Chilling and teasing

"Aaron and Wonder Woman, sitting in a tree~! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage! Then comes Wonder Woman with a baby carriage~!"

Chloe cackled at his furrowed expression. The moment he had told her that the princess of Themyscira was his favourite superhero, Chloe teased him from kingdom come. Well, she tried to anyway. Aaron gave her little in terms of verbal and facial responses.

"Ooh, ooh!" Chloe rubbed her hands together deviously. "Aaron and Zatanna, sitting in a tree~! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage! Then comes Zatanna with a baby carriage~!" As soon as the nursery rhyme ended, she burst into laughter.

"I like Zatanna's shows," Aaron admitted. "It would be nice marrying her."

"Aw!" Chloe pouted. "It's no fun teasing you!"

His mouth flipped into a smile. "But it is with you. Say, why did you keep asking me to switch to channels about the Flash? Don't tell me you like him~"

Her face went beet red. "That's not fairrrrr!"

"Hm. Which Flash though, I wonder…"

"I won't tell." After a moment of introspection, she grinned and said, "Okay, okay. Guess."

"The redhead."

"...yeah."

He pumped a fist. "Knew it."

Chloe crossed her arms and seemed fine with ending the conversation there. But then they caught each other's eye and exploded into chuckles and giggles.

A week had passed since Cassandra's warning. So far, she was correct. Ivy and Harley had begun to attack more and more facilities. While there wasn't any mention of Leviathan, he was sure that was only due to them censoring the information. The miniature battlefields had Leviathan written all over them.

On the flickering screen, Vicki Vale appeared, her normally sleek appearance slightly dishevelled. She stood in front of the smouldering remains of a city street, the unmistakable aftermath of a recent battle. Behind her, plumes of smoke rose from overturned cars and shattered debris.

Vicki's voice rang out with urgency as she began her report, "This is Vicki Vale reporting live from the devastated streets of Gotham City. We've just witnessed an intense clash between Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, and what I theorize to be soldiers of Leviathan."

Aaron leaned forward. 'So she figured it out. Good.'

In actuality, it was Aaron who had tipped her off. He said to look into Leviathan and she, partly out of annoyance and desperation, obliged him. His little hint paid off, it seemed. Vicki looked like she was on fire today.

"Eyewitnesses describe Ivy and Harley fighting with unparalleled skill and ferocity, defending innocent lives against the henchmen of this shadowy organization. It remains unclear what Leviathan's true intentions are, but one thing is clear: Gotham is caught in the middle of a battle for its very soul."

As the camera panned across the scene, Vicki pointed out the shattered remnants of Leviathan's insignia on the fallen soldiers' uniforms. "This suggests that Ivy and Harley, often seen as chaotic forces, have taken up the mantle of protectors, standing against this threat to our city."

Vicki's gaze intensified as she continued, "What does this clash mean for Gotham? Are Ivy and Harley now aligned with the forces of good? Or is this a temporary alliance born out of necessity? These questions linger as the city grapples with the aftermath of this battle."

Pausing for a moment, Vicki adjusted her microphone and faced the camera directly. "Gotham is at a tipping point. The fight against Leviathan signifies a turning tide in our city's ongoing struggle for order and chaos. Stay tuned as we dig deeper to uncover the motivations behind this battle and shed light on the ever-evolving criminal dynamics within Gotham."

With a final determined nod, Vicki Vale signed off, leaving viewers with a hunger for more answers in the wake of the monumental event. The location of the battle was in the heart of Gotham City, near the dilapidated industrial district. The gravity of the situation and the potential impact on its citizens was not lost on anyone. When it happened to the clean regions of Gotham, it could happen anymore.

On the internet, there were already theories and speculation. Was it really Leviathan or was this another false report? Was Vicki Vale clambering for straws? Was Batman involved somehow?

The Gotham Gazette proceeded to show footage of the Signal showing up to the crime scenes, prompting additional concern over the severity of the situation. He was the sole hero of Gotham who worked in the light and though he did his best to stay out of the public's eye he could only do so much until he got photographed.

We Are Robin decided to lay low. As he predicted, Jada Thompkins was able to give the injured the care they needed and the rest of them food, water, and shelter. He told Shug-R to update him by the day, in case he learned something vital.

'One of these days, I'll visit Dr. Thompkins and her daughter. Thank her for everything she's done.'

"What's a Leviathan?" Chloe asked beside him.

"It's like a giant sea creature with a bunch of tendrils. Oh, but the Leviathan they are referring to here is an organization. They've been fighting Harley and Ivy."

Chloe was quiet for a moment. "The skanks."

Aaron blinked and craned his neck towards her. The little girl blinked innocently.

"It's what a lot of people call them outside," Chloe explained. Aaron sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He decided to switch channels.

The television roared with music. Immediately, Chloe danced while sitting. It was an adorable sight.

"I love this song. I heard it all the time in stores!" Her voice filled the room as she sang along, her enthusiasm contagious. "I'm a Gotham girl, dancing in the night, under city lights, we shine so bright!"

The television screen showcased a music video, featuring the talented members of the Black Canary Band. Their lyrics were simple but their instrumentals were top-notch.

The song, titled "City Lights," was one of many unofficial anthems for the people of Gotham. The citizens of Gotham were strong on their identity for a reason. They likened their resilience and unwavering spirit to be beyond all other cities of America. Indeed, the stereotype of being distinct from Bludhaven was true.

The lead singer was a blonde woman by the name of Dinah Lance. Clad in a black leather jacket, fishnet stockings, and combat boots, Dinah expelled a rock-and-roll edge. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders in waves that complimented her smokey eye makeup and crimson lips.

Aaron's fingers drummed on the couch armrest. He bobbed his head side-to-side, enjoying the rhythm of the song.

"In the darkened city's depths, we rise above,

Defying despair with a spirit of love~!

Through the challenges we face, together we stand,

A symphony of strength, hope guiding our hand...

In this urban landscape, where shadows reside,

We shine as beacons, spreading hope far and wide."

It was music intended for a younger demographic. Judging by the quality of the video, it was an older song too. Even so, Chloe sang along as if it was a fad from her generation.

'Old but gold. I used to listen to this when I was in high school.' He glanced at Chloe. All of a sudden, he felt old. 'Is this what it feels like to be a father?'

He honestly liked it. It was less annoying than he thought it would be. He assumed children to be pests and tax burdens, nothing more. But his perspective had changed over the last two weeks.

His phone received a message. He barely glanced at it before putting it down.

< Tanya: Thank you for yesterday.

< Tanya: The money is deposited, the same as before.

Yep, he sent Tanya to heaven yesterday night. The money was too tempting to ignore. Frankly, she wasn't a particularly interesting fuck but the cucking balanced it out. More important was the payment. As of now, the drum roll total was…

'Thirty-two million dollars.' Seeing the eight-digit number in the bank account was startling. Again, for a billionaire, it was chump change. A small investment. For Aaron Reigner and Chloe? They could live off of it for the remainder of their lives. He could pay off whatever college bills his downstairs neighbour had and still take a vacation at the North Island in Seychelles.

For now, he would keep low. Tanya warned him that withdrawing too much would gather the attention of the IRS. She was the lawyer, so he listened.