Insanity // J.Valeska

Part Seventeen Part One: The High

Theo Galavan smirked, his gaze captured by the streets of Gotham City; the streets that would someday belong to him. All those tiny, useless civilians below would bow before him, worshipping him in every way imaginable. Unfortunately though, that day would have to wait.

Theo turned away from the large French windows, shuffling towards his usual armchair by the roaring fire. He poured himself a drink: scotch on the rocks, and swirled around the ice cubes, watching them clink against the glass. He took a sip, savouring the potent flavour of the liquor as it burned a slow trail down the back of his throat, emitting a sigh from the man. Theo continued to swirl his drink as he took a seat beside the fire.

He counted two minutes, and then the door opened.

The senior Galavan didn't bother turning his head - he already knew who it was.

Tabitha Galavan strode into the large, warm room, her leather whip coiled tightly around Stephanie Harlem's wrists, a large strip of duct tape clamped over her lips. Tabitha harshly tugged on the grip of her whip, causing the girl to stumble to the floor. The brunette smirked in glee, kicking the large doors shut behind her and with a flick of her wrist, the whip was undone, freeing the blonde's wrists. Steph was quick on her feet, rolling out her wrists and ripping the piece of duct tape off her mouth, revealing a gritty snarl, "what the hell?"

Theo smiled with tight lips, finally rising and acknowledging the two women, "my, my Tabitha, that certainly took a while. I expect better of you."

Tabitha scowled at her older brother, latching her now coiled whip onto her hipbone, "not my fault, the damned ginger took forever to leave her side." She turned to Steph, "what, you got yourself a boyfriend?" She asked in a sugary sweet voice.

"Better than you could ever do, bitch."

Tabitha's eyebrow twitched but she kept her mouth closed, waiting for Theo to give out his next orders. Instead however, her brother stepped closer, examining the blonde girl with deep concentration. He circled her slowly, plucking a strand of golden hair and examining it closely, before releasing it, eliciting a flinch from Stephanie. Stopping in front of her, a slow smile engulfed his thin lips, and he chuckled darkly, "yes, this'll do for now."

"Whatever you want me to do, I don't do without Jerome," Steph huffed angrily, crossing her arms over her chest protectively.

Theo smirked, "do not worry Stephanie, Jerome and you shall be reunited soon enough. Now, however, we have a special task for you to complete, think you can do it?"

Growing curious, the blonde asked, "what is it? Why can't Jerome help me?"

Tabitha rolled her eyes, stalking over to her brother's side, "think of it as a girl's only kind of project."

"Fine, I'll do it, not that I have a choice I assume. Tell me what I have to do."

Theo clucked his tongue, leaning forward slightly on his cane; if only she knew what she was agreeing to. "Your uncle, James Gordon, is quite the influence on the GCPD, and therefore, has quite a lot of power over Gotham City -"

"Hold it, I'm not killing my uncle for your sick pleasure." Steph interrupted, glaring at the siblings.

"Shut up and listen, brat. He's not finished yet," Tabitha admonished, returning the blonde's glare with equal intensity. Steph huffed but remained silent, waiting for him to go on.

"As I was saying," Theo began, "your uncle has been searching relentlessly for you, despite it being a little over a month since you have joined us. It came as quite the surprise actually; I expected for him to give up weeks ago, however time is running out, so we must act now. Which is precisely where you come in, my dear. Your job, darling Stephanie, will be to distract your uncle and his partner so as to send a warning of sorts. After all, he's been suspicious of me for quite some time now, and I very well can't have that. I am running for mayor, you know."