I?: The Girl Who Ran: The Altruism Test- Currently Shelved

{VIII: Tatiana} Just a Normal Day in Gotham City

Tatiana held the phone up to her ear, "Yes, yes, okay. An interview?"

The voice on the other side was familiar, though Tatiana couldn't place it exactly, "Yes, ma'am. We received your voicemail, and Mr. Wayne would like to meet you."

Tatiana looked up at the Wayne Tower, looming over the trees. She sat on a bench in Axenov Park, her bright red sweater a harsh contrast against the black and white. "Where?" She kicked a empty cup toward the trash can and tried to ignore the cold.

"At the Manor, ma'am. Today." The voice sounded tired.

Tatiana furrowed her brow, trying to make a plan, "Today?!"

"Yes, at four."

She looked down at her watch, twelve fifty-six. "Uh, yes, I can do that."

"All right. Goodbye." The line went dead.

Tatiana lowered the phone and sighed, "Goodbye."

A good job. Finally. She was happy that she'd gotten the weekend clerk job with Cinnamon, but this one would hopefully be one that would pay better. After all, she couldn't really scrape by with only seven dollars in her pocket every weekend. She still had to buy a new backpack to replace the one Red Hood had taken when he had left. Moron.

Tatiana shook off the thought of Red Hood and stood, habitually checking her pockets for her wallet. Gotham had left it's mark, though she'd only been there for five days. She reached for her cane and set off to the road.

She hailed a taxi and climbed into the first one that stopped. "Wayne Manor, please."

The driver tipped his hat and pulled back onto the road, "Wayne Manor? You know the Waynes?"

Tatiana shrugged, "Not really. I am going to work for them."

The driver hummed and tapped the wheel with his thumb, "Well, that's cool." Then the mood shifted. Tatiana could see the stopped traffic through the cracked windshield. People were crouched on the pavement in groups.

"What is going on?" Tatiana said.

The driver sighed. "It's Gotham Bank. It's probably being robbed again. We're going to have to get out if they start shooting." He stopped behind the rest of the cars and opened his door, disappearing into the street.

Tatiana opened her door and stepped onto the sidewalk. A clump of people were huddled at her feet. She squatted, and her knee stung. "What is happening?"

A little boy sitting beside his mother spoke excitedly, "The bank is being robbed again! Maybe we'll see Batman this time, Mommy!"

A redhead British girl scoffed, "Batman doesn't work in the daylight, child. Bats are nocturnal."

The mother hushed the little boy as he tried to respond. Tatiana looked at the British girl, "Do they have hostages?"

The girl nodded, her smirk disappearing, "Yes. Twelve, according to their demands. Ten adults and two kids. I'm suprised anyone still works at the bank, considering it gets robbed every week."

Tatiana looked over the cars to the hulking Bank up across the street. "Where are the police?"

"Uh, hello? This is Gotham! The GCPD are like flies buzzing around carcasses. They aren't worth anything." The girl looked at Tatiana like she had asked if lettuce was poisonous.

Tatiana sighed and grabbed her cane, standing up halfway. "Well, then. What do the robbers want?"

The girl shrugged and the mother beside her frowned at Tatiana, "Why? Are you going to go stop them?"