Birds of a Feather (Oswald Cobblepot)

The Court of Owls and Tales from the Arkhamverse

  I find my motorbike parked in a dark alleyway, just as Veronica promised. On top of my outfit, my motorbike has also been updated, with a built-in radio set. Wow, where does she get the time to do th-...oh yeah, I almost forgot, the idle rich.

I mount the bike and turn her on, speeding off within seconds. The radio buzzes to life, and Veronica's voice comes in.

"Natalie darling, I'm looking at the cameras you and Barbara placed around the house, and it looks like she's in the kitchen, with several men and a woman."

A woman? Could that be...

"Does she have a bombshell hairdo and a homely dress?" I ask, leaning down so that my voice can reach the radio microphone.

I take a sharp turn right as Veronica replies, "Why, yes, she does. Certainly doesn't look like the burly men in suits surrounding poor Babs. And...she's baking as well! Muffins, it looks like."

Liza...it's a shame she had to get tied up in this. Although, she is a child of the streets, so sadly, this shouldn't be anything new.

    The driveway of Don Falcone's mansion is empty by the time I arrive. Thank goodness, I beat them here, I guess going eighty miles per hour on a motorbike helps.

I dismount my motorbike, leaving it parked under a nearby tree. There are no guards in front, maybe they're all inside. I grappling hook up to the roof, where I scale to the other side and drop down onto the second floor balcony. I open the glass doors leading to another bedroom. Who lives here besides Don Falcone himself?

The only source of light in the room comes from the clouded sunlight streaming in from the glass doors, leaving just enough light to see. The room is strewn with toys, the ground laiden with soft carpet, the bed purple and shaped to look like a butterfly. Don Falcone...has a child? Or maybe a grandchild?

On top a child-sized bookshelf, I spot a wooden toy horse, with a red saddle and stirrup painted on. I pick it up, I had a similar toy when I was a kid. Mom crafted it for me out of a piece of firewood, it wasn't professionally made as this one appears to be. Still, it's nice to be reminded of a happy moment...

"You shouldn't be here," a young female voice calls out.

I whip around to find a girl, no older than twelve or thirteen. She's only a little shorter than me, in a flowy purple satin dress that looks more suited for a toddler than a teenager.

"Look kid, I don't want to hurt you, just stay quiet, and everything-"

"Wait...are you the Trickstress?" the girl asks.

Well...I didn't expect her to recognize me. I guess the papers have been circulating my picture around more than I thought.

"Why...yes, yes I am."

"Where's Batwoman? I wanna meet Batwoman!" she declares, raising her voice.

Shoot, I've got to keep this girl under control, at least until I can get out the door, "Uhm...I'm sorry sweetie, Batwoman isn't here right now. She's on a very important mission an-"

"Guards! Help! Intruder!" she cries, almost screaming.

I scowl, "You little bitch," before racing out the door.

Three armed guards rush into the girl's room, "Sofia, where is he?! Where's the intruder?!"

"She went out the door, that way," the girl, Sofia, points left.

One guard stays in her room while the other two march out into the hallway and turn left. From the closet at the end of the hall, I watch as the two men enter the first two rooms in search. One of the men leaves his room first, and walks up to the closet. He turns to enter the room to the side of it, but I open up the closet door and trip the man. He falls to the floor and I grab him by the leg and drag him into the closet. Punching sounds come from the closet, which quickly fade into silence. The other man exits his room.