Chill out

"S-should I suck your dick?"

Aaron nearly choked on his drink. Instead, he put it down slowly and stared at Elizabeth as if she was crazy. The thirty-nine year blonde woman averted his gaze, face on fire, ashamed.

"S-sorry, Julia mentioned you had a harem and, er, loved sex. Um, sorry." Still on her bed, she fiddled with the blanket, blushing. Her hair was shoulder-length, somewhat wavy, similar to a doll's. Under her eyes, instead of dark bags, was an everlasting light blush.

"Your mental health isn't perfect, you know," Aaron said. "I have…a group of women but I'm not the kind of guy to exploit them."

A half-truth. Elizabeth didn't need to know that though. She needed safety and comfort and Aaron would supply that regardless of the truth.

"Ah, thank you." In her hands was a bowl of soup. After her little transformation, she came up with a small fever. Her head was burning and Julia practically sprinted to make it. Aaron was faster though and a much better cook. What lay in Elizabeth's hands was a tomato bisque, rich and velvety.

"Back when I was at Weiße Kaninchen Sanatorium, I ate a lot of soup. This was my favourite." The spoon met her lips and she let out a spine-tingling shudder. "It's incredible. You're incredible, Mr. Reigner."

"Just call me Aaron. You're older than me so it feels weird."

"Oh, um, I see." A pause and a nervous glance. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-five. Twenty-six in May."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide again. The green in her pupils shook with shock. "R-really? That means you're…" Her lips went flat as she calculated the numbers. "...fourteen years younger than me. Fifteen since my birthday is in March."

'Sheesh. She looks like she could pass for twenty.' Ages in this world of superheroes oftentimes made no sense. Forty-year old women looking twenty, twenty year olds looking thirty. Where was the logic?

"February is just about to end. Maybe we can celebrate," Julia suggested, entering the room. "Also, I told Kate about your improved condition. She wants you to see tomorrow."

"Oh? Elizabeth lives with you?" Aaron asked.

"Sort of," Julia said. "For three months, she stays with me, the next three months she's with Kate–and so on and so forth. Before, we lived together but our work prevented us from taking care of Beth properly. So, we created this arrangement."

"And Zatanna came from time to time for therapy…" Aaron bobbed his head, brows relaxing. "Makes sense. Question is: what can you do, Elizabeth?"

"My father is, um, he's in the military. He helps Katie when he goes as Batwoman. I think he can help you in your mission."

"An understatement." Julia snorted. "List his accolades. It's crazy."

Elizabeth stammered and from the top of her head, like a robot, did as Julia asked. "T-the Army Achievement Medal, the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the I-Iraq Campaign Medal–" Wait, that was an illegitimate invasion, wasn't it? "–the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the NATO Medal for Kosovo, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Army Aviator Badge, the Air **** Badge, and the Combat Infantryman Badge…"

'So it's highly probable he's committed a hundred different war crimes. Great.'

"Point is," Julia interjected, "Jacob Kane is a one-man command, control, and communications centre. He has access to military and law enforcement personnel like no other. Including Amanda Waller."

Amanda Waller. She was so well protected and neck deep in the government that he wondered what he would do if she exposed his operation.

"Um, my father also remarried," Elizabeth spoke up. "Our stepmom is an aristocrat and the heiress to the Hamilton Rifle Company. It's merged with Kane Enterprises, my mom and dad's company. She also helps Kate."

"Sounds impressive. Is it a gun company? What is its net worth?" Aaron asked.

"Over ten billion, I think. It's a Fortune 500 company and, uh, it is the single largest producer of rifles in the world, not just Gotham."

Aaron rolled up his sleeves. A former high-level military operative and his rich wife? To have them participate in his grand plan would be phenomenal. It also wouldn't warrant unwanted attention. A gun company striving to create peace in Gotham? It would be an epic PR stunt that would make headlines and be read without suspicion.

Even so, he didn't want to get ahead of himself. Elizabeth wasn't controlling the companies, after all. "They'll listen to you?" Aaron asked.

"They baby me, to be honest, so if I say I want to take over the company, they'll definitely let me," Elizabeth admitted. "I ask for something, they give it, no matter how ridiculous it is. I'm the poor, mentally scarred girl of theirs, after all." She bit her bottom lip, miserable. Quickly, she wiped a tear. "Sorry, I…"

"It's fine, take your time." Aaron leaned forward and brushed her arm. "Just let me know when you're able to help us. It can be in a month, a year, seven years. I'm not in a rush."

Indeed, Elizabeth's support was merely a bonus. Stage three would work with or without her. Getting guns off the streets by coordinating with her stepmother's company would be staggering progress, however. If Elizabeth was able to help, it would do wonders for Gotham.

"Alright, I have to pick up my daughter. I'll see you later." He sent her a warm smile, which Elizabeth returned.

"Want me to drive you?" Julia asked.

"Sure, why not?" Aaron checked his phone's time. "I think we'll make it to Carrie's in time."

'Plus, tomorrow morning I will be fleshing out the details on my trip to Lazarus Island. I need plenty of sleep.' He hadn't forgotten what Hadiyah texted him. His meeting and the approval of the ritual. It was happening. The League of Assassins and Shadows were nearly his to tame.