grace under pressure • jerome valeska

CHAP.29: Surprise

  The street rat matched the results. 

  I was beyond surprised. My brain had shut down for a very small moment. I had seen her...and done nothing. No, not only that. I let her go! I was so angry with myself I had to stop Mark from talking to me so I didn't do anything too rash. After I had let the facts settle into my brain I laughed. Of course, right?

  I kissed the man who took my blood on the head before knocking him out with the butt of a gun. I had hopped around in a circle and thrown papers into the air like a lunatic. Mark even stayed away from me. I had completely destroyed the room out of happiness and anger. 

  I was feeling a mixture of so many emotions I was afraid I might burst! 

  Street rat...what was her name? Selina? Yeah. She was obviously to young to be my mother so she had to be my sister. Wow I had a sister! How strange was that! I was not surprised often but WOW! That is quite the surprise! 

  I was now leaning myself on the table, breathing at a fast rate, a smile on my face. I was so thrilled! I hear Mark shift. I snap my head towards him.

  "It worked Mark." I whisper. He nods and chuckles. "It worked. My hunch was right. I WAS RIGHT!" I scream out, slapping the table then turning towards the door. I walk up to it then open the door, walking out to see everyone still in their places where I left them. All heads were already in my direction. I lifted my hands.

  "I WAS RIGHT!" I scream. They shout and raise their own hands in the air as well. I laugh crazily and jump in a circle, them celebrating with me. Mark comes up behind me, clapping. The police officers just sat there or clapped along with my followers nervously. I sigh then slap my hands down by my sides. 

  "Well! This had been very fun! But now we must take our leave." I say with a dip then make a circular motion with my hand. I run a hand down my face, not even caring that I was running my makeup down with it. They all start to head out the door and I follow them but then make a noise and turn back to all the officers. 

  "Ooooh! Also! I wanted to add to you all, since you all have been very patient, I give to you a gift of gratitude." I say then reach into my pants pocket. I pull out a grenade. I wave it around and some scream or gasp. I chuckle. 

  "This will go off in exactly six seconds after I pull this pin. I wish you all the best of luck! Again, thank you for being such a great audience!" I yell then laugh, pulling the pin and throwing the grenade before running out towards the cars. My men all turn to me and I stand there for a moment, putting up a finger to my mouth and a hand to my hear. 

  I then hear the explosion. I laugh and they shout. Although, someone always has to ruin our fun. A cop car pulls up and stops right in front of us. I raise a brow but then see a familiar stone face. I smile.

  "JIMBO!" I basically screech as people from the police station run out in fright. He looks around at all the chaos with his partner as I hop down the steps with a grin.

  "What have you done!" He yells deeply. I frown. 

  "Aww. Jimmy, I thought you'd be happy to see me after all the guff I heard about you trying to find me and everything." I say with a pout. I then point to Mark and he heads over to the van. 

  "None of you move! You are all under arrest!" Jim says and brings out his gun. I laugh. His bearded partner leans towards him. 

  "Uh, Jim. I don't think that's gonna work." He says, looking at all my men pointing guns at them. I nod and point to his partner. 

  "Listen to that guy." I tell him then go down the final stair. Jim glares at me. 

 "What do you expect me to do? Just let you go?" He asks. I nod. 

  "Um, yeah. Yes I want you to do exactly that." I tell him. He growls. I shake my head. "But don't fret dear Jimbo. There's always tomorrow." I then come up to my van. 

  "Alright everyone, pack up!" I yell out. They put down their guns and hop into their cars. I smile at Jim once before getting into the van and closing the door. Once getting comfortable, I hit the car door and the van drives off. I smile to myself. 

  This day had been a lot more satisfying then I thought it was going to be.

                                  |TIME SKIP|

  Once back at the warehouse I let them all throw a party and drink and kill while I went into my room to think. 

  I finally found out who my family was after all this time. The girl named Selina. The little street rat. She said I looked like someone she knew...our mother maybe? God, mother. That sounded very strange to think or say. 

  I wiped my makeup off my face and let down my hair. I changed into a pair of shorts and tank top, wanting to get a bit more comfortable. Maybe that is why I was good at stealing things. I had a street rat as a sister and probably the same as a mother. You know...if she wasn't dead. I remember Selina mentioning she wasn't an orphan. But maybe it was just denial. This was just happening all so fast. It was amazing. 

  I wonder when I would see her again. Maybe I could make a scheduled date. I could visit her sometime. Or maybe, Jim would find out what I did when that man who took my blood wakes up and when he sees the results on the computer. Yeah, that will probably happen. I had to say, Gotham had a way about it that just made the craziest shit happen. 

  I had been 99.99% sure that plan of mine wouldn't work. But yet it did. Wonderfully. Absolutely wonderfully in every possible way. It wasn't that I wanted to spend time with Selina or my parents at all. Not one bit. I wanted to drive them mad.