Inflorescence • Poison Ivy's Daughter

chapter 14 ~ hemlock

Dick didn't bother going any further inside the hospital. He waited on a chair until he heard the sound of Bella's bike fade away, then approached the receptionist and asked if he could trouble her for a quick call. The phone had hardly reached its second ring when someone picked up.

'Wayne residence.'

'Heya Alfred.'

'Master Dick,' Alfred said, his voice tightened in surprise. 'May I ask of your location?'

'I'm at the hospital, back entrance.'

'A car is on its way.'

'Thank you, Alfred.'

'Not at all Master Dick, its a relief you're alright.'

Dick felt his spirits lift slightly, 'I see you soon, Al.'

He didn't wait for a reply and handed the phone back with a nod of thanks. It wasn't long before a polished black car pulled up outside. Dick opened the door and froze when he saw it wasn't empty.

Bruce lounged in the back seat, dark hair gelled back from his face, dressed in a crisp tailored suit with his legs crossed expectedly. 'Dick.' He nodded in greeting.

Dick swallowed as he nodded back and slid onto the seat next to him, shutting the door as the car rolled into action. The silence was painful and the longer it continued the more unbearable it was. Dick couldn't take it anymore.

'Why are you here, Bruce?' Dick spluttered almost frantically as if the question burned his tongue.

Bruce gave him a quick look, 'Is there a reason I can't be?'

'No,' Dick squirmed a little under his stare, 'Is it because you're mad?'

Bruce narrowed his eyes, and Dick felt his pulse quicken. His answer was sharp and to the point, 'No.'

'No?'

'No.'

Dick fiddled with his fingers turning his gaze out the window, once again the silence drew on.

'Are you..' Bruce spoke, his voice uncharacteristically quiet, 'alright?'

Dick's eye's widened as he gapped at Bruce. He nodded furiously causing one of his injuries to twinge in response. He had barely registered it before he involuntarily flinched.

Bruce's stare went ice cold, a dangerous rage storming behind them. 'Did you discover who was behind it?'

Dick groaned slightly as he rubbed his neck, 'No, these guys weren't the usual... They were either paid or ordered by someone high up.'

'How high?'

Dick's own gaze went blank as he thought back to the day and all the details he could remember. The number of men, their skill, the remote location, Bella as she had sent the building up in flames, which mimicked the way her bright hair had flown in the wind.

'Very.'

✿ ✿ ✿

Bella speed across the city in a blur of black and red. She loved this feeling, the feeling of being weightless and in control. Cutting through the wind, completely untouchable.

However, a small voice sounded at the back of her mind. If there is so much of a scratch on this bike when you give it back I will gut you. Bella shivered at the memory of Jason's words, she'd never heard him so threatening before. So despite her basic instinct to go as fast as possible, she slowed down around corners and kept a careful eye whenever a car got to close.

She pulled up into the docks, coming to a halt outside the same warehouse she had just fought her way through and out of. The smell of smoke was fresh in the air, but any sign of a fire couldn't be spotted from here. No sign of anyone around the docks; no emergency services or the injured gang members. She hadn't noticed it last time, but there was also no sign of any workers on the docks, and no ships on the nearby water.

Bella dismounted from her bike and entered the building, careful that her footsteps couldn't be heard, which was easily done with the crashing of waves in the distance. She hadn't spotted anyone yet, but you could never be too careful as Selina's lessons echoed in her head, surprise, when it's used well is deadlier than any weapon. She kept her pace slow and her eyes darting to each corner of the room. It felt empty but you could never be too careful. She was aware that people could be trained to conceal their presence if needed, Bella didn't think it was out of the group's capabilities. If she hadn't had the element of surprise early it might of proved to be a pretty even fight, one she might have ended up losing.

She rounded the corner coming to the expanse of space where Dick was kept before, except now it was completely cleared. Bella frowned, she had only been going about twenty minutes, barely enough time for the men to recover let alone clear the evidence. But this room was spotless and showed absolutely no indication of the kidnapping that had taken place. No even a speck of blood.

Bella crouched down, placing two fingers on the floor and smelt them. Bleach. This place was scrubbed down, and quickly. If it wasn't already suspicious enough that a large group of highly skilled criminals to go after one teenage boy, this was a tipping point.

It meant that there was others behind this attack, people who had been there to conduct it and clean up when it had gone south. People who had managed to put out a fire, clear out numerous injured men and destroy evidence in record speed, Bella didn't know how many people had those capabilities.

Bella reached into her pocket and slipped out a silver switchblade. She had snatched it from one of the men in the struggle. It was beautifully made and undoubtedly expensive. She ran a delicate finger of a carving at the bottom end of it. It was a simple drawing of a flower, five petals with small sprouts in between each of them. Bella knew it well. She had always been fascinated with flowers, even more so with the deadly ones. The ones that looked pretty and delicate, but could bring healthy strong men to their knees with just a drop.

That had been why she'd chosen the name Belladonna for herself, a name meaning beauty and a plant meaning death. Fitting.

This plant was not a nightshade. But it was extremely toxic, just a small amount could lead to paralysis of all the bodies motor functions including the heart, resulting in death. The plant was Conium maculatum.

'Hemlock,' Bella breathed, a shiver running down her spine. She had the strangest feeling she was being watched.