The Aster {Book 1 & 2} (Batman/Joker/Robin/Batgirl story)

1.3. Rooftops

The Gotham Police Department building is one of the tallest in the area and architecturally one of the oldest and well designed. One of the best designed for getting into that is.

I stay in the shadows and back alleys, not even the criminals and low life's and other scum lurking there see me. And even if they had they wouldn't stand a chance.

Having scouted around the area earlier I realised I wouldn't even need to preform any fancy acrobatics to get up onto the roof - all it takes is a trip up the adjacent building's fire escape and then a jump assisted by a couple of ventilation pipes and you're in. Or rather on.

What a joke.

It takes me less than thirty seconds to reach the top of Gerard's Department Store. The climb is harder than I thought, the fire escape is so rusty it's bolts are barely clinging to the building. I feel a little bit more sick as every rung feels a little bit more deteriorated.

Honestly, now who's the joke?

It's cold on the roof, the wind tears ruthlessly through me, pushing me just that little bit closer to the edge.

I can see the roof of the Police Department more clearly than I thought I'd be able to; it's almost a full moon tonight. Even from here I can see the bat signal. Perfect.

Third pouch on the left. Weighted rope.

Very carefully, easily, I swing the rope over my head, over and over, gaining momentum until I let it fly out, spinning around a solid looking ventilation pipe on the Police Department roof until it firmly stops. I give it a firm yank. Solid.

Before I jump I look down at the street below. I may as well. It looks busier and brighter from up here than it does when you're actually on it. I'd guess it's about twenty storeys down, maybe more. Maybe about fifteen feet between the two roofs.

Fuck.

I jump.

It seems like forever, before I hit the wall just on the edge of the roof. A piece of fancy masonry slams into my stomach and before I know it, I'm losing my grip on my end of the rope. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

I regain my grip on the rough lifeline, wait a second to regain my composure before gingerly pulling myself up onto the flat roof.

I'm standing almost directly in front of the bat signal now. But that comes later.

I tiptoe over to the access doorway. Second pocket from the right. Padlock. That will stop anyone gate crashing the party.

Next... the letter. Tucked carefully in my bra. A girls best place for safe keeping. A perfect copy of Commissioner Gordon's handwriting, thanks to my artistic skills and a Christmas card he sent Dad a couple of years ago, thanking for help with some real-estate. Before he realised Dad ripped him off.

I leave that in front of the Bat signal. He couldn't possibly miss it there.

All that's left now is to turn on the Bat Signal. And wait.

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Sorry it's a such a short chapter but I really wanted to upload today!!