Barbara Queen

The Queen of Gotham

FOURTEEN

Barbara sits on her throne. She's really taken the Queen of Gotham title literally. Me and Tabitha stand opposite her like second hand women. Shes been collecting money from the heads of the families. One of the heads kneels before her. He looks pathetic, but then again don't we all compared to Barbara.
The three of us our dressed to intimate : Tabitha in a black leather dress, Barbara dressed to the nines and me wearing the sparking new outfit that Barbara had just given me.

It was quite generous on her part but then again she was the richest woman in Gotham so...
"Do you have it?" Barbara demands.
The trembling man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a large what of money. His hands shake as he hands it to Barbara.
"Hmmm, feels a little light." She says, passing the stack to Tabitha.
"And you know, mommies gonna need a new pair of stilettos." She pauses and takes of her high heeled shoe.
"Capisce" she says before striking the man across the face with it.
I gasp, he falls to the floor and Barbara laughs.
He tries to get away but Tabitha swiftly pulls out her gun to shoot him. I turn away as he bleeds out on the floor. Barbara tosses the shoe on the ground, "who's next?"
I don't answer her.
"What's wrong" asks Barbara when she notices my expression.
"can't take the heat." She laughs.
The phone rings.
"Barbara Queen." She say picking it up.
"Jim, what an unpleasant surprise. Let me guessed, do I hear a favour coming on?" She smiles deviously before hanging up.
"Guess who that was." She asks us.
I give Tabitha a look, she does realize she had Jim name right in front of us.
"Jim" I say trying to hid my annoyance.
She smiles, "well aren't you a good little detective. Speaking off detective work, it seems like we're going to have to do some of our own."
Her and Tabitha share a dangerous look.
Oh great, I think another crazy mission. Just what I need.
She gets up,
"Grab your coats we're going!" She orders us grabbing a fluffy white overcoat. Barbara rushes us out the door and into the car.
We drive to an abandoned warehouse much like the one she'd taken me once before. Tied up in the middle of the warehouse is a bald man. Tabitha flings her whip around his neck and gages him. Barbara just chuckles at the mans discomfort.
"Hello," she says "I'm Barbara Kean, the queen of Gotham" she doesn't have to announce herself I think, everyone knows who's he is.
"I know who you are" says the man, "what do you want?" He manages to stammer out. Tabitha chokes him harder. Barbara chuckles at this.
"Torture is fun. However, I need to know what is coming into talk 9C."
"There is no dock nine C" says the man.
"I can tell you what I-"
"What you don't know, yes I've heard that one before." says Barbara.
"Now tell me something I haven't heard." She says walking closer to the poor guy.
She moves her coat slightly so her gun is visible.
"You don't know what they're cabals of." He says,
"Even what Don Falcone was running things he never asked questions about what came into dock nine C."
Barbara rolls her eyes, "in case you haven't heard, Don falcone ain't running things, baby." She walks closer to him, her high heels clicking against the hard ground.
"Now! I hat is coming into dock nine C."
She stabs him with a hook she just so happens to have. He groans as she pushes it in deeper. It's quite the gory sight.
"Barbara..." I start but there no point in finishing, she'll do what she will to him.
"Something already came in last week," says the man giving into her torture.
"Oh?" Says Babs.
"But they picked it up okay, it's still over therein that crate. I swear that's all I know.
We all turn to look at the crate. It's has Indian hill stamped in big bold letters.
Barbara's turns back to him.
"So, you must have a phone number to alert them when things arrive."
She taps the hook causing him to scream.
"Huh? What do you say we give em a little call." She caresses his face with her gloved hand. Tabitha smiles at her tactics.
"Cause I would love an introduction" she say, she's eye grow darker, almost eviler if that even possible.
There's a loud clang as the warehouse door opens. Barbara's attention is pulled away from our captive. She signal for one of her men to go check it out. I can't see anyone.
There's the distinct sound of a blade being drawn and then a man screams. Barbara pulls out her gun, Tabitha her whip. Barbara pushes me behind her, a protective gesture. Normally I'd be surprised at her care for me however I know nows not the time to be getting all warm and fuzzy with my boss. Someone's here for us.
A man wearing all black and a mask approaches us, he wields a sword.
"Stay behind me." Barbara commands me.
I'm not going to argue with her on this one.
"Get him!" One of Barbara's men yells. He fires his gun but the man in black dodges every bullet. He does eccentric flips avoiding the shots. Before I know what has happened he's begging to nurse Barbara's guards. I'm still with terror.
"Let's go!" Barbara shouts. I can't move but she grabs me by the arm, her and Tabitha hustling me out the back door. We run to her car and she shoves me inside.
we hear one last scream before Barbara drives us away.
We don't stop to talk until we're back at the club. Barbara driving us straight threw every intersection and traffic light there is.
"What the hell was that?!" I ask when we're finally safe.
Tabitha looks to Barbara but neither of them have an answer.
"Something bad." Says tabby.
I roll my eyes,
"Thanks for pointing out the obvious." I say sarcastically.
"You better watch yourself!" Tabitha warns.
"Or what!" I argue back.
"Or I'll wrong you script little ne-"
"Oh shut up!" Barbara scream at us both
I shut my mouth, so does Tabitha.
"Well what do you suppose we do Barbara, huh? Because if that guy was any indication this court isn't anyone we should've messing with."
"We don't know it was the court." She snaps back at her.
"Of course it was the court!" I chi robin, "who else would send a ninja assassin after us.
Barbara throws her hands in the air,
"We don't know we were the target!" She screams.
"There was no one else there!" Yells Tabitha.
"I agree with her," I say punting to Tabitha, "who ever you messed with, they're clearly out to get us now." Barbara ignores me.
"Oh so now this is my fault! If we should be blaming anyone it's Jim Gordon, I only made us go there for him!"
"Well maybe that's your problem! Maybe you should spend less time obsessing over a guy who hates you and more time on your own safety."
Barbara doesn't say a word but the slightest movement make me very well aware that I've enraged her.
I know I've gone to far.
Tabitha doesn't say anything, but I back away from Barbara like she's a wild animal, ready so strike at any moment. As far I'm concerned she might.
"You take that back!" She yells.
"No." I say sticking my ground.
Before I know it Barbara pulled out a knife and has lunged towards me.
Tabitha grab a her pulling her away from me. "You little brat!" She screams trying to claw my eyes out.
"Barbara stop!" Tabitha yells pulling her away.
Barbara calms down a bit. "Let me go" she says in a measured voice. Tabitha let's her go. I tremble fearing the worst but to my surprise she turns away from me. I sigh with relief. Suddenly she wipe back wound punching me square in the jaw.
"Agh!" I fall to the ground. "There," she says, "now get up!" She barks. I touch the side of my face, it hurts but I'm not going to make a big deal out of it.
I get up calmly.
"I didn't mean to offend you," I say, "I just think we need to be more careful, the court is powerful."
Barbara glared at me.
"I will destroy them!" She says as though it's a fact.
I nod,
"I hope your right." Barbara sneers and turns away from me.
"Why don't you go bother someone else." She spits at me. I frown but I'm not going to o test my luck. Barbara isn't someone I should mess with. Especially when she's in a mood like this.
"Just so you know," I say "I'm only saying this because I'd Tom want you to end up dead." Both Barbara and Tabitha are silent, neither of them have a response.
But then again neither do I. I leave them alone, it's better that way.
Maybe one day they'll realize their mistakes, but today is just not that day...