PUPPETEER | ✓

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 12

"Standby!" Rick commanded, and Maggie scowled when he began approaching with his firearms held up, directed at her nose.

"Playing hostage is petty, Harts. Even for a kid like you," Rick said disapprovingly, before he motioned at the kid. "Let him go."

Instead, she pulled him closer. Rick growled and slung out the tablet. Maggie widened her eyes.

"What's that?" Harry whispered. "Is it gonna hurt you?"

Maggie gulped and pointed at her neck, before rubbing where the explosive was implanted. When Rick typed in the passcode, it began vibrating. Harry took that as a 'yes', and grabbed Maggie's arm.

"It's okay! I wanted to come with her," Harry promulgated, clutching Maggie's arm. "I came on my own will!"

"You don't know what you're talking about, kid," Rick hissed, finger hovering over Maggie's mugshot. "Where are your parents?"

"Dead," Harry muttered and Rick shook his head.

"Murdering a kid's parents is what makes a Batman, Harts," Rick said, and Maggie's scowl deepened.

"She didn't kill my parents. They were dead for.... three days," Harry called out indignantly. "She gave me food and drink."

"I think the kid's delusional!" Harley called out, her arm shooting up. "Hey, blondie. If you need meds then just come ask me!"

"I'm serious!" Harry gaped. He scurried over to collect the scraps of the potato chip can and Mountain Dew bottle, before shoving it into Rick's face. "See? Besides, if I was a hostage wouldn't she be shoving a gun onto my forehead right now?"

Rick grumbled incoherently and put his gun down, before signing for his men to copy the gesture. "Well then. The kid's bent on tagging along. I can't argue with that - but I'm not sure if our guy will tolerate it. You know there'll be consequences."

Maggie shrugged.

"Kid, you're walking into a death trap. Are you sure you want to follow through?" The kid puffed his chest and grinned.

"If I make a promise, I'll never break it!"

Rolling his eyes, Rick mumbled a "move on" and the squad filed out the market, the Suicide Squad lingering slightly behind. Maggie pulled Harry alongside her, yet she felt unsettled because she knew Katana was trailing behind her, watching her every move.

Why couldn't they just trust her?

"They were talking about hostages," Harry muttered to Maggie. "Only baddies take in hostages. Are you a baddie?"

Maggie shook her head and pressed her index against her lips, hissing a low 'sh' sound. Harry pursed his lips. "Do you want to start learning?" he uttered.

Katana decided to drift away from the two children duo and she rejoined the group that was advancing forward faster, leaving the two youths alone. Maggie folded her tongue in contemplation, before nodding slowly.

Harry grinned boisterously. "Great! Let's start!"

☠☠☠

"No, no - try to say 'L'."

"L."

"Okay, okay. Now look at my tongue. Sea-gull. Sea..... gull. Seagull."

"Eh-gull. Eg-g.... ng-gull. Ee.... ee-gull?"

"No..... well. Close enough. Now try to say-"

The duo was startled out of their conversation when suddenly the sound of shattering glass was heard. They glanced forward to see Harley snatching a purse from a shopping display. Shards of glass littered the pavement, and Rick rolled his eyes in disbelief.

"Seriously?" he scoffed, and Harley shrugged, slinging the purse over her shoulder.

"We're bad guys - it's what we do," she stated, and Maggie sniffed indignantly. Harry gulped and looked up at Maggie.

"She's a bad guy?" Maggie didn't reply, choosing to ogle at the items at display. She dragged her steps over - dragging Harry along - and picked up a dark blue beanie that was conveniently placed near the purse. She slipped it on quickly, before taking a gray beanie and pulling it over Harry's hair. When the younger boy seemed confused, Maggie hugged herself and feigned shivering, meaning to tell him, 'so your head won't get cold.'

"That's called cold," Harry notified Maggie. "Try to say it. First, pronounce 'k'."

"Cold."

Harry blinked, before beaming proudly. "Hey! You did it without my help! That's awesome. Have you said that word before?"

Maggie's mouth remained shut. She wasn't fond of remembering the moments, where blankets abstained from her slumber and whilst chattering, she would chant 'cold' repeatedly.

The children duo walked faster, but Maggie decided to pause when she saw Deadshot gradually stop, viewing a mannequin donning a pink winter sweater with solemn eyes. She pushed Harry forward before pointing at Flag, telling Harry to catch up and stick with the colonel. Harry looked confused, but when he noticed the hitman, he understood and jogged forward. Maggie silently approached the man.

"What are you doing here?" Deadshot muttered. "I hope you didn't stop to tell me how gay I look because I'm staring at something pink."

Maggie shook her head, trying to conjure up words from Harry's brief lessons. She pointed at the mannequin, before directing her pointer at Floyd. "Kid?"

Deadshot glanced at her, staring at her for a few seconds to decipher her statement, before understanding. "Yeah. She's 12. She's..... she's like an angel to me. The only thing that's keeping me going right now."

It was silent, before Deadshot started walking away, leaving Maggie behind. She quickly jogged up to him. Floyd didn't reject her sudden appearance next to him, and it was awkwardly silent for a split minute, before Floyd spoke up,

"You like that kid, don't you?"

Maggie knew right away he was referring to Harry, who was being shoved behind Flag by himself. It was amusing seeing the colonel and kid, as Flag kept pushing Harry behind him but he also kept pushing Harry until he practically was pressed against the soldier's back. Mutely, she nodded. Floyd breathed and sighed.

"Then don't make the same mistake as I did."

☠☠☠

AYE.

I DELIVERED! And I'm also suffering from a crippling headache.

Ah well.

See you guys later!