. . . ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ 'ᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ɪ'

how's your mom?

i don't think there's anything funny about good journalism.

why does he trust everyone?

i've sacrificed my own humanity to help get rid of it.

your obsession with me is getting a little creepy.

it's not too late for either of you.

this is what you do every time you're faced with conflict.

i'm sorry, friend.

any chance they're mistaken?

i'm not gonna say that. you know i'm not gonna say that.

i'll be there as soon as i can, okay?

aw, you look like shit.

where's the button?

he's gonna regret harming me for the rest of his life.

i can handle any question that comes my way.

i will admit that, i am scared.

they sent me here to kill people.

come on. my actions? i stopped a war.

rule without mercy.

hey, handsome.

people were going to die!

what are we gonna do?

you saved us so many times. now it's our turn.

this girl is obsessed with you?

i thought i told you to keep an eye on him.

we're so different.

if you keep interviewing yourself, eventually people are gonna figure it out.

i shouldn't have brought it up.

hey, man. i'm sorry. i didn't mean to bum you out.

ethically, these interviews are hugely problematic.

we need to find him.

hey! hey, no, no. stop!

i tried to stop him.

no need to thank us, as we will not appreciate it.

guards! guards! he's doing something!

i'm just in the middle of a big news day here.

we have to try. come on.

what did you mean when you said that you knew this would never work?

it's a big story. put it above the fold.

three months ago, we had our first date.

so we're gonna lock up all meta humans now?

we'll never make it in time.

why is nobody clapping?

it's been a minute.

we feed the canine, but he is unruly.

the alien is on its way back.

can't he hold his breath for over an hour?

i can tell you don't really think so.

i probably should have told you that a long time ago.

don't worry. tall, dark, and martian isn't my type.

what are you doing here?

how dare he throw a pencil at me?

how am i being dishonest?

i'm goddamn mr. terrific.

there's other parts of you that people would find very attractive.

that's the problem. i need to heal.

i've been trying to figure out a way to get it out of here alive.

yes, but you know that's very silly.

we have what we need. return to base.

i knew this would never work.

we have no clue what his actual goal was here.

i cherish it more than anything.

oh, my god! what is that?

well, what's particularly bad for business is dying.

should we really still be standing here?

i don't need your help.

way to bring it home!

this ain't playtime! quit messin' around!

i didn't do anything.

i think it's pretty obvious the goal was kicking superman's ass.

what did you mean by that?

what did you say?

take me home.

i think i'm doing a good job.

i won't be able to sustain the impact at this speed.

without solid proof of malicious intent, it's just not worth the risk.

your pride won't be making our choices today.

it would be difficult to find him.

even if he was dead, those trackers would still be there.

i just do what i can not to be splashed.

i'm pretty sure you wouldn't like that.

that is where you've always been wrong about me.

okay, i'd like to change the subject, if i could.

man, you are so weird.

don't talk to me.

i have no clue what you're talking about.

i put your parents' message on to soothe you.

you are only 83% restored to health. you must rest.

you seem upset.

your choices, your actions: that's what makes you who you are.

they won't fool everyone forever.

there were no casualties and no significant injuries.

i can recover the rest.

can we go on now?

who raised you as a child?

we'll need more than you when we enter.

we love you more than heaven.

you came to get me.

oh, my. i do apologize, but this is a restricted area.

we've done what we need to do. wrap it up.

you know what? it doesn't matter.

you have to say “off the record” beforehand, not after.

we must get to the bunker!

i am giving you one last chance to stop!

i don't get it. what's bad about that?

buckle up, we're going live.

no, you are not going to take credit for this.

come on, bro. don't be such a wuss.

okay, well, a lot of people love 'em.

you're just trying to get information out of me.

you love breakfast.

you are not punk rock.

she has to be the biggest idiot in the world.

we'll take my ride.

i put one foot in front of the other and i try to make the best choices i can.

oh, come on, man.

okay. i'm gonna do my job.

you gotta get outta here. it's not safe.

i'm as human as anyone.

it's not healthy, is it?

i'm not even sure how i feel. honestly.

now you're being dishonest.

what the hell, dude?

i party like a rock star, choir boy.

i was gonna break up with him, actually.

i've been very honest about that. from the beginning.

oh, here. i brought you a donut.

wait. can we talk..?

i'm sorry we fought.

i hope he rots in hell.

i'm punk rock.

hopefully, there's something on here.

i'm coming in on my own accord.

there's gotta be a better way to do this.

he's been studying him for years.

you have to promise me we get to hang this weekend.

you piece of shit alien!

i can help.

i told you i wasn't good at relationships.

i have a workaround for that as well.

what do you want me to do?

look, i didn't even want to bother you,

take a hike, barbie!

please see what you can find out.

this is all on the record.

i don't know how else to find him.

he'll be dead in minutes.

i screw up all the time.

i couldn't be more proud of you.

you were out there helping them?

hey, bro, what are you doing? stop that!

isn't that one of those justice guys?

is that really how you feel?

do you want me to take it apart and put it back together?

you want me to drive?

sorry about that. i'm so sorry.

you'd be terminated already if it was up to me.

it was very funny today.

he's out there alone and he's probably scared.

we have no consciousness whatsoever.

oh, that's really good.

it's what people on the internet are saying.

hey, buddy. eyes up here.

i cleaned your boots. i'll go get 'em for you.

it's just a working name.

go for its eyes!

i can't stop it. i need your help.

i didn't imagine that would go so quickly.

how's that a mystery?

your superman has abandoned you!

you know that one specifically irritates me!

you have the footage?

would you like a coffee or tea?

i'm not who i thought i was.

can you get in?

where is my dog?

this is what we came for.

darn it, i can be such a jerk sometimes.

i will not accept that. will you?

how are we supposed to know how we feel when we read this malarkey?

enough! you're, you're gonna get all of us in trouble!

good luck with that.

you think this is going well?

the rumors are true.

i swear to god, that's not it.

my point is, i question everything and everyone.

whoa! what do we got here?

i didn't make it up.

how long have they been hooking up?

who are you working with here on earth?

as far as we can ascertain, there's none left on the planet.

parents aren't for telling their children who they're supposed to be.

are you being serious right now?

it's an awfully small distraction.

i really don't understand why you stay in that relationship.

i don't read that stuff.

i know you won't kill me.

you couldn't be more obvious.

with a healthy dose of yellow sun, we'll have him up and at 'em in no time.

kill him! he's still weak!

i don't know what a pocket universe is.

i don't know how in the hell this thing hasn't been spotted.

we can't stand here much longer.

this is your last warning.

why are you being like this?

FRAMED MURDER MYSTERY;; contd.

Floyd stared at the screen, the photo of the swirling crowd still glowing faintly in the dark.

Several minutes had passed since he’d sent his message. He had seen the little seen indicator pop up almost immediately, but no reply had come ;; just the ECHO of silence pressing against the edges of his place. He had long since gone through the motions of scanning his weapons, checking the safeties && even reassembling the custom rifle ---- but the QUIET gnawed at him.

When the message FINALLY buzzed through, his chest tightened; it was brief, cryptic, like everything Selina sent.

His mind drifted for a moment, unbidden, to the LAST TIME they’d crossed paths.

It was months ago on a rooftop Selina orchestrating chaos as always, HIRING him not to hit anyone but to make sure Batman appeared ;; like some twisted matchmaking for vigilantes. He had ended up standing to the side, watching her provoke && argue, the DARK KNIGHT pacing and responding like a high school couple, while Floyd had played reluctant WINGMAN, half-amused && half-exasperated. The memory tugged at him------ a strange warmth beneath the usual chill of his work.

He shook himself back to the present, the faint hum of the city leaking in through the CRACKED blinds. Gotham was indifferent to nostalgia && Selina’s danger didn’t wait for memory. Floyd’s thumb hovered over the screen before he typed carefully, grounded in the cold clarity of the moment:

[ Text ] : Find shade before anyone finds you first

[ Text ] : but keep it interesting

He sent it, the GLOW of the screen fading into the shadows of the room.

ㅤ  ㅤ  Selina  didn't  know  what  she  wanted,  what  sort  of  reaction  she  had  anticipated  after  sending  the  photo.  the  crowd  gyrated  around  her,  bodies  rubbing  against  each  other  as  the  music  blared  through  speakers.  despite  being  surrounded  by  people,  Selina  felt  alone.  the  idea  of  being  so  empty,  so  lost  was  too  close  to  tragic.  she  knew  something  had  to  change. 

ㅤ  ㅤ  pursing  her  lips,  the  burglar  started  mentally  hyping  herself  up.  she  was  going  to  get  into  trouble  eventually.  there  was  no  good  reason  not  to  just  do  it,  get  it  started.  GO  OUT  ON  HER  OWN  TERMS.

ㅤ  ㅤ  her  small  hand  reached  over  for  the  water  bottle  again,  fingers  clumsily  pulling  at  the  lid.  she  brought  the  plastic  to  her  lips  and  chugged.  a  virgin's  liquid  courage.  swallowing  gulp  after  gulp,  she  let  the  ice  cold  water  quench  her  thirst  as  she  thought  about  her  next  moves.  she  wanted  to  see  Floyd.  for  what,  she  didn't  know  yet.  but  she  knew  she  wanted  to  see  him. 

ㅤ   ㅤ   [    sms    ;    ██████████    ]   shade  sounds  boring… ㅤ   ㅤ   [    sms    ;    ██████████    ]   got  any  suggestions  on  the  darkest  place?

ㅤ   ㅤ   the  thief  shoved  her  phone  back  into  her  pocket,  pushing  away  from  the  bar  as  she  did.  she  began  to  glide  through  the  patrons,  bodies  brushing  up  against  hers  as  the  new  song  on  the  turntables  started  to  slow  down.  the  sounds  made  goosebumps  pop  up  on  her  neck  and  shoulders,  or  was  it  the  likelihood  she'd  get  to  start  some  trouble  with  Floyd?  she  didn't  know,  but  DID  IT  REALLY  MATTER?

ㅤ   ㅤ   the  sharp  cold  of  the  Gotham  City  air  stung  as  she  stepped  onto  the  sidewalk.  the  city  always  smelled  of  ruin,  toxic  sludge  pouring  from  places  that  should  have  been  holy.  but  there  was  no  such  thing  here.  this  was  her  home,  for  as  long  as  it  would  have  her,  but  HOME  WASN'T  ALWAYS  SAFE. 

fatima aamer bilal, from we were put on this earth desperate, hungry and willing.

way  down  in  a  dark  alleyway  ,  somewhere  in  the  garden  state  ,  a  girl  from  the  poor  side  of  town  waits..  she  has  my  name  but  not  my  face.  and  I  tried  to  let  her  be  someone  ― hoping  when  the  morning  comes  that  she's  not  another  hit  and  run  but  EVERYBODY  KNOWS.. EVERYBODY  KNOWS  THAT  PEOPLE  DISAPPEAR  HERE.