"A child weaned on poison considers harm a comfort."- Gillian Flynn, Sharp Objects
•••
"No. No! You don't understand, okay? My employee got blown up and I want to know what happened, you get that?"
Bird looked over to where local famed chef Roberto was yelling into the face of one of the uniformed officers on the scene trying to get him to calm down.
A useless feat considering he'd just seen one of his most trusted staff members blown to bits by a car bomb.
The scene outside of the lavish restaurant was a glow in shades of red and blue from all the emergency vehicles that had beat Bird and Jim there.
Bird stood in place next to the passenger side of the car she'd just exited. Her eyes darting back and forth between the crowd that was starting to gather on across the street and the hectic immediate surroundings.
The air smelled of fire. Thick with an electric smell. When the wind blew it carried the scent of gasoline with it.
Feeling a hand on her arm, Bird looked over with an almost dazed look to where Jim was now next to her.
"You okay?" He asked.
Seeming far more concerned about her than anything else in that moment.
"Yeah." She blew out a breath and nodded. Her gaze going over to where the mangled metal bones of Don Falcone's car was still smoking from the explosion, "I think it just hit me that I was supposed to be here-"
"Really?" Jim questioned following her line of sight, "Cause it hit me the moment I got the call about what happened."
When Bullock had phoned to let him know what happened, call him to the scene of the crime, Jim's first thought was that he was thankful Bird had decided to skip the food tasting and for the pre-rehearsal dinner.
Originally it was supposed to be a family affair; but she'd canceled earlier in the day and opted to just have dinner with Jim instead.
"I should find Falcone." Bird breathed out trying not to dwell on the coincidence of it all.
The smoke in the air scratched at her throat, leaving an irritating feeling in her chest.
Like splinters in her lungs.
"Yeah-" Jim started to agree but didn't get much a chance as Bird turned and briskly walked away.
Appearing to recover from the shock quickly.
He nearly had to jog to catch up with her.
They spotted Mario and Lee sitting in the back of an ambulance. From a distance the didn't look too badly injured.
Jim and Bird exchanged looks before starting in their direction, only to be intercepted by Falcone, who said it a hushed but serious tone as he greeted the couple, "We need to talk."
"Is everyone okay?" Jim asked him.
"A few first degree burns, but that's it." The former mafia Don explained before he looked Bird over and added, "I was worried when I couldn't reach you earlier. I thought..."
His voice trailed off.
Bird gave a slight shrug, attempting and failing to lighten the mood when she answered, "Far as I know the only one who currently wants me dead is Captain Barnes."
She shifted her stance when she was met by unamused glances from them both.
"Any idea who might have done this?" Jim questioned once he pulled his eyes from Bird after her comment..
"I've made my share of enemies over the years." Falcone answered in the same deadpan tone of voice that Bird would often use when stating the obvious, "It could be anyone."
YOU ARE READING
Devil's Playground • Gotham Fanfiction •
Fanfiction"Sometimes you have to just sit back and watch people destroy themselves." Bird's own words after watching her biological mother die. Little did she know that apparently it was something she'd inherited. Maybe that's just part of the madness of life...
