#starter;

>. I promise I won't be long. Just need some fresh air, that's all. Binary, there's hardly any fresh air when you're smoking a cigarette. Shut up.

Waiting hours on end while Harvey and Two-Face made up their mind was, at times, excruciating. And times like these, when her feet couldn't even rest on the ground without bouncing, Binary needed something to fill out that horrible silence in their VIP Room at the Lounge.

After squeezing herself through heaps of patrons in the casino, she found herself strolling into the Only Staff territory. If she just avoided the Birdbrain and his minions, then the other waitresses and bartenders just pretended she wasn't there.

That was the perk of being a crime lord's right-hand woman. No one dared to question her as long as she fit that bill.

Once she found a secluded area right outside the back door to the kitchen, Binary made best friends with the nearest brick wall. Squatting down by it, back pressed against the cold bricks -- just about to light up her cigarette when the door was pushed wide open again and nearly hit her in the process.

"Ah! Fuck! Watch it---"

Then again, she was the one out of place. Not them. But she'd make them believe it was 100% their fault -- not hers. Good going, Bianca. You sure are a good person, inside and out.

"If you're going to come barging around here, then at least have the courtesy of not hurting your guests, huh?".<

He was done for the day. He struggled to sit there and listen to man on the other side of the grate as they sat in the booth and he confessed, but it's more of the same. He envied his co-worker, he lusted after his neighbor's wife...etc. He hated telling his penitents to say a few Hail Mary's and read the bible for clarity.

>. "...---So you want help from little ol' me? Now now -- if that's not a compliment, I don't know what it is."

Her words could be silky smooth as long as she was getting paid for it. And services like that, no matter where they came from, were bound to be expensive. Binary didn't simply hand out her knowledge to just about anyone, no.

This was a transaction. Clear and simple.

"I know where to get a hold of it quick and clean. Gonna cost you, though. Can I take your name, or are you planning on keeping me in the dark? Whatever suits you best, darling."

With a click of her pen, she let the nib hang on top of the notepad. She might be a girl of tech, but she was still traditional in how she took notes. Plus, it always helped to make her look and feel professional.

"I'm flexible like that.".<

>. I know you're just a smart-mouthed little bitch; but you're playing a dangerous game here. You can't threaten me with blackmail and expect to get away with it. Do you understand that, Bianca?

I own you.

---- C L A N K -- !

The sound of the metallic IV stand falling to the ground was enough to snap her out of her nightmare with a gasp -- forcing herself out of bed as cables and tubes strained at her limbs. The nightmare had been loud enough to yank her out of her near-comatose sleep; the hospital gown hanging like a tent over her thin, narrow frame as she stepped out barefoot over the sterile white floor.

Another 24 hours of night terrors. Another night of being dependent on the morphine and repeating the near-death experience in her head. And all she could do was just lie there and take it.

Like she always had.

The splitting headache began as soon as her eye began to involuntarily swell with tears -- the pounding pain making her want to tear the wraps around her head off just to release the pressure that she didn't understand was all imaginary.

"God--- Goddamnit--!"

In a desperate attempt to move again, she felt a sharp stab against her chest -- her broken collarbone stopping her from moving any further. With a loud cry, she sat back down on the bed with a sob -- burying her destroyed face in her hands. Bianca couldn't even feel clean -- taking a shower or bath was out of the question when the hospital staff was prodding her day and night.

How much more of this could she take...?

Just as Bianca was about to let out another pained sob, she heard the door open gently on the other end of the room. She pulled the thin covers and blankets to shield herself, trying to turn where she sat -- but the stiffness in her body stopped her from doing any of the sort.

"...H-Hello...?" .<

          miraculously, she had managed to survive yet another week of school. unlocking her door through a series of practiced motions, leah immediately slipped her shoes off, threw her backpack down, and let her body collapse onto her bed stomach first. it felt so good to be in her bed again in the air conditioned building, and with how much sunlight still left outside, she still had plenty of time to enjoy her friday without any worries of impending deadlines and assignments. she could take a nap right then and there, honestly, but a single thought made her suddenly rise and grab her phone from her bag. she almost forgot — she was suppose to reply to someone!

          this wasn't the first time something like this had happened; when it came to chatting with her online friends, everyone was guilty of forgetting to reply once in a while. but in this particular case, leah really wanted to reply, especially because she seemed to have been hitting it off with the other since they first accepted each other's friend requests.

          [ message from leelee win ] hi hi omg i completely forgot to reply but i'm home now!! thank god, i'm so tired 😭

>. "Like ....-- w h a t ? Surrender myself to the police? Entrust my affairs to the nearest man in tights?" This so-called hero had to hear how ridiculous it was. If Binary was easily convinced by anyone coming her way, she wouldn't be here in the first place -- doing what she did best. Make sure karma did her work undisturbed.

"Come on. You and I both know that's not happening." One step towards her. Another followed shortly -- but then she stopped again. Knowing the dangers if she came too close to the female superhero. "--- I've come too far now -- and you, out of all people, must understand what's at stake if I fail. Or would you rather let those with true, evil intentions be set f r e e ?"

Two choices - But not her decision. That was up to Blonde Blazer to pick.<

starter ;; @harleqin