Chapter 4: Kiss From A Rose

The career criminals, fueled by their hatred of being out-burgled sped with purpose down the hallway of the empty museum along darkened corridors and around corners, Selenna leading the way as she tracked their prey.

“Shh. Hold up. I hear voices.” She said, skidding to a halt and pressing a hand out catching Evie in the chest.

“Watch it, Puss. You’re not my type.” Said Evie, glancing down to where Selenna had her hand palming one of her breasts.

“Sorry. And hey—you’re not my type either. I prefer my chest to be well-muscled with a bat logo in front of it.”

Selenna peered around the corner and saw what looked to be about eight hoodlums sporting the purple jumper jackets of Mr. J’s gang. They had gas masks over their faces and were spray-painted to resemble grotesque clown masks.

‘So, they had been tipped off about the gas and double-crossed…’ Thought Selenna. She craned her ears to listen.

“Hurry up, Jinx—what’s taking so long, man?” Said one of the men from behind his clown gasmask, a black duffle bag resting against his shoulder.

“Will you shut up and quit asking me that after every goddamn door I have to open.” Said the man, who was on one knee, picking a lock. He’d pulled his mask up and had a flashlight clamped between his teeth now and was in apparent frustration.

“Hey, what about the gas?” Said his companion, grabbing him by the shoulder.

“Don’t be such a hypochondriac, Chuckles. Harley said if there was gas it would have been picked up by our sensors. But that was ages ago.”

“So, whoever discharged it, reversed it—are they on our side?”

“She said to watch our backs—now, quit bugging me.” The man turned back and resumed his lockpicking.

“Hey, did you guys hear something?” Said another of the clowned henchmen.

From the far end of the hallway, a figure stepped out and spoke.

Selenna groaned inwardly as her crimed-companion couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Shh, Evie—wait. What the fuck? What if they have guns?” Said Selenna, but Evie had shaken off her wristlock without a lookback.

“That’s my shit you stole, creeps.” She said, her hands were on her hips, her head cocked to one side.

The seven men, minus the lockpicker turned to face her.

“Looks like we got company, fellas.” Said one of the clowned men.

She took a step forward so that she was under the light of the hallway and a few of them guffawed.

“Beat it lady, this here belongs to Mr. J.” Said the man with the duffle bag.

A few of his accomplices made to move in front of him. Their guns drawn. Evie noted they had silencers affixed to their ends.

“Now, now boys. What Mr. J doesn’t know won’t hurt him. But I will hurt you. Hand. That. Over.” She said, pointing at the duffle bag.

“Light her up!” cried the man with the duffle bag, pointing his hand in her direction, several of the men running toward her, guns raising. He turned to the lockpicker and whispered, “hurry the fuck up man, that’s Evie. She doesn’t play.”

“You had your chance.” Said Evie through gritted teeth. She raised her hands up and down in a quick convulsive motion and vines erupted from the walls. Their cord-like tentacles snaked around the first wave of men, who cried out in surprise. The vines snaked around them with surprising speed and twisted their gun hands; the barrels of the guns were crushed like crackers. One of the men managed to dodge the set of vines meant for him and held out his gun and fired. It missed Evie by inches, and she became incensed. She reached for her tranquilizer gun and fired at the man, hitting him squarely in the chest.

He buckled and began to scream in agony, as his body began to bubble and writhe as innumerable vines burst forth from his chest and torso, killing him and adding to Evie’s protective arsenal.

Selenna, who was still around the corner watched in transfixed horror as Evie cackled at the havoc she was wreaking among the men. One by one they fell as she casually approached the man with the duffle bag and the lockpicker. They were both pinned against the wall and Evie was mere feet away.

“So, you thought you could outmuscle us? You’re no match for Mother Nature.” She curled a finger and her vines wrapped around the locksmith and began to squeeze.

“Please lady, mercy. We was just following orders.” He croaked, pissing his pants.
But she merely laughed. A laugh that turned into a snarl as she swiped her hand and the vines squeezed tighter until his eyes rolled back in their sockets.

She turned to the man with the duffle bag. He’d unslung it off his shoulder and was kneeling, his hands raised in supplication. He was weeping from behind his mask as Evie curled her hands into fists.

“You know? I was going to let you go.” She stepped forward and unzipped the bag, taking care to note the items were in fact inside. They were. The ancient and valuable metal clung to the oversized jewels and she was momentarily distracted.

“Yes. I was going to let you go and send a message to your overly make-up’d clown of a boss. But then…then I thought it would be more fun for my plants to tear through your body. You and your bandits have caused me pain. You’ve maimed some of my plants. And since turnabout is fair play…”

She reached out with her hands and her vines lifted the man bodily off the ground, they wrapped around his torso and legs and he screamed, fighting against his bonds.

“Hmm, where to begin—Oh, I know.”
Selenna stood frozen and could only watch as she heard the fabric of the man’s pants rip from behind as he began to scream as a particularly large vine began to approach his backside.

All of a sudden, a rush of wind sailed past her and a spinning blade emerged out of nowhere, gliding through the air and cutting through the vine which was nearly nestled precariously between the man’s legs.

The vines Evie was holding slackened as she turned around.

“You!” Her eyes narrowed as the cowled figure approached, his cape billowing like a shadow behind him.

“Aargh!” Evie cried out as she shot vine after vine at the hero.

“You know I can’t let you get away with this,” he said sternly as he blocked, parried and punched his way closer to his opponent.

“How. Are. You. Doing. That?” She grunted, sending vine after vine at him. As he made contact, they turned brown and wilted.

“Know thy enemy, Evie. Anti-venom affixed to my combat gloves.” He grinned from under his cowl.

Sensing the turn of the battle, Evie called out to Selenna who was already at that moment, unfurling her whip.

He turned to face her. “Don’t do this. You know it won’t end well.”

Selenna shrugged her shoulders, “Hoes before Bros.”

She sprang at him, kicking off the wall and dodging two of his punches which, she knew, were designed to incapacitate, never to kill.

“Hah!” She grunted as she landed, splayed out like a cat as she ducked a roundhouse.
He advanced towards her, unhurried as Evie busied herself with the locked door. She was using the powers science had given her to have her vines rip and tear at the door, wrenching at it so that they could beat a hasty retreat.

“Keep him stalled, I’ve nearly got it!” She cried, duffle bag slung across her shoulder, victory seemingly at hand.

Selenna began backing towards Evie, closing the distance, but He would not be deterred. She snapped her whip at him, but He raised armored forearms and the blows, which would have broken the bones of normal men merely glanced off him.

“The police have already been called. They have this building surrounded. Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be.” He stopped, a hand outstretched, a peace offering.

“Don’t listen to him, he’s full of shit!” Evie called with a grin, for the doors were now torn from their hinges, her pathway—their pathway—to victory clear.

Selenna looked back towards Evie who was already heading through the opening, then back at the Bat.

“Sorry, sugar. Looks like momma’s going to eat tonight. Raincheck?” She shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head to one side, but His scowl told her she’d have to earn her way out of this one.

He advanced towards her once more, and they clashed. Selenna knew the stakes were raised higher than they had been all evening and she had to up her own ante. She splayed her fingers and with a ‘snikkt’ and five, inch-long claws protruded from her fingertips.

‘Too close for the whip—time to use the claws.’ She thought as she ducked his first assault. She countered and they were locked in combat: His armor against her claws and cunning.

“Don’t worry, pretty. I won’t aim for that face—not unless I have to!” she sneered, as she blocked and counter-blocked His advances. Twice, He’d nearly had her in a hold and had nearly placed restraints on her wrists. “Evie—a little help!?” She cried as she dove through the hole where the doors had been.

“Got you covered.” She said, waiting for Selenna to dive through. The Bat was feet behind her, but that was all Evie needed. She’d raised her tranquilizer gun and fired. It was a one in a million shot that hit the hero in the shoulder between His armor.

The toxin began its lethal work, as He rolled over and began to writhe. He groaned aloud and unseen by the criminals, reached for something from his utility belt and hastily injected it into himself. Selenna looked at him, what a cruel way to go.

“Hey! Let’s go. He’ll be dead soon.” Evie said impatiently, clicking her fingers under Selenna’s nose, bringing her out of her momentary haze.

“Uh, yeah—I mean yes. Let’s go.”

Evie was already running down the hallway, taking an alternate route from the one they had planned with Selenna in toe. They were passing by a large floor to ceiling window when all of a sudden, the room burst with light.

“We know you’re in there. We have the place surrounded. Give up now!” A police helicopter had stationed itself just outside the window and they were being addressed over the bullhorn.

Evie had stopped dead and Selenna bumped into her, making them both stumble.

“Hey, why’d you stop?”

“I’m thinking…what we need is a diversion.” Evie ran across to the other side of the large room and peered around a corner which revealed an open expanse. From this new vantage point, she could make out several floors below. On each of them, advancing in their direction, were scores of Glotham City PD, decked out in riot gear.

“Not good.” Said Selenna, who had come to join her.

Then Evie turned towards her, readjusting the duffle bag over her shoulder. “I think I have a solution for us.”

Selenna looked up, “Oh yeah? Care to share, because we totally have all day.”

Evie turned towards Selenna and quite unexpectedly kissed her full on the lips.

“Wait—wha?” Mouthed Selenna, who had her hands raised in protest. She felt something strange begin to happen to her lips. Like they were going numb. Like—she—was going numb. She felt her limbs begin to grow heavy.

“You taste good, kitten. Though you’re still not my type. Toodles.” Evie waived a villainous farewell and beat a hasty retreat as Selenna felt herself pitch forward.

“Hey Fellas—we’re over here!” Cried Evie, catching their attention and doubling back through the room they had just come. The last thing the remembered before everything faded to black was the sensation of falling.

Then nothing.

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