alive || jerome valeska

a little birdie told me

The three detectives were waiting in the car, watching a bar where hid Butch Gilzean. Apparently, him and Penguin had an argument, so they could get him to talk, and spill why Oswald wanted the mayor candidates dead.

"I say we wait and see if someone can walk us inside, try and keep things civil." Harvey spoke.

"Yeah, let's play good cop." Lili agreed "Butch will talk.

Jim remained silent, just like he has been for the past ten minutes, staring outside the window, obviously thinking about something other than the current plan. The other two shared a look, Lili winked at Harvey, letting him know she's got this. They needed to snap him back to reality, they might as well have a laugh too.

"Did I tell you I'm pregnant?" she asked casually, Jim's eyes widened, his head immediately snapped to look at her.

"What?" he blunted out.

"Ahh look who's finally here!" the girl said.

"Hey, how are you? Why don't you get your head in the game here?"

"I'm sorry." he sighed "It's just... do you believe Galavan's story?" the girl's eyes lighten up, heartbeat speeding up from excitement. If Jim was on her side while talking Theo down the job will be easier than she thought.

"No!" she spoke loudly, both detectives gave her a questioning look "That's what I've been trying to tell you since the gala, he is guilty."

Harvey only sighed "Questions like that are above my pay grade and below my sense of wonder."

"Penguin's a pragmatist. Hitting Galavan for refusing an alliance that doesn't get him anything but heat." Jim explained.

"Exactly!" the girl agreed "A few months ago nobody knew who he was, now all of a sudden he's mayor? It's not an accident, I'm telling you he's been planning this for a long time."

"Guys like Galavan are born on third base. Stealing home is practically a birthright." Harvey said, still not wanting to believe his partners.

"Think about the timing, he shows up just after Mayor James disappears. A massacre at the gala turns him into a hero. Penguin's association attempts on mayoral candidates launched his campaign. Everything that's gone down up to this point, you could argue was orchestrated."

Lili grinned, shivers running down her spine from the adrenaline, now all she needed was proof that one of those 'coincidences' were planned, and Jim won't hate her forever for murdering that bastard.

"Look, what you're talking about is machiavellian-level crazy, even by Gotham standards."

"But it makes sense." the girl said.

The conversation ended here, due to a car pulling up to the building, but the topic wasn't forgotten.

"Here's our door pass." Jim said before they got out of the car and made their way towards the bar.

They quietly walked trough the door with their guns raised, the second they were noticed the other men reached for their guns, ready to pick up a fight.

"I wouldn't." Harvey warned them "I really wouldn't." they put down their weapons with an annoyed expression.

"There's a lot of firepower there, Butch. You expecting company?"

"Neighborhood ain't what it used to be, Jim."

"Where's Penguin?"

"How should I know?" he asked, pretending to be clueless.

"You're the boss's lapdog and you don't know where your owner is?"

"I ain't nobody's lapdog." he hissed "not anymore."