Arkham Breakout
2041 Words
✮ j e r o m e POV✮
Rolling my eyes, I make my way over to the blonde that Sionis has his eye on. He desperately wants to get his hands on her, and I can't see why. Although, I must admit, I've heard that she has fire. Not to mention, she looks extremely familiar, but I can't place her. Shrugging to myself, I whistle a tune and slide into the seat across from the magazine reading blonde, putting on some charm.
"Hi, gorgeous," I say, smirking. "I'm Jerome."
She doesn't look up, flipping the page to her magazine. "Keep moving, ginger."
"Just being polite. So, what-cha in for?"
"Killing my parents."
Placing my hand on my chest, I play a charade. "Oh. Me, too. Well... Mum, anyhow. Liberating, right? Oh, what a rush!"
She looks over at me with a flat expression, but there is recognition in her eyes. So, we do know each other.
"Yeah, all righty, then." I drop my arms and motion to the table behind me. "You see the big handsome fella staring at you like you're fried chicken?"
The blonde looks over at Sionis and he smiles at her.
"Richard Sionis. He's a millionaire. Mm, got his own aeroplane. Got a boat with a hot tub on it. And he killed 25 people." I snort in amusement. "Just for fun."
"So what?"
"So, he likes you. He wants to be your friend."
"Hmm. Let me think." She pretends to think and then turns back to her magazine. "No."
I play the sincere card, hoping to get a reaction. "A girl needs a good friend in here. See, the guards, they don't care."
She looks at me with slight worry. Bingo!
"They figure bad things happen to bad people. And they happen all the time. All the time."
Dropping her magazine, she stands up and waves over at the table. "Hey, you. Hello? Baldy! Here, here. Hello, yes. Hi. Come here."
Aaron walks over and I grin, resting my head on my fist.
The blonde smiles cheerily up at him. "Hi."
"Hi," Aaron says, confused.
"My name is Barbara. Would you be my friend?"
He smiles. "Yes."
She rests her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, if someone here tries to hurt me... would you protect me?"
His face contorts in anger. "Yes."
"Thank you so much. Cutie." She turns away from him and sits back down, instantly picking up her magazine and reverting back to her original state. "Now I have a friend."
"You're bad," I tease.
"Yeah, so why don't you go make me a sandwich."
"Your friend is a gorilla. My friend runs the joint. And he can get you things that other people can't get you."
That gets her attention. "Things like what?"
I lean across the table. "Anything you need."
"I need a telephone," Barbara demands.
Days pass, and the blonde gets used to being around a giant lug, a rich prick, a nutty old cannibal, a schizophrenic r****t and poisoner, and me, a psychotic ginger. One day is different though. A funnily dressed man gets thrown into the rec room with us and starts a speech, drawing our attention for about five seconds before we go back to listening to one of Sionis' pathetic stories. Although, our attention is drawn back to the strange man when he starts choking and release a blue gas from his mouth.
Most of the inmates begin jumping to their feet and screaming, but I just sit at the table and laugh. Soon, enough of the gas gets into my system and darkness swallows me whole just as I see someone dressed in black walk into the rec room with a purpose in mind. Someone is doing something in this god-forsaken city, and I have a feeling that the fun is only just beginning.
✮✮✮
✮ a c c a l i a POV✮
Snuggled up in one of Jerome's shirts, I am startled when Edward bursts into my room. "f**k, Eddy. Are you trying to kill me too?"
He shakes his head and his glasses go flying. "No. There's just something that happened. Someone broke into Arkham and knocked everyone out with some kind of gas."
"'Things will begin to occur.' Edward, it's them! They're here!"
Jumping up, I pull on a pair of jeans and then my Converse, not bothering to change out of Jerome's shirt as I pull on one of his jackets. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I run out of my room and out the door, faintly aware of Edward yelling for me to be safe. Halfway down the stairs, I run into two men dressed in black. Stopping right in front of them, their eyes glimmer in recognition. They're here for me, and I am hoping that it is to take me to my parents.
"Accalia Gordon?" one of them asks.
I quickly nod, anxious to find my parents.
"Come with us. Mr Galavan has decided that it is time for you two to meet."
Without hesitation, I follow the two men down the rest of the stairs and climb into a sleek black car. Too anxious to focus on anything, the trip feels to have ended as soon as it began. Pulling up outside a building, one of the men open the door for me, and I get out, thanking him as the other leads me inside. Walking into the elevator, I notice that one of the men push the 'penthouse suite' button. Swallowing, I feel my nerves begin to get the better of me. Meeting my birth parents is going to take a lot out of me, and I may even pass out from excitement or something like that.
The doors to the elevator open and I am greeted by the sight of several people in Arkham uniforms tied to what seem to be moving trolleys. Walking out, with the two men in black behind me, my eyes zero in on a ginger head. My eyes widen and I instantly run over to him, cupping his face in my hands and instinctively checking his pulse. My heart rate slows when I realise that he is just passed out, and I rest my head against his chest, breathing in his familiar scent.
"Ginger," I breathe. "Thank f**k you're alright."
"I do apologies for giving you such a scare, my dear," a man says, making me spin around and hold up my switchblade. "It's alright. There's no need to be worried about either you, your friend or your foster mother being harmed."
"Who the hell are you, and why is my ginger tied to a f*****g trolley?"
"Accalia, I'm not surprised you don't recognize me."
Slowly, everything begins to click into place in my mind. Dark hair and deep blue eyes; the familiar body shape from the photo I stared at every night; the crinkles by his eyes when he smiles. It's my father. At that, I lower my switchblade and put it away, my eyes burning slightly as my feet carry me across the marble floor and throw me into his awaiting arms. His warmth surrounds me as he wraps his arms around me, holding me close and squeezing me tightly.
"Dad," I whisper, the word foreign on my tongue.
"Theo?" a woman calls, heels hitting the floor as she walks into the room. "When is Accalia-"
She cuts off and I turn around, pulling myself out of my father's hold. Her hazel eyes are wide with disbelief and shock. Moving towards her, I wrap my arms around her middle and bury my face in her shirt. Her own arms wrap around me and she begins to sob, her knees giving out and causing us to fall to the floor in a puddle of tears and sobs. Even without having known her, I know that, without a doubt, that this woman loves and cares for me without end.
"Mum," I sob, trembling in her hold.
"It's alright, my sweet Accalia," she promises.
My father looks over at the row of former Arkham Asylum inmates when Jerome lets out a low groan. My mother and I take that as our que to get up and move out of the way. So, we head around behind the line of six inmates just as they all begin to come to. I watch as Jerome's head turns, his eyes obviously scoping the place out for any sign of danger, and a way out.
"What the hell is this place?" one of the inmates ask.
"Ain't Arkham, anyhow," I hear Jerome say. "Things are looking up."
"Welcome, everyone," my father says, walking out from beside the oldest man, my mother and I following him. "My name is Theo Galavan. This is my sister Tabitha, and my daughter Accalia."
"Oh, my God, look at that," Arnold whispers, fidgeting in his restraints.
"Yeah, I got to get my hands on that," the curly haired man salivates, making me cringe. Cannibal.
"Little terror," Jerome says, grinning down at me. "How did I not guess that you'd be in on this?"
I shake my head, looking up at him. "I wasn't. That's why. I actually not long got here."
"I understand," my father continues, cutting our conversation short and sending a glance at my mother, then me, as he walks along in front of the former inmates. "You're feeling confused, scared, a little groggy, but, please, relax. Today is the first day of a wonderful future for all of you. If you want it."
"Who are you?" Barbara asks.
"Well, now, the question is who are you? The world sees criminal lunatics. I see brilliance. I see charisma. And power. I see power."
"Yes. Exactly, my man. Oh, that is so spooky. That is me to a T," Jerome says with a bone-chilling smirk. "These other bozos, oh, I don't know, but, you're singing my song."
"Quiet, Jerome," the oldest man snaps, causing me to glare at him. "Keep talking."
My father rolls his eyes, returning to his speech. "Imagine, a group of brilliant outlaws like yourselves, each selected for their unique ability, all working together as a team. Imagine the synergy. Imagine the impact. Gotham would tremble before you."
"Well, that sounds fabulous, but I am not a brilliant outlaw," Barbara muses. "I just have...mm...issues."
"You have ferocity and beauty and desire and that's enough." My father places his hand under my foster mother's chin and tilts her head up. "Come with me, Barbara. Whatever you want in the world, it's yours."
"Theo? That's your name, right? Theo?" the oldest man calls, causing my father to give him a look of annoyance. "You're getting way ahead of yourself, here. First of all, keep your hands off her. Second, this whole 'magic team'? I gotta pass. I don't take orders. Good luck on everything, though. It's an intriguing concept."
"This is very disappointing."
"Oh. Fair play. You want a reward for busting us out of Arkham. I am grateful. How's a million bucks sound? Pretty good, huh?"
I roll my eyes and shake my head, a grin covering my face. "f*****g idiot."
"I can get it for you today, as soon as I hit the street."
"Money's not the concern," my father sighs. "Oh, I had such high hopes for you. I didn't anticipate s****l jealousy. That always poisons the well. You have to go. Tabitha and Accalia will see you out."
My mother cuts his restraints and the man walks down the row towards Barbara, and the door. "Miss Kean is coming with me."
"Oh, she doesn't want to go where you're going."
My mother draws her whip and snaps it forward, wrapping it around the oldest man's throat, and then drags him to the ground. Getting the idea, I flick out my switchblade and launch myself on top of him, repeatedly stabbing him as he trashes under me. Jerome's psychotic laugh echoes in my ears and a small giggle escapes me, mingling with the sound. Once the man is dead, I look up at my father with a grin, and then move my gaze to Jerome, seeing his eyes sparkle with delight
"Anyone else want to leave?" my father asks.
- Writer
