Thanatophobia | VICTOR ZSASZ [DISCONTINUED]

sixteen | the anvil or the hammer

While Annabelle was seated on the counter of the bar and drank some of the bourbon from its bottle, Butch told Oswald, "I put the pistol under the bar, machine gun behind the juke. All Connor and his guy gotta do is get to them."

Oswald chuckled as he said, "The day is finally here. Maroni—"

Then he cut himself off when he heard a door opening, which got the three of them to look over at the door to see James Gordon walking towards them.

While Annabelle tilted her head and started to wonder what James wanted this time around, Oswald said with a chuckle, "Jim. So lovely to see you. To what do I owe this wonderful surprise?"

While he took a step closer to Oswald, James told him, "I need to know where the Foxglove is. And I need an invitation."

While Oswald laughed, Annabelle tilted her head as she asked, "And why, might I ask, do you need to know that?" When James only narrowed his eyes at her, she feigned a gasp before she said, "Oh, don't tell me this has something to do with The Ogre taking your ex-belle?"

James's eyebrows furrowed as he said, "My what?"

Annabelle said, "Your ex-belle." When he raised an eyebrow at her, she chuckled before she told him, "Your ex-lover, James."

James eyed Annabelle and muttered 'oh' under his breath, while Oswald said to him, "Well, someone's in a mood."

James asked him, "Can you help me out? Yes or no?"

Oswald said to him, "Jim, I do so love our give-and-take relationship. But it's starting to feel a bit one-sided."

James replied, "Fine. I'll owe you a favor."

Oswald told him, "You already do."

James retorted, "Then I'll owe you another."

Oswald asked him, "Cards on the table? The Foxglove makes a lot of money for some important—"

He was cut off when James grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled Oswald towards himself before he pulled out a gun and pointed it at Butch.

It was then that Annabelle slowly stood up on the counter of the bar and narrowed her eyes at James, while she waited for the moment in which she could actually attack him.

While Oswald repeatedly gasped and looked between the three of them, James asked him, "You think you know who I am, what I'm capable of? You have no idea."

Despite his incessant gasping, Oswald told him, "Today's an important day for me. So I will accommodate your request. But, detective, mark my words, you owe me a big favor."

James chuckled before he released the grip he had on Oswald's shirt and let him go.

With her veins that were starting to come onto display, Annabelle watched James as he waited for Oswald to give him an invitation to the Foxglove.