ANGLERFISH

1

The sound of sirens and psychotic laughter was the only thing that kept Gotham unique.

My eyes just scanned what I passed or who had passed me. My journey right now was to get a cold brew and return to my research on the one and only Harvey Dent. To find why he truly cared for banishing criminals.

I readjusted my dark navy blue hoodie on my brown locks and began to look around. I was about two blocks away from my favorite coffee shop. So, I decided to call my cousin who had invited me to drink a cup of coffee with him; Bruce Wayne.

The phone rang, rang, and rang until I heard his voice, "I'm on my way right now, I, Uh—just got stuck in traffic!" He lied as I heard him press his car keys. I pressed the crosswalk button and waited for it to give me permisson. "Sure thing, how come you didn't use your wings or batmobile?" Kiara joked as she looked both ways before crossing the street.

I was 1 out of the 4 people that knew that Bruce was the one and only, Batman. Bruce and I have stuck together since his parents died, and mine abandoning me. I lived with Bruce and Alfred since I was just 7 and Bruce just turned 21. I moved out once I turned 18, I live in the "best" parts of Gotham; where there are more abandoned buildings than people, people with the craziest lifestyles, and—just bad to the bone.

Bruce wanted to help me financially, but I didn't let him, because I wanted to become the independent woman I am today and look at me now. I earn about 200 dollars per paper; it's a lot for a person that just writes about crime, but it's enough for me to eat and stay in my apartment.

And no, I don't live in an apartment with roaches, rats, holes in the wall, and that one couple. My apartment is very spacious, has two bedrooms, one bathroom in my room, while the other has another one near the living room, the kitchen is very clean-cut, and extremely nice and quiet neighbors.

I'm just a 25-year-old living a normal and uneventful life.

"You better hope you're not saying that in public!" He laughed. "Oh, of course not, just here standing in the middle of nowhere." I began looking around once more. "Hey, Bruce, do you by any chance know anything about Harvey Dent?" I asked as I stood to wait for the light.

"Uh, kinda, why?" He said, I cleared my throat, "My boss wants me to write a paper on why he wants to put all criminals behind bars, like there has to be a bigger purpose than them just being bad guys, right?" I began walking again.

"What is the other reason or reasons you are assuming, Kiara?" He chuckled. "I don't know, grudge, revenge, or just for safety reasons." I placed a few out there. All of a sudden, across the street I heard a gunshot go off and saw about 4 guys with guns, who seemed to be trying to rob the most known robbed bank in all of Gotham. "Hey, do you mind making a quick stop by your little cave and grabbing some gadgets?" Kiara said as her nerves seemed to be getting the best of her.

"Why?" He asked, seeming to be concerned. "Oh, well the Gotham National Bank is getting robbed, and you know I'm not one to scream for help, but I would get here; like right now?" I said with a bit too much sarcasm.

"Kiara, whatever you do, don't try to help, you'll get hurt—just go to the coffee shop and I'll try to deal with it." He then just hung up. Whenever Bruce told me not to get involved in things, I knew it was because his stupid monitor of criminals or danger was already beeping, meaning there was another crime. Mr. Fox has done Bruce the favor of helping others but also having Bruce have to choose who he helps.

I looked down at my stomach and saw I had my camera, my book, and a pen. I decided to run towards the bank and get the closest I could, to take some photos of these 'brave heroes' and write down what was happening. "Let's go, pal, I'm making a withdrawal here!" The guy that seemed to make the rules yelled.