SEL Chapter 37

Helena doesn’t like it, but this situation with the election has to take priority over her other interests. She’s calling in sick today because she wants to be rested for the evening, a tactic that she uses sparingly because Gotham doesn’t have the best pool of substitute teachers.

Her first thought when she has time on her hands is a hot bubble bath, but sleep is what matters. She climbs into her shower as it fills with steam and confronts her misgivings about what has to be done. Dealing with assassins means protecting people, which is all well and good, but it’s not where Helena excels. She prefers to play offense, but she can’t realistically find these guys and take them down in less than twelve hours. She’ll get into the plane with Alfred as her backup and hope for the best.

She washes her body and accepts that she let Vicki down. Helena was on alert for threats to Vicki’s life; she didn’t expect someone to hit her with Seed. She’ll have to be more open-minded if she wants the right people to still be alive this time tomorrow.

Although Vicki’s new situation is amusing if nothing else. And the smell of freshly spilled semen when she climbed into the apartment earlier was so strong. It was no different from what Helena would expect from a guy. She’s beginning to understand why Seed has such staying power in Gotham. It’s more than a gimmick. She recalls Vicki’s eyes on her body and laughs. What, exactly, does that feisty little redheaded reporter want to do to her? It’s so funny. Vicki is well-known for hopping onto any pole that’ll get her a story, and Helena respects that. She has done far worse in pursuit of results. Hell, she’s doing it right now.

But it is truly amazing that Seed can make the straightest woman in Gotham look at Helena like a dog eyeballing a cheeseburger. Chuckling to herself, Helena lifts the detachable showerhead off its hook. She considers it for a moment, then turns it on and guides it between her legs.

SEL

Steph doesn’t need cardio, but the pressure of the election, the debate, and now Selina’s expectations is a lot to cope with. Her feet thud rhythmically on the treadmill in the crowded gym. She’s honest with herself: she had hoped to run into those two bodybuilders, but they aren’t here and she’s not going to reach out to them. She’s blown them off a few times, and they’ve taken the hint. It seems like a shame, but that’s probably the stress talking.

A familiar figure appears beside her, leaning on the neighboring treadmill.

It’s Kate Kane, chatting with the runner already using the machine. The runner leaves, and Kate takes her place.

Steph reluctantly removes her earbuds. “What is it?”

“Maybe I just wanted to see you in leggings.”

“Very funny.”

Kate matches Steph’s pace. “People at GCPD are talking about what things look like for the police depending on how the election goes. The new mayor’s going to install a new commissioner.”

“And?”

“Viti Saxena is well-liked by the department,” Kate says. She’s only a trainee, but she’s very social and by now she has likely bedded half a dozen trainees and police officers. “But people still like Jim Gordon. The city turned on him after what happened, but cops didn’t. They want him back. Some vocal support from people in uniform might help Babs.”

“Why are you telling me? Actually, it doesn’t matter. Babs won’t go for it. She’s not going to put her dad in as commissioner. She’ll be the most obnoxiously ethical mayor ever.”

“She doesn’t need to know. I just wanted to talk it over with someone. There’s also rumors about Viti Saxena’s campaign finances. Some people don’t understand where her money’s coming from, but that kind of thing is so tedious to investigate, and there’s no one looking at it, so even if something’s bad, it won’t matter until after the election. If she’s mayor, she can just kill the investigation. There’s only a shot at prosecuting her if she loses. Babs can’t pull her punches, Steph.”

Steph groans. “That’s what I’m saying! Tell that to her.”

“She doesn’t want to hear it.”

It’s nice to catch up with Kate. Steph controls the impulse to nag her about putting the costume back on. Feeling better and covered in sweat, Steph strolls with Kate to the locker room. Seed has changed Gotham so much; there are other women with penises around, and nobody’s especially shy about it at this point.

“You aren’t looking too bruised. That’s good,” Kate says as they undress. “Not gonna lie, you scared me for a second with the Roxy thing.”

“It pays to have Supergirl in your contacts.”

“She’s so pretty,” Kate says wistfully as she follows Steph to the showers. “Oh, too bad. Only one left.” Kate jumps into the unoccupied stall before Steph can.

Steph glares at her. “I’m the one with more responsibilities here.”

“I have to get back to class.” Kate holds the curtain aside, then melodramatically bites her thumb. “I mean, there’s room for two.”

“That might work on your trainee girls, but I have self-respect.”

Kate looks vaguely pitying. “Do you?”

Steph rolls her eyes and then bites her lip. She really was disappointed not to find the bodybuilders here, and she keeps thinking about Selina. Reluctantly, she steps into the shower.

“Oh, you’re not even going to try?” she says, seeing Kate already getting hard.

“It’s nature, Steph. It’s a miracle that should be celebrated.” Kate bumps Steph out of her way to get under the water.

“Hey!” Steph tries to compete, but Kate’s taller and stronger. They aren’t about to wrestle, and even a little contact and a lot of glistening nudity is way more than Steph needs.

“And you were calling me out?” Kate asks, seeing Steph’s erection. She turns to face her and their cocks slap together in mid-air, like rapiers held by old-timey duelists. Steph squeaks and jumps.

“Can you not?” she fumes.

“Oh, don’t be a pussy. Did you forget that time with Babs?”

“I mean, kind of. We did have all those drinks.”

“You’re such a lightweight.”

Steph bristles, squaring up to her. “You’re a lightweight.”

“Yeah? Prove it.”

Steph makes sure the curtain is closed, then grabs Kate’s cock. Kate grabs Steph’s. Annoyed that she has the low ground in the staring contest, Steph glares up at Kate and pulls her vigorously. She has to clench her teeth because of what Kate’s fingers are doing to her shaft.

Her pride is writing checks that her body can’t catch; the duel doesn’t make it to two minutes. She gasps and grabs Kate with both hands to keep steady as she erupts all over Kate’s stomach.

“That’s it,” Kate says smugly, milking it. She holds Steph close and rubs her back.

“Grrr,” Steph says into Kate’s chest as she shivers, spent.

Kate gives her a moment, then tilts her face up. “You’re cute.”

“Don’t even.”

“Don’t even what?” Kate slides a hand down Steph’s back. Her hard cock is pressed between them.

“Uh uh,” Steph says, still breathing hard. “You are not putting that thing in me. I know exactly where it’s been.”

“Fine.” Kate slips it between her legs and holds Steph tight.

“Oh my god. You’re worse than Tim. Oh,” Steph sighs. Water pours on her as Kate fucks her thighs, the shaft rubbing swiftly against her. She hugs Kate back.

“Feels good, huh?”

“Just hurry up,” Steph mumbles.

“All right.” Kate squeezes Steph’s butt hard. She picks up the pace, breathing hard in Steph’s ear. “OK. Here we go.” She gives Steph’s bottom a light slap and thrusts fast, then spreads Steph’s cheeks.

“You OK?” a voice says, and the curtain is pulled aside. A woman in a towel looks concerned.

Kate’s breath catches. The woman’s wide eyes lock on the head of Kate’s cock, popping out between Steph’s soapy legs.

“Oh!” the woman flinches in surprise as cum sprays onto her towel.

SEL

Alfred in the Cave at the Computer. He has assembled significant circumstantial evidence supporting the theory that Aki Aramaki is, in fact, the Spider. Aki is by no means sloppy, but she can’t be everywhere at once, and she can’t have solid alibis for several of the Spider’s jobs. Meanwhile, her car is on traffic cameras that place it close to the brothel out of which a certain outfit of call girls work. The theory of a sex worker using leverage to gain access to and then silence her victims after stealing from them is an effective glue to hold it together, particularly when a look at her credit card usage reveals that she buys a lot of shibari gear that matches evidence collected at the scenes of the Spider. That, combined with the campaign finance situation paints a fairly damning picture.

Alfred has assembled this information into a digestible package. It has limited value to law enforcement, but it is compelling. It’s difficult to predict what effects it will have when released into the wild. Alfred agrees with Stephanie’s assessment that this isn’t the time to conceal it. The question is, where to go with it? This investigation is invasive and just as illegal as what Aki Aramaki appears to be doing. Alfred can release this information to the media, or he can give it to Lucius Fox. Lucius can potentially apply pressure to Aki more discreetly. While this race has been more civilized than some, that just means it can go much, much lower. Alfred isn’t sure that he wants to see that.

Release the info to the media or give it to Lucius Fox?

[ Open ]