The Stand

8

Marc tensed up. He was about to see HIM twice in one day, it was hard to believe considering some never see HIM once. He looked at his sneakers old, well worn, in good repair. He stood, and Baun followed suit. The two men left and made their way toward the stairs leading to the roof. As they walked Marc adjusted his jacket which he honestly hadn't taken off since late morning.
He couldn't tell what was going on with the Detective. He was hard to read. So he decided to start a conversation.

" excited?" He looked down at Baun hoping to get something from him. He smirked. Baun looked up at his partner, then back in the direction they were headed.
That was the end of that conversation.
They continued in silence going up step by step.
They soon reached the roof, cold autumn air nipped at Marc's fingertips as he and Baun walked toward the gleaming, new looking spotlight that had been placed there quite a while ago, to summon the big guy. However Marc didn't know how a light would call something attracted to darkness. Then again, he thought this was not an ordinary bat. He leaned against the signal. The metal was cool, even through his jacket his skin felt the chill.

He watched Detective Baun fix his jacket as a gust of icy air blew across the roof. It made Marc shudder. A small shadow grew over top of him and his body began to feel colder. The phantom silhouette of an enormous bat spreading it's wings made him stare at the ground in shock.
He didn't want to move. He stiffened as another breeze blew, draining all heat from his body. He was silent, and he felt watched. Then the shadow moved quickly, barely a sound was heard other than that of afternoon traffic in the streets below.

Then, HE landed. Right in front of Marc and the Detective. Marc looked up and stepped back suddenly.
HE was clad in black from head to toe, besides the exception of the yellowish belt around HIS waist. HIS exposed mouth, the only remotely human like feature in HIS entire being was tightly closed in stoic fashion. HE had ears that pointed straight up to the sky. HIS eyes were dark. HE wore a cape that billowed in the breeze, it was like the night sky. This was HIM up close. Marc couldn't believe his eyes.

He stared. Baun stared. Batman seemed unimpressed.
They stood in silence until the creature of the night spoke.

" Lucielle Starlet, club performer, age twenty-one, under the employ of the penguin. "

Marc snapped out of his daze. " who?" He said without thinking, then he held his breath.

" me silly, " an unknown voice proclaimed half heartedly. It sounded smooth and soft with undertones of shrill annoyance. The pattern seemed slow and quite upset.

Marc turned to his right, and there there stood the woman, the blonde. Her long hair not as smooth as it was before, her left arm with a rather nasty bruise on it, her lips were still stained crimson, and the cream coloured skin on her right cheek was tarnished with an abrupt patch of red. He could tell she had been crying because the intricately detailed cosmetics were smeared across her face. Her sad eyes were the colour of the Caribbean Sea, they seemed afraid though she smiled, obviously pretending to be alright.
He looked upon the woman's white garment which had red speckles on it.

"Hello"

"Miss Starlet was reported missing a month or so earlier than your other celebrities if you recall, therefore she is quite the asset for your case, "

"Yes, she might have information that only extended time and experience with the Ringmaster may produce, " concluded Baun, now out of his daze as well. Looking over at the woman, studying her with his eyes.
She made a face.

"What about the Ringmaster sir? Where is he? "

Batman looked over at Starlet. Who in turn looked down about a foot away from her. She rubbed her bruised arm gently and let out a short sigh. Then she slowly lifted her left arm stopping around her chest. She pulled back her middle, ring, and pinky finger. Then draped her right hand over her left making a quick backwards and forwards motion. She then made her arm rise until the index finger of the left reached her temple, she lowered her thumb.

" ...bang..." she looked Marc dead in the eyes. Her face was serious.

Marc's jaw went slack, he couldn't believe it, his first triple C and he didn't get to do anything. He was upset, and rather annoyed. This wasn't what he wanted. He wasn't ready for this today, he needed to rest. Unfortunately Marc's mouth wasn't interested in that.

"SUICIDE! Rob a bank and then commit suicide! " He yelled in angered annoyance, "That makes literally no sense! Even psychopaths aren't THAT stupid! What's the point-"
A hot pain spread across his cheek. It stung. He stared in shock down at Starlet who was now a few inches from him staring intensely into his eyes with a stern seriousness he had only seen in the eyes of his drill sergeant, when he was training to be an officer. The rest of her stature proposed confidence, and at that moment he had wondered what had happened to her eyes.

"Don't yell at me."

He put his hand to his cheek and was silent.

" the case isn't over, I believe you'll find it in the autopsy report. The body should be arriving shortly. In the meantime I suggest getting to know your new witness, and examining the new evidence "

Both men gazed at the woman.

"Thank-" Baun began but realizing the Batman's absense cut himself off, "Let's go inside miss Starlet" he began to walk to the door leading back down.