Gotham's Unknown 3 Predator and Prey

Chapter 11: Build Up

Adam sat at his desk at school tapping his foot rapidly just waiting for the bell to ring. Finally after an eternity it did and he rushed out the door though his friends were close behind. "Hey Adam!" Addison Called to him as she placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her and Maxie as they smiled.
"What's the rush?" Asked Maxie as Adam sighed.
"I got something to do after school but I wanted to chat with Lorraine first so I gotta get to the front of the school before she leaves." Said Adam as his two friends nodded.
"Well why don't we join you?" Asked Addison as Adam sighed.
"Ok well keep up." Said Adam as he then sped off with his friends close behind to the front of the school. He saw a black limo parked a little ways down the street so he knew he could catch her before she went off to Oswald's. He waited on the steps for her until suddenly she came down the steps and Stephanie tripped her so she tumbled down them. "Lorraine!" Said Adam as he rushed to her side. Suddenly the car door opened and Edward stepped out but he just stood there on the sidewalk as he closed the door and leaned against the black limo watching her. Adam eyed him as Lorraine snapped her ankle back into place. "Are you ok?" He asked as he turned his attention back to his sister. She stood and brushed herself off then looked at Adam with a soft smile.
"Mhm." She said as she nodded but Adam felt Edward staring. "Nothing a little perfume can't fix." Said Lorraine as she then promptly walked up to Stephanie and sprayed a bottle of perfume in her eyes.
"Lorraine!?" Said Adam as everyone was horrified except Edward who opened the car door for her.
"Come on Lorraine, we have work to do." Said Edward as Lorraine hopped down the stairs.
"Coming!" She said as she ran over but  Adam grabbed her wrist trying to make her stay that's where Edward stepped in. Edward pulled out a switch blade and put it against Adam's throat.
"Let her go!" Edward stayed quietly trying not to make a scene but that's exactly what Adam wanted.
"Listen I know you and I aren't really family but-" Adam stepped closer to him piercing his throat with the knife. "If you come between me and my sister-" with each couple words Adam stepped closer and closer to Edward until they were almost eye to eye. "With one phone call I can have you and Oswald thrown not just in Arkham but in solitary confinement for the next 6 months!" Adam growled as he gripped Edward's lapel.
"Is that a challenge boy?" Asked Oswald who had stepped out of the car.
"Adam back off! It's not worth it!" Said Maxie as his friends started grabbing onto him trying to pull him away from them.
"Look I know you're immortal now but these guys are bad news they'll find a way to kill you if you piss them off! Please just let it go!" Addison begged him.
"You should listen to your friends they seem smarter than you but you seem to have a death wish. I know I have to act civil with your mother for Lorraine but no one ever said anything about treating her spiteful bastard like my grandson so here's the deal you leave this alone and I don't give your address to Victor Zsasz, understand?" Asked Oswald as Oswald pulled the switchblade out of Adam's jugular. Adam glanced over at Lorraine's wrist which he was still gripping tight so he let go as his only response because he knew the next words out of his mouth would've been a violent threat and he didn't want to risk his biological father coming back into his life after the last interaction they had. "Good." Said Oswald the three of them got into the limo and left. Adam's eyes burned a bright gold color like fire burning in his veins as he watched the limo drive off.
"Adam are you ok?" Asked Addison as Adam sighed and his eyes faded. He didn't answer and just walked off. As ran started fall Adam scaled the side of a building and disappeared.

"You didn't have to threaten him you know." Said Lorraine as she sat in a large room mixing chemicals while Edward helped what little she would allow and Oswald just sat by and watched.
"Lorraine, your half brother is an insufferable twit that needs to be taught to mind your personal business." Said Oswald as he flipped a page on the paper he was reading.
"You don't have to refer to him as specifically my half brother, it's not like I have any other siblings." Said Lorraine in an irritated manner but Oswald just as irritated.
"I don't even know why you consider him to be family." Said Oswald as Lorraine slammed down the metal tweezers she was using very aggressively.
"Oswald, can I talk to you in the other room for a second." Said Edward as he quickly separated the two of them. "Oswald, stop pushing her!" Said Edward as Oswald looked at him.
"I am not-"
"Oswald, do you remember Daniel as a teenager and how often we both fought with him over the most ridiculous things?"
"Of course!" Said Oswald as Edward then pointed to the room where Lorraine was.
"Well if you keep pushing she's going to push back a lot harder than Daniel ever did! So just keep your mouth shut and things will be fine, I fear to think of what she would do if she pushed back." Said Edward as Oswald sighed.
"Fine." Said Oswald as they went back into the room though Edward grabbed his coat and announced that he was leaving.
"Alright, I have a few things that need doing so Lorraine do you anything for your projects while I'm gone?" Asked Edward as he looked over she shoulder watching her write down notes.
"I could use a new test subject or two, Mr. and Mrs. Swanson have out lived their usefulness." Said Lorraine as Edward nodded.
"What kind of reaction did they have to the new batch?" Asked Edward excitedly.
"Well Mr. Swanson had too much of an outside reaction less internal damage more scorched skin so note the desired result but Mrs. Swanson had no outside reaction for a few hours before she started puking up the viscous liquid that was her stomach melting from the inside out." Said Lorraine as Edward nodded.
"I told you that microdosing would give you a better reaction." Said Edward as Lorraine nodded.
"I admit I was skeptical but it really did work well, you were right a little gas goes a long way." Said Lorraine as she looked over at him. "Oh and if you have the time I need a few empty teargas canisters." Said Lorraine as Edward smiled.
"Of course." Said Edward as he kissed her cheek then left.

While Oswald was trying Lorraine's patience, Adam was on a war path to separate his dear little sister from the wretched men that were making her a monster. "Arthur I need a way to take down Oswald Cobblepot and Edward Nygma!" Said Adam as he threw his backpack across the under construction building that was being built in the valley that was on Arthur's property.
"Oh no, Adam that is not a fight you want to pick." Said Arthur as he turned in his chair.
"Too late! Now find me something!" Adam barked as Arthur sighed.
"I'm sorry but the Penguin is one of the most powerful crime lords in Gotham purely because he's the best at covering his tracks! Plus from what I've heard from my informants, he had his husband hack into Gotham's Criminal data base and make it so he's been completely pardoned for all crimes he's ever committed and never been caught for just in case he ever came out of retirement. Adam even if we catch him the police have to let him go, there's nothing we can do to get him locked up." Said Arthur as Adam took some deep breaths trying to calm down but instead of calming down he picked up a folding chair and threw it. "I mean we may not be able to get to Penguin but we can get to Riddler." Said Arthur as Adam didn't even look at him.
"How?" Asked Adam as Arthur walked over to him.
"My informants have told me that Riddler is planning a large scale attack. He keeps gathering large quantities of dangerous chemicals and is kidnapping and testing these chemicals on many individuals from the city. He has even retrofitted the green house at the Cobblepot Manor into a gas chamber to dose his victims. They say he keeps talking about attacking your high school." Said Arthur as Adam smiled.
"Do you know when this attack is supposed to take place?" Asked Adam as Arthur sighed.
"That I don't know but as soon as I do, I'll make certain that you are the first to hear." Said Arthur as suddenly there was the sound of a bucket getting knocked over so Stagg sprang into action and grabbed one of his batons from his suit. Stagg walked through the under construction building and pulled back the plastic tarp to reveal Addison trying to pull a bucket off of Maxie's foot.
"Hey, Adam..." Said Maxie with a small wave. Adam came over and got the bucket off of Maxie's foot and helped him up. "So you're not mad?" Asked Maxie as Stagg smacked him up the side of the head.
"Of course I'm mad!" Shouted Stagg as he and Adam continued to switch rapidly between each other mostly because Adam didn't approve of Stagg yelling at his friends.
"No, I'm not mad, I promise." Said Adam as his friends looked at him confused.
"Are you ok, dude?" Asked Maxie as Addison walked up and put her hand on the side of her cheek.
"Is it that light again?" Asked Addison as Adam at first had a soft look as he held her hand but then Stagg took over and had a cold look on his face.
"My name is Stagg, now why were you two following us?" Stagg demanded as Addison sighed.
"For the past two months all you've done is vanish after school!" Said Addison as Maxie nodded.
"Yeah we used to hang out after school but now you just run off and leave us behind." Said Maxie as Addison sighed.
"We were worried about you and apparently for good reason! You're the Stagg! Do you know how dangerous it is to be a vigilante?!" Asked Addison as Stagg looked at her coldly.
"I am putting Adam's immortal to good use." Said Stagg as Addison shook her head.
"I don't mean physically Stagg, it's dangerous for your mind. That kind of traumatization can split up Adam's mind even more! If your mom knew about this she would be royally pissed!" Barked Addison as Stagg melted away and Adam started to show through.
"She was actually surprisingly supportive. Addison I know what this could do to me but it still doesn't make it any less the right thing to do, the thing this city needs! The original Batman has retired and the new one is sloppy at his work! I got the original Batman's approval to do this so I'm gonna make his proud even if it destroys my mind!" Said Adam as Addison sighed.
"Well then you won't do it alone!" Said Addison as she looked at him.
"Yeah how can we help?" Asked Maxie as Adam smiled.
"You guys really wanna help me?" Asked Adam as they nodded.
"Dude you're our best friend in the whole world! Of course we wanna be a part of your stupid crusade!" Said Maxie as Adam almost cried.
"Thanks, you guys." Said Adam as they all joined in a group hug.