Chapter 190: Forces At Work Part 2

Less than a minute passed that Rose witnessed the odd creature disappear into Raven's room.

The first thing she felt was worry as it was not a guarantee that the two odd beings that arrived would not kill the kid.

"Shit," She cursed under her breath and looked ready to make a move but a moment later, Raven's window opened the strange looking creature came out, with an unconscious Raven being carried under one of its arms.

Rose couldn't see this clearly so she quickly raised her binocular and zoomed in, only then did her worry dwindle, despite the appearance of a creature she had never seen before.

"Never a dull moment in this line of work. Anyway, this works better if the kid is unconscious anyway." She sighed before quickly lowering her binocular and crouching down to pick up the rifle she was in the midst of assembling.

With the creature slowly descending from the 66th floor, Rose quickly performed the last adjustments on her rifle before reaching for the duffel bag and taking out a small cache of silver like bullets.

She then took out two before slotting them in and aiming down her sights.

"First shot, to track." She muttered before taking a deep breath and lining her shot onto Raven.

Less than a second later, she pulled the trigger and a silenced shot flew out before striking Raven at slightly exposed spot at the back of her neck.

The bullet hit Raven with needle-like precision but given the distance between her and the creature, it noticed and heard a weird noise.

Before it could investigate, Rose lined in her next shot and fired but this time, she purposely missed.

Once again the noise rang but this time, it whizzed past the creature's face, scarring its cheek before impacting the wall with a tiny spark.

"Hm!" The creature was stunned and immediately looked to the distance where Rose was standing proudly at the top of the building, wanting to be seen.

The creature still posing as a man below noticed the odd situation and also looked toward Rose before panic began.

"??????" It soon yelled up at the creature holding Raven in a language that Rose couldn't even comprehend.

Whatever it was that was said, the creature descended faster, not caring for the noise it created before quickly entering the vehicle and driving off.

Rose observed this without flinching, instead she reached for a metallic pouch strapped to her left thigh and took out a device, which soon flashed on and showed a bright green dot flashing and moving across real time map of Gotham.

"Same shit, just a different race." Seeing that her plan worked perfectly, her concerns of the plan's success dwindled.

….

At the same time, away from all the drama and schemes, an entire set of different troubles lingered in the night.

Just two buildings over at a separate dormitory, floor 70, room 70, Barbara Gordon was lying on her bed, leaning against it's frame while holding a cell phone in one hand.

It's screen read "ringing", and soon, it clicked on.

[ Hello, Barbara?]

"Hey Terra, I found your missed call, sorry, I've been busy with class and assignments today, only got back a little while ago, isn't it late over there?"

[ It is, but, I already slept earlier because I was supposed to have a flight soon but things changed. ] Terra's voice carried it's usual distant tone when talking to others.

Her and Barbara weren't really friends but she chose to make it seem so and get closer to her via Arias's instructions.

As for Barbara, she didn't lack friends in her life but did certainly lack friends who knew about her secrets, the only girl her age being Terra.

The two found common grounds and did speak on occasion, but it was yet to bloom into solid anything yet.

"Oh? How come? I thought you were supposed be here by tomorrow to meet your dad?" Barbara, wanting to get her mind off the worries that troubled her mind, she also chose to listen and speak to Terra more, hoping it would shed light on what sort of character Arias was.

Unbeknownst to each other, both were trying to use the other for information, thinking "they" had the upper hand.

Barbara always thought herself to be smarter than those her age and even most adults. It was this nature of hers that lead her to becoming infatuated with Bruce, his intellect, charisma and purpose were all unlike anything she'd seen, until Arias appeared.

In turn, Terra also thought herself to be much smarter and less naive than her peers. She could easily fool others with a mask of pity surrounding her past and even her ascension to the heir of Markovia. When in reality she felt no remorse and only looked to please the person who had given her a different life, Slade, however this was slowly changing to Arias, and even she couldn't realize it.

[ I was but Mercy suddenly cancelled the flight, saying dad doesn't want the media bombarding me with questions over the recent allegations. It's so unfair…] Perhaps for the first time since the two met, Terra showed some weakness and sadness in her voice to Barbara.

Barbara couldn't help but feel for Terra and ask, "Oh, I'm sorry, I know it's probably a lot to take in."

Barbara's word were genuine and so were her feelings of guilt regarding her choice to use this suffering person for her own investigations.

[ I know he's not my real father but he's the one he gave me everything when I had nothing, so it hurts so much seeing him get thrown dirt at just for trying to help people like me who felt lost.] Terra's act was one without cracks, and one not even Arias told her to perform.

Yet she found herself eager to bring him results, and she show she could bring more than what was asked of her.

In turn though, her words made Barbara feel even worse about herself. So she quickly made up an excuse, her conscious craving an end to the conversation.

"I'm sure everything will work out, and people will realize the truth. Look Terra I've got early classes tomorrow but I promise I'll call the second I'm free."

[ No problem. Sorry if I sound like a pain, probably pathetic for a princess huh? It's just, I've never really had a friend I could talk to openly, so thanks. Good night Barbara. Click!~] Not giving her time to react Terra cut the call immediately she was done, leaving Barbara feeling far more guilty than before the call had started.

…

Meanwhile, Rose was also wrapping up her little operation.

It had led her to an abandoned apartment building, in one Gotham's former crime dens.

She observed it from another building's highest floor, using the cover of night to go unnoticed through the windows.

Rose was inside a rotting room, shrouded in darkness but her expression remained casual as she leaned against a wall and took out a miniature drone.

She simply tossed it into the air and it began it sprouted little wings, now looking like a silent fly.

"I don't like where this is going," She sighed before taking out a separate device, the size of a tech tablet with the drone's controls on its screen, as well as night vision footage of what it saw, live.

Without wasting time, she seamlessly piloted the drone into the target building and began her search, before long, she found that the two unknown beings had taken Raven to the building's basement, where a terrifying scene awaited.

Seeing the footage, Rose couldn't help but frown.

Within the room, numerous fleshy bodies hung up from the ceiling, some still dripping blood on the floor.

At the basement's center, a strange altar of sorts was present, and it was there where Raven's figure could be seen slouching against a pillow.

As for the two creatures, they began to draw strange symbols all over the ground while reciting strange words.

Rose had seen many things and knew such things existed from her father, but it was her first time witnessing it herself.

She tapped the earpiece she wore and spoke with concern. "Uhm, boss, are you seeing this feed?"

Click~!

[ I am, keep observing and be ready to step in if needed. I'll be there soon.]