A long day

Casino.

That was one way of earning money. In my case, it wasn't a gamble with a low chance of success. It was a stable income.

I visited plenty of casinos throughout the city and acted according to my little plan. Which is – never playing big.

Most of the time I saw someone winning, loaded back and then claimed the prize. Quite vicious, isn't it? Makes it all the more exciting.

Anyway, with that kind of method I managed to earn about 10-20 grand per day, taking into account intentional losses.

After a week and a half of such machinations I had enough money to afford what I wanted. A nice apartment in a relatively nice neighborhood. Best I could find in this dark city.

By the way. Damn! That's just ridiculous. A comics universe? That left me baffled the first time I heard of it. Never in my life would I have imagined the afterlife being THIS.

Not that it is a bad thing. On the contrary, I would be more than willing to get involved in a meaningless yet exciting heroic adventure. Why not try something like that when you can't die, right?

I entered my apartment while thinking about that.

Putting my newly bought set of clothes on a sofa, I chose a relatively simple clothing and changed. Giving my apartment a side look I smiled contentedly.

It was a lavish apartment in an elite building. There is everything you could expect from such a place.

A creatively stylized fireplace with a TV above it. Exotic hardwood flooring. A large, modern kitchen. Automated cooling and heating systems. Lavish master bedroom. Two bathrooms and one guest room.

I hummed, merrily walking towards the mirror.

Looking at myself I felt really odd. In my previous, normal life I was at the stage when a person realizes that he is slowly getting old. Gaining weight, feeling tired and living monotonously.

And yet here I am, starting anew. In a body way better than I ever had previously.

A well balanced, muscular physique. Tall stature. Sharp featured front, dirty blond hair and hazel blue eyes.

...

I locked the door and went outside.

It was late in the evening. A very unpopular time for a guy with money to stroll around Gotham City. Crime rate was very high even though a bat vigilante was on guard for the last year or so.

But I wanted instant noodles. Also marmalade and coke would be a good addition to my newly bought game console. Yeah, I'll probably ruin this perfect body sooner or later.

As I walked on minding my own business my eyes caught someone crawling in the bushes near a grand estate.

[Saved Successfully]

I stood on spot, doing nothing but observing this person. It was a she, presumably. And apparently she was thinking of the ways to infiltrate the mansion.

But just a minute later I saw one of the guards of the place catching her and calling police.

I'll let her have another chance.

[Loading the last Save]

This time I approached her and sat close by.

"Hey." I whispered, and she hit me with her sharp-heeled shoe, breaking my nose.

[Loading the last Save]

"Hey." I said again with a sulky voice, standing a good distance away.

She flinched, taking a step back and looking at me warily.

"I don't mean to be rude," I pursed my lips, "but I wanted to rob this house first." I said, pointing forward.

I could see her confused face even though she had a hood and a mask on, that covered everything below her green eyes.

"...no," She muttered, "I won't leave." A determination in her eyes.

"Well," I sighed, "then we better be going."

She still eyed me suspiciously.

"Unless you want to be caught by a guard." I looked behind her, observing the guy who wasn't that far away.

Seeing him, she stood up in panic and followed me, not knowing what else to do.

...

Finally, after so many tries, I had a decently planned PLAN. This damn house is nearly impenetrable. But it still was and will be fun.

I and the girl, climbed over the fence in the only spot that wasn't watched by videcams, dogs or guards. Then we waited for exactly 11 seconds and crossed the little footpath, approaching the back door.

We waited hidden in the bushes, and about a minute later the chef walked out, leaving the door open.

Entering in we walked through hallways in scrupulously calculated manner. Never meeting anyone and finally reaching the room with the most jewelries.

The girl didn't even bother looking at it as she intently gazed at me with her jaw dropped in surprise.

"I appreciate it." I smiled, proud of myself.

"That's, ... huu," She observed the room, taking a deep breath, "That's my salvation."

She stepped forward and then stopped, taking a look at me.

"I can take it, right?" She asked, ready to lunge at the jewels and run the moment I decline. We've already went through it.

Why didn't I save at this point and decided to start all over again? Because I didn't know if all of this will work out fine and won't backfire. I had only two slots. One of which is an Auto-Save. So better be safe.

"Half of it is yours." I said, and she nodded happily.

She put everything in her backpack, including my share and we left the manor the same way we entered it.

That was the first time we succeeded.

Clatter Clatter

"Halt!"

I heard someone shouting and swiftly covered my face behind the stolen handkerchief.

It were a knight and the jester looking guys. He made a vertical slash, slicing the backpack, all the jewelry falling down.

Shit, not again. I concentrated on loading, but a sudden laziness took over and I just stood still before the girl run away and I followed suit.

That was too much, I want to sleep already.

We run for our lives for awhile and stopped in an alleyway, the two oddballs long lost.

"Huff," the girl looked dejected, "where do I go now?"

I tilted my head.

"You have nowhere to go?"

She sighed, frustratedly.

"I run out of the house." She told me, a glint of anger in her eyes.

"...ugh," I looked around tiredly, "I live nearby, so let's get going." I said with the look that doesn't accept refusal.

Having no other option, she followed me silently.

***

"You can take that off already." I inquired after we entered the apartment.

"Yeah." She nodded and took her mask off, revealing a tender facial features of a young woman.

"So," I took my hood off and put on a T-shirt, "What's your name?"

"Selina." She replied, examining the apartment.

Sounds kinda familiar.

"I am Marcus." I sat on the sofa and turned the TV on, hardly. Never seen this kind of touchscreen remote controllers.

I found the channel with a funny looking cartoon and left to take a shower.

"Don't steal anything." I gave her a side glance.

She huffed, looking offended.

...

When I left the bathroom I saw the channel was switched and Selina sat on the sofa, sleepily watching.

"Hey, why did you switch?" I asked.

"You thought I'd watch a cartoon? Don't treat me like a kid." She turned around, pouting.

The fuck?

"What are you talking about? I wanted to watch a cartoon before sleeping!" I sat next to her, pausing for a moment, "...there is nothing wrong about it, now is there?"

I took the remote back and pressed the screen chaotically, trying to remember how it works.

"Erm," She looked at me, "is this really your house?" She smirked.

I looked back at her, deadpanned.

"Okay, okay," She giggled, "Give it to me."

She pressed something and the sound of a lightning reverberated throughout the room.

"Wow!" I exclaimed excitedly.

A portal seemed to appear in the large HD TV, with the lightnings and fog. It even got colder!

RUMBLE

A man's head popped out of the portal. He wore a red helmet and looked very alarmed as it seems.

"Marcus!" He shouted, startling me and Selina, "Save it," He threw a paper at me and it looked very realistic! "You're our last ho-." The portal closed suddenly, leaving me bewildered.

"Shit." I exclaimed, looking at Selina, "Give that back to me!" I took the remote.