Gotham's Finest. Ace

Chapter Eleven

Today will be good. Selina agreed that she will only let me talk to her boy toy if I want to. She has been calm as fuck ever since. I really have no energy for therapy today. I woke up five times last night and had fucked up dreams. Maybe I should lay off the drinking for a day or two just to be sure. If Duela heard that then she would most likely shit herself. Emma smiled when I walked in and had a cup of decaf coffee waiting for me. Why is she in such a good mood? What did she drink last night that is making her smile this much? Was it because she could eat the toast by herself after I left last time? Did she meet someone? What the fuck? (Emma): So, Ace you have been opening up a bit more. That is a very good thing. Have you ever tried meeting your parents in the past? (Ace): I actually did once. Got really high one night and the idea popped up in my head to break into Arkham Asylum (Emma): Oh my what happened? (Ace): I managed to get inside and take a look around without bringing too much attention on myself. I saw the Joker. He was stabbing Penguin with a pen because Bingo was pissing him off (Emma): I am curious. Why do you call every villain by name, but you call him by his alias? (Ace): His name is Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot (Emma): That is quite a mouthful and an earful (Ace): Exactly what Im getting at. I prefer not to have a stroke every time I say his name during a conversation (Emma): I completely agree with you on that. So, tell me more about what you saw (Ace): I walked into the offices and found the name Harleen Quinzel on this one dark Oak door. I remember the type of wood because I stared at the name for as long as I can remember. I was very close to actually opening it, but I chose to listen from the outside instead. She sounded so sweet and gentle, even for a crazy person. I looked through the glass and saw that she was tied up and had these wires attached to her head. I just kept hearing that she wanted to see Mister J. It was creepy (Emma): It must have been traumatic to see them like that. You should not have been there. Something bad could have happened to you (Ace): I didnt really give a fuck about what could have happened to me. I wanted to see them for myself. I was tired of hearing stories and wanted to see their faces in person (Emma): You never went back? (Ace): I was scared that they might see my face as familiar and start asking questions about who I am. It was not something that I ever wanted to happen (Emma): That makes sense (Ace): It just makes me wonderdo I look like them? Am I actually like them? (Emma): In what way? (Ace): They are murderous psychopaths who are infatuated with each other and have no interest in caring about anyone other than themselves (Emma): You thought that you are insane, selfish serial killer like your mother and father? (Ace): Sometimes I still feel like I could be like them. It makes me blood boil to even think about it for a second. I am nothing like them. Fuck them! They never gave a shit about my existence (Emma): But Ace, your mother sent you to your aunt to keep you safe. If she didnt care, then she would not have done that at all (Ace): Whatever. I just know that I got to see their faces and hear their voices so I could identify them in the future to be safe (Emma): You didnt want to see them again, but you wanted to be able to recognise them? (Ace): To keep them at a distance from me to keep myself out of harms way She really does not get it. I dont want to ever meet them in the future. If Joker is really as bad as people say, I mean, my wannabe mother even sent me away to keep me safe from him. Maybe it is just a better idea to keep myself away from them completely or maybe I should just leave Gotham altogether. (Ace): What if I left Gotham for good? (Emma): What are you talking about? (Ace): If I leave this place then maybe I will be free from worrying about them finding me here (Emma): Maybe you are just overthinking it a bit too much? (Ace): When does a person ever overthink too little? (Emma): Touché. Why dont we end this session a bit earlier today so you can go and take some time to think about what we talked about today? (Ace): Fuck yes! That is a damn good idea! She is so fucking on point with that little suggestion of hers. I am going to go and do what Duela and I spoke about. I am going to take the initiative to start growing my empire. I will make arrangements to meet with Lex tomorrow and then we will be able to get started with the plans but tonight I need to be able to get all of my ideas organised on paper. Selina is not in the know about it yet because I want this to be a surprise for her. Pam agreed not to mention it until all of my paperwork is filed and ready to be set in motion. This is going to be amazing, and I am so ready for it. We needed to change things for a long time now. I have wanted to see this club grow and become the place that I knew it could be. Not only will this place be so much better, but we will earn way more than we ever did before if we are able to go global. Maybe it would be a great idea to get more dancers and change up the menu as well. That means that we have to upgrade it in space and employees. We can do this. I know we can. Im thinking about better lights, better chefs, and better wait staff Imagine the quick amount of time it will take to order drinks and food at the same time. It is already as fast as it could be, but I am sure it could be even faster! Now I am hungry. Damn it. I am getting excited thinking about everything, and I cant wait to see it all fall into place. This is going to be legendary!

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(Ace): Lex, what do you think about my proposal? (Lex Luthor): The plans are perfect, and I love your ideas. We will upgrade and grow the brand to several branches and renovate this location as well. There will be more dances and a bigger space allows for more entertainment options (Ace): I am glad that you approve. So, we start construction immediately? (Lex Luthor): We would have to persuade the construction crew to pull everything together today (Ace): Then persuade them. I know that you know how to, Lex (Lex Luthor): Of course. It will take off this afternoon and there will be big money in your future. Ace, I am so proud of you We hug one another, and he goes with his briefcase and bodyguards. This is a great thing. Once Dice is renovated and branched out then we can quadruple our profits. I could get Selina and myself a better place to live and spoil Pam a bit. We do not have to struggle the way that we are, and things could be less annoying. Selina is like a mother to me, and she is fucking amazing. Getting us a better place to live is the least I could do after everything that she has done for me. Sitting here in this club makes me think about the first time we thought about opening this place. Lex was drunk and just bulldozed this plot. He told us that he had no idea what to do with the land and that gave me an idea. I spoke to him about starting my own club and how it could make me more responsible. He thought that I would give up after a week but here we are. Now we are expanding our brand and making a huge profit while were at it. Expanding my club is just one of the goals that I have. Maybe one day I will be able to do everything that inspires me and has always inspired me since I was a little girl. I go home and see that Selina has a bag of pearls on the kitchen counter while she is unpacking groceries that she most likely grabbed from that one expensive store that we said we would go to for weeks now. Maybe even months. (Catwoman): Sausage Ragù over creamy Polenta (Ace): I just heard sausage and the rest sounds like placenta (Catwoman): Kitty, trust me. Can you pass me the parmesan? I give her the cheese and she seems to be serious about this recipe. (Catwoman): Thyme (Ace): Its five oclock (Catwoman): No, love. The green things next to the cutting board. That is called Thyme (Ace): Could just call it green shit. Why do rich people have to use such complicated names for food? (Catwoman): I have no idea, but it says that it is needed for this recipe (Ace): Onion, carrots, celery great! So, we are about to have fucking vegetable soup! (Catwoman): No not at all. Kitty, listen to me. Its for the Ragù. Look at the picture of what it will look like once I am finished (Ace): It looks like bleeding mince on top of mashed potatoes (Catwoman): Kind of but that is not exactly what it looks like (Ace): Geez now you sound like a guy caught in the act (Catwoman): My apologies. Red wine! (Ace): Dont feel like it (Catwoman): For the recipe, babe (Ace): Oh! Right! Sorry! I have some news too. We cannot go to Dice for a month or two (Catwoman): Shit! What? Why? What happened? (Ace): We are officially upgrading Dice! (Catwoman): Ahhh! That is brilliant! Tomato paste, love! This recipe seems like too much damn work. She adds at least a million things at a time. (Ace): Yeah. So, it will be a while before we can go down to the club for a drink or so (Catwoman): Check the top right cupboard (Ace): That is a lot of tequila (Catwoman): Stocked up for at least two and a half months. I came prepared (Ace): This is why we are family (Catwoman): I can fully agree with you! Salt (Ace): I thought that you finished already? (Catwoman): I am going to make the polenta now (Ace): Still sounds like placenta but I hope that it does not look like one Selina gives me a look and I tell her that I am going to lay down until dinner is finished. The kitchen does smell heavenly by the way. But somehow it feels like today has been quicker than ever. It feels like it was just six oclock in the morning but now it is almost time to head to bed. Where did the time go? Maybe that is what they mean when they say that time flies when you are having fun. I still cant get myself to believe that we are officially doing what I have wanted to do for the longest time. Maybe we could move out of Gotham city entirely as soon as our other branches are fully built and furnished. I dont think that Selina would actually go for that plan since her precious boy toy lives here. How does he stay with her when he knows that she steals for a living? He is supposed to be a good guy, right? If he tries to change her then I will fucking kill him. I will bury him in his own damn backyard and have a party on top of it. Damn it! Now I am really starting to sound like Joker and that is creeping me out equally as much as it is pissing me off. I cannot lay here any longer. The food smells so damn good and the thought of eating is keeping me wide awake. (Catwoman): Dinner is ready! (Ace): Better not be bloody! I really do hope that it looks way more appetizing than the picture in the recipe book. Why does rich people food have to look so fancy and then sometimes looks gross. Yet it tastes so fucking good! (Catwoman): What do you think? What do I think? I think that I feel like a million bucks! Pour the champagne and call me Paris cause this is top tier, baby! Great. Now I feel like a rich person who actually drives everywhere in a limo. (Ace): Marvellous, baby. Just marvellous