THE BAT CHASE (Batwoman/Ruby Rose fanfic)

EIGHTEEN (Kate POV)

"Do you believe in coincidence?" I ask after turning the engine of my bike off. I'm talking about Kate Kane's bike, of course, a black Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883 and not the bat-cycle that makes my girlfriend drool like a baby to the point that she's suggested that maybe we could try to have sex while riding it.

"Experience has taught me that I shouldn't believe." Dani jumps off the bike to the ground and takes a look around cautiously holding the helmet in her hand: this isn't the best neighbourhood of Gotham, sidewalks are dirty and walls covered in graffiti, although it's not as dangerous as Crime Alley where gangs roam freely. We'd better be careful, anyway, and that's why I've parked my bike in a side street, more discreet, I hope they don't steal it... I smile walking towards my girl and nod, fixing my leather jacket on my neck, we're close to the river and it's cold here.

"This has to mean something, right?" I point at the neon sign across the street, big blue letters flickering and attracting a diverse clientele... even some rich mama's boys from the Diamond District judging by their suits, despite those dirty windows and a thug who looks dangerous watching the door. But who I am to judge the tastes of Gotham citizens...

"The Blue Tarantula... Bleu again... Non, I don't think this is a coincidence... and I don't think it's a good name for a striptease club either. Spiders are such a turn off for me, I'm even scared of them." The beautiful French lady grimaces in disgust while I put my arm on her shoulders chuckling.

"I agree with you. Are you ready?" Dani nods and we walk slowly towards the door.

Yesterday, while we were eating pizza and I applied some ointment on my girl's bruises, my dad checked Winter's call list from the phone I cloned in her apartment. There weren't texts or pics, or other phone numbers, only several calls to this striptease club... a place that crazy blonde would never visit in a million years... it's not her style, she's more of a Ritz girl than a gutter rat. We assume that her business partner works here, lives close or he's a regular since the owner of the club is well-known by the police of the city but he doesn't get into big trouble: some bar fights, drug trafficking, he punched a prostitute once... But he's out of his league when it comes to organize the kidnapping of a kid in France and try to screw my family over.

This striptease club is known in the neighbourhood, it's been open for long years and it's still popular despite the changes of names and owners. And that's why it's open 24 hours a day, which means that's impossible to sneak in and take a look because there're waitresses working always, customers, almost naked girls and a security guard at the door who could catch us easily. We racked our brains thinking how we could break in till I realized that the best option was to come as a simple client. The Colonel is a known face in Gotham and could raise a red flag, whoever is involved in criminal activities inside that building would run away, and in addition to that he had a previous engagement with the Crows tonight. Obviously, I had to take his place. I'm the black sheep of the family, after all, and I did worse things than having a drink in a striptease club during my crazy years. Since my inglorious reputation precedes me, they'll think that the rich spoiled brat is looking for some fun with her new girlfriend visiting the underworld.

And here we're, Dani and me, wearing comfortable jeans and biker jackets to hide our weapons but we also wear beautiful T-shirts and makeup to send the message that this is a date. I've lent her a pair of boots with some steel hidden under the toe box in case we find trouble and she needs to kick some asses hard, although I don't expect a fight... we're here to take a look and pretend that we have fun staring at the girls while drinking. I can't help but look at my girlfriend out of the corner of my eye, this isn't the place I'd take an elegant lady of a good family like she is but Dani seems curious about all this. The daughter of a count visiting a sordid striptease club... it's almost a cliché. Luckily, in case we need backup, my father has ordered a couple of his boys to stay close with a car and I admit that it makes me feel better.