Before The Storm

Chapter 8

A month had passed and any signs of the Penguin had went silent, like he had some how vanished into thin air. Unlike the Penguin however, the Riddler had been showing a lot of signs. Almost every night. Robbing banks, killing cops who got in the way, and looking for some golden bars. I have a theory that the golden bars that the Riddler was looking for had to be the same ones the Penguin had been, but why were they looking for it and where were they?

During the month, when I wasn't looking for signs of the Penguin, or Riddler, or doing things around Gotham and the manor, I would go to the Batcave and try to crack the code on the computer, but I failed everytime. I searched the cave for anything and found a platform hidden under the cold water. I have no idea how to get the thing to rise up. There must be a way for it on the computer, but I have no way of knowing until I crack that code.

I shook my head from my thoughts as I folded some clothes in the laundry room while Papa cooked dinner. I tried to get him to take a break today and told him I would make dinner after folding the clothes and putting them away. Staying here and not helping with the cooking and cleaning made me feel like a bum. So every once in a while I catch Papa taking a nap or busy watching the history channel and cook dinner or clean something for him.

“Hey Alfred, can you... Oh! I'm sorry, Lily. I thought you were Alfred” Bruce said walking into the laundry room.

I laughed a bit as I folded one of his dark robes.

“It's alright, Bruce. Do you need anything cleaned?” I asked him.

Bruce nodded his head holding up a set of dirty clothes. I set the folded robe down in a basket that would be taken the west wing, and walked over to the Bruce to take the clothes. I set them down next to the washer to set them apart and wash them after I was done folding the rest of the clothes.

“Is that all?” I asked him as I grabbed a shirt.

“Yeah” He said before leaving the room only to come back in, “Um, where's Alfred?”

I shook my head smiling.

“He's in the kitchen cooking dinner. I think he might be making his famous Sheppard pie” I told him and he nodded his head with a thank you.

Once the clothes were folded, put away and Bruce's dirty clothes were in the washer, I sat down on my bed with a sigh as I grabbed my laptop. I logged on to my Facebook account to see a new message from one of my old college friends. I smiled and read the message that she was coming to Gotham for two days to meet her boyfriend of two years parents and wanted to meet with me at the local park or a cafe and catch up.

I smiled as I typed a message back saying that I was excited to meet her again and that I knew of this great diner that I go to everyday for lunch, adding silently in my head that the only reason I go there was to keep an eye on John. Even though the Penguin has been a no show in the last month, doesn't mean he couldn't or wouldn't try something against the cop that I could call my only friend here in Gotham beside Bruce. Yes, the last couple of weeks, John and I had become friends, telling jokes and stories about our child hood while we were in the diner. John even gave me a ride home after once again the camaro being towed away. In which Bruce had to take the beautiful red car away from me for a week, and gave me a black 2003 Impala to drive, until my 'grounding' from the camaro was over.

To my surprise Alice replied back quickly with a smiley face and a 'I can't wait to see you Lily! It feels like forever since we last saw each other! Will this Friday at one sound good?'. I smiled and replied with a 'yes one is good' and that I agreed with her that it felt like forever since I last saw her. Which had really been over seven months since she had graduated in December and I in May. She couldn't make it to my Graduation due to some family problems, but it was understandable.