"𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬"

𝟏𝟑𝟑. "𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲"

I walked inside Barbara's club and what I saw before me made me want to throw up. Ecco was holding a knife to her throat, and Jeremiah was standing in front of them. The pale bastard was wearing a green suit, purple coat and yellow gloves, and he looked absolutely ridiculous.

"Easy. It's just a surprise party." He told her with a weird twang tinging his voice.

"For you, Barbara Kean..." He bowed slightly and moved the flap of his coat aside.

"The queen of Gotham, business titan. How exciting. But there was another you. I...I seem to recall. Wasn't there? Then again, there was, uh, another me too." He chuckled softly.

"Oh, so hard on to what's real. It's..." He grunted with frustration.

"It's enough to drive you mad." He chuckled again. I rolled my eyes.

Suddenly little Barbara bolted into the room, yelled and hurled a glass at Ecco's face. My eyebrows shot up. Ecco fell back and let go of Barbara in a daze. Kean quickly used that to turn herself around and stab Ecco in the gut. Her daughter then jumped on Jeremiah and started whacking him with her teeny fists.

"No!" Barbara yelled. He swiftly shot her in the leg.

"Ah! Mum!" Barbara lee screamed with fear as her mum fell to the floor.

I gasped but decided to stay still and try to figure out exactly what Jeremiah was trying to do. I knew if I just ran there, he would shoot me without hesitation. He seemed to be madder than ever. It wasn't surprising since he spent the last five years listening to the lunatic ramblings of his brother. When I was with him, he at least had someone to talk to. Someone to drown the voices out.

"Cute. She has your eyes. For now." He muttered suddenly and grabbed Barbara Lee.

She noticed me, and her eyes widened. I immediately put my finger to my lips. She seemed to be a smart enough child because she kept quiet about my presence. But she still kept screaming at him to put her down since she was just a kid. Ecco suddenly straightened herself up and clutched the bleeding wound on her stomach.

"I-I think she nicked me, Daddy." She whimpered.

I stuck my tongue out with disgust. Little Barbara let out a single chuckle. I grinned widely and winked at her. I could tell she relaxed slightly, and so I began making funny faces at her.

"Oh, boy." Ecco muttered sadly and looked up at Jeremiah.

"Oh, dear me. My sweet Ecco, no longer my Echo. There will never be one like you." I could practically hear his mad grin as he said that.

"Really?" She breathed happily with a grin. He swiftly shot her in the heart and made me flinch slightly.

She squeaked, and blood spilt out of her mouth as she sent her beloved boss one more smile right before she dropped to the floor. Barbara Lee kept grunting softly and trying to get away from the pale lunatic.

"But I suppose there are other fish in the sea." He noted as he stared into nothingness. I cringed a little.

"Let me down!" Little Barbara yelled furiously.

He dragged her to her mum and whacked Barbara in the face with his gun. I felt pure rage erupt in my body, and I unconsciously tightened my hold on my staff. I wanted to run to them and kill him right then and there, but I stayed still since I knew what Barbara would rather have me do. I needed to found out what he was going to do with her daughter and save her.

"Hush, little Barbaras, don't say a word." He recited and squatted down. I glared at him with sheer hatred.

"Now we're going to play a..." He put the muzzle under Barbara's chin.