Learning all sorts of stuff

Discreetly, he inhaled and exhaled as he stared at an Indigenous spear. It was long, tipped red, and tagged with blue fur. Some kind of identifier for the chief. Moreover, there was an infographic explaining how the spear came into the museum's possession. It wasn't a happy story. The spear's history was drenched in blood and flesh, and it was not because of the Indigenous. The Hall of the American Indian was filled with the atrocities Christopher Columbus and the Americans committed against the American Indians. Terrible, terrible crimes that today would be considered truly monstrous and barbaric. Beyond the morals of humanity. Yet it happened. It was America's history.

Chloe's ability to read was limited but unlike Cassandra she had potential. Selina was also kind enough to read the infographics out loud.

"They have no arms, and are without warlike instincts; they all go naked, and are so timid that a thousand would not stand before three of our men. So that they are good to be ordered about, to work and sow, and do all that may be necessary, and to build towns, and they should be taught to go about clothed and to adopt our customs." Selina sighed as she finished the horrific paragraph. It was a page straight from the great explorers' diary. "Yes, Christopher Columbus was revolutionary for his time. However, his desire to enslave the Indigenous population was…well, I don't need to speak more on it. It's a horrifying reminder to never idolise our heroes because they are, at the end of the day, human on the inside. They love, they hate, they feel, and yes, they can even be evil."

She sounded like she spoke from experience. Intriguing.

"Why?" Chloe muttered. "Why do bad people exist?"

Aaron stared at the contemplating child with sympathy. "I don't know."

Admittedly, he felt awkward talking about race when he himself engaged in raceplay. Then again, there was a difference between fantasy and actually acting upon it. Meaningless sex versus whatever the fuck Christopher Columbus was doing…yeah, there was no comparing the two. Aaron might as well have been a saint next to Columbus.

Regardless, they moved on. Chloe absorbed the information like a sponge. She was a smart girl, he noticed, with a real knack for critical thinking. She asked questions and assumed the best of people. Child-like but clever and bright.

The Gem Collection Hall, Hall of the American Indian, and African Section Basement were thoroughly explored. Next up were the lucrative areas: the aquarium, the Botanical Garden, the Hall of Exotic Birds, the Hall of Pre-Historic Life, and, most thrillingly, the zoo.

Aaron had checked the schematics. The museum was huge. Absolutely massive. The aquarium was breath-taking and although they didn't contain massive creatures like sharks or whales, the small glowing fishes were equally as riveting.

Personally, he enjoyed the exotic birds the most. They quaked and sang and did what birds typically did. The bird with the long orange beak appealed to Aaron the most. The Toco Toucan was exactly like it was in his elementary school books and he wished he could pet it. When he asked if it was possible to touch them, Selina laughed and shook her head.

"Any reason for your visit?" Selina asked, watching the pandas munch on bamboo. Chloe was stuck to the glass, staring with childish intensity. "Gotham has been hectic recently–what, with Batman's fight against those ninjas."

"Gotham being hectic? That happens every other week," Aaron pointed out. She opened her mouth, then closed it upon reflection.

"Fair enough," Selina conceded, giggling. Abruptly, she pressed herself to his arm. "What about you?" Her hands traced his upper arm. "I get the feeling she isn't yours." Her green pupils purred with a bewitching allure. Her fingernails lightly scratched his jacket.

"She's not," Aaron replied bluntly. He refused to look at her; refused to acknowledge her advances. She was taller than most women he acquainted with–about five-foot-seven and able to lean on his shoulder comfortably. She didn't largely out of professional courtesy but he could taste the hunger in the air. She wanted to lean on him. She wanted to kiss him.

"You remind me of someone. He adopts children left and right as well," Selina commented, laughing as she pulled back. Aaron quietly exhaled. "Truth be told, I'm the same. I'm a cat lady, see. I love adopting."

"Right…"

Cassandra vaguely alluded to Selina's inclination to cats. It was identical to Bruce Wayne's obsession with bats. Although she was a crazy cat lady, the stereotype didn't entirely fit given how attractive and luscious she was. But it did settle his suspicions.

This was her. Catwoman. The infamous thief of Gotham. Batman's greatest lover. It had to be. The coincidences were stacking up higher than Wayne Tower.

Nevertheless, Aaron remained skeptical of her. Cassandra had described to him her brief history and he wasn't particularly impressed. She flipped-flopped between hero and thief too often for him to think of her as a trustworthy **** of good.

"Wowow, what's that?" Chloe asked. At the zoo, there was a large feline of an exceptionally rare species. So rare that even Aaron had to take a closer look.

"It's the only one of its kind, actually," Selina explained. "See that vector pattern? The jaguar's cracks are reddish-yellow but otherwise it's completely pitch black."

A black female jaguar. The sign at the top wrote out its scientific name in a fancy, bold font as well: melanistic panthera onca.

"It's badass…!" Chloe exclaimed. Aaron wanted to reprimand for her poor language but he was too captured by the jaguar to complain. It truly was a sight to behold. A creature of primal times, trapped, its sharp eyes eyeing each of them silently.

"I like black cats," Selina told him, drawing herself to his side. "They're quiet. Independent. They brood. Just my type."

He could hear her licking her lips. Still, he did not turn. He did not look. He ignored the woman hovering over his shoulder as if she was some pathetic prostitute.

Finally, after an additional painstaking hour of Selina and her pitiful attempts to seduce him, the tour ended. She waved Chloe goodbye but he could see the way her fingers curled as she gestured to him.

'Good god, Batman. Do you not fuck this woman enough?'

His back was itchy from the number of times she slid her hands down it. It was like Tanya Fox all over again, except on overdrive. Aaron was glad it was over. If he was going to do this, it would not be in front of Chloe. Selina seriously needed to learn some tact.

He called a taxi over and sat down. Since the museum was down in the Diamond District and traffic was at its peak, it would take close to half an hour. Chloe was busy playing on her new phone to pay attention to what he was doing, which was contacting Hadiyah.

< Aaron: hey, any news?

< Hadiyah: No. Nothing. I've exhausted all my resources. There is nothing on Leviathan's next move or the Penguin and the Shadows. Batman Incorporated is the only one in the loop but Jace hasn't told me anything because he's so busy.

So Jace's Batman was also joining the fight? Good to know there were two Batmen in town.

< Hadiyah: My apologies.

< Aaron: it's fine. I need you to do something else for me.

< Aaron: is it possible to track Catwoman? I met her civilian identity today

It took three minutes for her to reply. To his side, Chloe hummed and watched videos on Youtube, unaware of his intentions and plans.

< Hadiyah: No. I've read her records. She's too elusive and well-trained. She is also very familiar with Batman's technology.

< Aaron: and if i were to report her?

< Hadiyah: According to Batman's report in the library, she deleted not only her criminal record but her record, period. She doesn't exist in any digital database. Legally speaking, if you bring her in, nothing will happen. The GCPD will just write her off.

< Aaron: i figured as much. Thanks

Hadiyah was correct. The GCPD was too busy to arrest stranglers–especially as Leviathan grew stronger and bolder with their attacks. Alongside Leviathan were Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. As much as they wanted to help, there was an arrest warrant on their heads for what they did at his workplace.

< Aaron: any updates on Leviathan? Or the metal stuff?

< Hadiyah: The Bat Family came together to give our findings. So far, Leviathan has collected Dionesium, Electrum, and Promethium. They lack Nth Metal as well as the Eighth Metal due to White Rabbit's theft. It seems neither side knows it was White Rabbit. As for the Tenth Metal, it is also called Element X. There is no recorded mention of it within the scientific world.

< Hadiyah: Element X is present in all of creations and with it one can become nigh-omnipotent. Batman and the Justice League donned armour of Element X and defeated Barbatos, the destroyer of worlds.

< Hadiyah: It is impossible to find on Earth, according to Batman. It will also be impossible for Leviathan, he said. In other words, rather than seven metals, they are searching for six metals.

Impossible? That was a relief. When Batman considered something impossible, then it was impossible…right?

'That makes the situation worse. If it's six…they have three out of the six metals. They are at the halfway point.'

< Aaron: thanks again. Also, where did you put God Killer?

< Hadiyah: It's in the basement of my house. It's very secure and I have cameras everywhere.

< Aaron: Good.

Anything less would be stupid. This was a sword capable of elevating an ordinary human to the level of a god. Regardless of Leviathan, it needed to be closely guarded.

More to his original question, if Hadiyah couldn't track Catwoman, then perhaps his other servant could. He returned to his list of contacts and messaged the infamous Gotham socialite: Jaina Hudson.

< Aaron: i need you to do something for me.

< Jaina: Of course. What is it?

< Aaron: Follow Selina Kyle. She's a tour guide in the Gotham Natural History Museum. She has black hair, green eyes, and an hourglass figure. She wears a short black jacket, black skinny jeans, and a white shirt showing her tits.

< Jaina: Follow her? Or capture her?

< Aaron: i doubt you could capture her. Selina Kyle is also Catwoman. She regularly escapes Batman. She's a master thief and beyond an Olympic-level gymnastics athlete. You're outclassed.

< Jaina: I have the proportionate speed of a rabbit. I'm sure I could do it.

Aaron bristled. She wasn't listening. One of these days he was going to have to creampie her again to strengthen the hypnosis. He didn't mind the little quirks of her real personality in their conversations. In fact, he welcomed it since the authentic inflections brought him a level of comfort regarding the depravity of his actions. But not like this, not here and now when it could potentially jeopardize his plans.

< Aaron: no means no. Listen, you're no match for her. Catwoman is on another level. She's disciplined and could knock you out with a single well-placed kick.

He observed her carefully during the tour and the results surprised even Aaron. Selina's body language was eerily steady and tempered. Every flick of her hand could mean a pickpocket. Every step was measured and controlled to explode into a leap. Aaron had known the world of superheroes was filled with people like this. Talented, trained, and exceptional, but to witness them acting casual with those abilities was immensely fascinating and something he did not miss in his observations.

< Jaina: Then what do I do?

< Aaron: i want you to use diffusion to follow her. Only follow. Work together as jaina and white rabbit.

< Jaina: That's risky.

< Aaron: Obviously. I'm not asking you to trail an ordinary person. This is an important mission.

< Jaina: I understand. I will do as you ask.

Aaron put his phone away. To think he could order her like this even over text. His hypnosis was indeed powerful.