'm gonna find a place to set up shop.
Checking and maybe getting some copies of the publicly available maps at the library is probably gonna be my best bet. Hopefully, it has the maps I need.
Now that I think about it, a cave or sewage cistern might be my best bet for security, cause buildings have way more vectors of entry, so if I piss off some rogue or one of the bats, they could get into my place in multiple ways. Also, a cave won't have any lead or asbestos to worry about.
Hmm, lead piping… that's a great way to get lead for transmutation. Guess I found my money-making scheme.
I finish up that thought as I pull up into the parking lot for the Gotham Library. The library itself is pretty bog-standard Gotham Gothic, save for a heavier emphasis on red brick for its construction. From here alone, I can count seventeen gargoyles. Seriously, why are there so many gargoyles in Gotham?
I get out of the car and make my way towards the entrance of the library.
I push open the old wooden double door and am greeted by the smell of the Gotham library. It's a…very library-esque smell; the smell of plenty of older books giving it that old book smell, which then mixes with the smell of the vagrants and homeless and seeking refuge here.
I make my way towards and see a familiar face sitting in a wheelchair. Ah, it's Barbara. Her curly red hair is currently down, framing her square-framed glasses as she types something into the computer in front of her.
"Hey Barbara…long time no see…" I say awkwardly once I'm in front of the counter.
She looks me up and down, probably trying to figure out who I am. I doubt she recognizes me with all my facial hair, "Eddie? Is that you? You look…"
"Terrible? Depressed as hell?" I respond, guessing what she was going to say
"I was gonna say good, but I guess that works too," She responds, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for some maps," I respond, "Specifically, maps of the old disconnected sewage system and the cave system beneath Gotham."
"Ah," I think I can make out some slight disappointment in her voice, I guess she was hoping I was here to see her or something, "I think we do have several copies of those maps available for borrowing and available for both digital and physical copying."
"Great, can I get those physical copies?" I ask, doing my best to be polite, it never hurts to be polite to workers, even if you know them
"Sure," Barbara responds as she wheels out from behind the counter and towards a pretty intimidating copy machine in the back, "Follow me."
I silently follow after her, the only noise coming from me is the sound of my footsteps against the hardwood flooring, "So, uh, how've you been?"
"I've been…" she starts to say before sighing, "I've been better. My ex is back in town, and he's trying to reconnect even though he cheated on me."
"Ah, I see, well, kind of a dick move." I respond, "Has he at least apologized?"
"Funny you should say that, his name's Dick, so it's quite literally a dick move," she snorts at that, "yeah, he did apologize, but still."
I dont really know what to say, but fortunately for me, we reached the copy machine. Barbara grabs the laptop plugged into the copier and pulls something up, "You asked for copies of the old sewage system as well as the cave system, correct?"
"Yeah," I confirm
"Alright, well that will run you, 25 dollars," Barbara says as she punches some stuff into the laptop.
I fish my wallet out of my pocket and get the money out of it, "here you go," I say as I hand her the money.
She takes the money and hits the print button, making the machine print out the copies. "So, hope you dont mind my asking, but why do you need these maps?"
Ah shit…cmon think of an explanation that doesn't make me seem like an aspiring supervillain," Mancave… I'm gonna be making a Mancave…where I will do mancave activities…"
Fuck that was so not convincing, crap, she's never gonna believe it.
"Uh-huh…" she mutters, looking at me suspiciously, "well, here are your maps."
"Thanks, Barbara, you're a big help." I turn and start walking away, "See you later."
Barbara doesn't say anything for a moment, almost like she's deciding on something, "Actually, I'm getting off work soon, so would you maybe want to grab a coffee and catch up?"
Huh, was not expecting that. I guess it couldn't hurt; it's not even one yet, so I'll have plenty of time to find myself a place to set up a sanctum. "Uh, sure, why not. I mean, I feel like I should probably drop off these maps at my place and shave first, but why not?"
"Great. There's a place not too far from here. I guess you can go and clean up while I finish up some stuff. I'll meet you there?"
"Yeah, that works. I'll see you then," I say as I head out of the library and to my car.
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Barbara POV
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Once Eddie steps out of the library, I quickly pull out my phone and send a quick message to Bruce.