Hell's Sniper | J. Todd

II - Survivor

After all of the darkness and sadness,
Soon come happiness
- Destiny's Child

14 channels, 12 podcasts, 2 social media videos.

9 articles, 500+ comments, 13k+ tweets.

That's how many things you can find online talking about what I did.

Sgt. Collins had sat me down and told me to take three days off. I told him I was fine. He knows I'm fine, the whole team does.

"Go home, stay with your dogs. If you go out, take your dogs with you, your radio, gun and badge. 'Cause people are gonna come after you, whether their friends of the Joker or idiots trying to prove themselves." 

That's what he'd said. And he has a point. So I take his advice, and now I have six Dobermans trailing behind me, a radio, gun and badge hidden under my hooded jacket while I take them on an evening walk. I'm completely inconspicuous.

Apart from the dogs, of course, but those are kind of a dead giveaway. As usual, people give us alarmed looks as we pass. Most people avoid us all together and cross the street before I can even tell their eye colour.

"Are you doing alright, Ruth?" Natayla asks. The dogs walk in a tight circle formation around my feet. Natayla's beside me, her dark eyes sparkling to look up at my face.

"I'm fine. Just surprised, I guess. Everyone kinda reckoned he was invincible, y'know?" 

"I bet I could've taken him. And one." Simo replies. He's behind me.

"We all could've, dipshit," Petrova says. I swear she's always growling at something.

Chief, ever the silent one, stays focused completely on the people around us. His muscles ripple under his fur as he walks, his head high and sharp ears pinned forward. We stop when we reach a bar, not too busy as it's only 7 pm, that's owned by my friend, Valorie. Sure enough, she's making drinks at the bar. Her figure is slightly distorted from the textured glass in the door.

I open the door and step inside. She only lets my dogs in when there's few people around, but today isn't one of those days, so I tell them to wait outside, preferably not in front of the bar.

When Val sees me, she waves with a warm smile on her face, moving to make another drink. My drink; she knows my order. The only free seat at the bar is next to this huge guy, feebly attempting to hide the bulk and strength of his body under a brown leather jacket. I slump my shoulders with a quiet sigh and sit next to him. It's not great, because he's huge and the other guy next to me looks like an incel that hasn't showered in a week.

"Could you, like, take up less space, mate?" it's stupid and I hate myself the moment I speak, but the dogs seem to get a good laugh out of it as my thoughts are clouded with huffs and snorts.

"I'm not your-"

"She's Australian. It's in her nature." Val says as she hands me my drink. 

"Oh shut up, you cu-"

"You are not allowed to swear in my bar, because last time you did that you almost had me sued by some rich guy's kid. You remember that?"

The buff guy snorts as I laugh in an attempt to defend myself, "He called me a, quote unquote 'helpless whore who will never get anywhere in life past prostitution', which, come on, is fucken stupid."

The three of us laugh. Val hands me my drink and I take a sip.

"Speaking of work, your shift ended five minutes ago. Ain't no way you got home, had a shower, then came here." Valorie points out, hands on her hips. Oh shit. She's in mum mode.

I glance at the guy next to me. He has a white streak in his dark hair and green eyes that study everything I do. Then a glance at Valorie.

"Give me the TV remote."

Valorie raises an eyebrow, but obliges anyway. The TV is a decent size but it's rarely used unless a highly anticipated sports game is on. I press the power button and it opens straight to a news channel. The bar goes dead silent. I sip my drink and give the remote back to a slack-jawed Valorie.

"Reports from the GCPD have finally come out about the recent incident of the hostage situation in the Gotham City Hall. The Joker was shot dead by a GCPD SWAT sniper named Ruth le Vont. Her sergeant says that the Joker held Mayor Aubrey James at gunpoint, and the only hope at saving her was for the sniper to shoot the infamous terrorist. Many now view Ruth le Vont as Gotham's greatest hero."

There's a picture of me, labelled 'Ruth le Vont - Sniper' and a picture of the Joker.

Valorie turns the TV off as the bar erupts into chaos. "You didn't..." she whispers. "That wasn't..."

I stop sipping my drink. "I did. That was me."

"You did Gotham a goddamn favour. About time he was dead." the man next to me says. "Just don't know how the great Batman will take it."

"Oh God, they're going to want to walk to me, aren't they?"

"Mhmm." both Val and the stranger respond. "Just make sure your dogs don't eat them alive. Don't want you on the news for that, too." Val adds. I groan and slam my head on the counter.

"They so would though," I say. Val nods. She was with me when we got attacked by criminals on the street and my dogs practically ripped them to shreds.

My phone pings. It's a message from Reyes. 

They're thinking about giving you an award

Scratch that they definitely will

I sigh. "I'd better get going. Someone might recognise me. Have fun. Seeya, uh..."

"Jason." he replies with a nod.

"Seeya then, mate." I finish, making him roll his eyes as I walk out, pulling my hood over my head to help make me unnoticeable. It's pointless, however, when my Dobermans fall back into their tight-knit formation without a word.