Fish gently jiggled her chest, signaling for Selina to grab the phone herself. Selina freed a hand, slid into Fish's chest pocket, retrieved the phone, and glanced at it twice. Then, inexplicably, she tossed it back and drew her dagger, pressing the cold steel across Fish's throat.
Fish caught the despondence in Selina's eyes and lightly patted her wrist.
"Can't believe it, can you?"
"Indeed, I can't."
Selina nodded and, weakly, withdrew the knife, slipping out of the classroom.
Beth, still tied nearby, shouted after her.
"You're just leaving like that? I thought you came to save us!"
Selina paused, spun around, and stormed two steps forward, yanking Beth by the collar and slamming her against the wall.
"Why should I save you? Who's ever saved me and mine? Evanston High, a private preserve for the coddled, will never understand struggle! Do you even know that if Fish makes this her battlefield, her heartbeat is synced with all the bombs in your school?"
Her eyes blazed.
"I know she's making excuses. Even if she truly wanted to warn me, she'd only told Liv. But here you are, expecting me to risk my neck for people who've never understood me. What else do you want? That I give up my hatred and fight for you?"
Selina raised her right hand and slapped Beth hard, then couldn't resist squeezing her chest. She released her with a desolate look and gestured toward Fish.
"I'm going to the Iceberg Lounge. Once I know my enemy, I'll send reinforcements your way."
Selina shed the gunman's uniform, revealing her Catwoman suit beneath, and pulled her mask down.
Fish rolled her eyes at the retreating figure, then turned to Beth.
"Little Miss Kane, Selina's right. If I die here, you and Evanston High will go up like fireworks. Remember this: never rely on anyone else."
Stepping out, Fish raised her pistol and shot several subordinates trailing her, riddling them with bullets.
She held the smoking weapon, eyes sharp.
"She walks past you boldly and not one of you recognizes her? Trash like you needs eyes and brains. If you can't see that, go to hell and scavenge something useful from the dead!"
Meanwhile, at the Iceberg Lounge, Axel stood over Liv, her breathing shallow, her pulse barely a flicker. Oswald, sweating and gripping his injured leg, watched nervously beside him.
Liv's heart was almost gone, her electrocardiogram flatlining. Axel gestured to the medical staff.
"So she can't be saved, right?"
The doctors nodded timidly.
Axel spread his hands with a chuckle.
"Then what are you waiting for? Struggling won't change a thing."
He pressed his pistol against Liv's head.
"Listen carefully. When I count to one, your suffering ends. You're beautiful, your body's fine. You hid some things from me, but that's over now. Ending your suffering is my final gift."
He counted.
"One!"
"Selina, no one loves you more than I do!"
Liv's last words tore from her chest in one final shout, spraying blood. Axel wiped his face clean, unimpressed.
"Impressive. You managed one more line. But Gotham isn't a romance movie. Save the mushy stuff for someone who cares."
He shook her arm. Liv had no strength left. Her heartbeat flatlined.
Axel asked the doctor without looking back.
"Do I still shoot her?"
"No! No need!"
The staff stared at him like he was a demon.
Her heart had stopped, and he still considered shooting. Axel nodded and casually lifted her from the table.
"Done with her. Let's move to the next problem. Oswald got shot. I tried pulling the bullet in the car, but I need professionals."
He grabbed Oswald and lifted him onto the operating table.
The doctors swallowed hard.
"You dug in that deep for a long time? You're a devil."
"Even a devil isn't this bad."
The doctors worked frantically, knowing failure meant death tonight.
Axel dragged Liv's corpse out of the operating room to Minus Forty-Four Degrees. Oswald and Victor's men quickly approached.
"Boss, what should we do with her body?"
"Handle it as usual. Discreetly."
Axel handed her over and went to Falcone's office.
The thugs hesitated.
"Sister Liv… she was half a big shot. How do we normally handle this?"
"I've been here six years. Big shot deaths? I don't know!"
"Then what now? We don't even know her family!"
"Didn't the boss say handle it as usual? Then handle it as usual."
"Oil drums?"
"Cement."
While the thugs scrambled, Axel sat in the boss's chair. Selina had silently appeared behind him.
"Well, you're back. House still standing? If not, crash in my bed tonight. Just got a damn awesome manor and need a sexy dame to play along and stick her ass out next to me."
___
🌙 Ramadan Special
Unlock advance chapters on my Patreon with 7 DAYS FREE TRIAL on all Tiers.
40% Discount
Use code: RAMADANPASS
Link: Patreon.com/Zphyr
Limited-time Ramadan offer, don't miss it.