Birds of a Feather (Oswald Cobblepot)

Gotham is Her Home

   “So, you’re the Trickstress? Natalie, explain!” Amanda commands into the cell phone as I sit at the foot of the bed in a hotel room somewhere in Central City.

“Your agent Harrison got the tech by the Trickster. He then used me into getting the Trickster to like me and lead him back to his hideout where the tech was hidden. He gave me the costume and monologued about his plan to use the mask to frame the mayor for stealing a rare diamond and taking control of Central City’s politics. I went along...until I didn’t, and I foiled his plot. End of story, now, can you please arrange for some kind of way back to Gotham?” I ask, flopping my back onto the bed.

“Why? Can’t you get out on your own?”

I sigh, looking out the window, “Nope. They’ve locked down the entire city searching for me. I’ve been stuck in the city for four days now, I’ve tried everything. Even though I helped reveal the Trickster’s evil scheme, I’m still a ‘armed and dangerous individual’...and while that may be true, so is any police officer! This sort of thing would never happen in Gotham!”

“Alright, I can pull a few strings. What was this agent’s name again? Harrison?” she responds flatly.

“Yeah. Harrison Wells, like H.G. Wells, the guy who wrote ‘The Time Machine’. Eccentric guy, but then again, what agent isn’t?”

There’s typing on Amanda’s end, and then a period of silence, “Oh no…”

“What’s wrong Amanda?” I jump up from lying down.

“...nothing. It wasn’t your fault. I’ll have you escorted out of the city at the North Side exit in an hour.”

I get off of the bed, grabbing my black duffel bag of belongings, “What’s not my fault Amanda? Don’t tell me that tech is in the wrong hands?”

She sighs, “No, what’s wrong is that the tech is in the hands of its original owner. But I’ll have other agents deal with it. You need to get back to Gotham to scout for Suicide Squad candidates, speaking of which, how is that going?”

“Victor Zsasz is suppose to drop by Fish Mooney’s in a day or two, hence, why I need to get back to Gotham ASAP. As for other candidates, there’s this guy who works for Fish Mooney named Butch Gilzean, and he seems pretty capable.”

“I’m looking them up on our database right now,” Amanda confirms, “hmm...they both show, but Zsasz is probably your best bet. Anyone else?”

I close the hotel room door and begin descending the stairs. Outside of many doors are empty room service plates, guess all these guys are stuck in the city as well.

“I was going to suggest the Trickster, but considering that you don’t like unstable types-”

“You do have to consider at least a little instability when looking for these kinds of soldiers, but yes, the Trickster would be too much trouble to be worth it,” there’s more typing on her end, “although, he does sport an impressive resume. Real name James Jesse...wanted for murder in twelve states under different names...master of disguise...renowned escape artist. Hmph, I don’t know what the CCPD are thinking, they should be thanking you,” Amanda concludes jokingly.

I chuckle, “Thanks Amanda, but I don’t think a thanks is in order. I am ‘armed and dangerous’ after all.”

   I’m back in Gotham within a few hours, the sun just beginning to set on the horizon of the Gotham Bay. I disposed of the cell phone back in Central City, just like I’d promised to Amanda. Besides, she’s right, those things are far too easy to track.